《Mr. Kane Got Blacklisted》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    "Number 23, Miss Ste Jewell. Were you able to contact your family members?" It was unknown how many times the nurse had urged her. Ste took a nce at her cell phone with her head down. Keegan Kane''s phone was still unreachable.


    A massive pile-up urred at the overpass Rivera City Route 3 Loop. A bus tipped over and fell into the river. Tens of injured civilians were sent to the hospital. The family members of the wounded arrived at the hospital in droves, while only Ste''s family members were unreachable.


    Despite the horrifying scene of the ident still shing before her eyes, the fear could not withstand the chill in her heart. Ste suddenly thought, ''If I died in the ident today, would there not even be a person toe collect my remains?''


    "Miss Jewell?" Ste returned to her senses. The blood stains on her entuated her fairplexion, which was close to being transparent. Her voice was slightly hoarse and flustered, but she did not lose her poise. "Sorry, he might be busy. Can I sign it myself?"


    "I''m sorry, if there is no signature from a next of kin, please stay in the hospital for further observation. The severity of a concussion can vary. We will need to take responsibility for your well-being." Ste pursed her lips and said, "Then, let me try again."


    She took out her phone and walked out of the ward. She passed by two nurses pushing a trolley of equipment as she walked by. When she slightly nted her body to give way, she heard them say, "Do you know who is at Ward 16?"


    "Who?" The other nurse asked.


    "Be Young! The superstar! The one who was in that very famous drama, the female lead of ''Secret Sweetheart!!" The first nurse eximed.


    "Oh my god! Did she get severely injured?" The other nurse asked.


    "Her elbow was slightly scrapped. If she hade just a littleter, it wouldn''t have healed. And, she is a celebrity. She uses her looks to get a job. Naturally, she would be more delicate than us normal people. If I was this beautiful, I wouldn''t hesitate to get my whole body insured!" The first nurse answered.


    "Oh yeah, I even saw her boyfriend! It was the person who had his picture taken being with her at herke vi!"


    Ste instantly stopped in her tracks.


    "He was tall and handsome. Based on his attire, he must be quite rich. Most importantly, he was so nice to Be. When the ident happened, he immediately rushed over here through the hospital''s VIP passage just to apany her throughout the process. Tell me, women are all the same. But why is it that some people are born to be winners in life..."


    Their voices faded out as they walked further. Ste slowly gripped her phone tighter until her knuckles turned white. Outside of Ward 16, Keegan was talking to Be''s manager. Ste was far away from him and actually could not hear anything. However, Ste oddly felt that he was scolding the manager for Be''s ident.


    Ste took out her phone and called Keegan. Keegan paused for a bit and looked at his phone. His already furrowed brows were now furrowed even more tightly. He picked up the call, and his impatient voice came from the other side, "What''s wrong?"


    "Where are you?" Ste''s voice was hoarse, and her tone held some fragility.


    Keegan, instead, did not notice it and coldly said, "At thepany."


    "Is the Kane corporation also involved with hospitals?"


    Keegan froze, and his face sank. "You stalked me?"


    Ste felt the urge tough a little, but her eyes turned slightly red. The disdain in his eyes made her chest tighten in waves.


    "Mr. Kane, you think too highly of me," She paused a bit then said, "There was someone who looked quite like you on the news, so I called to ask about it."


    Keegan replied. "Don''t you have something better to do." Then, he hung up the call and turned around to go into the sick ward.


    Ste gave a single chuckle of self-mockery and thought, ''Yeah, I have nothing better to do. I clearly saw everything, and yet I still gave him a call to seek humiliation for myself.''


    In the end, Ste was picked up by her friend, Felicity Thompson. If it was not because she did not have a next of kin to contact, she actually did not want to trouble her friends. No one would willingly show the bad part of their life to people. Regardless of mockery or pity, it would just make her feel embarrassed.


    "What about Keegan?" Felicity asked.


    "At thepany, I guess. That''s what he said," Ste replied.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Felicity mmed the steering wheel and cursed out, "Fucking mutt. His wife was in an ident, and he still wouldn''te. Is he earning so much money just to buy his own coffin?"


    Ste bantered in return, "He could also be doing it to buy me a coffin."


    Felicity red at her. "You still have the mood to joke around! The people in the car behind you are already dead!"


    "That''s right," Ste lowered her gaze and gave a barely audible sigh. "I almost died..."


    Felicity had some urgent business, so she rushed off after sending Ste home. Once Ste had reached home, she greeted Maya Lane, the housemaid, and went upstairs.


    Aftering out from her shower, the traffic incident on Route 3 Loop had already started trending. However, most of the headlines were rted to Be Young. Apart from the state media being concerned about the level of severity of this incident, the entertainment media heavily focused on Be''s mysterious boyfriend.


    The media did not dare to leak Keegan''s identity and merely subtly mentioned that the individual had a high worth. Be''s fans were helping Be deny the rtionship while spamming concerns about Be''s injuries in thements section of each major media site. Ste thought that it was a little funny. The nurse said that Be only had minor scrape wounds. ''Aren''t these people making a big fuss over a minor issue?'' She thought.


    However, immediately, her expression turned ugly, and her heart began to tighten. Be had posted a pregnancy checklist on her social media.


    Six weeks pregnant. Six weeks ago was precisely the day a picture of him was taken at theke vi.


    The timing lined up.


    Ste stared at the screen, stunned, and her heart crumpled into a ball. Three years of marriage was just a piece of nk paper. Before Keegan married her, he was together with Be. Keegan''s grandmother, Cordelia Lawson, looked down on Be''s status and background. Hence, she forcefully separated them.


    Keegan was dejected and chose Ste, who was with the worst background among the numerous socialites, to rebel against his family. The Jewell family was in it for the protection of the Kane family, while Keegan was in it for her identity. This marriage hit off perfectly, and both sides got what they needed.


    No one knew that she was in it for Keegan Kane himself.


    In a rtionship, whoever fell for the other first would be the first to lose. Be''s presence was like a thorn in Ste''s marriage. Ste had tried her best to ignore it, allowing it to grow on her. Ste always assumed that bearing with it would allow it to pass on. However, this thorn started to spread its roots in her flesh and tore her marriage into shreds. In the end, her persistence became the biggest joke ever. When Keegan came back, it was already close to ten at night. The lower floor was quiet, with only Maya there.


    "Where is she?" Keegan asked.


    Maya took the coat and softly said, "Madam went to her room once she returned. She did note out at all. She didn''t even eat her dinner."


    Keegan furrowed his brows.


    "I''ll heat up the porridge again and send it to madam''s room," Maya said.


    "That won''t be necessary." Keegan''s tone was indifferent. "She''lle down herself when she is hungry."


    Maya did not question any further. Keegan took a shower and stayed at the study for a while. At eleven o''clock, he nced at his watch. Usually, at this time, Ste would bring a ss of milk in. She would still let Maya send it over even when they were in a fight.


    Yet, ten minutes have passed since eleven o''clock today, but the door to the study still had no hint of any movement. Keegan could not bear to read his files any longer. He stayed for another few minutes before he finally got up and went to the bedroom.


    He opened the door, and no lights were turned on in the room. It was pitch ck. Keegan could barely see the person lying sideways on the bed. Ste opened her eyes the instant the door was opened. She did not move and felt the seat next to her cave in as Keegany down.


    She flipped over and stretched her hands into his pajamas. Feeling his muscle under her palm tense up, her hands became even more wanton. Keegan''s breath became heavy. When she continued to venture downwards, he held her hand. He flipped over and pinned her beneath him. "What are you doing?"

 Chapter 2

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 2


    Chapter 2


    Keegan¡¯s hot breath brushed over Ste¡¯s ear, carrying a searing body heat. This made the tips of


    Ste¡¯s ears feel hot. But her lips were very pale due to the severe pain she felt from the bruise on her


    abdomen. Fortunately, with the lights off, he could not see it. Ste lifted her head and kissed his


    adam¡¯s apple. Keegan¡¯s breathing was ragged, and his gaze became much deeper. He lowered his


    head to bite at her neck. The next second, he heard her casually say, ¡°My ovtion period should be


    coming today.¡± Keegan froze, and the lust in his eyes immediately dispersed. His face fell, while his


    voice revealed a tinge of anger. ¡°Is this the only thing in your mind?¡± Ste stared at the ceiling. The


    heat in the tips of her ears slowly dispersed. ¡°Your mother has been pressuring me. This isn¡¯t a thing


    that I can do alone. Otherwise, I¡¯ll do a vitro insemination with your sperm. That would be fine.¡± Keegan


    mocked her with cold words. ¡°Was it her urging in the end, or was it you being afraid of losing the


    position of Mrs. Kane, so you want to give birth to a bargaining chip?¡± Ste¡¯s heart clenched into a


    tight, but her expression did not show any changes. She merely chuckled once and said, ¡°That¡¯s right,


    I¡¯m afraid of you not wanting me, and I want to share some bond with you.¡± Keegan buttoned up his


    shirt and gave her an annoyed look. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your efforts on a scheme like this. I don¡¯t want a


    child.¡± Ste¡¯s smile stiffened bit by bit. When he was about to go out, she called to him, ¡°Keegan Kane,


    do you actually not want to have a child, or you just don¡¯t want to have a child with me?¡± Keegan¡¯s


    footsteps paused for a bit. ¡°Is there a difference?¡± he said coldly. Ste gripped her hands tightly. ¡°If


    there is no difference, then what¡¯s the point of this marriage? Let¡¯s divorce!¡± ¡°Suit yourself!¡± After


    leaving behind these two words, Keegan went out and mmed the door. Ste, on the other hand,


    grabbed a pillow and threw it at the door, her eyes teary. The next day, Keegan came back from his


    morning run. He sat at the dining table to read the mail. Breakfast was served long ago, yet he did not


    make a move. Maya asked, ¡°Mr. Kane, would you like me to reheat it?¡± Keegan nced at the time and


    furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°Call for her toe down for breakfast.¡± Maya went upstairs. Not long after,


    she ran down in a hurry, ¡°Mr. Kane, Mrs. Kane is gone, and she left¡­ this.¡± ¡°What?¡± he asked while


    taking the papers from Maya. The few words ¡°Divorce Settlement¡± seemed especially blinding on theN?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    papers. He sullenly flipped through them as his expression sank bit by bit. When he saw that the real


    estate, automobiles, and shares were halved between each person, he immediately let out a scornful


    laugh. ¡°She dare to even imagine!¡± However, after seeing the reason for the divorce, he could notugh


    anymore. That line had only one sentence written. ¡°Due to the male partner¡¯s infertility and failure to


    engage in a normal couple lifestyle, the rtionship is severed.¡± With a somber expression on his face,


    Keegan pulled out his cell phone to call Ste. ¡°Hello?¡± Ste¡¯s cold tone came from the phone. It


    sounded pretty revolting to him. He asked through gritted teeth, ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the


    literal meaning of what was written,¡± Ste said in a casual tone. ¡°Tell me when you¡¯re done signing it.


    Then, I can go and get the cert done. Regardless of marriage and funeral, we will not have anything to


    do with each other in the future.¡± The veins on Keegan¡¯s forehead kept popping. ¡°I¡¯m asking what is the


    meaning behind the reason for the divorce!¡± Ste kept quiet for a while. Then, she said, ¡°You think it¡¯s


    normal for us to be this way? Keegan, there is a sentence that I wanted to say to you very early on.


    Find some time to see a doctor. Your mother has fed me so many alternative remedies every day.


    What¡¯s the point of me drinking the remedies? The one with the problem is you.¡± ¡°Ste!¡± Ste hung


    up the phone after she finished speaking. She essentially did not give him a chance to vent. Keegan¡¯s


    expression was grave. Maya was so scared that she did not dare to breathe too heavily as she thought,


    ¡®Mrs. Kane used to be very well-behaved and gentle. Why did she suddenly want a divorce? And, what


    did she actually say that made Mr. Kane so angry?¡¯ After finishing her speech, only then did Ste feel


    herself ease up. She suddenly realized how long she had suppressed herself at the Kane family


    throughout these years. However, that feeling onlysted until the night of the same day. The hotel


    manager knocked on her room door and subtly expressed that she could no longer continue to stay in


    that suite. The reason was that the card she used to live in the hotel was specially made for the Kane


    family. Now that her card was locked out, she had no right to continue enjoying the luxurious


    suite. Ste was speechless. ¡°Of course, the main thing is that the room card can¡¯t be used anymore.


    But, you can still proceed with making the payment yourself. Wepletely wee this option. May I


    ask, madam, do you need an extension to your stay?¡± The manager warmly suggested. For doing


    business, the principle of not rejecting money was natural. Ste pursed her lips. She had every reason


    to believe that Keegan was deliberately doing this for revenge. The same day she hung up the call in


    the morning, he locked her card at night. She cursed inwardly, ¡®What a vengeful person! How blind I


    was in the past to have fallen for him?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll proceed with the payment,¡± Ste replied tly. ¡°Then, may I


    know how long do you n to continue your stay?¡± The manager asked. ¡°Let¡¯s try it out for a month,¡±


    Ste answered. ¡°Alright, that will be a total of 1.16 million. If you didn¡¯t stay for the full 30 days, the 30


    per cent canction fee would be charged for the remaining days. The remaining fees will be sent to


    your bank ount when you check out. Now, please go downstairs to pay for the room fees. Thank


    you for your cooperation.¡± Ste was speechless once more. She tussled her hair, and her lips twitched


    into a mesmerizing smile. ¡°Pardon me, could you ask the first question again?¡± The manager was


    stunned by her smile. When Ste did not smile, she seemed cold. But, when she did so, calling it


    sultry was an understatement. The fairest of all humankind was iparable to her. The manager got


    to his senses. After thinking for a few seconds, he said in a probing manner, ¡°May I ask, madam, do


    you need an extension to your stay?¡± Ste said with a slightly restrained smile, ¡°Thank you, but that


    won¡¯t be necessary. Check out, please.¡± The manager was speechless. Actually, she could have


    changed to a cheaper room. She could still pay a few tens of thousands a month, but after thinking


    about it more, she felt that it would be better to let it go. Keegan had locked her room card, so there


    was a high chance that he would also lock her credit card. The equal share of the property was written


    to him out of spite. Ste did not pay a single dime for the car and the house before their marriage. It


    was impossible that she would get a share in it. As for the property during the marriage¡­ she did not


    know how much property Keegan had during the marriage. Regardless of how much, an equal share


    was definitely impossible. If he considered the elbow grease she had put in those three years and gave


    her a few tens of millions, that would have been great. On the contrary, it was also possible that he


    would ask her to fuck off penniless. Regardless, she had to make ns for her future since moving


    from extravagance to frugality was hard.

 Chapter 3

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 3


    Chapter 3


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Felicity was woken up from her slumber by the sounds of a door knocking. After she opened the door,


    she saw Ste standing there holding onto the handle of a suitcase in one arm. Ste smiled and


    spoke with a dulcet voice. ¡°Can I stay here for a night?¡± Felicity passed her a can of cold soda. By the


    time Ste had received it, Felicity suddenly smacked her head, ¡°How thoughtless of me. You don¡¯t


    drink carbonated drinks, right? I¡¯ll get you some milk.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± Ste opened the can and


    took a sip, ¡°There is nothing I can¡¯t drink.¡± ¡®I wouldn¡¯t drink it in the past because I had to prepare for my


    pregnancy. Smoking, alcoholic drinks, and other irritants; I couldn¡¯t touch any of them at all. Now that


    I¡¯m a divorcee, who cares about these things? I would live as happily as I could. Preparation for


    pregnancy? Let that impotent man, Keegan, prepare it himself!¡¯ Ste thought to herself. ¡°You really


    want to divorce Keegan?¡± Felicity sat at the other side of the couch and asked uncertainly. ¡°Mm,¡± Ste


    paused for a bit. Then, she said, ¡°He is with Be again.¡± Felicity immediately cursed out, ¡°Is she


    shameless? Back then, she came over to make a scene during the wedding. Now that three years


    have passed, she came back again? Are all men in the world extinct? Must she mp down on a


    married man and not let go?¡± ¡°Also, Keegan, that bitch of a man. Even dogs know that you should pick


    the fresh ones when they eat shit. He looks at that ancient pile of shit and is addicted to it?¡± Ste could


    not say a word. ¡®Who is she actually cursing?¡¯ She thought. Felicity coughed and said, ¡°It¡¯s just an


    example. Don¡¯t mind the details. They¡¯re together, and you quit? What makes them think that you have


    to fulfill the wishes of this pair of cheating mutts? You should face them head-on! Isn¡¯t she trying to


    make an image of a pure, innocentdy? You should tear open her mask for everyone to see! What


    innocent woman bullshit. She¡¯s just a homewrecker!¡± ¡°What then? Let everyone know my marriage is in


    shambles, and I am a pitiful bug who can¡¯t even control my own husband?¡± Ste sighed, ¡°This


    marriage is already a big failure. I don¡¯t want to make it so humiliating when I leave to the point that


    there wasn¡¯t even the slightest decency left in the end.¡± ¡°Then, wouldn¡¯t this make it too easy for


    them!¡± Seeing Felicity¡¯s worried face, Ste smiled andforted her, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s fine. In the few


    years of our marriage, Keegan was not really treating me badly. Or else, I wouldn¡¯t have had the


    chance to have these pieces of jewelry and handbags. Just thinking about how I wouldn¡¯t be able to


    wear them in the future still makes me a little reluctant.¡± Felicity disagreed. In the past, Ste had


    gotten first ce in cultural studies and acting ss, which allowed her to enroll in the theater


    department of Trinity Film Academy. She was pretty, had great acting skills, and scored first ce in


    her specialty. Those days, she had literally conquered everything. All the tutors felt that her future was


    limitless. ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for her getting married after graduation and not pursuing an acting career due to


    the Kane family, she would have be a famous actress, and jewelry and bags would be nothing to


    her.¡¯ Felicity thought. ¡°Then, what do you n to do after this?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll first rest for a few days and arrange


    my amodation properly. Then, I¡¯ll discuss the voice acting for ¡®Honor of the Deities¡¯.¡± ¡°Have you


    ever considered changing from behind the scenes to the forefront?¡± said Felicity. Ste was stunned for


    a bit. ¡°I haven¡¯t faced a camera lens in three years. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m still capable or not.¡± ¡°Just


    because you haven¡¯t been facing a camera, doesn¡¯t mean you have thrown away your skills. You have


    acquired close to ten million fans just by doing voice-acting! Voice-actors need to portray emotions.


    Nowadays, some actors can¡¯t even pass the basics for doing their lines, yet they are still famous. You


    have the looks and the acting skills. What is there to be afraid of? Supporting yourself would still be a


    breeze even if you don¡¯t get very famous.¡± ¡®That¡¯s true. Even if the path as an actress doesn¡¯t work out,


    based on my poprity in the current voice-acting field, it would be enough for me to livefortably.


    This allows me to be versatile, so it wouldn¡¯t hurt to try it,¡¯ Ste thought. On top of that, Ste really


    liked to perform. Giving up her interest for marriage was the stupidest decision she made in her life.


    Thankfully, it was still not toote to change. Both of them talked until the middle of the night. Felicity


    yawned repeatedly after that and was urged back to her bedroom by Ste. Ste theny down on the


    couch. She assumed she would lose sleep for a while, yet unexpectedly, she fell asleep very swiftly.


    However, it did notst for long as the urgent ringtone of her cell woke her up. She drowsily picked it up


    and said, ¡°Hello?¡± Maya¡¯s voice shakily came from the other side. ¡°Madam, where did you put Mr.


    Kane¡¯s blue shirt?¡± Ste¡¯s mind was still not fully conscious. She instinctively said, ¡°Second-floor


    wardrobe, the east-side second bracket from the left.¡± The other side of the phone stayed quiet for a


    while. Maya then said, ¡°I¡¯ve looked around, and I still don¡¯t see it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible. I ironed and put it


    in there myself. You should ask Keegan if he moved it or not.¡± Maya whispered, ¡°Mr. Kane said he


    didn¡¯t move it. Madam, why don¡¯t youe back here and find it.¡± At that moment, Ste had


    completely cleared her head. She was sure that Keegan was standing in front of Maya. She


    remembered clearly which bracket all his clothes were ced in. How could Maya possibly not find


    them? ¡°If you can¡¯t find them, search carefully. The Kane family only has a few wardrobes. Find them


    one by one. If you still can¡¯t find it, then change into another shirt!¡± She ended the call once she had


    finished speaking. Ste checked the time. ¡®Six in the morning! Keegan is definitely crazy! He made


    Maya call me this early in the morning just to ask me about a stupid shirt! Is he nuts?!¡¯ Ste cursed


    inwardly. At the Kane residence, Maya turned around, terrified. ¡°M-Mr. Kane, madam just hung


    up.¡± Keegan gave her a nce as he thought, ¡®I could hear it. I¡¯m not deaf, and the volume of the call


    was very loud.¡¯ ¡°Mr. Kane, d-do you still want to wear the blue one?¡± Maya stuttered. After a few


    seconds, he said with a stern face, ¡°Ask her which tie matches the shirt.¡± Maya did not dare to answer


    back. The shirt would match the cream-white pattern tie. She remembered seeing it multiple times.


    Keegan would wear it every day. How could he not know? Since Maya had done her job, and she did


    not dare to question the words of her master any longer. She could only call Ste again. This time, it


    rang a little longer before Ste picked it up. ¡°Madam, the shirt has been found, but which tie should it


    match? Usually, these were paired by you. I don¡¯t understand much about it, and I¡¯m afraid that Mr.


    Kane would be angry if I didn¡¯t do well.¡± Ste rubbed her temples before she said, ¡°The cream-white


    tie with the cloud patterns. It¡¯s in the left drawer, fourth level, third bracket.¡± She could hear some


    noises from the other end of the line before Maya whispered again, ¡°I can¡¯t find it¡­¡± Ste was at a


    loss for words. ¡°Pass the phone to Keegan.¡±

 Chapter 4

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 4


    Chapter 4


    ¡°Ah, Mr. Kane? Mr. Kane is still, still not awake yet,¡± Maya stammered. ¡°Then go to the bedroom and


    wake him up!¡± Ste was getting a little annoyed. The other side of the call went silent for a while. A low


    voice of a man came through, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The question was asked too naturally. Even his voice


    still had the hoarseness of someone who had just been woken up. For a moment, Ste thought that


    she was assuming the worst in others. She pursed her lips and took a deep breath. ¡°After a few days, I


    will send you a checklist written with all the cements for all your clothes. I hope you don¡¯t call me for


    such trivial matters again in the future!¡± ¡°Trivial?¡± Keegan scorned, ¡°Ste Jewell, aren¡¯t these trivial


    matters your favorite things to do? You wanted to control what underwear I wore. Isn¡¯t this what you


    aspire for in life?¡± Ste felt suffocated, and she suddenly gripped her fingers. Her heart was densely


    packed with pain. She knew early on that the Ste in his eyes was different from what she heard


    herself. Even the hardest of hearts, when being insulted this way, could not remain impervious. A


    silence came from the phone call. No one said a thing. After a long while, Ste said with a muted


    voice, ¡°It¡¯s quite unaspiring, so I won¡¯t be bothered with it in the future. You just sign the paper, and we


    can both make this quick.¡± The subject went back to the divorce. The rage that had just dissipated in


    Keegan red up again, ¡°Haven¡¯t you made enough trouble?¡± Ste gave a low chuckle, feeling a slight


    irony. ¡°I don¡¯t even have the right to make trouble now?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t regret this!¡± After dumping those words


    out, Keegan hung up. Ste tugged at the corner of her lips. Her presumptuous consideration and


    dedication were just jokes to be scoffed at in his eyes. Maybe when she meticulously prepared his


    outfits for different asions, he stood behind her while looking at her with a gaze of contempt. ¡®What


    could a woman who would only eat three meals every day and only put the effort in everyday expenses


    be able to bring to the table?¡¯ Ste thought to herself. Even she felt that she was being belittled. ¡°M-


    Mr. Kane, are you still going to wear this piece?¡± Maya asked warily. It was not umon for her to


    see the two of them in a fight in the past. However, this time, it was particrly severe. She had never


    seen Keegan having such a tantrum that he even spoke so harshly. Keegan sullenly scanned through


    the wardrobe. Inside Ste¡¯s wardrobe, there were mostly Ste¡¯s clothes. ¡®Even when she wants to


    divorce, she can¡¯t even do it properly. Is this what a divorce looks like?¡¯ Keegan thought. He then coldly


    tugged at the corner of his lips and casually said, ¡°Just get the set that she said.¡± Once he said that, his


    phone rang. He took out his phone and turned around to walk while he answered the phone. ¡°Mr. Kane,


    something happened to Ms. Young.¡± The number of victims increased to 11 people for the massive pile-


    up incident at the overpass, and the other nine people were missing. More than 60 people had different


    degrees of injuries. It was one of the rarest andrgest traffic idents Rivera had ever seen in twenty


    years. The ident urred more than 24 hours ago. The recovery operation of Silk River was still


    ongoing. The citizens of the whole nation followed this incident attentively and prayed that there were


    still survivors. However, Be¡¯s fans were fighting tooth and nail with anonymous users online. The


    reason was that someone had posted a video about the site of the incident. Be came out of the


    vehicle with all her limbs intact and was carried by people onto the first aid stretcher. Yet, on the scene,


    there were still many people covered in blood and still did not get any effective aid. This type of


    comparison was too obvious. A portion of theizens voiced their suspicions. ¡°Why were the people


    with minor injuries getting aid firstpared to the ones that were severely injured? Is this an abuse of


    celebrity privilege?¡± Be¡¯s fans were immediately unhappy with them. They directly branded the


    skeptics as haters and then reported andined. They spammedments to the point of


    causing repulsion among anonymousizens. This sparked a harsh counterattack from the


    anonymousizens. A detailed analysis was done on the investigation of the story behind the traffic


    ident; The ¡°grand actions¡± of Be¡¯s team, the use of the incident to sensationalize a romance on


    purpose, the indulgence of the fans for spamming under the official mourning page to take advantage


    of the misfortune, and the abuse of privileges at the rescue scene. Some even dug out that before


    Be became famous, she was suspected of being someone¡¯s mistress¡­ The degree of intensity


    caused it to directly arrive at the top of the trending searches. Felicity gave a cold chuckle and said to


    Ste, ¡°Didn¡¯t she like to hype stuff up? This time she hyped up to the point of bringing her house


    down!¡± Ste stared at the screen and muttered, ¡°Why do I feel like the ount that disclosed this


    seems so familiar?¡± Felicity¡¯s body froze. ¡°There are many people who use this profile picture. It¡¯s not


    odd that it looks familiar.¡± As she said that, she switched the subject. ¡°What¡¯s your n for


    today?¡± Ste lifted her head. ¡°I¡¯ll first go to Neon Neb for the voice acting audition. Then, I¡¯m going


    to get a car. Want toe with?¡± ¡°I will be out in the field today, so it wouldn¡¯t be convenient,¡± Felicity


    said, ncing at the time. ¡°It¡¯s almost time. I need to go. We¡¯ll talk after work.¡± After Felicity left, Ste


    freshened up and then went out. Neon Neb was a gamingpany. They were on a fierce rise


    these few years. ¡°Honor of the Deities¡± was a mobile game that they nned tounch this year in the


    summer. The voiceover for other characters was already done earlier. Only the voiceover for Vixen was


    left and had not been finalized. The director wanted a type of voice that was able to switch between


    pure yet not delicate and sultry yet not lustful. However, after trying out all the voice actors, they were


    more or lesscking. The director posted on his social media, ¡°A vixen is hard to find.¡± This resulted in


    numerousizens¡¯ments. The top five hottestments were all rmending Dusk Gxy.


    The director searched for the person¡¯s work and then contacted her. When Ste appeared in the


    lobby, the receptiondy was in the group for Shady Gxy. She was dissing Dusk Gxy with all the


    haters. She did not really understand Dusk Gxy, but she was Be¡¯s drama fan. After the hit show


    ¡°Secret Sweetheart¡± yed, there were a few times that the drama had gone up the trending searches


    due to the female lead lines and acting. In the eyes of the normal passerby, Be¡¯s acting in the whole


    drama was saved by the voiceover. However, in the eyes of Be¡¯s fans, it was obvious that Dusk


    Gxy was here to jump on Be¡¯s poprity. Someone in the group had just sent a real photo that


    was suspected to be Dusk Gxy. The receptionist mocked her with everyone and called her dark and


    ugly. Suddenly, a clear voice of a woman sounded in her ear, ¡°Hello there, how do I get to the audition


    booth?¡± ¡°Seven¡­¡± The receptionist lifted her head. The next second, she froze and blurted out, ¡°The


    celebrity application is next door.¡± Next door to Neon Neb is Green Hill Media. The boss of Green


    Hill Media is Keegan¡¯s childhood friend, Vermont Snyder. Be is Green Hill Media¡¯s artist. Ste¡¯s


    appearance was too spectacr. Even while wearing a in white shirt, her gorgeous features could


    not be ignored. Standing there, she made everyone seem like a backdrop. The receptionist instinctively


    thought that she was applying to be an artist. Steughed and exined, ¡°I¡¯m here for a voice-acting


    audition. May I know how can I reach the audition booth?¡± ¡°S-Seventh floor,¡± the receptionist said.


    ¡®Wait! There¡¯s only one artist auditioning today¡­¡¯ the reception remembered. ¡°Thanks,¡± SteAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    answered. Until she disappeared, the receptionist was stunned for a few minutes. Then, she picked up


    her phone and typed out a sentence. ¡°I just saw Dusk Gxy.¡± ¡°Really? Is she the same as the picture;


    dark, ugly, and fat?¡± One of them asked. The receptionist typed the following sentence with difficulty.


    ¡°No¡­ she is too beautiful. Be is not as beautiful as her.¡±

 Chapter 5

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 5


    Chapter 5


    ¡°What are you daydreaming about?¡± The front desk was knocked on twice by a handsome-looking man


    with his elbows on the reception counter. The man raised his chin with a half-smile and said, ¡°Did I pay


    you to daydream?¡± He was Vermont Snyder, the owner of Neon Neb. The receptionist knew


    Vermont very well, so she was not a bit afraid of him. ¡°Boss, you¡¯re often nowhere to be seen.¡± ¡°Heh.


    You sharp-tongued thing!¡± Vermont was just about to flirt with the receptionist, but an untimely cough


    came from behind. He paused for a second and immediately retracted his flirtatious expression.


    ¡°Where is Andrew? Get him down here,¡± he sounded serious. ¡°Mr. Keen is auditioning another artist,¡±


    the receptionist answered. ¡°Audition?¡± Vermont was stunned. ¡°Dusk Gxy is here?¡± The receptionist


    nodded. A glint of joy and surprise shed in Vermont¡¯s eyes. As soon as he turned around, facing


    sullen-looking Keegan, he immediately suppressed his expression and ordered the receptionist with a


    straight face, ¡°Give him a call. I need to ask him about something.¡± The call was put out for a while and


    then connected. Vermont turned on the speaker and said, ¡°Andrew, how is the audition? If it¡¯s not


    sessful, I have an artist here. Her voice is not bad.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. We auditioned that


    person, and the contract is already signed.¡± Actually, the contract was not even drafted, which meant


    Andrew clearly heard Vermont¡¯s hints. Vermont waspletely at ease. He said pretentiously, ¡°Signing


    someone is an important matter, and you didn¡¯t even discuss it with me?! Who is the boss here?¡± The


    other side directly hung up the call. Vermont cursed, ¡°Andrew Keen is getting more insolent!¡± After


    saying that, he turned around and spoke to Keegan in resignation, ¡°You heard him. The contract is


    signed. Let¡¯s wait for the next update. If there is a suitable role, we¡¯ll sign her up for it.¡± ¡°Honor of the


    Deities¡± was currently Neon Neb¡¯s most promising project. Vermont would not allow Be to destroy


    its perfection. Keegan casually nced at Vermont. ¡°I will pay that person double the charges for the


    penalty of breaking the contract. Let her give up on this role, and I will give you a three-percent cut for


    the project at North Cove Town.¡± Vermont¡¯s frivolous expression changed. He stared at Keegan for a


    few seconds before he asked, ¡°You serious?¡± Although Keegan did not speak, his eyes had made it


    clear. ¡°Time and time again, you¡¯ve stuffed Be with resources. I¡¯m starting to suspect that the inte


    rumors are true,¡± said Vermont. However, Keegan was only concerned about Vermont¡¯s decision. ¡°Is


    that a yes or no?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Vermont replied. When Keegan still wanted to say something, the


    door to the elevator opened, and a familiar face appeared. Keegan froze for a second when their gazes


    met. Meanwhile, Ste only paused for half a second before she evaded his line of sight. After she


    came out of the elevator, she politely nodded at Vermont before walking to the exit. Vermont hesitantly


    said, ¡°Did your wife not notice you?¡± Keegan¡¯s face turned glum. He ignored Vermont and lunged to


    chase after Ste. When he was outside, he saw her standing by the road waiting for a car. Ste¡¯s


    back was slim, and her hair was tied into a soft, low ponytail. She slightly dipped her head to look at her


    phone and did not pay the slightest attention to Keegan who was in front of her. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    The interrogating voice was filled with an unreasonable apathy. Meeting him early in the morning had


    ruined Ste¡¯s mood, so her tone was alsoced with harshness. ¡°If you can be here, why can¡¯t I be


    here?¡± Keegan sneered lightly, ¡°You¡¯re not done ying your stalking act?¡± Ste¡¯s eyebrows twitched


    as she snarled inwardly, ¡®How presumptuous!¡¯ Seeing that she say nothing, Keegan was even more


    certain about his spection. His mood had unexpectedly turned slightly better. However, his tone was


    still cold. ¡°If you want to know my schedule, you should just call and ask me. There is no need to go


    through all these twists and turns.¡± Ste had endured his remarks, but now she could no longer hold


    back. ¡°Keegan, has no one ever said you are shameless? Who is stalking you? I stalked you from


    walking out of the elevator? Did I say something to you? Who is the one that¡¯s actually being


    followed?¡± ¡°Pfft¡­¡± Vermont, who was listening in secret, could not help butugh. Keegan held his


    solemn look and shot Vermont a re. Only then did Vermont immediately hide himself. ¡°Why are you


    here?¡± Keegan asked with a worried expression. Ste casually nced at him. ¡°What does that have


    to do with you?¡± Her words were harsher than his. Keegan¡¯s eyelids twitched hard. He was afraid that


    they would fight again if they continued the conversation. He suppressed his anger and stiffly said,


    ¡°Aurora is back. Mom told us to go over to have a meal tomorrow.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Ste replied nonchntly,


    ¡°What does that have to do with me? We are about to get a divorce. I don¡¯t need to apany you


    and y the husband-and-wife, mother-inw, and daughter-inw act again, right?¡± ¡°Act?¡± Keegan


    barely contained his emotions as his rage was immediately prodded. He sneered, ¡°You are good atN?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    acting. Tell me, what do you want this time? Clothes? Handbags? Jewelry? Or, to give the Jewell family


    a project? Fussing for a divorce and running away, you have done enough for your act. How big is


    Albert Jewell¡¯s appetite this time? There is a limit to his greed.¡± Ste¡¯s heart shook, and she clenched


    her trembling fingers. The diamond bracelet on her hand was gifted to her by Keegan on her birthday


    for the first year of their marriage. No, it would be more urate to say that she had demanded it from


    Keegan. Every Valentine¡¯s day, wedding anniversary, her birthday, and other special asions, Ste


    would use coquetry means to ask Keegan for presents, hoping that that time, it would make him


    remember those particr dates. Those times to her were sweet memories. Unfortunately, he saw that


    as her insatiable greed. Ste lowered her head, trying to hide her emotions. Her face was pale. When


    Keegan tried to take a closer look, she raised her eyes. Currently, there were only broken shards of ice


    in those eyes. She then lowered her head again to take off a bracelet. ¡°When we divorce, you won¡¯t


    need to be bothered by this again. Your coboration with the Jewell family has nothing to do with me,¡±


    she said casually. The bracelet slipped into Keegan¡¯s suit pocket as those words came out. At that


    moment, a Uber stopped before Ste. After taking two steps, she stopped and turned around. She


    nced at Keegan and suddenly chuckled. ¡°Why did I still have hope for you?¡± After saying that in self-


    mockery, she turned around and got in the car. Keegan stared in the direction of the car that had left.


    His eyes seemed like they were spitting fire. ¡°Ste wants to divorce you?¡± The nosy voice of Vermont


    came from behind. Keegan shot him a cold nce. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious that it¡¯s just a small argument


    between a husband and wife? Watch your mouth!¡±

 Chapter 6

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 6


    Chapter 6


    After seeing Ste, Keegan was no longer in the mood to discuss business. He did not stay for long


    and left soon after. Just as Vermont returned to the lobby, he saw Andrewing downstairs. Vermont


    looked around and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Dusk Gxy? Why didn¡¯t shee down with you?¡± ¡°She left a


    while ago. Didn¡¯t you see her downstairs?¡± Vermont was confused. He peered at the front desk. The


    receptionist whispered, ¡°She¡¯s the one who just came out of the elevator. The one who looked


    exceptionally pretty and nodded at you.¡± Vermont was stunned. ¡®Ste Jewell is Dusk Gxy?! The


    world looks a little magical now. Keegan¡¯s for-show wife¡ªthe parvenu who¡¯d asionally show off her


    riches and love life on social media¡ªis actually a top-tier voice actor. So, Keegan spent money to


    snatch his wife¡¯s job and gave the job to Be? This is¡­spicy!¡¯ he thought. Seeing Vermont¡¯s


    expression, Andrew frowned. ¡°You¡¯re squinting your eyes again. Who are you trying to set


    up?¡± Vermont smiled. ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡± ¡­ ¡®Keegan Kane, you impotent son of a bitch! Who wants your


    stupid bracelet? Save your money and use it to see a doctor! I don¡¯t want it!¡¯ Ste thought. The more


    Ste thought of the man¡¯s words, the angrier she felt. While scrolling through her phone, she suddenly


    saw the fertility clinic¡¯s slogan on the application homepage. She paused momentarily before booking


    an appointment. Right after she finished filling out her information, her phone rang. Ste nced at


    the iing caller ID and subconsciously frowned. Then, she took her time before epting the


    call. ¡°Hey, dad.¡± ¡°Where are you?¡± Ste could not tell what Albert wanted, so she lied, ¡°I¡¯m at a private


    lesson. What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing. Come over with Keegan once your lesson is over. My friend gave me


    some white truffles. Doesn¡¯t your mother-inw like truffles a lot? You two shoulde over and take


    some.¡± ¡®I¡¯ve lived for 26 years, and I dare say that Albert Jewell doesn¡¯t even know what I like. Yet, he


    knows what my mother-inw likes. How ironic is that?¡¯ Ste thought. ¡°Alright.¡± Albert felt relieved after


    hearing Ste agree. He asked her a few perfunctory questions and hung up. Ste went to the


    automobile service center and retrieved her Porsche Cayenne. The car was a part of the marriage


    dowry the Jewell family gave her, costing nearly a million. After changing its bumper, one could not tell


    how seriously damaged it was before. ¡®Looking back, I still feel upset. Once I get a divorce, I¡¯ll probablyN?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    only get this car,¡¯ she thought. Ste could not help but feel regretful at that thought. ¡®I should¡¯ve driven


    Keegan¡¯s Bugatti that day. If I can¡¯t stab him in the chest, I¡¯ll stab him in the wallet!¡¯ she thought


    again. Ste purposefully called her tutor and booked ast-minute private lesson to make her lie seem


    more realistic. Ste dawdled until six in the evening before she finally drove to the Jewell


    residence. Once she arrived at the door, sheposed herself and rang the doorbell. Sophia opened


    the door. She was the adopted daughter of the Jewell family. ¡°Ste, you¡¯re here,¡± she said happily.


    Then, she peered behind Ste, ¡°Where¡¯s Keegan?¡± ¡°Something came up at thest minute, so he


    couldn¡¯t make it.¡± Sophia¡¯s expression evidently turned disappointed. She grumbled slightly, ¡°Then, why


    didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡± Ste nced over Sophia¡¯s dolled-up look and countered, ¡°You¡¯re all dolled


    up tonight. You got a date?¡± Sophia froze and avoided Ste¡¯s gaze. She vaguely responded, ¡°No. I


    was just practicing.¡± However, Ste had already entered the house. Sophia gritted her teeth and


    followed her. Albert thought that Keegan would surelye, so he got the servants to prepare many


    dishes. In the end, only Ste came. Naturally, Albert did not look happy. He stared at Ste and


    studied her expression. Ste¡¯s facade was wless. Even experienced people like Albert could not tell


    if she was telling the truth. Momentster, he finally spoke, ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Ste breathed a sigh of relief. ¡®I


    can¡¯t let Albert know about the divorce before I get the divorce certificate. Otherwise, things might go


    south,¡¯ she thought. The dining hall of the Jewell residence was enormous, yet only the three of them


    ate there. As a child, Ste had never been quite close with Albert. After her mother¡ªRainee Spade¡ª


    got into a car ident and fell into a vegetative state, she and Albert¡¯s rtionship grew even stiffer.


    Their stiff rtionship only got a little better after her marriage with Keegan. However, it was only on


    the surface. The father and daughter seemed more like blood-rted strangers whenever Keegan was


    not around. On the other hand, he and Sophia¡ªthe adopted daughter¡ªseemed more like the


    biological father and daughter. Compared to Ste¡¯s dull demeanor, Sophia was lively and a sweet-


    talker. While they ate, Sophia made jokes from time to time to entertain Albert. Even though Ste


    found that Sophia¡¯s jokes wereme, Albertughed along. The way the two showed affection as if no


    one was around made Ste lose her appetite. ¡°I got a new job recently, dad. Since the clients I usually


    meet are of pretty impressive status, I want to change to a better car. It¡¯ll be more convenient for


    work.¡± After entertaining Albert, Sophia started making requests. ¡°Sure. What kind of car do you have in


    mind?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t necessarily have to get a new one, just one that¡¯s slightly better than this one. An


    old one will do,¡± Sophia said while shifting her gaze toward Ste. However, Ste lowered her gaze


    and ate her food. She had no intentions of joining the conversation. In the end, Sophia had no choice


    but to address her directly, ¡°Ste, could I use your Cayenne in the meantime?¡± Ste still did not


    speak. Sophia continued, ¡°You don¡¯t drive it often, anyway. Even if somethinges up, Keegan has


    plenty of cars at home, so you¡¯re not short on cars. Won¡¯t you lend it to me for a while? Ste, you¡¯re


    not that stingy, right?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know me well.¡± Ste looked up and nced at her, ¡°I¡¯ve never been


    generous. Cars are like husbands. How could one simply let others borrow their husbands?¡± Sophia


    choked, and her face reddened in embarrassment. Albert frowned. ¡°Did you have to say that? We¡¯re


    family. What¡¯s wrong with letting Sophia use your car for a while?¡±

 Chapter 7

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 7


    Chapter 7


    ¡°Dad, you have apany yourself. Have you ever seen an intern who just joined apany drive a


    luxurious car that costs millions? Thest time Keegan met with a client for a multi-billion project, he


    only drove his 90-thousand-dor Mercedes-Benz. Why does she need a car that¡¯s over a


    million?¡± Albert was irritated. ¡°Things are different in everypany. What do you know? You¡¯re being


    pampered and fed by the Kane family.¡± ¡°Being fed by the Kane family?¡± Ste frowned slightly. ¡°This


    wasn¡¯t what you said when you told me to give up on my job. Besides, the Kane family doesn¡¯t just feed


    me.¡± SMACK! Albert mmed the table and angrily said, ¡°Was there a need to dig up the past? We¡¯re


    just borrowing a car.¡± Sophia quickly cated him. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t be angry. You have high blood pressure.


    It¡¯s my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have brought this up. If Ste doesn¡¯t want to lend it to me, then so be it. Don¡¯t


    be mad at her.¡± The more Sophia persuaded Albert, the more he found Ste a nuisance. ¡°Look at


    Sophia. She¡¯s younger than you, yet she¡¯s more sensible!¡± The meal ended in an unhappy atmosphere.


    Before Ste left, Sophia ced two boxes of white truffles in her car. She said to Ste from the car


    window, ¡°Ste, the reason Keegan didn¡¯te had nothing to do with work, right?¡± Ste nced at


    her. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Sophia smiled, ¡°A car will never have only one owner. The same


    goes for men.¡± Then, she winded up the windows for Ste before turning around and leaving. At the


    apartment, Felicity weighed the two gift boxes in her hands. She turned to Ste and said, ¡°There must


    be five or six pounds here. Your dad really spends a lot of effort in pleasing the Kane family. Didn¡¯t you


    tell him your mother-inw doesn¡¯t even look at the gifts he sends them?¡± ¡°You think telling him would


    stop him?¡± Most of the channels were showing dramas starring Be. Ste turned off the TV since she


    could not find the show she wanted. ¡°He¡¯ll just think his gifts were not their taste. Then, he¡¯ll send them


    better ones the next time.¡± ¡°What do you n to do with these?¡± Ste did not know either. ¡®Albert


    doesn¡¯t trust me. Whenever he sends them a gift, he asks Keegan to see if they received it. Why


    doesn¡¯t he give the gifts to Keegan and ask him to send them instead?¡¯ she thought. Ste was


    reminded of her heated encounter with Keegan today. She felt a little regretful. ¡®I should¡¯ve held myself


    back a little. What if Keegan holds a grudge, and he doesn¡¯t cover for me? I shouldn¡¯t have gone that


    far,¡¯ she thought again. She contemted for a while before cheekily dialing Keegan¡¯s number. The


    phone rang for a while before it was connected. However, the person on the other end hung up just as


    she was about to speak. At first, Ste thought that it was a mistake and redialed. Once again, the call


    got hung up as soon as it was connected. Ste repeated the processes a few more times before


    finally realizing that Keegan was doing it on purpose. ¡®That dog! He¡¯s so vindictive!¡¯ she


    thought. Naturally, Ste was not going to give up that easily. She would rather speak to Keegan than


    deal with his mother¡ªDahlia Crosby. She sent Keegan a text message. [Ste: You there, Mr.


    Kane?] Two minutester, Keegan sent an icy one-word response. [Keegan: No.] Ste ignored his


    responded and sent another text. [Ste: My father gave me two boxes of white truffles. I¡¯ll send them


    to your office tomorrow. Pass them to your mother for me.] Keegan responded to her text promptly. It


    was still a one-word response. [Keegan: No.] Ste patiently negotiated with him. [We¡¯ll split the assets


    60-40. You¡¯ll get 60, and I¡¯ll get 40.] Once again, Keegan gave her a one-word response. [Keegan:


    Hah.] Ste gritted her teeth and made her furthest concession. [Ste: Is 30-70 good enough? 70 for


    you and 30 for me. I can¡¯t go any lower!] This time, Keegan did not respond for a long while. Just as


    Ste was contemting 20-80, the phone rang. It was Keegan. She picked up her phone and


    answered. Keegan¡¯s mellow voice traveled into Ste¡¯s ear. ¡°Apany me to Aurora¡¯s weing


    party tomorrow.¡± ¡°No¡ª¡± Keegan continued before Ste could finish her sentence, ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± Ste


    swallowed her unspoken words and responded meekly, ¡°Okay.¡± Then, both ends fell silent. ¡®This is the


    first time we¡¯ve spoken to each other so calmly since I moved out that day. I¡¯m suddenly a little not


    used to it. To be honest, Keegan¡¯s actually a pretty decent marriage partner. He¡¯s handsome and


    competent at work. Besides his cold personality and asionally harsh remarks, he has no bad habits.


    Even though there¡¯s a huge disparity between our family backgrounds, he always followed the rules of


    etiquette when it came to the Jewell family. Apart from not loving me, he has never treated me badly in


    terms of food, clothing, and expenses. Compared to other rich young men whomit debauchery on


    a daily basis and are embroiled in scandals, Keegan is merely a man who still has romantic


    entanglements with his ex-girlfriend. Is there a need to go to the extent of getting a divorce?¡¯ she


    thought. Ste opened her mouth and was about to speak. However, the familiar voice of a womanAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    sounded on the other end before she could speak. ¡°Who¡¯s on the phone, Keegan?¡± Ste was startled.


    She promptly let out augh of self-mockery before she indifferently said, ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± Then,


    she hung up. ¡®Why do I have to choose a partner among the bad and the worse ones? An ex-girlfriend


    who he¡¯s still romantically entangled with is already enough to destroy this marriage that¡¯s almost


    coming to an end,¡¯ she thought again.

 Chapter 8

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 8


    Chapter 8


    Hearing the phone abruptly hang up, Keegan could not help but frown deeply. The woman beside him


    called out to him again. ¡°Keegan?¡± Keegan looked up and nced at her indifferently. He put his phone


    away and coldly said, ¡°What exactly do you want?¡± Be handed him a beautifully packaged box. Then,


    she whispered a little shyly, ¡°I didn¡¯t have much to do at home for the past few days, so I baked some


    pastries, and I wanted to give you some.¡± Keegan did not move. He lifted his gaze and stared at her.


    ¡°Just for something like this?¡± Be¡¯s breath hitched. She gripped the box and mumbled, ¡°No¡­ I also


    wanted to ask you about work.¡± Keegan responded coolly, ¡°Stop meddling with what¡¯s going on online


    and hand over your Facebook ount to your manager. In a few days, someone from Neon Neb


    will discuss the contract with you. After that, cooperate with them for the promotion.¡± Be was


    delighted. She had offered to voice act in Honor of the Deities to Vermont several times, but he


    dismissed her every time. This led to Be being angry about it for a while. However, it was not


    because she liked doing voice acting for games but merely because she did not want things to go well


    for Dusk Gxy. A while ago, when Secret Sweetheart was a hit, she became a hot topic because of


    online criticism rted to voice acting. Netizens were saying that the dubbing carried her acting skills


    and that people would think she was acting in a puppet show if they watched the drama muted. In the


    hot topic, Dusk Gxy was praised profusely. ¡®I worked hard to film that drama, yet Dusk Gxy is the


    one getting a good reputation? How could I just let this go?¡¯ she thought. In order to prove that her


    original voiceover was not bad, Be posted a video of her voicing the script during the filming of the


    drama on her burner ount. She even paid money to get the hot topic ¡°Be Young Original Voice¡±


    trending. She thought this would blow everyone away. To her surprise, they ridiculed her instead. Once


    again, the so-called audiences and film critics criticized her acting and praised Dusk Gxy


    profusely. ¡®I¡¯m going to lose my mind! Just as I was thinking of a way to relieve my anger, I heard


    Vermont and Andrew discussing the voiceover for Honor of the Deities. I learned that they intended to


    cast Dusk Gxy as the voice actor. I¡¯m too good to voice act in a game. But, if snatching the


    opportunity over would allow me to be a nuisance to Dusk Gxy, naturally, I¡¯ll have to do it,¡¯ she


    thought. Even though Be was ecstatic, she asked with a hesitant expression, ¡°Did Mr. Snyder agree?


    He doesn¡¯t seem to like me that much. If Mr. Snyder isn¡¯t keen on it, then it¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t make things


    awkward between you two because of me.¡± Keegan nced at her meaningfully as if he was going to


    bore a hole through her. Be felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand. However, Keegan merely


    reminded her, ¡°Your manager¡¯s here.¡± Be snapped back to reality. She looked out the window and


    saw her manager waving at her. She frowned. She initially wanted Keegan to send her home. However,


    Keegan¡¯s assistant¡ª Aldor Hart¡ªhad already opened the door and was beckoning her to get out. At


    this point, Be could not shamelessly ask to stay. She bade Keegan goodbye and got out of the car


    without forgetting to give Aldor a deathly re. ¡°Where to, Mr. Kane?¡± Keegan pinched the bridge of his


    nose and said tiredly, ¡°Home.¡± He had not been sleeping well for the past few days. To be precise, ever


    since Ste moved out of the house. He felt annoyed once more at the thought of her. Keegan twisted


    a bottle of water open. He took a sip and frowned, ¡°in water?¡± Aldor exined, ¡°The tea bags that


    madam gave are all used up. The new ones haven¡¯t been stocked up yet. I¡¯ll call madamter.¡± Keegan


    paused and coolly responded, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± ¡®If I go find that woman, she¡¯ll say things


    that¡¯ll piss me off again!¡¯ he thought. Then, he took another sip of water. For some reason, the in


    water he had been drinking for the past twenty-something years had be unptable. ¡®Did in


    water always taste this bad?¡¯ wondered Keegan. They arrived at Royalpark Vi. Just as Keegan got


    out of the car, Aldro retrieved a beautiful gift box from the car. Then, he handed the gift box to


    Keegan. ¡°Mr. Kane, the bag you pre-ordered two months ago has arrived.¡± ¡®A bag that costs over four


    million dors. It¡¯s like carrying a house around. My worldviews are constantly being changed while I¡¯ve


    been working here for the past few years,¡¯ Aldor thought. ¡°When madam sees it, she¡¯ll definitely like


    it.¡± Keegan unfurrowed his brows slightly. However, he coldly said, ¡°How could she not like something


    she wanted?¡± Aldor raised his eyebrows but did not speak. ¡®I¡¯ve never heard madam say she wants this


    bag. But, she did say that the bag looked nice while she was reading a magazine in the car one time.


    That very night, Mr. Kane asked me to purchase the bag. Since there wasn¡¯t any stock locally, we had


    to pull a few strings to purchase it abroad. That¡¯s why it took two months for the bag to arrive,¡¯ he


    thought again. ¡°Leave it in the car.¡± Keegan buttoned his shirt and said, ¡°Come pick me up tomorrowContent is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    morning at nine.¡± At nine o¡¯clock the following morning, Ste got a call from Keegan right after she got


    dressed. ¡°Come downstairs.¡± Ste was confused. Keegan ¡°thoughtfully¡± added, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you


    downstairs.¡± Ste frowned and said, ¡°You know where I live?¡± Keegan was not bothered enough to


    answer her nonsensical question, so he hung up. ¡®Every time we fight, she stays at a hotel or at her


    poor bestie¡¯s ce. Since I canceled her room card, where else would she be other than Felicity¡¯s


    ce?¡¯ he thought. Sure enough, Ste walked out of the apartment and saw Keegan¡¯s Mercedes-


    Benz parked by the road. She stopped walking. Just as she was about to walk to the passenger seat,


    Aldor got out of the car and opened the rear door. Keegan was sitting on the other end of the backseat


    and looking down at his phone. Ste did not want to sit with Keegan. She turned around and wanted


    to ask Aldor to open the door to the front passenger seat. But, before she could ask, Aldor said to her


    hurriedly, ¡°Get in the car, madam. We can¡¯t stop here. The cops areing.¡± Ste had no choice but


    to get in the car. The car started soon after. Ste and Keegan did not speak, so the atmosphere in the


    car was awkward. Aldor had been working with Keegan for a number of years, so he was pretty good at


    reading the room. ¡®Driving here to pick up madam was weird. That, coupled with the atmosphere in the


    car, makes things even weirder. They probably had a fight,¡¯ he thought. Aldor peered at Keegan. Then,


    he turned to Ste. Finally, he coughed slightly in hopes of lightening the atmosphere in the car. He


    started a conversation, ¡°Madam, do you remember the potpourri sachet you gave mest summer? I


    gave it to my mother. She loves it, and she even put it next to her pillow every night. She told me her


    sleep quality has improved. When I visited home a few days ago, she asked me for a new one. She


    said the scent of the old one is fading and that it doesn¡¯t work as well as it used. Where did you buy the


    potpourri sachet? I want to buy my mother a new one.¡± Hearing his words, Ste smiled. She


    responded warmly, ¡°It¡¯s my own potpourri recipe. I found a craftsperson online and had them produce it


    for me, so you probably can¡¯t buy it.¡± Aldor was shocked. ¡°Your own recipe? You know how to create


    scents?¡± Keegan promptly stopped what he was doing and turned to Ste with an inquisitive


    gaze. Ste shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t. I¡¯m just interested in it. I usually just y around for fun. The


    potpourri sachet your mother has uses verymon ingredients. I¡¯ll send you the ingredient list in


    WhatsAppter. You can get them at a potpourri shop.¡± ¡°I hope it¡¯s not too much of a nuisance,


    madam.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it,¡± Ste said while starting the WhatsApp application. Then, she typed out the


    potpourri¡¯s ingredients and their respective amount. Ste had fair skin and slender fingers. Her usually


    clean nails were now painted baby pink. Her makeup was also slightly different from before. Even


    though she did not change much overall, she gave off an air of flirtatiousness. She was overwhelmingly


    gorgeous. Keegan¡¯s gaze fell onto her chest. The dress she wore today was incredibly form-fitting and


    had a wide neckline. Ste¡¯s curves could be seen at a nce. Keegan frowned and asked in a low


    voice, ¡°Don¡¯t you have other clothes? Why are you dressed like that?¡± Ste rolled her eyes internally. ¡®I


    was kind enough toe with him, yet he¡¯s stillining?¡¯ she thought. Ste gave him a


    perfunctory response. ¡°I just bought it. Isn¡¯t it pretty?¡¯ Keegan snorted icily. Then, he said something


    that made Ste want to hurl her phone at his face. ¡°As usual, your taste hasn¡¯t improved.¡±

 Chapter 9

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 9


    Chapter 9


    Ste¡¯s eyebrows twitched violently. ¡®If it wasn¡¯t because I had a favor to ask, I would¡¯ve kicked this


    motherfucker out of the car! He would¡¯ve been fine if he didn¡¯t have a mouth. I¡¯ll just pretend he¡¯s a dog


    barking!¡¯ Ste told herself. Ste ignored the sharp-tongued being beside her. After typing out the


    potpourri recipe, she sent it to Aldor. ¡°You can go to this shop called Scents on Cornelia Avenue. They


    have a wide range of potpourri ingredients, so they¡¯ll get the job done in one go.¡± ¡°Alright. Thank you,


    madam.¡± Since Keegan did not get a response from Ste, he felt a little bored and stopped


    talking. About 20 minutester, they arrived at the restaurant. Just as Ste was going to get out of the


    car, Keegan abruptly tugged on her wrist. She quickly pulled her wrist back out of reflex. ¡°Don¡¯t


    move!¡± Keegan¡¯s grip was firm, so Ste could not retract her arm at all. When she was about to


    question him, she felt something cold on her ring finger. There was a diamond ring on her finger. Ste


    froze momentarily. ¡®It¡¯s the wedding ring from when we got married. I left it behind when I moved out of


    Royalpark Vi. This is the first time Keegan¡¯s putting on a wedding ring for me. On the day we got


    married, Be appeared. Keegan left before the ceremony was even finished, so I had to put on the


    ring myself,¡¯ she thought. ¡°I¡¯m just worried that mom will ask questions. Don¡¯t overthink it.¡± Keegan


    released his grip on her hand. Hearing his haughty voice, Ste snapped out of her thoughts. She


    pursed her lips and retracted her arm. Then, she responded indifferently, ¡°You worry too much, Mr.


    Kane. I know where I stand.¡± After she finished her sentence, she opened the door and got out of the


    car. Keegan frowned and followed her out with a dark expression. Keegan had a sister¡ªAurora Kane


    ¡ªwho graduated from college this year. She went on a graduation trip with her friends two months ago


    and just returned yesterday. Since she was the youngest child in the Kane family, and her father died


    soon after her birth, the elders in the family spoiled her. She grew into a person with a bossy


    personality. When Ste first married into the family, she genuinely wanted to get along well with her


    sister-inw. She catered to all of Aurora¡¯s interests in hopes of improving their rtionship. However,


    Aurora did not buy it. Her attitude toward Ste when they were with elders differed from when they


    were alone. Over the years, their rtionship did not get better but even stiffer. Since Keegan lovedAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Aurora, Ste was destined to be the one aggrieved. ¡®Now that I think about it, Keegan and I probably


    wouldn¡¯tst even if there wasn¡¯t Be Young. From our family background to our moralpasses,


    we have nothing inmon,¡¯ thought Ste. The waiter quickly led them to their pre-booked private


    room. When they pushed the door open and entered, they saw Aurora talking to Dahlia. The mother


    and daughter looked quite alike, except Dahlia had the appeal of a mature woman and an air of


    elegance. Meanwhile, Aurora looked much tender. When Aurora saw Ste, her expression


    immediately changed. However, she instantly put on a sweet smile when she was faced with Keegan.


    She said to him coyly, ¡°Keegan! I¡¯m about to starve to death, but mom insisted that we wait for you.


    What took you so long?¡± Keegan nced at her. ¡°Wipe the oil stain on your mouth. That¡¯ll make your


    words sound more convincing.¡± Aurora was speechless. ¡°You¡¯re so annoying! I thought of you


    throughout my trip and even brought you a souvenir!¡± The brother and sister argued for a bit before


    Dahlia finally stopped them, ¡°Alright, stop arguing. Have a seat.¡± Then, she nced at Ste, ¡°Ste,


    tell the waiter at the door to serve the dishes.¡± The truth was that the waiter could actually hear them.


    However, Dahlia wanted Ste to do it simply because she was used to ordering her around. Back


    when they all stayed at Keegan¡¯s grandparents¡¯ residence, Ste would sit at the far end of the table.


    This was because it was easier for her to get up and retrieve things for others. Ste had gotten used


    to it. Just as she was about to go outside, Keegan tugged on her wrist. However, he did not look at her.


    He turned to Aurora, ¡°You go, Aurora. And, tell the waiter to bring a bottle of red wine.¡± Aurora


    immediately made a long face and looked incredibly reluctant. ¡°Wasn¡¯t Ste about to go?¡± Keegan


    responded indifferently, ¡°She doesn¡¯t know the wine mom likes.¡± However, Ste did not go along with


    him. She struggled out of his grip, ¡°I know. Trockenbeerenauslese, right?¡± Dahlia nodded. Ste turned


    around and walked out. She did not need to turn around to see how unhappy he looked. After Ste


    finished speaking to the waiter and was about to enter the room, she heard Aurora¡¯s voiceing


    through the door. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate this wife of yours, Keegan. Not only does she know what mom


    likes, but she also knows what grandma likes very well. She¡¯s doing whatever she can to get into the


    high society. I really don¡¯t know what grandma was thinking when she agreed to let you marry her.


    She¡¯s miles behind Be Young.¡± Ste¡¯s hand paused from pushing the door open. Then, she heard


    Keegan say, ¡°Whoever I marry is the same.¡±

 Chapter 10

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 10


    Chapter 10


    Ste clenched her fists and suddenly lost the courage to push the door open. She turned around and


    went to the washroom. ¡®Whoever he marries is the same. I wasn¡¯t chosen because I was special, but


    because anyone is fine for him since they¡¯re not her,¡¯ she thought. Ste stood outside for over ten


    minutes and only returned after she hadposed herself. She opened the door and saw that all the


    dishes had arrived. Keegan lifted his head and nced at her. However, he did not speak. Dahlia


    beckoned her to sit down. ¡°What took you so long?¡± Ste answered quietly, ¡°Sorry, my stomach wasn¡¯t


    feeling so good.¡± Dahlia paused. When she saw Ste¡¯s genuinely pale face and the slightly faded lip


    color on her lips, she asked, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t your stomach feel good? Have you gotten it checked at the


    hospital?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s probably something inveterate.¡± Dahlia responded, ¡°You should still get


    it checked at the hospital after this. What if you¡¯re pregnant and you confuse it with something else,


    then something happens?¡± ¡®Earlier on, I was surprised at how Dahlia was worried about my health.


    Turns out, she was just worried that I wasn¡¯t aware of my pregnancy and wouldn¡¯t be able to keep the


    Kane family¡¯s child,¡¯ Ste thought. Ste smiled slightly. ¡°Alright.¡± Dahlia stopped talking to her. The


    family of three would asionally speak to each other, making Ste feel as if she was an outsider


    who had invaded their family luncheon. Suddenly, there was a piece of pork ribs on her te. Ste


    turned to Keegan. However, he did not look at her and merely indifferently said, ¡°Take whatever you


    want yourself.¡± ¡®No, I¡¯m not an outsider. I¡¯m just a temporary actor at this family luncheon. Keegan and I


    are just exchanging favors,¡¯ thought Ste. At this thought, she promptly felt rebellious. ¡®You want me to


    put on a show? Fine, I¡¯ll put on a show!¡¯ she thought again. Then, Ste picked up a piece of spicy


    chicken and took it to Keegan¡¯s lips. ¡°Babe, try this.¡± Keegan froze and gave her a weird look. However,


    Ste smiled with her eyes and had an affectionate expression. ¡®Keegan doesn¡¯t like to eat spicy food. I


    picked something spicy on purpose. Let¡¯s see how he¡¯ll continue to put on a show! If he rejects me,


    he¡¯ll ruin the show. Then, he won¡¯t be able to put the me on me,¡¯ Ste thought smugly. While she


    was deep in thought, Keegan suddenly leaned over. He opened his mouth and bit the chicken


    slice. Keegan¡¯s lips suggestively slid across the tip of her fork before finally taking in the chicken slice.


    Then, he said to Ste¡¯s dumbfounded expression, ¡°Not bad.¡± Ste was speechless. ¡®You dog! Die of


    spiciness!¡¯ she thought. Dahlia nced at the two. Then, she lowered her gaze thoughtfully. A few


    sses of wer, Keegan¡¯s phone rang. Dahlia waited until Keegan went out to answer his phone


    before setting down her cutlery. She asked Ste, ¡°Ste, how long has your stomach been feeling


    unwell? Did you puke?¡± ¡®Don¡¯t tell me she thinks I¡¯m pregnant,¡¯ thought Ste. She could only exin,


    ¡°I¡¯m not pregnant. I just had my periodst week.¡± However, Dahlia did not seem to buy it. She


    continued, ¡°Did you take the medicine I gave you previously on time?¡± Hearing about the medicines


    made Ste¡¯s stomach churn abruptly. Dahlia had been very persistent about Ste¡¯s pregnancy. For


    some reason, she thought Ste must be the reason the two could not bear a child. Over the years,


    she had been seeking doctors and medicines and making Ste take a ¡°fertility drink¡±. ¡®Keegan¡¯s


    sexually frigid, and I can count the number of times I see him in a year with a single hand. I¡¯m not a


    stick insect; I can¡¯t produce asexually. If Keegan¡¯s not willing to cooperate, how will I conceive?¡¯ thought


    Ste. ¡°I did.¡± Ste knew Dahlia did not believe her, so she added, ¡°Maya watched me drink it.¡± Aurora


    snorted sardonically, ¡°What did I tell you, mom? She¡¯s infertile. What¡¯s the point of giving her so much


    of the best medicines?¡± Dahlia nced at her and said in a neutral tone, ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt.¡± Aurora


    pouted and rolled her eyes. Dahlia asked again, ¡°Did you and Keegan use contraceptives?¡± Ste was


    speechless. ¡®Couldn¡¯t she have asked it in a more reserved manner rather than being so blunt?¡¯ she


    wondered. She took a deep breath and answered honestly, ¡°No.¡± ¡®We really didn¡¯t. Keegan has a clear


    picture of my menstrual cycle; he always avoids my ovting days. That¡¯s why it¡¯s impossible for me to


    get pregnant even when we don¡¯t use protection,¡¯ thought Ste. Dahlia sighed, ¡°I was too


    impatient.¡± Just as Ste was about to breathe a sigh of relief, she saw Dahlia ask Aurora to pick up


    and open the box on the floor. Inside the box was a neat row of bottles filled with ck-brown


    liquid. Dahlia unscrewed a bottle and pushed it in front of her. Suddenly, a bizarre smell of herbs wafted


    toward her. Her fear of the ¡°fertility drink¡± came rushing back. Ste promptly felt queasy in her


    stomach. She wanted to throw up. ¡°One of my friends introduced me to an expert in Hong Kong. Her


    daughter¡¯s like you. she had a hard time conceiving. After she consulted the doctor for half a year, she


    managed to conceive twins. This time around, Aurora coincidentally went to Hong Kong, so I got her toN?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    see the expert for me. She told him about your situation, and he readjusted the ingredients. This is a


    new concoction that has better effects than the one before. I got someone to prepare it for you. You


    need to take it on time every day. Once you¡¯re done with these, I¡¯ll send new ones.¡± Ste was


    speechless. ¡°Dahlia, I don¡¯t think this medicine works. I¡¯ve been taking it for over a year now. Thest


    time I went for a checkup, the doctor said that my body¡¯s pretty great.¡± ¡®I really want to tell her to let her


    son have the medicine instead. He¡¯s the problem,¡¯ she thought. Aurora said sardonically, ¡°Why can¡¯t


    you conceive if your body¡¯s fine? With that body of my brother, someone else would¡¯ve had two babies


    within three years. I really don¡¯t know why my brother married you. You¡¯re a freeloader who can¡¯t even


    bear a single child!¡± Ste¡¯s expression darkened when she heard that. Then, she nced at Aurora


    icily. Aurora had a mocking expression as if she was certain Ste would not retaliate. To her surprise,


    Ste suddenly said, ¡°Not conceiving is still better than conceiving and aborting it.¡± Aurora paled, ¡°What


    are you saying?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Ste shrugged, ¡°I went to the hospital for a checkup previously, and I saw


    some young girls getting abortions. I just had a thought, that¡¯s all.¡± Aurora red at Ste. There was


    shock, terror, and a hint of doubt in her eyes.

 Chapter 11

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 11


    Chapter 11


    Dahlia was so immersed in the matter of Ste¡¯s pregnancy she did not notice her daughter¡¯s peculiar


    expression. She frowned and said, ¡°How could a medical examination show if you have a deficiency in


    your vital energy and blood, or dampness in your uterus? If you don¡¯t get these treated, keeping the


    baby will be hard even if you get pregnant.¡± Ste stopped talking. Dahlia thought she got through


    Ste. She continued, ¡°Recently, Chandler¡¯s son has been getting really close with the mayor¡¯s


    daughter. If they get married and pregnant ahead of you, then things will get difficult for Keegan in the


    company in the future. After all, Cordelia prioritizes the eldest child and grandchild a lot.¡± ¡®That¡¯s none


    of my damn business?! I¡¯m about to get a divorce. Do I care if Keegan is having a hard time? Besides,


    Keegan doesn¡¯t look worried. He doesn¡¯t even want a child. Oh, right. He doesn¡¯t want a child with me,¡¯


    she thought. ¡°Your mother¡¯s been in aa for years, and she showed no signs of regaining


    consciousness. Meanwhile, your father¡¯s barely fifty. Since he¡¯s so young, he might remarry. When that


    happens, could you still return to the Jewell family? Your child is yours and will be someone you


    depend on in the future. Ste, you need to n for yourself.¡± Obviously, Ste was not naive enough


    to think that Dahlia was doing this for her sake. Everyone in the Kane family had their own ns. To


    them, Ste was merely a chess piece. ¡°I understand.¡± Ste lowered her gaze, just like before. She


    looked obedient and had an air of wimpiness and feebleness. Dahlia did not say anything more and


    merely urged her to finish the medicine. Seeing how she could not avoid it, Ste had no choice but to


    pick up the bowl and down the medicine in one go. ¡®Putting on this show is not worthwhile! We¡¯ll


    definitely have to split the assets by 40-60!¡¯ she thought. Soon after Ste finished the medicine,


    Keegan walked in. Since Dahlia had aplished what she came here for, they had no reason to


    continue their meal. She stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ve got a card game with Mrs. Wood in the afternoon, and


    it¡¯s almost time. You can all continue eating.¡± Aurora quickly stood up. ¡°I¡¯m going shopping with a friend


    today. Mom, could you send me?¡± The two walked Aurora and Dahlia to the door. Before leaving,


    Dahlia reminded Ste again, ¡°Ste, don¡¯t forget to take it with you. Also, remember what I


    said.¡± Ste nodded. After sending them away, Keegan turned to Ste, ¡°What did my mother tell


    you?¡± ¡°Nothing much.¡± Ste felt the medicine churning in her stomach. She could no longer hold back


    the sick feeling in her stomach. Right after she finished speaking, she became pale and started


    gagging. Keegan frowned and grabbed her wrist. Then, he pulled her to the washroom. In the


    washroom, Ste threw up most of the medicine she just downed. She finally felt better after throwing


    up. When she got up to wash her hands, she saw Keegan in the mirror. He was standing behind her


    with a thoughtful expression. Ste felt irritated when she thought of how she was in this embarrassing


    situation because of him. She smiled sarcastically, ¡°Mr. Kane, do you have a fetish for watching people


    use the washroom?¡± Keegan looked up and nced at her. Then, he said coolly, ¡°Not that I do, but I


    could cooperate if you need me to. After all, it¡¯s not the first time.¡± Ste was speechless. She could not


    help but think of Valentine¡¯s Dayst year. She got so wasted that she forced Keegan to go to the


    washroom with her. In the end, she even made him pull up her pants for her. I¡¯ve only done a handful


    of embarrassing things in my life, yet he remembers this incident so well. What breed of dog is he?!¡¯


    she thought. Seeing how she did not move for a while, Keegan continued with an unchanged


    expression, ¡°Shall I take it off for you?¡± Ste nced at him. ¡°Mr. Kane, we don¡¯t seem to be in a


    rtionship that allows us to say such suggestive things.¡± Keegan smiled and abruptly moved closer.


    Ste took a step back out of reflex. However, she had nowhere to go. The back of her waist was now


    pressed against the sink. Ste was trapped between Keegan and the sink. She was engulfed in his


    dominant and overbearing scent. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she pushed his chest to prevent him from


    getting closer. Keegan¡¯s gaze stopped at her lips for a moment before finally meeting her


    eyes. ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who started it? You addressed me so suggestively and even fed me food.


    Weren¡¯t you trying to seduce me?¡± he said in a low and husky voice. Ste was bewildered. ¡®Fuck¡¯s


    sake! Who gave him such confidence?!¡¯ she thought. ¡°Mr. Kane, I think you¡¯ve mistaken


    something¡­¡± Ste widened her eyes. Then, she felt something dry and soft on her lips¡ªKeegan


    kissed her. This was Keegan¡¯s first time kissing her on his own. In the past, Ste had always been the


    one to initiate a kiss, and Keegan would only cooperate when he got impatient with her teasing. ¡®When


    ites to me, he never seems to have the desire to kiss me or dominate me. But, he does when it


    comes to Be. He even called out her name when he had a fever and was unconscious,¡¯ thoughtN?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Ste. At this thought, his touch on her immediately became unbearable. Just as Keegan stuck his


    tongue in, she bit down violently. Even though Keegan managed to avoid it, he still got bit on the


    lip. Keegan tasted something metallic in his mouth. He frowned and let go of her. ¡°Are you a


    dog?¡± Ste gritted her teeth. ¡®If I was a dog, he¡¯d be the first person I bite!¡¯ she thought. Keegan


    wanted to say something. However, his phone rang. When he grabbed his phone and nced at it, he


    frowned. He turned to Ste and said, ¡°Wait for me in the car.¡± Then, he went outside with his


    phone. Ste saw the caller ID¡ªBaby. She emotionlessly pulled out a tissue and wiped the blood on


    the corner of her lips. Ste wanted to grow a backbone and hail a cab herself. However, she was hit


    by the frigid cold the moment she walked out. When they first arrived, the weather was sunny. But now,


    the sun was almostpletely hidden, and there were strong gusts of wind. Since Ste was lightly


    dressed, walking outside for a bit was enough to turn her hands and feet cold. The restaurant Aurora


    chose was in a newly developed area, so it was difficult to hail a cab. Ste only hesitated for a few


    seconds before getting into the car on her own ord. After about ten minutes, Keegan also entered


    the car. The medicine Dahlia gave Ste may have some side effects. Ste felt drowsy after she threw


    up, so she groggily closed her eyes soon after they started the car. Just as Ste was about to fall


    asleep, something heavy was suddenly thrown into her arms. She immediately jolted awake. Ste was


    furious and wanted to ask Keegan if he was not right in the head. However, she was stunned when she


    saw the box on herp. She reached out and opened it. Within the box was a Herm¨¨s crocodile leather


    bag¡ªthe Birkin bag. ¡®If I recall correctly, this retails for three million dors. However, since stocks are


    very limited, it probably costs more than four million dors to actually purchase one. What¡¯s Keegan


    doing?¡¯ Ste wondered. She turned to him in confusion. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Keegan


    nced at her in annoyance. ¡°It¡¯s a gift from a client. It¡¯s not like I can use it.¡± Aldor was baffled.

 Chapter 12

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 12


    Chapter 12


    ¡®Mr. Kane, can we be a little more honest?¡¯ The value of all the business deals that Keegan was


    involved in was at least ten billion. It was not surprising that his business partners gifted him expensive


    luxury goods. Last year, someone even gave him a pair of opal earrings. It was not cheap. Ste was


    quite happy when Keegan gifted her the earrings. When she lost the earrings at a party, she was so


    sad that she could not even eat for a few days. And, she was evenmpooned by Keegan as a


    disappointment. But, he did not know that she cared so much about the earrings because they were


    gifted to her by him. ¡®Now that I think about it, to Keegan, this box is just a useless thing that was given


    to him. And, he just simply tossed it to me. It was not his intention to gift this to me. And, he doesn¡¯t


    care about giving me a present either.¡¯ Ste closed the box and slipped it back to him. ¡°We¡¯ll split


    these during the division of matrimonial assets when we divorce. That way, I don¡¯t need to return these


    back to you.¡± Aldor was shocked! Keegan¡¯s face suddenly darkened. ¡°Ste! What are you talking


    about? Who are you to request a divorce? Who are you to get a split of my assets? I¡¯m the one who


    feeds you, clothes you, and houses you. After we divorce, you can¡¯t live afortable life like this


    anymore. Can you adapt to it? Even staying alive would be a problem for you!¡± Ste¡¯s fingers


    trembled. Whenever she thought she would not care about what Keegan said anymore, he would hurt


    her with harsh words again. And, it made her realize that she was a total failure in his eyes. Keegan


    noticed that she did not speak even after a long pause. He toned down his harshnguage as he coldly


    said, ¡°I¡¯ll act as if nothing had happened if you apologize. You can continue to be my wife. I¡¯ll give you


    whatever you want¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Kane, you¡¯re so kind.¡± Before Keegan could finish talking, Ste sneered as


    she interrupted him. ¡°Should I weep bitterly and thank you?¡± Keegan frowned, ¡°I¡¯m giving you a chance


    here. Stop this insulting behavior immediately!¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Kane, for being so forgiving and giving


    me this chance. But, I¡¯m too lowly and not worthy to ept it. You should give this opportunity to


    someone else who needs it.¡± Keegan¡¯s anger spiked. ¡°Ste! I¡¯ve been spoiling you again and again.


    Enough is enough. Don¡¯t push your luck!¡± ¡°I¡¯m a person who likes to push my luck. Keegan, why don¡¯t


    we make a bet?¡± Ste raised her eyes to stare into his eyes. She looked unprecedentedly calm. ¡°Let¡¯sAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    see if I have the ability to survive after we get a divorce.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Keeganughed sardonically. ¡°I¡¯d like


    to see how you suffer without me! Aldor, stop the car!¡± Aldor¡¯s hands trembled. He immediately pulled


    over. ¡°Get out!¡± Keegan¡¯s voice was cold and ruthless. Ste looked at the windy, lifeless, and empty


    road. Her heart sank. The atmosphere was suddenly tense. Aldor quietly advised, ¡°Mr. Kane, it¡¯s hard


    to get a cab here. Let¡¯s go to the city before you ask her to get off the car again.¡± Keegan sneered,


    ¡°She wanted me to see that she could survive without me. I¡¯m allowing her to do that! She doesn¡¯t


    deserve to talk with me about her capability if she can¡¯t even walk along this road!¡± Ste¡¯s self-esteem


    was ruined unprecedentedly in a terrible manner. Nothing was more humiliating than being looked


    down upon by someone you liked. She did not speak again. She unfasten the seatbelt and opened the


    door. She turned around to look at Keegan before she got off the car. ¡°When are we getting the


    paperwork done?¡± Keegan¡¯s eyes glowed with anger as he stared at her. After a few seconds, he coldly


    said, ¡°Tomorrow at three o¡¯clock in the afternoon.¡± ¡°See you at the Civil Affairs Bureau tomorrow at


    three o¡¯clock in the afternoon, then.¡± Ste got out of the car after she said that. She strode forward


    along the trees. She did not look back, nor did she beg him. She was determined in every step she


    walked. Keegan clenched his fingers slowly with a sullen face. ¡°Drive.¡± Aldor thoughtfully tried to


    convince his boss. ¡°Mr. Kane, they¡¯re still upgrading this area. The closed-circuit television along this


    road is inadequate. It¡¯s very dangerous for Mrs. Kane to be alone. Why don¡¯t we¡­¡± Keegan interrupted


    him. His voice was exceptionally cold, ¡°Drive! Don¡¯t make me ask again!¡± Aldor could only stop


    talking. Ste walked about a hundred meters. Then, she heard the car¡¯s engine being started behind


    her. A loud noise could be heard after that. It seemed like something smashed the ground. Keegan¡¯s


    car then passed by her. It speedily disappeared from sight. She turned around to have a look. The bag


    that was given by Keegan to her in the car was thrown on the road together with the box. The bag fell


    out of the box and bounced off very far away from it. She stopped moving for a moment. Then, she


    continued walking forward. But, she clenched her teeth as she stepped back before she walked more


    than ten meters. ¡®It¡¯s a three-million-dor bag. How could he just throw it away like that?! ¡®Is Keegan


    out of his mind?¡¯ She picked up the bag and looked at the inside and the outside of the bag. It was a


    little dusty but not damaged. ¡®Is it okay that I bring this back with me? ¡®But Keegan threw this away. So,


    it should be fine, right? ¡®The things that are gifted by his clients are considered as our marital assets,


    right? So, I¡¯d have a fifty percent share of it. It¡¯s reasonable if I take this bag. I can just give half the


    money to Keegan after I sell it.¡¯ She suddenly felt that her action was justified as she thought of that.


    She then found herself content to take the bag with her. ¡ª ¡°Huh?!¡± Felicity screamed. She scared


    Ste who was holding a hair dryer. ¡°You¡¯re kidding me! Over two million and eight hundred


    thousand!¡± Felicity¡¯s finger trembled as she pointed at the bag, ¡°This is crazy. This bag is worth three


    million? Am I even worthy enough to be inside the same house as it?¡±

 Chapter 13

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 13


    Chapter 13


    Ste switched off the hair dryer. Shebed her long, half-dried hair as she joked, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t


    have learned screenwriting. Bing a performer fits you best.¡± Felicity carefully touched the bag.


    She clenched her teeth as she said, ¡°I¡¯m sleeping with it tonight. I want to dream of bing a wealthy


    woman!¡± ¡°Feel free to do that. But, before you sleep, help me to take a few good pictures of it.¡± Felicity


    turned her head, ¡°Why do you want to take photos of it? Do you want to post it on social media and


    anger those rich women?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ste sat down. ¡°I want to sell it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting the paperwork


    done with Keegan tomorrow. I want to buy a house after I divorce him. It¡¯d be best if the house is near


    the Rotona Pinnacle Hospital, fully furnished, and move-in ready. So that way, it¡¯s easy for me to look


    after my mother. I went house hunting in that area before this. Those that matched my expected


    requirements are quite expensive. I¡¯ll be left with very little money after buying a house. And today, the


    person in charge from the Honor of the Deities told me that I didn¡¯t pass the audition. So, I¡¯ll be short of


    money after the divorce. It¡¯s better for me to just sell this bag and get some cash.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t pass the


    audition?¡± Felicity could not believe it. ¡°Didn¡¯t they say that you got the job before this? Just that the


    contract wasn¡¯t ready yet, right? And, they wanted you to go over and sign the contract two dayster.


    What happened?¡± ¡°I asked them why did they suddenly say that I wasn¡¯t suitable for the job. The


    answer that they gave me was that their boss didn¡¯t quite like my voice. Maybe because I sound too


    mature.¡± ¡°Bullshit! It must be some prick pulling the strings! Or else, why would they suddenly change


    their decision? Do you know who are they signing the contract with? I¡¯ll beat the shit out of the


    person!¡± ¡°Forget about it. I didn¡¯t sign the contract. And, I don¡¯t have a sound recording of the verbal


    agreement. Just think of it as me being unlucky.¡± Felicity was still aggrieved. After ranting about the


    person who ¡°pulled the strings¡±, she thenined about Keegan. ¡°You¡¯re too soft-hearted. I¡¯m going


    to find evidence of him cheating on you. Even if it can¡¯t make him lose everything, I want you to be able


    to get his assets!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how the assets get divided.¡± Ste lowered her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t care


    about it anymore.¡± The words that Keegan had said today and how he just left her by the road


    completely made her think realistically. Now, she just wanted to quickly divorce him and end this


    rtionshippletely. Felicity did not know how tofort her. She just hugged her tightly and said,


    ¡°I know a lot of rich, handsome men. I¡¯ll pick the best one for you and infuriate that jerk, Keegan!¡± Ste


    laughed, ¡°First, I want to make money. After that, I¡¯ll go and pick someone that I like. I don¡¯t want to be


    the one who¡¯s being chosen anymore.¡± The next morning, Ste woke up veryte. She felt a little


    drowsy when she got up in the morning. It might be because she was caught in the rain yesterday. She


    only remembered that today was the day she was getting divorced after staring in the mirror for a long


    time. She then started to get dressed up. She was very rushed when she got her marriage license with


    Keegan in the past. She remembered it was a week before she graduate from her oral examination.


    She stayed up all night to edit her thesis. She only went to bed in the morning. After sleeping for only


    two hours, Keegan¡¯s phone call woke her up. Before that day, Keegan only met her three times. His


    phone call caught her off guard. She was not prepared for it. Her roommate who was half-asleep


    comined about the phone call. She then ran to the washroom to answer it. ¡°Are you free?¡± In fact,


    Keegan¡¯s voice was extremely cold. However, at that time, Ste was obsessed with him. So, she felt


    that his voice was very beautiful. She then whispered, ¡°I¡¯m free.¡± ¡°I¡¯lle and pick you up.¡± Her


    heartbeat was pounding very fast. She stuttered, ¡°W-Where are we going?¡± It seemed like Keegan was


    driving. She heard the engine sounds. Then, he said, ¡°To get the marriage license.¡± She was actually


    lightheaded that whole day. She obediently wore a white blouse as he said that. She did not even put


    on makeup when she followed him to get the marriage license. That was because she was afraid that


    he would back out while he was waiting for her. They just casually went to get their marriage license.


    Their photo wasckadaisically taken too. Keegan did not even smile on the marriage certificate. Only


    Ste was happy like a fool. ¡®We casually started our marriage. But, I can¡¯t just unconcernedly end


    it.¡¯ She pursed her lips in front of the mirror. The vermilion color on her lips made her look


    dazzling. ¡®Getting divorced properly can help put a full stop to this rtionship that didn¡¯t work out.¡¯ At


    two-thirty in the afternoon, Ste was on her way to the Civil Affairs Bureau. But, suddenly, she


    received a call from the Rotona Pinnacle Hospital saying that her mother had a cardiac arrest! She was


    extremely worried. She immediately turned around and went to the hospital. Her mother was still being


    rescued in the emergency room when she arrived at the hospital. The medical staff handed her aN?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    critically ill notice. Her hand trembled as she signed it. She had signed many critically ill letters over the


    past years. Every time she signed it, she was like a person who was drowning; she could not breathe.


    She did not know when would be thest time that she would sign it. After she signed the notice, she


    felt faint. She only thought about calling Albert after a long while. ¡°Dad, mom isn¡¯t doing so well. Come


    to the hospital.¡± She was very calm but her voice was shaking. It was a little noisy where Albert was.


    ¡°I¡¯m having a very important meeting. I can¡¯t leave right now.¡± Ste clenched her fist tightly. ¡°The


    doctor said it¡¯s likely that she might not make it. This might be thest time we¡¯d be seeing her.¡± ¡°The


    doctor had been saying that for six years. But, you refused to let her go! Do you think her current state


    is considered living?¡± Ste¡¯s eyes were red. ¡°So, what are you trying to say?¡± Albert brushed her off,


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you after I¡¯m done with my work.¡± Before Ste could speak again, he immediately ended the


    call after he said that. She squatted on the floor. She suddenly felt disenchanted. She turned her head


    to look at the operating room and cried unexpectedly. The phone in her hand rang. It was from


    Keegan. She suddenly seemed like she was grasping at straws. She grabbed her phone and pressed


    the ept button, ¡°Keegan, my mom¡­ She might pass away soon.¡± ¡°Ste, are you toying with me?


    Aren¡¯t we supposed to start the divorce proceedings? Where are you?¡±

 Chapter 14

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 14


    Chapter 14


    Ste swallowed every word that she wanted to say. She could not speak another word anymore.


    ¡®Right. How can I ever count on Keegan?¡±


    ¡°Ste?¡±


    Keegan raised his voice. The weird silence made him feel inexplicably confused.


    After a few seconds, Ste spoke again, ¡°I have things to do today. Can we do this another time?¡±


    Keegan coldly smiled, ¡°Another time? Ste, do you think I¡¯m so free like you? The one who wanted to


    get a divorce was you. And, you¡¯ve gone missing during this crucial time. What are you trying to do?¡±


    Ste¡¯s face was pale. Her voice was husky as she said, ¡°I really have something to do today. I can¡¯t


    come Let me know which day you¡¯re free. I¡¯ll arrive on time whenever you say.¡±


    ¡°I have no time for your jokes!¡±


    He said icily and ended the call.


    Ste clutched her phone. Sheughed at herself after a while.


    Whenever she needed Keegan the most, he was never there for her. After her hopes were crushed,


    she suddenly no longer expected anything from him.


    She sat alone in the quiet waiting room. After waiting for an hour, she woke up when the nurse


    informed her that her mother was moved to the ward.


    Rainee was narrowly rescued. But, the doctor told Ste that the functions of her mother¡¯s body parts


    were starting to deteriorate noticeably. That was not a good sign. So, they asked her to have realistic


    expectations.


    Ste thanked the doctor before she sent him away. She then asked the orderly to get a tub of hot


    water.


    When the orderly saw her going to take the towel, she immediately said, ¡°Ms. Jewell, I¡¯ll help you with


    it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll do it myself. You should go and get some rest. I¡¯ll let you know when I need your help.¡±


    The orderly went out after hearing what she said.


    Ste wrung out the wet towel, sat next to the bed, and wiped Rainee¡¯s body with it.


    It had been six years since the incident. Rainee had been in this state sleeping on the hospital bed for


    six


    years.


    The muscles of her whole body almostpletely shrunk down. Her body that was lying on the bed


    was as withered as a dead tree. She could only sustain her life by relying on nutrient solutions. Even


    so, her body was still getting weaker every day.


    Maybe one day when Ste woke up, she could no longer see her again.


    Humans were weird. When Ste was a kid, Rainee did not treat her very well. She was a strict mother.


    She kept a tight rein on her. Her child was more like an art that she carefully crafted. Motherly love was


    just an anciry product when she was aplishing her expectation.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    But, it was almost natural for a child to rely on her mother. Even if the motherly love she got was terribly


    little, it was still something that she could not give up. It did not matter if Rainee would just stay lying on


    the bed forever. It would make Ste feel less afraid in this world.


    ¡®Luckily, she¡¯s still alive.¡®


    She carefully wiped the front part of Rainee¡¯s body. She had to ask for the orderly¡¯s help to roll over her


    mother.


    She was drowning in sweat after cleaning her up.


    Hot water was only avable after eight at night in the washroom of Rainee¡¯s ward.


    The orderly said that there was a public bath downstairs. It was specifically for the apanying staff


    to use. Ste could go there to clean herself up. The nurse even enthusiastically lent her a set of


    clothes. Ste thanked the nurse. She then took the toiletries to the public bath that was mentioned by


    the orderly.


    It was the hospital staff¡¯s dinner time. So, there were very few people in the bathroom. She felt a lot


    more refreshed after taking a shower. And, her headache got better.


    The sky outside was dark, as it was already seven¨Cthirty in the evening.

 Chapter 15

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 15


    Chapter 15


    The temperature was high during the day, and the evening breeze was warm. Ste did not hurry back.


    She went to the terrace on the second floor for the breeze.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Other than the private messages on Facebook, only Felicity sent her a message on WhatsApp asking


    her where she was and why had not shee home.


    Ste replied to her message, [I¡¯m with my mother.]


    Felicity texted her back very quickly. [How¡¯s Aunty Rainee?]


    [She¡¯s still the same.]


    [That¡¯s good news. Who knows what miracles might happen one day and she¡¯d wake up.]


    Ste felt a lot better after looking at herforting message. She replied, [I hope so. I¡¯ll go back home


    late tonight. You should sleep first.]


    [All right. If there¡¯s anything, just call me.]


    Ste replied to Felicity¡¯s message with a ¡°love you¡± emoji.


    ¡°Click.¡±


    Her surrounding lighted up for a second all of a sudden. Ste turned her head abruptly. There was a


    man who looked gentle a few meters away from her. He was holding his phone and the phone¡¯s


    camera was facing her. He stared at her for a moment too.


    The man froze for a second when he saw her turn her head. He smiled shily.


    Ste pursed her lips. She then got up and walked toward the man. She took his phone and coldly


    said, ¡± Don¡¯t you know simply taking pictures of a stranger is considered viting the person¡¯s privacy?


    What¡¯s the password?¡±


    The man was stunned. It seemed like he felt that it was funny. He then said a few numbers, ¡°zero


    seven one two¡°.


    Ste unlocked his phone. She saw that there was only one picture taken just now. It was the night


    view below, and there was no photo of her.


    ¡®The time interval was only a few seconds between the sh and when I came to take his phone away.


    He didn¡¯t have the time to delete photos. So, the only exnation is that he didn¡¯t take any pictures of


    me.¡®


    Ste was speechless.


    It was extremely awkward.


    ¡®How should I make it up to him?¡®


    Just when she was thinking about how she could redeem her aggressive behavior just now, the man


    initiated a conversation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just thought the night view below was very beautiful. I¡¯m sorry if


    you misunderstood.¡±


    Ste immediately took the opportunity to say, ¡°No. I should be the one that¡¯s sorry. I was too jumpy. I¡¯m


    so sorry.¡±


    She then returned the phone to the man and said, ¡°The picture you took was quite nice. Are you a


    photographer?¡±


    The man smiled as he said, ¡°I¡¯m not. It¡¯s just my interest. I noticed that you were sensitive to shlights.


    Did something happen in the past?¡±


    Ste was not someone who would chat much with a stranger. But, the man¡¯s voice was gentle and


    sweet. He inexplicably made her feel that they were close. She could not help but talk.


    ¡°Actually, it wasn¡¯t a big deal. A street paparazzi took pictures of me. And, they uploaded the photos on


    the inte without editing them. It troubled me greatly. So, I¡¯m more sensitive about these kinds of


    things.


    ¡°No wonder.¡± Marshall smiled, ¡°You¡¯re very photogenic. I guess I can understand why the photographer


    didn¡¯t want to edit the photos. But, of course, it was illegal.¡±


    Compliments could make someone feel happy. Moreover, it was a greatpliment. Ste felt much


    better.


    Just when she wanted to say something, an orderly called her and said something to her. Ste¡¯s eyes


    lit up. After she ended the call, she hurriedly said ¡°thank you¡± to the man. Then, she hurriedly ran away


    as she clutched her shirt.


    Marshall was stunned as he remained in ce. He then smiled.


    When he got back to the ward, Vermont was shouting and asking the nurse to be gentler. He said as he


    saw Marshalle in, ¡°I thought you wanted to leave me here and leave. My leg was fractured when


    you left that year. And now, a ss nicked my hand when you came back. You do bring me bad luck.¡±


    Marshall patted Vermont¡¯s shoulder as he said, ¡°It¡¯s good that you hurt your hand.¡±


    Vermont was at a loss for words.

 Chapter 16

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 16


    Chapter 16


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    Marshall had been smiling since he entered the ward. Marshall and Vermont had been friends for many


    years. And Marshall had always lookedposed since he was young. This was the first time he


    looked so silly that it scared Vermont.


    Marshall leaned back in the chair next to the table. The corners of his lips lifted as he said, ¡°I met a girl


    on the terrace just now.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°She thought I was secretly taking photos of her. Then, she took my phone and scolded me.¡±


    Vermont squinted and asked, ¡°Why do I feel like you¡¯re quite happy about it? Are you interested in


    her?¡±


    Marshall smiled but remained silent.


    Vermont could not help but feel curious.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont, Keegan, and Marshall were childhood friends. The Snyder family wasparatively less


    capable. The Moore family and the Kane family were equally strong in Rivera. Both Marshall and


    Keegan were the only sons of their families. They were trained to be the sessors of their


    families.


    But, a few years back, Marshall got sick. It took him more than two years to recover. After that, it


    seemed like his parents hade to their senses. They did not push him as hard as they did before.


    They allowed him to do whatever he wanted to do. They just wanted him to be happy.


    In recent years, he learned music, drawing, skiing, racing, and many more. He was interested in many


    things. But, he shunned girls. There were no scandals attached to him. It made Vermont wonder if


    Marshall was gay.


    So, when he heard that Marshall was interested in a woman, he could not suppress his curiosity.


    ¡°The woman you¡¯re talking about, is she pretty?¡±


    Marshall was recalling what Ste looked like just now.


    ¡®Her hair was half¨Cdried, and it was touching her shoulders. When I raised my eyes slightly to look into


    the distance, and although the ce was poorly lit, I could still see that her skin was soft. She was very


    charming and gorgeous. She looked so amazing even without makeup.


    ¡®But, of course, she looked even more interesting when she took my phone away.¡®


    ¡°Very pretty.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s her name? Did you get her WhatsApp?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have the time to get it.¡± Marshall was disappointed. ¡°It seemed like her family member was


    staying in this hospital. She left hurriedly after she answered a call.¡±


    Vermont was speechless. ¡°You just wasted my time.¡±


    A short while after their conversation, his phone rang. After the call was connected, he could hear


    Keegan coldly say, ¡°Are you dead?¡±


    Vermont was used to it. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m dead. Come and get my corpse.¡±


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense. Come out, quick.¡±


    When they came out from the Rotona Pinnacle Hospital, Keegan¡¯s car was parked across the road.


    The


    car light was still on.


    They only realized that Keegan drove the car here by himself after they got in the car.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Aldor?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s off duty.¡±


    Vermont was surprised. ¡°Your assistant has time to rest? Shouldn¡¯t he be on twenty¨Cfour hours


    standby?¡±


    Keegan did not bother to reply to Vermont, who loved to talk nonsense. He then nced at his


    bandaged hand as he asked Marshall, ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    Marshall smiled, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Luckily, Vermont blocked it for me. Or else, I think it would be terrible.¡±


    They had been unlucky. When they were leaving the hotel, the ss door broke when they pushed it.


    Fortunately, they dodged in time. The ss had only nicked Vermont¡¯s hand.


    Keegan started the car. ¡°He wanted to pull you to block the danger. But, he made a bad call.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°You¡¯re so cynical. No wonder your wife wants to divorce you!¡±

 Chapter 17

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 17


    Chapter 17


    ¡°Divorce? What happened?¡±


    Marshall was a little curious.


    When Keegan got married, Marshall was having medical treatment. So, he did note back to attend


    his wedding. He spent most of his time overseas for the past years. He did not meet Keegan¡¯s wife, not


    even once. But, he heard Vermont and other people mentioned her. They said she was good¨Clooking


    and well¨Cbehaved but dull.


    At that time, those immoral people even made a bet in the group that Keegan and his wife would


    divorce in less than three months. Months and months passed by. They had already been married for


    more than three years in the blink of an eye.


    Marshall thought their rtionship was stable. He did not expect to hear that they wanted to get a


    divorce when he had just got back. And, from the way Vermont said it, he noticed that the one who


    wanted a divorce was Keegan¡¯s wife. So, he got even more curious.


    When Vermont brought that up, he did not feel the pain from his wound anymore. He excitedly said, ¡°I¡¯ll


    tell you what happened. Two days ago, Keegan and I ran into his wife. He thought she was following


    him. But she didn¡¯t even bother him. She left after scolding Keegan. Yet, he insisted that they were just


    arguing¡­


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Just keep your mouth shut!¡±


    Vermont tutted, ¡°You were dumped, and you still wanted me to shut up about it.¡±


    The veins on Keegan¡¯s forehead twitched.


    Marshall patted Vermont¡¯s leg. Vermont then stopped talking about it. He timely changed the subject.


    Anyway, Keegan has stakes in Rotona Pinnacle Hospital. You can ask him to check the information of


    thatdy.¡±


    Keegan asked, ¡°Whatdy?¡±


    Vermont embellished the story of what happened in the hospital just now.


    Keegan reacted just like how Vermont did. He was very surprised. But, he did not reject the request. He


    asked in detail, ¡°What does she look like?¡±


    Vermont made a joke, ¡°From what he described, she seemed like an angel from heaven.¡±


    Marshallughed too. ¡°She¡¯s quite angelic indeed. She was a little hasty. But, she¡¯s quite cute.¡±


    Keegan pondered for a moment. He said, ¡°Any other traits? I¡¯ll make a callter and ask for you.


    Marshall shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s all right. I think with her temper, she¡¯ll be unhappy if she finds out that I


    investigate her. I¡¯ll just go with the flow. If we¡¯re meant to meet again, perhaps we¡¯ll meet again.¡±


    Vermont raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°You just met her, and you already know about her temper?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just what I felt. She dared to take my phone away when she suspected that I secretly took pictures


    of her. With this kind of personality, I think she hates to be investigated privately.¡±


    Keegan agreed. ¡°Just go with the flow, then. It could be counterproductive if you try too hard.¡±


    Vermont mored, ¡°One of you is getting a divorce from your wife, and the other is still single. Yet, both


    of you are discussing a woman¡¯s mind. Don¡¯t you guys think it¡¯s ridiculous? I¡¯m an experienced


    ladykiller. Why didn¡¯t you guys think of asking for my opinion?¡±


    Keegan did not even bother to look at him this time.


    Marshall nced at him. He saw that he looked desperate to be asked. He hesitated for a moment


    before he honestly said, ¡°If you know what¡¯s going on in a woman¡¯s mind, you wouldn¡¯t be dumped


    more than ten times, right? You wouldn¡¯t have so many failures.¡±


    Vermont was speechless.


    Meanwhile, Ste was panting as she ran back to the ward. The doctor was examining Rainee. She


    then breathed slowly as she stood at the side to stare unwaveringly at them. She was afraid that she


    would miss something.


    While the doctor was examining Rainee, he asked the orderly, ¡°Are you sure that the patient¡¯s eyeballs


    moved just now?¡±


    The orderly hurriedly nodded her head and said, ¡°When the nurse came to do the dressing just now, I


    saw her eyeballs move. The nurse saw it too. You can ask her.¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    The nurse said, ¡°I think they moved. But it happened for a split second. I wasn¡¯t sure if I was mistaken.¡±


    The doctor did not speak any further. He then continued his examination.


    Ste was distraught. After the doctor finished checking, she immediately asked, ¡°Doctor Steven, is my


    mother going to wake up soon?¡±


    Doctor Steven shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not certain. Her eyeballs only moved one time. It doesn¡¯t mean


    anything. We have to keep monitoring her. If she moves her eyeballs more often, or if we can clearly


    see that she moved her head, then those could be signs of her waking up.

 Chapter 18

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 18


    Chapter 18


    After she heard that, her hope that had been rekindled faded away again. She gently asked, ¡°So, it was


    just an isted incident?¡±


    The doctorforted, ¡°It¡¯s not certain. It¡¯s a good sign that her eyeballs moved. But I can¡¯t make a


    conclusion just because it happened once. After all, she had been in aa for a very long time. You


    can continue to observe her and let us know if anything happens.¡±


    Ste nodded, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    After the doctor left, Ste sat at the side of the bed and carefully looked at her mother for a long time.


    Before she left, she gave the orderly some money. But, the orderly refused to take it. Ste said, ¡°Just


    ept it. I don¡¯te here often. You¡¯re the one who takes care of her here. I¡¯ll feel bad if you don¡¯t


    take it. Do promptly notify me if something happens to my mom in the future.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely do that. It¡¯s my job.¡±


    After hearing what Ste said, the orderly epted the money.


    When Ste got back to the apartment, Felicity was still awake. She was opening her WhatsApp group,


    and the television at the side was on. It was showing a variety show called The Sound of Film and


    Television.


    ¡°You¡¯re back.¡±


    Ste grunted. She then slumped on the soft couch. Her frayed nerves were finally relieved a little.


    ¡°Why do you look like shit? How¡¯s Aunty Rainee?¡± ?§âOriginal from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine for now.¡± Ste sighed, ¡°But I didn¡¯t get to divorce him.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal?¡± Felicity stuck a cherry into her mouth. ¡°You can just reschedule.¡±


    Ste was not as optimistic as her. ¡®When I called Keegan in the afternoon, he sounded like he thought


    I intentionally bailed on him. He even thought I was trying to y hard to get again. We didn¡¯t get to


    divorce today. I guess it¡¯d be hard to reschedule with him for the divorce.¡®


    She had sent Keegan a message asking him if he was free tomorrow. But he did not reply to her. He


    probably just acted as though he did not see the message even if he did.


    Just when she was still thinking about how to ask him out again, Felicity suddenly said, ¡°Anyway, the


    two boxes of white truffles are still in the fridge. When are you nning to give them to him? I¡¯m


    worried they¡¯d go bad.¡±


    That suddenly dawned on Ste. ¡°How could I forget about this?!¡±


    ¡®I was just thinking of an excuse to ask Keegan out. This can be my excuse. He will keep his promise to


    me, and I guess he won¡¯t avoid me.¡®


    ¡°What the heck? The Sound of Film and Television wants to invite Be to the show.¡± Felicity looked


    disgusted when she looked at the news in the group, ¡°I think the production team has gone insane. Did


    the inte forget about how she dared to sensationalize the major traffic ident?¡±


    The Sound of Film and Television was a very popr variety show in recent years. Due to its great


    traffic, the show was a great tform for publicity by the crews these days.


    It was indeed off¨Cputting to see someone she disliked on the show she loved. Felicity continued, ¡°It


    must be fake news. Let me check who spread the news.¡±


    Ste, who was not interested in variety shows, suddenly said, ¡°I think it¡¯s true.¡±


    Felicity turned her head and said, ¡°How do you know?¡±


    Ste stared at her. ¡°A few days ago, the official Facebook page of the production crew sent me a


    private message asking me if I want to get on the show.¡±


    Felicity was shocked!


    ¡°They invited you?¡±


    Ste nodded, ¡°But I haven¡¯t responded yet.¡±


    Felicity was shocked again!


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you answered them? Just say yes! Why are you so hesitant?¡±


    Ste pursed her lips.


    Felicity was surprised for a moment. ¡°Are you afraid of being on the same show as Be?¡±


    Ste said, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of that. I just don¡¯t like to interact with her.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s normal. No one would like to see their husband¡¯s mistress. But, think about it. If you get on the


    show, the one who¡¯d be crushed is her! She always publicly says that she¡¯s very gorgeous, right? Let¡¯s


    show the audience what a truly beautifuldy looks like! She must be very pissed off when the show is


    broadcast! I feel so good just imagining it! This show is so popr. Who knows, a director might have


    his eyes on you and immediately ask you to be his female lead. And, you¡¯ll be famous instantly.¡±


    Steughed very hard. ¡°Why does everything sound so simple when you say it?¡±

 Chapter 19

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 19


    Chapter 19


    ¡°That¡¯s because I believe in you. I¡¯m counting on you to live in a big vi with you. Hurry up and ept


    their invitation!¡±


    Ste sighed, ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. The recording only starts next month. It¡¯s still early.¡±


    The next morning, Ste brought something with her to the Vinci Rivera Group to look for someone.


    She was married to Keegan for more than three years. But, she had never been to this building, not


    even once. Unexpectedly, the reason for the very first time she came to the building was for the


    divorce.


    Ste fixed her shirt. She then took a deep breath and strode into the building.


    The Vinci Rivera Group was the leading enterprise in Rivera. The building was built in the most


    flourishing area in Rivera. The exterior design of the building was technology¨Cdriven. And, it had


    be the famousndmark of Rivera. The interior of the building was spectacr, and the ceiling


    was very well lighted.


    She walked toward the front desk with a curious look.


    ¡°Hi, may I know where the managing director¡¯s office is?¡±


    The receptionist was a young, fair man. He had a great voice. ¡°Do you have an appointment?¡±


    Ste shook her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The managing director won¡¯t see you if you don¡¯t have an appointment with him.¡±


    Ste then said, ¡°Can you give him a call and tell him that Ste is looking for him?¡±


    The receptionist noticed that she was well¨Cdressed, well¨Cmannered, and gorgeous. He was not sure if


    what she said was true. So, he made a call to confirm what she said.


    The call ended just after a few seconds. The man politely said to her, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Mr. Kane said that he


    doesn¡¯t know anyone named Ste.¡±


    The corners of Ste¡¯s mouth twitched.


    ¡®He obviously didn¡¯t want to see me.¡®


    ¡°I¡¯m his wife. Can you call him again and tell him that?¡±


    The receptionist looked at her confusedly. It was as though he thought Ste was lying. It seemed like


    he did not believe that she could not contact her own husband.


    Ste opened her phone and showed him a photo of her and Keegan. She confidently said, ¡°Do you


    believe me now?¡±


    The receptionist smiled apologetically, ¡°Many people showed me their photos with Mr. Kane. They told


    me that they were his wives and wanted to see him too. But, this is the best¨Cphotoshopped photo I¡¯ve


    ever seen.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡°I¡¯m really his wife.¡±


    The receptionist still maintained a decent smile.


    Ste took a deep breath and used her phone to call Aldor. But, Aldor did not pick up her call too.


    ¡®They must¡¯ve agreed not to pick up my call intentionally!¡®


    She raised her head to look at the receptionist. He was still looking strict.


    ¡®Alright. Keegan, you forced me to do this!¡®


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    She put on a smile, and she looked extremely beautiful all of a sudden.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll make an appointment next time ande again. Can you help me take a few pictures of


    myself? This is my first timeing here. I want to keep a memento.¡±


    The man could not reject her request. After all, the motto of the Vinci Rivera Group was to satisfy every


    customer¡¯s need.


    Ste took off her jacket after she found a good spot.


    In a conference room, the phone next to Keegan vibrated twice while the marketing manager was


    reporting.


    He took a nce at it and saw that Ste had sent him a few photos.


    He picked up a ss of water to have a sip as he viewed the pictures. The next second, he choked on


    the


    water, and it spilled on his hand. He pressed his lips as he coughed awkwardly.

 Chapter 20

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 20


    Chapter 20


    Everyone looked at him. Keegan only managed to stop coughing after a long time. He looked unhappy.


    No one dared to speak. They thought Keegan was unsatisfied with the statement made just now.


    Keegan turned his head and softly said something to Aldor with a gloomy face. He then turned back


    and coldly said, ¡°Go on.¡±


    Everyone was relieved. Aldor then quietly left the conference room.


    In the lobby downstairs, Ste was sitting on the couch listlessly going through the magazine on the


    table. Someone hurriedly approached her from behind, and Aldor¡¯s voice could then be heard. ¡°Mrs.


    Kane, why didn¡¯t you give me a call before you came?¡±


    The receptionist who led the way was so shocked that his pupils dted!


    ¡®She¡¯s really the wife of Mr. Kane! Why did Mr. Kane say that he didn¡¯t know her?! No. None of these


    matters. The problem is that I took those kinds of pictures of Mrs. Kane just now!¡®


    His face turned ashen. He suddenly felt like all the top five hundredpanies would no longer hire


    him.¡® What kind of game were they ying?¡®


    Ste put down the magazine. ¡°I called you. But it looks like you were very busy, and you didn¡¯t hear


    my phone call.¡±


    Obviously, Aldor knew that Ste had called him. But Keegan ordered him not to pick up her call. So,


    he could only ignore it.


    Aldor acted as if he could not tell that Ste was being sarcastic. He then said, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I was in a


    meeting just now. My phone was in my office. This is on me for notmunicating properly with the


    receptionist of the secretary¡¯s office before I left. He¡¯s a newly hired employee. So, it¡¯s inevitable that he


    missed something. Sorry for the trouble, Mrs. Kane. Please follow me.¡±


    ¡®He exined so wlessly. I would¡¯ve believed him if I didn¡¯t hear Keegan say that he didn¡¯t know me.


    ¡®They¡¯re both terrible people!¡¯


    Just when they got off the elevator, Aldor asked, ¡°Mrs. Kane, why did youe to the office?¡±


    Ste lifted up the bag she was holding, ¡°I have something that I need Keegan to help me to pass to his


    mother.¡±


    Aldor said, ¡°Is that it?¡±


    She did not have anything else that she wanted to give him. But she still wanted to divorce Keegan.


    And she had to tell him that personally. So, she said, ¡°I still have something that I want to discuss with


    Keegan.


    But Aldor said, ¡°Mr. Kane still hasn¡¯t had his breakfast.¡±


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Ste was confused.


    ¡®What does this have to do with that?¡±


    Aldor saw the confusion in her eyes. He then said, ¡°Mr. Kane would be in a bad mood if he doesn¡¯t


    have his breakfast. So, things wouldn¡¯t go well if you discuss something with him now.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®I¡¯ve heard of people waking up on the wrong side of the bed. But, I¡¯ve never heard of someone being


    in a


    bad mood if they don¡¯t have their breakfast. What¡¯s wrong with him?


    ¡°Is there nothing to eat in yourpany cafeteria?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Kane is quite picky. He doesn¡¯t eat in thepany cafeter¨ªa¡±


    Ste believed that.


    ¡®Keegan¡¯s known for being a bicky eater. He doesn¡¯t like it if the food is too oily, too salty, too saucy, too


    sour, or too spicy. He won¡¯t eat the grilled eggnt if he notices there¡¯s a tiny bit of the eggnt¡¯s skin.


    He won¡¯t eat the vegetables if they aren¡¯t cooked just right. He¡¯ll get diarrhea if he eats leftover food.


    And, although he doesn¡¯t like parsley, he¡¯ll request the chef to add parsley to the noodle soup. But, he¡¯ll


    then pick out all the parsley


    ¡®Sometimes, I can¡¯t help butin about him. Luckily, he was born into a rich family. If he was born


    into an average family, I guess he¡¯d be beaten to death before he could grow up!


    As she thought that, Ste said, ¡°There are a few high¨Cend eateries downstairs, right? Go and buy


    some food for him from those restaurants.¡±


    Aldor smiled, ¡°Mr. Kane doesn¡¯t like to eat that kind of food. He likes to eat home¨Ccooked meals. For


    example, the lunchbox that he brought in the past. He liked it a lot.¡±

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    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 21


    Chapter 21


    It was clear to Ste that Aldor was telling her that Keegan had not eaten yet and that him not in the


    mood to discuss anything was just another way to get back at her. It had been more than a year since


    shest cooked for him.


    When Ste first married into the Kane family, she was infatuated with Keegan. She had not gotten into


    voice acting back then, so she spent all her time following him around. Ste used to believe in the


    saying, ¡°The way to a man¡¯s heart is through his stomach,¡± and she practiced her culinary skills hard


    just to get Keegan¡¯s attention. However, she did not have any talent for cooking. Her dishes were


    barely edible even after a month of practice.


    But, even so, she enthusiastically made lunch boxes for Keegan to bring to work, and she still


    remembered what Keegan said when he first tasted her most satisfied creation-¡°This is horrible.¡±


    Despite his words, Ste did not give up. She made another lunch box the next day and gave it to him


    when he was at work. ¡°I guarantee it¡¯ll taste delicious this time,¡± she cheekily said, but Keegan did not


    bother to respond.


    She wondered all day as to what he would think of her food. When Keegan returned home that night,


    she eagerly asked him, ¡°Well? How was it? Was it better than yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Stop making food for me. It tasted gross,¡± he replied. However, Ste saw that his lunch box was


    empty, so she was happy. She worked harder to cook lunch for him, and Keegan returned with an


    empty lunch box every time.


    Ste naively thought that their marriage was going well and that he also had feelings for her. That was


    until she saw him dumping all the food she had prepared into the trash. She then realized that their


    love was one¨Csided and that Keegan did not expose that fact because he wanted to save both their


    faces. From that day onward, Ste never cooked for Keegan again, and he never asked her to do so


    either. That was probably what he wanted all along. After all, pretending to finish the food was tiring.


    ¡®Is he trying to humiliate me by asking Aldor to mention my cooking when I¡¯m here to discuss the


    divorce? she thought. Ste tried toe up with an excuse and said, ¡°Oh, that¡¯ll make things difficult.


    He¡¯ll be off from work when I get back with the food. Where can I find him, then?¡± But, Aldor was


    prepared. ¡°There¡¯s a private kitchen in the cafeteria with all sorts of ingredients there. You can use


    whatever you want, Mrs. Kane.¡±


    Ste was speechless. ¡®They obviously nned this and were waiting for me to take the bait,¡® she


    thought. ¡®But, I can¡¯t escape now. Otherwise, this matter will nevere to an end.¡®


    A few minutester, she and Aldor arrived at the private kitchen. ¡®This ce is much bigger than I


    thought. It¡¯s so tidy, and there are so many ingredients to use.


    Ste could not wait to discuss the divorce. So much so that she could not focus on cooking, nor did


    she know what to cook. She stared at the ingredients for a long time and suddenly had an idea. After


    more than 20 minutes, her dish was done. It looked presentable. She untied her apron, turned her gaze


    toward Aldor, and said, ¡°Lead the way, Aldor.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s office was on the twelfth floor of the building. Aldor knocked on the door and said in a low


    voice, ¡°Mr. Kane, Mrs. Kane is here with some lunch.¡±


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡®Wasn¡¯t he the one who asked for it?¡® Ste thought.


    ¡°Let her in.¡± Keegan¡¯s cold voice came from inside. Aldor led Ste into the office, put the food on the


    office desk, and went out of the room, closing the door behind him. Ste clenched her hands and


    stood there awkwardly.


    Keegan¡¯s office was massive. The room¡¯s interior design was simple, and with the window walls


    installed, the lighting was great. Sunlight shined onto the desk through the blinds, casting dark


    shadows on Keegan¡¯s face. He had dark brows and almond eyes. His sharp jawline and luscious lips


    were what Ste found attractive in a man. Her heart could not stop throbbing no matter how many


    times she stared at him.


    ¡°Are you just going to stand there?¡±

 Chapter 22

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    Chapter 22


    Ste¡¯s throbbing heart stopped when she heard the cold voice. ¡®s, the pretty image I have of that


    jerk gets destroyed whenever he opens his mouth.¡±


    Ste went up to Keegan reluctantly and whispered, ¡°That¡¯s the white truffle. You promised me.¡± When


    Keegan heard that, his gaze shifted from the documents to her face. She looked in and beautiful,


    which was pleasing to the eyes; the same as she had always been. However, Keegan knew that it was


    all an act. She was no longer the obedient little bunny she was before. Instead, she was a wildcat with


    her ws out, and she was not afraid to bite back at the slightest provocation.


    Keegan leaned back and narrowed his eyes. He looked a little bored as he raised his eyebrows and


    said, ¡± Oh? Did I promise you anything?¡±


    Ste was taken aback for a moment. She could not believe that he had forgotten. ¡°You promised to


    help me deliver this if I went with you to meet your sister!¡± She gritted her teeth and said. ¡°Hmm. I did


    say that, didn¡¯t I?¡± Keegan replied as if he recalled the matter. Ste was about to let out a sigh of relief


    when he continued, ¡°But, after some careful consideration, I think there¡¯s no reason for me to ept


    such a valuable gift from the Jewell family since we are getting divorced. We should just forget it.


    Ste was speechless. ¡°It¡¯s not THAT valuable,¡± she tried to convince him. ¡°Besides, we¡¯re breaking up


    on good terms. Our family can still get along and asionally give each other gifts, right?¡±


    ¡°Are we really breaking up on good terms, though? Didn¡¯t you want a divorce because you weren¡¯t


    satisfied with MY infertility?¡± Keegan sneered.


    Ste was at a loss for words once again. I guess there¡¯s no moving past this. This asshole¡¯s self¨C


    esteem is so sensitive. I just said it out of spite, but he¡¯s being so petty. Just as she was about to try


    and defend herself, Keegan spoke. ¡°The hospital called me this morning and asked what kind of


    dysfunction I was experiencing. Why didn¡¯t you tell them?¡±


    Ste stayed silent. ¡®I totally forgot I called the hospital for a checkup on Keegan¡¯s behalf when I was


    mad. Of all the days they could¡¯ve called him, why today? How am I going to exin myself?¡® She


    thought.


    ¡°Can we talk about something else first, Mr. Kane?¡± Ste chuckled. Keegan got up and walked around


    his desk. He sat on the desk, looked up at her with a half¨Csmile, and said, ¡°What is it that makes my


    wife so dissatisfied that she had to help me consult an expert?¡±


    We¡¯re getting divorced anyway, Mr. Kane. There¡¯s no need for us to discuss this anymore, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, but there is,¡± Keegan nced at her and said. ¡°How could I agree with your reason for our divorce


    if we don¡¯t talk about it?¡±


    He¡¯s doing this on purpose!¡± she thought. ¡®He¡¯s holding a grudge against me for the divorce!¡® Ste took


    a deep breath and tried to be the bigger person. ¡°If you disagree with the reason for our divorce, we


    can change it to another one. Ipatibility? Lack of partnership? Maybe we can say we fell out of


    love. Your pick.¡±


    Keegan looked up at her and said, ¡°Would you be making lunch for me if we fell out of love? That¡¯s not


    convincing enough, Ste!¡±


    Ste was puzzled. ¡°Mr. Kane, the lunch was-¡±


    ¡°Oh, not to mention the private pictures you sent me.¡± Keegan pulled out his phone and waved it in


    front of her eyes, showing her the pictures she had just asked the receptionist to take when she was


    downstairs. She knew that Keegan would not allow her to see him, so she took off her jacket to reveal


    her strapless dress. She then took a close¨Cup and sent it to him, asking if she could post it on


    Facebook. The


    purpose of this was to threaten Keegan that if he did not allow her to go up and see him, she would


    post the picture on Facebook and ruin his reputation as well as the reputation of the Vinci Rivera


    Group. However, she did not expect him to take it as sending him provocative photos.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, those aren¡¯t private pictures¡­¡±


    Keegan did not put much thought into her words. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. You edited it way too much. Aren¡¯t


    your boobs just A¨Ccups?¡± Ste¡¯s face darkened. ¡®I¡¯m a C¨Ccup, you jerk!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Kane, can we discuss something more serious like when will we get the divorce?¡± She gritted her


    teeth and said.


    ¡°Ste, I gave you a chance, but you didn¡¯t show up,¡± Keegan nced at her and said.


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Something came up,¡± Ste replied.


    ¡°What was it?¡± He asked.


    Ste pursed her lips tightly. She did not want to tell Keegan that she did not show up because her


    mother was in critical condition. After all, he was not there when she needed him. Thus, she did not


    want to show him any vulnerability. Even if I tell him, there¡¯s a possibility that he will just see it as an


    excuse to postpone the divorce.¡®


    She stayed quiet for a few seconds and said, ¡°Let¡¯s set another appointment. You can pick the date and


    time. Anything¡¯s fine.¡±


    Keegan stared at her for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll have to remind you that everything you have as Mrs. Kane will


    cease to exist after the divorce. All the branded seasonal jewelry, clothes, limited edition bags from


    Herm¨¨s, and even your favorite gift boxes from your annual membership at the jockey club would all be


    taken away. Are you still willing to go through the divorce after knowing that?¡± He said calmly.


    Ste¡¯s heart ached at each thing he mentioned. She could not bear the thought of losing her luxury


    items. However, it was scarier to think of the time she would have to spend in a dead marriage with


    Keegan just for some non¨Cessentials.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she reluctantly uttered. ¡®It¡¯s better to have a little loss than a long sorrow,¡® she thought. ¡®After all,


    these items could be earned back with a little hard work and some money. Keegan¡¯s eyes darkened


    when


    he heard that.


    ¡°When are we going to go through the formalities?¡± Ste asked enthusiastically.


    ¡°When I have the time,¡± he nced at her and replied.


    ¡°Well, when is that?¡± she asked again.


    Keegan sat back in his chair, not bothering to look at her, and coldly said, ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when the


    time


    Ste was speechless. ¡®What kind of an answer is that? Will we have to postpone the divorce again if


    he


    never has the time?¡¯


    ¡°And, when will that be?¡±


    Keegan nced up at her, feeling annoyed. ¡°Why are you in such a hurry to get divorced? Are you


    afraid that I won¡¯t sign the papers? You clearly think too highly of yourself, Ste.¡±


    ¡®Did I say anything like that? Why is this asshole getting mad?¡® she thought.


    After Keegan finished speaking, he ignored her, opened the lunch box, and started eating. Ste had


    prepared a full breakfast for him, which included some liver and onions, a heart¨Cshaped omelet


    because that was the only egg mold they had in the kitchen, and some sugar¨Czed potatoes on the


    side. Keegan paused for a moment when he saw that, and the look on his face changed.


    Ste noticed the change in his facial expression. ¡®Was what Aldor said true? Would this discussion


    be much easier after he eats his breakfast?¡±


    ¡°How did it taste, Mr. Kane?¡±


    With one of the sugar¨Czed potatoes on his fork, Keegan gave her a sideways nce and said, ¡°It¡¯s


    too sweet. Do you think sugar is free?¡±

 Chapter 23

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 23


    Chapter 23


    Ste was dumbfounded. ¡®Why didn¡¯t the sugar seal your mouth shut then, if I put too much sugar?


    Ugh, whatever. I should just put up with him since I¡¯m the one who is asking him for something.¡±


    She smiled apologetically, and with a good attitude, she said, ¡°Noted. I haven¡¯t been in the kitchen for a


    long time, so I must be getting rusty. Sure enough, Keegan¡¯s facial expression looked better after that.


    Ste then took the opportunity to say, ¡°Mr. Kane, us having this divorce is like us getting married. We


    have to choose a date. You see, we got married on an unlucky day. As a result, our marriage didn¡¯t go


    well, and we couldn¡¯t make it to the end. So, we have to pick a good day to get divorced so that our


    previous marriage won¡¯t fetter us, and we will be able to find new love. I¡¯ve checked the dates, the 21st,


    24th, 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, and 31st of this month are all good days to get divorced. Should we just


    pick one from all the days I just mentioned?¡±


    ¡°Every day is a good day except for weekends, huh?¡± Keegan sneered, seeing right through her little


    scheme.


    ¡°There are just more auspicious days in this month,¡± said Ste cheekily, but he ignored her. She was


    not going to give up without getting an answer, so she continued, ¡°Which day do you think is the most


    suitable, Mr. Kane?¡±


    In the end, Keegan was so annoyed by her muttering that he said with a dark face, ¡°Say another word,


    and you¡¯ll have to give this gift yourself.¡± Ste was speechless. All the soft words she had in her had


    run out. ¡°Those are two different things, Keegan! I¡¯ve kept my end of the deal, so why can¡¯t you?!¡± She


    said annoyedly.


    Keegan¡¯s brows rxed a little when he saw her wild side. He tapped the lunch box with his fork and


    said, ¡°Ste, you¡¯re the one who wants a divorce and not tell your father about it. How could we ever


    keep this up?¡± Ste did not know what to say. She did not want to let Albert know about her divorce.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Before Rainee¡¯s ident, problems arose in her marriage with Albert. Not long after her injury, Albert


    wanted a divorce. However, Rainee had trained some of theirpany¡¯s most important employees at


    that time. She also had nearly half of thepany¡¯s shares. Albert knew that people in thepany


    would not be happy if they had a divorce. So, he decided not to pursue it under hiswyer¡¯s advice.


    Three years after Rainee¡¯s ident, Albert had slowly taken the shares into his own hands. He also


    cleared out the staff and reced them with his own set of people. Not long after, the idea of divorce


    began to form in his mind once again. However, it was that year that Keegan chose to marry Ste.


    Albert was shocked when the Kane family came and proposed a marriage between the two. The Kane


    family was the top family in Rivera. His reputation would surely increase if his daughter were to marry


    into the family. ¡®Who would ever turn down such an offer?¡¯ Albert thought. Naturally, he agreed to marry


    Ste off to Keegan.


    In order for Ste to willingly marry into the family and bring him business, Albert promised her not to


    divorce Rainee for ten years. However, if Rainee was still unconscious after those ten years, Albert


    would use her shares to pay for her expenses in the hospital for the rest of her life.


    Now that Ste¡¯s marriage with Keegan ended after only three years, Albert would stop all the


    payments if he found out. With the little amount of money she had, Ste had no way to pay for her


    mother¡¯s hospital bills. She was nning to buy a house to take care of her mother on the premise.


    That way, she could get a part of the property after the divorce and a stable ie. However, her


    voiceover gig for Honor of the Deities, which she was sure she would get, was now given to someone


    else.


    Ste had also rejected many job offers because she had never thought that she would divorce


    Keegan,


    which left a bad impression. Hence, she only got a few job offers from bigpanies in thest six


    months. This also meant that she could not make much money in that short while, which was more of


    the reason why she could not let Albert know about her divorce. Plus, Keegan obviously would not help


    her keep this secret after they go their separate ways.


    For a while, Ste was feeling irritated by the situation. ¡®Should I just not get the divorce? But Keegan


    would definitely think that I¡¯m a joke after everything I said.¡®

 Chapter 24

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 24


    Chapter 24


    ¡®Do I want to lose face?¡® Ste thought. ¡®Besides, it was obvious that Keegan had been cheating on me.


    If I stay, and a child justes up to him and calls him ¡°Daddy¡± one day, I would be the joke of Rivera.¡®


    ¡®I must go through this divoroe no matter what!¡¯ Her face changed again when she thought of that.


    ¡°Look, Mr. Kane, you getting a divorce would be a huge deal for Rivera, no? If we just get a divorce


    without any advance notice, it will have an impact on thepany¡¯s stocks and so on. That¡¯s not good


    now, is it?¡±


    Keegan nced at her and said, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying we should announce the divorce after one year to avoid those fallouts. What do you think?¡±


    She said. Keegan stared at her sullenly without saying a word. Ste¡¯s heart was beating fast. ¡°Is that


    too long? How about we announce it after eight months?¡± She whispered. Keegan¡¯s gaze was already


    cold. ¡°I-I think¡­ Half a year is too short, but it¡¯s fine if you want to announce it¡­¡±


    Keegan gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Ste, if you say one more word, I¡¯ll throw you out of here!¡± Ste


    immediately shut her mouth.


    ¡°Do you think we can get divorced this month?¡± She asked again in a low voice after staying quiet for


    some time.


    A few minutester, the security guards brought her out of Keegan¡¯s office. She was cursing and


    swearing to herself all the way, ¡®That Keegan Kane is such a jerk! He was inly trying to dy my


    time and y me! I should¡¯ve just given his lunch to the stray dogs out there!¡¯


    As soon as the elevator door opened, she bumped into Aurora, who was about to get on the elevator.¡¯


    What are you doing here?¡± Aurora asked with a sour face and obviously not d to see her. ¡°Who let


    you in here?¡± She continued.


    Of course, Ste was also not happy to see Aurora. ¡°My husband works here. Why can¡¯t I be here?¡±


    She replied with indifference.


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Do you actually think of yourself as part of our family? Do you really think that half of Rivera would be


    yours after marrying my brother? Who the hell do you think you are?¡± Aurora sneered.


    Ste pursed her lips and said, ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. I don¡¯t know my ce. Maybe you should look in


    the mirror and tell me what you see.¡±


    Aurora was taken aback, probably because she did not expect Ste, who had always been weak and


    cowardly, to fight back. Soon, her face darkened. ¡°What? After pretending for so many years, you


    finally can¡¯t bear it anymore? I guess people from low¨Cie families are generally low in ss.¡±


    Ste¡¯s expression became cold as she said, ¡°I¡¯m warning you, Aurora. You don¡¯t want to provoke me.¡±


    Aurora dismissed her threat. ¡°So what if I provoke you? What are you going to do? Tell my brother?


    Hah. Do you think he¡¯d be on your side?¡±


    Ste stared at her coldly and said, ¡°He would when he finds out about what happened on that night of


    the wedding.¡± Aurora¡¯s face dropped when she heard that.


    ¡°You better keep your mouth shut. Otherwise, you¡¯d be a goner if that incident identally slipped out


    of my mouth. I mean, grandma values the Kane family¡¯s reputation so much. What kind of punishment


    do you think she woulde up with if she knew what you did?¡±

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    Chapter 25


    Keegan was looking down from the window of his office on the twelfth floor when Aldor knocked on the


    door. ¡°Is she gone?¡± Keegan turned his head and asked when he saw himing in. Aldor nodded.


    ¡°Did she say anything?¡± he asked again. Aldor hesitated, not knowing what to say. Keegan shot him a


    nce and said, ¡°Well? Don¡¯t dilly¨Cdally. Tell me, did she say anything?¡±


    Aldor swallowed and said in a low voice, ¡°Mrs. Kane asked me to apologize for not rinsing the beef liver


    earlier.¡± Keegan froze. Although Ste actually did clean the liver before cooking it, she purposely told


    Aldor that to get back at Keegan for not keeping his promise.


    Her mood improved when she thought of how disgusted Keegan would be for eating the ¡°unwashed¡±


    liver she had prepared. ¡®He probably wants to down some bleach right now,¡® she said to herself.


    However, her happiness did notst long, as joy turned into sadness when her Uber was rear¨Cended


    from behind.


    Ste was a little scared of driving after being rear¨Cended on the overpassst time. So, she had been


    calling Uber rides recently. But, she did not expect to get into a car crash again while riding an Uber.


    However, the ident was not too serious, and insurance would cover it after they lodged a report.


    But, the other party did not have a good attitude. He started to throw his hands as soon as he got out of


    the car. At the same time, the Uber driver did not back down and fought back. What was originally to be


    handled on the road by the traffic police quickly escted to the police station.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Ste was also brought to the station as a witness of the incident. She truthfully exined what she


    saw and proved that the other party was the one who made the first move, while the Uber driver fought


    back out of self¨Cdefense after taking multiple punches.


    Ste finished signing the report and came out of the police station. Felicity was having an off day from


    work. She rang Ste and told her to get home earlier because she had something important to tell her.


    Ste hung up the phone and called an Uber. It was rush hour and people were getting off work, so it


    would take a long time before someone epted her request. She lowered her head, wondering if


    there was any public transportation that would bring her to the area of her apartment. Suddenly,


    someone grabbed her hair from behind and pped her with a purse.


    ¡°You bitch! What did you tell the police?!¡± A woman¡¯s voice was heard. Ste wanted to elbow the


    woman as her head hurt from the hair pull. However, she stopped when she saw that the woman had a


    big belly. Instead, she just held her wrists and said in a deep voice, ¡°Let go!¡±


    The woman was not afraid of her threat. She continued to pull her hair from behind and said, ¡°You¡¯re


    with that Uber driver, aren¡¯t you? You deliberately lied to the police and caused my husband to get


    arrested! He had just been promoted to be a director, but it¡¯s all ruined now! How could you be such a


    vicious person, you bitch?!¡±


    Ste did not understand why the woman was being so unreasonable. However, she did not dare push


    her since she was pregnant. Thus, she only gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you see what your


    husband did when you were in the car with him? If you didn¡¯t want this to happen, you should have


    advised him not to start a fight. With his level of road rage, you should be thankful that it was just a


    scratch. Otherwise, it could have been your life.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± The woman shouted, obviously irritated by her words. She raised her purse and wanted to


    hit Ste in the head. Ste closed her eyes and thought, ¡®What an unlucky day to have met such a


    lunatic.¡®


    However, the expected blow did not happen. A familiar male voice sounded above her head, ¡°I think it¡¯s


    still considered illegal to hit someone even when you¡¯re pregnant. So, let go.¡±


    ¡°This is none of your business. Who the fuck are you?¡±


    Marshall chuckled and said, ¡°A citizen who is brave enough to do what is right.¡± The woman felt a sharp


    pain in her wrists after she heard him say that and let go of Ste¡¯s hand.


    Marshall grabbed Ste¡¯s shoulders and gently pulled her behind him. ¡°Are you alright?¡± He asked.

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    Chapter 26


    Only then did Ste recognize the man she had met on the rooftop of Rotona Pinnacle Hospital. She


    shook her head in response to his question. The pregnant woman¡¯s eyes turned red with anger. ¡°You


    bitch! Do you think I¡¯m scared of you now that someone hase to your rescue? Try me!¡± Ste


    wanted to respond, but Marshall stopped her.


    He took his phone out and said, ¡°I have proof of you hitting her on my phone. Although you¡¯ll only be


    sentenced to a minimal crime punishment because you¡¯re pregnant and you have nothing to fear, what


    do you think would happen if I put this on the inte? Do you think people would let you go just


    because you have a baby in you? Your child is going to be criticized before they¡¯re even born. Do you


    think they could live safely after that?¡±


    The woman¡¯s face changed, as she was scared. Marshall handed her a business card and said, ¡°Oh, I


    forgot to introduce myself. I¡¯m a journalist, which also means I have the power to spread this news


    around.¡± The woman did not dare to retaliate, so she just bit the bullet and said, ¡°You got lucky.¡± She


    walked away while holding her belly after saying that.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Marshall turned around, and his dominating manner dissipated in an instant. His gaze turned


    somewhat warm. ¡°You¡¯re hurt,¡± he said, pointing at Ste¡¯s neck. She opened the camera app on her


    phone to look at it and saw that there were bloody scratches on her neck.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take care of that. I have a first aid kit in my car.¡± Ste felt like she could not reject his kindness,


    so she said in a low voice, ¡± Alright. Sorry for the trouble.¡± Marshall smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± After


    the both of them got into his car, Marshall dug out some disinfectant to clean her wound. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡±


    Ste softly said, unnaturally avoiding his help as Marshall handed her the kit.


    When she treated her wound, she asked, ¡°So, you¡¯re a journalist.¡±


    Marshall was taken aback for a moment. He thenughed and shook his head as he said, ¡°No,


    someone else gave me that business card. I didn¡¯t even have a video of what happened. I just wanted


    to scare her so that she¡¯d stop.¡±


    ¡®Well, that makes sense. He doesn¡¯t look like a reporter. I mean, what kind of reporter drives a


    Bentley?¡± Ste thought.


    ¡°Wow, I almost fell for it,¡± she chuckled. Marshall was stunned for a second when he heard that.


    He then smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment.¡± Just as he was talking, his phone rang.


    Marshall excused himself and answered the call.


    ¡°Marshall, where are you?¡±


    Keegan was rinsing his mouth when Aurora entered his office. ¡°Keegan! Why did Stee here?¡±


    Keegan frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to knock?¡±


    ¡°The door wasn¡¯t shut,¡± Aurora murmured in a low voice. ¡°Keegan, are you okay?¡± she asked in


    surprise when she saw that he did not look too well. Keegan¡¯s tummy began to churn once again when


    he heard


    that.


    ¡°What brings you here?¡± He nced at Aurora impatiently and asked.


    Aurora pursed her lips and said, ¡°I want to borrow your phone. Marshall is not answering my calls.¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡±


    ¡°Please? If Marshall and I get together, our family will be inws with the Moore family, and you


    wouldn¡¯t have to worry about our uncle¡¯s family.¡±


    ¡°Marshall would never fall for you.¡± Keegan ruthlessly ruined her dream.

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    Chapter 27


    Aurora gritted her teeth and said, ¡°How would you know if he¡¯d like me or not? His parents like me! You


    just don¡¯t want to help your sister out!¡±


    Keegan nodded, ¡°Then, go look for him yourself.¡±


    Aurora was stunned for a moment. ¡®Would I be here begging you to contact Marshall if I could do it


    myself?¡¯ Marshall seemed to have deliberately avoided Aurora since he returned to the country.


    Whenever she found out where he was, he would be nowhere in sight when she arrived. He also never


    picked up when Aurora called.


    ¡°Please, Keegan. Help me out here. Don¡¯t you want me to be happily married in the future?¡± Keegan


    nced at her and said, ¡°You two are not suitable for each other. He¡¯s seven years older than you.¡±


    ¡°Ste was the same age as me when you married her. Why didn¡¯t you think she was too young? Why


    do you men have such double standards?¡± Keegan was reminded of what Ste did when Aurora


    mentioned her name. Initially, he had a headache from quarreling with Aurora, but now his tummy was


    aching too. He tossed the phone to Aurora and said, ¡°Get out of here after you finish.¡±


    Aurora grabbed the phone with joy and immediately called Marshall. ¡°Hello?¡± Marshall¡¯s gentle voice


    sounded as he picked up the phone. ¡°Marshall, where are you? Why aren¡¯t you answering my texts or


    calls?


    It was Marshall¡¯s turn to have a headache. ¡®Not only did Keegan ignore what I said, but he even lent his


    phone to his sister?!¡®


    ¡°I probably missed them. I¡¯ve been busy. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much¡­ It¡¯s just¡­ Can you take me to the charity event this weekend? I didn¡¯t get an


    invitation.¡± ¡°Your brother has an invitation. You can ask him to take you there,¡± Marshall politely


    declined. ¡°He already has a date,¡± Aurora said as Keegan nced at her contemptuously. Marshall did


    not believe her. With Keegan¡¯s status, it would not be a big deal for him to bring an extra guest to the


    charity event. Marshall knew what she was thinking. He knew that if he did not state his feelings clearly,


    Aurora would believe that she¡¯d still have a chance. ¡°Sorry, Aurora, I can¡¯t take you to the event. I


    already have a girlfriend.¡± Aurora froze. ¡°Are you lying to me on purpose? That¡¯s impossible! You just


    returned to the country. Your mom hasn¡¯t even had the time to set up a blind date for you. How could


    you already have a girlfriend? Stop bluffing!¡±


    Marshall felt a little frustrated. ¡°You¡¯ll see when the dayes. Anyway, I have matters to attend to.


    Bye.¡± He hung up before Aurora could reply. ¡°Where are you heading to? I¡¯ll drive you there,¡± he then


    said to Ste.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve already called an Uber. It¡¯ll be here soon,¡± Ste quickly shut down his offer. ¡°It¡¯s rush


    hour. I happen to be going to the city for some business. I can drop you off on the way. Trust me. It¡¯s no


    big deal.¡± Ste thought it would be ignorant to reject him after what he said, so she replied, ¡°Alright,


    Bambusa Street, please.¡±


    Marshall asionally talked to her but knew to avoid crossing the line. For example, he did not act


    overly concerned about what happened at the police station, nor did he ask her why she was at the


    hospital thest time they met. Instead, he focused on other light¨Chearted details like where she got


    her unique phone charm. After learning that she made it herself, Marshall¡¯s gaze showed shock and


    admiration.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    The conversation made Ste feelfortable. For a moment, she imagined that if Keegan were the


    one next to her, he would have nced at her in disdain and said, ¡°It¡¯s so ugly.¡±


    ¡®The day he praises me is the day pigs fly,¡® she thought. Keegan did not love her, so he never knew


    how to appreciate her.

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    Chapter 28


    ¡°Here?¡± Marshall slowed down and asked. Ste finally returned to her senses, looked outside the


    window, and nodded, ¡°Yeah, just drop me over there.¡±


    ¡°Wait here,¡± she said when the car stopped. Marshall did not know why she asked him to wait. Before


    he was about to ask her, Ste had already gotten out of the car and walked toward the opposite side


    of the road. A few cars passed by, and she was nowhere to be seen.


    About ten minutester, she showed up again. This time, she was standing at the other end of the


    crosswalk with two cups of coffee in her hands, looking both ways, waiting for the traffic to pass.


    Marshall could not look away when he saw her. Only when he heard a knock on his car window did he


    recover. He lowered the window, and Ste handed him a cup of coffee.


    Marshall took the coffee and said in a low voice, ¡°My name is Marshall. What¡¯s yours?¡± Ste was


    stunned for a moment. She then smiled and said, ¡°Celeste.¡±


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Aurora was on the verge of going crazy when she heard that Marshall had a girlfriend. ¡°Keegan!


    Marshall told me he has a girlfriend. Who is she?¡±


    Keegan still had an upset stomach and was not in the mood to talk. ¡°How would I know?¡± He said in


    anger.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys best friends? How could you not know who his girlfriend is?¡±


    Keegan grabbed his phone away from her and coldly said, ¡°Aurora, if you¡¯re going to act crazy, then get


    out!¡± Aurora kept her mouth shut. She only dared to act like that when her brother was in a good mood


    because she was actually scared of him to the bones.


    ¡®Maybe Ste said something to make him this mad,¡® Aurora thought. She was a little apprehensive


    when she tentatively asked, ¡°Keegan, why did that womane in here just now?¡±


    ¡°What did you just call her?¡± Keegan red at her and asked.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Why did Stee to see you?¡± Aurora reluctantly replied.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. Go ask Aldor toe in here.¡±


    Aurora did not dare to talk back at him, so she went out of the office with an annoyed look on her face


    and called for Aldor. She wanted to be in the room after that, but Keegan kicked her out. ¡®That¡¯s odd.


    What are they talking about?¡®


    A few minutes after Aldor entered the office, he came out with two boxes in his hands. Aurora had seen


    them in Keegan¡¯s office earlier, but she did not know what they contained. ¡®Interesting,¡® she thought.


    Aldor did not notice her and drove away with the two boxes. Aurora tailed him out of curiosity and soon


    arrived at their family home. She saw Aldor handing over the two boxes to the caretaker and drove off


    after he said a few words.


    After Aldor left, Aurora rushed into her home, took the boxes away from the caretaker, and frowned.


    ¡°Why did Keegan send these home?¡±


    ¡°Those are for Mrs. Kane. They¡¯re from Mr. Jewell.¡±


    ¡®So this is why Ste was at thepany! What a family of suck¨Cups!¡® She thought as she threw the


    boxes to the ground and stomped on them several times.

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    Chapter 29


    By the time the caretaker could react and stop Aurora, it was toote. The caretaker panicked when


    she saw the boxes stomped into pieces. ¡°How could you do this, Ms. Kane?!¡± She asked.


    ¡°My mother wouldn¡¯t want those things from the Jewell family anyway,¡± Aurora snorted coldly.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you should stomp on it! How am I supposed to give it to Mrs. Kane now? Your


    brother specifically asked me to hand it over to your mom. How will I exin myself when he sees it


    destroyed?¡± ¡°Just tell him you gave it to her. He wouldn¡¯t know if you didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°No buts! I¡¯ll take the me if anything happens. Hurry up and throw out this garbage. It¡¯s so annoying


    to look at!¡± Aurora red at her and said. The caretaker did not dare to say anything further, so she


    kept her mouth shut and cleaned up the floor.


    As soon as Ste entered the house, Felicity saw the band¨Caid on her neck. After some questioning,


    she was caught up with everything that had happened. ¡°That crazy woman wouldn¡¯t know karma if it hit


    her baby,¡± Felicity said indignantly. ¡°But, I can¡¯t believe you gave that handsome Bentley guy a coffee.¡±


    ¡°What else could I have done to repay him?¡±


    Felicity pped her thigh and said, ¡°You should have had hime up here for a meal! Coffee sounds


    disingenuous.


    ¡°I¡¯ve only met him twice. Wouldn¡¯t it be too abrupt to invite someone to have dinner with us?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not. Times are different, Ste. People have dinner after they meet for the first time. Isn¡¯t it


    considered fate that you guys met twice in three days? How old is this Bentley dude? Is heContent bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    handsome?¡±


    Ste felt like Felicity was hinting at something else. ¡°What are you hinting at?¡± She narrowed her eyes


    and asked.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Felicity replied. ¡°I just think that he¡¯s not a bad guy. Maybe you can get together with him,


    you know?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?! I¡¯m married!¡± Ste threw a pillow toward her face and eximed. Felicity


    caught the pillow and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you getting divorced soon? What¡¯s the matter with searching for a


    new partner in advance? By the way, didn¡¯t you talk to Keegan about the divorce today? What did he


    say? When can you guys get everything done?¡±


    Ste¡¯s face dropped when she heard that. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it. Keegan kicked me out of the


    building just now.¡±


    ¡°What? What happened?¡±


    Ste told Felicity everything that happened in the Vinci Rivera Group in detail, except for the medical


    checkup she booked for Keegan. Felicity was a little confused after listening to her. ¡°Why do I feel like


    Keegan isn¡¯t happy with you talking about the divorce?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s always been like this with everything I do,¡± Ste shrugged in reply.


    ¡°Really? Then, why doesn¡¯t he just settle the divorce once and for all if he¡¯s so unhappy? Why do I feel


    like he doesn¡¯t want a divorce?¡±


    Ste was stunned for a moment. She then shook her head and said, ¡°You don¡¯t know him. It¡¯s not that


    he¡¯s unhappy about the divorce, he¡¯s just mad because I was the one who proposed the idea first.¡±


    Keegan could not tolerate the thought of someone whom he had control over wanting to be free.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t there something important you wanted to tell me?¡± Ste asked.

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    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 30


    Chapter 30


    ¡°Oh, didn¡¯t you ask me to help you sell your bag online? Many people have asked about it,¡± said


    Felicity. Ste was surprised. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®many¡®? Are people really that rich these days?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? People are just excited because they¡¯ve never seen someone with that


    bag before. Only a few inte celebrities want to rent your bag for some pictures.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only for sale, not for rent,¡± Ste waved her hand and said.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I told them. After some screening, I finally found someone who actually wants to buy


    it. We¡¯ve been texting for three consecutive days now. She asked me for many detailed pictures of the


    bag and asked if she should inspect the product in person to negotiate the price. I told her yes on your


    behalf.¡± ¡°Do you know her background?¡± Felicity thought for a while and said, ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem like


    someone from your group. She wants to meet up at a second¨Chand luxury store. The store is only in


    the second or third tier at best. Only small celebrities who don¡¯t receive sponsorships and people who


    think they¡¯re celebrities go there.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go have a look tomorrow.¡±


    Felicity then put her hands over her shoulders and said, ¡°The most important thing I want to tell you


    today is the new show The Pce, directed by Daniel Wood, is looking for actors! Although the female


    lead has already been chosen, you know how Wood¡¯s works are always women¨Ccentric. It doesn¡¯t


    matter if you y a supporting role. You¡¯ll still get famous as long as you know how to act. They¡¯re


    holding an audition at the Hilton Hotel this Friday. I¡¯ve given them your information.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never worked in film before. How did you manage to give my name?¡± Ste asked in surprise. ¡®I¡¯ve


    been in this circle for a long time, Ste. I have my ways. I wrote myself down as your agent, but you


    can change itter when apany signs you under their name. Are you going to go?¡± Felicity asked.


    1


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m going! How could I not after you¡¯ve given me such an amazing opportunity?¡± Felicity


    cleared her throat and said, ¡°But, there are two things I want to make clear to you. First, they are


    looking for an actor for the fourth female role, and there won¡¯t be many scenes for that character.


    Secondly, Be Young is ying the female lead.¡±


    Ste was speechless. Felicity observed the facial expression on Ste¡¯s face carefully and said, ¡°We


    can just stay home if you don¡¯t want to do it. There are many other auditions every year. I¡¯ll find


    something good for you.¡±


    Ste stayed silent for two seconds before she decided, ¡°No, I want to.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Felicity asked. She knew that it would be difficult for anyone to work with a rival. ¡°You


    don¡¯t have to do it, you know?¡±


    Ste smiled and said, ¡°I might as well be kept in a cage by Keegan if I can¡¯t do this. Things will be


    even harder after I leave the Kane family.¡±


    The next day, Ste took her bag to the second¨Chand luxury store ording to the agreed time with


    the buyer. After telling the store owner why she was there, the store owner took her to a private room


    upstairs, which smelled like fresh pine wood and sage, 1


    ¡°What¡¯s that scent?¡± Ste asked. She was interested in the fragrance of the burning candle in the


    room.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a candle from my friend. He said he made it himself, so I¡¯m not sure about the fragrance, but


    do you like it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it smells nice.¡± Just as she said that, the store doorbell rang twice downstairs, and the store


    owner


    excused himself. Not long after, a woman, who was wrapped in warm clothes and a pair of sunsses,


    opened the door to the private room. The aroma of her perfume filled the room, taking over the fresh


    scent earlier.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Are you the one who is selling the bag?¡±

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    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 31


    Chapter 31


    The familiar shrill voice with a hint of surprise instantly stirred Ste in disgust. Ste raised her head


    and gave an impassive look. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since west met, Miss Young.¡±


    The store owner who came shortly after surprisingly asked, ¡°Have you two met before?¡±


    Be fixed her jacket and wandered in front of Ste. She then took a seat facing her with a smirk and


    said, ¡°More than that. We are familiar with each other.¡±


    The store owner did not perceive the deeper intent at the moment andughed, ¡°So, you are


    acquaintances. Would the two of you like to discuss this in private?¡±


    Be nced at the store owner. ¡°We just know each other, but not to the extent of a friendly


    rtionship.


    Be made the store owner feel awkward by pointing out their rtionship with one sentence. Ste


    still had a stoic expression and pushed the case over. ¡°ording to the store¡¯s rules, let¡¯s sample the


    goods first.¡±


    The store owner took the bag and started inspecting it after seeing that Be had no objections. The


    end table in the private room was narrow. The distance between Ste and Be was approximately a


    meter. The tense atmosphere between the two made the store owner, who was a few meters away, feel


    pressured.


    ¡°Ste, you are quite thick¨Cskinned. How are you not ashamed of selling things from the Kane family.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just selling the things I don¡¯t want. Why should I feel ashamed? So, do you mean that those who


    scramble for things others don¡¯t want should die from shame?¡± Ste let out a chuckle. ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you


    living just fine, Miss Young?¡±


    Be¡¯s face became clouded. However, Be held her rage back out of concern that the store owner


    would overhear her. After twenty minutes, the store owner finished the inspection. The store owner


    confirmed the authenticity and asked for Ste¡¯s intended price.


    ¡°Five million.¡±


    Once she made her statement, Be jumped up before the store owner could evaluate the price. ¡°Five


    million? Ste, are you crazy about money? The bag is probably worth two million, but you want to sell


    it to me for five? Do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡±


    Ste remained expressionless. ¡°If you could buy it for two million, why buy it second¨Chand? Miss


    Young, you know this bag is for members only, right? Only premium members with an annual


    consumption of more than twenty million are eligible to purchase this. It¡¯s apletely new bag. I have


    to include some of the membership fees, right?¡±


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Membership fee? Ste, did you use your own money to buy this bag? You squandered Keegan¡¯s


    money. You¡¯re imposing a membership fee to cash it out now that you don¡¯t want it anymore. No


    wonder Keegan said that you¡¯re stingy and insatiably greedy.¡±


    Ste clenched her fist, and her expression turned cold. ¡°Miss Young, the Keegan you mentioned is my


    husband byw. It¡¯s reasonable and legal for me to spend his money. There¡¯s no need for you to boss


    me around. If you want this bag, the price is five million with no bargains. Let¡¯s not waste each other¡¯s


    time if you can¡¯t afford to buy it. I¡¯m quite busy.¡±


    ¡°Who said I can¡¯t afford it?¡± Be was seething with anger. ¡°I¡¯m just questioning the rationality of the


    price. The value of this bag is probably three million. If you sell it for five million, it¡¯s simply¡­ disrupting


    the market order!¡±


    Ste let out augh. ¡°It looks like you don¡¯t understand that we are under the transaction of private


    goods. And, it has nothing to do with the market order. I only need to pay the value¨Cadded tax if this


    transaction ispleted. It¡¯s not illegal or against the rules. Besides, values are just references for the


    buyers, yet it¡¯s my choice for the price of the item since it belongs to me. You could call off the deal if


    you think it¡¯s unreasonable.¡±


    ¡°Why you-¡± Be¡¯s face turned green with anger. She was even more furious when she saw Ste


    being calm andposed. She sneered after thinking about it. ¡°Ste, you increased the price on


    purpose and refused to sell the bag to me after realizing that I was the buyer, right?¡±


    Ste did not speak and gave her a cold stare.

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32


    Be''s lips lifted into a grin as she grew confident of her suspicion. "Why keep on grabbing onto something that is not yours?" Be thought she could provoke Ste. She could tell that Ste was not a calm person from the few interactions she had with her. Ste could not hide her jealousy whenever she had any close contact with Keegan. Be thought she would act the same asst time. But, Ste just nced at her indifferently. "If you insist on thinking that way, so be it. So, are you going to buy it?"


    Now, it was Be''s turn to keep a straight face. ''It feels like a scam if I buy it. But, Ste feels so odious as if she''s mocking me if I don''t buy it.''


    Ste seemed to have read her thoughts. She put the bag back into the case, and the moment the cover was about to close, Be stopped her and said, "I''ll buy it!"


    Ste paused and looked up at her. "Pay in full."


    Be gritted her teeth and said, "Don''t worry. You won''t lose a penny." Five million was not a small amount of money. Be went out to take a call and came back after Ste waited in the private room for thirty minutes. Yet, the look on Be''s face when she came in was not pleasant. In the presence of the store owner, the two had a deal. Be transferred five million to Ste''s bank ount on the spot.


    When Be signed the deal, she drew out her wrist from her dress. Then, a familiar diamond bracelet on her wrist caught Ste''s attention. The model and workmanship were very simr to the one she gave to Keegan in the past. When Be was done signing, she noticed Ste''s attention on her wrist. She lifted her wrist with a smile and said, "This bracelet was a gift from Keegan back in the year I debuted. Ste, are your pieces of jewelry from him all diamond too? Do you know what''s the reason?"


    Ste paused, and her fingers slowly curled up. The look on her face indicated that Be''s guess was correct. Yet, Ste did not want to know the reason behind it. She even had the urge to escape from hearing it. However, Be did not give her the chance to escape and mocked, "His knowledge of jewelry alles from me, and my favorite jewels are diamonds."


    Ste''s nails dug into her palm. Every word from Be was a humiliation at her ecstatic response to the gifts. The romance she thought she had was just Keegan projecting the shadow of other women on her. "Ste, Keegan doesn''t love you. If it wasn''t for his grandma opposing us being together back then, do you think you''ll have the chance to marry him? But, it''s different now, Cordelia is old and has no control anymore. The Kane family will be Keegan''s. What do you think will happen to you by then?" Be raised the corner of her lips. "If I were you, I would leave on my own. At least this way, I could leave with dignity. It''s a shame to be kicked out of the house."


    "Keegan and I were already married when you debut, right?"


    "Huh?" Be did not get it for a moment when Ste said that out of nowhere.


    "Doesn''t that mean that every penny he spent on you was our joint property? In that case, I am legally entitled to im it back."


    Ste let out augh. "It looks like you don''t understand that we are under the transaction of private goods. And, it has nothing to do with the market order. I only need to pay the value-added tax if this transaction ispleted. It''s not illegal or against the rules. Besides, values are just references for the buyers, yet it''s my choice for the price of the item since it belongs to me. You could call off the deal if you


    think it''s unreasonable."


    "Why you-" Be''s face turned green with anger. She was even more furious when she saw Ste being calm andposed. She sneered after thinking about it. "Ste, you increased the price on purpose and refused to sell the bag to me after realizing that I was the buyer, right?"


    Ste did not speak and gave her a cold stare.


    Be''s lips lifted into a grin as she grew confident of her suspicion. "Why keep on grabbing onto something that is not yours?" Be thought she could provoke Ste. She could tell that Ste was not a calm person from the few interactions she had with her. Ste could not hide her jealousy whenever she had any close contact with Keegan. Be thought she would act the same asst time. But, Ste just nced at her indifferently. "If you insist on thinking that way, so be it. So, are you going to buy it?"Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Now, it was Be''s turn to keep a straight face. ''It feels like a scam if I buy it. But, Ste feels so odious as if she''s mocking me if I don''t buy it.''


    Ste seemed to have read her thoughts. She put the bag back into the case, and the moment the cover was about to close, Be stopped her and said, "I''ll buy it!"


    Ste paused and looked up at her. "Pay in full."


    Be gritted her teeth and said, "Don''t worry. You won''t lose a penny." Five million was not a small amount of money. Be went out to take a call and came back after Ste waited in the private room for thirty minutes. Yet, the look on Be''s face when she came in was not pleasant. In the presence of the store owner, the two had a deal. Be transferred five million to Ste''s bank ount on the spot.


    When Be signed the deal, she drew out her wrist from her dress. Then, a familiar diamond bracelet on her wrist caught Ste''s attention. The model and workmanship were very simr to the one she gave to Keegan in the past. When Be was done signing, she noticed Ste''s attention on her wrist. She lifted her wrist with a smile and said, "This bracelet was a gift from Keegan back in the year I debuted. Ste, are your pieces of jewelry from him all diamond too? Do you know what''s the reason?"


    Ste paused, and her fingers slowly curled up. The look on her face indicated that Be''s guess was correct. Yet, Ste did not want to know the reason behind it. She even had the urge to escape from hearing it. However, Be did not give her the chance to escape and mocked, "His knowledge of jewelry alles from me, and my favorite jewels are diamonds."


    Ste''s nails dug into her palm. Every word from Be was a humiliation at her ecstatic response to the gifts. The romance she thought she had was just Keegan projecting the shadow of other women on her. "Ste, Keegan doesn''t love you. If it wasn''t for his grandma opposing us being together back then, do you think you''ll have the chance to marry him? But, it''s different now, Cordelia is old and has no control anymore. The Kane family will be Keegan''s. What do you think will happen to you by then?" Be raised the corner of her lips. "If I were you, I would leave on my own. At least this way, I could leave with dignity. It''s a shame to be kicked out of the house."


    "Keegan and I were already married when you debut, right?"


    "Huh?" Be did not get it for a moment when Ste said that out of nowhere.


    "Doesn''t that mean that every penny he spent on you was our joint property? In that case, I am legally entitled to im it back."

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    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 33


    Chapter 33


    Be was speechless. ¡®After everything I told her, she was only thinking about taking back her


    property?¡® Be was bewildered. ¡°Ste, are you dense? I just told you that Keegan doesn¡¯t love you,


    and I have his child now. Don¡¯t you think you are a little brazen for upying the position of Mrs.


    Kane?¡±


    Ste chuckled, ¡°Miss Young, you¡¯re a celebrity. Have you ever considered the oue if I posted the


    things you said to me online? You know it¡¯s wrong, but you still want to be his mistress. And, you even


    force the original spouse into a divorce. Do you think it¡¯s worth it to destroy the image you created all


    these years? And, maybe a sky¨Chigh breach of contract?¡±


    Be was not frightened by her words, as she smugly smiled, ¡°Ste, I¡¯ve been in the industry for so


    long. I¡¯ve experienced all kinds of news before. Remember thest rear¨Cend ident which caused a


    whole lot of fuss? In the end, the dispute was resolved. Do you have any idea how I was able to get


    away with it every time? Who else would have the ability other than Keegan? It was a month¡¯s loss of


    exposure, but I got the voice¨Cacting role for ¡®Honor of the Deities¡®.¡±


    Ste¡¯s smile turned cold, ¡°What voice¨Cacting role did you say?¡±


    ¡°Honor of the Deities¡®, a shitty game-¡± Be gave her a disdainful look. ¡°Why am I telling you this?


    Ste, have some sense and leave on your own. You would be kicked out once my stomach gets big!


    Do you think Cordelia would banish the Kane bloodline from the family when the timees? Even if


    she would be reluctant to do so?


    Ste could feel her hand shaking, and a chill ran down her spine. ¡®No wonder he appeared at Neon


    Neb that day! No wonder Neon Neb suddenly changed its mind about the guaranteed contract! It


    was him who took the contract away from me to please another woman! Keegan Kane, have you ever


    respected me?¡®


    Looking at Ste¡¯s disapproving look, Be thought that her pregnancy had hit her sore spot. She


    continued, ¡°To be honest, Dahlia knew about my pregnancy. She promised me if I had a boy, she would


    make Keegan marry me. When that timees, who in the Kane family will be on your side?¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes turned dark. Her face was pale, as she stared Be dead in the eye and coldly said, ¡°Get


    lost!¡±


    Be did not stay since she did what she came here to do. She mocked her a few more times before


    she took her bag and left.


    In the Royalpark Vi, a spring rain was pouring around 10 o¡¯clock at night, which was non¨Cstop in


    March Rivera. The rain started at two in the afternoon, and there was no sign of stopping. The study¡¯s


    window was half opened, and the sound of pouring rain lingered in one¡¯s ears. Keegan enjoyed


    working or reading in quiet environments because it was more efficient. But, it was strange recently. He


    could not concentrate when his surroundings were too quiet.


    When Ste was present, he would warn her to not enter the study when he was working. Yet, she


    never listened and would send in some fruits or midnight snacks. Besides, she would use excuses


    such as cleaning the surroundings and massaging him to linger around. Sometimes, he would be


    ignorant of her presence and warn her to not make a sound when he could not shoo her away.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Ste would always promise him at first, but soon she started making noise until Keegan could not


    stand it. She would smile very brightly andpliment his handwriting or how he could make sense of


    the messy data when he asked her what happened. Her praises would make having great handwriting


    or the ability to read a document seem like a prideful thing.


    Keegan used to think that Ste was very noisy. But now, he was not used to it when she was not


    around.


    ¡°Knock Knock!¡±


    The knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, and Keegan came back to his senses and lightly said, ¡±


    Come in.¡±


    The nanny came in with a cup of tea.

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    Chapter 34


    ¡°Sir, I brought you a cup of earl grey tea.¡±


    Keegan took off his sses, rubbed his eyes really hard, and said tiredly, ¡°Thank you. Just leave it


    there.¡±


    The nanny set down the tea and left. Keegan took a sip of it and narrowed his brows. It tasted different


    from the past and was too sour to drink. He stopped drinking and set the tea aside. Just as he wanted


    to take his book, his phone beside him rang. He nced and ignored the phone call as it was an


    unidentified number. After the ringtone was cut off, he only answered the call when it rang once more.


    ¡°Hi, is this Mr. Tard? Could youe and pick up your drunk wife in our bar?¡±


    ¡°You have the wrong number,¡± Keegan said in a cool manner and hung off. After a moment, the phone


    call rang again. Keegan¡¯s brow scrunched as he answered the call.


    ¡°It¡¯s the correct number. She told us this number. Mr. Tard, is your wife currently at home? How would


    you know it¡¯s not your wife?¡±


    ¡°My surname isn¡¯t Tard,¡± Keegan said impatiently and hung up again. The person did not call anymore.


    A few minutester, Keegan received a picture through his text messages. The photo was taken in a


    dimly lit ce, but it was clear that the woman lying unconscious at the bar was Ste. Keegan¡¯s gaze


    turned sharp, and he immediately called back. ¡°Where¡¯s the bar?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s my wine?¡± Ste squinted her eyes, shook the empty ss, and lisped, ¡°Who drank all my


    wine?¡± The bartender handed her a ss of water and coaxed, ¡°Here you go.¡±


    Ste chuckled and drank a mouthful from the ss. But, she spewed it all out the next second. She


    frowned with a displeased face. ¡°You fooled me with water? Are you scared that I can¡¯t pay for the


    alcohol? Let me tell you something, my husband is freaking rich! He could buy every bar in Rivera for


    me. Do you think he can¡¯t afford to pay for my drinks? Pour me a ss now!¡±


    This was the first time the bartender had ever seen such an alcoholic. The bartender could not say that


    she was drunk, as she could tell the difference between water and alcohol. But, if she was not drunk,


    she would waffle on and not tell the bartender where she lived. She would brag at any chance she got.


    For a moment, she would say that her husband was rich, and the cars in the house could fill the entire


    parking lot. She would drive out in a Cadic or Rolls¨CRoyce, or travel to Europe in a private jet. In the


    other moments, she would cry andin that she would not be able to enjoy these things anymore


    since she was going to divorce her husband. She even asked the bartender how she could get more


    money from the divorce.


    The bartender was really jealous of her. After all, it had been a while since hest dreamed of marrying


    a rich woman. Suddenly, there was a loud, noisy bang at the door. A leaden gray sports car stopped at


    the edge of the road outside the bar, sshing the water at the side.


    A person from somewhere suddenly screamed out, ¡°Oh my god, it¡¯s a Bugatti.¡±


    The bartender was startled. The next second, a man with an umbre came out and walked toward the


    door of the bar.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

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    Chapter 35


    The stoic¨Clooking man dressed in a suit pushed his way into the bar, looking out of cepared to


    the rest of the guests in the tavern. His outfit seemed more likely to appear in high¨Cend ces where


    gentries gather, rather than their bar. But, of course, who would know what the rich were thinking.


    Maybe they just wanted to have a little taste of the city¨Cstyle tavern.


    The bartender put on his ssic smile and greeted, ¡°Wee to¡­¡±


    Ste tapped her ss with dissatisfaction, as she said, ¡°Who are you weing? You haven¡¯t poured


    me my ss of wine! Hurry up!¡±


    The bartender had no choice but to patiently coax the alcoholic. ¡°Miss, there is no wine anymore. We


    are closing soon.¡±


    ¡°Liar! Why don¡¯t I have wine when the rest do?¡±


    The alcoholic was not easy to fool, and the bartender had an idea when he saw the owner of the


    Bugattiing over. ¡°We are really out of wine. This gentleman over here had bought all the wine. Why


    don¡¯t youe back tomorrow?¡±


    Ste frowned and turned around with shaky motions. She could vaguely see a well¨Cdressed figure


    swaying in front of her. She propped herself up on the table and staggered to get on her feet. She


    grabbed the person¡¯s cor, poked his chin, and asked, ¡°So, you were the one who bought off all the


    wine?¡±


    Her cheeks blushed, her appearance was disheveled, and she reeked of alcohol. There was no


    semnce of her usual self. Keegan furrowed his brows and pushed her finger that was poking his


    chin.


    ¡°Say something! Are you the one who bought all the wine?¡± Ste took it seriously when the bartender


    stonewalled her. She grabbed onto Keegan and looked as though she was going to argue with him. ¡°I


    was here before you. Who gave you the right to buy all the wine? Don¡¯t you know firste first


    served?¡±


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    The bartender¡¯s heart was in his mouth. Afraid that Keegan would get angry, he hurriedly exined,


    ¡°Sir, please ignore her. Thisdy is drunk.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s drunk,¡± Ste turned her head, ring at him. ¡°You money¨Cgrubber. Did you sell


    him the alcohol since he paid more?¡±


    The bartender was really afraid that Ste would offend the man, seeing that she had already pulled


    the man¡¯s clothes out of shape. Hepromised, ¡°Could you let go, miss? I¡¯ll give you a bottle for


    free?¡±


    Ste lifted and shook her index finger. ¡°No!¡±


    The bartender was very wretched, but then the sound of Ste¡¯sughter came. ¡°I¨CI can¡¯t drink for free.


    I have to pay you.¡±


    She let go of Keegan and staggered to her seat to grab her bag. She opened it and looked everywhere,


    but she could not find any money. She frowned and muttered, ¡°Where¡¯s my money?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you for free. No charges needed.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Ste was particrly stubborn on this. ¡°I will pay you!¡±


    She then took out a ring from her bag, pinched it with her fingers, andughed, ¡°I didn¡¯t bring any cash,


    but you can take this for now.¡±


    The diamonds on the ring were smaller than gemstones, but they were colorful and bright under the


    light. As Ste was about to hand the ring to the bartender, Keegan snatched it away.


    Ste knitted her brows. ¡°Why did you snatch my ring?¡±


    Keegan gritted his teeth and suppressed his anger. ¡°You¡¯re using the wedding ring to exchange for


    wine?¡±


    ¡°So? Why does it concern you?¡±


    Keegan was in a terrible mood. The bartender was startled, thinking why did Keegan know that it was a


    wedding ring? His heart jolted when he looked at Keegan¡¯s expression. ¡®Could this be the alcoholics¡®


    rich husband that she was talking, about?¡±


    Ste stared at Keegan¡¯s face and approached him. ¡°Hey, handsome. Do you want to be my


    boyfriend?¡±


    The bartender was shocked. Keegan looked frigid, and his gaze was icy cold. ¡°Are you single?¡± His


    voice was low and dangerous, but Ste did not sense it as her brain was turning to mush.

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    Chapter 36


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Ste raised Keegan¡¯s chin with her finger Her thumb inched downwards from his lips and brushed


    across his Adam¡¯s apple She gave him a tipsy smile and moved closer to him. With only Inches from


    his lips, she spoke in a low voice, ¡°If you¡¯re handsome, then I¡¯m single.¡±


    Her warm, intoxicated breath wasced with an eerie trace of allure.


    Ste caressed Keegan¡¯s chest with her slender fingers. Her half¨Cclosed eyes were sultry and enticing.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you three thousand dors. Would you be my boyfriend?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression darkened, and his daunting eyes sharpened into an intense gaze.


    Ste creased her pretty eyebrows and replied, ¡°Three thousand dors is not badpared to the


    current market price.¡±


    ¡°Current market price?¡± Keegan sneered. ¡°You seem to know a lot about this.¡±


    Ste hesitated and finally decided to give in. ¡°Fine! Your good looks deserve a higher price. I will throw


    in another five hundred dors for you. That¡¯s three thousand and five hundred dors. I can¡¯t go any


    higher!¡±


    Keegan was tempted to shove her head into the fish tank beside him just to sober her up.


    If I wasn¡¯t here tonight, would she have slept with a random guy?¡±


    Just the thought of that made him angrier.


    Ste waspletely unaware of the menacing situation she was in. She whipped out a bank card


    from her purse, unbuttoned the cor of Keegan¡¯s shirt, and dropped the card inside his shirt. She


    caressed his chest like a seductress and grinned. ¡°You better keep your word.¡±


    Keegan took a deep breath and got a hold of the back of Ste¡¯s neck. He started to guide her out of


    the


    bar.


    Seeing this, the bartender quickly called out to Keegan. ¡°Mr. Tard! Your wife hasn¡¯t paid her bill.¡±


    Keegan stopped dead in his tracks and red at Ste, the drunken culprit who was responsible for the


    bill. He held onto Ste with one hand and pulled out his wallet with another. Keegan tossed the wallet


    to the bartender and said, ¡°Use the gold card. No password required.¡±


    Keegan looked so impatient that the bartender did not dare to say anything else. The bartender quickly


    settled the bill, put the card back into the wallet, and returned it to Keegan with both hands.


    ¡°Take care, Mr. Tard. pleasee again soon!¡±


    Keegan nced at the bartender. ¡°Who told you my surname was Tard?¡±


    The bartender froze, and his mind shed back to what had happened earlier.


    When Ste was getting drunk at the bar, a lot of male customers were attracted by her good looks and


    approached to flirt with her. The bartender was worried about her safety, so he wanted to contact


    Ste¡¯s family to pick her up.


    However, Ste¡¯s phone was dead, so he had no choice but to ask her for a number. But, Ste was so


    woozy that she only managed to spit out a number after ages of asking.


    ¡°Is this your family member¡¯s number?¡± The bartender inquired.


    Ste nodded. ¡°It¡¯s my husband¡¯s number.¡±


    ¡°How may I address your husband?¡±


    ¡°My husband¡­ Heh, my husband¡¯s name is Bas¡­Tard!¡±


    The bartender gulped and replied to Keegan with a straight face, ¡°Thisdy here said so herself.¡±


    Keegan studied the bartender for a few seconds and proceeded to drag Ste away.


    Just as the bartender wanted to open the door for him, Keegan bent over to pick up Ste, swung the


    door open, and disappeared into the rain with an umbre in his hand.


    Keegan finally got her in the car, but he was drenched thoroughly by the rain in the process.


    By the time he got into the driver¡¯s seat, Ste¡¯s head was leaning against the car window, and her


    eyes were shut as if she was asleep.


    Keegan turned toward her and reached across her chest in an attempt to fasten her seatbelt. But,


    before he managed to buckle her seatbelt, she hooked her arm around his neck.


    He looked up to see Ste, and her eyes were half opened. She smiled at him and whispered, ¡°Where


    are we sleeping tonight?¡±

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    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 37


    Chapter 37


    Ste has big, almond¨Cshaped eyes with long outer corners. When she was sober, her clear eyes


    brightened up whenever she smiled. However, when she was drunk, her eyes were clouded with


    intoxication, and she looked exceptionally alluring.


    Inadvertently, carelessly alluring.


    Keegan gulped as he lowered his gaze to look at her. ¡°That depends on where you want to sleep


    tonight.¡± His voice was deep and intimidating.


    Ste tilted her head and thought for a while. She then smiled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to your ce.¡±


    Keegan raised his eyebrow. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Ste felt too dizzy to focus on Keegan¡¯s blurry figure. She frowned, shook her head, and held his face


    with her hands. ¡°I gave you three thousand and five hundred dors. If we went to a hotel room, that


    would cost me too much. Let¡¯s go to your house to save up some money. I might have to go through


    divorce proceedings.¡±


    Keegan could feel the veins popping out of his head.


    ¡®Am I supposed topliment her on her thriftiness?¡®


    Keegan looked stern. ¡°My ce? Aren¡¯t you worried about your husband finding out about this?¡± His


    voice was somber.


    Ste shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t have a husband. I¡¯m a widow.¡±


    Keegan gritted his teeth. ¡°Would a widow need to file a divorce?¡±


    Ste frowned. Apparently, she was puzzled by her own unsound statements. Keegan¡¯s interrogation


    just made her more confused.


    ¡°You¡¯re so annoying! You ask way too many questions! I don¡¯t want you to be my boyfriend anymore.


    Give me back my money!¡±


    As she said that, her hands fumbled across Keegan¡¯s body.


    Keegan restrained both of her hands and buckled her seatbelt. ¡°Toote,¡± he replied nkly.


    He started the car and drove away.


    ¡°Let me out of the car!¡± Ste protested quietly.


    Although she was drunk, she did not risk doing anything dangerous such as reaching to grab the


    steering wheel. She just stared on like an abandoned stray cat.


    She might hiss, but she was too afraid to w.


    Keegan ignored her.


    ¡°Are you trying to kidnap me?¡±


    The woman beside him was starting to imagine things. ¡°I¡¯m really broke. Please let me go¡­¡±


    Keegan gave the drunk girl a side¨Ceye. ¡°You don¡¯t look broke when you generously offered me three


    thousand and five hundred dors to be your boyfriend,¡± he stated tly.


    ¡°I was faking it,¡± Ste pleaded pitifully. ¡°I¡¯m really broke.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Keegan went quiet for a while. Just as Ste thought she had sessfully persuaded him,


    Keegan


    spoke again. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡±


    Ste¡¯s expression fell. ¡°How much ransom do you want, then?¡±


    ¡°How much do you think you¡¯re worth?¡± Keegan looked straight ahead.


    Ste furrowed her eyebrows in distress. After a while, she replied, ¡°Judging by my looks, I would say


    at least a hundred million dors.


    Keegan held back his smile.


    ¡®How did I not know that she was this shameless?¡®


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a hundred million dors, though. Why don¡¯t you ask my husband for it?¡±


    Keegan snorted. ¡®So, you think of me now?¡®


    His newly regained sense of presence as a husband did notst long, as his wife continued to conspire


    against him. ¡°You should call him and ask for two hundred million dors as ransom. Then, you can


    threaten to kill me if you don¡¯t get the money. Once you get it, we can split the money in half.¡±


    Keegan immediately got mad.


    ¡°What makes you so confident that he would pay the ransom?¡± he mocked.

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    Chapter 38


    Ste was stunned. Her eyes lost their shine, and they gradually reddened. ¡°You¡¯re right. He wouldn¡¯t


    take any notice of me¡­¡±


    ¡®When I almost died in the tracking incident, he was with someone else,¡® Ste thought.


    Keegan frowned. He had a strange feeling in his heart.


    ¡°What I meant was,¡± he exined. ¡°Who would fall for a stupid n like that?¡±


    Ste did not respond again, as if she did not hear what he had just said. She turned her head away


    and rested it against the car window.


    Keegan wanted to say something, but he felt wrong about it.


    ¡®No point talking to a drunkard. No matter what I say, I would be pissed off by her illogical responses.¡®


    Keegan kept quiet too.


    They reached Royalpark Vi not long after that.


    Maya heard them from afar and hurried out with an umbre. When she came out, she saw Keegan


    carrying someone out of the car.


    When she approached them closer with the umbre, she realized that the person being carried was


    Ste.


    ¡°What happened to Mrs. Kane?¡±


    Keegan did not answer. ¡°Fill up the bathtub,¡± he ordered.


    As he carried Ste up the stairs, Keegan noticed the beads of tears hanging from her eyshes, and


    the corners of her eyes were red. She looked like she had just cried.


    He tightened his grip on her and pursed his lips.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, the bath is ready.¡±


    Maya wanted to lend him a hand, but Keegan avoided her reaching out. ¡°Cook her some soup to get


    her to sober up.¡±


    Maya¡¯s eyesnded on Ste. Maya hesitated but then obeyed and left.


    The bath was bubbling with steam, and the bathroom air was warm and humid.


    Keeganid Ste down. He bowed his head and stared at her for a while. Then, he reached out and


    unbuttoned her shirt.


    Instantly, her skin was shown. It was pale with a hint of crimson blush.


    Upon seeing this, he stopped what he was doing and frowned. He threw a towel on her, turned around,


    and left.


    As he swung the bathroom door open, he bumped into Maya. Maya was startled by his sudden motions


    and stuttered, ¡°Mr., Mr. Kane, I¡¯m here to hand you her clothes.¡±


    Keegan nced at her. ¡°Clean her up,¡± he said coldly and left.


    Maya peered at Ste, who was lying there fully clothed and untouched.


    By the time Maya was done bathing Ste and moved her to the bedroom, an hour had passed.


    The light in Keegan¡¯s study was still on. Maya knocked on his door, holding a bowl of soup. ¡°Mr. Kane,


    Mrs. Kane has fallen asleep. Should I still feed her this soup?¡±


    ¡°Hand it over to me. I¡¯ll bring it in for herter.¡± Keegan flipped a page of the document he was reading.


    He looked up and continued, ¡°Go get some rest, Maya.¡±


    Maya obeyed, set down the spup, and left the room silently.


    Keegan waited until everything was quiet downstairs and set his documents aside.


    He nced at the soup that was set on the table and took it to the window. Then, he pushed the


    window open and poured the soup out.


    Ste did not rest well, as nightmares infested her sleep. She would dream of the car ident back


    then, and the despair she felt as she was trapped under the car, unable to move at all.


    Then, she dreamed of an impregnated Be marrying Keegan. In her dream, Ste rushed up to


    Keegan and questioned him. But, Keegan coldly pulled her hand off and told her to stop badgering him.


    She took a step back in disbelief. However, the ground beneath her feet went empty, and she fell into


    the abyss beneath her¡­


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Ste felt a sharp pain in her chest and woke up abruptly with cold sweat glistening on her forehead.


    She gasped lightly for air when she realized that it was all just a dream.


    Her phone rang. Out of habit, Ste tried to reach around for her phone, but her hand did not find it.


    She fumbled upon a hard piece of something, frowned, and subconsciously squeezed it. The low voice


    of a man spoke from beside her ear. ¡°How does it feel?¡±

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    Ste froze as if her body was stuck. Then, she slowly turned her head around.


    Keegan was lying on his side next to her, and his eyes were half¨Cclosed. One side of his face was


    buried in his pillow, while the other visible side showed a frown. He was displeased to be woken up out


    of the blue.


    Looking down, Ste¡¯s hand was still stately resting on Keegan¡¯s chest.


    She abruptly took back her hand. Her whole body went numb, her brain felt rusty, and she was not able


    to get her thoughts straight. Ste then asked an obvious question.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Keegan did not even bother to open his eyes. ¡°I thought you rented me for the night?¡± he repliedzily.


    The memories of her being drunk were suddenlying back to Ste.


    ¡°How much for a night?


    ¡°Your good looks deserve a higher price.


    ¡°I want to sleep with you,¡± she recalled what she had said.


    Ste was so embarrassed that she wanted to dig a hole in the ground and hide.


    There¡¯s no way I said that!¡® She thought.


    She pretended not to hear what Keegan said. She grabbed her clothes and attempted to get up.


    But, suddenly, Keegan¡¯s arm swooped in and pulled her back into bed. ¡°Don¡¯t run. You haven¡¯t paid


    me.¡±


    ¡°Who, who¡¯s running?¡± Ste was flustered. She covered herself with the nket as she blushed. ¡°And,


    pay you for what?¡±


    Keegan propped up his head on his left hand and held onto the nket with his right. He pulled her


    closer and said, ¡°Pay me for sleeping with you. Three thousand and five hundred dors.¡±


    ¡®I was drunk when I said that! Does he really think he¡¯s a prostitute?¡®


    Ste blushed a deep red. ¡°We just ¡®slept¡® together on the same bed! Why should I pay you three


    thousand and five hundred dors?¡± Ste said through gritted teeth.


    ¡®Does he think I¡¯m dumb? Nothing even happened between us!¡¯


    ¡°If we weren¡¯t just sleeping¡® together, did you think it would be this low priced?¡± Keegan asked.


    ¡°I was drunkst night. My words don¡¯t count!¡± Ste replied.


    Keegan narrowed his eyes dauntingly. ¡°You were drunk, and that¡¯s why you asked a random guy to


    sleep with you? Is that what a wife should do?¡±


    Ste was annoyed by his words, and she shot back with her reply. ¡°What a wife should do? I was


    drunk. Is it my fault if I mistake people for others or if I talk nonsense? What about you, then? You¡¯re


    sober, yet you mess around with other women! Is this what a husband should do? If you can¡¯t do it,


    don¡¯t ask me to do the same for you!¡±


    Keegan was infuriated by Ste¡¯s speech. ¡°I¡¯m talking about you,¡± he said angrily. ¡°Don¡¯t force your


    twisted analogy onto me.¡±


    ¡°What twisted analogy? You¡¯re the one who has double standards! Besides, I didn¡¯t sleep with anyone


    else, and even if I did, we are getting a divorce soon anyways. Why does it matter?¡±


    ¡®Amazing! This bastard cheated on me so many times, yet he has the nerve to criticize me?¡®


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Ste broke free from Keegan¡¯s arm and tried to leave the bed. He abruptly grabbed her shoulders and


    pulled her back, turning over to pin her under him. He grasped her by her chin and challenged her, ¡°I


    dare you to say that again.¡± His expression was dark.


    ¡®This bastard is so strong. Even my bones hurt from his grip.¡® Ste was furious, and she red at him


    with her almond¨Cshaped eyes. ¡°Was there anything wrong with what I said? Oh, Mr. Kane, we are


    getting divorced soon. You have no right to control who I want to sleep with! Not letting me sleep with


    others when you¡¯re impotent¨Cmm-¡±


    All of a sudden, Keegan gruffly bit Ste¡¯s lips before she could finish her sentence.

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    It was a bite and not a kiss.


    Ste protested with all her might, but Keegan pinned her down along with the nket. Her limbs were


    trapped inside the nket like a cocoon. He ravished her lips recklessly.


    Because of the gendered difference between their strengths, Ste had no chance of resisting him.


    When she quieted down, Keegan became gentler toward her, and his bites turned into kisses.


    As his lips reached her pale corbone, Ste suddenly spoke. ¡°Keegan, are you mad at me because


    you¡¯re jealous?¡±


    Keegan stopped to look at her. Ste, who was under him, stared into his eyes and enunciated her


    question word by word. ¡°Did you fall in love with me?¡±


    Keegan loosened his grip and sat up. He gave her an icy nce. ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself. Ste Jewell,


    before we officially divorce, you¡¯re still a member of the Kane family. Know your ce. Don¡¯t mess up


    and expect others to clean up after you.¡±


    He put on his clothes and left the room. Ste raised her head up and stared at the ceiling. Out of


    nowhere, she forced a self¨Cdeprecating smile.


    She knew that she had no ce in his heart, but even though she asked that question to anger him,


    she still had hope for his answer to be affirmative.


    I expected that answer,¡® she thought.


    Ste hated her heart for skipping a beat at his touch. She hated that she foolishly allowed herself to


    have hope despite knowing what his answer would be.


    Her phone rang again. She unplugged it from the charger and answered the call.


    ¡°Ste?¡± Felicity¡¯s voice transmitted through the phone.


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± answered Ste.


    Felicity let out a relieved sigh. ¡°You scared me to death! Why didn¡¯t youe backst night? Your


    phone was unreachable. Where have you been? I almost called the cops!¡±


    Ste massaged her temples, trying to ease the headache from her hangover. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Last night¡­ I


    was with my mom. I forgot to bring my charger along, and my phone ran out of battery and died.¡±


    Ste hid the fact that she got drunk because she did not want Felicity to worry about her.


    ¡°Okay, then,¡± Felicity said. ¡°As long as you¡¯re alright. I was worried that you might forget about the


    audition today. Are you still at the hospital? I can pick you upter so that we can reach earlier to


    prepare for the audition.¡±


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°No need for that. Let¡¯s meet up at the hotel,¡± Ste answered.


    ¡°That works too. See you in an hour,¡± Felicity replied.


    After hanging up, Ste wasted no time. She got out of bed and got ready.


    The clothes she worest night reeked of alcohol, so she had no choice but to brazenly pick an outfit


    from the dressing room.


    For the few days that she was gone, Keegan did not remove any of her belongings. The disy of the


    dressing room was still arranged in the way that she used to arrange them. The only difference was the


    addition of a few outfits from Prada¡¯stest spring collection.


    Ste assumed that they were gifts from Cordelia. Cordelia was the only elderly in this family that cared


    for her.


    When Ste first married into the family, she was mocked for her outdated clothes on her first family


    dinner with Keegan.


    Although the Jewells were also businessmen, their wealth and status were nothingpared to the


    Kanes.


    For the daughters of these wealthy families, like Aurora, their clothes were always thetest release of


    the current seasons. Ste, with herst¨Cseason clothes, seemed out of ce among them. When she


    stood beside Keegan, they looked mismatched. ¡®I should¡¯ve seen the signs,¡± thought Ste.


    The incident at the family dinner was deescted by Cordelia¡¯s few words. Since then, after each


    seasonal release, Cordelia would send thetest outfits from various brands over to Ste. Perhaps


    Cordelia only meant to maintain her family¡¯s reputation by doing so, but to Ste, Cordelia¡¯s


    attentiveness made Ste¡¯s life in the Kane household easier.


    ¡®I wonder if the divorce would affect Mrs. Lawson.¡® Looking at the clothes, Ste felt guilty.


    By the time Ste was ready and came downstairs, Keegan was nowhere to be seen. ¡®I guess he left,¡®


    thought Ste.


    As Ste was changing into her shoes, Maya called out to her. ¡°Mrs. Kane, breakfast is ready. Please


    have some before you leave.¡±


    ¡°No thanks, I¡¯m quite busy.¡±


    ¡°Just a few bites. It¡¯s harmful to take medicine on an empty stomach.¡±


    When Ste paused, Maya had already ced a bowl of dark¨Ccolored medicine in front of her.

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    ¡®What does Dahlia mean by this? They already know that Be is pregnant, and they still told the nanny


    to feed me this decoction? Are women just the baby¨Cmaking tools of the Kane family? They don¡¯t care


    at all whether the baby is born in wedlock or out of wedlock as long as the woman can still give birth,¡®


    Ste thought.


    Seeing Ste¡¯s eyebrows furrow, Maya quickly replied, ¡°Madam Cordelia specifically told me to add


    some sugar syrup so that it wouldn¡¯t taste so bitter.¡±


    Ste pursed her lips. ¡°You saw it yourself, Maya. Keegan and I are getting divorced soon, so there is


    no need for this decoction.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying, Madam? Having some hardships in your married life is unavoidable. You can¡¯t


    just keep mentioning divorce every time you get into a fight. It hurts the rtionship. If the master did


    not care about you, he wouldn¡¯t have gone out after receiving the call. Besides, how can there be


    divorced couples still sleeping in the same room?¡± Maya said.


    Ste was speechless. She did not know how to tell Maya that both Keegan and she had merely slept


    on the same bed. Nothing else had happened.


    ¡°Madam Cordelia said that the decoction should be ingested after performing sexual activities to


    increase the chances of getting pregnant. When you have some good news and are able,¡± Maya


    continued.


    Ste did not know how many times she had heard these words over the years. Initially, she also


    assumed so. When Ste and Keegan were married, they had no foundation in their rtionship. If


    they could have a child together sooner, they would have a connection with each other sooner. Then,


    their rtionship would be able to grow.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    However, all of this was just her imagination. Keegan fundamentally did not want to have a child with


    her. She also slowly grew aware of this. Children are not tools for Ste to bind Keegan to her. That


    was a living being. They should be born out of the expectation of the parents and not a tool for


    preserving the parents¡® marriage. She was not willing to give birth to a child for Keegan. Her value as a


    person is also not solely tied to her ability to give birth to a child.


    ¡°Maya, we currently don¡¯t want to have a child, so drinking this decoction would be pointless,¡± Ste


    said.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, Madam Cordelia told me to make sure that you drink all of it. This is for your own good.


    Madam Cordelia would see this as my fault if you don¡¯t drink it. My son has just started studying at


    university this year. I can¡¯t afford to lose my job¡­¡± Maya, the nanny, was so anxious she was about to


    cry.


    Dahlia was so adamant on this issue that she would even fire people just for drinking the decoction. Did


    she assume that the decoction is as effective as the Nile River and thought that one less dosage would


    cause them to lose the opportunity to get pregnant? It was absolutely absurd!


    However, Ste was a softie, and she could not stand to refuse the request of others. Although she did


    not want to drink it, she still took the decoction.


    Maya¡¯s heart skipped a beat when Keegan¡¯s voice came from behind just as Ste had already put the


    decoction to her lips, ¡°Maya, you should go clean the study room. I identally spilled water on the


    table, and the books were all wet. Help me move them out to get some sunlight.¡±


    Ste still had not drunk the decoction. Hence, Maya was a little hesitant. ¡°Master, I¡¯ll be there in a


    minute¡­¡±


    ¡°Those books are important.¡± Keegan said calmly, ¡°Sorry for the trouble.¡± Keegan¡¯s words had an air of


    attitude that could not be refused. The nanny did not dare to refuse him. She responded to his request,


    turned around, and moved toward the study.


    Ste gave Keegan a sidelong nce and thought, ¡®So, Keegan hasn¡¯t left yet. I am so unlucky!¡® Ste


    thought.


    She was just about to drink the decoction and leave when she heard that bastard say, ¡°Ste, do you


    really want to get pregnant? Should I be d that I didn¡¯t even touch youst night?¡±


    Ste¡¯s face fell.¡± Keegan, is something wrong with you? Who wants to get pregnant?¡±


    Keegan nced at the decoction in her hands. ¡°Then, why are you drinking that? It doesn¡¯t look


    convincing to me.¡±

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    Ste gritted her teeth. ¡°Actually, you remind me of something. As long as I¡¯m healthy and sleep with a


    regr man, I can get pregnant. The one who needs supplements is you!¡± After she said that, she


    stuffed the decoction into his arms, ¡°You can keep the drink to yourself!¡±


    She finished talking and mmed the door before she left. Keegan lowered his gaze and looked at the


    decoction with a bewildered expression. When Maya had finished cleaning up, Keegan had already


    left. The bowl left on the coffee table was already empty. The nanny took out her phone and took a


    picture before sending it.


    When Ste rushed to the hotel, she was a few minutester than the agreed time. Felicity had been


    waiting for her from much earlier. Once they met, she ridiculed her in a low voice. ¡°So much pressure. I


    initially thought we would be early if we arrived an hour earlier. Instead, we are thest! Being a middle


    to lower¨Css actor is so difficult. People are breaking their skulls just to snatch such a role.¡±


    Ste nced along the corridor, and she saw that there were actually twenty to thirty people standing


    there. Some of them were artists who came independently, and some had their managers with them.


    Just by counting some of them, there were close to twentypetitors. Everyone touched up their


    makeup, warmed up their voices, and even stretched their legs by pressing them on the wall. All of the


    actresses were very pretty, without exception.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    The bit of confidence Ste had in her looks suddenly faltered. She was kept captive by Keegan for too


    long and assumed that having a beautiful face would allow her to do whatever she wanted. Yet, in


    actual fact, there were too many beautiful people in this industry. Beauty, instead, was the most normal


    thing there.


    To be able to distinguish oneself from the group of people who already have some professional acting


    experience in this field was to rely on their own professionalpetence. The face was, at most, the


    cherry on top.


    Recognizing this point, Ste could not help but feel nervous.


    Felicity had also noticed this andforted her in a low voice. ¡°There is no need to be so nervous. Just


    treat it as an assignment in university. Just perform steadily and don¡¯t overthink. If we can perform this


    scene smoothly, we are halfway there to sess.¡±


    Ste rxed slightly and said softly, ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡±


    In a short while, the door to the room opened. A woman who could only be described aspetent


    held a stack of resumes and came out of the room. She shouted, ¡°When we call out your namester,


    just go into the room directly. The duration for memorizing your lines and performing must not exceed


    eight minutes. You will manage the time yourself.¡±


    Then, the first actor was called in to enter. The atmosphere on site immediately turned anxious. A total


    of sixteen actors auditioned, and each person had eight minutes. This would at least require more than


    two hours. However, in reality, each person¡¯s audition time was shorter than eight minutes.


    Ste¡¯s nerves were tense, and she was prepared to be called out any moment. However, when there


    were only two people left, she still did not have her name called out. After thest actor had left, she


    was the only one left at the scene. Yet, after waiting for a long time, she did not see anyone call out her


    name. Something was wrong. Felicity¡¯s heart also started to beat faster. ¡°Let¡¯s wait a little longer. I bet


    they¡¯re busy with something else.¡± Yet, she did not believe a single word she said herself.


    After another few minutes, the door opened, and both of their hearts stopped. The person who came


    out was the woman who was calling out names previously, but this time, she did note out to call


    any


    names. Instead, she went downstairs.


    Felicity got up and chased after her to stop her. ¡°Miss, why is there no continued audition for this


    scene? Did something happen?¡±


    The woman nced at her and nonchntly said, ¡°The audition is over.¡±


    Felicity was confused. ¡°Miss, you must be kidding me. My group hasn¡¯t been called out yet.¡±

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    ¡°How would I know? I called people out based on their resumes. Not being called out naturally means


    that there was no resume,¡± the woman said as she pressed for the elevator.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible! I asked someone to deliver it. How could it possibly disappear? Was it left out?


    Miss, could you go back and take a look?¡± Felicity begged.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    The woman furrowed her brows. ¡°Why are you being such a nuisance? If I said no means no. There


    were only a few resumes there. How could I possibly mess up?¡±


    Felicity let go of her dignity and apologized with a smile. ¡°Miss, I didn¡¯t mean it that way. This audition is


    very important to us. Could you help us and let us have an audition? It won¡¯t take up too much of


    everyone¡¯s time¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have much authority. Besides, the candidate has been chosen. With time left, why not put some


    effort into other production sets,¡± the woman finished speaking. The elevator door then opened, and


    she walked in.


    ¡°Why was there no resume?¡± Felicity then hurriedly called her friend, who she had asked for help.


    Ste stood at the side, not saying a word. The truth was clear to her; her resume was swapped out by


    someone else. Thepetition for the roles in Daniel Woods¡® films was always intense. If Felicity could


    ask someone else to deliver her resume here, others could also find a way to swap out her resume.


    She was a newbie who was not signed by anypany. Even if she was swapped out, she could do


    nothing to the other person.


    After she hung up the phone, Felicity had almost spat all the swears she had learned throughout her


    life. After she was done swearing, she looked at Ste. She started to feel guilty in her heart since she


    had promised her this audition with much confidence in the past. In the end, it was all for nothing and


    was very upsetting.


    ¡°Ste, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t expect that it would turn out this way. I¡¯ll help you keep an eye out for any


    other roles¡­¡± Felicity said.


    ¡°As long as the contract is not signed, everything can still be changed, right?¡± Ste said out of


    nowhere.


    Felicity was stunned. ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    Ste twitched the corner of her lips and said, ¡°I want to give it a shot. If I get kicked outter, you¡¯ll just


    need to act like you don¡¯t know me.¡±


    Before Felicity could react, Ste took off her sunsses and tied her hair. She then put on a suit and


    knocked on the hotel room door, ¡°Hello, room service.¡±


    The next second, the door opened, and Ste was invited in. Felicity¡¯s eyes were about to pop out, and


    she thought, ¡®How did she do that?¡¯


    Ste lowered her head and went in. The suite that was rented for the audition had a vast space. The


    person who opened the door for her walked and said, ¡°The venttion in the washroom seems to have


    some issues. You should clean the washroom first. You brought your deodorant, right?¡±


    After saying that, he noticed that the person had walked in empty¨Chanded. He was about to question


    her when Ste rushed into the living room and shouted, ¡°Director Woods, I am the seventeenth actor


    to audition. I am Ste Jewell. Please give me a chance to audition!¡±


    The person in the room noticed something wrong and quickly went to stop her. ¡°Auditions have already


    ended. You should leave!¡±


    Ste struggled as she screamed out, ¡°If the contract is not signed, then it hasn¡¯t ended yet! Didn¡¯t you


    do this open audition so that you could find the most suitable actress? The audition for the actress is


    not over yet, so how can you be so sure that the one you found is the most suitable!¡±


    ¡°Can you please leave! The audition has already ended. If you keep this on, we will call the cops to


    handle this!¡± Ste¡¯s strength was enormous. The two grown men almost could not stop her.

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    ¡°Director Woods! At least give me a chance. Seven minutes, no, five minutes! Five minutes is fine,


    Director Daniel Woods!¡±


    The door to the inner room opened when both sides were in a heated dispute. Daniel stuck half of his


    body out and asked with furrowed brows, ¡°What¡¯s with all the ruckus out here?¡±


    The staff was about to exin, but Ste suddenly broke loose from the two men. She got ahead of the


    men and said, ¡°Director Woods, I am the seventeenth actor to audition, Ste Jewell. Please give me a


    chance to audition.¡±


    Daniel scanned her up and down and asked, ¡°There is no information about you from the resume sent.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Ste Jewell, 25 years old this year. I¡¯m a graduate of the theater department of Trinity Film


    Academy¡¯s neenth session.¡±


    ¡°What works have you done?¡± Daniel asked.


    Ste tightened her grip and said in a low voice, ¡°None.¡±


    ¡°None.¡± Daniel was slightly surprised. ¡°Did you change careers after graduating?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Ste paused and then proceeded to say, ¡°After I graduated, I haven¡¯t been working due to


    personal reasons. I have only acted in a few school ys.¡±


    ¡°Then, it means there is no acting experience,¡± Daniel said.


    Ste did not speak, which counted as agreeing by default.


    ¡°Since your graduation three years ago, you have never pursued this career. So, Why do you want to


    do it now?¡±


    To speak of nostalgia in front of a director who had seen grander events like Daniel Woods was a joke.


    The people he had seen were more than the food she had ingested, so Ste spoke truthfully. ¡°I need


    money.¡±


    Daniel nced at her, as he was astonished. Ste continued, ¡°I also need a job that could be


    recognized to prove my worth. Director Woods, I beg you to give me a chance to audition and also give


    this role a chance to choose its actor.¡±


    Daniel smiled lightly. ¡°You¡¯re a youngdy, yet your ego is enormous. Who gave you the confidence


    even though you don¡¯t have any experience in acting?¡±


    Ste shook her head. ¡°I am merely betting on your cautiousness in choosing roles.¡±


    Daniel did not say anything. A flurry of sound came from inside the room. Then, she saw Daniel enter


    the room and emerge from inside a momentter.


    The instant the door closed, Ste saw the legs of a pair of jeans gleaming in the room. The legs were


    long and curvy but disappeared in a blink of an eye.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give you this chance. Mr. Sheperd, give her the lines.¡± Daniel looked at the time and added,


    ¡°I will give you five minutes to remember your lines which will include your performance. When you¡¯re


    ready, we will start¡±


    Ste immediately steeled her nerves and quickly dipped her head to read her lines. They were


    competing for the role of the fourth female main character, a consort who had entered the pce


    together with the main female lead. In the beginning, they were very good friends and had always


    helped each other. However, as both were bestowed titles, a rift urred in their rtionship. In the


    end, the


    best friends turned on each other.


    Daniel had given her the scene where the main female lead found out that the one who had poisoned


    her was actually her best friend. It was the climax of the story where the best friends became enemies.


    There were three pages of the script, and the emotions switching was extremely quick. Doing it in a


    single take would test the actor¡¯s skill to the extreme.


    The room was silent, with only the sound of Ste flipping through the pages. After two minutes, Ste


    lifted her head and said, ¡°I can do it now.¡±


    Daniel nodded his head and then said, ¡°Begin.¡±


    Ste then lifted her gaze. The calm expression from earlier was no more. She immediately changed


    into a frail state and said, ¡°My Lord, I entered the pce with Delh at the young age of sixteen, and I


    have a strong friendship with her. When she was punished by Lady Alcott, it was I who braved the


    dangers to save her. Due to that, I have suffered from chronic coughing. Every night, I am unable to


    sleep peacefully. I treated her like a sister, so why would I have the heart to harm her?¡±


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Once her lines were said, everyone present was stunned. Ste¡¯s lines were delivered spectacrly to


    the point of being horrifying. Once she had opened her mouth, her emotions were focused on the


    character. Her previously hard¨Cedged face was able to make a delicate yet aggrieved expression. Yet,


    there was no feeling of contradiction. One could even feel that what she had said was the truth, and


    she was the one who was actually being falsely used.

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    Chapter 45


    Daniel¡¯s expression turned grim as he pursed his lips and continued watching. The way Ste handled


    her expressions was immacte. With so many lines, she merely took two minutes to memorize them


    all. Furthermore, the proficiency of her lines did not seem like someone with no acting experience.


    Until her performance had ended, no one on set spoke a word. Although Ste was confident in her


    abilities, she could not handle every expression in every passage appropriately in such a short time.


    Hence, she could only do her best. Daniel did notment on whether it was good or not. Instead, the


    people beside him whispered something into his ears. He then lifted his gaze and said to Ste, ¡°You


    should try this other scene.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes brightened slightly when she saw a little hope. Otherwise, they would have told her to


    leave after reading a small passage. Another script was given to her. Ste lowered her head and saw


    that it was not the previous character. Instead, it was the third female lead in the script, the role of a


    consort.


    This character was different from the generic female supporting character from before. The consort


    was born in the Prime Minister¡¯s household. She was beautiful and willful. She relied on the king¡¯s


    favoritism to dominate the pce to the point that the Queen consort also feared her.


    When she faced off against the female lead, she was ruthless and clearly malicious. However, she was


    a delicate and clingy siren in front of the emperor. She could act coquettish yet have a tantrum. The


    contrast the character had was strong. If she could handle it appropriately, this character could be very


    endearing.


    ¡®But, was the role of the third female lead set? Why did Daniel let me try this scene?¡® Ste thought.


    Although she had questions deep inside her heart, she did not ask them out loud. After memorizing the


    lines, she lifted her head. ¡°I can start now.¡± Daniel nodded his head and motioned for her to start.


    Ste conjured the correct emotions and then lifted her gaze. An arrogant presence emerged


    immediately from her nonchntly. Her face was breathtakingly beautiful, and shepletely


    complemented the words of exquisite beauty. There was no doubt that she had dominated the pce


    with her beauty.


    Everyone was in awe of her charming expression and her soft tone. Whoever saw this would be in


    awe. Even if the king was here, he would be in awe. After finishing her scene, it was silent again.


    Ste now had a little more courage due to auditioning for two different scenes. Personally, she liked


    the character of the consort. The character settings were well developed, but such an important


    character was most likely not given away willy¨Cnilly. She would still be content if she got the part as the


    fourth female lead.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you continue acting after you graduated?¡± Daniel opened his mouth and voiced his


    confusion after a few minutes. If he wanted to sign her, it was unavoidable for him to check the


    actress¡¯s background. Especially when he was afraid that if something went wrong amidst their filming,


    their project would be done for before it was even broadcasted.


    Ste pondered for a few seconds and told him the truth. ¡°It was because of a marriage.¡±


    Daniel was shocked, as he did not expect it to be due to marriage.


    Another moment of silence struck. After a while, Daniel spoke, ¡°Leave your contact information. If we


    have any news, we will inform you.¡±


    After walking out of the room, Ste felt her heart rate slowly return to normal. However calm she was


    when she was in front of Daniel, the same amount of anxiousness was in her heart.


    Felicity had never left. When she saw here out, she quickly ran over to Ste. ¡°Why did you go in


    for


    such a long time? If you didn¡¯te out any time soon, I would¡¯ve called the police!¡±

 Chapter 46

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 46


    Chapter 46


    Ste grabbed Felicity¡¯s wrist and said in a low voice, ¡°We¡¯ll talk outside.¡±


    After getting into the car and hearing Ste talk about what happened inside, Felicity widened her eyes.


    ¡°Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god! Daniel let you audition for the role of the beauty? Does he intend


    to let you y the beauty?¡±


    Ste shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. How could he let me y such an important role? Besides, hasn¡¯t


    someone already been cast for this role?¡±


    Felicity winded up the window.


    ¡°They¡¯re all rumors online. No one is sure if anyone, in particr, has been cast. Besides, Daniel isn¡¯t


    against casting newbies.¡±


    Regardless, Ste still was not confident.


    On the other hand, Felicity was bursting with confidence. ¡°Did Daniel say anything after your audition?¡±


    Ste shook her head, ¡°He told me to leave my number. Maybe letting me audition was a spur¨Cof¨Cthe-


    moment thing.¡±


    ¡°It would be great if you could y the beauty¡¯s role. But, getting the role of the fourth female lead isn¡¯t


    bad either. After this, let¡¯s get a good meal to celebrate,¡± said Felicity.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Ste was amused.


    ¡°Nothing is certain yet. Isn¡¯t it a little too early to celebrate?¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s celebrate you leaving that grave of a marriage. These are all happy events anyway.¡±


    There was a newly¨Copened grilled skewer restaurant on Fellows Street. It¡¯s been viral recently, and it


    constantly appeared on Ste¡¯s social media feed. ordingly, the food there was pretty good.


    When Ste and Felicity arrived, it was packed. There was no parking space outside, so they could


    only park at the underground parking lot in the mall across the street.


    Felicity got her driver¡¯s license three months ago, so she volunteered to show off her reverse parking


    skills Ste got off the car and stood behind to keep watch of obstacles.


    Just then, Ste saw Albert and a young woman getting out of a white Audi parked across from their


    car.


    The woman had mid¨Clength hair. She was well¨Cdressed in expensive clothing that was of a young¨C


    looking style. After she got off the car, she walked up to Albert and intimately took his arm.


    Albert had a smile on his face. It was an expression she rarely saw growing up.


    Ste¡¯s gaze may have been too intense because Albert abruptly turned to look in her direction. When


    he saw her, he frowned and pushed the woman¡¯s arm off his. Then, he gestured at the woman to leave


    ahead of him.


    Then, he pursed his lips and walked to Ste. ¡°Ste, what are you doing here?¡±


    He spoke in the tone of an elder. He did not seem awkward that his daughter caught him going on a


    date with his lover.


    Ste nced in the direction the woman had disappeared.


    ¡°Since when?¡± she asked stoically.


    ¡°What kind of a tone is that?¡±


    Ste¡¯s confrontational tone made Albert incredibly ufortable. It sounded very much like Rainee¡¯s


    tone back then; a patronizing attitude that made others feel irritated and suffocated.


    ¡°Then, you tell me, what kind of tone should I use when I see my father acting intimate with another


    woman? You don¡¯t have the time to visit my terminally ill mother yet have the time to have a


    rendezvous with other women?¡±


    Albert was furious. ¡°Watch your attitude when you¡¯re talking! If I hadn¡¯t spent money to get your mother


    on life support, she would¡¯ve died a long time ago! It¡¯s been six years since she got into that ident,


    and she¡¯s been lying down for six years, neither dead nor alive. Am I supposed to spend my life


    watching over a vegetable who¡¯s neither dead nor alive?¡±


    Ste tightened her fists, and her heart grew cold.


    Perhaps Albert realized that he had gone overboard, as he softened his tone and continued, ¡°Ste, I


    was in my forties when your mother got into that ident. No man can watch over theiratose wife


    for the rest of his life. I can promise you that I won¡¯t get a divorce, but I have my needs as a healthy¨C


    bodied man. Look at the big bosses in the business world. How many of them don¡¯t have a couple of


    lovers? I only started looking for lovers after your mother¡¯s ident, and it was only because I have


    biological needs.¡±

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    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 47


    Chapter 47


    Albert spoke sanctimoniously.


    ¡®Others have lovers because they seek the thrill, but he¡¯s doing it because of hisatose wife. He has


    no choice but to look for other women since he can¡¯t satisfy himself. It¡¯s as if his actions can be justified


    after he changes the reason. Humans are not animals. What does he mean by biological needs? Or,


    are men this shameless in the face of infidelity and shirk the me to women?¡¯ wondered Ste.


    ¡°If your mother was alive and well, I would¡¯ve never gone to find other women. She and I went through


    thick and thin together to establish thepany. Our rtionship can¡¯t possibly be reced by others.¡±


    ¡®If he hadn¡¯t hastily wanted to divorce my mother soon after her ident, I would have believed his


    nonsense! Besides, would he care if my mother¡¯s dead or alive if I weren¡¯t married to Keegan and still


    useful to the Jewell family? He hasn¡¯t divorced my mother only because he¡¯s pinning me down in the


    name of taking care of her,¡® Ste thought.


    Ste had little emotions on her face.


    She merely asked, ¡°What¡¯s that woman¡¯s name?¡±


    Albert froze momentarily. ¡°What her name is doesn¡¯t matter. I won¡¯t see her if you don¡¯t like her.¡±


    He obviously did not want to continue the topic because he quickly changed it and asked, ¡°Did you


    send the things I told you to previously?¡±


    Ste pursed her lips and answered.


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°You came out with Keegan?¡±


    ¡°Nope. With a friend.¡±


    Albert frowned, ¡°You¡¯re a married person; don¡¯t just fool around all day long. You should use the time to


    think of a way to impress Keegan instead. You¡¯ve been married for years now, yet you don¡¯t even have


    a child. How will you make the Kane family like you?¡±


    Hearing Albert¡¯s words, Ste felt physiologically sick. Every single one of his words reminded her of


    her marriage¡¯s nature.


    Keegan and I have never been on the same footing. I need to please my husband so that he will


    protect the Jewell family. How could Keegan think highly of me when there are ulterior motives behind


    our marriage? she thought.


    Suddenly, Albert¡¯s phone rang just as he was about to continue lecturing Ste. After he answered his


    phone, he turned to her and said, ¡°I got something going on at thepany, so I¡¯ll be leaving first. You


    should go home soon if you don¡¯t have anything to do. Keegan¡¯s been working all day. You should, at


    the very least, make him a hot meal.¡±


    Felicity, who was hiding in the shadows, ran out after Albert left.


    ¡°Your dad really is something. He doesn¡¯t care about his daughter but treats his son¨Cinw like he¡¯s his


    biological son¡­ No, he treats him like he¡¯s his biological grandfather! Keegan likes women, but if he


    liked men, your father might¡¯ve gone for him himself!¡± she huffed.


    Ste was already used to Albert¡¯s behavior. She then turned to Felicity. ¡°Is the dashcam on?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s on. Why?¡±


    Ste got in the car and exported the video from the dashcam.


    The angle of the video was not good. It only momentarily captured Albert and the woman¡¯s faces. Ste


    took a screenshot of the image and stared at it.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Felicity did not know what Ste was thinking.


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± she asked.


    Ste was silent for a moment. Then, she said in a low voice, ¡°That woman who was with Albert just


    now; I keep having the feeling that I¡¯ve seen her somewhere before.¡±


    ¡®Especially when I asked Albert that woman¡¯s name. He was being all secretive when he answered. It


    made me even more certain that I wasn¡¯t mistaken,¡® she thought,


    ¡°Where have you seen her before?¡±


    Ste shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡±

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    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 48


    Chapter 48


    ¡°Let¡¯s grab a meal first. You can think while we eat. If you really can¡¯t remember, we¡¯ll hire a private


    investigator. We¡¯ll avenge your mom.¡±


    Steughed.


    ¡®If my mother were conscious, she would¡¯ve fought Albert to the very end and turned the world upside


    down. She¡¯s someone who can¡¯t tolerate infidelity. I don¡¯t want things to get to that point; I just want to


    figure out who that woman is and why I find her so familiar,¡® she thought.


    The following day, Ste was woken up by her phone in the middle of her slumber.


    She frowned and picked up the phone. Then, she groggily said, ¡°Hello? Who¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not awake yet, Ste?¡±


    Ste was instantly terrified by the woman¡¯s steady voice on the other end. She hastily got up from the


    bed and cleared her throat before she said in a low voice, ¡°Dahlia? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Dahlia responded coolly, ¡°A few of my friends areing over today. Come over and help me entertain


    them.¡±


    Ste was incredibly reluctant.


    Dahlia¡¯s friends were all wealthydies. Since Dahlia had never been good with handling these people,


    she naturally did not want to go.


    She refused and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t Keegan home? He¡¯s more capable of interacting with older women. I¡¯m not


    very eloquent, so I¡¯m worried that it¡¯ll be awkward.¡±


    ¡°Keegan went out with his friends. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have asked you toe. You¡¯ll interact with


    plenty of people in the future when you go out with Keegan. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re always going to avoid


    them? If people hear about this, they would think that the Kane family¡¯s daughter¨Cinw is undignified.¡±


    Ste stopped talking.


    ¡°Come over as soon as you¡¯re ready,¡± Dahlia said.


    Then, she hung up.


    Ste had no choice but to get ready and head to Dahlia¡¯s ce.


    Dahlia used to be a socialite in Rivera in her younger days. After she married into the Kane family, her


    social circle and status gradually expanded along with the prominence of the Kane family. She often


    had gatherings with thedies that were acquainted with the Kane family¡¯s business. Rather than


    catching up, they were actually probing each other and exchanging information.


    The things that men could not say directly were best secretly conveyed by women.


    The threedies arrived around 10 o¡¯clock. Ste had met Mrs. Wood and Mrs. Chapman before and


    sort of knew them. However, she had not seen Mrs. White before, so the woman looked somewhat


    unfamiliar.


    Ste could not tell the difference between Mrs. White and the other twodies solely from their attire.


    However, when the few were talking, Ste could evidently tell that Mrs. White was more arrogant.


    Aside from that, Mrs. Wood and Mrs. Chapman were obviously easing up on her. Dahlia also seemed


    closer to


    Mrs. White than to others.


    When Ste brought the fruit tter over, Mrs. White looked up and gave her a once¨Cover. Then, she


    said slowly, ¡°So, this is your daughter¨Cinw, Dalia. She¡¯s quite the looker.¡±


    Dahlia smiled coolly but did not respond.


    After setting down the fruit tter, Ste left.


    Mrs. Chapman waited for Ste before she asked, ¡°Dahlia, about the medicine previously, was it


    effective? Any news?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no news yet.¡±


    ¡°How many doctors has it been? She should be pregnant by now. Does she have some kind of


    condition?¡±


    Dahlia lowered her gaze and slowly said, ¡°Her medical checkup showed that she was fine. I, too, don¡¯t


    know why she isn¡¯t getting pregnant.¡±


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°How sinister. Don¡¯t tell me that her and Keegan¡¯s horoscopes are ipatible?¡±


    Mrs. Wood said, ¡°Do we even need to look at their horoscope? None of it was up to par with the Kane


    family, from her family to her upbringing. I wonder what your mother¨Cinw likes about her.¡±


    ¡°I heard she and her mother got into the car ident together. The passenger seat got the most


    damage, but she waspletely unscathed even though she was in the passenger seat. On the other


    hand, her mother was leftatose. Tell me, isn¡¯t that sinister?¡±

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    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 49


    Chapter 49


    ¡°You can¡¯t make usations like that, Mrs. Wood,¡± said Mrs. Chapman.


    She intended to remind Mrs. Wood that Ste was still Dahlia¡¯s daughter¨Cinw, no matter what. While


    it was usually eptable for them to banter around, going overboard was a little inappropriate.


    However, Mrs. Wood thought that Mrs. Chapman did not believe her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not making usations. Back then, one of my nephews worked at the Department of


    Transportation and took part in this ident¡¯s investigation He said the car was badly damaged, and


    the two supposedly shouldn¡¯t be alive. After they were rescued, it turned out only her mother was badly


    injured while she only had some cuts.¡±


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    She continued, ¡°She doesn¡¯t die easily. Women like her can easily cause the death of the people


    around her. They kill their husband, their sons.


    ¡°Mrs. Wood!¡± Mrs. Chapman kicked Mrs. Wood under the table when she saw Dahlia¡¯s expression.


    Mrs. Wood finally realized that she had inadvertently spoken ill of Dahlia.


    Since Dahlia had lost her husband at a young age, bringing up how some women caused the death of


    their husbands and sons insinuated that Dahlia caused her husband¡¯s death.


    Mrs. Wood panicked, and she quickly exined, ¡°Th¨CThat¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡±


    Dahlia lifted her gaze coolly. ¡°Then, what did you mean?¡±


    Mrs. Wood¡¯s hand froze. She stumbled over her words and could not answer.


    Then, Mrs. White smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Dahlia. Mrs. Wood didn¡¯t mean what she said. You


    know how that brain of hers is.¡±


    Dahlia took a sip of tea and cynically said, ¡°You¡¯re so naive even at this age. Mr. Wood is a fortunate


    man.


    It was not apliment.


    Even if Mrs. Wood was stupid, she could detect Dahlia¡¯s sardonicism. Her face turned red in anger, but


    she did not dare to retort Dahlia.


    ¡®Dahlia initially nned to invite Mrs. White only. The two of us were invited to keep thempany.


    But, I ended up publicly humiliating her. I¡¯m lucky she didn¡¯t publicly have a fallout with me,¡® she


    thought.


    Ste stood at the corner of the corridor and listened to their conversation while nibbling on cherries.


    ¡®Turns out women of high society are gossipy too. They went to such lengths to discuss my insignificant


    little matter; I¡¯m ttered. I¡¯ll lead to my husband and son¡¯s death? If that¡¯s true, I better lead to


    Keegan¡¯s erectile dysfunction! We¡¯ll see what woman will dare to take him in!¡® she thought.


    Keegan was absent¨Cmindedly looking through the documents at the Vinci Rivera Group.


    ¡®I suspect the boss didn¡¯t pay much attention to my report just now. In the past, he rarely spaces out


    during work. He was so strict with work efficiency that he utilized his time to the very second. He¡¯s like


    a machine with precise calctions. He would clearly organize. If one asked the people around Mr.


    Kane what came first to him, everyone would unanimously think that it was work,¡® Aldor thought.


    ¡®But, he¡¯s been zoning out recently. It makes me feel like this workaholic machine has developed a bug,


    and this bug is very likely caused by his wife,¡® he thought again.


    Aldor contemted for a while and said, ¡°Mr. Kane, Mrs. Kane went to your mother¡¯s ce today.¡±


    Keegan nced at him and did not respond.


    Aldor continued, ¡°Your mother invited a few of her friends over today. Mrs. Kane also went to keep


    thempany.¡±


    ¡°What kind ofpany can she give? Her words alone can make someone choke to death. Does my


    mother find thosedies too chatty, so she asked her over to make things awkward?¡±


    ¡®Mrs. Kane only speaks aggressively in front of you. When she¡¯s facing outsiders, she¡¯s very polite and


    refined. But, if I said this to the boss, he¡¯ll get angry. An outstanding assistant must know how to read


    the room,¡® he thought.


    ¡°Thosedies have the reputation within the circle for being crafty. Mrs. Kane is young and naive, so


    she might be at a disadvantage.¡±

 Chapter 50

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 50


    Chapter 50


    Keegan snorted icily, ¡°She doesn¡¯t have what it takes, yet she insisted on going. Letting her get the


    short end of the stick will teach her a lesson.¡±


    Since Keegan had already made himself clear, Aldor kept quiet.


    It seemed like Mrs. White was somebody. When Dahlia spoke to Mrs. White, her tone was evidently


    more polite than when she was talking with the other twodies. No matter the food preference or


    casual conversations, they all centered around Mrs. White¡¯s likings and habits.


    Naturally, Ste could not join their conversation. Thankfully, they ignored her most of the time, aside


    from their discussion about her in the beginning.


    Ste yed her part as the person who ate and chatted with them, so things were not too difficult for


    her


    After thedies had their meal, they started Mah¨CJongg, a tile¨Cbased game. Ste then yed the part


    of the teady. She poured them tea and got them desserts.


    Once everything was prepared, she sat aside and spectated.


    The guests had not left, so she naturally could not leave. Otherwise, Dahlia would be unhappy.


    Ste was not interested in Mah¨CJongg, so she stopped and sat aside after two rounds.


    She had not posted on Dusk Gxy¡¯s Facebook page for half a month, so she logged in and browsed


    around.


    There were over a thousandments. While mostments asked her to produce new works, there


    were also many private messages from her haters. Most of these haters were Be Young purists.


    After all, Ste stole Be¡¯s thunder too many times when Secret Sweetheart was on air a while ago.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Ste initially did not want to be the voiceover for the drama because she did not want to have too


    many interactions with Be. However, the production team approached her several times and offered


    a high. payment. At the time, she was busy preparing Keegan¡¯s birthday present and took a liking to a


    gemstone. Since she was still short of some money, she epted the offer.


    The drama considerably increased Be¡¯s poprity in the country. If she had not sensationalized the


    news about her car ident a while back, a single popr drama was enough to make her an A¨Clist


    celebrity.


    However, the poprity a hit drama could bring to an actor was limited. While the actor may have been


    a hot topic, those that were outside the entertainment circle did not care at all if the drama used


    voiceovers or the original sound. On the other hand, Be¡¯s fans had bashed Ste for months


    because she became the hot topic several times.


    Among these fans, a few bashed Ste every day as if they were going for a group visit. They would


    write long essays that bashed her, shamed her looks, and personally attacked her. Some even went to


    the extent of cursing her to die young.


    If this had happened in the past, Ste would have sucked it up and let things pass. However, since


    she learned that Keegan had snatched her voiceover opportunity for Honor of the Deities and given it


    to Be, it was suddenly difficult for her to endure such verbal abuse and attacks.


    ¡®Why should I tolerate these people?¡® she wondered.


    Ste pursed her lips and sent the unsightly private message screenshots to Felicity. ¡°I want to sue


    these


    people!¡±


    Felicity said, ¡°I told you to sue them a long time ago, but you were too soft¨Chearted. These people will


    spend the rest of their lives in the dark and attack you indiscriminately if you don¡¯t expose them.


    Exposing a few of them will send a message.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright to spend a little more money. Help me find the bestwyer,¡± said Ste.


    ¡°Leave it to me! I¡¯ve wanted to rip these scumbags for a long time!¡±


    ¡°Ste, pour Mrs. Wood some tea.¡±


    Dahlia¡¯s voice cut Ste and Felicity¡¯s conversation short. Ste stuffed her phone into her pocket and


    stood up to pour the tea.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I have some business back home. My husband asked me to go home soon, so I won¡¯t be


    ying anymore.¡±


    Mrs. White frowned, ¡°It¡¯s only been a few rounds. How will we y after you leave?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there another person here?¡± asked Mrs. Wood.


    She continued, ¡°Dahlia, let your daughter¨Cinw stand in for me. I really have something to do.¡±


    Mrs. White nced at Ste and asked, ¡°Do you know how to y?¡±

 Chapter 51

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    Chapter 51


    Ste turned to Dahlia out of reflex.


    Dahlia indifferently said, ¡°Mrs. White is talking to you.¡±


    Ste pursed her lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m not that good at it,¡± she said.


    Mrs. Whiteughed.


    ¡°I like people who aren¡¯t good at it.¡±


    And so, Ste took over Mrs. Wood¡¯s ce and yed Mah¨CJongg with the three women.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Mrs. White discarded a 3 of Bamboo. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Aurora the entire day. Where did that girl go?


    She¡¯s graduating this year, right?¡±


    Mrs. Chapmanughed, ¡°Where else would she be? She must¡¯ve gone to your nephew¡¯sw firm. Why


    don¡¯t you y matchmaker and tell your brother and his wife? After they get engaged, you and Dahlia


    will be considered inws in the future.¡±


    ¡°My sister¨Cinw likes Aurora. Naturally, she¡¯ll agree. As for Marshall, it¡¯s hard to say. That boy usually


    seems soft¨Cspoken and easy to talk to, but he¡¯s actually very opinionated. I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t make


    decisions for him,¡± said Mrs. White.


    ¡°They can bond after they get married. Didn¡¯t we go through the same thing?¡±


    Dahlia responded coolly, ¡°Aurora is still young. There¡¯s no need to rush things.¡±


    Ste listened to their conversation carefully and discarded a 30 thousand tile.


    ¡°Mah¨CJongg!¡±


    Mrs. Chapman beamed, ¡°A 30 thousand tile. I thought I would have to wait for a while.¡±


    Mrs. White looked up and clicked her tongue, ¡°You¡¯re really not that good at it. Why would you discard


    that tile when there aren¡¯t that many tiles from that suit?¡±


    Mrs. Chapman was over the moon because she had won the round. She even defended Ste in her


    own stead. ¡°It¡¯s just the first round. Maybe she¡¯s still not familiar with it. Let¡¯s continue, let¡¯s continue!¡±


    Thest time Ste yed Mah¨CJongg was when she was still in school. It was one of her


    housemate¡¯s birthday, so they went out to celebrate and did whatever the housemate wanted for a day.


    Her housemate was Chinese, so she brought them to a cardroom and yed an entire night of Mah-


    Jongg. It was then Ste learned how to y Mah¨CJongg.


    After Ste graduated and married Keegan, she rarely attended her friends¡® invitations and did not


    even y Mah¨CJongg once. Even now, she could, at most, identify what a winning hand looked like. As


    for guessing what tiles others had, she had no experience in that at all.


    As a result, Ste lost nine out of ten rounds. She eventually lost almost all of the chips in her drawer.


    Meanwhile, Mrs. Chapman won countless times. Her makeup¨Ccaked face beamed. Then, she finally


    felt that it was time to stop, ¡°Shall we settle our chips and continue another day?


    Dahlia nced at Ste, ¡°How many more chips do you have left?¡±


    ¡°Two,¡± answered Ste.


    ¡°460 thousand dors. You can transfer them to Mrs. Chapman first.¡±


    Ste was dumbfounded.


    ¡®460 thousand dors? Did I hear it wrong? How much were we ying for me to lose 460 thousand


    dors within two hours? What¡¯s the difference between this game and gambling?¡¯ she wondered.


    Ste suddenly wanted to cry.


    ¡®If I had known that we¡¯d y such a high value, then I would¡¯ve said I don¡¯t know how to y,¡® she


    thought again.


    Seeing how Ste remained unmoved for a while, Dahlia called out to her. ¡°I can pay for you first if you


    don¡¯t have the amount.¡±


    ¡°I do¡­¡±


    ¡®If I said I don¡¯t, Dahlia might give me trouble after I leave. If she was genuinely willing to pay for me


    first, then she wouldn¡¯t have asked,¡¯ Ste thought.


    Ste bit the bullet and transferred the money.


    Mrs. White said, ¡°You¡¯re in luck. Aren¡¯t you going to y a little longer?¡±


    Mrs. Chapman collected the money and quipped, ¡°I¡¯m worried that you¡¯ll all lose your chips if I continue


    ying.¡±


    Before Mrs. White could speak, a man¡¯s husky voice sounded outside. ¡°Judging from Mrs. Chapman¡¯s


    tone, you must¡¯ve won quite a lot today.¡±


    Ste was startled. She lifted her head and saw Keegan in a suit, as he strode toward the Mah¨CJongg


    table.


    Mrs. Chapmanughed, ¡°I only won some pocket money. It¡¯s not even enough for me to buy a shirt.


    Why did you have the time toe over today, Keegan? I haven¡¯t seen you in a while.¡±


    Keegan ced the bag in his hand on the table.


    ¡°I just met with a client and passed by, so I swung by and brought over some pear jam. Just as I


    entered the door, I heard Mrs. Chapman talking. Looks like she won quite a bit.¡±


    Mrs. White gave Ste a once¨Cover and suddenly smiled, ¡°Right? Mrs. Chapman¡¯s really good at this


    game. She won the most rounds.¡±

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    Chapter 52


    Mrs. Chapman said modestly, ¡°All three of us won. I was just in luck.¡±


    ¡°Three won, so who lost?¡± asked Keegan.


    Everyone fell silent and unanimously turned to look at Ste, who had tears in her eyes.


    Ste was quiet.


    ¡°How much did you lose?¡± he asked.


    Ste bit her lip and said in a low voice, ¡°460 thousand dors¡­¡±


    Keegan lifted his head. ¡°Did you y with your eyes close?¡±


    Ste red at him through her tears.


    ¡®It¡¯s not his money that I lost. Who gave him the right to ridicule me?!¡® she thought.


    Mrs. White said, ¡°She¡¯s young. She stillcks experience.¡±


    Keegan nced at Ste and said indifferently, ¡°It doesn¡¯t have much to do with experience. She hardly


    wins in any table games.¡±


    His words implied that Ste was purely stupid.


    Ste was speechless.


    That bastard, Keegan, is always up to no good! He¡¯s always finding ways to humiliate me whenever


    there¡¯s a chance!¡® she thought.


    Keegan grabbed the teapot and filled up the cups. Then, he said coolly, ¡°It¡¯s a rare asion for us to


    have guests over. I ordered some dishes from The Deli. The food will be deliveredter. Since it¡¯s still


    early, would youdies like to y a few more rounds?¡±


    Mrs. Chapman was a little hesitant.


    After all, she had already pocketed 300 thousand dors, so she would profit if she left now.


    Meanwhile, Mrs. White immediately agreed, ¡°Alright. I¡¯m feeling lucky today, so I really don¡¯t feel like


    ending the game this early.¡±


    After hearing Mrs. White¡¯s words, Mrs. Chapman did not know how to reject Keegan.


    However, Dahlia nced at Keegan. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like this game?¡±


    Keegan looked up. ¡°I won¡¯t be ying. You four can continue while I watch.¡±


    Ste was speechless again.


    ¡®Is he going to watch me lose? I knew he had bad intentions!¡® she thought.


    Keegan pulled a chair and sat down beside her. Then, he gracefully crossed his legs and said coolly,


    ¡°y to your heart¡¯s content. If you win, the money¡¯s yours; if you lose, I¡¯ll pay.¡±


    Ste nced at him dubiously.


    ¡®Is this man that kind?¡® she wondered.


    Before Ste could give it more thought, the chips were redistributed, and a new game started.


    However, Ste was still not in luck. None of the tiles she got were repeating, but she got one of each


    of


    the four Winds: East, South, West, and North.


    She drew an East tile. Just as she was about toy down the tile, Keegan said into her ear in a low


    voice,¡±


    2 of Bamboo.¡±


    ¡®I have 1 of Bamboo and 2 of Bamboo. If I draw another 3 of Bamboo, I¡¯ll have a three¨Cin¨Ca¨Crow. It¡¯s


    not wise to discard 2 of Bamboo, right?¡® she thought.


    Ste was indecisive.


    Mrs. Chapman felt a little impatient as she waited. ¡°Hurry up, Ste. Discard a tile.¡±


    Ste bit the bullet and discarded a 2 of Bamboo tile.


    ¡®After all, he said he¡¯ll pay if I lose. Whatever!¡® she thought.


    ¡°Three¨Cof¨Ca¨Ckind¡±


    Mrs. White picked up the tile and smiled, ¡°I dealt a good hand on the first turn. It looks like I¡¯ve got


    pretty good luck this round.


    Then, she discarded a North tile.


    Ste lowered her head and nced at her tiles.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡®I have three North tiles. Should I go for four¨Cof¨Ca-kind?¡® she wondered.


    She turned to look at Keegan. However, he took a sip of his tea and coolly said, ¡°Why are you looking


    at me? Draw a tile.¡±

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    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 53


    Chapter 53


    That means I shouldn¡¯t go for four-of-a-kind, Ste thought.


    She drew another tile, and it was another East tile.


    Now that I¡¯ve got a pair, I have more reasons not to put it out,¡¯ she thought.


    Ste scanned her tile and drew a 3 of Bamboo.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Seeing how Keegan was silent, she discarded the tile.


    Mrs. Chapman nced at her and discarded an East tile.


    ¡°Three-of-a-kind.¡±


    Ste took the tile and wanted to discard the 1 of Bamboo tile she had drawn just now.


    Keegan then said, ¡°Are you saving the White tile for New Year?¡±


    Ste red at him and changed to the White tile instead.


    ¡°Three-of-a-kind.¡±


    Dahlia knocked on the table and discarded a tile.


    Just as Ste was about toin about Keegan¡¯s skills, she drew a 1 of Bamboo.


    Then, she inspected her tiles.


    ¡°I have three each of East, South, West, and North. This hand¡­¡±


    ¡°Come on. Discard a tile!¡± Mrs. Chapman urged her.


    Ste paused and said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯vepleted my hand.¡±


    Then, sheid out her tiles.


    Mrs. Chapman looked at her tiles and widened her eyes in shock. ¡°A self-drawn win. The big four


    Winds?¡±


    Everyone looked at Ste¡¯s tiles.


    East, South, West, North, and a pair of 1 of Bamboo. It really was the big four Winds.


    Getting the big four Winds through self-drawn instantly granted the yer four points.


    Mrs. Chapman said in jealousy, ¡°I was wondering why I couldn¡¯t draw any South tiles. You were holding


    all


    of them.¡±


    Mrs. Chapman¡¯s luck was excellent today. When the game started, she was only one tile away from


    completing her hand She initially wanted to draw or wait for someone to discard a South tile because


    she thought it would happen soon. However, Mrs. Chapman did not expect Ste to have the rest of


    the South tiles, get the big four Winds, and intercept her win


    In an instant, Ste acquired four points How could Mrs. Chapman not feel jealous? She had yed


    three rounds and only won a few points


    After Ste had won the first round, her tiles in the following rounds got better and better as if she was


    ona foll


    Keegan watched Ste from behind. He was silent when she discarded the right tile but would casually


    hart at her when she was uncertain


    It only took a while for Ste to win a few rounds. The chips in her drawer gradually increased.


    Ste grew more and more interested in the game.


    ¡®It¡¯s no wonder everybody likes to y Mah Jongg. It¡¯s so delightful when I win the money,¡¯ she thought.


    Meanwhile, Mrs. Chapman and Mrs. White did not look happy.


    Mrs. Chapman looked particrly unhappy. She had been profiting for the past few hours, but she was


    now forking out money and about to lose all of her chips.


    However, Keegan and Ste did not look like they were going to stop at all.


    ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day.¡± Dahlia said just in time.


    She continued, ¡°We¡¯ve been ying for so long, I can¡¯t feel my legs anymore. Let¡¯s go to the living


    room, have some tea, and rx.¡±


    Mrs. Chapman breathed a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to get up, Keegan slowly said, ¡°Mrs.


    Chapman, let¡¯s settle the chips.¡±


    Mrs. Chapman immediately stiffened. However, it was not because she was reluctant to pay but


    because she felt humiliated by his straightforward request.


    Dahlia frowned, ¡°This can be discussedter. Let everyone rx and have some tea first.¡±


    ¡°The chips should be settled face-to-face. Otherwise, it¡¯ll be hard to exin if there are any mistakes,¡±


    Keegan said indifferently.


    Mrs. Chapman was furious.


    She suppressed her anger and said, ¡°Alright! We¡¯ll settle the payment face-to-face. I¡¯ll immediately


    transfer the money to you just in case you tell everyone that I¡¯m a sore loser!¡±


    Dahlia looked a little unhappy, while Ste looked awkward. Meanwhile, Keegan acted as if it was none


    of his business and added, ¡°This amount isn¡¯t enough for you to buy a shirt. How could you be a sore


    loser?¡± Then, he said to Ste, ¡°Send Mrs. Chapman your card number.¡±


    Mrs. Chapman was so furious that she had turned red. After she calcted her chips and transferred


    the money, she grabbed her bag and left before anyone could stop her.


    Following Mrs. Chapman¡¯s exit, Mrs. White did not want to stick around any longer, so she also left


    after transferring the money to Ste.


    In the blink of an eye, only the three of them remained in the living room.

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    Chapter 54


    Dahlia did not look happy. She icily said, ¡°Everyone came here to y some games and have a good


    time. What were you doing?¡±


    Keegan looked up and said, ¡°Mom, Mrs. Chapman¡¯s husband got promoted a few months ago. It¡¯d be


    hard. to exin things if people discovered such arge sum of money.¡±


    Dahlia was at a loss for words.


    ¡°But, you shouldn¡¯t have spoken that bluntly either¡±


    Keegan said, ¡°I¡¯ll be more tactful next time.¡±


    Dahlia was left speechless again. In the end, she nced icily at Ste. She did not want to speak to


    them, so she went right upstairs.


    Keegan stood up and took a few steps. When he saw Ste remain unmoved, he said coolly, ¡°You want


    to stay here for dinner?¡±


    ¡®Of course not!¡® she thought.


    Ste packed her things and followed Keegan out.


    Aldor had been waiting outside since long ago. After they got in, he started the car.


    ¡®One shouldn¡¯t be greedy and steal from others. If it wasn¡¯t for Keegan¡¯s advice just now, I wouldn¡¯t


    have gotten back the money I lost, thought Ste.


    Since Ste had been preparing for the divorce, things were a bit tight for her. She would lose sleep for


    a couple of days if she lost the several thousand dors.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Since she had gotten her money back, Keegan did not seem as much of an eyesore.


    ¡®Keegan¡¯s actually very protective and has principles. We don¡¯t necessarily have to be on bad terms


    after we get divorced. Since the Kane family is so influential in Rivera, we might cross paths again in


    the future. It¡¯ll be good to have a rich and influential friend,¡® she thought again.


    At that thought, Ste found him even less of an eyesore.


    After deducting her capital, she had won a total of 160 thousand dors. She generously transferred


    eighty thousand dors to Keegan.


    Beside her, Keegan¡¯s phone buzzed, and he nced at his phone


    [You have received $80,000 in your bank ount. Transferor Ste Jewell]


    He turned to the woman beside him.


    Ste cleared her throat and said, ¡°I¡¯m not a selfish person, so we¡¯ll split the money fifty¨Cfifty.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± Keegan said coolly


    He continued, ¡°Apany me to an event tomorrow, then the money¡¯s all yours¡±


    Ste rejected him without a second thought. ¡°You might as well take the money


    We¡¯re about to get divorced I must be crazy if I attend a stupid event with him. Every time I attended


    these events, those so¨Ccalled socialites would judge and talk about me behind my back. These people


    are counting down to the day I get dumped by Keegan Why should I go and create problems for


    myself? she


    thought


    Keegan did not seem surprised by her rejection. He snorted quietly, ¡®It¡¯s alright if you don¡¯t go, but you¡¯ll


    have to split the 460 thousand dors too. 50/50¡±


    Ste red at him ¡°That¡¯s my capital.¡±


    Keegan nced at her ¡°You didn¡¯t have any capital when I arrived.¡±


    Ste had lost all of her capithi before Keegan¡¯s arrival and only recovered the money after he came.


    Ste was at a loss for words. A whileter, she finally spoke, ¡°You said you¡¯ll pay if I lose, but the


    money¡¯s mine if I win.


    Keegan nodded and said, ¡°I said that to my wife. But, you don¡¯t want to be a wife anymore, right? I was


    just ying my part. Why are you taking it so seriously?¡±


    Once again, Ste was speechless.


    Tve changed my mind. Earlier, I thought that Keegan wasn¡¯t a bad person and that we could be friends.


    after our divorce. But, he¡¯s a goddamn bastard. All he thinks about is schemeful tricks! If I split my


    capital, I¡¯ll have to pay Keegan over 100 thousand dors out of my own pocket. she thought.


    Ste pursed her lips. Then, shepromised reluctantly and said, ¡°I¡¯ll attend the event, then.¡±


    If I look at this from a different perspective, I gained 160 thousand dors from attending an event. I¡¯m


    not at a loss she thought again.


    ¡°When will you send me the money?¡±


    Keegan looked at her disdainfully. ¡°Is that all you think about? You¡¯re always talking about money!¡±


    ¡°How could you say that, Mr. Kane? Who doesn¡¯t like money? If you don¡¯t like how philistine¨Clike I¡¯m


    acting, split half of your fortune with me. I¡¯ll y the role of whichever type of wife you like.¡±


    Keegan said stoically, ¡°Dream on.¡±

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    Chapter 55


    Ste clicked her tongue.


    ¡®Cheapskate. And yet, he said money is all I think about,¡® she thought.


    Just then, Ste¡¯s phone rang. Seeing that it was a call from Felicity, Ste answered her phone.


    Felicity¡¯s choked voice sounded from the other end of the line. ¡°Where are you, Ste. Hurry to the


    police station. They¡¯re saying I¡¯m involved in theft¡­¡±


    Ste went pale and immediately started to panic.


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic. I¡¯ll be right over. Which police station are you at?¡±


    Felicity told her the location.


    After Ste hung up, she swallowed her pride and asked Keegan, ¡°Mr. Kane, could you send me to the


    police station at Northville? My friend ran into some issues.¡±


    Ste initially thought that she would need to convince him for a bit, so she did not expect him to not


    say a word. Instead, he gestured at Aldor to drive to the Northville police station.


    On the way there, Ste was worried¨Csick. She was worried that Felicity had gotten into huge trouble.


    The moment the car pulled over, Ste dashed into the police station without even speaking to Keegan.


    After Ste got herself registered, she saw Felicity in the interrogation room through the ss. Felicity¡¯s


    eyes were swollen from crying.


    ¡°Even though Felicity usually seems wild, her social circle is very simple. She¡¯s never been handcuffed


    and interrogated by the cops, so she must be scared out of her wits,¡® she thought.


    Ste felt really bad for her. She held back her emotions and asked the cop, ¡°Mister, what crime did my


    friendmit?¡±


    The cop looked her up and down. ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with the suspect?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m her friend.¡±


    Then, Ste handed the cop her ID.


    The cop registered her ID and said, ¡°Someone reported her for theft. We found the victim¡¯s stolen item


    in the suspect¡¯s house.¡±


    Ste immediately retorted, ¡°That¡¯s impossible. I stay with her, and I¡¯ve never seen anything that


    doesn¡¯t belong to her appear around her Did you guys make a mistake?¡±


    The cop paused. ¡°You two stay together? How long have you two been staying together?¡±


    over


    ¡°For over a week now¡±


    The cop¡¯s gaze at her immediately changed ¡°The victim lost their item a week ago Since you two stay


    together, you may also be a suspect. Maybe you two worked together


    Stel was speechless


    Was this cop outsourced? He¡¯s too unprofessional Hesn¡¯t conducting interigations or evidence


    inspection. He¡¯s handling the case using guesses and making false usations, she thought


    patient Ainght


    front suspe 18 need to stentify the stolen gund


    should


    ¡°Stolen good? We have it,¡± the cop took out an evidence bag and dangled it in front of her


    He continued, ¡°This is the stolen good. She said it didn¡¯t belong to her, but we found it at her ce. If


    she didn¡¯t steal it, who did?¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words the moment saw the ¡°stolen good.¡±


    The so¨Ccalled stolen good is clearly my wedding ring! Now I know which bastard called the cops!¡± she


    thought


    Ste took a deep breath and suppressed her anger. ¡°This thing belongs to me.¡±


    The cop did not believe her.


    ¡°How can you prove it?¡±


    She opened the photo gallery on her phone and found a few photos of her wearing the ring.


    ¡°You¡¯re skilled. You prepared evidence beforehand,¡± said the cop.


    Once again, Ste was speechless.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    ¡°Mister, take a good look. I took this photo a year ago. Can¡¯t this prove that it¡¯s mine?¡±


    The cop looked at the timestamp and thought that his earlier verdict was too reckless. Then, he said.


    You need to have the proof of purchase to prove that it belongs to you. The victim provided a receipt.¡±


    The cop was implicitly asking Ste where her receipt was.


    But, how would I have a receipt? Keegan bought the ring. So, of course, that bastard would have the


    receipt! she thought.

 Chapter 56

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    Chapter 56


    ¡°Officer, was the person who made the report called Mr. Kane? Keegan Kane?¡±


    The police officer looked at Ste in surprise. ¡°Is he an acquaintance of yours?¡± he asked. Ste¡¯s lips


    twitched, as she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°He¡¯s my husband!¡±


    ¡°Do you have any proof?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Proof? For what? To prove that he is my husband?


    This was the first time Ste felt that she was having difficultiesmunicating with the police. So, she


    stopped talking and called Keegan immediately.


    Once the line was connected, the man¡¯s deep and mellow voice came from the other end. ¡°What¡¯s


    wrong?


    Still acting like you don¡¯t know, huh? What an ass! Ste held back her anger and said in a cold voice,


    Come and exin it to the police.¡±


    Keegan seemed as though he had been waiting for her to say that. He hung up without a word. Ste


    was bing more and more certain that Keegan did it on purpose. At first, she was anxious when


    she heard that Felicity was in trouble. But, now that Ste had time to calm down and think about it,


    she realized that the police resources were limited. It was impossible that they would casually bring


    Felicity in for questioning about a multi¨Cmillion¨Cdor theft case.


    As soon as Keegan entered the station, Ste pulled him over and said, ¡°Officer, here¡¯s the person who


    made the report¨Cmy husband.¡±


    Keegan did not deny it. The police officer looked at Keegan and then at Ste. ¡°If he¡¯s your husband,


    then why don¡¯t you two live together?¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words at that time. Keegan raised his brows as if he was watching an exciting


    show. ¡°Hey, they asked you a question,¡± he said.


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Ste red at him and tried to hold herself back for a long time before she said, ¡°We got into a fight.


    So, I moved out and stayed at my friend¡¯s ce. She is not a thief. I was the one who brought the ring


    there.¡±


    The police officer frowned. ¡°You two had a lover¡¯s quarrel and decided to call the police on others? Are


    you dumb?*


    Ste lowered her head, as she got scolded. At the same time, she was secretly cursing Keegan and


    his ancestors.


    The police lectured the two and asked them to sign off the case before letting Felicity out. Felicity


    hugged Ste the moment she saw her. Obviously, Felicity was frightened for her life. Ste patted her


    on the back andforted her. ¡°There, there.¡±


    ¡°Are you guys nning on catching up in here?¡± Keegan interrupted. ¡°C¡¯mon. Let¡¯s go,¡± he said in


    disdain.


    When the three got into the car, they stayed silent for the entire ride. Soon, they arrived at Felicity¡¯s


    ce


    ¡°Ten minutes,¡± Keegan said, as Ste took her best friend out of the car She paused for a moment and


    pulled Felicity away, leaving Keegan behind.


    in the apartment, Ste poured Felicity a ss of water and said. ¡°I have to go out for a while I sent a


    text to Gigi She¡¯ll be here any second.¡±


    Are you going toe back? Felicity asked, and her eyes were red Ste squeezed her hand and


    said. I¡¯ll call you. Sorry¡±


    Downstairs, Keegan was staring at his watch. Only after thirteen minutes did Ste finally appear She


    opened the car door and got in without any unnecessary movement. Keegan nced at her and said, ¡±


    You¡¯re four minuteste.¡±


    Ste suppressed her anger and questioned, ¡°We¡¯re the ones who got into a fight, Keegan. Why did


    you have to bring other people into the equation? Why did you lodge that police report against her?¡±


    Keegan was unhappy with how she was interrogating him. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask her what she did?¡± he


    said coldly.

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    Chapter 57


    ¡°What exactly did she do? Ste was angrier than Keegan. ¡°She helped me when you kicked me out of


    the hotel! Were you mad because I wasn¡¯t just wandering around on the streets?! That I had a ce to


    sleep?¡±


    ¡°Do you actually think that¡¯s the reason I did this?¡± Keegan was furious. He grabbed the document file


    next to him and threw it at her ¡°I¡¯m not that frivolous!¡±


    Ste was puzzled. Her brows furrowed into a deep frown when she read the document¡¯s contents.


    There were dozens of text records and screenshots of posts on Facebook, which consisted of dirt on


    Be. One of them read that Be used her celebrity privileges to upy an ambnce after being


    rear¨Cended. The other read that she used the ident as a way to let people in on her rtionship.


    There was also news that she was someone¡¯s mistress before she became famous. She even made a


    huge fuss at the person¡¯s wedding.


    The posts were made under different ounts, but they all came from the same IP address. There was


    a picture of the location, and Ste was very familiar with it because it was Felicity¡¯s ce. ¡®So¡­ he


    went through all this trouble to take revenge for his lover?


    ¡°Do these social media ounts look familiar to you?¡± Keegan then sneered, ¡°With all this evidence of


    her spreading rumors, she could be sued for defamation and spend a whole year in jail!¡±


    Ste¡¯s heart tightened into a ball, as she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Rumors? Rumors are things that


    aren¡¯t true. Tell me, which one of these news is fake? Isn¡¯t it true that she scratched her arm in the car


    ident, and you went to the hospital just to sign her into the ICU? Isn¡¯t it true that you left me at the


    altar three years ago for her? If spreading news about the things she had done is defamation in your


    eyes, then jail would be my home!¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened. ¡°And, you said you weren¡¯t stalking me. How did you know that I went to the


    hospital on the day of her car ident?!¡±


    ¡°What? Isn¡¯t it possible for me to be at the hospital because I needed a doctor?¡± Steughed self-


    deprecatingly.


    Keegan paused and frowned. ¡°What kind of illness did you have that you needed a doctor? You need


    toe up with better lies, Ste.¡±


    ¡°Do you even care if I was sick?¡± Ste¡¯s eyes turned red. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you want to protect your


    precious Be, Keegan. But, I will break your arm if you dare toy a finger on my friend.¡±


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Keegan was startled. This was the first time Ste talked back to him so harshly. She did not even act


    like this when she asked for the divorce. Her eyes were burning with anger, and absolute hatred, which


    made Keegan feel weird.


    Ste was about to leave the car after she finished her words, but the door was locked. ¡°Open the door


    She said in a hoarse voice.


    During their argument, Aldor was in an awkward position, but he did not dare to unlock the door if


    Keegan


    did not tell him to


    ¡°I said, open the door! I want to get out of here!¡± Ste urged once more She did not want to be with


    Keegan any longer, not even for a second


    Drive back to Royalpark,¡± Keegan said calmly


    Aldor immediately started the car when he heard those words Ste turned to re at Keegan angrily


    and said, ¡°What is wrong with you? I¡¯m still in the car Are you going to kick me out or


    and make me walk back here?¡±


    Without an expression, Keegan nced at her and said, ¡°Who said you were going to be thrown out?


    You¡¯re being dramatic.¡±


    Ste was so mad that smoke wasing out of her ears. ¡®Me? Dramatic? That bastard threw me out


    on the road before, and I had to run all the way back in the rain. My feet were all worn out by the time I


    arrived!¡±


    ¡°Grandma called me today and asked if we argued. She wanted to know why you moved out. We


    haven¡¯t finalized the divorce yet, Ste. Do you want to make it all into a big show for the whole world


    to see?¡± Steughed in anger ¡°Why should I hide it? There¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of for getting a


    divorce.¡±


    However, Ste did not know how Cordelia found out about the divorce since she did not go around


    and talk about it.

 Chapter 58

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    Chapter 58


    ¡°Alright, then. Call your dad, and we¡¯ll discuss the divorce in person,¡± Keegan sneered. Ste choked


    for a second when she heard that. She just stared at him in silence. ¡°Before we get the divorce, you


    better stay here in Royalpark. If anything about our failed marriage gets to grandma, you¡¯ll never be


    able to leave¡±


    That was Ste¡¯s breaking point. I would actually die in this marriage if the divorce didn¡¯t happen. But,


    it¡¯s also the peak period for Keegan in thepetition to be the heir of the Vinci Rivera Group. If


    Cordelia learned about our divorce, she and most of the shareholders would have a different


    perception


    of him.¡±


    Due to this reason, Ste was sad. She pursed her lips and did not speak for a long while. The air was


    stiff Keegan nced at Ste from the corner of his eyes and saw that the woman who proudly talked


    back at him earlier was now as quiet as a mouse. He did not like how silent she was.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll y this game with you,¡± Ste suddenly said, and her eyes were filled with indifference. ¡°On


    one condition.¡±


    Keegan raised his chin, motioning for her to continue. ¡°We¡¯ll get divorced once you get Rivera. I don¡¯t


    want any part of your investments or your property, but you have to give me one billion dors.¡±


    Keegan frowned upon hearing that. I allowed you to raise your terms, yet here you are, making


    unreasonable demands.¡±


    The corners of Ste¡¯s lips twitched as she said, ¡°Mr. Kane, the Vinci Rivera Group is worth hundreds


    of billions, and I only want one billion dors. Is that so much to ask?¡±


    Keegan stared at Ste as if he was considering the pros and cons of the agreement. After a while, he


    lightly said, ¡°Okay. It¡¯s a deal.¡±


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste was shocked by how fast he agreed, but she quickly regained her senses. She took out a pen


    from her bag, grabbed a piece of paper, and drafted a property settlement agreement. She then


    handed it to Keegan and pressed the recording button on her phone. ¡°Empty words mean nothing. I will


    record you signing your name as a backup to avoid the possibility of you not wanting to pay up in the


    future¡±


    Keegan took one look at the paper, and the corners of his eyes twitched.


    [This property settlement agreement is between Keegan Kane (ID Number XXXXXX) and Ste Jewell


    (ID Number XXXXXX). Both parties have reached the following agreement: Mr. Kane is to sign the


    divorce papers after bing Vinci Rivera¡¯s heir Every property, investment, and vehicle will be in his


    possession while he supplies the woman a total of one billion dors. A breach of contract will result in


    infertility and getting struck by lightning]


    ¡°Is this how settlement agreements are written?¡± Keegan gritted his teeth and asked.


    ¡°Who cares what I write! Hurry up and sign it!¡±


    With a sullen face and a swoop of the pen, Keegan signed the paper and tossed it at Ste Hopefully


    this agreement wouldn¡¯t be just a joke in the future,¡± he said


    Ste grabbed Keegan s hands, rubbed his thumb over her red lips, and pressed it by his name joke


    here is the one who breaches the contract¡±


    The only


    Keegan¡¯s heart tingled with the soft touch of her fingertips as if there was electricity running through hi


    veins By the time he returned to his senses, Ste had already forded the paper and put it away


    se lowered his head and g¡¯an ed at hes night thumb which was slightly covered red¨Cgod


    are a torre mark Then Feegan curled up his fingers as his heart skipped a beat

 Chapter 59

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 59


    Chapter 59


    The car soon arrived at Royalpark Vi. Ste did not say anything to Keegan when the car stopped.


    Instead, she just got out of the car, mmed the door, and left. Keegan nced at the woman with an


    increasinglywless temper through the window, and his eyebrows were twitching.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, why didn¡¯t you tell Mrs. Kane that you were the one who stopped Ms. Young¡¯swyer from


    taking the case to court?¡± Aldor said in a low voice after seeing that.


    It¡¯s no use telling her I mean, look at her. Do you think she would listen to what I have to say? Keegan


    said unhappily


    Aldor stayed quiet after that. Who wouldn¡¯t be mad with that tone and attitude of yours? I knew women


    tend to say one thing and mean the other, but now that I think about it, Mr. Kane is even better at it He


    said he wanted to make Mrs. Kane suffer when he heard his mother wanted her to apany the


    guests. But, he rushed to help her before it was time to get off work. He even said it was because he


    wanted to bring his mother some pear jam. What a dumb excuse. I could buy that jar of jam for a


    couple of bucks, Aldor thought to himself


    ¡°By the way, find out why she was at the hospital on the day of the car ident,¡± Keegan said before


    getting out of the car


    ¡°Alright, Mr. Kane,¡± Aldor replied.


    When Keegan stepped into the vi, Maya came to put his coat and shoes away. ¡°Where is she?


    Keegan asked.


    ¡°Mrs. Kane went upstairs without a word as soon as she stepped into the house,¡± answered Maya.


    Keegan looked up the stairs, pulled off his tie gracefully, and said in a calm voice, ¡°Make some food,


    tidy up the ce a little, and ask her toe downstairs.¡±


    Maya froze. ¡°Is Mrs. Kane staying this time?¡±


    Keegan shot a nce at her and uttered, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t she be staying? This is her home.¡±


    Maya was startled. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, sir¡­¡± she quickly shook her head and replied.


    Keegan waved his hand to dismiss her and said, ¡°Go clean and cook up a few dishes.¡±


    After an hour, Keegan stared at the delicious food on the table and nced upstairs Maya had gone up


    to ask for Ste toe down, but she did not do so. What is this woman doing? he thought


    After a while, there was some movement from the second floor, and Keegan began to sit upright. Then


    came Maya¡¯s voice. ¡°Mr Kane, Mrs. Kane said that she is on a diet and wouldn¡¯t be eating with you


    Keegan frowned when he heard that ¡°She¡¯s already so skinny Why is she on a diet? Tell her toe


    down here, now


    Step, step, step-


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Maya ran up again. Not long after, she went to the first floor and stammered, ¡®S¨CSir Mrs Kane Mo


    Kane said


    What did she say¡± Keegan was getting impatient


    Maya & vore was tense as she tried to tell him what Ste had sad M Mrs Fane sa 1 that she whard


    rose her appetite if she saw you


    The corners of weegers eyes fetched Suther self


    Ste was worried about Felicity When she returned to her room, she quickly gave her a call. Felicity


    was doing better and was even concerned for Ste. T¡¯m fine,¡± Ste said with indifference. ¡°Keegan is


    just scared that the news of our divorce would spread around and affect his standing as the heir of the


    family¡¯spany. So, he wanted me to return and act like everything is fine for now.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Felicity could not believe it. ¡°But, Keegan is so sinister and vicious. There must be another


    reason for him to do this, right?¡±


    Stey on the bed with her hands supporting her chin and said, ¡°Who cares? He promised that he¡¯d


    give me a billion dors after the divorce. We even signed an agreement, so I¡¯ll just bear with it.


    ¡°A billion dors? Felicity was dumbfounded. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯d be rich after the divorce? Is


    Keegan actually willing to let you go?¡±

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    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 60


    Chapter 60


    Ste had fantasized about her life after gaining a billion dors. She squinted her eyes and said, ¡°One


    billion is a low price considering how I had to deal with him all these years. I mean, who can stand that


    jerk¡¯s temper other than me?¡±


    Felicity agreed, ¡°Yeah. Who would ever marry that man for anything else other than his riches? That


    person must be crazy.¡±


    Ste did not feel good when she heard what her friend said. She was the crazy person Felicity was


    talking about. She was the one who married Keegan before she knew anything about his family¡¯s


    reputation in Rivera. She was the one who married him for him.


    ¡°Hold on. There¡¯s another calling in. I¡¯ll talk to youter.¡± Felicity saw that it was her boss. ¡®That¡¯s


    strange. Why would Simon call me at this time of night?¡® She thought as she did not dare to pick up.


    ¡°Hello? Mr. Hut?¡±


    ¡°Hey, is this Felicity?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Are you free recently?¡±


    Since it did not sound urgent, Felicity decided to lie and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been rather busy. Why?¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Simon sighed. ¡°That¡¯s a pity. A few mediapanies have reached out to me because


    they wanted to carry out the script you wrote. However, there were some things they wanted to change


    about the plot. So, they asked me if you could make the changes. It¡¯s fine if you¡¯re busy. I¡¯ll inform them


    about this.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Felicity¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I think we can discuss this, Mr. Hut.¡±


    ¡°How are we going to talk about it if you don¡¯t have the time?¡± Simon replied.


    At that moment, Felicity wished she could turn back time and p herself in the face. ¡°I¡¯m sure I can


    shift things around and make some time for you, Mr. Hut.¡± she cheekily said.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too troublesome?¡± Simon probed.


    ¡°No, of course not. It¡¯s no trouble at all!¡±


    Simon did not make things difficult for her. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll send the requests to your email. We can


    negotiate the pay once you¡¯re done making the changes, and the client is satisfied with your work.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Felicity could not believe it after hanging up the phone, It was like a dreame true. She opened up


    her notebook and started getting busy. She was so swept up in the moment that she forgot to call Ste


    back.


    Ste could only hold her hunger until 11:00 p.m. as her stomach began to growl. During the day, she


    had apanied Dahlia as a guest at her ce. She held herself back at that time, as she was scared


    that she might make a mistake. So, she did not each much. She was so hungry that she tossed and


    turned around in the middle of the night, as she was unable to fall asleep.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    In the end, Ste could not bear it anymore. She put on some clothes and sneaked down the stairs to


    find some food, but the pots and pans in the kitchen were empty. She opened the fridge and saw that


    there were only some fresh vegetables and some drinks. There wasn¡¯t even a piece of bread.


    ¡®Maya told me that she cooked up a feast. There¡¯s no way Keegan finished it all. He couldn¡¯t have


    dumped


    it in the trash, could he?¡®


    After looking around the kitchen, Ste could not find a single thing to eat. Even the snacks she had


    stored for safekeeping were all gone. It was likely that Keegan had ordered the staff to throw them


    away


    In the end, Ste found half a pack of opened cookies from a month ago under the TV cab. She


    squatted on the ground and ate the stale biscuits sadly.


    ¡®That jerk never liked eating snacks, and he doesn¡¯t allow me to have them. Ugh. He was the one who


    brought me home, yet he let me starve.¡®


    The more Ste thought about it, the angrier she felt.


    ¡°That bastard! Oh, what a jerk! Why did you throw my snacks away?! You wanna live a healthy


    lifestyle? Fine. But, don¡¯t bring me into it, asshole!¡±


    ¡°Do you have a death wish, Ste?¡± Suddenly, a ck figure on the couch gritted his teeth. Ste was


    so scared that she could not keep her bnce and fell to the ground.


    ¡°M¨CMr. Kane?¡±

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    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 61


    Chapter 61


    Themp next to the couch was switched on suddenly. It lighted up the dark living room.


    Keegan was sitting on the couch staring at her. He looked extremely upset in his ck pajamas, as he


    red at her angrily.


    Ste was difited as she got up. She looked embarrassed.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, you¡¯re in the living room. Why didn¡¯t you switch on the light?¡±


    Keegan coldly smiled and said, ¡°To protect my eyes and to stay healthy. Otherwise, how can I live as


    an asshole?¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®Piece of trash! He uses my own words to shut me up every single time!


    ¡®It would be bad if God hears me secretly cursing someone.¡® Ste gave two dryughs. She made fun


    of him and said, ¡°I¡¯ll switch off the light, then. So, that way, you can continue to preserve your health,


    right?¡±


    She wanted to slip away. But, as soon as she turned around, she could hear Keegan¡¯s voice behind


    her back.


    ¡°Make me a bowl of noodles.¡±


    The corner of Ste¡¯s mouth twitched.


    ¡®Piece of shit. Is he treating me like a maid?¡±


    Ste rolled her eyes. She turned around and put on an insincere smile. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Maya to do that.¡±


    However, Keegan sneered, ¡°Ste, do you think that you can get one billion dors just by lying in the


    house? Would it be this easy for you to earn my money?¡±


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste froze up. She wanted to beat him up very badly. She clenched her teeth as she said, ¡°I¡¯ll cook for


    you. Mr. Kane, I¡¯ll cook whatever noodles you¡¯d like to eat. I promise you that the one billion dors that


    you¡¯re going to spend will be worth it!¡±


    Keegan softly grunted, ¡°It better be.¡±


    Ste started cursing him after she turned around.


    ¡®Cheapskate, tight¨Cfisted jerk. He thinks he¡¯s a lord for just spending some money. Eat noodles? Go eat


    shit!¡®


    Although she cursed him in secret, Ste still spinelessly ran to the kitchen.


    ¡®Who wouldn¡¯t want money these days? And, it¡¯s a billion dors. After we divorce, I don¡¯t need to worry


    about food and drinks for the rest of my life. I can even take very good care of my mother.¡±


    She felt much better after she thought about that internally.


    Soon, Ste finished cooking two bowls of noodles. It was tomato soup. There was a fried egg on top,


    and there were two poached spoon cabbages. The bowl of noodles looked red and green. It was


    appetizing


    ¡°Mr. Kane? The meal is ready.¡±


    Ste¡¯s voice was husky. So, she shouted weirdly.


    Keegan put his book down. He walked toward her and nced at her.


    Ste pulled the chair out as though she wanted to impress him. She obsequiously said, ¡°Mr. Kane, do


    you want me to feed you?¡±


    Keegan was made ufortable by her insincere service attitude. He coldly said, ¡°Shut up!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Ste pulled a chair out and sat across from him. She thought to herself, ¡®I want to disgust you!¡®


    She had been extremely hungry for a long time. So, she sat down and picked up the chopsticks. She


    got a teaspoon of chili before she started eating. She was udylike when she ate.


    On the other hand, Keegan looked like he was being filmed when he ate. Every bite of his was perfect.


    He even seemed like he counted how many times he should chew before he swallowed the food.


    Keegan was like a precise, sophisticated robot. He acted and thought based on his own standards.


    Ste had never seen him lose control.


    That was not entirely true, however. The only time he lost control was during their wedding. He grabbed


    Be¡¯s hand as they left.


    He would lose control. But, it was not because of her.


    Ste had epted that long ago. She was not as upset as before.


    In the past, she was very talkative and chatty when she ate. But, she was exceptionally quiet today.


    He could not help but say, ¡°Didn¡¯t you eat when you were outside?¡±

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    Chapter 62


    The corners of Ste¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? He doesn¡¯t likes that I eat rudely?¡±


    She said with a wry smile, ¡°I eat very well when I¡¯m outside. But, I always don¡¯t get enough to eat when


    I¡¯m at your house.¡±


    Keegan confusedly looked at her.


    Since they talked it out and that they were going to get a divorce in the future, Ste did not hold back


    when she talked.


    ¡°You¡¯re a picky eater. Maya cooked ording to your taste. The food was less salty and tasteless. I¡¯m


    not a nun. How can I eat such nd food?¡±


    The corners of Keegan¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell Maya what you wanted to eat?¡±


    ¡°Did


    you think that I didn¡¯t do that? But, whenever food with strong vor was served, you would frown very


    tightly. You might as well just write the word ¡®disgusting¡® on your face. You pay Maya. Why would she


    do something that would make you unhappy?¡±


    Ste increasingly felt that her life in the Kane residence in the past years was extremely tough. She


    had to amodate Keegan¡¯s tastes and habits.


    I remembered Keegan¡¯s preferences and habits very well. But, what about him? I¡¯m sure he doesn¡¯t


    even know what I like to eat.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Kane, I¡¯ll sincerely give you a word of advice.¡±


    Keegan stared at her. His gut told him that what she said next was not something nice.


    Ste said, ¡°If you do get married again in the future, don¡¯t get a wife on earth. Find one in heaven. She


    doesn¡¯t deserve you even if she¡¯s a little less graceful.¡±


    Keegan was not happy. ¡°Do you have a death wish?¡±


    Ste drank thest sip of the soup. She waved her hand and said, ¡°Mr. Kane, take your time. I¡¯m going


    to bed now.¡±


    After she said that, she instantly ran upstairs. She even ran faster than a hare.


    Keegan stopped looking, and he pondered for a moment. He did what Ste did. He took a teaspoon of


    chopped chilis and put it into the bowl. Then, he stirred it a few times before picking up the noodles to


    taste them.


    The spiciness of the chopped chilis could instantly be tasted on his tongue. It burned his mouth,


    esophagus, and stomach like fire.


    His nose was beaded with ayer of fine sweat. Keegan grabbed the water and took a sip. However,


    the spiciness increased instead of going down.


    Other than making someone suffers, what¡¯s good about this thing?


    Ste was still worried about how they would sleep at night if Keegan came into the roomter


    Although the house had more than one room, the other rooms were not usually cleaned. That was ber


    ause no one stayed in those rooms. And, more importantly, those rooms were lessfortable


    compared to the master bedroom


    She thought to herself. If Kenganes in to sleepter he¡¯ll kick me out to the guest room


    But, after waiting for a long time, Keegan still did note into the room. She could not take it


    anymore. So, she slept early.


    The next morning, Ste was woken up by her ringtone.


    She dazedly touched her phone, and then she picked up the call. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Ste, I made an appointment with awyer for you. Are you free today? Thewyer wanted to ask


    you about what happened face¨Cto¨Cface.¡±


    ¡°So soon?¡± Ste was a little surprised. ¡°Is it that easy to make an appointment with the bestwyer in


    the field?¡±


    ¡°Thiswyer was rmended by my friend. He was his high school schoolmate. He was a top


    student at the University of Political Science and Law. He¡¯s even an overseas returnee. He¡¯s


    specialized in dealing with this kind of dispute over reputation cases. We wouldn¡¯t be able to make an


    appointment with him if it wasn¡¯t for my friend. It just so happens that he¡¯s free today. Set a time and


    have a chat with him if you¡¯re free today¡±


    Apart from following Keegan to attend an event tonight, she indeed had nothing to do today.


    Ste said, ¡°I¡¯m free during the day.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask him, then. I¡¯ll get back to youter.¡±


    After ending the call, Ste then jumped down from the bed and started to tidy up.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    She then went downstairs. She noticed that Keegan had not left yet. He was having his breakfast.


    Keegan was stunned for a moment when he saw Ste.


    She wore a long mauve dress with thin shoulder straps, and she even curled her hair. She looked


    dazzling and magnificent. She wore many pieces of jewelry, and a faint perfume could even be smelled


    when she came close.


    Keegan nced at her. ¡°Did you regret wanting a divorce? Are you nning to seduce me in a different


    way?¡±

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    Chapter 63


    The corners of Ste¡¯s mouth twitched.


    Luckily, Keegan is good¨Clooking and rich. Otherwise, he¡¯s a solid self¨Ccenter man for saying that!


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking, Mr. Kane. I¡¯m going shopping with my friend.¡±


    For the sake of the one billion dors, Ste decided not to talk back.


    ¡°Why are you going shopping so early in the morning?¡±


    ¡°Shopping can be anytime.¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips. He realized that Ste was bing more and more presumptuous when she


    talked to him now. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I notice that she was so good at talking back, back then?¡®


    He was silent for a second. He said, ¡°There¡¯s an event today.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s at night, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯ll be back before that.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°What are you shopping for?¡±


    Ste was a little impatient. ¡°Why do you care what I¡¯m buying? Why? Are you nning on paying for


    what I¡¯m going to buy?¡±


    Keegan actually threw a card for her. He coldly grunted as he said, ¡°Have high standards. Don¡¯t buy


    shitty things and embarrass me!¡±


    Ste immediately looked obsequious. She picked up the card with her fingers and shook it. ¡°Don¡¯t


    worry, Mr. Kane. I¡¯ll definitely get something expensive!¡±


    After she took a few steps, she came back. She lowered her voice as she said with a mysterious look,¡±


    This isn¡¯t included in the one billion dors, right?¡±


    Keegan nced at her. ¡°It is.¡±


    The smile on Ste¡¯s face disappeared instantly. She wore her sunsses as she softly murmured.¡±


    Cheapskate!¡±


    She left after that.


    Felicity got back to her. She said that their boss rushed her to change the script. So, she could not


    apany Ste to meet thewyer. Felicity sent the agreed time and ce and thewyer¡¯s contact


    to Ste.


    Ste¡¯s car was still in the underground garage of Felicity¡¯s apartment. So, she picked a royal blue


    Aston Martin from Keegan¡¯s garage. It looked extremely cool on the way to the ce.


    Ste arrived at the agreed location very quickly by following the address sent by Felicity


    After she parked the car, she then went into the shop to wait for thewyer


    The agreed ce was a local Rivera caf¨¦. It was very popr locally But, it was during working hours.


    so there were not many people in the shop.


    After she went into the shop, she took off her sunsses and looked around Most of the people in the


    shop were young adults in their early twenties. There was only one person who looked slightly more


    mature, sitting at a seat near the window


    The person was sitting with his back to Ste She noticed that the person was wearing a light coffee


    color striped shirt. His hair was very neatly cut He even used hairspray to style hi haur


    He pinched the handle of the coffee cup as he sloshed the coffee elegantly. He controlled the sloshing


    just right so that the coffee would not be spilled. He seemed like someone who often drank coffee.


    He was constantly staring at theptop in front of him.


    ¡®I don¡¯t think awyer would dress this way?


    I remember thewyers I saw on the television were all in suits and ties, wearing gold spectacles.


    This person clearly doesn¡¯t meet that.¡±


    Ste found a seat nearby and sat down.


    ¡°Hi, miss. What would you like to drink?¡±


    ¡°Latte with more milk.¡±


    Right after Ste said that, she then saw the man who sat near the window wearing the khaki¨Cstriped


    shirt turn around to look at her.


    The next second, Ste¡¯s eyes were wide open.


    ¡°What¡¯s he doing here?¡±

 Chapter 64

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    Chapter 64


    Marshall was very surprised too. He then smiled merrily as he walked toward her


    ¡°Ms Thompson, what a coincidence¡±


    Ste felt amazed too. I bumped into him thrice in a few days¡® time. Rivera is huge. The odds of


    bumping into him once are so small, not to mention three times.


    But, I felt a little guilty when he called me ¡°Ms. Thompson¡°.


    I didn¡¯t think that we¡¯d meet the third time when I gave him that name.¡±


    She awkwardly said, ¡°Yes. That¡¯s a pretty big coincidence.¡±


    Marshall pointed at her neck as he gently smiled, ¡°You. Did your injury get better?¡±


    Ste was stunned for a moment. She then remembered the wound he was asking her about was the


    wound she got from being scratched by the pregnantdy in the police station. She was a little


    surprised by his attentiveness.


    ¡°It¡¯s healed. Thank you so much for that day.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all.¡± Marshall paused for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re alone?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m meeting someone. But, he hasn¡¯t arrived yet.¡± She then softly murmured, ¡°I wonder how did he get


    his certificate. He has no sense of time at all.¡±


    Marshall froze for a second. He probed, ¡°Are you meeting awyer?¡±


    Ste was stunned. ¡°How did you know?¡± She then immediately realized what was happening. ¡°You¡¯re


    thatwyer!¡±


    Marshall softlyughed, ¡°Yes. I¡¯m thatwyer who has no sense of time.¡±


    Ste felt extremely awkward. ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I meant¡­ I thought you didn¡¯te. No, I didn¡¯t think


    that you were awyer. You don¡¯t look like one.¡±


    Marshall pulled out the chair and sat across her. He looked interested, as he asked, ¡°What does a


    lawyer supposed to look like?¡±


    Ste braved it out as she pointed at his jacket. ¡°At least wear a suit.¡±


    Marshall smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll take note of that.¡±


    Ste waved her hand. ¡®I was just stereotyping. There¡¯s now saying how awyer should dress.


    Hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°I was just joking. Don¡¯t be so nervous.¡± Marshall tenderly said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about your case¡±


    Ste was relieved, and she nodded her head multiple times.


    They added each other on WhatsApp. Ste then sent Marshall the screenshots she had previously


    collected


    Marshall frowned as he looked at the unsightly screenshots He then logged into his Facebook using his


    laptop to search the specific words.


    Ste only screenshotted the ounts of thements and private messages that insulted her. But


    the truth was, after he searched the keywords, there were many ounts that were specifically used to


    defame her


    Marshall then categorized the ounts that posted simr posts. It can basically confirm the ounts


    that had the same Inte Protocol Address and posted the posts using the same phone were the


    same person.


    After that, he used his work ount to contact those Facebook users. He started with a consultative


    approach to make them delete the abusive remarks. He also asked them to publicly make a post to


    apologize to ¡°Dusk Gxy¡±


    Ste was watching from the side, and she waspletely convinced that he was awyer.


    It was because the words he used tomunicate were very professional and careful.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    However, this kind of consultative approach was clearly not a threat to those people. Some of them did


    not reply to him, and some even scolded him. They cursed and were arrogant. They even blocked


    Marshall¡¯s ount


    He unhurriedly saved the screenshots. He faintly asked, ¡°How do you want them to be punished?¡±


    Ste was startled, ¡°Isn¡¯t this a civil case? If I win thewsuit, at best, I could only make them delete


    their Facebook ount and have them apologize to me publicly, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Marshall smiled. ¡°Reputation dispute is indeed a civil case. The heaviest punishment is only


    compensation. But, if you want them to get heavier punishments, we can sue them for defamation.


    Defamation is a type of criminal offense. The offender would get a permanent criminal record. Not only


    will this criminal record set back their career, but it¡¯ll also affect their next generation¡¯s political


    examination.¡±


    ¡®I can do that?


    ¡°Which has the higher chance of winning the case? Defamation or reputation dispute?¡±

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    Chapter 65


    Marshall said, ¡°Based on the current evidence, for reputation dispute, we¡¯ll definitely win thewsuit.


    For defamation, I¡¯ll still need to collect more evidence.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it easier to win a defamationwsuit?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s stricter to sue someone for defamation. I¡¯ll have to work more on the evidence. Only then can I


    win the case the first time.¡±


    Ste was curious. ¡°What more do you have to do?¡±


    Marshall smiled. ¡°This is the job of awyer. What you need to consider is what kind of punishment you


    want them to get. Do you want them to justpensate you and apologize to you? Or, do you want to


    send a message and deal with the root cause?¡±


    Ste was silent.


    She was troubled by these maliciousments and intentional shaming for nearly a year. At the height


    of the problem, even her phone number was leaked. Those people directly called her or sent her


    messages to abuse her.


    During that period of time, she did not even dare to log into Facebook. She knew clearly that there


    were still many fans who liked and supported her. But, she could not ignore the meanments


    whenever she saw them. Those vicious curses and insults ran wild in her mind endlessly in the dead of


    night. Once someone was trapped in that kind of whirlpool, he or she would instinctively doubt


    themselves.


    She was considered lucky. Felicity noticed it in time when she was depressed at that time. She brought


    her to psychological counseling several times. Only then she slowly got better.


    People who were cyberbullied might go through ordeals. But, those who cyberbullied just wantonly


    typed on a keyboard across the screen. They even acted like good people or vigntes in real life and


    livedfortably.


    The Inte was not awless ce. Why should people who hurt someone be kept out of it after that?


    But, the phrase ¡°get a permanent criminal record¡± caught her attention. She subconsciously weighed


    the seriousness of the consequences in her heart.


    Marshall could tell that she was hesitating. He pondered before he said, ¡°I experienced an incident


    overseas.¡±


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste looked at him.


    Marshall slowly said, ¡°A college girl in her early twenties was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at a young


    age. She was from a well¨Coff family, and her parents were highly educated. They loved her very much.


    And, she was very outstanding too. Before she was diagnosed with cancer, she was just offered a


    graduate program at Northride University.


    ¡°The unexpected illness disrupted this family¡¯s life. Her parents slowed down their work to focus on


    apanying her in fighting against her cancer. Because of the whole family¡¯s efforts, together with


    the positive attitude of the girl, she gradually returned to her normal life after the lesions were removed.


    But in less than two years, the cancer spread again. And, this time was more serious than thest time.


    The doctor gave them the notice regarding her critical condition twice And, he imed that she only


    had a year left at best


    ¡°The girls rtives and friends were very sad After she went through a short period of depression, she


    decided to record the final year of her life and share it on social media tforms. That way could


    mark the wonderful things in this world. And, she also wanted to encourage people who were being


    consumed by pain.


    ¡°She started learning how to shoot videos and edit them to share her daily life. She even joined a ha


    marathon race. She learned skiing and horse riding too, She did everything that she wanted to do the


    most in the final year of her life. The video had around ten million views just a week after it was posted


    Everyone blessed this optimistic young girl who was fighting against cancer But, at the same time,


    there were doubts too.


    ¡°Who could run in a half marathon if the person has carcer?


    ¡°She looks so well. She doesn¡¯t look like someone who has cancer¡±

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    #¡°Why does she have to mention cancer in every video? Is that her way of getting more views?¡±


    ¡°The girl was put in a terrible spot after she spotted a screenshot of somebody else doubting her on the


    Inte. In that screenshot, theizen said that she was going to quit updating her social media


    because of the bacsh, However, otherizens criticize her instead. They said that she shouldn¡¯t


    have put the me on people whomented on her because she¡¯s already an influential Inte


    celebrity They said that she¡¯s setting a bad example for everybody else on the Inte.


    ¡°After that, more and moreizens started doubting and condemning her actions. They began


    questioning the medication list she posted, and they even found out that the hospital she went to had


    no record of her. Someone also discovered that she had already recovered from the first time she was


    diagnosed with cancer, and she was only doing these things for fame. What¡¯s worse is that she¡¯s still


    secretly epting donations from theizens despite being so wealthy.


    ¡°Everyone waited for her response, but there wasn¡¯t a single update on her ount. Half a monthter,


    that ount posted an update telling everybody that the girl had passed away.¡±


    Ste was shocked.


    Marshall gazed at his cup of coffee and stirred it, looking a little indifferent. ¡°She took her own life. She


    won the battle against cancer but lost to theizens¡® abusivements.


    ¡°The girl¡¯s parents also publicized her suicide note, medical records with the hospital¡¯s stamp, and a


    video of the nurses debriding her.


    ¡°She was suffering so badly in that video. She was yelling in pain, and she lookedpletely different


    from the optimistic and cheerful persona she showed everyone on the Inte. Nobody knew how she


    managed to put on makeup and make those videos after going through all that or how she was sent to


    the ICU after the half marathon.


    ¡°The online aggressors started deleting their ounts after that got out. They just killed someone, and


    yet they could just start fresh again after registering a new ount and continue their abusive behavior


    on the next victim.¡±


    Ste felt very bad after hearing that story. She could rte to that girl very much because of the dark


    times she had been through.


    Fortunately, her friend got her out of the vicious cycle and woke her up. However, that girl had lost her


    life


    ¡°Thew is meant to protect human rights, not those animals on the Inte¡±


    Ste was silent for a moment before she looked up and said. ¡°Sue them for defamation.¡±


    Marshall smiled faintly with his gentle eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll gather the users information I can only obtain their


    identity once we make it to court Would you pass me your 1.D? I¡¯m going to need the intiff¡¯s


    information too.¡±


    Ste paused. He¡¯s going to find out that I lied to him about my name previously if I show how my 12


    Marshall asked softly after noticing how Ste just sat there. ¡®Whats wrong¡±


    Then, Ste responded ufortably. I used my friend¡¯s ID to register this ount bar


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    if use her ID to initiate thewsuit?


    It s not re


    11


    mmended her se the victims onhne o ment Dusk Gy ¡±


    anothe


    Marshall asked again after seeing the embarrassed look on her face, ¡°Are you notfortable with


    using your own identity?¡±


    Ste said to herself internally, I¡¯m just worried that you¡¯ll know that I lied to you.¡±

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    Chapter 67


    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you. Not even my family members know that I¡¯m a voice actor. I¡¯m afraid that they¡¯ll


    find out what I¡¯m doing if I were to initiate thewsuit with my own name.¡±


    ¡®This isn¡¯t considered lying, right?¡±


    Marshall understood Ste. ¡°We can use your friend¡¯s name then, but you have to make sure that she¡¯ll


    be fully involved in this case and appear in court.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    Then, Ste told Felicity about what happened and gave her information to Marshall.


    ¡°Felicity Thompson?¡± Marshall was confused. ¡°Do you share the samest name with your friend?¡±


    Ste smiled awkwardly. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Marshall grinned. ¡°How lucky is that ¡±


    Ste felt like she was a cat on a hot tin roof.


    ¡°Ms. Thompson, you don¡¯t have anything else to doter, right?¡±


    Marshall looked up and asked.


    ¡°Is this going to take long?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± Marshallughed. ¡°I just wanted to ask you out for a meal.¡±


    Ste nned to leave right after she got everything sorted out, but she thought that it would be rude to


    reject him.


    ¡°Sure, but I¡¯ll be the one paying. You¡¯ve been so busy the whole morning, and you already helped me


    oncest time. I should be the one treating you to a meal.¡±


    Marshall did not refuse it as he asked with a smile, ¡°What do you feel like eating?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat something you like. I¡¯m not a picky eater, so I¡¯ll be fine with anything.¡±


    Marshall thought to himself for a moment before he said, ¡°Let¡¯s have some local Rivera cuisine, then.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Marshall was a very decisive person perhaps because of what he did for a living. He came up with his


    own idea very quickly after Ste gave up on picking a restaurant and went on with it.


    They walked to the restaurant from the coffee shop.


    The restaurant that Marshall wanted to bring her to was located around the universities on the next


    street.


    That area did not have a lot of parking spots, so they decided to walk there.


    Ste was very familiar with that area, as she and Keegan were both a graduate of Trinity Film


    Academy However, Keegan was in the north campus, while she was in the south campus, which was


    nearer to the


    food in the city


    The restaurants in that area were the source of her happiness during her university days because of


    how delicious and affordable they were.


    Students who majored in art like them took their body shapes very seriously. However, Se loved to


    eat very much, and she would often ask Felicity to have supper with her for about a year Surprisingly,N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Ste


    got skinnier by two pounds, but Felicity grew fatter by more than ten pounds.


    Felicity thought that she was just the type of person who could not get fat no matter how much they eat.


    In fact, Ste¡¯s instructor would force her to put in extra work during every physical education she went


    to after putting her on the weighing scale. Ste would swear to herself never to have supper again


    after that. But, she just could not resist her own temptations whenever she got fitter over and over


    again.


    Ste thought that the time she had in university was the happiest and most rxed. She could


    remember how hopeful and positive she was toward her future too.


    She seemed like she lived a worry¨Cfree life after getting married to Keegan, but nobody knew that she


    had been living in fear


    She would always worry that Keegan would choose Be over her. She noticed that Keegan had been


    doing better and better in his career, yet she could only live in his social circle as only his wife. Ste


    would sometimes lose sleep at night when she thought about the gap between them.


    How could she live while depending entirely on another person? Besides, that person did not even love


    her


    The fact that she could not offer anything to Keegan was why she felt so empty inside.


    Ste believed that their marriage would end sooner orter even without the existence of Be.


    Ste could never get used to Keegan¡¯s favorite Fredrus cuisine, and Keegan would not go to these


    cheap restaurants in front of her university to reminisce about the old times.


    Their lives should have never crossed each other.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little crowded right now. We might need to wait for a while.¡±


    Marshall looked at her and asked, ¡°The food here is not bad, but their setup is a little simple. Are you


    fine with this? We can go to another ce with a better atmosphere if you¡¯re not okay with this.¡±


    Ste came around and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry about me. I alwayse here to eat


    when I was in university. I just didn¡¯t expect that you¡¯d choose this ce.¡±


    Marshall was a little surprised. ¡°You used to go to the university in this area?¡±

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    Chapter 68


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Ste nodded.


    Marshall asked again, ¡°Trinity University?¡±


    Ste paused and said with a smile, ¡®There are six universities around here. What made you guess that


    particr one?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember that I was looking at something on my tablet when you just arrived at the coffee


    shop earlier?¡±


    Ste nodded. She looked very confused as though she wanted to ask him what did that had to do with


    her question.


    Marshall smiled and replied, ¡°I was looking at the clips you dubbed in. You sounded very skillful, and I


    guess you probably dedicated some time to learning that. And, Trinity University is the only ce that


    you could do that.¡±


    Ste¡¯s cheeks turned extremely pinkish.


    She would feel proud whenever she looked at how theizens praised her through the screen. But,


    she got very shy when Marshallplimented her in person.


    ¡°So, did I make the right guess?¡± Marshall asked with a smile.


    Ste nodded. ¡°Impressive, but how did you know this ce? You¡¯re not a graduate from around here


    too, are you?¡±


    Marshall smiled without answering her.


    Then, an idea popped into Ste¡¯s head as she tentatively asked, ¡°Are you from Trinity University too?¡±


    Marshall lifted the edge of his mouth and stretched his arm out. ¡°Marshall Moore, aw student from


    Trinity University.


    ¡°What are the chances?!


    Ste reached out slowly. ¡°¡­Hello, senior.¡±


    Marshall was amused by what Ste called him as he gently said, ¡°Just call me by my name.¡±


    The afternoon sun was very hot when they queued up in front of the restaurant. The sunlight nted in


    andnded right on Ste.


    She had fair skin, and her cheeks turned pink after being exposed to sunlight. There were pinpricks of


    sweat on her nose as well.


    A thought shed across Marshall¡¯s head, and he grabbed Ste¡¯s hand just when she was about to let


    go. Then, he led her to the side and switched positions with her


    The sunlight cast a shadow behind Marshall and shaded Ste.


    Ste was stunned


    However, Marshall looked very natural as he softly asked, ¡®Are you fine with cold drinks?


    She recollected herself and smiled. ¡°Sure¡±


    Some people could never be as meticulous as Marshall no matter how hard they tried, but some per


    were just born with it


    Vermont took off his sses, as he stared at them from across the road.


    Isn¡¯t that Keegan¡¯s wife?


    Why is she with another man?!


    And, they¡¯re holding hands?!


    ¡®Keegan didn¡¯t tell me anything about divorcing!


    Is this woman cheating on Keegan?¡±


    Countless clich¨¦ drama scenes immediately shed across Vermont¡¯s head, as he was overwhelmed


    by his own imagination.


    He quickly took out his phone and snapped a picture.


    The prettydy sitting in his passenger seat got a little upset. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were going to take me


    to


    a photoshoot? Why are you taking pictures of another person?¡±


    ¡°Calm down,¡± Vermont said without looking at her. ¡°I¡¯m catching someone in the act.¡±


    The prettydy frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Vermont looked at the pictures he took and smirked. ¡°Don¡¯t ask. Knowing too much isn¡¯t good for you.¡±


    Thedy pouted and stopped talking.


    Then, Vermont picked a few pictures with tricky angles and sent them to Keegan. [Mr. Kane, you¡¯re in


    trouble]

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    The executives of Vinci Rivera Group were having a meeting


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Keegan was rummaging through the papers silently as the vice president spoke.


    vibrated


    His phone on the table vibrated. He swept his nce across the text and ignored it.


    Vermont got very impatient while waiting for Keegan¡¯s reply because he could not wait any longer to


    see his reaction


    So, he cropped the pictures and zoomed in on Marshall holding Ste¡¯s hand before sending them to


    Keegan again.


    Your wife is holding hands with another man]


    Keegan finally grabbed his phone and viewed the pictures.


    Clearly, the pictures were taken from a distance because of how blurry they looked. However, he could


    tell that thedy was Ste from the way she dressed, but the man¡¯s face who was holding her hand


    was blocked by the nts around him. Keegan could not see that man¡¯s face.


    Keegan frowned.


    Meanwhile, Vermont continued adding fuel to the fire as if he wanted things to turn worse.


    [Did your wife want a divorce from you because she found a new man?]


    [But, her new man is so terrible. How could he bring her to such a cheap restaurant? I wonder what


    your wife sees in him. Could it be genuineness and innocence?]


    Keegan ignored that firebrand and texted Ste instead.


    [Where are you?]


    Ste saw Keegan¡¯s text when they were ordering food. She swept her nce across her phone and


    put it away.


    After they were done ordering, she received a few other texts.


    [Why aren¡¯t you replying?]


    [Text me back if you see this.]


    [Did you go blind?]


    [Ste Jewell, are you ignoring me on purpose¡°]


    Ste¡¯s mouth twitched.


    Why does he have so many questions, right now? He wouldn¡¯t care at all when I go out back then


    Keegan then sent her a picture as soon as she was about to put her phone away again.


    It was a picture of the binding financial agreement she gave him yesterday


    Ste¡¯s mouth twitched again. What an asshole. He only knows how to threaten me with this?


    Then, she immediately texted back. I just saw your texts. I was ordering food just now


    [Where are you¡°)


    in a restaurant near my university)


    [I thought you went shopping with your friends.]


    [I did. We got tired, so we came to eat.]


    ¡°Why is he suddenly asking me about this?¡±


    Ste looked at her surrounding subconsciously and found that there was no one suspicious around


    her ¡®Keegan didn¡¯t send someone to follow me, right?


    Then, Ste texted Keegan again, [Mr. Kane, have you eaten yet? I¡¯ll send something over if you


    haven¡¯t.] [Sure.]


    Ste was left speechless.


    ¡®Can¡¯t he tell that I¡¯m just asking that to look polite?


    Keegan sent her another text as if he really could not notice it at all. [When will you be here?]


    ¡°I just arrived at the restaurant, and I¡¯m still in the queue. I guess I¡¯ll probably need two hours ] Ste


    told him pretentiously. [Why don¡¯t I order some takeouts for you instead? I don¡¯t want you to be too


    hungry while you wait for me.]


    After a while, Keegan replied to her. [Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m in a meeting anyway. Two hours sound just fine.]


    Ste¡¯s mouth twitched as she replied. [Okay then, Mr. Kane. Your patience is very much appreciated.]


    Vermont got very desperate while waiting for Keegan¡¯s reply outside the restaurant.


    They were holding hands! How could he be so calm about it?!


    Does he really want to divorce his trophy wife so badly that he doesn¡¯t care about getting cheated on?¡±


    ¡°Knock, knock.¡± Somebody knocked on Vermont¡¯s car window twice.

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    Chapter 70


    Vermont rolled down his window.


    It was a traffic officer ¡°Ah, a Bentley.¡±


    Vermont was shocked as he responded, ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    The officer swept his nce across him. ¡°You can¡¯t stop here even if you¡¯re driving a Bentley Move


    forward.¡±


    Vermont was left speechless.


    He got chased away by the officer before he could wait for Keegan¡¯s reply.


    ¡°What did you major in?¡±


    Marshall ced a cup of cold drinks in front of Ste.


    Ste put her phone away and lifted her head. ¡°Performing arts.¡±


    Marshall was shocked. ¡°I thought you majored in voice¨Cacting. Why didn¡¯t you stick with performing


    arts?¡±


    Ste did not want to share too much about her personal life with somebody else, so she said vaguely.¡±


    It¡¯s a long story. I¡¯ll tell you about it next time.¡±


    Marshall noticed how she did not feel like answering that question, so he responded with a smile,


    ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Dowyers like you earn a lot?¡±


    Ste threw him a question out of the blue.


    Before this, Ste noticed that even though Marshall always dressed in affordable clothes, his watch


    and tie clip were worth a fortune, not to mention the cars he drove all cost about a million dors.


    She could not help but feel curious about how much one had to earn to be able to afford such a


    luxurious lifestyle.


    Marshall said, ¡°I¡¯m still affiliated with my friend¡¯s office, so I won¡¯t charge you too much. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Ste was shocked and she immediately waved her hand. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. Just charge me


    ordingly. I was just curious ifwyers can make a lot of money. I wasn¡¯t trying to haggle.¡±


    Marshall smiled. ¡°We do make plenty of money, but it depends on the case too. I have a friend who


    specializes in wealthy couples¡® divorcewsuits, mainly in the division of assets. He usually charges


    five percent of the total litigation amount.¡±


    ¡®Five percent¡­¡®


    Ste quickly made some calctions based on the one billion she had and realized that five percent


    of a billion was fifty million!


    I¡¯m sure that wealthy people own at least ten million worth of assets. That means he could earn about.


    five hundred thousand for onewsuit!


    Ste was shocked


    Then, she softly asked, ¡°Do you take divorcewsuits too?¡±


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Marshall nodded. ¡®I have


    ¡°How good are you?¡±


    That question was so straightforward that Marshall thought she sounded a little cute.


    He said gently, ¡°I¡¯ve never lost.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes immediately sparkled.


    ¡®I could sue Keegan anytime if he decided to be a deadbeat.¡±


    Her gaze toward Marshall turned a little more passionate as she thought about that.


    Marshall became shy after being stared at like that. So, he cleared his throat and said in a warm tone,


    ¡°I forgot to get your number just now. Could you send it to me?¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes turned into two crescents. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a call.¡±


    Then, she dialed Marshall¡¯s number which Felicity gave her previously.


    Marshall¡¯s phone rang very quickly after that. Ste put ¡°fifty million¡± in the remark section of his


    number when Marshall was still saving her number.


    Marshall offered to send her back after the meal, but Ste refused it by telling her that she had


    somewhere else to be.


    She turned around and went into a nearby mall after watching Marshall leave.


    Ste only went to give Keegan food around two o¡¯clock.


    She had a lot of things in her hands. Not only was she holding the food she brought for Keegan, but


    also many other items she got from the mall.


    The receptionist immediately went to her to help as soon as she stepped into the office.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Ste said before she realized that he was the same guy who denied her entry previously.


    The receptionist looked very nervouspared to before.


    Ste thought that it was funny. She grabbed a packet of snacks from her bag and handed it to him


    after she got out of the elevator. ¡°Thank you for helping mest time.¡±


    The receptionist saw Keegan standing in the corridor with a long face while staring at him coldly, as


    soon as he was about to take the snacks from Ste.

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    The receptionist¡¯s hands were quivering with fear, and he quickly drew them back.


    ¡°M¨CMr. Kane.¡±


    Ste turned her head.


    I don¡¯t know when did Keegan stand over there. But, his eyes are cold as if someone owed him


    money.¡±


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    At the thought of that, Ste suddenly paused.


    Whenever Keegan sees me, he probably thinks of the one billion he¡¯ll be paying. That¡¯s why he always


    gives me his attitude.¡±


    Ste smiled immediately. ¡°Mr. Kane, sorry to keep you waiting.¡±


    Keegan snorted, ¡°You¡¯re toote!¡±


    Ste smiled apologetically. ¡°I could havee half an hour earlier, but when I picked up the clothes, I


    saw a new product that was pretty good. So, I bought two shirts for you, which dyed me a bit.¡±


    Keegan paused. Then, he snorted softly. ¡°You have many excuses. However, his tone was much better.


    than before.


    He nced at her after he said, ¡°Why are you still here?¡±


    Ste cursed the ancestors of the Kane family in her heart again. Then, she took the things from the


    receptionist and slipped him the snack incidentally.


    The receptionist was scared to take it. He waved his hand and said, ¡°Ma¡¯am, this is my job. You don¡¯t


    have to thank me.¡±


    ¡°It has nothing to do with your work. It¡¯s just thank you for taking the pictures for mest time.¡±


    The receptionist¡¯s face became pale with fear, and his legs felt like jelly. Since that incident, he felt


    uneasy and nervous whenever Keegan passed by the front desk. Fortunately, nothing happened during


    this week¡¯s work, and he gradually felt relieved.


    In the end, Ste brought it out again. He could feel Keegan¡¯s icy gaze without raising his head.


    ¡°Are you done wasting my time?¡± Keegan¡¯s face was grim.


    This stupid man is picking on me again!¡±


    Ste slipped the snack directly along with some things.


    The receptionist held the snack and tried to figure out Keegan¡¯s gaze before he left. The more he


    thought about it, the more frightened he became. Suddenly, the snack in his hand was like a hot potato.


    In the Managing Director¡¯s Office, Ste unpacked the food one by one and introduced it with great


    familiarity


    ¡°The Boova Shenkel from the Royal Feast has thin skin and great filling And, the handmade Pierogi


    stuffed with pork and shrimp has a nice and chewy texture. There are also meatballs, and they¡¯re


    authentic You can¡¯t even buy it if you¡¯rete This is a set of stir¨Cfry vegetables There¡¯s nothing special


    about this dish. It¡¯s mainly for building a bnced meal. Moreover, the fruit soup with sweet and sour


    taste helps to relieve greasiness and digestion.¡±


    After finishing her exnation, Ste handed the fork to Keegan with smiling eyes. ¡°Enjoy your meal.


    Mr


    Kane


    Keegan took the fork and tly said, ¡°Didn¡¯t Albert give you enough living expenses during your school


    time?¡±


    Ste froze for a moment, ¡°It was enough. What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Keegan nced at her. ¡°Nothing. You introduced the dishes so smoothly I thought you had served


    dishes in restaurants during your work¨Cstudy program.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have continued the nonsense conversation with Keegan! Apart from being mean and


    having a dig at me, he won¡¯t say anything good.¡±


    She red at Keegan. Then, she ignored the vicious guy and turned to fiddle with the new clothes she


    had bought.


    ¡°Although I spent my money in today¡¯s shopping. I¡¯m not as stingy as you. Here. These two shirts are


    for you.¡±


    Keegan said coolly, ¡°Should I be grateful to you?¡±

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    Chapter 72


    Ste smiled with her eyes. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. It¡¯ll be nice if you keep your promise to give me


    one billion dors and divorce me after getting The Vinci Rivera Group¡¯s control.¡±


    Keegan hummed softly, ¡°Go make me a cup of tea.¡±


    Ste was busy removing the tag. ¡°Isn¡¯t Aldor outside? Ask him to make it for you.¡±


    Keegan paused for a moment with his fork. ¡°Are you nning to split half of the one billion with Aldor?


    Ste froze. Then, she stood up with a fake smile. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll go now! Mr. Kane, please wait a moment.¡±


    Ste cursed quietly after leaving the office. You¡¯re just paying me some money and treating me like at


    maid. When I¡¯m rich, I have to throw money at Keegan¡¯s face and make him sumb to me!


    She bumped into Aldor not far away. Aldor was hurrying with the document in his hands. He greeted


    Ste politely after running into her.


    Ste stopped him and asked, ¡°Where is the break room?¡±


    ¡°The break room?¡± Aldor was stunned for a moment and tentatively asked, ¡°You want some tea,


    Ma¡¯am?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Keegan who wants the tea. But, I don¡¯t know where the break room is.¡±


    Aldor pursed his lips.


    There¡¯s a personal assistant in the secretary¡¯s office who is responsible for serving Keegan¡¯s drinks.


    Besides, Keegan¡¯s office is equipped with a water purifier too. Why would Keegan ask his wife to serve


    him?


    He was a little puzzled, but he did not ask much and told Ste the location of the break room. After


    Ste had left, he turned and went to the Managing Director¡¯s Office.


    When Aldor knocked on the door and entered, Keegan stood beside the couch with his mobile phone.


    He was bending over to check the clothes in the bag. His movement was calm, but it felt weird.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Keegan did not look up at him but gestured with his mobile phone.


    Aldor said, ¡°Your father¨Cinw, Mr. Jewell wants to invest in Semiconductor Technology. He asked Mr


    Zinn of Semiconductor Technology to have dinner several times. Mr. Zinn knew the rtionship


    between Mr Jewell and you. It¡¯s hard to refuse. So, he called and asked for your opinion.¡±


    The founder of Semiconductor Technology, Mr. Zinn, was Keegan¡¯s senior and a Ph.D. in the


    Department of Physics at Trinity University. After Mr. Zinn graduated, he gave up a well¨Cpaid job at the


    top 100 enterprises and started Semiconductor Technology by himself to do independent research and


    development of chips.


    At that time, all the people he recruited to start a business were his fellow apprentices, a group of youth


    who were full of enthusiasm and devoted themselves to research and development.


    In the end, two core research and development personnel were poached by otherpanies with an


    annual sry of 600,000 dors when the firm just got better. They even took away the achievements


    at


    that time


    The firm suffered a severe setback and was unable to continue Now that he wasered, Mr. Zines


    contacted Keegan through his ssmates. He hoped Keegan could invest in Semiconductor


    Technology


    Chip research and development were expensive Small businesses could not perform well, while big


    companies looked down on the investment¡¯s return. Therefore even though this industry had exem


    development prospects, only a few businessmen were willing to invest in research and development.


    If there was a breakthrough in research and development, the economic benefits brought by it would


    increase by a hundred times. However, tens of millions or even hundreds of millions a year might be in


    vain if there was no breakthrough.


    After careful evaluation and investigation, Keegan bought 60% of Semiconductor Technology¡¯s shares


    at 30 million and became the actual controlling shareholder.


    At the same time, he recruited many talents in the industry with high sries and expanded the scale


    of the entireboratory. At the beginning of the year, Semiconductor Technology achieved a


    breakthrough. Many business people sniffed out the opportunities and made offers one after another.


    However, these businessmen were considered rivals, and their business sense was sensitive. So, it


    was unsurprising even though they knew about it. But, Albert was producing low¨Cend electric


    appliances. How did he know about this?


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°How much does he want to invest?¡±


    Keegan took a photo but seemed dissatisfied. He adjusted the angle again.


    ¡°He told Mr. Zinn thoroughly. He said at least 80 million.¡±


    Keegan paused. ¡°Hispany has less than 80 million turnovers in half a year. Where did he get this


    much money?¡±

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    Chapter 73


    Aldor shook his head. ¡°Mr. Zinn said that Albert spoke with great confidence at the time. It didn¡¯t seem


    like he was bragging Mr Zinn knew his rtionship with you, so he couldn¡¯t refuse directly. He said he


    would discuss it with the other shareholders.¡±


    Keegan hesitated for a while. ¡°Find out who Albert has been in contact withtely and what he is doing


    ¡± ¡°Okay. What about Mr. Zinn?¡±


    ¡°Ask him to continue his research with peace of mind. I¡¯ll assign others to deal with it.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Aldor was about to leave after reporting. However, Keegan stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯t leave yet.¡±


    Aldor staggered.


    Keegan tly said, ¡°Do you know how to take photos?¡±


    Aldor said after a dy, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Keegan handed him the phone and said, ¡°Take a picture of these clothes for me.


    Make them look good.¡±


    Although Aldor was puzzled, he did not ask much. He took Keegan¡¯s phone, made a lightposition


    for the object to be photographed, and took a picture.


    ¡°Keegan, is this okay?¡±


    Keegan looked through the picture and nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Aldor was still nk when he left the office. When did Keegan get interested in taking pictures?


    At the same time, Vermont¡¯s phone vibrated when he apanied a beauty in taking photos. He


    opened it and spat a sip of water on the screen directly.


    Keegan had sent him a few pictures of his new shirts. It was not excessive, but the words he sent right


    after were.


    [You¡¯ve been alive for nearly thirty years. Has anyone bought you clothes besides your mom?]


    [There is.]


    Vermont¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Showing off for what! Isn¡¯t it just two shirts? Everyone wore it before!


    The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he felt.


    ¡®Although I seem to have fun with so many women all these years, none of them could get along with


    me for a long time, let alone buy me any shirts. Those women probably don¡¯t even know what size I¡¯m


    wearing. They cried when we broke up, and they turned against me immediately after they took the


    money¡®


    The more he thought about it, the more depressed he felt.


    The woman saw Vermont sitting on the couch in a daze when she just came out of the bathroom


    wrapped in a towel. She walked over, sat in his arms, and drew circles on his chest with her hand ¡°Why


    didn¡¯t you take off your clothes?¡±


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont pulled her hand off and tentatively said, ¡°Tomorrow is my birthday Do you have any presents


    for


    me?


    The woman froze for a moment. Then, she smiled, ¡°Of course. I have already prepared it for you.¡±


    Vermont felt better immediately. ¡°Someone will also send presents to me, okay?¡±


    But, on second thought, ¡®Damn it! It¡¯s not my birthday tomorrow. I just casually tried it out, and she said


    yes. Isn¡¯t it obvious that she doesn¡¯t even know when my birthday is?¡±


    Vermont was depressed, and¡¯he calmly asked, ¡°What have you prepared?¡±


    The woman took his hand and put it on her chest. Then, she lifted the towel away gently and


    ambiguously said, ¡°I give myself to you.¡±


    Vermont was speechless, and the smile on his face disappeared in an instant. He pushed the woman


    off hisp, got up, buttoned up his shirt slowly, and tly said, ¡°Something came up in thepany. I


    have to go.¡±

 Chapter 74

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 74


    Chapter 74


    The woman frowned and said, I¡¯m already like this, and you want to leave?¡±


    Vermont nced at her ¡°And, don¡¯t call me again from now Let¡¯s call it a day¡±


    In the end, the woman¡¯s face changed She wrapped her self in a bath towel, gritted her teeth, and


    cursed,¡± Vermont, you bastard! How can you call yourself a human being?¡±


    Vermont snorted softly, It¡¯s consensual Don¡¯t make yourself sound innocent.¡±


    He wrote a check and stuffed it into her bath towel as he said, ¡°But, I¡¯m always tender toward pretty


    girls. So, this is for yourpensation)


    The woman¡¯s face changed a few times, and then she finally put away the check But, she still scolded.


    Vermont, Jerk! You bastard! You will be punished eventually!¡±


    Vermont did not seem surprised. He shrugged, turned around, and left


    Keegan went to a meeting after the meal Ste wanted to leave, but Keegan said he would take her for


    stylingter If she could not be found at that time, she would not get any money after the divorce.


    Ste had no choice. Since the agreement was signed, the one billion dors kept her on a tight leash.


    So, she could only wait for him in the office.


    Keegan¡¯s office was very drab. There were only the desk, the couch, and the bookshelf with only three


    colors, which were ck, white, and gray.


    Nearly half of the books on the row of the bookshelf were Yostrainian, while the remaining half were


    almost professional books. There were a few other books asionally interspersed in between, and


    they were like the Four Great ssical Novels and the Twenty¨CFour Histories. There was not even a


    novel for entertainment.


    Ste searched around. In the end, she took a copy of History As a Mirror and hugged it to the couch to


    pass the time. She was taken aback when she opened the book. There was no corresponding


    trantion of the book, and it was presented in ssicalnguage, which brought her back to middle


    school instantly. After reading a page, ¡°I don¡¯t get it was the only word that remained in her mind.


    ¡°Keegan is crazy!


    Ste closed the book, yed with her phone, and found that she was trending because she was being


    scolded. She opened her social media app with a puzzled expression.


    The keyword of the trend was Dusk Gxy is a Scoundrel.


    It turned out that ¡°Honor of the Deities¡± had officially announced Vixen¡¯s voice actor, and Be¡¯s fans


    spammed under the official announcement, which aroused strong dissatisfaction among the fans of the


    game. Both sides started to fight.


    A marketing ount uploaded a post on social media after that. It said that the original voice actor of


    Vixen in ¡°Honor of the Deities¡± was a famous voice actor in the field of voice¨Cacting. They were about


    to sign the contract, but a celebrity with high poprity stole the opportunity


    The post had strong implications. Was Be not the announced official voice actor of Vixen? And, was


    Dusk Gxy not currently the famous voice actor in the voice¨Cacting field and just dubbed for a big hit


    drama?


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    With new and old grudges, the fans of both sides were torn apart.


    Half an hourter, Be reposted the official post of ¡°Honor of the Deities¡± with a text.


    [It¡¯s a great honor to participate in the dubbing of ¡°Honor of the Deities.¡± I was very nervous during the


    audition because I¡¯m not a professional voice actor Fortunately, the director was satisfied with my first


    andst presentations. I¡¯m Be, the voice actor of Vixen. The mobile game ¡°Honor of the Deities¡± will


    beunched on June 6. Please stay tuned.]


    Just such a teasing speech brought all the troubles to Ste.


    ording to Be, she got the role through an audition and was handpicked by the director of ¡°Honor


    of the Deities¡± So, there was no such thing as her stealing the opportunity.


    The marketing ount before was suspected of rumors, and who was the vested interest in this


    rumor? It must be Dusk Gxy who was trending


    Be¡¯s fans appeared after hearing the news. They scolded her in hertest post with tens of


    thousands ofments.


    ¡°Are you this crazy obsessed with being popr? Will you die if you don¡¯t ride on Be¡¯s wave?¡±


    ¡°Riding on the wave of others for what! Are you addicted to causing trouble for others?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a voice actor as dramatic as you. If you want to be famous, you can debut and act.


    Let¡¯s see what the first domineeringdy looks like?¡±


    ¡°Does she dare? She might scare her male fans to death if she showed her face. If she¡¯s pretty, why


    would she hide behind the scenes?¡±

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    Thesements were considered polite. The others were either cursing her to death or sending


    genital pictures to her, which was unsightly.


    Ste¡¯s blood pressure rose all of a sudden.


    ¡®How can there be such a person who takes one¡¯s undeserved gain for granted, is full of lies, and acts


    dumb? Keegan is such a sucker! He¡¯s a smart businessman, but why is he blind when he¡¯s looking for


    a woman? Ste thought.


    The more she scrolled, the angrier she became. Ste could not help but send a message to Felicity.


    Tell me, what strengths does Be have that¡¯s worth Keegan obsessing over for so many years?¡±


    Felicity was confused about the script change. When she saw Ste¡¯s message, she said without


    thinking. ¡°A leopard can¡¯t change its spots.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    Those offensive words made a little sense, and they made Ste feel a bit better immediately.


    Since Be was the first to stir up trouble, don¡¯t me me for being ruthless. Anyone can be an angelic


    bitch. You would consider me weaker if I didn¡¯t show anything!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Ten minutester, Ste posted a recording with the text.


    [Thank you for your attention. I did participate in the dubbing of ¡®Honor of the Deities,¡± but unfortunately,


    1 wasn¡¯t selected. So, it¡¯s different from what the Inte says. I didn¡¯t sign the contract. There¡¯s one


    point! would like to rify with everyone. The production team of ¡°Honor of the Deities¡± is the most


    professional and responsible team I have ever seen. The characters they choose must have been


    carefully and professionally considered. I respect their decision and look forward to the coboration


    opportunities with ¡°Honor of the Deities¡± in the future. Besides, please support @Be. She¡¯s the most


    hard¨Cworking actress I have ever seen. However, I¡¯m a bit sad that I couldn¡¯t meet her on the audition


    day. I also know that some fans feel disappointed that I didn¡¯t dub for Vixen. So, I¡¯ll release my part of


    the audition. Everyone can listen to it casually for entertainment. Let¡¯s dismiss this.]


    The recording Ste posted was exactly the audio of her audition at Neon Neb. She had the habit of


    comparing her recordings during sound auditions, and this had gotten permission from the director.


    What was released happened to be the audio narrated by Be in the official announcement clip. The


    words were clear, the emotions were precisely expressed, and the transition of her breath was natural


    The unedited version was much better than Be¡¯s edited version. It made everyone assume that the


    director was a fool if he chose Be after testing both audio recordings.


    Anyone who had heard the dubbing of the two versions would not subconsciously say that Be¡¯s was


    better. Their level was way too far apart. It was easy to judge which was better as soon as Dusk Gxy


    was dubbed.


    There was nothing wrong when one looked at the text that Ste had posted. But, the audio was filled


    with ridicule.


    Soon, someone interpreted some information from that post.


    First, Dusk Gxy went to audition, and the director was satisfied. It was disclosed in the audio.


    Second, Be was not present on the audition day. So, what Be had said about participating in the


    audition was false Third, Dusk Gxy was more professional whenparing the two dubbings.


    However Be was chosen in the end. Obviously, people who had many resources plundered it.


    An unexpected thing happened next. The official ount of ¡°Honor of the Deities¡± liked the interpreted


    post!


    Oh, man! What kind of action was that? Did the producer take the lead in siding and attacking his


    teammates?


    Suddenly, Be was in the eye of the storm. The viciousizens directlybeled her, ¡°The first bitch in


    showbiz¡± She did bad things and still wanted a good reputation!


    With this incident, the official ount of ¡°Honor of the Deities¡± gained hundreds of thousands of


    followers in an hour, upied eight trending lists, and achieved a marketing effect of tens of millions


    without spending a penny.


    Vermont grinned from ear to ear. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think that Keegan¡¯s wife was so interesting before?

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    He was slightly keen on knowing about Keegan¡¯s reaction after she fell off the horse before Keegan.


    On the other hand, Be was in a big conundrum. She had risen to poprity within these two years.


    Just as she debuted, the resources she obtained were great


    However, the piece of the pie was only so big. If Ste ate a bigger part, it was natural that she had


    taken other people¡¯s share of the pie The actresses who were in the same field and career path had a


    deep resentment toward her Yet, for some reason, Be¡¯s crew was highly obnoxious. The popr


    searches they bought off were either used to demean others or to show dominance


    During the event of the massive pile-up previously, the incident about her monopolizing the popr


    searches to sensationalize herself had already displeased everyone. In a few days, she caused


    another issue that riled the people mockery Even the fans were unable to control thements.


    Be was so furious that she wanted to curse at someone. Nevertheless, her manager advised her to


    turn off thements and slowly suppress the popr searches.


    After Ste had released all her rage, she felt much morefortable She saw that it was still early


    andy on the sofa to take a nap


    That mutt of a man truly knows how to enjoy life. The couch is very soft, and the office temperature is


    just right. Even the air seemed fresher than outside, she dreamily thought about that and fell asleep in


    no time


    She seemed as though she was stepping on cotton in her dream, and her whole body felt light. It was


    indescribablyfortable. However, the surroundings slowly turned hot. Her body was aching and


    limp, with not much strength left.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Suddenly, she felt a hand covering her forehead. It might be due to the surrounding temperature being


    too high, and it was possible that her own body temperature was too high. Still, she felt that the hand


    was quite cool to the touch. It touched her skin and gave her an immeasurablefort that she could


    not help but rub herself against.


    The hand paused for a bit. Its thumb caressed Ste¡¯s boiling-hot lips and kneaded them hard. The


    rough gesture caused Ste pain, so she furrowed her brows. She struggled to wake up from the pain,


    but the hand covered her eyes and blocked her line of sight.


    The next second, a worm thing touched her corbone. A wave of masculine scent washed through her


    nerves. Ste was horrified deep down. Yet, she could not open her eyes. She kept trying while the


    hand on her body got more and more outrageous¡­


    She was so anxious that she bit down hard on her lips. The stinging pain made her return to her


    senses. She immediately opened her eyes and gave a kick. The kick flew out but did not hit anyone.


    Instead, the excessive force caused her to crash down from the couch, and her chin hit the floor


    Thankfully, a thick wool carpet was on top, so it was not that painful.


    She opened her eyes, and in front of her was a pair of clean male leather shoes. The suit pants that


    were ironed straight were hugging onto the man¡¯s muscr calves. The pants of the legs were so clean


    that it was enough to show that the owner was a perfectionist.


    She paused for a bit, and her gaze moved upwards. Keegan was holding his phone and sitting on the


    couch beside her. He looked at her condescendingly, then he spoke in a cold tone. ¡°It¡¯s an authentic


    leather couch flown here from Italy. In the few years since it arrived at my office, it hasn¡¯t been in


    contact with any moisture. Today, it has been ruined by your mouth¡±


    Ste lifted her head and saw a small patch of moisture on the ce she had put her head on. She


    instinctively pulled a tissue to wipe it.


    ¡°By destroying the evidence, you could prove that it wasn¡¯t you?¡± Keegan asked.


    Ste was speechless. She red at him, and she was embarrassed. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose!¡±


    She stood up from the ground with gritted teeth. Then, she remembered something and lowered her


    head to give it a nce. The zipper on the skirt had yet to be pulled open. Her whole body was


    considered tidy. but the caress from then clearly felt real. Could it be that she merely dreamed it?


    She looked at Keegan confusingly while thetter crossed his legs and toyed with his cell phone. He


    met her gaze, and it did not show any sign of dodging, just like his usual self, cold and indifferent. As


    he proceeded to speak, it immediately dispelled any illogical thoughts she had of him.


    ¡°The booking plus the airfarees to a total of 3.7 million. You want to transfer or deduct it?¡± Keegan


    said

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    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 77


    Chapter 77


    Ste¡¯s lips twitched ¡°Was your family business this huge because you used dirty tactics like this to


    scam people? Why dont you go and rob people instead?¡±


    Keegan answered. ¡°That would be illegal. I am still quitepliant toward thew.¡±


    Ste red at him for a long time and could not think of any words to rebut him. In the end, she


    scrambled away with the excuse of using the washroom. Keegan watched her fleeing silhouette and


    then nced at the deep marks on the sofa. He paused, then stretched his hands to loosen his tie


    When he exited thepany building. Keegan detoured to fetch Aurora. Aurora usually did not like to


    attend these types of events. She thought that the people were being phony and there was too much


    small talk. In addition to that, she frequently spoke outrageous things, was arrogant, and easily


    offended people Hence, even Dahlia did not ask her to attend. On the other hand, Aurora preferred


    shopping and drinking afternoon tea with the other heiresses. She was the only girl in their generation


    in the Kane family, so the elders were incredibly lenient toward her.


    However, this time, Aurora surprisingly volunteered to participate. Even though Keegan was stuck on


    the road for a short while, she started to rant on the phone to him. Keegan did not tolerate her terrible


    behavior at all and hung up the call halfway through her rant. Ste was dumbfounded. It seemed that


    the only one who was able to control Aurora was Keegan.


    When they arrived at the gates of Stag University, they could see Aurora rushing over from afar By the


    time she had opened the door, she had seen Ste, and her expression fellpletely as she


    grumbled, ¡°I was wondering why you were dawdling around. Turns out you brought your beloved wife.¡±


    Ste was confused. Keegan gave her an emotionless nce and said, ¡°What nonsense are you


    talking about? Get in the car.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He actually did not even deny it? What beloved wife? What an absurd way to address me! Ste


    thought. She felt ufortable deep down, so she awkwardly moved herself to the side. Keegan saw


    her movements and pursed his lips


    When they reached the fashion studio, the manager immediately came over to wee them. The two


    women were swiftly brought to the fitting rooms to do their makeup. Keegan, on the other hand, waited


    outside


    However, not long after, the manager came over and was embarrassed to tell him, ¡°Mr Kane, the dress


    you custom ordered for Mrs. Kane has caught the eye of Ms. Kane. She insisted on making a scene


    because she wanted to wear it, and she even hit my colleague who brought her to the fitting room.


    Keegan¡¯s expression did not change much, and he merely asked, ¡°What was my wife¡¯s reaction?¡±


    The manager froze and stuttered, ¡°She didn¡¯t say anything.¡±


    Keegan paused for a bit and got up. ¡°Let¡¯s go over there and have a look¡± The manager immediately


    started to lead the way.


    ¡°Ms. Kane. the dress is quite beautiful, but the color and style don¡¯t suit your qualities. If you like more


    mature¨Cstyled dresses, you can try this set. This one¡¯s design in the front is like a princess skirt, while


    the back has a bareback design. It¡¯s yfully mixed with a little sexiness, which is more suitable for


    you.¡±


    The stylist who brought her to choose her dress continuously guided her However, Aurora could not get


    a single word into her ears.


    said I want that one Do none of you understand English? I just beat up that one girl, and now there


    another one. Why? You think you can persuade me better than her?¡±


    The stylist¡¯s expression froze, but she still smiled apologetically and said, ¡°That gown is custom


    ordered. The sizes are done ordingly to Mrs. Kane. There is only one of them, so you would not fit


    into it. If you really like it, Ms. Kane, we can help you make a reservation.¡±


    Aurora¡¯s rage red in an instant. ¡°What do you mean by that? Are you saying my figure is worse? Why


    would I want the same dress? If it¡¯s the same style, what¡¯s the point of me telling you to look for a


    designer?¡±


    Upon hearing that, the stylist¡¯s face darkened.

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    Chapter 78


    After entertaining many celebrities and divas, she had never seen someone as unreasonable as Aurora


    Kane


    Thankfully, the manager came in time and quickly smoothed things over ¡°The subordinates don¡¯t know


    what they¡¯re talking about. There is no need to be angry, Ms. Kane. Why not look at this piece? This


    piece is also a design that came today. This piece is also the one that won awards at the spring fashion


    show. Why don¡¯t you see if you like it or not?¡±


    The manager¡¯s speech had just finished when Ste came out of the fitting room wearing the gown.


    The gown was made of burgundy red silk with a firm drape that fully entuated the female curves.


    Ste¡¯s skin tone was fair, so the contrast in color was strong and could increase her seductive charm


    to the extreme.


    Keegan¡¯s gaze froze for a few seconds and naturally moved away. Aurora saw Ste¡¯s effect, and she


    wanted that dress even more after she saw Ste wearing it. She was eager to shed Marshall¡¯s image


    of her as a little girl and hoped that he would treat her the same as he would with a woman. And, Ste


    presented the exact effect she wanted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want that piece.¡± Aurora ran up to Keegan and coyly said, ¡°Keegan, I want to try the dress on


    Ste.


    Keegan said calmly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t suit you.¡±


    Aurora rebutted resentfully, ¡°I haven¡¯t even tried it. How would you know it wouldn¡¯t suit me? I have


    almost the same body shape as Ste.¡±


    Keegan did not say anything. He looked at Ste and asked, ¡°What¡¯s your view on this?¡±


    What¡¯s my view on this? Regardless of how I see it, wouldn¡¯t Keegan be the one to decide it in the


    end? Ste thought.


    It was just like her birthdayst year. She did not even see the cake she had wished for so badly, and


    Keegan gifted it to Aurora. When she came back, she threw a fit. Then, Keegan told her frustratingly


    that she was being unreasonably vexed over a piece of cake. He did not know that she had never


    cared about the piece of cake or clothing. What she cared about was how much did Keegan treasure


    her. If the item was not meant for her, she would not have shamelessly asked for it, even if she liked it


    very much.


    Ste replied emotionlessly, ¡°If Aurora wants to try it, then let her try it. I¡¯m going to change my clothes,¡±


    as she said that, she turned around and returned to the fitting room. She did not even nce at


    Keegan. Keegan had a thoughtful expression on his face. Who knew what he was thinking. Aurora got


    the dress and excitedly ran into the fitting room to change. She was slightly shorter, and her proportions


    were not as lovely as Ste¡¯s. Even her skin tone was not as fair as Ste¡¯s. Instead, her waist was


    much thicker than Ste, so she had to suck in her stomach when she wore the skirt. Only then could


    she barely put on the dress.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    However, her face was massively different from Ste¡¯s. Ste¡¯s beauty was a bright and regal type.


    She was the type of beauty with sharp features. Although Aurora inherited Dahlia¡¯s looks, her features


    were stili maturing and were not as delicate as Keegan¡¯s. She also did not have Dahlia¡¯s ss.


    When she wore the gown, she looked like a kid who had stolen an adult¡¯s dress. No matter how one


    looked at it, it did not fit her Yet, for some reason, Aurora was very pleased with herself. She did a twirt


    before the mirror and ran up to Keegan¡¯s side happily. ¡°Keegan, I want this piece¡±


    Once Aurora spoke. everyone looked at Ste. There was Mr. Kane¡¯s wife on one side, and the other


    was


    Mr. Kane s sister Who would Mr Kane side with?


    Keegan unsurprisingly made a choice. He told Ste, ¡°You should choose another set¡±


    Although she had already known the result, the moment Keegan made his choice, Ste still felt


    immensely disappointed. He would never side with her.


    Suddenly, she felt a rebellious feeling rising inside her Ste lifted her gaze and said, ¡°The dress was


    custom¨Cmade to my measurements; why should I let her have it?¡±

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    Chapter 79


    Keegan did not seem to notice her anger, as he nonchntly said, ¡°You¡¯re not suited for it.¡±


    The half¨Chearted answer made Ste chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s made to my measurements, yet it¡¯s still not


    suitable? Keegan, if you want to lie to me, at leaste up with a better excuse.¡±


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Keegan furrowed his brows. It was a sign that he was getting frustrated. However, he still suppressed


    his rage and patiently said in a serious tone, ¡°You can choose any of the best gown¡¯s in the store, but


    not this piece¡±


    He felt that he had already made the biggestpromise, yet Ste looked like she wanted to pick a


    fight with him.


    ¡°What if I insist on having this gown?¡± Ste said.


    Keegan finally lost his patience and coldly said, ¡°I already said that you can¡¯t have this dress!¡±


    Ste pursed her lips tightly Aurora felt smug deep down and said, ¡°Ste, although the dress was


    custom -made to your measurements, this is my brother¡¯s money we¡¯re spending. He can give it to


    whoever he wants.¡±


    Ste looked at Keegan, and he showed no sign of stopping Aurora. Ste¡¯s heart almost sank fully.


    Aurora saw that, and her words grew more outrageous. ¡°If you¡¯re not satisfied, use your Jewell family


    money to buy it. Your adopted sister is still looking everywhere to find ways to earn money while you


    don¡¯t do anything all day. You merely spend the money of our family and be pampered. I truly don¡¯t


    know why grandma agreed to let you into our home?¡±


    ¡°Keep your mouth shut! It might have been due to the situation consisting of a crowd and saying those


    words was undignified and demeaning, as Keegan had finally called out to stop Aurora.


    Then, he said to the manager, ¡°Bring her to finish her makeup.¡±


    The manager quickly arranged for two assistants to help.


    Aurora pouted her lips but did not dare to go against Keegan. Before she left, she nced at Ste.


    Her eyes were filled with smugness, and Ste¡¯s expression was tranquil.


    The sharp tongue she had previously seemed to have disappeared after Aurora said those insulting


    words. She was not going head¨Cto¨Chead with him like before. He was supposed to feel d since he


    had been having headaches due to her sharp tongue these days.


    Yet, when he saw her in that state, he felt difort in his heart. Keegan paused, then he opened his


    mouth to speak. His tone was stiff from inexperience. ¡°You can pick another gown, no matter how


    expensive it is.¡±


    Ste¡¯s gaze was filled with a tinge of mockery when she looked at him. ¡°In the past, it was a cake.


    Now. it¡¯s the dress. What about next time? Would you dig out my heart and give it to her if she asked


    for it someday?¡±


    Keegan felt his heart constrict, and he scolded, ¡°What nonsense are you saying!¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Ste shrugged, ¡°You might not dig it out directly, right? Why would you break thew yourself?


    You merely need to create an ident. If she wants something from my body, isn¡¯t it possible for you


    with just a wave of your finger?¡±


    ¡°Ste, that¡¯s enough from you!¡± Keegan could not suppress his fury anymore. ¡°It¡¯s just a piece of


    clothing I said you are free to pick anything else. Is there a need to insist on not letting this piece go?¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be hanging on to it. It was bought with the money of the Kane family. What right do I have


    to win it? Ste¡¯s eyes were downcast, and her tone was soft. ¡°What I liked and wanted was never


    important deep in your heart.¡±


    Keegan was so angry at her that heshed out, ¡°It¡¯s great that you know now!¡±


    Ste¡¯s breathing stopped, and her heart clenched. Then, a dense pain started toe from her heart.


    Keegan did not want to argue with her anymore. He was afraid that if they continued their argument, he


    could not resist losing his temper


    He left the manager with a few words. ¡°Help her choose some clothes.¡± Then, he turned around and


    left.


    The manager felt awkward. This was a couple¡¯s quarrel, and he was stuck in the middle, unsure


    whether he needed to mediate. After all, Keegan was a major client of the store. What if they caused


    more trouble and offended someone? That would not be worth their while.


    ¡°Mrs. Kane, I still have many gowns in the store. I can show you around,¡± the manager offered.


    Ste had pulled herself out from the emotions before, and her expression had returned to normal. She


    casually said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to. Help me choose a suit instead.¡±


    The manager paused. ¡°A suit?¡±

 Chapter 80

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 80


    Chapter 80


    Ste repeated herself, ¡°Didn¡¯t he say that it was up to me to choose?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Kane did say that, but. The manager hesitated a little, then he tactfully said, ¡°Mrs. Kane, this is a


    charity g. Thedies of Rivera¡¯s elites would be dressedvishly to attend it. If you wear a suit, it


    wouldn¡¯t be suitable.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll wear a suit Ste knew about the manager¡¯s doubts and added, ¡°If Keegan looks for you, you can


    say that I insisted on wearing it myself. Let him settle this with me.


    Since she had said that, the manager could no longer refuse and brought Ste to pick up her suit.


    Some people required clothes to entuate their beauty, while some were born to be models. They


    would be able tomand attention regardless of whatever clothes they had.


    Ste chose a white woman¡¯s suit with a ck low¨Ccut vest inside to match it. Her long hair was tied


    into a ponytail. Her whole presence was different from how she looked in the gown she had worn


    previously She looked intellectual andpetent.


    The stylist could not even do much with her face. They could only do a simple makeup that was


    sufficient to attract people¡¯s gaze. Ste did not require heavy stage makeup toplement her


    clothes.


    Her face was absolutely perfect and wless.


    Keegan idly flipped through the magazines to pass the time when he heard footsteps from behind. He


    initially was not concerned about it until the sound got closer. Then, a pair of ck stilettos appeared


    before him. Keegan¡¯s movements froze, and his gaze moved upwards from the pair of shoes. With her


    hands in her pockets, Ste looked at him with her head slightly tilted in her white suit and white cks.


    Keegan put down his magazine and looked at her with pursed lips. He did not open his mouth, and


    even his face did not show any trace of anger


    This made Ste a little frustrated. She pulled her hand out and purposely pulled her suit down before


    she asked, ¡°Does it look good?¡±


    Keegan surprisingly scanned her thoroughly in a serious manner andmented, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Ste was confused. Why was it this kind of reaction? I chose the suit on purpose to pick a fight with


    him. Shouldn¡¯t he be angry? Does Keegan have the basic thought process of a carbon¨Cbased life


    form? Ste thought.


    She furrowed her brows and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything else to say?¡±


    Keegan met her gaze again and asked, ¡°What do you want me to say?¡±


    Ste felt speechless. She could not tell him that she wanted him to be angry


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Nevermind,¡± Ste spat out the words sulkily, then she sat in a carefree manner next to him.


    When she sat down, Ste found that the suit on Keegan seemed to be a couple s outfit with the one


    she was wearing now


    Keegans cuffs had two bees embroidered onto them, while her cuffs were embroidered with flowers


    Atst, she understood why the manager had fervently rmended this set when they were choca


    suits. The manager had be such a genius just from doing business


    She wondered if she could go in and change into another outfit since it was still early. She was already


    scheduled divorce rtionship with Keegan, so wearing a couples outfit together was too odd.


    i


    However, before she could make a move, she heard Keegan say. ¡°You chose this suit just to wear a


    couple s outfit with me?¡±

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    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 81


    Chapter 81


    Ste was speechless


    Mr Kane, this is just a coincidence Do you believe me?


    Clearly, she just wanted to anger Keegan and intentionally did the opposite of what he wanted. But,


    who knew that she would pick an outfit that matched his


    Keegan nced at her as he asked a rhetorical question ¡°Would you believe it if someone told you this


    is just a coincidence?


    Ste was speechless


    It seemed like no matter how she tried to exin herself, it would still seem like she was just trying to


    cover up what had happened Ste got up and said, ¡®T¡¯ll change my outfit, then.¡±


    Keegan unhurriedly said beside her, ¡°Since this is just a coincidence, why do you look guilty?¡±


    The corners of Ste¡¯s mouth twitched. I don¡¯t feel guilty I just didn¡¯t want you to misunderstand!¡± What


    would I misunderstand?


    ¡®You¡¯d misunderstand and think that I still like you. And, I intentionally wore an outfit that matched yours


    Forget it it¡¯s nothing¡±


    She turned her head to not look at him. The diamond tassel earrings shook lightly. They cast obvious


    and subtle lights and shadows on her white neck


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Her ears were very red because of the argument she had with Keegan.


    Ste did not know that whenever she was angry and argued with someone, her ears would get red for


    a long time


    Keegan stared at her red ears for a while. He then suddenly heard Ste speak again.


    She said, ¡°Keegan, this will be myst time to humor Aurora. I can forgive what she did in the past


    because she is still young. But, in the future, if she speaks to me disrespectfully again, I won¡¯t go easy


    on her. You can protect her But, I¡¯ll fight back and make my stand. I¡¯ve got nothing to lose. I want to


    fight for myself¡±


    Keegan frowned. Just as he wanted to ask Ste what Aurora had done in the past, he then heard


    Aurora¡¯s voice behind his back. ¡°Keegan! I¡¯m done!¡±


    She said as she carried her skirt and did a swirl in front of Keegan. She excitedly said, ¡°What do you


    think? Do I look good?


    The dress was very mature. So, the stylist did a slightly mature makeup and hairstyle for her


    it reduced her naiveness. She looked stunning, but Ste had set the bar pretty high. So. Aurora did


    not look that stunning when she was beingpared to Ste.


    However, no one said that due to her status


    Keegan nced at her. He did not even make ament. He merely got up and said. ¡°Let¡¯s go


    ¡±


    Aurora was not happy. She carried her skirt and chased after him. ¡°Do I look nice¡±


    Keegan was expressionless as he said, ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as you think


    Ste suddenly felt that thement ¡°not bad Keegan gave her was not a perfunctoryment..


    Keegan only realized that Ste was actually still wearing the suit after they got in the car


    ¡°Every woman that goes to this kind of party will dress up beautifully They¡¯ll all wear unique dresses to


    attend the event. Doesn¡¯t Ste know about this?


    ¡®Or, did she wear this suit out of spite intentionally because she didn¡¯t get the dress?


    A hint of mockery shed in Aurora¡¯s eyes. She enigmatically said, ¡°Keegan, are you really allowing her


    to wear this to the event? Aren¡¯t you afraid that she¡¯d embarrass you?¡±


    Keegan nced at Aurora. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine as long as you don¡¯t embarrass me. Watch your mouth and stop


    messing with her!¡±


    Aurora pursed her lips.


    If Keegan really cares so much about Ste, why did he give the dress to me just now?


    ¡®Chandler¡¯s family one¨Cupped us because he married Ste. Why would Keegan be happy with this


    wife who brings bad luck?


    Aurora had never taken these kinds of toothless warnings seriously. She just simply ignored them.


    Keegan¡¯s phone rang not long after the car started moving.


    Ste nced at it. She looked annoyed.


    It¡¯s that ¡°sweetheart who calls him again.¡±


    She unconsciously clenched her fists.

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    Chapter 82


    Keegan epted the call. No one knew what the other person said, but Keegan frowned. He then


    ended the phone call. He raised his eyes and said to the driver, ¡°Stop at Century Tower.¡±


    Aurora tilted her head ¡°Why are you stopping the car? Keegan, what are you doing?¡±


    Ste looked at him too. But, she did not look like she had too many emotionspared to Aurora¡¯s


    concern


    Keegan faintly said, ¡°I have something urgent to deal with. You two will go to the party.¡±


    Ste looked away.


    ¡°Something urgent?


    Probably rted to Be.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    I suppose Be¡¯s businesses are all something urgent to him.¡±


    Her wrist was grabbed suddenly Just as Ste was about to struggle, Keegan put the wedding ring on


    her ring finger


    Ste was angry when she saw the wedding ring. She could not help but sarcastically say. ¡°This is so


    expensive I shouldn¡¯t wear it. I¡¯ll save you the trouble of calling the police and suing me for stealing


    again when you can¡¯t find it.¡±


    This woman is so vindictive.¡±


    Keegan could not help but feel amused. He then forcefully pushed the ring to her knuckle. He


    whispered,¡± Don¡¯t worry I won¡¯t sue you. If you lose it, use something else to rece it.¡±


    Ste became alert. ¡°Are you plotting against me?¡±


    Keegan nced at her like he was looking at an idiot. ¡°Ste, remember to check your brain when you


    go for a body checkup next time.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    Aurora was puzzled as she listened to them. She could not help but say, ¡°Keegan, what are you guys


    talking about? Steal what?¡±


    Keegan withdrew his hand as he faintly said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You have the invitation letter with you, right?


    Bring her in when you two arrive at the party. You don¡¯t have to wait for me. I¡¯lle after I¡¯m done with


    my thing.¡±


    Aurora reluctantly said, ¡°oh¡±


    Soon, they arrived at Century Tower Aldor was already waiting for him in the car


    Before Keegan got off the car, he wanted to say something to Ste. But, Ste turned her head and


    wore her earphones. She looked like she did not want to talk to him, and it made Keegan quite angry


    He looked furious. He did not speak as he mmed the door


    Aldor noticed that Keegan was not happy as soon as he got in the car


    He could instinctively tell that it was rted to Ste. He did not dare to ask about it. So, he hurriedly


    started the car


    After a while. Keegan could not help but speak, ¡°Are all women so unforgiving


    Aldor prickled up his ears and replied, ¡°It depends on what¡¯s it about¡±


    Keegan was brief and to the point when he told Aldor about the dress incident that happened just now


    He frowned as he said, ¡°It¡¯s just a dress. She has so many dresses in her closet. Why must she want


    that dress?


    Aldor was beyond speechless. ¡°Mr Kane, that dress is different from the dresses in her closet. That


    dress belongs to Mrs. Kane But, you just gave it to Ms. Aurora without any exnation. How would


    Mrs. Kane feel about it?


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you think that Mrs. Kane likes the dress very much too? You could just give the dress to Ms.


    Aurora against Mrs. Kane¡¯s will today. But if tomorrow Ms. Aurora was admitted to the hospital and


    needed a blood transfusion, would you just take Mrs. Kane to the hospital and make her give the


    transfusion without asking her if she was willing to do it?¡±


    Keegan felt smothered for a moment


    That was almost exactly what Ste said.¡±


    He felt ufortable as he whispered, ¡°I won¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Kane felt that you would. Aldor spoke again, ¡°You reserved that dress for Mrs. Kane sincest


    month. Why did you suddenly give it to Ms. Aurora?¡±


    Aldor knew Keegan well.


    Last year on Ste¡¯s birthday, Keegan ordered a cake from Moonlight. Aurora secretly ate it at the


    party. If Dahlia did not stop Keegan, he would have almost broken Aurora¡¯s legs.


    Keegan would not give Aurora the thing he wanted to give to Ste just because Aurora said she liked


    it.


    Keegan pursed his lips. He was not willing to answer the question.


    So, Aldor could only change the subject. ¡°Mr. Kane, I found out where Mrs. Kane went on the day the


    rear- end collision happened.¡±

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    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 83


    Chapter 83


    ¡°The day when the multiple cars rear¨Cend collision happened on the viaduct, Mrs. Kane was on the


    scene. Her Porsche was one of the wrecked cars.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s pupils constricted, and he abruptly raised his eyes.


    Aldor handed him the document on the passenger seat.


    ¡°This is Mrs. Kane¡¯s medical record. She was staying in the same hospital as Ms. Young.¡±


    Keegan looked tense as he opened the few papers.


    Her first floating rib on the right was fractured; Multiple soft tissues were bruised. Her right wrist joint


    had limited mobility. Her forehead bled and had bruises on it. She had headaches, nausea, and other


    symptoms. She was advised to be hospitalized for observation¡­


    Everything that had happened that night reappeared in front of Keegan¡¯s eyes, scene by scene. He had


    an abnormal sensation in his throat.


    ¡®She didn¡¯t tell me that she was involved in the car ident. She didn¡¯t mention a single word about it.


    Keegan closed his eyes.


    Is this why she suddenly wanted to get a divorce?


    Along the way, Aurora was looking in the mirror and fixing her makeup.


    She had the makeup artist use the whitest liquid foundation on her. Although the final result was not


    bad, she feared that the makeup would deteriorate and expose her original skin color. It would then


    make her look particrly worse.


    She could only try her best to put on more loose powder to prevent the makeup from deteriorating.


    Ste, who was sitting in the back seat, inadvertently reflected in the mirror. Aurora could not help but


    feel envious when she looked at Ste¡¯s face.


    Ste¡¯s skin was like a mutton fat jade, which was white and exquisite. Even though she wore a suit


    that yed down her femininity, she still looked attractive.


    ¡®She¡¯d steal my thunder if I go into the hotel with her.¡±


    As she thought of that, the more she looked at Ste, the more she hated her


    Soon, they arrived at the venue of the charity g, cier Hotel.


    The owner of the cier Group was one of the organizers of the charity g. He was well¨Cconnected


    in the Rivera business circle. He invited business and political elites, socialites, and the top


    management ofrge publicpanies.


    It was a charity g. But, strictly speaking, it was a business party where elites of all social circles


    shared information and exchanged resources.


    So, the event was quite important. Otherwise, Keegan would not take Ste to this event. He could


    have just simply found someone from the secretarial department to apany him in attending the


    g.


    However, no one knew why Aurora insisted on attending the g. She disliked this kind of business


    party the most back then.


    Aurora was very famous in the Rivera socialite circle Her mother was once the most famous socialite.


    her grandmother was the former president of the Rivera Chamber of Commerce, and her brother was


    the hottest entrepreneur in the country. Her family¡¯s powers were intertwined, and everyone had to


    show respect to them.


    So, as soon as she went into the hotel, many people walked toward her to make small talk.


    ¡°Aurora, where did you get this dress? It¡¯s so beautiful.¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to say that I almost didn¡¯t recognize you when I came in from outside just now.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you go on a graduation trip? Our skin has darkened a lot after we went on a trip. How did your


    skin


    be better?¡±


    Several girls spoke one after another They praised Aurora to the skies.


    Aurora liked thesepliments very much. So, she proudly said, ¡°My brother gifted me this dress. He


    has good taste, doesn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°He has more than good taste. He has great taste.¡± The girls¡® eyes were wide open when Keegan was


    mentioned.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan was a legend in the celebrity world. He was rich, handsome, and capable. His private life was


    clean too. He waspletely different from the men who were born with silver spoons in their mouths


    that lived a dissipated life. Naturally, many rich girls had a crush on him.

 Chapter 84

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 84


    Chapter 84


    When the news of my marriage with Keegan broke out, a socialite jumped off the building and


    committed suicide because she couldn¡¯t ept it.


    Of course, I heard that from Vermont. That guy is full of lies. So, this still needs verification to know


    whether that incident really did happen or not. But, Keegan is truly very popr in the socialite circle.¡±


    Ste and Keegan had been married for three years. She asionally could still find some anonymous


    letters in their mailbox. The words used were romantic, and the contents were sentimental. The bolder


    ones even sent Keegan their intimate photos.


    She found out about that when she modified the sound card data using Keegan¡¯sputer.


    At that time, they had been married for less than a year, and they still had not consummated their


    marriage. When she saw the photos, she was stunned. She thought Keegan was cheating on her.


    She was still young at that time. She was very innocent. She thought Keegan did not have sex with her


    because he liked the type of girls in the photo. She was angry and sad. She also faintly felt a little


    reluctant to give in. So, she did something so foolish that she still felt extremely embarrassed even


    when she thought about it now.


    She went to a sex shop to buy a set of clothes that looked exactly like the one the woman wore in the


    picture. And one night, after drinking half a bottle of vodka, she boldly went inside Keegan¡¯s nket.


    She did not really remember what happened next¡­


    When she woke up the next morning, Keegan had already left. Her body was exceptionally tired. But,


    she felt very nice.


    That afternoon, Keegan called her and asked her where she had bought the outfit she wore yesterday.


    Ste thought that Keegan had enjoyed what happened and called to flirt with her during the day. She


    shyly and sheepishly answered him. And, Keegan said, ¡°The design department just sent me the final


    image a few days ago. Someone pirated the product when it wasn¡¯t even out on the market yet. I¡¯m


    tracking down the source of the leak now.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡°Are you talking about the sample that was sent to your email?¡±


    Keegan froze for a moment. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    Ste was speechless again.


    Only then did she realize that, indeed, many girls had sent private photos to Keegan. But, the one she


    saw that day was his lingerie subsidiarypany¡¯s new product that year The picture that they sent to


    Keegan was a rendered image.


    She threw away the set of lingerie that night. But, a few dayster, Keegan brought back the same set


    of lingerie. It was the authentic product this time. He gravely told her that it was the trial product that the


    company had given him.


    The lingerie was still hanging in her cloakroom now. He would alwaysugh at her for foolishly losing


    her virginity


    ¡°Aurora, whos this?¡±


    After they chatted for some time, someone finally asked about Ste, who had remained silent the


    whole


    time


    Aurora nced at her as she casually said, ¡°She¡¯s my sister¨Cinw.¡±


    Everyone then lost most of their enthusiasm. A girl with slender eyes smiled as she said, ¡°Your sister¨C


    in-w wore a suit instead of a dress to this kind of setting. She¡¯s quite the character


    Aurora shrugged her shoulders and said, ¡°I know, right? To a certain extent, having bad manners and


    being rude is a type of personality too.¡±


    Ste smiled as she said, ¡°You didn¡¯t need to describe yourself so frankly.¡±


    Aurora was speechless.


    Everyone else was speechless too


    Although the bitter words were against her, she could still skillfully talk back with a smile. It seemed as


    though everyone was too dogmatic when they said that Ste was cowardly back then.


    The people around them were Aurora¡¯s friends. So, she could not lose her temper even if she was


    furious. She carried her dress and walked into the elevator with a sullen face.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Meanwhile, Ste followed her


    They went to the twelfth floor And, as soon as they got off the elevator, Aurora said that she wanted to


    go to the washroom.


    Ste did not have an invitation letter, so she could only wait for her outside.


    But, after waiting for more than ten minutes, Aurora still had note out. Just as Ste was about to


    call out to Aurora, a sudden scream came from the washroom.

 Chapter 85

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 85


    Chapter 85


    Ste frowned. Then, she went to the door and knocked on it.


    ¡°Aurora?¡±


    There was no response. But, Ste could hear the sound of running water.


    Ste raised her voice. ¡°Aurora, stop messing around. Answer me if you can hear me.¡±


    No one answered her still.


    She pushed the door open and walked in without hesitating.


    There were only three cubicles in the washroom, and all of them were tightly closed. The sound of a


    toilet flushing came from one of the cubicles. It seemed like there were still some other soundsing


    from it. This is probably the sound I faintly heard from outside.¡±


    ¡°Aurora¡­ Before she could finish talking, someone ruthlessly and suddenly pushed her from behind.


    Ste was not aware of it, and she reeled a few steps forward. The phone in her hand slipped out of


    her palm and was sent flying.


    When she turned her head, she then noticed that the door of the washroom was closed by someone


    from outside


    Ste had a bad feeling. She walked to the door and pulled the handle. But, the door was indeed


    locked from outside.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Aurora is so childish!


    Ste clenched her teeth as she strongly knocked on the door. ¡°Aurora, what is wrong with you? A


    prank like this isn¡¯t funny at all! Open the door!¡±


    But, there was no movement outside even after a long time. Did Aurora walk away?


    But then again, looking back at the nasty things that she had done before, I think she¡¯s really capable


    of locking me inside the washroom.¡®


    The hotel¡¯s soundproofing was very good. So, no one noticed it, even after she knocked on the door for


    a long time.


    She wanted to call the hotel and ask the staff toe and solve the problem. But, she only noticed that


    her phone cracked when she picked it up. The whole screen was cracked, and she could not read the


    screen at all.


    Now, she could only wait for someone toe to the restroom and help her open the door


    What Ste did not know was that before Aurora left, she put up a maintenance signboard in front of


    the restroom. If the workers did not notice that, it was very likely that no one would pass by the


    washroom. The hotel¡¯s washroom was squeaky clean, and there was no weird smell. The washroom


    was even perfumed. But even so, Ste still had a very hard time in the restroom.


    She fiddled around with her phone, trying to open the contacts in her phone based on her memory. She


    wanted to just simply find someone to help her contact the hotel.


    But, before she could make a call, she heard a hoarse breathing sounding from one of the


    cubicars


    initially. Ste thought that she had heard it wrong


    But very soon, she could hear the sound agam It sounded even more rapid than before


    Ste took two steps back. Then, she bent down to look inside the cubicles through the gaps below the


    cubicles doors. She was scared out of her mind. It seemed like someone was kneeling on the floor


    She immediately went to knock on the door.


    ¡°Are you alright? Can you talk?¡±


    The person inside the cubicle¡® just continued making the husky breathing sound. The sound was heavy


    but weak


    The cubicle¡¯s door was locked from the inside. She could not open it.


    If it goes on like this, the person inside won¡¯t make it if no one ising.


    Ste acted quickly, and she turned to the other cubicle. She then climbed over the partition with the


    help of the toilet and the rack fordies to put their bags.


    Luckily, she wore a suit. It did not hinder her from climbing over the partition.


    After she jumped into the cubicle next door, she noticed that the girl¡¯s face was starting to turn blue.


    The voice that came from her throat was getting weaker.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your medicine?¡±


    While she asked that, she then noticed the asthma medicine that had fallen into the toilet and was


    rolling with the current.

 Chapter 86

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 86


    Chapter 86


    Ste took a deep breath and took off her coat. She reached into the toilet bowl to fish out the nebulizer


    and took it to the sink to give it a rinse. Then, she sprayed it to see if it still worked. Fortunately, the


    liquid medication for the nebulizer was well¨Csealed.


    Ste quickly squeezed the girl¡¯s mouth open and gave her the medicine. After Ste had sprayed the


    medication, she gradually stopped wheezing. Ste bent down to lift her up and help her outside.


    Although the girl was no longer gasping for air, she was still not fully conscious. When she slowly


    turned blue again, Ste hurriedly helped her and whispered, ¡°I just put my hand in the toilet bowl to


    save you; you better be okay. Otherwise, my efforts would be in vain.¡±


    ¡®Could it be that there are some allergens in here that caused this? Maybe it¡¯s the toilet freshener Ste


    quickly opened the bathroom window when she thought of that.


    A few minutester, the girl sounded and looked much better She gradually returned to her senses, but


    she still could not speak.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Do you have your phone with you?¡± Ste asked. However, the girl shook her head hard. Ste leaned


    out the window, looked around, turned to the girl, and said, ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll go get some help.¡±


    The girl blinked, as she watched Ste taking off her heels and jumping out the window. There was a


    row of 12¨Cinch¨Cwide tforms around the wall¡¯s outer edge that could be walked on. However, it was


    like walking on thin ice. Ste did not dare look down as her legs would turn into jelly. ¡°Wow Saving


    someone¡¯s life really isn¡¯t as fun as I thought. An art major like myself has now turned into a sports


    major,¡± she teased herself.


    Ste stepped on the edge of the extremely narrow tform while she held onto the window sill. She


    finally reached another window after more than 10 minutes. Fortunately for her, there were people in


    there. But, unfortunately, it was the men¡¯s restroom. Ste clung to the window like a crazy stalker,


    which scared a man who was taking a piss and caused him to pee all over himself. The man hurriedly


    pulled his pants up and ran away in panic. Then, another man went into the restroom.


    It was Marshall¨Cthe attorney she had just met that morning. Marshall thought he was seeing things


    when he saw one of his clients hanging outside the window of the men¡¯s restroom. However, Ste did


    not care about her looks at that moment. She tapped the window, trying to ask him for help.


    Marshall was in a daze for a short while, but he quickly came back to his senses and walked over to


    open the window. Ste felt weak at her legs, and her voice was trembling as she eagerly said, ¡°Hurry


    up and call someone to open the door to the women¡¯s bathroom. There¡¯s a girl in there who is suffering


    from asthma.¡±


    Marshall grabbed her wrist and said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ll pull you up first.¡±


    ¡°No, go save her I can manage this by myself.¡± That being said, Ste had no strength left in her legs


    after standing on the 12¨Cinch¨Cwide tform for more than ten minutes.


    She had to take a break, but Marshall did not let go of her ¡°Your safety is also very important. Put your


    arms around my shoulders and slowly climb up. I¡¯ll support you,¡± he said softly.


    For a moment, Ste was touched by his words. She had not heard such caring words in a long time.


    Not wanting to dy any longer, she listened to Marshall and grabbed onto him with one hand while


    she put the other over his shoulders. She tried to climb through the window with Marshall¡¯s help, but


    her legs were not strong enough. She started slipping before she could take a step.


    Suddenly. Marshall let go of his hand, and Ste turned pale with fright. The next second, his hands we


    around her waist as he pulled her up

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    Chapter 87


    Ste was smart. She took the opportunity and stretched one of her legs through the window and into


    the men¡¯s restroom while she used Marshall¡¯s shoulders as support. Then, she finally rolled over the


    window. Her legs were so weak that she almost slid down as soon as her feet touched the ground.


    Fortunately, Marshall caught her in time.


    Ste leaned in the other party¡¯s arms in a state of embarrassment. Although she wanted to maintain


    her image, she disregarded the thought after remembering that he had already seen her hanging out


    on the window of the men¡¯s restroom like a horror film. It¡¯s fine. I didn¡¯t really have an image to begin


    with anyway.¡±


    Suddenly, a man came in, but he turned away and left while apologizing when he saw the two in the


    restroom. Ste was at a loss for words. It truly was an unexinable misunderstanding.


    Ste and Marshall then went out of the bathroom and dialed 911 while they looked for someone to


    open the door. The hotel staff efficiently got the girl out of the bathroom in no time.


    Perhaps it was because Ste had opened the window to ventte the bathroom, as the girl¡¯s


    complexion looked much better than it did in the beginning. She could also utter a few simple


    sentences.


    The paramedics arrived at the scene, and after a simple checkup, they said, ¡°Luckily, she was saved in


    time. Otherwise, things would have turned out a lot worse.


    Everyone was relieved, especially the hotel manager, who was about to cry. Those who attended the


    business event were all from rich backgrounds. The hotel manager could not afford to pay them back if


    anything happened. Then, they hurriedly arranged a room for the girl to aid in her rescue.


    The manager immediately thanked Ste after that. ¡°Thank you for what you did today, Miss. May I


    know your name?¡±


    Ste was about to wave him off, as she wanted no praise for her efforts. But, Marshall replied for her


    Thisdy right here is Celeste Thompson.¡±


    Ste stayed silent. I guess there¡¯s no going back on the fake name now, she thought.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Oh, may I know which room you¡¯re in, Ms. Thompson? As a token of our gratitude, we would like to


    exempt you from all expenses in this hotel, Ms. Thompson.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Ste replied. ¡°But, I do have a small favor to ask if that¡¯s okay,¡± she


    continued after thinking for a while.


    The manager hastened and listened attentively. ¡°Can you let me participate in the charity event


    tonight?¡± Ste asked.


    The hotel manager was startled. ¡°Are you on the guest list, Miss?¡±


    Ste pursed her lips and replied, ¡°No.¡±


    Her husband was on the guest list, but she did not want to call Keegan since her phone was broken.


    Moreover, even if she told him what Aurora did, he would not believe her


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that, Ms. Thompson. The charity event requires guests to have an invitation. The


    purpose is to prevent reporters from getting involved and viting the guests privacy I¡¯m not at liberty


    to let you in without permission. I¡¯m sorry is there anything else you would like us to help you with? the


    manager asked


    Ste¡¯s eyes looked sad Suddenly, an invitation letter appeared in front of her in the next sec was


    surprised She looked up and saw Marshall smiling ¡°Maybe you can try ttening e


    allowed to bring a plus one,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yes, you can, sir, the manager nodded.


    Ste¡¯s eyes lit up visibly, but she still asked, ¡°Is this okay?¡±


    Marshall nodded. ¡°But, I have to ask the manager to book us a room.¡±


    Ste looked at him in confusion. Then, Marshall smiled and pointed at her outfit in a gentlemanly


    manner. Ste looked down and saw that there were stains all over her white suit and pants from


    climbing over the wall and window. People would think that she had just escaped from the wilderness.

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    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 88


    Chapter 88


    ¡°It does look rather cool, but I¡¯m sure you could freshen up a little for the charity event,¡± Marshall said.


    What a gentleman. He takes care of my image and praises me at the same time. He sure knows what


    thedies like to hear If Keegan were the one in front of me right now, he would probably be disgusted


    and ask if I¡¯m a homeless beggar. He would also likely throw a towel over my head and warn me not to


    embarrass him.¡® Ste started getting angry after thinking about it. ¡®How could they be so different? she


    thought.


    ????


    Not long after, the hotel manager opened up a room for them. ¡°You can settle down and cleane


    back for youter, Marshall said and left. Ste was relieved that he was not there. However, she


    up. was also worried that he would suddenlye in, and she would not know how to carry the


    conversation. Luckily for her, Marshall was a true gentleman. He did not even enter the room just to


    avoid causing any misunderstandings that would harm the woman¡¯s reputation and dignity.


    As soon as Marshall got on the elevator, Vermont texted him, [Yo, Marshall. Did you fall into the toilet or


    something?] Marshall did not reply.


    Vermont texted him again and said. [Tim told me that you were in the restroom with some girl. Is that


    true?]


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    [How did a pure¨Chearted person like you turn into such a dog? What did the girl look like? Which family


    is she from?]


    Marshall pursed his lips when he saw the text. [Get your mind out of the gutter. Do you think everyone


    is as dirty¨Cminded as you?]


    [Tsk. Thinking about the love between men and women doesn¡¯t make me dirty¨Cminded. Right,


    Keegan?] [Anything thates out of your mouth is dirty.] Keegan replied.


    Vermont was speechless after being ganged up on by his friends. [When are you two going to arrive?


    These old men are currently trying to find me a partner. I¡¯m fucking dying of boredom. Come on, guys.


    Come over and help me share the burden.]


    [Sorry, I¡¯m married.]


    Vermont was at a loss for words once more. ¡°How could you say that so proudly when your wife wants


    to divorce you? he thought.


    [I¡¯m bringing someone.] Marshall texted.


    ¡®Just bring whoever you want. Why did you need to state it in the group chat? Vermont thought.


    Suddenly,


    a thought popped up in his mind, and he asked, [Is it a girl?]


    [Yeah. I¡¯ve mentioned her before. The one I met in the hospital.]


    Vermont¡¯s gossip radar turned on instantly. [How did you guys get in touch? I thought you didn¡¯t give


    her your number.]


    [Maybe it¡¯s fate.] Marshall smiled as he typed it out.


    [Shit Marshall is going to have a girlfriend soon. There¡¯s no way I can escape the blind dates my dad is


    going to set up for me now]


    Marshallughed and said, it was just a coincidence.] He thought about how Ste had addressed him


    earlier (I¡¯m afraid she doesn¡¯t even remember my name]


    1


    Vermont became more and more interested in Marshall¡¯s little encounter [Whoa. She must have high


    standards if she doesn¡¯t even consider getting together with you. That¡¯s okay We¡¯ll help you lure her in.


    Girls are bing sneakier these days. When you just want an innocent rtionship, they flirt around


    with you, but when you start flirting back, they act all innocent.]


    [What I¡¯m saying is that women are unpredictable creatures. Don¡¯t be fooled by their beautiful


    appearance.


    Keegan, who did not show up in the group for the conversation, suddenly replied, [And, that is the


    truth.]


    Vermont did not reply after that.

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    Chapter 89


    [She¡¯s not what you guys think. She is a straightforward person. She sters everything on her face.


    You can literally look right through her.] Marshall texted in the group chat.


    Vermont¡¯s curiosity grew even more prominent. [What kind of magical powers does this woman hold


    that made you give her high praises after only meeting a few times? I must have a look at this woman


    to see if everything you said is true. Could she really be as magnificent as you say she is?]


    [Don¡¯t scare her.] Marshall replied.


    ¡°Tsk,¡± Vermont let out a sneer. [Why are you still so petty? I just want to have a look.]


    [Did I ever stop you from looking at anything before?] Marshall asked.


    Before Vermont could answer, Keegan interjected the conversation. [Probably you being naked.]


    Both Vermont and Marshall were speechless. [Vermont told me that when you guys were kids,


    everyone wouldpete in shooting their pee the furthest. Yet, you covered up like a little girl. So¡­ I


    guess he¡¯s been curious all this time.]


    Marshall was quiet for a while. [Vermont, do you¡­ like guys?]


    [Don¡¯t listen to him! I like girls, okay?!] Vermont had no choice but to eat his own words. He then quickly


    changed the subject. (Aurora dolled up just for you, you know. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯d be furious if she saw you


    bringing someone else.]


    Marshall had a headache whenever anyone mentioned Aurora. [I¡¯m way too old for her. She¡¯s like a


    younger sister to me. Surely, she¡¯ll acknowledge this sooner orter when I marry the woman I like.]


    ¡°Look who decided to show up!¡± As soon as Keegan arrived at the charity event, Vermont greeted him


    with a drink. ¡°My ears will fall off if I hear one more of those speeches.¡±


    Keegan grabbed the ss of alcohol that Vermont had handed to him and started to scan around the


    room. A celebrity sang on stage while the crowd danced around under the dim light. However, Keegan


    did not see her.


    ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± Vermont asked.


    ¡°Ste. Did you see her?¡± Keegan replied, as he sipped from his ss.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even know she was here.¡±


    Keegan frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t shee in here with Aurora?¡±


    ¡°No. Aurora was alone when I saw her. I thought you left her at home.¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips and put down his wine ss. He grabbed his phone and dialed Ste¡¯s number


    He called her five times, but she did not pick up. It was as if she had disappeared from the world.


    Keegan saw Aurora not far away and started walking toward her. Aurora was surrounded by a group of


    celebrities. She was enjoying her time, but when she saw Keegan, her face tensed up. She tried her


    best to act naturally and deny whatever allegations he would throw at her.


    ¡°Keegan, there you are. Let me introduce you to my friends.¡± She stepped forward and held Keegan by


    the arm while the girls around her looked at Keegan with anticipation.


    Keegan pushed her hand away and calmly said, ¡°Come with me for a bit. I have something to ask you


    Although Aurora was reluctant to follow him, she still obeyed ¡°What¡¯s up, Keegan? My friends are


    waiting


    for me


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan cut to the chase and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Ste? She came with you, didn¡¯t she? Where is she?¡±

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    Chapter 90


    Aurora was taken aback. ¡°Didn¡¯t she tell you?¡± she asked her brother. She then had an idea and said,


    ¡°She told me she wanted to go to the restroom when we arrived. So, I talked to the security guard at


    the entrance and came in. I¡¯m not sure where she went.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened. ¡°You better tell me the truth, Aurora. Where is she?¡±


    Aurora was so terrified by his gaze that she was trembling inside. ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth. She went to


    the restroom. You can check the surveince if you don¡¯t believe me. Why would I lie about this?¡± she


    said in a squeaky voice.


    ¡°What did I tell you beforeing here?¡± Keegan asked, suppressing his anger.


    Aurora was unhappy ¡°I followed your instructions and brought her in here. She¡¯s an adult, for goodness


    sake. I can¡¯t stop her from running away even if I try. Maybe she was mad that I had stolen her dress


    and ran away as revenge!¡±


    ¡°Unlike you, she¡¯s not that narrow¨Cminded,¡± Keegan said furiously. He was clearly distraught.


    ¡°Did she brainwash you, Keegan? How could you trust an outsider over your own sister?¡± Aurora said


    bitterly, but Keegan just gave her a cold look which terrified her. Just as she was going to exin


    herself, Keegan left without a word.


    She secretly let out a sigh of relief and began to wonder where Ste was. She asked one of her


    friends to check out the restroom, and the door was open. She should havee out by then. But,


    Ste was not at the event, nor did she call Keegan toin about it. Aurora thought that it was


    strange.


    ¡°Hey, besties, guess what I heard?¡± As soon as Aurora sat down, one of her celebrity friends came


    over and started to gossip.


    ¡°What? Tell us!¡± The girls replied.


    ¡°I heard that the daughter of the Saun family almost died in the restroom.¡±


    Aurora froze.


    ¡°Which Saun family are we talking about?¡± someone asked.


    ¡°There aren¡¯t many Saun families in Rivera. I¡¯m talking about the Saun family from the Fluteria Group.


    I¡¯m sure Aurora is familiar with them. My dad told me that their family and the Kane family have good


    ties.¡±


    In reality, the Saun family and the Kane family were not close. They were once friends, but the contact


    between the two families lessened after Jaylene¡¯s father had passed away. Later along the road, it was


    understood that Jaylene was not in good health, and the family traveled abroad to go to doctors all year


    round. Naturally, they stopped keeping in touch altogether.


    Other than the Moore family, the Saun family was one of the families that wereparable to the Kane


    family of Rivera.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    That was why Aurora did not deny being close to the Saun family. She gracefully took a sip of her wine.


    and said, ¡°Yes, we¡¯re family friends. What did you say about Jaylene?¡±


    ¡°She got an asthma attack in the restroom. She tried to open the door, but something was in the way.


    She almost died. Fortunately, someone else was in that restroom with her. That person climbed out of


    the window to find help. The hotel is now in lockdown. One of my distant rtives is in charge of


    security here, so they told me about it.¡±


    Aurora¡¯s hands trembled. Why was Jaylene in the restroom? I didn¡¯t hear her when ! was in there. she


    thought to herself


    ¡°The person climbed out the window of the twelfth floor? Wow. Thinking about it makes my legs


    tremble. That woman is so courageous. But, why did she have to climb out the window? I mean, she


    could have just called someone on her phone.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about the details, but I think she¡¯s also one of the guests here.¡±


    ¡°Jaylene is the treasure of the Saun family. They would probably repay that woman greatly. Ugh. Why


    didn¡¯t I encounter such a thing?¡±


    ¡°Oh, please. If you were in that situation, you would have run away the first chance you got.¡±


    ¡°Screw you!¡±


    Everyone burst intoughter, but Aurora was feeling restless. She wanted to leave the ce in a panic.


    All I wanted to do was to scare Ste a little. Now that I almost cost someone¡¯s life, Keegan would


    never let me off so easily if he found out about this.¡±

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    Chapter 91


    Things wouldn¡¯t have ended up this way if it wasn¡¯t for Ste, that jinx.¡±


    ¡°I thought of getting to know Ms. Saun. Looks like it has be a moot point since rumor has it that


    she has been admitted to the hospital,¡± one of thedies said.


    Aurora had a sudden realization and said, ¡°Let¡¯s not jump to any conclusion since the Saun family may


    have intended to close the hotel. She had to survive today by hook or by crook. If Keegan found out


    about this, she could only hard¨Cheadedly deny it.


    No one brought up any objections after they heard what she said,


    The phone rang right after Felicity finished editing the, not leaving her room to take a breath.


    The caller was an unknown number Thinking it was the food delivery, she picked up the call. She


    immediately stood at attention from the bed after hearing the voice from the other end.


    ¡°Where is Ste?¡±


    ¡°Wh¨CWhat do you want from me?¡±


    The trauma left within Felicity had yet to subside.


    Hearing Keegan¡¯s voice, she immediately tensed up.


    Keegan repeated, ¡°Where is Ste?¡±


    Felicity, who was loathing yet fearful, whispered, ¡°Didn¡¯t she join you for some dinner gathering or


    something?¡±


    ¡°She is absent and not picking up her phone.¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with me?! She is most likely trying to avoid you!


    Knowing Keegan¡¯s mean streak, Felicity did not dare to refute and said, ¡°How about I call her for you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble you for that,¡± said Keegan, finally sounding more reasonable.


    Immediately after, Felicity contacted Ste. But, just like Keegan, the phone patched through, but no


    one picked up the call.


    Keegan frowned deeply and hung up without another word.


    Right at that moment, Vermont hugged Keegan by the shoulder and whispered, ¡°Marshall¡¯s here. Let¡¯s


    go meet his girlfriend.¡±


    Keegan pushed Vermont¡¯s hands away and said, ¡°Go by yourself.¡±


    Vermont snatched away Keegan¡¯s phone and said, ¡°You can¡¯t possibly miss Ste, who is still alive and


    kicking. Let¡¯s go tease Marshall, and then I¡¯ll help you out.¡±


    Without waiting for Keegan¡¯s refute and still hugging Keegan¡¯s shoulders, Vermont dragged Keegan


    away


    Ste came out from her bath and changed into the dress left by the hotel¡¯s staff


    A white, off¨Cshoulder, split¨Cthigh prom dress with a fishtailed hem design. It was not overly simplistic


    yet not too morous. A truly elegant yet decent dress.


    Marshall was already waiting. He was standing at the walkway just outside of Ste¡¯s room when she


    came out


    Hearing her exit from the room, he lifted his head and looked in her direction.


    Even if she was in a crowd, Ste¡¯s iconic and well¨Cbnced frame made her stand out. And now, with


    makeup on, she looked even more gorgeous


    Marshall¡¯s gaze paused at the sight in front of him.


    Ste walked over and whispered, ¡®Is this dress very expensive?


    Marshall smiled and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s from the Hotel Manager To thank you for your act of bravery.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes widened ¡°Did he have to go to such lengths?


    Marshall smiled and said, ¡°Do you have any idea what he would have to bear if you didn¡¯t save that


    person¡¯s life? Like our country¡¯s great philosopher Frantz Coyne said. It¡¯s valid to ept the reward of


    brave, good deeds. This dress doesn¡¯t cost a lot, so wear it with no womes¡±


    ¡°Did Frantz Coyne really say that about brave, good deeds?


    ¡°Of course!¡± said Marshall gently, as he unhurriedly reiterated a story about Frantz Coyne¡¯s apprentice


    ransoming a ve, which was where the quote originated from


    Ste thought to herself, How knowledgeable. As expected of awyer


    As Vermont dragged Keegan toward the lobby, they found Marshal arm¨Cin¨Carm with a beautiful girl


    chatting jovially as they walked toward the hall


    It was hard to discern thedy¡¯s face from a distance, with the crowd and dim lighting affecting their


    field of vision. Yet, anyone could, at a nce, realize her peerless beauty from that tall, hourss¨Clike


    figure Vermont squinted, ¡°I can¡¯t believe Marshall is the sery ones I assumed he would be into the


    innocent type.¡± Elbowing Keegan, Vermont continued, ¡°His taste is a lime like yours.¡±


    Keegan nced at Vermont but did not rebut


    Keegan felt a sense of familiarity when he slightly scanned the figure.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s have a closer look.¡±


    As soon as he said that, Vermont pulled Keegan¡¯s arm, trying to catch up


    Ste, who had been helped by Marshall time and time again, gradually lowered her guard around him,


    She thought to herself, it would be better if I reveal my real identity to Marshall now. It would avoid the


    awkwardness if someone were to find out about me when he is helping me with the itigation


    ?


    Now that she had steeled her resolve, Ste was about to speak up when a hand tapped on Marshall¡¯s


    shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re finally here after waiting for you for half a day. Now let¡¯s have a look at the beauty


    you. Why are you here


    The moment Ste turned around, Vermont¡¯s voce almost


    from their socket.


    What is going on?


    Why did Marshall bring Ste?


    ched. His eyes were about to pop out


    Vermont, in the next moment, tumed his head to look at Keegan, who was standing beside tim anh to


    find that Keegan s face had already darkened.


    Ste stood frozen on the spot. She did not expert that Marshal an


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Marshall was the only one still clueless about the situation. Seeing Vermont¡¯s reaction, Marshall


    questioned, ¡°Are you acquainted with Miss Thompson?¡±


    ¡°Thompson. What Thompson?¡±


    Ste, on the other hand, could already feel Keegan¡¯s burning gaze without even lifting her head.


    ¡°Miss Thompson. Celeste Thompson,¡± Marshall warmly introduced Ste. ¡°Miss Thompson, these two


    are my buddies. This is Vermont, who is the same age as me, and this is Keegan, the only one married


    among us three.¡± After a pause, Marshall suddenly asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your wife, Keegan?¡±

 Chapter 92

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    Chapter 92


    The air was frozen for a few seconds. Even Vermont, who had a silver tongue in resolving awkward


    social settings, was at a loss for words.


    Marshall¡¯s new girlfriend is Keegan¡¯s wife? Vermont thought. This is too dramatic even for TV shows!


    ¡°My wife is. ¡°Keegan gave Ste a cold re, and his eyes were fixated on her hand that was clinging


    to Marshall¡¯s arm. Keegan forced a smile and continued, ¡°Maybe we should ask Ms. Thompson when


    is she avable to y the role of my wife.¡±


    Ste quietly let go of Marshall¡¯s arm and took a step back to put some distance between them.


    Marshall gave her a puzzled look.


    Before Ste could exin herself, Keegan¡¯s arm reached around her waist and forcefully pulled her


    into his embrace.


    His motions were merciless. Harshly stifling her waist, he lowered to the side of her ear and asked


    through his gritted teeth, ¡°Should I address you as Mrs. Kane or Ms. Thompson?¡±


    Ste was uncertain if it was just a misconception, but she felt like Keegan was being possessive


    toward her. It was as though he wanted to proim his dominance.


    ¡°Keegan, what are you talking about?¡± Marshall furrowed his eyebrows.


    Keegan kept his hand on Ste¡¯s waist with sneering eyes. ¡°Ste, introduce your husband to your


    boyfriend properly.¡±


    ¡°What boyfriend?¡± Ste pushed Keegan away, as she was not able to withstand the pain he caused on


    her waist. ¡°What is wrong with you, Keegan Kane?¡±


    ¡°I should be the one asking you that!¡± Keegan replied with fury in his eyes. ¡°Ste Jewell, for three


    years, your name was next to mine on our marriage certificate. Howe I never knew that yourst


    name was Thompson?¡±


    Ste choked on her reply. This was a tough one to exin.


    There is no way for me to confess that I gave Marshall a fake name out of caution. Who would have


    thought that we would have any further interactions? Marshall is standing right beside me. It would be


    too hurtful to tell him the truth.¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    As Ste was indecisive on how she should word her thoughts, Marshall piped up.


    ¡°I think this might be a misunderstanding. Ms. Jewell asked me to handle a dispute on behalf of her


    friend, whose surname was Thompson. I assumed that they were rted and shared the same


    surname.¡± Ste was guilt¨Cridden. She was the one who lied, but her victim was the one patching up


    the lie for her. Vermont saw his chance to smooth things over and immediately said, ¡°So, it was all a


    misunderstanding! Come on, let me introduce the two of you. Ste, this is Marshall Moore, mine and


    Keegan¡¯s childhood friend. He couldn¡¯t make it when you and Keegan got married because he was


    overseas. So, he sent the painting to your marriage room as a wedding gift.


    Water Lilies by ude M, Ste pondered.


    I thought the painting was a gift from Vermont, although it seemed out of character for a stingy person


    like him to give such an expensive painting as a wedding gift Marshall gifting it makes much more


    sense


    Marshall, this is Ste, Keegan¡¯s wife, Vermont continued. She is your sister¨Cinw now


    Marshall kept his gaze on Ste and gulped down his words in silence.


    Keegan tugged on Ste¡¯s wrist, pulling her back to his side again.


    Ste frowned and struggled to get out of his embrace. ¡°One billion dors,¡± Keegan threatened


    nonchntly.


    Ste stopped protesting upon hearing his words.


    Keegan boldly kept his arm around Ste¡¯s waist. The warmth of his hand seeped through the fabric of


    her clothes and tingled on her skin like ants. Ste felt uneasy.


    She tried to ignore his grip on her as much as she could and shot Marshall an apologetic look. ¡°Mr


    Moore, thank you for your help today.¡±


    Marshall shook his head and replied, ¡°It¡¯s no big deal.¡± He hesitantly took two band¨Caids from his


    pocket and handed them to Ste. ¡°I just asked the waiter for these,¡± Marshall said, pointing to Ste¡¯s


    wrist.¡± Remember to treat your wound, or it will get infected.¡±


    Ste was astonished.


    She hurt her wrist when she was climbing through the window. Since it was just minor bleeding, Ste


    just rinsed her wound and left it untreated.


    The wound had since stopped hurting, but when Keegan heedlessly grabbed her wrist, the wound


    started to hurt again. That was why Ste struggled to get out of his grip.


    ¡°Keegan didn¡¯t even notice my wound, Ste thought. I¡¯ve barely known Marshall for a few days, but he


    was the one who noticed.¡® Ste¡¯s mind was clouded with emotions.


    Before she could thank Marshall, Keegan took the band¨Caids from Marshall. ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± Keegan


    stated tly. ¡°I can take care of her myself.¡±


    Once again, the slightly alleviated atmosphere became tense again.


    Vermont was frustrated with the unsettling tension between them.


    ¡°Marshall!¡± Aurora¡¯s voice broke the tension.


    Aurora ran over to Marshall excitedly and held his arm. ¡°I knew you were lying about having a


    girlfriend!¡±


    Vermont felt relieved. He never thought he would be so d to see Aurora. He smiled and quickly


    replied. ¡°A lone wolf like him? It would be hard for him to get a girlfriend. You should introduce some of


    your friends to him. Maybe then he could get one.¡±


    ¡°Marshall wouldn¡¯t be interested in them,¡± Aurora pouted.


    As she spoke, Aurora¡¯s eyes met Ste¡¯s mocking gaze. Aurora¡¯s hand trembled, and she looked away


    sheepishly. ¡°Hi there, Keegan, Ste, and Vermont,¡± Aurora greeted pretentiously.


    Ste sneered but remained silent.


    I¡¯m not letting her off this easily. But, given the situation we are in, now is not the time to look into our


    private matters¡±


    ¡°Marshall, please dance with me! There¡¯s a guy that keeps pestering me, and he is so annoying! Can


    you please ward him off for me?¡± Aurora said coquettishly


    Where is Auroras usual arrogance? Ste wondered. She acts so differently when she flirts with


    Marshall


    As Ste was eyeing Aurora, she had a realization. Normally, Aurora wouldn¡¯t bother to attend dinner


    parties like this. The only reason she came today is probably because Marshall is here.¡±


    Aurora likes Marshall, Ste concluded.


    This would exin her behavior! Ste thought to herself. ¡®No wonder she toned down her


    aggressiveness toward me. She wasn¡¯t worried that I wouldin about her to Keegan, she just


    didn¡¯t want Marshall to see her true colors so that Marshall wouldn¡¯t dislike her.¡±


    Marshall wanted to refuse Aurora¡¯s invitation to dance. However, with Aurora¡¯s persistent coaxing on


    top of Vermont¡¯s matchmaking efforts, Marshall was unable to put up any more resistance. In the end,


    he was unwillingly pulled into the crowd by the two of them.


    Once Marshall had left, Ste let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡®Keegan is smart, Ste thought. He might not catch on to what Marshall said about the dispute now,


    but once he does, he will ask me about it for sure.¡±


    I¡¯m not that good at ying mind games like Keegan. There¡¯s a chance that he might get the truth out


    of me, and I would be done for.


    If Keegan knew that I wanted to sue Be¡¯s fans, he would kill me before I could make a move.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you follow them?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s sarcastic voice came from behind her.


    Then, Ste snapped back to reality.


    Keegan took a nce at the white dress that Ste was wearing, and his expression darkened. ¡°Where


    have


    you been?¡± He questioned her, and his voice was filled with disgust. ¡°What is this thing you¡¯re wearing?


    Where are your other clothes?


    His tone insinuated that the questions had other meanings, like ¡°Where have you been fooling


    around?¡± and ¡°You¡¯re wearing this rag?¡±

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    Chapter 93


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask that good sister of yours?¡±


    Keegan nced at her ¡°She said you held a grudge against her for taking your gown. You excused


    yourself to the bathroom and sneaked away.¡±


    Ste let out a scornfulugh. ¡°Why do you ask me when she has already told you about it?¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips and said tly, ¡°I didn¡¯t believe her. I would like to hear your side of the story.¡±


    Ste froze for a moment and puckered her lips. ¡°Would you believe me if I told you Aurora locked me


    in the restroom?¡± Ste did not look at Keegan when she said that. She never thought that Keegan


    would take what she said seriously. She knew very well how defensive Keegan was of his sister. No


    matter how reckless Aurora was, she would still be the simple¨Cminded little girl in Keegan and his


    family¡¯s eyes. It was impossible to make them believe that their innocent little girl had locked someone


    in the restroom.


    Ste had braced herself for Keegan¡¯s bacsh, but she only heard a sigh from Keegan. ¡°How did you


    get out?¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan¡¯s response stunned Ste. She felt that Keegan was acting strange today as all his reactions.


    seemed to be out of her expectations. She could not read his thoughts, or maybe she never really


    knew him.


    ¡°I went out the window.¡± Ste did not mention that she saved someone during her time in the


    restroom. It was not necessary for her to mention it since she saved a stranger. Besides, the thought of


    saving someone from the toilet bowl with her bare hands made her feel sick. Once was enough for this


    kind of experience, there was no need to make a big deal out of it.


    ¡°You went out the window?¡± Ste¡¯s response had startled Keegan. She was on the twelfth floor. Did


    she think she could climb the walls? Keegan thought.


    Ste was not paying attention to Keegan¡¯s expression and nodded. ¡°I got outside and climbed along


    the wall until I reached the next door. Mr. Moore just so happened to be in the restroom, and he helped


    me out.¡±


    The blue veins on Keegan¡¯s forehead tensed, and he asked carelessly in a low voice, ¡°What was


    Marshall doing in the restroom?¡±


    Ste was puzzled by the absurd question. ¡°What can someone do in the restroom? He was obviously


    going to the toilet.¡±


    Keegan said in a deep voice, ¡°You saw him in the toilet?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Ste did not respond in time.


    And, Keegan nced at her. ¡°You saw him!¡±


    Ste came back to her senses and answered with a flushed face. ¡°I didn¡¯t! He just came in when I got


    to the window. How could you be so dirty¨Cminded!¡±


    Keegan immediately cooled off his anger. He pulled her elbow over to take a closer look at her wound.


    There were obvious traces of bruises on her right wrist. Blood spots were on her white tender skin, and


    the abraded skin had prickly curled¨Cup cuticles.


    She would dramatically grunt for half a day when she punctured her finger without bleeding when she


    was peeling an apple at home. Yet, there was not a single cry of pain from her when her wrist was in


    this


    condition


    She was covered in wounds the night she was rear¨Cended on the overpass, but she came home


    without saying anything. Ste was no longer willing to cry out her pain or show her vulnerable side to


    him. anymore. Keegan was not pleased with that realization.


    It was hard for Keegan to describe how he felt. He hated trouble, whether it was in work or life. It was


    always the simpler, the better. But, it was not like that for Ste. When they got married, Keegan knew


    that she was a somewhat troublesome woman. Theycked a real rtionship, but she wanted a


    ssic wedding with all the wedding ceremony processes. After their marriage, she took it upon herself


    and changed his daily habits. Habits such as drinking milk before bed, putting car freshener in the car,


    and using his collection of expensive coffee beans to make coffee¨Cvor cakes.


    Ste¡¯s presence disrupted his twenty years of habits, and sometimes she annoyed him. She would


    ask him if her clothing was nice, and if he responded that it was fine, she would im that he was


    brushing her off. But, if he said that it was ugly, she would disagree and state that he had poor taste.


    The answer would always be one of the two, yet she would happily ask him every time.


    Keegan once hoped that she would be like the partner he had anticipated. Someone who was smart,


    knowledgeable, independent, and would not cause too much trouble. However, he felt rather


    ufortable, as if there was a missing piece in his heart once she stopped bothering him.


    Keegan pursed his lips and lowered his head to help Ste put on a band¨Caid. From Ste¡¯s point of


    view, she could perfectly see his jawline. Even though Ste was going to divorce Keegan, she still


    thought that Keegan was goddamn hot. It was also because of this deceptive face that made her once


    thought she could live with this for the rest of her life. Once we are really separated, I probably wouldn¡¯t


    hate Keegan with that face of his. Being a face judger is so unprincipled! Ste thought.


    Keegan partially closed his eyes and gently pressed the two ends of the band¨Caid. He faintly asked,


    ¡°The window was so high up. How did you manage to climb it?¡±


    When he mentioned that, Ste could not help but brag. ¡°Did you forget that I was an art student? I


    learned to dance for many years. Although I did ck off after getting married, my foundation is still


    there. A height like that poses no difficulty to me.¡± The matter was over, and she could obviously talk


    big without thinking twice. Who would have known that her legs had given up from fear?


    Keegan looked up at her. ¡°You think you¡¯re really smart?¡±


    Ste did not understand his underlying meaning, and she discussed it in a serious manner with him. ¡°I


    consider this as brave and wise.¡±


    Keegan sneered, ¡°I think that you lost your mind! The essible restroom clearly has an emergency


    call button. Why didn¡¯t you press it? Do you really think you¡¯re brave and wise for climbing the window?


    It¡¯s on the twelfth floor! Do you know that you¡¯ll be a puddle of mush now if you step on the wrong


    foot?¡±

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    Chapter 94


    Keegan could ruin Ste¡¯s good mood with one sentence His rebuke in her face made her angry and


    aggrieved She withdrew her hand and red at him with red eyes ¡°That¡¯s right! I am dumb! I have


    never been to any essible restroom before How would I know if there was an emergency call button


    in n I¡¯m sure you wished I stepped on the wrong foot and fell to death. That way, you can save on the


    property division and have room for you and the other woman to be in each other¡¯s pockets


    Keegan narrowed his eyes ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?


    Ste gritted her teeth ¡°You know what I¡¯m talking about


    ¡°And, what exactly do I know? Keegan pulled back the hand that she had withdrawn to him and put on


    another band¨Caid. ¡°You have such a temper for that limited ability If you didn¡¯t know about the


    emergency call button, what about your phone? Can¡¯t you make a phone call?


    Ste retorted, ¡°Your sister damaged my brain. Otherwise, why would I be stupid enough to climb the


    window?¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan¡¯s eyebrow rxed after learning that she did not ignore his phone call on purpose Even the


    sarcasm in her words did not make him feel angry Looking at her furious look, Keegan unconsciously


    softened and lowered his voice, ¡°Did I wrong you, though?¡±


    Ste let off a soft huff. ¡°Well, you had the decency to be indiscriminate


    Keegan was not an unreasonable person. On the contrary, no matter how protective he was, he would


    not show pity to anyone if things went too far, even if it was his mother However, these limits were


    nothing in front of his true love Surprisingly, Keegan was not offended by her retort, and he helplessly


    said, ¡¯11 buy you a new phone.


    Ste looked at him with an absurd look. Why do I hear a touch of coaxing in these words? Is Keegan


    coaxing me? My ears work perfectly fine. It must be Keegan that has something wrong with him


    Ste coughed and nced at him, ¡°You can forget it if that¡¯s your guilty conscious trying to make up to


    me. I¡¯m not epting it.¡±


    Keegan paused and pushed her hand off. ¡°Was your brain caught in the window when you climbed it?


    Ste was speechless. She knew that Keegan was being the weird one just now Look at him. He¡¯s still


    the same old man with a sharp tongue.¡±


    ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Keegan walked two steps and red at her coldly when she remained in


    the same ce. ¡°Do I need a carriage to pick you up?¡±


    Ste sucked it up and reluctantly followed. She maintained her distance from him as if she was


    deliberately acting against him. When he was fast, she walked fast; when he was slow, she slowed


    down


    too.


    The single men in the venue naturally noticed that Ste was alone Ste was ravishing Even though


    she did not wear haute couture like the other socialites, she killed it with only a simple dress. Her


    parents looks were not attractive, but she won the gic lottery by being born with all the best


    features of her ancestor The eighteen¨Cyear¨Cold Ste had a youthful glow and was not even the


    prettiest in her ss But, by twenty¨Cthree, she was a fully bloomed flower Her features were more


    defined, and her beauty grew as she aged


    The event was filled with pretty girls, yet Ste¡¯s beauty was differentpared to other women if other


    women walked by. their fancy dress would be the first thing other people noticed. However with Stefa


    no matter what she wore, people would always notice her face first. Keegan rarely took her to these


    kinds


    of events. Therefore, many people did not recognize her. They were all wondering which family¡¯s


    daughter she was or if she was a celebrity guest invited by the host to perform.


    Many young men came up to flirt with her. Keegan turned back and saw that Ste was talking to a


    young man with a smile on her face.

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    Chapter 95


    Keegan recognized the man as someone who had just been introduced to him. A twenty¨Csomething¨C


    year- old who co¨Cfounded an up¨Canding inte enterprise with a modest bit of his family¡¯s


    funding. Thepany seemed to have good momentum too.


    Keegan walked toward them with a long face. The young man saw Keegan and greeted him with a


    smile, ¡± Mr Kane


    Keegan remainedposed, making it hard for people to see through him. He asked calmly. ¡°What


    were you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± The manughed. ¡°We were ssmates in the past, so we were just catching up.¡±


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°ssmates?¡± Keegan asked while staring at Ste. The man thought that Keegan was referring to him


    and exined, ¡°This is Ms. Ste Jewell, my high school ssmate. We haven¡¯t been in touch for a


    long time. I didn¡¯t expect to run into her here. Ste, this is Mr. Kane from The Vinci Rivera Group.


    Ste was speechless. This ssmate of hers was enthusiastic but senseless. The next moment,


    Keegan smirked, ¡°I can see that you¡¯ve not been in touch for a while.¡±


    The man was startled to see Keegan putting his arm around Ste¡¯s waist. Keegan slowly looked at


    him. and gently said, ¡°He doesn¡¯t even know you¡¯re married.¡±


    Keegan, that little shit, must have mastered how to lie,¡® thought Ste. Ste thought that she was


    already a good liar, but she willingly admitted defeat to him. Her ssmate was taken aback by the


    sudden information and paused for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re married?¡±


    Ste acted in concert with Keegan by holding his arms, and she smiled. ¡°This is my husband.¡±


    Her ssmate¡¯s gaze had a hint of regret, and he ufortably said, ¡°You got married so early.¡± After


    he spoke, he sensed that what he said was not quite right, so he hurriedly exined, ¡°I mean, I didn¡¯t


    expect Mr. Kane to be your husband. When I was studying abroad, I heard from some friends that said


    you got into an ident. It¡¯s good to find someone to take care of you.¡±


    The news of Ste and her mother¡¯s car ident was a big deal at that time, and it even went into the


    headlines. A private car and a taxi collided, causing two deaths and three injured. The taxi driver and


    the passenger died on the spot, while the other passenger was heavily injured. Ste¡¯s mother was


    saved but was in a constant vegetative state; forever asleep. Ste had the lightest injury in the


    ident. Until this day, her stomach could not help but churn when she thought about the ursed car


    ident.


    Keegan propped her fingers apart and interlocked them with his. Ste looked up at him with a strange


    look. Keegan did not look back at her and said, ¡°I heard that Mr. Lauren¡¯s parents are in the catering


    industry.¡±


    The man was delighted that Keegan took the initiative to talk, so he enthusiastically chatted with him.


    Keegan rarely talked to strangers. The people around him noticed them chatting and slowly gathered


    around him. It was impossible to talk about business on such asions. The main focus was to get


    acquainted with people.


    Although thedies talked about more boring topics; topics such as the opening of a new Japanese


    restaurant, the best teatime in the streets, or they would show off their husband¡¯s families. Their lives


    seemed to live within their husband¡¯s social circle.


    Come to think of it, I¡¯m the same, too, Ste thought. Just as she was starting to imagine things, she


    heard a female voice ring. ¡°Keegan ¡±

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    Chapter 96


    Ste wiped off the smile on her face and looked toward the sound. Be wore a blue rhinestone dress


    and was walking in her direction. Her appearance was bejeweled, and her makeup was morous.


    Both her expression and posture wereposed. As one of the most famous actresses of today, she


    truly deserved the stature of a celebrity.


    Usually, thedies¡® would, at most, have mere acquaintances with these young actresses. They would


    not care too much as it was frequent to see celebrities during these events. But, the way she called


    Keegan¡¯s name was too intimate, so they could not help but probe. The rumors about Keegan and the


    famous actress Be were widely spread. However, there was no news about it soon after, so everyone


    thought that it was just a publicity stunt. Seeing that Be called Keegan in such an intimate way in


    front of his wife seemed to make the news to be more than just hype.


    The nature of humans was to gossip, and it was the same for all social circles. The crowd was secretly


    paying attention to Keegan and Ste¡¯s reactions. Surprisingly, they reacted coldly. Ste paused a


    slight moment when she heard Be calling Keegan¡¯s name. She then proceeded to sip the juice in her


    hand as if the person who came was insignificant. While Keegan was even more indifferent, he did not


    pay any attention and only nced at Be.


    Ste sneered in her heart, ¡®This shit does know how to pretend.¡®


    Be felt slightly awkward, but she soon returned to her natural self. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Kane, what a


    coincidence.¡±


    Ste nodded faintly in response. Due to the crowd present, Keegan casually asked, ¡°Why are you


    here?¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste scorned his action. ¡®Didn¡¯t he hurriedly run away after picking up his ¡®babe¡¯s¡® phone call? Why


    should he pretend to be innocent here?¡®


    Be had a dazzling smile, and her voice was gentle and soft. ¡°I¡¯m the celebrity guest for today¡¯s


    charity performance.¡±


    The event did have some celebritiese over for a charity performance, but it was usually a


    temporary secondment found by the host¡¯spany. They were not famous; some were even students


    who had not graduated from art school, mainlying over to light up the scene. That was because


    the people attending the event were of special status. The host would never take the initiative to invite


    Be to perform in the charity performance since celebrities might attract the paparazzi. Therefore, it


    was unclear how she got in there.


    Keegan did not reply to her. He seemed to pay no attention to her as several young men came over to


    toast with him. Be flicked a nce at Ste and handed her a cocktail, ¡°Mrs. Kane, try this drink. It¡¯s


    really good.¡±


    Ste looked up and rejected. ¡°No thanks, I don¡¯t drink.¡±


    This was nonsense since Ste loved to drink sweet wine such as cocktails, wine, and cider, even


    though she could not handle liquor too well. On the contrary, Keegan, who often socialized, did not like


    to drink much.


    ¡°You don¡¯t drink?¡± Be froze and probed, ¡°Are you pregnant?¡±


    Ste stiffened, and her words hit Ste close to home. The wife was not pregnant, but the


    mistress was running amok with her big belly. ¡®Why do I have toe across this disgusting matter? Is


    she here on purpose to make me sick?¡®

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    Chapter 97


    Ste really wanted to ssh her drink on Be¡¯s face. To be honest, three years of marriage without


    kids was nothing special. The fact that Dahlia went all over the ce for a doctor to force her into


    having a boy was revolting. Dahlia made it a widely known piece of news. Apparently, people would not


    say anything about it. However, they would gossip that she could not have children behind the scenes.


    This was why even though they were married for many years, people still shoved girls into Keegan.


    Everyone began to inquire as soon as Be raised her head. Evidently, they weren¡¯t concerned about


    Ste¡¯s pregnancy. Since everyone knew that she could not get pregnant, all they wanted to know was


    if there was a joke tough about.


    Be wanted to enrage Ste and make her lose her temper out of embarrassment. However. Cordelia


    was most concerned about the Kane family¡¯s reputation. ¡®Would Cordelia protect Ste if she lost her


    temper on such an asion and brought shame to the Kane family? If Cordelia rejected her, how long


    could Ste stay in the Kane family?¡® Be was expecting things to y out this way.


    Unexpectedly, Ste was not provoked. She even smiled at the crowd and said, ¡°We will tell it when the


    timees. Some things would be jinxed if said in advance.¡±


    The crowd was stunned at her seemingly response to the pregnancy. After all, there was indeed a


    tradition to keep unstable pregnancy a secret during the first three months. Keegan was sipping tea not


    far away. He could hear what Ste said, but he did not express his opinion about it. This led the crowd


    to confirm Ste¡¯s pregnancy.


    The jokes turned into congrattions, and Be turned green with anger, as Ste became the center


    of attention. Be pretended to congratte Ste with the crowd. ¡°Congrattions to Mrs. Kane. You


    finally got what you wanted. I really can¡¯t tell when you¡¯re wearing high heels and makeup.¡±


    Be was close to directly pointing out that Ste was lying. Ste, however, was not an easy target


    either. She took a nce at Be and sneered, ¡°As an unmarried woman, you seem to know quite a lot


    about pregnant women, Ms. Young. I would have thought that you experienced being pregnant before.¡±


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Be was shocked and nervously stared at Keegan. However, Keegan was not even looking at her.


    Keegan had been setting his attention on Ste even though he was chatting with others. His gaze was


    dark with waves of emotions. Ste had no time to pay attention to Keegan and found that Be¡¯s


    reaction was odd. ¡®Why is she so nervous?¡®


    Just as Ste wanted to probe more about it, a voice interrupted, ¡°Ms. Young was just concerned. Don¡¯t


    you think that that was something very rude to be said, Mrs. Kane?¡±


    Ste was startled and looked over to see Mrs. Chapman speaking. She was the one who won all her


    money during the Mah¨CJongg game at Dahlia¡¯s ce and ended up defeated when Keegan won all the


    money back. Mrs. Chapman was good friends with Dahlia. She was smooth and slick in establishing


    social rtions, and she was a senior. Thedies were respectful to her. Mrs. Chapman was all things


    to all people. It was surprising that she helped a celebrity and publicly used the Kane family¡¯s eldest


    daughter¨Cinw.


    Ste knew that Mrs. Chapman was not helping Be. Others would not be sure, but Ste


    knew her hidden intention. Mr. Chapman once knocked up a celebrity before. Mr. Chapman¡¯s family


    had a preference for sons and had been looking forward to one, but Mrs. Chapman gave birth to three


    daughters. She was worried that the celebrity would threaten her position by giving birth to a son.


    Hence, she took the initiative to negotiate with the celebrity. In the end, the celebrity agreed to abort the


    child for ten million.


    Mrs. Chapman looked shiny on the outside, but she did not hold the purse strings. She did not have the


    money. Her own family was rich in assets, but after her parents passed away, she was left with one


    property. The rest were all inherited by her two brothers. Besides, she was not on good terms with her


    siblings because of her husband. Therefore, no one was willing to lend her the money, so she


    borrowed the money from Dahlia.


    The celebrity took the money and sent her the bill for the abortion the next day. Mrs. Chapman was


    worried, so she asked someone to check the abortion for her. In the end, she found out that the


    abortion was not only fake but so was the pregnancy.

 Chapter 98

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 98


    Chapter 98


    When Mrs. Chapman realized that she had been scammed and went to look for the artist, the artist had


    already left with the money.


    Ste heard about the incident from Aurora during a meal one time.


    That incident was the reason Mrs. Chapman hated celebrities within the entertainment industry, so she


    could not possibly side with Be.


    Even though Mrs. Chapman appeared kind, she was actually a petty person.


    ¡®She won so much money during our game of Mah¨CJongg but ended up losing it all when Keegan


    showed up. So, how could she not hold a grudge?¡® thought Ste.


    Mrs. Chapman did not dare to cross Keegan, but she was not scared of his wife¨Ca nobody. Besides,


    she was certain that Ste would not dare to offend her publicly.


    It was true that Ste did not dare to offend her.


    ¡°Mrs. Chapman isn¡¯t like Be. If I offended Be, I¡¯d at most get into an argument with Keegan; but if I


    offend Mrs. Chapman, she¡¯d probably plot my demise again,¡® Ste thought again.


    Ste did not even realize that she subconsciously thought Keegan would not do anything to her, even


    if it were for Be.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Mrs. Chapman. It was an inappropriate joke. I¡¯d like to apologize if I offended you, Ms.


    Young.¡±


    Since Ste immediately apologized, Mrs. Chapman had to force down the sardonic remarks she was


    about to say.


    ¡®What dog breed is Ste?¡® she thought.


    Be was also stunned to see Mrs. Chapman defend her. However, she was satisfied with the way


    Ste admitted her mistake, so she said in feigned magnanimity, ¡°What are you saying, Mrs. Kane? It¡¯s


    just a joke. I didn¡¯t take it to heart.¡±


    Be¡¯s answer was somewhat idiotic. It made Mrs. Chapman, who had defended her, sound as if she


    was being a little meddlesome.


    As expected, Mrs. Chapman did not look happy. She took a deep breath and changed her tone.¡± Don¡¯t


    me me for butting in, Ste. Your mother¨Cinw and I are like sisters, so you¡¯re almost like a


    daughter to me. My words may sound harsh at times, but it¡¯s for your own good. Do you understand?¡±


    Ste answered obediently, ¡°I understand.¡±


    Mrs. Chapman felt incredibly disdainful when she saw Ste¡¯s timid demeanor. When she saw how


    Keegan was still not paying attention to them, she lectured Ste in an elder¡¯s stance. You¡¯re the Kane


    family¡¯s eldest grandson¡¯s wife, so everything you say and do will represent the Kane family¡¯s image.


    Think before you speak and act. You mustn¡¯t be mannerless like you were in the past.¡±


    Ste answered as if she did not understand the cynicism in Mrs. Chapman¡¯s words.


    ¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Mrs. Chapman. I really need to learn from you when ites to speaking and behaving.


    My mother¨Cinw said you¡¯re gracious, intelligent,dylike, and virtuous. Not only did you educate


    your children into outstanding people, but you¡¯re also thoughtful and considerate when speaking or


    handling matters. You and Mr. Chapman are also incredibly in love with each other, and your love is


    stronger than steel. It¡¯s already amazing for a normal person to achieve one of these traits, but you


    actually managed to achieve all of these. What¡¯s your secret?¡±


    When everyone saw how respectful she was to Mrs. Chapman, everyone immediately followed along


    and said words of ttery.


    ¡®Mrs. Chapman and Dahlia have a good rtionship. Even Mrs. Kane is treating her like an elder, so


    wouldn¡¯t that mean we¡¯d get closer to the Kane family if we get close to Mrs. Chapman?¡® they thought.


    ¡°Mrs. Chapman, you and Mr. Chapman have been married for nearly 20 years, right? I heard Mr.


    Chapman ordered a ring for Valentine¡¯s Day this year. You two have been together for 20 years, yet


    he¡¯s still so romantic. My husband forgot about our wedding anniversary on the second year of our


    marriage.¡±


    ¡°Not only does Mrs. Chapman have a good rtionship with Mr. Chapman, but Mr. Chapman¡¯s mother


    also speaks highly of Mrs. Chapman. The mother¨Cinw and daughter¨Cinw rtionship they have


    is really enviable.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Chapman, share your secret behind having a happy marriage.¡±


    One after another, the crowd buttered up Mrs. Chapman.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Mrs. Chapman cleared her throat and said, ¡°Well, it really isn¡¯t anything special. It¡¯s unavoidable to


    have some hups in life after marriage. Men toil away at work; as women, we should be more


    considerate and tolerate them. There¡¯s no obstacle that we can¡¯t ovee in life.¡±


    ¡®That¡¯s servilism. While the division ofbor among men and women is different, do women not face


    hardships just because men do?¡® they wondered.

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    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 99


    Chapter 99


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    Everyone showed expressions of agreement regardless of what they thought.


    Ste consulted her with an earnest expression. ¡°But, what if the man made a principle¨Cbased


    mistake? For example, he has an affair and gets some woman pregnant, and the womanes to you


    and challenges you. How do you think this situation should be handled?¡±


    After Ste spoke, Mrs. Chapman¡¯s expression changed. Meanwhile, Be also became pale and


    looked panicked.


    Mrs. Chapman pursed her lips and asked with a stiff expression, ¡°Did you experience such a thing,


    Mrs. Kane?¡±


    Her words were incredibly blunt. Obviously, this was also something the crowd was very


    curious about.


    Ste steadily took a sip of her juice. Finally, she spoke, ¡°It¡¯s a friend of mine. Her husband had an


    affair, and that woman got pregnant. However, my friend did not want to get divorced, so she went to


    find that woman and negotiated with her. She wanted the woman to abort the baby and leave her


    husband. The woman agreed and asked for one million dors. She said she¡¯ll abort the child once she


    got the money. However, my friend is a stay¨Cat¨Chome mother and doesn¡¯t have much savings, so she


    borrowed money from me a few days ago. I¡¯m not sure if I should lend her the money.¡±


    She continued, ¡°Personally, I disagree with her approach. Nevertheless, I don¡¯t seem to have a better


    solution. Since you¡¯re knowledgeable and experienced, I¡¯m asking you in my friend¡¯s stead. How do


    you think it should be handled if you were faced with this situation?¡±


    Hearing Ste finish her sentence, Be breathed a sigh of relief. However, Mrs. Chapman¡¯s


    expression hadpletely darkened.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have experience in these things. You¡¯ve asked the wrong person, Mrs. Kane,¡± she said stiffly.


    Ste hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Mrs. Chapman. I¡¯m not saying that Mr. Chapman did anything. I


    just thought you¡¯ve been through this and should have a good way to handle such things.¡±


    Mrs. Chapman was so furious that she had turned red. However, she could not act on her anger.


    She gritted her teeth and said icily, ¡°I¡¯m not angry. It¡¯s just I¡¯m genuinely unable to answer your


    question. Excuse me,dies. I need to go to the washroom.¡±


    Ste watched as Mrs. Chapman hastily left.


    She smiled and loudly said, ¡°Let¡¯s y Mah¨CJongg when you¡¯re free, Mrs. Chapman.¡±


    Mrs. Chapman froze momentarily. Then, she quickened her pace and left in her leather ts.


    Ste narrowed her eyes, and the corner of her lips unnoticeably twisted upward. While she was


    gloating, Keegan¡¯s voice sounded behind her. ¡°What did you talk about that made you this happy?¡±


    Ste¡¯s smile instantly faltered.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she said coolly.


    On the other hand, thedies were incredibly friendly to Keegan. It only took them a few sentences to


    tell him about the conversation earlier.


    Keegan then nced at Ste.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t know she has a married friend whose husband had an affair?¡® he thought.


    ¡°You lent that friend money?¡±


    ¡®Lent, my ass! It was a story I made up on the spot!¡® she thought.


    Ste nced at him and said, ¡°I wanted to, but I didn¡¯t have enough.¡±


    ¡°I can pay you in advance.¡±


    ¡®Is he that kind?¡® she wondered.


    ¡°Under what condition?¡±


    She wanted to know what Keegan was thinking.


    Keegan lowered his gaze and said in a husky voice, ¡°Give me a kiss.¡±

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    Ste was startled. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Keegan avoided her gaze and said coolly, ¡°Cordelia¡¯s people here. I don¡¯t want grandma to hear any


    stories, so don¡¯t read too much into it.¡±


    ¡®No wonder,¡® she thought.


    Ste pouted.


    ¡®I knew it. He wouldn¡¯t say such strange things. He¡¯s the one who¡¯s a performing art major graduate; he


    can get into character anytime and anywhere. But, why should I cooperate with him?¡® she thought.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Just as Ste was about to reject his request, she suddenly saw Be look longingly in their direction.


    She looked as if she wanted to pounce over and separate Ste from Keegan.


    Suddenly, Ste changed her mind.


    She grabbed Keegan¡¯s shoulders and murmured, ¡°Keep your word.¡±


    Then, she tip¨Ctoed and kissed him on the lips.


    Keegan¡¯s lips were a little damp and tasted like red wine; it was faint and smelled a little good. ¡®Keegan


    definitely doesn¡¯t know how nervous I feel every time I use every trick in the book to seduce him. No


    matter how experienced I pretend to be, I¡¯ve never been an expert when I¡¯m faced with the person I


    like. But, things are different for Keegan. He rarely has an expression that isn¡¯t indifferent, even while


    he has the most intimate contact,¡® she thought.


    ¡®Back then, I enjoyed seeing Keegan¡¯s calm and poisedposure as if I was bewitched. However, I


    forgot that no man would be unmoved when looking at the woman he likes unless he waspletely


    uninterested in that woman. If Keegan¡¯s uninterested in me, he wouldn¡¯t spare me a nce even if I


    stood naked in front of him. Even after he reluctantly sleeps with me, he spends two hours in the


    bathroom as if I¡¯ve got germs on me!¡® she thought again. Suddenly, Ste felt annoyed.


    ¡®I¡¯m clearly the one who has been patient with this marriage! Who¡¯s Keegan to despise me?¡® she


    thought.


    Ste stared at the face she was once enamored with and stuck out her tongue without warning.


    Keegan tensed up and immediately frowned.


    After being cheeky, Ste released her grip.


    ¡®Eat my drool, you clean freak!¡® she thought.


    She felt even more satisfied when she saw Be¡¯s stunned and jealous gaze.


    ¡°Hey, shouldn¡¯t you two be more mindful of your images?¡±


    Vermont popped out of nowhere and ced his hand on Keegan¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°At the very least, be considerate of single people like me here.¡±


    Ste turned around and realized that not only was Vermont here but also Marshall.


    His indifferent gaze met with hers. Then, he nodded lightly and did not speak.


    Ste felt guilty and nervous. She felt guilty because she had not told him her real name from the start,


    and nervous because she was worried that Marshall would expose her. She still did not want Keegan to


    know that she was ¡°Dusk Gxy.¡±


    ¡®Even if I get exposed, not now,¡¯ she thought.


    Then, she felt pressure on her waist. Keegan was holding her.


    ¡°We¡¯re all adults. What haven¡¯t you seen before?¡± he asked coolly.


    Ste snapped out of her daze and looked down at his hand on her waist. She held back and did not


    publicly swat his hand away.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Aurora?¡± asked Keegan.


    ¡°She went out to answer a call.¡± Vermont continued teasingly, ¡°I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s your mom. Otherwise,


    how could she leave behind her Marshall.¡±


    Marshall frowned momentarily but did not respond. He grabbed the wine on the table and looked at


    Ste. ¡°Want a ss?¡±

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    Chapter 101


    Just as Ste was about to reach out and ept the ss, Keegan quietly said beside her, ¡°I thought


    you couldn¡¯t drink right now?¡±


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    Ste was at a loss for words.


    ¡®I can¡¯t tell him I said that because I didn¡¯t want Be¡¯s drink, right? It¡¯ll look like I care about him,¡® she


    thought.


    ¡°Who said I¡¯m drinking?¡± she moved her hand away and grabbed the juice she was drinking just now.


    Then, she smiled at Marshall with her eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t mind me drinking juice instead of wine?¡±


    Marshall¡¯s gaze softened. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Vermont saw Keegan¡¯s darkened expression. He quickly grabbed a ss of wine and stuffed it into his


    hands. Then, he moved closer and said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s only fun to drink wine when everyone¡¯s


    drinking together. Here¡¯s to you, Ste.¡±


    Ste nced bewilderedly at Vermont.


    ¡®It can be said that Vermont and I usually can¡¯t stand the sight of each other. Keegan¡¯s friends all look


    down on my background and have alwaysined about how I managed to marry Keegan. When


    Keegan¡¯s around, Vermont will pretend to say hello for his sake. But, when I¡¯m alone, and he sees me


    on the street¨Cforget about saying hello¨Chepletely pretends like he didn¡¯t see me. As for me, I don¡¯t


    like Keegan¡¯s rich, elitist friends, especially Vermont Snyder. Arge part of why I dislike Vermont is


    because of Be. It¡¯s all thanks to this pimp that Keegan and Be¡¯s rtionship is well¨Chidden, and


    she can stay out of scandals. Everyone usually finds me an eyesore, yet they¡¯re now calling me by my


    first name. Can they not make my skin crawl?¡® she thought.


    Be watched as the few chatted as if no one else were there andpletely ignored her presence.


    She finally could no longer sit still and initiated a conversation.


    ¡°Mr. Snyder, is this man your friend?¡±


    Vermont seemed to just notice her. He was momentarily stunned. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Be¡¯s lips twitched in annoyance.


    ¡®I¡¯ve been standing here since forever!¡® she thought.


    Be feigned a smile, ¡°Didn¡¯t my manager tell you? I¡¯m here for a charity performance.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I think I remember now. This is Attorney Moore,¡± said Vermont.


    Then, he said to Marshall, ¡°This is an artist from mypany¨CBe Young.¡±


    Vermont was not that close with Be, so his introduction of her was slipshod.


    ¡®I wonder if it¡¯s because I¡¯m also here,¡® Ste thought.


    Once Be learned that Marshall was awyer, the expression on her was no longer as friendly


    as before.


    Meanwhile, Marshall was gentlemanly as usual. He proactively reached out and greeted her. Nice to


    meet you, Ms. Young. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Attorney Moore.¡±


    Be spoke with a smile on her face but shook Marshall¡¯s hand half¨Cheartedly. She practically retracted


    her hand the moment Marshall touched her hand. It was as though she was worried that he would


    touch her.


    Marshall froze and looked Be up and down. Suddenly, he said, ¡°Your voice doesn¡¯t sound quite like


    your voice in the dramas, Ms. Young.¡±


    Be was a little unhappy. She had been a hot topic several times because of the voiceover, so she


    was really sensitive when it came to the issue of dubbing in dramas. She constantly thought people


    were ridiculing her whenever they brought this up.


    ¡°Dramas undergo sound processing post¨Cproduction.¡±


    Her words implied that it was normal for voices to sound different in real lifepared to TV.


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Marshallughed.


    He said warmly, ¡°Could you give me your autograph, Ms. Young? I really like your work.¡± Vermont was


    shocked. ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell, Marshall. You like dramas with idols?¡±


    Marshall said earnestly, ¡°Ms. Young¡¯s dramas are pretty good. You should watch some when you¡¯re


    free. It builds character.¡±


    Vermont twitched his lips speechlessly.


    ¡®Have I gone crazy, or has Marshall gone crazy? Watching clich¨¦ dramas can build character? What in


    the world?¡® he thought.


    Be noticed Vermont¡¯s tone and attitude while he was speaking to Marshall. She figured that


    Marshall¡¯s identity was not as simple as just awyer. So, she immediately changed her


    attitude.

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    ¡°Of course,¡± Be said while rummaging through her bag.


    When Ste saw the bag, her breathing quickened.


    She secretly peered at Keegan. He was slowly sipping the wine and did not seem to notice the bag.


    ¡®I suppose he doesn¡¯t even spare a nce at the things other people gifted him, so how would he know


    what the bag looks like? After all, he doesn¡¯t even notice that I change my clothes three times a day


    back home,¡® she thought.


    At that thought, Ste felt a little reassured.


    Be rummaged through her bag for a while and took out only a pen. She lifted her head a little and


    apologetically said, ¡°Sorry, I forgot to bring a paper. Why don¡¯t we do this another day? Or, I could get


    Mr. Snyder to pass you my autograph on my behalf after this?¡±


    Marshall smiled, ¡°If it¡¯s possible, could you sign it on my hand?¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes twitched.


    ¡®Don¡¯t tell me Marshall is really Be¡¯s fan,¡® she thought.


    However, Vermont was blunter, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were interested in all this, Marshall.¡±


    Marshall smiled coolly.


    ¡°It¡¯s a rare opportunity to meet Ms. Young,¡± he said as he reached out and revealed half of his lower


    arm.


    His words instantly gratified Be¡¯s sense of vanity. She stopped hesitating and grabbed the pen. Then,


    she signed her autograph on Marshall¡¯s wrist.


    Marshall kept staring at the hand Be used to write.


    Marshall¡¯s eyes were different from Keegan¡¯s upturned eyes. He had amorous eyes, and it looked like


    he was gazing lovingly at his lover even when he was looking at trash.


    The beautiful scene did notst long. Before Be finished signing her autograph, someone ripped her


    hand away and pped her.


    ¡°You bitch. Who do you think you are seducing?¡±


    Be was dumbfounded after getting pped. Her vision darkened for a second before she saw the


    person who pped her. It was Keegan¡¯s sister, Aurora.


    Be lost her footing and fell onto the table next to her. Then, the pyramid of wine sses instantly


    toppled over.


    ¡°CRASH!¡±


    The wine sses shattered all over the floor.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Be fell onto the floor with wine and ss shards all over the hem of her dress.


    The banquet was cut short by the loud crash. Everyone turned to look in their direction.


    Aurora was furious, so she still had not realized that she had gotten in trouble.


    She pointed at Be¡¯s nose and shouted, ¡°You stupid actress. You¡¯re seducing everyone. You can¡¯t get


    popr without men, huh?¡±


    She wanted to hit Be again, but Marshall quickly stopped her.


    ¡°What are you saying? Ms. Young was just giving me her autograph.¡±


    ¡°Her chest was practically on your arm. She was clearly seducing you! I¡¯ve seen plenty of tricks from


    these actresses. Let go of me, Marshall! I¡¯m going to teach her a lesson today!¡±


    ¡®No one can stop Aurora when she flips out; I¡¯ve gone through it firsthand. It seems like Be¡¯s going to


    suffer today,¡® Ste thought.


    The very next moment, Aurora was pped.


    Ste was startled. She slowly turned to look at Keegan.


    Keegan had a stiff expression, and his usually conniving gaze toward Aurora was now icy.


    Aurora looked shocked. ¡°Keegan¡­ You pped me because of this bitch?¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Keegan looked furious.


    He turned to Vermont and said, ¡°Take her home.¡±


    Then, Keegan bent over and carried Be out of the venue.


    Ste stared at his worried silhouette. Suddenly, she lowered her gaze and chuckled.


    ¡®I was looking at a joke when I¡¯m the biggest joke myself,¡® she thought.


    Vermont quickly got someone to take Aurora away. Soon after, the scene was cleaned up.


    The evening continued as if nothing had ever happened.


    Ste was the only one drowning in the crowd¡¯s gossip and chatter.


    ¡®My husband left me behind with another woman in his arms. This is what happens when wee


    from families with unequal statuses. I used to think that the saying was a load of bull, but I think it


    makes sense now,¡® she thought.


    She took the wine ss on the table and drank it with a stoic expression.


    It burned her throat, but she did not feel the pain. After downing three sses, she felt a fire in her


    stomach.


    Just as she was about to grab her fourth ss, an outstretched hand gently held her wrist.

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    ¡°Would you like to dance?¡±


    Marshall¡¯s voice sounded very soft, or perhaps, gentle.


    He always had this maic voice, yet that was his first time talking to her like that.


    Ste suddenly felt very ufortable. She did not know if it was the alcohol or how aggrieved she


    felt, but tears welled up in her eyes.


    Then, she said in a hoarse voice, ¡°I¡¯m not good at it.¡±


    Marshall smiled. ¡°Me neither.¡±


    He lied. He was a good dancer.


    He got every beat right as he matched her pace patiently.


    That was something Ste never experienced with Keegan. She would always step on his foot, and


    Keegan was never a teacher with patience.


    He would stop dancing with her after she stepped on him a few times.


    She was not a terrible dancer, but Keegan would not try to amodate her pace.


    Ste already started sweating after two songs.


    She handed Marshall a ss of wine and asked him while supporting her chin with one hand, ¡± Are you


    really a fan of Be Young?¡±


    Marshall smiled. Then, he damped a piece of tissue with some wine and wiped the signature off.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really watch television, but it was my first time meeting a superstar like her. I was just curious to


    see what¡¯s so special about them.¡±


    Ste did not really believe him.


    The reason he gave was kind of a stretch to her.


    Marshall noticed how she did not believe him, so he added, ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. To be honest, there¡¯s


    something I need to make sure of. I¡¯ll tell you about it after that.¡±


    Ste said, ¡°Just don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re her fans.¡±


    Her insistent looked very cute to Marshall. Then, he raised his hand and swore, ¡°I promise I¡¯m


    not.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s drink, then.¡±


    Marshall raised his ss and suddenly said, ¡°Ms. Young hurt herself.¡±


    Ste paused.


    Then, he exined, ¡°Her armnded on the ss when she fell just now. After all, she¡¯s a public figure,


    and she needs to maintain a good image. She¡¯d have a lot of exining to do if any of the paparazzi


    took a picture of her.¡±


    Ste came around and realized that he was actually exining on behalf of Keegan.


    She looked down and smiled. ¡°Do all men like to help each other and treat women like they¡¯re stupid?¡±


    Marshall shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to help him. I¡¯m just telling you what I saw.¡±


    Ste put her wine down. ¡°So, are you going to tell Keegan about how I hired you to initiate awsuit?¡±


    ¡°This is your privacy as my client. Nobody except for me and you would know about this unless you


    chose to tell them. This is my professional ethics as awyer.¡±


    Ste stared at him for a very long time.


    Her eyes looked crystal clear.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to pay you a single penny if you ever tell him about it.¡±


    Marshall was stunned. Then, he chuckled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep my mouth shut for the money.¡±


    He raised his ss as he spoke.


    Ste clinked her ss with his and her mood suddenly became a lot better.


    The banquet ended around eleven.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan never returned after leaving.


    Ste was still wearing her flimsy dress while sitting on a stone bord outside the hotel. She squinted


    as she watched the cars flew her by as if she was thinking about something.


    Suddenly, her phone rang.

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    Chapter 104


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    She struggled for a moment before she answered it. However, she heard an automated female voice


    reminding her to make her credit card repayment.


    She hung on with an indifferent look on her face. She raised her phone as if she was going to throw her


    phone away but stopped at the veryst moment. Then, she switched off her phone and put it back into


    her bag.


    Marshall looked at her actions and somehow thought that she looked cute.


    He walked over and draped his coat over her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll send you back.¡±


    ¡°Forget it. If Keegan told you to do this, tell him to pick up his own wife.¡±


    Clearly, she was throwing a fit even though she said that she did not care.


    She only sat there without leaving because she was waiting for Keegan toe back.


    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. It¡¯s not safe for you to be alone out here.¡±


    Marshall said in a very subtle way, but Ste could understand that Keegan did not call him.


    ¡®He probably forgot that he left his own wife behind,¡® she thought to herself.


    Then, she turned around and asked, ¡°Can you send me to where you parkedst time?¡±


    Ste did not say another word after she got into the car.


    She shut her eyes as if she was sleeping.


    The car stopped. Marshall was about to wake her up a whileter, but she opened her eyes. ¡°Are we


    here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Ste looked outside the window and gave the coat back to him. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Then, she unbuckled her seatbelt and got off the car.


    Suddenly, Marshall¡¯s phone rang.


    He looked down at his phone to check the caller¡¯s I.D. and put it away.


    He only told his chauffeur to drive away after Ste¡¯s figure disappeared from his sight.


    Keegan frowned and hung up as he looked at his unanswered call. He thought to himself for a moment


    before calling his house¡¯s phone.


    Maya picked up the phone very quickly. ¡°Hello, Mr. Kane?¡±


    Keegan asked in a low voice, ¡°Is Mrs. Kane back home?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Kane? I thought she went to the banquet with you.¡®


    Keegan pursed his lips and continued after a while, ¡°Give me a call when shees back.¡±


    Then, he hung up. After that, something popped into his head before he dialed Felicity¡¯s


    number.


    He directly asked after the call was connected, ¡°Did Ste go to your ce?¡±


    Felicity answered in an unpleasant tone as if his call woke her up from her sleep, ¡°Mr. Kane, Ste is


    your wife. How could you not know where she is? Why would you always ask an outsider the same


    thing?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not with you?¡±


    ¡°No! Come over and find out for yourself if you don¡¯t believe me. Sue me for human trafficking if you


    could find her at my ce!¡±


    Keegan went silent for a while before he hung up.


    Felicity heard her doorbell ringing right after the call was disconnected.


    She opened the door and found out that it was Ste.


    Then, she had a wild thought. ¡®Keegan won¡¯t really sue me for human trafficking, right?¡®


    Ste came to take her clothes back. She did not get to bring a lot of her belongings back when


    Keegan came to pick her up.


    However, it was a weird time for her to get her stuff back. Besides, the fact that Keegan called Felicity


    made her feel like something strange was going on.


    She only asked softly after Ste changed her dress. ¡°Ste, did you get in a fight with Keegan?


    ¡±


    Ste looked at her, surprised. Then, she said tly after keeping her dress in her bag, ¡°Why do you


    ask?¡±


    ¡°Keegan gave me a call before you came here,¡± Felicity said honestly. ¡°He sounded a little anxious.¡±

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    ¡°We¡¯re not fighting. He agreed to give me a part of his wealth after we¡¯re divorced. Why would I fight


    with him? Money is money, right?¡±


    ¡°Then, are you going back home now?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m going to the hospital,¡± Ste said, ¡°The caretaker told me that my mom moved a little this


    morning, and it seems like she¡¯s getting better. So, I want to spend more time talking to her and


    hopefully, I can wake her up sooner.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll drive you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m going to take a cab.¡± Ste waved her hands at her and said, ¡°You should sleep early.


    Rainee was still lying on the bed as usual. What Ste told Felicity was a lie.


    She just wanted to stay beside Rainee when she felt wronged just like old times. She would feel very at


    ease even though Rainee could not console her.


    The doctor always told her to talk to Raine more, but she just could note up with a topic. Ste had


    never really talked to her growing up.


    She tried to talk about what happened in the past to recall her memories, just to realize that they never


    really spent a lot of time with each other.


    After noticing her struggle, the caretaker smiled and gently said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell her more about


    your husband? I¡¯m sure that she¡¯ll be very interested in that as your mother.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing much to talk about.¡± Ste smiled. ¡°I¡¯d probably never marry him if my mom isn¡¯t like


    this.¡±


    The caretaker did not know what to say.


    Ste stood up and turned on the radio. It was one of Rainee¡¯s vintage collections.


    Rainee loved listening to operas, and she had a lot of opera cassettes. The only reason Rainee bought


    this old radio was to y those cassettes,


    Ste brought this thing from home ever since the doctor told her to stimte her senses by exposing


    her to things that she liked.


    She picked one of the cassettes randomly and yed it.


    Then, she lie on the extra bed there and started reading the magazine on the table.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    She flipped to the first page and saw the title of the first story, I¡¯m Pregnant With My Ex- husband¡¯s


    Baby.


    Ste froze.


    She pursed her lips and flipped to another story, My Loveless Marriage With My Husband


    Ste was left speechless.


    Then, she continued flipping as if she refused to give up.


    I¡¯m Not My Husband¡¯s First Love, sh Marriage to sh Divorce, How Important Is In-


    Law¡¯s Rtionship to a Marriage¡­


    Ste sighed and asked, ¡°Hey, won¡¯t you be afraid of getting married after reading this?¡±


    The caretakerughed. ¡°The stories are all fictional. Why would I be?¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    Suddenly, Rainee¡¯s heartbeat on the monitor fluctuated and her blood pressure started dropping as the


    machine beeped.


    The caretaker acted very fast and immediately notified the doctors.


    Ste went out of the ward and had a hard time calming herself down.


    That was her first time seeing Rainee curling her fingers.


    All of Rainee¡¯s vital signs slowly went back to normal after the doctors went inside for a while.


    The doctors said that Rainee had the signs of waking up, but they could not be certain if she could


    really wake up.


    They had seen the same thing too many times in other patients, but none of them ever woke up. Even


    worse, some of them passed away after showing signs like that.


    The doctors¡® words rained on Ste¡¯s parade.


    ¡°Of course, we¡¯re just making assumptions based on our previous encounters. We still have to observe


    the patient¡¯s recovery progress.¡± The doctor paused for a second before he asked, ¡® Did she react like


    this when you talk to her?¡±


    Ste shook her head. She did not really talk to her, so she knew that it could not be her.


    She turned her head and looked around as something popped into her head. ¡°Could it be this?¡±


    The radio yer was ying ¡°The Drunken Beauty¡°.


    The caretaker suddenly spoke as if she thought of something. ¡°I remember that a cassette was ying


    too when she had a reactionst time.¡±

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    Chapter 106


    It seemed like that was the only urrence inmon when Rainee had a reaction.


    ¡°T


    The doctor noted down what the caretaker said in Rainee¡¯s medical record before he said, Perhaps we


    can continue to stimte her sense by doing this. However, don¡¯t y it for too long. Observe her when


    you do that next time and notify us right away if there¡¯s a reaction.¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°Sure, thanks.¡±


    Ste looked at the cassette after the doctors left.


    The cassette was very old, and most of the words on it were scrapped off. Ste could only see the


    word ¡°Opera Master¡± on it.


    ¡°Miss, do you remember which cassette was ying when my mom had a reactionst time?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t really recall, but I can remember a small part of it. I can hum it to you.¡±


    Ste waited eagerly.


    The caretaker immediately asked after she hummed it, ¡°How was it? Can you recognize which one it


    was? This is the part I remember the most!¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    The caretaker really did just hum a small part of it without a single word and it was not even on beat.


    Ste had been listening to the cassettes growing up. Even though she did not listen to all of them, so


    she could only remember at least eighty percent of them. However, she just could not recognize which


    one the caretaker was referring to.


    Ste said while trying not to crush the caretaker¡¯s confidence, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard this.¡®


    The caretaker was very enthusiastic. ¡°Was it not clear enough? I¡¯ll hum again!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Ste put the cassette on the table. Then, she turned around and said to her, ¡°Miss, would


    you just y these cassettes in order from now on, and see which ones can make my mom have a


    reaction? Then, only y those on repeat.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Ste tried to sleep on the extra bed for the night. The roway bed was so hard that she felt sore all


    over her body.


    The next morning, she woke up before daylight.


    She went downstairs to buy the caretaker breakfast. Then, she left in a cab after talking to the


    caretaker for a while.


    She did not want to stay in the hospital for too long since she could not use her phone.


    It was only a few minutes past six when she arrived at the mansion.


    It was the weekend, and Keegan would normally still be sleeping at this hour while Maya would be at


    the morning market for grocery shopping.


    She opened the door, and as expected, the living room was empty.


    She changed her shoes. Then, she threw her bag with the dress in it before going to the kitchen for


    some water.


    It was very hot in the ward, and her throat felt extremely dry after waking up.


    Ste took a bottle of water from the fridge and took a big gulp after twisting it open. She saw Keegan¡¯s


    gloomy face as soon as she closed the fridge.


    She was shocked as she spat the water out of her mouth. She choked so hard, that her face turned


    red.


    ¡°Why are you sneaking up on me like this?¡±


    Ste glowered at him snappishly.


    Keegan looked at her clothes and said in a deep voice, ¡°Where were youst night?¡±


    Ste replied in a perfunctory manner, ¡°A friend¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°Which friend?¡± Clearly, Keegan did not believe her. ¡°What friends do you have in Rivera other than


    Felicity?¡±


    ¡®Why the hell is he questioning me like this?¡®


    Ste was mad. ¡®How could he have the audacity to ask me this when he left with another womanst


    night?¡®


    Then, she casually said, ¡°I have plenty of other friends. But, Felicity is the only one you know.¡±


    Keegan spoke after pausing for a moment. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you weren¡¯ting back to


    sleep?¡±


    ¡°My phone broke.¡±


    That was the most righteous and perfect reason ever.

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    Keegan got a little annoyed by her attitude, as his voice became unnoticeably deeper. ¡°Don¡¯t your


    friend have a phone? Was it so difficult for you to just give me a call?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not, but I was worried that you might be too busy to pick up. After all¡­¡± Ste paused before


    continuing tly, ¡°You didn¡¯t even have time to let me know that you were leaving.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    He continued to speak after some time, ¡°Be got hurt.¡±


    ¡®He got worried and immediately sent Be to the hospital because she was hurt. So, he couldn¡¯t find


    the time to notify his legitimate wife about it.¡®


    ¡°Oh,¡± Ste looked down as she said calmly, ¡°Is she dead?¡±


    Keegan could not help but frown after hearing the mean words Ste said.


    ¡°Ste Jewell, did you have to be so evil?¡±


    ¡°I was just asking. Why are you so agitated? It¡¯s not like she¡¯d die just because I asked that question


    anyway.¡±


    Ste spoke as she went around Keegan.


    Keegan looked at her back for a few seconds before trying to catch up to her.


    Ste crossed her legs while sitting on the couch. She was eating an apple and scrolling her


    iPad at the same time.


    Her phone was connected to her tablet, and both of her devices would receive the same messages


    simultaneously. So, she could only go through her messages through the iPad now that her phone was


    broken.


    She ignored Keegan despite hearing his footsteps as she went on to check her mailbox.


    Keegan stretched his arm out and touched her dress on the sofa and suddenly asked, ¡°Who gave you


    your clothes?¡±


    ¡°The hotel manager.¡±


    Clearly, Keegan did not trust her. ¡°Why would the manager suddenly give you this?¡±


    Ste did not feel like answering his question at all.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Keegan would have known what happened in the washroomst night if he just went to the hotel and


    check. Ste refused to believe that Keegan was worried about her.


    However, Keegan had no ns to find out what really happened at all since it was his sister who locked


    her in there. It would only make sense for him to defend Aurora by acting as if nothing had happened


    and brushing it off.


    ¡°You should be asking the manager that. Perhaps he thought that I looked very beautiful, so he just felt


    like gifting me something.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyelid twitched.


    Coincidentally, his phone rang. So, he stopped questioning Ste and answered the call.


    Ste knew that only Be would call him at this hour without having to guess at all.


    Keegan did not even bother to walk away while talking to that person on the phone. His attitude and


    tone took a big turn, and he sounded very gentle.


    Ste got mad. So, she made a huge noise while pulling the drawer on purpose.


    Keegan red at her and continued speaking in a very gentle tone. ¡°I¡¯m just d that you¡¯re okay.¡±


    ¡®What a scum! Does he think that I¡¯m dead?!¡®


    She threw her iPad away as she was about to rage after turning her head around. However, Keegan


    handed her the phone. ¡°Grandma wants to talk to you.¡±


    Ste¡¯s fury immediately disappeared into thin air as she took the phone and spoke softly, Grandma.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s mouth twitched.


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m seeing.¡®


    ¡°Ste, why didn¡¯t youe to my house? Juno misses you so much that it doesn¡¯t even want to eat its


    apples now.


    Juno was Cordelia¡¯s horse. It was about 6 foot 5, has dark and shiny hair, and a muscr build. But, its


    right eye was blind. Otherwise, it would undoubtedly be an award¨Cwinning horse. Cordelia was a very


    adventurous person, and she was into fiery horses like Juno.


    She met Juno by pure coincidence when she went to a horse racingpetition in Yostrain a few


    years ago. Juno was only half a year old at that time. Juno could not race because of a keeper¡¯s


    mistake that cost it an eye, so it was sold to a farm instead.


    However, Juno was a very aggressive and rebellious horse. The owner of the farm would always


    punish it by whipping it due to how inexperienced he was with horses.

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    Juno was an offspring of a champion racehorse. The arrogance in its blood just would not allow it to be


    treated like this. So, the more it was whipped, the more it resisted.


    The farm owner thought that it was insane, and he was about to euthanize it. However, it broke free


    and escaped from the owner before it ran amok on the highway.


    Cordelia was in a car cruising on the highway. She told her driver to stop the car because she was


    afraid that he might hit Juno.


    The police arrived at the scene very quickly. Then, they hit Juno with a tranquilizer dart. Even though it


    was starting to lose consciousness and stumble, it still stood there and looked at everybody


    aggressively with its untamed gaze while panting.


    That gaze immediately moved Cordelia.


    Cordelia spent merely one thousand dors to buy Juno from the farm owner.


    Everybody wondered what an old woman could do to tame it since even a professional trainer could


    not manage to do that.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    However, Juno stared at Cordelia for some time before it bowed its head down and nuzzled her cheek


    on the day she brought him away.


    Everyone was shocked, except for Cordelia. Then, she went back home with Juno happily. Perhaps it


    was because Juno always got whipped growing up that it made Juno to be very cautious around


    strangers. Juno would only let Cordelia and Keegan touch it.


    Cordelia imed that Juno only let Keegan touch it because their temper was as strange as each


    other.


    Ste thought that what she said made a lot of sense.


    ¡°Grandma, stop joking with me. Juno rarely looks at me when I go there. It should have more appetite


    now that I¡¯m not around.¡±


    Cordeliaughed. ¡°Why would Juno eat the food you fed it if it doesn¡¯t like you? Not only that it didn¡¯t


    eat the food Aurora gave it, but it vomited on her too.¡±


    Ste could not help butugh after picturing what happened in her head.


    ¡°Come over to have lunchter. Spend some time with Juno and run with it. Otherwise, it¡¯d probably be


    depressed.¡±


    Ste thought that it would not be good for her to reject Cordelia after hearing what she said. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll


    come over in a while, then.¡±


    She returned the phone to Keegan after hanging up without talking to him at all. Then, she went


    upstairs to get freshened up.


    Keegan was wearing his tie when Ste came downstairs again.


    Ste wanted to go around him to wear her shoes, but Keegan turned around and stood in her way.


    ¡°Help me with this.¡±


    She would put on his tie for him without having to ask. Ste always thought that a little act of romance


    like that could improve their rtionship as husband and wife.


    However, Ste could not care less because she was about to divorce him.


    So, she said in a defiant manner. ¡°Don¡¯t you have hands?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± Unexpectedly, Keegan was not mad as he continued tly, ¡°I just want to make my one billion


    worth it.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    She took the tie Keegan handed her unwillingly and red at him. ¡°Bend down. How tall do you think I


    am?¡±


    Keegan paused.


    Then, he did as she said while mocking her, ¡°I forgot that you¡¯re short.¡±


    Ste desperately wanted to strangle him to death with the tie. ¡®What a scum! He¡¯s so mean!¡®


    She bowed her head down while helping him with the tie concentratedly.


    Keegan gazed down and stared at her.


    Ste did not have any makeup on her face other than lipstick.


    However, she had fair skin, and her eyes looked very delicate. She would look remarkably well just by


    wearing lipstick.


    She just took a shower, and there was a faint fragrance on her that smelled like neither shampoo nor


    perfume.


    It was more like blooming flowers during spring. It was subtle, and it smelled a little like nts after the


    rain.


    Keegan gulped as he was about to get closer to her.

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    Then, Ste let go of her hands. ¡°It¡¯s done. Mr. Kane, please check if I made your money worth it now.¡±


    Keegan turned around and looked into the mirror before he said, ¡°I guess.¡±


    Ste curled her lips. Then, she wore her shoes and went out while carrying her little handbag.


    She saw a Mercedes¨CBenz parked right outside as soon as she left the house. Cordelia¡¯s personal


    driver, Baldwin Clint was standing right beside it. He greeted Ste politely when he saw her. ¡°Good


    morning, Mrs. Kane. Madam told me to pick you up.¡±


    Ste could not stand it after listening to how courteous a fifty¨Cyear¨Cold man talked to her. So, she


    quickly said, ¡°Thank you, Baldwin.¡±


    Baldwin made a U¨Cturn after Ste got in the car, but he did not drive away.


    Ste was about to ask him what he was waiting for, but she saw Keegan walking toward the car. Then,


    he opened the door and got inside too.


    Ste immediately frowned. ¡°Why don¡¯t you drive your own car? We¡¯re not going to pass by your office


    while going to grandma¡¯s ce.¡±


    ¡°Who told you I was going to the office?¡± Keegan swept his nce across her before turning around


    and said to Baldwin, ¡°Baldwin, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Ste was stunned.


    ¡®I would¡¯ve said no to grandma if I knew he wasing!


    ¡®Damn it!¡®


    Then, she moved closer to the window and tried to stay as far as she could from Keegan.


    Keegan acted like he did not care at all, as he started texting someone on his phone while he lowered


    his head.


    Ste secretly peeked at him. However, Keegan noticed it. He raised his phone higher, so Ste could


    not see who he was texting.


    ¡®What a scum!


    ¡®Who cares about who you¡¯re texting?!¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Marshall¡¯s phone suddenly rang when he was doing some research in his study room.


    He epted the call after seeing that his mother wanted to video call him. Then, he put his phone on


    the desk as he continued to work while he asked, ¡°Hey, mom. Can I help you?¡®


    ¡°Marshall, what do you think of this dress?¡±


    Marshall swept his nce across the screen and offhandedly said, ¡°Not bad. It matches very well.¡±


    Ariel got mad. ¡°Are you just trying to brush me off like your dad? Did you even look at the screen?¡®


    you


    Ariel was a very easygoing person, but she could be very difficult to handle when she got mad


    for real.


    So, Marshall moved his gaze back to the screen again. ¡°I¡¯m looking right at it.¡±


    Ariel had a very pretty dress on as she turned around in front of her camera. ¡°How do I look?¡± she


    asked.


    Ariel was a very beautiful woman when she was younger. However, she got ill in her forties, and she


    became a little chubbier after she recovered. Even though she looked more elegantpared to


    before, she could not be as confident as she used to when it came to her outfit. She would only buy


    dresses that were loose and hadplicated designs to hide her size.


    However, the dress she was wearing had a very distinct difference from what she would normally wear.


    It was a silky in dark green knee¨Clength dress. Ariel paired the dress with a ck belt, and it made


    her look very energetic and youthful.


    Ariel was clearly very satisfied with the dress judging by how happy she looked.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Marshallplimented Ariel truthfully. ¡°It looks simr to what you wore in your wedding


    pictures.¡±


    Ariel knew that her son was buttering her up on purpose, but she was still very happy. Then, she turned


    around and said to her husband, ¡°Did you hear that? Your son has better taste than you.¡±


    Wace turned his back on her and stayed out of the discussion.


    Then, Marshall said, ¡°You would return everything you bought previously. Why did you suddenly


    change your style?¡±


    ¡°Keegan bought this for me.¡±


    Marshall paused. ¡°Keegan?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ariel said happily, ¡°He said it¡¯s a birthday present. I told him that my birthday is more than two


    months away, but he said that he saw this dress when he was on a business trip, and he thought that


    it¡¯d look really good on me. So, he bought it for me to try it.¡±

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    Marshall kept quiet.


    Ariel continued to speak emotionally, ¡°I should¡¯ve gotten myself a daughter, so I can make Keegan my


    son¨Cinw.¡±


    Marshall could not help but say, ¡°Keegan is already married.¡±


    ¡°I know. Keegan is such a perfect man. Why would his grandmother find him a wife like her? They don¡¯t


    go well with each other at all.¡®


    ¡°Irene and her ex¨Chusband went very well with each other but look at how they ended got herself a


    new boyfriend now, and she¡¯s so much happier.¡±


    up. She


    ¡°Your grandfather spoiled your aunt too much. No one can control her.¡± Ariel¡¯s head hurt when she


    talked about Irene. Then, she said to Marshall, ¡°When are you going to visit Mrs. Kane Sr.? She misses


    you very much after you went overseas. Pay her a visit now that you¡¯re back.¡±


    Marshall nodded.


    ¡°Did Aurora talk to you recently?¡±


    Marshall knew exactly what Ariel was trying to do as he directly avoided that topic. ¡°I have work to do


    now. I¡¯ll talk to youter.¡±


    Then, he hung up without waiting for Ariel¡¯s response.


    Marshall went online to search for the dress that Ariel was wearing and found out that it cost about the


    same as the one he bought for Ste.


    ¡®What a childish man.¡®


    Nobody spoke during the entire journey. Keegan only said something when the car reached Townsman


    Road. ¡°Baldwin, stop at the mall in front.¡±


    ¡°Get off,¡± Keegan said to her as soon as the car stopped.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Are you nning to go empty¨Chanded?¡±


    ¡°Just go and buy something on your own, then.¡±


    Ste mumbled under her breath and got off the car unwillingly.


    Keegan shared a very good rtionship with Cordelia because she raised him.


    He would almost listen to every single thing she said. Otherwise, he would not have broken up with


    Be because of her.


    Cordelia was also the most influential person in the Kane family.


    She roamed all over the country with her husband when she was young before they started the Vinci


    Rivera Group.


    However, her husband passed away sometime after that. She was managing thepany and taking


    care of two children at the same time while having to face the evil shareholders that


    were trying to rece her family.


    Her children finally got married and thepany could finally be on track after going through so much.


    However, she had to deal with her son¡¯s death before she could finally spend some family time with


    them. After that, she had to step forward again and lead thepany again


    in her sixties.


    Cordelia yed a huge part in the development of Rivera¡¯s business industry. Her bold and daring


    characteristicsid the foundation for the Vinci Rivera Group¡¯ster expansion.


    Everyone in the business association of Rivera agreed that Cordelia was an exceptional


    businesswoman.


    Cordelia felt very bad that Keegan lost his father at such a young age, so she gave him the most


    attention in the family. And, that was also the reason why she treated Ste so well.


    Albert kept repeating the same thing to Ste when she had just gotten married to Keegan. He told her


    that everyone in the Kane family had to listen to what Cordelia said, so she had got to do everything


    she could to make her happy. He also told her that getting Cordelia to be on her side is the only way


    she could be taken seriously in the Kane family.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Ste was never the best at socializing, yet Cordelia had lived long enough to see what she was trying


    to do. So, she saw through Ste at a nce when she tried to ingratiate herself with Cordelia for the


    very first time.


    However, Cordelia did not get mad at her. Instead, she would call up Ste to spend some time with


    her because she knew that Ste had a very hard time living with the Kane family.


    Cordelia would teach her how to y chess and ride the horse while Ste would listen and watch


    operas with her.


    Her life in the Kane family could only be less tough because of the olive branch Cordelia offered.


    So, she got off the car anyway after Keegan said that he wanted to buy something for Cordelia, even


    though she was whining about it.

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    Cordelia would always be a respected elder to her, even though she might not be a part of the Kane


    family anymore.


    Half an hourter, Ste¡¯s eye twitched after looking at how full the cart was.


    And, Keegan just would not stop stuffing more items into it.


    He had never really been to the supermarket. To be more precise, he had never really bought anything


    for himself.


    Ste did not want to say anything about it, but she could not hold herself back anymore after he put


    two big boxes of nuts into the cart.


    ¡°Do you think grandma¡¯s teeth are strong enough to chew these?¡±


    Keegan paused. ¡°Macadamia nuts are not that hard, right?¡±


    ¡°Grandma doesn¡¯t really like to eat nuts.¡±


    Then, she took out the things he had stuffed into the cart. ¡°These pastries are too sweet. Grandma has


    diabetes. Are you trying to kill her? Get something with no sugar in it instead! Look at the ingredients of


    this yogurt; it¡¯s heavily processed and grandma would never eat anything like this. And, she doesn¡¯t like


    this brand of milk. She likes this one, but it has a very short expiry date. You¡¯ve got to remind her to


    throw it away after three months because she doesn¡¯t check the expiry date¡­¡±


    Keegan gazed at Ste, who would not stop nagging him.


    He could not remember thest time she said so many things to him. The house became so quiet ever


    since Ste moved out, and he struggled a little to get used to that.


    Unexpectedly, he actually feltfortable after listening to her voice.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°Dried mangoes?¡± Ste frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that she¡¯s allergic to mangoes?¡±


    She was about to remove it from the cart, but Keegan beat her to it as he put it back in. ¡°It¡¯s for you.¡±


    Then, he walked forward while pushing the cart.


    Ste was shocked. Everyone in the Kane family was gically allergic to mangoes, and Keegan was


    no exception. Ste was the only person who liked to eat mangoes.


    ¡®How did he know that I like mangoes?¡± She followed Keegan as she thought to herself curiously.


    ¡°Are you going to deduct the price of this from my one billion? I¡¯m going to put it back if you


    are.¡±


    Keegan swept his gaze across her and suddenly said, ¡°How much did you sell that bag for?¡±


    Ste¡¯s heart dropped. Then, she yed dumb. ¡°What bag?¡±


    Keegan scoffed, ¡°The bag that Be carried. Do you really think that I¡¯m blind, and I can¡¯t recognize it?¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    Then, she said softly, ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want that bag anymore.¡±


    Keegan sneered. ¡°Does that mean you can take it and sell it?¡±


    Ste was not very happy with what he said, so she refuted softly, ¡°At least I didn¡¯t sell it to an outsider.


    Isn¡¯t that what you wanted?¡±


    ¡°What are you whispering?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s already sold now. The most I can do is to pay you half of the money.¡± Ste was afraid


    that Keegan would not ept her offer, so she added, ¡°That bag was considered as a marital property,


    so I technically own half of it.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face then darkened. ¡°So, you really did sell it.¡±


    Ste¡¯s heart dropped. ¡°Did you just trick me into confessing?¡±


    Keegan was boiling with anger. ¡°Did you know how much effort I spent to get you that bag?! How could


    you just sell it to another person like that?!¡±


    Ste was confused, as she softly asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t one of your clients give it to you as a gift?¡±


    Keegan paused for some time before he responded with a resentful face, ¡°Ste Jewell, your stupidity


    is going to kill you someday!¡±


    He spoke as he pushed the cart toward the cashier.


    Ste¡¯s anger spiked. ¡®What a scum. We¡¯re going to divorce, yet he still cursed me!¡±

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    Keegan went to the washroom after shopping while Baldwin carried the bags to the car.


    Ste was about to check her phone when Keegan was not around, but she was attracted by


    something in a poster when she passed by a jewelry store. A bangle that the female model wore


    looked very beautiful.


    ¡°Miss, you should try it on if you like it. We have plenty of other designs.¡±


    The salesperson was very enthusiastic.


    Ste looked in the washroom¡¯s direction and could not see Keegan anywhere, so she went into the


    store.


    It was still early in the morning, and the store looked like it had just opened. The other salespeople


    working in the store were still putting the pieces of jewelry on disy, but more and more customers


    had already started toe in.


    Ste went straight to the tinum section to check out the bangles.


    The salesperson followed her and asked, ¡°Miss, are you buying it for yourself or for a friend?¡± Ste


    looked at the items inside the ss counter and responded tly, ¡°I¡¯m just browsing.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Please don¡¯t hesitate to let me know if you need any help.¡±


    Ste looked around, and she could not find the bangle in the poster. So, she lifted her head and


    asked, ¡°Which one is the bangle that was on the model¡¯s wrist?¡±


    ¡°Miss, you have such wonderful taste. That¡¯s ourtest collection. We didn¡¯t put it on disy because of


    its premium quality, and we don¡¯t want to risk damaging it.¡±


    ¡°Can I have a look?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Please give me a moment. I¡¯ll ask my manager for it.¡±


    After a while, the salesperson approached her carefully while carrying a box.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    The salesperson opened the box and a titanium bangle appeared in front of Ste¡¯s eyes. It was


    polished very well, so it was shining.


    The salesperson wore a pair of gloves before taking the bangle out of the box and showing it to Ste.


    The quality of the bangle was superb, and its design looked very unique.


    After all, she was not an expert in examining jewelry, so that was all she could tell about that bangle.


    ¡°Can I try it on?¡±


    ¡°Yes, miss. Let me help you with that.¡±


    Sophia got into the shop and saw Ste trying on the bangle.


    She frowned and thought to herself, ¡®Why would she be here?¡®


    Xianna, who was standing beside Sophia, turned around and asked after seeing how she froze


    in ce, ¡°What¡¯s up with you?¡±


    Sophia lowered her head and softly said, ¡°Xianna, why don¡¯t we go to another shop instead?¡± Xianna


    frowned in displease. ¡°You were the one who suggested toe here.¡±


    Then, Sophia whispered, ¡°My sister is here, and she doesn¡¯t really like me. I don¡¯t think I should let her


    see me.¡±


    After Sophia said that, only then did Xianna notice that Ste was sitting in front of a counter not far


    away from them.


    ¡°Is that all? Ste Jewell? What can she do to you? She¡¯s only acting so arrogantly because she¡¯s a


    part of the Kane family. Come on, I¡¯ll stand up for you!¡±


    She grabbed Sophia¡¯s hand and walked toward Ste as she spoke.


    The bangle was very beautiful, and it looked dazzling under the lights.


    The salesperson praised, ¡°Your skin tone goes very well with this design and material.¡±


    Ste smiled without saying anything.

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    Chapter 113


    For sale¡¯s sake, anything could be exaggerated.


    The bracelet may look nice, but it did not suit her. The bracelet¡¯s hole was slightlyrger than she


    expected and the color saturation was too high for her age.


    ¡°Is there no one to entertain a customer when they arrive? What is wrong with the service here?¡±


    A pompous female voice could be heard from the other side.


    The salesperson servicing Ste immediately rushed forward to entertain her. ¡°Apologies, miss. May I


    know what you need?¡±


    Thedy skimmed through the items on disy and arrogantly said, ¡°What¡¯s with the quality of the


    bracelet in your shop? Isn¡¯t this grade too low?¡±


    The salesperson, having already faced many kinds of customers, immediately replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. To be


    honest, due to the fragility and high costs associated with jade essories, we would normally keep


    them in a safe to prevent customers from breaking them by ident. We will only bring them out if


    they¡¯re requested by the customer.¡±


    ¡°Then, why aren¡¯t you going to get it now?¡±


    The salesperson took out an iPad and warmly replied, ¡°This is our catalog. Please do tell me if a design


    caught your fancy, or I can rmend some that are within your budget.¡±


    The other party scrolled through a few designs, suddenly pointed at Ste, and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the one


    on her wrist?¡±


    The salesperson helped her find the corresponding disy.


    Thedy only had a look and immediately said, ¡°I want to try that one!¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll help you put it on after thisdy has finished trying it out.¡±


    Thedy coldly sneered, ¡°She¡¯s already seen it for half a day. Do you even see her desire to buy it?¡±


    The salesperson¡¯s face revealed her awkwardness.


    Ste did not bother to lift her head. Facing the mirror as she twirled her wrist, she said indifferently,


    ¡°Regardless if I buy or not, this should be on a firste¨Cfirst¨Cserved basis. You better wait obediently


    if you want to try it out.¡±


    Ste had already seen them through the mirror, as they were walking over.


    She recognized thedy wearing Chanel. Her name was Xianna, a member of Aurora¡¯s sisterhood. Her


    family had business dealings with the Kane family and was very close to Aurora.


    This sisterhood of Aurora had a lot of prejudice against those who did not have the same social status


    as them. Sophia¡¯s inclusion in the sisterhood was quite a surprise.


    Sure enough, she did note with good intentions.


    Ste was not interested in following along with the sisterhood¡¯s temperamental attitude. It


    just so happened that she had no ce to vent her anger, as she was in a bad mood because she did


    not sleep well.


    ¡°Nice of you to say that. A housewife like you had to ask for money from the family just to buy a dress.


    Something as expensive as this is not as simple as buying a dress.¡± Finishing that conversation, she


    faced the salesperson and said ambiguously, ¡°You should at least look at the customer¡¯s purchasing


    power before you let them in. Women that need to reach out to their husbands just for a petty change


    may like what you have, but they can¡¯t afford it.¡±


    Keegan, apart from not having feelings for her, had never treated her badly in any aspect. She did not


    have to worry about the price whenever she had an overseas vacation, bought jewelry, or even


    expensive perfume.


    She never mentioned any of these back at the Jewell house. After their marriage, Albert had always


    been pushing Ste to have a pillow talk with Keegan that would benefit the Jewell family, even though


    Keegan was very firm in separating his private and career affairs. Even if he was the father¨Cinw,


    Keegan would not consider helping Albert¡¯s production line if it had any issues.


    Once or twice might be fine, but she would not have the face to look Keegan in the eyes if this


    happened too many times. That was why, in order to reduce these ¡°pillow talk¡°, she took the initiative to


    say that living with the Kane family was tough since she would need to ask for money from Keegan


    even to buy a dress.


    Since then, Albert rarely let her discusspany matters with Keegan and started to let her focus on


    seducing Keegan just to give birth to a Kane descendant.


    ¡®I¡¯ve only disclosed this to Albert. How did an outsider know about this?¡®


    She nced at Sophia, and thetter guiltily avoided her eyes..


    Ste raised her eyes and politely said, ¡°It looks like Miss Xianna really looks down on housewives.¡±


    Xianna sarcastically remarked, ¡°How could anyone gain respect if one doesn¡¯t work and only demands


    money from guys to sustain their whole lives?¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Disdain was written all over Xianna¡¯s face.


    Keegan did not evenin about her spending his money, yet some freak could not stand


    it.

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    ¡°Miss Xianna, you¡¯re still too immature. I don¡¯t think being a housewife is bad, nor earning one¡¯s own


    money is nobler. It¡¯s just the difference in one¡¯s role in marriage. My husband is the breadwinner while I


    take care of the household. If there happens to be a day when he no longer wants to be the


    breadwinner, I can still switch with him and be the breadwinner instead, I won¡¯t look down on him for


    being the househusband since I can still care for him.¡± Ste followed up by switching the topic. ¡°On the


    other hand, I detest NEETs that can¡¯t earn money and have to depend on their parents, yet they could


    be very vocal about being independent.¡±


    The jewelry shop may not be packed, yet Ste¡¯s voice was loud enough for everyone within to hear.


    Most that came to the shop in the morning were housewives like Ste. Apart from housewives like


    Ste, who had a wealthy family background that did not require them to work for money, there were


    those that chose to be housewives for their children¡¯s sake.


    Women had sacrificed their careers to care for the family, only to receive scornful words. Anyone would


    be enraged to hear criticisms like ¡°not worth even a penny¡± or ¡°living off their husband¡°.


    Ste¡¯s words undoubtedly resonated with those that were present.


    Unable to withstand such words, some blurted, ¡°Such a youngdy, and yet she has such traditional


    thinking.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you make your own decisions? What era are we in to still have a need to define a woman¡¯s


    role?¡±


    ¡°Having a career is so much easier. If my husband is willing to be a househusband, I¡¯d even give


    him my debit card.¡±


    ¡°What right do you vermins have to look down on housewives.¡±


    Xianna, in a burst of anger, shouted, ¡°Shut up, all of you! It¡¯s none of your business!¡±


    The salesperson reminded, ¡°Miss, please refrain from raising your voice in the establishment.


    Sophia did not expect that Xianna would be this dumb for being angered to such an extent by Ste


    even without putting up a fight.


    She could not help but say, ¡°Sister, my friend is a little straightforward when ites to the bracelet


    that she fancies. Could you let her try it on if you¡¯re still considering if you want to buy it?¡±


    Ste nced at her and said, ¡°What kind of logic is that? Can you guarantee that she will make the


    purchase if I let her try it on? This should be on a firste¨Cfirst¨Cserve basis. If she wants to try it,


    she¡¯ll have to wait. I¡¯m not done going through this yet.¡±


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Ste remained stubborn as Sophia refused to budge. If this was at Jewell¡¯s household, Ste would


    have to give in to Sophia because of Albert. Since they were outside, Sophia could not force Ste¡¯s


    hand.


    Xianna, who was still angry, clenched her teeth and said, ¡°Make her take off the bracelet. I want that


    bracelet.¡±


    Ste paused for a moment as her lips slightly downturned.


    ¡°Are you sure about this, Miss?¡± The salesperson reminded, ¡°This bracelet is expensive. There will be


    no refunds if there are no quality issues.¡±


    Xianna blew her top. ¡°It¡¯s just a cheap bracelet. Do you doubt that I can buy it?¡± She then took out a


    credit card and threw it onto the top of the disy counter. ¡°Swipe this to the card now!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it that way,¡± said the salesperson. Then, she turned to Ste and asked, ¡± Madam, what


    do you think of this bracelet?¡±


    Ste shrugged and said, ¡°The shine and color are good, but the size isn¡¯t a good fit. Since Ms. Xianna


    wants it, she can have it.¡±


    She signaled the salesperson to take off the bracelet after she had said that.


    Xianna rolled her eyes. ¡®Why find an excuse when you can¡¯t even afford it?¡® she thought.

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    ¡°Clean it properly. I don¡¯t want the things I just bought to have other women¡¯s weird smell.¡± Ste¡¯s lips


    twitched, even though she did not take such childish behavior to heart.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Xianna, but your card doesn¡¯t have enough credit.¡±


    All it took was the salesperson¡¯s one sentence to embarrass Xianna and cut her temporary moment of


    glee short.


    She was at a loss for words. ¡°How is that possible? My card should have a fifty thousand credit limit?!¡±


    The salesperson said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. This jade bracelet is thirty¨Cone million and two hundred sixty


    thousand dors only after a discount. Your credit is indeed insufficient. Would you like to pay by


    installment instead?¡±


    Xianna¡¯s face turned ugly. ¡®Shouldn¡¯t a jade bracelet be, at most, around two or three hundred


    thousand? How can I afford that with my pocket money?¡®


    She was conflicted. Would she not be aughing stock if she were to renege on her own words?


    Sophia persuaded in a soft tone, ¡°Xianna, let¡¯s forget it. This is too expensive.¡±


    ¡°Thirty million is not a bad price. It¡¯s rare to see such a fine quality ss jade.¡± Ste came to them at


    some point, curved her lips, and said, ¡°This shouldn¡¯t be too expensive for Miss Xianna, right?


    Xianna, who was unable to stand such goading, unted, ¡°What¡¯s a mere thirty million dors? Even


    three hundred million dors is merely chump change! Unlike you, who can only afford to buy anything


    with someone else¡¯s approval.¡±


    She passed another card and said, ¡°Use this card to check out.


    Thirty million plus dors was instantly swiped away. All the staff congratted in unison for the first big


    sale of the day.


    Xianna turned her head. When she saw that Ste had not moved from her original spot, she lifted her


    arms with the bracelet and said in satisfaction, ¡°Sorry for stealing your limelight, Mrs. Kane. How about


    this? I¡¯ll let you pick out an essory from this establishment. Since I¡¯m well acquainted with Aurora, I¡¯ll


    treat it as a gift for her sister¨Cinw.


    Ste gave her a quick nce as she smiled faintly. ¡°Ms. Xianna, you must be mistaken. I¡¯m not here to


    buy jewelry; I¡¯m here to earn money.¡±


    Xianna was dazed as she blurted, ¡°What?¡±


    Right at that moment, the salesperson that had just checked out their item came back with a check. ¡°Hi,


    Mrs. Kane. This is the 0.3%mission of the total sales price for the bracelet just now. This check


    amounts to ny thousand three thousand seven hundred and eighty dors only. Kindly keep it safe.¡±


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Ste tallied the amount after taking the check with a smile and warmly said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Xianna finally realized that Ste had staged all of that only for the sake of making Xianna buy the


    bracelet so that she could receive themission.


    ¡°Ste, have you gone crazy from being so poor?¡± said Xianna. She immediately removed the bracelet


    and raged, ¡°I want a refund!¡±


    The salesperson said straightforwardly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss. As mentioned before, once you checkout, any


    purchase made without quality issues cannot be refunded once sold. We do, however, offer a lifetime


    cleaning service. Kindly contact our customer service for further inquiries.


    Xianna, who had been shamed, would definitely not let it end as it is. She pointed her fingers at them


    and shouted, ¡°This is a scam. You all set me up together! I¡¯ll definitely report you!¡±


    Upon hearing the situation, the manager rushed over and exined, ¡°Mrs. Kane is actually our VIP


    customer and is eligible for amission for rmending a customer. Since you¡¯re acquainted with


    Mrs. Kane, we had to give themission from your bracelet to her as perpany policy. This is not


    a scam at all. Since Ms. Xianna has hit the purchasing quota, you are eligible to join our membership


    as well. If you were to introduce your friends over on your next visit, we would also give you a


    commission.¡±

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    Xianna was infuriated. ¡°Which eyes of yours saw that I was introduced by her?¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who said to gift this jewelry to Mrs. Kane? You wouldn¡¯t be here if you were not


    acquainted, right?¡±


    That one reply was enough to turn Xianna speechless. She pointed at the crowd, gritted her teeth, and


    said, ¡°What a horrible shop this is. I¡¯m going to expose you to the media!¡±


    She then stared at Ste and hatefully said, ¡°Just you wait, Ste!¡±


    Ste held the check between her fingers, waved at her smilingly, and said, ¡°Until we meet again.¡±


    Sophia silently cursed Xianna for being an idiot. As she was about to stand up for Xianna, she saw that


    Keegan was at a spot not far away. Her heart sank, and she followed Xianna as they both dejectedly


    left the jewelry shop.


    ¡°Mrs. Kane, would you like to look at the other jewelry?¡±


    The manager politely asked.


    The jewelry shop belonged to Vermont, and Keegan had patronized it together with Ste a few times


    until the manager knew them. Otherwise, they would not be able to stage the act together so


    cooperatively.


    When all was said and done, she was only using Keegan¡¯s name to act all high and mighty.


    ¡°Please wrap up that small leaf engraved rosewood bracelet for me. I¡¯m gifting it to someone.¡±


    ¡°Alright, please wait a moment.¡±


    ¡°Who is this for?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s voice suddenly came from beside Ste¡¯s ear and freaked her out. She rubbed her ears as


    she impolitely replied, ¡°It¡¯s for your grandmother.¡±


    Keegan remained silent.


    Ste, realizing that her answer was a little aggressive, coughed and added, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m giving this


    to grandma.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve earned more than ny thousand dors¡® worth ofmission, yet you¡¯re only giving


    grandma something worth around ten thousand?¡±


    ¡®He actually knew everything that has transpired just now.


    ¡®Asshole,¡® Ste thought.


    ¡°So what if it¡¯s ten thousand? I still bought it with my own ten thousand dors without reaching out to


    you for money. Besides, grandma is not as calctive as you are.¡±


    Keegan took a nce at Ste. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one being calctive here?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be calctive, but what else can you provide for me apart from money? Children? You


    don¡¯t want it. Marriage¡­ Forget it. You don¡¯t care about it anyway,¡± said Ste as she took the bracelet


    that was just wrapped up and headed outside. ¡°I¡¯m better off having


    money. At least money can give me a sense of security.¡±


    Keegan, feeling heart¨Cstricken, said, ¡°Will having children give you a sense of security? Ste, if we


    can¡¯t even be sure that our marriage willst, don¡¯t you think that having a child will just be a burden?¡±


    ¡®If that¡¯s the case, isn¡¯t his child with Be a burden as well?¡® Ste thought.


    Ste could not help but ask herself, yet she could not broach the subject. After all, something left


    unsaid would create less embarrassment for oneself.


    After being deep in thought, she cooled down and said, ¡°You¡¯re right. A child will only be a burden. I¡¯m


    lucky I¡¯m not pregnant. That way, there¡¯s nothing to tie us down after the divorce, and I won¡¯t have to


    see you again.¡±


    Before leaving with big strides, Keegan pulled a long face and irritably said, ¡°d you understand.¡±


    Ste was puzzled.


    ¡®Why is Keegan acting like a madman nowadays and getting angry for no reason at all?¡®


    Keegan¡¯s pace was very fast. He was still fuming, especially after hearing Ste say, ¡°I won¡¯t have to


    see you again.¡± His anger and frustration from then were akin to a rock pressing on his heart.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°The word ¡°divorce¡± is like her catchphrase as if this marriage is not important to her at all. ¡®She¡¯s


    always pestering me whenever she pleases, yet she sees me as an eyesore when she¡¯s not in the


    mood.


    ¡®Vermont is right; a wife shouldn¡¯t be too young. They have no patience at all.¡®


    His sleeve was suddenly tugged at.


    Keegan halted and stopped in his tracks. ¡°What now? Are you biting your own words now?¡°

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    There was no response from behind, but the tug at his sleeves remained. Keegan soft- heartedly said,


    ¡°Ste, stop messing around. This won¡¯t work on me.¡±


    He turned around as he spoke, only to lower his gaze soon after.


    A little girl about the height of his thigh was pulling at his sleeve. Then, she softly said, Mister, you¡¯re


    stepping on my flower.¡±


    Keegan did not say a word.


    He lowered his head only to see his right foot stepping on a lily¨Cshaped paper.


    He bent over, picked up the paper flower, squatted, and handed it over to the little girl.¡® Where¡¯s your


    mommy?¡±


    As the girl was about to speak, a man came running as he called the girl¡¯s name.


    The little girl¡¯s father held her hand and left after he thanked Keegan.


    Keegan looked around before he saw a familiar figure in the men¡¯s clothing store.


    He went into the shop with a gloomy face and happened to see Ste picking out neckties.


    The irritation that built up in his heart dissolved instantly.


    Ste was of two minds about two neckties. She turned her head around and asked Keegan, ¡± Which


    do you think looks better?¡±


    Keegan pretended to nce calmly and indifferently said, ¡°The one with blue stripes.¡±


    Ste ced the neckties at his neck forparison and shook her head. ¡°The blue one suits you, but


    not him.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s body stalled for a moment as his facial expression turned cold. ¡°Him? Who is him?¡±


    Ste, who was unaware of Keegan¡¯s change in mood, replied as she continued selecting. ¡°Mr. Moore,


    of course. If it wasn¡¯t for him, I wouldn¡¯t know how long I would be stuck in the restroom. Since I don¡¯t


    know how to repay him, I thought I should give him a tie as a gift because we just so happened to be at


    the mall today.¡±


    Goodwill must be repaid eventually, but having a meal together was a little awkward. Besides, giving a


    gift would save a lot of trouble inparison.


    As she continued talking, Ste seemed to have recalled something. She lifted her head and asked


    Keegan, ¡°Oh yeah, aren¡¯t you guys childhood friends? Do you know what style he likes?¡±


    With a poker face, Keegan replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±


    ¡°Does he usually like to wear dark¨Ccolored clothes or light¨Ccolored clothes?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    Ste frowned and said, ¡°You don¡¯t even know this much? So much for being childhood friends.¡±


    Keegan snappishly said, ¡°I don¡¯t have a hobby of observing guys. Pick up your pace. Grandma is


    waiting.¡±


    He went ahead, ignoring Ste, as soon as he finished speaking.


    He was afraid that the longer he stayed, the more he could not control himself from checking if she was


    just that dense.


    Keegan had to wait for a full 20 minutes before he finally saw Steing down from the elevator and


    walking his way.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Baldwin drove over, picked up Ste, and drove out of the underground parking lot.


    Still fuming from what happened at the mall, Keegan ignored her gaze since she entered the


    car.


    Ste was already used to Keegan¡¯s unusual temperament by now. Without a care, she took out a box


    from her bag and ced it on the passenger seat.


    ¡°Baldwin, this is for you. It¡¯s a brand rmended by a doctor friend of mine. He said this knee guard


    is specially for those like you who had their joint reced. It can reduce the burden on the joints, and it


    can even be worn at any time. Please use it and see if it¡¯s a good fit for you.


    Baldwin was at a loss for words. ¡°That¡¯s very generous of you.¡±


    Ste waved her hands. ¡°Grandma has totally been in your care. We, as the younger generation, would


    be at ease as long as you are healthy and could continue caring for her.¡±


    She shook a box as she said, ¡°This gtin and two boxes of facial masks are for Corrin. Remember to


    give these to her for me.¡±


    Keegan nced at her. ¡®Turns out, she was buying gifts for other people. No wonder she was up there


    for so long.¡®


    ¡°Who else did you buy a gift for?¡±

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    ¡°Who else did you buy a gift for?¡± Keegan could not help but ask.


    Ste loved sharing her shopping haul. So, when Keegan asked her, she could no longer hold the


    chatterbox. She shook open the bag and showed him one by one.


    There was a pair of wear resistant gloves for the gardener, a massage tool for the housekeeper, a pair


    of new boots for the horse trainer, and even a small hairpin for Juno.


    When she showed them to Keegan, Ste was so excited that she waspletely oblivious to


    Keegan¡¯s peeved face.


    It was not until when there was only one box left in the bag that she recalled something. She took out


    that box and said, ¡°By the way, this is for you.¡±


    Keegan nced at the box.


    The logo on it belonged to a branded outlet where Ste had bought a tie just now.


    Acting like he did not care, Keegan said tly, ¡°Why are you giving me a tie?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a tie.¡± Ste smiled and said, ¡°When I bought the tie, the sales assistant told me there¡¯s a store


    promotion today. I just needed to pay another ny¨Cnine dors during checkout to get this pair of


    socks! Didn¡¯t you say these socks arefortable to wear? Its price is usually a few hundred bucks a


    pair, which is too expensive. But, I bought them for just ny nine dors. What a bargain! I specially


    chose dark blue, which can go well with any suit¡­. Keegan¡¯s face fell as soon as she finished


    speaking, and he threw the box back into the bag with a poker face.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Ste was unhappy with his behavior. ¡®I bought him a gift even though he didn¡¯t bother to wait for me or


    help me carry the stuff just now. Yet, he¡¯s giving me this attitude!


    Keegan ignored her and ordered the driver, ¡°Go faster, Baldwin.¡±


    Ste cursed inwardly, ¡®What a moody, irritable bastard! What have I done to offend him?¡® Half an hour


    later, they finally arrived at Keegan¡¯s grandparents¡® home.


    It was a vi built on the estate Keegan¡¯s grandparents had bought after making their first fortune.


    Inspired by the Italian Renaissance architecture style, it had a vintage and elegantkeside gazebo.


    The ce stood out among the vis that had been built in the past years.


    When Keegan¡¯s grandmother, Cordelia, started raising horses, she bought more than 20 acres ofnd


    behind the vi to build a horse farm and a garden. Maintaining her garden and ying with her horses


    were the activities she enjoyed daily. The olddy was living a blissful life.


    Upon entering the house, Ste saw a Bentley without a license te number parked outside.


    However, she thought that someone in the family might have bought a new car, so she paid no mind to


    it.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    As Ste and Keegan approached the main hall after entering the house, they could hear the sounds of


    lively conversation andughter.


    It was only when they got to the entrance that they realized that there were two guests in the house.


    One of them was Marshall, and the other was a man about the same age. It was a man with


    handsomely sculpted, aristocratic facial features. Despite having rose¨Cred lips, broad shoulders, and a


    slender waist, he did not give off any feminine vibe.


    When Ste and Keegan entered the hall, they found Cordelia merrily chuckling as she conversed with


    the man. It was only when she saw Ste and Keegan did she gesture to introduce Ste. ¡°She¡¯s my


    granddaughter¨Cinw. Is she the person you¡¯re looking for?¡±


    The man stopped smiling and looked at Ste carefully.


    Ste was puzzled, but she feared that it would be rude to ask questions. Hence, while nodding


    awkwardly at the man, she secretly nudged Keegan¡¯s hand behind her using a finger, trying to ask him


    who that man was.


    However, Keegan gave her an unexpected response by pinching her finger. In retaliation, she pinched


    the back of his hand.

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    The man then turned his eyes away and smiled faintly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say she¡¯s your granddaughter-in¨C


    law? So, it must be her.¡±


    Ste was even more confused until Marshall exined it to her. ¡°This is Trevor Saun. The girl you


    saved in the restroomst night is his younger sister.¡±


    Not only that, Trevor¡¯s father, Wenham Saun, was actually Keegan¡¯ste father¡¯s ex- ssmate. They


    had been close friends.


    In order to get Jaylene¨CWelham¡¯s youngest daughter treated for her illness, the Saun family had


    transferred most of the family assets overseas many years ago. It was not until recent years, when


    Jaylene¡¯s health had shown improvement, did Wenham thought of settling down in his homnd.


    Therefore, the Saun family was nning toe back to Hustuabourg. However, there were still many


    things to wrap up, so Trevor and Jaylene returned to Hustuabourg before the rest of the family.


    Last night, Trevor and Jaylene were supposed to attend that charity event together. But, something


    came up, so Trevor waste.


    Jaylene, who attended the event alone, had an ailment episode in the restroom. And, right after she


    had been rescued, she was sent to the hospital. It was not until her condition had be stable did


    Trevor contact the hotel to look for her ¡°savior¡°. With the help of the hotel manager, he reached


    Marshall and found out that the person who had saved his sister was the granddaughter¨Cinw of the


    Kane family.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    As soon as Trevor¡¯s father heard the news, he immediately asked Trevor to visit Cordelia. That was


    how things ended up the way they did.


    Trevor was courteous. He immediately got up and thanked Ste. ¡°Thank you for helping my sisterst


    night. She¡¯s been in poor health since she was a child. If it weren¡¯t for you, I can¡¯t imagine what would


    happen to her. I¡¯d like to thank you on behalf of my family,¡± he spoke to her softly.


    After that, he took out a box and handed it to Ste. ¡°Here¡¯s a small token of gratitude from our family.


    Please ept it. You can find my business card in it. Feel free to contact me if you need any help in


    the future. I¡¯ll do my best as long as your request is within my means.¡±


    ¡®If I¡¯m not mistaken, isn¡¯t that a Bentley¡¯s key case? When he said a ¡°small¡± token, it can¡¯t possibly be


    the Bentley parked outside, right?¡® Ste thought.


    Thest time Ste had been rewarded for her good deed was when she had found her kindergarten


    teacher¡¯s wallet, and the reward was a candy.


    This was the first time someone had thanked her in this manner, and she was caught off guard for a


    moment.


    ¡°Mr. Saun, this is too much. I appreciate your gratitude. But, please take this back.¡±


    Trevor said softly, ¡°Before I came here, my dad specifically told me to send you a token of gratitude. If


    you refuse to take it, what should I tell him?¡±


    Ste was caught in a dilemma.


    Despite her love for money, Ste did not have the slightest intention of epting a super-


    expensive car as a reward. If the Saun family had given her something else, she would have epted


    it.


    Whenever Ste was presented with something great, she would feel overwhelmed and


    undeserving of it. This fear waspounded by the worry that someone might use her of having a


    hidden agenda for her good deed.


    After Ste had been declining the reward for a while, Cordelia finally intervened. ¡°It¡¯s a token from the


    Saun family, Ste,¡± said Cordelia. ¡°Just ept it.¡±


    Keegan echoed impassively, ¡°Just take it.¡±


    With no room for refusal, Ste epted the gift. After that, Cordelia invited Ste and Keegan to take


    a seat beside her. The conversation between Cordelia, Marshall, and Trevor resumed effortlessly.


    Despite being close to eighty, Cordelia possessed a keen mind and a sharp memory. She enquired


    about Marshall¡¯s well¨Cbeing and Trevor¡¯s job. Her recollection even extended to memories from their


    childhood.


    Ste learned from their conversations that Marshall had gone abroad seven years ago because of his


    health problem.


    Ste found it hard to imagine Marshall as a weak person lying on a sick bed, considering his healthy


    appearance and physical fitness that wasparable to Keegan¡¯s, who had been working out


    regrly.


    While Ste was staring at Marshall, she suddenly felt pain on her head. ¡®Keegan, you bastard! You


    pulled my hair?!¡®


    She red at Keegan and whispered, ¡°What are you doing?!¡±

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    Keegan twisted the strand of hair on his fingertips and nonchntly said, ¡°There¡¯s a strand of gray


    hair.¡±


    Ste looked down and saw that he really had a strand of gray hair in his hand.


    She was so furious that she was at a loss for words. ¡®Isn¡¯t he aware that this is not the right time to


    pluck my gray hair? What is wrong with him? Is he sick or something?¡®


    The secret squabble between the two attracted everyone¡¯s attention.


    Trevor looked at the two of them and smiled. ¡°Thest time we met Keegan, we were high school


    students. I didn¡¯t expect that in a blink of an eye, he had already married a smart and virtuous beauty.¡±


    Ste smiled humbly, but what she thought was that Keegan finally had a discerning friend. ¡°Ste is


    one of the most courageousdies I have ever met,¡± said Marshall.


    He then told everyone in detail about how Ste had rescued Jaylene in the restroomst night. Ste


    did not find her rescue of Jaylene to be a particrly impressive feat. After all, retrieving an object from


    a toilet bowl with her bare hands was hardly a desirable task, especially if it was not to save a life.


    Marshall recounted Ste¡¯s actions as if they were a tale of bravery. If she was not the main character


    in that tale, she would have thought that he was speaking of a different person; a


    heroine.


    Cordelia listened with immense pride and then started speaking highly of her granddaughter- inw.


    The conversation shifted into a continuous stream ofpliments for Ste.


    Ste was happy at the beginning. But, when the conversation went further, she got embarrassed.


    Keegan also looked at her with a cynical eye, as if he was questioning whether who they praised was


    the same person sitting in front of him.


    As they chatted, Cordelia suddenly sighed, ¡°When are you two going to give me a great- grandchild so


    that I will have no more regrets in my life?¡±


    Ste wrapped her fingers and looked down without speaking.


    Keegan showed no intention to discuss the subject either. He had been the one opposing the idea of


    having children in the first ce, so it was no surprise that he was avoiding the topic.


    In the end, Trevor broke the silence. ¡°Young people have their own ideas. For certain things, it¡¯s best to


    let nature take its course.¡± Then, he changed the topic. ¡°Cordelia, I heard you have a few horses. I¡¯m


    quite interested in equestrian sports myself.¡±


    When the topic shifted to horses, Cordelia¡¯s thoughts were instantly drawn away from her yearning for


    a great¨Cgrandchild.


    Several of Cordelia¡¯s horses were strong and sturdy. Two of them had even won ces in races.


    Whenever she mentioned those horses, she would talk as if they were her precious treasures.


    Apparently, Trevor did not simply bring up the topic. He did know horses very well. Cordelia rarely met


    a bosom friend, so when they reached the exciting part of their conversation, she rose from her seat,


    wanting to take everyone to the horse farm for horseback riding.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for you to check your blood sugar level,¡± said Keegan while stopping Cordelia¡¯s wayward


    decision.


    Although Cordelia enjoyed having fun, she took her own well¨Cbeing very seriously. ¡°I¡¯m not going, then.


    Take these gentlemen to look around with Ste ande back for dinnerter.¡±


    When they arrived, the stable worker was grooming the horses.


    Cordelia¡¯s horse farm was well¨Cmade, and the horses were well¨Cbred and of strong physique.


    As someone approached, all the horses in the stable eagerly poked their heads out of their stalls,


    except for one. That horse was a sleek ck beauty with shiny hair and well¨Cdefined muscles. But, it


    did not stir. In fact, it turned its back on the approaching figure, Ste. Its name was Juno.


    Ste took an apple and tried to entice Juno. ¡°Juno, do you want an apple?¡± she called out, waving the


    fruit in her hand.


    But, Juno simply swiveled its hindquarters around, presenting its rear end to her.


    Ste was speechless. ¡®Like hell, Juno likes me!¡®This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

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    ¡°I¡¯ve been busytely, so I couldn¡¯t pay you a visit. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like you. Why are you angry?¡±


    ¡°Does it understand what you said?¡± Marshall walked up to her at some point.


    Ste nodded. ¡°Juno is definitely the smartest horse here. I remember one time I said that another


    horse was better looking right in front of Juno. Then, to my surprise, it deliberately spat the water it was


    drinking right at me. That shows that not only does it understand my words, but it also holds grudges


    worse than humans!¡±


    Juno seemed to know that Ste was talking about it. So, it stomped its feet unhappily.


    Ste quickly changed her tone to coax it. ¡°Be good. I was just praising how good¨Clooking you are.¡±


    Juno suddenly pivoted toward Ste. From five centimeters above its left eye, a scar crossed the eye,


    making it appear dim and distinct from its bright right eye. Despite this imperfection, the scar gave Juno


    a regal and intimidating appearance. It was like a warrior that stood out among thousands of troops,


    drawing attention.


    Ste was startled by Juno¡¯s sudden move. However, once it took the apple away from her hand, it


    pointed its ass at her again.


    Ste was at loss for words again.


    Marshall smiled. ¡°Looks like it does like


    you.¡±


    Trevor, who was standing not far away, had been watching them for a while. He turned to Keegan and


    asked, ¡°This horse has a personality. Is it tamable?¡±


    Keegan looked at Ste, who was talking to Juno with his half¨Cclosed eyes, and said tly, ¡± Piece of


    cake.¡±


    ¡°Piece of cake?¡±


    ¡°We can have a match.¡±


    Trevor was a little eager to try. ¡°How about twops?¡±


    Keegan said, ¡°Pick a horse.¡±


    Trevor was a skillful equestrian. It was humble of him to im that he was merely a hobbyist in front of


    Cordelia. He had actually participated in amateur equestrianpetitions before and even won


    awards.


    With a cursory examination of the horses in the stable, Trevor was able to identify which of them had


    the potential. He quickly selected a maroon horse for the match. It happened to be the only one among


    the horses to have ever won a race.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Trevor took the horse and greeted Marshall. ¡°Marshall, wanna ride twops?¡±


    Marshall waved his hand and said, ¡°Nah, you guys do your best.¡±


    The horse trainer led Juno out. Juno stretched its muscles, and its coat looked particrly gleaming


    under the sun.


    Keegan threw his tie and jacket to Ste after removing them. As he passed by her, he asked, ¡± Who


    do you think will win?¡±


    Ste snorted. ¡°Even if you win, the credit goes to Juno!¡±


    Keegan slightly pursed his lips and said nothing further. He got onto Juno, and once he pulled the


    reins, Juno trotted to the track.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s a match, there must be a prize,¡± said Trevor.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Trevor smirked in high spirits. ¡°How about the loser has to call the winner ¡®big brother¡®?¡±


    Ste was speechless. She thought, ¡®What¡¯s so great about that as a prize?¡®


    Marshall exined, ¡°They were born only five days apart, but Keegan has always refused to call Trevor


    ¡®big brother¡®. I didn¡¯t expect that Trevor hasn¡¯t let go of this after so many years.¡±


    Ste shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s just the kind of silly thing guys do.¡±


    Marshall looked at her and was taken aback.


    Ste smiled with a knowing look. ¡°Don¡¯t all guys just love being called ¡®father¡® by others?¡±

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    Marshall chuckled, ¡°Those were the days when we were in school. Now, we¡¯re more mature.¡±


    Ste internally rolled her eyes and thought, ¡®Competing in a horseback riding race just to hear one call


    the other big brother? Hardly seems mature for two grown men in their early thirties.¡®


    Keegan epted the proposal in a fit of childish avidity. ¡°Well then, you might have a new older brother


    today,¡± he said tly.


    Trevor smiled confidently. ¡°Or maybe, a new younger brother for me.


    As the whistle sounded, the two horses shot out like arrows.


    However, it was not long before the maroon horse took the lead, steadily widening its distance away


    from Juno.


    ¡°It looks like Juno¡¯s vision is still affecting its performance a bit,¡± said Marshall.


    Ste pursed her lips. ¡°Juno won¡¯t lose,¡± she said in a low, determined voice. Her thoughts added,


    ¡®especially with Keegan on its back.¡®


    Keegan and Juno were made for each other. No one would understand Juno¡¯s pride as a racehorse


    better than Keegan, and no one could handle it better than Keegan.


    Marshall suddenly remembered something. ¡°By the way¡­¡± He took something out of his pocket and


    handed it to Ste. ¡°Are these yours?¡±


    Ste turned and saw Marshall holding the earrings she had wornst night.


    Marshall exined, ¡°I found them in my car this morning. They must have fallen off when I dropped you


    offst night.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re mine. I thought I lost them.¡± Ste took the earrings and thanked him. She thought, ¡® I should


    have brought the gift along with me when I came here, so I could just give it to him.¡®


    ¡°How¡¯s Aurora?¡± Marshall suddenly asked.


    Ste did not bother about Aurora. She would even want to stay far away from Aurora. Hence, she said


    perfunctorily, ¡°Maybe she¡¯s hanging out with her friends.¡±


    Marshall was surprised. ¡°Didn¡¯t Keegan discipline her?¡±


    ¡°Discipline her for what?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Young was badly injuredst night. She had three stitches on her arm. She¡¯s unable toplete


    her recentmercial projects, which led to increasing liquidated damages. Keegan was at the


    hospitalst night, and I thought he would punish Aurora severely, given his personality. It seems unlike


    him to spoil her like this.¡±


    Ste slowly moved her fingers. Her attention was drawn to Marshall¡¯s mention of Keegan being at the


    hospitalst night. She thought, ¡°That¡¯s no surprise. He rushed to the hospital for Be Young even


    though her injuries were minor. Now that she had three stitches, he must be extremely distressed. I


    can¡¯t believe that he could still rush back home in the morning and put up a show in his grandparents¡®


    home with me.¡®


    Ste tried to convince herself that the only reason she had not gotten a divorce yet was Keegan¡¯s


    money. She reassured herself that when the time came, Keegan would be the CEO, and she


    would take her share of the money and leave. They would go their separate ways with no strings


    attached. Therefore, there was no reason to feel troubled by such matters. However, her sadness


    lingered. The thought of her husband apanying another woman at the hospital when she was


    unable to reach anyone and desperately needed a next of kin signature weighed heavily on her heart.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either,¡± she replied to Marshall. Not wanting to embarrass herself in front of Marshall, she


    added, ¡°It¡¯s getting a little too sunny here. Please excuse me.¡± Her voice was strained.


    She then hurriedly left the scene.


    Meanwhile, the match had entered its second half. Juno, who was onep behind, suddenly picked up


    speed.


    It ran as fast as lightning, leaving behind only an afterimage of its motion.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Marshall had only seen a horse running at this speed in international¨Clevel races.


    As Juno approached Trevor¡¯s horse, thetter felt pressured. So, it elerated its speed as well.


    However, its earlier pace in the first half of the match had already taken a toll on its energy. Therefore,


    despite trying hard, it was eventually overtaken by Juno.


    Juno carried Keegan through the finish line. With a triumphant roar, it proudly rose its front hooves in


    celebration of its victory.

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    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Trevor gasped for air as he took off his helmet. ¡°Your horse must have taken performance- enhancing


    drugs!¡± he used.


    Keegan snorted and said, ¡°Stop making excuses. Now, call me big brother.¡±


    Trevor smiled. ¡°I admit my defeat, my dear big brother.¡±


    Keegan lowered his gaze and asked Marshall, who was nearby, ¡°Did you get it on video?¡±


    Marshall waved his phone. ¡°Yeah, the quality¡¯s great.¡±


    Trevor¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°You two are really childish!¡±


    Keegan ignored him and spoke to Marshall instead. ¡°Send me a copy.


    Trevor was left speechless.


    As he grabbed a bottle of water, Trevor asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Ste?¡±


    Keegan then noticed that Ste was no longer there, and his jacket and tie were left behind on the


    seat.


    Marshall filled them in. ¡°Ste said it was too sunny, so she went back to the house.¡±


    Trevor looked at the sky. It was cloudy today; the sunlight was not intense, and a dense cloud hovered


    above. It was about to rain.


    Everyone could figure that it was an excuse Ste had used to leave the horse farm.


    Trevor smiled and said, ¡°Ladies are delicate. My sister needs an umbre even on cloudy days.¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips and said nothing.


    When the trio returned, Ste was helping with the dishes, and Cordelia beckoned them to wash their


    hands and get ready for dinner.


    Cordelia enjoyed being around young people, especially when the two young men were someone she


    had watched grow up from a young age and had high hopes for. Therefore, she was so happy today


    that even her appetite for food was better than usual.


    After dinner, they gathered for another round of tea with a conversation centered on their childhood


    memories. Ste, however, remained quiet and unable to join in. Under the guise of cutting fruit, she


    quickly excused herself and left the room.


    After lingering in the kitchen for a bit, Ste was shooed out by Cordelia¡¯s housemaid for getting in her


    way. Not wanting to go back to the living room, Ste made her way to the rooftop, intending to spend


    some time there.


    As soon as she arrived, she found Marshall already there, smoking a cigarette.


    At the sound of her approaching, Marshall quickly stubbed out the cigarette. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t think that


    anyone would be up here,¡± he apologized.


    But, Ste just waved her hand. ¡°We¡¯re outside. Feel free to smoke. It doesn¡¯t bother me.¡±


    Ste felt surprised when she saw Marshall smoke, as he did not seem like the typical smoker. With his


    elegant demeanor, one might have assumed that he was a well¨Cbehaved student who


    refrained from smoking or drinking.


    On the other hand, the handsome and aloof Keegan, who exuded a rebellious air, was actually a


    disciplined man who adhered to a strict routine and abstained from smoking and drinking.


    Marshall smiled, but he did not light another cigarette.


    ¡°By the way,¡± Ste began. ¡°About me hiring you for awsuit, I was thinking maybe¡­¡± She was about


    to say, ¡®we should just forget about it.¡®


    However, before she could finish her sentence, Marshall interjected, ¡°I won¡¯t tell Keegan about it. It¡¯s


    confidential between client andwyer.¡±


    Hence, Ste felt that she should not continue what she was going to say.


    Marshall then suddenly showed her his cellphone, pointing out a Facebook profile picture. ¡± Does this


    ount ring a bell?¡± he asked.


    Ste nced at it and replied, ¡°Of course, I know her. She¡¯s the most aggressive among those who


    have scolded me through direct messages.¡±


    The insults that the person had hurled at Ste were very harsh. The attack continued even when


    Ste blocked her, as the person would create new ounts with the same profile picture. There was


    no way Ste could forget her.


    To make matters worse, that person even created a Facebookmunity targeting Ste and invited


    other haters to join in on the harassment.


    For two months, Ste was bombarded with hateful messages from them. The constant barrage of


    negativity took a toll on her mental health, causing her to feel depressed. She could not help but


    wonder, ¡®Why do people like them have so much time on their hands to defame others on social


    media? If I let this slide, it will only fuel the arrogance of these haters.¡®


    Marshall remained quiet for a few moments before he asked, ¡°Do you have any feuds with Ms. Young?¡±

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    Ste was caught off guard. She pursed her lips before she asked, ¡°Why do


    you


    ask?¡±


    Marshall zoomed in on the Facebook user¡¯s profile picture. ¡°The hand in this profile picture is Ms.


    Young¡¯s hand.¡±


    The profile picture of her hater was a photo of a right hand holding a cup oftte.


    But, Ste still did not understand. The majority of her haters were Be¡¯s fans, so it was normal that


    this hater used Be¡¯s photo as a profile picture.


    ¡°What led you to that conclusion?¡±


    ¡°I got a friend to do a reverse image search andparison using some tech. We couldn¡¯t find the


    picture anywhere online. Plus, judging from this photo¡¯s angle, thedy holding thette cup must have


    taken the photo and kept it to herself. And, when I got Ms. Young¡¯s autographst night, I noticed a


    mole between her thumb and index finger, just like the one in this photo. Her hands aren¡¯t slim, so she


    must have used a hand double for close¨Cups when filming, which exins why there aren¡¯t any close¨C


    up shots of her hand online.¡±


    Ste thought to herself, ¡®So, he asked for Be¡¯s autographst night just to get a closer look at her


    hand.¡®


    Ste was not dull¨Cwitted. She immediately asked, ¡°Are you saying this is Be¡¯s secret ount?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s either her or someone close to her. How else would a stranger have ess to her private photos?¡±


    However, Ste knew for a fact that only Felicity and now Marshall knew her identity as Dusk Gxy. It


    was very unlikely that Be would know about it. Hence, Be could not have done it due to the feud


    between them.


    The only possible exnation was that Be had been holding grudges against Dusk Gxy over the


    previous film project involving the both of them. The film was a huge sess. Dusk Gxy¡¯s dubbing


    had enlivened Be¡¯s role. However, at the same time, it had also stolen the limelight away from Be.


    ¡®So, she incited her fans to cyber bully a voice actor for months just because her limelight was stolen?¡®


    Ste thought, ¡®As someone in showbiz for many years, doesn¡¯t she know the consequences of


    cyberbullying? How can she be so vicious?¡® Ste could not help but wonder, ¡® What the hell does


    Keegan like about her?!¡®


    ¡°If Be is behind this, do we have a chance of winning thewsuit?¡± Ste asked Marshall.


    ¡°Even if she¡¯s the one using that ount, it¡¯s very likely that the registration information isn¡¯t hers. If


    you sue her, her PR team will just find someone to take the me,¡± Marshall replied truthfully.


    Ste was disappointed. ¡°So, the cost of cyberbullying is this low?¡±


    ¡°Thew can¡¯t control morality,¡± Marshall said with a pause, ¡°But, if we don¡¯t fight back, the behavior will


    only escte.¡±


    Ste was quiet for a moment before she dered, ¡°I¡¯m going to fight this to the end. Even if I


    can¡¯t win thewsuit, it¡¯ll still affect her poprity.¡±


    Marshall smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    ¡°Do I need to pay for any legal fees right now?¡± Ste just remembered about the payment.


    Marshall smiled and said, ¡°There¡¯s no rush. We can discuss thatter when the process is further.¡±


    Ste nodded and suddenly remembered the gift she wanted to give to Marshall. She hurriedly said,


    ¡°Wait here. Don¡¯t leave just yet!¡± Then, she ran out of the room in a hurry.


    The things Ste and Keegan had brought with them had been put away by the housemaid. After


    searching for a while, Ste finally found the bag that held the tie she wanted to give


    Marshall.


    She quickly opened the bag for a quick look, then she rushed back to the rooftop and joined Marshall.


    Keegan, who was looking for Ste, caught sight of her. When he was about to call out her name, she


    ran upstairs as if she was being pursued.


    ¡®How rash! She doesn¡¯t change a bit even after years of marriage.¡® He then pursed his lips and followed


    her.


    Ste returned to the rooftop and found Marshall still there. She approached him and presented the gift


    she had bought for him. ¡°Mr. Moore, thank you for your helpst night. I don¡¯t know how I could express


    my gratitude. So, I saw this at the mall today and bought it for you. I hope you like it.¡±


    Marshall was momentarily taken aback before he chuckled. ¡°I have a surprise for you, too,¡± he said.


    As he spoke, he pulled out a brand¨Cnew mobile phone and handed it to Ste. ¡°I noticed that your


    phone was brokenst night, and I happen to have an extra one at home. So, I brought it for you.¡±


    Ste quickly declined. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. It¡¯s too expensive.¡± She did not want to be in


    anyone¡¯s debt.


    ¡°It¡¯s still much cheaper than a tie,¡± Marshall replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you with a phone today, so I assume


    you haven¡¯t bought one yet. It¡¯s too inconvenient to not have a phone in this day and age. You can take


    and use this phone before you buy a new one. When you do purchase a new one, you can return it to


    me. Otherwise, I¡¯ll be ufortable epting such an expensive gift from you.¡±


    With just a few sentences, Marshall gave Ste no room to refuse.


    ¡®All I wanted was to return his favor with a gift. Why am I getting more in return?¡®


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ste took it and handed him the tie. ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to dinner next time.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± replied Marshall.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan, who was watching them chatting andughing from afar, felt a pang of envy as he looked at


    the brand¨Cnew phone in his hand. He left the scene with a sour expression.


    Meanwhile, Cordelia was tired. She became sleepy not long after tea time. When Marshall and Trevor


    noticed it, they excused themselves, saying they had some errands to attend to.


    Cordelia did not ask them to stay. Instead, she asked Keegan to see them off.


    After Trevor and Marshall left, rain started to fall. It was forecast that there would be heavy rainfall at


    four o¡¯clock. It was not safe to drive on the mountain roads in the rain. So, before the rain got heavier,


    Baldwin started driving to send them back.


    On the way, Keegan¡¯s face was even darker than when he came, while Ste was in no mood to


    entertain him.


    Instead, she took out the new phone that Marshall had given her from her bag. It was the same brand


    as her old phone, but not thetest model. Therefore, she trusted Marshall¡¯s exnation that he simply


    had an extra phone.


    After inserting her SIM card into the new phone, she turned it on and started cloning data from the


    backup file.


    ¡°Where are my socks?¡± Keegan suddenly asked.


    Ste nced at him inexplicably and pointed to the bag next to him. ¡°They¡¯re inside this bag.


    11


    Keegan rummaged through the bag but to no avail. ¡°They¡¯re not here,¡± he said with an unsmiling face.


    Ste put down her phone and took the bag. She went through its contents, but the socks were


    nowhere to be found.


    ¡°How is this possible? I put them in here myself¡­¡± she muttered.


    As she gazed at the bag again, it dawned on her that it looked a lot like the one she had given


    Marshall. ¡®Oh no, did I identally put the socks in that bag?¡® she thought.


    She nervously looked at Keegan, whose face was grim, and cleared her throat. ¡°Hey, I think I might


    have given the socks to Mr. Moore by mistake,¡± she said.


    As soon as she finished speaking, Keegan¡¯s face turned grave, and his eyes were zed with anger.


    ¡°Those were mine!¡± he growled through gritted teeth.

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    Startled by his outburst, Ste thought, ¡®It¡¯s just a pair of socks. Does he really have to make a big deal


    out of it?¡®


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose,¡± Ste tried to exin. ¡°The two bags looked so simr, and I didn¡¯t realize I


    put the socks in the wrong one.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face remained cold and stern. ¡°Call and ask him to bring them back,¡± hemanded.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste frowned, ¡°How am I supposed to do that? I¡¯ve already given them away. It¡¯s just a one- hundred¨C


    dor pair of socks. I can¡¯t just ask Mr. Moore to return them.¡±


    ¡°If you knew that once a gift has been given and it¡¯s not proper to ask for it back, then why did you give


    away a gift meant for me?¡± Keegan snapped.


    She felt like Keegan was just looking for an excuse to start a fight with her.


    ¡®He¡¯s been giving me this attitude since we were at Cordelia¡¯s residence just now. It¡¯s not really about


    the socks. He¡¯s just using them as an excuse to mess with me.¡®


    Baldwin was still inside the car with them, so Ste had to bite her tongue and respond calmly, ¡°I really


    didn¡¯t mean it. It¡¯s just a pair of socks. I can buy you another pair if that¡¯s what you want.¡±


    Keegan was even more angry at her perfunctory attitude. ¡°Is this just about buying new socks? Do you


    even take this seriously?¡±


    Ste¡¯s anger exploded. She no longer cared about Baldwin¡¯s presence and shot back, ¡°Yeah, right.


    You¡¯re the only one who didn¡¯t take it seriously. Otherwise, why didn¡¯t you keep it when I gave it to you?


    I was thoughtful enough to get you a gift, but you acted like you were annoyed. Who the hell knows if


    you really want those socks?! Now they¡¯re gone, and you¡¯re ming me? I don¡¯t think this is really


    about the socks. You just want to pick a fight with me!¡±


    Keegan¡¯s hands were trembling in rage. ¡°You¡¯re the one who made a mistake, yet you think your action


    is justifiable.¡±


    Ste red at him. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have bought that damn pair of socks just to let you find fault with me!¡±


    ¡°Baldwin, pull over!¡± said Keegan and Ste simultaneously with stern faces.


    Ste turned and said in hatred, ¡°No need to chase me out of the car! I¡¯ll get off myself!¡±


    ¡°When did I say that I was going to chase you out of the car?¡± said Keegan. His face was purple with


    rage.


    This gave Ste a chance to bring up the past. ¡°You¡¯re really forgetful, Keegan Kane. You must have


    forgotten it right after you kicked me out of your carst time!¡±


    Keegan¡¯s temple twitched as he said, ¡°Ste Jewell, that¡¯s enough! I haven¡¯t even held you


    ountable for selling that bag!¡±


    Ste retorted, ¡°Do it, then. I can just pay you back the money. I¡¯ll feel troubled if you don¡¯t.¡± Baldwin,


    who was driving, could no longer listen to their bickering. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Kane, both of you need to calm


    down. This is just a minor issue, and there¡¯s no safe ce to pull over with


    the heavy rain outside.¡±


    Ste snorted. ¡°Compared to the time he kicked me out of the car in the rain, this is nothing!¡±


    ¡°Ste Jewell!¡±


    Seeing that the two were about to argue again, Baldwin raised his voice. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Kane, if you


    keep quarreling, I will have to call Madam.¡±


    At the mention of Cordelia, the two finally stopped arguing and fell silent. They turned to the opposite


    sides of the car, wishing that they could be far away from each other at that moment.


    When they reached the Kane residence, Keegan disembarked from the car and mmed the door


    shut, not uttering a word.


    Ste grumbled under her breath, ¡°Crazy bastard.¡± Then, she turned to Baldwin and said, ¡± Baldwin,


    could you give this to Cordelia for me?¡± Baldwin noticed that Ste was holding the car keys that Trevor


    had given her.


    Back at Cordelia¡¯s home, Cordelia had already gone to bed, so Ste could only ask Baldwin,


    Cordelia¡¯s most trusted assistant, to pass on the keys. ¡°Mrs. Kane, Madam has asked you to keep the


    car, so you may keep it,¡± Baldwin said.


    ¡°But, this is too expensive,¡± Ste replied. ¡°Mr. Saun is only being generous because of his friendship


    with the Kane family, so that car should be considered a gift for the Kane family.¡±


    Baldwin smiled and replied softly, ¡°But, aren¡¯t you a member of the Kane family? Why can¡¯t you ept


    it as it is?¡±

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    Chapter 126


    Ste found herself at a loss for words.


    She could not reveal to Baldwin that she and Keegan were going to divorce soon.


    ¡°Mrs Kane, please keep the car keys since Madam has said so. As for the reciprocal gift for the Saun


    family, Madam will handle it.¡±


    Eventually, Ste failed to return the car keys. She could only hold onto them for now.


    Back at the Kane residence, Keegan had already gone upstairs. Maya helped pick up the things and


    asked, ¡°Madam, is everything okay with Mr. Kane? He looked like he was in a bad mood when he


    came back.¡±


    Ste, who was still fuming, replied tly, ¡°He¡¯s acting crazy. Don¡¯t pay him any mind.¡±


    Maya was taken aback for a moment. But, by the time she regained herposure, Ste had already


    gone upstairs.


    Fortunately for Ste, Keegan was not in the master bedroom. Otherwise, she would have been forced


    to sleep on the lessfortable bed in the guest room.


    Ste quickly undid her hair, grabbed two fresh sets of clothes, and headed to the bathroom. The


    powerful flow from the showerhead cascaded down and enveloped Ste from head to toe in a warm


    embrace, creating a rxing experience.


    As she stood under the stream of water, Ste could not help but think, ¡®That jerk sure knows how to


    enjoy life. There¡¯s even a jacuzzi in this bathroom. It would be the perfect ce to soak and unwind.


    But, filling it takes a good ten to twenty minutes. I just don¡¯t have the patience for that.¡±


    She smoothed her hair to the side of her shoulders, pressed a pump of shampoo, foamed, and gently


    rubbed her scalp.


    Typically, those from Hustuabourg with fair skin possessed lighter hair color, but Ste was an


    exception. Her raven¨Cck, full mane was as soft as seaweed when it was wet, and when paired with


    her delicate facial features, she was a true embodiment of a mermaid¡¯s beauty.


    The bathroom door was abruptly pushed open just as Ste was rinsing the foam from her hair,


    causing her to startle and reach for a bath towel in a hurry.


    As a result, her feet slipped, and she lost her bnce, tumbling forward.


    Keegan tried to catch her, but she grabbed him first, and both of them tumbled to the ground.


    Keegan hit the floor with a thud,nding on his back. Ste, who was still naked, ended up on top of


    him, and her knees hit the floor. Although the fall was jarring, Keegan served as a cushion, softening


    the impact for Ste.


    Keegan rubbed the back of his head, and his face darkened with anger as he ground his teeth. Did you


    do that on purpose, Ste Jewell?¡± he growled.


    ¡°I did that on purpose?!¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s at fault here?¡± Ste spat out as she stood up, wrapping the towel around herself. ¡°I


    was taking a shower. What were you doing barging in without even knocking?¡±


    Keegan sat up, and a scowl was on his face. ¡°I came here to grab a towel. How was I supposed to


    know that you were taking a shower if you didn¡¯t bother to lock the door?¡±


    ¡°You should have knocked on the door when you heard someone inside!¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Keegan nced at her, and he naturally said, ¡°This is my house. Why would I knock on my own


    bathroom door?¡±


    Ste was furious. She cursed inwardly, ¡®Just what kind of a jerk is he?!¡®


    Perhaps he was not satisfied with releasing his anger as Keegan took a bath towel, looked at her from


    top to bottom, and said impassively, ¡°Why bother covering up such an unattractive body?¡±


    Enraged, Ste grabbed the nearest object and hurled it at Keegan, shouting, ¡°Go to hell, Keegan


    Kane!¡±


    However, Keegan was quick to react, mming the door shut. That object hit the door and shattered on


    the ground. Only then did Ste realize that the object she had thrown was the expensive bottle of


    essential oil she had splurged on. It hit her hard, causing her face to redden with a feeling of heartache.


    ¡®Keegan Kane, you heartless bastard! How could I have ever been foolish enough to fall for someone


    like you?¡® Ste snarled inwardly.

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    Chapter 127


    As soon as Ste came out of the shower, she received a phone call from Felicity.


    Felicity¡¯s excited voice rang through the phone ¡°Ste, they epted my script!¡± She eximed.


    ¡°Wow, that was fast!¡± Ste was surprised.


    Despite having only revised the manuscript the day before, Felicity¡¯s submission had already been


    epted without a hitch.


    ¡°I know, right?¡± Felicity replied. ¡°I thought they¡¯d ask for revisions when I submitted it this morning, but


    they just called to say they epted it and want me to sign the contract next week.¡±


    Ste secured her damp hair with a w clip and asked, ¡°How much will you sell it for?¡±


    ¡°That hasn¡¯t been decided yet,¡± Felicity replied. ¡°But, the general market price for a first series is around


    a million.¡±


    ¡°And, will you be the screenwriter if the drama is filmed?¡± Ste continued.


    Felicity exined, ¡°Unfortunately, film productionpanies tend to hold onto the copyrights before


    they make any decisions. As for when it will be filmed, it can be unpredictable and often depends on


    avability. For established writers, filming usually begins within two years of signing a contract.


    However, for less well¨Cknown writers like myself, there¡¯s no guarantee of a film opportunity, even after


    the copyright has expired. So, I shouldn¡¯t count on being its screenwriter.¡±


    Ste was a little disappointed.


    Felicity, on the other hand, remained optimistic. ¡°Getting it sold is a huge step forward. I¡¯m young and


    not in a rush. Someday, the dramas of the scripts I write will be broadcasted on major TV channels!¡±


    Ste¡¯s smile returned. ¡°And, when that dayes, hot actors and actresses, as well as award winning


    talents, will all want to be a part of your dramas!¡±


    Felicity added, ¡°And, I¡¯ll make sure that you¡¯re my leading actress, making you a superstar that even


    Keegan would want to impress.¡±


    Ste¡¯s grin vanished. ¡°Don¡¯t mention him. I¡¯m still mad at him.¡±


    Felicity picked up on Ste¡¯s tone and softly asked, ¡°Did you two have another argument?¡±


    Feeling wronged, Ste could not hold back and shared the details of what had happened with Felicity.


    After rting the story, Ste added, ¡°Is he really upset about a pair of socks? I don¡¯t think so. He was


    just trying to pick a fight with me. I was so foolish. Why did I even buy him those socks in the first ce,


    just for him to find fault with me?¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Felicity interjected. ¡°Did you say thewyer I introduced you to is Keegan¡¯s childhood


    friend and the good¨Clooking guy who helped youst time?¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°Small world, right?¡±


    Felicity was quiet for a moment and then asked, ¡°So, you gave Keegan¡¯s socks to his childhood


    friend?¡±


    Ste corrected her. ¡°No, I put them in the wrong bag by mistake.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°Could it be that Keegan was jealous?¡± Felicity asked.


    ¡°Jealous my foot! He can¡¯t possibly think that Mr. Moore is interested in me. Besides, he doesn¡¯t even


    like me. Why would he be jealous? He was just looking for an excuse to start a fight! I bet he was


    unhappy at the thought of having to split his wealth with me after our divorce, so he is deliberately


    messing with me!¡±


    Before Felicity wanted to say something, Ste received another phone call.


    ¡°It¡¯s Keegan¡¯s mom. I¡¯ll have to answer it. Let¡¯s catch up soon.¡± Ste quickly hang up Felicity¡¯s call and


    took a deep breath before answering Dahlia¡¯s call. Her tone was obedient as she answered. ¡°Hi,


    Dahlia. How can I help you? Are you looking for Keegan? I¡¯ll call him for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for you,¡± Dahlia said in a clear and cold tone.


    ¡°You¡¯re looking for me?¡± Ste¡¯s eyebrows lowered in confusion. ¡°What do you need?¡±


    ¡°Did you and Keegan visit Cordelia today?¡± Dahlia asked.


    It did not surprise Ste that Dahlia knew their whereabouts since Dahlia had many people at the Kane


    residence to keep her informed.


    So, Ste did not dare to keep it from Dahlia. ¡°Mr. Moore and Mr. Saun were there to visit Cordelia, so


    she asked us to keep thempany.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± Dahlia asked.


    ¡°Yes, we just had a meal,¡± Ste answered, avoiding any mentions of Trevor gifting a car to her as a


    token of gratitude, as the matter involved Aurora. She could not understand why Trevor had not


    mentioned anything about Aurora when he came to thank her. But, she did not want to get herself into


    any trouble, so she kept the question to herself.


    Dahlia went straight to the point. ¡°I heard Mrs. Chapman say that you¡¯re pregnant. Is that why Cordelia


    wanted to see you?¡±


    Ste was taken aback. She had not expected Dahlia to call her for this.


    ¡°Mrs. Chapman probably misunderstood. I¡¯m not pregnant,¡± Ste exined.


    Dahlia did not seem to buy it. ¡°Mrs. Chapman said you and Keegan both admitted that you were


    pregnant. How can this be a misunderstanding?¡±


    ¡°When I said, ¡®I will let everyone know when I have some good news,¡® Mrs. Chapman must have


    misunderstood.¡± Ste tried to rify. However, she said in her mind, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to tell since there


    won¡¯t be any fucking good news!¡®


    Ste added, ¡°Besides, how could we possibly hide such big news from you, Dahlia?¡±


    ¡°Maya said that you haven¡¯t been taking the fertility drink on time recently. What happened?¡± Dahlia


    continued her line of questioning.


    As a mole nted by Dahlia, Maya was certainly useful. Any updates about Keegan and Ste would


    quickly be reported to Dahlia.


    Ste could only find herself an excuse. ¡°A while ago, the hospital informed me that my mother was not


    in good condition, so I apanied her in the hospital for a few days. During that time, I couldn¡¯t take


    the fertility drink on time, but I¡¯ve been taking it regrly since I returned.¡±


    Ste could not tell whether Dahlia believed her.


    Dahlia pondered for a moment before she said, ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow for a check¨Cup.¡±


    Ste¡¯s temple twitched. ¡°But, I just had a check¨Cup two months ago. And, my period just ended. It¡¯s


    impossible for me to be pregnant.¡± She added silently to herself, ¡®Keegan hasn¡¯t even slept with me for


    the past three months. The heck if I can get pregnant!¡®


    Dahlia said, ¡°Even if you¡¯re not pregnant, it won¡¯t hurt to make sure that everything is okay. The doctor


    previously mentioned that your uterine wall had poor sticity, and that you¡¯ve been taking the fertility


    drink for quite some time. It¡¯s time to see if it made a difference.¡±


    Ste desperately wanted to say, ¡®Why don¡¯t you take your son to the doctor instead? Maybe he¡¯s the


    one who is sick.¡® But, she held back and simply said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Despite her reservations, Ste saw this as an opportunity. If the test results came back normal, she


    could use it as leverage to convince Dahlia, and she could stop taking that fertility drink.


    The smell of that fertility drink had always made Ste nauseous.


    Just as Dahlia was about to end the call, she suddenly asked, ¡°By the way, do you know why Keegan


    locked Aurora in the bathroom all night? What could Aurora have done to make him so angry?¡±


    Ste was taken aback and cautiously inquired, ¡°Did you just say that Aurora was locked in the


    bathroom overnight?¡±

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    Dahlia did not answer Ste¡¯s question. Instead, she asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t know about what happened to


    Aurora?¡±


    Ste was taken aback. ¡°I visited my mother after the banquetst night and had no knowledge of what


    happened afterward, apart from Mr. Snyder sending Aurora home.¡±


    Dahlia was troubled. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure what happened either. Aurora came back crying this morning


    and said that Keegan had locked her in a restroom overnight, but she didn¡¯t tell me about it clearly. I


    thought you might know something since you were at the banquetst night.¡±


    Ste was shocked. ¡°Keegan actually locked Aurora in the bathroom all night! Is he insane?! But, it


    couldn¡¯t have been for my sake. I¡¯m not that self¨Cabsorbed.¡±


    When she remembered Trevor thanking her at Cordelia¡¯s house, Ste realized that Trevor must have


    known about the incident since he did not seem concerned about how Jaylene was trapped in the


    restroom.


    Trevor had remained silent on who was responsible for the incident, likely because Keegan had taken it


    upon himself to punish Aurora.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    This could be seen as a form of exnation for the Saun family. It had sought retribution for Jaylene


    and, indirectly, Ste.


    Ste looked confused and said, ¡°I don¡¯t have any information either. Keegan didn¡¯t tell me anything.


    How is Aurora doing? Is she okay?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine. She just got a minor cold,¡± replied Dahlia. ¡°She took some medicine and is now sleeping.¡±


    Ste thought to herself, ¡®Serves her right!¡® But, she pretended to show concern. ¡°Let me call Mr.


    Snyder to check. He was therest night, so he should know what happened.¡±


    Dahlia declined Ste¡¯s offer and said, ¡°No need for that.¡± She instead made an appointment with Ste


    for a check¨Cup tomorrow. Apparently, Dahlia did not want to involve outsiders in the household matter.


    The next morning, Ste woke up to find Keegan gone from the Kane residence, leading her to assume


    he had spent the night in the study.


    When Maya was babbling about Keegan skipping breakfast again, Ste rolled her eyes and thought,


    ¡®Come on. He¡¯s an adult. How could he possibly starve himself?¡®


    As Ste was about to leave, Maya handed her a lunch box and said, ¡°Madam, please take this to Mr.


    Kane. He¡¯s been having a bad appetitetely, possibly due to his stomach problems. I made him some


    porridge, so make sure he eats it while it¡¯s still warm.¡±


    Ste was reluctant. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Thepany has its own cafeteria.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, the cafeteria food is heavy on oil and salt, which isn¡¯t good for Mr. Kane¡¯s delicate


    stomach. He¡¯s also been dining out frequently for business events and eating on an irregr schedule.


    It¡¯s only a matter of time before health problems arise if he keeps this up,¡± Maya exined.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like he¡¯s a child who is not aware of his own health,¡± Ste grumbled but still took the lunchbox.


    ¡°I¡¯ll deliver it this time, but starting tomorrow, you¡¯ll have to do it yourself,¡± Ste said.


    Ste sighed in frustration and thought, ¡®Why do I have to be the one to deliver this lunchbox? Don¡¯t I


    have any dignity? I haven¡¯t even cooled down from thest argument.¡®


    Ste took a cab instead of driving because she was going to meet up with Dahlia. She would have to


    undergo several tests in the hospitalter.


    But, before that, she went to the Vinci Rivera Group building, where she arrived a little too early. The


    janitors were still cleaning up, and the entrance had just opened.


    Ste was reminded of the argument she had with Keegan the day before. She did not want to call him,


    so she gave that lunchbox to the security officer and asked him to deliver it to Keegan on the upper


    floor.


    However, the security officer said, ¡°But, Mr. Kane is not here.¡±


    Ste was caught by surprise. ¡®Maya said Keegan had received a call at around six o¡¯clock before


    rushing here. Why did the security officer say that he is not here?¡®


    At that moment, Dahlia¡¯s call came in, and she asked how long it would take for Ste to arrive.


    Ste did not have time to think about Keegan¡¯s whereabouts and said, ¡°Right away.¡± She instructed


    the security officer, ¡°When he¡¯s here, deliver this lunchbox to him and tell him it¡¯s from Maya.¡±


    After that, Ste quickly got into a cab and rushed to meet up with Dahlia.


    As soon as she arrived, a Maserati pulled up, and Dahlia lowered the window and said tly, Get in.¡±


    Ste nodded and got into the car primly.


    Dahlia was wearing a dark brown shirt and ck pants. Her hair was shoulder length, curled naturally,


    and neatly styled.

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    Ste thought to herself that if she saw Dahlia as a stranger on the street, she would have assumed


    her to be an officedy around her own age Despite knowing Dahlia¡¯s actual age, Ste still found her


    to appear very youthful


    However, despite her youthful appearance, Dahlia was not an easy mother inw to deal with Her


    constant pressure on Ste to have children was unbearable


    When the car started, Dahlia asked tly, ¡°You need to go for the CBC testter You haven¡¯t eaten


    anything, right?¡±


    Ste nodded


    Dahlia then asked, ¡°Does Keegan know that I¡¯m taking you for a medical check up


    Ste replied, ¡°No, I haven¡¯t told him ¡±


    In fact, Ste and Keegan were still in a state of disagreement, and she was determined not to be the


    one to reach out first. She thought, ¡®It would be a defeat for me if I talked to Keegan first. No way!!


    Dahlia did not say anything else after that.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Soon enough, they arrived at the Kindred Soul Hospital, a renowned private hospital in Rivera known


    for its high fees but excellent medical facilities. Many wealthy individuals, including celebrities and


    business leaders, were regr patients there.


    Unlike the general hospitals in city areas, the human traffic was not heavy. Hence, patients like Ste,


    who came here for routine checkups, did not have to queue when registering at the


    counter.


    After the consultation, the doctor gave Ste a list of tests that she needed to undergoter


    Ste came out with the list and said to Dahlia, ¡°You can just wait here, Dahlia. I have to undergo these


    tests in the opposite building. I¡¯lle to you after I finish.¡±


    Although Dahlia wanted to apany Ste, she received a phone call and had to answer it So, she


    reluctantly agreed and let Ste go alone.


    Ste underwent a blood test and urine test, and then she finally arrived at the ultrasound


    room.


    The ultrasound room was busy as usual, and Ste had to wait for a while before her name was


    called


    After a thorough examination, the young doctor asked, ¡°Have you had surgery before?¡±


    ¡°I had a minor surgery for an injury I got from a car ident a few years ago. Is there a problem,


    doctor?¡±


    The young doctor pondered for a moment before he said, ¡°Surgery for an injury from a car ident?¡±


    He appeared uncertain and finally added, ¡°Let¡¯s see what your attending doctor has to sayter¡±


    With that, he printed out the reports of the test results, signed it, and went on to the next patient


    Ste took the reports and studied them for a while, but she could not fullyprehend most of the


    items listed. Although several items showed no abnormality, the ultrasound result indicated an uneven


    echo. She had no idea what it meant.


    By the time Ste had undergone all the tests, an hour had almost passed.


    Dahlia, who had grown restless, called Ste to inquire about her progress.


    Ste told her, ¡°It¡¯s all done. I¡¯m on my way back now. I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡±


    ¡°Great. Please bring me a bottle of water when you get here,¡± Dahlia requested.


    However, the vending machines were only found in the inpatient department. Hence, Ste, who was


    already going downstairs, had to return to that department to buy a bottle of water.


    Just as she was fetching a bottle of water, she suddenly saw Keeganing out of the elevator.


    He had a headband in his hand, which was something only a female would wear, and behind him was


    his assistant, Aldor.


    Aldor was the first to see her and said, ¡°Madam?¡±

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    Only when Aldor called out to Ste did Keegan notice Ste.


    She stood there emotionless, casting a nce at the headband in Keegan¡¯s hand and then at Keegan


    himself.


    Tightening his grip on the headband, Keegan pursed his lips and approached her. ¡°What are you doing


    here?¡± he asked.


    Ste said nonchntly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not stalking you.¡± She held up the test reports she was


    carrying and said, ¡°Your mother asked me toe here for a medical check¨Cup.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression changed upon hearing that. His eyes narrowed in a frown. ¡°She¡¯s here with you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ste answered.


    Keegan kept furrowing his brows. His strange reaction did not go unnoticed by Ste, but she was not


    in the mood to decipher it. The mere sight of Keegan at the hospital so early in the morning had already


    put a damper on her mood.


    ¡®Who else could it be in the hospital that is important enough to make Keegan rush to the hospital at six


    in the morning and hold a headband?¡® She sneered inwardly, thinking she had done her best to control


    her anger.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, carry on with what you¡¯re doing. I¡¯m leaving now,¡± she said. She did not even bother to look


    at Keegan before turning and walking away.


    But, Keegan quickly grabbed her wrist and said, ¡°Wait.¡± He handed the headband to Aldor and


    whispered, ¡°Buy her the exact same one.¡± Then, he pulled Ste out of the inpatient


    department.


    After the both of them stepped out of the elevator, Ste, who had been holding back her anger,


    suddenly bit Keegan on the wrist.


    Keegan felt a sharp pain and let go of her.


    Looking at the deep bite mark on his wrist, Keegan gritted his teeth with a grim expression. ¡® Ste


    Jewell, did you catch rabies from a dog bite?!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s bitten by a dog!¡± Ste shot back before realizing that she had called herself a


    dog. With a mixture of anger and embarrassment, she added, ¡°Keegan Kane, our rtionship is purely


    contractual. Aside from the times when we have to put on a show for appearances, please refrain from


    any physical contact with me at all other times!¡±


    Keegan cast a sideways nce at Ste. ¡°All I did was grab your wrist. What about the time when you


    got drunk and kissed me against my will? Isn¡¯t that sexual harassment?¡±


    Ste retorted in disdain, ¡°I never forced a kiss on you, Keegan Kane. Be careful with what you say, or I


    might sue you for defamation.¡±


    Keegan smirked and took out his phone. With a few quick taps, a notification suddenly sounded from


    Ste¡¯s phone in her pocket.


    Ste checked her phone and saw that Keegan had sent her a video clip. She red at him with


    suspicion. ¡°What did you send me?¡±


    Keegan smirked and said, ¡°y it and see for yourself.¡±


    Ste frowned. After staring at him for a few seconds, she yed the video clip.


    Immediately, her face went pale.


    The video showed a drunken woman wearing only a bathrobe, sitting on a man¡¯sp. She


    grabbed his chin with one hand and forced him to face the camera. With a grin, she said, ¡°I¡¯ve spent so


    much money; I might as well keep a souvenir.¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

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    Chapter 131


    In the video, the drunken woman lowered her head and nted a kiss on the man¡¯s lips Che then


    attempted to remove the man¡¯s clothing, but her efforts were in vain after a lengthy struggle. Finally,


    turning her attention to herself, she easily removed her bathrobe Once the belt was loosened, the


    bathrobe slid off her shoulders.


    At this moment, the man quickly intervened by raising his hand and grabbing the phone, causing the


    screen to shake before the video abruptly ended momentarily.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    The bold woman in the video was no other than Ste Jewell, who had forced a kiss on Keegan


    Ste¡¯s eyes widened. She tried to grab Keegan¡¯s phone, but he was quick and dodged her attempt.


    Then, holding his phone high, he smirked and asked with an indifferent gaze, Trying to destroy the


    evidence?¡±


    Fury filled Ste¡¯s face as she spat, ¡°How dare you take advantage of me, Keegan Kane? You filmed


    me while I was drunk. How could you be so shameless?¡±


    Keeganughed at Ste¡¯s attempt to twist the truth. ¡°Take a look at who was filming, Ste


    Ste snarled inwardly, ¡®The hell I would reason with you after seeing my embarrassing self in that


    video.¡®


    Ste said unyieldingly, ¡°Even if I was the one who filmed it, I was drunk, and my behavior was out of


    control! You, on the other hand, were sober. So not stopping me is one thing, but keeping the video is


    another. You shameless bastard!¡±


    Ste¡¯s attempts to provoke Keegan into deleting the video failed, as he only chuckled and responded,


    ¡°Since I¡¯m already beingbeled as shameless, I might as well take it to the next level and share the


    video on social media for all to see.¡±


    As he began editing a post on his phone, Ste could no longer hold back and rushed to grab the


    phone.


    However, Keegan had the advantage of his height. He easily held the phone above her reach Even if


    Ste jumped, she could only reach his wrist.


    Seeing that Keegan had almost finished editing the post, Ste got even more anxious. Desperate to


    stop him, she wrapped her hands around his neck and jumped, attempting to ht his chin with her head.


    But Keegan lowered his head at thest moment, and Ste ended up striking his nose instead. Blood


    immediately began to flow from the injury.


    Ste was shocked. Before she could react, a cold voice came from behind, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    She turned to see Dahlia approaching them with a stern expression.


    Dahlia quickly tended to Keegan¡¯s bleeding nose with a handkerchief as soon as she reached him.


    Then, she scolded Ste, who was still standing there in shock, ¡°What are you waiting for? Call a


    doctor!¡±


    Ste finally snapped out of it and quickly called for medical assistance.


    Keegan tilted his head back. It took some time for his nosebleed to stop. He looked pale, possibly due


    to blood loss.


    Keegan smirked and said, ¡°y it and see for yourself.¡±


    Ste frowned. After staring at him for a few seconds, she yed the video clip.


    Immediately, her face went pale.


    The video showed a drunken woman wearing only a bathrobe, sitting on a man¡¯sp. She


    grabbed his chin with one hand and forced him to face the camera. With a grin, she said, ¡°I¡¯ve spent so


    much money; I might as well keep a souvenir.¡±

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    Dahlia scowled, ¡°Am I conservative now? Come on! There¡¯s a limit even to having fun. There are tons


    of eyes on the Kane family. When she acts inappropriately, and it gets around, we¡¯ll be gued by


    rumors every day. People will think this is what the Kane family is all about!¡±


    Keegan¡¯s head ached while he was listening to Dahlia¡¯s nagging. He turned to Ste and said, ¡± Get


    me some water.¡±


    Ste handed Keegan the water she had just bought. He grabbed the bottle, unscrewed the cap, and


    took a couple of gulps. Dahlia noticed his paleplexion and stopped her rant. Instead, she asked,


    ¡°What brings you to the hospital so early in the morning?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to visit a friend,¡± Keegan answered briefly. He then asked, ¡°Why did you bring Ste here for


    a check-up? Wasn¡¯t she just checked two months ago?¡±


    Dahliaposed herself when the topic shifted. ¡°It¡¯s just a routine check-up. She¡¯s been taking that


    fertility drink for a while now. I just want to see if it had any effect. Mrs. Valle¡¯s son got marriedst year,


    and now her daughter-inw is almost due. You two have been married for three years now, and still no


    kids. So I¡¯m just more concerned than you two are.¡±


    Obviously, Dahlia was implying Ste was at fault.


    Keegan remained nonchnt. ¡°It¡¯s not something that happens overnight. The fertility drink hasn¡¯t done


    anything even after all this time. So maybe she¡¯s not getting pregnant because she¡¯s taken too much of


    it.¡±


    Ste did not know what to say. ¡®It¡¯s true that I don¡¯t want to take that awful fertility drink. But I can¡¯t


    believe Keegan would say that! How shameless! The hell I can¡¯t get pregnant when he¡¯s the one


    refusing to sleep with me!¡¯


    Not only would Keegan spend nights with her only once a couple of months, but he would also


    deliberately avoid her ovtion period. So even if Ste was fertile, it was pointless without his


    cooperation.


    Dahlia got angry. ¡°What do you mean she can¡¯t get pregnant because of taking too much fertility drink?


    I went through a lot of trouble to get it. Who am I working so hard for? I wouldn¡¯t have to go through all


    this effort if she were fertile.¡±


    Seeing that mother and son were about to quarrel, Ste tried to calm Dahlia, ¡°Please don¡¯t be upset,


    Dahlia. I¡¯ll make sure to drink the fertility drink on a schedule. Here, have some water.¡±


    But Dahlia pushed Ste¡¯s hand away and said coldly, ¡°I must¡¯ve been meddling too much. From now


    on, you two can handle your problems. I don¡¯t want to waste my time and energy only to be criticized


    later.¡±


    With that, Dahlia stormed out of the room with a stern face.


    As soon as Dahlia left, Ste stopped pretending and said tly, ¡°Call Aldor to pick you up. I¡¯m leaving


    now.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened. ¡°You¡¯re gonna leave me after what you¡¯ve done to me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a nosebleed. It¡¯s not like you¡¯ve lost a limb. What do you expect me to do? Babysit you?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Don¡¯t you have any sense of guilt? Who was I just speaking for?¡±


    ¡°I have plenty of guilt. We¡¯re getting a divorce, but I still have to put on a show for your family and


    endure your mother¡¯s insults and false usations against me!¡± said Ste.


    Keegan¡¯s remarks hit a raw nerve with Ste. Or perhaps, she had been bottling up her emotions for a


    long time. Once she found an outlet, she could no longer contain herself.


    She added, ¡°And now, you have a nosebleed, and someone is worried about you. She even got angry


    at me on your behalf! What about me? I was in a car ident and couldn¡¯t even reach you. Can you


    imagine how I felt when the nurse asked me why my family wasn¡¯t there with me in the hospital? I


    couldn¡¯t help but wonder. If I had died that day, would anyone evene to collect my body?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s anger dissipated as he asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about the car ident when you called


    me that day?¡±


    Ste smirked, thinking, ¡®So he knew.¡¯


    ¡°What difference would it have made? Would you have left Ms. Young for me?¡±


    Keegan fell silent.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Ste was disappointed that Keegan did not even bother to lie to her.


    ¡°Good,¡± Ste said with a smile. ¡°That just confirms I made the right decision.¡±

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    Keegan looked at her confusedly.


    Then, Ste took her wallet out of her bag and said tly, ¡°However, I¡¯m not as heartless as you. Even


    though I¡¯m the reason you were hurt, it was you who provoked me first. So, I¡¯ll pay for your medical


    bills. However, there¡¯s nothing else I can do if you think it¡¯s not enough. This is everything I can afford


    to pay you before the divorce.¡±


    After that, she handed him a signed check. Keegan looked at it and saw twenty thousand


    written on it.


    Keegan¡¯s face turned ugly as he tore the check in half. ¡°Ste Jewell, cut it off!¡±


    Ste looked at the torn check on the floor and said calmly, ¡°I¡¯ll just take it as you epted it. As for the


    divorce, I hope you can settle everything as soon as possible. I don¡¯t think I can hide that I¡¯m infertile


    from you any longer.¡±


    Ste¡¯s shoulders dropped dispiritedly as soon as she left the hospital.


    She felt so awful because nothing went her way at all.


    She knew that she had done something wrong. Clearly, she did something wrong. Yet, she took it all


    out on Keegan for no reason.


    However, she just could not get over how Dahlia mistreated her.


    Ste gazed downward at the back of her hand and saw a very long and thin scratch. It came from


    Dahlia¡¯s ring when she brushed her aside just now.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Dahlia had never liked her. Even though she hid her hatred toward Ste very well, she could tell how


    much she despised her just by the look on her face.


    Neither Ste¡¯s character nor her family background matched Dahlia¡¯s expectations.


    Besides, Ste never contributed anything to the family despite getting married to Keegan for many


    years. Dahlia just could not find a reason to like her. How protective Keegan was of her also


    contributed to their conflict.


    Ste wondered to herself. ¡®Do all mothers hate it when their sons get too close to their wives? Or is


    this just happening because Dahlia lost her husband when she was still so young, so she¡¯s very


    possessive over her son?¡¯


    Even though her rtionship with Keegan was not exceptionally good, she could feel Dahlia would


    hate her a little bit more whenever Keegan defended her.


    That scratch mark was a perfect example. The scar would not be so deep if Dahlia did not do that on


    purpose.


    Keegan could never keep himself out of what happened, as he was why Dahlia hated her so mucis!


    In the Jewell residence.


    Albert was eating, with his family in the dining hall when his phone suddenly rang.


    He picked up the call and said with a bright smile, ¡°Mr. Anne, why are you calling me at this


    hour? Have you eaten?¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap! Albert Jewell, do you know what your good daughter did?! You¡¯re so shameless for


    making us pay for you!¡±


    The smile on Albert¡¯s face disappeared as he said in a deep voice, ¡°Mr. Anne, what are you talking


    about? What did my daughter do?¡±


    ¡°Quit pretending!¡± Henry was still very mad. ¡°My daughter has always been very sensible. However,


    she spent thirty million dors on a bangle when she went out with your daughter, Sophia, yesterday!


    She even used mypany¡¯s money! I confronted her about it, and she told me she only did that to


    stand up for your daughter and that the bangle can¡¯t be returned! I have more than a hundred


    employees on my payroll. I¡¯m really curious about what your daughter did until Xianna had to spend


    thirty million just to make her feel better. Do you think this is logical?¡±


    Sophia¡¯s grip on her fork got tighter as she sat opposite Albert.

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    The look on Albert¡¯s face turned ugly. ¡°Mr. Anne, I have no idea that this took ce. I¡¯ll ask my daughter


    about it. I¡¯m sure that it¡¯s just a misunderstanding.¡±


    ¡°Misunderstanding? What could it be? My daughter explicitly told me that Sophia instigated her to do it.


    I¡¯ll give you two options now. Think of a way to return the bangle or pay me back the money! Otherwise,


    you¡¯ll be in big trouble!¡±


    Then, Henry hung up the phone.


    Albert¡¯s face darkened as he put down his phone. Then, he lifted his head and asked Sophia, What


    happened? A bangle that cost thirty million?¡±


    Sophia cursed inwardly at Xianna before telling Albert about what had happened that day. Obviously,


    she omitted the part where she hinted to Xianna to buy that bangle.


    ¡±


    Then, she said pitifully, ¡°I admit that I wasn¡¯t thoughtful enough. I shouldn¡¯t have followed Ms. Anne into


    the shop when I knew that Ste didn¡¯t like me. That shop belongs to Mr. Snyder, and he¡¯s a very good


    friend of Ste¡¯s husband. Mr. Anne did not dare to offend Mr. Snyder or the Kane family, and that¡¯s


    why he med me for everything. Who do you think I am to decide what Ms. Anne should spend on?¡±


    The woman sitting beside Sophia handed her a piece of tissue as she consoled her, ¡°This isn¡¯t your


    fault. Why would she spend thirty million on a bangle just to prove something?¡±


    That woman was Albert¡¯s secretary, Hylda White. She was the person walking with Albert when Ste


    bumped into them at the basement parking previously.


    She had her loungewear on as she sat on the seat that supposedly belonged to Rainee, as if she was


    Albert¡¯s wife.


    Albert frowned and red at her. ¡°What¡¯s the point of talking about this now? That man clearly just


    wants my daughter to pay for what his daughter bought!¡±


    ¡°Why do we have to listen to him?¡± Hylda scoffed. ¡°Who does he think he is to make us clean up his


    daughter¡¯s mess? He only got what he has today because his sister chose the right husband! He really


    thinks he¡¯s something just because people address him as Mr. Anne!¡± ¡°You¡¯re such an ignorant woman.


    I still need Henry¡¯s help to get me that piece ofnd in Northon, and the bid hasn¡¯t even started yet!


    He¡¯ll probably ditch me if I don¡¯t get this right for him now. I can¡¯t miss out on a project that¡¯s worth


    billions again.¡±


    Hylda was puzzled. ¡°Is Henry willing to give somebody else such a profitable project?¡± Albert sneered.


    ¡°Of course not. However, he¡¯s unable to get himself involved. His brother-in-w is the head of this


    project, so he can¡¯t be a part of it due to legal reasons.¡±


    Albert gifted Henry presents worth more than ten million just to secure that project. However, Henry just


    could not get enough!


    Hylda furrowed her brows. ¡°What should we do then? Thirty million is not a small amount. Do we really


    have to pay up?¡±


    Albert was not willing to do that at all. So, he picked up his phone and said, ¡°I¡¯ll give Ste a call and


    ask if she can get Mr. Kane to help us out.¡±


    Hylda lifted the edge of her mouth without saying anything.


    Ste¡¯s phone rang as soon as she got into the car.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    She did not feel like picking it up after seeing Albert¡¯s name.


    She knew that Albert would only call her if something bad happened.


    However, she also knew that Albert was tenacious, and he would only stop calling once she picked up.


    So, she had no choice but to ept the call, ¡°Hello, dad.¡±


    ¡°Ste, are you okay? Why did it take you so long to pick up?¡±


    ¡°I was in the washroom and couldn¡¯t answer my phone. Why did you call?¡± Ste lied.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. Are you with Keegan now?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s at work. You should call his office¡¯s number if you¡¯re looking for him.¡±

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    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. However, I have something to ask you.¡±


    ¡®What is this about?¡¯ Ste thought to herself.


    ¡°Ste, are you close with Mr. Snyder?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Ste said instantly without hesitating.


    She was not lying when she said that. But, more specifically, she was not close with anyone in


    Keegan¡¯s social circle.


    That was because Keegan rarely brought her to meet his friends. Perhaps he only did that because he


    knew their marriage would notst, so he did not want to spend too much effort to let her blend in.


    ¡®Why would he suddenly be interested in Vermont?¡¯


    Ste knew the answer to that very soon after.


    Albert said, ¡°Sophia told me she met you when she was shopping in a jewelry store with her friend


    yesterday.¡±


    Ste squinted and said tly, ¡°Yeah, she did. What about it?¡±


    ¡°You know her friend spent thirty million on a bangle, too, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Ste said before she said sarcastically, ¡°Ms. Anne has excellent taste. I heard that the bangle


    was the best one that the shop had. ¡±


    Albert kept quiet for a while before he said, ¡°Ms. Anne doesn¡¯t want that bangle anymore, but she¡¯s


    unable to return it. I heard that the shop belongs to Mr. Snyder, and he¡¯s a friend of Keegan, right?


    Could you do me a favor and ask him if he can let Ms. Anne return it?¡±


    ¡®She spent thirty million just to show off for a few seconds. I guess she¡¯s regretting it now that she can


    finally think clearly.¡¯ Ste thought to herself.


    Ste did not expect that Xianna would ask for Albert¡¯s help.


    There was just no reason for her to help them since she plotted it to happen.


    ¡°Dad, you¡¯re a businessman too. It¡¯smon knowledge that one can only return the goods if it¡¯s


    defective. All businesses would close down if every customer like Ms. Anne could return something just


    because they changed their minds.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, but I¡¯m sure you can work something out. Would you let Keegan know what happened so


    he can talk to Mr. Snyder about it? I¡¯m sure that it wouldn¡¯t be very troublesome for him to do so.¡±


    Ste did not want to help, so she lied, ¡°Okay then. I¡¯ll talk to Keegan about it. However, I can¡¯t


    guarantee if Vermont would do him this favor or not.¡±


    Albert was relieved. ¡°Mr. Snyder is such a good friend to Keegan. I¡¯m sure that he will.¡±


    The call became awkward after the conversation ended, so Albert tried to keep it going,¡± How¡¯s your


    mother recently?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡± Ste paused before continuing, ¡°However, the doctor told us to talk to her about the past


    more often to stimte her. You should go over and chat with her when you¡¯re free because you¡¯re the


    person that my mother cared about the most.¡±


    Albert said perfunctorily, ¡°I can¡¯t find time at all these days. I¡¯ll pay your mother a few dayster when


    I¡¯m on leave.¡±


    It was not Ste¡¯s first time listening to Albert¡¯s nonsense. Hisst visit to the hospital was a year ago,


    and he only went there to pose because one of Ste¡¯s grandfather¡¯s friends wanted to see Rainee.


    Albert was a heartless and cruel man However, Ste¡¯s grandfather was a very good judge of


    character. There was no way he would allow his daughter to marry someone like him.


    Something popped into Ste¡¯s head after she hung up before she dialed Vermont¡¯s number.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Vermont was bored out of his mind in a regr meeting when he saw an iing call. He was


    shocked at first but became very energetic right after. Then, he grabbed his phone as he stood up. He


    said with a straight face, ¡°Carry on. My client¡¯s calling me.¡±

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    ¡°Hello, who¡¯s calling?¡±


    Ste heard Vermont¡¯s serious voice through the phone. He did not sound as flirtatious as he usually


    would.


    Ste wondered, ¡°I thought he had my number, no?


    ¡®Did he not save it?¡¯


    She quickly responded without dwelling on that thought, ¡°I¡¯m Ste.¡±


    Vermont was surprised as he said, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you. How may I assist you?¡±


    Ste became a little awkward after hearing how straightforward Vermont was. However, she knew she


    had no time to waste as she got straight to the point, ¡°There¡¯s something I hope you could help me


    with.¡±


    Vermontughed. ¡°Are you sure? Keegan is so much more capable than me.¡¯


    He implied that Ste should have asked for her husband¡¯s help instead.


    Ste responded without trying to hide anything, ¡°We¡¯re fighting, and I don¡¯t really feel like talking to


    him. Besides, you¡¯re the only person who can help me with this.¡±


    Vermont got curious. ¡°Fighting? Because of what? Tell me more about it.¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    She just could not figure out why Vermont would be interested in the reason why she was fighting with


    Keegan.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. He¡¯s throwing a fit because I identally gave the socks that I bought for him to


    Marshall.¡±


    Vermont repeated what she said, ¡°You gifted Marshall socks?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He did me a huge favor at the banquet, so I bought him a tie as a token of appreciation.


    However, I identally ced that pair of socks in there.¡±


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Vermont said expressively, ¡°Keegan is just being unreasonable at this point. It¡¯s just a pair of


    socks anyway.¡±


    Ste was not trying to continue this topic with him. She knew that Vermont was Keegan¡¯s childhood


    friend. He would let Keegan know what she said if she were to tell him more.


    ¡°Mr. Snyder, let¡¯s get back to business. I need your help.¡±


    Vermont became friendlier after Ste told him what he wanted to know. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so


    polite with me. Just let me know what it is.¡±


    Ste paused.


    ??


    guess not only Keegan can change his mood in a second, but everyone in his circle can too.¡¯ Then, she


    briefly told Vermont about what happened in his jewelry store yesterday and the favor Albert asked.


    Vermont already knew what happened yesterday. He even watched the surveince cameras¡¯ footage


    on purpose.


    very


    They got that bangle from an auction in Uscus for about twenty million before he gave it to his mother


    as a gift. However, his mother did not want it because she thought that it looked tacky. It was


    something that he would not wear, so he put it on sale in his shop for thirty million.


    The bangle had been in the shop for half a year before the manager told him it was finally sold. He only


    stopped wondering who would be so foolish to buy such an expensive bangle when the manager told


    him that Keegan¡¯s wife helped him sell it.


    He was very shocked after watching the cameras¡¯ footage. He thought he was already very shameless


    for making a profit out of the bangle, yet what Ste did was worse.


    Ste just would not stop giving him surprises. He had no idea why he would think that Ste was just a


    trophy wife.


    ¡°Are you telling me to ept Ms. Anne¡¯s request to return the bangle?¡±


    Ste chuckled. ¡°I would be talking to Keegan now if that¡¯s what I wanted.¡±


    She was not very close to Vermont, and she knew he would never do her this favor when such a huge


    amount of money was involved. However, things would be different if Keegan talked to Vermont about it


    instead.


    Ste was very smart.


    Vermont loved to deal with smart people. So, he smiled faintly and said, ¡°What do you want me to do


    then?¡¯


    Ste smirked. ¡°Mr. Snyder, I guess you made a huge profit from that sale, right?¡±


    Vermont had no idea what Ste was thinking, but he responded humbly like a businessman would,


    ¡°Just enough to cover my cost.¡±


    ¡®What an evil businessman.¡¯ Ste inwardly cursed before she said, ¡°I guess Ms. Anne is considered


    one of your top VIPs since she bought such an expensive piece of jewelry from your shop, right? Don¡¯t


    you think you should publicize such a huge sale like this and give back to your customers to maintain a


    profitable rtionship with them? It would only cost you a little to promote your business effectively. I


    think it¡¯s a pretty good marketing idea.¡±


    Vermont immediately understood what she meant.

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    Ste wanted him to widely advertise the sale and let every person in the upper-ss society know


    about it.


    Henry was a person that cared about what other people would think of him very much. He would never


    want them tough at him for returning the bangle.


    ¡°This is unbelievable. Ste¡¯s n is just perfect. Albert would stop pestering her if Henry gave up the


    idea of returning the bangle himself. Even I¡¯ve never done such an evil thing before!¡¯


    After not hearing any response from Vermont, Ste asked tentatively, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Ste, did you major in public rtions?¡±


    Ste did not know what to say.


    ¡°I was in the theater department.¡±


    Vermont licked his lips. ¡°In my opinion, you should¡¯ve ventured into public rtions. I would spend a


    fortune just to hire you.¡±


    Ste took it as a joke. ¡°So, what¡¯s your thought on this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s wonderful. The manager talked to me about the marketing campaign a few days ago, and


    I think this is a very good opportunity to promote my shop. I¡¯ll get it done now.¡± Ste sighed in relief.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Then, Vermont said yfully, ¡°I should be the one thanking you. I wouldn¡¯t know how much longer I


    have to keep that bangle in my store if it weren¡¯t for you.¡±


    Vermont gave a call to Keegan right after he hung up.


    He had no choice. Their love life was just so much more interesting than work.


    Keegan saw Vermont¡¯s call as soon as he left the hospital.


    He declined it without hesitating because he was still mad about what had happened not long ago.


    There was no way that Vermont would give up, so he called Aldor instead.


    Aldor had no choice but to pass his phone to Keegan.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Keegan grabbed the phone with an angry face. ¡°This better be something important!¡±


    ¡°Your wife called me.¡±


    Keegan paused.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Vermont smirked. ¡°I said that Ste called me just now.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s nose hurt again when he heard Ste¡¯s name. It reminded him of that check as he


    said angrily, ¡°Why would you tell me that?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know why she called me?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    Keegan was about to hang up.


    Then, Vermont immediately said, ¡°Henry wants to return the bangle, and she asked me for a favor!¡±


    Keegan paused. ¡°She did?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. She told me her father threatened her to return the bangle no matter what while crying her heart


    out. I can never bear to see a woman acting like this, so my heart went soft and agreed to help.¡±


    Keegan looked indifferent. ¡°Get lost if you¡¯re done with your story!¡±


    ¡°Tsk.¡± Vermont clicked his tongue. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you believe in such an emotional story?¡±


    Keegan believed Vermont when he said that Ste asked for his help, but not the part when he said


    that Ste cried her heart out.


    ¡®That woman¡¯s heart is made of stone. She would never cry in front of an outsider like Vermont to


    comin about her family problems.¡¯

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    Keegan said sarcastically, ¡°I would probably believe it if you said that she beat you up and threatened


    you to help her.¡±


    ¡°Ste looks so skinny and feeble. Does she really hit you?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s nose started to hurt again.


    ¡°Are you going to tell me or not? I¡¯m going to hang up now!¡±


    Vermont stopped fooling around and told him about what happened truthfully.


    ¡°Ste is ruthless. I heard that Albert is tendering for that project in Northon, and he¡¯s risking more than


    half of his wealth on it, hoping that Henry would pull some strings for him. Henry is a petty man who


    would stop helping Albert if he could not make things go his way. In that way, Albert won¡¯t be able to


    secure that project. Ste isn¡¯t his only daughter. Why would she do this to her father?¡±


    Keegan did not say anything.


    Albert gave Ste enough reasons to hate him for her whole life after how he wanted to give up on


    treating Rainee not long after the ident.


    What Ste would do to him was nothingpared to that.


    ¡°Ah? Why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡±


    Keegan frowned. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask her if you¡¯re so curious?¡±


    Vermont paused.


    ¡°Why did you get so mad whenever I talked about Ste? It¡¯s just a pair of socks. Get over it.¡±


    ¡°Who told you about the socks?¡± Keegan froze.


    ¡°Ste, of course.¡± Vermont squinted. ¡°Are you really that angry just because she identally gave that


    pair of socks to Marshall?¡±


    ¡°You talk too much!¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face turned cold. ¡®Damn this woman. Why would she tell an outsider about it?!¡¯


    Vermont got very happy after getting the reaction he wanted. He asked, ¡°Do you think I should do her


    this favor?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your decision. Why would you ask me?¡±


    Keegan did not want to talk to him anymore, so he hung up.


    ¡°Tsk.¡± Vermont clicked his tongue and called the jewelry store manager.


    Ste went to the recording booth. One of her friends asked if she could make a guest appearance as


    a female character in an animated show.


    She received no response after the audition, so she agreed to help as she had nothing to do.


    She knew this friend when she just started dubbing. The friend¡¯s name was Robin Keef, and everybody


    would call him the ¡°Chief.¡± He was also one of the best voice actors in the industry.


    However, he stopped working in the TV drama scene these two years as he started focusing on his


    new animated show business that he started with his friends.


    His ownpany also produced the show he asked Ste to participate in.


    It was purely a favor as Ste¡¯s character would only appear in a few scenes.


    Ste saw many people in the main hall as soon as she arrived.


    Everybody there dressed in their unique style, and all looked very young.


    Ste came to give them a flower basket when they had just started thepany. She was about to go


    around and walk to the recording booth upstairs after gazing at the hall.


    However, somebody called her before she could do that. ¡°Registration¡¯s over here!¡±


    Ste froze. ¡°Registration?¡±


    A youngdy said enthusiastically, ¡°Yeah. Everyone¡¯s here, Chief. You can only take part in the


    interview after registering here.¡±


    ¡®Wow. This man really used his name as a selling point for recruiting. No wonder many young students


    are here early in the morning.¡¯


    Ste was not surprised that the youngdy would think that she was just one of the students because


    of how crowded that ce was. Besides, Ste had a ponytail and was dressed in casual clothes. Even


    though she was wearing a mask, she still looked very young. Her young- looking and delicate features


    looked exactly like a student who had just graduated.


    Ste wanted to tell the youngdy that she did note for the interview, but she handed her the


    registration book directly. Then, the youngdy saw the scar on the back of her hand as she was about


    to give her the pen. The youngdy was shocked. ¡°I¡¯ll fill it in for you since your hand is hurt. What¡¯s


    your name?¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    The problem with Ste was she would have a hard time refusing someone if that person was very


    friendly to her.


    When thedy was all set to start writing, Ste only said, ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

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    The youngdy would not stop talking when Ste filled in her information.


    ¡°Your eyes are so beautiful. I thought you were an actress when I saw youing through that door.


    What school are you from?¡±


    Ste responded tly, ¡°Trinity University.¡±


    ¡°Trinity? Wee from the same university! I¡¯m studying I.T. Are you in the theater department?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ste said before she added, ¡°I graduated many years ago. So I¡¯m much older than all of you


    here.¡±


    Thedy smiled, and both of her canine teeth appeared. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know at all if you didn¡¯t tell me. You


    look so young. Should I address you as my senior?¡±


    ¡°Just call me anything you like.¡±


    Then, thedy said softly, ¡°Have you tried voice acting before? I was thinking of going to the recording


    booth for an auditionter. I¡¯ve only done this online for fun, and I don¡¯t even know what a recording


    booth looks like. However, I wrote that I have a year of voice acting experience while registering. Do


    you think they would be able to tell?¡±


    Ste was amused. She thought that thedy was timid and bold at the same time, so she got


    interested in her.


    Then, she said, ¡°Most people bluff on their resume. They won¡¯t be able to say anything if you¡¯d just act


    calmly andposed during the auditionter.¡±


    ¡°How do I do that? I¡¯ll definitely get nervous if I see Chief.¡±


    Ste pointed at a man who just came inside and said softly, ¡°What do you think of that guy?¡± Thedy


    turned around and saw a man about six feet tall. However, he looked very rugged and huge. He even


    had tattoos on his arm as if he was a gang leader.


    ¡°A little intimidating.¡±


    Thedy said truthfully.


    ¡°What do you think Chief looks like then?¡±


    Robin had never revealed his face on the screen, but his voice was just maic and lovely to listen


    to. The bestment he had received about his voice was that a woman could get pregnant just by


    listening to his voice.


    So, thedy thought he had got to be a very handsome and attractive man with a voice like


    that.


    Thedy answered without hesitating, ¡°Just like one of the hottest men alive.¡±


    Ste handed back the registration book to her and waved at that man. ¡°Chief!¡± she shouted. The man


    with tattoos came to her with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re early. I thought I¡¯d had to wait for you.


    Thedy¡¯s face became tense. She could not ept the fact that the man who looked like a gang


    leader was whom she referred to as one of the hottest men alive.


    ¡®His voice doesn¡¯t match his appearance at all. I can¡¯t believe that this is how he looks like¡­¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s the weekend, so the traffic¡¯s pretty good. I got here some time ago.¡±


    Chief handed her a cup of coffee. ¡°Let¡¯s go upstairs and have a look.¡±


    Ste nodded. She thought of something before she left as she turned around and smiled at thedy.


    ¡°You¡¯re not as nervous anymore, right?¡±


    Thedy kept quiet.


    ¡®Nervous? My dream has just been crushed! However, why does his voice sound so good?¡¯


    She wondered if she should continue fangirling over Chief or just give up when she saw him talking just


    now. She thought she would do much better if Chief kept his mouth shut during the auditionter.


    She looked down and was about to put the registration book back. She was starstruck when she saw


    the name written on thest row.


    Name ¨C Dusk Gxy¡­


    ¡®Dusk Gxy!


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡®What the hell? That girl was actually Dusk Gxy!¡¯

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    Chief was a few years older than Keegan. He was already married and had a daughter old enough to


    attend kindergarten.


    He was the reason why Ste started voice acting in animated shows. They worked together plenty of


    times, and he even taught her some pronunciation techniques.


    He was like a big brother to Ste. In other words, he was a senior who helped her kickstart


    her career.


    Ste had a short script and got everything done by the afternoon.


    Chief was very happy with the final work. He stopped Ste from leaving as soon as they stepped out


    of the recording booth. ¡°Give me a second. My wife booked us a table at The Fresh Diner. I¡¯ll take you


    thereter.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I live around here. I¡¯ll just eat at home.¡±


    Ste was about to sneak out as she spoke, but Chief grabbed her wrist and glowered at her. ¡± Why is


    it so difficult to eat with you? Are you scared that I¡¯ll kidnap you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then! Otherwise, my wife will think that there¡¯s something fishy going on between us if you


    don¡¯t dare to show up.¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    ¡°Okay then.¡±


    She knew very well that what Chief said was not true at all.


    Chief¡¯s wife was a history teacher. Ste had met with her before, and she was a very refined and


    elegant person. Chief was so obsessed with her, and there was just no way that his wife would think


    that way.


    In fact, Chief wanted Ste to voice act for the female lead in this animated show. Chief even talked to


    her about it, and she agreed to participate too. However, another shareholder rmended his


    girlfriend, a rather famous voice actress, to be the female lead.


    Chief only had a verbal agreement with Ste without any ck-and-white contract, so he could not


    find any way to reject that shareholder¡¯s request. He could not get over the fact that he had ditched


    Ste. So, he kept asking Ste for a meal to apologize, but she would never be able to make it.


    He only brought his wife up because he did not want to be rejected again.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    The Fresh Diner was a shop that specialized in grilling fish andmb. It was a big space without private


    rooms, and the entire ce smelled like smoke.


    Chief was unlike any other famous voice actor who would participate in variety shows after getting


    famous. Instead, he had never shown his face publicly. He would not participate in any events rted


    to his job other than privately meeting some of his real friends in the industry. That was also why his


    fans found him very mysterious. He gained even more fans.


    Ste once asked him jokingly after getting close to him if he was just scared that his fans would not be


    able to take it if they knew that he looked nothing like his voice.


    Obviously, Chief denied her assumption and said that he was very happy with how manly he


    looked.


    He did not want to show his face because his appearance was not his tool for making money, and his


    child was already old enough to attend school. In addition, he was worried that the media would affect


    his family and child badly if he kept exposing himself to their cameras. He loved his job very much, but


    he did not want his job to affect his personal life.


    Ste admired him very much for that.


    It was rare for a man who was so sessful in his career to care about his family so much.


    It was around one in the afternoon, and a lot of people were dining there. Robin¡¯s wife, Susan Payne,


    came earlier, but she was in the queue for quite some time too. She only sat down for a while before


    Ste and Robin came. Susan waved at them as soon as she saw them from afar. ¡°Ste, over here.¡±


    Ste smiled and walked in her direction, ¡°Susan, long time no see. You look even prettier now.


    Susan liked Ste very much. Ste was gorgeous, yet she was never stingy with herpliments.


    That was one of the traits that Susan liked about her.


    ¡°Your sweet tongue has never changed. Have a seat. Robin kept saying that you guys would be here in


    a minute, yet I waited for almost an hour. Did he force you to work overtime again?¡± ¡°I¡¯m innocent!¡±


    Robin said.


    Ste smiled, ¡°I¡¯m only making a cameo appearance this time. He has no right to make me work


    overtime.¡±


    She handed Susan a bag as she spoke. ¡°I bought some pastries for your child on the way here.¡± ¡°Are


    you returning the favor just because we¡¯re buying you this meal?¡± Susan took the bag from her anyway.


    ¡°Are you both hungry? Should I order some appetizers first?¡±


    Then, she said softly, ¡°I have another friending in a while. I¡¯m just thinking if we should wait for him


    before ordering.¡±


    Ste paused. She immediately felt ufortable as she was not expecting another person to join


    them.


    That was because she knew she would not know the person, and it would be very awkward for her to


    eat with them.


    However, she responded anyway, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not hungry yet.¡±


    Chief noticed how ufortable she was, so he exined, ¡°He used to be my ssmate, and he¡¯s


    sort of a director now. I heard that you¡¯re interested in venturing into acting previously. However, I don¡¯t


    really expose myself to that field, so I¡¯m unfamiliar with anybody in that circle. I suddenly thought of this


    old friend that¡¯s close to me, so I wanted you both to meet each other. If by any chance he has a good


    role, he could give you a shot at it.¡±


    Felicity was the only person who knew that she wanted to be an actress. She was a diehard fan


    of Chief, and she remembered how Felicity pestered her just to get the Chief¡¯s number. ¡®It has got to be


    Felicity who told him about this.¡¯ She thought to herself.


    Ste sighed and raised her ss. ¡°Robin, here¡¯s to you.¡±


    She was very d that Robin tried to help her.


    ¡°Ste, it¡¯s still too early for that.¡±


    Chief teased her but took the ss from her anyway.


    The three started chatting happily soon after, as Robin and his wife were easygoing. They would argue


    asionally, but Chief always took a step back for his wife. Their married life made Ste very envious


    of them.


    The director only arrived when they finished two bottles of beer.


    Chief had been staring at the door from just now. He shouted as soon as he saw the man they were


    waiting for, ¡°Daniel, over here!¡±

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    ¡®Daniel? Why does that name sound so familiar? And he¡¯s a director too. It can¡¯t be him, right?¡¯


    Ste turned around hesitantly, and she was shocked.


    The director that Chief talked about was the same as the one who directed the show she went for the


    audition, Daniel Wood!


    ¡®Sort of a director?!¡¯


    Just how impressive was Daniel in the industry? Let¡¯s put it this way; all the dramas that he directed did


    not have a score lower than seven on the most demanding critic application in the country.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    Any dramas with a score of seven or more would be selected as must-watch! The lowest score his


    drama had was 7.8!


    Ste could not help but feel a little nervous as she was going to eat with Daniel unexpectedly, not to


    mention that it was a private meeting.


    Daniel was surprised to see Ste too. Then, he walked toward them naturally and greeted Robin and


    his wife.


    Ste found out that Daniel was Chief¡¯s senior from their conversation. They had been very close since


    studying in the same school, and Susan was a cousin to Daniel¡¯s wife. Daniel introduced Robin and


    Susan to each other, so they got even closer to each other after that.


    ¡°Daniel, allow me to introduce you to a junior of mine. Her name is Ste Jewell, and she¡¯s pretty


    famous for voice acting. Do you remember Dusk Gxy that I¡¯d always tell you about? That¡¯s her.


    She¡¯s pretty and has a nice voice too. Not only that, but she¡¯s also good-tempered. Ste, this is my


    best friend, Daniel Wood. Please get to know each other more.¡±


    Ste was actually a little awkward. She figured Daniel recognized who she was, judging by his


    reaction. She thought it would not be appropriate for her to be too straightforward with Daniel since he


    did not bring it up, so she stretched her arm out and said, ¡°Hello, Mr. Wood. My name is Ste Jewell.¡±


    Daniel did not shake her hand. Instead, he nodded indifferently.


    Ste was shocked as she slowly retracted her hand that was left hanging in the air awkwardly.


    Susan noticed something was not right. However, she did not dwell on it as she said, ¡°Let¡¯s order some


    food. I¡¯m sure we haven¡¯t eaten anything at all here. Let¡¯s eat and talk since we¡¯re all hungry.¡±


    ¡°Yes, absolutely. Let¡¯s eat and talk.¡±


    Daniel appeared to be very introvertedpared to how friendly Robin and Susan were. Perhaps it


    had something to do with his profession, or he was just naturally reserved. The fact that there was a


    stranger like Ste at the table could also be why he did not want to talk much. Ste felt very


    awkward. It was embarrassing for her to barge into the room during the audition. Perhaps Daniel still


    could not get over that.


    Chief was a very talkative person, so the meal did not appear to be too boring with him there.


    He only started to get into business after drinking more beers.


    ¡°Daniel, you know very well that I don¡¯t easily ask other people for a favor. However, there¡¯s something


    that I really hope that you could help me with.¡±


    Daniel smiled. ¡°Are you going to spill your guts to me after drinking some beers?¡±


    ¡°Tsk.¡± Chief clicked his tongue. ¡°Do you even know what the alcohol content is in beers? I¡¯m very


    sober.¡±


    He pointed at Ste as he spoke. ¡°You¡¯ve met my friend here. She¡¯s a graduate of the theater


    department of Trinity University. That¡¯s a very prestigious university, and everybody knows it. You


    should consider casting her if you have any suitable role for her in the future. I guarantee that she won¡¯t


    let you down!¡±


    Daniel took a sip of his tea. He only spoke after pausing for a moment. ¡°You know me. I don¡¯t talk about


    work when I¡¯m eating.¡±


    Chief frowned. ¡°We¡¯re brothers, not outsiders. Why are you acting so inflexible? I wasn¡¯t asking you to


    abuse your power. I just wanted you to give her a chance if you can. I¡¯m sure she can do much better


    than those boring actresses you recruited.¡±


    ¡°I recruit most of the actors and actresses publicly. Anyone who matches the criteria is free to join the


    audition. However, I would like the people who join the audition to just mess with others to give up that


    idea and stop wasting everybody¡¯s time.¡±

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    Ste frowned. She felt like Daniel was implying something by saying that.


    Then, Daniel spoke again, ¡°Let¡¯s dig in. We should talk about something unrted to work now that we


    finally get to eat together.¡±


    Chief wanted to say something, but Susan tapped him lightly under the table. So, he gave up the idea.


    Ste felt very bothered throughout the whole meal.


    Chief went to settle the bill while Daniel went to the washroom after everyone ate.


    Daniel came out of the washroom and saw Ste standing in his way.


    He paused for a second before saying tly, ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    Ste cut to the chase and said, ¡°Mr. Wood, what were you trying to say before we ate just now?¡±!


    Daniel red at her. ¡°Ms. Jewell, I¡¯m sure you know very well what I meant. Why do you have to ask


    me?¡±


    ¡°What do I know?¡±


    Ste was ridiculed. ¡°You said some people would go to the audition just to mess with others. Why did


    you say that? Do you think I used my connections to arrange this meal today, and I¡¯m immoral for doing


    so? Or did you say that because you¡¯re not happy that I barged into your room on the audition day? I


    can apologize to you for barging in. It was indeed my fault, but I only knew that Robin invited another


    guest to join us before you arrived.¡±


    Daniel did not feel like listening to her nonsense. He said tly, ¡°I don¡¯t care. Please move aside.¡±


    Ste took a deep breath. Her good temper had finally reached its limit.


    ¡°Still, you¡¯ve got to rify it to me! What did I do to mess with other people?¡±


    She was already embarrassed once during the audition. She did not care how Daniel would look at her,


    but there was no way that she would take the me for something she did not do! Also, she could not


    allow Daniel to be unhappy with Robin and Susan because of her.


    Daniel was shocked. Then, his expression became infuriated. ¡°Ms. Jewell, you should apply for other


    roles since you think that my show offered too few scenes. There¡¯s no ce for a big shot like you in


    my production team!¡±


    ¡°When did I say that?¡± Ste frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve never even read the script. Why would I think that my role


    has too few scenes?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Daniel paused. ¡°What? You didn¡¯t receive the script?¡±


    Ste shook her head. ¡°Nobody called me up after the audition ended.¡±


    Daniel thought that something was not right. He took his phone out and kept scrolling before he


    showed Ste a few screenshots of a chat. ¡°Isn¡¯t this you?¡±


    Ste looked at the profile picture and handle. It was the same as her WhatsApp profile, but she never


    sent anything like that.


    The crew sent her the script on WhatsApp and asked her if she would be willing to sign the contract in


    the screenshots.


    However, ¡®Ste¡¯ told the crew that she had too few scenes. She also mentioned that her sry was


    too low and wanted more money and scenes. She was also very arrogant. Not only did shein


    about her part, but she also kept criticizing the script by saying that it was garbage. Daniel was the


    original screenwriter for that show, and it was only right for him to be mad after reading the


    conversation.


    Ste read everything in one go before she said in a low voice, ¡°I can assure you that this person is not


    me. This conversation took ce two days ago at night. I broke my phone two days ago and only got a


    new one this afternoon. So it¡¯s impossible for me to chat with other people during this time.¡±


    Ste reached for her phone. It was a new phone, and there were just a few chats on her WhatsApp.


    She was not lying.


    Daniel frowned. After keeping quiet, he said, ¡°The role you auditioned for is already taken. The contract


    was signed this morning.¡±


    Ste paused but came around very quickly. She realized that someone had set her up, and it was


    probably the one who had taken her role.


    She knew that showbiz could be very dark, but she was not expecting to encounter something like this


    in her first audition.

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    Ste could not help but feel disappointed. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say you were a voice actor during the


    audition?¡± Daniel asked. Ste shook her head and said, ¡°Because there was simply no need to


    mention it. No matter how far I¡¯ve made it in the voice acting industry, I¡¯m still a rookie in acting.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡®Plus, such experience may not benefit my career as an actor. On the contrary, it may even hinder my


    future development in the field since my previous achievements may overtake my current,¡¯ Ste


    thought.


    Daniel stared at her for a while, wondering what she was thinking. Then, after a long time, he said,


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep in contact. What¡¯s your number?¡± Ste was taken aback when she heard that. ¡°I have to


    give Robin something for introducing you to me,¡± Daniel said lightly. Ste stayed quiet.


    ¡®There was no need to make it so obvious¡­¡¯ she thought. Daniel had asked for her number but did not


    give her his. Clearly, it was going to be a one-way contact. The only reason he wanted her number was


    to deal with Robin.


    After dinner was over, Ste went back to the Kane residence. Although she remained calm on the


    surface when Daniel told her that the role had been given to someone else, she was devastated.


    Ste used to fantasize about achieving great heights in her career after her divorce and pping


    Keegan right in the face. However, now that she thought about it, it was a stupid dream.


    ¡®How big does an actor have to get to be considered sessful? Till they¡¯re on the big screen? I can¡¯t


    even secure a small role right now.¡¯ For a woman who got married as soon as she graduated, things


    were not as easy as she imagined. Thepetition in the acting industry was fierce. It did not matter if


    they cheated their way up to the top; all that mattered was that they reached it.


    Keegan had kept Ste in captivity for a long time, which caused her to be simple-minded. Hence, she


    did not expect someone else to take her role.


    ¡°Madam, it¡¯s time to take your medicine,¡± Maya interrupted. Ste could already detect the familiar


    smell of the decoction without turning to look at her. Maya put the medicine bowl on the table and


    opened a pack of maple candy on the side. ¡°Mrs. Kane sent over a box of maple candies. They¡¯re very


    sweet and can help counter the bitterness,¡± she said.


    Ste sighed in response. It was always a battle to take her medication. When she thought of what


    Dahlia had said in the hospital earlier, she decided to down the decoction. Maya was surprised.


    ¡®Eww,¡¯ Ste said to herself. She put the bowl down and drank a few sips of water to subside the bad


    taste. ¡°I¡¯m going to take my medicine on time now, Maya. You don¡¯t have to report every detail to Mrs.


    Kane anymore.¡±


    ||


    The expression on Maya¡¯s face changed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean, Madam.¡±


    Ste nced at her and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t my mother-inw ask you toe and take care of us because


    she wanted to ensure that I took my medication on time? I assure you I¡¯ll do precisely


    that. As for other things, such as Keegan and I arguing or even having sex, there¡¯s no need for you to


    report them back to her. These matters are between my husband and me. I don¡¯t care if you were sent


    here by my mother-inw. This is an invasion of privacy. What¡¯s more, your current sry is given by


    the Vinci Rivera Group. You should know that my husband has the final say. Remember who you¡¯re


    working for. If you can¡¯t carry out such a simple task, I wouldn¡¯t mind asking my husband to hire a new


    housemaid.¡±


    Maya¡¯s face turned ugly. ¡°Mrs. Kane sent me here to do her bidding. You have no right to do so,


    Madam.¡±


    Ste smiled and said lightly, ¡°There are ten thousand ways for me to get rid of you, Maya. It¡¯s just that


    I rather us not go through it. All my mother-inw would do is stay mad at me for a couple of days. But


    you? Six types of insurance, one housing fund, a high sry, and flexible leaves. Where will you be


    able to find a job that has such a huge payout in Rivera at this age, huh? I heard your husband wasid


    off a while ago, and your son just went to college. So¡­ I¡¯m guessing this job must be very important to


    you right now.¡±

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    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Maya was shaking with anger. Ste had been too kind and gentle for too long. Everyone thought she


    was a weak little bunny. But she was, in fact, a lion who was ready to bite back. ¡® How would I ever


    stand out from the crowd if I continue being an obedient bunny?¡¯ she thought.


    ¡®So what if Dahlia sent her here? She¡¯s just a housemaid. Keegan doesn¡¯t even bat an eye at her. I¡¯m


    bound to be thedy of this house if I can secure my ce as Keegan¡¯s wife. She won¡¯t even be able to


    secure her job!¡¯


    Maya was unhappy, but she did not dare to provoke Ste again. She had every right to fire her. Maya


    lowered her head and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°My apologies, Madam. I won¡¯t do it again.¡±


    Ste did not eat dinner that night. Instead, she went to her room and hit the sheets. Keegan¡¯s return


    was unclear to her, but she was alone in her bedroom when she woke up the next day. She asked


    Maya about it and found out he came home at around 11:00 p.m.st night. ¡®He must have spent the


    night in the study and left early in the morning,¡¯ she thought.


    Ste did not care about Keegan. She even felt that it was better if he did not return. The vi was big


    andfortable; there was lots of space for pets. But Keegan disliked animals. Ste knew they would


    get into a fight if she adopted some cats and dogs because he would probably throw them out when


    she was not at the house.


    Suddenly, her phone rang after she had washed her face. Ste saw that it was Albert and did not n


    to answer the call. Instead, she left her phone upstairs and went down to have breakfast.


    When Ste went up, she saw the trending headlines on the inte.


    [Mysterious Woman Spent 30 Million Dors on Rare High-Quality tinum Bracelet; Merchant Gave


    Hermes Bag as Gift]


    [Just In: Mysterious Lady Suspected to Be the Daughter of Henry Anne]


    Thements read [What does a 30-million-dor bracelet even look like?] Another person


    commented [I¡¯ll never understand what it¡¯s like to be rich]


    ¡®How much did Vermont spend to be in the top searches? There are nearly ten top search


    rmendations about this matter. Plus, I can¡¯t believe that cheapskate actually gave Hermes bag.¡¯


    her a


    Soon, the initial shock disappeared as the inte revealed that the bag was only at an entry- level


    price. It was merely thirty thousand to forty thousand dors, which was not worth mentioning


    compared to the 30-million-dor bracelet.


    ¡®Okay, he¡¯s still the cheapskate I thought he was. But he did the most to spread the news. People are


    already talking about Xianna buying the 30-million-dor bracelet after one night. Dad must have called


    because he saw the news.¡±


    Ste yed outside with the neighbor¡¯s dog before calling her dad back during breakfast. Albert was


    as anxious as a parent who had lost his child. Henry had called him at 5:00 in the morning to scold him,


    saying that he was ying dirty tricks and that he would not let him go so easily.


    Only then did Albert realize the gravity of the matter. He did not even bother to wash up as he


    hurriedly called Ste to ask if Keegan had talked to Vermont about it.

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    Ste did not answer Albert¡¯s calls. Finally, after more than an hour, Albert asked someone to remove


    the search entry, but a new one popped up after the old one was deleted. The trending searches on the


    matter were like a ticking time bomb; there was no way to suppress it.


    Albert paced back and forth when he thought of what would happen to him if he did not settle the


    problem. ¡°Is she still not picking up?¡± Hylda put a cup of warm milk on the coffee table and asked.


    Albert frowned, shook his head, and said, ¡°No, she¡¯s not.¡±


    Hylda nced at the time and said, ¡°She should be awake by now. Is she not answering on purpose?¡±


    ¡°But she has no reason not to answer my calls.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she felt guilty and dared not pick up,¡± Hylda snorted coldly. ¡°I mean, you called and told her to


    ask Keegan to talk to Vermont yesterday. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too much of a coincidence that something


    like this happened today? ¡®Merchant gave Hermes bag as a gift.¡¯ He only gifted her the bag two to three


    days after her purchase. Who does that and parades it around on a g?¡±


    Albert frowned. He also found the whole incident strange but believed Ste had no reason to do so.


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking. Ste is the only heiress in our family. Why would she want to sabotage her own


    family? What benefit would she reap from it?¡± Albert pursed his lips and said.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    But Hylda dismissed him, ¡°Don¡¯t forget who gave birth to her. She is just as ruthless as Rainee Spade.


    Did you forget how she questioned you thest time we met in the parking lot? If she knew what


    happened back then, she would rather die in honor than live in disgrace with that personality of hers.


    You say she¡¯s the heiress of the Jewell family, but she¡¯s also the daughter- inw of the Kanes. If


    Keegan bes Vinci Rivera¡¯s sessor, she will be thedy of the family. Do you really believe she


    would want anything to do with the Jewell family then?¡± Albert¡¯s face darkened. He had clearly thought


    about that as well. Ste had not been close to him since she was a child. Their rtionship became


    worse after what happened between him and Rainee. It was only when she got married to Keegan that


    there was an apparent change in their connection.


    However, in the past two years, Albert had felt that Ste was gradually getting out of his control; she


    became more dismissive of his requests. He even wondered if she had found out something that she


    was not supposed to. ¡®If she is really going to be thedy of the house in the Kane family, what would


    be of me?¡¯


    Just as Albert was thinking about it, his phone rang. It was Ste.


    He signaled Hylda to be quiet and answered the phone.


    ¡°Hey, dad. I just woke up and saw that you called.¡± Ste¡¯s voice was a little horse; it indeed sounded


    like she had just gotten out of bed. ¡°I was about to call and tell you that Mr. Snyder agreed to do it.¡±


    Ste managed to stop Albert¡¯s suspicion of her with one sentence. ¡°He did?¡±


    ¡°Well, Keegan came homest night and told me that he had to go for drinks with Mr. Snyder to get him


    to agree. He came home when it was well past midnight. I wanted to tell you there


    and then, but I was afraid of disturbing your sleep. So, I decided to call you first thing in the morning.


    Who knew that you¡¯d be the one who called me first.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Snyder said he would ask Mr. Anne to return the item with the shopping invoice. He also exined


    to the manager that a refund would be issued if there were no problems with the goods.¡±

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    All the words that came out of Ste¡¯s mouth were uttered seriously. Albert even began to wonder if he


    was overthinking it. Finally, after pondering for a moment, he whispered, Didn¡¯t you see the headlines


    today?¡±


    ¡±


    ¡°What headlines?¡± Ste asked nkly. ¡°I just woke up and saw that you called. I had no time to look at


    anything else. Why? What happened?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Anne¡¯s purchase of the tinum bracelet is on the news,¡± Albert replied with a sullen face. ¡°Isn¡¯t it


    normal for such an expensive piece of jewelry to make the news?¡± Ste did not seem to understand


    the severity of what was going on. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°How will Mr. Anne get a refund now that everyone knows about it?¡± Albert frowned. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask


    Keegan to talk to Mr. Snyder again? Ask him if it¡¯s possible to say that there was something wrong on


    the manufacturing side and that they need to take it back.¡±


    ¡®How could I possibly ask Keegan to do such a shameless thing? He never thinks about what it¡¯s like


    for me,¡¯ Ste sneered.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that, dad. You asked me to talk to Mr. Snyder about the matter, and I did. he


    agreed. Now that Mr. Anne is trending on the inte and feels embarrassed to return the product, you


    want the seller to lie about the bracelet¡¯s quality? Would you agree to that if you were Mr. Snyder?¡±


    ¡°I helped you to save your friend¡¯s face and allowed him to return the bracelet, but now you¡¯re asking


    us to lie? Vermont is not dumb. He would never agree to be taken advantage of. God, 1 can¡¯t even


    bear to ask Keegan about it.¡±


    Albert was getting a little nervous. ¡°Why can¡¯t you do it? We¡¯re family. Shouldn¡¯t we be helping each


    other at times like this? Didn¡¯t I work hard to let you marry into the Kane family? Do you not care about


    this family anymore now that your life is better?¡±


    ¡®How dare he say that! Not only did he work his way through the Kane family, he even wiped out the


    entirepany that he and mom built. All the leading people in thepany workforce left within two


    years. He wanted me to marry into the Kane family because he needed the money to rebuild the


    company that was destroyed in his hands. He searched high and low for a sponsor cum husband for


    me way before I finished my studies. It did not matter if the person had a bad reputation or if he was


    much older than me. All that mattered was that


    got


    the money. He was willing to give her daughter away for his interests!¡¯


    he


    ¡®He doesn¡¯t even remember what I had to go through to get him the money for thepany. Now that


    he¡¯s in need, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s being an ungrateful and vicious b*tch?¡¯ Ste suddenly felt ridiculous


    for thinking that Albert was capable of change.


    ¡°Was what I did all these years alongside Keegan not enough, dad? When have I yet to try my best to


    fulfill your requests? No matter how difficult you were, I never uttered a single word ofint. On


    the contrary, I¡¯d tell myself, ¡®Oh, but he¡¯s family. There¡¯s no harm in helping.¡¯ But what about you? Did


    you ever think how hard it was for me to be your perfect little princess?¡± Ste took a deep breath, and


    her voice trembled as she continued, ¡°Keegan and I almost got a divorce not long ago.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Albert raised his voice. ¡°What happened? Why did you guys almost get divorced?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember thest time you asked me to talk to Keegan about the production line?¡± Ste


    sniffled. ¡°I lied about not talking to him because he got very mad at me. He said that I was selfish and


    overreaching. We had a big fight over this. If grandma hadn¡¯t stopped him, we would have been


    separated by now. Keegan and I don¡¯t really have a deep emotional foundation. There are some things


    that I can¡¯t talk about too much with him. I can¡¯t anger him any further, dad. Dahlia already didn¡¯t like


    me because I couldn¡¯t get pregnant¡­¡±


    Albert seemed to be moved by Ste¡¯s sincerity. But, on the other hand, Keegan, who was having a


    meeting, suddenly felt a chill down his back.

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    Albert heaved a sigh of relief, and his attitude toward Ste began to soften. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making


    things difficult for you,¡± he said softly.


    ¡°We¡¯re a family, dad. I¡¯ll do my best to help with anything I can, but I really can¡¯t do this. You could ask


    Mr. Anne to try and return it. Mr. Snyder had already agreed. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll keep his promise. Don¡¯t you


    think?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll think of another way. By the way, two boxes of oysters from New Zend just arrived at my


    doorstep. I¡¯ll have someone deliver them for you and Keegan to enjoyter. So just be happy together,


    and I¡¯ll have one less thing to worry about.


    ¡°Thanks, dad.¡±


    ¡®Oysters for Keegan to enjoy? I¡¯d rather feed it to the dogs!¡¯ Ste thought. Before she hung up, she


    added, ¡°Oh, right. Dad, I persuaded Ms. Anne to think carefully about her purchase. But she was with


    Sophia that day, and you know girls¡­ She gave her a few words of praise, and she was soaring


    through the air in no time. It would be fine if it were someone else, but you better be careful around Mr.


    Anne since you have a mutually beneficial rtionship.¡±


    Albert sighed and said in a deep voice, ¡°Okay, I have to go now. Bye.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t actually believe in her nonsense, do you?¡± Hylda could not help but ask as soon as the


    phone disconnected. Sophia, who had been listening on the side, turned green, knowing that Ste had


    turned on her. She hurriedly tried to defend herself by saying, ¡®Dad, if Ste did not tease Xianna that


    day, she wouldn¡¯t have bought the bracelet. It¡¯s clearly Ste¡¯s fault. She must have known that Xianna


    would fall for it. I even saw her ept amission from the store¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Albert yelled with a gloomy look on his face. ¡°I told you to proceed cautiously, but did you


    listen to me? No. Why did you even take Xianna into the store if you already saw Ste there? Did you


    do it on purpose? Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know you, Sophia.¡±


    Sophia¡¯s expression was ugly. She wanted to refute, but Hylda quickly pulled her aside and handed


    Albert a ss of water. ¡°Calm down, Albert,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s no use in pointing fingers at this point.


    Why don¡¯t we use this time to think about the next step to solve this?¡±


    ¡°The next step? Is there even a solution to this?¡± Albert snarled. ¡°We can¡¯t possibly buy the jewelry


    ourselves, can we? It¡¯s 30 million dors, for god¡¯s sake! Not thirty thousand! If that Mr. Anne can¡¯t


    handle this, all our efforts will be in vain.¡±


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Suddenly, something flickered in Hylda¡¯s mind. ¡°We can¡¯t buy the jewelry, but we can certainly sell it!¡±


    ¡°Who would want to purchase it?¡± Albert questioned with a frown.


    Hylda smiled and whispered something in Albert¡¯s ears. His expression changed, and his widened. ¡°Do


    you really think that it would be feasible?¡± he hesitated and asked.


    ¡°You won¡¯t know until you try it out. If not, do you want to spend 30 million dors?¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll discuss it with Mr. Anne.¡±


    eyes


    The boxes of oysters from New Zend arrived at Ste¡¯s doorstep that afternoon. They were


    extremely fresh, but Ste did not like seafood, especially shellfish. Keegan, on the other


    hand, loved seafood. In the past, Ste would have saved it for him; but she would not show any


    kindness to that cold man.


    She put the two boxes of shellfish in the car and drove to their old residence to give one box to


    Cordelia. She then brought the other box to Vermont¡¯s workce. Ste did not like owing anyone


    anything, especially those close to Keegan. Thus, she decided to gift him the oysters to express her


    gratitude.

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    Ste called Vermont before she arrived at hispany


    At that time, Keegan was sitting on the couch drinking tea in Vermont¡¯s office Vermont lost a few


    rounds of a game. He was quite angry as he stared at the person who had an indifferent look sitting


    opposite of him, ¡°You didn¡¯t go home after you finished work. You told me your had something to do


    when I asked you to go to the nightclub. And the thing that you wanted to do was sit in my office


    drinking tea for an hour?¡±


    Keegan faintly nced at him, ¡°You don¡¯t have anything else to do, too, do you? Continue ying your


    game.¡±


    Vermont was speechless.


    He squinted as he said in a probing manner, ¡°Are you still fighting with Ste?¡±


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    Keegan stopped moving. He expressionlessly said, ¡°No.¡±


    Vermont was sure once Keegan denied it, ¡°Seriously? It¡¯d already been a few days. If you¡¯re unhappy,


    go home and talk to your wife. Why are you spending time with me and venting your anger on me? You


    have a wife, but I¡¯m still single. I want to go out and find my true love.¡±


    Keegan looked askance at him, ¡°You want to find your true love at a nightclub?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with nightclubs? There are gooddies in the nightclubs too. Didn¡¯t you first meet Ste


    in a nightclub?¡±


    Keegan frowned, ¡°Who told you that the first time Ste and I met was at a nightclub?¡±


    Vermont was stunned for a moment, ¡°Where was it if it wasn¡¯t in a nightclub?¡±


    He remembered very clearly that he and his friends forcefully brought Keegan to a nightclub to


    celebrate Keegan¡¯s birthday five years ago. They had a masquerade party there.


    There was a murder mystery game going on upstairs. Twodies wandered off and were harassed by a


    few drunken men. One of the men threw a punch when thedies did not do what the men wanted. The


    ladies¡¯ friends came to help. The two parties had a heated argument. They even wanted to call the


    police.


    Initially, Keegan and Vermont did not care about that. But after all, that man was there for their party. If


    someone called the police, it would be very insulting to Keegan if he had to go to the police station to


    make a statement on his birthday. And it would not be nice if this incident got out.


    They wanted to go and negotiate with the other party to resolve this issue. After they went out, they


    saw a young girl with a ponytail recording the few guys using her phone. She was clearly frightened


    because her face turned pale. But she still shouted, ¡°Stop moving. I¡¯ve recorded you, and your faces


    can be seen clearly on the camera. You guys sexually harassed people and even hit them. There are


    laws.¡±


    She was very imposing, but she looked too young. She was not intimidating at all. And on top of that,


    she was gorgeous. The men had lecherous interests in her suddenly. They stretched their arms and


    wanted to touch her face.


    Vermont wanted to watch the fun a little longer. But Keegan suddenly grabbed a ss and


    threw it at the guy¡¯s feet.


    The loud sound made everyone go quiet suddenly.


    The men had sobered up. They knew Keegan was furious. They did not dare to mess around anymore.


    They then apologized and paid the other party to settle the incident.


    At that time, Vermont did not really pay too much attention. But when he knew that thedy Keegan


    was going to marry was the girl at the nightclub, he started to feel that how Keegan looked at the girl


    was not innocent.


    ¡®I thought that nightclub was where they first met. But Keegan said it wasn¡¯t.


    ¡®So, where did they first meet?¡¯


    Vermont touched his chin as he squinted, ¡°When you met Ste at that nightclub, she was just


    neen years old. If you met her earlier than that, don¡¯t tell me that you and her first time happened


    when she was still a minor.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.

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    Vermont coughed when he saw Keegan¡¯s ruthless look. He asked, ¡°What I meant was, was she still a


    minor when you first met?¡±


    Keegan petntly said, ¡°Mind your own fucking business!¡±


    Vermont then spoke obscenely after Keegan, ¡°I wanted to mind my fucking business too. How do I get


    the chance to do that if you don¡¯t leave?¡±


    His phone rang as he said that. He then nced at it. He suddenly perked up when he saw it was


    Ste who had called him. He quickly put her on speaker before he epted the call.


    ¡°Mr. Snyder, it¡¯s me.¡±


    Keegan stopped moving as he abruptly looked over.


    Vermont smiled as he said, ¡°Ste, is there something I can do for you?¡±


    ¡°Are you in your office?¡±


    ¡°I am. What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just need you to be there. I have a box of Newubia oysters with me now. I¡¯ll leave it at


    yourpany¡¯s front deskter. Remember to bring it back after work.¡±


    ¡°Newubia oysters?¡± Vermont nced at Keegan, ¡°It¡¯s not easy to get that. Keegan loves to eat


    those. Why not bring it home and let him eat? It¡¯s very good for him. It can improve your rtionship


    with him.¡±


    Ste knew Vermont was making fun of her. However, she was not angry as she faintly said, Eating


    oysters can¡¯t help with Keegan¡¯s problem. I think he needs to visit a doctor.¡±


    Vermont almostughed out loud.


    Keegan immediately looked displeased.


    Vermont did not want to go too far. He tried not tough as he said, ¡°All right then. Thank you, Ste.¡±


    After the call ended, Vermontughed as he hit the table, ¡°What did you do to her? Why did she speak


    so harshly?¡±


    Keegan remained silent with a sullen face.


    When Ste arrived at Vermont¡¯spany, he was already waiting for her at the main door. Keegan,


    whom she did not talk to for the past two days, was with him too.


    Ste wanted to step on the elerator and sped away when she saw Keegan¡¯s face. But she drove to


    them in the end. She then lowered her car window.


    ¡°The stuff is inside the boot. Take it yourself. I¡¯m not getting off the car.¡±


    Vermont smiled as he said, ¡°Ste, I need your help with something.¡±


    Ste looked at him, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a singles party today. You know that I¡¯ve been single for quite a long time. I want to date a girl


    who¡¯s my type, seriously. But I¡¯m also afraid that I¡¯ll meet someone crazy who¡¯ll


    constantly pester me even after I reject her. So, I want to find a female friend to go with me. If I meet


    that kind of girl, she can help me with it. If I find a single friend, I¡¯m afraid she will misunderstand me. If I


    find someone in a rtionship, I¡¯m afraid her boyfriend will take it the wrong way After I pondered


    deeply, I only think you can help me with this.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    think this is too much.¡±


    Keegan looked better. ¡®Luckily, she has got some brains.¡¯


    Vermont said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll pay you. That bracelet was sold for over thirty million dors.st time.


    I¡¯ll pay you double themission.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about themission¡­¡±


    ¡°Triple!¡±


    ¡°This is a moral issue¡­¡±


    ¡°Quadruple!¡±


    Ste pursed her lips, ¡°Can you tell me exactly what you want me to do?¡±


    Keegan was not happy.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡®Her moralpass can be flexibly changed?¡¯


    Vermont cracked up, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you in the car?¡±

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    As soon as the car door was opened, Keegan went in too. He even sat in the front passenger


    seat.


    Ste did not like it. She frowned as she said, ¡°Why did you get in?¡±


    Keegan put on the seatbelt. Then, he petntly said, ¡°If you can go with him., why can¡¯t I?¡± Vermont


    was afraid that they would argue again. So, he defended Keegan, ¡°Keegan is going help me to look for


    girls. He has experience in looking for a wife.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®He has that experience, my ass. But he had many two-timing experiences, though!¡±


    But Ste wanted to earn money. So, she just put her unhappiness aside and drove them to that


    singles party.


    Ste was asked to join this party out of a sudden. So, her outfit looked overly simplypared to the


    girls who dressed up very beautifully.


    She was in a ponytail, wearing a white tee shirt, blue jeans, and a pair of canvas shoes. She looked out


    of ce beside the two men in suits and ties.


    Before they went into the venue, Vermont said to them, ¡°I¡¯ll go in separately from you two. After I go in,


    you guys find a seat nearby and observe me. If the girl I talk to is my type, I¡¯ll do an ¡®okay¡¯ sign. You two


    can then leave me alone. If I do a ¡®v¡¯ sign, I¡¯ll need Ste toe and help me out.¡±


    Ste did the ¡®okay¡¯ sign, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Vermont entered the party very quickly. Only Ste and Keegan were still in the car.


    Ste turned the music on and looked down to use her phone. She just ignored the person next to her.


    ¡°Grandma sent me a text message just now. She told me that you gifted her a box of oysters.¡± His tone


    was deep. He sounded a little angry too.


    Ste was still sulking. She did not pay attention to his tone. Instead, she said superficially, ¡± My dad


    gave me two boxes.¡±


    ¡®She gave one box to grandma and another box to Vermont. But she didn¡¯t give it to me.¡¯


    Keegan was unhappy.


    It was just a box of oysters. He could have easily gotten it, but it still bothered him.


    ¡®She¡¯d immediately give it to me when she thought something was good back then. But now, even


    Vermont could get a gift from her!¡¯


    ¡°Don¡¯t blindly spend effort in the wrong ces. Vermont doesn¡¯t like this thing.¡±


    After he muffled that, he felt that what he said did not sound right. It sounded like he was ming her,


    but he wanted to say that Vermont could not tell what was good or bad. It would be a waste to give him


    the oysters.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    But before he could add to what he said, Ste lifted the corners of her lips, ¡°Mr. Kane, thank you for


    reminding me of that. I¡¯m not an ignorant person. I gifted him that because I wanted to thank him for


    helping me. It¡¯s Mr. Snyder¡¯s business whether he likes that or not. It¡¯s fine if he throws that away.¡±


    But Ste could not be med for misunderstanding Keegan. He had a history of ming her. On


    Keegan¡¯s birthday, during the first year Ste and Keegan got married, some friends came over to visit


    him. Ste was very nervous and took it seriously when she first met Keegan¡¯s friends. She helped the


    maid to make a table full of dishes to treat them.


    Although Ste¡¯s cooking was average, her pastry was very delicious. She was full of praise. After that,


    Ste made many pastries. Then, she packed them and gave them to the people who came.


    When Keegan knew about that, he was furious with Ste.


    He probably felt that she was toadying his friends. Or he might simply hate her for trying to be close to


    his friends without telling him.


    After that incident, Keegan rarely brought her to join this gathering. He probably disliked her for being


    less graceful and unpresentable.


    But what Keegan did not know was she did not gift his friends because she wanted to fit in. Instead,


    she just wanted to know more about his likings from his friends. She wanted to be a person that


    he liked.


    But it turned out that if someone disliked you, they would nitpick about what you did even if you did it


    well.


    Keegan was a little angry, ¡®She rather gave the thing to Vermont for him to throw it away than give it to


    me.¡¯


    ¡°Are you angry with me?¡±

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    ¡°Not at all.¡± Ste clearly did not say what she meant, ¡°Why¡¯d I be angry with you? That¡¯d make me


    look so unappreciative. Mr. Kane, you¡¯ve overthought.¡±


    Keegan frowned, ¡°Don¡¯t call me Mr. Kane! It¡¯s annoying.¡±


    When Ste called him ¡®Mr. Kane,¡¯ she sounded like she was insulting him. It made him extremely


    ufortable.


    ¡°How should I address you then? Mr. Keegan? Keegan?¡±


    Ste acted like she seriously pondered for a moment. She said, ¡°Why not you pick one?¡±


    Keegan stared at Ste, who put on an act. He hated it very much. ¡°How did you address me back


    then?¡±


    Ste stopped moving.


    She always called him ¡°honey¡± back then.


    Since Keegan did not disapprove of being called ¡®honey,¡¯ she had always called him that.


    ¡®When did I stop calling him that?


    ¡®I don¡¯t really remember it. Probably after I realized that Keegan wouldn¡¯t like me no matter how hard I


    tried.¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s just a form of address. If you liked being addressed as Mr. Kane back then, I¡¯ll continue to call you


    that in the future.¡±


    Keegan nced at her as he faintly said, ¡°Call me that then.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®I intentionally provoked him. Why did he behave so unpredictably?¡¯


    Keegan raised his eyes when he noticed she did not talk after a long time. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you called me


    that?¡±


    Ste pursed her lips.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, I think it¡¯s inappropriate for me to call you that, considering the rtionship we¡¯re in now.¡±


    It seemed like Keegan was waiting for her to say that. He immediately said in her words, ¡°It¡¯s just a


    form of address. I like how you called me back then. It¡¯s not inappropriate.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®Piece of garbage!¡¯


    Of course, she was not willing to give in. She intentionally said sarcastically, ¡°Mr. Kane, you¡¯re weird.


    You were tired of me calling you that back then. But now, when we¡¯re going to get a divorce, you keep


    wanting me to call you that. Forcing one¡¯s will upon another won¡¯t get good


    results.¡±


    Keegan faintly nced at her, ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll get a good result. Why not you just call me


    that.¡±


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    She suddenly felt that she was being hit on. But Keegan looked very serious. She also felt that she


    might have overthought. Her ears were read as she petntly said the word me.¡±


    She then undid the belt and got off the car.


    Keegan stared at her back for a few seconds before he slowly stepped out of the car.


    The staff at the door gave Ste a rose when she walked in. Only the females had a unique token at


    this party tonight.


    If a girl met a guy that she liked, she could give the rose to that guy. If the guy epted it, it would


    mean he was interested in the girl too.


    Likewise, if the guy was interested in a girl, he could directly ask her if she could give the rose to him. If


    she agreed, it would mean they were both interested in each other.


    This was the first time Ste saw this form of group dating. She found it interesting.


    She had a group dating when she was in school. But some of them had nned long ago. They


    confessed their love through the group dating event. It was fine if the two of them were interested in


    each other. But it would be moral ckmailing when the person being publicly confessed to did not like


    the other person.


    The girls did not have initiative at all. Some men even surrounded the girls and judged them. She had


    only been to that kind of event once and never went to those parties again.


    The bar was huge. After Ste walked around the bar, she only saw Vermont sitting in front of the bar


    counter, flirting with a girl who had a good figure.


    ¡®This guy took a long time to spruce himself up in the car. He does look quite good.¡¯


    The girl looked like she was very interested in Vermont. She was sitting next to him and constantly


    chatted with him.

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    Ste sat down at a table nearby so she could easily help him out if he needed.


    ¡®He¡¯s paying me two to three hundred thousand just to save him from unwanted encounters. I¡¯m very


    happy to earn this money.¡±


    As soon as Ste sat down, Keegan followed her and sat opposite her.


    And right after he sat down, Ste noticed a few girls sitting behind them, constantly looking in their


    direction.


    Ste curled her lips. ¡®He¡¯s just a normal human being. What¡¯s so interesting about him?¡¯


    A waiter came over and asked her what she wanted. Ste had to driveter, so she said she wanted a


    ss of juice.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    The waiter said, ¡°Miss, for every one thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight dors¡¯ worth of


    spending on alcohol, we¡¯ll give you an extra rose.¡±


    Ste wondered, ¡°Why do I need so many roses for?¡±


    The waiter asked, ¡°This is your first time attending our singles party, right?¡±


    Ste nodded.


    The waiter passionately exined, ¡°The more roses you have, the more people you can give the roses


    to. After all, it¡¯s hard to get to know someone just by spending a night together. The chance of


    sessfully matching is higher when you meet more people. Of course, guys can also get the roses by


    buying our alcohol. They can then give the roses to the girls they are interested in. The girl who gets


    the most roses will receive our bar¡¯s supreme VIP status for a year.¡±


    Ste was stunned.


    ¡®I thought this matchmaking method was innovative just now. But this is just the bar¡¯s different ways of


    promotion.


    ¡®And he said it can increase the chance of sess. But that¡¯ll just encourage everyone to have


    romantic encounters with multiple people, whether they¡¯re interested in that person. So is this really a


    serious matchmaking event?¡¯


    She softly asked, ¡°What¡¯s the benefit of bing the supreme VIP in your bar?¡±


    ¡°Thirty percent discount on alcohol. We¡¯ll also gift you a fruit tter if you meet the minimum spend.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡°The owner of this bar is definitely a business genius! He has such an incredible way of earning


    money!¡¯


    ¡°Does your shop host this kind of singles party often?¡±


    Keegan, who had been listening to the conversation, finally frowned, ¡°Why do you ask so much about


    it?¡±


    ¡®She¡¯s so unfaithful even after she¡¯s married!¡¯


    ¡°I was just simply asking. What¡¯s the problem?¡± Ste rolled her eyes.


    The waiter said, ¡°We have this event every month. You can add me on WhatsAppter. And I¡¯ll add you


    to a group. We¡¯ll notify the group if there are events.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Ste nodded as she curiously said, ¡°The girl who received the most rosesst month, how many


    roses did she get?¡±


    ¡°Over five hundred roses.¡±


    ¡°Two thousand dors for a rose. Five hundred roses¡­ That¡¯s at least a million-dor worth of alcohol


    spending.


    ¡®And this was just based on the girl who received the most roses. So many people attend this event.


    Conservatively speaking, they can earn at least a few million dors today.¡±


    ¡°So, miss, would you like to order alcohol?¡±


    ¡°Maybeter. Just get me a ss of juice for now.¡±


    The waiter suddenly did not look as weing as before.


    ¡°What kind of juice do you want?¡±


    The waiters probably receivedmissions from selling alcohol. But, unfortunately, this waiter had just


    wasted his time talking to customers like Ste, who did not want to buy any alcohol.


    Ste was not bothered by the waiter¡¯s attitude. Instead, she faintly said, ¡°Lemon juice.¡±


    The waiter wrote down her order and said, ¡°just a second.¡± He then turned his head to look at Keegan


    as he smiled again, ¡°Sir, what kind of alcohol do you want?¡±


    Keegan raised his eyes, ¡°Same as her.¡±


    The waiter was speechless.

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    After the attendant left, Ste took out her phone and tapped away. Keegan nced at her phone and


    noticed she was on the calctor application.


    He asked in bewilderment, ¡°What¡¯re you calcting?¡±


    Ste did not lift her head and continued tapping away on her screen, ¡°I¡¯m calcting how much a bar


    like this can earn per month.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡®Nowadays, I get increasingly confused about the things in this woman¡¯s head,¡¯ he thought.


    ¡°Do bars have peak and off-peak seasons?¡± Ste asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Keegan pursed his lips.


    He continued, ¡°Springtime is the off-peak season; many return to their hometowns before and after


    spring, so the people flow is significantly lesser. Summertime is the peak season; there¡¯s an increase in


    everyone¡¯s nightlives. Besides, bars are considered recreational summer retreats due to the hot


    weather. During wintertime, the customer volume is lesser than in the summertime. However, the


    ie is still decent due to the many festivities.¡±


    Ste seemed really interested in the matter.


    ¡°The annual profit would be over 10 million at this rate.¡±


    ¡°Something like that,¡± Keegan said and paused momentarily.


    He continued, ¡°Why¡¯re you asking?¡±


    ¡°I was wondering if it would be a good idea for me also to open a bar nearby?¡±


    Keegan nced at her, ¡°Not really. You¡¯ll probably lose money and go out of business before earning


    money.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡°All you do is be a wet nket!¡±


    Keegan frowned, ¡°It¡¯s not that easy running a bar. It took four years before this bar earned a profit; it


    had been losing money for the past four years. This location is on the outskirts, and crime rates are


    high wherever alcohol is prevalent. Since there are all kinds of customers here, one little slip-up and


    the bar will have to suspend its operations because of some matters.¡±


    Ste froze momentarily, ¡°How do you know so much?¡±


    ¡°This bar is one of the Kane family¡¯s properties,¡± Keegan said coolly.


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    Seeing Ste¡¯s stunned expression, Keegan added, ¡°It¡¯s within the scope of my administration now.¡±


    Once again, she was at a loss for words.


    ¡®After going through all that fuss, Keegan¡¯s actually the one who came up with this marketing strategy?!


    I knew it. There aren¡¯t that many crooked bosses in Rivera!¡¯ thought Ste.


    While they were speaking, a girl holding a rose walked up to their table.


    ¡°Can I sit next to you, handsome?¡±


    The girl sat at the table behind them just now. She was sweet-looking and had streaks of blonde


    highlights. She had long, straight legs under her shorts and washboard abs right above them. She also


    wore a skimpy white tank top that barely covered her chest. Her breasts seemed as if they were to spill


    out of her top due to their fullness.


    Ste looked down at her chest and thought gloomily, ¡®Are kids nowadays this well- developed? Even


    I¡¯m attracted to that body of hers.¡¯


    Meanwhile, Keegan did not spare her a nce. Instead, he said to her indifferently, ¡°Do as you please.¡±


    The girl pulled the chair and sat down. After she ced her hand under her chin, she tilted her head


    and openly stared at Keegan.


    ¡°Did youe here after work? Not many men here are wearing suits.¡±


    Her voice was so cutesy and flirty that Ste felt as if she were about to go weak.


    However, Keegan was like a monk in and filled with women; he was unfazed by the prettiest


    women.


    He even ruined the moment and said, ¡°Is there a rule that suits aren¡¯t allowed?¡±


    The girl smiled with her eyes.


    ¡°Of course, there isn¡¯t. Suits expose the shorings of one¡¯s physique, but you look really good in a


    suit. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off you when you walked in just now,¡± she said.


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    ¡°This girl is¡­ Really good,¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°I¡¯m here with a friend,¡± Keegan answered indifferently,


    He did not purposefullye, so he did not intentionally dress up.


    The girl understood, ¡°It¡¯s your first time here?¡±


    Keegan did not deny her question.


    The girl smiled coolly and ced the rose into the pocket on his chest. Then, she smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll take you


    around and familiarize you with this ce.¡±


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    Ste stared at the rose and was startled for a moment. However, just as Keegan turned to look at her,


    she quickly looked down and pretended to look at her phone.


    Keegan¡¯s gaze seemingly stayed on her momentarily. Soon after, Ste heard him say, ¡°You¡¯re very


    familiar with this ce?¡±

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    The girl said, ¡°I¡¯m a regr at this ce. There¡¯s a dance floor over there and a card room. I¡¯ll bring you


    over to take a look.¡±


    Keegan was silent for a moment before he answered, ¡°If you please.¡±


    Ste¡¯s heart clenched abruptly.


    When she lifted her head, Keegan and the girl had already disappeared into the group.


    ¡®That girl is gorgeous, and her features resemble Be¡¯s a little. She¡¯s Keegan¡¯s type, so he has no


    reason to reject her,¡¯ Ste thought.


    Suddenly, Ste felt a little suffocated.


    ¡®Keegan and I will divorce soon, so he¡¯ll eventually be with other women. Haven¡¯t Ie to this


    realization long ago? Why do I feel so upset seeing him not reject other women? The saying that one


    should meet gains or losses withposure is easier said than done. I know best how hard it is to


    leave a rtionship. Vermont and the girl beside him also seem to have hit it off and are having a good


    chat. He probably doesn¡¯t need any of my help,¡¯ she thought. Ste lowered her head and used the


    straw to pick out the seeds that had not been removed from the lemon slices. However, her mind was


    still on Keegan.


    ¡®What¡¯s he doing with that girl? Doesn¡¯t Keegan like Be Young? He probably won¡¯t do anything with


    the girl. But even though Keegan likes Be, didn¡¯t he still marry me and sleep with me? Men and


    women are different; men canpletely separate their needs and feelings. So even though he likes


    Be, that doesn¡¯t stop him from sleeping with other women,¡¯ she thought.


    While Ste¡¯s thoughts wandered off, her phone suddenly rang. It was an unknown number, so she


    rejected the call. However, the person called her again right after she had hung up. Ste took her


    phone and went outside to answer the call.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±


    Ste was startled, ¡°Mr. Wood, the director?¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Daniel skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point, ¡°Are you free tomorrow morning?


    Come over and try out a role.¡±


    Everything happened suddenly, so Ste¡¯s brain was puzzled for a moment. Her mouth moved on its


    own ord, ¡°Didn¡¯t you already cast another actress?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for a different role. Are youing?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Ste quickly answered as if she were worried he would reject her.


    ¡°This role has little parts. Besides that, the pay is really low and probably less than you voice acting for


    a drama. Are you sure?¡±


    Ste hesitated for a moment. Then, just as Daniel frowned and thought she would reject him, he heard


    her say the very next moment, ¡°Are meals included?¡±


    Daniel was speechless.


    ¡°Breakfast is not included, but lunch and dinner are. Supper will also be included if we film at night ¡±


    ¡°Then, there won¡¯t be a problem,¡± said Ste.


    Since she did not have an assistant, settling her meals on set might be somewhat troublesome if meals


    were not included.


    ¡°Then,e for the tryout tomorrow. I¡¯ll text you the time and addresster. Also, this is my number;


    save it.¡±


    After Ste hung up the phone, she felt she was still dreaming.


    When she returned to the bar, Keegan still had yet to return, and Vermont had also


    disappeared. Seeing the attendanting over to clear the table, she downed the water left in her


    ss and called Vermont.


    ¡°That bastard¡¯s phone is actually off!¡¯ she thought.


    Perhaps the sounds in the bar were too loud because Ste felt her head turn heavy. The blood was


    rushing to her head as her cheeks turned warm. Then, she felt her vision starting to sway.


    She alertly sensed that something was amiss, so she grabbed her phone and walked out while calling


    Keegan¡¯s number.


    Before the call connected, someone bumped into her phone, and it fell.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    She bent down and picked it up, and her vision wobbled even more. Then, someone tugged her wrist


    and pulled her up.


    A voice said beside her ear, ¡°Miss, your phone.¡±

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    Chapter 155


    When the voice traveled into Ste¡¯s ear, it sounded as if it came from a distance; it was indistinct and


    surreal.


    Ste forced out a thank you and reached out to grab her phone. Just as she stepped forward, her


    knees gave out. She could no longer stand.


    Someone grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into their arms.


    Ste heard the warning bells in her head red, enveloped in a person¡¯s unfamiliar scent. She


    struggled with all her might, but her limbs had gone weak; her movements seemed feeble as if she


    were ying around.


    Ste was dragged out in the person¡¯s arms. One of the attendants noticed something amiss and


    asked if they needed help.


    Just as Ste was about to call out for help, the hand on her shoulder promptly tightened on her neck.


    In an instant, she felt a suffocating feeling and could not make a sound.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright; she¡¯s my girlfriend. She had too much to drink and is upset with me,¡± one of them


    exined.


    Then, another person said, ¡°I¡¯m so done with you two. You two had such a huge argument. Now I even


    have to apany you to look for her thiste at night! Let¡¯s hurry up and leave. I¡¯ve got something to


    doter!¡±


    go


    ¡°Give John and the others a call and tell them we found her. Then, ask them to home.¡±


    When the attendant saw how natural their conversation sounded, they did not ask any more questions.


    After all, these kinds of situations were way toomon at bars.


    As soon as the attendant left, one of the men ced a jacket over Ste¡¯s head.


    After the two dragged Ste out of the bar, the man with his hand on her neck released his grip. She


    could finally catch her breath.


    ¡°We almost got caught!¡± one of them spoke just as they exited the bar.


    He continued, ¡°This new drug is pretty good; its effect is prompt.¡±


    ¡°Stop wasting time and call a cab.¡±


    ¡°I did; it¡¯ll be here soon. Let me go buy something good first,¡± the person said as heughed. sleazily.


    ¡°Get me a few of those pills.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    Hearing the two¡¯s foul conversation, Ste paled. Since she was still very conscious, she could hear


    their entire conversation.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure I was drugged. It must have been that half ss of lemon water I drank after I took the phone


    call. They secretly drugged it while I had gone outside. I never expected case examples on crime TV


    programs to happen to me. It obviously isn¡¯t these two¡¯s first timemitting such a crime; they¡¯re


    really experienced and worked together to cover for each


    other. It won¡¯t end well for me if I end up in their hands. I can¡¯t stand by idly!¡¯ she thought.


    Ste forcibly bit down on her lip to regain her sense. The pain, mingled with the taste of blood,


    sobered her up a little.


    While the man was on the phone with the cab driver, Ste charged up her strength and bit the man¡¯s


    arm. The man instantly flung her away in pain.


    Ste staggered and fell onto the ground.


    However, she could not feel any pain at all. She struggled to get up and quickly stumbled away. ¡°F*ck!


    You b*tch!¡±


    The man turned red in anger and ran after her. He grabbed her by the hair and dragged her back.


    Ste struggled with all she had, and her actions quickly caught the attention of the passersby. The


    man hugged her waist and smiled apologetically, ¡°Honey, I was wrong. So cut it out, and let¡¯s go home.


    I¡¯ll listen to everything you say in the future, okay?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know him!¡±


    Ste wanted to shout. However, her voice was as soft as a whisper due to the effects of the drug.


    Her voice was quickly drowned out by the man¡¯s, ¡°Honey, you can¡¯t say such a thing no matter how


    angry you are. It¡¯s just a bag. I¡¯ll buy it for you, alright?¡±


    Then, he said to the crowd surrounding them, ¡°This is my wife. The two of us just got marriedst year.


    I have a photo of our marriage certificate on my phone.


    Then, he produced a photo of a marriage certificate on his phone, and the woman in the photo was


    Ste. The iron-d evidence of a marriage certificate instantly cleared everyone¡¯s doubt. ¡®Since it¡¯s


    someone else¡¯s family affairs, we better not intervene,¡¯ thought the bystanders. Ste was terrified,


    ¡°That¡¯s not true; he¡¯s not my husband. My husband- Mmph!¡±


    The man covered her mouth before she could finish her sentence.


    ¡°Honey, could you please stop it?¡±


    The man had sprayed some type of drug on his palm, so there was a weird scent. When Ste smelled


    it, her head instantly felt heavy; even her struggle became significantly weaker.


    The man pulled her into his arms and smiled apologetically at the crowd, ¡°Sorry about that, everyone.¡±


    One of the girls felt something amiss. She stopped them.


    ¡°Thisdy doesn¡¯t seem quite conscious. We should wait for her to regain consciousness and not only


    take your word for it. Otherwise, we¡¯ll call the cops and let them handle it.¡±


    When the man heard about calling the cops, a harsh glint shed across his eyes. He looked upset and


    said, ¡°What did you mean by that? Would I hurt my own wife? Why would an arguing husband and wife


    go to the police station? To make a joke out of ourselves?¡±


    ¡°Why would going to the police station make you a joke? She¡¯s your wife, and she also has human


    rights¡­¡±


    The girl wanted to continue arguing. However, her friend beside her was a little worried seeing how the


    man was acting. The friend quickly advised the girl not to meddle in other people¡¯s


    business


    ¡°Human rights, human rights. You college students go around causing gender dichotomy and making a


    mess. My wife keeps on arguing with me because she saw your discourse!¡±


    The man grew more and more enthusiastic as he spoke. He seemed like he had no intentions. of giving


    up.


    The girl had turned red in anger. After all, she was still a green college student.


    Just as the crowd was about to disperse, genuinely thinking it was a family affair, someone walked


    through the crowd and grabbed the man by the back of his neck. Then, the person flung the man aside


    and pulled Ste into his arms.


    ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡± the man cursed.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    He continued, ¡°Let go of my wife!¡±


    Ste was about to lose consciousness. However, she forced herself to open her eyes and vaguely


    saw Keegan¡¯s silhouette. Tears welled up in her eyes and trickled down her face.


    Her tears seemed to trickle into Keegan¡¯s heart. He pursed his lips and wiped away a tear from the


    corner of her eyes. Then, he lifted his head and said to the girl who spoke just now, ¡°Help me take care


    of her for a moment.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fucking talking to you!¡±


    The man shouted as he reached out to grab Keegan¡¯s cor. However, he was grabbed on the wrist


    before he could.


    Vermont smiled sinisterly, ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for days; I finally caught you, scum. You motherfucker!


    Who gave you the fucking guts to mess on my turf?¡±


    The man had a panicked look in his eyes. Regardless, he continued to act tough, ¡°Who are you? I don¡¯t


    know what you¡¯re talking about. Let go of me, or I¡¯ll call the co-


    co-Argh!¡±


    Before the man could finish his sentence, his arm was twisted to his back. He let out an agonizing


    scream.


    ¡°Let her go.¡±


    Ste vaguely heard Keegan say.


    She wanted to open her eyes and see what Keegan was doing. However, the effect of the drug was too


    strong. After fighting the drug¡¯s effects for a while, she could not help but finally fall into darkness.


    Before she lost consciousness, she seemed to hear Keegan say something important.

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    Chapter 156


    When Ste came to, she was already in the hospital.


    Meanwhile, Felicity had dozed off in front of her


    Just as Ste was about to move, she noticed an IV needle in her arm. There was an IV drip above her


    head, slowly dripping the contents downward and flowing into her body


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°Felicity¡­¡±


    When Ste opened her mouth, she realized her throat was dry and in pain. She could not help but


    cough a few times.


    The sounds of her cough startled Felicity, and she immediately woke up


    ¡°You¡¯re finally awake, Ste¡¯ You scared me to death What happened to you? Why¡¯d you suddenly


    faint?¡± she asked in a panic


    Clearly, Felicity still did not know aboutst night¡¯s events. However, Ste could not exin things


    right now She quickly asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Keegan?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see Keegan Last night, a man named ¡®Snyder¡¯ called me. He told me to hurry to the hospital


    because you had fainted¡±


    ¡®Vermont made the call? What about Keegan¡± thought Ste.


    She closed her eyes. She had a splitting headache


    ¡®I vaguely remember seeing Keegan before I fainted. But that¡¯s all I remember. He was there, so what


    happened to him?¡¯ she thought again.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my phone, Felicity?¡±


    ¡°Right here.¡±


    Felicity handed her the phone, ¡°The screen¡¯s cracked. I didn¡¯t try switching it on, so I don¡¯t know if it still


    works.¡±


    Ste looked at her phone. Sure enough, there were multiple cracks on the screen.


    ¡®It probably happened when I was fighting off those attackersst night,¡¯ she thought.


    Ste pressed the phone¡¯s power button. Thankfully, everything was fine other than the cracked


    screen.


    The moment she switched on her phone, a text message popped up. It was a text Daniel had sent her


    last night, telling her to go to his studio at nine in the morning for the tryout.


    Ste pursed her lips and checked WhatsApp. All of her unread messages were from group chats, and


    none of them were from Keegan.


    Ste clenched her fist. She felt disappointment slowly creep in, making her feel weak.


    Her finger hovered over Keegan¡¯s number for a long time before she finally exited the call application.


    Then, she lifted her head and said to Felicity, ¡°Did you drive here?¡±


    Felicity nodded


    ¡°I need you to take me somewhere.¡±


    Felicity was shocked. ¡°Now?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    On the way to the studio, Felicity learned that Ste was going for a tryout Daniel had invited her to. At


    first, Felicity was ecstatic, but she turned a little disappointed when she heard that it was a minor role.


    ¡°When they see a face like yours y a minor role, even the audience will wonder if the director is


    blind.¡¯


    Ste smiled. ¡°I¡¯m happy to y even a minor role as long as I can act. After taking my first step, only


    then can I take my second, then my third¡­¡±


    ¡°Your attitude has be really positive. Two years ago, I advised you to act, but you always had so


    many worries. You thought you were incapable. You were worried that you couldn¡¯t speak in front of the


    camera, worried that the Kane family would disagree, and even had a fight with Keegan because of


    this. You worried that you couldn¡¯t do your best and would end up embarrassed. So I told you to be a


    full-time wife. But then, you said you were worried that you¡¯d be detached from society for too long and


    couldn¡¯t catch up to Keegan. Then, your distance from him would grow farther and farther. After hearing


    you now, are you not worried about these things anymore?¡±


    Ste lowered her gaze.


    ¡°What¡¯s the use of worrying? Nothing will change because of my worries, and my worrying won¡¯t make


    me better. Instead, it¡¯ll make me sink deeper into that bizarre circle. Every time people tell me that I¡¯ve


    married well in that tone of theirs, I actually feel agitated. I know that most times, they¡¯re just making


    conversation, and these people just think I¡¯m lucky for marrying into the Kane family. However, things


    like luck don¡¯tst a lifetime. One day, if I fall from the top, even more people will see me make a fool of


    myself. Right now, I¡¯m working hard to grab onto things I can hold onto, so I can climb upward. I just


    don¡¯t want to embarrass myself too much when I make my exit. I also want him to understand that I¡¯m


    willing to let him take care of me, not because I can only rely on him.¡±

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    Felicity understood who the ¡°him¡± was referring to.


    Single people, like Felicity, obviously could not understand the thoughts of someone deeply in love like


    Ste. However, she was still happy seeing her best friend regain her confidence and positivity.


    The car arrived at the destination shortly. When Ste went inside, she thought she had gotten the


    wrong address. The so-called studio did not even have a storefront and only had a ss sliding door.


    On the door was the word ¡°Wood¡± with a missing letter


    Felicity whispered to Ste, ¡°Did Daniel get scammed by thepany? Why does his studio look so


    lousy?¡±


    Truth be told, it was not that lousy However, for someone as reputable as Daniel, the studio seemed a


    little too in.


    The two entered, and there was no receptionist by the door While the studio was rtively spacious,


    there seemed to be few people there


    Ste approached one of the people and asked, ¡°Excuse me Is director Daniel Wood around?¡±


    The person was holding a stack of documents. She pushed her sses up her nose and gave Ste a


    once-over. ¡°He isn¡¯t here. Why are you looking for him?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wood called me and asked me toe for a tryout. We scheduled it for nine-thirty.¡±


    ¡°A tryout?¡± The person frowned.


    She continued, ¡°Try out for what? Why haven¡¯t I heard him mention it?¡±


    Ste said, ¡°Mr. Wood contacted mest night. Perhaps he hadn¡¯t had the chance to mention it.¡±


    ¡°Then, which movie are you trying out for?¡±


    ¡°The Pce.¡±


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± the person immediately eximed.


    ¡°All the roles in that movie have already been decided, so how could you try out for them? Besides,


    your face is unfamiliar, and this is the first time I¡¯ve seen you. Whichpany sent you through the


    backdoor?¡±


    Ste tried to keep a good temper. ¡°I¡¯m a neer, and I have taken part in the production team¡¯s


    auditions before. Perhaps you haven¡¯t seen it.¡±


    ¡°What did you audition for?¡±


    ¡°The Beauty.¡±


    The person froze. Then, she scrutinized Ste once more.


    ¡°Mr. Wood never gives second chances. How could a newbie like you be capable of getting one?


    Ste smiled good-naturedly. ¡°Maybe Mr. Wood finds my looks suitable.¡±


    The person snorted quietly. ¡°The drama we¡¯re shooting is a serious one. Your looks are too unnatural.


    Perhaps you could still earn money if you consider acting in idol dramas.¡±


    Before Ste could respond, Felicity lost it.


    ¡°Your chin looks like an awl, yet you¡¯re ridiculing others for looking unnatural? Are you allergic to


    naturally pretty people? Go and see a doctor. If this face has gotten any stic surgery, then I¡¯ll change


    myst name to yours!¡±


    The woman was instantly humiliated and angered by Felicity¡¯s words. She pointed at Felicity and said,


    ¡°You¡¯re so rude!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m rude?¡± Felicity was so furious, even Ste could not hold her back.


    Felicity continued, ¡°We were only asking you for directions. Tell us if you¡¯re willing, but if you¡¯re not,


    shut your mouth! What did you mean when you said Ste got in through the backdoor and has


    unnatural looks? Why did you ask that? Is it because, in your eyes, all good- looking people had to


    have surgery and got their positions through sneaky tricks?¡±


    The woman obviously did not expect Felicity to be this eloquent. She instantly turned red in anger and


    pointed to the door.


    ¡°Get out! I don¡¯t want to talk to ill-mannered people like you!¡± she said in a trembling voice.


    The sounds of the argument startled Daniel, who was in the office. When he came out and saw the


    situation, he frowned and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Why are you all fighting?¡±


    The woman immediately ran over to him andined, ¡°Mr. Woods, where¡¯d you find these people?


    They¡¯re so insolent! I merely asked them a few questions, and they started yelling at me. I¡¯ve worked


    with many actors, but I¡¯ve never met any as rude as her!¡±

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    Chapter 158


    That woman lied through her teeth!


    Ste pulled Felicity back just as she was about to speak up.


    ¡°Director Wood, I thought you forgot about today¡¯s audition since thisdy over here said you weren¡¯t


    coming just now.¡±


    The woman¡¯s heart stopped and hurriedly wove an excuse for herself. ¡°When did youe, Director


    Woods? I asked Cad, and he said you weren¡¯t in.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Daniel¡¯s gaze took in the three of them, and he said faintly, ¡°Come with me.¡± Daniel took them to a


    larger office and asked the woman who had quarreled with them to step outside. with him.


    Once the two got out, Felicity immediately took out her phone. Ste saw her checking her social


    media and murmured, ¡°What are you finding?¡±


    Felicity replied, ¡°The woman just now looks familiar, but I can¡¯t remember where I¡¯ve seen her. Let me


    check their group photos.¡±


    She


    found the picture and eximed, ¡°So, it was her!¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Kelly Harper.¡±


    Ste narrowed her brows. ¡°This name sounds familiar


    ¡°She directed that brainless drama, Secret Sweetheart, where you voice-acted in with Be. That


    overhyped corny drama! She debuted in an idol drama, yet she looks down on it. How funny is that!¡±


    Hearing Felicity¡¯s exnation, Ste realized that Kelly Harper¡¯s name has indeed appeared in many


    films and television dramas. ¡°Why¡¯s she here with Daniel?¡±


    ¡°Not sure. There are rumors that Kelly¡¯s husband is powerful. Her dramas¡¯ in the early days. were


    trash, but she could always pull in sponsorships. She bought some famous novel copyright when IP


    dramas went viral and got some trending actors to y out the script. She¡¯s made a fortune with it and


    has since been in the limelight for two years. Now I kind of quarreling with her. What if she makes


    things hard for you?¡±


    regret


    Ste seemed rather calm. ¡°What¡¯s bound to happen will happen eventually. If she really views me


    badly, whether you talk back today or not, something will happen in the future too. Let¡¯s just wait and


    see.¡±


    Felicity was doubtful, but then she realized no matter how powerful Kelly¡¯s husband was, he could not


    be more powerful than the Kane family in Rivera. She calmed down, realizing that Keegan would never


    let people bully his wife. After a few minutes, Daniel, Kelly, and three other people entered the room. A


    younger-looking man handed a few papers to Ste. Daniel said, ¡°You have five minutes. We¡¯ll start


    once you go through the script.¡±


    Ste was stunned to find that she had got the script for the Queen. ¡°The Queen is the viin of the


    story. I heard a famous veteran actress was going to get this role. Why did Daniel give me the Queen¡¯s


    script?''¡±


    Ste raised her head but saw that the people were ying with their phones or chatting among


    themselves. She suppressed her doubts and quickly memorized the lines. When the time was up, she


    said to Daniel, ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±


    Daniel gestured to the boy who had handed her the script. The boy immediately understood his silent


    instructions and started to read the narration. This scene was after the concubine¡¯s scene ended. In


    order to get the King to trust her and let her take care of the Prince, the Queen deliberately plotted to


    make the Prince fall into theke. Then she would jump into theke in the cold midnight to save the


    Prince.


    What was challenging about this scene was that the Queen, in the eyes of the others, was still a gentle


    wife and loving mother. Ste should not act too exaggeratedly and reveal the Queen¡¯s intentions too


    early, but at the same time, show enough details to foreshadow the plot twist. Therefore, the audience


    would feel horror when everything was revealed at the end.

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    Chapter 159


    The Queen was one of the most brilliant characters in this drama. She bore disgrace and a heavy


    burden. On one hand, she had to endure the pain of sharing her husband with other women. On the


    other hand, she had to be generous as the mother of a nation. She could not bring shame to the pce


    even though she was in bereavement.


    She would have to always keep in mind her position, reminding herself that the King could not love


    people to numb herself. She kept her feelings at bay until she discovered that the King had fallen in


    love with the female lead. The belief the Queen had hung on to for many years copsed, and the


    hatred from betrayal rushed in. She loved him but could not get him. Love to hate was the most


    significant charm of this character.


    Ste took a deep breath and got into character. Once she started talking, the people ying with their


    phones stopped and watched her. Ste waspletely immersed in the role. With her every move,


    even without any props, everyone could tell what she was doing. Ste delivered her lines clearly, and


    her emotions were just right, especially with how she dealt with the details. Her smile, when she put the


    Prince to sleep, would make people shudder when they think of it carefully. However, that same smile


    seemed normal to others who did not know she was the viin.


    After Ste¡¯s performance ended, the room went silent Daniel cleared his throat and said, Tell me what


    you think about it.¡±


    The others exchanged looks and decided the assistant director should give his opinion. The assistant


    director cleared his throat ¡°She did a pretty good job acting, but she¡¯s too young She might not be able


    to handle the character


    Daniel held his chin with his fingers and stayed silent for a long while. It was quite the problem. Their


    original n was to let a thirty plus actress y the Queen¡¯s role. A calm and experienced face at that


    age was naturally filled with stories. Ste was too pretty for this role People would first notice her face


    the moment she stood there. It was a great advantage for an actress, but also a horrible one. Her


    beauty would make the audience ignore her acting skills. When Ste was in school, her teacher once


    commented on her appearance. The teacher said that she might use her appearance as an advantage.


    Yet she would also have a hard time advancing in her acting career with this pretty face limiting her


    roles.


    Ste was not convinced by her teacher¡¯sment. While everyone was busy falling in love during


    college, she was busy studying and taking care of her mother. However, she married. Keegan before


    she even had the time to prove her worth.


    Ste was much calmer now that this point had been rehashed again. Daniel stayed silent for a


    moment before speaking. ¡°You heard her do part just now. Did you think she¡¯s too young for this role?¡±


    Everyone went silent once Daniel said this. The way Ste said her lines was impable. Whether it


    was the artiction, vocalization, or tone of voice, Ste had grasped them all very well. In terms of


    details, she was even more in-depth than the person who tried before her. But obviously, Ste was not


    the desired actress in these people¡¯s hearts.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Then, another person voiced out. ¡°I saw her resume just now. She has no prior work. How could we


    use a newbie for such an important role? Isn¡¯t it too big of a risk?¡±


    At that, Kelly spoke up. ¡°Director Wood, I don¡¯t think we should let someone like her y such a pivotal


    role. This character has almost the same amount of scenes as the female lead.¡±


    Daniel nced at her. ¡°Do you have a better option?¡±


    Kelly immediately replied, ¡°Be Young. We¡¯ve worked with her before. This actress has fame and her


    acting skills aren¡¯t bad either. She¡¯s also very interested in this role. I think Be should try it out.¡±

 Chapter 160

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 160


    Chapter 160


    Ste was shocked. ¡®There were rumors that Be was cast as the female lead of this drama. Or was


    that not confirmed?¡¯


    Felicity was confused too. She heard the rumor from a group chat when a few people shared it.¡± Some


    said Be was going to act in Daniel¡¯s drama. Yet it was nothing after such a big fuss! Come to think of


    it, she was probably hyping it on her own and setting off the atmosphere. If she¡¯s not selected in the


    end, her fans will me the production crew And she¡¯ll gain another wave of poprity. What a great


    tactic!¡¯


    Daniel pursed his lips after hearing who Kelly had rmended. ¡°I¡¯ve seen her work before¡±


    Kelly was delighted. ¡°What do you think of her? If you think she¡¯s alright, I could contact her toe


    over immediately ¡±


    Daniel replied coolly, ¡°It¡¯s all techniques.¡±


    Kelly thought Daniel wasplimenting Be until she heard him speak again ¡°She has no emotions.


    Her eyes were not even red after her tears were flowing


    No matter how dense Kelly was, she understood Daniel was being sarcastic Kelly could not stand the


    embarrassment Another assistant director stepped up to smooth things over ¡°Well, it¡¯s an idol drama. It


    was for the fans. Maybe she didn¡¯t even use her full potential.¡±


    Daniel raised his eyebrow. ¡°She depends on her fans to support herself, yet she produces such trash


    for the fans and cks off on her job?¡±


    That assistant director choked on hisugh and stopped talking. Daniel was famous for his sharp


    tongue in this industry, but his shows were all top-tier Therefore, even if his words often offended


    people, many people were still willing to coborate with him. Daniel¡¯s name ensured quality. All the


    dramas he directed were hits.


    Kelly was different. Her scripts focused on the capital market. She would hire celebrities to y her


    drama. During the drama¡¯s broadcast, she would spend a lot to promote and aim for the fans¡¯ money.


    It¡¯s the nature of humans to start gaining fame after having enough money. The highest rating of the


    dramas Kelly produced were all not more than 5, and an average of 3.5 on a well- known domestic


    website. The quality of her dramas was horrible, even though she shot idol dramas.


    Therefore, theizens gave her the name Queen of Horrible Dramas. Kelly was eager to get rid of that


    label. So, her husband spent a lot of money on this drama to get her the position of assistant director.


    She thought everyone would give ground to her, and she would still have the highest authority in the


    production crew as usual. She never thought Daniel would make her look bad and reject all her


    suggestions. He even put her on the spot in front of everyone. Kelly hated his guts.


    She held back her displeasure and asked, ¡°If Director Wood has already decided, why bother asking us


    toe here?¡±


    Her underlying intent was to use Daniel ofying down thew. He was overbearing and dictatorial.


    Daniel nced at her. ¡°If I didn¡¯t call you over and watch the signing in person, how can I be sure that


    someone else would not use their power to secretly switch my actress out?¡±


    The crowd looked at one another after Daniel made this statement. Kelly had a ghastly expression. She


    pursed her lips and remained silent.


    ¡°She¡¯s the one.¡± Daniel paused and asked Felicity, who was watching over Ste¡¯s shoulder. ¡± Are you


    her manager? Whichpany are you from?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m from Bona Film. I¡¯m kind of her manager now,¡± Felicity answered.


    ¡°Kind of?¡±


    Ste exined, ¡°I have yet to sign a managingpany.¡±


    Daniel was quite surprised. But he could more or less understand her situation as he remembered she


    had the same upation as Robin.


    ¡°Go get yourself an assistant, so you¡¯ll have someone to help you run errands during the production.


    Don¡¯t dy the shooting process because of this.¡±


    Ste was thrilled, but she managed to keep a straight face and replied, ¡°Understood.¡±


    Kelly did not want to stay any longer. While Ste read through the contract, Kelly left and mmed the


    door behind her.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

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    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 161


    Chapter 161


    A few other people chatted with Daniel for a while before leaving. Soon, there were only Daniel and his


    assistant in the conference room. This contract was a standard temte in the industry, but they had


    added two other conditions to Party B¡¯s obligations. One was to re- register a new Facebook ount


    during the contract period to cooperate with the crew¡¯s publicity activities. The other was to not ept


    any other work during the promotion period. These two conditions were clearly addressing Ste¡¯s


    previous upation.


    Dusk Gxy was her trump card, and it should not be exposed that early Ste had no opinion on the


    conditions. She had not taken any voice acting jobs for nearly half a year Felicity pulled her aside just


    before Ste could sign the contract and whispered, ¡°Ste, isn¡¯t the pay a little too low?¡±


    The pay in the contract was based on the entire drama. One drama before tax was two million, and the


    shooting period was one hundred and twenty days. The character had quite some scenes. ording to


    the market price, the pay was indeed too low. After paying for taxes, the fee to hire an assistant, and


    some daily expenses on the set, Ste would be left with little to no money after the drama. She might


    also need to spend some during the promotion period Ste lowered her voice. ¡°Let¡¯s get on board first.


    We¡¯re not expecting to use this money for the rest of our lives. What if this drama makes me popr? If


    it works out, we¡¯ll never need to worry about getting new jobs.¡±


    ¡®Do these two think I¡¯m deaf?¡¯ Daniel slowly sipped his tea. The conference room made echoes. On top


    of that, there were only four of them in it. He could hear them talking, regardless of how low their voices


    were.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    Felicity thought Ste¡¯s reasoning made sense. They had to have a long-term vision. Hence, they


    quickly signed the contract.


    Ste felt the heavy burden in her heart ease a bit. She reached out her hand to Daniel. ¡± Director


    Wood, I¡¯ll appreciate your guidance in the future.¡±


    Daniel shook her hand and said, ¡°We¡¯re in the same boat from now on. There¡¯s no need to be so


    formal.¡±


    Ste was speechless. She should really stop her habit of muttering in front of other people in the


    future. The assistant took away the contract and handed her theplete printed version. of the script.


    ¡°If you¡¯re free at home, you better read the entire script once. This character is essential to the drama.


    Don¡¯t me me for being harsh if you ever drop the ball.¡±


    Ste nodded and thought to herself, ¡°Who could be harsher than Keegan?¡±


    Exiting the building, Felicity mored to buy a lottery ticket. In her words, all Ste¡¯s Christmases came


    at once since she got her ce in this drama and even changed to a better role than expected. Felicity


    said she could take some of Ste¡¯s luck, buy a lottery ticket, and win the grand prize.


    Ste was in the same mood, so she went with her. While the two were choosing their lot, Ste¡¯s


    phone rang, and she saw it was Vermont. She informed Felicity and went out to answer the phone.


    ¡°Ste, where have you been all morning?¡±


    ¡°I came out for some work.¡± Ste paused. ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    ¡°No, not me. It¡¯s Keegan. If you don¡¯te now, you might never see him again.


    Her heart tightened for a moment. She pursed her lips. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°I meant it literally. Last night, Keegan was beaten up by those two bastards, and now he¡¯s in intensive


    care. The doctor said it¡¯s quite serious.¡±

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    Chapter 162


    Ste bit her lip. ¡°Don¡¯t exaggerate Get him on the phone.


    ¡°Ste, how could I lie about this? You can call him if you don¡¯t believe me He¡¯s unconscious. How


    could he be on the phone? The two bastards yesterday were ruffians. They had knives and were


    ruthless with their strikes. If the police hadn¡¯te earlier, Keegan¡¯s life would have been gone. I have


    never seen that much blood before


    Ste was now slightly panicked. She was unconscious yesterday, so she did not know what had


    happened. When she woke in the morning, her sleeve had red brown spots. She thought it was coffee


    at first, but maybe it was blood.


    ¡°Ste,e over now I¡¯m scared he won¡¯t make it ¡°And then the phone call disconnected. When


    Ste called again, the phone was upied Keegan¡¯s phone was off, and it wrenched her heart


    From the store, Felicity called Ste Ste regained her senses and went inside to pay She turned her


    head to Felicity and said, ¡°Something happened back home I have to go back. Take your time to


    choose I¡¯ll contact youter


    Felicity saw that Ste was a little pale and hurriedly asked, ¡°What happened? Is it bad? Do you need


    me to go with your


    Ste waved her hand, saying, ¡°Talk to youter¡± Ste stopped a cab at the entrance and rushed to


    the hospital. On the way there, her phone rang again. She thought it was Vermont, but she frowned


    when she saw it was her father. She was already in a messy state, so she put her phone on silent and


    let it vibrate


    Once she reached the hospital, she ran into Dahlia and Aurora. There was another person with them,


    her father, Albert. Before Ste could figure out why the three of them were together, Aurora marched


    toward her and questioned her, ¡°Where¡¯s my brother? How is he?¡±


    Ste pressed her lips together. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I just arrived.¡±


    Aurora was furious. ¡°You just arrived? So that means my brother was alone in the hospital the whole


    night yesterday? Where were you? How was he hurt? You didn¡¯t call him when he didn¡¯t.e home


    the whole night? When your family of parasites needs money, you¡¯ll think of my brother, but where are


    you when he¡¯s in trouble?¡±


    Albert was ufortable hearing this. ¡°How could you say that? Keegan is my son-inw. I entrusted


    my daughter to him. How could I not be concerned about him?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re concerned about him?¡± Aurora sneered. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can¡¯t wait for something bad to happen


    to him. That way, your daughter could inherit my brother¡¯s property. Do you think I don¡¯t know what you


    people are thinking? Let me tell you this, if anything happens to my brother, she will not get a single


    penny from the Kane family.¡±


    Albert was enraged. His expression was ghastly when he saw that Dahlia was silent. ¡°Dahlia, now is


    not the time for usations. We have to check Keegan¡¯s situation first.¡±


    Dahlia looked him in the eye coldly. She turned her head back and said emotionlessly, ¡°Stop We should


    head up and see your brother ¡±


    They took the elevator to the seventh floor and reached ward number 709. Just as they were


    about to enter, the nurse on duty called out to them. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Ste replied, ¡°We¡¯re the family of the patient in 709. How is he?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re his family?¡± The nurse assessed them and said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re toote. He¡¯s gone.


    Ste¡¯s heart stuttered. ¡°Gone? What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°He passed away just ten minutes ago. If you hade anyter, he¡¯d already be pushed into the


    morgue.¡± She pushed the door open, and a person was lying on the bed with a white cloth covering his


    whole body. The whole room smelled of medicine. It was suffocating.


    Dahlia turned white while Aurora shook her head in denial with a look of disbelief.¡± Impossible. There¡¯s


    no way my brother¡¯s gone.¡±


    Ste stood stiffly in ce, subconsciously taking a step back. Aurora pushed her from behind, and


    Ste fell forward, kneeling on the side of the bed. Her wrist hit the armrest of the room, and she


    grunted out from the piercing pain. Tears instantly welled up in her eyes.


    Albert had a mournful look on his face. ¡°How could a perfectly healthy person just be gone like


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    that?¡±


    Ste¡¯s knees and wrist hurt. She could not hold back her tears, thinking about the corpse under the


    white cloth.

 Chapter 163

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 163


    Chapter 163


    Just then, a familiar voice sounded from the door. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Ste paused and turned her head slowly.


    At the door of the ward, Keegan was wearing a hospital gown, and his arm was in a sling. He looked at


    her expressionlessly, and Vermont was next to him in astonishment.


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡°Keegan!¡± Aurora rushed over. ¡°You scared me!¡±


    After everyone asked, they found out Keegan was in Room 709 formerly. But the room had poor


    lighting, which he disliked. So, he switched to 704 in the morning. However, the hospital system still


    disyed 709 because they had yet to update the system. Hence, a big mistake was made.


    Finally, a little color was back on Dahlia¡¯s cheek. ¡°What happened to your arm?¡±


    Vermont answered before Keegan could speak, ¡°He helped the police to catch some guys and was


    identally struck by one of the bad guysst night He was seriously injured and needed seven


    stitches!¡±


    ¡®Seven stitches¡­¡¯ Ste felt a little sorry suddenly


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you make a call when something this big happened? If Aurora hadn¡¯t seen Vermont¡¯s


    picture in the group, we wouldn¡¯t have known about it until now!¡±


    Ste sped her hands tightly in each other.


    Keegan said tly, ¡°It¡¯s just a minor injury. I didn¡¯t intend to let you know. He¡¯s the


    nosy one.¡± Vermont took a photo of Keegan lying on the hospital bed while he slept. He nned to


    send it to their buddies¡¯ group chat, but it ended up in a different group. Someone quickly took at


    screenshot and sent it to another group. It happened to be seen by Aurora.


    Dahlia snapped. ¡°Is it still a minor injury after seven stitches?¡±


    Vermont became a mediator immediately as he was afraid Keegan would quarrel with his mom, ¡°Why


    don¡¯t we go back to the ward and talk it out? The body is still here. Can we respect. the deceased?¡±


    It was true that this ce was unsuitable for conversation.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan nced at Ste and saw that she was not moving. He pursed his lips. ¡°How long are you


    going to kneel?¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®You think I want this? My knees hurt!¡¯


    Aurora snapped. ¡°It¡¯s so embarrassing. You mourn before identifying. Do you really wish something to


    happen to my brother?¡±


    Albert exined, ¡°Concern cause confusion. Ste freaked out because she thought something


    happened to Keegan.¡±


    Aurora wanted to say something else, but Dahlia interrupted her. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the ward and talk.¡±


    Then, she remained silent.


    Aurora wanted to help Keegan, but he avoided her hand. He walked up to Ste and stretched out his


    uninjured hand.


    Ste looked up at his fingers. ¡®Except for his arm being in a sling, Keegan¡¯s in good condition. How


    could he be dying as Vermont said?¡¯


    But when Ste thought of his arm taking seven stitches because of her, the feeling of guilt rose again.


    From Keegan¡¯s point of view, he saw Ste¡¯s eyes were red with tears hanging from the corners of her


    eyes, and the tip of her nose was red too. She broke people¡¯s hearts with her cute sniffles, making him


    restless.


    ¡°Are you nning to do the rites for the first seven days after death for this person?¡± As soon as


    Keegan spoke, most of the guilt in Ste¡¯s heart disappeared.


    Ste thought viciously, ¡®Keegan was probably beaten because of his loose tongue. It has nothing to do


    with me!¡¯

 Chapter 164

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 164


    Chapter 164


    Dahlia, Aurora, and Albert surrounded Keegan¡¯s hospital bed. There was no ce for Ste at all.


    Vermont said, ¡°Aurora, go get some warm water Keegan hasn¡¯t taken his medicine yet.


    Aurora frowned. ¡°Isn¡¯t someone standing there 3*


    ¡°Hey! You.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Vermont wanted to say something else, but Ste took the empty ss and said tly, ¡°I¡¯ll do


    it ¡±


    Ste just did not want to stay here with these people


    As soon as the door was closed, Dahlia asked, ¡°What happenedst night


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Keegan said sinctly ¡°I ran into a few troublemakers while drinking, and there was a


    conflict


    ¡°What kind of conflict can hurt others in this way? Who hurt you? Where are they now


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll handle this by myself So leave it alone


    Dahlia was upset ¡°How can I leave it alone? Look how seriously you were hurt. It happenedst night,


    and I only found out at noon today¡¯ If someone can take good care of you, I can rest assured. But you


    stay in the hospital alone for the whole night Nobody is taking care of you How can you make me feel


    at ease?¡±


    Ste pursed her lips. Obviously, these words were ming her As a wife, she knew nothing when


    something happened to her husband. That was ridiculous!


    Later, she heard Keegan say, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell her She has hematophobia. I feel bad when she cries.


    Ste was speechless, but her mood lifted slightly all of a sudden. Then, she went to the water


    dispenser with the water ss.


    Dahlia said, ¡°You feel bad for this? Don¡¯t you think about your grandma? Will she feel good. when she


    sees you hurt like this? Do I feel good about it?¡±


    ¡°Keegan, why are you still on her side at this time? If she really cares about you, she should be here


    earlier!¡± said Aurora,


    Keegan frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t add fuel to the fire!¡±


    Aurora shrank her neck.


    Dahlia frowned, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Aurora¡¯s word? You spoiled her!¡±


    Albert also said, ¡°Keegan, my daughter has been spoiled since she was a child. She might be out of


    order when she does something. Your mom¡¯s right. You have to give her a lesson when necessary.


    Don¡¯t always spoil her. She¡¯s already married. How can she not bother about anything?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Is this what a dad should say? What does ¡°give a lesson when necessary¡±


    mean? Is he encouraging domestic violence? Is Ste really his child?¡±


    Aurora wanted to say something else, but Dahlia interrupted her. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the ward and talk.¡±


    Then, she remained silent.


    Aurora wanted to help Keegan, but he avoided her hand. He walked up to Ste and stretched out his


    uninjured hand.


    Ste looked up at his fingers. ¡®Except for his arm being in a sling, Keegan¡¯s in good condition. How


    could he be dying as Vermont said?¡¯


    But when Ste thought of his arm taking seven stitches because of her, the feeling of guilt rose again.


    From Keegan¡¯s point of view, he saw Ste¡¯s eyes were red with tears hanging from the corners of her


    eyes, and the tip of her nose was red too. She broke people¡¯s hearts with her cute sniffles, making him


    restless.


    Are you nning to do the rites for the first seven days after death for this person?¡± As soon as Keegan


    spoke, most of the guilt in Ste¡¯s heart disappeared.


    Ste thought viciously, ¡®Keegan was probably beaten because of his loose tongue. It has nothing to do


    with me!¡¯


    Dahlia, Aurora, and Albert surrounded Keegan¡¯s hospital bed. There was no ce for Ste at


    all.


    Vermont said, ¡°Aurora, go get some warm water. Keegan hasn¡¯t taken his medicine yet.¡±


    Aurora frowned. ¡°Isn¡¯t someone standing there?¡±


    ¡°Hey! You¡­¡±


    Vermont wanted to say something else, but Ste took the empty ss and said tly, ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Ste just did not want to stay here with these people.


    As soon as the door was closed, Dahlia asked, ¡°What happenedst night?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Keegan said sinctly. ¡°I ran into a few troublemakers while drinking, and there was a


    conflict.¡±


    ¡°What kind of conflict can hurt others in this way? Who hurt you? Where are they now?¡±


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll handle this by myself. So leave it alone.¡±


    Dahlia was upset. ¡°How can I leave it alone? Look how seriously you were hurt. It happenedst night,


    and I only found out at noon today! If someone can take good care of you, I can rest assured. But you


    stay in the hospital alone for the whole night. Nobody is taking care of you. How can you make me feel


    at ease?¡±


    Ste pursed her lips. Obviously, these words were ming her. As a wife, she knew nothing when


    something happened to her husband. That was ridiculous!


    Later, she heard Keegan say, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell her. She has hematophobia. I feel bad when she cries.


    ¡±


    Ste was speechless, but her mood lifted slightly all of a sudden. Then, she went to the water


    dispenser with the water ss.


    Dahlia said, ¡°You feel bad for this? Don¡¯t you think about your grandma? Will she feel good. when she


    sees you hurt like this? Do I feel good about it?¡±


    Keegan, why are you still on her side at this time? If she really cares about you, she should be here


    earlier!¡± said Aurora,


    Keegan frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t add fuel to the fire!¡±


    Aurora shrank her neck.


    Dahlia frowned, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Aurora¡¯s word? You spoiled her!¡±


    Albert also said, ¡°Keegan, my daughter has been spoiled since she was a child. She might be out of


    order when she does something. Your mom¡¯s right. You have to give her a lesson when necessary


    Don¡¯t always spoil her She¡¯s already married. How can she not bother about anything?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Is this what a dad should say? What does ¡°give a lesson when necessary¡±


    mean? Is he encouraging domestic violence? Is Ste really his child?¡±


    Keegan nced at him and said coldly, ¡°How did you know I was in the hospital?¡±


    Dahlia and Aurora came because they saw the picture in the group. But how did Albert know it and turn


    up with them?


    Albert was dissatisfied with Keegan¡¯s cold tone. However, he did not dare get angry. His eyes flickered,


    and he said, ¡°I want to discuss something with Dahlia. But I knew about it when I arrived, so I came


    with her.¡±


    Keegan was disinterested in what they were discussing. So, he turned to Dahlia and said, ¡±


    Mom, I won¡¯t be going to thepany for a few days. When grandma asks, tell her I went on a trip with


    Ste.¡±


    ¡°Your grandma can¡¯t be bluffed easily.¡±


    ¡°Just say we went on a honeymoon. She¡¯ll believe it.¡±


    Dahlia pursed her lips and stopped talking with a sullen face.


    After a while, the nurse came in and said Keegan needed to change the dressing. So Keegan asked


    them to go back.

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    After exiting the ward, Albert stopped Dahlia. ¡°Dahlia, you look greattely¡±


    Dahlia replied without emotion, ¡°I¡¯m so-so.¡±


    ¡°I asked Ste to give you the white truffle a while back. Have you tried it? How is it?¡±


    Dahlia frowned. ¡°White truffle? I didn¡¯t get it.¡±


    Albert looked surprised. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. I handed it to Ste and asked her to give it to you. How


    can you not get it?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Aurora raised her voice. ¡°Do you mean my mom denied after epting your gift?


    She has all the good things. Is the Kane family short of your piece of junk? Don¡¯t think the Jewell family


    can raise their standing by relying on Ste just because she married Keegan. She¡¯s nobody in the


    Kane family!¡±


    Albert¡¯s expression changed, looking unhappy.


    After Aurora finished, Dahlia said lightly, ¡°Aurora, how can you talk to your elders this way?¡± Aurora


    snorted coldly. She did not take him seriously at all.


    Albert, a middle-aged man in his early fifties, was a little embarrassed to be scolded by a girl like this.


    Dahlia spoke. ¡°My daughter is blunt by nature. So, please don¡¯t take her words seriously.¡± Albert forced


    a smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay. How can I argue with a kid?¡±


    ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t need to waste your energy on me. Keegan has a sense of propriety with the


    company¡¯s affairs. I don¡¯t work in thepany, so I can¡¯t say anything.¡±


    These words made Albert speechless for a moment. He then said with a smile, ¡°Dahlia, you overthink


    it. I didn¡¯t mean that. You take care of Ste after she married into the Kane family. As her father, I gave


    you a gift out of selfishness. I hope you guys have a harmonious rtionship.¡±


    Dahlia nced at him, ¡°It said a married daughter is no longer a member of her


    parent¡¯s household. Naturally, I¡¯ll treat her well as long as she¡¯s willing to belong to the Kane family. I¡¯m


    just worried that she can¡¯t get the point.¡±


    These words were full of underlying messages. Albert¡¯s face seemed to change with every word.


    There was a uniformed policeman getting water at the water dispenser. So, Ste had to stand aside


    and wait. After the policeman finished, he turned around and paused when he saw her He nodded to


    her and left with the water ss.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Ste was a little baffled After getting some water, she saw Felicity had sent her a message [Ten


    numbers were chosen. Hope we can win the jackpot¡¯]


    Two lottery tickets with the selected numbers printed on them were on the bottom.


    Ste sent an emoji that said, ¡°May Fortune Smile On You¡± and put away her phone Then, she went to


    the duty room. She nned to ask about Keegan¡¯s conditi


    The nurse in the duty room was the one in charge of Keegan. She told Ste about Keegan¡¯s condition


    in detail. ¡°Yes, the wound is quite deep, but it¡¯s okay. He can be discharged in the afternoon. Take good


    care of it at home. The stitches can be removed within ten days to half a month. It¡¯ll be fine once the


    scab falls off. Just be careful, and don¡¯t let the wound run into contact with water during this period.¡±


    Ste was still worried. ¡°He bled a lot. Can he really go home immediately?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a lot.¡± While talking, another nurse came in and said, ¡°Zoe, the police took away the patient in


    bed 32 after he woke up. Ask someone to clean up the ward. I¡¯m off work.¡±


    ¡°So fast? The patient in bed 32 was seriously injured. Why did the police take him away? What was his


    offense?¡±


    The nurse took off her scrubs and said, ¡°I heard from the person on dutyst night that he drugged a


    girl in a bar and was beaten. He also had an aplice who had a worsened condition. His nose was


    broken. He had an operationst night and wasn¡¯t awake yet. Before the morning shift, the wives of


    these two people came to the hospital and made trouble. You haven¡¯t reached at that time, but I met


    them. One of the women was pregnant. She was in tears, shouting and pulling the police, saying they


    wronged good people. The surveince was filmed clearly, but they just don¡¯t believe it. What do you


    think these women are expecting?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why so many policemen came to the eighth floor in the early


    morning. So that¡¯s the case? What about the people who beat them? Wouldn¡¯t the police also arrest


    them?¡±


    Ste¡¯s heart stopped. She thought of the police officer she saw just now. ¡®Is he here to arrest


    Keegan?¡±

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    Ste could not even ask more questions. She turned around and ran toward the ward.


    After opening the door of the ward, only Keegan was there. No policemen were seen. Rather, Keegan


    was shocked by the sound of her pushing the door. He frowned and said, ¡°Reckless.¡±


    Ste was relieved. She unscrewed the water bottle and cooled the water for him with the two paper


    cups she found.


    The water she just took was hot. Keegan was hard to serve. He disliked the mixture of cold and hot


    water and only drank water that cooled naturally


    Ste tried to trick Keegan by mixing some cold water into the hot water for him once before. However,


    he only took a sip and refused to take another


    The hospital did not have a device that helped to cool the water down quickly So, Ste had to use this


    method to cool it for him.


    Keegan looked at her movements and asked abruptly, ¡°Where did you go this morning?¡±


    ¡°To buy a lottery ticket.¡±


    Keegan was speechless. Then, he asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the lottery ticket?¡±


    Ste set aside the paper cups and showed Keegan the two photos she had received on her phone. ¡°I


    took a long time to choose it. I think I can win the jackpot.¡±


    Keegan nced at it. The cracks on the phone caught his eyes. ¡°Everybody who buys a lottery ticket


    thinks they¡¯re going to win,¡± he said.


    ¡°We have to have dreams.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s delusional.¡±


    Ste pouted. ¡°People like you who were born into a rich family don¡¯t understand the meaning of the


    lottery naturally.¡±


    Suddenly, Keegan said, ¡°Winning the lottery is known as a windfall gain. If you win the lottery, isn¡¯t it


    marital property? I¡¯ll also get half of it, right? In this sense, it seems to have some meaning.¡±


    Ste was shocked.


    ¡®Keegan, you suck! Even if I win the lottery, I¡¯ll im the prize after divorce!¡¯


    ¡°Take


    your


    medicine.¡±


    Ste handed the cup to Keegan after the water cooled. Keegan took it but not the medicine. He looked


    at her.


    Ste did not understand what he wanted. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Do I still have hands to take medicine?¡± Keegan snapped.


    Ste was speechless. She opened the prepared medicine on the table, put it in her palm, and held it


    to Keegan¡¯s mouth.


    Keegan opened his mouth, and she put the medicine into his mouth. His dry lips brushed


    against her palm, and she could feel his breath on her hand. It was warm and itchy, as if scratching her


    heart.


    Ste withdrew her hand ufortably and stroked her palm lightly a few times. Suddenly she


    thought, ¡®Keegan can get the medicine first, then the water. The medicine and the wate don¡¯t have to


    be taken together. Did Keegan hurt his brain instead of his arm?¡¯


    Keegan seemed to fail to notice her reaction. He took a sip of water and swallowed the medicine.


    Ste was thinking about what the nurse on duty said. After hesitating, she asked, ¡°I met a police


    officer at the water dispenser just now.¡±


    Keegan closed his eyes and rested his mind. He did not even lift his eyelids.


    Ste said again, ¡°Didn¡¯t the policee to you?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyelids were still closed, but he responded to her. ¡°Why should they look for me?


    Ste was lost for words for a moment. ¡°Didn¡¯t you beat someone?¡±


    Keegan opened his eyes. ¡°You think the police are here to arrest me?¡±


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°They will have questions for you, right?¡±


    ¡°They asked in the morning,¡± Keegan paused and added, ¡°when you were buying the lottery


    ticket.¡±


    Ste was stunned into silence.

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    ¡°Besides, I was defending myself, not beating people up. Your drug test results have been submitted to


    the police, too. Thewyer has full authority to deal with it for me,¡± said Keegan.


    Ste still could not figure it out. Those people had knives. How could I dare shout if they threatened


    me with knives when they abducted me?¡±


    ¡°Come here.¡± Keegan¡¯s deep voice interrupted her thoughts.


    Ste raised her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Even as she said so, she walked to Keegan¡¯s bedside.


    Keegan frowned. ¡°Head down. Come closer I won¡¯t bite


    Ster pursed her lips, bent over and leaned in. ¡°What the hell are you going to ?¡± Before she could


    finish, she felt something cold on her lips.


    Keegan lowered his eyes and gently applied the ointment on the wound on her lower lip with his index


    finger. That wound was created when she bit herselfst night to remain conscious. The ointment was


    ice cold, but it seemed to carry Keegan¡¯s warm love and tenderness with the temperature of his


    fingertips.


    Suddenly, Ste wanted to cry with the feeling of being aggrieved when she thought of what had


    happenedst night.


    ¡°Your lip¡¯s swollen. It¡¯s like a sausage. Don¡¯t you feel it yourself?¡± Keegan sessfully made Ste¡¯s


    bad mood disappear as soon as he spoke


    Ste pped his hand away and red at him. ¡°Don¡¯t look at it if you think it¡¯s ugly!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen you uglier than this, and I¡¯m used to it.¡±


    Ste pursed her lips, ¡®What Keegan should hurt most is his mouth!¡±


    ¡°Knock, knock.¡± Albert opened the door to the ward and carried a basket of fruit in his hand. after


    knocking on the door twice.


    Ste stood up. ¡°Dad, I thought you left.¡±


    Albert said gently, ¡°I was about to leave, but I saw that the fruits downstairs were quite fresh. I didn¡¯t


    know what Keegan liked to eat, so I bought some. You can cut them for Keeganter.¡±


    Ste responded and reached out to take it.


    ¡®It¡¯s ironic to say. I was sick as a child and wanted to eat the arctic roll. There was a shop that sold it


    opposite Albert¡¯spany. Even so, until I recovered from the illness, he didn¡¯t buy one for me.


    Keegan enjoyed the care I didn¡¯t even get from my dad.¡¯


    ¡°Keegan, how do you feel now?¡±


    Keegan said tly, ¡°Nothing. I¡¯ll be discharged from the hospitalter.¡±


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°Go home and get some good rest. Ask Ste to make something for you if you want to eat anything¡±


    Ste could not help but want to roll her eyes. ¡®If you want to kiss Keegan¡¯s ass, do it yourself! Why do


    you have to involve me?¡¯


    Keegan nced at her and said, ¡°I got it.¡±


    Albert said nothing again before he left. Then, he said, ¡°Ste,e outside. Let¡¯s talk for a while.¡±


    Ste was surprised.


    Albert strode toward the rooftop aftering out of the ward. Ste followed behind and asked, ¡°Dad,


    what do you want to talk about with me?¡±


    Albert stopped after he reached the rooftop. He turned his head and stared at her sullenly. ¡°I asked you


    to give the white truffle to Dahliast time. Did you give it to her?¡±


    Ste nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    As soon as she finished, Albert suddenly raised his hand and pped her across the face. The p


    was fast and hateful. Ste¡¯s ears buzzed, and her face burned in pain.


    ¡°Dahlia didn¡¯t receive anything at all. Who did you give it to?¡± Albert was furious when thinking of


    Aurora¡¯s humiliating words. ¡°You feel you can live and work independently now. You also feel you can


    make up your mind about everything. You are so confident in telling lies. Don¡¯t forget who help you to


    marry into the Kane family!¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes were a bit blurry. She reached out and brushed the messy hair behind her ears. Then, she


    raised her eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t lie.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still arguing!¡± Albert raised his hand as he spoke.


    However, Ste was on guard this time. She grabbed his wrist directly, ¡°Keegan is in the ward. If you


    touch me again, you¡¯ll know the consequences!¡±


    Albert had no choice but to stop as soon as these words were spoken. He gritted his teeth and said,


    ¡°You¡¯ve grown capable of threatening your dad?¡±

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    Ste pushed his hand away and said, ¡°You still remember that you¡¯re my dad? If you could believe in


    the words of strangers, why couldn¡¯t you believe in the words of your own daughter? If I had said I had


    sent the item, I would have already sent it. If you suffered humiliation from Dahlia, what makes you


    think you can throw them back at me?¡±


    Albert did not believe her statement at all. ¡°If she did receive the item, why would she have told me she


    didn¡¯t get it? Previously, we told you to mention the project at Cavalry City to Keegan, and you keep


    putting it off. Did you think that by having Keegan as your patron, the Jewell family would be pointless


    to you? Did you assume the wind would sweep away the yearly payment of millions of dors for your


    mother¡¯s hospital bills? In the end, who were these things I told you to do for? If the Jewell family can¡¯t


    stand on its own two feet, do you think the Kane family would still respect you?!¡±


    Albert spoke with so much grandiose as if the things he did were done for the sake of Ste and her


    mother.


    ¡®Does he think that the money and status he acquired through this means would make the Kane family


    think highly of him? The Kane family would only despise him more!¡¯ Ste thought.


    ¡°I have already said this. I have already sent the item. If you don¡¯t believe me, then it would be


    unnecessary for you to entrust me with any task in the future. In terms of ass kissing, I am definitely not


    as skilled as you are,¡± Ste retorted.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Albert¡¯s anger red up again. At the same time, a few people walked out into the balcony. He


    abruptly suppressed the words he was about to spit back.


    Ste, on the other hand, just left.


    In the sick ward, Vermont mentioned the recent incident of Ste crying due to having someone else


    mistaken for Keegan¡¯s funeral. He was rolling on the floorughing.


    Keegan furrowed his brows and said, ¡°That¡¯s quite enough.¡±


    Vermont withheld hisughter and teased Keegan, ¡°You are now considered to have fully experienced


    having someone crying at your funeral. How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°Not bad.¡± Keegan nced at him. ¡°When you die, there might not be anyone who would genuinely cry


    for


    you at your funeral.¡±


    for you


    Vermont was speechless and was suddenly unable tough anymore. Forget funerals. Thest time he


    had an IV drip for a fever, he posted a picture to his social media. As a result, he had a group of his ex-


    girlfriendsment on it, saying: ¡®He had iting!¡¯


    ¡°Is there any news from the police?¡± Keegan asked, going back to more serious matters.


    ¡°Initially, the guy they caught still argued and denied it. Once the surveince tapes were shown, he


    admitted to everything. Including the incidentst night, it was the third one this year. Those two


    bastards!¡±


    The two of them were repeat offenders. ording to their confession, the first time that both of them


    had done this wasst year. Two of them met a drunk girl at a bar. Seeing that the girl was alone, they


    brought her to the hotel to be raped. After they had their way, they dumped


    her in a secluded area with no surveince. They went through a month on pins and needles and found


    nothing had happened, so they grew bolder. They frequently roamed through various bars to pick up


    drunk girls.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    However, singledies who were drunk at night were few, and they were afraid that they would be


    recognized when the girls sobered up from their drunkenness. Hence, they bought illegal drugs to lure


    the girl into their trap. These two scumbags were sure that thedies would not report to the police due


    to their humiliation or the threat of public opinion. Thus, their modus operandi grew more outrageous.


    The consequences would have been grievous if they had beente by just a few minutesst night.


    Vermont could still remember Ste¡¯s expression when Keegan carried her out. It was the first time he


    saw Keegan¡¯s poker face shatter. Thinking of this, he gave a yful smirk. ¡°If Ste was really in


    troublest night, would you have divorced her?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s movements froze. Then he gave Vermont a cold sidelong nce. ¡°I would¡¯ve killed you.¡±


    Vermont had no words to say and could only reply, ¡°How could you me me? I¡¯ve seen the both of


    you give each other the silent treatment for so long. I helped you both nurture your rtionship from the


    kindness of my heart. Who knew those two maggots would appear?¡±

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    His voice was getting smaller as he continued, and in the end, he shut up.


    ¡®Alright, who knew I woulde up with such a crappy idea?¡¯ Vermont thought. As he was thinking,


    Ste returned.


    Vermont knew how to read the room and immediately said, ¡°Mrs. Kane, I have some business at my


    company and will be leaving first. You take good care of Keegan. If anything happens, you can call me


    anytime.¡±


    Keegan gave him a sidelong nce and then said, ¡°How unfitting of you to leave empty. You can take


    the fruit basket with you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the patient. Why should I eat the fruits


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Vermont cut himself off. He suddenly


    realized that Keegan was not letting him bring the fruits with him. This fellow was just using another


    way to subtly hint that Vermont hade empty-handed.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be taking the fruit basket. Mrs. Kane, you should keep this card. There are 500 thousand


    dors in it. It¡¯s the payment that I promised you. The extra will be counted aspensation for


    Keegan¡¯s lostbor and reparations for your mental health since both of you had to encounter such a


    terrible incident because of me.¡±


    Ste looked at it but did not ept it. ¡°My husband¡¯s daily ie is quite high. It would take at least a


    week¡¯s rest after his elbow had suffered such a hit, right, hubby?¡± She was implying that more money is


    needed.


    Keegan was pleased by her calling him hubby and lifted his gaze slowly to look at Vermont. ¡°It depends


    on the recovery of the injury. At a minimum, a week while at most, half a month.¡±


    Ste then gave an ¡®I told you so¡¯ look at Vermont. Vermont¡¯s lips twitched. These two were definitely


    made for each other. Under these circumstances, they can still join together to scam him out of his


    money. To think that he wanted to help Keegan before this. Where did he need his help? Both husband


    and wife have already reconciled, and the first person they want to deal with is him.


    Actually, Ste did not want to screw him over on purpose. She was slightly resentful of Vermont. He


    was at the scenest night; how could he watch Keegan be shed by someone like that? Hence, she


    made him lose a bit of money, or else she would not be able to swallow her anger.


    Based on Keegan¡¯s stance, if he did not lose this bit of money, he would probably make him pay it back


    in double. Vermont had always been sensible, so he quickly admitted defeat. He immediately signed a


    two-million-dor check and gave it to Ste. ¡°It was thoughtless of me, Mrs. Kane. You can keep the


    check and cash it in at any bank in Rivera. This should be enough for your husband¡¯s lost wages,


    right?¡±


    Ste took the check and grabbed the card he had given previously. ¡°Although it¡¯s stillcking, we¡¯re


    friends. This should be enough. Being too calctive would hurt our rtionship.¡±


    Vermont was at a loss for words. ¡®Just die in chains, you stingy wife and husband!¡¯ He cursed in his


    head.


    After Vermont left, Keegan said, ¡°Two million and five hundred thousand doesn¡¯t sound good.


    ||


    Ste initially thought Keegan wasining that she was too greedy for taking the check and the


    card. The next second, she heard him say, ¡°You should have gotten five million in total.¡±


    Ste was speechless. She definitely had thought of Keegan too kindly, but he was actually even more


    ruthless than she was. Keegan said casually, ¡°He got the bracelet for less than 20 million.¡±


    Ste, at that moment, felt that Vermont was the most wicked person they knew!


    ¡°Never mind, since it is a windfall¡± Ste then gave the check to Keegan. ¡°I¡¯ll have the bank card, and


    I¡¯ll give you the check.¡±


    Keegan did not ept it and looked at the left side of her face. He furrowed his brows. ¡°What¡¯s wrong


    with your face?¡±


    When Ste entered, the right side of her face was always facing him, so he did not notice it. When she


    passed the check, she turned her whole body around, and the handprint on her left cheek became


    more evident. Ste pulled some of the hair on her left side to block the handprint and said softly,


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong.¡±

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    ¡°You should grab the check quickly before I regret it,¡± Ste said.


    Keegan stared at her for a moment and said, ¡°Answer me this one question, and the check is yours.¡±


    Ste lifted her gaze. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What did Albert discuss with you?¡±


    Ste¡¯s movements froze, and she pursed her lips. ¡°Your mother didn¡¯t receive the white truffles. You


    could have just refused to help me if you were busy.¡± He did not need to lie to her and say he had sent


    them.


    Keegan was stunned, and his expression became ugly. ¡°You assumed I didn¡¯t send them on purpose?¡±


    ¡°Whether it was on purpose or you forgot, it¡¯s best you don¡¯t promise someone things so easily,¡± Ste


    replied.


    Keegan¡¯s eyebrows were scrunched, and he wanted to say something before Aldor knocked on the


    door to enter.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, Mrs. Kane, the paperwork has been processed.¡± Noticing that neither of them was


    answering, Aldor asked quietly, ¡°Are you still going to discharge?¡±


    Throughout the journey, both of them were silent. Aldor, on the other hand, was unustomed to this.


    Recently, both of them had been bickering quite frequently. Having them be so quiet actually made it


    feel creepier. He secretly nced at the rearview mirror.


    Keegan had his brows furrowed. Who knows what he is thinking about. Ste turned her head to stare


    out the window. Her expression was cold.


    ¡®What happened to both of them this time?¡¯ Aldor thought.


    ¡°Aldor.¡± Keegan suddenly opened his mouth. ¡°The white truffles I told you to send to my motherst


    time, have you sent them already?¡±


    Ste¡¯s ears twitched when she heard it. Aldor nodded his head. ¡°I have sent them.¡±


    ¡°My mother has received them?¡± Keegan continued to ask.


    ¡°She was not present then, and the housemaid at home received them.¡±


    ¡°Did you tell her that we sent them?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve exined to them clearly as per your orders.¡±


    Keegan scrunched his eyebrows. ¡°Then why did she not receive them?¡¯ he thought.


    Keegan took his phone and called the telephone at Dahlia¡¯s residence. Not long after, the call was


    connected. Keegan said, ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±


    The housemaid immediately recognized Keegan¡¯s voice. ¡°Mr. Kane, why did you call home? Madam


    and Ms. Kane aren¡¯t here at the moment.¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m looking for you to ask about something.¡±


    ¡°You may ask away.¡±


    ¡°I had Aldor send some white truffles overst time. He said that he passed them to you. Why did my


    mother say she didn¡¯t?¡±


    The housemaid¡¯s voice grew anxious, and she stuttered, ¡°Maybe ¨C maybe it¡¯s because I forgot about


    it.¡±


    ¡°Forgot about it?¡± Keegan¡¯s deep voice bellowed, ¡°Then you should find it right now. I¡¯m on my way to


    come over and retrieve it.¡±


    ¡°The item was already stomped to pieces by Aurora. How could I possibly find it now?¡¯ the housemaid


    thought.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, 1-1-I don¡¯t know where I put it¡­¡±


    ¡°Never mind. We still have a moment before we arrive. You better search carefully. The house can only


    be so big. How could it bepletely lost?¡±


    The housemaid was on pins and needles. She did not dare say that it was tossed away by Aurora, so


    she could only lie, ¡°I-I just remembered. I was cleaning the store room a few days ago, and the things


    were already molding, so I threw them away.¡±


    ¡°Threw it away?¡± Keegan¡¯s voice turned chilly. ¡°Those two boxes of white truffles cost up to ten


    thousand dors. Did you actually throw them or steal them for yourself?¡±


    Stealing was a severe usation, so the housemaid panicked and desperately denied it. ¡°I wasn¡¯t me.


    I didn¡¯t steal anything! Mr. Kane, I have worked for the Kane family for nearly twenty years. You know


    my personality. How could I possibly steal something that belongs to the master myself?¡±


    ¡°Well, where is this thing?¡±


    Ste then looked at Keegan.

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    At any rate, the housemaid had worked for the Kane family for many years. Hence, the words Keegan


    spoke were quite insensitive. Ste originally wanted to tell him to forget about it since she had taken


    the p already. There was no meaning in pursuing this further.


    Before she could speak, she heard the housemaid stutter out, ¡°It was¡­ It was the missus¡­ The


    missus threw away the item and did not let me¡­¡±


    ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± Before the housemaid could finish, Dahlia¡¯s voice came from the phone.


    Then, Dahlia took the phone.


    ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Kane. He¡¯s asking about the white truffles incident¡­¡±


    There was no sound on the other side. After a few seconds, Dahlia took over the phone. ¡°It¡¯s just two


    boxes of white truffles. Do you need to call back home to interrogate people?¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips. ¡°I just want to figure out this thing.¡±


    Dahlia was infuriated. ¡°What will you do after you figure it out? Call the cops to arrest us? She doesn¡¯t


    have any other talent, but her talent for snitching is the best! Forget about not seeing the item. Even if I


    did, I would not ept it! If you have time, control your wife properly. She¡¯s married to the Kane family.


    Stop siding with outsiders all the time!¡±


    After she finished, she hung up the phone. Keegan held onto the phone and did not make a sound for a


    long while.


    Ste let a sigh. ¡®As long as it wasn¡¯t him.¡±


    She said softly, ¡°Never mind, I originally didn¡¯t want to send them. It¡¯s given me peace of mind now.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s throat rumbled. After a while, he asked quietly, ¡°Did it hurt?¡±


    Ste was shocked for a moment until she saw him staring at her left cheek. Then, she understood


    what he was asking. In that instant, all the grievances welled up in her heart. Her eyes immediately


    turned red. She feared she would look shameful crying, so she averted her gaze. She suppressed the


    pain down her throat and tried to speak nonchntly. ¡°He¡¯s my dad. How hard could he hit?¡±


    In actual fact, it hurt badly. Albert had put almost all his strength into that p. Ste¡¯s face was slightly


    swollen, but she did not want to talk to Keegan about it. She feared the response would be


    disappointing and that a simple sentence from him would crumble her defenses.


    After sending them back to the vi, Aldor left. The housemaid from their home came out and wanted


    to help Keegan. However, Keegan avoided her hands and said, ¡°Go and prepare a tub of water. I want


    to have a shower.¡±


    Ste said, ¡°The doctor said that your injury should note in contact with moisture.¡±


    Keegan paused. ¡°You can help me showerter.¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a good idea,¡± Ste replied.


    Keegan nced at her. ¡°It¡¯s not like we haven¡¯t showered together before. What¡¯s so bad about


    it?¡±


    Ste remembered the outrageous acts in the bathroom, and her ears could not help but turn red. ¡°It¡¯s


    different nowpared to before this!¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s different. That 20 million should make a sound when we throw it into the water. I¡¯m injured


    because of you, so you should take some responsibility, right?¡±


    This time, Ste had nothing to say. This was due to Keegan¡¯s words precisely pinpointing the guilt she


    had in her heart.


    ¡®It¡¯s just a shower,¡¯ Steforted herself. ¡®It¡¯s not like we¡¯ll be doing something else. Keegan and I


    have seen each other naked so many times. What¡¯s there to be nervous about?¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m already fed up with his physique. Giving him a shower would be no different from giving a cat and


    dog a shower,¡¯ Ste thought.


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    Twenty minutester, Ste was facing Keegan¡¯s thick and muscr back, and she was so nervous her


    fingers shook.


    ¡®Fed up, my ass! How is this the same as kittens and puppies? Who would be stunned when kittens


    and puppies are showering?¡¯ Ste screamed inside her head.


    Both of Keegan¡¯s hands were on both sides of the bathtub. Water droplets glided down his face to his


    Adam¡¯s apple, then came winding down to the water¡¯s surface.


    Nonchntly, he turned around to look at her. His gaze was deep and innocent. ¡°You¡¯re not taking your


    clothes off?¡±


    Ste was cautious. ¡°What do you want to do?¡±


    Keegan looked at her as if looking at an idiot. ¡°When your clothes get wet, it¡¯ll be harder to get them off.


    You should change into something thinner.¡±


    ¡°No need. Wearing this is much safer,¡± Ste replied.


    Keegan was at a loss for words.

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    Unable to persuade further, Keegan refrained from speaking more.


    Keegan could smell alcohol as Ste approached. Surprised, he asked, ¡°Did you drink?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Ste, her face flushing red with alcohol. After denying it, she realized that the smell of beer


    couldn¡¯t be hidden, and lying would only worsen it. She corrected herself, ¡°Not a lot. Just a little.¡±


    It was indeed just as little as half a bottle of red wine. With Ste¡¯s alcohol tolerance, half a bottle is not


    enough to make her drunk.


    Keegan stared at her for a few seconds, threw a towel at her, and said indifferently, ¡°Wash yourself.¡±


    This was the first in Ste¡¯s life that she had to bathe someone.


    Though they did mess around in the shower before, it was when she was trying to flirt with him by using


    the excuse of rubbing his back.


    Not even able to finish rubbing his back, she ended up giving up. In the end, he had to wash her up


    and carry her back home.


    In the past, Keegan rarely refused her advances. No matter how much he did not fancy her, they would


    still be intimate in bed once she started flirting.


    Sincest year though, he seemed to avoid being intimate with her.


    Since the argument about having kids, Keegan seemed to be less and less interested in her.


    ¡®Maybe he¡¯s tired of me, and not wanting any children is just an excuse. Or perhaps he purely just


    wanted to protect Be?¡¯


    ¡®What an asshole! Why don¡¯t you consider protecting the one you love before you be intimate with


    her?¡¯


    Still deep in her thoughts, someone suddenly caught her wrist.


    Her eyes locked onto Keegan¡¯s dark eyes as she returned to reality. He said in a hoarse voice, ¡± What


    are you doing?¡±


    Ste then realized that while her head was in the clouds, her hands had unconsciously rubbed


    downwards.


    Feeling awkward, she hurriedly retracted her hands, but with a sudden strong pull from Keegan,


    Ste¡¯s whole body fell into the tub.


    Water sshed out of the bathtub as Ste fell against Keegan. She struggled to get up, almost


    choking on the bath water.


    Keegan single-handedly wrapped an arm around her waist, embracing her. The heat emanating from


    her back caused Ste¡¯s mind to draw a nk.


    She heard Keegan¡¯s deep and throaty voice ringing next to her ear. ¡°I told you to change your clothes


    earlier. Look what happened.¡±


    The scene and speech were sufficient to make this an intimate moment.


    On the contrary, Ste seemed to have actually drunk too much as sheined in her drunken


    state. ¡°It¡¯s all because of you. How would it turn out this way otherwise?¡±


    Keegan was astounded for a moment before heughed out loud.


    The rumbling chest from hisughter could not hide his joy.


    Ste was stupefied. She turned her head and looked at him.


    This was the first time she saw Keegan smile like this.


    He had such good looks but disliked smiling, usually keeping a poker face. Even if heughed, it was of


    mockery and sneers.


    The gentle yet intimate eyes right now were ones she had never seen before.


    Ste opened her mouth, wanting to speak, but was stopped by a sudden kiss on her lips by Keegan.


    She unconsciously opened her eyes in a daze, having forgotten to resist.


    The alcohol may have made her braver, but her reaction, in contrast, was slower than usual.


    Keegan was unusually gentler.


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    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡±


    Though still intimate, Ste thought in her daze, ¡®What does he mean by that?¡¯


    Anything after that instance was out of her control.


    All in all, this was a messed-up night.


    In the early morning of the next day, Ste was woken up by the phone ringing.


    With her eyes still closed, she rummaged through the side of her bed for a long while before she


    remembered that the phone was at Keegan¡¯s side. She then shifted and murmured to him, ¡°Pick up the


    phone.¡±


    Keegan frowned, picked up the phone, and saw the phone showed¡­ Fifty million?


    Who could this possibly be?¡¯


    Keegan nced at the woman, still refusing to open her eyes, and picked up the call.


    ¡°Hello?¡±

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    A familiar voice came from the other end of the line when the call patched through.


    To his surprise, it was Marshall


    Keegan clenched his jaw and pursed his lips, not saying anything


    Having received no reply from that end, Marshall hesitated for a while before he called out, Keegan?¡±


    Keegan then gave a short ¡°Yes¡± as a reply.


    Marshall said, ¡°Why can¡¯t your phone be reached?¡±


    ¡°No battery left ¡°Keegan paused. ¡°Are you looking for Ste?¡±


    ¡±


    Marshall smiled. ¡°I¡¯m looking for you. I could not reach your phone, so I tried calling Ste instead ¡±


    ¡®Ste


    Keegan pondered over the name as he pressed his lips.


    ¡°Is there anything you need?¡±


    Marshall¡¯s cleared his voice. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy these few days. When Aurora brought up the topic of your


    injury when I chatted with her this morning, I went to Vermont for further details. How are you feeling?


    Are you better now?¡±


    Keegan pinched his eyebrows and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Vermont said the person had been caught. Do you need my help?¡±


    Marshall¡¯s connections would definitely be able to let those two face prosecution.


    ¡°I¡¯ll contact you again if there¡¯s a need to.¡±


    As soon as Keegan finished speaking, Ste drowsily opened her eyes. ¡°Who is it? Why are you on the


    line for so long?¡±


    Her voice had a coarse undertone from just waking up, startling Marshall.


    Keegan looked at her and said indifferently, ¡°Marshall.¡± After a pause, he asked, ¡°Do you want to speak


    with him?¡±


    Ste perked up instantly.


    ¡®Marshall didn¡¯t disclose the matter regarding thewsuit, did he?¡¯


    She hastily snatched the phone, sat upright with her back facing Keegan, and nervously probed, ¡°Mr.


    Moore, is there a reason for your current call?¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips, unhappy.


    Returning to reality, Marshall replied, ¡°I couldn¡¯t reach Keegan¡¯s phone. Vermont mentioned that both of


    you met with troublest night. Are you hurt?¡±


    Ste sighed in relief. ¡°That gave me a fright. I thought Mr. Moore was calling about thewsuit.¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Keegan was hurt, but it¡¯s not life-threatening.¡±


    Keegan¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s ok if you¡¯re fine. Do you want toe along to the jewelry exhibition the day after tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°What jewelry exhibition?¡±


    Marshall warmly said, ¡°It¡¯s my aunt¡¯s. She¡¯s organizing a jewelry exhibition the day after. She¡¯s a


    jewelry appraiser and Vice President of the Rivera Jewelry Association, with many connections in the


    jewelry industry. She has recently been trying to prepare a semi-private jewelry exhibition with some


    private collections from her and some of her friends. There will also be jewelry collections from some of


    the brandedpanies present. Do you want to have a look?¡±


    Having liked glittering jewelry, Ste would be thrilled to pick out a few sets if it were the past her.


    These expensive jewelry pieces are no longer within her budget since she¡¯s about to divorce Keegan.


    Window shopping for jewelry will only make her heart restless.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    She then said, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be going. I have to stay home to take care of my husband¡¯s broken arm.¡¯


    The corner of Keegan¡¯s eyes twitched.


    Who was it that said his wounds were not severe?


    Marshall did not force the matter. ¡°Alright, then. Take good care of Keegan. I¡¯lle over once I¡¯m


    finished.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, she saw Keegan looking at her quizzically.


    Ste, in hindsight, moved sluggishly toward him as she recalled yesterday.


    ¡®I really shouldn¡¯t have drunkst night. I became indecisive once Keegan started teasing me. To think I


    came onto him when Keegan let me, using his injured arm as an excuse!¡¯


    It was better to forget about the past.


    Right now, all she wanted to do was discard all the embarrassing moments fromst night.


    ¡°Why is Marshall called Fifty Million?¡±

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    Ste was still thinking about how to peacefully gloss over what transpiredst night with Keegan.


    ¡®Yesterday was an ident. It can¡¯t be helped since even adults can sometimes be rash. ¡®He didn¡¯t


    even ask in the end. It even feels like he can¡¯t be bothered by it.¡¯


    Her mood immediately turned a little sour.


    ¡®I¡¯d better not throw a tantrum. Blowing up here would make it seem like I¡¯m self-conscious aboutst


    night.


    ¡®Seeing it from another angle, let¡¯s treat it as getting a free night service since Keegan seemed willing


    to serve me.¡¯


    Following this train of thought, her heart felt a little at ease.


    ¡°I wrote it half-heartedly,¡± said Ste, naturally not telling Keegan. Fifty million was thewyer fees she


    wished Marshall charged her over the divorce case.


    Obviously, she would not bring Marshall on board to fight her case since he was Keegan¡¯s friend, not


    expecting him to side with her even if he was onboarded.


    That half-hearted contact name was not a lie at all.


    Keegan did not believe a word of it but delved no further into the topic. Instead, he asked Ste,


    ¡°What¡¯s my profile name on your phone¡¯s contact list?¡±


    As he finished speaking, Keegan acutely sensed the change in Ste¡¯s demeanor as she quickly


    replied, ¡°Your name, of course. What else would I use?¡±


    Keegan stared at her for a few seconds and made Ste feel nervous from his stare, as if he would


    snatch her phone the next second just to have a look.


    Despite that, Keegan did not take action as expected. After a while, he took his eyes off her, lifted the


    nket, and got out of bed.


    He stepped onto the woolen carpet bare-footed, bent down to pick up the pajamas, and slung it over


    his shoulders.


    Ste stared at his body without batting an eyelid.


    Keegan had very little body fat. His muscles were well-toned. Men with abs were nothingpared to


    those with well-toned back muscles. Any fitness enthusiast will know how hard it is to train the back


    muscles.


    ¡®Keegan has such a busy work schedule, yet he spares time to train. His sense of discipline is beyond


    human understanding.¡¯


    ¡°Have you always looked at guys so meaningfully?¡±


    Keegan put on his pants as he nced back at her.


    Ste blushed slightly, but it was not noticeable in the room with closed curtains and dim lighting.


    ¡°I worry that I¡¯ll have little chance to see it again in the future since I might not be able to openly see


    this after the divorce.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s fingers, which were working on his shirt buttons, halted. ¡°Then should I unbutton and let you


    look for a while longer?¡±


    Ste choked. ¡°You don¡¯t have to deliberately do it.¡±


    Keegan did not pay her any more attention. He put on his clothes and went downstairs.


    Soon after, Ste got out of bed as well.


    ¡®Keegan is a natural-born nemesis for a romantic like me. I thought something would be different after


    last night, but nothing has changed. It was only a night, and that was not the first, nor was there any


    special meaning behind it. Just adults being impulsive.¡¯


    She opened and rummaged through the bedside drawer and finally found the box of contraceptive pills.


    She tore it open and saw only one pill was left. Taking the pill, she swallowed it with water and threw


    the box into the rubbish bin.


    Officially, he was still treating his arms, but Keegan did not rest at all. If he was not in the virtual


    meetings, he would be reviewing reports.


    Ste was busy memorizing the script.


    It took her one whole day to finally read the entire script.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡®Daniel¡¯s story is outstanding. The script has no nonsense, with dynamic plots and unending


    excitement. The dialogue¡¯s word use is also elegant. He probably well-researched many sources of


    material.¡¯


    Having finished the script, Ste¡¯s interest was piqued.


    That evening, Felicity called her.


    ¡°Ste, have you watched the news?¡±

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    ¡°What news?¡± Ste pressed the corner of her eyes from the strain of reading the script on her phone.


    ¡°All of Zeckary¡¯s work had been taken off the shelves. I assumed she was suspended.¡±


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°It was the original actress that was supposed to roley this role. She¡¯s a pretty famous female artist


    with many awards under her belt.¡±


    Since Ste signed the contract, Felicity joined the backstage crew¡¯s WhatsApp group. That was how


    she came across news like Zeckary being signed up for the role before Ste did.


    ¡°Why was she suspended?¡±


    ¡°Rumor has it that her stand was questionable regarding a sensitive topic she published. She had


    eluded to being exposed a few times in the past since those were groundless usations with no


    evidence. She was ruined this time because someone dug out her published remark from ten years


    ago. I¡¯m guessing Daniel knew this right from the start. That¡¯s why she was dropped.¡±


    ¡®No wonder¡­


    ¡®Such an important role should not be empty, yet they were finding immediate substitutes at thest


    minute. I was very unlucky to be picked for this role.¡¯


    ¡°This role of yours is popr, and many had their eyes on it. Daniel had received a lot of


    rmendations when the news of Zeckary¡¯s suspension came out, not knowing that you had already


    been confirmed by Daniel. That¡¯s why we should stay low-key from now until the end of the shoot to


    avoid any idents.¡±


    The previous actor taking the role of the Queen still got ckmailed. Felicity¡¯s worry was not unfounded


    as things happen in this circle. Daniel, having known of this concern, recruited the lead role secretively.


    Even when he had done that, the original actor taking on the Queen¡¯s role was still ckmailed.


    Having her remark from ten years ago dug up was quite sneaky.


    Daniel chose Ste because he had taken a liking to her. On the other hand, it was to infuriate the


    perpetrator working behind the scenes.


    He was indirectly trying to tell that person, ¡°Even if someone was dropped, that role would not be for


    them.¡±


    That was why Ste, to a certain degree, was unlucky to have been picked for this role.


    She may be new andck any solid background, but that was why it won¡¯t cause a huge fuss if she was


    messed with.


    Behind the chance, Daniel gave her lies to trap her. It would be up to her own strength to avoid the


    trap.


    ¡°Who do you think did this?¡±


    Felicity sneered. ¡°Most likely the one who wants this role the most.


    Ste pursed her lips.


    Kelly was aggressively promoting Be during the auditions. Kelly would not have done that were it not


    for their past working rtionship.


    ¡®If it really is Be, then did Keegan have a hand in suspending Zeckary as well?¡¯


    In the study, as everyone gradually logged off from the virtual meeting, Vermont looked at Keegan¡¯s


    screen. He hesitated a moment before asking, ¡°Do you really n to let Albert invest in Semiconductor


    Technology?¡±


    Vermont felt perplexed.


    As the year¡¯s most promising technologypany that deals with semiconductors, Semiconductor


    Technologies was highly anticipated by investors.


    Once the Northon Trading Center approved the supporting documents and listed thepany on its


    board, it can start profiting.


    He could not understand why Keegan would let Albert have a share after he painstakingly grew the


    company.


    To put Albert in a more positive light, he was smooth. To put it bluntly, he was pragmatic, spective,


    short-sighted, and avaricious.


    Since the marriage, he had been actively using the Kane family¡¯s name to bring in business deals.


    Investing in Semiconductor Technologies, on the front, was to support research and


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    development. To put it bluntly, he found potential in thispany when it became listed and wanted to


    benefit from others¡¯ efforts.


    If he really wanted to support research and development, he should already be aware of it when


    Keegan was busy looking for potential shareholders to buy out Semiconductor Technologies. Why did


    he not invest then?


    Who was he trying to lie to by hypocritically saying that he wanted to support the research and


    development when thepany was going through most grueling period and turning a profit?


    To a significant degree, Vermont¡¯s bias toward Ste came from Albert¡¯s greed.

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    But Ste obviously was cuter than Albert. Thinking about the fact that Ste helped earn


    more than 30 million dors, Vermont immediately felt that she was still quite pleasing to the


    eye


    He was even gifted a box of oysters.


    ¡°Albert not only wants to invest in the Northon project, but also in Semiconductor Technology Where¡¯s


    he going to get so much money?¡±


    The Jewell family¡¯s trump card could not be more apparent to them than it currently was.


    The Jewell family can only be considered a third-rate enterprise in Rivera before Ste married


    Keegan. The fact that they were even a third-rate enterprise was thanks to the wife¡¯s guidance


    When his wife was met with an ident, he hastily took control of thepany and chased away a lot


    of key staff. It was a pity that his ambition did not match his capabilities, causing thepany to meet


    its current plight within two years.


    As the turnover rate increased and more orders were dyed, he began to plot against his soon


    to-be graduating daughter.


    The Jewell family may not be very wealthy, but they had at least stepped foot into the investment circle.


    Someone like Albert, who would only look for profit shamelessly, naturally became a regr at their


    business banquet.


    To resolve this predicament right before his eyes, he started bringing his daughter to frequent these


    events.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Albert and his wife may be average in the looks department, but their daughter was truly


    gorgeous.


    Beauty and even celebrities were a dime a dozen in the circle. Celebrities may be well-liked by


    everyone, but marrying them was another different matter.


    When the wealthy married, they emphasized their social status and how mutually beneficial the


    marriage was to both families. The bride should, of course, be a virgin.


    Ste had perfectly fulfilled these few criteria.


    She was beautiful, young, a virgin, and Albert¡¯s only child and daughter. No matter the cost of helping


    out with the Jewell family¡¯s immediate predicament, his asset would eventually have to be given to the


    next of kin once Albert was gone.


    The suitors knocking on the Jewell family¡¯s door came in flocks.


    For the sake of acquiring more funds, Albert would not refuse even if the other party was older


    than him.


    If he had so many funds, did he even need to sell his daughter back then?


    Keegan sipped on his tea and tly said, ¡°If he received the Northon project by selling part of the


    company shares, he would easily be able to earn at least a hundred million dors.¡±


    The Northon project¡¯s share was not small. Though Albert may not have a lot of money, his


    familial connections with the Kane family already garnered him a fewworks and resources from the


    circle these past few years.


    All he needed to do was to rope in a few partners and set up a newpany to bid for the Northon


    project. He will let Henry be the intermediary when the timees, and the project could be theirs.


    Once all was done, Albert could liquidate his shares by selling his shares to the other partners. He


    won¡¯t even have to bear any risk from the project.


    ¡°He would still have to get a hold of it,¡± said Vermont, clicking his tongue. ¡°Henry had already lost a lot


    from buying the bracelet. If Albert does not fork out the thirty million, will Henry even help him pull


    strings? Having to pay thirty million out before even turning a profit, on top of the money he needs to


    pull strings, I doubt he would earn a lot from this even if he were to finally receive the profit.¡±


    Having said this much, Vermont paused. ¡°Did your wife use your money to supplement her family?¡±


    Keegan cast a frosty nce at him. ¡°Then why would she even bother letting you earn that thirty


    million?¡±


    Vermont kept his mouth shut.


    ¡®I¡¯m just making a wild guess. Why the aggression?¡¯


    This matter was preceded by prior incidents.


    As her favorite grandson, that year, when Keegan and Ste were to be wed, Cordelia gifted a


    generous gift to the couple.


    Apart from theplete collection of high-end jewelry and a limited-edition sports car, there was also a


    PINless bank card worth thirteen million and a hundred forty thousand dors.


    The jewelry and sports car were more valuable, as the card Cordelia gifted the couple should be used


    as pocket money.


    It was just that the card was bound to Keegan¡¯s phone.


    Not long after the wedding, Keegan received a ten million transfer notification when they were


    coincidentally together at that time. The beneficiary on the notification was Albert.

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    Vermont started to have a terrible impression of her ever since that.


    The Kane family could definitely afford that, but it was very spiteful of her to do that without telling her


    husband about it.


    However, Keegan told him to keep his mouth shut. Otherwise, Cordelia would never have a good


    impression of Ste just because of that.


    However, Ste had surprised Vermont too much in the recent month. He could not help but wonder if


    he was just prejudiced against her.


    ¡®Why would Ste set Albert up if she¡¯s really on his side?


    ¡®She should do whatever she can to be with Keegan if she¡¯s the type who puts money before


    everything else. Why would she file a divorce?¡¯ Vermont thought to himself.


    Besides, Ste was Dusk Gxy.


    The person he idolized for so long turned out to be the person he used to hate. Perhaps he loved Dusk


    Gxy so much that he could not bring himself to her anymore.


    Vermont nced at Keegan and asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t allow Albert to invest because of Ste, right?¡±


    Keegan replied coldly, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking. The more he invests, the easier I can control everything.¡±


    ¡°Tsk.¡± Vermont clicked his tongue. ¡®Why is Albert so na?ve? Does he really think it¡¯s so easy to earn


    from Keegan?


    ¡®You can only earn whatever he wants you to.


    ¡®He can even turn eighty million into eight thousand if he doesn¡¯t want you to earn anything.¡¯


    ¡°Oh, yes. Do you want to go to the jewelry exhibition that Marshall¡¯s aunt is organizing two days from


    now? I remember that Ste likes jewelry very much, right? I¡¯ll go with her if you can¡¯t find the time to.


    What do you think?¡±


    Keegan red at him. ¡°Why are you so obsessed with her these days?¡±


    Vermont blinked. ¡°Am I?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t like me bringing her to our gathering,¡± Keegan replied in a t tone.


    Even though Vermont hid his frustration very well, Keegan could still tell with his sharp eyes.


    Of course, Vermont could not tell Keegan that Ste was Dusk Gxy.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    He very much looked forward to seeing Keegan¡¯s reaction when he finally found out about that.


    So, he said, ¡°That¡¯s only because I thought she was a gold-digger that wanted to be a part of high


    society. I realized I could be wrong about her now that she wants a divorce from you. Besides, she


    helped me to make some money and gave me a crate of oysters. I¡¯ve decided to scrap all my previous


    assumptions about her and try to be her friend.¡±


    As Vermont spoke, somebody knocked on the door.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Ste pushed the door open. She was holding a ss of milk as she said, ¡°Mr. Kane, do you want


    some warm milk?¡±


    ¡®Mr. Kane?¡¯


    Vermont lifted his brows. ¡®Is she flirting?¡¯


    Keegan looked up and gazed at her ¡°Sure,¡± he responded tly.


    Then, Ste went forward and handed Keegan the ss of milk.


    Keegan took it from her. He noticed that Ste was staring at him as he was about to drink it. Then, he


    paused and said, ¡°Is it poisoned?¡±


    Ste¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°What? I just want to chat with you because I thought you might be bored.¡±


    She paused for a while before adding to make what she said less awkward, ¡°The doctor said that a


    good mood could help your wound recover.¡±


    Keegan stared at her for a few seconds and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think you want me to ever recover, do you?¡±

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    Ste was speechless.


    On the other side of the screen, Vermont tried very hard to hold hisughter back.


    Keegan was just mean.


    Fortunately, Ste was shameless enough to not show her anger out loud. She felt a lot better after


    reminding herself of her intention ofing here.


    ¡°I was too inconsiderate. I only realized that I should take care of you since you were hurt because of


    me. I read a few jokes recently, and they¡¯re hrious. Do you want to hear them?¡±


    Keegan was ufortable by Ste¡¯s sudden change of attitude. From what he knew about her, she


    would never speak like this.


    Normally, Ste would not hesitate to talk back at him if he were to speak to her like that. ¡®What¡¯s she


    up to?¡¯


    Keegan went silent for a few seconds before he said, ¡°Sure.¡±


    He took a sip of milk as he said this.


    Ste thought for a moment. Then, she said, ¡°One day, Mama Fly brought Baby Fly to a pile of poop for


    lunch.


    ¡°Then, Baby Fly asked Mama Fly, ¡®Mama, mama, why are you eating poop?¡¯


    ¡°After that, Mama Fly got angry, and she said, ¡®Can you not talk about something so disgusting while


    we¡¯re eating?!¡±¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan was quiet.


    His mouth was filled with the milk he had just drunk. On the other hand, Vermont did not hold himself


    back as he burst outughing while thumping a hand on his desk.


    That was when Ste realized Keegan was on a video call with Vermont. She immediately felt a little


    embarrassed.


    Keegan struggled to swallow the milk. Then, he frowned and said, ¡°Uncultured!¡±


    ¡°I thought it was pretty funny.¡± Vermont was crying withughter. ¡°Ste, you¡¯re so talented at telling


    jokes.¡±


    Vermont was not trying to tter her at all: Perhaps it had something to do with Ste¡¯s profession. She


    would use a different voice for every character while telling a story. So, the joke sounded like it was


    something that really happened.


    Ste chuckled but did not speak as she thought Vermont was just making fun of her.


    She would not have done that if she had known that Keegan was on a call with him.


    Keegan red at her when she was just about to chicken out. ¡°Is that all?¡±


    ¡®Do you think that the things you said aren¡¯t uncultured?¡¯


    Ste refuted him inwardly as she said, ¡°Yeah. I have another better one.


    ¡°There was a big fish and a small fish.


    ¡°One day, the small fish asked the big fish, ¡°Big¡­ fish¡­ big¡­ fish¡­ what¡­ do¡­ you¡­ like¡­ to¡­


    eat?


    ¡°Then, the big fish said, ¡®I¡­ like¡­ to¡­ eat¡­ small¡­ fish¡­ that¡­ talks¡­ slowly.¡¯


    ¡°After that, the small fish said, ¡®Oh, no!''¡±


    Nobody made a sound after Ste told the joke.


    Ste also thought that it was kind of a bad joke. So, she coughed and said, ¡°Is it not funny?¡±


    Vermont showed his support. ¡°No, it¡¯s hrious.¡±


    However, Keegan said sarcastically, ¡°Do you mean ridiculous?¡±


    Ste held herself back again. Otherwise, she would grab the ss of milk in front of her and ssh it


    on Keegan¡¯s face.


    Vermont knew how to read people¡¯s reactions very well, so he immediately shifted the topic,¡± Ste, are


    you going to the jewelry exhibition in two days? Marshall¡¯s aunt has a Luminous Pearl that was found in


    a two-thousand-year-old tomb. She got it from an auction in a museum in Pairin. She wants to let the


    country have it, but she also wants to let everyone see its beauty before it bes the country¡¯s


    possession. Are you interested in having a look?¡±


    Ste suddenly got very tempted.


    The Luminous Pearl was not an expensive thing, but the fact that it came from more than two thousand


    years ago made it very valuable.


    Anyone who liked gems or was interested in collecting antiques would be intrigued by the history and


    how rare the Luminous Pearl was.

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    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t think I¡¯m going. Keegan hasn¡¯t recovered yet, and I have to stay here to take care of him.¡±


    Ste spoke in a hesitant manner. Clearly, she was still very tempted to go.


    Vermont responded, ¡°He¡¯s not a kid that needs you to hug and tuck him in. Just leave him at home. I¡¯ll


    bring you there.¡±


    The edge of Keegan¡¯s eyebrow twitched. Suddenly, he felt like stuffing something into Vermont¡¯s mouth


    to shut him up.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Maybe¡­ I should go then?¡±


    She asked Keegan tentatively.


    Keegan gazed at her. ¡°Do whatever you want. Why are you looking at me?¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± And so, Ste began to ask more questions about the exhibition. ¡°What time does it start?¡±


    ¡°Probably seven to eight at night. We¡¯ll only be able to witness the beauty of the Luminous Pearl when


    it¡¯s dark. Just get ready by then, and I¡¯lle to pick you up.¡±


    Vermont went offline after saying that.


    The study room suddenly went quiet. Ste had yet to get what she came here for, so she did not


    leave.


    Keegan was starting to find her presence annoying.


    He red at her and said, ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    ¡°Nope. Just do whatever you were doing. I¡¯ll stay here. Let me know if you need any help.¡±


    Keegan responded coldly, ¡°You¡¯re distracting me here.¡±


    Ste¡¯s mouth twitched. Then, she said softly while resisting the urge to scold Keegan, ¡°The doctor said


    that you shouldn¡¯t overwork yourself while recovering. Mr. Kane, you¡¯ve been staying here for hours.


    Let me massage your shoulders for you.¡±


    Keegan looked at her strangely. ¡°Is something wrong with you?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s words instantly tear down Ste¡¯s disguise as a virtuous wife. ¡°Keegan, you¡¯d better know


    your ce. I¡¯m only trying to make up for what happened because I feel bad that you¡¯re injured. I¡¯ll just


    leave if you don¡¯t want me here!¡±


    Keegan looked at her from head to toe and said bluntly, ¡°What aboutst night? Were you trying to


    compensate me by devoting yourself to me?¡±


    Ste choked as her ears turned red. She was embarrassed and mad at the same time. She wanted to


    turn around and leave, but Keegan grabbed her wrist. Then, he said with a straight face, ¡°Didn¡¯t you


    say that you were going to massage my shoulders?¡±


    ¡®Piss off!¡¯


    All Ste wanted to do was to fill his mouth with that ss of milk and shut him up!


    She could only calin herself down after imagining herself doing that to him.


    Dahlia gave her a good scolding when she made Keegan¡¯s nose bleed before, and Dahlia would


    probably skin her alive if she found out that Keegan was hurt because of her again.


    Besides, Ste did note into the study room to argue with him.


    So, after hesitating for a few seconds, she went behind Keegan and started massaging his shoulders.


    Even though Ste was skinny, she had enormous strength for her size.


    Her muscles would get sore from all the training in university back then, so she and her ssmates had


    to always massage each other to ease the soreness.


    Keegan¡¯s eyes were half-closed. Clearly, he was enjoying it.


    When the timing seemed right, Ste asked softly, ¡°Mr. Kane, do you know who Ibelia Zeckary is?¡±


    Keegan frowned. ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°A very famous actress. She was a forensic doctor in the police drama that aired this year. We watched


    it together, right?¡±


    Keegan looked down and thought for a moment. He only remembered that the male lead died in the


    show, and Ste could not stop crying while lying on the sofa. Then, she woke up with a pair of swollen


    eyes. He could not recall anything else about the plot.


    ¡°What about it?¡±


    Ste responded softly, ¡°That actress got canceled by the entire inte.¡±

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    Ste kept looking at Keegan¡¯s reaction after saying that.


    However, he did not have much of a reaction, and the look on his face did not change either.¡± Oh.¡± That


    was all he said before he asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡®Could it be true that Keegan really doesn¡¯t know about it?¡¯


    Ste wondered to herself as she continued, ¡°Somebody found out about something she said on the


    inte once, and most people disagreed with her. So, she got canceled, and all her shows were


    dropped.¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    Ste spoke again, ¡°I¡¯m sure she crossed somebody or offended people that she shouldn¡¯t have.


    Otherwise, why would people purposely dig out something she said more than ten years ago?¡±


    Keegan responded frankly, ¡°She wouldn¡¯t end up like this if what she said wasn¡¯t problematic.¡±


    ¡°I heard she got a role in a new show, but somebody else wanted it too. That was how everything


    started. She got canceled by everyone because of just that. Don¡¯t you think the people who did this are


    too evil?¡±


    ¡°Business is business. She can only me herself for not tying her loose ends.¡±


    Keegan pointed to his left and said indifferently, ¡°Harder.¡±


    ¡®It seems like this scum is pretty good at keeping secrets,¡¯ Ste thought as she decided to cut to the


    chase.


    ¡°ording to your logic, I¡¯m sure Ms. Young would do something like this with all the connections she


    has, right?¡±


    Keegan paused. Then, he frowned. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just having a casual chat with you, that¡¯s all. This incident is kind of simr to what happened to


    Ms. Young when they previously changed the voice actress for Honor of the Deities.


    ¡°In what way?¡± Keegan said unhappily. ¡°Who canceled that voice actress?¡±


    Ste answered his question almost instantly, ¡°That person didn¡¯t have any scandal to be exposed, so


    they couldn¡¯t do anything to that person.¡±


    ¡°How do you know if the voice actress didn¡¯t give up on that job herself because she took somebody


    else¡¯s money?¡±


    ¡°I-I haven¡¯t heard anything about money!¡±


    Ste almost exposed herself.


    ¡®Money? Money my foot!¡¯


    She spent so much effort going to the audition. However, she was told that the production team had


    decided to get her reced when she was about to sign the contract. Not only was she not


    compensated in any way, but she also had to pay for the cab she took to get there!


    Keegan said coldly, ¡°Do you think she¡¯ll tell everyone on the inte after taking somebody else¡¯s


    money?¡±


    Ste got mad. ¡°Why would she say something like that if she really got paid? She¡¯s not insane.


    Then, Keegan said impulsively, ¡°Couldn¡¯t it be a publicity stunt? Isn¡¯t that the favorite thing to do for


    people in that industry?¡±


    ¡®Publicity, your face!!


    Ste got so angry that she was very close to cursing out loud.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡®Keegan Kane, you¡¯re such a bastard! You used money to take another person¡¯s job away and showed


    no remorse for it. Is this what you do every day, and you don¡¯t even think that it¡¯s something wrong?¡¯


    Then, she realized there was no point in probing him like this. Even though he might not be involved in


    what happened to Ibelia, Ste figured he would do the same for Be¡¯s career in the future.


    ¡®If one day, what Be wanted is against my interests, would Keegan choose her over me without


    hesitating?


    ¡®Of course, he would.


    ¡®I¡¯m just a wife he has no feelings for, while Be is the first love he was forced to break up with. I know


    that he¡¯s always felt guilty.


    ¡®The answer is obvious.¡¯


    Ste became a lot calmer as she thought about that. She might have beenpeting with Be to


    gain a special ce in Keegan¡¯s heart, but not anymore. At this point, she was just fighting for herself.


    Time passed, and it was the day of the jewelry exhibition.


    Ste started picking her outfit after the afternoon break.


    Keegan was in the study room, but the sound of Ste running up and down annoyed him so much that


    he could not read at all.


    He came out of the study room and was about to snap at her. Then, he saw her in a dress in the living


    room.


    The full-length mirror in the living room was the biggest in the house. It was better than the one in the


    bedroom because it was ced closer to natural light, making the effect more realistic.

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    There were more than thirty sets of clothes stacked up on the sofa. She probably ced them at the


    side because she did not like them after trying them on.


    Ste was always a more conservative person, and she would only wear dresses that had buttons all


    the way up to the corbone.


    However, she was not happy with all the dresses she tried.


    She took off the dress she was wearing after spinning for a bit in front of the mirror.


    Her waist looked very attractive. Keegan could see a small part of her skinny and fair waist when she


    removed that dress. Her legs were slender and long too. She had all the curves in the right ces, like


    a goddess.


    Keegan leaned against the railing of the stairs on the second floor. He sipped on his coffee while


    openly enjoying the beautiful view downstairs.


    Then, Ste answered a call. It was probably Felicity.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying on clothes for a jewelry exhibition tonight.¡± She spoke while fumbling through the pile of


    clothes before she continued irritably, ¡°I have nothing to wear.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡®What about those thousands of pieces of garments in your wardrobe?¡¯ he thought to himself.


    ¡°Okay, sure. We¡¯ll meet tomorrow, then.¡±


    A white dress in that pile of clothes suddenly caught Ste¡¯s attention after she hung up.


    Keegan thought that it looked familiar. The look only on his face darkened as soon as she


    put


    it on.


    It was the exact same dress that Marshall had gifted to her at the charity event previously.


    Keegan curled his lip subconsciously and went downstairs with the cup in his hand.


    Ste was very fond of that dress. Even though the design was simple, its cutting fit her very


    well


    She looked at herself in the mirror for quite some time. After that, she turned around to pair it with her


    jewelry, but she bumped into Keegan. The cup of coffee in his hand was knocked over, and it dropped


    night on her dress.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Ste shouted as she quickly grabbed a piece of tissue to wipe it off. However, it was already too


    late, and the coffee had already seeped into the dress. Suddenly, there was a huge coffee stain on the


    pure white dress It looked awful.


    ¡°Why would you stand behind me without making a sound?¡±


    Stemed as she tried to wipe the stain off She only wore it once, yet she had no idea if it could


    ever be clean again.


    Keegan did not have any remorse ¡°How would I know that you¡¯d suddenly turn around?¡±


    Ste was very unhappy with his attitude. ¡°You saw me changing over here. Why would you


    stand behind me with a cup of coffee in your hand?¡±


    Then, Keegan said, ¡°This is my house. I¡¯ll stand wherever I want to.¡±


    Ste was so shocked to hear what he said that she could only refute back after some time. ¡± Why


    were you ever born into a human?¡±


    ¡®You should be a dog instead!¡¯ Ste thought.


    Keegan glowered at her as if he could understand what she was implying. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Ste suppressed her anger and kept quiet.


    Suddenly, the doorbell rang.


    Keegan stood there like a statue, leaving Ste no choice but to answer the door with a stained dress.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    She thought that it was Vermont, but she saw Cordelia standing in front of her after she opened the


    door.


    ¡°Grandma? What brings you here?¡±


    Ste immediately brought Cordelia into the house.


    Cordelia walked inside and said, ¡°I came to visit Keegan because his mom said that he took. some


    days off because he wasn¡¯t feeling well.¡¯


    Then, she saw Keegan standing in the living room without a scratch while holding a cup of coffee in his


    hand.


    Cordelia paused for a moment before she asked, ¡°Which part of you isn¡¯t feeling well?¡±


    Ste was about to speak, but Keegan beat her to it. ¡°My stomach. Like the usual.¡¯


    So, Ste kept quiet.

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    Keegan obviously did not want to let Cordelia know that he was attacked, mainly because he was


    afraid that she would be worried. ¡°Are you eating well, dear?¡± the olddy furrowed her brows. ¡°You¡¯ve


    be skinnier since thest time I saw you. Has everything been alright these past two days?¡±


    ¡°Yes, grandma. I¡¯m feeling much better now. I¡¯ll be able to return to thepany in a few days.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no rush. Your health is much more important.¡± Cordelia looked at the cup of coffee in Keegan¡¯s


    hand and frowned. ¡°Why are you still drinking coffee with an upset tummy?¡± she


    asked.


    Keegan immediately dumped the me on Ste. ¡°It¡¯s hers,¡± he said.


    ¡°Ste, you can¡¯t be drinking coffee either. It¡¯ll affect your sleep¡± Ste bit the bullet and said, ¡°Okay,


    grandma. I¡¯ll stop drinking coffee¡± The olddy was satisfied with her answer.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Seeing a pile of clothes on the couch, she asked, ¡°Are you going out?¡± Ste did not know what to say.


    If she said that she was going to a jewelry exhibition, knowing that Cordelta¡¯s precious grandson


    Keegan was ¡°ill¡±, Cordelia would definitely be unhappy


    She was still trying to find an excuse when Keegan said, ¡°She¡¯s too noisy. There happens to be a


    jewelry exhibition tonight, so I asked her to go because I wanted some peace and quiet¡±


    ¡°Is it the one trene is organizing?¡± Cordelia wondered Irene Moore, the organizer of the jewelry


    exhibition, was also Marshall¡¯s aunt Keegan nodded. The olddy smiled and said, Good. We¡¯ll go


    together.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going too?¡± Keegan asked as he was startled. ¡°Irene told me that she had a fine piece of jade.


    She even invited the Venerable Raphael Morghen from the Temple of Abawo to bless the stone. So,


    I¡¯m going to have a look.¡±


    Cordelia was a very superstitious woman and liked jades a lot. She had a good rtionship with the


    Venerable Raphael Morghen and even donated to renovate the temple. When Ste and Keegan got


    married, Cordelia went to the temple to look at their horoscopes; they were a match made in heaven.


    Ste had always felt that the Venerable Raphael Morghen was a bit of a chatan, but to each their


    own. ¡®There¡¯s no need to make her unhappy,¡¯ she thought.


    Keegan frowned and said, ¡°Marshall didn¡¯t mention anything about a jade. He only mentioned


    something about a Luminous Pearl.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Maybe one of Irene¡¯s friends brought it. I¡¯ll just have to go and see.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go too,¡± Keegan pursed his lips and said.


    The olddy nced at him and replied, ¡°If you think Ste is noisy, wouldn¡¯t it be noisier with so many


    people there?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression remained the same. ¡°I¡¯ll get used to it,¡± he said. ¡°I can¡¯t possibly just throw her


    out, can I?¡±


    The corners of Ste¡¯s lips twitched when she heard that. ¡®Asshole!¡¯ she thought.


    Marshall¡¯s grandfather had four children-the first three being sons, and thest, a daughter. He loved


    his youngest very much. Irene was an intelligent child; she graduated from a prestigious college and


    had a sessful career. She was even born into a wealthy family. Every aspect of her life was perfect,


    except for her marriage.


    Irene divorced her ex-husband only after a few years of marriage and had a daughter. Although she


    was still with her current partner, she never got remarried. Her current partner was more than ten years


    younger than her. They met two years ago. Many opposed their rtionship, but they finally got their


    marriage certificate this year.


    They had yet to hold a wedding, perhaps because they had not discussed it with the family.

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    Kisa was envious when she heard about their love story. ¡®It¡¯s so different for the rich. Finding a 30-year-


    old partner at the age of 51.¡¯


    Initially, Ste thought that the jewelry exhibition would be private with a small venue. However, she


    was stunned when she arrived. The ce was huge and magnificently decorated. There were nearly a


    hundred security personnel keeping guard, and more than half of the nobilities in Rivera were there.


    The luxury cars outside the venue were enough for them to hold a car exhibition.


    Baldwin stopped in front of the venue as Cordelia and the others got off and went into the exhibition


    center. Cordelia had an excellent reputation and rarely attended the various events. held each year


    after she retired. That was why she instantly became the center of attention for the audience when she


    stepped foot into the ce.


    Many of the noble women came over to say hello. Although Cordelia was old, her memory was strong.


    She greeted most of the people by name, and for those whose names she did not know, she still


    greeted them politely.


    It was undeniable that the olddy was famous in Rivera. Ste also gained some traction just by


    standing beside her.


    ¡°Why is grandma here?¡± Aurora turned to look at the few people not far away and frowned. Didn¡¯t


    grandma tell you that she wasing, mom? She even brought that woman with her.¡±


    Dahlia stared at them with a cold face and stayed quiet for a long time before she said, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s


    go say hello to your grandma.¡±


    Aurora¡¯s lips curled as she spoke, ¡°Grandma favors Keegan and that woman anyway. I¡¯m not going


    over there just to please her.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Your grandma is partial to her because she is your brother¡¯s wife. You¡¯re her granddaughter. I¡¯m sure


    she loves you more. Now, go. Don¡¯t stand here and be a joke.¡±


    Only then did Aurora go over reluctantly. ¡°Grandma,¡± she called out to Cordelia.


    The olddy turned around and saw that it was her eldest granddaughter. A loving look appeared in her


    eyes while she said, ¡°When did you arrive, darling?¡±


    ¡°Oh, just now. I¡¯m here with mom. We came to support Aunty Irene¡¯s exhibition.¡±


    Dahlia then went over and said, ¡°Mom, I thought you said you didn¡¯t want toe. Why the change of


    heart?¡± She was concerned when she saw that her mother-inw had decided to attend the event with


    her son and daughter-inw instead of her and her daughter.


    Dahlia¡¯s high status in the circle of rich wives was primarily due to her outstanding son and Cordelia¡¯s


    prestige for years, while her birth family¡¯s status was just average. This was one thing she had in


    common with Ste-they both came from mediocre backgrounds and married into wealthy families.


    Earlier, a group ofdies had asked her why Cordelia was not there. Dahlia told them she would not be


    able to stand for long, but now she was here in a blink of an eye with her grandson and granddaughter-


    inw. This was a massive blow to Dahlia¡¯s face.


    Cordelia was indeed Keegan¡¯s grandma since she, too, dumped the me on Ste. ¡°Ste


    could not stop begging toe, so I decided toe here to have a look-see.¡±


    Ste was speechless when she heard that. ¡®What a great grandmother-inw!¡± she thought. Dahlia


    gave Ste a cold look and said in a heavy tone, ¡°I thought Keegan was not feeling well, so I didn¡¯t ask


    them toe. Why didn¡¯t you tell me you wanted toe, Ste?¡± She was trying to imply that she


    was a bad wife for wanting her ill husband to attend an event with her. Unsurprisingly, Ste threw the


    me onto Keegan. ¡°Keegan said that he was bored and that he wanted toe. There was nothing I


    could do to stop him, mom.¡±


    It was Keegan¡¯s turn to be at a loss for words. Dahlia knew that she was lying, but Keegan did not


    expose her. So, she decided not to say anything further. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, remember to take good


    care of Keegan,¡± she reminded her.


    ¡°Of course, mom,¡± Ste replied.


    Dahlia turned to look at the olddy, and with a respectful and polite attitude, she said, ¡°Mom, Irene is


    right in the front. Come, I¡¯ll bring you over to her.¡±


    Cordelia nodded in response. She then turned around and told her grandson, ¡°Bring her around this


    ce and buy her anything she likes.¡±


    Hearing that, Dahlia froze. She stared at Ste coldly and helped the olddy to the front.

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    Thedies in the room looked at Dahlia and Cordelia with different types of gazes as they both walked


    to the front to meet Irene.


    It had been rumored that the mother and daughter inw had a good rtionship, but the olddy had


    never cared for Dahlia like this in public all these years, not even when her husband was still alive.


    On the other hand, Cordelia seemed to love Ste a lot. Keegan lost his father when he was young,


    which made the olddy partial to her eldest grandson. So, it was understandable that she loved her


    eldest grandson¡¯s wife dearly


    This alone made all the noble wives anddies jealous. Every one of them looked morous on the


    surface, but their rtionship with their inws was more or less discordant Even if they were well-


    matched, they could not avoid the friction between mother and daughter inw.


    People envied Ste for being doted on by Cordelia, especially since she came from a mediocre


    background and married into the family.


    At that moment, the talk of the hour, Ste, was quietly negotiating with Keegan. ¡°If I like something and


    you buy it, it won¡¯t be deducted from the one billion dors you promised, right?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s forehead twitched. ¡°Did Albert deprive you of necessities or something when you were


    young? Why is money always in your mind?¡±


    ¡°No, but who wouldn¡¯t be thinking about money?¡± Ste suddenly asked, ¡°How old is Marshall¡¯s aunt?


    21


    Keegan could not keep up with her change of topic but still replied, ¡°She¡¯s two years younger than


    mom.¡±


    ¡°That means she¡¯s in her early fifties. Does she look young?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen her before.¡±


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡± Ste frowned.


    ¡°Remember Mrs. White, who yed cards with youst time?¡±


    Ste was surprised and said, ¡°Marshall¡¯s aunt is Mrs. White?¡±


    Keegan nodded.


    ¡°Oh, she does look really young,¡± Ste continued. ¡®Dahlia has taken good care of herself and looks


    like she is still in her forties. However, Mrs. White, who is about the same age as her, looks even


    younger! No wonder she could find a husband who was so much younger than her.¡¯


    Keegan nced at Ste and said, ¡°Does this have something to do with your liking for money?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand? If a woman is well-kept, she could have a young husband. Beauty costs a lot of


    money, you know. That¡¯s why I have to save in advance.¡±


    The corner of Keegan¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡®So, this is why she is so obsessed with money?¡±


    ¡°That bracelet looks good.¡± Ste tugged at Keegan and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go have a look.¡±


    But, Keegan pushed her hand away and said with a dark face, ¡°Go ask your young husband to take a


    look.¡± After saying that, he turned around and left.


    ¡®Ugh! That jerk has quite the temper,¡¯ Ste thought, but she ignored him. ¡®Since the olddy is here,


    Keegan would definitely not leave this ce without me.¡¯ Ste then turned to look at the jewelry on her


    own.


    The Moore family was indeed a powerful family. The pieces of jewelry present there today were not


    easy to find. Irene¡¯s ability to gather all the families together was enough to show her status in their


    world.


    Ste liked jewelry and crystals, especially jade. After wandering around for a long time, she finally saw


    a bracelet and fell in love with it. The bracelet was in a beautiful shade of green and was rtively


    thick. Older women generally prefer this style of bracelet. The price for it was more than one million,


    which was considered reasonable.


    ¡®Cordelia¡¯s birthday is around the corner. She has never mistreated me since I married into the Kane


    family. I have to at least get her a gift, even if I won¡¯t be able to attend her birthday celebration.¡¯


    Ste actually also fell in love with the bracelet that Xianna had bought. She wanted to gift it to


    Cordelia, but she could not afford it. ¡°This bracelet is just right,¡¯ she thought. Ste stared at the


    bracelet for a long time, and just as she was about to take it, someone was one step ahead of her and


    picked it up.


    1

 Chapter 185

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 185


    Chapter 185


    ¡°Does this bracelet look nice, dad?¡± The familiar female voice made Ste¡¯s lips tighten in an instant.


    Then, a male voice that she had heard since her childhood sounded. ¡°It looks great, honey. Buy it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more than one million dors¡­¡± The girl hesitated, ¡°It¡¯s too expensive. Let¡¯s forget about it. You


    need money for your project. It¡¯s better that I don¡¯t add to the burden.¡±


    As soon as the girl said that, someone who was beside the man said, ¡°Wow, Mr. Jewell, your daughter


    is so sensible. She thinks of you when she¡¯s making choices.¡±


    Albert smiled warmly and said, ¡°This child has suffered a lot since her childhood, so she is more


    sensible and loving than ordinary children.¡±


    ¡°Just buy it for her if she really likes it. It¡¯s not that expensive. Girls like her need to be taken care of. It¡¯s


    good that she¡¯s been through a lot because she won¡¯t be so easily deceived by bad men in the future,¡±


    the man joked.


    Albert smiled. Just as he was about to speak, Ste¡¯s cold voice came from beside him, ¡°Are you going


    to buy it, dad?¡± Albert froze, only to realize that the person with her back turned to them was actually


    Ste.


    Ste turned around with a smile on her lips, but her eyes were empty.


    ¡°Ste, why are you here?¡± Sophie asked surprisingly. Ste did not look at her, and Sophie bit her lip


    with an aggrieved expression.


    Albert still remembered the coldness in her eyes the day he pped her in the hospital. He did not


    expect Ste to show up at the event that night. He would not have been able to control his expression


    if Hylda had not given him a pinch in the arm.


    ¡°Ste, your dad said you were taking care of Keegan at home. We would have picked you up if we


    knew you wereing,¡± Hylda said enthusiastically.


    Ste¡¯s gaze fell on Hylda. The woman was most likely in her forties. She was not particrly beautiful,


    but her eyes were very attractive. She also had a good figure, and because she dressed young, she


    looked like she was still in her thirties.


    She hooked onto Albert¡¯s arms and spoke as if she was thedy of the house. ¡®She¡¯s the woman I met


    with dad in the underground parking lot of the shopping mall.


    ¡°Wait, I think she is dad¡¯s secretary. She came over to our ce to deliver some documents before. It


    was the year of mom¡¯s incident. I wasn¡¯t feeling well that day and asked for sick leave. When I came


    back, I bumped into this woman. At that time, dad was sending her out, saying that she was a secretary


    and hade to deliver some documents.¡±


    Hylda had left an impression on Ste because of her eyes, which made people feel


    ufortable.


    The woman noticed Ste¡¯s gaze and let go of her hand naturally. ¡°I¡¯m temporarily acting as Mr.


    Jewell¡¯s femalepanion,¡± she exined with a smile.


    Ste did not bother to care about the nonsense between the woman and her father. ¡®As long


    as he didn¡¯t bring anyone into the house, he could do whatever he wanted,¡¯ she thought. However,


    Ste did not like how the woman spoke. The woman acted like she was above her. ¡°Why are you


    interrupting my conversation with my dad?¡± she said coldly.


    Hylda was stunned.


    ¡°How could you talk to your elders like that?¡± Albert immediately jumped out and said.


    ¡°My elders? She¡¯s just a secretary. If you needed a femalepanion, you could have told me. I know


    many divorced and widowed wives. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be happy to help. Isn¡¯t it embarrassing that you


    brought your secretary?¡±


    Sophie frowned. ¡°You¡¯re being rude, Ste. Ms. White has been a great help in dad¡¯s work for the past


    years. It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to thank her, but how could you say something like that?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Ste chuckled and looked at Albert. ¡°After my mother¡¯s ident, I was afraid that you wouldn¡¯t be able


    to run thepany by yourself. But then, everything turned out fine. I didn¡¯t know that it was because


    Ms. White was your pir of support. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Hylda¡¯s face was pale at first, but now it turned green.

 Chapter 186

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 186


    Chapter 186


    Albert¡¯s toxic masculinity led him to constantly argue with Rainee when people told him that he would


    not have achieved what he was today without his wife. After what happened to Rainee, he hurriedly


    took control of thepany just to prove to everyone that he would still be able to run a sessful


    business without her. What annoyed him the most was people saying that he relied on women to


    seed.


    So, when Ste stated that the reason behind her father¡¯s sess was Hylda¡¯s support, she crossed


    the line.


    Albert¡¯s expression turned ugly, and he said coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t need any help. She¡¯s just a female


    companion for this event.¡±


    Hylda¡¯s face turned pale, but the woman had great tolerance and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I


    overstepped.¡±


    Sophie wanted to say something, but seeing Hylda slightly shaking her head at her, she gritted her


    teeth and shut up.


    ¡°Ms. Jewell, do you still want this bracelet?¡± The salesman in the jewelry exhibition said warmly.


    Sophie suppressed her emotions and nced elsewhere. As if an idea had suddenly popped into her


    mind, she lowered her gaze and said with a little nostalgia and hesitation, ¡°It¡¯s way over my budget. I¡¯ll


    go look around.¡±


    Just as Ste was about to speak, a sarcastic male voice came from the side. ¡°Ask your sister to buy it


    for you, then. It¡¯s just a little more than one million dors. That¡¯s only a few meals for the Kane family.


    Shouldn¡¯t she take care of you since she married into a wealthy family?¡±


    Ste turned to see the person who spoke and saw a young man in a suit, who was about the same


    age as her. The man was handsome, like an idol who had just debuted in the boyband. Ste thought


    that he looked familiar. After a long stare and some deep diving into her memories, she recognized the


    guy as her high school ssmate-Kevin mer.


    Her eyes darkened unconsciously. The sudden appearance of this person reminded her of some


    unpleasant memories.


    Sophie pretended to be nervous. She nced at Ste in fear and anxiously said in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t


    say that, Kevin. My sister is very good to me.¡±


    ¡°Good to you? Would she give you the things she no longer wanted if she was that good to you? They


    adopted you into the family and gained fame and fortune because of you. I say she should treat you


    better,¡± Kevin sneered.


    Kevin¡¯s family status was also quite high in Rivera. After he insulted the wife of the infamous Keegan


    Kane, others continued, ¡°Wait, the adoptive daughter of the Jewell family is the inte celebrity,


    ¡®Soph¡¯s Trove¡±?¡±


    ¡°Oh! No wonder she looks so familiar. Does that mean Ste is the so-called sister who keeps pushing


    her away?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Their family adopted Sophie back then, and it went on the news. The Jewell family made a lot of


    money from it, but it didn¡¯t take long before it was revealed that her adoptive


    sibling disliked her. She wasn¡¯t doing so good in the Jewell family. But, she turned out great. She


    graduated from a prestigious school, and I heard that she works in a top 100pany. The Jewell


    family¡¯s biological daughter seems to have graduated from some kind of public university, though. The


    only thing she has is good looks. That¡¯s why Keegan Kane married her.


    ¡°Now that you mention it, I remember that we were in the same school. Back then, the news about her


    excluding her adoptive sister from things went viral. She even beat people up whenever they talked to


    her about it. Wow, I didn¡¯t expect her to marry into the Kane family.¡±


    Albert frowned and wanted to say something, but Hylda stopped him. ¡°Think about what Ste did,¡± she


    said. Albert paused and pursed his lips.


    Ste¡¯s expression was extremely cold. These words no longer hurt her as much as they did back then.


    They only made her realize what kind of person Sophie was.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Sophie was an orphan and had lived in an orphanage since she was a child. The orphanage she


    stayed in was funded by Rainee and Albert. Because they were sponsors, they were invited to attend


    the social donation activities of the orphanage.


    Once, an ident urred during an event, and the warehouse where social donations were stored


    caught on fire. A child was trapped in the warehouse.


    Fortunately, the fire brigade came and extinguished the fire in time. The child was safe. The social


    event went viral at that time, and even the fire rescue scene was captured on a live broadcast.

 Chapter 187

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 187


    Chapter 187


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    After the child was admitted to the hospital, many reporters and kind individuals visited her.


    A number of good Samaritans suggested adopting the child, but the matter went up in the air due to the


    child¡¯s aggressive response.


    The orphan reacted strongly when she was around strangers. But, she only trusted Albert Jewell and


    his wife a lot.


    When she was in front of the reporters¡¯ camera, the child always had a look of fear as she curled up in


    Albert¡¯s arms.


    Netizens following the news suggested Albert and his wife to adopt the child. As time passed, the


    netizens¡¯ cries grew louder and louder.


    Albert and Rainee did charity work for the sake of their reputation, so now that an opportunity was right


    in front of them, they had no reason to reject it.


    After all, they just had to feed another mouth.


    And so, with help from various sectors and the cries of theizens, the couple adopted the orphan


    despite not fulfilling the adoption conditions. They gave her theirst name, Jewell, and named her


    Sophia.


    The news of Sophia being adopted into the Jewell family received the public¡¯s attention from the very


    start.


    Albert even created a Facebook ount on purpose to update Sophia¡¯s daily life, so he could directly


    showcase her growth and development to the public.


    After Sophia had started middle school, she started handling the ount herself.


    Over the years, the ount had umted several million followers, so Sophia was a considerably


    influential online influencer.


    She went from being a parentless orphan to a belle from a wealthy family. Sophia¡¯s inspirational


    persona, which was bright and cheerful, brought her great convenience.


    However, that was only what the public saw. In Ste¡¯s eyes, Sophia was far from her public persona.


    When the Jewell family first adopted Sophia, Ste was not happy. Ever since she was a child, her


    parents gave her little attention and were always busy working. Now that they finally had a sessful


    career and could spend time with her, an adopted daughter appeared. Naturally, she was not quite


    happy.


    However, she changed her mind after Rainee exined Sophia¡¯s background.


    ¡°To be honest, it doesn¡¯t hurt to have a sister. At least there¡¯ll be someone to y with me since my


    parents don¡¯t give me attention,¡¯ she thought.


    That was how she thought back then, so she showed kindness to Sophia after contemting briefly.


    At first, Sophia undoubtedly acted cautious and obedient. She had a much more docile personality


    compared to Ste¡¯s bold one.


    Not only did Albert like her, even Rainee oftenplimented Sophia for being sensible. Sophia quickly


    became a part of the Jewell family.


    Everything would have been fine if things had continued that way.


    However, things only remained that way for two years.


    Ste was in grade 6 when Sophia got adopted. Two yearster, she got into Rivera High.


    The school practiced closed education and required students to live on campus. As a result, Ste¡¯s


    time in school became longer.


    This was supposed to be the best time for Ste to make friends and spend time with her ssmates.


    However, she realized that she was slowly getting ostracized.

 Chapter 188

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 188


    Chapter 188


    At first, Ste thought she was being sensitive. However, the strange gazes at her grew more and more


    until someone vandalized her desk and wrote foul words like ¡°bitch¡± and ¡°cunt¡± one day. Only then did


    she realize that things were not as simple as she thought.


    The person who vandalized her desk was promptly caught. That person was Kevin mer.


    Back then, he was like a martyr. He acted obnoxiously even when he faced his ss teacher. In the


    end, the teacher finally managed to get him to exin his motive after threatening to meet his parents.


    It turned out Kevin was a loyal fan of Sophia. He had been following Sophia since the adoption


    incident.


    He said that Sophia was not happy after she got adopted. Everyone in the family kept an eye on her.


    Sophia¡¯s sister-Ste-often bullied her. She made her eat her leftovers and wear her old clothes.


    Ste was confused. She was certain that she did not do such a thing.


    Then, Kevin opened Sophia¡¯s Facebook page to confront Ste.


    [Ste gave me a mango-vored cake. I hate mango the most, but Ste seemed to have forgotten


    again. Or perhaps, she never even remembered.]


    [It¡¯s my birthday today. I hope I can cut a whole birthday cake like Ste next year, and not a leftover


    cake¡­]


    [Ste gave me a dress. It¡¯s really pretty. If only it were new.]


    [Ste¡¯s friend asked if I was an orphan. I don¡¯t know how to answer the question. If only I were mom


    and dad¡¯s biological daughter¡­]


    As Ste continued scrolling, she grew even more shocked, and her heart sank further.


    ¡®Whoever saw such words would think that Sophia was mistreated at home and that her sister


    me was the culprit for it. It¡¯s true that I gave Sophia a cake, but it definitely hadn¡¯t been eaten. The cake


    in the photo was not smooth because it got squashed while I was on public transport on a rainy day.


    After that, I cut off the squashed part, ate it, and gave the nice part to Sophia.


    ¡®Sophia had never told me that she doesn¡¯t like mango-vored cakes because she likes mango. I


    asked Sophia what she liked, and she said mangoes. That¡¯s why I got her a mango- vored cake on


    her birthday!


    ¡®As for the dress, I bought it when I was shopping with Felicity. I told Felicity to help me get it after I got


    Sophia¡¯s size. Since it was on the expensive side, I was worried that she¡¯d feel burdened. That¡¯s why I


    told her that I was giving it to her because it didn¡¯t fit me, and the return period had passed. How could


    it possibly be worn when the tag was still on?


    ¡°That was the day I learned that Sophia had thoughts that werepletely different from the way she


    acted. She could stab me in the back while she¡¯s also ying her part as the loving sister,¡¯ thought


    Ste.


    The incident about Sophia received a lot of attention in Rivera. Sophia was cute-looking and had a soft


    disposition, so many students in Ste¡¯s school was a fan of hers.


    That was why everyone was angry and felt bad for her after seeing the Facebook posts about. her


    ¡°bending over backward¡± for Ste.


    ¡®Compared to Sophia, Ste was born into a privileged family, got whatever she wanted since she was


    young, had good grades and outstanding looks, and was even well-liked by students and teachers in


    school. Despite that, she still wanted to bully Sophia, who had nothing. How could this not make others


    hate her?¡¯ they thought.


    Ste was shocked and furious. When she got home, she asked Sophia why she had misrepresented


    her on Facebook


    Naturally, Sophia did not admit it. She cried and said that she posted those statuses only to remember


    the nice things her sister did for her and had no other intentions.


    On the other hand, Albert thought that Ste was blowing things out of proportion. To him, the


    comments had no problem at all. He even told Ste off. He said she should get her sister something


    new when she wanted to give her a gift. He also said she should not me others. for bad-mouthing


    her since she gave Sophia something she did not want.


    Rainee had her doubts but ended up not saying anything because of how Albert defended Sophia. In


    the following days, she merely brought Sophia to buy many clothes. Then, she changed Sophia¡¯s room


    to the room beside Ste¡¯s.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡®After Sophia received the so-called ¡°fair treatment,¡± I also finally saw who she really was. My


    rtionship with Albert worsening over the years also has to do with my ¡°dear sister¡¯s¡± exacerbation.


    Sophia is a master at using her background and her fragile persona to make others pity her, thereby


    achieving her goals,¡¯ thought Ste.


    Ste snapped out of her thoughts and returned to the present. The discussion around her ovepped


    with the discussion back then.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know she was actually someone like that.¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, why would Sophia hate her so much? There must be a good reason for it.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy for Sophia to grow up well in their family when she had such a sister.¡±


    ¡°I heard that Sophia was supposed to be the one to marry Mr. Kane. However, Sophia fell sick on the


    day of their blind date, so Mr. Jewell had no choice but to let his eldest daughter go in. Sophia¡¯s stead.


    She used her looks to seduce Mr. Kane.¡±


    ¡°Really? Isn¡¯t it really weird to change the person for a blind date because she fell sick?¡±


    Kevin nced at Ste. Then, he smiled and said, ¡°Who knows if anyone sabotaged it?¡±


    His words pushed Ste into the eye of the storm. People were already envious of her being married to


    Keegan. Since Keegan did not like her and all the young people in the wealthy circle colluded with one


    another, they all scrambled to add insult to her injury now that her act had been exposed.


    None of them cared about the truth behind the incident back then.


    Sophia looked at Ste¡¯s tense expression and secretly felt triumphant. However, she said, It¡¯s alright.


    Ste and Keegan love each other. Besides, it¡¯s all in the past. We all didn¡¯t know


    any better when we were younger. I¡¯m already really grateful that the Jewell family could. adopt me.¡±


    ¡®While Sophia seems like she¡¯s exculpating me, her words insinuate that she¡¯s still grateful and doesn¡¯t


    dare to wish for anything more despite being treated unfairly because she¡¯s an adopted daughter.


    Wouldn¡¯t this confirm that I¡¯m ostracizing Sophia?¡¯ wondered Ste.


    She calmly looked at the faces of the people around her.


    ¡®It¡¯s been years since the incident. I don¡¯t want to be as irritable as I was back then,¡¯ she thought again.


    Ste smiled and turned to ask Albert, ¡°Dad, Sophia is 22 years old this year, right?¡±


    Albert was a little lost due to the sudden change in topic. He paused for a moment before he answered,


    ¡°She¡¯ll turn twenty-three in a few months.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s twenty-two. When I got married three years ago, Sophia only came of age. She hadn¡¯t even


    reached the minimum legal marriage age, so I wonder where these rumors came from. Seriously, only


    brainless people would believe them.¡±


    Ste¡¯s words called out the people around her. The people who were feeling righteously dignified


    earlier on were now as red as a tomato.


    Naturally, those rumors were things Sophia had ¡°unintentionally¡± leaked to the public through her


    friends.


    Sophia was well aware that people did not care about the genuineness of the rumors; what they cared


    about was the feeling of trampling Ste under their feet.


    The more they demeaned Ste, the more they could achieve some sense of psychological


    satisfaction.


    ¡®It¡¯s not like these people hadn¡¯t done this before. This isn¡¯t Ste¡¯s first time getting demeaned in


    public, and she never dared to talk back. It¡¯s just like what Aurora said; Ste¡¯s worried that she¡¯ll lose


    her position since she worked hard to marry into the Kane family. So, she only lives with her tail tucked


    between her legs. From my understanding of Ste, she¡¯ll either continue enduring things, like what


    Aurora said, or kick up a fuss and rebut them like she did in the past. I¡¯m confident I can deal with


    either of those situations and ruin Ste¡¯s reputation. However, the current situation is not within my


    expectations,¡¯ thought Sophia.

 Chapter 189

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 189


    Chapter 189


    Kevin snorted icily and said, ¡°We¡¯re talking about how you ill-treated your sister. Why are you avoiding


    the topic?¡±


    ¡°Ill-treated?¡± Ste ruminated over the word. Suddenly, she asked Sophia, ¡°Sophia, in our family, did


    mom and dad or me mistreat you?¡±


    She immediately feigned a terrified expression ¡°N-No. Everyone¡¯s really good to me. Ste always


    shares whatever she has with me and is kind to me. Stop it, Kevin.¡±


    The more she continued her act, the more Kevin thought he was punishing the evil and upholding


    goodness. His sense of heroism was off the charts. ¡°So kind to you that she made. you wear her old


    clothes and eat cake that¡¯s close to being expired? Ste Jewell, did you think no one would remember


    these incidents just because Sophia deleted her Facebook ount?


    ¡°That¡¯s what I was wondering too,¡± Ste suddenly said with a distressed expression.


    Then, she continued in a sorrowful tone, ¡°Sophia, I genuinely treated you like my own sister since you


    came to the Jewell family. Whenever I got something, I¡¯d immediately share it with you. As long as it


    was something I liked, I would give it to you, including the dress I liked, the cake I liked, and even my


    marriage Right now, aren¡¯t you wearing the jewelry set my husband gave me?¡±


    Sophia was startled and retracted her hand as a reflex.


    The ne on her neck, the bracelet on her wrist, and even the earrings she was wearing were all a


    part of the dowry the Kane family gave Ste.


    Obviously, Ste did not give these things to Sophia. Instead, it was Albert who gave them to her


    because Ste thought they did not look nice.


    Sophia hated Ste but also adored the jewelry set.


    It cost over 3 million in total.


    ¡®I usually can¡¯t bring myself to wear them, but I purposefully took the set out and wore it for the sake of


    looking good in front of the wealthy circle. Who would¡¯ve thought that Ste would recognize the


    jewelry set and use it as leverage? Sophia thought.


    Sophia turned pale. ¡°There are people from the Kane family here, and this jewelry set is the real thing.


    So, I can¡¯t deny it. That bitch Ste. I really underestimated her!¡¯ she thought.


    Sophia gritted her teeth and swallowed her anger. Then, she quietly said, ¡°I remember all of Ste¡¯s


    kindness to me.¡±


    ¡°If you remember my kindness, why did you say such things on Facebook?¡± Ste asked sharply and


    skillfully changed the subject.


    Sophia panicked and immediately realized that she had fallen into Ste¡¯s trap.


    However, Ste did not let go and continued to pursue the issue.


    ¡°You can tell me directly if you¡¯re unhappy with anything. Why did you post such things on Facebook?


    Back then, I was alienated in school because of the things you posted. Even my college admission


    rmendation went south because of this incident. I don¡¯t me you for any of this. I just don¡¯t


    understand why you did all this.¡±


    Ste made up the matter about the college admission rmendation. While she was one of the


    shortlisted candidates for the admission rmendation back then, she did not like the selected


    college, so she voluntarily gave up on it.


    However, the genuineness of the incident did not matter as long as the bystanders bought it.


    Ste¡¯s questions immediately changed the narrative of the incident.


    ¡°I did hear about this incident that happened back then. I have a cousin who was ssmates with Ste


    back then, and they were pretty good friends. Whenever they went out together, Ste would buy two


    of whatever she bought. My cousin asked Ste why she bought two sets, and she said her little sister


    had just joined her family. So, she¡¯s someone who has a little sister now. When the Facebook incident


    happened, my cousin was really shocked because just a week before the incident, she and Ste went


    to buy Ste¡¯s little sister¡¯s birthday present. together.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Ste graduated from some random college. She went to Trinity Film Academy, so it¡¯s


    very likely the college admission rmendation incident is true.¡±


    Everyone knew how hard it was to get into Trinity Film Academy. The academy had high requirements


    for the student¡¯s cultural studies even though they were art students, so those who got into the


    academy were all outstanding individuals.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Since Sophia¡¯s school was not even one of the top five in the state, this was a p in the face for those


    who said Sophia was better than Ste.


    ¡°Besides, she gave her jewelry worth several million. Not even my mother is that generous to me.¡±


    ¡°If what Ste said is true, doesn¡¯t that make Sophia an ungrateful person? Ste¡¯s so nice to her, yet


    she made thoughtless remarks online that ruined her reputation.¡±


    ¡°Normally, when a person is in extreme fear, they will usually recognize the first person who saves


    them from their suffering and get attached to them. But back then, after the fire, Sophia. only


    recognized the Jewell family for some reason. I thought it was weird. She¡¯s a crafty child, so it¡¯s not


    surprising for her to do such a thing.¡±


    The situation hadpletely changed. Compared to Sophia¡¯s baseless rumors, Ste¡¯s ims were


    well-grounded.


    Ste had everything from witnesses and evidence, so Sophia could not even find any reasons to


    refute it.


    Sophia was shocked, resentful, and angered. She had an incredibly furious expression.


    Seeing how Ste wanted to continue speaking, Albert quickly said, ¡°All of this is in the past, so why


    bring it up?¡±


    Ste nced at Albert.


    His eyes were filled with worry for Sophia. However, he did not even look worried at all when others


    uttered nder at Ste.


    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m not the one who brought this up. Besides, I just wanted to get the story straight. Didn¡¯t you


    always want the two of us to be in harmony? This is something that¡¯s been bothering me for years. Isn¡¯t


    it good for us to settle it today?¡±


    Albert frowned. ¡°Sophia didn¡¯t know any better when she was younger. Besides, didn¡¯t she delete those


    posts after that? What¡¯s the use of holding onto the past?¡±


    ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is that the things Sophia said online back then were nonsense?¡± Albert realized


    that Ste was discreetly getting him to admit the truth.


    ¡°Sophia was adopted, so she¡¯s already sensitive, to begin with. Back then, she only posted. those


    things on Facebook to vent her feelings. As her older sister, can¡¯t you just go easy on her?¡±


    Ste¡¯s heart sank.


    ¡®Who knew that Albert would continue to defend Sophia even at this point?¡¯ she thought.


    Just as Ste was about to speak, someone chuckled behind her.


    ¡°Your father-inw is so biased that it¡¯s making me speechless. Is your wife even his biological


    daughter?¡±


    Albert was startled. When he lifted his head and saw the person speaking, his expression changed.


    Keegan was standing nearby with an indifferent expression. Meanwhile, the person who had spoken


    earlier was Vermont, who stood next to him.


    Judging from their stance, the two seemed to have stood there watching them for a long time.


    The moment Keegan appeared, the people who were criticizing Ste instantly fell silent.


    Ste red at Keegan in annoyance.


    ¡®Why is this bastard here right now? He¡¯s going to hinder my performance!¡¯ she thought.


    On the other hand, Albert felt uneasy. Previously, he had hit Ste at the hospital. That very night, he


    lost a few big contracts.

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    Those few contracts were frompanies that the Kane family had linked him up with, so he could not


    help but suspect that Keegan did that on purpose because he knew something.


    ¡®Whether he knows or not, the biases in his words were just too obvious. No matter how cold Keegan is


    toward Ste, he won¡¯t stand by idly and watch her get wronged,¡¯ thought Albert. Albert felt a little


    annoyed.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡®I should¡¯ve known. But, how could Stee to the jewelry exhibition alone when Keegan¡¯s still


    injured?¡¯ he thought.


    At that thought, Albert immediately changed his tone.


    ¡°What are you saying, Mr. Snyder? Ste¡¯s my only daughter, so I obviously love her. It¡¯s just that


    Sophia was adopted. I feel bad that she¡¯s all alone with no one to rely on, so I can¡¯t help. but


    sometimes take better care of her. Since you¡¯re not a father yet, you obviously wouldn¡¯t know how hard


    it is to be one.¡±


    Vermont smiled. Suddenly, he said, ¡°I heard Sophia got a new car a while ago. It cost around 2 million.


    Keegan, I recall that your father-inw gave your wife a little Cayenne as a part of the dowry when


    you,two got married back then. How much did it cost again?¡±


    ¡°890 thousand,¡± Keegan responded coolly.


    Ste was a little surprised.


    ¡®Keegan usually doesn¡¯t even bother looking at that car, which was a part of my dowry, but he actually


    knows its price,¡¯ she thought.


    Albert had a bad feeling the moment Vermont brought up the car. As expected, he heard. Vermont say


    the very next moment, ¡°The car that¡¯s a part of your biological daughter¡¯s dowry costs 890 thousand


    dors, but a random car for your adopted daughter costs around 2 million? Mrs. Jewell¡¯s been in a


    coma for six years, and you don¡¯t pity your own daughter for not having a mother at a young age.


    Instead, you made your own daughter suffer because of an orphan. You¡¯re right; I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    No one else spoke up for Sophia after hearing Vermont¡¯s words.


    Not only was Sophia wearing her sister¡¯s three-million-dor dowry and driving a more expensive car


    compared to her sister, she even threw shade at her sister online despite having all these advantages.


    What Sophia did was practically bite the hand that fed her.


    ¡°The incident was so trending so much online. Turns out, she was just biting the hand that fed her.¡±


    ¡°When Keegan got married, he sent carts and carts of dowry to the Jewell family. I heard it cost nearly


    a billion. Albert only gave a car worth less than a million? How did he have the cheek to do so?¡±


    ¡°What was Albert Jewell thinking? He¡¯s not pampering his own daughter but his adopted daughter?¡±


    ¡°The adopted daughter really knows how to act pitiful. Didn¡¯t we all get deceived by her?¡± Sophia did


    not look happy. Meanwhile, Albert turned red in anger.


    ¡°What can a car prove? Maybe Mr. Jewell waspensating Sophia for what Ste did when she was


    younger? When the incident happened, Sophia was only fourteen. How evil could the mind of a 14-


    year-old girl be? She was only writing down what she witnessed and thought. Now that it¡¯s been years,


    who knows who¡¯s right or wrong? Since you keep on bringing up the car, it¡¯s hard for people not to


    suspect that you¡¯re siding with Ste because Mr. Kane instructed you to.¡±


    ¡®Even at this point, that joker still can¡¯t see the truth for what it is,¡¯ thought Ste.


    Naturally, the joker Ste was referring to was Kevin.


    Ste genuinely did not understand what she did to offend this person. So much so that he wanted to


    fight her till the very end.


    ¡®When Sophia misrepresented the truth, he said she was young. But, when ites to me, he says my


    words don¡¯t mean a thing and that it¡¯s hard to know the truth behind the incident. because it¡¯s been


    years? He¡¯s a pro at double standards!¡¯ Ste thought.


    Just as Ste was about to lose her temper, she heard Keegan speak.


    ¡°So what if I did?¡± he asked icily.


    Ste was startled as she threw him a weird nce.


    Meanwhile, Kevin waspletely speechless.


    ¡®Long ago, I heard rumors that Keegan doesn¡¯t care about Ste. Just now, he stood nearby watching


    us for a long time. Even when he arrived, he barely spoke. Who would have thought. that he would


    demonstrate extreme biases the moment he spoke?¡¯ thought Kevin.


    Meanwhile, Vermont was stunned by Kevin¡¯s selective blindness. After a while, he finally said, ¡°Do you


    think you¡¯re doing God¡¯s work by defending her?¡±


    The crowd burst outughing, and Kevin turned red in anger.


    Albert¡¯s gaze subtly swept past Ste and Keegan. Then, he suddenly had an idea.


    All of a sudden, his attitude changedpletely. Even his tone turned into one that was amiable.

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    ¡°You really misunderstood, Mr. Snyder. They¡¯re both my daughters, so I naturally won¡¯t side with any


    one of them. When Ste got married, money was tight for me, so her dowry seemed a little meager.


    The car Sophia drove is mine. She went to pick it up for me. In the future, she¡¯ll drive the old car. After


    all, she¡¯ll need a car as a mode of transportation to go to work.¡±


    Vermont raised a brow. ¡°Is that so? Since you are now well-off, you shouldpensate your daughter¡¯s


    dowry. Otherwise, how embarrassing would it be if others heard about this?¡±


    His ttery put Albert on the spot.


    ¡®Doesn¡¯t he have a public persona of loving women? He¡¯ll have to demonstrate it somehow, right?¡¯


    wondered Vermont.


    Albert¡¯s expression stiffened, as he was resentful and furious. However, he suppressed his emotions


    and said with a smile, ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll prepare it when I get home.¡±


    Suddenly, Keegan peered at the bracelet Ste was looking at earlier on. Then, he said coolly,¡± The


    color of this bracelet is not bad.¡±


    Vermont immediately took the hint.


    ¡°Mr. Jewell, if you ask me, you shouldn¡¯t even wait till you get home. This bracelet is pretty good,¡± said


    Vermont.


    Albert was so shocked he almost coughed out blood.


    ¡®If I prepare the dowry at home, nobody will know what I¡¯ve prepared. If I prepare it here, then. it¡¯ll


    surely leave a dent in my wallet. They set me up, but I still need to jump in even when I know it¡¯s a


    trap,¡¯ he thought.


    ¡°Earlier, I heard you wanted to buy it for your younger daughter. Are you not willing to do it now that


    you¡¯re buying it for your elder daughter?¡±


    Vermont really knew where to hit someone where it hurt.


    Albert swallowed and forced a smile. ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡±


    He said to the salesperson. ¡°Pack up this bracelet for me.¡±


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Then, he looked at Ste with a loving smile and said, ¡°I¡¯ll only feel at ease when you¡¯re living well.¡±


    Ste sighed internally.


    ¡®Albert will probably hate my guts after this incident. It isn¡¯t easy for him to put on a loving father and


    daughter show with me right now,¡¯ she thought.


    She lowered her gaze and obediently epted his attempt to extricate her from the situation.


    ¡°Thank you, dad.¡±


    Then, she subconsciously looked at Sophia. Sophia did not even bother hiding the envious and


    malicious look in her eyes.


    Ste smiled and gently said, ¡°But, I took away what Sophia wanted. She might feel a little unhappy.¡±


    Sophia did not expect Ste to say such a thing at that moment, so everyone immediately looked at her


    after hearing Ste¡¯s words.


    Sophia did not manage to change the expression on her face in time. Naturally, many saw it.


    She bowed her head in panic and said in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Ste. You¡¯ve already given me


    such expensive jewelry and treated me like your own sister. So, a bracelet is nothing. I¡¯m happy as long


    as you like it.¡±


    Ste smiled slightly and replied, ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. We can¡¯t let a bracelet ruin our rtionship as


    sisters.¡±


    Sophia wanted to scratch Ste on the face. However, in reality, she could only swallow her anger and


    answer, ¡°It¡¯s enough if you don¡¯t me me.¡±


    Kevin could not bear to listen any further and had left somewhere along the way.


    Ste felt a little disappointed.


    ¡®I should¡¯ve let him see how his goddess¡¯ public persona came crashing down. Why did he leave ahead


    of it?¡¯ she thought.


    Ste finished her performance and even got a bracelet for nothing. So, she was in a great mood. She


    even found Keegan not as much of an eyesore.


    She smiled with her eyes and asked Keegan, ¡°There are some cufflinks here. Pick a pair. I¡¯ll buy them


    for you.¡±

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    Keegan nced at Ste¡¯s expression. Her eyes were narrowed and seductive as if she was a fox that


    had eaten to its heart¡¯s content.


    He swallowed. Just as he was about to speak, Vermont cut in and teased, ¡°Ste, why don¡¯t you ask if


    the braceletes with a free gift? Keegan looked like he likes free gifts.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Since when did I like free gifts?¡±


    Vermont blinked.


    ¡°Did Ste give your pair of socks to Marshall after you two had a fightst time?¡±


    Ste chortled. ¡°It¡¯s not that he doesn¡¯t like free gifts; he just isn¡¯t happy with me casually disposing of


    his things. It¡¯s simply him being possessive.¡±


    ¡®Possessive¡­¡¯ thought Vermont.


    He smiled with his eyes for a while. Just then, someone came over looking for him. After he bid them


    goodbye, he walked away.


    Ste grabbed Keegan¡¯s hand. ¡°Come on. Pick one.¡±


    Keegan lowered his gaze and looked at Ste¡¯s pale, smooth palm. Then, he slightly tightened his grip.


    ¡®I always say that all Ste thinks about is money, but the truth is she always shares it with me


    whenever she receives a windfall,¡¯ he thought.


    At that thought, Keegan nced at the price of the cufflinks. The most expensive one was thirty-eight


    thousand.


    He paused and thought again. ¡®Although the amount she¡¯s sharing isn¡¯t much.¡¯


    The cufflinks were from a niche brand, so their products were not too expensive. However, the


    salesperson was really friendly and kept on rmending various styles to Ste.


    Ste grabbed each of them and held them over Keegan¡¯s cuffs.


    Meanwhile, Keegan let her be and said coolly, ¡°How did you know Kevin mer?¡±


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°That guy? He¡¯s a schoolmate from high school. We also went to the same middle school and were


    ssmates in a few grades.¡±


    ¡°Why is he picking on you so much?¡±


    Truthfully, Ste could not figure out the reason either.


    Ste remembered her middle school days with Kevin. They were ssmates as well as deskmates,


    and their rtionship was not exactly bad. The only difference worth mentioning was that they had


    ipatible perspectives.


    When Ste was in her teens, Ste had a more liberal view on young love and believed in enjoying


    the moment. She perceived that girls and boys should just be together if they liked each other. And, if


    they did not like each other, they should just break up.


    On the other hand, Kevin had a more traditional and reserved view on rtionships. Ste


    would talk to Kevin about the rumors of dating in their ss, but Kevin would have a tense expression


    and say that it was frivolous for students to seek pleasure when their parents were spending money on


    their education.


    Ste remembered that one day, one of her friends borrowed her notes and found a love letter inside.


    The letter was well-written but cheesy, so she had no idea who it was from. When she was not in ss,


    her ssmates passed the letter around, causing a stir and rumors of Ste dating to spread. After


    that, Kevin seemed to distance himself from her and eventually changed his seat with the teacher¡¯s


    help.


    Ste assumed that he might have been disgusted by her for dating at a young age. Since they were


    not that close, Ste had forgotten about it. She was now surprised to learn that he had be


    Sophia¡¯s fanboy.


    After Keegan heard about the love letter, he pursed his lips.


    ¡°How about the person who gave you the love letter? Did you two end up together?¡±


    ¡°Who knows who wrote it?¡± Ste buttoned a silver-white cufflink for him. Then, she continued, ¡°Back


    then, I received love letters every day. Was I supposed to date every single one of them? Besides, that


    love letter was so cheesy. I couldn¡¯t stand it.¡±


    ¡®She received love letters every day¡­¡¯ thought Keegan.


    His eye twitched.


    He thought again, ¡®Isn¡¯t she scared of biting her tongue when she¡¯s lying?¡¯


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you think of dating someone when you were that popr?¡±

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    Ste did not lift her head. ¡°Back then, I already have someone I like, so why waste other people¡¯s


    time?¡±


    Keegan froze. Then, his gaze involuntarily darkened.


    ¡°How¡¯s this one?¡± Ste stood up.


    She added, ¡°Take a look. What do you


    think?¡±


    Keegan lowered his gaze and nced at it, ¡°As expected of your aesthetic.¡±


    Ste smiled. Just as she was about to take the credit, she heard the rude bastard casually finish the


    rest of his sentence. ¡°It¡¯s tasteless as usual.¡±


    The smile on Ste¡¯s face froze. She removed the cufflinks in irritation and returned them to the


    salesperson.


    Keegan thought she would pick him a new pair. In the end, she leisurely went over to look at the


    diamonds.


    After she looked at the rings, she looked at the nes. Once she finished looking at the nes,


    she looked at the bracelets. However, she just would not look at the cufflinks.


    Keegan followed by her side. Finally, he could not help but ask, ¡°Aren¡¯t you buying me cufflinks?¡±


    Ste finally had the chance to be sardonic.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, I don¡¯t have good taste, so the things I choose aren¡¯t good enough for you. So, forget about


    it.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eye twitched.


    ¡°This woman. Her temper has been getting worse recently!¡¯ he thought.


    He pursed his lips. ¡°Buy it. I can still bear with it and wear them.¡±


    ¡®Hah! I showed you who¡¯s the boss, but you still haven¡¯t learned your lesson?!¡¯ thought Ste.


    She gave him a half smile and said, ¡°Mr. Kane, wouldn¡¯t that be a huge sacrifice for you? I¡¯d feel really


    bad.¡±


    gemstones in


    ¡°It is a huge sacrifice. Otherwise¡­¡± Keegan paused and nced at the row of front of him. Then, he


    smiled and added, ¡°Buy me a diamond. Then, you won¡¯t have to feel bad.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®What kind of dog breed is Keegan?¡¯ she thought.


    Meanwhile, Sophia was standing nearby and staring in Ste¡¯s direction with a dark expression.


    At first, Sophia wanted to let Ste make a fool of herself, but she ended up making a fool out of herself


    instead. The young people in the wealthy circle were very realistic. Those who chatted and were


    friendly with her just now immediately scrambled away after Keegan and


    Ste left. They acted as if they wanted to avoid her.


    Then, Sophia heard Albert¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Stop making that expression of yours. Aren¡¯t you embarrassed enough?¡±


    Sophia clenched her fists. She was so furious that her lips were trembling.


    Hylda frowned. ¡°She¡¯s already feeling upset. Why are you still lecturing her?¡±


    Albert nced at her unhappily.


    ¡°How many times have I told her not to have direct conflicts with Ste? But, when did she ever listen?


    I reminded her time and time again to keep a low profile when she went to get the car. But, in the end,


    everyone still found out about it!¡±


    Hylda looked unhappy. ¡°How could you me Sophia? If it wasn¡¯t because Ste had scammed that 30


    million from the Anne family, would we be in this state right now? Would you be humiliated by that girl


    from the Kane family because of such a small matter? Sophia just wanted to avenge you. Who


    would¡¯ve thought that Keegan woulde? Besides, she and Keegan were working together when


    they got you to buy that bracelet just now. Couldn¡¯t you tell that they were doing it on purpose?¡±


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡®How could I not? But, I have no choice but to buy her the bracelet just now. I obviously also have my


    own considerations. Even though Keegan barely spoke, the way he was standing there clearly showed


    that he was there to back Ste up. Apart from that, my investment in Semiconductor Technology has


    been really sessful. Looking at it now, this might be because Keegan is doing this for Ste¡¯s sake.


    Keegan caring about Ste is definitely a great advantage for me, so a bracelet is nothing,¡¯ he thought.


    Albert said in a low voice, ¡°Avenge me? Do you think I don¡¯t know what she was thinking? You made


    her this way. She loves being in the limelight for everything. In the future, don¡¯t bring this matter up


    again. Take some time to reflect upon this incident.¡±


    Then, he turned around and left.


    Sophia had an awful expression.


    Hylda nced at her and sighed, ¡°That¡¯s enough. Don¡¯t be too hasty. If you can¡¯t stay calm, you¡¯ll


    remain under her feet for the rest of your life.¡±

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    Sophia blurted out, ¡°It¡¯s so unfair! What right does Ste have!


    ¡°She married into a wealthy family and has the Kanes backing her up. She is useful to the Jewells now.


    So, of course, your father would take her side,¡± Hylda replied calmly. ¡°Put more effort into getting a


    good match. Then, your father would pay more attention to you.¡±


    ¡°No family in Rivera couldpare to the Kanes,¡± Sophia said nonchntly.


    Hylda frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t target the Kanes. The only marriageable option left is Jackson Kane. In all


    aspects, there is too much of a difference between him and Keegan. Plus, he has a bad reputation.


    He¡¯s a womanizer, not a good choice for marriage.


    Sophia scoffed. ¡°What about Keegan Kane?¡±


    Hylda¡¯s heart sank. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. Keegan wouldn¡¯t take any interest in you. Even if he


    does, he would just fool around with you. He won¡¯t marry you. Do you really want to go through what


    I¡¯ve been through?¡±


    Sophia pursed her lips and remained silent, but she was unconvinced. ¡®If Ste can be his legal wife,


    why can¡¯t I? Why would I only be someone he toys with?¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°A while ago, I asked Mrs. White to scout for potential suitors. She picked out some with great


    qualifications, and I will arrange for you to meet them once you settle in at work.


    Meanwhile, after Keegan teased Ste, the salesperson enthusiastically rmended them some


    diamond cufflinks.


    Keegan thought that Ste would stingily argue back, but she began to go through the cufflinks


    carefully instead.


    In the end, Ste picked out a pair of quadrate cufflinks embedded with melee diamonds. She lifted


    Kegan¡¯s sleeve up next to the cufflinks and looked up. ¡°What do you think of this one?¡±


    Keegan looked at Ste¡¯s gleaming eyes and felt a part of his heart sink.


    He looked away and nonchntly said, ¡°It¡¯s eptable, I guess.¡±


    As Keegan spoke, a man¡¯s voice piped up from beside him. ¡°The cufflinks really go with your look, Mr.


    Kane. Mrs. Kane has good taste.¡±


    Ste looked up and was surprised to see Carter and Lena.


    Keegan did not have many close friends, so even though Ste was not that close to the couple, she


    was still acquainted with them.


    Among Keegan¡¯s friends, Ste has the best impression of Carter.


    Of course, the biggest reason Ste took a liking to Carter was because of his twin brother,


    Zane.


    ¡®Carter¡¯s wife, Lena, who works in a Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) team, is involved in the forensics


    department,¡¯ thought Ste. ¡®Anyways, she is an impressive individual from a regr family. Unlike me,


    I married into the Kane family by chance, but her marriage with Carter was out of love.


    ¡®For Carter to go against the pressure his family puts on him and marry Lena, who has a mediocre


    background, he must be deeply in love with her.¡¯


    Carter was around the same height as Keegan. Inparison, Carter¡¯s personality was gentler than


    Keegan¡¯s. It was not that Carter was as good-natured as Marshall, but Carter was gentle in the way he


    talked. As for his appearance, he looked as aggressive and dominant as Keegan.


    Lena had extremely beautiful features. She looked stern when she was not smiling, more or less due to


    her profession. She was taller than Ste by a bit above 5.8 feet.


    When attending the jewelry exhibition, other women of wealthy families tried their best to wear their


    prettiest dresses and essories.


    Lena, on the other hand, looked more casual. She had silky, shoulder-length hair and wore a simple


    white shirt with a pair of ck cks. Her shoes were a pair of white ts, and the only essory she


    wore was the wedding ring on her ring finger.


    Even though she wore informal attire, she still looked good, thanks to her tall and well- proportioned


    figure.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Mrs. Lowe,¡± Ste greeted gently.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Lena nodded.


    Lena was a quiet person, and she was not close to Ste. After greeting and exchanging pleasantries,


    Lena stayed silent.

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    Carter, however, was very talkative. He chatted for a long time with Keegan.


    Lowe¡¯s Corporate specialized in web development and could be considered one of the most advanced


    technologies in the country. They had many dealings with the Vinci Rivera Group.


    The data processing system that the Vinci Rivera Group was equipped with was created by Lowe¡¯s


    Corporate. It could be said that the twopanies had a close partnership in their businesses.


    Ste stood aside in boredom as she was uninterested in the topic of their conversation. She thought,


    ¡®Keegan¡¯s conversation might take a while. Should I leave?¡¯


    As she was thinking, Carter suddenly asked, ¡°What¡¯s keeping you busy these days, Mrs. Kane?¡±


    Ste snapped back to reality. ¡°Nothing much, apart from tending to the garden at home. I¡¯m quite the


    idler.¡±


    ¡°I heard you took theater when you were in college, Mrs. Kane. Don¡¯t you take acting gigs?¡± Suspicion


    rose in Ste¡¯s heart. ¡®Why would he ask about my acting career out of the blue?¡¯ Ste sneaked a


    nce at Keegan, who did not seem to react at all.


    Ste was unsure of why Carter asked about that. She replied with caution, ¡°I only took ys back


    then. I stopped acting after I graduated.¡±


    part


    in


    Carter smiled. ¡°If so, can I ask you for a favor?¡±


    ¡°What favor?¡± Ste inquired.


    ¡°My wife¡¯s team assigned her the task of getting an actor. Would you be willing to help her out?¡±


    Ste was astonished. ¡®What kind of help could the CSI need from me?¡¯


    ¡°Why do you need an actor? If you don¡¯t mind me asking.¡±


    ¡°Let me borate,¡± Lena said gently. ¡°Our unit recently coborated with the local TV station to


    produce a new legal show forw poprization purposes. We wanted to recreate some ssic cases


    on TV to educate the public on somemonws, but we¡¯re having trouble finding actors. The show


    is a nonprofit project, so a minimal budget was allocated for it. Professional actors are unwilling to take


    up the show because of the lower pay. That¡¯s why our unit assigned each department to seek out


    actors.


    ¡®So that¡¯s why¡­¡¯ Ste thought.


    ¡°I don¡¯t personally know any actors, so Carter said he would help me find someone. I didn¡¯t expect him


    to be referring to you, Mrs. Kane,¡±


    Lena only came to the jewelry exhibition because Carter promised to find an actor for her. When she


    saw Ste just now, she had a hunch that Carter was referring to Ste, and it turned out to be true.


    Ste looked too beautiful to be true. She had striking features and a slim yet curvy body type, unlike


    some actresses who would pursue thinness to look good on camera but looked frail in


    person.


    Ste had a healthy-looking figure, but her face was small. This was the reason why her beauty was no


    less than other actresses on camera, although she was around ten pounds heavier than them.


    ¡®If Ste agrees to this, it would make our department look good. But, Ste is a rich housewife. She


    doesn¡¯t need the money, and maybe she would want to keep a low profile,


    given her identity.¡¯ Lena did not have high hopes for Ste agreeing to this, so she did not go into much


    detail about the gig.


    Ste, however, was intrigued.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Thisw poprization project might not be profitable, but it was for public education purposes and


    would help improve an actor¡¯s professional image. The incident with Ibelia reminded Ste that


    prevention was always better than a cure.


    After contemting for a while, Ste asked, ¡°Can you tell me more?¡±


    Lena was surprised at Ste¡¯s interest and went on to exin the details of the show.


    The show was titled ¡°Jurisdiction¡±. It was scheduled to air during lunchtime every week on Wednesdays


    and Saturdays, and it fell under the genre of legal drama.


    The script was written based on real-life cases taken from the national criminal database, and the


    cases in the show were adaptations of interesting cases from recent years. The actors would recreate


    the cases ording to the script, and after that, experts would dissect the case and exin the rted


    laws and regtions.


    At the same time, the show would be aired on the official ount of the TV station on various short-


    form video-sharing tforms and was expected to reach a wide audience ofizens.

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    Ste also discovered that the director of Jurisdiction was a well-experienced producer. He did a simr


    show for another TV channel more than ten years ago, and it was a big hit. A few yearster, however,


    due to changes in the TV channel and some business disputes, the show got canceled.


    Until this day, the show was unforgettable in the minds of audiences. It was so popr that even now,


    many content creators derive their videos from elements of the show.


    With him on the show, even if the new show was aplete replica of his hit show back then, the


    views and ratings would be more than decent.


    Ste¡¯s heart was racing with excitement. ¡®It was the right choice to attend this jewelry exhibition. A


    work opportunity came to me by itself!¡±


    To avoid seeming overeager, she pretended to hesitate. ¡°I am indeed interested, but I haven¡¯t had an


    acting gig all these years. I¡¯m worried that I might hinder the filming progress.¡±


    Carter suddenly chuckled.


    Ste nced at Carter. His expression was strange, as if he had seen right through her. Before Ste


    could analyze the situation, Carter continued, ¡°You¡¯re being too modest, Mrs. Kane. I¡¯ve seen you


    acting, and it was a good performance.


    Ste was startled by his statement. ¡°You¡¯ve seen me acting?¡±


    After a slight pause, Carter said, ¡°You yed Edmund in King Lear. I was in the audience during that


    performance at Trinity Academy¡¯s anniversary celebration.¡±


    Her part in the y as Edmund was the reason why Ste was popr back in college. It was


    considered her best work back then.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t expect someone to remember that performance after so many years,¡¯ thought Ste. Ste


    smiled at the ground and replied, ¡°They say rest is rust, and I haven¡¯t been on stage for years.¡±


    Ste paused for a while, then she continued, ¡°But, since you asked for this favor, Mr. Lowe, I¡¯ll give it a


    try.¡±


    Keegan, who had been listening beside her the whole time, frowned. ¡°You¡¯re really going for it?¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°I have nothing to do at home anyway. I could help a friend out and contribute to our


    country¡¯s public education. Shouldn¡¯t you be proud of me?¡±


    Keegan gave her a side nce. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t think it¡¯s embarrassing.¡±


    ¡®You¡¯re the one that¡¯s embarrassing!¡¯ Ste thought.


    Ste grinned and replied, ¡°You¡¯re the one who would be embarrassed. I have no shame.¡±


    Keegan smirked at her self-awareness.


    Ste had just finished exchanging contacts with Lena when the exhibition started.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    The organizers hired a professional host for the opening speech. The Lowes had a few exhibits that


    needed to be priced by Carter, so he left with Lena.


    The host was a famous celebrity, and it was difficult to book him even with high pay. The fact that the


    Moores were able to secure him as a host showed how grand the jewelry exhibition


    was.


    Ste was fascinated by the host when she heard Keegan¡¯s voice ask, ¡°Are you close with Carter?¡±


    ¡°Not really, but I owe his brother a favor.¡±


    Ste knew what Keegan wanted to ask.


    In Keegan¡¯s point of view, Ste had no previous connections with Carter and Lena. So, it did not make


    any sense why Ste was so eager to help them out when they asked.


    Ste was not willing to let Keegan know why she had agreed to help. Instead, she boldly misled him


    for another reason.


    ¡°Zane Lowe?¡¯ Keegan frowned. ¡°What favor?¡±


    Ste pursed her lips. ¡°When I got married to you, he helped me out.¡±


    Years ago, when Ste married Keegan, he left her alone at the wedding, and everyone was waiting to


    make fun of her. Dahlia, with the intention of keeping up appearances, instructed Ste to make rounds


    and drink with the guests at every single table.

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    But then again, Ste was just a young girl. How good could her alcohol tolerance be?


    After raising a toast to seven or eight tables of guests, she was already a little dizzy.


    Like a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing, the people who were well-dressed in their day-to-day lives were toasting


    the bride with the strongest of liquors at this disgusting wedding scene.


    Ste had already drunk too much. If she had continued on, she would have spent her wedding night in


    the Intensive Care Unit instead of her new home.


    ¡°You toasted with all the other tables of guests, so why not us? Come on, aren¡¯t you gonna pay us


    respect?¡±


    The guests at the table went back and forth, coercing her to raise a toast. However, out of nowhere,


    someone snatched the ss out of Ste¡¯s grip and sshed it across the face of the person who


    initiated the coercion.


    With an angry expression on his face, the man who snatched the ss chuckled as he mocked, ¡°Why


    don¡¯t you piss off and look at your own reflection. Do you really think you deserve respect?¡±


    ¡°And, the rest of you, every single person at this table.¡± He wobbly raised his finger at the table.


    ¡°Looking all dignified and well-dressed while perverted thoughts about the bride are running through


    your minds. What a bunch of savages!¡±


    His words insulted the entire table of guests, and the man who was sshed by him was enraged. ¡°Oh,


    I was wondering who it was. It¡¯s the youngest son of the Lowe family. Weren¡¯t you convicted of


    aggravated assault? Your brother was quick to bail you out! Thank God you were born into a decent


    family. No matter how much trouble you got yourself into, your family will always clean up the mess,


    while you can be a useless piece of trash!¡±


    The corner of Zane¡¯s mouth twitched upwards into a chilling smirk. In a split second, he bolted up,


    grabbed the man by the cor, and narrowed a fork toward the man¡¯s neck. As if he was discussing


    with the man, Zane said, ¡°I haven¡¯t tried manughter. What do you say I try it on you? Let¡¯s see if they


    would clean this up for me too.¡±


    The man had obviously never dealt with such a threat. His arrogance was gone, and his face went pale


    with fear.


    A voice broke the deadlock of the situation. ¡°Zane, let go of him!¡±


    Ste turned around to see a man, who looked exactly like Zane, approaching them hurriedly. He was


    Carter, Zane¡¯s twin brother, the most outstanding descendant of the Lowe family, who was also the


    established heir of Lowe¡¯s Corporate.


    Although they looked exactly the same, the twins gave off very different vibes. Zane looked dark and


    dangerous, while Carter looked more reserved. Carter spoke slowly and gently, like a diligent


    valedictorian who the grown-ups had high hopes for.


    ¡°Is this a ce for you to cause a scene? Let go and apologize now!¡±


    ¡°Apologize?¡± Zane slowly turned his gaze downward to look at the cowardly man that was being held at


    the end of his utensils. ¡°Sure. Come on, call me daddy and apologize to me, then I¡¯ll let you go.¡±


    There were a lot of rich yboys in Rivera, but nobody was as reckless as Zane.


    Not only was he a yboy, but he was also a madman.


    Zane had been a loner since his childhood. When he was in elementary school, he killed a


    kindergarten ss rabbit that the children were supposed to study. He stuffed the disemboweled rabbit


    into the schoolbag of a little girl.


    In high school, he got into an argument with someone while ying basketball. He promptly pushed the


    person down the stairs during self-study ss that evening, and the person suffered serious injuries.


    All these years, from extreme sports and drag racing to physical fights, Zane kept having all sorts of


    ridiculous episodes. Since his family would always take care of the consequences, he was reckless


    enough to do anything.


    Even if he were to kill someone, nobody in Rivera would be surprised.


    The fork had already prated the cowardly man¡¯s skin, and he yelped in pain. He was fearful that


    Zane would give the fork a push, and his life woulde to an end right there and then.


    He was not going to risk his life over his dignity.


    So, the man surrendered and immediately addressed Zane, ¡°Dad..¡±


    Carter looked livid. ¡°Are you done messing around?¡±


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    Zane nced at Carter, released the man¡¯s cor, and threw the fork into a wine ss.


    ¡°Buzzkill,¡± mumbled Zane, and he swaggered away.


    No matter what other people said about Zane, Ste was still grateful for his help that day.


    She never expected someone as unruly and arrogant as him to pass awayst year from drowning.

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    The day Zane drowned was the day Carter got married


    Ste and Keegan attended the wedding, but they did not see Zane.


    The wedding took ce by the beach, so the location was far from the city center. The Lowes booked


    many rooms at the beach resort for their guests to stay in.


    However, not long after the ceremony, they received a call informing them that Cordelia had tripped


    and fallen. They did not spend the night at the resort and hurried back home.


    Meanwhile, Zane drowned on the night they left.


    There were a lot of rumors surrounding the truth of Zane¡¯s death, but the Lowes never exined what


    happened that night. They just stated that it was an ident.


    Even the guests that spent the night in the hotel that night had no idea what went down. When they


    knew that something had happened, Zane was already in an ambnce to the hospital and was


    announced dead not long after.


    The wedding became a funeral for the death of a young man.


    One could only guess how the Lowes felt that day.


    Zane¡¯s funeral was low-profile, and there were very few reports of the incident in the media


    too.


    Everyone in Rivera thought that karma had gotten to Zane, but Ste had always thought that it was a


    pity that he died young.


    On her wedding day, although Zane appeared to be drunk, Ste did not smell the scent of alcohol


    when he passed by her.


    Ste believed that Zane was not a drunken troublemaker. She believed that he was pretending to be


    drunk as an excuse to help her out.


    But, since Zane had passed away, there was no way for Ste to find out the truth. But even so, she


    would always be thankful to him. Looking at Carter¡¯s features, which looked exactly like Zane¡¯s, she


    was quick to take an instant liking to him.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°So, that¡¯s what happened. If it wasn¡¯t for Zane back then, I would¡¯ve been sent to the hospital on our


    wedding night.¡± Ste narrated calmly, ¡°I didn¡¯t have the chance to repay him for his kindness when he


    was alive. Now that Carter needs my help, it¡¯s only fair that I lend him a hand for Zane¡¯s sake.¡±


    Keegan stared at Ste with aplicated expression. After a while, he asked, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you told


    me about this before?¡±


    Ste forced a smile and raised her gaze to look at him. ¡°Keegan, when you left me alone at our


    wedding, did you not think of what would happen?¡±


    Keegan sealed his lips and gulped. After a moment of silence, he said, ¡°I was busy with urgent matters


    that day.¡±


    Ste dropped her gaze. ¡°You¡¯re always busy with something.¡±


    ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter if it was the time we got married, or when my mother was sick, or when I was at the


    hospital in need of a family member¡¯s signature¡­


    ¡®As long as Be gives him a call, I will always be the forgotten one.¡¯ Time after time, Ste grew tired


    of saying anything about it.


    Keegan¡¯s lips were shut tight, and he stayed silent for a long while.


    Although Ste meant to mislead Keegan with this story to cover up her real reasons, telling the story


    again was just adding salt to her wound. She was also upset about it.


    ¡°Anyway, I already promised to help them out. If you think I¡¯m bringing shame onto the Kane family


    name, we should get the divorce done quickly. If your family asks you about itter on, I¡¯m not one of


    the Kanes anymore. You won¡¯t be involved in this.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression darkened, and he shot her a side-eye. ¡°Do whatever you want. It won¡¯t be the first


    time you humiliate me anyway.¡±


    Ste was just about to return the banter when the lights dimmed down. The exhibition went dark, with


    only a fewmps here and there illuminating the ce.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, pleasee forward! This is a gentle reminder to not push against each other


    and to avoid trampling. I understand your excitement, but safetyes first. Please put your mobile


    devices and cameras away. shlights will affect the disy of the Luminous Pearl. We have a team of


    professional cameramen that will record the entire disy. The whole recorded process will be sent to


    your respective mobile phones.¡±

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    It turned out the Luminous Pearl was about to be presented. Ste unconsciously moved toward it, and


    Keegan followed her.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    When all the lights from the cell phones were turned off, the lights overhead were also turned. off.


    There was only the soft glow from the infrared light of the surveince cameras and the green light from


    the emergency exits. The surrounding was pitch ck. Even if someone was standing nearby, one


    could not see their face clearly. It was total darkness.


    ¡°We appreciate your cooperation,¡± the host¡¯s voice boomed again. ¡°Next, we will have our staff pull the


    curtains, and we shall admire this rare treasure that had been uncovered after two thousand years


    together.¡±


    As his speech ended, everyone saw the soft glow emitted from the stage. As the curtains were pulled


    down, the glow started to spread toward its surrounding. The soft purple light immediately covered the


    front stage when the curtains were pulled downpletely. At the same time, the original source for


    this glow was a bead the size of a ping-pong ball covered in a ss dome.


    Everyone erupted in gasps. It was not like everyone there had not seen Luminous Pearls before.


    However, they usually emitted light green or whiteish yellow lights. Most people saw those that cast


    light purple glows like this one for the first time. Those further away could not see clearly, so they


    pushed to squeeze forward.


    Ste staggered from the squeezing, but the person beside her stretched out his hand to hold onto her


    waist. He brought her into his arms and used his body to shield her between the disy set and


    themself.


    ¡®Keegan acted like a man for once and knew to protect me. Could it be that the things I said earlier


    have caused him to feel some guilt?¡¯ Ste thought.


    The host on stage was introducing the Luminous Pearl¡¯s origins. The surrounding people were


    squeezing to the front. Once in a while, a nail or handbag would touch Ste, and she would shrink


    further into his embrace.


    Keegan¡¯s body froze, and his body subconsciously moved away and kept a distance from her.


    Ste furrowed her brows. ¡®Bastard. If he resented me so much, why did he sleep with me?¡¯


    She gritted her teeth and leaned closer, but he still dodged her. Ste grew frustrated and stretched her


    hands out to hug his waist. ¡°If you push me away, I¡¯ll tell grandma that you have a mistress and want to


    divorce me!¡±


    Keegan¡¯s movements halted and did not move any further.


    Ste maintained this position while looking at the Luminous Pearl on stage. The glow emitted from the


    pearl was breathtaking, and the host on stage told the pearl¡¯s origins at a moderate pace.


    The pearl originated from the Swallow Kingdom and was gifted by an unknown king to his beloved


    consort. Then, it changed masters a few times before bing an apaniment for the burial of a


    madam during the Astor Dynasty. After that, the tomb was raided, and the pearl was lost overseas.


    Under a stroke of good luck, Irene Moore saw it during an auction and used eight million Union dors


    to bid on it.


    In order for the people in the country who were interested to gaze upon the brilliance of the pearl, the


    pearl would be exhibited once in the middle of every month. At the end of the year, it would be officially


    donated to the national museum. Ste listened to it for a long time. She realized that the pearl was just


    a gimmick to attract people to the jewelry exhibition. Their true intention was actually to sell their


    jewelry.


    ¡°On this night, the volume of jewelry about to be sold would far exceed the money required to bid for


    the pearl. By exhibiting the pearl eight or ten times, the money they would have earned would be


    enough to buy tens of those pearls. From the looks of it, Mr. Moore¡¯s aunt is quite simr to you. Both


    your hearts are rotten to the core,¡± said Ste.


    The person in her arms froze, and Keegan¡¯s voice came from behind. ¡°Ste, who are you talking to?¡±


    Ste was stunned.


    ¡®Why was his voiceing from behind me? If Keegan was behind me? Who am I hugging in my


    arms?¡¯ She thought.

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    At that moment, the lights were all turned on. Ste squinted her eyes and was shocked when she saw


    who she was holding in her arms and yelped, ¡°Mr. Moore?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression immediately turned ugly. He could see that Ste was hugging Marshall like an


    octopus. She had her head facing upwards with a dumb look on her face.


    He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Ste came back to her senses and quickly released her grasp, but Keegan was quicker by a bit and


    grabbed her wrist. He then forcefully pried Ste from Marshall¡¯s body. Ste¡¯s wrists were hurting, but


    she did not care to cry out. Due to the embarrassment, she could only stay awkward.


    Forget about hugging the wrong person; she even ckmailed the person and ridiculed their aunt.


    Now, she wished she could crawl into a hole and hide from the embarrassment.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Moore. I¡¯ve mistaken you for someone else,¡± Then, sheined quietly to Keegan,


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you beside me just now? Where did you go?¡±


    Keegan said with an unhappy expression, ¡°You were the one hugging someone else and not letting go,


    yet you have the audacity to me me?¡±


    Ste choked on his words. ¡®Son of a bitch, doesn¡¯t he know how to give me a way out?¡¯


    In the end, Marshall said, ¡°Based on the situation, it¡¯s normal to mistake anyone for someone else.


    Besides, I have the same physique as Keegan.¡±


    That sentence helped Ste ease the awkwardness. In actual fact, what Marshall said was also true.


    He did have the same physique as Keegan, and the smell of their clothes had a slight tinge of rosin.


    Therefore, it caused Ste to confuse them both.


    ¡°I met Vermont earlier. He said that both of you came over here, so I came to look for you,¡± Marshall


    said.


    Then, Ste remembered that she had rejected Marshall¡¯s invitation previously. Instead, she had


    appeared at the jewelry exhibition. She figured that he might feel unhappy about it, so Ste quickly


    exined, ¡°Grandma told me she wanted toe and take a look. We were worried, so we came with


    her.¡±


    ¡°I saw Mrs. Kane Sr.¡± There were many people around, so everyone talked loudly. Marshall said,


    ¡°There are too many people here, and Keegan still has his injuries. He might get bumped into easily. I¡¯ll


    bring us to the front where there are seats.¡±


    If Carter had left a good impression on Keegan, then Marshall was definitely an angel. He was kind,


    polite, and gentle. Regardless of whatever he was doing or saying, he was thoughtful and would not


    leave anyone feeling ufortable.


    ¡®He¡¯s such a perfect man¡­ How did he be friends with a bastard like Keegan?¡¯ Thinking of that,


    Ste threw a disdainful nce at Keegan.


    Keegan was very confused by that. Then, Ste turned her eyes into crescents and spoke to Marshall


    in a gentle manner. ¡°Sorry for troubling you, Mr. Moore.¡±


    Keegan was shocked by the interaction. Marshall then led them through the crowd. Just as


    they reached the front row, a silhouette ran over and pounced into Marshall¡¯s arms, Marshall, where did


    you go?¡±


    ¡±


    Who else could have such a coquettish voice besides Aurora? Marshall¡¯s expression was slightly


    helpless. He stretched his arms to pat her shoulders. ¡°Aurora, you¡¯re an adult now. There are so many


    people looking, and it wouldn¡¯t be good for us. Let go of your hands.¡±


    Aurora begged coquettishly, ¡°No, I haven¡¯t seen you for days.¡±


    When Dahlia¡¯s resigned voice came from behind, Marshall still wanted to say something. Look at the


    child. Aurora is already over twenty years old, yet she still acts like a child. She still loves to stick to


    Marshall. What was she thinking?¡±


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    A slightly plump and pretty womanughed. ¡°She is still a child, right? She had been ying with


    groups of kids since she was young and was closest to Marshall. How could she change within such a


    short time?¡±


    ¡°Even if she can¡¯t change, she must change. She is already a grown-up. If she keeps staying like this,


    what would she look like when Marshall has a girlfriend in the future?¡±


    The pretty woman smiled and said, ¡°Then, wouldn¡¯t it be best to let Aurora be my daughter-in ¨Cw?¡±

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    Aurora¡¯s face turned red, and she coquettishly said, ¡°Godmother, what are you saying?¡±


    Marshall furrowed his brows and pushed Aurora¡¯s hand away. ¡± Mom, you shouldn¡¯t make these jokes


    on a whim. Aurora is much younger than I am. She¡¯s like a sister to me.¡±


    Aurora interrupted hastily. ¡°I¡¯m not your biological sister¡­¡±


    ¡°Aurora!¡± Dahlia yelled out. ¡°Go help support your grandmother.¡±


    Aurora initially did not want to let her hand go, but she saw Dahlia¡¯s heavy expression and could only


    let go and leave with gritted teeth.


    When Aurora had left, Dahlia sighed, ¡°She just can¡¯t grow up.¡±


    A few times, Ste had met the pretty woman, which was also Marshall¡¯s mother. Although she was


    slightly plump, she still was very elegant. Her features also showed that she was quite beautiful when


    she was younger.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Marshall¡¯s mother and Dahlia had an excellent rtionship with each other. Otherwise, she would not


    have epted Aurora as her godchild.


    It was apparent that both of them wanted to make this marriagee true, but Marshall seemed


    unwilling.


    Dahlia could clearly see it and naturally would not want her daughter to seem cheap by being so


    unrestrained. Hence, when Marshall said those words, she directed Aurora to the side. Although


    Keegan and Aurora were her children, Ste always felt that Dahlia would put more thoughtful


    consideration into Aurora. Meanwhile, Keegan and Dahlia, despite being mother and son, were slightly


    ceremonious and estranged.


    ¡°They¡¯re still young, and they¡¯re just kids. There is no need for such harsh demands,¡±


    Marshall¡¯s mother gently replied. She then looked at Keegan, and her gaze softened. ¡°I envy you for


    having both a son and a daughter.¡±


    Dahlia replied, ¡°What¡¯s the use of having both a son and daughter? When ites to their marriages,


    none of them will listen to me.¡±


    Marshall¡¯s mother heard the hidden meaning behind her words, as Dahlia was never satisfied with her


    current daughter-inw. However, Marshall¡¯s mother did not continue the conversation since it was the


    family affairs of others. It was not up to an outsider like her to give an opinion. She could only smile and


    say, ¡°The kids have their own destiny and happiness to grab hold of; there is no need to be so


    controlling.¡±


    Ste lowered her gaze and was used to the subtle ridicule from Dahlia. As both of them were chatting,


    Mrs. White arrivedte while being escorted by the other madams. Mrs. White was Marshall¡¯s aunt,


    Irene, and the organizer of this private jewelry exhibition. Irene wore a white gown, and her whole body


    was bejeweled. No one knew whether it was due to her having a younger husband. Hence, she looked


    much more youthful than the other madams of the same


    age.


    She held hands with a young man who looked like he was in his thirties. He was tall and slim with very


    nice-looking features. However, he seemed slightly feminine, which made him look odd. That man


    should be Irene¡¯s husband.


    ¡°My sister-inw, Mrs. Kane, why are you all standing here? Aren¡¯t you going to see if something suits


    your fancy?¡± Irene asked.


    Dahlia replied, ¡°We¡¯re all waiting for the grand finale you were talking about. When does it show?¡±


    ¡®Grand finale? The Luminous Pearl isn¡¯t even the grand finale?¡¯ Ste thought.


    Irene chuckled. ¡°Is there even a rare item that you, Mrs. Kane, haven¡¯t seen before?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen the jade blessed by the Venerable Raphael Morghen yet,¡± Dahlia replied. Ste, too,


    had yet to meet the Venerable Raphael Morghen, but she had heard numerous rumors about him. Most


    of them were about how urate his predictions and foresight were, as well as how powerful he was.


    Aside from that, the Venerable Raphael Morghen had his own temperament. It was said that he always


    stayed in his abode and was rarely seen. Regardless of how powerful or wealthy a person was, he


    would only see to guests once it was time for him to leave his dwelling. Hence, forget about blessing a


    jade. Even if one wanted their fortune to be told, one must wait in line.


    Although he acted that way, the Temple of Abawo was always busy. The incense in the temples would


    always burn, thankfully due to the contributions of the wealthy madams. That was why when the


    madams heard that the jade was blessed by the Venerable Raphael Morghen, they were naturally


    interested in it.


    Irene said as sheughed, ¡°It was blessed by the Venerable Raphael Morghen, but the jade doesn¡¯t


    belong to me. It belongs to one of my friends. The Venerable Raphael Morghen said that my friend¡¯s


    aura would not be able to handle such a spiritual jade. Forcefully wearing it would ruin her destiny, so


    she gave it to me to sell it.¡±

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    ¡°I actually quite like the jade. Still, the Venerable Raphael Morghen said that the jade could recognize


    its master and was ipatible with my aura. He wrote a number for me and said if the buyer drew


    the same number tonight, they would be the one destined for it. The family who gets the item would


    definitely prosper, live long and healthy, and have their wishese true,¡± Irene added.


    After saying all that, it made the madams feel very tempted. Having the Venerable Raphael Morghen


    foretell the prophesied person would not only be a blessing, but the person would also gain social


    status. And, it would also make the lucky madam who got it to be the talk of


    the town.


    Mrs. Wood chuckled, ¡°Tell us the price and let everyone settle down.¡±


    Irene let out a light chuckle. ¡°Everyone will know when we exhibit itter.¡±


    ¡°Young child, you still want to build up suspense,¡± Behind her, Cordelia¡¯sughter floated over.


    Everyone made way for her and saw Cordelia walking steadily with Aurora following behind. ¡°Let¡¯s get


    it going, then. If you continue to tease us, everyone will leave soon enough.¡±


    Irene went up to support Cordelia and gently said, ¡°As you wish. How could I not exhibit it when you


    requested it to be exhibited?¡±


    As she said so, she turned around and told the man next to her, ¡°Sean, you should go and


    inform them.¡±


    The man answered and left. Irene was distant from everyone, including Dahlia, who was respected by


    all the other madams. She would be humble and smile lightly at them. But, when she was with


    Cordelia, she would be incredibly affectionate.


    Marshall saw the confusion in Ste¡¯s eyes and said in a low voice, ¡°My aunt used to stay in the Kane


    family for a short while. Madam Cordelia treated her like a daughter and even set her up to be


    betrothed to Uncle Kane when they were young.¡±


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Ste was surprised. ¡®Irene used to be betrothed to my father-inw. Does this mean that Dahlia and


    her used to be rivals?¡¯


    However, on second thought, being betrothed at a young age was an ancient ideology and would not


    have been treated as genuine by anyone. As Ste thought about it, she heard one of the madams


    ask, ¡°Is it a jade bracelet?¡±


    ¡®Another jade bracelet?¡¯ Ste thought.


    Ste then turned to the source of the sound and saw the exhibit unit next to the Luminous Pearl. It


    was unknown when the curtains on the item were pulled down. The ss dome showed a bracelet that


    was emerald green throughout.


    The screen had a close-up shot of the jade bracelet. Ste grew more familiar with the bracelet the


    more she looked at it. It was not until she recognized the jade eye on it that she could finally identify the


    jade bracelet as the one that Xianna bought from Vermont¡¯s shop.


    ¡®This is the jade that the Anne family is putting up for sale? It can¡¯t be. Xianna doesn¡¯t know anyone


    from the Moore family. How could their family possibly be so close with Irene that they could hire her to


    come forward and promote this bracelet?¡¯


    After associating the thought with Albert, who had appeared at the event, Ste swiftly looked behind


    her.


    Sophia seemed to have predicted that Ste would look over. She had been looking in Ste¡¯s


    direction. When she met with Ste¡¯s gaze, she twitched her lips into a smile, and her eyes were full of


    malice. Ste¡¯s heart sank, and she suddenly felt terrible about it.


    The jade¡¯s grading was brilliant and had the blessing from the Venerable Raphael Morghen, so the


    madams were especially attracted to the jade bracelet.


    ¡°That¡¯s the jade bracelet that will be the grand finale? It looks like an actual good item.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the first time I have ever seen one with such a full emerald color.¡±


    ¡°The Venerable Raphael Morghen had blessed it, so naturally, it¡¯s a good item. The color also seemed


    very pleasing.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of liking it? We need to go through a lottery for it. Who knows who would be able to


    get it. Mrs. Chapman, are you going to draw for it?¡±


    Mrs. Chapman saw Dahlia eyeing the jade carefully and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll just be joining the crowd. I send my


    kids to and from every day, so wearing jade wouldn¡¯t be suitable. However, I can see that the bracelet


    ispatible with Madam Kane. Madam Kane¡¯s skin is fair and would be quite beautiful when she


    wears it.¡±

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    Chapter 203


    Dahlia chuckled lightly. ¡°I used to feel that jade bracelets were inconvenient because they would crash


    into things. But, now that I am older, the more I feel that jade can help nurture people. However, these


    things require fate. Even if I like it, I wouldn¡¯t be able to bid for it.¡±


    Mrs. Chapman then said, ¡°The bracelet costs twenty million dors. The ones here who like jade and


    can spend that amount of money on it are only a selected few. The probability is still quite high.¡±


    One had to admit that Mrs. Chapman¡¯s skill in speaking was highly proficient. Just a single sentence


    enlightened the few madams present who were interested. The other madams were not stupid. The


    grading of the bracelet, regardless of the Venerable Raphael Morghen¡¯s blessing, would make the jade


    cost at least twenty million dors on the market. Hence, the blessing from the Venerable Raphael


    Morghen made the jade¡¯s price at least thirty or forty million dors. One could say that buying the jade


    bracelet would guarantee that it would be worth it. Not only would it help earn money, but it would also


    help distinguish yourself.


    However, Dahlia currently wanted it. If they got it first, that would definitely offend Dahlia. The Kane


    family¡¯s business was widespread. Thepanies of every madam there had connections with the


    Kane corporation. The involved projects were not as simple as just a few million, so there was no need


    to offend Dahlia for the sake of distinguishing yourself.


    Dahlia smiled and spoke no further, but her eyes were filled with a spark of determination. Irene held


    onto Cordelia and said softly, ¡°How is it? Does it suit your tastes?¡±


    Cordelia smiled affectionately. ¡°If the item was terrible, would you have poured in so much effort?¡±


    Irene smiled and said, ¡°I was merely helping a friend. He was also desperate to get the bracelet off his


    hands. At the same time, I had a jewelry exhibition, so he sent it over. I am only earning the fees for the


    exhibit unit.¡±


    Ste listened by the side and did not say a word. The bracelet was bought by Xianna using thirty


    million dors. With the current grand gesture, it was only sold for twenty-three million dors. It might


    have been undervalued by Irene.


    However, Ste still did not understand, ¡®Now that she was helping the Anne family sell the bracelet,


    why did she purposely undervalue the price?¡¯


    After the host had introduced the bracelet, he called for anyone interested in buying it toe and get


    their numbers. The madams had a game n in mind, and they all did not move forward. After a long


    while, only three people went up to get their numbers. Two were unfamiliar with the Kane family, and


    the other was Vermont.


    The corner of Ste¡¯s eyes twitched, and she thought, ¡®He sold it for thirty million and nned to


    repurchase it for twenty million only to resell it again. This guy¡­¡¯


    Irene was also puzzled. ¡°Vermont, why are you joining in the crowd? Come down and don¡¯t affect the


    other madams from getting their numbers.¡±


    Vermont smiled and said, ¡°Aunt Irene, the Venerable Raphael Morghen didn¡¯t say that the fated person


    had to be male or female. Maybe I might be the fated one.¡±


    Irene was filled with resignation. ¡°This is a woman¡¯s bracelet. If you are the prophesied


    person, then the Venerable Raphael Morghen¡¯s name will be tarnished.¡±


    Vermont twitched his lips to a smile. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it prove that his predictions are urate?¡±This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Irene could not persuade him and could only let him be. Dahlia watched for a long time. After she made


    sure that no one would be going up, she raised her feet to go up. Ste was shocked and quickly called


    for her. ¡°Mom.¡±


    Everyone was stunned and turned around to look at her. Keegan was also surprised.


    Ste¡¯s heart was anxious, but she knew the trap set up today was for Dahlia. She made the Anne


    family pay for it previously, and they wanted revenge on the Kane family. Once Dahlia bought this and


    knew the origins of the bracelet in the future, she would definitely remember this incident. So, Ste


    decided not to let Dahlia bid for it.


    Dahlia furrowed her brows and looked at Ste with an unhappy expression. However, her tone was


    patient. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Ste pursed her lips and softly said, ¡°Keegan said that you were interested in jade, so I picked a


    bracelet for you just now. You should see if you like it.¡±

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    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 204


    Chapter 204


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    When she said that, she handed the bracelet she had scammed from Albert. The marbling of the


    bracelet was gorgeous, but since it was a million-dor item, it looked inferior to the twenty million


    bracelet. However, Ste could not care too much. Regardless of anything, she could not allow Dahlia


    to bid for the bracelet.


    ¡°Mom, you should try it. If it¡¯s not suitable, I can pick another one for you,¡± Ste said.


    Dahlia¡¯s expression could not be considered as happy. Ste gave her the bracelet right when she was


    about to bid for the bracelet, not a moment earlier orter. If she did not ept it, it would spread


    rumors about their terrible rtionship as inws. If Dahlia took it with Cordelia present, as the mother-


    inw, Dahlia had to gift something back as a sign of affection. Otherwise, Cordelia would think that


    shecked etiquette as a daughter-inw.


    Besides, whether she epted it or not, Ste had gifted her the bracelet first. So, if she went up to bid


    for the bracelet, everyone would assume that she did not like the item Ste had given her. Hence, she


    would bid for the bracelet.


    After Ste brought out the item, sure enough, Cordelia said, ¡°It¡¯s a sign of the child¡¯s sincerity. You


    should try and see if you like it.¡±


    Dahlia felt her pent-up frustration but could only smile and take it.


    Coincidentally, the bracelet¡¯s size fitted perfectly, and it seemed as though it was bought just for Dahlia.


    Cordelia praised Ste. ¡°Ste has a good eye. It really suits you.¡±


    Dahlia gave an uneasy chuckle. ¡°Her taste has always been good. I really like this bracelet.¡±


    Since Cordelia hadmented, numerous other madams also praised her. ¡°Mrs. Kane, your daughter-


    inw is really filial, and her tastes are inexplicable. The bracelet you are wearing is stunning.¡±


    ¡°My daughter-inw had married into the family for more than five years. All she knows is to send stuff


    back to her family and never send me a good gift. Mrs. Kane, you are fortunate to have a daughter-in-


    law like her.¡±


    Dahlia was speechless. Cordelia heard all their praises and was delighted. However, it was apparent


    that Dahlia¡¯s smile was much stiffer. Ste knew that her mother-inw would definitely hate her to


    death at that moment.


    However, she could not care too much. As long as Dahlia did not buy the jade bracelet, even if she


    med her on the way back, she would only make her life difficult at most. Besides, it was not like she


    had not done it before. Irene, on the other hand, finally took Ste seriously. She carefully scanned


    Dahlia¡¯s daughter-inw and did not say a word for a long while.


    ¡°Is there anyone else who would like to participate in the bid?¡± The host¡¯s voice resounded again, but


    no one present woulde forward.


    Ste let out a breath of relief and heard Cordelia shout, ¡°Wait.¡±


    Everyone turned to look at her. Cordelia walked over to Ste and gently said, ¡°Ste, you should go


    and get a number.¡±


    When she finished speaking, Ste could feel Dahlia¡¯s cold gaze fixated on her. Of course, there were


    also numerous envious gazes from the madams.


    Ste felt that she almost broke down. Just as she had gotten rid of the issue, Cordelia kicked the issue


    back into her arms.


    Ste did not dare to ept it. ¡°Grandma, my luck is never good. I shouldn¡¯t go up there and reduce


    the chances of others getting it.¡±


    Cordelia smiled. ¡°My child, don¡¯t say such discouraging statements before you try pulling for it. Who


    knows, you might be the prophesied one that the Venerable Raphael Morghen was talking about.


    When I looked for him and asked about you and Keegan¡¯spatibility in marriage, he told me that


    you were a person with immense luck. Marrying you would reduce diseases and disasters while


    making us prosper. Before you married into our family, Keegan would have headaches and fevers


    frequently. After you married into the family, his conditions. have lessened. It¡¯s obvious that what the


    Venerable Raphael Morghen had said is very urate.


    ¡±


    Ste currently felt that the Venerable Raphael Morghen was probably a real scammer.

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    Chapter 205


    ¡®Keegan had headaches because he always stayed upte!


    ¡®I don¡¯t like to stay upte. So, after we got married, my sleep routine affected Keegan. Over time, he


    rarely stayed upte. That¡¯s why he doesn¡¯t have those sicknesses anymore.¡±


    Cordelia believed in the Venerable Raphael Morghen a lot. And, Ste could not just break Cordelia¡¯s


    belief. So, she suppressed what she wanted to say and said, ¡°Grandma, I don¡¯t think I have anything to


    do with that. It was mainly because Keegan is in good health.¡±


    ¡°You deserve some credit for that too. Give it a try.¡±


    Ste almost cracked. She could only give another excuse. ¡°Grandma, I really can¡¯t do it. The bracelet


    is so expensive, and I¡¯m clumsy. It isn¡¯t suitable for me.¡±


    Cordelia looked like she suddenly understood something. ¡°Ste, are you afraid that Keegan isn¡¯t


    willing to buy it for you if you manage to draw it? Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll buy it for you if you draw it. Even if you


    fail to draw it, I¡¯ll buy you whatever you like from here. Just have a little fun.¡±


    The corners of Ste¡¯s eyes almost twitched. ¡®I¡¯m not afraid of failing to draw it. I¡¯m afraid that I will draw


    it!¡¯


    The rich wives and girls were jealous because of how Cordelia pampered Ste. Even Aurora was very


    envious of her.


    ¡®Grandma never even gave me such expensive jewelry in all my life. She¡¯s just a social


    climber¡¯s daughter who married into our family. She doesn¡¯t deserve to be treated better than me by


    grandma,¡¯ Aurora thought.


    Then, she said, ¡°Grandma, I like that bracelet quite a lot too. Since Ste doesn¡¯t want to draw it, can I


    draw it?¡±


    Cordelia waved her hand. ¡°You¡¯re just a kid. You¡¯re still studying. You shouldn¡¯t join the fun here. We¡¯ll


    talk about this after you get married.¡±


    Aurora was dissatisfied and wanted to say something. However, Dahlia said, ¡°Ste, just go and have a


    try. It¡¯ll be the Kane family¡¯s blessing if you¡¯re really the destined one. I¡¯m your mother-inw; I should


    be the one who gifts that bracelet to you.¡±


    Ste¡¯s heart sank a little.


    At this point, she would look a little unappreciative if she rejected them again. Keegan then nced at


    her. He pondered for a moment before he said, ¡°Since mom said that, just go and give it a try, then.¡±


    At that moment, she could no longer refuse it.


    Ste¡¯s steps were heavy as she went on stage. The moderator handed her the box, and he gently


    said, ¡°Please draw your number.¡±


    Ste looked at the people down the stage. Sophia lifted her lips as mockery filled her eyes. Albert


    avoided eye contact as he pretended to chat with the person beside him.


    Dahlia¡¯s expression was gentle, but her eyes were cold. There was no warmth in them at all.


    Keegan was standing with Marshall as he indifferently stared at her. He absolutely had no idea how


    nervous Ste was.


    ¡°Mrs. Kane, please draw your number.¡±


    The moderator reminded her again.


    Ste came back to herself. She gave a response as she put her hand into the box. Just when she


    almost took the card out, she suddenly loosened her grip to cover her lips as she retched. Her face was


    exceptionally pale, her skin color suddenly faded, and she looked like she was going to puke her guts


    out when she retched.


    Everyone on the stage was stunned. The people below the stage burst into an uproar too. Cordelia


    worriedly said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? She was just fine a while ago. What happened?¡±


    Just when Marshall wanted to move, Keegan had already gone up on stage to carry Ste in his arms


    before him.


    Irene helped Cordelia hastily go up on the stage. When Cordelia saw Ste¡¯s pale, pitiful face, she was


    so heartbroken that she frowned. ¡°Ste, what¡¯s wrong? Are you sick?¡±This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

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    Chapter 206


    Ste was weak when she was in Keegan¡¯s arms. She softly said, ¡°I¡¯m fine, grandma. I just feel


    nauseous and dizzy. I feel like vomiting¡­¡± She then turned her head and covered her mouth as she


    retched.


    Cordelia was very worried. ¡°Okay, okay. Stop talking. Quick, call a doctor immediately.¡±


    Irene reassured Cordelia as she said, ¡°We¡¯ve already called a doctor. Don¡¯t worry.¡± She then


    methodically ordered Marshall, ¡°Marshall, bring them to the lounge. The doctor will go over there and


    examine her.¡±


    Marshall gave a response. He then turned his head to Keegan and said, ¡°Follow me.¡±


    Cordelia was still worried, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    But, Irene softly said, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go with them. She¡¯s badly retching, and she can¡¯t talk. The lounge


    isn¡¯t big. So, the air cirction will be bad if there are many people in it. They can¡¯t take good care of


    things if you¡¯re too anxious.¡±


    Cordelia calmed down. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± She then turned her head to order Dahlia, ¡°Call Baldwin and ask


    him to get an ambnce from the hospital so that Ste can be sent to the hospital immediately if


    anything happens.¡±


    Right after Keegan and the others left, Albert rushed to them. He looked anxious and concerned. ¡°Ms.


    Cordelia, Dahlia, what happened to Ste? Why did she suddenly vomit?¡±


    Cordelia was very concerned too. But, she stillforted Albert as she said, ¡°Albert, don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ve


    already called a doctor. We¡¯ll know what¡¯s going on soon.¡¯


    The people in the crowd whispered, ¡°The way she vomited kind of looked like me throwing up when I


    was pregnant. Is she pregnant?¡±


    ¡°It does look like it. Ste¡¯s been married into the family for more than three years. I think it¡¯s


    about time.¡±


    ¡°If she¡¯s really pregnant, Ms. Cordelia must be very happy.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what Ms. Cordelia said just now? She said she¡¯d buy Ste whatever she liked. She


    didn¡¯t even pamper her two daughters-inw this much. If she¡¯s really pregnant and gives birth to a


    great-grandchild for the Kane family, Ms. Cordelia will treat her even better. She might even be


    the next mother of the house of the Kane family in the future¡­¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Dahlia clutched her hands. She looked unspeakably gloomy.


    Mrs. Wood was listening to the conversation at the side. She suddenly had a thought. She smiled as


    she stepped forward and said, ¡°Ms. Cordelia, it seems like everyone is congratting you.¡±


    Cordelia frowned worriedly. She thought about that too. But, everything happened too fast. She was not


    ready for what had happened, and she was not sure about that too.


    So, she cautiously said, ¡°Just let the doctor examine her. We don¡¯t have to draw conclusions now.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s obviously pregnant. Both of us had given birth before. We can know that she¡¯s pregnant just by


    looking at what happened to her. And, she retched so badly. She¡¯s most


    probably pregnant with a baby boy. You can rest assured.¡±


    Cordelia furrowed her eyebrows. ¡°The Kane family doesn¡¯t favor boys over girls. If Ste is really


    pregnant, we¡¯ll treat the baby equally whether the baby is a boy or a girl.¡±


    ¡®Equal treatment? None of these wealthy families can do that.¡¯


    Mrs. Wood thought Cordelia just did not want to be blunt in front of everyone. So, she smiled as she


    said, ¡°You¡¯re right. Whether the baby is a boy or a girl, the baby is still the Kane family¡¯s flesh and


    blood. It¡¯s good news for the Kane family either way¡­¡±


    Mrs. Chapman noticed that Dahlia was increasingly gloomy. She reminded the foolish woman, ¡°Mrs.


    Wood, it¡¯s a big deal if the Kane family has a new bundle of joy. We should only talk about it after Ste


    has her check-up in the hospital.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether she has her check-up or not. Look at how she vomited. She¡¯s definitely


    pregnant. Mrs. Kane had wanted a grandchild for a long time. She finally gets what she wants now.


    She should hold a banquet for this.¡±


    Mrs. Chapman was speechless.


    Dahlia just ignored her. She approached Cordelia and softly said, ¡°Mother, Baldwin contacted the


    hospital. You should go get some rest. You¡¯ve been standing for so long.¡±


    Cordelia had joint recement surgery. So, she could not stand for long periods. She did not say no


    when she heard what Dahlia said.


    Immediately, everyone left the scene. Only Mrs. Wood stood still, staring into space.


    It took her a second before she said, ¡°Mrs. Chapman, why did Mrs. Kane seem unhappy?¡± Mrs.


    Chapman faintly smiled and said, ¡°If the Kane family has good news, of course, Mrs. Kane would be


    happy. So, it depends on whether it¡¯s good news or not.¡±


    Mrs. Wood was confused when she heard that. ¡°Isn¡¯t it good news that Ste is pregnant?¡±

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    Chapter 207


    Mrs. Chapman pursed her lips. ¡°Mrs. Wood, remember this; the lesser you speak, the fewer you¡¯d say


    the wrong things.¡±


    She then turned around and walked to the crowd without waiting for Mrs. Wood to speak again.


    Keegan put Ste down on the couch when they got into the lounge.


    Stey down weakly on the sofa. Her face was pale, and she did not look well.


    Marshall went to get a ss of warm water. When he came back, Keegan was sitting on the edge of


    the couch, wiping the sweat on Ste¡¯s forehead with a tissue.


    Marshall froze for a moment. He then walked toward them and handed Keegan the ss. ¡± Keegan,


    feed her some water.¡±


    Keegan took the ss and nced at Ste. But, he took a sip of the water instead. He then pinched


    Ste¡¯s chin and wanted to kiss her on the lips.


    Ste then pped him. She got up and stared at him as she said, ¡°You¡¯re disgusting!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡®Did he think he¡¯s filming a drama? He wanted to feed me the water with his lips?¡¯ Ste thought.


    ¡®She acted quickly and decisively. She didn¡¯t look as weak as before at all,¡¯ thought Keegan. Keegan


    calmly swallowed the water. He faintly said, ¡°Not acting anymore?¡¯


    Ste choked. She stiffly nced at Marshall, who was shocked and stunned. Then, she coughed and


    said, ¡°I-It wasn¡¯t entirely an act.¡±


    She wondered, ¡°I acted so well. What gave it away?¡±


    Keegan put the ss of water aside. He nced at her and replied, ¡°Your acting skill is bad. You can


    only trick the others.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    Keegan scornfully said, ¡°You can just act like you have some other sickness. Why did you act like you


    were pregnant? Don¡¯t you know you¡¯ll definitely get caught when the doctores?¡±


    Ste was angry. ¡°Did you think I wanted to do that? It was an emergency. I couldn¡¯t think so much in


    such a short time. I couldn¡¯t pretend to pass out, right? It¡¯ll scare grandma.¡±


    Keegan took a quick look at her. ¡°So, did you think you have a conscience for acting as if were


    pregnant?¡±


    ¡°Says the guy who took the liberty to say yes for me.¡±


    Marshall noticed that the two of them were going to quarrel. He spoke to interrupt them.¡± Ste, are you


    alright?¡±


    Ste immediately hid the angry look that she would only show to Keegan. She was a little


    embarrassed as she said, ¡°Earlier was just a special situation.¡±


    you


    The corners of Keegan¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡®Since when is she so good at changing her emotions?¡¯


    Ste then told Marshall about the origin of the bracelet on stage. Only then Marshall understood why


    she did that.


    ¡®So, Ste did all of that because she didn¡¯t want the Kane family to bid for the bracelet.


    ¡®She was the one who traded the bracelet. And, she did some tricks to sell it. So, she figured that


    tonight was a set-up aiming at the Kane family. No. To be exact, the set-up was aimed at her.


    ¡®Someone wanted to give her a taste of her own medicine.¡¯


    ¡°Mr. Moore, is your aunt close with Henry? Why would she help Henry sell this bracelet?¡±


    ¡°Henry?¡± Marshall was stunned for a moment. ¡°I heard from my aunt that my uncle¡¯s friend wanted to


    sell it. But, I¡¯m not really sure about the details.¡±

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    ¡°My uncle hasn¡¯t gotten my grandfather¡¯s blessing. So, we aren¡¯t very close to him. We rarely have the


    chance to talk.¡±


    ¡®After such a big fuss, I just got to know that his uncle still hasn¡¯t officially be their family member.


    Looks like I can¡¯t find out anything from here,¡¯ Ste thought.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°How could you still have the mood to talk about all these?¡± Keegan was angry when he saw how


    gentle Ste was to Marshall. ¡°The doctor will be here soon. You should think about how to cover up


    your lie.¡±


    Ste said, ¡°Why do I need to cover up my lie? I didn¡¯t say I was pregnant. Everyone just imagined it. I


    can just tell the doctor that I had an upset stomach.¡±


    ¡°Do you think that the doctor is stupid?¡±


    ¡°At worst, we can just bribe him. Money talks.¡±


    The corners of Keegan¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡®What kind of moral values does she uphold?¡¯


    Marshall smiled as he said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. The doctor is my friend. I¡¯ll talk to him about it


    later. He¡¯ll y ball with us.¡±


    Ste smiled with curved eyes. ¡°Mr. Moore, that¡¯s so nice of you.¡±


    Keegan suddenly felt that his mr was itchy. He could not help but touch it with his tongue.


    Cordelia and the others were waiting outside the lounge. The doctor came out after a short while.


    Albert worriedly asked, ¡°Doctor, how¡¯s my daughter?¡±


    The doctor said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She just has mild food poisoning.¡±


    Everyone there had different looks after hearing that.


    Cordelia froze for a moment. Before she could speak, Albert anxiously said, ¡°Food poisoning? Isn¡¯t she


    pregnant?


    ¡°She isn¡¯t pregnant. Her pulse isn¡¯t the pulse of a pregnantdy. If you guys don¡¯t believe me, you can


    bring her to the hospital for a check-up.¡±


    The Moore family¡¯s private doctor would not be wrong about that.


    Cordelia immediately looked disappointed. But, she still asked, ¡°Is her food poisoning serious? Will it


    affect her body badly?¡±


    ¡°Her symptoms were rtively mild. I already gave her some medicine. If she takes the medicines on


    time, she¡¯ll be fine after she rests for two days.¡±


    Aurora curled her lips. ¡®She gave me a shock. I thought she was pregnant. She¡¯s still a woman who


    can¡¯t get pregnant after all.¡¯


    Cordelia sighed. She could not hide the disappointment in her eyes.


    Dahlia softly said, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t be too sad. You can¡¯t rush these things. Ste¡¯s health is the


    most important thing right now. Let¡¯s go in and see her.¡±


    Cordelia nodded. She turned her head to talk to Albert. ¡°Albert, go in and see her with us.¡±


    Albert¡¯s enthusiasm faded right after he knew that Ste was not pregnant. When he heard Cordelia


    speak to him, he hurriedly said, ¡°She¡¯s quite sick right now. She probably can¡¯t talk. I¡¯ll visit her alone


    another day.¡±


    Cordelia just remained silent.


    After they went in, Hylda, who had been following them finally showed herself.


    ¡°So? She repeatedly stopped the Kane family from bidding. Do you still dare to say that your good


    daughter didn¡¯t do that on purpose? She didn¡¯t intend to help from the beginning. I think she was lying


    to you when she said that the bracelet can be returned.¡±


    Albert remained silent with a sullen face.


    ¡°Albert, I suspect that she might know some of the things that happened back then.¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Albert immediately denied it. ¡°Everything back then was destroyed. What could she


    possibly know?¡±


    ¡°I hope she knows nothing too. But Albert, we must take sound precautions. You can¡¯t trust her too


    much.¡±


    Albert¡¯s face was gloomy. He said after he paused for a while, ¡°I know what to do.¡±

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    Chapter 209


    When they went in, Ste¡¯s face was pale while shey down on the couch. She struggled to a sitting


    position when she heard the noises.


    Cordelia immediately said, ¡°Don¡¯t move, my good girl. You should just lie down.¡±


    ¡°Grandma¡±


    Cordelia kindly


    ld, ¡°How are you? Are you feeling better?¡±


    ¡°I still feel nauseous. But, I feel a lot better than just now. I¡¯m sorry that I made you


    you worry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay as long as you¡¯re fine. I thought¡­¡± Cordelia paused for a moment before she sighed. ¡°Forget


    it. Get well soon.¡±


    While Cordelia was whispering to Ste, Dahlia suddenly received a message on her phone.


    She lowered her head and took a look at it. She frowned slightly, and her eyes looked abruptly gloomy.


    She then pursed her lips as she put her phone away. She stepped forward and said, ¡°Mom, why don¡¯t


    we send Ste back? The exhibition is ending soon anyway. And, you¡¯ve been standing for a long time.


    You should go home and rest.¡±


    Cordelia nodded. She turned her head to Keegan and said, ¡°Help Ste get in my car. There¡¯s a bed in


    my car. She¡¯ll feel morefortable lying down.¡±


    Irene, as the host, asked Marshall to help her send them away after she expressed her sympathy.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordelia was old. She had a bad waist and knees. So, her car was designed to be exceptionally


    comfortable. But, at that moment, Ste could not enjoy this luxury.


    Cordelia talked to Ste to make sure that she was fine. Ste felt touched but guilty. She even wanted


    to tell Cordelia the truth. But, just when she was about to say it, she then saw Cordelia handing her a


    sour lemon candy.


    ¡°Ste, does your mouth feel ufortable? Try putting the candy in your mouth. See if you¡¯ll feel


    better. If you don¡¯t like this vor, we have sour lime candy and sour tangerine candy too. Which vor


    do you want?¡±


    Baldwin, who was sitting in front, said, ¡°Ms. Cordelia, Ms. Ste isn¡¯t pregnant. Sour candies won¡¯t


    help. There¡¯s a box of mint candy in front. Remove the candy wrapper and give one to her. Maybe


    she¡¯ll feel better.¡±


    Ste suddenly could not speak. ¡®Ms. Cordelia wants a great-grandchild so badly that she keeps food


    that a pregnantdy would like to eat in the car. But, I pretended to vomit and gave her false hope. I


    feel increasingly guilty.¡±


    ¡°Sour lime candy. Grandma, I like sour lime vor.¡±


    Cordelia then removed the candy wrapper. ¡°Close your eyes and take a nap after you eat it. You¡¯ll be


    home very soon.¡±


    Ste agreed with a grunt. She then obediently closed her eyes.


    Keegan came to carry Ste down the car when they arrived at the Royalpark Vi. Initially, Cordelia


    did not n to go in. Dahlia said, ¡°Mother, let¡¯s go inside. It¡¯s been some time since we¡¯re here at


    Keegan¡¯s ce.¡±


    Cordelia wanted to say that she just came here in the afternoon. But, she swallowed those words when


    she thought about the lies she told Dahlia. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go inside.¡±


    Keegan carried Ste to the bedroom. Dahlia helped Cordelia and followed them.


    Ste felt very ufortable pretending to be sick. She signaled Keegan to quickly send them away


    by quietly pinching Keegan¡¯s waist. She would get caught for lying if she had to pretend any longer.


    Keegan then gave her a ¡°you brought this on yourself¡± look.


    After Keegan covered Ste in a nket, Cordelia worriedly sat on the edge of the bed and began to


    advise her endlessly.


    She was even afraid that Ste could not eat well and wanted to bring her personal chef here. They


    chatted for a long time.


    Ste was on pins and needles. ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s fine. Our housekeeper can cook quite well. It¡¯s veryte


    now. You should go home and get some rest. Otherwise, your health will be affected.¡± Cordelia noticed


    that Ste still did not look too good. So, she could not bear to nag her any longer. ¡°Alright. You just get


    well. I¡¯ll visit you again in a few days.¡±


    Keegan then helped Cordelia to get up. When Aurora saw that Cordelia was going to leave, she


    suddenly said, ¡°Mom, grandma, look. What¡¯s this?¡±


    Ste frowned. She suddenly looked stiff when she nced at the thing in Aurora¡¯s hand.

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    Aurora held an empty pill box in her hand, and it was the same one that Ste had thrown into the trash


    after taking her birth control pill the day before.


    Ste wondered how it ended up back in her room, considering Maya had cleaned it yesterday.


    But, before she could ponder any further, Dahlia¡¯s expression turned grim as she took the pill box from


    Aurora and read the text on it. Dahlia questioned Ste, ¡°What is this, Ste Jewell? Why is there a


    birth control pill box in your room?¡±


    Ste¡¯s face went pale. This time, she did not fake it. She was startled.


    Cordelia, who was still in the dark about the situation, asked in confusion, ¡°What¡¯s going on? What is


    that?¡±


    Dahlia¡¯s grim expression remained as she exined, ¡°It¡¯s a box of birth control pills. No wonder she


    hasn¡¯t be pregnant yet. They¡¯ve been using contraception, Cordelia.¡±


    Cordelia was taken aback. ¡°Contraception?¡± she asked, looking at the box and then at Ste before


    turning to Keegan. ¡°Keegan, did you make her take these pills?¡±


    Aurora spoke up unhappily. ¡°Grandma, you¡¯re still biased toward her. Keegan couldn¡¯t have forced her


    to take the pills if she refused them.¡±


    Cordelia hit her cane on the ground and yelled, ¡°Shut up! I didn¡¯t ask for your opinion!¡±


    Aurora snapped her mouth shut, and she was fuming.


    Ste felt ashamed and guilty when Cordelia did not suspect her, even at times like this. She clenched


    her fingers tightly and said in a low voice before Keegan spoke. ¡°No, Keegan doesn¡¯t know about this.


    I¡¯m the one who wanted to take it.¡±


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Cordelia¡¯s expression showed that she was really disappointed. She tried to control her emotions, as


    she sternly asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    eyes.


    Ste hung her head low and spoke in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯m not ready yet.¡± She could not bring herself to


    meet Cordelia¡¯s gaze. She was too afraid of seeing the disappointment in her Cordelia looked at Ste


    with a mixture of emotions, and she stayed silent for a long while. Eventually, she softly said, ¡°Let¡¯s go


    home.¡± She did not scold Ste, nor did she mention the issue any further.


    Dahlia shot a re at Ste and said, ¡°You are so disappointing.¡± She then helped Cordelia leave.


    Keegan saw everyone out, but upon returning to the bedroom, he found that Ste was nowhere to be


    seen. In his search, he walked past the second floor and noticed that the door to the rooftop was ajar.


    He opened the door, and there she was on the rooftop. The rooftop was a verdant oasis, teeming with


    nts and flowers nurtured by Ste. Although spring had ended, the ce was a reminder of its


    beauty.


    Ste was standing by the fence, and her gaze was fixed on Cordelia¡¯s retreating car until it was no


    longer in sight.


    Keegan approached Ste and asked in a gentle tone, ¡°When did you take the pill?


    Ste replied in a monotone, ¡°Yesterday morning.¡±


    It was the day after they had intimacy.


    Keegan furrowed his brows. ¡°Why did you take it?¡±


    Ste found the question amusing, but she was in no mood tough. ¡®It¡¯s funny that you don¡¯t want


    kids, but you never took any precautions. And now, when I took the birth control pill, I¡¯m the one getting


    med,¡¯ she thought.


    Ste said lightly, ¡°What if I didn¡¯t take the pill and got pregnant?


    Keegan rejected the possibility instantly. ¡°There¡¯s no way you can get pregnant,¡± he replied firmly.


    Ste was taken aback and asked, ¡°How are you so sure that I won¡¯t?¡±


    Keegan hesitated, avoiding her gaze. In a low voice, he said, ¡°I took a measure that day.¡±


    Ste was


    s momentarily stunned before she realized what he meant.


    ¡®As expected, Keegan would never make such a mistake.¡¯

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    ¡°But, that doesn¡¯t guarantee a hundred percent protection,¡± said Ste. ¡°With our divorce impending, I


    don¡¯t want to take any chances. The thought of having an abortion at the hospital and the pain it would


    cause just terrifies me.¡±


    Keegan felt uneasy. He cleared his throat and said, ¡°When that happens, no one will force to get an


    abortion. We can keep the baby.¡±


    you


    Ste paused and turned to face Keegan. She then spoke in a serious tone. ¡°Keegan, I don¡¯t want my


    child to share their father¡¯s love with anyone else. If I do end up pregnant, I won¡¯t want to have the


    baby.¡± Ste did not want her child to go through the same thing that she had experienced.


    Keegan¡¯s heart suddenly constricted. His face suddenly turned sulky, as he said, ¡°Then, that would be


    great. I wouldn¡¯t want a burden during the divorce either!¡±


    With that, Keegan walked away with a serious expression. His arm identally knocked over a nt,


    and a pot of freesia tumbled to the ground and shattered into pieces.


    Ste watched him leave the rooftop before picking up the broken pot. Suddenly, her movements


    stopped when she noticed a few drops of blood on the spot where Keegan had been standing.


    Only then did she realize that Keegan had not fully recovered from the injury, and the strain from


    holding her all the way back just to put up a show with her must have reopened the wound on his arm.


    Ste¡¯s heart tightened. When she was about to go after him, she heard the sound of Keegan¡¯s car


    engine starting and driving away. So, she paused her step and ultimately stayed put.


    That night, Keegan did note home, and Ste was unable to sleep peacefully.


    The next morning, she rose from her bed upon hearing somemotion downstairs. Keegan, who had


    just stepped into the house, saw her. He had a nk expression on his face as he walked straight past


    her and headed to the refrigerator to grab a bottle of water.


    Ste noticed that Keegan was not wearing the same clothes he had worn the night before, indicating


    that he did not stay at a hotel.


    She hesitated and softly asked, ¡°Have you had breakfast? What would you like to eat? How¡¯s your


    wound? Have you changed the bandage?


    Keegan tightened his grip on the bottle and sneered, ¡°Mrs. Kane, there¡¯s no need to put on a show with


    just the two of us here.¡±


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    She masked her sadness and acted nonchnt as she responded, ¡°Your quick recovery means you


    can return to work, gain control of thepany, and ultimately, I can divorce you sooner and receive


    my share. So, I assure you, this is not just an act.¡±


    1


    Keegan¡¯s expression turned dark, and after a long pause, he said, ¡°You¡¯re so selfish, Ste Jewell. All


    you ever think about is yourself!¡± He threw the empty bottle into the trash can and went upstairs with an


    impassive face.


    Ste felt a pang of sadness. She sniffled softly as she opened the refrigerator and took out a


    container of pelmeni that she had made a few days ago. Then, she started cooking them on the


    stove.


    When Ste was almost done cooking the pelmeni, she received a notification on her phone. It was a


    post from Be on social media. Ste hesitated before tapping the screen to view it.


    The post showed a picture of a bloody bandage with the caption, ¡°Feeling sad.¡± Ste could see a


    rabbit hairpin on the bandage, which she had used to secure the bandage in ce so it would not


    come loose. She pursed her lips, and her emotions welled up inside her.


    ¡®So, he has someone to care for him,¡¯ she thought as she chuckled bitterly to herself. She then turned


    off the stove, changed her clothes, and headed out.


    At Ste and Felicity¡¯s agreed meeting ce, Ste was absentmindedly stirring her coffee. Suddenly,


    Felicity rushed in with apanion. Ste only became aware of their presence when they approached


    her table.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you have trouble sleepingst night?¡± Felicity teased Ste before turning to the


    woman next to her. ¡°She¡¯s Ste, the bestie I told you about, the one looking for an assistant.¡±


    Ste snapped out of her thoughts and gestured for them to take a seat.


    Felicity introduced, ¡°Ste, this is Shea Cheel. She¡¯s four years older than us. I¡¯ve been calling her


    Shea.¡± She added, ¡°You called me early in the morning to make an appointment. Luckily, Shea is


    avable. Why did you get up so early?


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleepst night, so I woke up early,¡± said Ste before looking at Shea.


    As Felicity had previously mentioned, Shea was thirty years old, which was not that old. However, the


    stress of raising a child might have taken a toll on her appearance, making her look haggard for


    someone her age.


    Shea was petite, standing around five feet tall. Her skin tone was not particrly fair, and she was


    average in appearance. However, she was well-groomed, which made her quite pleasing to the eye.

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    ¡®So, she¡¯s the assistant job candidate that Felicity rmends,¡¯ Ste thought. She then greeted Shea


    with a handshake. ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± she said.


    Shea, who was calm, responded with a handshake. ¡°Nice to meet you too, Ms. Jewell. Felicity told you


    about my situation, right?¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°You have a son, and you need to take care of him on weekends.¡±


    Shea nodded as well. She was a little nervous when she said, ¡°If it¡¯s not convenient for you, I can


    arrange full daycare services for my son on weekends since it¡¯s close to where I live. I really need this


    job.¡±


    Ste took her time to make a decision and asked Shea a few simple questions.


    Shea answered them fluently, showcasing her experience in the assistant role. She had previously


    worked with A-list and B-list artists for eight years at the age of neen, and she resigned at twenty-


    seven. With her extensive experience, Shea could be considered a veteran in show business.


    Shea had left show business for the sake of her marriage and family. Her job as an assistant often


    required her to be away from home. Plus, both she and her husband, now ex-husband, were not local.


    Neither of them was avable to take care of their child, and they were unwilling to hire a nanny. The


    constant arguments took a toll on their rtionship. After much contemtion regarding the child¡¯s


    growth and education, Shea ultimately decided to resign from her job.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    She then found a clerical job near her home. It was less demanding, and she had a more flexible


    schedule, allowing her more free time. She could even bring her child with her to work. Although the


    sry was not high, the convenience made up for it.


    However, despite her seemingly improving circumstances after a few years, she soon discovered that


    her ex-husband was having an affair. This came after he experienced sess in his career and


    received a substantial pay raise from his promotion.


    Shea swiftly filed for divorce. She had chosen a swift resolution instead of facing the lengthy court


    process. Due to her financial limitations, the custody of her child was granted to her ex- husband,


    allowing her to only visit the child on Sundays and bring him home.


    Her family was unsupportive of her decision to divorce, so they cut off all forms ofmunication with


    her.


    Feeling undeterred, Shea was determined to restart her career to regain custody of her child. So, she


    was desperate to find a job.


    Ste had encountered numerous divorce cases that escted into unpleasant disputes. She did not


    understand Shea¡¯s decision to opt for a speedy resolution instead of taking legal action against her ex-


    husband for infidelity.


    ¡°He cheated on you, but you didn¡¯t even try to use that in court? If you did that, even if he was using


    your financial situation against you, he could lose the custody of your child.¡±


    Shea shook her head and said, ¡°Before I got married, I had the same thought. But, now that I have a


    child, there are so many things holding me back. He¡¯s the father of the child, and the


    child has a good impression of him. I can¡¯t bear to tarnish the image of a loving father in the child¡¯s


    eyes. Even though he has wronged me, he has always been genuine and caring toward our child. It¡¯s


    just that the rtionship between the two adults didn¡¯t work out. There¡¯s no need to drag the child into


    our disputes. He has good living conditions, and the child will have a morefortable life with him.


    When I have the means in the future, I¡¯ll file for custody.


    It was probably due to empathy that Ste suddenly felt upset, and she thought, ¡°When be a


    parent, there¡¯s so much to worry about. And sometimes, you just have to keep all the you


    pain to yourself.¡±


    She suddenly remembered what Keegan had said. ¡°If we can¡¯t even be sure that our marriage willst,


    don¡¯t you think that having a child will just be a burden?¡±


    Having children would change everything. They were their own unique individuals and should never be


    seen as a tool to hold onto a rtionship. If the marriage was devoid of love, it was only a matter of


    time before it crumbled, regardless of the presence of children. Once children had entered the picture,


    the lives of the parents would be bounded in new ways.


    ¡°Ms. Jewell, what do you think of me?¡± Shea asked softly, and it could be seen that she was worried.


    Ste said, ¡°You¡¯re aware that I¡¯m new in showbiz, right?¡±


    Shea nodded. ¡°Felicity told me.¡±


    ¡°I can offer fifteen grand a month as your sry. I know it¡¯s not as high as what you were making


    before, but all your food and lodging expenses on the film set will be taken care of. And, I¡¯ll try my best


    to give you weekends off. If that sounds good to you, let¡¯s get an employment contract signed. But, if


    it¡¯s not what you¡¯re looking for, I can have Felicity find you another job.¡±


    Shea was taken aback for a moment, as she was expecting that Ste would offer her no more than


    ten grand. Shea had worked with A-list celebrities in the past and received a high sry, but it had


    been a few years since she had been in the industry. And, Ste was a neer in show business.

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    Shea was a little excited, but her tone was calm. ¡°Okay, I can sign the contract now.¡±


    Ste smiled. ¡°The contract is still in the works. But, once it¡¯s all set, I¡¯ll have Felicity send it over to you.


    I have a skit to film today, so I may need to ask you toe in and work.¡±


    Felicity was taken aback. ¡°What skit?¡±


    On their


    way there, Ste told Felicity about Lena asking her for helpst night.


    ¡°I¡¯ll y the role for the good of the public without pay,¡±


    Felicity was all for it after hearing about it. ¡°This is a great opportunity. Typically, skit jobs don¡¯t pay


    much, but doing it for a good cause is a rare chance to make an impact. Plus, when one of your drama


    series bes popr, people will look into your past. Having this on your resume will give you a big


    advantage. I¡¯m not saying we¡¯re building a persona for you, but once you¡¯re in showbiz, you have to


    y by the rules. We need to be careful. Just because we¡¯re not hurting others doesn¡¯t mean that


    others will act the same way.¡±


    It wasmon for people to try to dig up dirt on a newly famous artist. Sometimes, what they found


    was not even that bad, but others with malicious intent would blow it out of proportion. This could lead


    to a major negative impact on the rising star¡¯s career.


    Shea said, ¡°And, prominent channels don¡¯t just judge a movie based on its quality and message. They


    also take a closer look at the actors involved. Actors with public welfare performance experience are


    highly preferable, and if there are any simr events, they¡¯ll give those actors with clean backgrounds


    the first chance.¡±


    Ste felt that she had made the right decision to help Lena.


    ¡°Are you going to join that variety show, The Sound of Film and Television?¡±


    ¡°No. Have you forgotten the contract I signed with Daniel? I¡¯m no longer allowed to ept any


    commercial job offers in the name of Dusk Gxy during filming,¡± said Ste as she thought, ¡°The


    script given for that variety show is too outrageous. I don¡¯t feel like putting on a show with those bunch


    of people.¡¯


    Felicity felt that it was a pity to let go of the job offer, but she respected Ste¡¯s choice.


    Felicity left midway during the car ride to thepany, while Ste and Shea continued on to the set


    without her.


    Upon arriving, Ste realized that the crew¡¯s budget was indeed limited. The filming location only


    covered a few rented houses in a smallmunity.


    The crew consisted of only a dozen staff members, excluding the actors, with a few additional


    members pulled in by the CSI team for support.


    Despite the small size and tight budget, the crew was dedicated, and they warmly weed the


    actors.


    Over the past two weeks, many actors hade for a shoot. What Ste did not know was that none


    of them were as gorgeous as she was.


    The CSI team members were swamped with work and had no time for dating So, when the single guys


    saw a pretty girl like Ste, of course they were warm and weing


    However, Lena¡¯s words dispelled everyone¡¯s enthusiasm. ¡°She¡¯s married. Get back to work.¡±


    When those guys had left, Lena asked, ¡°Were you okayst night? You can actuallye


    tomorrow.¡±


    Ste smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to do at home, so I came here to familiarize myself in advance.¡±


    Lena said nothing further.


    Ste had a great sense of the camera and understood what the director wanted. The filming went


    smoothly, and her lines were well delivered. It drew the audience in and even reduced the number of


    retakes required from her partner in the scene.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    The director, who had been filming for half a month, felt that that day was the smoothest shooting day.


    By the time the filming for the day hade to a close, the sun had begun to set. The director was


    thoroughly impressed with Ste¡¯s performance and asked if she would be avable for future shoots.


    Lena was afraid that Ste would feel uneasy, so she declined the request on Ste¡¯s behalf.¡± Mr.


    Lane, she¡¯s only here to help. Are you trying to exploit her?¡±

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    Ste put on her coat and said with a smile, ¡°Actually, I have nothing to do in these two weeks. You can


    contact me any time when you need me to be on set.¡±


    In order to thank Ste, Lena wanted to invite her for dinner after the shooting had ended.


    However, Ste politely declined it.


    Although she came to offer her help, in the end, it was for her own sake. Besides, she and Lena were


    only acquaintances. She was afraid that it would be awkward when they dined together.


    Ste dropped Shea off at Shea¡¯s ce before driving to Cordelia¡¯s.


    The closer she got to Cordelia¡¯s home, the more uncertain and nervous she became.


    She had been a part of the Kane family for many years, but without Cordelia¡¯s support, there would be


    no ce for her in that family.


    But now, she had let Cordelia down. Cordelia was the one who had always been there for her. Ste


    was so disappointed in herself that she could not even find the courage to apologize.


    Dahlia had been pressing Ste to have children to solidify the family¡¯s position, but Cordelia loved


    children and was hurt the most by this kind of deceit.


    Ste¡¯s car stopped near Cordelia¡¯s home for a long time. But, eventually, it turned around and left.


    Inside Cordelia¡¯s house, Baldwin knocked on the door and came in. ¡°Madam, Young Madam has left.¡±


    Cordelia paused with a chess piece in her hand before she said, ¡°She has the guts to fake her illness


    but not the courage to apologize.¡±


    Baldwin smiled and said, ¡°You knew everything, but you still wanted her to draw a number on stage. If


    she didn¡¯t, you¡¯d lose face, and if she did, she¡¯d end up on your bad side. She didn¡¯t want to offend you


    in any way, so she had to fake being sick. You almost fell for it, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Cordelia snorted. ¡°I was just worried that she didn¡¯t even know she was pregnant. I never expected her


    to deceive me by secretly using contraception! When I took her out, I wanted to show people her status


    in the Kane family. With my support, what could she possibly be afraid of?¡±


    At that moment, Corrin, who had juste in with a yogurt dessert, could not help butugh when she


    heard that. ¡°You¡¯re not scared of Dahlia because she¡¯s your daughter-inw. But, for Ste, Dahlia is


    her mother-inw, and she doesn¡¯t want to offend her. After all, she still cares about Young Master¡¯s


    feelings.¡±


    Cordelia sighed. ¡°Dahlia may have ambition, but her vision is narrow, and shecks patience. Ste, on


    the other hand, is young and inexperienced. But, she has the resilience and intelligence to grow into


    her role. My health is deteriorating. If something were to happen to me, I fear that those people would


    tear Keegan apart and leave him with nothing.¡±


    Baldwin softly said, ¡°Madam, you¡¯re overthinking it. Quentin and Chandler are your sons. Things won¡¯t


    come to that point.¡±


    Cordelia smiled and said nothing more. She gestured to Baldwin as she said, ¡°Put chess set. I think it¡¯s


    about time for me to hit the hay.¡±


    away the


    After Ste went down the mountain road, she drove around the South of Rivera City Route 3 Loop and


    finally went to Rotona Pinnacle Hospital.


    Rainee¡¯s condition remained the same. Although she had shown a response to opera music the other


    day, there had been no other movement for many days since then.


    Despite the caretaker¡¯s efforts to y all the tapes as requested by Ste, Rainee remained


    unresponsive except for a few instances when her heart rate fluctuated upon hearing some of the


    tapes.


    The caretaker yed the tapes in order, but unfortunately, Rainee did not show any other


    response.


    Ste was not disappointed to hear that, as the probability of a vegetative person waking up was very


    low. Miracles would not happen that easily, after all.


    She went through the tapes that the caretaker had selected, which included ¡°Yana Zoloto¡±,¡± Lady


    Yvette¡±, ¡°Adieu, Mdy¡±, and other songs that Rainee liked to listen to when she was healthy. There


    were a total of six tapes.


    Ste studied the tapes for a long time, but she could not find anymon thread between them. The


    songs were unrted and not from the sameposer.


    Suddenly, the caretaker called out, ¡°Ste, could you help me figure out how to download this thing?


    My son asked me to sign up and send him a screenshot, but I can¡¯t seem to get it right.


    have any idea what I might be doing wrong?¡±


    Do you


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Ste came to her senses. She put the tapes on the table before she got up and walked over. Let me


    have a look.¡±


    After taking a look, she said, ¡°Looks like your phone¡¯s storage is full. Try deleting some of the files you


    don¡¯t use very often to free up some space.¡±


    ¡®How do you delete stuff on this thing? I¡¯m not very tech-savvy.¡±


    ¡°Sure, let me help you with that.¡±


    that


    As Ste began to clear some space on the phone, the caretaker got up to pour her a ss of water.


    But, when she put it on the table, she identally bumped into the stack of tapes Ste had just sorted


    out.

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    With a loud ¡°tter¡±, all six tapes fell to the ground, and the caretaker quickly rushed to pick them up.


    Ste nced up. As soon as she noticed something peculiar about the tapes, she shouted, Don¡¯t


    move!¡±


    The caretaker was startled. She froze in ce and did not dare to pick them nervously, ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t


    mean to. I don¡¯t think they are broken.¡±


    She said


    Instead of exining herself, Ste walked over and crouched down to take a closer look.


    She discovered that the song lists of the tapes were marked with numbers using pens, and each tape


    had a unique number.


    Ste picked up the tapes and got up to rummage through the other tapes. There were more than two


    hundred of them, but only six tapes were marked with numbers.


    ¡®This can¡¯t be a coincidence,¡¯ Ste thought.


    Seeing Ste¡¯s solemn expression, the caretaker whispered, ¡°Ste, why don¡¯t you y them to see if


    any of them are broken? I¡¯ll pay for any damages.¡±


    Only then did Stee back to her senses. She shook her head and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve cleared up


    the memory on your phone. You can download that file now.¡±


    The caretaker breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly thanked her.


    Ste held the six tapes with a serious expression.


    ¡°What exactly do these numbers mean?


    ¡°Why did mom show a response when she heard these tapes? Is she¡­ trying to tell me something?


    ¡°There are six numbers. Could they be a code orbination for something?


    ¡®But, there¡¯s no safe at home, and even if there is, the code shouldn¡¯t be recorded this way.


    ¡®Moreover, these numbers were so well hidden. If the caretaker hadn¡¯t identally knocked them to the


    ground, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed them.


    ¡®Obviously, mom kept the numbers here because she didn¡¯t want anyone to know.


    ¡®But, what is she trying to hide so secretly?¡±


    She thought for a moment, took pictures of the six tapes, then destroyed the handwriting and put them


    back into the pile of tapes.


    In the Kane residence at Royalpark Vi, Maya woke up in the middle of the night. When she turned on


    the lights in the hallway, she caught a glimpse of a figure lying on the living room couch. Maya was


    startled. She quickly flicked on the lights, only to realize that it was Keegan


    He was leaning on the sofa, looking as if he was about to fall asleep. The light had woken him


    ¡°Mr. Kane, what are you doing here on the couch?¡± Maya asked, rushing to grab a nket for


    him.


    Keegan checked the time. ¡°She¡¯s still not back?¡±


    ¡°No, her indoor slippers are still outside, and it¡¯s alreadyte. Should I give her a call?¡± Maya


    suggested.


    Keegan pursed his lips before he said, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go upstairs and get some rest? The living room can be really cold at night. You might


    catch a cold,¡± Maya suggested.


    However, Keegan refused. ¡°No, I¡¯ll be fine. You go ahead and get some rest.¡±


    After failing to persuade Keegan to go upstairs, Maya went to fetch a ss of water for him. ¡± Mrs.


    Kane¡¯s temper is pretty bad right now. She took birth control pills without telling your mother, and she¡¯s


    still angry with others. It¡¯s prettyte, and she¡¯s still not home. It¡¯s not good for you to stay up when your


    wound hasn¡¯t healed. Your mother will be very upset if she finds out.¡±


    Keegan frowned. ¡°How did you know she took birth control pills?¡±

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    Keegan wondered, ¡®Maya was on vacation yesterday, and she didn¡¯te to work until noon today.


    How could she possibly know what happenedst night?¡±


    Maya was startled as she realized that she had let something slip. She quickly averted her gaze and


    said, ¡°II heard it from your mother.¡±


    ¡°Mom talked to you about this?¡± Keegan asked with a frown.


    Maya stammered, ¡°Sh-She was in a bad mood today¡­ She identally mentioned this when she was


    talking to me, and I remembered it.¡±


    ¡®Mom wouldn¡¯t share our family¡¯s private affairs with Maya, even if she didn¡¯t like Ste. How could she


    talk to Maya about this? Maya¡¯s story is full of holes! Ste isn¡¯t stupid enough to leave an empty


    pillbox on the table, especially one from a few days ago.¡± As he thought this over, Keegan¡¯s face


    darkened.


    Maya, go to the HR department tomorrow morning to settle your sry and don¡¯te back again.¡±


    Maya was stunned. She asked, ¡°Are you firing me?¡±


    Keegan gave her a cold nce. ¡°You can resign on your own, and I¡¯ll have HRpensate you for six


    months¡¯ sry. The duration should be long enough for you to find a new job.


    Maya panicked. Keegan did not look like he was


    joking.


    She anxiously said, ¡°You can¡¯t fire me. Your mother sent me to take care of you, and I did nothing


    wrong. You have no right to fire me!¡±


    ¡°No right?¡± Keegan seemed to have heard some kind of joke. He let out a cold smirk. ¡°Maya, your file is


    with mypany, which means you¡¯re an employee. What¡¯s the problem when I fire an employee?¡±


    At that moment, Maya actually felt that Keegan had the same facial expression as Ste.


    Ste had said the same thing that day.


    However, at that time, Maya did not take Ste¡¯s threatening words seriously.


    Maya had worked as a housemaid in the Kane residence for over a dozen years. Moreover, she was


    sent by Dahlia. Hence, Ste did not dare to do anything to Maya.


    However, Keegan was different. He was the real helm of the Vinci Rivera Group. Even Dahlia, his


    mother, had to rely on Keegan to maintain her current luxury lifestyle.


    No one could help Maya if Keegan wanted to fire her.


    At that moment, Maya truly felt fear.


    She could no longer care about other things.


    THUD!


    She knelt in front of Keegan.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, I made a mistake. Please don¡¯t fire me. I¡¯m the breadwinner of my family. I can¡¯t


    lose this job. I¡¯m sorry if I have done anything not good enough. I¡¯ll apologize to your wife as well. I


    have taken care of you for so many years. Please let me stay


    Keegan put


    down the ss. ¡°Maya, I don¡¯t like to say it twice. If you continue like this, I can only seek the property


    management to ask you to leave. And, that won¡¯t be pretty.


    Maya was trembling as she was clearly aware that Keegan¡¯s words were not a threat. He would really


    let the property management kick her out.


    Working as a housekeeper or nanny for high-society families was a coveted profession. These


    employers were known to offer top-tier sries, great perks, and light workloads. And, if they were


    especially generous, they might even throw in luxury items and hefty bonuses on special


    asions.


    Therefore, a good reputation was crucial in this industry. Royalpark Vi, where Maya was currently


    employed, was home to some of the city¡¯s most prominent figures. If she were to be evicted by the


    property management today, finding aparable job in the future would be nearly impossible.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

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    Maya could not utter any more words. She gritted her teeth, got up, and left with reddened


    eyes.


    Ste had not returned that night. The next morning, when she came back after buying breakfast, she


    was bombarded with calls.


    When she saw that it was Dahlia calling, her eyebrows instantly furrowed. She took a deep breath and


    tapped her phone to answer.


    But, before she could speak, Dahlia asked, ¡°Ste, did you ask Keegan to fire Maya?¡±


    Ste was confused. ¡°Fire what? What are you talking about, Dahlia?¡±


    ¡°Keegan fired Maya. Maya came crying to me early in the morning. What did Maya do wrong that you


    have to fire her?¡±


    ¡®Did Keegan fire Maya?¡± Ste frowned. ¡°Dahlia, I was caring for my mom in the hospitalst night. I


    don¡¯t know what happened at home¡±


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?! Keegan blew up at Maya because of you! He¡¯s still recovering from his injury, and


    yet you ran to the hospital to take care of your mom. She¡¯s been bedridden for years. Do you really


    need to be there for her? Seriously, who do you think has been providing for you and taking care of you


    all this time? It¡¯s time you realize that you owe everything to the Kane family and stop being so


    ungrateful.¡±


    Ste¡¯s face turned grim. ¡°Stop being ungrateful? So, are you saying that you, yourself, have ignored


    the well-being of your own parents after marrying into the Kane family


    Dahlia was taken aback. This was the first time Ste had ever talked back to her. When she came


    back to her senses, she became enraged. ¡°How dare you speak to me like that?! What happened to


    your manners?


    ¡°Dahlia, manners are not just words we say. If I neglect my mother, imagine how I¡¯ll treat you when


    you¡¯re old.¡± Before Dahlia could erupt in rage, Ste added, ¡°And one more thing, your son has always


    handled things with bias. If he fired Maya, it must be because she crossed a line. Instead of arguing


    with me, you should go plead with Keegan. He might reconsider out of respect for you.¡±


    With that, Ste hung up the phone.


    On the other end of the phone, Dahlia¡¯s facial expression was terrifying.


    Maya sobbed as she said, ¡°He must have fired me because of the birth control pills. He and his wife


    quarreled because of it. Last time, after I told you she hadn¡¯t taken the fertility drink on time, she


    warned me that she would fire me. I thought she was just joking. I didn¡¯t expect¡­¡± She then started to


    cry again.


    Maya did not care if Keegan had fired her because of Ste. What she wanted was to make Dahlia


    believe it, which proved that she was incriminated for serving Dahlia. So, Dahlia would undoubtedly


    support her.


    Dahlia¡¯s face was gloomy as she snarled inwardly, ¡®Maya is someone I sent, yet Ste tantly asked


    Keegan to fire her. Apparently, she doesn¡¯t respect me.¡±


    When she was reminded of Cordelia¡¯s attitude toward Ste at the jewelry exhibition, Dahlia tightened


    her grip on the ss of water.


    ¡°I really can¡¯t live without this job. My husband is still unemployed, and the whole family is living on my


    sry. If I lose my job, how can we live? I have always acted based on your orders, and I did not dare


    to neglect them in the slightest.


    Dahlia¡¯s head was throbbing as she listened to Maya. She pursed her lips before she said, You¡¯ve


    worked for our family for so many years. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll give you an exnation on this matter.¡±


    Meanwhile, after hanging up on Dahlia, Ste had been wondering the reason Keegan fired Maya.


    Although Maya was calctive and was someone Dahlia had sent to spy on them, she sure knew how


    to get the job done.


    Keegan was such a finicky person, who had tons of quirks, that even Cordelia¡¯s housemaid, Corrin,


    could not stand him. It was said that Maya used to take care of him before his marriage. She was like


    an elder in the house, yet Keegan had just fired her like that. Ste pondered for a long time, but she


    could not figure out what was going on. She hesitated whether she should call Keegan or not. But then,


    Albert¡¯s call came in.

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    Ste was a little surprised.


    ¡®Why is dad calling me?¡¯ Ste wondered. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me he regrets giving me that bracelet the night


    before.¡¯


    In Ste¡¯s perception, Albert was very stingy.


    Rainee said that he was probably afraid of being poor because he grew up in poverty. Even after he


    had the money, he was still stingy with it. His stinginess was not just toward Rainee and Ste but also


    himself.


    Rainee, on the other hand, was theplete opposite. She liked to spend money when she made it.


    Maybe it was because they had different values. They would argue about money all the time.


    Albert would criticize Rainee for spending money without restraint. Rainee would perceive that Albert¡¯s


    mindset was too narrow and that he was too concerned with making or losing money. When they met


    big clients, he would not even buy a suit that cost over ten grand and would not book a decent hotel.


    He was afraid of losing money if the deal fell through.


    But, to say that Albert was penny-pinching was not entirely urate. At least when it came to his own


    rtives, he was pretty generous.


    Albert was the first person from his hometown to attend college and make it big in the city. So, he was


    quite famous back home.


    When news of his sessfulpany got out, all sorts of distant rtives starteding out of the


    woodwork and connected with him.


    arrange


    Albert cared about his reputation. Whenever someone asked for a favor, he would everything he could.


    Hence, many of his rtives from his hometown were working for hispany.


    Although Ste¡¯s grandparents had passed away early and she seldom saw them, she had a strong


    impression of her uncles and aunts, who had taken advantage of Albert¡¯s status to act arrogantly in the


    company.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    He did not mind supporting these people who were not contributing to thepany, but he would


    comin for a long time when Rainee bought a purse.


    And now that Ste had grown up, she realized that apart from her dowry during her marriage, the


    most expensive gift Albert had ever given her was the piano in their home. And, even that was bought


    reluctantly only after Rainee¡¯s insistence.


    Rainee used to say that Albert was ustomed to hardships and did not like to waste money, and


    Ste shared the same belief.


    However, ever since Rainee went into aa, Albert¡¯s actions made Ste realize that he was not just


    stingy but heartless. Whether it was for reputation or profit, he would only spend money when it was


    advantageous to him. Once someone had lost their value, he would show no mercy in kicking them out.


    So, when Ste made him give her the bracelet, she had no guilt whatsoever and even felt that it was


    too little.


    Looking at the blinking name on the caller ID, Ste thought for a moment. Then, she answered the


    call.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Ste, how are you feeling today?¡± Albert¡¯s voice was unusually gentle.


    Ste¡¯s forehead twitched.


    Albert rarely spoke to her with such kindness. He usually only did so when he needed something.


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling better,¡± she replied calmly.


    ¡°I heard about your food poisoning How¡¯s your appetitetely? I had our cook make some pelmeni. I


    remember you used to love them. I can have someone deliver them to youter. Ste thought, ¡®That


    was like a few years ago when I said I wanted to eat pelmeni. He must have gone to great lengths to


    recall that, so he could use it as an excuse.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, dad. But, you don¡¯t need to go through all that trouble. We have a housemaid who can make


    them for me if I want it.¡±

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    ¡°The ones made by a different cook will taste different. I remember you used to love them.¡± Ste


    pursed her lips and stopped declining. ¡°Thank you, Dad.¡±


    After a moment of silence, Albert spoke. ¡°To be honest, I haven¡¯t been feeling great for the past few


    days. It¡¯s like white truffles. As long as you¡¯re part of the family, it doesn¡¯t matter who eats them.¡± He


    sighed, and his voice was filled with remorse. ¡°I regretted it when I got out of the hospital that day. It¡¯s


    hard for me to apologize as a parent, but the bracelet I gave you was my way of saying sorry. If you¡¯re


    not happy with it, please let me know. I won¡¯t scold you for it.¡±


    If he had said that a few years ago, Ste might have felt moved by his words.


    In the past, before the ident happened, Rainee used to paint a perfect picture of Albert as a father in


    Ste¡¯s mind. So, during those times, Ste still had hope for Albert.


    However, after the ident, his cold and ruthless actions destroyed the father-daughter rtionship in


    Ste¡¯s heart.


    His true colors were selfish and unkind, and whenever he showed ¡°fatherly love¡±, there was always a


    hidden agenda.


    Ste mocked him inwardly, as she impassively replied, ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s all over. You did that for the


    Jewell family¡¯s sake.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to know that you see it that way.¡± Albert breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°One more thing, Sophia is


    working at the Vinci Rivera Group now. She¡¯s still new, and there may be a lot of things she doesn¡¯t


    understand. Tell Keegan to look after her.¡±


    Ste¡¯s face suddenly turned gloomy.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t she have a job? Why did she join the Vinci Rivera Group:


    ¡°She didn¡¯t have much room for growth before. It just so happened that the Vinci Rivera Group was


    recruiting people a while ago, so I asked her to try it out. I didn¡¯t expect her to make it. Today is her first


    day. I thought we could celebrate together. But, since you haven¡¯t been feeling welltely, we can do it


    another day.¡±


    Ste felt that it was unbelievable.


    She thought to herself, ¡®the Vinci Rivera Group has a very high standard. Every year, they recruit


    master¡¯s students as a starting point with very few undergraduates. Even if they do recruit


    undergraduates, they are from top universities.


    ¡®Sophia went to a third-rate university, which is far from meeting the standard. How could she possibly


    get in?


    ¡®And, I got no wind of this. Keegan didn¡¯t mention it either.¡¯


    Ste¡¯s face was tense and expressionless as she said, ¡°Keegan doesn¡¯t like me meddling inpany


    affairs, so I don¡¯t think I can say much. Since Sophia was able to get in with her own abilities, she


    shouldn¡¯t have a problem surviving there. I think you¡¯re worrying too much.¡±


    ¡°How could that be? Keegan would at least take care of her for your sake,¡± Albert paused and added,


    ¡°With Sophia in the Vinci Rivera Group, you¡¯ll be able to know right away if there¡¯s


    anything going on with Keegan, won¡¯t you?¡±


    In other words, Sophia in the Vinci Rivera Group was like an informant inserted by Albert to help Ste


    keep an eye on things and secure her position.


    On the surface, it seemed as though Albert was doing it for Ste¡¯s sake, but in fact, he only cared


    about Sophia.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    The Vinci Rivera Group was different from the Jewell family¡¯s business. As one of the top five hundred


    companies in the world and a leadingpany in Hustuabourg, it had gathered top talents. Once


    Sophia got in there, the people she would be in contact with would bepletely different from the


    social stratum she used to belong to.


    With the prestige she got from the Vinci Rivera Group, she would no longer be just the adopted


    daughter of the Jewell family. Instead, she would be regarded as an elite talent.


    Whether it was for her future marriage or career, it was a great advancement on the socialdder for


    her.


    Even though Ste was Albert¡¯s biological daughter, he had never done as much for her, and it felt like


    a thorn was stuck in her throat, making it hard to swallow. Ste sneered, ¡°How thoughtful of you for


    making ns for me.¡±

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    It was uncertain whether Albert had caught her sarcasm. He spoke gently, ¡°You¡¯re my only daughter, so


    everything from the Jewell family will be yours in the future. If Sophia can have a ce in the Vinci


    Rivera Group, she can help you in your career when I¡¯m no longer around. Everything I do is for your


    sake.¡±


    After she hung up the phone, Ste felt that something was wrong. She wondered, ¡°With Sophia¡¯s


    qualifications, how did she enter the Vinci Rivera Group?


    Ste could not help but suspect that Keegan had given Sophia preferential treatment and opened a


    backdoor for her.


    ¡®But, that seems out of character for him, given his dislike for my family members. He has always


    maintained a clear distinction between his work and private affairs. Two years ago, when hispany


    was looking for a project partner, his uncle approached him through Dahlia, wanting to secure the bid.


    Even though his uncle had repeatedly assured Keegan that he could get the qualification within three


    months, Keegan still refused. He won¡¯t show favoritism to his uncle and not even to his mother. So,


    why would Sophia be an exception?¡± After thinking about it, Ste finally called Aldor.


    At that moment, Aldor was reporting to Keegan in his office. Keegan hade to thepany early


    today.


    Aldor had thought of getting some good rest since Keegan took a two-week leave. However, his good


    days had ended too soon, and he started to think that he was born to have a tiring life. While he was


    feeling sorry for himself, his phone suddenly rang.


    Keegan frowned and seemed somewhat displeased.


    Aldor was a little embarrassed. After checking his phone, he cleared his throat before he said to


    Keegan, ¡°Mr. Kane, it¡¯s your wife. Should I take it?¡±


    Keegan paused for a moment and nced at his own phone, which was lying next to him. Then, his


    eyes darkened. Since Ste left yesterday, she had not even texted him, let alone called.


    Ste used to only call Aldor when she failed to reach Keegan. But now, she did not even bother to call


    Keegan before contacting Aldor. Obviously, she was not looking for Keegan.


    Aldor was well aware of this. Hence, when he saw Keegan¡¯s stern face, heined inwardly. In


    fact, when Keegan suddenly came back from vacation, he could tell that something had happened.


    Now, it seemed that, most likely, it was rted to his wife.


    Now that Ste was trying to reach Aldor directly, Aldor was in a dilemma about whether to answer the


    call or not.


    The phone kept ringing, and eventually, Keegan scowled at him. ¡°How long are you going to let it ring?¡±


    Aldor cleared his throat and apologized. He then answered the call, and of course, he did not forget to


    put the phone on speaker. ¡°Hello¡±


    ¡°Aldor, it¡¯s me,¡± Ste said. ¡°Has yourpany hired new recruits recently?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Thepany did hire new recruits. What¡¯s the matter, Madam?¡±


    Ste frowned as she asked, ¡°Did thepany¡¯s hiring standard drop this year?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s the same as it was in previous years. What made you say that?¡±


    Ste pursed her lips before she said, ¡°My dad told me yourpany hired Sophia. Do her


    qualifications meet the hiring standards of Vinci Rivera Group?¡±All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°Are you talking about Sophia Jewell? Well, our marketing department has been short of manpower


    recently. They need more people, especially those who can write advertorials on social media and


    create short videos. Sophia is an influencer, so we hired her for her expertise in social media and major


    in marketing. In addition to Sophia, there are three other influencers who joined ourpany as new


    recruits.¡±


    Ste froze and thought, ¡®So, she¡¯s not an exception? But, I¡¯ve never heard Keegan mention this


    before. But then again, Keegan has never talked to me about his work.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Kane is right next to me. Would you like to have a word with him?¡±


    Ste was taken aback. ¡®Keegan is now at thepany? Isn¡¯t he still injured?¡±

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    Ste thought, ¡®Or, did he heal faster after Be bandaged his wound?¡±


    Ste had a lot of questions. But, before she could ask, she heard Keegan¡¯s voice from the other end


    of the phone. ¡°Who told you I want to talk to her? Don¡¯t take matters into your own hands!¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    Aldor smiled. ¡°Please don¡¯t be upset. Mr. Kane wasn¡¯t yelling at you. He wasn¡¯t feeling well when he


    came in this morning. He had a fever. I tried to persuade him to see a doctor in the hospital, but he


    insisted on waiting until we finished our work. The pain must have gotten to him, making him short-


    tempered. If you have the time, could you swing by the office? Mr. Kane forgot his medicine.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking to her?¡± Keegan interrupted. As soon as Ste heard Keegan¡¯s words,


    the guilt she felt just moments ago had vanished.


    Ste forced a smile and said, ¡°Keegan sounds perfectly fine to me. He must be feeling better since he


    can start working. Besides, he won¡¯t let the pain get him down. And even if he did, I¡¯m sure there would


    be plenty ofdies lining up to bring him painkillers. I¡¯ll stay out of this, so he can recover in peace. The


    last thing I want is to aggravate his injury by showing up and getting him all worked up again.¡±


    Before Aldor could respond, Ste hung up the phone.


    Aldor was taken aback. He then looked at Keegan, who was now red-faced with


    anger


    Aldor cleared his throat and tried to smooth things over for Ste. ¡°I think Madam might be feeling a bit


    under the weather herself.¡±


    Keegan shot him a cold re, and Aldor fell silent.


    Just then, the phone rang again. Aldor nced at it and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s your mother.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s mood was already sour, and hearing Dahlia¡¯s name made it worse. He snapped, Don¡¯t


    answer it.¡±


    Aldor put the phone on silent and set it aside.


    Keegan scowled, ¡°Has Ms. Lane shown up to resign yet?¡±


    ¡°Lane¡± was actually Maya¡¯s surname.


    Dahlia spent the whole morning calling Keegan about this matter, but his refusal to answer it already


    indicated his stance.


    ¡°The HR department has already called and urged her. But, as soon as she heard that it was the


    company calling, she hung up and refused to talk.¡±


    Keegan tapped on the table lightly and said, ¡°Give her a day. If she doesn¡¯te toplete the


    procedures within a day, terminate her employment for absenteeism.¡±


    ¡®Firing someone for absenteeism means that the person will not receive anypensation. I guess Mr.


    Kane is determined to fire her With that in his mind, Aldor said, ¡°I¡¯ll inform the HR department and give


    her the final ultimatum.¡±


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    If Maya was not stupid, she would take the money and left. With her experience and Dahlia¡¯s


    rmendation, finding a job should be easy. The sry might not be as high as the sry the Kane


    family had offered, but it would not be too bad either.


    But, if she got fired, not only would there be nopensation, but it would also be hard for her to find


    another high-paying job.


    Meanwhile, Ste, who had hung up on Aldor, did not meet up with anyone for the whole day.


    She attended a physical training ss during the day and nned to spend the night at Rotona


    Pinnacle Hospital.


    Lying on the soft bed, she picked up her phone and looked at the pictures of the six tapes she had


    taken earlier, trying to figure out what those six numbers were.


    ¡°If these six numbers are abination or code, there must be a sequence. What is the sequence?


    Since the numbers are hidden on those tapes, the sequence must have something to do with the


    tapes. Could it be the release year?¡± Ste checked and found ovepping numbers in the release


    year and month in three of the tapes.


    ¡°How about the alphabetical order of the song titles?¡± Ste tried it out and found that there were still


    ovepping numbers.


    It really puzzled her as she only had the numbers without any clues.


    Just as Ste was racking her brains, she received several private messages on Facebook in quick


    session.


    She frowned and nced at them. Then, she suddenly froze.


    Those messages were from the user ount that Marshall had suspected of being Be¡¯s


    secret ount.

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    Ste thought that the messages would contain some offensive words she could screenshot and show


    to Marshall. She figured that it would help with thewsuit. But, when she opened the conversation tab,


    she was stunned.


    The message sender imed to be Be¡¯s manager, hoping that Dusk Gxy could participate in the


    variety show, ¡°The Sound of Film and Television¡±.


    Ste received this invitation not long after she had turned down the offer. She was impressed by how


    resourceful Be was.


    Ste scrolled down the message to read on. The sender talked about Dusk Gxy¡¯s previous social


    media post that aimed to rify the rumors about the voice-acting role in Honor of the Deities. ¡°He¡±


    pointed out that the post had caused some misunderstandings, but Be was willing to let it go,


    assuming that it was not Dusk Gxy¡¯s intention.


    ¡°He¡± also emphasized that the sess behind Secret Sweetheart was the result of the coboration


    between Be and Dusk Gxy, which was significant to both sides. They hoped that Dusk Gxy


    could participate in the variety show despite previous unpleasantness.


    ¡°He¡± added that they would coborate with the program team during the show¡¯s broadcast to tag Be


    and redirect traffic to her. They believed that the show would dispel rumors about Be and Dusk


    Gxy not being on good terms, and Dusk Gxy could gain a wave of goodwill, resulting in a win-win


    situation.


    Although ¡°he¡± imed that it was an invitation, the tone wasced with arrogance, and itcked


    sincerity.


    ¡®Ignoring whether this person is truly Be¡¯s manager or not, the way this person phrased it made it


    seem like everyone should be grateful for the opportunity to bask in Be Young¡¯s poprity,¡¯ Ste


    thought.


    Ste had thought of sending a sarcastic reply, but she opted for a cautious approach after pondering


    for a while. ¡°Hi, thank you for the invitation. When the program team first invited me and mentioned


    Be Young¡¯s participation, I was really excited. However, due to practical considerations, I won¡¯t be


    able to join the recording of ¡°The Sound of Film and Television¡¯ this time. I¡¯m really sorry about that.


    There¡¯s no doubt that Ms. Young is incredibly popr, and while I¡¯m envious of that, I also know my


    own abilities and that I¡¯m not everyone¡¯s cup of tea. I must decline her generous offer. I hope


    everything goes well with the recording.¡±


    A few minutester, the sender fired back, ¡°So, how much do you want us to pay you to join. the


    show?¡±


    Ste sneered. ¡®Wow, a direct confrontation without even trying to hide it, huh?¡±


    She replied, ¡°It¡¯s not about the money. I really won¡¯t be able to participate in the show.¡±


    ¡°Come on, we¡¯re all reasonable people here, so let¡¯s cut to the chase. Give me a price, or I will make


    sure that you won¡¯t work in the voice-acting industry again. Do you believe me?¡± Ste was amused.


    ¡°Who does ¡°he¡± think ¡°he¡± is? Is ¡°he¡± threatening me?¡±


    As far as Ste knew, Be was still under Green Hill Media, which was owned by Vermont. The only


    person who could be Be¡¯s benefactor was Keegan Kane, who had provided her with


    resources for years.


    But, Keegan was a man of principle. There was no way that he would be ruthless to another party for


    no reason.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Based on Be¡¯s qualifications, Ste was confident that Be¡¯s party would need much more than that


    to force her out of the voice-acting industry.


    So, it was either that Be had another backer, or it was simply Be trying to intimidate her.


    Even if they could really make that happen, Ste was still unfazed by the situation, as she had no


    intention of pursuing her voice-acting career anymore.


    However, the threatening words still made her feel sick.


    Despite the unpleasantness, she quickly saved screenshots of the conversation and blocked the


    sender.


    Meanwhile, at Lake Vi, Be¡¯s face darkened as she looked at the message rejection notification.


    She snarled inwardly, ¡®Dusk Gxy is really insolent!¡±


    Be had hoped to ¡°rify¡± the previous incident rted to the voice-acting role for Honor of the


    Deities. She had nned to use the variety show as an opportunity to redeem her image by proving


    her line delivery skills through a coboration with Dusk Gxy.


    However, now that Dusk Gxy had refused to join that variety show, all of Be¡¯s efforts to help bring


    a budget to the program crew had gone to waste, leaving her more infuriated than


    ever.


    Now, not only were theizens mocking her online, but even some actors in show business were


    being sarcastic toward her.


    Be¡¯s vast resources had already put her in the public eye. Recently, she had created a fake romance


    out of a traffic ident but was exposed.


    Shortly thereafter, Dusk Gxy mocked her for using connections to steal the voice-acting role in


    Honor of the Deities. This allowed theizens to hype the story and portray her as ungrateful.


    Despite Keegan¡¯s help, Be suffered significant losses. She lost several endorsement jobs and had


    hoped that Dusk Gxy participating in the variety show would help redeem her image. However, Dusk


    Gxy refused to cooperate

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    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 223


    Chapter 223


    Be seethed internally, ¡®I tried to extend an olive branch, but you¡¯ve made your choice.¡±


    Meanwhile, as soon as Ste turned off the Facebook app on her phone, Aldor¡¯s call came in.


    She frowned as she thought, ¡®It¡¯ste. Why are they bothering me now?¡± She chose not to answer, not


    because it was Aldor calling, but because the call was likely rted to Keegan. And, Ste did not want


    to deal with him.


    Despite Ste¡¯s refusal to answer, Aldor¡¯s calls persisted. So, the phone rang incessantly.


    Eventually, the caretaker could not stand it anymore and said, ¡°Ste, why don¡¯t you answer? What if


    it¡¯s an emergency?¡±


    ¡°What emergency?¡± Ste huffed before begrudgingly picking up the phone.


    ¡®Madam, Mr. Kane has a fever of 39 degrees. Do you have any fever-reducing medicine at home?¡±


    Ste sat up in surprise. ¡°What¡¯s the point of taking medicine at such a high temperature? Take him to


    the hospital right away!


    ¡°Mr. Kane refuses to go. I can only get him some medicine to bring down the temperature. But, I have


    no idea where the medicine is. Since Mr. Kane has fired Maya, I had to call you.¡± Ste frowned and


    thought, ¡®Is Keegan out of his mind? He could get brain damage from such a high fever. She recalled


    that Keegan¡¯s father had been hospitalized with a fever and had passed away when his condition


    worsened. ¡®It has probably affected Keegan,¡± she thought. Whenever he has a fever, he¡¯ll get moody.


    He¡¯ll refuse to take medicine or see a doctor. He¡¯ll be as stubborn as a mule and can¡¯t be persuaded.¡±


    Hence, Ste believed Aldor¡¯s words.


    She pursed her lips and gave instructions to Aldor. ¡°There¡¯s a first-aid kit in the coffee table drawer


    downstairs. You can find a fever reducer in there. Let him take one. If his temperature doesn¡¯t drop


    after half an hour, take him to the hospital even if he refuses!¡±


    Aldor quickly agreed and hung up.


    Ste paced around the ward, and her mind was uneasy.


    The memory of Keegan¡¯s feverst year came to her mind.


    It was early autumn, and the sudden weather change had caused Keegan to fall ill.


    His feverish state had awakened her in the middle of the night. When she turned on the light, she was


    greeted with the sight of a red-faced Keegan with cracked lips. Feeling irritated, he grumbled at her for


    turning on the light. He was not aware that he had a fever.


    Ste got out of bed and retrieved a thermometer, only to find that Keegan¡¯s temperature was almost


    39 degrees. She wanted to take him to the hospital, but Keegan vehemently refused, sparking an


    argument between the two.


    However, when he was sick, Keegan did not seem intimidating when he was arguing with her.


    So, she was not afraid of him, and even felt sorry for him when she saw him burning with fever.


    Since she could not persuade him, she had to find him some fever reducer and coax him into taking it.


    She repeatedly changed his cooling patches, took care of him with unwavering dedication, and hoped


    that the fever would go down.


    The fever made Keegan so delirious that he kept holding onto her hand. This was a rare moment for


    Keegan.


    At that time, Ste waspletely in love with Keegan, and even his slightest smile would fill her with


    dreams of a future together, let alone him holding her hand.


    However, her thoughts were interrupted by Keegan¡¯s words. ¡°Don¡¯t go, Be.¡±N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

 Chapter 224

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 224


    Chapter 224


    Ste¡¯s heart sank as Keegan¡¯s words nted the seed that made her begin to lose hope of winning


    his love.


    Despite knowing that Keegan had only married her under duress and was in love with another, Ste¡¯s


    youthful confidence led her to believe that since they were already married, it was just sooner orter


    that she could win him over and have him all by herself.


    But, it was all a delusion


    that other person remained in Keegan¡¯s heart. No matter how hard she tried or how well she did, there


    would never be a ce for her in his heart.


    She recalled that Keegan began to talk nonsense as his temperature rose to 38 degrees at that time.


    This time, his temperature was very high. Ste doubted that it was lower thanst time. Most likely, the


    fever was caused by wound inmmation. No matter how many grudges Ste held against him, she


    did not want anything to happen to him. So, after a short thought, she said goodbye to the caretaker


    and left.


    After Aldor hung up the phone, he found the fever reducer. He poured a ss of water and brought it


    upstairs.


    Keegan was lying on the bed with one hand on his forehead. His brows were furrowed, his face was


    pale, and he looked extremely ufortable.


    Aldor softly said, ¡°Mr. Kane, you should take medicine.¡± Then, he added, ¡°Madam asked me to take


    your temperature half an hourter to see if the medicine worked. If your fever starts to go down, you


    won¡¯t need to go to the hospital.¡±


    Keegan opened his eyes and spoke in a hoarse voice. ¡°Who told you to call her?¡±


    Due to his weakened state, his voice was soft. So, even if he was angry, he did not sound intimidating.


    Aldor replied, ¡°I couldn¡¯t find any fever reducers, and your fever is too severe.¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips and paused for a moment before he asked, ¡°What else did she say?¡±


    ¡°She told you to take the medicine,¡± Aldor answered. ¡°She¡¯s very worried about you.¡±


    Even Aldor himself could not believe the lie he had just told, let alone Keegan. There was a long


    silence before Keegan spoke. His voice was cold and hard. ¡°Get out!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Kane, please take the medicine,¡± Aldor implored.


    Keegan¡¯s anger red up, and he spoke in a solemn tone. ¡°Get out!¡± he repeated.


    Aldor did not dare to say anything else. He ced the fever reducer on the bedside table and left the


    room. When he considered calling Cordelia, he was interrupted by the sound of a car engine outside.


    Aldor froze for a moment before hurrying downstairs, where he saw Ste enter the house carrying a


    bag of medicine. When she saw Aldor, she asked, ¡°How is he doing? Has he taken. the medicine?¡±


    Aldor snapped back to his senses and shook his head. ¡°Mr. Kane refused to take the medicine


    and ordered me to leave,¡± he said.


    Ste thought to herself, ¡®I knew it!¡¯ before she said to Aldor, ¡°I¡¯ll go upstairs. If you need to rest, there¡¯s


    a guest room downstairs. You can rest there for a while. If Keegan¡¯s fever doesn¡¯t subside, we might


    have to take him to the hospital.¡±


    Aldor replied, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll be downstairs. Just call me if you need any help.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Ste said before rushing upstairs.


    As soon as she opened the bedroom door, a ss was thrown near her feet, shattering into pieces.


    Keegan¡¯s annoyed voice rang out. ¡°I said get out!¡±


    After looking at the broken ss near her feet with lingering fears, Ste pursed her lips, as she tried to


    rpose herself before she walked in. ¡°We haven¡¯t divorced yet. Where do you expect me to go?


    Keegan paused and looked at Ste with resentful red eyes. After a few seconds, he spoke in a cold


    voice. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Aldor told me that you had a fever,¡± Ste exined. ¡°I came back to check on you and see if you are


    delirious. If you are, I might trick you into giving me another 200 million after the divorce.¡±


    ¡°In your dreams!¡± Keegan spat out through gritted teeth, and his face darkened.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Ste thought to herself, ¡®He can still swear. I guess he¡¯s sober.¡¯ She breathed a sigh of relief and


    stepped forward to feel Keegan¡¯s forehead. But, Keegan tilted his head to evade her hand and looked


    at her with disdain.

 Chapter 225

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    Chapter 225


    Ste felt both anger and amusement as she looked at Keegan. He was like the stray cat that used to


    hang around her childhood home. She had fed it for almost six months, but one day she identally


    kicked it in the head while she was opening the door. After that, the cat would never let her touch it.


    Every time she tried to pet it, the cat would move its head to avoid her, just like Keegan was doing now.


    Although she could not catch the stray cat, Ste knew how to deal with Keegan. She stared at him for


    a few seconds, took off her shoes, and climbed onto the bed to straddle him. She reached for his shirt,


    which surprised Keegan and caused him to struggle as soon as he regained his senses.


    Normally, Ste might not be able to hold him down. But, now that he was burning with a fever, he was


    as weak as a sick cat. It did not take long for Ste to unbutton his shirt, revealing his bare chest.


    ¡°Ste, do you have no shame?!¡± Keegan shouted.


    Perhaps it was because of Keegan¡¯s anger or his fever that his entire face was flushed. Even his neck


    had a faint pinkish hue.


    Ste, who was straddling him, suddenly felt a sense of control over the man. ¡°To be honest, this is


    quite enjoyable.¡±


    Ste ced the thermometer under Keegan¡¯s armpit before she covered him with a nket. In a tone


    that imitated how CEOs flirt with their young wives in web novels, she said to Keegan, ¡°Is there any


    part of your body that I haven¡¯t seen? We¡¯ve been married for so long, so why do I need to have


    shame?¡±


    Keegan coughed angrily.


    Steforted him by stroking his chest. ¡°I don¡¯t mind you baring your chest in front of me. But,


    you¡¯re the one acting it like it¡¯s a big deal.¡±


    Keegan was very furious and was about to scold the unruly woman. However, before he could say


    anything, she took advantage of the situation and shoved the pill inside his open mouth. The pill slid


    down his throat right after she pinched his chin and lifted it up.


    Keegan was already feeling unwell, and he was about to get angry at her antics. However, before he


    could say anything, he met Ste¡¯s smiling eyes.


    ¡°How is it? It¡¯s not bitter, right?¡±


    For some reason, he suddenly could not bring himself to get angry.


    Keegan grumbled, ¡°Try shoving one directly inside your throat and see how you would feel.¡± ¡°This is


    how you should take a pill. Otherwise, it¡¯d taste bitter on your tongue. If you hadn¡¯t broken the ss, I


    wouldn¡¯t have to feed you the pill like this.¡± Ste retorted.


    With that, she climbed down from the bed and rummaged through the cab to find a pack of dried


    fruit. ¡°Try one of these. It¡¯ll make you feel better. They¡¯re sweet and sour. They¡¯re really tasty,¡± she said


    as she held a piece of dried fruit out to Keegan¡¯s mouth.


    Keegan was about to decline, but before he could say anything, Ste used the same trick and


    stuffed that piece of dried fruit into his mouth.


    Just as Ste promised, it was sweet and sour.


    Supposedly, when someone had a fever, they would not be able to taste anything since their taste buds


    were affected. But, the sour and sweet taste suddenly spread inside Keegan¡¯s mouth like colors being


    added to a ck and white painting. It instantly made his mood a little brighter.


    After Keegan had swallowed the medicine, he remembered something. ¡°Did hands?¡±


    Ste paused in her actions and murmured, ¡°Um¡­¡±


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    you wash


    your


    Keegan instantly knew that she did not wash her hands. He scowled and wanted to spit out that piece


    of dried fruit, but Ste quickly covered his mouth. ¡°My hands are not dirty. Don¡¯t spit it out.¡±


    Keegan was gasping for air under her hold. Then, he finally swallowed the piece of dried fruit whole. He


    did not have the strength to push her away, so he grabbed her wrist to signal her to


    let


    Ste asked, ¡°Have you swallowed it?¡±


    Keegan shot her a re. But, after a while, he finally blinked.


    Ste then released her hold. But, in the next second, with a burst of strength, Keegan grabbed her


    waist tightly and forcefully turned over, pressing her underneath him.


    He gripped her neck, and through his gritted teeth while panting, he said, ¡°Mess with me again, and I¡¯ll


    skin you alive!¡±

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    Chapter 226


    Keegan¡¯s fever was high. Even a simple movement like that had already exhausted him so much that


    he was panting hard and spewing hot breath.


    ¡®He¡¯s sick as hell, yet he¡¯s still acting so insolent.¡¯ Ste wanted tough. But, she was certain that if


    she did that, Keegan would strangle her even if he did not skin her alive.


    ¡®Why bother being angry with a patient?¡¯ Thinking of this, she sighed and spoke softly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr.


    Kane. Please don¡¯t be angry. You have a high fever, and you refuse to take medicine or go to the


    hospital. I¡¯m just worried about your health.¡±


    ¡°Quit trying to fool me. If you were worried about me, why didn¡¯t youe home for two days? I bet


    you wish that I would have brain damage so you could take your share of my wealth and leave. Ste,


    there is no woman in this world who is better at lying than you!¡±


    said,


    ¡°You bastard. Not only did you call me selfish, but you also called me a liar?! If you weren¡¯t sick, I would


    have kicked you off the bed by now!¡± After cursing silently, Ste coaxed him and ¡°TE you had brain


    damage from the fever and I filed for divorce, the judge wouldn¡¯t rule in my favor. When we registered


    our marriage, didn¡¯t we make a vow that till death do us part? So, I won¡¯t file a divorce as soon as you


    fall ill.¡±


    However, just when Keegan had calmed down a little, Ste added, ¡°If that happens, I¡¯ll at least have to


    wait for another two or three years. If you really can¡¯t recover, then I¡¯ll think of filing for divorce.¡±


    Keegan could not breathe properly due to his rage. It had almost killed him.


    He pinched her face and said through his gritted teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it! You just don¡¯t want


    me to have a good life!¡±


    ¡°Was he telling me not to think about the divorce or not to think about taking his money? Never mind.¡¯


    Ste did not bother about it, thinking that Keegan must have gone delirious. After all, Keegan would


    never say these words when he was sane.


    Keegan started coughing again after yelling at Ste.


    Ste reached out to pat his back and softly said, ¡°Of course I want you to get better. Take your


    medicine and rest well. If you¡¯re healthy, you can earn more money. And, if you make more money, you


    can give me more when we get divorced. So, I definitely want you to get better.¡±


    Keegan coughed andy down on her, as he muttered, ¡°Money is all you care about.¡±


    Ste did not want to argue with a man who was in a delirium state. She replied, ¡°Yeah, right. I only


    married you for your money.¡±


    Keegan red at her and weakly said, ¡°I knew it!¡±


    Ste took out the thermometer from his armpit and checked it under the light. It was 38.6 degrees,


    which was higher than Aldor¡¯s reading, but not too high.


    She grabbed a bag of medicine from the table, took out an anti-inmmatory pill, then


    shoved it into Keegan¡¯s mouth. Its taste was so bitter that his face scrunched up. Before he was about


    to burst out in anger again, Ste quickly shoved another piece of dried fruit in his


    mouth.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, Aldor is still downstairs. He¡¯ll make fun of you if he finds out that you¡¯re afraid of taking


    medicine like a child.¡±


    Keegan red at her, but he did not look intimidating. After he had finally managed to swallow


    everything, he warned her through his gritted teeth, ¡°I¡¯ll settle the score with you once I recover!¡±


    ¡°You can do whatever you want when you recover.


    Keegan began to feel drowsy, and he struggled to keep his eyes open. His upper body was on top of


    Ste¡¯s, which made her difficult to breathe.


    When Keegan finally closed his eyes, Ste tried to push him away. But, he suddenly opened his eyes


    again and asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Keegan could get offended easily, so Ste did not want to tell him that he was too heavy. Instead, she


    replied, ¡°I¡¯m going to the bathroom.¡±


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Thinking that he would move, she was surprised when she heard him say, ¡°I¡¯ming with you,¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, 1 want to use the toilet.¡±

 Chapter 227

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 227


    Chapter 227


    Ste thought that Keegan was deliberately clinging to her. But, she realized that she had


    misunderstood him as soon as he said, ¡°Me too.¡±


    Ste said resignedly, ¡°You first.¡±


    Keegan got up from the bed. But, as soon as he stood up, his feet went wobbly, and he was about to


    fall to the ground.


    Luckily, Ste reacted quickly. She grabbed his cor and pulled him back, so he fell on the bed


    instead.


    The fever reducer that Ste had given Keegan had a particrly strong effect. She herself had taken it


    once and quickly felt drowsy and weak.


    She thought to herself, ¡®Judging from his state, I guess the medicine has already kicked in.¡¯ So, she


    said, ¡°I¡¯ll get Aldor to help.¡± As she spoke, she tried to get up, but Keegan held her down. ¡°No, don¡¯t


    go!¡± Keegan yelled.


    Ste then exined, ¡°But, I can¡¯t move you alone.¡±


    He gave a determined stare and refused to let Aldore. At that moment, his face was red.


    Ste was a littlete when she realized, ¡®Keegan cares a lot about his image. Maybe he¡¯s afraid. that


    Aldor would see him in his embarrassing state, which will affect his CEO image.¡¯


    Keegan moved his lips and said softly, ¡°Just help me walk.¡±


    Keegan remained resolute, so Ste had no choice but to help him to the bathroom.


    Once they finally made it there, Keegan kicked her out. Initially, Ste thought that it would be awkward


    to assist Keegan in using the toilet, so this worked out well for her. She waited outside for a long time,


    but Keegan did note out. Just as she was about to knock on the door to check on him, she heard a


    big crash from inside as if something had fallen over.


    Without thinking, Ste pushed open the bathroom door.


    Keegan was lying in a mess on the ground. The shelf next to him was also knocked over, and the items


    were scattered everywhere.


    His pants were not even fully pulled up yet. There was some unknown liquid on his hands and pants.


    When Keegan saw that Ste wasing in, he panicked and tried to pull up face was terribly pale,


    and he snapped, ¡°Who let you in? Get out!¡±


    his


    pants. His


    Ste hesitated for a moment when she saw the scene in front of her. She walked in and squatted


    down to help him pull up his pants. Then, she silently helped him up.


    Keegan was furious and pushed Ste away, telling her to leave.


    Ste ignored him. Instead, she helped him up. She did not mind his dirty hands, and she washed them


    under the faucet. Then, she took a towel and helped him wipe the stains off his pants.


    Regardless of how bad his attitude was, Ste remained silent.


    After she was done cleaning up, Ste helped him out and changed his clothes.


    Keegan gradually stopped talking and watched her. Somehow, he felt a tightness in his throat.


    When Ste had finished sweeping up all the broken ss, she brought the first-aid kit over and


    changed the bandage on his arm.


    Ste unwrapped the gauze and found that Keegan¡¯s wound was bleeding again. The wound looked as


    though it had been stitched up again.


    She thought to herself, ¡®Didn¡¯t he go to Be? Does Be know how to stitch up a wound?¡¯


    Ste did not have time to think about it, and she used a cotton swab to disinfect the wound.


    Although Keegan was sleepy, he still looked at Ste without blinking. She was not wearing makeup,


    so the mole on her nose was partially visible, which looked simr to when they first met. But, it was


    also a bit different. He recalled that when she was handling those stains in the bathroom, her face


    never showed a hint of disgust throughout the entire process.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 228

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 228


    Chapter 228


    After Ste had bandaged his wound, Keegan had already fallen asleep.


    She put away the first-aid kit and pondered a bit before lying down next to Keegan.


    Every half an hour, Ste would get up to check Keegan¡¯s temperature. At two in the morning,


    Keegan¡¯s temperature finally dropped to 38 degrees. Only then did she finally breathe a sigh of relief


    and fall asleep as she could not stay up any longer.


    The next day when Keegan woke up, he felt much better, except for his shoulder, which felt like there


    was a heavy rock on it.


    He frowned and opened his eyes, wanting to push whatever was on his shoulder. But, before he could


    touch it, he saw Ste¡¯s sleeping face. He could not help but recall what had happened in the bathroom


    last night.


    After staring at Ste for a long time, he slowly moved his outstretched hand and moved her head


    aside.


    Keegan looked at Ste with disgust as soon as he felt the wet drool on his shoulder. He then picked


    up a nket and clumsily covered her with it.


    When Ste woke up, it was already noon, and Keegan and Aldor were no longer in the Kane


    residence.


    She cursed inwardly, ¡°That bastard. I took care of him all night, yet he didn¡¯t even thank me.¡±


    Ste picked up her phone and realized that Felicity had called her many times. She quickly returned


    her call.


    ¡°Why did you take so long to return my call?¡± Felicity said through her gritted teeth, ¡°I thought Be¡¯s


    fans had assassinated you!¡±


    ¡°I slepttest night, and I just woke up. What¡¯s wrong? Why did you call me so many times?¡±


    ¡°Just check your social media,¡± replied Felicity.


    ¡°What is it about?¡± Ste asked.


    ¡°When Kelly, that bitch, was promoting her new drama, reporters asked her a few questions. She


    mocked you and said that you¡¯re raising your own pay rate and acting like a diva!¡±


    Ste frowned and quickly clicked on a social media app. The top trending topic was ¡°Kelly Dusk


    Gxy¡±. The next post was ¡°Are Voice Actors More Suitable for Roles Than Actors?.¡± Both of these


    topics were filled with a strong sense of opposition.


    Ste clicked on the post and saw the video Felicity had mentioned.


    Kelly Harper¡¯spany was about to release a web series. Although Kelly was not the director, she


    was credited as the screenwriter. Moreover, all the actors in the series were newly signed by Kelly¡¯s


    company. In the past two years, web series adapted from web novels had been quite popr, and


    several new artists had gained their fame because of those series. Apparently, Kelly also wanted to


    take the same route. To promote the new series and her own artists, she had invited Be Young to


    make a guest appearance as well.


    Recently, Be was on the list of trending searches because of her conflicts with the voice


    After she was done cleaning up, Ste helped him out and changed his clothes.


    Keegan gradually stopped talking and watched her. Somehow, he felt a tightness in his throat.


    When Ste had finished sweeping up all the broken ss, she brought the first-aid kit over and


    changed the bandage on his arm.


    Ste unwrapped the gauze and found that Keegan¡¯s wound was bleeding again. The wound looked as


    though it had been stitched up again.


    She thought to herself, ¡®Didn¡¯t he go to Be? Does Be know how to stitch up a wound?¡±


    Ste did not have time to think about it, and she used a cotton swab to disinfect the wound.


    Although Keegan was sleepy, he still looked at Ste without blinking. She was not wearing makeup,


    so the mole on her nose was partially visible, which looked simr to when they first met. But, it was


    also a bit different. He recalled that when she was handling those stains in the bathroom, her face


    never showed a hint of disgust throughout the entire process.


    After Ste had bandaged his wound, Keegan had already fallen asleep.


    She put away the first-aid kit and pondered a bit before lying down next to Keegan.


    Every half an hour, Ste would get up to check Keegan¡¯s temperature. At two in the morning,


    Keegan¡¯s temperature finally dropped to 38 degrees. Only then did she finally breathe a sigh of relief


    and fall asleep as she could not stay up any longer.


    The next day when Keegan woke up, he felt much better, except for his shoulder, which felt like there


    was a heavy rock on it.


    He frowned and opened his eyes, wanting to push whatever was on his shoulder. But, before he could


    touch it, he saw Ste¡¯s sleeping face. He could not help but recall what had happened in the bathroom


    last night.


    After staring at Ste for a long time, he slowly moved his outstretched hand and moved her head


    aside.


    Keegan looked at Ste with disgust as soon as he felt the wet drool on his shoulder. He then picked


    up a nket and clumsily covered her with it.


    When Ste woke up, it was already noon, and Keegan and Aldor were no longer in the Kane


    residence.


    She cursed inwardly, That bastard. I took care of him all night, yet he didn¡¯t even thank me.¡¯


    Ste picked up her phone and realized that Felicity had called her many times. She quickly returned


    her call.


    ¡°Why did you take so long to return my call?¡± Felicity said through her gritted teeth, ¡°I thought Be¡¯s


    fans had assassinated you!¡±


    ¡°I slepttest night, and I just woke up. What¡¯s wrong? Why did you call me so many times?¡±


    ¡°Just check your social media,¡± replied Felicity.


    ¡°What is it about?¡± Ste asked.


    ¡°When Kelly, that bitch, was promoting her new drama, reporters asked her a few questions. She


    mocked you and said that you¡¯re raising your own pay rate and acting like a diva!¡±


    Ste frowned and quickly clicked on a social media app. The top trending topic was ¡°Kelly Dusk


    Gxy¡± The next post was ¡°Are Voice Actors More Suitable for Roles Than Actors?.¡± Both of these


    topics were filled with a strong sense of opposition.


    Ste clicked on the post and saw the video Felicity had mentioned.


    Kelly Harper¡¯spany was about to release a web series. Although Kelly was not the director, she


    was credited as the screenwriter. Moreover, all the actors in the series were newly signed by Kelly¡¯s


    company. In the past two years, web series adapted from web novels had been quite popr, and


    several new artists had gained their fame because of those series. Apparently, Kelly also wanted to


    take the same route. To promote the new series and her own artists, she had invited Be Young to


    make a guest appearance as well.


    Recently, Be was on the list of trending searches because of her conflicts with the voice


    actor, Dusk Gxy. Her poprity was not that good at the moment. The reporters who attended the


    press conference were not interested in Kelly¡¯s new series but in the conflict between Be and Dusk


    Gxy.


    Hence, the reporters kept bringing up this subject during the entire interview. When she asked about


    how she viewed the rtionship between actors and voice actors, whether it was for the hype or her


    friendship with Be, Kellymented, ¡°This isn¡¯t about how I see it; it¡¯s about how the audience sees


    it. Visuals are the most important element in film and television. Choosing to use a voice actor for


    dubbing doesn¡¯t mean that the actor in the rolecks proficiency in delivering lines.


    ¡°Sometimes, the voice of an actor doesn¡¯t match the role. For example, when an actress has to y a


    strong female role despite having a high-pitched voice, her voice may not be able to portray the


    character. That¡¯s when professional voice actors are needed for dubbing to make up for the


    shorings. That way, the series can deliver a better portrayal of those roles.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pretty normal thing. I don¡¯t understand why people would argue about this subject. To me, in


    cases like this, voice actors are just the ¡®voice doubles¡¯ for actors. We still need the actors¡¯ faces to


    portray those roles.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that some voice actors got cocky because their fans put them on a pedestal. I have


    encountered one before. Actually, I¡¯ve never met her in person. I was thinking since we worked on a


    drama series before, perhaps we should participate in a variety show to promote the drama series.


    ¡°While the other actors were willing to make time for it, she declined it. We were even willing to change


    the schedule for her. We thought she might have some urgent business to attend to. Butter, we found


    out that she felt that the pay was low, and she wanted to receive the same rate as a leading actor.


    ¡°When that drama was aired, she hired cyber-troopers to criticize the actors every day. Just because


    she received a few praises from her fans, she assumed that the sess of the drama was all because


    of her.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help but roll my eyes. She¡¯s just a voice double. How significant can she be? Yet, she dared to


    ask for a leading actress¡¯s pay rate. A ¡®voice double¡¯ is just a ¡®voice double¡¯; anyone can do it. This kind


    of person has brought bad influence to showbiz¡­¡±


    Kelly did not name the person, but the inte detectives quickly figured out the main character of the


    incident based on the information she provided.


    There was a popr drama recently known for the conflicts between the actor and voice actor, and the


    highly anticipated The Sound of Film and Television was about to be released. Hence, the only one


    who fit the descriptions was Dusk Gxy


    The video of Kelly¡¯s interview had gained millions of views on short video tforms, and the subject


    was a hot topic on the trending list.


    Instantly, Be¡¯s fans stormed to Dusk Gxy¡¯s Facebook and bombarded her withments and


    private messages.


    [This bitch thinks she¡¯s a leading actress.)


    [She doesn¡¯t even have the courage to show her face. No wonder she can only be a ¡®voice double.¡¯]


    [After watching so many drama series, this is the first time I¡¯ve seen a barrage ofments mentioning


    a voice actor. For her to hire so many cyber-troopers, I wonder how desperate she wants fame.]


    [She didn¡¯t do that for fame. She¡¯s just envious of others earning more than her.]


    [Didn¡¯t her fans always say that Be Young isn¡¯t qualified to be her ¡®face double¡¯? Ask her to be in


    ¡°The Sound of Film and Television¡¯, and we¡¯ll see who will be the one embarrassed when they are both


    in the same footage.]


    Ste looked at the stupidments and almostughed out loud.


    ¡®As a voice actor, I¡¯ve been trying my best to avoid conflicts, yet she said that I brought bad influence?


    If it wasn¡¯t for Be¡¯s fans constantly praising her acting and line delivery skills online, would the


    netizens make thoseparison videos?¡¯ Ste thought, ¡®She started ying the victim when she


    couldn¡¯t beat me. She said she had a cold or sore throat and med me. And, if I had the money to


    buy my way to the top of the trending list, would I still need to sell that bag?¡±


    program


    Be had been the one creating drama. When Ste declined the invitation from the crew, she had


    made it clear and never said anything about low pay. She could not help but wonder about the source


    of those false rumors.


    Suddenly, Ste remembered the Facebook user who had sent her private messages the night before.


    That sender did ask me to name a price. It can¡¯t be a coincidence.¡±


    Felicity said, ¡°Ste, why don¡¯t you do a livestream to clear your name? I¡¯m so angry when I read these


    comments. I feel like punching these people in the face! How dare they call you a voice double¡¯! Is


    Be¡¯s face even gorgeous enough to match your voice?¡±


    ¡°No, we signed a contract.¡± Ste was calm. ¡°And, this is just a small matter. It¡¯s not worth exposing my


    identity.¡±


    ¡°So, are we just going to sit here and let these people talk crap about you? I can¡¯t take it!¡±


    ¡®Kelly wants to promote her new web series, and Be¡¯s goal is to discredit me and redeem her image,¡±


    Ste exined with a smile. ¡°They both need to hype this subject to achieve their respective


    objectives. So, if they want that kind of result, why don¡¯t we help them?¡±

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    ¡°What?¡± Felicity did not understand what Ste meant.


    ¡°Well, sometimes Sophia¡¯s methods can be pretty effective,¡± said Ste.


    Felicity was still trying to figure out the meaning of Ste¡¯s sentence. Soon, she saw Ste¡¯s


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    countermove.


    After half an hour, Dusk Gxy posted on Facebook, [Nothing in the world is as mean as the human


    heart.] Just ten minutester, she posted again, [All work suspended indefinitely.] And ten minutes after


    that, she took down all of her Facebook posts and deactivated her ount, quitting the tform


    entirely. Shortly thereafter, someizens discovered that she had not. only deactivated her Facebook


    ount, but all of her social media ounts. Soon, the topic Dusk Gxy Quits Social Media¡± climbed


    to the top of the trending list in just a few minutes.


    Dusk Gxy did not offer any exnation for Kelly¡¯s interview or respond to any of theizens¡¯


    questions. With just the phrase ¡°as mean as the human heart¡± as her farewell message, she had


    completely withdrawn from social media.


    Kelly did not name the voice actor or provide any substantial evidence linking Dusk Gxy to the


    allegations. Dusk Gxy could have continued to earn money in the voice-acting industry after the


    storm passed. Despite this, Dusk Gxy decided to give up her livelihood due to one negative


    comment. This decision did not seem logical, especially for someone Kelly had imed to have


    comined about low pay.


    Soon after, someone uncovered Dusk Gxy¡¯s earlier voice-over work for children¡¯s books, which was


    allegedly done for charity and thus unpaid. Besides children¡¯s books, she lent her voice to numerous


    public service announcements and provided audio instructions for vision- impaired children. These


    actions hardly fit the profile of someone who despised taking low- paying gigs


    The chief and several other big names in the voice-acting industry then spoke up for Dusk Gxy,


    debunking the rumors of high sries for voice actors. They revealed that, in reality, voice actors were


    paid much less than regr actors, with a few hundred dors per episode being the norm. Working


    with actors who could not enunciate clearly meant that the lines had to be repeated over and over,


    which often led tote-night recording sessions. Even once voice -over actors had established


    themselves, they still had toply with the script and amodate the other actors. If they were not


    ¡°smart¡± enough and offended someone, there might be no jobs for them for a year.


    Half an hourter, a well-known charity federation in Hustuabourg released a public service video.


    Coincidentally, the voice of the female character in the video was Dusk Gxy¡¯s, and it was also done


    for charity. Moreover, this video was a public service advertisement from several years ago. It was very


    interesting that this video was released at this critical moment.


    With all these supporting facts surfacing, the public opinion swiftly reversed, andizens turned their


    firepower on Kelly.


    [Kelly has been dubbed the queen of poor production. All she does is stir controversy for fame. Who is


    she to question a talented voice actor?]


    [Moreover, Kelly¡¯s words were misleading. The basic skills of an actor include voice, expression, and


    movement. They are all essential. If actors can¡¯t even deliver lines properly.


    they can forget about their acting skills.]


    [After reaping the fruits from thebor of voice actors, she turned around and stepped on them.]


    [She only cares about poprity and not talent. The quality of movies and TV shows has been


    declining because of people like her. It¡¯s the real-life version of ¡°bad money drives out the good¡±.]


    Simr to what haters had done when criticizing Dusk Gxy, theseizens bombarded Kelly¡¯s


    Facebook withments. There were too many of them. Eventually, Kelly had to turn off thement


    feature on her Facebook.


    However, the relentlessizens then targeted her new web series on a drama rating site. In just one


    day, the unlucky series received one-star ratings from tens of thousands ofizens as soon as it was


    released. It became the lowest-rated series in the history of that website, which was another kind of


    ¡°hype.¡±


    The drastic turn of events left Felicity dumbfounded.

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    Felicity had never thought that Ste would take this opportunity to deactivate the Dusk Gxy


    ount.


    It was a clever move. On one hand, as Dusk Gxy, Ste portrayed herself as a victim; on the other,


    she withdrew at the peak of her voice-acting career. In the minds of her fans, she would be the perfect


    and innocent victim.


    If Dusk Gxy were to return after this, it would undoubtedly cause another storm.


    Unfortunately, the ount has ten million followers. It was a pity to just give up like that. If it were


    Felicity, she would not be able to let


    Felicity suddenly realized that Be¡¯s abilities and vision were far more inferior than Ste¡¯s. ¡± I will


    never understand why Keegan Kane, that blind bastard, would choose a pile of shit over a rose.¡±


    In the office of Vinci Rivera Group, Keegan sneezed several times.


    Aldor quickly handed him a ss of water. ¡°Mr. Kane, do you need to take a break?¡±


    Keegan pinched his forehead and waved his hand. ¡°Make me a cup of coffee.¡±


    When Aldor left the office, Sophia, who had been watching at the door, followed him and pretended to


    bump into him in the pantry. ¡°Aldor, what a coincidence.¡±


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Aldor had only met Sophia a few times and did not know her well enough to exchange pleasantries.


    But, out of politeness, he responded, ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    ¡°Are you making coffee for my brother-inw? Let me help you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, but it¡¯s not necessary. Mr. Kane doesn¡¯t like anyone touching his cup.¡±


    Sophia¡¯s hand froze in mid-air, and she smiled awkwardly. ¡°I heard from Ste that my brother-inw is


    a germaphobe.¡±


    Aldor paused and reminded her, ¡°Sophia Jewell, you¡¯re now in ourpany. Mr. Kane keeps his


    personal and work affairs separate, so please be mindful of how you address him. We want to avoid


    any possible misunderstandings or undue influence.¡±


    Sophia felt embarrassed after being exposed by Aldor. Her face turned red, and she replied softly,


    ¡°Thank you for reminding me. I¡¯ll remember that.¡±


    Aldor smiled politely and left after making the coffee.


    Sophia was left feeling embarrassed, and a group of people outsideughed and whispered to each


    other.


    ¡°I thought she had some big connections. When she joined thepany, she was so arrogant and


    called Mr. Kane her ¡®brother-inw¡¯ all the time. But, it looks like Mr. Kane didn¡¯t pay any attention to


    her.¡±


    ¡°I heard that the list of hires was already set, but Aldor went to HR and added her resume. He said it


    was Mr. Kane¡¯s idea.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Kane¡¯s idea is just Mrs. Kane¡¯s idea, right? I heard Sophia and Mrs. Kane aren¡¯t even


    biological sisters; she¡¯s adopted. So, Mrs. Kane is just being kind to her.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried that Sophia will be like the viper in the fable ¡®The Farmer and the Viper¡¯. Every time she


    sees Mr. Kane, she looks like she wants to cling to him¡­¡±


    Sophia tightened her fists.


    When the Vinci Rivera Group was hiring, Sophia¡¯s resume did not make the cut. Thepany had


    already hired a batch of new employees two weeks ago, but Sophia only received her offer letter on the


    second day of the jewelry exhibition. Albert believed that Keegan had specially approved Sophia¡¯s


    employment aspensation for the dowry Albert had given Ste. Sophia, on the other hand, did not


    share the same idea. She did not think that Ste would have such a great influence on Keegan¡¯s


    decisions. Moreover, given Sophia¡¯s rtionship with Ste, Ste would be the first to oppose her


    employment at the Vinci Rivera Group.


    ¡°They said I owed her a favor, huh? But, is she even worthy?¡±


    As Sophia stepped out of the pantry, a colleague who was just cking off at the door suddenly ran


    downstairs. While she was running, she shouted, ¡°Someone is causing a scene at ourpany.¡±

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    Sophia was momentarily taken aback. Then, however, she followed along with the crowd, eager to see


    what was happening.


    As soon as she stepped out of the lift, she heard someone crying in the lobby. ¡°Why are you firing me?


    I¡¯ve been dedicated to serving the Kane family for almost twenty years. And now you¡¯re letting me go


    without anypensation. This is going to ruin my life! I¡¯m going to take legal action against you!¡±


    The HR manager downstairs exined, ¡°Ms. Lane, we tried to reach you multiple times. yesterday and


    exined the situation. But you refused to listen and hung up on us. You didn¡¯te to handle the


    procedures, nor did youe to work. So we had to mark it as an unexcused absence. If you¡¯re not


    satisfied, you can apply forbor arbitration. It won¡¯t help to create a disturbance here.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the ones who didn¡¯t want me toe here, so how can this be considered an


    unexcused absence? You¡¯re bullying me! I demand to speak with Mr. Kane! I want to see Keegan


    Kane!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Kane is busy at the moment. He asked me to handle your case. If you¡¯re unsatisfied with the


    result, you can file awsuit. But if you make a scene here, I¡¯m sorry, I may have to ask security to


    escort you out.¡±


    The HR manager gestured to the security officers. As the security officers were about to move forward,


    Maya broke through the crowd and ran up to the second floor. She climbed over the railing and


    threatened the guards, ¡°Don¡¯te near me! If you do, I¡¯ll jump!¡±


    The lobby on the first floor was about five to six meters high. If Maya jumped, she would not die but


    would definitely get injured.


    Therefore, as soon as she made this threat, the security officers hesitated to approach her. They were


    worried that any idents could harm thepany, and no one wanted to bear that responsibility.


    Maya seized on this and insisted on seeing Keegan. ¡°I¡¯ve served the Kane family with all my heart and


    done nothing wrong. So why does Mr. Kane want to fire me? I refuse to ept it! I¡¯ll jump from here if


    Mr. Kane doesn¡¯t exin today!¡±


    The HR manager frowned, ¡°Ms. Lane, your behavior is meaningless. We¡¯re following the contract and


    acting under thew.¡±


    ¡°Is forcing someone into a corner the only way to follow a contract? Don¡¯te any closer, or I¡¯ll jump if


    you do!¡±


    The two sides were deadlocked when a voice interrupted, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    The crowd moved aside, and Sophia saw a tall, handsome man who looked simr to Keegan. His


    facial features weren¡¯t as refined as Keegan¡¯s, but he was still handsome. However, the inexplicable


    wickedness in his eyes made people feel ufortable when he stared at them. The person was


    Jackson, Chandler Kane¡¯s only son, and Keegan¡¯s cousin. He had recently been assigned to a project


    in the Southern West and had just returned a few days ago.


    When the HR manager saw Jackson, he looked tense and said, ¡°It¡¯s a normal personnel


    change, and I¡¯ll handle it quickly.¡±


    As soon as Maya saw Jackson, she cried, ¡°Jackson, please help me¡­''¡±


    Jackson looked at the HR manager and said, ¡°Is this


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    your solution?¡±


    The HR manager¡¯s face turned sour, but he didn¡¯t say anything.


    Although Jackson¡¯s position in thepany wasn¡¯t as high as his father¡¯s, the board of directors still


    respected him. He was also Chandler Kane¡¯s only son, so hemanded some influence.


    ¡°Go get Keegan. Maya might have made a mistake, but she¡¯s been a loyal employee for a long time


    and deserves to be treated with respect. What¡¯s the point of causing amotion?¡±


    The HR managerplied and turned to his assistant to notify Keegan.


    Sophia pursed her lips and secretly recorded a video with her phone, which she sent to Aurora.


    Aurora tried to persuade Dahlia to give her more allowance, saying she wanted to invite Marshall to


    dinner.


    Dahlia had been extremely stressedtely because of Maya¡¯s situation, so when she heard Aurora


    asking for money, her expression turned sour. ¡°Didn¡¯t I give you two millionst month? How did you


    spend it?¡±

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    ¡°I went to an art exhibition with Ariel. She liked a painting, so I bought it. Unfortunately, it cost a few


    million. So I had to borrow money from friends.¡±


    Dahlia frowned, ¡°Did Ariel ept it?¡±


    ¡°No, Ariel said it was too valuable. And I couldn¡¯t return it, so I stored it.¡±


    Dahlia¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Stay away from Marshall from now on.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Aurora protested. ¡°Didn¡¯t you support me dating Marshall?¡±


    ¡°That was based on the condition that Marshall was interested in you too. Didn¡¯t you see how he


    avoided you at the jewelry exhibition? Now you¡¯re chasing after him. Don¡¯t you understand that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go


    after him no matter what it takes. There¡¯s no other woman in his life, and I¡¯m not bad- looking. Plus,


    we¡¯ve been friends since childhood, and Ariel likes me. So it¡¯s just a matter of time before we start


    dating.¡±


    ¡°If Marshall isn¡¯t interested in you, marrying him would make you miserable.¡±


    ¡°Well, dad didn¡¯t seem to like you very much at first. But you¡¯re doing fine now, aren¡¯t you?¡± Dahlia was


    speechless and almost died of anger at this daughter.


    She was about to say something when Aurora suddenly eximed, ¡°Mom, Maya is at the Vinci Rivera


    Group. She¡¯s about to jump off the building!¡±


    Aurora showed Dahlia the video that Sophia had sent her, and Dahlia¡¯s face immediately turned pale


    upon watching it. Then, without saying a word, she stood up and rushed out of the room in a hurry.


    The news of Maya threatening to jump off the building quickly reached Keegan¡¯s ears.


    Keegan hated it when people used these tactics to threaten others, so he immediately had Aldor call


    the police.


    Aldor said, ¡°Jackson is downstairs, probably at your uncle¡¯s behest. Maya has worked for the Kane


    family for over a decade. It could negatively impact us if we are too harsh to her.¡±


    Chandler had been at the Vinci Rivera Group longer than Keegan. Although Keegan had gained some


    leverage in recent years through his strengths, Chandler had a deep-rooted foundation in thepany


    and a way with people.


    Although Maya¡¯s situation might seem like a minor issue, she had been an employee of the Kane


    family for over a decade. If not handled properly, the situation could disappoint some of thepany¡¯s


    veteran employees.


    Keegan furrowed his brows and said, ¡°Jackson doesn¡¯t seem to handle what he should. He¡¯s overly


    enthusiastic about things he shouldn¡¯t be involved in.¡± He then stood up and made his way outside.


    Aldor followed him quietly without saying a word.


    Previously, Jackson had been sent to the Southwest for a project. The fact was, everyone


    within thepany knew he was ¡°exiled.¡±


    Jackson was charming and often flirted with female colleagues. However, he never initiated anything


    himself. Instead, he would let women approach him and dump them once he was done toying with


    them.


    However, as the saying goes, ¡°But if you y with fire, you will eventually get burned.¡± A few months


    ago, thepany received an anonymous letter using Jackson of sexual misconduct with multiple


    female colleagues and manipting personnel transfers.


    In addition to the letter, there was ample evidence of sexually explicit attachments that Jackson could


    not deny, supporting the usations against him.


    Cordelia was outraged and deeply concerned that the incident would cause a major scandal for the


    Kane family. As a result, she decided to send Jackson to Hustuabourg, a harsh environment in the


    West, to reflect on his actions.


    As a result of this incident, significant personnel changes were made to several important positions


    within thepany, resulting in many employees affiliated with Chandler being reced. This caused


    tensions to rise between Chandler and Keegan.


    Now that Jackson had returned, he was likely noting back with good intentions.


    Maya¡¯s situation could be a potential opportunity for Chandler¡¯s party to take advantage of. So Aldor


    thought long and hard and decided to call Ste secretly.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.

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    Ste finally had a free day. After dealing with those annoying matters online, she ate something and


    went downstairs to read the script.


    Although her role was important in the entire drama series, the screen time was short. Most of her


    scenes were in thetter half of the series.


    The queen¡¯s character was less likable than the concubine¡¯s. If she followed the conventional acting


    methods, the impact would only be mediocre.


    Actors portraying antagonists often appear one-dimensional, failing to make a deep impression on the


    audience. Ste knew that if she wanted to use this drama series as a stepping stone for her career in


    showbiz, she could not afford to give a mediocre performance. She kept reviewing the ssic works of


    those experienced actors in showbiz and repeatedly pondered the character development, gradually


    coming up with some ideas.


    Before she could savor her thoughts, Aldor¡¯s call interrupted her.


    ¡°Madam, Mr. Kane left a document at home, and it¡¯s urgently needed for the meeting. Could you help


    deliver it?¡±


    Why has Keegan been so forgetful recently? Is he suffering from dementia at such a young age?¡¯


    Ste silently grumbled and asked, ¡°What document? Have you asked him where he pu it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s in a paper folder on Mr. Kane¡¯s desk in the study.¡±


    Ste pushed open the door and immediately saw the paper folder on the desk in the study.


    She took a photo and sent it to Aldor. ¡°Is this it?¡±


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it. Please hurry up. The meeting is about to start.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Ste said with a smirk.


    She quickly tidied up, changed her shoes, and left with the paper folder.

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    L


    Keegan descended the stairs and found a sizable crowd gathered downstairs. Maya sat outside the


    railing on the second floor, crying and pleading to the onlookers. Some snapped pictures while others


    chattered away.


    Sophia first spotted Keegan, and she promptly called out, ¡°Mr. Kane!¡± Instantly, the crowd hushed and


    parted to make way for him.


    Jackson, who had someone bring him a chair to the second floor for a better view, was sitting there,


    sipping his coffee. When he saw Keegan, he paused and smirked. ¡°Keegan, you finally showed up.¡±


    Keegan nced at Jackson and looked around. He said in a cold and authoritative voice, Everyone,


    get back to your work!¡±


    ¡±


    Those few words exuded an overwhelming sense of intimidation. Then, seeing the crowd begin to


    disperse, Jackson spoke up, ¡°Keegan, Maya has served our family for a long time. If you don¡¯t handle


    this matter fairly and transparently, even if it¡¯s resolved, people will think ourpany is using its power


    to suppress others.¡±


    Maya seized the moment to speak up, ¡°Don¡¯t leave, everyone! I¡¯m not only the housemaid for the Kane


    family but also an employee of the Vinci Rivera Group. I¡¯ve dedicated over a decade of my life to the


    Kane family. Though I may not have aplished much, I¡¯ve worked hard. But now that I¡¯m middle


    age, they want me to leave. If they can do this to me, you could be next!¡± The uproar downstairs


    intensified.


    The Vinci Rivera Group had a significant number of long-time employees. In addition, thepany had


    recently brought in talented individuals. Unfortunately, some of the older staff members wereid off


    with limited positions avable. Many feared they could be next. Even if they had a wealth of


    experience, as they aged, they could notpete physically with younger people. Therefore, they did


    not have an advantage in thepetition for positions. Maya¡¯s speech struck a chord with those who


    had devoted most of their lives to thepany. When they felt they were at risk of being kicked out by


    their employer, they could not help but empathize with her plight.


    As a result, those who had intended to leave hesitated and paused in their tracks.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ? ?

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    Keegan¡¯s face darkened.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Maya thought she had the upper hand and continued to speak out, ¡°I worked for the Kane family for


    sixteen years. They not only fired me but also refused to give me anypensation. I have a family to


    support; my husband is unemployed. They are pushing us all to the brink.¡± Jackson chimed in,


    ¡°Keegan, you are too heartless. Isn¡¯t it ruthless to treat an employee serving us for over a decade this


    way?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he spoke coldly to Maya, ¡°I followed the contract, and I don¡¯t see


    anything wrong with how I handled the situation. If you¡¯re dissatisfied, you can apply forbor


    arbitration. Threatening me here won¡¯t change anything, and I can even sue you for ndering the


    company¡¯s reputation!¡±


    As Keegan spoke, he turned to Aldor and ordered, ¡°Call the police!¡±


    Maya¡¯s arm trembled, and she began to feel anxious. Dahlia had told her to take a couple of days off


    and promised to talk to Keegan when he was calmer.


    But just one dayter, Maya received an email from the Vinci Rivera Group informing her that she was


    being terminated withoutpensation. So how could she stay put?


    Maya hade to thepany to make a scene so she could seekpensation, not to start a legal


    battle.


    As Maya hesitated, a voice rang out through the lobby, ¡°Don¡¯t call the police!¡± Everyone turned their


    heads and found it was Keegan¡¯s mother, Dahlia. Ste, who had just arrived to deliver the document,


    was with Dahlia.


    Earlier, Ste had not expected to meet Dahlia as soon as she came. On the other hand, Dahlia gave


    Ste an attitude because of the birth control pill incident. However, knowing that Ste was there to


    deliver a document, she asked Ste to join her. When they entered thepany, they saw Maya


    standing on the second floor, threatening to jump.


    Maya saw Dahlia as if she was her savior. Then, choking back tears, she implored, ¡°Please help me.¡±


    Dahlia red at Maya and thought, ¡®I told her to wait a few days, but she couldn¡¯t be patient. Now she¡¯s


    making a scene in thepany, giving Chandler¡¯s family an excuse to use against


    us.¡¯


    Suppressing her irritation, Dahlia spoke gently, ¡°Maya,e down first. We can sit down and talk about


    it. Why are you making a scene? It¡¯ll just make you aughing stock.¡±

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    Maya was, after all, Dahlia¡¯s person; she felt more confident with Dahlia around. Dahlia¡¯s words almost


    convinced her toe down.


    ¡®If Mayaes down, how is this show supposed to carry on?¡¯ Jackson calmly said, ¡°Dahlia, if they


    could talk this out, Maya wouldn¡¯t have risked her life sitting here.¡±


    Maya was immediately alert. ¡®Dahlia wouldn¡¯t have shown up if I didn¡¯t make a scene. If Ie down


    now, how am I supposed to negotiate? Dahlia is Keegan¡¯s birth mother, and she will naturally take his


    side.¡¯


    With that in mind, Maya sat back down and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already put my reputation on the line today. I¡¯m


    not afraid of beingughed at anymore! All these years, I¡¯ve worked hard for the Kane family. But Mr.


    Kane decided to fire me because of a single word from Mrs. Kane. He even falsely used me of


    skipping work and did not n topensate me. In our line of work, reputation is everything. Mr.


    Kane has ruined my career by firing me! I¡¯ll jump off the Vinci Rivera Group building if you don¡¯t exin


    today. Everyone will see how the Vinci Rivera Group treats their loyal employees!¡±


    Dahlia¡¯s face darkened with anger. ¡®This fool doesn¡¯t even know she¡¯s being used!¡¯ she cursed silently.


    Downstairs, the onlookers were in a mor.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°Mr. Kane is too harsh! She had served his family for over a decade, and he fired her without.


    compensation.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the worst of it. The former manager of the finance department, Mr. Sullivan, is still in jail.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Sullivan broke thew and got what he deserved. But what could Maya have done? She had


    served the Kane family all these years, but Mr. Kane fired her without even sparing a thought. How


    heartless!¡±


    ¡°I heard it was Mrs. Kane¡¯s idea. Maybe Mrs. Kane doesn¡¯t like Maya and persuaded Mr. Kane to do


    so.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too ridiculous?¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡°Did I owe the Kane family in my past life? Why do I get med for everything?


    What does Maya¡¯s firing have to do with me? It¡¯s like I made Keegan fire her!¡±


    Before Dahlia could say anything, Sophia suddenly spoke. ¡°Ste, Maya has taken good care of you.


    You shouldn¡¯t treat her this way over a small matter. Everyone makes mistakes. She¡¯s already at this


    age, and being fired will make it difficult for her to find another job. Why don¡¯t you talk to Keegan and


    ask him to reconsider? Let¡¯s let this matter rest.¡±

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    Originally, everyone was just whispering to each other. But Sophia¡¯s words shifted the me to Ste,


    making everyone point fingers at her.


    ¡°Ste, Maya has been caring for you and Keegan for many years. So why don¡¯t you just let it slide?¡±


    said Dahlia while thinking, ¡®As long as Ste bears the me, Keegan¡¯s reputation in thepany will


    be safe.¡±


    Ste finally understood why Aldor had called her over. She cursed inwardly, ¡°The hell they need me to


    deliver that document! They just want me to be the scapegoat for Keegan because they¡¯re too damn


    scared the incident will smear his precious reputation among the employees!


    She shot Keegan and Aldor a cold re. Aldor averted her gaze, feeling guilty.


    Keegan frowned and pursed his lips before he said, ¡°Mom, this is not a matter we can privately


    negotiate anymore. If I set a precedent today, what if someone else getsid off and makes a scene


    like this? Should I just turn a blind eye to it? Is ourpany some kind of charity?¡±


    Ste thought to herself, ¡°When ites to acting, I can¡¯tpete with Keegan. They med me, and


    he can still talk so righteously.¡±


    Dahlia said, ¡°Maya just had a small disagreement with Ste. If Ste is still not happy, let her


    apologize to Ste. Just forgive her for my sake and let this slide, alright?¡±


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Maya immediately understood Dahlia¡¯s words and knelt in front of Ste. ¡°Mrs. Kane, I¡¯m sorry. Please


    forgive me. Please let me keep my job¡­¡±


    The crowd discussed among themselves.


    ¡°This is too much. At her age, she had to kneel.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy to find a job. If Maya has a choice, she won¡¯t steep to this level.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Kane doesn¡¯t understand the hardships of working-ss people since she stays at home all day


    and lives a life of luxury. She got the employee fired with just a few words.¡±


    ¡°The Jewell family used to be ordinary folk. She has suffered hardships before. How could she be so


    mean?¡±

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    ¡°She¡¯s been in a simr situation in the past; maybe that¡¯s why she wants others to go through worse.¡±


    Sophia smiled when she heard their words. She said, ¡°Ste, dad has always taught us to be forgiving.


    Maya¡¯s already apologized, so you should give her a smaller punishment if you¡¯re still angry. Think of it


    as giving her a small punishment to prevent her from doing something worse. Besides, so many people


    are around. It¡¯ll look bad if you keep this up.¡±


    Ste nced at Sophia icily.


    ¡®If I back down and let the matter rest, I¡¯ll surely bebeled as someone who¡¯s inhumane and


    oppresses the elderly,¡¯ she thought.


    Ste pursed her lips. Suddenly, she said, ¡°Maya, you said I¡¯m dismissing you because of Keegan.


    Then, tell everyone specifically why and let them decide if my punishment for you is too harsh.


    Maya was startled.


    ¡®What am I supposed to say? That I purposefully ced the contraceptive she had thrown. away at an


    obvious ce so that Dahlia and the olddy would see it? The first use in the contract was not to


    disclose my employer¡¯s privacy. So I couldn¡¯t tell them even when I was asked to do so by Dahlia. After


    all, I signed the contract with Keegan. Discloser of privacy is a deal breaker in this profession,¡¯ she


    thought.


    Maya stammered for a while before she finally said, ¡°Well¡­ Well, I forgot to take out the trash¡­¡±


    ¡®She sure knows how to understate the issue,¡¯ thought Ste.


    Ste knew she did not dare to tell the truth, so she went along with what Maya said.


    ¡°Keegan is a germaphobe; his allergies get triggered when he sleeps in an unclean environment. Half a


    year ago, you didn¡¯t carry out mite removal on time, leading to Keegan getting rashes all over. He was


    in the hospital for a week. Back then, I had reminded you to carry out a disinfection every two days.


    And what did you do?¡±


    It was true that Keegan had gotten rashes half a year ago due to dust mites; everyone in thepany


    knew about it. Besides that, his rashes were indeed caused by the unclean bedsheets he had slept on.


    Maya¡¯s face turned red.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡®My son visited me at Keegan¡¯s house before Keegan got his allergies. Back then, Keegan and Ste


    stayed over at Keegan¡¯s grandparent¡¯s house, so I let my son stay over. My son liked how luxurious the


    master bedroom was, so he slept there for a night. Who would¡¯ve thought that Keegan would get


    rashes all over his body after sleeping on that bed the following day?¡¯ she thought.

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    The doctor said it was an allergic reaction, so Ste went home to search for the allergen.


    Unfortunately, when she checked the security cameras, she inadvertently discovered Maya¡¯s son


    staying at their house.


    Dahlia hated when employees did not know their boundaries. Maya was worried that she would lose


    her job if Dahlia found out that her son had stayed over at her employer¡¯s house.


    Maya cried and begged Ste not to tell anyone.


    Back then, Ste did not say a word. She merely told Maya to change all of the sheets and reminded


    her to disinfect the rooms at least three times a week.


    Ste did not like holding other people¡¯s past mistakes over their heads.


    ¡°The past is in the past,¡¯ she thought.


    As time passed, Maya herself also forgot about the matter.


    ¡®Now that I¡¯m saying I didn¡¯t take out the trash, I¡¯m also admitting that I didn¡¯t clean the room. I can¡¯t


    refute at all when Ste¡¯s using this matter to turn the situation around. Since I can¡¯t speak of the real


    reason Keegan dismissed me, I can only admit it,¡¯ Maya thought.


    She bit down on her lips, ¡°I only forgot that time, Mrs. Kane. Please give me another chance.¡±


    Jackson narrowed his eyes, ¡°Ste, I think Maya doesn¡¯t look like she did it on purpose. Humans aren¡¯t


    machines; who doesn¡¯t make mistakes at work? Dismissing someone over such a small matter seems


    a little unjustifiable.¡±


    ¡°A small matter?¡± Ste looked up.


    Her gaze was dark, ¡°Do you know my husband could¡¯ve lost his life because of her small mistake at


    work? You¡¯ve never gone through the moments of waiting for the doctor¡¯s news outside the emergency


    room. That¡¯s why you¡¯d think it¡¯s a small matter.¡±


    Ste¡¯s voice was not loud, but her artiction was clear. Besides that, every single one of her


    sentences permeated true emotions, making others unconsciously believe that she genuinely did all


    this for the safety of her husband¡¯s life.


    Keegan turned to look at her.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡®Even though I know every single one of her sentences is a load of bull, seeing her sincerely¡± speak up¡±


    for me makes some part of my heart crumble slightly,¡¯ he thought.


    When Sophia saw how Ste¡¯s words stirred the crowd, she quickly said, ¡°Even so, Ste, the


    punishment is still too harsh. It¡¯s too big of a price to lose one¡¯s job over a misstep. In the future, who¡¯ll


    dare work for thepany?¡±


    Ste nced at Sophia, ¡°Why don¡¯t you suggest an appropriate punishment, then?¡±


    Sophia intended to arouse the masses; she did not expect Ste to pass the buck to her.

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    ¡®How could I have any good ideas?¡¯ thought Sophia.


    Then, she said casually, ¡°At least¡­ Don¡¯t let her be unemployed. Transferring her to a different position


    would work too; dismissing her is too inhumane.¡±


    Ste gave it some serious thought for a while. Then, she turned to Maya, ¡°You really want to stay at


    thepany?¡±


    Maya was desperate to keep her job, ¡°I can do anything as long as I remain in thepany.¡±


    Ste turned to Keegan, ¡°The truth is, I wanted to refer Maya to Mrs. Franklin¡¯s ce so she could work


    there. I¡¯ve already contacted her, and her sry will be the same as we give her. However, I¡¯ll dismiss


    Maya since she¡¯s sentimental about thepany. We¡¯ll go with what Sophia said and let Maya work as


    a janitor at thepany. Then Maya¡¯s wishes are fulfilled.¡±


    Sophia twitched her lips.


    ¡®Since when did I ask for Maya to be a janitor at thepany?!¡¯ she thought.


    When Maya heard about working as a janitor at thepany, she instantly turned red in


    embarrassment.


    ¡®Apany janitor¡­ I¡¯ll be doing the dirtiest and most tiring work while getting the lowest wage. I didn¡¯t


    come here to make a fuss just to end up with this?!¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, I-¡±


    Before Maya could finish her sentence, Keegan asked Dahlia, ¡°What do you think, mom?¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Dahlia already felt embarrassed enough and wanted the problem to be solved as soon as possible.


    ¡°It¡¯s up to you,¡± she said icily and left.


    Keegan said, ¡°Then, so be it. Aldor, get the human resources department to redraft a new contract for


    Maya.¡±


    After that, he nced at Maya, ¡°You¡¯re going to sit up there and sign the contract?¡±

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    At this moment, Maya badly wanted to chew up Sophia for being big-mouthed.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡®Indeed, I don¡¯t want to lose my job; but that doesn¡¯t mean any job will do. Keegan¡¯s already taken a


    step back; even if I continue being on my high horse, nobody will side with me if Dahlia doesn¡¯t care


    about me. I don¡¯t want to lose my job, but they¡¯ve already given me one. If I continue making a fuss, I¡¯ll


    be considered ungrateful,¡¯


    Maya could only silently endure it all and fake a smile, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Kane.¡±


    Sophia still wanted to demonstrate her empathy, so she went to help Maya. However, Maya hurdled


    over the barrier and shoved her aside.


    Sophia stumbled and fell backward. The people around her were worried she would bump into them,


    so they hurriedly dodged.


    Then, Sophia fell right onto the ground in an embarrassing posture. Ste went up and reached out her


    hand, ¡°Get up, Sophia. The floor is cold.¡±


    Sophia gritted her teeth and said quietly, ¡°Thank you, Ste.¡±


    Just as she was about to ce her hand into Ste¡¯s palm, Ste suddenly retracted her hand.


    ¡°Get up yourself. Don¡¯t be aughing stock for others.¡±


    Sophia clenched her fists. Then, she braced her palms on the floor and got up.


    Since the incident had been ¡°sessfully¡± solved, everyone returned to their positions in an orderly


    manner.


    Jackson trudged up to Ste. He smiled. ¡°Long time no see, Ste. You look even more. beautiful than


    before.¡±


    Ste nced at him icily.


    ¡®Even though he shares a simr face with Keegan, I can¡¯t help but shudder every time those eyes of


    his look at me. It feels like a venomous snake is licking me,¡¯ she thought.

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    Ste suppressed the disgust she felt within and answered perfunctorily. Then, she turned around and


    went to search for Keegan.


    Jackson followed Ste at an unhurried pace.


    ¡°It¡¯s said that you can see if a person is beautiful when they wear in clothes; it turns out the saying is


    true,¡± he said in a degrading tone as he nced at Ste¡¯s chest.


    Then, he narrowed his eyes and said in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing someone make a white


    blouse look this sexy.¡±


    Jackson¡¯s gaze made Ste¡¯s hairs stand on end. Then, in a low voice, Ste suppressed her anger


    and said, ¡°Jackson, Keegan is here. You better stay away from me.¡±


    Jackson chuckled, ¡°Do you think he cares?¡±


    His words hit Ste where it hurt. She clenched her fists and pursed her lips in silence.


    Jackson¡¯s smile grew wider, ¡°I heard Keegan¡¯s gotten really close with a celebrity recently. You¡¯re such


    a beauty; Keegan doesn¡¯t know how blessed he is. Even I feel bad for you.¡±


    He said as he walked closer to Ste. Then, just as his hand was about to touch Ste¡¯s arm, she


    suddenly said icily, ¡°It seems like you haven¡¯t matured at all after these days.¡±


    Jackson clenched his fists as his expression darkened.


    ¡°The previous incident caused a huge fuss. Not only did we lose a few of my father¡¯s trusted


    subordinates, but I also faced quite a hard time because of it. At that ce, nobody treated me like I


    was a young master of the Kane family; I had to do all the dirty and hard work myself. I grew up


    pampered, so how could I handle such suffering? After a few days, I badgered them to let me return,


    but grandma was too ruthless. Not only did she freeze my card and take away my car, she even


    confiscated my documents. I was up the creek without a paddle, and this was all thanks to Keegan,¡¯ he


    thought.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste wanted to walk away and leave.


    Behind her, Jackson said indifferently, ¡°Ste, haven¡¯t you ever wondered why you can¡¯t get pregnant?¡±


    Ste froze. She turned to him, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Jackson smiled.


    ¡°Nothing. Don¡¯t be too trusting toward the people of the Kane family.¡±


    Before Ste could ask more questions, Jackson walked away. Then, she heard Keegan¡¯s voice behind


    her, ¡°What were you chatting about with him?¡±

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    Ste turned around at nced at Keegan. She dropped her expression, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Then, she handed the document to Keegan, ¡°This is for you. I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡±


    Ste had a cool expression and did not even want to utter an extra sentence to him. She was


    completely different from the person who attentively took care of himst night.


    Aldor walked over and said in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Kane, the meeting is about to start soon.¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips and reached out. However, he did not take the document. Instead, he grabbed


    her wrist.


    ¡°Go and wait for me at the office.¡±


    Ste frowned, ¡°I won¡¯t. I¡¯ve got something to do.¡±


    ¡°What do you need to do?¡±


    Ste moved her lips, ¡°I¡¯m going to visit my mother at the hospital.¡±


    Keegan nced at her, ¡°I¡¯ll send you there after this.¡±


    ¡°This bastard asked me toe and made me the scapegoat,¡¯ thought Ste.


    At this thought, she felt furious.


    ¡°You¡¯re a busy man, Mr. Kane. I better not trouble you.¡±


    Keegan could detect the sarcasm in her tone. He frowned, ¡°Either youe with me, or I¡¯ll carry you


    there; pick one.¡±


    Ste twitched her lips.


    ¡®Did the feverst night make him lose his mind? What kind of nonsense is he spouting?¡¯ she thought.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    She looked carefully at Keegan¡¯s expression and noticed no hint of humor.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t pick one, I¡¯ll assume it¡¯s thetter.¡±


    Keegan said as he walked up and prepared to carry her. When Ste saw many employees downstairs


    looking in their direction, she felt embarrassed. She pushed his shoulder and said through gritted teeth,


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m really pissed off right now. If you make me follow you to your office, I¡¯ll demolish it!¡±


    Keegan smiled, ¡°Do as you please.¡±


    Ste was startled. However, she quickly entered the elevator with an irritated expression. Keegan


    eased his expression and followed her.


    Keegan got out of the elevator on the 10th floor. Then, he reminded Aldor to take Ste to his office.


    The moment Ste entered his office, she grabbed the ashtray on the desk and wanted to smash it.


    Behind her, Aldor reminded her in an unhurried tone, ¡°A client who¡¯s close with Mr. Kane


    gifted him this ashtray when Mr. Kane went on a business trip to Francest year. It¡¯s made of natural


    crystal and costs 600 thousand¡­ Union dors.¡±


    Ste shuddered and almost dropped the 600 thousand Union dors in hand.


    She pursed her lips tightly and ced the ashtray in its original position. Then, she grabbed an


    ordinary-looking vase. Just as she lifted it over her head, she heard Aldor say, ¡°That cdon- zed


    vase was produced in the seventh year of The Yongzheng Emperor¡¯s reign. Mr. Kane¡¯s grandmother


    auctioned during her younger days. Back then, it only cost around 300 thousand. Over the years, it


    should have increased to around 3 million now.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    She took a deep breath and put down the vase. Then, she grabbed the pen holder on the table.


    ¡°Mrs. Kane-¡±


    Ste gritted her teeth.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this just a stupid pen holder? Does this also cost millions?¡±


    Aldor smiled and said in a soft voice, ¡°No. This pen holder is a birthday gift thete Mr. Kane Sr. had


    handmade for Mr. Kane. It isn¡¯t worth any money.¡±


    Ste froze.


    ¡®Mr. Kane Sr., also known as Quentin Kane, and Keegan¡¯s father. Throughout the years I¡¯ve been


    married to Keegan, I¡¯ve never heard him bring up his father, but I know how much he respects him.


    Every year when it gets close to the middle of the fall season, Keegan will suddenly be unusually


    gloomy. He¡¯ll stubbornly take a week off work just to stay at the Kane family¡¯s holiday home for a few


    days. That ce was where Keegan and his parents stayed when he was younger. After Quentin died,


    the house reminded Dahlia of him, so they moved out. Even though they didn¡¯t sell the house, nobody


    goes there except Keegan. I heard Quentin died of an acute illness, so Keegan didn¡¯t even get to see


    him for thest time. No wonder he still can¡¯t let go of it after many years,¡¯ thought Ste.


    After the fiasco, Ste was no longer as angry as before.


    She ced the pen holder on the table. Then, she turned to Aldor, ¡°Pour me a cup of tea.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to smash anything anymore?¡±


    Ste red at him, unamused, ¡°Which of these items can I afford to smash?¡±


    Aldor smiled, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll pour you a cup of tea.¡±

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    When Aldor returned, Marshall entered the room with him.


    Ste was shocked when she saw Marshall, ¡°Mr. Moore, what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got an appointment with Keegan to discuss some work matters,¡± Marshall was as gentle


    as ever.


    He continued, ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Waiting for Keegan to get off work?¡±


    ¡°Who wants to wait for him to get off work?¡± Ste pouted.


    She did not want to discuss the bothersome matters between her and Keegan, so she changed. the


    topic.


    ¡°You two still have work-rted interactions?¡±


    ¡°Sort of.¡±


    Marshall did not go into detail since it was work-rted.


    Aldor looked at the text message on his phone. Then, he lifted his head and said, ¡°Mrs. Kane, please


    keep Mr. Moorepany. I need to go to the conference room.¡±


    Ste waved her hand, ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    As Aldor left, Ste handed Marshall a cup of tea, ¡°Have some tea, Mr. Moore.¡±


    Marshall thanked her but did not touch the


    ¡°Do


    cup.


    you not like tea? Shall I make you some coffee instead?¡± Ste asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like tea; I often have it when I¡¯m stopping myself from smoking.


    However, drinking too much of it leads to insomnia at night, so I¡¯m controlling my intake.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quitting smoking?¡±


    Marshall nodded, ¡°The doctor told me to.¡±


    Ste seemed to agree with his statement, ¡°Quitting smoking is good for your body. I heard Kee- My


    husband say your illness improved after staying abroad for a few years. Since you already have a weak


    constitution, you should quit smoking.¡±


    Marshall was astonished, ¡°Keegan told you about me?¡±


    Ste was worried that he felt ufortable. She quickly said, ¡°He just brought it up once. He didn¡¯t go


    into detail.¡±


    Marshall chuckled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I don¡¯t mind. After all, it isn¡¯t a secret anyway.¡±


    Ste initially wanted to change the topic. However, she could not stop her curiosity. She asked, ¡°What


    illness is it?¡±


    Marshall pointed at his head, ¡°An illness here.¡±


    Ste was shocked.


    ¡°Mental illness?¡± she asked.


    Marshall was speechless.


    He pursed his lips and said in a low voice, ¡°Just some illness rted to my head.¡±


    Ste immediately felt awkward.


    Sheughed dryly, ¡°You should¡¯ve said it more clearly¡­¡±


    Marshall could not help but chuckle, ¡°Alright. I didn¡¯t make myself clear enough.¡±


    Ste scratched her head in embarrassment and asked with concern, ¡°Then, has the illness been fully


    cured?¡±


    ¡±


    ¡°Almost. I asionally get headaches, but it doesn¡¯t affect my daily life.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡®It¡¯s such a shame. He¡¯s still so young, yet he spent so many years bedridden,¡¯ Ste thought.


    ¡°Take it slow, you¡¯ll definitely recover. You¡¯re so young and awesome. The best is yet toe.


    Marshall was a little amused. It was his first time having someone console him this way.


    ¡®How do I put this? It¡¯s like she¡¯s an elderly person consoling a younger person when she¡¯s a few years


    younger than me,¡¯ he thought.


    ¡°How am I awesome?¡±


    ¡°You got so many certificates even when you were sick; isn¡¯t that awesome?¡±


    Marshall was surprised. He asked warmly, ¡°Did Keegan also tell you that?¡±


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t tell me such things. I saw it on the website myself.¡±


    ¡®Marshall¡¯s currently working at his friend¡¯spany, so I had looked up his information on that firm¡¯s


    website before. Even afterbining some of thewyers¡¯ resumes from that firm, their experience is


    still not as impressive as his. Marshall got a full schrship for a Master¡¯s inw at a foreign university.


    He was a resident author of a topw journalpany locally and abroad, has a lot of experience in


    legal aid, and was a legal counsel for some well-known cases. He was also one of the top ten most


    favorable bar exam lecturers, taught college students, and has an airne, diving, and skydiving


    license¡­ His experience from the past 30 years is way more exciting than what an ordinary person


    experiences in their lifetime. In hindsight, I may have hired a big shot in the legal profession,¡¯ she


    thought.

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    ¡°You looked that up?¡± Marshall asked in amusement. ¡°That waspiled by one of my colleagues at


    the firm. It¡¯s somewhat exaggerated.¡±


    ¡®While some of his activities may have been exaggerated, the journal articles and college degrees are


    all the real deal. Marshall is so outstanding that it¡¯s unreal,¡¯ Ste thought.


    She smiled, ¡°Since it¡¯s already written on the website, we¡¯ll consider it all real. If it isn¡¯t, work hard to


    make it real.¡±


    Marshall also smiled. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do my best,¡± he said and paused momentarily.


    ¡°I saw you deleted your Dusk Gxy social media ount.¡±


    Ste thought he was worried it would be difficult to get evidence for thewsuit.


    ¡°I¡¯ve saved all of the screenshots,¡± she said.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying,¡± Marshall pursed his lips. ¡°There are other ways for you to rify those


    untrue rumors; there was no need for you to quit social media.¡±


    ¡°What other ways? Sue her?¡± Ste smiled. ¡°She didn¡¯t explicitly say my name, so she could deny it


    even if I sued her. If I didn¡¯t quit social media, everyone would say that I¡¯m justifying my actions, no


    matter what I post. It only takes one mouth to create rumors, but it¡¯ll take much more to rify them.


    Since you¡¯re awyer, you should know that better than me.¡±


    Marshall was silent.


    ¡®My so-called other way is just to let it be. Since she can¡¯t sue them, she could just send them. legal


    letters and wait for the issue to die. However, this approach doesn¡¯t count as rifying anything. Once


    these rumors take root in the public¡¯s minds, it¡¯ll be difficult for Ste to rify the issue. After all,


    nobody will continuously pay attention to it. While Ste¡¯s method. of quitting social media is to inflict


    damage on herself and the opposition, it¡¯s also the most effective and direct counterattack. Right now,


    nobody online cares if Kelly Harper¡¯s interview is real. What they care about is that her so-called


    baseless expos¨¦ led to a voice actor with millions of followers quitting social media due to online


    bullying,¡¯ he thought.


    Marshall¡¯s thoughts were the same as Felicity¡¯s. They simply thought it was a shame for her to delete


    her social media ount.


    Meanwhile, Ste seemed optimistic.


    ¡°While I¡¯ve already deleted my social media ount, I will continue to sue whoever I need. To do this,


    I¡¯ll need to trouble you, Mr. Moore.¡±


    Marshall¡¯s expression softened, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve been meaning to contact you for the past two days.


    I¡¯ve submitted a request to the tform, and they¡¯ve gotten back to me. This is the information on the


    key members¡¯ identities. Take a look.¡±


    He unlocked his phone and showed Ste a few screenshots.


    Ste nced at the photos and frowned. Then, she swiped to the next photo, and her frown grew


    deeper. When she finally swiped to thest photo, she had an intense frown and was silent.


    Marshall sighed, ¡°When I was investigating the matter, I¡¯d already expected something like


    this to happen.¡±


    ¡°Underage?¡± Ste was in disbelief.


    The oldest mastermind behind the group which premediated the hate mail and online hate was 21,


    while the youngest was only 14.


    Among nine of the key members, five of them were underage,


    ¡°Does this mean there¡¯s no way to sue them?¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that there isn¡¯t, but they can¡¯t be convicted even if you win the case. At most, you¡¯ll only get


    them to write you a letter of apology and getpensation from their guardians.¡±


    ¡®If the used are minors, the situation will be tricky because thew is always extraordinarily


    forgiving toward minors. When these keyboard warriors are on the inte, they cyberbully strangers


    by cursing them with the most vicious words. Some of the victims. suffer mental breakdowns, while


    some get depression. And the price these violent people need to pay is merely apologizing and giving


    compensation, simply because they have their protective shield of being underage. This is way too


    unfair!¡¯ Ste thought.


    She felt suffocated.


    ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll realize their mistake just by apologizing?¡±

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    Marshall could tell she was feeling conflicted.


    ¡°For the past few days, I¡¯ve used the firm¡¯s official ount and contacted these people in private. I told


    them to delete their hatefulments and pin their apologies on Facebook. Then this matter will be


    considered settled in private. Otherwise, we¡¯ll take the legal route. Guess what they told me?¡±


    Ste looked at him and did not speak.


    ¡°Every single one told me to sue them if I can. Not only did they not delete theirments, they even


    edited my private messages and posted the edited photos on Facebook, iming they were being


    threatened. They encouragedizens who don¡¯t know the truth to condemn me,¡± Marshall paused.


    He continued coolly, ¡°They don¡¯t think they¡¯re wrong at all, so how could they sincerely admit their


    mistakes?¡±


    ¡®How threatening could a mere apology letter be?¡¯ he thought.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way to convict them, but I can ask forpensation. When faced with this type of people,


    asking forpensation might work even better. However, our focus will definitely still be on adults.


    Also¡­¡± Marshall paused.


    ¡°Do you know Tammy Gull?¡±


    Ste shook her head, ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of this person. Why?¡±


    ¡°The person¡¯s name is registered under the name Tammy Gull. This person¡¯s IP address is in Rivera.¡±


    Ste was startled.


    ¡®This person is from Rivera, and their profile photo is one of Be¡¯s private photos. So it really is too


    coincidental,¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°Could someone have purchased another person¡¯s information to register this phone number?


    ¡°That¡¯s not very likely. Years ago, people were required to use their real names when purchasing phone


    cards and registering social media ounts. Besides, this ount was registeredst year and had


    even tipped others during live streams. This shows that there¡¯s payment information bound to this


    number. If the person had bought another person¡¯s information, they can¡¯t possibly have done this.¡±


    ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is either this person is using the ount, or someone close to them is using


    it?¡±


    Marshall nodded.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste thought for a while.


    ¡°This name doesn¡¯t ring any bells,¡¯ she thought.


    Marshall said warmly, ¡°If you can¡¯t think of anyone, so be it. Perhaps I¡¯m overly concerned. This person


    might be a fan, and the profile photo is purely coincidental. This doesn¡¯t stop us


    from suing this person.¡±


    Ste sighed in relief. When she thought of what Marshall had said just now, she said in a low voice,


    ¡°Sorry for the trouble. I¡¯ve even gotten you involved and verbally abused by these people.¡±


    Marshalughed and said quietly, ¡°It¡¯s normal to get scolded when one¡¯s in an attorney profession. Self-


    regtion is one of our required courses.¡¯


    ¡°How do you self-regte?¡±


    Ste asked earnestly.


    ¡®I care too much about what people online say. At one point, I almost got depression because of the


    things these people said. To be honest, I also need to master this self-regtion skill,¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°It¡¯s really nothing,¡± Marshall looked at her. Then, he said seriously, ¡°The trick is to be shameless.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡°What kind of tip is that¡­¡±


    Ste muttered and could not help but alsough.


    Suddenly she found Marshall to be rather interesting.


    ¡®He¡¯s funny and strong in his field of expertise. But, most importantly, he¡¯s gentle and approachable.


    How do I put this? He¡¯s too perfect. How could such a perfect person¡­ Be friends with someone as


    bad-tempered as that bastard, Keegan?!¡¯ she thought.


    Ste said what she had in mind, ¡°When you were younger, did you lose a fight with Keegan and were


    forced to befriend him?¡±


    Marshallughed, ¡°What makes you say so?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so good-tempered. How¡¯d you end up being friends with someone like him?¡±


    Keegan had just arrived at the door of the office. When he heard her words, his expression. instantly


    darkened.

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    Marshall had a softened expression.


    ¡°Keegan¡¯s outstanding. Not only is he outstanding in the eyes of the elders, but he¡¯s also outstanding in


    the eyes of his peers. During exams at school, none of us could be as good as him, no matter how


    hard we tried. Even at sports, he was also always better than us. He¡¯s good -tempered, patient, skilled


    at his profession, and treasures talent. You can see how much everyone trusts him from how his


    schoolmates came to help him when he started thepany right after he graduated,¡± he said in a


    gentle tone.


    ¡®Keegan¡¯s good-tempered? Keegan¡¯s patient? Do we both know the same Keegan?¡¯ wondered


    Ste.


    ¡°You must have some kind of misunderstanding toward Keegan. So you¡¯re saying he¡¯s good


    tempered?¡±


    Ste could not help but say, ¡°Up till this age, I¡¯ve never seen a person with a worse personality than


    his. He puts on a long face every time he¡¯s unhappy. He¡¯ll pick on your mistakes whenever you ask why


    he¡¯s unhappy. If you act like you don¡¯t see his expression and do not ask him about it, he¡¯ll stare at you


    the entire day and make you feel ufortable,¡± she said as she mimicked his expression. She


    continued, ¡°This is the expression. Doesn¡¯t he look like Squash from nts vs. Zombies?¡±


    Marshall could not help but smile.


    While Ste was mimicking Keegan, she suddenly noticed Keegan standing by the door with a stoic


    expression. She shuddered and almost showed panic on her face.


    Ste coughed and said guiltily, ¡°Honey, your meeting ended already?¡±


    Keegan threw her an icy side-eye, ¡°If I didn¡¯t return earlier, how would I get to watch your superb


    imitation show?¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    She pouted. Since Marshall was present, she kept quiet.


    Marshallughed, ¡°Ste was worried that I¡¯d feel bored, so she purposefully chatted with me for a


    while. It was just banter.¡±


    Keegan obviously knew it was banter, and he would not get angry over a single criticism from Ste.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡®It¡¯s not like it¡¯s my first day knowing this woman. I just feel ufortable seeing Marshall helping


    Ste exin the situation,¡¯ he thought.


    Keegan walked over and stood between Ste and Marshall. Then, he sat down next to Ste with a


    natural expression.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we meeting in the afternoon? Why¡¯d youe over this early?¡±


    Marshall replied warmly, ¡°Madam Chase is going on a pic with some of her ssmates this


    afternoon, so she asked me to be her driver. I was worried that I wouldn¡¯t make it this afternoon; I


    dropped by because I needed to help her pick up some things.¡±


    Ste was puzzled, ¡°Madam Chase?¡±


    Marshall smiled, ¡°My mother¡¯sst name is Chase.¡±


    Ste nodded.


    ¡®Marshall must share a good rtionship with his mother. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t make such a joke,¡¯


    she thought.


    After the two briefly exchanged pleasantries, they got down to business.


    ¡®Keegan asked Marshall to look over at some contracts, presumably because they involved uses


    that need to be interpreted by a professional attorney. The legal counsel team at the Vinci Rivera


    Group is impressive. I wonder if Keegan looked for his own friend because he doesn¡¯t trust them. I


    rarely ask Keegan aboutpany-rted matters, but over the years, I more or less know about them.


    In the Vinci Rivera Group¡¯s earlier days, they did foreign trade business. During Keegan¡¯s


    grandmother¡¯s days, the production levels were lower


    domestically, so many products had to be imported.


    At the time, the new policy was introduced. Coupled with the husband and wife¡¯s diligence and


    boldness, they umted a lot of wealth within a few years through the import and export business.


    However, as the nation developed its economy, transportation, and ease ofmunication, many


    foreign trade channels from the earlier years could not adapt. As a result, thepany¡¯s efficiency


    plummeted. And so, they started to seek transformation.


    At the end of the 80s, radios, television, and other electrical appliances had just emerged. So not many


    localpanies manufactured them. Since the price of the imports was not lowered, people could only


    afford a few brands. Keegan¡¯s grandfather had an idea and acquired an electricalpany. He spent


    lots of money to hire professionals that specifically did independent research on developing and


    producing electrical appliances. The electrical appliances under the Vinci Rivera Group soon took over


    the market.


    By the time Keegan¡¯s father, Quentin Kane, took over thepany, it happened to be the beginning of


    a century. Quentin was much more far-sighted. He felt that it was bound to enter a fully intelligent


    machine era at some point in product development. And so, he entered the automation major during


    his schooling days. A few years after his graduation, he got Keegan¡¯s grandmother¡¯s support and


    transformed thepany. That was how the Vinci Rivera Group today became the nation¡¯s industry


    leader in chips.


    Meanwhile, Keegan carried over Quentin¡¯s ideas and continued his journey. Keegan¡¯s capable in this


    area. But merely being capable isn¡¯t enough in thispany, especially when it¡¯s apany as


    complex as the Vinci Rivera Group. Keegan¡¯s grandfather and Quentin are simr in some ways. For


    example, they didn¡¯t forget their past rtives even after making their fortunes.


    While Keegan¡¯s grandmother¡¯s lineage is the main people controlling the Vinci Rivera Group, there are


    still many coteral branches of the Kane family within thepany. Keegan is not good at socializing


    and hates perfunctory conversations. He is different from those who stay in their offices all year round


    and only do business nning; hees from a technical background and values research and


    development. As more money invested into research and development, more money came out of the


    coteral family¡¯s pocket. So Keegan wasn¡¯t that likable in the eyes of these shareholders.


    But Chandler¡¯s different. He¡¯s more like a businessman; thepany and shareholderse first. This


    led to Keegan not being as popr as Chandler despite him creating excessive profits for thepany


    over the years. Those people don¡¯t trust Keegan, and neither does


    Keegan trust them. Otherwise, why¡¯d he ask his own friend to look at the contract?¡¯ thought Ste.


    Ste was not interested in their conversation, so she sat in Keegan¡¯s office chair and scribbled around


    with a pen.


    When Keegan was speaking, he nced at her and saw her head down with a smile. He suddenly felt


    curious as to what she was drawing.


    Ste was immersed in her drawing that she did not even notice when Keegan walked over. When


    Keegan lowered his gaze to look at the paper under her hand, he turned blue.

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    There was a photograph of the two on Keegan¡¯s desk.


    In the photograph, Keegan wore a suit as he sat in a chair, while Ste stood beside him in a red dress.


    The man had an icy expression, while the woman had an alluring smile.


    It was taken during the break time of their wedding photo shoot back then. The photographer thought


    the two made a beautiful scene, so he took a photo of them doing these poses.


    The finished product looked good. It was also Ste¡¯s favorite photo. This photo was also the huge


    wedding photo framed on the wall of their living room.


    Ste even deliberately developed a smaller copy and had it framed into a photo frame. Then, she sent


    it to Keegan¡¯s office. After Aldor signed the parcel, he ced the photo on Keegan¡¯s desk.


    What Ste was currently drawing was that photo of them.


    However, Ste drew herself beautifully, while the ce Keegan stood had a dog. Besides that, Ste


    had a dog leash in her hand.


    ¡°What¡¯re you drawing?¡± the man¡¯s icy voice sounded above her head.


    Ste replied in a serious voice, ¡°A self-portrait. Does it look alike?¡±


    Keegan gritted his teeth, ¡°And the dog?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Ste looked away a little guiltily, ¡°I drew it on a whim. Since you don¡¯t allow me to have a pet. dog,


    you¡¯re not even allowing me to draw one?¡±


    ¡®Ste had been to drawing sses before. Since Rainee had always been very attentive to her


    education, Ste had attended various sses in her childhood, such as drawing, dancing, piano, and


    flute. She had even gone to harp sses for two years. While she did notst long in her sses, she


    has great talent. She¡¯s considered a jack of all trades, a master of none. For instance, professionals


    may find her current drawing passable at most, but an average person would find it incredibly


    picturesque. The dog in the drawing, in particr, has a look that.pletely resembles me! How


    could I possibly believe her bullshit?!¡¯ he thought.


    Marshall walked over when he saw the two ¡°discussing¡± Ste¡¯s drawing. He nced at it and blurted,


    ¡°Why does the dog look so much like Keegan?¡±


    ¡°Does it?¡± Ste denied it. ¡°I don¡¯t think it does. The dog isn¡¯t as good-looking as Mr. Kane.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    Marshall noticed the odd atmosphere between the two, so he chuckled and said, ¡°This is a pretty good


    drawing.¡±


    Ste smiled with her eyes, ¡°See? Even Mr. Moore says it¡¯s good. Do you want to frame it? This


    drawing will be worth a lot of money if my worth multiplies someday.¡±


    She said as she signed her name and the bottom right corner of the drawing.


    ¡°One and only.¡±


    Keegan twitched the corner of his lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to see that day in my lifetime,¡± he said.


    Ste cursed him internally.


    ¡®Bad-mouthed bastard,¡¯ she thought.


    Then, she turned to Marshall, ¡°Mr. Moore, are you two done talking?¡±


    Marshall nodded.


    ¡°Then have lunch with me. I¡­¡± Ste paused momentarily and continued, ¡°My husband¡¯s treat.¡±


    Keegan was at a loss for words. Since Ste had already said so, he obviously could not refuse. Just


    as the three walked out of the office, they bumped into Sophia.


    She was holding a fruit tter and heading in their direction. When she saw them, she froze and


    immediately smiled, ¡°Ste, Mr. Kane, Mr. Moore. Are you all leaving?¡±


    Ste sized her up.


    ¡®Just now, when Sophia got shoved by Maya downstairs, her knees smashed onto the ground. Her


    injury must be pretty serious, but she can still smile and bring us a fruit tter. I¡¯ve really


    underestimated my little sister,¡¯ she thought.


    Marshall had never met Sophia, so he asked, ¡°And this is¡­¡±


    ¡±


    Before Ste could speak, Sophia introduced herself in her stead, ¡°Hello, Mr. Moore. My name¡¯s


    Sophia. We met at the jewelry exhibition two days ago, but you probably don¡¯t remember me. Mr. Kane


    is my brother-inw, and Ste is my sister. I¡¯m also ssmates with Aurora, and I often hear her


    mention you.¡±


    Marshall nodded and grunted. However, he did not answer, perhaps because he was not familiar with


    Sophia.


    Sophia felt a little awkward. Then she said, ¡°Keegan, this fruit tter is freshly cut. I¡¯ll pack it up, and


    then you guys can eat it on the way. Mr. Hart said you didn¡¯t have anything for breakfast.¡±


    Ste raised an eyebrow.


    Suddenly, she asked, ¡°Sophia, what¡¯s your work position in thepany?¡±


    Sophia could notpute her words and answered out of reflex, ¡°Operations Assistant.¡±


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t say so, I would¡¯ve thought you were a teady,¡± Ste said indifferently. She continued,


    ¡°Dad called me yesterday. He told me to tell my husband to take care of you. If you like being a tea


    lady, why don¡¯t I ask him to transfer you to the pantry?¡±


    Sophia twitched the corner of her lips and forced a smile, ¡°Ste, I was just helping someone bring


    these over since it was on the way.¡±


    make


    ¡®Does she think I don¡¯t know which floor thepany¡¯s operations department is on? At least your lie


    believable! Albert is very attentive to her. He put aside his pride and asked me for a favor for the sake


    of Sophia¡¯s job. It¡¯s a shame she¡¯s a disappointment,¡¯ Ste thought. However, Ste was not bothered


    to expose her lie, so she said coolly, ¡°Dad is worried sick


    because of your job. So put more effort into your job, and don¡¯t let his good intentions go to


    waste.¡±


    Sophia clenched her fists as her expression changed. Finally, then, she muttered, ¡°I understand,


    Ste.¡±


    After exiting thepany building and getting into the car, Marshall said, ¡°Your sister doesn¡¯t look quite


    like you.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not my biological sister,¡± Ste answered calmly. ¡°My parents adopted her.¡±


    Marshall did not ask any more questions.


    Ste asked, ¡°Do you think I speak to her in a mean tone?¡±


    Meanwhile, Keegan seemed to have found an opportunity to deride her finally. He nced at her and


    said icily, ¡°Aren¡¯t you always mean?¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®Bastard! I¡¯m not asking him, so why did he fucking cut in?!¡¯ she thought.


    Marshallughed and thought for a while.


    ¡°If some person appears in my life out of nowhere and takes away half of my parent¡¯s love and the


    things that should¡¯ve belonged to me, I probably wouldn¡¯t be able to be magnanimous either. However,


    I wouldn¡¯t make it as obvious as you did, it could easily lead to others criticizing me.


    ¡®He¡¯s a pro. I suffered many losses from Sophia before I finally figured this out, but Marshall caught on


    immediately. People like Sophia are the best at pretending to be weak. However, I made my dislike


    toward Sophia way too obvious, so Albert would always think that I was bullying Sophia. Every time we


    fight, Sophia¡¯s always the one who gains benefits no matter what I say. It¡¯s not always good to be


    blindly aggressive, sometimes, there¡¯s the need to y little mind games,¡¯ thought Ste.


    Ste modestly asked Marshall for advice.


    The two discussed away as if they were the only ones there. Meanwhile, Aldor watched as his boss¡¯s


    expression gradually darkened.


    ¡°This is for the sake of the Kane family¡¯s harmony and for the sake of me working lesser overtime,


    thought Aldor.


    He coughed and interrupted their conversation, ¡°Mr. Moore, what would you like to eat?¡±

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    Marshall said, ¡°How does Japanese sound?¡± Then, he turned to the two beside him, ¡°What do you two


    want to eat?¡±


    Ste said, ¡°Sure. There¡¯s a pretty good Japanese restaurant at Elias Street.¡±


    ¡°How about you, Keegan?¡± Marshall asked Keegan.


    Keegan did not answer. Instead, he asked Ste, ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like Japanese food?¡±


    Marshall was a little surprised.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like Japanese food, we¡¯ll have something else. I was just suggesting.¡±


    Ste rolled her eyes at Keegan, ¡°Nope, don¡¯t listen to him. He doesn¡¯t even know what I like. I love


    Japanese food.¡±


    Keegan frowned as his gaze darkened. Then, he stopped talking and had a tense expression.


    ¡®Marshall loves Japanese food. I can tell from his extensive knowledge of Japanese cuisine. Besides


    that, his dining etiquette is incredibly elegant. Previously, we ate together at a cheap eatery in front of


    my college, but I didn¡¯t feel a thing. It was probably due to the environment at the time. Now we¡¯re


    dining at a Japanese with an elegant environment, and he¡¯s throwing me for a loop. He actually uses


    cutlery to peel shrimps!¡¯ thought Ste.


    Marshall first used a fork to hold the bottom of the shrimp and remove it. Next, he used a knife to slit a


    small opening on the back of the shrimp. Then, he used a fork to take out the shrimp meat within.


    Finally, he used a knife to cut the shrimp meat into smaller slices before putting them into his mouth


    and savoring them.


    The shrimp shells he had peeled were neatly ced in a row on the table.


    ¡®I used to think the actors on TV exaggerated the table manners of the wealthy. But it looks like all of it


    were real. In the past, I never thought the way I ate looked bad, butpared with Marshall, I¡¯m like a


    person who fled from famine and had never seen food. I peel shrimps with my mouth, scoop caviar with


    a spoon, and downed the entire bowl of soup at once¡­¡­¡¯ she thought.


    Marshall watched as Ste stared at the shrimps he had peeled in a daze. Heughed and said, Is it


    really that unappetizing to eat with me?¡±


    Then only did Ste realize she was openly observing him. She coughed and said, ¡°That¡¯s not it. It just


    feels like I¡¯m watching a tutorial.¡±


    Marshallughed.


    ¡°I grew up in a family with a strict upbringing. There were rules for eating, sleeping, and everything.


    Once you get used to something, it¡¯s hard to change your habits,¡± he said.


    Ste smiled with her eyes, ¡°It isn¡¯t. Get yourself a girlfriend who eats appetizingly, and you¡¯ll fix it after


    having meals with her for a few years. When Keegan and I got married, he ate noodles with a fork.


    Nowadays, he even uses his hands when eating fried chicken.¡±


    Right after she spoke, Keegan choked on his food and started coughing. He had a dark expression as


    he said, ¡°I used my hands because you used my fork to dig the soil for your flowers!¡±


    Ste defended herself.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I get you a new one after that? But you still didn¡¯t use it.¡±


    ¡®And she has the nerve to bring it up! How could I use a fork that costs nine ny?! She¡¯s even saving


    money on this!¡¯ he thought.


    The truth was, it was not that Ste was saving money. So she searched online for forks with the same


    designs as Keegan¡¯s. The one that popped up was the nine-ny design. Besides, it looked the same


    as the original fork.


    Ste only learned after the incident that Keegan¡¯s cutlery set was a custom-made design. One fork


    already cost a few grand.


    Marshall asked curiously, ¡°You grow flowers?¡±


    At the mention of flowers, Ste felt particrly proud.


    ¡°I¡¯ve grown dozens of species; our balcony is almost full.¡±


    Ever since Ste was a child, she loved gardening. She enjoyed the fresh scent natural nts.


    emanated.


    ¡°Have you grown Clivias before?¡±


    ¡°I have; there are two pots of Clivias at home. They grew their flower buds this year, so they¡¯ll bloom in


    a month or two.


    Marshall said, ¡°I¡¯ve got a Clivia at home, but I don¡¯t know why its leaves suddenly started wilting and


    growing spots on arge scale. It won¡¯t seem to go away.¡±


    ¡°Is it Anthrose?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. Does Anthrose show these symptoms?¡±


    Ste earnestly educated Marshall.


    Since Marshall was the type of person who was open to learning, he would carefully listen when others


    were speaking and ask questions from time to time. A positive interaction like this would make the


    speaker feel at ease.


    Ste spoke in detail about every aspect of the Clivia nt, from its growth habits to the frequency of


    watering and fertilizing it and ways to control its various diseases.


    Meanwhile, Keegan sat beside them and could not join the conversation.


    ¡®Previously, when she wanted a divorce, she still watered the flowers when she ran away from home.


    Why didn¡¯t she have this much to tell me?¡± thought Keegan.


    ¡°Based on the things you said, it should be Anthrose¡­¡±


    However, Ste did not dare to conclude since she had not seen the nt.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you bring the nt and show it to me whenever you¡¯re free? Then, if that¡¯s inconvenient,


    you could snap a photo too.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not inconvenient; I¡¯m just worried I¡¯ll trouble you.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to trouble?¡±


    ¡®If you feel bad, you could give me a discount for thewyer¡¯s fees,¡¯ she thought.


    However, Ste could not say so because Keegan was also present.


    She said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You¡¯re Keegan¡¯s friend.¡±

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    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡®Vermont¡¯s also my friend, but I don¡¯t see her hesitating when she rips him off,¡¯ he thought.


    He studied Marshall carefully.


    ¡®I suddenly realized¡­ Marshall is pretty good-looking,¡¯ he thought again.


    The more Keegan thought about it, the more ufortable he felt. So after that, he did not speak


    during their meal.


    However, Ste seemed unaware of his emotions. She was all smiles as she ate and chatted away


    with Marshall.


    Keegan paid the check and went outside. Ste was talking to Marshall while they stood at the


    curbside.


    ¡°Mr. Moore, where are you heading? We¡¯ll give you a ride there after this,¡± Ste said in a slightly warm


    and gentle tone.


    Since they all came in a car, Marshall would have to hail a cab if the two of them left.


    Marshall handed her a few mints he had taken from the counter just now. Then, he smiled, There¡¯s no


    need. I have something to do nearby, so I¡¯ll just walk and stimte digestion.¡±


    Then, he saw Keegan walking over, ¡°You and Keegan should get back soon; it¡¯s gettingte.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then. Let¡¯s get in touch when you have the time,¡± Ste did not insist. She bade him goodbye


    and got in the car.


    Marshall waved at the two through the mirror. Then, the car slowly drove away.


    Ste handed Keegan a mint, ¡°Do you want one?¡±


    Keegan had a tense expression and did not take the mint.


    Ste did not bother asking more questions.


    ¡°Who knows what got on this lunatic¡¯s nerves again? I already noticed his unhappy expression when


    we were eating just now. I wonder who upset him again,¡¯ she thought.


    Keegan watched as Ste heartlessly chewed on her candy. Suddenly, he felt annoyed for no


    reason.


    He asked quietly, ¡°How¡¯d you and Marshall meet?¡±


    Ste¡¯s hand froze. Then, she said coolly, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before? I was consulting awyer for my


    friend and coincidentally met him.¡±


    ¡°The first time he met you was at the hospital, right? Were you helping your friend consult awyer at


    the hospital? You even made up your name. So, Ste Jewell, which few sentences from your mouth


    are genuine?¡±


    Ste¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Stay away from Marshall even if we get divorced. Don¡¯t get any ideas you shouldn¡¯t have toward him,


    he¡¯s not someone you should taint.¡±


    Ste paled.


    ¡®Who does this bastard think I am? Even if I find a new man after we get divorced, there¡¯s no way I¡¯d


    find one of his friends. Have I gone insane? Especially that tone of his; it¡¯s a warning tone tinged with


    disdain,¡¯ she thought.


    Ste felt heartbroken and embarrassed.


    ¡®In his eyes, am I the person who looks for her next man when I haven¡¯t even gotten divorced? Even


    desperate, I wouldn¡¯t go for Keegan¡¯s friends. He doesn¡¯t care about me, nor have his friends. I¡¯m only


    extra attentive toward Marshall because he¡¯s involved in thewsuit. These friends of his only speak


    and tease me out of courtesy and for the sake of Keegan. They look. down on me, and I know this


    better than anyone else. I don¡¯t need Keegan reminding me repeatedly!¡¯ she thought.


    Ste suppressed the anger and hurt within. Then, she said in a hoarse voice, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking, Mr.


    Kane. I¡¯m only kind to Mr. Moore because I¡¯m cooperating with you so that you can get the 10-billion-


    dor inheritance division. Once we get divorced, and I get the money, I won¡¯t spare you and your


    friends a nce.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression changed.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡®What¡¯s with her attitude?¡¯ he thought.


    However, Ste was not done talking. She continued with an icy expression, ¡°By the way, didn¡¯t you


    want to know why Mr. Moore and I first met at the hospital? The truth is, the day at the hospital was


    also the day we both agreed to get our divorce. I didn¡¯t go because my mother was critically ill, not


    because I didn¡¯t want a divorce.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s hands trembled as he turned to her in shock.

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    ¡°Mr. Moore was taking photos on the rooftop, and I mistakenly thought he was secretly taking photos of


    me. I snatched his phone away, and this is the first meeting you speak of! You¡¯re making usations at


    me, but have you ever respected our marriage yourself?¡±


    Ste¡¯s pent-up anger had almost dissipated, but Keegan¡¯s words once again stirred frustration she


    had experienced today.


    up


    the


    ¡°Other husbands respect and love their wives, but how about you? Maya went to yourpany and


    caused trouble. Yet, you were worried that you¡¯d take things too far, causing you to lose


    your support and damage your reputation. And so, you asked me toe and made me the


    scapegoat. You let me be the bad person and take the me while you get the good reputation of


    someone who treasures his old employees. How cunning of you.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°In your heart, I¡¯m a viin who shirks my responsibility to a woman?¡±


    Ste was furious, so she said without thinking, ¡°You¡¯re not only a viin, you¡¯re practically not a man!


    You don¡¯t want a child, yet you¡¯re not telling your family. You passed the buck of being infertile to me,


    so I have to drink that disgusting decoction daily. I¡¯m even being treated as a sinner for taking


    contraceptives. Which part of you resembles a man or a husband?!¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression darkened even more. He looked so furious that Aldor did not even dare to


    breathe too loudly.


    ¡®Mrs. Kane must¡¯ve gone mad! How¡¯d she dare to speak to Mr. Kane this way?!¡¯ he thought.


    He hurriedly defended Keegan, ¡°Mrs. Kane, what happened today was my fault. I took the liberty and


    called you, so Mr. Kane was uninformed.¡±


    Ste sneered, ¡°You don¡¯t even dare to admit it now.¡±


    Aldor was speechless.


    ¡°Mrs. Kane, I¡¯m telling the truth. Mr. Kane doesn¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Keegan cut him off, ¡°Ste, you¡¯ve gone through over ten years of education, yet getting


    have pregnant is the only thing you have in mind? Do you think you can keep everything you right now


    once you have a child? If this is your intention, let me tell you. I will never want to have a child with you


    for the rest of my life!¡±


    Ste seethed with anger.


    ¡®What a fucking load of bullshit! I was saying he passed the buck of being infertile to me. Now, he¡¯s


    secretly changed the narrative to me wanting a child because I have ill intentions. He¡¯s easily pushing


    my buttons,¡¯ she thought.


    Ste sneered, ¡°Let me also tell you something clearly. I¡¯d rather give birth to a litter of pups for a dog


    rather than have a baby with you!¡±


    Keegan went purple in the face, ¡°You¡¯re simply unbearably vulgar!¡±


    ¡°Eye boogers blind you; you can¡¯t tell the good from bad!¡± Ste red at him. Then, she turned and


    said to Aldor, ¡°Stop the car! I want to get out!¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Kane, please calm down. Mr. Kane didn¡¯t know about it. Besides, the pregnancy matter-


    ¡°Stop the car! Let her scram!¡±


    Keegan cut Aldor off. He rarely used coarsenguage like ¡°scram¡± unless he was utterly enraged.


    Ste added fuel to the fire, ¡°Did you hear him? He asked me to scram. I need to be observant.


    Otherwise, how will I earn that 10 billion from Mr. Kane?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s gaze looked like he wanted to rip her to shreds. Aldor kept quiet and quickly pulled over.


    Ste got out of the car. Then, she disappeared into the crowd without turning back. Since Keegan¡¯s


    anger remained unappeased, Aldor felt unusually awkward.


    He apologized quietly, ¡°Mr. Kane, this is my fault. I took the liberty to contact Mrs. Kane. I was worried


    she wouldn¡¯te, so I didn¡¯t tell her what happened over the phone.¡±


    ¡®Ste was not remotely prepared when she came to relieve the situation; that¡¯s why she¡¯s so angry,¡¯


    thought Keegan.


    He replied icily, ¡°Did you think we could walk away frompany matters by relying on a woman to


    protect thepany? So what if she did jump? If I had backed down today, in the future, every person


    who gets dismissed with follow suit. If all of them came to thepany and did the same thing, am I


    supposed to back down every time? Since I dared to do so, I¡¯m not afraid of being criticized by others!


    You¡¯ve worked for me for many years, yet you still don¡¯t understand this?¡±


    Aldor paled, ¡°My apologies.¡±


    Keegan closed his eyes tiredly and stopped talking.


    Felicity had followed the film crew to Hampford, so Ste had nowhere to go. So she went around and


    eventually went to Rotona Pinnacle Hospital.


    For the past few days, Ste had been frequenting the hospital. So naturally, this led the nurse to


    wonder and ask if she had gotten into a fight with her husband.


    Ste gave the nurse a vague answer. She said that she did not have much to do for the few days and


    wanted to spend more time with her mother.


    Then, the nurse did not ask any more questions.


    It was boring at the hospital. Ste helped the nurse clean Rainee¡¯s body and asionally massaged


    it. Other times, she just sat around.


    past


    ¡°To be honest, sometimes when I see Rainee lying there half-dead, I¡¯ve considered following the


    doctor¡¯s advice and pulling the plug. It¡¯ll let her pass on peacefully. It¡¯s been years, and her organs are


    severely damaged. Even if she were conscious, she wouldn¡¯t live long and only suffer. However, I don¡¯t


    have the heart to do it. When Rainee¡¯s still around, whenever I¡¯m sad, I can still find sce as I sit by


    her bed. If she¡¯s gone, I¡¯ll truly be alone in this world Rainee had spent her entire lifetime on Albert.


    Even though they quarreled constantly, she knew that she loved her husband.


    Rainee grew up in a well-off family. If she had listened to grandpa back then and married someone with


    simr family background, she probably would¡¯ve lived a much easier life. However, she chose Albert


    She endured grandpa¡¯s discontent and started a business from scratch with Albert Even though she


    suffered a lot, Albert still did not love her the way he


    loved himself. Rainee probably never imagined that the man she deeply loved would give up on her


    treatment the moment she got into an ident. Thankfully, she wasn¡¯t conscious; if she were


    conscious, she would¡¯ve been so furious with Albert¡¯s heartlessness,¡¯ thought Ste. While Ste was


    deep in thought, Lena suddenly called her. She was a little shocked but epted the call.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°Do you have a TikTok or Facebook ount?¡±

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    Chapter 252


    Ste knew very well that Daniel did not pick her because of her acting skills.


    She did a good job, but there were a lot of other actresses who could do better than her. They had their


    fanbase and were more popr than her too. She just did not stand a chance among them.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Daniel had no reason to pick her.


    Ste kept quiet for a while before she pursed her lips and said, ¡°Because I¡¯m new, not signed by any


    agency, don¡¯t cost a fortune, and can act for a bit. I matched all your criteria for picking a cast, and I¡¯m


    the perfect candidate for you to stand against capitalism. You don¡¯t have to use anybody you don¡¯t like


    on your own set, and you won¡¯t have to worry about offending anypany if anything goes wrong


    with me.¡±


    Daniel was stunned. He could not remember thest time he worked with a sharp actress like her.


    Ste¡¯s face was just too deceitful. It would always mislead people into thinking that she was just an


    ignorant woman.


    Not only her but many actresses around her age and as beautiful as her were like that too.


    They could gain a lot of fans by just looking pretty, and fame came too easily for them. So, they failed


    to find out their real values and finally made themselves the victims of market.petition.


    However, Ste was different from those people. She knew that it was not mere luck that her the role.


    She was way smarter than that.


    Daniel asked her, ¡°Why did you still sign the contract if you already knew?¡±


    got


    Ste said without hiding anything. ¡°I need this job. Besides, I like the script very much too.¡± A look of


    approval shed across Daniel¡¯s face, ¡°Kelly is why Ibelia got reced. We got into a disagreement


    while picking the cast. I had veto power, and I didn¡¯t pick the right person. She got unhappy with me,


    but I wasn¡¯t bothered by that. However, Ibelia was caught in some scandals sometimeter.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that Kelly was the one who exposed Ibelia?¡±


    Daniel scoffed. ¡°Who else could it be? It¡¯s not her first time doing something like this. She would spend


    a lot of money to expose ourpetitor¡¯s actors to sabotage their viewership. Also, she would cheat


    her way into getting the TV station to air her show before herpetitors. There¡¯s no limit to what she


    would do if anything stopped her from making money or didn¡¯t go her way.¡±


    However, Ste thought otherwise. She figured that even though Kelly was a very goal-driven person,


    she only wanted money. So, she only got Be into that show because she wanted the long-term


    dividend she could earn from social media like Be.


    Even though Ibelia was not as popr as the social media stars, her performance was


    outstanding. She also had a very good reputation among the viewers before the scandal broke


    out


    Ibelia would never be able to achieve something like that if nobody backed her. So, there was just no


    reason for Kelly to cross someone like her just to change the cast.


    ¡°In short, Kelly is an extremely petty and egotistical person. There¡¯s no way she¡¯d let things. slip after


    what you¡¯ve done to her. I¡¯m afraid she will do everything she can to put you down if she ever finds out


    that you¡¯re Dusk Gxy. Even I wouldn¡¯t be able to keep you around if she had anything on you.¡±


    Ste said, ¡°I¡¯m married. Does that count?¡±


    Daniel wanted to roll his eyes. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re in a soap opera? Who cares if you¡¯re married or


    not?¡±


    ¡°Tsk.¡± Ste clicked her tongue. ¡°My manager said that I have the face of an idol.¡±


    Daniel knew that Ste was not afraid. She also did not care at all after hearing what he said.


    ¡°How long can you be an idol? You¡¯ve got to give up the idea of being a talentless idol if you want to be


    in this industry for a long time. An actress is supposed to be good at acting. One can only be popr


    on social media because of their persona. The more perfect the person¡¯s persona is, the worse she¡¯ll


    end up if anything goes wrong.¡±


    Everything that Daniel said to Ste since the audition was from the bottom of his heart.


    He gave Ste a chance, but he knew he had other intentions too. So, he immediately called her up as


    soon as he discovered that Kelly was investigating her.


    To be honest, he had high expectations for Ste apart from those purposes because he could see the


    genuineness in her eyes while she was acting.

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    Chapter 253


    It had been very long for Daniel since he saw that passion in a young actor¡¯s or actress¡¯s


    The way that he spoke made him sound like a lecturer, and Ste felt warm and funny listening to him.


    eyes.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t nning on just getting fame at all. I¡¯m not trying to let my fans decide whether I can get into a


    rtionship.¡±


    Daniel was speechless.


    ¡®Didn¡¯t she say that she¡¯s married? So why does she want to get into another rtionship?¡±


    Daniel kept those questions to himself as he said, ¡°Just be careful. Make sure to call me whenever


    you¡¯re caught in trouble. You¡¯ll start working next week. Don¡¯t let me down.¡± Ste smiled. ¡°Sure, Mr.


    Wood.¡±


    Kelly got so stressed out after getting bashed by theizens. She would think somebody texted her to


    scold her whenever she heard a notification sound from her phone.


    She spent so much effort on the online drama she invested in. She even got Be to make a guest


    appearance. However, she got nothing in return.


    She begged everyone she could to promote her new drama, but none of them wanted to associate


    themselves with her after how she forced a popr voice actress to quit the inte.


    She shifted her attention to Be after seeing how the drama¡¯s viewership worsened every day. So, she


    called Be up and asked her to promote the drama. That way, she could at least minimize her loss.


    Be was not stupid. She knew she would just be drawing fire to herself if she did her that favor.


    However, Be figured that Kelly could still be useful to her, so she agreed to help. Then, she asked


    obliquely, ¡°Ms. Harper, you posted something about a new production team. Is a new dramaing?¡±


    Kelly replied, ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s nned to be aired this year, so we¡¯ve got to start preparing for it now.¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What drama is it? Why is it so urgent?¡±


    ¡°The Pce, I¡¯ve told you about it.¡±


    Be¡¯s face immediately darkened. ¡®It¡¯s Daniel¡¯s drama!¡¯


    The Pce received much attention as soon as its story was published. The production team. had


    been recruiting actors and actresses after it was given the green light.


    Be¡¯s ie relied on her inte fame, but she wanted more. She hoped there would be at high-


    quality drama for her to prove herself, so she could stop being an inte star.


    The Pce was exactly the drama that she was looking forward to.


    However, Daniel was very particr in picking the cast. She rmended herself to him, but her


    messages had yet to receive a reply. Daniel did not like what she did. He did not care how


    powerful her background was, so he ignored herpletely.


    After that, Be heard that Kelly had be the assistant director of this drama. So she decided to


    have a go at Kelly.


    They worked with each other before and shared a good rtionship too. Kelly loved to be buttered up.


    Be knew she could still get a role in The Pce if she could make Kelly happy. After all, Kelly was


    one of the investors in that drama.


    She spent so much money and effort on Kelly just to find out that she was so useless. She did not even


    have the right to speak in the group chat.


    Be was furious when the cast for the queen was set. So she hired somebody to and finally kicked her


    out of the drama. She thought that her chance was finally there. So, she Ibelia expose


    spent some money to boost her poprity on the inte before the production team made any public


    statement.


    She even told the inte that she would be a part of the cast. However, the drama was going to begin


    shooting, and she had no idea about it!

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    Chapter 254


    Be tried to calm herself down as she asked softly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me that there was a vacant role just


    a while back? How did you find someone to fill that role in such a short time?¡±


    Then, Kelly said, ¡°I rmended you to Daniel when we auditioned for the queen. I was sure he


    would sign you. You¡¯re such a good candidate, and you¡¯re pretty famous too. However, Daniel suddenly


    brought a girl from nowhere to the audition, and he immediately got very interested in her. He wouldn¡¯t


    listen to my opinion. In the end, he ended up signing an amateur with no experience. I have no idea


    what he¡¯s thinking!¡±


    ¡°An amateur?¡± Be¡¯s face turned ugly. ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Kelly thought for some time before she continued, ¡°Ste¡­ something, I think. I can¡¯t remember. I


    haven¡¯t met her before, and she did not mention that she acted before on her resume either. However,


    Daniel decided to use her right after the audition. Honestly, I don¡¯t think she can act better than you. I


    wonder if that woman is Daniel¡¯s secret lover.¡±


    Be sulked without talking.


    Kelly knew that she was at fault. After all, she was the one who made huge promises to Be, telling


    her that she could get her a role in the drama.


    She just did not expect Daniel to be such a difficult person. Even though she was the assistant director,


    she had no say in picking the cast.


    After that, she tried to make Be feel better: ¡°Daniel is such a stingy person. The sry he offered is


    low. I heard that the actress is making less than thirty thousand per episode. How could he get a good


    actress if he minimizes the cost? I¡¯m pretty sure that you can easily earn ten times more than this by


    taking other dramas.¡±


    Beughed indifferently.


    ¡®Who told her that I wanted the money? I only wanted to be a part of this drama because of Daniel¡¯s


    good reputation, and I¡¯m trying to step my game up.


    ¡®Kelly is so useless! I wouldn¡¯t me her if she weren¡¯t so confident about getting me the role.


    ¡®How could she tell me that there¡¯s no spot left for me after how much money and effort I spent on her


    just to make her happy?


    ¡®I¡¯m sure that Daniel did not make that decision recently. I¡¯d probably only find out about this after the


    drama is aired if I didn¡¯t ask her about it.¡¯


    ¡°Ms. Kelly, it¡¯s not about the money. I like Daniel as a director, and I¡¯ve always dreamed of working with


    him. Could you ask him if he can give me a chance to prove myself? I¡¯ll take the job no matter how little


    he will pay me.¡±


    What Be said put Kelly in a hard position. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can help you with this. The main sponsor is


    very fond of Daniel, and he gets to make the final decision for everything at the set. I can¡¯t interfere with


    it at all. However, I think you should ask Mr. Kane for help. The main sponsor of The Pce is Elegant


    Media, and I heard that Mr. Kane is a very good friend of the boss of Elegant Media. I¡¯m sure Daniel


    wouldn¡¯t dare to disobey what the main sponsor has to say, no matter how assertive he is.¡±


    Be¡¯s eyes sparkled as she asked, ¡°Ms. Kelly, how trustable do you think this rumor is?¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I haven¡¯t met the boss of Elegant Media myself. However, nobody in Rivera. dares to


    cross the Kane family. You should utilize the trump card you have in your hand now.¡± Be looked


    hesitant.


    ¡°That¡¯s it. Think about it yourself. I have something to do now, bye. Remember to forward my


    message.¡±


    Be fell silent for a while after hanging up. Then, she dialed Keegan¡¯s number.


    However, it was not connected Keegan was talking to somebody else on the phone.


    It was rare that she would call Keegan Normally, Keegan would contact her because he did not like her


    calling his personal number.


    Even though Keegan did not say much after what happened at the Lake Vi, he started seeing Be


    alone a lot lesser


    Keegan would talk to Wein directly about work without going through her.


    Many of her sponsors pulled back after the ident too Even though a lot of drama


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    production teams were interested in her, they were all unpopr Keegan also stopped finding jobs and


    sponsors for her


    She was not professionally trained to be an actress, and she did not have a strong background too


    Even though she was rtively famous then, she could not bepared to the real deals dominating


    the inte. She needed one or two dramas of superb quality to turn herself into an A lister


    However, Keegan stopped helping her, and it made her very restless


    Then, she looked at Wem and said. ¡°Make a call to Mr. Kane and ask if he¡¯ll be free for dinner tonight I


    have something to talk to him about.¡±

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    Chapter 255


    Wein nodded. However, Be stopped him as he was about to call Keegan. ¡°No, don¡¯t that. Instead, tell


    him I got hurt on set and ask him toe over.¡±


    Wein was shocked. ¡°Mr. Kane will know you¡¯re lying when hees here.¡±


    say


    it like


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Wein had only met Keegan a few times, but he could tell that Keegan was not the type of person who


    could be easily fooled. He felt very strange at Keegan¡¯s rtionship with Be too. Keegan would give


    Be a lot of support, yet it was nothing like other rich men wanting to date a star.


    Keegan only visited Be at work a few times, but he cared about her a lot. He would always be there


    immediately whenever Be got hurt, just like after the ident and what happened at the charity


    event.


    Be was just fine, yet he would still be very worried.


    Wein could not figure out what Keegan was up to. Besides, he was Be¡¯s manager. He did not. want


    Be to be too close to him.


    Be was a star now, and she could be an A-lister and have a bright future if she just focused on


    her career. Besides, Keegan was married, and Be¡¯s career would bepletely ruined if anybody


    knew about what was happening between them.


    However, that was just what he thought. He could only try to keep Be¡¯s name clean as he could not


    make any decision for her.


    ¡°Just do as I say. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡±


    So, Wein had no choice but to dial Keegan¡¯s number.


    Keegan had been in a bad mood for a few days.


    Everyone in the office could tell.


    Even though he always looked aloof, he would nod in response if anybody greeted him.


    But he kept frowning when he talked to his employees as if they were his worst enemies. They became


    very cautious while reporting to him because they feared that Keegan would take his anger out on them


    if they made a mistake.


    Even though Keegan had never mixed his personal feelings with work, the look on his face was


    terrifying.


    Aldor poured Keegan a cup of tea after walking the guest out. Then, he said softly, ¡°Mr. Kane, Memorie


    Baker introduced new desserts recently. Should I buy some for Mrs. Kane? She likes their desserts,


    right?¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    Aldor continued, ¡°Mrs. Kane likes their cakes very much.¡±


    Keegan frowned. ¡°What do I care?¡±


    ¡®All she does is get on my nerves.¡±


    Aldor said, ¡°Ms. Aurora took the cake Mrs. Kane orderedst year.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s finger paused. Then, he pursed his lips and said, ¡°Why are you so free? Don¡¯t you think


    you¡¯re talking too much?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get back to work now, then.¡± Aldor kept his mouth shut.


    He heard Keegan¡¯s voice when he was about to leave, ¡°Get something from the bakery. It¡¯ll be good to


    stuff them in her mouth and shut her up.¡±


    Aldor was speechless.


    Keegan received a video from Vermont as soon as Aldor set his foot out of the room. Then, he saw


    Ste¡¯s gloomy face, which was full of blood.

 Chapter 256

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    Chapter 256


    Ste was wearing a red camisole dress in that video while ¡°dismembering¡± a body emotionlessly.


    The drama was meant for the general public, so it did not look very gory. The body that she


    dismembered could not be seen on screen either. But her expression looked simply terrifying. She


    seemed so emotionless with her cold eyes. Blood sttered on her and streamed down her cheeks


    while she dismembered the corpse. Her face looked brutal yet alluring-


    The doorbell suddenly rang.


    She got up and washed her face before draping a jacket over her shoulders. Then, she sprayed some


    perfume on her to cover the smell of blood on her body. She even wore lipstick before opening the


    door.


    She cared about her appearance very much.


    The dark and emotionless look on her face disappeared as soon as she faced the deliveryman. She


    took the parcel with a smile while thanking him in a soft voice.


    The deliveryman heard a noise from the house, so he tried to look inside. Then, Ste sighed and said,


    ¡°I got a new puppy, and it keeps peeing everywhere. I locked it in its cage, and I guess it¡¯s not very


    happy about it.¡±


    Her voice sounded very hoarse as if she were a man trying to sound like a woman. It sounded nothing


    like how she usually would. It almost seemed like she did that on purpose.


    However, her actions and demeanor were very feminine.


    Then, the deliveryman said, ¡°You¡¯ve got to teach it well. You should take it to the ce it urinated on


    and beat it, so it can recognize its mistake. It¡¯d understand after you do it a few times. Even a child


    needs to be punished for him to learn his mistake, let alone a dog.¡±


    Ste nodded knowingly. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    In the living room behind her, there was a tied-up man with his mouth stuffed. The man opened his


    eyes widely in fear. There was a pile of blood in front of him, and it seemed to tell him what had


    happened there not long ago.


    The man tried to get the deliveryman¡¯s attention, but the sound of the television was too loud. The


    deliveryman could not hear him at all.


    Ste even gave the deliveryman a box of desserts before she shut the door.


    She took off the wig after the deliveryman left. She was bald, and her eyes looked sharp. Then, she


    lifted the edge of her mouth and squatted beside the tied-up man. She held a knife against his chin and


    smirked. ¡°I told you to be good. Why won¡¯t you just listen?¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Her voice sounded just like a man¡¯s.


    Keegan pursed his lips. He stared at the strange yet familiar face on the screen as his heart quivered.


    Then, Vermont called him. He came around and picked up his phone. ¡°Your wife looks like she¡¯s very


    experienced in dismembering a body. You should watch out,¡± Vermont said.


    Keegan instantly hung up on him.


    So, Vermont pushed the door open and came inside. He was already in the lobby when he sent


    Keegan that video.


    He sat at the coffee table as soon as he came in. Then, he smirked. ¡°Jurisdiction is airing now. Your


    wife is in the first story of this drama. She acted as a trans serial killer. Everybody on the inte is


    looking her up now to find out if she¡¯s a man or a woman.¡±


    The screenwriter of Jurisdiction knew what he was doing. It was difficult for aw drama to catch


    everybody¡¯s attention on the inte, so he came up with a bold plot to start the story.

 Chapter 257

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    Chapter 257


    The story in the first episode of Jurisdiction retold the case of a transgender live host who became a


    serial killer, which caused a sensation in Rivera a few years ago.


    The suspect was sexually assaulted and domestically abused by their stepfather when they were


    younger. They then decided that they hated men and longed to be a woman. The suspect was


    good-looking and very smart. After graduating, they worked in a prestigiouspany, and their life


    gradually got on the right track. However, their stepfather showed up one day and asked them for


    money. He made a fuss in theirpany and spread pictures of them cross-dressing everywhere. The


    human resource team then felt it was not a good look on theirpany, so they fired the suspect. The


    suspect¡¯s colleagues then started to draw a line between them due to this matter, even though they had


    a good impression of them in the beginning.


    The stepfather was a gambler. He had sold all his belongings and racked up a lot of debt. The man


    even dug up his dead wife¡¯s grave to get her wedding ring and sold it for money. The suspect could no


    longer stand being abused, so they smothered their stepfather with a pillow and killed him. His death


    did not arouse any suspicion since he had an alcohol addiction, and people thought he died from


    alcohol poisoning.


    The suspect found the kill to be thrilling. Afterying low for some time, they thenmitted their


    second crime. The suspect turned themself into a beautiful live host on the inte and began to seek


    out their next victims. They would get acquainted with the other party and make an appointment to


    meet thein offline. They then killed their victims and grabbed ahold of their wealth to maintain daily


    expenses.


    The victims were all smothered by a pillow, just like the suspect¡¯s stepfather.


    The suspect would then dismember the victims and cook their remains. It was cruel and inhumane.


    Everyone thought that the killer was a vicious person, but when videos of the court trial got leaked to


    the public, there was a wave of heated discussion on the inte. The suspect looked rather shy and


    pretty. They were soft-spoken and did not look like a murderer at all.


    with a


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Ste was so good at acting that she depicted the suspect¡¯s manic state well. In addition to that, she


    was extremely attractive, especially when she held the other actor¡¯s chin.


    up knife. The program director knew exactly what to do to capture the audience¡¯s hearts.


    The show was a hit on all tforms in just a few hours of airing, and people started looking up the case


    online. No one expected the program to be so popr. The show¡¯s official trailer exceeded 10 million


    views in just half an hour. Half of the hundreds and thousands ofmenters asked about updates for


    the next episode, while the other half asked for Ste¡¯s social media ounts.


    At the same time, Vermont¡¯s film and television group was blowing up all over the industry. People were


    amazed by how such a low-costw drama would achieve such high ratings after only airing the first


    episode. They started to ask around to know more about the actress and nned to get ahold of her.


    Vermont felt suffocated. ¡®She¡¯s not someone that could be won over by a contract,¡¯ he thought. To


    Keegan, he then leaned over the desk and half-jokingly said, ¡°Sign your wife over to me, and i


    guarantee you that in three years. Wait, no, in two years, I¡¯ll make her a superstar.¡±

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    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Vermont was taken aback at how Keegan agreed so quickly. ¡°Wait. Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. The signing fee will be one billion dors,¡± Keegan said tly.


    The corners of Vermont¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sign her on?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that illegal? Since she¡¯s under contract.¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont stayed quiet. He knew Keegan would not do that, so he was just casually asking. It was


    unlikely that Ste would be an actress if she was under the Kane family. Suddenly, his phone beeped.


    Vermont looked down and said in surprise, ¡°Ste¡¯s Facebook ount is verified now!¡±


    In addition to Ste¡¯s page for her voice-acting persona-Dusk Gxy, she also had a personal


    Facebook ount that she uses to record her daily life. Previously, the ount was named ¡®Keeper of


    Mars¡¯, where she posted recipes and videos of her cooking. asionally, she would post selfies of


    herself on the page.


    very


    Vermontined that her selfies only captured a third of her beauty. Her face looked delicate, and


    she did not need to turn on the filters like other inte celebrities. If he had not seen Keegan scrolling


    her page and looking at her pictures, Vermont would probably not have recognized Ste.


    Before this, Ste had been diligently updating her ount. But she no longer posted much on there.


    asionally, she would help repost missing people notices and links to donations for those in need. It


    had been half a year since Stest updated her profile.


    Now that her profile has been verified, Ste changed her username to her own name. She then


    reposted thetest promotional post of Jurisdiction with an excerpt from ¡°The Bad of Mn¡± stating,


    ¡°The he-hare¡¯s feet go hop and skip,


    The she-hare¡¯s eyes are muddled and fuddled.


    Two hares running side by side close to the ground,


    How can they tell if I am he or she?¡±


    page. Soon,


    Not long after, the official ount for Jurisdiction pinned her repost on their thousands ofments


    appeared under the post as Vermont refreshed the screen.


    [AAAAHHHHHHH! NO WAY! THE PERSON IS A SHE!!!


    [KILL ME PLEASE]


    [OMG, WHAT?! My bias is a SHE?! I still love her tho!]


    [Her gender doesn¡¯t matter! She¡¯s a great actress!]


    [1 think I¡¯m gay.]


    [There were no voice actors in the show¡¯s credit. How could she have spoken in such a deep voice?


    She must be a fake. The main must be a he!!!]


    Vermont watched helplessly as Ste¡¯s ount gained tens of thousands of followers in a matter of


    minutes. ¡®What?! Our actors and actresses had never gained so much poprity so quickly, even after


    we promoted them.¡¯ From Vermont¡¯s point of view, the increasing number of followers on Ste¡¯s page


    represented the soaring amount of money about to enter the bank.


    The show even made it to the top of the entertainment charts. However, there were still a few posts


    regarding Be, stating that she looked like an alpha when she was in masculine clothing.

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    Be yed a guest role, disguised as a man, in Kelly Harper¡¯s new show. She had paid people to talk


    about it on Facebook. She was different than Ste. Ste was beautiful, even without. makeup. Her


    facial features were defined. Her brows and eyes created a sharp look with only some minor touch-ups.


    F¨¹rthermore, Ste was much more presentable than other actresses. Most female stars were


    reluctant to shave their heads because it would highlight their features and expose their ws. This was


    true even for those with beautiful faces since some angles were unttering. But Ste looked wless.


    Her buzz cut and her sharp brows created an indisputable look.


    Be, on the other hand, had a clean look. The reason she gained poprity was because of the roles


    she yed. Keegan had rmended her to y several parts that fit her image, but as far as


    appearances go, Be was not considered a beauty in the entertainment industry.


    Her t features made it difficult for her to style her hair and makeup. She knew about her


    shorings. She had always yed it safe regarding her looks, even on the red carpet.


    This was the same when it came to her cross-dressing as a male. Her hair covered her big forehead,


    and her makeup looked simr to when she was a female. Her acting skills were also fairly average,


    and she did not exert alpha male energy.


    Theparison of the two was tragic, especially since the entry was posted after Ste¡¯s entries.


    Be¡¯s fans were embarrassed to brag about it, so they logged off after a short while. Vermont looked


    up at Keegan and saw the guy typing with a frown. He was curious and started to lean over to see what


    he was typing. As soon as he did that, Keegan put away his phone and looked back coldly. ¡°Is there


    anything else you wanted to talk about?¡± His words clearly indicated that he wanted Vermont to leave.


    Vermont did not feel the embarrassment of being caught red-handed. Instead, he sat on the desk,


    yed with the Newton¡¯s cradle there, and said, ¡°Carter sent me a text message today, saying that we


    will get togetherter. He specifically asked me to remind you to bring Ste since she had helped Lena


    a lot and he wanted to thank her.¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips when he heard that. Under Vermont¡¯s gaze, he reluctantly picked up the phone


    and called Ste.


    Ste was ying with Juno at Cordelia¡¯s residence. She had beening to the old ce for several


    days now. Every time Ste went there, she brought food that she knew Cordelia liked. She even


    asked Baldwin to help deliver it to the olddy while she yed with Juno at the racecourse and


    memorized her lines at the same time.


    Ste was afraid that the olddy would get angry if she saw her, so as long as Cordelia did not say


    she wanted to see her, she would not go forward. She even brought her own lunch box to


    Save some time.


    It was the same today.


    Ste was lying on thewn, basking in the sun with Juno when Shea called to tell her that Jurisdiction


    was quickly bing a hit. The poprity of the film helped her make a mark in the industry. It was


    beyond her expectations and was something to be happy about.


    After posting on Facebook, she went on to braid Juno¡¯s mane.


    When Keegan called, Ste was asking Juno to pick a hair essory. The two had been fighting like


    cats and dogs about which hair essory suited Juno. Juno was a very opinionated horse. There was


    no forcing her into doing something she did not like, so in the end, Stepromised and put a green


    hair clip in her hair.


    Juno trotted around the guardrail twice, her head high, looking very proud. Ste thought that it was


    cute and funny. ¡®What a strange aesthetic. That green hairclip does not look good on her, ¡®she thought.


    Ste looked down at the caller ID, answered it, and hung up before the caller could speak. Keegan


    froze for a moment when he heard the line beeping. He could hardly believe it.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

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    Ste immediately hung up on Keegan after picking up his call, even though they were not in a quarrel.


    Vermont did not dareugh. ¡°Maybe she identally pressed the ¡®end call¡¯ button? Try again.¡±


    Keegan called Ste for a second time, and the same thing happened. She answered the call and hung


    up right after. Keegan¡¯s face darkened after it happened again a few more times.


    Vermont coughed lightly and said, ¡°Let me try.¡± Within seconds, the call was connected.¡± Hello?¡±


    Ste¡¯s voice sounded soft.


    Vermont nced at the person next to him, who had a sullen face, and said, ¡°Ste, someone is


    treating for dinner tonight. Are you gonnae


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re willing to treat me to a meal,¡± Ste joked. Vermont was famous for being on the


    receiving end of dinner treats. He would only treat someone else to dinner when he wanted something


    from them.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not me. Cater wanted to treat you to dinner since Jurisdiction is a big hit.¡±


    ¡®Lena had invited me for dinner before, but I rejected her invitation. She probably realized that I


    wouldn¡¯t go because we weren¡¯t very familiar with each other. So she asked Carter to invite me through


    Vermont¡­ Ste thought about it for a while and asked, ¡°Where and when?¡±


    ¡°Text me where you¡¯re at, and I¡¯ll pick you up.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s fine. I drove today.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ youe and pick me up. I¡¯m at Nine Avenue.¡±


    ¡®Is he short on gas?! Ste thought. After hanging up the phone, Ste said goodbye to Baldwin and


    drove from Cordelia¡¯s residence.


    When Baldwin went to inform Cordelia about Ste¡¯s departure, the olddy was eating the pelmeni


    that Ste had brought. Ste had wrapped each of the pelmeni by hand to show that she was sincere


    in apologizing to her Her cooking skills were average, but the pelmeni were wrapped very well. Ste


    had sent several boxes of homemade pelmeni to the olddy, and she had been enjoying them for


    days.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

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    ¡°Mrs. Kane has just left, Madam,¡± Baldwin said softly to Cordelia.


    ¡°About time! She stayed here for days, yet she did not eat a single thing in this house. It was like I was


    abusing her or something!¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Kane was afraid you¡¯d get mad if you saw her,¡± Baldwin replied.


    ¡°If she¡¯s scared of making me mad, she should give me a great-grandchild right away!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s still young, Madam. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll change her mind after a few years.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be here to see the baby if she waits any longer!¡±


    ¡°Your health is at its peak, Madam. You still have a long life to live.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re on her side now after she bought you a massager.¡± Cordelia nced at him as


    she said this.


    Baldwin let out a low chuckle and replied, ¡°You¡¯re not really angry with her, are you, Madam?


    Otherwise, you would¡¯ve prevented me from opening the door for her. If she does get pregnant, Mr.


    Kane would be terrified since he doesn¡¯t know about the surgery yet¡­¡±


    Cordelia did not say a word. She nced at Baldwin, and he immediately shut his mouth. cautiously.


    The olddy wiped her mouth with a paper towel and said in a calm tone, ¡°How is Jackson?¡±


    ¡°He had just returned to thepany. I heard from the employees that he had changed quite at bit.


    He¡¯s doing his job, and his attitude seems much better. He even sent some people over to deliver some


    products. It seems that the past few months have not been in vain, and he seems to understand your


    painstaking efforts now.¡±


    ¡°If he really understood why I did what I did. He wouldn¡¯t have waited so long toe to visit. I know he


    still hates me.¡±


    Baldwin did not say a word.


    Jackson was a bad apple in thepany back then, but Cordelia was not about to give up on him. So


    she got mad and sent him to the branchpany with the worst working environment. Keegan had


    also been at thepany but went there voluntarily for his college internship.


    Few people knew about this since Keegan was a very lowkey apprentice there. The branch in the West


    did not know Keegan¡¯s identity since he acted like any other ordinary intern. He even stayed in the


    collective dormitory for the employees.


    At that time, the water supply system was not perfect yet, and the conditions were much worse than


    they are now. Keegan had stayed there for nearly half a year. When he returned, he had a skinny figure


    and tanned skin.


    Keegan¡¯s time there was fruitful. The branch had grown to what it is today because Keegan often went


    around and made targeted adjustments to the development n when he was there.


    Tough times created strong men. Cordelia left Jackson in thatpany so that he could reflect on


    himself and be more like Keegan. However, the olddy¡¯s efforts seemed like they were


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    going to be pointless.

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    When Ste arrived at Nine Avenue, she quickly saw Vermont and the six-foot-tall Keegan, who was


    standing beside him.


    She immediately wanted to just step on the elerator and leave. But Vermont was constantly


    screaming out there. He wore a pink suit, looking like a walking butterfly. He was chasing her car while


    shouting. Ste stopped the car because she found it very embarrassing.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    She then lowered the window. Vermont held onto the window frame as he panted, ¡°Ste, we¡¯re the


    tallest in this street. Didn¡¯t you see us?¡±


    Ste calmly said, ¡°You dressed up like a celebrity who came here for street snaps. You¡¯re too


    handsome. I thought you were someone else.¡±


    Keegan nced at Ste. ¡®I bet she didn¡¯t say what she meant.¡±


    Keegan saw the hint of disgust that shed in her eyes when she lowered the car window.


    Ste¡¯s lies came so easily now. But it certainly worked for Vermont.


    Vermont narcissistically tidied up his hair. He winked at Ste. ¡°I¡¯d be one of the top celebrities if I were


    in the entertainment industry, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d do better than that. You¡¯d be ady killer. You¡¯d lead a new age of beauty.¡±


    Vermont was happy as he said, ¡°Great minds think alike!¡±


    ¡°To be fair, Ste is increasingly pleasing to the eyes. She¡¯s gorgeous, good at acting, and very


    Sweet.


    ¡®Come to think of it, Keegan¡¯s a little ungrateful. He has such a beautiful wife, but he doesn¡¯t treat her


    well. And he always quarrels with her.¡±


    Keegan did not know that his best friend was starting to switch sides just because Ste buttered him


    up.


    Vermont opened the car door. Keegan naturally sat in the front passenger seat.


    Ste looked at him. ¡°Mr. Kane wants to save on gas too?¡±


    Without answering her, Keegan asked a rhetorical question. ¡°Is the Bugatti nice to drive?¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    I¡¯d been driving the Bugatti to Cordelia¡¯s ce for the past few days. Keegan sent the car for service


    today. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t drive it. But he obviously knew my whereabouts.¡±

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    She rarely drove the Bugatti because the car was too expensive. She was afraid that she would crash


    the car.


    And the car was too nice. There were only a few of those cars in Rivera. Whenever she drove that car,


    someone would immediately recognize that it was Keegan¡¯s car. It would reach Aurora. Aurora visited


    Keegan many times, but she never got to borrow this car from Keegan to drive it. If she knew Ste


    drove the car, she would probablyin about it to Dahlia.


    She did not want all these unnecessary troubles back then. That was why she rarely drove Keegan¡¯s


    car.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    But she suddenly got over it recently.


    ¡®We¡¯ll get divorced eventually anyway. Why don¡¯t I just enjoy things that I should?


    ¡°That shithead Keegan slept with me for three years. My youth is worth more than a stupid car.


    So, not only did she start driving the car, but she also even specifically drove downtown to look cool.


    Ste could have done more if Keegan had not sent the car for service.


    But she shamelessly and calmly said, ¡°So-so. I was afraid its engine would stop working because it


    was sitting too long in the garage.¡±


    Keegan did not bother to reply to her quibble.


    ¡®I recently learned how this woman always has something clever to say. She¡¯ll just argue with you even


    if she¡¯s being unreasonable.


    ¡®She isn¡¯t gentle, sensible, virtuous, and well-behaved at all!!


    They were going to move on from this topic, but Vermont said, ¡°It¡¯s a supercar. Its engine can onlyst


    long if you drive it often.¡±


    Ste raised her hand and held her thumb up. ¡°A connoisseur!¡±


    The corners of Keegan¡¯s mouth twitched. He nced at Vermont. ¡®Whose side is this guy on?¡¯


    Vermont was not on anyone¡¯s side. He was on the side of money. It would be perfect if he could watch


    some fun while making money.


    Now that Ste was warming up to him, he leaned on the front seat and tilted his head. forward. ¡°Ste,


    when are you nning to sign with an agency? Can you prioritize Neon Neb? Resources will be


    made avable if you sign with us. I¡¯ll immediately give you the ¡®A¡¯


    contract.¡±

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    Neon Neb had four contracts: S, A, B, and C. ¡®A¡® contracts were typically given to people the


    company would focus its resources on. Thepany was rtively optimistic about these actors who


    had goodmercial values. The revenue sharing wasparatively higher too. ¡®B¡® and ¡®C¡® contracts


    were less attractive. New talents would usually sign these contracts with thepany. But of course,


    people who signed ¡®B¡® and ¡®C¡® contracts would asionally stand out. Then they would be promoted


    and given the ¡®A¡® contract.


    ¡®S¡® contracts were very rarely given out. This kind of contract would be given to famous actors who


    received various awards. These actors were very popr nationally. Some were even handed the


    company¡¯s shares and bonded with thepany for an extended time.


    Since Neon Neb¡¯s establishment, it had only given out one ¡®S¡® contract. She was a very impressive


    senior actress. When she was thirty years old, she had already received awards from various


    categories. She had made her mark in the film and television industry. But unfortunately, those whom


    God loved died young. Two years ago, she died of an illness. Otherwise, Be would not be able to


    be the leadingdy of Neon Neb.


    Ste thought of signing a contract with an agency. It was purely incidental that she got the role in The


    Pce. Normally, it would be challenging for someone to get a role in a great show without a capable


    agency.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Neon Neb was very popr in recent years. Vermont was a social butterfly. He could get all kinds of


    resources. If Ste were to sign a contract with him, she would not need to worry about not getting a


    role in a show. But she did not want to sign with Neon Neb. And Be was the only reason for that.


    Setting aside their personal beef, Ste could clearly tell that Be wanted a change. Be had been


    frantically testing the waters this year too. She was also given an ¡®A¡® contract, and her viewing rate was


    impressive. Even if Ste came across a good show, if Be wanted it, Vermont might not be able to


    help Ste get the role in the show, even if Vermont preferred


    her.


    ¡®I¡¯d rather sign a rookie contract with anotherpany. Because it¡¯ll at least be fairpetition there.¡®


    She half¨Cjokingly said, ¡°If I were to sign with yourpany, I¡¯d want to be the leadingdy. Are


    you willing to dismiss yourpany¡¯s current leadingdy?¡±


    Vermont was sharp too. He instantly understood what she meant. ¡°Are you talking about Be? You


    don¡¯t have to worry about her. Her contract is expiring soon. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s nning to sign a new


    contract with me.¡±


    Ste was surprised. ¡°Ms. Young has such highmercial value. Are you willing to just let her go?¡±

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    ¡°I¡¯ve tried to convince her to stay too. Her condition to renew the contract was to get an ¡®S¡® contract. I


    can increase her cut. But she still needs to be better to get an ¡®S¡® contract. It¡¯s fine if we can¡¯te to


    an agreement. In the show she was on, as long as the actor or actress looks decent, he or she could


    be famous too. I can just make another star. It¡¯s just a matter of time.¡±


    Vermont and Keegan hated to be controlled.


    Be was indeed famous. But she had poor self¨Cawareness. She became increasingly arrogant as she


    grew famous in recent years. She was not ssically trained, and she was also not really talented.


    After she became popr, Vermont thought of making her a superstar too.


    He even paid good money to hire a good teacher in the country to train her in acting. But Be¡¯s heart


    was not in improving her acting skills.


    She personally took up some endorsement deals with some minor brands to make money. She


    mentioned that she could not attend the lessons because she had to attend events. Those


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    acting sses cost over a hundred dors per lesson, and she had only been to them twice. On top of


    that, she was not serious at all during those sses.


    The teacher was not strapped for cash. He agreed to teach her because he was doing his friend a


    favor. He immediately resigned when he saw Be¡¯s lousy attitude.


    ¡®Be doesn¡¯t even want to improve herself. She just wants to be popr and exalted by her fans. Yet,


    she wants to pressure me to get an ¡®S¡® contract?


    ¡®She¡¯s just an actress who can be easily reced. She can leave if she wants to.¡®


    Ste nced at Keegan.


    ¡®His old love is being roasted by his best friend. Why isn¡¯t he reacting at all?¡®

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    Anyway, if you want to sign with an agency, you must prioritize me. If you receive all the awards like the


    lady back then, you will not only be our leadingdy, but you can even kick me out of thepany and


    be the boss yourself.¡±


    Ste smiled. She teased him, ¡°I should be more reserved then. You guys will only be willing to make


    me a good offer if I y hard to get.¡±


    Her reply was ambiguous, but Vermont was in no hurry either. ¡°There¡¯s still plenty of time. There aren¡¯t


    manypanies that canpete with Neon Neb in the country. I¡¯m also close to Keegan. I believe


    I can make Ste join mypany.¡®


    While they were talking, his phone rang.


    Carter and the others were already waiting for them in the restaurant. He urged hispanions to get


    there quickly.


    Their conversation ended abruptly.


    Carter booked a room in The Deli. The Deli was considered the best restaurant in Rivera. Their food


    and environment were excellent.


    Food lovers from all around the world came all the way here to taste their food. This showed how


    popr their dishes were.


    Guided by the waiter, they walked to the room. When they opened the door, Ste realized that not only


    Carter and his wife were there, but Trevor was also there.


    A girl was sitting beside Trevor. She looked like she was around Ste¡¯s age. She had Pairin- Union


    style makeup and had a ¡°hime¡± haircut. She looked like she went for tanning, with her healthy, bronze


    skin tone. She looked quite pretty.


    When they entered the room, the girl¡¯s head was tilted as she talked to Trevor with a smile.


    While Ste was wondering who the girl was, she heard Vermont say, ¡°Molly? When dide back?¡±


    Molly? Why does this name sound so familiar?¡®


    you


    The girl said, ¡°I came back two days ago. I was going to have a meal with my friend today. But I


    happened to see Trevor. So, I stood my friend up and came to eat with you all.¡±


    She nced at Ste as she said that. She then greeted Keegan. ¡°Keegan, it¡¯s been a long time


    since we met.¡±


    She intentionally did not address Ste.


    Just as Vermont was about to speak, Keegan beat him to it and introduced Ste, ¡°This is my wife,


    Ste.¡± He then lowered his voice to tell Ste, ¡°This is Marshall¡¯s cousin, Molly.¡±


    ¡®So, this is the Moore family¡¯s favorite descendant who people had been talking so much about.


    Molly and Marshall looked a little alike. But Marshall looked more exquisite.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Molly¡¯s features were dazzling. She had a small gap between her eyes. It made her look


    aggressive.


    Ste greeted her politely. ¡°Hi.¡±


    Molly did not stand up. She raised her eyes and sized Ste up. She smiled as she said, ¡°You look


    quite different from what Aurora described. You have quite a good facelift.¡±


    She blurted that out spontaneously. Whether she was speaking bluntly or insinuating something, it was


    quite ufortable to hear what she said.


    Ste frowned. ¡®If I hurriedly deny it, it¡¯ll make me look like I care too much about this kind ofment.


    It¡¯ll make me look like I have something to hide.


    ¡®If I ignore it, it¡¯ll also seem like I agree with it.¡®


    While Ste was thinking about how to reply to Molly, Lena faintly said, ¡°She has a perfectly


    symmetrical face. Her face has Golden Ratio features. Her facial muscles contract normally. The


    existing technology couldn¡¯t give such a perfect facelift.¡®


    Her response implied that Ste was born with this face and did not have cosmetic surgery.


    Molly nced at her. ¡°I was just joking. Mrs. Lowe, you took it too seriously.¡±


    Lena looked indifferent as she said, ¡°I¡¯m pragmatic. It¡¯s just my professional habit.¡±


    Molly sneered. ¡°Your upation is to look at dead people. You can even tell for a living person?


    Ste thought, ¡®I¡¯m certain that this Molly is truly rude! If someone talks about my upation like that,


    I¡¯ll definitely be unhappy.¡®

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    Chapter 267


    However, Lena was not angry. She merely gave her a nce and said, ¡°Underneath the skin, we¡¯re all


    the same. There¡¯s no difference between a dead person and a living person.¡±


    Molly furrowed her brows as she nced at her. Molly was the most arrogant and overbearing among


    the younger generation of the Moore family. She always spoke tactlessly and never considered the


    feelings of the listener.


    Vermont was worried she would not shut her mouth and ruin everyone¡¯s spirits, so he quickly changed


    the subject, ¡°Aren¡¯t you from forensics? Do forensics also need to touch corpses?¡±


    Lena said, ¡°If there is a need, I will need to touch them, but there is usually the coroner to do it. We also


    need to go over there to dissect bodies when it¡¯s busy.¡±


    ¡°Dissect?¡± The corner of Vermont¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°Then would you still be able to eat your meals?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be able to eat? It¡¯s just work,¡± she replied.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont turned to Carter. ¡°Lena¡¯s hands touched a corpse, and she used it to grab food for you. Are


    you still able to eat?¡±


    At this moment, everyone was looking at Carter. Even Lena was watching him and waiting for him to


    answer. From Ste¡¯s point of view, Lena¡¯s upation was very cool, but this field was quite a niche.


    They needed to interact with the dead all day, which was seen as ominous for businessmen.


    Carter lifted his gaze and slowly observed everyone. He then said slowly, ¡°You would still eat the food


    even if the cook made the food with the hand he wiped his ass with, right?¡±


    Vermont was speechless. He replied through gritted teeth, ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t wash their hands after going


    to the bathroom before cooking?¡±


    ¡°You know it¡¯smon sense, then why did you ask this pointless question?¡± Carter responded.


    Carter put his palm on the back of Lena¡¯s hand and lightly patted it, ¡°Dead people can¡¯t talk, but she


    canmunicate with the corpse.¡± No one knew what he was thinking, but Carter chuckled and turned


    around to ask Lena, ¡°If I die one day, could you dissect me yourself? It feels like it would be quite a


    romantic thing to do.¡±


    Everyone was at a loss for words. The sentence was a little bone¨Cchilling, and Vermont could not help


    but say, ¡°Do you have a misunderstanding about romanticism?¡±


    Lena pulled her hand back and gave Carter a sidelong nce before saying coldly, ¡°No.¡±


    Carter saw she was angry and softened his tone. ¡°It¡¯s just a joke. Don¡¯t be angry, okay?¡±


    As he said this, he started to cough. Lena saw this, and her expression grew anxious. Compared to


    Zane, Carter¡¯s physical health was not considered well. Although he was the older brother, he was very


    frail when he was born. It was a defect brought from the womb. Hence he had never stopped his


    medication throughout the twenty¨Csomething years.

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    Chapter 268


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    After having a cold, an average person would recover in a few days. On the other hand, Carter might


    have symptoms so severe he has to stay in the hospital, so they cannot me Lena for being so


    nervous.


    Thankfully, Carter merely coughed a few times and stopped. Lena then said, ¡°Where¡¯s your


    medication?¡±


    ¡°In the car,¡± he answered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go down and get it. You can entertain everyone first,¡± Lena told him.


    Carter nodded his head in reply. When Lena had left, Trevor opened his mouth and said, ¡°Lena cares


    for you a lot. Why did you scare her by faking your cough?¡±


    Carter gave two low chuckles with a gentle expression before saying, ¡°Once she starts to care for me,


    she wouldn¡¯t remember about the thing I made her about.¡±


    angry


    Vermont clicked his tongue and said, ¡°Schemeful.¡±


    Then he winked at Keegan. ¡°You see that? Learn from it.¡±


    Keegan was toozy to be bothered by him. Instead, he asked Carter, ¡°Do you still have the red wine I


    gifted youst time?¡±


    Carter was slightly stunned. Vermont then said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hate drinking alcohol? Carter gave you one


    last year, and you didn¡¯t want it. I even had to stuff it in your car.¡±


    Keegan nced at Ste. ¡°My wife likes it. She can drink almost a full bottle by herself.¡±


    Ste almost spitted out the tea she had in her mouth. The red wine Carter had gifted was the same


    bottle opened on the night Keegan was discharged before she gave Keegan a shower. It was true that


    Ste liked to drink red wine, but Keegan had mentioned that specific bottle of wine of all bottles. She


    felt like Keegan was toying with her.


    ¡°Carter, if there¡¯s extra, give me a few bottles too.¡±


    any


    Carter smiled gently. ¡°It¡¯s self¨Cbrewed in a friend¡¯s winery, so I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s this year. I¡¯ll help


    you guys ask when I revisit.¡±


    ¡°Their reputation is that good? This makes me quite curious.¡± Trevor then asked, ¡°Where did your


    friend open his winery?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not really a winery. It¡¯s his own vineyard, and he built an ornamental garden. He brewed his own


    wine for his own amusement. If you¡¯re interested, Mr. Saun, I can take you to look around next time I


    go.¡±


    Before Trevor could speak, Molly interrupted, ¡°If you want to go to a winery, it¡¯s better to go and see the


    ones in France. The smaller workshop operations done domesticallyck any ir. She turned around


    to smile. ¡°When I was studying abroad, I knew a friend. Their family is in the red wine business, and


    they have dozens of winery estates. Their business scale is huge, and their technology is also mature.


    The view from their estate was exquisite. If you¡¯re interested, I can book a slot with him, Trevor.¡±


    Carter chuckled lightly. ¡°Ms. Moore had been studying overseas for far too long that her eyes are


    fixated overseas. Hence her impression of local business is still behind a dozen years.


    Although red wine is not the main beverage consumed locally, the development in the field is up to


    date. There are numerous matured red wine chateaus across the country. If you get the chance, you


    can go and have a look to broaden your horizons. Another thing, France, which is famed for its red


    wine culture, does not have the best quality and quantity of wine. You can look to Italy for that ¡±

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    Molly¡¯s expression was slightly stiff. The way Carter undermined her did not leave her with much


    dignity. Vermont was somewhat surprised and gave Carter a nce.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    From his perception, Carter was a very gentlemanly person. Knowing him for so many years, Vermont


    rarely saw him fight with someone. Carter¡¯s rtionship with Molly was alright too. Could his words


    now be because of Molly¡¯s attitude when talking to Lena earlier?


    The mood was suddenly awkward. Trevor gave a light chuckle and said, ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been overseas


    so many years and never been to a winery in France. If there¡¯s a chance, I¡¯ll go and take a look.¡±


    Then Molly¡¯s expression turned for the better. She kept looking for topics to discuss with Trevor.


    Ste was slightly bored, but then a deshelled prawn suddenly appeared on her te. Ste froze for a


    moment and gave an odd look to Keegan.


    ¡®Is this bastard trying to poison and murder me?¡® she thought.


    Keegan could tell what she was thinking, and he gave her a sidelong nce. ¡°The The Deli are


    delicious.¡±


    prawns from


    Ste took an opposite stance on purpose. ¡°My favorite part is to suck on the What vor is left when


    you have deshelled the prawns?¡±


    prawn


    shells.


    Keegan¡¯s movements froze, and he moved the prawns away. Then he passed the prawns on his te


    over. ¡°Suck it then.¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    ¡®What kind of asshole is Keegan?¡® Ste cursed in her heart.


    Trevor¡¯s gaze fixated on Ste, and he observed her for a long time. Then, he suddenly said, ¡® Mrs.


    Kane, you study performance, right?¡±


    Ste nodded her head.


    ¡°No wonder!¡± He gave augh. ¡°When I was scrolling through some videos, I saw the scene you acted


    in. I was scared by the footage of you holding a knife. It was spectacr.¡±


    ¡°1


    Being directly praised by someone made Ste slightly embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s mainly due to treating it as a


    short video, so the requirements were less strict. Hence, I could perform freely.


    ¡°How did you make the male voice?¡± Trevor continued to ask.


    Ste was shocked. ¡°How did you know that was my voice?¡±


    Trevor smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t know. I merely asked it on a whim, but from what you said, it truly must be your


    voice.¡±


    Ste was speechless. At this moment, everyone else at the table was looking at Ste. Although


    Vermont knew she was Dusky Gxy, he was still shocked. He was a fan of Dusky Gxy. Besides


    the radio series she did early in her career, which he could not find any information about, he had seen


    almost all the animations she had voiced.


    Dusky Gxy made her name in her field using her domineering woman¡¯s voice. Although she could


    change into various other voices, she was most famous for this voice. It was also why so many have


    looked for her to voice main female leads.


    He had never heard Dusky Gxy voice a male voice before. If it came to acoustic sound, Ste¡¯s


    voice skill was unmatched.


    ¡°Have you considered debuting in acting?¡±


    Vermont was immediately rmed. ¡°Even if she debuts, it would be at my side. Don¡¯t you even think


    about it.¡±


    Trevor said slowly, ¡°Ms. Young from yourpany has upied most of your finer resources. Being


    signed to you could not even guarantee she would acquire any resources. We¡¯re different. We¡¯re a new


    company, and the first batch of artists would get the best regardless.¡±

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    Vermont¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°There¡¯s an order to this, okay? Line up properly.¡±


    Trevor took out a business card and handed it to Ste. ¡°I hope I can have the chance to cut in


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    line.¡±


    Ste could not determine whether he was joking or serious.


    She took the business card and nced at it. It read Elegant Media.


    Vermont could not stand it and said, ¡°Mrs. Kane, don¡¯t believe in his sweet talking. In terms of cunning


    businessmen, if Keegan is second, Trevor would definitely be first. He¡¯s ruthless and very mean!¡±


    The corner of Keegan¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°You shut up!¡±


    Ste then pushed the business card back. ¡°I appreciate your generous invitation, Mr. Saun. However, I


    currently don¡¯t have any intention to sign.¡±


    your ¡°No problem. You can keep the business card. Anytime youe around to it, I wee call


    anytime. Of course, not only business but personal affairs are also fine. The Saun family owes you


    huge gratitude.¡±


    Since he had said so, Ste could only ept the business card. Trevor had returned to the country for


    so long, yet they had never been able to gather properly. Today was one of those opportunities. There


    were a few bottles of alcohol present. As the designated driver, Ste did not touch any alcohol. The


    others had more or less drunk some alcohol. No one knew if Trevor did it on purpose, but he kept


    toasting Keegan. Keegan, who could not hold his liquor, started to flush after a few cups.


    Ste initially wanted him to drink less but swallowed her words as they were about to escape her


    mouth. When would she be able to kick the terrible habit of being worrisome?


    After a few rounds of drinking, the room was filled with the smell of alcohol. Ste felt a bit suffocated


    and made the excuse of going to the washroom. She reached the balcony and thought that the


    venttion was much better.


    Ste took out her phone. Felicity had previously sent her a few screenshots andments ten


    minutes ago. The new ount had broken the records of a million fans.


    Felicity had sent [Ste, why not give some fan service for the milestone of a million fans?]


    [The inte had exploded like that, but you¡¯re not online.]


    [The ount needs to be active, so you should slowly grow your familiarity with the fans.]


    Ste picked a few pictures from her phone and sent them to Felicity. [How about any of these?


    ]


    [No! You shouldn¡¯t use filters. Just take a picture with soft lighting. After you take it, send it to me, and


    I¡¯ll help you fix it.] Felicity replied.


    Ste opened her camera app. She was worried one wasn¡¯t enough, so she took quite a few pictures


    and sent them to Felicity.


    ¡°Mrs. Kane.¡± Behind her, Lena¡¯s voice came. Ste turned around, and Lena gave a bottle of


    yogurt to her. ¡°I originally only wanted to invite you. I didn¡¯t know so many people woulde.


    Regarding the filming incident, I¡¯m very thankful for it.¡±


    Ste shook her head. ¡°Mrs. Lowe, you¡¯re too kind. Zane had helped me before. This is just considered


    me returning the favor.¡±


    Lena kept quiet for a moment and spoke in a low tone, ¡°Are you and Zane¡­ very close?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re actually not really close, but I have heard rumors about him.¡±


    ¡°Your impression of him is quite bad, right?¡± Lena asked.


    Ste smiled as she shook her head. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him more than a few times. I don¡¯t have the right


    to judge his character based on a few baseless rumors.¡±


    Lena did not speak, and it was unknown what she was thinking. After a while, she said, ¡°The effect of


    Jurisdiction¡¯s broadcast is great. The producer wants to let you shoot a few more episodes. The price


    can be raised a bit more.¡±

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    Chapter 271


    The effect of Jurisdiction¡¯s broadcast was beyond expectations. Besides the story¡¯s merit, this was


    mainly due to Ste¡¯s interpretation of the character. The producer clearly knew this and naturally


    wanted to shoot a sequel to it. The rate still had space for negotiation.


    Ste thought about it and said, ¡°I can help you shoot a few more, and I still wouldn¡¯t need any


    paycheck. However, I need you to help me do something.¡±


    Lena was surprised, ¡°Me?¡±


    Ste nodded and leaned in to whisper two sentences into her ears. Then, she asked, ¡°Is that okay?¡±


    Lena looked at her thoughtfully. After a long while, she said, ¡°Sure.¡±


    A breeze flowed through. A waft of soft fragrance rushed to their noses.


    Lena furrowed her brows. ¡°This floral fragrance is odd.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s devil¡¯s snare.¡± Ste gave the few stalks of flowers on the balcony a look. She said quietly, ¡°It¡¯s not


    good if you inhale too much.¡±


    ¡®This store is too much. They even put this type of flower on the balcony. They seem to not be afraid


    that the guests would ingest it,¡® Ste thought.


    ¡°You seem to know a lot about this flower. You knew what it was just from a nce,¡± Lena noted.


    ¡°I nted some at home. Devil¡¯s snare is quite beautiful. It¡¯s just that they¡¯re poisonous, so you need to


    be diligent when keeping them,¡± Ste said as she scrolled through her phone. She tapped open the


    picture of her dual¨Ccolored devil¡¯s snare that had bloomed.


    Lena was utterly amazed. ¡°It¡¯s quite pretty.¡±


    ¡°If you like them, I can gift you a fewter.¡± Both of them chatted while walking back. Just as they


    reached the corridor, they heard a voice.


    ¡°Carter, are you nuts? What did you mean just now?¡± It was Molly¡¯s voice. Her tone was slightly angry,


    but she tried to suppress her volume.


    Carter pushed her hand away and tidied his attire. His expression wasid back. ¡°Ms. Moore, have a


    little self¨Crespect. I¡¯m a married man.¡±


    Molly sneered. ¡°Why are you pretending in front of me? Didn¡¯t you marry the coroner just to get back at


    me? Why? Did you put too much emotion into your act? You would let me lose face just for her?¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®What¡¯s this shocking news?¡® Ste thought.


    She discreetly nced at Lena. She had a nonchnt expression, but the hand holding the yogurt


    tightened, and her knuckles were white. She could not leave, yet she could not stay, which made it


    awkward.


    Instead, Carter had ackadaisical expression and sneered out, ¡°Ms. Moore, you might have


    held yourself on too high a pedestal. We¡¯re all grown¨Cups. If you like each other, you stay. If you don¡¯t


    like each other, you break up. What¡¯s there for me to take revenge on you for? It¡¯s just the truth.¡±


    Molly could not believe his words. ¡°The wedding band on her hand. It was the one you used to propose


    to me. Aren¡¯t you doing this purposely for me to see?¡±


    Carter¡¯s body froze, and his expression fell. Then, he chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s just a ring. However, I felt it would


    be a waste if I threw it away. You sure like to fantasize, Ms. Moore.¡±


    Molly grew frustrated. ¡°It better not be! You better keep your mouth shut tight about our thing in the


    past. If my reputation is affected, you won¡¯t get away happy!¡±


    When her sentence ended, they heard a flurry of footsteps from afar. Molly probably left. Ste licked


    her lips and wanted to say something to ease the awkwardness. Then she saw Lena just walk ahead.


    Carter was still tidying his attire when he saw Lena suddenly appear. He was stunned for a bit, then


    naturally walked over to hold her hand.


    ¡°Your hand is cold.¡± He softly rubbed her fingertips. He then put them in his palm to warm them. ¡°Why


    did you go to the balcony?¡±


    Lena did not refuse and said softly, ¡°I went to discuss some stuff with Mrs. Kane.¡±


    Carter turned around to give a look, and Ste hid.


    Carter gripped Lena¡¯s hand tightly. As they walked, he asked, ¡°What did you talk about?¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Mrs. Kane showed me the flowers she nted. They were gorgeous.¡±


    ¡°You like them?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°Then, we should nt them.¡±


    ¡°No, your parents wouldn¡¯t like them.¡±


    ¡°Who cares if they like it? As long as you like it.¡±


    Lena thought about it. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll nt one pot of them. I¡¯ll put them on the balcony of the study.¡±


    Carter closed in to peck at her cheek. He then whispered, ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Ste¡¯s emotions were conflicted. If not for the scene she saw just now, the two would be a match


    made in heaven. Yet, for some reason, after seeing that scene, the lovey¨Cdovey act tasted like poison


    and burned her throat.


    She stayed outside for a while and then entered the room. As a result, she discovered that Keegan, the


    idiot, had drunk himself into a drunken stupor.


    Vermont was not better off, but at least he could still speak normally. It was understandable that the


    others were drunk, but was Molly not outside arguing with Carter just now? How did she end up in


    Trevor¡¯s arms?


    Ste and Vermont used all their strength to put Keegan in the car. The three of them left first. Molly got


    into Trevor¡¯s car. Ste initially thought they would have more development in their rtionship but did


    not expect Trevor to change his ride after the vehicle left not long


    after. He got into a Ferrari and got his driver to send Molly home.


    Just as he got into the car, he was given a document. A male voice said, ¡°All the information for Mrs.


    Kane since birth.¡±

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    Chapter 272


    Trevor took it and flipped through a few pages. Ste¡¯s background was simple from her birth to her


    education and her marriage to Keegan afterward. The content was clear and detailed. Every detail was


    recorded, such as the hospital she was born in, the schools she attended, the clinics she visited when


    she was younger, and even the car ident six years ago.


    There were pictures of her from her youth until the present.


    Trevor pressed his fingers against his lower lip and frowned.


    His personal assistant asked out of curiosity, ¡°Mr. Trevor, why do you suddenly want to investigate Mrs.


    Kane?¡±


    Still flipping through the pages, Trevor said indifferently, ¡°I considering signing her. That¡¯s why I¡¯m


    looking into her background.¡±


    ¡®Does signing an actor require a full history background check from her youth to the present? The


    recently signed actor didn¡¯t go through such a thorough check. Is it more discreet because it¡¯s Mrs.


    Kane?¡®


    Trevor, having skimmed through the thin file a few times, finally raised his eyes. ¡°Help me check Albert


    and Rainee¡¯s background as well. I want it as precise as possible.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Trevor¡¯s phone started ringing just as the conversation ended.


    When he lowered his head and looked at the caller, his expression softened and connected the


    call.


    ¡°Brother, when are youing back?¡±


    Trevor smirked, ¡°I¡¯m on the road and almost home. Why? Are you afraid to be at home alone?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s afraid? If it weren¡¯t for father being afraid of you getting drunk and wanting me to monitor you, I


    can¡¯t be bothered.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m drunk. Can¡¯t you cover for me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not helping! Do you think father is that easy to fool? He¡¯ll punish me if he finds out I¡¯m helping you


    too.¡±


    She muffled her cough as she finished speaking.


    Trevor¡¯s expression tensed up slightly. ¡°Are you coughing? Did you catch a cold?¡±


    ¡°No, Rivera is too dry. My throat has been ufortable for the past two days.¡±


    ¡°Turn on the humidifier and drink more water. I¡¯ll reach home in a moment. Do you want to eat


    something?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. Auntie made dinner tonight. You¡¯d bettere home quick. Father would ask


    questions if he doesn¡¯t see you when he video calls.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be right home soon.¡±


    After hanging up, Trevor asked his assistant, ¡°Xavier, is it possible to arrange cloud seeding?¡±


    Xavier¡¯s eyes twitched as he replied, ¡°Mr. Trevor, this isn¡¯t overseas. Cloud seeding requires approval


    from the Meteorology Department and various other departments.¡±


    To think the words ¡°too dry¡± would make him consider cloud seeding. Only one person in the world


    would dote on his sister to such an extent.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case,¡± said Trevor as he scratched his chin, ¡°tomorrow onwards, send some men to spray


    mist around the house for a few days.¡±


    ¡®That would still require a Street Activity Permit.¡®


    Xavier noted internally, ¡®This might be a good deal. Worsees to worst, we just need to donate a


    sum for street maintenance. I believe they¡¯d be more than happy to issue the permit.¡® Vermont helped


    Ste lie Keegan down on the bed and sat beside him, exhausted and gasping for breath.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    It was never a good idea to drink with Keegan. Whenever he drinks, he¡¯d have to be carried back. He


    was such a big man, yet his alcohol tolerance was even weaker than a woman¡¯s.


    Ste unbuttoned a few of Keegan¡¯s shirt buttons when she saw Vermont about to go downstairs. She


    immediately caught up and said, ¡°Mr. Snyder, let me send you back.¡±


    Vermont waved his hand. ¡°I just hailed a car just now. It should be here any moment.¡±


    After Vermont left, Felicity sent an edited picture to her.


    ¡°Pretty girl, post this on Facebook.¡±


    Felicity did not do a lot of editing on Ste¡¯s face. She simply changed the contrast, and the effect looks


    better already.


    Ste had just finished sending the message when she heard the sound of something dropping on the


    floor from upstairs.


    She hastily ran up the stairs and pushed open the door, only to see Keegan sitting on the floor with a


    frown and an empty look on his face. His head had hit the floor, and there was a red bruise.


    Ste reprimanded him, ¡°You deserved it.¡± She squatted down, lifted a finger in front of Keegan, and


    moved it left and right. ¡°Keegan, can you hear me?¡±


    Keegan, still with a frown, stared at her. His eyes showed his confusion while he pressed his lips tightly.

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    Chapter 273


    He was like that whenever he was drunk. Others either fell asleep with their head tilted or became


    roaring drunks. Keegan, however, belongs to the third kind. His brain couldn¡¯t function when he was


    drunk. He could fool others as if he weren¡¯t drunk, but his brain was already muddled inside.


    Keegan¡¯s low alcohol tolerance was only known by close friends. He would try to avoid attending any


    business meetings involving alcohol, and Aldor would help him out if it was unavoidable. With his


    drinking capacity, he might otherwise get cheated out of hispany in his drunken haze.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Keegan massaged his temples and asked in a soft tone.


    Ste frowned. ¡°Can you even lose your memory from drinking too much?¡±


    She squinted and took advantage to tease him. ¡°My good son, do you not recognize your mother?¡±


    ¡°Mother?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡®What a good catch! I¡¯ve suddenly gotten myself a grown¨Cup son!¡®


    She took out her phone and was about to record some evidence but had second thoughts when


    thinking about the consequences of humiliating Keegan. She ended up not recording when Keegan


    suddenly held her wrist, ¡°Ste?¡±


    ¡®Damn. He sobered up quickly?¡®Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste raised her head, only to see Keegan had the same quizzical expression from just now, still not


    fully awake.


    ¡°My head hurts.¡±


    He frowned and lowered his head the next moment to ce her hands on his forehead as he lightly


    rubbed it.


    Ste felt peculiar.


    ¡®Why is drunk Keegan so¡­obedient?¡®


    ¡°You¡¯re drunk. That¡¯s why your head hurts.¡±


    Ste wanted to pull her hand away, but Keegan¡¯s grip was firm.


    ¡°No. My head hurts from being mad at you,¡± Keegan said matter¨Cof¨Cfactly.


    Ste¡¯s lips twitched, and she replied, ¡°Am I even capable of doing that?¡±


    Still with his eyes closed, Keegan said hoarsely, ¡°You always¡­ make me frustrated. You want to


    divorce me, want to argue with me, but I¡¯m most frustrated when you ignore me.¡±


    Ste was startled and asked softly, ¡°Why are you frustrated when I ignore you?¡±


    Keegan, with his eyes shut, did not reply.


    Ste lowered her head to look closer and saw that Keegan had already dozed off.


    She heaved a sigh. ¡®Why would you say something that would make me feel concerned?¡®


    At Lake Vi, Be looked anxious. ¡°How is it? Did anyone pick up the call?¡±


    Wein shook his head. ¡°Aldor said Mr. Kane had an important dinner, and we should without him.¡±


    go


    ahead


    Be frowned and asked, ¡°Did you say it exactly as I told you to?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Be gritted her teeth. ¡°It¡¯s probably Aldor¡¯s doing!¡±


    She almost got her way thest time Keegan was drunk at Lake Vi. Unfortunately, Aldor came


    rushing in at thest moment and took Keegan away.


    Since then, Keegan intentionally alienated her.


    Thinking about the past made Be gnash her teeth in hatred. ¡®Aldor must have yed a part this time


    as well. This hateful guy has foiled my ns so many times!¡®


    She was still distraught, yet Kelly had to call right at this moment, asking for help to share something on


    Facebook.


    Be said with a straight face, ¡°I¡¯ll do it another day, Kelly. You¡¯re already aware of the situation. We


    couldn¡¯t get onto the hot search¡¯s listing.¡±

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    The hot topic list for entertainment was hogged by Ste and Jurisdiction today. The hot


    topics tag Be bought became the subject of ridicule. Not long after it was listed on the hot search list,


    she got someone to take it off. Naturally, Kelly did not see the effects of the advertising, so she called


    again.


    Be could not be bothered with her antics since she had her own issues to deal with.


    ¡°Please just help to repost again. Even a little more exposure is fine. Oh, right. The woman acting in


    Jurisdiction from the hot search was the new actress Daniel signed for the role of the Empress.¡±


    Be¡¯s face slumped. ¡°What did you say? Ste¡¯s the new actress Daniel picked?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s her. Why? From your tone, is she your acquaintance?¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s not just acquaintances. We practically know each other!¡®


    Be¡¯s face turned ugly.


    If other actresses were to take the role, she could easily change them out. But now that Ste had


    epted the role in The Pce, it would be a little trickier.


    When Keegan gave her the voice¨Cacting role in Honor of the Deities, it was under the condition that


    she rescinds thewyer¡¯s letter.


    She was cklisted online because of the chain crash incident. Wein got awyer to settle the issue


    but was stopped by Keegan before the case could be settled.


    That not only gave her the voice¨Cacting role in Honor of the Deities, but also two regional


    endorsements for two big brands.


    Most of the ckmail materials were dug up by Ste. Otherwise, Keegan would not have given her so


    many materials to make her drop thewsuit.


    It was impossible for Be to let Keegan switch out Ste now that she was acting in The Pce.


    Keegan would not possibly let her wife lose such an opportunity just for her, after all.


    Not hearing any reply on the other end, Kelly did not question further. She reminded Be to repost and


    then hung up.


    Be thought hard, and a person who could help her suddenly came to mind.


    She dismissed Wein, flipped open a book, and dialed the number written inside.


    The phone rang for a while before it was connected. She spoke in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s Be¡­¡±


    Trevor got out of the bath, poured himself some water, sat on the sofa, and picked up the file to go


    through it again.


    His phone rang not long after. He picked up and replied indifferently, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Franklin called. He said to switch out the actress for one of the roles.¡±


    Trevor sipped his tea and asked, ¡°Who does he want to switch out?¡±


    ¡°The actress ying the Empress. He wants to change it to Be.¡±


    Trevor paused for a moment. ¡°Whose idea was this?¡±


    ¡°It looks like it was Mr. Kane.¡±


    ¡°Keegan?¡± Trevor frowned. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°Hearing from Mr. Franklin, it¡¯s definitely him.¡±


    Trevor scowled. He replied after some time, ¡°Tell him to find me himself if he wants the actress


    changed.¡±


    The Pce was aired in a lowkey manner on the 19th of April, without informing the media outlet or


    news of release on any entertainment tform. The crew members were made to sign a confidentiality


    agreement, and no one was allowed to upload pictures, videos, or sound records from the film set.


    If found out, one would have their contract canceled, kicked off the crew, and made to pay up to three


    times of liquidated damages.


    The opening ceremony was a sess, and it was also the same day Ste met the show¡¯s male and


    female leads.

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    The male lead was Finn Jone, an excellent actor who had won numerous des, and the female


    lead was Leia Coleman. They looked younger than her, yet their eyes exposed their maturity.


    They may not be old, but their eyes resembled seasoned performers with a lot to tell and were full of


    hope. It was not a feeling Ste could put into words.


    Unsure if it was because of the higher¨Cups, the shooting had elerated since the opening ceremony.


    ording to a cast member, Daniel wanted to rush the show for Thanksgiving release, and the higher¨C


    ups may cut down on medieval shows next year. If progress was slow and the policy changed next


    year, the show may get cut, and the release may be dyed indefinitely. A dy of two years will have


    a huge impact, not to mention indefinite dys.


    Ste may not have much screen time, but it was quite spread out. Usually, she would be called over


    by Daniel if another actor was shooting a scene and her role had a part in it. That was why, except for


    the ufortable headdress, other inconveniences are still eptable.


    No matter the role, the performers Daniel picked had to always be in good shape.


    Ste¡¯s artiction was good, but her expression was not as good as the others. Despite that, Daniel


    was a willing teacher, and Ste was a keen learner, making her improvement obvious.


    Compared to the hectic life Ste was leading now, Keegan, as ofte, was somewhat depressed.


    Nowadays, Ste woke up earlier and came backter than him, not giving the couple a chance to


    speak with each other. On asions when she came home early, she would yawn and quickly shower


    as if trying to sneak away.


    Ste had reached home after nine again tonight: She took a bath and half¨Cdried her hair before lying


    on the bed. She used to check on her phone before sleeping but had stopped doing it nowadays.


    Keegan loudly flipped through a book, making Ste furrow her brows. She pulled out a pair of


    earplugs and an eye mask from the drawer to drown out both senses.


    ¡®This asshole had never been in bed before eleven in the past. Recently, why is he here whenever I lie


    down? Most importantly, he would flip the book back and forth instead of sleeping. So noisy!¡®


    Seeing her drowning out light and sound and seeming impatient, Keegan¡¯s mouth couldn¡¯t help but


    twitch. He was about to put down the book and turn off the lights when Ste¡¯s phone rang. Seeing


    Ste not move, Keegan took out one of her earplugs and forced the phone beside her ear. The shrill


    noise instantly woke Ste up.


    She took off her eye mask and was about to lose her temper when Keegan said indifferently, ¡± Your


    father.¡±


    Ste pursed her lips and took the call.


    ¡°Ste, are you asleep?¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s sote. Anyone would be woken up by this.¡®


    Ste still pursing her lips before she replied, ¡°Not yet. Is there anything you need, father?¡±


    ¡°Your great-grandfather was recently discharged from the hospital and insisted on staying at your ce


    for a few days to see his great¨Cgrandson¨Cinw. Are you at home tomorrow? Can I fetch him over


    tomorrow?¡±


    Ste immediately became wide awake.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Her great¨Cgrandfather, Arthur Jewell, Albert¡¯s grandfather, was eighty¨Cseven this year. Before she


    joined the cast, Albert had called, saying Arthur Jewell hade to the city to receive treatment for


    possible enteritis and would be staying in the hospital for a few days. She spared some time to visit him


    at that time.


    Many from the Jewell family came to pay a visit, encircling the bed. Ste did not stay long and left


    quickly.


    Ste had a bad rtionship with her rtives. She rarely returned to her great¨Cgrandparents¡® home


    and rarely saw Arthur. Even when she married, Arthur never attended the wedding because it was too


    far. ¡®Why would he take the initiative to stay at my ce now of all times?¡®

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    Ste furrowed her eyebrows. ¡°If Arthur wants to see Keegan, I could just bring him over. Since we


    both work in the morning, no one would be home. Who would take care of him if you were to send him


    here? Arthur¡¯s mature in age, and if idents were to happen, won¡¯t I be the target forints?¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    She whispered in a low voice. ¡°Keegan¡¯s just like us. What part of him is so good to look at?¡±


    Albert was not satisfied and reprimanded, ¡°What are you trying to say? Have you forgotten the time you


    returned to your great¨Cgrandparent¡¯s home when you were young? Arthur, who loved you the most,


    would give you the best of everything. Won¡¯t you fulfill hisst wish since his days are already limited?


    How will this trouble you since you¡¯re living so well? Besides, even if Keegan has gone to work, you are


    still idling at home, right? How would I answer your aunts and uncles if you disagree? Pass the phone


    to Keegan so I can talk to him.¡±


    ¡®He made a promise even before calling, and yet he mes me? Rather than Keegan, it would be


    much better to speak to me. Keegan¡¯s more vicious with his words and is very particr. Would he


    even agree to let a stranger in if it would negatively impact his lifestyle?¡®


    Ste then thought, ¡®Fine. I¡¯ll let Keegan have the phone. Maybe his vicious tongue could make Albert


    back off.¡®


    She then passed the phone to Keegan. ¡°My father wants to speak with you.¡±


    Keegan nced at her and took the phone. Ste could not get to sleep as she sat beside Keegan,


    waiting for him to reject Albert viciously. Keegan waited for Albert to finish rambling before he said


    indifferently, ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll arrange for someone to clean up the guest room.¡®


    Ste could not believe what she had heard. She waited for Keegan to hang up before asking,.¡± Why


    did you agree?¡±


    Keegan returned the phone to her. ¡°Can I even reject it when your father has it all nned?¡±


    ¡®Bullshit! Has he already forgotten how many times he had heartlessly refused? What¡¯s going on with


    Keegan today?¡®


    Ste pursed her lips, only to speak up after a long while, ¡°You allowed him toe. If his being here


    aggravates you, you¡¯ll have to ept the consequences yourself. Don¡¯tin to me since I never


    agreed to it.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s lips twitched as he said, ¡°Are you heartless? Who do you think I did this for?¡±


    Ste curled up in her nket, closed her eyes, and mumbled, ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to agree. I¡¯ll at most


    get scolded by father since this is not the first time anyway.¡±


    Keegan suddenly recalled the incident at the hospital, where Ste came home with a p mark on her


    face after seeing Albert. It was all because Albert discovered Dahlia had not received the two boxes of


    white truffles.


    ¡®Albert would only treat her nicely when I¡¯m around. Her days with the Jewell family might not have


    been as easy as I had imagined.¡®


    His tossing and turning finally annoyed Ste, and she went outside with the nket to turn in for the


    night.


    Keegan took out his phone and pondered for a long while before he messaged Felicity, [What did


    Albert do to Ste?]


    Felicity was in a game when she received the message. Her hands identally jerked, causing her to


    miss, and the opponent defeated her.


    The teammates scolded her. ¡°Are you trying to act like a newbie? You stole the jungle and bottom


    lanes, yet you missed when the enemy was right in your face? Why fight for the mage role when you


    don¡¯t even know how to use it?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you just throwing the game by picking Ang?¡±


    ¡°Your trashy ys wasted my chance for a rank¨Cup!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I joined a newbie team! Quickly surrender so I can start the next game!¡±


    The corners of Felicity¡¯s mouth twitched. She turned on the mic and verbally retaliated. ¡°I wanted to


    help pick the heroes since I was the first to pick, yet no one replied on their microphone. Did I smear


    your family name by picking a mage? How attractive is the middlene for everyone to steal it? Don¡¯t


    you dare spit at me if you don¡¯t even know how to check the bushes as Yaria! The opponent jungler


    had already stolen several minion waves from their middlene. Yet, our jungler was only leisurely


    farming in the jungle while hitchhiking as Yaria. Are you even trying? Rank up? Go rank up somewhere


    else! Get stuck in the Silver Order, you newbies! I¡¯m not surrendering!¡±


    Felicity was muted by the game when sheshed out in anger.


    All her teammates were bbergasted. She responded in kind to all their remarks by cussing at them


    respectively.


    Only after releasing her anger did she reply to Keegan, [Mr. Kane, why don¡¯t you ask your wife


    directly?]


    The current her was in awe, yet afraid of Keegan. She could only avoid offending him as much as


    possible.


    Keegan bit his lip. [She¡¯s asleep.]


    ¡®Why can¡¯t you ask her tomorrow?¡® Felicity silently cursed. ¡®How strange for Keegan to message just to


    ask about Ste.¡®


    [Ste¡¯s father favored male over female and had always been brooding over her mother¡¯s inability to


    bear another child due to her weak constitution. He never gave Ste the attention she deserved. It


    was still bearable when her mother was still around. After her mother was met with bad luck, the family


    business was in a crisis. The first thing on her father¡¯s mind was to set her up in an arranged marriage.]


    [What despicable man would refrain from taking a beauty like her as their wife? Ste¡¯s father couldn¡¯t


    care less about the spouse¡¯s age difference or their previous affairs. As long as they can help him tide


    over the difficulties in his business, he would marry her off to older men. It¡¯s good that she met you


    though you aren¡¯t perfect¡­]


    Having slipped her tongue identally, Felicity paused and became cautious. She only continued after


    noticing Keegan¡¯s silence. [Anyway, it¡¯s gotten better since the marriage these past few years. He¡¯s


    afraid of you, and he¡¯ll treat Ste slightly better just for your sake.]


    Felicity, having gained courage after writing all that, asked, [Mr. Kane, will you really give


    Ste a billion dors after the divorce?]


    Keegan¡¯s vein twitched.


    ¡®Damn it. Just how many people did she inform about the divorce?¡®


    Keegan maintained his poker face. [No.]


    Felicity immediately panicked. [Haven¡¯t you signed the divorce papers? You¡¯re not fooling anyone.]


    Keegan coldly replied, (When have I mentioned I wanted a divorce?]


    [What?]


    [Don¡¯t let Ste know I looked for you. Otherwise,] Keegan paused, [I can end the copyright as quickly


    as having you signed on for it.]


    ¡®Keegan was the one to pull the strings for the copyright sale? Why did he help me in the dark?


    ¡®thought Felicity as she pondered over the past. He framed her for stealing the rings, and she was sent


    to the police station. After returning, her boss immediately told her that someone wanted to buy the


    copyrights to her work.


    ¡®Everything was going too fast then. Now that I think about it, good and bad things normally don¡¯te


    consecutively. Is Keegan trying topensate me? What would Keegan get out of all this?¡®


    In a moment of epiphany, Felicity came up with a weird guess. ¡®Could Keegan be doing it for Ste?¡®


    If Felicity was jailed, Keegan would not get anything out of this, yet he contracted her scripts, giving her


    a tidy sum. The only difference was that Ste had to move back with him.


    ¡®He created such a huge fiasco so that Ste would return home on her own? This has to be a joke¡­¡®

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    ¡®Albert has such good timing. Ste didn¡¯t have to work that day, and Albert just had to do something


    like this.¡®


    ¡°Good morning, Mrs. Kane.¡± Ste heard several people greeting her as soon as she woke up and


    went downstairs. She was shocked and almost slipped.


    There were some domestic helpers cleaning the house, and Ste had no idea when they arrived.


    The ss table in the living room was spotlessly clean, and the huge wedding photo looked as good as


    new too.


    Everything in the house looked so pristine, just like when they first got married and moved in.


    ¡®I don¡¯t understand what Keegan¡¯s doing.


    ¡®Not only did he agree to let somebody else live here, but he also told them to clean the house as if it


    mattered.¡®


    Nheless, Ste was pleased because she did not have to do anything.


    Keegan came down from upstairs just after Ste poured herself a ss of water.


    He had a suit on, and he purposely styled his hair. He walked down as he fixed his sleeve.


    Keegan¡¯s body proportions were perfect. He was six feet one, and his legs were three feet seven. The


    suit that he was wearing made his legs look even longer.


    Ste swept her nce over his starched ck silently before she gulped and said, ¡°Why are you going


    to work sote today?¡±


    Keegan red at her. ¡°I¡¯m not going to work.¡±


    ¡®Then why are you wearing a suit?¡®


    Before she could ask that question, Ste heard Keegan speak again. ¡°Change into something nice. I¡¯ll


    wait for you in the car.¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste paused. ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°Your dad wants us to pick your great¨Cgrandfather up.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®I thought they were going to send him over. Why do we have to pick him up now?¡®


    The Jewell family had a lot of visitors when Ste¡¯s great¨Cgrandfather fell sick. Rainee did not have a


    good rtionship with her rtives, so Ste only met them a few times. Obviously, they did not like


    her.


    She would not want to meet those people if given the option.


    Thest time Ste saw them was during the new year when Albert insisted she join them for dinner.


    Keegan did not like to socialize, so Ste went alone.


    Ste could still clearly remember the looks her rtives gave her that day.


    Albert was the first person to graduate from a university in his family. He gave a lot of money to his


    family to build roads back home after that, so he was highly respected in the Jewell family.


    Albert was a role model to almost everyone in the Jewell family. Some of his rtives settled down in


    the city with his help too. Even though some of them stayed in their old home, they would send their


    kids to study in the city, hoping they would be another Albert.


    Ste and her cousins did not have a big age difference, so their parents¡® favorite thing to do


    was topare


    them with each other whenever they all gathered to celebrate an asion.


    Some parents would feel superior if their child scored well, but the children who did poorly would not


    even have the mood to eat without their parents having to nag them.


    However, Ste was the best child among them, and she had always been.


    She was brilliant, and Rainee spent a lot of time and effort in her education. Ste would already know


    everything in the Year Two sybus when her peers were still in Year One. So she would consistently


    score very well because of that.


    Rainee liked to show off. After unting Ste¡¯s results, Rainee would ask Ste to y the piano and


    flute in front of everyone.


    Her rtives were less privileged than her, so the things that Ste learned were out of reach for them.


    That was why what Rainee did made them very mad.


    Every child was a parent¡¯s best¨Cloved one, and they simply could not bear to see Ste being in the


    limelight every single time.


    So, their rtionship with each other worsened as time passed.


    Not only did Rainee invite almost a thousand people to a meal in her old home during the year when


    Ste got epted into Trinity University, but she also organized a concert for three days straight. All of


    her rtives boiled with anger.

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    After that, Rainee got into an ident, and Ste got married to Keegan right after she graduated. She


    came from such a prestigious university, yet she became a housewife instead. So, her rtives took


    the chance to get their revenge.


    One of Ste¡¯s cousins scored higher than the minimum score required to get into Calton University.


    Calton University was second only to Trinity University and was one of the leading universities.


    Her rtives brought it up during a gathering, and one mentioned what happened when they were


    young. That person said Ste was very good at studying, yet he used her as an example to tell the


    children there that it was no use for a girl to be so knowledgeable because she would end up being a


    housewife if she did not have a broad vision.


    One could already imagine how furious Ste felt at that time.


    She lost all her appetite after reminding herself of those people.


    Keegan was already waiting in the car when Ste finished changing.


    Keegan drove a Lincoln that day. He rarely drove that car.


    Aldor could tell how confused Ste was, so he exined, ¡°There¡¯s a bed in this car, and it¡¯ll be more


    comfortable for an older person to sit on.¡±


    ¡®How thoughtful.¡¯


    Ste looked at Keegan.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure that this isn¡¯t his idea.¡±


    ¡°Get in now.¡±


    Keegan urged Ste before she got inside.


    He drove out of the neighborhood and asked Ste, ¡°What have you been doing these days? Why do


    you leave the house so early ande back sote?¡±


    ¡°Work, of course. Didn¡¯t you see how popr Jurisdiction is? The director likes me very much. and


    wants me to be in a few more episodes.¡±


    Aldor got interested when Ste mentioned Jurisdiction.


    ¡°My mom has been watching this show too. She was frightened after the first episode, especially by the


    part you acted in. She told me that the actor looked so good. I said that you¡¯re a girl and she didn¡¯t


    believe me. She only startedining that the actress in the second. episode didn¡¯t look as good as


    the one in the first. The second actress just couldn¡¯t act as well as you. She even learned how to surf


    the inte just toment that she wants to see you in the show again on the official Facebook page


    of Jurisdiction. She isn¡¯t very good with spelling, and she even identally typed some banned words


    that got her ount suspended. So, she¡¯s wondering if she should just call the TV station now.¡±


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Your mom¡¯s so interesting.¡± Ste smiled and said, ¡°This isn¡¯t a drama. We can¡¯t keep using the same


    cast.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t understand. She¡¯s just watching it as if it¡¯s a drama. Not only someone her age,


    but my co-workers and I would watch it too during our break time. Even Mr. Kane watches it.¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    Ste gazed at Keegan. Then, she leaned closer to him and asked, ¡°How was my acting? Did I


    embarrass you?¡±


    She was breathing just a few inches away from him, and Keegan suddenly remembered how she


    looked when she held a knife against that man¡¯s chin.


    She was so crazy and alluring. There was just something about her that could not be described in


    words.


    Keegan gulped. Then, he looked away and said tly, ¡°It was fine.¡±


    Ste¡¯s lip curled. ¡°It¡¯s so difficult to hear you praise someone.¡±


    Keegan looked a little annoyed. ¡°Actually¡­ it was pretty good,¡± he said after some time.


    After not getting a response from Ste, he turned his head and looked at her, only to find. that she


    already had her headphones on and was resting with her eyes closed.


    Unfortunately, Ste could not hear thepliment that he had spent so much time working himself up


    to say.


    Keegan got upset.


    Aldor had a hard time holding hisughter back, so he turned up the radio¡¯s volume to protect his boss¡¯


    dignity.


    In the Jewell Residence, everyone in the family already knew that Sophia got epted by the Vinci


    Rivera Group.


    All the rtives gathered together because Ste¡¯s great-grandfather was discharged, so they talked


    about it.


    The Vinci Rivera group was known by almost everyone in the country. Not only was Sophia a part of


    such a famous enterprise, but she also became the spokesperson for a project.


    Lydia Night, one of Ste¡¯s rtives, wanted to take this chance and brag about how her son passed


    an interview. Yet, Sophia took the spotlight away from her.

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    Chapter 279


    The Vinci Rivera Group was the core of the advanced technology sector in the country, and the


    professional requirements of working with them were extremely high. So, they worked with some of the


    best local universities to specifically train the students as the future workforce to meet their demands.


    They needed a few people to promote their new campaign, and Sophia happened to be one of the


    chosen ones.


    Firstly, the university she graduated from was one of the universities the Vinci Rivera Group was


    interested in. Secondly, Sophia was an online celebrity and influential among university students. She


    used to be an orphan, yet she joined the Vinci Rivera Group after she graduated. Her life story is pretty


    motivating for most people.


    Sophia graduated in the same year as Lydia¡¯s son. Even though her university was not as good. as


    Calton, she managed to get into such a goodpany. She even became the spokesperson for Vinci


    Rivera before her probation ended. There was just no way that Lydia could be okay with it.


    ¡°I¡¯d never expect Sophia to be the most sessful person in the Jewell family. She got to work in a


    goodpany like this right after she graduated. She has a bright future ahead of her.¡±


    ¡°The blind fortune teller back in our old house used to say that she would someday excel in life. How


    right he was!¡±


    ¡°What does this have to do with that fortune teller? Her father¡¯s the reason why she could achieve


    something like this.¡±


    ¡°What about Ste then? She got into an even better university, and Rainee just couldn¡¯t stop bragging


    about that. But what happened? Not only did she choose to be an art student, but she got married right


    after she graduated. What a shame.¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I think she¡¯s acting in one of the online shows now. Haa¡­ She even made herself look like a freak on


    it. Isn¡¯t her mother-inw very wealthy? Why does she still need to work?¡±


    ¡°I


    guess she prefers spending her own money. Albert called her and said he wanted to send the old man


    over for a few days, yet she kept finding excuses to reject him. I¡¯m pretty sure this is because she can¡¯t


    make any decisions in the family, and she¡¯s just a nobody.¡±


    ¡°She came from such a good university, yet she married right after graduating. What¡¯s the point of even


    studying? Look at Sophia. She got into arge corporation. She¡¯ll be well- respected by her husband¡¯s


    family when she gets married because she has her own career.¡±


    Sophia was delighted to hear those things.


    Even though she knew her rtives only said some of those things to tter Albert, she still felt very


    good about herself. After all, before Rainee got into that ident, they had only praised Ste.


    Sofia spoke softly after being satisfied listening to theirpliments. ¡°Uncles, aunties, that¡¯s not right.


    Ste values the family more than me, and I¡¯m only working because I don¡¯t like spending money that¡¯s


    not mine. My dad spent so much money and effort on me, and I just can¡¯t let him down.¡±


    Sofia made it sound like she was putting a good word in for Ste, but she was actually belittling Ste


    by saying that Ste didn¡¯t have a dream to chase to make herself look better.


    ¡°Sophia¡¯s such a good kid. Just look at how many clothes she buys for the old man these days. He


    couldn¡¯t stop smiling while praising her to me.¡±


    Lydia finally found the chance to interrupt them. ¡°Sophia, you haven¡¯t worked here for a month yet,


    right? How did you receive your sry so soon?¡±


    Sophia red at Lydia and then smiled faintly. ¡°Auntie Lydia, it¡¯s only been half a month, and I didn¡¯t


    receive any payment at all. The money I used to buy my great-grandpa¡¯s shirt came from my


    schrship and the money I earned from working part-time. Dustin¡¯s so good at studying. I¡¯m sure he


    received a good amount of schrship, too, right? What did he buy for you?¡±


    Dustin never spent anything on her. Lydia¡¯s face twitched. She cursed at Sophia inwardly while saying


    in a t tone, ¡°O-Of course. Dustin¡¯s a good kid.¡±


    Ste heard everything as she stood at the door. Her rtives did not let her down. She could hear


    them chatting from the other side of the wall, and even the pedestrians could listen to what they were


    talking about.


    She was about to turn around and leave, but Keegan grabbed her wrist and rang the doorbell. Very


    soonter, a teenage girl came to open the door. She was shocked to see the couple that looked like


    superstars as she could not recognize them. ¡°Who are you looking for?¡±


    Ste knew who that girl was. It was Sarah Jewell, Lydia¡¯s daughter. Sarah was still going to high


    school. She was very skinny and looked very scared when she met anybody. She looked nothing like


    her mother, and Jewell once gave her tuition.


    Ste smiled. ¡°Sarah, we¡¯re here to pick up great-grandpa.¡±


    Sarah only came around after hearing that. ¡°Ste?¡±

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    Sarah ran back into the house and shouted, ¡°Ste¡¯s back! She¡¯s here!¡±


    Lydia scolded her after seeing her over-the-top reaction. ¡°So what, if she came back? Did you have to


    shout? Is this your first time meeting her?¡±


    Then, she saw Keegan entering the room while holding Ste¡¯s hand.


    Everyone went silent.


    ¡®Didn¡¯t we say that we¡¯ll send great-grandpa overter? Why did shee with her husband?¡¯


    Keegan had never attended any family celebrations in the Jewell family. Dahlia thought that the Jewells


    was a massive family from the countryside, and she was afraid they would not know the standards of a


    marriage ceremony, so she did not invite any of them to avoid embarrassment.


    A lot of people there had yet to meet Keegan.


    Even though all of them criticized Ste for getting married right after graduating, they were actually


    jealous of her.


    The Kane family of Rivera had achieved so many things that they were on a level that could never be


    reached by most people.


    Did somebody say that Ste could not make any decisions in the Kane family and that she was just a


    nobody?


    Keegan¡¯s presence immediately shut a lot of them


    Of course, the look on Sophia¡¯s face was the worst among them. However, she quickly recollected


    herself as she approached them and said, ¡°Hello, Ste, Keegan. What brings you here?¡±


    Before she could open her mouth, Ste heard Keegan say, ¡°My wife takes her family very seriously.


    Her great-grandpa had just recovered from being sick, and she purposely asked me toe here and


    pick him up in a car with a bed so that he could be morefortable on the way to our home.¡±


    Sophia was speechless.


    Ste gazed at Keegan, shocked.


    ¡®Is this guy helping me?¡±


    However, Sophia¡¯s face looked ugly. Even though Keegan spoke tly, his words sounded a little


    sarcastic. The fact that he said Ste took her family very seriously also seemed like he was purposely


    talking back against what Sophia had just said.


    ¡°Ste¡¯s so considerate.¡± Albert was delighted by Keegan¡¯s visit as he quickly said, ¡°Stop standing over


    there. Come on in.¡±


    ¡°Dad,¡± Keegan said before continuing, ¡°There are a lot of things in the car. Would you get someone to


    get them?¡±


    After a few minutes, several people unloaded many gifts from the car in front of everyone.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    There were some very expensive teas, imported and organic yogurt, saffron worth a few hundred for


    less than an ounce, several boxes of wild eleuthero, and plenty of other rare things that cost a fortune


    and even the Jewells had never heard of.


    Not only were Ste¡¯s rtives shocked, but Albert was also very surprised by the generous gifts.


    ¡°These¡­ these are too expensive.¡±


    ¡°Ste said that she doesn¡¯t meet her great-grandpa often, so she has to treat him very well. These are


    really not that expensive. She can probably earn everything back by shooting just one episode of her


    show.¡±

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    Ste was speechless.


    Everyone there went quiet too.


    Those things were worth at least a few million, yet Keegan made it sound like they were not enough.


    And, he purposely mentioned that Ste was the one who bought them just to tell Sophia that Ste did


    not ask him for


    money.


    Sophia was certain that Keegan had heard what she and her rtives said just now, so he only said


    those things to target her.


    It did not matter if Ste really bought those gifts or not, but the fact that Keegan was willing to


    apany her to be there said a lot about their rtionship.


    All the rtives that were looking down on Ste did not dare to say anything anymore.


    Lydia felt very good after looking at how Sophia was embarrassed. Then, she added fuel to the fire.


    ¡°Albert, you¡¯re such a fortunate man. Just look at how many things Ste and her husband brought


    here today. I guess Keegan is like your son now.¡±


    Albert felt very proud that Keegan made his way there. His face glowed as he humbly said, ¡°I


    appreciate the gifts, but all I want is for them to be happy together.¡±


    Lydia¡¯s eyes sparkled as she suddenly turned to Sophia. ¡°Sophia, how much do you make in Vinci


    Rivera?¡±


    Sophia was still mad as she glowered at Lydia after hearing her question. ¡°Aunt Lydia, I signed a non-


    disclosure agreement, so that¡¯s something I can¡¯t tell you.¡±


    Lydia was not bothered. ¡°We¡¯re your family, not outsiders. Do you think we¡¯re going to tell everybody


    else about it?¡±


    Sophia trembled with rage.


    She knew that Lydia only asked her to make her look bad. Ste had just bought so many expensive


    things back home, and she would never be able to afford them even though she earned a lot more than


    she did.


    ¡°It¡¯s better for a girl to find herself the right husband. I¡¯m afraid that someone won¡¯t be able to spend her


    partner¡¯s money even if she wants to,¡± said Lydia.


    Even though Ste did not like Lydia or agree with what she said, she was amused by the fact that


    Sophia could not find a word to refute Lydia.


    She just could not figure out what Keegan did to make him act like a decent human.


    Albert immediately tried to make things less awkward for Sophia. ¡°Sophia, why don¡¯t you check on your


    great-grandpa and see if he¡¯s done changing? Tell him that Ste hase to pick him up too.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Sophia responded with a long face before going upstairs.


    Lydia felt really good. Then, she said to everyone else, ¡°I have good news today. My son, Dustin,


    passed the interview at Calton University.¡±


    Everybody there smiled without saying anything.


    They did not ignore her because of how badly she wanted to show off her son. Otherwise, they would


    have plenty of other reasons to dislike her.


    Rainee bragged about her daughter because Ste was undoubtedly the best among them.


    However, not only did Lydia unt her son¡¯s achievement, but she also put others¡¯ children. down.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Her rtives would not be bothered by just that, but she did something even more bizarre.

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    There was a tradition in the town where a family would hold a big banquet with friends and rtives


    once their child was epted into college. The guests would also give the kid their best regards for


    their future.


    That was why when Ste was epted into Trinity University, Rainee hosted a banquet with eighty-


    eight tables at their old home. She did not charge their rtives and friends a single cent. It did not


    matter if any of them made snarky remarks toward her and Ste because they were jealous. She still


    boasted her daughter¡¯s achievements to everyone she saw.


    Lydia, on the other hand, started telling everyone that her son was having a celebration the second his


    high school admission letter arrived in the mail. She even asked the guests to donate what they could


    to have a feast. However, when the time came, they found out that Lydia had only set up a few tattered


    tables on the front porch. She then asked everyone to enter the house to eat.


    When they entered her house, they discovered that the decorations werecking. Even a funeral


    looked nicer than Lydia¡¯s ce. It was clear that she did not want to spend any money. And, she only


    cooked up a massive pot of stew to satisfy their hunger.


    Lydia had used the leftover radishes and cabbages that their shop could not sell in the stew. There


    were only a few pieces of meat in it too. She had received more than 100 thousand dors from the


    donations, yet she had the audacity to serve a pot of stew. It was an embarrassing sight since they


    obviously could do better. Aside from Albert Jewell, Lydia¡¯s family was the second richest in the Jewell


    family.


    She owned tens of acres of orchards and earned millions of dors a year alone. Her husband was a


    very hard-working and capable man who worked as a warehouse manager in Albert¡¯spany. He


    made hundreds of thousands per year. Yet, even with this much money, their family still asked for


    donations from their friends and rtives.


    So, when Lydia told everyone that her son was epted into Calton University, no one said a thing


    because they knew that she was trying to cheat them of their money. Seeing that no one was


    congratting their family, Lydia took it as them being jealous rather than feeling embarrassed for


    herself.


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    She nced around the ce, and her gaze fell upon the fourth daughter-inw of the Jewell family.


    ¡°ine! How did Hayden do in his second exam?¡±


    ine did not want to converse with Lydia, so she ndly said, ¡°I didn¡¯t ask.¡±


    ¡°How could you not ask about your son¡¯s results? Examinations are important. Hayden did poorly in


    last year¡¯s exam. He must have had some improvement this year-round, right? I mean, even my baby,


    Dustin, had gone for an interview. Shouldn¡¯t Hayden be getting interviews right now too? Or¡­ Did he


    not do well in his exams again, and he didn¡¯t tell you guys?¡±


    An ugly expression appeared on ine¡¯s face. ¡®Is this what a decent human being should say? It¡¯s fine


    if you want to boast about your child, but there¡¯s no need to bring others down!¡¯ she thought.


    ine tried to suppress her anger. When she saw Ste, she suddenly knew what to say.¡± Hayden has


    his own opinions, unlike Dustin, who needs you to do everything for him.¡± She


    then paused for a while before she continued, ¡°Lydia, remember when Ste got her eptance letter?


    Rainee threw such a huge banquet with more than eighty tables. She event invited a famous live band.


    Now that Dustin has been admitted into grad school, I¡¯m expecting more than 100 tables for his


    celebration since he is the first in the Jewell family to get into grad school. I hope you¡¯re not cooking


    another pot of radish stew to fool us this time.¡±


    Lydia was a little embarrassed when ine mentioned the past. ¡°What did you say? I fooled you? I was


    just trying to be a low-key person. Look at how Ste got married right after her graduation. She and


    her mother are a joke to the Jewell family,¡± she said sullenly.


    Ste¡¯s expression darkened before someone grabbed her hand. Keegan rubbed the back of her hand


    intermittently and said, ¡°I don¡¯t get it, Aunt Lydia. Why is it a joke? Is Ste marrying me so funny to


    you?¡±


    Lydia froze. She was so focused on ine that she forgot to look around before she spoke. Lydia had


    always said it¡¯s better to marry well than to get good results. In her perception, that only applied to her


    daughter. Now that Rainee¡¯s daughter was the one who got to marry into a well-known family, she


    started bing jealous.


    Lydia was not scared of Ste or Albert. If they were the only people there, she would have talked even


    louder just to let them hear it. However, it was different with Keegan. He was not from the Jewell family


    and did not even spare them a nce when he and Ste got married, which meant he was not going


    to give Lydia any face.

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    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°T-That was not what I meant¡­¡± Lydia stammered.


    ¡°What did you mean then, Aunt Lydia? My wife married me at a young age. She woke up every


    morning to prepare breakfast and clean the house. She worked hard to care for me and the house day


    and night so that I could focus on my work. Tell me, why is she a joke?¡± Keegan widened his eyes and


    said.


    Ste stayed quiet. She could not believe her ears. She was blushing from Keegan¡¯s lies. Ste only


    woke up when it was noon, and the meals she prepared were inedible. The only thing she was diligent


    at was shopping and buying stuff with his credit card. From Keegan¡¯s point of view, she was ungrateful


    to have wanted a divorce.


    Lydia¡¯s face was flushed, and she did not utter a word for a long time. On the other hand, the corners of


    ine¡¯s lips curled with excitement as she watched Lydia get schooled. ¡®Hah! You deserve that, bitch,¡¯


    she thought.


    In the end, Albert said, ¡°I don¡¯t understand why someone as old as you would act like a three- year-


    old.¡±


    Lydia finally calmed down after that.


    After a while, Sophia helped Arthur down the stairs. The old man was nearly ny years old, and his


    body was quite strong. However, he had a hunchback and wrinkles all over his face. The clothes on his


    body looked brand new. Members of the Jewell family must have bought it for him earlier. Arthur looked


    clean and energetic.


    The old man nced around the ce, and his gaze fell upon Keegan. He then stared at him carefully.


    Albert wanted to help the old man, but Arthur waved his hand and rejected his help.


    ¡°Grandpa, this is my son-inw, Keegan. I showed you a picture of him before,¡± Albert said. His voice


    was much louder than usual since the old man was partially deaf.


    ¡°How old are you?¡± Arthur asked.


    ¡°Thirty,¡± Keegan pursed his lips and said.


    The old man frowned and muttered, ¡°You just got married at the age of thirty? What¡¯s the matter with


    you?¡±


    Keegan was at a loss for words. Everyone there broke into a cold sweat after hearing Arthur¡¯s words.


    Ste almost let out augh, but Keegan¡¯s face looked serious.


    Albert was afraid that Keegan would get angry, so he hurriedly exined, ¡°They didn¡¯t get married this


    year, grandpa. They¡¯ve been married for several years now. Times are different, grandpa. Kids


    nowadays marryte and have childrente as well. There are many people in their thirties who aren¡¯t


    married yet.¡±


    After Albert said that, he whispered to Keegan, ¡°He¡¯s getting old, and he¡¯s a bit confused.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the


    one who is confused!¡± Arthur then said in dissatisfaction, ¡°Ste is still so young. Why did you throw her


    into the lion¡¯s den? What kind of a father are you?¡±


    Keegan stayed quiet. Before he could recover from the first wave of insult, he was already receiving a


    second wave. ¡°This old man is nuts. We¡¯re never going to get along. Ah! I shouldn¡¯t


    have agreed to let him stay with us¡­¡¯

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    Arthur¡¯s insult was mainly aimed at Albert. Ste then felt that he wasn¡¯t a confused old man. Albert


    smiled apologetically and said, ¡°Keegan treats her very well. Ste is blessed to have married him.


    How is she in a lion¡¯s den?¡± The old man snorted and did not speak again.


    Keegan¡¯s appearance was rare at the Jewell residence. Albert wanted him to at least stay for a meal.


    Initially, Keegan and Ste nned to pick Arthur up and leave, but Albert insisted on them staying.


    After having lunch with the Jewells, they rested there for a bit before driving the old man back to their


    ce. It was already 3:00 or 4:00 p.m. when they got in the car.


    Ste asked her great-grandfather if he wanted to lie down for a while, but the man wanted to


    He said he could not see from the window if hey down. Ste thought that it was funny, but she


    obeyed his wishes.


    Arthur had lived in his hometown all his life. But now, he was in Rivera, the farthest ce he had ever


    traveled. Aldor intentionally slowed down to let him take in the view. Arthur¡¯s golden eyes were fixed on


    the slowly receding scenery outside the window. The rows and rows of buildings in Rivera looked


    magnificent.


    Arthur looked at the road for a long time and said, ¡°The ce is developing really well. There are so


    many skyscrapers here.¡±


    Ste suddenly felt sad and whispered, ¡°You can stay here longer if you like.¡±


    Arthur smiled and joked, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to have such a blessing at this age.¡± As he said that, he


    suddenly put his hand into the pocket of his coat, rummaged it for a long time, and took out a piece of


    Ferrero chocte. He handed it to Ste and whispered to her like a child, ¡°I found this in Sophia¡¯s


    room. She said it¡¯s chocte, and it¡¯s super delicious. But, I can¡¯t eat it since I have no teeth left. Can


    you eat it and tell me if it¡¯s any good?¡±


    Ste was taken aback. She did not really have any impression of her great-grandfather since she did


    not return to her hometown often. When she was younger, she only stayed there for a day or two and


    left in a hurry. The only thing she remembered was that her great-grandfather took out a paper bag


    from his coat, put his hand into it, and handed her a piece of candy. The candy was much more


    unptable than the ones she ate at home. It tasted like artificial sweetener, but her great-grandfather


    had asked her if it was good. So, she ate the piece of candy and said yes. Arthur then smiled so hard


    that Ste could not even see his eyes.


    Now that they had met again, Ste noticed that her great-grandfather looked even older than before


    as his hair turned gray. However, when Arthur took out the chocte from his coat and handed it to her,


    it reminded Ste of her childhood. And, it was a bittersweet moment for her.


    Seeing the expectant expression on Arthur¡¯s face, Ste took the piece of chocte and unwrapped it.


    The chocte had been in his coat for too long, and it had already melted. slightly by the warmth of his


    body. Ste said nothing about it and lowered her head to take a bite ¡°It tastes wonderful,¡± she said


    softly.


    Arthur¡¯s eyes curved into a smile as he said, ¡°I¡¯ll get you a few moreter so that your father won¡¯t


    seem biased.¡±


    Keegan tilted his head and looked at the two with a thoughtful expression. The old man caught his


    gaze and immediately covered the chocte in Ste¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s not for you!¡± he said.


    Keegan was speechless while Aldor burst outughing. He immediately suppressed hisughter when


    he met Keegan¡¯s narrow eyes and continued to drive in a serious manner. Keegan had asked two


    servants from thepany toe and take care of the old man. When Ste was not busy, she


    would bring the old man to visit the scenic spots in Rivera. Keegan would tag along asionally, but he


    was usually busy with work. So, it was difficult for him to find the time to join them. Moreover, even if he


    did spare some time, the old man did not want to see him.


    Every time he joined them, he was asked to carry a bag or run errands like buying drinks. At the same


    time, Ste was not allowed to help him out.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Whenever Arthur was dissatisfied with what Keegan did, he would say, ¡°Oh, the city folk¡­. They¡¯re just


    not good enough. They can¡¯t do anything right. When I was young, I chased your great-grandma down


    the street with a pig in my arms. The widows in the vige blushed when they saw me.¡±


    Whenever Keegan got mad, the old man would say, ¡°The city folks sure have a bad temper. No girls


    from our vige would ever want him, even if he¡¯s thest man alive. Even if he does end. up getting


    married, his wife would surely run away with another man.¡±


    Keegan then realized that he was not supporting Ste by bringing Arthur to stay with them; he was


    just making his own life difficult.

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    After Aldor had reported his work that day, something came to his mind. ¡°By the way, during our


    meeting today, Mr. Ray called and said that this year the chamber ofmerce will be held on a cruise


    ship. He even sent an invitation. Mr. Ray said I have to update him about whether you would show up.


    Are you going, Mr. Kane?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Keegan replied without lifting his head.


    Aldor nodded. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll call Mr. Ray right now.¡±


    The chamber ofmerce underwent a massive change a long time ago. They cared more about how


    big the event was going to be rather than the content. They even had a cruise ship this time around.


    ¡®Hold on. A cruise ship?¡¯ Keegan paused and called for Aldor, who was about to leave his office. ¡°Wait.


    Leave the invitation here.¡±


    Aldor was surprised. ¡°Are you going to the event, sir?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t she always say that she wanted to take a cruise? I¡¯m going to take her on the cruise so that she


    would at least experience it once,¡± Keegan said lightly.


    spent


    Aldor raised his eyebrows. ¡®Mrs. Kane went to Europe on a cruise ship two years ago and half a month


    there. She even sent Mr. Kane dozens of photos at a time every single day she was there. But, Mr.


    Kane never replied. They had only been married for half a year at that time, but I never felt the


    honeymoon phase between them. I even thought he did not care much about his newlywed wife.


    ¡®One time, Mr. Kane suddenly acted a little strange. Every time he heard his phone ring during a


    meeting, he would immediately pick it up to look at it. At first, I thought Mr. Kane was waiting for a


    message from a client. But, he would frown whenever a client texted him.¡¯


    ¡®Three dayster, Mr. Kane suddenly received a video of Mrs. Kane feeding dolphins, and his brows


    instantly rxed. Then, I realized that Mr. Kane¡¯s abnormal behavior was caused by his wife not


    sending any pictures in those two days.¡¯


    ¡®Mr. Kane has such a good memory. How could he forget that his wife had already been on a cruise


    ship?¡±


    Aldor did not dare to ask Keegan about it, nor did he dare to tell him that Ste had gone on a cruise


    before. So, he acted ignorant and left the office.


    The cruise for the chamber ofmerce was going to start from Rivera. They would pass through two


    cities and finally return to Rivera. The itinerarysted for two days and one night.


    When Aldor told Ste about it, she quickly lost interest. ¡°It¡¯s all business activities. There¡¯s no point in


    me being there. Don¡¯t you guys have many beautiful secretaries in thepany? Just ask one of them


    to apany Keegan.¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s April, and the weather is neither hot nor cold. The cruise is so not going to be fun,¡¯ Ste thought.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t do that, Mrs. Kane. Only single people bring their secretary or assistant to


    participate. Others bring their partners. Mr. Kane is a married man. Rumors are going to spread if he


    brings a secretary. You wouldn¡¯t want that, would you, Mrs. Kane?¡±


    ¡®You worry too much, Aldor. I wouldn¡¯t even flinch if Keegan stood in front of me with ten secretaries in


    his arms,¡¯ she thought.


    Ste was still trying to reject the invitation when Arthur came out of his room. Then, Aldor had an idea.


    ¡°Mr. Jewell, do you want to go on a cruise ship?¡±


    As soon as Arthur heard about the cruise ship, he immediately came to his senses. ¡°Does the cruise


    ship have multiple floors like the ones we see on TV?¡±


    Aldor nodded. ¡°A two-day and one-night cruise with free boarding and lodging. We¡¯ll also stop in two


    cities. Do you want to go, sir?¡±


    Arthur¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°When are we going?¡±


    Aldor smiled and looked at Ste. ¡°Mr. Jewell wants to go, Madam.¡±


    Ste was speechless. ¡®What kind of assistant did Keegan hire?!¡±


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    The cruise ship set off in the afternoon the next day. Aldor drove Keegan back after lunch to pick up


    Ste and the old man.


    Ste looked listless. On the other hand, Arthur was very excited. They passed a shopping mall on the


    way, and he even insisted on buying a pair of swimming trunks.

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    The three had to persuade Arthur not to buy the swimming shorts. Keegan nced at Ste, who could


    not stop yawning, and frowned. ¡°Did you really have to shoot the drama all night yesterday?¡±


    Last night, Ste told him she was going to the set to film Jurisdiction. Keegan thought she would


    return after a while, but she did not return until it was 5:00 am.


    Ste yawned again and again on their way to the cruise ship. ¡°Do you hear yourself? We can¡¯t film


    night scenes in the day, can we?¡±


    Before Keegan could speak, Ste put on her earplugs and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take a quick nap. Wake me up


    when we arrive.¡± She then closed her eyes after she said that. Keegan did not say a word and frowned


    in dissatisfaction. He had pushed back so much of his work just to apany her, she only wanted to


    sleep.


    yet


    When Ste woke up, they had already arrived at their destination. The cruise ship that they were


    about to board suddenly appeared in front of her eyes. It was as tall as a six or seven ¨C story building


    and looked about 500 feet long to the naked eye. It was more magnificent than the one she had taken


    on a previous European trip.


    As soon as Arthur got out of the car, a server on board came over immediately and thoughtfully


    provided wheelchairs for the elderly. Initially, the old man insisted that he would go on the ship himself,


    but when he looked down, he realized that he was afraid of heights. His legs turned into jelly, so he


    quickly sat in the wheelchair.


    Many people had already gathered on the ship, and someone came over to greet Keegan as soon as


    he entered the ce.


    Ste was so sleepy that she got the room key and told Aldor to take good care of her great-


    grandfather because she wanted to sleep in the cabin.


    By the time she woke up from her sleep, it was already dark. Ste lifted the curtains and saw that the


    sun was about to set. The sea was dyed orange-red by the sunset glow. It was sparkling under the


    light, looking beautiful.


    A few fish jumped out of the water from time to time, which made Ste hungry.


    Thest meal she had was when she was on set. She fell asleep when she got home and had not had


    a single bite since then.


    ¡®It¡¯s six o¡¯clock now. Are they not serving us dinner yet? Keegan is such an unreliable guy. Why didn¡¯t


    hee up and call for me?¡¯ Ste thought and freshened up briefly before leaving the cabin.


    The deck lights were bright. People were dancing and ying board games in the lounge. The ce


    looked lively.


    Ste looked around, but she could not see Keegan or Arthur. Just as she was about to call Keegan¡¯s


    number, she saw Marshall.


    ¡°Mr. Moore?¡±


    Marshall was chatting with a friend when she called out to him. He was a little surprised when he saw


    her. He then looked around and said, ¡°Are you here alone?¡±


    ¡°I took a nap in our room earlier, and I couldn¡¯t find Keegan when I woke up. Have you seen him


    anywhere?¡±


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    He was here with Vermont just now. I¡¯ll bring you to him.¡±


    Ste waved her hand and said, ¡°Do you know where the food is? I¡¯m super hungry at the moment.¡±


    Marshall was taken aback for a second. He chuckled and warmly said, ¡°Come with me.¡±


    Dinner was served a littleter than usual because of the party on the deck. Lunch was served earlier,


    but Ste missed it because she wanted to sleep.


    Marshall led Ste to the back kitchen, where the head chef was preparing the food for the evening.


    When he saw the two in the kitchen, he wanted to shoo them away. However, Marshall exined their


    situation. The chef did not speak theirnguage, but Marshall knew manynguages. Although Ste


    could not understand what they were saying, she knew that their conversation was going well as she


    saw the head chef nodding repeatedly.


    After that, the chef brought them deeper into the kitchen and gave them a pan and some ingredients.


    Ste was confused.

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    ¡®Seriously?¡¯ Ste thought.


    Out of awkwardness, Marshall scratched his forehead with his finger and said, ¡°I tried my best to


    negotiate with them, but they said they don¡¯t have any food because it¡¯s not mealtime yet. They did say


    they could give us the ingredients if we wanted to cook for ourselves, though.¡± ¡®No way. I¡¯m here to


    have fun on the cruise, and I still have to cook my own meals?¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯ll just wait for mealtime.¡±


    Unhelpfully, her stomach grumbled right after she spoke.


    Ste smoothed out her clothes, as she was slightly embarrassed. Then, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s just leave.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Marshall said as he took off his suit. ¡°Can you help me hold this for a while?¡±


    Ste was confused, but she took his suit from him.


    Marshall folded up the sleeves of his white shirt. He then added water to the pan that the chef had


    given him and swiftly lit the stove.


    Ste was astonished. ¡°You want to cook something yourself?¡±


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Marshall nodded. ¡°Is spaghetti fine?¡±


    Ste wanted to nod too, but she came to her senses and quickly shook her head. ¡°No, no. You don¡¯t


    need to cook. Why would I ask you to cook? Mealtime is almost here. Let¡¯s just wait for a while.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s two hours away.¡±


    here with you in


    Marshall dropped the spaghetti into the pan as he spoke. ¡°I came all the way here with search of food. I


    would feel bad if you went back on an empty stomach.¡±


    Ste regretted asking Marshall for food. ¡®I should¡¯ve just kept quiet. We¡¯re all here to have fun. It¡¯s


    unreasonable to let him cook for me.¡¯


    Marshall noticed that Ste was fidgeting ufortably, so he tried to distract her by talking to her.


    ¡°I always wanted to ask. How did you and Keegan meet?¡±


    Sure enough, Ste¡¯s attention was diverted.


    ¡°We met on a blind date.¡±


    They did, in fact, meet on a blind date, but that was not the first time Ste hadid eyes on Keegan.


    The first time she saw him was when she and her mother got into a car ident.


    After the crash, the car was flipped to the side. Rainee was thrown out of the car while Ste was


    trapped inside. She was unable to move.


    Before the emergency responders could reach the scene, Ste passed out due to her excessive


    bleeding.


    In a daze, she felt someone breaking the car window, unfastened her seatbelt, and dragged her out of


    the car.


    She peered through the blurriness to take a ce, and it was at that moment, that Keegan¡¯s face was


    ingrained in her brain.


    That was why, when she went on the blind dateter on, she almost immediately fell for him after


    realizing that it was Keegan.


    Since he saved her life once and looked exactly like her ideal type, it was natural for Ste to be


    attracted to him.


    ¡°The fact that Keegan was willing to help a stranger proves that he can¡¯t be too bad of a person.


    When Keegan asked for her hand in marriage, she quickly made her decision only after a few seconds


    of consideration.


    At the time, her friends who knew about it tried to advise her against it.


    They told her not to decide so hastily and that she was too young. Getting married right after


    graduating without any social experience would put her at a great disadvantage.


    Moreover, they told her that she barely had time to get to know Keegan. It would be too rash to entrust


    him with the rest of her life just because he saved her once.


    But, rebellion was always a quality that was deeply rooted in human nature. So, everyone¡¯s


    disagreement only made Ste even more determined to prove that she made the right choice. In her


    heart, Ste secretly kept a score of Keegan. She hoped that one day, she would collect enough merit


    points for Keegan to show him off to her friends, and prove that she was right for liking Keegan.


    Keegan was good-looking; +10 points.


    Keegan was bad-tempered; -1 point.


    Keegan had a nice voice; +100 points.


    Keegan came homete without calling her; -10 points.

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    Keegan got her a birthday gift; +10000 points.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan¡¯s first love was not her; -100 points.


    Keegan called out another woman¡¯s name when he had a fever; -10000 points.


    Keegan did not like her; -100000 points.


    In the end, after all of the adding and subtracting, disappointment was the only thing left in the


    equation.


    Marshall did not look at Ste. He gently stirred the noodles in the pan and said, ¡°You were only


    twenty-something at the time. Why did you want to get married so early?¡±


    Ste was reluctant to talk about theplicated matters that took ce in her family. She jokingly


    replied, ¡°I¡¯ve never gotten married before, so I wanted to see what being married is like.¡±


    Marshall smiled. ¡°What is it like, then?¡±


    Ste sneered and said, ¡°Not as fun as being single.¡±


    Ste did not want to go further on this topic. Hence, she steered the conversation away and asked,


    ¡°Mr. Moore, do you have a girlfriend?¡±


    Marshall replied calmly, ¡°Given how my body is, if I get a girlfriend, I would be in her getting better


    partners.¡±


    way


    of


    Ste thought he was referring to his illness before and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you recover from it?¡± Marshall


    did not reply. Instead, he pulled up his shirt, and Ste instantly went silent. From his wrist and above,


    vast areas of hideous burn marks were scrawled all over his body, like lumps entrenched on his entire


    forearm. It was a startling sight.


    Ste¡¯s heart wrenched, and she averted her gaze.


    Marshall calmly pulled his sleeves down again and smiled. ¡°I must have scared you, he spoke lightly.


    Ste had just realized that the way she averted her eyes was somewhat impolite and quickly


    apologized. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Marshall replied airily. ¡°I get shocked at the sight of it too.¡±


    Ste took a moment to calm herself and quietly said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t scared. Just dismayed¡­¡±


    She paused for a while before she continued speaking in a soft voice. ¡°Did it hurt¡­ when it happened?¡±


    Marshall went still for a few seconds.


    He scooped the spaghetti out of the pan with a strainer, poured the pasta water away, and put the


    pan back on the stove. Then, he lightly buttered the pan in a few circr motions.


    After a while, he replied, ¡°It happened a long ago. I don¡¯t really remember anymore.¡±


    Ste said, ¡°It¡¯s better that you don¡¯t. Then, it won¡¯t hurt you as much.¡±


    Ste just realized that each time they met, Marshall¡¯s shirts were always carefully buttoned up to the


    first button, and his sleeves always covered his wrists.


    The weather in Rivera was not considered hot, but the temperature was rtively high under the direct


    midday sun. Last time, when they had a meal together in front of the school, Ste was sweating under


    the rays, yet Marshall was still firmly covered up from head to toe.


    At that time, Ste thought that since Marshall was awyer, he would pay more attention to keeping


    an appropriate appearance. She would have never thought that he was trying to cover up his scars.


    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have babbled about girlfriends, then Mr. Moore wouldn¡¯t have to open up about his scars,¡¯


    Ste thought.


    Ste was still upset, but Marshall was done cooking the spaghetti. He ced some of the spaghetti in


    a bowl and gave it to Ste. ¡°Try it,¡± he said.


    Ste took the bowl from him and had a mouthful. ¡°It¡¯s super-duper tasty.¡± Ste gave him a thumbs up.


    Marshall smiled and said, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go to the dining room.¡±


    Ste meant it when she praised Marshall¡¯s cooking skills. ¡®His carbonara spaghetti is better than the


    ones I make.¡¯


    Respectfully, Ste finished everything in her bowl.


    When she had finished eating, Marshall wanted to clear the table for her. However, Ste did not dare


    to trouble him any further, so she took the initiative to carry her cutleries to the kitchen herself and


    washed them up.


    When they left, it was already dark outside. Marshall said, ¡°Nobody is in the theater now. They might be


    on the deck. Let¡¯s go there together.¡±


    Ste nodded.


    Right after they came out, Ste unexpectedly spotted an unwanted guest. ¡°Why is she here?¡± Ste


    frowned.

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    Marshall followed Ste¡¯s gaze to see Be cheerfully chatting with someone else.


    It was windy on the deck. Yet, despite being quite chilly, Be¡¯s outfit was rather revealing.


    She wore a long light gray sleeveless mesh dress. The dressplimented her well, as the bright


    lights on the deck illuminated her dress with a soft shine. She had an eye-catching glow. Be had put


    effort into her makeup. Her long hair was in a loose updo with strands of her bangs strewn in front of


    her forehead, which made her seem quite graceful. With the addition of Be¡¯s professionally curated


    facial expressions as an actor, even Ste, who disliked Be, had to admit that Be looked pretty that


    night.


    ¡°Maybe she was hired by the organizers to take part in the y,¡± Marshall guessed.


    There was a huge theater on the cruise that held three ys daily. It was possible that Be was one of


    the performers.


    ¡°Are the organizers rich enough to hire her?¡±


    The theaters on cruises would normally hire professional teams of y actors or orchestras to perform.


    It would be a markdown if someone of Be¡¯s status came to perform here.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    While she was speaking, Vermont quipped from behind her. ¡°I told you Ste was on the deck. It¡¯s not a


    big cruise! There¡¯s no way she would have swam back to shore, right?¡±


    Ste turned around to see Keegan walking toward her with a long face.


    Once he was in front of her, he gripped her wrist and pulled her closer to him. ¡°Wandering off as soon


    as you¡¯re awake. Aren¡¯t you scared of falling off the deck?¡±


    ¡®Bastard, shut your mouth if you have nothing good to say!¡¯ Ste thought to herself.


    Ste pulled her arm back and gave him a side-eye. ¡°Even if I do fall, I don¡¯t need you to scoop me


    back up.¡±


    Keegan nced at her and calmly said, ¡°Even if I don¡¯t scoop you back up, I still have to pay for


    someone to do it since I spent so much money marrying you.¡±


    Ste¡¯s heart fluttered, and she thought to herself, ¡®Something feels strange about what he said. He


    doesn¡¯t sound like he¡¯s mocking me. He sounds rather helpless.¡±


    ¡°Marshall, where have you been?¡±


    Vermont suddenly inquired.


    Ste thought that Marshall would tell them the truth as it was. Instead, he replied, ¡°I went back to my


    room, and I met Ste on my way out.¡±


    Ste gave Marshall a confused look.


    ¡®Why didn¡¯t he tell the truth? Is he worried that Keegan might get the wrong idea?¡¯ thought Ste.


    Keegan¡¯s eyes swept back and forth between Ste and Marshall. Once again, he pulled Ste by her


    arm and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°To where?¡±


    Keegan did not answer, but he brought her back to the room.


    Aldor had just finished cing food on the table when he saw that the two of them were back. He said


    warmly, ¡°Mrs. Kane, you slept through the day, and you didn¡¯t have any lunch. Mr. Kane was worried


    that you might be hungry when you woke up, so he left you some food. I¡¯ve had them heat the food up


    for you. Please see if the food is up to your taste.


    Keegan nced at Aldor. ¡°You¡¯re so talkative.¡±


    Aldor smiled and said, ¡°Enjoy your meal.¡±


    Being aware of the situation, Aldor tactfully left the room.


    The room was filled with the aroma of the food. Varying from Pairin-Union cuisines to Hustuabourg


    dishes, each dish was ced in a palm-sized container, and there were more than ten dishes on the


    table. Ste caught the munchies just from the scent. But, she was already full, so all she could do was


    stare.


    ¡°What are you staring at?¡±


    Keegan handed her a set of cutleries and asked, ¡°Did the hunger get into your brain?¡±


    ¡®How do I tell him that I¡¯ve already eaten?


    ¡®Why did Mr. Moore lie? We had nothing to hide, but his lie made it hard for me to exin the situation


    to Keegan,¡¯ Ste thought.


    Seeing her dawdling without making a move for a long while, Keegan frowned and said, ¡°Do you want


    me to feed you?¡±


    Ste immediately hurried over to take the cutleries from Keegan. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to.¡±


    Keegan gave her a nce and stayed silent.


    Ste pushed and flipped her food around with the cutleries and barely had a few bites, even after a


    long while.

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    ¡°Is the food not good?¡± Keegan noticed Ste¡¯s unusualness.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s quite tasty.¡± It was rare for Keegan to be nice for a change, and Ste was aware of that.


    However, she was too full to eat anything, so she murmured quietly, ¡°I¡¯m just not that hungry.¡±


    Apparently, Keegan did not believe her. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re too starved, and you¡¯re worried that you¡¯ll wolf


    down your food and embarrass yourself in front of me with your terrible table manners?


    Seeing that Ste was silent, Keegan replied with a straight face. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the way you insisted that I


    take your pants off for you to go to the toilet when you were drunk. Would I care if you have


    embarrassing table manners?¡±


    The corner of Ste¡¯s mouth twitched at his statement.


    ¡°Can you not talk about something so disgusting while we¡¯re eating?¡±


    Keegan stopped his actions and replied, ¡°Isn¡¯t this Mama Fly¡¯s line?¡±


    ¡®I¡¯m already too full to eat, yet this bastard is making things worse by reminding me of the joke I told


    him before. I¡¯ve lost my appetite.¡±


    Ste reluctantly ate half a bowl of porridge and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s my great-grandpa?¡±


    ¡°He went gambling.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ste had almost jumped out of her seat. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop him?¡±


    Keegan replied calmly, ¡°He seemed like he was having fun.¡±


    ¡°But, you can¡¯t just leave him like that. What if he loses?¡±


    The people on the cruise were all wealthy. Even though the casino there operated for entertainment


    purposes and the leverage used for gambling worth rtively little to them, it was still considered a


    huge wager for regr people. They used real money for gambling.


    ¡®Great-grandpa has spent all his life living in his hometown. The biggest gambling scene that he yed


    was probably poker games with the old folks in the countryside with tens of dors as leverage.


    ¡®He must have never seen big gambling ces like this. He would be distressed if he loses.¡¯


    Keegan, on the other hand, was not worried at all. ¡°Luck seemed to be on his side. Plus, if he really


    loses a game¡­¡± Keegan paused to look at Ste. ¡°Just deduct it from your one billion. dors.¡±


    ¡®Losing money is a small matter. I¡¯m just worried that great-grandpa would be upset or angry if he lost


    money.¡¯


    Thinking of that, Ste told Keegan that she was full and wanted to watch out for Arthur. Keegan


    grimaced at the sight of the barely-touched food and said, ¡°I¡¯ll bring you there.¡±


    The fifth floor of the cruise was the entertainment area, which waspleted with chess rooms and all


    sorts of board games.


    When Keegan brought Ste there, Arthur was enthusiastically gambling with a group of people.


    They were ying Craps, a dice game that involved betting on the oue of the dice roll. Everyone


    had a certain amount of chips piled up, but only Arthur had nothing in front of him.


    The dealer was rolling the dice, and Arthur¡¯s expression was bitter as he locked his eyes on the swift


    hands of the dealer. It was as if he wanted to pry them open.


    ¡®Oh no, it looks like he lost a lot of money,¡¯ Ste thought to herself.


    As the dealer stopped rolling the die, the gamblers ced their bets one by one. Ste quickly went


    forward and called, ¡°Great-grandpa!¡±


    Arthur turned around, and upon seeing his great-granddaughter, he immediately smiled.¡± Ste, you¡¯re


    awake!¡±


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste then tried to pull him away. ¡°How about I visit the deck with you?¡±


    ¡°Wait, I¡¯m ying one more round.¡±


    ¡®He must be trying to get back the money he lost,¡¯ thought Ste.


    Ste was worried that all the gambling might get to his head. So, she responded, ¡°I thought you


    wanted to swim. There¡¯s a pool on deck, and Aldor prepared a pair of swimming trunks for you.¡±


    Arthur was immediately intrigued. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go!¡±


    After taking a few steps, however, he stopped in his tracks. ¡°I have to cash these in first.¡± ¡°What?¡±


    Arthur took a fistful of chips out from his pocket and ced them on the table.

 Chapter 291

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 291


    Chapter 291


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Arthur proceeded to take out another handful of chips from his other pocket, and another from the


    pockets of his trousers. He even had a pile of chips in his undershirt pocket.


    Ste watched as Arthur pulled out chip after chip from his pockets like a cartoon character until a


    small mountain of chips was piled up in front of them.


    Ste was stunned and looked at Keegan, who was unfazed. ¡°I told you, his luck is not too bad.


    ¡®Not too bad? It looked like he hadn¡¯t lost a game for the whole afternoon!¡± Ste screamed internally.


    After tipping the dealer and paying for other surcharges, the chips had added up to a little over one


    million and seven hundred thousand dors.


    Ste suddenly felt jealous, as the amount was more than what she earned from acting. ¡®If I had


    known, I would have gambled along with great-grandpa!¡±


    Ste was interested in Arthur¡¯s technique of winning money from gambling. She kept asking him about


    how he guessed correctly every single round.


    Arthur told her wisely, ¡°Young people should be more grounded. Don¡¯t think about earning. money


    using dishonest ways.¡±


    ¡°But, why do you gamble yourself?¡±


    Arthur replied solemnly, ¡°I¡¯m just an old man. It¡¯s not a big deal if I lose. I have a few plots of goodnd


    at home that can sustain me until the day I die. It¡¯s different for you youngsters. Once you get addicted


    to gambling, your whole life gets thrown away. Gambling is a scam. The casino wouldn¡¯t let you walk


    away with their money that easily.¡±


    Even though Arthur¡¯s words made sense, Ste still felt as though he had double standards.


    Ste turned her head to Keegan and whispered, ¡°Do you think he cheated?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Keegan nodded.


    ¡°What do we do?¡±


    Keegan nced at Ste. ¡°Tell the dealer about it, and ask him to check the security cameras. If all


    else fails, we hand great-grandpa in ourselves. At his age, he won¡¯t be locked up for long. They would


    release him in a few days.


    Ste stifled a smile. ¡°You think I¡¯m crazy?¡±


    The casino on the cruise was illegal in the first ce. Even if Arthur did cheat, they would settle the


    matter privately. If they reported this to the police, the casino would also face. charges.


    Keegan was just messing with Ste.


    When they got out, most people were gathered on the deck. It was a lively scene outside. Aldor


    apanied Arthur to go y by the pool while Keegan tended to his business. partners. In the


    meantime, Ste was surrounded by the wives of those business partners and


    was forced to socialize with them.


    Since the jewelry exhibition, the news about Cordelia favoring Ste had spread among the wives. That


    was why when Ste made an appearance, no matter what they thought of her, they were still quite


    friendly toward Ste.


    Even so, this was not the same type of friendliness they had toward Be.


    Toward Ste, it had undertones of prudent ttering; toward Be, it was more out of curiosity, like


    how people would gather to look at a monkey that had identally made its way into the crowd.


    Ste clutched onto her wine ss, and she looked unhappy.


    Then, one of the wives spoke to her. ¡°Mrs. Kane, your performance in the mini-series a while ago was


    fantastic! What made you want to act in it?¡±

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    Chapter 292


    ¡°The ¡®Jurisdiction,¡¯ right? My kid would stay in front of the television once he finished school. He said it


    was a task given by the school. After watching it, they have to write a review about it. I also joined them


    and watched a few episodes. If you didn¡¯t say anything, I wouldn¡¯t have thought that it was Mrs. Kane.¡±


    Regardless of whether thepliment was sincere or fake, the show ¡°Jurisdiction¡± was viral. Ste


    chuckled and said, ¡°I was just helping Mrs. Lowe. Her unit was in charge of the show, and they couldn¡¯t


    find an actor. She saw that I looked decent, so she allowed me to substitute. I merely acted freely.¡±


    ¡°Saw that I looked decent¡­¡± This form of posing immediately made the madams unwilling to speak


    further.


    How could Ste be considered as only decent? Her face would even be considered a blessing. from


    God. Thankfully, Keegan had married her. Otherwise, everyone would have felt a sense of danger. Just


    with her face, she would not even need to curl her fingers, and men would have liked her with a single


    nce.


    Mrs. Chapman nced at Be and suddenlyughed. ¡°Actually, in regards to acting, we amateurs can


    only watch it for entertainment. Only a professional can see the nuances of it. A professional would be


    able to know if you can act properly with just a single nce, right, Ms. Young?¡±


    Ste furrowed her brows and nced at Mrs. Chapman.


    ¡®Why is it her again? Thest time, Keegan had only won a bit of money from her. How long does she


    want to hold a grudge after all this time?¡¯ Ste thought.


    Be said gently, ¡°I am doing this to pay the bills. I¡¯m not really considered a professional.¡± ¡°You are too


    humble, Ms. Young. No one in the entertainment business can call themselves a professional if they


    aren¡¯t considered a professional. Although Mrs. Kane said that she acted freely, you can also give a


    comment or two freely. Everyone can also freely listen to it for fun.¡± After Mrs. Chapman finished


    speaking, she smiled while she looked at Ste. ¡°You don¡¯t mind that, right, Mrs. Kane?¡±


    Ste was cursing the motherfucker deep down, but the control of her facial expression was perfect.


    She smiled lightly and said naturally, ¡°I don¡¯t mind. I would like to hear whatments the


    ¡®professional¡¯ has for me.¡±


    Be then said, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll boldly say a few words. Please don¡¯t get angry if I have said. anything bad,


    Mrs. Kane. This is just business, nothing personal.¡±


    Ste twitched the corner of her lips. ¡°Up to you.¡±


    Be¡¯s gaze scanned Ste from top to bottom before she said, ¡°Mrs. Kane¡¯s form is mediocre. This


    can be seen during the scene when she receives a parcel in the film. Her back is not straight. Of


    course, Mrs. Kane is not a professional and doesn¡¯t have any physical training, so that¡¯s normal.


    Another would be the control of her emotion. Like our acting teacher once said, she is too emotional


    The expression when she cries andughs are all intuitively expressed. For Mrs. Kane¡¯s role, she


    should act more subtly so that the impact would be better. Lastly, it would be the design of taking off a


    shower cap. It¡¯s too deliberate. Actually, there is no need to


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    use that framing to present them. With just a nce, they would know that it was all an act. It¡¯s just too


    fake.¡±


    For every point she said, the expressions of the madams would change a little. When she finished her


    speech with ¡°It was too fake,¡± the madams¡¯ hearts were all strung high and were secretly observing


    Ste¡¯s expression.


    Regardless of whether Be¡¯sments were on point, her criticizing Ste¡¯s acting performance in


    front of her face was already a pretty brave move.


    Be had finished speaking. But, she seemed slightly upset and nervously said, ¡°Mrs. Kane, the way I


    speak is straightforward, but it¡¯s only toward the scenes you performed. You won¡¯t get angry, right?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Ste lightly raised the corner of her lips. ¡°Ms. Young¡¯sments are very relevant. I am


    humbled, and I can see that Ms. Young has quite the understanding in acting.¡±


    Be gave Ste an odd look. She had already spoken very outrageously, yet Ste was not angry?


    She pursed her lips and said, ¡°I can¡¯t really consider it an understanding. It¡¯s just that I have merely


    performed more. Practice makes perfect.¡±


    Ste had an ¡°I see¡± expression on her face and asked for advice ¡®humbly¡¯, ¡°Then, Ms. Young, you


    should have obtained quite a lot of awards for acting skills, right? You starred in so many films, so


    which award has the most weight and from which film?¡±


    Be¡¯s expression froze, and her fingers tightened into a grip. The films that Be starred in were


    numerous. Every year, the broadcasting list would have one of her films on them, but she would never


    be a part of the one receiving the awards. She did not even qualify to be nominated.


    However, things were different now. In the past, prominent celebrities fought byparing their


    awards. At the same time, minor celebritiespete by seeing who has the most roles. and the


    highest grossing rate. The ones with the highest numbers would earn more money. So, who would still


    concentrate on learning to act?

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    If they had spoken privately about not having any awards in their acting career, Be would not have


    felt that she was embarrassing herself. She initially did not pursue the path of a professional actress.


    But, the numbers on her films broadcast would leave other same- generation actresses in the dust. She


    was very confident of her ownmercial value.


    However, Ste had stabbed her right where it hurt and directly hit her Achilles heel with one swing.


    Seeing her not responding for a long while, Ste smiled through her eyes. ¡°Ms. Young, why aren¡¯t you


    speaking? Is it because you have so many awards that you can¡¯t think of one with the heaviest weight


    on you?¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Be squeezed out a smile and said, ¡°I don¡¯t really care about these vain credits. If the masses think


    it¡¯s good, then it¡¯s good. Each judge has a different opinion on acting, so you can¡¯t just use awards to


    weigh the ability of someone¡¯s acting.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Ste nodded her head. ¡°I instead feel that the judge¡¯s insights are quite spot on since they have


    achieved excellence in their respective fields to have the right to sit at the judge¡¯s panel to grade


    others. If a professional can¡¯t even stand an actor¡¯s performance, it is most likely that the person


    doesn¡¯t know how to act. If someone can¡¯t even act, what right do they have toment on whether


    someone else¡¯s acting is good? Truthfully, it sounds like the person is taking the long way to earn


    embarrassment.¡±


    Be¡¯s face was pale, and she could not say a word for a long while. If the words she had said were


    direct, then Ste had stripped her of any dignity to the point of almost cursing her in front of her face.


    Yet, she could not retaliate her words.


    Ste had enough of Be¡¯s expressions and yelped, ¡°Ah.¡± Then, she said apologetically, Don¡¯t mind


    me, Ms. Young. I¡¯m not targeting you. It¡¯s just that we are discussing it, and we can mention it casually.


    You won¡¯t get angry, right, Ms. Young?¡±


    She remembered the words that Be had said clearly and used her words against her word for word


    urately.


    ¡®Trying to y the calctive bitch? Who doesn¡¯t know how to y that role?¡¯ Ste thought


    to herself.


    Be¡¯s expression was stiff, and she could not say much for quite some time. In the end, Mrs.


    Chapman continued, ¡°We already said it¡¯s just a casual talk. You are such a stickler, Mrs. Kane. Ms.


    Young is not from an acting school background.¡± After she said that, she paused. ¡°Ms. Young, didn¡¯t


    you prepare an event for everyone?¡±


    Ste nced at her and thought, ¡®Wasn¡¯t she the one who boasted that Be was at professional?


    When she is at a loss, she says she doesn¡¯t have an acting school background? Everything good and


    bad is all up to her interpretation.¡¯


    Mrs. Chapman was quite the bitch of a person and still had a close rtionship with Dahlia. Ste did


    not want to interact with her and was worried that it would get her into a mess. So, she did not speak


    any further.


    She was also a little bewildered. For a mere hundred thousand dors, was there a need for Mrs.


    Chapman to hold a grudge for so long? She even helped an actress who she did not like to speak out It


    was indeed out of her imagination.


    Ste assumed that this incident had ended. She was not the type of person to cause trouble. If Be


    did not purposely try to rile her up, she would be toozy to bother with her. As a person, if Be had


    been better than her in all fields, it would probably stir her spirit topete and make her want to have


    a showdown with Be until the end. Yet, Be had nothing spectacr to show for herself. She was


    only devious. Ste was toozy to go against her because it was unbing of her.


    She nced at the stilettos under Be¡¯s feet. The suspicions that she buried deep down. started to


    surface again. She did not know how Be got on the cruise, but Be definitely had an event to


    perform in. However, it was not a y but a piano recital.


    The piano was already prepared on deck with a band to apany her. It seemed legitimate. Be


    first did a speech to roughly thank whoever had invited her and et cetera.


    She was still considered a famous actress, and her looks were quite pretty. She wore a tulle skirt with


    princess braids. Sitting there, she looked like a princess with an air of regalness.


    Be first did a soundcheck, followed by nodding lightly to the apanying band. Her fingers then


    swiftly flew across the piano keys. The melodious sound slowly spread out. Under the effects of the


    sea, night, and piano, the song became especially pleasant.


    After the song ended, apuse continuously came. Be stood up and elegantly bowed to everyone


    and thanked them.


    The men surrounding her shouted, ¡°Another one. Once is not enough.¡±

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    ¡°Yeah, we are not done enjoying it, yet the song ended. Another song!¡±


    Some evenmented, ¡°It was like a song from the heavens.¡±


    Ste endured it for a long time to avoid saying something to critique it. She was slightly thirsty and


    turned around to see a water bottle in Keegan¡¯s hand. She then went over to him.


    The moment she reached him, she asked, ¡°Mr. Kane, are you going to drink that bottle of water?¡±


    Keegan nced at her and said, ¡°No, I¡¯m not drinking it.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be taking this away,¡± Ste said as she took the bottle in his hand. She twisted it open and


    drank it all by herself. Keegan was at a loss for words.


    ¡±


    Be enjoyed the praise from every direction. After a while, she smiled lightly and said, Today is a


    gathering for the businesses of Rivera. The main characters of tonight are all the misters and madams


    present. I can¡¯t be the only one who hogs all the glory. How about this? Let¡¯s get a madam to be a


    representative. We can perform a four-handed duet. Is there madam who would like to perform with


    me?¡±


    any


    The madams looked at each other and did not say anything. It was not that everyone did not know how


    to y the piano. Many of the madams were born from noble families, and they had learned a little


    about how to y the piano. However, most of them had not touched a piano for years.


    Moreover, they had to sit with Be to y the piano, not to mention that Be was younger and quite


    beautiful. As much as the madams had their upkeep looks, there was a difference in age in the end. No


    one wanted to bepared to a celebrity on such an asion. Hence, they all refused.


    ¡°Mrs. Kane, why don¡¯t you go?¡± Mrs. Chapman opened her mouth again.


    Her de was pointed directly back at Ste again. ¡°You are the youngest among us. You would be the


    most suitable to be the representative.¡±


    Thankfully, Ste had swallowed her mouthful of water. Otherwise, she would have spit in Mrs.


    Chapman¡¯s face. Once Mrs. Chapman had opened her mouth, the other madams also agreed. ¡°Yes,


    Mrs. Kane is young. Younger people have better memories and faster reflexes.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Kane, you should be the representative and show everyone what we are made of,¡± another


    chimed in.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Mrs. Kane, you look like the type who would be proficient in anything, whether it is in education or


    music.¡±


    The madams did not want to bepared to Be. Since someone rmended a candidate,


    everyone would push her to the edge. As for whether Ste could y the piano or would she


    embarrass herself was none of their business.


    The mood was brought out, and Be naturally said, ¡°Mrs. Kane, may I have the honor of inviting you to


    perform with me?¡±


    Everyone looked at Ste and waited for her answer. Ste gripped the bottle, and her


    expression was ugly.


    She said, ¡°Ms. Young could y quite well by herself. Having two people would require coordination. In


    reality, it could easily cause errors. I think we should forget about it.¡±


    Be heard what Ste said and knew that Ste did not know how to y the piano. Hence, Ste had


    found an excuse to refuse.


    Be then graciously said, ¡°That¡¯s okay. This isn¡¯t apetition. It¡¯s mainly to set the mood. If Mrs.


    Kane feels that it would be hard to coordinate, you can choose a song that you are good at. As long as


    I can support you, you can y however you like.¡±

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    Ste had an uneasy expression, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I be taking advantage of you? What if the song I choose is


    something you aren¡¯t familiar with? Wouldn¡¯t you be at a loss? Let¡¯s forget about it.¡±


    The corner of Be¡¯s lips twitched, and she thought, ¡®Just to give herself an excuse, she would really


    dare to say anything.¡±


    She could now confirm that Ste did not know how to y the piano. Otherwise, she would not have


    refused time and time again. Ste had made a fool of Be just now, so how could Be let her off that


    easily? The more she did not want toe, the more Be tried to invite her.


    Be smiled and said, ¡°You can choose at your own ease. I will definitely be able to follow your tempo.


    Mr. Kane would definitely look forward to your performance.¡±


    Ste looked at Keegan and whispered, ¡°Do I really need to go?¡±


    Keegan nced at her and replied, ¡°Up to you.¡±


    Ste was slightly upset and said, ¡°Then, I humbly oblige.¡±


    As she went and left with Be, Vermont said, ¡°Be¡¯s piano skills are at grade seven. She can y


    any regr song well. Are you sure she would be fine?¡±


    Keegan opened the bottle of water that Ste had just drank and took a sip. Only then did he say, ¡°At


    most, she would embarrass herself since she is used to that.¡±


    Vermont raised an eyebrow and did not speak further. Be handed the manuscript to Ste when they


    sat before the piano.


    ¡°Mrs. Kane, you can choose a song.


    Ste flipped through it and finally stopped at one of the pages. Then, she said, ¡°This one.¡±


    Be looked and found that it was ¡°Croatian Rhapsody.¡± The song was challenging to y, and the


    chord change was swift. Moreover, the strength required for each finger when pressing on the keys


    differed. Hence, it would truly test the performer¡¯s basic skills.


    Be had practiced herself, but her sense of strength was not sufficient. During the climax portion, she


    seemed soft andcked the grandeur the originalposition had. Yet, it was enough to go against


    Ste. Everyone was not a professional, and the song was chosen by Ste. So, the person who was


    unable to perform would be the embarrassed one.


    ¡°Mrs. Kane, you sure you want to y this?¡± The excitement in her voice could not be hidden.


    Ste nodded her head. ¡°This one, since they are all roughly the same.¡±


    ¡®Roughly the same? There are drastically different. There are clearly easier songs, such as ¡°For Elise,¡±


    at the front of the manuscript. Could it be that she didn¡¯t even understand the manuscript and was just


    guessing?¡¯ Be thought.


    ¡°Alright, since Mrs. Kane is so sure about ying this, then I will y this one too,¡± Be made a


    gesture and said, ¡°After you, Mrs. Kane.¡±


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    Ste shook her head. ¡°You should go first. I need to familiarize myself with the tempo.¡±


    Be twitched her lips and smiled. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go first.¡±


    Her fingers found the correct keys and went down smoothly. Ste merely heard a few notes and knew


    that Be was unfamiliar with the song. However, she seemed very confident on the surface. Her


    speed was also controlled within the range she could handle. Although there were no missed keys, the


    whole mood shown was worse than the original. However, everyone present was being courteous, and


    they all apuded and praised her.


    When Be had finished ying the first stanza, Ste quickly followed.


    The speed of her fingers falling was obviously faster than Be¡¯s. Her finger movements were smooth


    and swift, with every pressure the fingers applied differing. She was able to show the power and


    softness through her fingertips. Unlike Be, who showed intensity by using her arms to crash on the


    keys.


    A thinyer of sweat started to build on Be¡¯s nose. Her gaze was captivated by the swift dances of


    Ste¡¯s fingers. Then, she identally pressed the wrong key. With this false key, her whole tempo


    was messed up, and her finger movements started to lose control.


    Ste, instead, was not affected. Her melody was smooth, like a flowing stream. It was unstoppable


    with an air of grandness. She also yed faster the more she yed. In the end, Be was utterly


    unable to keep up, and her expression was pale. With trembling hands, she watched Ste with a face


    of concentration and continued ying the piano.

 Chapter 296

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 296


    Chapter 296


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Their surroundings were silent, and only the sound of water and the piano melody wafted by their ears.


    Unlike Be, Ste did not concern herself too much with what she wore. She was afraid of the cold, so


    her skirt was paired with a white coat. As for her hair, it was brushed into a simple low ponytail. The


    bangs on her forehead scattered across her face when she lowered her head to y the piano. Her


    pursed red lips had a chilly presence that made her stand out. She was breathtakingly beautiful.


    Marshall watched her silently while the wine ss in his hand was unconsciously gripped tightly.


    Vermont was shocked when he heard it from the side.


    There was only one line in his mind currently. ¡®How many more surprises do you have hidden for your


    majesty?¡¯


    Only Keegan had watched the whole thing calmly. Ste chose this song, and truthfully like she said,


    she had an advantage. Ste would practice this song using the piano in their music room at home. At


    the start, she could not y the song fluently. One could say that she was on par with Be. However,


    she would practice this song every time she went to the music room. In the beginning, it was terrible to


    the ears. But, after practicing for a long time, she showed improvement and, in the end, wholly


    mastered it.


    Even after she had mastered the song, she would still practice it every time she entered the music


    room. Keegan¡¯s ears were about to fall off from hearing it, so he could not help but ask her, ¡°Why don¡¯t


    you switch to another song?¡±


    In the end, she answered that the song was the most suitable for showing off. And today, she had


    indeed shown off. He told Ste that she was sly as her attitude toward practicing the piano was not


    right. On the other hand, Ste said in a serious manner that she did not need to know every song that


    could be yed with the piano. She only needed one extraordinary piece that was sufficient to amaze


    the crowd. Her abilities could have been better, but she had a lot


    of nonsense.


    Keegan remembered the past incident, and the corner of his lips curled up for a moment. The crowd


    erupted into thunderous apuse when the final piano key was yed.


    As Be wished, the song had definitely amazed everyone present. Even the people who had studied


    the piano for tens of years could not help but give apliment. In contrast, Be had all sorts of


    colors on her face as she flushed. Her confident posture was gone,


    and only paleness was left on her expression.


    Ste pretended to be gracious while she smugly said, ¡°Ms. Young, why didn¡¯t you y in the end?¡±


    The corner of Be¡¯s lips twitched, and she thought, ¡®Did I not want to y? Could I even keep up if I


    did? Ste, you bitch!¡¯


    Be took a deep breath and smiled forcefully. ¡°You yed wonderfully, Mrs. Kane. I was the inferior


    one.¡±


    Then, Ste decided to be an utterly maniptive cunt. She said, ¡°You¡¯re the first person to praise that


    I yed well. When I had piano sses in the past, my grades were always at the


    bottom. But, I did get the upper hand today since I chose the song. Thank you, Ms. Young, for


    purposely ying a few wrong keys to concede to me.¡±


    Be almost spat out blood when she heard that. ¡®What breed of a bitch is Ste? Be thought.


    Even for those who did not know how to y the piano, it was apparent that Be could not keep up


    with Ste¡¯s speed. To say it was modesty was ultimately not to help her save face; it was to embarrass


    her! Be had said it with so much confidence, and yet, in the end, Ste simply chose a song, and she


    could not keep up with thetter. So, she could not argue against it at all.


    Be took another deep breath and said with much difficulty, ¡°You¡¯re too modest, Mrs. Kane.¡± Ste


    then said, ¡°Do you want to y another song? I get to choose a song just now. So, this time, you can


    choose.¡±


    But, how could Be possibly dare to y together with Ste again? If they continued, she would just


    be taking a detour to embarrass herself further.

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    ¡°Maybe next time.¡± Be forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯m a little off my game today.¡±


    Ste felt unfortunate as she said, ¡°That¡¯s too bad.¡±


    Although she said that, she did not look like she meant what she said at all.


    Be knew if she stayed, she would be aughingstock. So, she said she wanted to change her


    clothes. She used that as an excuse to leave.


    Ste tutted to herself, ¡®I gave her a chance, but she didn¡¯t take it. If we were to y one more song, I


    would be the one crying.¡±


    After she walked lightly back to Keegan, Vermont then came to her andplimented her, Ste,


    you¡¯re awesome. I can¡¯t believe you can y the piano so well.¡±


    Ste put on an act sessfully. Without thinking, she bragged, ¡°It was alright. Actually, I haven¡¯t been


    ying the piano for a long time. I¡¯m quite rusty.¡±


    ¡±


    ¡°You can y the piano so fluently even when you¡¯re rusty. Your basic skills are really good, then.¡±


    Ste waved her hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s just so-so.¡±


    ¡°Ste, can you y ¡®Por una Cabeza¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Por Una Cabeza¡¯ is actually much easier to ypared to ¡®Croatian Rhapsody¡±.¡±


    ¡°Ahem, Ahem¡­¡±


    Keegan coughed softly as he nced at Ste.


    Ste got carried away with her bluff and did not get Keegan¡¯s hint. So, she continued, ¡°It¡¯s just a piece


    of entry-level music. Anyone who knows how to y the piano can y that song.


    Vermont¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Then, go y ¡®Por una Cabeza¡¯. I got my eyes on ady. y that song to


    entertain me, and I¡¯ll go find her to tango.¡±


    Ste was then speechless.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    She coughed and said, ¡°Someone is ying the violin right now. This song sounds better when it¡¯s


    yed using a violin.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s cooler if you y the song personally. Ste, whether I can get a girlfriend or not depends on you


    now!¡±


    Ste was speechless again.


    ¡®I can¡¯t y ¡°Por una Cabeza¡±. I can barely y it while looking at the music sheet. It¡¯s considered


    pretty good if I don¡¯t embarrass myself. How can it look cool?¡±


    She had bluffed too much and could not take it back now. Ste looked with appeal at Keegan.


    Keegan looked like he was having a goodugh. He looked as though he was asking her to continue


    her bluff.


    Ste did not dare to bluff anymore. She thought, ¡®I can¡¯t cover up my lies if I continue to bluff. ¡®So, she


    yed weak and touched Keegan¡¯s palm with her finger.


    Keegan looked at her pitiful face. After that, he finally showed her mercy. ¡°Don¡¯t get us involved if you


    just want to y around with a girl. It¡¯s too embarrassing.¡±


    The corners of Vermont¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°I fell in love and broke up like a normal person. How is that


    ying around?¡±


    ¡°Did any of your rtionshipsst longer than three months?¡± Keegan coldly nced at him.¡± If we


    manage to help you get the girl, and you break up with her and then go missing after you get bored


    with her, what do we do if shees to us?¡±


    Vermont choked. He said after a long pause, ¡°Who doesn¡¯t want to just get a partner and settle down?


    It¡¯s just that I haven¡¯t met the one.¡±


    After he said that, he then sighed and said to Ste, ¡°Ste, are you really the only child? Do you really


    not have any sisters? I¡¯m not asking for much. Someone like you will do.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    Ste did not wait for Keegan to speak. She ruthlessly undermined Vermont. ¡°Mr. Snyder, your number


    of ex-girlfriends can form a football team. Even if I have sisters, I wouldn¡¯t dare to introduce them to


    you. Men need to have self-respect. You can¡¯t just find an honest woman and settle down after you¡¯re


    done ying around. What did honest women do to deserve this?¡± Vermont was left speechless.


    ¡®Did Keegan marry her because she has a sharp tongue like him?


    ¡®These two assholes are perfect for each other!¡±


    Keegan looked at the woman beside him, who pushed her luck. He pinched her waist as he beckoned


    her with his eyes to tell her to stop.


    Only then Ste kept her mouth shut.


    After Vermont had left, Keegan said, ¡°You need to have boundaries when you lie. Are you really not


    afraid of being exposed and embarrassing yourself?¡±


    Ste bent her eyes and replied, ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? It¡¯s just embarrassment. I¡¯m with you anyway.


    You¡¯re the one who¡¯ll be embarrassed.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Keegan was left speechless.

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    Coincidentally, a few bosses came to chat with Keegan. So, Ste went to the pool to find Arthur.


    The old man did not stop having fun. After he had won some money in the casino, he then went to the


    swimming pool to have a breath-holding contest with a bunch of young people. When Ste got there,


    Arthur had already won one round. He was flicking his finger on a young man¡¯s head who had just lost


    the contest to him.


    Ste was speechless.


    She incredulously asked Aldor, who had been sticking around with Arthur, ¡°How long did he hold his


    breath for?¡±


    ¡°Over thirty seconds.¡±


    Ste was confused.


    ¡°He won the contest just by holding his breath for over thirty seconds?¡± Ste then thought,¡¯ These


    male office workers are so weak.¡¯


    Aldor coughed softly and said, ¡°Mr. Jewell introduced himself as the great-grandfather of Mr. Kane


    before the contest.¡±


    Ste was left speechless again.


    ¡®So, he didn¡¯t win the contest. He made others throw the game by using Keegan¡¯s name.¡±


    Steughed. ¡®He didn¡¯t feel that he won the contest dishonorably at all. He looks pretty happy.


    ¡®He¡¯s really a child at heart. The older he gets, the more childlike he gets.¡±


    Arthur had been having fun the moment he got on the ship. After a while, he finally got tired after


    ying with those young people.


    Ste told him that she would apany him back to his room and rest. Arthur was a little reluctant to


    leave as he said, ¡°But, there¡¯s a buffet dinner.¡±


    ¡®He¡¯s still thinking about eating at this point,¡¯ Ste thought.


    Ste said, ¡°I¡¯ll tell them to leave some food for you.¡±


    ¡°Will they listen to you?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll listen to Keegan.¡±


    It seemed like Arthur finally realized one good thing in his great-grandson-inw. He reluctantly said,


    ¡°He¡¯s somewhat useful.¡±


    Ste thought to herself, ¡®I think I might¡¯ve inherited my heartlessness trait from my great- grandpa. He


    benefited from Keegan, but he took it for granted.¡±


    Arthur was really tired. He excitedly woke up very early in the morning after he heard that he was going


    on the cruise ship yesterday.


    Ste covered Arthur with a quilt. He fell asleep very quickly after he asked Ste if they had


    chicken mushroom stew and whether did they use free-range chicken to make the stew.


    When she walked out of the cabin, the fireworks were already set off.


    She had not watched fireworks so closely for many years in the city. Ste unavoidably stayed there a


    little longer.


    She even took her phone out to take a video and sent it to Felicity. She then sent a message: [ The


    everyday life of a rich wife.]


    Felicity replied to her with a thumbs-up emoticon and a text. [You¡¯re just showing off wealth. How


    shameful!]


    Steughed for quite a while. (I¡¯ll bring you here to have fun after the filming is done.]


    your


    While she was waiting for Felicity¡¯s reply, Be¡¯s voice could be heard from behind. ¡°Ste, you¡¯re really


    proud, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Ste turned her head and nced at her. ¡°Proud of what? Of ying the piano better than you? Ms.


    Young, did youe to me to seek attention because you couldn¡¯t afford to lose?¡±


    Be was unhappy abruptly. ¡°You¡¯re really shameless. Did you think that Keegan didn¡¯t want to divorce


    you because he likes you?¡±


    Ste seemed like she had heard something amusing. She smiled as she said, ¡°Why? You¡¯ve been


    pregnant for many months, yet Keegan is still unwilling to marry you. So, did you get so impatient that


    you came here to snap at me?


    ¡°You want us to get a divorce. But, I simply won¡¯t do that. It¡¯s just a child. And, I still have to suffer after


    you give birth to it. When the timees, Keegan will take the baby back and have me raise the baby.


    He¡¯ll probably praise me for being gracious. He¡¯ll feel very grateful to have me. But, whether I will raise


    the baby as if the baby is a dog or a cat, it¡¯ll depend on my mood.¡± Be was so angry that the corners


    of her mouth twitched. ¡°Are you insane?¡±


    Ste did not bother to talk to her. She then turned around and wanted to walk away.


    Be realized that her n had failed. She then violently grabbed Ste¡¯s wrist. ¡°Ste, don¡¯t. talk like


    you don¡¯t care. Why don¡¯t we make a bet? Let¡¯s see who Keegan would save if both of us fell into the


    water.¡±


    She pulled Ste¡¯s wrist and tried to jump into the water as she said that.From N?velDrama.Org.

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    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 299


    Chapter 299


    Ste did not expect Be to act so insanely. Luckily, she reacted quickly and managed to grab the


    guardrail in time.


    But, Be was very strong. She seemed as though she would not give up until she could pull Ste


    down into the water. Ste realized that she could not free herself. So, she kicked Be.


    ¡®Get off!¡¯ Ste thought.


    Be was then kicked into the water out of fear by Ste.


    Mrs. Chapman suddenly screamed behind Ste. ¡°Help, somebody. Someone fell into the water!¡±


    Her voice instantly alerted everyone on deck.


    ¡°Who dropped into the water?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s Ms. Young.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my god. She was just fine a while ago. How did she fall into the water?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Chapman said she saw Ms. Young arguing with Mrs. Kane. Then, she heard the sound of water


    sshing after a short while.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that Mrs. Kane pushed her into the water?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡±


    People were talking about the incident on the ship.


    When they saw Keegan, everyone kept quiet.


    Keegan came forth from the crowd. He then saw Ste standing next to the guardrail, expressionlessly


    looking at the rescuer dragging Be onto the lifeboat.


    He pursed his lips and walked forward to grab Ste¡¯s hand. Ste froze for a moment. She pressed


    her lips and remained silent.


    The seawater was exceptionally cold. Although Be did not drown, she was freezing.


    She wore a gauze dress in the month of April to be in the limelight. After she got wet, her clothes were


    all sticking to her body. Her body curves could be seen clearly.


    The men at the scene looked awkward. But, they would periodically nce at her body.


    Marshall took off his jacket. He then walked forward and put it on Be.


    Be¡¯s eyes were red as she said in a hoarse voice, ¡°thank you.¡±


    The doctor on the cruise ship came forward to examine Be. He said that she was in a state of shock.


    She was fine other than that.


    After the doctor had left, Be brought up her emotions. Just when she was about to speak, Ste


    suddenly stepped forward and grabbed her hand. She said with a face full of remorse, ¡°I told you to


    grab onto my hand tightly just now. Why did you loosen your grip? Luckily, you¡¯re fine. Otherwise, I


    wouldn¡¯t be able to exin this to everyone.¡±


    Be looked confused.


    Keegan sized them up and faintly said, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°1¡±


    ¡°Ms. Young drank too much. She was standing shakingly next to the guardrail. And, when the ship


    jerked, she lost her bnce and flipped over the rail. I wanted to grab her. But, she released her grip


    and fell into the water. My wrist is so painful from her pull.¡±


    Ste yed the coquette when she said thest sentence. She even pulled up her sleeve to show


    Keegan as she said that. There was an obvious circle of finger marks, and someone had clearly pulled


    her wrist.


    Keegan unconsciously frowned as he looked at the circle of finger marks.


    Be did not expect that Ste would distort the truth. After she realized what was happening, she


    immediately denied it. ¡°No!¡±


    Keegan nced at her. ¡°No, what?¡±


    Be instantly kept quiet when she saw the anger in his eyes.


    ¡®I¡¯ve already lost the opportunity to exin first. If I say that Ste pushed me into the water now, not


    only would Keegan take her side, but he¡¯d also even think that I¡¯m falsely using Ste.


    ¡°The ring of finger marks on her wrist is the best proof,¡¯ thought Be.


    Be hated Ste very much. She lowered her eyes and softly said, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to release my grip.


    But, I was afraid that I¡¯d pull Mrs. Kane down into the water. That was why I loosened my grip. I¡¯d be


    very guilty if Mrs. Kane fell into the water.¡±


    Ste raised her eyebrows.


    ¡®If Be could act so well like she did in real life, people wouldn¡¯t criticize her so much.


    ¡®If I didn¡¯t speak before her, she¡¯d definitely cry and me everything on me.


    ¡®When that happens, everyone would me me. And, I won¡¯t even have the chance to exin myself.


    ¡®Although I did kick her down. But, she asked for it.


    ¡®She¡¯s so brainless. She filmed too many shows. I can¡¯t believe she¡¯d put on such an act.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®She even wanted Keegan to save her. Keegan can¡¯t even swim!¡±


    Ste was stunned for a moment.


    ¡®Be knew Keegan for so many years. How could she not know that Keegan can¡¯t swim?¡± Ste


    thought.


    Ste doubtfully sized Be up. She then stared at Be¡¯s belly.


    ¡°The baby inside her stomach is her most valuable bargaining chip. Be knows she¡¯s pregnant. So,


    why the charade?


    ¡®When Aurora pushed her during the charity g back then, it was actually quite a nasty fall. But,


    incredibly, she seemed okay after that.


    ¡®My ssmate was extremely careful the first three months when she was pregnant. Be is pregnant


    with a golden child. Why is she not afraid of miscarriage? Ste thought to herself.


    And so, the farce had ended just like that.


    The crowd on the ship was still talking about it endlessly. Ste did not want to stay there and listen to


    them. So, she went straight back to her room.


    After a short while, someone knocked on her door.


    Ste thought that it was Keegan. So, she reluctantly walked forward to open the door.


    However, after she opened the door, she saw Marshall.


    ¡°Mr. Moore?¡±


    Marshall raised the bag in his hand and said, ¡°I asked the doctor for some medicated oil.¡± He then


    pointed at Ste¡¯s wrist and added, ¡°Rub some on it. It¡¯ll get better quicker.¡±

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    Chapter 300


    ¡°It¡¯s just a minor injury. It¡¯ll be fine even without medication. Sorry for troubling you.¡± Although she said


    that, she still weed him into her room.


    She put the clothes on the couch aside and then asked Marshall to sit. ¡°Mr. Moore, is in water okay


    with you?¡±


    Marshall nodded. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Ste then poured a ss of water and gave it to him.


    Marshall opened the bag. He took out the medicated oil from the bag and handed it to her. ¡± Rub some


    oil on your injury.¡±


    Ste then took the oil. She bent her eyes as she thanked him. She immediately opened the bottle of


    oil and softly rubbed the oil on her wrist.


    Marshall looked around the room before he asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Keegan?¡±


    Ste stopped moving for a moment. She pursed her lips as she said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    When the security personnel on the ship apanied Be back to her cabin, she pulled Keegan to


    tell him something. After she got back to her room, Keegan then gave Ste an excuse to go out.


    ¡®Where else can this piece of garbage go other than going to Be?¡¯ Ste said internally.


    She rolled her sleeve up a little. The color of one part of her inner forearm skin was different from the


    color of the other parts of her skin. It was slightly darker and not very smooth.


    Marshall stared at it for a while before he asked, ¡°Is that a birthmark on your arm?¡±


    ¡°This? It¡¯s not a birthmark. This is a burn wound from back then.¡± She had a birthmark. But, it was not


    on her arm.


    She paused for a moment after she said that. She obviously thought of the burn wounds on Marshall¡¯s


    body. ¡®My burn wound is nothingpared to the huge burn scar on Marshall¡¯s body. She thought and


    figured that she should not speak too much about it.


    Marshall, however, was not bothered. He asked, ¡°How did you get burned?¡±


    It was not something that Ste could not talk about. So, she said, ¡°A few years ago, my mother and I


    got into a car ident. My mom was hurt very badly. She¡¯s still unconscious in the hospital now. But, I


    was only hurt a little. This is the wound I got from that ident.¡±


    She downyed that incident. She was still haunted by that ident when she thought about.


    it now.


    She was going to return to the university that day. Initially, Albert¡¯spany arranged for a driver to


    fetch her. But, the driver suddenly had something to do. So, he could not fetch her.


    Rainee was about to go out and do something. So, she drove Ste.


    It was a rainy season in September. But, because a lot of schools reopened during that period, and


    there were many cars on the road. The traffic congested along the way. So, Rainee drove. the car very


    slowly.


    The road condition started to turn better at the ring road after they went through the viaduct. Rainee


    was constantly talking to someone on the phone along the way. Ste was wearing an earphone and


    listening to music while chatting with her friends.


    A truck suddenly switchednes at the corner. And, Rainee subconsciously turned the steering wheel


    to the left. Then, she drove her car into anotherne and collided head-on with an oing taxi.


    Rainee¡¯s car rolled over twice and overturned on the ground.


    Ste was trapped in her seat, and she could not move. Meanwhile, Rainee was thrown out of the car.


    After Ste was rescued and sent to the hospital, she was unconscious for many days. The police


    came to ask her some questions not long after she woke up.


    The investigation report showed that Rainee¡¯s car brake failed. It might be due to her frequently


    stopping the car during traffic congestion that day. And, they also found some antidepressants in the


    car. They thought that Rainee had depression when she drove. Hence, they suspected that she might


    have caused this ident deliberately.


    No matter how Ste exined to them that her mother was fine at that time, no one believed her.


    She wanted Albert to get awyer to prove her mother¡¯s innocence. But, Albert thought that if they


    rified in court that Rainee did not have depression when she drove, it would mean that she was fully


    capable. The consequences would then be extremely serious.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    If she had depression at that time, it would mean that she was a person with limited disposing capacity.


    They could then go for civil mediation with the victims. And, they would be able to pay lesser


    compensation.


    Only kids would care about justice. Adults would only do what was in their best interest.


    Two died, and one was wounded in the ident. In the end, they only needed to pay over one million


    dors inpensation. That was the first time Ste felt that Albert was a cold-


    hearted


    person.

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    After Marshall listened to what she said, he asked, ¡°The first time we met at the hospital, were you


    visiting your mother?¡±


    Ste nodded.


    ¡°How¡¯s she now?¡±


    Ste shook her head, and her eyes looked gloomy. ¡°She¡¯s still the same. She¡¯s barely living. We¡¯re not


    sure if she could ever wake up again.¡±


    Marshall gentlyforted her. ¡°She has pulled through all these years. There¡¯ll be a miracle.¡± Ste


    bent the corners of her lower lip and said, ¡°I think so too. She had some responses recently. The doctor


    said that it was a good sign.¡±


    Marshall¡¯s eyes were tender. ¡°When I had my treatments overseas, I made friends with a few


    experienced, respected doctors. I can help you contact them if you want.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll contact you if I need it.¡±


    Ste paused for a moment. Then, she asked, ¡°Mr. Moore, is there any update about thewsuit?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve drafted thewyer¡¯s letter. Do you want to see it?¡±


    Ste nodded.


    Marshall then sent thewyer¡¯s letter to Ste on her phone.


    The content of thewyer¡¯s letter was stylized. It was not so different from those that Ste saw online.


    The main content was to warn those ounts that spread lies about Ste to delete theirments


    and to stop the infringement.


    ¡°Anyway.¡± Marshall suddenly asked, ¡°I remembered you mentioned before that psychiatrist, right?¡±


    you


    visited a


    Ste nodded. She mentioned this to Marshall when she was providing him with the evidence back


    then. But, she did not tell him in detail at that time. ¡°For some timest year, I don¡¯t know how those


    people got my email, but they sent me many unsightly things. My mental state was not that good at the


    time. But eventually, my friend noticed it in time and brought me to a psychiatrist.¡±


    The doctor said that she had a moderate depressive mood. During that period of time, she was absent-


    minded, and she would often wake up from nightmares. Maybe it was because she read the curses


    that the online users wrote too intently. At night, she would dream about those cursesing true. It


    repeatedly tormented her in her dream.


    Sometimes when she went out during the day, she would feel paranoid when someone stared at her in


    the street. She thought that the person was judging her.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    The psychiatrist said that if Felicity did not notice that there was something wrong with Ste in time


    and just allowed her to be on her own, Ste might have fallen into depression.


    Marshall pursed his lips as he asked, ¡°Doesn¡¯t Keegan know about this?¡±


    Ste stopped moving. She wryly said, ¡°He was too busy to care about what was going on with


    me.¡±


    Around that time, Albert used the Kane family¡¯s background to get a business deal. It was a huge deal,


    and his production could not handle it at that time. So, he found a co-packer to help him with some of


    the orders. The co-packer¡¯s fee was cheaper because the quality of the raw materials used was


    different from Albert¡¯s production line. Albert already knew that, yet he still took the chance. He thought


    that the appearance of the products looked simr and that the low-quality products were only one-third


    of the total order. So, he thought it would go unnoticed.


    However, what happened was far worse than what he had imagined. Something went wrong very soon


    after the order was delivered.


    Many users got injured when they were using the products. And, his partnerpany was indicted.


    When the other party found out that it was a product quality problem, they immediately went to Albert.


    They requested a chargeback and demandedpensation.


    Of course, Albert was not willing to do that. He made a lot of money from that business deal, not to


    mention how much he had topensate them. Such news about the users getting injured from using


    the low-quality products alone would damage the Jewell Group¡¯s reputation severely.


    So, he refused to admit it. He even hired awyer at a high price to represent him in court.

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    Thatpany had a great rtionship with the Kane family. They chose to cooperate with Albert at


    that time because they thought that he was an inw of the Kane family, who always prioritized quality.


    It would not be that bad. However, the incident happened in the end, and they simply brought it up to


    the Vinci Rivera Group.


    That was when Keegan was rivaling badly with his uncle in the Vinci Rivera Group. As soon as the


    incident happened, Chandler immediately used it as a counterattack. He charged Keegan with venality


    and mped down on his momentum instantly.


    Keegan was furious. So, he investigated the incident. As a result, he found out that Ste was involved


    too, and he had a terrible fight with her consequently.


    Ste was wronged at that time, as she did not even know Albert talked about the coboration with


    others on her behalf..


    That day, Albert phoned Ste and said that they would have a meal together and visit Rainee at the


    hospital after that. At the time, Albert had not been to the hospital for a long time, and the doctor said


    that it would be helpful for Rainee to recover if someone she was familiar with was talking to her. So,


    Albert convinced her immediately by using this excuse.


    Ste realized that it was not just the two of them after she reached the ce. There were other people


    at the dinner table. Albert kept mentioning the Kane family when he introduced her to the others. Ste


    felt terrible about it at the time, so she left without staying for too long. She did not even know that her


    few minutes of appearance had promoted Albert¡¯s business.


    Keegan missed a good opportunity to take over the Vinci Rivera Group from Chandler because of that


    incident. He was so furious that he refused to listen to her exnation at all. Whether Ste did it


    actively or passively, it started because of her in the end.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Keegan was very busy with thepany¡¯s affairs. He had no time to care about her at all. Besides,


    both of them had quarreled about having a child before. So, Keegan simply moved out. of the master


    bedroom and slept in the study directly.


    Ste was up


    all night when she suffered a lot from the hatements on the inte. She took eight sleeping pills


    to fall asleep and slept at home for two days and one night.


    When Ste woke up, she saw Keegan. But, she kept all her grievances to herself when he said, ¡°You


    still have the mood to sleep?¡±


    Ste had thought about telling Keegan about her suffering. However, his words blocked her desire to


    share. Maybe even if he knew it, he would only say that she was hokey. After all, she had always been


    a hokey person who was a coward when it came to pain, darkness, and loneliness in his view.


    Marshall pursed his lips and said, ¡°You should have told Keegan. He¡¯s careless when ites to


    emotions.¡±


    Ste lifted the corners of her mouth. ¡°Mr. Moore, have you ever been in a rtionship? There¡¯s a big


    difference between you asking for concern and being cared for actively by others.


    Marshall was silent for a moment and changed the topic. ¡°Do you still have the record from


    your previous psychiatrist?¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve kept it.¡±


    ¡°Send it to meter. I¡¯ll be using it in the future. Besides, I¡¯ll find a suitable opportunity to publish the


    lawyer¡¯s letter and boost public sentiment on the inte. After I collect more evidence, I¡¯ll file a suit in


    court, and that¡¯s when the court summons will be issued.¡±


    Marshall probably wanted to use the matter regarding depression to boost public sentiment. Obviously,


    Ste had no objection. These people had to bear the consequences of what they had done now.


    ¡°Sorry to bother you.¡± Marshall smiled and continued, ¡°Rest early. I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡±

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    Ste was asleep when Keegan came back. Only a warm yellowmp was left in the room. He took off


    his coat, threw it on the couch, walked to the bedside, and sat down.


    Ste could feel Keegan¡¯s gaze, even though her back was facing him. She frowned and was a little


    irritable.


    A faint smell of perfume wafted from Keegan¡¯s body. It was the same scent as Be¡¯s. Ste recalled


    some unpleasant past memories because she had just chatted with Marshall just now. She was already


    irritable, but she became even more irritable when she smelled that scent on Keegan¡¯s body, ¡®Damn it.


    Why don¡¯t you wash up instead of just sitting on the bedside and staring at me? It¡¯s annoying! Ste


    cursed inwardly.


    After an unknown time, Keegan threw off the quilt and held her wrist. When Ste was about to


    withdraw her hand, he gently applied a cool liquid on her wrist with his palm.


    Ste was startled for a moment. Then, she withdrew her hand.


    Keegan seemed to know that she was awake. When he saw that she withdrew her hand, he said. tly,


    ¡°Are you done pretending to be asleep?¡±


    Ste gritted her teeth. ¡°Why would I pretend? I can¡¯t sleep if you¡¯re roughing up here, can I?¡±


    The corner of Keegan¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°I¡¯m applying the medicine on you! You don¡¯t know chalk from


    cheese!¡±


    Ste snorted. ¡°My injury has already healed for a long time, even before your medicine is here.¡±


    Keegan was left speechless. Then, he saw an ointment on the bedside table, which was the same as


    the one in his hand. He frowned and asked, ¡°Did you go to the doctor?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Ste wrapped herself in the quilt tightly. ¡°Mr. Moore brought it here.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Why did he give you the medicine?¡±


    Those words made Steugh angrily. ¡°Didn¡¯t you visit Ms. Young too? What¡¯s wrong? You can show


    your love and concern for others, but others can¡¯t show it to me?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened even more. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re right for pushing someone into the water?¡±


    Ste paused and looked at him. ¡°Be told you that I pushed her?¡±


    Keegan said nothing.


    Be had never said anything. However, not only Mrs. Chapman, but several people on the ship saw


    Ste kick Be at that time.


    Seeing that he remained silent, Ste twitched the corners of her mouth with a smirk. ¡°Turns out, you


    came back to vent her anger on me. You¡¯re right. I pushed her. Oh, technically, I kicked her.¡±


    Keegan frowned. ¡°Why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°No reason. I want to make her sick. I hate her. Are these reasons good enough?¡±


    ¡°What kind of attitude is that?¡± Keegan then said furiously, ¡°Do you know you have to face awsuit if


    someone on the ship blows your cover just now!¡±


    Ste sneered. ¡°Are you saying you went to Be and asked her not to sue me? Should I be thankful to


    you all?¡±


    ¡°Ste!¡±


    ¡°Stop preaching to me. It¡¯s none of your business. I don¡¯t want to ept your favor either. Let Be sue


    me if she has the ability. If I chicken out, I¡¯ll change my surname to hers!¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Keegan was furious. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°You! I should have left. you alone!¡± ¡®What the hell


    am I doing? I asked someone to edit out the footage and thought about her injury. I purposely asked


    someone for the medicine for her. In the end, she didn¡¯t even think of my good deed and kept saying


    things to make me angry, Keegan thought.


    Ste rolled up the quilt. ¡°No one asked you to care for me. If you want to vent her anger on me, kick


    me into the water. If not, stop disturbing my sleep.¡± She put on the blindfold while she spoke and


    stopped looking at him.


    Keegan was filled with anger. He mmed the door and left.


    Ste did not care where he went to sleep. She did not even care if he went to Be and slept together.


    Ste thought she could not sleep at night as she slept a lot during the day. However, she dozed off


    soon after Keegan had left. ¡®Keegan is really a bane in my existence. Even my sleep quality improved


    without him,¡¯ Ste thought.


    However, the peacested for only two hours. Suddenly, they encountered a storm at night. There were


    thunderstorms outside, and the waves made the cruise ship sway.


    Ste was awake from the sway.


    The things in the room moved around with the swaying of the cruise ship. The items on the table were


    shaken and fell to the ground. There was a reminder on the broadcast. It asked everyone to close the


    doors and windows, put on the life jackets, stay in the safety seats, and fasten their seat belts.


    Ste was worried about her great-grandpa. So, she put on her coat and wanted to go out to have a


    look.


    Before reaching the door, the power suddenly went off. The room was plunged into total darkness.


    Ste took her phone out for light. However, the ship swayed abruptly. She staggered, and her knee hit


    the table. She felt a terrible pain and loosened her grip. The phone fell to the ground, turned on


    protection mode, and shut down immediately.


    The room was plunged into total darkness again.


    Ste had yet to find the safety seat. She was like duckweed. No matter where the water swayed, she


    followed Finally, she caught the leg of the safety seat when she fell for thest time without knowing


    how many times she had bumped into things repeatedly She kneeled on the ground and held it tightly


    The rain whipped the ss and made a dense noise There were a few sounds like the roar of some


    creature from time to time, which seemed terrifying in the dark room.


    Ste¡¯s palms were full of cold sweat, and her face was pale.


    The cabin door was pushed open at that moment, and a lightning bolt split the night sky.


    Ste looked up and saw a figure appearing at the door. Her nose twitched, and she shouted hoarsely,


    ¡°Keegan.¡±

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    Keegan held a shlight and lit up the room. At a nce, he saw Ste kneeling on the ground in a


    mess and calling him with reddened eyes. With a tremor in his heart, he closed the cabin door and


    strode up to Ste. He held her hand and wanted to pull her into the safety seat. But, Ste sat on the


    ground without moving.


    Keegan said furiously, ¡°Do you know what¡¯s happening right now? Can¡¯t you stop acting out?¡± Ste


    said aggrievedly, ¡°Who¡¯s acting out? My leg hurts, and I can¡¯t move.¡±


    With the shlight, Keegan saw that Ste¡¯s legs were bruised. There were marks on her legs from the


    impact. ¡®No wonder she grabbed the seat but did not sit on it. She was in so much. pain that she


    couldn¡¯t stand up,¡¯ thought Keegan


    ¡°Hold it.¡± Keegan handed Ste the shlight. She lost her strength to argue at that moment and held


    the shlight obediently.


    Originally, Keegan wanted to be mean to Ste. However, he held back his words when he saw her


    pitiful appearance. He squatted on the ground, put one hand below her legs, and the other through her


    armpit, and picked her up.


    Ste was stunned for a second as soon as she hugged his neck. ¡®His back ispletely soaked.¡±


    While she was in a daze, Keegan put her on the safety seat, pulled the safety belt, and fastened it on


    her. The ship swayed abruptly again as soon as all that was done. Keegan fell out. Ste only heard a


    dull noise apanied by Keegan¡¯s restraining groan.


    She felt anxious and shouted, ¡°Keegan!¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Stay there!¡± Keegan gasped for breath and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Stay where you are and don¡¯t cause


    trouble for me.¡±


    With the shlight, Ste saw that Keegan had fallen to the foot of the bed. His posture was a little


    awkward, but he looked fine.


    ¡°Sit on the chair quickly,¡± she said anxiously.


    The ship swayed again when Keegan propped himself on the floor and was about to stand up. He


    quickly leaned over and grabbed the armrest at the foot of the bed to avoid being thrown. out again.


    The ship kept bumping, and they were being shaken badly. Ste felt dizzy sitting on the safety seat, let


    alone Keegan. With a distance of only a few meters, he could not get up and walk over. In the end,


    Keegan pulled off the sheet and tied himself to the armrest beside the bed. At least he would not


    dangle around with the bumps of the ship.


    The rain outside the window was getting heavier, and the wind was strong too. The raindrops. whipped


    the ss obliquely with the wind. The ding-dong sound was as dense as drumbeats. However, Ste


    was not afraid because there was another person in the room.


    Thinking of the situation just now, Ste felt an indescribable softness in her heart when Keegan ran


    back unexpectedly. She asked in a low voice, ¡°Why are you here at this hour?¡±


    ¡°This is the room I booked. Do I need to tell you whenever Ie back?¡± Keegan nced at her


    impatiently. ¡°Don¡¯t shine the shlight on my face.¡±


    Ste was speechless, ¡®Bastard! None of the words from his mouth are what I like to hear.¡±


    Ste turned the shlight angrily, shut her mouth, and stopped talking.


    She was too quiet. Keegan could not help but say, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking?¡±


    Ste immediately looked for a chance to attack. ¡°You booked the room. Do I dare to speak without


    your permission?¡±

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    Keegan was left speechless. He felt angry but also funny at the same time. After a long time, he said,


    ¡°You really hate to lose. Why do you think I came back at this hour? You would be


    bumping around until you turn stupid if I didn¡¯te back. By then, I don¡¯t want to take a fool home


    after spending so much money.¡±


    After he finished, he thought about it and said, ¡°Actually, you¡¯re already stupid enough, even without the


    bumps. Normal people would have already stayed in the safety seat obediently.¡± Ste was


    speechless. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I want to go out and see how my great- grandfather is


    doing. Who knew the ship would suddenly shake so badly?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s more conscious than you. He put on the life jacket immediately and sat in the safety seat quietly.¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    Keegan said tly, ¡°That¡¯s where I came from.¡±


    Ste was surprised. ¡°You went to great-grandpa?¡±


    Her tone sounded like that was weird. Keegan frowned and said, ¡°Where else can I go?¡±


    Ste curled her lips and thought in her heart, ¡®Based on your personality, shouldn¡¯t you go to your


    unforgettable woman?¡¯


    Thinking of that, she nced at Keegan. ¡°It¡¯s raining so heavily. I wonder how Ms. Young is doing?¡±


    Keegan looked at her oddly and calmly said, ¡°I don¡¯t think she will be as stupid as you.¡±


    Ste was left speechless.


    It seemed that Keegan had never gone to see Be. More confusion was in Ste¡¯s mind. ¡®What


    exactly is Be to Keegan? I really can¡¯t understand him. I kicked Be into the water today. And, Be


    was injured even more thanst time at the charity event. Keegan hugged her and leftst time. Why


    does he seem indifferent this time? Besides, shouldn¡¯t the lovers bet wayward? Why does Be always


    look in awe every time she sees Keegan? At least I dare to point at Keegan and scold him.¡±


    At that moment, Keegan¡¯s phone rang. He freed one hand, took out his phone, and answered the call.


    On the other end of the line was Vermont, apanied by the sound of the storm. Keegan, are you


    and Ste okay?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re fine. What about you?¡±


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m with Marshall. He came to give me a life jacket. Do you two have enough life jackets?


    Marshall said he didn¡¯t notice any life jackets in your room when he got the medicine for you guys.


    There are extra life jackets here. If you don¡¯t have it, I¡¯ll get it for you.¡±


    Keegan frowned. ¡°It¡¯s okay. We have it.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s get in touch again.¡±


    After hanging up, Ste asked, ¡°How are Mr. Moore and Mr. Snyder?¡±


    Keegan paused. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you care about your husband first? You can¡¯t get the one billion so easily,


    right?¡±


    Ste nced at him and muttered, ¡°Aren¡¯t you still alive and well?¡±


    Keegan stared at her furiously, and Ste shut up. She said after a while, ¡°Darling, can I discuss


    something with you?¡±


    Keegan knew that it would not be a good thing as soon as he heard Ste calling him ¡®Darling.¡±


    However, he was still curious about what Ste was going to say. So, he said tly, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Can you


    give me the house we currently live in after we divorce?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened in an instant. However, the light from the shlight was dim, and Ste did not


    notice it. So, she said to herself, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m used to living in that house. Besides, I¡¯ve nted so


    many flowers and nts in the yard and upstairs. It¡¯ll be difficult to move them away.


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it for a long time. So, I think you should move out after the divorce, but not me. How


    much is this house worth? Can you deduct it from the one billion when the time.es? You often go


    on business trips and rarelye back and stay. Moreover, it¡¯s a big vi. It¡¯s boring for you to stay


    alone there. Didn¡¯t your grandma always ask you to go back and live with her? You can move back to


    your grandma¡¯s house after the divorce. You can spend more time with your grandma too. That would


    be so wonderful.¡±

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    ¡°I checked the house purchase contract before. You spent over 40 million when you bought it. The


    premium of the house over the years should be worth 60 million. While the decoration and other


    expenses should cost about 3 million, right? In that case, you can deduct 70 million from my one billion


    when you transfer the ownership of the house to me. The extra payment will be the mutual affection


    between husband and wife over the years. I definitely won¡¯t take advantage of you,¡± said Ste.


    Keegan was angry, but he could not do anything at the same time. ¡®Damn! She really surprises me


    unexpectedly every time. She ns to drive me out of the marital house even though we haven¡¯t


    divorced!


    ¡¯70 million? How dare she tell me that? I did spend over 40 million when I bought the house. But, that


    was the price eight years ago. The house price in the area that I bought these years has skyrocketed.


    The value of that house alone has already reached 130 million. She cut the price in half when she


    started talking. She acts like she didn¡¯t take advantage of me, but she was!¡¯


    Ste was really nning about it. On one hand, just like she had said, she was used to living in that


    house. Besides, she liked the houseyout a lot because she remodeled the house at second time


    ording to her preferences after getting married.


    Keegan was busy with work and disliked taking care of these things. He allowed Ste to do whatever


    she liked, so the current style of the house was what she liked.


    Ste felt tired when she was looking for a house a while ago. They were either theyout or the


    lighting was bad. It was not asfortable as the current one, no matter how she tried to find it.


    The main point was that the house was close to Rotona Pinnacle Hospital. It took only 20 minutes to


    drive there. It was the second reason she considered it.


    The house had a winter garden on the first floor and a fitness room on the second floor, which was


    suitable for the elderly. Ste would turn the fitness room into a rehabilitation room when Rainee¡¯s


    health improved. So, she could do her rehabilitation training there, which was perfect.


    There were a lot of properties under Keegan¡¯s name. Besides, it would the same for him even if he got


    one more or lost one house. So, she had been thinking about how she should tell Keegan about it


    lately.


    Ste saw that Keegan remained silent for a long time after she finished. She asked tentatively, ¡°What


    do you think?¡±


    ¡°What a terrible idea!¡± Keegan gritted his teeth. ¡°Ste, when did I give you the impression that I¡¯m an


    idiot? 70 million? Do you think I¡¯m a beggar?¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words. ¡°We can negotiate the price.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not for sale!¡± Keegan said furiously, ¡°I reserved this house as a marital house. If you want it, you


    either be Mrs. Kane for the rest of your life or inherit it after I die. There¡¯s no other way.¡±


    Ste was left speechless. She was silent for a while before she asked, ¡°Have you made a will?


    If not, it might not be mine.¡±


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Do you really want me to die?¡±


    The ship jolted again as soon as he finished. Keegan did not hold the armrest tight and was thrown on


    his back. His head hit the floor, and Ste was startled by a thump.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression twisted by the pain. He became even angrier when he heard her voice.¡± I¡¯m still


    alive. Sorry to disappoint you!¡±


    Ste also felt that what she had said was a little overboard. She whispered, ¡°I was just asking. Why


    are you so angry?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pull you over. I don¡¯t know how long the shake willst. It¡¯s too dangerous for you to be there.¡±


    Keegan was still angry and coldly said, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business!¡±

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    Chapter 307


    Ste suddenly felt likeughing. She found that Keegan¡¯s tone was like a kid throwing a tantrum. She


    obviously would not say it to his face, as Keegan would have lost his temper. Hence, she coaxed him


    softly, ¡°Mr. Kane. I¡¯m so sorry. Please don¡¯t be mad at me. I¡¯m still counting on you to make money and


    support me. How could I bear to let you die? I¡¯ll be heartbroken even if you get scratched. Is it alright if I


    pull you over here? You can get back to being angry with me once you get in the safety seat.¡±


    Her apology was not sincere at all. Keegan knew that, but her sweet talking still tangled him up.


    Keegan looked at her thin arm and thin legs. ¡°Will you be able to handle me?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look down on me. I¡¯m strong!¡±


    Keegan nced at her long white legs and thought to himself. ¡®Well, those legs are indeed not weak.¡¯


    He untied the bed sheet and tossed it to Ste. ¡°Tie this end to the safety seat.¡±


    Ste followed as he said. Keegan tugged the bed sheet to ensure it was firm and pulled it toward


    Ste. Everything was going very smoothly in the beginning. However, as Keegan was about to reach


    the safety seat, the ship started swaying vigorously. He knelt on the ground, pulling the bed sheet tight


    to uphold his body.


    Ste reached her hand out hurriedly. ¡°Grab onto me.¡±


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    Keegan stretched his hand out and realized that there was still a short distance to reach Ste. No


    matter how hard Ste tried, there would always be a distance between them. Keegan could not


    stabilize his body as the ship was swaying. Ste became anxious, so she unbuckled her seat belt and


    held Keegan¡¯s hand.


    Before she could even get happy, the waves rushed in as if it was targeting them. With another jolt,


    Ste stumbled down the safety seat and went into Keegan¡¯s arms. Keegan wrapped his arms around


    Ste subconsciously when she knocked him down. They then rolled to the foot


    of the bed.


    Ste heard Keegan¡¯s muffled grunt of paining from behind and said sheepishly, ¡°Mr. Kane. Are


    you alright?¡±


    Keegan gritted his teeth. ¡°Are you crazy? Why did you unbuckle your seat belt?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to catch you. Who knew the waves would hit in so quickly?¡±


    Keegan was about to scold her when he realized he could not. Ste thought he was still angry and


    whispered, ¡°Look on the bright side; the more friction we produce, the higher the chance we won¡¯t get


    thrown off.¡±


    Keegan tried to hold back but was unsessful. ¡°How did you get into collegest time?¡±


    ¡°What does friction have to do with this?¡¯ Keegan thought.


    ¡°I was pretty, so they made an exception and got me in.¡±


    Keegan was speechless at her response. ¡°You only care about your looks so much that you let your


    brain go crazy?¡±


    ¡°One specialty is enough How could other people live if I¡¯m perfect?¡± Ste was great at finding


    excuses Keegan eased his temper after Ste¡¯s little trick Ste nestled in Keegan¡¯s


    arm, listening to his steady heart beat. They had been married for so many years, yet this was the first


    time they had an intimate gesture. It was weird, but at the same time, it was not weird at all.


    ¡°Mr. Kane¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± The man was still cold, but he did not sound impatient.


    Ste said softly, ¡°If the ship shakes again, you can use me as your cover. I¡¯m not just a problem to


    you.¡±


    Keegan was startled, and he hugged her tightly. ¡°Other husbands respects and loves their wives. Am I


    even a man if I made you a scapegoat for things? And now, making you my cover?¡±


    Ste was speechless. Keegan would literally remember every single argument.


    ¡°Mr. Kane.


    ¡±


    ¡°Stop talking. Go to sleep if you¡¯re tired.¡±

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    Chapter 308


    Ste instantly kept quiet. The boat was still swaying. Keegan¡¯s warm body temperature behind her


    back made her feel safe. She unconsciously closed her eyes and fell asleep.


    The thunderstormsted until midnight, and Ste woke up lying on the bed. She moved and found


    Keegan¡¯s hand on her waist while both of them were still tied to the bed sheet. Keegan must have tied


    them up during their sleep to avoid being thrown out or knocked into things. She untied the bed sheet,


    washed herself, and went out without waking Keegan.


    The deck was a mess. Fishes, shrimps, and crabs were washed up on board by the wind, and the crew


    was busy cleaning up. Ste knocked on Arthur¡¯s room, but only Aldor was in the room packing the


    luggage.


    ¡°Where is my great-grandpa?¡± Ste asked.


    Aldor replied, ¡°He went on deck to get some seafood. He said he was going to make some seafood


    soup.¡±


    Ste was speechless. ¡®Isn¡¯t Arthur nearly ny? His energy is even better than mine. And, I¡¯m still


    young.¡¯


    She searched the deck and finally saw Arthur in a corner. Marshall was standing beside him. Both of


    them had their heads low, talking about something. Ste went over and saw a turtle the size of a


    washbasin between them.


    Arthur stroked his chin and said, ¡°ording to my experience, this must be a female turtle.¡± Marshall


    searched his phone. ¡°The shell is on the long side, with a V-shape notch on its back. Scientifically, this


    should be a male.¡±


    ¡°No way. How could a male be so small?¡±


    Marshall replied, ¡°There¡¯s a chance that it hasn¡¯t fully grown yet.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so big, yet it¡¯s not fully grown?¡±


    ¡°Green sea turtlese of age in twenty years. They grow up to 2-4 feet when they¡¯re adults. This one


    seems to be approximately over one foot, so it must be a kid.¡±


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°So, a baby sea turtle,¡± Arthur stroked his beard. ¡°It should be healthy.¡±


    Ste could not stand the conversation. ¡°Great-grandpa, why did youe here?¡±


    Arthur¡¯s face instantly lit up when he saw Ste. ¡°Ste,e here. There¡¯s a huge turtle over here.


    Let¡¯s take it back and make soup.¡±


    Ste winced. ¡°Great-grandpa, you can¡¯t eat it. You¡¯re going to jail if you do that.¡±


    Arthur frowned. ¡°Even though I just picked it up?¡±


    ¡°Not even the corpse.¡± Ste then called the crew and asked them to return the turtle back to the sea.


    Otherwise, Arthur would not be willing to give it up.


    ¡°Ste, is he your great-grandfather?¡± Marshall spoke after watching from the side for a


    while.


    Ste introduced both of them to each other. Marshall was very friendly. Not long ago, he had


    been chatting with Arthur about the gender of the sea turtle for a long time. One can say that they got


    along quite well. After chatting for a while, Arthur eximed, ¡°Where¡¯s Keegan?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not up yet.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already sote, yet he¡¯s not up?¡±


    ¡°He fell asleeptest night.¡± Ste could not tell them what they had encounteredst night since it


    was too embarrassing.


    ¡°Go back and wash up. Wake him up so we can have breakfast together.¡±


    Ste parted with Marshall and assisted Arthur back.


    ¡°Marshall is so much more polite than Keegan,¡± Arthur suddenly said.


    However, Ste did not reply to him.

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    Chapter 309


    ¡°He looks better than Keegan too. Why didn¡¯t you fall for him back then?¡±


    Ste was speechless. ¡®What was this old man thinking?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Moore is Keegan¡¯s friend. Please don¡¯t talk nonsense here, great-grandpa. People might


    misunderstand.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying,¡± Arthur slowly replied. ¡°Keegan¡¯s not bad either. He was ying chess with me the


    whole night yesterday. Although he ran back the moment he heard the thunderstorms, there¡¯s still hope


    for him.¡±


    Ste was once again speechless. ¡°There¡¯s still hope for him? What kind ofment is this?¡±


    By the time they got back, Keegan was done packing, and he left the room. Everyone was enjoying the


    time left since there were only a few more hours before the ship docked.


    Be was singing enthusiastically to the audience in the restaurant, so she could wipe away her past


    humiliation. Well, to say the least, although Be was horrible at acting, she could sing. After all, she


    did release a single. It was just that she would steal nces at Keegan from time to time when she


    sang, which was annoying. However, Keegan was busy replying to emails, so he did not pay attention


    to her amorous nces.


    Ste peeled an orange and ced it in Keegan¡¯s mouth. Keegan nced at her and saw Ste


    smiling brightly. She said, ¡°This is specially made to treat bruises and injuries.¡±


    Keegan was dumbstruck. She then put another orange into Keegan¡¯s mouth and said, ¡°It¡¯s sweet,


    right?¡±


    Keegan narrowed his brows as the orange was not sweet at all. It was rather sour. But, he did. not spit


    it out.


    Be had an icy expression and clutched her hand when she saw their ¡®lovey-dovey¡¯ gesture. A chef-


    like person came over and ced a dessert on the table while Ste was watching the show. Ste


    turned perplexed and asked, ¡°I don¡¯t think we ordered this.¡±


    The man spoke in Spanish. So, Ste did not understand a word he said, but Keegan did, and his face


    clouded over. The man finished his speech with a sentence in broken English. ¡°Enjoy your meal.¡±


    After the person walked away, Ste asked, ¡°What did he say?¡±


    Keegan stared at her coldly and responded, ¡°Did the spaghetti made by Marshall taste good?¡±


    ¡°Yep-¡± Ste was about to blurt that out, but she hurriedly changed. ¡°What spaghetti?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression went dark, and Ste regretted it the moment she lied. ¡®Keegan must have known


    something before he asked. He must be thinking that I¡¯m guilty since I denied him so quickly.¡¯


    Ste tried to cover up. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not bad, but not that good either. It¡¯s not as good as the food you


    left for me.¡±


    Keegan closed hisptop and walked out with a cold face. Ste could not stay anymore, so she


    rushed to catch up with him. ¡°I¡¯m serious. It wasn¡¯t that nice. It was mainly because I was too


    hungry


    ¡°I wanted to tell you at first, but you left so much good food for me. So, I didn¡¯t have the heart to tell you


    I already ate. Mr. Kane, I didn¡¯t want to lie to you. I-¡± Before Ste could finish her sentence, Keegan


    turned around, grabbed her waist, and kissed her lips.


    Ste looked up in a daze. Keegan lowered his gaze to her lips and continued sucking it. They had


    never had such an intimate kiss, even when they were making out back then.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Ste¡¯s face flushed, and she forcefully pushed him away. Just as she was about to speak, she saw


    Marshall not far away. She was startled and embarrassed at the same time.


    Keegan caressed her lips with his thumb and said in his deep voice, ¡°I won¡¯t go easy on you next time.¡±


    Ste was about to die from embarrassment and started swearing to find an excuse to sneak away.


    Back in the cabin, Felicity had sent a message to Ste. [Be, that bitch, was really up to no good.]


    Ste was uncertain of what had happened. [What happened?]


    (A media posted an article saying that they didn¡¯t see Be on the set of The Pce. They suspect that


    she¡¯s not participating. Then, her studio sent out a bitchy statement today.]

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    Chapter 310


    The statement¡¯s general intent was to tell everyone to listen only to the official announcement rather


    than making spections based on unauthorized ones. It further cautionedizens not to fall victim to


    others with bad intentions. It was clear what they were getting at when they warned the fans not to let


    people with bad intentions take advantage of


    them.


    The news of Be joining The Pce was rumored for a few months. The show had not even started


    filming, yet Be had already brought The Pce on the trending list several times. With Daniel¡¯s


    reputation and Be¡¯s fame, every trending search would spark discussions.


    Bepletely ignored the situation online at that time. But now, she popped out and posted a


    statement saying she did not take part in the show. The fans naturally thought that the show¡¯s


    production team had bought the previous trending searches to trick the fans and use the celebrities¡¯


    fame.


    So, once the statement was posted, Be¡¯s fans instantly cried out against injustice. They all went to


    leave ament on The Pce¡¯s Facebook homepage. Some were insults about the casting, and


    some were cursing for the show to flop. Their homepage was full of toxicments. Luckily, Daniel


    had the foresight and kept the show¡¯s cast a secret. Otherwise, no one¡¯s homepage would be safe at


    that moment.


    Be would do anything for clout. Hence, she was great at setting trends, yet her fans had no idea that


    she was taking advantage of them. Her fans were evenforting and encouraging Be on her


    Facebook page.


    Felicity sent a message to their group chat. [The show went on trending when it started filming. She


    didn¡¯t say she wasn¡¯t in it at that time. Why mention it now?]


    Ste, too, felt that Be¡¯s post at the moment was weird. ¡®Why would she rock the boat and court


    hatred to herself with a statement like this? Daniel has always hated these publicity stunts made by


    celebrities. Does Be not want to be in Daniel¡¯s show in the future by making it a big deal?¡¯


    Shea said, [Does she have a new show that will be released? Is that why she¡¯s purposely clout-


    chasing?]


    At first, they all just thought that Shea was overthinking it. But, right in the evening, a famous media


    ount revealed that Be was starring in World Peace. World Peace was a script based on a


    trending novel. It¡¯s a mystery genre novel with arge reader fanbase. The novel became viral because


    the author was caught giarizing and stealing ideas from others. The readers searched through the


    web novels and found all the giarized ideas.


    However, Ste did not read novels. During her voice acting days, she did receive the script¡¯s offer.


    She was interacting with Robin frequently at the time, so she asked him to assist her with reviewing the


    script. But, Robin instantly told her to turn down the offer when he saw the script. So, she learned about


    the script¡¯s controversy from Robin.


    Out of curiosity, Ste read the few books that theizens had found World Peace giarizing from.


    The settings of the story were indeed very simr. Even the setting of the main characters was mostly


    the same as the setting of the book, Ninja Wear. If the situation was simr to one or two books, it


    could be considered a coincidence. But, having so many


    things inmon did not seem random.


    giarism was aplicated topic in the country. It was difficult to determine whether a book was


    giarized from a legal aspect. Since it could not be defined and the book was doing amazing, theContent ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    author went rampant. Not only did the author deny the giarism im, the author even sued a few


    netizens in court for defamation.


    The author was still active in the web novel field to this day. This incident did not affect him at all. On


    the contrary, his fame soared. He had sold one after another royalty of his books. Furthermore, it was


    assumed that one book¡¯s royalty cost 20 million or more.


    The controversial adaptation of World Peace into a show was nothing new in the entertainment


    industry: Somepanies would especially purchase these kinds of royalties. They would use


    giarism as a gimmick and continuously create hot topics about it right from the start. When the show


    was about to air, the fans would be busy handling the homepage and pinning the positivements to


    block out the hatements. Meanwhile, the celebrities would rake the profit from the show. All these


    shows would undoubtedly have high ratings. Surely enough, they earned a fortune from it. Some


    celebrities even won awards for these shows, which was miraculous.


    ¡®Be would be lying if she said she did not know about the show¡¯s controversy. Maybe she wanted to


    bet on it,¡¯ Ste thought.


    [Ste, Be¡¯s show might sh with The Pce. Oh my God, was this intentional?]


    Felicity had many channels for finding out rumors, so she was quick to inquire about thetest news.


    [They are really shing. Well, I guess we just have to stand up to her. I believe in Director Woods.]


    [Me too. But, when a show broadcast shes with these IP shows, the ratings would definitely not do


    well. Fucking hell, why does Be keep holding a grudge against you?] Shea replied. Ste was silent


    for a moment before she asked, [When does World Peace start filming?]


    [Probably next week. I¡¯ll have to inquire more about the details.] Felicity paused and asked, [ What are


    you going to do?]


    Ste replied, [I was thinking of sending her an opening gift.]


    Felicity¡¯s smile twitched. [Do you have nowhere else to spend your money?]

 Chapter 311

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 311


    Chapter 311


    Meanwhile, Be¡¯s manager, Wein, was quite worried about Be participating in World Peace. After


    Be fell into the waterst night, Keegan showed up and gave her a script. The script was not World


    Peace, but a show called The Tea Merchant. This show was simr to The Pce, which was


    produced by Daniel. It was also a show about a strong female lead. The Pce was about


    conspiracies in the pce, while The Tea Merchant, as the name suggests, was about the story of a


    tea merchant.


    In the story, the female lead went from being a maid to ward off bad luck for her husband, to the


    mistress of the family and finally bing the tea merchant of the generation. Truth be told, the


    character design had even more emotional values than the female lead of The Pce. It was a show


    where the audience could empathize with the female lead as they watched her grow throughout her


    journey. However, Be rejected it because she felt that the production team was from a small


    company, the scriptwriter was not famous enough, and the director used to produce literary films.


    Despite the fact that the movies had received some awards, they were always just good movies with a


    small audience.


    Be started off with clout, so she was ustomed to paying attention to the numbers. She wanted to


    act in The Pce because Daniel had guaranteed statistics and quality. In contrast, The Tea Merchant


    did not have a background. It was the typical award-winning type of show, which was not the type of


    transformative work that she wanted.


    The Tea Merchant was going to start filming at the end of the year. It would have to wait until next


    year¡¯s summertime for it to be released. Be¡¯s contract termination with Neon Neb was imminent.


    In addition to that, she did not have any impending work currently. If she epted The Tea Merchant,


    her screen time would be entirely open, aside from a few offers from variety shows. For Be, an


    actress who depends on clout, the inability to maintain exposure on the big screen was extremely


    dangerous. That was because the entertainment industry was always full of neers. Be would


    not have dared to leave such arge gap on the big screen because the clout would have been heavily


    divided.


    World Peace, however, was a different situation. The production team wasparable to The Pce.


    Along with that, the work itself had fame. It would start filming this month and take three months to


    finish. By the end of the year, it would be on air. The pay was also three times higher than The Tea


    Merchant. Most importantly, the release date shed with The Pce. When that time came, they


    could fight to make an impact on ratings. Be had faith in her prime-time ratings.


    Daniel had the guts to reject her, so she would not let go of The Pce so easily. Therefore, she turned


    down The Tea Merchant and chose World Peace. After finding out about Be¡¯s stunt, Wein was


    indignant. Be imed that she wanted to change, but she was unwilling to give up her clout. She


    knew about the controversy of World Peace, yet she still participated. She paid no attention to


    maintaining her reputation.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    At this point, there was nothing Wein could do. He bought hot searches and continued directing the war


    of giarism toward the author so that Be could escape the mess. The official lineup of World Peace


    went on trending soon after some fans deliberately interrupted. All the trending searches were


    compliments about the lineup. The fans would fight off anyments about the giarism, saying that


    the show had nothing to do with the source material.


    Just when Be¡¯s fans were celebrating, a legal letter came out of nowhere. The client of the legal letter


    was Dusk Gxy, the famous voice actor who abruptly withdrew from the inte a while ago. The


    content of the legal letter stated that the client, a victim of cyberbullying, had developed depression and


    posted the medical record. They now demanded several ounts to delete their hatement and


    publicly apologize.


    Soon a few marketing media found out that the few ounts mentioned in the legal letter were Be¡¯s


    fans. However, the owner of the ounts jumped out and denied that they were Be¡¯s fans. After


    deleting theirment, they decisively terminated their ounts. Even so, Be¡¯s Facebook ount


    was flooded withizens who were denouncing her.


    In contrast to Be, who was now anxious, Ste was rather calm and rxed. Originally, the legal


    letter was a deliberate act to warn others. The ounts they put out were not the mastermind, but all


    these ounts acted based on a given order. And, it only showed one thing; they have an organization


    behind them. Whether Be was involved or not, her sin was that she indulged her fans. Therefore, she


    was not innocent. This gift should be able to keep her down for some time.


    Inside the Vinci Rivera¡¯Group building, Aldor entered Keegan¡¯s office once he saw the people from R &


    D department leaving. ¡°Mr. Kane, I think there¡¯s something you should look at.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Keegan did not look up, as he thought it was work-rted.


    Aldor continued, ¡°A few days ago, you instructed me to cut out the cruise ship surveince. I wanted to


    delete it, but out of curiosity, I took a look at it,¡± Aldor paused and softly said, ¡°Ms. Young looked like


    she was pulling Mrs. Kane down with her when she jumped into the water. Mrs. Kane couldn¡¯t break


    free, so she kicked her down.¡±


    Keegan stopped and took the phone handed over by Aldor. The video was blurry, yet one still could see


    the two¡¯s reactions. Well, instead of saying that Ste kicked Be on purpose, it was better to say that


    she was defending herself. She had to kick Be away, or else Be would not be the only person who


    had fallen into the water that day.


    ¡°And, one more thing¡­¡± Aldor hesitated before he exined, ¡°That night, when you and Mrs. Kane


    went to Mr. Lowe¡¯s appointment, Ms. Young¡¯s assistant contacted me. They told me Be was hurt, and


    they wanted you toe over. But, you were arguing with Mrs. Kane at that moment, so I did not


    mention it. I was afraid that something had happened to Ms. Young, so I secretly sent someone to


    check on her. It turned out that Ms. Young wasn¡¯t injured or sick.¡±

 Chapter 312

    Chapter 312


    Keegan pursed his lips. Momentster, he finally said, ¡°I was wrong about her.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Kane isn¡¯t someone who holds grudges. If you apologize properly and coax her, she¡¯ll surely forgive you,¡± said Aldor.


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡®She doesn¡¯t hold grudges? The bitemark she left on mest night because I took her nket still hasn¡¯t gone away. There isn¡¯t a woman who holds grudges more than her,¡¯ he thought.


    Keegan returned the phone to Aldor. ¡°Get someone to keep an eye on Be. Don¡¯t let her get hurt or stir


    up trouble before the agreed time. If she breaches the contract, I¡¯ll take back the things the same way I gave them to her.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Just as Aldor walked out, Ste sent Keegan a text message.


    Grandpa asked if you¡¯reing home for dinner tonight.


    Keegan nced at his unfinished work. Then, he closed the file and replied.


    Yes.


    When Keegan returned, Arthur was unusually enthusiastic. ¡°Keegan, you¡¯re home?¡±


    He squinted as he smiled. The creases on his face were all squeezed together, making him look amiable andical.


    Keegan was a little ttered and answered.


    Then, he nced at the untouched dishes on the dining table and exined, ¡°The roads were a little congested.¡±


    ¡°This is a big city, so traffic jams are normal. I spent the whole day preparing all these so that you can have a warm meal when youe home. Hurry up and wash your hands.¡±


    This time, not only was Keegan confused but Ste was also bewildered.


    ¡®When I came home from work today, grandpa was already busy in the kitchen. I even got kicked out when I went inside to help. Grandpa made me call Keegan home for dinner. And, he didn¡¯t even let me touch the food when it was ready and insisted on waiting for Keegan toe home and have dinner with


    us. Throughout grandpa¡¯s stay here, I saw with my own eyes how much he disliked Keegan. So, today really is a rare asion,¡¯ she thought.


    After Keegan had returned from washing his hands, Arthur asked him to sit down. Then, he personally opened the pot of soup and filled a bowl with chicken soup for Keegan.


    ¡°Drink it while it¡¯s hot.¡±


    Ste naturally went over with her bowl to get some soup. However, Arthur pped her hand away the moment she touched thedle.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t for you.¡±


    She was baffled.


    She said in a displeased tone, ¡°I helped you pick some onions. Am I not even entitled to some soup?¡±


    Arthur said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I make another soup? Go have that one. I purposefully made this one for Keegan.¡±


    Keegan was a little surprised. However, he could not help but smile when he saw the jealousy on Ste¡¯s face.


    ¡°Hurry up and eat it while it¡¯s hot. It won¡¯t taste good when it¡¯s cold,¡± Arthur urged from the side.From N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan did not quite like chicken soup. But, since Arthur had made it himself, Keegan did not want to let


    his kindness go to waste. He grabbed the bowl and took a sip.


    Arthur gazed excitedly at Keegan with his yellowed eyes. ¡°How is it? Is it good?¡±


    Keegan took only a sip and frowned. ¡°The taste is a little funny.¡±


    ¡°I threw in some cramp bark. It won¡¯t taste funny if you down it in one go. Hurry and eat it.¡±


    Keegan could not take the pressure from Arthur, so he fought back his difort and


    finished the bowl of chicken soup.


    Then, Arthur immediately grabbed the empty bowl and filled it again for him, ¡°Here. Have another bowl.¡±


    Keegan frowned and felt reluctant.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have the soup after eating something,¡± he said.


    ¡°Its effects won¡¯t be as good when it gets cold. Hurry up and eat it while it¡¯s still hot.¡±

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    Keegan froze. ¡°What effects?¡±


    ¡°Tonify and rejuvenate your sexual function.¡±


    ¡°Pfft-¡±


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste spat out the soup in her mouth.


    Keegan¡¯s expression immediately darkened.


    Arthur said, ¡°I heard Maria, the housemaid, say that the Kane family¡¯s been urging you two to conceive,


    so it¡¯s time you two put this matter on your agendas. Ste¡¯s still young, so her body is definitely fine.


    Yours might be a different case. You¡¯re in your early thirties, and you sit in your office all day. If you


    don¡¯t exercise more, you won¡¯t be physically fit, and your future child won¡¯t have a strong body. If the


    child¡¯s unhealthy, Ste will be the one who suffers. That¡¯s why I made you something good to


    rejuvenate your body.¡±


    He continued as if he was listing out his treasures. ¡°The chicken I used is an actual free-range chicken.


    I ughtered it myself. I threw in many types of herbs like chaste tree, cramp bark, red clover, saw


    palmetto, maca,ctipusum, purple hook, macrbor, serpba¡­ Anyway, they¡¯re all good stuff. You¡¯ll


    be as strong as an ox if you have it two to three times a week. Having two children within three years


    won¡¯t be an issue.¡±


    Ste went from being shocked initially to holding back herughter.


    ¡®Grandpa¡¯s mindset is of a normal person¡¯s. Why is it always the woman¡¯s fault if a couple can¡¯t


    conceive? I¡¯m in my twenties, the most fertile period, while Keegan¡¯s already in his early thirties. It¡¯s


    obvious he has a higher chance of being the problem,¡¯ she thought.


    Keegan gritted his teeth and said with a dark expression. ¡°I don¡¯t need it!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± Ste smiled with her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t let grandpa¡¯s kindness go to waste. You should


    tonify your body, honey. You¡¯re only thirty, but you go to the washroom three times a night. What¡¯ll


    happen when you get older?¡±


    Arthur widened his eyes. ¡°What? You wake up three times at night to urinate?¡±


    Keegan twitched the corner of his lips as he watched Ste narrow her eyes like a fox. Then, he said


    through his gritted teeth, ¡°That¡¯s because I had diarrhea a few days ago. I¡¯m very much normal!¡±


    Keegan had a weak stomach. The seafood soup Arthur made two days ago may not have been fully


    cooked, so Keegan kept using the washroom throughout the night.


    Ste certainly knew what happened and had deliberately said such things.


    ¡®I¡¯ve been taking the me for being infertile for so long; it¡¯s time Keegan got a taste of it too, ¡®she


    thought.


    ¡°Honey, grandpa¡¯s doing this for your own good. You¡¯re family and not an outsider, so what¡¯s there to


    feel embarrassed about? Hurry up and eat it while it¡¯s hot so that you can have two children in three


    years!¡±


    Keegan turned red in anger.


    Ste quickly ran upstairs after she finished eating to avoid Keegan¡¯s anger.


    After Keegan had finished his meal, Arthur dragged him for a walk and a game of chess. When he


    finally went upstairs, it was already nine o¡¯clock.


    Ste originally thought that Keegan was going to settle the score with her, but he ended up not saying


    a thing. He took his clothes and went to take a shower.


    When Ste finished reading the new script Lena had sent her, Keegan finished his shower and


    came out.


    Ste looked up and nced at him, and she almost flung her phone away.


    ¡®That guy, Keegan, actually came out wrapped in a bath towel. He usually acts like a chaste virgin and


    practically covers himself entirely with clothes. What¡¯s the matter with him today? Is letting others


    admire his physique?¡¯ she wondered.


    She watched as the water droplets in his hair fell onto his corbone. The water droplets trickled down,


    one by one, onto the grooves of his hips. Then, they traveled along the grooves toward the bath towel.,


    Just as the water droplet was about to move into the towel, Keegan suddenly reached out and pulled


    off the bath towel. He was wearing a damn pair of beach pants underneath.


    ¡®Well that¡¯s no fun,¡¯ Ste thought.


    After she charged her phone, she closed her eyes and went to sleep.


    Keegan only got in bed after he blow-dried his hair. Since Ste was exhausted, she quickly fell asleep


    after closing her eyes.


    Suddenly, the person beside her turned. She frowned and pulled the covers tighter in displeasure.


    Momentster, the person behind her rolled over again. He tossed and turned as if he was a pancake


    being flipped, causing Ste to bepletely unable to fall asleep.


    She then opened her eyes in annoyance. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression was tense, and his face was flushed. He was quiet for a long time before he


    finally said through gritted teeth, ¡°What in the world was in that soup?!¡±

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    Ste was startled momentarily. She stared at Keegan¡¯s flushed neck and face. Suddenly, she


    understood the situation.


    She teased him through stifledughter, ¡°This is good. Didn¡¯t you hear what grandpa say just now?


    One bowl and you¡¯ll have stamina as strong as young man¡¯s; two bowls and you can bring down a


    bull.¡±


    Keegan had a light sheen of sweat on his forehead. With a tense expression, he pulled the covers


    tighter and ignored Ste.


    It was a rare asion for Ste to see Keegan in such an embarrassing state. So, she was not going


    to pass up the opportunity of adding insult to his injury. She exhaled and said, ¡°How does it feel after


    having the soup, Mr. Kane? Is it like how it¡¯s depicted on TV; you feel like your entire body is on fire?


    Look at you. You¡¯re sweating so much; it must be really hot in here. Shall I fan you?¡±


    She narrowed her eyes and deliberately moved to Keegan¡¯s front. Then, she swung her hands back


    and forth in front of his face to fan him.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    The fragrance of the body wash from Ste¡¯s body wafted over to Keegan. While her scent was simr


    to his own, it still enticed him and sent his heart trembling.


    Keegan¡¯s gaze subconsciously moved to her face, her lips, and finally, her delicate corbone.


    ¡®Herplexion is so fair that just exerting slight force will leave a red mark that doesn¡¯t go away after


    a whole night. It¡¯s as if a mark¡¯s been left on her, a mark that belongs to me,¡¯ he thought.


    Keegan forcefully averted his gaze and said through gritted teeth, ¡°Stay away from me!¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t do. I need to keep youpany since you¡¯re feeling so ufortable. Otherwise, I¡¯ll feel


    bad taking that one billion.¡±


    Keegan twitched the corner of his lips.


    ¡®Ste¡¯s expression is as fake as it can get. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s bubbling with joy right now!¡¯ he thought.


    It was true Ste did not have good intentions. She said with a ¡°worried¡± look, ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be the


    case. I haven¡¯t seen you like this in the past few months. Does a bowl of chicken soup have such great


    effects? Are you faking it?¡±


    Keegan was exasperated. He immediately rolled over and pinned the woman under him. Then, he


    gripped her chin and said with a dark expression, ¡°Do you still think I¡¯m faking it now?¡± Ste stiffened.


    Since the pajamas were of thin material, she could directly feel every nook and cranny of his body now


    that he was pressed against her.


    ¡®I think¡­ I¡¯ve gone overboard,¡¯ she thought.


    Sheughed awkwardly and said, ¡°It looks like grandpa¡¯s chicken soup is truly amazing. Why don¡¯t¡­ I


    find you a video, and you go settle it in the bathroom?¡±


    Keegan lowered his head and looked at the woman under him.


    Ste feigned a calm expression, but she did not dare to look directly at him. The blush on the tips of


    her ears traveled down to her neck and corbone.


    She was not as calm as she thought she was.


    Keegan reached out and caressed her cheeks.


    He said hoarsely, ¡°There¡¯s no need to go through that trouble. I shouldn¡¯t let your grandpa¡¯s kindness


    go to waste. Why don¡¯t we test the soup¡¯s effects?¡±


    Then, he kissed her.


    Ste widened her eyes and quickly covered his lips that were about to touch hers, ¡°I¡¯m ovting!¡±


    Keegan lowered his gaze and kissed her palm in an explicit manner. Then, he slowly lifted his head.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. We¡¯ll have two children in three years.


    Once again, he leaned toward her. Just as Ste wondered if she should kick Keegan off the bed and if


    the mutt would deduct her money for it, her phone rang.


    She quickly pushed Keegan away and took her phone.


    Keegan frowned and was quite displeased. Then, he held her hands and moved to her again.


    Just as he touched Ste¡¯s lips, Dahlia¡¯s voice sounded from the phone. ¡°Are you asleep, Ste?


    Keegan froze, and Ste quickly took the opportunity to push him off. Then, she took the phone and


    steadied her breath.


    ¡°I justid down. What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be discussing Keegan¡¯s grandmother¡¯s birthday tomorrow at the family banquet held at Keegan¡¯s


    grandparents¡¯ residence. So, you and Keegan must remember not to bete.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there still a month till grandma¡¯s birthday? Do we need to start preparing now?¡±


    ¡°Do you think a birthday celebration at the Kane family is like a random person in your family having


    their birthday-having a mere meal will do? If it wasn¡¯t because Keegan¡¯s grandmother had gotten angry


    because of you, the preparations would¡¯ve started much earlier. Starting preparations at this point of


    the year is consideredte.¡±

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    Ste stopped talking.


    ¡°Uncle Chandler¡¯s family organized Keegan¡¯s grandmother¡¯s 70th birthday banquet. So, logically


    speaking, it¡¯s our family¡¯s turn to organize her 80th birthday banquet. However, the specifics will still


    depend on her. Tomorrow, at the banquet, don¡¯t say things you aren¡¯t supposed to. y it smart.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Dahlia chatted a little more and hung up.


    After Ste put away the phone, she asked Keegan, ¡°What did your mother mean by ying it smart?


    Does she want to organize your grandmother¡¯s birthday banquet this year?¡±


    Keegan nced at her. ¡°You should be asking who doesn¡¯t want to organize grandma¡¯s birthday


    banquet.¡±


    ¡°I, for one, don¡¯t,¡± Ste said as she crawled under the covers. She stared at the ceiling and continued,


    ¡°Organizing a birthday banquet is so tiring. You need to consider many things. Not only do you have to


    tend to the birthday girl¡¯s feelings, but you must also tend to the guests¡¯ feelings. You¡¯ll be ving away,


    yet others won¡¯t necessarily be satisfied. Aren¡¯t you just asking to make yourself suffer?¡±


    Keegan alsoy down. ¡°Do you know how much the gift money and presents amounted to during


    grandma¡¯s 70th birthday banquet?¡±


    Ste became interested when she heard money being mentioned. She rolled over to face Keegan.


    Then, she asked as her eyes shone brightly, ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°It was nearly nine figures. It¡¯s more than the amount spent when I married you.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®It¡¯s a lot, but did he have to add the second sentence? Is saying that marrying me was cheap?¡¯ she


    thought.


    Keegan continued, ¡°Organizing a birthday banquet is indeed a troublesome matter. It¡¯s costly and


    laborious, and grandma knows this too. That¡¯s why every time she has a birthday banquet, she only


    picks one or two gifts from gifts the guests gave her and lets the organizer handle the leftover gifts.


    That vi Aunt Cyrene has in the western suburb was bought after grandma¡¯s birthday.¡±


    Ste was stunned.


    ¡®No wonder Dahlia purposefully called to remind me. Getting a vi after organizing a birthday


    banquet? Who wouldn¡¯t die to organize it?¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°Since your uncle¡¯s family organized itst year, it¡¯ll definitely be your mother¡¯s turn this year, right?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Keegan said.


    He continued coolly, ¡°My mother organized both my grandpa and grandma¡¯s 60th birthday banquet. My


    uncle¡¯s family only organized grandma¡¯s 60th birthday banquet.¡±


    His words implied that the organizer was not rotational but entirely depended on who Cordelia selected.


    Ste thought for a while before she said, ¡°Since your grandmother loves you so much, why doesn¡¯t


    she let you be the organizer?¡±


    ¡°This is a matter of the women in the Kane family; why should I get involved in it?¡±


    He nced at Ste and continued, ¡°Do you want to organize it?¡±


    ¡°Me? Forget it. I¡¯m not someone who¡¯s concerned about things like that.¡±


    ¡®Dahlia is determined to be the organizer. If I interfere, wouldn¡¯t she hate me to death? Regardless, I¡¯m


    still quite envious of the gift money,¡¯ she thought.


    Ste stuck one foot out and kicked Keegan¡¯s calves.


    ¡°How are you? Have you calmed down?¡±


    Keegan nced at her. ¡°If you keep riling me up, I can¡¯t guarantee what happens after this.¡±


    Ste froze and she quietly retracted her foot. Then, she wrapped the covers around herself tightly and


    closed her eyes.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    The following day, the film crew added another scene at thest minute, so Ste ended work half an


    hourter than expected.


    The two were thest to arrive at Keegan¡¯s grandparents¡¯ residence.


    When they saw Dahlia, she frowned. ¡°Why did you twoe thiste?¡±

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    Keegan replied coolly, ¡°Something came up in thepany at thest minute, so we were dyed for


    a while.¡±


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Dahlia nced at him. ¡°When Jackson arrived, he told me you left the office a long time ago.¡± ¡°He


    doesn¡¯t even work on the same floor as me, so how would he know when I left?¡±


    Dahlia was speechless. She looked at the two with slight annoyance and said in a displeased tone,


    ¡°Come in. You two are the only ones left.¡±


    When the two entered, the living room was already filled with people.


    It was actually Cordelia¡¯s 79th birthday this year. However, Rivera had a custom where one¡¯s ninth


    birthday was celebrated instead of their tenth. That was why Cordelia celebrated her 80th birthday


    when she was only 79.


    The Kane family attached great importance to the matter. Aside from Keegan¡¯s aunt¡¯s family, who was


    abroad and could not make it back in time, every young person in the family was present.


    Cordelia sat in the middle. Dahlia and Aurora sat on her left, while Chandler and Cyrene sat on her


    right. Meanwhile, Jackson sat on the couch across from Cordelia¡¯s seat. He was telling her interesting


    stories about his visit to thepany¡¯s western branch.


    ¡°You¡¯re too mischievous. You actually thought of putting pepper in the water?¡±


    ¡°Well, I felt defiant at the time. Who was a mere supervisor like him to tell me what to do? That¡¯s why I


    wanted to teach him a lesson. But, in the end, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to pour the water even though


    he gave me the punishment of cleaning the toilet for another week.¡±


    Jackson sighed and continued, ¡°After that, I was finally convinced. We¡¯re both humans, so why can he


    endure hardships but not me? No matter what happens, I can¡¯t bring shame to the Kane family.¡±


    Cordelia said, ¡°It¡¯s good that you think that way.¡±


    Cyrene smiled.


    ¡°Jackson really grew up this time. At first, he called us every day, saying that he wanted toe home.


    Then, he slowly got used to it and no longer said he wanted toe home when he called. Every day,


    he¡¯d tell me about the things he had seen and learned. When he came home, his colleagues there


    were reluctant for him to leave and gave him a few boxes of their local specialties. He sent them to you


    as soon as he returned. For the past few months, he¡¯s gotten stronger and tanner. Most importantly,


    he¡¯s more sensible.¡±


    Chandler waited for Cyrene to finish before he said, ¡°Alright. He¡¯s in his twenties now; it¡¯s time he grew


    up.¡±


    ¡°Chandler, let Jackson join and learn from the recent project we have with the university.¡± Cordelia¡¯s


    words had kind of temporarily determined Jackson¡¯s position in thepany, so Cyrene¡¯s expression


    immediately softened.


    ¡°Did you hear what your grandmother said? Watch and learn from the project, and don¡¯t let your her


    down,¡± she said.


    Jackson smiled. ¡°Alright, mom.¡¯


    ¡±


    Cyrene nced at Dahlia before her gaze fell on the couple. Suddenly, she said, ¡°Ste, a while ago, I


    heard you threw up at the exhibition. I was busy at the time and didn¡¯t manage to ask you. Do you have


    any good news?¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    ¡®Aunt Cyrene really loves bringing up things she shouldn¡¯t,¡¯ she thought.


    She did not dare to look at Cordelia¡¯s expression.


    Keegan gripped her hand tightly and said in a cool voice, ¡°She just had an upset stomach. How could


    we not tell you if we had good news, Aunt Cyrene?¡±


    Cyrene¡¯s eyes darted between the two before she suddenlyughed. ¡°I see the two have quite a good


    rtionship, Dahlia. It¡¯s just a matter of time before you get grandchildren, so there¡¯s no need for you to


    worry.¡±


    Dahlia pursed her lips and smiled coolly. ¡°I¡¯m not worried. The two of them are still young, so it¡¯s alright


    to wait a few years. You should worry about Jackson instead. I heard his blind date with Mr. Cahan¡¯s


    daughter fell through. Mrs. Cahan was quite unhappy when she brought up the matter. The Cahan


    family¡¯s daughter had outstanding beauty and academic qualifications. Jackson shouldn¡¯t always set


    his standards too high and evaluate his own conditions. This is something you must advise him on.¡±


    Cyrene was enraged at Dahlia¡¯s words.


    While both of them were children of the Kane family, Keegan graduated from a renowned college, had


    great achievements at a young age, and was also ruthless and invincible in the business world. On the


    other hand, Jackson was not even half as outstanding as Keegan. He did not even pass his college


    entrance exam, so they paid money under the table to get him into Calton University. After that, he got


    a Master¡¯s degree from some random university. Cyrene bragged about her son to everyone, so


    Dahlia¡¯s words uncovered her humiliating secrets, instantly causing her to feel embarrassed and


    furious.


    Just as Cyrene was about to throw a fit, she saw Ste. Then, her fury was instantly suppressed. She


    smiled.


    Ste had a bad feeling.


    As expected, she heard Cyrene say the very next moment, ¡°While Jackson isn¡¯t as outstanding as


    Keegan, we still shouldn¡¯t set the standards too low, right? There is still a need to have a threshold.


    Otherwise, I¡¯d be really troubled if he married some Tom, Dick, and Harry. Isn¡¯t that right, Dahlia?¡±

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    Dahlia¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°What do you mean.¡±


    Cyrene¡¯s words had clearly hit her where it hurt.


    ¡®So what if Keegan¡¯s outstanding? In the end, didn¡¯t he still not follow her wishes and married a


    parvenu¡¯s daughter?¡¯ thought Cyrene.


    Cyrene smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything; it was just an analogy. When marrying a wife, marry one who¡¯s


    virtuous. While Ste¡¯scking in other aspects, she¡¯s still virtuous and smart. Forget about our mother-


    inw liking her; even I like her.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®I forgot to check my horoscope¡¯s prediction before leaving the house today. I got involved in the war


    between the two sisters-inw when I just arrived. Dahlia and Cyrene have always been at odds. This


    is something I learned as soon as I married into the Kane family. The main reason is most likely the


    battle for session between the two families. The Vinci Rivera Group turned sessful during


    Quentin¡¯s tenure. If it wasn¡¯t because he had passed on early, thepany would have undoubtedly


    been inherited by his family. However, he died at a young age. When he passed away, his children


    were still young, so Chandler managed thepany for a long period of time. Dahlia was a widowed


    single mother. While she didn¡¯t need to worry about food and amodation at the Kane family, she


    didn¡¯t have authority in thepany. To put it simply, she had to rely on others,¡¯ she thought.


    ¡®Prior to Keegan¡¯s adulthood, whenever outsiders said ¡°Mrs. Kane,¡± it referred to Cyrene. Cyrene¡¯s


    status rose as Chandler¡¯s authority in the Vinci Rivera Group grew. Since the Saun family also had


    some power, Cyrene was arguably living her best life in her social circle during her earlier days. Back


    then, nobody remembered that Dahlia was the Kane family¡¯s eldest¡¯s son¡¯s wife. The rules in the socialFrom N?velDrama.Org.


    circle of wealthy women were really simple; they had always judged people by their family background.


    Dahlia was a widow. And, aside from her title of being the wife of the Kane family¡¯s eldest son, her


    family wasn¡¯t that well-known in Rivera. Whenever others mentioned her, they merely referred to her as


    ¡°the beautiful and unlucky number one socialite¡±. How could someone proud like Dahlia not feel


    resentment after Cyrene had one-upped her? Dahlia only got her vengeance when Keegan rose to


    prominence in the Vinci Rivera Group and matched Chandler¡¯s authority. However, the two sisters-in-


    law still often had infightings on various asions. It was no secret in the elite circle that the two did


    not get along. Half a year ago, grandma reprimanded Cyrene because of Jackson. She said Cyrene


    spoiled Jackson and did not raise him right. After that, Cyrene toned down a lot and rarely appeared at


    the banquets she used to frequent. I really didn¡¯t expect these two to get into a fight the moment they


    met when they hadn¡¯t seen each other in so long. They can fight if they want to, but why are they


    dragging me into the crossfire?¡¯ she thought again.


    Ste cursed them in her head but answered in a gentle tone, ¡°I have a really daring temperament. You


    only think of me that way because we rarely interact with each other, Aunt Cyrene. If you like virtuous


    girls, I do know a few. I could introduce them to you if Jackson¡¯s interested.¡±


    Aurora could not help but snicker as soon as Ste finished talking.


    She only regained herposure after Dahlia gave her a look.


    ¡®Ste¡¯s clearly overreaching with her words. Aunt Cyrene¡¯s notplimenting her. Even I can tell that


    she¡¯s mocking her. Yet, this woman is praising herself on her own ord and even offering to set her


    son up on dates? With Ste¡¯s social status, where would the people she knows stand in the social


    hierarchy? Aunt Cyrene looks down on Ste, so how could she possibly like the people Ste


    introduces?¡¯ thought Aurora.


    Sure enough, Cyrene froze after hearing Ste¡¯s words. She nced at Ste before she indifferently


    said, ¡°Since Jackson just got back, the most important thing is learning more skills. There¡¯s no need to


    rush this matter.¡±


    ¡®It isn¡¯t because there¡¯s no need to rush, but it¡¯s because she looks down on the people I¡¯m introducing,¡¯


    thought Ste.

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    ¡°He¡¯s a young man. It¡¯s not a bad thing for him to get to know a few more friends.¡± Ste did not seem


    to detect the rejection in Cyrene¡¯s words.


    Then, she turned to Jackson and said, ¡°Jackson, tell me if you want to seriously date a girl. I¡¯ll introduce


    you to one.¡±


    Jackson gave her a meaningful nce and smiled. Then, he slowly said, ¡°In that case, thank you very


    much, Ste.¡±


    Cyrene threw Ste a displeased nce.


    ¡®I was being polite, yet she actually took me seriously. It¡¯s no wonder Dahlia looks down on her. Not


    only is she of low status, but she¡¯s also brainless,¡¯ she thought.


    Ste obviously was not brainless. She merely did not want to make enemies with Cyrene.


    ¡®How Dahlia fights with Cyrene is her own business, as long as she doesn¡¯t get me involved,¡¯ she


    thought.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare for us to gather together, so stop arguing. Everyone, find somewhere and take a seat.


    After Cordelia spoke, everyone sat down and quieted down.


    After Keegan sat down, Cordelia noticed the light, greenish patch on his forehead.


    Ste felt guilty. He got the bruise on his head from the stormy night a few days ago when she bumped


    into him on the cruise ship.


    The bruise was much darker when they returned from the cruise and had now gotten much lighter.


    However, Cordelia loved her grandson very much. So, she discerned the bruise at a nce.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Keegan nced at the culprit and coolly said, ¡°I hit my head while I was asleep.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so careless of you. I have some ointment in my room. After this, ask Ste to help you apply it.¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    ¡®The bruise is on his forehead, so he can do it himself. Is there a need for me to help him? It¡¯s not like


    Keegan doesn¡¯t have hands,¡¯ she thought.


    Naturally, Ste only dared to make this remark in her head. Since she had already broken Cordelia¡¯s


    heart because of the contraceptive incident, she did not dare to talk back and obediently agreed to it.


    After Cordelia spoke to Keegan, she started asking about her grandchildren¡¯s well-being one by one.


    While Cordelia was old, she was not at all senile. She knew Aurora¡¯s college major and that she was


    about to graduate. Besides that, she also knew that Dahlia was doing business with her friend, and


    Ste was acting in a film for a friend.


    She was an incredibly generous elder who mostly provided guidance in her children¡¯s and


    grandchildren¡¯s lives and work, and she rarely criticized them.


    Among Cordelia¡¯s grandchildren, she really liked Aurora because she was a sweet talker. However, her


    fondness for Aurora was not quite simr to her love for Keegan.


    Since Keegan had lost his father at a young age, Cordelia raised him singlehandedly. She mainly


    treated him with the strictness of an elder aside from the grandmotherly love she had for him.


    Cordelia¡¯s nurturing was one of the major factors Keegan was properly educated. If Dahlia had


    educated him instead, she could not possibly have raised another Keegan, and Aurora was the best


    example.


    After Cordelia had spoken to everyone, Cyrene finally said, ¡°A year passes by so quickly. The children


    are all grown up in a blink of an eye, and you¡¯re nearly 80 years old. It¡¯s your 80th birthday this year. Do


    you have anything in mind?¡±


    Cordelia answered warmly, ¡°I don¡¯t really have anything in mind. Something simple will do.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your 80th birthday, so it can¡¯t be too simple. Otherwise, others will think that we, as your children,


    don¡¯t care. Naturally, we¡¯ll have to make it spectacr,¡± said Cyrene.


    She promptly changed the topic and continued, ¡°Back when you had your 70th birthday, I remember


    you said you¡¯d like to hear Lancelot Lewie sing to you on your 80th. I have a friend who¡¯s good friends


    with Lancelot¡¯s student, so I could ask her to invite him.¡±


    This instantly piqued Cordelia¡¯s interest. Regardless, she still asked with hesitance, ¡°Hasn¡¯t Lancelot


    stopped performing in public? Will we manage to invite him?¡±

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    Lancelot Lewie was a contemporary male opera singer. He was well-known for his work ¡°The Flower


    Pavilion.¡±


    Ste was really familiar with him because Rainee was his die-hard fan and had many recordings of his


    performances at home.


    When Ste was younger, Ste had even gone to a few of his performances with Rainee. Lancelot


    had a soft, feminine figure, and ethereal vocals. It was not an overstatement to say that he had


    peerless elegance on stage.


    ¡®Lancelot can be considered one of my first teachers when I learned performing arts. At first, I wanted


    to learn how to act because Lancelot looked really beautiful in period costumes. I also wanted to


    perform for everyone while I am dressed beautifully. When Lancelot was 50, he announced that he


    would no longer perform in public and would focus on his education career. To this day, it¡¯s been eight


    years since he¡¯s performed on stage. Throughout these years, many invited him to stage aeback.


    However, all of these attempts ended in failure. So what if Cyrene knew his students? Back then,


    someone even knew one of Lancelot¡¯s family members. Yet, it still didn¡¯t work out,¡¯ thought Ste.


    Cyrene probably had not attempted it, so she said rather confidently, ¡°While he doesn¡¯t perform


    publicly, he¡¯s got to do it for the sake of his friend when invited, right? I initially wanted to ask my friend


    to invite him, but I hadn¡¯t discussed the matter with Dahlia. I also don¡¯t know what ideas Dahlia had in


    mind for the birthday banquet, so I didn¡¯t take the liberty of doing it.¡±


    After a pause, she continued, ¡°Dahlia, I heard you recently invested in a beauty salon. Since the


    business just opened, you must be pretty busy, right? Why don¡¯t I organize the birthday banquet? This


    way, your matters won¡¯t be held up.¡±


    Dahlia nced at her. ¡°Not at all, Cyrene. How could other matters be more important than my mother-


    inw¡¯s birthday? I¡¯ve only invested a small sum in the beauty salon, so I¡¯m not considered a major


    shareholder. I get dividends at the end of the year, but I don¡¯t usually need to manage the salon.


    Theoretically speaking, our family should naturally be the ones organizing the birthday banquet. I, as a


    widowed single mother, couldn¡¯t handle our mother- inw¡¯s 70th birthday myself. Thankfully, you


    helped out. This year, she¡¯s having her 80th birthday, and Keegan¡¯s already grown up. I can¡¯t shirk my


    responsibilities any further, right?¡± Cyrene smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯re being too formal, Dahlia. What¡¯s the difference between you and me organizing it? Does


    seniority matter? I think it¡¯s not easy for you to raise two children when you¡¯re widowed. Now that


    they¡¯re finally grown up and sessful, shouldn¡¯t you take a good rest? You¡¯re a woman, so it¡¯ll be


    inconvenient for you to do many things. I¡¯ve got two men at home, so it¡¯ll invariably be easier. I can ask


    them to run errands for me whenever there¡¯s a need.¡±


    Dahlia kept a calm expression. ¡°What era are we in? Can¡¯t women do the things men do? While


    Keegan¡¯s the only man in our family, I have a daughter and a daughter-inw. Both of them are smart


    and capable. They¡¯ll provide me with sufficient help.¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s true that when pros fight, every strike is a critical hit. Neither of them is backing down, and they


    seem determined to be the organizer of the birthday banquet,¡¯ thought Ste.


    Seeing how they could note to an agreement, Cyrene threw the question at Cordelia.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s your birthday, things will go ording to your wishes no matter what. Why don¡¯t you tell us if


    you want Dahlia¡¯s style for your 80th birthday banquet, or would you prefer my style instead?¡±


    Cordelia also seemed as though she was in a really difficult position.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Dahlia¡¯s meticulous. She pays great attention to details and takes everything into consideration. On


    the other hand, Cyrene focuses on the bigger picture, so the grandeur¡¯s pretty good. I quite like the


    banquets you two organized. My 80th birthday banquet this year might be thest one I¡¯ll have in my


    life. Besides, you two aren¡¯t getting any younger. After worrying about them all your lives, it¡¯s time you


    two enjoy your lives and stop being so busy,¡± she said as she turned to Keegan and Ste.


    She continued, ¡°Ste, why don¡¯t you organize it this year?¡±


    Ste was bewildered.


    Everyone was stunned when they heard Cordelia¡¯s words.


    Cyrene was the first to speak. ¡°We¡¯ll be inviting many people for your birthday banquet, and young


    people don¡¯t have the experience. We¡¯ll be aughing stock if the banquet isn¡¯t done properly.¡±


    ¡°Cyrene¡¯s right. While Ste is my daughter-inw, she¡¯s really way too young. Since young people are


    inexperienced, they will inevitably overlook things. It¡¯s fine if it¡¯s a family banquet, but there¡¯ll be many


    people on the day of your birthday banquet. Can she bear the


    responsibility if something goes wrong?¡±

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    Aurora also chimed in. ¡°Grandma, she couldn¡¯t even properly organize Keegan¡¯s birthday party, yet


    you¡¯re letting her organize something as important as your birthday banquet? Aren¡¯t we just waiting to


    embarrass ourselves at the birthday banquet?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Are you in the ce to interrupt when the elders are speaking? Do


    you not remember your manners?¡±


    Aurora was speechless for a moment. Then, she red at Ste before she kept her mouth shut in


    anger.


    Meanwhile, Ste did not dare to speak at all.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®I minded my own business, and disaster still fell upon me out of nowhere. This isn¡¯t a good thing for


    me at all. The olddy is really smart. Since they¡¯re both her daughters-inw, no matter who she


    chooses, they¡¯ll feel unsatisfied, and she¡¯ll bebeled as biased. How could she choose when they


    were even directly questioning her? Naturally, she chose to not offend both sides and threw the hot


    potato into my hands,¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you two also used to be young? Young people need to be given more opportunities to gain


    experience. Nobody¡¯s born a know-it-all. What do you say, Ste? Do you want to do it?¡±


    Cordelia turned to Ste.


    While those were Cordelia¡¯s words, her eyes seemed to say, ¡°I dare you to say no.¡±


    Ste was not remotely prepared for this. She was torn between agreeing and refusing. After a while,


    she finally said, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m worried that I won¡¯t do a good job.¡±


    ¡°Youngsters shouldn¡¯t be worried about making mistakes. You need to keep making mistakes to know


    how to do things the right way. If you don¡¯t know how to do something, learn how to do it. You can ask


    your mother-inw or your Aunt Cyrene if you don¡¯t know anything. They¡¯ll be happy to teach you.¡±


    Cyrene knew from Cordelia¡¯s attitude that she did not stand a chance of being the organizer for this


    year¡¯s birthday banquet.


    She nced at Dahlia, who had an expression more unpleasant than her own.


    Suddenly, Cyrene felt a little better.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t get it, and neither did Dahlia. The olddy would rather let Ste do it than her first. daughter-


    inw. Therefore, Dahlia¡¯s status in the olddy¡¯s heart isn¡¯t much higher than mine. Besides, now that


    Ste¡¯s the organizer, Dahlia won¡¯t let things go smoothly even if I didn¡¯t intervene,¡¯ she thought.


    At that thought, Cyrene said, ¡°How can we not teach her when you¡¯ve already put it this way? Since the


    kids are all grown up, we should indeed let go of some things we¡¯re supposed to. Ste, you can ask


    me anything you don¡¯t know. If you need someone to run errands, you can ask Jackson. The ultimate


    goal is to make the birthday banquet a sess.¡±


    Jackson smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll be at your disposal, Ste.¡±


    Since Dahlia and her family had taken their stance, Dahlia¡¯s intentions would be made evident. if she


    continued to disagree.


    ¡®I guarded against Chandler¡¯s family, but I never imagined that the opportunity I had in hand would fall


    into Ste¡¯s,¡¯ thought Dahlia.

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    Seeing how Dahlia was silent for a long time, Cyrene smiled slightly and said, ¡°You¡¯ve been quiet for a


    while now, Dahlia. Are you dissatisfied with the arrangement? To be honest, what¡¯s the difference


    between you and Ste organizing it? You¡¯re both from the same family, so she¡¯ll bring honor to your


    family if the banquet seeds.¡±


    ¡®And, by the same token, she¡¯ll bring shame to their family if the banquet is botched,¡¯ she thought.


    Dahlia suppressed the frustration she felt within. Then, she lifted her head, and her gaze swept past


    Cyrene.


    ¡°Since mom wants to let Ste organize it, I obviously have no objections. I¡¯m just a little worried that¡¯s


    all,¡± she said calmly.


    She turned to Ste and warmly said, ¡°Ste,e to my ce after this. I¡¯ll tell you the whole flow.


    You can ask me if there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand. There¡¯s no need to be frugal when money


    needs to be spent. In short, make it as perfect as it can get.¡±


    Ste lowered her gaze and answered softly, ¡°I understand.¡±


    Regardless of what others thought about Cordelia¡¯s arrangement, she seemed really happy herself.


    After they had finished discussing the business at hand, she said she was hungry and wanted to have


    dinner early.


    ¡®While the rules in the Kane family aren¡¯t considered a lot, the division ofbor is really clear. When


    grandma discusses matters rted to the men in the Kane family, none of the daughters -inw will


    interrupt. On the other hand, when grandma discusses matters rted to the women in the Kane


    family, the men in the family will hardly talk. For instance, when grandma discussed who would


    organize the birthday banquet, Keegan, Chandler and the rest did not take a stance from the beginning


    to the end,¡¯ thought Ste.


    At the dinner table, Cordelia asked about some matters rted to thepany. Most of the questions


    were answered by Chandler and Keegan, while the rest of them kept quiet.


    After dinner, everyone had tea in the living hall. Meanwhile, Ste helped clear the tes and cutlery.


    Corrin was really perceptive. She said to Ste in a low voice, ¡°Mrs. Kane, you don¡¯t have to worry


    about this. Go sit down and have tea with everyone in the living room.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Since I just had dinner, I want to move around to stimte digestion.¡±


    ¡®Since I took what Dahlia wanted, she won¡¯t have a pleasant expression when she sees me. If I sit


    down next to Dahlia in the living room, she¡¯ll probably feel incredibly ufortable. Since I¡¯m also


    feeling ufortable, I might as well do some chores to feel morefortable,¡¯ thought Ste.


    Seeing this, Corrin did not say anything more.


    Corrin did not let Ste do the washing, so she asked her to cut the fruits and te them.


    In the midst of cutting the fruits, Ste suddenly sighed.


    Corrin noticed how pitiful she looked and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Mrs. Kane?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m wondering if grandma¡¯s still angry at me.¡¯


    Corrinughed. ¡°What makes you say that?¡±


    Ste muttered, ¡°If she weren¡¯t angry with me, why¡¯d she throw this hot potato at me?¡±


    ¡°She obviously values you a lot to let you handle such an important task. If she was angry with you, she


    wouldn¡¯t even have let you in the house when you sent her Pelmeni those few days.¡±


    Ste pouted.


    ¡®She clearly didn¡¯t want to offend her daughters-inw, so she dumped this task at me. It¡¯s not her first


    time doing such a thing. However, at this point, I¡¯ve already offended the people I can offend. Now, I


    can only think of a way to make the birthday banquet a sess,¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°Corrin, tell me how grandma¡¯s birthday banquets were done in the past.¡±


    Corrin was a little shocked.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡®The truth is, the olddy had already told us in private about what was to happen today prior to their


    arrival. Then, she had even made a bet with us on whether Ste would organize the birthday banquet


    by herself or secretly give the opportunity to Dahlia and win Dahlia¡¯s favor. The olddy bet that Ste


    would organize it herself, while my husband and I bet that she¡¯d let Dahlia organize it. Ste usually


    has an incredibly soft disposition in front of elders. She¡¯s timid and cautious with her words because


    she fears that she¡¯d make a mistake and offend others. Dahlia had never liked her daughter-inw.


    Now that the olddy asked Ste to organize the birthday banquet, nothing¡¯s stopping her from giving


    this opportunity to Dahlia and using it to improve her rtionship with her mother-inw. Not only is this


    the best option, but it¡¯s also the safest. However, the olddy thought the birthday banquet was an


    opportunity for Ste to rise to prominence in the elite circle. If Ste had the ambition to be the


    mistress of the house, she would certainly seize this opportunity,¡¯ thought Corrin. Cordelia guessed the


    oue correctly, but she got the process wrong.


    It was not that Ste was ambitious, but she had thoroughly offended Dahlia long ago.

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    Ste had stolen Dahlia¡¯s limelight at the jewelry exhibition, fired her servant, and talked to her rudely


    over the phone. However, the two pretended that everything was fine between them.


    ¡®She would probably still dislike me even if I let her organize the birthday banquet,¡¯ Ste thought.


    ¡®Since I¡¯m already on her bad side, why not make use of it and reap the benefits? The gift money was


    at a nine-digit amount 10 years ago, so it should be more this time round.¡¯ Ste bumped into Jackson


    when she walked out of the kitchen with a bowl of fruits. He was leaning against the wall with an unlit


    cigarette between his teeth and a disdained look on his face.


    When Ste saw him, she pursed her lips and continued her way to the living room. Jackson then


    ced the cigarette behind his ears and blocked her path. He took a strawberry from the bowl and


    said, ¡°Hey, Ste. It¡¯s been quite some time since west met. Why the cold attitude?


    Ste looked up with no interest and uttered, ¡°Get out of the way.


    The man nced at the bowl in her hands and suddenly reached his hands out to grab it. His fingers


    touched Ste¡¯s in a flirtatious manner as he continued, ¡°I¡¯ll help.¡±


    Ste backed away from his touch and said in a deep voice. ¡°I guess some things never change, huh,


    Jackson? You¡¯re still the yer you always were. Haven¡¯t you had enough fun outside? Why the hell


    are you making a move on me? Are you crazy?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Ste. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re the one who made a move on me. Remember how you were the one to


    initiate this thing between us? Remember how we fucked under the candlelight? How could you be so


    ruthless, Ste?¡± Jackson smirked.


    Ste shot him a dark look and said, ¡°Go tell Keegan if you have the balls and see what he¡¯ll do to you.¡±


    Jackson was unfazed by her threat. ¡°What¡¯s gonna happen if I do? I¡¯m the victim in all this.¡± ¡°Did you


    hear that, honey?¡±


    Jackson quickly turned around as a cold drop of sweat fell from his forehead. But, no one was behind


    him. Ste had yed him. He smirked again and said, ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other for half a year,


    Ste. It looks like you¡¯ve be quite the trickster.¡±


    Ste did not want to continue the conversation, so she said coldly, ¡°Get out of my way.¡±


    ¡°Why are you in such a hurry? We rarely get to meet, and I wanted to catch up.¡±


    ¡°Hey, honey,¡± Ste said while she looked behind Jackson in shock.


    ¡°Do you really think I would fall for that again? Haha,¡± heughed.


    Suddenly, a cold voice came from behind him. ¡°Fall for what?¡±


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Jackson froze. He then put on a smile and turned around. ¡°Oh, nothing. I was just having a chat with


    Ste.¡±


    Keegan stared at him for a second and looked over at Ste. ¡°Grandma wants you to help me


    with the ointment.¡±


    ¡°Right after I put this bowl of fruit in the living room, okay?¡± she said.


    ¡°You go,¡± Keegan said as he grabbed the bowl and gave it to Jackson.


    Jackson stayed quiet and did as he was told. Ste pursed her lips when she saw him leave and said


    to herself, ¡®Asshole.¡¯


    ¡°What did he say to you earlier?¡± Keegan asked.

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    Keegan did not know what Jackson and Ste were talking about, so he asked her about their little chat


    when they were upstairs. Cordelia and Chandler were discussing some business in the study while


    Cyrene was still sour about the birthday banquet, as Dahlia was not backing down. Keegan was tired of


    it, so he found an excuse to leave and went to see Ste.


    As soon as he arrived, he saw Jackson standing before her. He had no idea what Jackson had said,


    but Ste¡¯s expression was ugly and sullen, like the time in Vinci Rivera.


    Ste did not bother to hide her dislike for Jackson. ¡°We were just joking around. That¡¯s all,¡¯ she said,


    not wanting to borate. In fact, she did not know how she should exin what happened because it


    involved Aurora and Dahlia.


    11


    When they got married, Keegan left Ste at the wedding while he went elsewhere. Everybody started


    giving rounds of toasts to her until Zane saved her. However, she still had quite a bit to drink.


    Ste was feeling a little dizzy when she got home. Aurora and the servant helped her to her room.


    Ste was in her early twenties, but her husband was with another woman on their wedding night. She


    could not help but feel wronged no matter how hard she tried.


    When she returned to the room, she did not change out of her clothes. Instead, she cried for hours and


    fell asleep after that. While she was asleep, someone came on top of her and started groping her non-


    stop. The person¡¯s force was so great that she woke up in pain.


    The light in the room was very dim, and Ste had drunk a lot of wine. So, her vision was blurry, and


    she thought the person was Keegan. The grievances she felt that night surged up abruptly. She


    wrapped her hands over the person¡¯s shoulders andined about it in a low voice.


    The man grabbed her chin and gasped, ¡°I thought you only had a pretty face. I didn¡¯t expect you to


    have such a good figure too. No wonder Keegan insisted on marrying you.¡±


    The unfamiliar voice instantly made Ste¡¯s hair stand. It was not who she thought it was. With a pale


    face, Ste struggled to get away desperately.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    But, Jackson covered her mouth, squinted his eyes, and said, ¡°You are quite the amorous woman,


    huh? You came to my room on your wedding night. What kind of chaste woman are you pretending to


    be? Since Keegan is not here, as his brother, I should serve you well, my dearest sister-inw.¡±


    He then got up again as he spoke.


    Ste¡¯s face was bloodless. Seeing that Jackson was about to tear off her clothes, she grabbed


    something in a panic and threw it at his head.


    Jackson was in pain. He held his head and started cursing while letting go of her hand. Ste had a


    chance to escape. She stumbled and ran out of the room, calling for help.


    Dahlia rushed over upon hearing the sound and immediately pulled them over for an interrogation


    when she saw the situation.


    Jackson¡¯s head was injured, and his hands were covered in blood. He insisted that Ste had willingly


    entered his room, and he thought she was the woman he had brought back from the


    wedding. He also added that the light in the room was very dim, and he had a lot to drink, so he did not


    know that it was Ste.


    Ste¡¯s face went pale. She exined that she was tipsy, and Aurora helped her into the room. She


    also mentioned that she did not know it was Jackson¡¯s room. Aurora then denied it. She insisted that


    she had helped Ste into Keegan¡¯s room and that a servant could testify on her behalf. She even


    stabbed Ste in the back by saying she had gone to the wrong room by herself. And, she med her


    for it because she was afraid of being reprimanded.


    Ste had a good alcohol tolerance. Although she did drink a lot on her wedding night, she was not


    completely drunk. She was sure she would have known if she got up and entered Jackson¡¯s room by


    herself.

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    After Aurora had sent Ste to the room, Ste never came out of it. She could not have entered


    Jackson¡¯s room unless Aurora had led her there in the first ce.


    It was Ste¡¯s first time at the Kane residence after she got married. She did not even know where


    Keegan¡¯s room was. So, it was clear that Aurora had led her in there. But, no matter how she tried to


    exin herself, Dahlia believed she had too much to drink, and her memory was


    skewed.


    Ste was young and energetic back then and was determined to prove her innocence. She even said


    that she would go to Cordelia and ask her to investigate this matter clearly.


    Dahlia¡¯s expression changed upon hearing this. She told Ste that this incident was ridiculous and


    embarrassing. If she were to bring the problem to Cordelia, she would only find that she had an affair


    with Jackson on her wedding night. She told her that no matter the truth, the incident would be a great


    shame and humiliation to Keegan, and no one would look good if the issue got out of control:


    Ste was too young to fight back at that time. She retreated once Dahlia mentioned Keegan¡¯s name.


    She feared that he would think of her badly like these people did. Ste did not care about other


    people¡¯s opinions, but she cared about Keegan¡¯s.


    Dahlia told her that it would embarrass the family if she told anyone about it to ensure that she would


    stay quiet. Jackson, of course, did not speak out about molesting his sister-inw.


    When Ste thought about itter, she suddenly realized that Dahlia did not want her to raise the


    matter because she wanted to protect Aurora. The truth was bound toe out if someone


    investigated the case.


    Ste wanted to tell Keegan about it multiple times, but she was unsure if anything would happen since


    Aurora was his younger sister. He would be defensive at most and deny it, or he would probably me


    Ste for the incident, just like Dahlia did.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Both endings made no difference to her. Slowly, the more time passed, the lesser she wanted to


    mention it. So, when Keegan asked about it in the present, she only brushed over it lightly. Keegan


    frowned. He could clearly see that Ste¡¯s expression had changed when he asked about Jackson, but


    she did not want to tell him about what happened. This made Keegan a little unhappy. He did not like it


    when Ste refused to tell him what was on her mind. Cordelia¡¯s room was huge, and this was Ste¡¯s


    first time in it. It was clear that she and Keegan had simr preferences since they both had wall


    shelves for their books.


    Keegan rummaged around in the cab and found the ointment Cordelia was talking about. He then


    took Ste to the second-floor sunroom to help him with the medication.


    Ste applied the ointment on him with a cotton swab and said, ¡°Grandma loves you so much that she


    doesn¡¯t forget to take care of your wound even when you guys argue. You are much more pampered


    than Jackson. Look up.¡±


    Keegan tilted his head upward and calmly said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it always like this with old people? How many


    days has your grandpa treated you for your stiff neck?¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes softened a bit when Keegan mentioned Arthur. ¡°Grandpa just called and said he


    made chicken soup again. He asked when we would be back.¡±


    The corners of Keegan¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡°I have to do overtime tonight.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa will be disappointed,¡± Ste sighed. She was about to screw the lid back on the ointment


    when Keegan took her arm and stopped her. ¡°Come here,¡± he said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Keegan then pinched her elbow and asked, ¡°Does it hurt?¡±

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    ¡°Hiss-¡± Ste frowned and pped the back of Keegan¡¯s hand. ¡°Of course, it hurts! Would it hurt if I


    touched your wound?¡± The injury on Ste¡¯s elbow was the same as the one on


    Keegan¡¯s head. It was made during the cruise. Not only did Ste hurt her elbow, but she also injured


    her knees.


    Keegan nced at her and said, ¡°I thought it didn¡¯t hurt since you¡¯re always so stubborn.¡± As he spoke,


    he took a cotton swab, dipped it in the ointment, and slowly applied it to her elbow.¡± A doctor specially


    formted this ointment for grandma. It¡¯s very effective in treating bruises. You can see the difference


    after one use.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s that potent? Maybe we should steal it when we leave.¡± It wasmon for actors and actresses to


    bump into things during the filming. The bruises looked ugly, but more importantly, they hurt. ¡®If this


    ointment is so effective, I better bring it home and use it myself,¡¯ Ste thought.


    The corners of Keegan¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡°There¡¯s only one of these here. The doctor is traveling around


    the world right now and won¡¯t be able to return for at least a year. This medication is very precious to


    grandma. Last time, Aurora fell from a horse and sprained her ankle, but grandma was unwilling to let


    her use it, and you want to take it away?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s words implied that there was no way he would let Ste take it. Ste pressed her lips


    together and thought to herself, ¡°That olddy threw such a huge responsibility at me. What¡¯s wrong


    with grabbing one of her medications?¡¯


    ¡°I want to talk to you about something, honey.¡±


    Keegan froze. Thest time she said something like this, she asked him for a new house. He pursed


    his lips, stared at Ste¡¯s medicated knees, and coldly said, ¡°No thanks.¡±


    The corner of Ste¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°You don¡¯t even know what I was going to say!¡± Keegan nced


    at her. ¡°Would you even want to discuss it with me if it was something good?¡± Ste choked. ¡°What are


    you on about? I only discuss good news with you, okay?¡± Unbothered, Keegan threw the cotton swab


    into the trash and began to tidy up the ce. Ste followed behind him and chattered, ¡°Look,


    grandma¡¯s 80th birthday must be huge, right? I¡¯d need to book the venue, decorate the ce, arrange


    stage performances, enforce security measures, look for good catering and fine wine, and soooo much


    more! The price for everything is going to be a heavy amount. You know I¡¯m only earning peanuts, so


    can you give me part of the one billion dors in advance? I won¡¯t ask for much; 30 million is enough.


    When the birthday banquet is over, I¡¯ll pay you 10% interest. Deal? You can¡¯t even get that much


    returns in a year with 30 million deposits in the bank. If you invest in me, you can get 3 million interest


    back in a month. It¡¯s a good investment. Come on. Where are you going to find another deal like this?¡±


    Ste was selling her pitch like her life depended on it. It was as though she worked for an investment


    company, persuading Keegan to put his money in her. However, Keegan was not someone who was


    easily persuaded. He looked at her and said calmly, ¡°I¡¯m paying for


    everything, and you only have to do the work? Don¡¯t you think three million dors is a little cheap,


    even for you?¡±


    Ste was a little reluctant, but thinking that the little money she had was not enough for the birthday


    banquet, she gave in. ¡°How much do you want?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m contributing financially while you¡¯re contributing physically and mentally. Both of us should get the


    credit, so I¡¯m proposing half of the benefits you receive.¡±


    The corner of Ste¡¯s mouth twitched. She turned around and left without a word.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Where are you going? We¡¯re not done yet,¡± Keegan quickly grabbed her wrist and said.


    Ste red at him and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll borrow the money from someone else.¡±


    ¡®Fucking asshole. He wants half of the benefits? Hah! In his dreams!¡¯


    ¡°Do you even have friends who can lend you thirty million dors?¡± Keegan asked calmly.


    Ste hesitated. ¡®Not really¡­ Other than Felicity, there are only two college roommates who I¡¯m still in


    touch with. But, they are all from normal-ie families. I don¡¯t think they¡¯d be able to borrow me 1


    million dors, let alone 30 million¡­¡¯


    Ste could not help but feel angry when she saw the cocky look on Keegan¡¯s face.

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    ¡°If worstes to worst, I¡¯ll go to Mr. Snyder and Mr. Moore. I¡¯ll even give them 20% more interest,


    which is better than being leeched by a bloodsucker like you!¡±


    Keegan paused and narrowed his eyes dangerously. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare!¡±


    ¡°Watch me!¡± As Ste said that, she pretended to dial Vermont or Marshall¡¯s number. Keegan rushed


    over to snatch her phone with a gloomy look on his face.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    During their little dispute, Ste¡¯s leg bumped against the edge of the bed. She staggered and


    subconsciously grabbed onto Keegan¡¯s cor. Soon, Keegan could no longer hold his bnce, and


    they both fell onto the bed.


    Dahlia was helping Cordelia back to her room when they saw the two on the bed. Ste was lying on


    the bed blushing, while Keegan was on top of her. His eyes were red. Before Cordelia could say


    something, Dahlia spoke up. ¡°What are you two doing?¡±


    Surprised, Ste quickly pushed Keegan away, straightened her clothes, and stood up. ¡°Hey, grandma.


    Hi, mom,¡± she said in embarrassment. On the other hand, Keegan did not look bothered. He stood up


    slowly, stretched out his hand to straighten his bow tie, and said nothing.


    Having been robbed of organizing the birthday banquet, Dahlia held back her resentment. But, now


    that she saw Ste fooling around with Keegan at that moment, she was furious.


    ¡°Ste, you¡¯ve married into the family for several years now, yet you still show no discipline. Do you


    know whose room this is? Why in the world are you fooling around in here? What would other people


    say if they knew about this? Is this how your parents taught you?¡±


    Ste pursed her lips with an ugly look on her face. Meanwhile, Keegan frowned. ¡°How would anybody


    know about this if you just kept your mouth shut?¡±


    Dahlia¡¯s face darkened. ¡°What do you mean by that, Keegan? Huh? Can I no longer say anything


    about her now?¡±


    Before Keegan could speak, the olddy said, ¡°Keegan is right. We are the only ones here. How would


    other people find out?¡± After she had finished speaking, she then said to the couple, Next time, if you


    two want to fool around, Keegan¡¯s room is next door, okay?¡±


    Keegan and Ste were speechless. Not only was the olddy not mad at them, but she sounded


    rather excited.


    Just as the two of them wanted to look into it even more, Cordelia withdrew her expression and calmly


    said, ¡°Ste, it takes a lot to organize the birthday banquet. You¡¯re going to have to go through a lot of


    trouble for me.¡±


    Keegan lowered his eyes and said, ¡°She¡¯ll be fine, grandma.¡±


    ¡°Okay. You two can go.¡±


    The two then excused themselves. They walked past Dahlia on the way out, and she Ste a gloomy


    and resentful re.


    ¡±


    gave


    ??


    guess this peaceful act between mother and daughter-inw is almost over,¡¯ Ste sighed. Keegan had


    to meet a client that night, so he and Ste left Cordelia¡¯s ce early. Not long


    after Keegan had left, Chandler and his family also left. Aurora waited for nearly an hour before Dahlia


    came down the stairs.


    When the two of them got into the car, Aurora said, ¡°Mom, is grandma really so senile that she


    entrusted that woman to organize her birthday banquet? Does she know how much it costs to hold that


    event? I can¡¯t believe she let an outsider do it! Grandma¡¯s crazy.


    ¡°It¡¯s better for her to do it than Cyrene,¡± Dahlia said with a gloomy face after some time.


    ¡°Why? Even though you and Aunt Cyrene aren¡¯t close, Uncle Chandler treats me very well. Their family


    is part of the Kane family, unlike Ste.¡±


    Dahlia paused, and with a stern look on her face, she said, ¡°How many times have I told you to stay


    away from your Uncle Chandler? Why don¡¯t you ever listen?¡±

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    Aurora was taken aback. She had never seen Dahlia get so angry before. She was stunned for a long


    time before she said, ¡°I-It¡¯s not like that. I-I just think that Uncle Chandler treats us pretty well.¡±


    Dahlia knew that she was overreacting, so she took a deep breath, calmed down, and said, ¡°He


    wouldn¡¯t do that if he didn¡¯t want something from us. Can you use that brain of yours?¡± Aurora thought


    that her uncle was kind to her. She did not know what he would ever want from her, yet her mother


    always regarded his family as their enemies. However, she did not dare to tell her mom that since


    Dahlia had always been hostile to her uncle¡¯s family. She was not only hostile toward Cyrene but also


    Chandler.


    From Aurora¡¯s point of view, Chandler had treated their family well over the years. When she was


    younger, Chandler would give her and her brother whatever Jackson had when he returned from a


    business trip. Sometimes, she would receive more gifts than the two boys. Aurora lost her father when


    she was young, and Chandler became quite the father figure for her. So, she instinctively wanted to be


    closer to him, but Dahlia often felt disgusted. Aurora did not dare to talk back to her mother, so she only


    responded obediently. ¡°Yes, mom.¡±


    When the situation in the car had calmed down a little, Dahlia said, ¡°Go to your brother¡¯s ceter


    and bring this fertility medication to Ste.¡±


    Aurora frowned. ¡°No. It¡¯s better if she can¡¯t get pregnant. Grandma already loves her so much. If she


    bes pregnant with Keegan¡¯s child, grandma will love her even more! It¡¯s better if she¡¯s not


    pregnant for the rest of her life!¡±


    ¡°Do as you are told. Do you not want me to talk to your grandma about your marriage with Marshall?¡±


    Aurora¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Have you told her already?¡±


    ¡°I just mentioned it, and she understood the message. She has no objection as long as the Moore


    family is fine with it.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Moore is definitely going to agree. She has always loved me since I was a child.¡± Aurora was


    quite confident in that aspect. She had a crush on Marshall for years and had been trying to get his


    mom to like her for quite a while. Both their families knew each other well, so there was no better


    candidate for Marshall than her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited. We still don¡¯t know if Marshall wants to be with you. Since he had that illness


    before, his family has be more amodating to him. No one can force him into marrying you if


    he doesn¡¯t want to.¡±


    Aurora did not care. Marshall was a dutiful son, and everyone in the wealthy circle knew that.¡¯ I still


    have a chance as long as his parents agree,¡¯ she thought.


    Dahlia could tell what Aurora was thinking just by looking at her expression since she was the one who


    gave birth to her.


    ¡°You should put more thought into caring for Marshall. Remember to let him be the one who initiates


    things so that you won¡¯t just be a second choice when you get married,¡± she said lightly.


    ¡°You sound rather experienced, mom. Was that how you got my dad to marry you back then?¡±


    Dahlia paused. She then pursed her lips and said, ¡°Shut your mouth and remember to deliver the


    medicine.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Aurora pouted in reply.


    On Chandler¡¯s side of the family, Cyrene started talking about what went down today after getting into


    the car.


    She told Chandler all about Ste and Dahlia. She could not help butugh out loud when she


    remembered the look on Dahlia¡¯s face when Cordelia chose Ste as the organizer of her banquet.


    ¡°I think she never expected to lose to her daughter-inw. I heard that she fell in love with a bracelet at


    thest jewelry exhibition, but the olddy asked Ste to buy it. It¡¯s a pity I wasn¡¯t there at that time. It


    would have been fun to see her face.¡±


    Chandler frowned and nced at her. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Please act like an adult in front of your child.¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Cyrene snorted. ¡°Stop at the intersection ahead. I want to get off,¡± she said to the driver.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t youing home with us, mom?¡± Jackson asked.


    Cyrene patted his head and said, ¡°I¡¯m meeting up with Mrs. Chapman for a facial, darling. I¡¯ll be back


    later in the evening.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Mrs. Chapman close with Aunt Dahlia? Why do you have contact with her?¡± he asked.

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    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t meet up with her if it wasn¡¯t because she was close with your uncle Quentin.¡± After Cyrene


    got out of the car, the car suddenly became silent. Chandler was sitting upright, eyes half closed,


    thinking about something.


    After a long time, he asked, ¡°How are you and Mr. Cahan¡¯s daughter doing recently?¡±


    His voice was as clear as a bell and sounded majestic. Although his face was rough and his hair was


    gray, there was a bright light behind his eyes as if they were showing his youth.


    Upon receiving the question, Jackson unconsciously sat up straight in front of him.


    ¡°That woman is easy. I didn¡¯t even have to bait her for her to be hooked. But¡­ I don¡¯t n to continue


    this thing between us. I heard her father is still involved in an old case this year and will retire soon.¡±


    Jackson knew he was not going to get the promotion, so he naturally wanted nothing to do with the


    marriage.


    Chandler frowned. ¡°Is the source reliable?¡±


    ¡°His daughter is the one who told me it, so yeah. I can¡¯t believe I wasted half of my year.¡±


    Chandler furrowed his brows and did not speak. Keegan¡¯s current status in Rivera was not to be


    underestimated. Chandler had already had some difficulty in dealing with it, so he had to focus on


    Jackson¡¯s marriage.


    ¡®Having a powerful inw can increase my chances of winning in many aspects. If Mr. Cahan is going


    to retire soon, then this marriage is indeed unnecessary. But, it¡¯s not that easy to find another candidate


    for Jackson. Although there are many famousdies in Rivera, not manye from aristocratic


    families with strong financial resources.¡¯


    ¡°Dad, I heard that Wenham is back. His youngest daughter fell ill when she participated in a charity


    event, and she has been recuperating at home recently. Mom and Wenham are still somewhat rted.


    Shall we go and visit?¡±


    Chandler looked up at him and said, ¡°Jaylene is not Wenham¡¯s biological daughter.¡±


    Jackson chuckled. ¡°He moved most of his family overseas in order to treat Jaylene¡¯s illness. Is it really


    that important if she¡¯s not his biological daughter?¡±


    Chandler was silent for a long time before he said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this matterter. Right now,


    do your job well, and don¡¯t let your grandma down.¡±


    Jackson withdrew his excitement and replied in a low voice, ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    The next day, Aurora took the fertility medication given by Dahlia to Keegan¡¯s ce. She deliberately


    picked a time when Keegan was not around. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she saw an old


    man wearing a baggy white tank top and a straw hat, digging soil in the garden with a small hoe.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Aurora was startled. She soon came back to her senses and yelled, ¡°Hey! Thief! What are you doing


    here?¡±


    Arthur flipped the brim of his hat and nced at Aurora. He then frowned and said, ¡°What a rude young


    lady. Who are you calling a thief?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s being rude, you stinky old man. What are you holding in your hand, huh? Why


    are you digging secretly in my yard?¡±


    Arthur was mad when he heard that. ¡°This is my great-granddaughter¡¯s home. I¡¯m nting something


    here. Who the hell are you toe here and yell at me?¡±


    ¡®Great-granddaughter..?¡¯ Aurora then responded, ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re from the Jewell family?¡±

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    Arthur looked at Aurora and suddenly remembered the photo album he had flipped through a few days


    ago. ¡°My, my. You look so familiar. Are you Keegan¡¯s younger sister? We are all family. You¡¯re in luck. I


    just dug out some potatoes from my vegetable field and will make some pierogi at noon.¡±


    Most people from the countryside lived simple lives, and Arthur had always been generous. He was in


    his nies and could not afford to argue with a young girl. Knowing that she was Keegan¡¯s sister, he


    immediately became friendly with her.


    ¡°We¡¯re not family. Ste really thinks that our family is a charity, huh? It¡¯s fine that she secretly helps the


    Jewell family with my family¡¯s riches, but now she freaking brought one of you here? Your family is


    shameless,¡± Aurora sneered.


    Arthur¡¯s face immediately changed. He tossed the hoe to the ground and pointed at Aurora as he


    shouted, ¡°How dare you talk like that?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just stating the facts. I can¡¯t believe an old scum like you still lives off us rich people. Tell me, is


    living in this vi better than living in that country kennel of yours? You¡¯re a family of good-for-nothing


    blood-sucking asshats!¡±


    Arthur was furious, shaking his hands and trembling. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with country people? How are we


    useless? We do everything with our own hands. The rice and flour you eat are nted by us country


    folk! Why are you such a rude girl?¡±


    ¡°Am I wrong? I mean, look at your useless family. I really don¡¯t understand my mother¡¯s thought


    process. Why in the world does she want me to deliver this stupid medicine to Ste? In my opinion,


    she shouldn¡¯t get pregnant. What if she gave birth to a loser like your family? Ew.¡±


    After Aurora said that, she carried the box of medication and walked into the house. Arthur turned pale


    with anger. He stepped forward and grabbed Aurora¡¯s wrist as he said, ¡°Get out! Get out! Take your


    things and get out!¡±


    As he spoke, Aurora staggered, and the box fell to the ground. The bottle of medicine broke, and the


    remedy was scattered all over the floor. Aurora¡¯s expression darkened immediately, and she pushed


    Arthur away. ¡°You old bastard! Don¡¯t touch me with your filthy hands!¡±


    Arthur was old, and no matter how strong his body was, he could notpare to a young girl. Aurora


    pushed him, and he fell to the ground. His face turned white from the pain as he gasped for breath. His


    whole body trembled, and he could not get up.


    Seeing this, Aurora was taken aback. ¡°Stop pretending, old man. I didn¡¯t even use much force. Get up!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Arthur trembled more and more, and his face gradually turned blue. Aurora was scared at that moment.


    The servant heard themotion and quickly ran outside. She hurriedly dialed 911 when she saw


    Arthur lying on the ground.


    Ste was on set when she received a call from the hospital. When she heard that something had


    happened to her great-grandfather, she asked Daniel for a leave and rushed to the hospital.


    Arthur was still in the operating room when she arrived at the hospital. She saw the servant


    waiting outside and anxiously asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Ste thought that Arthur had fallen ill. ¡°Wasn¡¯t


    he fine when I left this morning? Didn¡¯t he take his pills? Why is he suddenly in the emergency


    room???¡±


    ¡°The old man had a fall and couldn¡¯t get up from the ground.¡±


    Ste frowned. ¡°How did he fall?¡±


    The servant hesitated momentarily and said in a low voice, ¡°To be honest, Madam, I¡¯m not really sure. I


    was cleaning around the house while the old man was tending his vegetables in the yard. Ms. Kane


    came over, and she seemed to have a few words with the old man. When I heard her outside, the old


    man was already unconscious.¡±


    Ste¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Kane didn¡¯te to the hospital.¡±


    Ste scrunched up her nose and clenched her fists upon hearing that. Ten minutester, Keegan


    rushed over since he received a call from the servant. When he arrived, he saw Ste sitting on the


    bench with a pale face. He walked up to her and called out to her. Ste looked up at him, and her eyes


    were bloodshot red. Keegan¡¯s heart trembled when he saw her current state. He pursed his lips and


    whispered, ¡°It will all be alright.¡±


    Ste stared at him and said hoarsely, ¡°Aurora pushed him.¡±

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    Keegan was startled. His eyes darkened, and he said, ¡°I¡¯ll handle it,¡±


    ¡°How are you going to handle it?¡± Ste asked calmly. ¡°Are you going to send her to jail if grandpa


    doesn¡¯te out of the operating room by today?¡±


    Keegan frowned, but he did not speak. The corner of Ste¡¯s lower lip twitched as she said, ¡± No, right?


    Then, tell me, how are you going to handle this?¡±


    Keegan was about to say something when the lights in the operating room went out. The doctor came


    out of the operating room and said, ¡°The patient is no longer in a critical state for now. You guys were


    careless. The man has a history of epilepsy and is already so old. You shouldn¡¯t have left him alone.


    Fortunately, he was delivered on time. Otherwise, he would be dead.¡±


    Ste sighed in relief and waited for the doctor to finish talking before she said, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. I was


    negligent. Thank you, doctor.¡± The doctor waved his hand and said, ¡°You can visit him in the ward


    later.¡±


    After the doctor had left, Ste did not talk to Keegan. Instead, she called Albert to inform him about


    what had happened.


    Keegan looked at her slim back, and his heart tightened. He picked up his phone and dialed Aurora¡¯s


    number.


    Not surprisingly, she did not answer. He called the house, and a servant picked up the phone. ¡± Mrs.


    Kane has gone out to y cards with her friends, sir.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Aurora Kane,¡± Keegan said coldly. He only called Aurora by her full name when he was


    furious at her. The servant took a peek at Aurora and saw that she was waving desperately, signaling


    her to deny her presence.


    ¡°Ah, yes, Ms. Aurora. She¡¯s not here right now. She went out with her friends in the morning.¡±


    Keegan rolled his eyes and said, ¡°Ask her to answer the phone.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Aurora¡¯s not here, sir. She¡­¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I¡¯ll say this onest time. Ask her to answer the phone!¡±


    A rattling sound could be heard on the other line, and they hung up. Keegan clenched his phone tightly


    and nced at Ste, who was not far away. He turned around and left the hospital after that.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    The image of the old man shaking and shivering on the floor was deeply engraved in Aurora¡¯s mind.


    However, she was not afraid of anything happening to him. On the contrary, she was scared that she


    would not be able to get away with it. Keegan¡¯s phone call made her even more anxious. She was


    worried that Keegan would settle the score with her. So, as soon as she hung up the house phone, she


    hurriedly called Dahlia.


    Dahlia was getting a manicure with a few friends, but she hurried home when she heard about what


    had happened. When she arrived, she saw Keegan with a few other people abruptly carrying Aurora


    out of her room.


    Aurora struggled and shouted, ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. I swear. He was the one who touched


    me first. I couldn¡¯t just stand still and not fight back, could I?! Let me go! Ah! Let me go!!!¡±


    ¡°Stop it, all of you!¡± Dahlia stepped forward to stop them, but Keegan did not say a word, and none of


    the others let Aurora go.


    ¡°Mom, mom! Please, help me! Keegan is out of his mind! He¡¯s hurting his own sister for that woman!


    He¡¯s crazy! Mom! Help!¡±

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    Seeing Keegan¡¯s face be increasingly serious, Dahlia quickly shouted at Aurora to be quiet. Then,


    she turned to Keegan and said, ¡°Keegan, I¡¯ve heard everything. Aurora really went too far this time. I


    just called your father inw on the way back, and he told me that the hospital said it was epilepsy. The


    old man is fine now. It was an ident, and I¡¯m sure Aurora didn¡¯t do it on purpose. Look, she¡¯s also in


    shock.¡±


    When Aurora heard it was epilepsy, she immediately yelled again, ¡°I knew he was pretending! I didn¡¯t


    even push him that hard. I wouldn¡¯t have pushed him away if he hadn¡¯t grabbed my arm. He had a


    seizure, and I happened to push him at the same time. God, I¡¯m so unlucky! Thankfully, he¡¯s alright. I


    wouldn¡¯t be able to forgive myself if he died.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression was terrifying. ¡°Do you actually think no one heard what you said to the old man,


    Aurora?¡±


    Aurora felt guilty but said, ¡°Whatever did I say, dear brother? I was just there to deliver some medicine.


    He didn¡¯t let me into the house, so I pushed him.¡±


    Keegan and Ste were not at home then, and the servant came out after the incident, so even if the


    servant heard something, Aurora was not about to admit it.


    Seeing her show no remorse, Keegan made a gesture with his hands. Aldor stepped forward to show


    the surveince video on his phone. He even turned the volume up to the maximum.


    ¡°We¡¯re not family¡­ Your family¡¯s shameless.¡±


    ¡°Is living in this vi better than living in that country kennel of yours, huh?¡±


    ¡°In my opinion, she shouldn¡¯t get pregnant. What if she gave birth to a loser like your family?


    Ew.¡±


    Aurora¡¯s face turned paler after each sentence. She did not expect that every word she had said would


    be clearly recorded by the surveince camera above her head.


    Keegan stared at her coldly. ¡°Two options. You either immediately go to the hospital with me to


    apologize and ask for forgiveness, or I hand over the surveince video to the police and imprison you


    for a year for assault. If we can¡¯t control you, we¡¯ll have the police do it!¡±


    Aurora¡¯s face changed drastically. ¡°You¡¯re handing me over to the police, for the sake of an outsider?¡±


    she said with a pale face and trembling lips.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°An outsider?¡± Keegan was furious. ¡°Do you only see people as outsiders and family?! How could you


    be so ruthless? Don¡¯t you have a moralpass? You fought an old man who¡¯s nearly 90! You were


    always scared of responsibility, and now that something bad has happened, you run away and hide? Is


    this what our family has taught you?¡±


    Aurora gritted her teeth and replied, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be like this if it weren¡¯t for that bitch! You¡¯re clearly


    blinded by her! If you hadn¡¯t married Ste, we wouldn¡¯t have to work our asses off at thepany!


    And now? You¡¯re stabbing me, your biological sister, in the back for her? Fine. Hand me over to the


    police if you want. I know you¡¯ve resented me since the day dad died! It¡¯s better if I just kill myself.¡±


    Aurora was not sorry for her actions. Keegan¡¯s anger rose to the extreme, and he said in a low voice,


    ¡°Aldor, call the police!¡±


    Dahlia¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Why call the police? This is just a small family matter. There¡¯s no need


    to rm the police. You know your sister. She¡¯s just stubborn. She couldn¡¯t stop crying when she called


    me earlier. She knows that she has messed up. You¡¯re her older brother. How can she not throw a fit


    when you said all those nasty things to her?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not throwing a fit!¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± Dahlia scolded, and Aurora reluctantly stayed quiet.


    ¡°She¡¯s clearly a mess right now. If you drag her to that old man, you¡¯ll scare him. At least let her change


    into some fresh clothes and tidy up. I¡¯ll ask someone to prepare a gift for that old man, and I¡¯ll follow


    you along to apologize to him.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s main goal was not to send Aurora to the police station. The old man had a seizure, so it could


    not be considered assault in court. At best, it was a civil dispute. He had said that just to scare Aurora.


    With Dahlia acting as the middleman, Aurora finally gave in. She went upstairs to change and followed


    Keegan to the hospital after that.


    Arthur was transferred to the general ward and woke up in half an hour. When the Jewell family


    received the call, everyone rushed over to check up on the old man. They all gathered around the


    hospital bed to see him. ¡°The old man has always been healthy. How did he have such a huge fall after


    staying at Ste¡¯s for just a few days?¡± Lydia asked in suspicion.

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    ¡°He¡¯s already so old. His life could be in danger by falling like this.¡±


    ¡°Our grandfather fell in the Kane residence, yet nobody from the Kane family is here. Aren¡¯t they going


    to take responsibility for what happened?¡±


    The Jewells spoke and tried to put the me on Ste.


    Ste gazed downward without saying anything.


    ¡°Stop talking! It¡¯s so noisy!¡±


    Arthur furrowed his brows. He was not having any of their ¡°concerns¡±. ¡°Get out now, all of you!¡± he


    yelled with a frown.


    Everyone turned quiet.


    Then, they reluctantly left the room, one after another.


    Ste was about to leave too, but Arthur stopped her. ¡°Ste, pour me a ss of water.¡±


    Ste stopped and turned around.


    Her uncles and aunts looked at each other after hearing what Arthur said. Then, they pursed their lips


    and closed the door.


    Ste brought a ss of water and ced the straw near Arthur¡¯s mouth. He lifted his head and took


    two sips before lying back down.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Then, he patted his nket and said softly, ¡°Sit closer to me.¡±


    Ste put the cup down and did as he said.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Keegan?¡± Arthur asked softly.


    Ste looked down and said in a low voice, ¡°He was here just now, but he left because he has


    something to do.¡±


    Arthur pursed his lips without saying anything.


    Ste clenched her fist and said softly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Arthur smiled. ¡°What for? You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡±


    Ste then continued under her breath, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have let her touch you if I was at home.¡±


    ¡°What? I was just too angry, and I couldn¡¯t think straight. I shouldn¡¯t have grabbed her wrist.¡±


    Arthur sighed and continued, ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to meet your husband¡¯s family, and see what they¡¯re


    like. I just didn¡¯t expect things to end up this way.¡± He patted the back of Ste¡¯s hand after saying that.


    ¡°I should¡¯ve known better.¡±


    Ste was confused. Then, she saw Arthur taking a bankbook out from his underclothes before


    handing it to her. ¡°Thepensation I received from our old house relocation a few years ago is in


    here. The pin code is six ones. Take this with you and your mother-inw won¡¯t look down on you


    anymore. Use the money and buy yourself a house if you really don¡¯t like living there. It¡¯s enough to


    cover all of your expenses. Remember, marriage is nothingpared to your own happiness.¡±


    Ste¡¯s heart clenched as she pushed the bankbook back with her red eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not taking it.¡±


    ¡°Silly girl!¡± Arthur lightly smacked her head with the bankbook. ¡°All of the people outside are longing for


    this, yet you just rejected it. No wonder that brat treats you so badly!¡±

 Chapter 333

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 333


    Chapter 333


    Arthur was very sharp. He had lived for many years, and he knew very well what everyone, including


    Aurora, was thinking.


    He was going to turn ny soon and had lived longer than most people. Some of his children even


    passed away before him. He only had one child left, and he had also been bedridden


    himself.


    He drifted apart from his grandchildren after his children passed away too. He had been living alone for


    so many years in his old home, and his family would rarely pay him a visit. However, all his good and


    dutiful family members returned to take care of him after he received thepensation.


    He knew very well that those people were only doing that for the money he had.


    He was already so old. He started not taking materialistic things like money seriously long ago. He also


    knew that nobody would visit him anymore if he were to divide the money between those people.


    He started to be a burden as he grew older.


    So, he told them he wanted toe to Rivera when he still had the money. All of them obeyed him


    because he had what they wanted.


    He watched the television with other patients in the hospital. He saw Ste¡¯s face on the screen while


    they talked about the plot, and he suddenly wanted to meet his great- granddaughter, whom he had not


    met for a long time.


    Ste was different from those people. She would stop him from eating confectionaries, smoking, and


    drinking. She would also be worried for him and switch on the heater, in case he woke up in the middle


    of the night.


    Ste had never changed. She would always put the feelings of others before her own.


    She was that sensible.


    Ste held her tears back and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°I¡¯ll make the Kane family apologize to you.¡±


    Arthur waved his hand. ¡°She¡¯s just an insolent brat. You can¡¯t expect anything good from her.¡± Then, he


    grabbed Ste¡¯s hand and put the bankbook into her hand. ¡°Hide it well. Don¡¯t let your uncles and aunts


    see it.¡±


    At the window to the room, Lydia stood on tiptoe, unable to resist looking inside.


    However, because the curtain was blocking her view, she could not exactly see what was happening


    inside.


    ine was very worried too. However, her dignity stopped her from looking inside, so she


    asked Albert instead.


    ¡°Bro, what did the doctor say? Is grandpa going to be okay?¡±


    Albert frowned and said, ¡°It¡¯s a hard fall, and he¡¯ll probably be bedridden for some time.¡±


    ine furrowed her brows. ¡°How long is some time?¡±


    ¡°It depends.¡±


    Lydia immediately turned around after hearing that. ¡°I told you this hospital sucks. Just look. The


    doctors can¡¯t even give us a definite answer. What does ¡°it depends¡± even mean? Are we just going to


    let grandpa stay in the hospital until the day he feels better? Who¡¯s going to pay for the medical bill?¡±


    Everyone looked at each other, but none of them said a thing.


    They were not very close to begin with, since there was a generation gap between them. There was


    only one reason why they were there, and every single one of them knew exactly what that was.


    They could buy something to eat and drink to make Arthur happy, but none of them were actually


    willing to spend money on him.


    It was very expensive to stay in the hospital, and it could cost up to a thousand in just a day. There


    might also be some additional fees and supplements that Arthur might need, so the total bill might turn


    out to be more than ten thousand.


    Besides, they might not even get the money back. They did not know who would end up getting the


    money from Arthur.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ine spoke after noticing how everyone kept quiet. ¡°Bro, all of us here would be responsible and do


    whatever we can to take care of grandpa if he was admitted because he was sick. However, he fell in


    Ste¡¯s house, so I guess somebody else should bear the consequences, right?¡±


    ine added, ¡°Grandpa wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this if they were more careful. What if grandpa


    had otherplications because of this?¡±

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    ine¡¯s husband, Anthony, pulled her sleeve, signaling her to stop talking.


    Anthony thought that all of them worked in Albert¡¯s factory, so it would not be nice to the buck because


    of such a tiny matter.


    pass


    Albert swept his gaze across the crowd of hopeless people and said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. None of you


    are going to spend a penny on this!¡±


    ¡°Bro, that¡¯s not what I meant. We can totally afford to pay the bills. However, grandpa is getting older,


    and his health is only going to deteriorate after falling. We¡¯ve got to do


    something about this. Don¡¯t you think we should start discussing who he should be living with after he


    is discharged?¡±


    ine made a good point.


    It was a hot topic among them when Arthur was still healthy.


    However, they only wanted to live with him because of his money.


    Unfortunately, Arthur was very stubborn, and he did not want to live with any of them. So, it had been


    put aside ever since, but ine brought it up again because of what happened to him.


    Albert was too rich to be wanting thepensation that Arthur received. However, he was eying on a


    piece ofnd that Arthur owned in his old home, but Arthur just would not give it to him. So, he thought


    that Arthur¡¯s ident might be a good opportunity for him to get closer to Arthur and make him give


    him that piece ofnd.


    Everyone there started thinking about solutions that would work best for their interests.


    Ste stood at the door and watched the show that these ¡°dutiful¡± people put on, could finally see why


    Arthur did not want to give any of them his money.


    and she


    She listened to their conversation for a long time. She only pushed the door open and went outside


    when things got heated.


    Everyone went silent as soon as they saw her.


    ine could not stop looking at her. Then, she said, ¡°Ste, what did grandpa say to you?¡± Ste


    replied coldly, ¡°Nothing much. He went to rest after drinking some water.¡± Clearly, ine did not believe


    her. ¡°Why would it take so long for him to just drink water? Didn¡¯t he tell you anything else?¡±


    Ste red at her. ¡°What do you mean by ¡°anything else¡±?¡±


    ine choked. After a while, she replied sheepishly, ¡°Nothing.¡±


    She would not dare openly talk about thepensation in front of the younger generation, even though


    she could be quite shameless at times.


    Suddenly, Ste heard some noise from afar. She turned around and saw Keegan walking in her


    direction.


    Dahlia was on his right, and there were two bulky men in suits following behind him to walk toward


    Ste.


    Albert was shocked by what he saw. Then, heposed himself and went to greet them.


    ¡°Mrs. Kane, Keegan, it¡¯s just a tiny matter. You didn¡¯t have toe at all.¡±


    Ste¡¯s expression darkened as she stared at Aurora, who looked impatient. Ste clenched her fist


    tightly and walked right to her.


    Keegan had been observing Ste since he came. He took a step forward and grabbed her wrist before


    she could raise her hand as she rushed forward. Then, he pulled her to the side.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± Ste¡¯s voice trembled.


    Keegan said in a low voice, ¡°I brought her here to apologize.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Ste¡¯s eyes turned red as she looked at him. ¡°With that? These stupid gifts?¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips. ¡°I¡¯ll let great-grandpa do whatever he wants to her, but you can¡¯t raise a hand


    against her.¡±

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    Chapter 335


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Things would be more difficult if Steid a hand on Aurora. He did not want her to get involved in


    this.


    However, Ste¡¯s heart sank as she thought Keegan did that to protect Aurora.


    ¡°How thoughtful of you, Mr. Kane. What are you expecting my great-grandpa to do? He¡¯s already so


    old. Do you think he¡¯d hit her? Let me go!¡±


    Keegan frowned and tightened his grip on her arm. Then, he said in a low voice, ¡°Ste Jewell, calm


    down and think about it. How are things going to be if you really do p her?¡±


    Ste curled her fingers. She bit her lips and kept quiet.


    Keegan continued after noticing her facial expression look less tense. ¡°Great-grandpa is still lying on


    the hospital bed. Do you think he could recoverfortably if he knew that you fought with my family


    because of this?¡±


    Ste looked at him coldly. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t be lying on the hospital bed if it weren¡¯t for Aurora!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I brought her here. I¡¯m going to make her apologize to him. I¡¯ll also do my best to


    amodate his requests aspensation.¡±


    Ste¡¯s heart turned cold. ¡°Keegan Kane, money can¡¯t solve everything. I¡¯m never going to forget what


    happened.¡±


    She shrugged Keegan¡¯s arm off as she spoke and then walked away.


    She stood there silently, no longer having the impulse to hit Aurora.


    Albert was shocked to see Dahlia bring her whole family to visit Arthur. She asked about Arthur¡¯s


    condition before going into Arthur¡¯s ward without finding out if he was resting or


    not.


    Arthur was not sleeping. The look on his face changed when he saw Keegan. ¡°Hey, Keegan,¡± he


    spoke.


    Keegan¡¯s mouth drooped. Arthur¡¯s voice sounded a lot weaker than when he used to call his name


    previously.


    He had an awful feeling. Then, he turned around and said to Aurora, ¡°Get over here.¡±


    The two bodyguards followed closely behind Aurora as she stepped forward reluctantly before she


    bowed down without much care. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to do that.¡±


    Keegan furrowed his brows and said in a low voice, ¡°Do you have a back problem?¡±


    After hearing what Keegan said, Aurora felt a hand over her shoulders pressing her down forcefully.


    She frowned and tried to resist the force. However, Keegan¡¯s hand did not move an inch, and he


    pressed her shoulders down even harder.


    Aurora could not bear the pressure anymore as her eyes turned red. She finally bent over before


    Keegan¡¯s cold gaze and said with bloodshot eyes, ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you! Please forgive


    me!¡±


    The look on her face was not apologetic at all, but full of disdain and abasement as she spoke.


    Keegan¡¯s blood boiled. He was about to speak, but Dahlia beat him to it. ¡°Mr. Jewell, I¡¯m Keegan¡¯s


    mother. I¡¯ve heard about what happened today. Aurora didn¡¯t know you were staying in Keegan¡¯s ce,


    nor who you were. She¡¯s just a kid and I know she said things she shouldn¡¯t have. I¡¯ve already


    disciplined her back home. I hope you can forgive her.


    ¡°Just focus on recovering, and don¡¯t worry about the medical bill. We¡¯ll take care of it for you.¡± Then,


    she took a card out of her bag. ¡°This is a little something for you. Please ept it.¡±


    Lydia¡¯s eyes sparkled as soon as she saw the card.


    Dahlia shoved that card into Albert¡¯s hand. ¡°Albert, be sure to take good care of your grandfather.


    Please don¡¯t hesitate to ask me for help if you ever need it.¡±


    Ste¡¯s expression immediately darkened.


    Keegan frowned too.


    Based on the conversation, Albert and his rtives realized what had happened then. ¡®No wonder


    Dahlia came too. It turns out that Aurora was the one who caused this.¡¯


    Then, Albert quickly said, ¡°Dahlia, you don¡¯t have to do this. I¡¯m sure that Aurora didn¡¯t do this on


    purpose. The doctor came just now, and he said it¡¯s nothing serious. We¡¯re family. There¡¯s no need to


    cause such a big scene. Look at the kids¡ª¡±


    ¡°Dad,¡± Keegan interrupted him. ¡°We should let great-grandpa decide if he wants to forgive Aurora.¡±

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    Albert paused. Suddenly, the look on his face turned awkward. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Everyone shifted their gaze to Albert. Arthur¡¯s expression was rather calm as he said to Albert, ¡°Give


    the card back to her.¡±


    Dahlia immediately said, ¡°It¡¯s just a littlepensation from us.¡±


    Lydia quickly added, ¡°Dad, you wouldn¡¯t have been injured if it weren¡¯t for her daughter. It¡¯ll cost quite a


    sum for you to stay in the hospital anyway. They¡¯re just doing what they¡¯re supposed to.¡±


    Arthur shifted his gaze to Lydia. ¡°There¡¯s no reason for me to ept it because the fall isn¡¯t the reason


    why I¡¯m admitted. How is this different from ckmailing if I were to ept it?¡± He then looked at


    Arthur. ¡°Give it back.¡±


    Albert figured he should not say anything else after hearing what Arthur said in front of everyone. He


    gave the card back to Dahlia.


    Dahlia frowned slightly. ¡°You can let us know if you need help in any other way.¡±


    Arthur waved his hand. ¡°I ept her apology. You guys can go home now.¡±


    Albert was afraid that Dahlia would be offended, so he said to Arthur softly, ¡°Dad, they just got here.¡±


    Arthur was not bothered at all as he frowned and said, ¡°Look at how tiny this room is. I can¡¯t even


    breathe well with all the people around me. Do you want to die of suffocation instead?¡±


    Albert choked.


    The look on Dahlia¡¯s face was not looking very good either. ¡®He¡¯s chasing us out without even letting us


    stay for a while. He¡¯s making me look so bad.¡¯


    Then, she said with a sullen face, ¡°We¡¯ll stop disturbing you now if that¡¯s the case. Aurora,e on.¡±


    Aurora broke free of the bodyguards and left with Dahlia.


    Albert quickly went after them. ¡°Dahlia, I¡¯ll walk you out.¡±


    Lydia secretly followed them when nobody was watching her.


    Everyone in the ward left one by one. In the end, Keegan and Ste were the only ones left inside.


    Arthur waved his hand and called to his great-granddaughter. ¡°Ste, I¡¯m hungry. Would you go


    downstairs and buy some sandwiches for me?¡±


    Ste looked at Keegan. She knew that Arthur wanted to talk to Keegan alone.


    She pursed her lips and said, ¡°What kind of sandwiches?¡±


    Arthur put on his usual smile. ¡°The ones with grilled pork tenderloin and some garlic.¡±


    After Ste left, Arthur leaned on his bed with a pale face. Then, he said softly, ¡°Keegan, would you flip


    me over?¡±


    Keegan immediately stepped forward and held him to flip him over. He lifted the nket and saw


    several streaks of blood on Arthur¡¯s back, and his hand trembled.


    Ste bumped into Aurora after she bought the sandwiches in the lobby.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    and


    Aurora had her head down as she yed with her phone. There was a smile on her face, she did not


    show the slightest hint of remorse as someone who just did something wrong. Thinking about how


    weak Arthur looked while lying on the hospital bed, Ste clenched her fists tight and walked toward


    Aurora.


    Aurora finally noticed her after Ste kept staring at her.


    She put her phone away and glowered at Ste. She smirked after looking at the sandwiches in Ste¡¯s


    hand. ¡°It looks like he could still eat after that fall, huh? He¡¯s just pretending, right?¡±


    Ste ignored her and went around her to go to the elevator.


    Aurora scoffed. ¡°I thought your family was very noble, yet you asked for the card back after rejecting it.


    The old man is so much smarter than all of you bypromising to get something more. It¡¯s a¡¯shame


    that my brother asked me here to apologize when none of you even wanted that. All that you want is


    money. How ridiculous.¡±

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    Ste stopped walking and turned around abruptly ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Aurora lifted the edge of her mouth into a smirk. ¡°I was saying that scamming money runs in the Jewell


    blood. However, your aunt is much more honest than all of you.¡±


    A call came, so she answered her phone as she walked outside. ¡°Where are we meeting tonight? The


    Dawn again? Fine I¡¯ll see you there tonight


    Ste¡¯s gaze darkened as she watched Aurora¡¯s receding back.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Keegan hired a caretaker dedicated to taking care of Arthur alone,


    Ste stayed in the ward for a while before saying she had something to do on set and left


    Keegan sat in the ward as he peeled an orange for Arthur.


    Arthur did not have much of an appetite. He said in a low voice, ¡°You should go back too. Ste isn¡¯t


    feeling very happy today. Why don¡¯t you go home and spend some time with her?¡±


    Remembering how she had looked at him just now, Keegan felt very ufortable.


    So, he replied softly, ¡°I¡¯ll leave after you eat two more slices of this.¡±


    Arthur immediately grabbed two orange slices and stuffed them into his mouth. Then, he waved his


    hand at Keegan. ¡°Chop, chop. I need to get some sleep now.¡±


    Keegan gave the caretaker his number and left the hospital.


    Aldor was already waiting for him downstairs. As soon as Keegan got into the car, Aldor asked, ¡°Where


    to, Mr. Kane?¡±


    ¡°The set of Jurisdiction.¡±


    Aldor steered the car and took them there.


    While sitting in the car, Keegan took a bank card that Arthur gave him out of his pocket.


    Arthur told him that it was a gift to Ste for her marriage.


    He also told Keegan that Ste could only be taken seriously in her new family by having that.


    The fact that Arthur thought like that surprised Keegan.


    Suddenly, Keegan¡¯s grip on the bank card tightened as he thought about what Aurora had said in the


    surveince footage. Then, he looked up and said, ¡°Terminate all of Aurora¡¯s debit and credit cards.


    Also, notify the finance department not to approve any of their cash withdrawals from thepany


    other than the quarterly dividends!¡±


    Aldor was shocked.


    Clearly, Keegan was not just talking about Aurora, but Dahlia too.


    Dahlia and Aurora¡¯s expenses depended fully on the quarterly dividends, and they would only receive


    an average of less than one million every month because of thepany¡¯s performance. It was far


    from enough to maintain their extravagant lifestyle.


    Dahlia started withdrawing money from thepany¡¯s ount every month after Keegan


    took over the office, and the amount would always be five million


    Keegan hated inconvenience. He eventually gave in to Dahlia¡¯s actions after he got into a fight with her


    because of money. So, every time Dahlia made her regr withdrawal, he would transfer five million to


    thepany from his personal ount


    It had been going on for many years. The five million was the main source to support Dahlia and


    Aurora¡¯s extravagant lifestyle. Because of what happened to Arthur, Keegan wanted to cut off their


    allowance and it would undoubtedly cause a huge scene.


    ¡®It looks like Mr. Kane is really angry¡¯


    Only a few people were cleaning the set when they arrived at their destination, and Ste was nowhere


    to be found.


    Aldor approached them and asked them if they knew where Ste was, yet they mistook him for


    Ste¡¯s fan and told him that Ste did note to work that day.


    Aldor paused. Then, he immediately turned back and told Keegan about it.


    ¡°Did you say that she did note to work?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what the workers told me. They¡¯ve kept all the filming equipment too.¡¯


    Keegan frowned. Then, he reached for his phone and dialed Ste¡¯s number.


    Ste was sitting in a car while staring at the pub on the opposite side of the street.


    Seeing the iing call, she emotionlessly put her phone on silent mode.


    Keegan could not help but frown harder after the call failed to connect.


    In The Dawn, Aurora¡¯s friend could not help butugh after hearing what Aurora told then.


    ¡°I thought there was more to it! Is that it?¡±


    ¡°That old man could really take a fall. Is he really fine?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what Aurora said? He had an epileptic seizure. It had nothing to do with Aurora at all.¡±


    ¡°The Jewells didn¡¯t dare stand up for themselves at all just because of money. What a bunch of


    pussies!¡±


    ¡°Your brother has so much to offer. Why would he choose Ste Jewell?¡±


    Aurora scoffed after sipping on her alcohol. ¡°That¡¯s because she has the face of a fox. All men are the


    same. If you looked like her, I would persuade my brother to marry you right away.¡± ¡°Tsk. Do you think


    she¡¯s better-looking than me?¡±


    Another friend added, ¡°Even though I don¡¯t like Ste, I¡¯m not blind. She¡¯s a lot prettier than you. You


    should get another stic surgery.¡±


    Everyoneughed, and the atmosphere was very cheerful.


    Aurora stood up and said tipsily after finishing her drink, ¡°You guys carry on. I need to use the


    washroom.¡±


    One of the guys followed her. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to thedies¡¯ room too?¡± Aurora kicked his leg. ¡°Get lost.¡±


    Then, she stumbled her way to the washroom.


    ¡°Dale, just give up. Aurora already has somebody else in mind.¡±


    Dale swept his gaze across everybody there. ¡°I have a chance. She isn¡¯t married yet.¡±


    Aurora exited the toilet stall and washed her face at the sink.


    Suddenly, somebody patted her shoulder. She turned around and saw somebody trying to cover her


    face with a towel.


    She sobered up for a bit as she widened her eyes in fear. She tried her best to break free.


    However, she inhaled too much of the drug on the cloth, making her lose all her strength. Then, she


    passed out after a few seconds.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t drink at all. I was sending one of my clients back.¡±


    While sitting in the car, Trevor was telling his sister where he went over the phone.


    ¡°Why won¡¯t you just believe me? Do you really think that I¡¯m a liar?¡±


    Trevor chuckled after his sister said something to him. ¡°Sure, feel free to inspect meter.¡± He looked


    out of the widow absentmindedly as he spoke, and he was stunned by what he saw. There were two


    people carrying a passed-outdy into a ck SUV. The window was not fully rolled up, so he could


    see a woman wearing a hoodie inside. That woman turned around and said something, and Trevor was


    shocked after he saw her face.


    It was Ste.

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    They closed the car door as soon as everybody got inside. Then, the car started.


    Trevor frowned and said into the phone, ¡°I have to go. I¡¯ll call you backter. Bye.¡±


    Then, he spoke to Xavier after hanging up. ¡°Followed that car in front of us. Keep a safe distance, and


    don¡¯t let them notice us.¡±


    Xavier immediately started the car and followed the ck SUV.


    That SUV was very cautious. It evaded all the monitored areas and drove into an alley.


    Xavier parked the car on the other end of the valley and waited for some time. All they saw was a white


    minivaning out, but not the ck SUV.


    Xavier frowned. ¡°This isn¡¯t right. That alley is only about half a mile long and there¡¯s no intersection


    inside. It¡¯s impossible for that car to travel this long inside.¡±


    Trevor paused andughed. ¡°She¡¯s escaped,¡± he said tly with an amused look on his face.


    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Xavier paused. ¡°Are you saying that she was in that minivan?¡±


    The alley was only wide enough for one car to drive through. The SUV was nowhere to be seen, yet a


    white minivan came out of there. So, the only possibility was that they changed into another vehicle.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Xavier was surprised. ¡°I followed that SUV from so far away. How did she notice?¡±


    Trevor thought for a moment before he said, ¡°I don¡¯t think she did. She was just being smart and


    cautious.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Saun, what should we do now?¡±


    The minivan had left more than a few minutes ago. There was just no way that they could catch up.


    Trevor tapped at the leather seat of his car before he lifted his gaze and asked, ¡°Which area around


    here has a poor surveince system?¡±


    ¡°The west.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go there.¡±


    Aurora woke up. She opened her eyes, and darkness was all she could see. She was blindfolded, and


    her mouth was taped too. All her limbs were tied tightly, and she could not move an inch.


    The fear ran wild inside her as she tried to break free. Her mouth was taped, so she could only make a


    humming noise from her nose.


    Opposite her, Ste stood emotionlessly and happily watched Aurora¡¯s panicked expression. Then,


    Ste went forward and tore off the tape over her mouth.


    The abrupt pain made Aurora whimper.


    Then, she shouted in horror while ignoring the pain. ¡°Who are you?! Why did you kidnap me? Do you


    know who I am? My family won¡¯t let you get away with this! Let me go now if¡ª


    -ugh-


    Ste stuffed a dirty cloth in Aurora¡¯s mouth before she could finish talking. The cloth went so


    deep in her mouth that she almost gagged.


    Before she could process what was happening, Aurora felt a sharp p on her face, and her ears


    buzzed.


    There were tiny rocks wrapped in the dirty cloth. Blood started flowing in her mouth after she was


    pped.


    Aurora had never experienced anything like that. She burst out crying.


    However, her eyes and mouth were covered. She could not make a sound even though she was crying


    her heart out.


    She did not look so tough anymore. She kept shaking her head, hoping to spit out the little rocks. Then,


    she could tell her kidnapper that she had a lot of money so that they would stop hurting her.


    However, she was not given any chances to do that as she was pped again and again¡­


    Keegan could not reach Ste, so he called Felicity instead.


    However, Felicity did not know where Ste went either, and she could not find her at the Rotona


    Pinnacle Hospital.


    They looked everywhere they could, but it seemed like Ste just disappeared out of thin air.


    The worry in Keegan kept growing.


    At the same time, Xavier saw the minivan turning out from an intersection, and he said softly, ¡°Ms.


    Saun, it¡¯s here.¡±


    Trevor looked up and saw that minivan parked beside the road. After a while, the door was opened.


    Ste got out of the car. She had changed into a gray overcoat.


    She stood there for a while after the minivan left. She put her hands into her pockets and went in the


    opposite direction after the minivanpletely disappeared from her sight.


    She was not walking very fast. She bowed her head down as if she was thinking about


    something. Then, when a harsh white light shone at her, she lifted her head.

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    Chapter 339


    Ste squinted as she raised her hand to block the bright light.


    The car light dimmed down, and a Bentley appeared in front of her. The rear passenger window rolled


    down, and Trevor greeted her with a smile. ¡°Mrs. Kane, what a coincidence.¡±


    Ste paused as she immediately put her guard up. Then, she pursed her lips and said softly,¡± Hi, Mr.


    Saun.¡±


    Trevor looked very rxed. ¡°It¡¯s sote at night. What are you doing out here all alone?¡±


    ¡°My car broke down, so I¡¯m waiting for a cab,¡± Ste replied cautiously.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to get a cab around here. I¡¯ll send you home.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, but there¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯ve already gotten myself a cab.¡±


    Trevor smiled. ¡°Should I call Keegan and tell him to pick you up then? It¡¯s not safe for a girl like you to


    be alone sote at night. I can¡¯t just leave you alone here.¡±


    Ste frowned and said after a while, ¡°He¡¯s working overtime.¡± Then, she paused before continuing,


    ¡°Mr. Saun, would you be so kind and give me a lift then?¡±


    Ste stopped talking after getting into the car.


    Her face looked a little pale, and her fingers were bluish too.


    The temperature was very low in the countryside, and she was not wearing very thick clothes.


    Trevor said, ¡°Xavier, turn up the temperature.¡±


    Then, Ste turned around and thanked him.


    Trevor looked at Ste from head to toe silently. Then, his gaze fell to a mole on her earlobe.


    Ste noticed he was looking at her, so she turned her head to him.


    Trevor handed her a bottle of water and asked in a gentle voice, ¡°Mrs. Kane, do you want some


    water?¡±


    His expression looked very natural. Ste could not but doubt if she was wrong about him looking at


    her.


    Ste did not take the water. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not thirsty.¡±


    Trevor could tell that she looked a little nervous, so he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Royalpark.¡±


    Ste replied, ¡°I¡¯m not going home. Please send me to the city hospital.¡±


    Trevor looked at her again. ¡°Mrs. Kane, are you feeling unwell?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± Ste paused before she continued, ¡°One of my family members is staying there.¡±


    Trevor stopped asking questions and told Xavier to start driving.


    When they arrived at the hospital, Ste was about to get out of the car, but Trevor stopped her. ¡°Mrs.


    Kane, please let me know if you ever need help.¡± Then, he added, ¡°I can help you with anything.¡±


    Ste turned around and looked at him. She pursed her lips and said, ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Xavier looked at the text message on his phone after she went into the hospital. He turned around and


    said, ¡°It was Ms. Kane.¡±


    Trevor was a little shocked. After some time, he only said, ¡°Find out who¡¯s staying in this hospital.¡±


    It was two o¡¯clock in the morning when Maya called Keegan to tell him that Ste went back


    home.


    Keegan immediately turned the car around and drove back home.


    Ste was already asleep when he pushed the door open.


    The light in the bedroom was still on, and there was steaming out of the ss of hot water beside


    the bed.


    Keegan went to the bed and sat down.


    Ste¡¯s eyes were closed, and her hair fell on the side of her face messily. Half of her face was buried


    in the pillow.


    He stretched his arm out and brushed her hair behind her ears. He sat there for quite some time before


    he stood up and left.


    Keegan¡¯s phone rang before the sun came up.


    It was four in the morning, and he had justid down on his bed. He could not help but frown after


    seeing Dahlia¡¯s number on his phone. He only epted the call after some time.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Then, she heard Dahlia¡¯s flustered voiceing from the phone. ¡°Keegan,e to the hospital now.


    Something bad happened to Aurora!¡±

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    Aurora was found by a cleaner by the road. Her mouth was filled with blood as sheid unconscious on


    the ground.


    Somebody called the cops, and they worked together to send her to the hospital. They found her phone


    and I.D. in her bag so they called Dahlia.


    Dahlia¡¯s face turned pale, and her knees went weak as soon as she saw Aurora.


    Both sides of Aurora¡¯s cheeks were swollen, and there were little rocks wrapped in a piece of cloth


    stuffed in her mouth. Her mouth could not be fully opened because of how swollen her face was, so it


    was impossible for her to get that out. That was why her mouth was still filled with those little rocks


    when she was found.


    The doctor cut the cloth with surgical scissors to slowly remove the rocks, and that was when the


    doctor could finally get a closer look at her mouth.


    There were scratches everywhere inside her mouth. Even though they were not fatal or damaged the


    crown, the amount of scratches was terrifying to look at.


    The mouth was nothing like the skin. It would keep producing saliva, and the wound would take a


    longer time to recover,pared to other parts of the body. Not only would Aurora not be able to speak


    for some time, but she would have difficulty eating too.


    After all, the mouth is the only way to get food in, so the pain would only intensify if she were


    to eat.


    The doctor had been in this field for so many years. He saw various types of injuries, such as a broken


    arm or guts falling out, but it was his first time seeing such a strange injury.


    It was not severe, but it was humiliating and tormenting.


    Dahlia¡¯s heart broke, and she cried when she saw how Aurora could only make a squeaky voice to


    relieve her pain.


    ¡°Who did this?!¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips and stood at the side silently with a straight face.


    The police knocked on the door and entered the room. ¡°Mr. Kane, Ms. Crosby, how¡¯s the victim? Is it


    possible for her to give a statement?¡±


    Dahlia saw Aurora nodding her head. Then, she wiped her tears away and said with bloodshot eyes,


    ¡°Come on in.¡±


    Aurora could not speak, so she typed on her phone tomunicate with the police.


    The police asked her everything that had happened the previous night.


    Aurora could only remember going to the washroom alone before somebody covered her mouth and


    nose with a cloth. She was already blindfolded, and her mouth was taped when she woke up, followed


    by an endless beating.


    Aurora shivered when she thought about what she had been through yesterday. She struggled to


    continue.


    The police wanted to ask her more questions, but Aurora looked very frightened, and she started


    shaking as soon as she recalled what happened. Her face was swollen like a balloon as well, and the


    policemen could not bear to see her like that.


    So, they shifted the topic. ¡°Did they do anything else other than beating you?¡±


    Dahlia¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°What kind of question is this? You¡¯re here to find out who did this to her,


    yet you¡¯re asking irrelevant questions! You¡¯re just giving more time for the culprit. to escape!¡±


    The policeman frowned. ¡°Ms. Crosby, we¡¯re just doing what we have to. We have to know every single


    detail about the case to crack it.¡±


    ¡°Did you get any ideas from asking so many questions then?¡±


    The policeman pursed his lips. One of his colleagues went to the bar to look at the surveince


    footage, yet he could not get any useful leads to make any advancements in the case. However,


    Aurora was only beaten up. She did not lose any valuable things, nor was she sexually assaulted¡­


    ¡°Ms. Kane, did you offend anybody recently? Or did you make any enemies?¡±


    As soon as the policeman asked that question, Dahlia immediately thought of what had happened


    yesterday. Then, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Ste Jewell! It¡¯s got to be her!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± Keegan immediately denied her usation. ¡°She was with mest night.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Dahlia burned with anger. ¡°Can¡¯t she hire somebody else to do it? Did you think I didn¡¯t notice how she


    looked at Aurora when she rushed toward her?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Aurora was the reason why her great-grandpa was injured. What do you


    expect?¡±


    ¡°Why are you still defending her at this point? Look at how badly injured your own sister is!¡±

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    Keegan pursed his lips. ¡°She should¡¯ve been reflecting on herself after doing something wrong, but she


    went to the pub instead. Did you think this would happen to her if you spoil her so much?¡±


    didn¡¯t


    Dahlia was so angry her lips trembled. ¡°Keegan Kane! You¡¯d better not forget who raised you!¡± The


    policemen became very confused after listening to what they were saying. Then, one of them


    interrupted and asked, ¡°Who¡¯s Ste Jewell?¡±


    Dahlia¡¯s anger coiled in her stomach. Then, she told the policemen everything that had happened


    yesterday before adding, ¡°I¡¯m sure that she¡¯s holding a grudge because of what happened, so she took


    revenge on my daughter. Aurora has never crossed anybody in her life, yet this happened to her right


    after that incident. Isn¡¯t it very obvious who did this?¡±


    The policemen heard Dahlia¡¯s words and thought what she said made sense. So, they asked, ¡± Where


    is she now?¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring you there.¡±


    Keegan stood in their way and pursed his lips. ¡°I¡¯ll bring her to youter. She¡¯s taking care of a patient


    now.¡±


    The policemen peered closely at his reaction and said, ¡°Mr. Kane, we¡¯re just going to ask her some


    questions. If she had nothing to do with it, it won¡¯t take very long. Would that be okay?¡± Getting


    impatient, Dahlia led the policemen to Arthur¡¯s ward angrily.


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened. He went out of the ward and took a call from Aldor.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, the cameras didn¡¯t capture the full face of the people who kidnapped Ms. Aurora. Also, the


    surveince footage of the pub around ten o¡¯clock was altered. The police are questioning the


    witnesses now, and that¡¯s all we know for now.¡±


    ¡°Do you know who altered it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. The security on dutyst night took leave and went to his hometown, so we can¡¯t reach


    him.¡±


    Keegan went silent for a moment before he said, ¡°We¡¯ve got to find that security guard before everyone


    else does.¡±


    ¡°Understood, boss.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Would you take another bite?¡± Ste persuaded Arthur softly.


    ¡°Let me rest for a while first.¡± Arthur sighed. ¡°I have someone else to take care of me here. You should


    be resting at home. Why did you get here so early in the morning?¡±


    Ste put down the utensils. ¡°You messed up my body clock. I can¡¯t fall asleep after seven


    o¡¯clock now.¡±


    ¡°Heheh,¡± Arthur chuckled before he asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t argue with Keeganst night, right?¡± Ste


    gazed downward. ¡°Why would I do that? I have better things to do.¡±


    ¡°Actually, Keegan¡¯s very kind. The caretake he hired is very attentive.¡±


    Ste was not moved, ¡°Everybody could do it with money.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the thought that matters. Do you think your dad and uncles can¡¯t afford to hire a caretaker? Why


    didn¡¯t they do so then?¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    ¡°Go home early today and reconcile with Keegan. Otherwise, I won¡¯t be able to stay here with peace of


    mind, and I won¡¯t eat properly without peace of mind, and my wound will take longer to heal if I don¡¯t


    eat properly, and I¡¯ll have to keep staying in the hospital if my wound won¡¯t heal. So, you should stop


    being angry at him if you want me to be discharged sooner.¡±


    Ste was speechless after listening to his roundabout logic. However, she conceded reluctantly after


    hearing how determined Arthur sounded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    The ward door was pushed open abruptly right after she said that. Dahlia stood there in a very fierce


    and angry manner. There were two policemen in uniform standing behind her. ¡°That¡¯s her.¡±


    Ste paused as her gaze darkened.


    The policemen sized Ste up and thought that she looked very familiar before they asked, Are you


    Ms. Ste Jewell?¡±

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    Ste stood up. Before she could speak, Dahlia grabbed her arm, looking angry. ¡°Did you do this? Did


    you find someone to beat Aurora up? Was it you?!¡±


    Ste frowned. She looked like she did not know what had happened. ¡°Mother, what are you talking


    about? What happened to Aurora?¡±


    ¡°Stop pretending!¡± When Dahlia looked at Ste, she immediately thought of Aurora¡¯s bloody, pitiful


    face. She raised her arm and wanted to p Ste.


    Arthur looked furious. He hit the mattress as he shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t dare!¡±


    you


    Ste was ready to be hit. But her wrist was grabbed by someone the next second. She was abruptly


    pulled aside. A sound could then be heard when the smack was strongly made. But the pnded on


    Keegan¡¯s chin.


    Dahlia¡¯s sharp nails raked Keegan¡¯s chin and left a few shallow hints of redness on it.


    Ste stared unwaveringly at Keegan. She unconsciously clenched her fingers.


    Keegan touched his cheek. He red at Dahlia. ¡°Are you done? Let¡¯s go outside and talk if you¡¯re


    done!¡±


    Dahlia looked exceptionally unhappy. She did not expect Keegan to take the p for Ste. She would


    be less angry if Keegan grabbed her hand to stop her.


    The policeman hurriedly stepped forward to ease the situation. ¡°Ms. Crosby, rx. We¡¯ll know who did


    it after the investigation.¡± After he said that, he turned his head to say to Ste, ¡°Ms. Ste, there¡¯s


    been a violent assault at West Loop Avenuest night. We want to ask you some questions. Can we go


    outside and talk?¡±


    Arthur instantly sat up when he heard ¡°violent assault¡±.


    ¡°What violent assault? Are you all mistaken?¡±


    The policeman thought that Arthur might be the shpoint of the incident. He also thought Arthur might


    be involved in the incident too. So, he told him about Aurora being beaten up.


    After hearing what he said, Arthur immediately said, ¡°It can¡¯t be Ste. She was taking care of me in the


    hospitalst night. How¡¯d she have the time to go and do that?¡±


    The police frowned. ¡®Ste has another alibi now.¡¯


    ¡°We didn¡¯t say she did it. We just want to ask some questions.¡±


    ¡°Ask her the questions here then! That woman dared to hit my great-granddaughter in front of me. Who


    knows how you guys would conduct the case behind my back?¡±


    The policeman was at a loss for words. ¡®Our response was slow just now. Who would¡¯ve thought


    Dahlia, who dressed so properly, would hit someone?¡¯


    Dahlia coldly said, ¡°You¡¯ll just find excuses for her if we ask her in front of you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask her questions then.¡± Arthur angrily added, ¡°Arrest her if you guys have proof. Or else, get


    lost!¡±


    While they were in a stalemate, a male¡¯s voice could be heard from the door. ¡°Why¡¯re there so


    many people here?¡±


    Everyone turned their heads. They then saw Trevor carrying a banquet of flowers standing at the door.


    He looked surprised.


    Keegan frowned. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I heard that Mrs. Kane¡¯s family member was admitted to the hospital when I sent her back to the


    hospital yesterday. So, I wanted toe and visit.¡± He paused for a moment and looked around. He


    then stared at the two policemen. ¡°What are you guys doing here?¡±


    The police paid attention to Trevor¡¯s words. He asked, ¡°You¡¯re saying you were with Ms. Stest


    night?¡±


    Trevor nodded. ¡°I went to find her to talk about work. I was the one who sent her to the hospitalst


    night.¡±


    The two policemen exchanged nces. One of them asked, ¡°What time did you guys go out?¡±


    ¡°Before nine or ten at night. About that time. We talked for quite a long time. I fetched her back to the


    hospital after that.¡±


    Ste raised her eyes to look at Trevor. He looked natural. He even asked the police, ¡°What are you


    guys investigating here?¡±


    Right after he said that, the policemen received a message from their colleagues on their phones.


    Ste indeed went back to the hospital at one o¡¯clock at midnight. And she got back home at two


    o¡¯clock at midnight. The owner of the Bentley that sent her to the hospital was Trevor.


    The time information matched. There was no proof saying Ste was directly involved in this violent


    assault.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°Nothing. We just wanted to ask some questions.¡± They meant to ask questions before they got new


    leads. The police then said, ¡°We¡¯ll leave now.¡±

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    Dahlia was suddenly desperate when she saw the police were going to leave without doing anything.


    ¡°You guys didn¡¯t even find out anything and didn¡¯t arrest anyone! You want to leave just like that?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Dahlia, we understand that you¡¯re desperate to arrest the criminal. But we can¡¯t solve the case by


    just guessing. We can¡¯t simply arrest anyone that we suspect. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll continue to follow up


    on this case. If there¡¯s new information, we¡¯ll contact you immediately.¡±


    Dahlia could not ept such an oue. Sheshed out. ¡°You guys are trash!¡±


    The police officers¡¯ facial expressions changed. ¡°Ms. Dahlia, please watch yournguage!¡±


    Dahlia nced angrily at Ste and stormed out of the ward.


    Ste pursed her lips. She stepped forward and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, police officers. My mother-in-w was


    worried. But she didn¡¯t mean to be rude. I¡¯ll walk you two out.¡±


    ¡®She sounds gentle. She¡¯s nothing like what Dahlia described.¡¯


    ¡®Moreover, ordinary people wouldn¡¯t think of putting stones into someone¡¯s mouth and pping them.¡¯


    When they were in the elevator, one of the police officers suddenly said, ¡°I remember now. Isn¡¯t she the


    female lead in the first episode of Jurisdiction?¡±


    The other policeman was frozen for a moment. He quickly checked on his phone and made the


    comparison. ¡®It¡¯s really her.¡¯


    ¡°She¡¯s an actress¡­ Actresses are exceptionally good at acting, right?¡±


    ¡°I think Ms. Crosby is the one who can act. Rumors say that she¡¯s virtuous and well- mannered. She


    wasn¡¯t any of that. Even if her daughter-inw did it, I think it¡¯s excusable. Her elderly family member


    was beaten up so badly. It¡¯s unforgivable to not want revenge.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a police officer. How can you say that¡¯d be unforgivable?¡±


    This was the first time Arthur received flowers. He was very happy.


    When Ste came back, he was carrying the flowers in his arms and continuously asking Trevor the


    names of each of the flowers.


    Trevor was very patient. He told Arthur one by one.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Keegan was not in the ward. He might have gone to visit Aurora. Ste did not care about that.


    ¡°Trevor, are you Keegan¡¯s friend?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m friends with Ste too. Ste saved my sister back then. I find Ste very congenial to me.


    Arthur smiled. ¡°Since you two are friends, you shouldn¡¯t always talk about her saving your sister. I


    thought you looked friendly when I saw you. Ste must think the same too.¡¯


    True friends would not talk about owed favor. Arthur was exceptionally wise.


    Keegan came after they chatted for a while.


    Trevor stayed a little longer before he said he had something to do and had to leave. Arthur then asked


    Keegan to show him out.


    After they exited the ward, Keegan said, ¡°Did you switch the surveince footage?¡±


    Trevor was confused. ¡°What surveince footage?¡±


    Keegan stared at Trevor¡¯s face. He did not want to miss any of his micro-expressions.


    But Trevor looked very calm. There was nothing amiss.


    Keegan pressed his lips. He pondered before he said, ¡°Nothing.¡±


    After he left the hospital and got into his car, Trevor then asked Xavier, ¡°Did you finish your job?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Kane went to check it right after I was done.¡±

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    ¡°But he was toote. I¡¯d already tempered with the surveince footage.¡± Xavier paused for a moment.


    ¡°Mr. Kane suspected you?¡±


    Trevor loosened his tie. ¡°Keegan isn¡¯t stupid. I testified for Ste. How can he not be


    suspicious? He¡¯d definitely immediately go and check the surveince footage when he knew Aurora


    got beaten up.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Kane didn¡¯t go and check the surveince footage. He wanted to destroy it, just like us,¡± said


    Xavier.


    Trevor stopped moving. After a while, he said, ¡°Are you sure he wanted to go and destroy the footage?¡±


    ¡°My intel can¡¯t be wrong.¡±


    Trevor pursed his lips. He gave a faintugh after a long ponder. ¡°Interesting.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Saun, it¡¯s easy to deal with the surveince footage at the store entrance. But we can¡¯t do anything


    about the public surveince system. If Mr. Kane were to continue investigating, he¡¯d definitely see our


    car at the ce where Ms. Kane got into trouble.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right if he sees it.¡± Trevor was not concerned about it at all. ¡°We didn¡¯t do anything.¡± They did not


    do anything. But they refused to help Aurora.


    After they sent Ste back to the hospitalst night, they went back to where they came from.


    After Aurora awoke, she ran out of the abandoned repair shop. She ran staggering to the roadside to


    wave for a lift.


    Trevor coldly watched her. He did not ask Xavier to stop the car.


    The reason he turned back was to see how badly Aurora was hurt. If she was not too seriously hurt, he


    might even hurt her further.


    ¡®Aurora locked Ms. Saun in the washroom. Ms. Saun almost died because of her. How can Mr. Saun


    spare her?¡¯


    Xavier knew exactly how protective Trevor was of Jaylene.


    He studied in the same school as Jaylene. She was sickly. She was tinier than the other kids when she


    was in school. And she always looked sick. So, there were some kids in school who liked to tease


    Jaylene.


    They would secretly pour her water out, ripped her homework, and intentionally grabbed her braid in


    the ss. They would even put worms in her bag.


    They enjoyed all theseme tricks.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Even if she reported it to the teachers, the kids were only asked to write apology letters and they would


    get away with it. After that, they teased her more aggressively.


    And there was a time when Jaylene was sick at school. The medicine that she always carried could not


    be found. Luckily, the teacher of the sickbay came opportunely and helped her.


    On that day, the Saun family came to take Jaylene back home.


    But that incident did not end there. No one admitted to taking away Jaylene¡¯s medicine. And the school


    was afraid that it would cause a scene and affect the school¡¯s reputation if they were to report it to the


    police. So, the school did not call the police. They merely sent a few leaders of the school to the Saun


    residence to express their sympathies. The school wanted to just reconcile everything and not make it


    a big issue.


    Xavier could not remember what the Saun family¡¯s reaction was. Because it happened too long


    ago.


    But the day after the school leaders went to the Saun residence, Trevor brought a few people with him


    to the school. And they pulled those kids that always bullied Jaylene out of their ss.


    They brought the kids to the top floor of the school. They pushed the kids one by one from upstairs in


    front of the entire school.


    They did not fall to death. They were hanging off the ground. Trevor was stepping on the rope that was


    tied to the kid. It was over a hundred feet off the ground. The kid would definitely fall to death if Trevor


    let go of the rope.


    Just when everyone was terrified, the second kid was pushed down too. Same posture and the same


    way of being tied.


    Then the third kid, the fourth¡­


    Soon, all six of the kids were hanging outside of the top floor¡¯s fence.


    Some of the kids were scared and screaming. The ropes swung when they struggled. It was possible


    that they would just fall anytime. Some of them were so scared that they fainted.


    There were six lives. The school could not just sweep it under the rug like before. They hastily called


    the police.


    The situation was only under control when the police arrived.


    Trevor was very cooperative with the police. He was very obedient when he got arrested.


    The Saun family paidpensation to the kids¡¯ families. And Trevor was still a minor at that time. So,


    he was released after he being detained for only three days.

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    The six kids had a tough time after that incident. After they were pushed by Trevor, the psychological


    effects of that event were very serious for them. And after everyone found out that the six of them stole


    Jaylene¡¯s medicine and she almost died because of them, they were isted at school.


    In less than a year after that, six of them changed schools one after another.


    Xavier remembered that incident very well because he witnessed Trevor hanging the kids on the top


    floor and pushing them down.


    So, after that, when he went for an interview and found out that the boss was Trevor, he immediately


    wanted to take his resume and leave.


    Trevor was not as gentle and approachable as he appeared, especially when it came to Jaylene. He


    was extremely protective of her.


    He toned down himself as he grew up in recent years. If it were before, Aurora¡¯s arms and legs would


    be broken for hurting Jaylene.


    ¡®Rather than saying he helped Mrs. Kane with the incident yesterday, I¡¯d say he actually used Mrs.


    Kane to hurt Aurora.


    ¡®And Mrs. Kane looked so gentle. But she could actually think of such a ruthless move. Come to think


    of it, she does have something inmon with Trevor to a certain extent. It¡¯s their ruthlessness.¡¯


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°Oh, right. I got the information regarding Rainee and Albert that you wanted me to get.¡±


    Xavier then handed the document in his hand to Trevor. ¡°It¡¯s all here.¡±


    Trevor took the document and looked through it. He was stunned for a moment when he saw one of


    the sentences. ¡°Albert and Rainee got divorced?¡±


    Xavier nodded. ¡°He did the paperwork six months ago. Albert hid the divorce very well. Mrs. Kane still


    doesn¡¯t know about it.¡±


    Rainee had been in a vegetative state for many years. It was very easy to get a divorce in this kind of


    situation.


    Albert was smart. Although he divorced Rainee, he applied in court to be Rainee¡¯s guardian. He


    promised that he would be responsible for her follow-up treatments.


    As long as Rainee did not wake up, no one would know that they were divorced even until her death.


    Albert could even get all the assets under Rainee¡¯s name all to himself.


    Trevor pursed his lips as he opened the document about Rainee.


    ¡®It¡¯s a ssic story about a rich girl and a self-made man.¡¯


    As he was looking through it, he noticed that both Rainee and Albert had type A blood, while Ste had


    type AB blood.


    Trevor clenched the document. He said in a deep voice, ¡°Do you think two people with type A blood


    can give birth to a child with type AB blood?¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s the possible?¡±


    Trevor closed his eyes. He pictured Ste¡¯s face in his mind. Her face gradually coincided with another


    person in his memory.


    Some old images continuously appeared in his mind.


    Wet, cold body, a dead baby whose face had turned blue, a unique mole on the shoulder de¡­


    ¡®Is this real, or is this a dream?


    ¡®Did I misremember, or did the other people misremember?


    ¡®How can there be such a coincidence?¡¯


    Suddenly, his phone rang.


    Trevor came back to himself and answered the phone call.


    ¡°Trevor, mom and dad said they¡¯ll be here next week. You need to quickly find someone to remove the


    roses in the garden. Mom¡¯s allergic to roses.¡±


    Trevor frowned. ¡°I¡¯d already prepared a house for dad and Darcie. They¡¯re not staying here.¡±


    Jaylene was stunned for a moment. ¡°We¡¯re not staying together?¡±


    ¡°The new house is ready. There are too many things that need to be fixed in the old house. It¡¯s not


    convenient for mom and dad to stay here. After dad and Darcie arrive, you go and stay with them. I¡¯ll


    tidy up the old house before I move in with you all.¡±


    Jaylene kept quiet for a while. She softly said, ¡°Trevor, you don¡¯t want to remove the roses, do you?¡±

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    Trevor froze for a moment. He quietly said, ¡°Those roses have been there for decades. Some of their


    roots are very deep into the ground. It¡¯s not that easy to remove them. It¡¯s not


    worthwhile to spend so much effort to remove it.¡±


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll tell dad and mom.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°Okay. Let them know.¡±


    After the call ended, Trevor flipped through a few pages of the document again before putting it aside.


    Trevor and his mother nted the roses in the garden together.


    The flowers bloomed and died all these years. But his mother could no longer see it.


    When Keegan got back to the ward, Arthur was sleeping.


    Ste was leaning back in the chair. She was half asleep. She looked a little tired.


    It woke her up when Keegan came in.


    She raised her eyes to look at him. Her eyes were cold.


    ¡°Come out,¡± Keegan said to her.


    Ste got up and took her jacket before leaving with Keegan.


    They did not talk along the way. Keegan spoke after they got into the car. ¡°Where did you actually go


    last night?¡±


    ¡°I was with Mr. Saun. Didn¡¯t you hear that?¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips. ¡°Do you know how well the police¡¯s surveince system covers?¡±


    Ste slowly raised her eyes. She looked calm. ¡°How well?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyes were dark. ¡°As long as the surveince captures your face, they¡¯ll have ways to know


    where you went.¡±


    ¡°So impressive. Then why are there still so many unsolved cases?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s forehead twitched. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m joking?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Ste faintly said, ¡°It¡¯s good that their surveince system is so well developed. The sooner they


    find the criminal, the sooner I¡¯ll be absolved.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re innocent?¡±


    Ste paused for a while. She nced at the phone he was clutching. She suddenly smiled. ¡°Are you


    trying to extract information from me?¡±


    Keegan remained silent.


    Ste looked emotionless as she leaned close to his ears. She slowly said, ¡°Keegan, do you remember


    what I told you on the charity g night?¡±


    Keegan startled.


    Memories gradually appeared in his mind.


    She had said, ¡°Keegan, this will be thest time I humor Aurora. I can forgive what she did in the past


    because she was still young. But, in the future, if she crosses me again, I won¡¯t go easy on her. You


    can protect her. But I¡¯ll fight back and make my stand. I¡¯ve got nothing to lose. I¡¯ll fight for myself.¡±


    Ste kept her word.


    Keegan turned his head to look at her.


    But Ste distanced herself. She wiped away the hair on her shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m saddened by what happened to Aurora, just like all of you.¡± She looked at Keegan. ¡°I¡¯m really quite


    sad.¡±


    ¡®I¡¯m sad I didn¡¯t p her a few more times.¡¯


    She was not afraid that Keegan recorded her voice. ¡®What I said can¡¯t prove anything.¡¯


    She wanted to let Keegan know that since the Kane family could not give justice, she would seek it


    herself.

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    Chapter 347


    She thought Keegan would be furious. They were used to pampering Aurora, and she was made very


    aware of it. How could Keegan possibly relent if she had hit their precious sweetheart to this state?


    However, Keegan did not say anything. He was quiet for a long time, then said, ¡°Go home. Great-


    grandpa says he wants to have chicken soup.¡±


    Ste was stunned for a moment. She felt like her throat was stuck and did not say a thing in the end.


    The incident about Aurora being beaten up did not spread. It was unknown if the Kane family had


    purposedly suppressed it. Although she was tied up and only beaten once, it was not convincing


    enough. She might have also been sexually harassed. Regardless of whether the news would be


    passed on, how the incident developed was uncertain, so the Kane family suppressed the news.


    On the police¡¯s side, they also could not make any headway. Initially, they assumed it was a standard


    violent assault case, but the investigation was constantly hampered. At first, the surveince footage


    was switched. Then they found out that the car used to kidnap her was a scrapped car using another


    license te.


    When they went to look for it, the car had been processed into scrap. No clues could be found. Dahlia


    went to make a fuss at the police station a few times and was almost detained by the police¡¯s


    administration. In the end, it was Cordelia who diffused the situation, and Dahlia was also reprimanded


    by her. Ste herself did not think that the incident would just fizzle out like that in the end.


    Arthur was discharged after a week. His body had recovered up to a point, and he would wake up early


    every day to exercise. On the night three days after that, Ste came home and did not see Arthur


    beckon her to wash her hands and eat like he usually did. Instead, she found he had left a note for her


    on the chair he usually sat on.


    ¡°The sow at home is about to give birth. I need to go back to help it. I¡¯ll make some suckling piglet for


    you at Thanksgiving.¡±


    He then left Rivera quietly without notifying anyone. After Ste made sure he returned to his home


    safely, she got busy filming and preparing for Cordelia¡¯s birthday party.


    Very quickly, she met with her first obstacle. The venue for throwing the birthday banquet was booked


    in advance by someone else. Rivera was notcking in venues, but Dragon Lagoon was indeed the


    best in terms of scenery and size. Cordelia held these birthday banquets once every ten years, so


    naturally, it could not be shoddy.


    Ste contacted the person in charge and asked for the phone number of the other client to see


    whether they could negotiate. However, the person in charge refused her, so Ste had to look for the


    boss of the premise.


    After searching, in the end, she came to Mrs. Chapman. It turned out that this property was a part of


    Mrs. Chapman¡¯s family¡¯s property. When she heard that Ste wanted to negotiate the timing for


    renting the venue, she said with aplicated expression, ¡°Mrs. Kane, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help


    you. The other person wanted to hold a wedding and booked the date early. In other words, how could I


    tell the other person?¡±


    Ste replied, ¡°Mrs. Chapman, you can help me inform them. If they can exchange, I¡¯m willing


    to return the amount they paid in deposit threefold.¡±


    Mrs. Chapman chuckled with a slightly disdainful expression. ¡°Mrs. Kane, as a member of the Jewell


    family, you probably have not nned a banquet this huge before, so maybe you don¡¯t understand.


    People who can hold a wedding banquet at the Dragon Lagoon do not need that small amount of


    deposit.¡±


    Ste¡¯s expression tensed slightly. ¡°What you said, Mrs. Chapman, I naturally understand. However,


    the birthday banquet that Madam Kane Sr. holds is only held once every ten years. I still need to put in


    all my effort for it. As you are doing business, it¡¯s natural that you don¡¯t want to upset your clients. How


    about you give me the contact of the client that booked it? I¡¯ll tell them myself and take full


    responsibility if I can make them change their mind, regardless of the penalty charges or anything else


    that happens. Would this be okay?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Kane, you already said I do business. The most basic rule of doing business is to protect the


    client¡¯s confidentiality. If I leak the client¡¯s information to you today, the client could spread this incident


    tomorrow. The reputation I have rued over the years would crumble. Then, who would want to do


    business with my family?¡±


    Ste pursed her lips.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Mrs. Chapman stood up. ¡°I still have other clientsing at the moment, so I won¡¯t be


    able to keep youpany, Mrs. Kane. You can look for another venue. There are many other venues


    at Rivera. Go through a few more. There should be a suitable one in the end.


    11


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    After dismissing Ste, Mrs. Chapman took her phone to call Dahlia¡¯s cell number. ¡°Dahlia, you can


    rest easy. How could I not perform what you told me to do well?¡±


    Dahlia said nonchntly, ¡°Sorry to trouble you. I¡¯ll make up for the loss of venueter.¡±


    ¡°No need. About what I told you aboutst time, you can help me keep an eye out. I¡¯ve already spoken


    with the otherrger venues. If Ste wants to rent it, it wouldn¡¯t be easy.¡±


    Hanging up the phone, the sound of ss breaking came from behind.

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    Chapter 348


    Aurora could not eat anything due to the pain in her mouth. She threw her cutlery onto the floor in


    anger. The housemaid knelt down on the floor to clean anxiously. Aurora then threw a ss cup by the


    housemaid¡¯s feet.


    The flying shard of ss slit her hand, and she started to bleed.


    ¡°Scram! Get away from me!¡± After she finished screaming, Aurora held onto her cheeks in pain.


    ¡°Why are you taking your anger out on the housemaid?¡± Dahlia scolded her and turned to the


    housemaid. ¡°Stop cleaning and take care of your injury first.¡±


    The housemaid nodded and left. Dahlia took another bowl of porridge and passed it to Aurora. ¡°This


    bowl is slightly cooler. Eat it slowly.¡±


    Aurora had difficulty eating due to the injuries in her mouth these few days. Her whole frame had grown


    skinnier due to her nutrition¡¯s inability to keep up. Not only did her physique be much thinner, but


    herplexion had be much worse too. In addition to the constant torment from the pain, her


    initially terrible temperament became extra cranky.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat it, mother. I¡¯m in pain,¡± she said while sobbing softly.


    Dahlia looked at her much skinnier daughter and bit her lower lip. After a long while, she said, ¡°Eat your


    meals properly and heal your injuries first. You can rest assured that mommy won¡¯t let this incident


    slide.¡±


    On the other hand, Felicity was waiting outside. When Ste walked out of Mrs. Chapman¡¯s ce, she


    asked anxiously, ¡°How did it go? Is it negotiable?¡±


    Ste shook her head. ¡°The owner of Dragon Lagoon is Mrs. Chapman.¡±


    Felicity froze. ¡°Is Mrs. Chapman the one you won tens of thousands of dors from, so she keeps


    causing problems for you?¡±


    Ste nodded her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s such a small world. How could it be her? Is she spiteful, so she did not rent it to you?¡± Felicity


    asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s that possibility,¡± Ste replied.


    ¡®And this should be the one with the highest probability to be the truth,¡¯ Ste thought.


    Mrs. Chapman could not possibly have known that the Kane family wanted to hold a birthday banquet.


    Dahlia had been worried about this issue very early on. She definitely would have to save the venue for


    Dahlia. Consequently, when Dahlia does not acquire the rights to host the banquet, Mrs. Chapman


    immediately rents the ce out. That would be too much of a coincidence.


    ¡°Why not,¡± Felicity prodded, ¡°find Keegan for help? Mrs. Chapman would still do it for his sake, right?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Ste did not speak. Truthfully, after Arthur and Aurora¡¯s incident, she had not talked to Keegan that


    much. Ste could noty down her dignity to beg him shamelessly for this meager issue.


    Felicity sighed as if she had given her all. Sadly, Keegan was not strong enough and even made Ste


    mad.


    ¡°Oh yeah, Mr. Saun could help. Didn¡¯t he say he owed you a favor? Coincidentally, you can look for him


    for help and let him return the favor.¡±


    ¡°It would be better if I thought of other solutions,¡± Ste interjected. Trevor had helped her get rid of


    suspicion for no reason. She really had no clue about the person deep down. Everything was fine, so


    what made him think of helping her?


    Forget about saving his life. The favor was returned with that one Bentley.


    She was afraid that if she went to look for him for help, he would have other ulterior motives. Until then,


    she would be on thin ice, making the situation more difficult to solve.


    She still needed to solve the issue of the venue by herself. Felicity started the car. ¡°Let¡¯s go. You should


    apany me to the hospital first, and you can think about it carefully on the way there.¡±


    Ste was surprised. ¡°Are you sick?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had some pain in my chest recently. It feels like there¡¯s a lump inside. I wanted to have it checked


    in the hospital, but I was scared to be alone.¡±


    Ste furrowed her brows. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say sooner? How long has the pain been?¡±


    ¡°Quite a few months. Sometimes it hurts, and sometimes it doesn¡¯t. It was excruciatingly painful these


    few days,¡± Felicity replied.


    Ste was so mad at her. ¡°It¡¯s been hurting for a few months, and you never thought about getting it


    checked out? If it¡¯s truly a big problem, the dy might have killed you!¡±


    Felicity was immediately scared. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be a big problem, I think. You shouldn¡¯t scare me. My


    second aunt had breast cancer. Are these diseases hereditary? Could I have breast cancer? I¡¯m not


    even married. If I need surgery to remove my breast, how would I get married in the future?¡±


    Ste was speechless. She then replied, ¡°If ites to that, you can have a sex change.¡±

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    Felicity immediately felt disgruntled. ¡°I haven¡¯t experienced the joys of being a woman, and you want


    me to have a sex change? Even if I want a sex change, I¡¯ll do it after sleeping with a


    man.¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words. Why did she continue with Felicity¡¯s mindless ramblings? She originally


    wanted to get a number on the way there so they would be called sooner when they reached the


    hospital.


    Turns out, the people who were queueing for the breast surgeon were exceptionally numerous.


    Besides that, many females there were of the same age. It was unknown whether it was due to women


    of this day and age being under more immense pressure. Still, she had always felt that the age for the


    onset of breast cancer had started to be younger and younger.


    She originally wanted to turn around tofort Felicity, but the girl had already started to y a round


    of games on her phone. The corner of Ste¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°Are you not afraid that you have breast


    cancer?¡±


    Felicity did not even raise her head. ¡°Worst case scenario, I get a sex change.¡±


    ¡®Fine, it was a waste to worry for her. Look how she¡¯s moved on!¡¯ Ste thought.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°Then you should stay here in the queue. I have to go to the washroom,¡± Ste said.


    ¡°Come back quick. I¡¯ll get scared if I go in there aler. You have to keep mepany,¡± Felicity


    pleaded.


    ¡°I know,¡± Ste replied.


    When Aldor walked out to refill on water, he suddenly saw a familiar silhouette sh by in the direction


    facing the washroom.


    He was surprised. ¡®Why is the madam at the hospital?¡¯


    He thought about it for a while, and went to follow her. Then, he saw Ste walk out of the washroom


    and use the stairs upstairs. He followed all the way until he reached the breast department. Then he


    saw Ste go into the outpatient department for the breast department.


    He was shocked and quickly called Keegan. ¡°Mr. Kane, the madam just admitted to the breast


    department.¡±


    Keegan was sitting in the chair in the sick hospital ward, flipping through his photo album. A nurse


    straightened her clothes and walked in softly.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, you came here to see Coco again?¡± the nurse asked.


    Due to his train of thought being broken, Keegan pursed his lips, turned off his screen, and asked,


    ¡°How is she recently?¡±


    ¡°Coco¡¯s current condition is quite well. It¡¯s just that sometimes, she can get bored when she¡¯s alone in


    the sick ward. You cane more often to see her,¡± the nurse answered.


    Keegan did not continue the conversation. The nurse eyed Keegan and thought, ¡®He looks so


    gorgeous. When he lifts his gaze, his entire aura looks so sharp. When he lowered his gaze, he looked


    so gentle.¡¯


    There were so many peopleing and going to the hospital. Even the celebrities that came here for a


    checkup were less outstanding than Keegan. The nurse gripped her hands and nervously held her


    lunch box out in front of Keegan. Her face was flushed as she said shyly, It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s almost noon. I saw


    that you haven¡¯t had your meals. I made a lunch box myself. If you don¡¯t mind, you can try it.¡¯


    ||


    Keegan looked at the lunch box, stunned. He had the same lunch box at home. It was blue with a


    bunny on top, and Ste bought it. The first time she made a lunch box for him, she used this specific


    lunch box.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you now, this is the first time I¡¯ve cooked, so even if it tastes terrible, you have to eat it. Or


    else, it would be a waste for me to get these blisters.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already good that someone is making meals for you. Why are you being picky?¡±


    ¡°Keegan, am I the first woman to have made you a meal?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to eat the things other women make. You¡¯re only allowed to eat the ones I made.¡±


    ¡°My cooking is terrible, but I look gorgeous. When you eat, I can sit next to you. How appetizing is


    that?¡±


    Turns out she was very shameless then. Thinking about these distant memories, Keegan suddenly


    raised the corner of his lips. The nurse was flustered by his smile, and her face turned redder.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, I¡­¡± Before she could say something, a voice came from the door.


    ¡°Daddy.¡±

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    Chapter 350


    Keegan turned around, and at the entrance was a little girl around five or six wearing a red cap She


    called out to him with a smile in her eyes. She was frail and skinny with short hair. Her eyes were big


    and expressive,


    Keegan pressed his lips together. ¡°What did you call me?¡±


    The kid pouted and replied, ¡°Uncle Keegan,¡±


    Only then did Keegan beckon her. ¡°Come here.¡±


    The little girl walked over and sat on hisp. ¡°Could you change the color next time? The hat is very


    ugly. They said when I wear it, I look like the matchsticks in the little matchstick girl¡¯s hand.¡±


    Keegan took a closer look andmented, ¡°It¡¯s quite simr, but there were only two colors. The other


    one was ck.¡±


    ¡°Then I want the ck one,¡± the little girl replied.


    ¡°Then wouldn¡¯t you look like a burnt matchstick?¡± Keegan teased.


    Coco was at a loss for words.


    ¡°Have you made up with Aunt Ste?¡± Coco asked with her hands wrapped around his neck. Keegan


    paused and replied, ¡°Who told you we were fighting?¡±


    ¡°Uncle Aldor said so.¡± The little girl huffed. ¡°If he didn¡¯t say so, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed. The clothes you


    wore these few times had a different smell from before. They don¡¯t have the nice smell Aunt Ste


    had.¡±


    Saying this, she took a whiff. ¡°There is none today too.¡¯


    Keegan pinched her nose. ¡°You can even smell this out?¡±


    The little girl smiled with her eyes. ¡°Aunt Ste definitely had a fight with you, so you¡¯re not allowed into


    the bedroom.¡±


    After saying this, she sighed. ¡°Why have you learned nothing? When can I get a younger sister or


    brother?¡±


    The corner of Keegan¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡®Learned nothing? Me? What kind of person had the little girl


    been hanging around with recently? She sounds like a tiny old grandma all the time.¡¯


    As the both of them were talking, Keegan¡¯s phone suddenly rang.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, the madam just admitted to the breast department,¡± Aldor said.


    Keegan¡¯s expression shifted slightly. ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°She just went in. I still don¡¯t know what the situation is.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Keegan hung up the call and lifted the little girl off hisp. ¡°I need to go out for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Kane¡­¡± Before the nurse could finish speaking, Keegan had already left the sick ward.


    Coco smiled through her eyes. ¡°Auntie, my Uncle Keegan looks pretty, right?¡±


    The young nurse had feelings for Keegan, so she was naturally willing to maintain a good rtionship


    with Coco. Hence, she said, ¡°Mr. Keegan is the best-looking person I¡¯ve ever seen.


    ¡°Then the number of people you have seen might be quite low.¡± While saying this, Coco flipped through


    the phone and showed the picture Ste had posted on social media for the nurse to see. ¡°My Uncle


    Keegan¡¯s wife is better-looking.¡± The nurse was left speechless.


    Aldor was anxiously pacing outside the outpatient department. The woman queueing next to him could


    not help but say, ¡°Young man, you should stop pacing. All your pacing is making me dizzy.¡±


    Aldor then said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss. I¡¯m just worried.¡±


    The woman smiled. ¡°You¡¯re worried your wife is sick? No need to worry. Young people usually don¡¯t


    have any major diseases. For breast nodules, the chance of mastitis is higher. As long as you eat your


    medication on time and readjust your mood, you¡¯ll heal very soon.¡±


    Aldor choked and coughed. ¡°It¡¯s my boss¡¯ wife.¡±


    The woman probably had never seen this type of situation. She was shocked for a long while and then


    proceeded to say, ¡°It¡¯s your boss¡¯ wife, and he made youe here and wait? What¡¯s your rtionship


    with her?¡±


    Aldor was at a loss for words. Then he thought, ¡®What is this woman imagining?¡¯


    At the same time, Keegan arrived. Aldor did not want to speak any further and quickly went to meet


    him.

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    ¡°Is she still not out?¡±


    Aldor nodded his head. ¡°She¡¯s been inside for quite some time.¡±


    As they were speaking, a woman¡¯s shriek of agony could be heard from inside. Keegan felt his chest


    tighten and subconsciously wanted to push open the door to enter.


    The older woman on the side quickly blocked him. ¡°The doctor¡¯s doing the checkup. If there¡¯s a lump


    inside, it¡¯ll hurt when it¡¯s pinched. Hence the screaming out is a normal urrence. If both of you go in


    now, it¡¯ll affect the doctor¡¯s diagnosis.¡±


    Keegan retracted the hand that was about to push open the door stiffly. His lips tightened into a thin


    line.


    The older woman saw his state which seemed pretty worried, so sheforted him. ¡°Dr. Steven¡¯s skills


    are excellent. He looks handsome and has a gentle personality. With him there, there would definitely


    be no problem.¡±


    The corner of Keegan¡¯s eye twitched once while Aldor asked the question he wanted to ask. Dr. Steven


    is a male doctor?¡±


    ¡°Ah, isn¡¯t a male doctor prevalent nowadays? There are many male doctors in gynecology. As long as


    he can cure diseases, who cares if he¡¯s a male or female doctor? They¡¯re all good doctors. You both


    are young people. Why do you seem to make more of a fuss than an olddy like me?¡±


    Keegan was at a loss for words. Aldor secretly sneaked a peek at his boss. His expression could not


    be considered well. Aldor was also worried on behalf of his boss, so he asked again. ¡°How would they


    check precisely?¡±


    ¡°How else can you check a breast nodule? The first would be palpitations. That would be touching.


    After touching, they would bill for procedures for a more thorough examination.¡±


    Aldor¡¯s lips trembled. ¡°Y-You said touch?¡±


    The older woman had an odd expression and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t touch, how would For andrology check-


    ups, don¡¯t they also touch?¡±


    you check?


    Aldor was speechless. Even with his excellent improvising skills, he did not know how to speak in this


    situation. Eventually, he coughed and said in a low tone, ¡°Mr. Kane, it¡¯s just a normal checkup.¡±


    Keegan gave a deep nce with his taut expression and did not say a word.


    Inside the outpatient department, Felicity was blushing as she stared at the refined-looking doctor. Her


    eyeballs were about to burst out of her face.


    Ste was on the side and dared not look at her.


    ¡°Does it hurt when I press like this?¡± Dr. Steven asked in a low voice.


    His clear tone made Felicity¡¯s heart beat faster when she heard it. Her voice also started to flutter. ¡°A


    little.¡±


    Dr. Steven then touched on another part, ¡°Is it the same position on this spot too?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but the left side is slightly more painful,¡± Felicity answered.


    ¡°Have your menstruationse?¡± Dr. Steven asked.


    ¡°Not yet, but it will be soon. Almost around these few days,¡± Felicity replied.


    ¡°When your menstruationes, does the pain be more apparent?¡± Dr. Steven continued.


    Felicity nodded her head. ¡°Yes, especially on the two days before my menstruation. It has a bulging


    ache and would alleviate when my menstruation goes away.¡±


    Dr. Steven nodded his head and pulled back his hand. He got up and said. ¡°You can get dressed now.¡±


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    When saying this, he took off his gloves and walked to his office desk to start billing for procedures.


    Felicity got dressed while Ste asked the doctor, ¡°Doctor, is her condition severe?


    Dr. Steven raised his head, his gaze scanning her whole body with a nce. ¡°You are apanying


    her to do the checkup?¡±


    Ste nodded her head.


    ¡°No need to worry too much. Felicity should be having breast hypersia, which causes the growth of


    the breast nodules. It¡¯s most likely a benign one. You cane to see me again after taking a Color


    Doppler Ultrasound in a while.¡±


    Felicity, at that moment, had worn her clothes. ¡°Doctor, I don¡¯t have breast cancer, right?¡± Dr. Steven


    chuckled. ¡°Breast cancer wouldn¡¯t have that type of pain.¡±


    Felicity sighed in relief and whispered, ¡°Dr. Steven, the something hypersia, is it severe?¡± ¡°No need


    to be afraid, breast hypersia is actually considered to bemon inparison. It¡¯s usually rted


    to the level of hormones in the body. Conditions such as a woman¡¯s mood fluctuations and high-


    pressure during work could easily cause these problems to ur. It¡¯s not considered a huge problem


    and doesn¡¯t require any medication under normal circumstances. Just stay happy, return for regr


    check-ups, and you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s heart could finally rest easy in her chest, and she stared at Dr. Steven with starstruck eyes.


    ¡°Dr. Steven, you¡¯re amazing. Just by touching, you can know what the problem is.¡±


    Once Ste heard this, she knew Felicity was enamored.

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    Chapter 352


    Ste knew that Felicity was just trying to flirt with Dr. Steven after hearing what she said.


    Felicity used to say that a wise person would never fall in love, yet her actions showed theplete


    opposite when she met a handsome man.


    Dr. Steven handed her the prescription with a smile. ¡°Palpation is the mostmon technique used in


    breast examination, and every doctor knows how to do this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re the best among all your colleagues then. Otherwise, why would so many patientse


    to specifically look for you?¡±


    The doctor gazed downward and smiled without speaking.


    ¡°Dr. Steven, can I get your number? It¡¯s my first time getting diagnosed with this, and I¡¯m very scared.


    Would it be okay for me to text you directly if there¡¯s an emergency?¡±


    Corbin paused for a moment before he said, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Then, they exchanged numbers. After that, Ste dragged her friend out of the clinic and left. ¡°Dr.


    Steven¡¯s so handsome. His legs look so long even with the big white coat on. His frameless spectacles


    make him so just like a gentle¡­ scum?¡±


    Felicity saw Keegan standing in front of her before finishing her sentence, and she uttered the word


    ¡®scum¡¯.


    She almost bit her tongue off after saying that. ¡®I¡¯m so stupid. How could I forget how vindictive this


    man is?¡¯ So, she immediately put on a smile. ¡°Mr. Kane, what a coincidence this is. Are you here to see


    Dr. Steven too?¡±


    Aldor, Ste, and Keegan were all speechless.


    Ste immediately sent Felicity away after noticing the change of expression on Keegan¡¯s face. ¡°Go get


    checked now. I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡±


    Felicity was more than happy to do that, so she slipped away while holding the prescription in her


    hands.


    Keegan only spoke after Felicity left. ¡°Did youe here to apany her?¡±


    Ste nodded.


    ¡°Did you get checked?¡±


    ¡°Why would I do that?¡± Ste red at him strangely.


    Keegan¡¯s frown slowly went away after hearing that. He shifted his gaze to Aldor.


    Aldor shrugged. ¡®Well, I didn¡¯t know Mrs. Kane¡¯s best friend was here too.¡¯


    Ste looked at Keegan from head to toe. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Keegan replied with a straight face, ¡°To see a doctor.¡±


    ¡°Oh, go ahead then.¡±


    ¡°I just did.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Then, Ste said, ¡°You should go home now then. I still have to stay here with Felicity.


    11


    Keegan kept quiet.


    ¡®Why is she chasing me away? Does she really hate me so much?¡¯


    Keegan red at her and said, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you. I didn¡¯t drive today.¡±


    Aldor was speechless.


    ¡®Mr. Kane is getting better at lying.¡¯


    Ste¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Are you sure? Aldor is right here.¡±


    Keegan said tly, ¡°Earth Day falls on this month, right? That¡¯s why I¡¯mmuting without emitting


    carbon monoxide.¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    Indeed, there were a lot of advertisements encouraging people to reduce their carbon


    footprint, so Ste could not figure out if Keegan was speaking the truth or not. She paused for a while


    before she said, ¡°Wait here then. I¡¯ll check on Felicity.¡±


    Keegan turned around and looked at Aldor angrily as soon as Ste left. ¡°Face looking extremely


    pale?¡±


    Aldor chuckled. ¡°Mrs. Kane¡¯s skin is just too fair. Perhaps I saw wrongly because I was too far away


    from her.¡± Then, he immediately tried to make up for his mistake.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, I¡¯ll get some bottles of water. I¡¯m sure Mrs. Kane is very hungry after doing so many things


    in the morning.¡±


    Keegan looked away and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Aldor felt relieved and immediately ran off to get some water.

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    Keegan stood outside the clinic to wait for them, and he did not realize that he had caught a lot of


    people¡¯s attention.


    Obviously, it was because of how attractive he looked, and the fact that he apanied his wife here


    to see the doctor, so thedies there got very interested in him.


    However, there was one particrdy that gave him a very strange look.


    Keegan noticed it, and he thought that he was standing in her way. So, he moved to the side.


    However, that chattydy opened her mouth. ¡°Young man, you look like a decent man. Why would you


    hire such an assistant?¡±


    Keegan was puzzled.


    Then, thedy continued mysteriously after seeing the confused look on his face. ¡°Your assistant kept


    walking back and forth outside like a cat on a hot tin roof before you arrived. Who would be so nervous


    while seeing the doctor with somebody else¡¯s wife? Also, why would you even hire such a young


    assistant to take care of your beautiful wife? This is never going to end up well!¡±


    The edge of Keegan¡¯s mouth twitched. Then, he pursed his lips and said, ¡°He¡¯s been working for me for


    many years.¡±


    Thedy pped her thigh. ¡°That¡¯s even scarier! I¡¯m sure that the bastard has developed feelings for


    her after so many years!¡±


    Thedy told Keegan about every suspicious thing that she noticed while spraying spit all over Keegan.


    She only stopped talking when it was finally her turn to meet the doctor.


    She even added before she left, ¡°Young man, you¡¯d better keep an eye out on him if you don¡¯t want


    things to get worse.¡¯


    When Aldor returned with the water, Keegan looked at him fiercely.


    Aldor¡¯s heart sank. Then, he immediately put a smile on. ¡°Mr. Kane, are they not back yet?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s voice sounded a little cold.


    So, Aldor said cautiously, ¡°Mr. Kane, do you want some water? I have both warm and cold ones. I


    bought some drinks too. What do you feel like drinking?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s only four of us. Why did you buy so many drinks?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better fordies like Mrs. Kane and her friend to have warm drinks.¡±


    Keegan stared at him for a second before he said out of the blue, ¡°You¡¯re pretty thoughtful.¡±


    Aldor was speechless.


    Keegan¡¯s strange tone did not sound like he wasplimenting Aldor at all. The look on his face was


    very odd too, and it made Aidor feel like Keegan was a little bitter and angry.


    Aldor was a very self-conscious person, but he could not figure out what he did wrong which


    could¡¯ve to this unusual reaction from his boss.


    That was why Ste and Felicity saw how ufortable Aldor looked while standing in front of Keegan


    with those drinks in his hands.


    ¡°Why are the both of you standing right at the entrance?¡±


    Ste pulled Keegan to the side. ¡°You¡¯re in somebody else¡¯s way.¡±


    Aldor saw Ste, and he felt like he was liberated. Then, he quickly grabbed two bottles of water and


    said, ¡°Mrs. Kane, Ms. Thompson, are you thirsty?¡±


    Ste took one bottle from him and said to Felicity with a smile, ¡°Go inside. I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡±


    Felicity took two steps forward before she turned back and grabbed the other bottle from Aldor¡¯s hand.


    Then, she said to him with a smile, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Ste twisted the cap open and, out of courtesy, asked Keegan, ¡°Do you want it?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Keegan said.


    Ste paused. She had no choice but to hand him that bottle of water, and she got herself a new bottle.


    Keegan tilted his head and looked at her.


    Ste had been spending most of her time outside the house, and Keegan barely saw her at all. She


    would still be sleeping when Keegan woke up, and she would be working at the set when he went to


    sleep. However, when he was less busy and waited for her toe home at night, she would go right


    to sleep after taking a shower.


    She just would not talk to him at all.


    Keegan hated the way things became.


    So, he braced himself and said, ¡°Are you¡­¡±


    Felicity came out of the clinic before he could finish his sentence.


    Ste immediately went to her, so Keegan swallowed back the words he was about to say.


    ¡°Hey, what did Dr. Steven say?¡± The happy look on Felicity¡¯s face disappeared, so Ste was a little


    confused. The doctor said she would be just fine after the ultrasonic inspection. Yet, she looked very


    down aftering out from the outpatient department.

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    Felicity said in a sluggish manner, ¡°It¡¯s a benign one.¡±


    Ste was speechless. ¡°Why the face then?¡±


    ¡°Dr. Steven told me toe back for a checkup every six months, which means I¡¯ll only get to see him


    twice a year.¡± Felicity sighed. ¡°Why does it have to be a benign one?¡±


    The edge of Ste¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Did you hit your head? You¡¯re crazy!¡±


    Felicity red at her. ¡°What do you know? How am I going to make something happen between us if I


    don¡¯t see him more often? Do you really want me to stay single till the day I die?¡±


    Ste rolled her eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t you add his number on WhatsApp?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah!¡± Felicity patted her own head. ¡°How did I forget about that?¡±


    She took her phone out as she spoke. Dr. Steven had saved her number too, and his profile picture


    was his own face but with casual clothes on.


    That picture was taken in a gym. The doctor wore a tank top, and he was lifting his shirt up to get a


    shot of his abs.


    Felicity¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°He¡¯s packing!¡±


    Ste immediately went to her after hearing what she said. ¡°Not bad. I couldn¡¯t tell at all with his


    uniform on.¡±


    ¡°Fuck, look at his waist. It looks sexier than the Toy Boy you showed mest time.¡±


    Ste shook her head. ¡°Toy Boy is still better.¡±


    ¡°Dr. Steven is clearly hotter!¡±


    The edge of Keegan¡¯s eyes twitched.


    On behalf of his boss, Aldor asked, ¡°What Toy Boy?¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes twitched, and Felicity blurted out before she could even stop her, ¡°He¡¯s a fitness celebrity


    with an amazing body. He would perform the Happy Cougar Dance on his live stream!


    ¡°Happy Cougar Dance?¡± Apparently, all the years that Aldor spent studying were not enough for him to


    know what that was.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Felicity showed him a video. ¡°There you go.¡±


    Aldor got closer to her, and the edge of his mouth twitched. ¡°This is the Happy Cougar Dance?


    ¡±


    The man in that video had a sensational build, but it was not a video about fitness. However, that man


    was half-naked, and he was performing a dance that looked somewhat like a pole dance. The way that


    he swung his hips looked very erotic.


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened after looking at it. Then, he looked at Ste with a long face.


    Ste was looking very sheepish.


    Felicity got very excited. ¡°All of the top fans in his live stream are rich women, and he could earn more


    than hundreds of thousands just from their tips. Wouldn¡¯t you say that they¡¯re very happy with him?¡±


    Aldor was speechless.


    Then he asked tentatively, ¡°Have you ever tipped him too?¡±


    Ste kept shooting looks at Felicity, but she did not notice because of how excited she was as she told


    them everything.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have that much money. I¡¯m only a freeloader. However, Ste tipped him before, and she was


    also the one who introduced me to him.¡±


    Ste did not know what to say.


    Keegan red at her. ¡°Top fan, huh?¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    Then, she said emotionlessly, ¡°Not yet.¡±


    Keegan scoffed. ¡°You sound disappointed.¡±


    Ste went silent again.


    ¡®Felicity¡¯s such an idiot. She just doesn¡¯t know when to keep her mouth shut!¡¯


    Right after they got into the car, Ste asked, ¡°Should I send you guys back to the office?¡±


    Aldor replied, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Sapphire Clubhouse. Ourpany has a team-building session today.¡±


    Felicity got interested after hearing that. ¡°Sapphire Clubhouse? Has yourpany always been


    organizing your team-building activities at such a high-end ce?¡±

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    So, Aldor said, ¡°We did pretty well in the first quarter, so Mr. Kane wanted to reward us. Ms. Thompson,


    you should join us if you¡¯re interested.


    Obviously, Felicity wanted to go. Sapphire Clubhouse was a very famous and expensive club in Rivera.


    It was said that the decorations inside were extremely luxurious, and the clubhouse would only hire


    good-looking people as its attendants. She wanted to open her eyes and brag to her friends by saying


    that she had been there. However, she was not in the right position to say yes. After all, she was not


    very close with Keegan, so she tried to convince Ste. ¡°Ste, you don¡¯t have anything to do this


    afternoon, right? Why don¡¯t we go there and have a look?¡±


    Ste heard her and figured that she should not turn it down because she had been going everywhere


    with her in these few days, and she just could not find any reason not to grant her little wish.


    Everything was fine for Ste after saying yes to Felicity, but she started regretting it after they arrived


    at the ce.


    Because Sophia was there too.


    And she was also the special guest at the team-building session.


    The talent recruiting campaign that Vinci Rivera worked on with other universities was promoted by


    Sophia as a spokesperson.


    Their first stop was at the university that Sophia graduated from, and it was a huge sess. She


    attracted a lot of media attention, and she even made it to the local headline. Also, she was in one of


    the hottest searches on the inte.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    The ¡°Motivation Goddess¡± persona that Sophia built for herself was also very popr among university


    students.


    Ste watched the video of her speech too, but she switched it off halfway.


    Because she could not bear it anymore.


    Sophia had been doing this for so long, and she knew very well how to make herself famous.


    That was why she promoted herself as a wless person.


    She would tell people that she came from a humble family, but refused to give up after how unfairly life


    treated her. So, she tried her best to turn her life around. She even lied about being bullied at the


    orphanage and encourage the public to pay more attention to less fortunate children just to make her


    persona look more perfect.


    Ste was not bothered by how Sophia tried to make herself look better to others, but the fact that she


    lied disgusted Ste very much.


    Sophia had never once returned to the welfare center ever since the Jewell family adopted her.


    Ste¡¯s mother had been funding the welfare center, and it would organize a few events every


    year.


    Rainee would ask Sophia if she wanted to go with her before attending those events, and Sophia would


    say yes. However, there was not one time that she actually made it to the events.


    So, Rainee could tell that Sophia did not want to go back to the welfare center, so she stopped asking


    her to join.


    Sophia was abandoned and left in front of the welfare center when she was five. She had


    nothing with her when Shelley found her. The welfare center tried to search for her parents but to no


    avail. So, they took her in.


    Sophia was then adopted by the Jewell family because of a fire ident after just three months of


    staying in that welfare center.


    It was simply impossible for her to be bullied when she only stayed for such a short time there.


    Ste got very angry after thinking of all the lies that she made up!


    ¡°Miss, would you like anything to drink?¡±


    She heard a youthful voice behind her. She thought that the person¡¯s voice sounded very familiar, so


    she turned around to have a look.


    Then, she saw a teenager in a waiter¡¯s uniform. He was skinny, tall, and had a rather delicate


    complexion. Ste thought that he looked very familiar.


    The teenager¡¯s expression changed after he took a closer look at Ste¡¯s face. Then, he turned around


    and left with a tray of drinks in his hand.


    Ste shouted, ¡°Stop right there!¡±


    The teenager threw the tray and ran outside.


    ¡®You stupid kid!¡¯


    Ste gritted her teeth and chased after him.


    Keegan saw Ste running behind a waiter right after somebody proposed a toast to him.


    Then, he frowned and went after them.


    The teenager was still very young and fit, so he could run very fast.


    The inside of Sapphire Clubhouse was huge. The corridor was very long and there were a lot of private


    rooms too. All the attendants were busy taking care of those private rooms, and the corridor was empty


    too. However, nobody would stop him if there were anybody around because he was wearing his


    uniform.


    Ste was wearing high heels, and she was drained after just chasing after him for a while.¡± Ow!¡± She


    fell on the floor after seeing the gap between them gradually getting bigger.

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    The teenager slowed down. He turned back and saw Ste sitting on the floor while holding her knee.


    Her face looked very pale.


    He hesitated for a few seconds. Then he turned back and ran to Ste. However, he was very smart.


    He stood a few steps away from her and asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Ste looked like she was in a lot of pain as she held her knees while her shoulders shook.


    In the end, the teenager was still too na?ve. He went forward because Ste did not look like she was


    pretending. Then, he also asked for his colleagues¡¯ help as he checked on her.


    He squatted down, and she suddenly pushed him to the ground. Then, she grabbed his cor before


    he could realize what was happening. ¡°Stupid kid, why did you run away from me?¡±


    The teenager realized that Ste had fooled him. His face turned red as he said, ¡°You liar. I should¡¯ve


    never believed your dirty tricks!¡±


    He was just too forgetful. How could he forget that this woman in front of him acted like she would die


    just to make him wear women¡¯s clothes when they were younger?


    She was just too good at acting, and her head was filled with evil ns too! She squinted. ¡± Why would


    you run if you didn¡¯t do anything wrong?¡±


    The teenager straightened up his neck. ¡°I only ran because you started chasing after me.¡±


    ¡°Why would I chase after you if you didn¡¯t run?¡± Ste stretched her arm out and pped the


    teenager¡¯s chest. ¡°Look at how skinny you are. Do you think you look good in this suit? Is this where


    you¡¯re supposed to be?¡±


    Keegan saw Ste acting like a hoodlum when he came out; she was pinning a waiter on the ground


    while caressing his chest. Then, suddenly, he was filled with rage. ¡®I didn¡¯t cause a scene when I


    learned she tipped the gigolo. But now she¡¯s no longer bothered to hide her true colors!¡¯


    ¡°To earn money? For what? Just tell me if you need money. Why would you wear anything like this? Do


    you know what kind of people hangs out here?¡±


    Sapphire Clubhouse was high-end. But it was just another ce for rich people to burn their


    money.


    The hourly rate for the attendants in Sapphire Clubhouse was very high, but its requirements were very


    high too. It did not only demand its applicants to be good-looking, but they also needed a high


    educational qualification.


    Why would a mere attendant need to be so outstanding? Their jobs were just to attend to the


    customers, right? So what kind of other services did they need to provide?


    However, it was difficult for youngsters like them to withstand the temptation of money.


    They would forget their boundaries and do many things when money came easy. And it would


    for them to pull themselves away when they got addicted to this lifestyle.


    be


    easy


    The teenager gritted his teeth and said in an upset tone, ¡°Not a hooligan like you, that¡¯s for sure!¡±


    Ste was so mad that sheughed. ¡°I¡¯m going to act like a real hooligan since that¡¯s what I am to you.


    Take off your shirt now!¡±


    She had just removed the teenager¡¯s zer when she suddenly heard Keegan¡¯s voiceing from


    behind. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Ste¡¯s hand shivered. She turned around and saw Keegan standing beside her, glowering at her


    tensely. To be precise, he was glowering at the hand she used to take off that teenager¡¯s clothes.


    Plenty of other staff came over to the corridor. All of them were stunned by what they saw. They saw a


    lot of customers teasing the attendants but never once tantly pinning them down on the corridor.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    After being on the ground for a while, Ste finally spoke and tried to exin the situation, He¡¯s my


    brother.¡±


    After seeing Keegan, the teenager immediately denied it, ¡°I don¡¯t know who she is. She just pounced


    on me out of nowhere.¡¯


    The edge of Ste¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Do you have a death wish?¡±


    ¡°How dare you threaten me!¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    Keegan said with a tight and angry face, ¡°Would you get up now?¡±

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    Chapter 357


    In the end, they were brought to the manager¡¯s office.


    Ste and Keegan sat on one side while the young man had a long face as he sat on another


    couch.


    The manager looked to his left, then to his right.


    He coughed and said, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Kane, this is just a misunderstanding. I also just learned about it.


    We¡¯ve been understaffed, so the subordinates recruited new personnel. But,


    unfortunately, since this boy¡¯s really tall, we couldn¡¯t tell how old he was. This matter¡¯s gotten pretty


    serious.¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you check his identification if you couldn¡¯t tell?¡± Ste asked furiously. ¡°He¡¯s underage!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m of age.¡±


    The young man nced at her and continued, ¡°I became of agest week.


    For a moment, Ste was speechless.


    ¡°You think you can work here because you¡¯re of age? Have you graduated from high school? Have you


    sat for the college entrance exam? Don¡¯t you need to go to school anymore?¡±


    The young man pursed his lips. Then, after a long while, he finally said stubbornly, ¡°It¡¯s none of your


    business.¡±


    Ste was so furious her head hurt.


    ¡°None of my business, huh? Then, I¡¯ll call Ms. Cooke and ask her toe and mind your business!¡±


    she said as she pretended to make a call.


    The young man¡¯s expression changed, and he immediately went over to snatch her phone. Before he


    could touch Ste, Keegan grabbed his wrist and twisted it backward. The young man fell onto the


    couch in pain.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    The young man forcefully struggled. However, Keegan was incredibly strong, so the young man could


    not move.


    Julian Smith was nearly 5 feet 9. He was a child the organization had rescued near the train. station.


    After unsessfully searching for the child¡¯s parents, he was settled at the Eastern Alley Welfare


    Center.


    Nobody knew if he got lost or trafficked. He was being used by a gang that specifically used children as


    beggars. The gang had been roaming near the train station andmitting crimes.


    Due to Julian¡¯s childhood experience, he was agile. So fighting had never been a problem. However, it


    was the first time someone made him helpless. He could not move at all.


    For a moment, he was defiant, humiliated, and angry.


    Ste patted Julian¡¯s face, ¡°Suck it. You try to put your hands on me? My husband¡¯s got a ck belt in


    Taekwondo! A 10th degree in Jiu-Jitsu! A kickboxing champion!¡±


    Julian was speechless.


    Keegan was also at a loss for words.


    ¡®Even I had no clue I was that good at fighting,¡¯ he thought.


    The manager was a sly person.


    When he saw the situation, he quickly said, ¡°Youngsters are impulsive, so they speak this way. Why


    don¡¯t the two of you have some water and calm down? I¡¯ve already gotten someone to look for the


    person in charge. I¡¯ll definitely give you two an exnation.¡±


    ¡®Whatever. I didn¡¯t want to ask for an exnation in the first ce,¡¯ she thought.


    She grabbed Julian¡¯s face, ¡°Remember this face. The next time hees back, just kick him out. Don¡¯t


    let him work here.¡±


    Julian pulled his chin away and said in a disgruntled tone, ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten paid yet!¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll get someone to pay you immediately,¡± the manager instantly said.


    After 10 minutes, Julian stood in the hallway, counting a stack of money. The manager even gave him


    an additional 1000 dors, perhaps because of Keegan and Ste. After they exited the manager¡¯s


    office, Keegan finally asked, ¡°Who¡¯s he?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a child my mother¡¯s sponsoring at the orphanage. His name¡¯s Julian.¡±


    Ste frowned and continued, ¡°At this hour, he should be in school preparing for his exams.¡± ¡®Julian¡¯s a


    really brilliant child who always has good grades. He¡¯s sitting for his college entrance exam this year


    and has a high chance of getting into a top university. There are less than two months before the exam,


    yet he isn¡¯t studying and working as an attendant at Sapphire? The more I think about it, the weirder it


    is. As he said, he seems to really be short of money,¡¯ she thought.


    After Julian finished counting the 3000 dors, he counted it again. Ste snatched the money away as


    he was about to count it for the third time.


    Julian immediately wanted to snatch it back. However, when he saw Keegan standing next to Ste, he


    froze and retracted his outstretched hand. Then, he red at her and said, ¡°Give it back!¡±


    Ste noticed the white and yellow patches on Julian¡¯s face. Suddenly, she frowned.


    ¡°What¡¯s that on your face?¡± she asked as she reached out to rub his face. After the foundationyer got


    rubbed away, a green bruise was revealed at the corner of his mouth.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.

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    Chapter 358


    Julian frowned in pain. Then, he turned away and covered his bruise. ¡°Low-quality makeup. Allergic


    reaction,¡± he said vaguely.


    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have bought that foundation that cost less than twenty. It came off after I sweat,¡¯ Julian


    thought frustratedly.


    Ste had a taut expression. ¡®Does he think I¡¯m blind? That¡¯s clearly a bruise from getting hit by


    someone!¡¯ she thought.


    She asked with a dark expression, ¡°Did the people here do it?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then, who did?¡±


    ¡°I told you, nobody hit me. It¡¯s an allergic reaction!¡±


    Seeing how this punk refused to confess, Ste brought up Shelley again, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll call Ms. Cooke


    and ask her.¡±


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡®Intimidating him using Ms. Cooke¡¯s name is despicable, but it¡¯s useful,¡¯ she thought.


    As expected, Julian immediately confessed when he heard St say she wanted to call Shelley.


    ¡°I got it while fighting with a ssmate.¡±


    He continued with slight panic, ¡°Hurry up and give me back the money!¡±


    ¡°I can return it to you, but I¡¯m going to send you back to school now.¡±


    When Julian heard her words, his expression turned icy.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going,¡± he said.


    Ste saw his expression and knew there was much more to the matter.


    ¡°How many days haven¡¯t you gone to school?¡±


    Julian pursed his lips. After a long while, he finally said, ¡°I¡¯m dropping out.¡±


    Ste instantly seethed hearing his words.


    ¡°How old are you? What can you do if you drop out? Serve tea and do hardbor? You can do hard


    labor while you¡¯re young, but how about when you get old? What will you do then?¡±


    Julian seemed really annoyed and reluctant to discuss the topic. He said through gritted teeth, ¡°It¡¯s my


    life, so I¡¯ll choose the path I want. Leave me be!¡±


    Ste was enraged, ¡°Leave you be and let you live like a loser? Look at you; you look like a clown! Is


    this the path you choose?¡±


    Julian straightened his neck, ¡°It¡¯s none of your concern!¡±


    Seeing how Ste was about to lose her temper, Keegan stopped her.


    ¡°At this time of the day, there probably won¡¯t be anyone at school if you send him there.¡±


    ¡°Then you tell me what I should do?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it Monday tomorrow? The teachers should be in school on Monday. You can take him to school


    tomorrow and understand the situation,¡± he said.


    ¡®That¡¯s true. Even if I go now, I won¡¯t necessarily find his ss teacher. I don¡¯t even know the specifics


    of Julian¡¯s situation. If I don¡¯t get to the root of the problem and solve it, he¡¯ll find a chance to escape


    from school even if I send him back,¡¯ thought Ste.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go tomorrow. You¡¯ll stay at my house tonight. If you dare run away, don¡¯t even think of getting


    back your 3000 dors. I¡¯ll even tell Ms. Cooke about what you did!¡±


    Sure enough, Julian bought it. He was annoyed, but there was nothing he could do.


    Most of the children at the orphanage had a disability; almost all of the able-bodied children had been


    adopted. Julian was one of the few non-disabled children in the orphanage. He was aloof, stubborn,


    and less cheerful than the children his age. He could not get along with the others when he first arrived


    at the orphanage.


    Shelley patiently counseled him and reformed him bit by bit. That was why no matter how bad -


    tempered he was to others, he would immediately behave himself when others mentioned Shelley.


    Ste called Felicity and told her to go back with Aldor after this. Then, she went downstairs with Julian


    and Keegan. Coincidentally, they encountered Sophia the moment they got out of the elevator.


    Behind Sophia were two staff members of the clubhouse. They were pushing a trolley and about to


    enter the elevator.


    On the trolley were two whole boxes filled with boba drinks. Sophia was a little shocked to see Keegan.


    ¡°There¡¯s still a second round after this. So, Keegan and Ste, are you guys leaving now? Everyone¡¯s


    still got a lot of programs prepared.¡±


    Ste nced at Sophia, whose gaze was practically stuck on Keegan.


    ¡®Me not liking Keegan is one thing, but Sophia constantly coveting something that¡¯s mine makes me


    feel disgusted,¡¯ she thought.


    And so, Ste said without changing her expression, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte; it¡¯s almost nine o¡¯clock.


    Everyone¡¯s pressing us to have a baby, so your brother-inw and I need to go home and work hard. If


    we go home toote, it¡¯ll hold him up from going to work tomorrow.¡±


    Keegan was speechless, and so was Julian.

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    Sophia turned red and internally cursed Ste for being shameless.


    Then, she said dully, ¡°Since you two have urgent matters, go ahead. Drive safe.¡±


    Ste did not want to look at her and walked right out of the elevator. Julian side-eyed the trolley as it


    passed him by. Then, he gently stuck out his foot.


    SPLASH!


    The trolley fell onto the ground, and the liquid from the broken boba tea drinks sshed onto Sophia¡¯s


    foot.


    Sophia shrieked and hurled insults. She no longer had her cultured and polite demeanor.


    When Keegan looked over, Sophia instantly realized she had lost her temper. Nevertheless, she


    endured the pain as she rposed herself. Then, she reprimanded the staff members in a low voice,


    ¡°How can you be so careless?¡±


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste nced at Julian, who had an indifferent expression. She obviously saw Julian do it.


    ¡®This punk. He really isn¡¯t afraid that others will check the security camera. He¡¯s barely encountered


    Sophia; what does he have against her?¡¯ she thought.


    In case anybody realized what happened, Ste quickly led him away from the ¡®crime scene.¡¯


    Even though Julian had followed Ste home, he refused to speak. He was really stubborn and did not


    answer any of her questions.


    Ste could only secretly contact Shelly to probe how Julian had recently been. As expected, Shelley


    did not know about Julian not going to school. She also kept telling Ste that Julian did really well in


    his previous exam and that his results would be alright if his performance remained stable for the


    college entrance exams this year.


    Ste did not bring up the matter after hearing Shelley¡¯s words. Julian was in the guest room


    downstairs. After he kicked Ste out, hey on the huge bed. However, he tossed and turned and


    could not fall asleep.


    ¡®What should I do when I go to school tomorrow?¡¯ he thought.


    The more Julian thought about it, the more anxious he felt. Every time he felt anxious, he needed to


    use the washroom.


    He got out of bed and opened the door. Then, he quietly stuck out his head and promptly saw Keegan


    still in the living room, so he closed the door.


    After a while, he could no longer hold it in. He quietly looked outside through the door crack. However,


    Keegan was still there.


    Julian repeated his actions a few times before Keegan finally said, ¡°Go to the washroom if needed.


    Don¡¯t dirty the room.¡±


    Julian blushed. Then only did he go to the washroom boldly. When he returned, Keegan was still


    working. He had many documents beside him, most of them fully in a foreignnguage. However,


    Keegan read them effortlessly and quickly.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t fall asleep, watch the TV here for a while,¡± he said.


    Keegan spoke in an indifferent tone. However, it did not make Julian feelfortable. He shook his


    head. Then he sat on the couch next to Keegan. He threw the remote control at him.


    However, Julian did not switch on the television; he did not like watching the television.


    ¡®I thought Keegan would ask me some questions, but he doesn¡¯t seem to care about me. My presence


    next to him also doesn¡¯t affect his working speed. I¡¯ve known Ste for years. I know she got married,


    but I had never seen her husband before. Today¡¯s the first time. I¡¯ve grown much taller this year; I¡¯m


    nearly 5 feet 9 now. However, when standing before Keegan, I look like a child. Keegan has broad


    shoulders, narrow hips, and a tall physique. He¡¯s what I want to look like when I grow up,¡¯ he thought.


    Julian moved his lips. After a while, he finally said, ¡°Do you really have a ck belt in Taekwondo, a


    tenth degree in Jiu-Jitsu, and a champion in kickboxing?¡±


    Keegan was speechless.

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    Keegan obviously did not answer his question. Instead, he asked him, ¡°What do


    ¡°You look like you do,¡± Julian answered.


    you think?¡±


    Keegan seemed like he smiled. However, he did not say anything more. Julian stared at Keegan¡¯s


    computer screen. Momentster, he finally spoke.


    ¡°You¡¯re my brother-inw; could you help me persuade Ste? I don¡¯t want to go to school.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Keegan was pleased with the word ¡®brother-inw.¡¯ However, he merely threw Julian a side- eye and


    asked calmly, ¡°Do I look like I can control her?¡±


    Julian was speechless.


    Keegan stood up and grabbed a bottle of beer. After he cracked it open, he asked Julian, ¡°Do you want


    one?¡±


    Just as Julian was about to ept it, Keegan retracted his hand.


    ¡°I forgot. You¡¯re underage.¡±


    Once again, Julian was at a loss for words.


    ¡®I¡¯m of age, okay?¡¯ he thought.


    Keegan took a sip of his beer before finally speaking again, ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to go to school?¡±


    Keegan asked why he did not want to go to school and not why he did not want to study.


    While there was only a two-word difference between the two sentences, they had very different


    meanings.


    Julian pursed his lips and did not speak for a long time.


    Keegan did not urge him either. Momentster, Julian finally said, ¡°I beat someone up and injured


    them. They want me to pay for the medical expenses. It¡¯s more than a million.¡±


    Then, he peeked at Keegan¡¯s expression. Surprisingly, he did not see disgust or displeasure in his


    eyes.


    Keegan even calmly asked, ¡°You beat them to death?¡±


    Julian was speechless.


    ¡°Of course not! I just¡­ I just injured their head, but I also got hit! His parents came to school and made


    a list, saying they wanted to see Ms. Cooke. They want us to pay them over a million dors. I don¡¯t


    have that much money¡­¡±


    Keegan said, ¡°You don¡¯t want to pay them; that¡¯s why you don¡¯t want to attend school. Did you ever


    think they¡¯d still find Ms. Cooke even if you didn¡¯t go to school?¡±


    Julian paled:


    ¡°I¡¯ll hide it for as long as I can. I got a job and earned money to hire awyer, so I won¡¯t have to pay


    them as much. I just don¡¯t want Ms. Cooke to worry because of me.¡±


    ¡°Constantly avoiding something won¡¯t solve the problem,¡± Keegan said as he shut hisptop.


    He continued, ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not likepensation is whatever the amount they state. Get some sleep.¡±


    After Keegan went upstairs, he saw Ste sitting on the staircase on the second floor. She sat there


    with outerwear over her shoulders as she hugged her knees.


    When she saw Keegan, she glumly lifted her head, ¡°Why does he tell you everything?¡±


    Keegan said two words to her, ¡°Charming personality.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®How shameless!¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°Why are you just sitting there?¡± Keegan turned around and nced at her.


    He continued, ¡°Come and fulfill your promise.¡±


    Once again, Ste was speechless.


    ¡°Can¡¯t we do it another day?¡±


    ¡°Your credibility doesn¡¯tst longer than 24 hours,¡± he said.


    Ste was at a loss for words, so she epted her fate and gave Keegan a massage.


    ¡®That¡¯s right. Keegan¡¯s condition to help me find out what Julian¡¯s thinking is to give him a massage,¡¯


    she thought.


    The following morning, Julian changed into new clothes after breakfast. Ste urged him to leave the


    house. However, Julian was unhurried. He kept on dawdling until he saw Keegane downstairs.


    Then, he immediately approached him and asked, ¡°Keegan, can you go with me?¡±


    Ste was confused.


    Keegan nced at Ste, ¡°Don¡¯t you already have someone to go with you?¡±


    ¡°Ste has a sharp tongue. If she speaks, we¡¯ll get beaten up. Don¡¯t you have a ck belt in


    Taekwondo? If you go, at the very least, those people won¡¯t dare to attack us.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.

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    Ste was confused. ¡®I¡¯m sharp-tongued? I guess he hasn¡¯t seen Keegan¡¯s other side yet. If I were to


    get beaten because of how I say things, Keegan would definitely be dead based on how hurtful his


    words can be.¡¯


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t bully you at school. Come on. Let¡¯s go. We¡¯re going to bete.¡±


    Julian felt that Ste could not solve the issue, so he had to ask Keegan to go with him no matter what.


    He even yed rogue and said, ¡°I don¡¯t care. If Keegan doesn¡¯t go, then I won¡¯t. go either!¡±


    Ste knew that Julian would not budge, even if she mentioned Shelley. So, she tentatively asked,


    ¡°Can youe with us?¡± Before Keegan could reply, she continued, ¡°If not, can your call Mr. Moore


    and ask him if he can apany us? After all, he is a professional in the legal field.¡±


    Keegan was speechless. He nced at Ste and said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you don¡¯t have the money to pay


    Mr. Moore for his service.¡± Then, he said lightly, ¡°I have an hour to spare. Let¡¯s go.¡± Ste¡¯s lips curved


    into a smirk as she thought, ¡®Damn. This man sure ispetitive.¡¯


    It was only after 7:00 a.m. when they arrived at the school. The students had just finished their morning


    read and started to wander around.


    ¡®Julian seems quite popr, huh? So many students are gathering around him on his way to ss,


    mostly girls. The kid had a pretty face and was good at his studies, so it was expected. I mean, he


    would definitely be popr in my school back in the day¡­ So I guess it¡¯s natural for girls to be


    attracted to him,¡¯ Ste thought,pletely forgetting that she and Keegan brought something to the


    table as well.


    Julian was popr in the school, but the fact that he showed up at school with two well- dressed and


    good-looking people attracted the attention of his ssmates. They looked like they were on a runway


    with the theme- ¡®wealthy siblings.¡¯


    When a boy saw this scene, he immediately rushed into the ssroom and said, ¡°Raymond, Julian¡¯s


    here! And brought people with him!¡±


    Julian was a little cautious at first, but he gradually rxed when he saw that Ste and Keegan¡¯s


    expressions looked normal. He led them to the office building, turned around, and said, ¡°The teacher is


    in there.¡±


    Ste raised her chin and said, ¡°Go on and knock.¡± Julian nced at Keegan before knocking on the


    door. ¡°Come in.¡± A voice sounded from the teacher¡¯s office, and Julian pushed open the door.


    Perhaps it was because the ss was about to start. Quite a few teachers in the office were busy


    chatting, some were preparing lessons, and some were answering students¡¯ questions.


    Julian¡¯s ss teacher was at the innermost side of the office. He walked in front, leading Ste and


    Keegan to meet his teacher. Voices began to die down as he walked past them. When Julian was in


    front of the ss teacher, he said, ¡°Ms. Ada, my guardians are here.¡±


    For a while, the office was silent. Julian was from an orphanage; all the teachers and students


    in his grade knew that the director of the orphanage was the one who attend the teacher- parent


    meeting before. However, now that the director was old, it was difficult for them to converse. So, Julian


    decided not to ask her toe.


    ¡®Are these two the new help in the orphanage? But¡­ they look rich,¡¯ everyone looked at the two people


    as they secretly spected.


    Ste stretched her hand and said gently, ¡°Hi, Ms. Ada. I am Julian¡¯s guardian, Ste. This is my


    husband, Mr. Kane.¡±


    When Ms. Ada heard that, she finally came to her senses, stood up, and shook their hands. ¡± It¡¯s nice


    to meet you,¡± she said.


    ¡°Julian told us that he had a dispute with his ssmates and hit them. So we¡¯re here to discuss this


    matter.¡±


    Ms. Ada got up immediately when she heard that. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go to the administration. office to have


    a chat. His ssmate is returning to ss today, I will contact his parents.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    After they left, one of the teachers asked, ¡°Mr. William, do you know the couple who just came in here?¡±

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    Mr. William rubbed his chin and shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know them, but they seem familiar.¡± Someone


    in the officeughed, ¡°Mr. William, you are the most well-connected person among us. Yet, you don¡¯t


    know them?¡±


    ¡°They look familiar, but I can¡¯t remember where I¡¯ve seen them before.¡±


    ¡°Hey, who do you think is gonna win, Julian¡¯s guardians or Raymond¡¯s parents?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing Raymond¡¯s parents. His father is a deputy director, and his mother has a sharp tongue.


    Last time, Raymond fought with the chubby kid in ss 5, and his mother came to the office to fight the


    kid. It was terrible.¡±


    ¡®And the deputy director married her???¡±


    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s just his type.¡±


    ¡°These two new people are well-dressed and well-mannered. They don¡¯t seem like they can fight


    Raymond¡¯s mother. Julian is such a hot-tempered child. Raymond was just joking around. He should


    really learn to be patient.¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t there, Mr. Walsh. Raymond is a rude ass kid. Everyone in the ss knows that Julian is


    from an orphanage. Yet, he still mocks him daily for wearing old clothes and shoes. He kept asking why


    his mother gave birth to him but didn¡¯t want him. Who in the world could possibly sit there and listen to


    that? Sure, Raymond is pretty well off and loved, but his results are not better than any of them. Plus,


    hecks decency and manners. I would rather be childless than give birth to such a kid.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like Raymond has never said those things to him before. Julian did not react badly back then;


    why did he do it now?¡±


    ¡°I think a girl wrote a love letter to Julian and slid it into his book. When he flipped through the book, the


    love letter fell out. Raymond picked it up and read it in front of the whole ss. He even read the girl¡¯s


    name aloud, so Julian took the upper hand.¡±


    ¡°If you asked me, Raymond deserved the beating.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Ada is so pretentious. Ugh. They could have talked about the matter here so that all of us could


    tune in to the show. Why did they have to go to the administration office? We won¡¯t be able to stop


    them there if they get into a fight.¡±


    ¡°Just say you like gossip. I bet you¡¯ll be the first to run if a fight urs.¡±


    The teachers roared withughter when they heard that but secretly prayed for Julian. Raymond¡¯s


    family was indeed powerful, and he bled from thest fight. His parents were unhappy with it. It was


    highly possible they would want Julian¡¯s guardians to pay a considerable sum to settle the feud.


    In the administration office, Ms. Ada poured two cups of coffee and pushed them in front of Ste and


    Keegan. ¡°Excuse me, Mrs. Kane. You mentioned that you are Julian¡¯s guardian. Are you from the


    orphanage?¡±


    Ms. Ada was a young woman; she looked about thirty years old and spoke informally but respectfully,


    which made people feelfortable around her. Ste took the cup and smiled, ¡± I¡¯m not from the


    orphanage, but my mother funded that orphanage. The director and I are


    friends. We watched Julian grow. I¡¯m here today with my husband because Ms. Cooke entrusted us to


    solve this matter.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Ms. Ada nodded. ¡°Actually, I had nned to take some time today to talk to the director about this


    matter. I didn¡¯t expect you to make the first move.¡±


    ¡°Where is the kid who fought with Julian?¡± Ste asked.


    ¡°I have asked one of the students to bring him here.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, the door revealed a tall, strong-looking boy. He had harsh facial


    features and a piece of gauze wrapped around his head.


    ¡°Ms. Ada? Liam said you were looking for me.¡±


    ¡°How many times have I told you to knock before you enter the office?¡± Ms. Ada seemed to be very


    troubled by this boy. She frowned and said, ¡°Come in. Close the door.¡±

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    ¡°Okay,¡± Raymond said as he walked into the office swaggering. Pulling up a chair, he suddenly kicked


    Julian¡¯s chair leg. Julian could not hold his bnce and hit his elbow on the table. His face turned pale


    with pain. He then got up, grabbed the other party¡¯s cor, and said, ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you, huh?¡±


    Raymond held his hands in surrender and said, ¡°Ms. Ada, look. I didn¡¯t even do anything. He was like


    this in the ssroomst time, and now he¡¯s trying to fight me right in front of you. I told you that


    orphans like himcked human decency, but you didn¡¯t believe me.¡±


    Julian clenched his fist, his eyes red, and his lips angrily trembled as if he were about to strike


    Raymond again.


    Ste frowned and said lowly, ¡°Let go, Julian. Remember why you¡¯re here today.¡±


    Julian¡¯s lips trembled once more. The veins on his neck bulged out, but he did not let go. Ms. Ada also


    tried to persuade him, but Julian was unfazed.


    Keegan tapped on his teacup and said calmly, ¡°The tea is cold. Go and add some hot water for me.¡±


    Julian gritted his teeth. He finally released his hand, took Keegan¡¯s cup, and filled it with hot water. He


    then put it back in front of Keegan and sat down obediently in his original seat. Ste¡¯s eyes twitched.


    ¡®Why does he listen to Keegan better than me?¡¯ she thought.


    Raymond pursed his lips in disappointment when he saw Julian back down. Instead, he rubbed his


    nose, looked up at Ste and Keegan, and said, ¡°Are you two new hires from the orphanage?¡±


    As he spoke, he nced at the brand-new clothes on Julian. ¡°He even wears new clothes now. Has the


    orphanage found someone to donate recently?¡±


    ¡®This kid is so rude!¡¯ Ms. Ada frowned, ¡°Raymond, please be respectful! These are Julian¡¯s guardians,


    and they came here today to discuss the conflict between you two.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Ada, there is no conflict between us. Strictly speaking, it should be regarded as intentional injury.


    The police should deal with this.¡±


    Ms. Ada was so angry that her head was almost on fire. Raymond¡¯s family held some power, and Mr.


    Harrison repeatedly reminded her to handle the matter with caution. Ms. Ada knew what he meant. A


    good student like Julian was indeed rare, but losing him made no difference in their school enrollment


    rate.


    But it was different with Raymond; his father approved a new ser field, and they recently proposed a


    new library. The school relied on Raymond¡¯s family; being cautious meant sacrificing Julian.


    However, Ms. Ada did not want to do that. She had been Julian¡¯s teacher for three years. She knew


    how challenging it was for him to get to where he was now. If he gets expelled from the school because


    of this matter, it would be a major loss for Julian. So Ms. Ada took the initiative to request the school¡¯s


    understanding and deal with the problem reasonably. But Raymond¡¯s attitude showed he did not want


    to settle things easily.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°I guess he¡¯s right. It¡¯ll be easier if we call the police. I also think it¡¯ll be more appropriate to do so. Since


    Raymond was the one who suggested it, let¡¯s call the police, Ms. Ada. Julian is going to enter the


    entertainment industry in the future. His beaten-up face will definitely


    affect his career. I believepensation must be due.¡±


    Raymond frowned. At that moment, a shrill female voice came outside the door, ¡°You want us to


    compensate you? Is the orphanage that desperate for money?¡±

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    Chapter 364


    The door opened, and a woman strode into the administration office while her high heels tapped on the


    floor. Ste turned around and saw a woman in ck leggings with heavy makeup on her face. She


    wore a tiny leather skirt and a coat. She was not short nor tall and had an outstanding figure. The


    woman looked curvy and was probably not over forty years old. Ste thought that she was pretty and


    looked familiar.


    While Ste was inspecting the woman, the woman, too, was examining Ste. Seeing Ste¡¯s young


    appearance, her eyes showed disdain. But when she saw Keegan, she froze in her tracks. Her eyes


    wandered all over Keegan beforeing into the room. Behind her was a lean, middle -aged man with


    greasy hair, sses, and a neat suit.


    Ste wondered who the man was when Ms. Ada said, ¡°Mr. Harrison.¡± Mr. Harrison did not even spare


    a nce at Ms. Ada. Instead, he walked forward courteously and pulled up a chair. He then turned to


    Ms. Ada and said, ¡°Ms. Ada, why are you standing there? Make a cup of my finest tea for Mrs.


    Chapman¡­¡±


    Ste raised her eyebrows. ¡®Mrs. Chapman? Is everyone with the surname Chapman so difficult to get


    along with?¡¯


    Olivia waved her hand impatiently and said, ¡°I¡¯m not here to drink tea, Mr. Harrison. I¡¯m here to listen to


    your exnation. You promised to give me a day ago, and I¡¯ve been waiting. So? Where is it? I thought


    you¡¯d settled this matter since you called me over, but what¡¯s this? Are they asking us to make up for


    that orphan kid¡¯s fault? What kind of disciplinary system are you running here?!¡±


    Mr. Harrison bowed and said, ¡°My apologies, Mrs. Chapman. Rest assured. I will get to the bottom of


    this and exin reasonably.¡± He turned around and put on a straight face as he said, ¡°Ms. Ada, what¡¯s


    going on here? I thought you said you would handle this. It¡¯s been a few days now. So what¡¯s the


    result? Why are these people here making a scene?¡±


    Ms. Ada looked embarrassed. ¡°Mr. Harrison, these are Julian¡¯s guardians. They came to school today


    to discuss this matter.¡¯


    ¡°What¡¯s there to discuss?¡± Mr. Harrison said in a serious tone. ¡°I have never witnessed such a


    vicious incident since the establishment of our school. The ssroom is a sacred and invible ce


    where students acquire knowledge. Julian, however, vited the school motto of unity and kindness


    when he hit his ssmate in front of his teacher. This shall not go unpunished. We do not condone


    violence here. What do you think will happen when other students follow in his footsteps? What will


    happen to our school¡¯s reputation?¡±


    Mr. Harrison put everything on Julian, but Ms. Ada spoke up for him, ¡°Mr. Harrison, both parties are


    responsible for this matter. Julian was not the one who initiated the fight. I could not get ahold of


    Julian¡¯s guardian¡¯s before this, but they¡¯re here now. Can we all sit down and talk about how to solve


    this matter calmly?¡±


    Mrs. Chapman frowned, ¡°What are you instigating? What do you mean both parties are responsible?¡±


    As she said that, Olivia pulled Raymond over, pointed to the wound on his head, and said, ¡°My son¡¯s


    head is injured because of that little bastard. He hit him with a fucking chair, for god sake. My baby had


    to get three stitches in the hospital! Who will be responsible when my son¡¯s


    grades are affected by this injury in the future, huh?¡±


    Ms. Ada was only good at speaking when she was in the ssroom. She was still young and careless


    in her speech. So, naturally, she was at a loss for words after that.


    Mr. Harrison looked at Ste and Keegan and said, ¡°Both of you have witnessed Raymond¡¯s injury¡¯s


    seriousness. The impact of this incident is bad. The school board had made deliberation on expelling


    Julian, but Ms. Ada begged us for mercy. So, since he is a first-time offender, please pack his things


    and leave this school.¡±


    ¡®What¡¯s the difference between getting expelled and being persuaded to leave?¡¯ Julian¡¯s face was livid


    as he clenched his fists on his knees while Keegan casually pushed the cup of tea to him. Julian froze


    for a moment. Then, he looked up to meet Keegan¡¯s calm eyes and suddenly cooled down.


    He seems to have understood what Keegan was trying to tell him through his eyes, ¡°We¡¯re not there


    yet. So why are you getting mad?¡±


    Ste waited for Mr. Harrison to finish speaking before she looked at him and said, ¡°Mr. Harrison, right?


    Which shitty university did you graduate from?¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.

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    Chapter 365


    Harrison froze as a very unpleasant look shed across his face. ¡°W-What did you say?¡±


    Ste continued, ¡°Am I wrong? Are you saying the losing party in a fight would always be right? Are


    you familiar with your school motto? The first sentence literally says fair and square. May I know if


    that¡¯s how you¡¯re dealing with this matter now?


    Mrs. Chapman has been the only person you talked to since you came inside. You kept asking for her


    opinions, but what about us? Are we here just to participate in your show? I could not help but wonder


    if you¡¯re here to serve the students or Mrs. Chapman. If it¡¯s thetter, I suggest you resign as the dean


    and be a pet to Mrs. Chapman if she¡¯s looking for one.¡±


    Ste did not hold back with her words as she confronted Harrison. She was not the first person to


    expose how Harrison practiced favoritism, but she was undoubtedly the first to be so straightforward


    about it.


    Julian¡¯s jaw dropped as he listened to what Ste said.


    Everybody in the school knew how much of a snob Harrison was. He would pay extra attention to


    students with influential parents and ignore those who did not. He was a brown-noser who loved


    picking on the weak.


    Even though he had an extremely bad reputation among the students, his boss liked him very much.


    Even the teachers dared not to offend him.


    Ste¡¯s words humiliated Harrison in the worst way possible. Finally, she did something that everybody


    else had been wanting to do.


    Harrison looked very surprised as he pointed his finger at Ste for a while before he could speak,


    ¡°How dare you¡­ What an uneducated person you are!¡±


    Ste scoffed. ¡°Right, but what about you? You don¡¯t care about your dignity anymore because you


    want to help Mrs. Chapman. You¡¯re no better than me.¡±


    That woman guessed that Ste was just someone hired by the welfare center judging by how


    assertive she sounded and the disdainful look on her face. That woman figured she was just a nobody


    who knew how to run her mouth.


    ¡°Tsk.¡± That woman clicked her tongue. ¡°I was just wondering where this barbaric little bastard came


    from. It turns out he¡¯s from your welfare center. This is such an eye-opening experience for me. Mr.


    Harrison, are you expecting a corrupted student like him to make your school proud in the future if you


    don¡¯t get him expelled now?¡±


    Ste frowned. ¡°Who are you calling little bastard?¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± That woman scoffed. ¡°I guess I wasn¡¯t being precise enough. A little bastard has at least a


    bastard father. This kid has no parents, so he¡¯s just a piece of trash!¡±


    Ste grabbed the cup of water in front of Julian and sshed it on that woman¡¯s face as soon as she


    said that.


    ¡°You¡¯d better only speak again when you get that filthy mouth of yours cleaned!¡±


    Ste acted so fast that Julian did not know what was happening.


    However, he got that cup of water from the machine just a few minutes ago. It was still


    steaming hot.


    Unexpectedly, that woman screamed with her hands over her face. She did not look as condescending


    as before. Instead, she looks like aplete mess now.


    Everybody in the office was shocked. That was when Keegan calmly pushed another cup of


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    water toward Ste.


    Julian was stunned.


    He thought Keegan would stop Ste from doing anything else rashly, but he decided to add fuel to the


    fire.

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    Chapter 366


    ¡®Fuck. Do you think you can do anything you want with your man here?¡¯


    The woman cursed to herself but dared not to speak recklessly anymore.


    Ste was not bothered at all and even felt a little bored. Then, she saw something shiny on Keegan¡¯s


    cor. She could not help but stretch her arm out to scratch it offpulsively.


    Keegan gazed at her. However, he did not move away and just let her do it.


    That shiny thing felt like it was embedded in his cor. She finally managed to scratch it off after some


    time, and she frowned. She found out that there was some gum behind that shiny thing, as if it came


    with Keegan¡¯s shirt.


    She subconsciously looked at the other side of Keegan¡¯s cor and found another identical diamond at


    the exact same spot.


    Ste paused.


    She silently gazed at Keegan and found out he was not looking at her. So, she stretched her arm out


    secretly, attempting to stick it back on.


    However, she just could not do it after trying to do so for some time. Suddenly, the door was pushed


    open, and Ste immediately held the diamond tight in her fist before looking up.


    That woman cried and rushed toward that person before Ste could see who that was as she shouted,


    ¡°You¡¯re finally here! Your son and I would probably be murdered here if you came a littleter.¡±


    Harrison acted politely as he always would as he quickly approached that man, ¡°Mr. Chapman, this is


    nothing serious. You didn¡¯t have toe all the way here.¡±


    That man ignored himpletely.


    ¡°What kind of trouble did you get into again?¡±


    The man frowned and got a headache after seeing the woman and his son.


    ¡°You heartless man! What do you mean? I only came here for an exnation because your son was


    beaten up. However, somebody sshed a cup of hot water on me. Look at my face! Look!¡±


    That cup of water was not hot enough to cause any serious damage, but it raised a welt on her face.


    Also, she was drenched, and she looked very awkward. The man felt embarrassed.


    The man¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Who did this?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    He heard a clear voiceing from inside. Ste stood and waved her hand before her chest as she


    smiled, ¡°Mr. Chapman, is that your wife? She looks a little different from thest time I saw her.¡±


    Erick Chapman paused. Then, he froze in ce after knowing Keegan and his wife were inside


    the room.


    Ste walked toward him slowly while sizing his wife up.


    ¡®No wonder she looked so familiar when I first saw her. Isn¡¯t she the actress that Mrs. Chapman offered


    ten million to leave her husband?¡¯


    Mrs. Chapman wanted to borrow some money from Dahlia a few years ago. She still had not married


    Keegan then.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Ste only knew that because Aurora told her at a family banquet when she had too much to drink. She


    had nothing else to do, so she looked that actress up.


    Even though she was referred to as an actress, she had only been cast in a few shows.


    However, she could not find any information about the dramas and movies that were stated in


    Wikipedia that she starred in.


    They were only two possibilities. Either the shows were filmed but not aired, or she inserted some


    random shows¡¯ names to make her resume look better.

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    Chapter 367


    That woman looked decent, but her features were not very distinctive. Ste could only recognize her


    because of that mole at the edge of her lips.


    She would forget this woman¡¯s face if Erick did not show up. Now, she suddenly remembered


    everything.


    Not only that the actress did not leave Rivera after taking Mrs. Chapman¡¯s ten million, but she became


    the new ¡®Mrs. Chapman.¡¯ She gave birth to Mr. Chapman¡¯s children; their son was already a teenager.


    ¡®How interesting is this!¡¯


    Ste figured this kid in front of her might have already been born when Mrs. Chapman offered her the


    money. Suddenly, a thought shed across Ste¡¯s head. ¡®I guess not only did this woman scam


    Olivia¡¯s money, but her husband might also be a part of this racket!¡±


    Oliva spent so much effort keeping her reputation clean, yet her husband had a love child at this age. ¡®I


    wouldn¡¯t have the mood to be so busybody if I were her.¡¯


    She was still worrying about what she should do with Dragon Lagoon, but what happened gave her an


    idea!


    The look on Erick¡¯s face looked awful. He was not expecting to meet Keegan and his wife on


    this asion.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®Mrs. Chapman¡¯ did not notice the strange look on Mr. Chapman¡¯s face as she hurriedly urged the man


    to stand up for her. She was not bothered by what Ste said as she grabbed Erick¡¯s arm and said,


    ¡°This is the bitch! She¡¯s the one who sshed the hot water on me. Also, that jackass beside her is


    why your son¡¯s head was injured! Get him expelled now, and I want their welfare center to get out of


    Rivera forever!¡±


    That woman spoke as if she wanted everybody to know that her man would abuse his power for things


    to be in his favor. She made getting rid of a welfare center so easy in front of everybody. It was


    apparent how normal something like that was to her.


    Erick¡¯s face tensed up, and his fingers lightly trembled as he dared not even look at Keegan directly.


    Finally, after seeing how the woman kept going, he gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Shut up! Do you think I


    own this school? Conflicts among students are very normal. Why are you causing a scene like a


    shrew? I have no idea why you called me because of this. Do you know how busy I am at work?¡±


    The woman was shocked as she had no idea what was happening. The word, shrew, echoed in her


    head.


    Erick would always do everything she wanted, yet he just scolded her in front of so many


    people. So, she got angry, ¡°Erick Chapman, are you serious? Do you realize that your wife and son are


    getting mistreated? How dare you scold me?! You¡¯re out of your mind!¡±


    All Erick wanted to do was to get out of there. So, he ignored her and said while gritting his teeth, ¡°How


    ridiculous of you! You¡¯re the reason this kid is always misbehaving and causing trouble at school! Bring


    him back now, and stop embarrassing me!¡±


    That woman was furious. ¡°Erick Chapman! You¡¯re insane! Whose side are you on? Why should we go


    back?¡±


    That woman could not stand Erick¡¯s cowardness anymore. Not only that her own man did not stand on


    her side, but he also kept telling her to keep quiet. There was just no way that she could put up with


    that. She was too used to being a bully at school; even the teachers, principal, and parents had to


    show her some respect.


    She knew very well that she would be aughingstock if she were to get out of that room like a


    loser.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Ste fanned the mes. ¡°She should at least pay for our medical bills and psychological injury


    before leaving.¡±


    That woman was filled with rage as she yelled, ¡°Shut your mouth, bitch!¡±


    Keegan¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°Say that one more time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say that another ten times! Bit-¡±


    p!


    Erick immediately swung his palm at her and scolded, ¡°Would you stop being such an


    embarrassment?¡±


    That woman was shocked as she covered her face in disbelief.


    Raymond panicked too, and he quickly stepped forward to protect that woman. ¡°Dad, are you out of


    your mind? How could you do this to mom?¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Erick¡¯s blood boiled when he heard Raymond calling him dad as he yelled angrily, ¡® None of


    this would¡¯ve happened if you didn¡¯t cause any trouble!¡±

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    Erick¡¯s wife was a good friend to the Kane family, so he was very familiar with them too. Also, he was


    working on a few ongoing projects with Keegan, and he knew very well who he was. Olivia and Dahlia


    were best friends. Dahlia started to look after her more after how she fell out with her brothers. His


    wife¡¯s rtionship with Dahlia was also why he could achieve many things in his career. So he knew


    that his wife would definitely cause a big scene if she were to find out what happened today.


    Erick was about to get a promotion, and he figured that he would most likely lose the opportunity to do


    so if anybody ever found out about this.


    ¡°They¡¯re so dumb! Isn¡¯t what I¡¯m doing obvious enough for them to shut up? How stupid!


    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have dated this woman who¡¯s only good for her looks! Even her child is a disappointment!¡¯


    Erick then said to his assistant, ¡°Send them back home now. Make sure you reflect on yourself!


    Ste was not going to let them off the hook that easily.


    So, she lifted her gaze and said, ¡°Mr. Chapman, we¡¯re not done here. What if Mr. Harrison still wants to


    get my brother expelled after you left with them? We¡¯ve got to at least solve the problem before you


    leave, right?¡±


    The edge of Erick¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡®They kept telling me how stupid and ignorant Keegan¡¯s wife is, but


    is this something a stupid person would say?¡¯


    Harrison was shocked to see how Erick pped that woman too. Then, he recollected himself and got


    an idea. ¡®Mr. Chapman wants to y this down because he knows he isn¡¯t in the right ce to get


    involved, right? I¡¯m sure he only did that to make himself look like a just and fair man in front of


    everybody. After all, he wouldn¡¯t havee to the school if he didn¡¯t care.¡¯


    After figuring out what Erick¡¯s intention was, Harrison said, ¡°The school decides to expel Julian Smith,


    and it has nothing to do with Mr. Chapman. So hurry up and get the withdrawal procedure done.


    Erick trembled with rage. ¡®Another moron!¡¯


    He tried to keep his emotions in check and said in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Harrison, this is a very big decision.


    Please take it seriously.¡±


    It was already obvious what Erick was trying to say.


    However, Harrison stood firm with his assumption. He thought that Erick wanted to be the good cop


    and him to be the bad cop.


    ¡°The school board has decided to expel Julian Smith. A student with poor morality like him will only


    bring shame to our school. So, we¡¯ll deal with him justly and never encourage behavior like this!¡±


    Ste kept quiet and looked at Erick with a half-smile.


    The edge of Erick¡¯s eye twitched even more intensely. ¡®Are they fucking brainless? Why can¡¯t they just


    understand a single thing I say?¡¯


    Harrison saw a slim figure in a light gray suit pushing the door open and came inside as soon as he


    was done speaking.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Harrison paused. ¡°Mr. Robert? What brought you here?¡±


    Ada was relieved as Robert was a man of integrity, and he would take this matter seriously. In that way,


    Julian might still have a chance to continue his studies here.


    Harrison was worried that Robert would take his credit, so he immediately approached him and said,


    ¡°This is just a tiny matter. You don¡¯t have to get involved at all. I can handle this.¡±


    However, he saw Robert looking at Julian¡¯s guardian with a surprised look on his face after saying that.


    ¡°Mr. Kane?¡±


    Harrison froze. ¡°M-Mr. Kane?¡±


    Ada was shocked too. ¡®Why does Mr. Robert know this man?¡¯


    Robert immediately went forward. ¡°Mr. Kane, what brought you here? Does it have something to do


    with the library?¡±

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    Chapter 369


    ¡®Library? Mr. Kane?¡¯


    Harrison was shocked when he saw Robert¡¯s respectful attitude toward Keegan. ¡®Is this the Mr. Kane


    from the Vinci Rivera Group who donated the library to our school?¡¯


    He experienced tingling in his back, which had broken into cold sweats. He looked at Erick in disbelief,


    ¡°Mr. Chapman, this¡­¡±


    Erick just ignored this foolish man!


    ¡°No.¡± Keegan faintly said, ¡°Someone at school beat up my family¡¯s kid. Your school


    indiscriminately said that you all wanted to expel him. So, I apany my wife toe here to


    understand the situation.¡±


    Robert¡¯s facial expression instantly changed when he heard that. He twisted his head to ask Harrison,


    who was standing next to him, ¡°Mr. Harrison, what happened? Why did you want to expel the student?¡±


    Julian pursed his lips.


    ¡®This couple, one can lie better than thest. He was the one who beat someone up. But he became


    the victim when the couple talked about that incident.¡¯


    Harrison shuddered. His face broke into a cold sweat as he stuttered. Finally, he said after a while,


    ¡°Students¡­ A small conflict between students.¡±


    Ste raised her eyebrow, ¡°A small conflict? Mr. Harrison, you said something different just now. You


    said that Julian vited the school motto and discredited the school. And after the schoolmittee¡¯sContentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    discussion, he¡¯s expelled. So if it was just a small conflict, why was he expelled?¡±


    Robert frowned, ¡°When did the schoolmittee have that discussion? Why don¡¯t I know about it?¡±


    Expelling a student was a big deal. It needed manyyers of reviews and approvals. It was not a


    decision that Harrison could make on his own. Not even Robert could do that.


    Robert knew that a few people on the schoolmittee liked Harrison a lot. He also knew Harrison¡¯s


    way of working. As long as nothing serious happened, everyone would just turn a blind eye. ¡®I didn¡¯t


    expect Harrison to create such a mess. I can forget that he expelled a student personally. But the


    student he expelled was the Kane family¡¯s kid.


    ¡®If the teacher didn¡¯te and look for me and just let this dispute go on, how can we still talk about the


    cooperation with the Vinci Rivera Group?¡¯


    Robert looked gloomy, ¡°Mr. Harrison, is this your first day here? How dare you lied about the school


    committee¡¯s decision?!¡±


    Harrison was so frightened that he trembled when Robert shouted at him. He was not as proud as


    when he was dealing with the issue just now. His face was pale, and his lips trembled. He was usually


    a talker. But now, he could not even say a word.


    Robert angrily nced at him. He then turned his head to look at Ada, who was a little stunned too.


    ¡°Are you the ss teacher of the two students?¡±


    Ada came back to her sense. She hurriedly nodded.


    Robert then started asking about the full story of what happened. Erick was on pins and needles at the


    side. He was restless.


    To the school, it was not a big deal that students fought. Teenagers were young and impulsive. So it


    was impossible not to have some arguments between them.


    Robert was the head of the school¡¯s administration office. He has been very good at resolving these


    issues sincest time. So, he suggested a solution after he heard what Ada said.


    The two students were each given one warning and had to write three thousand words on self-


    criticism. As for the medical expenses, it would depend on the discussion between the two families.


    Robert suggested that they pay for the other party¡¯s medical expenses.


    Ste was quite satisfied with this oue. They did note here to seek special treatment. They


    just hoped for a fair and just solution regarding this incident. But the other party¡¯s attitude was very bad


    in the beginning. That was why it turned into a farce just now.


    She raised her eyes to look at Erick, ¡°Mr. Chapman, how much was your son¡¯s medical expense?¡±


    Erick wanted to leave hurriedly long ago. He did not care about the medical expense. He softly said,


    ¡°It¡¯s just a minor injury. It didn¡¯t cost a lot. Moreover, Raymond was at fault in this incident. So, just


    forget about the medical expenses.¡±


    ¡°Then, please pay for Julian¡¯s medical fees.¡± Ste faintly said, ¡°Medical fee, nutrition fee, fee for being


    absent in ss, moral damages¡­ I¡¯ll round it up. Just pay us five thousand dors.¡± Everyone there


    was speechless.

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    Chapter 370


    ¡®What¡¯s the definition of pushing your luck?


    This is it! Julian started the fight. I¡¯m embarrassed to talk about medical expenses. But Ste is so


    shameless. She mentioned so many expenses.¡¯


    Only Keegan looked normal. With Ste¡¯s personality, five thousand dors was considered a


    conservative amount.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    She did not care about thepensation. She did that because she wanted to demoralize the other


    party. Erick looked a lot unhappier.


    He was a respected person with high status. So, of course, he was not happy about being made


    difficult by a girl.


    But Keegan was there. So, he could only swallow his anger even when he was furious.


    He turned his head to signal his assistant to transfer her the money hurriedly. He did not want to stay


    here any longer. Ste smiled slightly when she looked at the payment on her phone.¡± Mr. Chapman is


    more reasonable than Mrs. Chapman.¡±


    Erick was speechless.


    ¡°Mr. Chapman, there¡¯s one more thing that I need your help with. Do you mind?¡±


    Erick coldly nced at her. Then, he said in a deep voice, ¡°Mrs. Kane, feel free to tell me.¡± Ste said,


    ¡°My grandmother is celebrating her eightieth birthday the week after next week. I wanted to rent the


    Dragon Lagoon venue for her birthday celebration. But Mrs. Chapman said someone had already


    rented the venue. Can you help me to talk to Mrs. Chapman about it? Help us schedule a time for the


    birthday celebration?¡±


    Of course, Erick knew about this. He needed the Kane family¡¯s industry support at work. So, he would


    know about the ¡°discussion¡± between his wife and Dahlia.


    Olivia always did what Dahlia said. So, it must be that Dahlia wanted her not to rent the venue to the


    Kane family.


    Erick was not willing to upset Dahlia. So, he said, ¡°Dragon Lagoon is my wife¡¯s property. I can¡¯t help.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Ste slowly said, ¡°Will Ms. Joanna be able to help? Mrs. Chapman hasn¡¯t seen Ms. Joanna for


    many years, right?¡±


    Ms. Joanna was the person who pretended to be Olivia.


    Erick looked unhappy, ¡°Mrs. Kane, are you threatening me now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a business deal.¡± Ste bent her eyes. She lowered her voice, ¡°Would Mrs. Chapman cry or


    laugh if she learned that the ten million dors got her a son? After all, her dream for years sort of


    came true. She then immediately distanced herself. She faintly said, ¡°It¡¯s just business. It¡¯s the same no


    matter whom you do this business with. Am I right, Mr. Chapman?¡±


    Erick looked unhappy since the very beginning. But he looked frightened and panicked


    afterward.


    ¡®She even knows about the ten-million-dor incident. If this gets out, this would be more than just a


    behavioral problem.¡¯


    He suppressed his panic as he said in a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯ll try to talk to her about it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your help, Mr. Chapman.¡±


    Ada was a little confused when she saw how the situation turned around. Everyone in the


    office could not hold it anymore. They kept tagging Ada in the group. They wanted to know the


    negotiated oue. All of them were shocked when Ada sent them the results of the negotiation.


    ¡®They actually made peace?


    ¡®No. It wasn¡¯t a truce. On the contrary, Julian¡¯s side even gained the upper hand. They received five


    thousand dors in medical expenses from Raymond¡¯s family.¡¯


    Harrison went on unpaid leave for expelling a student without permission.


    Everyone was very pleased with the oue. They felt it was unbelievable at the same time.


    ¡°Raymond¡¯s mother was just like a shrew. How could these two people get the money from her?¡±


    ¡°They even made Harrison go on unpaid leave. So who exactly are they?¡±

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    Chapter 371


    ¡°Bam!¡± William suddenly tapped the table.


    Everyone was frightened, ¡°Mr. William, what¡¯re you doing?¡±


    William tapped his leg as he said, ¡°I remember now! I thought he was familiar. That Mr. Kane is the Mr.


    Kane from the Vinci Rivera Group. I was there that day when the agreement of the library was signed. I


    nced at them from afar. He was the one who signed the agreement.¡±


    Everyone was shocked!


    ¡®No wonder Mr. Harrison slipped this time. He buttered up the wrong person. The other party has a


    stronger background.


    ¡®Come to think of the married couple¡¯s vibe, all of this suddenly feels strange but justifiable. ¡®Finally,


    there are people who can control the mother and son of the Chapman family.¡¯


    Ste was extremely happy after solving the serious matter. She was humming along the way. Julian


    still felt a little unreal, ¡®This issue was resolved so easily. Not to mention that we didn¡¯t have to


    compensate them. We even received some money for medical expenses.¡¯


    He took a look at Ste. He then nced at Keegan. He hesitantly asked, ¡°Ste, why was Raymond¡¯s


    father so afraid of you two?¡±


    Ste nced at him, ¡°Did you forget?¡±


    Julian was confused.


    Ste kept a straight face as she said, ¡°My husband has a ck belt in Taekwondo, tenth Dan in Jiu-


    Jitsu, and a kickboxing champion. How can they not be afraid?¡±


    Julian¡¯s lips twitched, ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have asked her!¡¯


    Ste put her hand around Julian¡¯s shoulders. She smiled as she said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I asked for a half


    day¡¯s leave from Ms. Ada. Let¡¯s go and buy some presents for Ms. Cooke, Tevin, and the others, and


    visit themter.¡±


    Kids did not have to know about the dirty business in the adult world. She then turned her head to say


    to Keegan, ¡°Take a taxi home on your own. I¡¯ll visit the welfare center.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s forehead twitched, ¡®She¡¯s getting rid of me as soon as I¡¯ve done my part?¡¯


    Ste had already grabbed Julia and walked away.


    Keegan¡¯s phone vibrated twice. He then took out his phone and answered the call, ¡°Mr. Kane, your


    flight is booked. We probably need to go there a few days earlier. We have to run the entire testing


    once more to make sure nothing goes wrong.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± Keegan stared at Ste¡¯s back as he faintly said, ¡°You help arrange everything. I must be back


    before the birthday party.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    At the shopping mall, Ste swung the sneakers in her hand, ¡°What about these?¡±


    Julian stiffly stood inside the shop. His shabby shoes were reflected on the spotlessly clean


    ceiling. It constantly reminded him that he was ipatible with this luxurious store.


    The shop assistant immediately walked forward, ¡°Miss, you have such good taste. This pair of


    sneakers is thetest model in our store. It has very good customer feedback. The shoes are very light.


    It¡¯s veryfortable when you run or jump wearing it. Handsome, what¡¯s your size? Let me take a pair


    of them for you to try.¡±


    Julian pursed his lips. He softly said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to try.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to try? I¡¯m not buying the sneakers for you.¡± Ste then turned her head to say to


    the shop assistant, ¡°Get me a pair of size eleven and a half.¡±


    Julian coyly removed his shoes. There was a small hole on his left sock. His toe was awkwardly


    exposed.


    ¡°Your socks are quite unique,¡± Ste smiled as she teased him. She then twisted her head to ask the


    shop assistant for new socks.


    The shoes were exactly like what the shop assistant said. They were veryfortable. This was the


    first time Julian wore such light sneakers. He looked surprised and happy.


    Ste asked the shop assistant, ¡°How much is it?¡±


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°There¡¯s a five percent discount for new products. I¡¯ll calcte the price for you.¡± She pressed the


    calctor as she said that. She raised her head and said, ¡°It¡¯s three thousand one hundred and sixteen


    dors after the discount.¡±


    Before Ste could speak, Julian blurted out, ¡°So expensive?¡±


    He regretted saying it. ¡®This shop is nicely decorated. How can the sneakers be cheap? It¡¯s like I


    entered a world in which I do not belong. I¡¯m not used to everything here.¡¯

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    Chapter 372


    The shop assistant smiled slightly, ¡°Although our shoes are expensive, the quality is very good. We


    have many repeat customers. You¡¯ll know it when you wear them. And ites with a lifetime warranty


    and cleaning. If there¡¯s a quality problem within two months, you cane and exchange for a new


    pair.¡±


    Ste took out a card, ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll get this pair. Let¡¯s pay now.¡±


    Julian frowned, ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡±


    He removed the shoes as he said that. Then he wore his old shoes and ran out of the store. Ste


    exined to the shop assistant and got up to chase after Julian. After searching for him. for a while,


    she noticed Julian leaning over the fence, looking downstairs.


    She walked toward him and stood beside him, ¡°You¡¯re not happy that I¡¯m buying you a gift?¡±


    Julian pursed his lips. He spoke after pondering, ¡°That¡¯s not something I can afford. It¡¯ll look weird on


    me if I wear it. I¡¯d be aughingstock for others.¡±


    Ste winced. ¡®I forgot to consider this. Although he¡¯s quiet, he¡¯s sensible and mature. Unlike the other


    kids, when I wanted to buy him such an expensive gift, he did not happily take it. He panicked. He felt


    he was ipatible with the shoes and wasn¡¯t good enough for them.¡±


    Ste gently said, ¡°I just wanted to buy you a present to make up for your eighteenth birthday. Who¡¯d


    laugh at someone who receives a gift? They should be jealous of it. You can¡¯t afford it now, but it


    doesn¡¯t mean that you can¡¯t afford it in the future. You can¡¯t just focus on your past. You have to look at


    the path ahead of you too. Focus on your future.¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Julian paused. He seemed like he was overwhelmed. Nevertheless, he endured the sourness in his


    nose as he softly said, ¡°Seems like you¡¯re quite cultured.¡±


    Ste¡¯s mouth twitched. She pped his head, ¡°I had the highest marks for the cultural subject and


    was epted into Trinity University! You can only tease me when you¡¯re epted into my university!¡±


    Julian smiled, ¡°Keegan graduated from which university?¡±


    ¡°Trinity University.¡±


    ¡°You two were schoolmates?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Why?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like it. He¡¯s more cultured than you.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    Ultimately, Ste bought him a pair of sneakers worth over five hundred dors.


    Julian said he just considered epting the shoes worth over three thousand dors. But instead, he


    asked her to give him the remaining two thousand and six hundred dors to save in cash.


    ¡°This is my first time meeting someone more avaricious than me.¡¯ But very soon, she would realize


    Julian was not avaricious. He was saving up.


    Julian picked cost-effective items for the presents that Ste was buying for Shelley and the other kids


    in the welfare center. He did not want anything that was too expensive. Until he took two cans of cheap


    milk powder, Ste finally could not help but say, ¡°This milk powder is for adults. The nutrition is


    inadequate for Tevin and the others. Just take the one before.¡±


    ¡°The infant milk powder is too expensive. It¡¯s a few hundred dors a can. That¡¯s equivalent to the


    center¡¯s three days¡¯ food expenses. Tevin is almost six years old. We¡¯ll need to spend more after his


    school enrollment. We need to save as much as we can so that I can make Ms. Cooke¡¯s life easier.¡±


    ¡±


    Ste furrowed her eyebrows, ¡°What did you mean by making Ms. Cooke¡¯s life easier?¡±


    Julian¡¯s expression changed slightly. He avoided making eye contact with her as he said, ¡® Nothing. I


    just meant that Ms. Cooke can support more kids if we can reduce the expenses.¡±


    Clearly, Ste could not be bluffed so easily, ¡°What happened to Ms. Cooke? Why did you keep


    mentioning saving up? Is the donation not enough? Or did something happen?


    Julian realized that he could not hide the truth any longer. He said after pondering, ¡°Ms. Cooke is


    broke. The chef resigned because he wasn¡¯t paid. I overheard Ms. Cooke and Ms. Cecilia¡¯s discussion


    a few days ago. She said that she wanted to sell her house¡­¡±


    Ste frowned, ¡°The bank would timely transfer the money every month. So why does she have no


    money?¡±


    Rainee had a specific bank ount to deal with the welfare center. The bank would punctually transfer


    the money to the welfare center. This had been going on for many years.

 Chapter 373

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    Chapter 373


    Eastern Alley Welfare Center is small. They did not ept any new kids these two years. Including


    Shelley and the others, fewer than twenty people were in the center.


    Rainee transferred a hundred thousand dors to them every month. This was enough to keep this


    small welfare center going.


    ¡®A hundred thousand dors. It should be enough.¡¯


    Julian pursed his lips, ¡°The donation from Ms. Spade has stopped sincest October.¡±


    Ste¡¯s expression changed, ¡°What did you mean by stopped?¡±


    Julian did not know much. Once, when he went to find Shelley, he overheard the conversation between


    Shelley and Cecilia at Shelley¡¯s door. Only then did he know that the Jewell family¡¯s donation had


    stopped since Octoberst year.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    The social donation to the welfare center was very limited. They mainly needed donations. from the


    Jewell family to keep the center going. So, when the donation stopped, the welfare center did notst


    long until they encountered difficulty.


    Initially, Shelley thought something had happened to the Jewell family, and they had forgotten to


    transfer the donation. But when the donation was not transferred even after three months, she


    suspected something was wrong. So, after discussing it with Cecilia, they went to the Jewell residence


    to talk to them about it.


    Julian was on summer holiday at that time. So, he secretly followed them.


    It was August. The temperature outdoors was around one hundred degrees Fahrenheit. Shelley and


    Cecilia waited outside the house for more than three hours. But Albert did note out to


    see them.


    When the sun was almost down, Sophia came out, But she came out to turn them away.


    She said that theirpany¡¯s operations encountered some difficulties. And they could not continue to


    donate to the welfare center. She also said they spent a lot of money on treating Rainee¡¯s illness all


    these years. Sophia said that they had done everything they could for them.


    Julian was very reserved when he told Ste what had happened. What actually happened was a lot


    worse than what he said.


    Sophia said that the Jewell family already had one worthless person to support. They did not want to


    support another bunch of worthless people anymore. She also told Shelley and Cecilia that it was


    Rainee who promised them. She said Rainee should be the one to honor the promise and not the


    Jewell family.


    Shelley was furious and had a heat stroke. She only felt better after three days of lying on the bed.


    This was why Julian hated Sophia.


    Other than running away from the incident in the school, he went to work as an attendant at Sapphire


    to make more money to relieve Shelley¡¯s financial stress.


    Even so, hearing that sent Ste a chill down her spine.


    ¡°The welfare center donation came from my mother¡¯spany share dividend. How can dad just shut


    off the donation?¡¯


    Julian said, ¡°Ms. Cooke didn¡¯t let me tell you about it. She feared it¡¯d put you in a difficult position


    because you¡¯d be caught in the middle. So don¡¯t tell Ms. Cooke that I was the one who told you about


    it.¡±


    Ste pursed softly, saying, ¡°I know what to do.¡±


    When they arrived at the welfare center, Shelley was very happy when she saw Ste. Julian then


    brought the kids to get their gifts. Shelley chatted with Ste.


    Shelley and Rainee¡¯s rtionship was very good. She watched Ste grow up. She unavoidably


    thought of Rainee when she saw Ste. Shelley could not help but feel sad when she brought up


    something that happened in the past. She also asked about Rainee¡¯s recent situation.


    ¡°My mother is still the same. But she had some responses recently. The doctor said it was a good


    sign.¡±


    Shelley was extremely pleased when she heard that ¡°God has answered. Your mother helped a lot of


    people. God doesn¡¯t want to take her away.¡±


    Ste stared at Shelley. She suddenly thought, ¡°Ms. Cooke, did my mom ask you to keep something for


    her?¡±


    Shelley paused for a while. She said after pondering, ¡°She did actually ask me to keep one thing for


    her.¡±


    Ste looked serious, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Come with me.¡±


    A few minutester, Ste looked at the strongbox before her as she asked softly, ¡°This is the thing my


    mother asked you to keep for her?¡±

 Chapter 374

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    Chapter 374


    A light gray tarp was covering the safe. There were dishes on it, as Shelley used it as a dining table.


    Shelley said, ¡°Your mom gave it to me a month before she got into the ident. She said some critical


    documents and ledgers for thepany were stored inside. I was told to keep it safe no matter what


    and not to disclose it to anyone. The things inside were vital to her; she would find time and get them


    back. But she got into an ident before she coulde and


    retrieve it.


    Shelley sighed, ¡°I intended to send them to your father after something happened to your mother. Yet,


    he had a horrible tone when I mentioned your mother on every phone call and hung up before we could


    evenmunicate. Hence, I did not bring it up again. If you hadn¡¯t asked me about it, I would have


    totally forgotten about this.¡±


    After Ste¡¯s mother had an ident, Albert was focused on dealing with thepany. He even


    wanted to give up a few times. Ste was not surprised that he was preupied during the phone


    calls. Ste stared at the safe momentarily before asking, ¡°Did my mom say anything else when she


    handed this to you?¡±


    ¡°Not quite. She seemed to be in a hurry then and didn¡¯t look very well either. It could be something


    important,¡± Shelley replied.


    It seemed like Shelley did not know anything else beyond that. Ste asked, ¡°Can I take it?¡±


    ¡°Why, of course. It was your mother¡¯s. I¡¯ll find Cecilia to help load it in your car.¡±


    After Ste left, she went to the bank and transferred five hundred thousand to the orphanage¡¯s


    ount. Keegan came home to find Ste sitting in the living room with a safe in front of her. She held


    a power drill and was trying to drill the lock. The corner of Keegan¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡°What on earth are


    you doing?¡±


    Ste was frightened, so she turned off the electric drill and frowned. ¡°Trying to open the safe.


    Keegan threw his suit on the sofa and drank the water on the table. ¡°Password safes usually have two


    locks. If the first one were forcibly destroyed, it would automatically activate the second one. So you


    have to unlock the first lock to open the second lock.¡±


    He implied that if the first lock was broken, this safe would never be opened. Ste narrowed her brow


    and asked, ¡°What about a cutting machine?¡±


    Keegan looked at her. ¡°Where¡¯ve you stolen this safe from?¡±


    The corner of Ste¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°It¡¯s mine, alright?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know your own password?¡±


    Ste pursed her lips. She tried the birthdays of Rainee, Albert, her own, and even their anniversary,


    but none of them worked. She suspected that the password for the safe was the numbers on Rainee¡¯s


    tapes. There are six numbers, which means 762binations. Every wrong password five times would


    have a locking mechanism for 24 hours to try another passcode. If she had been unlucky and tried


    individually, she could have taken half a year to get the correct password. Ste did not have the time


    for that. ¡°I just forgot it, okay?¡±


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°Get a locksmith to open it.¡±


    ¡°I did. They said it¡¯s difficult. There¡¯s no way to open it.¡±


    Keegan looked at her. ¡°If they didn¡¯t say it was hard, how would they get more money from you?¡±


    Ste¡­


    What Keegan said made sense, so Ste decided to call the locksmithpany again tomorrow. When


    Ste was done washing up, Keegan had alreadyid down on the bed. Ste sat in front of the vanity


    mirror, wearing a face mask and drying her hair. Ste was not a fan of makeup, but she loved taking


    care of herself.

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    Chapter 375


    No matter howte it was, Ste would always apply a face mask and do her skincare routine before


    sleeping. She originally had a greatplexion and paid extra attention to caring for herself. It can be


    said that she had delicate skin.


    Keegan watched as she worked on herself at the dressing table for half an hour before bed. Her


    skincare products were not aromatic. Only the faint fragrance of her body shampoo wafted from her.


    The light sandalwood fragrance inexplicably stirred up his emotion.


    Ste closed her eye, thinking about unlocking the safe tomorrow, and wondered what Rainee could


    have put in the hidden safe. Ultimately, she found the safe because she asked Shelley about it when


    she inadvertently found the numbers on the tape. ¡®Was it thepany¡¯s important documents and


    ount book? Why did she need to hide it?¡¯


    As Ste was lost in thought, she suddenly felt a heavy weight on her body. She opened her eyes to


    find Keegan leaning over her and looking at her with his burning, prating eyes.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Ste was startled. Keegan suddenly lowered his head and kissed her lips the moment she


    was about to speak. That was something Ste did not expect. Keegan¡¯s kiss was dominating, with a


    hint of aggression. There was even a trance of urgency when he tore off her pajamas. His hand


    squeezed her waist more forcefully than usual, causing her slight pain. However, she was aroused by


    this pain for no reason. Ste was the typical enjoyer type.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    She did not have any aversion to doing it with Keegan. After so many years of physical bonding


    between them, he knew every spot where she felt pain, ticklish, and made her moan. Of course, she


    had no prior experience topare with, so there was no way she would know if he was familiar with


    this process. Yet his expression, when turned on, would make her heart throb every time.


    His lips traced over her chin andnded on her neck. Ste gasped, gripping Keegan¡¯s hair,¡± Don¡¯t bite


    my neck.¡± Her body was sensitive and could easily leave a mark. If Keegan bit her neck, she would


    have to cover it up when she goes back to shoot the scene.


    His eyes turned dark. He pinned her hands and increased the momentum. Ste thought it would have


    ended after one, as usual. He was not one to indulge in lust, even when they first stayed in the same


    room. They usually did it three to four times a month. Except for the consummation, they finished most


    after once. And this clean freak would run into the bathroom and clean himself for a long time. He was


    puritanical for the recent half of the year; the longest was three months without doing it.


    However, it was different today. Keegan felt rejuvenated, tossing and turning her around until 1 a.m.


    She was so sore and weak after he messed around with her. Keegan, on the other hand, showered as


    if nothing had happened. The time he spent in the shower was shorter, just three to five minutes, as if


    to rinse off his sweat and return.


    After he got into bed, he even wanted Ste to get up and wash. She did not even have the strength to


    kick him. She onlyy there and said breathlessly, ¡°I¡¯m not washing. Sleep outside if you can¡¯t stand the


    smell.¡±


    ¡®That damn thing. He was so intense that my lower abdomen was still sore and bloated. Who would


    want to shower?¡¯ Ste thought. Keegan was in a good mood. Rarely did he not retort. Instead, heid


    on her side and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m going to Alodale on a business trip next week,


    probably for a week or so. Is there anything you want?¡±

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    Chapter 376


    Ste was so tired that she did not want to open her eyes. She even thought that Keegan was


    annoying, talking beside her. She drawled, ¡°Was it because you thought I did a good job serving you


    yesterday, so you¡¯re rewarding me some whoring fee?¡±


    The corner of Keegan¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡°Let¡¯s be clear. Who was the one serving yesterday? The part


    where you moved a little while lying down?¡±


    Ste¡­


    Ste was never submissive in dissing Keegan¡¯s opponent, so she retorted with thick skin, ¡°I was


    merely being real. You seemed to enjoy hearing my moans.¡±


    She even acted like the actresses in porn and grunted twice. Her main purpose was to tease Keegan.


    Yet, her voice was hoarse since it was just after the lovemaking. She was being pretentious, but in his


    ears, she sounded a whole different way.


    His


    eyes darkened. He grabbed Ste¡¯s thin and soft waist and said in a deep voice, ¡°If you moan a few


    more times, no one will be sleeping tonight.¡±


    Ste shuddered instantly and did not dare to make a fuss. At the same time, she was thinking about


    why Keegan was like a young shaver and unable to handle any flirts. In the past, no matter how hard


    she tried to seduce him, he would not even take a look at her. Even when aroused, he would not act as


    crazy as he does today.


    She ¡®viciously¡¯ thought, ¡®Did Keegan ask Arthur for a prescription and secretly make it for himself?¡¯


    Ste closed her eyes, not wanting to think further about it.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Keegan said coolly, ¡°What do you want? It¡¯ll be toote if you say it after I go.¡±


    Ste had little interest. ¡°Up to you.¡±


    Keegan replied, ¡°If it¡¯s up to me, I won¡¯t buy anything.¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Ste was really drowsy that she was dazed and fell asleep shortly after. Her perfunctory


    attitude irritated Keegan, so he reached out his hand and squeezed her waist. She was annoyed about


    his pinching. She opened her eyes and said impatiently, ¡°Can¡¯t you just let me sleep?¡±


    Keegan was in low spirits. ¡°What do you mean by whatever? I¡¯m bringing back gifts for and this is your


    attitude?¡±


    you,


    Ste narrowed her brows. ¡®Is Keegan mental? When I pestered him for gifts when he was on a


    business trip in the past, he would have been annoyed. Now that I don¡¯t want it anymore, he¡¯s not


    content? What¡¯s wrong with him?¡¯


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my attitude? You were the one who said that you¡¯re not buying anymore. And now


    you¡¯re angry when I say whatever? Doesn¡¯t it save trouble for you?¡± Ste said.


    Keegan was silent and said bluntly, ¡°You¡¯re the one who doesn¡¯t get it. Don¡¯t get shady when I don¡¯t


    bring back anything for youter.¡±


    ¡°When was I ever shady?¡± Ste finished and remembered. Last year, Keegan went to France on a


    business trip, and she asked him to bring back a watch for her. Unfortunately, there were no more


    goods locally, and she feared a purchasing agent being unreliable. Keegan promised,


    but he forgot after negotiating his contract.


    She went to the airport with excitement to pick him up. She was attentively doing grunt work,


    messaging his back and leg. At night, absence made the heart grow fonder. After they finished, Keegan


    went to take a shower. She waited for him with anticipation to surprise her. Yet, he fell asleep after he


    came out of the shower. Ste was dissatisfied with his action, so she shook him up to ask where her


    present was.

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    Keegan remembered his promise and told her he had forgotten it. Ste was upset with him, but she


    did not express it. However, she has been acting oddly irritating and shady ever since. Every morning,


    when Keegan dressed up and wore his watch, Ste would mock beside him, ¡± Well, that¡¯s a nice


    watch, Mr. Kane.¡±


    At first, Keegan thought she was casually asking, so he replied, ¡°It was a gift from grandma.¡± The next


    day, Ste still asked him the same question when he was wearing his watch. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a nice


    watch, Mr. Kane.¡±


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Keegan frowned. ¡®Is she stupid? She just asked me this question yesterday. Has she forgotten it


    already?¡¯ Ste continued asking him the same question when he was wearing his watch on the third


    day. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a nice watch, Mr. Kane.¡±


    A whole weekter, Keegan realized with hindsight. Ste had a good memory. Instead, she was


    intentionally shady, ming him for forgetting to return home with her gift. After half a month, Keegan


    was finally fed up with Ste being shady. He sent someone to France to buy that watch. Only then


    was Ste silenced.


    She genuinely does not need the watch. Simply put, she was looking for Keegan¡¯s attitude on this


    matter. It was alright if he forgot to buy the watch. Ste would be content if he bought some flowers to


    cheer her up. She was not the selfish type, where everyone¡¯s attention had to be on her. However, she


    hoped that the person she cared for would also care for her. She did not mind where Keegan¡¯s heart


    was before her. She understands that everyone has their past. Though once they married, Keegan


    should only see and care for her.


    All her willful behaviors were only to deepen her impression in his heart. However, Ste was not as


    obsessive as she used to be. It does not matter whether there were gifts or not. Regardless of the


    number, the gifts were only worthwhile if it was gifted from the heart.


    Keegan red at her from the side of his eyes. ¡°You could only store .jpg and not GIF in your brain,


    right?¡±


    Ste was startled for a long while before realizing Keegan was insulting her for being dumb and


    having little brain capacity. This was one of her knowledge blind spots. She did not know much about


    processors or hard drives. She wanted to diss him back but could not find the right words. She


    glowered at him in exasperation before retorting, ¡°Your brain is big, but it can¡¯t even fit a disk inside it.¡±


    Keegan paused and could not help but chuckle. He seemed to be happy as his chest quivered as he


    laughed. Ste turned red from anger as Keegan mocked her.


    She grabbed the nket and wrapped herself in it. She turned her back to him, and the tip of her ears


    was extremely red. It was not from embarrassment but anger. Keeganid down sideways with his


    hands supporting his head, enjoying the sight of his wife being embarrassed. After watching, he said


    leisurely, ¡°Alodale is the city of diamonds. The best diamonds in the country mostly came from there.


    Those diamonds were the finest in terms of rity or cut. Besides, they have many rare colors there.¡±


    Keegan went close to Ste, his deep voice enchanting her, ¡°Do you really not want it?¡±


    Ste was tempted with craving and annoyance by Keegan. She turned her head and saw the strange


    half-smile on Keegan. She immediately understood that Keegan was teasing her. She


    nced at him and said, ¡°Since Mr. Kane is being so generous, buy me a diamond ne then. My


    requirements aren¡¯t too high. The ne should have one hundred and eight red diamonds, each not


    less than one carat. Oh, and the chain should be tinum. The thicker, the better.¡±


    The corner of Keegan¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°One hundred and eight carats? Aren¡¯t you afraid of your neck


    being snapped?¡± ¡®And red diamonds? Red diamonds were the rarest. With all the natural red diamonds


    in the worldbined, there wouldn¡¯t even be a hundred carats. Plus, one


    carat¡¯s value was close to a million dors. Does she wish to unt her wealth by wearing a few


    hundred million on her neck?¡±

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    Chapter 378


    Ste snorted, ¡°You won¡¯t be held responsible even if there was a mishap. So tell me, are you going to


    buy it or not?¡±


    Keegan nced at her, ¡°Go to sleep. Everything you want will be in your dreams.¡±


    Ste was silenced. ¡®Bastard!¡®


    The next day, Ste had already left when Keegan woke up. She appeared to be really energized after


    being so exhaustedst night. Aldor reported that Albert had signed the stock purchase contract


    regarding Semiconductor Technology. 80 million dors was wired to thepany¡¯s ount. Albert


    has probably been waiting for this very day for too long as the money was instantly transferred to the


    company¡¯s ount.


    Semiconductor Technology will be listed on Northon Trading Center on May 29th. From past


    conservative evaluations, thepany¡¯s share price was expected to increase by sixty points on the


    day of the listing. So if Albert sold them on the same day, after deducting some fees, he would still


    receive tens of millions in profit.


    Aldor felt Keegan let Albert share the pie for Ste¡¯s sake. ording to Keegan¡¯s past temperament,


    he has never yed favorites in the business. People like Albert were not beneficial to the business or


    the stock market since he was merely concerned with making easy bucks and leaving after receiving a


    piece of cake. Keegan must have known this, so Aldor thought the most likely reason was because of


    his wife.


    Albert would serve anyone for material benefits. He would naturally pay more attention to Ste when


    he benefited from the Kane family. Aldor believes this is the reason, but Keegan does not admit it. After


    Aldor was done reporting, he handed Keegan the gift box, ¡°The present you ordered for Mr. Vermont


    arrived yesterday night.¡±


    Keegan took it and put it aside. He raised his head and looked at Aldor, asking, ¡°How many carats is


    the biggest red diamond discovered in Alodale so far?¡±


    ¡°About three something, if I remembered correctly,¡± Aldor paused. ¡°Is Mr. Kane buying Mrs. Kane


    diamonds?¡±


    Keegan replied, ¡°I was just asking.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Just as Aldor was about to leave, Keegan asked, ¡°Could they custom make a ne with a hundred


    and eight diamonds?¡±


    Aldor raised his eyebrows and wondered. ¡®I thought he was just asking about it?¡¯


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I will contact themter to ask. How big should the diamond on the ne be? Are there any


    requirements for the shape?¡±


    ¡°Each with one carat,¡± Keegan paused and added, ¡°The pendant should be red diamonds. The bigger,


    the better. The chains should be tinum with moderate thickness.¡±


    The corner of Aldor¡¯s eyes twitched. He imagined how rustic and trenchant the diamond ne


    would have looked when it was done. He wondered if Mrs. Kane would scold him for his taste. Aldor


    coughed


    and suggested, ¡°Mr. Kane, why don¡¯t you call and ask what type your wife would have wanted?¡±


    ¡°She picked it her-¡± Keegan stopped halfway,¡± Did I say I was going to give it to her?¡±


    Aldor¡­


    Aldor believed that even if Keegan were turned to ashes one day, he would remain unyielding in his


    words. ¡°Let me ask if they could do it.¡± Just as Aldor left, Vermont called. ¡°Have you finished preparing


    my gift?¡± Vermont¡¯s birthday was close to Cordelia¡¯s. This was his thirtieth birthday, so he intended to


    celebrate it with Marshall¡¯s return. However, Keegan was going on a business trip next week, so he


    moved forward with his birthday celebration. They are rarely all in Rivera simultaneously. If they don¡¯t


    get together now, they won¡¯t know when the next get¨Ctogether will be.


    After asking, without waiting for Keegan¡¯s answer, Vermont continued, ¡°Bring along your wife and the


    present. It doesn¡¯t matter if youe or not.¡±


    Keegan instantly hung up the phone call. Vermont soon called again, ¡°Tell your wife I invite Toy Boy


    over. There would be a major performance.¡°

 Chapter 379

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    Chapter 379


    Keegan almost popped a vein. ¡°You know about Toy Boy too?¡±


    ¡°Ste is a big fan of his. She likes his videos every day.¡±


    ¡°You know her Instagram ount name?¡±


    Vermont paused and took a guess, ¡°You don¡¯t know what¡¯s your own wife¡¯s Instagram ount name?¡±


    When Instagram had just be famous, Vermont registered an ount for Keegan. But after he


    bought a new phone, he did not download the application, let alone use it.


    Keegan pursed his lips. ¡°I don¡¯t have it downloaded.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s jaw fell open. ¡®No wonder Keegan was so chill about Ste looking at handsome guys online


    daily. I thought he was so liberal that he could ept his wife cheating on him mentally. It turns out he


    doesn¡¯t have the slightest idea of it.¡®


    Vermont thought about the videos that Ste had liked, cleared his throat, and advised, ¡°I think you


    shouldn¡¯t download the app if you don¡¯t use it much.¡±


    For days, Keegan got mad at Ste for giving Marshall a pair of socks. If he saw the videos that Ste


    had liked, he would be so angry that he¡¯d die on the spot.¡®


    However, it was in Keegan¡¯s nature not to listen to advice. The more that people were against his


    decision, the more he wanted to do it. He hung up and quickly downloaded Instagram. He found


    Ste¡¯s ount by syncing his contacts.


    He tapped on Ste¡¯s page and saw that her most recent like was a video titled, ¡®Do you like the golden


    retriever type or the German Shepherd type?


    ¡®I thought Ste was a cat person. So why is she interested in dog breeds?¡®


    As he was wondering, Keegan began to watch the video. By the time he finished the video, he was


    speechless. Unimaginable emotions arose within Keegan after he saw a man acting effeminate in the


    video, calling out ¡°honey¡± in a childlike voice. It was worse when he saw a topless man wearing a cor


    and said, ¡°I want to sleep with you, darling,¡± with a vocal fry.


    ¡®Golden Retriever type? German Shepherd type? Dogs???¡®


    The thing that made him feel betrayed the most was Ste¡¯sment under the video, ¡°Why choose


    when you can have them both? Come sit on my thighs!¡±


    Keegan scoffed.


    ¡®She might as well be taking her pants off online!¡¯


    Angrily, he turned off the video, but he still felt ufortable. Atst, he tapped on the video again and


    reported it, satisfied.


    After turning off the video again, he texted Ste, ¡°Don¡¯te back if you ever talk nonsense to other


    men again!¡±


    After sending it, Keegan felt his tone was too harsh. He wanted to recall it, but someone from the


    design department knocked on the door and came in to hand him a business n.


    He only thought of the text after he was finished with his work. When he grabbed his phone, he saw


    that Ste had already given itim a reply.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    A middle finger GIF.


    When she finished shooting, Ste searched high and low for a locksmith, but nobody wanted to take


    the job. Some did not have the license to open safes, so they did not dare to risk taking the job since


    police entrapments weremon then.


    The licensed ones, however, required all sorts of proof to open the safe. For instance, the receipt of


    purchasing the safe to prove that it is Ste¡¯s property. Rainee was hospitalized for years. There was


    no way for her to get the receipt.


    ¡®I don¡¯t want to rm my father without knowing what¡¯s in the safe.¡¯


    ¡°Could it be that I would still have to try those numbers?¡±


    As Ste was at her wits¡® end, a phone call from Felicity came in.


    ¡°Ste! Dr. Steven asked me out! Ahh!¡±

 Chapter 380

    Chapter 380


    Chapter 380


    Ste pulled her phone further away from her ear. She waited for Felicity to stop screaming and said,


    ¡°He took the initiative to ask you out?¡±


    ¡°Kinda,¡± Felicity responded evasively.


    He did not really ask Felicity out.


    Doctor Steven¡¯s full name was Corbin Steven. He was 28 years old and worked as a doctor in the


    breast surgery department.


    Ever since Felicity added Corbin on WhatsApp, she kept initiating conversations with him. For example,


    she would ask him about his favorite food, books he was interested in, movie genres he liked, and


    things like that. In other words, she was trying to probe him about his preferences.


    Corbin would reply to her when free, but he did not say much each time.


    Felicity wanted to ask him out to watch a movie, but Corbin said he might not make it as he was


    attending a friend¡¯s birthday party.


    As soon as Felicity began to understand how it feels to like someone, she became much more


    unashamed than Ste. ording to her own words, the chances of finding someone she liked in this


    vast world was too low. Now that she had met him, she would even tie herself to him by the belt if she


    had to.


    Hence, she kept asking about which friend, and the party¡¯s location. That was how she found out that


    the birthday boy was Vermont Snyder, the owner of Neon Neb.


    ¡®So it¡¯s an acquaintance¡­ Ste¡¯s acquaintance.¡®


    ¡°What a coincidence. Vermont is my friend. I was also nning to attend his birthday party.¡± Without


    batting an eyelid, Felicity lied.


    Corbin was surprised. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to go to the movies?¡±


    Felicity calmly replied, ¡°Vermont kept inviting me to go, but I dislike bustling situations. So I was


    nning to drop him a gift and leave. But if you¡¯re going, I could stay longer.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Corbin chuckled and said gently, ¡°See you tonight then.¡±


    Ste was in disbelief. ¡°You call this ¡®asking you out¡°?¡±


    ¡°Ah, just take it that way. I don¡¯t care. You must bring me along to Vermont¡¯s birthday party tonight!¡±


    Felicity worked at Royal Deluxe Entertainment, and Neon Neb was theirpetitor. So naturally,


    Felicity was not close to Vermont. They had only met a few times without even greeting each other.


    Their most recent encounter was because of Vermont¡¯s affair with one of the models under Royal


    Deluxe Entertainment. The model thought she had Vermont to rely on, so she wanted to terminate her


    contract with thepany.


    The owner of Royal Deluxe Entertainment had previously invested a lot of money in the model¡¯s


    training and was just starting to break even the cost when she asked for a termination. Of course, he


    was enraged and asked for arge penalty for breaching her contract.


    The model spewed a lot of tough talks and insinuated that Vermont would pay for her. But before she


    could terminate the contract, Vermont broke up with her. Then, she caused a scene at hispany.


    Vermont phoned Royal Deluxe Entertainment¡¯s owner and told him to take care of the situation or else


    Vermont would call the cops. The owner was shocked and furious. Atst, he sent some employees to


    bring the model back.


    Felicity was one of the employees sent to bring her back. The model was crying while professing her


    love for Vermont, but he did not even look in her direction. Instead, he just started his car and left.


    The model lost her paymaster and fell out with thepany too. Ultimately, she was shelved and still


    needed to pay a huge penalty. To say that she was devastated would be an understatement.


    It was not without reason that the owner cursed Vermont that much. It was not that big of an issue that


    he liked to toy with people¡¯s feelings since both parties were consenting adults. The problem was that


    he never meddled with the artists under his ownpany but messed around with artists from other


    companies.


    Vermont was young, rich, and handsome. Those naive new artists would take the bait if he were willing


    to spend some money on them.


    Felicity had only met Vermont a few times, but he brought different girls with him every single time. So


    naturally, she did not have a good impression of him.

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    Chapter 381


    Usually, Felicity would not even look in Vermont¡¯s way if she had encountered him by chance. But, in


    order to pursue Corbin, she went all out.


    ¡®Even if I don¡¯t know Vermont, he is now my close friend.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my best friend. Don¡¯t you want to see your bestie find her own happiness?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t bring me along tonight, I¡¯ll put a curse on you so you won¡¯t getid for five years!¡±


    Ste grinned


    This curse is way too evil!¡¯ she thought to herself.


    Ste nced at Felicity. ¡°Vermont is really stingy. You better bring him a birthday gift, or else I can¡¯t


    promise that they won¡¯t throw you out of the party.¡±


    Felicity beamed, and her eyes resembled crescent moons. ¡°Okay!¡±


    ¡°I have one more favor to ask, and if you don¡¯t promise to help me..


    ¡°If you dare to curse me to five years without sex, I¡¯ll curse you to never be with Corbin.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking about that. I just wanted to ask you if you could do my makeup for me and give me a


    makeover.¡± Felicity paused. ¡°You weren¡¯t even this annoyed when I scolded Keegan, but the second I


    cursed your sex life you became this nervous? Is Keegan that good in bed?¡±


    After work, Aldor drove Keegan to the agreed location to pick Ste up


    As the car stopped, Aldor stepped out of the car and opened the door for Ste.


    ¡°Aldor, open the door of the passenger seat too. I¡¯m bringing a friend.¡±


    Aldor nodded and opened the door to the passenger seat for Felicity.


    Felicity smiled and said, ¡°Thank you, Aldor.


    Aldor froze. ¡°Ms. Thompson?¡±


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Felicity¡¯s grin showed off her canines. ¡°Do I look good today?¡±


    Since Aldor interacted with Ste frequently, it was inevitable that he would be quite familiar with


    Felicity.


    ording to Aldor¡¯s impression of Felicity, she had always worn hoodies or shirts with jeans. Her


    neatly styled hair reached her shoulders, and she had round eyes. She had a tiny pair of sharp canine


    teeth that can be seen when she smiled and had an indistinct dimple at the corner of her mouth. When


    she was quiet, she looked like an innocent college student who had not been tainted by the world.


    But, when she talked, she seemed like a gangster, because all sorts of vulgarities would sprout from


    her mouth.


    Today, Felicity wore a mid-sleeved knee-length white dress, and her hair was brushed and tied into a


    low ponytail. She had some light makeup on, and Aldor realized that Felicity¡¯s features were quite


    good- looking. When she was standing aside quietly, she looked like a well-educated daughter of a


    wealthy family


    But, as soon as she spoke, Aldor¡¯s bubble of imagination immediately burst. As he looked at Felicity¡¯s


    outfit again, he felt like the clothes did not match her.


    However, Aldor was emotionally smart enough to not talk about it. He just smiled and replied, ¡°Yeah,


    you do look good.¡±


    Felicity was satisfied with his answer. ¡°Ste dressed me.¡±


    ¡°No wonder the style looks familiar. Isn¡¯t this what Mrs. Kane would wear to dinner parties?


    Aldor made no furtherments. He got in the car after closing the door and drove them to their


    destination


    Vermont was a social butterfly. His craftiness helped him to get along with everyone, resulting in his


    exceptionallyrge social circle.


    By the time Ste reached, there was already a good amount of people there.


    There was even an ountant by the entrance to register the received presents or money gifts.


    ¡°Vermont hired an ountant just for his 30th birthday party? Is he that scared of people attending the


    party for free? Ste thought.

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    Chapter 382


    There was a long queue in front of them, and Felicity tiptoed to get a look.


    My God, there are watches, shoes, bags, jewelry, and there¡¯s even a car!¡±


    Felicity looked at the gift box she was holding, and quietly put it back in her bag. I¡¯ll just tag along with


    Ste¡¯s gift.


    When it was Keegan¡¯s turn to register, he presented a pair of wine sses.


    Felicity was disappointed with the gift. She whispered to Ste, ¡°Keegan is so stingy. He¡¯s just giving


    his good friend a pair of wine sses?¡±


    No wonder Keegan said that Felicity and I were dumb and dumber. Her reaction was the same as mine


    when I first saw the sses, Ste thought.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She had the same pair of wine sses at home. It was a gift from Keegan¡¯s client.


    When Keegan brought them home, Ste said the same thing that Felicity said.


    Ste would never forget the look Keegan gave her at that time. It went from surprise to astonishment,


    to disbelief, and finally speechlessness.


    In the end, Aldor told her that the sses were made by a prestigious wine ss and decanter


    manufacturer in Dernd.


    The wine decanted by the wine sses would taste extremely mellow. The foot of the sses was


    even embedded with jewels. A single wine ss was priced near a million.


    As they entered, Felicity spotted Corbin immediately.


    Like a cat approaching its prey. Felicity darted over to him so quickly that Ste failed to stop her.


    ¡°Keegan, Ste.¡±


    Ste heard Marshall¡¯s voiceing from behind her. She turned around with surprise in her eyes. ¡°Mr.


    Moore?¡±


    Keegan frowned and grabbed her hand.


    Marshall wore a white suit today, and his shirt was still buttoned up to the first button. His tie was in a


    Windsor knot, and his hair was gelled up, showing off his handsome face.


    Marshall had deep, intense eyes. When he was not smiling, he seemed noble, but whenever he smiled,


    he gives off warmness.


    It might be out of Ste¡¯s awareness of Marshall¡¯s scars and hidden insecurity, as Ste was always


    rather careful toward Marshall. She was afraid that she might say something to upset him.


    ¡°Mr. Moore, your outfit suits you today.¡±


    Ste praised him sincerely.


    White suits reallyplemented Marshall. In other words, Marshall looked more attractive than


    Keegan when Marshall wore a white suit.


    When he heard Ste¡¯s praise, Keegan was suddenly reminded of the videos that she liked on her


    Instagram ount


    He took another look at Marshall The Windsor knot on his neck looks like a cor. What¡¯s worse is that


    Ste was the one who gave him that cor


    Marshall smiled and said. ¡°Thank you. How¡¯s your great-grandfather?¡±


    Ste froze momentarily. She thought of Aurora when Arthur was mentioned and subconsciously


    pouted. ¡°He went back to his hometown.¡±


    Marshall paused and said, ¡°What a pity. I wanted to visit him and ask him for some cooking advice. I


    didn¡¯t expect him to leave so soon.¡±


    Ste replied vaguely, ¡°He had something to do back in his hometown, so he went back early. We will


    visit him during the holidays.¡±


    Marshall nodded. ¡°Please send my regards.¡±


    After he spoke, Marshall turned around to ask Keegan, ¡°How is Aurora? Has she recovered?¡±


    When Aurora was mentioned in the conversation, Ste¡¯s expression became colder.


    ¡®I hope she never recovers. She is too mean, Ste cursed in her thoughts.


    However, Keegan said indifferently, ¡°Go visit her if you¡¯re that concerned about her.¡±

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    Marshall pursed his lips. ¡°You know that Aurora has feelings for me. I don¡¯t want her to get the wrong


    idea, and I don¡¯t want both families to have false hope in us.¡±


    ¡°If you really think so, it¡¯s better if you get a girlfriend soon, and get her to stop thinking about it.¡±


    Marshall chuckled. ¡°It can¡¯t be forced, I¡¯ll find someone eventually. You can introduce me to suitable


    candidates if you know any. I don¡¯t have unrealistic standards. As for her looks, I¡¯m fine with anyone


    that looks decent. As for her personality, about the same as Ste will do.¡±


    Keegan stared into Marshall¡¯s eyes, but he could not tell if Marshall was joking or not.


    Ste¡¯s perception was much simpler. She was even slightly excited. She turned her head to Keegan


    and whispered, ¡°See? I¡¯m the type of girl to be sought after in the dating scene.¡±


    First, there was Vermont, then came Marshall. Ste¡¯s confidence was over the roof. Even the way she


    talked was overflowing with confidence.


    Keegan nced at her. ¡°All beauty and no brains, of course, you¡¯d be sought after.¡±


    ¡®Bastard, he never has a nice thing to say,¡¯ Ste thought.


    Marshall seemed like he was just joking, and recollected after he spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s go see Vermont,¡± he


    said warmly.


    When Felicity reached Corbin, he was chatting with Vermont.


    He was wearing a suit instead of the doctor¡¯s white coat. He had a light smile on as he was talking with


    his friends beside him. Felicity automatically ignored the crowd surrounding him, as she was only


    thinking about how good he looked under every circumstance.


    Felicity fixed her clothes, then she took delicate steps and walked over to him. She called out to him


    softly in a cutesy voice. ¡°Dr. Steven?¡±


    Corbin paused and turned around to look at her.


    His gaze started from the bottom, flitting by her slender, pale legs, and made its way up to her hips,


    waist, and chest, andstlynded on her blushing face.


    ¡°You are¡­¡± Corbin hesitated.


    Seeing that her crush did not recognize her, Felicity was quite disappointed. But, she still introduced


    herself. ¡°I¡¯m Felicity Thompson. I was your patient before. We even texted on WhatsApp today.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you.¡± Corbin seemed shocked. He stood up and said gently, ¡°My apologies, I didn¡¯t recognize


    you just now. You look so different.¡±


    Ste¡¯s heart thumped when she heard Corbin¡¯s maic voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s Vermont¡¯s birthday today, so I couldn¡¯t wear casual clothes to attend. That¡¯s why I dressed up a


    bit,¡± Felicity replied in a soft voice.


    Vermont, who was drinking with his friends nearby, paused to take a look at the woman who was


    standing beside Corbin.


    Her height was around 5.3 feet, and her proportions were alright, not too skinny and not too chubby as


    well. There were indistinct muscle lines visible on her arms and legs. She did not look like a daughter


    from a wealthy family. Instead, she seemed like a high school athlete who put on grown-up clothes.


    Vermont searched his memory for her face but could not remember who she was.


    He finished the wine in his ss and walked up beside Corbin. ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± Vermont said


    cheerfully.


    ¡°Ms. Thompson, you two must know each other well.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Thompson?¡±


    Vermont frowned.


    Felicity was shaken. ¡®Why must Vermonte over now?! I am nowhere near the progress I wanted. I


    can¡¯t fail when I¡¯m almost halfway there!¡±


    ¡°Which¡­¡±


    Before Vermont could finish his sentence, Felicity suddenly went in and embraced Vermont. ¡°Vermont,


    it¡¯s been a while since Ist saw you. You changed a lot! I nearly didn¡¯t recognize you.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Vermont pushed Felicity¡¯s shoulders.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Right after she was pushed away, Felicity once again hugged Vermont tightly. ¡°Vermont, do I look


    different from when I was little?¡±

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    Chapter 384


    Vermont shrugged her away once more. Felicity¡¯s muscles, on the other hand, did not fail her as she


    hugged Vermont¡¯s waist once more, not letting go no matter how hard he tried to shrug her off. If


    Felicity were to do this to Keegan, he would definitely push her away in a rough manner. Vermont, on


    the other hand, was different. He was worried that he would offend some unknown rich heiress if he


    were to use brute force.


    He patted Felicity¡¯s shoulders and smiled at her. ¡°At least let me have a look at you to see how you¡¯ve


    changed.¡±


    ¡®Wouldn¡¯t I be giving the game away if you see my face?¡¯ Felicity thought. She snuggled into his chest


    and replied, ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me, Vermont. I¡¯d be embarrassed.¡±


    Vermont thought to himself, ¡®This isn¡¯t a prank, right? Short stature, stubby legs, and such a strong


    grip?¡¯


    Corbin, who was surprised at them being intimate, asked, ¡°Are you two childhood friends?¡±


    ¡°We have only mingled for a short period.¡±


    Felicity was worried that Vermont would expose her and quickly tried to find an excuse to leave the


    conversation. ¡°Happy Birthday, Vermont. You two should continue your discussion. I¡¯m heading to the


    ladies¡¯ room.¡±


    Not giving Vermont a chance to react, she released him and dove straight into the crowd. Vermont still


    could not figure out who Felicity was, except for the exceptionally bright eyes of hers while she was


    talking to Corbin.


    Corbin asked, ¡°Vermont, who is she?¡±


    ¡®How would I know who she is?¡¯ Vermont thought.


    In the end, Vermont gave an excuse. ¡°A distant rtive.¡±


    Corbin smiled. ¡°She¡¯s quite charming.¡±


    Felicity was far away before she sneaked a peek, only to sigh in relief when Corbin was still casually


    chatting with Vermont. ¡®That was so close. Luckily, I reacted fast enough.¡¯


    Her face was full of disgust when she lowered her head to look at the hands that held onto Vermont.


    She rested at a corner she found while waiting for Corbin to leave.


    Upon seeing the arrival of Ste and herpanions, Vermont, who was speaking to Corbin, happily


    went to them.


    ¡°Wee, why are the three of you sote?¡±


    Marshall replie


    Ve were stuck in traffic.¡±


    Not mincing his words, Keegan interjected, ¡°Would we have to wait for so long if it..asn¡¯t for the


    reception you set up?¡± The queue to register the birthday gifts alone took more than ten minutes.


    Keegan, who had only seen such receptions for birthday anniversaries for the senior citizens, was not


    expecting Vermont to shamelessly set up something so out of ce. Vermont did not mind how odd it


    was, as he wanted his birthday party to be grand but private. Since his best friends were from the


    upper echelons of society, there would naturally be unwanted guests who would take this opportunity to


    y up to them.


    Entering the venue would not be easy with the gift registration setup. It was not a loss to him, since it


    would be difficult for everyone to bring out a gift of appropriate value. It would be even better for him if


    more were toe.


    ¡°Sigh. Since you¡¯re all arriving together, I would havee to get you guys right away if you had given


    me a call,¡± said Vermont.


    Keegan, who could not be bothered to retort, stayed silent.


    Corbin eyed the Kane couple. His gaze stayed on Ste for a while before he moved toward them with


    his ss in hand. ¡°Mr. Kane, it¡¯s been a while.¡±


    Ste was astonished. ¡®Doctor Steven knows Keegan?! Come to think of it, it wouldn¡¯t be natural for


    someone not to know Keegan when they can attend Vermont¡¯s birthday party.¡¯


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan gave a lukewarm nod as a reply.

 Chapter 385

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    Chapter 385


    Felicity messaged Ste. [Is that mutt, Keegan, close with Doctor Steven?]


    Ste replied, [I think so.]


    [If you let that mutt, Keegan, help to ask around about Doctor Steven, I''ll even let the both of you be our


    wedding witness. ]


    Ste would naturally help Felicity even if she did not ask her. Putting aside Corbin''s family


    background, his attitude must be passable. When the crowd was done exchanging pleasantries, Ste


    whispered questioningly at Keegan. "Are you acquainted with Doctor Steven?"


    Keegan shot a nce at her. "I¡¯m not."


    Ste frowned. ¡°Why did he talk to you if you aren''t acquainted with him?"


    Keegan said indifferently, "Many will take a shot to be acquainted with me. Do you think I would be


    acquainted with all of them?"


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Ste choked at that reply. Keegan was not intentionally avoiding the topic. He was really not close with


    Corbin and had only seen Corbin during some dinner parties Vermont organized. It was only a hi-and-


    bye rtionship, and Keegan was not privy to his background.


    Ste''s anger arose, still doubting he was hiding something from her.


    Keegan was normally in the limelight in these settings. Within moments, he had already gathered a


    crowd. Ste, who was unable to enter the conversation, stood aside and thought of how she could pry


    information about Corbin.


    Right at that moment, Ste found Marshall conversing with Corbin. The both of them seemed quite


    close to each other. Ste immediately brought a ss of wine and entered the conversation. "Mr.


    Moore, would you like some wine?"


    Marshall turned his head and his gaze softened upon seeing Ste. He took it and warmly said, "Thank


    you."


    Ste went with the flow and walked in front of them. "Hello, Doctor Steven."


    Corbin politely replied, "Hello, Mrs. Kane."


    Marshall asked, "Do you two know each other?"


    ¡°Not really. I''ve brought a friend to Doctor Steven''s ce just that one time. To think that we''d meet


    again here."


    Corbin, who did not expect that Ste was Keegan''s wife, replied, "This truly is a coincidence.¡±


    Marshall soon began introducing Corbin to Ste. Corbin, being the only son, came from a well-to-do


    family. They knew each other but were not well -acquainted. It was only when Marshall went overseas


    to treat his illness that he became acquainted with


    Corbin, who was doing an internship abroad at that time. Having finished the introductions, Marshall


    added,¡± Corbin is Mr. Lewie''s nephew."


    Corbin replied with a smile, "I can''t believe I still can¡¯t get anyone to remember me without mentioning


    my uncle."


    "That''s not true.¡± Ste courteously replied, ¡°Doctor Steven is very impressive to be able to be


    associate director at such a young age."


    Corbin replied, "Does Mrs. Kane love opera?"


    Ste replied, "I''m good. It''s mostly my mother. She loves Mr. Lewie''s work a lot. It was such a waste


    for Mr. Lewie to stop singing.¡±


    "Uncle pushed himself too hard when he was young and became ail as he aged. He stopped going on


    stage due to health reasons."


    Marshall said, "I remember when Mr. Lewie was at the peak of his career, he could run more than ten


    shows per day and all of them are full-housed. Getting even a ticket wasn''t easy. The amount of show


    he ran should be in the five digits, right?¡±


    Corbin smiled. "No. It''s only a total of nine thousand, seven hundred and forty-three shows.¡±


    Ste was astonished. "Nine thousand, seven hundred and forty-three..."


    She pursued her mouth and her expression instantly turned serious. Swiftly, she ced the ss down


    and said, '' Please excuse me."


    As soon as she finished speaking, she went to a corner and took out her phone, scrolling to the picture


    of the cassettes with the numbers on them.

 Chapter 386

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    Chapter 386


    Her breath was stuck in her throat as shepared the photographs one by one. Sure enough, the


    four number 9743 was on all of them. ''Could it be that the password mother set is the number of shows


    Mr. Lewie ran? It seems somewhat like what a die- hard fan would do. Then, what are the other two


    numbers, number six and five, for? Since nine, seven, four, and three are rted to Mr. Lewie, the


    numbers six and five should also be rted to him, right?¡¯


    Ste thought for a while and found on Google that Lancelot''s birthday is exactly on the fifth of June, is


    this the password?¡¯


    Ste could hardly keep her excitement in check, upon seeing her standing alone in the corner with a


    strange expression,


    Marshall went forward to check on her. "Are you okay?"


    Ste returned to reality, kept her phone, and said, "Mr. Moore, please inform Keegan that I have some


    urgent matters to attend to, and he has to send Felicity home on the way back."


    Marshall saw the seriousness on her face and whispered, "What''s going on? It


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Ste forced a smile and continued, "It might rain tonight and my flowerbed needs to be


    covered with a rain cloth. I''m afraid the new housekeeper might not be familiar with doing it and will


    drench the flowers, so I have to go back."


    ¡°Alright, I''ll pass on the message to Keegan."


    "Many thanks.¡± Ste took big strides and hurriedly left after thanking Marshall.


    Marshall, who was still staring at her back, could not help but frown when he recalled the conversation


    just now.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    After driving back to the Royal Park Vi, Ste went to the strongbox and entered 659743. The


    strongbox did not respond. She pursed her lips and entered 974365.


    After punching in the number, a ¡®tick'' sound could be heard, and the mechanical gears could be heard


    whirling into action. Swiftly after, a ¡®ding¡¯ sound was heard, and the door of the strongbox popped open.


    Ste opened the strongbox, only to see a thick stack of papers.


    She reached in, took the stack, and a divorce agreement was on the top of the stack.


    Her hands trembled. She flipped through the stack of papers as she puckered her lips. The agreement


    was from seven years ago and had the signature of Rainee and Albert on it. While she still had her lips


    puckered, she flipped to the back of the divorce agreement. The agreement stated that the custody of


    the daughter would be left to Rainee, and Albert would only be left with a small portion of the


    company''s shares. Below that were all shareholder agreements and some invoices that she could not


    understand.


    ¡®Knowing my father''s temper, why would he agree to sign the agreement while fully knowing that the


    financial settlement is unfair to him?¡¯


    Soon enough, the answer was revealed to Ste. A brown paper bag beneath held a stack of


    photographs. All of them were sneak shots of Albert''s figure with another woman. There were pictures


    of them holding hands, hugging, and even them fooling around inside the car at different angles. Ste


    could not control her hands from trembling at the sight of the photographs.


    The woman Albert was with may look young in the pictures, but Ste easily identified that person to be


    Albert''s secretary, Hylda.


    She kept her anger in check as she continued flipping. Soon, a third person around the age often


    appeared in the consecutive photograph. It was Sophia. She was holding onto both Albert''s and


    Hylda''s hands, strolling in the park. Hylda in the picture was spotted with another bulging belly.

 Chapter 387

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    Chapter 387


    Albert brimmed, not hiding his doting eyes. It was not amon sight Ste could see from Albert. The


    smiles those three had in the photograph were made hideous from the photo being worn and crumpled.


    She could somehow imagine the feeling Rainee had whenever she saw the photograph.


    Shiver went down Ste''s spine as she saw the photograph, having a bad premonition in her heart as


    she recalled how Albert treated Sophia for so many years.


    As though it was to ascertain her guess, thest piece was a paternity test of Sophia and Albert. And,


    Sophia had a 99.996 percent chance of being Albert''s biological daughter. Ste''s blood turned cold


    from the realization of this truth, and of Albert''s cruelty.


    ¡®How can he be so heartless to take in his illegitimate daughter and used adoption as a guise to let her


    wife take care of her? I can''t even begin to imagine how brokenhearted my mother was when she


    found out. She never even brought this up with me. Not even once" Ste thought.


    She did not realize what her mother was going through since Rainee''s mood swings caused by her


    depression made Ste mentally and physically exhausted. It pierced her heart every time she thought


    of it.


    It was not because Rainee did not want to say it, but Ste might not understand it back then. She was


    often asked if she would follow Albert or Rainee if they were to divorce during the year she had to


    prepare for the college entrance exam.


    She did not take the question seriously as Rainee would ask the same question whenever Albert and


    Rainee quarreled.


    Rainee, in fact, did not want to divorce Albert. She asked Ste so she could have a suitable reason


    not to proceed with the divorce. Every time Rainee asked the same question, Ste would choose


    Albert. She would be given a happy hug and her mother would not bear to divorce.


    Those were from another time. That one time she was asked that question, it was not after Rainee and


    Albert had an argument.


    In fact, Rainee and Albert argued much lesser that particr year.


    Moreover, Rainee would not be as happy as she usually would when she heard the same answer. That


    time, she only knitted her brows and looked like something was on her mind.


    ¡®Why didn''t I notice that Mom was acting weird back then?¡¯


    Ste had flipped through the invoices umpteen times before realizing that those were in fact, records


    showing the financial loopholes in thepany. There were signatures of Albert trying to evade tax,


    unfair tenders, bribery, and even the embezzlement record of the Jewell family during those years. That


    was probably the reason why Albert had agreed to sign such an unfair divorce agreement.


    ¡®¡®Knowing father''s character, he wouldn''t willingly give up the assets he worked so hard for, even if he


    hadmitted adultery and was taking care of his illegitimate children. The divorce agreement had


    been signed, yet Mom was met with misfortune before the veryst of the divorce formalities could be


    completed. Is this just a coincidence? Did the car ident have something to do with my father? Was


    mother trying to tell me something even when she was in a dire condition?¡¯Ste felt chills piercing her


    heart. Right at that moment, her phone rang.It was a call from Marshall. She took a deep breath,


    suppressing her raging emotions, and answered with a hoarse voice, Hello."


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Marshall was surprised when he heard her current voice. "Ste, are you alright?"


    "I''m fine," replied Ste as she cleared her throat. ¡®How can I help you, Mr. Moore?"


    "Are you free to pick up Keegan? Both of US had a little too much to drink, so neither of US could


    drive"


    Ste looked at the time and realized that three hours had passed since.


    "Alright. I''ll be there in a moment. Please take care of him while I''m on my way there."


    Hanging up the phone call, Ste settled her emotions, returned everything back into the strongbox,


    and locked it before driving over to pick Keegan up.

 Chapter 388

    Chapter 388


    Chapter 388


    She did not see Keegan when she returned. Vermont was nowhere in sight. Bits and pieces of cream


    from the cake were stered messily. The venue was as noisy as before, but a lot of guests were


    already drunk.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Ste found Marshall sitting on a couch in aer. His hair was smeared with whip cream and he was


    leaning on the table for support while rubbing his temples with his eyes closed. Marshall only opened


    his eyes after Ste got closer and called out to him. His expression became warm when he raised his


    head and saw Ste. "You''re here."


    Ste nodded and asked, "Where''s Keegan?"


    "Keegan''s drunk. I brought him to rest with another person''s help. I''ll bring you to him.


    "Sorry for the trouble."


    Marshall was propped on the table trying to stand up but started wobbling. Ste noticed and quickly


    supported him. "Are you alright, Mr. Moore?"


    Hisplexion was pale and his lip was colorless. He waved and replied," My head hurts. I might have


    drank too much."


    Ste remembered that Marshall just had surgery and had symptoms of migraine. She quickly let him


    sit and said, "Take a rest. Is your medication with you? Maybe you shouldn''t have it seeing that you''re


    drunk. I''ll get you a ss of water instead."


    Not waiting for his reply, she headed to the reception to ask for some water and was soon back with


    half a ss of warm water. Marshall sipped on the water in a gentlemanly manner and Ste could only


    helplessly wait for him to finish the ss of water after a few minutes.


    Hisplexion returned after drinking the ss of water. Ste then asked, "If you still don''t feel well


    when we go back, I''ll take you to the hospital for a checkup."


    "It''s alright. It''s just an old problem. The pain wille in waves and subside after a while."


    He stood up and said, "I''ll bring you to Keegan. If he found out he was sleeping in such a messy ce,


    he would most likely blow his top. It''s better to bring him back soon."


    ¡®Mr. Moore really understands Keegan" Ste thought. Then, she replied," Then, I''ll have to trouble Mr.


    Moore to guide me to Keegan."


    When the both of them took an elevator from the bar to the hotel, Marshall asked, "Have you finished


    covering your flowerbed?"


    "Huh?" Ste paused for a moment before remembering her excuse. "Oh, yes. They''re all properly


    covered."


    Marshall smiled. "That''s a relief."


    She pondered for a while before she asked, "Mr. Moore, will a signed divorce agreement from a few


    years back still be effective if the formalities had not beenpleted?"


    "If formalities had not beenpleted, a divorce agreement is not legally binding. No matter how many


    years the agreement had been signed, iplete formalities with a signed divorce agreement will still


    render the piece of paper useless. The details of the agreement could only be in effect once formalities


    had beenpleted. What''s more, if the divorce formalities were notpleted after a long time, the


    details of the agreement might need to be revised due to the difference of financial assets then and


    now."


    Marshall was surprised and asked, "Why are you asking all this?"


    "Ah, it''s nothing. I''m just asking." Ste''s heart sank.


    Rainee had used evidence of Albert''s fraud to threaten him to sign the divorce agreement back then.


    But, ever since Rainee''s ident, Albert had full control of thepany and would have covered most


    of his tracks by now.


    Ultimately, Albert was paying for the medical bills for Rainee¡¯s treatment, which made Ste unable to


    break off the rtionship.

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    Chapter 389


    When Rainee met with the incident, Ste was still in school, so Rainee¡¯s belongings


    were all managed by Albert personally.


    During those times, Ste had tried to transfer Rainee¡¯s shares under her name so


    that she would be responsible for Rainee¡¯s medical expenses. However, everytime


    she mentioned this issue, Albert would throw a tantrum and say that she had started


    to think about dividing the family possessions.


    After Rainee was in the ident, Albert hadplete control over the Jewell family.


    As long as he would not relent, Ste would simply not find it possible to get a hair


    from him. After she married Keegan, Albert had even more reason not to give her the


    rights to it. Saying something about a married daughter was like spilled water and that


    she had butt into too much of the Jewell family¡¯s business. Hence, the Kane family


    would not be willing to see this.


    Whether or not the Kane family was willing was unknown, but Albert was definitely


    unwilling. They had earned tens of millions of dors in dowry by getting a daughter


    married. Yet, he would only gift a car with less than a million in return. How could one


    hope for him to voluntarily give up the share rights?


    Scandalous incidents such as cheating and illegitimate children weremon in their


    circle. Even if she had exposed it to the public, Albert would most likely not be afraid


    of it. For a long time, Ste had no clue how she could use these things to make


    Albert voluntarily hand over the shares that belonged to Rainee.


    Throughout the journey, she thought about it, but the elevator had reached the floor


    upstairs. Marshall brought her through a long corridor until they reached a suite door.


    He took out a room keycard and swiped the card to unlock the door. Ste then


    opened the door and entered.


    Before she could take any more steps, she suddenly discovered two stilettos


    scattered on the floor. A woman¡¯s muffled whisper could be heard from inside. Ste¡¯s


    fingers trembled, and her heart tightened immediately.


    Marshall also noticed the oddity, and his expression shifted slightly. Obviously, they


    could also guess what was happening inside. He whispered to Ste, ¡®1¡¯11 go in and


    have a look.¡±


    Ste had an indescribable expression on her face. She tightened her lips and said


    with gritted teeth. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    After she said that, she gripped her fists and walked in with giant strides. Marshall was


    worried that she would be rash, so he followed closely behind her. As they walked


    inside, another piece of a woman¡¯s jacket appeared on the floor, a man¡¯s necktie, belt


    with leather shoes¡­


    For every piece of clothing, she saw, Ste¡¯s expression dropped further until they


    went behind the partition and finally saw the scene inside clearly. Keegan had his


    eyes shut while he was lying on the bed. His shirt had three buttons unbuttoned, and


    a wide area of his chest was naked. At his side, Sophia sat there wearing her sheath


    dress. At that moment, she was bent down, trying to unbutton him. At the same time,


    another hand had already slipped onto Keegan¡¯s waist.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ste¡¯s cold voice came from behind.


    Sophia¡¯s figure froze, and she turned around to look at Ste. Then, she instantly got


    up from the bed, flustered. She said with unspeakable difficulty, ¡°My brother, brotherin-w was drunk.


    You shouldn¡¯t misunderstand.¡¯


    As she was talking, she grabbed the hems of her skirt, and there were noticeable


    scratch marks on her thighs. Any adult person would think of it in those aspects. Ste


    then stared at her coldly. Her pair of eyes were almost about to pierce through Sophia.


    This person had snatched her father¡¯s love since she was young and split off her


    mother¡¯s affection. She took her ce and possessed her resources. Now, she even


    wanted to stick her hand onto her stuff? How dare she!


    Sophia was pleased with Ste¡¯s reaction. Ste¡¯s rtionship with Keegan was


    originally rocky. With this incident, she did not believe that Ste could suppress her


    temper and not make a fuss with Keegan.


    As she was getting smug with her n, Ste suddenly walked over in big strides and


    pped her right on her face.

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    Chapter 390


    In terms of pping people, Ste was very experienced. After all, she used Sophia


    for training the whole night.


    Hence, as this p connected, it directly hit Sophia to the point where Sophia could


    hear ringing sounds in her ears.


    ¡°He got drunk, and so you got drunk too?¡± Ste had a face filled with sternness.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have any sense of discretion?¡±


    ¡°You dare to hit me!¡± Sophia held her face. She raised her hand and wanted to p


    back. Just as her hand had risen, Marshall held onto her wrists next to Ste. Taking


    this opportunity, Ste gave her another p with her backhand.


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I dare to hit you? As an older sister, is there a problem with me


    punishing my inappropriate sister? You obviously knew that he was drunk, and yet,


    you still didn¡¯t avoid him out of discretion?¡±


    After she said that, she gave Sophia another p. The strength of that p left a


    prominent mark of Ste¡¯s palm on Sophia¡¯s face. Sophia was not just stunned by the


    hits. She was also fuming from her face. Since she was little, Albert had been


    protecting her. Ste would not even dare to touch a hair on her body. She was afraid


    that Ste had gone mad today!


    She wanted to retaliate, but she could not break free from Marshall¡¯s grip. She said


    with fury, ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Marshall said nonchntly, ¡°Ms. Jewell, if you have anything to say, you should say it


    calmly. Violence would be very undignified.¡±


    Sophia was so angry that the corner of her lips was constantly twitching. ¡®If violence


    was undignified, then he should stop Ste instead. Why does he keep holding onto


    me and allow Ste to hit me? So, it was undignified for her to hit someone while


    Ste could hit others willy-nilly? How could someone possibly break a fight this way?¡¯


    Sophia thought.


    Ste had hit her with a total of five ps until her palm was starting to feel numb.


    Only then did Marshall stop her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s find out how is Keegan doing first,¡± Marshall said.


    Ste gripped her fists tightly and retracted her palm back. She gave Sophia a single


    cold nce then bent down to pick up the belt and tie on the floor.


    Sophia¡¯s face was already swollen slightly. Just as Marshall let go of her, she wanted


    to pounce on Ste and take her revenge. Marshall then reminded her unhurriedly,


    ¡°Ms.


    Jewell, if you make the incident even worse and cause it to spread, it will not benefit


    you.¡±


    Sophia¡¯s footsteps paused. Marshal then continued, ¡¯ Keegan hates being plotted


    against the most. You should use your brain a little. Think about the consequences of


    escting this incident. It¡¯s not like this incident hasn¡¯t happened before. I think you


    wouldn¡¯t want to know what happened to that person in the end.¡±


    Sophia¡¯s fingers shrunk back, and she gripped her fingers tightly. She disyed her


    p marks, gave Marshall a cruel gaze, and then picked up the coat on the floor.


    Then, she swiftly left the scene.


    Ste held back her breath and pulled Keegan¡¯s shirt in a rough way. His chest still


    had the lipstick mark left by a woman. It constantly reminded her about the things that


    the bitch Sophia had done. She grabbed Keegan¡¯s tie and wiped away the lipstick


    mark forcefully. Keegan¡¯s fair skin on his chest was immediately red all over.


    He seemed as though he was in a bit of pain, so he furrowed his brows and opened


    his eyes slightly. ¡°Ste?¡±


    ¡®Useless man! What the fuck is he crying out to me for!¡± Ste thought.


    Ste did not say a word. After she had finished wiping, she threw the tie directly into


    the rubbish bin. She then turned around and said to Marshall, ¡®Mr. Moore, could I


    trouble you to call two people outside? They can assist me with getting him in the car.¡±


    Marshall nodded his head. ¡°Wait here for a moment.¡±


    The few of them got Keegan into the car together. Ste winded her window down and


    said to Marshall, ¡°Mr. Moore, you should get in too. I¡¯ll bring you home on the way


    back.¡±


    Marshall saw that her expression seemed normal, thanked her, and got in the car.


    Ste drove the Maserati, and the vehicle had a speedy initial eleration.


    Keegan was already drunk, and the fast speed made him feel ufortable. His


    brows constantly furrowed. The mood in the car was chilly. Ste did not seem as


    calm as she had shown on the surface. The truth was that she was furious.

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    Chapter 391


    ¡°Drive slowly,¡± Marshall reminded her gently. ¡°I¡¯m not in a rush. Safety first.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ste took a deep breath and slowly slowed down the speed of the car.


    ¡°The one who should be apologizing is me.¡± Marshall said in a low tone, ¡°I should have waited in the


    room


    earlier.¡±


    Ste shook her head. ¡°If other people have decided to plot against you, no matter how many


    precautions you took against it, they would still find gaps to try and sneak into them.¡±


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    She was not blind and could see Sophia¡¯s expression whenever she saw Keegan. How could she


    possibly not know? It was all because she saw the items Rainee had left for her tonight, and at the


    same time, Sophia had purposedly tried to prod her. Hence, she exploded in anger and took action in


    front of Marshall


    ¡®The son of a bitch Keegan clearly knew that he could not stomach much alcohol. Yet, he still drank


    himself into this state and didn¡¯t even intend to take any precautions. Sophia would have been riding


    his body if I had been just a littlete! Ste thought.


    Marshall suddenly chuckled and said, ¡°I was worried that you would misunderstand Keegan earlier. I


    didn¡¯t anticipate that you would have so much confidence in him. What a waste of my worries!¡±


    Not many women could stand the scene just now. When Ste walked in, her expression changed. He


    assumed that she would have left Keegan there. He did not think that she would just teach Sophia a


    lesson and be willing to bring Keegan home.


    Ste pursed her lips and did not know how to continue the conversation. It was not that she had


    confidence in Keegan. Instead, that son of a bitch, Keegan, was impotent when he was drunk¡­


    Alcohol could seem to naturally subdue Keegan. He would get drunk after having alcohol. Not only


    would he be unconscious, but his memory would also get fuzzy.


    Duringst year¡¯s New Year¡¯s Eve, they returned to their ancestral home to have a reunion dinner. That


    year, they were newlywed, and the family had just incorporated an additional member. Cordelia was


    thrilled, so the reunion dinner prepared was veryvish. She even took out her treasured vintage wine


    for the New Year¡¯s Eve celebration.


    Keegan had only drunk two cups, while Ste, the newlywed bride, did not dare to be too impudent.


    Although her ability to hold her liquor was good, she was very restrained. After the New Year


    celebration had ended, it was already veryte. Everyone opted to stay at the ancestral home for the


    night.


    When they returned to their room, Keegan was still normal. When Ste came out from her shower.


    Keegan was still daydreaming on the edge of the bed. Ste then called him to go take a shower, and


    Keegan raised his head in a daze to look at her momentarily. Suddenly, he got up, held her, and then


    threw her on the bed.


    They were newlyweds and were still bashful when they faced these things. Especially when they were


    still in the ancestral home, which made Ste even more nervous. She whispered to Keegan, ¡°Let¡¯s do


    it when we return home. What if the others hear it¡­¡±


    Keegan, instead, did not care and started tearing up her clothes. Ste could only bury her head into


    his chest. She panted lightly while trying to coordinate with him. When all the forey was done, she


    did not see Keegan make a move for a long time. Ste was itching from all the teasing. Her calves


    hooked onto his waist and urged him in a small voice. In the end, Keegan towered over her body, was


    dumbstruck, and did not make any moves for quite a long while.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She asked in a low tone.


    Keegan lowered his head to have a look. Meanwhile, Ste followed his gaze and looked downwards


    Then, she saw Keegan Jr. drooping lifelessly.


    Ste was at a loss for words. Keegan seemed very embarrassed, and he got up and went to the


    bathroom. Ste stayed in the bed with only four words in her mind. ¡®My husband is impotent!¡±


    Keegan naturally was not impotent. She then tried a few more times and noticed that as long as


    Keegan had consumed alcohol, his abilities in that regard were utterly useless. It could be considered


    that his spirit was willing, but his flesh was weak. With only two drinks down, he would be that way. It


    would be needless to talk about it when he is drunk and unconscious in that state.

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    Chapter 392


    If Keegan would touch Sophia that way upstairs earlier, Ste would change her surname. It was


    because she knew about Keegan¡¯s stupid condition that she understood clearly that Sophia herself set


    up the plot. Even though she knew that nothing had happened, she could not help but get angry.


    Apart from being angry at that son of a bitch Keegan, her rage was also directed at the fact that he left


    an opening for others to take advantage of him. However, the more important factor for her anger came


    after she learned about Sophia¡¯s lineage. Ste naturally would not discuss this with Marshall.


    She merely said nonchntly, ¡°If married couples didn¡¯t even have that bit of trust, how could they live


    together? I have been married to him for so many years. I wouldn¡¯t go so far as to be blinded by this


    incident. I trust his integrity.¡±


    ¡®Could there be a wife as wonderful as me? Catching my husband ¡°messing around¡± with another


    woman, yet I would still say good things about him. That one billion from Keegan was well-spent! Ste


    thought.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Marshall restrained his expression and nonchntly said, ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    Then, he did not speak any further. After Ste had sent Marshall back to the Moore Mansion, she sent


    Keegan back home. Once Marshall left, Ste had no more restraint and started to speed up the car.


    Keegan was flung around, and his stomach was turned upside down. His whole body felt like it was on


    a roller coaster, with the ride¡¯s sudden left, right, ups, and downs. This continued for more than ten


    minutes until the car finally stopped.


    Maria, the housemaid, heard the honk from the car and came out to wee them. Once the car doors


    were opened, Keegan could not help but vomit. Ste did not even nce at him. She mmed the car


    door and went into the house.


    Maria could not move Keegan and finally had to make a call. She had the estate management send


    two security guards over. Only then did they manage to get Keegan into the house.


    Meanwhile, Ste was in the bathroom soaking. A loud bang came, and the door was suddenly pushed


    open, which scared her. Keegan shakily walked in with furrowed brows. He turned on the shower head


    and started to take a shower.


    However, he was taking a shower without taking off his clothes. Ste watched on with the corner of


    her eyes twitching. He did not have the capability for it, yet he still went and drank tons of alcohol. And,


    after he had finished drinking, he would not stop causing problems for everyone!


    She ignored Keegan and got out of the bathtub to put on a bathrobe after she finished bathing. As for


    Keegan, let him soak! Soaking for a bit would help him clear his head! Afterpleting her skincare


    routine, she still did not see Keegane out.


    Ste tossed and turned, as she was lying on the bed. The sound of water sshing in the bathroom


    did not stop, even though an hour had passed. Did Keegan n to wash his skin off? After another five


    minutes, Ste could not stand it anymore. So, she stood up and went to the bathroom.


    Keegan was still maintaining the same state he had when she left earlier. He had his back to the walls


    and was sitting on the floor. He let the water from the showerhead ssh onto his body. The water in


    the heater had been used up, and at that moment, the only water flowing out was cold water. Ste


    quickly closed the shower head and raised her leg to kick at Keegan.


    ¡°Can you get up?¡± Ste asked.


    Keegan raised his head and looked at her, but no words were said. His whole body was drenched, and


    his hair was drenched from water sshes. It stuck to his scalp with the corner of his eyes slightly


    drooping.


    There were even water droplets on his eyshes. The usual sharpness he had during the day had


    ebbed away. He suddenly looked like a rain-soaked puppy, and he seemed very pitiful.


    Ste crouched down and asked, ¡°Keegan, do you recognize who I am?¡±


    Keegan stared at her with a dazed expression. After a long while, he said softly, ¡°Ste.¡±


    ¡°Very good. Now, remember this for me. Don¡¯t evere home again if you dare to drink yourself into


    a stupor! Am I your servant? Do I have to clean up after you every day?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s adam¡¯s apple rolled in his throat, then he said in a low tone, ¡°You are my wife.¡±


    Ste red at him. ¡°I¡¯m your wife, but do I owe you anything?¡±


    As she said that, she pulled Keegan up and bent down to remove his shirt. His clothes were soaked


    and stuck to his body, so they were difficult to take off. Ste spent a long time and finally took the


    clothes off his body. Then, she threw a bathrobe at him.


    ¡°Wear this yourself ande out,¡± After she said that, she walked out.


    Keegan held onto the bathrobe with a thoughtful expression. Ste was exhausted but did not feel any


    drowsiness. She took her phone and tapped open Facebook. The top few searches on Facebook were


    rted to the news about Rivera. Ste tapped on the news to read it. It was a press release that


    Sophia


    had announced at her high school.

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    Chapter 393


    Sophia was still taking advantage of orphanages, making rumors, lying, and


    faking her donations. The more disgusting thing was that Albert had shared this


    Facebook post to the family group chat. He was desperately trying to make her


    go viral.


    ¡®For a person who fakes their persona to make themselves known, what


    happens if their persona crumbles?¡¯ A thought secretly sprouted deep in Ste¡¯s


    heart. She was thinking about it when her whole body suddenly sank.


    Keegan had already worn his bathrobe and came out. Then, he crushed her


    beneath his body and straightened her chin.


    Enter title¡­


    Ste furrowed her brow. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Keegan lowered his head and gave her a peck at the corner of her lips. He said


    with a low, hoarse voice, ¡® I want to have sex with you.¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words and thought, ¡®Why is Keegan so cheesy when he


    gets drunk?¡¯


    She half-heartedly rubbed the back of his head, ¡°Behave. You don¡¯t have the


    ability to do it.¡±


    After she had said that, she wanted to push him off. Instead, Keegan opted to


    stick to her. He could not be moved, and he even harshly said, ¡°I want to have


    sex with you!¡±


    ¡®What type of new drunken craze is this?¡¯ Ste thought.


    Ste was unbearably tired and nudged his shoulders, as she growled,¡± Stop


    making a fuss and go to sleep.¡±


    Keegan seemed dissatisfied with her reaction. With a bitter expression, he tore


    into her clothes. Ste was wearing actual silk pajamas. It was already a very


    thinyer, so Keegan did not use much force to tear it open.


    Then, he started to get her body aroused. Ste really did not have the strength


    to deal with him, so she allowed him to have his way. It was unknown what


    Keegan had watched, but the tricks he had today were numerous. In a short


    while, he had started to make Ste feel something.


    Keegan seemed very satisfied with this and hurriedly wanted to get down to


    business. The result naturally was no miracle. He looked at his unreactive body


    in a daze, and his eyes were filled with shock and disbelief.


    Ste, instead, was not surprised. Thankfully, Keegan would always ck out


    from being drunk. Judging from his own temper, if Keegan remembered the


    stupid look he had when he was drunk, he would have killed himself. She was


    just about to open her mouth to convince Keegan to go to sleep when suddenly


    she heard Keegan hoarsely say, ¡°I¡¯m sick.¡±


    Ste was speechless. She opened her mouth, but suddenly no words could be


    blurted out. Although Keegan¡¯s look seemed slightly pitiful, she really wanted to


    mock him spitefully. ¡°You¡¯re not sick. You¡¯ll be fine after a good sleep.¡±


    She held back her intent tough andforted him in a low voice.


    Keegan started to lie down while under herfort. He seemed hung up on the


    incident regarding his impotence when he was drunk. He had his eyes open for


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    a long time and could not sleep.


    Ste turned the bedsidemp, dimmed themp, and closed her eyes. When


    she was about to slip into her slumber, she heard Keegan softly ask,¡± Are you


    going to divorce me because of this?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Ste was in a daze. After a while, she replied, ¡°No, there are many toys


    these days. They are even better than men.¡±


    Keegan was speechless. She was in sweet slumber while Keegan was left


    tossing and turning on the side.


    At the same time, at the Jewell family¡¯s home, Sophia was carrying her red and


    swollen face and Hylda saw it once Sophia reached home.


    ¡°What happened to your face?¡± Hylda eximed.


    Sophia said harshly, ¡°That whore Ste hit me!1

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    Chapter 394


    Obviously, Sophia was afraid to tell the truth. Hylda would probably teach her a


    lesson if she knew this happened because she attempted to climb onto


    Keegan¡¯s bed. So, Sophia omitted what she had done and said, ¡°What else


    could it be? Tonight is Mr. Snyder¡¯s birthday, and everyone went to celebrate his


    birthday. Keegan was drunk, so I lent him a hand. Ste was unhappy with it.


    So, she rushed over and pped me across my face!¡±


    Hylda was furious. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you fight back?¡±


    ¡°Someone dragged me. I couldn¡¯t move at all!¡± Sophia cried and said,¡± Mom,


    you have already obtained the marriage certificate with dad. Why do


    I still have to stand for this stupidity? How long will I have to endure it!¡±


    Hylda felt annoyed too. There was a formal wedding when someone else was


    getting married, but she had to obtain the marriage certificate


    stealthily. Until now, she still had to pretend to be Albert¡¯s secretary when they


    attended those banquets every time. Hylda suffered in silence for


    over 20 years. Finally, something happened to Rainee, and Albert thought of


    getting a divorce. However, the Kane family took a liking to Ste.


    Albert¡¯s career stalled, and Ste¡¯s marriage was a great opportunity for him to


    achieve sess in a short period. Hence, he would surely want to treat Ste


    well. Ste refused to allow him to divorce Rainee. So, he immediately gave up


    the idea of divorce.


    The anticipation and forbearance of Hylda and her children for many years were


    outweighed by Ste¡¯s words. If it was not for the youngest son, who had to go


    to schoolst year and relevant procedures were needed, Albert would still be


    reluctant to divorce Rainee even if Hylda were to cry out her grievances over


    the years in front of him.


    Albert was divorced, and Hylda had obtained the marriage certificate now.


    However, the current situation was no different from before. She was still


    Albert¡¯s secret lover. Whenever Hylda thought about all of this, she felt


    depressed. It was not only her hatred toward Rainee and her daughter but also


    her dissatisfaction with Albert¡¯s indecision.


    ¡®If Ste stayed married, do we have to hide like a mouse for the rest of our


    lives? My status as Albert¡¯s wife can¡¯t be disclosed for my entire lifetime, and my


    kids are being bullied by others now. I¡¯m sick of this kind of life since long ago!¡¯


    The noise downstairs disturbed Albert in the study. He saw Sophia and Hylda


    crying on each other¡¯s shoulders when he opened the door. He frowned and


    went downstairs instantly. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Hylda wiped her tears, turned her head, and said coldly, ¡°Nothing.¡± She patted


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Sophia¡¯s shoulder as she spoke. Then, she said hoarsely, ¡°Take an ice pack and


    apply it. Don¡¯t you have a presentation tomorrow?¡±


    Sophia let out a ¡°hmm.¡¯ Then, she got up and was about to go upstairs.


    Only then did Albert see her slightly swollen face with clearly visible finger


    marks. Albert was taken aback, then his eyes narrowed. ¡°Sophia, what


    happened to your face?¡±


    Sophia said softly with reddened eyes, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I identally fell.¡±


    ¡°How can you make a p mark when you fall?¡± Albert took care of Sophia


    carefully and cherished her with his heart. She was well-behaved and sensible


    since she was a child. How could Albert see his beloved child being wronged in


    this way?


    ¡°What happened?¡± said Albert.


    Sophia turned her face away. Her voice was crying and full of grievances. ¡¯ Mom


    doesn¡¯t allow me to say it.¡±


    The more she said it that way, the more distressed Albert became. He turned to


    ask Hylda angrily, ¡°Why don¡¯t you let her say anything? She got beaten up like


    this. What can¡¯t she tell?¡±


    Hylda said with teary eyes, ¡°What can you do even if I tell you? Fight back for


    her? Do you have the guts?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Albert frowned.


    Hylda sneered. ¡°Do you have the guts to punish your precious baby girl?¡±

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    Albert was taken aback. ¡°You¡¯re saying Ste did this?¡±


    ¡°Who else I won¡¯t allow Sophia to fight back except her?¡±


    Albert frowned. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Hylda told the incident to Albert in an exaggerated manner. She said in the end, ¡±Albert, I have been


    with you for so many years. I¡¯m not afraid of any grievances. I¡¯ll take it since I decided to be with you.


    But, what did my child do wrong? She pped Sophia just because of such a trifle. Is she really angry


    because of this? She¡¯s deliberately looking for an excuse to vent her anger on Sophia!¡±


    Albert pursed his lips tightly and said nothing.


    Sophia sobbed softly, ¡°Mom, forget it. Don¡¯t put dad in a difficult position.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have endured it for so many years if I wanted to put him in a difficult position.¡± Hylda wiped


    away her tears, turned her head, and added, ¡°Go wash up. This is how our lives are.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Albert¡¯s expression calmed down when he was speaking on this topic.


    He held Hylda¡¯s hand and whispered, ¡°How can I not understand how many wrongs you have suffered


    with me? I also feel distressed for


    Sophia when she gets beaten. But, I just signed the contract with Semiconductor Technology, and it¡¯s a


    critical period now. After this passes, I¡¯ll find an excuse to bring the divorce to light and a suitable


    opportunity to give you and the kids a status aboveboard. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll ask Ste to apologize to


    Sophia for what happened today.¡±


    Hylda was full of disappointment. Albert had always been painting a rosy picture for her all these years.


    He always talked about what the future would be like. If she waited any longer, she would be old, and


    her children would not have an upright identity. Hylda could not hold her anger back. She pulled out her


    hand and said coldly,


    ¡°That¡¯s up to you.¡± After finishing, she urged Sophia, ¡°Go on. Go wash up. You have to work tomorrow.¡±


    Albert felt upset when he watched both of them leave. He pursed his lips and gave


    Ste a call. However, Ste¡¯s phone was muted, so she did not hear it.


    Ste stared at the ceiling for a while after waking up the next day. When she was about to sit up, she


    fell back down without her body leaving ten centimeters away from the bed. There was a hand across


    Ste¡¯s waist. Keegan was still asleep, but his arms were wrapped around her tightly.


    Ste pushed his hand away, turned over, and took her phone. Albert called her three timesst night,


    but she never picked up. So, he left a message for Ste and asked her to call him back after she saw


    it.


    Ste sneered. ¡®I pped Sophia a few timesst night, and she definitely couldn¡¯t take it. Albert called


    me probably to me me for what happened yesterday. Hees to me before I go to him. They want


    to get even with me? Just wait right there.¡¯


    Ste got up and called Felicity. She let the incidentst night go to her head until she had forgotten


    that Felicity was still there. And, Ste promised to bring her home before. Although Felicity would not


    hold grudges, she still had to exin herself.


    The phone rang for a long time, and no one answered.


    ¡®She should have been awake at this hour.¡¯


    Ste pursed her lips and dialed again. This time, someone else picked up when the phone was about


    to stop ringing. ¡°Hello.¡±


    A deep and hoarse male voice came from the other end of the phone.


    Ste was stunned. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    As soon as she finished, there was a rustling sound on the other end of the phone.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Then, Felicity¡¯s voice came in a panic. ¡°Ste?¡±


    Ste felt a little weird and said, ¡°Who answered the phone just now?¡±

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    ¡°Who? Nobody. It¡¯s just the hotel clerk. I left my phone in the room,¡± Felicity exined instantly. Her


    voice sounded a bit hoarse. Ste¡¯s face was full of suspicion. ¡°Hotel? Did you stay in a hotelst


    night? w


    ¡°Yep,¡± Felicity cleared her throat. ¡°I drank too muchst night. It was veryte, so I stayed in a hotel.¡±


    ¡°Oh. It¡¯s fine if you stay in a hotel. Keegan was drunkst night, and something happened at the scene.


    That¡¯s why I forgot to call you, and I was worried about how you would go back.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m fine.¡± Felicity¡¯s voice sounded strange as if she was straining and struggling.


    When Ste was about to ask her again, Felicity said, ¡°The cab I booked is here. I have to hang up


    now. I¡¯ll contact youter.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Felicity looked down at the man under her whose mouth was held tightly


    by her. She gritted his teeth and said, ¡°You bastard! You¡¯re a piece of shit! What have you done to me!¡±


    Vermont¡¯s mouth and nose were covered by Felicity, and his eyes almost rolled back into his head.


    ¡®What did this woman eat when she was growing up? Why is she so strong?¡¯


    It took Vermont a lot of effort to push Felicity¡¯s hand away from his mouth. After taking a breath, he


    looked at the woman in front of him.


    She was an average-looking woman but had a nice figure. She only wore a slip and was sitting on his


    waist now. There were light red marks everywhere on her shoulders and chest. It was pure and sassy


    with her angry expression. However, Vermont was unfamiliar with this face. He could not remember


    when he had known this person for a while. So, he frowned and said, ¡°What did I do to you?¡±


    ¡°Why are you still asking!¡± Felicity was furious. She wielded a pillow and threw it on his head, ¡°You


    pieces of shit! It¡¯s fine if you messed with others, but why did you mess with me? Am I someone you


    can just mess around with!¡±


    Vermont was a little annoyed by her beating. He grabbed the pillow, gritted his teeth, and said, ¡°Get


    your fact straight! This is my room. I haven¡¯t even asked how did you climb on my bed!¡±


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°How should I know? It must be you, the asshole who lured me in because you have thoughts of


    aggression with my beauty.¡±


    The corners of Vermont¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡°I have thoughts of aggression with your beauty? Are you that


    beautiful?¡±


    These words annoyed Felicity even more. ¡®Would you have left your marks on me if I¡¯m not pretty? You


    son of a bitch! You didn¡¯t care for anything when you were in need!¡±


    Vermont had never been scolded a piece of shit, bastard, asshole, and son of a bitch his entire life up


    till now.


    ¡®Damn! How bad does this woman think I am!¡¯ Vermont thought.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that the society ruled byw can¡¯t control you. You just wait. I¡¯ll call the police now and


    sue you for rape!¡±


    ¡°I beg you to call the police immediately!¡± Vermont was furious. ¡°You¡¯re a gangster! I don¡¯t know who is


    taking advantage of who!¡¯


    Felicity had already got up. However, she turned her head and kicked on Vermont¡¯s waist when she


    heard his words, ¡°I want to see how stubborn you can be after the policee here!¡±


    Vermont grimaced at the pain. He clutched his waist and wished he could throw Felicity down the


    window!


    The door of the guest room was knocked on as soon as Felicity dialed the phone.


    Doctor Steven¡¯s voice came from outside when she was about to open the door.


    ¡°Vermont, are you awake?¡±


    Felicity was shocked.


    When Vermont was about to speak, Felicity, who was about to leave, turned back at some point. She


    rushed forward and covered his mouth with a ferocious face.


    ¡®Again!¡¯ Vermont screamed in his mind.


    Felicity gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I can let you go. But, if you dare to talk nonsense and ruin my


    reputation, I¡¯ll let you be a eunuch for the rest of your life!¡±


    Vermont was speechless.


    Felicity had great strength. Vermont was a strong man who was about six feet tall.


    However, he could not get her off from him. It was not that he could not use brute force, but because


    she had short legs. He was afraid that he would throw her away if he exerted his strength. So, he


    pointed to his mouth, stretched out his index finger, and waved it. It indicated that he would not say


    anything and asked her to let go of him.

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    Felicity stared at Vermont. In the end, she let go of him after confirming repeatedly.


    ¡°Vermont?¡± Doctor Steven raised his voice. ¡°Are you awake?¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m awake.¡± Vermont cleared his throat and said loudly, ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Doctor Steven said, ¡°You left your phone in the barst night. They delivered it here. Open the door


    and get it.¡±


    Felicity stared at him threateningly. ¡°Ask Doctor Steven to put the phone by the door!¡±


    Vermont put on his coat and nced at her. ¡°Do you think he won¡¯t suspect a thing if I ask him to put it


    by the door?¡±


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Of course, Felicity realized that her solution would show the signs of a guilty person giving himself


    away by consciously protesting his innocence. There were clearly some problems if a person was


    afraid to open the door to get his phone.


    Suddenly, Felicity had no idea what to do next. The door was facing the bed, and everything could be


    seen at a nce in this kind of standard room. If she hid in the bathroom and Vermont, the bastard


    talked nonsense in front of Doctor Steven, she would not be able to stop it in time.


    Vermont gave a suggestion when he saw that she was convinced. ¡°How about this?You hide behind


    the door when I open the doorter. That way, he can¡¯t see you, and you can hear what I say to him.¡¯


    ¡°What if you¡¯re lying?¡¯


    Vermont nced at her, ¡°I want to save face too, okay? Wouldn¡¯t it be embarrassing for me to have


    thoughts of aggression with your beauty?¡±


    The corner of Felicity¡¯s mouth twitched, and she kicked his calf. Vermont took precautions and avoided


    her kick easily.


    ¡°Vermont?¡± Doctor Steven shouted outside again.


    Vermont said, ¡°Just a minute. I¡¯m getting dressed.¡¯ After speaking, he looked at Felicity and said, ¡°Go.¡±


    Felicity followed him to the door suspiciously, and Vermont opened the door.


    Steven was outside answering the message with his head lowered. He was stunned when he saw the


    red marks on Vermont¡¯s chest. Then, heughed, ¡°Did you have a good timest night?¡±


    ¡°Just so-so.¡± Vermont took the phone and said, ¡°I was scratched by a cat all night.¡±


    The corner of Felicity¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡®Then, why don¡¯t you get scratched to death!¡¯


    ¡°Which cat?¡± Steven chuckled softly, ¡°Is it this wild?¡±


    Vermont raised his eyes and said, ¡°A ck Cat Detective.¡±


    Felicity was left speechless.


    Steven put his hand to his lips and smiled for a long time. ¡°Did the cat run away?¡¯


    ¡°The cat?¡± Vermont nced at Felicity, who was at the door. He raised the corners of his lips when he


    saw her frightened look. ¡°The cat is hiding.¡±


    Steven then said, ¡°I feel like I really want to meet her after listening to what you said.¡±


    ¡°Meet her¡­¡± Vermont felt his sleeves being pulled as soon as he opened his mouth.


    When he turned his head, he saw Felicity grabbing his sleeves and looking at him with reddened eyes.


    It seemed as though she was about to cry in the next second.


    Vermont looked at those eyes. Suddenly, he recalled a woman who hugged him and would not let go


    as soon as he came to talk with Stevenst night. Was she not the woman in front of him?


    After thinking for a while, he realized that Felicity did not want Steven to know about her rtionship


    with him. With Vermont¡¯s bad habits in the past, he would normally do whatever he wanted, even when


    it was not allowed. But today, for some reason, he could not rebel all of a sudden when she saw Felicity


    with her reddened eyes and clutching his sleeve gently.


    Vermont paused. Then, he pursed his lips and said, ¡°Let¡¯s forget it. The cat is timid. What if it gets


    stressed?¡±

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    Chapter 398


    Steven only thought that Vermont wanted to protect the woman. So, he stopped teasing and left by


    saying, ¡°There¡¯s something I need to do in the hospital.¡±


    After Vermont closed the door, he saw Felicity lowering her eyes with a depressed look.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± said Vermont.


    Felicity looked at him warily. ¡°Why do you want to know?¡±


    Vermont was speechless toward her reaction and tly said, ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s not important.¡± As he said


    that, he took out a check from his leather jacket, signed it, and handed it to Felicity. ¡°If you think the


    price is okay, we can settle this privately. If it¡¯s not, we can settle this through legal means.¡±


    Two hundred thousand was written on the check.


    Felicity¡¯s face kept changing. She raised her leg and kicked him the next second.


    Vermont had been kicked so many times by her. He would surely learn the lesson.


    When he saw Felicity raise her leg, he quickly grabbed her ankle with his hand. He exerted himself,


    grabbed her leg, and pushed her onto the bed. He said with a sullen face, ¡°Listen, I would never do


    anything bad to women. But, if you make me angry, I won¡¯t be a gentleman.¡±


    Felicity was wearing shorts, and her legs were pressed to her chest by Vermont. Her posture was


    embarrassing and shameful.


    Then, Vermont saw mottled red marks on her inner thighs at a nce, which looked as though it was


    dried blood. Vermont was stunned for a while. Then, he looked at the bed sheet, and there were also


    many red marks on it. He looked at Felicity with his head down.


    Felicity¡¯s eyes were red. When she thought of how she was messed up by Vermont, the piece of shit,


    and insulted with money in person, she could not help but feel sad.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Her nose twitched, and she cried with a ¡°waah.¡±


    Vermont was left speechless. ¡®I didn¡¯t even push her that hard.¡¯


    Felicity wept beautifully. She said as she cried, ¡°I¡¯ve never even been in a rtionship yet. Finally, I met


    someone I love. But, before I confessed my love, I had sex with you. It¡¯s fine to have sex, but you use


    money to humiliate me. Did you lose anything? No, I¡¯m the one who suffers! You bastard, piece of shit,


    why am I so unlucky.¡±


    Felicity beat Vermont¡¯s chest as she spoke. Actually, the force she exerted was light.


    However, it made Vermont feel ufortable.


    When it came to matters of emotion, they were always consensual. If unwillingness was shown, it


    would be meaningless.


    Vermont disliked forcing others too. But,st night was really an ident. He could not even remember


    how he got back to his room. When he just woke up, he did suspect that this woman climbed onto his


    bed on purpose and tried to extort something from him. However, she was frightened like a bird startled


    by a bowshot when the door knocked. She was afraid that others would know that she was in his room.


    If it was a trick, she must have trumpeted it.


    Felicity cried hard and kept sobbing. It made Vermont feel as if he was taking advantage of others. He


    coughed and softened his voice unconsciously. ¡°How do you want to solve it?¡±


    ¡°You suck¡­¡±


    Vermont covered her mouth and said with a dark face. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Steven toe back if you curse again!¡±


    Felicity became quiet after she heard that. But, the eyes that stared at Vermont were filled with anger


    and humiliation.


    Just as Vermont let go, Felicity directly opened her mouth and bit his palm. He was in pain and almost


    threw her out. She let go and stared at Vermont viciously before he could push her. ¡°If you talk about


    today¡¯s incident outside and if any strange rumors reach Doctor Steven¡¯s ears, I¡¯ll kill you! That way,


    you won¡¯t be able to mess with any other women for the rest of your life!¡±


    Vermont was speechless.


    Felicity pushed him away, picked up her clothes, put them on, and left with her things.


    Vermont rubbed his temples. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have been this drunkst night.¡¯


    He took a shower, tidied up, and then left the room. Vermont went downstairs. After much deliberation,


    he went to the hotel surveince room to check the security cameras. Vermont was silent when he saw


    the two of them entering the room together, holding each other.


    ¡®I really lured her in,¡¯ he thought.


    Unlike his usual self, he felt guilty when he thought of the blood on Felicity¡¯s leg.

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    Chapter 399


    Meanwhile, a pack of prop blood used in filmingy under the bed.


    When Keegan woke up, Ste was sitting in the living room holding aptop, working on something.


    He had a bad headache due to the hangover fromst night¡¯s drink.


    When the new housekeeper, Maria, saw Keeganing downstairs, she warmly greeted him. ¡°Sir,


    please have some ginger lemon tea. Madam asked me to make it. I¡¯ve kept it warm.¡±


    Keegan nodded after ncing at Ste who was sitting on the sofa. Maria immediately went to the


    kitchen to serve the ginger lemon tea and brought it out.


    He took a sip and walked behind the sofa with the mug in his hand.


    Ste had her legs crossed, with aptop on herp. As soon as Keegan leaned over, she quickly


    closed theptop.


    ¡°Keegan¡­¡±


    He paused for a moment, ¡°Did you¡­ pick me upst night?¡±


    Ste nced at him and replied, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Keegan touched his chest. ¡°What did you do to me? Why is it so red here?¡±


    Ste¡¯s eye twitched as she thought, ¡®He haspletely forgotten it, huh?¡¯ She then asked, ¡°Did you


    really forget everything?¡±


    Keegan frowned. ¡°What did I forget?¡±


    Ste thought, ¡®I should have filmed him in his embarrassing state when he was drunkst night.¡¯


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°You really have no recollection of what happened after you were drunk?¡± asked Ste again.


    Keegan frowned and pondered for a long while. He could only recall Vermont handing him a cocktail,


    and everything after that was a blur. In the haze, he seemed to have vaguely seen Ste¡¯s face. She


    was taking off his clothes while she spoke, but he could not hear what she was saying.


    At this point, Keegan¡¯s gaze had deepened a bit, and there was a hint of inexplicable meaning in his


    eyes as he looked at Ste. ¡°It¡¯s not that I have no recollection at all,¡±


    Keegan said.


    Ste was a bit surprised. She thought, ¡®He can piece together the memory fragments now? Did he


    evolve after getting drunk so many times?¡¯ She asked, ¡°So¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you like me better when I¡¯m drunk?¡± Keegan suddenly asked out of the blue.


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    Keegan continued, ¡°When I was drunk, you did things that you wouldn¡¯t normally dare to do.¡± He


    nced at his own chest and said indifferently,¡± You have quite the strength.¡±


    Ste¡¯s mouth twitched. She snarled inwardly, ¡®Did he think that the redness on his chest was my


    doing? What exactly does he remember?¡¯


    Seeing her silence, Keegan became even more convinced of his guess. As he vaguely remembered


    some other scenes, his blood boiled.


    Ste opened her mouth, but she did not say anything for a while. Finally, she said, ¡°I do like it when


    you are drunk.¡±


    Keegan had a look of ¡°I knew it¡± on his face.


    The next moment, Ste said, ¡°When you were drunk, although you were not good in the bed, you


    were much cuter.¡±


    Keegan froze.


    Ste picked up herptop and stood up. ¡°You¡¯re a himbo when you¡¯re drunk. How charming.¡±


    As soon as Ste went upstairs, Albert called. Ste saw the caller ID, and her face darkened.

 Chapter 400

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 400


    Chapter 400


    Ste walked all the way to the rooftop on the second floor while holding her phone and finally


    answered the call.


    ¡°Ste, why did you only answer my call now? Didn¡¯t you see the message I sent youst night?¡±


    ¡°I saw it,¡±¡® Ste replied in a t tone.


    Albert frowned. ¡°If you saw it, then why didn¡¯t you call me back?¡±


    ¡°Dad, why were you so anxious to find me in the middle of the night? Is it about me hitting Sophia?¡±


    Albert was taken aback. He did not expect Ste to be so direct.


    He pursed his lips and said, ¡°You and Sophia never fought when you were kids. What made you hit her


    like this?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Sophia tell you?¡± Ste asked.


    ¡°She said Keegan was drunk and she helped him up, but you got upset. Is this really worth it? Keegan


    is her brother-inw. She can¡¯t possibly have other ulterior motives. She just wanted to help.¡±


    Ste chuckled, ¡°She just helped him up? Is that what Sophia told you?¡±


    Albert felt uneasy when he heard her coldughter because her tone was too much like Rainee¡¯s.


    ¡°Then, what¡¯s the reason?¡± he asked.


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    Ste¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°Do you remember the rabbit I had when I was a child?¡±


    Albert furrowed his brows. Obviously, he did not remember it.


    ¡°On my birthday, my ssmate gave me a rabbit as a gift. Sophia liked it and wanted to have it. But, I


    didn¡¯t give it to her, so you let it out to let her y with it when I wasn¡¯t home. In the end, the rabbit was


    run over by a car on the street.¡±


    Albert vaguely recalled the incident. He could not remember the details, but he remembered Ste


    crying with swollen eyes when she brought the dead rabbit back home.


    ¡°Since we were young, there wasn¡¯t anything Sophia wanted that you didn¡¯t give her, even if it was


    mine,¡± said Ste.


    Albert¡¯s expression changed, and he softened histone. ¡°That incident was indeed my negligence, but


    Sophia didn¡¯t do it intentionally. The rabbit was running around everywhere. How could a little child like


    her keep an eye on it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sophia was young at that time, so I tolerated her. How about now? She¡¯s twenty-three. Is she still


    young? When Keegan was drunk on the bed, she stripped herself naked and climbed on the bed. Does


    she really think I don¡¯t know her disgusting thoughts? And, you came to question me on her behalf


    about why I hit her? I even wanted to kill her! How dare she? What right does a bastard child like her


    have to steal what belongs to me?¡±


    Albert¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Who are you calling a bastard child?¡±


    Ste sneered, ¡°What else would you call it? Who would abandon a normal child at an orphanage? Did


    we owe her for adopting her? Or, maybe in your heart, a bastard child is more important than your own


    daughter?¡±


    Albert¡¯s face darkened. Every time Ste said ¡°bastard child¡±, it was like a p on his face. Yet, he


    could not open his mouth to admit that Sophia was his biological daughter.


    He was filled with anger as he said, ¡°You grew up together since your childhood. Isn¡¯t it too much for


    you to say that? And, why would Sophia do something so out of line? Even if you saw it with your own


    eyes, how do you know it wasn¡¯t Keegan who made the move first? With the difference in strength


    between men and women, if Keegan tried to assault her, could she resist?¡±


    Ste almostughed at his words.


    He was really doing his best to defend Sophia. In his heart, Sophia, his illegitimate daughter, was


    innocent, pure, and chaste. Even if she did something out of line, it must have been the other party who


    made the first move.

 Chapter 401

    Chapter 401


    Chapter 401


    Parental favoritism could be very extreme.


    "Since you think it''s Keegan''s fault, why don''t you bring Sophia to our house and confront Keegan to


    see if I said a single lie to frame her?" Ste said.


    Albert was taken aback and nced at Sophia, whose face had darkened beside him. He began to


    doubt what she had told him. He took a deep breath and said in a soft voice, "HI investigate it."


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    "Wait a minute," Ste stopped him and cut to the chase. "Dad, when are you nning to transfer the


    donation to the welfare home?"


    Albert paused for a moment and pursed his lips before he replied, "Thepany''s revenue has


    declined this year, and we can''t support the welfare home anymore. I''ve already contacted the city


    government to see if the welfare home can apply for subsidies."


    Ste''s expression grew solemn. "The funds for the welfare homee from Mom''s share of the


    company''s property. Even if revenue continues to decline, can''t thepany afford a monthly donation


    of a hundred thousand dors? If you can''t manage it, why not consult awyer to transfer Mom''s


    shares to me? I can take on the responsibility of supporting the welfare home each month."


    Albert''s face immediately turned sour upon hearing this. "Your mother¡¯s medical expenses are tens of


    thousands per month, and the cost is nearly tens of millions per year. Do you think our family is as rich


    as the Kane family? Just paying for her medical expenses is already difficult enough for me. How can I


    have spare money to support any welfare home?"


    Ste sneered and thought, ¡®He didn''t even mention the transfer of shares. If thepany was in a


    state where it really couldn''t afford to donate the money, he would have quickly passed this hot potato


    to me! The only reason he¡¯s reluctant to give me those shares is because there''s profit.


    Rainee worked so hard to get those incriminating evidence against Albert, and he signed an almost


    clean break agreement. How can I watch him and his bastard child steal thepany''s wealth? If he


    won''t give it to me, fine, I''ll take it myself!¡¯


    Upon seeing Ste remain silent for a while, Albert said, "Ste, your mother''s health is the priority.


    We''re already struggling to take care of ourselves. Do we have the energy to worry about the welfare


    home''s survival? This is a matter for the government to handle. Do ordinary people like us have to


    worry about it? I know you used to volunteer at the welfare home with your mother and have an


    emotional connection with it, but we should consider our own abilities."


    Ste thought to herself, ¡®When he got tax exemptions for hispany by donating to the welfare


    home, why didn''t he say that it was the government''s matter? He uses what benefits him and discards


    what doesn''t. How selfish! Why does he have to be my father?"


    When Ste came out of the rooftop, Keegan had already finished tidying up and was in the foyer


    putting on his tie.


    "You''re going out?" Ste asked him, as she thought to herself, ¡®It''s already past ten. If Keegan is going


    to work, he wouldn''t go thiste. At this hour, he''ll mostly be in the study working."


    "Yeah," Keegan said tly. "There''s a recruitment talk at Trinity University this afternoon that I need to


    attend."


    "Recruitment talk..." Ste''s expression changed slightly.


    Suddenly, she approached Keegan and took the tie out of his hand, then wrapped it around his neck


    while standing on tiptoes. As she tied the knot, she asked, "Can Ie with you?"


    Keegan looked down at her and asked, "You want to go?"


    "Trinity University is also my alma mater. I haven''t been back in so many years, and I have nothing to


    do today. So, I want to visit the ce," Ste said softly with a gentle voice and her eyshes cast a


    faint shadow on her cheeks. "Take me with you, okay?"

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    Chapter 402


    Keegan was a typical person who could be swayed by a gentle approach and not by forceful


    persuasion. If Ste had talked to him like she usually did, he might not have agreed so quickly.


    However, as soon as she lowered her voice, Keegan had no thoughts of refusal.


    Once Keegan agreed, Ste went upstairs to pack.


    Keegan waited downstairs for more than half an hour. Just when he was getting impatient and wanted


    Maria to go upstairs to urge Ste, she came down.


    Ste was wearing a ck V-neck dress that flowed down to her feet. Her hair was styled in big waves


    that gently fell on her shoulders, making it look shiny and luscious.


    As she walked down the stairs, she raised her head slightly, revealing a delicate face. Even without any


    jewelry, her face was enough to make people feel dazzled.


    She was wearing high heels and walked slowly toward Keegan, linking her arm with his and smiling


    softly. ¡®Let''s go."


    Ste was not overdressed, but with that face, she had an air of elegance that made her stand out no


    matter what she wore.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Her beauty was always striking, just like her personality.


    When Aldor came to pick up Keegan and Ste, he saw them walking hand in hand, looking very


    harmonious. For a moment, he thought he was seeing things. He wondered, "Has Mr. Kane finally


    come to his senses?"


    Without thinking further, Aldor got off the car and opened the door.


    After they got in the car, Aldor asked, "Madam, where are you going? I''ll take you there."


    Ste replied, "I''m going to Trinity University with Keegan."


    Aldor suddenly remembered that Ste was also a graduate of Trinity University.


    Ste''s stunning appearance was deceptive, coupled with her carefree personality, making it difficult for


    people to associate her with Trinity University.


    Trinity University was highly selective. If one could not consistently rank in the top ten in the province in


    mock exams, there was little chance of getting in. Even for art students, the academic requirements


    were high.


    ording to Aldor''s memory of Ste''s profile, her general score was 631 points. Without including her


    professional courses, this score would easily qualify her for any university in Rivera, except for Trinity


    University. If her professional courses were factored in, her score would be so far ahead of second


    ce. In her own field of expertise, Ste was an exceptionally talented individual. There were plenty of


    outstanding youngdies from wealthy families in Rivera, but there were very few as modest as Ste.


    She was so modest that everyone except those closest to her thought that she had graduated from a


    third-rate university.


    The recruitment talk was at three in the afternoon, so Keegan had to finish up some pressing work at


    the office beforehand. Therefore, Aldor took them to the Vinci Rivera Group building first.


    After Ste''s several visits there, the employees had be familiar with her. Now, everyone in the


    company, including the janitors, knew that Keegan had a gorgeous-looking wife and assumed that she


    was just an " eye candy¡¯ with a pretty face. At first, Ste had resisted being called an " eye candy", but


    now she had grown ustomed to it. She thought to herself that even if she was just an "eye candy",


    she would be the most expensive one.


    While Keegan was busy, Ste sat on the couch with her head down, reading something. The book in


    front of her was ¡®World History". She was like a painting when she did not talk.


    While Keegan was working, he asionally nced at her and found her quite pleasing to the eye. He


    thought, ''She should read more books to cultivate her character and stop wasting time on those


    shallow short videos"


    Keegan was very efficient at work. He finished handling the backlogged documents in less than two


    hours. After that, he stretched his neck and limbs before looking at Ste.


    She was still engrossed in her book with a serious expression on her face. She smiled asionally as


    if she was getting into the content.


    Keegan got up and walked toward her. Although his presence was strong, his footsteps were so light


    that Ste did not notice him until he stood right in front of her.

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    Chapter 403


    Keegan could not help but be curious when he saw Ste so engrossed in a book. ¡®Is she really that


    fascinated by a book about world history? What chapter is she in?'' He leaned in closer, and then his


    lips twitched.


    He noticed that there was a phone tucked in the book that Ste had spread out. On the screen of the


    phone was a livestream video of a male inte celebrity.


    That man''s tank top was drenched with sweat, indicating that he had just finished a strenuous workout.


    The light shone off his glistening body and face. Although Keegan could not make out what the man


    was saying, a stream of "yes"ments flooded the live chat. Ste, on the other hand, repeatedly hit


    the "like" button on the screen. Suddenly, that man began to remove his tank top.


    Keegan was at a loss for words. ¡®I thought she was reading to cultivate herself, but she''s watching


    this?¡¯ With a scowl, he took the book away from her. The phone, which had been leaning against the


    book, fell onto Ste''sp.


    Ste finally came back to her senses and took off her earphones. "Are you done with your work?"


    Keegan did not say a word. Instead, he picked up her phone, unfollowed the inte celebrity for her,


    and then blocked that ount with one tap.


    Ste was speechless. "Keegan, you''re way too controlling! You seriously want to dictate who I follow?"


    Keegan nced at her and said, "You shouldn''t watch these kinds of shallow videos too much. They''re


    not doing any favors for your intellect."


    "Are videos of people dancing considered shallow now? Tell me, what ounts do you follow that


    aren''t shallow?" she retorted, snatching Keegan''s phone from his hand and shaking it teasingly. With


    Keegan''s finger, she unlocked it andunched the short video app.


    Surprisingly, Keegan did not stop her. He simply watched her actions and said in a calm voice, "The


    ounts I follow are at least better than the ones you''re following."


    "I don''t believe you," Ste said, clicking on his following list. To her surprise, he only followed one


    ount, which was hers. Ste was stunned. Keegan spoke in a t tone, "At least the ones I follow


    have substance, unlike the ones you follow, which are just empty shells."


    Ste was speechless. Her slight touchy feeling was instantly shattered by Keegan''s words.


    "How was it?" Keegan muttered. "Aren''t they better than what you''ve been paying attention to?"


    Ste gritted her teeth and threw her phone at him.


    Just as he was about to retort, somebody knocked on the door.


    Keegan straightened up and said, "Come in."


    Sophia walked into the room holding a file, but when she saw Ste, she was caught off guard. Her


    cheeks began to ache again, and she struggled to maintain herposure.


    Suppressing her anger, Sophia lowered her voice and said, "Hello, Mr. Kane. Ste, you''re here."


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Ste smirked. Sometimes Ste had to admire Sophia''s resilience. For years, Sophia had been hiding


    in Ste''s family as an adopted daughter, carefully concealing the fact that she was Albert''s illegitimate


    daughter. Ste had to give Sophia credit for her endurance in keeping up such a charade.


    Sophia was smarter than Aurora. Even though Ste had just pped herst night, Sophia was still


    able to greet Ste in front of Keegan calmly. Keegan asked, "What do you want?"


    "The speech draft for the recruitment talk in the afternoon is ready. I was hoping you could take a look


    and see if there''s anything that needs to be changed," Sophia said, handing him the file.


    Keegan did not take it. Instead, he replied, ¡®Jackson is in charge of reviewing the speech draft. Go find


    him."


    "He already read it, and he said this is a very important event at Trinity University and that you should


    personally read it to avoid any mistakes." Keegan frowned. He then reached out and took the file.


    Sophia''s speech draft was not much different from thepany''s previous ones, except there was an


    excessive focus on promoting her own achievements. Her personal growth story took up almost half of


    the over 10,000-word draft.

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    Chapter 404


    Keegan disapproved of the speech because it contained personal content, and Sophia seemed more


    focused on promoting herself than thepany or project.


    Being a popr influencer, she knew how to leverage her strengths. Following the first two recruitment


    talks, Sophia''s personal social media ount experienced a surge of tens of thousands of followers.


    The news and popr topics also started to revolve around her more frequently.


    However, this was not a good thing. It could make Sophia''s image entangled with the Vinci Rivera


    Group. Over time, people would start to associate her personal image with the Vinci Rivera Group''s


    reputation.


    If she could maintain this "perfect" image, that would be fine. But, humans were prone to making


    mistakes, and it was impossible to always maintain an immacte reputation. Any slip-up or wrong


    move could tarnish her reputation and make people jump to conclusions.


    Keegan pursed his lips and picked up a pen to strike out the long paragraphs of Sophia''s personal


    growth story and emotionally charged content. He only kept the parts that were relevant to the theme.


    After he had finished reviewing the speech, Keegan handed the document to Sophia and said, "This


    will do."


    Sophia nced at it and her expression changed slightly. "Mr. Kane, don''t you feel that you''ve removed


    too much of the content?" she asked.


    Keegan looked at her but did not say anything.


    Sophia exined, "The speech for the two previous recruitment talks was simr to this one, and it was


    very effective. Jackson was very satisfied, and he even asked me to add more content to it. If we


    remove all this, the speech won''t meet the minimum duration."


    Keegan''s indifferent response was, "If you''ve already made up your mind about it, then why bother


    asking me to review it?"


    Sophia was taken aback. She hade to see if Keegan remembered what had happened the


    previous night, and she also wanted to seek his approval for her skill. She was confident about her


    speech, given the sess of the previous two recruitment talks. However, Keegan''splete rejection


    of her speech draft caught her off guard. Moreover, Ste was there, and Keegan seemed to have no


    memory of what had happened the previous night.


    "Is there anything else?" Keegan asked in a cold tone.


    Sophia regained herposure and said, "No. That''s all from me."


    "The recruitment talk this afternoon is crucial," Keegan continued. "You should be careful with what you


    say. The way you present yourself during the presentation reflects thepany''s image. Look at your


    face now, how much bigger is itpared to thest session?"


    "Pfft!" Ste spat out the tea she was drinking.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sophia''s face turned pale and red in the same instant as she struggled to maintain herposure. She


    cursed inwardly, ¡®Did I get my face swollen from overeating? No. It''s that bitch who did this to me!"


    Ste put down her cup and walked over, carefully examining Sophia''s face.


    In fact, Sophia''s face looked much better than yesterday. Sophia already had a round face, and Ste''s


    p had turned her round face into a t one. So, even though the swelling had somewhat subsided,


    Sophia''s face still looked one sizerger than usual.


    Ste gloated, "Honey, the food at the cafeteria in yourpany must be really good. Sophia just


    joined thepany, and she has already put on some weight."


    Keegan nced at her and said, "Even if the food is good, it should be eaten in moderation."


    Sophia looked embarrassed and could not stand to stay another second. She muttered, Okay" and


    stormed out with her speech draft. Her anger quickened her footsteps.


    Ste turned her gaze away nonchntly and silently thought to herself" Sophia, you better not


    disappoint me, or this show won''t be worth watching.


    The recruitment talk at Trinity University was a highly anticipated and grand event, not only for the Vinci


    Rivera Group but also for the university itself.

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    Chapter 405


    Trinity University not only value this project, but they also weed Keegan, one of its esteemed


    alumni.


    Year after year, the Vinci Rivera Group recruited a multitude of talented individuals, with many of them


    being Trinity University graduates. Thepany not only provided job opportunities but also sponsored


    promising students to study abroad, ensuring that exceptional talents remain in Hustuabourg. This had


    been vital in elevating the reputation of Trinity University.


    Around one in the afternoon, Ste and Keegan left thepany in a car and arrived at Trinity


    University within a mere twenty minutes.


    A huge banner hung at the campus entrance read ¡®Wee back, our shining star, Keegan - let''s


    make the ¡®Rising Star¡¯ project shine". Even the nts at the entrance were trimmed into a bear shape,


    bowing in a weing gesture. The campus gate was wide open, and many students were holding


    their phones to take pictures of the passing cars.


    Despite having graduated years ago, Keegan remained an iconic figure at Trinity University. Every


    year, during the opening convocation, the university¡¯s top officials would mention Keegan''s name for


    publicity, making him an annual sensation among new students.


    Ste was once a devoted fan of Keegan, and a post she had seen on the campus forum years ago


    came back to her. [What would you do if you could marry your college idol?]


    Her answer was simple. [If he would marry me, I''d forsake all meat for ten long years. ]


    Ste nced at Keegan beside her and realized that after marrying him, she had lost the interest she


    once had in him.


    However, Ste felt a bit jealous of Keegan. Despite both of them being Trinity University alumni, she


    could not bring herself to contact her lecturers when shepared herckluster aplishments to


    Keegan''s impressive ones. She feared that her ownck of sess would tarnish the reputation of


    their esteemed alma mater.


    The best thing about returning to campus for Ste was regaining her lostpetitive spirit. She


    silently challenged herself. She was determined to improve her credentials so that the next time she


    came to the university, she would not be overshadowed by Keegan.


    The Vinci Rivera Group had sent a sizable delegation to the event, with five cars arriving at the campus


    entrance. However, vehicles were not permitted on campus except in designated parking areas, so the


    group parked their cars and made their way on foot. Alongside those directly involved in the recruitment


    talk, there was also personnel responsible for registering recruit info and promoting thepany on-


    site. The recruitment talk was Jackson''s responsibility. But, one of the university''s top officials was


    acquainted with Keegan, so he went straight to Keegan upon their arrival.


    "Keegan, long time no see."


    Keegan shook hands with him and replied, "Good to see you, Mr. Jackman."


    Mr. Jackman was Keegan''s former lecturer and had risen to the position of Vice President at the


    university. Keegan was his favorite student. The two had plenty to catch up on when they finally


    reunited. He chatted with Keegan for a long time,pletely ignoring Jackson and Sophia who had


    arrived in a separate car. Jackson wore a serious and gloomy expression, feeling left out.


    After Mr. Jackman had finished his pleasantries, only then did he recall the presence of another Mr.


    Kane and the speaker, Sophia. He turned to wee them. However,pared to the warmth he


    showed Keegan, his wee to them was more for formality''s sake.


    The recruitment talk was held in the university''s Culture Square. The students had just finished their


    lunch break and were grouped toe over. There was media personnel fiddling with their equipment


    on the scene. And, judging by the number of cameras and smartphones filming, there were at least


    twenty media outlets present.


    It had been a few years since Keegan had visited there, and the campus had undergone quite a few


    changes. The most noticeable change was the giant screen on Culture Square.


    The material for the recruitment talk was going to be disyed on this screenter. All the cameras


    below were also focused on the stage. Whatever was disyed on the screen would be instantly


    recorded by the media present.


    Ste stared at the screen for a while until Keegan called her. Then, she snapped out of her thoughts.


    Following Keegan, Ste was led by Mr.


    Jackman to the lounge. Mr. Jackman was very happy and said as they walked, "Keegan, do you know


    who else is here today?"This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.

 Chapter 406

    Chapter 406


    Chapter 406


    Keegan did not like to y riddles. But, he had great respect for Mr. Jackman, so when he heard Mr.


    Jackman say that, he went along and asked, ¡°Who is it?¡±


    Mr. Jackman smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯ll find out when we go inside.¡±


    Soon they arrived at the lounge. When the assistant opened the door, Ste immediately saw Marshall


    sitting cross-legged on the sofa in the lounge. He wore a gray suit and a pair of silver-metal-framed


    sses, and he was flipping through some documents in his hands.


    ¡°Marshall, guess who¡¯s here?¡± Mr. Jackman said.


    Marshall looked up at the sound of Mr. Jackman¡¯s voice, took off his sses, and revealed a pair of


    warm, light brown eyes. ¡°Keegan.¡±


    Ste was a little surprised, but then she remembered that when she asked Marshall to help her with


    herwsuit, he told her that he was from Trinity University¡¯s School of


    Political Science and Law. It was just unexpected to see him here on this asion. However, Mr.


    Jackman quickly cleared things up for everyone. Marshall had given two public lectures this morning


    under a personal invitation from the dean.


    Mr. Jackman and the dean of the School of Political Science and Law were good friends. They were


    also very familiar with Marshall, and they knew about his rtionship with Keegan. So, when Marshall


    finished his public lectures, Mr. Jackman invited him to stay and attend today¡¯s recruitment talk. Mr.


    Jackman also said that they would all have dinner together after the event. Marshall could not refuse


    such a warm invitation.


    In ces where the higher-ups gather, there wereworking chatters, and Ste could not get a word


    in edgewise. Marshall, on the other hand, was very talkative and skilled in this kind of situation, unlike


    Keegan who was quieter and more reserved.


    After all, Marshall was from a social studies background and studiedw. He was always better at


    maintaining interpersonal rtionships than others.


    As the conversation heated up, Mr. Jackman asked Keegan, ¡°Where does your wife work?¡±


    Ste felt a little embarrassed. Being a full-time housewife was not a big deal, but in front of the vice


    president of her alma mater, she did know how to respond.


    Sophia gloated, ¡°Mr. Jackman, my sister also graduated from your university.¡±


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Mr. Jackman was very surprised and said with a smile, ¡°Really? Which school did you attend, and what


    was your major? Keegan is so outstanding, so you must be no slouch either. Do you remember who


    your dean was? Maybe I even know them. Let¡¯s all have dinner togetherter.¡±


    Each question struck a nerve with Ste. She felt embarrassed. But, when she was just about to speak,


    Keegan said, ¡°She¡¯s not working right now. She¡¯s at home preparing for conception.¡±


    Ste was speechless. She thought, ¡®Even if you¡¯re trying to help me out, isn¡¯t this excuse a bit too


    lame?¡¯


    However, the answer worked for Mr. Jackman. He asked Keegan to let him know when there was good


    news. He had already missed Keegan¡¯s wedding, so he did not want to miss the baby shower of


    Keegan¡¯s future child.


    Hence, the little episode ended just like that. Sophia was frustrated because her attempt to embarrass


    Ste had failed.


    Just then, the staff called Sophia to copy the data from the USB drive onto theputer and prepare


    the content for the talk. So, Sophia left to take care of it.


    The multimedia control room was where they coordinated the disy on therge outdoor screen. The


    content to be disyed on the screen had to be projected from there.


    After about twenty minutes, with the help of the staff, Sophia had finished copying everything she


    needed.


    It was almost two-thirty now, and the recruitment talk was starting in half an hour.


    After thanking the staff, Sophia went out to familiarize herself with the script.

 Chapter 407

    Chapter 407


    Chapter 407


    After Sophia had left, the staff checked the equipment at the scene once again. In just a few minutes,


    the door to the multimedia control room was knocked on.


    ¡°Come in,¡± the staff said.


    ¡°Hello,¡± a clear female voice rang out. The staff turned his head. The woman said in a friendly tone,


    ¡°The screen outside doesn¡¯t disy the image properly. Could youe out and take a look to see


    what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°How could it not disy the image properly?¡± the staff said, getting up and walking to the screen.


    ¡°I have no idea either. Pleasee and take a look to find out the problem.


    Their voices faded away as they walked away.


    The door to the multimedia control room was slightly ajar, and the monitor screen inside flickered


    slightly.


    When the staff arrived to look at the outdoor screen, he realized that it was not that it failed to disy


    the image properly but there was no signal at all. He quickly asked his colleague in the multimedia


    control room to find out why. After going into the room, the colleague told him that the outdoor screen


    was not turned on.


    The staff breathed a sigh of relief but was also puzzled. He remembered that when the Vinci Rivera


    Group¡¯s speaker came to copy the information, he had turned on the outdoor screen himself. He


    wondered how it was turned off.


    Ste came out of the restroom and happened to bump into Sophia who was on her way in.


    Ste ignored her and was about to leave. When they brushed past each other,


    Sophia stopped her and said, ¡°Ste, how does it feel to watch me give a speech at your alma mater?¡±


    Ste paused for a moment, nced at her, and said, ¡°You can only make an appearance at Trinity


    University this way. After all, if you were to take the exam, even if you repeated it for ten years, you


    wouldn¡¯t be able to enroll in Trinity University.¡±


    Sophia¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t enroll in this university, but what about you? What do you have


    to be proud of? Living in a cage and having to rely on your husband¡¯s money? What do you have to be


    proud of?¡±


    Ste thought, ¡®This is exactly what Xianna said to me before. Sophia doesn¡¯t even bother to hide her


    hostility anymore.¡¯


    Ste wondered, ¡®All this time, she¡¯s only been scheming behind my back. But yesterday, she made a


    move on Keegan, which caught me off guard. And now, she has the nerve to confront me face-to-face.


    I wonder what gives her the courage.¡¯


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    She looked at Sophia for a few seconds then chuckled lightly all of a sudden. ¡°You still have the nerve


    to act insolent in front of me. I guess I didn¡¯t hit you hard enough yesterday.¡±


    Sophia¡¯s face darkened and the pain on her cheek began to throb. She clenched her fists and said


    through her gritted teeth, ¡°I dare you to hit me in this event!¡± The Trinity


    University¡¯s recruitment talk was the most important event, which was why Keegan attended in person.


    Sophia did not believe that Ste would dare toy a finger on her in such asion.


    Ste gave her a cold look. ¡°Sophia, the Vinci Rivera Group only needs a speaker, and it¡¯s not like


    you¡¯re the only one who can do it. I think Keegan would prefer me, his wife, who also graduated from


    Trinity University. Do you want to find out?¡±


    Sophia¡¯s expression changed. She gritted her teeth and left with a cold face. It was two-fifty in the


    afternoon. Keegan looked at his watch and thought,¡¯ It¡¯s been twenty minutes. Did Ste fall in the toilet


    or what?!¡¯


    Just as he was about to ask Aldor to check the hallway, he saw Ste walking toward the stage.


    Ste, who was wearing sunsses, looked stunning as she walked up the stage with her lips slightly


    pursed and her long wavy hair. The years of postural training had made her very poised. She had a tall


    and curvaceous figure, which was entuated by her confident stride. As she made her way to the


    stage like a model, the students below were captivated by her presence. They even thought she was a


    celebrity that the Vinci Rivera Group had invited and took out their phones to snap pictures of her.

 Chapter 408

    Chapter 408


    Chapter 408


    As Ste approached Keegan, he immediately reached out to remove her sunsses. She frowned


    and was clearly unhappy with the gesture. So, she asked, ¡°Why did you take off my sunsses?¡±


    Keegan responded, ¡°You¡¯re wearing sunsses on stage. It distracts the audience¡¯s attention away


    from the recruitment talk.¡±


    Ste snorted. ¡°Yeah, you can control me. But, can you also control the audience¡¯s attention?¡±


    ¡°Pfft,¡± Aldor could not help butugh. ¡°Madam is truly a performer. She has a bit ofedic talent.¡±


    But, as soon as Keegan shot Aldor a nce, Aldor cleared his throat, trying to act natural.


    Keegan folded the sunsses and put them in his pocket. ¡°Ste, sit next to me and behave yourself.


    Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Surprisingly, Ste did not argue with Keegan this time.


    At three in the afternoon, the recruitment talk had officially begun.


    Mr. Jackman started by giving a brief introduction to the coboration between the


    Vinci Rivera Group and the university. Then, he introduced each member of the team who came from


    the Vinci Rivera Group. The atmosphere at the scene quickly became engaged.


    Jackson and Keegan made brief speeches about the coboration and then handed the stage over to


    Sophia.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Sophia lowered the microphone and spoke gently. ¡°Hello, Trinity University officials and fellow students.


    My name is Sophia and I am the speaker for the Vinci Rivera


    Group¡¯s ¡®Rising Star¡¯ project. I¡¯m 22 years old and currently working in the operations department at the


    Vinci Rivera Group. Are there any students here around my age? Raise your hand. Let¡¯s see how


    many of you are there¡­¡±


    Sophia¡¯s voice was very sweet, and her pace was neither fast nor slow. There was no cadence or


    exaggerated intonation when she was speaking. She sounded like she was chatting with a good friend.


    Such an interactive presentation could engage people easily.


    Ste lightly tapped her water ss as if she was marking time, or maybe she was showing a bored


    gesture.


    ¡°I¡¯m talented? No, I¡¯m not talented,¡± Sophia chuckled and said, ¡°I was pretty lucky.


    When I was really young, I was abandoned at the doorstep of a welfare home. I don¡¯t remember much,


    but I think it was in the middle of winter, and it was freezing outside with snow on the ground. They had


    taken me for a bike ride. I remember the wind was really loud in my ears. I keptining about


    being cold, and they promised to get me new clothes and gave me a roasted sweet potato. They told


    me to wait there, but I waited all day and night. And, they never came back to get me¡­¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened. Ste nced at Keegan and then looked away.¡¯ Sophia really can¡¯t bring


    herself to delete the content that Keegan crossed out,¡¯ she thought.


    Sophia talked about being abandoned, brought in by the welfare home, and the bullying she had


    experienced there. She concluded, ¡°I love the saying,¡¯ What doesn¡¯t kill me makes me stronger.¡¯ The


    way I see it, life doesn¡¯t always give you a good hand, but it¡¯s up to you to y it well. I owe a lot to my


    foster parents for their love and support. They gave me the opportunity to get an education and showed


    me how to make the most out of what I had. Looking back now, the tough times I went through seem


    like a distant memory. I still talk to friends about my experiences in the welfare home, but I¡¯ve learned


    to let go.¡±


    After taking twenty minutes to share her ¡°tragic past¡±, only then did Sophia finally get to the point and


    began to talk about the ¡°Rising Star¡± project. When she got to the second half of her presentation, the


    atmosphere in the audience was full of motivation. Sophia became more and more at ease as things


    were going exactly how she had wanted.


    ¡°Everyone, please wait for a moment. Let me show you the relevant disciplines and content about our


    ¡®Rising Star¡¯ project on the big screen. You canpare the information shown here. If you have


    relevant majors and are interested in joining, feel free to fill out your information with our staff. They¡¯ll


    be avable to answer any questions you might have.¡±

 Chapter 409

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    Chapter 409


    As Sophia was speaking, therge screen behind her switched to a presentation slide interface.


    However, what appeared on it was not what she had mentioned about the


    ¡°Rising Star¡± project but a paternity test report. Scrolling down, it revealed Sophia¡¯s birth certificate and


    her parents¡¯ information.


    The presentation slides detailed Sophia¡¯s parents ¨C Albert and Hylda ¨C having an extramarital affair


    and giving birth to her, putting her in a welfare home, and then arranging for Albert¡¯s wife ¨C Rainee ¨C to


    adopt her.


    The sudden revtion left the audience bewildered, and the media quickly realized that something was


    amiss. They were frantically filming the scene.


    ¡°Holy shit. Sophia is Albert¡¯s illegitimate daughter!¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s Albert?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the husband of the couple who adopted Sophia. Isn¡¯t he her adoptive father?


    How could he be her biological father?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s written on the slide that Albert had an affair with his secretary, resulting in the birth of Sophia. To


    cover it up, they put her in a welfare home. Albert¡¯s wife has been devoted to charity work, so he used


    the ident to arrange for his wife to adopt Sophia¡­¡±


    ¡°Putting his own illegitimate daughter under his wife¡¯s nose and having her help raise her? This is crazy


    even for a drama series. What did his wife do to offend him? Did she desecrate the Jewell family¡¯s


    ancestral grave or something?¡±


    ¡°Wow, this is disgusting. I¡¯ve been following Sophia for years. She even said on


    Facebook that she was bullied by the daughter of her adoptive family, and many people spoke up for


    her online. After all the fuss she had made, she was actually the false user. She¡¯s an illegitimate


    daughter trying to take someone else¡¯s ce, and she even wanted to publicly shame the real


    daughter of that family? She¡¯s not human.¡±


    ¡°How dare she speak so boldly at the recruitment talk, iming that she achieved everything through


    her own efforts? How dare she!¡±


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°She must have also made up the story about her being bullied in the welfare home. Although her


    biological parents sent her to the welfare home, there was no way they would let her suffer. I don¡¯t buy


    it.¡±


    ¡°How can this person be so full of lies? It¡¯s really disgusting! Why did the Vinci Rivera Group hire such


    a bad person to be a speaker?¡±


    ¡°I instantly lost interest in this ¡®Rising Star¡¯ project. Don¡¯t they run a background check on the speakers


    before hiring them? This makes me doubt the hiring standards of the Vinci Rivera Group.¡±


    The audience below was discussing this in a flurry. Sophia thought that her speech was a great


    sess, and she could not help but smile smugly as she turned to look at Ste. However, Ste


    looked at her expression with a smirk.


    The staff distributing information forms finally noticed that something was wrong. One of them hurried


    to the multimedia control room, wanting to turn off the screen, while the other rushed to the stage.


    Aldor immediately sensed that something was wrong and stood up to look behind him. With one look,


    his heart sank to the bottom of the valley.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, we have a problem!¡±


    Keegan also saw it. He then ordered sternly, ¡°Take control of the situation immediately!¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, a water bottle filled with water was thrown onto the stage, sshing


    water on Sophia¡¯s face.


    Then, someone from the audience shouted, ¡°Get out of Trinity University!¡± The crowd¡¯s reaction turned


    hostile in an instant with people throwing objects in Sophia¡¯s direction and yelling, ¡°Get out of Trinity


    University!¡±

 Chapter 410

    Chapter 410


    Chapter 410


    Sophia turned around with a confused look on her face. As soon as she saw the content on the


    presentation slide, her face went pale.


    The information disyed on the presentation slide was beyond belief. The perpetrators mentioned in it


    did not have any morality or decency. Worse still, everything on the screen was true and had happened


    to Sophia herself.


    Sophia had been upholding her image for so long, deceiving so many with her fabricated stories. How


    could her fans ever forgive this kind of deception?


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    In the ivory tower of academia, the students¡¯ experiences were rtively simple, and the way they


    expressed their emotions were straightforward. They shouted and demanded Sophia be kicked out of


    their campus. Some threw water bottles; some threw fruits; one even threw a shoe, whichnded right


    on Sophia¡¯s face, causing her nose to bleed profusely.


    The university¡¯s top officials quickly instructed teaching and non-teaching staff to maintain order. As for


    the Vinci Rivera Group¡¯s staff, they hurriedly took the disgruntled Sophia backstage.


    Jackson hastily contacted the PR department to handle the situation. Rising Star¡± was a project


    managed by him, so he would be held ountable when there was a problem.


    With the coordinated efforts of all parties, the screen was turned off in just a minute or two. However,


    the students below remained extremely agitated and refused to leave.


    They even became more violent.


    Ste stood on the side, watching the drama unfold coldly. Keegan turned to look at her, and she gave


    him a nonchnt nce.


    ¡°Keegan.¡± Marshall suddenly appeared on stage and whispered, ¡°Let Ste ride in my car. Some of the


    students are blocking yourpany¡¯s cars. It¡¯ll be difficult to leave if we wait any longer.¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips. After a long pause, he said, ¡°Aldor, take her and go with Marshall.¡±


    Aldor replied, ¡°I¡¯lle back with another car to pick you up.¡±


    Keegan did not say anything. He took out Ste¡¯s expensive sunsses from his pocket and returned


    them to her before turning to take the microphone from Mr. Jackman.


    ¡°Everyone, please calm down and listen to me¡­¡±


    When he began to speak, a bottle of paint was thrown toward him, sttering bright red paint all over


    his expensive suit. Some of the paint even got on his face. He pursed his lips and continued, ¡°Please


    listen to me.¡±


    Ste watched Keegan¡¯s disheveled appearance and felt her heart tighten. She took a step forward,


    wanting to follow him. But, Marshall blocked her path. ¡°Keegan can handle it. If you stay here, he¡¯ll


    worry about you and get distracted.¡±


    Marshall was right. The person who threw the object might not even be a student. The media were


    snapping photos at lightning speed. The anger of the students toward the


    Vinci Rivera Group had now turned into a reputation crisis. Ste staying there would not help him and


    could even be a burden. Ste took a deep breath and spoke softly, ¡°Alright, Mr. Moore.¡±


    Aldor and Ste left together in Marshall¡¯s car. As they passed by the entrance, they saw a lot of


    people, including students and reporters, gathered around the cars of the Vinci Rivera Group.


    Ste turned her gaze away and said after a long while, ¡°Aldor, please bring a new set of clothes for


    Keegan when you pick him upter.¡±


    Aldor agreed, and they rode in silence.


    Marshall dropped off Ste at the Royalpark Vi and quickly left. Meanwhile, Aldor took a set of


    clothes from Ste and hurriedly drove another car from the garage to the scene.


    Ste, on the other hand, stood in the yard for a while before going back to the house.

 Chapter 411

    Chapter 411


    Chapter 411


    Within just half an hour, topics such as "Sophia is A Bastard" and "The Vinci Rivera Group''s


    Recruitment Talk at Trinity University Failed Miserably" made it into the trending list.


    Sophia had set a perfect image beforehand. Those hashtags, including "# orphan", "#inspiring", and


    "#rising against all odds", which had meant to be herbels, became sharp weapons against her after


    her image copsed. Since she was in high school, she had used her "orphan" status to gain attention


    from the public and be a well-known "inspirational inte celebrity".


    Almost all of her fans followed her due to her "miserable" childhood and "never give up" attitude toward


    life.


    Therefore, when her image copsed, her former supporters turned on her instantly. Every time her


    social media page was refreshed, she would lose hundreds or even thousands of subscribers. In just


    ten minutes, she could lose tens of thousands of fans.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Sophia had often said on her social media that, [I''ve been through the stormy rains, so I want to hold


    an umbre for others].


    Whenever there was a disaster or mishap, she would immediately call on her fans to donate and even


    opened a reward function on her social media posts. She imed that all the rewards would be


    donated to charitable organizations.


    However, now, someizens discovered that the donation receipt numbers Sophia had provided were


    not found in the respective charitable organizations. This aroused suspicions of fraud. As soon as the


    news came out, the public immediately condemned Sophia. Fraud was a despicable act, especially


    when it was done by exploiting the sympathy ofizens to raise donations.


    Theizens stated, [What Sophia has been doing is certainly not "holding an umbre for others¡¯ after


    she had been through "the stormy rain". On the contrary, she is inflicting more pain on others despite


    being through the adversity herself]


    Meanwhile, Albert''s side was also in chaos. As soon as Sophia''s identity as his illegitimate daughter


    was exposed, the media swarmed in like flies that smelled rotting flesh. They instantly surrounded


    Albert''spany.


    Albert was trapped in thepany and could not leave.


    While anxiously holding her phone, Hylda paced back and forth in thepany''s office. "Why isn''t


    Sophia answering her phone?


    I wonder how she''s doing right now," she muttered, and her worry was palpable. The news of Sophia''s


    nosebleed from being hit by a shoe had left Hylda almost going nuts with concern, and she was unable


    to sit still.


    Albert''s phone was already turned off. Whenever he turned it on, countless people he knew from the


    media would call him to ask about his rtionship with Sophia. Sweat beads formed on his forehead.


    He was obviously caught off guard by this sudden turn of events.


    He said through his gritted teeth, "Who the hell put up those information?"


    "It must be Ste!" Hylda snapped, "I warned you about her before. She must have known something a


    long time ago, which is why she''s been going against you. Why didn''t you believe me?! She''s trying to


    ruin Sophia by bringing this to the surface!"


    Albert regretted not realizing the signs earlier. Ste''s repeated use of the word "bastard child" during


    their phone call that morning should have tipped him off that something was wrong. His anger had


    clouded his judgment, causing him to overlook it.


    He also did not expect Ste to make her move this quickly and ruthlessly. ¡®She must have learned it


    from Rainee!'' Albert cursed inwardly. He frowned and said, "How much information does she have


    against us?"


    Hylda''s heart tightened. "Albert, do you think she might know¡ª"


    "No!" Albert interrupted her. He nced in the direction of the door and said, "Stop talking nonsense.


    Let''s figure out how to get out of here."


    Keegan did note back all night, and his phone was turned off. Ste could reach Aldor''s phone,


    but he only answered twice.


    Each time he said, ¡¯ Mr. Kane is busy."


    Felicity called Ste after seeing the news online and said, "I knew there was something fishy going on


    between Sophia and your dad. I told you that your dad was too good to her, and now it''s all over the


    news. I was right!¡¯

 Chapter 412

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    Chapter 412


    "You grew up with Sophia in the same house, yet you didn''t see the signs. But, now that I think about it,


    Sophia''s round face and bulbous nose are obviously inherited from Albert, aren''t they? And Albert, that


    shameless man, not only cheated on your mother but also had her help him raise his bastard child.


    He''s not even worthy of being called a human!¡¯


    Felicity kept talking like a hindsight expert, feeling that many things had already foreshadowed Albert''s


    despicable behavior. After she finished speaking, she noticed that Ste was silent. So, she spoke


    softly, "Ste, you''re not mad at me for cursing Albert, are you?"


    Ste came back to her senses and calmly said, ¡®I don''t care." Albert no longer deserved to be called


    "father" by Ste for what he had done.


    "Felicity, do you know how the Vinci Rivera Group is doing now?" Ste asked.


    ¡®They''re being roasted on social media. Many reporters are waiting outside their office building for


    interviews. The Vinci Rivera Group has been trending on social media for the past few days with many


    topics rted to Sophia. So, when this scandal came out, it definitely had an impact on thepany''s


    image. Sophia''s social media page even disabled thements. People can''t vent their anger there,


    so they went to the Vinci Rivera Group''s business page to rant about it."


    Not only that, but severalizens iming to be former employees of the Vinci Rivera Group also


    came forward with allegations. They said that there were shady dealings in the Vinci Rivera Group¡¯s


    hiring process and that their external job postings were just a cover for internal referrals. Even if a


    candidate was hired through external recruitment, they could still be reced by someone with


    connections to thepany during their probation period. With so many hidden rules, they also said


    that the Vinci Rivera Group was no longer the fair andpetitive environment it used to be.


    Given Sophia''s qualifications and experience, she would never have met the Vinci Rivera Group''s


    standards. Yet, she managed to join thepany and take on such an important position, all because


    the Jewell family and the Kane family were rted by marriage and the Vinci Rivera Group gave her


    special treatment.


    Some even went so far as to bring up awsuit that the Vinci Rivera Group had with an internst year


    to question thepany''s hiring standards. Clearly, the information was deliberately used to smear the


    Vinci Rivera Group during this wave of attention.


    While the Vinci Rivera Group did have some internal referrals, they were very rare. Even if that person


    was a shareholder, if they were not capable enough, they only had the right to dividends and could not


    hold important positions in the Vinci Rivera Group.


    Ste could not im that all the employees of Vinci Rivera Group were external hires. At least, those


    recruited by Keegan had been selected based on their skills and abilities.


    Back in the spring and fall recruiting seasons, it was Keegan''s busiest time. With so many people


    submitting their resumes, screening candidates was a very stressful task. In addition to the candidates¡¯


    education, their own professional abilities were also very important. Therefore, the hiring standards set


    by the Vinci Rivera Group were particrly high. Candidates had to go through four rounds of


    interviews.


    Even if the candidates had passed all the interviews and entered the internship period, they still had to


    pass the internship evaluation. If they failed, they could not be formally hired. However, this situation


    was very rare. After all, those who could safely make it through those four rounds of interviews would


    not be too bad.


    Ste knew thewsuit thatizens had dug up very well. Because of this incident, the intern even


    sshed paint on Keegan''s car.


    The intern who was dismissed from the Vinci Rivera Group was not let go due to ack of professional


    abilities. It was discovered that he had been arrested for soliciting sexual services, prompting the


    company to terminate his internship and settle his sry before ultimately firing him. Despite this, the


    intern felt that his personal conduct was not rted to his work and believed that thepany had no


    grounds to expel him. As a result, he decided to sue thepany.


    Initially, Keegan had hoped to handle the situation discreetly. He understood that the reason for the


    intern¡¯s dismissal could harm the intern¡¯s reputation. So, he kept it confidential, and only thepany


    staff were aware of it. While Keegan disapproved of such behavior, he did not want topletely


    destroy the intern¡¯s future.


    However, the intern''s demand forpensation and his attempts to use the incident to threaten the


    company angered Keegan.


    In response, Keegan decided to publicly disclose the reason for the intern''s dismissal. This move


    resulted in the intern losing the


    The intern was furious about the oue and retaliated by vandalizing Keegan''s car with paint. This


    led to his arrest for viting public security regtions.


    Now, theizens were using this case, which had been ruled on, to smear the Vinci Rivera Group.

 Chapter 413

    Chapter 413


    Chapter 413


    Someizens started to make up stories using a picture. They imed that after they had sent their


    CVs, the Vinci Rivera Group''s HR staff discriminated them based on their education and region and


    even verbally harassed them.


    The copse of Sophia''s image resulted in the fall of the Vinci Rivera Group into a corporate reputation


    crisis. People began to question its corporate image. After all, before Sophia''s scandal, there was


    another incident caused by Jackson six months ago.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Behind the incident, it seemed that someone was deliberately fanning the mes and directing the


    me toward the Vinci Rivera Group. The discussion on corporate image and employee quality was


    more heated than that of Sophia''s scandal. This oue deviated from Ste''s initial expectations.


    Meanwhile, after the incident, Keegan and others were able to keep the situation under control with the


    help of the university''s top officials and police who arrivedter. They did not leave Trinity University


    until evening.


    Aldor drove a stretch Lincoln limousine, which could carry all the Vinci Rivera Group staff. Sophia was


    sobbing all the way and annoying everyone on the ride.


    Due to the unexpected turn of events, the Vinci Rivera Group staff who was present in the recruitment


    talk were disheveled.


    Sophia, in particr, had taken the hardest hit, with half of her face now swollen and blood still visible


    on her skin. She looked extremely miserable.


    However, there was not a single person in the limousine who could muster any sympathy. Everyone


    was cursing inwardly, ¡®She''s the one who caused this mess, and now she has the nerve to cry?¡¯


    Keegan shouted with a cold face, "Shut up! Stop crying or get out!"


    Among the people in the car, Jackson was the most furious. He had just returned from the West of


    Hustuabourg, and the first project Cordelia had entrusted to him was ruined just like that. He felt like he


    really wanted to kill Sophia!


    Sophia was so scared that she stopped crying out loud, biting her lips in terror. Jackson said with a


    gloomy face, "If I find out who''s behind this today, I won''t rest until I make them pay!"


    Keegan nced at him and said, "You didn''t run a background check when selecting your team


    members. What''s the point of saying this now?"


    Jackson was not happy. "Keegan, weren''t you the one who brought in Sophia? Why didn''t you run a


    background check on her?


    Isn''t she the daughter of your father-inw''s family? Didn''t you know anything about their family


    affairs?"


    Keegan''s face darkened, as he replied, "Are you seriously suggesting that I went out of my way to bring


    in someone just to set a trap for you?"


    Jackson looked gloomy and said, "Even if you had no idea, your wife should''ve known about it, right?


    Why did this news break during the recruitment talk today? Isn''t the timing a bit too coincidental?"


    As Sophia listened, she suddenly remembered Ste''s meaningful smile when she gave Ste a smug


    look once she ended the speech. She thought to herself, ¡®Ste didn''t seem surprised at all when the


    news broke out today.¡¯


    After looking back at Ste''s attitude in recent days, Sophia suddenly eximed, "I know who did it! It''s


    Ste! It must be her who swapped my USB data!"


    Keegan''s expression darkened, and his tone was cold as he said, "Think before you speak, Sophia."

 Chapter 414

    Chapter 414


    Chapter 414


    Sophia, on the other hand, got agitated. "Mr. Kane, it must be Ste. She had the motive. When we


    were discussing the process of the recruitment talk, she was absent for a long time. That must have


    been the time she swapped the files in my USB drive! We should check the surveince footage-¡±


    "Enough!" Keegan''s voice was cold.


    "Do you think that at this point, anyone cares who''s the culprit? Can this salvage the damage that has


    been done to thepany''s reputation?"


    Sophia turned pale. Her lips were trembling, and she could not say another word.


    Jackson nced at Keegan. "Keegan, isn''t it possible to investigate the root cause while also salvaging


    thepany''s image? If someone hadn''t intentionally caused this incident during the recruitment talk,


    how could we have ended up in this mess?"


    Keegan looked at Jackson and said, "I''ve always said that we should focus on promoting the project


    instead of putting in personal agendas. Look at what you did. You relied on Sophia''s image to build up


    hype for publicity. You should have seen this messing when you did so. As for what I want to do,


    you can question my decision when you''re holding my position."


    Jackson looked extremely unhappy, and it took him a while to say, "I''ll take responsibility for my role.


    But, I will also not let the culprit get away with it."


    Keegan''s face grew colder.


    The tension between them became palpable in an instant.


    "Mr. Kane." Aldor interrupted them. He then continued in a low voice, "Old Madam is on the phone."


    Keegan''s demeanor softened slightly when he took the phone. "Hello? Yes, we''re on our way. We''ll be


    there soon. Understood. Okay, got it," Keegan said.


    Cordelia ended the call after exchanging a few more words.


    "What did Grandma say?" Jackson frowned.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    "She''sing to thepany," Keegan replied tly. He then turned to Aldor and said, "Drive faster."


    The stock price of the Vinci Rivera Group had been performing well, thanks to the sess of the


    "Rising Star" project. However, this afternoon, the stock value plummeted due to the incident. The


    shareholders were extremely dissatisfied with the situation and had already gathered at thepany.


    They demanded immediate public rtion crisis response and ountability from the responsible


    parties.


    The shareholders were all gathered in the conference room of the Vinci Rivera Group building,


    discussing the matter in heated tones.


    "This is absurd! How could such a thing happen during the live broadcast? Who was responsible for


    selecting the speaker?"


    "Jackson was in charge of the project, so he was the one who appointed the speaker.


    "Why didn''t he run a background check on her thoroughly? What did he learn during his time in the


    west?"


    Chandler''s supporters raised their eyebrows. "Jordan, that speaker was personally recruited by Keegan


    into thepany. Jackson only chose her out of his trust in Keegan''s judgment. How can you me


    Jackson for this? If the first line of defense had been properly checked, we wouldn''t have to deal with


    this mess."


    Keegan''s supporters were not to be outdone. "Peter, let''s not forget that Sophia was originally hired by


    Keegan to manage ounts in the operations department, not to be a speaker. It was Jackson who


    pushed for her to take the stage, hoping to leverage her inte celebrity status for our project. But,


    we''re not here to cultivate inte celebrities, we''re here to promote our project. And, let''s not forget


    that Jackson is a specialist in news media operations. He should have considered the risks before


    putting Sophia in this position."


    "Sophia is Keegan''s sister-inw, and Keegan has been married for so many years. I refuse to believe


    that he knows nothing about the Jewell family''s affairs."


    One person sneered, "Keegan has always imed that the recruitment should be fair and impartial and


    that there should be no favoritism. So, why is he ying favorites now?"


    Someone teased, "Hey, Robert. Still bitter about Keegan turning down your son''s resume?"


    "It''s not about me. Keegan made a promise, and he should have followed through. He can''t just talk the


    talk and not walk the walk. Otherwise, he won''t be able to convince people." "Come on, guys. Let''s not


    talk about this. Cordelia doesn''t like to hear this. Keegan is her beloved eldest grandson, after all."

 Chapter 415

    Chapter 415


    Chapter 415


    Cordelia stood outside the door, listening to the discussion. She pursed her lips for a long while before


    she finally said, "Keegan reallycks interpersonal skills. Only a handful of the old guard really


    supported him."


    Baldwin was speechless. He thought, ''l was under the impression that you were worried about how you


    should handle this matter while you were standing at the door. I never expected you to be so


    nonchnt about it and only concerned about your grandson''s personal connections. They said that


    you were biased, and you didn''t deny it at all.


    Baldwin then said, "The young master''s expertise lies in research and development, not handling these


    sorts of situations."


    Cordeliamented, "When Keegan was growing up, I put all my effort into training him to excel. But, I


    neglected to teach him the art of eloquence. He really needs to learn it from Ste. Look at her. She''s


    strong when she needs to be, and soft when appropriate. And, she never backs down from what she


    wants. Plus, she acts swiftly and decisively."


    Baldwin said, "Weren''t you justining about her causing trouble when you were on the way


    here?"


    Cordelia nced at him and said, "I''m not saying what she did was wrong. She needs to take care of


    the Jewell family herself. If she keeps letting people choke her, she''ll never be able to fight back. She''ll


    always be at their mercy. It¡¯s just that I didn''t expect her to blow things up so much. Anyway, it doesn''t


    matter. I''ll just get my losses back from Keegan."


    Baldwin was speechless. He thought, ''How optimistic of you.¡¯


    "Let''s go," Cordelia said. "I need to y the role of the serious, responsible leader. Otherwise,


    someone might not be happy."


    When Keegan and the group arrived at thepany, the conference room was already filled with


    people.


    Cordelia sat at the head of the table with Chandler to her left.


    Everyone looked serious, and the room was silent.


    As soon as Sophia entered, she felt weak in her legs and had trouble standing. She had never seen


    such a grand assembly, and just thinking about today''s events and the impact on the Vinci Rivera


    Group made her face pale. She did not know what kind of trial awaited her.


    After being exposed as Albert''s bastard child, her hard-earned inspirational image copsed in an


    instant. She did not even have the courage to view her social media page now. Her career and status


    were destroyed.


    "Please, have a seat," Cordelia said coolly. Someone at the door helped Sophia get a chair.


    After everyone was seated, Chandler spoke up. "Jackson, as the person in charge of this project, you


    bear an inescapable responsibility for the losses to the shareholders and the impact on thepany,


    regardless of the reasons for what happened.


    So, let''s start with a sincere apology to everyone here."


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The incident had already caused a significant impact. Chandler knew that to appease the shareholders,


    they needed to show sincerity. This was something he had always been clear about.


    Jackson was cooperative and understood the gravity of the situation. He stood up and offered a sincere


    apology to everyone present. It was a stark contrast to the rebellious and misbehaving person he had


    been six months ago.


    Someone among the shareholders said, "It''s not all Jackson''s fault. This is his first time handling this


    kind of project, and there may have been oversights on his part. Plus, the speaker wasn''t someone he


    hired. It''s not fair to me him alone for this."


    "Right now, it''s pointless to hold others ountable. We should think of a way to handle this PR crisis."


    "But, the evidence is clearlyid out. How can we handle this? No matter what, in the end, it''s our fault


    for not properly vetting the people we hire."


    "Well, there is a way," the PR manager suddenly interjected. "Sophia is Keegan¡¯s wife''s sister. If we


    spin it as her decision to hire Sophia, it could potentially salvage ourpany''s image."


    Keegan''s face darkened when he heard that.

 Chapter 416

    Chapter 416


    Chapter 416


    The PR manager did not notice Keegan''s darkened expression and continued, "In the wake of this


    incident, we''ve seen a lot ofizens sympathizing with Ste. If it''s revealed that Ste was the one


    who brought Sophia into thepany, the focus will shift to her being deceived and her mother


    bringing Sophia into their home. It will potentially divert attention away from Vinci Rivera Group."


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Sophia''s face turned pale. She thought, ¡®He''s nning to abandon mepletely!¡¯


    Everyone looked at Keegan.


    The fastest way to calm things down was to shift the public''s attention.


    If this incident had happened at any other time, it might have been manageable. The Vinci Rivera


    Group''s PR team was known for their expertise, and they could have easily mitigated any damage.


    They did not care much about Sophia''s reputation, but they could not let her involvement harm the


    company¡¯s image. Unfortunately, it happened today, and the incident was captured by numerous media


    cameras and broadcasted live on the inte. The news spread like wildfire and could not be


    contained, even with attempts to manipte the search trends.


    Although Sophia''s image copse was the main issue at hand, the public''s anger was more directed


    toward her deception. And more specifically, Albert raised Sophia, his illegitimate daughter, right under


    his wife''s nose, allowing her to take what rightfully belonged to his legitimate daughter.


    Ste and Rainee were the biggest victims. If it was revealed that Ste had convinced Keegan to hire


    Sophia, it would generate great sympathy for Ste and Rainee who had been deceived. The focus


    would then be on the Jewell family''s scandal, and the attention on the Vinci Rivera Group would fade


    away.


    At that time, the Vinci Rivera Group could have released an ambiguous statement and easily distanced


    themselves from the incident.


    It was clear that everyone agreed with this solution.


    Chandler looked up at Keegan and asked, "Keegan, what do you think?"


    Keegan looked over before he calmly responded, "Do you honestly believe it''s eptable for a


    company of our caliber, one of the top 500, to simply shift the me onto a woman when things don''t


    go ording to n?"


    Everyone looked at each other upon hearing his response.


    Chandler responded, "This matter concerns the interests of all shareholders. Do you have a better


    solution?"


    Keegan pursed his lips and replied, "The Vinci Rivera Group has faced countless crises of all kinds


    over the past few decades. We''ve always relied on our products to speak for themselves, and we''ve


    never heard of a crisis being solved by pushing a woman to the forefront and leaving her to deal with it


    alone."


    "Keegan, you better not say that. We''re in the digital age now. The spread of information on the inte


    is lightning-fast. Bad news travels fast. It took the Vinci Rivera Group decades to establish its brand


    reputation, but this incident could instantly damage it."


    "People are already discussing this matter everywhere. If we don''t handle it promptly, the losses could


    be even more severe."


    "Back when Mr. Kane Sr. was alive, thepany also faced a simr incident, and Mrs. Kane Sr. even


    resigned from her position in thepany because of it. She only returned after several years. As her


    eldest granddaughter-inw, Mrs. Kane should also follow her example and make sacrifices for the


    company," the PR manager advised.


    The shareholders all expressed their agreement, and it was evident that they were in favor of the PR


    manager''s proposal. Sophia thought, ''These people really don''t care about me at all.'' As Keegan had


    mentioned earlier, the situation had escted too far and the damage to the Vinci Rivera Group had


    already been done. No one seemed to be interested in figuring out who was responsible for the matter.


    Sophia realized that she was nothing more than a pawn that had been used and then discarded.

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    As Sophia thought about that, her expression changed. She thought to herself, ¡®Even if I fall into hell, I


    will drag Ste down with me!¡¯


    Just as Keegan and the major shareholders were at a standoff, Sophia suddenly spoke up loudly.


    "Everyone, I know who did this today! I know who wanted to smear the image of the Vinci Rivera


    Group!"


    Keegan''s expression darkened. He pursed his lips before he said, "Aldor, get her out of here."


    Sophia had already made up her mind to burn her bridges. "It''s Ste! She''s the culprit. She put those


    contents on the USB drive," said Sophia while struggling.


    Everyone''s expression changed at Sophia''s revtion. Aldor had already dragged her to the door, but


    Chandler intervened. "Let her go. We have the right to know what''s going on," Chandler said.


    Sophia immediately broke free from Aider¡¯s grasp and stepped forward.'' Ste and Keegan''s marriage


    has been on the rocks for a while. She was unhappy about his affair with a celebrity. She knew my


    identity, so she used me to create this scandal to get back at him. The Vinci Rivera Group''s reputation


    was just coteral damage. She did this to get revenge on Keegan."


    As Sophia spoke, Keegan grew angrier. When she finished speaking, Keegan snarled, "This is utter


    nonsense!"


    "Why are you so anxious to deny it, Keegan? Let''s find out whether this is true from the surveince


    footage! If it''s really done by your wife..." The man paused and looked at Cordelia. "Cordelia, you need


    to give everyone a satisfactory exnation."All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Cordelia raised her eyebrows slightly and said, "If the culprit is really someone from the Kane family, I


    will not condone it."


    Keegan pursed his lips tight and clenched his hands slightly.


    The surveince footage from the university had already been retrieved, and it was now being copied.


    Soon, the video was sent over. Baldwin projected it onto the conference room''s big screen.


    The video showed the multimedia control room staffing and going before the recruitment talk. After


    Sophia had left, a woman in a university uniform appeared at the door and called a staff member out of


    the room.


    No one entered or left the multimedia control room until that staff member had returned, which was


    already two-thirty in the afternoon.


    The surveince footage showed many people passing by. It was not until a man in a suit knocked on


    the multimedia control room''s door that someone entered. He left after three or five minutes, and the


    man in a suit was none other than Marshall.


    Sophia looked at the video in disbelief and shook her head. "That''s impossible. She must have been


    there. It was that man ina suit who helped. He was the one who pulled me at the hotel that night!" she


    eximed.


    Keegan looked at her coldly as he asked, "And, when was that?"


    Sophia shuddered and fell silent instantly.


    Cordelia said, "There''s a staff member in the room when Marshall went in. Would he have tampered


    with anything in front of the staff? That would be ridiculous."


    Cordelia sat up straight and continued, "At this point, it doesn''t matter who did it. The damage to the


    company has been done.


    Everyone involved in this project today is implicated. Why didn''t you guys keep an eye on the


    multimedia control room? It''s a negligence on your part." Her voice was calm butmanding.


    She added, "Although Jackson is the project leader, he''s young and inexperienced. So, he can be


    forgiven for his mistake. But Keegan, you have the most working experience here. Hence, you


    shouldn''t have let this happen. You bear the primary responsibility for this."

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    Keegan lowered his eyes and gave an affirmative response before Cordelia continued, "Hand over the


    ''Opulentus¡¯ project to Mr. Walford for the time being. Apologize and issue any necessary statements.


    We have to clean up the aftermath of this situation thoroughly.


    "Understood," Keegan said.


    However, a shareholder questioned the severity of the punishment.¡¯ Cordelia, isn''t this punishment too


    lenient?" he asked.


    Although the punishment may have seemed severe, it did very little to harm Keegan. Everyone in the


    Vinci Rivera Group knew that Keegan''s biggest asset was Semiconductor Technology, apany he


    had aggressively acquired and invested a significant amount of research funds into. At the time of the


    acquisition, many shareholders opposed the proposal, leaving the Vinci Rivera


    Group with only ten percent of the shares, while the remaining fifty percent were Keegan''s personal


    investment. However, Semiconductor Technology made a breakthrough in research this year.


    Who would have thought that a cottage-scalepany would turn the tables in a few years and


    be the most promising chip semiconductorpany in the industry today?


    When Semiconductor Technology was struggling to generate profits, the shareholders did not want to


    invest in it. But, when it began to make money, they started to feel envious. Many shareholders now felt


    that Vinci Rivera Group''s investment in it was too meager and made multiple attempts to acquire


    shares in Semiconductor Technology. However, Keegan rejected their offers each time.


    The potential for Semiconductor Technology to soar once it became publicly listed was undeniable.


    With Keegan holding over fifty percent of thepany¡¯s shares, the financial gains would be


    enormous, multiplying several times over like a snowball rolling down a hill. It was enough to make


    anyone envious.


    Cordelia nced at the person and asked, "What do you suggest then, Derrick?"


    ¡®Well, this incident has caused significant losses to us shareholders. Since Keegan has expressed his


    intention topensate us, why not have him sell twenty percent of the shares in Semiconductor


    Technology to Vinci Rivera Group?"


    Cordelia could not help but chuckle at Derrick¡¯s proposal. "Derrick, correct me if I''m wrong, but weren''t


    you the one who vehemently opposed Keegan''s acquisition proposal for Semiconductor Technology


    back then? You argued that the research and development team wasn''t mature enough, the investment


    was toorge, and the results were uncertain.


    That''s why you persisted on reducing Keegan''s suggested forty percent stake to just ten percent,"


    Cordelia pointed out. "Keegan personally funded the research and development. After all the hard


    work, now that it has finally paid off, everyone is scrambling for the shares. Semiconductor Technology


    is Keegan''s personal investment, so it''s not my ce to make decisions on his behalf."


    Derrick''s face immediately turned red. He did not expect Cordelia to be so straightforward.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Cordelia continued, "Vinci Rivera Group has been through a lot of tough times, but we''ve always


    managed to get through them as a team. We used to be able to sit down and calmly discuss how to


    handle a crisis. But now, we''re just trying to figure out who to me and how to limit our own losses. If


    we can''t stick together through the good times and the bad, then there''s no point in having these


    meetings. If anyone has a problem with that, they can just sell their shares and leave."


    With those words, the room fell silent.


    The sudden threat from Cordelia to have the shareholders withdraw their shares had caught everyone


    off guard. Although it was clear that this temporary crisis would not lead to the downfall of the Vinci


    Rivera Group, the scene was created more likely for the sake of salvaging their own losses rather than


    for thepany¡¯s welfare. However, the notion of relinquishing their shares was simply out of the


    question. They had reaped significant profits over the years, all thanks to the sess of the Vinci


    Rivera Group. How could they easily give up their shares?


    "We will conclude today''s meeting unless there are any objections. However, I want to make it clear


    that if anyone chooses to take any covert actions instead of addressing their objections here, I will not


    tolerate it."


    The meeting finally came to a temporary end after Keegan had surrendered the "Opulentus", a chip


    semiconductor project. On the other hand, the Vinci Rivera Group still had to deal with the online


    criticisms that followed. Regardless, they had to give the public an exnation.


    When they left the meeting, Jackson stopped and looked at Keegan. He suddenly said with a mockery


    tone, "I didn''t expect you to be so devoted to love. What a pity."


    Keegan frowned. But, Jackson just walked away after he said that.


    Cordelia had been in the meeting untilte at night and was feeling a little tired. So, she did not stay


    long after the meeting ended.


    While Keegan was in the car, he watched the video repeatedly with a frown on his face.


    "Aldor, did you tamper with this video?" he asked.


    "I didn''t. This is exactly how it was when I retrieved it from the university. There was no sign of madam


    in it," Aldor replied.

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    Keegan pursed his lips. ¡®She said she went to the washroom at two-thirty. While standing at the end of


    the corridor, I saw her pass by the multimedia room when she went to the washroom. And yet, none of


    this is shown in the footage.


    ¡®It''s obviously altered.


    ¡®How could she do this in such a short time? Is she working with somebody else?¡¯


    Keegan shut his eyes. Then, he thought about the time that he met bumped into Marshall during the


    event and how he appeared in the video. ¡®It can''t be a coincidence, right?¡¯


    In the western suburbs, Trevor was scrolling through the online news on his tablet while lying on the


    recliner as he tly said,


    "What''s happening with the Jewell family now could be made into a TV series."


    Xavier replied, "I''m pretty surprised too. I never thought that Sophia could actually be Albert''s biological


    daughter."


    ¡®Why would Ste choose to let everybody know about this at this time? She probably knows it''ll affect


    Keegan too, right?"


    Xavier replied, "Rumor has it that Keegan Kane got very close with an actress recently, and they''re


    getting a divorce because of that."


    "Impossible."


    Trevor put his tablet aside. "Keegan hates showbiz, and he would never mess around with an actress. I


    don''t think the rumor can be trusted."


    Xavier continued, "I don''t think so. She''s the same person that Keegan left with when he got married,


    and there were a lot of witnesses too. Besides, Ms. Ste is somewhat a part of showbiz too. I guess


    you''re the not trustworthy one, boss."


    Trevor paused for a while before he said, "There are plenty of other reasons she could use to divorce


    Keegan, and she didn''t have to do something which serves no one''s interests. Judging by the way


    things are going now, there are more people criticizing Vinci Rivera, and not Sophia. I think there''s


    most probably somebody behind this that''s pulling the strings."


    "I doubt that. I can''t think of any otherpany that canpete with the Vinci Rivera Group. Nobody


    would want a piece of the pie that they''re not interested in anyway. Their reputation getting tarnished


    does no good to otherpanies."


    Trevor stroked his chin. "What if, the pie is not what that person wants?"


    "What else could it possibly be if it''s not the pie then?"


    Trevor kept quiet.


    ¡®Keegan will be in big trouble now that things keep going on like this. There''s a chance that he''ll divorce


    Ste if he found out that she did this.


    ¡®Who would want them to divorce?


    ¡®And, everything is happening so quickly,¡¯ Trevor thought.


    After a while, he said, "Xavier, would you do me a favor and get rid of all the false rumors about Vinci


    Rivera online?"


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Xavier paused. "Do you want to help them?"


    "I''m helping Mrs. Kane. There''s something else that I''d like to know from her."


    Then, he continued tly, "Get it done now. Be sure to leave no trace behind and don''t get exposed."


    "Yes, boss. I¡¯


    Sophia only arrived home at one o''clock in the morning.


    The entire Jewell Residence was lit up, and Albert was working furiously to make things right.

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    However, there was just nobody who would want to get involved in this mess.


    Albert became arrogant, and he upset a lot of his old friends after bing inws with the Kane


    family. He was no longer in touch with those true friends he had back then.


    However, the new friends he got were either tied by interests or just some profligate acquaintances that


    could never be depended on during hardships.


    Some of them even ignored his call directly.


    Even though he changed his number, they would hang up right after hearing his voice.


    A few of them picked up, but they pretended as if they wanted to help while none of them really did.


    He was just like a cat on a hot tin roof.


    Sophia was crying when Hylda tried to cheer her up. "Albert, stop hitting her. It''s not going to change


    anything now. We shoulde up with a solution instead." Hylda said.


    ¡®Solution? What do you suggest?"


    The look on Albert''s face was awful.


    Hispany was greatly affected when after Sophia''s real identity was exposed as many people on


    the inte set off a wave of boycotting hispany''s products.


    Plenty of his big orders got canceled that evening.


    He just invested eighty million in Semiconductor Technology, and he did not have enough money to


    return the deposit of the canceled orders anymore.


    Hispany would not hold together for long if things kept going on like that.


    Albert was devastated.


    Suddenly, his phone rang. He picked up his phone and saw an iing call from Ste.


    He called her countless times before this, and she did not pick up at all. However, she only gave him a


    call back after things fell out.


    Albert kept his anger in check as he took a deep breath and epted the call.


    He was still wondering to himself how he should deal with this incident with her before he epted the


    call.


    However, Ste crushed hisst straw of hope as soon as she spoke.


    ¡®Albert Jewell, are you enjoying this?" She asked.


    Rainee said the exact same thing when she sent an ountant who worked for him and took


    advantage of thepany policy''s loophole to jail while holding all the evidence back then.


    Once again, Albert felt extremely ufortable.


    He felt as though he could see Rainee smiling and staring at him with her cold eyes.


    Albert gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice, "What can you gain from doing this? Do you think you


    can keep yourself out of this now that Vinci Rivera is involved too?"


    "I''ve never thought of doing that anyway." Ste said calmly, "I''ve decided to do everything I can to


    bring you down ever since I found out that you wanted to give up on my mom, stop funding the welfare


    center, and did all those disgusting things that you did.¡¯


    Albert got so angry that his body shook. "What do you want from me?!"


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®I''ll give you two choices. One, pay my mom what she deserves, and I''ll keep my mouth shut so that


    your precious daughter can live her life in peace from now on. Two, rify publicly that Sophia''s mother


    forced you to drink, and Sophia Jewell was just a drunken mistake. That way, I won''t expose you for


    evading taxes. Also, I''ll testify for you in court when you divorce my mom, and you can keep half of


    your wealth. Pick one. I wonder if you''d put your daughter or yourself first?"


    Ste was not very loud, but Albert could hear every single word she said clearly.


    "Keep in mind, you can be sent to prison for charity fraud and tax evasion."


    Albert''s heart skipped a beat.


    Ste''s words reminded him of what happened seven years ago.


    Raine said something simr when she came to his office with those huge sets of evidence before


    throwing them at him.

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    "Two choices. One, give up on your wealth, and I''ll give you some of thepany shares. That way,


    you won''t starve to death. However, you canpletely forget about thepany and your daughter.


    Two, I''ll send all these to court, and you''ll spend the rest of your life reflecting on your mistakes in jail,"


    Albert recalled.


    Rainee let him choose between his freedom and his wealth. Albert''s forehead began sweating. Then,


    he looked at Sophia and


    Hylda subconsciously after Ste said that.


    Hylda got scared, and she heard Albert speaking before she could say anything. "You''re lying. You


    have nothing on me!"


    "You think so?"


    Ste replied tly. Then, Albert received hard evidence of Sophiamitting charity fraud on his


    phone.


    "Do you want more?" Ste added calmly, "I have more."


    The look on Albert''s face changed. He then said after pausing for some time, "Ste, your mom and I


    are legally married. You''re my first child, and I know what I did is unforgivable to you. But, it was just a


    mistake that every man on Earth wouldmit at some point in his life. I''m still your father, after all. My


    love for you has never changed. You''ll have no one to depend on if anything bad ever happens to you


    in the Kane family after I lost everything. Think about it."


    "Dad..." Ste said softly.


    Albert thought that she was going to change her mind as he continued, "Ste, just let me know if


    you''re very bothered by the fact that I stopped funding the welfare center. We can talk this out. After all,


    it''s something that your mom has always been doing. I feel very bad for doing that too."


    "Are you saying that you didn''t cheat on my mom on purpose?"


    "Your mom and I love each other very much. I''d never make a mistake like that if I wasn''t seduced."


    Hylda''s face turned pale, and Sophia was very surprised to hear what Albert said too. She did not


    expect that Albert would choose himself over her.


    "Heh¡ª"


    Ste''s chuckled on the phone, and it sounded a little sarcastic.


    "Albert Jewell, you did not disappoint at all. You will really do anything just to protect yourself."


    Albert froze and the look on his face turned awful. "Did you lie to me?"


    Ste said coldly, "Albert Jewell, do you remember the divorce paper you signed with my mom seven


    years ago?"


    Her expression changed slightly.


    She added, "Either you do as the agreement said, or just wait for the court to summon you."


    Ste hung up after saying that.


    Albert''s expression looked dreadful.


    The look on Hylda''s face did not very pleasant either.


    She was not expecting that the man she tolerated and had been with for more than twenty years would


    say something like that right in front of her.


    Hylda was one of the many university students Rainee used to sponsor back then. Albert flirted with


    her, and he would give her new clothes and take her out.


    She was just an inexperienced young girl, and she just could not resist the temptation of a mature man.


    So, she sumbed to him very soon after that.


    She was just a freshman in university when she had Sophia. She wanted to get an abortion after


    knowing that Albert was a married man.


    However, Albert stopped her from doing so. He told her that he only married Rainee because of his


    personal interests, and he did not love her at all. He also imed that he would divorce Rainee sooner


    orter. So, he convinced her to wait for him and keep the baby.


    Hylda was moved by his sweet words, and she believed him. After that, she withdrew from her course


    and gave birth to Sophia.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Albert treated her very well and did everything she wanted during the year she was pregnant. However,


    Albert turned around and left the hospital directly after seeing that the baby turned out to be a girl.

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    Albert told his assistant to take care of her after he had left.


    Hylda stayed in the hospital for about two weeks after the c-section, and Albert never visited her once.


    She called him a few times, but he would always tell her that he was busy with work. He would also tell


    her to get some rest and wait for him to visit her when he was free.


    She had never doubted him. Albert made some arrangements and sent her to live in an apartment after


    she was discharged. He even hired a babysitter just to take care of her.


    Albert only visited her after a month when her health started to be better.


    However, there was only one reason that he visited her, and it was to do the deed.


    Hylda was still very weak after giving birth, so she bled and got sent back into the hospital again. The


    doctor scolded them, and he was infuriated by what they did. He just could not understand why they


    would have unprotected sexual intercourse before Hylda''s wound waspletely healed.


    The doctor also told them that it would be very dangerous for the woman once she got pregnant again.


    Albert got very unhappy. He frowned and asked the doctor, "How long do I have to wait before she can


    get pregnant again?"


    "At least two years after the c-section. It''d be best for both the mother and the child," the doctor said.


    Albert''s face darkened after hearing that, and he kept quiet. Hylda did not realize that Albert only acted


    that way because her child turned out to be a girl.


    She only noticed that something was wrong after how Albert started to call her fewer and became


    indifferent to whatever had happened to her.


    Hylda was a very smart woman. She talked to the people around


    Albert and found out that he would always argue with Rainee not only because of how assertive Rainee


    was but also because of their child.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Albert took the matter of extending his bloodline very seriously, and it had always been his top priority


    in life. However, Rainee''s health deteriorated after giving birth to their first child. And, the fact that she


    wanted to put her career first made her give up the idea of having another child.


    Albert did not get together with Hylda because of how excellent she was, but he wanted her to bear his


    child. It would be difficult for him to be with a working woman, and he was just not interested in women


    who did not look very good or had low academic qualifications. So, an inexperienced university student


    who did note from a very wealthy family, and who also happened to be rather pretty like Hylda


    automatically became a perfect candidate for him.


    Hylda felt as though it was the end of the world when she found out about that.


    She was not even twenty years old, yet she had already given birth to Albert''s child before she could


    complete her studies. She knew very well that she would never be able to raise the child on her own if


    Albert were to abandon her.


    Hylda knew that there was no turning back after she believed in what Albert said, so she braced herself


    and lived with her decision.


    Very soon, Hylda recollected herself after going through a short period of pain in her life.


    She had to live and raise her daughter. Even though Albert was a scum, she could turn a blind eye as


    soon as he could satisfy her needs and wants.


    So, she began to please Albert and do anything he asked.


    Albert could never be the big man he wanted to be when he was around Rainee, but it waspletely


    different when he was around Hylda.


    After that, Albert began paying more attention to Hylda. But, he had never talked about divorcing


    Rainee ever since.


    Until Hylda got pregnant again. She gave up on her studies because of Albert and lived her life in


    shame for more than twenty years. She just could not believe that


    Albert would put all the me on her just to protect himself.

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    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Hylda was not only disheartened, but she also felt very angry and disgusted.


    It took Albert some time for him to realize what had happened. He turned around and saw the


    disappointment in Hylda¡¯s eyes as he quickly went to her and said, "Don''t take my words seriously. I


    said those things on purpose just to probe how much she really knows. Don''t worry. I''ll do everything I


    can to keep Sophia safe.¡±


    Hylda tried to stay calm and said while gazing downward, "I''ve been with you for so many years. I''m


    not going to doubt you just because of that.


    Albert, you can''t have hope for Ste anymore. She won''t do you any good now that she found out


    about everything. You have to withdraw all the money you invested in Keegan''spany as soon as


    possible.¡±


    However, Albert spoke as if he was not worried at all. ¡®Not only that we''re affected by this, but Vinci


    Rivera has it worse than us. She made Keegan lose so much money, and I''m sure that he''s going to


    want an exnation from her. He won''t have the time to deal with us. Semiconductor Technology will


    go public in less than a month, and we''ll receive the money before he could realize what happened.¡¯


    Hylda was still a little doubtful. However, Albert interrupted her before she could say anything. "Leave


    yourself out of this. I''ll take care of it.¡±


    Hylda''s face darkened.


    ¡®Albert has always been very bossy. No wonder Rainee said not to let Albert take over thepany no


    matter what back then. He''s just too arrogant and stubborn.


    ¡®He thinks that Ste will help him as long as she is still Keegan''s wife just because he''s her father.


    ¡®He doesn''t know his own daughter at all. How can he expect Ste to treat him like a father if he has


    never treated her as his daughter?


    ¡®Ste would try to get rid of us before anybody else if she had more power in the Jewell family.I¡¯ve got


    to make a move...'' Hylda thought.


    Two days after the incident, the Vinci Rivera Group published a handwritten apology statement on their


    official Facebook page.


    Ste tapped on it as soon as it was posted.


    She could recognize that it was written by Keegan almost instantly.


    Keegan''s handwriting looked very good as if he was a poet. It was very tidy and unobtrusive.


    The apology statement addressed what happened the day before briefly without evading responsibility


    and admitted that they made a mistake during recruitment. And, the Vinci Rivera Group had listened to


    the public''s criticism with an open mind and decided to dismiss Sophia and banned her from working


    under the group forever.


    Moreover, it rified the false rumors about its recruitment scandal while establishing a newpany


    regtion. It imed that the Vinci Rivera Group would send every interview process after each


    session to the shared email ount to be as transparent as possible. Everyone would be able to


    monitor each interview so that the system could be open, fair, and unbiased.


    Additionally, it updated its new requirement standards for future recruitment.


    Fresh graduates were still required to have a recognized degree because they did not have any


    working experience, and that was the only way to determine their vocational ability.


    However, it became easier for former year''s graduates to apply.


    Academic qualifications would stop being the only criterion for securing a position in the Vinci Rivera


    Group. Anyone that had achieved anything prominent in their career or published any influential thesis


    in relevant magazines would be given an opportunity for an interview. And, they also extended the


    maximum age of applicants to forty years old.


    Anyone who was employed under this new policy would also receive the same pay as the other


    applicants with higher academic qualifications who worked in the same position.


    That was because everyone learned at a different phase. Some people could absorb a lot of


    knowledge in school, but some people would only start showcasing super high learning abilities once


    they started working.


    This new policy undoubtedly gave a chance to people who were verypetent in their field but


    graduated from a mediocre university. It was an opportunity that they never had because, back then,


    their academic qualifications prevented them from working in a leading enterprise.


    By right, the statement should appear very sincere since Keegan wrote it by hand. It was supposed to


    relieve theizens anger, yet thement section was filled with skeptical and resentful remarks


    instead.

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    Some of theizens said that the Vinci Rivera Group shifted the me to the recruiting department


    and fired its staff to avoid responsibility.


    Then, they also said it was a breach of privacy by sending the interview progress to a shared email


    ount.


    Some of them even questioned the new policy by asking what they would do if the interviewer


    discriminated against candidates with lower academic qualifications.


    There was just too much being said. Those people could just find fault with the apology statement no


    matter how sincere it was. However, thements were mainly made by newly registered ounts or


    fake ounts. Other than that, thementers were either high school students, diploma graduates,


    or people who specialized in fields that had nothing to do with the industry that Vinci Rivera Group was


    in.


    Moreover, the apology statement failed to stop theizens from attacking them online. At noontime,


    Soarer Technology posted a new recruitment policy, and its new criteria were exactly the same as the


    one Vinci Rivera posted earlier.


    At one o''clock, The Wings Group followed along.


    After that, theizens began to change their opinions.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Soarer Technology was owned by the Lowe family, and it was the leading enterprise in the inte


    industry. Meanwhile, The Wings Group was founded by the Saun family, and it specialized in high-end


    manufacturing.


    The twopanies were just as hard to get into as the Vinci Rivera Group. So, the fact that they


    implemented this new policy said a lot about their stance toward the incident.


    It was great news to job seekers, so a lot of them voiced out to show their support.


    At the same time, in the western suburbs, Trevor was very unhappy that somebody else beat him to it.


    He frowned and said, "I wanted Keegan to owe me a favor, yet somebody else had the same idea as


    me. Why is the old madman in the Lowe family so obsessed with taking other people''s credit?"


    Xavier replied, "Carter Lowe is in charge of Soarer Technology now because Zane has passed away."


    Trevor paused for a while before he said, "They look so alike."


    Ste still could not reach Keegan after trying for some time. However, she was relieved that the


    netizens stopped targeting Vinci Rivera for now. Marshall called her not long after.


    He noticed the change inizens¡¯ attitude too, so he purposely called Ste to ask about Keegan.


    Ste pursed her lips and said in a low voice, ¡°I''m not sure either. He isn''t picking up my call."


    Keegan did not answer her call even though that incident was sorted out temporarily because he was


    still mad at her.


    It was just too obvious, and Keegan could easily know that she was the one who caused everything


    without even thinking. So, it was impossible for Keegan not to be mad after Ste had gotten him into


    so much trouble.


    Marshall paused after he heard what Ste said. Then, he consoled her, "I think he''s just busy."


    Ste kept quiet.


    Marshall then said, "Are you okay?"


    "What?" Ste was stunned. Then, she came around and realized that Marshall was probably asking


    about how the incident had affected her.


    She actually could not care less. Instead, she would dly want things to be worse.


    "I''m fine.¡± Ste thought for a moment before she said, "Mr. Moore, can I hire you to handle a divorce


    case for me?"

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    Marshall paused. "Are you going to divorce Keegan?"


    Ste did not know what to say.


    ¡®I wouldn''t want you to be mywyer if I was really going to do that? She thought to herself.


    "Not for me, but for my mom."


    Ste briefly told Marshall about what had happened between Rainee and Albert before she brought up


    the divorce settlement from seven years ago.


    She said, "Mr. Moore, is it possible for my mom to get back the allocated property to her seven years


    ago if she divorces my father now?"


    "It''s very difficult," Marshal replied.


    Suddenly, Ste¡¯s heart sank.


    "The divorce papers were signed, yet none of the relevant procedures was executed. Besides, you told


    me that your father holds the majority shares of the Jewell Group, and he had been paying for your


    mom''s medical expenses ever since she was admitted to the hospital. Legally speaking, he fulfilled his


    duty as a husband as he took care of his wife. So, it''s going to be very difficult if you want him to give


    up all his possessions.¡±


    "What about the evidence of him cheating?¡±


    Marshall replied, "It could be proof of their marriage breaking down, and the judge will act ordingly


    in the favor of your mother while dividing the property. However, it''s not going to be enough for your


    father to give up on everything. As I said, he has been paying your mother''s medical bills, and there''s


    no way that you can win thiswsuit if hiswyer holds on to this."


    Ste frowned and said in a slightly angry manner, "Isn''t the marriagew supposed to protect both


    husband and wife? Why is it protecting the interests of the wrongdoer now?"


    Marshall gazed downward and said after a while, "Sometimes, even thew can''t be absolutely fair."


    Ste shut her eyes and held her finger against the corner of her eye. Then, she said after keeping


    quiet for a while, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Moore. I wasn''t angry at you."


    "It''s fine. I''ve engaged in a lot of divorcewsuits, and I''ve seen worse than what your mother is going


    through.¡± Then, Marshall continued, "The only way to work this out is to make Albert Jewell withdraw


    himself from the property settlement willingly."


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    "A person like him would never do that."


    "So, what your mother did was actually very impressive. You can do the same thing too."


    Ste shook her head. "My mom collected those evidence and forced him to sign the papers. There''s


    just no way that he wouldn''t destroy the evidence after my mom got into that ident. And, I''m pretty


    sure that he has already patched up his mistakes long ago.¡±


    "Not necessarily." Marshall said, "ording to what you said, Albert Jewell is a greedy and


    unscrupulous man who would always put his personal interest first. Even though he tried to rectify the


    mistakes he made back then out of fear, it doesn''t necessarily mean that he wouldn''tmit the same


    mistake again. A person''s nature is very hard to change.¡±


    "I''ve thought about that too, but I don''t work in the Jewell Group. So, there''s no way I can look through


    thepany''s ount book.¡±


    Rainee had full control over thepany back then, so she was very familiar with its ounts. It was


    nothing but a piece of cake for her to expose what he did. But, it was different for Ste as she did not


    even know where the ount of thepany was, let alone find the evidence of Albertmitting a


    crime."


    Marshall thought for a while and said, "Do you have the numbers of the Jewell Group''s ex-employees?¡±


    Ste thought of the notebook in Rainee''s safe and said, "Yeah, I do."


    "Send them to me, and I''ll try talking to them. Maybe they''ll tell me something you don''t know if they are


    on your mother''s side.¡±


    His words woke Ste up, and she said, "Why didn''t I think of that?"


    ¡®Albert fired many senior employees in thepany after what happened to my mom, and at least one


    or two of them would know some secrets, right?¡¯ Ste thought.


    She then added, "Please give me a moment. I''ll look for the numbers and send them to you."


    Marshal replied, ¡°It''s fine. Let''s meet up in a while. Didn''t you say that you still have the evidence that


    your mother collected seven years ago? Bring them along, so I can see if any of them can still be


    useful.¡±

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    "Sure." Ste asked while unlocking the safe, "Where should we meet?"


    ¡®I''ll meet you at the same cafe where you asked me to be yourwyer for the first time." Marshall said


    gently, "Be careful on the road. Everybody''s getting off work now, and there''ll be a lot of cars. It''s fine if


    youe a littlete."


    Indeed, the traffic jam was as terrible as Marshall said.


    It took Ste more than thirty minutes to reach her destination when it was only supposed to take her


    twenty minutes.


    Marshall had already been waiting for some time when Ste arrived at the cafe. He sat at the same


    ce near the window, and he could see everything that was happening on the road clearly.


    Ste pulled the chair and softly said, "Sorry to keep you waiting.¡¯


    Marshall replied in a gentle voice, "It''s fine. I just got off work." Then, he asked, "Would you like


    anything to drink?"


    "I''ll have some milk."


    Marshall nodded before he said to the waiter, "Please get us a cup of warm milk and a cup oftte with


    half sugar and no milk."


    "You should have some milk too. You''ll have a hard time sleeping tonight after drinking coffee."


    Ste blurted out and instantly regretted it.


    Her rtionship with Marshall was not close enough for her toment on his personal lifestyle.


    Keegan would have a cup of coffee in the evening too. Even though he would work more efficiently


    after that, he would also have a hard time falling asleep at night.


    She was too used to controlling Keegan''s diet, so she automatically stopped Marshall from ordering


    coffee without any hesitation.


    What is the most effective way Sod ellen to deter China¡¯s aggression?


    Marshall looked at her, and he was surprised.


    Ste realized what she had just said and added, "Didn''t you tell me that you got addicted to caffeine,


    and you can''t sleep at night?" You should try some chewing gums if you want to get rid of the


    addiction."


    Then, she took out a packet of chewing gum from her bag and handed it to him.


    A cosmetician from work gave it to her two days ago at the set.


    Marshall chuckled. "I didn''t expect you''d remember that."


    At that time, there was a Maserati parked beside the road. Keegan sat inside while looking at Marshall


    and Ste through the window with a face that could not be any gloomier.


    Ste took the documents out of her bag and pushed them toward Marshall. ¡®This notebook has the


    numbers of the former employees of Jewell Group. The documents here are the evidence my mother


    collected to prove that Albert and his rtives took bribes and embezzled public funds. And, this is the


    divorce settlement they signed seven years ago."


    Marshall took them and started going through the documents in a serious manner. He asked while he


    was reading, "Do you have a copy of these documents?"


    "I took pictures."


    "Photocopy everything," Marshall said without lifting his head. "It''s better to have another set of


    backup."


    "Sure. I''ll do that when I get backter."


    "What''s this?" Marshall pushed the notebook toward Ste and asked, "Is it Johnson? I can''t really read


    it."


    Ste went closer to him. "It looks like... Johnston, right? Or, is it Johson?"


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Then, the waiter said as if another patron had entered the cafe, "Wee, sir." "Let''s take a picture of


    it first. We''ll Know what it is after we call the number.

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    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Ste spoke, and she felt like somebody was staring at her intensely.She paused and lifted her gaze.


    Then, she saw Keegan striding toward her with an unpleasant look on his face.


    Ste noticed that Keegan did not look very good after not meeting him for a day. The dark circles


    under his eye looked very bad as if he had not slept for a while. He was wearing a new set of clothes,


    but it was different from what she gave to Aldor previously. He also had stubble on his chin that he did


    not have time to shave.


    "Keegan..."


    Keegan approached her and grabbed her wrist before dragging her away from the chair as soon as


    Ste said his name. He was very rough. He grabbed her wrist so hard that she felt like her wrist was


    about to break.


    Ste frowned in pain. She did not want to start a fight with him in public, so she said softly, "Keegan,


    let go of me."


    Keegan ignored her and was about to drag her out of the cafe with an angry look on his face.


    Ste got very upset with his attitude, so she started struggling.


    Keegan was very mad at her for doing that, and he yanked her aggressively.


    Ste''s face turned pale. She knocked her knee against the edge of the chair, and the sharp pain made


    her groan.


    Marshall frowned. Then, he got up and stood in front of Keegan. "Keegan, let''s talk this out. There''s no


    need to be so rough."


    Keegan''s rage was close to exploding as he said deeply with a cold face,¡¯ Get out of my face!"


    Marshall did not step aside. Instead, he took another step toward Keegan.


    "Calm down, and let''s talk this out if there¡¯s a problem. If you''re going to be violent, there''s no way I''ll


    allow you to take Ste away from here, whether as your friend or herwyer."


    Keegan tightened his grip. "I''ll say this again for thest time. Get lost!"


    Marshall stared into his eyes without moving an inch.


    Ste noticed that Keegan was going to lose his temper any time, so she ignored the pain and softly


    said, "Mr. Moore, that will be all for today. You can go now."


    "He''s not going to hit me." Ste pursed her lips. "I''ll call you again soon."


    "Ste, physical abuse isn¡¯t the only form of violence." Marshall frowned as he looked at Ste''s wrist.


    Then, he said in a deep voice, "Keegan, you''re hurting her."


    Keegan''s anger sparked. He grabbed Marshall''s cor and pushed him aside aggressively.


    "Bang."


    Marshall lost his bnce and knocked himself against the table. Then, he fell awkwardly on the floor.


    The cafe turned into a mess. A few patrons that came in to buy coffee quickly left the shop in fear. Even


    the staff stood from afar because they were too scared to break them up.


    "Mr. Moore!" Ste did not expect that Keegan would actually get physical. Her expression turned


    angry as she struggled to break free. "Let go of me! Keegan Kane! You''re out of your mind!"


    Keegan did not look at Marshall, who fell on the floor. He forcefully dragged Ste out of the cafe and


    shoved her into the car. Ste leaned against the window, wanting to check on Marshall. However,


    Keegan grabbed both of her arms, pinned her down on the seat, and started kissing her madly.


    Ste fought hard to dodge him, and it made Keegan very angry. He locked both of her arms above her


    head with one hand and held her chin with another before he started insanely kissing her again.


    "Let go... Ugh..."


    Keegan ignored Ste no matter how hard she tried to break free. He even got more aggressive


    because of Ste''s resistance.


    Ste did not n to give in at all. She was ready to bite his tongue if he put it into her mouth. However,


    Keegan moved his hand and squeezed both sides of her cheeks, leaving her no chance to bite him at


    all as he went even crazier on her.

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    Rather than kissing her, Keegan acted more like he was just taking his anger out on her.


    Ste stopped fighting after a while.


    There was just no way she could push Keegan away, and struggling would only make him angrier.


    Aldor drove quietly while looking straight ahead. He ignored whatever was happening in the backseat


    and tried to drive as fast as possible.


    The car stopped after some time. It was then Keegan finally stopped taking his anger out on Ste. He


    got off the car and wanted to drag Ste out too.


    However, Ste grabbed the handle tightly.


    Keegan did not say a word and directly put her on his shoulder.


    "Keegan Kane, let me go!"


    Ste almost vomited after how Keegan''s shoulder pressed against her stomach. She fought hard to


    get down while hammering Keegan''s shoulder.


    However, Keegan walked directly into the house without saying a single thing as if he could not feel


    Ste hitting him at all.


    Maria was on the phone when she heard some noiseing in from outside. "Please hold on. I think


    Mr. Kane is back. I need to get the door for him."


    Then, she put the phone on the table and quickly went to the door.


    She saw Keegan carrying Ste on his shoulder as soon as she opened the door. The looks on both of


    their faces were not looking very good.


    Maria was about to ask something, but Keegan said coldly before she could open her mouth, "Go back


    to your room."


    Maria did not dare to speak anymore. So, she took out a pair of slippers and hurriedly went back to her


    room.


    "Keegan Kane, you jerk! Let go of me!" Ste shouted.


    Keegan threw her on the couch the next second.


    She was about to sit up, but Keegan went on top of her and pinned her down.


    They got into the same position as they were in the car. However, Keegan could do more things now


    that he had more space on the couch. He crossed his leg over her knees to stop her from moving.


    Then, he grabbed her wrists and put them above her head with one hand and pinched her chin with


    another before kissing her again.


    He was even more aggressive this time, and Ste just could not find the strength to fight back.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan let go of her hands as he was kissing her and pulled her pants down.


    Ste''s hands were finally free. She pushed Keegan away violently and pped him in the face. She


    was on the verge of tears. Her lips looked reddish, but her gaze was extremely unyielding.


    Keegan held himself up on top of her, and he looked at her strangely as if he could not believe what


    just happened.


    Ste did not p him very hard. She did not use her full force, so it did not hurt Keegan at all.


    However, Keegan just could not ept the fact that she actually pped him.

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    Keegan clenched his hands tightly, and his face soon darkened. "I can''t believe you just hit me


    because of him," he uttered. Ste pushed him away and sat up. She wiped her bright red lips with the


    back of her hand and said with red eyes, "If you ever try to push yourself against me like that again, I¡¯m


    going to make you regret it!"


    What happened during the night of her marriage still haunted her. Ste could not stand being


    restrained and forced to make out. It made her feel disgusted. It reminded her of how powerless she


    was when Jackson was on top other.


    "Why don''t you ever listen?" Keegan''s face was extremely cold.¡® Didn''t I tell you to stay away from


    Marshall? Why didn''t you obey my words?"


    Ste gritted her teeth and replied, "What''s wrong with meeting up with him when we''re just working


    together?"


    "Just working together?" Keegan asked angrily. "Who helped you when you changed the data in the


    sh drive and walked away yesterday? Why didn''t you tell me? You never tell me about what''s going


    on with you. Do you even see me as your husband?"


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Before Ste could fully process the first part of his question, she was upied by the second half of


    his sentence. "Why didn''t I tell you? Would you let me do it if I had told you? Would you have helped


    me? No. You''ve never been there for me! Where were you when I was hospitalized after a car


    ident? No family members came to sign my forms. Where were you when my great- grandpa fell


    because of Aurora? You weren''t there. You always muddled through everything. So tell me, how am I


    supposed to tell you about my ns? Clearly, you would have stopped me."


    "So, you went to Marshall for help?" Keegan''s face looked extremely gloomy. "Did you forget that I am


    your husband? Do you know how much this matter has affected thepany? You always do things


    without considering the consequences and let others clean up after you!"


    Ste''s face was pale. She clenched her fingers and said hoarsely, "I didn''t ask you to clean up after


    me. I will bear the consequences of my actions. I will go to thepany tomorrow and tell everyone I


    did it. They can do whatever they want after that. But, I''m telling you, I would do it all again if I was


    given a chance!"


    Ste understood the impact of her actions and regretted it after the incident. However, if she was


    asked to choose again, she would still do it since it was the best opportunity to unveil everything.


    Sophia had only been in Vinci Rivera for less than a month and was still an intern. She had yet to reach


    a deep bond with the people in thepany. When Ste revealed the truth about her, the impact on


    thepany was minimal. However, she did not expect people to twist the situation online.


    Ste was willing to apologize and bear the repercussions. After all, she had thought about all the


    possibilities before taking action. She had never once assumed that she would be able to altogether


    remove herself from the matter.


    But, she was not happy with how Keegan was scolding her.


    ¡®Forget that he was my husband? I asked Marshall to help Mom with the divorcewsuit, which has


    nothing to do with him. Did he forget that I''m his wife when I got into a car ident, and he stayed by


    Be''s side?¡¯


    "You''ll bear the consequences? Did you forget that you had nothing when you married into the Kane


    family? You are what you are right now only because of me! How are you going to deal with the


    oue?"


    Ste''s heart shuddered. Keegan knew her so well that he knew what would hurt her the most. Her


    face turned pale as she said, "There''s still the divorce settlement. Did you forget that I will get one


    billion dors after the divorce, Mr. Kane? I''m sure I can face the repercussions."


    Keegan''s face suddenly sank. "Do you think I don''t dare to leave you?"


    The corners of Ste''s lips twitched when she heard that. "I never said that, Mr. Kane. I know I''m just a


    ything you married at a high price. You tease me whenever you''re in the mood, and you can kill or


    leave me after you get bored, no?"


    Keegan was annoyed by her words. He stood up from the couch, looked down at her, and said, "That''s


    right. You''re just a ything I bought with money. I shouldn''t care so much about you. However, other


    ythings listen to their masters whenever money is involved. So, why should I spend my money on an


    ungrateful toy?" "I''m d you think that way, Mr. Kane. I hope you''d divorce me right away and let me


    go as soon as possible," Ste clenched her hands tightly and said firmly.

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    Keegan''s face could not only be described as gloomy; it looked like it was shrouded in darkness. His


    true feelings were hard to unravel, but his expression did not go unnoticed.


    "Alright, Ste. You''re the one who asked for the divorce, so don''t regret it when the timees."


    Keegan then grabbed his coat and said, "We''ll proceed with it after I return from my business trip."


    After he said that, he stopped looking at her, turned away, and went upstairs.


    Ste sat on the couch with her back tensed. She did not slump her shoulders until she heard the door


    m. She knew she had pissed off Keegan this time because no matter how mad he was, he still


    sounded as if he could be coaxed. But, once he spoke calmly when he was angered, it was toote.


    ¡®Are we finally going through with this divorce?¡¯ Ste sat on the couch and thought, ¡®Why aren''t I as


    happy as I thought I''d be?¡¯


    She then hugged her knees and buried her face in them.


    On a table not far away, andline phone had been picked up and was left on the table. Dahlia listened


    to the voice on the other end of the phone with a gloomy expression and only hung up when no sound


    was heard from the other side.


    That night, Dahlia did not go upstairs to her room. Instead, she stayed in the guest room where Arthur


    had stayed in before. The servant had already cleaned the room and washed the bedding, which made


    it smell like sunshine after being hung dried.


    The bed was fluffy andfortable, but Dahlia could not fall asleep. She tossed and turned, thinking


    about Keegan''s nce when he first came upstairs and what he said about her. In the end, she only


    managed to get a few hours of shut-eye.


    Then, at the crack of dawn, Dahlia heard someone moving around outside.¡¯ That must be Keegan,¡¯ she


    thought. She heard Maria running up and down, helping Keegan pack his luggage. ¡®He''s going to


    Alodale for probably more than a week.¡¯


    Maria was new, so she was unfamiliar with Keegan''s habits and preferences. She asked for his opinion


    about each and every item before putting them into the luggage. After answering her questions a few


    times, Keegan got impatient and told her to figure it out herself.


    The living room became quiet about an hourter, and a car engine started outside after a while.


    Keegan had left.


    Steid back on the bed and looked at the ceiling. After a long time, she took out her phone and


    called Daniel.


    "Can we shoot my scenes today, Mr. Wood?"


    Aldor had asked one of his trusted friends to drive today because he was going on the business trip


    with Keegan to Alodale.


    Keegan returned home earlier than usualst night, but he looked tired. The dark circles under his eyes


    seemed worse than it was yesterday.


    ¡®I guess he didn''t sleep well. Maybe he had a fight with Mrs. Kane,¡¯ Aldor thought. From Aider''s


    perspective, Keegan had gone to the extreme to protect Ste this time. When the incident happened,


    he immediately knew who the instigator was, but he did not take his wife out.


    Keegan even stayed the night at a hotel near thepany because he was afraid of losing his temper


    when he saw Ste. He tried to calm down and waited for the matter to be resolved before returning


    home. On the way back, Keegan saw Ste and Marshall having a "date" at a coffee shop. He then


    saw her handing him a piece of gum through the ss window.


    ¡®Mr. Kane realized that his wife asked his friend for help rather than himself andter found out that


    they were behaving intimately. No man could turn a blind eye at that,¡¯ thought Aldor. ¡®It''s clear that Mrs.


    Kane is in the wrong here, but...¡¯


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Aldor paused. "Mr. Kane, are you still angry with your wife?" he asked.


    Keegan frowned. "Don''t mention her to me right now!"


    "Alright, sir," he replied and shut his mouth. After a while, he said, "Mr. Jewell really is something, huh?


    It''s unbelievable that he kept his illegitimate daughter a secret and even hid it under the nose of his


    own wife. Poor Ms. Spade and her daughter." "Didn''t I tell you not to talk about her?" Keegan shot him


    a sideways look and said.

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    "I wasn''t talking about Mrs. Kane," Aldor said with an innocent face. "I just have mixed feelings about


    what happened to Ms. Spade and her daughter. I mean, who could bear that kind of news? If I were


    Ms. Spade''s daughter, I would have peeled the other party''s skin off."


    Keegan was speechless. "How much ecstasy did Ste give you for you to stand up for her?" he


    asked. Aldorughed, "Oh, Mrs. Kane never talked to me about her personal life. She usuallyes to


    ask me about your likes and dislikes."


    Keegan then thought about what the woman had said yesterday and snorted coldly, "Well, she is a


    ything, after all. I guess the only way to please her master is to learn more about him."


    "No owner would buy expensive essories for his doll or let his ything y him," Aldor replied.


    Keegan did not know what to say but refused to admit it, "Is there anything wrong with me wanting my


    doll to dress up a little?"


    "No, no. That''spletely fine," Aldor could not help but chuckle.


    Keegan felt slightly ufortable hearing thatughter and added, "My money would be wasted if that


    doll doesn''t look presentable."


    "You like ying with dolls, Mr. Kane?" The confused driver interrupted.


    Keegan was at a loss for words when he heard that. The car quickly arrived at the hospital parking lot.


    Aldor exited the car, took the elevator, and went upstairs. In about twenty minutes, he exited the


    elevator with a little girl in his arms.


    The pure little girl had her head on Aldor''s shoulder with her eyes closed. She rubbed her eyes when


    she was in the car and asked, " Uncle Kane, where are we going?"


    Keegan helped her put on her seat belt and said, "We''re going to go y."


    Coco frowned, "Why didn''t you tell me earlier? I could''ve dressed up."


    "You look good," replied Keegan.


    "Liar. You said that I look like a burned matchstick." Coco pouted.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Keegan had purchased her the ck hat she was wearing today.


    "Matchsticks have a lot of personalities," Keegan said tly. "Not everyone can be matchsticks, you


    know."


    "Nobody wants to be matchsticks," Coco muttered.


    Then, the car left the hospital and went straight to the airport.


    "Cut¡ª" Daniel yelled at the end of thest scene, looking at the screen. "Come look," he beckoned,


    and Ste walked over wearing a heavy costume.


    The screen showed the scene between the beauty and the Queen in the imperial garden. Ste''s


    acting was great as always, even better than before. Daniel liked her interpretation of the role more and


    more.


    Daniel was slightly surprised when he noticed Ste''sck of spirits after watching the master tape.


    "What''s wrong?" he asked.


    "Ah, nothing," Ste said. "I''m just a little overwhelmed by your words of praise."


    Daniel was speechless. "You think you''re good enough to fool me now, huh?"


    "That''s not it," Ste said absentmindedly. "There''s just stuff going on at home."


    As soon as she said that, her phone rang. Ste looked at the caller ID and saw that it was her


    mother''s caretaker. She quickly answered the call and heard, "Ste,e quick. A group of people


    just came in and took your mom off the venttor. Now they''re asking us to discharge her. Come quick."

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    Ste''s face changed. "Stall them, Za. Don''t let them touch my mother. I''ll go over right away."


    "I have to go, Mr. Wood," she said after hanging up the phone. Daniel had already heard what was


    going on through the phone call. He more or less knew about the situation in Ste''s family. He knew


    she had a mother who was in aa in the hospital and needed long-term medication.


    Although Ste''s life was rather messy, she was neverte for shoots. She was the best at taking


    criticism and the sharpest actor.


    Daniel liked her a lot. So when he heard that, he said, ''''Go ahead. We''ve done a lot of filming today.


    We need to change the background for our next scene; we can continue the shoot next time."


    Ste said goodbye and changed her costume. Then, without taking her makeup off, she rushed to


    Rotona Pinnacle Hospital.


    Several people in very different attires stood at the door of Rainee''s ward. The leader of the group held


    a ck leather bag under his armpit. He was dressed rtively ordinarily, but he was rather tall and


    big. He had a chubby face and a scar at the corner of his left eye up to his scalp, where hair stopped


    growing. His appearance gave off a sense of cruelty and ruthlessness.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Three other people stood behind him, dressed in gang wear. They had tattoos all over their arm and


    piercings all over their face. No one dared to pass by the ward when they saw them.


    Za was afraid they would do something. She stood in front of the hospital bed, wary that they would


    come in and touch Rainee''s equipment just like before.


    Most of the medical staff also stood far away. The nurse in charge tried negotiating with the men as


    their presence affected the hospital and its patients.


    The leader smiled and said, ''''We don''t want to do this either, Ms. Nurse, but they owe us money. It''s


    been several years since theyst paid us back. My men here have families to care for, too, you know.


    There arews to follow. We won''t do anything to harm her; we just want an exnation."


    The man''s smile, paired with his scar, made him seem even more intimidating than before.


    "Even so, you can''t take off her venttor. It''ll kill her!" The nurse anxiously said.


    "What can I do? They have the money to get medical treatment, yet they don''t have the money to pay


    us back. I have to do something to warn them, right?" the man said, ncing at the equipment. "Isn''t


    her heartbeat fairly normal?"


    "Go find the person who borrowed money from you if you want it back. Don''te to the hospital and


    cause trouble. We''ll have no choice but to call the police if you affect the patients."


    The man''s eyes darkened, sneering, "Call them and tell them why I''m here. I''m sure they''d agree that


    you should repay the money you owe."


    The nurse realized that there was no use negotiating, so she took out her phone to dial 911.


    The man did not speak. Instead, he gave the tattooed man next to him a look, and the man


    immediately understood. He stepped forward to grab the nurse, pulled the phone out of her hand, and


    smashed it against the wall.


    The phone instantly fell apart, and the nurse crouched, covering her head in fright.


    "Let''s see who dares to call the police!"


    "I dare!" A cold female voice came from the crowd. Everyone stepped aside, and Ste walked out with


    a tense look. Then, she walked up to the head of the pack.

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    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Ste had just removed her wig, so her hair was tied up behind her head. Her makeup from the shoot


    was not heavy but added a chilling aura to her look.


    "Who are you, and who sent you here to cause trouble?¡± she asked.


    The man withdrew his scrutiny, raised his eyes, and asked, "Who are YOU?"


    "Rainee Spade is my mother,¡¯ Ste said in a deep voice.


    The man nced at Ste''s attire and the designer bag she was carrying, and the corners of his lips


    curled upward. "Then we found the right person,¡± the man said while he opened the leather bag under


    his arm and took out a stack of IOUs, "This is the amount of money your mother borrowed from us.


    Since you are her daughter, you must repay this debt.¡±


    Ste frowned and took the IOUs from the man. There were at least a dozen in the stack, with different


    amounts of money on each sheet, ranging from tens of thousands to millions. Each of them had


    Rainee''s signature and fingerprint that Dahlia forged.


    The earliest was more than ten years ago, and thetest was eight years ago.


    ¡®There are 17 lOUs in total. So, plus interest, the total is 43 million dors. I thought of letting you pay


    us back in installments, but seeing you with all these fancy designer items; I''m sure you have the


    money. So, let''s settle it all at once.¡¯


    But Ste just tore those IOUs to shreds.


    "My mother did not sign these lOUs. Go find the one who signed them." After that, Ste tly said,


    "Get out of the way!"


    The man''s face changed, "How could you say that? It''s all there in ck and white.¡±


    Ste looked at the other party and said in a different tone, "Bro, I don''t know who you''re working for or


    if those bills are even real. The interest rate on them has exceeded four times the bank''s rate. This is


    clearly usury, and it is not protected byw. Even if you get the police involved, you can only get about


    30% interest on these IOUs at most."


    The leader had been collecting debt for years, yet she was the first to talk about thew. ¡°Little miss girl


    here thinks she can talk to me about thew after two years of study? Hah. Listen up, girl. You weren''t


    even in your mother''s womb yet when I studied thew." heughed.


    His words sounded harassing. The men beside himughed lowly, looking at Ste maliciously.


    "If you pay back the money today, we will immediately go and leave everything untouched; if you don''t,


    we''d have to talk. Since we don''t have any money, and you''re clearly bathed in gold and silver, we''ll


    just stay here. We''ll leave when you pay everything off. But let me remind you, girl, my patience doesn''t


    reflect my boys. If you take too long, I can''t guarantee your mother''s well-being.¡±


    Ste''s expression darkened when she heard that. ¡®Seems like there''s no negotiating with these


    people,¡¯ she thought.


    Seeing that she didn''t speak, the man said again, "You look like you have the money, kid. Look at this


    ward. I''m guessing it costs more than ten thousand for a day. Others will go bankrupt if they live here


    for one or two months. Yet, she has lived here for seven years. It would be unreasonable if you told me


    you don''t have the money.¡±


    Ste frowned, "Why didn''t youe all those years before if you knew she was here?"


    The man nced at her, ''l didn''te because someone had been paying the interest, so I didn''t have


    to worry about it. But they haven''t been paying me back for thest few months. So I had to ask for the


    money somehow, right?"


    "Who paid the previous interest?¡± Ste asked.


    ¡°Albert Jewell.¡±


    "Go find him then!"


    "He and your mother are divorced. There''s no way he''d continue paying your mother''s debt.¡±

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    Ste was taken aback. "What?"


    The man noticed her expression and said, "You don''t know yet, do you?"


    "Know what?" Ste asked as she had a bad feeling in her heart.


    "Albert Jewell and Rainee Spade divorced a long time ago. We only came to the hospital because


    Albert did not want to pay us anymore. We''re earning a living, girl. We wouldn''t intentionally cause you


    trouble if we had a choice."


    Ste''s expression changed suddenly. "What did you say?"


    ¡®I said your parents divorced long ago, and your father has no reason to pay your mother''s debts." The


    man frowned and said impatiently, "Why am I telling you all this nonsense? Quickly give me the money.


    Otherwise, no one is going to leave this ward!"


    Ste was confused. ¡®They didn¡¯t go through with the divorce procedures when Mom''s incident


    happened. So why is this person saying they divorced? If they did get divorced, when did it happen,


    and how did they agree to the property settlement?¡¯


    Ste''s mind was all over the ce. She pursed her lips and said, "Let me make a call first." She then


    dialed Albert''s number, but no one answered.


    She lowered her eyes and was about to call Marshall when she suddenly remembered Keegan''s


    words. So, she clenched her fist and called Felicity and Vermont instead.


    Vermont received the call from Ste during a meeting. He had been paying attention to the news


    about the speech at Trinity University on the Inte the past two days, so he knew about the Jewell


    family''s scandal. If Keegan had not been so angry, he would have been unable to hold himself back


    from gossiping with the couple, which was why his eyes lit up when he saw Ste''s call.


    He left the meeting before it ended and answered the call. His assistant even thought that he had a


    new girlfriend.


    ¡®Hey, Ste, what''s up?"


    "Hi, Mr. Snyder. Are you free now?"


    Vermont immediately passed the work to his assistant and said, "Yeah, what''s the matter?"


    "Can youe to the hospital? I want to ask you for a favor."


    ¡®Which hospital are we talking about?"


    "I''ll text you the address."


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    "Sure. I''ll be there in a moment."


    Ste nced at the few people behind her and said in a low voice, "Can you bring a few of your men


    too? I''m afraid things won''t be pretty."


    ¡®She wants me to bring men? Is there going to be a fight?¡¯


    "Okay," Vermont said and hung up the phone. He thought about it for a while and called Marshall.


    "Hey, Marshall, are you free right now?"


    Marshall was busy calling a list of people at the office. When he received the call from Vermont, he took


    off his sses and said as he pinched his eyebrow, "If you need something, just say it."


    ¡®Keegan''s wife is in trouble, and he''s away on a business trip. We need to go and help her."


    Marshall paused, "How would you know if she''s in trouble?" "She called me," Vermont said


    triumphantly. "I guess I''m too outstanding. I can''t help if everyone likesing to me for help."

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    Marshall pursed his lips and remained silent for a long time.


    ¡®Are youing or not?" Vermont asked.


    ¡®Where are we going exactly?"


    ¡®I''ll pick you up at your office."


    "Okay. See youter," Marshall responded.


    Seeing that Ste was still holding the phone to her ear, the man with the scar got impatient. "Are you


    done?" he asked.


    "Yeah."


    Ste lowered her arms, pursed her lips, and said, "Wait here. My friend wille over soon, and we''ll


    discuss the IOU when he''s here. Also, ask your men to get out of the way so the nurse can plug in the


    venttor."


    The man hesitated, but he didn''t budge. "We will get out of the way when we get our money," he said.


    Ste''s face turned ugly. "I assure you I won''t run from the debt. But don''t think you can escape if


    anything happens to my mom!"


    The man with the scar sneered, stepped forward, and grabbed her chin, '' Are you threatening me, little


    girl?" Ste suddenly felt a denseyer of goosebumps on her skin and hit the man in reflex. p! The


    sound was loud and clear.


    The tattooed man pulled Ste''s hair and pped her, "Bitch! My boss was just talking to you. Why the


    hell did you do that? Apologize!"


    Ste did not hear what the other party said at all. Their strength was iparable. Ste''s head


    buzzed after the p; half her face was painful and numb. As if she went deaf; she could not hear


    anything.


    Seeing that she did not speak, the tattooed man became even angrier. "Are you fucking deaf? I told


    you to apologize to my boss!"


    As he said that, he raised his hand again, but the man was violently kicked from behind before he could


    strike a blow. The force of the kick was so great that it sent the tattooed man flying, hitting the


    radiotherapy machine on the bed. Everything fell to the ground with a loud crash.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Several people there were momentarily stunned as they turned their heads to look behind them.


    It was Vermont. He shook his legs, let out a "tsk," and looked at the man coldly. "You should be thankful


    I''ve been behind at my boxing practices recently. Otherwise, I''m not sure if you''d get out of here alive."


    The tattooed man''s head hit the machine, and a swollen lump appeared. His lumbar spine had in sharp


    pain as if it had been broken. It was so painful that he couldn''t get up for some time.


    Marshall stepped forward and helped Ste up. Her hair was a mess after the p, so he brushed it


    away. A big red handprint was visible on the left side of her cheek. Blood seeped through the corners of


    her lips due to her teeth crashing into the insides of her mouth.


    Marshall''s eyes instantly became cold. Ste gently pushed his hand away. She did not care why


    Marshall was there; all that mattered was the group of men there. "I''m fine. They have a stack of IOUs,


    saying my mother owes them money. But their signatures are not in my mother¡¯s handwriting," she


    whispered to Marshall.


    "Got it," Marshall said softly, pulling her behind him. "Leave it to me."


    The man with the scar looked at the two men dressed in expensive suits and said, "Surely, attacking


    my friend the minute you arrive isn''t appropriate, right, gentlemen?"


    ¡®ls it appropriate for you to attack a woman whose strength is iparable to yours?" Vermont


    laughed angrily.


    "My friend''s emotions got the better of him, and I couldn''t stop him in time. ¡¯ The man with the scar


    paused and said, "Are the two of you here to pay back the money her mother owed us?"


    When Vermont heard that, he stepped back and said to Marshall, "You go."


    Ste was speechless. ¡®Why does it seem like Vermont is trying to get out of this because he is afraid


    of paying back the money?¡¯


    Marshall nced around the crowd and said calmly, "Where''s the lOUs?"


    The man with the scar thought that Marshall looked friendly and negotiable. He liked his vibe, so he


    took copies of the IOUs from his bag and handed them to Marshall.


    ¡®We''re not here to cause trouble, bro. We''re just making a living. Suppose you can pay it back, then


    good. But don''t stand in our way if you can''t"

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    After flipping through the IOUs, Marshall asked, "When Ms. Spade borrowed money from you, did you


    have a guarantor? Did she give you something as coteral?"


    "No," said the man with the scar. '' But her signature and fingerprint are there in ck and white. So, it


    can''t be wrong."


    How daring of you to lend out a loan without a guarantor or coteral. Aren''t you afraid you won''t be


    able to get it back? Toner Seth Ofee Brand The manughed contemptuously, "We''ve been in this


    business for a long time, dude. We know their names and their status. As Cartridges long as we have


    their address, they can''t run."


    "They can''t escape, but what about the money? There is no coteral. What will happen if they go


    bankrupt and lose all their ee oe assets? How can you ensure they won''t just sell their assets and run


    away?" Marshall paused, changing the subject, "You guys Toren Wy ch ASTA, are doing this for profit,


    right? Why didn''t you ask them for pawns? I have been in this industry for many years, yet this is my


    first ASTA Office Brand time seeing something like this. Are you guys really profiting from this?"


    The man''s face changed slightly after being questioned. "What does that mean?"


    ASTA Office Brand Nothing, 1'' Marshall rubbed the IOUs in his hand and raised his eyebrows." Since


    you said that these were all signed by Ms. Spade, let''s make a handwriting identification." Create More,


    Spend Less. Save The man with the scar frowned, and his tone was a little irritable, "She has been


    lying on that bed for several years now. How is ee ae she going to give us a signature? Plus, the


    fingerprint on there is clearly hers. Could that sort of thing even be forged?"


    ¡®Who said Ms. Spade has to be awake to make a handwriting identification?" Marshall looked at the


    other person''s expression and continued, "We can use her previous signatures to see if they match."


    As expected, the man with the scar had a strange expression. He looked at them hesitantly, unsure if


    they were being serious.


    They told me they burned everything to ashes. How are they going topare the signatures? I "


    "Come on," Marshall said calmly. "I happen to know an expert in handwriting identification. We''re sure


    to find out if the signatures are fake."


    "Do you think I have nothing else better to do? Hurry up and pay back the money!"


    Marshall confirmed that these people must know that the lIOUs are fake and they were not just here for


    the money. He looked down at his watch. When the hour hand struck three, police sirens sounded from


    downstairs.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    The men''s faces changed, and one with blond hair yelled, ¡®Boss, the police are here! Someone called


    the police!"


    "Damn it! Who the hell called the police?!" The expression of the man with the scar turned ugly.


    "I did," Marshall shook his phone and said. "Causing trouble, disturbing public order, endangering the


    public, assault, intentional Create More murder, fake IOU fraud, and more. You guys will be in jail for at


    least a year." 1 Spend Less. Save


    The leader''s face changed. He stared at Marshall viciously and gritted his teeth. "Fuck you!" After that,


    he led his gang of people and left the ward.


    "Tsk! Cowards! They only dare to go against women!" Vermont sneered.


    Ste turned around and wanted to leave, but Vermont stopped her." Where are you going, Ste?"


    "I want to talk to the police," she said.


    "There''s no need for that," Vermont waved his hand and said. "Marshall lied to those guys. He didn''t


    call the police."


    Ste was taken aback, "But the sound downstairs..."


    Only then did Vermont exin that he rushed to the hospital after picking up Marshall. On the way, he


    told him what she said in the call about bringing backup. The two were almost at the hospital when he


    told him that. Marshall was a little annoyed at him for not saying anything earlier. It was a crucial piece


    of information because it would mean that they''d be outnumbered.

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    Marshall and Vermont had no time to call the police then. It would have taken the police ten to twenty


    minutes to arrive, no matter how fast they were, since it was an ordinary civil dispute.


    After Marshall exited the car, he talked to an olddy at the fruit stand in front of the hospital. He asked


    her to y the sound of police sirens at 3:00 p.m. sharp. The olddy epted Marshall''s offer of 200


    dors and agreed.


    "Marshall''s so smart. I d idn''t expect that group of trash to act so cowardly. He ran while clenching his


    ass when he heard the sirens. We should have just called the police to catch them."


    Nine out of ten people who havemitted crimes would run if they heard the sirens. They clearly


    knew they were wrong; a otherwise, they would not have been so nervous.


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    As soon as those men left, the doctors and nurses hurried over to hook up Rainee¡¯s venttor. Za


    helped the doctors and nurses clean up the mess on the floor. The ce finally returned to its original


    state. "


    Ste stayed in the ward to see the results of the doctor''s examination while Marshall and Vermont


    waited in the corridor. should have taken a photo of those guys just now!" Vermont hit his head


    suddenly and said.


    "In case Keegan wants to dea Toner "I should have taken a photo of the just tried to hit his head


    suddenly and said. "I K ts to deal with them when hees back and sees the injury on Ste''s face."


    "Where is he?¡¯ :


    "I don''t know. He said he¡¯s going on a business trip, but I don''t know where. He turned off his phone, so


    I couldn''t contact him."


    "His phone is off?"


    Marshall lowered his gaze and asked after a long time, "Is he still on the ne?"


    "He should have gotten off the ne at this point, right? Maybe the olddy asked him to do something


    in secrecy." Vermont did not find it strange since that kind of thing had happened before. He did not say


    anything else after that.


    Rainee was not well. Before this, the doctor had told Ste that her mother''s body was weak and her


    organs were failing her. Being taken off the venttor for quite some time affected her condition. Her


    lungs developed lesions, and she could not breathe independently. She needed the venttor.


    Previously, the doctor stated that Rainee had a year to live; however, this incident caused her time to


    shorten to two or three months. Ste''s heart tightened when she heard that. She pursed her lips and


    did not speak for a long time.


    "By the way," the doctor recalled something and said, "Ms. Jewell, we haven''t received the payment for


    your mother¡¯s medical expenses."


    Ste was taken aback, "The money didn''t go through?"


    ¡¯No," the doctor said. "The director urged me to talk to you about it this morning. You can go downstairs


    to verify thister."


    The doctor did not care much about the fees since he was unclear.


    "Okay. Thank you, doctor."


    When Ste exited the ward, Vermont greeted her, "How is she? Is everything alright?" Ste shook


    her head tiredly. "Wait for me here. I need to go downstairs to clear up some stuff."


    A Marshall approached her and said, "I''lle with you."


    ¡®I have something to ask you," he whispered.


    Vermont wanted to follow, but his phone rang. He went to take the call.


    Ste and Marshall walked down the dark stairwell in silence. After they went down two levels, Ste


    said," I''m really sorry about what happenedst night, Mr. Moore." "It''s not your fault. You have nothing


    to be sorry for," he smiled.

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    Ste pursed her lips, "Even so, I''m sorry I got you involved yesterday."


    ¡®It''s okay," Marshall said calmly. "I understand why Keegan got mad. The situation was inevitable. I


    grew up with him, so I know what makes him go off."


    "He didn''t do anything to you, did he?" he paused and said again.


    "No," Ste responded. "Keegan neverys a hand on me."


    Marshall smiled, "I see he still treats you rather well."


    Ste did not answer. ¡®It doesn''t matter since we''re divorcing once he returns"


    She did not want to continue this topic, so she asked instead, "Mr. Moore, those people told me that my


    father had divorced my mom. I don''t think they''re lying."


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Ste was worried because if Albert had divorced Rainee behind her back, he would be unfazed when


    she talked to him about the property settlement.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll ask my friend to check and see what''s happening."


    ¡®Boss, that trip was terrible. Joe was even kicked in the ass. You have to ask that woman to increase


    our pay," said the blond when they all got into their getaway car.


    "Yeah, yeah. Shut up," said the man with the scar as he dialed a number. After a while, a woman''s


    voice came from the other end of the phone, "Is everything done?"


    "Yes. She firmly believes in Albert''s divorce and will definitely cause him trouble. About the pay, Mrs.


    Jewell..."


    "I''ll transfer it to you in a minute."


    ¡®My men were hurt during the job. One of them is still down."


    Hylda frowned when she heard that. "I''ll add on another 20 thousand. I can be generous when you do


    your job well."


    The man with the scar smirked and said, "Thank you, Mrs. Jewell. From now on, just call me if you ever


    need someone to do your bidding.."


    "How is that woman?" Hylda asked.


    "Things are not looking up for her, Mrs. Jewell. She looked like she was half dead. I think she can only


    survive for a few more days at most. She would have been long gone if the Jewells didn''t pay for her


    medical expenses. However, ording to the nurse, she seems to have reacted recently. They''re not


    sure if she¡¯s going to wake up."


    Hylda''s expression changed, "What did you say?"


    The man with the scar was startled, "N-Nothing. I''m just telling you what the nurse said. We heard an


    opera ying in the ward when we entered the ce. One of my guys unplugged the radio and wanted


    to smash it, but a nurse yelled that the tapes aided Rainee¡¯s recovery. She said she reacted to it


    recently, and well... that''s about it. I didn''t pay her much attention."


    Hylda''s face looked horrified. ''ls Rainee waking up? No! She can''t wake up!


    She can''t! I''ve gone through all this trouble to reveal Albert''s divorce to Ste, forcing her to mess with


    Albert''s ns. Rainee can''t wake up. She is the crux of their rtionship.


    After hanging up the phone, Hylda knocked on the door of Albert''s study. The news about Sophia had


    not subsided yet, and he was still struggling with his working capital.

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    Albert did not even dare to switch on his phone. As long as


    Sophia''s incident did not die down, various news outlets would rampantly call his phone whenever it


    was on.


    Even their housemaid said she saw a few suspicious people near where they were staying when she


    took out the trash early in the morning.


    Hylda held a bowl of yogurt as she stood at the study''s door. Then, she gently knocked on the door


    twice. After hearing Albert''s voice from the room, she opened the door and went inside.


    "Have something to eat, Albert," she said as she ced the yogurt on the table.


    She said lowly, "You barely sleptst night and are still busy the entire day today. Eat something before


    you continue; don''t let yourself fall sick."


    Albert looked annoyed, "There are still so many deposits that haven''t been covered; how could I be in


    the mood to eat right now?


    "Albert, the matter about money isn''t urgent; it''s only temporary. What''s important at the moment, isn''t


    this," Hylda paused. She softly said, ''I just received news from the hospital. Rainee seems to be


    conscious."


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Albert paled, "What did you say?"


    To make Albert decide soon, Hylda exaggerated Rainee''s situation.


    Albert had a fearful and doubtful expression, "Are you sure? The doctor clearly said the chances are


    extremely low."


    ¡®Just because the chances are extremely low, it doesn''t mean she won''t regain consciousness, ''


    thought Hylda.


    She lowered her voice, "Albert, once she regains consciousness, some things can no longer be hidden.


    If Ste learns about what happened back then, it''ll be more than just losing some money."


    Albert was so shocked and petrified, "Then, what should we do?"


    Hylda looked at his hopeless state.


    ¡®How did I fall for a good-for-nothing like him back then?'' she thought repeatedly.


    Hylda suppressed the disgust she felt within and said in alow voice, "Albert, Ste longer has any


    consideration for your feelings; she won''t care about the father-and-daughter rtionship between you


    two. After Rainee discovered those loopholes, we covered them so Ste might not have crucial


    evidence and couldn''t threaten you. However, conversely, we can counter-pressure her with Rainee''s


    hospital bills that we have been shouldering all this time. Since she doesn''t care about her father and


    daughter rtionship with you anymore, we no longer have to show her any mercy."


    She paused momentarily before continuing slowly, "It''s time we stop paying for her hospital bills."


    After Hylda and Albert married, he handed the matter of paying Rainee''s hospital bills to her. She


    wished the woman would never regain consciousness, so she would constantly put off paying for the


    hospital bills and only pay when she could no longer dy it. Right now, she was really d about this


    decision of hers.


    ¡®Based on my calction, Rainee''s ount should be out of money now. If Ste uses the Kane


    family''s money to pay Rainee''s hospital bills, someone will naturally do something without the need for


    us to make a move" she thought.


    Albert was still a little indecisive. He pursed his lips for a long time before finally saying, "The doctor''s


    already said she doesn''t have long to live; is there a need for us to take things to this extent?" Hylda''s


    voice turned icy.


    "If she regains consciousness, we''re both done for! Albert, think of the things she did to you! Think of


    Ste! Can you live with what she did?"


    Albert''s expression changed. He finally decided, "Alright. Go and do it, then."


    Hylda walked out of the study and immediately made a call. In Alodale, Coco stared at the four white


    walls around her. She frowned, "Didn''t you say we''re going to y? Why are we at the hospital again?"


    The hospital staff was helping her change into a gown while


    Keegan stood at the side.


    "You can go out and y after this surgery," he said coolly. Coco pouted.


    "That was what you said thest time I got surgery. In the end, I was still in the hospital when I woke


    up."


    Keegan said, "This is thest surgery."

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    Coco''s eyes lit up, "Really?"


    Aldor chimed in from the side, "Mr. Kane never lies."


    Coco immediately rolled her eyes.


    "Every time Aunt Ste calls while he''s visiting me, he says he''s at his office. Isn''t he lying?"


    Aldor was at a loss for words.


    ¡®This child can''t be easily deceived" he thought.


    "You''re constantly hiding me and keeping me a secret; am I your illegitimate daughter?"


    Keegan nced at her, "My daughter wouldn''t look this ugly."


    Coco was speechless.


    The hospital staff could not help butugh when they heard the two''s conversation.


    ¡®I''ve done so many surgeries in the past, but it''s my first time seeing such a witty pair of father and


    daughter, '' they thought.


    "Mr. Kane, this wristband is for you. Recently, the hospital has been restricting the ess of personnel.


    If you wear this to the hospital, you won''t be stopped from seeing your daughter."


    Keegan took the wristband and emphasized, "We''re not father and daughter."


    ¡°Huh?"


    Coco chimed in, "My dad isn''t as mean as him."


    The nurse was speechless.


    "They''re not father and daughter? But it clearly shows that Keegan


    Kane is Coco Morrell''s guardian on the in-patient registration?¡¯ she wondered.


    Her gaze darted between the man and the child.


    ¡®Well, it''s true the two of them don''t seem to look quite alike.


    However, they have simr temperaments and are both sharp- tongued" she thought.


    The hospital staff did not ask any more questions. After she exined the tests that were to be


    conductedter and registered some information, she went out.


    Coco rolled around the bed out of sheer boredom. She kept on making sighing and groaning sounds.


    Keegan was initially locking at e-mails on his tablet, but he could no longer focus on his task.


    "Did you get bitten by a dog?"


    Coco nced at him, "Can''t you use a coaxing tone when speaking to a child?"


    "Didn''t you tell me you weren''t a child and didn''t need coaxing when I coaxed you?" Keegan asked.


    Coco was at a loss for words.


    Then, she rolled around the bed again. Suddenly, she asked, "Will I be able to meet Aunt Ste after


    this surgery?"


    "It depends on your behavior," said Keegan.


    Coco immediately sat up.


    "Uncle Keegan, won''t you let me meet Aunt Ste once I''ve recovered? Grandma Whitney, who


    previously stayed in the same ward as me, said her daughter-inw could not bear a child after being


    married for a few years. Grandma Whitney said she took her daughter-inw to the yground to see


    the children asionally and ended up having a baby. I''m a child myself; if you let Aunt Ste look at


    me, she''ll definitely have a baby."


    Keegan was silent for a while as if he was seriously considering her words. After a long while, he finally


    said, "Alright."


    Aldor widened his eyes in shock.


    ¡®What do you mean "alright"? It''ll be a miracle if Mrs. Kane gets pregnant. You don''t even draft your lies


    when lying to a child" he thought.


    Someone knocked on the door, and a woman''s voice came from outside, "Mr. Kane, this is Tammy


    Gull. My sister''s slightly hypoglycemic, so pleasee and take a look at her."


    Keegan frowned.


    Aldor immediately opened the door, and a short -looking girl who slightly resembled Be stood by the


    door.

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    The girl was dressed in a young-looking manner and had her hair in a ponytail. She looked in her early


    20s at most.


    Keegan asked, "What did the doctor say?¡±


    "The doctor said they''ll rerun the test after she has a meal and see what her blood sugar levels are like


    tomorrow morning when she has an empty stomach."


    The girl paused before she continued, "She doesn''t seem like she has any energy right now.¡±


    Keegan initially wanted to send her away. However, when he thought of the surgery that was in two


    days, he frowned and got up.


    "Let''s go. Take me to see her,¡± he said.


    As soon as Keegan left, Coco pouted and said, "That bitch is capping again. Every time she shows up,


    it''s either her head or her brain hurts.¡±


    Aldor chuckled, "Where''d you learn those words?"


    Coco snorted, "I use social media too, okay? I don''t even know what her fans like about her; she''s so


    fake.¡±


    "She might be the person who''ll save your life; you dislike her that much?"


    "That''s because Uncle Keegan is a silly, rich man and gave her money. Otherwise, she wouldn''t save


    me."


    ¡®Everyone thinks I''m a child who doesn''t know a thing, so they didn''t avoid me when talking about


    certain things. For example, whenever Uncle


    Keegan asks her toe to the hospital and give blood, she''ll discreetly ask him for something.


    Sometimes it would be a script; other times, it would be an endorsement, car, bag, etc. Anyway, she¡¯s


    never once left empty-handed. Besides that, she''s only attentive to me in front of Uncle Keegan; she


    practically ignores me behind his back,¡¯ she thought.


    Coco was a child, so perhaps she did not know what "insatiable" meant. However, she had a feeling


    Be''s behavior was incredibly displeasing.


    Aldor smiled and did not continue the conversation.


    ¡®Children are probably really sensitive in perceiving adults; Coco could tell at a nce whether Be''s


    kindness was genuine or not. I just hope everything will go smoothly this time,¡¯ he thought.


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Ste went to the ce to make payments. The moment she checked the ount, she realized


    Rainee''s ount had outstanding charges. Besides that, a portion of overdue bills fromst month had


    not been paid for.


    She frowned, "Nobody paid the bill this month?"


    The staff member shook their head. They told her that the payments for the recent few months had


    been dyed, and the hospital staff had to call and remind them before they had someonee over


    and pay. However, this was the longest; it had been almost two weeks.


    Then, the staff member printed the recent few months¡¯ hospital bills. The bills clearly showed the time


    thest payment was made and the expenses for the previous month. Since the payment was dyed,


    the ount owed the hospital over a million dors.


    Rainee was a long-term in-patient at the hospital, staying there for nearly seven years. That was why


    the hospital did not say anything when they dyed paying the bills once or twice. Besides, in most


    cases, they paid the bills as soon as they were reminded.


    However, the dy was a little long this time. The payee¡¯s contact they had saved had not been


    answering the phone recently. They had no choice but to let the doctor inform Ste.


    Ste darkened her expression slightly. She pursed her lips and took out a card. Then, she handed it to


    the staff member, "Use this card and reload one million dors first.¡±


    Right after Ste paid, her phone rang. Surprisingly, it was a call from Albert.


    Ste pursed her lips and pressed the answer button. Then, she got straight to the point, "When do you


    n to pay for my mother''s medical bills?¡±


    The voice on the other end of the phone was a woman''s.


    "They''re already divorced. So my husband is no longer responsible for paying his ex-wife''s medical


    bills, right?"


    Ste''s gaze darkened, ¡°Your husband?"


    Hylda chuckled, "I forgot to tell you that your father and I got married. Based on etiquette, you''re


    supposed to call me mom.¡±


    Ste gritted her teeth, "Who are you to call yourself my mother?¡¯


    "Thew recognizes me as your mother. Since you already know everything, Ste Jewell, I''ll cut to the


    chase.¡±


    Hylda continued icily, "No matter the grudges your parents had in the past, your father has been


    shouldering your mother''s medical expenses all these years. So he''s already fulfilled his obligations to


    her. You''re the one who disregarded your rtionship with him, so don''t me us for being heartless.


    From now on, we won''t pay a single penny for Rainee¡¯s medical expenses. Since you''re so capable,


    care for your mother yourself.¡±

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    Ste turned ghostly pale. She asked in a low voice, ¡®¡¯Is this Albert''s intention?¡±


    Hyldaughed, "My intentions are his intentions. Otherwise, why did he hand me his phone? Naturally,


    your father is still soft-hearted; he''s willing to reconcile with you and pay for Rainee''s medical expenses


    based on the prerequisite that you''ll hand over all of the evidence you have and never bring up this


    matter. Don''t tell me whatever you have is useless. Even if they are, do you think the Kane family


    wouldn''t mind if you got your father in trouble? Would they still want you? Wake up. It''s been many


    years since the matter, and your parents are divorced. What''s the point of you constantly pursuing the


    matter? If you ask me, I say the matter ends here. Everyone will continue to live peacefully; you''ll be


    the wife of a rich family, and your mother can continue her life support. What do you say?"


    Hylda''s tone was the most hated rtive''s tone when one went home for New Year''s; it reeked of


    dignified condescension. Not only was her tone repulsive, but her words were also sickening.


    Ste gritted her teeth.


    "Dream on!¡± she said furiously.


    Hylda shrugged, "Well, there¡¯s no other choice then; you''ll bear the medical expenses yourself. You''re


    Mrs. Kane, so you probably have the money for this.¡±


    Then, she hung up.


    Marshall was waiting in the hospital lobby with a bag in hand. When he saw Ste walk over with a pale


    face, he went up.


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    "Are you done?"


    Ste nodded and said, "Mr. Moore, Albert has stopped paying for my mother''s medical expenses. The


    news about him getting a divorce is true; he''s started a family with someone else, so I can''t sue him for


    divorce anymore. I want to go to court on behalf of my mother and file for property redistribution.¡¯¡¯


    Marshall frowned.


    ¡®Don''t panic and fall into disarray before the fight. I¡¯ll get someone to find things out. Even if we


    redistribute property, we''ll strive to maximize the benefits,¡± he said while handing Ste the bag he


    held.


    He continued, "Just now, I asked the nurse in the hospital for an ice pack. Remember to ice your face


    in a bit. After this, I''ll return to the firm and look up this matter properly. Stay at the hospital, and take


    care of your mom. Expect a call from me in the next two days."


    Ste breathed a sigh of relief. She said softly through teary eyes, "Thank you."


    Marshall saw the tears at the corner of her eyes and felt his heart tremble. Just as he lifted his hand,


    Vermont''s voice sounded behind them.


    ¡®Marshall, Ste, is everything done?"


    Marshall bent his fingers and lowered his arm in a natural manner.


    Ste nodded.


    "Thank you so much for today, Mr. Snyder. I owe you a favor. Feel free to ask if there''s anything I can


    help you with in the future."


    Vermont smiled, "No worries. I''ll pin the favor on Keegan."


    Ste pursed her lips, "Keegan''s Keegan, and I am me."


    After hearing her words, Vermont immediately knew the two had gotten into a fight.


    The incident about Sophia blew up. Vermont had vaguely heard about how the Vinci Rivera Group


    handled the matter, so it was not strange for them to fight.


    ¡®They''re a couple, so it wouldn''t be normal if they don''t get into fights,¡¯ he thought.


    He said teasingly, "The both of you are a family."


    Then, he immediately changed the topic, "I''ve got something to do at mypany, so I need to leave


    first. How about you, Marshall?¡¯


    ¡®I''ll leave with you," Marshall said.


    Before leaving, he told Ste, "If anythinges up at the hospital, you can contact Vermont or me."


    Ste nodded and sent the two off from the hospital.


    What happened during the day more or less affected Rainee; she started burning up at night.


    Her body temperature was at 100.76¡ãF. For normal people, a fever of this temperature would go down


    after a night''s sleep.However, this temperature could be fatal for Rainee.


    Since Rainee''s body could not withstand too strong of drugs, the doctor rmended cooling her


    physically. Every hour, Ste wiped Rainee''s body so that she would feel slightly better.


    She and the caretaker took turns wiping Rainee''s body up till midnight. Around two or three o''clock,


    Rainee¡¯s body temperature finally dropped slightly.


    The caretaker saw Ste''s tiredness, so they told her to lie down and sleep.


    Ste leaned back in the chair but did not feel sleepy. She took out her phone and tapped on Keegan''s


    contact. She thought for a long time and called Keegan via WhatsApp.

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    The phone rang for a while, but nobody answered. Ste hung up the phone. She pursed her lips and


    called Keegan¡¯s number again. However, a woman¡¯s cold, robotic voice sounded on the other end.


    ¡®Sorry, the number you are calling is currently busy. Please call again after this¡­¡±


    Ste hung up the phone and threw it aside. Then, she leaned into the chair, stretched her hand, and


    covered her eyes.


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡®Keegan Kane, why are you never by my side whenever I need you the most? ¡¯ she thought.


    In Alodale, Keegan inexplicably jolted awake from his dream. He opened his eyes and looked at the


    ceiling above. He heard breathing soundse from Aldor, who was lying in the chair beside him.


    Keegan stunned. After a while, he suddenly remembered where he was.


    Earlier, he suddenly dreamed of a multi-car pile-up incident at the North of Rivera City


    Route 3 Loop flyover two months ago. He saw Ste driving on the flyover with cars in front and behind


    her. She was sandwiched between the cars while waiting for the traffic light to change.


    Suddenly, a cargo truck came charging toward the line of cars waiting in front of the


    traffic light. Then, it rammed into them. Some of the cars got knocked over the


    guardrails and fell off the flyover, while most cars got crushed together as if they were


    scrap metal. All of a sudden, the ce was engulfed in mes, and there were crying


    sounds everywhere.


    He saw Ste¡¯s body lying twisted in a carthat had flipped over. She had blood all over


    her body as she yelled his name through the broken window. Keegan panicked and


    wanted to run over. However, the car suddenly exploded, and Ste got swallowed in


    mes. He was horrified and immediately woke up from the dream.


    ¡®It turned out to be a dream,¡¯ he thought.


    He rubbed his temples.


    ¡®Even though I wasn¡¯t at the scene of the multi-car pile-up on the flyover, the dream


    just now was so vivid for some reason,¡¯ he thought again.


    The moment the car exploded, Keegan broke out in cold sweat all over his body.


    He took out his phone.


    He had switched out his original SIM card when he boarded the ne.


    Since the SIM card had been removed, WhatsApp kept prompting him to log back in.


    Keegan¡¯s finger hovered over the ¡¯Log In¡± button in hesitance.


    Meanwhile, Aldor rolled over and turned his head. Linder the dim lighting in the ward,


    he saw Keegan staring at his phone.


    He yawned and said lowly, ¡°Mr. Kane, the surgery is tomorrow morning; get some


    sleep. If it goes smoothly, we can return early.¡±


    Keegan snapped out of his daze and retracted his finger.


    ¡®What was I doing? I wanted to call her and ask her how she was because of a bizarre


    dream. With those sharp teeth and ws of hers, who could hurt her? If I called her,


    I¡¯d probably be so furious and lose sleep because of that mouth of hers,¡¯ he thought.


    Keegan felt angry at the thought of the words that Ste said the night she left.


    ¡®Since she¡¯s the one who brought up the divorce, she¡¯ll have to be the one who regrets


    it first. If she says she regrets it, I won¡¯t fuss over what she did, ¡¯ he thought again.


    At this thought, he asked, ¡°Aldor, how¡¯s the ne?¡±

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    "I''ve already urged them once during the day, and they''re already rushing to finish it. They said it''ll be


    finished in the next two days, so it''ll definitely be done before we leave Alodale."


    ¡®Mr. Kane isn''t sleeping at this hour and thinking about this? Recently, he¡¯s been so upied with love


    that he isn''t thinking straight. It''s like he''s been much more attentive toward Mrs. Kane ever since he


    learned about her car ident at the flyover. I''ve worked for Mr. Kane for many years, so I know he''s a


    slow-to-warm-up and cold person. He actually barely even cares or pays attention to Dahlia, the person


    who birthed him.


    However, he''d remember what Mrs. Kane said, even if it were just a casual remark. For example, the 3-


    m i llion-dol I ar bag, the earrings that were lost at the ball, and now, this expensive ne. In terms


    of money, Mr. Kane goes as far as spoiling Mrs. Kane. He is someone who doesn''t speak but acts. On


    the other hand, Mrs. Kane is a sweet-talker. In summary, a beautiful, sweet-talking hopeless romantic


    meets an arrogant workaholic of a straight man. If you think about it, they''re quite cute together.


    After all, they''re both eye candies,¡¯ thought Aldor.


    The following morning, Za bought breakfast downstairs, and Ste ate a little. At eight o''clock, the


    doctor came for ward rounds.


    Rainee''s body temperature was rising a little again. Last night, it dropped to 99.14¡ãF, but now it rose to


    100.04¡ãF. The doctor told them to check her body temperature every half an hour and to continue


    cooling her physically. If her temperature did not drop by noon, they would then adequately use some


    drugs.


    Ste thanked the doctor and once again got busy.


    Compared to the night before, it was much harder to lower her body temperature this time.


    Unfortunately, noon approached, and her body temperature had risen to 100.58¡ãF. Ste immediately


    called for the doctor. After the doctor gave Rainee a checkup, they gave her some drugs and continued


    observing her.


    With a tense expression, Ste watched Raineey on the hospital bed with a feverish, red face. She


    was already incredibly thin.


    Even though she had been getting the best drugs and the most responsible caretakers, she still could


    no longer withstand the gradual deterioration of her body.


    Shey there with a nket over her body. It felt like nothing was under the nket; only a skeleton


    about to fall apart any time remained. An hourter, Rainee''s body temperature finally lowered a little.


    When the caretaker saw how Ste had been a bundle of nerves, she advised her to go for a walk.


    ¡°I''m fine, Za. I''ll be troubling you a lot in the following few days."


    "Not at all; you''re paying me to do this job. Even if you didn''t ask, I''d still take good care of Ms. Spade.¡¯


    While the two were talking, a nurse suddenly barged in.


    "Madam Spade''s dependent, please go downstairs to pay the bill."


    Ste frowned, "I just paid yesterday."


    "I don''t know, but the people downstairs called. They said there was no money in your ount and


    asked you to go over and pay. There''s a physiotherapy session in the afternoon, so make haste," the


    nurse said.


    Then, she left.


    ¡®I had reloaded 1 million dors to the ount yesterday, so how could there be no money?¡¯ Ste


    wondered. She had a puzzled look, but she still hurriedly ran downstairs.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    When she got to the counter, she asked the receptionist. When they heard that she was Rainee''s


    dependent, they said, ¡°The bank requested to freeze the money you reloadedst night. They said


    there were some problems with your money. Anyway, the money can''t be used in the meantime."


    Ste frowned.


    "What''s the problem with the money?" she said.


    "That''s my paycheck from acting. I just got itst week, so what could be the problem?'' she wondered.


    ¡°How should I know? I''m only responsible for charging. Why don''t you give the bank a call? Also, you


    need to pay for the hospital bills again."


    The person behind Ste kept urging her, so she could be bothered to ponder and took out another


    card.


    "Use this one.¡¯

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    However, the machine beeped after the card got swiped.


    The staff member said, "Your card got frozen.¡±


    Ste paled slightly. Then, she pursed her lips and took out a different card.


    "This one''s also frozen."


    Ste took out her third card, fourth card... When she finally tried all of her cards, her expression had


    completely darkened.


    All of the ounts under her name had gotten frozen by the bank.


    ¡®Is this Keegan''s doing? No. If it were Keegan, he''d only freeze his subcards. Why would he freeze my


    own cards? Then, who is it? Who has this ability?¡¯ she wondered.


    Ste racked her brain and set the target on Dahlia.


    "Are you paying or not? Hurry up."


    The dependents of other patients who were queueing behind her again urged her. Ste hurriedly


    apologized.


    "Sorry."


    Then, she grabbed her cards off the desk and went aside. Ste first called the few banks where she


    applied for her cards. They gave her vague answers and said someone took relevant procedures and


    applied for an asset freeze. However, they did not have the liberty to disclose who the specific person


    was.


    ¡®Someone they do not have the liberty to disclose; it''s most likely Dahlia,¡¯ she thought. Ste clenched


    her fingers and called Dahlia''s number. It did not take long before someone picked up.


    "Hello?"


    Dahlia''s icy voice sounded from the other end of the line.


    Ste suppressed her emotions and said in a low voice, "Mom, it''s me."


    Dahlia asked nonchntly, "What is it?¡±


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Ste pursed her lips.


    "When I was paying the hospital bills, the counter said my bank cards got frozen."


    "Oh," Dahlia said indifferently. She continued, ¡°I froze them."


    Ste''s heart sank.


    "Why''d you do that?¡±


    Dahliaughed icily.


    "Ste Jewell. You and Keegan will get a divorce once he returns from his business trip. So I have to


    prevent you from transferring assets, right? It now appears that being cautious is right. He just left for


    his business trip, and you''re rushing to transfer the money in the ount to your mother. Do you think


    the Kane family does charity work?"


    Ste did not even have the time to dwell on how Dahlia found out that the two were getting a divorce


    when Keegan returned.


    However, her blood ran cold when she heard Dahlia say, "prevent you from transferring assets.¡± In an


    instant, she flew into a rage.


    "You can freeze Keegan''s sub-cards, but who are you to freeze my own cards? I earned money the in


    my cards myself; it has nothing to do with the Kane family!"


    "Watch your tone when you''re speaking, Ste Jewell! What do you mean you? You''re insolent!" Dahlia


    said angrily.


    She continued, ¡°Your money? What money do you have? From your clothes to what you''re using,


    which one wasn''t bought using Keegan''s or the Kane family''s money?"


    When Dahlia thought of the bruise Ste caused on Aurora''s face, how Ste had snatched away the


    opportunity to organize the birthday banquet, and how Keegan even limited her expenses because of


    Ste, she was furious.


    "Who knows if the money in your card is from Keegan''s bank ount? It''s not like you''ve never


    backstabbed us while living on us. Since you two are divorcing, what''s the matter with applying for


    asset protection when I''m Keegan''s mother?"


    Ste''s lips trembled in rage.


    "Dahlia Crosby, do you know the money you froze is the money to save my mother''s life?"


    Dahlia snorted sardonically, "The money I froze is the Kane family''s money. If anything happens to your


    mother, it''s because she has bad luck and has a daughter like you."


    After Dahlia finished talking, she hung up. Ste paled. The next moment, Za called.


    "Ste, your mother can''t make it anymore. Quicklye up!"

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    In an instant, the blood drained from Ste''s face. She trembled as she held the phone.


    "I''ll be there immediately. Call for the doctor first," she said in a slightly trembling voice while ying


    calm.


    Rainee''s blood pressure dropped rapidly, and her heart rate slowed. Her pupils also showed signs of


    expansion, which was a really bad sign. After the doctor gave her a checkup, they began giving her


    injections.


    The veins on Rainee''s hands were incredibly obvious. The walls of her blood vessels were practically


    sticking together. The nurse failed a few times, trying to stick in the indwelling needle.


    Ste felt her heart quiver as she watched Rainee''s puncture-mark-filled hand. Shortly after, she was


    wheeled into the operating room.


    The head nurse brought Ste a consent and waiver of liability and asked her to sign it. Ste''s hand


    trembled as she held the pen. After a while, she finally signed her name crookedly. The nurse took the


    papers and said, '' Quickly go downstairs and pay the bills. The people downstairs are urging again, so


    don''t make things hard for us."


    "I understand,¡± Ste said hoarsely.


    She added, "I''ll leave my mother in your hands.¡±


    After Ste left the waiting room, she quickly called Felicity.


    Felicity had been shooting a night scene with the crewst night, so she only got home at nine in the


    morning. So when she got a call from Ste, she was still in her bed, sleeping.


    Felicity groggily epted the call and heard Ste''s choked-up voicee from the other end of the


    line, "How much money do you have right now, Felicity? Could you transfer me 300 thousand dors?"


    Felicity was immediately fully awake.


    ¡®Ste wouldn''t not have 300 thousand dors. So why is she suddenly borrowing money from me?


    And why does her voice sound like that?¡¯ she wondered.


    ¡®What''s the matter? Why do you need to borrow money?" she asked. Then, she quickly added, "I''m just


    asking; I don''t mean anything else. I''ve locked the royalty money I previously received to a fixed


    deposit, so I can only give you 100 thousand at most. What exactly is going on?"


    "My mom might not make it. My card can¡¯t be used..."


    Ste started crying the moment she spoke.


    This was the first time Felicity ever saw Ste cry this way, so she panicked and hurriedly consoled her.


    ¡®Don''t cry. I''ll transfer you the money. You should go pay the bills first while I borrow money from my


    other friends," Felicity said as she got off the bed. She started putting on her clothes and shoes, "I''ll go


    to the hospital immediately. Be well. Your mother¡¯s still receiving emergency treatment, so don''t keep


    thinking about negative things."


    Ste sobbed uncontrobly; her voice was mingled with a fear of being powerless. Hearing this,


    Felicity felt her heart break.


    After she hung up, she immediately transferred all her avable funds to Ste. Then, she ran


    downstairs while calling her acquaintances to borrow money.


    Since Felicity had only graduated for three years, all of her close friends were doing so-so; none were


    particrly well off. Those who had some money or got rich practically did not mingle with their friends


    of Felicity¡¯s social status anymore.


    That was why Felicity only managed to borrow 40 to 50 thousand dors after calling four to five


    numbers.


    ¡®How could this be enough?¡¯ she thought.


    Felicity thought deeply. Finally, she bit the bullet and called her mother.


    "Hello?"


    The woman''s voice was cold and elegant on the other end of the line.


    Felicity coughed, "Mom, transfer me some money, won''t you? It''s not much; just twenty thousand


    dors."


    The person on the other end of the line hung up.


    Felicity was speechless.


    At the thought of the determined things she said when she ran away from home previously, she felt


    awkward.


    ¡®This is a matter of life and death. So be it if it''s a p in my face,¡¯ she thought again.


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    She gritted her teeth and called the number again.


    ¡®Mom, I know you''re angry with me, but now isn''t the time to be angry. I''m at the hospital right now, and


    this is a matter of life and death. Once the surgery ends, you can scold me however you want."


    As expected, the person on the other end panicked, "Did something happen to you?"


    "It''s my friend. It''s all thanks to her that your daughter didn''t starve to death in Rivera, so don''t turn a


    blind eye to a dying person.¡±


    "Stop wasting time, and send me your card number."


    Felicity quickly thanked her and texted her the card number. Momentster, she received a text


    message that said she had received one million dors.

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    Felicity did not even have the time toment her mother¡¯s sudden generosity. She hurriedly took the


    money and went to the hospital to look for Ste.


    After Ste got Felicity''s call, she waited at the hospital entrance. The moment Felicity got out of the


    car, she saw Ste''s frail figure.


    Her eyes were bloodshot, while her lips were a little paled. Even her usually rosy cheeks were now so


    pale they were almost translucent. Felicity quickly grabbed Ste and got straight to the point.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    "I brought the money. Go pay the bill first.¡±


    After Ste transferred money into the ount, she brought Felicity upstairs.


    On the way there, she did not speak. It was as if she had cried out all of her vulnerability when she


    cried helplessly on the phone. Right now, all that was left was a firm iron wall.


    In the waiting room, Felicity handed Ste a bottle of water.


    "How long has it been since your mother went in?¡¯


    Ste took the bottle.


    ¡®Probably 40 to 50 minutes.¡±


    ¡®It''ll be fine. Your mother''s very fortunate, so she''ll be alright."


    Felicity scanned the room and asked Ste, "Where''s Keegan?¡¯


    Ste''s gaze darkened slightly, "He''s gone on a business trip."


    "To hell with his business trip! Seriously. Why isn''t he here whenever he''s needed? That mutt is


    useless!¡± Felicity eximed furiously.


    Ste was silent and did not say a word. Felicity recalled a thought.


    ¡°Earlier on the phone, you said your cards can''t be used. What''s up with that?"


    Ste pursed her lips slightly. After a while, she finally said, "Keegan''s mother requested to freeze all of


    my cards, so I can''t use any of my bank cards to pay."


    ¡®What the fuck? What''s wrong with her? Who is she to do that?"


    "She knows that Keegan and I are going to divorce and is preventing me from transferring assets."


    Felicity was so furious that she was speechless for a long time. Finally, she said through gritted teeth,


    "She did it on purpose, right? Of all times, she did it the moment something happened to your family.


    She even chose to do it when Keegan wasn''t around. She must be afraid that you and Keegan won''t


    get divorced!"


    Ste was no longer in the mood to talk.


    Soon after, a nurse came to ask for Rainee¡¯s dependent. It seemed they needed someone to sign


    something, so Ste got up and went out. Felicity wanted to call Keegan and see what that bastard was


    doing. However, the call did not get through. She was so angry she cussed him out.


    ¡®Just when I thought you got a little useful, you unexpectedly are still just a piece of trash!¡¯ she thought.


    Suddenly, the phone by the chair started vibrating. Felicity turned around and saw that it was Ste''s


    phone.


    The caller ID showed "50 Million". She answered the call.


    ¡®Ste, the friend I asked, found out about the property division contract."


    Felicity was really skilled at recognizing people through their voices.


    Besides, Marshall''s voice was incredibly attractive and distinctive, so she instantly eximed, "The


    handsome Bentley guy?"


    Marshall was stunned, "And you are..."


    "I''m Ste''s bestie, Felicity Thompson. The people in the operating room just asked her to go sign


    something, so she isn''t here right now."


    Marshall''s tone lowered, ¡°The operating room?"


    "It seems like Ste''s mother might not make it and is currently being rescued in the operating room,¡±


    Felicity was also panicked. She continued, "Mr. Moore, can you contact Keegan? Ask him to hurry


    back!


    "Keegan''s phone is off. I also can''t contact him," Marshall paused.


    He continued, "You take care of Ste first; I''ll be over immediately."

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    A few minutester, Ste returned.


    Felicity did not dare to ask if the nurse said anything and could only pray that Rainee was fortunate


    enough to get through this safely.


    ¡®At this point, I''m scared that Ste will lose it if something happens to her mother. It''s been years. To


    be honest, we all know the chances of her regaining consciousness are slim. However, people always


    have obsessions. As long as she was breathing, it felt like there was still hope. There''s this saying:


    when your parents are still around, you still have the starting point of your life; when your parents are


    gone, only the ending point of your life remains. No one has the right to condemn Ste, a daughter, for


    being obsessed with her mother,¡¯ she thought.


    Marshall rushed over soon. It only took him 10 minutes after he hung up his call with Felicity. He


    tirelessly rushed to the waiting area.


    For a moment, Felicity felt this man was much more reliable than that bastard, Keegan.


    ¡®He actually came when something happened,¡¯ she thought.


    "Ste, how''s your mom?"


    Marshall was slightly panting as he spoke. He probably ran over the moment he got out of his car.


    Ste was startled when she saw him. Felicity quickly exined, "When you went to sign the paper,


    handsome-Mr. Moore called and had something to tell you. He came over when he heard me say your


    mother was in the operating room."


    Ste softened her expression and said quietly, "She''s still receiving emergency treatment. There isn''t


    news yet."


    Rainee¡¯s lungs were infected, and the papers the nurse asked Ste to sign just now was a surgery


    consent form. Even though it was just a minimally invasive surgery, it was incredibly risky for Rainee.


    The nurse told Ste there was actually no need for surgery, considering Rainee''s condition. Even if


    they saved her, she did not have much time left. If Ste insisted on surgery, she might lose both


    money and Rainee.


    However, Ste did not have the heart to say she wanted to give up on treatment. She could not stand


    by idly and watch Rainee die.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Marshall consoled her, "No news is good news.¡±


    Ste also hoped so, but some things do not just be true simply because one hoped so.


    "Mr. Moore, why did you call?"


    Marshall said, "Let''s wait for your mother to finish surgery. It''s not urgent for now."


    ¡®I wanted to tell him to leave if he has something to do. But on second thoughts, he might have rushed


    over after learning that something had happened. If I ask him to leave, it seems a little too inhumane,¡¯


    she thought.


    At this thought, she pursed her lips and did not speak. The three sat in a row and waited for the doctor


    in the operating room to announce Rainee¡¯s verdict. After around 10 minutes, the operating room''s light


    indicator was switched off.


    Ste shot up. Then, Felicity and Marshall followed suit.


    The doors to the operating room opened, and the medical staff came out one by one. Ste felt her


    heart clench violently. She wanted to walk up to them, but she did not dare.


    The doctor took off their mask and said with a serious expression, "Go in and see her for thest time.


    Give your proper Goodbyes.¡±


    Ste''s hands trembled, and she felt like she had fallen into an abyss. The sounds around her seemed


    toe from a far ce, and only the doctor''s voice could clearly be heard in her ears.


    Felicity''s eyes reddened as she supported Ste.


    "You need to be strong, Ste,¡± she said hoarsely.

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    Marshall''s lips moved. He said after a while, ¡°Let''s go in and see her."


    Ste clenched her hands as she murmured, "I''m fine."


    She then walked into the operating room after she said that.


    Rainee was quietly lying on the bed, wearing an oxygen mask. The water mist from her breathing could


    no longer be seen on the mask. The numbers on the machine at the side had fallen to an extremely low


    value.


    She was so thin that it seemed like she was melded with the operation bed she was sleeping on. All


    these told Ste that the person on the bed would soon pass. She held Rainee''s hand.


    Rainee always used pens. Her middle finger knuckle had callus all year long from holding pens.


    When Rainee was in good health, she was not exceptionally slim. So, her hands were not bony. But


    now, her hand was as thin as a rake. The skin of her hand was touching the frame. The back of her


    hand was full of pinholes and bulging veins. Rainee¡¯s hands were so different from what Ste


    remembered.


    It had been six years and eight months since the car ident. More than half of Rainee''s hair was


    white now.


    ¡®She''s very conscious of her appearance. I guess she doesn''t want to wake up because she doesn''t


    want to see how she looks now.''


    Ste bent down to fix Rainee''s hair.


    Standing at the side, Felicity could not help but have a lump in her throat when she saw that. She softly


    said, ¡°Ste, let Aunty Rainee go."


    Ste''s fingers trembled. She softly said, "Okay," and removed Rainee''s oxygen mask.


    The numbers on the machine gradually became zero. And a sharp machine beeping sound could be


    heard after that.


    The nurse walked forward to say, ¡°my condolences.¡± Then, she gently covered Rainee''s head with a


    white cloth. 1


    She then asked Ste to get the paperwork done as soon as possible within these two days and to take


    Rainee¡¯s body away.


    Unfortunately, there was not enough space in the morgue of the hospital. So, Rainee''s body was


    moved out of the morgue shortly.


    Ste did not cry. She was not hysterical.


    She thanked the medical staff and paid the caretaker her sry before she went to Rainee''s ward to


    pack her stuff.She was very calm andposed.


    Rainee stayed in the hospital for many years. But there were not many things for Ste to pack.


    She was either lying on the bed naked or wearing a hospital gown. There was not even a single cloth in


    her ward. There were only towels and basins that were constantly reced. There were also a stack of


    opera cassettes and an old cassette yer on the table.


    Ste orderly put the cassettes in her handbag. She was busy. It was like nothing had happened.


    The calmer Ste was, the more worried Felicity was. ¡®She should just cry. She''s so calm that I''m so


    worried about her.¡¯


    "Ste, you don''t have to pack the things now.¡± Marshall walked forward to hold Ste''s bag. Then, he


    tenderly said, "You should sit down and rest. We''ll help you to pack the thingster."


    Felicity said, "Mr. Moore is right. Ste, take your time."


    Ste pushed his hand away. She lowered her eyes as she murmured, ¡°I''m fine. But, Mr. Moore, I''m


    afraid I cant talk to you today."


    Marshall said, ¡°It''s okay. We can talk after you''re done with your things and when you feel better."


    Ste nodded and thanked him. Then, she said, ¡°It''ste. You should go home. Felicity is here with me.


    I''m fine."


    Marshall stopped moving for a moment, ¡®Ste just lost her mother. Even if Keegan isn''t here with her


    now, I shouldn''t be the one staying with her. I''m just an outsider.¡¯


    He, indeed, should not cross the line.


    Marshall''s Adam''s apple moved. He softly said, "I''ll contact Keegan as soon as possible. Just contact


    me if you need any help.¡±


    He paused momentarily before saying, "Bury aunty sooner rather thanter."


    Ste said, "okay." She did not speak further.


    Marshall was still worried. He talked to Felicity. He gave her his phone number and asked her to help


    Ste find a funeral home as soon as possible. He also asked her to call him if something happened.


    Felicity said yes repeatedly. Just when she walked Marshall to the door, a crashing sound could be


    heard from the ward. She turned her head. Her facial expression changed dramatically, "Ste!"Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

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    Ste copsed on the floor. She was unconscious.


    Felicity panicked. She was loud when she said, "Ste! Ste! What''s wrong? You''re scaring me!"


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Marshall''s expression changed slightly. He swiftly walked forward. He then bent down to hold Ste''s


    upper body up.


    Her face was pale, her eyes were blue, and her lips were almost bloodless.


    While Marshall was holding her, he said to Felicity, "Stop shouting. Quickly get the doctor here.¡±


    "Yes, yes. Call the doctor.¡± Felicity came back to her senses. She then got up and ran outside. She


    shouted as she ran, "Doctor!


    Doctor! Help!¡±


    Marshall frowned. He had been holding Ste for a while, but she still had no response. So, he carried


    her in his arms.


    Soon, the nurses pushed a bed to go to them under the guidance of Felicity. Marshall then put her on


    the bed. After that, he and Felicity followed them until they reached the emergency room.


    Felicity worriedly walked in circles at the same spot. Finally, around ten minutester, the doctor came


    out of the room.


    It was probably because Ste did not rest well for the past few days. She was also extremely tense


    and had minor anemia. She could not handle all of those at once. That was why she fainted.


    But the doctor still advised her to have a full body checkup. After all, she was still very young. It was not


    normal for her to suddenly faint. She had to get a full body checkup to be safe.


    Meanwhile, at Alodale, the light of the operating theater was finally switched off. Keegan stood up. Not


    long after that, the doctor then pushed a bed out.


    It was Be, who was still unconscious due to the anesthesia. Keegan walked past her to go to the bed


    behind her.


    Coco was sleeping. Her tiny face was pale. She was clenching a candy she took from Keegan''s car


    when she entered.


    The doctor said she was talking about meeting with "Aunt Ste" after the operation. She was


    unconscious a few seconds after she was given anesthesia. But she kept holding the candy and did not


    want to let go of it.


    Keegan gently opened her hand and took the candy away.


    This was the mint candy Ste gave him in the car when he had a meal with her and Marshall back


    then. He had been putting the candy in the car. Coco found it in his car when he came to Alodale this


    time.


    When she heard that Ste had given it to Keegan, she put it in her pocket. Unexpectedly, she even


    brought it with her into the operating theater.


    Keegan pinched the mint candy as he looked at it. He then put it back in Coco''s hand. After the doctor


    came out, he asked, "Doctor Boyle, how''s she?"


    "The operation was very sessful. But we still need to monitor her for the next few days. She''ll be


    okay if there''s no sign of rejection. She''ll return to her normal condition if she adheres to taking


    medicine after that.¡±


    Coco was a premature baby. She also had severe astic anemia. And she had an umon blood


    type. So, she had many near-death experiences since birth.


    She was almost seven years old but looked like a five-year-old kid.


    If not because of her developmental problems, the operative risk would be lower if she had the


    operation when she grew older.


    Her growth was a lot slower than people around her age. So her surgery could not be dyed any


    longer.


    Luckily, everything went well.


    Doctor Boyle suddenly said, "Mr. Kane, what''s your rtionship with this kid?"


    Keegan suddenly stopped moving. He nced at him without speaking.


    Doctor Boyle was the most experienced specialist that did bone marrow transnts in the country. So


    Keegan hired him toe here to Alodale to do this surgery. And all the whereabouts were hidden


    from others. That was why he was curious.


    But Doctor Boyle realized he had asked a question that should not have been asked when he looked at


    Keegan''s expression. So, he changed the topic, "As long as there''s no sign of rejection in the first three


    days, you guys can leave if you have something to do. She must stay in the hospital for at least one


    month.¡¯


    What he actually meant was that the longer they stayed, the easier their whereabouts would be


    exposed.


    Keegan did not reply to him. Instead, he turned away and left.Ste said, ¡°okay.¡±

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    After they settled Coco down in the ward, Keegan suddenly said to Aldor, ¡¯ Book the flight for the day


    after tomorrow.¡±


    Aldor was surprised, "Mr. Kane, she has to be monitored for at least the first three days.¡±


    ¡°I''ll go back on my own. You stay here. You leave after you arrange everything here when Coco is out


    of critical condition.¡¯ He had not been sleeping well for the past two nights. He was constantly thinking


    about things in Rivera. He felt a little uneasy. He wanted to go back sooner.


    In Rivera, Felicity ran up and down to get the paperwork done when she heard the doctor say Ste


    had to get a full body checkup. Marshall was there to help her. The body checkup waspleted very


    quickly. Other than theplete blood count, all tests had beenpleted.


    Ste still had not woken up after being ced in the general ward. But she looked better than before.


    It waste at night when everything was settled.


    Ste was a married woman. It was inappropriate for Marshall to stay there. Felicity said, "Mr. Moore,


    why not you go home now? I''ll stay here with Ste.¡±


    Marshall did not try to stay too. Instead, he told her to call him immediately if something happened to


    Ste. Felicity stayed upte to stay beside Ste. She only dozed off after three o''clock in the


    morning.


    The next morning, a nurse came to draw Ste''s blood for the checkup. She only woke up after nine


    o''clock in the morning. She turned her head. Felicity''s jacket was on the visitor''s recliner chair. ¡®She


    probably went to get washed up or buy breakfast.¡¯


    Ste sat up. She stayed in bed for a while before she got up and went to the washroom.


    When she left the room, the nurse came to her ward to tell her that her checkup report was out. There


    were some problems. The nurse asked her to go and see the doctor.


    So, Ste went to find the doctor.


    The doctor was a woman around fifty years old. She was very friendly. She flipped through the report in


    her hand as she asked Ste, "Are you married?¡±


    Ste nodded.


    "Do you have kids?¡¯


    Ste shook her head.


    The doctor frowned. She said after a while, "Was your stomach hit by something before this? And was


    your uterus hurt?"


    Ste said, "I had a car ident a few years ago. The doctor at that time said my uterine appendages


    were slightly damaged.


    He didn''t give me any medicine for that. He just asked me to rest and have it checked regrly. It was


    back to normal when I went to the hospital to examine it the next year."


    "Do you take any long-term courses of medication?"


    Ste shook her head, "No. My health is great. I rarely get sick."


    Ste noticed the doctor looked serious. She lowered her voice, ¡°Doctor, what''s wrong with me?¡¯


    The doctor raised her head. It seemed like her eyes were filled withpassion. She said after


    pondering, "I suspect you might have the signs of premature ovarian failure.¡±


    Ste''s expression changed, "Premature ovarian failure... What''ll happen?"


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡®Premature ovarian failure has many symptoms. Endocrine disorders, menstrual disorders, and the


    most serious symptom is infertility.¡±


    Ste looked pale. She could not ept the doctor''s exnation, "I have a regr sleeping routine.


    And I exercise often. I also have periodic medical examinations. So why would I have a premature


    ovarian failure? Are you guys mistaken?"


    ¡®The data can''t be wrong.¡± The doctor said, "Or when your period is over,e to the hospital for a


    hormone test and an ultrasound. But the results shouldn''t have much different.¡±


    Ste felt extremely hopeless.

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    The doctorforted her, "Don''t be too stressed. Although you have the symptoms of premature


    ovarian failure, the good news is that we detected it promptly. Take good care of yourself and have your


    medication timely. You might still be able to get pregnant. I had quite a few patients that had premature


    ovarian failures. They managed to get pregnant after receiving treatments. You''re younger than them.


    You still have a good chance."


    Ste almost totally did not listen to what the doctor said. The only thing in her mind was the word


    "infertility."


    After the doctor wrote down the medication lists, she asked Ste again, ¡¯ Did you really not take any


    long-term courses of medication? I noticed that yourplete blood count detected some


    pharmaceutical ingredients."


    When Ste wanted to shake her head, she suddenly remembered that she had been taking an


    alternative remedy for a long time.


    Her facial expression changed slightly. She murmured, "I''ve been taking an alternative remedy for a


    long time. It was to increase the chance of pregnancy. But I''d not been taking it for almost a month.


    Was this the medication that was detected in my blood?"


    ¡°I''m not sure. Do you still have that medication? You can give it to me and check what the ingredients in


    it are.¡± The doctor printed out the list of medications and signed it with her name, "I feel that the


    medication you''ve been taking has something to do with your premature ovarian failure. After all,


    medicines are toxic. You''ve been taking it for a long time when you''re healthy. You might develop


    health issues because of that.¡±


    Ste''s heart sank. She slowly guessed in her mind.


    ¡®Dahlia dislikes me so much. So why''d she still rush me to get pregnant? She said grandmas value the


    first grandchild. So, Dahlia wanted us to give birth to a baby before Chandler and his family. Chandler


    and his family must know about it. Why is Jackson still not married? Does Dahlia truly want me to get


    pregnant?¡¯ i


    Ste immediately called her housekeeper after leaving the doctor''s office. She asked her to bring the


    alternative remedy Aurora gave her when she visited herst time at the hospital.


    Although many bottles in that box of alternative remedies were broken back then, there were still a few


    undamaged bottles.


    Maria felt that it was not good to throw them away because Dahlia gifted them. So, she kept them.


    Maria was very fast. She brought the things to Ste in less than half an hour.


    Ste was waiting for her downstairs at the hospital. After she got the things, she immediately took


    them upstairs to have the doctor look at them.


    After the doctor who examined Ste took the medicines, she then got two doctors from the alternative


    medicine department toe and find out the ingredients of the medicines.


    Felicity did not see Ste when she went back to the ward. She then called her.


    Ste said she was with the doctor. She told her she would go back to the ward in a short while. Felicity


    felt relieved when she noticed Ste''s tone was normal.


    "I''ve contacted the person in charge from the funeral home. Ste, pick a time for the farewell


    ceremony and the cremation. I''ll then inform your friends about it. Let''s get Aunt Rainee¡¯s funeral done


    soonest possible.¡±


    Ste answered, "Okay. Well discuss it when Ie outter.¡±


    After she ended the call, the three doctors had already written down more than ten ingredients of the


    alternative medicine on the paper in front of them. They even discussed it in front of her. Ste was


    anxiously waiting. She said, ¡°Doctors, what''s wrong with this medicine?"


    The oldest doctor asked, "This is the medicine the doctor gave you?"


    Ste pursed her lips, ¡°I''m not sure. My mother-inw had someone prescribe this medicine for me.


    She said this medicine can increase the chance of pregnancy."


    The old doctor lifted his sses, "Miss, this isn''t a medicine that can increase the chances of


    pregnancy."


    Ste''s heart sank, "What''s this then?"


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    "This medicine indeed has many tonics. It can replenish your energy and help with blood cirction.


    But some of the ingredients are very dangerous. Ladies trying to get pregnant shouldn''t even touch or


    eat them. And you even took this medicine for a long time. No wonder you have premature ovarian


    failure at such a young age.¡±


    Ste looked cold gradually. A shiver ran down her spine. I''d been taking this medicine for such a long


    time. But I didn''t suspect anything. Not even once!"


    She suddenly remembered what Jackson had said to her at thepany back then. He said, ¡®Ste,


    did you not ask yourself why you couldn''t get pregnant after trying for such a long time?¡¯

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    ¡®At that time, I thought Jackson was just saying whatever he felt. But now it seems he knew what was


    going on long ago. If Jackson knew about it, what about Keegan?¡¯


    The scenes of Ste and Keegan spending time together appeared repeatedly in Ste''s mind.


    "When we had sex, Keegan never used protection. So although we avoided the ovtion period, there


    were risks too. It''s impossible that he doesn''t know about that. Why was he so sure that I wouldn''t get


    pregnant?


    Keegan... Did he know about this too? Or did he consent to this all this while? He doesn''t want kids,


    right?¡¯


    Ste''s hands started to tremble uncontrobly. She felt like she was in a major conspiracy. Everyone


    around her was devious.


    Even the person who slept next to her was plotting against her secretly.


    The doctors did not notice the change in Ste''s expression. He continued, "These few ingredients can


    make you very energetic. So, you look exceptionally healthy. But, you fainted not only because you


    were overtired recently. I guess it was also due to you stopping this medicine. After you stopped taking


    it, the medicine that replenished your energy and helped your blood cirction stopped working. So,


    your deficiencies in your body became apparent.¡± The doctor sighed, ¡°You must stop taking this


    medicine. It''s too vicious.¡±


    Ste came back to her senses. She pinched her palm to calm herself down.


    "Doctor, is there a cure for my situation?"


    ¡°Premature ovarian failure is irreversible. But the good news is that you detected it early. So you can at


    least stop it from worsening with treatments."


    ¡®What about...Getting pregnant?"


    Ste''s voice was extremely soft.


    The doctor remained silent for a while, "Just prevent it from worsening now. Then, we can slowly find


    ways to help with your other issues.¡±


    Ste''s heart sank again.


    At Dahlia''s ce, Aurora''s wound was finally almostpletely healed. When she went downstairs to


    drink water, she heard the phone conversation between Dahlia and Ste. She was very shocked at


    that time.


    After Dahlia ended the call, Aurora said, "Mom, would Keegan me us when he returns because of


    what you did?¡±


    Dahlia coldly reprimanded, "So what if your brother knows? I''m his mother. What can he do to me? Did


    you forget who gave you the wound on your face?"


    There was no way Aurora could forget about that. Her body would not stop trying to tremble whenever


    she thought about what had happened to her that night.


    But the difference between Aurora and Dahlia was that Aurora was more afraid of Keegan than Dahlia.


    He locked her in the washroom for one whole night just because she locked Ste in the washroom.


    ¡®Now that the Jewell family is in a mess. If we get involved in their matter and if something happens to


    Ste, Keegan might not overlook it.¡¯Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    "Mother, why not just forget about it now? We still have many opportunities to get back at her in the


    future. So let''s not get involved in their mess."


    ¡®You''re a disappointment!¡± Dahlia gave her a rude stare, "Where''s your usual aggressiveness? Did


    Ste beat you already?¡±


    ¡°Mother, what are you talking about?" Aurora petntly said, ¡°All right. You''re on your own. If Keegan


    gets mad when he returns, don''t me me for not warning you."

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    Chapter 454


    After Marshall had finished working with the job at hand in the morning, he proceeded to go to the


    hospital. He and Vermont went together since he had already informed Vermont of the news about


    Rainee¡¯s death.


    Vermont also tried to contact Keegan and told the Kane family. When he came two days ago, she was


    still fine. But, by the time he arrived today, Rainee was gone. Vermont wasmenting that all things


    never stay the same. When they reached the hospital, they did not see Ste. Instead, they saw the


    bandit woman from that night.


    Vermont was stunned for a moment, ¡°You...¡±


    "You shut your mouth!" Felicity red at him. Then, she turned around to say to Marshall, "You came


    so early, Mr. Moore?"


    Vermont was at a loss for words. Marshall nodded, "I just finished up all the work on hand, so I came


    over to see what help I could provide. Where is Ste?¡±


    "She is in the on-call room for doctors. The results of her checkup havee out. The doctors


    probably would like to have some words with her,¡± Felicity said while looking at the time, "Half the day


    is gone. Why isn¡¯t sheing out yet? Let me ask.¡¯


    As she spoke, the door to the doctor''s on-call room opened. Ste came out of the room with the


    corner of her eyes drooping. There was an addition of, a strange sense of depression from her whole


    body. Felicity quickly went up, ¡°Ste, how is it? Did the doctor say where the problem was?¡±


    Ste seemed to regain her spirits from Felicity¡¯s voice. Her expression slightly eased, and she said in


    a low tone, "Nothing''s wrong. The doctor said I had recently been staying upte too much; hence, my


    heart was beating slightly rapidly and disorderly. I would be fine after some proper rest.¡±


    Felicity breathed a breath of relief and hugged her, "It''s good that you are fine. You really scared me


    yesterday.¡±


    Ste patted Felicity''s back and looked at Vermont and Marshall, who stood opposite them, "Mr.


    Snyder and Mr. Moore, my mother''s funeral procession will be done at the funeral parlor at Harmony


    Road. If both of you are free, you cane to send her away. My mother doesn''t have many friends.


    So I want it to be a little livelier when I send her off."


    Vermont paused and furrowed his brows, ¡°Ste, it''s a little too fast if it''s tomorrow. Keegan has yet to


    return. You are a little too hasty about this.¡±


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Ste''s lips pulled into a smirk, and she looked at Vermont sarcastically, If he doesn''te back, my


    mother can''t be buried?"


    Vermont was shocked by this statement. Ste''s words today seemed to beced with gunpowder.


    He exined, "I didn''t mean it that way, I..."


    Ste interrupted him, "If you don¡¯t want toe due to Keegan, so be it.¡±


    Vermont was at a loss for words. He did not say much yet; why was she still angry? In the end,


    Marshall came to ease the tension, "What time tomorrow?"


    ¡®Ten in the morning," Ste said softly, ¡°After the funeral procession, she will be cremated and buried at


    two in the afternoon."


    ¡°Okay. We will definitelye on time," Marshall replied.


    After they left the hospital, Vermont said with furrowed brows, ¡°Marshall, why did you keep pulling me


    back just now? Keegan has yet to return. What would it look like when the funeral continues to be


    held? What would others say when they see it? It''s such a disgrace.¡±


    Marshall nced at him, "Are you able to contact Keegan?"


    Marshall was forced to choke again, "Contact my ass. That fe is doing god knows what kind of shady


    business. All forms ofmunication are cut off. Even Aldor as well. There is no news at all.¡±


    When saying this, he sighed again, "I saw Ste''s expression. I''m afraid she must be furious beyond


    compare. Something will probably happen if he doesn''t return during the funeral.¡±

 Chapter 455

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    Chapter 455


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Before this, even when Ste had a row with Keegan, she would still treat them politely. However, the


    aggression just now was never seen before. He instinctively thought that something was about to


    happen.


    Marshall said, "However worse it was, you should never y the off-the- grid card. Ste had already


    decided in her heart. If we talked on behalf of Keegan, it would only be counterproductive.¡±


    Vermont sighed, "You''re right. I hope that son of a bitch woulde back sooner. Or else no one could


    help him."


    Albert knew about the news of Rainee''¡¯s passing the night before her funeral procession. It was from a


    group chat among old ssmates. He only knew when his ssmates questioned him. He was a


    university schoolmate with Rainee. Many of these old schoolmates were mutual friends with both of


    them.


    Ste sent an obituary through her social media circle. The old schoolmates quickly saw it through


    everyone¡¯s sharing and started asking in the group chat.


    "Albert, why did you not tell us beforehand about Rainee''s matter? It''s such a big matter, yet we only


    knew after someone had mentioned it. You really don''t think of us as friends.¡±


    Some female schoolmates were voicing the injustice of Rainee, ¡°It''s better that Rainee passed. If she


    were aware, she wouldn''t have been able to bear with this injustice.¡±


    "Both of you are at least husband and wife in the end. This funeral of yours that you are preparing is


    too rushed. She had just passed, but you are so impatient to cremate her. You even chose such a


    small funeral parlor?


    Indeed, you have forgotten about your previous wife when you have your new me."


    The matter about Albert''s illegitimate child caused a ruckus online a few days ago. So naturally, the old


    schoolmates in the group heard about it. Although these schoolmates were mutual friends with him and


    Rainee, she and these people had a closer bond.


    She was good at socializing and was caring and loyal. She may not have been considered a good wife


    and mother, but she was very devoted to her friends. As long as they open their mouth, she will always


    help them if it is within her abilities. Examples would be spots for whoever''s child to attend school,


    performance track records for whoever''s insurancepany, and the hospital for whoever''s father


    needed to be hospitalized...


    Her methods in the business world are pretty resentful. Although she could be quite calctive about


    certain things, she still helped many schoolmates in dire need of help. Hence, when news of her


    passing away came out, all her friends could not help but feel sympathy and sadness. All of their words


    unavoidably had the dissatisfaction and sarcasm they had for Albert.


    Rainee was the queen bee in their school department in the past and had many people chasing after


    her. Her family background was fine, and she did the best for herself. Back then, quite a few boys were


    pursuing her. In the end, she went with Albert, who had mediocre qualities. Not only was she fighting


    poverty her whole life, she ultimately ended like this. In hindsight, it was indeed not worth it.


    Albert saw the notifications from the group chat. He was furious. He was mad because the gang of


    people in the group chat was spouting nonsense and ndering him. He was also angry that Ste did


    not even inform him about such a significant incident as Rainee¡¯s death.


    The more he thought about it, the more he felt that Ste did it on purpose. She had purposely let him


    embarrass himself in front of all his old schoolmates. While calling Ste, he had a sullen face, but it


    didn''t get through. Ste seemed to have cklisted him. This news made Albert feel terrible all over.


    However, when he remembered that Rainee had passed away, it left a foul taste in his heart. When


    Hylda brought drinks in, she saw Albert fuming with a sullen face.


    ¡°Albert, what happened?" Hylda asked.


    Albert pursed his lips. After a long time, he said, "She died."


    Hylda was stunned for a moment. But then the corner of her lips twitched into a subtle smile. She


    lowered her gaze and said, "It''s been so many years. She had suffered enough. Dying would be much


    better than living on for her."


    Albert did not speak. He then said after a while, "Ste issued an obituary. The memorial service is


    tomorrow. Should I go or not?"

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    Chapter 456


    Hylda gave Albert a nce. Rainee was still his wife, after all, and they married under the freedom of


    love. Even if the process they went through was unhappy, at least they used to truly love each other.


    Yet, he dared not ask this question now.


    ¡®Should I go or not? Isn''t this nonsense?¡¯ Hylda thought. She suppressed her emotions and said lowly,


    "Of course, you should go. Ste''s still your daughter. With her mother passing away, the Kane family


    has someone visit. If the Kane family came, many of Rivera''s elite would want to go there. You''re


    Ste''s dad.


    If you don''t go, the others will look at the Jewell family as a joke."


    Albert then said worriedly, "We''ve talked about this. What if Ste makes a scene during the funeral?


    Then it wouldn''t end easily."


    "She wouldn''t," Hylda said nonchntly. "Ste respects Rainee a lot. She would never make a scene


    with you at Rainee''s funeral. Her mother would be turning in her grave."


    Albert pursed his lips. Hylda looked at the man before her. How could she not know what he had in his


    heart?


    The incident about his illegitimate child was just exposed, and he was already afraid that he would be


    the butt of the joke if he went there by himself. However, he had to make this trip. If he did not go, how


    could he make the mother and child''s identities official?


    "Albert, you don''t need to worry. [''ll apany you there then. I''ll wait for you outside. If something


    happens, I''ll endure it with you," Hylda said.


    Albert''s thoughts drifted for a moment. This sentence reminded him of Rainee in the past. Whenever


    thepany was in a crisis, she would be at his side,forting him when he was knee-deep in the


    mess.


    She would say, "It''s fine. At worst, we''d be broke. If we can earn it back the first time, we can earn it


    back the second time. Even if the sky falls and your ns fail, I''ll always be there."


    "Albert, sleep early. We will go there slightly earlier tomorrow and send Rainee off on herst journey,"


    Hylda continued.


    Albert came back to his senses. His throat constricted, and he answered in a low tone.


    It was a flight for eight in the morning. Keegan rode a car to the airport at half past six. When he


    reached the airport and waited for the flight, he could not resist turning on his phone. When the cell


    phone connected to the inte, his Facebook app immediately popped up with numerous messages.


    His eyes scanned the screen once and he noticed that Ste did not send him any messages. He could


    not conceal his upset. Just as he was about to turn his phone off, one of Vermont''s messages popped


    up.


    [Keegan, if you don''t fuckinge back now, you''re gonna lose your wife!]


    Keegan''s expression changed, and he immediately gave Stea call. She did not pick up.


    Keegan quickly called Vermont. Vermont had just arrived at the funeral parlor. He saw Keegan''s return


    call and almost cursed. He quickly epted the call.


    Keegan said, "What do you mean by that message you sent?"


    Vermont said through gritted teeth, "Your mother-inw just died. She''s being buried today. If you don''t


    return now, I''m afraid you won''t be able to keep your wife anymore!"


    Keegan''s heart trembled, and he said thoughtfully, "When did this happen?"


    "The night before yesterday. She had a fever and passed away. Your wife had been acting odd these


    few days. You shoulde back right now. Her mother will be buried at two in the afternoon."


    When saying this, he could not resistining. "Where have you been running off to these few


    days? For heaven''s sake, leave a way for people to contact you. You caused this whole mess, and


    your wife definitely assumed you went missing on purpose." Keegan pursed his lips. "I''ll tell you one


    day. What about Ste? Let her answer the phone."


    "I wouldn''t dare mess with her. It''s best that youe back as soon as possible. I spoke up for you


    yesterday, and she said if you don''te back, then should her mother not be buried? I didn''t dare


    answer her. It won''t be enough if you spoke with her over the phone now. She might not even answer


    your call. The main thing is that you should hurry up ande back If you don''t make it back in time for


    your mother-inw''s funeral, I''m telling you... Based on my understanding of women, she''ll hold this


    against you for the rest of your life!"


    Keegan took a deep breath and said, "You help arrange the venue. I''ll get off the ne at ten minutes


    past ten."


    ¡°Alright, you hurry a bit more," Vermont urged.


    After hanging up the phone, Vermont saw Marshall pass him a bottle of water that he had taken.


    ¡°Who were you calling?" Marshall asked.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.

 Chapter 457

    Chapter 457


    Chapter 457


    "Keegan." Vermont twisted the bottle and took a sip. "I was finally able to contact him. He''d probably


    arrive at half past ten."


    Marshall paused and said in a low tone, "That''s good."


    Vermont turned around and took a look inside the funeral parlor.


    "What about Ste?"


    ¡°Watching the mortician do the makeup," Marshall answered.


    Vermont shuddered and mumbled under his breath, "She really has a lot of guts."


    The funeral parlor had done Rainee''s makeup as per Ste''s instructions. The makeup artist was quite


    proficient. When they called for Ste to take a look, she immediately felt like she was seeing Rainee


    as she was years ago. Her hair was still ck, and there was still flesh on her cheeks. When she did


    not smile, she seemed slightly serious. Shey there quietly as if she was asleep.


    The mortician asked Ste if she wanted to give Rainee shoes to wear. There was a saying in Rivera


    that when a close family member passes away, if her next of kin helps her wear shoes, the deceased


    would be able to find their way home during Tomb- Sweeping day or Ghost Festival.


    Ste refused. She said nonchntly, ¡°If people be souls when they die, I hope she would never


    return to this home."


    ¡®This wasn''t even worthy of being called a home,'' she thought. Just before nine o''clock, people started


    to enter the funeral in droves. With Vermont and Marshall there, the venue seemed very orderly. With


    the two big shots, the Snyder family and the Moore family, present to pass the incense and lead the


    way, Rainee''s memorial had at least seemed respectable.


    Ste was dressed in all ck. Her hair was coiled into a bun behind her head. A single white flower


    was stuck to the side, and she wore mourning apparel. She did not wear makeup, so her face seemed


    cold and clean. When she heard the people who hade to mourn say, "My condolences," she would


    numbly nod her head and thank them.


    Outside the funeral parlor, Xavier got down from the car. He pulled the passenger side door open, and


    a girl wearing earth-colored clothes walked out of the vehicle. She was about 1.65 meters tall.


    Herplexion was fair, and she seemed very skinny. She had a tiny face with slightly elongated eyes.


    Her features were exquisite.


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    "Brother, this funeral parlor is tiny," the little girl mumbled quietly.


    Trevor came down from the other side. He tapped her forehead once and said, "Don''t talk nonsense


    later when you are in front of people. That''s the person who saved your life."


    Jaylene rubbed her forehead and said in a soft voice, "I know. Don''t keep tapping on other people''s


    heads. Do you know how old I am?"


    Trevor twitched his lips to smile. "However old you are, you''re still my sister."


    He held Jaylene, saying, "Let''s go and light an incense for her.""


    Albert had not expected that so many people woulde today.


    Just by the gate alone, there were tens of luxury cars there. At such a small funeral parlor, there were


    so many people.


    When he arrived at the scene, with just a nce at the venue, he did not want to get out of the car.


    In the end, Hylda had to coax Albert to get out of the car. He walked into the funeral parlor carefully.


    Many people turned around to look at him on the way, but no one talked to him.


    Albert shamelessly walked into the venue for the memorial. When Vermont saw him, he raised his


    eyebrows and thought, ''He really doesn''t care to be ashamed, and he still has the nerve to show up


    here.''


    Vermont was usually a talkative person and eloquent person.


    However, on this asion, he was toozy to bother with this person. He threw a few incenses at


    Albert and did not bother with him. Albert lit an incense for Rainee and walked in front of Ste.


    Out of habit, he spoke in a scolding tone to her that he used in the past, "Your mother passed away, yet


    why didn''t you inform me?"


    Ste''s face fell. ''How could he have the audacity to ask such a shameless question?" Ste thought.


    Before Ste could answer, Trevor''s voice came from behind. "Mr. Jewell, your wife passed away, yet


    you didn''t know. Shouldn''t you ask yourself that question?"

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    Chapter 458


    The mess that was the Jewell family had already been talked about in the social circle


    like crazy. However, it was Rainee¡¯s funeral today. Although everyone wanted to, they


    did not say much. As the saying goes, ¡°De mortuis nil nisi bene¡±, only the good should


    remain for the dead. There was no need to cause a ruckus at other people¡¯s funerals.


    Yet Trevor seemed to not care for this. As soon as he entered, he heard Albert


    reprimanding Ste and could not help but feel bewildered.


    Based on the information Trevor had, besides the assertive personality of Rainee, she


    was actually a very outstanding woman.


    ¡®Why did she pick this heartless, ungrateful thing for a husband?¡¯ Trevor thought to


    himself.


    Albert¡¯s figure froze, and he turned around, slightly irritated. He saw the unfamiliar


    face of a man and said with furrowed brows, ¡°I¡¯m talking to my daughter. Does an


    outsider need to butt in?¡±


    As Trevor was about to open his mouth, he heard Ste say, ¡°Albert, it¡¯s my mother¡¯s


    funeral today. If you¡¯re here for herst moments, shut up and light an incense. If


    you¡¯re here to make a scene, you can leaver


    Albert¡¯s expression immediately turned ugly, and he said through gritted teeth, ¡°How


    can you talk to me like this? I¡¯m your father!¡±


    Ste pulled the corner of her lips into a sarcastic smile. She said with a very low


    voice, ¡°Don¡¯t insult that word. I don¡¯t want to argue with you here, but if you ruin my


    mother¡¯s funeral, I¡¯ll make your children suffer a pain worse than death. If you don¡¯t


    believe me, you can try.¡±


    After saying this, she paused and lightly spat out a few words, ¡°Hillbank Primary


    School, right?¡±


    Albert looked into Ste¡¯s eyes. His whole back was riddled with goosebumps, and he


    was shocked to the core. Ste actually knew he had a son and even knew the school


    the kid was studying at!


    Remembering the methods she used to deal with Sophia, Albert could not help but


    feel terrified. His expression was a mixture of rage and shock, but he dared not open


    his mouth. With a sullen look, lit an incense before standing to the side.


    Trevor passed a few pieces of incense to Jaylene. Both of them bowed and slotted


    the incense before walking toward Ste.


    ¡°Our condolences, Mrs. Kane.¡±


    Ste lightly nodded her head. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Jaylene looked up at the woman before her. She was so refined that she seemed like


    she had walked out of a painting. Thenguish expression could not falter the beauty


    of her features. Jaylene was studying fashion design. She had seen her fair share of


    supermodels and celebrities, but this was the first time she had seen anyone as


    stunning as Ste at first sight, i


    She walked to the side and scanned the scene. Just as she wondered why there was


    no member of the Kane family present, she heard amotion outside.


    The Kane family had arrived. Once the car had stopped, Baldwin came down and


    opened the car door. An olddy exited the car and hurriedly walked into the funeral


    parlor.


    Behind her, Dahlia came down the car and quickly followed the olddy. Dahlia held


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    onto her and said in a low tone, ¡°Cordelia, you should walk slowly.¡±


    The old madam flung her hand away and said seriously, ¡°It¡¯s the mother-in-w¡¯s


    funeral, yet youe here now and didn¡¯t help Ste arrange it?¡± There were many


    people outside. Dahlia was being reprimanded by the old madam right in her face and


    she immediately felt embarrassed. She quietly exined, ¡°Ste didn¡¯t inform me


    beforehand. I also just knew about it.¡±


    ¡°If you had usually cared just a little and checked in once in a while, you wouldn¡¯t have


    known until thest minute!¡± Cordelia was furious. ¡°When your parents passed away,


    what did your grandfather and I do? After so many years, you¡¯ve shown no growth!


    Such a major event happened and you allowed Ste to endure it alone. Do you even


    have the dignity as an elder?¡±


    Cordelia was such a sharp person. She had interacted with Ste for many years and


    naturally knew how thoughtful she was. With such a huge incident as her mother


    passing away, why would she not have informed the Kane family if there were no


    other reason? The incident had urred too abruptly. Cordelia had not had time to


    look into the ins and outs of what happened. Still, it did not stop her from specting


    who the perpetrator was.


    Dahlia¡¯s expression switched between flushed and ashen. She gripped her hands


    tightly and could not say a word. Cyrene had enough of seeing Dahlia¡¯s sorry state


    and proceeded to hold Cordelia. ¡°Mother, you should cool down. Dahlia had been


    quite busy recently and may have neglected it.


    I ordered some wreaths and elegiac couplets and I¡¯ve already sent them beforehand.


    We should go in to see Ste first. The child had been through a lot these few days


    and it¡¯s quite pitiful.¡±

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    Chapter 459


    The look on Cordelia¡¯s face improved. She then shot Dahlia a cold look before Cyrene


    walked her inside.


    Even Aurora was not happy with Dahlia.


    She specially told Dahlia not to interfere, but she did not listen. Even though


    terminating Ste¡¯s card would not kill Rainee, doing so at such a crucial time


    indirectly drove Rainee to her death.


    Obviously, Aurora was not upset that Rainee died, but she worried that Keegan would


    also put the me on her when he got back.


    ¡°Aurora, walk your mom inside,¡± Chandler said tly, standing at the side.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Aurora responded. Even though she did not feel like doing so, she walked


    toward Dahlia and held her arm anyway. ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go in.¡±


    Everybody else at the funeral gave way to the Kanes after they arrived.


    Pursing her lips, Cordelia walked inside with a solemn look on her face.


    She was walking a lot slower than she would usually. Marshall gave Cyrene a single


    white rose, and she handed it to Cordelia.


    Then, they paid theirst respects to Rainee, and Cordelia went to Ste.


    It had only been a few days, but Ste looked much skinnier. Cordelia¡¯s heart broke


    when she saw Ste.


    She grabbed Ste¡¯s hand and sighed before saying softly, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for your loss,


    child. I should¡¯ve been here earlier.¡±


    Ste felt a lump in her throat, and she almost cried.


    She bit her lip and said hoarsely, ¡°It¡¯s fine, Grandma.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not.¡± Cordelia touched her face graciously and said in a low voice,¡± Don¡¯t


    worry. You¡¯re a part of the Kane family. I¡¯ll always have your back. No one will be able


    to mistreat you on my watch.¡± 1


    Ste gazed downward and said, ¡°Thank you, Grandma.¡±


    Cordelia did not speak very loudly. However, the mourning hall was huge, and nobody


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    was really speaking at that time, so everyone there could hear every word she said to


    Ste.


    Albert regretted what he did so much. ¡®I should¡¯ve never listened to Hylda and turned


    things ugly between Ste and I,¡¯ Albert thought.


    ¡®What Cordelia just said to Ste was no different from telling everyone that the Kane


    family would support her no matter what.


    ¡®My family will have nothing to worry about if we maintain a good rtionship with


    Ste now that she has the Kane family¡¯s support.


    ¡®I knew women could never be trusted! Why did I even listen to what they said?!¡¯


    The look on Dahlia¡¯s face turned even uglier. The fact that Cordelia backed Ste up


    publicly so many times was an insult to her as the eldest daughter -inw of the Kane


    family. She regretted that she did not make a move against Ste sooner!


    Dahlia paid herst respects to Rainee and stood at the side with a nonchnt face.


    Cordelia was very unhappy about what Dahlia was doing, but Cordelia did not criticize


    her for it because there were other people around them.


    The memorial service started at ten o¡¯clock.


    It ended forty minutester, and the morticians started preparing for the cremation.


    Vermont kept calling Keegan¡¯s number while standing at the side.


    ¡®Didn¡¯t he say that he¡¯d get here by ten thirty? What¡¯s he doing?!¡¯


    Then, when the morticians were about to nail the coffin shut, he finally saw Keegan


    walking inside wearily

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    Vermont immediately stopped the mortician. ¡°Hold up, her son-inw is here. Let him


    pay hisst respect!¡±


    The morticians stopped.


    Ste lifted her head.


    Keegan was wearing a suit when he walked into the mourning hall with a grim face.


    His eyes met with Ste¡¯s. Ste¡¯s gaze looked very nonchnt as if he was just a


    stranger to her.


    Keegan could not help but feel a little crept out.


    Vermont quickly approached Keegan and put a ck armband around his right arm.


    Cordelia said after seeing how Keegan just stood there. ¡°Keegan, go on and pay your


    Dahlia went to him and gave him a stalk of white rose. She said softly, ¡°Put it in the


    coffin.¡±


    Keegan recollected himself. He went to the coffin and ced the white rose in it.


    Cordelia frowned after seeing what he did, but she kept quiet anyway.


    Keegan was about to speak to Ste after doing so, but she turned away and said to


    the mortician, ¡°Please nail the coffin now.¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    The sound of nails getting hammered into the wood was the only thing that could be


    heard in the spacious mourning hall, and Rainee bid herst farewell to this world


    when thest nail hit the coffin.


    The whole cremation process was going to take some time, so Vermont made a


    reservation at a restaurant nearby for the guests to eat something.


    Most of the people who came to offer their condolences had left, and Cordelia was


    starting to get tired too. She said something to Ste and went back to the car. She


    also shot his eldest grandson a nce before she left.


    Keegan went to Ste. He gulped and said, ¡°My flight was dyed.¡±


    Ste ignored him as she turned around and said to Felicity, ¡°Felicity, do you want to


    use the washroom?¡±


    Felicity did not want to go, but she changed her mind after ncing at the look on


    Ste and Keegan¡¯s faces. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Vermont frowned. ¡°What? Didn¡¯t you juste back from the washroom? Is


    something wrong with your dder?¡±


    ¡®What¡¯s wrong with this uncivilized woman? Can¡¯t she tell that Keegan and Ste are


    in a fight? She¡¯d better not add fuel to the fire!¡±


    Felicity¡¯s mouth twitched as she red at Vermont. ¡°Worry about yourself first!¡±


    Then, she grabbed Ste¡¯s arm and left.


    Vermont was speechless.


    He then saw how Keegan stood there like a statue. He was about to console him, yet


    he could not stop himself from roasting him.


    ¡°You¡¯re always very good at talking, no? Did you realize what you just said? What do


    you mean by your flight was dyed? You were supposed to do anything you can to


    be at your mother-inw¡¯s funeral on time! You should show your wife that you¡¯re just


    as worried and upset as her, and not give her such a horrible excuse for beingte!


    ¡°Her mother just passed away and she¡¯s at the lowest point of her life. You should¡¯ve


    done more to show that you care if you¡¯re not going to hug her in your arms to make


    her feel better. That was her biological mother and you¡¯re her husband! How could you


    just stand at the side after paying yourst respect?¡±


    Keegan paused. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what to do at all.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s blood boiled. ¡°You¡¯re the son-inw! Did anyone tell you that Ste spent


    the entire night praying for her mother yesterday?


    Keegan kept quiet.


    The Kane family had never held a funeral in more than twenty years, and he was not


    familiar with funeral etiquette. Also, he had no idea what he was supposed to do as a


    son-inw on an asion like this.


    Dahlia told him to ce the flower in the coffin, and he thought that it was everything


    he needed to do.


    ¡®Dahlia has attended so many funerals. I¡¯m sure she knows very well what I was


    supposed to do.¡¯


    Keegan frowned and asked, ¡°Did anything happen in these few days?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. A group of people went to your mother-inw¡¯s ward and removed her oxygen


    tube while asking Ste to pay something back. She called me and I went there with


    Marshall. Fortunately, we it made there on time.


    Those scums tried to hurt Ste, and the only reason I didn¡¯t break their arms was we


    were in the hospital.¡±

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    Chapter 461


    Vermont paused before he continued, ¡°It¡¯s possible that your mother-inw only


    passed away before her oxygen supply was disrupted.¡±


    The look on Keegan¡¯s face turned ugly. Do you know who they are?¡±


    ¡°No idea. However, I¡¯m sure that they didn¡¯t do that for money because they left right


    after knowing that we were going to call the cops. The surveince cameras in the


    hospital probably captured their faces, and we¡¯ll know who¡¯s behind everything once


    we have a look at the footage.¡±


    Vermont paused again. ¡°By the way, where have you been these days? I couldn¡¯t


    even call you. What were you doing? What about Aldor? Did hee back with you?¡±


    ¡°I was helping a friend of mine,¡± Keegan said tly.


    ¡°What is it about? Why so secretive?¡±


    ¡±My friend¡¯s identity is sensitive information,¡± Keegan answered.


    Vermont stopped asking more questions after hearing that.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡®Sensitive information, huh? That person is either from the border or one of the boss


    man¡¯s friends. I¡¯d better stay out of this.¡¯


    ¡°How sensitive?¡±


    Marshall¡¯s voice could be heard. Then, he continued, ¡°Do you have any friends that


    we don¡¯t know?¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips and kept quiet.


    Vermont teased Marshall, ¡°You left us for so many years, and it¡¯s only normal for us to


    get ourselves some new friends. Are you jealous?¡±


    Marshall then turned around and said to Keegan, ¡°Ste has not been in a good


    shape since a few days ago, and she even fainted on the day Ms.


    Rainee passed away. You should pay more attention to her these days.¡±


    Keegan clenched his fists and felt a dull pain in his chest.


    The cremation was done at one in the afternoon.


    They started making their way to the cemetery at half past one.


    Ste held Rainee¡¯s ashes in her arms.


    Keegan finally became smarter after what Vermont said to him previously.


    He went to Ste and took the urn from Ste¡¯s hand and said softly, ¡°Let me help you


    with that.¡±


    Ste did not resist it. Then, someone passed her Rainee¡¯s memorial portrait, and she


    took it.


    Keegan and Ste sat in the same car, but none of them spoke.


    Keegan wanted to start a conversation, but he had no idea what to say to Ste.


    Ste did not look like she wanted to talk to him at all.


    He would rather she at least argue with him.


    It was just too quiet. Not only did she not speak, but her eyes were not red at all too.


    Keegan began to feel ufortable in this depressed atmosphere.


    The car finally arrived at the cemetery.


    Cordelia did not get off the car. She stood too long in the memorial hall just now, and


    her legs hurt. However, she told Baldwin to remind Keegan to do the right things.


    After all, it was Keegan¡¯s first time going through something like this, and she did not


    want him to look discourteous just because he was unaware of the etiquette.


    The burial went rather smoothly, but the only bad part of it was the noise of Albert


    wailing at the side.


    He sounded disgusting and pretentious.


    Ste stood up when the urn was covered with thest pile of dirt.


    She turned around and looked at Keegan with a nonchnt face.


    A gust of wind blew by, and Keegan heard Ste saying, ¡°Keegan Kane, let¡¯s get a


    divorce.

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    Chapter 462


    For a brief moment, Keegan thought that he heard Ste wrongly.


    Everyone else around him was just as shocked as him to hear that.


    Albert was exposed for having a love child and Rainee just passed away. Ste had


    no one to support her anymore in the Jewell family, yet she wanted to divorce Keegan


    before the Kane family abandoned her. It was just an insane thing to do.


    Keegan¡¯s gaze turned dark after he came back to his senses. ¡°It¡¯s not the time to talk


    about this now.¡±


    Albert got nervous too as he scolded, ¡°Ste, what nonsense are you talking about?¡±


    Ste ignored him and said to Keegan, ¡°To me, now¡¯s the best time. Didn¡¯t we agree


    on divorcing after you came back from this business trip? We should honor that


    agreement now that you¡¯re back. Let¡¯s make our way to the civil affairs office and get it


    done, so we won¡¯t have to meet again tomorrow.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face immediately turned cold.


    There were so many people at the cemetery looking at them, yet Ste asked him for


    a divorce. Clearly, she did not want to give him another chance to turn things around


    between them anymore.


    Keegan realized that and his heart sank. 1


    He then gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about this now!¡±


    ¡°Well, I do.¡± Ste sounded very determined like never before. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not


    going to take one penny from you, so you don¡¯t have to shift your assets somewhere


    else. The only thing I want is a divorce certificate. I¡¯ll leave the Kane family without


    taking any of your possessions away.¡±


    Vermont hurriedly tried to reason with her after hearing what she said.¡¯ Ste, calm


    down. We¡¯ve just done with your mother¡¯s burial. Scold him however you want when


    you get hometer. Everything will be fine.¡±


    He winked at Felicity after saying that, signaling for her to back him up.


    Felicity rolled her eyes at him. ¡®No way!


    ¡®Where was he when Ste needed him? Why is he even pretending to be a filial soninw now? He


    needs to get out of our sight!


    ¡®Ste has no one to worry about anymore now that Aunty Rainee has passed away.


    She¡¯s not going to need a single penny from the Kane family!¡¯


    Felicity would teleport them to the civil affairs office right now and divorce them herself


    if she could, so Ste would not have to live with these heartless people anymore!


    She just could not get over the fact that


    Keegan¡¯s mother froze Ste¡¯s ount when she needed the money to save Rainee¡¯s


    life.


    Vermont got so mad, his head hurt after seeing how Felicity just kept quiet.


    ¡®No wonder they¡¯re best friends! She¡¯s always on Ste¡¯s side!¡¯


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Keegan had his pride too. He could not bear it anymore when Ste insisted on


    divorcing him in front of so many people.


    ¡°Ste Jewell, I¡¯ll give you onest chance. Do you really want a divorce?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never wanted it more than now.¡± Ste looked at Keegan emotionlessly. ¡°Find


    whomever you want to be your new wife. I¡¯m done.¡±


    Keegan felt like his heart was getting trampled on.


    He wanted to see her so badly these days, yet she said something like that in front of


    everyone. He felt like he was betrayed and stabbed in the back by someone he


    trusted with his whole heart. Even worse, that person did all that to him and told him


    that she was done with him.


    Ste turned his life into a mess, so he decided to satisfy her. His pride would just not


    allow him to give in and persuade her to stay.


    He clenched his fists tight and said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ll see you at the civil affairs office


    tomorrow morning at nine.¡±


    Baldwin frowned and said softly, ¡°Mr. Kane, don¡¯t act on impulse.¡±


    Keegan was too mad to listen to anything he said.


    Ste frowned. ¡°Do you have anything else to do today?¡±


    Keegan gritted his teeth. ¡°It¡¯s your mother¡¯s funeral today!¡±


    Keegan thought that it would not be right for them to get a divorce on the same day.


    Ste smiled sarcastically. ¡°You didn¡¯t evene back when she died.¡±


    Ste was implying that Keegan should not be bothered by that since he was not


    there when she needed him.


    Keegan did not feel like staying there anymore, so he turned around and left.

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    Chapter 463


    Dahlia shot Ste a nce. Then, she smirked and left too.


    Albert felt like he was about to explode with rage. He immediately went after Dahlia


    when he saw her leaving.


    Everybody else followed suit after the Kanes left.


    Most of them only came here for the Kane family¡¯s sake. There was no reason for


    them to stay anymore since Ste was going to divorce Keegan.


    Trevor only went to Ste and said after most of the guests left. ¡°Mrs. Kane¡­¡±


    Ste cut him off. ¡°Mr. Saun, you don¡¯t have to speak any further if you¡¯re going to


    convince me not to divorce him.¡±


    Trevor was stunned. Then, he smiled and said in a gentle voice, ¡°I was just asking if


    you have any ns after this.¡¯


    Ste gazed downward. ¡°Not for now.¡±


    Too many things happened in these few days, and she still had notposed herself.


    ¡°Would you be interested to join Elegant Media?¡± Trevor asked in a gentle manner,


    looking very friendly. ¡°Keegan owns somepany shares of Neon Neb, but


    Elegant Media is a totally independentpany.


    Obviously, Trevor was telling Ste that signing a new contract with him was the best


    choice if she wanted to cut ties with Keeganpletely after the divorce.


    However, Ste could not figure out why Trevor would give her such an offer since


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    she was not rted to the Kane family anymore.


    She was pretty sure that Trevor had better options. She was just an inexperienced


    actress, and she had no idea why Trevor would invest in her.


    She pursed her lips. ¡°Mr. Saun, do you really think that I can make money for your


    Trevor smiled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t tell Daniel to retain you when you barged into his casting


    room in the hotel if I don¡¯t.¡±


    Ste paused.


    Suddenly, she remembered the pair of men¡¯s trousers that shed before her eyes


    when Daniel closed the door during her audition.


    ¡®That was Trevor?


    ¡®Does that mean that he knew me a long time ago?¡¯


    ¡°Ms. Jewell, I¡¯m very confident in my choices and I¡¯m certain that you won¡¯t let me


    down. You¡¯ve got to have a n for the future, right?¡± Trevor paused before


    continuing, ¡°You¡¯re going to fight awsuit soon, and you¡¯ll need plenty of money.¡±


    Ste pursed her lips. Then, she looked at him and said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the contract


    details tomorrow then.¡±


    Suddenly, Trevor felt very relieved. ¡°No problem.¡±


    Jaylene had been waiting for some time. She asked right after Trevor got into the car,


    ¡°What were you talking to her about?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much.¡± Trevor paused. ¡°You¡¯re too impolite. Why didn¡¯t you say at least say


    hi to her? She saved your life, after all.¡±


    Jaylene replied softly, ¡°She was saying something about divorcing with her husband


    just now, and I didn¡¯t dare interrupt them. I¡¯ll talk to her next time. Dad said he¡¯s going


    to eat with her, right?¡±


    Trevor kept quiet.


    Ste went back to Felicity¡¯s ce.


    She did not eat for the whole day, so Felicity made a bowl of noodles for her. Ste


    did not have much of an appetite, but she ate some of it anyway because she did not


    want Felicity¡¯s efforts to go to waste.


    Felicity asked after seeing that she got a little better, ¡°Ste, do you want me to go


    with you tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Ste did not lift her head. ¡°We¡¯re just going to get some procedures done. I


    can go alone.¡±


    Felicity wanted to ask her if she had really decided to divorce Keegan, but she figured


    that she would sound like she was not on Ste¡¯s side. So, she used a different


    approach.


    She was not expecting Ste to answer her question without having to think at all. ¡®I


    guess she had made her mind up.


    ¡®Whatever. Keegan doesn¡¯t treat her like his wife anyway. Why should I help him? I¡¯ll


    stand on Ste¡¯s side no matter what!

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    Chapter 464


    Felicity thought that Ste was fine until she heard her sobbing in the living when she


    woke up in the middle of the night to get some water.


    Ste was not as tough as she looked. She was just not willing to expose her


    weakness to somebody else.


    She had no one left to depend on anymore now that Rainee had passed away.


    Felicity sat against the door. She listened to Ste crying and got sad too.


    Then, she sent her mother a text message. [Mom, I won¡¯t make you mad anymore.


    Please live longer and spend more time with me.]


    Felicity¡¯s mom replied to her after a few seconds: [You¡¯re crazy!]


    Felicity was speechless.


    Indeed, showing affection was not a thing for her and her mother.


    On the other hand, Keegan just got home, and Maria started cleaning things up.


    Keegan untied his tie and looked in the hallway. He realized that most of Ste¡¯s


    belongings were still in the same ce as if they were never moved.


    He frowned and said, ¡°Did she note back home these days?¡¯


    ¡°No, sir. Things went wrong with Mrs. Kane¡¯s mother not long after you left, and she


    had been staying with her mother since. I went to give her some clothes during that


    time. Oh, I also gave her the medicine that Madam Dahlia brought home.¡±


    ¡¯Medicine?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. Do you remember that Mr. Jewell Sr. got into an argument with Ms. Kane


    when she came here to give Mrs. Kane some medicine? There were a few bottles that


    didn¡¯t break, so Mrs. Kane asked me to bring them to her.¡±


    Keegan took off his zer. ¡°Why would she need that medicine?¡±


    ¡®Mrs. Kane didn¡¯t tell me about that. However, she did not look like she was in very


    good shape when I brought her the medicine.¡±


    Keegan frowned. ¡°Did anything else happen these days?¡±


    Maria shook her head.


    Keegan stopped asking more questions.


    Maria stopped him when he was going upstairs. nMr. Kane, is Mrs. Kaneing


    home tonight? Should I leave the door unlocked?¡±


    Keegan curled his fingers, and after a while, he said, ¡°Sure.¡±


    He opened his bedroom door and could still smell Ste¡¯s scent lingering inside.


    He was about to open the window, but he stopped. Then, he closed the curtain and


    went to lie on his bed.


    The scent of Ste was stronger on the bed. Keegan breathed it in and his heart


    broke when he thought about how determined Ste was during the funeral.


    He took out his phone and pulled up WhatsApp. He stayed in the dialogue box for


    very long before he typed, [Let¡¯s not split up, okay?]


    He hesitated for some time before he hit the send button. He decided to delete the


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    message if he did not get a reply from Ste in two minutes.


    However, Ste did not give him the chance to do that.


    Keegan looked at his screen. He found out that he could not see Ste¡¯s profile


    picture. There was only one tick under his text, and he froze in ce.


    Ste had blocked him.


    Keegan tried to look at her status, but nothing was shown.


    He could not see anything about her at all.


    He could not ept it at all. ¡®Is she really in such a rush to cut ties with me? I


    Keegan threw his phone to the side. ¡®I don¡¯t care anymore!¡¯


    The next day, Felicity followed Ste to the civil affairs office because she was worried


    about her.


    She nned to leave after Ste got all the procedures done, but the office kept


    calling her because there was something urgent. So, Ste told her to leave first.


    Ste wore a fitted white tee with a pair of wide-leg jeans. She waited for Keegan in


    front of the office.


    It was already nine o¡¯clock, yet Keegan was nowhere to be seen.


    She frowned and dialed Keegan¡¯s number.


    The call connected after a while, and she heard Keegan¡¯s deep voice.¡± Hello.¡±

 Chapter 465

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    Chapter 465


    ¡°Mr. Kane. It¡¯s already nine. Where are you?¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips. ¡°I¡¯ll be there in a while.¡±


    ¡®How long is a while? Five minutes? Ten minutes? Give me a specific time.¡¯


    Keegan frowned. ¡°We¡¯ve spent three years together. Can¡¯t you just wait for a while


    more?¡¯


    ¡¯I can¡¯t,¡± Ste said tly. ¡°I couldn¡¯t even spend another second with you when I


    started to have the idea of divorcing you. Please be here earlier. You¡¯re not the type of


    person that would dawdle around.¡±


    Then, she hung up.


    From afar, Keegan looked at the entrance of the office and saw the woman who had


    just called him. Suddenly, he was baffled at how reluctant he was.


    He left the house at seven o¡¯clock and had been circling this road countless times. He


    watched Ste getting off the car, bing impatient, and eventually calling him.


    ¡®She gave up on me. She doesn¡¯t want her name to be next to mine for another


    second.¡¯


    He pursed his lips and parked his car. Then, he got out of the car with the documents.


    Ste¡¯s gaze paused as soon as she saw him. Then, when he got closer, she said,


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    She turned around and went inside before him.


    The marriage registration counter was filled with joy, but it was theplete opposite


    at the divorce department.


    While they were lining up, Ste saw a few couples arguing in the queue. Some of


    them even cursed at their ex-partner and the atmosphere was just awful.


    Compared to her and Keegan who did not really talk with each other throughout the


    whole process, they were considered a more peaceful pair.


    Keegan turned and looked at her.


    Ste looked nonchnt. However, her eyes were a little swollen, as if she had cried


    He wanted to say something, but their queue number was called. Ste stood up and


    said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s our turn now.¡±


    Keegan kept quiet and followed behind Ste reluctantly.


    The officer took their ID. He looked at it and asked before verifying their identities,


    ¡°Why are you getting a divorce?¡±


    Keegan heard Ste speak before he could say anything. ¡°I cheated.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    The officer looked at her in surprise before shifting his gaze to Keegan.


    Then, he said, ¡°Did you cheat on him with¡­ Brad Pitt?¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    She understood what the officer was implying. He did not believe that she cheated on


    Keegan because of how handsome he was.


    Then, she pursed her lips and added, ¡°I cheated emotionally.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not entirely cheating. Perhaps it was just a temporary feeling. You two


    have been married for more than three years now, and there¡¯s no history of you both


    filing for a divorce. Your rtionship with each other is rather stable, so why don¡¯t you


    think about it again?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Ste gave the office her documents. ¡°Please get it done.¡±


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    The officer looked at Keegan. ¡°What about you, sir?¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips. ¡°Whatever.¡±


    ¡®Whatever, what?¡¯


    Ste rushed him. ¡°Please be quick. I have something else to do.¡±


    The officer asked again because Keegan did not make himself clear about his


    decision. ¡°Do you guys have children? Have you agreed on the division of matrimonial


    assets?¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°We don¡¯t have any children. I got myself a car when we


    married, and the house belongs to him entirely, as I didn¡¯t pay for it at all. I cheated


    emotionally, so I¡¯m not going to take anything from him. The car will be the only thing I


    want, and he can have everything else.¡±


    The officer frowned. ¡°That sounds like a very sloppy decision.¡±


    Then, he asked Keegan, ¡°Are you okay with that?¡±


    Keegan was already very mad at how Ste lied that she cheated on him as a reason


    for their divorce, so he said angrily, ¡°Yeah. Just do as she said.¡±


    The officer stopped talking and handed them two documents. ¡°Please have a look at


    this and sign if everything¡¯s correct.¡±

 Chapter 466

    Chapter 466


    Chapter 466


    Ste scanned through the document and signed it.She did that quickly without hesitating at all.


    However, Keegan held the pen and took his time.


    Ste''s phone rang.


    She reached for it and saw that Felicity had sent her a post on Facebook.


    It was a candid photo of Be in the airport.


    Be was wearing a pair of sunsses and a face mask.


    She had covered herself up in a very casual outfit.


    There was no fans waiting for her in the airport, and it looked like she was on a private trip.


    However, one of her fans recognized her and snapped a photo of her.


    There was nothing special about the picture since Be was a rather famous celebrity.


    It was perfectly normal for a fan to take photos of her.


    However, there was a person in the photo that made it look not so typical.


    It was Keegan.He was very tall, and his features looked exceptionally attractive.


    It was very easy to recognize that it was him by the way he carried himself.


    There were few other passengers between him and Be, but Ste could tell they were at the


    boarding gate, judging from the angle of the photo.


    Also, the photo was taken on the same day Keegan went on that business trip.


    Then, Felicity sent her a WhatsApp message.


    [Keegan is such a scumbag! He disappeared for these few days because he went on a date with that


    bitch, Be! ] Ste paused.


    After that, she put her phone away without replying.


    The officer noticed how Keegan just held the pen there without signing the document as if he had not


    made his mind up, so the officer asked tentatively, "Why don''t you guys think it over again?"


    Keegan was about to say something, but Ste beat him to it.


    "It won''t be necessary.We have no feelings for each other, and it''ll be nothing but torture to the both of


    us if we force ourselves to be together."


    Then, she looked at Keegan.


    "Mr.Kane, be with whoever you want after signing this.You won''t have to be sneak around and do


    things behind my back anymore.I''m very disgusted." Keegan frowned.


    "Ste Jewell, do you always have to be so mean?"


    Ste chuckled and looked at Keegan mockingly.


    "Mr.Kane, how long have you known me? I''ve always been like this.I only acted like a good wife


    because I wanted your one billion.There''s no reason for me to please you anymore now that I''m not


    going to take a penny from you."


    The look on Keegan''s face turned ugly.He tightened his grip on the pen and signed the paper


    aggressively.


    Ste handed the signed documents to the officer, and he verified them again.


    Then, their marriage certificate turned into a divorce certificate.


    Ste kept her ID.


    Then, she stood up and left.


    Keegan pursed his lip and took their marriage certificate.


    Then, he looked at the officer and asked, "When can I get a remarriage?"


    The office paused and then spoke after a while.


    "Any time after today."


    Then, Keegan took his set of documents and left.


    Trevor called Ste as soon as she left the office.


    "Ms.Jewell, are you done with everything?"


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    "Yeah," Ste replied.


    "I just left the office, and I''ll take a cab now.


    "It''s okay. My assistant is already there to pick you up. The car te is A66688."


    What a shy te number.


    "Okay, thanks."


    As soon as he got outside, Keegan saw Ste talking on the phone.


    Ste hung up and looked somewhere else. He walked toward her.


    Keegan stood beside her and pursed his lips.


    Then, he said, "Ste, it''s official now.You won''t have any of those branded bags and jewelry that you


    love anymore.You can''t regret it now.You''ll have to pay the price for not thinking this through."


    Then, he paused and coughed before continuing.


    "For the sake of our three-year marriage, I can forgive you for this.I''ll give you another chance if you''d


    just apologize to me, and we can get remarried tomorrow."


    He did not get any response after saying his piece.He turned around and found that Ste was not


    there anymore as she had walked away.Then, he noticed an Aston Martin parked in front of the office.

 Chapter 467

    Chapter 467


    Chapter 467


    Aman stepped out of the car and opened the door for Ste.She bent down and got inside.


    After that, the car started and drove away.


    Keegan stood there and stared after them.


    He looked downward at the divorce certificate he was holding and was overwhelmed with regret.


    "why can''t she just give in for once?


    ¡®I wouldn''t have signed the papers if she did"


    Xavier drove and peered at Ste.


    ¡®She divorced Keegan Kane right after her mother passed away, and now she''s going to sign a new


    contract with Elegant Media.


    ''Yet, she''s acting so normally.I''m surprised by how strong her heart is"


    "Is there something on my face?" Ste spoke tly.


    She was looking outside the window, but she could see Xavier looking at her from the corner of her


    eye. Xavier coughed.


    "Ms. Ste, you don''t have to be in such a rush. After all, you just finished taking care of what


    happened in your family. You should take a few days off."


    "That won''t be necessary," Ste said emotionlessly.


    "I just had a divorce, and I need money." Xavier kept quiet.


    From what he knew, Keegan actually treated Ste pretty well.


    Keegan even defended her when she got physical with Aurora, even though his boss got to her before


    Keegan could.


    He just could not figure out why Keegan would end the marriage without giving her any money, not to


    mention that her mother had just passed away.


    He thought that what Keegan did was heartless.


    An idea popped into Xavier''s head when he realized how much his boss cared about Ste.


    ¡®Is Mr.Sean interested in Mrs.Kane?"


    He looked at Ste again and realized that she did look very pretty.


    Then, he fell into a dilemma.


    On one hand, he wondered if he should give his boss a hand in pursuing Ste, but on the other hand,


    he was not sure if that would be the right thing to do. He thought to himself for quite some time before


    he spoke.


    "Ms. Ste, what do you think of my boss?"


    Scrolling through her phone, Ste replied without lifting her head.


    "He''s pretty nice."


    She did not know Trevor very well and, out of courtesy, that was all she could say about him.


    "Hm¡­ Do you have any ns on getting into a rtionship now?"


    Ste was stupefied.


    "My boss is around the same age as Mr.Kane and he''s single too. He likes to drink, doesn''t smoke


    regrly, ys poker asionally, and doesn''t have any bad habits. He had two exes but had


    completely cut ties with them.


    "Also, he owns dozens ofpanies, so he''s just as rich as Mr.Kane. He''s an easygoing and kind


    person too. There''s no harm giving him a chance."


    Ste was speechless.


    Trevor purposely went to the office because he knew that she wasing to sign the contract.He got


    somebody to clean his office up and put on a new cologne too.


    Ste followed Xavier to the office and saw Trevor sitting behind his desk in a suit while looking at her


    with a smile.


    The faint fragrance in the room caught her attention.


    The light green tea and woody scent smelled very pleasant and refreshing.


    She had never smelled this fragrance on Trevor before.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    "Ms.Ste, please have a seat."


    Trevor put his hand on top of another and greeted her with a smile.


    Ste pulled a chair and sat opposite him.


    Then, Xavier handed her the contract that they had prepared in advance.


    "Ms.Ste, please have a look at this.We''re open to negotiating if there are any conditions that you''re


    not satisfied with."

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    Chapter 468


    Ste took the contract and started reading.


    The offer that Elegant Media gave her was very good.


    Thepany will allocate endorsements, reality shows, dramas, etc. to their artists ording to their


    talent, so they won''t have to worry about not getting any jobs.


    Thepany will also pay the artists even if they could not secure any jobs at the beginning of their


    careers.


    Not only would the artists get paid, but thepany will contribute to their social security ounts too.


    After securing a job, the artist will divide his/her earnings evenly with thepany.


    However, a new contract would be proposed after the artist started to get famous, to offer the artist


    more money.


    Even though Ste had never signed a contract with anypany, she heard many stories about


    agencies from her friends who graduated from the same course as her and worked in this industry.


    It was verymon for rookies like them to be tricked by agencies.


    Some agencies would neglect the artist after signing the contract.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    They would not give them any jobs, pay them, or even provide them with a ce to stay.


    So, it was very hard for unrecognized artists to earn a living.


    If those artists were to earn some side ie by epting a walk- on role, the agencies would tell


    them it would be bad for their future and poprity.


    They would also bluff by telling the artists that being a walk-on was the same as giving other people an


    opportunity to put them down when they got famous.


    They would not be able to take any jobs on their own after signing the contract.


    The agency would ask the artists to pay an outrageous penalty if they found out about it.


    There were already a lot of new artists falling into traps like this.


    Many young artists had to pay the penalty before they even got famous.


    The lucky ones would get another chance if they were scouted by anotherpany that would pay the


    penalty for them.


    However, the unlucky ones would have to spend their lives paying it off.


    Ste read the penalty use carefully.


    She found that Elegant Media had no problem with their artists epting jobs personally as long as it


    would not disrupt the jobs given by thepany.


    Elegant media would only take a twenty percentmission for jobs like this.


    However, if the artist''s performance was affected because he or she took too many jobs, the artist


    would be considered breaching the contract.


    And the penalty was two million dors.


    It was a reasonable amountpared to other agencies that would ask for ten million.


    The offer was exceptionally good.


    It was so good, that it made Ste wonder if Trevor had other intentions.


    She remembered what Xavier said in the car.


    After looking at the smile on Trevor''s face, she pursed her lips.


    "What''s wrong?" Trevor asked.


    "Feel free to let me know if there''s anything you wish to change."


    Ste kept quiet for a while before she said, "I came here just to work."Trevor was confused.


    "What?"


    Ste looked at him.


    "Your assistant introduced you to me in the car just now, and I won''t deny that you could be a good


    boyfriend. However, I don''t have any romantic feelings for you. I''m afraid that I can''t sign this contract."


    Trevor''s mouth twitched as he turned around to look at Xavier.


    " What nonsense did you say to Ms. Ste?"


    Xavier was shocked.


    "I thought you were interested in her, no?"


    "You idiot!"


    Trevor could not stop himself from cursing.


    "I''m only interested in her talent!"


    Xavier kept quiet.


    ¡®who are you trying to fool? Would you be bothered to investigate about her family if you''re only


    interested in her talent? You even wanted to find out when she started school and which hospital she


    went to when she was sick"


    Ste watched their interaction and felt that Trevor really did not seem like he had feelings for her.


    ¡®We''ve only met a few times. Why would he be interested in me? ¡®Well, if it''s because of the way I


    look.."


    Ste gave Trevor a once-over.She thought that Trevor would probably look better than her if he were a


    girl.So, she ruled out that possibility.

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    Chapter 469


    Ste took a deep breath and said, "I misunderstood."


    "He''s the one making things up. It has nothing to do with you."


    Trevor paused.


    "What about the contract? Are there any problems?¡±


    "Yes, there are. First, I''m not going on reality shows. Second, I hired an assistant to help run errands on


    the set before. She''s familiar with the industry. So, if possible, I would like to hire her again."


    "That won''t be a problem. You can ask your assistant to send her resume, and I''ll arrange everything.


    As for reality shows, you can rest assured that I don''t intend on letting you go on them."


    Actors must have a sense of mystery.


    Although putting them on reality shows was a shortcut for quick money, it will affect their skills.


    No one would want to memorize lines and shoot tillte hours if they can earn money by doing nothing.


    With Ste''s acting skills and appearance, she was destined to y bigger roles.


    The sky''s the limit for her.


    "Then I have no further questions."


    Trevor sighed a breath of relief. He smiled and said, "Go on and sign it then."


    After signing the contract, Trevor walked her to the door and asked, "Are you free this weekend, Ms.


    Ste?"


    "What do you have in mind?" Ste replied.


    His answer would determine whether she was avable.


    ''My father''s back. He heard that you saved Jaylene in the bathroom at the charity event. He insisted on


    inviting you over for a meal. So..."


    "Please thank Mr.Saun for his kindness. I have already epted the car that the Saun family gave me.


    The debt has been paid. There''s no need for the meal."


    Trevor sighed. He picked up his phone and said, "See, I already told you she wouldn''te. I told you


    people would be embarrassed to have a meal with you, old man. But you didn''t listen. Are you happy


    now?"


    Ste was dumbfounded.


    Suddenly, the mellow sound of a middle- aged male''s anxious voice came from the other end of the


    phone.


    " That''s because you didn''t ask her sincerely. Call Ms. Ste over, and let me talk to her!"


    "Just say what you want to say. I''m on speakerphone. She can hear you."


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste was speechless.


    When the person on the other line heard that, he immediately tucked away his anxiety and changed his


    Rivera ent into a standard one.


    "Ms. Ste? Hello, I''m Trevor''s father, Wenham."


    Wenham almost used all themendatory words in the dictionary to praise her heroic act of saving


    Jaylene. Finally, he said, "You saved Jaylene''s life, which also means you saved our whole family. If


    you don''t want toe to our house, you can tell me your address so I can visit you in person. Or¡­


    You''re signed to Trevor''spany now, right? I can meet you there."


    Ste did not know what to say.


    ''Is the Saun family always so enthusiastic?"


    In the end, she agreed because she could not refuse the offer.


    However, she proposed to eat at a restaurant because she would feel ufortable in someone else''s


    home.


    Wenham was ecstatic when she agreed.


    "See you this weekend then, Ms.Ste."


    On the other hand, Trevor was a little annoyed that his father had seeded in persuading her.


    Before Ste left, Trevor called out to her and said, "Remember that there''s an onboarding health


    assessment tomorrow."


    After leaving Elegant Media, Ste received a call from the orphanage''s director.


    "Ste, I forgot to give you something when you came overst time."


    "What is it?"


    "The day before your mother had the car ident, she went to the hospital to print some medical


    records.She came to the orphanage and left them here.She said she would use them in the future but


    forgot to take them when she headed out.It''s been so long, I forgot about them."


    The director paused and continued, "I think you should have them since your mother is gone now."

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    Ste had a scene to shoot in the afternoon, so she went to the orphanage the next day and got


    Rainee''s photocopied records from the director.


    After Rainee gave birth to her, she had suffered from postpartum depression.


    Her condition fluctuated a lot.


    It was mild at times and severe the others.


    Ste''s grandparents were still alive in the early years and had helped Rainee with her child and the


    doctors.


    Her mental health gradually became under control.


    But when they got older, they passed.


    Without them there, Rainee and Albert started endlessly arguing.


    Rainee''s depression began toe and go during those quarrels.


    Once, when Ste was home from school, she saw her mother standing on the edge of their window,


    wanting to jump out.


    Ste was terrified at the time.


    She yelled loudly for her mom, and Rainee returned to her senses. She was then admitted to the


    hospital and got better after staying there for nearly half a year.


    Ste flipped through the medical records, which recorded the times Rainee visited the hospital.


    Her condition worsened during the two years when her parents died, but it gradually improved after


    that.


    When Ste was in high school, the dosage of her mother''s medications had been significantly


    reduced.


    Ste then flipped to the most recent medical records from five months before the ident.


    ording to the papers, Rainee''s condition was stable, and the doctor had ordered her to stop taking


    pills.


    Ste frowned when she read that.


    Rainee''s antidepressants were all prescribed by the hospital because they were prescription drugs.


    She should have only taken them when the doctor told her to.


    ''The doctor told her to stop the medication five months before the ident.


    Why were there antidepressants in the car?'' Ste closed her eyes and thought about the car ident


    over and over again.


    Although she was wearing her headphones at that time and could not hear who Rainee was on the


    phone with, there was nothing unusual about her mother''s tone.


    It did not sound like when she was ill.


    Rainee subconsciously turned the steering wheel to the left to minimize the impact on Ste''s side


    when the ident urred.


    '' Can those who suffer from depression be so clear-minded that they''d protect their child in danger?¡¯


    Moreover, Rainee was wearing a seatbelt when she got in the car.


    She even reminded Ste to wear her seatbelt too, but the investigation showed that she was not


    wearing her seatbelt because of a manic episode.


    "Was it an ident, or was it homicide?! Just as Ste was thinking about it, Felicity came back.


    "Be Young is such a bitch! Argh! I want to p her!"


    "What happened?"


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste put the records away and asked.


    "She was on set today. Her assistant asked for leave and wasn''t there, so the director arranged for me


    to be her temporary assistant. That bitch walked into the mud on purpose and asked me to wipe her


    shoes for her!"


    Thepany Felicity worked for had invested in the show¡ªWorld Peace.


    The male lead and several supporting roles were all under theirpany.


    Felicity was the production manager, usually in charge of the actors¡¯ affairs on set.


    It was somewhat unreasonable for her to follow Be around.


    But Be did not like the other assistants assigned to her, so she insisted on having Felicity.

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    Chapter 471


    The crew had no choice but to try to persuade Felicity to assist her, but Be started to act


    unreasonably the moment she was there.


    She deliberately stepped into a mud puddle and ordered Felicity to clean her shoes.


    When Felicity finished cleaning it up, she stepped into the muddy puddle again.


    After repeating the same thing three times, she looked at her clean shoes and said lightly, The more


    you clean them, the more disgusting they look. Just grab me a new pair."


    And the shoes were thrown away.


    Felicity was not one to crumble under pressure.


    She immediately grabbed the rag she used to wipe the mud and threw it at Be''s face.


    Everything descended into chaos.


    Felicity''s boss scolded her and sent her home.


    Ste turned cold after hearing the story.


    "Your bosscks judgment," she said.


    Felicity came out of the bathroom, gritted her teeth, and said, "You know Be''s contract is almost up,


    right? That jerk, Simon Hill, wants to sign her on.That means we''d have to bow to her stinky-ass feet!"


    As she said that, she sniffed her hands and could still smell the odor of Be''s dirty feet, so she went to


    the bathroom to wash her hands again.


    "That bitch doesn''t even know how to act! I''m telling you, she would be a nobody if it weren''t for her


    investors," Felicity said unhappily.


    "I bet she targeted me because she knows we''re close!" Ste''s face was sullen.


    "She won''t be smug for long," she said after a moment.


    "Let''s rent another house, Ste. This is a one-bedroom apartment with a tinymon area. Sleeping


    on the couch is bad for your back. I looked up new ces around here today and found a two-bedroom


    apartment. If it''s okay with you, we can find a time to view the ce and move there."


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    "I''ve thought about it too, but this neighborhood is too far away from work, and the parking spaces are


    limited. The rent isn''t cheap as well. We might as well just buy a new apartment."


    Ste applied for her credit card to unfreeze when she got her divorce certificate.


    The money she earned from voice acting over the years and the sry she got from The Pce


    totaled up to about six to seven million dors.


    She paid Felicity back one million dors, and the remainder was enough for her to buy arge t


    somewhere a little off the grid.


    "I''ve done the math. The down payment for a 1500 square feet ce costs about three million dors. I


    can take out a loan to pay a part of it, and I''ll probably be able to get a new job as soon as I finish


    filming The Pce. That means I can pay it off after about two years."


    Ste would use the rest to pay for Marshall''s legal fees.


    Felicity was excited when she heard about the n.


    "Remember to call me up when you view the ce! I want to be part of choosing where we''ll live next!"


    "You got it."


    Steughed.


    "By the way, who''s your friend who lent me the one million? I want to invite them over for a meal to


    show them my gratitude."


    "Mmm¡­ He''s a big shot in our circle," Felicity exined.


    "But he likes to keep a low profile, so he would probably reject the offer. Anyway¡­ It''s gettingte. I''m


    hitting the sheets."


    After Felicity returned to her room, Ste called Marshall.


    "Mr.Moore, I want to proceed with the defamationwsuit on Be Young."


    There was enough evidence for the defamation case, and the probability of winning was high.


    Initially, Ste wanted to deal with it after thewsuit with Albert was over.


    But she could not bear seeing Be do whatever she wanted anymore, so she decided to deal with her


    first.


    The two chatted for along time, and when they were about to hang up, Marshall asked, "Are you and


    Keegan okay?"


    "We got the divorce."


    Ste paused.


    "Please keep my information confidential before the court hearing of the defamationwsuit, Mr.Moore."


    "Alright.Take care, Ms.Jewell," Marshall whispered.


    As soon as they ended the call, Keegan called.


    Ste frowned.She rejected the call and blocked his number.

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    Chapter 472


    "Did she answer?" Vermont asked.


    Keegan scowled and said nothing.


    ''Okay, I guess she didn''t pick up" Vermont thought.


    "It''s okay. Just call again. I''m sure she''s just busy."


    Keegan pursed his lips and dialed again, but this time, there was no sound except for the busy signal.


    Vermont did not know what to say.


    ¡®Damn. She blocked his number.


    "Didn''t you say what I told you to say yesterday?"


    Keegan pursed her lips and responded, "She left after getting the certificate."


    He did not have the chance to speak to her.


    "Certificate?"


    Vermont was taken aback.


    "What certificate?"


    Vermont had a bad feeling when he saw Keegan''s gloomy expression.


    "Don''t tell me you guys got a divorce?!"


    "She embarrassed me at the funeral. I''m not going to keep spoiling her."


    Keegan glowered.


    Vermont pointed at him with a trembling index finger, gritted his teeth, and said, "I can''t believe this. Is


    your reputation that important that you rather lose your wife?"


    "It''s just temporary!"


    Keegan emphasized.


    "I still want her."


    The corner of Vermont''s lips twitched.He pointed at Keegan''s head and said, "Oh, yeah? Well, she


    doesn''t want you anymore!"


    Keegan pushed his hand away and frowned.


    "She''s just messing with me.How could she not want me?"


    "Her mother passed away, and you weren''t there.All you did was bow your head at her mother''s


    funeral.Why would she want a husband like that?"


    Vermont ruthlessly burst his bubble.He then leaned back on the sofa, looked up, and said, "I''m telling


    you, once a woman makes up her mind to get a divorce.


    Even God wouldn''t be able to make her change her mind.I think you and Ste are officially over.You


    should stop thinking about her.I''ll introduce you to someone betterter.Someone who looks prettier


    and has a better figure than her.


    Someone who has a much softer personality than Ste.


    I guarantee you''ll forget about her after you meet a new girl."


    Keegan frowned and said in a bad tone, "Are you dumb? I said she''s just ying with me!"


    Vermont stared at him for a few seconds with disapproval.


    "Even if she''s fooling around, can''t youfort her? Her mother just passed, and you divorced


    her.Step into her shoes, Keegan.Would you forgive her if she did that to you?"


    Keegan opened his mouth and pursed his lips.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    He remained silent for a long time and said, "Then what should we do now?"


    "She''s your wife.Figure it out yourself."


    Vermont took a sip of tea and said, "The least you could do is show her you''re sincere."


    He then started to be annoyed at Keegan again.


    "Why the hell did you guys get divorced if everything was fine? Doesn''t that mean I''ll have to get you


    guys gifts again when you remarry?"


    Keegan was speechless.


    After returning from Vermont''s ce, Keegan washed up and returned to his bedroom.He thought


    about it for a while and grabbed his phone.


    When Ste was about to fall asleep, her phone beeped.


    When she saw the notification on her phone, the corners of her eyes twitched.


    Keegan had transferred ten thousand dors to her with the words.


    [Unblock me] ¡®Is he crazy?"


    Ste thought.


    She transferred the money back to him with a dark expression on her face and wrote.


    [Get lost! ] Right after she turned off her phone, Keegan sent another 20 thousand dors.


    [Unblock me.Let''s talk) Ste returned it to his ount again and said, [Fuck off.] A few secondster,


    Keegan transferred 100 thousand dors to her and wrote, [I can exin about the funeral] Ste was


    furious when she thought about the funeral.


    She sent the money back saying, [Go to hell and exin to your ex-mother-in-w.) Another 100


    thousand dors appeared in Ste''s ount again with the words: [You''re really making a fuss out of


    nothing] Ste did not reply.

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    Chapter 473


    Ste did not want to deal with Keegan''s crazy attitude anymore, so she put her phone on silent and


    went to sleep.


    ¡®Was I not sincere enough?¡¯ Keegan frowned and thought after not getting a text back from Ste.


    There were dozens of transfer records on Ste''s phone when she woke up the next day.


    More than 10 million dors was added to her card.


    Felicity''s eyes shined when she saw the tens of millions of dors in her ount.


    "There''s something seriously wrong with Keegan.He transferred all that money just to talk to you?"


    "He must be drunk or something,"


    Ste replied with a headache.


    She wanted to transfer the money back to Keegan, but her card had a limit, unlike his.She could only


    transfer up to 500 thousand dors per day.


    It would take her more than 20 days to transfer the money.


    After thinking about it, she unblocked Keegan''s number and called him.


    Keegan was in a meeting at that time, but when he saw Ste calling, he suddenly got up and walked


    out of the room with the phone.


    His colleagues were in a daze, not knowing whose call it was and why Keegan was so impatient to


    answer it.


    Outside, Keegan patted his clothes before answering the call."Keegan?"


    It was Felicity''s voice that came from the other end of the phone.


    Keegan frowned.


    "Why are you calling? Where''s Ste?"


    "Ste doesn''t want to talk to you, so she asked me to pass you a message."


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicity cleared her throat and said, "Take your dirty money back.I don''t want it! If you continue


    transferring me the money, I''ll sue you for harassment!"


    After that, she added, "This was what Ste wanted to tell you."


    Keegan was at a loss for words.He gritted his teeth, and with a dark expression, he said, "Ask her to


    answer the phone!"


    "Ste said that she doesn''t want to talk to you.She vomits every time she hears your voice."


    Keegan''s lips twitched.


    "Okay, I''ve passed the message.Bye now."


    After speaking, she quickly hung up the phone and said to Ste worriedly, "Would he write my name in


    his book of revenge after this?"


    "Who cares.It''s not like he can do anything to you," Ste said in disdain.


    "I''ll kill his little lover if he ever touches you."


    Felicity gave her a thumbs up and said, "Great."


    She then added, "Keegan sounded disappointed when he found out it was me, Ste."


    She thought about it for a while and whispered, "Do you want to talk to him? I think he doesn''t know


    about your card being frozen."


    "I didn''t divorce him because of that," Ste said lightly.


    "Then why did you get a divorce?"


    Ste clenched her fingers unconsciously when she thought of what the doctor had told her.


    After a long time, she said, "Let''s just say I don''t have feelings for him anymore."


    Felicity knew that Ste did not want to talk about it, so she did not push her further.


    When Cordelia was resting in her room after getting an injection, Baldwin knocked on the door and


    came in.


    "I found out what happened, Madam Kane."


    The olddy opened her eyes and said softly, "Tell me."


    The more Baldwin told Cordelia, the angrier she got.


    Her face sank deeply when she heard that Dahlia had frozen all of Ste''s cards, which made her


    unable to pay the medical bills.


    "Call Keegan toe and ask him to bring Ste with him," the olddy said after hearing everything.


    Keegan arrived at Cordelia''s ce at 6:00 p.m.


    As soon as he entered the door, the olddy saw no one behind him and frowned.


    "Where''s Ste?"

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    Chapter 474


    Keegan pursed his lips and replied, "She''s not here."


    The olddy frowned.


    "Where did she go?" Keegan was silent.


    "Did you divorce her, you brat?" Cordelia asked, startled.


    "She''s the one who wanted the divorce," Keegan exined.


    "You dumb child!" the olddy yelled angrily.


    "That doesn''t mean you should''ve left her! Are you out of your mind?!" Keegan stayed quiet.


    Cordelia seldom scolded him, and this was the first time he got a tongueshing as an adult.


    Keegan pursed his lips and said nothing. He always spoke back when Vermont was scolding him, but


    not with his grandmother. He did not even know what to say and was very annoyed. He found that what


    he said to Ste at the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau was a joke.


    Now that he thought about it, he was the only one who regretted the divorce after just one day.


    The olddy was so angry that her hands were shaking.


    "What am I going to do with you? Before you got married, you told me that she was the one, and you


    even asked me to go to their house and propose the idea of marriage.Why didn''t you consult me when


    it came to divorce? Am I not important to you anymore?"


    "It''s just temporary, Grandma," Keegan emphasized.


    "We''re going to remarry." The olddy snorted.


    "Oh, don''t tter yourself. That''s quite some wishful thinking you''ve got."


    As Cordelia said that, she threw him the stack of documents Baldwin had collected.


    "Look at what Ste had been through during these few days you disappeared!" Keegan frowned.


    The more he looked at it, the more shocked he was, and after reading it all, his expression looked


    extremely ugly.


    "When did you tell your mother that you were going to divorce? Why didn''t I know about this?"


    "I never told her about divorce, and I never thought of divorcing Ste," Keegan said in a low voice with


    a sullen face.


    "Liar!"


    The olddy red at him.


    "You left her!"


    Keegan did not know what to say.


    "My anger got the best of me and..."


    What the hell were you even angry about, and how dare you get mad?! Would Ste have asked for


    divorce right after her mother''s funeral if you had been there for her?"


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordelia was frustrated.


    "I thought you were better than this, Keegan. I thought you would talk to her about it, exin yourself,


    andfort her. Yet, you divorced her?! I''m so disappointed in you, Keegan."


    Keegan stayed silent.


    "Isn''t that a little harsh, Madam?"


    Cordelia had a sharp tongue when she was younger, but she gradually cut back on the viciousness as


    she got older.


    However, she could not control herself after learning about Keegan''s divorce.


    The olddy put her teacup on the table, stared at Baldwin, and said, "How am I being harsh? Fuck


    you. You should be d that I didn''t kill that little bastard!"


    Keegan felt overwhelming remorse at the moment and did not have the energy to listen to what


    Cordelia had said.


    No wonder she said, "You don''t have to shift your assets somewhere else".


    Keegan''s heart ached when he thought of how disheartened Ste was in the hospital when she could


    not pay the medical bill.


    The olddy nced at him and said, "Forget it. What''s done is done. It''s a pity Ste married such a


    worthless brat like you. I''ll take her in as my goddaughterter and find another match for her. Maybe


    Vermont would be a good pick. Marshall would be a great husband too. Surely, they''re better than you."


    Keegan frowned.


    "Can you stop?"


    Cordelia snorted and said, "If you''re able to win her back, fine. But if you don''t, all you can do is attend


    your ex-wife''s wedding! Guys are going to get in line for her when the timees. Try and see if you


    don''t believe me. I''m telling you, you wouldn''t even have the chance to tie her shoes. You''ll watch her


    get married, give birth, and watch her children call someone else ''daddy''. All you''ll do then is buy them


    birthday gifts!"


    Keegan was speechless.


    ''Is she my grandma or Ste''s grandma?"


    After sticking the knife of brutal honesty into his chest, the olddy then kicked Keegan out of her vi.


    When Baldwin walked him out, he said, "Mr.Kane, Madam Kane asked me to tell you something," and


    Keegan turned around to face him.

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    Chapter 475


    "Madam Kane wanted me to tell you that if you can''t win her back, don''te here ever again,"


    Baldwin said lightly.


    Keegan was quiet.


    Looking at the closed door, he realized that this was the first time he was turned away by his family


    because of his divorce. He then went home with a sigh.


    When he arrived, he saw the light in his bedroom was on. He frowned.


    ''I told them not to clean that room yet.What''s wrong with that new hire? Ugh.."


    Keegan got out of his car with a sullen look and paused.


    He then turned around and found Ste''s Cayenne parked in the yard.He was startled and walked


    quickly into the house.


    When he opened the door, a servant greeted him.


    "You''re back, Mr.Kane."


    Keegan pursed his lips, suppressed his emotions, and whispered, "Is she here?"


    "Mrs.Kane is upstairs.She said she wanted to get some things."


    As soon as the servant said that, Keegan rushed upstairs.


    However, he began to slow down as he got closer to the master bedroom.


    The bedroom door was not shut all the way.


    Keegan gently pushed the door open and heard the faint sound of a drawer being pulled open from


    inside.


    Ste squatted at the bedside table, rummaging through the drawer, and did not hear the person


    behind her.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan coughed lightly to announce his presence.


    Ste backed up, turned around, and said, "I''ll leave after I finish packing."


    "I didn''t mean for you to leave," Keegan said with a frown.


    Ste stayed silent.


    She dug out some of her documents, put them in her briefcase, and stood up.


    Seeing that she was leaving, Keegan hurriedly went in front of her.


    Ste paused and lifted the brown paper bag in her hand.


    "Are you going to check if I''ve stolen from the Kane family?" Keegan frowned.


    "No, I just want to talk."


    Ste nced at him and said, "Is there anything to talk about between us, Mr.Kane?"


    Keegan pursed his lips, and just when Ste was about to leave, he whispered, "I didn''t know your


    cards got frozen."


    "Oh," Ste responded neutrally and chuckled.


    "So that makes you innocent?"


    Keegan furrowed his brows.


    ''Why do you keep misinterpreting my words? I''m clearly apologizing."


    "Wow, what an apology.I didn''t even realize you said sorry, Mr.Kane," Ste sneered.


    Just as she said that, Keegan whispered, "I''m sorry."


    Ste was startled.


    She looked at Keegan and said, "Answer me this, Keegan."


    Keegan looked at her without saying a word.


    After a long time, Ste clenched her fists tightly and said lowly, "Did you ask your mother to give me


    the pills? You knew I couldn''t bear children from the start, didn''t you? 1 "You found out?"


    Keegan was taken aback.


    Ste''s heart sank.


    She clenched her fingers and said while trembling, "So it was you..?"


    Keegan pursed his lips and said, "It''s fine if you can''t have children, Ste. I don''t even like kids that


    much. I think¡­ having you is enough..."


    SLAP!


    Ste pped Keegan across the face before he finished his sentence.

 Chapter 476

    Chapter 476


    Chapter 476


    Ste had used all her strength to p Keegan, and her sharp nails had drawn two thin red lines on his


    face.


    Keegan was dumbfounded.


    This was the second time she hit him.


    The first time she pped him was out of self-defense, but this time, her p was filled with hatred.


    Being pped in the face was humiliating, especially for someone like Keegan.


    So when Ste was about to strike him once more, Keegan grabbed her wrist and growled, "Enough is


    enough! Do you really think I won''t hit you?"


    As soon as he said that, Ste''s eyes turned red and filled with tears.


    Keegan was stunned.


    Despite being married for so many years, he had never seen her cry like this. She only ever cried when


    she was watching dramas.


    Keegan had always felt that this woman was heartless, but his heart wrenched when he saw her cry.He


    helplessly let go of his hand and whispered, "I wasn''t going to hit you."


    "Keegan, the thing I regret the most in my life is marrying you.Rivera is a big city.I hope I never see you


    again."


    Ste''s voice trembled.


    After speaking, she pushed his hand away and walked out with her belongings.


    Keegan froze.


    After a while, he went out to chase after her, but Ste had already driven away.


    Maria did not stop her.


    When she saw Keegan rushing down the stairs, she dared not ask questions.


    So, she turned around, wanting to clean the house.


    However, Keegan stopped her.


    "You told me earlier that Ste asked you to take some medicine to the hospital, right?" Maria nodded.


    "When did you deliver it?"


    "The morning after her mother died."


    Keegan pursed his lips and asked, "Did she say anything?"


    "No.She didn''t look well, though.I heard that Mrs.Kane fainted due to the grief of her mother''s death,


    which would exin herplexion."


    Keegan did not say a word.


    ''Rainee had just passed away then, and Ste did not even have the time to grieve.


    Why did she ask Maria to deliver the medicine to the hospital? Why was Ste so angry when she


    realized I had given her the pills?"


    "Is there any medicine left?" he asked.


    Maria shook her head.


    "There were only three bottles left that day, and I''ve already delivered them as per Mrs.Kane''s request."


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan stopped the interrogation and called Aldor instead.


    Aldor had just returned from Alodale and had just slept for two hours when he received the call from


    Keegan.


    "Hello?"


    "Aldor, investigate where my mom bought the medicine for Ste and check the prescription for me."


    "Didn''t we check the prescription before? What''s wrong?"


    Aldor asked as he sat up.


    When Ste and Keegan had been married for over a year, she still did not bear a child.


    Their family kept asking them about the baby, so they decided to have a body checkup.


    Results showed that Keegan''s sperm count was average.


    However, the doctor told them that Ste''s uterine wall had lost its sticity, and her appendages were


    damaged due to the car ident.


    Fertility would note easy for them.


    The doctor also said there would be a high chance of miscarriage if she got pregnant.


    Having children was important to those who came from wealthy families.


    When Keegan went to get the results, he thought he would have to divorce Ste because of her


    infertility.


    Vinci Rivera was a family business.


    Things would get messy if Keegan had no heir to take over thepany.


    However, he decided to keep the results a secret.


    No one in the Kane family knew that Ste could not conceive, not even Ste herself.


    Instead, Keegan told his family members that his wife had a damp uterus and needed to recuperate.


    Next thing they know, Dahlia sent someone to deliver some fertility medicine, saying it was specifically


    used to treat damp uteruses.


    No one in the Kane family knew that Ste could not conceive, not even Ste herself.

 Chapter 477

    Chapter 477


    Chapter 477


    At that time, Keegan asked someone to check the prescription and found that the medicine was indeed


    good for the uterus, so he did not question it further.


    Though, it was clear that Ste did not like taking the pills.


    She would always refuse to take it every time.


    The couple also often quarreled about pregnancy, and each time, they would argue about the


    medicine.


    Keegan was always afraid that there would be something wrong with her body.


    He also feared that if she ever got pregnant, her health would be affected due to idental


    miscarriages.


    So, at the end ofst year, he got a vasectomy to eliminate this possibility.


    Aldor was shocked when he went to the hospital to pick Keegan up back then.


    Although vasectomies did not affect a man''s skills during sex, Aldor could not believe he did it for


    Ste.


    Keegan probably thought it was embarrassing, so he told his assistant he was annoyed by how much


    Ste did not want to take the medication.


    Aldorughed in response.


    After Keegan got the surgery, he no longer had to worry about whether his wife would take the


    medicine.


    ¡®Mrs.Kane probably hasn''t taken any fertility medication in the past two months.And Mr.Kane seems


    fine.Why would he want me to look into this?¡¯'' Aldor thought.


    Keegan rubbed his forehead and said, "Can you do that, Aldor? My mind''s a mess right now.You


    probably have a lot on your te.I''ll grant you a vacation when this matter is sorted."


    "Sure, Mr.Kane."


    Just as he was about to hang up, Aldor suddenly remembered something.


    "Mr.Kane, I''ve brought back the ne you ordered for Mrs.Kane.When do you n to give it to her?


    I''ll clear my schedule and deliver it to you."


    Keegan pursed his lips and said after a long time, "You keep it for now."


    Aldor was somewhat surprised.


    "Did you and Mrs.Kane have a lovers quarrel again, Mr.Kane?"


    Keegan was silent for a moment.


    Then, he whispered, "We''re divorced."


    "What?!"


    Aldor''s voice was so loud it almost broke the speaker.


    "Are you going to scold me too?"


    Keegan snarled.


    Aldor stayed quiet.He did not dare scold Keegan since he needed to get paid.


    Aldor coughed lightly and said in a low voice, "I think you made an impulsive decision, Mr.Kane."


    Keegan pursed his lips before retorting, "I know."


    "It''s okay.Mrs.Kane is soft-hearted.You two have been in love for so many years.I''m sure there''s still a


    chance for you to get back together."


    Keegan did not directly reply to the words of constion but instead said, "Remember to hurry up and


    look into the matter."


    "Okay."


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste cried all the way while she drove out of Royalpark Vi.


    This marriage broke her, both physically and mentally.She had never hated Keegan so much as she


    did at that moment.


    Ste had an onboarding health assessment the next day, but her graduation and degree certificates


    were still at Keegan''s house, so she said goodbye to Felicity and went to grab them.


    When Felicity got off from work, she realized Ste was not back yet, so she called her.


    Seeing that it was Felicity, Ste tried to stop her tears before answering.


    "Ste, why aren''t you back yet? Did that bastard Keegan make things difficult for you?"


    "No," Ste said in a hoarse voice.


    ¡°Something came up.. I''ll be backter. Don''t wait up on me,"


    "Well, alright. Remember toe home early, okay? Drive safe."


    "Mhm."


    After hanging up the phone, Ste drove down the bustling street and suddenly felt like she did not


    have a ce in this big world.

 Chapter 478

    Chapter 478


    Chapter 478


    Ste drove around the streets and finally pulled up in front of a small bar.


    When a person is extremely depressed, alcohol is something excellent for resolving these emotions.


    Ste was a heavy drinker.


    However, even someone good at holding their liquor could not stand mixing red wine, white wine, and


    beer.


    She drank them hurriedly and did not eat anything.


    The bar owner initially thought he had gotten good business.


    However, as Ste drank more and more, the bar owner started to get nervous.


    He was worried that she would drink too much and get in trouble.


    And so, after she finished her alcohol and wanted more, he did not give her any.


    "Miss, you''ve already had a lot to drink.Why don''t you order something to eat? We have a really


    delicious beef stir-fry."


    "I''m not hungry," Ste said as she propped up her head.


    Her cheeks had turned red, and she looked a little drunk. However, she still spoke coherently.


    "Give me another bottle of alcohol."


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    "Miss, I noticed that you drove here.


    Why don''t you book a driver to help drive you home? How will you go home if you get drunkter? Your


    family will be worried."


    "I don''t have a family," Ste said hoarsely.


    She continued, "My mom''s gone, so nobody will wait for me to go home or worry about me anymore."


    The bar owner saw that Ste was about his daughter''s age.He could not help but counsel her.


    "Even so, you shouldn''t do this to yourself.Your mother would feel so sad if she knew."


    Ste sobbed and did not speak.


    The bar owner poured her a ss of water.


    "There''s no hurdle that cannot be ovee in life.Drink up and get some sleep.Once you wake up,


    you still need to live your life well."


    Ste did not ask for any more alcohol.She slowly drank the ss of water.


    When the bar owner saw how she seemed to be in an alright state, he went to serve other customers.


    When the store got less busy, he turned to her and saw that she had fallen asleep slouched over the


    table.


    The phone on the table kept ringing, but she did not hear it at all.


    The bar owner called out to her for a few times, but she did not wake up.


    Therefore, he answered the phone for her.


    Marshall had already filed awsuit for the personality rights case.


    That night, he reviewed some of the evidence collected previously and wanted to cross-check them


    with Ste, so he called her.


    However, the person who answered was not Ste but the voice of an unfamiliar middle-aged man.


    "Hello?"


    Marshall was startled, "Who''s this?"


    "Oh, the phone belongs to a customer in my bar.She had too much to drink and has fallen asleep here.I


    couldn''t wake her up, so I helped her answer the phone."


    Marshall frowned.


    "You''re saying she''s drinking? By herself?"


    "Yup.She drove here by herself.Are you her friend? Could youe over and pick her up? I''m about to


    close the bar in a bit."


    "What''s your shop address?"


    The bar owner quickly told him the address.


    Marshall said, "I''ll be there right away.Please help me take care of her."


    "Alright."


    After Marshall hung up, he grabbed his coat and went out.


    Ariel was chatting with Aurora downstairs.


    When she saw Marshalle out of the room, she quickly stopped him.


    "Marshall, you''re done with work? Aurora has been waiting here for a long time.She was worried you


    got hungry while working at night, so she purposefully brought you some minestrone she made


    herself.Hurry down here and try it."


    Aurora stared at Marshall the moment she saw him.Her voice subconsciously turned softer than usual.


    "I had a chat with Mrs.Moore this afternoon, and she said you haven''t had much of an appetite


    recently.I recall you used to like eating minestrone, so I tried making it.It might not be that good, but the


    taste is alright." Arielughed.


    "It''s already really good.My skills in my younger days aren''t as good."


    Marshall walked straight to the doorway.He said while changing his shoes, "It''s alright.You two can eat


    it.I''m going out to meet a client."


    Ariel frowned.


    "You''re meeting a client thiste at night?"


    "One of my cases will be heard in court soon."


    Marshall put on his coat and fixed it in front of the mirror.


    Then, he continued coolly, "So the details need to be cross-checked again."


    "Can''t it be discussed over the phone?"


    Ariel was evidently unhappy.


    She continued, "How long has it been since you recovered from your headaches? The doctor told you


    to avoid staying upte, but when did you not work overtime when you''re home?"


    Marshall put on his coat and fixed it in front of the mirror.

 Chapter 479

    Chapter 479


    Chapter 479


    "I''ve taken their money, so I obviously need to do my best and work for them."


    Marshall buttoned his coat.


    "I''ll be leaving now.Have a good meal.¡±


    Then, he left.


    Aurora was coldly rebuffed, so she felt a little humiliated.


    Ariel also thought her son''s actions were a little too obvious.


    When Aurora was injured, Ariel persuaded Marshall several times to visit her.


    However, he would use work as an excuse to be absent.


    Ariel had visited Aurora twice, from when she was injured up till she had recovered.


    However, Marshall never once visited.


    Every time Ariel visited, Aurora would ask why Marshall did not go, so Ariel would make an excuse to


    brush her off.


    She would tell Aurora the things that were bought by Marshall, about how he was busy recently, and


    various reasons of such to justify her son''s actions.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Aurora fully believed her, so she immediately went to the Moore residence and looked for Marshall the


    moment she recovered.


    However, Marshall''s attitude was too cold.He grudgingly ate two bites yesterday, but today, he did not


    even bother looking and ran away, saying he had to meet some client.


    ¡®What kind of client meets you in the middle of the night? He doesn''t even make his lie believable"


    thought Ariel.


    "Let''s eat, Aurora. Don''t mind him. It''s his loss, not eating this."


    Aurora forced a smile.


    A whileter, she asked, ''Mrs.Moore, what kind of girl does Marshall like? What type were the girls he


    dated in the past?"


    Ariel froze.


    Then, she smiled, "Marshall has never had a girlfriend. I wouldn''t be as worried now if he had


    girlfriends before."


    Aurora frowned.


    ¡®Why do I remember hearing Vermont say something about Marshall''s girlfriend when I was a kid? Did I


    remember wrongly?! she wondered.


    "Aurora, you don''t need to mind what Marshall likes. There''s no need to amodate him. As long as


    your personalities get along and Marshall is willing, there''s no need to worry about the Moore family."


    Aurora immediately blushed.


    "Thank you, Mrs.Moore."


    Marshall followed the address and finally found the small bar after half an hour. It was already 10


    o''clock, so there were barely any customers left at the bar.


    The bar owner was even done cleaning up and sitting at the counter checking his ie for the day.


    When he heard the sound of the door, he looked up and saw an imposing man walking in.


    He immediately said, "Sorry, we''re closed."


    Marshall saw Ste slouched on the table and breathed a sigh of relief.


    "I''m here to pick someone up," he said in a low voice.


    "You''re the man on the phone." Marshall nodded.


    "How much is the check? I''ll settle it."


    "There''s no need. Thisdy has already settled the check, so you just need to take her away."


    Marshall kept his wallet. He walked up to Ste and gently patted her shoulder. He called out her


    name, "Ste?"


    Ste frowned and did not open her eyes.She even seemed a little unhappy that someone had


    interrupted her dream.


    Marshall called out to her for a while.


    When he saw how she did not react, he bent down, and bridal carried her.


    Ste had an incredibly soft body and barely weighed anything in his arms.


    Marshall felt his heartbeat palpitate.


    Ste moved her body slightly as if she disliked and felt ufortable with the way Marshall was


    carrying her.


    Then, she habitually threw her hand over his neck and tightened it.


    "Servant Keegan, carry me back to my pce."


    Marshall was speechless.


    Marshall felt his heartbeat palpitate.

 Chapter 480

    Chapter 480


    Chapter 480


    The bar owner chuckled at the side.


    "Your girlfriend is quite interesting, son." The tip of Marshall''s ears turned pink.


    He did not deny it and merely asked the bar owner to help him open Ste''s car door.


    Marshall ced her in the passenger seat and got into the driver''s seat on the other side.


    When he was putting on the seatbelt for Ste, her breath bated his ear, causing his heart to race for


    no reason.


    He lifted his head and looked into Ste''s eyes.


    Then, his gaze slowly turned cool.


    After, he put on his seatbelt, sat up, and drove off the car.


    Ste woke up in the middle of the journey.She opened her eyes in a daze and asked drowsily, "Where


    are we going?"


    "Where do you want to go?" Marshall asked.


    Nobody knew if Ste had recognized who Marshall was. She leaned against the window and thought


    for a moment.


    "The beach.¡±


    After she spoke, she went to sleep.


    And so, Marshall drove the car to the beach.


    When they arrived at the beach, Marshall winded down the windows, and cold air poured in.


    Ste woke up again.


    "So cold."


    "The beach is really cold at night," said Marshall.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Then, he took off his jacket and put it over Ste.


    Ste stared at the jacket on her body.


    After a while, she asked in a low voice, "Keegan, did you get transmigrated? Why would you put your


    jacket over me? Aren''t you supposed to snatch my dress away and wear it yourself?"


    Marshall was speechless.


    The booze still had not worn off, so Ste thought the person next to her was Keegan.


    Alcohol truly could numb one''s nerves; Ste could not even remember who she was crying so badly


    over.She grabbed Marshall''s face and narrowed her eyes as she studied him.


    The gesture was too intimate, so Marshall wanted to turn his face away.


    However, Ste gripped his chin and pulled his face back.


    "Don''t move!" She still was a little angry.


    She cupped his face and stared at him for a long time.


    Then, she shoved him away.


    "Whatever.So be it if you got transmigrated.After all, I only liked your body."


    Marshall was at a loss for words.


    "Does she always say such wild things when she''s drunk?¡¯ he wondered.


    Marshall pinched the middle of his brows and suddenly felt a little d he made that phone call tonight.


    However, Ste still was not done.She was still immersed in her fantasy.


    "How old is your original body? Are you of age yet? Did you travel from the past to the present or the


    present to the present?" she asked seriously.


    Marshall decided to keep quiet and not answer.


    However, Ste did not like this.She pped him on the head.


    "I''m talking to you!"


    Once again, Marshall was at a loss for words.


    "the present to the present."


    "You''re from the modern era?"


    Ste was a little disappointed.She mumbled, "I thought I''d meet a pure-hearted person from the


    ancient era."


    Marshall was speechless.


    After Ste spoke, she turned her head and looked out the window.


    At this hour, there was barely anyone by the beach; only a smattering of fishing boat lights could be


    seen.


    Ste stared out the window for a long time.


    "If you transmigrated to Keegan, then where''d Keegan go???"


    Marshall said in a low voice, ''''He''s already divorced you."


    Ste was startled momentarily.


    Then, she became angry.


    "Then he better note back.Transmigrate him to a pig! Serve him on the dining table during


    Christmas! Cut out his kidneys!"


    Marshall was silent.

 Chapter 481

    Chapter 481


    Chapter 481


    Marshall suddenly thought that Keegan was quite brave to marry Ste.


    Ste chattered on and recounted Keegan''s seven sins.


    In the end, she somehow thought of Rainee and began crying while she was talking.


    Marshall patted her back and consoled her in silence.


    When Ste was done crying, she huped and fell asleep.


    Marshall stared expressionlessly at the sea far away.


    Then, he reached out and unbuttoned his cor.


    Beneath his corbone was arge dark red burn mark that spread out beneath his shirt.


    The following day, Ste was woken up by knocking sounds.


    She opened her eyes in a daze and saw hotel furnishings in front of her.


    She pressed her temples and could not remember how she got to the hotel.


    The knocking continued, so she said, "Give me a moment."


    As she got off the bed and opened the door, she said, "Mr.Moore?"


    Marshall showed up at her door neatly dressed.


    When he saw Ste, he smiled and said warmly, "I''m here to bring you a set of clothes."


    It took a moment before Ste asked, "You''re the one who brought me to the hotel?"


    "You don''t remember?" asked Marshall.


    He continued, "Last night, I wanted to talk to you about the personality rights case.But, when I called


    you, the bar owner answered.He said you had too much to drink and asked me to pick you up."


    Ste frowned.


    ¡®Now that Marshall mentioned it, I vaguely remember something like that.We seemed to have gone to


    the beach and talked about something I don''t remember.All I remember is that I might have pped


    Marshall" she thought.


    She was at a loss for words.


    "I think I remember a little..."


    Ste coughed.


    She asked, "Did I beat you up in a drunken haze?"


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Marshall paused.


    "You don''t remember at all?"


    Ste probed, "There''s something worse?"


    "Does using my shirt to wipe off your snot count?"


    Ste was speechless again.She immediately felt so awkward she wanted to dig a hole and craw]


    inside it.


    ¡®Look who''s talking? I said Keegan only gives me trouble when he''s drunk, but I''m worse.I got drunk


    and caused trouble to others" she thought.


    "I really don''t remember.Where are your clothes? I''ll help you wash them after this." Marshall smiled.


    "I''m just messing with you," he said and handed her the clothes.


    He continued, "You should get ready.After this, we''ll talk about the case on the way."


    Ste breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Alright."


    Xianna exited her hotel room and bumped into Ste, who was in the corridor.She was standing at the


    door and talking to someone.


    Shortly after, a man walked out of the hotel room, and the two walked to the elevator together.


    Xianna widened her eyes in shock.


    ¡®Ste actually spent a night with a man in a hotel! And, I was worried I wouldn''t find the chance to take


    revenge forst time" she thought.


    She hurriedly grabbed her phone and snapped a few photos.


    Then, she sent it to their bestie group chat.


    "Aurora, I saw your sister-in-w at the hotel this morning! She stayed at the hotel with another man!"


    Last night, Aurora chatted with Ariel for a really long time, so she was still asleep at that time.


    She felt a little annoyed at how her phone kept buzzing, so she took it and nced at it.


    Then, she was instantly wide awake.


    Xianna was unfamiliar with Marshall, so she could not recognize him at all.


    However, Aurora was familiar with him.


    She could recognize Marshall just from the silhouette.


    The jacket the person wore was the one he wore when he left the housest night.


    ''He said he was going to meet a client, but it turned out to be Ste! ¡®thought Aurora.


    She gritted her teeth as she looked at the two in the photo.


    Then, she took her phone and ran downstairs.


    At the time, Dahlia was watering the flowers.


    When she saw Aurora rushing downstairs without any shoes, she frowned.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Mom, that bitch, Ste, is seducing Marshall!"


    Aurora eximed furiously.


    "How''s that possible?"


    Naturally, Dahlia did not believe it.


    She continued, "How could Marshall like her? She''s still your sister-in-w, so how could he possibly be


    interested in her?"


    "It''s true!"


    Aurora stomped her feet in irritation.She ced her phone in front of Dahlia.


    "Look! Xianna witnessed the two of them walk out of a hotel room."


    "Look! Xianna witnessed the two of them walk out of a hotel room."

 Chapter 482

    Chapter 482


    Chapter 482


    Dahlia looked at the photo, and it really was Ste and Marshall.She frowned and did not speak.


    Aurora was so furious that she kept cursing.


    "That bitch! She''s tramping around with that maniptive face of hers.


    I''m going to tell Keegan immediately!"


    "Wait."


    Dahlia stopped her.


    "What can a photo prove? The two aren''t holding hands or acting intimate.If you send this to Keegan,


    he''d even think that you''re deliberately stirring up trouble."


    Aurora gritted her teeth.


    "They are walking out of the same room.Isn''t that enough for proof?"


    "That''s Xianna''s side of the story.It wasn''t captured in her photo."


    Aurora liked Marshall, so she naturally felt pissed off when she saw him in a hotel with another woman.


    However, Dahlia was a bystander, so she was much more clearheadedpared to Aurora.


    ¡®Ste is very busy due to a bunch of nonsense happening in the Jewell family.She''s even divorcing


    Keegan recently, so she wouldn''t have the time to get involved with other men.If Xianna could take


    some substantial photo evidence, we could use it to make up stories in front of Keegan.However, a


    person with a brain would not believe a thing just from these photos.Keegan is probably almost going


    to find out about me freezing Ste''s bank cards.If I went up to Keegan and pulled these little tricks,


    knowing him, he wouldn''t believe me" she thought.


    "That''s enough," Dahlia consoled.


    She continued, "Don''t be angry.How many years have you known Marshall? Don''t you know what he''s


    like? He knows that Ste is your brother''s wife, so how could he have any thoughts for her? Your


    injury just got better, so stop constantly going outside and get some rest.Your graduation ceremony is


    soon.Don''t throws tantrum when you look bad in photos because you didn''t take care of your face."


    When Aurora saw how Dahlia showed no intentions of pursuing the matter, she felt furious.


    Even though she said yes to Dahlia, she secretly had other ns in mind.


    Marshall and Ste cross-checked some of the case details when they were in the car.


    The chain of evidence for the personality tights case was veryplete.


    If nothing went wrong, the case would be heard in court by the end of the month.


    Right after they had finished discussing the case, Trevor called.


    Ste tapped the answer button and Trevor''s voice sounded.


    "Ms.Jewell, are youing to thepany? You do remember you have an onboarding health


    assessment today, right?"


    Marshall was a little surprised.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    "Onboarding health assessment?" Trevor froze.


    "Marshall? Why are you with Ms. Jewell?"


    Marshall was speechless.


    ¡®Why do I hear cautiousness in Trevor''s tone?'' he wondered.


    Ste exined, "I need Mr.Moore to represent me for awsuit.We were discussing the case just


    now,"


    Ste paused.


    "Mr.Saun, please postpone the onboarding health assessment by two days," said Marshall.


    "What''s the matter? Are you not feeling well?" Trevor asked.


    Ste turned the steering wheel and said, "No.I drankst night, so it''ll probably affect the health


    assessment results.Let''s do it after the alcohol gets flushed out."


    Trevor pursed his lips and seemed a little displeased.


    After a while, he finally said, "Alright, then.Where are you heading right now?"


    "To the set.I''ve been on leave for a few days now.If I don''t go, Mr.Wood is going to switch me out."


    "He wouldn''t dare," Trevorughed.


    Then, he said in a low voice, "Alright.After two days,e to thepany for your onboarding health


    assessment.Someone will be there to help you on that day."


    "Alright."


    After Trevor hung up the phone, he noticed that Xavier was staring at him with a secretive look.


    Trevor frowned.


    ¡°"What''s with the look?¡±"


    "Mr.Saun, was there a need for you to personally remind the person for a health assessment when


    you''re merely signing an artist?" Trevor nced at him.


    "Can''t I appreciate a talent?"

 Chapter 483

    Chapter 483


    Chapter 483


    Xavier raised his eyebrow and thought, ''I''m sure he''s interested in Mrs.Kane...No, I should call her


    Ms.Jewell now.


    ¡®She just got divorced recently and he''s already so eager to get her.His intention is so obvious.


    ¡®I wonder if Mr.Saun would break Trevor''s leg if he knew about this.After all, this is too not cool" Xavier


    thought.


    After Ste had ended Trevor''s phone call, she turned her head to ask Marshall, "Mr.Moore, where''s


    your office? I''ll take you there."


    Marshall did not reply to that question. He asked, "Are you still filming Jurisdiction?"


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Ste shook her head.


    "No.I went for a screen test with a production crew a while back.I''m filming this show at Hatun recently."


    "Filming?" Marshall was suddenly interested.


    "What kind of show is that?"


    "A show featuring power and love struggles in the pce."


    "What role are you ying?"


    Ste looked serious as she said, "Look at me.Of course I''m ying a concubine who will bring


    cmity to the country."


    Marshall was stunned for a moment.He only realized that she was joking after a while.He could not


    help but smile.


    "Sounds about right."


    Ste smiled softly.


    "I was just teasing you.I''m ying a queen that''s not favored.I''d secretly plot against the female lead


    every day.And, all the concubines are unable to give birth because of me.I''m the mastermind behind


    the scenes."


    "A queen that''s not favored."


    Marshall pondered that phrase.He then said in a serious manner, "If you y a queen that''s not


    favored, the king is somewhat blind."


    Ste froze before she smiled.


    Marshall was indeed very good atplimenting someone.


    If he directly told her that she was pretty, she would feel that thepliment was just okay.


    It was because he would just be telling her a fact that she already knew.


    But, when he praised her indirectly, it made her feel special.


    ¡®If you y a queen that''s not favored, the king is somewhat blind"


    Ste''s mood was suddenly much better.


    Then, she started to talk more.


    "Actually, the actresses of the cast are exceptionally gorgeous.The director thought I was too young.So,


    I have to do makeup that''ll make me look older.I''ll look more imposing if I look older.That way, I can


    y the character more perfectly."


    Ste did not intentionally try to be humble.She really thought that the actresses were very pretty.


    There was no universal standard to judge whether a person was good-looking.


    As long as the person was pleasing to the eye, he or she would be good- looking regardless of whether


    they were fat or slim.


    Marshall then said, "I''m a little curious after hearing what you said.Can I visit the set?"


    "Don''t you have to go to work?"


    Marshall smiled.


    "I don''t have much work to do today.I can ck off a little."


    Ste bent her eyes.


    "Alright.I''ll bring you to the set.When you''re there, just tell them that you''re my assistant.They''ll allow


    you to go in."


    She then smiled as she said, "There are a few actresses from our crew who are still single.Maybe


    today is your lucky day to find your true love."


    Marshall lowered his eyes as he smiled.


    After that, he did not speak any further.


    The outfit of the queen that Ste yed was veryplex.


    Daniel was obsessed with details.


    He would not allow anything to go wrong at work.


    So, Ste would take the longest time to do her makeup among the others every time.


    It would take her almost two hours.


    It was amon dressing room, and there were many actresses there.


    So, Marshall did not enter the room.


    While Ste was halfway through her makeup, she suddenly heard a noise outside.


    Immediately, after that, the door of the dressing room was kicked open.


    Some of the actresses inside were still changing their clothes.


    Everyone was so frightened by the action that they screamed.Asharp, familiar female voice could be


    heard from behind¡­


    "Ste, you bitch!"

 Chapter 484

    Chapter 484


    Chapter 484


    Ste stopped moving, and she slowly turned her head.She did not fake it.She could not makerge


    movements because the thing on her head was too heavy.


    The doors of the dressing room were wide open, and Aurora came in with two men and ady.


    Ste had never met the two men before.


    They looked young, and they dressed like street thugs.


    They were even holding baseball bats.


    They were probably the rich kids in Aurora''s circle.


    Ste knew the girl, however.


    ''Isn''t she Xianna, the grumbler who bought the bracelet?¡¯ When the actresses in the dressing room saw


    their attitude, they either dodged aside or immediately ran out to ask for help.Ste''s eyes were


    gloomy.She faintly nced at Aurora and said, "Your mouth doesn''t hurt anymore?"


    Aurora''s expression suddenly changed.


    "You bitch, it was really you!"


    Ste looked in the mirror as she slowly put on the hairpin.


    "Aurora, if you came here to mess with me, you should get lost before it''s toote.If you provoke me, I''ll


    make sure your mouth won''t heal for the rest of your life."


    Aurora clenched her teeth.


    "Ste, you''re so shameless.You''re married to my brother.And yet, you still went to a hotel with another


    man? I came here to stand up for my brother!"


    Ste frowned and replied, "Stop talking nonsense.Who did I go to the hotel with?"


    Aurora sneered.


    "Do you think no one saw it?"


    As she said that, she then threw a stack of photos that was in her hand to Ste.


    "Someone took pictures of your shameless act!"


    She then handed out lots and lots of photos to the other people in the dressing room.


    "Everyone, look at this woman.She''s so unfaithful.She''s married, but she still went to a hotel with


    another man.And, she even shamelessly denied it when she got caught! When your production crew


    picks the actors and actresses, don''t you guys check their backgrounds? When your show is released


    later on, this horrible woman who cheated on her husband might ruin your drama viewership!"


    Ste looked at the photos, and she finally knew why Aurora was flipping out.


    ¡®If she really has evidence of me "cheating", she''d immediately give it to Keegan and make him divorce


    me.


    Although we''re already divorced, it looks like Aurora most probably still doesn''t know about it"She


    came to make a fuss purely because the man in the picture who went to a hotel with Ste was


    Marshall.


    Aurora liked Marshall but she could not get him.So, she was furious when she saw Marshall going to a


    hotel with Ste.


    Aurora pretended to be well-behaved and sensible in front of Marshall.


    Of course, she would not fall out with him.So, Ste was the best person that Aurora could take her


    anger out on.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    But, Ste would not tolerate Aurora''s nasty temper like Keegan! She pinched the photos as she lifted


    theers of her mouth.


    "I did go to a hotel with Mr.Moore.But, you''re wrong about something.I didn''t cheat in a marriage.Your


    brother and I are divorced.I''m single now.I''m free to go to a hotel with whoever I want.Who are you to


    lecture me?"


    Before Aurora could think about the divorce that Ste said, she was so angry that her eyes turned red


    with the shameless thing that Ste said in thetter part of her statement earlier.


    "You''re aslut! So, you did intentionally seduce Marshall!"She then furiously said, Smash everything!"


    "I dare you!"


    Ste picked up a cup as she stood up.She was wearing a crown and a royal mantle.


    She coldly nced at everyone with her narrow eyes.She slightly opened her red lips and said,


    "Aurora, this is not a ce where you can act boorishly.Don''t you dare break the things here!"


    Ste spoke like a queen.She was very confident and imposing.


    The two men were frightened.


    When Aurora saw that the two useless men did not dare to break the things there, she was furious.She


    grabbed the baseball bat and smashed the makeup mirror that was in front of Ste.


    The sses shattered and bounced all over the ce.


    Even the light above the makeup mirror flickered.


    Meanwhile, the people at the side were either screaming or trying to stop the fight.


    Aurora then gave a "what can you do to me?"


    She sneered: ¡°"I smashed it.So what???"


    Ste expressionlessly sshed the insted cup of water that she was holding at Aurora''s face.


    "A-Ah! ¡°

 Chapter 485

    Chapter 485


    Chapter 485


    Aurora covered her face as she screamed.


    The temperature of the water in the insted cup was at least one hundred- and seventy-degrees


    Fahrenheit.


    Although it would not burn her skin, it was extremely painful.


    Xianna was so scared that her legs turned to jelly.She wanted toe and see how Aurora would deal


    with Ste.


    At the same time, she also wanted toe by and get back at Ste.


    But, she did not expect Ste to be so crazy! ¡®She''s Aurora! She''s Keegan''s sister.


    The Kane family''s favorite daughter! ¡®Is she insane?'' Xianna thought.


    Maybe Xianna had stared too directly at Ste because Ste faintly nced at her and said, "There''s


    still some water in the cup.Ms.Anne, do you want to try it too?"


    Xianna did not dare to step forward to help Aurora.She frightenedly stared at Ste.


    The two men did not dare to walk forward too.Ste was the daughter-inw of the Kane family.


    They dared to smash things, but they did not dare to hit her.


    Ste tutted, "I''ve wasted the expensive white strawberries."


    Aurora was so angry that she trembled.


    Then, she pushed Ste.


    Ste had been paying attention to Aurora''s movements, and she was ready to fight back.But, when


    Aurora pushed her, Ste suddenly saw someone at the door.


    At that moment, she had an idea.So, she did not dodge it.


    Aurora was quite strong.


    And, in the end, Ste was pushed against a chair and fell.


    Her palms were pricked by the broken sses on the floor, and she suddenly frowned because it was


    too painful.


    "You slut!"


    Aurora picked up the baseball bat and wanted to hit Ste.


    However, before she could smack her, someone grabbed her arm.


    "Fucking let go of me!"


    Aurora was so mad that her eyes turned red.She wanted to just smash Ste''s mouth.


    "Aurora! This isn''t a ce where you can cause trouble!"


    Marshall coldly said.


    Aurora was stunned, and she immediately lost the strength in her hand.


    "Marshall?"


    Marshall looked quite unhappy.He was Aurora''s childhood friend.But, she had never seen him get mad.


    This was the first time she saw his angry look.He was boiling with anger.


    Aurora suddenly panicked.


    "Marshall...You have to listen to me.She sshed water on me..."


    "Aurora, what''s wrong with you?"


    Marshall looked cold, as he took the baseball bat away from her.


    Then, he threw the bat aside, immediately stepped forward, and bent down to grab Ste''s hand.


    The broken sses cut her palm, and blood was oozing from her wound.


    Ste lowered her eyes as she softly said, "I''m fine.Don''t me Aurora.She misunderstood our


    rtionship.She didn''t mean it."


    Everyone was speechless.


    ¡®Miss, that wasn''t what you just said!'' everyone thought.Everyone at the scene knew that Ste was a


    two-faced person.But, no one dared to expose her.The people that Aurora brought with her saw how


    ruthless Ste was when she sshed the water on Aurora.So, they did not dare to speak.And, Ste


    got along very well with the production crew.Everyone saw who started the whole thing.So, they did not


    expose her.On the other hand, Aurora was about to explode with rage.


    "Ste, you''re a shameless whore.You bitch! You were the one who started the fight! Why don''t you


    guys speak up? Are you all mute?!!!!"


    Marshall looked even angrier, as he said: "Are you done? I can put you in jail for a few days just for


    your riotous behavior today!"This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.

 Chapter 486

    Chapter 486


    Chapter 486


    Aurora was in disbelief.Her eyes were red as she said, "Marshall, you believe her and not me?"


    "I only believe in what I see."


    Marshall coldly nced at her.


    "Leave with your friends now!"


    Ste said at the side, ''''Pay for the mirror before you leave.It''s quite expensive."


    Everyone was left speechless.


    Marshall''s attitude broke Aurora''s heart.She ran away with her reddened eyes.


    Xianna was frightened when she stared into Ste''s eyes.She took out all the cash in her handbag and


    put it on the table before she left with Aurora.


    ¡®Bunch of dregs!'' Daniel came in after they left.He heard that someone came to make trouble and


    harassed Ste.So, he hurriedly rushed over there.However, he did not see anything when he came.He


    only saw the broken sses on the floor.Ste was sitting in a chair while Marshall stood beside her.


    Her assistant, Shea, was holding a first aid kit and treating Ste''s wound.


    Daniel frowned as he said, ''''Where are the troublemakers?"


    Before Ste could speak, the makeup artist at the side said, "Ste made them leave out of


    frustration."


    Ste was speechless.


    After all, she was not wrong.


    Daniel walked forward to look at Ste''s wound.


    He then asked, "Are you okay?"


    Ste said, "I''m fine.I''ll put a transparent ster on it.It''s invisible to the eye."


    Daniel breathed a sigh of relief.He did not look happy as he said, "Who let them in here?"


    No one spoke.


    Only Kelly looked a bit off.


    Ste nced at her.


    She faintly said, "It''s fine, Mr.Wood.I know them.I''m sorry for what happened.It was a personal


    matter.But, I brought it to a public ce."


    "It''s fine.At least no one was hurt.Don''t dy the filming."


    Daniel hated actors that caused trouble.He left after he said a few more words.


    Marshall sat down only after her wound was treated.He murmured, "I''m sorry.I didn''t think it''d cause


    you this kind of trouble."


    Ste frowned.


    "What does this have to do with you? Aurora said she came to stand up for her brother.Her brother


    should be the one who should apologize to me.If you apologize to me, does this mean you like


    Aurora?"


    "That''s impossible."


    Marshall looked calmer and continued, "I''ve been treating Aurora as my sister.It''s just that I didn''t think


    her behavior has be so perverse now.She was quite well-behaved and sensible back then."


    Ste secretly tutted, ¡®Aurora would only be well-behaved and sensible in front of Marshall.


    ¡®Just like how I used to behave well in front of Keegan.It''s the same" thought Ste.


    Aurora sent Keegan the photos after she had left Hatun.


    She captioned, (Control your wife!) She then angrily called Dahlia.She started crying after Dahlia


    picked up the call.


    "Mom, Ste sshed boiled water on me! I''m at the hospital now!"


    At the Vinci Rivera Group, Keegan was staring nkly outside the window.


    The image of Ste''s eyes shattered with tears as she leftst night repeatedly appeared in his


    mind.He felt inexplicably hurt.Then, someone knocked on his door.


    Keegan came back to his senses.


    He faintly said, "Come in."


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Aldor hastily walked in.


    "Mr.Kane, I got the results of the medicine that you asked me to check."


    He put the paper with a list of prescribed medications in front of Keegan as he said that.


    "This list of prescribed medications is exactly the same as the one we went to check the first


    time.Mrs.Kane did buy these good medicines."


    Keegan frowned and thought, ''That means there''s nothing wrong with the medicine? ¡®If there''s nothing


    wrong, why would she be so angry?¡¯ Aldor continued, "But, I discovered another thing when I checked


    the medications."


    Keegan raised his eyes.


    "Your aunt also bought medicines from this pharmacy.So, I got the same medicines that she bought."


    He then took out another piece of paper.He opened it and pushed it to Keegan.He looked serious as he


    said, "The medications on this list are quite strong.Normally, doctors wouldn''t prescribe it.I''ve asked a


    doctor about it.And, the doctor said that it''s very harmful to women''s health if they take these medicines


    for a long time.It might cause...Infertility."

 Chapter 487

    Chapter 487


    Chapter 487


    Keegan''s expression changed slightly.


    "Are you saying my mother switched the medicine?"


    Of course, Aldor did not dare to suspect that. He merely said, "Mr.Kane, how does Mrs.Kane treat


    Ms.Ste?"


    Keegan was stunned for a moment.


    Dahlia did not treat Ste well.


    When they got married, Dahlia was the person who opposed them the most.She believed that Ste''s


    background was not good enough for the Kane family.She also felt that Ste was not dignified like


    how ady from a respectable family should be.So, she was very dissatisfied.


    Dahlia should be the one who talked about the marriage with Cordelia.But, she was not happy with


    Ste.So, Keegan got past Dahlia and discussed the marriage proposal with Cordelia.


    After his marriage with Ste was confirmed, only then did Dahlia know about it.


    Dahlia''s face was gloomy the whole time when Cordelia announced their marriage.


    After Keegan and Ste got married, Dahlia did not contact them much because they lived separately.


    So, Keegan did not find anything wrong.


    But, after Keegan told them that Ste had uterus problems, Dahlia suddenly treated her


    enthusiastically.She sent someone to give Ste medicine, and she desperately wanted Ste to get


    pregnant.


    Keegan pursed his lips.


    ¡®Mother''s attitude toward Ste took a strange turn.


    ¡®she doesn''t like Ste.So, would she truly hope that she would get pregnant?¡¯ After pondering about


    that, Keegan abruptly had a chill down his spine.


    He clenched the medication list.He pressed his lips as he said, "Go to the hospital again and check


    thoroughly why Ste fainted that day."


    "Got it."


    Aldor sighed after he came out of the office.


    ¡®If Mrs.Kane really switched the medicine, no wonder Ms.Ste was willing to leave the marriage


    without taking anything from the Kane family.


    ¡®What Mrs.Kane did was too nasty" he thought.


    Shortly after Aldor had left, Keegan then received the photos that Aurora sent to him.


    The photos came with an apanying text.


    [ Control your wife!] Keegan''s face was slightly gloomy after he saw them.


    He immediately grabbed his phone and transferred money to Ste.


    [Were you with Marshallst night?] Marshall left while Ste was still filming.


    There was something that he had to deal with at hisw firm.


    So, he left after he told Shea about it.


    It was nighttime when Ste finished her work.


    Ste was the reason Shea signed a contract with Elegant Media and had a stable job.


    This was a step forward for her to fight for the custody of her child.


    So, Shea was very grateful.


    She wanted to treat Ste to a meal.


    However, Ste suggested buying some ingredients to grill and eat at home.


    She got into her car after she removed her makeup.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Then, she grabbed her phone and frowned when she looked at it.


    ¡®This psychotic Keegan transferred more than ten million dors to me again"


    [Were you with Marshallst night?]


    [Why did you two stay in a hotel together?]


    [Did you drinkst night?]


    [You get drunk so easily and yet you still dare to go drinking?!]


    [And, you drank with Marshall!]


    [Didn''t I tell you to stay away from him?!]


    [Don''t you know what you look like after you drink?]


    [Did you stuff money into Marshall''s belt when you were drunk? ] Ste was speechless.


    She unhappily transferred one dor to Keegan.


    [Keegan, please remember who you are to me.] Just when Keegan got into his car, he saw the


    transaction from Ste.


    She transferred him another dor right when he was about to reply to her.


    [You''re my ex-husband! Ex-husband!] Keegan was left speechless.

 Chapter 488

    Chapter 488


    Chapter 488


    Keegan pursed his lips and transferred another million dors.


    The message said, [I''m worried about you...]


    For that message, Ste was toozy to even take a look.


    She honestly thought that there was something wrong with Keegan''s brain at that moment.


    She felt that the ruckus she and Keegan had caused was ugly enough, yet Keegan was still here as if


    she was the one who was fooling around with him.


    She even thought that Keegan transferred money to her non-stop because he believed that Ste had


    divorced him for the money.


    Keegan waited for a long while, but he did not see Ste''s reply.


    His heart was unavoidably slightly depressed.


    Aldor saw Keegan''s expression, and he knew that Keegan had hit a brick wall regarding the madam.


    Thus, heforted him.


    "Mr.Kane, this is not an urgent issue.The madam still has anger in her heart.You have to give her time


    to cool down."


    Keegan replied with an "Mhm."


    Then, he continued, "Get some people to put out news about the advantages of semiconductor


    technology.Make sure the momentum for it is more considerable.Even if you need to spend some


    money, you must make the news look more real."


    Aldor paused for a moment then understood it in the end.


    ''Mr.Kane is trying to put out a bait and see if the fishes would take the bait" Aldor thought.


    "And," Keegan thought for a while and said, ''''Get someone to keep an eye on Marshall."


    Aldor was slightly surprised.


    "Keep an eye on Mr.Moore?"


    ¡®The depths of Mr.Kane''s jealousy seem a littlerge.Mr.Moore is his friend.Even if Mr.Moore is


    interested in the madam, it would be impossible for the madam to look for a partner in one of Mr.Kane''s


    friends"


    Aldor thought.He felt that it was a little odd, and Keegan did not seem purely jealous of him.


    "Yes.Observe the ces he usually goes to.No need to keep too close of an eye on him.Just roughly


    knowing his schedule would be fine," Keegan added.


    Aldor could onlyply.


    At the hospital, Dahlia saw Aurora''s swollen red face and was about to grind her teeth to pieces.


    ¡®Ste! It''s her again!"


    Dahlia screamed internally.


    Aurora sobbed, "Mom, that bitch, Ste.


    She purposely framed me right in front of Marshall''s face.


    Marshall would definitely think that I''m immature now, and he would be very disappointed in me."


    Dahlia felt sorry but could not avoidining.


    "Didn''t I tell you we shouldn''t be too hasty in using this incident? Why didn''t you listen to me?"


    Aurora said through her sobs, "I just wanted to crush Ste''s morale a little.Who knew Marshall would


    be there too? If I knew that he was there, I wouldn''t have gone there even if you had beaten me to


    death.What do I do now? I saw Marshall''s expression when he saw Ste, and it was very


    problematic.He wouldn''t have truly liked that whore, Ste, right?"


    "What nonsense are you spouting, child? Ste is your sister-in-w."


    "Ste said she and my brother had a divorce!"


    Aurora shouted back.


    Dahlia''s figure froze.


    "What did you say?"


    "Ste said it to me personally.She said she and Keegan had divorced.And, she was free to sleep with


    whoever she likes."


    Dahlia''s expression drastically changed.


    "Are you sure?"


    Aurora said with gritted teeth, "If she didn''t divorce Keegan, wouldn''t she be scared to death when she


    saw me handing out those pictures!"


    Once she thought about Ste being single, Aurora''s worry grew stronger.


    As much as she disliked Ste, she could not deny how stunning Ste''s face was.


    If Marshall were to truly fancy Ste just for her face, she would not have any chance at winning.


    "Mom, you have to drive her out of Rivera.I won''t be at ease if she spends another day in Rivera,"


    Aurora said.


    Dahlia returned to her senses and said in a low voice, "Why are you always so restless? Do you think


    the Moore family are herbivores? Even if Marshall truly fancies Ste, she can''t get the Moore family''s


    approval.Besides, Marshall is not stupid.Stop trying to scare yourself all the time."


    Aurora was dissatisfied.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ''''Then, the cup of water I was sshed with was in vain?"


    "You don''t need to worry."


    Dahlia had a dismal expression.


    "I won''t let her live in peace."


    Shea was particrly delighted today for Ste and for herself.


    At the same time, it was the weekend today.


    Hence, it was grilled food eating time, and she brought her child over.


    Shea''s son''s nickname was Bo.


    Shea said that it was because she constantly dreamed about cows in all her dreams when she was


    pregnant.


    Hence, she gave her son this nickname.


    When Bo was four years old, his personality was quite lively, and he did not fear strangers.


    When he ate his meals, he always stayed in Ste''s arms regardless of how Shea would call him to


    come out.

 Chapter 489

    Chapter 489


    Chapter 489


    Ste really liked children, and she was very adept at wrangling with them.


    Bo used to be very naughty, but when he was with Ste, he would be very well-behaved.


    Just when they were having fun, a phone rang.


    Ste saw that it was Dahlia with a nce, and her face fell even more.


    She hung up the phone, directly cklisted Dahlia''s contact, and deleted her contact.


    No one picked up the phone call.


    Dahlia furrowed her brows and called again.


    This time, it would not even get through.


    ¡®Ste isn''t brave enough to not pick up my phone calls.


    It looks like their marriage was, as Aurora said, divorced"


    Dahlia thought.


    Bo was slightly tired from ying, so Ste took him to the couch to rest.


    When she came back to the dinner table, the phone rang again.


    It was an unknown number this time, so Ste epted the call.


    "It''s me," Dahlia''s voice came from the other end of the phone.


    It sounded like a crouched poisonous snake that was spitting its snaky tongue on a person''s body.


    It made Ste feel like there was a chill climbing down her back.


    Ste did not speak, and Dahlia continued, "Aurora''s face has been scalded, and she said you did it."


    Ste naturally would not reply and say yes.


    Who knew if this cruel and cunning thing called Dahlia would be recording the phone call? Ste


    replied coldly, "If there isn''t anything else, I''m hanging up."


    "Tomorrow, ten in the morning, Prosper Road coffee shop.Let''s meet up,"


    Dahlia demanded.


    The corner of Ste''s lips twitched.


    "Sorry, I''m not free."


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Dahlia gradually said, "You wouldn''t want me to go to you or your friend''s workce to look for you,


    right?"


    Ste gripped her phone tightly, and her expression turned ugly.


    Dahlia then nonchntly said, "Don''t bete.I''ll see you tomorrow."


    After she said that, she hung up.


    Ste raised the phone in her hand and wanted to smash it.


    However, Felicity quickly stopped her.


    "Sis, we are not wealthy socialites right now, so don''t let it get to you."


    As she said that, she handed Ste a clump of tissues.


    Smash this! wt Ste was at a loss for words.


    She harshly dumped the tissue into the rubbish bin.


    Felicity then asked, "Who called?"


    "Dahlia,"


    Ste answered.


    "Your ex-mother-inw.


    Why is she looking for you?"


    Ste said with gritted teeth, "I sshed boiling water at Aurora at the production set.


    She was definitely trying to seek revenge for her daughter."


    Shea told the whole story of the incident.


    Felicity then said with righteous fury, "That shameless stinking bitch.She started it, yet her mother


    dared to look for you to settle the score.You should have given her another two ps."


    Ste had a gloomy look on her face.


    "Meeting up would be fine, and I want to settle the score with her at the same time."


    After sending Shea and her child off, it was already ten at night.


    Stey on the bed, tossing and turning while thinking about meeting Dahlia the next day.


    She contemted whether she should bring a knife or acid to the meet-up the next day.


    Ste flipped through the penal code and then proceeded to suppress those two thoughts.


    Then, she suddenly saw the transaction history of the son of a bitch, Keegan.


    She scrunched her brows and thought for a while.


    She then transferred a dor to Keegan with a message.


    [Tomorrow at 10.20 in the morning.


    Meet me at Prosper Road coffeehouse.] Keegan was in the study, and he was busy with the work he


    had left behindst week.


    At that time, he had just made a cup of coffee to raise his spirits.


    He heard the phone ring and grabbed it.


    He nced at the screen and saw that it was a record of Ste''s transaction.


    Keegan''s hand quivered, and coffee spilled onto the table.


    He did not bother to wipe off the coffee and quickly transferred ten thousand dors for a reply.


    [You''re not angry anymore?] Ste transferred one dor back with a message.


    [Shut up! Don''t ask! And, don''te early! ]

 Chapter 490

    Chapter 490


    Chapter 490


    The morning the next day, Ste had woken up early.She meticulously prepared herself.


    Even though she had divorced Keegan, in the aspect of vigor, she did not want to lose to them,


    especially when meeting with Dahlia.


    She rushed to Proper Road at ten forty, sat in the car across the road, and waited.


    At precisely ten o''clock, a white BMW stopped in front of the entrance of the coffee shop.


    Then, a chauffeur came down from the car and went around to the backseat to open the door.


    After that, Dahlia came down from the car.She had kept herself neat and elegant as usual.


    A white vintage tweed jacket was on her upper body, while a ck velvet skirt was on the lower half.


    Her hair was curled and tidied exquisitely.


    On her right hand was a ck alligator skin Chanel bag.


    She wore an emerald ring the size of a pigeon''s egg on her left index finger.


    Dahlia held her chin slightly high and slowly moved toward the coffeehouse.


    But, when she arrived at the coffee shop, she did not see Ste.


    She furrowed her eyebrows, and the waiter led her to her seat.


    Dahlia gave a disdained nce at the chair and muttered something quietly that only god would know.


    The waiter quickly brought a tissue and wiped the chair.


    Ste watched everything in the shop opposite her with an indifferent expression.


    If it was not for Dahlia wanting to meet her, Ste was afraid that a pampered person such as Dahlia


    would not have appeared on this street.


    Walking one more step in thismon man''s ce would have dirtied her ssy shoes.


    Ste was not in a hurry to get out of the car.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    She waited for the right time while watching Dahlia from the opposite side.


    Only when she saw Dahlia had grown impatient from waiting did Ste get out of her car slowly.


    When she reached the shop, Dahlia red at her coldly and nonchntly said, "You''rete."


    Ste pulled out a chair and sat down.


    "Madam Dahlia, don''t be so picky.It''s good enough that I came."


    Dahlia scrunched her brows.


    "Is this the attitude you''ll be using to talk to me?"


    Ste replied with a, "Heh."


    She then continued, "You Kane family members take yourselves quite seriously.


    Who do you think you are? The national heroine? Or, the firstdy of the country? What attitude do I


    need to use when I''m facing you?"


    Dahlia''s face fell.


    "You really are an uncultured creature!"


    "My mother died, so it''s normal I''m uncultured.You''re alive, yet I don''t see Aurora being cultured


    anywhere."Ste nced at her."


    A daughter taught by a living person such as you isn''t evenparable to a dead person like my


    mother."


    The underlying meaning was that Dahlia was no better than she was now if she was dead.


    Dahlia''s expression turned ugly.


    Ste had married into the Kane family for many years, but since when had she ever dared to speak to


    Dahlia that way? She had entered the coffee shop for not more than three minutes, yet for every


    sentence that Dahlia said, Ste would spat out ten more.


    Dahlia was about to blow her top off.


    ¡®Has Ste gone insane from the divorce? Did it cause her to speak without considering the


    consequences?" Dahlia thought.


    Remembering her purpose today, Dahlia temporarily swallowed her anger and said thoughtfully, "I


    didn''te here today to argue with you.I came here for just two things.The first is for you to go to the


    hospital and apologize to Aurora.The second is to hand over the emerald thumb ring that the olddy


    gave you.Don''t think of swiping away the Kane family items after your divorce."


    Ste''s expression dimmed slightly.


    The emerald thumb ring was simply gifted to her by Cordelia when they served tea to Cordelia during


    Keegan and her wedding.


    Ste was quite adept with jewelry and emeralds.


    Although the thumb ring was made of white nephrite, its grading was not very good.


    However, it was a vintage piece and was a ything that Cordelia constantly toyed with.


    In terms of value, it was not really valuable.


    It might not even be more expensive than the bracelet she gifted Dahlia during the jewelry convention.


    Sometimes, she would put it on her hand to fiddle with it, but her fingers were too thin.


    It was slightly loose when she wore it, and she was worried it would break.


    So, she did not wear it frequently.


    She would have forgotten about the item if Dahlia had not mentioned it.


    Thest time she fiddled with it in the car, she had thrown it into the car''s glovepartment.


    She had not touched it in a long time.


    Once Dahlia knew that she and Keegan were divorced, Dahlia came to demand the ything instantly,


    which was quite odd.

 Chapter 491

    Chapter 491


    Chapter 491


    Ste did not know, but Dahlia clearly knew about it.


    The thumb ring itself was not valuable, but the emerald thumb ring represented the position of the


    matriarch of the Kane family.


    The origins of the thumb ring were ancient.


    They seemed to be passed on by the Kane family ancestors and ultimately arrived in Cordelia¡¯s hand.


    When Cordelia made her name, the emerald thumb ring had already be her hallmark, symbolizing


    her identity as the Kane family matriarch.


    Cordelia had two sons and a daughter.


    The daughter was married off to a farawaynd while her two sons stayed with her.


    Logically, after the two sons were married, she had to select a new owner for the thumb ring.


    By convention, it should belong to the eldest daughter-inw.


    However, after her marriage with Quentin, Cordelia did not give her the emerald thumb ring as ofte.


    In the past, she was pregnant out of wedlock when she married Quentin.


    Due to thisyer of elements, Dahlia always felt that Cordelia was quite critical of her.


    Thus, Cordelia had been reluctant to hand over the emerald thumb ring to her.


    Luckily, Cordelia also did not give it to Cyrene.


    If things had stayed that way, it would have been fine.


    Since no one could get it, Dahlia did not feel upset.


    However, once Ste married into the family, Cordelia gifted her the emerald thumb ring.


    It was even during the tea ceremony for serving tea, and she gave it to Ste as though it was a casual


    gift.


    Keegan was not close to Ste, and he did not follow her wishes when he married his wife.


    And, Dahlia despised Ste, but the person she disdained easily obtained the emerald thumb ring she


    could not ask for.


    So, how could she not hate Ste? Now that Ste had divorced Keegan, naturally, she would want


    that item back.


    As long as she could get it from Ste here, she was not afraid that Cordelia would ask for it back


    Ste nced outside the window while her hand was holding her phone and dialing a number.


    She then stuck the phone onto the table and raised her gaze.


    "On what grounds do I have to apologize to Aurora? She ran to my workce to make a fuss,


    destroyed my makeup room, and even injured my arm.If an apology is needed, it''s Aurora who should


    apologize to me.Why should I apologize to her?"


    Dahlia had a somber look on her face.


    You sshed boiling water on Aurora! Do you think you''re innocent? If it weren''t for me, considering


    that we were mother-inw and daughter-inw, I would have called the cops on you!"


    "Speaking of cops..."


    Ste raised her gaze.


    ''''Madam Dahlia, you should be worried about yourself instead.You think I wouldn''t know about the dirty


    things that you did?"


    Dahlia furrowed her brows.


    "What nonsense are you spouting?"


    Ste took a bottle of medicine out of her bag and put them on the table.She asked, "Look familiar?"


    Dahlia said with a normal expression, "What do you mean?"


    Ste then put a list of the medicine''s ingredients on the table before she asked, "This should be more


    familiar, right?"


    Dahlia stared at the names of the alternate remedies on the list, and her expression was slightly


    serious.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about?"


    Ste coldly pulled the corner of her lips into a smile.


    "Safflower, wisteria, deer musk, ephedra, sophora...These herbs sound familiar?"


    Dahlia stared at her and did not speak.


    "You didn''t want me to get pregnant, so you drugged me. Novel ebook You made me not being able to


    bear children.Dahlia, did you really think you could fool everyone?"


    On the other side of the phone, Keegan pursed his lips tightly while his expression was extremely


    sullen.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Aldor, who was at the side, did not dare to breathe too hard.


    Keegan had actually gotten dressed for quite some time at home and happily attended the


    appointment.


    When he arrived at the coffee shop, Ste''s phone call came.


    Keegan was overwhelmed when he received the call, yet the sound of Ste and Dahlia chatting came


    instead.

 Chapter 492

    Chapter 492


    Chapter 492


    Dahlia''s expression was still normal despite being anxious deep down due to her incident being


    exposed.


    But, her face did not show anything.


    "You say that I drugged you and caused you to be infertile.But, what evidence do you have? Just based


    on this bottle of drugs?"


    Dahlia snorted lightly, "You were originally barren.


    What''s wrong with me seeking an alternative medicine to help nurse your body? You can take this


    medicine to any random inspection agency and see which agency would be able to detect the toxicity


    of these medicines."


    Ste gripped her fists tightly.


    This was the brilliance of Dahlia.


    Poisoning was too apparent, and she could be prosecuted at any minute by taking the toxicity analysis


    reports.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    However, it was different if she used alternative medicine.


    These types of medicine would not show their effects after one consumption.


    They need a long time to umte.


    Even if she was holding the bottle of medicine and found out that there was an ingredient that would be


    bad for pregnancy, she would not be able to do anything to Dahlia.


    An assault crime requires the chain of evidence to beplete.


    Ste merely had the list for the drug test from Dahlia this time.


    She had to drink it many times.


    Moreover, no evidence could prove that these drugs and the ingredients of the medicine had the same


    effect.


    Thew would not support this.


    The scary thing about Dahlia was that she had already chosen a way out for herself when she chose


    these alternative medications.


    As long as Dahlia did not admit it and Ste could not prove that repeated ingestion of the drug had


    caused her to be infertile, Ste would not be able to do anything to her.


    Dahlia lightly stirred her cup and lifted her gaze.


    She said, "Your body has issues.I searched for a doctor to prescribe alternative medicine to nurse your


    body out of the kindness of my heart.Yet, you bite me in the ass.Ste, aren''t you being too heartless?"


    Ste clenched her fists.She had really underestimated Dahlia.


    Even if Dahlia was pped in the face with evidence, she could still object without altering her


    expression.


    "What you said is true.I can''t show any toxicity tests, but what if I publicized this incident?"


    Ste said slowly, "I''ll say I bore Keegan''s child, and due to drinking your medication, the child did not


    survive.Hence, I divorced Keegan.In your words, what do you think grandma would do if it got to her


    ears?"


    Dahlia froze, and her venomous gaze shot toward Ste.


    "You think the olddy would believe these lies?"


    Ste leaned back.


    "It doesn''t matter whether she believes it or not.As long as the rumor spreads, it will be enough to ruin


    your reputation.Grandma values the Kane family''s reputation so much.How would she handle you by


    then?"


    Dahlia''s expression turned extremely ugly.


    Ste seemed to have poked at her Achilles heel.She was a widow who had remained a widow for


    twenty years.


    The best way to preserve the Kane family''s reputation naturally would be to expel her.


    In the past, due to her negligence that caused Keegan to drown, Cordelia had almost expelled her from


    the Kane household.


    If the incident truly harmed the Kane family''s reputation, Cordelia would definitely be able to perform


    acts such as removing Dahlia out of disgrace.


    Dahlia took a deep breath and tried her best to keep calm.


    She raised her gaze and observed Ste earnestly.


    Ste''s gaze was like a fiery torch, which met her line of sight.


    It did not budge at all.


    ¡®Where is the look of shirking and hopelessness before?! Dahlia thought.


    "You have already divorced Keegan.There is no point in being entangled with this matter.My initial


    intention was for both of your sake.If you don''t want to appreciate it, then fine.I have nothing to say."


    Ste clicked her tongue in her mind.


    Dahlia was definitely a master in psychological battles. novelebook She had baited her for so long, yet


    she had spoken wlessly through sheer force.


    This made Ste unable to find any weakness in her.


    "The emerald thumb ring.Give it up," Dahlia said nonchntly.


    Ste had already found out about the problems with the alternate medicines.


    Dahlia just wanted to quickly end the battle and leave afterpleting her goal as soon as possible.


    The more she stayed, the harder it was to guarantee that she would not show her true nature.


    This made Ste unable to find any weakness in her.

 Chapter 493

    Chapter 493


    Chapter 493


    "Hand over the emerald thumb ring.Do that and I''ll forget about the money you got from Keegan."


    Ste sneered, "Dahlia, did you get confused or something? Didn''t Keegan tell you that I didn''t get


    anything from our divorce?"


    ¡®Although, after we got divorced, that psychotic Keegan constantly transferred money to me" said Ste


    in her mind.


    Dahlia looked very unhappy when she heard Ste address her by her name.


    She frowned after hearing what Ste said.


    "You didn''t get anything?"


    Ste was frustrated.


    ''Didn''t Keegan tell anyone about our divorce? Why didn¡®t Aurora and Dahlia know about it?"


    Dahlia sized Ste up from top to bottom.


    ''She''s indeed wearing clothes from rtively smaller brands.These clothes are only worth around a


    thousand dors.


    The bag she''s using is worth less than ten thousand dors.She doesn''t look like she received much


    money from the divorce settlement.


    ¡®Keegan didn''t give her a single penny?¡¯ Dahlia thought and was a little surprised.


    She then said, "I was your mother-inw for several years.We didn''t have a good rtionship, but It


    was nostalgic.How much do you want for that emerald thumb ring? You can have a morefortable


    life after receiving the money."Dahlia sounded like she was patronizing her, and Ste was extremely


    disgusted by it.


    She raised her eyes as she asked, "Do you really want to buy it?"


    Dahlia furrowed her eyebrows.


    "Why else did I talk so much with you?"


    Ste smiled and replied, "Alright.


    Since you want to buy it, I''ll name my price."


    Dahlia looked at her.


    Ste slightly opened her red lips, and she faintly said three words, "One hundred million."


    Dahlia''s expression changed.


    "Ste, have you gone insane from being poor?"


    Ste raised her eyelids.


    "I''ve already restrained myself.If Keegan were to buy from me, I''ll ask for at least a billion dors."


    Keegan was speechless.


    Ste looked at Dahlia''s outfit from head to toe and added, "You''re kidding me.Ms.Crosby, you can''t


    even pay me a hundred million dors?"


    Dahlia was so furious that her face turned red.


    One hundred million dors was not a small amount to her.She expected Ste''s offer to be less than


    two million dors when she told her to name her a price.She did not even have one hundred million


    dors.


    So, it was not possible for her to give Ste that amount of money.


    She could get five million dors every month from Keegan back then, and along with the dividend from


    thepany, she could have around eighty million dors a year.


    But, she spent a lot.


    She had to buy thetest outfits and jewelry every season just to show the rich wives that she could


    maintain her luxurious lifestyle.


    So, she could only save, at most, twenty million annually.


    However, Ste asked for a hundred million for the ring.


    It was impossible for Dahlia to pay her that kind of money.


    Even if she had a hundred million dors, she would not be so foolish and pay that to Ste.


    Ste clearly did not want to sell the ring.


    She merely said that to humiliate her.


    "Ste, you''re obviously overpricing it. novelebook You know exactly how much the emerald thumb ring


    is worth.Two million dors.Don''t try to bargain with me.If you want to sell it, I''ll pay you after I get it."


    She paused for a moment after she said that.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    "Two million dors is a huge amount of money to you now.Don''t push your luck."


    Ste smiled.


    "Let me tell you something, I won''t sell it for less than a hundred million dors."Dahlia looked


    extremely gloomy. She thought, ¡®Ste is so stubborn. She clearly doesn''t want to discuss it properly


    with me"


    She stared at Ste''s face, and she hated it.She then grabbed the coffee on the table and sshed it


    on Ste.


    She paused for a moment after she said that.

 Chapter 494

    Chapter 494


    Chapter 494


    "Who do you think you are?"


    She clenched her teeth.


    Keegan saw the scene right after he went into the shop, and he suddenly looked gloomy.But, he was


    toote to stop her.


    The coffee sshed on Ste''s chin and neck.


    The brown color coffee flowed down her face and stained her white top.


    The weather in the early summer was hot, and the material of Ste''s top was thin.


    When the coffee sshed on her body, it permeated her shirt.Her shirt then very quickly stuck to her


    body.Her lingerie could be seen clearly.


    Keegan looked unhappy.


    He removed his jacket and walked forward to put his jacket over Ste''s body.He then turned his head


    and coldly stared at Dahlia.


    "What are you doing?"


    His tone was not friendly.It clearly showed that he was furious.


    Dahlia, however, was a little confused.


    Why is Keegan here?'' She stared at Ste who was calmly wiping the coffee stain on her face with the


    back of her hand.


    After that, Dahlia finally realized what had happened.


    ¡®She did this! She asked Keegan toe!'' Dahlia did not have the time to think about what Ste did.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    She hurriedly exined, "Keegan, it''s not what it looks like.She spoke disrespectfully to me."


    Keegan was not happy.


    "She just said she won''t sell it for less than a hundred million dors.And, you got furious because of


    that?"


    Ste looked gloomy, but Dahlia continued, "It belongs to the Kane family, and you two are


    divorced.She should be grateful that I''m willing to pay her to get it back But, she overpriced it.How can I


    not be angry?"


    Keegan said in a deep voice, "Grandma gifted her that.She can do whatever she wants with it.No one


    has the right to take it away from her.Not even you!"


    Dahlia was boiling with anger.


    Keegan, who do you think you''re talking to? I''m your mother!"


    Keegan clenched his hand.


    "You should be thankful that we still have this rtionship."


    Right after Keegan said that, Ste picked up the coffee in front of her and sshed it on Dahlia''s


    face.She was fast and urate.


    Even Keegan who was beside her did not see her do that in time.


    Dahlia only realized Ste did that when her face was sshed with coffee.


    She screamed, "Keegan, this is the person you want to protect!"


    "I''ll pour it on you even if he doesn''t protect me."


    Ste coldly raised her eyes.


    "I want to pour it on you right in front of him.But, unfortunately, there''s only one cup."


    She then nced at Keegan.


    "You got lucky."


    She removed Keegan''s jacket and threw it in his arms after she said that. novelebook She grabbed her


    bag and her phone before she left the coffee shop.


    Keegan chased after her without hesitating.He did not even look at Dahlia, and it roused her anger.


    ¡®Are they really divorced? Why is Keegan sticking even closer to her now?"


    Ste felt as though she was about to burst out in rage.


    ¡®Does Dahlia really think that she can just control me however she wants like back then? ''T didn''t fight


    back and just went along with herst time because I wanted her son!


    ¡®But now, I don''t even want Keegan anymore.I don''t care about her now.


    ¡®If it isn''t illegal to knife someone, I would''ve knifed her twice just now! ¡®I went easy on her when I


    sshed coffee on her.I even pped Keegan!'' Ste was waiting at the traffic light with a frowning


    face.


    Her shoulders felt warm suddenly.


    And, A jacket was put over her shoulders.


    It had a familiar scent.


    She knew who was it without even looking.


    ¡®¡®Why is he so fake???"


    She pushed his hand away in a resisting manner and said, "Don''t touch me!"


    Keegan pursed his lips.


    "Your shirt is dirty."


    ¡®¡®Why is he so fake???"

 Chapter 495

    Chapter 495


    Chapter 495


    "I don''t need you to care about me!" Ste turned her head.


    Her eyes were red as she said, "Where were you when I needed you? Why are you pretending to care


    about me now? Or, is it because you''re angry with me for sshing coffee on your mother? So, you


    came to get back at me?"


    Keegan would have talked back if she scolded him like this back then.


    But today, he lowered his eyes and remained silent.He stretched his arm to gently wipe the coffee stain


    on her cheek that she did not wipe.His voice was husky.


    "Was it hot?"


    Ste''s nose felt sour.She almost cried even when she did not want to.She pushed his hand away and


    said, "It''s none of your business.We''re divorced.You and your mother don''t need to plot against me and


    be worried that I''d get pregnant anymore.Because of you two, I won''t be able to get pregnant my whole


    life.Are you happy now?"


    Keegan''s fingers trembled.He felt a lump in his throat.He opened his mouth, and he softly said after a


    while, ''I''m sorry."


    "The word sorry is the most useless word in the world."


    Ste''s eyes were red as she stared at him.


    "Keegan, control your family members.Whether it''s Aurora or Dahlia, whoeveres and provokes me


    again, I''ll make my stand and fight back! I''ve lost my mother anyway.There''s nothing I care about in this


    world anymore.I''ve got nothing to lose.I''m happy to die with either one of them!"


    Right after she said that, the traffic light turned green.


    Ste turned around and strode away.


    The long crosswalk was like an unbridgeable gap separating Keegan and Ste.


    This was the first time he felt that she was so far away from him.He thought he had everything under


    control.


    But, unexpectedly, he was the one who hurt her the most.


    Aldor slowly drove the car to Keegan.


    "Mr.Kane, she''s still single.You still stand a chance."


    Keegan returned to his senses.He opened the door and got into the car.He pursed his lips and said,


    "Go back to thepany."


    Ste got back into her car.She opened the drawer and took out the emerald thumb ring.


    The design was very simple, and the whole ring was clean.


    The inner part of the ring was engraved with the word "Kane".


    There was no other ornamentation on the ring other than that.


    ¡®The thing that Dahlia wanted to buy was this? ¡®What can it do? Why would shee to me


    immediately to get this back after she knew that I divorced Keegan?"


    Ste held it and stared at it for a while before she threw it back into the drawer.


    ¡®Forget about Dahlia not being able to pay me a hundred million dors, even if she could, I''d rather


    break it than sell it to her! ¡®I''m single now.


    I don''t have a family to feed, and I don''t need her freaking money! ¡®I can do anything that will make her


    feel unhappy! ¡®Keegan, that piece of shit, didn''t even tell his family about our divorce.And, they came


    after me to cause trouble to me"


    She felt, even more, unhappier with Keegan now.She then immediately grabbed her phone and opened


    her social media app.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    She then took out the divorce certificate from her bag, took a picture of it, and posted it on her social


    media with an apanying text that said, [ Single and ready to mingle.I prioritize healthy men.]


    She locked her phone and threw it aside after posting it.


    At Green Hill Media, Vermont was sitting in the meeting room.He was listlessly using his phone while


    listening to his staff report.


    Suddenly, his WhatsApp notification sound could be heard.He paused for a moment before he opened


    his WhatsApp.He stared at it with his eyes wide open and abruptly stood up.


    The department manager who was reporting was stunned.He asked tentatively, "Mr.Snyder?"


    Vermont waved his hand and replied, "Continue reporting.Don''t mind me."


    He grabbed his phone and left as he said that.


    After he went back to his office, he called Keegan.


    Keegan just got back to hispany. novelebook He received Vermont''s call only a short time after he


    had sat in his chair.He was very disturbed at that time.


    So, his tone was not so friendly.


    "What?"


    "Your ex-wife posted on social media, saying she''s looking for a new partner!"


    "What?"

 Chapter 496

    Chapter 496


    Chapter 496


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡°Are you trying to make me angrier?"


    Vermont''s mouth twitched. He immediately screenshotted his WhatsApp and sent it to Keegan. "See


    for yourself." He then teased him, "Your ex-wife cklisted you. That''s why you can''t see it."


    Keegan''s expression instantly turned ugly when he saw that screenshot.


    Vermont asked, "She said she prioritizes healthy men. What does that mean? Do you have any sexual


    dysfunction? You couldn''t satisfy her?"


    Keegan was boiling with anger. "You''re the one who has sexual dysfunction!"


    Vermont was speechless.


    ¡®I was just asking. Why was he so angry? His ex-wife said it, not me,'' Vermont thought.


    Keegan did not disclose their divorce to the public. He thought that


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Ste was acting out. He wanted to remarry her after some time. But, he did not expect her to


    announce their divorce publicly.


    ¡®Now, it looks like, at least from Ste''s point of view, she really might not want to get back with


    Keegan,'' thought Vermont. Vermont suddenly felt a little sorry for his best friend.


    "Keegan, ] should warn you. Your ex-wife is gorgeous and has a good figure. Many guys in the Rivera


    want her. Those guys might immediately take action after knowing that you let her go. If you don''t put in


    extra work to keep her, you''ll soon have to go to your ex-wife''s wedding banquet."


    Keegan frowned. "Are you trying to help me or make me more miserable?"


    "I''m just here for the entertainment." Vermont lifted the corners of his lips and added, "Back then, you


    said it''s impossible that she doesn''t want you and that she was just acting out. So, now do you still


    think that she''s just acting out?"


    Vermont intentionally said it in a teasing manner. He was extremely sarcastic. It was a p in Keegan''s


    face. Anger heated Keegan''s blood, and he just hung up.


    After Ste had made the post on her social media, the news about her divorce spread very quickly.


    All of a sudden, almost everyone in the Rivera celebrity circle knew about the divorce between Keegan


    and Ste.


    Everyone was also talking about the meaningful caption that Ste posted.


    Albert instantly panicked when he knew about that news.


    ¡®Ste actually divorced Keegan. How can I get business using the Kane family''s name in the future?"


    Indeed, just a few hours after the news about Ste''s divorce was spread, some of thepanies that


    initially wanted to work with Albert''spany backed out.


    Albert was furious, and he immediately called Ste. Of course, Ste did not want to answer his call.


    "I''ll sue him for premeditated murder after I collect all the evidence. I won''t spare any of these


    assholes!''


    The next day, Ste asked Daniel for a day off. She packed her stuff and went to Elegant Media.


    Ste waited for a while downstairs. Xavier then came down from upstairs. He gently said, "Ms. Jewell,


    please follow me."


    Ste wondered on the way there.


    ¡®It''s just a medical examination. Why is Xavier personally taking me there?


    ¡®He''s Trevor''s personal assistant. Isn''t this the responsibility of the staff from the administration


    department or the human-resource department?" she thought.


    Although she had some doubts, she did not ask him about them.


    They did not really talk along the way.


    Xavier and Ste arrived at the hospital where she was going to do her medical examination, and it


    was a private hospital.


    It was quite far away from hispany. So, he drove for about fifty minutes.


    After they went into the hospital, Xavier then brought her to get the forms. He asked her to follow the


    instructions on the forms.


    There were not many patients in the medical examination department. Xavier went to do his work after


    he received a phone call. Meanwhile, Ste took the medical checkup form and went to do the medical


    examination.


    After the ultrasound examination, the doctor asked her to remove her shirt.


    Ste was stunned. "I need to remove my shirt?"


    The female doctor then grabbed a pen and signed the form. She faintly said, "You came for the artist''s


    medical examination, right?


    Ste nodded.


    "You want to be an artist. But, you don''t know about the national policies?" The doctor raised her


    eyes and said, "You can''t pass the medical examination if you have a tattoo or arge scar on your


    skin. The scars are still fine. It''s mainly about tattoos. The requirements to be on television are strict. If


    the actor has a tattoo, the drama might be removed because of that."

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    Chapter 497


    It''s that strict?!


    Ste secretly asked in her mind.


    But, she still obediently removed her jacket.


    The doctor raised her head and said, "You need to remove everything except for your panties."


    So, Ste continued to remove her clothes.


    Trevor sat in the room next door staring at the woman on the screen who was undressing. He pursed


    his lips tightly and remained silent.


    He averted his eyes when Ste started removing her bra. He tapped the cup as he softly said, "Ask


    her to turn around. Have a look at her back."


    The female doctor raised her eyes as she said, ''''Please turn around.


    Ste then turned around.


    Trevor raised his eyes. He then immediately saw the pink, cloud- shaped birthmark on her left scap.


    His hand trembled, and he suddenly looked extremely serious. He clenched his teeth as he murmured,


    "Ask her what''s that on her back."


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    The female doctor got up and walked to Ste. She pretended to examine her body. Then, she touched


    the birthmark on Ste''s scap with gloves on. She asked, "Is this a birthmark or a scar?"


    ¡°Birthmark. I''ve had this since I was a kid." Ste paused, "This doesn''t affect the medical report,


    right?" any response from her earphone after a long time. So, the female doctor could only say, "It''s


    okay. Birthmarks are fine. And, it''s not on your face."


    After some time had passed, Trevor''s voice could be heard from the earphone again. But, unlike


    before, his voice was very hoarse this time.


    ¡°Ask her to put on her clothes."


    The doctor raised her head. "It''s done. You can put your clothes back on now."


    After Ste was dressed, the doctor handed her the signed medical checkup sheet, "Please proceed to


    the blood test. There probably aren''t many people there right now."


    "Thank you, doctor."


    Ste took the paper and went to the phlebotomy department.


    In the room next door, Trevor was sitting in the chair. He was still thinking to himself.


    ¡®That cloud-shaped birthmark is exactly the same as the one in my memory. No. It''s multiple times


    bigger than what I remembered. But, its location is exactly the same.


    ¡®What''re the odds of that?


    ¡®I remembered that the kid who the nurse carried out from the delivery room had a cloud- shaped


    birthmark on her left scap. But they said that I was mistaken.


    ¡®I''ll know whether I was right or wrong once I get the blood sample. If it''s really her... Then, I should


    properly investigate the incident back then.''


    Someone knocked on the door.


    Trevor pulled himself together and said in a deep voice, "Come in."


    Xavier walked to him and said, "Ms. Jaylene is on the phone."


    Trevor grabbed the phone, and he could immediately hear


    Jaylene''s voice over the phone. "Trevor, where did you go? Didn''t you say you''re going to apany


    me to buy some clothes today?"


    "In the afternoon. I have something to do right now, so I can''t leave."


    ¡°But, you promised me." Jaylene was a little upset. "Never mind. I''ll go alone. Dad said he wanted to


    treat Ste to a meal tomorrow night. Remember to tell her that."


    ¡°Alright. Got it."


    Jaylene frowned after she ended the call.


    ¡®why did Trevor sound so weird today? Back then, he would immediately leave his work ande to


    me if I threw tantrum.''


    Xavier stared at the monitor in the room. He felt that his boss was a little inappropriate.


    ¡®She just got divorced. And, he secretly watched her do her medical checkup on the screen. That''s


    quite inappropriate.''

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    Chapter 498


    When Ste was done with the checkup, the agent from when she went to look at houses, called her.


    "Ms.Jewell, I have sorted out some houses ording to the requirements that you mentionedst time,


    all of them are located in the areas that you circled but from various house types and residential


    areas.I''ve sent the pictures of the different house types to your WhatsApp, so you can have a look.Of


    course, if you''re free, we could set a time and date for me to bring you to see the houses in


    person.Then, you can have a first-hand view of the lighting and whatnot.What do you think?"


    Ste had contacted the agent back when she first asked for a divorce from Keegan.


    For a few months, the agent had been calling Ste persistently.


    During that period, Ste stopped replying to the agent''s invites because the divorce was on hold.She


    never expected the agent to still remember her and rmend houses to her from time to time.


    Ste was a person who would easily give in to constant coaxing.


    Ste also believed that no matter the industry, there was no such thing as an easy job.


    Since the agent spared no effort in rmending houses to her, she felt like she should not decline.


    Moreover, Ste was indeed thinking about buying a housetely, and she had nothing else to do for


    the day.Hence, she replied, "I''m free today.Can we go?"


    The agent hurriedly replied, "Of course, we can.Where are you now? I''ll get a cab and pick you


    up.These houses are near to each other, so we can finish viewing in the afternoon."


    Ste told the agent her location, hung up, and dialed Felicity''s number.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    "I''m going to check out some housester.Do you want toe?"


    Felicity was overwhelmed with work in the cast.So, she sighed and said, "I''m afraid I can''t leave work


    today.You go ahead.Remember to send me pictures.I can help you pick the houses."


    "Okay.Then, see you tonight."


    The agent was a young girl in her early twenties and was around the same age as Ste.


    She had short hair, and her build was quite small and skinny.


    And, she was a clever person.


    The agent showed St five houses in one afternoon.


    Although the houses were all located in the area that Ste requested, all five houses had some


    aspects that Ste was not satisfied with.


    Some were from old residential areas andcked security; some were from newer areas, but the


    upancy rate was rtively low and the houses were roughcast houses.


    Others were involved in false advertising when they were trying to make sales, and the owners filed a


    lawsuit against the developers and the property management.


    Ste spent the whole afternoon looking at houses but she still could not pick out one that she liked.


    The agent asked her, "Miss, which house do you like the most?"


    Ste answered, "They''re all alright."


    She paused for a while.


    "Do you have any houses at hand in Flourand?"


    The agent was surprised.


    "You want to buy a house in Flourand, Miss?"


    "I''ll take a look."


    The agent told her honestly, "I do have two houses there at hand, but the budget needed would be


    higher for houses in Flourand.It might be higher than you expect."


    The houses in Flourand Gardens were priced at around six thousand dors per square foot and were


    considered a middle- ss residential area in Rivera.


    ording to Ste''s requested size, it would cost around ten million dors per house.


    Given how young Ste was, the agent questioned her ability to afford the house.


    "If it''s a nice house type, it''s okay if it is smaller.If you can lower the price, I could give ten percent more


    during the down payment."


    Once the agent heard that, she instantly made a call to herpany and brought Ste to check out


    the houses.


    Ste had had her eyes on Flourand Gardens for a long while.


    Even before divorcing Keegan, she had been thinking about buying a house there.


    The houses there were beautifully designed.


    They were built with spacious balconies and bay windows, and the lighting was excellent.


    The agent brought Ste to view the two houses.


    One was around a thousand and nine hundred square feet, and the other was around a thousand and


    thirty square feet.


    Ste preferred the house that was one thousand and nine hundred square feet, but she had to take


    her financial ability into ount.


    In the end, she chose the one that was one thousand and thirty square feet.


    "I¡¯ll take this house.Negotiate with thendlord and check the lowest price he can ept."


    The agent replied, "Thendlord of this house is working abroad, and it''s midnight there.Can I help you


    contact him tomorrow, Miss?"


    Ste nodded.


    ''''Yes.If it''s a reasonable price, I want to sign the Papers as soon as possible."


    "No problem!"


    When they left Flourand, the agent wanted to get a cab for Ste.

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    Chapter 499


    Ste nced at the agent, who took a bus to meet Ste.


    When the agent came down from the bus, there was a visible footprint on her shoe that indicated


    someone had stepped on it.


    However, when the agent brought Ste to view the houses, she deliberately called a cab.


    When she paid for the cab, she took out her purse which looked like it had been used for a while, as


    the corners were obviously frayed.


    ''If she could close this deal, the money she spent on the cab won''t go to waste.But, what if she


    couldn''t? ¡®Such sincerity."


    Ste then said, "There''s no need for that.My friend''s house is not far away from here, so I can walk


    there."


    The agent let out a sigh of relief, said her goodbyes, and went to take the subway train.


    Ste strolled slowly along the street.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    After an afternoon of house- hunting, she was actually quite tired.


    But, as she thought of how everything was going down the right path, she felt a faint sense of security.


    Felicity''s house was actually some distance away, but there was a restaurant nearby that served


    delicious pork chops.


    Ste nned to walk there to have one, and buy one for Felicity as well since she liked to snack as


    much as Ste did.


    As she was walking, a Maybach suddenly drove up beside her and tailed her slowly until it was driving


    parallelly as she was walking.


    Feeling puzzled, Ste turned her head around for a nce.


    Trevor took off his shades and waved at her.


    "Ms.Jewell, what a coincidence."


    "Hi, Mr.Saun."


    Trevor did not answer, but he eyed Ste from head to toe and made Ste quite ufortable.


    However, since Trevor was her boss now, Ste held some respect for him.


    So, she took the initiative and asked, "Are you here for work, Mr.Saun?"''


    Trevor stopped looking and said, "Yes, I was just done with work.Where are you heading to,


    Ms.Jewell?"


    "I''m heading home."


    "Good.I''m heading back to the city.I can give you a ride."


    Ste was reluctant to carpool with her boss, and since she did not know Trevor well yet, she was a bit


    guarded toward him.


    "You don''t need to.It''s easy to get a cab here."


    Ste refused.


    Trevor smirked and put his elbow on the car window.


    "It seems like you don''t like me, Ms.Jewell."


    "I don''t want to trouble you."


    "I don''t think it''s troublesome."


    Ste went quiet.


    ''I can only be responsive since he''s the boss.He pays for my sry."


    Hence, she replied, "I apologize for the trouble of taking me there."


    Trevor''s car had the same scent as his office.The scent of peppermint and pine.


    It smelled fresh andfortable.


    After Ste buckled her seatbelt, Trevor asked, "Ms.Jewell, what were you doing here?"


    "House-hunting,"Ste answered honestly.


    There was nothing to hide since she would have to write down her address for thepany''s data


    registration.


    "You were looking for houses in Flourand Gardens?" Ste confirmed.


    "The developers of Flourand Gardens received manywsuits this year," Trevor said gently.


    "Their houses won''t get many gains for the next few years. Plus, the upancy rate at the Flourand


    Gardens is very high.


    Most of them consist of young tenants, so it''s not a suitable ce for an actor to live in. If you want to


    buy a house in this area, it''s better to buy one at Clouditude International.

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    Chapter 500


    The houses at Clouditude International cost eleven thousand dors per square foot on average, and


    the smallest unit was over two thousand square feet.


    The spaces between the houses were wide, and the residential area was well-equipped.


    Moreover, the property management of Clouditude International was also the best in the country.


    It was considered one of Rivera''s most esteemed residential areas.


    It would be wishful thinking to get a house in Clouditude with the limited money that Ste had.


    As for Trevor''s advice, Ste only had one thought.


    ''Great idea, but please stop giving me ideas."


    Seeing that Ste did not respond, Trevor continued, "I know the owner of Clouditude.He has a few


    houses left if you want.I can help you ask him for a discount."


    Ste dropped her gaze and said, "Clouditude International is good indeed, but I can''t afford it, So, I


    wouldn''t think about it."


    Trevor paused and seemed to suspect that Ste was joking about not being able to afford the house.


    ¡®Given how rich Keegan is, the divorce must have left Ste with a lot of money.Buying a house like


    that would be a piece of cake for Ste," he thought.


    "I left the marriage without taking any of his property.At least for the next couple of years, my budget is


    not enough to afford to live at a ce like Clouditude,"Ste exined as she noticed his


    suspicion.Trevor scrunched his eyebrows and tightened his grip on the steering wheel.


    "Keegan didn''t even leave a penny?"


    Trevor''s tone dropped.


    Ste said softly, "I didn''t spend a penny for our wedding back then either."


    Ste could feel that Trevor''s mood went gloomy from his silence.


    Even though she did not understand his sudden change in mood, she became cautious and zipped her


    mouth shut.


    After a while, he managed to fully suppress his feelings.


    He said in a low voice, ''my father made a reservation at The Deli.Please attend to discuss some


    matters."


    Ste rxed her tense expression and said gently, "sure, thanks."


    "Do you have any allergies? And, can you tell me if you have any food preferences? I''ll order the food


    in advance."


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    "No, I''m not necessarily a picky eater.I can even take slightly spicy food.Oh yeah, but I do have a


    peanut allergy.Other than that, anything is fine."


    Trevor also had a peanut allergy.


    Trevor suppressed his surging mood by squeezing onto his steering wheel and said in a deep voice,


    "Do you perhaps like mangos?"


    Ste''s eyes curved as she smiled.


    "I love them."


    Trevor smiled as his gaze let out a hint of coddling.


    "That''s good."


    "Stop here for a bit.I need to buy something," said Ste.


    Trevor obeyed and pulled up at the side of the road, while Ste got out of the car and went into the


    restaurant.


    Trevor looked up and nced at the sign.


    ''Alcott''s Pork Chops," he thought.


    After waiting for around ten minutes, Ste carne out of the restaurant with takeaway boxes in her


    hand.


    Ste put one of the packaged pork chops in the backseat.


    "This restaurant''s pork chop is really good.I bought one for you, Mr.Saun, you can have a taste." Trevor


    smirked.


    "Thanks."


    In a Bentley not far away from them, Vermont took off his shades in shock. He watched as Ste got on


    the Maybach with a few boxes of pork chops in her hands.


    ¡®Shit! ¡®shit! Shit! Shit!'' ¡®Oh,e on. Are my predictions so on point? Ste just got divorced, and she


    has a new beau already?'' ¡®and, why does this car look so familiar?"


    Vermont took a picture of the car''s te number and sent it to Marshall.


    [Marshall, whose car is this?]

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    Chapter 501


    Marshall was at thew firm, helping a colleague to deal with a client.


    When he received the message, he just held up his phone for a nce and did not reply.


    Seeing that Marshall did not respond and that the car across him started, Vermont forgot about his own


    businesses.


    He started his car and followed them.


    Even though Vermont said he was just a rubberneck, he grew up closely together with Keegan.


    After witnessing how much Keegan regretted the divorce, how could Vermont not help him out? ¡®No


    matter whose car that was I have to scout out the enemy first."


    He tailed them to a condominium and saw the car door swing open.


    Ste got out and said goodbye to the person in the car, and took the takeaway boxes into the


    condominium with her.


    The car was parked there for a few minutes until Ste left their sight, and then it drove away slowly.


    After the other car drove away, Vermont drove a bit to the front and rolled down his car window to take


    a better look at the name of the condominium.


    ''Frascape Pavilion."


    He took out his phone to check the location.


    When he looked back up, someone was bent over his car window.


    He was so shocked that he almost threw his phone out.


    Felicity looked angry.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    "Stinky cucumber! What are you doing here? Ww Vermont kept a straight face.


    "Just passing through."


    "Bullshit! I saw you acting suspiciously here for along while! Are you stalking me?"


    Vermont stifled a chuckle.


    ¡®Does this bandit girl have a victimplex?" he thought.


    He was toozy to deal with her.


    So, he rolled up the car window and tried to leave, but Felicity held the window back down and looked


    at Vermont through squinted eyes.


    "Let me ask you something.Did you say nonsense to Dr.Steven?¡¯ Vermont frowned.


    "Do I look like I have the time to do that?"


    "You have the time to stalk me here!"


    Felicity peered at him.


    "These few days, Dr.Steven has been ignoring me.We were talking just fine before this, but after we..."


    When she thought about what had happened Felicity got mad and embarrassed at the same time.


    "After that thing happened, Dr.Steven doesn''t really talk to me anymore.If you didn''t say anything to


    him, howe he got so cold to me?"


    ¡®Is this bandit girl blind? ¡®Obviously, Corbin didn''t keep in touch with her because he was not interested


    in her.


    ¡®The women that Corbin had toyed with were all tall with long legs, big chests, and tiny waists.Bandit


    girl here looks like an underdeveloped high schooler, and she has short legs.She''s not his type at all, it


    would be a surprise if he had contacted her," Vermont thought.


    Vermont was more of a gentleman towarddies, even girls like Felicity.So, he did not tell her straight


    up that Corbin was not interested in her.


    Instead, he replied, "I haven''t seen Corbin since the birthday party ended.How would I tell him? Plus,


    what will I gain from telling this to others?"


    Felicity eyed him suspiciously and felt that he did not seem as if he was lying.


    "You really didn''t say anything?"


    Vermont almost rolled his eyes.


    "No!"


    "I''ll trust you for now," said Felicity.


    She then thought for a while and continued to examine him.Her gaze was calctive, and it made


    Vermont have the chills all over.


    "Mr.Snyder?"


    Vermont''s hand shook, and mmed on his horn.His car suddenly honked, and it gave Felicity a


    shock.


    "What are you doing?" asked Felicity.


    Vermont pursed his lips.He was surprised by Felicity calling him, "Mr.Snyder".


    "What?" Vermont replied.


    Even though Felicity hated Vermont for sleeping with her, she had a favor to ask.


    Hence, she put her ego aside.


    "Mr.Snyder, aren''t you close friends with Dr.Steven?"


    "We''re alright I guess.Why?"


    Felicity''s eyes curled as she smiled.


    "I want to have a discussion with you.Can you help me pursue Dr.Steven? If you help me get him, I will


    keep that night a secret.I won''t tell a soul my whole life.If you don''t..."


    Vermont was amused at how she was pleading and ckmailing him at the same time.


    "What happens if I don''t?" Vermont asked.

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    Chapter 502


    "If you don''t help me, I will say that you drugged me and forced yourself on me.I''ll carry a sign and


    make a scene at your office, and let all of your employees know that you''re a rapist!"


    Vermont''s eye twitched, and he said, Won''t you be embarrassed?"


    "I''m the victim, why should I be embarrassed? You''re the one that should be embarrassed!"


    Vermont did not mind people making a scene at his office, since he had experience dealing with people


    pestering him after breakups.


    Some of them would even make a scene at his office.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    However, this "bandit girl" in front of him was different.


    He could settle the other girls with money, but Felicity was clearly not there for the money.


    Moreover, she had no shame.


    She might really make it public that he had slept with her.


    Vermont felt a faint headache as he thought about the situation.


    He nced at Felicity with an unfriendly expression.


    "What do you mean by helping you get him?"


    Felicity instantly smiled and showed off her pair of dimples.


    "Once Dr.Steven agrees to date me, your mission isplete."


    Vermont''s gaze scanned Felicity from head to toe.


    "You should get stic surgery," he advised.


    "It would increase your chances." Felicity gave him a side-eyed nce.


    "Do you think Dr.Steven is as shallow as you? Plus, how am I ugly?"


    ¡®Shallow? I''m not half as shallow as Corbin," thought Vermont.


    At least, Vermont''s girlfriends were all from proper rtionships.


    Corbin, however, as long as he found someone attractive, he would get them to sleep with him as soon


    as he knew them.


    Although Felicity was fierce, she seemed rather naive.


    When he slept with her, he also took her virginity.


    Vermont felt like he had to remind her.


    "Men are all shallow, no one is nobler than the other.You should at least get to know their personalities


    first,"said Vermont.


    "Stop ndering Dr.Steven!"


    Felicity red at him.


    "You''re just a pot calling the kettle ck."


    ¡®I shouldn''t have reminded her!'' Vermont thought.


    ''Whatever.This is what she asked for.Even if the n is a fire pit, she chose to jump in herself."


    Vermont nced at Felicity and said, "Fine, I''ll help you.


    But, you better watch your mouth.


    If any weird rumors spread out, I''ll make you scared of all good-looking men, not to mention Corbin!"


    "Hey, I''m not that shameless."


    ¡®So, now she changes her stand?! Vermont thought.Felicity then took out her phone.


    "Add me on WhatsApp."


    After scanning each other''s QR code, Vermont asked, "What''s your name?"


    "Felicity Thompson."


    "Oh,"


    Vermont answered as he typed [Bandit Girl] in his contacts.


    Felicity set his name as [Stinky Cucumber].


    "Does Ste live with you?"


    Felicity was guarded.


    "Why are you asking about Ste?"


    "Just asking."


    Judging by her response, Vermont knew that he would not get any information out of her.He rolled up


    the car window and drove away.


    Marshall picked up his phone after work.He saw the photo that Vermont sent and replied, [That''s


    Trevor''s car.


    Why?] After a while, Vermont replied, [Nothing.] Vermont texted Keegan immediately after.


    [Trevor Saun drove your ex-wife back to her home.] Keegan was busy dealing with matters regarding


    the Crosby family.


    After he returned from the cafe, he had been caught up with work until then.

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    Chapter 503


    Keegan frowned upon reading Vermont''s text message and chose not to reply to him.


    [Do you think Trevor has been having a crush on your ex-wife? His eagerness to get her so soon after


    your divorce is pretty strange.] Keegan pursed his lips and replied, [Ste once saved him before.]


    [Oh, really? It doesn''t look like gratitude for saving someone.He was looking at your ex-wife for half a


    day in the car after your ex- wife got off the car.]


    Keegan was irritated by Vermont''s choice of the word, ex-wife, and said with narrowed brows, [What


    else did you see?]


    [Nothing much honestly.But, you better hurry up.Trevor is as privileged as you are.Along with that,


    Wenham spoils him.The Saun family won''t mind if Ste was a divorcee if he really fell for her.]


    Keegan pulled a long face and replied, [You''re overthinking.


    Ste doesn''t like Trevor''s type.] Ste preferred appearances with sharp and slightly rough- looking


    features over Trevor''s soft and gentle schrly appearance.


    Trevor was not her cup of tea.


    [Well, I don''t know about that,] Vermont replied slowly.


    [I''ve noticed she tends to like short videos of young men with gentle and innocent looks.So, she clearly


    has a taste for these men.I have never seen another more good-looking face than Trevor''s.He''s not


    shorter than you, has a great body, and knows how to sweet - talk.I would definitely choose him if I was


    Ste.] Keegan was speechless.


    He was now uncertain about this after thinking of the videos of those naive or wild, masculine young


    men that Ste likes.He was not sure whether Ste liked him or not, but he could tell that Ste liked


    his face.


    Evidence of this was that Ste''s favorite position was the missionary position.


    While I they were doing it, her gaze would be fixed on him unwaveringly.


    He could see the emotions and awe hidden in her eyes.


    He did not like how she was distracted by his superficial appearance, yet he repeatedly used it to


    seduce her.


    Even his appearance could no longer work in his favor now that they are divorced.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    With a frown on his face, Keegan called Wenham.


    Wenham had just gotten back from handling thepany''s overseas affairs a few I days ago.


    He had just gotten home the moment Keegan called.


    "Uncle Wenham.It''s me, Keegan."


    Wenham was rather fond of Keegan.


    After all, he watched him grow up as he was the son of a good friend from his school days.


    "Oh, hi Keegan.I was just about to call you these few days, but you beat me to it,""


    Wenham responded.


    "I just returned two days ago from a business trip to handle some matters.When are you free? I''ll


    arrange a time to hold a weing dinner for you."


    "There''s no rush for it.I''m quite busy these two days.I''ll personally visit your grandmother and have a


    get-together once I''m done with my job."


    Keegan replied, "Alright.You can contact me beforehand if you n to visit."


    "Did you call me just for this?"


    "There''s another thing."


    Keegan paused before he resumed.He asked in a low voice, "Does Trevor have a girlfriend?"


    "Oh.Well, he''s single alright," Wenham sighed.


    "He''s not young anymore.And, he didn''t seem anxious to find one either.I''m getting angry just


    mentioning it."


    Keegan pursed his lips.


    "Uncle Wenham, I''m actually familiar with some eligible youngdies.I can introduce them to him if he


    doesn''t have a girlfriend.Who knows, maybe he''ll find someone he likes."


    This immediately piqued Wenham''s interest.So, he asked, "What family are these youngdies from?


    How old are they? Do you have any pictures of them?"


    "I''ll have someone sort it out and send them to youter.That way, you can help screen them too."


    "I trust in your taste."


    Keegan replied indifferently, But, it depends on Trevor''s preferences."


    Shortly after the call ended, Keegan sent several youngdies'' profiles from prestigious families to


    Wenham.


    They were all from impressive educational backgrounds and were all beautiful.


    Wenham was pleased with every one of them.


    Trevor came home with his pork meat with rice and saw Wenham sitting on the couch, smiling at his


    phone.

 Chapter 504

    Chapter 504


    Chapter 504


    "What are you looking at that made you so happy?"


    Trevor put his food on the coffee table, took off his coat, and casually threw it on the couch.


    Then, he sat at the chair next to Wenham and drank the water on the coffee table before he asked, "I


    haven''t seen you smile since thest time you came back.What could have made you so happy?"


    Wenham was in his fifties with white hair at his temples and wrinkles at the corner of his eyes.His sharp


    eyebrows and bright eyes still showed some youthful vigor of his younger days.


    However, he had put on some weight as he aged.


    However, it was not noticeable because he was tall and had broad shoulders.


    Trevor had his father''s eyes, but his other features resembled his mother''s.


    "Come and take a look," Wenham hailed.


    "Take a look at them.Do you like any one of them?"


    "What''s this?"


    Trevor went over, and the corner of his mouth twitched.


    Wenham had just shown him information about a bunch of youngdies of prominent families.


    "How about this one? She''s a postgraduate, and she looks really pretty with big eyes.What do you


    think?"


    Trevor leaned back.


    "I''m not interested."


    "Okay, then what about this one? She''s fluent in fournguages.


    Plus, she knows how to ride a horse.


    Didn''t you mention that you have no one to ride horses with you? This one is good."


    Trevor pressed his temple and said, "Have you finished the matters in thepany? Why do you have


    the leisure to worry about this?"


    "Keegan rmended them to you.He''s so thoughtful and had his best interest in mind.He introduced


    all these nice girls, so you couldn''t possibly let his kindness go to waste.They''re all great, in my


    opinion.Why not approach them all? Who knows? Maybe you''ll I _ find the one you like."


    Trevor knitted his brows.


    "Did you say Keegan introduced all of them to you?"


    Wenham corrected, "It''s for you."


    Trevor was quiet for a moment.


    He thought in his heart, ''Has Keegan gone crazy? Why would he introduce women to me all of a


    sudden? And, why did he go through my dad instead of me? If Keegan was sincere about finding me a


    girlfriend, shouldn''t he approach me first? If I said I wasn''t interested, my dad would''ve thought that I


    lied to him and arranged even more meetings.


    Did I recently offend this guy?'' Trevor was lost in his thought before he remembered that there was a


    Bentley behind him when he was sending Ste home today.He did not bother since he knew it was


    Vermont''s car.


    Just as he sent Ste off, he was arranged for a blind date by Keegan.


    ''Had Keegan taken a liking to Ste now?'' Trevor put that all together and burst outughing when he


    realized the situation.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡®Well, didn''t you let her leave with nothing? Take it easy if you have the guts to do so," Trevor thought.


    His fingers lightly tapped on the couch and softly said, "Alright.I naturally wouldn''t let Keegan down


    since he introduced them to me.I''ll find time to meet up with these girls."


    Wenham was ted.


    "You should''ve thought like this earlier.If you dy any longer, even Keegan would have a grown-up


    child by then."


    ¡®Grown-up child, my foot.That shithead is already divorced! Who would have given birth to his child?''


    Trevor contemted.


    Wenham only then noticed the pork loin with rice on the table.


    "Jaylene doesn''t like pork loin."


    "It''s not for her," Trevor said gently.


    "I gave Ms.Jewell a ride home just now.While she was buying one for herself, she bought one for me


    too."


    Wenham asked, "Does Ms.Jewell like pork loin with rice?"


    "I think so."


    Wenham chuckled and said lowly, "Your mom enjoys pork loin with rice too.Ms.Jewell and our family


    appear to have a very special fate."


    Trevor raised the corner of his lips and said, "It''s fate, alright.You''ll definitely like her when you meet her


    tomorrow."

 Chapter 505

    Chapter 505


    Chapter 505 "Like who?"


    Jaylene asked as she walked down the stairs.She wore a beige cotton dress with a high ponytail,


    shuffling down in slippers.


    Jaylene had poor health at birth and grew slower than people of her same age.


    But, she looked perfectly fine after years of pampering by the Saun family.She had a slender figure.


    Her facial features were not striking, but they were not nd either.


    She was quite attractive even without her makeup.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Trevor stood up and asked, "Are you done with your drawings?"


    "Not yet.I heard both of you talking, so I came down to take a look, " Jaylene replied.


    She then saw the lunch box on the table and eximed with delight, "What food did you bring back this


    time?"


    Without waiting for Trevor''s reply, she opened the lunch box.


    Her slender eyebrows narrowed when she saw that it was pork loin with rice.


    "Trevor, I thought you knew I don''t like this."


    Trevor preempted before Wenham could exin that it was given by Ste.


    "This is for dad.You could ask the housemaid to make what you want to eat."


    Wenham only then kept quiet.


    Jaylene heard that it was for Wenham and spoke up.


    "Dad, you have high blood pressure.The doctor said you have to avoid eating greasy food."


    Wenhamughed awkwardly and said, "Pork loins aren''t greasy.Besides, it''s just this once.It''s not a big


    deal."


    Jaylene added, "Well, then eat up.We won''t be able to help you cover up if mom finds out."


    In truth, Jaylene did not mind pork loin with rice.


    However, her mom hated it.


    Her mom does not eat it and did not like them eating it as well.


    "Alright," Wenham replied.


    After Ste had finished her work in the production set the next day, she went home to change her


    clothes before heading out to her meeting.


    She rummaged through her wardrobe and chose a light blue dress.She still had to pay attention to her


    appearance while dining with elders.


    So, she applied light makeup, and Trevor called her when she was changing her shoes.


    "Ms.Jewell, are you ready?"


    Ste was taken aback.


    ''How did he know that I was home getting ready?"


    Trevor immediately exined, ''''I called Daniel just now, and he mentioned that you had already gone


    home.Come down if you''re ready.I''ll be waiting for you outside."


    Before Ste could think of the words to reject him, Trevor hung up the phone.


    Ste thought in her heart, ¡®This boss is a little too enthusiastic."


    Ste slipped on her shoes, grabbed her bag, and went out.


    Sure enough, Trevor was outside waiting for her in the same Maybach he used to drive her back home


    yesterday.He was standing next to the car with his hands in his pocket, wearing sunsses.He was


    propping one foot against the tire as he stared nkly ahead.


    When Trevor saw her, he smirked and pulled his hands out from his pocket to open the passenger seat


    for her.


    Ste thanked him and got into the car.


    After the car started, Ste said, "Mr.Saun, there''s no need for you to fetch me.I have my own car."


    "I was just passing by.The gas prices are pretty high these days.Didn''t you leave the marriage with


    nothing? Well, it''s always good to save some money."


    What Trevor said made sense, and Ste could not argue with it.


    Trevor''s enthusiasm had, at one point, made Ste suspect that he was trying to take advantage of her.


    However, he had never made any inappropriate moves toward her.


    Their conversations were mostly about her childhood, and he seemed genuinely interested in them.


    Since Ste had signed a contract with him, she felt obligated to talk to him.


    Therefore, they were chatting about random topics along the way.


    Once they reached The Deli, Trevor stepped out of the car and opened Ste''s door.


    Keegan, who just got out of his car, saw that Trevor was holding Ste''s hand and leading her out of


    the car.

 Chapter 506

    Chapter 506


    Chapter 506


    Ste wore a light blue dress, and she had an outstanding temperament.She had a smile on her face


    and a gentle look in her eyes.


    ''Her smile is still so attractive, but it''s no longer facing me," thought Keegan.


    Keegan clutched his hands.He followed them without waiting for Aldor to get down the car.


    "Trevor."


    Trevor paused after he heard him.He turned his head and saw Keegan walking toward him with a tense


    expression.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Although Keegan was calling Trevor, his gaze remained on Ste.


    Ste frowned at the sight of Keegan.


    But, despite Trevor being there, she just pursed her lips and remained silent.


    "Mr.Kane.What a coincidence.Are you here to dine as well?"


    Trevor had a half-smile on his face.He changed his address of Keegan to Mr.Kane, which distanced


    their rtionship.


    Keegan pursed his lips and said softly, "I''m here with a client.Mr.Saun, what are you here for?"Trevor''s


    hand was lightly around Ste''s waist.He raised the corner of his lips and replied, "I''m here with


    Ms.Jewell."


    Keegan was speechless.He stared at Trevor''s hand that was ced on Ste''s waist, wishing that he


    could rip his hand off.He asked in a serious tone, "When did you get so close to my wife?"


    The corner of Ste''s eye twitched.


    ''Wife? Was I not clear enough yesterday? When did Keegan be so thick-skinned?'' Trevor gave a


    faint smile.


    "Mr.Kane.If I''m not mistaken, you are divorced.It''s quite detrimental to a woman''s reputation if you keep


    calling her your wife.Ms.Jewell is now my artist.I wouldn''t like to have any unfounded rumors about her


    that could ruin my artist before she''s famous.It would affect my business."


    Keegan''s eyes darkened.


    "You signed with him?"


    Keegan was obviously asking Ste.Ste gave him an indifferent nce.


    "I left with nothing, and I''m in need of money currently.What''s wrong with signing with Mr.Saun, who


    offered me a high price?" Keegan stifled a choke and furrowed his brows.


    "If you want to act, I can find resources for you.You don''t have to sign with others and be constrained


    by them."


    "And, if I signed with you, wouldn''t I be subjected to your constraints?" Ste retorted indifferently.


    "Or, does Mr.Kane have an interest in keeping actresses under your wings? First, you promoted


    Ms.Young, and now your own ex-wife? If I signed with you, would I need to be at your beck and call,


    avable any time to please you?"


    Keegan frowned.


    "Why did youpare yourself with her? You''re not the same as her.I would give you resources-"


    willingly, he said.


    "Yeah, I''m different." Ste faked a smile and interrupted him.


    "After all, when Mr.Kane''s former mother-inw passed away, Mr.Kane still had the mood to be all


    lovey-dovey with Ms.Young at the airport.I''m just an ex-wife with nothing left.What qualifications did I


    havepared to her?"


    Keegan frowned with confusion.He did not understand what Ste meant by saying that he was at the


    airport acting all lovey-dovey.


    However, it was not hard to sense her anger and resentment.


    When Keegan was about to exin, Trevor chipped in.


    "No wonder Mr.Kane is always so concerned about Ms.Young.So, she''s the apple of your eyeIf


    Mr.Kane had already gotten a new lover, why don''t you stop bothering our artist? Our artist is different


    from Ms.Young, which is an artist who likes to go down the road of hype."


    Keegan''s brow knitted.


    "Trevor, stop poking your nose in our business! This is our personal matter.You have no right to butt in."


    "I don''t think there''s still any personal matters we can talk about."Ste''s face turned cold.


    "Was leaving with nothing not enough for you? Is Mr.Kane offending my boss to make me lose my job


    too? Are you so displeased with my improving life?"


    Seeing the annoyance and rage in Ste''s eyes, Keegan''s anger was put off.He pursed his lips with


    grievance and whispered, "That''s not what I meant."

 Chapter 507

    Chapter 507


    Chapter 507


    A gentle feminine voice called out from afar. ¡°Mr. Kane.¡± Ste looked up coldly and saw Be in a pink


    dress, radiating luxury appearing on the scene. She walked over with a smile. ¡°Mr. Saun. You¡¯re here


    too?¡± Her gaze lightly passed Ste, and her lips curved. ¡®Hi, Ms. Jewell.¡±


    Keegan frowned and wondered, ¡®Why is she here?*


    Ste remained calm andposed, but she gripped her fingers tightly. She naturally heard the


    emphasis in Be¡¯s pronunciation and understood the gloating and satisfaction in Be¡¯s voice when


    she called her ¡°Ms. Jewell¡±.


    She understood why Be got carried away. After all, she left with nothing when Keegan and her


    divorced. After years of resentment, Be could finally find an opportunity to vent her petty annoyance.


    Be could not help but be triumphant in front of Ste.


    ¡°I heard that Ms. Jewell¡¯s mother passed away a while ago. I wasn¡¯t in Rivera at that time. I feel so


    sorry for not being there and offer my condolences. But, it looks like Ms.


    Jewell had ovee the pain of losing her mother. Time truly heals.¡±


    Darkness crossed Ste¡¯s eyes. Ste¡¯s mother had just been gone for more than a week, and to say


    she moved on was like a dagger through her heart.


    ¡°It¡¯s really a pity, Ms. Young. How about kneeling for a few hours at grave number 174 at Northern


    Suburbs Cemetery to express your condolences? Let¡¯s not be all talks. You should put it into action.


    Who knows? Maybe my mom would be so happy that she thank you personally at night.¡±


    The corner of Be¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡®How could she say such insidious things with a straight face?


    They are already divorced, but she still has a sharp tongue. Is this her way of finally letting loose after


    all those years of holding back?¡¯


    Be forced a smile. ¡°You sure know how to joke.¡± She then turned the conversation to Trevor. ¡°I heard


    Mr. Saun had just returned to Rivera a few months ago. Is this your first time at this restaurant? I¡¯m a


    regr, so I¡¯m quite familiar with their signature dishes. Plus, I¡¯m pretty close with the owners here. If


    you don¡¯t mind, we could share a table. I can introduce you to the local specialties.¡±


    Trevor zed at Be indifferently. He was not familiar with her, but for the past month, they had been


    frequently ¡°bumping into¡± each other. Elegant Media had no rtions with Be at all. So, she did put in


    quite the effort into frequently running into him. However, Trevor was aware of what Be was up to.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Be¡¯s contract with Mount Olive Entertainment was ending, and she was looking for a newpany.


    Be was not a great actress, but she had big ambitions. Although


    Elegant Media was a newpany, it was backed by the deep-pocketed Saun family.


    Along with that, they were currently recruiting talents. If she signed with Elegant Media now, with her


    current aplishments, thepany would obviously give her the best resources. With that, it was


    sooner orter that she would grow in her career.


    She created these ¡°casual encounters¡± to leave Trevor with a good impression of her. She wanted


    Elegant Media to take the initiative to offer her an olive branch. However, it was too bad that she


    miscalcted.


    Elegant Media had gotten Daniel Woods to lead their first series. Trevor was not nning to promote


    his artists through clout. Therefore, he would naturally not take in


    Be, an artist who clout chased. Besides that, Ste did not seem to like Be very much. With that in


    mind, Trevor replied, ¡°I appreciate it. But, I¡¯m taking Ms. Jewell to meet my parents, and we prefer no


    outsiders present. I see that Mr. Kane is free. So, why don¡¯t you join him?¡±

 Chapter 508

    Chapter 508


    Chapter 508


    Keegan was stupefied. His face did not hide the shock and anxiousness that suddenly sprung up from


    the bottom of his heart. Be was stunned as well and immediately asked, ¡°Visit whose parents?¡±


    ¡°My parents, of course,¡± Trevor said with a happy face. ¡°We have known each other for some time, so


    it¡¯s about time she meets my parents.Otherwise, they might think that I¡¯m single and find more potential


    partners for me.¡±


    Ste was startled. The way Trevor answered may have saved her face, but it felt weirding from


    him. Be could not believe her eyes. ¡°Mr. Saun, do you actually mean it when you say that you are


    bringing her to meet your parents?¡±


    Trevor shot a nce at her, ¡°Is it that astonishing?¡±


    ¡°¡­A little.¡± Be clenched her fingers and said in a low voice, ¡°Ms. Jewell divorced not long ago and is


    already meeting up with your parents now. Isn¡¯t things going a little too fast?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright. It¡¯s not good to wait even a moment longer if you have met the right person. I originally


    thought I might not have a chance anymore, so I have to thank Mr. Kane who could not be any blinder


    to her worth.¡± Trevor paused and put up a smile.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, I am grateful for this chance. I¡¯ll send you a wedding invitation when we tie the knot.¡±


    Ste just stood there with a poker face while Trevor was talking nonsense. His acting was spot on.


    When he was saying ¡°if we tie the knot¡±, he even looked affectionately at her, as if he had already fallen


    head over heels for her. Keegan¡¯s face, right at that moment, contorted beyond belief. With bloodshot


    eyes and clenched teeth, he asked


    Ste, ¡°Is what he said all true?¡±


    Ste somehow felt an indescribable panic and disappointment in his eyes when he asked that


    question. She discarded that thought as soon as it surfaced in her mind.


    ¡¯Why would Keegan be sad? On what ground should he be sad when all that has happened was


    caused by him? If that was the case, it was because I¡¯ve hurt his reputation by having another potential


    mate right after our divorce and nothing else.¡¯


    ¡°No matter the truth, does that have anything to do with you anymore?¡± Ste nced at him


    indifferently, not wanting to stay there a moment longer. She did not want to see both Be and


    Keegan. It was even worse when they were both together.


    She could not help but remember the scene of Keegan being by Be¡¯s side during the funeral at


    Rivera. Ste, not looking at him a moment longer, turned her head toward Trevor and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go


    inside, Mr. Saun.¡±


    Upon seeing Keegan¡¯s breakdown, Trevor smiled and said to Ste, ¡°What do you say we grab some


    mango pudding after the meal?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. I¡¯d like that.¡±


    Their voices trailed further and further away, but Keegan was still standing at the same spot with his


    bloodshot eyes. Keegan would naturally not believe Trevor¡¯s act.


    He was more disappointed with Ste for not refuting anything he had said. Although he did not believe


    that Ste would be into Trevor, he did not want to helplessly see


    Ste meet Trevor¡¯s parents and do nothing at all. ¡®What happens if Trevor likes her, even if she


    doesn¡¯t reciprocate? Ste is beautiful, very good with her words, filial, and even saved Jaylene¡¯s life


    before. The Saun family does not have a reason to dislike her at all.¡¯ He scowled at the sight of the two


    figures walking away and lifted his legs to keep up with them.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Seeing that Keegan was about to leave, Be quickly pulled on his hand. ¡¯ Mr. Kane¡­¡±


    She just touched his hand but was immediately shaken off. Keegan frowned and asked impolitely,


    ¡°What?¡±


    Be was shocked, retracted her finger, and whispered, ¡°Mr. Kane, would you kindly help me? There is


    this very thornywsuit of mine. Thewyer that the other party hired ispetent and will be very


    disadvantageous for my career if I lost thewsuit. Please help me, Mr. Kane.¡±


    However, Keegan stared at her coldly. ¡°Our contract has ended.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Be whispered. ¡°I have no other choice but to look for you. Thewyer the other party hired


    is your good friend, Mr. Moore. And, he had no previous record of losing such cases. So, I¡¯m really


    worried¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s your problem,¡± said Keegan indifferently.


    ¡°Would you even be afraid of people trying to sue you if your actions are just?¡±

 Chapter 509

    Chapter 509


    Chapter 509


    He halted the conversation right then, turned around, and headed into The Deli. Be¡¯s expression


    turned gloomy. ¡®Having been used to the core, I¡¯ve already lost all usefulness to Keegan, yet he had not


    shown a single interest in our rtionship for the past few years. I¡¯ve worked so hard to climb to this


    position. And, what is it about


    Ste? What am Icking, and what does she have that made her so quickly to be able to find such a


    good man like Trevor the instant she was divorced?¡¯ Still sulking, she took out her phone and dialed a


    number. When the call was connected, she said in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s me, Be.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Before the person on the other end could respond, Be continued, ¡°I¡¯ve done it as you said, yet


    Keegan did not respond. You have to help me.¡±


    Once they were in the elevator, Ste said, ¡°Mr. Saun, thank you for helping me out.¡± Trevor smiled and


    said, ¡°I didn¡¯t really do it just to help you. He blocked my way, so I had to get him back.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°He thought there was something going on between the two of us, but my father had a lot of profiles of


    socialites and is already preparing matchmaking sessions for me.¡±


    Ste was dumbfounded.


    ¡°Since he¡¯s not budging, then don¡¯t mind me for being ruthless,¡± Trevor said with his upturned lips. ¡°Did


    you see his face just now? I was afraid that he might break down from all the rage.¡±


    Ste was speechless. Then, she said, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking this.¡±


    ¡®Keegan will definitely not have a breakdown. A mutt will break down crying well before he even would!


    Not to mention an ex-wife that no longer has anything to do with him,¡¯ Ste thought.


    Once they got off the elevator, a waiter guided them over to a private cubicle. When they were arriving


    at the cubicle, Ste turned nervous instead. She unconsciously tightened her hands when Trevor


    opened the door.


    ¡°I¡¯ve brought her with me, Father, Darcie.¡±


    He side-stepped after greeting them, revealing Ste whose eyes were downcast as she warmly said,


    ¡°Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Saun.¡±


    Wenham was startled when he saw her, not hiding his face full of astonishment. Her long hair was tied


    back in a ponytail. With her minimal makeup and picturesque eyebrows, she could not hide her


    stunning beauty even with her downcast eyes.


    Words could not leave Wenham¡¯s throat as he gawked at her. Darcie said with a smile, ¡°Trevor, is this


    Ms. Jewell that you have mentioned before? You look familiar. Come have a seat.¡±


    Wenham only recovered from his daze after Darcie spoke, and he immediately added,


    ¡°Right, please let Ms. Jewell in.¡±


    He then continued, ¡°Trevor, help Ms. Jewell order a few more dishes she likes.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± said Ste in a low tone. ¡°The dishes that were ordered are more than


    enough, and I¡¯m not really hungry.¡±


    Trevor replied, ¡°I¡¯ve already asked Ms. Jewell beforehand, and the ones you guys ordered are all her


    favorite.¡±


    Wenham arched his brows and said, ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡±


    He continued by introducing his family to Ste. ¡°This is my wife, Darcie.


    And, this is my daughter, Jaylene, who is almost the same age as you, and there¡¯s


    Trevor, who needs no introductions since you¡¯re familiar with him by now.¡±


    Ste nodded her head at them when Wenham introduced his family individually. She had a little


    impression of Jaylene as she has seen her before. But, this was the first time she met Wenham and


    Darcie.


    ¡®Trevor called his mother ¡°Darcie¡± instead of ¡°mother¡± just when we entered the cubicle. Is she not Mr.


    Saun¡¯s first wife?¡¯


    She was still deep in her own thoughts when there was a knock on the door from behind her, and the


    door opened. She assumed that it was the waiter. However, right at the next moment, Keegan¡¯s voice


    could be heard.¡¯ Hi, Uncle Wenham.¡±

 Chapter 510

    Chapter 510


    Chapter 510


    Ste¡¯s eyes suddenly jumped out of their sockets. Wenham, on the other hand, was ted and he


    hurriedly greeted. ¡°Keegan, why are you here?¡±


    Keegan lifted up the two bottles of white wine in his hands and politely said, ¡°I heard that Trevor invited


    you over for a meal, so I had toe to bring these two bottles of white wine.¡±


    Trevor twitched and thought, ¡®What an extraordinary excuse.¡¯ Wenham may not be a drunkard, but he


    still loved to drink. He was not used to drinking spirit and red wine was too mild for him. That was why


    he deeply loved to drink white wine. Having been overseas for some time and having a wife that was


    worried about his drinking habits, he rarely had the chance to enjoy locally produced white wine. His


    desire for wine was instantly reignited when Keegan brought two bottles of wine from his favorite brand


    when he was younger. He could not order wine since Darcie would forbid it, but the wine Keegan


    brought over is another matter entirely.


    The moment Wenham saw Keegan with the bottle, he was overjoyed. He said to Keegan, ¡°Silly child,


    why are you being so formal?¡±


    At the same time, he ordered Trevor, ¡°Trevor, why are still sitting there? Quickly help take the wine.¡±


    Trevor sluggishly stood up, walked toward Keegan, received the two bottles of wine, nced at him


    indifferently, and said, ¡°Mr. Kane, didn¡¯t you invite someone over for a meal? You can leave now.¡¯


    He intentionally implied that the wine had been well received and that Keegan should just leave


    immediately. Wenham, who did not realize what his son was implying, asked, ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve invited


    guests over, Keegan? I thought you could join us over a few sses of wine.¡±


    Keegan said with a poker face. I¡¯ve invited them, but they couldn¡¯t attend. And, the dishes I ordered


    can¡¯t be refunded, so I¡¯ll get someone to bring the dishes over here instead.¡±


    Since Wenham overheard their conversation, he warmly said, ¡°My son ordered a little too much. Since


    the person you¡¯ve invited could note, why not join us for this meal?¡±


    Keegan immediately replied, ¡°Okay. Sorry for barging into your meal.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Trevor¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡®How is Keegan so shameless? Is his face made with reinforced brick or


    something? Others were just being courteous, yet he dared to barge in.¡¯


    Wenham immediately called for an additional seat and a new set of dining utensils for Keegan.


    Wenham and Darcie sat next to each other while Jaylene sat next to Darcie. Meanwhile, Trevor was


    next to Wenham. Ste was sitting between the Saun siblings but was a little closer to Trevor. The


    space between Ste and Jaylene was justrge enough to fit another person.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    When the waiter finally came with the chair, Keegan ced the chair directly in between Ste and


    Trevor and sat down. He did not care that the space was too narrow.


    The atmosphere turned awkward with the three of them squeezing at one corner of the table.


    Ste¡¯s brows twitched. ¡®Is Keegan doing this on purpose? With this distance, my hand will easily bump


    into him.¡¯


    Wenham, however, was still oblivious to the awkward atmosphere going on between the three of them.


    He felt that they were sitting too close to each other and said,


    ¡°Keegan, why don¡¯t you sit next to Jaylene since it¡¯s more spacious there.¡± Keegan tly said, ¡°I¡¯m


    comfortable here. It¡¯s been some time since I¡¯ve seen Trevor, and I want to better our rtionship.¡±


    Trevor¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡®This mutt. Who are you trying to deceive with that obvious lie of yours?¡¯

 Chapter 511

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    Chapter 511


    Wenham did not say anything further after Keegan¡¯s reply. He was satisfied to see the close


    rtionship between Trevor and Keegan. He knew that Keegan was more practical and hardworking,


    unlike his quirky son whose head was always in the clouds. So, he was naturally happy about the close


    ties between them. He hoped that


    Keegan¡¯s good traits would rub off on his son even a little.


    Ste silently shifted her seat slightly toward Jaylene. Wenham was overjoyed and started babbling to


    Keegan about Ste¡¯s attempt to save Jaylene. He even exaggerated a little. Darcie, at the side,


    amusedly said, ¡¯ Keegan knows more than you think. After all, he is married to Ms. Jewell. How would


    he not know?¡±


    When that was said, everyone became restless. The younger generations knew about Keegan and


    Ste¡¯s divorce. They were all in the same social clique, and the news was quickly shared around once


    Ste¡¯s group chat posted it. Only those that were older like Darcie and Wenham did not know.


    Wenham was even more clueless about


    Ste being Keegan¡¯s ex- wife. Otherwise, he would not have happily rambled on to Keegan.


    Ste pursed her lips. She did not dare to bring up the divorce and embarrass the older Saun family


    couple for letting Keegan join them, knowing that they did not know about the divorce. Since Ste was


    silent about this, the Saun family siblings naturally did not dare to bring it up.


    Keegan would prefer everyone not to bring up the divorce since he regretted divorcing her in the first


    ce.


    That was why he interjected after Darcie and said, ¡°And, I hope she would worry about herself before


    anything else, no matter the asion.¡±


    He knew that whatever he said right now may be tuned out by Ste, but he truly meant what he said.


    He was worried for her ever since he knew that Ste dangerously scaled along the outer wall of the


    twelfth floor from thedy¡¯s washroom to the men¡¯s. There was literally no chance of survival if a slip-up


    happened from such a high up height, especially when no safety harness was used. He would rather


    have her standing idly by and not brave the danger.


    Wenham may not realize what Keegan meant but Darcie did. She raised her eyes and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s


    why Ms. Jewell is brave and astute.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Wenham pitched in, feeling utmost grateful. ¡°It¡¯s thanks to Ms. Jewell¡¯s quick actions, or


    else the consequences will be quite ghastly. Jaylene, You have to properly thank Ms. Jewell for this.¡±


    Jaylene softly said, ¡°Is there even a need to say that, father?¡±


    After she said that, she turned to Ste and brought up her wine ss. ¡°Ms. Jewell, I should have


    personally thanked you for the incident at the hotel but was unable to due to my weak constitution. I


    hope you don¡¯t take the dy to heart. I wouldn¡¯t be here if it wasn¡¯t for your courage. I hope this


    simple meal of ours is to your liking.¡±


    Ste held her wine ss in response and politely smiled. ¡°Ms. Saun, you¡¯re exaggerating. You don¡¯t


    have to be so formal over such a small matter. Besides, we wouldn¡¯t have been locked in the restroom


    if Aurora hadn¡¯t pulled a prank on me that day. In a way, it could be counted me as making up to you


    since I may have caused trouble to you.¡±


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The Saun family¡¯s gratefulness did not matter to Ste. She just wanted Aurora to take the me.


    Wenham frowned and said, ¡°Are you saying Aurora intentionally did that?¡±


    Ste said with her eyes down. ¡°Aurora¡¯s target was me, but she did not know that Ms. Saun was in


    there as well. It was just an ident.¡±


    Ste may have said it sincerely, but in her heart, she sneered to herself,¡¯ Doesn¡¯t Keegan like to clean


    up after Aurora¡¯s mess? I¡¯ll see how much more he can handle.¡¯

 Chapter 512

    Chapter 512


    Chapter 512


    Wenham¡¯s expression suddenly turned grim, as he was oblivious to the mastermind of the incident.


    Keegan looked toward Ste, but her poker face remained and she did not look back. She was waiting


    to see how Keegan would cover for Aurora. Sure enough, Keegan responded without wasting another


    second. ¡°Uncle Wenham, this matter was truly caused by Aurora. The fault is on our part for not


    disciplining her. I¡¯ll make sure she personallyes and apologize for the trouble she caused.¡±


    Ste was astonished. She was hoping that Keegan would stand up for Aurora. She did not expect he


    would admit Aurora¡¯s wrongdoing so straightforwardly. ¡®Is he trying to feint ignorance?¡¯ she thought.


    Since Keegan had apologized, Wenham did not try to shame Keegan in front of everyone anymore. He


    said with a frown, ¡°Aurora is too disrespectful. Jaylene¡¯s issue aside, she shouldn¡¯t have locked Ms.


    Jewell in thedies¡¯ room just because they were at odds with each other. How was she even brought


    up?¡±


    Keegan scowled and said, ¡°Our family has given too much leeway to her.¡±


    Darcie, realizing that the conversation became stiff, warmly said, ¡°Let bygone be bygones. Let¡¯s talk


    about something happy.¡±


    Ste looked at Darcie in surprise. ¡®From how Trevor and Jaylene called Darcie, Jaylene should be


    Darcie¡¯s biological daughter. The Saun family patriarch and heir treated Jaylene like a treasure. On the


    other hand, her mother is quite open-hearted. Despite that, one word from Darcie is enough for


    Wenham to drop the case with thetter grunting ¡°Outrageous¡±.¡¯


    Ste was slightly disappointed that her provocation had failed but was d to know that the Saun


    family was quite cultured. If the roles were reversed, she would have already sought vengeance. She


    lifted her ss and said to Jaylene, ¡°Ms. Saun, you should use an alternative and not push yourself too


    hard with the alcohol. Here¡¯s a toast to you.¡± She downed the ss as she finished speaking.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡°I like your straightforward attitude, Ms. Jewell.¡± Trevor smiled and poured Ste another ss. ¡°This


    ss is for the sessful signing of the contract.¡±


    Ste did not reject and reciprocated Trevor¡¯s toast. Trevor, who was surprised to find out that Ste


    could hold her ground even after two sses of white wine, poured her another ss. Without waiting


    for her response, Keegan interjected. ¡°I¡¯ll drink to you in her stead. She¡¯s a light drinker.¡±


    Ste was bbergasted. ¡®He can¡¯t even handle two sses worth of wine, yet he dares to say I can¡¯t


    handle alcohol?!¡¯


    Not waiting for her to speak up, Trevor interjected. ¡°If it¡¯s toasting between men, we¡¯ll use the mug


    instead.¡± Picking up the mug as he finished speaking, he poured Keegan a mugful of white wine and


    said, ¡°Here¡¯s to our reunion.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eye twitched from seeing the white wine in front of him.


    Ste frowned. Aren¡¯t Trevor and Keegan friends? Why is he toasting to Keegan as if he hates him?


    Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because Keegan introduced to him a girlfriend.


    Will Keegan ever get up if he drinks the wine?¡¯


    Ste lowered her eyes, and her fingers slowly stroked the chopsticks, not uttering a sound. Wenham


    immediately brought up his own mug. ¡°Here, let me toast to you as well.¡±

 Chapter 513

    Chapter 513


    Chapter 513


    Keegan was definitely ashamed to reject it since Wenham said so. Thus, he picked up the mug, moved


    his Adam¡¯s apple, then raised his eyes and said, ¡°Feel free to drink as much as you like.¡± Keegan


    gulped down the drink as he spoke.


    The ss was at least 300 milliliters, and Trevor filled up the ss for him. It was at least half a pound.


    Keegan could even get drunk with red wine, and Ste had never seen him drink white wine. He could


    not hold red wine, let alone white wine. For others, drinking was enjoyment, but it was purely suffering


    for Keegan.


    When Keegan finished the ss of wine, his first reaction was to pick up another ss and drink some


    water. He drank half of it in one go.


    Ste was left speechless. ¡®Sometimes, I don¡¯t know if I should say he¡¯s a fool or just stupid. Don¡¯t force


    yourself when you can¡¯t drink. Just spit the wine from your mouth into the ss while you¡¯re drinking


    water. Doesn¡¯t he know how to act in a slick way?¡¯


    Ste did not know Keegan grew up in an environment where no one dared to drink him under the


    table, so he did not need to know how to avoid it.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Ste was different. She was basically a drunkard. When Ste was in university, she got half of the


    boys in her ss down with drinks by herself. It was not only because she could hold her liquor well but


    also because she was good at deception. Dribbling while drinking, spitting out the wine when


    pretending to drink water, spitting the wine out on a handkerchief with good absorbency that one


    carried while wiping their mouth, and so on.


    Ste had thought of all the ways to avoid being drunk. No one in this world could drink a thousand


    sses without getting drunk. If one did not get drunk, it was because the person only drank a little.


    The way that Keegan drank without wasting was something that Ste saw for the first time.


    Trevor could hold his liquor well, but he did not drink it all in a gulp. Seeing that Keegan had finished


    drinking, he filled another ss for him. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in a few years, and you have a great


    capacity for liquor now. Let¡¯s go for another one.¡±


    It was rare for Wenham to have someone to drink with him, so he reached out and wanted to pour


    himself another ss. But, before he touched the bottle, Darcie said,


    ¡°You¡¯re messing around with Trevor, and you even drank before you ate anything. Are we here to treat


    Ms. Jewell to dinner or watch the three of you drink?¡±


    Wenham nced at the wine in the ss greedily. He had no choice but to put down the ss. ¡°Trevor,


    let¡¯s eat. We¡¯ll drink while we have dinner.¡±


    Jaylene agreed and said, ¡°Trevor, Keegan can¡¯t hold his liquor well. So, stop teasing him.¡±


    Ste was startled for a moment. She then nced at Jaylene. ¡®Only those close to Keegan know that


    he has a poor capacity for liquor. How does Jaylene know he can¡¯t hold his liquor well?¡¯


    Just as Ste was about to think about it, she felt that she was crazy. How others know about it was


    none of her business.


    Everyone in the Saun family asked Trevor to stop, so he gave up. Ste nced at Keegan and saw


    that his ears were already a little red. However, his expression seemed normal, and he did not look


    drunk.


    Wenham was very talkative. He doted on Trevor and Jaylene very much, and the two siblings treated


    him with both respect and affection. This kind of family vibe was enviable.


    It was probably because Ste saved Jaylene that Wenham seemed very gentle to her. He kept asking


    about her family members and her work. He even changed the way he addressed Ste by her first


    name and excluded her title, Miss.


    ¡°Ste, here. Try this shrimp.¡± Wenham handed the peeled te of shrimp to Ste and softly said,


    ¡°Have some more.¡±


    Usually, no matter how caring he was for young ones, he would not peel a shrimp for them. He had


    never been this caring, even for Jaylene and Trevor. However, today, for some reason, he could not


    help but wanted to feed Ste while looking at her.


    Ste was ttered. She took it with both hands and softly said, ¡°Thank you, Uncle Wenham.¡±


    Keegan frowned. He turned, looked at the te of shrimp, and said, ¡°She likes to suck the vor out


    from the shrimp shells.¡±


    Ste was then speechless.

 Chapter 514

    Chapter 514


    Chapter 514


    As soon as Keegan spoke, Ste knew the bastard was drunk. This was the point that Keegan would


    bluff to people. As long as he was awake when he was drunk, he would look normal while he was


    sitting there without talking.


    Wenham obviously did not realize that and asked surprisingly, ¡°Really?¡± Ste frowned and said softly,


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him.¡±


    Keegan frowned and added, ¡°You told me that.¡±


    Ste was left speechless. She pursed her lips and decided not to answer. When Keegan was drunk,


    she could not continue to talk with him because no one knew what nonsense he would say next. So,


    the best way was to ignore it.


    Keegan stayed silent when he saw that Ste ignored him. He just kept putting unpeeled shrimp on her


    te. In a short while, the te in front of Ste was piled up into a hill. Everyone hardly touched the


    te of shrimp as Keegan put them on her te.


    Ste was speechless. She looked up at the four silent members of the Saun family and immediately


    felt that Keegan had embarrassed her badly.


    In the end, Wenham coughed dryly and said, ¡°Keegan, you sure know how to love your wife.¡±


    Keegan said softly, ¡°I always make her angry.¡±


    Wenham said with a smile, ¡°Well, it¡¯s normal for couples to quarrel. Which young couples don¡¯t have


    arguments? Your feelings will be stronger after the quarrel. You still have someone to quarrel


    with. Look at Trevor, who is as old as you. He¡¯s still single until now.¡±


    The corners of Trevor¡¯s eyes twitched. Why did I get dragged into this again?¡¯ Trevor thought.


    Keegan was very much in favor. ¡°He is not just single, but he also thinks about other people¡¯s wives.¡±


    Trevor almost spitted out the wine.


    Wenham was startled. ¡°Who did you say he was thinking about?¡±


    ¡°Think about my¡­ Uh!¡± Ste covered Keegan¡¯s mouth before he finished.


    ¡°Uncle Wenham, Aunt Darcie, let¡¯s call it a day. Keegan is drunk. I¡¯ll take him back.¡±


    ¡®This guy talks nonsense when he¡¯s drunk! If I covered his mouth a little slower, he might say


    something that shocked everyone!¡¯


    Wenham said after a dy, ¡°Okay. Let me ask Trevor to drive you two back.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. He drove here.¡± Ste pulled Keegan up and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go home. IV Keegan stood up with


    her honestly. He grasped her hand tightly and did not forget to say goodbye to the others when he went


    out.


    After Wenham saw them off, he sighed emotionally, ¡°Keegan has been married for so many years in


    the blink of an eye.¡± He then looked at Trevor. ¡°When will you bring back a girlfriend?¡±


    Trevor was left speechless. He got up and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to the restroom. ¡¯ Then, he escaped.


    Meanwhile, Wenham was angry. ¡°He ys dumb whenever I ask him to find a girlfriend!¡±


    Darcie said, ¡°You have been too easy on him when he was young. How can you control him now that


    he¡¯s all grown up?¡±


    Wenham snorted, ¡°If I knew that he was so disobedient, I would¡¯ve wanted more kids.¡± Darcie paused.


    ¡°You were not willing to have more children when you were young.¡±


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Wenham stopped and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m just saying. I¡¯ve been afraid of women giving birth the most my


    whole life.¡±


    Darcie said, ¡°Things aren¡¯t like it was back then. The medical advancements are better now, and


    childbirth isn¡¯t as dangerous as you think.¡±


    Wenham did not want to continue the topic. So, he turned to Jaylene and said,


    ¡°Jaylene, contact Ste more when you¡¯re free. Don¡¯t make others feel that the Saun family snubbed


    her.¡±


    Jaylene nodded and said, ¡°I got it, dad.¡±


    After getting out of the room, Ste wanted to shake off Keegan¡¯s hand as soon as they got in the


    elevator. However, he held it tight until she could not shake it off at all.

 Chapter 515

    Chapter 515


    Chapter 515


    ¡°Let me go!¡± Ste stared at Keegan.


    Instead of letting go, Keegan tightened his grip. ¡°Are you going to look for Trevor?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t care about who I¡¯m looking for. Ask Aldor to pick you up immediately!¡¯


    Keegan frowned. He ignored Ste¡¯s words automatically and said, ¡°Trevor is a sissy. Why do you like


    him?¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyelids twitched. Trevor is a sissy? When he is drunk, he not only talks nonsense but also


    starts rumors.¡¯


    Seeing that Ste did not respond, Keegan frowned and pinched her chin, ¡¯ Am I not as good as him?¡±


    Keegan was like a stubborn child who insisted on getting answers. Ste was a bit annoyed by his


    nonsense at the dinner table just now. So, she nced at him and said, ¡¯He¡¯s better than you in every


    aspect. You don¡¯t look as good as him, you¡¯re meaner than him, and you¡¯re very stingy. How can you


    compare to him?¡±


    Keegan stared at her nkly and seemingly unable to ept this answer. He asked after a long time,


    ¡°Am I stingy with you?¡±


    Of course, Keegan was not stingy with Ste. He never set any limits on his card for her and never


    asked how she spent or how much she spent. If Ste did not ask for his affection harshly, Keegan was


    a good marriage partner.


    However, when Ste thought of leaving the marriage with nothing, this advantage that Keegan had


    was not an advantage anymore. She nced at Keegan and said,


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you stingy by asking me to leave the marriage with nothing?¡±


    Ste was naturally not taking this incident to heart. It was her own choice to leave the marriage with


    nothing. She just wanted to take advantage of his drunkenness to work off her anger. No matter what,


    he would not remember anything when he woke up the next day.


    Keegan frowned. Suddenly, he took out his phone. Ste thought he was going to call Aldor, so she


    ignored it.


    They arrived downstairs in a while. After waiting for a long time without seeing Aldor,


    Ste turned her head and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you call Aldor?¡±


    Keegan shook his head.


    Keegan frowned and added, ¡°You told me that.¡±


    Ste took a deep breath. She then took out her phone and dialed Aldor¡¯s number.


    The phone rang for a while before Aldor answered. ¡¯Aldor, Keegan is drunk. We are at The Deli. Come


    over and pick him up.¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, I have something urgent to do and can¡¯t leave right now. Please help me bring Keegan back.¡±


    Aldor¡¯s voice was panting as if he was really busy.


    Ste pursed her lips and said, ¡°Aldor, we are already divorced. I have no obligation to take him back.¡±


    Aldor paused and said, ¡°Ste, please help me get a cab for Keegan and ask the driver to take him


    back to Royalpark Vi. I really can¡¯t leave right now.¡± He hung up the phone after speaking.


    The corner of Ste¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡®Aldor has a high sry, right? Is this how he usually works?¡¯


    Ste nced at the burden beside her that was holding her hand tightly. She called a cab with a sullen


    face.


    As soon as the cab arrived, Ste opened the door and tried to push Keegan in. However, she did not


    get in, and neither did Keegan. Ste was sweating all over, and she still could not get Keegan in.


    The driver was a bit anxious about the wait and frowned. ¡°Do you still want to get in the car?¡±


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Ste stared at Keegan, who was clinging like an octopus in front of her. She gritted her teeth and said,


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The cab took both of them to Royalpark Vi together immediately.


    After getting out of the cab, Ste paid the driver and asked him to wait for a moment for her. She


    would leave after she sent Keegan back.


    The housemaid seemed to be away from home, and the lights were not on.


    So, Ste entered the password to open the door and said to Keegan habitually,


    ¡°Change your shoes.¡¯


    She turned on the lights as she said that. As soon as the room lit up, Ste turned off the light


    immediately and thought, ¡®What¡¯s this!¡¯

 Chapter 516

    Chapter 516


    Chapter 516


    Ste thought she was dazzled. She waited for three seconds before turning on the light again.


    Immediately afterward, her eyes were blinded by the bright red banknotes all over the room.


    The floor was covered with stacks of banknotes and was at least a dozen centimeters thick. It extended


    from the entrance to the entire living room. There was even a three dimensional pyramid piled up with


    gold bars on the coffee table.


    Ste felt as if she had entered Rowan Steven¡¯s house, a drama character who epted bribes. If the


    police came to arrest her right now, she would be so frightened that her legs would be like jelly.


    Keegan wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. He ced his chin on her shoulder and


    whispered, ¡°Do you like it? These are all yours.¡±


    Ste was speechless. ¡®It¡¯s not that I¡¯m spineless. It¡¯s true that a person who is perfectly sane and


    sensible while looking at a room full of banknotes and gold bars is a saint. However, I¡¯m not a saint.¡¯


    ¡®Who is more generous, Trevor or me?¡±


    Ste was left speechless. After the shock, she finally regained her sanity. She thought about Keegan


    texting someone on his phone in the elevator after they talked.


    ¡®So, he was just preparing for this, right? Where did he withdraw so much money in the middle of the


    night? Does the bank belong to his family?¡¯


    Suddenly, Ste felt a little headache. She felt that Keegan was a little crazy, and it was even worse


    when he was drunk.


    ¡®Just because Iined about him being stingy, so he prepared me so much money? Is he showing


    off his wealth?¡¯


    Seeing that Ste did not respond, Keegan was a little unhappy. He wrapped her more tightly and said,


    ¡°I asked you a question. Trevor and me, who is more generous?¡±


    Ste had no doubts that if she said that Trevor was more generous, he would bring a lot of money


    back for her that instant. Ste then had a headache. ¡®If I knew about this, I would¡¯ve stopped him when


    Trevor got him drunk just now. Who knew that he would y tricks when he was drunk?¡¯


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    She said perfunctorily, ¡°You¡¯re more generous, okay?¡±


    Keegan was finally satisfied. He took her hand and said, ¡°Let the driver load it into the car. We¡¯ll save it


    in your card.¡±


    Ste quickly grabbed him and said, ¡°Let¡¯s do it tomorrow. It¡¯s veryte now.¡±


    ¡®If the driver saw it, he mighte up with something bad. He might silence the both of us. Being drunk


    not only messed him up, but it also made him lose his mind.¡¯ Ste took out her phone and called


    Aldor. Aldor, who answered the phone quickly earlier, refused to pick up the call immediately.


    Ste gritted her teeth and thought, ¡®Aldor is such a smart man. He might have brought all this money


    here. But, how can hee and get it if Keegan didn¡¯t say so?¡¯


    Ste could not get in touch with Aldor and was puzzled for a while.


    ¡®Not to mention that Keegan is holding me without letting me go. Even if I can leave, I¡¯m worried that a


    thief mighte in the middle of the night and kill Keegan, who has so much money.


    ¡®If I reach out to Cordelia, she might be shocked and may ask me a lot of questions. After all, I didn¡¯t


    even say goodbye to her after the divorce. As for Dahlia¡­¡¯ Ste paused for a while. Tm sure Dahlia


    will save all the money in the house on her card. Besides, she¡¯ll humiliate me. So, I¡¯ll never let Dahlia


    take advantage of it even though I have to burn all the money. Keegan, you bastard! You really know


    how to cause trouble for me!¡¯


    In the end, Ste called the driver and sent him away. She was thinking and worrying about what to do


    with the money while Keegan was still non-stop talking beside her.


    Keegan was being noisy for a long time, and he started to feel a little sleepy. However, he seemed to


    realize that as soon as he fell asleep, Ste would disappear immediately

 Chapter 517

    Chapter 517


    Chapter 517


    So, even if Keegan kept yawning, he still held Ste¡¯s hand tightly. Ste¡¯s arms were wet from the


    sweat of his palms. She could not help but say,¡± Go to bed if you¡¯re sleepy.¡±


    Keegan half-closed his eyes and said, ¡°I¡¯ll sleep when the money is saved on your card, or you¡¯ll have


    to leave again.¡±


    Ste was speechless. She said to herself, TH leave regardless if I save the money or not. We¡¯re


    already divorced. This ce is no longer my home.¡¯


    However, Ste did not say anything when she saw Keegan¡¯s stubbornness. Even if she had said


    something to him, he would not remember when he woke up.


    ¡°Ste.¡± Keegan hugged her,y on the pile of money, and called her softly. But, Ste said nothing.


    ¡°Ste.¡± Keegan could not get her response, so he called her again. Ste whispered, ¡°What?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fall in love with Trevor.¡± Keegan rubbed her neck and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll change what you think I¡¯m


    bad at, but I can¡¯t change my face. Look at me more frequently. It¡¯ll be pleasing to your eyes after you


    see it more.¡±


    As soon as Ste was slightly moved, Keegan continued, ¡°I used to think that you were not good-


    looking enough. Your eyes were not big enough, your nose was not straight enough, and your smile


    was weird. But, it looks like you¡¯re getting prettier after looking at you for a long time.¡±


    The corner of Ste¡¯s mouth twitched. Suddenly, she wanted to grab a wad of money and stuff it into


    Keegan¡¯s mouth. He nagged and whispered a lot in her ear. Ste could not remember clearly, but she


    was annoyed by his voice and fell asleep without even knowing.


    The money was good to look at but was ufortable to sleep on. Ste woke up the next day with


    the banknotes under her body. When she opened her eyes, she looked at the familiar ceiling and the


    room full of banknotes. It took Ste a few minutes to remember what had happenedst night.


    Keegan was still slumbering with his arms tightly around her waist. Ste took his hand away and


    looked at her phone. It was only after six o¡¯clock. She called Aldor, but he still did not answer.


    Ste estimated the time and felt that Keegan was about to wake up. So, she called Vermont. On the


    phone, she just told Vermont that something had happened to Keegan. She then asked him toe


    over and help deal with it.


    Vermont was still asleep at first. But, when he heard that Ste had spent the night with Keegan, he


    immediately regained his energy. He put on his clothes, cleaned up, and drove to Royalpark Vi.


    Keegan was woken up by the doorbell. He frowned and was very displeased for being woken up. It


    took him some time to sit up. When he sat up, he realized that he was not on the bed. He looked down


    at the ce and pursed his lips.


    Vermont yelled outside for a long time before Keegan came out to open the door.


    Vermont saw that Keegan was bleary-eyed and had not even changed his clothes. He immediately


    made up a drama and said with the corners of his lips curled up, ¡°You¡¯re amazing. I thought you would


    take some time, but you got her back quick.¡±


    Vermont then opened the door and walked in. ¡°Where is Ste? She said something happened to you


    here. What¡¯s going on¡­ Fucking hell!¡±


    Vermont stood on the porch, looked at the room full of banknotes, and shouted, ¡°Did you rob the bank


    last night?¡±


    Keegan rubbed his temples. The hangover gave him a severe headache.¡± Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Your wife¡­ Your ex-wife asked me toe here.¡± Vermont forced his eyes to shift away from the


    money. ¡°She called me after six o¡¯clock and said something happened to you. She asked me toe


    here and deal with it.¡±


    Vermont paused and continued, ¡°Was she talking about you robbing the bank?¡±


    Keegan ignored his words and frowned. ¡°Did Ste call you? Was she with mest night?¡±


    Vermont was left speechless.

 Chapter 518

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    Chapter 518


    ¡°What? You don¡¯t remember anything at all?¡±


    Keegan was massaging his temple.


    He tried to recall his memory but all that he could remember was that he hugged


    Ste and slept on this pile of money.


    He could vaguely remember what happened in between that. Thest thing he could recall clearly was


    giving Ste a piece of shrimp on the dining table.


    Keegan looked hungover, and he was frowning when Vermont said to him disappointedly, ¡°You


    managed to bring her back home with you, yet you didn¡¯t do anything that an adult is supposed to do?¡±


    Keegan glowered at him. ¡°Would you stop being so dirty-minded? Do you think everyone is like you


    who¡¯d only think about things like that?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°You¡¯re such a gentleman. Why don¡¯t you be a priest instead and leave


    Ste alone, then? Why did you even get married?¡±


    Keegan said tly, ¡°I got married because I want to do the deed legally. Not everyone is as


    irresponsible as you.¡±


    Vermont scoffed and roasted him without holding back. ¡°Well, you¡¯re divorced now.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    Vermont smirked andforted Keegan after looking at his gloomy face.¡± I guess


    Ste doesn¡¯t hate you that much since she was willing to send you back homest night. Think about


    what you did when you were drunkst night and keep doing the same thing. Who knows? Maybe


    you¡¯ll get her back someday.¡±


    Keegan ignored him and dialed Aldor¡¯s number.


    Aldor finally picked up his phone after he saw Keegan¡¯s name. He heard Keegan¡¯s voice as soon as he


    answered the call. ¡°Aldor, why is there so much cash in my house?¡±


    Aldor kept quiet. Then, he said, ¡°Mr. Kane, you don¡¯t remember?¡±


    ¡°Remember what?¡±


    Aldor pursed his lips. ¡°You texted me and told me to bring one billion worth of cash homest night to


    surprise Mrs. Kane.¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    Vermont widened his eyes and thought, ¡®Is Keegan trying to win Ste back by drowning her in


    money?¡¯


    ¡°But, I only managed to get about 100 million cash in such a short time, so I brought two cases of gold


    bars.¡±


    Keegan rubbed his eyebrow. He just could not remember any of that.


    ¡°Call the bank. Tell them to send a car over and take everything back.¡±


    Then, he hung up. Vermont was very amused. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anybody doing this to get their ex-wife


    back. Ste will never fall for this. She abandoned you. Do you really think money is what she cares


    about?¡±


    Keegan was very bothered by how Vermont said that Ste abandoned him, so he snapped at him.


    ¡°Are you done? Get lost if you are!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your only adviser left, yet you¡¯re telling me to get lost? You¡¯ll never get Ste back without my


    help.¡±


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont pretended to go back as he spoke. Then, Keegan pursed his lips. ¡°¡­Get back here.¡±


    Vermont smirked. ¡°I thought so¡­¡±


    Keegan threw a bag of garbage at him before he could finish speaking.¡± Take this out.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s mouth twitched. He thought to himself, ¡®You deserve to be single!¡¯


    After that, Aldor brought somebody from the bank to count the cash.

 Chapter 519

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    Chapter 519


    Keegan sat in the living room. He looked at all the dor bills scattered around his house and said to


    Aldor, ¡°Deposit everything into her ount.¡±


    As apetent assistant, Aldor immediately understood who Keegan was referring to.


    Keegan thought to himself for a while before he said again, ¡°If she asked¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just tell her that it¡¯s her allowance from you.¡± Aldor quickly spoke.


    Keegan suddenly looked a lot more rxed.


    Aldor had been working for Keegan for so many years, and his certification alone could allow him to


    earn a million dors a year. Not only was he exceptionally good at what he did, but he could also read


    his boss¡¯s mind very well.


    He knew that he could not tell Ste that the money was a part of the property settlement because it


    would mean that Keegan acknowledged the divorce.


    Even though they were legally divorced, his boss clearly did not ept it. So, he understood what he


    had to do as an assistant.


    ¡°How long did ke Crosby stay after I leftst night?¡±


    ke was Keegan¡¯s uncle and Dahlia¡¯s younger brother.


    Dahlia¡¯s father used to be in the medical equipment manufacturing industry before they ventured into


    property investment. They earned a lot of money in the beginning, but their business started to go


    downhill after they entered the stock market. They lost a huge portion of their family wealth.


    The Crosby family started venturing into electronics after Dahlia married Quentin.


    They did not have a technical team, so they could only manufacture some loose spare parts. In other


    words, they were just an original equipment manufacturer.


    The quality of the product manufactured by them was nothing exceptional. Even though they did not


    have a brand of their own, they could still receive huge orders and earn a lot of money because they


    were rted to Vinci Rivera.


    However, Cordelia did not like the Crosbys very much, and Keegan was not close with them either.


    It was not because Cordelia was a snobbish person who thought that the Kane family was too good for


    the Crosby family. Despite how terrible the Jewell family was, she did notment anything when


    Keegan married Ste. She was not a person who would care about social status when selecting her


    inws.


    Even though Albert was not a very likable person, Ste was a very sensible person, and she could


    handle a lot of things better than Dahlia.


    Ste would never get herself involved in the two families¡¯ business affairs. She would only


    asionally try to persuade Keegan to give Albert some small projects to work on after Albert kept


    pestering her. However, she only did that, so he would stop annoying her.


    She would never get involved when it came to major projects that were directly associated with The


    Vinci Rivera Group no matter how hard Albert tried.


    However, it was not the same for Dahlia.


    She would do everything she could to secure a project for her family even if it was not something that


    her family specialized in.


    She helped the Crosby family close plenty of deals with Vinci Rivera when Quentin was still alive.


    There would not be a problem if the Crosbys would do their job well since it was better for their inws


    to make a profit than somebody else, and the Kane family did not care about tiny margins either.


    But, the Crosbys were wheeler-dealers. Not only that there was nothing exceptional about the quality of


    their products, but they would also always bete for deliveries.


    Things became even worse after ke took over, as he could not manage the business well. Yet, he


    was obsessed with gambling.


    Otherwise, there was just no reason that the Crosby family would perform so much worse than other


    companies despite the support of Vinci Rivera for so many years.


    It was simply impossible for the Crosby to expand their business if ke would not stop spending his


    money in the casino.


    However, Dahlia turned a blind eye to the fact that ke was addicted to gambling.


    Dahlia stopped doing that for a while after Quentin passed away. After all, Cordelia was in charge of


    the Vinci Rivera Group, and she despised gamblers. Dahlia did not dare to ask her for anything.


    Dahlia only started doing the same thing again when Keegan joined Vinci Rivera after a few years.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Aldor personally saw how Dahlia caused a scene in Keegan¡¯s office just to secure a project for her


    brother. She guilt-tripped Keegan as his biological mother and cried about how hard it was for her to


    raise him alone after Keegan turned her down.


    Keegan spent most of his childhood with Cordelia, and Dahlia did not really raise him as a mother. She


    would only talk to Keegan when she needed money or when she wanted to help the Crosby family.


    To Dahlia, Keegan was nothing like a son. But rather, a tool in her privileged life.

 Chapter 520

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    Chapter 520


    The only reason ke woulde to Keegan was for work.


    Somebody reported the Crosbys for notplying with the fire safety regtion on two of their


    production lines yesterday.


    The relevant authorities conducted a spot check on them, and ke was caught off guard. Not only


    that their fire control equipment was iplete, but they also vited the regtions by cing


    inmmable materials in the escape route. So, both of that production lines were instantly suspended.


    A chemical nt in Rivera explodedst year, and there were hundreds of casualties.


    A major safety ident like that had to be taken seriously by everyone, so authorities began to take


    very strict measures in fire prevention.


    The two production lines went right against what the authorities were trying to enforce, so the officials


    had to punish them.


    ke did not realize the seriousness of it, and he even tried to bribe his way out of trouble. However,


    not only that it did not work, but he also almost got locked up.


    His friends told him that it was not something that could be solved with money anymore, and his factory


    might even get shut down.


    Those production lines were the main source of ie for the Crosby family, and they would be in big


    trouble if thepany got shut down. So, ke immediately contacted Keegan, hoping that his


    nephew would solve the crisis for them.


    Little did ke know that Keegan was the person who reported on them.


    There was just no reason for Keegan to help them.


    Aldor said softly, ¡°Mr. Crosby stayed for an hour plus before he left. But, he didn¡¯t look like he was in a


    good mood when he left.¡±


    Keegan figured that Dahlia woulde and talk to him again when she found out about it.


    Even though Dahlia had been a part of the Kane family for thirty years, the Crosby family was still her


    priority.


    That was the reason why Cordelia would not let Dahlia take her ce. She was worried that the Vinci


    Rivera Group would be owned by somebody else if she did.


    Keegan stopped talking about the Crosby family after asking that one question. Then, he asked, ¡®Are


    there any updates from the Jewell family?¡±


    ¡°Albert Jewell has been very quiet recently. After you divorce¡­ live separately with Mrs. Kane, he


    immediately gave up most of the projects that are rted to the Kane family. I guess he probably thinks


    that you¡¯ve had a fallout with Mrs. Kane, so he wanted to cash everything out while he still can.¡± Aldor


    paused before he continued softly, ¡°Somebody from Semiconductor Technology told me that he¡¯s


    nning to withdraw his shares. I¡¯m sure that he¡¯s going to sell all of his shares as soon as the


    company goes public. Mr. Kane, I¡¯m afraid that he won¡¯t take the bait.¡±


    Keegan was not worried at all, as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Just do as I say and keep spreading


    positive news to the market. Do it on Facebook, film a short video, hire an influencer, and do everything


    you possibly can to hype it up.¡±


    A man¡¯s greed could never be satisfied, and he believed that Albert would not prove him wrong.


    Aldor stopped talking after that.


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Keegan thought for a while before he continued, ¡°Find more socialites and send their details


    to Mr. Saun.¡±


    He had to keep Trevor busy. That way, Trevor would not have the time to mess around with Ste.


    Aldor was speechless.


    Ste took her phone out and started scrolling during her break in the set.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Then, she saw a notification from her bank ount regarding her receiving two billion dors.


    Her hands shook while she was holding a cup, and the hot water almost spilled on her hand.


    She knew that it was Keegan, the psychopath, without looking at the payor¡¯s name. She had already


    terminated her old ount and had no idea how that bastard found out about her new ount number.


    She sulked and was about to drag Keegan¡¯s number out of her blocked number. Then, she changed


    her mind when she figured that it might be exactly what Keegan would want her to do.


    So, she pursed her lips and sent Aldor a WhatsApp text message. [What is Keegan Kane trying to do?]


    [It¡¯s Mr. Kane¡¯s bonus for the first quarter of this year. He wants you to take care of it because he isn¡¯t


    good at managing his money.]

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    Chapter 521


    Ste¡¯s temple twitched as she gritted her teeth and replied, [Does he really think that I won¡¯t spend his


    money?]


    Aldor replied instantly, [Mr. Kane said that he wanted you to manage his money for him. You can do


    whatever you want with it, and it¡¯s totally up to you if you want to spend it or not. It¡¯s just a bonus for the


    one quarter anyway.]


    ¡®Tsk, tsk. Look at this.


    ¡®Just a bonus for one quarter, yet most people would never be able to earn so much money for several


    lifetimes. He¡¯s just making me hate rich people even more.¡¯ Ste thought.


    She stopped asking Aldor more questions after looking at his replies. She decided to let Keegan do


    whatever he wanted. She did not want to y his little games because she had something more


    important to do.


    The case regarding her reputation was going tomence in two days, and she was nning to


    attend it in person. So, she talked to Daniel about it.


    Daniel became worried as soon as he found out that her case was rted to Be.


    ¡°Her fans will definitely attack you after you exposed yourself, and the paparazzi are going to start


    following you too. You¡¯re going to be the viin who stirred things up before your show could be aired if


    you lost.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wood, this isn¡¯t solely about work. It¡¯s personal. I need to do this. Besides, I¡¯m not going to lose.¡±


    Daniel would continue to persuade her if it was only about work, but he gave up after knowing that it


    was personal. So, he asked, ¡°What personal grudge do you have against her?¡±


    Ste pursed her lips and said after a while, ¡°She stole my dog.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Daniel was speechless.


    At the same time, Be was at Lake Vi.


    Tammy knocked on the door.


    But, Be was on a call, so she ignored it. Then, Tammy walked inside herself.


    Be frowned and said after she hung up, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you at least let me know beforeing in?¡±


    Tammy pursed her lips.


    Be paused before a smile appeared on her face when she thought about thewsuit tomorrow.


    ¡°Tammy, are you worried that you¡¯re going to court?¡±


    Tammy kept quiet. She had been living in fear ever since she was summoned by the court.


    Dusk Gxy sued her ount for defamation, iming that her ount caused harm to her


    reputation.


    But, Be was the one using that ount, not her.


    However, the ount was registered with her ID, so Tammy had to testify.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I got you the bestwyer, and we¡¯re not going to lose. I¡¯m going to give you a job as soon


    as thewsuit ends. I rmended you to the crew, and they were very satisfied with you.¡±


    Tammy was Be¡¯s cousin. She had been working in a toy factory after graduating high school. Her


    parents told her to work for Be after Be got famous.


    So, Be hired Tammy as her personal assistant to take care of her daily life.


    They used to be very close to each other when they were young, but Be started to be arrogant


    after she got famous. She would tell others that her parents worked as a corporate executive and a


    university lecturer.


    But, the truth was that both of her parents were just factory workers in a small town.


    Their living condition was not terrible, but it was never as good as Be imed.


    Be presented herself as someone who came from a well-educated family, but she was worried that


    she might be exposed. So, she had never gone back to her own home for a few years now because


    she did not want the paparazzi to find out about her real family.


    The gap between them started to get bigger, and Be began to treat her differently.


    Tammy¡¯s parents told her to work for Be because they wanted Be¡¯s help to get their daughter into


    show business. After all, an actress like Be could earn more money from filming one episode than


    they could in a year. So, they were very envious of her.

 Chapter 522

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    Chapter 522


    However, Be had no ns to do that at all. Tammy had been her assistant for more than a year, yet


    all she did was fetch coffee and suchlike for Be.


    Tammy made friends with other celebrity assistants after working for Be on the set for so long. They


    were earning at least twenty thousand even though their bosses were less popr than Be, yet Be


    only paid her eight thousand.


    Eight thousand sounded decent, but Rivera was a very expensive ce to live in.


    Tammy would not have a lot of money left after paying rent and her basic living expenses.


    She talked to Be about getting a raise a few times now, but Be would always reject her by saying


    that she was still young and inexperienced.


    Tammy did not have a degree. She would have no other choice but to apply for some lowly job and


    physically demanding job to earn a living if she were to leave Be.


    She would not have left the factory for Be if she could put up with those jobs. Nobody would want to


    turn back after finding an easier way to earn money and being used to seeing what money could do.


    However, Tammy knew very well that Be was only trying to make her feel better for being her


    scapegoat by saying that she got her a role.


    After all, Be¡¯s career would be greatly affected if anybody ever found out that she was the one behind


    that ount.


    To her fans, Be was a friendly, innocent, and very humbledy. One could already imagine what


    would happen to her if somebody knew that she was the one who initiated the cyberbully.


    Tammy was not stupid. She knew that she would not go very far in her acting career if she really did


    take the fall for Be because people would eventually find out about this if she ever got more popr.


    Be had been working in this industry for some time, and she knew exactly what would happen to


    Tammy¡¯s future after she took the fall for her.


    However, she figured that Tammy was still young, and she was very eager to join show business. So,


    she decided to lie to her.


    Otherwise, why would she wait so long to finally rmend her to the production crew if she had the


    intention to help her?


    Tammy had seen too much after a year of working for Be, and she found out that acting was not


    meant for her at all. Be could only be an actress because somebody else spent a lot of money to


    support her. However, Tammy was just a nobody who did not have any professional qualifications. So,


    who would do the same to her as that person did for Be?


    Things would not be so bad if they had won thewsuit, but she would have a criminal record if they


    lost. Tammy just could not find a reason for herself to be Be¡¯s scapegoat.


    Tammy was sneering inwardly when she heard what Be said, but she hid it well.


    Then, she replied, ¡°Be, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going to sell you out. I¡¯ve told my family about this, and


    my mother agrees with this too. She said it¡¯s not easy for someone in the family to be sessful, and


    you can¡¯t have your career ruined just because of this. But, my father is not very happy about it. He¡¯s


    worried that my reputation will be tarnished and that I¡¯ll have a hard time finding a husband if I have a


    criminal record. Besides, I didn¡¯t really send much money home after I came here, and my father would


    often make a fuss about it at your mother¡¯s house. I¡¯m afraid that he¡¯ll blurt out about this when he does


    that again.¡±


    The look on Be¡¯s face changed.


    Obviously, she knew that Tammy¡¯s father went to look for her parents before. Her mother had also told


    her to give Tammy a raise more than once, but she would always brush it off.


    It was not about money. Be did that because she had other intentions.


    Her family did not have it better than Tammy¡¯s family, and Tammy¡¯s parents would look down on them.


    However, their attitude changedpletely and asked their daughter to go to her after she got famous.


    She just could not let this opportunity to take revenge on them slip away.


    She hired Tammy as her personal assistant, and she would not let her get in touch with anything that


    had to do with work. By doing so, Tammy would not be able to learn anything about the industry. Be


    only wanted Tammy to see what money can do without ever having the ability to earn any.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She thought everything was under her control and that she would be able to get rid ofTammy after she


    took the fall for her. However, she did not expect that Tammy would tell her family about it.


    Then, Be said with an awful look on her face, ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask you not to tell anybody about this?

 Chapter 523

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    Chapter 523


    Tammy shrugged and said softly, ¡±My father knew that you¡¯ve been using my ount, and thewsuit


    got on the trending list. He found out about it himself. I didn¡¯t tell him anything.¡±


    Be looked a little angry.


    ¡°Whatever. Stay out of this. I¡¯ll talk to your father. You don¡¯t have to say anything about thiswsuit to


    him and don¡¯t keep in touch with him. Also, don¡¯t ever give him my number, okay?¡±


    Tammy quickly nodded.


    Then, she asked, ¡°Be, is Mr. Kane going to be in court?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t reach him.¡±


    Be was very annoyed. She was not worried about losing thewsuit because she had Tammy to be


    her scapegoat. Theizens would probably talk about her for a while, and her career would not be


    affected at all.


    However, that person specifically wanted her to make Keegan present in court.


    The deal between her and Keegan had ended. He would not even pick up her call now, let alone listen


    to her and go to court.


    That person knew too many of Be¡¯s secrets, and she had to rely on that person too after her contract


    ended. So, she had no choice but to do as the person said.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Be, I have an idea,¡± Tammy said in a low voice. ¡°Mr. Kane is always trying to hide that little girl from


    everybody, right? I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll agree to go to court if you bring that up.¡±


    The look on Be¡¯s face changed.


    Even though she had no idea how Coco was rted to Keegan, she knew that


    Keegan cared about that kid very much.


    Keegan did not make her famous because of how outstanding she was, but it was because her rare


    blood type could save Coco.


    Keegan found five people of the same blood type from all around the world, but they were either too


    young, too old, or had some underlying disease that stopped them from donating their blood.


    Be was the only one who could fulfill all the criteria. She was at the right age and was healthy. And,


    she wanted money and fame.


    It was a piece of cake for Keegan to do that for her. So, they signed a contract very soon after that.


    The contract set out some rules that required changes to her lifestyle. She was not allowed to smoke,


    drink frequently, or hurt herself. Moreover, she had to always be avable before the bone marrow


    transnt.


    At the same time, Keegan repeatedly warned her not to tell anybody a single thing about their contract.


    Otherwise, he would make her disappear from the entertainment industry.


    Be sacrificed a lot of things just to get where she was, so she kept her mouth shut about it as she did


    not want to destroy her own career.


    She had not told anybody about Coco. Tammy thought that the kid was Keegan¡¯s illegitimate child, and


    that was why he wanted to hide her from everybody. She had not met Coco personally, and that was


    the reason she suggested that.


    Be knew Keegan¡¯s limit, and she did not dare to threaten him with Coco at all.


    Tammy said in a low voice after noticing the hesitant look on Be¡¯s face,¡± Be, I¡¯ll get this done for


    you. Just put the me on me if Mr. Kane gets mad. I don¡¯t work in showbiz anyway. He can¡¯t do


    anything to me.¡±

 Chapter 524

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    Chapter 524


    Be was tempted as she asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you always want to be an actress?¡±


    Tammy replied, ¡°I don¡¯t have what it takes to be one. The industry is filled with gorgeousdies like you.


    Look at me. Would anybody ever want me to be in their show? I should probably start learning how to


    be a celebrity manager instead. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be able to make a living as soon as you¡¯re famous.¡±


    Undoubtedly, Tammy made Be very happy by belittling herself and praising Be at the same time.


    Then, Be said gently, ¡°I¡¯m d that you think this way. I¡¯ll get Wein to guide you once this is over. We


    can run our own office after you got more familiar with being a manager, and I¡¯ll give you a share of my


    earnings.¡±


    Tammy smiled. ¡°We¡¯re cousins. Anything will do.¡±


    It was a perfect opportunity for Tammy to prove herself by getting Be out of this sticky situation. The


    sry of a personal assistant was just too little for her. She figured that being Be¡¯s manager and


    gaining control of her finances was what she should be doing.


    Meanwhile, in the Vinci Rivera Group, Keegan was having a meeting in the conference room.


    He had lost plenty of projects after what happened in the press conference. Chandler became relevant


    again, and the directors could not decide whose side they should be on.


    Those who were on Keegan¡¯s side began to support Chandler after seeing what happened.


    The R&D department had been so dull recently, and plenty of directors stopped attending the meeting.


    However, Keegan was not bothered by that at all as he still had his full focus on the product he was


    developing.


    Some noises could be heard from outside before the meeting ended, followed by a woman¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Go away! I want to see Keegan Kane!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    The security guard immediately stopped her. ¡°Mr. Kane is in a meeting right now. It¡¯s not the right time


    to see him.¡±


    ¡°What meeting? I don¡¯t care! I want to talk to him now!¡±


    She spoke very loudly, and everyone inside the conference room could hear her.


    They looked at each other. Even the person who was speaking paused and looked at Keegan


    tentatively.


    Keegan kept a straight face as he said tly, ¡°Carry on.¡±


    The person cleared his throat and continued speaking.


    ¡°Are you new here?¡± Dahlia said angrily, ¡°Do you know who I am? I¡¯m Keegan¡¯s mother. Do I have to


    report to you before seeing my son?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but Mr. Kane said that no one is allowed to enter the conference room during the meeting


    because there are trade secrets involved. I hope you understand.¡±


    Dahlia was so mad that her face turned red.


    She immediately called Keegan after ke told her what had happened.


    However, Keegan did not pick up the call. She would not havee to the office if she could talk to


    Keegan.


    But, Keegan did not even want to see her after she came to the office. So, she became very angry.


    Unfortunately, the employees in Vinci Rivera were different from the maids in her house who would


    listen to everything she said. They just would not let her in no matter how big of a scene she caused


    without Keegan¡¯s permission.


    The meeting ended about thirty minutester, and people from the R&D department starteding out


    of the conference room. That was when Dahlia finally saw Keegan. She gritted her teeth and said with


    an unpleasant look on her face, ¡°It¡¯s so difficult to see you.¡±

 Chapter 525

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    Chapter 525


    Keegan red at her. ¡°What is so important that made youe here personally?¡±


    Dahlia said with an angry face, ¡°Something bad happened to your uncle¡¯spany. Why aren¡¯t you


    helping him?¡±


    Aldor lifted his brows after hearing how Dahlia questioned Keegan.


    The Kane family was not obliged to help the Crosby family at all, yet Dahlia dared toe to Keegan


    so confidently and asked for his help. Aldor was surprised.


    Keegan swept his gaze across her. ¡°Do you know why his production lines were suspended?¡±


    Dahlia frowned. ¡°It¡¯s because he failed the fire safety check, right? How serious could it be? You know


    someone working in the fire administration, don¡¯t you? It¡¯ll be very easy for you to get it done.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened. ¡°The escape route in his factory was filled with inmmable materials, and


    none of them were supposed to be there.


    There are so many people working there. Have you ever thought about how many people could¡¯ve


    gotten hurt if there was a fire? Who¡¯s going to be responsible when it happens?¡±


    Dahlia was not convinced at all, as all she cared about was herself and her own family. So, she


    immediately said after hearing Keegan¡¯s words, ¡°Was there any fire?


    We¡¯ll just move them away after the factory starts operating again. Everyone makes mistakes. I¡¯ll find


    out who was the snitch, and I¡¯m going to make him regret doing this!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Keegan lifted his brows. ¡°I did it.¡±


    Dahlia was stunned. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I said, I was the one who reported the Crosbys for viting the regtions.


    Dahlia¡¯s face shifted from shock to disbelief, then finally anger. Then, she gritted her teeth and said,


    ¡°Why did you do it? Did your uncle and aunt mistreat you? You¡¯re so heartless!¡±


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°There¡¯s no specific reason.¡± Keegan looked at her nonchntly. ¡°I just wanted to let you know what it


    feels like to lose something that¡¯s most important to you.¡±


    Dahlia paused for a few seconds before she realized that Keegan did that because of Ste.


    Then, she put on an awful look. ¡°Are you ming me because Ste divorced you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be responsible for my own mistake, and the same goes for you.¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips. ¡°You can move out and live with the Crosbys if you think that you can¡¯t live


    peacefully in the Kane residence because they¡¯re in trouble. I¡¯ll talk to grandma about it for you.¡±


    Dahlia¡¯s face turned pale. She looked at Keegan as if she did not know who he was.


    She gritted her teeth and snapped, ¡°Keegan Kane, are you out of your mind? Are you really going to


    treat your biological mother like this just because of a woman?¡±


    ¡°My biological mother?¡± Keegan scoffed. ¡°I couldn¡¯t move at all after getting anesthetized for the


    surgery, yet my biological mother put on a disdainful look while helping the caretaker to flip me over.


    What do you expect from me?¡±


    Keegan was not someone who liked to dig stuff up from the past and fight about it.


    Because not only was it upsetting, but it was also not going to make him any happier by reminding


    himself about the past.


    Keegan got into an ident when he was still in high school, and his lumbar spine was injured. So, he


    needed an operation to put it back in ce.


    The procedure required general anesthesia, and he needed to use a urine catheter.


    Thus, he could not leave the bed for the first week.


    He urinated and defecated on the bed, and he needed a caretaker to look after him.


    He lost all his dignity during that time. No matter how embarrassed he felt, he could not move an inch


    on the bed while the caretaker cleaned him up.


    He spent the whole day sleeping on the first day after the operation, but he started to feel the pain on


    the second day, and it tormented him when he regained consciousness.


    Cordelia was worried that the caretaker would not be good enough or Keegan might be too


    embarrassed to talk to the caretaker about something. So, she told Dahlia to take care of him too.


    The operation was carried out at Keegan¡¯s back. And, both of Keegan¡¯s legs were numb and tender


    because his nerves were swollen after the operation.


    So, the doctor told the caretaker and his family to flip him over every hour, and put something soft


    under his waist for him to feel better.

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    Chapter 526


    Even though Keegan was only seventeen, he was already as tall as an adult.He was about six feet and


    he needed two caretakers to flip him over.


    The other caretaker went to have lunch that day, so Dahlia went to help.


    However, the catheter came off when they were flipping him over, and his urine spilled on the bed.


    Then, Dahlia immediately let go of him.


    His wound would have bumped against the bed if the caretaker did not hold his waist.


    Keegan would never forget the expression on Dahlia''s face.


    Her disgusted and disdainful look made Keegan feel as though he was not her son at all while lying on


    the bed.


    Dahlia had always been cold to him, but that was the time when he really felt how much Dahlia did not


    care about him.


    He lost hope in everybody else after how his biological mother had treated him.


    Keegan started to hate the hospital after the operation.


    He despised the feeling ofying on the bed helplessly while needing others'' help to do everything


    because that was when he saw through the people around him.


    His dignity was not the only reason why he snapped at Ste when he had a fever and fell to the


    ground.


    He also did not want to see Dahlia''s expression from back then on Ste''s face.


    However, Ste had apletely different reaction from Dahlia.


    She understood how he felt, and she was very sensitive to his self - esteem even when they were not


    on good terms.


    Keegan knew what was happening, and he also knew that Dahlia was not happy with his marriage.


    He moved out with Ste just two months after getting married because he did not want them to sh


    with each other.


    He just did not expect that Dahlia would go this far.


    Keegan would get very angry whenever he thought of what Ste was thinking when she asked for a


    divorce.


    Dahlia''s hand was shaking when she pointed at Keegan and scolded him, "You''re so ungrateful.I gave


    birth to you and raised you.What did I do wrong? I did everything for you.


    Do you think you''d have such a hard time in thepany if you had just listened to me and married a


    woman who had a better family background? What''s so good about Ste Jewell? How could she help


    you? You only married her because of her looks, isn''t it? You can get just any woman in the world after


    taking over Vinci Rivera.


    She could''ve even been your mistress.


    "Look at you now.You turned against me for her and took your anger out on my family.I wouldn''t have


    given birth to you if I knew this was going to happen!"


    Keegan swept his gaze across her coldly.


    "You would''ve never been a part of the Kane family if grandma thinks the same way as you do.I choose


    to be with Ste, and she didn''t do anything dishonest to be my wife."


    Dahlia was boiling with anger.


    Clearly, Keegan said thest sentence to mock her.She did something not very honorable to marry


    Quentin.She got pregnant with Quentin''s baby before marriage, and she was lucky that Quentin


    married her.She was the reason why the Crosby family became richer.


    Keegan mentioned that to remind her how she got into the Kane family, and she was in no ce to


    judge Ste, who was rightfully married to him.


    People in their circle talked about it for some time when Dahlia just married Quentin, but none of them


    dared to bring it up anymore after she was slowly recognized by others.


    She would never expect the first person to expose her again to be her own son! Keegan continued,


    "Not only today, but I won''t ever care about what happens to the Crosby family from now on.Instead of


    wasting your time making a fuss here, you should remind ke Crosby to stop making the same


    mistakes with his other production lines.He wouldn''t have money to gamble anymore if they got shut


    down too."


    Then, he went around Dahlia and left.


    Aldor was shocked by how resolute Keegan was.


    He recollected himself and quickly followed behind him.


    Dahlia was so angry that her body shook.She thought that she would have everything under control


    again after Keegan had divorced Ste.


    However, Keegan acted as if he was bewitched by Ste and turned against her instead.


    Dahlia''s phone kept vibrating in her bag, and she knew that it was ke calling her without even


    having to check.


    ke and his wife called her early in the morning to ask for her help, and she promised them that she


    would get it done.


    However, she had no idea what she was going to say to them after this.


    Dahlia''s face was very sour.


    After that, she turned around and went into the elevator.


    Then, she pressed the button to the neenth floor.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan pulled his necktie after he went back to his office.


    He then asked, "Did she post anything online today?"

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    Chapter 527


    Aldor immediately took out his phone.


    Ste really did post something.


    She posted a screenshot of her bank ount bnce online with the caption, [I would get a divorce


    ten times a year if I knew it could make me this rich.] Keegan was speechless.


    Thements got even better.


    Vermontmented, [Please be my sugar mommy.]


    Felicity responded, [Stay away if you''re not pure.Ste has a thing for virgins.]


    Vermont replied with a middle finger emoticon.


    Stemented, (It doesn''t matter if you''re a virgin or not as long as you can do it better than my ex.]


    Aldor got very scared.He then looked at Keegan''s expression cautiously.


    As expected, Keegan''s face looked furious.


    ¡®Mrs.Kane is a person with boundaries.


    I highly suspect that she typed this just to make Mr.Kane mad"


    Aldor was right.


    Ste replied with a different sentence.


    [Please behave yourselves.]


    However, she suddenly figured that Keegan the scum would always spy on her social media, so she


    edited the previous reply and changed it into the one that Keegan was reading.


    Obviously, Ste''s words triggered the sensitive spot of Keegan''s pride as a man.


    Aldor watched all kinds of expressions appearing on Keegan''s face.


    He figured that Keegan would probably call Ste to confront her about it if his number was not


    blocked.


    Aldor coughed and consoled Keegan, "I guess that''s better than wanting virgins only.One can sharpen


    his skills, but they can never regain his virginity."


    The edge of Keegan''s mouth twitched as he gritted his teeth and said with a dark expression, "Do you


    have a lot of free time? Go and write me a new report, then!"


    Aldor was speechless.


    He was just about to step out of the office, and somebody sent a pile of parcels to Keegan from


    downstairs.


    Some of them were products of thepanies that Keegan was working with, and some of them were


    documents that needed Keegan''s signature urgently.


    Keegan sat down at his desk and started unboxing them.


    Suddenly, he saw an envelope without a name when he was halfway through it.


    There were only the recipient''s details written on it, but not the sender''s.


    Keegan squeezed it.


    It was very thin and felt like there were only one or two sheets of paper inside.


    Then, he opened it.


    His face darkened as soon as he saw what was inside.


    There was no paper inside, but a photo.


    A photo of Coco lying on the hospital bed.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Keegan scrunched his face and flipped the photo over.


    Then, he saw these words written on it.


    [Attend a trial at the Court of Rivera tomorrow at ten o''clock, or else...] It ended there, but he knew very


    well that the person who sent him this was threatening him by sending him a photo of Coco.

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    Chapter 528


    Twenty minutester, Aldor came in to report.


    "The letter was delivered by a courier.I''m not sure who sent it.Tomorrow, there''s awsuit at the Court


    of Rivera where Dusk Gxy is suing several inte trolls for cyberbullying her."


    Keegan looked puzzled.


    Obviously, he could not recall who Dusk Gxy was, but the name sounded familiar.


    Aldor thought, ''Mr.Kane always has a very short memory for things and people that are irrelevant to


    him"So, Aldor exined, "It''s the original voice actress for Vixen in ''Honor of the Deities¡¯.You had


    Ms.Young rece her for that role?"


    Keegan finally had some recollection.


    "What is Dusk Gxy suing for?"


    "Libel and defamation," Aldor paused before he continued, "The voice actress went through depression


    because of cyberbullying from Ms.Young''s fans.After being wrongly used of being difficult to work


    with, she made the tough decision to leave the industry."


    Aldor went on and said, "Just a few days ago, she had herwyer send a letter to those inte trolls


    who bullied her.And tomorrow, the trial for this case is scheduled.Oh, and by the way, herwyer is


    Marshall Moore."


    "Marshall?"


    Keegan furrowed his brows, suddenly recalling thewsuit Be mentioned outside the Deli.


    ''Is this the same case?'' he thought.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Dusk Gxy will be present at the trial tomorrow.She has never shown her face online, so the media


    is paying a lot of attention to this case,"said Aldor.


    Keegan remained silent, and his fingers lightly rubbed the photo.


    He thought to himself, ''So, someone is using this to threaten me just to make me attend a trial? What is


    that person''s motive? And, who sent this letter? The intiff or the defendant?"


    Keegan had no clue.


    Aldor spected, "Is someone trying to use thiswsuit for publicity?"


    Keegan was still a pretty well-known figure.


    If he showed up in court, it would definitely grab even more attention for this already public trial.


    So, Aldor guessed that only the intiff would try to use that for publicity since all the defendants were


    just regr folk. Keegan said nothing.


    Instead, he picked up his phone and called Marshall.


    Meanwhile, Marshall had just picked up Ste from the filming set.


    The trial was set for the next day, and it was Ste''s debut as a intiff.


    So, there were some things that Marshall had to exin to her.


    As Keegan called, Ste had just fastened her seatbelt.


    The phone rang for several seconds without Marshall answering, and Ste was a little puzzled.


    She was about to speak when Marshall said, "It''s Keegan."


    Ste hesitated for a moment and then calmly said, "Answer it."


    Marshall then answered the call.


    Keegan''s voice came through.


    "Marshall, do you have a trial tomorrow?"


    Marshall responded, "Why?"


    "Could you give me Dusk Gxy''s number? I need to ask her something," Keegan requested.


    Ste frowned, and she wondered, ''How did Keegan find out about tomorrow''s trial? And, why is he


    specifically looking for me?'' Marshall nced at Ste and replied, "Keegan, this concerns the privacy


    of my client.I must abide by professional ethics."


    After a moment of silence, Keegan spoke in a low voice, "Does she know me?"


    Ste was speechless.


    Marshall answered, "I can''t disclose that."


    With just that one sentence, Keegan was convinced that he had likely met Dusk Gxy before.


    Normally, if someone heard that question, they would ask what made him think so or try to cover it up


    after being caught off guard.


    But, Marshall''s seamless reaction was too natural, which was suspicious.

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    Chapter 529


    "Tell her she made the wrong move by thinking that she can make the news with that incident.I''m going


    to make her regret ever sending me those things," Keegan said with a deep voice, as he was on guard.


    He hung up after that.


    Ste looked puzzled.


    ''What the fuck is he on about??? Who''s trying to make the headlines, and who sent him stuff?'' Marshall


    was also confused.


    "I thought he knew that it was you," he said in a low voice.


    "He wouldn''t recognize me even if you put my voice- acting work in front of him," Ste curled her lips


    and said.


    "That''s because your work is immacte. Even I can''t recognize that it''s you just by listening to it,"


    Marshall said with a smile.


    Ste smiled back and said, "I hope everything goes well tomorrow."


    Many people gathered at the gates of the Court of Rivera at 9:00 am.


    Since several of the people Dusk Gxy sued were big fans of Be, other fans decided to show up to


    support them.


    They treated the matter as their duty; to back up the heroes who fought for their idol despite getting


    sued.


    Others, on the other hand, came for Dusk Gxy.


    Only a small number of them were her fans, while most were entertainment reporters who were there


    for some first-hand news.


    Both thewsuit and the mystery behind Dusk Gxy''s face gained a lot of attraction.


    At 9:30 a.m., a van stopped at the court''s gate, and a handsome man in a suit and leather shoes


    stepped out.


    He went to the other side to open the passenger door, and a woman wearing a baseball cap and face


    mask exited the car.She was wearing a white shirt and a pair of ck wide-leg pants.Her hair was not


    tied up, and it hung softly over her shoulders.Her shirt was tucked in, and it showcased her slender


    waist.


    When she grabbed the man''s hand, the exposed part of her arm looked extremely fair.


    The paparazzi at the gates were dumbfounded because she looked different from the inte rumors.


    "Didn''t they say that she was fat and dull? She''s none of those things!'' they thought.


    The reporters rushed forward, and the microphones and cameras were all up in Ste''s face.


    "Excuse me, are you Dusk Gxy?"


    "Can you take off your mask and hat, please?"


    "What do you have to say about today''swsuit?"


    "It''s rumored on the inte that you had a disagreement with the popr influencer, Be Young, and


    it''s all a publicity stunt.Is that true?"


    Rude questions popped up one after the other.


    If Marshall had not been there to block off the reporters, they would have rushed up to take off Ste''s


    disguise.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    "When the trial is over, I will set aside ten minutes for an interview to answer your questions.Now,


    please make some room for me,"


    Ste pursed her lips and said with the domineering woman''s voice that she often used in voice acting.


    Those who have listened to her work would have been able to recognize her.


    Moreover, Ste was friendly to the reporters, unlike the other influencers who had appeared in court.


    The reporters did not think that she would try to escapeter since she said that she would set aside


    some time for an interview. So, they stepped aside and made way for her.Ste continued into the court


    while Keegan and Aldor rushed to the scene.


    Keegan waste, and the seats were almost full when he entered the courtroom.


    Only a few seats in the front row were vacant.


    So, he and Aldor sat at the front.


    The ce was filled with noise as everyone talked about the case.


    "Look at the trending searches! That bitch has gone viral again with our beautiful Be.I can''t believe


    she''s still trying to sensationalize this court case.We have to take ugly photos of herter!" the girls


    behind Keegan whispered.

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    "I mean, how would she go viral without Be? Didn''t she say she was taking a break from social


    media? Why is she still doing all this then? Clearly, she''s trying to make aeback through the


    lawsuit.


    "Wouldn''t it be a p in the face if shees back online?"


    "She wouldn''t have dragged Be if she cared about that.Didn''t her fans keep bragging about how


    another actor is her face double? Imagine the horror when they find out how ugly their idol is!"


    "Yeah.Why would she stick with being a voice actor if she''s good- looking and great at her lines? I can''t


    wait to see what she looks like, and the shock on her fans'' faces."


    "Turn down the exposure a little and don''t put a filter on," said one of the girls behind Keegan.


    "Okay," the other replied.


    Keegan was expressionless.


    Although he could not quite hear what the two were discussing, he figured that they did not like the


    voice actor, Dusk Gxy.He turned around and asked Aldor, "Do all celebrity fans act like this


    nowadays?"


    "This is just the tip of the iceberg," Aldor said in a low voice.


    "The poprity of these influencers really affects how their fans act nowadays.The more popr you


    are, the crazier your fans will be.Thepetition, both online and offline, is wild.The supporters argue


    over which of their idols'' magazines has more sales and who should get top billing.They also get mad


    at the producers if their idols have lesser screen time.The haters are even worse.They edit memorial


    photos to spread that they''re dead.They throw dead mice at the influencer when they arrive at the


    airport, and more! They''d do anything as long as you cane up with it."


    Keegan frowned.


    "And, no one does anything about it?"


    "Obviously not.Influencers rely on their fans.The more their fans make noise, the more popr they


    be.If the noise dies down, that means their poprity is down the drain.That''s why they can be


    eager for fans who would fight for them."


    Keegan held shares in Green Hill Media, but only a few because when Vermont founded Green Hill, he


    wanted to borrow Vinci Rivera''s name.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Since Keegan and Vermont were good friends, he naturally invested in thepany.


    However, Keegan did not participate in any event regarding Green Hill Media.He only received the


    dividends on the side.


    asionally, Aldor attended meetings in ce of Keegan out of respect for Vermont.


    Most of Vermont''s people were inte influencers, and Aldor knew a few of them because he was


    often in contact with Green Hill Media.


    Vermont had said that most of the fans based their actions on what the top fans do, and many of the


    top fans were actually recruited by the agency, which the influencers were under.


    In other words, the fans'' acted on the agency''smand.


    So, it was rather unlikely that they would stop what they were doing.


    Even though the fans had been holding themselves back for the past two years, it was much worse


    before that.


    When Keegan listened to Aldor''s exnation, he frowned.


    It suddenly urred to him that Ste was going to enter this industry.


    ¡®Would this happen to her in the future?'' As he thought about it, he took out his phone and sent Trevor


    a text.


    [I want to invest in Elegant Media.] Trevor was on his way to a blind date.


    When he saw Keegan''s text message, he angrily replied, [Fuck off.]


    Keegan had been acting crazy for the past two days, constantly sending various girls'' information to


    Wenham.


    Some of them were well-known names in the business circle, and some were wealthy daughters in the


    political circle.


    There were even girls who were doctors, teachers, and civil servants.


    All of them were perfect in a parent''s eyes.


    Trevor did not know where that mutt got all that information, but it was clear that Keegan knew


    Wenham would be satisfied with any of these girls as his daughter-inw.


    Just yesterday, Trevor had been on seven blind dates, and early this morning, Wenham dragged him


    out of bed and sent him on another blind date.


    Trevor even wanted to kill Keegan.


    ''You want to invest in Elegant Media? Hah.In your dreams!'' he thought.


    However, Keegan did not give up and continued, [Or, you can hand Ste over to me, and I''ll pay you


    three times the price that you''re paying her.]


    ¡®Of course he''s doing this because of Ste"


    Initially, Trevor wanted to send him a tongueshing, but then he thought about how a big shot like


    Keegan was at his doorstep.


    ''If I don''t use this opportunity to vent my anger by getting back at him, it''ll be hard for me to get rid of


    this hatred" he thought.

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    Chapter 531


    [You really want to buy the shares?] Trevor asked.


    [Yes.] Keegan replied.


    [Swing by mypany in the afternoon, and we''ll talk.] Just as Keegan was about to text him back, the


    court started to fill with noise.


    Keegan looked up and saw the judge, the intiff, and the defendant enter the courtroom one after the


    other.


    Beside Marshall sat a woman with a baseball cap and a mask covering her face.


    However, her figure seemed inexplicably familiar.


    Keegan frowned, wanting to find out who she was, but the woman suddenly stopped and shot him a


    look.


    When their eyes met, Keegan''s heart trembled.


    ''Ste?!'' Before he could process why Ste was involved in the trial, he noticed she nced at him


    fiercely and followed Marshall to the intiff''s table.


    Keegan subconsciously stood up, but the bailiff stopped him, saying he had to remain seated because


    the trial was about to start.


    Hence, he had no choice but to suppress the restlessness in his heart and sit down with a sullen


    expression.


    Keegan''s mind was all over the ce at that moment, but one thing was clear¡ª Ste was Dusk


    Gxy.


    She was the intiff.


    '' How can she be her? Why am I only finding this out after so many years? Did she really hide it that


    well?¡¯ Things that Keegan had never noticed before gradually appeared in his mind.


    He recalled that Ste once asked him what he thought of the change in voice actress for Honor of the


    Deities and how angry she was when he told her it was just a publicity stunt.


    Then, he remembered running into Ste at Neon Neb the day after she moved out after saying she


    wanted a divorce for the first time.


    At that time, Keegan thought that Ste was stalking him.


    Now that he thought about it, Vermont had called him and said that a voice actress hade in for an


    audition.


    ''Was Ste the voice actress Vermont was talking about? Why didn''t he tell me?!'' Keegan''s thoughts


    were a mess.


    ''I was the one who took away her role in Honor of the Deities and gave it to Be.


    That means I''m also at fault for her getting bashed on the inte"


    His expression turned indescribably grim.


    Aldor had not recognized Ste yet and told Keegan that she did not look as bad as the inte


    portrayed her.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    In fact, she was in pretty good shape.


    Keegan pouted and said nothing.


    Ste took off her mask and hat when the judge and jurors entered the courtroom.


    She then looked at everyone in the public gallery indifferently.


    "Mrs.Kane!"


    Aldor almost called out while the people around him started to buzz with whispers.


    ¡®What a goddess!¡¯ ¡®Is that really Dusk Gxy?'' ¡®why is she just a voice actress? I mean, look at her"


    As soon as Ste revealed her face, the people stopped thinking she needed a ¡®face double¡¯.


    Her face fitted her voice perfectly.


    It would be an honor for anyone to be her ''face double¡¯.

 Chapter 532

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    Chapter 532


    Ste had no bad angles.Her looks were outrageously perfect, whether viewed from the front or the


    side.


    Though her facial features may not be the best-looking when separated, they looked amazing when


    combined.


    Looks were based on more than just refined and prominent facial features.


    Cosmetic surgery was getting more advanced nowadays, yet people would still know if someone had


    any work done on their face.


    That was because the excessive pursuit of perfection for each facial feature often causes the neglect of


    facial alignment, the most challenging aspect to control during stic surgery.


    Ste was striking at first nce because her facial alignment was perfect.She did not possess what


    society deemed women needed to be beautiful¡ª small shoulders, voluminous hair, or an hourss


    figure.


    Ste''s shoulders were broad, and her hair was t due to the hat she wore, but neither affected her


    beauty.


    The haters who wanted to capture ugly photos of Dusk Gxy and bash her on the inte turned pale


    when they saw Ste''s face.


    No matter how much they disliked her, they could not go against their conscience and say that Dusk


    Gxy was ugly.


    On the contrary, she was good-looking and had good posture.She emitted elegance.


    Ste''s posture was practiced over the years, and nobleness was engraved in her bones.


    Someone like Be simply could notpare.


    Some sharp-eyed reporters recognized Ste as the psychotic corpse-cooking cannibal from


    Jurisdiction''s panel a while ago.


    '' Dusk Gxy was the queen of the legal drama that all the verified users supported! '' While Be''s


    fans were crazily gossiping and criticizing her for being an ¡®arrogant bitch'', the queen was busy helping


    the local TV channel with a public service video.


    Even though Ste was getting canceled so badly at the time, she did not use her blue verification


    badge to justify herself.


    Instead, she quit the inte and abandoned her ount, which had millions of fans.


    Every step she took was ruthless and decisive, so when the tables turned, everyone was ted.


    Such a groundbreaking plot could be news for several months toe: [Fight Between the Legal


    Drama Queen/Top Voice Actor and the Famous Little Influencer].


    Media reporters would not have to worry about their second half-of-the- year bonus.


    Aldor nced at his boss and saw that he was staring at the person at the intiff''s table with a sullen


    face, hoping to draw them to him with his gaze.


    Aldor sighed quietly.


    He thought Keegan''s pursuit of his wife would go smoothly since he cared for her despite having a


    wicked tongue.


    Moreover, the two already had history.


    Keegan was also trying to maintain a good and positive attitude.


    Aldor thought it would be a matter of time before the two reconciled.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    But things were no longer looking optimistic now that he was staring at Ste in the intiff''s seat.


    ¡®Mr.Kane stole his wife''s voice-acting role for Be at the time.


    When Be''s name was overturned due to the voice acting incident and was pped in the face by


    Dusk Gxy, Mr.Kane paid someone to settle it"


    ¡®What Mr.Kane did was equivalent to throwing would away when his wife was trying to grab it.


    Or if she was trying to get a sip of water in the car, he''d immediately hit the brakes.


    Or if his wife got ready to sing a song during karaoke, he''d change the ylist"


    In short, he was bringing Ste down.


    ''I guess the road to getting Mrs.Kane back is long and challenging if we add up all the trouble Mr.Kane


    had caused.."


    Aldor suddenly felt a little sympathetic for his boss.


    Keegan looked gloomy, but he was also shocked at the same time, not because he had just found out


    that Ste was Dusk Gxy, but also because her attorney was Marshall.

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    Chapter 533


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    ¡®On the night Marshall brought Ste as a date to the charity event, he didn''t know she was Keegan''s


    wife.He even called her Ms.Thompson.At that time, Marshall smoothed things over for her and told us


    that he was involved in her familywsuit.He even mistakenly thought that her surname was


    Thompson"


    ¡®Could this be thewsuit that he was talking about back then? There are so many famouswyers in


    Rivera.What a coincidence it is that Ste met Marshall, who had just returned to the country?"


    Keegan stared at the intiff, and his eyes darkened.He did not believe that there were so many


    coincidences in this world.


    The judge''s assistant read out the court rules, but Ste could not focus.


    When she entered the venue and saw Keegan there, her heart sank.


    Keegan had made an inexplicable warning in a callst night.He must have known about thewsuit,


    but he did not know she was the intiff.


    So, it was clear that he was not there for her.


    A few days ago, Marshall asked someone to find out more about the defendant, a girl named Tammy


    Gull.He dug out everything he could, from her birthce to her life experiences.


    Ste had thought that Be would not have registered the ount under a stranger''s identity if she


    was the one behind the hate ount.


    They then found out that Tammy Gull and Be Young were cousins.


    They grew up together and had a tight-knit rtionship.


    Thus, today''swsuit was not only about winning.


    Ste thought that it would be great if they could pry something out of Tammy to drag Be into the


    mud.


    Keegan did not know that she was the intiff, so that meant he was there for the defendant.


    ¡®That mutt! Standing up for his little sidepiece while transferring money to me! Ugh! What a jerk!"


    After the judicial assistant read out the court rules, the trial officially began.


    Marshall disyed the collected evidence on the big screen while exining each of them.


    Most of the evidence consisted of insults and nder against Dusk Gxy by simr ounts.


    The viciousness behind the words was simply beyond human morals.


    "The defendant used the inte as a shield to verbally attack and abuse my client for a long period of


    time.This can be considered as cyberbullying.In July 20XX, my client could not bear the abuse


    anymore and lost control of herself.She took an excessive amount of sleeping pills to kill herself and


    waster diagnosed with depression..."


    Keegan clenched his fists and stared at the medical report on the screen.


    It was the first time he had seen the document since Ste had never mentioned it to him.


    ¡®July ofst year...What happenedst July?'' Keegan scanned through his memory and finally recalled


    them having the most serious fight they had ever had.


    The two of them had been married for more than two years and had no children at that time.


    Everything was fine, but Ste suddenly became anxious and struggled with the matter for some


    reason.


    Keegan sometimes wanted to rx with her aftering back from workte at night, but she kept


    asking him to make a baby with her.


    Ste was not eager to have a child before that, so when she suddenly changed her mind, Keegan


    could not stand it.


    He had always thought the best time to have children was when both parties were physically and


    psychologically prepared.


    Children were not just the product of pleasure, they were a huge responsibility.

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    Chapter 534


    Ste''s health was not in a good state, and she was still a child at heart.


    Keegan did not understand why she wanted a baby.


    ¡®It''s like a child taking care of a child!'' he thought.Keegan felt like it was not the best time to have


    children, so they had a huge argument about it.


    At that time, the quality of Albert''s products was also a problem that involved Ste.


    This incident made an impact on Chandler''s project, and the board members of thepany kept


    asking Keegan for an exnation.


    Paired with the disagreement about the children, the two got into a serious argument.


    After they quarreled, Keegan went back to cleaning up Albert''s mess, so he was not home for a while.


    ¡®Both of these issues urred during July ofst year...! Keegan thought, and his heart tightened.He


    did not know about the sleeping pills nor when the medical report was released.


    A lump started to form in Keegan''s throat as he realized that though Ste hid Dusk Gxy from him,


    she never once hid her feelings.


    He was the one who ignored them.


    Ste was not good at keeping her emotions to herself.


    If Keegan had paid more attention to her, he would have known everything earlier.


    When Marshall finished his opening, the judge began to ask for the defense''s case.


    Be had hired a goodwyer for Tammy.


    He did not deny Marshall''s evidence but instead questioned the medical report.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste''s medical report was issued in July ofst year, and the defendant only really started making


    snarkyments about her in January of this year.


    So, the defense attorney asserted that Ste''s depression did not have a direct rtion to the


    defendant''s remarks.


    "In summary, we maintain that there''s no necessary causal rtionship between the two events.


    There''s no denying that the intiff suffered from depression, but it''s evident that it was not {caused by


    my client''s actions.


    Her poor mental health could have derived from different reasons.


    Maybe she had a bad life, or maybe she is someone who is predisposed to mental illness."


    He then looked at Ste and said, "Your honor, if I may, I would like to ask Ms.


    Jewell some questions."


    "Sir, I think the defense attorney is one of your college ssmates.The defensewyer was Ted


    Eldrich.As his name suggested, he would take on any case as long as money was involved and did not


    care whether his clients were guilty.


    One of the most famous cases he covered was the poisoning case in Calton University''sboratory five


    years ago.


    Various parties provided testimonies that pointed directly at the suspect.


    However, since no fingerprints or DNA were found in theb, there was no direct evidence linking the


    suspect to the crime scene.


    In other words, there was no way to prove that the suspect had nted the poison.


    The suspect had brought the poisonous substance back to their dormitory, and it was found in the


    laboratory''s water dispenser.


    However, they could not find a link in the chain of evidence.


    They could only prove that the suspect illegally carried the highly toxic substance.


    Ted honed in on this detail and turned the case on its head.


    What started as a poisoning case was ressified as involuntary manughter.


    The suspect, found carrying poisonous substances, was only sentenced to five years for causing death


    due to negligence.


    The case became sensational at that time.


    Thoughizens criticized Ted all over the inte, it still did not affect his reputation.


    Many rich people hired him to represent them in court to escape from being sentenced to prison, and


    Ted mainly made money from them.


    Keegan did not like how the man dealt with things, so he never tried to befriend him.


    During the poison trial, Ted questioned the witnesses and found ws in their testimonies, which turned


    the entire case on its head.


    So, Keegan''s heart sank when he heard Ted say he wanted to question Ste.

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    Chapter 535


    After deliberation from the jury, the judge said, "You may proceed."


    Ted looked Ste straight in the eyes and said, "Ms.Jewell, from your background profile, we can see


    that you graduated from acting at Trinity University three years ago with the highest distinction.Yet, you


    were unemployed.Can you tell us what you have been doing for the past three years?"


    Marshall frowned.


    The other party obviously came prepared.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan looked sullen while Ted tried to divert the case to public opinion.


    Ste looked at Ted without fear and said, "Does my life after graduating have anything to do with


    today''s case?"


    Ted paused and said, "Not for now."


    "Then I refuse to answer that question."


    "The intiff has the right not to answer questions that are unrted to the case at hand.You may ask


    another question, Mr.Eldrich."


    Ted nodded and asked the second question.


    "ording to the documents, Ms.Jewell, your mother was bedridden."


    He paused for awhile and continued, "You must''ve been sad, right?"


    Ste scowled after hearing that.


    ''What kind of bullshit question is this dude asking? If we weren''t in court, I would have asked you if you


    would be sad if your mom were lying in the hospital bed 24/7!''


    "Relevance, your honor," Marshall said solemnly.


    The judge allowed the ruling, and Ted proceeded to ask a third question.


    "Ms.Jewell, did you have an assessment for your depression before July ofst year?"


    Ste pursed her lips and replied after a long time, "No."


    Ted smirked and said, "Ms.Jewell''s mother had been ill in bed all year round.Ms.Jewell was sad about


    the matter and fell into a dark state.ording to the data shown here, Ms.Jewell''s mother''s condition


    turned critical in June ofst year.Ms.Spade also had a history of depression, so we have reason to


    believe that Ms.Jewell''s mental health was due to her mother''s critical state, excessive stress, and


    gics.It has nothing to do with my client''sments."


    "Objection!" Marshall said with a sullen face.


    "My client''s mother, Ms.Spade, was admitted to the hospital in a car ident seven years ago and was


    diagnosed to be in aa.If Ms.Jewell''s depression was hereditary, why did it take six years to


    surface? There''s also no reliable source to show that depression can be caused by gics."


    The public gallery began to burst into a discussion at that moment.


    Ted''s questions had opened up Ste''s scar to the public.


    The two girls who were fans of Be behind Keegan were aware of the situation and immediately felt


    that there was hope for aeback.


    "Did she really think she could win this case by saying that she has depression? Hah! Everyone is


    depressed nowadays.How stupid of her to say that the meanments caused her to be depressed,"


    "Her mother was in aa after a car ident and has been in the hospital for so many years.Where


    does she get her money from if she was unemployed for these three years???"


    "Where else would she get her money? With that face of hers, I''m sure guys would dly pay for her


    services.I mean, how clean could she be with all that stic in her face?"


    As soon as they said that, Keegan suddenly got up and kicked the chair behind him.


    The two girls screamed in fright, which alerted the bailiffs in the courtroom.

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    Chapter 536


    Ste looked over to where the shrieks came from and saw Keegan standing sullenly at the public


    gallery.


    He was staring at the two girls in the back row with a cold and gloomy expression.


    Before the girls could process what was happening, they trembled as they met Keegan''s eyes.


    ''W-What are you doing?"


    Keegan gave them a cold look and replied expressionlessly.


    "Calcium deficiency.Leg cramps."


    The corners of the girls'' mouths twitched when they heard that.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    '' Who the hell kicks someone else''s chair when they have a leg cramp?'' However, Keegan emitted a


    scary aura, so they did not dare retaliate, even if they knew he was making things up.Aldor nced at


    the two haters in the back and thought they were lucky to be girls.Otherwise, Keegan would have


    kicked more than just their chairs.


    ''People who sexualize women because they''re pretty are disgusting" he thought.


    The bailiffs maintained order at the scene by saying, "Silence in court."


    Ste did not see Keegan kick the chairs, so she had no idea what had happened.But by looking at his


    expression, she knew in one nce that the man was angry.


    ¡®How dare he get mad in court aftering here in support of Be!¡¯ Following this scene, the judge


    then announced a ten-minute break.


    When the court was adjourned, Keegan got up to find Ste, but Ted suddenly stopped him.


    "Keegan, long time no see.Are you here to witness this hearing today?"


    Ste saw how close Ted and Keegan looked, and her eyes darkened.


    "I need to use the restroom," she told Marshall.


    Keegan responded casually to Ted and turned around, but he found that Ste was gone.


    Frowning, he walked toward Marshall and asked, "Where''s Ste?"


    "She went to the restroom."


    Keegan was about to chase after her when Marshall stopped him.


    "There are many reporters at this courthouse today.People are already specting about her past after


    the defense attorney''s speech.She''s a public figure now.Have you ever thought of what would happen


    if people caught you two together?"


    Keegan then abruptly stopped in his tracks.


    "Don''t worry.I won''t let her lose thiswsuit,"


    Marshall whispered.


    Keegan turned to look into his eyes and saw that it was dark and gloomy, like a bottomless hole.


    "When did she ask you to represent her?" he asked.


    "Before the charity event," Marshall replied.


    Keegan''s face darkened a bit when he heard that.


    "Why didn''t you tell me she was Dusk Gxy if you knew all this while?" Marshall''s gaze was nk.


    "Keegan, I''m awyer, and Ste is my client.Protecting the privacy of my clients is the most basic


    requirement an attorney should practice.Plus, I didn''t think that her identity affected your marriage."


    What Marshall meant was that Ste did not divorce Keegan because of this, so there would not be


    any difference even if he knew.


    However, Keegan did not understand his intended meaning.


    He clenched his hands tightly, and his voice became slightly lower.


    "Control yourself, Marshall.Ste''s mine.I don''t care what you think of her, but I''ll kill you if you every


    a finger on her."Marshall stopped adjusting his sleeves and looked at Keegan with indifference.I have


    always been in control of myself when she was your wife.But now that she''s not, I think you''re the one


    who should restrain your thoughts."


    Keegan''s face turned grim.


    The two stared at each other, and neither one gave in.


    "How did you know Ste''s mother got into a car ident seven years ago?"

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    Chapter 537


    Keegan''s question was carefully crafted.


    Ted only mentioned that Rainee was bedridden, but Marshall knew the details and the specific time and


    date of the ident.


    ''How could he have known all these when he has only known Ste for a little over two months?¡¯


    Keegan thought.


    However, instead of answering his question, Marshall asked him another question.


    "Did you know how Rainee passed?"


    Keegan''s fingers curled.


    He did not pursue the answer to this after the funeral since they had no rtionship.


    To him, Rainee was nothing but a vegetable.


    They never even spoke a word to each other before.


    It would be a lie to say that he missed her.


    Keegan did not have a great rtionship with his mother, Dahlia.


    So, he could not empathize with Ste, especially when she asked for divorce at the funeral.


    He thought that she was being unreasonable.


    When Marshall posed the question, Keegan was a little scared to know the truth.


    "When we went to the hospital, Ms.Spade had notpletely lost her vital signs yet.It was Ste who


    took off her oxygen mask.She was your wife.You were supposed to protect her for the rest of her life,


    for better or worse, in sickness and health.But since you did not fulfill your duties as her husband, you


    have no right to ask any questions."


    After speaking, Marshall turned around and left the courtroom without waiting for Keegan''s reaction.


    Keegan stayed where he was with a tense face.


    After a long while, he returned to his seat at the public gallery.


    When Aldor saw his grim face, he did not dare ask what Marshall had just said to him.


    "Don''t worry, Mr.Kane.Their evidence is quite solid, and Mr.Moore has a lot of experience with such


    lawsuits.I''m sure they won''t lose this," he whispered.


    Initially, Keegan''s face was pale because Marshall dered war, but it turned even paler when he


    heard Aldor praising him.


    "She won''t lose even if he weren''t the one to represent her! I have the money to hire the bestwyer!"


    he said through gritted teeth.


    Aldor was speechless.


    ''Why does Mr.Kane sound like he''s mad as hell?'' The hearing continued a few minutester, and Ste


    returned to the intiff''s table once again.She looked more in control of herselfpared to what she


    was earlier.


    The attorneys from both sides continued to counter each other''s statements.


    Though Ted''s skills were not inferior to Marshall''s, Marshall did have sufficient proof to support his


    ims.


    Ste quickly presented new evidence regarding the questions that Ted had asked her earlier.


    After she was diagnosed with depression for the first time, she went to the hospital for monthly


    checkups, and at the end ofst year, her symptomspletely disappeared.


    Her mother entered a critical stage several times, but her mental state was normal.


    She showed no signs of depression after that.


    This proved that her mother''s health did not y a role when she was diagnosed with mental illness


    last year.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Ted did not have a counterargument and could not produce new evidence at that point.


    He was gradually slipping into a disadvantage.


    Marshall then took the opportunity to win the case by asking the judge if he could ask the defendant a


    few questions, and the judge allowed it.


    Tammy pursed her lips tightly when she knew she would get questioned.


    She had not spoken since the beginning of the trial because herwyer advised her to stay silent to


    avoid any slip-ups.


    "Ms.Gull, when did you register your Facebook ount, and when did you make your first post?


    What''s the specific content that you wrote? Does anyone else have ess to your ount? Did you


    ever lend your ount to anyone before?"

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    Chapter 538


    Marshall threw Tammy a series of questions, and she got confused.


    "I don''t remember the exact time, but the ount was created...the year beforest year.My first


    Facebook post was a repost, I think I''m the only person with ess to the ount, and I''ve never let


    anyone else use it," she muttered.


    Marshall''s expression was calm.


    It was impossible to tell if he had what he wanted to hear.


    Tammy was worried that she had said something wrong, but seeing that herwyer did not say


    anything, she rxed a little.


    "May I know when your birthday is, Ms.Gull?"


    "July 16th."


    "July 16th..."


    Marshall repeated the answer and suddenly said, "To my knowledge, Ms.Gull, you wished yourself a


    happy birthday in a post you made on February 19th.I''m sure you don''t have two birthdays now, do


    you?"


    Tammy''s face changed.


    February 19th was not her birthday, but Be''s.


    Be had always used that ount, so she did not know what she had posted.


    ''Oh, what an idiot! Why did she post her private details on a burner ount?! "Answer the question,


    Ms.Gull."


    Marshall was even more intimidating than the judge, and Tammy unconsciously became nervous.


    "February 19th is my client''s idol''s birthday.Fans wish their idols happy birthday all the time.So I don''t


    think there''s a problem with that, right?"


    "No, of course not," Marshall said lightly.


    "I just find it strange that you wrote ''happy birthday to me¡¯ instead of ''happy birthday to my idol''.This is


    my first time seeing a fan post something like that."


    He then turned to the judge and said, "No further questions, your honor."


    The crowd went into a craze of discussion once again.


    Be''s birthday was certainly no secret to her fans.


    It was also verymon for fans to create birthday posts for their idols, but wishing yourself a happy


    birthday on your idol''s birthday was rather bizarre.


    Moreover, fans usually post pictures of their idols along with their birthday wish, unlike Tammy''s post,


    which included a picture of a cake and the caption: [Happy birthday to me ].


    Marshall finished his questioning and left the people to specte the rest.


    After presenting all the evidence and counterarguments, the jurors discussed their decision on the spot


    and came up with a judgment.


    Tammy and the others were convicted of insult and had to publicly apologize to the intiff on


    Facebook and other public tforms.


    The apology letter will be publicized for more than seven days, and the offenders had to provide a total


    of seventy-six thousand dors aspensation for emotional damages.


    A sentencing date will then be chosen for the crime of defamation.


    The result of thewsuit was well within Ste''s expectations.


    Though seventy-six thousand dors from four people was not much, the end judgment was significant.


    Cyberbullying was not a matter to joke about.


    In recent years, this form of abuse had cost people their lives while the perpetrators often escape from


    responsibility.


    Victims of cyberbullying could really benefit from thew being by their side so they could have the


    courage to stand up against the abuse.


    Ste did not mind being the leader of this movement.


    After the trial ended, reporters who had been waiting to interview Ste rushed to surround her after


    she left the court.


    Ste was kind to the people.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    She stood at the steps in front of the courthouse and said, "Safety first, everyone.


    There''s no need to push.


    I promised to make some time for an interview, and I intend to keep my promise.


    You can ask me anything you like, but please keep in mind that I only have 10 minutes to spare.


    I still have some personal affairs to attend to, and I hope you can understand that."


    The reporters thought they were interviewing an angel since many big-shot celebrities nowadays don''t


    see the paparazzi as people anymore.


    They often needed the media to create exposure for them, but diss the entertainment journalist career


    both secretly and openly.


    Ste, on the other hand, was frank and respected the people, which made her highly attractive.


    "Ms.Jewell, do you know that everyone calls you the queen of legal drama?"


    Ste was a little surprised.She had not been on the inte since she had a lot of stuff going on and


    did not know people called her that.


    "Is it because I''m good at acting like a psycho?" she asked.

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    Chapter 539


    The crowdughed.


    Someone yed along with her words and joked, "You''re indeed psychotic when you''re being a


    psycho."


    Stating the obvious always seemed humorous, no matter when it was used.


    "Ste, are you currently only on Jurisdiction? Have you considered acting in dramas or films?"


    "Ste, do you really have no ns on voice-acting anymore?"


    "Ste, are you currently single?"


    "Ste, are you signed to an agency?" They asked all sorts of questions, one after another.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    There were questions about her rtionship status and about her grudge against Be.


    Ste had been fighting a battle of wits and courage with Dahlia for years, so she answered their


    questions wlessly.


    Marshall timed their questions.


    After 10 minutes, he came over and reminded Ste, "It''s time to go."


    Then, Ste said, "Excuse me.That''s it for today.We can talk again next time if there''s a chance."


    The reporters were disappointed, but they made way for her.


    Marshall shielded one hand in front of Ste.


    It hovered around her waist and prevented the brash reporters from bumping into her.


    When they reached the car, he opened the car door for Ste.


    Then, the two of them got into the car one after another.


    Keegan was in the car behind them as he watched the scene that had happened just now.


    His lips were pursed into a straight line.


    After the car in front of them started moving, he finally said ina low voice, "Follow them."


    Once Ste got into the car, she leaned back into the chair and breathed a sigh of relief.


    Then, she finally said, "Great work today, Mr.Moore."


    Marshallughed.


    "I''m not working for free.I charged you for this." Ste chuckled.


    ¡®Marshall really did earn quite some money from mywsuit.When I went to Marshall''sw firm


    previously, I heard from assistants at the firm that it''s rare forwyers of Marshall''s level to take


    lawsuits below a million dors, They usually take big cases.Since cases like mine areborious, they


    rarely take them.I totally owe him a favor for being willing to take my case" she thought.


    Ste was in a much better mood after winning thewsuit.


    She asked, "Let''s have a meal together.What do you want to eat?"


    Marshall turned the steering wheel and said warmly, "I''m fine with anything.What do you want to eat?"


    "Let''s have something good." Ste smiled with her eyes.


    She continued, "How do spicy skewers sound?"


    Marshall also started smiling.


    "Is that considered something good?"


    Ste said, "The people on set are usually really strict when ites to my carb intake, so this is


    considered something good to me."


    After hearing Ste''s words, Marshall said, "Alright."


    In front of them, the traffic light turned red.


    Just as Marshall stepped on the brakes, there was a loud sound behind them.


    BANG! Something had rammed into their car, causing it to lose control and slide a few feet forward.


    Ste frowned and looked backward.

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    Chapter 540


    Ste looked into the rearview mirror and saw a gray-colored car.


    However, she could not clearly see the exact model of the car.She frowned.


    "Is this person a novice driver? How''d they ram into our car?"


    "I guess we''ll be having our meal a littleter."


    Marshall chuckled warmly.


    Ste said, "Let''s handle the incident first."


    "Give me a moment," Marshall said in a low voice.


    Then, he switched on the hazard lights, unbuckled his seatbelt, and prepared to get out of the car.


    "I''ll go with you,"Ste said as she unbuckled her seatbelt.


    ¡®Marshall has a really gentle disposition. What if the other driver is unreasonable, and Mr.Moore can''t


    outtalk them? I need to tag along and see.If Marshall can''t outtalk the person, I''ll talk instead. After all,


    I''m pretty brazen, and I''ve never lost when ites to arguing" she thought.


    Marshallughed and said, "Alright."


    And so, Keegan saw Ste and Marshall get out of the car.


    Ste even purposefully went around the car and walked to Marshall''s side.She was wearing a white-


    colored hoodie and had her hair casually draped over her shoulder.She had a cool expression on her


    face as her hands were angled and tucked in the pockets of her hoodie.


    Her red lips were pursed, and she gave off an intimidating feeling that prevented others from getting


    close to her.She looked like she was not to be messed around with.She walked ahead of Marshall, her


    stance shielding him behind her.


    Seeing her actions, Keegan could not help but darken his gaze.


    In the first year of their marriage, they went to Keegan''s grandmother''s birthday together.


    He was driving then.


    When the traffic light turned green, a scooter sped out from a blind spot as soon as their car moved.


    Keegan reacted quickly and immediately mmed the brakes, but their car still rammed into the


    scooter.


    The person on the scooter was a middle-aged woman in her 50s.


    She even had a child that was five or six years old on board.


    After they got hit, the two fell off the scooter.


    Keegan told Ste to call the Collision Reporting Center and the insurancepany while he got off


    the car to check on the situation.


    While Ste was on the phone, the middle-aged woman got up from the ground.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Then, she swung her helmet and smashed Keegan''s car.


    Since Keegan was a man, it was obviously inappropriate for him to put his hands on an older woman


    with a child.


    However, the woman upped the ante and started cursing while smashing the car.


    She even wanted to kick Keegan.


    Back then, Ste was enamored of him and newly wedded to him, so she could not stand seeing her


    man get beaten up.


    She immediately whipped out a golf club from the backseat and smashed the scooter without warning.


    Her movements were swift and relentless.


    The golf club was made of alloy material and incredibly sturdy, so it only took a few hits before the


    scooter''s windshield got smashed to pieces.


    When the child beside them saw this, they were so frightened they started crying.


    When the old woman realized Ste was a tough nut, she could no longer y the bully and quickly


    went to protect her grandchild and the battered scooter.


    The traffic police and insurers came.


    They took some photos and collected evidence.


    The car''s initial damage was not too bad after it got hit by the scooter that ran a red light.


    Since they also had car insurance, the scooter driver probably only had topensate 10 or 20


    thousand dors as a lesson, and the matter would have been considered closed.


    However, the old woman was being a bully.


    She ran a red light and med them for not watching their way while driving.


    She smashed their car and hit them, so her actions were considered intentional damage to another''s


    property.


    The repair costs alone were at least several hundred thousand dors.


    When the old woman heard thepensation amount, she immediately twisted the truth and she


    used Ste of smashing her scooter first.


    The result was predictable.


    The dash camera had clearly recorded the person who started it first.


    Ste smashed the scooter and only had to pay her two to three thousand dors forpensation.


    The middle-aged woman had it bad and had to pay a couple hundred thousand dors.!!!


    Ste was really fierce when she smashed.


    After they handled the incident, she got in the car and took off her sunsses.


    Her voice immediately softened as she said quietly, "Honey, don''t be mistaken.I''m not usually like


    that.Everyone says I''m gracious, intelligent,dylike, and virtuous."


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡®I almost would''ve believed her nonsense if I hadn''t seen how ruthless she was when smashing the


    scooter.Ste had never been a tame little bunny.She just liked pretending to he one" he thought.

 Chapter 541

    Chapter 541


    Chapter 541 Keegan''s thoughts ran.


    ''It''s just as Ste said.


    "She put her hands on you first, my own husband.If anyone hits him, it only can be me."


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    She''s very protective of the people or things in her domain.


    Back then, the person she shielded behind her back was me.


    But now...


    He stared intensely at the two who were slowly walking over.


    ¡®Even if it weren''t him, I''d still want to pull that person aside and stand there instead!" he


    thought again.


    Ste frowned.


    ''The two of us have already gotten out of the car, yet the person in the car behind us hasn''t


    budged at all.They''ve got bad driving skills and collided with the rear-end of our car, yet they''re


    still being arrogant" she thought.


    Marshall knocked on the driver''s window, and the window slowly winded down.


    Just as Ste wondered if the driver was a man or a woman, she saw Aldor smiling apologetically.He


    greeted them.


    "Mr.Moore, Mrs.Kane, what a coincidence."


    Ste was speechless.


    Marshall was also stunned momentarily.


    "Aldor? Why are you here?"


    Aldor got out of the car.


    "I''m driving Mr.Kane to his grandparents residence.I''m not used to driving this new car, so I didn''t


    manage to hit the brakes on time. I''m terribly sorry," he said as he nced at Marshall''s car.


    Then, he said with an apologetic look, "The damage looks pretty serious.I just contacted the Collision


    Reporting Center and the insurancepany.They''lle and collect the evidence in a bit.Sorry for


    holding you up, Mr.Moore."


    The corner of Ste''s lips twitched.


    ''How good are Aldor''s driving skills? I''ll put it this way, he could do a 360 spin on the spot with his


    skills.How could the assistant Keegan hired make such a rookie mistake? Did that mutt, Keegan, tell


    him to do it?" she thought.


    Ste stared at the passenger''s seat window in annoyance.


    Even though she could not make out the person within, she still could feel Keegan''s gaze.


    ¡®Forget about him helping my rival with theirwsuit.He''s even ramming into my car.Why is Keegan


    getting increasingly annoying after our divorce?¡¯ she wondered.while she was ring at the window, it


    got winded down.Keegan was in the backseat dressed in a suit.He lifted his head slightly and looked


    over.


    "How is it, Aldor?"


    Aldor answered, "Mr.Kane, this is such a coincidence.The car we rammed into is Mr.Moore''s


    car.Mrs...Ms.Jewell was also in the car.Mr.Moore''s car looks pretty badly damaged.Even its tail lights


    are cracked."


    Keegan frowned.


    "How long will it take to settle things?"


    "Probably 20 to 30 minutes.It''s currently peak hour and it''s a little congested, so the people


    from the insurancepany will take some time.Mr.Kane, why don''t you give Madam Kane a


    call and say that you''ll arrive a littleter?"


    Keegan pursed his lips.


    Momentster, he finally said, "Ask them to hurry up."


    Seeing his look of annoyance, Ste started to wonder if she was overthinking.


    ¡®Ever since the car window got winded down, Keegan hasn''t even looked at me" she thought.


    Right after Keegan spoke, his phone rang.His phone was connected to the car speakers via


    Bluetooth.


    Keegan answered the phone, and Baldwin''s voice sounded from the speakers, "Sir, how much


    longer until you arrive?"


    Keegan answered, "There''s been an ident.Maybe after half an hour."


    "Is it serious? Did you get hurt?"


    "I''m fine."


    "Why don''t you take a cab here? I fear Madam Kane can''t hold on any longer.If you don''te


    right away, something might happen.

 Chapter 542

    Chapter 542


    Chapter 542


    Ste''s heart abruptly sank.


    ¡®Grandma looked pretty healthy when I saw her at the funeral.Why''s she suddenly not able to make it?''


    she wondered.


    She had a tense expression as she subconsciously tightened her fists.


    Since Ste''s mother had just passed away, she was currently very sensitive toward the health of the


    people around her.


    Only people who had experienced such things understand how unpredictable life can be.


    Keegan could not help but darken his expression slightly.


    Then, he said in a low voice, "I understand.I''ll be there immediately."


    After he hung up the phone, he unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car.


    He nced at Ste and Marshall.


    Then, he turned to Aldor and said, "Stay here and wait for the people from the insurancepany to


    handle things.I''ll take a cab there."


    Right after, he walked in the opposite direction at a hurried pace.


    Ste could not help but have her heart in her mouth.She subconsciously called out to him.


    "Keegan!"


    Keegan stopped walking.He turned to look at her with an indifferent gaze.


    Ste pursed her lips and asked in a soft voice, "What happened to grandma?"


    Keegan met her eyes and said in a serious tone, "I''m not sure either.If you want to know, we can go


    there together."


    Ste dug her fingers into her palms.


    ¡®Keegan and I are already divorced.Is it appropriate to go at a time like this?¡¯ she wondered.


    Keegan waited for a few seconds.


    A hint of disappointment briefly shed across his eyes when he saw her remain still.


    "I''ll be leaving first," he said indifferently.


    Ste''s throat closed momentarily.


    ¡®I can be oblivious when something happens to anyone in the Kane family.But if it''s grandma, I can''t


    turn a blind eye when I know something''s happened.


    ¡®Madam Kane has been the kindest to me in the entire Kane family, so I can''t ignore my conscience


    and pretend I didn''t hear Keegan''s words" thought Ste That was why she called out to Keegan the


    moment he turned around and said, "Wait for me."


    Then, she turned to Marshall.


    "Mr.Moore, I''ll treat you to a meal another day.I''ll go visit grandma first."


    Marshall softened his expression and said in a low voice, "Go ahead.Contact me if anything happens."


    Ste breathed a sigh of relief and thanked him.


    Then, she ran after Keegan.


    Marshall darkened his gaze as he watched the two leave.


    Momentster, he finally withdrew his gaze.


    Aldor smiled apologetically.


    "I''m terribly sorry for holding up your time, Mr.Moore."


    Marshallughed.


    "It''s fine.I''ve got time."


    Aldor''s smile faltered.


    For some reason, he understood another meaning from Marshall''s words.


    ¡®He''s got time to repair the car.He''s also got time for her" he thought.


    Throughout the process of waiting for a cab, Keegan did not speak.


    Ste was worried about Cordelia''s condition, so she was naturally not in the mood to speak either.


    Not long after, a cab pulled over.


    The driver stuck out his head and asked where they were going.


    Keegan told him the address.


    The driver said he could send them.


    However, he had another customer onboard whom he was sending to the college town, so he asked if


    they minded.


    The college town was on the way to Keegan''s grandparents'' residence, so there was no need to make


    a detour.


    Keegan agreed.


    After they got in the car, they noticed a girl in her 20s in the front seat.


    She looked like a student.


    The temperature today was rather high.


    By noon, the sun had gotten even hotter.


    The car reeked of the odor of leather and motor oils released when under high heat.


    It smelled awful.


    Ste felt sick when she smelled this odor, so she closed her eyes.


    After she leaned into the seat and rested her eyes, she felt slightly better.


    Keegan looked at her from the corner of his eyes after she shut her eyes.


    There were faint dark circles under her eyes.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®She''s been busy after the funeral, so she''s probably very tired" he thought.

 Chapter 543

    Chapter 543


    Chapter 543


    Keegan pursed his lips and said in a low voice, "Congrattions on winning the case today."


    Ste smiled, but she did not open her eyes.


    "You''re probably very disappointed that I won, Mr.Kane.You''ve wasted so much attorney fees for


    nothing and even had to paypensation." Keegan frowned.


    "What would I be disappointed about?"


    Ste opened her eyes and nced at him through half-opened eyelids.


    "You really spent a fortune to hire Mr.Eldrich as yourwyer."


    ¡®Marshall said Ted Eldrich''s attorney fees are really expensive.Besides, it''s not like one can hire him


    simply with money.He also considers his client''s status.Be may not be able to hire him, but Keegan


    definitely can" she thought.


    At the thought of how the two exchanged pleasantries in the courtroom, Ste could not help but


    darken her expression.


    ''Why is he putting on a show?¡¯ she thought.


    "You think I paid money to hire Ted Eldrich?"


    Ste nced at Keegan.


    "Otherwise, why''d youe to the hearing? Mr.Kane, when you talk with Mr.Eldrich, at least do it in


    private.Also, make your acting more realistic.You can''t deny things just because you lost the case."


    Keegan was speechless.


    However, Keegan became level-headed after hearing Ste''s cynical words.He started rethinking the


    things that had happened in the past two days.


    ¡®Ste is Dusk Gxy, so she''s definitely not behind the photo incident.So who''s the person who


    wanted me toe to this hearing? And what''s their objective?" he wondered.


    Keegan froze and suddenly looked at Ste.She was looking at him coldly.


    There was a hint of cynicism in her eyes.


    ''I think I know the person''s objective behind asking me toe to this hearing.They wanted Ste to


    think that I helped them with thewsuit.They obviously achieved their objective based on Ste''s


    current gaze on me.Ste and I are currently already divorced, so there''s a barrier between us.I''m


    working hard to remove it.Yet, someone''s increasing the barriers, causing me to never be able to


    ovee them.Who is this person?'' he wondered.


    Keegan racked his brain for someone suspicious.


    Suddenly, he realized there were too many people with this motive.


    ¡®Too many people are eager for Ste and me to get divorced.Too many are concerned about Ste" he


    thought again.


    Keegan exined, "There''s a misunderstanding here.I did not know you were involved in this


    lawsuit.Ted and I are merely acquainted.In the courtroom, he only greeted me, and it wasn''t because I


    hired him."


    Ste listened to him justify his actions before she finally said, "Why''d you show up at the hearing when


    you don''t know a thing?"N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Keegan was silent.


    After a long while, he said, "Someone sent me a letter and asked me to attend."


    Ste could no longer hold back the anger she had been holding in the entire day.


    "Keegan, shut up if you''re really just going to make excuses! You came just because of a letter? Then


    why didn''t you answer when I called you that many times when I got into a car ident? Is a letter


    more important than your wi¡­ ex-wife?"


    Keegan was at a loss for words.


    "I''m not lying to you."


    Ste put on her earphones.She turned to look out the window and ignored him.


    After the student got out of the car, the cab driver went straight to Keegan''s grandparents'' residence.


    They got out of the car the moment they arrived at the estate.


    Baldwin was already waiting for them behind the gates.


    "Mr.Kane, Mrs.Kane."


    Baldwin still addressed Ste the way he used to.


    However, Ste was anxious to know of Cordelia''s condition, so she did not dwell on how he


    addressed her.


    She asked in a low voice, ''Baldwin, how''s grandma?"


    Baldwin paused.


    He nced at Keegan, who had an indifferent expression, before he pursed his lips and said, "I''ll take


    you two to see her."

 Chapter 544

    Chapter 544


    Chapter 544


    Ste and Keegan followed Baldwin into the house.


    Baldwin had a serious expression on the way there, so Ste dared not ask any questions.


    However, as they kept walking, Ste realized Baldwin was not leading them to Cordelia''s room but to


    the turf at the back of the estate.


    Ste frowned and whispered, "Baldwin, are we going the wrong way?"


    "Nope."


    Baldwin continued warmly, ''Madam Kane is here."


    Soon after, they arrived at the horse stable.


    Ste immediately spotted Cordelia looking healthy as she sat outside the stable with Juno.


    Cordelia held an apple and muttered, "Have a bite, sweetheart.Look at you, your coat is no longer


    shiny, and your face has gotten longer.If you keep getting skinnier, you''ll turn ugly.Then, it will be even


    less likely that Ste woulde and visit you."


    Juno made grunting noises and anxiously kicked its hooves as if it were throwing a tantrum.


    "Why don''t you just have a bite? You haven''t pooped in two days.You''re making me worried."


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®Didn''t they say the olddy can''t hold on any longer? Which part of her can''t hold on any longer? Isn''t


    she alive and kicking? She''s even got the energy to feed a horse!'' she thought.


    Then, Ste could not help but re at Keegan, who was pursing his lips and had an unchanged


    expression.


    Baldwin said loudly, "Madam Kane, Mr.and Mrs.Kane are here."


    Cordelia paused and turned to Ste.She immediately looked as if she had seen her savior.


    "Ste,e,e! Hurry up ande take a look.Juno hasn''t been eating or drinking for the past


    few days.I don''t know what''s wrong."


    Ste could not give Cordelia an attitude and leave, so she had no choice but to walk up to her.


    "Have you asked a vet over to take a look at him?"


    "I did."


    The olddy frowned.


    She continued with a look of worry, "The vet said it''s psychological.Juno''s been yearning for someone


    until he fell sick, so he''s throwing a tantrum and refusing to eat."


    "Yearning for someone until he fell sick?"


    Ste''s eyebrows twitched.She could not help but silently think about how absurd it was.


    ¡®Can even horses yearn for others until they fall sick?'' she wondered.


    She coughed.


    "Did you get Juno a girlfriend?"


    Cordelia shook her head.


    "He misses you.You haven''t yed with him for over half a month now.He''s angry and throwing a


    tantrum.Ste was speechless.


    ¡®I have a feeling the olddy is uttering nonsense" she thought.


    However, Juno quickly gave her a response.


    It turned its head and red at her with its big eyes as it panted heavily through its nose.


    This was a sign that a horse was excited.


    ''Is Juno that fond of me?'' she wondered.


    Ste was not certain either because Juno had an unpredictable temperament.


    Juno was an exceptional horse, so it was bound to have quite the temper.


    Besides, Cordelia spoiled Juno, so it would not let anyone it did not acknowledge touch it.


    But of course, it was also not friendly with the ones it acknowledged.


    Cordelia handed the apple she was holding to Ste.


    "Try feeding Juno."


    Ste had no choice but to ept it.


    Then, she handed it to Juno''s mouth.


    Juno stared at her for a few seconds before it opened its mouth, bit the apple, and threw the apple on


    the ground.N?velDrama.Org content.


    Ste was speechless.


    "I told you it has nothing to do with me..."


    Before Ste could finish her sentence, Juno suddenly stuck out its neck and bit on Ste''s shirt


    sleeve.


    There was a loud ripping sound, and Ste''s shirt sleeve got ripped off from her shoulder.


    Juno excitedly galloped circles within the stable with Ste''s shirt sleeve in its mouth.


    The corners of Ste''s lips twitched.

 Chapter 545

    Chapter 545


    Chapter 545


    ''I bought so many hair essories for this rotten scoundrel for nothing.Not only did Juno not ept my


    kindness, he even bit the hand that fed him! As expected, he''s the same as that mutt, Keegan, '' Ste


    thought.


    At this thought, she red angrily at Keegan.


    Keegan was confused.


    The olddy did not expect such a thing to happen.She immediately smiled awkwardly.


    "Maybe he likes your scent."


    Right after Cordelia finished her sentence, she suddenly eximed in shock.


    "Juno''s eating! Quick, look, Ste! Juno''s eating!"


    Ste looked at Juno.


    The horse picked up the apple it had thrown onto the ground just now.


    This time, it was obediently eating the apple.


    The olddy quickly gave it a carrot.


    Unlike earlier, Juno ate the crunchy carrot and no longer refused to eat.


    "I told you Juno misses you because he hasn''t seen you for too long."


    The olddyughed.


    She continued, "The moment you came, he made a fuss, but his appetite suddenly improved.He''s


    already used to youring to y with him every week.He misses you when he doesn''t see


    you.Ste,e over when you''re free.Juno''s happy when he sees you.I''m the same."


    Ste smiled slightly.


    Then, she said ambiguously, "We''ll see how it goes then, grandma.I''ve been pretty busy recently."


    ¡®Today''s an ident.I really thought something had happened to grandma.I lost my cool because of


    how concerned I was.If something had happened to grandma, we should be headed to the hospital, not


    the estate" she thought.


    The olddy did not insist.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    She turned to Keegan and said, "Keegan, take Ste to get a change of clothes.After this, we''ll have a


    meal together."


    Just as Ste wanted to reject her, Cordelia continued, "After we have a meal, you and I will have a


    chat."


    Then, Ste shut her mouth.


    Initially, there were Ste''s clothes in Keegan''s room.


    However, the two did not stay there often, so the olddy worried the clothes would get dusty.


    She told Corrin to put them away.


    There were only two flimsy pajamas in the wardrobe, so Ste obviously could not wear them.


    One of Ste''s arms was exposed, and her bra strap was even faintly visible.


    Ste looked rather unsightly, so she sat in Keegan''s room waiting while he went to look for Corrin for


    Ste''s change of clothes.


    Ste''s phone kept vibrating in her bag, so she took it out and nced at it.


    Felicity had forwarded her a few Facebook posts.


    Ste''swsuit this morning had be a trending topic.


    #DuskGxyAppearsInCourt #DuskGxySte Jewell


    #DuskGxyJurisdiction


    #DuskGxyLiveVideo


    #DuskGxyWinsPersonalityRightsCase


    #DuskGxyCaseDefendantAllegedlyBeYoungAssistant The entire entertainment section was


    covered in these hot topics.


    The discussions under these rted topics were intense.


    [WTF? The psychotic corpse-cooking cannibal is Dusk Gxy! ]


    [Why do Be Young''s fans have the cheek to cyberbully her? Don''t they know whose voice-acting


    made their idol popr? You eat from the hand that feeds you, but bite the same hand when you''re


    done?]


    [I was at the hearing today and saw Dusk Gxy in the flesh.She even said hello to me! ]


    [How was it? Is she pretty?]


    [Totes! Only a handful of people in the entertainment industry can beat her looks.She looks even better


    in personpared to Jurisdiction.She''s so fair that she''s glowing! ]


    [Is the defendant really Be Young''s assistant?]


    [I also heard about this expos¨¦ on those Facebook pages.They said they saw that person on set when


    Be was shooting.However, the photo is a little blurry, so the person''s face can''t be seen


    clearly.Regardless, the person''s silhouette is really simr.]


    [Damn! If that really is her assistant, did she really not know her assistant was cyberbullying Dusk


    Gxy?]


    [How could she not know? Who knows if she herself instructed her? When Secret Sweetheart was


    being aired, her fans were having a feud with Dusk Gxy.Then Be herself posted some original


    audio video, saying she wanted a showdown with Dusk Gxy.In the end, that blew up in her face! Her


    voice was no match for Dusk Gxy''s, so she threw shade at Dusk Gxy''s looks.Now that Dusk


    Gxy''s looks are much better than hers, let''s see what she''ll use topete with Dusk Gxy.She


    could win a grand prize if theypeted in paying to be a trending topic.]


    [Thementer above is so ballsy.I like your words.Don''t forget to turn off your replies! ]

 Chapter 546

    Chapter 546


    Chapter 546


    Felicity called Ste via WhatsApp.


    "Be can''t stay still any longer.She''s paying to have the trending topics removed!"


    Be paid many Facebook pages to promote her new drama.She tried to cover thewsuit using the


    poprity of her new drama.


    Right after Ste refreshed the app, some of the trending topics were already losing poprity.


    Ste asked, "How much does it cost to buy a trending topic?"


    "Don''t think about it.It''s more than your paycheck.You''re currently broke.You can''t afford it."


    Ste said, "I''ve got several hundred million on my card.How am I poor?"


    Felicity was speechless.


    "I suddenly feel like Keegan''s pretty generous to you.Why don''t you remarry him? You can divorce him


    again if you find him an eyesore.Don''t forget to take several hundred million from him when you divorce


    him again.When you no longer find him an eyesore, marry him again.Then, divorce him again and


    divide his assets...And the cycle repeats itself.Isn''t this more profitable than acting?"


    Ste''s lips twitched.You''re so smart."


    Felicityughed slyly.


    Then, she asked, "Are you really going to buy a trending topic?"


    "Nah.I even hesitate when buying property.I should spend money on more important things instead."


    Felicity strongly agreed.


    "There''s no need to waste such money.Be''s persona is made up.It''s only a matter of time before


    she''s exposed, so don''t waver.If you end her with a single hit, you''ll make things too easy for her.It''s


    more painful to kill someone with a blunt knife.We need to let her be in pain for a longer time!


    "Why should we panic? She''s the one who should panic.She and Stinky Cucumber are about to


    terminate their contract.Stinky Cucumber''s really stingy, so he definitely won''t spend any more money


    on her.Maybe she even paid to remove the trending topics out of her own pocket.Let her be in pain!"


    "You''re right, but..." Ste paused.


    "Why are you calling Vermont a Stinky Cucumber?"


    Felicity paused and said, "Which decent man would routinely change his woman? He''s a Stinky


    Cucumber!"


    Ste said, "Mr.Snyder isn''t a bad person.He''s rather righteous, and he''s in our circle.You might even


    need his help in the future, so get along with him.Regarding his personal life...


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    How do I put this? Anyway, as long as he isn''t messing with us, there''s no need to force our morals on


    him."


    "He''s a..."


    Felicity gritted her teeth.


    Momentster, she finally said, Whatever.Anyway, just stay far away from him!"


    She continued.


    "Are you dating Mr.Moore right now? I saw a video of you and Mr.Mooreing out of the courthouse


    together online today," she said as she giggled.


    "The golden boy and girl...You two are quite the match.Why don''t you just date Mr.Moore? You could


    also irritate Keegan by doing that."


    Felicity was a little dense, but she could tell Keegan still had feelings for Ste.


    ¡®Which ex-husband would asionally transfer money to his ex- wife after they''ve gotten divorced?


    He''s even added his ex-wife''s bestie''s WhatsApp ount just to peek at his ex-wife''s current situation.


    Ahem! Well of course, I didn''t tell Ste that Keegan had added me on WhatsApp.I didn''t ept


    Keegan''s request when he first added me on WhatsApp.


    Keegan, that mutt, told Vermont to talk to me.


    Then, Stinky Cucumber¡ª Vermont ¡ªthreatened me with what happened on his birthday, so I was


    forced to ept Keegan''s friend request.


    While Keegan did not say anything after adding me on WhatsApp, it always feels like I''m a spy.


    Besides, I can''t tell Ste about this.


    Because if I do, I can''t hide the fact that I slept with Stinky Cucumber.


    It''s too humiliating, and I don''t want Ste to know, '' thought Felicity.


    Felicity was pissed, but she also did not dare wrong Keegan.


    Her insistence on asking Ste to consider Marshall has something to do with her petty grudge.


    ''He''s pursuing his ex-wife and not currying her bestie''s favor.Instead, he''s threatening the bestie?


    Continue pursuing her a little longer then"


    Felicity thought again.


    "Don''t y matchmaker.After thewsuit, Mr.Moore and I will be parting ways.Besides, I''m currently at


    Keegan''s grandparents'' residence."


    Felicity frowned.


    "Why are you there? Keegan''s mother and sister aren''t there, right? Don''t get bullied by them." Ste


    laughed.


    "If we meet, who knows who''ll be the one bullying who?"

 Chapter 547

    Chapter 547


    Chapter 547


    ¡®Back then, the two ordered me around on the ount that they were Keegan''s closest family.I


    tolerated them for the sake of Keegan and out of respect toward elders and juniors.However, who''s


    Keegan to me now?" thought Ste.


    "When will you be back today? Do you need me to pick you up?"


    "Nope.You should finish work earlier so that you can go home and rest.I''ll be fine taking a cab home."


    "Alright, then.Call me if there''s anything you need, okay?"


    After Ste hung up the phone, she nced at the time.


    ¡®I''ve been on the phone for over ten minutes.Is Keegan getting the clothes or making the clothes?'' she


    thought.Ste walked to the mirror and stood in front of it.She looked at the blouse on her.Not only was


    her shirt sleeve torn off, but there was even a rip on the back of her shirt.She wanted to see how badly


    ripped her shirt was, so she lifted her arm.


    However, she heard a loud ripping sound.


    The rip that originally only reached her shoulder de had now reached her waist.


    The fabric on her back loosely dangled below, exposing most of her back.


    Ste was speechless.She turned around and looked in the mirror.She felt as if she were wearing


    lingerie that did not reveal her shoulder.


    Ste waited a few more minutes.


    Seeing how Keegan still had not returned, she stood up and took a set of pajamas from the wardrobe.


    After throwing the pajamas onto the bed, she started unbuttoning her blouse.


    Right after she unbuttoned two buttons, she suddenly had a thought.


    ''Is there still a need for me to unbutton this shirt?'' she wondered.


    And so, she removed the hem of her shirt from her pants.


    Then, she crossed her arms and pulled the bottom of her blouse, intending to take off her blouse by


    pulling it upward to her head.


    Just as Ste lifted the shirt to her head, she heard the sound of the door knob twisting.


    She hurriedly tried to pull the blouse back down, but the button on the blouse got caught in her hair.


    With it stuck in her hair, she could not take the blouse off or put it on.


    Ste heard the door about to open, so she shouted in panic, "Don''te in yet!"


    Right after she spoke, Keegan opened the door and froze.


    Ste stood by the bed with her hands and blouse stuck above her head.She only had a bra on her,


    revealing arge area of snowy, white skin.


    The blouse was firmly stuck to Ste''s head, so she could not see the person in front of her at all.


    However, she knew he might have a look of mockery after he saw how stupid she looked.She said


    through gritted teeth, Get out first!"


    Keegan did not speak.


    His gaze slowly moved up from her slim, fair waist andnded on her full breasts.


    Since Ste was in a panic to get the blouse off her head, she was breathing heavily, and her chest


    heaved up and down.


    Keegan''s gaze darkened slightly.


    He pursed his lips and slowly walked up to Ste in silence.


    Ste evidently noticed him approaching.


    She could not help but move backward.


    "Why are youing over? I told you to get out!"


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan threw the clothes he was holding onto the bed.


    Then, he reached out and gripped her iling arms.


    "Don''t move," he said in a low voice.


    Ste obviously did not listen to his words.She did not even listen to him when they were married, let


    alone after their divorce.


    Right now, Ste only felt immense humiliation.


    ''I fantasized about taking revenge and outdoing myself after our divorce and acting pretentious to give


    him a p the sess of my career in his face.However, the reality is too embarrassing" she thought.

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    Chapter 548


    ''I managed to get a shirt stuck on my head when taking it off and even let my ex-husband see me in the


    act.


    I really want to bury myself alive! Why does Keegan always see me in my most embarrassing


    moments? As expected, Keegan''s my kryptonite!¡¯ she thought.


    "Get out! You liar!"


    Ste shook her head and attempted to dodge his touch.She also did not forget to drive him out.


    Keegan frowned.


    "What did I lie to you about?"


    "You lied to me that grandma couldn''t make it? Which part of grandma can''t make it? Aren''t you afraid


    that you''ll shorten grandma''s life by making such a lie?!"


    "Since when did I tell you that grandma can''t make it?" Keegan said in annoyance, ''Use your brain and


    think.What did I tell you back then?"


    Ste reflected momentarily.


    ''It seems like Keegan really didn''t say anything.It was Baldwin who called and said grandma couldn''t


    hold on any longer.Besides, Keegan had a serious expression, so I obviously thought grandma might


    not make it.Who would''ve thought that Baldwin had shortened his sentence? The original sentence


    was probably, "


    Hurry.Madam Kane has been feeding Juno at the stable for too long.She can''t hold on standing any


    longer."


    While I did misunderstand the situation, Keegan did not exin it to me either" she thought.


    "Who cares about what you said? Either way, you''re a liar! Don''t touch me!"


    Ste said while dodging him.


    Keegan missed grabbing her hands a few times, so he simply hugged her waist and threw her onto the


    bed.


    Then, he gripped her wrist and had him under her.


    "Are you going outside with your blouse above your head? Stay put, and I''ll help you undo it!"


    Ste gritted her teeth.


    "You''re acting like a hooligan even when untangling my hair? Get off me!"


    Ste stuck out her legs to kick him while speaking.


    Keegan pressed one of his legs onto her knee to hold her in ce.


    Then, he helped her untangle the hair caught on the button, saying, "Aren''t you the one acting like a


    hooligan? You knew I wasing in to bring you clothes, yet you didn''t lock the door while taking your


    clothes off? It''s not too much to say that you deliberately left the door unlocked to seduce me, right?"


    When Ste heard how Keegan twisted the truth, her face turned red in anger.


    "Alright. Even if I had deliberately left the door unlocked to seduce you, don''t you know how to knock


    on the door beforeing in? Even if you didn''t knock, aren''t you supposed to leave after seeing such


    a scene upon entering?"


    Keegan answered unapologetically, "I don''t have the habit of knocking on doors in my own house."


    ¡®What a darn good reason!¡¯ Ste thought.


    She gritted her teeth.


    "Then why didn''t you leave after seeing such a scene when you''re worried about being seduced?"


    Keegan was silent for a while before he finally said, "Outright taking off your clothes as a form of


    seduction is a little low, even for you."


    Just as Ste wanted to make aeback, Keegan said into her ear in alow voice, "But it works on


    me."Her ears instantly reddened.


    ¡®Is Keegan teasing me?'' she thought.


    Ste was embarrassed and angry.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    "Keegan, we''re already divorced now.If you dare do anything to me, I''ll sue you for indecent assault!"


    she said through gritted teeth.


    "I won''t touch you," Keegan said as he untangled another strand of hair.


    He continued, "I won''t push you to do those kinds of things anymore unless you''re willing."


    Ste was so furious her face flushed red.


    "Who the hell would be willing?"


    "I''ve got a question."


    Keegan looked at the flushed chest of the woman under him. He said in a low voice, "Are my skills


    really that bad?"

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    Chapter 549


    Ste was speechless.


    ''Why''s he asking me this kind of question? He may be shameless, but I''m not"


    Ste pursed her lips as she remained silent.


    Keegan saw her refusing to answer him.He was a little unhappy as he asked again, "Am I bad at it?"


    Ste was tired of being asked questions.


    She stared at him through her shirt, saying, "How''d I know whether you''re bad at it or not? I''ll let you


    know after I get a new boyfriend.I''ll sleep with him and make aparison."


    Keegan was angry.His displeasure was clear in his voice.


    "You want to try it with someone else?"


    "What''s wrong? I can''t have a sex life after we''ve divorced?"


    It seemed like Ste found a way to irritate Keegan.


    She squinted as she said, "Other husbands are vigorous.They can do it seven to nine times a


    night.And you? You can barely do it once! I was tricked by you because I was too inexperienced! I


    should try a few more guys before I remarry.I won''t marry a guy like you!"


    The corners of Keegan''s eyes twitched.He looked furious.


    "Seven to nine times a night? Do you think it''s animal breeding? You can''t even close your legs after


    two times.And you want to do it seven to nine times. Are you nning on riding a pig to go out the next


    day?"


    Ste was stunned.She was not angry with what Keegan said.She was surprised by the filthynguage


    that he blurted out.


    After all, she was always the one who spoke rudely back then.


    Even if Keegan spoke vulgarly, he would not speak too offensively.


    Unlike her, she would always just speak rudely without controlling herself.


    And after hearing what Keegan said, she even imagined the way she would walk the next day.


    She even felt that the way Keegan described it was exceptionally fitting! But her expression


    immediately turned ugly when she remembered he was describing that about her.


    "It means you''re bad at it if I can get down the bed the next day!"


    Keegan stopped untangling her hair.He looked intimidating as he stared at her.


    "Do you want to try the feeling of not being able to get down the bed?"


    Ste realized his tone did not seem right.She covered her breasts with her elbows.She clenched her


    teeth as she said, "Even if I want to try it, I won''t try it with you.Don''t forget what you said just now!"


    Keegan held her waist.His voice was deep.


    "What did I say?"


    Ste was afraid that he would get aroused.


    After all, they were ina sexual position now.


    "You said you wouldn''t force me to do this kind of thing with you!"


    "Did I?"


    Keegan gently caressed her soft waist with his finger.


    His voice was deep, "I always break my word."


    He unstuck thest strand of her hair as he said that.


    He then removed her shirt from her head.


    He grabbed her hands as he stared into her eyes which were filled with rage with his dark eyes.


    He then kissed her on the lips while she looked at him.


    He instantly smiled like a kid who had sessfully pranked someone as he said, "What can you do


    even if I touched you?"


    Ste fumingly stared at him with her eyes wide open.


    ''T shouldn''t have believed the crap that this piece of shit said!¡¯ Ste opened her mouth and bit his


    shoulder.


    Keegan only wore a shirt.


    She bit him very hard.


    He was in so much pain that he frowned.


    He simply allowed her to bite him.


    A few secondster, he suddenly asked, "Is this the mark like the one in those Omegaverse novels you


    read? Biting on the other person''s nd to mark the person?"


    Ste was very surprised by what he said.She gradually stopped biting him after hearing that.She then


    released her bite and stared at him.


    "You looked at my tablet?"


    Keegan nced at her.


    "Can you turn off the cloud storage function when you read those nasty things? I don''t want to see


    those that stuff when I use myputer to search for information.Keegan paused.


    "What does knotting mean?"


    Ste was speechless.


    Ste expressionlessly said, It means entangled."


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan raised his eyebrow.


    "Entangled inside the body?"


    Ste looked annoyed.


    ¡®Keegan''s such an asshole.


    He clearly knows what it means! ¡®He must''ve read all those novels that I saved.


    He even knows about the markings in those Omegaverse novels!¡¯

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    Chapter 550


    ''I had to be secretive when I was downloading those novels.I was afraid Keegan would think badly of


    me if he knew what I was reading.But this piece of shit knew about it long ago.


    And yet, he still pretended as if he didn''t know about it! ¡®I wonder what he thought about me when I lied


    to him about learning Yostrainian whenever I was holding the tablet to read those Yostrainian novels


    back then! ¡®Those Yostrainian words that took me a long time to understand, Keegan instantly knew


    that they were sex terms when he looked at them.


    He''s a lot better than me in Yostrainian!'' Ste was furious.


    ''Keegan''s such an asshole!¡¯ Keegan was enjoying the changes in Ste''s expression when she was


    annoyed, angry, and looked like she wanted to kill him.


    He unconsciously smiled slightly.He gave a faint sigh.He softly whispered in her ears, "It''d be great if


    we can mark someone in real life."


    "Keep dreaming!" Ste stared at him.


    "This kind of thing only sounds good in graphic novels.Once someone is marked, he or she can never


    remove the mark.Alphas can mark any Omegas.But Omegas can only be marked by one Alpha.Alphas


    can cease to be faithful and love someone else.But Omegas can only be faithful to one person in their


    whole life.Why is that? If we could mark people in real life, the first thing I''d do is remove my


    nd.Nobody can mark me!"


    ''I read those kinds of erotic novels just for fun.Who''d want to encounter such a horrible experience in


    real life? I''m so angry!'' Keegan nced at her.


    "What if you''re the one who marks someone?" Ste fantasized about it.


    She narrowed her eyes.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    "Then I''d mark a few young men."


    The corners of Keegan''s eyes twitched.


    ¡®She''s such a hypocrite! They did not realize they got off the topic until someone pushed the door open.


    Cordelia saw the two of them lying on the bed.She then immediately closed the door.


    Ste was speechless.


    She then nced at Keegan who was on top of her.She kicked his calf.


    "Get off of me! Stay away from me! We''re divorced! Grandma will misunderstand if she saw us!"


    Keegan then slowly got off of Ste.


    Ste immediately grabbed her shirt and put it on.


    Not that Ste was shameless.


    Keegan and Ste had seen each other naked for several years.


    That was why she did not feel awkward when she talked to Keegan in her lingerie.


    After all, she had to wear only a bra to sit in the bathtub in front of so many people while she shot bath


    scenes.


    She was used to it.


    Once she was ready to leave the room, the two of them walked toward the door.


    When Keegan pulled the door open, he then saw that Cordelia''s ear was against the door.


    Cordelia almost lost her bnce when Keegan suddenly opened the door.


    Ste deftly grabbed Cordelia''s arms.


    "Grandma, be careful."


    After Cordelia steadied herself, she raised her head to size them up.


    She frowned as she said, "That''s awfully fast."


    Keegan and Ste were left speechless.


    ''What''s grandma thinking?"


    Ste exined, "I was just changing my shirt."


    After hearing that, Cordelia instantly nced at Keegan in disgust.


    She murmured, "You''re worse than Juno!"


    Keegan looked confused.


    Cordelia had someone cook for them.


    Ste could not refuse Cordelia''s kind offer.


    So, she stayed for the meal.


    During the meal, Cordelia did not talk about Ste and Keegan''s divorce.


    She just asked Ste what she was doing recently.


    Keegan looked confused.

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    Chapter 551


    Ste told her that she was recently shooting a show.


    Cordelia was very happy when she heard that "That means I can see you often on the television in the


    future?"


    Ste smiled.


    "It''s not a very important role.But you''ll still be able to see me."


    "You just started filming.You''ll have more opportunities in the future.Get the best actress award and


    show them that you''re capable."


    Ste chuckled.


    "I''ll do my best."


    while they were talking, Keegan''s phone rang.He then grabbed his phone and walked outside to


    answer the call.


    Cordelia took this opportunity to say to Ste, "Ste, the Kane family wronged you.I only knew about


    the divorce between you and Keegan after some time.I don''t know how to face you."


    Ste''s expression changed.


    ''''Grandma, don''t say that.Keegan and I divorced purely because we had some issues among


    ourselves.It has nothing to do with you.You treat me well.I''ll always remember that.No matter what the


    rtionship is between Keegan and me, you''ll always be my elder."


    Cordelia pursed her lips.


    "Answer me honestly.Did you divorce Keegan just because he didn''t attend your mother''s funeral?"


    Ste curled her fingers.She said after pondering, ''''Grandma, I might not be able to get pregnant.If so,


    will you still allow Keegan and me to be together?"


    Cordelia was stunned.She instantly frowned.


    "If he divorced you because of that, you should just ignore him forever! You should just leave this kind


    of man who only cares about procreation and preserving the family name."


    Ste was confused.


    Keegan heard that from outside.He unconsciously looked unhappy.


    He felt that his grandmother was advising Ste to leave him instead of advising her to get back with


    him.


    ''She didn''t say anything that''s beneficial to me"


    "But surely Keegan isn''t this kind of man.He knew from the very beginning that..."


    BAM!


    A loud noise could be heard from the living room.


    Cordelia stopped talking for a moment.


    She coughed and said, "I''m an old woman who''s going to die soon.There''s nothing that I''ll disallow.I


    just want you two to be happy.I don''t have many years left.Why would I still go against you two and give


    you guys trouble? Moreover, the current medical technology is very good.Any medical issue can be


    treated as long as it''s not a terminal illness.You''re still very young.Don''t be so pessimistic.It''s a happy


    ending as long as you two want to be together.Don''t always care about other people.They don''t


    matter!"


    Ste was speechless.


    ''I feel like she didn''t listen to what I said.


    ¡®It seems like grandma doesn''t care about that.


    ¡®But she clearly wanted to have a great- grandchild back then.She got over it so quickly?"


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    "Why don''t you and Keegan set a time to get the marriage certificate back? It just so happens that my


    birthday''sing up soon.Why don''t we have the wedding ceremony and the birthday celebration on


    the same day? It''d be a double celebration!"


    The corners of Ste''s eyes twitched.


    ¡®why do I feel that grandma seems so much like a trickster, tricking me to go register with Keegan as a


    married couple again?"


    "Grandma, let''s eat."


    Ste picked up some food for Cordelia.She obviously wanted to end this conversation.


    Other than the problems between her and Keegan, she could not forget what Dahlia did.


    Cordelia knew Ste wanted to stop talking about it.So, she just remained silent.


    ''My grandson is disappointing.There''s nothing more I can say..."


    "Right."


    "Right."


    Ste took out a card and the emerald thumb ring from her bag.


    "Grandma, I should return this thumb ring to you.Keegan and I are divorced, I shouldn''t keep what''s


    yours.You should keep it.And this card.After we divorced, the money that Keegan transferred to me is


    all in this card.The password is the reverse order of my birth date.Help me to return this to Keegan."


    After Dahlia talked to her, she kept this emerald thumb ring in a box inside her bag.


    She wanted to return it to Cordelia when she saw her.


    And today was a good opportunity.She would not need to purposely look for Cordelia just to return the


    ring to her in the future.

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    Chapter 552


    Cordelia chuckled.


    "Ste, once I gifted this thumb ring to you, I never nned to take it back.It isn''t expensive too.You


    can just wear it for fun.And for this card, this is a matter between you and Keegan.It''s his money.He


    can use the money in any way he likes.You can talk to him personally about it if you don''t want to take


    the money.It''s not up to me."


    Ste pressed her lips together.


    She would not ask Cordelia to help her if Keegan was willing to take the money back.


    Now she could not return the money to him if Keegan did not want to take it.


    ''Keegan is such a piece of shit.He causes me so much trouble even after we divorced"


    After Keegan came back from taking the call, Ste looked unhappy whenever she looked at him.


    While they were eating, Baldwin suddenly knocked on the door and walked in.


    "Madam Kane, Mr.Moore is here to visit you."


    Keegan stopped moving.


    Ste immediately raised her head to look outside.


    Marshall was holding a gift box.He was politely standing behind Baldwin.He smiled slightly as he


    looked at her.


    "Mrs.Kane, I came uninvited.I hope I didn''t interrupt anything."


    Cordelia was extremely happy.


    "Of course not.I wish you guys can visit me every day just like when you guys were kids." She paused


    for a second.


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    "Have you eaten? If you haven''t eaten, sit down and eat with us."


    Marshall gently said, "I dropped my car off for repair just now.I didn''t have the time to eat."


    Keegan was speechless.


    He suddenly realized how Trevor felt when Trevor looked at him that time when he took the alcohol to


    Wenham''s room at The Deli.


    After hearing that, Cordelia immediately said, "Baldwin, get a set of tableware."


    Baldwin got Marshall a set of tableware soon after he took his gift.


    Marshall thanked him.He then sat opposite Ste and Keegan.


    "Marshall, just take any food you want to eat.


    Make yourself at home.


    Don''t be shy."


    Marshall jokingly said, "Since when have I treated myself as an outsider in front of you?"


    Ste pushed the honey - grilled pork rib to Marshall.


    She softly said, ''''Mr.Moore, eat this."


    When she discussed her case with Marshall back then, they talked about some unrted topic.


    She got to know that Marshall liked sweet food.


    Other than the honey- grilled pork ribs, everything else was cooked to Keegan''s and her taste.


    The food was either too nd or a little spicy.She thought Marshall probably did not like those.


    But this action of hers made Keegan frown.


    However, Ste did not notice that.


    Marshall had a gentle expression as he thanked her.


    He then turned his head to chat with Cordelia.


    Cordelia liked Marshall a lot.


    Not only was Marshall sensible, but he was also very polite.


    When Keegan was a child, while he was still fighting over things with Vermont topete with him,


    Marshall was already a modest kid who knew how to protect everyone''s feelings.He was very


    sensible.He was too sensible for his age.


    Elders really liked especially thoughtful kids.


    Among the grandchildren of the Kane family, only Keegan was a decent person.


    The others were all good for nothing¡­So, Cordelia really hoped Marshall was her grandchild whenever


    she met him.


    Cordelia knew Dahlia wanted Marshall to be her son-inw.


    Naturally, Cordelia wanted to facilitate this marriage too.


    He then turned his head to chat with Cordelia.

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    Chapter 553


    Although she hoped that can happen, Cordelia was not blind.


    Marshall was clearly not interested in Aurora.


    Moreover, Aurora '' had a bad temper.


    Marshall deserved a better wife.


    That was why even though Dahlia repeatedly explicitly or implicitly talked about that matter, Cordelia


    never promised her anything.


    She merely said it was up to the kids.


    They rarely got to eat together.


    Just like any other elder would, Cordelia inevitably asked Marshall about his rtionship status.


    "Marshall, you''ve been back for a long time.Did your parents set ¡¯ you up on a blind date?"


    "They did.But I didn''t have the time to go."


    Marshall gently said, "I have a lot of work to do at thew firm.It''s more important to get those work


    done."


    "You have to work.But you shouldn''t overlook your love life.I know quite a lot of decent girls.If you don''t


    like the girl your mother set you up with, just tell me your requirements.Education background, looks,


    personality, job, and so on.Anyway, just tell me.I can help you with it."


    Marshall was a little tense.


    There''s no hurry."


    "You should! Just tell me your requirements.It''ll enhance the chance of a sessful blind date."


    Ste subconsciously felt amused as she looked at Marshall''s awkward face.


    ''Even Mr.Moore doesn''t know what to do when he''s being pressured to get married"


    Cordelia constantly urged him to tell her.


    Marshall had no other choice.


    So, he told her some of his requirements.


    "Looks decent and has a university degree.I don''t have any other requirements."


    "Decent looking is a very high requirement."


    Cordelia calmly said, "Back then, Keegan also said that he just wanted a decent-looking girl.


    But in the end, he chose Ste out of a few hundred girls.


    If girls like Ste are only considered decent looking for you guys, then I guess you won''t be able to


    find a girlfriend in Rivera."


    "Ahem, ahem!"


    Ste almost choked on the soup.She could not help but cough.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan nced at her without speaking.


    He did not think Ste was very decent looking when he first saw her.


    But after they got married, he found her increasingly attractive.


    After Marshall heard what Cordelia said, he smiled as he tenderly said, "Ste does indeed look


    decent."


    Keegan stopped moving.


    He looked gloomy.


    Ste also felt that what Marshall said was a little weird.She then changed the topic.


    "Grandma, don''t just chat.You should eat too.Or else, the dishes will get cold."


    As she said this, she went to take a piece of the honey -grilled pork ribs for Marshall.


    But before she could reach the te with her fork, the te full of honey-grilled pork ribs just now


    suddenly had none on it.


    All of them were now on Keegan''s te.


    There was already a pile of eaten ribs next to his te.


    And his te was still full of pork ribs.


    Ste''s mouth twitched.


    She murmured, "You don''t like to eat sweet food, right?"


    Keegan nced at her.


    "I feel like eating it today.Can''t I?"


    ''You could''ve just taken a few pieces if you wanted to eat it.Why must you take all of it? How can the


    others eat it now?"


    Ste inexplicably thought about what happened a few days ago.


    Keegan was drunk.He took all the prawns from the te for her.


    ¡®Should I be grateful that he didn''t take all the pork ribs for me? ¡®Or else he''ll embarrass me too."


    There were no pork ribs left.


    Ste did not want to take any food for Marshall.


    She was afraid that she would take food that he did not like for him.


    After eating, Cordelia chatted with them before she asked them to rest for a while.


    She then went to the horse farm to bring Juno to run a fewps.


    After that, she went upstairs to rest.


    Corrin cleaned the dishes.


    Ste got up and followed her to the kitchen to prepare some fruits.


    Only Keegan and Marshall were in the living room.


    Keegan swirled the tea leaves in his cup as he faintly said, "Your car is still not fixed.


    Why did you rush here?"


    Marshall smiled.


    "I was worried about Mrs.Kane.I was also worried that Ste couldn''t find a taxi when she goes back."


    Keegan stopped moving his cup.He immediately stared at Marshall.

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    Chapter 554


    Marshall''s gaze met his and was unwavering.


    There seemed to be no ripples underlying his gaze, yet a turbulent tidal wave hid inside.


    Keegan took a sip of his tea and then put the cup on the table.


    "Your worries seem to be unfounded.I have many cars at home.There''s no difference if I gift one to


    her."


    Marshall also chuckled.


    "I was afraid Ste wouldn''t be willing to get in a car since she doesn''t like to take advantage of others."


    Keegan seemed to not have understood who the "others" Marshall meant in his sentence.


    Instead, Keegan said nonchntly, "It''s good that you know.You''ve had your meal, spoken your


    conversation, and drank this tea.You should go home soon."


    Marshall was speechless.


    The corner of Marshall''s lips twitched.


    As he was about to answer, Keegan said, "Oh, I suddenly remembered that your mother said you


    would have trouble sleeping after drinking tea."


    When saying this, he took over the cup of tea in Marshall''s hand and sipped.


    "It''s better you don''t drink the tea.Leave quickly."


    Marshall was once again at a loss for words.


    After not seeing each other for a few years, Keegan has grown to be more outrageous.


    At the same time, Ste brought out a fruit tter that was freshly cut.She beckoned Marshall to eat


    them.


    "Mr.Moore, have some fruits."


    Marshall''s expression softened, and he thanked her kindly.


    Keegan initially wanted to stretch his hand out to take some but found that Ste had cut a te of


    mangoes.He gave Ste a look.


    "Weren''t there strawberries?"


    Ste red at him.


    "Mr.Moore doesn''t like to eat strawberries."


    The corner of Keegan''s eye twitched hard.


    ''How long has she known Marshall, that she knows what that "other person" likes or dislikes to eat?''


    Keegan thought.


    Ste naturally was bullshitting.


    How would she know what fruits Marshall likes? However, Ste did not want Keegan to eat the fruits


    she had cut herself.


    She purposely cut up a te of mangoes due to Keegan being allergic to mango.


    Strawberry was the fruit that Keegan liked.


    Hence, she did not cut them on purpose.


    Marshall seemed to be very pleased and spoke to her in a low voice about the issues regarding the


    follow-up processing for the defamation case.


    Ste listened earnestly and would respond once in a while.


    Keegan was listening on the side but could not help but feel sore from gritting his teeth in jealousy.


    "It''s almost time to bring Juno for a jog," Keegan said softly.


    Then he nced at Marshall, saying, "It would probably be for one or two hours.You''re so busy at your


    law firm, so I won''t keep you here."


    Ste looked at the time.


    It should be two hours after Juno has eaten.


    They should be running rounds at the race track based on their usual habits.


    Marshall put down the fruit sd fork.


    "During court trials, thew firm usually has no other arrangements, so it wouldn''t be that busy today.I


    also haven''t seen Juno in a long time and miss it quite a lot.If you don''t mind, we can go and see it


    together."


    He then said to Ste, "After that, I can bring you home on the way."


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Ste immediately answered, "Of course, that would be great."


    Carpooling would also save her the cost of calling a cab.


    How great was that? Thewsuit helped her win somepensation and even helped her save


    money.


    If Marshall was not an angel, he was definitely a leprechaun to her.


    ¡®Even with the victory in the defamation case, there''s still the property settlement between Albert and


    Rainee.I need to form a good rtionship with Mr.Moore.


    If I win the property settlement case, wouldn''t it be another big paycheck?¡¯ Ste thought.


    Keegan saw the look Ste had while she stared at Marshall with smiling eyes.


    His expression unconsciously fell.


    Juno had finished its meal and was already restless in the stables.


    Keegan and the group had just arrived, and Juno could not resist squealing.


    Its nostrils huffed and puffed while its hooves did not stop stomping in small steps while staying in


    ce.


    Its eyes were ck, bright, and sharp.


    Its mane was soft and flowy, with the fur around its body shining from its dark color.


    Ste seemed to understand why Cordelia had named it Juno because it looked so beautiful.


    Keegan had changed into attire for horse riding and opened the gates to pull Juno out.


    Juno was not in a rush to follow Keegan.


    Instead, it circled Ste with its hooves click-cking in front of her¡­It shook its neck with an eager


    look.


    Its eyes were ck, bright, and sharp.

 Chapter 555

    Chapter 555


    Chapter 555


    Ste was slightly bewildered.She checked the horse from top to bottom.Her line of sight suddenly fell


    on Juno''s hooves.Then, she eximed in shock.


    "You changed shoes?"


    Juno instantly raised its head and jogged a few steps in front of her in a cocky manner.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    It had changed into new horseshoes that made clicking sounds when stepping onto the ground.


    It even purposefully stomped heavily like a kid who bought new shoes.


    It unted by walking back and forth in front of its friends.


    Ste was crying andughing at this.


    She highly suspected Cordelia had bought it then because it was so anthropomorphic.


    Marshall chuckled.


    "I was thinking why it was walking back and forth.Turns out it was showing off its shoes."


    Ste smiled while touching Juno''s mane.


    "It even unted its hair clip to me before this.Apart from Juno being unable to talk, it''s like a small


    child."


    "It''s that smart?"


    Marshall said while imitating Ste''s movements as he stretched his hand out and wanted to touch its


    mane.As a result, Juno turned its head to avoid him so Marshall could not touch it.Keegan saw this


    scene while pulling the reins.The corner of his lips raised slightly.This horse is not touchable by just


    anyone."


    What Keegan said was the truth.


    Juno recognized its master.


    Besides the horse trainer, only Cordelia, Keegan, and Ste can touch it.


    Aurora wanted to ride it before her friends to show off once before but was shaken off its body


    mercilessly.


    After that incident, Aurora would not dare mess with Juno again.


    However, the truth spoken by Keegan was not pleasant to the ears.


    Ste feared that Marshall would be embarrassed and exined, "Juno is unfamiliar with strangers.It''ll


    be fine when you get familiar with each other in the future."


    Marshallughed.


    "Good stallions recognize their masters.It''s not surprising to me."


    Juno anxiously spun in ce, itching to run on the race track.


    Keegan said to Ste, "Put on the harness.You can bring it to warm up first."


    Ste did not refuse.


    Her riding skills were average, but she quite liked riding horses.


    These types of violent-tempered horses, like Juno, were more exciting to ride when tamed.


    Hence, she naturally did not refuse.


    It was unknown if it was due to not seeing each other for some time since she usually needed to coax


    Juno when riding it.


    Instead, Juno was exceedingly well-behaved and allowed her to get on its back without a fuss.


    Ste tugged at the reins, and Juno ran onto the race track in small steps.


    Ste swung the horsewhip and struck Juno''s back.


    Juno received the order and started to increase its speed.


    Ste leaned down and squeezed the horseback while feeling Juno''s zing speed.


    Marshall stared at the valiant woman riding her horse on the race track.


    Profoundness was deep in his gaze.


    Keegan nced at Marshall and said nonchntly, "I was the one who taught Ste how to ride."


    Marshall regained his thoughts and replied, "Really? That''s quite hard to imagine.Ste said you don''t


    even have the patience to dance with her."


    The underlying meaning was that Keegan might be making up his statement about teaching Ste how


    to ride horses.


    Keegan was speechless.


    ''This woman would really say anything to outsiders! When did I not have patience? It''s just that I didn''t


    like to dance.Two people intimately twisting their hips and shaking their butts on the dance floor.What


    beauty is in that?¡¯ Keegan thought.


    Ste finished running two rounds and came back.


    A lightyer of sweat had built up on the tip of her nose.She jumped off the horse and pulled Juno in


    front of Keegan.She threw the reins to him while she said, "Juno was too excited, and J almost couldn''t


    pull him in.You go on."


    Just as Keegan took the reins, Marshall took a bottle of water, and twisted it halfway before passing it


    to Ste.


    "Drink some water and have some rest..?"


    Keegan''s eyelids twitched harshly while he watched this.


    Keegan was speechless.

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    Chapter 556


    Chapter 556


    Ste thanked him while taking the bottle over.


    Then, she twisted it open and drank almost half the water bottle.


    "Your riding skills are quite good," Marshallplimented her.


    "It''s just average," Ste was very humble.


    Her skills, in the eyes of others, might have been presentable.


    However, in the eyes of professionals, it would be inadequate.


    Keegan nced at her, "Marshall had learned horsemanship systematically.If he says you''re good,


    then you are good."


    Ste was a little surprised.


    Thest time Trevor came to challenge Keegan, Marshall did not join.


    Hence, Ste assumed that Marshall did not know how to ride horses.


    "You even learned horse riding professionally on purpose?" Ste asked.


    Marshall chuckled, "I learned it together with Keegan.I wouldn''t consider it especially professional.It''s


    just that I know a little bit about riding horses."


    All locals speak very humbly of themselves.


    When Marshall said he knew a little bit, he definitely did not just know a little about it.


    Remembering Marshall''s resume on thew firm''s website, she could not help but be in awe that


    someone could be so versatile.


    Keegan saw with his own eyes how Ste''s expression had turned from astonishment to amazement,


    then to admiration.


    The jealousy in his heart started to churn.He said to Marshall, "Why not we have a duel by running two


    rounds together?"


    Marshall smiled and said, "Better not.I haven''t ridden horses for so long.I most probably am rusty."


    Keegan''s lips twitched into a smile, "If you''re rusty, I''ll let you start early by half a round."Marshall''s


    body froze.If he was letting him start early by half a round, then the intention for provocation was too


    obvious.Naturally, Ste also heard it.


    She said with furrowed brows, "Mr.Moore, if you don''t want to ride, then don''t ride the horses.There is


    no need to acknowledge him."


    Keegan stared at Ste while his expression fell slightly.


    Marshall suddenly gave a single chuckle, ''''No matter."


    When he said this, he looked at Keegan, "We can have a duel, but there is no need to let me start early


    by half a round.I can win gracefully and also lose graciously."


    Keegan tightened his lips and threw the keys to the room for harnesses to Marshall, "Prepare yourself


    and choose a horse."


    After ten minutes, Marshall walked out wearing protective gear and had chosen a brown horse from the


    stables.


    This horse seemed to have been bought by Cordelia recently since Ste had never seen it before.


    However, the horse''s physique was on par with Juno''s.


    The muscle definition on its body was smooth, and its height was even taller than Juno''s.


    However, itcked steadinesspared to Juno, as if it had not been wholly tamed and still had hints


    of its wildness.


    Ste said in a low voice, ''"Mr.Moore, you should change to another horse.This horse doesn''t look very


    docile."


    Marshall pulled his lips into a smile while saying, "If it''s too docile, it won''t outrun Juno."


    Ste heard this and could not bring herself to say anything more.


    Thepetitiveness in a man cannot be revoked with just a few words of advice.


    Keegan had made such a tant provocation, and Marshall was hot-blooded.


    Despite how gentle he was, he could not swallow this disrespect.


    Keegan looked at Ste''s worried look, and his expression fell even more.


    By the time Marshall had got on his horse, Keegan had swung his horsewhip and ran into the race


    track first.


    Marshall followed closely behind.


    On the horse trainer''s count, the two stallions ran off together.


    However, unlike thest time when Keeganpeted with Trevor, he had purposedly slowed down to


    make the other person mistakenly believe that he could catch up.


    This time, he had started to speed up from the beginning.


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    Juno was born as speed incarnate.


    Under Keegan''smand, he ran forward with glee.


    However, Marshall did not relent as well.


    The brown horse seemed to be feeling excited due to being able to have a showdown with another


    horse on the race track.


    It followed Juno tightly with the speed of lightning.


    Juno was born as speed incarnate.

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    Chapter 557


    Chapter 557


    The speed of the two horses was unexpectedly equally matched.


    Keegan pressed his body down and stared forward with a sullen gaze in his eyes while swinging his


    horsewhip at the appropriate time to alter the direction.


    When turning a corner, Juno outpaced the brown horse with a leap.


    This move of overtaking Marshall made him slowly umte disadvantages.


    Although their speed was still fast, the two- or three-meters distance could not be shortened regardless


    of any method used.


    Keegan turned around to look at Marshall.


    The corner of his lips twitched into a smile.


    He turned his head back around and sped up again.


    Marshall focused his gaze and flung a single harsh whip onto the horse''s body.


    The brown horse shrieked and elerated its sprint speed.


    The brown horse was unknowingly frightened at the final bend and pressing onto the finish line.


    With another loud shriek, it shook Marshall off its back.


    Ste was shocked and screamed out, "Mr.Moore!"


    Marshall''s whole body was flung to one side of the saddle with one leg dangling.


    The other leg was hooked at the stirrup while both his hands had a deathly grip on the reins.


    He had a tightened expression due to the exertion of force, and the veins on his forehead were


    popping.


    The brown horse was out of control.


    It carried Marshall while galloping desperately.


    Ste was so scared that ayer of cold sweat broke on her back as she shouted Keegan''s name


    loudly.


    Keegan also noticed that Marshall''s horse had gone out of control and quickly rode Juno to chase


    them.


    The brown horse left the racetrack and had a rampage on the field.


    Unexpectedly, it ran toward Ste.


    Ste''s expression changed drastically.


    She seemed to have noticed this and turned around to run toward ces with obstacles.


    However, how could a human''s speed beparable to a horse''s? Seeing the horse get closer and


    closer to Ste, Keegan''s expression turned serious.


    He stood on the horse''s back with one hand, releasing Juno''s reins.


    He looked for the right opportunity and jumped onto the brown horse.


    He pulled at its reins hard and forcefully changed its direction.


    The brown horse seemingly grew more frenzied due to the pain.


    Keegan looked at Marshall, who was dangling on the other side of the horseback.


    His hand was changing color due to being constricted by the rein.


    The veins on his hands were popped out, and his fingers were quivering faintly from withstanding his


    weight in the air for long periods.


    Keegan said with a severe tone, "When I let you jump off ina moment, you let go and roll over while


    protecting your head."


    Marshall tightened his expression while looking at Keegan, then nodded with pursed lips.


    Keegan tried his best to control the direction with a solemn face while trying to soothe the manic horse.


    However, it did not seem to work.


    The more he wanted to control it, the more maniacal the brown horse grew.


    Keegan could only find the correct timing to use his leg to kick Marshall off when the horse passed


    through the buffer zone.


    In Marshall''s head, he was still thinking, ''Didn''t he say he would shout, let go?'' When his whole body


    had already been released from the horseback.


    He quickly protected his head and tumbled a few rounds on the sand pit of the buffer zone before


    stopping.


    Ste immediately came over to check on Marshall''s injuries.


    His palm and elbow were slightly scraped, while his other parts were fine.


    Ste released a breath of relief and looked at the field.


    The brown horse was still not controlled.


    It even started to run while jumping back and forth, trying to shake Keegan off its body.


    With such a high speed, it would not be funny once you fell off.


    Ste helped Marshall to a safe zone and then tightened her expression.


    She followed Keegan''s movements through momentary glimpses.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Her throat would unconsciously tighten whenever he was about to be flung off.


    The horse trainer had already ridden Juno to chase the brown horse, but the distance was toorge.


    Besides that, its erratic course made pursuing it harder.


    Keegan was covered in sweat and dust throughout his body.


    The protective gear on his hands was already worn.


    His palms were sweaty, and the reins he was gripping onto were starting to slip.


    If this continues, he will be flung off sooner orter.


    Keegan''s gaze focused, and he simply slipped to the other side of the horseback.


    His legs were bent and prepared to jump off when the brown horse turned.


    However, before they turned around, the reins suddenly snapped.


    This caused Keegan to fall directly off the horseback.


    The protective gear on his hands was already worn.

 Chapter 558

    Chapter 558


    Chapter 558


    Ste saw this scene, and her heart sank.


    Keegan''s reaction was very swift.


    The moment he slipped from the reins, he immediately let go.


    However, he was still dragged for a few meters before rolling onto the grass field.


    Ste held onto her breath until Keegan sat up on the grass field.


    Then, her gripped fingers unfurled.


    Marshall furrowed his brows while watching the scene.He then said in a low voice, "Is Keegan fine?"


    "If he can get up, what problem could he have?" Ste replied.


    Marshall''s movements froze, and he nced at Ste silently.


    After Keegan fell off the horse, The brown horse started to decelerate slowly.


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    The horse trainer quickly chased up to it and took control of the runaway horse.


    Keegan''s arm was excruciatingly painful.He stood up with an ashen face.He saw Ste, who stood not


    far away.He could see that she was fine and sighed a breath of relief deep down.He then walked


    toward them.


    When he got close, he asked Marshall, "How are you?"


    Marshall opened his palms to show him.


    Ayer of skin had been scraped off, with certain ces already bleeding.


    He chuckled and said, "Just some minor injuries.Luckily, you held on at the right time, or I would have


    forfeited my life here.Thank you."


    Ste said in a serious tone, "Why are you thanking him? If it wasn''t for him insisting on a duel, how


    would you get injured?"


    As she said this, she looked at Keegan, "You clearly knew that Mr.Moore has the condition called


    migraine, and still you dragged him to y in these types of events.Can you take responsibility if he


    had fallen off the horseback and hit his head?"


    Keegan''s expression turned ugly when he saw her protecting Marshall.


    His heart was filled with jealousy and rage as he said with gritted teeth, "Are you ming me? I didn''t


    put a knife to his neck to force him to ride!"


    "You might as well put a knife to his neck then! If he was injured, he could sue you for battery!"


    Ste red at him, then turned her head to say to Marshall, "Mr.Moore, I''l] bring you to the clinic to get


    patched up."Marshall saw Keegan''s ugly expression and said in a low tone, " Keegan is probably


    injured.


    Take a look at him first."


    Ste huffed coldly, "No need to care for him! He is so skillful.How could he be injured?"


    While saying this, she dragged Marshall toward the outside of the racetrack.


    Keegan stared at the heartless woman.


    His heart felt cold and in pain.


    He bit down hard and said in a low tone, "I didn''t need your care from the start!"


    By then, Ste had already gone far away.


    How could she have heard what Keegan had said? The horse trainer had finished soothing the brown


    horse.


    After tying it at the stable, he quickly came over to check on Keegan''s condition.


    Keegan''s face was white, and the posture of his left arm was at an odd angle.


    The horse trainer was shocked, "Master Kane, is your arm dislocated?"


    Keegan took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Could you reattach it?"


    "I can," the horse trainer replied.


    Cordelia hired him from the professionalpetitions.He was already used to minor injuries like these.


    These injuries were naturally nothing to them as an athlete, but Keegan was a young master of a


    wealthy family.


    He said to Keegan in a low tone, "However, it might be a little painful.You must bear with it for a while."


    Keegan replied with an ashen face, "Mhm."


    The horse trainer held onto Keegan''s elbow and lightly rotated it.He found the correct position and


    twisted it slightly.


    Keegan grunted with his face still white as the dislocated part was reattached.


    His arms could still move, but the joint still hurt terribly.


    The horse trainer continued in a low tone, "At the moment, you should go to Madam Kane Sr"s ce to


    get some ointment to rub onto it.It should stop hurting after two or three days."


    Keegan thanked him, took his clothes, and left with his face filled with dismal.


    After Keegan left, the horse trainer checked the horse''s condition again.


    The brown horse was sent herest week.


    It was a fierce horse but was not as unruly as Juno at the start.


    It could even run along with the other horses these few days.


    He even assumed that it had been tamed and did not expect such an incident to ur today.


    His arms could still move, but the joint still hurt terribly.

 Chapter 559

    Chapter 559


    Chapter 559


    The trainer threw the lead aside and cleaned the dust off the brown horse with a bristle brush.


    The brown horse suddenly moved violently and panted when he touched its neck.


    It even stomped its hooves repeatedly as if it was feeling very ufortable.


    The trainer felt very strange.


    He took a close look and found out that there was a faint scar under its neck, and it was still bleeding.


    The hair under its neck had a darker shade of brown.


    The scar was right under the lead, so he did not notice it.


    He frowned and examined the scar.


    It looked like a cut, but he could not be sure because the lead mangled up after the flesh around the


    scar.


    He could not really see what the scar looked like initially.


    He finally figured out why the horse became more uncontroble when Keegan pulled the lead.


    The pain felt worse for the horse whenever Keegan pulled, so it became more restless.


    He had no idea where the scar came from.


    He told Baldwin about its injury so that he could get a vet to treat it.


    After all, Cordelia liked the brown horse very much.


    Ste dragged Marshall out of the horse farm and left the manor.


    Her face looked very tense, and Marshall just followed her without saying anything.


    Both got into the car after leaving the manor.


    Then, Marshall said, "We should''ve at least told Mrs.Kane about it.Ste started the car as she said,


    Keegan has a mouth.He''ll take care of it."


    Marshall pursed his lips.


    After that, he said in a low voice, Are you worried about Keegan?"


    "What?"


    Ste said tly, "I''m not rted to him anymore.I''m just mad at him for being so inappropriate.I''m d


    that you weren''t hurt."


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    Marshall''s eyes rxed as he said gently, "It''s just a scratch.I''ll be fine.You can''t me Keegan entirely,


    as I agreed to race with him too."


    "You don''t have to defend him.He''s already so old, yet so childish! it] Ste did not want to talk about


    Keegan anymore, or she would remind herself about how he fell from the horse just now.Instead, she


    shifted the topic and began discussing thewsuit with Marshall.


    Then, the car arrived at the nearest clinic shortly after.


    Ste sent him back to thew firm after his wound was taken care of.


    She gazed downward and saw dust on her shoes after leaving thew firm.


    Her shoes got dirty because she fell when Keegan jumped from Juno to the brown horse.


    She squatted down and wiped her shoes with a tissue.


    Then, she thought of Keegan again.She felt very irritated.


    Suddenly, her phone rang.She reached for a phone and saw an unknown number calling her.She


    picked it up.


    "Hello."


    A hoarse man''s voice could be heard on the phone.


    "Is this Miss Ste Jewell?"


    That man''s voice sounded very strange, and it was not someone Ste knew.So she did not answer his


    question.


    Instead, she asked, "who''s calling?"


    "Did you send me an email a few days ago?"


    ¡®Email?! Ste paused before she remembered what she had done.


    "Are you Detective Karl?"


    "Yeah, and I''ve read your email.Do you have time today? Why don''t we meet in person to discuss it in


    detail?"


    Ste immediately replied, "Of course."


    A hoarse man''s voice could be heard on the phone.

 Chapter 560

    Chapter 560


    Chapter 560


    Karl told her the time and location to meet.


    Then, he asked before hanging up, "Do you know Lena well?"


    Ste said, "I''m very close with her husband''s brother."


    Karl asked no more questions and said, "See youter."


    Detective Kar] was a very famous private detective in Rivera.He did not have an office and was very


    difficult to find.


    However, he posted his email address on a public forum.


    Anyone who wished to hire him could send him an email.


    But, he would only reply if he was keen to take the job.


    If he did not reply after a week, he was uninterested.


    Ste started to think that the ident from seven years ago was suspicious after she found what was


    in the safe and knew that Rainee wanted to divorce Albert at about the same time when the ident


    happened.


    She called Lena and asked about the case after she was done with Rainee''s funeral.


    Lena was in the Criminal Investigation Department, but she knew someone who worked in the traffic


    department.


    So, Lena asked her friend''s help to reopen the file from seven years ago.


    She found out that the officer in charge of that ident did not collect Rainee''s blood sample, so no


    drug test was conducted.


    That being said, it was not proved whether Rainee consumed anti- depressants.


    In other words, the police officer assumed she took anti- depressants because Albert said Rainee was


    going through a depressive episode.


    However, there was no proof at all to back it up.


    Lena said plenty of surveince cameras were around the scene, so they could see exactly how the


    ident happened.


    Besides, the other party involved in the ident wanted to close the case as soon as possible, so they


    handled it as just a normal road ident.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    The cases ended with a private settlement.


    Lena added, "One of my senior''s colleagues was in charge of this case.He told me that both parties


    wanted to close the case immediately.The traffic department was having a transition at that time


    too.They did not want the cases to pile up, so they took care of it promptly.However, the traffic


    department did suggest conducting a blood test, but Albert Jewell rejected them by saying that your


    mother was still in the ICU as an excuse."


    Lena could help Ste discover more about what happened, but Ste had the option to find it out by


    going through the proper channels.


    After all, she was the driver''s family member, and it would only take more time if she were to do that.


    All Lena did was save her some time.


    However, she told Ste that there were other things that she could not disclose to her after walking her


    through the case summary.


    Clearly, she was reminding Ste of something from a personal perspective.


    The case was way too suspicious.


    A drug test was not going to require a lot of blood.


    Rainee had a major injury to her head, but she had enough blood supply after getting a blood


    transfusion.


    It was strange that Albert refused to do a blood test because of that.


    Besides, the drug test could not wait long because the substances would be metabolized over time,


    and detecting them would be very hard.


    Albert acted as if he did not want to prove his wife''s innocence but just wanted to get out of the case.


    The police officers were suspicious of him too, but he had to listen to his superior.


    Their superior officer told them to end the case, so they had no choice but to follow.


    Ste started to get more skeptical after learning more about the ident from Lena.


    However, the car involved had been scraped after so many years.


    So, she could not apply to bring the case back to court again without new pieces of evidence.


    So, Lena rmended Detective Karl to her and gave her his email to give it a shot.


    Ste yed smart.


    She figured that Detective Karl would not necessarily be interested in an old traffic ident because


    Karl usually only epted popr unsolved cases or cases involving wealthy men having an affair.


    Yes, that was both his extremes when picking a case to investigate.


    The former was to make a name for himself, and thetter was to make money.


    Ste was worried that he might ignore her, so she wrote that she was a friend of Lena at the end of


    the email.She did so because she felt Lena knew Karl well when she introduced him.So, she pushed


    her luck, thinking they might be very good friends.


    And it worked.


    Ste yed smart.

 Chapter 561

    Chapter 561


    Chapter 561


    Ste went to a valley in an old town following the address given by Karl. She looked everywhere and


    finally found a small restaurant that served roasted beef.


    She pushed the door open. The restaurant was only about a hundred square feet big but crowded with


    patrons. There were men, women, and children, but none of them looked like a detective.


    Someone patted Ste''s shoulder when she was still trying to find Karl. "Are you Miss Jewell?"


    Ste turned around and saw a young man ina ck hoodie and a pair of jeans standing behind her.


    That young man was almost a head taller than her. He had a rather skinny build, fair skin, big eyes with


    bushy brows, and a young- looking face. He looked like a university student.


    "Are you Karl?" Ste asked hesitantly.


    The young man smiled. "Is it surprising?"


    Ste had never met him, so she said, "You look very young."


    Karl ordered a set of roast beef and pulled the chair before sitting down casually, "Don''t be deceived by


    my looks. I''m already thirty- seven years old."


    Even though he was older than Keegan by a few years, Keegan could easily look like someone else''s


    uncle if he brushed his hair back. Ste sat down too, and started chatting with Karl.


    The food was then served. Karl started eating while listening to Ste. He ate in a very hurried manner,


    as if he had not eaten for a few days. Ste did not feel like continuing the discussion after seeing how


    he ate. "Would it be better for me to continue after you eat?"


    Karl did not look up as he replied, "It''s fine. Go on. I''m listening." So, Ste continued.


    Karl was almost done with his meal when Ste finished talking.


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    He wiped his mouth with a tissue as he looked at Ste. "Are you suspecting that your father or his


    mistress made that ident happen?"


    Ste replied in a low voice, "I just think that there are too many coincidences."


    The ident happened right before they were about to divorce, and Albert would have the most to gain


    if anything bad happened to Rainee. Ste just could not find herself not suspecting him. She would do


    anything to make Albert pay if the car crash was not purely an ident!


    Karl made a copy of everything Ste showed him and said, "If what you said is true that the other


    party left Rivera right after receiving thepensation, then I''m sure something fishy is going on. I''ll try


    to reach that person''s family member and let you know once I have any updates." Then, he paused for


    a while before continuing, "Pay me a portion of the fees first. I''ll refund you if I fail to find anything


    useful. If I did, you''d have to pay the outstanding amount the next time we meet. Is that okay?"


    "Of course."


    Karl was very popr in the field, so Ste was not worried he would scam her. She even paid him


    twenty thousand extra and asked him to investigate sooner.


    She was going to engage in awsuit against Albert about the issue of property division, so she had to


    find something useful before the legal proceedings ended. She wanted to send Albert to jail if he did


    plot against her mother to embezzle the properties. Also, she would not let Hylda and her daughter get


    away with it either.

 Chapter 562

    Chapter 562


    Chapter 562


    Elegant Media.


    Trevor finally went back to the office after going on several blind dates. He had five meals and four


    cups of coffee in just a day. He felt like skinning Keegan alive. The women Keegan introduced him to


    looked decent, but their personalities were very weird.


    Three of them were considered normal, but one asked him when he nned to marry her right after


    she saw how handsome he was.


    The other directly asked him if he wanted to rest in a hotel.


    ¡®Is going to a hotel on the first date even appropriate?


    ¡®Are we really going just to take a rest?'' Trevor thought to himself but did not expose thedy who


    suggested it. He even suspected Keegan was not trying to get him a girlfriend but just a friend with


    benefits.


    ¡®Why would he sign the divorce paper if he worries I''ll be with Ste? Does he think that Ste will still


    belong to him even after the divorce? Where did he get his confidence from?''


    Trevor was thinking about ways to take revenge on Keegan. He waited for a long time, yet Keegan


    would not show up. Finally, he got impatient and dialed Keegan''s number.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Keegan just came out of his grandparents'' residence when he heard his phone ringing. He epted


    the call. He did not sound as assertive as he was while texting. Instead, he spoke softly like a


    defenseless puppy, ''''Can I help you?"


    The edge of Trevor''s mouth twitched. "Aren''t youing to my office? Look at the time now. Where are


    you?"


    The food was then served. Karl started eating while listening to Ste. He ate in a very hurried manner,


    as if he had not eaten for a few days. Ste did not feel like continuing the discussion after seeing how


    he ate. "Would it be better for me to continue after you eat?"


    Karl did not look up as he replied, "It''s fine. Go on. I''m listening." So, Ste continued.


    Karl was almost done with his meal when Ste finished talking.


    He wiped his mouth with a tissue as he looked at Ste. "Are you suspecting that your father or his


    mistress made that ident happen?"


    Ste replied in a low voice, "I just think that there are too many coincidences."


    The ident happened right before they were about to divorce, and Albert would have the most to gain


    if anything bad happened to Rainee. Ste just could not find herself not suspecting him. She would do


    anything to make Albert pay if the car crash was not purely an ident!


    Karl made a copy of everything Ste showed him and said, "If what you said is true that the other


    party left Rivera right after receiving thepensation, then I''m sure something fishy is going on. I''ll try


    to reach that person''s family member and let you know once I have any updates." Then, he paused for


    a while before continuing, "Pay me a portion of the fees first. I''ll refund you if I fail to find anything


    useful. If I did, you''d have to pay the outstanding amount the next time we meet. Is that okay?"


    ¡°Of course."


    Karl was very popr in the field, so Ste was not worried he would scam her. She even paid him


    twenty thousand extra and asked him to investigate sooner.


    She was going to engage in awsuit against Albert about the issue of property division, so she had to


    find something useful before the legal proceedings ended. She wanted to send Albert to jail if he did


    plot against her mother to embezzle the properties. Also, she would not let Hylda and her daughter get


    away with it either.

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    Chapter 563


    However, Jaylene was too young then and forgot about that woman after seeing that photo. Also, they


    did not want to remind themselves of that woman, so they put away all her photos.


    She looked at that woman''s face again and felt like that woman looked surprisingly familiar to Ste.


    Then, she realized why her father looked like that when he met Ste at the dinner that day.


    She stared at the photo for a while before putting it back. Then, she closed the drawer and left with the


    essential oil.


    Keegan said he wanted to grab a meal with Trevor but did not eat after they met. Instead, he ordered


    some alcohol. Trevor felt strange after seeing how gloomy he looked.


    "Did your uncle chase you out of thepany?"


    Keegan red at him. "If anything, I''d be one chasing him out."


    ¡°Oh, then..." Trevor squinted and said in a low voice, "Did you find out that I''m getting together with


    Ste?"


    Keegan paused and said without holding back, "She''s not attracted to people like you."


    Trevor''s mouth twitched. "She''s attracted to you, yet she dumped you too."


    Keegan pursed his lips. Surprisingly, he did not refute Trevor. It seemed like it really had something to


    do with Ste.


    Keegan poured two sses of alcohol and pushed one of them to Trevor. He picked the other ss up


    and started drinking without asking Trevor to join him.


    He downed it and said, "What do I have to do to be a shareholder?"


    "It''s very simple." The conditions that Trevor offered him were very harsh as he was treating Keegan as


    a dupe, "Pay me a billion in return for ten percent shares of mypany. You won''t be getting any


    bonuses in the first two years. If you''re fine with this, I''ll get someone to prepare the contract.


    Otherwise¡ª"


    "Deal."


    Keegan immediately agreed, making Trevor feel he should have asked for more money. He only spent


    fifty million on his registered capital, and hispany had not achieved anything yet.


    However, he asked Keegan for a billion in return for ten percent of hispany shares. It was nothing


    but robbery in broad daylight.


    He was not expecting Keegan to agree at all. Otherwise, he would have asked for ten billion without


    bonuses in ten years!


    ¡°When are we going to sign the contract?"


    Trevor red at him. "Tomorrow."


    Jaylene came out of the washroom. Then, she saw Keegan drinking alone and Trevor sitting beside


    him without doing anything to stop Keegan.


    "Bro, Mr. Kane can''t drink much. What if he got drunk?"


    Trevor held his chin, looking as if he was not bothered. "Let him be, then. He''s a grown man. What''s


    there to be worried about?"


    Jaylene was speechless. Then, she persuaded Keegan, "Mr. Kane, don''t drink too much. It doesn''t feel


    good to be drunk."


    The smell on her was very strange, and Keegan did not like it. So, he frowned and backed away,


    saying in a low voice, "Don''t touch me!"


    The edge of Trevor''s eyes twitched. "Leave him alone. We can just dump him beside the road and


    leave if he gets too drunk."


    Jaylene could not convince Keegan, as he did not allow her to get near him. So, she frowned and sat at


    the side worriedly. Trevor sipped on the ss of alcohol and suddenly said, "Jaylene, what do you think


    of Marshall Moore?"


    Jaylene looked away from Keegan and frowned. "Mr. Moore''s third son?"


    Trevor nodded.


    "He''s fine. I don''t really know him. Why do you ask?"


    "Darcie brought it up yesterday." Trevor chuckled. "She thought that you two would go well together. I


    think she wanted to introduce you to each other.¡±


    Jaylene felt very strange. "I barely know him. My mom isn''t thinking straight. I don''t likewyers. How


    will I win an argument with awyer if we ever get into one?"


    Trevor smiled and mocked Jaylene, "Marshall rarely argues with anybody. You won''t be easy to deal


    with either if you get into a fight with him."


    Keegan staggered to his feet and said he wanted to use the washroom as they chatted. Trevor ignored


    him. However, he took a few steps forward and knocked over a chair. He wobbled and almost fell.


    Jaylene quickly grabbed him and turned around to re at Trevor. "Bro! Help me out over here!"


    Trevor slowly stood up and grabbed Keegan as he said disdainfully,


    ¡°What a loser!"


    Then, he helped Keegan to the washroom. Trevor''s phone was on the table when it rang after they


    went to the washroom. Then, a text message popped up on the screen.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Mr. Saun, the hospital replied. The result will be out two dayster.

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    Chapter 564


    The text was from Xavier. Jaylene paused for a while.


    ¡®What result?¡¯ She thought to herself.


    Trevor only came back with Keegan about ten minutester. He was not looking very happy as he


    started scolding Keegan as soon as he sat down, "Keegan Kane, you''re so useless. It''s been over ten


    years, yet you still can''t drink!"


    He reached for his phone and unlocked it. He paused for a moment after looking at that text message.


    Then, he dialed Aldor''s number.


    Jaylene spoke after he was done speaking to Aldor, "Bro, we can send Mr. Kane back home. There''s


    no need to trouble his assistant sote at night."


    ¡°Why should we do that?" Trevor sipped on his alcohol. "He''s a man who just got divorced, and you''re


    an unmarrieddy. Your reputation will be tarnished if anybody ever sees you two together.


    Jaylene looked mad as she mumbled softly, "How close-minded!" Aldor came after a while.


    He thanked Trevor and Jaylene before taking Keegan away. Also, he took care of the bill before


    leaving. Trevor sighed. "Even though Keegan is a little dumb, he''s pretty good at picking people to work


    for him."


    ¡®His assistant alone is so much sharper than Xavier. Why couldn''t I find someone like Aldor?"


    "How is Mr. Kane dumb?" Jaylene glowered at him. "You''re just jealous of him because dad always


    praises him!"


    Trevor was speechless.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Then, they went home. Jaylene was sitting beside her bed to dry her hair after showering. For some


    reason, she thought of the text message she had seen on Trevor''s phone earlier. She pursed her lips


    and put the towel on herp. Then she sent Xavier a WhatsApp text.


    (Xavier, are you asleep?)


    Xavier just got home and replied instantly after seeing Jaylene''s message: (Hello, Jaylene. I''m awake.


    What''s wrong?)


    Xavier and Jaylene went to the same elementary school. He addressed her as Ms. Saun in public but


    sometimes called her by her name when they chatted privately. Jaylene suggested that because she


    said she felt weird when Xavier called her Ms. Saun.


    Xavier saw how Jaylene was bullied back then, and he knew how weak her body was. So, he was


    always verypassionate toward her.


    [It''s nothing. Is my brother not feeling well these days?)


    (I don''t think so. He didn''t tell me anything.]


    Jaylene pursed her lips and typed: [I met a friend today, and she bumped into my brother when she


    went to the hospital a few days ago. Why would he be there if he''s not feeling unwell?]


    (Oh, so that''s why you asked. Mr. Saun was not seeing a doctor. Thepany had a new artist. He


    went there with her to do the pre- employment health check. ]


    Actually, Trevor went to spy on Ste. But he would not tell Jaylene about that.


    [I haven''t heard about any popr artists joining thepany recently. Did he really have to go there


    personally?) Xavier said to himself. ''How would he see Ste if he didn''t go there personally?"


    However, he typed something different from what he thought: [ Perhaps that artist, Ms. Jewell, once


    saved you. Mr. Saun cares a lot about her.]


    Jaylene paused. ''It was Ste?¡¯


    She pursed her lips and replied: (I''m d there''s nothing wrong with my brother. You should get some


    sleep now.]


    She closed her WhatsApp before standing up abruptly from the bed. Then, she threw her towel aside


    and went to Darcie''s room. Ste hurriedly went to the set to film her scenes right after meeting Karl.


    After knowing she had won thewsuit, Daniel was delighted, so he rewarded her with two extra work


    hours. She always had something else to do outside of work, so Daniel would take the chance and film


    more of her parts whenever she came to the set.


    It was alreadyte afternoon of the next day when they were done filming.


    Ste fell right asleep after getting home and woke up around noontime the next day. Felicity had a day


    off, and she bought a lot of ingredients at the supermarket when Ste was sleeping. She wanted to


    cook something nice for Ste to nourish her health.


    Compared to Ste''s cooking skills which would never improve, Felicity got a lot better at cooking.


    Felicity was just veryzy, and she would cook just to fill her stomach. However, after living with Ste,


    she finally had a chance to enhance her cooking skills.She would cook something nice for Ste once


    she had the time, and Ste would act as her assistant. Ste was mainly responsible for doing the


    dishes.


    However, she slept inte today. Felicity was almost done cooking when she woke up.

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    Felicity''s phone rang when she was scooping the mashed potato. She picked her phone up when she


    went to the dining table and looked at it. Then, she cursed.


    ¡°That scumbag Keegan has a new girlfriend already!"


    Ste paused without doing anything else.


    Felicity ced her phone in front of Ste. "Look at this scumbag. He''s hugging another woman right


    after the divorce!"


    Even though Ste told herself to ignore it, she could not help but sweep her nce across it. Felicity


    was showing something that


    Vermont posted. It was a photo of a woman holding Keegan''s arm. It looked like it was taken in a pub


    or a bar.


    Keegan''s eyes looked red and squinty like he had too much to drink. However, the woman looked very


    sober, and she was frowning worriedly. The woman was not a stranger to her, but someone that she


    had met just not long ago, Jaylene Saun.


    Vermont posted that photo with the caption: [A perfect match.) 1 Ste pursed her lips and picked up a


    piece of grilled eggnt with her fork, "Let''s eat. The food''s getting cold."


    Felicity was shocked. "Are you not mad?"


    Ste said tly, "Why should I be? He''s not my husband anymore. So why would I be bothered about


    who he''s with now?"


    Felicity felt like she overreacted after hearing what Ste said. She threw her handphone aside and


    grabbed her fork. "Is Detective Karl credible?"


    "I guess. He''s very famous, after all." Ste took a bite of her food.


    Then, her phone vibrated. Karl sent her a photo. Ste nced at it and recognized that the person in


    that photo was Albert''s old driver. He looked so much older now, but she was certain it was him


    because of that mole on his chin. Ste instantly replied: [Did you find anything?]


    [Do you know this person?]


    Ste replied: [Yes, he used to be a driver for thepany.]


    Karl did not respond.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Then, Ste asked him some questions again, but Karl stopped replying. So, Ste figured that he had


    gone back to work.


    Ste could not sit still anymore. This driver was supposed to take her to school back then, but he had


    something else to do. That was why Ste sat in Rainee''s car instead.


    ¡®Karl is onto him now. Does he know something that I don''t?¡¯ She wanted to ask Karl more questions,


    but she received another notification on her phone. Keegan updated his social media again.


    It was a photo taken at the same ce. However, Keegan and Jaylene looked even more intimate with


    each other. Ste scrunched her face and hid Vermont''s updates on her phone.


    Vermont waited for avery long time, but he just could not get a reaction from Ste. He wondered to


    himself.


    ¡®Is this not triggering enough?"


    He was very shocked when he saw that photo in a group chat.


    Keegan had been a hot topic in his circle after his divorce. So when somebody posted an intimate


    photo of him and Jaylene, everybody lost it.


    Jaylene became someone every rich man wanted to date after the Saun family returned. The Saun


    family was known for spoiling their daughters; everybody wanted to be their son-inw.


    Everybody else waited for their turn to get the Saun family''s attention, yet a divorced man beat them.


    All of them got so bitter after that.


    Vermont was still waiting for Ste''s reaction, but he was very surprised when he discovered that Ste


    had blocked him too. At the same time, Xavier sent the letter from the hospital to Trevor''s office right


    after he received it. Trevor took the letter from Xavier and waved his arm at him. "Wait for me outside."


    Trevor only opened the envelope after Xavier left the office. It was the result of a paternity test. He held


    his breath and opened it slowly. He looked at it from top to bottom and frowned right after he saw the


    words on thest line.

 Chapter 566

    Chapter 566


    Chapter 566


    ¡®¡®How could it be negative?"


    He stared at the report for a while before he picked up his phone and called someone.


    Then, that person picked up.


    "Yvette, is the result out yet?"


    A woman''s voice could be heard on the phone.


    "I was just done with a meeting.I''ll go and ask about it for you.It''s probably ready by now."


    Thedy paused and asked, "Trevor, do you have an illegitimate child?"


    Trevor frowned.


    "Cut it out.Go on and send it to me if it''s ready."


    "Okay."


    After hanging up, Yvette sent him the test results about ten minutester.


    Trevor looked at it and brought his brows even closer together.


    Both tests used the same sample, yet the two hospitals¡¯ results differed.He pursed his lips and picked


    his phone up again.


    "Yvette, is the result urate?"


    "Of course, it is.We''re specialized in doing this.We should look for another job if something goes wrong


    with this."


    Trevor personally gave her the sample to do the test.


    Nobody else other than the two of them knew about it.


    It just could not go wrong.


    ¡®What about...the one that Xavier gave me? Did the hospital make a mistake, or is somebody messing


    with me? I''m d I did the test in two hospitals just to be safe."


    The look on Trevor''s face became serious as he said in a deep voice, "Yvette, would you run the test


    again in another hospital with the same sample?"


    "Why? Do you not trust me?"


    Trevor replied, "This is very important, and I must ensure nothing goes wrong.I want you to get it done


    personally.Don''t ask anybody else to help you with it.Send me the results right away when it''s ready."


    Yvette started to take it seriously after hearing Trevor''s tone.


    "Sure.I''ll do that for you."


    "Can it be ready today?"


    Yvette kept quiet.


    "Trevor, do you think we''re in a movie, and the result would be out just like that? They''ve got to purify


    the sample again to extract its chromosomes.It''s got to take at least two to three days.Don''t worry.I''ll


    get it done as soon as possible."


    "Okay then.Thank you so much."


    Actually, Trevor could already guess which report was fake.


    However, he had always been a cautious person.So, he decided to run the test again to prove his


    assumption right.


    Trevor''s face looked very serious after hanging up.He wanted to ask Xavier toe inside but


    changed his mind.He wanted to find out if the person who tweaked the report would do anything else.


    So, he kept the test result with an indifferent face and put it inside his drawer.


    On the other side...


    Daniel finally did something humane and gave Ste a half day off.


    She had nothing to do in thete afternoon.


    Coincidentally, she had an appointment with the agent to sign the contract, so she packed her things


    and went out.


    The house in Flourand Gardens was about a thousand and three hundred square feet.


    The agent made some negotiations, and the final price came down to six million and two hundred


    thousand dors.


    However, the seller demanded fifty percent of the selling price as the down payment, equivalent to


    three million and one hundred thousand dors.


    Three million dors was more than half of her entire savings.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Even though she was a little reluctant, the house was fully furnished.


    All she had to do was to buy a few other pieces of furniture before moving in.


    So, Ste did not bargain further and agreed to sign the contract.She brought all of her documents and


    went out.She was all set to register as a house owner.


    However, the Housing Authority told her she was not qualified to buy the house after signing all


    contracts.


    Ste was devastated as she asked the officer: "This can''t be right.I don''t own any properties¡­"

 Chapter 567

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    Chapter 567


    The officer said, "The system can''t be wrong.It shows you have a mansion in Midvale Mountain and a


    four thousand square feet property in Clouditude International.Therefore, following the relevant


    legition, you cannot purchase another house."


    Ste was confused.


    Midvale Mountain was a very popr residential area in Rivera with many mansions.


    Royalpark Vi, where she used to live with Keegan, was located at Midvale Mountain.


    Ste had no idea if that officer was referring to that.


    ¡®What''s happening? Also, Clouditude International? What''s that about? I have no idea at all."


    Ste said in a low voice, "Could you check when my name was registered under these two


    properties?"


    The officer did something on theputer and said, "It was Marchst year for the mansion in Midvale


    Mountain and Septemberst year for the unit in Clouditude International."


    The look on the seller''s face turned angry after hearing what the officer said.


    "Why would you waste my time if you''re not qualified to purchase my house? What are you trying to


    do?"


    Ste frowned and exined softly, "I didn''t know I had properties."


    "You can''t be serious.Stop fooling me."


    The buyer took his documents back and told the agent off, ''''I spent so much money to hire you, yet you


    found me a buyer like this! This is ridiculous!"


    The youngdy got very awkward and immediately apologized to the seller.


    However, the seller did not hold back as he continued scolding the agent.


    Then, he left the office with all his documents.


    Ste felt extremely sorry when she looked at how embarrassed the agent was and kept apologizing to


    her.She had no idea that she owned properties at all.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Otherwise, she would not waste anybody''s time.


    However, the agent was very positive about what happened and told Ste everything was fine.


    Ste had the money ready, and the agent figured she would not have done that if she had known


    about it.


    Then, she said with a hint of envy, "Miss, your properties are fantastic.Why would you still want a house


    in Flourand Gardens?"


    "They''re not mine."


    Ste took her phone out.


    "Please give me a moment.I need to call someone."


    She unlocked Keegan''s number and called him.


    Vermont went with Keegan for a massage at the hospital.He had no idea how Keegan got all his


    bruises, and Keegan would not tell him even if he asked.He had nothing to do in the afternoon anyway,


    so he brought Keegan there for a massage.


    The doctor massaged Keegan to increase his blood cirction, so his meridians could be cleared.


    He ced his phone on the table beside him, very close to where Vermont was sitting.


    Vermont was about to fall asleep when the phone''s ringing disrupted him.


    He took Keegan''s phone and instantly woke up.


    "It''s your ex-wife!"


    Keegan opened his eyes slowly and pursed his lips without saying anything.


    Vermont was confused.


    Keegan had always wanted Ste to unblock his number, yet that was his only reaction when it finally


    happened.


    "I''m going to decline it if you don''t answer it." Keegan kept quiet.


    Vermont dared him again, "I''ll really do it."


    Keegan still kept his silence.


    Vermont squinted.


    "Well, I''ll decline it since you don''t want to talk to her."


    He slid his finger on the screen as he spoke, and the phone stopped ringing.


    Keegan immediately sat up.


    "Who told you to¡ª"


    "Keegan Kane, do you have time today?"


    He heard Ste''s voice from the phone before he could finish talking.


    Keegan was very surprised and ttered by Ste''s question.


    However, he felt very cheap for feeling that way after thinking about how Ste acted when he fell from


    the horse two days ago.


    '' I''m sure she didn''t call because she worries about me."


    But he did not feel like hanging up at all.


    So, he pursed his lips and pretended to speak nonchntly, "Why?"

 Chapter 568

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    Chapter 568


    Ever since Ste discovered the dates her name was registered for those two properties, she felt


    uneasy.


    They were not transferred to her by Keegan after their divorce.


    Instead, it was transferred to her before their marriage fell apart.


    The discovery left Ste with an indescribable feeling.


    Unlike expensive bags or beautiful clothes, a house provides security.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    She used to browse forums and often came across posts simr to topics like these: [I''ve been married


    for five years and have two kids, but my husband won''t add my name to our property title.I''m starting to


    wonder if I should divorce him.]


    [My fianc¨¦ paid for the down payment on our new house, but he wants me to cover the renovation


    costs and split the mortgage with him.When I asked him to add my name to the property title, he said I


    shouldn''t be so materialistic.Should I still go ahead with the marriage?)


    [I''ve been paying off the mortgage for our house for three years and just recently found out that the


    property title is under my mother-inw''s name.What should I do about this?)


    She had read countless of them.


    Back then, Ste had considered asking Keegan to add her name to the property title.


    She even researched marriagew.


    ording to thew, the person who purchased a property before marriage is considered the rightful


    owner.


    However, if the owner is willing to add their spouse''s name or gift the property to their spouse, that


    would be a different story.


    After reading up on this, Ste could not bring herself to ask Keegan to add her name, given that she


    had not contributed a penny toward the purchase.


    It felt a bit shameless, so she ultimately abandoned the idea.


    Ste had never thought that Keegan had put two properties under her name a long time ago.


    Regardless of what happened between them, these two properties were enough to ensure her a


    comfortable life in the future.


    She wondered, ''If Keegan really considered my future, why did he let Dahlia poison me? He didn''t want


    a child.


    Why didn''t he discuss it with me instead of resorting to this?'' Ste could notprehend why Keegan


    was hurting her while nning for her future at the same time.


    She felt like she was bing more and more unable to understand Keegan.


    Suppressing her turbulent emotions, Ste said in a low voice, "If you have time,e to the Housing


    Authority and transfer the properties under my name to yours."


    Upon hearing this, Keegan became a little angry.


    "Just for this?"


    "This is a big deal for me,"


    Ste pursed her lips.


    "Without transferring them, I won''t be eligible to buy a house in Rivera right now." Keegan frowned.


    "Why do you need to buy a house when you already have two?"

 Chapter 569

    Chapter 569


    Chapter 569


    "Those houses are yours.The Housing Authority office close at five -thirty, so we should be able to


    make it.Hurry up ande over," said Ste.


    Keegan felt that Ste did not want to dwell on when he transferred the properties to her name; she


    was more concerned with cutting ties with him.He clenched his fists and said coldly, "I''m busy."


    Ste furrowed her brows and asked, "Then when are you free? I''m in a hurry to buy a house."


    "If you hurry, go¡ª Mhm..."


    Before Keegan could finish speaking, Vermont, who had just run over, covered his mouth and said,


    "Hey Ste, it''s Vermont.Keegan and I are outside.We''re about to kick off a new project, and Keegan''s


    been joining me for on-site surveystely.Unfortunately, I don''t think he''d have much free time."


    Keegan red at Vermont, wanting to pry his hand off.


    Pressing the phone tight, Vermont whispered to Keegan, "If you still want Ste as your wife, you better


    watch whates out of your mouth."


    Keegan''s hand stopped, and he stared at Vermont with icy eyes but did not attempt to resist.


    On the other end, Ste furrowed her brows and said, "It''ll only take one or two hours.He can surely


    spare that time, right?"


    "If he can''t make it, why don''t you forget about buying a house? Just pick one of the properties under


    your name to live in.After all, they''re all yours.Why return them to him? Isn''t your youth worth more than


    those houses?"


    Vermont''s reasoning made sense.


    If Felicity had said those words to Ste, she would have listened.


    After all, Felicity was her best friend.


    ''But Vermont is Keegan''s buddy.Would he really speak for me?¡¯ With that in mind, Ste pursed her lips


    and said, "I don''t want to owe Keegan anything.Could you ask him when he''s avable?"


    "Uh, I can''t say for sure," Vermont replied.


    "But if you need a ce to stay, I have a house in Clouditude International.It''s fully furnished and ready


    for you to move in.I won''t charge you rent.Then, once things settle down with Keegan, you two can..."


    Vermont then repeatedly rubbed the phone with a tissue, and his voice started to break up.


    "...discuss...Ste...signal...poor...gotta hang up..."


    With that, Vermont ended the call, leaving Keegan confused.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    "Let her keep the houses," Vermont advised.


    "She''lle to you on her own now.Then you won''t have to worry about her blocking you, right?"


    Keegan was at a loss for words, but he could not help but think that Vermont''s advice made sense,


    even if it was a little devious.


    As Vermont settled back onto the bed, he continued, "When pursuing a girl, don''ty all your cards on


    the table at once.Men and women, they''re all the same.People don''t cherish things thate too


    easily.And hey, you said Ste''s a fickle, right?"

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    Chapter 570


    Keegan frowned, "You sure know how to make words from a scumbag sound refreshing, huh?"


    The corners of Vermont''s eyes twitched.


    "Since when am I a scumbag? I am just gaining more experience for my future wife.The only way to


    know how girls are and what they like is to be with different types of girls, okay? I''m telling you, you''re


    inexperienced.I mean, so many girls were chasing you back then.You should at least date two of


    them.That way, you won''t be so helpless when facing Ste."


    Keegan did not like this theory at all.


    "You talk about experience, but I don''t see any girls you''ve dated here."


    Those words stabbed through Vermont''s heart.


    Every time he was in a rtionship, it never progressed further.


    Whether it was him or the girls he''s been with, most of their love and care were materialistic.


    Ste was also one of them.She never went easy on spending Keegan''s money, but she was kind to


    Keegan.


    Keegan used to unt that Ste made his lunch boxes, and Vermont always said that he did not need


    someone to make him lunch.


    In reality, however, he secretly wanted someone to do the same for him.


    It was a sweet gesture that money could not buy.


    Vermont and Keegan were picky eaters and worked all year round.


    They often got tired of eating outside, so a home-cooked meal could satisfy their cravings.


    It did not matter if the food was good; it was nice to know that someone at home cared if they were


    eating well.


    Many of Vermont''s ex- girlfriends did not know how to cook.


    Even if they did, they would tell him they never wanted to step into the kitchen.


    Vermont thought they were not wifey material, at least not for him.


    However, he found that there were other factors behind his inability to find a lifelong partner.


    The main one was that he and his ex-partners did not care enough to put each other first, as they only


    cared about themselves.


    Ste was not good at cooking, but she cared for Keegan and was willing to learn.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    That alone was enough to keep Vermont hungry for a long time.


    So, when Ste stopped making lunch boxes for Keegan, he gloated for a long time.


    "Why did you change the focus to me when we''re talking about you? You have to listen to me if you


    want to get Ste back."After saying that, Vermont thought about something and continued, "I''ll call


    Marshall.He''s a man with great ideas.I''m sure he''ll be able to give you good advice."


    "Don''t," Keegan frowned and said coldly.


    Vermont was surprised.


    "Why? Did you guys fight?" he asked.


    Keegan pursed his lips and stayed quiet.


    Vermont was taken aback by how he was acting.


    Marshall''s rtionship with Keegan was stronger than theirs.


    Marshall and Keegan grew up together, while he only met Keegan when he was around ten.


    The status of the Snyder family was far lower than that of the Kane or Moore family.


    Vermont was able to befriend Keegan simply because he had thick skin.


    Unlike the Kane or Moore families, the Snyder family only made their fortune for twenty years.


    Vermont''s dad had three marriages, so he was the youngest and had many older siblings.


    Since there were many children in the family, the attention his parents could allocate to each child was


    limited.


    When Vermont was born, his parents worked hard to provide for the family.


    They did not have time to care for him, so he was tossed to his grandfather before he weaned.


    He grew up at his grandfather''s ce until he was eleven or twelve.


    Then, his parents only took him back when he was about to enter junior high.


    At that time, the Snyder family''s business was already looking good in Rivera.


    Most of Vermont''s siblings married and had children, while the rest went to college.


    Since they did not raise Vermont for more than ten years, they did not show much affection for him.


    However, they gave him whatever they could and sent him to Rivera''s best rich kids'' high school.

 Chapter 571

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    Chapter 571


    The students in Vermont''s ss all came from upper-ss families, and each was richer than the other.


    For example, Vermont''s parents ran a seafood business and supplied half of the hotels in Rivera.


    Some children at school whose families owned the hotels said he was a stinky fishmonger.


    They deliberately formed cliques to iste him.


    But a few of them never joined in; one was Keegan, and the other was Marshall.


    The two were so close that it seemed like they wore the same pair of pants.


    At first, Vermont did not want to associate with the two guys after being bullied by those so-called


    aristocrats.


    ¡®What a bunch of assholes.You''re all just nepotism babies," Vermont thought.


    Once, a school bully from the next ss maliciously shoved Keegan to the ground while they were on


    the basketball court.


    He broke his leg, and Marshall started to fight the kid on the spot.


    The bully was tall and robust.


    Marshall had not hit puberty then, so he looked rtively thin and frail.


    He did not seem like a match for the bully, but he was ruthless; he grabbed a brick and smashed it into


    the kid''s head.


    The kid immediately bled, and chaos erupted.


    Keegan had no time to tend to his leg.


    Instead, he snatched the brick from Marshall''s hand and quickly pulled him away.


    However, when they were caught, both said that they were the ones who smashed the kid''s head.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Several people at the scene had witnessed the incident, but no one dared toe forward and testify.


    In the end, the two of them got demerit.


    Vermont''s view toward kids from aristocratic families then changed after the incident.


    He realized that not all of them were assholes.


    Some, like Keegan and Marshall, were extremely loyal to each other.


    So he took the initiative to talk to them and started following them daily.


    Vermont was a wild child who grew up in a small town and could alwayse up with fun things to


    y with.


    Keegan was cold to him at first, but things quickly took a turn.


    The three of them became close after some time.


    However, Vermont always felt that Keegan and Marshall''s rtionship was better than Keegan''s and


    his.


    So, it was strange to him that they fought.


    "Aren''t we all adults here? Tell Marshall to go to the barter, and we''ll have a drink or two.Remember


    that he was the one who helped settle things when the group of people caused trouble at the


    hospital.He also helped out during your ex-mother-inw''s funeral.He ran back and forth and even


    wrote the obituary.You, the husband, should have been the one to do all that.You have to thank him."


    The more Vermont talked about it, the worse Keegan felt.


    "Let''s talk about thister," he said sullenly.


    On the other hand, Ste could not buy the house without Keegan there.


    Feeling guilty, she gave the realtor 500 dors to put the transaction on hold.


    Detective Karl, however, had made progress.


    He had found out and contacted the previous driver of the Jewell family.


    Half a year after the car ident, the driver resigned and was unemployed in his hometown.


    But he has the money to renovate his house.


    Their family was quite wealthy in the local area.


    So despite having no job, he had money to spend; this alone was intriguing.


    Detective Karl also investigated another taxi that had gotten into an ident that year.


    However, the findings were not satisfactory.


    After receiving thepensation, the driver and the passenger''s family left Rivera., He tried many


    ways to contact them but failed to trace their whereabouts.


    It was like they had just vanished¡­

 Chapter 572

    Chapter 572


    Chapter 572


    The ident caused two deaths and one injury, yet the victims only received one million dors as


    compensation.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    It was strange that they did not press charges.


    Now with the Jewell family driver on the line, the passengers¡¯ side of the story was no longer highly


    important.


    As long as Detective Karl could get something out of the driver, he may be able to follow the clues and


    find the truth.


    Ste was Satisfied with Karl''s progress and continued to transfer the second payment to him.


    When Ste was done with work in the afternoon, Cordelia called.


    "Ste, Baldwin made a heap of dried mangoes recently.I couldn''t finish them, so I delivered some to


    you.Have you tasted them?"


    Ste remembered the WhatsApp message from Felicity in the morning, saying that she had received


    arge box of dried mangoes.


    ''Oh...Cordelia sent them," she thought.


    Her eyes softened as she said in a low voice, "I''m still outside right now, but I''m sure they taste great


    since Baldwin made them."


    "That''s true.Baldwin is good at his work," the olddymented.


    "He even ordered a giant cake filled with ayer of mangoes for my birthday next Wednesday.I''ll ask


    Keegan to bring you here so that you can taste it yourself." Ste paused when she heard that and


    said, "I-I don''t think that''ll be appropriate, grandma."


    "What nonsense are you talking about? Do you no longer see me as your grandma just because you


    divorced Keegan?"


    "No, that''s not what I meant.You''ll always be my elder," Ste said in a low voice.


    "But...I''m scared that things will be awkward for Keegan if I''m there since we are divorced.How about I


    visit you the day before your birthday, and we''ll have a small celebration." Ste relentlessly threw the


    me on Keegan after the divorce.


    "Keegan will feel awkward? Fuck him.If he thinks it''s awkward, then he can just leave. It''s my birthday,


    and I want my favorite person to celebrate it with me."


    Cordelia then sighed, "It''s going to be my 80th birthday, probably thest birthday party I''ll ever have.I


    just want everyone to be there.But if you find it difficult, it''s fine.I''m already an old woman with less than


    a few years to live.Baldwin is right; I shouldn''t always cause you kids trouble."


    The corner of Baldwin''s eyes twitched.


    ¡®Did I ever say that?"


    When Ste heard what Cordelia had said, she gave in.


    "The doctors said that you''re healthy and you can live for years toe," Ste replied.


    She then paused and whispered, "Fine.I''ll go.Just stop talking about death."


    Cordelia immediately beamed with joy when Ste agreed.She asked her about how she was doing


    recently and hung up.


    At the same time, Marshall''s case on the property division was in full swing.


    Albert was so angry that smoke wasing out of his ears when he received the court summons.


    First, it was Sophia''s presentation; now, it was Ste''s divorce.


    Both cost him a lot of money.


    He was so busy filling all the holes that he did not even have time to settle the matter with Ste.


    He could not believe that she hade to him first.


    Albert called Ste immediately.


    To no one''s surprise, he was treated no better than Keegan.


    "Ungrateful bitch! Why did I raise such an ungrateful bitch?! I put a roof over her head, and this is how


    she repays me.How dare she!"


    He threw away his phone and cursed angrily.


    Ste was not the one who had contacted him, but herwyer.


    Thewyer''s request was direct -- if Albert wanted to settle things outside of court, he would have to


    give up all his shared assets.


    ¡®¡®Should I settle this in private???¡¯'' thought Albert.

 Chapter 573

    Chapter 573


    Chapter 573


    ¡®of course not! I''m going to fight! She must be delusional to think that I would let her take away the


    company I worked so hard to build," thought Albert.


    Hylda picked the phone up and put it on the table.


    "Don''t get mad, Albert.It''s not good for your health.


    "Take a look at this subpoena," Albert said while tossing her the document.


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    "I was thinking about why she was so quiet after the divorce.This is why! She was nning this all


    along! Does she think she could win the case with the little evidence she has in her hands?"


    Hylda pursed her lips and said, "Albert, thewsuit is not the most important thing right now.Walter just


    called me."


    "Who?"


    Albert was not paying much attention at that moment.


    "Our previous driver," Hylda said in a low voice.


    Albert frowned.


    "Why did he call?"


    "Someone went to his town and looked for him."


    Albert''s face changed slightly.


    "Do you know who?"


    "No.But think about it, who else would look into Walter?"


    Albert''s expression turned serious.


    "You mean...Ste?"


    "She knows Rainee filed for divorce with you seven years ago.She even has the evidence that Rainee


    collected.I doubt she''d overlook the car ident and the division of property.Ste may not seed as


    long as we find a reliablewyer.But if she finds something that she shouldn''t, we''ll lose more than just


    a few dors.Albert turned slightly pale when he heard that.


    He tried his best to stay calm and said, "All the vehicles involved in the ident have been


    destroyed.The police have also closed the case.Even if she does find out more about the incident,


    there''s no proof; what kind of trouble will we face? We can give her some money to settle thewsuit.I


    mean, that is what she is after, right?"


    Hylda was not so optimistic about the situation.


    "You''re underestimating her, Albert.She divorced Keegan right after Rainee''¡®s death.It''s clear that she''s


    not in it for the money; she''s in it for her mother."


    "Just think about it.When you asked her to attend those banquets to marry her off, she agreed because


    of Rainee.Her mother raised her, and she respects her far more than she respects you.So if she finds a


    loose knot in Rainee''s car ident, she''ll never let it go.She''ll even pull us down to hell with her."


    Albert''s hands unconsciously trembled when he heard the word "hell".


    The scene in which Rainee was thrown across the road, covered in blood with pale lips, appeared in


    his mind again.


    "What do you suggest we do then? She''s already started investigating.Won''t she be even more


    suspicious of us if we take action now?"


    Hylda smiled and said, "We''ll ept the subpoena and go against her in court.There''s no guarantee


    that she will win yet.I''m sure she won''t be in the mood to focus on the car ident once thewsuit is


    over."


    Albert was worried, but all he could do was trust Hylda.


    They were in the same boat; if one went down, the other will too.


    Albert''swyer quickly contacted Marshall about the property division case.


    After their discussion, the trial was brought forward to next Monday.


    Originally, the trial was supposed to happen one monthter, but Albert had filed an appeal.


    So the two parties began negotiating and agreed to adjust the hearing.


    Ste wondered what Albert was ying at since he was the type to dy awsuit and drag it as long


    as possible.


    Ste even thought he would not attend the hearing and let his attorney show up instead of him.


    ¡°''I did not expect him to agree so easily.Does he think he would win thiswsuit??¡±''

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    Chapter 574


    Soon, Monday came.


    Marshall picked Ste up.


    Since Felicity had an off day from work, she also tagged along.


    Today''s case differed from the previous personality rights case, involving influencers attracting public


    attention.


    The property division case was rtively low-key.


    No one was at the gates waiting for them when they arrived at the court.


    "Mr.Moore, are there any chances of us winning thiswsuit?" Felicity asked.


    While parking the car, Marshall said, Yes.The chances of winning are high.


    Albert''s previous method of division was problematic.


    When Jewell Group was founded, more than half of the start-up capital was provided by Ms. Spade.


    She also made a ton of contributions to the subsequent operation of thepany.


    Though Albert had transferred her shares to himself, it is not fully protected byw since he did it when


    Ms. Spade was incapacitated."


    Felicity was outraged when she heard that.


    "What a shameless piece of trash.You have to get Ste more of the assets, Mr.Moore.I don''t care if


    the money gets thrown away or donated to charity.We can''t go easy on the Jewell family."


    Marshall smiled and said, "Definitely. I will fight for Ste''s best interest.After all, she''s the boss."


    As Marshall uttered those words, he turned to look at Ste with a gentle gaze.


    "Stop kidding.The legal fee I paid you isn''t enough for your car''s maintenance,"


    Ste smiled softly.


    Felicity''s eyes wandered across the two of them.


    ''Mr.Moore seems to be interested in Ste.I mean, look at that gaze...Ugh! I hate this! Ste is such


    adum-dum."


    When the three of them got out of the car, Trevor called.


    Ste wondered why he was calling her so early in the morning.She answered the call while she


    thought about it and said, "Mr.Saun. Is something the matter?"


    Trevor stared at the DNA test results on the screen while his heart beat nonstop.


    "Where are you, Ste?"


    Ste''s eyebrows twitched.


    ''Did he eat something wrong? Why is he calling me by my first name? We''re not that close, are we?"


    Ste could not help but remember what Xavier had said and thought of how Trevor wanted to take


    advantage of her.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    She pursed her lips tightly and decided to wait and see what would happen.


    "I''m at the courthouse.I have an ongoingwsuit to attend to today.Is there anything I can do for you,


    Mr.Saun?"


    "No..."


    Trevor paused for a moment before continuing, "Yes."


    "Is it an emergency? I could only show up at thepany in the afternoon."


    Trevor pinched the middle of his brows and was excited to tell her about the news.


    After trying to calm his emotions, he said, ''"What''s thewsuit about?"


    "Oh, just some personal matters.It wouldn''t affect thepany in any way.Don''t worry.Trust me."


    "That''s not what I''m worried about," Trevor pursed his lips and said.


    "Is there anything I can do to help?"


    "No, it''s fine.Thewyer I hired is very good at his job."


    "Which court will the trial be held at? After you finish, I''ll sit for the hearing and take you to meet the


    new director."


    ¡®¡®Shouldn''t my manager be the one who tells me these things? Oh, wait.I don''t have a manager yet."


    Ste thought about it and said, "Okay.I''m at the XX Courthouse."


    Trevor wrote down the address and hung up.


    "Trevor''sing???"


    Ste nodded and said, "When this trial is over, Mr.Saun will take me to meet the new director." She


    smiled and joked: "When I be popr in this industry, you can brag to your other clients that


    you''ve represented a big star like me."

 Chapter 575

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    Chapter 575


    "You won''t be charging me any advertising fees, would you?" Marshall raised his eyebrows and asked.


    "It''ll be free publicity!"


    Today''swsuit was opened to the public, but the audience was much smaller thanst time.


    There were also no reporters at the scene.


    Trevor arrived a few minutes before the trial and sat where Keegan had sat previously.He looked like


    the intiff''s family sitting there.


    On the defendant''s side were Hylda and Sophia.


    There was also a six to seven-year-old boy next to Hylda.


    He looked very simr to her, making it hard to like him.


    The kid was Albert and Hylda''s son, Hugo.


    ¡®Sophia and Hugo."


    If Ste had not opened Rainee''s safe, she would not have known that her dear father had these two


    big surprises in store for her.


    The three of them looked neatly dressed.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Hylda no longer looked submissive as she curled her hair and portrayed a dominant style.


    She and Sophia were both dressed in luxurious clothes.


    Ste looked coldly at the dock and saw Albert in a suit and leather shoes.


    He seemed to be living his best life and in good shape.


    Ste''s heart sank when she remembered how her mother worked so hard to give these trashes a nice


    life.She clenched her fists tightly and told herself she must win thiswsuit.


    Marshall lightly patted the back of her hand, and while sorting out the documents in front of him, he


    whispered, "Rx."


    Ste took a deep breath and lowered her gaze.


    The trial was about to begin soon.


    Thewyers from both sides confronted each other about the case and insisted that they were in the


    right with supporting evidence.


    Albert was so fixated on Rainee''s medical bills that he repeatedly emphasized how big the expenses


    were and how much it took for him to care for her after the ident.


    He even took advantage of Rainee''s death and made up stories about how she knew about his affairs


    and agreed to raise the child with him.


    He also imed that he got together with his current wife after Rainee''s ident and that there was no


    property transfer.


    Though they knew Albert''s shamelessness, they were still shocked by his words.


    Fortunately, Marshall was fully prepared.


    The fact that he cheated on Rainee with Hylda and used his shared assets to buy Hyldaa house during


    their marriage; and that he did not visit Rainee after the ident was enough to show that he did not


    care for her at all.


    The doctor had asked Albert to go to the hospital to discuss other methods of helping Rainee, but he


    never showed up.


    The doctor testified to this statement, meaning he could not lie.


    Albert was gradually at a disadvantage throughout the trial.


    After Marshall finished his speech, he presented the intiff''s im to the court.


    The defense attorney stayed quiet for a long time.


    Just when Ste thought they were sure to win the case, the defensewyer suddenly said, "Your


    honor, I have a question here to ask the intiff."


    "Proceed."


    The defense attorney looked at Ste and asked, "Ms.Jewell, what is your rtionship with my client?"


    Ste frowned.


    ''What kind of question is that?'' She pursed her lips and said, "I''m his daughter, handling the property


    division between him and my mother.Is there a problem?"


    "Oh!!! there is."


    The defensewyer took out a report and shot Ste a sharp gaze.


    "ording to our investigation, you are not Mr.Jewell''s biological daughter, which means you are not


    his flesh and blood.Therefore, you are not qualified to sue my client in this case¡­"


    Trevor''s eyes darkened when he heard that.

 Chapter 576

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    Chapter 576


    As the defensewyer revealed that Ste was not Albert''s biological daughter, he handed the report to


    the judge.


    "This is the DNA test between my client and Ms. Jewell. It clearly shows that they are not rted by


    blood. She was born out of Ms. Spade''s affair. Thus, our client has no legal obligation to be supporting


    her financially. She also does not have the right to inherit my client''s property. In other words, she has


    no right to be suing my client."


    Ste was furious.


    "Nonsense! How dare you make up such a thing just to win this case? Did you forget how well my


    mother treated you? I swear to god, you are going to rot in hell."


    Rainee was already buried in the ground, yet Albert still tried to dirty her image.


    ''Is he blind to how much mom cared about him? She tried so many ways to give Albert a son. How


    could she have had an affair? What kind of fuckery is this?!"


    "Order in the court!" the judge said solemnly.


    The judge then allowed the jury to check the authenticity of the evidence.


    Marshall frowned, but he tried tofort Ste.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    "Don''t get too worked up. Let''s wait and see what the test results say."


    "They must''ve faked it! There¡¯s no way my mom cheated!"


    Ste gritted her teeth and said.Marshall pursed his lips but was not optimistic about the trial anymore.


    This kind of judicial test evidence can be easily verified.


    There was no need for Albert to fake it.


    Sure enough, the jury quickly confirmed and approved the document''s authenticity.


    The intiff could reapply for a judicial appraisal after the hearing if they have doubts.


    Ste was dumbfounded.


    ''How is this possible? I''m not Albert''s biological daughter?¡¯ The quiet courtroom burst into a discussion


    as they were surprised to hear the news halfway through the hearing.


    Initially, the local media just wanted to get some gossip about the wealthy family because of how Albert


    was able to raise an illegitimate daughter without his wife knowing.


    The reporters were holding out to see if they could get some dirt now that his daughter was against him


    in the property division case.


    They did not expect to be fed such hot news.


    The illegitimate daughter was now the real daughter, and the real daughter became the illegitimate


    daughter.


    This was even more exciting than television dramas.


    Felicity started to get impatient because Marshall did not speak up.


    The turn of events made Marshall feel a little lost.


    Suddenly, Albert voiced out, "Your honor."


    Everyone in the courtroom turned to look at him.


    His eyes looked sad, and he had a pitiful expression.


    "May I have a few words with my daughter??"


    "You may proceed..."


    Albert looked at Ste and said, "Ste, I did not anticipate we would be against each other at court.I


    know your mother''s death has caused you great pain, and I feel the same. Initially, I nned to keep


    the fact that you are not my biological] daughter a secret forever. I raised you all these years and have


    treated you like my own. Even with your mom''s death, I still want us to maintain a good


    rtionship.You divorced Keegan and lost everything. I understand you need the money, but you


    could''ve just told me about your financial struggles. I, as your dad, would have dly given you the


    money. There was no need for you to bring this to court."


    ¡®And this is what they call me- shifting,dies and gentlemen," Ste thought.

 Chapter 577

    Chapter 577


    Chapter 577


    Ste did notck money since Keegan had transferred a huge sum into her card.


    Albert was deliberately trying to discredit and dirty her name.


    First, he exposed that she was not his biological daughter and portrayed himself as a loving husband


    who his wife cheated on.


    Then, he talked about how difficult it was for him to raise Ste, that she sued him for money, and


    added that he had to reveal the truth.


    He rambled on and on just to push her to the edge.


    Ste''s face was pale.


    She gritted her teeth and said, "You pig! Did you forget how the Spade family poured their money into


    supporting you? How dare you drag my mother through the mud now that you had your sess?!"


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    "Language, Ms. Jewell."


    "your honor, my client is unwell right now. May we postpone this hearing?"


    "Are you new to this field, Mr.Moore?" The defensewyer refused toply.


    Rivera does not postpone hearings.


    The trial must be done today, or the case will be withdrawn."


    Marshall''s eyes darkened.


    The situation was unfavorable to them; Ste had lost her foot, and the results would be unsatisfactory


    if the trial continued.


    Moreover, the people were already focused on Ste being Albert''s illegitimate daughter.


    The longer they were there, the more detrimental it was to Ste.


    Marshall pursed his lips and whispered, " Let''s withdraw the case."


    Ste was startled.


    "Do you think I''m an illegitimate daughter too, Mr.Moore?"


    She was seeking validation as she refused to believe that the test results Albert showed were true.


    Marshall knew that Ste did not care about not being Albert''s daughter.


    Instead, she was in disbelief that her mother would betray her marriage with Albert.


    "It doesn''t matter whose daughter you are. You will always be Ste to me. Withdrawing from the case


    does not mean we''re admitting defeat. We just need to find new evidence to ensure that nothing goes


    wrong," he said softly.


    After a long time, Ste clenched her fingers and said hoarsely, " Okay. Let''s withdraw the case."


    Hylda smiled when she heard that.


    This was the first time in more than 20 years.


    ''No one would dare to use my children as illegitimate in the future now!''


    Suddenly, Hylda felt someone staring at her.She frowned and turned to see a handsome young man


    sitting far away in the public gallery.


    The man smiled at her, and Hylda was confused.His gaze made her rather ufortable.


    The intiff withdrew thewsuit and ended without any major problems, but the repercussions it


    caused were not light.


    As soon as Ste exited the courthouse, a group of people surrounded her.


    "Ms.Jewell, what do you think about the DNA test Mr.Jewell presented in court earlier?"


    "Ms.Jewell, did you really lose everything after getting divorced from Mr.Kane?"


    "Who is your biological father, Ms.Jewell? Did you know that you were not Albert''s blood daughter, or


    did you just find out about it today?"


    Ste''s face turned pale.


    ''''Excuse me," she said in a deep voice.


    However, the people did not move.


    "Please answer our questions, Ms.Jewell."


    Suddenly, a microphone hit Ste in the chin.She stretched out her hand and pushed the mic away


    withoutying a finger on the other party, but the man staggered and fell.


    "How could you push him?!!!"


    The media was unhappy with her as they muttered, "You''re nothing but an illegitimate child.How could


    she be so arrogant?"


    Felicity had had enough of all the nonsense and said, Are you guys blind? That person shoved the


    microphone in her face! Wouldn''t you try to get away if it was you?"


    "How would I have fallen if she didn''t push me?" the man tried to argue with Felicity.


    Felicity rolled up her sleeves and was about to get into a fight when suddenly, a figure stood in front of


    her and Ste.


    "Tangerine Media, right?"


    Trevor read the nametag on the other party''s vest. He then looked at him and said: "Tell Mr.Gray that I


    ept the invitation for an interview at yourpany on the premise that you''ll be fired."

 Chapter 578

    Chapter 578


    Chapter 578


    The man was startled, and his face immediately turned grim.


    ''Who the hell is he? Why is his tone so rude?'' When the man''s colleagues recognized Trevor, they


    whispered, "I think that''s Mr.Saun from Wings Group."


    The words thundered in the man''s ears.


    The editor-in-chief of Tangerine Media had made countless appointments with Wings Group for an


    exclusive interview, but Trevor never responded.


    The man did not expect to bump into him today.


    What originally was supposed to be for show became thest sentence he would say before losing his


    career.


    The man''s face turned pale.


    He looked suffocated and had an aggrieved expression.


    He was angry, but he did not dare to speak.


    Trevor was impatient and said coldly, "Get out of the way!"


    The few reporters surrounding him finally cleared the way.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Trevor turned around to look at Ste, and the coldness on his face instantly faded.


    "Let''s get out of here," he said softly.


    Ste finally recovered from what had happened in the courtroom.She collected herself, thanked the


    people, and left with Trevor and Felicity.


    Marshall''s car was at the gate when Trevor knocked on the window.


    "You can go first, Marshall.I have some work to discuss with Ms.Jewell.I''ll send her back when we''re


    done."


    Marshall looked at Ste and asked, "Are you okay, Ste?"


    Ste looked up at him; her face was a little pale but not too bad.She pursed her red lips slightly and


    said in a low voice, "I''m fine, Mr.Moore.Thank you for your hard work today.I''ll treat you to dinner some


    other day.You should go back and get some rest."


    Marshall tightened the corners of his lips and said okay.He then turned to Trever and said, "Thanks,


    Mr.Saun."


    Trevor paused.


    He looked at Marshall in shock and nodded, ''''No worries."


    Ste and Felicity got into Trevor''s car.He drove over to the courthouse by himself.


    The smell of the car was nice and calmed Ste''s nerves.


    Once the car started, Trevor was quiet.


    Felicity did not know him well, so she asked him a few simple questions and stopped talking.


    Then, she turned to Ste worriedly and asked, "Are you okay, Ste?"


    Ste was not okay.Her father was no longer her biological father, and she became the illegitimate


    daughter of her mother''s affair in a matter of minutes.


    However, Felicity was relieved that that shitty jackass was not Ste''s actual father.


    ''That piece of trash is not worthy of being a father!'' she thought.


    ''Though...that mutt''s a real fucker for revealing that secret, pushing Ste to her breaking point."


    Ste shook her head and smiled, ''''I''m fine.It''s just that I''m amazed that what I suspected since I was


    young was true."


    When Ste was a child, she thought that she was not Albert''s real daughter because of how well he


    favored Sophia.


    She used toin that he was biased but did not expect it toe true someday.


    Felicity racked her brains and asked, "Do you think the doctors mixed up the sperm or something when


    your mom went for the test tube?"


    "I''m not a test-tube baby, though.My mom gave birth to me, but Albert kept wanting a second child.So


    my mom got in touch with test- tube technology for the first time after that.But due to health reasons,


    she never seeded."


    Trevor pursed his lips and said, "Could it be possible that Ms.Spade is not your biological mother..?


    Maybe you were adopted???"


    ''That piece of trash is not worthy of being a father!'' she thought

 Chapter 579

    Chapter 579


    Chapter 579


    "That''s impossible," Ste immediately denied it.


    She continued, "If I were adopted, how could they shut everyone else''s mouth when there''s a child


    involved? Besides, Albert didn''t have to wait till today to reveal the DNA results."


    Trevor was silent for a few seconds, "Maybe they got the wrong baby at the hospital."


    "That''s even more unlikely.When my mom was healthy, she took me for checkups annually.So why


    wouldn''t she know if I weren''t her child? Besides, I''ve still got the ultrasound image from her maternity


    checkup when she was pregnant with me; I''m definitely her child."


    Trevor fell silent.


    ¡®This is also what he I''m confused about.From Ste''s blood type, it is obvious she is not Rainee and


    Albert''s child, so how could Rainee not know? Since Ste has deep feelings for Rainee, bringing up


    her true identity at such a time might be counterproductive," he thought.


    "Mr.Saun," Ste spoke, interrupting Trevor''s train of thought.


    She pursed her lips, "My true identity might end up as damaging information.If you think that it''s risky,


    it''s alright for us to terminate the contract.However, I might be unable to pay you the penalty fine in full."


    Trevor smiled, "It''s only damaging information if you''ve broken thew; what kind of damaging


    information is yours? Besides, you''re not an influencer.After you sign the contract, you just need to


    focus on acting.You don''t need to care about other things."


    He paused and asked, "By the way, have you bought a house yet?"


    At the mention of this, Ste''s head hurt, "Not yet.I don''t have the right to buy any properties yet."


    Trevor was surprised, "You haven''t paid enough social security tax yet?"


    Ste wanted to answer "yes,"


    but Felicity cut in and said, "Her ex- husband registered two properties under her name before they got


    divorced."


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    Trevor''s hand on the steering wheel froze momentarily.


    "You two got back together?" he asked in a slightly low voice.


    Ste felt a little awkward talking to her boss about her personal affairs, so she gave him a perfunctory


    answer, "He''s not thinking straight.You don''t have to trouble yourself.I can just rent a ce myself."


    "It''s no trouble.We''ve got the obligation to ensure the safety of our artists'' amodation within the


    contract period.We''re also not letting you stay there for free; the rent will be deducted from your sry


    afterward.The environment of thepany''s apartment isn''t bad.It''s not mixed genders, and the size of


    the houses is pretty decent.You can even bring your friend along and stay together.You girls can look


    out for one another."


    Felicity raised her hand, "Excuse me, I have a question.Where''s yourpany''s apartment?"


    Trevor smiled.


    "It''s not far from where you two are currently staying ¡ª Clouditude International."


    Felicity widened her eyes.She frantically grabbed Ste''s arm and signaled her to say yes with her


    eyes.


    ''Thepany''s giving you free amodation.What''s more, it''s an affluent neighborhood.You''re an


    idiot if you don''t ept it!'' thought Felicity.Ste initially wanted to reject Trevor.


    ¡®In my current situation, I can''t buy a house for now and still need to rent.So there''s no need for me to


    be pretentious when Trevor''s helping me when I need it.After this, I''ll just help him earn back the


    money by working hard during the shoot," she thought.


    At this thought, she agreed.


    Trevor seemed really happy.He smiled and said, "After this, I''ll send a few people from thepany to


    help you guys move houses."


    "There''s no rush, we''ve got plenty of things to pack.Besides, our lease isn''t due yet, so we need to talk


    to ourndlord about ending the lease."


    Trevor did not insist, "Just contact me when you all have things settled."


    Trevor did not take Ste to meet some director.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Instead, he took them for a meal.He said Ste was not in good condition today, so she was not fit to


    meet the director and that they would talk about it once she was in a better condition.


    Felicity was jealous, seeing how humane Ste''s boss was.


    ¡®They''re both bosses, but why''d that mutt - Simon Hill -ask me to work overtime??¡±¡¯ she thought.


    Trevor smiled.

 Chapter 580

    Chapter 580


    Chapter 580


    "Mom, why are you only taking out such an important thing now?! "


    Sophia had been a little resentful since she came out of the courtroom.


    ¡®All these years, I''ve always been hiding because of my identity.I''ve even lost my dream job because


    I''m an illegitimate daughter.In the end, I found out that Ste is the one who isn''t Albert''s biological


    daughter.If they had said this earlier, I wouldn''t have lost my job! Ste had been upying my position


    and even constantly bossed me around.How infuriating!'' she thought.


    "If we had taken this out sooner, how would we make use of her?"


    Hylda red at Sophia in annoyance.


    Whether or not Ste''s an illegitimate daughter, Sophia''s identity cannot be revealed.


    However, exposing Ste''s identity after Sophia''s is advantageous to us.


    Everyone focuses on that divorcee ¡ªSte''s¡ªtrue identity.


    Nobody will care about Sophia anymore.


    Besides, Ste will be busy for a while after this sudden expos¨¦.


    Be it thewsuit or investigating the incident back then, she''s nowpletely upied. This can be


    described as killing multiple birds with one stone," thought Hylda.


    However, Sophia still felt displeased.


    ¡®Back when I was revealed as an illegitimate daughter, theizens verbally abused me.Why does


    Ste have it this easy?'' she thought.


    She pursed her lips.


    Then, she took out her phone and opened Facebook.


    "I can''t open this," the little boy beside Hylda handed her the snack he was holding.


    Hylda pushed his hand away.


    "Be good. Ask your sister to help you open it," she said.


    Then, she said to Albert, "Albert, some of the press mighte over to interview us in the next few


    days.So don''t forget to say what you said in court when the timees.Ste''s the one who had


    wronged you, not the other way round."


    Albert frowned, "Can''t we just refuse to be interviewed?"


    Hylda knew Albert was giving in again after hearing his words.She said lowly, "Albert, Ste didn''t go


    easy on us when dealing with us.If you don''t finish her off, we''ll suffer once she recovers! She''s not


    even your biological daughter; don''t you feel aggrieved after all these years?"


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


    Albert clenched his fists, "She and Keegan are already divorced, so she can''t make any waves.If we go


    overboard, it''ll disadvantage us if others hear about it."


    Hylda twitched the corner of her lips.


    ¡®Back when we tampered with the car, we only wanted to get rid of Rainee.Did he forget how he sent


    the driver away and made Ste enter that car? Why is he acting like a loving father right now?'' she


    thought.Hylda said patiently, Albert, I know you''re soft-hearted, but you can''t be soft-hearted in this


    matter.We''ve still got the money we invested in Semiconductor Technology.Its gains today are really


    good.Let''s seize the moment and sell off the rest.I''ve been feeling uneasy."


    Semiconductor Technologyunchedst Friday and soared sixty points the day itunched.


    Albert earned 40 to 50 million dors in a day, so he immediately dumped two-thirds of it.


    He initially nned to dump all of it, but he heard too many positive things about Semiconductor


    Technology.


    The investment group chats he was in talked about it daily.


    Many people were kicking themselves for being unable to buy any.


    The trading veterans in the group chat that traded stocks all year round predicted Semiconductor


    Technology would rise at least ten times.


    Albert was skeptical then, but its shares rose twenty points and limited up the moment it opened.He


    instantly regretted his actions.


    Now that he heard Hylda telling him to dump the shares he had, he immediately had a displeased


    expression.


    ¡®If it weren''t for Hylda nagging at me every day, saying that Ste won''t let me take advantage of her


    after she''s divorced Keegan, causing me to sell off my stocks the moment it opened, my stocks would


    have risen another 20 million!'' he thought.


    "Albert, it''s only tangible if you have the money in hand. Being greedy is risky..."


    "Alright,"


    Albert cut her off and looked a little impatient. He continued, "I know what I''m doing; you just need to


    take care of what''s happening at home."


    Just as Hylda wanted to continue talking, Albert said: "Stop at the junction ahead. Take the kids home;


    I''m going to the office."


    Hylda said, "Let Sophia and Hugo take a cab home.. I''ll go to the office with you."

 Chapter 581

    Chapter 581


    Chapter 581


    "There''s no need for that.In the uing days, stay home and take good care of Hugo.His teacher


    said that he''s even making mistakes for addition and subtraction questions within twenty.So, stay home


    and help him catch up.He''s about to enter third grade, yet he''s still so bad at the basics?" Hylda


    frowned.


    "Wouldn''t getting a home tutor do?"


    "We''ll get a home tutor if you can''t manage.Hugo''s only in elementary school.Is there a need to spend


    money on this? Besides, you can bond with Hugo when you''re teaching him.You sent Hugo to early


    education sses when he was only two, and now he isn''t even willing to call you mom.Yet, you still


    have the guts to do such a thing? When Ste was a child, Rainee taught her every single one of her


    ABCs."


    Hylda immediately looked displeased.


    Albert only noticed how inappropriate his words were after he said them.


    He cleared his throat and continued, "Anyway, spend more time with the kids.I''m working at the


    company, so you three will have enough money to spend."


    Hylda was furious.


    ¡®Does Albert think that I''m stupid like that woman, Rainee? Does he think that I''ll get coaxed into being


    a full-time housewife after hearing his words? Rainee was nursing and had let go of her rights in the


    company when Albert hooked up with me back then.I''ve learned from her mistakes, so I won''t be that


    stupid!¡¯ she thought.She lowered her gaze and said in a low voice, "I''m just worried that you''d be


    swamped with work if I''m not around."


    Albert softened his expression.


    "I''ll tell you if something happens at thepany.What''s important for you right now is taking good care


    of Hugo."


    "Okay."


    After Hugo got out of the car, Hylda instantly darkened her expression.


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


    "Larson, did you send Mr.Jewell home right away after work yesterday?"


    The driver was startled momentarily before he immediately answered, "Yes."


    Hylda smiled faintly, "Then, why did I see you guys go to New Water Street and stop there for some


    time from the real-time footage of the dash camera?"


    The driver''s expression changed.


    He gripped the steering tightly and answered in a low voice, ''''We bumped into Ms.Canfield after work


    yesterday.She didn''t manage to hail a cab, so Mr.Jewell gave her a ride."


    Hylda''s expression darkened.


    ¡®As expected, a leopard doesn''t change its spots," she thought.


    The driver felt uneasy after seeing her expression.


    ¡®Everyone in thepany knows that Hylda''s the one with the ruthless tacticspared to Albert," he


    thought.


    He was worried about his own job, so he said in a low voice, "Mrs.Jewell, Mr.Jewell only sent her


    home. He didn''t do anything out of line."


    Hylda smiled.


    "I understand. Let''s go home."


    The driver answered her nervously and quickly drove toward the Jewell residence.


    At Green Hill Media, Vermont frowned as he read the discussion in the group chat.


    ¡®Ste isn''t Albert''s biological daughter? How did these people even get photos of the court


    proceedings? Ste looks really bewildered, so she must have also just found out about this..." he


    thought.


    While Vermont was in deep thought, two WhatsApp messages popped up.


    He opened the messages and saw that Keegan had sent him two photos; one was a white rose


    bouquet, while the other was a red rose bouquet.


    He asked Vermont which one looked better.Hylda smiled.


    ¡®¡®This morning, the two of us had a chat.I suggested that Keegan should buy some flowers, and this


    happened in the afternoon.If Keegan sent those flowers over, Ste would probably smash the bouquet


    into Keegan''s face," he thought.

 Chapter 582

    Chapter 582


    Chapter 582


    ¡®She''s an illegitimate daughter.


    Are you going to send her flowers to celebrate that?'' thought Vermont.


    Vermont quickly called Keegan.


    "Forget about the flowers.Didn''t you see the news? Something happened to your wife!"


    Keegan was startled.His voice immediately turned nervous.


    "What happened?"


    Vermont told him what happened at the court proceedings.


    "That mutt ¡ªAlbert Jewell¡ªis seriously so heartless.He kicked Ste aside right after you divorced


    her! He''s leeched off your wife all these years, yet he didn''t even think of their past rtionship now


    that she''s useless to him.You''d even have feelings for your pet if you''ve spent more than 20 years with


    it.He''s trying topletely ruin your wife''s reputation in Rivera''s social circle! Did you know that your


    wife''s eyes turned red after hearing the news at the court proceeding? She probably cried after the


    court proceeding ended."


    Keegan asked with a dark, tense expression, "Where was the court proceeding?"


    "At XX Courthouse.It''s her asset division case with Albert, and herwyer is Marshall."


    Vermont paused for a moment.


    He continued, "Marshall didn''t tell you?"


    Keegan did not answer.He said while grabbing his clothes, "I''m hanging up.Let''s talkter."


    "Wait!"


    Vermont stopped him.


    He continued, "Are you going to look for Ste? Bring me with you.I''m telling you, you won''t even be


    able to enter the door if you don''t bring me along."


    ¡®I''ve seen the prowess of that bandit woman before.She''s Ste''s protector.Keegan won''t be able to


    see Ste with her around," he thought.


    20 minutester, Aldor drove Keegan and Vermont to Felicity''s apartment building.


    It was hard to find a parking spot in the area.


    Aldor could only wait in the car after finding a ce so that he could readily drive the car to a different


    location when someone chased them away.


    Meanwhile, Keegan and Vermont went up the apartment building together.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    When Vermont saw Keegan press the ninth floor, he was incredibly surprised.


    "You know where your wife stays?" Keegan did not answer.


    ¡®Ste only has this bestie who she''s the closest to.Whenever we got into bean fights in the past, she


    woulde here.One time, she got drunk at Felicity''s ce and called me.told me toe and pick


    her up through slurred speech and told me the address herself. When I arrived, Felicity and another


    few girls had passed out, so none of them knew that I was here," he thought.


    Unit 912 on the ninth floor was located near the elevator, so it could be seen the moment one exited


    the elevator.


    Vermont pressed the doorbell for a long time, but nobody opened the door.


    He was a little skeptical.


    "Did you remember it wrong?"


    Keegan pursed his lips.


    "This is the ce."


    Vermont started pressing the doorbell again.


    This time, unit 912''s door still did not open, but unit 914''s door did.


    A girl stuck her head out and wanted to yell at them.


    However, she immediately lowered her voice slightly when she saw how big and scary the two looked.


    "Unit 912 isn''t home yet."


    Vermont immediately put on his signature smile.


    "What time do they usuallye home?"


    The girl was stunned by his smile.


    "Someone''s usually home by eight or nine o''clock," she said softly.


    Keegan nced at the time, and it was currently only seven-ish o''clock.


    Vermont thanked the girl and turned to Keegan.


    "Why don''t we go downstairs and wait in the car?"


    Keegan pursed his lips and said, "Go to the car.I''ll wait here."


    Vermont sighed, "Forget it.I''ll wait here with you."


    The apartment building had many residents per floor, so it was inappropriate for them to stand and wait


    in the hallway.


    The two then went to the stairwell.


    They thought they would have to wait for quite a while, but they heard the bandit woman''s voice after


    waiting for less than half an hour.


    "Mr.Saun is so generous.After this, I''ll jump ship and join Elegant Media too.I''m willing to work overtime


    with such benefits."

 Chapter 583

    Chapter 583


    Chapter 583


    Ste grabbed her keys and said, "If the benefits are good, they''ll definitely have high requirements for


    our performance.Is there a capitalist who isn''t a leech in this world?"


    Felicity gave it some thought before she said, "You''re right.But, Mr.Saun is pretty handsome.I was


    shocked the first-time I saw him.He''s handsome and familiar-looking.For some reason, I really like


    him.It''s like I''ve seen him somewhere before."


    Ste opened the door.


    Then, she bent down and grabbed her slides.


    "You have a new crush already? Don''t you want Doctor Steven anymore?"


    "Sigh! What I have for Mr.Saun is pure admiration.I don''t have inappropriate thoughts of him.How can I


    be good enough for him when hees from a family like that? Doctor Steven is still better.He''s a


    doctor! Not only does he have a respectable upation, but he and I are also considered to have the


    same family background."


    Then, the door closed.


    Keegan frowned and looked at the person grabbing his hand.


    "Why did you stop me?" he asked with a dark expression.


    Vermont said, "Ste''s bestie is here.If you go over now, she definitely won''t let you through the door


    as long as Ste doesn''t want to see you.There are a lot of residents on this floor.If everyone came out


    to see after hearing all the noises and gossiped about it, Ste wouldn''t want to see you even more."


    ¡®That does make some sense," Keegan thought.


    He frowned and felt a little anxious.


    "Then, what do you think! should do?"


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®Let me show you how it''s done," thought Vermont.


    Vermont took out his phone and called Aldor.


    After saying something in a low voice, he hung up.


    Then, he turned to Keegan.


    "Now, we wait."


    Felicity had just changed into her pajamas.


    While she was soaking her feet to relieve her fatigue, her phone suddenly rang.She grabbed her phone


    and looked at it.


    It was the management, so she quickly answered the call.


    "Unit 912, 375568 is your scooter, right?"


    "That''s right.What''s wrong?"


    "Why did you park your scooter at someone else''s parking spot? The owner has contacted us.Hurry


    downstairs and move your scooter."


    "But, I''m not upying someone else''s parking spot?" Felicity frowned.


    ¡®I haven''t even used my scooter for the past few days, so it''s been parked at the parking lot.How could I


    possibly be upying someone else''s parking spot?'' she wondered.


    "How could it not be yours when the vehicle registration te number is yours? Hurry up.If you don''t


    come downstairs, we can''t stop the owner from doing anything to it after this."


    "No.Ask them to wait for a while.I''ll go downstairs and move it immediately."


    After Felicity hung up the phone, she yelled in the direction of the bathroom.


    "Ste, I''m going downstairs to move my scooter." Ste answered.


    Then, Felicity grabbed her keys and went out.


    Just as she got to the elevator, she saw Keegan and Vermont standing at the stairwell.


    Felicity''s heart trembled.


    She turned around and ran back.


    However, Vermont quickly wrapped his arm around her waist and covered her mouth.


    Then, he pulled her into the elevator and gave Keegan a thumbs-up.


    Meanwhile, Keegan pressed a button, and the elevator made bean a sound and closed.Felicity pped


    around back and forth in Vermont''s arms.


    Amidst her struggle, Vermont slipped and fell onto Felicity''s chest.


    Felicity froze and bit his hand.


    Vermont was in pain, but he did not let go.


    "Do you still want to pursue Corbin Steven or not?!"


    Felicity paused from biting and red at him.


    When Vermont saw that she had settled down, he continued, "I''ll take you to go on a date with Corbin


    now.After this, if Ste calls you, you''ll tell her that you''ll be homete because you have something to


    do.Do you understand?"


    Felicity shrugged her shoulders and gestured at him to let go.


    Vermont was skeptical, but he let go anyway.


    Felicity immediatelyshed out at him.


    "You Stinky Cucumber! Where do you think you''re touching?! Am I someone you can touch? Did you


    fucking catch the habit of taking advantage of me?"

 Chapter 584

    Chapter 584


    Chapter 584


    She struggled as she scolded him, and Vermont could not contain her.


    "You Jerk, do you think I''ll neglect my friend for a guy? Let me tell you something, I won''t go and meet


    Doctor Steven even if you remove all his clothes today.Ask Keegan toe out.If he dares to touch


    Ste, I''ll make you both...Hmm..."


    Before she could finish her sentence, the door of the elevator opened.


    Vermont just kissed her on the lips to make her swallow all the nasty words that she was going to say.


    Coincidentally, a few of the property owners were waiting there to take the elevator.


    They looked a little awkward when they saw the scene.


    All of them stepped aside.


    They watched Vermont carry her out of the elevator in his arms as he kissed her.


    Vermont only stopped kissing her after he saw the people leave the area.He gasped for air.


    Then, he squinted as he said, "I wasn''t discussing with you.You must go and meet him tonight whether


    you like it or not!"


    Felicity was boiling with rage because she was forcibly kissed.


    Her hands were still tightly held behind her back by Vermont.She could not fight back even if she


    wanted to.


    Vermont saw that Felicity was very quiet.


    He then pinched her face that had baby fat and said, "Be a good girl, and I''ll make sure to help you win


    over Corbin."


    ¡®Her little, chubby face is soft.It''s quite nice to pinch."


    Felicity tutted, "If that asshole Keegan hurt Ste today, I''ll bean stab you before I stab him!"


    Vermont chuckled in his mind, ''She''s bossy but loyal."


    "Don''t worry about it.He can''t bear to do that."


    He loosened the hand that he used to constrain Felicity and grabbed her arm instead.


    "Let''s go.I''ll bring you to go on a date with Corbin."


    Felicity pulled a long face, "I''m wearing my sleeping gown.How can I go dating?"


    Vermont''s mood was inexplicably good.


    He was generous as he said, "I''ll bring you to change your outfit.I promise you''ll look greatter."


    He then grabbed her hand and brought her into a cab.


    The doorbell rang not long after Felicity left.


    Ste washed the foam on her face, and she loudly said, "You didn''t bring your keys?"


    Thebination lock on Felicity''s door was not working.


    And, thendlord did note to rece it.So, they always had to open the door with a key.


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


    No one spoke outside.


    Ste wiped her hand before she went to open the door.


    When she opened the door, she saw Keegan standing in front of the door instead of Felicity.


    Ste froze for a moment.


    She immediately closed the door, but Keegan used his hand to block the door.


    Then, the door crushed his hand.


    She could hear a grunt from outside, and she felt that she crushed something.So, she panickily


    loosened her hand.


    Keegan held the door with a single hand.


    He looked extremely pale.


    The hand on the door had a very deep imprint from the crush.


    The back of his hand was red, and it looked like it was going to bleed.


    Ste frowned.


    "Are you dumb? Why did you stretch out your hand?!"


    Keegan raised his eyes and replied, "Would you let me in if I didn''t do that?"


    Ste pursed her lips.


    "I won''t let you in even if you did."


    She closed the door as she said that.


    Keegan was stunned.He pressed his lips as he looked at the imprint on the back of his hand.


    Ste was very irritated and thought to herself, ''I was already very agitated today because of Albert''s


    report.


    And now, Keegan came to cause trouble.


    ¡®Did he think that I won''t get angry?


    ¡®And, he even stretched out his hand? ¡®His hand deserved to be crushed!¡¯ She then drank a ss of


    water.


    After that, she applied a facial mask before she got up and paced back and forth in her room.


    A few minutester, she walked to the door and looked outside through the peephole.It was empty


    outside.It seemed as though Keegan had left.


    She pursed her lips as she opened the door.


    Outside the door, Keegan was squatting on the floor pondering about something.


    The back of his right hand was bleeding.


    It was red.

 Chapter 585

    Chapter 585


    Chapter 585


    Keegan turned his head to look over when he heard the door opening sound.They then looked into


    each other''s eyes.


    Ste could see a hint of grievance in his eyes.


    ¡®Why didn''t he have an expressive face like that when we divorced? ¡® she thought.


    The sound of the elevator could be heard, and a few people came out of it.


    All of them looked at them when they saw an able-bodied man squatting in front of her door.


    Ste pursed her lips.She said in an unfriendly manner, "Get in here!"


    Keegan immediately stood up.But, because he had been squatting for along time, his legs felt a little


    numb.He even tottered.


    Ste was frightened.She subconsciously reached out her hand.She could not help but feel annoyed


    when she saw him hold the door frame to steady himself.


    Keegan was frustrated too.He thought, ''I shouldn''t have held onto the door frame."


    However, Ste did not bother Keegan.She turned her head and went inside her house.


    Keegan then closed the door and followed Ste.


    Ste turned her head and noticed that Keegan did not take off his shoes.She suddenly could not


    control herself.


    "Are you treating this house like it''s yours? Change your shoes!"


    Keegan then walked back to the entrance to change his shoes.But, there were no men''s slippers on


    the shoe rack.He suddenly felt at ease.He removed his shoes before he walked in with his socks on.


    Felicity rented a one-bedroom apartment.


    There was only a four feet long single bed in the bedroom.


    Ste slept on the couch when she stayed there.


    Luckily, it was a foldable sofa.


    They used it as a couch during the day.


    And, they opened it to use it as a bed at night.She put the nket and bedding at the end of the sofa.


    Including the living room and the dining area, the size of this house is only around two hundred square


    feet.It''s even smaller than the toilet in our house.


    ¡®Ste is delicate.She didn''t like it just because there was no bathtub in our guest bedroom.How can


    she live in a ce like this?"


    Ste took a small stool, stepped on it, and searched for the first aid kit in the cab above.


    When she raised her arm, her t-shirt was lifted too.


    A small part of her white, soft skin was exposed.


    Keegan was stunned for a moment.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Ste still could not reach it after trying for a long time.


    ¡®Felicity is shorter than me.How did she put it in such a high ce? She bean then stood on tiptoe.


    Just when she touched the corner of the first aid kit, she heard a breaking sound.


    The leg of the stool broke.


    She shook and was going to fall from the chair.


    A hand suddenly grabbed around her waist from behind.


    She was then carried down from the chair.


    At that moment, Keegan suddenly felt d that the house was small.


    If this happened in his living room, Ste would have already got up from the fall by the time he ran to


    her.


    After Ste stood firm on the ground, she immediately moved Keegan''s hand away.


    When she squatted down to look, she saw that the leg of the stic stool broke.


    Ste was speechless.


    Keegan clearly saw that, and he frowned.


    "Are you..."


    ¡°No! "


    Ste stared at him and thought, ''If he dares to say the word "fat", I''ll immediately kick him out!'' Keegan


    pursed his lips.


    He then raised his leg to stomp on the stool, and a cracking sound could be heard again.


    Then, all four legs of the chair were now broken.


    He then said in a serious manner, "The quality of this chair is bad."


    Ste was left speechless.


    ¡®My mood was bad the entire day.But, I feel a little better now because of what he just said.Why didn''t I


    realize he was funny back then?"


    "I''ll get it."


    Keegan raised his head to look inside the cab.The yellow color box?"


    Ste agreed with a grunt.


    Keegan managed to take it very easily.


    This was the advantage of being tall and having long limbs.

 Chapter 586

    Chapter 586


    Chapter 586


    Ste took the first aid kit from Keegan.She then looked for some useful items.


    However, she only found medical alcohol, sters, and cotton swabs.


    There was no gauze or medical tape.


    Felicity was used to enduring wounds.She bought this first aid kit from some group for only a dor.


    The medicines inside the first aid kit were left-over cold and fever medicines, which were all expired.


    Keegan was lucky that there were sters and medical alcohol inside the kit.


    Ste grabbed the cotton swab and dipped it into the alcohol.She lowered her eyes and treated his


    wound.


    Ste still had not removed the mask on her face.So, Keegan could not see her expression clearly.


    But just from how she lowered her eyes, it had melted Keegan''s heart.


    The cotton swabs in Felicity''s first aid kit were not medical cotton swabs.


    They were small cotton swabs that were used for makeup.


    The cotton was small, and it felt hard and a little painful when it was used to rub the wound.


    Keegan frowned right after Ste rubbed the cotton swab on his wound.


    Ste nced at him without speaking.


    Keegan pursed his lips and said, "Do you have any soft cotton buds? W Ste''s eyelid twitched.


    "Master, do you think this is your house? And, you''re evenining now? It''s considered kind that I


    allowed you toe in.If you feel ufortable, you can just go back to your house this instant!"


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    Keegan stopped talking.


    After Ste disinfected the wound, she grabbed the ster.


    She looked at the back of Keegan''s hand as she pondered for a moment.She put two sters


    horizontally on his metacarpal bones.She precisely covered the wound with the sters.


    Keegan frowned very tightly as he murmured, "The wound has been covered by the sters."


    "Oh."


    Ste closed the first aid kit as she emotionlessly said, "It''s not my hand that got injured.Just put up


    with it."


    Keegan choked.


    Ste was very impatient with him.


    After she packed the first aid kit, Keegan then took the initiative to grab the kit and put it back inside the


    cab above.


    After he turned around, Ste had already gone to the washroom to remove her facial mask.


    Keegan sat on the sofa and saw a book on the coffee table.He grabbed it and took a look.


    It was The Little Prince.


    It seemed as though the book had been flipped through many times.


    The pages were loose.


    The corners of the pages were slightly rolled.


    A bookmark was used to mark one page of the book On that page, a sentence was marked with a


    highlighter.


    "Cherish the opportunity to watch the sunrise with your loved one now.Don''t regret missing out on it


    during your twilight years."


    When Ste came out from the washroom, she saw Keegan holding the book and reading it.She was


    holding a cup of water and standing at the entrance.


    "Why did youe here?"


    Keegan closed the book and replied, "You went to the court with Albert today?"


    Ste stopped moving.


    She smiled and said, "The news spread so quickly.Are you d that we''re divorced? If this happens


    before our divorce, the Rivera headline would probably be ¡®The grandson of the Kane family married a


    fake rich girl''.


    We both would be very embarrassed if that happens." Keegan frowned.


    "Do you think I care about that?"


    Ste nodded and said, "You don''t.You don''t even care about me.Why would you care about that?"


    Keegan was furious when he heard that.


    His face was gloomy as he said, "You say harsh words to me whenever I rush to you.If I don''t bean


    care about you, why would I be reluctant to leave every time? Ste! Do you have a heart?!"


    Ste''s heart trembled, and she pursed her lips.


    She said after a while, "I didn''t ask you toe."


    Keegan looked cold.


    He threw the book on the coffee table, stood up, and coldly said, "I''m cheap."


    He then headed outside with a chilly look Ste leaned against the entranceway, lowering her eyes


    without moving.


    Her eyshes slightly shook when she heard the door behind her being opened.


    The next second, her hand that was not holding the cup was suddenly grabbed by Keegan.


    Her hand was being pressed above her head.


    Keegan was angry as he kissed her intensely and deeply.


    "I''m fucking cheap!"

 Chapter 587

    Chapter 587


    Chapter 587


    Keegan was not good at flirting.


    Although he was not tender, he was not rough either.


    But, the kiss gave Ste the experience of being treated in a rough way.He almost tore off her lips.


    After he initiated the kiss, he was extremely bossy and reckless.


    Ste was almost instantly covered by his scent.She was surprised, ashamed, and angry at the same


    time.She opened her mouth and wanted to bite him.


    Keegan was physically hurt by her many times, so he remembered her moves.


    When she showed her canine teeth, he immediately pinched her chin.


    One of Ste''s hands was shackled above her head.


    And, she was still holding a cup with another hand.She then poured the water on Keegan''s face without


    hesitation.


    But, Keegan just stopped moving for a moment.


    There was a drop of water on his eyshes.


    He sharply raised his eyes slowly.


    The waterdrops then fell from the bridge of his nose to the end of his nose.


    Keegan lowered his head to make the waterdrop on the end of his nose fall on Ste''s lips.


    He then used his lips to wipe it.


    It would be exceptionally romantic if he slowed down his movement.


    Ste''s cheeks were red.


    She clenched the cup staring at Keegan''s head as she hesitated for a few seconds.


    In the end, she used it to hit his shoulder.


    Keegan frowned as he loosened his lips.


    He raised his hand to wipe the water droplets on her face.


    He whispered, ''When I married you, I didn''t care which rich family you were from.I didn''t care who were


    your parents.I didn''t care about any of that."


    Ste''s chin was being pinched by him, so she could not speak.She suppressed her anger and


    signaled him to loosen his hand.


    Keegan hesitated for a moment before he loosened his hand.


    Ste grabbed the feather duster at the entranceway and threw it at Keegan''s body.


    "I don''t care whether you care about that or not! Did you even mean what you said? And, I didn''t allow


    you to kiss mel"


    Ste showed no mercy, but Keegan did not fight back.He just raised his arm to block it.


    The feather duster hit his elbow, and Keegan grunted.His face turned pale instantly.


    Ste stopped moving and clenched her teeth.


    "Stop pretending!"


    Keegan pursed his lips, "I''m not.My shoulder hurts."


    "If you''re hurt, go home and lie down!"


    Ste opened the door and said, "Leave!"


    Keegan lowered his head to look at his shirt.


    "How can I leave looking like this?"


    The cup of water made his chest wet.


    The white shirt became transparent when it got in contact with the water.


    Ste nced at it and said, "You''re not a woman, yet you''re afraid that your nipples can be seen?"


    The corners of Keegan''s eyes twitched.


    "I don''t want to embarrass myself."


    Ste secretly said to herself, ''Then, why didn''t you feel embarrassed when you were in front of me?


    ¡®You always contradict yourself!'' She nced at Keegan.


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    His nipples could be seen clearly even with the shirt on.


    ''Is his shirt made of silk? He can just go and film a seduction scene with his wet body right now.


    ¡®I sshed water on all three of the Kane family members.Come to think of it, it kind of helped to work


    off my anger," she thought.


    Ste pressed her lips and said, "Ask Aldor to get you a shirt."


    Keegan faintly said, "Aldor went on a date with his girlfriend.Moreover, it''s outside of his working hours


    right now."


    Ste inexplicably nced at him and thought, ''Is he really such a kind boss?"


    Keegan saw that Ste remained silent.


    Then, he said, "Do you have a drying machine here?"


    "Hair dryer?"


    "No."


    Keegan frowned.


    "Then, what do you have that I can use?"


    Ste crossed her arms in front of her chest, as she took a look at him.


    "Natural gas.Do you want it?"


    Ten minutester, Keegan was shirtless.He was holding his shirt with his bean hands and standing at


    the gas stove, drying his top.


    It was a small apartment with an open kitchen.


    Ste was sitting in the living room, and she could see Keegan.


    He was shirtless while wearing formal trousers.


    His back muscles moved up and down as he shook his shirt.


    It was exceptionally pleasing to the eyes.

 Chapter 588

    Chapter 588


    Chapter 588


    ''¡®Why is Felicity taking so long to move the scooter???''¡¯ Ste thought.


    She grabbed her phone and called Felicity.


    The phone call was connected very quickly.


    "Felicity, what''s taking you so long?"


    But, the person who answered the call was Vermont.


    "Ste, Felicity is with me." Ste frowned.


    "She''s with you?"


    "Doctor Steven asked her out, but she was shy.So, she wanted me to apany her."


    Ste wondered, ''Since when did Felicity get so close to Vermont? ¡®Felicity went out in her sleeping


    gown just now.She probably won''t wear that to go on a date, right?¡¯


    "Pass the phone to Felicity.I want to talk to her."


    "Sure," Vermont answered.


    Thirty secondster, Felicity''s voice could be heard.


    "Ste, I''ll be backte tonight."


    Ste was surprised and asked, "Are you really going on a date with Doctor Steven?"


    Felicity vaguely murmured, "Don''t worry.I''ll go home when I''m done having fun."


    "Okay, then.Be back early."


    "Okay."


    After the call ended, Felicity''s eyes were red as she covered her chest with her shirt.


    She clenched her teeth and said, "Was that okay, jerk?! Now, get out of the changing room!"


    Vermont lifted the corners of his lips.He pinched her face and said, "Pick any clothes that you like.I''ll


    buy you two extra sets of outfits.I promise you''ll win over the person you like."


    Felicity wanted to pounce at that jerk and bite his face! ¡®He''s such an immoral person!¡¯ Right after Ste


    ended the call, she could then smell something burning.


    She walked over to have a look, and she saw that Keegan burned a piece of fabric.


    The corners of her eyes twitched.She switched off the gas and took the shirt from Keegan''s hand.


    After a while, Keegan saw Ste take out a small heater.


    She hung the shirt on the balcony.


    She used the heater to dry the shirt.


    After that, Ste held her script as she sat cross-legged on the single couch at the side.


    She then looked through it.


    Keegan sat next to her, and he asked, "Are you stilling to Grandma''s birthday party?"


    Ste turned the page and replied, "Why not?"


    Ste knew why he asked that.


    The news of her being the illegitimate daughter had been spread throughout their social circle.


    Many people would attend the birthday banquet the day after tomorrow.


    Inevitably, there would be people gossiping about her.


    ¡®My name isn''t Ste if I''m afraid of that," she thought.


    "I''m going there to celebrate Grandma''s birthday and not to tolerate other people''s attitude.Since


    Grandma didn''t stop me from going, I''ll definitely attend."


    ¡®I''ve done nothing wrong.It''ll seem guilty and timid if I don''t go.


    ¡®Moreover, I still haven''t taken my revenge.Why shouldn''t I go?'' Ste thought to herself.


    Keegan looked slightly better, and he said, "I''ll fetch you the day after tomorrow, then."


    Initially, Ste wanted to reject him.


    But, on second thought, she thought that it was a good idea.


    ''I want Dahlia to see how attached his son is to me.I want to drive her crazy."


    So, she nced at Keegan and said, "Is it convenient for you? If it''s not, I can get acab on my own.Or, I


    can get a ride from Mr.Moore."


    It was not convenient to drive a car while wearing an evening dress.


    When Keegan heard her mentioning Marshall, he suddenly clenched his teeth as he said, "It''s very


    convenient!"


    Ste raised her eyebrows and replied, "Thank you, Mr.Kane."


    The atmosphere finally eased up.


    Ste was reading the script while Keegan watched her.


    He had not looked at her like this after the divorce.


    Ste was a little slimmer since the divorce.Her jawline was sharper than before.


    Keegan pondered, ''She probably lost weight because she was too sad over Rainee''s death.Our


    divorce has nothing to do with it.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡®She even has a better life after she left me."


    "I''ll get you a newwyer for yourwsuit against Albert.You''re entitled to inherit your mother''s fortune


    whether you''re rted to Albert or not."


    He had not looked at her like this after the divorce.

 Chapter 589

    Chapter 589


    Chapter 589


    "There''s no need for that," Ste did not even open her eyelids.


    "I have already entrusted this case to Mr.Moore.What''s the reason for switching to anotherwyer


    halfway? If I switchedwyers, what would the others think? They would assume that I didn''t trust his


    professionalism, so I changed to anotherwyer.I can''t tell him myself."


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    Keegan replied, "I''ll tell him.There is no need for you to say anything."


    "Is the main issue really about whether you say it or I say it?"


    Ste angrily asked, "I''ve already paid a portion of it, so I should demand it back from him?"


    "What''s wrong with demanding it back?" Keegan asked with furrowed brows.


    "Does he even need the money?"


    "He doesn''t need the money, but I can''t embarrass him," Ste said while ring at him.


    "Besides, this is my problem.You should stop meddling in it!"


    Keegan scrunched his eyebrows from hearing it.


    Just as he was about to speak, Ste said, "If you nag on again, you can take your shirt and leave!"


    Keegan then shut his mouth.


    After a long while, he said, "I told a well-known local obstetrician about your condition.He will be


    coming to Rivera to give a talk next month, and he said he could do a consultation in person, then."


    Ste''s finger suddenly gripped tightly.


    After a few minutes, Keegan was chased out of the apartment half-naked.


    Then, a shirt was thrown out with him.


    Keegan was at a loss for words.


    "Doctor Steven," Felicity called out.


    She held onto her cheeks as her eyes turned into crescents while she was drunk.


    "What''s your ideal type?"


    Corbin sipped on his wine and chuckled while looking at her state.


    "I used to think about these restrictions in the past.But now, I feel that these things don''t have any


    meaning.If I truly met someone I liked, those restrictions would be useless.The person I like would be


    the ideal type."


    "Well said," Felicity said with a dumb smile.


    "My past ideal type was actually George Clooney.But, after meeting you, I think George Clooney


    seemed average." Corbin chuckled quietly.


    ¡®Although this girl is a little silly, she is quite interesting," Corbin thought.


    "Do you have a boyfriend?" Corbin asked.


    Felicity shook her head.


    After taking a mouthful of wine, she said, "I''ve been single since birth 25 years ago.I was cheated on by


    a little punk neighbor when I was younger.He said he would get married to me when I grew up.In the


    end, he went missing before I graduated kindergarten.Isn''t it horrible?"


    Corbinughed and said, "Words spoken by a kid don''t count."


    Felicity was a little fazed from drinking and said in a low tone, "Dr.Steven, when will the nodule in my


    breast fade?"


    "In three to six months.It''s uncertain, but keeping a good lifestyle and habits would probably make it


    heal faster."


    Felicity then said groggily, "Really? Why do I always feel like the nodule seems to be growing bigger?"


    "It shouldn''t be.A benign nodule usually wouldn''t grow.If you''re worried, you can go to the hospital


    tomorrow, and I''ll help you check again," Corbin replied.


    Felicity furrowed her brows and said, ¡®You can''t check it now? Can''t you diagnose it just by feeling it?"


    Corbin''s eyelids twitched violently.


    Just when he was suspecting whether thedy before him was really drunk or fake drunk, he saw her


    taking off her buttons.


    Vermont had just opened the door and saw the scene.


    The corner of his lips twitched, and he swiftly went to Felicity and pulled her clothes up.


    "How did she get this drunk?"


    Corbin replied, "She kept drinking, and I couldn''t stop her."


    As he said that, he stood up.


    "Where is her house? I''ll send her back."


    Vermont did not even lift his head as he put a jacket over Felicity''s body.He then held her up and said,


    "You don''t need to.You can go home.I''ll send her back in a moment."


    The initially groggy and sleepy Felicity suddenly regained consciousness.


    "I don''t want you to send me home.I want Dr.Steven to send me!"


    Vermont furrowed his brows and asked, "Does he even know where your house is?"


    "My house is at Albright Street, mhmmm..,"


    Before she could finish, her mouth was already covered by Vermont.He warned Felicity while squinting,


    "How could you tell your address willy-nilly? Aren''t you afraid that someone else would sell you off?"

 Chapter 590

    Chapter 590


    Chapter 590


    Felicity struggled a bit and found that it was useless to struggle.She then leaned into Vermont''s arms


    softly.


    Corbin looked at the scene and suddenly asked, "Is she really your rtive?"


    "Yeah," Vermont was already used to lying.


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


    "A second cousin." Corbin chuckled.


    "She said she hasn''t had a boyfriend before, so she should be quite pure."


    Vermont''s movements froze.


    As a man, he naturally knew the underlying meaning behind Corbin''s words.


    Not having a boyfriend before meant that she was still a virgin.


    For people like Corbin, the more they fooled around, the more they cared whether a girl was a virgin.


    Vermont used to not feel anything about it, and it was the preference of others.He just listened to them


    just for the sake of listening.


    However, when he heard it this time, he felt slightly upset.


    The bandit woman''s first-time was given to him.


    Although it was an ident, it did not mean that she was not clean.


    Vermont nced at him and said, "My cousin is a naive person.If you fool around with her, I won''t


    forgive you."


    Corbin chuckled lightly.


    "I have no interest in immature little girls like these."


    Vermont did not reply.He bent down to hold Felicity then left the room.


    The following morning, Ste had woken up very early.


    Felicity was sent back by Vermont at one in the morning.


    She was still resting then, so Ste did not call for her.It was Cordelia''s birthday banquet tomorrow, and


    she could not make a mistake when preparing the gift.


    Very soon, the day of the birthday banquet arrived.


    The birthday banquet was held at night due to the fireworks program being suitable to be viewed at


    night.


    The birthday banquet was initially organized by Ste.


    But, before the day of Cordelia''s birthday, she and Keegan had divorced.


    Dahlia swiftly took over in the name of bearing the responsibility due to being in the line of the firstborn.


    Naturally, Cyrene did not relent on this opportunity.


    In the end, Dahlia set up the venue while Cyrene nned for the entertainment.


    Since Cordelia did not dere who would be in charge of holding this banquet, everyone fought over it


    together.


    Ultimately, they all wanted a piece of the pie.


    Dahlia was crossed beyondpare but had no means to do anything.


    This was because Dahlia and Cyrene were not Cordelia''s chosen candidates.


    They could only y to their strong points to organize this birthday banquet as beautifully as possible.


    When the time came, they would be able to be rewarded based on their merits.


    "Dahlia, how is it? Do you like it?"


    Mrs.Chapman was by Dahlia''s side, pointing at the garden full of peach blossoms while asking with a


    smile on her face.


    Dahlia pulled her lips into a smile and replied, "How could I be worried about it with you handling this


    job?"


    Cordelia loved peach blossoms.


    Peach blossoms had mostly wilted in this season, but Mrs.Chapman had remembered about the


    matters of the birthday banquet very early on.


    Hence, she purposefully transferred these batches ofte-blooming peach blossoms from overseas.


    It cost her a lot of money.


    Dahlia let out a sigh.


    "It just feels slightly regrettable that I wasn''t able to invite Lancelot Lewie."


    "Sigh, Lancelot hadn''t gone up a stage for so many years.It''s normal that we couldn''t hire him.Cyrene


    also couldn''t hire him.We didn''t lose to her in terms of grandeur," Mrs.Chapman said.


    When she said that, she paused a bit before she continued, "Before this, Cordelia still wanted to let


    Ste bean handle this affair.Luckily, it wasn''t passed on to her.An illegitimate daughter lied to everyone


    in order to marry into the Kane family.They truly are something."


    When Mrs.Chapman mentioned Ste, Dahlia remembered the incident where Ste sshed coffee


    on her and thought of the thumb ring.


    Hence, Dahlia''s expression was not pretty.


    Mrs.Chapman was adept at reading people.


    She saw that Dahlia''s expression was unwell and quickly switched to another topic.


    "The heiress of the Saun family came too.I just caught a glimpse of her, and she truly is beautiful with a


    good upbringing.Keegan had just divorced at just the right time."

 Chapter 591

    Chapter 591


    Chapter 591


    Dahlia''s expression indeed did be much better.


    Her ideal daughter-inw had to be a prestigious heiress such as the one in the Saun family.


    She initially had already looked down on Ste''s background foring from amoner.


    Now that she knew Ste was actually the illegitimate daughter born from Rainee''s disloyalty, she felt


    even more disgust for her deep down.


    Thankfully, Keegan had finally divorced her.


    When the marriage union between him and Jaylene was sessful, he would have the Saun family as


    his support.


    Then, he would eventually understand Dahlia''s well intentions.


    "Are the fireworks ready?" Dahlia asked.


    Mrs.Chapman nodded and said, "The custom-made fireworks contain Cordelia''s portrait and the


    birthday wishes.I can ensure that this will be the only one made especially for tonight and definitely


    please Madam Kane Sr."


    "You do things so properly, " Dahlia praised.


    Mrs.Chapman said humbly, "You have helped me so many times, Dahlia.This is a given.About Erick''s


    matter, could you..."


    Dahlia paused and said, "Keegan had recently just divorced.There are some things I cannot mention


    for now.You can still rest easy.After the moment passed, I will definitely resolve it for you."


    The actual situation was that, besides Keegan stopping her from withdrawing money every month from


    her ount, the production line of the Crosby family had encountered some issues.


    This led to the shrinkage of the dividend that she had.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    However, Dahlia thought that all of this would be temporary.


    Keegan was married to Ste for more than three years.


    One would develop feelings even when they kept a dog, so Keegan was expected to still have some


    anger.It would be fine after a while.


    She did not believe that a low-status woman could withstand their rtionship as kin by blood.


    Since Dahlia had said so, Mrs.Chapman''s heart was slightly at ease.


    "Aurora, have you gotten skinnier recently?" Someone asked.


    Aurora wore a tiny red gown and made a princess braid.


    Due to being beaten to a pulp by Ste before this, she was unable to eat initially.


    She had to nurse her injuries for quite a long time.


    Now that her wounds were healed, her physique had significantly slimmed down.


    Her face, which used to be chubby in the past, had slimmed down.


    And, it made her features much sharper.


    She seemed more and more simr to Dahlia.


    Dahlia used to be a beauty during her younger days, so Aurora''s looks naturally would not be that


    terrible.


    It was Cordelia''s birthday banquet today, so Aurora had dolled herself up because Marshall wanted to


    come.


    Aurora rubbed her face and asked in a low tone, "Is it that obvious? "


    "It''s very obvious," Aurora''s female friend answered.


    "You look even more gorgeous now.As long as Ste doesn''te, you would definitely outshine


    everyone."


    Aurora''s smile immediately was about to fall.


    Ste was a true nightmare to the socialite''s circle.


    If she did note, the socialites would be able to show off during these types of asions.


    When she dide, she was guaranteed to outshine everyone.


    Regardless of her delicate features, her skin was also fair.


    Whoever stood next to her would be a [oil to her and look darker, less fashionable, andcking in


    grace.


    Someone spat out, "She would dare toe here? Doesn''t she think it''s embarrassing?"


    "When she wasn''t divorced, she would unt herself everywhere.


    When she participates in a banquet, she badly wants to hang every piece of jewelry in order to brag to


    no end.


    Now that she is divorced and is an illegitimate daughter, I''m afraid she wouldn''t even have a suitable


    piece of jewelry to attend this banquet.


    Based on her love for boasting, she wouldn''t have the dignity to show herself, right? "


    Another person ranted.


    "The Jewell family is truly amazing.Both sides were cheating on each other and having an illegitimate


    daughter in the mix.They are truly a match made in heaven,"


    Someone continued.


    "Thankfully, your brother had the foresight to divorce her.It would be disgusting to be stuck with a wife


    like her," Aurora''s close friend said.


    Aurora''s lips pulled into a smile while her gaze was filled with smugness.


    "Then, Then , you should put in some effort.The spot for my sister-inw is still vacant."


    Her female friends were filled with glee, and one of them replied, "Then, we will still need you to pull


    some strings for us."


    As they were speaking, Aurora saw Jaylene holding onto Trevor when they appeared at the scene.


    Trevor whispered a few words to Jaylene before taking a ss of alcohol and walking to the men''s


    side.


    Jaylene was in a light purple satin dress, and she stood majestically with her slim physique.


    A curtain of long ck hair draped on her shoulders.


    Her gaze was clear and innocent while her dress was very simple and elegant.

 Chapter 592

    Chapter 592


    Chapter 592


    Jaylene belonged to a specific group of beauties that required very light makeup.


    They were superior in terms of charisma.


    One could feel the nobility oozing from her bones when she stood there, even though she was not


    moving.


    Aurora remembered the words Dahlia had told her and took the initiative to strike up a conversation.


    "Jaylene."


    Jaylene turned around and saw Aurora bringing a group of her female friends.


    The corner of Jaylene''s lips pulled into a light smile, "Aurora, long time no see."


    "Jaylene, is your health still fine?" Aurora asked in a low tone.


    "About the incidentst time, I am truly sorry."


    Jaylene paused for a moment and thought for a while.It was most likely that Keegan had scolded her


    again when they went home.


    She smiled gently and said, "Keegan has already apologized on your behalf, and you didn''t do it on


    purpose."


    Aurora was shocked.


    ''My brother actually spoke on my behalf?¡¯ Aurora thought.


    Immediately her fondness for Jaylene doubled.


    Just based on this single point, she was more likable than that nasty bitch, Ste.


    Thinking that this person might be her future sister-inw, Aurora could not help but warm up to her.


    "Jaylene, the dress on you is truly gorgeous.Which store is it from?"


    "You''re talking about this?"


    Jaylene''s lips twitched upwards slightly.


    "I designed this myself."


    Aurora had a surprised look on her face and praised her.


    "You have such clever hands, and it suits your style really well.It looked like it was tailored and made by


    a branded outlet."


    Once Aurora spoke, the other female friends, too, followed up withpliments.


    After all, she was the Saun family heiress.


    Although she had just returned from overseas, she would be in the same social circle in the future.


    Hence, they had to give her the proper respect.


    Jaylene was used to these asions when she was overseas.


    Hence, she was able to handle these socialites with ease.


    She spoke appropriately, which neither intimated nor alienated them.


    Jaylene had the mannerism of an heiress born of nobility, yet constantly upheld the modesty required


    from a socialite.


    At the same time, Keegan was already waiting downstairs for Ste for up to an hour.


    He furrowed his brows and nced at the time.


    He took his phone and wanted to make a call.


    Vermont stopped him and said, "If you don''t even have that bit of patience, how can you pursue your


    ex-wife?"


    "She made mee here and fetch her at five.It''s six o''clock now! Don''t I have enough patience?"


    Keegan retorted.


    "It''s only been an hour.Did you forget that time when you used to get stumped while doing business,


    and you were ignored by others for days? If you can have so much patience when you''re doing


    business, why do you have no patience when waiting for your ex- wife?" Vermont exined.


    Vermont leaned onto the hood of the car.


    He raised his eyelids and said, "For something that wouldn''t be with you for the rest of your life, you


    would be willing to wait for it.


    What''s the problem with waiting a few hours for someone who will be with you for the rest of your life?


    Besides, you should be d that she would doll up for you.


    She would be toozy to do her makeup if she didn''t care about you."


    Keegan emphasized to Vermont, "She is dressing up for the birthday banquet!"


    When facing Keegan, she was toozy to even tear off her facial mask.


    "when she looks beautiful, it helps uphold your dignity.Think about it, once she arrives at the scene,


    others will be able to see that your ex-wife is beautiful with just a nce.Then, who would still dare to


    stuff any Tom, Dick, and Harry to you? At the same time, you can reject them.Maybe your ex-wife is


    dressing up with these intentions in mind."


    Keegan was persuaded by his nonsense.


    When he thought about it, he actually felt that it made some sense.


    Thinking that Ste was doing this to provoke others so that others would not dare to push other


    women into his arms, he immediately felt that waiting for another moment was nothingpared to


    that.


    At approximately ten past six, Ste finally walked out of the apartment.


    Her hair was set to the back of her head.Her makeup was delicate, and she wore a purple taro-colored


    dress that reached her ankles.Her hair was set to the back of her head


    Both her sleeves had a partially see-through design and had ruffles attached.


    A high slit was also on the side of the skirt.


    When she moved, her bright thighs would flicker in and out.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    The two words elegance and sexy could actually be found on her at the same time.


    As she walked over, the bystanders surrounding them gave sidelong nces respectively.

 Chapter 593

    Chapter 593


    Chapter 593


    Keegan turned around to look at Vermont and said, "You should go and sit in the front seat."


    Vermont makes a "tsk" sound.


    He then gave him a nce of disappointment and said, "You think I like to sit at the back because the


    back of the car isfortable? If I didn''t sit in the backseat, would you believe that the moment Ste


    got into the car, she would sit by the car window? She would hate not having millions of miles between


    the both of you!"


    As he said that, he pulled Keegan to the side and whispered, "You should sit in the middle."


    As he continued speaking, He stretched his hand to the back.


    He threw a bottle of water, cushions, and other messy stuff without any thought to the front passenger


    seat.


    He then said to Aldor, "Aldor, get down and open the door."


    Aldor took the hint and unbuckled his seatbelt before exiting the car.


    Aldor had been by Keegan''s side for many years.


    Every time he saw Ste''s new outfits, he was still amazed.She was truly suitable in any form of


    makeup.


    Aldor seemed to understand slightly why Mr.Kane did not like to bring Ste to theserge events.


    For a beautiful outfit, one might be eager to wear it and show it off everywhere.


    However, for rare treasures, one would just want to hide them and keep them for themselves.


    That way, they would then be only admired by the person.


    When Ste had gotten closer, Aldor smiled and said, "Good evening, madam."


    Ste smiled at him out of courtesy as Aldor opened the doorina gentlemanlike manner and beckoned


    her.


    "Wee, madam."


    Ste raised the hems of her skirt before she entered.


    Just as she was about to enter, she saw Keegan and Vermont sitting side-by- side, and her movements


    froze.


    Vermont held his head awry while he bumped Keegan away with his shoulders.


    Vermont then waved his hand at her.


    "Hi, Ste."


    The corner of Ste''s lips tightened, and she turned her head and said, "Aldor, let me sit in the front.It''s


    a little crowded back here."


    Keegan was at a loss for words.


    ''It''s just like what the big mouth, Vermont, said" Keegan thought.


    Aldor replied apologetically, "Madam, there are a lot of items in the front passenger seat.There is even


    the gift for Madam Kane Sr. here.It''s not suitable for people to sit in.Besides, the re shield on the


    front passenger seat is broken.The sun has yet to set, and it would hurt yourplexion."


    Vermont avoided Ste''s gaze and raised a thumb to Aldor.


    With a nce, Ste saw that the passenger seat was stuffed to the brim.


    Keegan took a phone from the seat and said in a deep voice, "Get in."


    Ste saw that his expression was forthright and felt that any rants she had would be dissatisfying.


    Thinking of that, she raised the hems of her skirt and got in the car.


    Keegan originally wanted to help her put on her seatbelt like a gentleman.


    But, in the end, during the process of pulling the seatbelt out, Ste bent down to raise the hems of her


    skirt.Her action of bending down was fine.


    However, once she bent down, Keegan discovered that the dress made her seem like a decent woman


    from the front.


    But, a slit with a deep V shape from the back made half of the rear naked.


    Keegan furrowed his brows and asked, "What is this outfit you''re wearing? Do you need two more


    pennies for more fabric to be added?"


    Ste pressed the hems of the skirt onto her knees and red at him.


    "What I wear is none of your business.Remember your status, ex-husband!"


    Keegan choked for a moment and could only squeeze out this response.


    "Don''t you feel cold?"R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Ste replied nonchntly, "You''re old, so you can''t withstand the cold, Mr.Kane.I''m still young, so my


    body warmth is sufficient."


    Keegan was speechless from this.


    "Pfft..."


    Vermont could not help butugh out loud directly.He then stoked the mes further.


    "Older People don''t know how to appreciate it.You still need people the same age as us to appreciate


    each other.I think Ste''s outfit is quite gorgeous.Isn''t the innocent yet provocative style quite popr


    these days? It''s innocent in the front and provocative from the back."


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    ¡®Could the innocent yet provocative style be exined this way? But.."


    Ste thought to herself.


    "Are you the same age as me, Mr.Snyder?" Ste asked.


    "Didn''t he just celebrate his thirtieth birthday recently?'' she remembered.


    "Do I not look like it?"


    Vermont caressed his handsome face and said, "I just look more mature.I''m not that much older.If you


    don''t believe me, you can ask Keegan."


    Keegan gave him a single re and said, "Based on his intelligence, he shouldn''t be that much older.At


    most, he should be three or five years old."


    This time, Vermont was the one at a loss for words.


    With Vermont present, the atmosphere in the car was not boring at all.Ste was at a loss for words.


    After about half an hour, the car arrived at Dragon Lagoon.Aldor parked the vehicle properly while


    Vermont got out of the car first to answer a call.

 Chapter 594

    Chapter 594


    Chapter 594


    Keegan grabbed Ste''s waist and stopped her from opening the car door.


    "Wait," he said.


    Ste turned and saw Keegan pull out a very exquisite velvet box.


    Just as Ste was wondering what was in the box, Keegan opened it.


    Inside the box was a dazzling diamond ne.


    The diamonds on the ne were each at least the size of one karat and were tightly set together.


    The pendant was square, mounted with diamonds with a red square diamond in the center.


    Ste was surprised by the ne''s grandeur and tackiness.


    "How could Grandma wear this at her age?"Ste asked.


    Keegan narrowed his brows.


    "It''s not for her.Did you forget that this was the present you wanted?"


    Ste was confused.


    "When did I ask you for this? Besides, when did I ever have such a tacky taste?" Keegan''s face turned


    red.


    "Did a dog bite and damage your brain? How could you have such a bad memory?"


    He thought Ste would be so surprised and be touched by the ne, but she was not.He never


    expected her to say that it was tacky.


    At that moment, Keegan really wanted to pry open her head to see how dumb she was.


    The corner of Ste''s mouth twitched.


    A vague memory suddenly resurfaced in her mind when she was about to retort.


    She remembered she said, ''My requirements aren''t that high.The ne should have one hundred


    and eight red diamonds, each not less than one carat.Oh, and the chain should be tinum.The


    thicker, the better"


    Ste was speechless.


    The ne really seemed to have a hundred and eight diamonds.


    Keegan had really ordered a ne based on her nonsense.


    Ste felt strange in her heart.She felt that Keegan was silly and thought to herself.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ''Who would use so many diamonds for a ne?"


    Ste said lowly, "Even though I said that, you didn''t actually have to do it.Let alone make it so tacky."


    "You''re the one who made it tacky."


    Keegan red at her.He took out the ne as he was talking and continued, "Turn around."


    "I''m not wearing that."


    Ste refused.


    "It''s so ugly.I''ll be ridiculed if I wear it outside."


    Keegan replied, ''Do you know how much this ne cost?"


    Ste looked at him.


    Keegan coolly said, "It cost 47 million."


    Ste was startled and turned around obediently.


    ¡°Maybe I should wear it once."


    Keegan''s eyes shed with a hint of happiness as he took the ne and draped it over her slender


    neck.


    On the other hand, Aldor was sighing in front of them.


    ''Only Mr.Kane knew his wife best.He went for the most expensive option, not the best quality."


    Many guests were arriving at the birthday banquet.


    Cyrene and Dahlia each handled one side to greet the guests.


    They were both well-liked and had many social connections in Rivera, but it was obvious that Dahlia


    was doing a better job today.


    This was because Keegan had just divorced, leaving a vacancy for the position of the Kane''s family


    eldest grandson''s wife.


    The wives with eligible daughters all went forward and seized the chance to get closer to her.


    Regardless of what Dahlia was like as a person, that was another story.


    Keegan, a young man with little to no scandals, was absolutely the number one son-inw choice for


    the wives.Many guests were arriving at the birthday banquet.


    Mrs.Wood said, "You look great today, Dahlia.You looked a little pale a few days ago."


    Mrs.Chapman replied, "Dahlia was upset about Keegan''s divorce."

 Chapter 595

    Chapter 595


    Chapter 595


    Most of the wives were discussing the divorce between Keegan and Ste in private.


    Even though not everyone was fond of Ste, they felt that Keegan did not handle things adequately.


    He divorced Ste as soon as she had just lost her mother.


    Dahlia had always portrayed herself as a good mother-inw in public, but she did not seem concerned


    about her son''s divorce.


    She even had the mood topete with Chandler''s family over the right to host this birthday banquet.


    The wives could not help, but they felt suspicious about this image of her which was out of character.


    "I''ve always advised Keegan that it''s not easy to live as a couple, and whether they could stay together


    was all fate.But, that''s just our thoughts as a parent.Young people are stubborn; it''s hard to convince


    them otherwise once their minds are set on something.I could still get some sense into Keegan, but I


    have no way to do anything when Ste gets stubborn.I guess we''re not fated to have a deep


    rtionship as mother and daughter-inw,"


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Dahlia''s statement deftly ced the me on Ste.


    Dahlia implied that she did not intend for them to divorce.


    Ste cut off the strings, and she could do nothing to stop it.


    One wife said, "The unfortunates are not worthy to enter a blessed family.In my opinion, it''s good that


    the marriage ended.Although Ste looked pretty and decent, who knew she was a love child? Now


    ain''t this a shame to the Kane family."


    "Thank the Lord she has some self-awareness and chooses to end the marriage.It would have been


    troublesome if she clung onto Keegan."


    "I know, right? Luckily they ended it quickly.With Keegan''s background, I''m sure he could find a better


    fit."


    "I heard someone saw Ste at The Deli.She like she was clinging to Keegan."


    "She must have regretted divorcing since sheter found out that she was a love child."


    Dahlia sighed, "It''s not easy for a divorced woman.Please take care of her for my sake when you see


    her in the future."


    Mrs.Chapman replied, "You''re too kind to her, Dahlia."


    The wives hurriedly changed the topic and continued, "That''s a nice ring you have there, Dahlia!"


    One of thedies with keen eyesight noticed the diamond ring on Dahlia''s index finger.


    It was the same one they auctioned recently at Irene''s jewel exhibition.


    Dahlia smiled lightly and said, ''Keegan picked it.It''s a heartfelt gift from him.I thought it was nice, so I''m


    wearing it for fun."


    Dahlia was wearing a six to seven-million ring for fun.


    This realization made the wives feel the difference between different prestigious families.


    Dahlia was wearing more than ten million on her, but that was not even the most expensive thing she


    had in her closet.


    This was the difference between them.


    When the wives were chatting, someone interrupted.


    "Why is Ste here?"


    Everyone was startled and turned to look.


    Ste dressed inavender gown and had her hair done in a French vintage style.


    On her slender and fair neck, she wore a dazzling diamond ne that shone brightly under the


    lighting on the scene.


    Keegan stood beside her, holding a coat and putting it on her.


    Once he put it on, Ste would shake it off.


    Keegan tried to put it on again, but Ste would wave it off again.


    This process repeated several times.


    The wives were all speechless at their behavior.


    ''Didn''t the rumors say that it was Ste who was clinging onto Keegan? But, from the way it looks,


    Keegan seemed to be the one who was clinging onto Ste"


    Dahlia pulled a long face.


    ''I never expected Ste to have the audacity toe!'' Dahlia took a deep breath, asserting her control,


    and called, Keegan."


    Keegan paused, and Ste shook the coat off.


    Ste naturally heard Dahlia''s voice.She turned her head with a smirk and said, "Mrs.Kane, long time


    no see."


    Dahlia''s expression turned dark, but she still had a polite smile on her face.


    "Ste, what brings you here?"Dahlia pulled a long face.


    Ste replied coolly, "Isn''t Mrs.Kane in charge of the birthday banquet? How could you not know


    Grandma''s guest?"

 Chapter 596

    Chapter 596


    Chapter 596


    Dahlia pressed her lips together and said, "I knew Grandma invited you.I just thought since you were


    having a hard time in your family, you probably wouldn''t be in the mood toe.Well, I underestimated


    your ability to handle your emotions."


    Ste cast a look at her.


    ''She could have simply said that she misjudged my brazenness.Yet, she was tactful in her delivery."


    Ste replied, "I initially wasn''t in the mood.But, Keegan kept calling me, and it drove me insane.So, I


    decided to show some respect to him.After all, we were once husband and wife.Although I don''t have


    to be considerate to you, I do have to show Keegan some consideration."


    Dahlia stared at Keegan with a stern face.


    Keegan did not attempt to refute it as if he had confirmed everything she said.


    Keegan''s behavior jarred Dahlia''s nerves.


    ''What a spineless person!''


    "Keegan is just being filial.He didn''t want to upset his grandma on such a joyous asion."


    Dahlia hinted that Keegan''s phone calls were for Grandma''s sake and that Ste should not think so


    highly of herself.


    Ste smirked.


    "He sure is filial.He even gave me a ne because he was afraid that I wouldn''te," she said as


    she touched the red diamond on her neck.


    "The charm of a 47 million was quite attractive."


    Keegan looked at her in silence, watching her as she bbered on and bragged.


    Dahlia was taken aback, and her expression turned dark.


    The group of wives behind them went into a frenzy.


    They were discussing how genuine the diamond ne on Ste''s neck was, but now she suddenly


    revealed the price.


    Along with that, Keegan was the one who gifted it.


    ''Didn''t the two of them divorce? Or, did it turn out all in vain? And, Ste waspletely different after


    the divorce.


    She used to be all timid and submissive around Dahlia and never dared to contradict her.


    How did she changepletely after the divorce?'' The crowd thought.


    No matter how stupid one was, everyone could tell that Dahlia and Ste were both aggressive in their


    remarks.


    However, it was clear that Dahlia was slightly inferior.


    The 47- million-dor ne itself had knocked Dahlia out.


    In front of the 47-million-dor worth ne, her 7-million-dor ring had instantly lost its luster.


    Dahlia clutched her hand and suppressed her anger.


    "You left the marriage with nothing.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    It''s normal for him topensate you.


    Forty to fifty million is not a big deal for the Kane family."


    Ste turned her head and looked at Keegan.


    "Your mom said it''s not a big deal.If that''s the case, could you give me a few more?"


    Keegan thought, ''Why do you need so much? To use it as a dog chain?"


    Keegan nced at her and said coolly, "Alright."


    The group of wives was all speechless.


    Dahlia was so angry that she felt as if she was about to spit out blood.


    However, Dahlia restrained her rage.


    "Keegan, Aurora and Jackson had gone to wish your grandma a happy birthday.You should go


    too.Don''t miss the timing and make a fool of yourself."


    Keegan looked at Ste and said, ''''Let''s go together."


    Ste said lightly, "You are the eldest grandchild, while I''m just an outsider.You go first.I''ll go when it''s


    my turn."


    Keegan frowned.


    He was notfortable with leaving Ste there.


    Dahlia''s scheme had gone beyond his expectation, and Ste would be at a disadvantage if she stayed


    there.


    Ste softened her voice to coax him.


    "Hurry up and go.I''ll wait for you."


    Ste was worried that Keegan would defend his mother if he stayed.

 Chapter 597

    Chapter 597


    Chapter 597


    Keegan pursed his lips and handed Ste the coat.


    "I''ll leave once you put it on."


    The corner of Ste''s eyes twitched.


    ''Keegan is so old-fashioned.


    He''s making it a big deal out of showing my back as if no one here had ever seen a woman''s back:''


    Ste impatiently took the coat and draped it over her shoulders.


    "Happy now?"


    Keegan was satisfied and before he left, he said, "I''ll be back"


    He did not forget to give Dahlia a warning look before leaving.


    Dahlia turned red from anger.


    Keegan walked toward Aldor, took a new coat that Aldor had brought him, and put it on.


    As he buttoned the coat, he instructed, "Keep an eye on her.Don''t let her get bullied."


    Dahlia''s expression turned cold as soon as Keegan left the scene.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    She nced at Ste and said, "You''re able to fool Keegan effortlessly.Looks like I really


    underestimated you."


    Ste smirked and said, "Thank you, Mrs.Kane.You tter me."


    Dahlia''s face darkened with anger as she lowered her voice.


    "Ste, don''t get carried away.It''s not easy to enter the Kane family the moment you divorced


    Keegan.Even if I don''t take action, Grandma would never let you remarry Keegan with just the fact that


    you couldn''t bear children.Not to mention your identity is currently unknown."


    Ste felt a little down, but she did not show it on her face.


    She looked at Dahlia indifferently and replied, "I''m not interested in remarriage now.Even if I did, I


    would let Keegan kick you out of the Kane family before I remarry him."


    She lifted her eyes.


    "That''s not a treat.It''s a warning."


    What Dahlia depended on was nothing more than the identity of Mrs.Kane.


    As a widow with no power in Rivera, there were many ways to drive her out of the Kane family.


    Ste had respected her in the past and always put filial piety first as she was Keegan''s mother.


    However, once Ste thought back about it, not all elders deserved to be treated with respect.


    Dahlia was agitated and was about to speak when a pleasant female voice came from behind.


    "Dahlia."


    Dahlia''s expression softened when she saw that it was Darcie.She immediately put on a polite smile


    and said, "Mrs.Saun, you''re here.


    "Darcie was wearing a dark green gown with a slightly retro curled hairstyle that looked like something


    from the 1920s to 1930s.It looked like the attire of a socialite from the old days.


    Her eyebrows were delicately drawn.


    She did not look as striking as Dahlia, but she was still quite attractive.


    Beside her stood her daughter, Jaylene.


    The two were about the same height and bore a slight resemnce in their eyebrows.


    Darcie took good care of herself, and they looked like sisters when standing together.


    Darcie saw Ste and paused before she said, "Ms.Jewell, you''re here too."


    Ste nodded in response.She was uncertain if it was just her imagination, but she felt that Darcie was


    not as friendly toward her as she had been at The Deli.


    "Jaylene is such a beauty.She looks exactly like you when you were young,"


    Dahlia was so friendly toward Mrs.Saun and her daughter that she even forgot to taunt Ste.


    ¡®Come to think of it, Keegan''s father and Wenham were ssmates.It''s not odd that their wives would


    know each other.Dahlia has a high status in the group of wives in Rivera.One could even say that she


    ruled over them.So, it''s quite rare to see her being so polite toward other wives.On the other hand,


    Mrs.Saun is being quite magnanimous.She just buried the hatchet about Aurora locking Jaylene in the


    toilet"


    Ste thought.


    Ste was thinking about the birthday gift she prepared.She walked over to a side and sent Felicity a


    text message after noticing that no one was paying attention to her.


    [How long are you going to take?]


    [Between half an hour to forty minutes.There are too many things, ] Felicity replied.


    Ste answered, [Thank you, I appreciate it.]

 Chapter 598

    Chapter 598


    Chapter 598


    [Think about the future when you live in Clouditude International.You''ll realize that all this is worth it,]


    Ste replied with a ''Don''t forget me when you''re rich¡¯ sticker and smiled.


    She yed with her phone while a fewdies could not resist gossiping and chatting in hushed voices.


    "Since when did Mrs.Kane be so close to Mrs.Saun?"


    "They were old acquaintances. It''s normal that they''re close."


    "Oh, really? I''ve never heard of her before."


    "That''s because she''s not the former Mrs.Saun."


    Ste''s ears twitched, and her sense of picking up gossip perked up.


    "Is she a mistress that took over the position of the wife?" ady asked.


    "Not exactly.I heard that the former one passed away due to someplications during


    childbirth.Mr.Saun remarried after five or six years."


    "So, does that mean that Trevor isn''t the son of this Mrs.Saun?"


    "He''s her stepson.Jaylene isn''t Wenham''s biological daughter either.The new wife brought her


    over.She was liked and favored by the Saun family despite not being Wenham''s biological child.That''s


    why they say the new wife was lucky and married well.Even her daughter from her first marriage was


    able to enjoy the blessings."


    "Having good luck isn''t enough.One must also need a good fate.Look at the previous wife, she had a


    short life, and she didn''t get to enjoy this fortune."


    "What''s the background of the first wife?"


    "I heard that she wasn''t a local but was from the capital.She was a perfumer, and she was extremely


    beautiful.She founded the former Caline, which was called Fragrance Trace.Their ssic perfume was


    her creation.Even till this day, it sells very well."


    Caline had been apany specializing in making perfumes under the umbre of Wings Group.


    They not only had their own constant perfume collection, but they also had custom-made perfume


    services for their customers, which was quite popr in cities.


    The essential oil in Ste''s bathroom was Caline''s product.It''s a small world.Ste did not expect that it


    was a product of the Saun family.


    Ste thought back to the fragrance in Trevor''s car, and it was a unique aroma formted by Caline.


    ¡®No wonder it has such a distinctive smell" Ste thought.


    After Dahlia chatted with Darcie for a while, Mrs.Chapman interrupted.


    "Ms.Saun, how old are you?"


    Jaylene lowered her gaze and replied politely, "I''m 26."


    "That''s about the same age as my eldest son."


    Mrs.Chapman smiled and added, "Do you have a boyfriend?"


    Jaylene smiled and nced at Darcie with a flushed face.Darcie grinned and said, "When Jaylene


    studied abroad in the past, her ssmates were all locals.I only have one daughter, and I didn''t want


    her to marry overseas.So, I didn''t let her date anyone."


    "Now that she''s back, you don''t have to worry about this problem anymore, "Mrs.Chapman beamed.


    "There are many young talents in Rivera today.You could get to know them."


    "What''s the point of getting to know them?"


    Aurora suddenly interrupted while grinning.


    "They''re talented, but they''re nothingpared to my brother.Jaylene, if you''re looking for a boyfriend,


    why don''t you consider my brother?"


    Dahlia lightly scolded her, "What nonsense are you talking about?"


    "How am I talking nonsense? What''s wrong with saying that when they''re both divorced? In terms of


    their background, education, and appearance, Jaylene is miles ahead of Ste.Isn''t she a better match


    for my brother?"


    Ste sneered in her heart.


    ''Did they really think that Keegan was such a catch? The daughter of the Saun family could easily find


    a man with any desirable qualities she wanted.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Why would she settle with a divorced man like Keegan?"


    Ste thought that way, but she pursed her lips after turning her head and noticing Jaylene''s


    expression.

 Chapter 599

    Chapter 599


    Chapter 599


    Jaylene blushed and looked down.


    "Aurora, stop saying that," she said softly.


    Her words were filled with girlish bashfulness.


    If Jaylene was not willing, she could have given a direct refusal.


    But, all she said was "stop saying that", which meant that she was not against being paired up like that.


    Ste felt ufortable.She was reminded of the photo she saw on Vermont''s feed a few days ago.


    ''Keegan, that bastard.Could it be that he got drunk and said nonsense to Jaylene and gave her the


    wrong idea?''


    ¡®Why else would a lovely girl like her wants to be paired up with a pig like Keegan?"


    Ste grabbed a piece of watermelon from the table and took a bite.


    When Dahlia saw Jaylene''s reaction, she realized that they had a shot.


    "Aurora is not wrong.Both of them are single and unwed, so it wouldn''t hurt to let them interact more."


    Mrs.Chapman cheered.


    "Watch what you''re saying, Mrs.Chapman.Both parties are single, but it depends on what type of


    ''unwed'' you are referring to.If '' divorced'' is also considered as unwed, isn''t it ridiculous to pair him with


    Ms. Saun?"


    A bejeweled Cyrene chuckled and came over with Jackson by her side.


    Dahlia''s expression subtly darkened.Mrs.Chapman, however, was sleek.


    "Cyrene, things are different from our times now,"


    Mrs.Chapman smiled as she spoke.


    "As long as you don''t have a child, having a past marriage or not doesn''t make much of a


    difference.Plus, having experienced a failed marriage, divorced husbands would know how to treat you


    better." Cyrene smiled.


    "Since you''re so epting, Mrs.Chapman.Why didn''t you ept my nephew''s wedding proposal?


    Mrs.Chapman choked on her words.Dahlia was cking in her work for the past few months, so


    Mrs.Chapman wanted to get close to Cyrene instead.


    However, Cyrene was not that gullible.Shecked neither money nor connections and was not easily


    swayed by small favors.


    Mrs.Chapman not only failed to get her husband a new project but she also got put in her ce by


    Cyrene.


    Cyrene introduced her own nephew, who had divorced three times previously, to Mrs.Chapman''s eldest


    daughter.


    Cyrene said that if they got married, anything could be on the table.


    Mrs.Chapman was calctive, but she treasured her husband and her three daughters.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    How could she be willing to let her daughter marry a man with such a bad reputation? After that, she


    never approached Cyrene again.


    Mrs.Chapman was all talk when she said that there was no difference if someone had been divorced.


    But, when it came to her own daughter, she was naturally unwilling.She was crestfallen as soon as


    Cyrene mentioned that incident.


    Dahlia nced at Cyrene solemnly.


    "We''re just joking around.You didn''t have to make a big deal out of it."


    Cyrene covered her smile with her hand.


    "Don''t mind me, Dahlia, I''m a straightforward person."


    As she talked, she turned her head and smiled at Jaylene and her mother.


    "Jaylene, do you remember me? I carried you once when you were a kid."


    Jaylene nodded.


    "Aunt Cyrene."


    Cyrene held Jaylene''s hand and examined her.


    She smiled as she said, "You''re all grown up now.You''re getting more beautiful each day."


    She continued, "This is Jackson.You two yed together when you were little.Do you remember?"


    Jaylene shook her head.


    It was twenty years ago, so no one would remember.


    "It''s okay if you don''t.You can reintroduce yourselves."


    Ste peered and saw that Jackson was wearing a suit for once.He looked like a decent person as he


    stood there straight.


    Jackson offered a handshake and smiled.


    "Hello, Ms.Saun."


    Jaylene drew her hand back after her fingertips lightly touched him.


    "Hello, Jackson."


    Dahlia was at the side, watching with fire in her eyes.


    ¡®Cyrene and her son are like flies.They poke their noses everywhere!¡¯ Dahlia thought.


    Apparently, Jaylene was the one who was most sought after, not Keegan.


    Judging by the situation, both women from the Kane family wanted Jaylene to be their daughter-inw.

 Chapter 600

    Chapter 600


    Chapter 600


    Ste took a strawberry and ate it while she watched on.


    Suddenly, her back felt warm, and she heard Keegan''s voice.


    "Who gave you permission to take off the jacket?"


    Ste took a bite of the strawberry.


    "I heard a lot of Rivera''s talented and handsome young men would be here today."


    Keegan did not understand.


    Ste finished the remaining half of the strawberry and slowly said, "I''m a divorcee.How can Ipete


    with thesedies if I don''t show more skin? How would I get the men''s attention, then?"


    Keegan''s expression darkened.


    "We divorced just a few days ago, and you already can''t wait to find a new partner?"


    Ste nced at him.


    "Your mom is already looking for a new partner for you, so I can''t waste time.I can''t let you get married


    again before I do."


    Keegan''s eye twitched.


    Before he could ask for rifications, Dahlia''s voice interrupted.


    "Keegan, you came at the right time.Show Ms.Saun around the ce, and introduce her to your


    friends."


    Keegan looked up for a nce and pursed his lips.


    "I''m not familiar with the ce here.Let Jackson bring her around."


    The corner of Dahlia''s eye twitched.


    ¡®Not familiar? He had a lot of business events here in Dragon Lagoon."


    Jackson was more than happy to take up the responsibility.


    "After you, Ms.Saun."


    Jaylene lowered her gaze.


    "How about next time, Jackson? The party is starting soon.We need to greet Grandma."


    Jackson smiled patiently and said, "Well then, we always have next time."


    Ste had watched enough of the fun, and she wanted to turn around and leave.


    Keegan pulled on her and said, "Let me show you something good."


    "No." Ste rejected him without thinking.


    Keegan did not waste another word and just dragged her along.


    Ste wanted to fight it, but she noticed Dahlia''s angry gaze.


    Ste stopped fighting back, held on to Keegan''s arms, and gave her a provocative smile.


    After Keegan and Ste had left, Jaylene looked up and nced at the direction that they were


    heading.


    Then, she looked away again.


    As the name suggested.


    Dragon Lagoon had ake within its grounds.


    It was a man-madeke of more than ten acres and was filled with running water.


    Because theke was managed well, the water was so clear that the bottom could be seen.


    There were also lights at the bottom of theke.


    When they turned on the lights at night, all the creatures in the water could be seen clearly.


    "What''s the thing you wanted to show me?"


    Ste was dragged to thekeside, but she did not see anything.So, she could not help but ask.


    Keegan squatted down and knocked on a little metal bowl on the ground.


    A secondter, a white ball appeared and dashed toward Keegan''s leg.


    It chirped and flipped around to show its belly as a sign of happiness.


    Ste was shocked but when she took a closer look, she saw a white stray dog with a pinch of ck


    hair on its head.


    Keegan put on a pair of gloves, took out some meat jerky from his pocket, and put it in the bowl.


    The stray instantly sat up and ran over to eat the jerky.


    Ste was frozen for a while.


    Then, she asked,"Is this Pinchie?"


    Keegan nodded.


    Ste squatted down and carefully reached out to touch its fur.


    "It grew up a lot."


    Last year, when she and Keegan came to Dragon Lagoon for a business dinner, they found a month-


    old puppy near the entrance.


    Ste loved animals and wanted to take the puppy home, but Keegan was allergic to animal fur.


    So, He did not agree to let her adopt the puppy and wanted her to throw it away.


    Ste begged and begged but it was no use.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The puppy was then left at Dragon Lagoon, and Keegan said that the puppy would be taken care of.


    At the time, Ste did not believe what Keegan said.


    She thought that Keegan was cruel and purposely lied to deceive her.


    ¡®This is such a big park, and it''s such a small puppy.


    Who would help take care of it?'' Ste thought.


    The next day, she brought a box over.


    She wanted to take it to a pet shop and put it up for adoption.


    But, she searched for a whole day but could not find the puppy.


    She thought that the puppy might be dead overnight since it was too young and had not even been


    weaned yet.

 Chapter 601

    Chapter 601


    Chapter 601


    Ste did not expect the puppy to grow up this well.


    Its bottom was so plump that it was squished when it sat down.


    It looked like it had good meals regrly.


    The puppy was indeed properly taken care of.


    Ste''s eyes could not contain her surprise.


    "The management here is taking care of it.There are often business events here in Dragon Lagoon, so


    he always had good food.Look."


    Keegan pinched the back of the puppy''s neck "He is plumper than a gas tank now."


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Ste gave Keegan a side-eye.


    "Are the gas tanks in your house this cute?"


    Keeganughed and looked up.


    "I didn''t lie to you."


    Ste stared on for a while, realizing that he was referring to the incident involving Pinchie.


    At that time, after Ste could not find the puppy, she went home and had a huge fight with Keegan.


    Of course, it was a one-sided argument, where she called Keegan a cold-blooded liar.


    Keegan only replied that regardless if she believed him or not, he did, in fact, find someone to adopt


    the puppy.Ste pursed her lips.


    "Why didn''t you show this to me, back then? "


    "Back then..."


    Keegan paused and continued, "I wasn''t sure if it would survive."


    It was not easy to care for a puppy that was not weaned.


    And, when they found the puppy, it had a parvo infection.So, the chances of it surviving were low.


    Keegan did not hold much hope for the puppy himself, but he spent some money and ordered the park


    manager to take the puppy to the vet.


    The puppy was unexpectedly tenacious.


    After a few months of treatment, it miraculously recovered.


    When Keegan visited, the park manager was reluctant to part with the puppy because he thought


    Keegan wanted to take the puppy home.


    Keegan did want to, but he was allergic.


    Otherwise, his house would be filled with animals, given Ste''s love for furry creatures.


    Keegan did not take the puppy away, but he would drop by asionally to feed it.


    The puppy was smart as if it knew that Keegan was the one who saved its life.


    It showed Keegan its belly every time it saw him.


    "I can''t have dogs in my house, but I will bring you along to visit it more," said Keegan.


    Ste stroked Pinchie''s fur and nced at Keegan.


    "Not in your house, but I can have it in mine." Keegan frowned.


    "Your ce is not even as big as a washroom.It can barely fit two people, and you still want to get a


    dog?"


    Ste gave him a side-eye.


    ''''I do want to move into a bigger house, but whose fault is it that I can''t even buy a house? I want to


    ask.When are you going to the estate management with me to transfer the house''s ownership?"


    Keegan froze for a while.


    Then, he said, "I''m free anytime, but the two houses are both under two years.Do you know how much


    is the transfer fee?"


    It was Ste''s first-time buying a house.


    When she wanted to buy a house previously, the deed was over two years, but still under five years.


    The transfer fee was paid by both parties.So, after the calctions, it was not expensive, even though


    she did not buy it in the end.


    However, Keegan''s house was under two years, so Ste was unsure of the amount.


    "How much?"


    "Not that much," Keegan said.


    "At least twenty million dors." Ste''s temples pulsed.


    "Then, how did you transfer to me back then? Did you just throw away twenty million dors for fun?"


    "Back then we were married.Only a production fee of eighty dors was needed."


    Keegan looked at Ste.


    "Or, we could get married again and spend eighty dors.Then, you can be under my name again, and


    we can save twenty million dors."


    ¡®What kind of dumb idea is this?"


    "I didn''t ask you for the house.Why do I need to pay the transfer fee?" Keegan replied calmly, "Nobody


    asked you to pay for it alone.Both the seller and the buyer have to pay for it together.You only have to


    pay ten million dors."


    "I don''t have ten million dors either!" Ste said angrily.

 Chapter 602

    Chapter 602


    Chapter 602


    Keegan sighed and said, ''''Since you don''t have the money now, just put up with it and live there.We will


    settle the ownership transfer when you have the money."


    ¡®Shameless¡¯, Ste thought as the corner of her lips twitched.


    Keegan was familiar with Ste''s temper and knew that she would not spend an extra penny on things


    that were obviously rip-offs, even if she was rich.


    When Ste was Mrs.Kane, she was a virtuous woman.She filled the wardrobes with discounted shirts,


    and she could wear them for a whole year without repeating outfits.


    Ste gritted her teeth.


    "Keegan Kane, don''t forget you still have two hundred million dors with me.Make me angry, and I will


    donate them all."


    Keegan smirked and said, ''Do what makes you happy.It''s just a few hundred million.I can earn them


    back in no time."


    ¡®What nonsense is this?'' Ste Cursed inwardly.


    After feeding Pinchie, Vermont called to tell them that the banquet was starting.He also told them to


    come over quickly.


    Cordelia''s eightieth birthday was a grand event.


    Dahlia and Cyrene both showed off their respective skills in making it even more grand and pompous


    than Cordelia''s seventieth birthday.


    Half of Rivera''s elites were there to celebrate her birthday.


    There were paintings, antiques, and jewelry.


    The reception was piled up with gifts, and dozens of staff members were hired to sort out the inventory.


    For almost three years that Ste was married to Keegan, this was her first-time seeing such a grand


    event.


    One reason for this was the high social status of the Kanes, and the other was Cordelia''s own


    poprity.


    It was a rare celebration in the Kane family.


    Cordelia was glowing with joy and seemed really happy.


    Jackson, seeing that everyone was about done wishing Cordelia for her birthday, went up and held her


    hand.


    "Grandma, it''s your eightieth birthday today.I wish you to live long and prosper!"


    Cordeliaughed, and her eyes were filled with affection.


    She repeated, "Good, good."


    Jackson''s eyes curved as he smiled.


    "Grandma, I prepared a performance for you.


    Let''s kickstart tonight''s birthday celebration with this performance of mine.


    "There''s a performance!"This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordelia was surprised.


    "Of course there is," Cyrene chuckled.


    "Jackson practiced this performance for ages."


    Immediately, everyone was looking forward to the performance.


    Jackson raised his hand, and the lights of the venue instantly dimmed.


    Then, the sky twinkled and lit up, little by little.


    Hundreds of drones were sparkling in the sky,ing together to form two words.


    When the music yed, the drones in the sky changed their formation.


    Soon, a gigantic "happy birthday" appeared in the sky.


    Some of the people cheered and gasped, while others took photos.


    Then, the formation fell apart and came together again to form " Longevity" in calligraphy.


    Everyone pped and wished Cordelia.


    In the end, the word broke apart, and the drones changed their formation again to form a huge,


    simplified version of a chip, with a giant "V" in the middle.


    That was the Vinci Rivera Group''s logo.


    When Cordelia saw that, she was moved.


    She dedicated her whole life to Vinci Rivera, and thepany was very significant to her.


    Jackson''s strategy of emotional appeal had yed right into Cordelia''s heart.


    After the drone performance, the crowd gave a big round of apuse.


    Even Cordelia could not stop praising it and gifted Jackson an amulet that she usually fiddles with.


    Vermont tutted when he saw that.


    He then said to Keegan, "This is the result of you and the research team you led.He is shameful for


    giarizing you."

 Chapter 603

    Chapter 603


    Chapter 603


    It was only due to Keegan''s personal interest that Vinci Rivera was researching and developing drone


    technology.


    Keegan was intrigued by aircrafts and other simr mechanics.


    Vinci Rivera''s main focus was actually not on drones.


    Keegan was just toying around with them because the drones avable on the market could not satisfy


    his needs when ites to ying with drones.


    That was why he created a research team for this.


    In the end, it unexpectedly became a bigger sess than other projects.


    Their technology for drones had more breakthroughs than their research toward chips.


    Vinci Rivera''s W series drones were well received ever since they wereunched.


    Theirtest technology of invisible drones was even recognized by the government, and contracts were


    signed for their participation in the research and development of war drones.


    ¡®It''s like raising a child for six years and seeing them being taken away by others to do


    performances.What a bitch move"


    Vermont thought to himself.


    Keegan, on the other hand, was more generous about it.


    "Steady flight," hemented indifferently.


    Vermont turned his head to Ste, hoping to get some empathy from her.


    He expected her to defend her dear husband.


    But, when he turned around, he saw Ste snacking away on nuts.


    Vermont''s eye twitched.


    ''Am I the only one who cares about this?"


    Not far away from the back row, Trevor saw Ste standing in front of Dahlia, and he frowned.


    "What a good performance.It was both thoughtful and creative.What a thoughtful child Jackson


    is.Mrs.Kane, you''re so lucky."


    Darcie, who was standing beside her, praised.


    Cordelia was all smiles.


    "This kid was always clever."


    Cyreneughed and said, "Jackson has a trick or two in entertaining people.But, as for real talent, I


    heard that Jaylene had participated in a pianopetition in Vasona and that she had gotten quite a


    good ranking in it."


    Jaylene looked down and said, "I didn''t win the award, so it''s not really something worth talking about."


    Cyrene ttered on.


    "It''s already impressive that you made it into the final rounds.We have a piano here today.Why don''t


    you y something for Cordelia and regale us with music too?"Cyrene was obviously giving Jaylene a


    chance to debut in Rivera''s elite circle.It was apparent that Cyrene liked Jaylene a lot.Jaylene did not


    answer immediately, and she looked at Darcie instead.


    Darcie smiled and said, "Your Aunt Cyrene did ask, so let''s not spoil the fun for everyone."


    Jaylene agreed, went up to Cordelia, and said, "Mrs.Kane, what song would you like to listen to?"


    Cordelia looked at Cyrene affectionately.


    "Jaylene, just y anything.I will like whichever song you y."


    Jaylene thought for a while and answered, "Then, I''ll just see how it goes as I y."


    Cordelia nodded.


    The crowd made way for Jaylene, who confidently walked toward the piano.She lifted her dress slightly


    and sat down.She looked down as her slender, pale fingers slowly pressed on the piano keys.


    Instantly, melodious music was created through her fingertips.


    The song was "Flower Dance".


    It was a good piece to be yed at a birthday celebration.


    Judging from the fluency she had when ying, Jaylene must have practiced often and had a strong


    foundation in music.


    Jaylene was ssy, unlike Be, who had no real ss and pretended to be elegant.


    Jaylene''s elegance was indeed apparent from the inside out.


    When Jaylene was sitting there ying the piano, as a fellow woman, even Ste admired Jaylene.


    When "Flower Dance" was ending, the tempo of the music suddenly changed, and the piano sounded


    more intense.


    The song seamlessly transitioned to "Flight of the Bumblebee".


    This piece showed off Jaylene''s skills even more.


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


    The crowd was abuzz.


    Some were surprised, and some praised in awe.


    The song was the center of attention.


    When the music ended, the apuse given was unmeasurable.


    Jaylene stood up and bowed to the audience.


    She then lifted the corner of her dress, went back, and stood beside Darcie.


    She smiled and said to Cordelia, "It was not a good performance, so please pardon me."


    "It was a really good performance.You''re too humble."


    Cordelia mimicked Jaylene''s tone.

 Chapter 604

    Chapter 604


    Chapter 604


    As the audience was still mesmerized by the previous performance, Mrs.Chapman suddenly said, '']


    remember that Ms.


    Jewell could y the piano.


    How about you y one for us today?"


    Ste stopped cracking open the pine nuts in her hands and scowled a little.


    ¡®What have I ever done to her that made her pick on me during such an asion"Cordelia was


    genuinely surprised.Ste knows how to y the piano as well?"


    Mrs.Chapman cut off Ste before thetter could even speak, "Ms.Jewell''s skills with the piano are


    excellent.Previously, she even surprised the crowd on a cruise."


    Still gripping onto the pine nuts, Ste humbly replied, "Mrs.Chapman is exaggerating.I can only y


    for fun and surely not enough to enter any hall of fame.


    "This is only for fun as well.It''s just to bring smiles to everyone present.You can even duet with


    Ms.Saun if you want to."


    Ste really wished she could stop Mrs.Chapman from digging a bigger hole for her.She could easily


    beat Be hands down, but Jaylene was ona different level entirely.


    Seemingly interested in a duet performance, Jaylene replied warmly, "I''m d to join if Ms.Jewell wants


    to."


    Trevor noticed the predicament Ste was in and was about to speak up for her.But, he was cut short


    by Keegan.


    "Her hand is injured, so she can''t y the piano."


    His response left both Trevor and Ste speechless.


    ¡®Can''t you at least be a little more realistic with your white lie? Who are you trying to fool when she


    doesn''t even have a single bandage on her hands?" Trevor thought.


    Everyone turned their attention to her hands.


    Ste, without much of a choice, tightened her grip on her pine nuts and said with a fake smile, "My


    tenosynovitis is back."


    Mrs.Chapman snickered and sarcastically remarked, "Ms.Jewell''s tenosynovitis sure knows when to


    re up."


    Those in the knew it was just an excuse to save her reputation for not being talented enough.


    The situation would be resolved, and Ste would not be triggered if Mrs.Chapman did not follow up


    with her sarcastic remark.


    Ste briefly nced at Mrs.Chapman and said, "I may not y piano very well.


    But, would it be alright if I wish you a happy birthday differently, Grandma?"


    Cordelia curiously asked, "What do you have in mind?"


    "I''ll write you a calligraphy."


    Everyone present broke into fits ofughter before Cordelia could speak.


    Nheless, there were too many calligraphy arts from renowned artists that were gifted and disyed


    today.


    Ste''s calligraphy would definitely pale inparison to the famous calligraphy artists.


    Upon seeing her confidence, it gave Cordelia an unknown sense of trust in her.


    "Sure you can."


    She then ordered Keegan, "Keegan, ask someone to bring a table over along with a calligraphy writing


    set."


    Jaylene suddenly requested, "Could you kindly prepare another set for me as well? I want to write


    calligraphy for Grandma as well."


    Ste paused at the unexpected response from Jaylene.


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


    On the other hand, Trevor frowned even harder.


    ''Why is Jaylene fooling around? She''s taught by Absalom Marco, a renowned calligraphy artist.


    How will Ste live it up if Jaylene were to write calligraphy together with her?¡¯ He whispered to


    Jaylene, "Jaylene, stop making a scene."


    Jaylene gave a polite smile and replied, "Brother, it''s rare to meet someone who knows calligraphy.I


    want to write it together with her."


    Ste rolled her eyes and smiled, "Grandma, let''s prepare one more set for her."

 Chapter 605

    Chapter 605


    Chapter 605


    The crowd was abuzz as the table for calligraphy was being set up.


    Someone from among them eximed, "I''ve seen the calligraphy written by Ms.Saun before."


    "Where have you seen it before? How was it?"


    "Her work was among the calligraphy exhibition Mr.Marco set up."


    Someone else pitched in and said, "I''ve seen the group photo of them in Mr.Marco''s house.He must


    have personally taught her."


    "Oh my.Personal tutge? Wouldn''t Ste lose face if Ms.Saun''s writing is that good?"


    "She''s the one who suggested writing calligraphy.If anyone would be embarrassed for failing after


    trying so hard, it would just be her.


    "With that frivolous look of hers, it doesn''t look like she has any experience with arts.I seriously wonder


    if she even knows how to hold a pen.Wouldn''t she do better if she danced instead? Why is she so


    insistent on this?"


    "She''s still a previous inw of the Kane family.Wouldn''t she lose face if she danced in front of


    everyone? It''s no different from acting at all."


    "What reputation does an illegitimate child have to uphold? I don''t even know why she would dare to


    attend this birthday banquet.What is dancing to her if she''s not even shameful of showing up here."


    "Isn''t she an actress? I heard she''s already filming."


    Someone said in amusement, "Acting suits her.With that face of hers, she''ll earn a lot from being a


    clown."


    Keegan''s frown never went away as the table was being set up.He had seen Ste''s writing before.


    It wasn''t bad but was iparable to famous calligraphy writing.


    Cordelia could speak up for her if Ste wrote alone, as she would not need topare herself with


    renowned artists.


    Now that Jaylene had joined, the audience would naturally makeparisons.


    No one would be able to hide the difference in their skills.


    Keegan continued to scowl, walked toward Ste, and whispered, "Pretend to vomit when I cough


    once."


    Ste was confused.He nced at Ste before he continued, "Having a child with your ex-husband


    after divorce would be a much better excusepared to losing in calligraphy."


    Ste''s eyes twitched and spoke in a repressed tone, "I think your option is even more


    embarrassing.Besides, how would you know I''d lose?"


    Keegan responded, "I''ve never seen you write calligraphy at all.Do you think I wouldn''t know how


    incapable you are?"


    Ste harrumphed, "There''s a lot more you don''t know about me."


    She paused, looked toward Keegan, and said, "Why don''t we make a bet? If Grandma is happy with


    my work, you''ll give me the deed to the house.You''ll have to pay for the charges to do the transfer as


    well."


    Keegan''s eye twitched and straightforwardly rejected.


    ''''I refuse."


    "Are you chickening out?" Keegan said indifferently, "


    Money is not the problem; my honor is.


    "Ste squinted her eyes at him and retorted, "Weak-willed man!"


    Soon, the table used for calligraphy was set up.


    Baldwin warmly weed, "Ms.Jewell and Ms.Saun, kindly take your ce at the table."


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    No longer bothering with Keegan, Ste went up to her ce at the calligraphy table.


    Ste and Jaylene may have worn clothes with close simrities, but the dispositions they exuded were


    entirely different.


    Jaylene, with her hair that flowed freely behind her back, a small cheek, a in face, and an absence


    of thick makeup, was a refreshing sight.She was all men''s dream girl.Her gentle and graceful


    disposition made her stand out on every asion, like a magnolia.


    Ste, on the other hand, had refined facial features, a paleplexion, and a perfectly arched


    eyebrow.


    With her makeup on, she exuded a sexy and gorgeous look like a blooming peony.


    Both of them were unique in their own ways, even though a magnolia would look in when it was


    ced side-by-side with a peony.


    Jaylene turned her head and asked Ste, "Ms.Jewell, what would you like to write?"


    Ste replied, "I''ll write ''Long Life''."


    Jaylene warmly replied, "I''ll write ''Prosper'' then.That''s enough to make a couplet."


    Ste nodded and said, "Alright."


    Ste took the pen, dipped it in ink, arched her body, and started writing while Jaylene lowered her


    eyes and followed along.

 Chapter 606

    Chapter 606


    Chapter 606


    Comparing both writing motions, Vermont whispered to Keegan who was next to him, "Ste''s hands


    are shaking so much, and she looks like her words are too squiggly.Are you sure it''s not her


    tenosynovitis acting up?"


    Keegan frowned and impolitely replied, "Will you shut that ill- omened mouth of yours?"


    Jaylene, who had practiced for some time, moved her pen smoothly, and her part of the couplet was


    soonpleted.


    Vermont stretched himself to have a better look.


    Jaylene wrote in semi-cursives fluidly and meaningfully, writing out every stroke.


    Even Vermont, a calligraphy illiterate, could not help but admit that the calligraphy was well written.


    He then turned to look at Ste, only to see her hands still shaking.


    ''That''s it.She''s definitely going to lose this," he thought.


    Vermont pondered before he said, ''''Why don''t you pretend to slip and spill wine over your wife''s


    calligraphy? Getting through this is much better than losing face."


    Keegan scowled, took a ss of wine from a nearby tray, passed it to Vermont, and said, "You go."


    Vermont looked at the ss of wine in his hand, looked at Ste, then bit his lips as he ced the ss


    of wine back on the tray.


    "I''m too thin-skinned."


    Keegan harrumphed, "Weak-willed man!"


    Unable to retort, Vermont kept silent.


    Dahlia nced at Mrs.Chapman after she saw Ste''s calligraphy.


    Mrs.Chapman gave an understanding eye and said, "Ms.Jewell, what''s taking you so long to write the


    calligraphy? Ms.Saun had already finished writing it a long time ago."


    Ste, not lifting her head nor stopping her pen for even a moment, said indifferently, ''Is there a time


    limit to this?"


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Mrs.Chapman replied with a smile, "Of course not.But, what''s the point of keeping everyone waiting if


    we know how bad your writing would already be?"


    Jaylene rebutted, "Mrs.Chapman, please refrain from disturbing Ms.Jewell as calligraphy requires


    concentration."


    Mrs.Chapman sneered, "Is there even a need to disturb her when her hands are moving akin to


    shaking a sieve rather than a pen?"


    Everyone roared inughter at what Mrs.Chapman said, fully knowing that Ste would already lose


    from the way she wrote.


    Mrs.Chapman turned quiet after Cordelia raised her hand and eximed, "Quiet¡­.Quiet"


    Ste took a few minutes more to finish, stood up as she put her pen down, and looked at the crowd.


    "Sorry for taking everyone''s time.My hands are rusty from not practicing for some time."


    Cordelia smiled with her eyes and said warmly, "It''s fine.Taking your time writing means you''ve put


    more effort into it."


    Her favoritism showed, but the crowd was not blind to how bad the calligraphy was even if she


    disagreed.


    Two attendants came up, held both the calligraphies up, and disyed them to the crowd.


    Jaylene''s calligraphy instantly attracted the crowd''s attention.


    "The calligraphy is well written and just as beautiful as the person writing it."


    "What an exceptional student that Mr.Marco taught."


    "Such skills even at a young age."


    Praises rang as Jaylene''s calligraphy was being disyed, yet Ste''s work made everyone stumbled


    into silence.Her calligraphy was not unintelligible, yet it was leagues apart whenpared to


    Jaylene''s.


    Auroraughed without a hint of hesitation.


    You call that calligraphy? Even Mrs.Chapman''s youngest daughter could write better than that."

 Chapter 607

    Chapter 607


    Chapter 607


    Everyone startedughing after she spoke.


    Mrs.Chapman added fuel to the fire and said, "My youngest doesn''t have the same confidence as


    Ms.Jewell."


    Cordelia frowned.She did not want to lie, but she was also unable to say it out directly either.She raised


    her eyes and met Keegan''s, hinting at Keegan to do something about this.


    "Keegan, what do you think?" Vermont''s eye twitched.


    ¡®Grannies are fearsome, throwing the me back to Keegan."


    Keegan had a serious look on his face. I looked at the two calligraphies, raised his head, and said,


    "Ms.Saun''s calligraphy vividly portrays the free spirit and elegance in her writing.Ste''s, on the other


    hand, is unconventional and unique.Each of them has their own merits and is equally as good."


    The crowd went silent with many wondering if he was blind for saying that both were equally good.


    Ste could not help but wanted tough.She thought, ''Keegan must have cracked his head, thinking


    about how he could praise my writing."


    Ste was suddenly cut off by a male voice as she was about to speak.


    "Form-wise, Ms.Saun is better, but Ms.Jewell won by a margin if we''re talking about the effort she put


    in."


    Everyone turned their heads to the back only to see Marshall confidentlying forward with a smile.


    "Happy birthday, granny.I hope you don''t mind if I talk out of line."R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Keegan''s eyes turned cold.


    Cordelia smiled and replied, "I won''t mind if you have a reason for it."


    Marshall warmly said, "I certainly do."


    When he finished speaking, he turned his head toward the attendant holding Ste''s calligraphy.


    "Please turn the calligraphy upside down."


    The attendant paused and said, "Upside down?"


    "Yes, turn it upside down," Marshall replied.


    Although the attendant was confused, he did it as requested.


    Keegan instantly realized how Ste was so confident when it was turned upside down.


    The crowd soon realized that it was not calligraphy, but a portrait instead.


    An unknown voice suddenly came from among the crowd.


    "Isn''t this a portrait of Cordelia?"


    The more they looked at it, the more it looked like a portrait of Cordelia.


    The distinct traits of her curly hair and prominent cheekbones could be easily seen in each stroke.


    Cordelia, who was happy and surprised, eximed, "So, this was a portrait all along."


    Nothing made her more surprised than this, a birthday calligraphy that looked normal yet could also be


    a portrait of her when turned upside down.


    The faces of those that wereughing at Ste earlier now turned beet red as if they had received a


    p in the face.


    Nothing could beat an art that could be both calligraphy and portrait at the same time.


    "Damn.Your wife is certainly talented.Say, how did you not realize this after staying with her for so


    long?" said Vermont.


    "Marshall is still the one with the better eyes though.He was able to discern the portrait." Keegan said


    coldly: "Can you shut your trap?"


    Wenham, standing not far away, sighed, "Ms.Jewell isn''t simple at all."


    Darcie responded with a downcast smile, ''''No.She is not."


    She looked toward Trevor beside her, and thetter was indifferent, not showing the slightest bit of


    emotion.


    Ste smiled and greeted, ''''Happy Birthday, Grandma.I wish you to have good health always."


    Jaylene gripped her fingers tightly and said, "I wish you along and fulfilled life."


    Ste thought to herself, ¡®Ms.Saun spoke so politely.It''s as if she''s trying to imply that I''m uncultured."


    Cordelia happily replied: ¡°''These are good.Both of you did really well.I''ll get someone to frame it up on


    a wall when I return home."

 Chapter 608

    Chapter 608


    Chapter 608


    When Cordelia had finished speaking, Baldwin was asked to gift each of them a money pouch.Ste


    received the pouch with a"Thanks".


    Jaylene, on the other hand, declined and said, "I''m afraid I''m not worthy of the money pouch Madam


    Kane is giving.Ick talent."


    Ste paused then smiled immediately.


    She said, "Ms.Saun, this is not apetition.We wrote the calligraphy to congratte Grandma.Will it


    matter who is more talented as long as Grandma feels blessed?"


    Baldwin added, ''''Ms.Saun, please do keep it.Take it as a blessing from Madam Kane."


    Jaylene hesitated a little before finally taking it.


    "I''m sorry for my narrow-mindedness."


    Ste did not reply to that, and she kept her thoughts to herself.


    ''I felt something fishy when Jaylene proposed to write calligraphy together.There were a lot of ways for


    her to be in the limelight, but she insisted on doing it together with me.It felt like she was using me as a


    stepping stone.Maybe her thought process isn''t as innocent as I thought.Jaylene, being a daughter of


    the Saun family, shouldn''t have any need to use others as a stepping stone.Maybe I''m overthinking


    this."


    After the table was moved away, Marshall headed toward Keegan and Vermont.


    Vermont greeted, "What took you so long, Marshall? I thought you weren''ting tonight."


    Marshall politely smiled and replied, "There were a lot of cases to settle these past two days.That''s why


    I waste."


    His eyes trailed to Ste who had just arrived in front of him.


    Marshall then continued, "Betterte than never.Otherwise, I wouldn''t see such an amazing sight if I


    arrived a momentter."


    Ste smiled and replied, "No one would realize the surprise if you didn''t point it out.I might even


    be aughing stock if I did it myself."


    The satisfaction Ste received was several times better when Marshall revealed the hidden portrait


    than if she did it herself.


    ¡®My pretentious attitude was worth it after all, especially when I get to see all those faces in shock and


    disbelief.I can''t believe a random skill I picked up from boredom since marrying Keegan could finally be


    of use."


    "I didn''t do much.What should be revealed will eventually prevail anyway.By the way, how did you pick


    up this skill?" asked Marshall curiously.


    "There was nothing much to it.I was just blindly brushing away."


    Keegan''s face turned darker and darker, as the two continued to merrily chat away.


    Right at that moment, Aurora came over, held Marshall''s wrist, and said, "Marshall, would you like to


    dance with me?"


    Marshall humbly said, "I''ve just arrived, and I want to take a breather."


    Aurora, not letting go of his hands, said, "The gazebo at the center of theke is quite tranquil.There''s


    rarely any passerby, and it''s a good ce to take a rest.How about I bring you there?"


    Marshall frowned.


    When he was about to speak, Keegan came with a te full of fruits.


    He handed it to Aurora and said, "Here are some refreshments.Bring Marshall over there to have a


    good rest."


    Aurora was exhrated that her brother was helping her to get together with Marshall.


    She then said, "Alright, brother."


    Taking the fruit tter as she spoke, she pulled Marshal] toward the direction of theke.He could only


    sumb to being pulled away.He was unable to outright reject Aurora, who was still holding the fruit


    tter, in front of the public.


    Vermont still could notprehend what had happened and asked, "Why did you so readily agree to


    let Aurora pursue Marshall when you have always seemed to disagree back then?"


    "Since when have I disagreed? He''ll make a good brother-inw since he''s such an upright person,"


    said Keegan as he took a sip of fruit juice.


    Ste pouted as she said to herself, ''Are you even sure your sister is virtuous enough for Mr.Moore?''


    "Ste, how much did Madam Kane give you?"


    Vermont winked at her as he continued, "Go on, open it."


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


    Ste was curious, but she whispered, "Won''t it be disrespectful to open it here?"


    Vermont responded, "It''s alright.No one''s watching.Go ahead and open it."


    Keegan''s eye twitched from hearing the ongoing whispers between the two of them.


    "Go on, open it."

 Chapter 609

    Chapter 609


    Chapter 609


    Ste took out the money pouch and pinched it gently.It was a little thick.


    She raised her eyes and said to Vermont, "There''s at least two thousand in it."


    Vermont also pinched it and said, "It should be more than two thousand.A minimum of three thousand


    in it if the money is new."


    "New money of three thousand isn''t this thin."


    "It must be three thousand.Otherwise, the money pouch wouldn''t be so big."


    Keegan was speechless.


    Suddenly, he felt a little ashamed to stand beside these two people.


    Instigated by Vermont, Ste opened the money pouch quietly.She opened it with a racing heart and


    trembling hands and found nothing.


    There was another smaller money pouch inside.


    Ste was left speechless.


    Vermont stroked his chin and said, "In that case, it may be like what you said.It''s two thousand."


    Ste opened thisyer of money pouch.


    However, there was anotheryer of money pouch inside.


    Both of them were silent now.


    Vermont pondered and said, "It can''t be one thousand, right?"


    "A thousand is money too!"


    Ste simply opened the thirdyer of the money pouch.She reached out and touched it.


    There was something that felt like a thick card, and she was stunned.


    Vermont was very anxious beside her.


    He asked, "How much is it?"


    Ste replied, "It looks like a card."


    Vermont''s eyes brightened a little.


    "Grandma Cordelia must be generous.Take it out and see how much it is."


    Ste reached and took out the card inside.


    Then, all three of them fell silent.


    It was not a bank card but a single photo of Keegan that wasminated.


    The photo was taken when Keegan was in university.


    The background could be vaguely recognized as the schoolyard of Trinity University because theb


    building of Trinity University was too conspicuous.


    It was in the shape of underpants, which remained unchanged for more than ten years.


    In the photo, Keegan was obviously much younger.


    He wore a jersey and sat on the grass with wet hair pushed back.


    It also revealed his handsome face.


    In the photo, he was holding a water bottle in one hand and looking at the camera calmly.


    That appearance of his was much better than the hottest fresh meat in current show business.


    It was the first-time Ste saw Keegan''s university photos.


    Keegan disliked taking pictures, so he only had many photos from his childhood.


    Most of them were stored by Cordelia.


    When Ste went to Cordelia''s homest time, she let Ste look through them.


    However, Ste never saw this before.


    ¡®His expression in the photo is as cool as ever," she thought.


    "There are some words on the back," Vermont said suddenly.


    Ste turned it over and looked at it.


    Then, her temples twitched violently.


    There was only the word, "gift," on the back of the photo.


    Keegan was left speechless.


    Vermont looked back and forth between the two of them.


    Suddenly, he smiled and said, "Grandma Cordelia is so generous.She''s giving you her beloved


    grandson."


    Ste then said, "I''ll sell her beloved grandson to you for three thousand."


    The corner of Keegan''s mouth twitched.He thought to himself, '' Am I only worth three thousand?"


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


    Vermont waved his hands hurriedly and said, "I can''t afford it."


    Ste stopped being garrulous.She stuffed the photo into Keegan''s suit pocket and said, "I''m going to


    get something to eat."


    Ste barely ate from noon until now.So, she was a little hungry.

 Chapter 610

    Chapter 610


    Chapter 610


    As soon as Ste had left, Vermont looked at Keegan with a smile and said, "Giving photos is so


    boring.Next time, pack yourself as a gift and send it over.Maybe she''ll ept it."


    Keegan nced at him.


    "Did you watch too many cheesy dramas?"


    Keegan knew nothing about the money pouch.He was also surprised when Ste took out the photo.


    However, Keegan felt that it was in line with Cordelia''s usual style when he thought about it.


    Vermont said, "Ste still likes your face.Didn''t you see her expression when she looked at the photo


    just now? Her eyes lit up."


    Keegan paused and said, "Really?"


    "If she doesn''t like it, her first reaction should be disgust when she sees that it''s you.But, she nced


    at the photo five times just now! Ste is a face-judger.Look at the ounts she follows.They are all


    people with good looks and good figures.Isn''t your appearance miles ahead of those inte


    celebrities?" Keegan frowned.


    "Are youparing me to those people?"


    Vermont was speechless.


    "Isn''t that the point? The point is Ste likes your appearance! It''s your advantage!"


    Keegan nced at him and replied, "I know."


    Keegan knew that Ste liked his appearance a long time ago.


    Ste was in a car ident back then.


    When she got out of surgery and Keegan went to see her, she was in a daze as the anesthesia had not


    worn off.


    The doctor asked him to talk to her to see if she was conscious.


    However, Ste squinted and called him "Handsome" before he could speak.


    She even boasted many nice words about his appearance and kept badgering him for his contact


    information.


    Keegan knew what his face looked like.


    Vermont sighed with emotion every time and said if he looked like Keegan, he would not even need to


    say anything to chase girls.


    Girls woulde to him to strike up a conversation wherever he stopped.


    However, girls rarely did that with this face on Keegan because his expression was always unfriendly,


    and it shut people out.


    Yet, Ste dared to do it.


    Not only did she stare at him directly, but she also teased him.


    Keegan was disgusted with these kinds of superficial women who only looked at his appearance.


    But, when Ste was lying on the hospital bed and praising him in gibberish, a strange feeling raised in


    his heart.


    After marrying Ste, he had a clearer understanding of how Ste was a face-judger and was cheeky.


    Although Keegan never had a past with other women, ording tomon sense, women should be


    ashamed to talk about their first night.


    However, Ste was different.


    It was Ste who took the initiative to flirt for their consummation.


    Keegan was afraid that the two of them would be embarrassed.


    So, he wanted to turn off the light at that time, but Ste refused.


    She just looked at him directly, which made him feel a little embarrassed.


    It did not go well at first.


    Keegan made Ste feel a little hurt.He saw her ghastly expression, so he wanted to stop.


    Yet, she held his face and said, "It doesn''t hurt that much when I look at your face."


    Keegan clearly felt Ste''s superficiality early on.


    Vermont gnashed his teeth with hatred.Heshed out at Keegan mercilessly and said, There''s


    someone who looks better than you now.Look at Trevor.How can youpete with his face?"


    Keegan paused and looked at Trevor immediately.


    Trevor had already been beside Ste at some point.


    Trevor used the food tong and gave Ste a mango pie.


    He said gently, "It''s delicious."


    Ste politely said, "Thank you, Mr.Saun."


    "Jaylene wasn''t being sensible just now.I have already scolded her." Ste smiled.


    "Ms.Saun''s handwriting is really good.I just took advantage of it."


    Trevor said, "You justck practice.If you keep practicing, your writing will be as good as hers."


    Their education was different since they were young.


    Rainee had done her best to raise Ste so that she would grow up this way.


    With her protection, Ste suffered lesser in her childhood.


    But even so, Trevor felt bad when he thought about how Ste was forced to marry Keegan to save


    Rainee''s life.


    Trevor thought to himself, ''My sister deserves better."This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 611

    Chapter 611


    Chapter 611


    Ste was a bit surprised.


    ''Doesn''t Trevor have a sisterplex? Why does this sound like he''s siding with me?"


    Ste pondered, ''Maybe Trevor is just being polite.After all, these words can also be understood as an


    apology to me for Jaylene''s recklessness."


    With that in mind, Ste politely said, "Even if I really practiced, I might barely be on a par with


    Ms.Saun.Her handwriting is really beautiful."


    Trevor''s eyes softened.


    ''Ste isn''t only well-taught, but kind too."


    "Mrs.Chapman said you can y the piano.When you have a chance next time, y it for me too."


    After being missing for over 20 years, Trevor wanted to get to know her better.


    Ste just took a bite of the mango pie.She could neither swallow nor spit it out.


    Once again, she wondered if Trevor was trying to rule her out.


    What he said was too strange.


    Obviously, Trevor also realized that what he had said was causing a little misunderstanding.


    So, he then coughed and said, "Only by fully understanding the talents of our artists can we arrange


    work in a targeted manner."


    Ste was left speechless.


    She swallowed the mango pie and whispered, "Actually, I''m not good at ying piano."


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Trevor shocked.He heard people say that she surprised the audience with a song on the cruise ship.


    "I can only y well for one song."


    Ste honestly exined her ability in piano to her employer.


    "I can only show off once.Everyone will be suspicious if I y that again.So, Mr.Saun, don''t let me y


    the piano in public when you arrange work for me."


    Trevor was speechless.


    Then, he frowned and said, "The Jewell family didn''t hire a piano teacher for you?"


    "They did."


    Ste took advantage of her assistant, Shea, being absent today and got another meatloaf muffin for


    herself.


    "But, I have a short attention span in learning things.I''ll study very hard if I''m interested, but my interest


    won''tst long."


    No matter the skill, it was useless for the teacher to just teach it.


    It usually depended on the practice.


    However, Ste began to get bored with the piano after learning for half a year.


    Rainee was a strict and disciplined person.So, she was very strict with Ste''s studies.


    Whether Ste liked it or not, she had to be on time and in ce to practice the piano.


    Before they moved, they lived in apound in the old district.


    Ste could hear her friends ying in the yard when she practiced the piano in the room.


    She was tempted every time and could not bear it.


    At that time, her friends would call her through the window, and there had their own secret signs.


    If Rainee were at home, she would y "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."


    When her buddies heard the song, they would stop calling her.


    If Rainee was out, she would open the window as soon as her friends called her.


    Her buddies would put a stool under the outside window, and she would slip out by stepping on it.


    It was the advantage of living on the first floor.


    While ying, someone would keep watch.


    As soon as Rainee entered the alley, someone would tip Ste off immediately, and she would climb


    back along the window and sit in front of the piano before Rainee arrived home.


    Then, Ste would pretend to practice ying the piano.


    Of course, the truth would alwayse to light.


    A child could not fool an adult.

 Chapter 612

    Chapter 612


    Chapter 612


    It did not take long for Rainee to discover the collusion between Ste and her buddies.So, she beat


    her up.


    Rainee was still reluctant to hit her.So, she just hit Ste''s palm with a ruler.


    "Then, my mom found out that I''m really not cut out for piano.Besides, she is busy with work, so she no


    longer pushes me."


    She thought to herself, ''My family''s condition improvedter on, and we moved to a bigger house.But, I


    was never as happy as I was back in my childhood time."


    Trevor''s eyes softened a little.


    "Since you hate practicing the piano so much, didn''t you think of a way to break the piano? That way,


    you don''t have to practice or get beaten." Ste smiled.


    "I can''t.You probably don''t understand.At that time, my family''s condition was only average, and the


    piano was nearly 14,000 dors.It was really expensive 20 years ago.My mother could have bought a


    car, but she spent the money on me.She had a big fight with Albert for me.I would rather be beaten


    than break the piano.It was her hard-earned money, and I''m the one who failed to live up to it."


    Because of that, Rainee was very opposed to the audition back then.She knew her daughter well.So,


    she was afraid that Ste was hot- headed and would stop studying hard after she lost interest.


    Ste could score very high in her academics because Rainee had threatened her.


    If she could not get into the top twenty of the grade, Ste would not be allowed to study that even if


    she got first ce in the audition.


    After the result hade out, she went to show it off in front of Rainee.


    When she got older, she realized that Rainee was always full of forward-looking considerations for her.


    Even if Ste could not learn acting, she could still apply to a good university with good academic


    results.


    Rainee had never put out Ste''s dream.


    Instead, she gave her a boost to get Ste closer to achieving her dream.


    Only hard-earned things would be regarded as treasures.


    Trevor choked.


    A piano worth 14,000 dors was nothing to the Saun family even 30 years ago, let alone 20 years.


    The paper that Jaylene used to practice writing when she was a child cost thousands a month.


    She knocked over a ss of water when she did not want to practice.


    They knew she did it purposely, but they indulged her.


    In the concept of the Saun family, girls should be spoiled.


    However, Ste would rather be beaten than break the piano.


    This realization made Trevor feel very ufortable.


    She should have grown up surrounded by everyone''s love without suffering this much.


    Seeing that Trevor''s face was not well, Ste thought she had said too many personal things and


    annoyed him.So, she coughed lightly and said, "Mr.Saun, this meatloaf muffin is pretty good.Do you


    want to try it?"


    Trevor came back to his senses.


    He picked up the te, took it, and said, ''''You don''t have to call me Mr.Saun.It''s aloof.You''re about the


    same age as Jaylene.If you don''t mind, you can also address me as your brother in the future."


    Ste was speechless.She was afraid of riding Trevor''s coattails.


    In this world, no one would treat others well for no reason.


    Ste thought that it was better to keep her boss at arm''s length.


    However, she could not refuse in a way that was too obvious.He was the boss.


    It would affect her work if she offended him.


    So, shepromised and said, "I think someone in thepany calls you Trevor, so I''ll call you Trevor


    too."


    Trevor was reluctant, but it was not the time yet.He had no choice but to agree.


    "As long as you''re happy."


    Ste then gave him another piece of caviar sushi.


    "Trevor, try this."


    In the end, before the sushi was ced on Trevor''s te, someone bumped into Ste''s arm.


    The sushi slipped from the food tong and fell to the ground.


    "Sorry, I didn''t see you there."


    A female voice came from the side.


    Although she was sorry, her tone was very condescending, which made others extremely


    ufortable.


    Ste nced at the person, and it turned out to be Molly.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Thinking of the way she pretended to be drunk and threw herself into Trevor''s arms at the Carter


    couple''s dinnerst time, Ste suspected that the collision just now was intentional.

 Chapter 613

    Chapter 613


    Chapter 613


    Molly apologized coldly.


    However, her tone softened immediately when her eyes turned to Trevor.


    "Trevor, are you hungry? There are freshly grilled steaks ahead.I''ll take you there."


    Trevor showed a serious expression and tly said, "Actually, I really want to eat that caviar sushi.But,


    unfortunately, you knocked it to the floor."


    The expression on Molly''s face froze for a second.


    Then, she smiled and said, "That won''t a problem.I''ll ask the chef to make it again for you."


    However, Trevor replied, "I just want to eat the piece that fell on the floor just now."


    Molly was embarrassed now, and she thought, ''Isn''t he clearly ming me?'' Ste did not want to be


    cannon fodder there.So, she said while holding a te, "Trevor, I''ll go over there."


    Then, she shed away with the dinner te.


    Compared to Trevor, Ste suddenly felt that Keegan was easy to bully.


    If Keegan said he only wanted to eat the piece on the ground, she would definitely pick it up and feed it


    to him because he would only scold her.


    However, she did not dare to do that to Trevor.


    She felt that Trevor would kill her even though he looked kind.


    As soon as Ste slipped away from Trevor, Keegan grabbed her wrist and pulled her aside.


    Ste was afraid that the food on the te would fall, so she could only struggle a little.


    "Don''t pull me!"


    Keegan let go and said sullenly, "What were you muttering to Trevor for so long?"


    Ste nced at him and said, "My handsome brother?"


    Keegan''s eyelids twitched.


    ''Handsome brother? She never calls me handsome! The time when the anesthesia hadn''t worn off


    doesn''t count! Ste shrugged.


    "Nothing.We''re just chatting about each other''s hobbies."


    ¡®Talking about hobbies?¡¯ Keegan thought.


    His face tensed even more and said, "Why do you need to know about his hobbies?"


    "I want to pander to his desires."


    Ste simply sat on a chair and began to enjoy her food.She said while eating, ''''He¡¯s my boss


    now.Shouldn''t I ride his coattail?"


    The corners of Keegan''s eyes twitched.


    "In Rivera, my coattail is the only one you should ride.Why are you going to him?"


    Ste paused and nced under his belt.


    "I think it''s a bit exaggerated to say the only one."


    Keegan was left speechless.


    Her eyes swept toward his waist and hips, coupled with her frivolous tone and words.It aroused his self


    -esteem and made him lose control at the same time.


    ¡®Ste is definitely sent by God to control me," he thought.


    Keegan then said with a sullen face, "Do you know what you''re talking about?"


    "I do."


    Ste looked innocent.


    "Mr.Kane, what did you think I was talking about?"


    ¡®She called Trevor her brother but me as Mr.Kane! Is her rtionship with Trevor closer than with me?''


    Keegan wondered.


    Keegan suppressed his anger and said, ''''Don''t call Trevor your brother!"


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste looked at him and said calmly, "Why not? Mr.Saun Jet me recognize him as my brother because


    he thinks highly of me."


    Keegan could not say that he was jealous.


    So, he said, "It''s not that he thinks highly of you.He''s tricking you to recognize him as your brother to


    get to me.If you do that, doesn''t that mean I have to recognize him as my brother too? I don''t want to


    recognize him as my brother!"


    Ste was speechless.

 Chapter 614

    Chapter 614


    Chapter 614


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Please, Trevor is not as childish as you.Plus, we''re divorced.Nobody would expect you to call him


    what I call him."


    It was ame excuse, but Keegan kept a straight face and said, "Either way, you''re not allowed to call


    him that!"


    Ste gave Keegan a side-eye.


    Ste thought to herself, ''I''ll deliberately call him that, then!¡¯ While they were talking, an eightyered


    cake was pushed to the venue by quite a few people.


    Cordelia did not lie.


    Mostyers of the cake were filled with mixed fruits, but there was oneyer that was topped with


    mangoes only.


    Ste''s eyes followed the cake, and she thought about taking a big piece of it for Felicity because


    Felicity loved cakes.


    When she was reminded of Felicity, Ste frowned again.


    ¡®why isn''t she here yet? Did something happen?"


    Ste took out her phone and texted Felicity.


    [Where are you?] Ste waited for a long time, but Felicity did not reply.


    "Let''s go and stand further in front.We''re taking group photoster," Keegan spoke.


    Ste had no choice but to stuff her phone into her bag, got up, and followed Keegan to the front row.


    There were a lot of people in the front row.


    It was so noisy that Ste did not notice her phone ringing.


    Felicity was blocked by security outside of Dragon Lagoon.


    The guards did not let her in because she did not have an invitation.


    Unfortunately, Felicity could not reach Ste''s phone at the time, so Felicity panicked.


    Lancelot''s assistant was really annoyed.


    "Are you serious? You don''t even have an invitation, and yet you still invited us?" Felicity kept


    apologizing.


    "I''m sorry, she must be busy with something, or maybe she missed the call.You can go back to the car


    and take a break, Mr.Lewie.I''ll call her again."


    Lancelot was dressed as a female opera singer.


    His face was caked with makeup for the opera performance, so it was hard to see his expressions.His


    tone, however, was soft.


    "It''s okay, try and ask again."


    Since Ste entrusted Felicity with something of this importance, Felicity was scared of messing it up


    and embarrassing Ste.She put away her previous resentment toward Vermont and dialed his


    number.


    This time, the call was answered instantly.


    Vermont''s voice came across from the other side of the line.


    "Miss Bandit, what do you want from me?"


    Felicity was too anxious to banter with him.


    "Come pick me up at Dragoon Lagoon''s entrance.I was blocked by the guards, and I can''t go in!"


    "What are you doing here? Are you here for Corbin? Can you be more reserved when you chase after


    men?"


    Felicity gritted her teeth.


    "Reserved my ass! I''m here to deliver a goddamn birthday gift.Hurry up! If you waste time and


    embarrass Ste, I won''t forgive you!"Vermont froze for a while.


    "Wait for me, I''ll be there immediately."


    After the family photo was taken, Cordelia pulled Ste in alone to take a picture of just the two of


    them.


    When the photoshoot was done, Ste stepped aside.


    Trevor then handed her a ss of juice.


    Every girl that saw the scene was sour about it.


    "Ste Jewell has some foxy tricks up her sleeves.She just got divorced, and she already has the


    support of Mr.Moore.And now, she''s seducing Mr.Saun! She is really not giving herself a break."


    "She is just using her pretty privilege to seduce all the men around her.Does she really think they like


    her for who she is? They just want her for her looks.Mr.Kane just got out of this mess.I wonder who is


    her next victim?"


    "I''m curious.The Jewells were practically telling everyone that she is an illegitimate child, so where did


    she find the nerve to attend this birthday banquet?"


    "How could she seduce all the young men in Rivera if she didn''t? Look at how coquettish she was


    when she was talking to Mr.Saun just now."


    "I heard that she was recently signed under Mr.Saun, and she wants to debut as an actress.Could she


    be trying to seduce Mr.Saun to get on his casting couch?"


    Molly''s expression grew darker as she listened on.


    She just got shut down by Trevor, and after Ste had left, Trevor did not even want to speak one more


    sentence to her.He used the toilet as an excuse to leave.


    ¡®Trevor has been single for so many years, and Ste is just a divorced woman.


    What right does she have?'' she thought.

 Chapter 615

    Chapter 615


    Chapter 615


    Someone then asked, "Does anyone know what Ste brought as a gift tonight?"


    "I didn''t see her go to the reception.She probably got in when nobody was looking."


    "Damn, she has no shame.Coming here empty-handed and going home with money." Molly''s eyes


    darkened.


    When everyone was singing the birthday song, Ste secretly nced at her phone and saw the few


    missed calls.She quickly called Felicity back.


    However, Felicity''s line was busy.


    Ste texted Felicity, [where are you now???]


    Just as her text was sent, there was a suddenmotion at the venue.


    Before long, the news got out.


    The ount book at the reception was soaked in alcohol.


    When Baldwin informed Cordelia, she furrowed her brows.


    The ount book at the reception was quite important since they had to reciprocate the gift based on


    the who- gave-what recorded in the book.


    It would be inappropriate to return gifts that were too cheap or expensivepared to the original gift.


    The most courteous way would be to reciprocate the gifts ording to the ount book.


    But now, the book was drenched in alcohol.


    Not only were the writings smudged, but some pages were also irretrievable.


    It was impossible to make out what was recorded.


    Dahlia and Cyrene were more anxious than the others.


    They spent quite a lot of money on this celebration and invited many guests respectively.


    They were responsible for the gifts given by their own guests.


    Now that the ount book was ruined, they could not keep the records in check.


    "How could they let this happen? There are so many people watching.How could wine be spilled on the


    book?"


    Dahlia could not help butin.


    Cyrene was also upset, but the ountant was an old retired director of thepany who Cordelia


    regarded highly, so she suppressed her urge to talk badly about the situation.


    She proposed an idea instead.


    "Mom, since everyone is still here, let''s re-register all the gifts.If there are any bnce errors in the


    records, I''ll ask someone to trace it back."


    Cordelia frowned.


    It was indeed unseemly to conduct a re- registration, but there were far too many guests.


    Without the ount book, they would be unable to register all the guests clearly, and it would be a big


    matter if it led to inappropriateness when reciprocating the gifts.


    Cordelia contemted for a while and told Baldwin, ''''Go make the arrangements, Baldwin."


    Baldwin nodded.


    By using a mic, he informed everyone about the situation.


    Returning favors and maintaining interpersonal rtionships were very important aspects of the


    corporate world of Rivera.


    When everyone heard about it, they were very understanding and cooperative during the re-


    registration.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Baldwin arranged extra help from four people.


    That way, the re- registration could be done faster.


    When there were only a few people left, Molly nced at Ste."Miss Jewell, don''t you need to register


    as well?"


    When Molly said that, everyone''s eyes were on Ste.


    The good thing about re-registering was, those who did not bring a gift could be spotted easily.


    Someone quietly said, "She really dide empty-handed."


    "In the jewelry exhibition previously, Mrs.Kane was so nice to her.How could she not bring a gift?"


    "She''s just an illegitimate child.What manners do you expect her to have? Of course she would take as


    much advantage as she can." Ste paused.


    ''So, she was waiting to embarrass me? ¡®No wonder the ount book was ruined.


    ¡®Molly really went to great lengths to make a fool out of me."


    Just as Ste wanted to speak, the ountant suddenly said, "Miss Jewell did register.Three gifts


    even.I remember them clearly.There was an opal brooch, crystal cross ne, and a pair of crystal


    cups."


    Keegan froze then shot a confused look at Aldor.


    Aldor had no idea as well, as he only registered one gift for Ste.


    At that moment, the lights of the venue dimmed, and spotlights were aimed at the corridor by theke.


    Before anyone could be seen there, an ethereal voice of a soprano broke the silence.

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    Chapter 616


    Cordelia was shocked and hurriedly peered at the corridor by theke.


    Everyone else was looking for the source of the voice as well.


    Orchestra music for the opera was then yed through the surrounding speakers.


    Only a few young people were interested in operas, so they thought that it was a performance arranged


    by the Kanes.


    But, the elderly guests were familiar with operas.


    ¡®Isn''t this the prelude to The Flower Pavilion?"


    Even if it was just one note, the voice of the soprano was as smooth as silk.


    Anyone who listens to operas often could tell that the person had a strong skill foundation like Lancelot


    Lewie.


    ¡®But, how is this possible?'' Cordelia thought.


    It was widely known in the elite circle that Cordelia was a fan of operas and that her favorite opera


    singer was Lancelot.


    It was not just Cordelia, however.


    Lancelot also had a lot of fans among Rivera''s elites.


    But, ever since he retired from the scene, he never sang again in public.


    No matter how much money was offered, Lancelot never made an exception for anyone, even when he


    was asked by his friends and rtives.


    When he sang, even if he was not the leading role, the ticket prices were cheaper than a pack of


    cigarettes.


    He would sing seven to eight operas a day without dy.


    When he stopped singing, even if the pay was at an ungodly amount, he would never give in either.


    It was due to this principled personality of his that everyone saw him as a respectable artist.


    So, even if the crowd thought that the voice was simr to his, they still believed that it was impossible


    for it to be him.


    Lancelot was recognized as the nation''s first-ss artist, who was reputable for both his skills and


    morals.


    Even the Kanes of Rivera had no impact on him since he got his sry from the government''s


    financials, he basically did not need to be subservient to anyone.


    As the music went on, two rows of backup dancers wearing servant costumes appeared from the


    corridor that was covered by greens.


    Behind them was an actor in a gown with a crown on his head.


    He was wearing delicate makeup as well as a smile.


    The backup dancers took light steps and moved outward slowly until they exited the corridor.


    They then spread out in two syed arches, and atst stood in a row, with the actor dressed as a


    female opera singer in the center.


    The opera singer held a fan in his right hand and waved the long sleeve in his left hand.


    Apanied by the music, he looked up in the direction of the crowd.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    His eyes were soft, and he had a graceful posture.


    The crowd was already gasping in awe at his few motions.


    The moment he sang once more, everyone was shocked.


    ¡®It really is Lancelot Lewie!'' ¡®Who invited him?'' The crowd''s gaze fell upon the two daughters-inw of


    the Kane family.


    ¡®Since they were the ones who organized the birthday celebration, one of them must have arranged


    this performance."


    ¡®Cordelia admired Lancelot, and they managed to invite him here. of course she will reward them,


    right?! ¡®I wonder who was the one that was capable of this."


    Dahlia watched the performance with a serious expression.


    If eyes could kill, she would have already kicked Lancelot into theke.


    Mrs.Chapman and Lancelot''s wife were ssmates.


    To invite Lancelot, Dahlia spent a lot of money to ask Mrs.Chapman to build up a good rtionship with


    his wife.


    Time after time, they did get closer.


    Mrs.Chapman then mentioned the intention to invite Lancelot to Cordelia''s birthday party, but


    Mrs.Lewie rejected it right away.


    Back then, Lancelot retired from the scene because the fatigue was taking a toll on his health.


    His wife urged him into early retirement.


    To honor his promise, Lancelot never performed on stage again.


    So, his wife could not break Lancelot''s own promise.

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    Chapter 617


    Dahlia boiled with rage as soon as she heard that.


    ''What a waste of my time! He told me straight up that he can''t perform!¡¯


    Then, she figured that Cyrene would also try to ask Mrs.Lewie.


    But, it''s impossible that Mrs.Lewie would risk offending her by saying yes to Cyrene.


    When she thought about that, she felt more at ease.


    Since both of them were unable to invite Lancelot, then they would have to depend on their respective


    capabilities to be at the center of attention.


    Who would have expected Lancelot to be present? Dahlia looked at Mrs.Chapman with an unpleasant


    expression.


    Mrs.Chapman did not aplish the task assigned to her, so she was not too happy either.


    She could not voice out her troubles, but she still consoled Dahlia and said, "It definitely wasn''t Cyrene


    who invited Lancelot.


    Mrs.Lewie won''t reject me because of Cyrene.We were pretty close in school back in the day.


    "If it wasn''t Cyrene, then who was it?"


    Dahlia was upset.


    "You couldn''t even do a simple task right!"


    Mrs.Chapman nearly had a heart attack.


    ¡®Is this a simple goddamn task?"


    ¡®Do it yourself then! ¡®You pushed the task onto others, but still threw a tantrum when it''s not done?"


    Mrs.Chapman only dared to keep herints to herself.


    She had too many things that needed her to depend on Dahlia.So, she just looked down and


    suppressed the anger in her eyes.


    "It won''t happen again."


    Dahlia was sullen but stayed silent.


    Cyrene''s brows were also furrowed.


    Jackson asked, "Mom, how did you manage to invite him?"


    "I didn''t," Cyrene answered in a low voice.


    "I got rejected by Mrs.Lewie.I didn''t even manage to meet Lancelot."


    Jackson was surprised.


    "Who is it then, if it isn''t you?"


    ¡®Aunt Dahlia''s face is longer than a horse''s.If it was her, she wouldn''t be looking like this now," Jackson


    thought.


    Cyrene did not reply.She was also curious about who was capable enough to invite Lancelot.


    Everyone was guessing who invited him, and only Cordelia was happily listening to Lancelot''s live


    performance of The Flower Pavilion.


    It was a dreame true for her, after all these years.


    After the song was over, Lancelot took off his heavy costume and makeup with the help of his


    assistant, Felicity, and others.


    He changed into a in-colored shirt and came toward Cordelia under thepany of others.


    "Mrs.Kane, happy birthday," Lancelot said as he took a gift box from his assistant and gave it to


    Cordelia.


    "I wish you blossoming health, and may you have today''s glory forever."


    Apart from his feminine soprano voice when he was performing, Lancelot had a warm and soothing


    masculine voice.He did not have the arrogance of a national opera star.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Without makeup, he looked like a middle-aged man with a pretty face, and his manners were also quite


    pleasing.


    Cordelia was beyond ecstatic about having her favorite opera singer perform on her birthday, and he


    even gave her a birthday gift.


    She smiled so much that her eyes creased into countless wrinkles.


    She behaved like a fangirl who had just met her idol and kept asking Lancelot questions and feeding


    him food.


    Mrs.Wood heard everyone''s discussions and thought that it was Dahlia who had invited Lancelot.


    "Lancelot must be touched by Dahlia''s affection to agree to perform on stage," Mrs.Woods praised.


    "Mrs.Kane, you''re so blessed to have a daughter-inw like Dahlia."


    However, Dahlia''s eyes twitched.


    After what Mrs.Wood said, everyone thought that it was Dahlia who had invited him.


    Since Mrs.Wood was fairly close to Dahlia, everyone thought that what she said must have been


    correct, so they praised along.


    Dahlia put on a weird expression, not knowing whether to admit or deny it.


    Felicity followed Lancelot over to them and heard them ttering Dahlia.


    She could not help but shout, "Lancelot was invited by my Ste.It''s none of Dahlia''s business!"

 Chapter 618

    Chapter 618


    Chapter 618


    Even though Felicity''s words were vulgar, the impact they had was that of a boulder tossed into the


    water, which caused thousands of waves and ripples.


    "Is she talking about Ste Jewell?"


    "How can it be? If she had the brains and ways to do this, would she have divorced Keegan? Stop


    joking."


    "But, there''s nobody else named Ste here, right?"


    "I think the girl who shouted is the girl standing next to Ste Jewell."


    "I think it really was her..."


    Dahlia''s face went red, and then green, and then blue with emotions.


    Never in her wildest dreams could she have predicted that Lancelot was invited by Ste.


    ¡®With Lancelot here, Cordelia is already overwhelmed with joy.There''s no room left for excitement for


    my grand finale.


    ¡®Ste stole the show! ¡®When She was one of the Kanes, Cordelia liked Ste the most.


    Now that she is divorced, she still managed to steal my thunder!'' Dahlia stared at Ste with fiery eyes


    full of rage.


    Ste looked indifferent and calm as if aplishing this was easy as pie to her.


    Cordelia was surprised to hear that it was Ste who had invited Lancelot and hurriedly called for Ste


    toe closer.


    "Ste, what is this?" Cordelia asked.


    Ste''s eyes went soft, and she said warmly, "This is my birthday gift to you.Didn''t you always want to


    listen to Lancelot''s The Flower Pavilion again?"


    "Indeed, I do.But, how did you manage to invite him?"


    "Lancelot is a nice person.I mentioned that you were a big fan of his, and he instantly agreed to sing for


    your birthday."


    Lancelot froze and nced at the lying youngdy.


    ¡®Did she forget how she followed me to the tea shop that I usually go to? ¡®She shamelessly offered to


    carry my bird cages, helped me to get water, and made tea for me, and she won''t leave no matter how


    hard I tried to drive her away.How annoying," he thought.


    However, it was not because of Ste''s shamelessness that Lancelot agreed toe.


    If it was, anyone could have pestered him into performing.


    He was willing toe because of Ste''s mother, Rainee.


    Before Lancelot became famous, he did not have many audiences.


    But, one of them would attend every time he performed, and that person was Rainee.


    The first two years after he started out, his tickets were the worst- seller in the theater because


    everyone only bought tickets to see famous singers.


    This made him very depressed at the time.


    The theater wanted to profit, so if the tickets were selling badly, they would cut down slots for the


    performance.


    Then, Lancelot was at risk of not having shows to perform in.


    Mysteriously, the news of the cutdown was spread among opera fans, and the next day, his tickets sold


    out for that show.


    Lancelot was shocked.


    When he got on the stage, he realized that there was only one person in the audience.


    And, that person was Rainee, Ste''s mother.


    She booked the entire theater to increase the sales of his tickets and to prevent his performances from


    being cut down.


    Miraculously, his poprity started to increase that year.


    Then, in less than two years, he got famous.


    After he was famous, Rainee would still support his performances.


    As long as she was free, she was sure to attend every show that he had.


    For over ten years, she sat in the same seat each time.


    When Ste approached Lancelot, she brought many pictures of him and Rainee together.


    She was good at emotionally appealing to Lancelot, and he was thankful for this fan of his.


    Upon hearing that she had died, he agreed to Ste''s request as a token of appreciation toward


    Rainee.


    So, seeing that Ste fibbed, Lancelot did not expose her.


    Obviously, Cordelia liked Ste''s reply.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    She held Ste''s hand as she praised her again.


    It was a joyous scene.


    Vermont smacked his lips and said, "Ste''s quite impressive to be able to invite Lancelot."

 Chapter 619

    Chapter 619


    Chapter 619


    Felicity scoffed.


    "Ste is the best.She could get anything done if she wanted to," She spoke as she red at Keegan.


    "She doesn''t need a man!"


    Keegan kept quiet.


    Vermont tried to hold back hisughter as he wrapped his arm around Felicity''s shoulder.


    "Miss bandit, why are you still just a stage supervisor if your best friend is so impressive?"


    Felicity shook his arm off and glowered at him before she said, "Your friends are only twenty-


    something, and they''re already CEOs of different listedpanies.You''re thirty, yet you''ve achieved so


    few things in your field.All you know is to mess around with women.I would die of shame if I were you."


    The edge of Vermont''s mouth twitched.


    ''I didn''t expect this woman to be meaner than Ste."


    Felicity went to look for something to eat after she said that.


    "Nothing nice would evere out of that filthy mouth of yours.You''ll never be attractive to any


    man!"Vermont said.


    He was about to whine about it to Keegan.


    However, he turned around and found that Keegan was not listening to their conversation at all.


    Instead, he was staring directly at Ste¡­ and Trevor.


    Keegan looked very tense.


    ¡®Why is Trevor always pestering Ste like a fly?'' he thought.


    Then, he asked Vermont with an angry face, "What advantage do you think Trevor has over me?"


    "Advantage...He hasn''t gotten married before, of course," said Vermont.


    Keegan kept quiet.


    Then, he gritted his teeth and said, "I''m serious!"


    Vermont said, "So am I! People always prefer unmarried men."


    Keegan put on an angry face.


    ''Did you hear how politely Ste calls his name? She''d never done that to me!"


    ¡®Is he really getting mad over something so trivial?¡¯ Vermont was surprised.


    Then, he consoled Keegan.


    "Calm down.There''s no need to be so angry over this.I''m sure that she''ll call you Mr.Ex-husband very


    politely now."


    Keegan''s face darkened, and he felt like throwing Vermont into theke.


    Instead, he thought to himself, ¡®Why am I friends with him?"


    "But, it looks like Trevor treats your ex-wife very well.I''ve never really seen her smile like this."


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan glowered at him.


    "Do you want to know why?"


    "Yeah?"


    "Ste signed a contract with Trevor, and now she works for Elegant Media."


    Vermont stood there in shock as if he was struck by lightning.


    "How could she do that?! I gave her an offer first!"


    Keegan felt a lot better after looking at the surprised look on Vermont''s face.He wanted Vermont to feel


    just as awful as him.


    Then, he turned around and said to Aldor, "Find out who gave her the cross ne and opal."


    Ste saw that Cordelia was still taking pictures with Lancelot after speaking with Trevor, so she took a


    piece of cake and went to look for Felicity.She walked past Olivia with the cake in her hand, but Olivia''s


    arm bumped into her.


    The te was too small, and it fell off after that.It would have fallen on her long dress if Ste did not


    react on time.


    Ste looked at the cake on the floor before shifting her cold gaze to Olivia.


    Olivia acted as if she did not know what had happened.


    She said, "Ah, Miss Jewell, I''m so sorry.I didn''t see you there."


    Then, she smirked.


    "Ms.Jewell, do you not n to change yourst name? Oh, my bad.It wouldn''t be possible since you


    don''t know who your biological father is, right?"


    Dahlia treated Olivia badly just now, so she wanted to take her anger out on Ste.


    ¡®Dahlia wouldn''t have scolded me if Ste didn''t steal the spotlight! ¡® Olivia thought to herself. Ste


    red at her.


    "Mrs.Chapman, you should worry about yourself first before trying to vent your anger out on somebody


    else.You need to be aware of what''s actually happening around you."

 Chapter 620

    Chapter 620


    Chapter 620


    Olivia paused and scolded Ste, "What nonsense are you talking about?"


    Ste smirked.


    "Mrs.Chapman, do you remember what happened between you and your husband over Dragon


    Lagoon?"


    Olivia''s face darkened.


    Clearly, she did remember.


    Ste wanted to rent Dragon Lagoon, but Olivia told Ste that somebody had already rented it before


    her to brush her off after Dahlia told her to do so.


    However, Olivia''s husband suddenly asked her about it after two days.


    Then, Olivia proudly told Erick how she lied to Ste.


    She thought that Erick would praise her for doing that, but Erick gave her a good scolding instead.


    Erick scolded her for being shortsighted and told her to stay out of the conflict between Dahlia and her


    daughter-inw.


    He even said that Keegan would be the head of the Kane family sooner orter, so it would do them no


    good if they upset him and his wife.


    Olivia did not take what Erick said seriously.


    She figured that Ste would not necessarily have any power in the Kane family since she was infertile.


    But, Erick became very mad and told her that she had to rent Dragon Lagoon to Ste no matter what.


    Putting Olivia''s own personality aside, she was a sucker for Erick.


    She would always give in whenever Erick got mad.


    After all, they had been married for around thirty years, and they rarely fought with each other.


    Erick was very firm with what he said, so Olivia had no choice but to follow.


    However, something bad happened to Ste''s mother and she divorced Keegan before she could rent


    the Dragon Lagoon to Ste.


    That being said, organizing the birthday banquet had absolutely nothing to do with her anymore.


    In fact, Olivia was very bothered by the fact that Erick interfered with this when he was the one who told


    her to establish a good rtionship with Dahlia.


    And, Olivia had no idea how Ste knew that Erick had talked to her about that before.


    Olivia thought to herself for a while before she said, "You asked Keegan to talk to my husband, didn''t


    you?"


    She chuckled before she continued, "Is there anything you can do without a man''s help? Ste swept


    her gaze across her.


    "I can take care of you on my own.There''s no need to ask for his help.


    "Besides, Mr.Chapman did me that favor because I have something on him."


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Ste gazed downward to look for something in the phone.


    Then, she lifted her brows at Olivia.


    "Mrs.Chapman, take a look at your phone."


    Olivia frowned.


    She took her phone out and found out that Ste sent her a lot of photos on WhatsApp.She was


    confused.


    Then, she opened them, and her face immediately turned pale.


    Those were the photos of Erick and Ms.


    Joanna together.


    They held hands, hugged, and even made out in the car...


    Worse still, she kept scrolling and saw a photo of a teenager who was around seventeen to eighteen


    years old.


    She realized that the teenager looked somewhat like Erick when he was younger! Oliva could guess


    who the teenager was to Erick without thinking.She struggled to catch her breath as if someone was


    choking her and smashing her in the head.She continued scrolling.


    Then, she saw Erick, his lover, and their bastard child attending some kind of event together.


    Even Dahlia was in some of the photos! Olivia''s face looked extremely pale.She felt dizzy and


    staggered while holding her phone.She stared at Ste like a ghost.


    "You hired someone to edit these photos just to ruin my rtionship with my husband, right?!" Ste


    sighed.


    "Mrs.Chapman, I don''t hold any grudges against you.There''s no reason for me to ruin your family.What


    would I gain from doing that?"


    Olivia argued back.


    "You''re lying.You''re using me to deal with Dahlia because you hate her..."


    "Mrs.Chapman..."


    Ste cut her off.


    "Look at the dates of these pictures of Dahlia and them together.She knew about what happened


    between Mr.Chapman and this actress before you asked for Dahlia''s help to get rid of this


    actress."Ste emphasized as she said, "She knew all along."

 Chapter 621

    Chapter 621


    Chapter 621


    Olivia''s eyes turned red.


    "I did so much dirty work for her, yet this is how she repays me?!"


    Ste got the reaction she wanted.So, she put on a concerned look on her face and patted Olivia''s


    shoulder.She sneakily tried to smear the cake that was in her hand onto her dress.


    "Think about your future carefully.You have three daughters, after all."


    Then, she went to get cakes again with the te, leaving Olivia there to suffer alone.


    Olivia lowered her head to look at the photos as her fingers shook uncontrobly.


    Erick could only be so sessful because of how she had helped him behind his back.


    She personally did a lot of nasty and filthy things for him.She always thought that her marriage was


    different from all her rich friends in her circle.She thought that the love she had with Erick was free and


    true.


    They had been married for so many years, and they were very deeply in love.


    Erick would specifically pick a gift for her for every special asion, and Olivia''s friends would be very


    envious of her.


    It was easy to obtain something precious but note across true love.


    The only blemish in her marriage was that actress who tried to be famous.


    She found out about it eight years ago.


    Erick imed that he was set up back then, and he kept apologizing for her forgiveness.


    He even agreed to send the actress away without even a slight hesitation after Olivia suggested it.


    She put her dignity behind her and ripped off the fig leaf of her marriage to ask Dahlia for money just to


    send the actress away.


    She did all that just to find out that Dahlia actually knew about Erick''s affair way before she did! Olivia


    thought about what Dahlia had said to make her feel better back then, and she felt like vomiting as if


    maggots were crawling up her body.


    Dahlia had never treated her like a friend, and she would say anything without considering her feelings.


    She would even tell her off without holding back even though there were so many people around them.


    Olivia tried her best to put up with her for Erick''s career.


    But now, she just realized that she was the dumbest person ever! "Where are you still standing here?"


    Olivia heard Dahlia''s voiceing from behind.


    Olivia turned around.Her eyes were red, and her face looked pale.


    Dahlia was shocked.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Olivia pursed her lips and said calmly, "Nothing.Some sand blew in my eyes.How can I help you?"


    Dahlia frowned.


    "Where are the fireworks you prepared? It''s almost time.What are you doing here? Didn''t I tell you that


    the fireworks tonight are very important? Can you be more mindful?"


    Olivia clenched her fists tightly as she red at Dahlia''s bossy face, and she had a very strong urge to


    scratch her face off her! But, she swallowed her anger and replied obediently, "I''m on it."


    Dahlia''s expression looked more relieved.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    "Be quick.Don''t worry about your husband.I''ll get it done for you."


    "Mhmm," Olivia replied nonchntly.


    ¡®I''m not going let you, Erick, and that little bitch get away with this so easily!'' Olivia thought to herself.


    "Felicity, cakes! Come get it!"


    Ste was carrying two tes full of cakes in each of her hands.She was still walking toward Felicity,


    and the paper tes were already bending because of how heavy the cakes were.


    Keegan stepped forward and helped her.


    His eyes twitched when he looked at how full the tes were.


    "Are you only allowed to take it once? Why did you take so many pieces?! "

 Chapter 622

    Chapter 622


    Chapter 622


    Ste''s hands were finally free when Keegan took the tes from her.She shook her sore fingers and


    gazed at Keegan.


    "Did you see how many kids were around the cake? The ones with tasty fruits would be gone if I were


    to make a second trip there."


    Keegan said resignedly, "That doesn''t mean you have to build two forts with the cakes, right? Don''t you


    feel embarrassed for fighting with those kids over cakes?"


    Ste picked up a piece of mango with her fork and said while eating it, "Why would I? Those kids are


    so much kinder than you.Each of them took a piece for me.Otherwise, how would I get so many


    pieces?"


    Keegan did not believe her.He was about to speak, but a child ran toward him with a handful of


    candies.


    The child put on an incredulous look on his face when she saw Ste eating those cakes.


    "Miss, didn''t you say that you were going to give those cakes to uncle?"


    Ste was speechless.


    Keegan had no idea what the child was talking about.


    Ste struggled to swallow the cake and said after a cough, "I didn''t lie to you.The is for this uncle.I''m


    just trying it out."


    She picked up the cake with the spoon and put it in front of Keegan''s mouth.


    "Right? Uncle?"


    Keegan''s eyelid twitched.


    The child did not believe her.


    "You told me that the uncle has cancer, and he wants to have some cake before he dies, right? This


    uncle doesn''t look like he''s sick at all."


    Ste tantly lied to the child.


    "Yeah.A miracle happened after he ate the cake."


    Keegan''s face immediately darkened.


    The child was only about seven years old, and he looked very innocent.


    Ste was very good at tricking other people, and Keegan''s expression made him look very ill.So, the


    child doubtfully trusted Ste and handed Keegan the candies he was holding.


    "Uncle, take this.I hope you''ll get well soon."


    Ste smiled and touched the child''s head.


    "I''ll take it on behalf of uncle.Thank you, cutie."


    The advantage of being attractive was that one could convince anyone to believe anything just by


    speaking in a soft voice.


    The child blushed.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "Miss, you can have some of it too."


    Then, he skipped away.


    Keegan immediately grabbed Ste''s wrist after the child had left.He said while gritting his teeth, "Who


    did you say has cancer and wanted to eat some cakes before he dies?"


    He knew the kids would not give her so many cakes for no reason.


    ¡®How could this evil woman curse me just because she wanted to eat some cakes!'' "And, did you just


    call me an uncle?"


    "Sigh.I was just joking with the kids.Why are you so serious?"


    Keegan was about to lose his temper, but Ste suddenly stuffed a piece of candy into his mouth.


    "Is it good?"


    Keegan paused, and he suddenly did not feel mad anymore.He tasted the candy in his mouth, and it


    was a little milky and sweet...


    No, it was very sweet.


    It tasted so sweet that it lit up Keegan''s mood.


    He gazed at Ste''s expectant look, and instead of saying that it tasted okay, he said, "It''s good."


    Ste smiled and handed him all the candies.


    Then, she pushed his shoulders and said, "Go over there and have some more if it''s so good.I want to


    talk to my best friend alone."


    Keegan was speechless.


    Keegan suddenly found himself around rich men after how Ste pushed him away from her.


    The rich men surrounded Keegan warmly and started to drink with him.


    Felicity watched everything that Ste did from the side.


    She was so impressed that she gave Ste a thumbs-up.


    "Ste, you should publish a book and educate our sisters on how you made your ex-husband so


    obsessed with you even after you divorced him."

 Chapter 623

    Chapter 623


    Chapter 623


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Ste was speechless.


    "Knock it off!"


    Felicity racked her brain and shared her love experience from reading romance novels.


    "Don''t ever say yes if Keegan tries to get you back.Uh...Not so soon, at least.Make him want


    you.You''ve got to let him know that you can live without him, and he''s the one who needs you to live."


    Ste''s eyelid twitched.


    "Do you think Keegan is the type of person whose life would be affected if somebody left him?"


    "I thought you couldn''t live without him back then.You were so in love with him.You woulde to my


    house whenever you got into a fight with him, so we could scold him together.I always had the urge to


    ask you to divorce him, but you''d go back to him the next day just because he called you."


    Ste kept quiet.


    ¡®Why would she remember so clearly about something so embarrassing?¡¯ "But, you''re a different


    person now, and Keegan became the old you.He would team up with Stinky Cucumber to kidnap me


    just because he wants to see you..."


    Felicity paused.


    "Anyway, I''ve never met somebody as despicable as them!"


    Ste had no idea what she was talking about.She was about to ask her more about it, but a ray of light


    shot up the night sky and exploded before scattering thousands of tiny sparks into the sky.


    The fireworks had started.


    Rivera had banned fireworks for several years, and Ste could not remember thest time she saw


    such beautiful fireworks.


    Dahlia picked up the mic and started speaking pridefully.


    In short, she wished Cordelia a happy birthday and thanked everyone for being there as the host.


    She acted like the head of the family, and Cyrene was not having that at all.


    Suddenly, one of the fireworks shot through the crowd and exploded.


    The sparkles scattered all around.


    Everybody then started running and screaming.


    Another one did the same thing again.


    Ste immediately looked in Cordelia''s direction.


    However, someone grabbed her wrist and pulled her away from the sparkles before she could find


    Cordelia.


    Ste followed that person for a few seconds before she realized that it was Marshall who dragged her


    away.


    Ste was stunned.


    Then, she turned around to look for Felicity.


    But, she found that Keegan was holding Jaylene''s hand while running in another direction.


    Ste frowned and did not look very happy.


    "Ste!"


    Felicity shouted as soon as she saw Ste getting dragged away, and someone wrapped his arm


    around her.


    A firework streaked passed by her ear, and she was shocked.


    "What are you doing?!"


    Vermont picked her up and started running as he said, "Your legs looked pretty slim, but why are you


    so heavy?"The edge of Felicity''s mouth twitched, and she pped him.


    "Shut up, Stinky Cucumber!"


    Marshall only let go of Ste''s hand after he brought her to a safer ce.He apologized to her and


    looked at her from head to toe as he asked, "Did you get hurt?"


    Ste shook her head.


    Then, she saw smokeing out of Marshall''s left arm.She immediately took his shirt off.


    "There''s smokeing out of your zer.Take it off!"


    Fortunately, Ste took off his zer on time, and the spark only left a hole in Marshall''s shirt without


    burning his skin.


    Ste stomped on his smoking zer.She was only relieved after making sure that she put out the


    spark.She turned around and realized that the banquet had turned into a total mess.


    The sparks fell on the tablecloths and set them on fire.


    Some of the guests were burned, and there were sounds of children crying, which made Ste feel


    very awful.She looked around her and could not find Felicity anywhere.She got nervous, so she quickly


    dialed her number.


    Ste could only calm down after knowing that Felicity was fine.She turned around and was about to


    speak to Marshall, but someone pulled her away violently.

 Chapter 624

    Chapter 624


    Chapter 624


    Keegan grabbed her wrist and looked at her from head to toe with a cold face.


    Then, he said in a stern voice, "Are you okay?"


    Jaylene followed right behind them.


    She said concernedly with a frightened look on her face, '' Miss Jewell, Mr.Marshall, are you guys all


    right?"


    Ste did not respond to Keegan, and he got a little nervous.


    He asked, "Did you get burned?"


    Then, Ste shrugged his hand off while looking downward.


    "No."


    Keegan was about to heave a sigh of relief, but he heard Ste say, "I''m a lucky person.The sparks will


    avoid me if they see me.How would I be burned?"


    Keegan was speechless.


    He wanted to say something, but Trevor came to them.


    Trevor looked at Ste first to make sure that she was okay before shifting his gaze to Jaylene.


    "Jaylene, are you okay?"


    Jaylene replied gently, "I''m fine, brother.I would''ve gotten hurt if Mr.Kane didn''t drag me away just now."


    Keegan furrowed his brows.


    Trevor paused and gazed at Keegan after hearing what Jaylene said.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    "I didn''t know you could be so kind."


    Keegan did not respond to Trevor''s strange remark about him.


    He turned around and was about to speak to Ste.


    However, Ste turned the other way and said to Marshall, "Mr.Moore, let''s go somewhere brighter, so I


    can see if your arm is fine or not."


    Marshall swept his gaze across Keegan''s tensed face and said while looking down, "Sure."


    Keegan frowned and wanted to chase after them.


    However, Trevor put his hand on Keegan''s shoulder and said, "Keep the crowd under control.A lot of


    people were hurt by the fireworks.I''m afraid that the reputation of the Kane family would be ruined if


    you can''t handle this properly."


    Keegan kept a straight face as he watched Ste drag Marshall somewhere else.


    The fire had not been put out, and people were still crying and yelling.


    Keegan clenched his fists tightly and turned around to do what he had to.


    Trevor turned around and draped his jacket over Jaylene''s shoulders.


    Jaylene held the jacket and said, "Brother, why did you say that to Mr.Kane? He just saved me.That''s


    not how you would treat Miss Jewell."


    Trevor replied in an angry manner, "How could you¡­pare him with Miss Jewell? Miss Jewell


    risked her life to save you, but anybody could drag you away from those tiny sparks."


    Jaylene retorted back softly, "I think Mr.Kane is a good man.He''s very responsible."


    Trevor scrunched his face.


    "Would he divorce Miss Jewell right after her mother passed away if he was responsible? You better


    stay away from him."


    Jaylene pouted and looked in Ste''s direction.Then, she suddenly said, Brother, Mr.Moore looks like


    he cares about Miss Jewell a lot.Does he have feelings for her?"


    Trevor patted the top of her head.


    "Don''t be ridiculous."


    ¡®Keegan, the scum, doesn''t deserve to be with Ste, but it doesn''t mean that Marshall has a chance.


    ¡®One has problems with his head, and the other has problems with his family.


    ¡®I''ll personally find Ste a boyfriend if she''s looking for one, and it wouldn''t be a problem for me to


    recruit some younger guys for her to mess around with if she''s not.


    ¡®She can get married anytime she wants, and the Saun family can afford to support her forever for the


    rest of her life."


    On the other side, Marshall unbuttoned his sleeve and rolled it up.


    The old burn scars on his arm still looked horrifying.


    However, Ste prepared herself for it, so she was not that scared.


    Instead, she felt sorry for him.


    The burned hole on his shirt was as big as a ping- pong ball.


    Ste looked closer at Marshall''s skin around it.


    His skin was burned, and it became darker than the skin of the other part of his body.


    So, Ste could not really see if he was hurt or not.


    "Does it hurt?" Ste asked.


    Marshall paused and said softly, "I don''t feel anything."

 Chapter 625

    Chapter 625


    Chapter 625


    Ste was surprised.


    Then, Marshall exined, "My nerves were all damaged after being burned back then, and the parts of


    my skin where there are burn scars became very unresponsive.I can''t really feel hot, cold, or even


    pain."


    That was why he did not respond at all even though there was a hole burning in his zer earlier.


    Ste gulped.


    ''Why do I feel like I''m always reminding him of his dark past? ¡®I hate myself!'' Ste thought before she


    said, "I can''t really see if you''re burned or not.Anyway, I should just apply some petroleum jelly on it for


    you, just in case."


    Marshall did not reject Ste.


    Ste took the petroleum jelly from the medic and scooped some of it out with her fingers.


    Then, she looked down and apply it on Marshall''s arm carefully.


    Her fingertips felt chilly when she touched Marshall''s skin, and it made him tremble inwardly.


    His skin was supposed to be unresponsive, yet he felt every movement that Ste''s finger made on his


    arm.He stared at Ste''s brows and gulped uncontrobly.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Then, he gazed downward before looking up again.


    His eyes looked bright.


    "Keegan has probably mistaken Miss Saun for you because both of you wore simr color clothes


    today.I know he cares about you."


    Ste paused.She replied without looking at him, "The design of what we''re wearing ispletely


    different and our body shape doesn''t look simr at all.How blind does he have to be to make that


    mistake?"


    "It''s probably too chaotic just now..."


    Ste got a little annoyed.


    "It''s none of my business.I don''t need him to save me anyway!"


    Marshall stopped talking after seeing how upset she looked.


    "It''s done."


    Ste was done applying the petroleum jelly for Marshall after a while.


    Marshall looked at his arm, and he was speechless.


    Ste applied an extremely thickyer of petroleum jelly all over his arm.


    Marshall pursed his lips and said, "There''s no need to apply so much of it."


    "It won''t harm you anyway.Who knows if it''s going to make your old scar fade away, right? I read the


    instructions and it imed that it could do that."


    Marshall pursed his lips again.


    "Do the scars look ugly?" Ste kept quiet.


    She suddenly felt like giving herself a p!


    "Mr.Moore, that''s not what I meant."


    She quickly tried to exin herself.


    "The box says that it can remove burn scars...I don''t think that they''re ugly.They''re kind of beautiful, ptui


    ¡ªI mean, no.It''s not beautiful.Um...I just want to let you know that I didn''t say that because I thought


    that your scars looked ugly.I don''t think there''s anything wrong with having scars.I have them too..."


    Marshall suddenly chuckled after seeing how nervous Ste got while trying to exin herself.


    "I know.I was just joking with you."


    Ste kept quiet.


    "Ste, do you know?"


    Marshall lowered his gaze and said, "You''re always very restrained around me, and you would always


    speak very politely.I thought we were already friends with each other."


    Ste replied drily, "We are."


    Marshall lifted his eyes and looked at her gently.


    "Friends don''t speak like that with each other.You''d always want to return the favor twofold after I


    helped you.That''s not how friends should be.You can joke around with me and say whatever you want


    around me.I hope that we can be closer to each other.I don''t want you to be just...my client."


    And, that was the truth.She would be very restrained around Marshall.She could joke around with


    Vermont and treat him like a good friend.


    However, she just could not find herself doing the same with Marshall.


    Then, Ste said jokingly, "Maybe it''s because you''re awyer.Anybody would be extra cautious around


    lawyers because awyer could send them to jail if thewyer ever got something against them, right?"


    Marshall chuckled.


    "Awyer can also send somebody else to jail for you."

 Chapter 626

    Chapter 626


    Chapter 626


    Marshall paused for a while before he continued, "Just call me by my first name from now on.A friend


    wouldn''t address each other as mister or miss, right?"


    "Sure, Mr.Moore."


    Marshall was dumbstruck.


    Ste coughed.


    "I mean...Marshall."


    The fire was finally put out about ten minutester.


    More than ten guests were injured by the fire, but fortunately, it was not severe.


    The medical staff took care of them very quickly.


    Baldwin protected Cordelia and Lancelot, so none of them were hurt.


    However, Baldwin''s back was burned.


    Cordelia hurriedly got a doctor to treat Baldwin''s wound.


    Dahlia came over with ashes on her face and said in a low voice, "Mom, are you okay?"


    There were a few holes in her dress.Her hair hung loosely after she ran for her life.She looked like a


    complete mess.


    Cordelia swept her cold gaze across her.


    "You gave me such a big surprise! "


    Dahlia''s face turned pale, and she defended herself subconsciously.


    "Mrs.Chapman was the one responsible for the fireworks..."


    "What else do you know other than ming somebody else?"


    Cordelia was furious when she thought about how Dahlia left her behind and ran away when the


    fireworks shot right at them.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Even Cyrene yelled for Cordelia to watch out, but Dahlia acted as selfish as ever even though she had


    been in the family for thirty years! "Get away from me!"


    Cordelia said with a cold face.


    "I have high blood pressure.Don''t let me see your face!"


    Dahlia clenched her fists tightly and her face looked awful.


    Cyrene came over with a cup of water.


    "Mom, have some water.Don''t get too angry or your health will be affected.Jackson is checking what


    went wrong with the fireworks.We''re going to find out what happened."


    Cordelia took the water and said, "Cyrene, would you send Mr.Lancelot home for me? I feel so sorry for


    what happened today.Prepare some gifts and pay him a visit personally some other days.


    "Mom, don''t worry about it.I''ll get it done."


    Cyrene looked at Dahlia, who had ashes all over her face, and smirked.


    "Dahlia, you should clean yourself up.After all, you''re the eldest daughter-inw of our family.You''ve got


    to at least look better."


    Dahlia got so angry that her fingers trembled.She knew very well that what happened made Cordelia


    lose trust in her, and her presence was only going to annoy Cordelia.So, she clenched her fists and left


    with a cold face.Cordelia told Keegan toe over after both of her daughters-in-w left.Then, she


    asked softly, How''s Ste?"


    Keegan pursed his lips and said, "She''s fine."


    Cordelia nodded.


    "Usher the guests out of here first.Send them to the hospital if needed and do whatever you can to


    comfort them.Also, prepare some gifts and personally apologize to our guests after this.Remember, do


    not me somebody else.I saw some of the kids got hurt too.Their parents will probably say something


    very hurtful, but you''ve got to keep quiet no matter what they say, okay?"


    "Okay," Keegan said.


    Cordelia frowned.


    Dahlia only cared about her own family and was obsessed with materialistic stuff.


    On the contrary, Cyrene was too calctive and was not sincere enough.She did not like either of her


    daughters-inw.


    Keegan was the only one who could marry a wife that she was fond of.


    Cordelia started to like Ste after seeing her just two times because of how adaptable she was.She


    could be very cruel if necessary, yet she could demean herself if needed too.


    Cordelia could not help but be angry at Keegan after thinking of her precious granddaughter-inw.


    "Why did you divorce Ste? She would have handled this so much better than you! The only thing that


    you''re good at doing with that mouth of yours is eating."


    Keegan kept quiet.


    Cordelia waved her hand and told him to go away before he could say anything.


    "Go on, do what you''ve got to do."


    Vermont listened to their conversation from the side, and he tried so hard to n.ovel.book hold his


    laughter in.He said after Keegan came to him, ''''Does no one in your family like you after you divorced


    Ste?"


    Keegan glowered at him.


    "Shut up!"


    Then, he looked in the direction where Ste stood and paused.


    "Where is she?"


    Vermont looked over and found that not only Ste was gone, but Felicity also disappeared.


    Some sparks went on Darcie''s dress, and she was startled.So, Wenham wanted to bring his family out


    of there.


    Trevor gazed at Marshall, who was closely standing next to Ste.He frowned, turned around, and said


    to Wenham.


    "Dad, you guys go first.I''ll help Keegan clean up this mess."


    Wenham nodded.


    "Sure.Be sure to check up on Miss Jewell too.I''m worried about her."

 Chapter 627

    Chapter 627


    Chapter 627


    "Sure,"Trevor replied.


    After Trevor''s family had left, he looked around and saw Felicity fixing her clothes.So, he went over to


    her.


    "Hello, Miss Thompson." Felicity was shocked.


    "H-hi, M-Mr.Saun."


    Trevor smiled gently and asked, "Would you like to sit in a Bugatti Veyron?"


    Felicity''s eyes sparkled, and she said without hesitation, "Yes!"


    "Give a call to Ste, then.I''ll drive you guys home."


    So, Felicity immediately dialed Ste''s number.


    Ten minutester, the three of them stood in front of a Koenigsegg.


    Felicity said with 2 disappointed face.


    "I thought we were going to sit in a Bugatti Veyron." Trevor replied with a straight face.


    "The Bugatti is a two-seater, and I won''t be able to drive you home with that." Felicity was speechless.


    "Well, it looks like we have a new member in the vicious tongue group! ¡®He made fun of my ignorance


    in such a subtle way!'' Felicity thought.


    However, Ste was not bothered by that at all as she just wanted a ride home.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    The car started, and Felicity''s phone rang.She frowned after seeing the name, Stinky Cucumber.She


    was about to hang up, but she pouted and epted it after thinking of how he dragged her away from


    danger.


    "Hello?"


    "Miss bandit, is Ste with you?"


    Felicity''s phone was very loud, and everyone else in the vicinity could hear that.


    Ste waved her pointer at her, and Felicity immediately understood what she was trying to say.


    "No!"


    Vermont paused before he continued, "I found a diamond on the floor just now.Could you check if it fell


    from Ste''s ne?"


    Felicity turned around and looked.


    Ste was about to stop her, but Felicity blurted out, "It''s not hers."


    Ste and Trevor were speechless.


    Felicity only realized what was happening after looking at Ste''s expression as she scolded, "Stinky


    Cucumber, how could you trick me!"


    Vermont chuckled.


    "I was just asking."


    Felicity hung up angrily and cursed at Vermont with every swear word she knew.


    Then, she said softly, "Ste, I didn''t mean to."


    Ste sighed.


    ¡°So what if he knows?"


    Trevor turned the steering wheel and suddenly said, "Are you guys done packing? When are you going


    to move out?"


    "We''re almost done," Ste said.


    "In these two days, I guess. Everything will be settled in an afternoon when the movingpany


    comes."


    "Tomorrow will do," Trevor said.


    "I''ll get someone toe over. They''re specialized in bean taking care of artists¡® personal business."


    Felicity was shocked.


    "Isn''t that only for A-listers?" Trevor smiled.


    "We treat everyone the same in thispany."


    Felicity took note of that and started thinking about when she no.vel.book should begin working for


    Elegant Media.


    Vermont hung up.


    Then, he turned around and said to Keegan, "Don''t worry.Ste is with her best friend."


    Then, he paused.


    "Hey, how could you mistake her for someone else in such a crucial moment?"

 Chapter 628

    Chapter 628


    Chapter 628


    "I didn''t," Keegan said in a low voice.


    "Do you think I''d make a mistake like that?"


    Jaylene was wearing apletely different outfit from Ste, but he would not mistake Jaylene for


    Ste even if they were to wear the exact same clothes.


    "Then, why did hold Jaylene''s hands when the ident happened? Keegan pursed his lips.


    ''''She was the one who grabbed me."


    He was about to run in Ste''s direction as soon as the firework shot at the crowd.But, Jaylene, who


    was standing very close to him, grabbed his sleeve in a panic manner.


    Keegan saw Marshall dragging Ste away when he was still trying to shrug off Jaylene.


    The fireworks were still shooting at the crowd, so Keegan had no choice but to bring Jaylene to a safe


    ce.


    Then, he immediately went to look for Ste.


    Vermont kept quiet.He opened his mouth and spoke after a while.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    "I don''t know what to say.Even God isn''t on your side.It was such a perfect no.vel.book opportunity for


    you to protect her, yet someone fucking grabbed you."


    Keegan was very irritated.He had finally made some progress with Ste, yet she blocked him again.


    Vermont sighed and said after looking at the devastated expression on Keegan''s face, "It may not be a


    bad thing, after all.It shows that she still has feelings for you since she got mad after she saw how you


    took Jaylene with you.She wouldn''t block you for this if she doesn''t care about you."


    "Let''s take care of this mess first and give Ste some time to cool down.Then, tell her exactly what


    happened tomorrow."


    However, reality was harsh.


    On the next day, Keegan went to Ste''s ce with a bouquet of flowers and waited there for a whole


    day just to have Felicity''s neighbor tell him that they had moved out early in the morning.


    Keegan froze in ce for some time before he asked, "Do you know where they moved to?"


    "I have no idea.I worked the night shift yesterday and saw them moving their things out of the


    house.There were a few guys helping them too."


    Keegan went back to the car.


    Aldor saw that Keegan was still holding the flowers, so he asked softly, "Mrs.Kane doesn''t want to open


    the door?"


    Keegan pursed his lips and said, "She moved out.Find out where she''s living now."


    "Yes, boss."


    Keegan looked downward and took his phone out.


    Then, he transferred Ste some money with remarks.


    [I didn''t mistake you for somebody elsest night.]


    [I knew it was Jaylene.]


    [And, she was the one who grabbed me.]


    [I would never mistake you for somebody else.]


    [Only you''d do that to me.]


    [I''m not mad at you for mistaking Marshall for me.You even hugged him]


    [To be honest, I was only a little mad.]


    [Can you be only a little mad this time too?]


    Ste thought that Trevor was going to send somebody to help them, but he came personally with his


    men instead.


    They had a lot of stuff, not to mention that Felicity was an online shopaholic.


    There were more than twenty boxes of their things, and they felt very bad for giving them so much work


    to do.


    Trevor did not look like he was bothered at all.


    He insisted on not letting Ste and Felicity help, and he even carried one box himself.

 Chapter 629

    Chapter 629


    Chapter 629


    After putting the things onto the truck, Trevor drove Ste and Felicity to Clouditude International.


    Clouditude International was one of the best areas in Rivera.


    The scenery there was beautiful.


    The greeneries were well-kept, and the waters were clean, unlike the previous area Ste lived in,


    where the waters were filled with algae.


    The distance between the apartment buildings was sorge that the people could still let the sun in.


    There was also an open balcony on each floor where they could invite friends over bean for a barbeque


    and some drinks.


    Ste initially thought that the ce Trevor talked about was rtively remote, like the first or the top


    floor.


    She soon realized that it was thergest and most expensive apartment on the block.


    The building consisted of fifteen floors; Ste and Felicity were on the 9th.


    When they opened the curtains, they could see the water system and rockery in the center of the


    community from the window walls.


    The view was incredible, and the apartment was nearly 3000 square feet.


    Felicity looked around the ce excitedly from room to room but Ste hesitated.


    "How much is the rent, Trevor?"


    Trevor smiled and said, "I''ve already paid one year''s rent in advance.Why don''t you settle down and


    think about how you''re gonna make me money as a way to repay me? I don''t think this ce is that


    big.You''ll need a ce to store all the clothes and no.vel.book jewelry from brand sponsors.The two


    closets are a bit small."


    Ste was speechless.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    While they were talking, there was a knock on the door.


    Trevor told her to wait and went to open it.


    A man in his thirties who was about 6ft tall and an ordinary-looking man walked in.


    He was dressed in ordinary clothes, and his appearance was nothing special.


    But, his eyes were extremely sharp, adding some refinement to that face.


    "Ste,e.This is Kaiden.From now on, he will be your manager.He will arrange everything


    regarding your work in the future."


    Kaiden held his hand and politely said, "Nice to meet you, Ms.Jewell.My name is Kaiden.I''m thirty-five


    this year.I read your resume and noticed that you are much younger than me.If you don''t mind, you can


    call me Kai."


    Ste hastily shook the other party''s hand and responded, "Hi, Kai.You can just call me Ste."


    "Mr.Saun has already filled me in about your current job.Is The Pce going to wrap up soon?"


    Ste nodded, "We will be done in about half a month."


    "You can finish filming The Pce with peace of mind for the next two weeks.


    In the meantime, I will be arranging other work for you.


    "Trevor had exined to Kaiden that Ste should not be working too hard.Thus, she was not allowed


    to be working on more than one film at the same time.Naturally, Ste had no objections.If Rainee was


    still alive, she would have needed to take on several roles simultaneously in order to make money.


    But, now that her mother was gone, she wanted to do her best in acting by focusing on one part so that


    she could live up to Rainee''s and her own expectations.


    Initially, Trevor wanted to stay for dinner, but he got a call and had to leave early.


    The people he hired were very professional.


    Not only did they help the girls move their belongings, but they also helped them rearrange the ce.


    Ste and Felicity did not need to lift a finger.


    They just stood there, taking up space.


    A few hourster, the apartment looked even more impressive than before.


    The head mover even asked the girls if they were satisfied with the cement of everything and that


    they could change it up if they wanted to.


    "It''s perfect; absolutely perfect.Thank you for your hard work," the girls said.


    After sending the movers away, Felicity sat on the couch and said, "Now this is what they call the


    princess treatment.I''ve moved from ce to ce so many times, but this is the best one yet.I didn''t


    even have to do anything.It''s fantastic."


    As she spoke, she kicked off her shoes and sat upright, cross- legged.


    "Your agent is THE man.He worked in Green Hill Media before and helped debut the legendary actress


    who died young in Green Hill."


    "After the actress passed away, the agent left Green Hill Media.No one knew where he went.I have


    heard very little about him in the past two years.I didn''t expect Mr.Saun to recruit him.Ste, you are


    going to be on fire!"

 Chapter 630

    Chapter 630


    Chapter 630


    Ste was surprised.Trevor was being too nice to her with the amodation and the agent.


    ''It all seems a little...over the top.Plus, there''s nothing interesting about me" Ste thought.


    And, Trevor did not look like someone who had a crush on her.


    '' Could it be...that he thinks I have what it takes to be an A-list movie star? Is that why he''s investing all


    this money in me?'' Ste thought mockingly.


    ''Ah.Forget it.I''ve already signed the contract and moved in here.I''ll just see where each step takes me"


    Suddenly, her phone notification rang.


    Ste picked it up and saw that Keegan had transferred money to her again.


    Then, she nced at his message.


    She looked fine at first, but the corners of her lips twitched when she read, [I didn''t even get mad at you


    for hugging Marshall.) ¡®How dare he dig up the past!"She stared at the text and continued reading it.


    [Can you stop being mad at me?] Ste sent him one dor with a message.


    [No.] Keegan quickly transferred one million dors to her and wrote, [ Then, how long will you be


    angry for?]


    Ste did not reply.


    Keegan immediately transferred another million with a message that said, [Julian is about to take the


    college entrance examination.He called and asked if we could send him to his exam venue.I told him


    yes.


    Are youing? Ste stayed silent.


    She checked the calendar and saw that the college entrance examination is on the day after tomorrow.


    ¡®Julian didn''t call me about it, and he and Keegan just met.There''s no way he contacted him"


    She felt that Keegan was trying to fool her, and instead of replying, she called Julian.


    At that moment, Aldor was helping Julian with the luggage at Eastern Alley Welfare Center.


    "Is that all?" Aldor asked.


    Julian nodded and said, "The rest is in my head."


    Aldor smiled and said, "Then, get in the car."


    As soon as the car started, Ste''s phone call came in.


    Aldor nced at it, turned the steering wheel, and said, "Just tell her the truth."


    Julian nodded and answered the call.


    Ste then said, "Julian, the college entrance examination is on bean the day after tomorrow, right?"


    "Mhm," Julian replied.


    "Why didn''t you tell me?" Steined with a guilty conscience.


    After all, she had been quite busy with her own affairs recently, so shepletely forgot about it.


    "I told Keegan."


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    "Where is your test venue? Is it far from where you live? If it''s too far, I''ll book you a hotel. You need


    no.vel.book to have a good rest before taking the test."


    "No," Julian said.


    "Keegan sent someone to pick me up to live with him.He wants to help me spot the questions.You can


    send me off together when the timees."


    Ste could not believe that Julian was also trying to trick her.


    "What kind of questions is he going to spot? Don''t listen to his nonsense! He graduated from school a


    long time ago."


    "Thest time you came to school with him, you quarreled with Raymond''s mother, and Keegan


    mentally figured out the multiple- question answers from the physics paper in Raymond''s hand.He


    circled the answers for me and got all of them right."


    Ste was speechless.


    "Maybe he saw the sample answers."


    "Our teacher came up with the paper himself, and the answers were not printed yet at that time."


    "You might as well live here with me than with him.I have a ce of my own now.You can stay here.It''s


    also close to the city, so it''ll be easier for you to go to the examination venue."


    "Can you solve physics problems?" Ste stayed quiet.


    The thing that brought her down the most was physics.


    Julian already knew the answer, so he said, "Then, I''ll stay with Keegan."


    After hanging up the phone, Julian said to Aldor, "Why did Ste and Keegan get divorced?"


    Aldor turned the steering wheel and said, "It''s a long story.But, don''t worry.Nobody cheated in the


    rtionship."


    Julian stayed quiet for a moment.


    "Was it domestic violence?"


    Aldor''s eyelids twitched.


    "Mr.Kane would never hit his wife."


    "I meant that Ste was the abuser."


    Aldor did not know what to say.

 Chapter 631

    Chapter 631


    Chapter 631


    ¡®That mutt! Did he think Julian staying at his ce would make me want to send him to his college


    entrance exam? Well, I''m not going!"


    Ste thought.


    A few minutester, Shelly called.


    "Ste, sorry for the trouble.Julian''s test venue is very far away from the orphanage.Ms.Cecilia and I


    have no experience with college entrance exams.When we were about to book a hotel near the test


    center, it was toote.I was scared Julian wouldn''t get the rest he needed, but thank god we have you."


    Every year during the college entrance examination, the hotels near the test center would be fully


    booked, and the price per night would be several times higher than usual.


    The mostmon standard room started at three thousand dors.


    The room had nothing special, and the doors and windows were not soundproof.


    Rooms with better surroundings cost around 5 or 6 thousand dors, but they usually get booked very


    quickly.


    Shelley originally nned to rent an RV and hire a driver to take Julian there so he could rest in the car


    at noon.


    But as soon as Julian heard the price of renting, he immediately stopped Shelley.


    He told her he could go to bed at 9:00 p.m.and get up at 5:00 a.m.the following day.He also told her it


    would be fine since the exam started at 9:00am.


    However, Shelley was still worried.She told Ste the problem was resolved immediately when Ste


    sent someone to pick up Julian.


    Ste fell silent after listening to Shelley''s words.


    ¡®How dare that bastard, Keegan, use my name to pick Julian up!'' Shelley was thanking Ste so much


    that Ste got embarrassed.


    "Oh, it''s no trouble at all," she said.


    "By the way, Ste, there''s one more thing I want to tell you."


    "Okay."


    "You don''t have to send any more money for the orphanage in the future.We received a donationst


    week, enough to cover the orphanage''s expenses for a year.The person even told the donation agency


    to tell me that he would be a long-term sponsor for our orphanage."


    "I know that you and Albert are in awsuit.Now''s the time for you to use the money.Spend it


    wisely.You don''t have to worry about the orphanage.With this donation, the children will live a good


    life."


    Ste was startled.


    "Do you know who donated it?"


    "I''m not sure since they said it''s an anonymous donation."


    "I see," Ste noted.


    "I see."


    Shelley chatted with Ste for a while and when she was about to hang up, she told Ste to take a few


    photos of Julian before the exam so they could put them on the orphanage''s website for publicity.


    Ste did not say anything.She knew she had no choice but to send Julian off to fulfill Shelly''s wishes.


    Julian was much more open on his second visit to Royalpark Vi.


    Keegan had arranged a soundproof room for him.


    After taking a shower, he called Julian to take out his book.


    Julian was taken aback.


    "Didn''t you bring me here to lure Ste in?"


    Keegan sat on the sofa by the window in his pajamas, nced at bean him lightly, and nodded.


    "Yeah, that''s right."


    Julian was speechless.


    ''He didn''t even try to deny it" he thought.


    "But I like making things as real as possible."


    Julian took out his book and put it on the small round table.


    Keegan grabbed the book and flipped through it as he asked, "How much do you usually get?"


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "Around 6002"


    "That means you have the basics then."


    Julian stayed quiet.


    Keegan''s words were the biggest blow to him in all his years of studying.


    "Which one are you worst at?"


    "Physics...I''m not really good at Math either."


    Julian''s score for Mathematics was 112, which was not a high score, but everything else was fine.


    Keegan roughly scanned the papers Julian had done before and found that no.vel.book Julian was


    losing points in calculus, functions, and interval solutions.


    As for physics, it may be rted to him spending more time on multiple-choice questions, resulting in


    theck of time to answer the written questions.


    Julian had seen how Keegan could mentally answer multiple- choice questions in physics, but he was


    doubtful whether Keegan could teach him.

 Chapter 632

    Chapter 632


    Chapter 632


    As Ste had told Julian, Keegan had graduated from high school more than ten years ago.


    ''Could he really teach me?'' Julian thought.


    But soon, he was convinced that what Keegan handed him was not a conventional technique but his


    problem-solving experience.


    He rarely had to write out the calctions for multiple-choice questions.


    He just stared at the question and worked it out from the answers.


    Sometimes, he directly deduced the numerator or denominator from the data given in the question to


    eliminate the wrong options.


    Julian''s teacher had also taught them this method, but it was not as easy to understand as bean when


    Keegan was teaching him.


    Julian quickly jumped into it after that.


    When Keegan finished exining two sets of questions, Julian took out a new set of questions to try


    out.


    He had a good foundation and quickprehension.


    After two hours, his speed of answering multiple- choice questions was more than ten minutes faster


    than before, with an uracy of 70%.


    Julian was very satisfied with the result.


    He used to spend a lot of timepleting the multiple-choice questions, and the highest uracy rate


    was only 80%.


    But he was speechless when Keegan frowned after seeing him in action.


    "It seems that your foundation is still weak,"


    he said.


    Then, Keegan''s phone rang.


    Seeing that it was Aldor, he answered it.


    "Mr.Kane, Mrs.Kane is currently living in Room 901, Block 7, Clouditude International." Keegan


    frowned.


    "Whose ce is that?"


    "Mr.Saun''s." Aldor paused.


    "The eighth, ninth, and tenth floors all belong to Mr.Saun."


    That meant that there was no chance for Keegan to rent an apartment that was close to Ste. He


    could not be her next-door neighbor and not her upper or lower-floor neighbor either. It was obvious


    that Mr.Saun''s move no.vel.ebook was targeted at the root of the problem.


    He even predicted Keegan''s next move.


    Keegan was speechless.


    He pursed his lips and said, "Does Trevor also live at Clouditude International?"


    "No, sir.


    Mr.Saun has been living in the western suburbs at the Saun family''s old house."


    "How did he convince Ste to live there?"


    "I''m not too sure about that, but it''s most likely thepany''s arrangement."


    ¡®Mrs.Kane had signed a contract with Elegant Media, and it was the most reasonable excuse as to why


    she moved.


    If it weren''t arranged by thepany, Mrs.Kane wouldn''t have agreed, thought Aldor.


    Keegan pursed his lips and said after a while, "Find a way to let Ste know who owns that property."


    Aldor was taken aback.


    "You want Ste to move out?" he asked.


    ¡®Of course I want her to move out of there! She''s mine! Why is she staying at Trevor''s?!"


    But Keegan knew that based on Trevor''s cunningness, he would be able to convince her to stay.


    "Just do as I say.After she finds out the owner of the property, keep an eye on her and those


    apartments.Don''t forget to also observe Trevor closely."


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Aldor did not understand Keegan''s motive at first.


    However, he then understood why after Ste found out that the ce she was staying at was under


    Trevor''s name and that Trevor had rented the remaining houses in order to reassure her.


    If he could not buy it, rent it.


    Making the smallest investment in exchange for thergest rate of return was what an excellent


    businessman would do.


    But this would all happenter.


    In Elegant Media, Trevor took out the DNA report from the hospital again.


    The results of the investigation at the hospital came out this morning.


    They said that the new medical assistant identally mixed up the samples and that they were


    currently recalling and redoing all the DNA tests that were affected.


    However, the statement did not convince Trevor at all.


    ''How could a high-ranking hospital make such a big mistake?"

 Chapter 633

    Chapter 633


    Chapter 633


    Although there was no evidence, Trevor still felt that what happened was not an ident.


    Yvette had said that the probability of the hospital mixing samples up was extremely low, and Trevor''s


    failure to find the actual reason only showed that they were good at covering it up.


    Trevor was able to contact the nurses and doctors who were in charge of delivering the babies at the


    hospital, but because the incident happened a long time ago, they did not quite remember what had


    happened.


    So, all he could do was wait and see if there would be a follow-up.


    Trevor looked down at the photo on Ste''s profile and sighed.


    Thanks to Ste''s resemnce to their mother, he found out that he had a sister.


    Suddenly, just as he was thinking about this, the door was pushed open.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Trevor paused.


    When he saw that it was Jaylene, he said in frustration.


    "Jaylene, where are your manners? You don''t even knock on the door bean now when you enter my


    office."


    "The door was open," Jaylene said with a smile as she walked over.


    "Besides, you''re not with your girlfriend, so it''s not like I''m bothering you."


    "Even so, there''s still a need to be polite."


    "Alright.I''ll knock next time."


    As Jaylene spoke, she nced at the documents on the table and paused.


    "Trevor, you seem to admire Ms.Jewell very much.I even heard that you asked Kaiden to be her agent."


    Trevor spent a lot of money and resources to recruit Kaiden.


    Initially, he nned to let him lead thepany''s A-list artists, but he unexpectedly asked him to


    manage Ste and her alone.


    Jaylene had never seen Trevor give this kind of special treatment to anyone before.


    Trevor bit the edge of his lower lip and said, "I think Ms.Jewell is very talented, and she may be


    the face of Elegant Media."


    He may be biased because Ste was his younger sister, but her professional skills were undeniable.


    She broke into the hotel back then to audition, and she handled the lines so well in a few minutes that


    even an actor who had been filming for many years may not be able to do it.


    Moreover, Kaiden would not have agreed if Ste was not a good actress, despite Trevor hiring him.


    A top-tier manager would not have taken a rookie actor to damage his own name.


    Trevor had shown Kaiden all of Ste''s video materials, and Kaiden was swayed only after watching a


    long shot of her in the master tape of The Pce.


    When he saw Ste''s grades in college and her scores for culture ss in the n.ovel.ebook college


    entrance examination, he decided to take Ste under his wing.


    In Kaiden''s words, the industry''s standards were hitting a new low.


    Influencers and celebrities that have little to no poprity all want to try out acting, which made people


    feel that the threshold for being an actor was very low.


    Movie producers hired actors as long as they are good-looking, and they hired doubles for those who


    did not have any acting skills.


    They even hired voice actors for those who were not good at giving lines.


    All the actors had to do was show their faces on screen.


    Even so, they still managed to mess things up with their frozen expressions and nervous twitches.


    Once the dubbing was removed, the actors¡¯ original voices could sound worse than kindergarten


    children reciting nursery rhymes.


    Some of them could not even speak their ownnguage well.


    Kaiden would not take in this kind of artist.


    The reason for his sess in managing A-list actors was his principle that an actor needed a cultural


    foundation.


    He believed that one could not interpret a role if onecked education and could not understand the


    script.


    After watching Ste on screen and knowing her education and grades, Kaiden was relieved.He did his


    best to manage Ste, and she did her best in acting.


    "You sure are confident in Ms.Jewell, Trevor."


    Jaylene smiled.


    "But I think an actor''s background and qualifications are also rather important," she said, waving the


    document in her hand.


    "I''ve brought you a mainstay at a low price." Trevorughed.


    "Who''s your little mainstay?"


    Jaylene put the documents in front of Trevor and said, "The popr influencer, Be Young."

 Chapter 634

    Chapter 634


    Chapter 634


    Trevor was taken aback, and his expression turned cold.


    "You signed a contract with Be Young?"


    Jaylene did not notice the change in his face and said proudly, "She terminated her contract with Green


    Hill Media, and I snatched her from Royal Deluxe Entertainment for you.I gave her a signing bonus of 8


    million dors.That''s quite the bargain, isn''t it?"


    Trevor was sullen.He looked at the contract that had Be''s fingerprint, and his face turned ugly.


    But Jaylene was still chattering.


    "You''re gonna have to show me your appreciation this time.I''m not asking much.I just want you to¡ª"


    Before she finished speaking, Trevor interrupted sharply, "Who told you that you could recruit her?!"


    Jaylene was taken aback.


    Trevor had never been angry with her, much less yelled at her.It took a long while for her to react.


    "I just want to help, Trevor.Be''s contract with Green Hill Media was terminated.Manypanies


    rushed to sign her.The highest signing bonus offer was 30 million dors, but I bean signed her for only


    8 million.Isn''t that supposed to be great news?"


    "You signed her for 8 million dors and never once questioned why she didn''t just go for the 30-


    million-dor contract? Plus, she''s bad luck.Not one of the drama shows she''s yed in passed the


    ratings.Do I look like someone who recruits garbage?"


    Trevor was annoyed.


    "Go find her and cancel the contract."


    Jaylene turned pale.


    "The contract has already been signed.How can I cancel it?" she asked in a hoarse voice.


    "Then why didn''t you discuss it with me before signing it? Be''s poprity isn''t low.


    You should at least let me know before signing that contract.Are you sure you''re helping me? You''re


    clearly causing trouble!" Trevor said sullenly.


    Heined on and on,pletely oblivious to Jaylene''s displeased look.


    "The artists you usually sign aren''t half bad.I mean, at least they do well in their work.So why Be?


    Which one of her works is she well known for? Did you not do any research? If I wanted an influencer, I


    would''ve found an influencer.There are countless people like her! Why should I sign a wed actress


    like her? "Do you have her contact? Call her toe over now."


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    After he finished speaking, Jaylene did not respond, so he looked up with a frown.


    Then, his face changed drastically.


    Jaylene''s face was pale, and her whole body was trembling.Her hands were pulling at her cor.She


    was no.vel.ebook panting, and her eyes were red.


    Trevor stood up and asked anxiously, "Where''s your inhaler? Where''s your inhaler?"


    Jaylene was struggling to breathe, and her face was unbearably pale.


    "Xavier!"


    Trevor opened the office door.


    "Where''s Jaylene''s inhaler?"


    Xavier moved quickly and came over with the medicine within two minutes.


    Trevor put the inhaler in her mouth and pushed down on the canister.


    He gently rubbed her back andforted her.


    "Breathe, breathe..."


    It took Jaylene along time to recover, but herplexion was still not good.


    "I didn''t mean to, Trevor,"


    she said with a hoarse voice.


    Trevor sighed.


    "I was being too harsh.Don''t worry.I''ll deal with it myself."


    Jaylene lowered her gaze and said nothing.


    Trevor was then scolded by Wenham before the matter was resolved.


    News of Jaylene''s asthma attack at thepany had spread to the family.


    The symptoms of her condition had be rare in the past few years, but she had two attacks in the


    past three months since returning to Rivera.

 Chapter 635

    Chapter 635


    Chapter 635


    Jaylene was with Trevor both times she had an asthma attack This made Wenham feel that Trevor did


    not take good care of Jaylene.


    "You really are something, huh? How could you get mad at Jaylene? Don''t you know that she isn''t in


    good health? Can''t you just tell her off nicely? "All she did was sign a contract with a celebrity.What''s


    the big deal? Just let her do it if she wants to.It doesn''t matter whether that girl can get popr.We


    don''t need the money.So why the hell did you yell at her?!"


    Trevor pursed his lips and said nothing.


    Darcie brought over some water and tried to calm Wenham down.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "Forget it.Jaylene is fine.You always go to war if there''s any trouble regarding Jaylene.Trevor was


    thinking about thepany.You know how much he cares for Jaylene.It was just a small quarrel.You


    saying bean all this is ruining their rtionship."


    Jaylene was awakened by the noise and went downstairs.


    "Dad, I told you I''m fine.Why did you ask Trevor toe?"


    "I''m just giving him an earful.If anything happened to you, I would do more than use just my words."


    Wenham then nced at Trevor and said, "Stop worrying about the matter.What''s done is done.I can


    afford whatever losses my little girl''s starlet would bring."


    Trevor pressed his lips together and said, "It''s not about losing money, dad."


    SLAM! Wenham mmed his ss on the table and said angrily, "How dare you talk back at me!"


    "Trevor, don''t argue with your dad,"


    Darcie said aloud, acting as the peacemaker.


    "His high blood pressure doesn''t allow him the privilege to get mad.Let''s just leave it as it is.Just wait


    for the actress Jaylene had signed to make a mistake and take it as a chance to fire her if you think


    she''s bad.There''s no need to argue with your father over this."


    Trevor clenched his hands tightly, and it took him a long while to agree.He knew that Wenham loved his


    daughter more than his son.


    Wenham was his daughter''s ve.


    The thought of the daughter he lost that year kept him up at night.It took several years to ovee the


    grief of losing his wife and daughter.He then remarried Darcie, arge part of which was because of


    Jaylene.


    Jaylene and Wenham''s other daughter.n.ovel.book were the same age and had poor health.


    This awakened Wenham''s longing for his daughter.


    He held Jaylene dear to his heart and used her to fill that void.


    That was why he became so angry when he learned that Jaylene was ill.


    He feared that history would repeat itself.


    1 Trevor wondered how Wenham would react if he found out his sister was alive.


    It was likely that his enthusiasm would scare Ste to move overnight.


    So, it was better to deal with Ste''s reaction first and bring her home when the time was right.


    After Trevor left, Darcie started nagging Wenham.


    "Oh, you.Don''t be so harsh when you talk to him.Trevor''s an adult now.Do you want him to think that


    there are such things as evil stepfathers?"


    Wenham sighed.


    "I was angry.Besides, that kid is thick-skinned, so I''m sure he''ll get over it."


    Trevor really did get over it eventually.


    He would have left the Saun family ages ago if he did not have the patience to deal with his father.


    Be posted on Facebook that afternoon.


    [Thank you @ GreenHillMedia for everything.There''ll be more toe with @ ElegantMedia) Soon, the


    news about Be getting signed to Elegant Media trended.


    Everyone in the field knew about the media group.


    Only a few artists got signed so far.


    Be immediately became the Grande Dame of the entertainment industry, and her circle could not


    help being envious of the sponsor deals she would receive.


    However, the jealousy onlysted until that night, when people realized that Elegant Media had not


    responded.


    Be had officially announced on Facebook that she was signed to Elegant Media, but thepany''s


    official page did not respond for a long time.


    Instead, they shared an official ad of the Queen being back in The Pce.


    The actors of The Pce have been revealed one after another, and only a few of them still maintain a


    mystery.


    One of which was the actress ying the Queen, and the other was the one who yed the Imperial


    Doctor.


    Although the picture only showed the Queen''s back, it can still be seen that the actress had an


    outstanding figure.


    Her exposed earlobes were as round as pearls, and her skin was so fair and ss- like that it shined.


    Be''s fans exploded.

 Chapter 636

    Chapter 636


    Chapter 636


    Be''s fans were not happy with The Pce when they found out that Be was not going to y the


    Queen.


    Thus, they did not know what it meant when Elegant Media reposted the Facebook post.


    Maybe it was to discredit someone.


    Soon, the search [Terminated Contract] became trending, and Be''s fans boldly spoke out against


    Elegant Media.


    Initially, Be was happy because of the signing, but when she saw the trending search, her face


    turned green.


    She quickly contacted someone to help suppress the news.


    "This group of idiots is fucking crazy!" Be was furious.


    "It was difficult enough to get signed under Elegant Media, and here they are, causing trouble.They


    actually think that they''re the shit after getting some attention, judging here and there.I can sign with


    whoever I want to sign.What does it have to do with them, huh?"


    "Be, please keep your voice down.You shouldn''t say things like that.The fans are why you''re where


    you''re at in your career.You can''t just scold them like that,"


    Tammy whispered.


    "Fuck them.They only helped me get one million sales forst week''s magazine.Do you know how


    much River rkson sold in the same period? Almost twice as much! Don''t just say you love me, show


    me! Don''t go around and cause me trouble!"


    Tammy pursed her lips.


    ''First, she was calling them her babies, but when troublees, she calls them idiots in private.Ugh,


    I''m not sure what her fans would feel if found out that their idol called them idiots"


    At Royalpark Vi, Julian''s pace at doing multiple-choice questions improved significantly in one day.


    Keegan proceeded to teach him calculus.


    The way Julian looked at Keegan had changed from suspicion to admiration.


    "What was your college major, Keegan?" he asked.


    "I did Mechanical Automation and Electronics."


    Keegan paused and said, "A dual degree."


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Julian was at a loss for words.


    Both courses were hard enough on their own.


    Taking two at the same time was not something an ordinary person could do.


    ''No wonder he''s so great at Math and physics.His logical thinking skill is too strong"


    "What kind of college majors does yourpany hire?" Julian asked next.


    Keegan nced at him.


    "You want toe to ourpany?" Julian nodded.


    "Yourpany pays well." Keegan was taken aback.


    ''That''s rather honest of him" he thought.


    "There''s some recruitment information on thepany''s website. You can read it yourself." Keegan


    paused.


    "Education is only secondary.If you don''t have the required skills, I can still kick you out even if you get


    hired."


    "I''ll find Ste if you try to kick me out."


    Keegan casually took a sip of his tea and said, "Trust me, no one can help you."


    Suddenly, Julian''s cell phone vibrated.


    He nced at it and said, "It''s Ste."


    Keegan''s hand trembled, and water spilled out from his ss, but he did not care and immediately


    grabbed Julian''s phone.He then realize that it was spam when he saw the caller ID.

 Chapter 637

    Chapter 637


    Chapter 636


    Be''s fans were not happy with The Pce when they found out that Be was not going to y the


    Queen.


    Thus, they did not know what it meant when Elegant Media reposted the Facebook post.


    Maybe it was to discredit someone.


    Soon, the search [Terminated Contract] became trending, and Be''s fans boldly spoke out against


    Elegant Media.


    Initially, Be was happy because of the signing, but when she saw the trending search, her face


    turned green.


    She quickly contacted someone to help suppress the news.


    "This group of idiots is fucking crazy!" Be was furious.


    "It was difficult enough to get signed under Elegant Media, and here they are, causing trouble.They


    actually think that they''re the shit after getting some attention, judging here and there.I can sign with


    whoever I want to sign.What does it have to do with them, huh?"


    "Be, please keep your voice down.You shouldn''t say things like that.The fans are why you''re where


    you''re at in your career.You can''t just scold them like that,"


    Tammy whispered.


    "Fuck them.They only helped me get one million sales forst week''s magazine.Do you know how


    much River rkson sold in the same period? Almost twice as much! Don''t just say you love me, show


    me! Don''t go around and cause me trouble!"


    Tammy pursed her lips.


    ''First, she was calling them her babies, but when troublees, she calls them idiots in private.Ugh,


    I''m not sure what her fans would feel if found out that their idol called them idiots"


    At Royalpark Vi, Julian''s pace at doing multiple-choice questions improved significantly in one day.


    Keegan proceeded to teach him calculus.


    The way Julian looked at Keegan had changed from suspicion to admiration.


    "What was your college major, Keegan?" he asked.


    "I did Mechanical Automation and Electronics."


    Keegan paused and said, "A dual degree."


    Julian was at a loss for words.


    Both courses were hard enough on their own.


    Taking two at the same time was not something an ordinary person could do.


    ''No wonder he''s so great at Math and physics.His logical thinking skill is too strong"


    "What kind of college majors does yourpany hire?" Julian asked next.


    Keegan nced at him.


    "You want toe to ourpany?" Julian nodded.


    "Yourpany pays well." Keegan was taken aback.


    ''That''s rather honest of him" he thought.


    "There''s some recruitment information on thepany''s website. You can read it yourself." Keegan


    paused.


    "Education is only secondary.If you don''t have the required skills, I can still kick you out even if you get


    hired."


    "I''ll find Ste if you try to kick me out."


    Keegan casually took a sip of his tea and said, "Trust me, no one can help you."


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Suddenly, Julian''s cell phone vibrated.


    He nced at it and said, "It''s Ste."


    Keegan''s hand trembled, and water spilled out from his ss, but he did not care and immediately


    grabbed Julian''s phone.He then realize that it was spam when he saw the caller ID.

 Chapter 638

    Chapter 638


    Chapter 638


    Ste wanted to p herself after saying those words.


    ¡®My stupid, out-of-control mouth!'' she thought.Seeing her reaction, Keegan wanted tough.


    ¡®But if I actuallyugh, Ste might immediately turn around to leave and hide in the car," he thought.


    He ced his right fist by his lips and coughed lightly.


    "Eat with Julian.He''ll be too shy to eat if you don''t join him."


    Julian was speechless.


    For a moment, Ste had an internal struggle with her pride.


    Then, she feigned reluctance and said, "Alright, then. I''ll eat with him."


    10 minutester, Julian watched as Ste filled her bowl again.


    He could not help but say, "Ste, don''t celebrities need to manage their body¡ª"


    Someone kicked him on his shin under the table before he could finish his sentence.


    The corner of Julian''s lips twitched and he stopped talking.


    ¡®Ste''s sitting beside me while Keegan''s sitting across me.It''s pretty obvious who kicked me"he


    thought.


    "What did you say just now?" Ste asked.


    She lifted her head and nced at Julian.


    Julian pursed his lips.


    "Nothing."


    When Ste saw how Julian had stopped eating, she asked, "You''re full just by eating that little? The


    exam only ends at one thirty.Will youst till then if you eat that little?" Julian answered with a straight


    face.


    ''The brain is more alert when one is slightly hungry.On the other hand, the brain works slower when


    one is too full."


    Ste snorted.


    "What a load of nonsense."


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    After they finished their meal, Aldor drove an MPV over.


    Ste stared at the Lincoln, and her eye twitched harshly.


    ¡®We''re taking an MPV just for an exam?" she thought.


    Ste initially wanted to find an excuse toin about the car. However, she immediately shut up


    after she got in the car and saw the luxurious setup inside.


    ¡®There''s a dining table and a bed, so Julian can rest in the car in the afternoon. It really is better than


    my crappy little car" she thought.


    Some of the roads were under strict traffic control today, so it was a little congested. It was a good thing


    they left early. It was almost eight o''clock when they arrived at the test center.


    Aldor was definitely an extremely qualified assistant. He had gotten his friend to upy a parking


    space with a car since yesterday morning.


    When they arrived, Aldor''s friend moved the car, and their car seamlessly moved into the parking


    space.


    Meanwhile, other parents who arrivedte continued searching for parking spaces. Ste turned to


    Julian.


    "You''re not going to dost-minute cramming?"


    "There''s no need."


    While checking his exam pass and identity card, he continued, "I have faith."


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    The test center opened at 8:20 a.m.


    The test candidates started entering the center one after another.


    Ste wore a sun hat and face mask She waspletely covered from head to toe. She and Keegan


    walked Julian to the entrance.


    "Hold on." Ste thought of Shelley''s words.


    She held her phone and said, "Strike a pose.I''ll take a few photos of you."


    "No," Julian refused.


    ¡®I''d look so ridiculous striking a pose in front of this many people.I''m not doing it!'' he thought.


    "Ms.Cooke asked for the photos.Are you disobeying her too?"


    Ste knew she could not handle this brat, so she very skillfully brought up Shelly.


    Julian nced at her.


    "That''s a promise you made with Ms.Cooke.It''s none of my business."


    Ste ced her hands on her hips.


    Just as she was about to argue with the heartless teen, she heard Keegan say, "Take a few photos and


    hurry inside for the test."


    Julian was a little reluctant.He turned to look at Ste.


    "Then, take the photos with me."


    Ste grabbed his shoulder.


    "Let''s do it!" she said, tossing her phone at Aldor.


    She continued, "Aldor, help us take the photo."


    "Mrs.Kane, I''m not good at taking photos.Why don''t you ask Mr.Kane to help you?" he said as he


    handed the phone to Keegan.


    Keegan nced at Aldor before he finally took the phone.


    From Keegan''s nce, Aldor knew he was definitely getting his bonus this month.


    Ste clearly did not trust Keegan''s photography skills.


    However, she had no choice but to trust him at this point.

 Chapter 639

    Chapter 639


    Chapter 639


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste removed her face mask and sun hat before cing them on the grass beside them.


    Then, she jabbed Julian with her shoulder.


    "You stick out your left hand, and I''ll stick out my right.We''ll give Ms.Cooke a heart."


    Julian''s eye twitched.


    The word "no" was on the tip of his tongue for a while.


    However, he swallowed the word under Keegan''s hard gaze.


    Then, he reluctantly stuck out his hand and struck a heart pose with Ste.


    Ste squinted her eyes and shed a smile.


    Keegan held the phone.


    However, only Ste was in the phone''s camera viewfinder.


    Ste was so tired from posing that her smile was about to turn stiff.


    "Are you done?" she asked.


    Keegan frowned.


    "The lighting isn''t good.Move to your left a little.Ww Ste had no choice but to push Julian to the left.


    "Like this?" Ste asked.


    "Yes!" Keegan said while quickly opening the WhatsApp application on Ste''s phone and removing


    himself from the blocked list.


    Then, he sent the solo photo he took of Ste to himself.


    Many more seconds passed, so Ste could not help but ask, "Can you do it or not, Keegan?"


    She stopped posing and walked over to Keegan.


    "I''ll do it myself!"


    Keegan deleted the chat history with aposed expression.


    Then, he deleted the solo photo of Ste before switching back to the camera application.His actions


    were natural and smooth.


    "Give me the phone."


    Keegan handed her the phone with a calm expression.


    "The photo''s pretty good," he said coolly.


    Ste was skeptical as she took the phone.


    In the photo gallery, there were many photos taken by Keegan. She opened them and turned red in


    anger.


    ¡®I''m 5 feet 2, but Keegan made me look 4 feet 2" she thought.


    Ste tried to hold back her anger, but she failed.


    "You call this pretty good? Which part of it is pretty good?"


    Keegan said, "Your face is pretty good."


    Ste was speechless.


    Julian did not have the time to watch the two flirt, so he said, "I''ll be going in first."


    Ste stopped fussing over the photos and turned around to fill two bottles of water for him.


    After Julian presented his exam pass, he was granted ess.


    He only took a few steps past the door before Ste suddenly shouted his name.


    "Julian! Julian!"


    Julian turned around in confusion.


    Ste had already put on her sun protection set.


    She lifted her arms and bent them.


    Then, she made a huge heart above her head and shouted, "Julian! Julian! Go get em'' tiger!"


    Everyone present now had their eyes focused on Julian.


    Julian darkened his expression.


    He wanted to dig a hole and bury himself on the spot.


    ''This vengeful woman! I only roasted her once, and now she''s embarrassing me in public!'' he thought.


    He was worried that someone he knew would recognize him, so he lowered his head and quickly ran


    toward the school building.His retreating figure appeared a little embarrassed.


    Ste smiled, and a mischievous glint shed across her eyes.


    ¡®you brat! This is what you get for listening to Keegan!'' she thought.


    After Julian went inside, Ste and Keegan returned to the car.


    They had no choice because it was too hot outside.


    MPVs were great.


    There was a bed and refrigerator inside, and various kinds of cold drinks were stored in the refrigerator.


    Most importantly, the MPV had air conditioning.


    After Ste got in the car, she sent the few photos Keegan had taken to Ms.Cecilia from the welfare


    center and told her to show the photos to Ms.Cooke.Ms.Cecilia told her not to worry.Keegan turned to


    look at Ste momentarily.


    "Are you still mad?" he asked in a low voice.


    Ste paused from tapping away on her phone. She remained silent.


    Keegan slowly exined, "I''ve been thinking about what happened that day for the past two days."

 Chapter 640

    Chapter 640


    Chapter 640


    "If only I hadn''t left after you gave me the candy and sent me away.I definitely would''ve caught you


    immediately.I was standing too far away."


    ¡®That''s how Marshall beat me to the punch¡± thought Keegan.


    Ste was speechless.


    Then, she was annoyed.


    "You''ve been thinking for two days, and this is the conclusion you came to?"


    "No..."


    Keegan set down the bottle in his hand.He continued, "I shouldn''t have let Jaylene touch me, and I


    should''ve pushed her away.In fact, it doesn''t even matter if I was a littlete, but I had to be facing you."


    Ste was speechless again.


    Aldor quietly increased the volume of his earphones.


    "Don''t try to y the sympathy card."


    Ste turned away and did not look at him.


    Keegan lowered his gaze.


    "I want to y the sympathy card on you, but you said we don''t even have feelings of affection


    between us."


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    ¡®We have no feelings for each other, and it''ll be nothing but torture to the both of us if we force


    ourselves to be together"


    She suddenly thought of the words she had said to the officer on the day they got divorced.


    "To be honest, I felt really sad on the day we got married.I did not expect you to actually get a


    divorce.You signed the papers so resolutely as if you didn''t care about me at all."


    He continued, "It''s certainly not entirely your fault.I''m more at fault.I should...I should have been by your


    side when you needed me the most and not let you feel disappointed in our marriage."


    Ste clenched her fists as her heart trembled slightly.


    ¡®Keegan Kane, there''s no fucking use regretting things now!'' she thought.She pursed her lips and said


    out of spite, "What''s the point of saying all this now? I don''t care anymore."


    "Ste."


    Keegan lifted his gaze.His eyes were a bit clouded.He shook his head and said in a low voice, "I swear,


    something like this won''t happen for a third time.Don''t look at Marshall, and don''t look at Trevor


    either.Look at me, Ste..."


    Before Keegan could finish his sentence, Ste heard a loud bang.Keegan had fallen onto the bed.


    Ste was startled.She quickly jumped to her feet.


    "Keegan, what''s wrong?!"


    However, Keegan did not respond.His eyes had dark eye circles under them.


    Ste called out to Aldor in a panic.


    "Aldor! I think Keegan just fainted!"


    Aldor removed his earphones and went to the back of the car.


    He briefly examined Keegan and said, "Mr.Kane is fine.He was probably too tired and fell asleep."


    Then, he picked up the ss Keegan drank earlier and nced at it.


    "He also had some alcohol."


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste nced at it.


    It was an 11% cocktail drink.She was at a loss for words.


    "You can get drunk from this?"


    Ste obviously did not buy it.


    "Not usually, but Mr.Kane has been dealing with the effects from the banquet for the past two days.He''s


    been really busy and practically hasn''t rested.When he''s free, he even has to help Julian revise for his


    exams.Mr.Kane has been really tense, and the alcohol probably triggered something, so he could not


    handle it and fell asleep."


    Ste was in disbelief.


    ¡®Was he pouring his heart out to me just now because he was drunk?'' she thought.


    She gritted her teeth and whispered, "Useless bastard!"


    ¡®This percentage of alcohol content was enough to get you drunk?! '' she thought.


    Meanwhile, the eyes of the person who was currently asleep on the bed twitched.


    ¡®I care alot about how Ste said she didn''t care anymore.Initially, I found it hard to say those things


    aloud.I was even afraid to see Ste''s reaction after hearing what I said.


    That''s why I pretended to be drunk after saying those things.


    Who would''ve thought Ste would call for Aldor after seeing me get "drunk"? Just now, I was already


    prepared to send Aldor to a branchpany if he exposed me.He''s pretty quick-witted, after all!'' he


    thought.


    "Would you like to have a boba drink, Mrs.Kane?"


    Aldor was really good at reading the room.


    "There''s a boba shop across."


    Ste had already overindulged in the morning, so she did not dare have any.


    However, she gave it some thought and said, "Get Julian a cup of lemonade.It''ll help him beat the heat


    after he finishes his testter."

 Chapter 641

    Chapter 641


    Chapter 641


    Aldor answered her and left.


    Ste turned to look at Keegan.


    ¡®This bastard didn''t even take off his shoes.How will Julian sleep here when hees backter?'' she


    thought.


    She went up to Keegan and took off his shoes.


    Then, she held his legs and pushed his body further into the bed.


    While she was doing so, she suddenly tripped over her feet and fell right onto Keegan.


    Ste''s chin knocked onto Keegan''s belt.


    It was so painful she gritted her teeth.She propped herself up from the bed.


    Just as she was about to get up, she suddenly felt something on Keegan''s body, which was under her,


    poking her.


    Ste was startled.


    In the very next moment, her expression darkened.She grabbed the pillow next to her and threw it at


    Keegan''s head.


    "Go die, Keegan!" She said and promptly left after.


    Keegan was speechless.


    When Aldor came back from buying the boba drink, he saw Keegan sitting by the bed alone in low


    spirits.


    Meanwhile, Ste was nowhere to be seen in the car.


    "Mr.Kane, where''s Mrs.Kane?" asked Aldor.


    Keegan said in a low voice, "She left."


    Aldor wanted to ask where she had gone.


    However, he realized what Keegan meant when he saw his expression.


    ¡®He probably means she had left and won''t being back" he thought.


    And so, Aldor kept his mouth shut.


    After a while, he heard Keegan ask, "How''d she notice?"


    Aldor was at a loss for words.


    He was not in the car, so he obviously did not know the reason.


    Three dayster, Detective Karl contacted Ste.


    The investigation into the car ident seven years ago had hit a bottleneck.


    The Jewell family''s driver from back then had suddenly been diagnosed with Alzheimer''s disease


    recently, so the detective could not get any information for now.


    If it was true that the driver had Alzheimer''s, then there was a good chance the things he said could not


    be admissible as evidence in court, even if they managed to get some information out of him.


    Meanwhile, the other lead the detective had been investigating was the cab they had rammed into.


    This lead was even more bizarre.


    Not only was the driver in a simr situation as the other, but even the passengers then were


    untraceable.


    There was not a single clue, so it was really strange.


    ¡®Someone''s wiped out this person''s information.


    And it''s very likely that this person isn''t Albert Jewell.


    If he were capable, that driver from the Jewell family should''ve been the first person he would take out"


    thought Detective Karl.


    "The avable evidence is iplete.Most of it is spection without substantial evidence."


    Detective Karl paused.


    He continued, "I''m really sorry, but this is all I can find at the moment.If you want me to end the


    investigation now, I can refund you the full amount of the second payment."


    "There''s no need."


    Ste added, "Continue investigating.I refuse to believe he had coincidentally developed Alzheimer''s


    during the investigation."


    Detective Karl nodded.


    "However, I suggest you start with Albert and Hylda''s rtionship.Ste looked at him.


    "You''re saying to sow discord between them?"


    Detective Karl smiled.


    "If this was done by Albert, there''s no way Hylda doesn''t know a thing at all.Albert and your mother


    cared for each other.He''s timid, cowardly, and has traditionally masculine views.With his character, he


    wouldn''t have killed her unless instigated by others."


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    This was something Ste had considered before.


    However, she was no longer certain now that she knew she was not Albert''s daughter.


    "Hylda White is a sly person," Detective Karl said in a hard voice.


    He continued, "Did you know she was once a special needs student your mother had sponsored? To


    her, getting married to Albert was an important step for her to move up the socialdder. She was the


    person who coveted Mrs.Jewell''s position the most."


    Ste pursed her lips tightly.


    After a while, she finally said, "I understand."


    Before she left, Detective Karl stopped her.


    "Your husband was also there at the car ident seven years ago.He was the one who helped with on-


    site coordination.I suppose it''s quite likely he knows the person in the cab."

 Chapter 642

    Chapter 642


    Chapter 642


    After Detective Karl finished talking, he left.


    Ste stood at her spot with a deep frown.


    ¡®It''s true Keegan was the one who saved me from the car ident back then.However, I had never


    thought about why Keegan was at the scene.After the cars in the ident flipped over, both cars


    caught fire.All the cars along the road remained far away because they feared they would get


    affected.Besides that, Keegan has an indifferent attitude toward strangers, so it really is odd for him to


    have saved me.I initially thought the car ident was a one-sided murder.However, it now appears that


    there is too much room for doubt.Just as Detective Karl said, the most direct method is to sow discord


    between them.If they had nned the murder together, sowing discord between the two would break


    their alliance.Then, I won''t have to worry about finding out the truth" thought Ste.


    At this thought, she took out her phone and called a number.


    Meanwhile, Albert had been in awful luck this month.


    Semiconductor Technology''s stocks had been increasing for a week, and various verified ounts


    practically touted them.


    Albert watched their stocks for a week and could no longer resist, so he invested another 20 million.


    On the following day, after their stocks increased again, his confidence level skyrocketed.He then


    bought several million.


    However, their stocks began to drop in the second week.


    At first, the drop was not much.


    It was only three to five points and was still eptable.


    Albert had even thought it was a chance for a margin call.


    After all, he was still making money.


    And so, he added quite a sum of funds.


    However, it limit-down the following day.


    Albert was a holder of the original stocks.


    While the stocks had a limit-down, he still made money from his total capital, so he added more funds


    again.


    The stocks dropped, and Albert added more funds.


    The stocks dropped again, and Albert added more funds once again.


    The process kept on repeating.


    By the time Albert had spent all of his chips, the stocks still had not increased.


    If it increased by two or three points, it would definitely limit- down after a day or two.


    There was no pattern to it at all.


    In just two weeks, the stocks had fallen below its issue price.


    Aside from losing the money he had earned from Ste, he additionally lost over ten million dors.


    Rookie stock brokers like Albert thought the more a stock dropped, the more it would rebound.


    However, not only did they not rebound, all of them got tied up.


    If Albert were smarter, he knew he would have been safe if he sold off his stocks at a loss at this time.


    However, Albert was stupid and greedy.


    ¡®Keegan wouldn''t stand by idly and let the stocks of a bigpany like Semiconductor Technology


    continue dropping.Besides, the verified ounts on Facebook unanimously have optimistic views, so


    selling off my stocks at a loss at this time means I''m quitting.I''m not quitting.Ever since Ste and


    Keegan got divorced, business at thepany has gotten significantly more difficult" thought Albert.


    Albert was counting on the stocks to help him make a fortune, so he would not sell them off no matter


    what others said.


    However, the stocks kept on dropping.


    They would drop by hundreds of thousands daily, so he felt really upset.


    At three o''clock, the stock market closed.


    The stock was green again.


    Albert did not look happy.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Just as he exited the study, he saw Hylda and Sophia return from shopping.


    They had brought home a bunch of luxury goods and were trying them on in the living room.


    When Hylda saw him, she said happily, "Albert, I bought you a tie.Come over, and I''ll help you try it on."


    Albert walked over with a frown.


    While Hylda was taking out the tie, its price tag fell out.


    Albert nced at it and immediately looked displeased.


    ''''13 thousand? For a piece of rag like this?"


    "Branded things are all around this price.Look at its quality! It''s much better than the previous one,


    which cost one or two thousand.Touch it and see."


    "Touch what?"


    Albert had an icy expression and threw the tie into the box.He continued, "Quickly return it!"


    Hylda''s expression turned icy.

 Chapter 643

    Chapter 643


    Chapter 643


    Seeing this, Sophia set down the bag in her hand.


    "Dad, mom''s just worried about you.You''ve been working hard for many years, so she just wanted to


    buy you something nice," she said in a low voice.


    "You call this being worried about me? You''re spending my money to worry about me?"


    At the mention of this, Albert''s pent-up anger finally blew up.He continued, "She goes to the mall a few


    times every week.Does she have that many things to buy? How many clothes, bags, and shoes do you


    all have in your closets? Yet you''re still buying more."


    Hylda was fed up with his words.


    "Do you think I''m buying this many things because I''m vain? I''m only doing this because of you! If I


    don''t dress well and wear nice bags, how will I join the social circle of richdies? I''ll only get the


    chance to bring you business after I get acquainted with them!"


    Albert did not appreciate her actions at all.


    "This is my second marriage.Who in the circle doesn''t know this? Those richdies in the social circles


    are all prideful.Even if you were dressed in gold, they''d still look down on you! If you have the time to


    do that, why don''t you spend more effort on Hugo? That''s much better than anything else." He paused.


    He asked, "Where''s Hugo?"


    Hylda was initially enraged.


    However, she immediately panicked when she realized her son''s disappearance.


    "He was in the living room just now."


    Albert''s expression turned tense.


    "Hurry up and find him," he said The entire family searched for Hugo for a long time.


    In the end, they found him in the attic upstairs.


    He was sitting on the floor and drawing something on a piece of paper.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Hylda breathed a sigh of relief and went up to him.


    "You brat.Why didn''t you answer when we''ve been calling out your name..."


    Hylda did not finish her sentence.She abruptly paled when she saw Hugo''s drawing.


    "Al-Albert,e here..."


    Albert had juste upstairs.


    When he saw her nervous expression, he frowned.


    ''What''s the matter?"


    "Quicklye over and look!"


    With a frown, Albert went up to them.


    When he saw what Hylda wanted him to see, he also turned ghostly pale.His fingers trembled.


    There was an overturned car drawn on the paper.


    Not far from the car was a woman in a pool of blood who was staring straight at him.


    Hugo was really talented at drawing.


    While his drawing skills were not skilled, he depicted the characters'' features well.


    The woman on the ground wore a dark green dress.She had curly, permed hair and a mole below her


    left eyebrow.She was depicted really clearly.


    All of these were the characteristics of Rainee.


    Albert''s throat went dry.


    He felt a chill run down his spine.


    ¡®Why''d Hugo draw such a drawing? He wasn''t even born when the incident happened. How could he


    draw a thing when he had never seen such things? Could it be the work of Rainee''s ghost? Her spirit


    cannot rest?" he thought.


    Albert trembled, and his face turned so pale it was almost transparent.


    Hylda was the first toe back to her senses.She grabbed Hugo and asked, "Hugo, tell mommy.Who


    asked you to draw this?"


    Hugo shook his head.


    "Then, why''d you think of drawing this?"


    Hugo still shook his head.


    "Nobody told you to draw this? Are you lying?"


    Hylda was really restless, so she unconsciously raised the volume of her voice.


    Hugo was frightened.He teared up and started crying.


    "Why are you crying?! You''re not answering any of my questions! Are you a mute?"


    "That''s enough!" Albert said with a pale expression.


    He continued, "What''s the use of picking on him? You''re the one taking care of him.Don''t you know


    who he interacts with? Maybe...Maybe she came to him in a dream..."


    "That''s impossible!"


    Hylda said in a shrill voice, "There''s no such thing as ghosts.Somebody''s definitely trying to mess with


    us!" she said as she grabbed the drawing and started tearing it.


    "She couldn''tpete with me when she was alive, and she still can''t when she''s dead! Even if she''s


    really turned into a ghost, I can still kill her again!" she said.


    She raised her hands, and the pieces of torn paper scattered all over the floor.


    Albert choked up.


    For a while, he could not speak.


    Ste was at Clouditude International when she got a call on her phone.

 Chapter 644

    Chapter 644


    Chapter 644


    Ste grabbed the phone.


    After she muttered something, she hung up the phone.


    Felicity ced the final dish onto the table and turned to Ste.


    "My queen, it''s time to eat!" she shouted.


    Steughed.


    Then, she slipped on her shoes and walked over.


    There were four dishes and a bowl of soup, which was mushroom soup.


    It was amazing.


    "Felicity, your idea is brilliant.Albert was scared shitless."


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicity''s eyes lit up.


    "Tell me more, tell me more!"


    Ste told Felicity what happened at the Jewell residence today.


    After Detective Karl told her about sowing discord, she discussed the matter with Felicity.


    Felicity was quick-witted and suggested starting on their youngest son first.


    Firstly, it was easier to coax children.


    Secondly, children acting this way was terrifying.


    It was like how children in western films made drawings that foretold death.


    ¡®Who wouldn''t get scared? Not to mention that Albert''s a coward" thought Ste.


    Ste and Felicity worked together.


    After they figured out Hylda''s whereabouts, they disguised themselves and followed her.


    When they got to the mall, Hylda and Sophia were busy picking out things while Hugo sat alone at the


    side with a phone as he waited for them.


    Felicity was in charge of luring him over.


    Meanwhile, Ste disguised herself as an olddy.


    She pulled the child over and said she wanted to y a game with him.


    Ste had previously learned some simple magic tricks, so she was really skilled at fooling children.


    Hugo was immediately fascinated.


    Then, Ste took out Rainee''s photo and told him what to draw.


    She said if he did not make the drawing, his father, mother, and sister would disappear the way she did


    the magic trick.


    She also said they would also disappear if he told this secret to others.


    Hearing this, Hugo immediately paled.


    Ste initially wanted to ce a listening device on Hugo.


    However, the device was too eye-catching.


    Since summer wear is thin, there was nowhere to hide the device.


    She had no choice but to probe for news through the Jewell family''s housemaid.


    The housemaid was hired by Rainee and was switched out before.


    However, Albert was more used to her, so he hired her again.


    Back then, Rainee helped the housemaid find a hospital when the housemaid''s father was hospitalized.


    Rainee made arrangements for the housemaid and even lent her money, so Ste took a gamble on


    the housemaid''s conscience.


    Thankfully, Ste made the right choice.


    Felicity was indignant and outraged.


    "Fuck! It''s ashame I wasn''t there to see it. Those fuckers were probably scared shitless," she said.


    "Even if it didn''t scare them shitless, it''ll take them a while to recover."


    "Let''s find another opportunity and get that kid to make another drawing." Ste shook her head.


    "We can''t use the same trick twice. This happened really suddenly, so they haven''t realized what had


    happened. Once they do, they''ll think someone''s messing with them. Then, they''ll definitely watch over


    Hugo even more closely. We won''t find any more opportunities."


    "Then, what do we do?" Felicity smiled.


    "Let''s eat first. You''ll find outter."


    "Alright."


    Just as the two got seated, they heard someone knock on the door.


    Felicity wiped her hands.


    "I''ll get it."


    Then, she ran over.


    The moment she opened the door and saw who it was, she closed it without hesitation Vermont


    stopped the door with a foot.


    He smiled and said, "You dislike me this much when we just met, neighbor?"


    Felicity still held a grudge against how he previously scammed her. She said through gritted her teeth,


    "I''m not your neighbor.


    Get lost."


    "You''re staying in 901, and I''m staying in 902.Doesn''t that make us neighbors?" he said as he waved


    the packet of candy in his hands.


    "A housewarming gift for you two."


    "Who is it, Felicity?"


    "No¡ª Mhmm!"


    Before Felicity could finish talking, Vermont covered her mouth.


    "Ste, it''s me." He said as he put an arm over Felicity''s shoulder and pulled her into the house.

 Chapter 645

    Chapter 645


    Chapter 645


    "What a coincidence! I didn''t expect you guys to be the tenants of 901."


    Then, Vermont smelled the aroma of the food and stared at them.


    "Ste, you made those yourself?"


    Ste said, "Felicity made them, not me."


    She paused.


    ¡®Why''d Vermont move here?¡¯ she wondered.


    Ste only learned that the unit they were living in was under Trevor''s name a few days ago when she


    was cross-checking the property owner''s information with the management.


    Then, she tentatively asked her agent, Kaiden.


    Kaiden said the houses thepany was letting the artists stay in were all currently under Trevor''s


    name.


    This was because thepany had just been established, and this was the most hassle- free method.


    Then, he told her the units on the few floors above and below hers all belonged to thepany.


    When the time came, they would arrange for other artists to move in.


    They might also rent the units to influencers and such to get rent money.


    Ste did not ask any more questions after hearing his words.


    For the past two days, people have been walking in and out of unit 902.


    There was also a lot of noise within the unit, so Ste thought thepany had gotten someone new


    to move in, and the person had been moving in for the past few days.


    She did not expect it to be Vermont.


    It was such a big coincidence that it did not feel coincidental.


    When Vermont heard Felicity was the one who prepared the table of food, he had a look of incredulity.


    "Isn''t your home field the fighting arena? Why''d it change to the kitchen?"


    Felicity snorted.


    "I''m great with people and also the kitchen.I can also write scripts and cut people out."


    Vermont could not help butugh when he saw her smug expression.


    It was as if his heart was being tickled by a feather.


    The feeling was simr to how he could not help but want to tease someone''s small, fluffy pet he saw


    by the street.


    "How do you cut someone out?"


    Felicity raised her palm and brought it down on its side to karate- chop Vermont on his shoulder.


    "Understood?" Vermont was speechless.


    "What do you want? If you''ve got no business here, hurry up and leave," Felicity urged.


    The aroma of the food continuously wafted outside, causing Vermont''s stomach to grumble.


    The mushroom soup, in particr, looked delectable solely based on its color.


    Vermont sighed.


    "Having a housemate is better.


    You can make four or five dishes when cooking.


    If you live alone, you don''t have anything to eat or drink Even if you wanted to eat something, you


    wouldn''t want to turn on the stove to cook."


    Ste politely responded, "We didn''t know you were moving in today, Mr.Snyder.Tomorrow, we''ll


    prepare a gift and pay you a visit.Our meeting today''s a little too sudden, so we didn''t prepare


    anything."


    Felicity looked really unhappy, so Ste had no choice but to gently ask him to leave.


    However, Vermont did not seem to understand the meaning behind Ste''s words.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    He yed along and said, ''Well, four dishes and a soup is pretty good.We''re old acquaintances, so


    there''s no need to make things that grand."


    Then, he pulled a chair and sat down.


    "Besides, there''s no time like the present.You guys are usually busy, so today''s the right time."


    The corner of Felicity''s eye twitched.


    "Did we ask you to stay for a meal?"


    "You two girls can''t finish this many dishes.Throwing them out would be a waste."


    Felicity''s eye twitched again.


    "We won''t throw out the food we can''t finish.We can put it in the fridge!"


    Vermont nced at her.


    "You''re obviously not one who often listens to what experts in science have to say.Experts say eating


    overnight meals leads to cancer.A while ago, there was an old man who ate overnight meals every


    single day.He ate them for over ten years and died of stomach cancer.The doctor said it was caused by


    his consumption of overnight meals.The old man only lived to his 70s."


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®70s...Isn''t it likely that there are other factors?'' she thought.


    Felicityughed icily.


    "Experts also say we shouldn''t drink carbonated drinks.People who consume carbonated drinks long-


    term eventually die."


    However, Vermont did not seem to detect the mockery in her words.He had an expression as if he had


    found apanion.


    "That''s why, nowadays, I don''t consume carbonated drinks anymore.You guys also shouldn''t consume


    overnight meals.As long as I''m here, all of the food can be finished in the same day," he said as he


    stood up.


    He continued, "I''ll go get a bowl."


    Then, he walked into the kitchen and started rummaging around as if it were his own house.


    Felicity said through gritted teeth, "Look at how he''s acting.It''s like he''s never eaten food before!"

 Chapter 646

    Chapter 646


    Chapter 646 Ste was also troubled.


    ¡®I can''t throw him out.Back when Rainee was hospitalized, Vermont had helped me, so I can''t be too


    harsh.But Felicity looks like she doesn''t like Vermont, so I can''t just let him stay.I''m in a dilemma," she


    thought.


    Vermont searched around the kitchen and could not find a te or cutlery.


    In disbelief, he returned to the dining table and said, "Do you guys only have four bowls?"


    Ste said, "We only moved in recently, so we don''t have many things yet."


    Each of them had a bowl and a soup bowl, so there were no extra bowls.


    Felicity was not as polite as Ste.


    "There''s only two of us staying here.Why would we need that many bowls?" she paused.


    She narrowed her eyes and continued, "Why don''t you eat with your hands? Since you''re so thick-


    skinned, the food probably won''t burn you."


    The corner of Vermont''s lips twitched.


    "I don''t have a problem with that. But can you still stomach the food after I touch them with my hands?"


    Felicity was at a loss for words.


    "I''ll get someone to bring a bowl over,"


    Vermont said as he grabbed his phone and called a number.


    "Bring me a set of cutlery and a bowl.I''m at unit 901, the seventh block at Clouditude


    International.Hurry up, okay? My food''s about to turn cold.Don''t dy my meal."


    Then, he hung up the phone.


    "You two can eat first.There''s no need to wait for me."


    Ste and Felicity were speechless.


    ¡®If I had known Stinky Cucumber wasing, I would''ve put somexatives in the food!'' she thought.


    Since things had alreadye to this point, Ste could not start eating.


    A host could not let their guests watch them eat.


    She stood up and said, "I''ll go and cut some fruits."


    Vermont bluntly said, "Ste, open a bottle of wine if you have any."


    "Open, my foot!"


    Felicity red at him and continued, "Do you think this is your own house?"


    Vermont did not get angry.He smiled and said, "It''s alright.I''ll have someone bring some over."


    Then, he sent a text message.


    After Ste finished cutting some fruit, the doorbell rang.


    Felicity went to open the door with a reluctant expression.


    As soon as she opened the door, she fell silent.


    Keegan stood by the door with two sets of cutlery, two bowls, a bottle of wine, and a bouquet of


    flowers.


    ¡®That damn Stinky Cucumber! I should''ve kicked him out just now! ¡® she thought.


    "Are the cutlery and bowl here?" Vermont''s voice sounded behind her.


    Then, he rested his elbow on Felicity''s shoulder.


    "What are you staring at, miss bandit?"


    Felicity stomped on his foot and stormed back inside.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    ''I''m not afraid of dealing with Vermont.But when ites to Keegan, I''m only gutsy when Ste''s


    around.After all, I still vividly remember how this mutt called the cops on me," she thought.


    "Fuck! You bandit!"


    Vermont limped around and cursed.


    Then, he said to Keegan, "Remember to reimburse me for my work injury."


    Keegan shoved the bowls, cutlery, and wine into Vermont''s hands.


    Then, he walked into the house with the bouquet.


    Their house was part of Clouditude International, so it was obviously upscale.


    Keegan looked around the ce.

 Chapter 647

    Chapter 647


    Chapter 647 Keegan was stunned.


    This was the second time he was amazed by the character she portrayed.


    Thest time was when she portrayed a psychopathic cannibal serial killer in Jurisdiction.


    Ste glowed when she was in front of the camera.


    Even though her face was familiar, she would make people feel that she embodied the character she


    yed when she was in front of the camera.


    In the eyes of others, she was like a luminous pearl covered with dust.


    The radiance could not be hidden when the dust was removed.


    But in Keegan''s eyes, she was never covered with dust.


    It was just that the glimmer of radiance was kept in his secretpartment back then.


    Only he could enjoy it.


    But a luminous pearl shined brighter in a darker ce.


    It was meant to be admired by the world.


    He could not hide it at all.


    Ste came out after she was done cutting the fruits.


    Her eye twitched when she saw the scene in the dining area.


    Keegan, Vermont, and Felicity were sitting at the dining table.


    Keegan was expressionless.


    Vermont and Felicity were staring at each other.


    The atmosphere was exceptionally tense.


    Ste broke this tension when she came out.


    Vermont was very observant.


    He got up and took the fruit te from Ste.


    "Thank you, Ste.Quickly sit down and eat.The dishes are getting cold.


    "Ste, Keegan helped me move today.So, I asked him to get some tes ande over.He had been


    busy the whole day.He hasn''t even had a warm meal yet. So, I asked him to sit down and eat. You


    don''t mind, right?"


    "Of course, I don''t.He''s not a stranger.Am I right, Mr.Kane?"


    Ste smiled but she secretly screamed bad words in her mind.


    ¡®As expected, I can''t go soft on Vermont.He''s Keegan''s adviser.It''s difficult to keep Keegan under


    control.Vermont''s extremely cunning.He can set me up anytime, anywhere."


    Vermont tutted.


    "Ste, you''re so big-hearted."


    He grabbed the red wine as he said, "We didn''te empty- handed.Look, we brought a bottle of good


    wine, Lafite."


    Felicity moved her eyes.


    "Year eighty-two?"


    Vermont decanted the wine, saying, "I think you watch too many dramas.


    Lafite must be year eighty-two? Year eighty-two Lafite was just always written and used by those web


    novel authors and web drama screenwriters."


    Felicity was speechless.


    "You''re a small business owner.And you brought this kind of alcohol to fool us?"


    "This kind of alcohol?"


    Vermont ground his teeth as he said, "Year ny -six.It''s over ten thousand dors a bottle.It''s a few


    dors per sip! And who''s a small business owner? I''m a tycoon with over a hundred million dors


    worth."


    Felicity rolled her eyes.She grabbed the spoon to fill a bowl of mushroom soup for Ste.


    Vermont immediately handed his bowl over to her.


    Felicity ignored himpletely.


    Luckily Vermont was emotionally resilient.


    After waiting for Felicity to finish getting the soup, he took the spoon over and filled his bowl with the


    soup.


    Of course, he did not forget to serve his best friend a bowl of soup too.


    The mushroom soup was simmered for a long time.


    The soup was white and frothy.


    The taste of pepper was very light but it was just right.


    It did not mask the taste of the soup.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    The first bite immediately gave Vermont''s taste buds a treat.


    Although it was not the best soup he had, it was unexpectedly to his taste.


    "Miss bandit." Felicity was impatient.


    "What?"


    "The soup you made...is quite good,"


    Vermont sincerelyplimented.


    Felicity snorted.


    "I''m a legendary chef in Rivera.Do you think I''m a fake?"


    Vermontughed for a long time.


    ¡®This funny girl is so likable."


    Ste did not speak much at the dining table.It was mainly because she was still angry at Keegan for


    pretending to be drunk to trick her a while back.It would be inappropriate for her to fight with Keegan


    now.


    ¡®Vermont and Felicity are here.I shouldn''t embarrass this piece of shit Keegan in front of them."


    So, they had quite a peaceful meal.


    Only Vermont and Felicity bickered asionally.

 Chapter 648

    Chapter 648


    Chapter 648


    They even argued about which was the nicer pie, apple pies or pumpkin pies.


    Vermont was a southerner.He stubbornly said apple pies were better.


    Felicity was a northern girl.


    Naturally, she felt pumpkin pies were the best.


    At the end of their debate, Felicity bragged.


    "I''ll make a whole pumpkin pie for you tomorrow.


    I''ll show you which is the best."


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont slightly lifted the corner of his mouth.


    He looked serious as he said, "Show me.But apple pies will remain on top!"


    Felicity''s expression was ugly.


    She said, "You just wait!"


    She then immediately got up and ran to the kitchen to prepare the ingredients for the pumpkin pie.She


    wanted to give Vermont a brutal p in the face with the Northern pumpkin pie.Ste saw Vermont


    looked smug.She felt that Felicity fell into his trap.


    The four of them finished eating all four of the dishes and the soup.


    Truthfully, Keegan ate quite little.


    Stelle did not eat much either because Keegan was there.


    Felicity ate as much as Ste.


    Only Vermont ate a lot.


    Vermont was talking while eating.


    He actually had almost half of the mushroom soup.He very proactively helped to clean up the dishes


    after the meal.


    "I''ll do it," Ste said.


    She did not want to let the guest do the dishes.


    Vermont did not reject it.


    He then went to drink tea in the living room.


    Keegan removed his zer.He rolled up his sleeves to help Ste.


    Ste stopped cleaning up when she saw him move.She rolled down her sleeves as she faintly said,


    Clean the dishes more thoroughly."


    She went back to her room after that.


    Keegan was speechless.He had a headache when he lowered his head, staring at the pile of dishes.He


    spent more than fifteen minutes cleaning the dishes.


    Keegan had a pampered upbringing.He did not have experience in cleaning dishes.His whole body


    was wet after cleaning the tableware.


    There were quite a few water stains on his shirt and pants.He then came out of the kitchen.


    Vermont and Felicity were holding their phones in the living room.


    They were ying games together.


    "Your hands are as fast as grandma!" Felicity scolded.


    "I was in front of you and you just watched me get killed?"


    Vermont calmly said, "You were sacrificed for the greater good.Don''t worry.I''ll bring victory to you."


    "Victory, your ass!"


    Keegan ignored them.He nced at the few rooms.He then found Ste''s room.He pushed the door


    open.He instantly saw the stuffed rabbit on her bed.


    There was one at his house too.


    But there was no one in the room.He did not see Ste.


    Keegan was suddenly pushed from behind while he was wondering.He stumbled and fell on the bed.


    Ste jumped at him from behind.


    She used the pillow to hit his head.


    "You scoundrel! Who allowed you toe into my room?!" She hit him as she scolded him.


    She hit his face every single time.She seemed like she was taking her anger out on him.


    It was a down pillow.


    It was light so it was not painful to be hit by it.


    Keegan grabbed Ste''s wrist easily.He turned her over to switch their positions.He squinted his eyes.


    He gruffly said, ''Were you just waiting for me here?"


    What he meant was why would Ste not lock the door after the previous experience? He was implying


    that she was intentionally watching him closely, waiting for him.


    Ste stared at him as she said, "You barged into my room uninvited.Why can''t I hit you?"


    Keegan''s heart unconsciously softened a little when he saw her fierce look.


    "You can.I think it''s quite nice."


    He softly pinched Ste''s face as he said, "If someone dares to treat you like I did in the future, beat


    the person mercilessly.Hit him until he''s permanently disabled.I''ll cover for you."

 Chapter 649

    Chapter 649


    Chapter 649


    The corner of Ste''s eye twitched.


    "I''ll hit you until you''re permanently disabled now!" Keegan gave augh.


    But after a while, he whispered, "The house that I transferred to your name is bigger than this.I''ll ask


    someone to clean the house.Move in and live there."


    Ste pushed him away.


    "Are you trying to be my sugar daddy? Just like how you were Be''s sugar daddy back then?" Keegan


    frowned.


    "Since when was I her sugar daddy?" Ste was boiling with rage.


    "I saw the manuscript from the media.Who doesn''t know you supported Be financially?"


    Keegan furrowed his eyebrows.He seemed like he remembered the gossip in the entertainment section


    of the newspaper.He frowned as he said, "I provided her resources.I was indeed her financial


    backer.But I wasn''t her sugar daddy.I didn''t touch her."


    Steughed mockingly.


    "Then how did she get pregnant with your baby? Asexual reproduction?" Keegan frowned.


    "What do you mean pregnant with my baby?"


    Ste opened her social media app.She then clicked open the post Be had made three months ago.It


    was the pregnancy checklist picture.


    "When she posted this picture, she was six weeks pregnant.And six weeks before that, someone took


    picture of you two at her vi.Although the picture was as blurry as a mosaic.But I could recognize you


    even if you turned into ashes!"


    Keegan frowned as he stared at that picture.


    After a long time, he opened his own social media and clicked open Be''s profile.He scrolled down to


    March.


    But he could not see the post by Be.


    Ste noticed that too.She also noticed that Keegan had set Ste''s WhatsApp to Do- Not- Disturb


    mode.She gave augh.


    "I can''t be the only one that can see the post, right?" Keegan did not speak.


    Ste remained silent too.So, the two of them ran to the living room to find Vermont.


    "Open your social media," Keegan said in a low voice.


    "Huh? ¡°


    "Open it and look at Be''s WhatsApp profile," Keegan reiterated.


    Vermont was confused.


    He turned on his WhatsApp app and viewed Be''s profile.He then clicked to see what she posted.


    The content he could see was exactly the same as what Keegan could see on his WhatsApp ount.


    They could not see the pregnancy checklist.


    The picture of her patching Keegan up could not be seen either.


    Vermont still did not understand what was happening.


    He raised his head and asked, "What''s wrong?"


    Keegan pursed his lips.He looked gloomy.


    "Nothing."


    Ste did not look good too.


    Although she suspected Be lied, it was just a guess back then.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    But the evidence was right in front of her now.She only then realized that she got yed by such a bad


    lie.


    "Victim...Fucking victim!"


    Just as Keegan was about to speak, the doorbell rang.


    Trevor''s voice could be heard from the monitor.


    "Ste, open the door please." Ste shuddered.


    She did not have the time to scold him.She pushed Keegan as she said, "Hide.Quickly hide!"


    Keegan was not happy.


    "Why do I need to hide?"


    ¡®Am I really so embarrassing?"


    Ste clenched her teeth.


    "I''m staying in my boss''s house.It''s inappropriate for me to bring other men here."


    Keegan was reluctant.He nced at Vermont.


    "Why didn''t you ask him to hide?"


    "He''s not my ex-husband!" Ste stared at him.


    "You know how guilty you are."


    Keegan was speechless.


    Vermont took the opportunity and said, "Ste and I are like brothers."


    Felicity nced at him.


    She murmured, "More like sisters."


    "Ste?"


    Trevor was a little worried because he did not hear any sound after such a long time.


    "Ste, are you home?"


    "Yes! " Ste replied loudly.


    She immediately pushed Keegan to the washroom.


    She warned him, "Don''t make a sound.Or else you''re dead!"


    She mmed the washroom door and ran to open the front door.

 Chapter 650

    Chapter 650


    Chapter 650


    Ste tidied the house up a little before she ran to the entrance to open the door.


    Standing outside the door, Trevor was holding a few bags.His eyes looked warm when he saw her.


    "Have you eaten?" Ste said, "Just ate."


    She saw he was carrying a lot of stuff.


    She hesitated before asking, "Trevor, you..."


    Trevor was stunned.


    He said, "It was Labor Day two days ago.Ourpany prepared some gifts.I wanted to ask you to go


    there and take them.But I''m going drinking with my friends tonight, so I dropped by to send you these


    gifts."


    "So many?"


    She had just signed the contract with thepany.She had not even helped thepany earn any


    money.But she had already received many benefits from thepany.


    "Let me take it." Ste stretched out her hand, wanting to take the gifts.


    Trevor avoided her hand.


    "It''s a little heavy.You can''t carry them.Open the door wider.I''ll help you take these inside."


    Her boss came to visit her.He even brought her the gifts personally.


    Ste must know what the right thing was to do.


    She stepped aside and softly said, "Trevor, you can just call me if something happens at the


    company.You don''t need to find me personally."


    Trevor thought to himself, ''It''s just traveling.I''m happy to travel to find her every day."


    But out loud, he replied, "Okay.I''ll call you next time."


    After walking past the entrance, he saw Vermont and Felicity sitting on the couch ying games in the


    living room.


    Trevor stopped moving.He warily looked around.


    ¡®I don''t see Keegan, but...It''s a bit weird that there''s a big bunch of flowers on the table."


    "Mr.Snyder, why are you here?"


    Vermont hated Trevor for poaching his idol from him.He was unfriendly when he spoke to Trevor.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    "Mr.Saun, you care so much for your employee.You even personally sent her the gifts.Don''t you have


    any useful staff that can do this?"


    Trevor knew what he was thinking.


    He gently smiled.


    He insultingly said, "I have to treat the actress who I finally managed to sign well.There are many


    artists in Mr.Snyder''spany.Of course, you don''t feel the same."


    The corner of Vermont''s lips twitched.


    He raised his head to ask Ste, "Sister-inw, how many years did you sign with him?"


    Ste answered, "Five years."


    Vermont looked unhappy.


    He then said, "Just let me know whenever you don''t feel like staying in Elegant Media.I''ll help you


    switchpanies.Don''t worry about the penalty for breach of contract."


    ¡®That sucker Keegan will definitely pay for it!'' The corner of Trevor''s eye twitched when he heard


    "sister-inw "I He wanted to kick Vermont after hearing him talk about poaching Ste right in front of


    him.


    ¡®As expected, anyone who''s close to Keegan is no good."


    Ste was not someone who did not have a sense of propriety.


    She immediately said, "Thepany treats me very well.I''m not nning to switch anytime soon."


    Vermont sighed.


    "Too bad.Mypany terminated a contract with an actress recently.We have a lot of extra resources


    now.If youe, I''ll definitely focus on you."


    Vaguely, Trevor had a bad feeling.


    ¡®Indeed, this stupid Vermont spoke again the next second."


    Vermont looked sorry as he said, "That actress who terminated the contract and went to Elegant Media


    is quite famous.Mr.Saun will definitely make every effort to make her a star.I''m just afraid you won''t get


    the good resources when the timees.Right, you know that actress.She''s Be Young."


    Ste was speechless.


    Trevor was left speechless too.


    ¡®Asshole! '' Ste winced.


    She frowned.


    Felicity simply asked directly, "Ms.Young signed with Elegant Media?"

 Chapter 651

    Chapter 651


    Chapter 651


    ¡®Ms.Young?"


    Trevor looked at Ste''s expression.He pursed his lips.


    "My staff signed with her.I didn''t know about it initially."


    Felicity roasted him directly.


    "The staff in yourpany has bad taste just like this Stinky Cucumber.Be''s average-looking.Her


    acting skills are terrible.And her operational capability is bad too.What do you guys see in her?"


    Vermont was speechless.


    "Miss bandit, Be is a popr actress I made.Even now, she''s the top performer among the artists her


    age in the entertainment circle.Do you know what top performer means? She can make money for me


    just by standing there.Moreover, Be did not get famous just because I] spent capital on her.She''s the


    public''s choice too.


    "If the audience didn''t like girls her type, Be wouldn''t get famous even if I spent a lot of money on


    her.We make money out of her.As long as she doesn''t do anything illegal, why should we give up a


    money- printing machine?"


    Felicity clenched her teeth.


    "The taste of investors like you guys has changed.So, you guys changed the taste of the audience


    too.And yet, you said it was the market''s preference." Vermont opened his mouth.


    But he felt that they could note to an agreement even if he continued to argue with her.


    Felicity looked at it from the audience''s perspective, especially from the perspective of an audience


    who did not like the view.


    And Vermont looked at it from the investor''s perspective.


    It was meaningless for them to continue discussing it.So, he changed the topic to divide Ste and


    Trevor.


    After all, this was his main mission.


    "Ste, Green Hill Media will always wee you." Trevor''s eye twitched.


    He suddenly wanted to just shut Vermont''s mouth.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Ste returned to normal after a short while of feeling disgusted.


    ¡®Vermont''s right.Investors want to earn money.Even if Be''s disgusting, she''s currently one of the most


    profitable stars.


    ¡®Initially, after the divorce with Keegan, I''ve already forgotten about that unremarkable Be.


    ¡®But today I suddenly got to know about her "impressive" moves.


    And now we''re in the samepany.


    I won''t be able to sleep well at night if I don''t get my revenge!¡¯ After Ste figured this out, she said,


    "Mr.Snyder, stop teasing me.My boss will be unhappy.Since I''ve already signed the contract, I''ll follow


    thepany''s arrangement for the contract.No matter who thepany signed, I believed they made


    that choice after careful consideration."


    Trevor suddenly felt a little better.


    "After you''re done filming The Pce, I''ll ask Kaiden to arrange new jobs for you.Ste, don''t worry.I''ll


    never break the promise that I listed in our contract."


    Ste smiled.She did not reply to that.


    After Trevor said that, he looked at the bouquet of flowers on the table again.


    Vermont clearly noticed what he was looking at.He put his hand around Felicity''s shoulders.


    "Baby, do you like the flowers that I bought for you?"


    Felicity had goosebumps on her back.She smacked his hand.


    "I''d like your head to be blown off!"


    Initially, he was just teasing her.


    But when Vermont saw Felicity''s expression, he suddenly said, "Miss bandit, have you never received


    flowers from a man?"


    "Bullshit!"


    Felicity got flustered suddenly.


    She stared at him as she said, "You were still a virgin the first-time I received flowers!"


    Vermont could not help butugh.


    "You know at what age I lost my virginity?" Felicity nced at him.


    "A Stinky Cucumber like you probably lost your virginity when you were minor."


    Vermont was speechless.


    Ste noticed the conversation between them was getting increasingly inappropriate.So, she coughed.


    ''Trevor, you''re going drinking with your friends, right? I''ll walk down with you."


    Just as Trevor was about to speak, a sshing sound could suddenly be heard from the washroom.


    He abruptly looked in the direction of the washroom.


    Ste suddenly straightened her back.

 Chapter 652

    Chapter 652


    Chapter 652


    Ste pursed her lips as her throat unconsciously tightened.


    Vermont and Felicity still had their usual expressions.


    Both of them acted as if they did not hear the noiseing from the washroom.


    "Is there someone in the toilet?" Trevor asked.


    "Uh...it''s the plumber," Ste lied while maintaining a bold front.


    "The tap in the washroom is broken."


    ¡®The tap in this brand-new house is broken?¡¯ Trevor thought.Trevor''s gaze shifted between each


    person.After a long while, he then said, "Then I''ll take my leave first."


    As he spoke, he pulled out his phone to dial a number.


    Subsequently, the ringtone from a cell phone came from the dining table.


    Trevor looked at the phone ced on the table.


    Ste was speechless.


    Keegan, who was in the toilet, seemed to have heard the ringtone.He pushed open the door with his


    shirt half-buttoned.His whole body was soaking wet, and so was his hair.His hair wasbed to the


    back of his head, which showcased his sharp features.


    Although he was obviously clothed, he looked like he had just finished showering.He then sauntered


    over, calm andposed.He greeted Trevor unenthusiastically.


    "Mr.Moore, what a coincidence.You also came over for dinner?"


    Theer of Ste''s eye twitched harshly when she heard that.


    Felicity just saw a glimpse of Keegan''s half-naked state before Vermont covered her eyes.


    "It''s improper to look."


    Felicity elbowed Vermont''s stomach out of anger.


    Trevor tightened the corners of his lips and said with a half-smile, "Is the Kane family business failing?


    Why has Mr.Kane changed careers to plumbing?"


    Keegan chuckled lightly.


    "Business is fine.I merely came to help out a neighbor to support themunity''s cause and promote


    neighborly rtions."


    Trevor''s eye twitched.


    "Neighbor?"


    Vermont raised his hand.


    "Over here, I''m the resident of unit 902."


    Trevor nced at Vermont and then Keegan.


    He very swiftly understood that these two sons of bitches were colluding to deceive that idiot Xavier.


    Xavier had said that, just as he sent the rent notice, so many influencers hade to rent rooms.


    The fool, Xavier, even told him something about Rivera being the capital for influencers.


    Hence many influencers would specifically go to these high-end residences to rent rooms in order to


    record their videos.He was still wondering if influencers earned a lot of money since the monthly rent


    was around a hundred thousand dors.


    After all the fuss, it turns out these two sons of bitched were the cause of it! Keegan had a look


    showing that he could not wait toy his im.


    His whole body exuded an aura indicating he was searching for a mate.


    He most likely thought of Trevor as his rival.


    ¡®Bitch!¡¯ Trevor cursed internally.


    ¡®When a car is about to crash into a tree, you would know to steer away.If a child is hungry, you would


    remember to feed it.


    When your snot enters your mouth, you will know to wipe it away.


    If he knew of this, why the fuck did he not do it much earlier?!'' Trevor screamed in his thoughts.He then


    suppressed the displeasure that filled his heart and pulled his lips into a smile.He then turned around to


    speak to Ste.


    "Ste, when there are items at home that are broken in the future, if they can be fixed, call the


    management.If they cannot be fixed, just throw them away.Don''t keep calling for your neighbors''


    help.Do you know how much of a hassle it would be for the other party? "


    Trevor continued, "You should throw some of them away.There''s no need to regret it.I''ll have someone


    swap it into a new one.You just need to remember that, regardless of the item, anew one is always


    better."


    Keegan''s eye twitched harshly, and the expression on his face fell.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Trevor saw Keegan''s expression, and his mood immediately turned for the better before saying,


    "Alright, I''ll be leaving first.You should return soon after you finish fixing the pipes, Mr.Kane."


    Right after they sent Trevor off, Keegan said with a long face, "Trevor''s a really cunning guy, so you


    should minimize your interactions with him."


    Ste nced at him and then asked, "Should we go out and have a walk?"


    "Mmm?"


    After hearing her question, Keegan could not respond at first.Ste repeated herself.


    ''''I said, let''s go and have a walk.Do you want toe?"


    Keegan had zoned out as this was the first-time Ste had invited him herself since they were divorced.


    Was it because she knew Be lied, so her anger had been unraveled? Keegan''s heart was beating


    fast as he gave a light cough before saying, "That would be fine."

 Chapter 653

    Chapter 653


    Chapter 653


    "Then, let''s go."


    Ste took Keegan''s coat and opened the door.


    Keegan realized this was a rare sight and said softly, "I''ll hold it myself."


    Ste then passed the coat to him.


    Just as Keegan stepped out the door, aloud bang sounded.


    Ste had swung the door shut and shut Keegan out of the house.


    Keegan was at a loss for words.


    ¡®Walk...Walk, my ass! Keegan''s cell phone never leaves his side so he definitely put it in the living room


    on purpose! He was trying to be smart with me.


    Did he think that I was stupid?¡¯ Ste thought.


    On June 20th, Ste wouldplete shooting for her scene in The Pce.


    Daniel led the whole production crew to help hold a small banquet for Ste to wrap up her shoot.Her


    first project finished filming just like that.


    On the day she left the production crew, she was actually quite reluctant.


    Daniel conducted himself properly, and the cohesiveness between the production crew was strong.


    The crew had few messy issues, and the actors were very professional.


    Everyone got along with each other very well.


    It was just like Shea had said.


    Ste was fortunate.


    The first-time she joined filming, she met Daniel''s production crew, allowing her to step on lesser


    landmines.


    Since Ste''s social experience wascking then, she merelyughed it off when she heard Shea''s


    words.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    After production wrapped up, thepany gave her a few days off to allow her to recuperate.


    Thepany said that they had an important arrangement for her after this.


    Suddenly, Ste had plenty of free time.


    On the other hand, Felicity started to get busy recently.


    Usually, she was busy with work, so she always cooked during the weekend or her time off.


    However, these few days, the frequency of her cooking was slightly higher.


    Ste stared at the woman bustling about in the kitchen and could not help but ask, "Aren''t you busy


    with work recently?"


    Felicity marinated meat while answering.


    "It''s still fine and it''s almost the same as before."


    "Aren''t you tired of having toe back and cook every day?"


    Felicity turned around and said with a smile, "I''m making this for Dr.Steven."


    Ste was puzzled.


    "When I went for a follow-up a few days ago, I saw that Dr.Steven was quite busy.He didn''t even have


    time to eat a meal during lunch.Before he could eat the takeaway he ordered, the food had clumped


    together.Besides, takeaway food has too much salt and oil, which are very unhealthy.So I thought I


    should help make him something tasty and put it in a tiffin box.Anytime he wants to eat it, he can eat


    something freshly made."


    Ste was stunned.


    She originally wanted to say that Dr.Steven and Felicity had yet to reach that stage.


    On second thought, Ste also used to treat Keegan with such stupid passion.


    What right did she have to advise Felicity? After an hour, Felicity had finished her jerk chicken and


    broli stir-fry.


    First, she saved some for Ste and then kept the rest to be put into a lunch box.


    "You can eat at your leisure.I''ll be leaving to deliver food."


    As she said this, Felicity picked up the tiffin box and left happily.


    Vermont came just on time and waited in the underground parking lot.He drove a roadster here.


    Seeing the elevator doors open, he switched on his hazard lights.


    Felicity saw him instantly and ran over while holding the lunch box.


    Once she got in the car, Vermont was eager to see what was ced in the lunch box.


    However, his hand was pped away by Felicity.


    "Drive the car!" Felicity scolded.


    Vermont clicked his tongue and said, "I''m helping you pursue someone, yet you wouldn''t even let me


    see what you made?"


    Felicity gave him a sidelong nce.


    "You owe me this."


    Vermont did not make any more of a fuss.


    He then turned the steering wheel, saying, "The buffalo wings you made yesterday were too


    sweet.Next time add less sugar to it."


    Felicity paused briefly before asking, "How did you know I made buffalo wings?"

 Chapter 654

    Chapter 654


    Chapter 654


    Vermont said with a straight face, "Of course, Corbin told me.You never let me see it, so how would I


    know what you made otherwise? "


    From what Felicity heard, she knew it was Corbin who said it.


    She humbly asked him immediately, "What else did Dr.Steven say?"


    Vermont continued with a straight face.


    "The other stuff was fine.He doesn''t like to eat sweet stuff, and he isn''t that good with food that''s too


    spicy."


    Felicity heard this, and her face immediately fell.


    "Why didn''t you say this earlier? I made jerk chicken today, so it might be slightly spicy."


    ¡®Jerk chicken?¡¯ Vermont thought.


    His eyes brightened slightly, and he cleared his throat.


    "If it''s slightly spicy, it should be fine.A little spice can stimte your appetite."


    Felicity sighed in relief and asked another question.


    "You''ve delivered food for a few days.Did Dr.Stevenment on anything? Is it delicious or disgusting?


    You can tell me, and I''ll improve them next time."


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Vermont saw her earnest expression and felt an inexplicable difort in his heart.He helped Keegan


    rent unit 902 for ease to observe Ste''s movements.It was mainly to keep a close eye on Trevor.


    Hence he stayed here.


    When Vermont got off work a few days ago, he met Felicity.She was holding numerous bags of all


    sizes filled with ingredients while rushing home.


    Since the day he had tried Felicity''s cookingst time, he constantly thought of that meal.


    Keegan had been busy withpany affairs these few days, so he was not free toe over.


    He could never find a chance to crash meals at their house.


    Hence, when he ran into Felicity carrying her ingredients, he immediately chased after her.He then


    gantly helped her carry her stuff.


    Felicity was very defensive against him and would not even let him touch her things.


    So, he had to get information from her by her side.


    Thess had a sharp tongue but a tiny brain.


    With a few words, he got the information from her.


    It turned out that she was buying so many ingredients to make something tasty for Corbin.


    Vermont had other ns, so he instantly volunteered himself.


    "I''ll help you deliver them."


    "You?"


    Felicity obviously did not trust him.


    "You would be so kind as to help me?"


    Vermont then said, ''We have, as they say, had rtions before.I wouldn''t go back on my word when I


    say I''d help you pursue Corbin Steven.


    You''re ady, but you''re still not his girlfriend.


    It would be fine if things worked out between you and Corbin and you delivered food daily to him.


    What if Corbin isn''t willing when in front of so many people? It wouldn''t be nice of him to refuse you.


    Or he might outright reject you.


    As you''ve said, ady doesn''t have thick skin, so how would you be able to go to their hospital in the


    future?"


    Vermont continued, "If you pass them to me, that''d be different.I have great rtions with Corbin.I


    could talk you up when I''m with him.As time goes by, he might slowly be able to ept you.As the


    saying goes, the way to a man''s heart is through his stomach.


    "As for you, you just need to concentrate on cooking food and researching ways to conquer his


    stomach while you leave the things regarding delivering food to me.I promise I''ll finish the task," he


    said.


    Felicity gave it some thought and seemed to think that it made some sense.


    Dr.Steven was quite a gentle person.


    If he did not like her, he would not say it to her face since her pursuit was too relentless.


    Leaving this up to Stinky Cucumber might let her scout some information regarding Dr.Steven''s


    feelings about her.


    Hence, Vermont and Felicity instantly hit it off.


    Every day, she would make meals and pass them to Vermont.


    After Vermont took them away, he would return the washed lunch box the same night.


    Today, she had some affairs and had to make a trip to thepany.


    Hence, she hitched a ride in Vermont''s car.


    "I''m asking you something." Felicity interrupted his thoughts.


    "What did Dr.Steven say?"


    Vermont regained his senses.


    "Just like I said.It''s too sweet and spicy.He didn''t talk about anything else."


    "Oh."


    Felicity thought for a moment before saying, "Ask him today what he wants to eat tomorrow.I have my


    day off tomorrow, so I''ll be able to make a few more dishes."


    After saying this, she paused briefly before continuing, "Seeing that you''ve helped me deliver meals to


    Dr.Steven, you can choose a dish as a reward for yourself."


    Vermont suppressed the feeling of difort in his heart.He turned his steering wheel and reverted to


    his cynical self.


    "You would cook anything?"


    Felicity immediately halted his thoughts on being demanding warily.


    "Anything tooplicated would not be eptable.They take up too much time.Only home-cooked


    dishes are eptable."


    "Teriyaki then.That wouldn''t be difficult, right?"

 Chapter 655

    Chapter 655


    Chapter 655


    "Teriyaki is fine, but pork has gotten expensive recently.How about you sponsor the money to buy the


    meat?" Felicity asked.


    Vermont was at a loss for words.


    His eye twitched.


    "Corbin eats everything every day.Why don''t you ask him for money?"


    "How can you bepared to Dr.Steven?" Felicity huffed angrily.


    "Dr.Steven''s my future husband.I''m willing to spend money on him.What are you? You''re the pervert


    who took my first-time! It''s good enough that I gave you a chance to repent, yet you want topare


    yourself to Dr.Steven.Don''t you have the answer yourself?"


    Vermont was speechless again.


    "The price of ck pigs at the supermarket is forty-something bucks for half a kilogram.With your huge


    appetite, you would need at least one and a half kilograms of meat.With the oil, seasonings, plus gas,


    and other messy stuff, I''ll count it as a total of two hundred bucks.Give me the money," Felicity rambled.


    The corner of Vermont''s lips twitched momentarily.


    ''One and a half kilograms? She thinks I''m a pig!'' Vermont cursed internally.


    He raised his hand, grabbed his wallet from the glovepartment, and then threw it to Felicity.


    "Take it yourself."


    Felicity quickly flipped through his wallet and took two hundred bucks from inside.She then saw an old


    photo that Vermont had sandwiched in his leather wallet.In the photo was an old man with a snow-


    white beard sitting on a recliner chair.


    A little boy about eight or nine years old is standing beside him.


    Behind both of them was a vast tangerine orchard.


    Under a tangerine tree in the distance sat a plump kid dressed like a peach.


    The kid was too far from the camera.


    Hence their features were blurry, and their gender was unknown.


    However, with just a nce, the boy with the cocky attitude could be recognized as Vermont.


    Since he was young, his smile made him look like a sly imp.


    "You looked quite easy on the eyes when you were younger," Felicitymented.


    Vermont''s lips pulled into a smile.


    "Back in the day, I used my looks to discover opportunities..."


    ¡®That is if I didn''t transfer to Rivera," Vermont said in his thoughts.


    Once he had arrived at Rivera, he found that Keegan and Marshall were all more handsome than he


    was.


    In contrast, his appearance immediately seemedcking.


    Felicity eventually finished the rest of her sentence.


    "It''s just that the older you got, the uglier you grew." Vermont was at a loss for words.


    Their car swiftly arrived at the hospital.


    While Vermont brought the lunch box to the hospital, Felicity waited outside in the car.


    Not long after Vermont left, an Audi stopped in front of the vehicle.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Then, a fashionably dressed woman came down from the car.


    She was wearing sunsses, and her outfit seemed very expensive.


    Just as she got out of the car, she was called back.


    She walked over, and the person in the driver''s seat stretched out their hand to push a lock of hair from


    her face to the back of her ear.


    They were glued to each other and spoke for a long time before the woman turned around to leave.


    Then, the Audi drove off while the woman stood in front of the crosswalk.


    She seemed to want to cross over to the hospital opposite her.


    Felicity stared at this person''s silhouette and felt that it looked familiar.


    It was dark in the evening with no sun out anymore.


    The woman probably also thought that the sunsses made her vision too dim, so she took them off.


    Felicity looked closer and thought, '' Isn''t that Albert''s mistress? Why did shee to the hospital?"


    Felicity immediately took her sses and jumped out of the car to follow the woman.

 Chapter 656

    Chapter 656


    Chapter 656


    Hylda walked past the crosswalk and then put her sunsses back on.She then surveyed around.


    After finding nothing out of the ordinary, she entered the hospital.


    Felicity was standing beside Hylda.She wore ck framed sses and had her initially tied- up hair let


    down.She looked like a high school student, so naturally, she did not attract Hylda''s suspicion.


    Hylda originally had never formally met Felicity before.


    However, Felicity and Ste had always stood together.


    She remembered Hylda''s face very early on.


    Hylda entered the hospital and took a number for the obstetrics and gynecology department.


    Felicity also followed her and took a number.


    When following Hylda up the elevator, Felicity''s mind was filled with questions.


    ¡®Could this old hag maybe have gotten pregnant? With Albert''s looking weak in the kidneys, could he


    have cheated again at such an old age?¡¯ Felicity thought.


    Even Keegan could not make Ste pregnant at such a young age.


    Hence, she did not believe that Albert had that ability.


    Hylda saw that Felicity was going to the same floor as her and could not help but give a few more


    nces at her.


    Felicity pretended not to notice her.


    She then took her phone and acted like she was making a call.


    "Hello, honey.I''ve arrived at the hospital.I just got my number, and there are many people here.If I had


    known, I would have made a reservation online.Mhm mhm...then you shoulde over soon, " Felicity


    said.


    Hylda retracted her gaze and did not continue staring at her.


    Felicity sighed in relief and thought, ''After all those years I spent with those old slickers, I didn''t learn


    any new skills.But I did learn alot about bluffing other."


    Her acting skills, in the eyes of close friends, were unbearable.


    However, in terms of bluffing outsiders, it was more than enough.


    The number of peopleing for a checkup at the obstetrics and gynecology department was


    especially numerous.


    The two queues in the corridor were all pregnant women.


    Some of them came alone, while some had their husbands apanying them.She found a spot not


    far from Hylda to stay at, which provided ease for observing her.


    The pregnant woman beside her asked, "You also came to do a prenatal checkup?"


    "Ah? Mhm," Felicity reacted while quickly responding, "I''m still unsure if I''ve gotten pregnant. I was


    afraid that the pregnancy test would be inurate."


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    The olderdy understood and smiled, saying, "You prepared to have a child while being so young?"


    Felicityughed dryly, "I quite like children."


    ¡®Sister, don''t be so enthusiastic with me..."


    Felicity prayed in her heart.She feared speaking too much would allow the other person to see through


    her mistakes.


    However, this pregnantdy was too talkative.


    She pulled Felicity with her to ramble about nonsense, from her and her husband''s upation to how


    they both fell in love and when they got married.


    Felicity squeezed out everyst thought in her brain to the point there was nothing left.


    Then only did the pregnantdy say, "Both of you must be so happy.However, happiness also requires


    proactive nning.You''ll never know whether an ident of tomorrow maye.Besides, your


    husband is also a chauffeur,"


    As she spoke, she paused, "Have you considered getting insurance on idents for your husband?"


    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Felicity was confused.


    The pregnant woman continued, "Ourpany just released an insurance product.As long as it''s


    death by ident, you can receivepensation of 3 million dors.You just need to pay a thousand


    dors every month.If you pay it yearly, you can get a 10 % discount.With those calctions, it would


    be thirteen thousand dors a year.It would be worth your while."


    Felicity was speechless.


    Thedy spoke non-stop, ''Who doesn''t have medical and ident insurance these days? After all,


    things happen.You should n for yourself and your child."


    Felicity gulped, "Ten thousand is quite a lot to us.I''ll discuss this with my husband when I get back."

 Chapter 657

    Chapter 657


    Chapter 657


    Thedy was not convinced.


    "Why don''t you call and ask? There''s a promotion going on these few days.I''m telling you because you


    look friendly.It wouldn''t be the same price if you dragged a few more days."


    Felicity nced in Hylda''s direction and noticed that she was watching her.So she hastily averted her


    gaze.


    At this moment, the phone rang.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicity picked up the call when she saw Vermont was calling.She felt she was being see through by


    Hylda, so she needed Vermont to rescue her.


    Once the phone call was connected, Felicity spoke before Vermont could speak, ''''Honey, the Obstetrics


    and Gynecology department is on the seventh floor.Come straight up.I''m in the line right now, and a


    lady here was asking if we would like to buy insurance.I think she exined it quite thoroughly.Why


    don''t youe and take a look?"


    Vermont frowned.


    "What are you doing, Miss bandit?"


    Felicity did not answer his question and continued, "Hurry up! See youter."


    Vermont got confused, but he returned to the hospital and headed to the Obstetrics and Gynecology


    department on the seventh floor.


    When he arrived, he saw Felicity holding a registration form and sitting among pregnant women.


    Felicity saw him the moment he reached.She ran over, hugged his arm, and called him ''honey."


    Then, she whispered, "The person beside me was Albert''s mistress.She sneaked up to register at the


    Obstetrics and Gynecology department.I followed her here.She hasn''t recognized me yet.Can you help


    me cover up?"


    Vermont quickly nced past Hylda and looked at Felicity.


    He wrapped his arms around her waist and said, "Honey, have you missed me already?"


    The corner of Felicity''s mouth twitched.


    ''Could you pretend any harder?'' She responded to him through gritted teeth, "Of course I missed you!"


    Thedy selling insurance was stunned while looking at Vermont.


    She then turned to ask Felicity, "Is your husband a driver?"


    "Huh? Does he not look like one?" Felicity said while she ruffled Vermont''s hair, messing up his styled


    hair.


    ''''He just likes to pretend and buy fake luxury goods to act rich."


    Felicity said while tugging on Vermont''s necktie, "Armani.Does it look like Armani?"


    Thedy was speechless.


    Vermont''s mouth twitched, ''This little shortie is getting back at me!'' "Your husband seems...quite


    charming."


    "I know, right? Back in the day, I was charmed by this face too.Who knew he had no real job and was


    just a driver? He had been cking off half of the time.We''ve been married for three years but have not


    saved much money.Madam, is your insurancepany still hiring? How is the pay? Do you think my


    husband is fit for the job? Although he goofs around, he has a pretty face.Just let him be among the


    women, and I''m sure he''ll bring in loads of sales for you."


    Thedy was stunned to silence.She has been selling insurance for a long time, but this was the first-


    time she had seen someone introducing a salesman to the insurancepany.


    A faint smile appeared as Vermont listened to her bamboozling thedy with nonsense.He needed


    strong willpower not to burst outughing.


    '' She''s a really funny person!¡¯ Thedy was obviously shocked by Felicity''s attempt to market her


    husband as a salesman.She stood up, took the urine test cup, and escaped from them.


    "I think it''s time for me to do my urine test.We''ll talkter, okay?"


    Felicity looked back at Vermont and sighed, "Honey, you did notnd the job again."


    Vermont replied, "It''s alright.You could take care of me."


    Felicity''s mouth twitched.


    Hylda''s eyes wandered over the two for awhile but she withdrew her gaze as it was her turn.

 Chapter 658

    Chapter 658


    Chapter 658


    Felicity immediately pushed Vermont off when Hylda entered the doctor''s office.


    "Why are you so hot like a stove?"


    Vermont shot her a look, "Well, isn''t that nonsense? The weather''s so hot.Are you not hot?"


    He thought to himself, ¡®She is really not that hot.She felt so squishy and soft like jelly when I held her."


    Felicity took the brochure from the chair and waved it.


    "This mistress must be forty-something.Albert is over fifty.Could she really be pregnant?"


    "There was news a few days ago about a sixty-year-old woman giving birth.Forty-something doesn''t


    seem like a big deal," Vermont said and took the brochure from Felicity and fanned himself.


    He sat on the right side of Felicity.


    With the strength of a male''s wrist, the wind he created even blew onto Felicity''s face, providing some


    relief from the heat.


    "Hold up.Something''s not right.With Albert''s attitude of giving priority to his offspring at such an old age,


    he would have been ted with the news.So why would she hide the news? Unless she''s not carrying


    Albert''s child!"


    ¡®If that''s the case, they would definitely break up if Albert discovers Hylda''s affair.When the two of them


    turn on each other and break the alliances, I might get some information from them."


    Vermont rubbed her head.


    "You have quite the imagination.Would a mistress keep a young lover?" Felicity pushed his hand off.


    "Hylda is middle-aged but is still quite an attractive woman.With charm and money in her hand, would


    she still be willing to stick with Albert, that old man?"


    Vermont chuckled, "I''m shocked that you know so much.With your usual self, I thought you were semi


    illiterate."


    The corner of Felicity''s mouth twitched, "I was ssmates with Ste.Did you think I just snuck into


    Trinity University?"


    As Felicity talked, the door opened, and Hylda came out with a list.


    Hylda then went to collect her urine cup.


    Felicity got up, and the nurse called her name.


    Felicity could only instruct Vermont, "Keep an eye on her.If she runs away, your teriyaki is gone!"


    Vermont was speechless.


    Felicity came out after two minutes and ran into the toilet after collecting the urine cup.


    Many people were inside the toilet, and Hylda was still lining up.


    Felicity conveniently followed behind.


    After Hylda entered a stall, another girl emerged from a neighboring one.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Felicity gestured for the person behind her to let her go in first.She took the opportunity and secretly


    took the urine cup of a pregnantdy washing her hands and left her an empty cup.


    When Hylda came out, Felicity and Vermont were already sitting in the urine testing room, waiting for


    the result.


    After approximately 20 minutes, the nurse called them to pick up their results.


    To make it realistic, Vermont volunteered to help her get the results.He was tall with long legs and had


    perfect vision without sses.It was very convenient for him to peek at Hylda''s result.Vermont scanned


    Hylda''s results and saw the HCG pregnancy test tested positive (pregnant).


    ''It turned out that she was right," he thought.


    He then nced at the results in his hand and couldn''t resist but cursed out loud from the shock.


    "Fuck!"


    ''Why was this positive too?¡¯ Felicity quickly ran over.


    "What''s wrong, honey?"


    Vermont had a mixed expression.


    "You''re pregnant?"


    "Look at your face.Isn''t this a good thing?"


    Vermont was speechless.


    ''How could she be so insensitive?"


    Hylda took the results to the doctor again.


    Aftering out, she went downstairs and left the hospital.

 Chapter 659

    Chapter 659


    Chapter 659


    Felicity asked, "So? Is she pregnant?"


    Vermont was still in shock after he saw the pregnancy checklist and has not snapped out of it.


    ''It was just that one time.Did she already get pregnant?¡¯ Felicity''s words slowly brought him back to his


    senses.


    He said softly, "Yes, she''s pregnant."


    "Sheesh, I knew it! I saw her taking a brochure about painless abortion just now.Who would look at


    those things when they are pregnant? The baby in Hylda''s belly is definitely not Albert''s child! "


    Vermont paid no attention to whose baby Hylda was carrying.He was more concerned about the baby


    in Felicity''s belly, wondering if it was his.He thought about it for a while.


    When they got in the car, he hesitantly said, "What do you n to do with the baby? "Let me be clear.I


    have no ns of getting married and am not eager to have a child.But if you want to have the baby, I


    won''t force you to have an abortion.You will have to take care of the baby on your own.I will provide


    child support if the baby is born.If you don''t want to take care of it, I will raise the child myself," Vermont


    said.


    Felicity was perplexed, but her expression slowly turned dark as she listened to Vermont.


    ''Did this shit think I was carrying his baby and discussed the baby''s future with me in all seriousness?"


    Felicity did not reply for a long while, so Vermont asked again, "What are your ns now?"


    Felicity gritted her teeth and said, "I n to crush it and flush it down the toilet.Who would have gotten


    pregnant with your baby? I stole someone else''s urine!"Vermont paused momentarily before asking,


    "So, you''re not pregnant?"


    "No! You''re pregnant! My period just ended yesterday!" Felicity red at him.


    "Crazy bastard!"


    Vermont was speechless.


    After driving for a while, Felicity suddenly thought of something.


    "Copy the footage of your car''s dash camter.I want to check the young lover''s car te."


    Vermont paused and immediately started toy out his conditions.


    "I''ll copy it if you cooked for me for a month.I''ll buy the ingredients you want.You won''t have to spend a


    penny.All you need to do is toe to my house to make it.You don''t even need to do the dishes,"


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Vermont said while smiling, "How about that?"


    Felicity''s mouth twitched, ''Is he treating me like a servant?'' She red at Vermont once again.


    "It''s terrible!"


    "But you could help your best friend," Vermont persuaded.


    "Don''t you want your bestie to get rid of those scumbags in the Jewell family?"


    Felicity gave him a sideways nce.


    "Your buddy is busy pursuing Ste.So apart from being helpful to your friend, you''re threatening me


    now?"


    "He screwed up himself.He could pursue her on his own.It''s none of my business.He couldn''t hack it if


    he couldn''t win her back."


    ¡®Would you look at that fake brotherhood!¡¯ Felicity thought.


    "I''ll promise you, not only will you get the dashcam''s footage, but you''ll even get all the information


    about the young lover if you promise to cook for me for a month.How about that?"


    Seeing Felicity''s hesitated expression, Vermont sighed, "It''s fine if you don''t want to.It seems like you''re


    not that close to your bestie.Just a few days of cooking had made you hesitant."


    Felicity''s mouth twitched, "Don''t try to sow discord among us.I don''t believe you can find out the


    information."


    Vermont smirked, "Miss bandit, I''m the boss of a listedpany.How could I make it in the business


    world if I didn''t have some abilities?"


    Felicity started to waver in her decision.She realized she could not help Ste much after thinking


    about her isted situation.


    Vermont was annoying, but he had connections.


    He could probably find out more than they could.


    ''It''s just cooking for a month, right? I''ll just treat it like feeding a dog!'' Felicity thought.


    She gritted her teeth and asked, "Will you keep your word?"


    Vermont smirked and replied, "A real man never goes back on his words."

 Chapter 660

    Chapter 660


    Chapter 660


    After driving for a while, Vermont asked, ''Rainee just passed away.Your bestie is not even Albert''s


    daughter now.What''s the use of finding out these things?"


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡®Ste did not seem like the type of person interested in the Jewell family''s assets.After all, she rejected


    Keegan''s money.


    Why would she even be interested in the puny inheritance left by the Jewell family? She wasn''t even


    Albert''s daughter by blood.She could take the chance to cut ties with them.


    Why bother getting entangled with them?'' Vermont thought.


    Felicity said, "Is there no need for revenge after a person dies? Those two adulterers teamed up and


    caused Ms.Spade''s car ident.She turned into a vegetable andy in bed for seven years.Now that


    Rainee is gone, how could they be allowed to live happily ever after? Is this fair?"


    Vermont was startled.


    Are you saying that Albert caused Rainee''s ident?"


    "Duh? Albert was about to leave the marriage with nothing at all, but then an ident happened to


    Rainee.She lost consciousness.Who do you think was the biggest benefactor? Based on that alone,


    Albert is the biggest suspect!"


    "You did not report to the police?"


    "Ste has consulted her police friend.The car involved in the ident was destroyed back then.It''s


    impossible to reopen the case without direct evidence.The detective Ste hired suggested we start by


    driving a wedge between Albert and Hylda.If the two of them fall apart, we might be able to dig up


    some useful information." Felicity paused.


    "You must not tell anyone else.Or else I would shut you up!" Vermont shot her a look.


    "Don''t worry.I''m good with secrets."


    After sending Felicity back to herpany, Vermont called Keegan.


    "A chance to impress your ex-wife.Are you going to take ite"


    Keegan had just finished a meeting.


    He held his phone and said while walking, ''Go on."


    Vermont smirked, "Your ex-wife suspects Albert and his mistress had caused her mother''s ident.


    If you could help her sort it out, your ex-wife would definitely think better of you."


    He paused and continued, "Just a reminder.The mistress seems to have a young lover.You could start


    from there."


    After hanging up the phone, Vermont headed home while humming a tune.Now, he had a person to


    investigate without cost and tricked a little chef into cooking for him.


    ''Why am I so smart?"


    Keegan returned to his office and immediately instructed his team to investigate the matter.He asked,


    "Has Albert lost all of the money he invested in Semiconductor Technology?"


    Aldor replied, "Not really.But he had lost half of it already.He sold half of his shares this afternoon and is


    still considering what to do with the rest."


    Keegan did not raise his head.


    "Continue leveraging.If he doesn''t sell it out, then make him lose everything."


    The trap was set for a long time, but now it was time to start reeling in the fish.


    Aldor sighed.He had to admit that Keegan has a keen sense of human nature.


    The trap was hastily set up.


    The overall n was not evenplex.


    If Albert was careful enough, he should withdraw after making the first fortune.


    That would have made him a tremendous profit.


    Yet, Albertcked experience in investing and was too ambitious.


    Keegan had given out ample bait, and he was certain Albert would take it.


    However, Aldor has never seen this method of harming others and oneself on Keegan before.


    Keegan''s phone vibrated.


    He opened the message from Julian and saw a report card with a score of 637.


    Keegan smiled and picked up a pen, writing a line on a piece of paper.


    He then took a picture of it and sent it to Julian.


    Aldor nced at it.


    [The immense sea lets fishes leap at liberty, and the vast sky lets birds fly freely.] The pen strokes were


    strong, and the font was carefree.


    Aldor remembered the first-time he came to the Vinci Rivera Group''s interview; Keegan wrote a


    sentence behind his resume.

 Chapter 661

    Chapter 661


    Chapter 661


    [If there''s a will, there''s a way.]


    Due to this sentence, he studied everything about the Vinci Rivera Group for a year.


    This included the founding process, thepany''s history, and the specialties and sales of the current


    products.


    The following year when he applied again, he passed all interviews smoothly.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Thest one-on-one interview with Keegan made Aldor more nervous than ever.


    Keegan simply asked him a few questions and approved him.


    After they were more familiar with each other, Aldor mentioned this to Keegan.


    He gratefully told Keegan that if he had not seen the line on the back of his resume back then, he


    would have nevere for a second time.


    It was Keegan who gave him another chance.


    Keegan was momentarily startled and said, "You did it alone."


    It was only after some time that Aldor knew Keegan would write something on the back of everyone''s


    resume who managed to go into thest round of interviews every year.


    Most of them were encouragements, but the Vinci Rivera Group had high standards.


    The people who came to interview were all graduates from prestigious universities.


    They might feel dissatisfied after being rejected, so they might not even look at the resume.


    The manager in the human resource department told Aldor that Keegan did this every year.


    However, the people who swallowed their pride and came for a second interview, like Aldor, were rare.


    Keegan''s way of doing things seems too cold and rigid to many people.


    But as an entrepreneur who values hard work, he equally gave every job seeker a chance to prove and


    show themselves.


    "Did you send the flowers?" Keegan asked, looking up.


    Aldor''s thoughts were interrupted.


    ''Hmm, he''s also a little love-struck."


    "Yes, it has been delivered and signed for today."


    Keegan was slightly surprised, considering the flowers were thrown away a few days ago.


    "What did she say?"


    Aldor pursed his lips, "It was Ms.Thompson who signed it.She said she wanted to use them to shower,


    and Mrs.Kane agreed."


    Keegan was speechless.


    Aldor felt Keegan was a little discouraged, so he coughed and said, "Mr.Kane, this is a good sign.Even


    though Ms.Thompson was the one who signed it, if Mrs.Kane did not allow it, she wouldn''t be able to


    take it."


    Keegan''s expression looked better.


    "Did Elegant Media arrange any job for her recently?"


    "There''s a movie casting in Elegant Media.Mrs.Kane is going to audition it on Monday.The audition


    venue is Sapphire Clubhouse,"


    Aldor paused before continuing, "Mr.Kane.Mr.Hudson is hosting at the Sapphire Clubhouse on Monday


    too.Are you going to attend? Keegan looked at him and asked, "What do you think?"


    Aldor smiled, "I''ll inform Mr.Hudson right away."


    Ste rested for five days before Kaiden arranged another audition for her.


    A director was holding a casting at Elegant Media for his suspense movie.


    The movie was called Motives for Murder.


    It was based on a poisoning case at Xaver University in the 1990s.


    Unfortunately, they did not provide the script, just a rough story outline.


    Ste was very interested in this story, and so was Kaiden.


    However, a big-budget movie needed a person who could pull in revenue at the box office.


    Ste, as a neer, had a slim chance of getting the lead role.


    No matter how good the script was, it depended on the investor''s attitude.


    Ste was somewhat optimistic in this matter, saying, ''''The lead actor in that recent anti -corruption


    drama was rejected over two hundred times during auditions.What''s one rejectionpared to them?


    The path others could walk, I could also take."

 Chapter 662

    Chapter 662


    Chapter 662


    Kaiden admired Ste''s attitude very much.He believed that acting skills were second to a correct


    mindset and a clear goal.


    Kaiden had to go to Bostown to recruit an actor, so he could not go to the audition with Ste.He then


    told one of his colleagues to bring her there.


    Shea was supposed to be her assistant and was arranged to help other artists when she was on leave.


    Even though Trevor looked after Ste, he hadpany policies to follow.


    Ste was not supposed to have a personal assistant with her level of fame.


    So, it was only reasonable for Shea to be transferred to other artists when she was on leave.


    Shea called her colleague, Yasmine Fallon.


    Yasmine was also a celebrity manager and worked for Royal Deluxe Entertainment before she came to


    Elegant Media.


    She used to be in the samepany as Felicity.


    Felicity told Ste that Yasmine was a very capable manager and used to manage several A and B-


    listers.


    However, she fell out with her boss over something.


    Her old boss transferred most of her artists to other managers.


    So, she left Royal Deluxe Entertainment and joined Elegant Media as soon as it was established.


    She was the first manager to work for Elegant Media.


    Ste had gotten ready since very long ago.


    It was twenty to seven, and she still did not get a call from Yasmine.


    So, she started to get nervous.


    Then, she took the initiative to call Yasmine.


    It took Yasmine some time to pick it up.


    "Hello."


    Yasmine''s voice sounded a little nonchnt on the phone.


    Ste said gently, "Miss Fallon, are you here yet?"


    "No.There''s a little traffic." Ste frowned.


    It would take them thirty to forty minutes to reach Sapphire Clubhouse from her ce without traffic, yet


    Yasmine had not arrived yet.


    They would bete to the audition if Ste were to wait for her to pick her up before going there


    together.


    "Miss Fallon, you should go directly to Sapphire Clubhouse instead.I''ll take a cab there so that we can


    save ourselves some time."


    "I don''t think that''ll work.I promised Kaiden that I''d take you there.What if something bad happened to


    you when you were on your way there? I''m reaching your ce soon.Just a little while longer."


    Yasmine hung up before Ste could say anything.


    Ste frowned and gave her another call.


    However, she got a busy tone instead.


    Yasmine told her to wait a little longer, but it was already about ten minutes past seven when she


    arrived.


    Ste had been waiting outside her residence.


    Yasmine sized her up when she got into the car and said, "Didn''t Kaiden tell you what you have to wear


    for the audition today?"


    Ste paused.


    ''He did not."


    Yasmine said, Well, you should know what this movie is about even though he didn''t tell you, right?


    Motives for Murder''s main setting is a dancing school, and all its main casts are dancers.The director


    will want to see your basic dancing skills.How are you going to do that with a pair of jeans?"


    Ste pursed her lips.


    "I''ll go get changed then..."


    "We don''t have time,"


    Yasmine said, "I''ll ask somebody to bring you some new pants for you to change intoter."


    Ste heaved a sigh of relief.


    "Thanks, Miss Fallon."


    Yasmine stopped talking because her phone rang, and she picked it up.


    Fortunately, there was not much traffic, and they arrived at their destination before eight.


    They went upstairs, and Yasmine handed her a stic bag with clothes inside.


    Then she said, "Take this.Let me know when you''re done changing."


    Ste took it and thanked her.


    After that, somebody led her to the changing room.


    Directors often chose Sapphire Clubhouse as their audition venue, so the owner changed a mini


    storeroom into a simple dressing room.


    It was about fifty square feet big with a stool inside and some beverages in the corner.


    Ste changed into her dancing clothes and put what she wore into the stic bag.


    Then, she went to open the door.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    She pulled it once, but it did not move at all.She paused.She tried it again, and nothing happened.


    Ste''s face darkened.She shouted through the door but got no response.

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    Ste hurriedly reached for her phone to call Yasmine, but there was no signal.


    She had forgotten that many celebrities and highly profiled people woulde to Sapphire Clubhouse,


    so they installed a signal jammer on the fifth floor to protect the guests'' information.


    There was just no way she could make a call from there.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    It was then Ste realized that she had been tricked.


    She looked around her and saw that there was not even a window in the changing room.


    However, there was a ventting fan in the top left corner.


    It was impossible for her to shout for help.


    ¡®Damn it! ¡®What did I do to upset Yasmine Fallon?"


    Yasmine went back to the room for the audition after locking Ste in.


    Be saw her and handed her a bottle of water.


    "Yasmine, how did it go?"


    "Don''t worry."


    Yasmine took the water and smiled.


    "She won''t be at the audition today."


    Felicity was wrong.


    Yasmine once tried to recruit Be.


    Even though she did not manage to do so, they formed a very good rtionship with each other.


    After joining Elegant Media, Be requested that Yasmine be her manager.


    Be was a famous and pretty actress then and was bound to be sessful.


    So Yasmine agreed.


    The audition of Motives for Murder was meant for Be.


    She had a lot of fans and was very influential.


    So, the producers wanted her to be their selling point for the movie.


    However, Elegant Media sent two people to try this role out.


    One was Be, and the other one was Ste.


    At first, Yasmine was not very bothered by Ste, who was not popr.


    However, Be went to her and told her that she was worried that she would lose her role to Ste


    because she had a rather special rtionship with Trevor.


    Yasmine could not tell how Trevor treated Ste differently.


    The Saun family owned many businesses, and Trevor rarely visited the office.


    However, Yasmine started to get a little worried after she watched Ste''s Jurisdiction.


    Yasmine and Kaiden came from the academy, and Kaiden was her senior.


    Back then, they had no conflicts of interest, so they treated each other like normal friends.


    However, things are different now that they worked in the samepany, and Yasmine viewed Kaiden


    as herpetitor.


    Kaiden had good eyes, and Yasmine figured there must be something special about Ste that made


    Kaiden pick her.


    However, Yasmine was desperate to prove herself to her new boss, so she could not afford to give


    Kaiden a chance to make a newbie famous.


    So, that was why she did that to Ste.


    Be was immediately relieved after hearing what Yasmine said.


    ¡®Ste, Ste.You''re nothing after you divorced Keegan.You should''ve figured out if you had what it


    takes to be a part of this industry beforeing here! '' People were smoking and drinking in a private


    room on the seventh floor.Keegan took a look at his watch while sitting in the corner.


    ¡®It is already eight.Where is she?¡¯ Keegan was starting to get worried.


    Mr.Hudson noticed that he had been frowning since he came and would not speak or drink So, he went


    to talk to him.


    "Mr.Kane, you can''t have any fun sitting alone.Come on, have a drink."


    Then, he handed Keegan a cup of alcohol.


    Keegan was about to reject him, but Aldor came inside.


    He bent down and spoke softly beside Keegan''s ear, "Mr.Kane, I can''t reach Mrs.Kane''s phone."

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    Chapter 664


    Keegan''s face darkened.


    "What do you mean by that?"


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Aldor replied softly, "Her signal''s gone.She''s probably here in Sapphire Clubhouse and entered the


    signal jamming zone.


    However, I couldn''t see her anywhere in the audition venue.


    "I talked to the clubhouse manager.He''s looking at the surveince cameras now, but it will take some


    time."


    Aldor paused before continuing, "Somebody probably set Mrs.Kane up."


    Keegan was unfamiliar with the "rules" of showbiz, but Aldor was.


    Aldor knew that Ste would be a threat to herpetitors after Jurisdiction was aired.


    Jurisdiction was a legal series that gained over a million viewers in just a week and topped the trending


    searches several times without paying for any promotional campaign.


    The showbiz pie could not get any bigger.


    Ste was good at acting, and she had a pretty face too.She would get a piece of pie off somebody


    else''s te if she ever got famous.


    Aldor figured that Ste took the audition seriously, and she would have shown up at the audition


    venue way earlier before this time.


    So, herpetitor probably set her up.


    Keegan stood up and went outside without speaking.


    It was not easy for Mr.Hudson to have Keegan there, so he wanted to stop him from leaving.


    However, Aldor raised his arm to stop him and said gently, "Mr.Hudson, Mr.Kane has an emergency


    today.The Vinci Rivera Group will be having its anniversary banquet on Wednesday next week.We


    hope to see you there.I''ll have someone send the invitation to your house after today."


    Mr.Hudson paused.


    The Vinci Rivera Group would only invite a few outsiders to attend its anniversary banquet.


    Only their major partners and brand ambassadors would have the chance to attend it.


    Mr.Hudson had only been working with Vinci Rivera for about two years, yet he had just got invited to


    join their anniversary banquet.


    It was simply unbelievable for him.


    Aldor ignored the surprised look on his face and left with Keegan.


    Ste knocked on the door several times, and the lights went out.She panicked and immediately


    switched on the shlight on her phone.She was a little afraid of the dark, not to mention how tiny and


    confined that dressing room was.She could not help but be reminded about some of her unpleasant


    experiences when she was younger.She squatted down and kept knocking on the door.


    Her hand was starting to feel sore, but she still could not hear anything from outside.


    She should have expected that because of how good the soundproofing was at Sapphire Clubhouse.


    Ste figured that the person who locked her in here would expect her to escape, and that person


    might even get somebody to keep an eye around this area to stop anyone from finding her.


    That person would not give her a chance to get out quickly.


    She held her phone up and looked around her with the help of the dim light from her phone.Suddenly,


    she saw a few boxes of alcohol on the floor.


    An idea popped into her head.


    Then, she stood up and carried those boxes to the door.


    She opened a bottle of alcohol and poured it outside from under the door.


    Keegan quickly went to the ninth floor, where the audition was held.


    He left the elevator and asked Aldor as he walked, "How long will it take for the footage toe out?"


    "I''m unsure because we don''t know when Mrs.Kane arrived.I told them to start checking around when


    the audition started.It''s probably going to take half an hour...I guess."


    Keegan''s face turned darker.


    It was already thirty past eight.


    The audition would end before the cameras could find out where she went.


    Aldor immediately said, "The clubhouse manager has sent somebody to find Mrs.Kane floor by floor.I''m


    sure we''ll know where she is very soon."


    He paused before continuing softly, "Mr.Kane, this could be good for you.


    If you ignore what''s happening, it''ll be a good opportunity for you to take advan¡ª I mean...help


    Mrs.Kane."


    Keegan stopped walking.


    Then, he turned around to look at him and said, "This is her dream."


    Of course, he could do what Aldor suggested and let Ste go through the harsh side of society.


    He could be a savior and pull Ste out of the ditch after she realizes how tough and terrifying life could


    be after leaving him.


    In that way, he could keep her by his side like a canary forever.


    However, Ste was not a canary.


    In those years she spent with Keegan, she looked like she had nothing to worry about while spending a


    lot of money shopping, but her feathers lost their colors gradually every day.


    She would lose sleep after seeing what her old ssmates achieved in their careers and point at one of


    the actors and say while watching a drama, "He used to be my ssmate, and he would always have a


    lower score than me.I didn''t expect him to be so sessful now.Everybody''s working so hard."

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    It was true that Keegan wanted Ste to stay by him forever, but he had never put a lock on the


    cage.She was the one who lost her fighting spirit after staying too long in herfort zone.


    Ste was like a baby elephant chained up its whole life.


    It could definitely be strong enough to break free when it grew up, but it just would not have the


    courage to.


    Ste had chosen to step out of the cage.


    So, Keegan would never do anything to trap her back in and destroy her dream if she was unwilling to


    return to him.


    Aldor was shocked and said softly, ''''I got it, boss."


    Keegan walked past the audition room and stopped after taking a few more steps.


    He bowed his head down and felt something wet under his feet.


    The carpet was supposed to be bright red, but the part under his feet was darker.


    That damp trail flowed from a very small door a few feet away to where he was standing.


    Aldor said curiously, "It''s leaking.This isn''t right.Why does it smell like alcohol?"


    Keegan looked over.He was about to leave but saw alcohol flowing out from under the door.


    "I''m so sorry."


    A waiter approached them and apologized nervously, Gentlemen, please walk on the left side.The


    alcohol in the storeroom is spilling.I''ll get someone to take care of it."


    ¡®Spill? It looks more like a floodgate opening.


    Keegan looked at the door and suddenly said, "Open it."


    The waiter became anxious.


    "I''m sorry, sir.That''s also the staff changing room.Our staff has plenty of private belongings, and we


    have to protect their privacy..."


    "Open it up!"


    Keegan said in a deep voice, looking impatient.


    The waiter was frightened.


    Keegan tried to keep himself calm, but not anymore.


    He went off, and the waiter''s hair curled.


    Hismanding presence was simply too strong.


    But the waiter took someone else''s money and was only supposed to let Ste out of there by nine.


    There were only twenty minutes left to nine, so he worried he would not receive the other half of his


    payment if he let Ste out.


    However, he recollected himself very quickly.


    ¡®The boss of Sapphire Clubhouse is from Royalburgh.I''m sure none of these small business owners


    from Rivera would dare to cause trouble here."


    So, he kept his fear in check and said while pretending to be tough, "I''m sorry, but I''ve got to get my


    manager''s permission first."


    Aldor took his phone out and said, "Mr.Davis, a waiter refused to open the door for us.Would you


    please take care of this? We''re on the ninth floor.Be quick.Mr.Kane is waiting."


    The waiter''s face turned pale.He was not expecting to call his manager directly...


    The manager made his way there after three minutes.He was about to tell the waiter off, but Keegan


    interrupted him, "Open the door first."


    Mr.Davis turned around and glowered at the waiter impatiently.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    "Where''s the key? Open the door now?"


    The waiter hurriedly went to the duty room to get the keys.His hand was shaking, and he could not put


    the key inside the keyhole after trying a few times.


    Aldor snatched the key from him and unlocked the door with a grim face.

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    Chapter 666


    The door opened, and a strong smell of alcohol went right at their faces.


    Ste was squatting down on the floor with a pale face.She held her phone in one hand and a bottle of


    alcohol to pour it outside in the other.


    Keegan''s heart sank as he immediately went inside to carry her out of the room.


    The look on Aldor''s face was not looking very good either.


    The dressing room was tiny and confined, yet no electric supply existed.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    The only ventting vent was also jammed.


    It was literally an enclosed space with filthy air.


    Anybody who spent more than thirty minutes in it would feel awful and struggled to catch their breath.


    "Keegan?" Ste called his name softly while lying in his arms.


    Keegan''s face looked very serious as he pursed his lips tightly.


    "Mhmm," he replied softly.


    She shut her eyes and took a deep breath before saying hoarsely, " Bring me to a window or a balcony.


    I want to catch some air..."


    Keegan paused and said in a low voice, "I''ll bring you to the hospital now."


    "Let''s go to a balcony first."


    Ste grabbed his shirt.


    "I''ll feel better after resting.I still have an audition to go to.I can''t let things go their way."


    She stretched her arm out and touched Keegan''s face after seeing the worried expression he put on,


    "Bring me there.Please..."


    Please...


    It was the word she would never say when he wanted her to, yet she spoke it out so naturally at the


    time he did not want her to.


    Keegan tightened his jaw without saying anything.


    Then, he carried her to the balcony.


    The balcony was huge, and fresh air came rushing at them.


    Ste could finally breathe better and did not feel as awful as before.


    Keegan kept quiet.


    He sat beside her as he stroked her back.Her face began to look less pale too.


    Aldor handed her a cup of warm water.


    "Mrs.Kane, have some water."


    Ste thanked him before taking the cup from Aldor.


    Then, she took two sips and gave the cup back to him.


    "I''ve got to go to the audition now."


    She stood up, and her vision went ck briefly before returning to normal.


    Keegan grabbed her wrist.


    "Rest for a while longer.I''ll talk to the director for you."


    "No."


    Ste looked at him.


    "Other people would think you''re my sponsor if you got involved.I won''t get myself in any scandal


    before I can make a penny for my boss.How do you expect me to survive in my newpany?"


    Keegan replied with a dark face.


    "I''ll cut whoever''s tongue that dares to spread rumors about you." Ste kept quiet.


    ''I have no idea Keegan could be such a crazy man.I forgot that he''s a big boss who could literally do


    anything he wanted after getting into too many fights with him.Ste coughed.


    "D-don''t say something so cruel.I don''t feelfortable with it."


    Keegan was speechless.


    Ste looked at the time.


    "I need to go now.Don''t get yourself involved, you heard me? Otherwise, I''m going to donate all your


    money!"Then, she ran away after saying that.


    Keegan only turned around and said to Aldor with a cold face after she disappeared from his sight,


    "Find out who did that."


    The door opened before Ste could make it to the audition room, and a group of people came out


    while talking andughing.


    Her heart sank as she quickly followed them and said loudly, "Mr.Winfield."


    A man with gray temples, around fifty years old, turned around and looked at her.

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    Chapter 667


    "You are..."


    "I''m here for the audition today.My name is Ste Jewell."


    Ste cursed inwardly after introducing herself.


    ¡®I''ve gone through this when The Pce was still in production.Daniel wouldn''t let me rece that


    actress''s role if nothing happened to her.


    ¡®I wonder if I would have the same luck now"


    Ste was not very familiar with Stuart.He used to direct theatrical andmercial films, and he won


    many awards too.


    Ste figured that directors like him would probably hate it more when an actor rante to an audition.


    As soon as Ste said that, Yasmine and Be came out of the room.


    Yasmine stood in front of Ste right when she saw her.


    You were nowhere to be found when you were supposed to be here.


    So why are you making a scene now? You can''t manage your time properly at all! Mr.Winfield had


    decided to cast Be as Lexi."


    Stuart turned around and asked his assistant, "Who is this actress? "


    His assistant looked for Ste''s information and said softly, "She''s a new artist from Elegant Media and


    had never participated in any productions back then.She just finished filming a costume drama, but it


    has not been aired yet.I think she also starred in a skit recently, earning herself some fame."


    The assistant continued, "Be came to the audition one hour earlier than you even though she''s


    already a superstar.What you did is just uneptable.It''s funny how Elegant Media actually


    rmended both of them to us."


    To the assistant, Ste just could not bepared to Be.


    Be crushed Ste in every aspect, whether fame, public persona, or the shows they had participated


    in.


    Yasmine kept pushing Ste, and she got mad.


    Finally, Ste grabbed her wrist and said in a low voice, "You should know better than everyone else


    why I''mte!"


    Yasmine lifted the edge of her mouth and smiled coldly, "How could you me others when you don''t


    know how to manage your time?"


    Ste did not want to talk to her at all.She shrugged her off and walked toward the director.


    "Mr.Winfield, the audition is supposed to end at nine, and it''s only eight fifty-two now.Eight minutes are


    enough for me to prove myself.So please give me a chance."


    Stuart looked at her from head to toe.


    He only spoke after some time, "You heard what she said just now.We''ve already made our decision."


    Be smiled subtly.


    The character design of the female lead, Lexi, in Stuart''s drama was tailored to Be.


    She was the best at making herself look like a pitiful and vulnerable girl.She knew the role would be


    hers as soon as she read the script.She figured that Ste had the face of a sly person, so it was


    impossible for Ste to beat her just by the way she looked.


    Be was waiting to see Ste''s defeated face, but unexpectedly, Ste''s expression did not change at


    all.


    Instead, she shed a smile.


    "I''m not here to try out for Lexi, but Georgia."


    Georgia was the second female lead in the drama.She would be Lexi''s roommate, and she came from


    a very wealthy family that everyone in her family loved.


    However, she could never perform better academically than Lexi, and they shared a very tense


    rtionship.


    After that, Lexi would be paralyzed after getting drugged.


    A task force conducted an investigation and made Georgia their main suspect.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    However, the case slowly got left behind as the task force could not find sufficient evidence to prove


    that Georgia was the culprit.


    Lexi left the stage forever because she could not walk anymore, but Georgia made it to the


    international scene and became a world- famous artist.


    Georgia had the mostplicated character design in the drama, and she had just as many scenes as


    the female lead.


    They were looking for an actress from ages twenty to forty, and it was a rather important role.


    However, that role was too dark, so Stuart had difficulty deciding whom to cast.


    He sized Ste up again after she mentioned it.


    She had a hint of haughtiness in her eyes and looked effortlessly elegant.He had to admit that she fit


    the role very well.He got interested.


    "Can you dance?"


    Ste replied carefully, "I went to a dancing ss for a few years."


    Then, Stuart turned his head and said to his assistant, "Give her the lines from the dancing studio


    scene."


    Then, he shifted his gaze to Ste.


    "I want to look at your basic dancing skills."


    Ste could finally feel a little relieved.


    She was d Stuart gave her a chance instead of directly rejecting her.


    Be put on an unhappy look and tly said when she walked past Ste, Ste Jewell, you''ve got to


    have real skills to survive in showbiz.Sleeping with different men isn''t going to help you in any way."

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    Chapter 668


    Ste paused and swept her gaze across her.


    "We''ll soon find out which one of us has better skills.As for men, I''m sure you haven''t slept with any


    men I''ve been with."


    Then, she looked at her belly.


    "When are you due?"


    Be felt very embarrassed, but Ste already went around her to go into the audition room.


    The script that Stuart''s assistant gave her was only a page long, and it was set in the school''s dancing


    studio.


    Georgia just won first ce in the youth dancepetition of Sresport.Her ssmates started talking


    about it.


    All of them thought that thepetition was rigged, and they were all on Lexi''s side.


    Georgia interrupted them and argued with Lexi after hearing their conversation from outside.


    Then, they startedpeting in front of everyone.


    Georgia would then make a mistake and made fun of.


    Ste quickly memorized her lines and said to Stuart.


    "Can I start now?" Stuart nodded.


    Then, he paused and said, "Be,e and join her.You''ll only have a few lines."


    "Sure," Be said before gazing at Ste.


    Then, she took the script from Stuart.


    All their ssmates thought Lexi did better because Georgia made a few obvious mistakes during the


    competition but won first ce anyway.


    Georgia''s father was the deputy mayor of Sresport, and her grandfather was avery influential man too.


    So, everyone guessed that thepetition was rigged, and the judges were biased toward Georgia.


    In other words, none of them thought that Georgia deserved to win.


    Everybody was talking about it andined about how unfair it was for Lexi.


    Lexi came from an underprivileged household.


    She could only study in this school because she was talented, and the people from her hometown


    sponsored her tuition fees.


    The winner of that dancingpetition would receive three thousand dors as the prize.


    It was a huge amount back in the nies.


    It would be enough for her toplete her studies and even improve her family''s living conditions.


    So, everyone was burning with rage after Georgia got first ce instead of her.


    "What does she know? Does she really think that she can dance better? She wouldn''t have gotten so


    many votes if it was not for her family after doing that sidekick wrongly."


    "Yeah.The judges would know how horrible that mistake if they were not ignorant."


    Lexi said softly, "Actually, Georgia did pretty well.Dancing is a very subjective thing, anyway.Let''s stop


    dwelling on the past."


    "You''re always so kind.Did you see how arrogant she looked after winning? She said she worked very


    hard when she gave her eptance speech.Every dancer works just as hard as her, and we all stretch


    in the studio before the sun evenes up.


    "I finally realized something.It''s better to have an influential father than to actually know how to dance."


    "Bang!"


    The studio was kicked open right after that.


    Everyone was shocked.


    Then, they put on a strange look after seeing Georgia''s face.


    After all, seeing the person one spoke ill of would be very awkward.


    Georgia''s face looked cold as she swept her gaze across them and said grimly, "Do it in front of me if


    you have anything to say about me.


    Why are you guys doing it behind my back? Are all of you rats afraid of the light?"


    One of the girls who criticized Georgia the most exploded, "I will! I''m not afraid of you! I''m pretty sure


    you know how badly you did that day.You should know better than everybody else about how you won


    thatpetition.If there''s a rat here, that would be you.You''re the rat that stole the victory from


    someone else, which was not supposed to be yours!"


    Lexi immediately stood up and said, "Lulu, that''s enough."


    Georgia clenched her fists tightly.She looked very unhappy.


    "The judges came from other ces.How could I even cheat? You''re talking smack about me just


    because you lost thepetition.How ridiculous.Do you think that nobody else deserves to win other


    than you?"


    Lexi frowned.


    "Georgia, that''s not what she meant.We''re all from the same ss.There''s no need to be so mean."


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Georgia sneered.


    "Always the kind one, aren''t you? Why don''t you tell them about your mistakes that day?"


    "Don''t drag Lexi with you just because you made a mistake.Do you know how many times Lexi trained


    for that choreography? It''s impossible that she made a mistake."


    "She''s human too.Why wouldn''t she make a mistake?"


    Georgie shifted her gaze to Lexi.


    "Do you dare to have a rematch?"

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    Chapter 669


    "Let''s go then.Lexi, show her how Nirvana should be performed!"


    Then, Lexi stood beside Georgia reluctantly.


    Nirvana, as its name suggested, was a dance to mimic the movement of a Phoenix.


    The music started, and both of them began dancing.


    Georgia bent down slightly and hugged herself with both arms.She looked like a nestling that just broke


    its shell while exploring the unknown world timidly.


    Then, as the melody changed, she stretched her arms out and started moving like an eagle soaring


    through the sky.


    Suddenly, a high-pitched tone yed.She then fell as if her wings broke.


    Then, she bathed in the fire before rising from the ashes and being reborn...


    "Bang¡ª"


    Georgia could not maintain her bnce while she wanted to straighten her back and fell to the ground.


    Everybody was shocked and thought that Ste had made a mistake.


    She sat up with a pale face and looked at Lexi, who was dancing with her bloodshot eyes beside her.


    Georgia was too desperate to win that she made a big mistake on that simple move.


    Her ssmatesughed at her.


    Georgia clenched her fists tight, looking very angry and resentful.


    Everybody in the audition room kept quiet.


    Stuart froze for a few seconds before saying, "Cut!"


    Ste heaved a sigh of relive as she sat on the floor quietly.


    She just got locked up in a tiny room for some time, yet she had to perform such a long choreography


    afterward.She was drained.


    Everyone around her was so shocked by her acting skills that they were all speechless.


    Be was the only one with an awful look on her face.


    Ste''s acting skills were somewhat powerful.


    Be''s emotions almost got affected after Ste read her lines.


    Be was supposed to be the female lead, yet the lines she ran with Ste could not disy her


    toughness as an underprivilegeddy.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    In contrast, Stuart could see the condescending haughtiness in Ste.He got very excited.He suddenly


    could see how much potential Georgia had in his head.


    Finally, he calmed himself down and asked, "Did youe up with that choreography yourself?"


    Ste shook her head.


    "Not entirely.Mr.Gerald''s masterpiece inspired it.However, my skills are not as polished as his, and that


    was the closest I could do to recreate it." Everyone kept quiet.


    Ste''s dance made them feel like they were watching a stage y, and her movements were


    extremely fluid.


    Be''s choreography could note close to that at all.


    Be imed that she learned modern dance for five years and was very confident in ying Lexi.


    Stuart looked at her dancing skills without giving anyments.


    Then, he told the crew to find a dancer who had a simr build to be her double.


    However, Ste did not say she was good at dancing, yet she shocked everybody there.


    She would not need a double to help her with what she was capable of.


    She could get any difficult moves done with the proper guidance.


    That was why people said empty vessels make the most noise.


    A voice within Stuart shouted.


    ''It''s her! It''s got to be her! Georgia is Ste, and Ste is Georgia"

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    Chapter 670


    Chapter 670


    Keegan watched the live broadcast on a screen in a room next door.


    He pursed his lips without saying anything.


    That was his first-time seeing Ste dance like that.


    Actually, she would sometimes dance in his house.


    Her best habit was making time daily to stretch her legs and practice basic dancing moves.


    She would dance on a whim, but the choreographies were mostly nothing serious.


    For example, she would mimic alien, frog prince, or panda man dancing...


    Ste would ask Keegan to stand beside her when she did that.


    Then, she would y the animated cartoon choreography on the television while following the steps


    and making those weird moves on the other side of the screen.


    Keegan paid little attention to viral videos, so he felt very strange when he first saw Ste doing that.


    However, she could dance almost exactly the same as the cartoons on television.


    He still had the video of her wearing a full yellow outfit while doing the alien dance on his phone.


    Keegan attended a business banquet, and somebody performed that same dance.


    An olderdy who used to be a dancer said that even though the dance might look very simple, it


    required very high body coordination, and only apetent dancer could learn it quickly.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    So, Ste was very humble when she told the director that her dancing skills were mediocre.


    She embodies the humblest character in the world.


    But, perhaps, she was only pretending to be humble to wow the crowdter on.


    After all, she liked to do it very much when she was still married to Keegan.


    During the gathering with her old ssmates, somedies would show off how capable and how much


    their husbands were earning before asking her about her husband.


    She always said that her husband was not as outstanding as their husbands.


    She would tell them that her husband was just an ordinary man with a small business that could barely


    support her.


    Then, she would ask Keegan to pick her up in a Rolls Royce.


    Also, she would put on the most expensive dress in her closet, the most exquisite essories and the


    most luxurious bags to put her ssmates to shame.


    Instead of showing off verbally, Ste would always prefer to prove it with actions.


    "Mrs.Kane got this,"


    Aldor said, "Look at the director''s face."


    Keegan gazed at him with a joyful expression.


    "You don''t say."


    Aldor was speechless.


    ¡®I was praising Mrs.Kane.So why does he look like I''mplimenting him instead?'' Aldor did not see


    the same proud expression on his face even when he led his team to receive the science and


    technology award on stage.He felt like telling Keegan that he had divorced Ste, and thepliment


    he gave had absolutely nothing to do with him.Unfortunately, he was not brave enough to do


    so.Emotionally, Keegan was like a little kid who loved to be ttered.Stuart talked with the producer and


    the crew.


    Then, they decided to give Ste the role.


    After that, he said to Ste.


    "I don''t allow any of my cast to bete on set.I don''t care what your excuse may be, but I could get you


    reced anytime if you rante to the set after we officially started shooting."

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    Chapter 671


    The fact that Ste waste today left a bad impression.


    Though, she tried her best to redeem it with her acting skills.


    "Don''t worry, Mr.Winfield.This will be the first andst time I''ll bete," she said.


    Stuart felt relieved when he heard that.


    "Take a look at the contract and sign your name if there is no problem."


    "Is it okay if 1 video call my agent and ask him to review the contract?"Before Mr.Winfield could open


    his mouth, his assistant said, " These types of contracts are almost exactly the same.There''s nothing to


    review.Hurry up and sign it.Don''t dy our ti¡ª"


    Stuart raised his hand, motioning for the other party to stop talking.


    Then he said to Ste, "Go ahead.It''s a good thing to be cautious."


    When Yasmine heard that Ste would call Kaiden, her face changed slightly.


    Ste thanked Stuart.


    Apanied by several crew members, she went downstairs to a ce with a signal and made a


    phone call with Kaiden.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    She also sent a copy of the contract to him.


    Kaiden was still on the train at that time.


    After reading the contract, he asked, "You auditioned for Georgia?"


    "Mhm.I waste today.Lexi''s role had already been decided when I arrived, so I tried out for Georgia.I


    also realize that I like acting as Georgia better."


    Kaiden also preferred the role over the main character.


    The mostplicated character in the show is the best part to y to win an award.


    However, Trevor said that Ste must be the female lead, so he arranged for her to audition for the role


    of Lexi.


    Trevor was someone with capital; he only understood his investments and knew almost nothing about


    acting.


    So, he thought that it was best to be the female lead.


    On the other hand, Kaiden was a professional in the field; he knew very well what roles had more


    dramatic tension and which part suited his actors best.So to him, Ste''s performance as Georgia was


    simply perfect.


    However, he still asked, "Why were youte? Didn''t Yasmine pick you up?"


    It was hard for Ste to go into details with the crew nearby.


    The internal conflict in Elegant Media would be bad for thepany if the news ever got out, so she


    said, "I''ll tell you about it when youe back."


    Kaiden did not press any further.


    "Stuart is a good director, while you are very good at shooting female-dominated shows.Remember to


    ask him if you get lost or have questions about the script.He likes to discuss the characters with the


    actors.He''s rather chatty, so just bear with him."


    Ste did not say anything back.


    After all, he was a great director who had won many awards, and Kaiden had described him well.


    After hanging up the phone, Ste went upstairs to say goodbye to the director and others.


    Stuart was very happy that he had decided on two important roles simultaneously.


    Before Ste left, he patted her shoulders and said, "The younger generation will surpass the older


    generation."


    Be also came forward after a few of the people had left.


    "Don''t be too proud of yourself, Ste.Signing the contract is just the beginning.Whether you can stay


    until the end is up to you."


    Switching actors while filming a movie or TV series was rare.


    Be had been in this circle for many years and knew the ins and outs of the industry well.It was in her


    best interest that Ste stayed so that she could take revenge.


    Dusk Gxy, The Pce...


    One thing piled after the other.


    Be needed to avenge herself.


    Ste nced at her lightly and said, "Right back at you.


    What do you think your fans would do when they find out that the innocent princess they''ve been so


    protective of sent me a pregnancy test report to provoke my rtionship with my husband? Will they


    eat you alive when they realize that you''re actually a dirty and stinky piece of shit?"


    Be''s eyes turned cold, and a trace of panic shed across her heart.


    However, she managed to suppress the look on her face and said, "Do you really think that anyone will


    believe your empty words?"


    Be had built a perfect image of herself.


    She had blocked all the haters and revealed all the diehard fans.


    As long as she did not break thew, the perks from her reputation were enough for her to retire.

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    "Why don''t you try it if you don''t believe me?" Ste said.


    She suddenly changed the main subject with, "What are you afraid of, Be? Why did you use such a


    low-level method to make me miss my audition for the female lead?"


    Be froze for a moment but quickly came back to her senses.


    "Huh? What do you mean? What are you talking about?"


    Be was not a fool.


    She would never admit something she did not directlymit.


    ''Who knows if this crazy bitch is recording or something.I''m not about to let her get to me"


    "Everyone was given the same chance.You''re the one who did not arrive at the scene on time.You


    must ept the price of beingte instead of ming others."


    The corners of Ste''s mouth twitched when she heard that.


    ''I see someone has be smart"


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Be looked at her half-smile and thought of thest time she kicked her into the sea.


    ''This crazy bitch is wild.Today''s incident was not executed well.There''s a possibility that I''ll get exposed


    if I continue arguing with her.I should stop."


    "We''ll see," she added, giving Ste a cold nce.


    Be then turned around and left.


    Yasmine paused.


    She looked at Ste, who stood there quietly, staring at her with calm eyes and even slightly curling the


    corners of her lips when meeting her gaze.


    That mocking look made Yasmine flustered, but she quickly settled down.


    Whether an unpopr neer, who relied on their looks and mediocre acting skills, could seed


    in films depended on what the audience thought.


    No matter how good Ste''s performance was, she would not be able to have a turnover if the


    audience did not like her.


    After several people left, Keegan and Aldor came out of the room.


    Ste suddenly felt a little embarrassed when she saw Keegan.


    When she was locked in the room earlier, she hoped someone woulde to rescue her.


    It did not matter if that person was a man or a woman or if they asked her to be their ve or to repay


    them with sex; she just wanted an out.


    Unexpectedly, Keegan was the one who showed up.


    Her thoughts of repaying someone by being their ve or giving them her body were gone.


    She realized that only good-looking people could use sex as a form of payment.


    She would actually be a ve if Mr.Davis were the one who saved her.


    "Are you trying to figure out how to thank me?"


    Keegan calmly said as if he had seen through her thoughts.


    "ording to the plot of your shows, I''m thinking¡­ sex? Ste was taken aback when she heard that.


    Her ears got a little hot, and she shot Keegan a look, "I''m tired of looking at your face.I would rather


    be a ve and work like a horse."


    Keegan lowered his gaze and smiled.


    Suddenly, he approached her and said, "Forget about being a ve.Why not just focus on working like


    a horse?"


    ¡®Is he saying what I think he''s saying?¡¯ Ste''s scalp tingled.


    ''Did he say that because horses could be ridden?¡¯ However, it turned out that Ste was the one with a


    dirty mind since Keegan said, "I have to see who runs faster, you or Juno."


    Ste''s face turned green.She pped Keegan''s hand away, red at him, and said, "You''re crazy!"


    She left with a grim look on her face after that.


    Keegan frowned, "Why is she mad again?"


    Aldor was speechless.


    ''Mr.Kane needs to learn when to flirt and when not to flirt.They were standing so close just now; he


    could have just kissed her.


    Why in the world did he have to mention Juno? Ste rubbed her ears and thought, ¡®Aah.Son of a


    bitch.You''re such an idiot, Ste"


    "Ste?"

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    Chapter 673


    As soon as Ste arrived at the lobby, Marshall''s voice came behind her.She turned around, surprised,


    "Mr.Moore¡ª I mean Marshall, why are you here?"


    Marshall approached her and said softly, "I''m here to discuss a case."


    He nced at her dancing outfit and said, "Why are you¡ª"


    "I just finished an audition." Marshall nodded.


    Ste just passed the tryout and was excited, Why don''t you ask me if I got the role?"


    "Is there even a need to ask?" Marshall smiled.


    He could already tell by her expression.


    "Come on, ask me," Ste said.


    She had to show off in one way or another.


    Marshallughed and asked seriously, "Did you pass the audition, Ms. Jewell?"


    Ste''s eyes sparkled, "Yeah! The director''s eyes shined bright when he saw me!"


    Marshall could not hide his smile while looking at her, "Is that so? Congrattions, then."


    Ste rolled her eyes.


    As he was talking, a middle-aged bald man suddenly approached Marshall and said, "Think about it,


    Mr.Moore.I can pay you more if you kick that old shrew out of the house and lose everything.I can even


    pay you double the initial price."


    Marshall turned round, and the smile he had on earlier was gone; only indifference remained in his


    eyes.


    "Mr.Brown, I''ve made it very clear.I''m Mrs.Brown''swyer now.I can''t take on yourwsuit."


    "If you can''t take on my case, can you at least let go of that old hag''s case? I will pay for it," the middle-


    aged man said.


    Marshall was obviously annoyed by him and replied with a cold face, "If you have that kind of money,


    Mr.Brown, why not spend it on otherwyers or go and beg Mrs.Brown to withdraw thewsuit? Maybe


    she''ll agree since you have been married for so many years.I''m afraid I must leave; I have an


    appointment with a friend."


    After saying that, Marshall pulled Ste away.


    Mr.Brown''s expression was ugly.


    "Mr.Brown, maybe we should hire anotherwyer.It''ll be hard to make Mr.Moore budge," said his


    assistant.


    Mr.Brown said with a gloomy face, "Do you think it''s a matter of who will represent me? I can deal with


    whoever that old hag hired, but there''s no way I can go up against Marshall Moore.His family is famous


    in Rivera."


    "Even so, you can''t use wealth to negotiate with him; he doesn''t need the money."


    Mr.Brown frowned, "Everyone wants something.Ask someone to watch him and find out what it is."


    "Okay."


    "Was that your client?" Ste asked after being pulled outside.


    "No, he''s the husband of one of my clients." Marshall said lowly, "I recently took on a divorce


    lawsuit.The two have been married for nearly 30 years and suddenly wanted a divorce.The man has


    illegitimate children outside the marriage from more than one mistress.The woman wants to get back


    the money her husband spent on those people over the years.So she hired me to redo the divorce


    settlement."


    Ste was taken aback.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    "Why are there so many cases like this now? Do these people have any respect for their marriage?"


    "Actually, their rtionship had a downfall more than ten years ago.The woman had another lover, and


    the two did not interfere with each other''s rtionships outside of the marriage.They agreed it was all


    for fun, but the man had a few illegitimate children.So, the woman wanted a divorce since children born


    out of wedlock could inherit the same assets as her children.It would be unfair to her children if she did


    not divorce her husband."


    Ste did not continue the conversation because now, she was also an unidentified illegitimate


    daughter.She never dared to check her background because, firstly, she was afraid that the truth would


    be difficult to ept.


    Secondly, she did not want to believe that Rainee betrayed her marriage.


    "Where are you staying? I''ll drive you back," Marshall said softly.

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    Chapter 674


    Ste nced back at the door and saw that Keegan had note down yet.


    Marshall noticed her looking and asked, "Are you waiting for your friends?"


    Ste was silent for a few seconds before saying, "No."


    Clearly, she was not waiting for Keegan, the idiot who did not know how to speak.


    "It''s okay.I don''t want to trouble you.I''ll just call a cab."


    Marshall paused, "It''s no trouble, Ste.Treat it as friends helping each other.Plus, it''ste.It''s not safe


    for you to take the cab alone.Come on, let me give you a ride."


    Thest sentence sounded like a request.


    Ste was afraid when people talked to her like that because she would not know how to reject


    them.So, she got into Marshall''s car in a daze.


    "You live in Clouditude International?" Marshall asked as he turned the steering wheel.


    Ste nodded, "Yeah.It was apany arrangement.I''m staying there with my friend."


    Marshall lightly tapped his fingers on the steering wheel a few times before saying, "Clouditude has a


    great security system.It''s safer there."


    Ste''s phone rang while they were talking.It was Aldor.She answered the call, and Aldor said on the


    other line, "Where are you, Mrs.Kane?"


    "I''m on my way home."


    "Did you leave by yourself?"


    "Yes¡ª"


    "Is that your friend?"


    Marshall''s voice suddenly came from beside her.


    Aldor felt the temperature around him drop.He did not need to look at Keegan to know the cold had


    come from him.


    Before Ste could exin, Keegan gritted his teeth and said, "Is that Marshall? Ste felt a little guilty


    for some reason, but she suppressed the guilt.


    ''Keegan and I are divorced, and I''m not doing anything wrong with Marshall.There''s no need to feel


    guilty, Ste"


    Keegan felt no guilt when he left with Be in his arms.So she confidently said, "Who cares?"


    Keegan was so angry that his teeth were hurting, "How many times have I told you to stay away from


    Marshall? Why don''t you ever listen?"


    ¡°I just happened to run into him! Didn''t I also run into you earlier? "


    "what a fucking coincidence!"


    Keegan could not help swearing.


    "Do you really think I have nothing better to do than to sit and drink with those people? I obviously did it


    because of you!"


    Ste''s heart beat faster, and she hummed, "Who knows why you were there? I''m not the only one who


    auditioned for a role."


    Keegan did not have the patience to exin himself, so he said, "Get out of that car immediately.Send


    me your location, and I will pick you up."


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    The corners of Ste''s eyes twitched, "Are you insane? I''m almost home!"


    "I said get out¡ª"


    Ste hung up the phone and whispered, "Who does he think he is?"


    "Was that Keegan?" Marshall asked aloud.


    Ste then came back to her senses and said, "Uh-huh."


    "Speaking of which, I haven''t seen him for a while," Marshall smiled.


    "After his grandma''s birthday party, many people came to me to inquire about him.They all wanted to


    introduce him to someone new."


    "Please don''t introduce him to anyone.Keegan looks like a normal guy, but he has a nasty temper.Any


    girl who marries him will be miserable.He''s doing fine being single and alone," Ste said immediately.

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    Chapter 675


    Marshall chuckled, "Actually, Keegan is liked by many elders.He is great at his work and very


    responsible.He meets the standards of a son-inw, and many girls fancy him.I''m guessing the elders


    of the Kane family are urging him to find another bride.After all, he is the only son in the family.They


    would want him to spread his seed."


    Ste was startled when she heard that, her heart trembling slightly.She pursed her lips tightly and said


    nothing while lightly tapping the window beside her.


    Not long after, they arrived at Clouditude International.


    When Ste got out of the car, Marshall called out to her.He took a tiny pink bunny-shaped pendant


    from the car''s storage box and handed it to Ste.


    "My colleagues custom ordered a phone strap, but pink is not my color.I''m thinking you girls might like


    it."


    The details on the bunny looked amazing.


    Ste liked it but said, "My phone doesn''t have a case, so this thing is pretty much useless to


    me.Maybe you should give it to whoever you like."


    Marshall froze momentarily before asking, "You don''t have a phone case?"


    "Yeah."


    "Why? I thought girls like having cutesy or pretty phone cases?" Marshall wondered.


    "It''s not that I don''t like having a case.I just feel like it would be more worth it if I get to touch my phone


    that I spent a lot on, rather than just holding it with a 10-dor case on."


    Marshall could not believe such a thought.


    He nced at Ste''s phone and asked, "Do you not have a screen protector too?"


    Ste nodded, "What''s the point of scrolling my phone if I don''t get to touch the screen that costs me


    thousands of dors?"


    Marshall was speechless.


    He finally had a little understanding of Ste''s mindset; she thinks that expensive things are meant to


    be used rather than preserved.


    After watching Ste enter the building, Marshall took the pendant out and looked at it for a while.He


    then threw it into the trash at the entrance of the housing area and drove away.


    At the same time, Keegan was annoyed that Marshall had driven Ste home.


    Aldor tried tofort him by saying, "Sir, Mrs.Kane isn''t someone with no boundaries.Maybe she just


    could not reject his kindness."


    Aldor only had little contact with Marshall and was not close to him.


    But he knew he was not like Keegan; Keegan was straight to the point, while Marshall seemed gentle


    and soft-spoken.


    However, that did not mean that he was easy to persuade.


    ¡®Maybe Mrs.Kane did not know how to reject him because she owed him a favor for Ms.Spade''s funeral


    and the subsequentwsuits" Aldor thought.


    Keegan was much more difficult to understand than Vermont, but Aldor dared not specte anything.


    "It''s not like I don''t trust her.I...I just want her to have as little contact with Marshall as possible,"


    Keegan pursed his lips.


    Aldor nodded.


    Then, Keegan grabbed his phone and called Trevor.


    Trevor had just gotten off the ne when he saw Keegan''s phone call and hung up without a thought.


    Keegan gritted his teeth and called him once more.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Trevor picked up when he got into the car.


    Before he could open his mouth, Keegan scolded him, "Trevor, you bastard! Did you sign Ste just to


    give her supporting roles?"


    Trevor''s face turned dark, "What are you on about? When did I let Ste take on the supporting role?"


    Keegan recalled what happened that night and said with a cold face, "I invested money in your


    company.It''s fine that you banned me from interfering in thepany''s affairs, but can you do your job


    and take care of her? If anything happens to her, I will tear Wings Group apart!"


    Trevor''s face was sullen because of what happened that night, but when he heard what Keegan had


    said, heughed angrily, "Bring down Wings Group, and I will make sure you never get Ste back for


    the rest of your life!"


    Trevor hung up the phone after saying that.

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    Chapter 676


    ¡®What an ass. How dare he say that to me?'' After Trevor hung up the phone, he called the HR


    department and said with a stern face, "Tell Yasmine to get the hell out of here! Never let me see her


    face or hear her name ever again!""


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    He then hung up after speaking.


    When Yasmine arrived at thepany the next day, the HR manager called and asked her to go


    through the resignation procedures.


    Yasmine thought she had misheard and asked, "Sorry, what?"


    "I said, hurry up and go through the resignation procedures.You have been fired."


    Yasmine''s face turned pale, "Why is thepany firing me? I''ve recruited three actors for the


    company, and I''m still working with the most famous artist in thepany.Why are you guys firing me?"


    "This is Mr.Saun''s decision; neither you nor I have the right toment on it," said the HR manager.


    He sized up Yasmine and wondered why Trevor made a nonpete use with an agent here.


    Yasmine gritted her teeth and said, "I signed a three-year contract with thepany.


    You have no right to fire me without a valid reason! "'' She had switched jobs three times and had not


    made a name for herself yet in Elegant Media.She was afraid that she would not be able to get into any


    of the bigpanies if she left.


    Thus, she was not about to leave that easily.


    The HR manager chuckled, "Is this your first day at work? There must be reasons why the boss wants


    to fire you.You can apply forbor arbitration if you don''t want to ept it.We will deal with it, but I


    advise you to keep a low profile and just leave thepany.Making a fuss won''t benefit you."


    Even if Yasmine could not work in bigpanies, she could still make a living in smallerpanies as


    long as she did not have to meet with Trevor.


    After speaking, the HR manager added, "Hurry up and make your decision.Lunch break is at eleven


    thirty; don''t waste our time."


    Yasmine''s face was gloomy.She had made it to where she was alone, step by step.She was not willing


    to be kicked out of thepany like this.She called Be immediately, and Be rushed to the


    company as soon as she heard.


    Naturally, Be did not have good intentions.She only came to draw a fight with Ste.


    After hearing Yasmine talk about the matter while crying, she handed her a tissue and said in a low


    voice, "Is it because of what happenedst night? I heard that Ms.Jewell had something going on with


    Mr.Saun."


    Yasmine paused, "Do you mean she''s his partner?"


    "I met her with Mr.Saun during a meal before, but maybe it was just a friendly meet-up," Be said


    ambiguously.


    Yasmine''s expression darkened as she said, ''''No wonder."


    "Maybe you should go and beg Ms.Saun.I heard from people in thepany that Ms.Saun is kind-


    hearted and may help you with this."


    Yasmine quickly found Jaylene and was asked, ''''How did Ms.Jewell getout?"


    She was stunned by the question but did not know the answer; she just thought Ste was lucky.


    "I can ask, but you''d better not get your hopes up because even I can''t change my brother''s mind," said


    Jaylene.


    Sure enough, Trevor was outraged and told her not to interfere.


    After hanging up the phone, Jaylene nced at Yasmine, who was pale and said, "What you did was


    too obvious.I''m afraid I can''t help you."


    So Yasmine was kicked out of thepany, and Be backed down.

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    Chapter 677


    At first, Be did not instruct Yasmine to interfere directly, but she thought she was still in Royal Deluxe


    Entertainment, where everyone respected her as a celebrity.


    She felt that thepany would protect her even if it were obvious that they had done it.


    However, Be felt a little more apprehensive about taking further action after this incident.


    To her, it did not matter if Trevor fired Yasmine out of consideration for thepany.


    His rtionship with Ste was not as simple as it seemed.


    After Ste went home, she texted about the incident at the audition in her group chat.


    Shea was still working with another crew and was furious after learning about what happened to Ste.


    There was still more than a week left for her to wrap things up with her current crew.


    Afterward, she would apply to apany Ste in her new crew.


    Shea told her that this type of incident wasmon in the entertainment industry.She reminded her to


    watch someone eat the food they bring her before trying it out herself.


    "Don''t tell me I''ll get poisoned," Ste joked.


    "I mean, there were cases like this in our industry.A singer''s vocal cords were damaged after being


    poisoned.Now that the inte is more developed, people are less likely tomit crimes like this


    since they can get caught more easily.Though, they could still trick you into making a fool out of


    yourself, which will affect our chances at an audition,"Felicity immediately said.


    "Felicity is right.You have to make sure that everything someone unfamiliar gives you is safe for use


    and consumption.Do you guys have a ma, Felicity? Put one in Ste''s bag," added Shea.


    Ste was a fast learner.


    "Is it because there could be needles in my outfits?"


    "Good job, Ste," Felicity said.


    "I''ll get you er."


    Shea was still worried, "Ste, you never know what the other party thinks aboutpetition.So you


    have to be careful and learn to protect yourself.Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer."


    "Got it. I''ll keep that in mind," Ste replied.


    Two dayster, Stuart personally called Ste and told her that the male role in Motive of Murder had


    been finalized.


    Ste asked curiously, "Who''s going to y my partner in the show?"


    "You''ll find out on the day of filming."


    "Is he tall, dark, and handsome? Does he have abs?" Ste asked tentatively.


    The corners of Stuart''s eyes twitched, "Are you interested in an actual partner?"


    Steughed and said, "I''m just asking for a better visual of my coworker.I act better when my partner


    is handsome."


    "You act just fine with or without a handsome partner," Stuart said.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    "The shooting will start in two weeks.I will arrange for a choreographer to teach you some


    moves.Training starts tomorrow.I''ll text you more about the time and ceter.Remember to pack


    some clothes since we''ve set up an amodation."


    "Okay."


    Ste was busy packing her luggage after hanging up the phone when Felicity hurriedly stuffed the


    "anti-hater goodie bag" she had prepared into Ste''s suitcase.In the apartment next door, Vermont


    could not resist calling Felicity again.


    When are youing over, miss bandit? Look at the time.


    Where''s my meal? I''m starving in here."


    "Stop being dramatic.It''s just one meal," Felicity whispered.


    Vermont narrowed his eyes, "What did you say?"


    Felicityughed, gritted her teeth, and continued, "I said stop being dramatic.Hold on, okay? I''ll be


    there right away."


    "Hurry up, I''m already investigating that guy for you," Vermont said with satisfaction.

 Chapter 678

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    Chapter 678


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    After hanging up the phone, Felicity stopped what she was doing and said, "Ste, I have to go out for


    a while."


    Ste nodded and teased, Are you going to meet up with Dr.Steven again?"


    Felicity gave a vague reply, thinking, ''I wish! But it''s okay.I have to work hard to collect some


    information first"


    Felicity changed into some casual clothes and went out the door.She walked straight to apartment 902


    on the opposite side of the hallway and rang the doorbell.


    The door opened in less than three seconds.


    "Didn''t I tell you the passwordst time? Do I have to open the door every time youe here?"


    Vermont had just finished his workout and had taken a shower.He was only wearing shorts now; his


    upper body was naked, and a towel was on his head.


    The water from his hair was dripping down the muscles of his body.


    Felicity''s scalp tightened, and with a dark face, she pulled the towel from his head and threw it on his


    chest, "Put on some clothes.You''re hurting my eyes!"


    After saying that, she walked straight past him and entered the house.


    Vermont smiled, took the towel, and closed the door.


    Then, while drying his hair, he walked in and said, "I''m literally giving you a show for free, yet you don''t


    want it?"


    Felicity looked like she was about to throw up, "It''s only a show for women who are interested in you,


    but it''s called sexual harassment when it''s me."


    "You stalk Corbin Steven''s posts and even liked photos of his abs.So why isn''t that called sexual


    harassment?" Vermont snorted.


    Felicity nced at him and said, "He posted those pictures on his social media, which is not the same


    as you being naked right in front of me."


    The corners of Vermont''s mouth twitched, "Hey, miss bandit.I''m telling you, based on my experience,


    men who like to take pictures of their abs are either scumbags or gay.So remember to keep your eyes


    out; this applies to 90% of the poption."


    Felicity looked at him and replied, "You seem to have a pretty clear understanding of this thing, huh?


    Since you mentioned switching girlfriends frequently, is it possible that you don''t like girls at all? That''s


    why they neverst long.On the other hand, I see that you follow Keegan around every day.Could it be


    that you like him? Is he your childhood crush? Did you decide to stay by his side as a good friend and


    watch him marry and have children while you fool around to avoid judgment?"


    Vermont''s face darkened, "Shut up, you.All those years in screenwriting, and this is what youe up


    with?"


    Felicity put on her apron and hummed, "What''s wrong with it? People dig this type of story, okay?


    Otherwise, those drama shows you produce wouldn''t have made a penny."As she spoke, she threw a


    bunch of vegetables at him and said, "Prep those for me."


    "Why do I have to do it?"


    Vermont was dissatisfied but still took the bundle of greens obediently.


    Felicity red at him and said, "Because you''re useless.Tell me, have you even found out about what I


    asked?"


    While picking out the leaves, Vermont said, ''Who said I''vee up with nothing?"


    Felicity paused, "Did you find out about that guy?"


    "Yeah, but he''s not just some guy.He is Hylda''s cousin, Ian White."


    "Who?"


    Vermont nimbly pinched off the withered and yellowed leaves from the greens and said, "You wouldn''t


    know even if I told you.Ian White is Marshall''s aunt''s boyfriend.He and Hylda are cousins, not the


    young lover you were thinking about."


    "That''s impossible!"


    Felicity immediately objected.


    "How could they be so intimate with each other?"


    Vermont did not see what happened between Hylda and Ian, so he asked, "What did you see that


    day?"


    Felicity wiped her hands on the apron and walked up to Vermont.


    She stood on her tippy toes and put her arm around his neck.He was taken aback, "What are you


    doing?"

 Chapter 679

    Chapter 679


    Chapter 679


    "I''m showing you what they did!"Felicity red at him and said, " Come closer. Why the hell are you so


    tall?"


    The corners of Vermont''s eyes twitched, "You''re the one who''s short."


    That being said, he still bent over to cooperate with her.


    Felicity caressed Vermont''s face.


    Her fingers slid across his cheeks andnded on his earlobe; she stroked it lightly and put her hand


    around him to stroke the back of his neck.Her hands were cold, but the body parts she touched felt


    burning hot.It was like something had ignited a me in Vermont''s heart.


    "That was how that man touched Hylda," Felicity stopped touching him and said.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    "Are you sure that they''re rted? I mean, would your cousin touch you like that?"


    Vermont''s heart felt empty when Felicity took off her hands from him.He reached out to scratch the


    ce she had touched and let out a cough.


    "My sister only hits me.But, ording to that theory, it does sound a little bizarre," he said.


    "A little? That''s fucking weird, okay?!"


    Felicity nced at Vermont and frowned.


    "Did you forget to do a fact check or something? Are you messing with me?"


    "Of course not," Vermont stated.


    "I wouldn''t have told you if I''m not sure.Hylda is not a local.I had to go to her hometown to learn more


    about her background.She left the ce more than 20 years ago.The people who know her are either


    dead or in the process of being buried.Do you actually think I have it easy?"


    Felicity pursed her lips and said, "Okay, okay.Hurry up, please."


    "Yeah, yeah," Vermont said while still rubbing his neck.


    It''s been some time, but the burning sensation had not disappeared.


    In fact, it became stronger.


    Vermont froze when he saw the chili pepper on the cutting board, and his eyelids twitched, "Did you


    just touch my face after touching the chili?"


    Felicity paused, blinked briefly, and said, "It seems so."


    Vermont''s face darkened.


    "Fuck," he said as he went to the bathroom to wash his face.


    ¡®Serves you right!¡¯ Felicity thought.


    She then continued the chop the ingredients and hummed.


    Finally, after over half an hour, Felicity put a te of beef stir-fry and a te of roasted vegetables on


    the table.She took off her apron and was about to leave when Vermont walked out with two bowls and


    two sets of cutlery.


    Seeing she was about to leave, he asked, "Aren''t you going to eat with me today?"


    "Ste has dance practice tomorrow.So I''m going back to see if she forgot to pack anything.By the way,


    I''m going to send her to practice tomorrow.So you''ll have to prepare your own meal since I won''t be


    here."


    After saying that, Felicity put on her shoes, opened the door, and left.


    Looking at the food on the table, Vermont suddenly felt it did not smell as good as it had been a few


    days ago.


    He picked up his phone and texted Keegan: [Your ex-wife is going to dance practice tomorrow, and she


    needs a driver.] Felicity went to take out the trash early the next morning.


    A hand suddenly stretched out from behind when the elevator door opened and grabbed her waist.


    Another hand covered her mouth while the person picked her up and rushed into apartment 902.


    The man kicked the door open with his long legs and entered the home.


    After that, Vermont let go of his hand, and Felicity threw the garbage at his head, "Not this again, Stinky


    Cucumber!"


    Vermont dodged her attack nimbly and said with a smile, "Stay with me, miss bandit.I''ll carry you in the


    national server! "

 Chapter 680

    Chapter 680


    Chapter 680


    The corner of Felicity''s mouth twitched.


    "I don''t have the time to y video games with you.I have to send Ste to dance practice,


    remember?"


    With that said, she turned around and went to open the door.


    But somehow, she could not turn the doorknob.


    Felicity stared at Vermont and said, "Open the door."


    He was already sitting on the sofa as he replied, "I''m sure you''re smart, miss bandit.Your bestie has a


    driver.You don''t have to tag along this time.Don''t be a third wheel."


    As Vermont said that, he patted the spot next to him and said, "y video games with me, and I''ll bring


    you shoppingter."


    Felicity understood what he meant by all that.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    "You told Keegan about Ste''s training?"


    Vermont''s eyes curved as he said, "See, I knew you were smart."


    Felicity turned green.


    She grabbed a throw pillow and hit him with it, "You jerk! I told you about the practice because I trusted


    you; how dare you betray me?! God, I even cook for you! I should have just fed the food to the dogs!"


    Vermont knew there was no running for her, so he grabbed her wrist and pressed her against the sofa


    under him.


    "Being loyal is a good thing, miss bandit.But sometimes, you have to stop meddling, got it?"


    "If Ste doesn''t like Keegan, she can reject him herself.You don''t have to reject him for her.You''re in


    the entertainment business; you should know how challenging it would have been for someone like her


    to make a name for herself without Keegan''s help."


    "Fuck you!"


    Felicity gritted her teeth and said.


    "Ste has the looks and the potential for this.She''s going to be a star sooner orter!"


    Vermont chuckled, "Many people in the industry have the looks and the potential to make it big, but not


    many could achieve stardom.Do you really think it''s possible to seed in this ce without resorting


    to different means? Name one person who became famous without any deception whatsoever."


    Felicity bit her lip and said nothing.


    "The entertainment industry is no fairy tale, and no one bes famous with a normal


    background.You and I know how they do it.Why did Ste get signed to Elegant Media? Do you really


    think that Trevor sees potential in her? No.It''s because Keegan poured money into thepany."


    Felicity was dissatisfied.


    ''So what you''re saying is that Ste would not make it if it weren''t for Keegan?"


    "That''s not what I meant," Vermont said in a low voice.


    "I''m just saying that there are easier ways to do things."


    In reality, Felicity agreed with Vermont''s statement.She had been in the circle for along time and had


    witnessed a lot over the years.


    There used to be an actress who was good-looking and capable, but she was always in the middle of


    the list because she did not want to get dirty.


    Suddenly, she started getting more important roles and gradually became more popr.She began


    receiving different awards, sponsors, brand deals, and other resources.


    Then, rumors spread in the circle that she had a sugar daddy.


    It was not a big deal since it was fairlymon in the industry.


    Felicity had just entered the field then and found it difficult to ept why powerful people had to rely on


    this method to reach the top.


    Later, a director told her that it was how things were done.


    "People don''t just get famous through potential and hard work.Those without a good background would


    never make a mark in this world if they stayed clean," he said.


    "That''s why most of them would do whatever it takes to be at the top."


    Ste''s beauty, as Vermont said, meant nothing in this industry if no one was sponsoring her.


    Felicity was about to say something when she heard a "click."She turned around, and her face


    darkened.


    Vermont found a pair of handcuffs out of nowhere and had handcuffed them together. He smiled and


    said, "You''re not leaving this ce today, no matter what.You''re stuck with Officer Snyder!"


    "It''s illegal to impersonate a police officer, you know!"


    Felicity gritted her teeth.


    Vermont pinched her cheeks andughed, "Call 911 then.I''m sure the police wouldn''t mind a little fun."

 Chapter 681

    Chapter 681


    Chapter 681


    Felicity took a closer look and found the handcuff was covered with pink plush, ''Damn! This is a sex


    handcuff!'' She blushed and cursed, "You shameless being! Why do you have such a thing in your


    house!"


    After making a tsk-tsk sound, Vermont said, "I''m a grown man.Isn''t it normal to have such things at


    home?"


    Of course, Vermont did not have any unique hobbies.


    A toxic friend gave him this handcuff on his birthday.He took it out and had a look when he moved.


    Then, he threw it on the couch.


    Vermont saw that it was stuck in the couch gap when he was holding Felicity just now.


    So, he took it out and handcuffed both of them together to keep her from fussing againter.


    However, looking at Felicity''s flushed face, Vermont suddenly thought of teasing her.


    He whispered and moved closer to Felicity''s ear, "Miss bandit, do you want to widen your horizon


    greatly? How about I show you the full set?"


    Vermont thought Felicity would scold him.


    Instead, Felicity''s eyes lit up, and she whispered, "Can I take pictures?"


    Vermont was left speechless.


    Ste waited a long time for Felicity.She called her, but her phone was left in the house.


    Seeing that the scheduled car had arrived at the door, Ste had no choice but to leave a message for


    her and went out alone with the suitcase.


    After leaving the apartmentplex, Ste called the driver when she did not see the driver''s car.


    In the end, the driver said that his car broke down on the road, and he could note.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Then, he hung up the phone directly.


    It was the first time Ste dealt with this kind of driver.He was really not afraid of bad reviews from


    others.


    She frowned and had to ce an order again.


    The training camp was rtively far away, and there were only a few drivers driving that way.


    So, it was quite difficult for her to book a car.


    Ste tried to book a cab for a long time, but no one epted her booking.


    When she was thinking about whether she should drive, a Mercedes-Benz slowly stopped in front of


    her.


    The car window was lowered, and Aldor greeted with a smile.


    "What a coincidence, Ma''am."


    As he spoke, he nced at the suitcase at Ste''s feet, "Going somewhere fun?"


    "No.I''m going to the group training camp, and I''m waiting for a car right now."


    Aldor said, "It''s on the side of North University Town, right? That''s really far, and drivers rarely drive


    there.I happen to go there for some business.Let me drive you there."


    After their encounterst time, Ste kept feeling that Keegan was in the car too.So, she nced at the


    backseat subconsciously.


    Aldor lowered the car window directly.


    The backseat was empty, and Keegan was not there.


    Aldor had already gotten out of the car at that time.He took Ste''s luggage and put it in the


    trunk.Then, he said, "Get in the car, madam."


    Ste was wondering earlier if this was Keegan''s trick to deliberately prevent her from getting a cab


    and that he woulde across her at just the right time.


    However, seeing that Keegan was not in the car, Ste suddenly felt that she was a little overthinking it.


    ¡®Keegan wouldn''t be so silly, right?'' she thought.


    Ste thanked Aldor and got in the car.She sat alone in the back seat and felt a little empty suddenly.


    After the car started for a long time, Ste said, "Is thepany not busy today?"


    "Yes, Mr.Kane is on a business trip.So, I''m not that busy."


    Ste was stunned and thought, ''It turns out he''s on a business trip.It looks like he''s really not behind


    this"


    Ste felt disappointed for no reason.


    However, she did not notice a miniature lens fully capturing the scene in the car from diagonally above.

 Chapter 682

    Chapter 682


    Chapter 682


    In the Vinci Rivera Group, Keegan looked at the video on his phone.


    A softness shed through his eyes.


    Vermont sent a WhatsApp message that said, Look.


    Retreating to advance is also a good way.


    Look at your ex-wife''s expression.She probably feels disappointed because she didn''t see you."


    Indeed, Vermont was the one who came up with this bad idea.


    Originally, Keegan nned to see her off in person.


    However, Vermont said not to push her all the time.


    Only when he knew how to be flexible would Ste find it difficult to give up on him.


    So, this was why he could bear not to see her off.


    But, when he saw the disappointment in Ste''s eyes because of this, it was worth it.


    Keegan sent a document to Vermont.


    Vermont clicked on it and saw that it was a letter of intent for cooperation in a high-tech zone project.


    ¡®Shit! I''ve been begging you for so long, but it''s not as good as an expression from Ste! Hoes before


    bros!'' Vermont thought.


    "Uncuff me!"


    Felicity frowned and said, "I need to use the toilet."


    Vermont threw his phone aside and smiled.


    "Just go like this.We''re good buddies.What are you afraid of?"


    Felicity red at him and said, "Uncuff me now! Otherwise, I''ll turn you into adyboy!"


    Vermont made a tsk-tsk sound.


    "You''re so rude."


    He opened a drawer and rummaged through it as he spoke.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Two minutester, Felicity asked, "Did you find it?"


    "It looks like it''s in the box."


    Vermont ran to the packing box and rummaged through it.


    After five minutes, Felicity was a little worried, and she asked, "Have you found it yet?"


    Vermont scratched his head and said, "Could it be in the bedroom? TT Ten minutester, Felicity said


    irritably, "Damn it! Where did you keep the key?"


    Vermont said with embarrassment, "I don''t remember."


    Vermont then pulled her and rummaged around together.


    After half an hour, Felicity held her urine until her face turned red.


    "You bastard! Did you mean it!"


    "I really forgot where I kept it.How about I call the firemen toe and open it?"


    Felicity''s eyes were red.


    "Do you want me to be embarrassed to death?"


    Vermont resignedly asked, "Then, what do you suggest?"


    Felicity''s face turned glum.


    "What can I do? I don''t know how to unlock it! Most importantly, I really can''t hold it in anymore.I don''t


    know whether I''ll be embarrassed as hell, or I''ll die because of holding my pee!'' Without saying a word,


    Felicity held the handcuff with one hand and pulled at it with the other.The handcuff looked like toys,


    but it was solid.After a while, Felicity''s wrists turned red.Vermont held her hand and said, "Why don''t


    you just go to the toilet? I promise I won''t look at you."


    Felicity said stubbornly with red eyes, "No!"


    ¡®Will you not hear if you don''t look? How shameless will I be if I go to the toilet in his presence?"


    However, Felicity soon found that it was even more ufortable to hold her urine to death than to


    lose face.


    Vermont took out a pair of earphones and said, "I''ll be wearing this, okay?"


    He turned the earphone volume to the maximum as he spoke.


    Then, he asked Felicity to try it herself, "You really can''t hear anything?"


    After speaking, Vermont stuffed it into his ear and threw the phone on the coffee table.


    "Let''s go.I can''t hear anything."


    Felicity wanted to bear it longer, but she really could not.She pulled Vermont and ran to the toilet.


    Vermont was wearing earphones with his back facing her.


    Although he could not see anything, he could feel Felicity''s movements.


    The music in his ears was loud, stimting his eardrums.


    However, his mind kept thinking of the person behind him uncontrobly.


    Thinking about what she was doing, Vermont had no idea why his ears felt a little hot suddenly.


    He rubbed his ears awkwardly and focused on the music in the earphones.


    Within a few minutes, Felicity got up and washed her hands.


    Vermont turned around.He saw that Felicity''s eyes were red, and she began to cry when he was about


    to say something.


    Vermont was startled.He took off his earphones and whispered, "I was wearing earphones, so I didn''t


    hear anything.Why are you crying?"


    Felicity cried even harder.

 Chapter 683

    Chapter 683


    Chapter 683


    Vermont resignedly reached out to wipe away Felicity''s tears.It was not that he never saw a woman cry,


    but she cried as though a floodgate had opened.Her tears were like raindrops, and they kept flowing


    out.


    It was both sad and heartbroken.


    "I hate you!"


    She sobbed and said, "Why do you always see me in my embarrassing moment?"


    "I didn''t see it."


    Vermont paused then said, "I won''t tell anyone."


    Felicity sobbed and said, "Swear to me."


    Vermont immediately raised three fingers and said, "I swear.


    If I tell anyone, God will punish me by striking lightning on me, okay? Don''t cry."


    "No!"


    Felicity sobbed and said, "Swear that you''ll be infertile but still full of children and grandchildren if you


    tell anyone."Vermont''s mouth twitched.He thought, ''Isn''t this curse too vicious?"


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    "Are you going to swear?"


    Felicity looked at him with an expression that she would continue to cry if he did not swear it.


    Vermont had no choice.


    This was the first time he felt terrible fora woman who cried.


    He raised three fingers, gritted his teeth, and said, "I''ll be infertile but full of children and grandchildren


    if I tell anyone a single word."


    Only then did Felicity stop crying.


    "I''ll trust you this once."


    Vermont was speechless.


    ''Why do I feel I''m being tricked by this girl?¡¯


    "So, what do we do now?"


    Felicity looked at the handcuffed hands.


    Vermont said, "Let''s call a locksmith."


    Half an hourter, the locksmith entered the high-end apartment nervously.


    He thought he received a big business opportunity.But, when he entered the door and saw the


    handcuffed hands of the two, his eyelids twitched.


    "You just need to unlock this?" Vermont nodded.


    "Unlock it, quick."


    The locksmith pursed his lips.He just pulled a ce inside the handcuffs without using a single tool,


    and the handcuff was released.


    Vermont and Felicity were left speechless.


    "Just...like that?"


    Felicity could not believe it.


    The locksmith said, This kind of handcuff can be opened without a key just to prevent idents.Did


    you buy this thing without reading the manual?"


    Felicity immediately red at Vermont.She grabbed the pillow and threw it on his face.


    "Bastard!" After speaking, she left angrily.


    Vermont was speechless.


    ''I don''t know either, okay?¡¯ The locksmith coughed, "We have handcuffs that can only be opened with a


    key. It can restrict well. Do you want it?"


    Vermont was left speechless.


    The choreographer hired for "Motives for Murder" was a professional teacher from Rivera Dance


    Academy.


    More than ten actresses participated in the training camp.


    They gathered in the dance studio for training at a fixed time every day and about six to eight hours. It


    was a long time.


    After a day, everyone was exhausted.


    They just wanted to lie still when they returned to the dormitory.


    Ste only felt a little tired.


    Meanwhile, other actresses, especially those who did not practice regrly, had muscle aches and


    shrill cries after a day.


    Ste was still stretching when everyone was lying on the ground and groaning.


    An actress named Yuna asked curiously, "Ste, don''t you feel any pain?"


    "It hurts too, but not that bad.Maybe because I do massage frequently."


    "How do you massage?"


    Ste smiled and replied, "Let me help you.Have a try."


    Yuna was very cooperative.


    Ten minutester, screams came from the training room.


    "Oh, my God! Why does this hurt more than stretching? Ah!"


    After twenty minutes, Ste stopped with sweat on her face.


    She lowered her head and asked, "How was it?"


    Yuna moved her body and said in surprise, "It doesn''t seem to hurt that much anymore."


    Other actresses came over one after another.


    "How did you do it? Ste, help me too.Look at my dead arms and legs." Ste smiled.


    "I can only help another one at most. I''m tired today. I''ll help more if I''m not tired tomorrow. Who wants


    to go first?"


    ¡®Me! "


    When Be was back from the bathroom, she saw that Ste was surrounded by everyone like a


    famous person.


    Be showed a long face immediately.


    ''These people! I gave them so many things when I came here, yet I never saw them treat me like this."


    "Wow, your technique is so professional."


    Be walked in with a half-smile.


    "Did you learn that in a massage parlor?"

 Chapter 684

    Chapter 684


    Chapter 684


    Those words were very unfriendly, and anyone could feel it.


    Be had high poprity, and her fans were crazy too.


    None of the ordinary actors dared to mess with her.


    Although they could not afford to provoke her, at least they could avoid her.


    Of course, some actors liked to lick her boots.


    It wasmon for anyone to suck up to those with high poprity in show business.


    As soon as Be finished, an actress named Ynda smiled and went along with her.


    "I feel it''s really simr now that Be mentioned it.This technique is more professional than the


    technician who gave me a massage before."


    Ynda was an artist from another smallpany called Stardom Entertainment.


    She was also quite beautiful.She was the mour type with some poprity.She was going to audition


    for the role of Georgia originally, but Ste got the drop on her.


    In the end, she only got an audition for a minor role named Lulu Clooney, the female ssmate who


    helped the heroine fight against injustices in the practice room during the previous audition.


    Ynda was so angry that she did not want to y the role anymore when she did not get the role of


    Georgia.


    Thepany tried every possible way to persuade her to go there.


    After all, Stuart''s y was aimed at winning an award.


    Even if it was a minor role, winning an award in this y would be the icing on the cake for her resume.


    Although she came, her resentment toward Ste remained in her heart.


    So, when Be talked about her, she would surely take the opportunity to attack her.


    Ste nced at both of them, and the corners of her lips curled up.


    "You two have good eyes.I really learned it, but my technique can only relieve muscle pain.It''s nothing


    like how you two can relieve others'' pain by using your private part."


    The crowd was left speechless.


    ¡®Holy shit! This girl is bold!¡¯ everyone thought.


    Although Be''s scandal was not confirmed, it was no secret that Ynda had a sugar daddy.


    They heard that her sugar daddy had a high status in Rivera.


    Even though Ynda was not the most popr in Stardom Entertainment, she was definitely the most


    arrogant one.


    Everyone was around her when she was in and out.


    Of course, all of this was due to her sugar daddy.


    Everyone knew about it, but usually, no one would mention it.


    Ste was bold.She immediately tore off this fig leaf and made the other party embarrassed.


    Ynda''s face turned red with anger.


    "What are you talking about? a1 "I''m telling the truth."


    Ste nced at Be, who had a sullen face.


    "Both of you can discuss it.Mine is just a massage.I really don''t have that experience."


    Ynda was angry.She stepped forward and wanted to p Ste with her hand.


    However, Ste grabbed her wrist and sneered, "Did you inject rhytidectomy into your head? Don''t be


    used by others."


    After she finished her sentence, Ste flung Ynda and caused her to take a few steps back before


    standing still.


    Ynda was so angry that she wanted to scold her, but the coach came.


    Be pulled her to stop her from uttering any words.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    A farce came to an abrupt end.


    After the training and on the way back to the dormitory, Ynda looked unhappy and said, "Be, aren''t


    you angry when that bitch said that to you just now?"


    Be nced at her and said, "She and I belong to the samepany.So, we don''t need to have a


    confrontation like that.Besides..."


    She paused, then said implicitly, "It''s hard for a rookie to get such a major role."


    Ynda sneered, "How hard could it be? Isn''t it just to fulfill the need of her sugar daddy?"


    Be said nothing.


    After taking a shower, Ste was hungry when she was lying on the bed.


    In fact, she was starving before ss was over.


    With such long training hours every day, she was hungry before nine, even though she ate at six.


    With the addition of massaging two actors today, Ste felt even more hungry.Shey on the bed and


    kept tossing and turning.


    Ste yed a short video and thought about watching eating broadcasts for a while to satisfy her


    cravings.


    As a result, she was even more hungry.


    The Fettine Alfredo, Cincinnati Chili, Grilled Lamb Chops, Liver and Onions, and others.


    The more Ste looked at it, the more craving she had and the more she could not fall asleep.


    She opened Twitter, edited a skinny emoji on her head, and posted it with a text.


    (I can wolf food down!)


    Ding!


    Keegan was working overtimete at night for a meeting, and his phone vibrated.


    He picked it up, took a look, and a smile appeared on his lips.


    The research and development department had been tormented by Keegan recently.


    They were either in theboratory or in the conference room every day.


    Keegan was a detail-oriented person.


    He strived for perfection in every aspect of a new product.


    It caused the research and development department to work overtime 28 days a month.


    Their heads were halfway bald.


    Even the workers in the production team were not this busy.


    If it were not for the high sry offered by Keegan, which was hard to refuse, everyone would have


    resigned a long time ago.


    The tense vibe in the conference room suddenly disappeared when many saw that Keegan was smiling


    now.


    Everyone was guessing whose message made Keegan''s face full of joy.


    Keegan stood up and said calmly, "Dismiss! Tomorrow is a day off.

 Chapter 685

    Chapter 685


    Chapter 685


    After speaking, Keegan left the conference room.


    Everyone looked at each other in nk dismay.


    In the next second, they asked Aldor, "Aldor, who is the angel that has descended to save us, sentient


    beings? Tell us."Aldor nced at everyone.He then coughed and said solemnly, "This is a secret."


    ¡®I''ll be the first to ride Ma¡¯am''s coattails.


    After leaving thepany, Keegan told Aldor, "Call The Deli to deliver a table of food."


    He said after thinking about it, "Make the dishes with less oil.She has training tomorrow."


    "Understood."


    Aldor made a phone call to The Deli''s boss.


    They closed long ago at this time.


    Besides, it was difficult to reserve a seat there, and they never provided delivery service.


    But, of course, whether they would deliver it depended on who ordered it.


    They would wake the main chef at midnight for Mr.Kane''s order.


    The car soon arrived at the ce where Ste was training.


    Keegan took out his phone and transferred 14000 dors to her.


    [Come down, ] he texted.


    Ste just got up and drank a ss of water.


    She almost spat the water out when she sat back on the bed and saw the transfer message.She


    transferred a dor to Keegan.


    She texted, [?] Keegan transferred another 14000 dors.


    [Or else, I''ll go in.] Ste''s mouth twitched.


    She transferred a dor again.


    [What is wrong with you in the middle of the night?] Keegan transferred 14000 dors again.


    [I''ll give you three minutes.] Ste stared at the message and then transferred a dor.


    [You''re crazy!] Keegan transferred 150 thousand dors.


    [Ten seconds left.] ¡®Shit!'' Ste stood up abruptly.


    With a bang, she hit her head on the upper bunk bed.


    She gritted her teeth in pain.


    Yuna opened her eyes in a daze and whispered, "Ste, why are you up?"


    Ste showed a silent gesture to her and whispered, "I want to go to the toilet."


    Yuna said, "Okay."


    Then, she muttered, "Sleep early."


    Then, she fell asleep again.


    Ste wore her slippers, put on a coat, and went out quietly.


    At that moment, Ynda was talking on the phone with her sugar daddy in the corridor.


    "It''s annoying.There are so many mosquitoes here.Luckily, there are four people in the dormitory.But, I


    can''t sleep at all because someone is snoring."


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    The person over the phoneforted her with a few words.


    Ynda then acted coquettishly again.


    "Alright, I got it.I behaved well here."


    She lowered her voice and said charmingly, "Daddy, don''t you miss me?"


    The person on the other end quickly remembered her coquettish appearance on the bed.


    He gritted his teeth and said, "If you tease me again, I''ll spank your ass when you''re back."


    "You''re so naughty."


    Ynda was acting coquettishly.


    Suddenly, she caught a sneaky figure slipping out of the room.


    When the person walked to the corner, Ynda saw clearly that it was Ste.


    ¡®It''s midnight now, and there is a curfew.


    Where is she going?¡¯ Ynda hurriedly said goodbye to her sugar daddy and chased after Ste with


    her phone.

 Chapter 686

    Chapter 686


    Chapter 686


    Ste came out from the dormitory building.She thought that the doorman would ask her some


    questions when she came out.But, he pretended as though he did not see her.She came out very


    easily.


    Just when she walked to the entrance, the light rays of a car nearby suddenly hit on her body.


    The car then slowly drove to her.


    Someone opened the door from inside the car.


    Keegan tilted his head and looked at her.


    "Get in," he said.


    Ste did not move.


    "I came out to say something to you.Go back immediately! Don''t make trouble for me here!"


    Keegan nced at Aldor, and Aldor immediately honked twice.


    The extremely loud sound was very clear on the empty road at night.


    The security guard in the guard room poked his head out.


    He loudly said, "What are you doing out here? Why aren''t you back in the dorm?"


    He then grabbed a shlight and shined it in their direction.


    Ste felt guilty, and she hurriedly went into the car.


    Aldor hastily locked the doors.


    Ynda, who was holding her phone, stared at them from nearby.


    ¡®She said that others spoke harshly when she, herself, wasn''t even innocent.


    ¡®She secretly rendezvouses with a man in the middle of the night!'' She then continuously took a few


    pictures of the Mercedes-Benz.She wanted to take pictures of the car te.


    But, the car swiftly drove away.


    Ste turned her head and stared at Keegan after she got in the car.


    She said, "Why the hell did youe here in the middle of the night?"


    Keegan did not speak.He suddenly tilted his body and leaned over her.


    Ste was shocked.She stretched her hand out and wanted to block him.


    But, Keegan merely put his hand over her chest and put on the seatbelt for her.


    He then turned his head and said to Aldor, "Drive."


    Ste came back to her senses.She frowned as she said, "We still have to investigate someone


    tomorrow morning.Where are you taking me?"


    Keegan said, "We didn''t get to go for a walk back then.So, let''s go now.Otherwise, I''ll keep thinking


    about it."


    Ste''s eyelid twitched.


    ¡®Is this piece of shit taking revenge on me for locking him outside the door back then? Is he nning to


    trick me to go out and dump me by the roadside?"


    It seemed as if Keegan knew what she was thinking.


    He nced at her as he said, "Don''t worry.I won''t dump you."


    Ste choked.


    ¡®I just rolled my eyes, and he knew what I was thinking just like that?" Ste coughed.


    "Just tell me how you want to take revenge on me.That way, I can be prepared for it."


    Keegan furrowed his eyebrows.


    "Am I such a vengeful person?" Ste found an opportunity.


    "Aren''t you? You just threw the shirt away when my lipstick rubbed on it, back then.Isn''t what you did


    pretty obvious?"


    The corners of Keegan''s eyes twitched.


    "I threw it away because I couldn''t wash it off."


    "Then, why did you also throw away my lipstick?" Keegan nced at her.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    "The lipstick broke.Shouldn''t you buy a new one? J had Aldor buy you a whole new set after that, didn''t


    I?"


    Ste''s heart was pounding.


    She thought, ''Why do I suddenly feel like I''m being flirted with by this straightforward man that is


    Keegan? ¡®No!'' "Since when did you buy me a new set? Are you trying to trick me because I can''t


    remember things well?"


    Keegan frowned as he looked at Aldor.


    Aldor then said, "Madam, you were very angry when I gave that to you.You said you didn''t want


    anything that Mr.Kane bought.And, you gave it to Ms.Kane."


    Ste was speechless.


    A memory vaguely appeared in her mind.


    ¡®I think Aldor sent me a box two days after I argued with Keegan.He said that Keegan bought it for me


    when he went on a business trip."

 Chapter 687

    Chapter 687


    Chapter 687


    Actually, at that time, she was already not angry with Keegan.


    But, coincidentally, Aurora went to her house to take some documents.


    She talked sarcastically to Ste.


    So, out of spite, Ste said she could afford the stuff and that she did not need Keegan to buy it for her.


    Aurora took the stuff away after that.


    Ste did not even know what was in the box.She truly had a bad memory.


    Ste pursed her lips in dilemma.She racked her brain and gave another example, "Back then, I


    identally used your fork for nting.And, I bought you a new one.If you didn''t like it, you could''ve


    just told me.Why did you throw it away?"


    The tip of Keegan''s tongue started to feel pain when she mentioned that.


    "You''re one to talk.You spent nine dors and ny cents to buy this kind of fork.There was a big spike


    on the fork.Did you not see that? It scratched my tongue!"


    Ste was speechless.


    Now, she felt a little guilty.


    She softly said, "Mine was quite nice to use."


    Keegan coldly snorted, "That''s because you gave the one that had a spike on it to me."


    Ste was left speechless.


    "T-That time when Aurora came back, I apanied you to eat with them.And, you dumped me by the


    roadside on the way home.What do you have to say about that? I just said I wanted a divorce.Did you


    have to do that?"


    Ste felt increasingly emboldened as she said that.


    ''I had to walk back in the rain that time!'' Keegan was stunned for a moment.He nced at her without


    speaking.


    Ste snorted, "Nothing to say? You''re a vengeful person!"


    "Mrs.Kane."


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Aldor coughed.


    "Actually, that day Mr.Kane called a driver to fetch you.But, you were carrying a bag that was worth


    three million dors.You were afraid that the driver would do something bad to you, and you didn''t want


    to get into the car."


    Ste was speechless.


    That day, a few minutes after Keegan threw the bag out of the car, he asked Aldor to call thepany


    to send a driver there and fetch Ste home.


    But, Ste was carrying the bag that was worth three million dors.


    She felt unsafe around everyone.


    That driver was a newly hired employee.


    He felt that no matter what, he mustplete the task that was given to him by his boss.


    Ste did not want to get in the car.So, he drove the car and unhurriedly followed her.


    However, Ste was frightened.


    She thought that she met a bad guy.She did not dare to get in the car.


    Then, she ran home while carrying the bag.


    The truth overturned her long-held belief, and she looked distracted.


    She said after pondering, "Stop teaming up with Keegan to fool me."


    Aldorughed, and he did not speak after that.


    Ste believed what he said.


    It was just that she did not want to admit it.


    ¡®Other than me, only that driver knew about a car following me that day.


    ¡®So, Aldor didn''t lie.


    ¡®Keegan did actually ask someone to fetch me."


    After knowing the truth, it made Ste feel like there was something stuck in her chest.It was heavy.She


    felt tingling, numb, and suffocated.


    "Anything else?" Keegan asked.


    He was winning the argument.He nced at her with a look of "I want to hear what else you got to


    say".


    Ste felt ufortable and thought, ''I''m here to pick faults.Why did I end up feeling like I''m an


    unreasonable person? I feel like putting my foot in my mouth."


    Then, she stubbornly said, "Let me think!"


    It seemed like Keeganughed.


    The light in the car was not switched on, and it was dark.


    So, Ste did not see that.


    She just heard Keegan say, "Alright.Take your time to think."


    He sounded very happy.


    Soon, they arrived at the beach.


    Keegan undid the seatbelt and asked her to get off the car.


    Ste reluctantly got off.She noticed that another car was parked nearby.


    The doors of that car were opened, and the light inside was switched on.


    Keegan walked a few steps forward.


    He turned his head and saw that she was still dawdling.


    So, he grabbed her hand and brought her into the car.

 Chapter 688

    Chapter 688


    Chapter 688


    Ste was astounded after she got in the car.


    There was a table full of food in the car.


    There was even a candlestick in the middle of the table.


    Beside the candlestick, there was a tiny vase with a white rose in it.


    Ste spoke without thinking, "You''re so old-fashioned.You prepared a candlelit dinner?"


    Keegan was speechless.


    Ste turned her head and looked at him.


    Then, she suddenly kept quiet.She opened her mouth and wanted to say something.


    But, before she could speak, her stomach growled.


    Keegan nced at her.


    "Your stomach is more honest than your mouth." Ste was speechless.


    She pulled her hair, and she suddenly felt unustomed.


    Ste and Keegan knew each other for many years.


    He was not romantic at all.


    One year, on Keegan''s birthday, she bought a bunny girl outfit to make him happy.


    She wore it.


    But, Keegan started to discuss whether that outfit was a bunny girl outfit or a fox girl outfit.


    Because the ears on the headband were too short, Keegan thought that it was a fox outfit.


    Ste waspletely speechless.


    She told him that the tai] on the outfit was clearly a bunny tail.


    It could not be a fox outfit.


    Keegan was a serious person.


    He gathered a significant amount of information to support his im.


    He said that the headband was fox ears.


    And, he said that the seller probably mixed up the two sets of outfits.


    That was why the tail on that outfit was a bunny tail.


    Andter, it was proven that Keegan''s theory was right.


    The outfit and the headband were indeed not a set.


    But, only Keegan would hold a tablet and discuss with the other person whether the outfit was a bunny


    outfit or a fox outfit at a time like that.


    Keegan waspletely unromantic.


    When Ste talked to him about reincarnation, he would talk about molecr theory.


    He would talk about Big Bang and human evolution.


    When she brought him to flynterns and pray that God would hear her wishes, Keegan would say that


    the skyntern would drop when it ran out of fuel.


    He said that if there was wind, it might endanger the airnes and high-voltage equipment.


    It might even cause wildfires.


    He then asked her not to write her name on thentern to avoid being put in prison if she was caught.


    When Ste wanted to walk in the rain with him, he would say that there were too many metal items on


    her.


    She would be struck by lightning.


    He asked her to get in the car.


    He said it would definitely be safe to stay inside a confined space formed by metals...


    It was extremely shocking to Ste that a person like that would prepare a candlelit dinner.


    Ste looked around.


    Keegan saw that she still had not sat down after a long time, so he asked, "What are you looking for?"


    Ste turned her head back and answered, "Shouldn''t you have two fire extinguishers beside you? It''s


    so unsafe to light a candle in the car."


    Keegan nced at her.


    "It''s at the back."Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Then, Ste was speechless.


    ¡®As expected, he''s still a straightforward man who prioritizes safety," she thought.


    Keegan stretched his hand to remove the lid of the bowl in the middle of the table.


    He handed her a spoon and said, "Let''s eat."


    Before Keegan asked her out, she just drank some water.


    So, she did not feel that hungry after drinking it.


    But, her mouth suddenly watered at the smell of the food.


    Initially, Ste wanted to pretend to be polite.


    But, she did not do that.


    She just took the spoon and started eating.


    Inside that bowl was chicken soup.


    It was fresh and very delicious.


    There were six small bowls on the table.


    Keegan opened the lids of the bowls one by one.


    The portion of all the dishes was not much.


    But, they were all exquisite.


    The dishes were not overly rich.


    There were both meats and vegetables, and they looked very appetizing.


    Keegan was sitting across from her.


    He grabbed the fork and constantly took the food for her.


    Ste was very serious when she ate.


    She did not speak at all.


    Actually, she did not know what to talk about.


    Ste saw how well Keegan treated her recently.


    But, she had mixed feelings.


    Sometimes she even intentionally avoided him.

 Chapter 689

    Chapter 689


    Chapter 689


    But, there were things that she could not avoid too.


    Ste was full of thoughts as she kept eating.


    Keegan looked at her.


    He suddenly put down his fork as he murmured, "Stop eating."


    Ste was stunned.


    She swallowed the food in her mouth before she said, "You prepared the food for me.But now, you


    won''t let me eat it?"


    Keegan gave her a ss of tea.


    "You ate quite a lot.You''ll feel ufortable sleeping at night if you continue eating."


    Keegan paused before he continued, "Did you intentionally keep eating because you don''t want to talk


    to me?"


    Ste was speechless, and she thought, ''Was it that obvious? She lowered her eyes without speaking.


    She grabbed the ss and took a sip.She was actually very full.


    If Keegan did not stop her, she would probably feel bloated from overeating.


    "Ste," Keegan softly called her.


    His voice was a little alluring.


    "There''s nothing between Be and me.I make her famous because she''s useful to me.She can help


    someone who''s very important to me.I''ll bring that person to meet you in the future.But, not now.There


    are too many things involved in that matter.I don''t want to get you involved."


    He stretched his hand across the table and softly held the back of her hand.He then grabbed her hand


    and kissed it.He raised his eyes which were filled with tenderness and said, "As a husband, I wasn''t


    good enough.And, it''s my first time.Growing up...I didn''t have a right example that I could look up


    to.You need to let me make some mistakes along the way.I still...I don¡¯t want to break up with you."


    Ste''s nose felt sour.


    That was a moment when she wanted to cry.


    But, she stopped herself.


    The problems between her and Keegan could not be solved just for these simple reasons.


    ¡®We can adapt our tempers bypromising.Even though we argued, I was happy most of the time.I


    rarely got sad.


    ¡®Keegan didn''t cheat on me.He didn''t have a mistress.Although he isn''t very deeply in love with me, he


    didn''t mistreat me.


    ¡®Wouldn''t it be nice if things were this simple?"


    Ste pursed her lips.She withdrew her hand from Keegan.


    "Keegan, does grandma know..."


    Ste paused before she continued, "Does she know that I can''t get pregnant?"Keegan''s body abruptly


    became stiff, and his fingers trembled.


    Ste lifted the corners of her lips and smiled.


    "She doesn''t know, right?"


    Keegan''s mouth trembled.He remained silent.


    "If grandma knows that I can''t give birth, will she still allow you to marry me?"


    Keegan''s chin felt tight.


    This was the problem that he had been avoiding.


    This was also the most critical issue.


    "You''re the eldest grandchild of the Kane family, and you''re in charge of the Vinci Rivera Group.You


    can''t just not have a child for the rest of your life.Grandma won''t allow you to do that.


    "She doesn''t know about my health issue right now.That was why she always wanted us to get back


    together.What happens when she knows about it? How long can you hide this from her? "You can hide


    this from her for some time.But, what if one day when she knows about it, and she can''t ept it?


    Then, she got so angry that she has health problems because of it? How do you want me to live with


    that?"


    Keegan had a lump in his throat.


    He said in a husky voice, "I can refuse to have children."


    Ste lowered her eyes andughed.


    "Everyone thinks differently at different stages of their life.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    You don''t want a child now.


    But, what about in the future? "What if you regret it one or two yearster? Or, ten or twenty years


    later? What if at that time you regret the decision that you made during your younger days when you


    see others have children and grandchildren? "will you think that you can''t have children because of


    me? And, will I live in guilt for the rest of my life because I can''t give you a child? We''ll be a rough


    couple sooner orter."


    Ste suppressed the quivering feeling in her chest as she continued, "The matter between me and


    Dahlia isn''t over.I''ll definitely take my revenge.It''s impossible for you to do nothing when I take action


    against her, right?"


    She took a deep breath.


    Then, she said in an extremely soft voice, "So...We should end it here.We should end our rtionship


    during the time when we don''t hate each other."

 Chapter 690

    Chapter 690


    Chapter 690


    Keegan''s lips trembled slightly, and he had bloodshot eyes.


    Ste was like a gust of sand.


    No matter how he tried to grab it, he would lose her through his fingers.


    Other than that time when his father passed away, this was the first time he felt powerless.


    He was flustered and scared.


    His voice was hoarse.


    "Didn''t you ask grandma that? She said she didn''t mind." Ste shook her head.


    "I was just probing grandma.She might not take it seriously.Just think about it.How is it possible for a


    family like yours to allow you to not have a child? Others will give you weird looks."Keegan stared at


    her for a long time.He then said in a deep voice, "


    You talked about what grandma would think from the beginning until now, and you talked about others.


    But, what about you? What do you think? "You''re right.I care about what grandma thinks.But, the one


    who''ll be living with me for the rest of my life is you.Your answer is the most important.


    "Children aren''t that important.If you want to get pregnant, we can visit the doctors.If you don''t want to


    get pregnant, we can adopt kids.


    You can take your revenge if you want.


    "I just want to know what you''re thinking.Are you still willing to get back together with me?"


    Aldor was standing next to the car window that they were in, listening to their conversation.


    ''The way Mr.Kane talks...has improved.At least he went straight to the point."


    To Keegan, his wife was more important than children and how others perceived him.


    What Keegan said stirred Ste''s heart.


    He had many ws.He was not thoughtful and gentle enough.


    He talked harshly and stupidly.


    Even when he did good things, he would somehow make a mess because of his words.


    But, he had a lot of good qualities too.


    When Aurora bullied her, he would secretly avenge her.


    Even though she would only know about it after a very long time.


    It was fine for him to talk harshly to Ste.


    But, when someone else did that to her, he would definitely find a way to get back at them.


    Although those people might not speak as harshly as her, he would still get her out of trouble when she


    bragged too much.


    He ordered a ne for her just because of a sentence that she casually said, he was handsome,


    and he waspletely her aesthetic preference...


    She was not a wless person either.


    She spoke harsher than Keegan.


    She was vindictive.


    When she was good-tempered, things could be resolved when Keegan soothed her.


    But, when she was bad -tempered, if she was unhappy with Keeganing home in the middle of the


    night, she would lock him out of the room.


    She would not allow him to enter...


    Even if Keegan was angry, he would immediately cool off when she cut a te of strawberries for him


    the next day.


    At most, he would just say that the bed in the study room was very hard.


    She was petty and unforgiving.


    She would remember clearly the bad things that Keegan did to her.


    She always thought that Keegan only married her because he could not be with his first love.


    And, She always thought that he would never truly love her.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Today, she finally understood what Rainee said back then.


    ¡®Mom once said, "To live as a couple, one should focus on the partner''s good qualities instead of his


    ws.


    No one is wless in this world.


    If you want your partner to be perfect, you should also think about whether you''re perfect."'' God was


    always fair.


    Humans could not have everything they wanted.


    Otherwise, humans would be unhappy this way.


    Ste asked herself, ''If Keegan is perfect like Marshall, who is thoughtful in all aspects, gentle,


    attentive, and wless, will I like him?'' The answer was no.


    That would not be the Keegan she knew.


    She would feel scared and panicked, and she would think that she did not deserve someone like that.


    Reality was different from fairy tales.


    Things would not just end well just because she was willing to get back with him.


    She would never feel safe with him as long as the problems between them remained unsolved.


    She would not be at ease.


    She would be worried that he might regret it and that they might return to their previous state in the


    end.


    Hence, she did not want that.


    Ste suppressed her emotions.


    She raised her eyes and said, "I''m not willing to."


    Keegan''s face turned a little pale.


    His lips trembled as he asked, "Why?"


    Ste avoided eye contact, as she said, "If I were to remarry, I''ll find someone that I like who likes me


    too.Do you understand?"


    Keegan''s face waspletely pale.


    His eyes were red, and his voice subconsciously became gloomy.


    His voice was shaky as he said, "Who do you like?"


    Ste was a little anxious.


    In the end, she said, "It''s none of your business."


    She just wanted Keegan to give up on her.


    That was just an excuse she made up.

 Chapter 691

    Chapter 691


    Chapter 691


    Keegan did not relent.


    He continued and asked, "Is it Marshall? Or, Trevor?"


    Keegan remembered that Vermont used to say that he wished that Ste had a sister, and his whole


    body tensed up.


    "Could it be Vermont?"


    The corner of Ste''s lips twitched violently, and she thought, '' Does he want to guess each and every


    man I know?! "Who exactly is it?"


    Keegan continued to ask.


    Ste furrowed her brows, and she said, "What''s the point in you asking this? Regardless of who it is, it


    isn''t you."


    "I need to know what''s the difference between the other person and me," Keegan said stubbornly.


    "What made you choose the other person and not me?"


    Ste pulled at her hair out of frustration.


    ''Why did Keegan always have to be a loose cannon? Based on his pride, shouldn''t he leave with a


    grimace on his face? He had put down his pride and said these things to me, yet I still rejected him.


    Why did he want to ask so thoroughly?'' Keegan observed her expression and suddenly said, "It''s


    Trevor, right?"


    "Just when you divorced me, he couldn''t wait to sign the contract with you.He wouldn''t allow me to


    intervene in any affairs that were rted to you because he was afraid that you and I would rekindle


    our love, right?"


    Ste was speechless and thought, ''Keegan''s imagination can run so wild.


    At what point did Trevor seem to fancy me?"


    However, at the moment, she did not seem to not have a better scapegoat than Trevor.


    Hence, she said, "That''s right, Mr.Saun has a good temperament and protects his subordinates.He


    helped me when I needed it the most.He looked so handsome that any woman would fall in love with


    him."


    Sure enough, Keegan''s expression became much uglier.


    "You''re lying! You don''t like those types of guys at all!"


    "How would I not know what I would like?"


    Ste said frustratingly, "Wouldn''t you know after being with me for so many years? I like people with


    attractive faces.It''s just like back then when I chose you."


    Keegan''s eyes were filled with sadness, and he said with gritted teeth, Then, call Trevor now and say


    that you like him."


    After hearing that, Ste wanted to cough out blood.


    ¡®When did Keegan''s brain suddenly go online?" She said with a blushed face, "Do you think I''m sick in


    the head? I have a secret crush now.It''s a secret, you understand? How would it be a secret crush if I


    let out my secret?"


    Keegan finally calmed down.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    He stared at her for a few seconds and concluded, "So, I still have a shot."


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    ¡®Great.After talking for so long, it instead strengthened his confidence," Ste thought.


    "Keegan, I..."


    Keegan suddenly stood up and kissed her on the lips without warning.


    Ste was stunned for a moment.


    Keegan had merely grazed her lips lightly before letting her go.


    He had one hand supporting himself with the back of her chair.


    His other hand lightly caressed her lips as he said in a low tone, "You can have your crush, and I''ll


    pursue mine.I will definitely seed earlier than you."


    Ste''s heart was about to beat out of her chest.


    ¡®Where did this son of a bitch, Keegan get these lessons?"


    Ste screamed internally.

 Chapter 692

    Chapter 692


    Chapter 692


    Ste''s ears were red as she pped his hand away.


    "Did I consent to this? Do you know what this behavior is called, Keegan? What you are doing is called


    harassment."


    Keegan''s eyshes fluttered.


    Just when Ste wanted to leave and she assumed that the guy''s pride was wounded, Keegan used a


    very deep voice and said through gritted teeth by her ear, "You''re a liar! Ww Ste was confused and


    asked, "What did I lie about?"


    Keegan''s eyes were burning with fury.


    "Of course, you wouldn''t remember anything."


    Ste furrowed her brows and asked, "Remember what?"


    ¡®What is this nonsense?'' Ste thought.


    Keegan''s expression turned ugly.


    "The words you said to me.Have you ever put them in your heart?"


    Keegan had an aggrieved and hurt expression which made Ste feel strangely ufortable deep


    down.


    The problem was that she did not get what Keegan''s point was.


    "What did I say?" She asked again.


    Keegan tightened his jaw.


    After a long while, he said through gritted teeth, "You said if you didn''t want me one day, I can still


    pester you for a while longer.You were soft-hearted and would be reluctant to not want me.Yet now, you


    wouldn''t even let me pester you?"


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®When was this incident? Why don''t I remember any of this? That''s not right.These lines sound very


    familiar, and I think I have some memory of it," She thought.


    Ste''s brain was in overdrive, and she finally vaguely remembered it.


    It seemed to be from that one time when she binge-watched a Korean drama.


    When she binge- watched the drama to the end, it ended on a bad ending.


    The male lead liked the female lead, and the female lead liked the male lead.


    However, they chose to break up due to their respective family and aspirations.


    She was in bed crying to the point of being out of breath.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    At some moments, she might feel that the male lead was letting everyone down.


    And, at other moments, she would instead think that the female lead was disappointing.


    If they liked each other, why could they not be together? It would be fine even if one of them would


    entangle themselves with the other person.


    Why did they end it so carelessly? The sound of her sobbing was too loud, and it woke Keegan, who


    was sleeping beside her.


    Keegan even assumed that the bag she bought was a fake and was crying due to the distress of


    wasting money.


    After he heard that she was crying due to a drama, he was utterly speechless.


    He passed a tissue to her and wiped her eyes, which were swollen to the size of a walnut.


    He then said, "What''s on the television is all fake.It''s all to scam tears from silly people like you."


    Ste took the tissue while weeping and cursed him for being too stone cold.


    Keegan originally was not good with words and did not know how tofort people.


    He opted to just give her the tissue box while he flipped over and went to sleep.


    At that point, Ste was even more dissatisfied and had to wake him up.She then asked him how he


    would have done it if he was the male lead.


    Keegan was exhausted beyondparison and barely understood the plot.


    He answered, "If the female lead doesn''t want me, would I still pester her shamelessly? I would have


    broken up."


    This poked at Ste where it hurt.


    She grabbed at Keegan''s sleeves through gritted teeth and said, "I won''t allow it! Even if I don''t want


    you, you have to pester me.I''m soft -hearted, so if you say something nice, I might regret it."


    The corner of Keegan''s eyes twitched.


    "Aren''t you being a little narcissistic? Why do I have to pester you?"


    Ste leaned on his shoulder and imitated the voice of a siren, as she said, ''''I''m ady.Ady is meant


    to be coaxed by others."


    Keegan was at a loss for words.


    He then asked, "If I didn''t want you, would you also pester me?"


    Ste''s brows flew up, and she kicked him away.


    "In your dreams!"


    Ste was at a loss for words after she had remembered everything.


    How many of these mindless sweet words had she spoken to Keegan in the past? The problem was


    that she could not remember most of them.


    Keegan''s brain instead was like a calctor.


    It could find any word she had said at any time from his hard drive to argue with her until she became


    speechless.


    ¡®The scum was actually me?" Ste thought.


    She opened her mouth and defended herself weakly.


    "Those were just pillow talk.Let''s not take them seriously."


    Keegan''s expression was ugly as he said, "Then, I won''t take the words you''re saying right now


    seriously!"


    Ste wanted to say something, but Keegan suddenly held her up from her seat.

 Chapter 693

    Chapter 693


    Chapter 693


    Ste was shocked and pped his chest.She then angrily said, "Keegan, what are you doing?"


    Keegan did not say a word and put her on the bed.


    Ste''s eyelids fluttered violently.


    ''This mongrel, he wouldn''t be doing something out of frustration because he failed his pursuant, right?"


    Keegan had his palms supporting the bed frame.


    Under Ste''s watchful gaze, he lowered his head and gave her a peck on her forehead.


    Seeing that Ste did not refuse or reject him, Keegan suddenly felt delighted.


    He said, "You can reject me, but I reject your rejection of me."


    Ste was speechless.


    ''This guy put me here just to do this?'' she thought.


    After he finished speaking, Keegany down next to her.


    The mattress was not very wide.


    Keegan''s physique wasrge, and he could only lie down on his side.His body was very close to hers.


    It was so close that Ste could feel his breath and hear his powerful heartbeat.


    His heart thumped again and again.


    It waspletely different from the calm expression he had on the surface.


    Ste''s heart was trembling as well.


    "I still need to go for training tomorrow," Ste said.


    Keegan then replied, "I''ll send you over tomorrow morning."


    "I want to leave now," She requested.


    She wanted to sit up, but Keegan was clutching her waist tightly and said, "Stay by my side, at least for


    tonight."


    It was not an ordering tone.


    Instead, it was slightly simr to begging.


    Ste''s heart softened.She gripped her fingers tightly and tried her best not to fall for his trap and


    tone.She said in a low voice, "You are being unreasonable."


    "Mhm,"


    He did not deny it and answered softly without the slightest hint of anger.He got closer and lightly


    nuzzled Ste''s cheeks.


    "I''ve restrained myself too much in the past.I didn''t know what you wanted, and I didn''t know what I


    wanted."


    Ste''s voice was stuck as she spoke, "You wouldn''t mind that I like Trevor?"


    Keegan''s body stiffened.


    After a while, he said in a low tone, "I will convince you that I''m better than Trevor.You will like me."


    Ste opened her mouth but did not say anything in the end.She had already said enough.She did not


    want to stab him in the heart anymore.


    Keegan was not a fool and would eventually know that she was bluffing.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡®It''s just so annoying," Ste thought.


    She turned around and looked out the window.


    The only lights that came in were from the fishing boats left on the sea''s surface.


    They were dimly lit, and the crescent moon was also in the sky with faintly visible stars.


    She initially thought she would have difficulty falling asleep.


    In the end, Ste''s breathing was much steadier and longer after closing her eyes for a moment.


    Keegan opened his eyes and slightly supported the weight of his body.


    He swiped away the tufts of hair that were on her face, then he kissed her on the forehead.


    Another one between the eyebrows, her nose, and finally, her pink lips.


    His taste for her lips deepened, and his hands could not help butnd on her waist.


    He felt the urge in his body and stopped his actions with a frown.


    He then lightly pecked the corner of Ste''s lips.


    Only then could Keegan finallyy back and calm himself down bit by bit.


    ¡®You can''t be too hasty with this," He said to himself in his mind.


    Ste was already defensive toward the Kane family.He had to make her see his sincerity.


    ¡®There is also Trevor,"


    Thinking of this, Keegan searched for a phone number before calling it.


    The phone rang for a short moment and got through.


    "Keegan?"


    A refreshing voice of a woman came from the other side of the phone.

 Chapter 694

    Chapter 694


    Chapter 694


    After he hung up the phone, Keegan stayed in the car for a moment before exiting the vehicle.


    Aldor was smoking beside the car.He saw Keegane over and wanted to put out his cigarette.


    Aldor knew that Keegan did not like the smell of tobo since he did not touch it except during social


    engagements.


    Keegan stopped him and casually asked, "Do you have more?"


    Aldor opened his cigarette pack and shook one out before handing it to him.


    The me sparked by the lighter was blown to the side by the sea breeze.


    Aldor used his hands to block them, and Keegan took a puff of the cigarette.


    The tip of the cigarette flickered before finally lighting itself.


    He blew out a mouthful of smoke while leaning by the car with Aldor and staring into the distance with


    half-shut eyes.


    Aldor then said, "Mr.Kane, why didn''t you tell the madam the thing about you doing the surgery?"


    He was talking about the vasectomy, and Keegan did not speak.


    Aldor assumed that he did not want to answer and did not question any further.


    By the time he was halfway through his cigarette, only then did Keegan reply, The surgery was my


    choice.Not a ploy to morally ckmail her."


    Keegan continued, "I want her to choose me just because she wants me.Not because of any other


    reason."


    Aldor was stunned, then he chuckled without speaking further.


    The divorce had not only left an emotional scar on Ste, but it had also given Keegan PTSD.He


    clearly had ways to force Ste to stay by his side, but he did not dare force her.He did not dare to use


    brute force.


    Keegan''s love may haveete, but he fell deep for it.


    On the other hand, it might not have eve, as it was rted to his own experiences.


    He did not know how to express himself and was afraid of disappointing people.


    Aldor then said softly, "It would have been better if we didn''t go to Cavalry City then."


    Keegan paused, and he could feel a slight throbbing pain in his heart.He had thought about it more


    than once.


    If Keegan could return to that time, he would not have left when he was in a rage.


    He would have arranged everything properly and stayed by her side when she needed it the most...


    However, all of this was pointless.


    What-ifs would not work on something that had already happened.


    If what-ifs were useful, Keegan should not have epted that call seven years ago.


    But, without that phone call, how would he have met Ste? All of this was a chain of events arranged


    by God, so there was no useining about it.


    Whether the debt or the love was to me, it was his choice.


    The only wrong was that Keegan was too arrogant and overestimated his control over this affair.


    Keegan took another puff of smoke and asked, ''How is Coco recently?"


    "The doctor says it''s not that bad.She is already running around the sick ward and asking the nurse for


    a phone every day.She insists on giving you a call and asking you when you will pick her up,"


    Aldor paused for a bit then said, "Mr.Kane, Coco is whose daughter?"


    He had been working for Keegan for so many years.But, he only found out about the girl four years ago


    when Keegan sought out Be for blood donation.


    Coco did not live in Rivera.


    She usually lived in Hampford, which was another city.


    Someone was caring for her, and she would only be sent to Rivera whenever she needed blood


    transfusions.


    The frequency of the blood transfusions was approximately once every three months.


    Apart from that, the number of times Keegan would go to Hampford was less frequent.


    The best quality of Aldor as a special assistant was that he would not ask things that did not need


    questioning.


    If it was not because this incident affected Keegan and Ste''s marriage, he would not have asked for


    it.


    Aldor contemted and said, "Mr.Kane, if Coco is your daughter, I think it would be best for you to be


    honest with the madam about this matter as soon as possible."


    The corner of Keegan''s eyelids twitched.


    "Am I that dark?"


    Aldor was stunned for a moment.


    Only then did he understand that Keegan was saying that Coco was dark-skinned.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    His underlying meaning was how could he possibly give birth to such a dark daughter.


    Aldor was at a loss for words.

 Chapter 695

    Chapter 695


    Chapter 695


    Coco was merely not as fair as Keegan, but she was not considered dark-skinned.


    That mouth of his was ruthless even to little girls.


    Keegan took out his phone and showed a picture to Aldor.


    Aldor''s body immediately tensed up.


    Keegan raised his gaze and his hand to make a zipping gesture around his mouth.


    He then raised an eyebrow and asked, "Understand?"


    Aldor nodded his head profusely.


    Keegan put his phone away and snuffed out his cigarette.


    "Get in the car to rest for a while.Send her back once day breaks."


    The following morning, Ste was woken up by Aldor.


    When she opened her eyes, she was already in the car.


    Outside the car was the training base.


    Aldor, who was sitting in the driver''s seat, turned around and said to her, "Madam, It''s half past


    seven.After you go back and tidy yourself up a bit, you should go to your sses."


    Ste blinked several times since her brain was still not fully conscious.


    She groggily said her farewells and got out of the car.


    When she reached her dorm, everyone had just woken up.


    After Ste washed up and changed into her training attire, she noticed that her clothes were cut into


    shreds.


    She turned around and wanted to ask the other three girls in the same dorm room.


    However, everyone''s expression was flustered, and Ste suddenly felt that there was no need to ask.


    If it was not Be, it would be the girl, Ynda.


    One of them had held a grudge for a very long time, while the other was a newly made enemy.


    Moreover, they were the only two people with the status that would make the younger unknown


    actresses afraid of offending them.


    ¡®This is the kind of tactic done by primary school children.


    Is their IQ the same as a three-year-old?¡¯ Ste thought.


    Stuart, the director, had purposely mentioned once yesterday that they were going to make uniform


    costumes to see the overall effect when filming.


    Then, her clothes were cut up by someone else the next day.


    She was considered a major character in the drama.


    So, the impact of her not being in the filming process was very huge.


    Ste furrowed her brows and stared at her training attire for quite a long time.


    She then rolled them up and threw them into the rubbish bin.


    Yuna could not help but offer, "Ste, why don''t we use my tape to help you stick them a little."


    Ste smiled and replied, "That won''t be necessary."


    She pulled out a suitcase from under her bed and took out a red dancing outfit from inside.


    The outfit was a gift from Rainee when she got into Trinity Film Academy.


    Rainee had sought out a seamstress in an alley at Rivera to sew it for her thread by thread.


    The vintage design, shy red color, and intricate stitches made her admire it fondly from just her first


    nce.


    After so many years, she had only worn it three times.


    She suddenly saw it while she was tidying up her house for the boot camp.


    She brought it with her while she was packing.


    She did not expect to wear them, but she had no choice but to wear them today.


    At nine o''clock, everyone arrived at the training hall in droves.


    Stuart came especially early today and brought the cameraman and lighting experts of the production


    crew with him.


    He was chatting with the dance instructor and asking about the training conditions for these two days.


    When everyone had almost arrived, the dance instructor made everyone stand in the formation just like


    before.


    She then noticed that one person was missing.


    "Who is absent?"


    The instructor asked.


    Ynda pulled her lips into a smile and said, "Who else would it be? It''s the rich girl."


    The instructor furrowed her brows and was about to talk to Ynda when the training hall doors were


    pushed open, "Sorry I''mte."


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Everyone turned around respectively and could only see Ste having her hair tied in a bun.


    She wore aplete set of dancing attire that was vintage and red while she stood there, looking prim


    and proper.


    Her skin was gleaming white hence wearing red would make it quite exquisite.


    Excluding men''s gaudy tastes, even as a woman, everyone felt that she was unbelievably gorgeous.


    Ynda saw her outfit, and her face instantly fell.


    She did not expect the slut to have a backup n! Be stared at Ste and suddenly said, "Ste,


    director Stuart wanted to see the effects when we film.Why are you dressed differently from everyone


    else?"

 Chapter 696

    Chapter 696


    Chapter 696


    Everyone came back to their senses.


    With everyone wearing white and pink dance costumes, Ste stood out with that dash of red.


    It was so obvious that people became suspicious that she intentionally wanted to show off her


    difference.


    On collective asions, people hated special treatment like this.


    If one did well, one would stand out and outshine others.


    However, if one didn''t do well, one might end up dragging everyone down.So, when Be spoke up,


    some of them were no longer looking friendly toward Ste.


    Ste knew about this, but she did what she had to do at the moment.


    No one actually cared what was wrong with her clothes; they only cared about the final result.


    When Stuart heard Be, he asked, "Ste, why did you wear this? Where''s your costume?"


    Ste did not answer his question.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "Mr.Winfield.I kept thinking about Georgia''s character.I remember she had a privileged background.She


    has a cold and arrogant personality since she never had any hardships in life.This was why she could


    not take it when she lost to the talented Lexi."


    Stuart loved to discuss with the actors about their characters.He nodded as he heard Ste''s insight.


    She added, "Let''s put it this way.Georgia is aloof.However, she''s also a hardworking person who chose


    not to rely on her family.She couldn''t bear the thought of her hard work losing to others'' talent.And so,


    despite her hard work, she could never match up to Lexi''s natural talent no matter what she does."


    "What other inputs do you have?" Stuart paused.


    Ste shook her head and said, "I wouldn''t call that an input.I was just thinking about Georgia.Wouldn''t


    someone as proud as Georgia be a little self-centered? These people may look cold on the outside, but


    they actually craved attention from others."


    Yndaughed as soon as she heard that.


    "Just say you want to add more scenes for your character.Why talk about the character''s backstory?


    Was it written in the script?"


    "Shush!"


    Stuart stopped her and frowned.


    He then turned to Ste.


    "Ste, tell me more."


    Ynda''s expression stiffened, and she red at Ste.


    Ste did not bother to look at her and continued, "For such a self-centered person, she would always


    want the spotlight on her.For example, during training, she would want to draw attention from others by


    dressing differently to show off her uniqueness.That way, it could not only reinforce her character


    design but also show her loner side in the ssroom."


    Stuart''s eyes lit up, and he thought about it carefully for a few seconds before he nodded in agreement.


    "That makes sense.Georgia should be a rather self-assured and proud person.Getting special


    treatment seems like something she would do."


    He then looked at Ste''s vintage red dance costume.


    She stood out among the group of actresses in pink and white, looking aloof and arrogant.


    The character described in the script came to life before his eyes.


    "Let''s try this once."


    Be''s expression darkened.She spoke up, "Mr.Winfield, I think she should try out both outfits.We can


    see which one has a better effect."


    Ste''s body stiffened and gave Be a faint nce.


    Be smirked and continued, "We have to strive for perfection."


    Stuart nodded and turned to Ste.


    "You should change into your previous outfitter."


    Ste lowered her gaze and nodded.


    Ynda was smirking as she had already cut the outfit into pieces a long time ago.


    ''Let''s see what she''ll wearter!" she thought.


    Ste''s red dance costume was stunning.


    Even the videographer could not help himself from taking close-up shots of her.

 Chapter 697

    Chapter 697


    Chapter 697


    The videographer had never seen such a photogenic actress before.


    Ste was wless from every angle.


    From his past experience with other artists, he had to film them from specific angles.


    Most of the actors relied on lighting and makeup.


    Some famous actors would even scold the photographer and demand a reshoot when they thought that


    they did not look photogenic.


    They were also extremely reliant on post-production.


    They would demand the staff to retouch their image frame by frame.


    As a result, the audience would skip their scenes because their skin was edited so much that their


    jawlines were no longer visible.


    The audience continued watching the scenes of others as usual.


    Therefore, photographers and the post-production team loved actors who were photogenic, like Ste.


    They would love to work on Ste only.


    After two tries, the director was satisfied with the footage.


    However, Be did not look satisfied.


    Be and Ste stood side by side.


    Be knew that Ste was very pretty, so she woke up earlier than others by an hour to put on natural


    makeup.


    Be had an average appearance, but she had undergone several cosmetic adjustments over the


    years.


    Hence, her facial features were harmonious.


    Her innocent and pure look appealed to the crowd.


    Her makeup got was trending a few times previously.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    She was going to use the same trick this time.


    She had an airy bang, a fluffy bun, and a natural look that would charm people at first nce.


    When the camera switched from Be to Ste''s face, Be could see the visual contrast.


    Ste was makeup-free and had her hair tied up behind her head, revealing a stunning look unlike


    Be, who used her bangs to hide her ws.


    Even if Ste showed her whole face, people could not see any ws on her face.


    Innocence was nothingpared to natural beauty.


    Ste made Be look like a country girl.


    Be clutched her hand and red at Ste in jealousy.


    Ynda frowned.


    "What''s wrong with the lighting? The lighting designer is biased for focusing the spotlight on Ste and


    making everyone else look dark."


    The lighting designer''s eyes twitched.


    ''How is this my problem? Ste was shining even if she simply stood there.I didn''t even have to do


    anything.If I had the same lighting on everyone, Ste would be overexposed."


    But, the lighting designer remained silent as he could not afford to offend the actresses.


    Stuart was straightforward and said, "Don''t me the lighting.You were originally dark."


    Ynda was speechless.


    However, Be suddenly interrupted and said, "Mr.Winfield, let Ste try this with our costume.Maybe


    the results would look better."


    Stuart was already satisfied with the current version.


    However, judging from Be''s poprity level and as the female lead of the movie, they had to


    consider her appearance on screen.


    Therefore, he turned his head Lo Ste aud replied, "Ste, can you wear your original costume? We''ll


    try this again."

 Chapter 698

    Chapter 698


    Chapter 698


    Ste''s tongue pressed against the roof of her mouth and nced at Be.


    Thetter smirked, and her eyes were glowing with venom.


    Meanwhile, Ynda gloated, "Come on, hurry up.Don''t waste our time.Mr.Winfield is going to treat us


    to lunch after this.Ww Ste shifted her attention.When she was about to speak, the training door


    opened.A gentle voice sounded.


    "Mr.Winfield, can I bother you for a second?"


    Ste paused and turned to see Marshall smiling at the door, holding a lot of coffee in his hand.


    Stuart was startled, but he immediately showed a big smile on his face.


    "Marshall, what brings you here?" Ste was confused.


    Marshall gently replied, "I heard from a friend that you were preparing for a new show and was training


    the actors here.I came to visit since I was passing by."


    He then turned to face the audience.


    "I''m not disturbing, am I?"


    "Nonsense.we''re not even filming for real, so it''s not considered a disturbance.I''m happy you''re here,"


    Stuart said, as he took the coffee from Marshall''s hand, letting his assistants hand them out to


    everyone.


    Then, he added, ''When did youe back to the country?"


    Marshall responded, "Quite a while ago.The neww firm my friend started has been quite busy, so I


    didn''t get the chance to contact you until now."


    "Ah, workes first.It doesn''t matter when you contact me."


    Stuart paused before he continued, "How''s your health?"


    "All good."


    Stuart''s eyes were curved.


    "That''s good to know."


    ording to what Kaiden said, Stuart was indeed a chatterbox.


    He chatted with Marshall for half an hour until his phone rang.


    Only then did he excuse himself to answer the call.


    Ste took her coffee, walked up to Marshall, and whispered, "You know our director, Mr.Moore?"


    Marshall nodded.


    "His daughter studied abroad and was involved in a bullying case.I helped him win thewsuit."


    ¡®No wonder," Ste thought.


    Marshall then said slowly, "I can stall him a little longer.Your friend should be bringing the clothes over


    soon."


    Ste was startled.


    "How did you know about this?" Marshall chuckled.


    "I saw your post on social media.Initially, I wanted to visit you and bring some food for you.But, I didn''t


    know where you were, so I called and asked your friend and got to now the news from her.


    "She''s borrowing the outfit from another production team, but it''s quite far away.She was afraid she


    wouldn''t make it in time, so she asked me toe and help stall things.Who knew that I would know


    the director? Well, that''s fortunate."


    ¡®No wonder," Ste thought again.


    She was wondering why Marshall suddenly showed up here.It turned out that he was helping her to


    stall time.


    Ste gave a sigh of relief.


    "You''ve helped me big time."


    If the costume could note today, Be and Ynda would have definitely made a big deal out of it.


    Ste would give off a horrible impression if she made such a big fuss before the film even started


    filming.


    Marshall asked, "How was your costume damaged?"


    Ste shook her head.


    "Don''t ask about it.It was all because of some rats."


    Marshall scanned the room, and his gaze fell on Be.He lowered his eyes and said, "Do you want to


    get revenge?"


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    "Huh? ¡°


    Marshall smiled and changed the topic.


    "This costume looks nice." Ste was happy upon hearing hispliments.


    "My mother gave it to me.She followed the pictures in the book and modified them.She had a tailor to


    make it for me."


    Marshall''s eyes dimmed.


    "She has good taste.It suits you."


    Ste smiled brightly.


    At that moment, Stuart finished his call and came back.He wanted to chat with Marshall for a little


    longer, but Ynda was afraid that he would forget about the uing shoot.


    So, she said in a coquettish voice, "Mr.Winfield, when are we going to start? I have something to do at


    noon."

 Chapter 699

    Chapter 699


    Chapter 699


    Stuart replied, "As soon as Ste changed into a new set of clothes."


    He then ushered Ste.


    "Go get changed."


    Ste nodded in response and took a sideway nce at Ynda before she headed out the door.


    Felicity called right at the moment she left.She said while panting, "Ste, which floor are you on?"


    "I''m on the second floor," said Ste as she paused and replied with a smile, "I see you."


    Be and Ynda were sitting in the rehearsal room when Ynda said, "Her clothes were already torn


    yet she still excused herself to get changed.I''m interested in seeing how she will lie her way out when


    she didn''t change her clothes."


    Be asked, "Are you sure you shredded her clothes?"


    "I personally shredded it until it was beyond recognition.I heard from someone in the same dorm that


    she threw it straight into the bin," she snickered and continued, "She wouldn''t rummage the bin, so she


    could put it on, would she?"


    Ynda was not the slightest bit worried.She handed a cup of coffee to Be and said, Here''s a cup of


    coffee, Be.I remember you like unsweetened iced Americano."


    Be gratefully took it and drank the coffee through a straw while not looking in the door''s direction.She


    was waiting for Ste''s arrival.


    The door then opened about ten minutester.


    Everyone raised their heads, only to see Ste in a pink and white striped dress.


    Ynda was stunned and unable to process what had happened.


    "How is this possible?!"


    Be''s expression turned cold.


    ''This trash! "How can this be? I personally shredded it."


    "Enough! Keep that mouth of yours shut!" Be hissed.


    She was afraid that others would hear them.


    She had a moment of realization after taking a look at Marshall and Ste.


    It was no coincidence that Marshall came for a visit; he was here to buy time.


    Upon seeing Ste''s return, Stuart said to Marshall, "Marshall, why don''t you rest for a while? Let''s


    have a meal together when I''m done filming today."


    Marshall replied, "Alright."


    He then looked and Ste and showed her a big thumbs-up.


    Ste gratefully smiled.


    Everyone became more familiar with their roles after going through the shot once.


    But, Be slipped after a squatting motion and fell to the ground.


    Everyone was astonished.


    The actors nearest to her helped her up and asked, "Are you alright, Be?"


    Be shook her head and whispered a reply, "I''m sorry, Mr.Winfield.I suddenly feel a little dizzy."


    Stuart saw that she was not lying and asked, "Did you sprain your ankle?"


    Be''s wound normally be attended to immediately by the crew if she had an ident on site, no


    matter how serious it was.


    But, this film was directed by Stuart, who did not like hypocritical actors.


    Not wanting to create a scene as Ste was around, she replied, "I''m fine."


    "Let''s continue then."


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    As Be was helped up, Ste looked at her and said indifferently, "Don''t force yourself."

 Chapter 700

    Chapter 700


    Chapter 700


    Ste held no ill will when she said that.


    Although it was not out of concern for Be''s livelihood, Be''s face was abnormally pale.


    She was afraid that Be''s condition might dy the filming progress.


    In Be''s ears, it was akin to sarcasm.


    Be stared coldly at Ste and said, "Just do your own part!"


    Ste shrugged.


    ''I was worried for nothing."


    The cast once again went back into dance formation and danced ording to the instructions of the


    dance instructor.


    Be had barely danced and was already out of breath.She was groggy and her vision was a blur.


    Suddenly, her vision turned dark, and she fell down heavily on the floor.


    Shey on the floor with a pale face as her body spasmed.


    She was unable to stand up again.


    That scared the wits out of the cast members around her as they started shrieking.


    Stuart nked out for a moment before he immediately called the ambnce.


    Tammy, Be''s assistant, soon arrived.


    She looked at Be''s condition and started ordering those around Be not to take pictures.


    Ste was mad.


    She thought, ¡®Be had obviously gone into shock, yet you''re worried about others taking pictures of


    her instead of performing C.P.R.? Are you crazy?'' Luckily, a doctor was on site due to Stuart''s vignce


    of the cast member''s safety.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    The doctor immediately performed first-aid upon arriving at Be''s side.


    A few minutester, a siren could be heard, and Be was sent to the hospital.


    Now that this had happened even before the filming could begin, Stuart was not pleased with it at all.


    Usually, Be''s fans were fiercely protective and would spamments in the chat even for her


    slightest injury.


    He was worried about the impact it would have on the crew.


    Most importantly, Be must be alright since the shoot could not continue if the female lead was in the


    hospital.


    In the end, Stuart let everyone off for the day, walked toward Marshall, and whispered, "Marshall, I


    might have to treat you another time.


    I have a pay a visit to the hospital since any ident that happened here is my responsibility.


    Marshall nodded and replied, "No worries.


    The current situation is more urgent, and there''ll be a lot more chances for a meal in the future."


    After conversing for a while longer, Stuart left.


    Felicity came right at that moment and personally saw Be''s spasming body being put on a stretcher.


    She curiously asked, "What happened to Mistress Young? Why does she look like she is a cripple?"


    Ste whispered when she saw the crowd, "Let''s talk more when we''re alone."


    Ynda, at that time, took pictures of Ste and Marshall.


    She thought, ''That must be the man she was alone withst night.


    Her standards are quite high!'' Ste reiterated the scene just now to Felicity when all three of them


    entered the vehicle.


    After hearing the story, Felicity immediately said, ''''News sh, that shredded dress of yours was


    definitely caused by her.


    God couldn''t bear to see the injustice and decided to punish her."


    Ste pursed her lips and said, "Why is Albert still alive and well if God is so just?"


    Felicity consoled her, "One thing at a time.


    He will definitely get what he deserves in due time.


    On another note, we were lucky Mr.Moore managed to dy the shoot today.


    Otherwise, I wouldn''t be able to arrive on time."


    Marshall turned around as he said, "It was nothing.


    Things wouldn''t have gone so well if I didn''t know that the director was Stuart."


    "You reap what you sow," said Felicity as she smiled and continued, "Ste has a savior like you, all


    because Ms. Spade supported a lot of people."


    Marshall smiled without replying anything.


    Ste, with a grateful heart, warmly expressed her thanks.


    "Mr.Moore, let me treat you to a meal if it''s not too much trouble."

 Chapter 701

    Chapter 701


    Chapter 701


    Marshall nodded and replied, "That''s fine with me."


    Ste then picked a Yostranian restaurant for two reasons.


    First, it would look more formal.


    And second, Felicity liked Yostrainian meals.She could not pick out which Yostrainian meal was better,


    so as the safest option, she picked out the one that Keegan often brought her, which was their


    steak.She then ordered the usual set meal Keegan ordered and handed the menu over to Felicity.


    After having a look at the menu, Felicity''s eyes almost popped out.


    ''My gosh! I can''t believe the steak here cost almost one thousand dors.If I''d known earlier, I would''ve


    gone home and made teriyaki with that Stinky Cucumber.One big te of that doesn''t even cost one-


    tenth of the price."


    Not daring to blindly choose, she picked the same set meal as Ste and Marshall soon picked out his


    meal as well.


    Felicity had a favorable impression of Marshall, as he had helped out Ste time after time.


    Besides, having awyer as a friend made her feel good.


    So, she talked to him quite a lot.


    Marshall was a good talker who did not talk very fast but would always make the conversation easy to


    the ears.


    Apart from that, he was familiar with a huge array of topics and won''t freeze up when having small talk.


    Ste felt ufortable, and she suspected that her period had arrived.


    So, she excused herself and went to the restroom.


    At the same time, Vermont came down from the upper floor and saw Felicity talking jovially with the


    person next to her by the window.


    He frowned and walked quickly toward her andnded his hand on her shoulder.


    "Is meeting up with a guy what you meant when you said you have something to do, Miss Bandit?"


    Marshall paused and turned his head around.


    "Vermont?"


    Vermont was startled, and he asked, "Why are you here?"


    Felicity swiped away his fingers and replied, "Why do you care? Didn''t I already prepare your meals for


    you?"


    Vermont rubbed Felicity''s temples and said, "How many times have you made it since Ste went to


    the training camp?"


    Felicity said retorted, "Don''t I need to go to work too? Besides, didn''t I make it up to you on the


    weekends?"


    She paused for a while and continued, "Yet, I don''t see you getting thinner!"


    Vermont gritted his teeth, got closer to her ears, and threatened, "Do you still want me to check it for


    you?"


    Felicity stared hard at him, wanting to retort but a beautiful woman came and wrapped her arms around


    Vermont''s arm.


    The woman asked, "Are we leaving yet?"


    Vermont froze and smiled at Felicity the next moment, only to see Felicity staring daggers at the


    woman.


    He then felt guilty.


    He pulled the woman''s hands away from himself, coughed, and replied, ''''You can leave ahead of


    me.I''m still talking with my friends."


    The woman did not pester him any further and went on her way.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Vermont cleared his throat and was about to exin, but he was cut short by Felicity''s whisper.


    "She must be an F-cup.How does your hand feel when you cupped it?"


    Vermont was speechless.


    His forehead and the corner of his lips twitched.


    Then, he gritted his teeth and said, "I''ve never slept with her before, so how would I know?!"


    Felicity asked doubtfully, "Can you even resist the temptation?"


    Vermont did not want to continue the conversation.


    Even his good temperament has a limit.


    At the same time, he felt a little weird.


    Felicity did not seem to care who he was with.

 Chapter 702

    Chapter 702


    Chapter 702


    Vermont forced down that weird feeling and harrumphed, "Why are the two of you eating together?"


    ¡®How do Miss Bandit and Marshall know each other?'' he thought to himself.


    Marshall responded, "Ms.Thompson and I went to check on Ste.She ended up inviting us for a meal."


    He snickered as he continued, "You got yourself a new girlfriend again?"


    Vermont replied, "No, it''s a blind date arranged by my family.We''re just having a meal."


    Felicity was still drinking her fruit juice as she stared at him.


    "You''re on a blind date, yet you''re already holding hands?"


    ¡®who are you trying to fool?'' she thought.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Vermont smiled and replied, "Women swoon before my charm.You were unwilling to let go of me the


    first time we met, weren''t you? Compared to holding hands, this is peanuts."


    Felicity almost choked to death from that reply of his.She coughed until her face was beet red, and she


    stared at him.


    "I was trying to help someone that time!"


    Vermont took the chair closest to her and sat down.He then cupped his head, looked at her, and teased


    her.


    "Is that right? Why do I have a feeling that you are attracted by my charm?"


    Felicity rolled her eyes and retorted, "I would rather die than be attracted to you!"


    Vermont paused and was a little displeased.


    She thought, ¡®It was just a joke.Why are you so extreme about being attracted to me? Is it that


    shameful?¡¯ Ste returned just as the conversation ended.


    She was surprised to see Vermont, caught up with the conversation, and politely asked, "Why don''t you


    join us for a meal, Mr.Snyder?"


    Before Vermont could speak up, Felicity responded, "He has already eaten."


    She then turned her head and told Vermont, "Now, scram!"


    Vermont, who did not intend to barge in, decided to sit down instead and smilingly said, Don''t mind if I


    do.I lost my appetite eating with another stranger over a blind date."


    Ste could not help but thought to herself, ''Being courteous to Vermont is questionable.He''d take it for


    granted."


    Thus, the meal gathering became a four-person affair instead of three.Felicity was annoyed.


    She lowered her voice and said to Vermont, "You shameless fool.Does a free meal give you a false


    sense of bravado? Do you even know how much this costs?"


    Vermont gritted his teeth.


    "Miss Bandit, I''ll foot the bill if you can try to be polite for once."


    She paused before she said, "Hand over your wallet, then."


    Vermont was angry, but he forced a smile.


    ''Do you honestly think I would eat my own words?"


    He took out his wallet, and Felicity snatched it away in an instant.


    She saw a card and immediately revealed her happy face.


    "Mr.Snyder, order anything you wish.We''ll feed the leftovers to the pigs when we get home."


    Vermont was unable to retort, and he thought to himself, ''Since when did we even have pigs?¡¯ Since


    Vermont was paying, Felicity took back the menu unreservedly and ordered a few expensive seafood


    dishes.


    Vermont did not know whether to smile or be angry at her for relentlessly attempting to order expensive


    dishes.


    ¡®How much of a grudge did she hold for just a few meals?¡¯ After the dishes were served, everyone


    continued discussing while enjoying their meal.

 Chapter 703

    Chapter 703


    Chapter 703


    When Vermont heard of the situation in the morning, he felt irritated that Felicity went to Marshall for


    help.


    "Why didn''t you look for me? I know Stuart very well too."


    With a mouth stuffed with food, Felicity said, "How do you know- munch -wI didn''t?"


    Vermont''s eyes twitched.


    Feeling disgusted, he passed her fruit juice to her and said, Swallow before you speak."


    Felicity took the cup, drank two mouthfuls, and swallowed the food before she replied, "How do you


    know I didn''t? I looked for you as soon as I got the call from Ste.I couldn''t even get in touch with


    you.Luckily, Mr.Moore called, so I could only ask for his help.It''s a good thing he knew the


    director.Otherwise, I wouldn''t have arrived on time."


    Ste had two options after the dress was shredded; use the same red dress to get through the training


    or quickly get Felicity to immediately look for another one.


    Felicity, having been in the crew for many years, knew a lot of clothing designers.


    Standard clothing like this was normally not custom-made but borrowed from the crews.


    A friend soon found a simr outfit as soon as she sent a photo through thework.


    Shredded dresses were normally not a huge problem for renowned actors since the directors and crew


    would turn a blind eye.


    However, it would not bode well for a newly signed actress like Ste.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    No one would care how the shirt was shredded as long as it did not affect everyone''s job.


    Felicity had seen many underhanded tricks after mingling with the lowest strata within the crew for


    some time.


    If someone was demoted, someone else would fill that spot.


    "You called?"


    Vermont took out his phone, and indeed there was a miss call from Felicity.


    The number he gave Felicity was a work number.


    If it was not urgent, he would normally not pick it up, which led to this predicament.


    He frowned and set a special ringtone notification for her phone number.


    After setting it up, he raised his head and said, "Who shredded the dress?"


    "Who else could it be but that Mistress Young?"


    she said as she looked at him, "As if it wasn''t that trashy idol you so cherished."


    Vermont was unable to retort, so he stayed silent.


    "Thankfully, God is just.She was pulled away by an ambnce after she went into shock, and her face


    turned pale."


    Vermont was astonished.


    "How could a healthy person like that suddenly pass out?"


    "It''s probably retribution for her many misdeeds."


    Ste peeled a lobster''s head, tasted its meat, and whispered to herself, ''''The ones I make are still


    better."


    Vermont naturally did not believe in the concept of retribution but, it was weird that Be would go into


    shock without having prior symptoms.


    He did not dwell too much on it, however.


    Be was no longer an artist of Green Hill Media and had nothing to do with him.


    He turned toward Marshall and asked, "Marshall, is it true you''re litigating for Yoven Brown''s wife?"


    Marshall replied with a smile, "How do you know everything?"


    Vermont grinned.


    "Is there anything I wouldn''t know in Rivera? Whose family had an illegitimate child? How many


    mistresses do they have? How many affairs did the wife have behind the husband''s back? I know them


    all."


    Felicity''s eyes twitched.


    "Do you have nothing else to do apart from poking into other people''s private affairs?"


    Vermont smiled, ruffled her head, and said, "What do you know? It''s mywork for thetest


    information."


    Felicity pushed his hand away and said, "Stop ruffling my head all the time.Don''t you know I won''t grow


    taller if you keep ruffling it? The more she dislikes it, the more he felt like doing it.


    As he continued the same motion, he smiled and said, "How tall will you be able to grow at your age?"


    Felicity''s hair was silky soft and cooling to the touch.


    He paused and pondered after he spoke.


    He somehow remembered that he had said this to someone else before.

 Chapter 704

    Chapter 704


    Chapter 704


    Felicity pped his hand away and red at him.


    "Other people grow an inch taller after giving birth.I haven''t even had a child yet, so I can definitely


    grow."


    Vermont raised an eyebrow.


    "Have somemon sense.Other people get taller after giving birth because of cervix dtion.You''re a


    youngdy, so how would your cervix dte?"


    Felicity wanted to roast him.


    However, after hearing him call her a youngdy, she immediately forgave the Stinky Cucumber for his


    words.


    Vermont raised his head and looked at Marshall.


    "Yoven and his wife are troublesome people, so why would you take this case?"


    Marshall answered while cutting his steak, "I don''t have a choice.She''s offering way too much."


    "Tsk."


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Vermont replied, "Are you someone who''s short of that amount of money?"


    Yoven was not a good person, and neither was his wife.


    The couple was in cahoots and often used to send the young girls in theirpany to sleep with their


    company''s partners.


    A few years ago, someone had even sued the two, saying that they set people up for rape.


    In the end, the person lost the case because the witness retracted their testimony in court.


    After that, the girlmitted suicide by jumping into the river, and the incident became a big deal.


    However, people on the Inte had always been forgetful.


    In less than two years, all of the negative news disappeared.


    Yoven''s business had even gotten bigger than before.


    It was really strange now that this atrocious couple wanted to part ways.


    Marshall smiled and said, "The bigger the case, the more popr ourw firm will be.That''s why I wish


    that every single case was like this."


    When Vermont saw that Felicity had finished her steak, he gave her half of his untouched steak.


    "This isn''t like you.In the past, you didn''t take cases from this kind of people at all."


    Marshall said, "Back then, I was young.I always thought of administering justice.But now, it''s like what


    you said; earning money is more important."


    "You can only talk about your dreams if you have money," Vermont said with a smile.


    Felicity snorted, "How secr!"


    Vermont nced at her and replied, "And, doctors aren''t secr.Doctors don''t receive wages for


    saving lives and helping the injured.They work for free, and they don''t eat at all."


    Felicity frowned.


    "Why are you bringing Doctor Steven into this?"


    Vermont swallowed expressionlessly and said, "Did I mention Corbin Steven''s name?"


    Felicity red at him.


    Just as she was about to speak, Vermont said, "Do you still want me to pay for this?"


    Felicity forced back the words she had at the tip of her tongue.


    Then, she forced a smile.


    "You''re right, Vermont.You''re not secr at all, Vermont," she said.


    Only after that did Vermont feel a little better.


    He grabbed his phone and secretly took a photo of Ste, who was eating.


    Then, he sent the photo to Keegan.


    [After this, help your wife settle the bill.) Keegan was having a meal with a client, so he did not rush to


    open Vermont''s WhatsApp message when he saw it.


    He only checked his phone when his client went to the washroom.


    He opened the photo and saw Ste sitting at a dining table and eating.


    In front of her was a set meal he often ordered.


    He slightly softened his expression.


    Just as he was about to transfer the money, he suddenly froze.


    There was a man''s hand on the left side of the photo.


    On the wrist of the hand was a quartz watch with a pale golden watch face that had an eagle engraved


    on it.


    It was a customized model from Patek Phillipe, aing-of-age gift Marshall''s family had given him.


    Keegan immediately darkened his expression and tightly pursed his lips.


    Vermont waited for a long time, but Keegan still had not transferred him the money.


    ¡®This isn''t right.


    Keegan''s so in love with Ste.


    Isn''t he supposed to transfer me some money after seeing Ste?¡¯ he wondered.


    The four dined for nearly an hour.


    Seeing how everyone was almost done eating, Marshall stood up and said, "I''m going to the


    washroom."


    After he stood up, he did not go to the washroom but to the checkout counter.

 Chapter 705

    Chapter 705


    Chapter 705


    "Please give me the check for table 12.Thank you."


    The cashier immediately settled the check.


    Then, a bill was presented soon after.


    Marshall took out a card.


    "Give me a receipt, please.Thank you."


    Just as the cashier was about to take his card, Ste went up and grabbed it.She handed the cashier


    another card and said, Use mine."


    Right after Marshall left, Ste felt that something was a little amiss.


    So, she quickly ran after him.She did not expect him to be there to pay the bill.


    ¡®There''s no such thing as letting the guest you invited for a meal pay the bill," she thought.


    Marshall smiled slightly.


    "Vermont ordered quite a bit.You just started working, and you need to spend money on many


    things.So, let me pay.You can treat me when your work has gotten stable."


    "You really don''t have to," Ste rejected him.


    She continued, "I can afford to treat this meal. I was supposed to treat you to a meal when you helped


    me with thewsuit previously, but I really had too many things going on at the time and couldn''t thank


    you properly."


    Keegan''s voice sounded behind them just as Marshall was about to speak.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "Ste''s right.This meal should be our treat.Who lets their guests pay?"


    While he was speaking, he had already walked up to them.He strode over with his long legs and


    squeezed between Ste and Marshall.


    Ste twitched her eyes.


    ¡®what does he mean by our?'' she thought.


    Ste moved to the side.


    Just as she was about to hand her card to the cashier, Keegan took her card away.


    Then, he handed the cashier a ck card and said, "Use this one."


    Ste frowned and pulled Keegan''s hand.


    "Don''t cause trouble here! I''m treating everyone to a meal.What are you doing here?" she whispered.


    Keegan leaned to her ear.


    "I''m pursuing you." Ste''s ears turned red.


    She red at him and said, "What does this have to do with who''s paying the bill?"


    Keegan lowered his voice and answered, "I need to demonstrate my capabilities, be it my stamina or


    wealth."


    This time, not only were Ste''s ears reddened, even her neck reddened quite a bit.


    She said through gritted teeth, "Who asked you to demonstrate your capabilities here?"


    Just as Keegan wanted to answer, Marshall spoke.


    "It''s better for me to pay.Ste didn''t get any money when she divorced, so she should save as much


    money as possible."


    Keegan was speechless.


    With a dark expression, he pushed Marshall''s hand aside.


    "Thatw firm of yours isn''t earning much either.You should save the money and use it on your


    parents."


    Marshall replied coolly, "My parents have a lot of pension money, so I don''t need to carry out my filial


    obligations for the time being."


    "Then, save it to find yourself a wife."


    Marshall smiled and said in a low voice, "I''m working on it."


    Keegan darkened his expression and violently shoved Marshall on the shoulder.


    Marshall stumbled backward and knocked over an ornament on the checkout counter.


    BANG! The ornament fell onto the ground.


    Thankfully, it was made of pure copper, so it did not shatter.


    However, the loud bang still attracted the sidelong gazes of many customers in the restaurant.


    Ste was startled, and her face immediately fell.


    "What are you doing, Keegan?!"


    Keegan''s face had a tense expression, and he did not speak.


    "Mr.Moore, are you alright?" Marshall straightened his back and smiled.


    "I''m fine.I just lost my footing," he said as he looked at Keegan.


    He continued, "Then, I won''t be fighting with you.You can pay the bill."


    Keegan was furious, so he was no longer willing to pay the bill.


    Right now, he badly wanted to drag Ste away and leave.


    However, if he really did that, the things he did before would go to waste.


    He suppressed the anger he felt within and handed over his card.


    "The check, please." Marshall froze.


    Then, he nced at Keegan in surprise.

 Chapter 706

    Chapter 706


    Chapter 706


    Just as the cashier took the card, a message popped up on theputer screen.


    The cashier smiled and said, "The bill for table 12 has already been paid for."


    The two were stunned and looked at Ste.


    Meanwhile, Ste had a dumbfounded look.


    "Let''s go," Felicity hollered.


    She continued, "The bill has already been paid."


    Then, she returned Vermont''s wallet back to him.


    She patted him on the chest and said, "Vermont is generous."


    Vermont twitched his eyes.


    However, he felt much better after hearing Felicity call him "Vermont".


    After they left the restaurant, Ste apologized to Marshall in a low voice.


    "Mr.Moore, I''m so sorry about just now."


    Marshall smiled and said, "You weren''t the one who shoved me, so you shouldn''t be the one


    apologizing.Ste, you''re just you now.You''re not someone''s appendage."


    Ste was momentarily startled.


    The word "appendage" made her feel slightly ufortable.


    ¡®An appendage...I''ve always been an appendage of Keegan in other people''s eyes.Now that I''ve lost


    my status and the identity of my biological father is unknown, I''ll appear even more like Keegan''s


    appendage if I stand next to him," she thought.


    She lowered her gaze and grunted in agreement.


    Then, she did not speak.


    At that moment, Marshall''s phone rang.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "I''m going to take a call," he said.


    Then, he walked aside with his phone.


    Keegan went up to her and grabbed her hand.He said, "I''ll drive you home."


    Ste retracted her hand.


    "I can take Mr.Snyder''s car.My house is on the way."


    "He''s not going home," Keegan said.


    He then asked Vermont, "Right?"


    Vermont yed along and answered, "I need to go to the office.Ste, why don''t you let Keegan drive


    you home?"


    "Then, I''ll take a cab."


    Keegan looked at her, and he suddenly softened his tone.


    "Are you angry because I got physical just now? To be honest, I didn''t use much strength.Who


    would''ve thought that he was this fragile?"


    Ste''s eyebrows twitched.


    "Who are you to speak when you shoved him? Mr.Moore doesn''t have health issues, yet you''re either


    racing horses with him or getting physical and shoving him. If something happens to him, you won''t


    even know what happened when you''re behind bars!"


    Initially, Keegan felt displeased. However, he suddenly asked after hearing herst sentence.


    "You''re worried about me?" Ste dropped her expression.


    "You''re overthinking.I''m just worried I''ll get dragged into it," she said.


    However, Keegan saw her gaze avoiding him.He could not help but smile.He said in a low voice, "I''ll


    listen to you next time. I won''t get physical with him anymore."


    Ste felt a little ufortable.


    "It''s your own business; don''t link it with me." Keegan was really pleased.


    "Does this mean I''ve managed to pursue you?" he asked in a low voice.


    Ste twitched the corner of her lips.


    "You haven''t even started pursuing me.Do you think I''m that easy to pursue?"


    However, she immediately understood the situation when she saw the smile in Keegan''s eyes.


    ¡®This bastard tricked me!'' she thought.


    Then, she red at him unhappily.


    "You want to pursue me? Let''s talk after you scored a hundred points!"


    Keegan asked her, "Then, how many points do I have now? Ste nced at him and answered,


    "Negative ten thousand points, I guess."


    Keegan was speechless.


    "May I ask...what the scoring criteria are?"


    Ste said, "It depends on my mood."


    Keegan frowned.


    "That isn''t appropriate, right? What if you''re purposely stopping me and not letting me add points?"


    "Then, you can stop pursuing me."


    Ste continued earnestly, "Why make things difficult for yourself?"


    Keegan stared at her for a few seconds.


    Suddenly, he smiled and said in a warm tone, "I like to challenge myself with the nightmare mode.You''ll


    need to keep your word and be with me when I get 100 points."


    "Hah."


    Ste said, "Let''s talk again after the figure turns positive."

 Chapter 707

    Chapter 707


    Chapter 707


    ¡®It''s up to me how many points I''ll add.If I add 0.1 points each time, he''ll never get full points even until


    he grows old," thought Ste.


    Ste imagined Keegan''s face dropping after he worked his ass off, only to get 0.1 points.


    Suddenly, she was in a much better mood.


    Ste even patted him on the shoulder and said encouragingly, "Do your best."


    Keegan looked at her smug expression and felt his heart turn tender.


    Suddenly, he grabbed her wrist and pinned her against the car.


    Then, he lowered his head and kissed her on her cheek.


    "I will," he said in a low voice.


    Ste was startled and quickly checked her friends'' reactions.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Thankfully, they were all busy, and they did not notice them.


    She gritted her teeth and red at Keegan.


    "You touched me without my consent.100 points deducted!"


    Keegan twitched the corner of his eyes.


    "You can deduct points too? W "Duh! If I can add points, I can deduct them too!"


    Keegan asked, "Then, in what kind of situation will points be deducted?"


    Ste repeated the five words, "It depends on my mood."


    Keegan gave it some thought.


    "The points won''t umte if it''s the same reason, right?"


    ¡®You still have negative points whether they umte or not," she thought.


    And so, she said, "They won''t umte."


    Keegan kissed her on the other side of her cheek.


    Then, he smirked like a child who had seeded in pulling a prank.


    "You said it wouldn''t umte," he said.


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®I should''ve said ten thousand points will be deducted just now!'' she thought.


    Marshall got a call from a client.So, after he ended the call, he bade everyone goodbye and left.


    Since Vermont had to go to the office, Keegan drove Felicity and Ste home.


    Felicity did not feel rxed in Keegan''s car.She did not dare to speak throughout the ride.She


    immediately got out of the car the moment they reached home.


    When Ste was getting out of the car, Keegan stopped her.


    "Call me if you need anything.I know you don''t like owing people favors, but you can use me at any


    time.I''m willing to let you."


    Before Ste could fully feel touched, she heard Keegan add, "But, if you really feel bad, you could also


    add some points for me."


    Ste waved.


    "See you," she said as she took off the seatbelt and got out of the car.


    Then, she walked away without looking back.


    Keegan waited until her figure disappeared.


    Only then did he grab his phone and call a number.


    After the call connected, he asked, "Doctor Walford, has Marshall been going to you for treatment


    recently?"


    "Yes.Hees weekly, but his migraine symptoms still haven''t healed.It''s still rted to his stress."


    "Did he have any changes recently that are different from the past? Doctor Walford thought for a while


    before he answered, "I think there are some changes.A while ago, he asked me if he could be in a


    rtionship with his condition."


    Keegan''s eyebrows twitched.


    "What else did he say?" he asked.


    "Nothing else,"


    Doctor Walfordughed.He then continued, "It seems like Marshall has a girl he likes, which is a good


    thing for him.Having an emotional outlet might reduce his psychological pressure.It might even relieve


    his migraines."


    Keegan hung up the phone with a dark expression.


    The incident of Be being sent away in an ambnce quickly became a hot topic.


    The fans were unaware of the circumstances.


    They continued attacking the Motives for Murder crew and thought that the high work intensity given by


    the crew was the reason Be went into shock from physical exhaustion.


    The crew was also a tough cookie.


    They posted a video of the training they had that morning.


    The training was only three hours, and Be passed out in the middle of it.


    Most importantly, the period of time they actually danced was lesser than an hour umted and not


    an hour straight.


    The other actresses in her group were in a good state, so it was obviously a little unjustifiable to say


    that it was physical exhaustion.


    The official ount for Motives for Murder stated that the crew was also really upset such an incident


    had happened.


    However, they still hoped that everyone would rationally approach the matter and wait for the hospital


    results.


    In the video, someone saw Ste Jewell¡ªthe "legal queen" who was really popr among the public¡ª


    in the surveince video.


    Ste was actually there and even standing really close to Be. When Be fell, not only did Ste not


    help her, she even ducked aside.

 Chapter 708

    Chapter 708


    Chapter 708


    Ste''s actions angered Be''s fans.


    Soon enough, the topic #SteJewellColdBlooded became a trending topic.


    [Was she serious when she took a step backward?]


    [There''s no need for her to act this way even if she didn''t help her, right? They''re both in the same cast,


    so isn''t this a little too heartless?]


    [At least the others went up to check on Be.What''s the matter with her? Was she scared that Be


    would bump into her? Why was she so far away?]


    [Poor Be.She got a colleague like her during filming?]


    [If she didn''t move away and helped Be, she wouldn''t have had such a severe fall.This person is so


    scheming! ]


    [I can''t believe I thought she was good at acting.I didn''t expect her to be a person like that.I''ve


    unfollowed her.]


    [Sis, be a stan of someone better.Being a fan of someone like this is not worth it.]


    [This person is Dusk Gxy, the voice actor for Be''s character.She said she quit social media but


    started acting instead.In what way is this quitting social media?]


    [It''s probably a new way of gaining hype.She wants to act but can''t let go of her previous poprity.She


    does something bad, yet she wants to get a good reputation.] [If the crew hadn''t released the video, I


    really wouldn''t have known that this was the kind of person she was! ]


    [Fuck.She stood by idly when someone got hurt.How could someone of her caliber get into the


    entertainment industry? I''m going to be a keyboard warrior today! #


    GetLostFromTheEntertainmentiIndustrySteJewell # SteJewellStoodByldly]


    [Behave like a human being before you act # GetLostFromTheEntertainmentIndustrySte Jewell]


    Not long after Be''s injury became a trending topic, the topics #


    GetLostFromTheEntertainmentIndustrySteJewell and #


    SteJewellStoodByldly trended.


    Meanwhile, Ynda had just ended an intimate war and was currently scrolling through her phone in a


    person''s arms.


    She was practically delighted when she saw the trending topics.


    ¡®Who would''ve thought that cutting Ste''s shirt wouldn''t embarrass her? Instead, she got roasted and


    became a trending topic because of Be going into shock?¡¯ she thought.


    At the time, Ynda had helped Be, so she gained several thousand followers.


    Many of Be''s fans went to her Facebook ount to thank her.


    Some evenmented and asked about the specifics of the situation.


    Ynda narrowed her eyes and gave it some thought.


    Then, she made a reply.


    [To be honest, I''m not that sure either.At the time, there was an actress who changed her clothes


    twice.Be probably couldn''t stand it because the rehearsal period was too long.]


    After she sent the reply, she screenshotted her own reply.


    Then, she switched to her burner ount and sent the screenshot to a few gossip ounts.


    She also sent the video she recordedst night, where Ste was sneakily entering a Mercedes in the


    middle of the night, to the gossip ounts.


    Then, she smiled and waited for the incident to fester.


    As expected, it did not take long before the gossip ounts posted the screenshots one after another.


    They even uncovered a video and confirmed that the person who changed their clothes twice in the


    middle of the shoot was Ste.


    Shortly after, they released the video of Ste on a rendezvous with her "sugar daddy".


    This time, Be''s fans turned even more furious.


    They insisted that Ste had changed clothes twice because she wanted to look good on camera.


    However, this extended the shooting time, which caused Be to go into shock and pass out from


    physical exhaustion.


    ¡®She''s showing off on set because of the sugar daddy supporting her.


    Otherwise, who is she to get such an important role with that experience of hers?¡¯ they thought.


    And so, the new topics #SteJewellSugarBaby and # SugarDaddyBackingUpSteJewell appeared


    among the trending topics.


    Many of Be''s fans flooded Ste''s Facebook ount.


    They criticized her and demanded a public apology from her.


    Yndaughed out loud when she saw the direction of the discussion.


    The man pinched her waist, "What''s the matter? Why are you so happy?"


    Ynda said, "That wench who stole my rolest time pissed off Be''s fans.


    She''s getting roasted by people right now."


    Then, she showed Yoven the video.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    "She was afraid that Be would bump into her, so she dodged as fast as lightning.


    You can tell that it was her character from this detail.


    Be''s fans definitely won''t let her off this easily."


    Yoven nced at the video.


    Suddenly, he froze when he noticed Marshall at the corner of the video.


    He frowned and asked, "Why was Marshall there?"


    However, Ynda did not know Marshall.


    "Who?" she asked curiously.

 Chapter 709

    Chapter 709


    Chapter 709 "That woman''swyer."


    Yoven was watching the video as he followed Marshall''s gaze and saw Ste.


    "She looks a little familiar."


    Ynda thought that Yoven was interested in Ste, so she squinted and pinched his chin.


    "Every pretty girl looks familiar to you, don''t they?"


    Yoven put on a flirty look before turning around and pinning her down.


    "Come on.


    You''re the only one I think about..."


    "Stop it..."


    Suddenly, the room was filled with sensual noises again.


    Aldor frowned as he was scrolling through Facebook in Vinci Rivera''s office.


    Keegan handed him a document and said tly, "Photocopy this and hand them out."


    He did not get any response after a few seconds.


    So, he lifted his head and saw Aldor ying with his phone.


    He pursed his lips and knocked his desk softly.


    Do you want to take a few days of leave, so you can enjoy yourself?"


    The word, leave, immediately caught Aldor''s attention.


    He was about to say yes, but he gave up the idea at the next second.


    "Mr.Kane, a lot ofizens are scolding Mrs.Kane."


    The look on Keegan''s face changed.


    "What happened?"


    Aldor handed him the phone.


    "Be is in the emergency room now.


    Somebody used Mrs.Kane of ignoring Be when she needed help, and they imed that she has


    somebody very wealthy backing her up."


    Keegan read some of the posts and looked angry.


    "Nonsense! Get somebody to take down the posts."


    "It''s toote.


    Too many people have read them by now.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    We''re only going to make ourselves look more suspicious if we were to do that right now."


    Keegan pursed his lips.


    He calmed himself down and thought what Aldor said made sense.


    Taking the posts down was not going to help anything because of how much exposure they gained.


    Doing so would just give theizens another reason to support their usation.


    Keegan thought for a while and said, "Contact the Cyber Crime Bureau and tell them we''re going to


    launch the Anti-Fraud System in advance."


    Aldor immediately understood what he meant.


    ¡®Mr.Kane is going to remove Mrs.Kane from the hot searches by doing that."


    Felicity was scrolling through Facebook in Clouditude International.


    She was boiling with anger, as she read thements.


    "How brainless can these idiotic fans be? So what if Ste did not help her? What fucking rule did she


    break for not doing that? They should be d that you did not step on Mistress Young after what she


    had done! "Did you see what that bitch, Ynda, posted? What the fuck does she mean that Be


    copsed because you went to get changed and it prolonged the shooting time? She at least rested for


    an hour.


    How could a person copse after dancing for just a while? How weak can she be? "At this point, she''s


    just doing everything she can to put the me on you.


    "Backed by somebody wealthy my foot.You didn''t even want to be with the boss of Vinci Rivera.I


    wonder if there''s actually somebody else wealthier than him.Hey, why does this car look so familiar..."


    Felicity immediately lifted her head.


    Then, she squinted and asked Ste, "Where did you go messing around with your ex-husbandst


    night?"


    The edge of Ste''s eye twitched.


    "We went to eat, not mess around!"


    "Is that all?" Ste replied truthfully.


    ''''We slept in the car after that."


    Felicity walked around her and sized her up.


    "Are you sure? Nothing sexual?" Ste''s gaze darkened.


    "Yes, stop assuming things."


    Then, Felicity said disappointedly, "How could Keegan stand it? Do you think there''s something wrong


    with him?"


    Ste was left speechless.

 Chapter 710

    Chapter 710


    Chapter 710


    Felicity said after making fun of Keegan, "Did that bitch, Be, take a picture of you after you came out


    last night?"


    "It''s probably not her.The media said there were no updates about her from the hospital yet." Ste


    frowned.


    She figured that Ynda would then be the most suspicious person if it was not Be.


    Ste did not expect that so manyizens would be scolding her after Be was admitted to the


    hospital.


    Her ount had less than two million followers, yet hertest posts just got several thousand new


    comments.


    Thements were either scolding her for not helping Be, criticizing her for selling her body to gain


    fame, or demanding her to apologize.


    She was d that she turned her private message off.


    Otherwise, she would have seen even worsements about her.


    Besides, she had lost ten thousand followers because of what happened.


    Her avoiding theirments actually backfired.


    Whenever theizens saw an old person falling down and had no one to help him out, they would


    always disy their unpitying side by saying they were not obliged to help because they were not the


    person who made him fall.


    Even though Ste had made it clear that she was not the reason why Be passed out, many


    keyboard warriors still used that against her.


    Be became their idol, and they turned themselves into a hero who condemned Ste solely based on


    a video they watched.


    Putting Ste and Be''s personal grudge aside, one was never obliged to help another in any way.


    There was no right or wrong in this case at all.


    They criticized Ste while standing on their moral high ground.


    Yet, they justified their actions with moral standards that were the total opposite of what they judged


    Ste with.


    "Ste, stop reading them.There''s no reason to make yourself angry."


    Felicity was still a little worried about the depressive state Ste was in previously, so she did not want


    Ste to overthink after reading those hatefulments toward her.


    Ste smiled and said, "Don''t worry.I knew this would happen the moment I chose to be in this


    industry.I just feel like these fans are too crazy.I didn''t even realize that I moved back when she fell."


    Most people would subconsciously do the same as Ste when they saw a stranger falling toward


    them.


    Ste was not the only person who backed away in the video, a few other actors around Be did the


    same as well.


    However, Ste was the only one who did not go to check on her.


    "She would''ve knocked you over if you didn''t back away.You know what, I''d even step on her if I were


    you."


    Felicityughed as she said that.


    Then, she switched to her second ount and said righteously, "I''m going to teach these keyboard


    warriors a lesson!"


    Ste was about to say something, but Kaiden called her.


    He told her not to log onto Facebook because Be was still in the emergency room.He also told Ste


    that things were not looking very good for Be, so it was best for her not to make any response.


    Ste was shocked.


    "Kai, what exactly happened to her? How did things get so bad?"


    Kaiden replied, "She had an anaphctic shock.She was exposed to an allergen."


    Be started to get better when she was sent to the hospital, but things took a turn shortly after.


    The doctor looked at her symptoms and said that it was an allergic reaction.


    Ste was very surprised.


    "Can an allergic reaction be this bad?"


    Kaiden said, "Be is severely allergic to coconut water.Her assistant said that she was once sent to


    ICU because she drank coconut water when she was younger, and the symptoms she was


    experiencing were very simr to that.


    The doctors would never think about that if she did not mention it.


    The coffee she drank had coconut water in it, and that was probably the reason why she passed out.


    Ste paused.


    "Coffee?"


    "Yes.Somebody probably added some coconut water into her coffee on purpose."


    "That''s impossible,"


    Ste said, "A friend of mine brought the coffee, and he doesn''t know Be at all.How would he know


    that Be is allergic to coconut water? Besides, he brought a lot of coffee, and almost everyone had


    some." Kaiden frowned.


    "It was from your friend?"


    "Yes.Somebody cut my shirt up.My friend came to give me a new one and brought us some coffee


    before he came.Besides, not all of the coffee had coconut water in them.There were many different


    types of coffee.There was no way he could make sure that Be would drink the one with coconut


    water.It just isn''t logical at all."


    Kaiden pursed his lips.


    ''It''s most probably just an ident if what Ste said is true.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®But, this ident just doesn''t feel right to me."


    "They have made a police report.


    And, the police would probablye to you and ask you a few questions within these two days.Just tell


    them the truth.Don''t respond for now if there are paparazzi camping outside your door.Try to stay at


    home if you can."

 Chapter 711

    Chapter 711


    Chapter 711


    "Got it."


    Ste paused before she asked, "Will my friend be involved in this too?"


    "Of course.Be is pretty famous, and the police will surely take her case seriously."


    "Okay, then.Bye for now."


    Ste hung up and called Marshall afterward.


    Marshall was reading case files in the office.He put down the files and picked up the phone after seeing


    Ste''s iing call.


    "Mr.Moore, Be is having an anaphctic shock because she''s allergic to coconut water."


    Marshall was stunned.


    "Miss Young is allergic to coconut water?"


    Clearly, Marshall did not know about that at all.So, Ste continued, "I heard that from my


    manager.They suspect that someone put some coconut water in the coffee on purpose.The police are


    involved, and they''ll probably ask you some questions."Then, she added apologetically, "I''m so sorry


    that I got you into this."


    Marshall chuckled.


    "It has nothing to do with you.She''s just unlucky.I brought so many types of coffee there, yet she just


    had to pick the one with coconut water in it.Maybe it''s meant to happen."


    Even though what Marshall said was true, Ste said to Marshall anyway after seeing how scary


    Be''s fans could be, "Just be careful."The look on Marshall''s face turned gentle.


    "You too.Just let me know if you need any help.Be safe."


    "Okay," Ste said before hanging up.


    Marshall put his phone down and leaned back on his chair.Hisputer screen was ying an


    interview of Be not long after she debuted.


    The reporter asked, "What kind of coffee do you like?"


    Be replied, "Hot Americano without sugar."


    The reporter then asked, "Do you have any food or drinks that you hate?"


    "Coriander and coconut water.I''m allergic to coconut water, and I was once admitted because of that."


    Be was still in the hospital, and her condition was not stable yet.She was the most famous actress in


    thepany, so it was perfectly reasonable for thepany''s executives to pay her a visit.So, Trevor


    went to the hospital unwillingly with Jaylene.


    Trevor briefly asked about what happened outside Be''s ward without even going in to look at her.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Then, he turned around and said to Be''s new manager, Shannon Bill, "Publish an announcement


    with thepany''s ount.


    Tell everyone that she was admitted because she ate something wrong, and it has nothing to do with


    anybody else."


    Shannon was surprised.


    ¡®Does Mr.Saun hate Be this much? She''s still in critical condition, yet he''s asking me to post an


    announcement like that?'' Jaylene said, "Brother, Miss Young''s condition isn''t stable yet.We can''t say


    anything like that."


    Trevor replied with a nonchnt face.


    "The media is spreading rumors and making something out of nothing.How can she not know what she


    can eat and what she can''t?"


    "It doesn''t mean we can say that because the police have yet to investigate what happened.It''s not


    going to do us any good if the police found out that wasn''t what happened after we published that


    announcement.


    "Besides, the fans are very worked up.They''ll think that thepany is biased toward Miss Jewell if we


    were to do that, and she will be affected too.I''m sure that you know how crazy the fans can be too,


    right?"

 Chapter 712

    Chapter 712


    Chapter 712


    Trevor scrunched his face.


    "I shouldn''t have signed her.I hate fans like that!"


    Jaylene''s face turned pale as she clenched her fists tight.


    Then, she looked down and said softly, "I''m sorry, brother."


    Trevor paused before furrowing his brows.


    "That''s not what I meant.Forget it.Let''s just wait for what the police have to say."


    Then, he looked at Shannon and asked, "Who gave the coffee to Be?"


    Shannon replied, "An actress from Stardom Entertainment called Ynda Fenley.However, she didn''t


    buy the coffee.A friend of the director brought it to the set when he was visiting."


    Trevor squinted before he said after a few seconds, "Announce the reason why Be was admitted.Let


    her dogs bite someone else instead."


    Shannon lifted her brows.


    ''How tricky.Now the center of attention will be shifted."


    So, Ynda''s manager called her in the middle of the night andshed out at her.


    "Were you the one who gave Be the coffee?"


    Ynda was half-awake.


    "What coffee?"


    "Be is having an anaphctic shock, right now.The doctor said that she''s allergic to coconut water,


    and it came from the coffee she drank that day! The surveince footage of the set showed that you


    handed her that cup of coffee.Her fans are going crazy now.They won''t stop calling ourpany, and


    they even made a police report iming that you were trying to kill Be!"


    Ynda immediately woke up.


    "What? How would I know what she''s allergic to? Besides, it wasn''t me who bought the coffee.All I did


    was pass it to her."


    Ynda''s manager knew her very well.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    The manager figured that Ynda would only pick on lesser- known artists.She would never do


    anything to offend a famous actress like Be, let alone harm her.


    However, the manager was still very baffled by her foolish actions.


    "Even though you didn''t buy it, how could you just hand it to her without finding out if it''s safe? Are you


    new? I have no idea what to say about you."


    Ynda''s expression looked ugly.


    "Mr.Winfield''s friend brought the coffee.Who would''ve thought that there''d be something wrong with it?


    I''ll log on to my Facebook now to rify that Mr.Winfield''s friend bought it, and all I did was hand it to


    her."


    "Are you trying to upset everyone?"


    The manager was very frustrated.


    "Give me your Facebook password.I''ll take care of it for you.Don''t log in to your Facebook for now."


    Ynda said unhappily, "Am I going to just let them throw mud at me?"


    "Be hasn''t woken up yet.I can''t imagine what her fans would do to you if you said anything to offend


    them."


    Ynda got angry.


    "Are they stupid? Are they just going to ignore the fact that Ste did nothing to help her?"


    Her manager felt like smacking her empty head.


    "Which do you think is worse? Attempting to murder her or just ignoring her? Can''t you use your


    brain?!"


    Then, the manager added, "I''m hanging up now.Remember not to use your Facebook anymore."


    Even though Ynda was reluctant, she had no other choice but to listen to her manager.


    Felicity argued with Be''s fans for two hours.She got so mad that she almost deleted her Facebook.


    "I''m going crazy debating with these idiots!"


    Ste just came out of the shower.She drank some water and said, "Sleep early and stop bothering


    them."


    Felicity slumped on the sofa.


    "You can go to sleep first.I''ll go back to the battlefield after resting for a while."


    Ste could not do anything to convince her anymore.


    "Don''t stay up too long."


    "Okay."


    Ste went back to her room.


    Then, shey on her bed after applying her skincare.She was not really bothered by what theizens


    said, but she could not help but think about those awful words they used after lying down.She was


    having a very hard time falling asleep.


    Then, her phone rang.


    She grabbed it and saw Keegan transferring her five hundred and twenty dors to her with a remark.


    [Have a good rest.Don''t think too much.]


    Ste paused as she stared at the transaction amount for some time.She only realized that she called


    him after recollecting herself.Her hair stood on end when she looked at the name, The Worst Person,


    on her phone.She wanted to disconnect the call, but it was picked up.


    "Hello?"


    Keegan''s deep and maic voice could be heard from the phone, and Ste kept quiet.

 Chapter 713

    Chapter 713


    Chapter 713


    Ste moved her finger to the end call button, but Keegan called her name.


    "Ste."


    Ste paused and did not tap on the button.


    "You''re not going to sleep yet?" Keegan spoke very softly.


    "Yeah," Ste said.


    She paused before she asked, "What about you? "


    The expression on Keegan''s face looked a lot more rxed after hearing Ste''s question.He gestured


    to Aldor to keep quiet before going into the lounge.He loosened his tie and said softly, "I was just about


    to."


    Ste looked downward, grabbed her nket, and said, "Oh."


    Keegan asked, "Why did you suddenly call me?"


    Ste said, "It was an ident."


    Keegan then kept quiet and thought, ''I shouldn''t have asked that."


    He ignored what Ste said and asked again, "You can''t sleep?"


    Ste answered dishonestly, "Nope."


    Keegan chuckled.


    "Well, neither can I."


    Ste nodded.


    "That''s normal.You''ve been like this anyway.Maybe you''re getting older.The doctor said the older a


    person gets, the lesser they need to sleep."


    Keegan was speechless.


    Then, he said in a low voice, "Are you sleeping ten hours a day because you''re sixteen then?"


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Ste frowned.


    "When did I sleep for ten hours?"


    Keegan kept quiet for a few seconds before he gritted his teeth and said, "I''m justplimenting you


    for being young.Did you fail your readingprehension in school?"


    Ste kept quiet.She coughed.


    "I''m not that young.Eighteen is more like it.There are too many things a sixteen-year-old can''t do."


    Keegan''s gaze darkened.


    "You''re right.You can''t use a gear stick if you''re sixteen."


    Ste almost choked on the water she was drinking as she stared at her phone and blushed.


    "G-gear stick?"


    Keegan said slowly, "Thew states that the minimum age to obtain a driving license is eighteen, so


    there''s no way a sixteen - year-old can drive a car."


    Ste''s mouth twitched as she said prosaically, "Oh, is that what you meant?"


    Keegan squinted.


    "Were you...thinking about something else?"


    "No way!"


    Ste was like a cat whose tail was trampled.


    "That''s exactly what I was talking about!" She said furiously.


    "Oh,"


    Keegan responded in aid-back manner before he continued softly, "To be honest, I''m a bigger fan of


    what you were thinking, but it won''t be possible until you turn eighteen.I don''t want tomit any


    crimes."


    Ste then felt a rush of blood inside her.She blushed and said while gritting her teeth, "Verbal


    harassment; ten points deducted!"


    Keegan was speechless.


    "Can I keep harassing you, then? You said that it''s not umtive, right?"


    Ste''s eyes twitched.


    "Are you throwing the helve after the hatchet because you already have negative ten thousand points


    now?" Keegan chuckled.


    "One has to break something to make a breakthrough, right? I''m curious to find out how low my points


    can go." Ste scoffed.


    "I''m sure you can reach negative one hundred thousand points if you''re so desperate to find out."


    Keeganughed for a while as if he was in a very good mood before he asked softly, "Are you feeling


    any better?"

 Chapter 714

    Chapter 714


    Chapter 714


    Ste paused before she realized that Keegan was talking about what was happening on the Inte.


    Then, she lied to Keegan.


    "I don''t care what other people have to say about me."


    She would not be so depressedst year because of what theizens said if what she said was true.


    Keegan did not ask her any further about it.He gazed downward and softly said, "I do.Talk to me if you


    can''t sleep.Don''t take sleeping pills.They''re not good for you."


    Ste was a little stunned.


    Then, she pretended to be unbothered.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    "Did you think I can get sleeping pills just anywhere? I don''t have ess to them anyway even if I


    wanted to take them."


    "That''s great," Keegan said in a hoarse voice.


    "I was worried."


    He would have trouble falling asleep whenever he thought about the depression test result in court.It


    just kept reminding him how ipetent he was as a husband.He was wrong when he thought that


    Ste divorced him out of impulse.


    However, the truth was that he disappointed her too many times, and Ste would rather lose


    everything she had than be associated with him in any way.


    Ste loved money, but she could give it up.She also loved...


    how he looked, and she could dump him too.


    He could always make the right decision at work, but never once when it came to Ste.


    He only started to realize that human emotions were not a programmed system and that there was no


    right answer to them after the divorce.


    He figured that he had to find out what he did for Ste before he could expect anything in return.


    Ste gazed downward and grabbed the corner of her nket as she said in a low voice, "You''ve


    always been a coward.I''ve never seen a man getting so freaked out over a needle."


    Keegan kept quiet.


    Obviously, Keegan was not afraid of needles.He just did not like going to the hospital.


    However, he had a very terrible gastric, and Ste forced him to go to the hospital.


    A new nurse was assigned to inject the IV fluids for him.


    Not only that the nurse could not find the vein after poking the needle into him a few times, but she also


    would not stop looking at his face.


    Keegan hated being stared at.


    So, he got very mad after what the nurse did and how unprofessional she was.


    Ste thought that he was afraid of needles.


    She went to him and moved his head to the side before she softly said, "Come on.You won''t feel


    scared if you don''t look"


    Keegan was not scared at all.


    However, he felt very strange after being coaxed for the first time in his life.


    He was about to say something, but the nurse missed the vein again.


    It hurt him so much that he wanted to tell the nurse off.


    However, Ste held his face tightly and softly said, "Listen to me, it''ll be over soon.


    I''ll put on the pajamas you bought for me when we go hometer."


    Keegan paused, and he felt blood rushing up to his head.


    The nurse jabbed him again, and he started bleeding.


    Keegan acted as if he could not feel it at all because all he thought about was how Ste looked when


    she wore the pajamas that he gifted her.


    Then, he scolded Ste while blushing, "You''re so shameless."


    Ste replied, "You''re my husband, not an outsider."


    However, Ste never wore it for him one month after getting discharged.


    Keegan only realized that she was lying to him.


    She forgot everything she said to him right after getting what she wanted.


    Until now, Ste still thought that he was afraid of needles.


    Keegan thought for a while.


    Then, he said softly without denying, "Injection hurts a lot."


    Ste chuckled and said happily, ''''What a coward." Keegan said in a low voice.


    "Put your phone down, turn on your speaker, and close your eyes."


    "Why?"


    Keegan said, "Vermont sent me a luby, and he imed that it can make him fall asleep in three


    seconds.I''ll y it for you."


    "Three seconds? Even sleeping pills aren''t that effective."


    Ste did not believe him, but she did as he said anyway.


    "Are you ready?"


    "Yeah."


    Then, Keegan yed the song.

 Chapter 715

    Chapter 715


    Chapter 715


    "God, bless my underwear, My only pair.Stand beside them, As they sit in a heap by the chair.From the


    washer, To the clothesline, To my dresser drawer, To my rear..."


    Ste and Keegan were stunned.


    The edge of Ste''s mouth twitched.


    "Is this supposed to be a luby?"


    Keegan pursed his lips.


    "It''s my first time listening to it too."


    Vermont sent it to him and told him that it was the best luby ever, but he had never yed it.


    ¡®I should''ve known that I can''t trust this idiot! ¡®what kind of rubbish is this?!'' he thought.


    Ste then figured that it might really help Vermont to sleep judging by what he liked.However, she was


    very sure that he did not send it to Keegan for the same reason.


    Ste tried to hold herughter in before she said softly, ''''I feel more awake now thanks to you.Bye."


    Then, she hung up before Keegan could say anything.


    Keegan held his phone in his hand, looking very annoyed.He thought, ¡®Vermont is such a


    moron.Everything was going so well until I yed his stupid luby!¡¯ Vermont continuously sneezed a


    few times when he was testing his game out.He stood up and poured himself a cup of tea.Then, his


    doorbell rang.He opened the door and saw Felicity standing outside with a bag of food in her hand.


    "How could you put the wrong address for your takeouts?"


    Vermont smiled and said, "I just didn''t want to expose my real address."


    The edge of Felicity''s mouth twitched.


    "So, you exposed mine?"


    "We''re neighbors, so we should help each other."


    He took the food from Felicity and paused before he asked, "Do you want some?"


    Felicity was not hungry, but the smell of grilled fish was too appetizing.Her stomach growled when she


    was carrying it to Vermont''s house.So, she coughed and pretended to bedylike after hearing


    Vermont''s question.


    "It''s alreadyte.I''ll gain weight if I eat now."


    Aman with high EQ would definitely tell her that she was not fat at all, so she could have an excuse for


    herself to eat with him.


    However, Vermont said theplete opposite.


    "There''s no need for a short person like you to be in shape.Your build is like a cute potato, and you''d


    look like a long headed grasshopper if you were skinnier.Do you know how ugly that is?"


    Felicity trembled with rage.She stomped on his foot before turning around and walking away.


    "Fuck!"


    Vermont yelled.


    He ignored the pain and put down the food in his hand.


    Then, he reached out to grab her wrist and dragged her to him.


    "I invited you to eat with me, yet you stomped on my foot? Did you really think I have no temper?"


    Felicity glowered at him.


    "You''re the longheaded grasshopper! Everyone in your family is a long headed grasshopper!"


    Vermontughed.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "It was just an adjective.Why did you get so mad?"


    Then, she pinched her face.


    "Come on, eat with me.I can''t finish everything on my own anyway.It''d be so boring to eat alone."


    Felicity swept her gaze across him.


    "You''re too humble.Did you forget that time when you ate three bowls of rice, yet you still weren''t full?"


    "That''s because the food you made was too delicious," Vermont said with a smile.


    "Have you met anyone as supportive as me?"


    "Stop finding excuses for your big belly!"


    "I really can''t finish it."


    Vermont''s voice turned softer.


    "It''s mainly because nobody else can make better food than you.All our dear farmers'' efforts would go


    to waste if I threw the leftover away, right?"


    Felicity was delighted to hear Vermont''s praise.So, she coughed before she said, "I''m not hungry, but I


    feel sorry for the farmers."

 Chapter 716

    Chapter 716


    Chapter 716


    Vermont held in hisughter.Me too."So, Felicity went into Vermont''s house reluctantly.Felicity knew


    that the roasted fish was from Southern Unity Street just by the smell of it.That was because her office


    was very close to that street, and she would be attracted by that smell whenever she walked past it.


    She suggested herpany''s team-building session be organized there, but most of her colleagues


    rejected the idea because the smoky smell would stick to their clothes.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    And, that shop had a big hall without any individual rooms, so theck of privacy became a reason to


    not go there.


    After all, team-building activities were supposed to be fun.


    Felicity was one of the few people who only wanted to eat.


    That was why Felicity only ate there a few times even though the shop was very near to her office.


    So, she enjoyed that meal very much.She even took the initiative to clean up after the meal.


    "I''m leaving now."


    "Wait a minute."


    Vermont stopped her.


    "Test a game out with me."


    Felicity waved her hand.


    "No thanks."


    "I''ll send you the credits to draw something from the Glory Collection."


    Felicity stopped walking.


    "How many credits are we talking about?"


    Vermont red at her.


    "Enough for one item."


    Felicity was not convinced.


    "That''s too stingy of you."


    Vermont gazed at her rolling her eyes.


    Then, he sighed and said, "Go on, then."


    Felicity was speechless.


    ¡®Isn''t he going to offer me more?¡¯ she thought.


    Vermont did not stop her after she took a few more steps.


    Felicity cleared her throat and said, "I''ll take your offer since we''re neighbors."


    Vermont tried not tough as he asked, "It won''t be troubling for you, right?"


    Felicity said, A neighbor next door is better than a brother far off.I''ll do anything I can to help."


    Then, she immediately put down the garbage and joined Vermont.


    Vermont sent her the game''s rules before standing up to get a few bottles of beer from the fridge.


    Ste had a really good sleep after having that conversation with Keegan on the phone that night.She


    poured herself a cup of soy milk after she woke up.


    Then, she went to knock on Felicity''s door.


    However, she did not get any response after knocking on it for some time.So, she opened the door.


    Felicity was not inside, and her nkets were folded nicely on the bed as if she did not sleep at all.


    Ste frowned before going to the living room to grab her phone.


    Then, she dialed Felicity''s number.


    Unexpectedly, she heard her phone ringing on the couch.


    ¡®She left her phone here?"


    She felt a little worried.So, she got changed and nned to look for her downstairs.


    However, her phone rang before she left the house.


    It was Kaiden.


    "Ste, are you working with Vinci Rivera?"


    W Huh? "


    Kaiden continued, "Around six in the morning just now, the Vinci Rivera Group and Cyber Crime


    Bureau introduced VR Anti-Fraud System and announced you as their ambassador.


    Ste kept quiet.She had no idea when she became an ambassador.


    "Did you browse Facebook today?"

 Chapter 717

    Chapter 717


    Chapter 717


    Ste replied honestly, "I uninstalled itst night."


    "Re-install it and respond to it.


    This is a perfect chance to rify things."


    "Okay," Ste said before reinstalling Facebook.


    She opened the application and saw that the most searched hashtag was #VRAmbassador.She tapped


    on it, and the Cyber Crime Bureau posted a clip of her.


    It was taken from Jurisdiction when she acted as a university student who ended her life because of the


    pressure of online loans with the caption, [It''s nice to be working with you again.How have you been?


    @SteJewell]


    The main ount of Vinci Rivera shared the post with the caption, [ That''s right.She"sold herself"to us.]


    The ount even unted a picture of the Mercedes-Benz that theizens would not stop spreading.


    In other words, Vinci Rivera was responding to the rumors about Ste selling her body to some rich


    man for her own benefit.


    Vinci Rivera was telling everyone that Ste was not spending time with some rich men when she did


    not go home that day.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Instead, she had a meeting with them.


    Then, other verified ounts began to share that post too as the producer of Jurisdiction had a lot of


    connections.


    Ste did the production team a huge favor, and she was the reason why a legal skit could be so


    popr, not to mention that she actually shot Jurisdiction for free.


    So, the producer had a very good impression of her.


    Hence, the producer utilized his connections and spread the news of Ste bing the ambassador


    as soon as it went public.


    After all, the Anti-Fraud System was going to be a very important breakthrough for cybersecurity.


    So, there was no reason for influencers to not show their support.


    Theizens¡¯ attitude took a big turn in just an hour.


    "We should believe in the authority.I''m sure they won''t find a corrupted person to be their ambassador."


    "I actually kind of like her.Her voice is like no other."


    "To be honest, it was just her natural reflex that she backed away.I have no idea why so many people


    kept criticizing her for that.Did they forget that Dusk Gxy was once exposed for having depression


    by somebody''s fans? Why would she repel evil with good?"


    "Those people are just creating something out of nothing.Ste was not the only one who backed off


    anyway.I slowed down the video, and anyone interested can watch it on my profile."


    "Ste had never used the name, Dusk Gxy, to obtain anything.However, somebody''s fans just


    wouldn''t stopparing her with their idol.They even published photos from the court.I hope they''re


    self-aware."


    Ste thought of Keegan as soon as she read thosements.


    Keegan had been spending almost two years on the VR Anti-Fraud System, and she remembered that


    Keegan told her that he was going tounch it on National Day.


    However, she had no idea that it had been pushed forward, and he never mentioned anything about


    her being the ambassador of it either.


    It reminded Ste of thements she readst night.


    Then, she suddenly realized that Keegan was trying to use theunch of the VR Anti-Fraud System to


    stop the rumors from spreading.


    Ste was a little bothered because she did not want to have any connections with Vinci Rivera.


    The entertainment industry was an ever-changing ce.


    Ste would never know when she was going to be on the trending searches again for whatever


    reason it might be.


    So, she did not want to affect Vinci Rivera''s reputation.


    That was a favor that she could never return.


    However, she figured that she might sound a little pretentious and ungrateful by saying something like


    that.


    Then, she received a WhatsApp message that said, (Just say something about it and make it short.]


    [Okay, ] Ste replied before sharing Vinci Rivera''s post with the caption, [Let me be your "sugar


    baby".]


    Keegan replied to her post after a while.[Sure.]


    Ste was speechless.She thought, ¡®That idiot replied with his real ount! '' Keegan''s main ount


    had several million followers.


    He would rarely post anything on his ount.


    The only things that would appear on his ount were the new progress of his research or the


    introduction of his new products.


    Keegan was one of the pioneers in the semiconductor industry of Hustuabourg.


    There were too many stories about him spreading around such as investing billions of dors to


    cultivate talents, building almost a thousand schools in the poorer regions of Hustuabourg, winning


    countless awards despite being so young, or even having a handsome face and marrying early...


    In short, all kinds of people were interested in Keegan''s life.


    They include people working in the same field as him that admired him anddies who were obsessed


    with his online persona.


    Moreover, his ount would keep gaining new followers without having to promote it.


    That was Keegan''s first time sharing another ount''s post, not to mention how doting he sounded.


    Even though everybody knew what it meant, they could not stop themselves from finding out more.

 Chapter 718

    Chapter 718


    Chapter 718


    A celibate engineer who was obsessed with inventing new stuff and a voice actress who was the go-to


    option when any show needed a sexy and seductive voice.


    The extreme contrasts between them could actually go so well together.


    Keegan never wanted to be interviewed and would rarely appear in front of the media.


    There were only a few photos of him online, and all of them were rted to work, such as when he


    gave a speech at Trinity University.


    Everybody spent a lot of effort to find his photo.


    Then, they cropped him out and ced him beside a picture of Ste when she acted as the corpse-


    cooking maniac in Jurisdiction, where she was wearing a camisole and had short hair.


    They were shocked by how well they looked together.


    Keegan wore a suit that made him look ascetic, and it seemed like only Ste could take them off to do


    whatever she wanted on him.


    The sexual tension surrounding her was simply too strong.


    So, they gave them a nickname as a couple¡ªKee.


    It was abination of the "Kee" in Keegan''s name, and "" in Ste''s name.


    Even though Ste did not have a lot of fans, most of them were very rational.


    Theymented, "Mr.Kane has a family.We should just see them as brother and sister."


    "But...I want to see them date each other!"


    "Me too...But, it''s not going to do Ste any good.Well, I guess we should only do what''s best for her."


    Keegan felt kind of happy when he saw that photo, but his face immediately darkened after how


    Ste''s fans called them brother and sister.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    He was holding his phone when he wanted to quote a post that Kee''s fan page shared, but Aldor


    hurriedly stopped him.


    "Mr.Kane, don''t share it.Everybody else would think that Mrs.Kane is a homewrecker if you did.After all,


    they thought you''re a married man."


    Keegan kept quiet.He looked very upset.


    Clearly, he did not want others to think that he was just a big brother to Ste.


    Aldor consoled him.


    "Being brother and sister is pretty good too as you can defend her publicly.It wouldn''t be toote to tell


    them the truth after Mrs.Kane''s career got on track."


    In the end, Keegan reluctantly gave up sharing the post.


    Be was only transferred to the normal ward on the following noon she was admitted to the hospital.


    She woke up and finally found out what was happening on Facebook.


    She got so mad that she threw the ss cup on the table to the ground after knowing that Ste


    became the ambassador of the VR Anti-Fraud System after what had happened.


    Her manager, Shannon, made her way to the hospital very quickly after knowing that she had woken


    up.


    She waited for the doctor to finish checking Be before she said, "Take a few photos to post on


    Facebook.And, tell your fans that you''re okay."


    Be replied weakly, "Shannon, how did thepany deal with this?"


    Shannon looked at her.


    "You drank the coffee by mistake, and everything was just an ident.Thepany will take care of


    your medical expenses.All you have to do is just get better.After that, you''ll resume your work."


    The look on Be''s face turned ugly as she said agitatedly, "Shannon, this isn''t an ident.I''m sure


    that somebody was plotting against me! Ste Jewell.It''s got to be her! She knew the guy who brought


    us the coffee.I saw them together plenty of times.They put coconut water into my coffee on purpose


    because she thought that I was the one who messed up her shirt.Ste is a very vengeful person, and


    that''s something she would do!"

 Chapter 719

    Chapter 719


    Chapter 719


    Shannon leered at Be and said, You''re both from the samepany, and she''s not as good as


    you.You''re the main character, while she''s just a sidepiece.There''s no conflict of interest between you


    two.Why would she try to screw you over?"


    Be''s face turned red.She could not tell her about how she had tried to break Keegan and Ste''s


    marriage before.


    "Thepany epted an endorsement for an affordable luxury brand aspensation for you.And,


    the police have closed the case and ruled it an ident.I''m telling you, Be, Mr.Saun doesn''t like


    actors who cause trouble.Just do your job, and you will be fine.You''d get everything you were promised


    in your contract.No one can protect you if Mr.Saun finds out that you did the opposite."


    Be was the most popr artist in thepany and should have received princess treatment.


    However, Trevor did not like her at all, which can be seen through Be''s shock at that time.


    Shannon thought that thepany had appointed her a huge responsibility when they allowed her to


    supervise Be.


    But, she soon found out that they were just simply passing Be to someone else since they did not


    have much respect for the actress.


    She had no choice but to do her best because an agent''s sry was based on how their actor was


    doing.


    As long as Be did not cause trouble or breach the contract, she would still be able to gain more


    poprity.


    Shannon''s words did not make Be feel better.


    Instead, it made her feel worse.


    She had begged to be signed to Elegant Media, but now she was regretting it after more than a month


    there.


    With her current poprity status, plenty of agencies would dly sign her on.


    There was no need for her to stay and suffer in Elegant Media.


    Be could not believe that Trevor would rather put a neer before her, and let her poprity run


    low.


    She was sure that there was something going on between the two.


    After Shannon had left, Be sat sullenly on the hospital bed for a while.


    She then posted a Facebook post stating, [Thank you for everyone''s concern.I have been transferred


    to a general ward.I apologize for causing any trouble to my colleagues.Everyone was drinking the


    same pot of coffee.Ynda just handed it to me.I hope all of you can voice out your opinions


    rationally.@ YndaFenley]


    Not long after the post was uploaded, Yndamented on it.


    [ I''m d you''re fine now.I was so worried.@BeYoung]


    Then, she called to ask Be how she was.


    "Thank God you''re okay, Be.Otherwise, I wouldn''t be able to live with myself," she said gratefully.


    "It wasn''t your fault.I was the one who should have apologized for letting the bullying go on longer than


    it should."


    "That''s okay.Everything is cleared up now.I''m just worried that you would me me for handing you the


    coffee."


    "No.Someone else delivered the coffee, and you just handed it to me.The police ruled it an ident,


    and that''s that.But, if someone tries to frame you, I''m thinking it''s because they want to bring you down


    and hurt me in the process."


    Ynda did not understand what Be was trying to say.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ''''Who would dare to do that?" she asked with a frown.


    "who knows.I don''t personally know the person who delivered the coffee, but 1 saw him and Ste


    being up close to each other.But...Yeah.Maybe it was just an ident," said Be.


    After hearing that, Ynda recalled that Ste spoke to the delivery person for quite a while.


    The more she thought about it, the more she found Ste guilty.


    She immediately gritted her teeth and said, "That woman is so evil.I can''t believe she did that just


    because her shirt was cut!"


    "Keep your voice down.Don''t say anything without any proof.I have matters to attend to, so I have to


    hang up now.


    See you on set.


    ¡®If I can''t do anything about this, I''ll just let someone else do it for me.No matter how much Trevor


    defends her, he won''t be able to me this on me, right?'' Be thought.Soon, Dahlia heard the news


    about Ste being selected as the ambassador of the VR Anti-Fraud System.

 Chapter 720

    Chapter 720


    Chapter 720


    Dahlia was annoyed that Keegan did not care about the Crosby family affairs but was being so


    generous toward his ex-wife.


    '' Thank god they got divorced.Otherwise, Keegan would be even more obsessed with that little


    minx.There wouldn''t be a ce for me in this household."


    Dahlia went to Cordelia¡¯s house early in the morning.


    The olddy was already very dissatisfied with her for the birthday banquet, so she had stayed low that


    month.


    Apart from giving her condolences to the guests who were injured on the day of the birthday banquet,


    Dahlia went to Cordelia''s ce to admit her mistakes and apologize.


    However, the olddy did not want to see her.


    Every time Dahlia came over, Cordelia would turn her away, or give her the silent treatment.


    Dahlia was able to marry into the Kane family because of her pregnancy and also her perseverance.


    When she was pregnant, Cordelia did not approve of her, but Dahlia was patient and persistent.


    She went to her house every day and brought her tea.


    She would ask about the olddy''s well-being, clear up the weeds around the house, and feed the


    horse and fish.


    Mr.Kane Sr.was swayed by her actions.


    After some time, he realize that it was not easy for a single mother to raise a child.


    Moreover, it would bring damage to both Dahlia and the Kane family''s reputation.


    The old man tried to persuade the olddy, and she finally budged in the end.


    Now, Dahlia was trying to do the same thing thirty yearster.


    She volunteered to fertilize the nts and pluck the weeds when she arrived at Cordelia''s home.


    Dahlia was so eager to marry into the Kane family in the past that she did not mind any dirty work.


    However, she had been pampered by the Kane family for so many years that she now disliked getting


    dirty or doing energy- consuming work.


    She even questioned why Cordelia fertilized and weeded therge plot ofnd every week rather than


    enjoying her retirement.


    Dahlia said that she wanted to help with fertilizing the ce, but when she was in the garden, she


    called for the workers to put on multipleyers of masks and gloves for her.


    There were many mosquitoes in the summer.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    So, Dahlia frowned as she dodged left and right in the garden, holding a bucket filled with fertilizer.


    It took her a long time to fertilize only a few nts.


    The olddy saw this scene from a long distance, but she ignored Dahlia.


    She took a pair of scissors and went to the other side to pluck some tomatoes.


    When Dahlia saw Cordelia, she immediately went up to her and said, "Mom, just ask the servants to do


    this kind of unskilledbor."


    The olddy avoided her grip and calmly said, "This is my vegetable garden, and I have to be the one


    who tends to it.That way, I can keep an eye on any nts that need to be dealt with."


    Although Cordelia was talking about her nts, Dahlia felt that she was referring to something more


    than that.


    Her expression showed that she felt awkward.


    Then, she said in a low voice, "Mom, I went to give my condolences to the guests who were injured at


    the birthday banquet yesterday.They have almost fully recovered."


    The olddy did not speak.


    Dahlia continued, "Mom, my friends have introduced me to a lot of wealthy young girls.


    Since Keegan has been divorced for quite some time now, I think it''s time for him to find a new


    girlfriend.


    Our family is small; maybe you can fee] more at ease if Keegan can extend the family tree."


    "Okay," the olddy said calmly without looking up.


    "I''m fine with anything as long as Keegan agrees." Dahlia stayed quiet.


    Since she could not convince Keegan, she wanted Cordelia to put some pressure on him.But, she did


    not expect the olddy to throw the ball back at her.


    Dahlia hoped that Keegan would find a wealthy heiress who could help control Keegan in his career


    and help her with the Crosby family''s business.Since Ste managed to make an opening for her n,


    Dahlia wanted to fill the hole.


    "You know how stubborn Keegan can be.But, he listens to you, mom.I''m sure he''d agree with the n


    if you''re the one who mentions it."


    "How long has Keegan been divorced?" Cordelia lowered her gaze and asked.


    Dahlia was startled when she heard that.


    "Almost two months," she replied.


    "Two months. That means it''s been almost two months since Rainee passed away. It would be


    inappropriate for Keegan to find a new wife."


    Dahlia frowned and said in a low voice, ''''Keegan has already divorced Ste. He doesn''t need to


    consider that anymore."


    Cordelia gave her a cold look and said, "It''s his business whether or not he deems it appropriate.Do


    you have no conscience?"


    Dahlia''s face changed slightly.


    "What are you trying to say, Mom?"

 Chapter 721

    Chapter 721


    Chapter 721


    Cordelia did not answer Dahlia''s question.


    Instead, she asked, "How many years has it been since Quentin''s death?"


    "Sixteen years," Dahlia pursed her lips and said.


    "Sixteen years, seven months, and nine days to be exact," the olddy said indifferently.


    He was gone on the first day of the new year."Dahlia seemed a little sad.


    "Yeah.It''s been so many years," she whispered.


    "You haven''t gotten remarried for sixteen years, yet you want Keegan to find a new partner after two


    months of getting a divorce.Have you ever thought of what it''s like for him?"


    Dahlia''s face changed.


    "It''s not the same, mom.Quentin and I have been in love for so many years.He and Ste agreed to get


    divorced."


    Cordelia leered at her and said, "If you really love Quentin, where were you when theb he was in


    caught on fire?"


    Dahlia''s heart tightened, and she wanted to cry instantly.


    "Are you still ming me for what happened?"


    The olddy put down the scissors and calmly said, "Quentin asked me to treat you well, and I did.You


    did not want to remarry because you wanted to stay in the Kane family, and I agreed.So, you knowThis text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    better than to cross the line."


    "You weren''t the one who raised Keegan.So, who are you to dictate his marriage? Don''t use his


    marriage as a way to fulfill your own desires.Who he likes and who he marries is none of your


    business."


    "Mom¡ª"


    "I''m getting tired.You should go home.Don''t ruin my nts."


    Cordelia interrupted her coldly.


    Dahlia''s face looked ugly.She finally put the fertilizer down and left with a cold expression.


    Corrin then tried to fix the situation by saying, "Madam, they are family..."


    Baldwin cut her words short and said, "Madam, the tea is ready."


    Cordelia nodded, took off the gloves, and left her garden.


    Baldwin then turned to Corrin and said, "Don''t speak up for others.Madam knows what she''s doing."


    "i just feel sorry for Keegan," Corrin sighed, and Baldwin patted her on the shoulder.


    When Dahlia left Cordelia''s ce, she received a call from Aurora.


    "Mom, have you contacted Keegan yet? Mrs.Saun and Jaylene are almost here."Dahlia''s expression


    softened slightly.


    "I''ll call him right away.Remember to stall them.I''ll be there soon."


    "Okay."


    After hanging up the phone, Dahlia dialed Keegan''s number.


    Keegan did not get much sleepst night and only had a short nap in the lounge.


    When he saw Dahlia calling, he tossed his phone to Aldor and asked him to answer it.


    Aldor picked up the call and said, "Hello?"


    "It''s you? Where''s Keegan."


    "Mr.Kane is in a meeting.Is everything okay, Madam?"


    Dahlia did not know Keegan''s interests, but she knew Keegan''s temperament.


    If Keegan was in a meeting and he asked Aldor to pick up the call, that meant that he most likely did


    not want to hear her voice.So, she said bluntly, "Put Keegan on the phone."


    "I can pass a message to Mr.Kane, Madam," said Aldor.

 Chapter 722

    Chapter 722


    Chapter 722


    Dahlia resented Keegan''s ruthlessness toward the Crosby family.


    After that incident, she never visited Keegan again.


    Other mothers who lived in the same city as their children would visit their children every now and then


    to help clean up and buy some groceries if they found out that they got divorced.


    However, Dahlia did not.


    She did not care about how her son was doing.


    Keegan had only been divorced for a month, yet she kept sending him information about girls from


    wealthy families.


    She was eager for him to find new love.


    And, she was far more concerned about his new rtionship than his divorce.


    After two times of picking up her calls, Keegan would either put his phone on silent or ask Aldor to


    answer whenever she called.


    He did not waste any of the resources she sent.


    Instead, he forwarded all of them to Wenham so that he could introduce them to Trevor.


    Trevor was getting tired of the blind dates.


    He even posted a tweet stating, [You deserve to be single @KeeganKane] Keegan''s act of sending his


    troubles to his rival was brutal.


    "It''s urgent! Put him on the phone!" Dahlia frowned.


    Aldor smiled apologetically and said, "Madam, Mr.Kane is busy."


    Dahlia''s face turned cold.


    ''''Ask him to show up at Cotton Rose Restaurant at seven o''clock.His father''s old ssmate hase


    to Rivera, and we have made ns for dinner."


    "May I know which old friend are you talking about?" Aldor asked.


    Dahlia seemed a little annoyed and coldly said, "He cane to find out if he wants to!"


    After saying that, she hung up the phone, and Keegan frowned.


    "Are you going, Mr.Kane?" Aldor asked in a low voice.


    However, Keegan hesitated.


    Several of Quentin''s old ssmates had a good rtionship with the Kane family.It was all thanks to


    those old ssmates who came to help with Quentin''s funeral.


    Cordelia had always believed that good deeds won''t go unnoticed.


    If it was really Quentin''s old ssmate, it would be unreasonable for Keegan not to go.


    Keegan pondered for a moment, got up, and said, "I''ll be there.You can get off work after processing


    these two documents."


    At Clouditude International, Felicity woke up from her lunch break and found Ste changing.


    She put on her slippers and asked, "Are you going out, Ste?"


    "Mr.Winfield asked me out for dinner, so I''m heading there for a while."


    Ste then turned her head and asked, "Do you want anything? I''ll take it to go for you.It shouldn''t take


    too long."


    Felicity thought for a while and said, "That''s okay.It wouldn''t look good if you get takeout while having


    dinner with someone.I''ll just order some food myself."


    "I can avoid them while I order," Steughed.


    "No, no.It''s too much trouble," Felicity yawned.


    "Have fun."


    "Where did you gost night?"


    Ste looked at her back and suddenly asked.


    "I was ying video games with that Stinky Cucumber all night," Felicity squinted her eyes and said.


    She squeezed out some toothpaste and continued, "I''m getting old.When I was in school, I stayed up


    all night and I still felt alive and well the next morning.Now, it feels like half of my soul is gone."


    Felicity was thinking that if Vermont ever asked her to test out some video games again, she would


    have to extort him for a few in- game skins.


    "You yed video games with Vermont all night? Are you thatfortable with him?" Ste''s eyes


    twitched.


    "What''s there to worry about? He''s not my type, and I''m not his type.We were just ying video games


    together.In my eyes, you and him are the same."This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Ste was baffled.


    Felicity exined, "I mean, he''s a good friend."


    She also told Ste that Vermont had helped her deliver food to Corbin since it was necessary to


    establish a good rtionship.


    Besides, Vermont was not a bad person if they forget the fact that he changed his partners like how he


    changed into a new set of clothes. Ste thought about it for a while.


    Vermont''s previous girlfriends were basically all fair-skinned and beautiful with long legs.


    Some of them were even taller than her.


    Felicity was different from those women; she was not Vermont''s type.She thought, ¡®But, is there really


    nothing between them when they stayed up all night, ying video games together?¡¯

 Chapter 723

    Chapter 723


    Chapter 723


    Ste thought that Marshall was a good friend too, but she would not want to y video games with


    him all night.She felt that the friendship would be ruined if the boundaries were crossed.


    Ste thought about it for a while and reminded Felicity that being friends with Vermont and being his


    partner were two different things.


    It was best if she did her research.


    The corners of Felicity''s eyes twitched as she said, "You''re overthinking this, babe.I would never fall for


    him.He''s a yer, and I''m not.I''d never want something I can''t keep."


    Ste smiled and said, Whether it''s him or Dr.Steven, it''s better to get to know each other first."


    She wanted to keep Felicity safe from whatever she had gone through before.


    "Okay.You can go now."


    Ste wore her shoes, tidied up her hair, and went out.


    Not long after Ste had left, the doorbell rang.


    Felicity rinsed her mouth and said loudly, "Coming.Did you forget to take something?"


    She then ran to the entrance and opened the door.Vermont stood there in a suit and leather shoes with


    his slicked-back hair.He looked like a male peacock trying to get his suitor''s attention, which blinded


    Felicity''s eyes.


    "Why are you here?" Felicity frowned.


    "What''s up?"


    Vermont snorted, "Can''t you see? I''m taking you out on a date."


    "No, thanks," said Felicity.


    Vermont said slowly, "With Corbin."


    Felicity''s energy levels increased as she asked, "Where is he?"


    Vermont was speechless.


    ''This woman changes her personality so fast when it''s Corbin.When it''s with me, she looked slumped."


    Vermont grabbed the back of her shirt cor, gritted his teeth, and said, "Treat me like a wall again, and


    I''ll never take you to see Corbin again!"


    Felicity was mad.But, she put on a smile, crouched down, and massage his back and shoulders.


    "I would never.It''s just that I just woke up."


    Vermont looked at her pajamas and asked in surprise, "You just woke up?"


    "Yeah.I stayed up with you all nightst night.I''m exhausted."


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Vermont''s eyelids twitched.


    ''Fuck."


    Felicity could not help but struggle in pain as Vermont was still holding on to the back of her cor.It


    was fine if she did not move, but when she did...


    Vermont suddenly noticed two nubs protruding from her chest.


    He was stunned for a moment and then said in disbelief, "You''re not wearing a bra?"


    Felicity looked down and quickly pushed him away.


    She then tugged at his clothes and muttered, "Of course not.It feels suffocating to wear a bra to sleep."


    Then, she turned around and said, "Wait here.I''ll go get changed."


    After that, Felicity went back into her apartment.


    Vermont looked down at his palm, recalled the scene that had just happened, and suddenly realized a


    problem.


    ¡®Doesn''t she feel embarrassed that I saw her without a bra? Doesn''t she see herself as a woman or


    does she not consider me a man? Obviously, it was thetter.


    Felicity did not see him as a member of the opposite sex at all.


    This realization made Vermont feel unhappy.

 Chapter 724

    Chapter 724


    Chapter 724


    Felicity changed into a skirt because she was going to meet Corbin.She also took Ste''s curling iron


    and curled her hair a little.She did not know much about makeup, so she just put on ayer of


    foundation and some lipstick to make herself look better.She then grabbed her backpack and headed


    out.


    Vermont sat in the living room, flipping through The Little Prince.He then read a quote in the book that


    said people should cherish the times they get to watch the sunset with their loved ones.


    That way, they would not regret it in the long run.


    Seeing that Felicity came out of the room, Vermont asked, "Is this your book?"


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "You like it?"


    Felicity nodded and asked casually.


    "No," Vermont answered.


    He closed the book, put it aside, and said, "How can there be only one rose in my garden?"


    Felicity secretly rolled her eyes and said, "You''re not the one who watered them, so no matter how


    many roses there are, they aren''t yours."


    "Wouldn''t it be difficult to lose something I''ve worked so hard to domesticate?" Vermont smiled.


    "I prefer plundering rather than domesticating."


    Felicity snorted, "People like you shouldn''t read this kind of fairy tale.You should read the penal code,


    in case you identally get caught one day."


    "Do you really think you and Corbin would work?" Vermont nced at her and asked.


    Felicity shook her head and answered, "No, I just don''t want to regret it.It''s fine if we don''t get together


    in the end.At least I know I tried."Vermont pursed his lips.


    After a long time, he stood up and said, "Let''s go."


    Keegan waste.


    He rushed to Cotton Rose Restaurant and frowned when he entered the door.


    Dahlia was not lying.


    Several of Quentin''s old ssmates were there with their families, and some even brought their


    grandchildren.


    It did not look like a business meeting but more like a ss reunion.


    Wenham did note because he had matters to attend to, so Darcie brought Jaylene along.


    When Dahlia saw Keegan, she greeted him and said, "Where were you? I''ve been waiting for


    you.Come sit."


    Keegan greeted everyone, pulled the chair next to Aurora, and sat down.


    Jaylene sat on his right while Darcie was on her right.


    After Keegan had sat down, Jaylene handed tableware to Keegan and whispered, "Use this, Keegan."


    Suddenly, Keegan caught a glimpse of the Red Agate bracelet on her wrist, which looked stunning.He


    thanked her lightly and looked away.


    Dahlia noticed his demeanor and was relieved.She had never believed in love that was as deep as the


    sea.


    ''He just didn''t socialize enough.If he gets in touch with more women, he will find that there are many


    girls like Ste.Jaylene, on the other hand, is a person with great essence.She is the perfect match for


    Keegan," thought Dahlia.


    ''He''ll definitely be attracted to her after this interaction."


    One of Quentin''s old ssmates said, ''Jaylene is quite diligent, Mrs.Saun.You have taught your


    daughter well."


    Darcie smiled and said, "Jaylene has been disciplined since she was a child, so I hardly need to worry


    about her."


    Another old ssmateplimented her and said, "That''s why genes are important when having a


    child.If two people have good gics, then their child would possess great talent."


    "Wenham''s genes are really something.They could create naturally talented children," one of the


    ssmate''s wives said.


    Keegan lowered his eyes and ate his meal.


    These old ssmates seemed to have not had contact with the Saun family for many years since they


    did not know that Jaylene was not Wenham''s biological child.


    Dahlia nced at that particr ssmate with a displeased face.


    '' People need to know what to say and when to say it," she thought.

 Chapter 725

    Chapter 725


    Chapter 725


    Darcie looked indifferent and exined, ''"Jaylene is my ex- husband''s child, but Wenham treats me


    well and treats Jaylene as her own."


    Quentin''s old ssmates were a little embarrassed, and one of them tried to smooth things over.


    "Wenham is a ve to his daughter.I heard that he moved his business abroad to find a doctor for


    Ms.Saun.It seems that she is really spoiled."


    The others quickly followed and said, "Jaylene''s eyebrows and eyes do look a bit like Wenham, and


    their father-daughter rtionship is deep."


    The matter then passed.


    The students had reached the age of knowing their own destiny.


    The children of those who marriedte were going to get married soon, and those who got married


    early had be grandparents.


    All they talked about was their children.


    Whose daughter married a diplomat, whose son settled overseas and married a foreigner, and whose


    family had another grandson...


    Keegan was not interested in any of the topics they were discussing.


    He would not havee if he had known that it was a casual reunion.


    Seeing that Keegan looked indifferent and was quiet, Jaylene offered him some eggnog.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Keegan, this eggnog is not bad.Try it."


    Keegan gave a short response and transferred one hundred thousand dors to Ste with the remark,


    [Are you hungry?] Ste was at another restaurant at that time.


    Initially, she thought that the dinner that Stuart had arranged was with the crew.


    But, after she arrived, she noticed that there were not many people from the crew.


    Instead, they were all Stuart''s friends.


    Ste did not know them, so she found it awkward.


    Everyone was drinking and chatting, but Ste just sat in the corner without eating much.


    She only responded when someone talked to her, making her seem anti-social.


    Stuart had a good rtionship with the people who were there, and they were all talking happily with


    each other.


    After a few drinks, Stuart''s face turned pale.


    Everyone joked around and asked him to sing a section of "The Taking of Tiger Mountain".


    Stuart took the lead and sang one section.


    His voice was good.


    The group of people was chattering here and there when the door suddenly opened.


    Ste lowered her head to sip her drink, and she did not look up.


    She only heard someone shout, "Leighton!"


    Stuart turned over and smiled immediately.


    "Leighton, long time no see."


    Ste finally looked up after taking a sip.


    The person was about 6 feet tall.


    He was wearing a motorcycle suit and a pair of ck jeans.


    At first nce, Ste noticed that his legs were long, and he looked like a model.


    However, his face looked a little funny since he was still wearing sunsses in such a dark ce.


    His jaw was defined, his lips were slightly thin, and the corners of the lips were rather sharp.


    It gave off a wicked feeling.


    Ste watched and found that he was smiling.


    When she looked at him again, his smile was gone.


    As he walked over, he said, "We''re about to start filming, right? I''m here now."


    Stuart patted him on the shoulder and exchanged a few words.


    Suddenly, as if he had remembered something, he turned to Ste and said, "Ste, haven''t you been


    asking who''s your partner in the drama? Come and get to know each other."


    ¡®It''s him?'' Ste was puzzled, but her expression remained calm.


    She extended her hand politely and said, "Hi, I''m Ste."


    The man stared at her for a few seconds, raised his arms, and took off his sunsses with his


    fingers.His eyes were as bright as stars.He looked at Ste indifferently and said in a casual tone, "I''m


    Leighton."

 Chapter 726

    Chapter 726


    Chapter 726


    ¡®Leighton."


    The name sounded familiar, but Ste could not pinpoint where she had heard it.


    Moreover, his face also looked rather familiar.His features were so delicate that he could be described


    as a pretty boy.


    Since they were going to be partners in the film, Ste wanted to get to know him.


    However, after introductions, the man turned away and sat elsewhere.


    Ste put her hands down embarrassingly and sat down.


    She took her phone out and searched for Leighton.


    She then realized where she had seen that man before.


    Leighton was the actor who yed the main character in Secret Sweetheart.


    Ste had be Be''s voice double at that time, while Leighton did not have a voice actor.


    Ste stared at Leighton''s face for over a week when they were doing the voiceovers.


    That was why he looked so familiar.


    Leighton Hall¡ªa popr influencer who made his debut ona talent show at the age of twenty-one.


    His first album won top sales of the year when it first came out, and his song was nominated for the


    Golden Melody Award.


    During the second year of his debut, he broke records with the TV drama, Celestial Sword.


    He had one blockbuster TV drama show each year, and within three years, he became one of the most


    famous celebrities.


    As a result, every actress who worked with him gained fame as well.


    The fans said that they were lucky.


    Be''s poprity skyrocketed precisely that year because of their coboration in Secret Sweetheart.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste had witnessed Leighton''s acting skills because she was Be''s voice actor.


    ''In all fairness, he has the basics."


    Drama celebrities often have low acting requirements.


    Therefore, many of them were not great actors.


    However, Leighton conveys his emotions well on screen.


    He was one of the few actors who knew how to control his facial expressions.


    However, it was said that Leighton was not someone who was easy to get along with.


    He also had a weird temper.


    Usually, when drama shows air on screen, the main characters have to corporate to push the series.


    One of the ways to do this is to couple up.


    However, Leighton had never pulled this type of publicity stunt with a coworker before.


    When Secret Sweetheart first came out, Be kept tagging Leighton on social media to garner more


    attraction.


    Leighton did not respond at first, but then he unfollowed her ounts before the show ended.


    Be''s fans were mad and created a group to show their hate for Leighton for being unprofessional and


    uncooperative.


    They were furious at him for creating such drama between him and his coworker during the show''s


    airing, saying that it was no surprise that he was still a small celebrity.


    Leighton''s fans did not admit defeat and said that Be was just a normal girl in beautiful clothing.


    They scolded her for pulling the couple publicity stunt every time she worked with someone but could


    not ept it when her partner refused to do the same.


    This incident was rather groundbreaking back then, but it died down within two days.


    Ste did not pay much attention to the news, but Felicity sat in the front-row seat and told Ste all


    about it.


    Ste was surprised that Leighton was her partner in Motives for Murder.


    She recalled that there were not many roles in this film, and there were only 3-4 males.


    She could not imagine someone with a high status like Leighton taking on such a small role.


    Just as she was thinking about it, her phone vibrated.


    She looked down and saw that Keegan had transferred one hundred thousand dors to her, asking if


    she was hungry.


    ''Why is this man just throwing money at me? Does he think that I would ept his advances like this?''


    Ste sent him 10 dors with the text, [No.]


    Keegan quickly transferred another hundred thousand dors and said, [What did you have for dinner?]


    Ste looked around, and with another ten dors, she wrote, [A full-on feast.)


    Keegan sent one hundred thousand dors again with [...] as the remark.


    Ste was puzzled.


    ''That much money for just three dots?'' Not long after, Keegan gave her one million dors with the


    words, (That''s better than what I''m having.]

 Chapter 727

    Chapter 727


    Chapter 727


    Ste looked at the money in her bank ount and felt a headacheing on.She transferred ten


    dors to Keegan and said, [Stop sending me money.Just text me.]


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    [No,] Keegan wrote as he sent her one million dors.


    He then sent another one million with the words, [This is me showing my financial capability and my


    sincerity.]


    Ste sent him 10 dors again with the caption, [...]


    Keegan looked at the remark, and his eyes softened.His lips unconsciously turned into a smile.


    Jaylene saw his expression, and her heart beat faster.


    "How''s work these days, Keegan?" she whispered.


    "It''s alright," Keegan replied while he was busy transferring money to Ste.


    Jaylene watched him enter his passcode again and again, so he could not help but say, "Are you


    ordering something?"


    "Nah.I''m investing in my wife," Keegan replied.


    Jaylene froze for a moment and blushed.


    ''Keegan is divorced right now.Does he mean that he''s nning to get remarried again?'' Her mood was


    affected.


    Keegan did not pay her any attention and continued to invest in Ste, [You used to send me one


    dor, why ten now?]


    [Does it mean I get ten points?] Ste looked at the remark below the transfer receipt and could not


    help but smile.


    [No.I do as I please.Do you have any objections?]


    [I do], wrote Keegan.


    [How dare you have an opinion of your own?! ] Ste sarcastically remarked.


    After that, she took a sip of water.


    When she looked at her phone again, she almost spat out the water in her mouth.


    [One dor is good, but ten is too much.Where can I spend that kind of money?]


    ¡®This guy couldn''t even give a response back in the day, but now he''s so good at spewing


    nonsense."Ste transferred 0.01 dors to Keegan and said, [Here you go.] Keegan then sent her one


    hundred thousand dors with the word, [Thanks]


    ¡®Hmm.He even has manners now," Ste thought.


    She transferred all the money Keegan had given her into a newly opened ount.She had upgraded


    the limit of her bank transfers so that she could send more money to the ount.


    Once she finished shifting all the money over, she would give Keegan the card.


    When they got divorced, Ste chose to leave the house.


    It did not make sense for her to keep on using Keegan''s money when they were already separated.


    Unless they ever get back together, Ste could not handle having that much of his money in her


    hands.


    As soon as Ste finished today''s transfer, she felt someone staring at her.


    She looked up and saw Leighton drinking with Stuart.


    The others were also not looking at her.


    ''Strange..." she thought.


    After a long time, Marshall showed up.


    Only then did Ste know that Stuart had invited Marshall.


    When Stuart heard that Leighton was going to sue someone for defamation, he tried to connect him to


    Marshall.


    That was why he was there.


    However, Ste did not know why she was invited.


    ''Why did a group of big bosses ask someone as small as me to be here?¡¯ Everyone was busy drinking,


    and the vibe was nice.


    So, Ste did not want to ask too many questions.


    Ste was much more rxed with Marshall there since he would pull her in for a chat from time to


    time.


    On the other hand, Keegan saw that Ste had not responded to his messages for a long time, so he


    put his phone away.


    "Have you been out and about in Rivera since you came back here, Jaylene?" Dahlia asked.

 Chapter 728

    Chapter 728


    Chapter 728


    "I''ve visited some ces nearby, but not the ces that are too far away," Jaylene said softly.


    "The only thing we have here is shopping malls.There''s not much to see.Many tourist attractions have


    been developed around the city over the years.Maybe Keegan can take you aroundter."


    If Keegan did not realize the purpose of this reunion in the beginning, he would now know after Dahlia''s


    obvious hinting.She lied to him about entertaining his father''s old ssmates.


    The true reason he was asked to be there was to get to know Jaylene.


    Jaylene epted the offer but added, "I don''t want to trouble Keegan if he has work to do."


    "I can arrange something," Keegan replied.


    Dahlia froze for a moment when she heard that.She was overjoyed.


    ¡®This boy finally opened his eyes! I knew he wouldn''t be so stupid to be hung up on some woman!¡¯


    Jaylene''s heart was pounding.


    "Thank you, Keegan," she said shyly.


    Keegan did not speak.He looked at the Red Agate bracelet on Jaylene''s wrist once again.


    "Can I have a look at that?" he asked.


    "You mean my bracelet?" Jaylene was shocked.


    Keegan nodded.


    "It has a very pretty color.Do you mind if I ask you to take it off for me to see?"


    Jaylene''s ears turned red.She thought that this was Keegan''s way of getting close to her, and she


    could not help but feel ttered.She took the bracelet off her wrist and handed it to Keegan.


    "Do you like Red Agate too, Keegan?"


    "Just so-so,"Keegan said lightly.


    ''Ste likes it,"he thought.


    ''She likes jade, emerald, and onyx, which all suit her well.This bright red color should look good on


    her."


    Keegan did not know much about gemstones and jewelry.He just liked the shiny, bright, and ruddy


    color of the beads.


    ''It looks much better than the ones Ste had bought before.That thing broke when we went to a party,


    and two beads fell out.Ste was so sad when she could not find them."


    Thinking of that, Keegan asked, "Where did you buy this bracelet?"


    "Oh, this? I saw it in a pawn shop when I was abroad.I thought it looked nice, so I bought it," Jaylene


    said softly.


    Keegan looked a little disappointed when he heard that.


    ''How will I get my hands on this thing if she found it at some random pawn shop?"


    He then handed the bracelet to her.


    Jaylene reached out to take it, but Keegan did not let go.


    She tried to pull the bracelet away again, but Keegan''s grip still did not loosen.Instead, he frowned as


    he stared at the bracelet.


    "If you like it, I can give it to you," Jaylene paused and said tentatively.


    Keegan''s frown quickly went away as he said, "Thank you."


    He then grabbed the Red Agate bracelet.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Jaylene was at a loss for words.She opened her mouth to say something but closed it right after.


    ''That bracelet looks better on a woman.Why would a man like Keegan want it that much?"


    While Jaylene was thinking about it, Keegan suddenly said, "Can I get your number?"


    Dahlia beamed with joy when she heard Keegan say that.


    "Yes, yes.Give her your contact information.It would be much more convenient for you guys to contact


    each other in the future."


    Jaylene was momentarily surprised and blushed.


    This was not the first time someone had asked for her number, but it was the first time she felt so


    nervous.


    "Keegan used to y with you all the time when you two were younger, but you guys seem rather


    distant now,"


    Darcie smiled and said.


    "Well, it''s not surprising since they haven''t seen each other all these years," Dahlia said.


    Jaylene blushed and entered her phone number in Keegan''s phone.


    When Keegan saved the name of the contact, he wrote, [Red Agate Seller].


    He then sent a message to Aldor, which asked him to check the price of the stone.


    [OK,] Aldor replied.

 Chapter 729

    Chapter 729


    Chapter 729


    After a few rounds of drinks, everyone started ying games in the room.


    The smell of smoke and alcohol mingled, making the room air unbearably cloudy.


    The colleague next to Ste drunkenly persuaded her to have another drink.


    But, Ste waved her hand through bleary eyes.


    "i..I''m...going to the washroom.We''ll...continue when I''m back," she said woozily.


    The colleague delightedly urged her, "Hurry...Hurry up."


    Ste grunted in response and staggered to her feet.Then, she stumbled her way to the door and


    opened it before going out.


    Leighton turned his head and nced at her.


    Then, he stood up and said, "I''m going outside to get some air."


    Ste immediately straightened her back the moment she went out the door.She stretched her arms in


    the corridor.


    Then, she did a few standing splits.Her flexibility was amazing.She did not look like the drunken person


    she was moments ago.


    ¡®Sitting in that tiny, little chair was so ufortable," she thought.


    Ste moved around.She did a kick while looking around the corridor for a ce to put her legs and


    stretch them.


    Just as she turned around, she saw Leighton standing with a poker face behind her.


    Well, it was not a poker face.Still, he had no facial expressions.


    It was probably because artists have better expression management.


    However, his eyes were filled with shock, as if he had seen something that turned his world upside


    down.


    Meanwhile, Ste was still in a standing split pose.She coughed and slowly lowered her leg.


    Then, she coughed again and greeted him.


    The shock in Leighton''s eyes slowly dispersed.He nced at Ste.


    Just as he was about to speak, the door behind him opened.His manager ran out and handed him a


    face mask and sunsses.


    "For goodness sake, do you know how much trouble that face of yours brings? Hurry up and put these


    on!" Leighton frowned.


    "Why do I need to wear a mask when I''m going to the washroom?"


    Leighton''s manager said, "Did you forget about thest time you were at the washroom when you went


    for a meal? Do you think you only have female fans? Your male fans are even crazier!"


    Then, he lowered his voice and continued, "You better keep it down a little when you''re outside."


    Leighton reluctantly kept quiet and obediently put on the sunsses and face mask.


    Ste felt a little amused as she listened at the sidelines as Leighton''s manager rambled on.It was as if


    he was coaxing a child.


    Leighton seemed to notice her gaze, and he turned to look at her through his sunsses.


    Ste immediately dropped the expression and scurried into the washroom.


    Leighton frowned, and he angrily told his manager, ''''This is all your fault!"


    Leighton''s manager twitched his lips.


    "If I didn''te, do you n on pouncing onto your goddess and scaring her to death?" Leighton was


    displeased.


    "I haven''t even said a word to her yet!"


    Leighton''s manager snorted icily, "When you were inside just now, your gaze was practically glued onto


    her! If I wasn''t watching you and you had pounced on her, your fans would eat your goddess alive


    tomorrow!"Leighton sheepishly shut his mouth.Momentster, he said in a low voice, "She''s different


    from what I imagined."


    Leighton''s manager nced at the man who was a popr idol in the eyes of millions of girls.


    ¡®Who the fuck would''ve thought that this bastard has a thing for voices? He''s even a Dusk Gxy


    fanboy!'' he thought. He looked at Leighton''s starstruck expression.


    "Were you disenchanted after meeting her in real life?"


    "Nope," Leighton thought of how Ste pretended to be drunk just now, only to reveal her true form the


    moment she came outside.He immediately smiled and said, "She has an incredibly contrasting


    personality; I love her even more now."


    His manager had a speechless expression.


    "Just don''t scare her away."


    Leighton nced at him displeasedly and replied, "I won''t."


    Then, he went to the washroom.


    Ste only washed her hands and went to the window by the corridor to get some air.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®If I had known that these were people I don''t know, I would''ve rejected Mr.Winfield''s invite.If there are


    too many strangers around, it''s rather restricting because I can''t be myself when eating or drinking.It''s


    no fun," she thought.

 Chapter 730

    Chapter 730


    Chapter 730


    Ste took out her phone and sent Felicity a WhatsApp message.


    [What do you want to eat? I''ll pack some food and bring them home for you.] Felicity only replied a few


    minutes after Ste had sent the message.


    [I''ve also gone out for a gathering.Eat and y to your heart''s content and go home.You don''t have to


    worry about me.] Ste sent another text.


    [With Vermont?] Felicity sent her a speechless emoji.


    Then, she replied, [With Doctor Steven!] Steughed.


    [You''re finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel?] Felicity responded, [It''s important to have good


    cooking skills.] Ste thought for a while and sent Keegan a text message.


    [Have you eaten?] Keegan was about to put a spoonful of soup into his mouth.


    When he saw her text message, he set the spoon back in its ce.


    Just as he was about to reply, "I''m eating", he gave it some thought and consulted Vermont via


    WhatsApp message.


    [Ste asked if I had eaten.What does that mean?] Vermont was currently in a private lounge.


    He narrowed his eyes and nced at the woman next to Corbin, who was being really attentive to him.


    Vermont had a friend who was getting married in two days.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    The friend had a bachelor''s party tonight, so he called Vermont and invited him over.


    At first, Vermont said he did not want to go.But, when the friend heard his answer, heughed and said,


    "Vermont, did you get a new girlfriend recently? You nevere whenever we ask you out.Is your new


    girlfriend strict?"


    Even Vermont himself felt that he had not attended gatherings ina while.


    He had moved out a long time ago.


    His house was always quiet and lonely whenever he went home.


    Since no one was home and he was the type who liked a lively atmosphere, he enjoyed going out for


    drinks with his friends and often only went home at dawn.


    ¡®But, it''s true that I haven''t gone homete recently.Having someone to cook for me at home and argue


    with me while eating is much better than going to noisy ces to numb myself with alcohol.Over time, I


    had actually gotten used to it," he thought.


    Vermont was a rational person, so he immediately made himself break away when he noticed that this


    habit was starting to invade his life.


    And so, he decisively agreed to his friend''s invitation.


    After knowing that Corbin was also going, he brought Felicity along.


    ¡®After all, I need to honor my promise to her," he thought again.


    However, now that he watched Felicity being all attentive toward Corbin, he felt incredibly unhappy.


    Felicity''s smile at Corbin differed from the half-hearted smile she gave him.Her eyes would light up.


    At that moment, Vermont''s phone vibrated.


    He picked up his phone and nced at it.


    It was a WhatsApp message from Keegan.


    He replied, [Act pitiful.Tell her you haven''t eaten the entire day.]


    Right after he sent the reply, the couch next to him sank downward.


    A woman with wavy hair and dressed in a short skirt sat down.


    She smiled and asked, "Care for a drink?"


    Vermont did not answer.


    Instead, he looked at Felicity, who was nearby.


    She was saying something to Corbin and smiling.


    Vermont licked the back of his teeth and epted the woman''s drink.


    Then, he downed it.


    The woman smiled and moved a little closer to him.


    "Shall we go upstairs?" she said in a low and seductive voice.


    Her invitation was way too explicit.


    Vermont obviously knew what she meant.He reached out and pulled Felicity into his arms.Then, he


    turned to the woman next to him andughed, "Sorry, I''m taken."


    Felicity widened her eyes.


    "Stinky Cucumber? What the...Mmph!"


    Vermont swallowed all of her swears.

 Chapter 731

    Chapter 731


    Chapter 731


    The woman was startled before she left with a smile.


    ¡®After all, this is the type of ce to search for thrills and a night of pleasure.I don''t need to get in


    trouble of finding taken men," she thought.


    Felicity punched Vermont''s chest; her face turned red from anger.He initially only wanted to use her to


    avoid the woman''s advances.


    But after kissing her, he thought it felt nice.


    ¡®I want to tease her even more and test her limits to see her reaction, especially after seeing her widen


    her eyes in anger," he thought.


    At this thought, he picked apart her lips and stuck his tongue into her mouth.


    Felicity froze, and her eyes widened further.


    Vermont was really satisfied with her reaction.


    Just as he was about to demonstrate his skills, Felicity suddenly bit down.


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Even though Vermont was quick to dodge, his tongue still got bitten.


    He frowned and faintly tasted blood in his mouth.He reached out and cupped the sides of her chin.


    "Are you a dog?"


    Felicity''s eyes had turned red from anger; she looked like she wanted to kill him.


    "Didn''t you fucking say you were going to help me pursue Doctor Steven?" she said while shoving him


    away.


    Felicity wiped her lips with the back of her hand.


    Then, she stood up and walked out.


    Vermont frowned.


    He stood up and ran after her.


    Felicity kept walking while spitting.


    ¡®Stinky Cucumber! Rotten Cucumber! That mutt! How dare he stick out his tongue! He really thinks I


    don''t have a temper because he''s helping me pursue Corbin!'' she thought.


    Felicity exited the private lounge and did not get far before Vermont caught up with her. He tugged her


    wrist and said, ''''Where are you going?"


    "Don''t touch me!"


    Felicity felt angry at the sight of him.


    She flung his hand aside and continued walking, so Vermont ran up to her again.


    Just as his handnded on her shoulder, Felicity suddenly threw him over her shoulder, knocking him


    onto the ground.


    "I told you, don''t touch me."Felicity looked at the person lying on the ground, and her anger finally


    subsided a little.


    She lifted her leg and kicked him, "You asked for it."


    The person on the ground did not move.


    Felicity frowned and kicked him again, ''''Don''t y dead."


    However, Vermont remained motionless.


    Felicity gradually felt something was amiss.


    ¡®Did he hit the ground head first? I haven''t practiced throwing someone over the shoulder in years, so I


    don''t know how much force I used just now," she thought.


    "Stinky Cucumber?" Felicity called out again, Don''t y dead.I didn''t even use much force! Hurry and


    get up!"


    However, Vermont remained on the ground.He did not move despite her calls.


    This was when Felicity started to panic.


    She shook him while bending down to flip him over.


    Vermont looked pale and did not seem like he was faking it.


    She pinched his philtrum and said nervously, ''Wake up.I didn''t do it on purpose.Don''t scare me..."


    Felicity spoke with a tearful voice; she was clearly horrified.Then, she took out her phone in a panic.


    Just as she wanted to call an ambnce, Corbin came out.He was taken aback when he saw the


    situation.


    "What''s going on?"


    Felicity found someone she could rely on.


    She teared up and said in a choked voice, "Doctor Steven, hurry up and take a look at him.I...I


    identally threw him down just now, and he suddenly stopped moving.Did I identally hit his head?


    Hurry up and take a look at him..." she said and was about to cry.


    Corbin consoled her, "Don''t panic.Let me take a look at him first," he said as he went over and gave


    him a check-up.


    He noticed a strong pulse when he pressed his finger to the pulse on Vermont''s neck.


    Corbin looked at Vermont with a thoughtful gaze.


    Meanwhile, Felicity asked anxiously beside him, ''How is he, Doctor Steven? Is he alright?"


    Corbin said, He might''ve fainted from the fall.Send him to the hospital first.We''ll see what happens after


    giving him a check-up."

 Chapter 732

    Chapter 732


    Chapter 732


    Felicity''s face was ghostly pale, and her eyes were red.


    She nodded.


    Corbin got an attendant from the store to help carry Vermont into the cab.He sat in the passenger seat.


    Meanwhile, Felicity was in the backseat while holding onto Vermont.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicity''s had an extremely tense expression throughout the entire ride.It was obvious she was


    frightened.


    Corbin consoled her, "Don''t be too worried.He should be fine."


    Felicity nodded.


    However, she did not rx at all.


    ¡®I threw a perfectly fine person unconscious, so how can I be calm? Why didn''t I keep my stupid hands


    to myself?! Other girls attended piano and dance sses when they were younger, but I went to


    Taekwondo.


    During my schooling days, I often threw down boys.


    Once, I made someone get a nosebleed after throwing them down, and the person''s parents came to


    school.


    After that, my mother forbade me from learning such things.It''s been years since I did this to someone;


    why couldn''t I control myself this time?! If something happens to him, how much will thepensation


    be..." she thought.


    Corbin noticed her nervousness, so he changed the topic, "I previously heard the nurses on duty say


    they saw you at the obstetrics ward.Were you getting a check-up?"


    Felicity was stunned.


    Then, she realized Corbin was talking about the time she stalked Hylda.


    ¡°I initially wanted to bring Doctor Steven some food.But I ended up seeing homewrecker Hylda, so I


    went after her," she thought.


    Felicityughed awkwardly, "I''m a single, unmarried woman.Why would I go for a check-up at the


    obstetrics department? I was apanying a friend."


    Corbin nodded and wanted to speak again.


    However, Felicity was worried he would ask more questions.


    Since she was bad at lying, she quickly said, ''''How was the spicy oil chicken two days ago? Was it to


    your taste?"


    Corbin paused, "Spicy oil chicken?"


    "Huh? Didn''t you say you''re not good with spicy food? I purposefully switched the chili oi] to one made


    of Szechuan pepper.It looks really red, but it''s aromatic and not spicy."


    Corbin frowned and was in deep thought for a couple of seconds.


    Then, he said good-humoredly, "Are you mistaken? I don''t know what spicy oil chicken you''re talking


    about.Besides, I quite like eating spicy food."


    "No, but didn''t you tell Stinky Cucumber you don''t like..."


    Felicity suddenly stopped mid-sentence.


    Then, she asked in a low voice, Have you been eating at the hospital cafeteria recently?"


    Corbin nodded.


    Then, he continued, "To be honest, I usually order takeout.I only eat at the cafeteria when I''m too busy


    and can''t be bothered."


    Felicity had an icy expression.


    ¡®I''m hard.My fists are hard.So I''ve been making meals for this long, and all of them have gone into this


    mutt''s stomach?!'' she thought.With a dark expression, she shoved Vermont away.Vermont''s head


    bumped onto the window.


    "Ouch!" he eximed and opened his eyes.


    Then, he asked confusedly, Where is this?"


    "This is your time to die!"


    Felicity grabbed his hair.


    BANG! Vermont bumped into the window again.


    "Fuck!"


    Vermont could not help but curse as he clutched his head.


    Felicity had a dark expression as she shouted, "Stop the car!"


    The cab driver was frightened by her manly actions, so he immediately pulled over without caring if he


    could stop at sucha ce.


    Vermont wanted to grab Felicity, but she quickly avoided his hand and exited the car.


    Then, she mmed the door and disappeared into the night.


    Vermont frowned.


    He had a gloomy expression while clutching the ce he had bumped into.


    ¡®Was this necessary? I merely stole a few meals..." he thought.


    Corbin looked at Vermont''s depressed expression and teased, "Do you still need to go to the hospital?"


    "Hospital, my ass!"


    Vermont had a long face.


    He continued, "To Clouditude International, mister."

 Chapter 733

    Chapter 733


    Chapter 733


    Meanwhile, Keegan had a n after he saw Vermont''s reply.He stared at the "Have you eaten" mtext


    and thought for a while.


    Then he transferred 143 dors to Ste.


    [Nope.I''ve got an important project today, so I''ve been having meetings.] He thought for a while and


    sent another text.


    [I haven''t eaten the entire day.] Ste was amused when she read his two text messages.


    ¡®He''s even sadfishing now," she thought.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    She pretended not to understand his words and sent a reply.


    [Being your employee is so miserable.They work under a boss like you, so they don''t get to eat thiste


    at night and are working overtime.] Keegan replied.


    [They''ve gotten off work.It''s a video meeting.] Ste was speechless.


    [You''re at the office?] Keegan replied.


    [Mhm.] Ste looked at the time; it was almost ten o''clock.


    ¡®Does this bastard live in the office?¡¯ she wondered.


    Keegan sent her another message soon after.


    [Is the feast delicious?] Ste replied.


    [It''s not bad.Do you want some?] Keegan replied without hesitation.


    [I do.] Ste replied.


    [Keep thinking, then.] Keegan sent her a reply.


    [...] Steughed.


    Just then, an attendant walked past her.She stopped them and ordered a few dishes.


    "Pack them up for me and get them delivered to the Vinci Rivera Group afterward.Tell them their


    managing director ordered the food.I''ll go downstairs and settle the billter."


    The attendant nodded and left.


    Ste looked down and nced at her phone.


    Keegan had sent her another text.


    [Julian''s admission results are out.Computer science at Calton University.]


    ¡®That brat! I can''t believe he told Keegan first," she thought.


    Just as Ste was about to reply, Marshall''s voice sounded behind her.


    "T actually thought you were drunk."


    Ste turned around and smiled, "They''re all big shots.I can''t drink when they''re toasting to me, so I


    could only pretend to be drunk."


    She paused before she continued, "Why did you alsoe out?"


    Marshall answered warmly, "Mr.Winfield noticed that you hadn''t returned for quite some time and was


    worried something had happened.So he asked me toe out and check on you."


    "I''m alright.I was just thinking of going home."


    Marshall said, "I''ll let Mr.Winfield know when I go back inside after this.You can go home first."


    "Will that work?" Ste asked dubiously.


    ¡®It''s a gathering with big shots, not one with friends that I don''t know.I should tell them before I leave


    rather than leave without a word.Except I''m worried they''ll stop me when I enter, then I won''t be able to


    leave.They''re all respectable people in the industry.As a nobody who has just started acting, I can''t


    afford to offend any one of them," she thought.


    Marshallughed, "Why are you slow when you need to be smart?"


    ¡°Hmm?"


    "When you go insideter, continue acting drunk.Preferably so drunk, you can barely walk.Who''ll dare


    ask you to stay then?"


    ¡®As expected, weird ideas are the ones that work," she thought.


    And so, she said gleefully, "Then, you''ll have to help me out a little after this so that my act will be more


    believable."


    While the two were talking, someone came out of the room beside them.


    Ste nced at the person and felt a little surprised.


    Jaylene was also surprised.


    Then, she nodded at Ste politely before turning around and going to the washroom.


    Ste swallowed back the "hello" she wanted to utter.She did not expect Jaylene to remember how she


    had saved her.


    However, Jaylene''s excessive coldness still made her feel ufortable.


    "Let''s go," Marshall said.


    He continued, "Get those emotions brewing and let Mr.Winfield witness your acting skills."


    Ste was amused, "Mr.Winfield had a lot to drink.I think I could bluff him."


    The two walked while discussing how they would act when they entered the room after this.


    Soon after, they disappeared into the corridor.


    When Jaylene returned from the washroom, Aurora red at her phone with a frown.


    She and Keegan had somehow changed seats, so the person seated next to her was now Aurora.


    Jaylene pulled her chair and sat down.


    "What''s the matter?" she asked.


    Aurora said with a long face, '' Marshall isn''t replying to my texts.This afternoon, he asked me what I


    was doing tonight.


    I wonder if he''s at hisw firm.I''ll go and take a look when we return after this.


    Jaylene paused before she said, "I saw Marshall just now."

 Chapter 734

    Chapter 734


    Chapter 734


    Aurora was stunned.


    "Here?"


    Jaylene nodded, "I ran into him in the corridor.He must be having a gathering with his friends in a


    different room."


    Aurora frowned, "But he clearly said he has work tonight when I asked him during the day."


    "Maybe he''s here to discuss work with someone," said Jaylene.


    Aurora frowned.


    Suddenly, she stood up and went out in a hurry.


    Jaylene lowered her gaze and gently fiddled with the tea leaves using the lid of her cup.


    "Keegan, do you like to drink tea?" she asked softly.


    Keegan still had not gotten a reply from Ste, so he was a little uninterested.


    He nced at Jaylene and said indifferently, "So-so."


    Jaylene thought she had found amon topic between them, so she enthusiastically talked to


    Keegan about the taste and craftsmanship of various teas.


    Keegan listened quietly.


    While he did not show many emotions on his face, he also did not interrupt her.


    This caused Jaylene to grow more confident.She continued for along time, but Keegan still did not say


    anything.


    Jaylene asked, ''Keegan, do you prefer the taste of Da Hong Pao tea or Dragon Well tea?"


    "Probably Da Hong Pao tea," Keegan said.


    Jaylene was happy.


    "To be honest, I also quite like Da Hong Pao tea.Its heavy orchid aroma smells really nice.It has a rich


    and sweet aftertaste.I always feel like other teas are on the bitter side."


    Keegan said, "Mainly because making tea eggs with them is delicious."


    Jaylene was speechless.


    "Tea...Did you say tea eggs?"


    Keegan nodded.


    He nced at her, "Don''t tell me you''ve never tried making tea eggs with Da Hong Pao tea leaves?"


    Jaylene''s face turned red in embarrassment.


    ¡®Who''d make tea eggs with tea leaves that cost millions for two pounds? Isn''t that a waste?'' she


    thought.Jayleneughed awkwardly and said, "I really haven''t.I''ll try it next time."


    "Letting it soak a few hours after it''s done will give it a stronger vor," said Keegan.


    Jaylene asked, "Do you know a lot about cooking?"Keegan leaned a little closer to her. Her heart sped


    up.


    She lowered her gaze and listened.


    Then, she heard Keegan say softly and gently, "It''s some experience my wife gathered."


    Jaylene''s expression stiffened.She clenched her fists and forced a slight smile.Then, she did not say


    anything more.


    Dahlia had been observing the two by the side.


    At first, she saw Keegan asionally talk to Jaylene, so she thought there was something between


    them.


    However, Jaylene suddenly had a stiffened expression and stopped talking.


    Dahlia panicked a little.


    "What did you say to Jaylene?" she asked Keegan in a low voice.


    Keegan said with little emotion, "Nothing much.We chatted about our interests."


    Dahlia was skeptical.


    ¡®Why would Jaylene have such an expression when chatting about interests?'' she thought.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    However, she could not ask him directly since there were many people around them, so she only urged


    him in a low voice, "It isn''t busy at thepany recently; you should ask Jaylene out sometime."


    Keegan nced at her, and a hint of sardonicism shed across his eyes.


    Then, he said coolly, "I''ll make the arrangements."


    Dahlia was overjoyed.


    ¡®It appears the meeting today was not set up in vain.Keegan finally understands my painstaking


    efforts," she thought.


    She took a piece of chili crab and ced it in Keegan''s bowl.


    It was a rare asion for her to demonstrate her limited maternal affection.


    "Have some more.You used to love this when you were young," she said warmly.


    Keegan did not answer.


    ''I dislike crab and dislike spicy food even more.When I was young, I was attached to the feeling of


    being by Dahlia''s side, so I epted whatever she gave me.I always thought she''d love me the way


    she loves Aurora if I were more sensible and obedient," he thought.

 Chapter 735

    Chapter 735


    Chapter 735


    ¡®However, she didn''t.Dahlia and I will never be as close as she and Aurora.She only cares about my


    emotions because she''s worried about grandma reprimanding her or for the benefit of her own family; it


    was never simply out of a mother''s concern for her child.And it''s not that I had never told Dahlia what I


    like; it''s just she had never taken it to heart," he thought.


    Keegan stared momentarily at the chili crab on his te.


    Momentster, he grabbed the te and dumped it into the trash bin beside him.


    Dahlia did not see his actions, but Darcie did.She nced at Keegan and had a thoughtful expression.


    Ste immediately put on a drunk act the moment Marshall opened the door.She wobbled about as if


    she could not stand steadily.She even tripped when going through the door.She would have fallen to


    her feet if Marshall had not caught her in time.


    Stuart was startled by her "stumble."He hurriedly asked, "What''s the matter with her?"


    Marshall half- dragged her and said in a low voice, "She had too much to drink."


    Ste staggered and shoved him.


    "You...You''re the one who had too much to drink.I...I can hold my liquor!" she said as she went up and


    patted Stuart''s shoulder.


    She narrowed her eyes and said through slurred speech, "Stewie.To -Tonight...We shall drink...To our


    heart''s content!"


    Stuart twitched his eyes.


    ''Stewie..." he thought.


    Marshall quickly pulled her over and said in a low voice, "You''re drunk and confused; you can''t


    recognize people anymore."


    Ste continued to act drunk.


    She struggled around and said, "You''re the one who had too much to drink! Stewie is my bro!"


    Stuart hit a wall.


    ¡®I''m old enough to be her father!¡¯ he thought.Marshall put his arms around her shoulders and pulled her


    back.


    "Why don''t I send her home first? I''lle back after this."Stuart said, "You also drank.I''ll call my


    assistant and ask them toe over."


    Ste continued putting on an act, "I won''t go home! I want to drink with Stuart!"


    Stuart wanted to throw her out the window.


    ¡®Her behavior after drinking is terrible!'' he thought.He grabbed his phone and started dialing a


    number.Ste secretly gave Marshall a thumbs-up.Before Stuart''s call got through, someone opened


    the door of their private lounge.Aurora scanned the surroundings and immediately spotted


    Marshall.She immediately shouted, "Marshall!"


    The two of them had their backs faced against the door, so Ste did not see Aurora in person but


    heard her voice.


    She could not help but curse internally.


    ¡®Fuck.What''s Aurora doing here?'' she thought.


    Ste was pretending to be drunk, so she was half leaning onto Marshall while he supported her.


    ''I know how possessive Aurora is over Marshall.If she sees us, she''ll surely throw a huge fit.I normally


    wouldn''t be worried about Aurora throwing a fit, but I''m currently acting drunk and can''t let anyone see


    through my act, so I can only keep my act till the very end.After all, it''ll be awkward if Stuart learns that


    1 pretended to be drunk so I can leave," she thought.


    The people in the room were all in the entertainment industry.


    Naturally, none of them knew upper-ss socialites like Aurora.


    When they heard her call for Marshall, they did not pay much mind and merely thought she was


    someone he knew.


    "Marshall, I thought you were working overtime at thew firm."


    Aurora said as she walked up to him.


    Then, she saw the person in his "embrace." Her expression changed.


    "Marshall, what are you doing with her?" her voice turned shrill.


    Marshall frowned as if he did not really want to see her.


    He said icily, "What are you doing here?"


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Aurora''s eyes were filled with jealousy and anger as her gaze fell onto Marshall''s hand, holding Ste


    up.


    "What are you doing with this bitch?!" Marshall darkened his expression and chided, "Watch your


    words!"

 Chapter 736

    Chapter 736


    Chapter 736


    Aurora had already let her anger get the better of her, so she was not bothered to watch her words.She


    said through gritted teeth, "Am I wrong? She hit on you right after she dumped my brother.Forget about


    my brother letting his infatuation for her get the better of him.But Marshall, how could you also get


    bewitched by this woman?"


    Aurora naturally had a powerful voice.


    Now that she was speaking loudly with a high pitch, she instantly caught the attention of everyone


    present.


    Marshall darkened his expression.


    "Did you not cause enough trouble on the set previously? Now you''re here spouting nonsense and


    ruining other people''s reputations.Is this how Madam Crosby raised you?" he said.


    Aurora''s face fell, "Everything I said is the truth! Right now, the Jewell family doesn''t see her as their


    own, so she''s nothing in the social circle.She''s deliberately seducing you because she wants to reenter


    the circle.Don''t let her fool you, Marshall!"


    Ste watched how exasperated Aurora looked.


    ¡®I suddenly feel...Rather pleased.I''ll feel sad if I don''t let Aurora get a taste of being loathed by someone


    she likes," she thought.


    And so, she gently shook Marshall''s arm and said drunkenly, "It''s so noisy.I want to go home."


    Aurora saw red.


    She went up and shoved Ste, and Ste fell to the side she got shoved.


    ¡®ording to my calctions, I should fall onto the floor mat.It may look like a bad fall, but it won''t be


    too painful," thought Ste.


    However, before she could touch the ground, someone held her up by her armpits just as she bent her


    knees.


    She was speechless.


    ¡®who''s this dumbass holding me up?! I haven''t even properly demonstrated my acting skills yet!'' she


    thought.


    "Are you alright?"


    A husky voice sounded next to Ste''s ear.


    It was tinged with an unnoticeable hint of tease, causing Ste to fall silent.


    It was not anyone else, but Leighton who had seen her doing a standing split pose outside just now.


    ¡®I''m torn between standing and kneeling.This is so fucking awkward," she thought.


    Since he did not expose her, she could only continue acting, "...I''m fine."


    Marshall did not manage to catch Ste.


    He only breathed a sigh of relief when he saw she did not fall.


    Then, he turned to Aurora with an icy expression.


    "Get out!"


    Aurora was in disbelief, "Marshall, you''re throwing me out?"


    Marshall said displeasedly, "The Aurora I know is innocent and straightforward.


    She isn''t how you are right now¡ª unable to tell right from wrong, arrogant, and bossy! I don''t want to


    see you right now, so get out!"


    Aurora''s eyes turned red as if she were about to cry.


    "I just didn''t want her to touch you, and I didn''t even use much force! Marshall, why would you rather


    believe her than me? Did she bewitch you?"


    "Get out!"


    Marshall was not bothered to exin further.


    He merely continued icily, "Don''t let me say it the fourth time!"


    Aurora tightly clenched her fists.


    Her eyes were bloodshot.


    Marshall stopped looking at her after he finished speaking.


    He bent down and took Ste from Leighton''s arms.


    "Did you bump into anywhere?" he asked in a low voice.


    Aurora watched as Marshall lowered his head.


    His eyes were tender as he spoke to Ste in a low voice.


    She was so furious her fingers trembled.


    Aurora saw the piping hot teapot on the table by the door.


    Suddenly, she went up and grabbed the boiling pot and sshed its contents at Ste.


    The look in Marshall''s eyes abruptly changed; he shielded Ste in his arms.


    However, the expected scalding feeling did note.


    Then, they heard a shriek, "Leighton!"


    The boiling water Aurora had sshed got blocked by Leighton.


    Leighton''s manager had turned pale with fear.


    He immediately went up to him and helped him take off his jacket.


    Leighton wore a racing suit.


    Since the outfit was waterproof and he shielded the water with his back, most got onto the shirt, but


    some had gotten into it from the back of his cor.


    After he took off his shirt, they saw a patch of redness on his neck.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    The sudden situation caused an uproar in the room.


    Aurora stood at her spot.


    Then, she btedly realized she had gotten herself in trouble.


    She loosened her grip, and the teapot fell to the ground.


    Some called for an ambnce, while others contacted the hospital.


    Meanwhile, someone pulled Leighton to the washroom to run his scald under cold water.


    The scene was a mess, so no one noticed her.


    Aurora paled and took a few steps back.


    Then, she ran back to her private lounge.


    Ste had long given up on pretending to be drunk.


    While it was true she intended to provoke Aurora, she had underestimated her madness.

 Chapter 737

    Chapter 737


    Chapter 737


    ¡®She actually dared to ssh boiling water onto someone.If Leighton hadn''t shielded me, most of the


    boiling water would''ve gotten onto my body and face," Ste thought.


    Leighton''s neck was severely scalded.


    Even after rinsing the scald with cold water on time, a circle of blister still appeared.He also had a red


    patch on his back which looked gruesome.


    ¡®He''s an idol who makes a living using his face.I really regret my actions now that he''s gotten scalded


    on his body.Why did I provoke¡ªthat mad dog¡ªAurora? I should''ve just beaten up that motherfucker!''


    she thought.


    The ruckus outside quickly reached the private lounge Keegan was in.


    Dahlia frowned, "What''re they doing outside? Why is it so noisy?"


    Aurora took a sip of her tea with a pale face.She was so nervous her hands were trembling.


    Keegan nced at her.


    Suddenly, he stood up and said, "I''ll go outside and take a look."


    Aurora stiffened and tightly gripped her cup.


    Jaylene followed suit and stood up.


    "Keegan, I''ll go with you."


    Before Keegan could respond, Dahlia said, "Go ahead.You could also get some air outside.It''s a little


    stuffy in here."


    Keegan did not respond and went out of the room.


    Jaylene followed closely behind him.


    Meanwhile, Aurora fidgeted in her seat.She always acted on impulse and only started to regret her


    actions after doing it.


    ¡®The person that got sshed with boiling water seems like a celebrity, so this matter might be difficult


    to settle.When Keegan goes outside, he''ll know who I really intended to ssh just now.I have a feeling


    my brother won''t forgive me," she thought.


    At this thought, Aurora suddenly stood up.


    Dahlia was startled by her sudden movements.She frowned and asked, ''''What''s the matter?"


    Aurora pressed her trembling lips together.


    "Mom, I don''t feel good.I''ll be going home first," she said in alow voice.


    Dahlia asked in concern, "What''s wrong? Are you in pain anywhere? Do you need to go to the


    hospital?"


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    "I''m just a little dizzy.I''ll feel better after going home and lying down for a while," Aurora said while


    picking up her bag.


    She continued, "I''m leaving."


    Before Dahlia could respond, Aurora quickly exited the room.Dahlia muttered in bewilderment, "How


    reckless..."


    Just as Keegan left the room, he saw many people gathered in the corridor, mainly concentrated near


    the washroom.


    He thought someone had too much to drink, so he casually nced at them.


    Then, he froze.


    Among the crowd near the washroom, Ste stood there with a frown and a pale expression.


    Marshall stood beside her and leaned close to her, saying something.


    "Isn''t that Marshall?" Jaylene asked softly.


    Keegan pursed his lips.


    He only took a few steps before someone stopped him, "Are you a guest in Room 303?"


    Keegan nced at the person; they looked like a hotel staff member.


    Then, he nodded.


    "Just now, a woman in your room sshed boiling water on a guest in 302.They just called the police,


    so we''re assisting the police to inform you."


    Keegan''s expression changed slightly.


    Then, he strode to Ste.


    He pulled her wrist and nervously checked her body, "Where''d she ssh you?"

 Chapter 738

    Chapter 738


    Chapter 738


    Ste was startled momentarily.


    ¡®Isn''t he at the office? Did he teleport here?'' she wondered.


    Before she could respond, Jaylene followed behind him and said, "Marshall, Ms.Jewell."


    Ste froze and looked at Jaylene.


    Then, she nced at a nervous- looking Keegan, and her gaze darkened slightly.


    Marshall exined, "Ste is fine.Someone else got hurt."


    Then Keegan saw Leighton, who had gotten scalded.


    He felt a little relieved knowing Ste was not hurt.He wanted to say something, but the car downstairs


    was ready.


    So Stuart told everyone to make way and send Leighton to the hospital first.


    Ste withdrew her hand.


    Then, she followed them with a dark expression.


    Marshall wanted to run after her but was stopped by Keegan.


    "What happened?" Keegan asked in a low voice.


    Jaylene also chimed in, "Marshall, what''s going on?"


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Marshall nced at the two.


    "Aurora barged into the room just now and sshed boiling water onto Ste.Mr.Hall shielded her, so


    his back got scalded."


    Keegan had a dark expression.


    ¡®No wonder Aurora had such a panicked expression when she entered the room just now.If someone


    hadn''t shielded Ste, she would''ve been the one with blisters right now," he thought.


    Keegan subdued his trembling heart.


    Then, he lifted his head and gazed at Marshall, "How did Aurora know that you guys were in the room


    next door?"


    ¡®There are plenty of upscale restaurants in Rivera, and Cotton Rose Restaurant isn''t even one of the


    best among them.


    Besides, even if we chose the same restaurant coincidentally, what''re the chances of choosing rooms


    next to each other when there are dozens of them? I don''t know calculus, but I know about probability.


    Something can be justified as coincidental if it happens once or twice.


    But if something is always coincidental, is it really a coincidence?'' he thought.


    Marshall froze after hearing his words.He slowly lowered his hand, which was blocking Keegan.


    Then, he turned to look at Keegan calmly, "This is a question you should ask Aurora instead.I would


    also like to know how she found our room."


    Beside them, Jaylene secretly clenched her fists.


    ¡®I didn''t expect Aurora to be so ruthless.I just wanted to use her as a pawn to make Keegan realize his


    ex-wife has already moved on so that he can give up on her.I didn''t want to harm Ste," she thought.


    The crowd heading to the hospital shoved Jaylene and Keegan aside.


    Jaylene felt a little overwhelmed, so she did not immediately follow them.


    "Leighton''s team has already called the police; they won''t let this incident go easily.But of course, with


    your capability, you could keep Aurora safe as long as you want to.Just like the time she locked Ste


    in the washroom on the night of the charity ball."


    Marshall continued coolly, "If the police question me, I''ll tell them the truth.You have the people you


    want to protect, and so do I."


    Keegan''s expression turned icy.


    "Marshall Moore, you could be a little more open and upright.That way, I wouldn''t look down on you!"


    Marshall lifted his gaze, "Keegan, you seem to have gotten one thing wrong¡ªyou let Ste go yourself;


    nobody forced you.Since you''ve already let go of her, you should carry out your duty as an ex instead


    of condoning your family for hurting her.As for the approaches I''m using, that''s my business."


    Suddenly, Keegan tightly grabbed Marshall''s cor.


    He said sternly through gritted teeth, "Come at me if anything.I won''t forgive you if you mess with her."


    Marshall frowned and seemed really confused by Keegan''s words.He pursed his lips and slowly


    removed Keegan''s hand from his cor.


    "Whoever Ste chooses is up to her.I won''t hold a grudge if she ends up choosing you."


    He straightened his shirt and continued coolly, Provided that you win over me."


    After he spoke, he nced at Jaylene, who was standing nearby.


    A hint of mockery shed across his eyes.


    Then, he walked away.


    Keegan had an icy expression as he watched Marshall leave.


    No other emotion could be discerned on his face.


    He frowned deeply.


    ¡®How could he possibly like Ste?'' he thought.

 Chapter 739

    Chapter 739


    Chapter 739


    "Mr.Kane..."


    Jaylene went to him and said his name, "Should we go to the hospital?"


    Keegan kept quiet and went back to the private room with a cold face.


    Aurora had left long ago.


    Dahlia was shocked when she saw himing back with an angry face.


    Keegan cut to the chase and directly said, "Where''s Aurora?"


    "She''s not feeling well, so she went back."


    Keegan''s face darkened.


    Then, he took out with phone and dialed Aurora''s number.


    Aurora had just gotten into the cab when she saw Keegan calling her.


    She got so scared that she declined the call without hesitating.


    Then, she said hurriedly, "Drive now!"


    The driver asked, "Where to?'' "Anywhere! Just start driving!"


    She handed the driver some notes.


    "Now!"


    The driver then immediately started the car.


    Keegan called his bodyguards after Aurora hung up on him.


    He said coldly after the call connected, "Bring Aurora to me! Break her legs and drag her back to me if


    she resists!"


    The look on Dahlia''s face changed as she stood up abruptly, "Why did you tell them to get Aurora?"


    Keegan gazed at her coldly.


    "It''s time she pays for what she did!"


    Then, he mmed the door open and left.


    Dahlia panicked.


    Darcie quickly went to hold her arm and said softly, "Calm down,"


    Then, she turned around and asked Jaylene, "Jaylene, what''s going on?"


    Jaylene pursed her lips and said, "Aurora poured boiling water on someone, and they called the cops


    on her."


    Dahlia said angrily, "So what? I''m sure that money can solve it!"


    Jaylene paused before she said in a low voice, "That person doesn''t need the money.He''s a pretty


    famous actor."


    Dahlia gritted her teeth and said, "He''s just another low life.What''s the difference?! Keegan is out of his


    mind!"


    Then, she quickly went after Keegan.


    Keegan had just left the hotel when the police arrived.


    Everyone in that private room, including Dahlia, was stopped from leaving.


    In the hospital, the doctor held a tweezer and needle to pop Leighton''s burn blisters on his neck.


    He would twitch every time the doctor poked the needle in the blisters.


    Ste furrowed her brows and scrunched her face.


    His manager''s face looked awful as he asked, "Leighton, does it hurt?"


    After that, the manager asked the doctor, "Is it going to leave a scar?"


    The doctor was popping the blisters calmly as he said tly, "Not necessarily.


    But it differs from person to person.


    The mark will be gone in around two months for some people, but it would take years for others."


    "Oh, no."


    The manager was shocked.


    "What is Leighton going to do now? He''s going to lose his job!"


    The doctor tried to hold himself back but, in the end, said, "His face isn''t affected at all.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Does the audience love to look at the back of his neck?"


    The manager glowered at him and said, "Every part of a celebrity''s body is just as important as his


    face!"


    The edge of Leighton''s eyes twitched as he said embarrassedly, "Just cut it off.The doctor said I''ll be


    fine."


    Leighton''s manager was so furious that he could not contain his anger anymore, ''Do you know how


    valuable your body is? How could you stand in front of boiling water just to save someone? You''re


    lucky that it sshed on your back.Are you aware of what would happen if it was your face?"

 Chapter 740

    Chapter 740


    Chapter 740


    "You have two endorsementsing, and both are even skin care products.How are you going to take


    the job now? Do you know how much money we''re going to lose?"


    Ste pursed her lips and softly said, "I''m sorry..."


    Leighton cut her off as soon as she spoke and said to his manager annoyedly, "You''re spitting all over


    my wound.Are you trying to make things worse for me?"


    His manager red at him.


    "Why did thepany assign me to such a troublemaker?!"


    ¡®He''d lose his ability to think whenever he saw his crush and do anything to defend her!'' Leightony on


    the bed and buried his face in the pillow.


    Then, he said in alow and muffled voice, "Find somebody better to work with, then!"


    His manager rolled his eyes at the ungrateful guy.


    He was about to say something, but his phone rang.


    Then, he went outside to answer it.


    Stuart was very distressed as he looked at Leighton''s wound.


    Then, he pursed his lips and said, "Get some rest.You don''t have toe when we start shooting.I''ll


    reschedule your parts to be filmedter.So take care of yourself."


    Leighton said while suppressing the pain, "It''s okay.I can be there.My wound is on my back anyway.It


    won''t affect anything."


    Stuart said again, "It''s fine.Just rest well."


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Then, he saw Ste, who looked very guilty, at the side.


    He paused and said, "Are you sober now?"


    Ste kept quiet.She had forgotten how she pretended to be drunk as she was too worried about


    Leighton.She opened her mouth and wanted to say something, but she heard Leighton mocking Stuart,


    "You''d be sober too if someone sshed boiling water at you."


    Stuart thought what Leighton said made sense, so he said, "I''ll drive you back."


    "Thanks, Mr.Winfield, but I''ll stay a little longer.You should leave without me."


    So, Stuart turned around and left.


    He drank a lot, and he felt very dizzy.


    His casts were admitted to the hospital one after another before the shooting even started.


    He wondered if he picked an unlucky date to begin shooting, so he nned to talk to a fortune teller


    and pick a better date.


    Everyone in the ward started leaving, and Ste was the only person left.


    The doctor took care of the blisters and cleaned the fluid on his neck with a cotton ball.


    Then, he sterilized the wound.


    Sterilizing hurt a lot more than popping the blisters.


    Leighton frowned as he clutched the bedsheet.


    He was not the toughest when dealing with pain, and he would have shouted out in pain if his manager


    had been there instead of his crush.


    He figured that it would be very embarrassing if he did that when his crush was in the room with him.


    So, he bit his lips and tried his best not to make the slightest sound.


    However, he would tremble involuntarily whenever the doctor touched his wound, and Ste noticed


    that.So, she asked softly, "Does it hurt alot?"


    Leighton''s face was pale, but he shook in head and said with a very calm expression, "No, not at all¡ª


    Ah, fuck¡ª"


    The doctor suddenly stubbed the cotton swab on his wound before he could finish speaking, and he


    could no longer hold the pain in.


    His face turned red from pale, and he felt like biting his tongue off.


    ¡®Fuck!'' ¡®why couldn''t I just fucking keep quiet?"


    Ste looked at the doctor.


    "Can I massage his Hoku Point?"


    The doctor was slightly surprised before he nodded and said, "You can try."


    Then, Ste said to Leighton softly, "I''ll massage your hand for you.


    Let me know if it makes you feel any better."


    Leighton had no idea how massaging his hand would help with the pain.


    However, his burning sensation was so unbearable that he just nodded.


    Ste grabbed his hand and ced her thumb on the area between his thumb and index finger.


    Then, she started massaging it.


    Leighton was shocked, and he almost pulled his hand back.


    Ste''s hand felt cold and soft, but Leighton was very surprised by how strong her thumb was.


    His heart raced, and he did not even dare to look up.


    Then, he started fantasizing about a female-led rtionship with Ste.

 Chapter 741

    Chapter 741


    Chapter 741


    ¡®Ste is grabbing my hand! She cares about me!'' Leighton thought to himself.


    Ste massaged him more and asked softly, "How do you feel? Any better?"


    ¡®Not only do I feel better, but I also feel like I''m floating in the sky!'' He replied in a low voice, "I feel


    okay."


    "I''ll keep on massaging for you then."


    Leighton''s manager was stunned as soon as he came inside.He saw Leighton burying his face in the


    pillow and letting the doctor clean his wound.


    Ste was holding his hand, and his ears looked extremely red.She massaged his hand while talking to


    him.


    Leighton looked just like a tamed golden retriever puppy.


    He could not convince himself that he was the same pit bull he used to manage! The door was pushed


    open again when he was still hesitating about talking to Leighton.


    An elegant man dressed in a suit came inside.


    Leighton''s manager frowned.


    "Who are you?" Keegan ignored him and directly walked toward Ste.


    "Ste." He said softly.


    Ste paused and looked at him coldly.


    "Mr.Kane, you should wait until Mr.Hall''s wounds are taken care of before you try to make things right


    for him." Keegan pursed his lips.


    "I didn''te here to do that.I''m worried about you." He swept his gaze across Ste''s hand and saw


    her holding Leighton''s hand.


    Then, his gaze darkened.


    Ste continued to massage Leighton and said lightly, "Aren''t you supposed to be working overtime? I


    didn''t know you could clone yourself, Mr.Kane.You went on a date with Miss Saun and used your clone


    to work overtime at the office.You really are the best at maintaining your work-life bnce, huh?"


    Keegan''s face turned awkward as he said in a low voice, "I didn''t lie to you because I want to eat with


    Jaylene.I just wanted your attention."


    Ste''s eyelid twitched.


    "Nonsense!"


    Then, she thought, ''I should''ve never made a reservation for him! I can''t believe he''s doing this!¡¯ Ste


    was very mad that Keegan had lied to her.


    However, she figured Keegan would look guilty and scared when he saw her if he lied just to eat with


    Jaylene.


    But Keegan''s eyes were filled with concern when she saw him, as if he hadpletely forgotten about


    his lie.


    Ste knew that Keegan was not the smartest person regarding love and was not that good of an actor


    either.


    "A lot of my father''s old ssmates were there too.I wasn''t expecting to see Jaylene there at all."


    Keegan exined himself before he suddenly thought about something.


    "Ste, are you jealous?"


    The corner of Ste''s forehead twitched.


    "Ridiculous! I would never be! I''m just mad that you lied to me..."


    "I''m sorry."


    Keegan sounded very sincere when he apologized.


    He took Leighton''s arm from Ste and said in a low voice, "I''ll help him.You should rest."


    ¡®This guy has been on my nerves for some time!'' Ste looked at him curiously.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Do you know how to do it?" Keegan said seriously.


    "You did me for me several times when I had a headache.So I''m very familiar with it now."


    So, Ste stood up and gave him her seat.


    "His back is badly injured, and it''s got to hurt a lot.You''ll need to massage him longer." Keegan smiled.


    "I got it."


    Suddenly, a shiver ran down Leighton''s spine.


    He felt like he was getting preyed on by a venomous snake, and it made his scalp tingle.He wanted to


    pull his hand back.


    "It doesn''t hurt as much anymore."


    Keegan grabbed his hand and said calmly, "Your wound is so bad.I''m sure that you''re in a lot of


    pain.You saved my wife, and I''ll be sure to return you this favor.Bear with me; I''ll start now."


    "What did you say? Wif¡ª Ah¡ª"

 Chapter 742

    Chapter 742


    Chapter 742


    Keegan started massaging Leighton''s hand with his thumb before he could finish speaking.


    Keegan was so strong that Leighton''s hand felt numb, and he yelled in pain.


    Ste reminded Keegan.


    "Knead and rub.Don''t just press your thumb down."


    Keegan replied gently, ''''Sure.Have a seat and rest."


    However, he did not go any easier on Leighton at all.Leighton was in so much pain that he clenched his


    teeth and said, "Stop it.Fuck...It doesn''t hurt anymore! Leighton kept signaling his manager to get that


    madman out of there.


    But his manager persuaded him after seeing howmanding and elegant Keegan was, "You''re a big


    man.Just hang in there."


    ¡®Fuck! This useless manager is such a coward!¡¯ Leighton''s manager looked at Ste before shifting his


    gaze to Keegan.


    ¡®Something''s going on between these two.The man looks so polished, yet he turns into a doting and


    soft man when he talks to Ste.He looks just as good as the pit bull too.He even has thisposed


    aura that could only be nurtured by experience, making him more attractive than Leighton."


    He dared not speak directly to Keegan, so he asked Ste, sitting beside him, "Miss Jewell, are you


    married?"


    Suddenly, Leighton could not feel any pain as his ears perked up.


    Keegan''s hand moved slower too.He wanted to hear Ste say yes.


    However, Ste said the opposite, No.I''m single."


    Leighton''s eyes immediately lit up.


    Keegan pursed his lips after hearing that answer he was not expecting.


    Leighton''s manager asked again, "This gentleman is your..."


    Ste replied, "My feigned ex-husband."


    Keegan kept quiet.


    Unexpected, again.


    The lips of Leighton''s manager trembled.


    "E-ex-husband?"


    That word irritated Keegan as he gazed at the manager coldly.


    "Current boyfriend too."


    Ste''s eye twitched as she was unaware she had a boyfriend.


    Keegan continued after seeing how she just kept quiet.


    "Mywyer will talk to you about your medical bills and workpensationter.Don''t hesitate to let


    him know if you have any demands."


    Leighton just fell in love and fell out of it shortly after.He pursed his lips and said sadly, "It''s fine."


    Ste said, "It''s not.It was his sister who sshed the boiling water on you.You should get back what


    you deserve and even sue her.Don''t go soft on them."


    Leighton did not feel like talking anymore as he said pitifully with his pale face, "You guys should


    leave.I''m tired."


    So, Ste and Keegan went out of the ward.


    Keegan asked aftering outside, "How did you know this actor? "


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "I just met him today."


    Then, Keegan said bitterly, "He''s such a good Samaritan for saving you on the first day he met you."


    It was impossible for Ste not to notice the bitterness in his words, so she red at him and said,


    "He''s going to be my boyfriend in the show, after all.He''s probably got into character in advance and


    treated me as his girlfriend."


    Keegan felt a little surprised.


    "He''s going to be your boyfriend?"


    Ste nodded.


    "He''s pretty handsome, huh?"


    Keegan''s face darkened as he said, "Handsome? His legs are so long that they make him look like a


    grasshopper!"


    Ste glowered at the hater, who only knew how to mock other people.


    "I think he''s very handsome.He has wide shoulders, a skinny waist, a narrow hip, and long legs."


    Keegan put ona scornful look.


    "I look better than him when I was twenty-three."


    Ste ignored his childish words.


    Then, she turned her head and asked, "Where''s Aurora?"


    Keegan''s eyes darkened.


    "I sent someone to get her.I''ll bring her to the police station before sunrise."


    Ste said, "Is your mom going to let that happen?"


    Keegan replied tly, "I wouldn''t have a problem with her serving time for her daughter if the police


    allow it."


    Ste pursed her lips.


    "You love Aurora very much, don''t you? Are you really going to do that to her?"


    Keegan looked at her.


    "You''re the one I love the most."


    Ste kept quiet.


    Then, she gritted her teeth.


    "I''m being serious with you!"


    Keegan pursed his lips and said, "She wouldn''t be like this if I didn''t go lenient on her because my


    mother pleaded for her when she made her first mistake.She used to be very good, but I have no idea


    why she became so impulsive and domineering."


    Ste chuckled.


    "Keegan Kane, being impulsive can never be an excuse to hurt somebody.She''s literally doing things


    just because she feels like it without thinking if they''re right or wrong.She''s an evil person by nature."

 Chapter 743

    Chapter 743


    Chapter 743


    Keegan would start arguing with Ste without hesitation if he were to hear the same thing back then.


    Aurora was different from Dahlia to him as he really treated Aurora as his sister.


    Keegan and Quentin both looked forward to Auroraing into this world.


    Aurora used to like him very much.She always kept the best things from everybody else because she


    wanted to give them to Keegan.


    Keegan started living with Cordelia after Quentin passed away.He spent most of his childhood with


    Cordelia ever since he almost drowned.


    Cordelia was worried that Dahlia would make a mistake while raising Keegan.She also hated how she


    viewed things.


    All Dahlia thought about was the Crosbys, and she did not want Dahlia to corrupt Keegan.


    So, Cordelia decided to raise him despite her age.


    However, Aurora was too young and could not live without her mother yet.


    Dahlia would not let Cordelia take Aurora away from her either, so Cordelia let her take care of Aurora.


    After Quentin passed away, Keegan and Aurora would only see each other on the weekends and


    holidays.


    Time passed, and Aurora grew up.


    Then, she lost the innocence she once had when she was younger.


    Aurora would treat Ste fairly well in front of Keegan when they were still married but do theplete


    opposite behind his back.


    Even though Ste had neverined about Aurora and Dahlia to him, it did not mean there was


    nothing wrong between them.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Perhaps Keegan was biased, and he let it slide when Aurora said something disrespectful because he


    thought she was just spoiled.


    However, he began connecting the dots after thinking of what happened back then.


    For example, Aurora knew that he purposely bought a cake for Ste to celebrate her birthday with her,


    yet Aurora purposely took it to throw a party and told him that Ste allowed her to do so.


    Also, Aurora knocked over the essential oil he bought for Ste when he went on a business trip


    because she could not find her souvenir.


    Ste told him Aurora did that on purpose, but he did not confront her because it was just a bottle of


    essential oil.


    Even though the essential oil bottle meant nothing, it made him realize the small little evil things Aurora


    did and how blinded he was.


    She would always act like a spoiled and wayward girl, like she was younger, in front of the people she


    was familiar with, like himself or Marshall.


    However, she did not bother to hide her wicked nature in front of outsiders.


    Dahlia spoiled her too much, and Keegan thought that Ste was very right when she said Aurora


    would do whatever she wanted without thinking if it was right or wrong.


    To her, every mistake shemitted and the people she harmed could be fixed with money and the


    influence of the Kane family.


    How Dahlia raised her corrupted her moralpass, making her think that everything in the world


    could be fixed because of how powerful her family was.


    "You''re right.Perhaps I never really know her."


    Keegan pursed his lips and suddenly asked, "In these years, without me knowing, did she treat


    you...particrly bad?"


    Ste paused and stretched the corner of her mouth.Then, she said after a while, Keegan, something


    happened after we got married.I never dared to tell you about it."


    Keegan looked at her and felt a little uneasy.


    "What is it?"


    Ste looked down and said, "Perhaps I''m not very forgiving, but I would never hate Aurora this much


    just because she said something disrespectful to me.


    "She''s your sister, and I''m your wife.I did not expect a good rtionship with her after marrying you.I


    was prepared to do whatever it took to get along with her.


    "She''s the only daughter in your family, and it''s perfectly fine for her to be a little spoiled and willful,


    but..."


    She felt disgusted, but she hid it from Keegan and continued, "''I can''t forgive her for taking me to


    Jackson''s bed on the night we got married."


    The look on Keegan''s face changedpletely.


    "W-what did you say?"

 Chapter 744

    Chapter 744


    Chapter 744


    Ste began to calmly tell Keegan about what happened during their wedding night.


    Keegan''s face turned pale as he looked at Ste with bloodshot eyes.She looked down and recalled


    the night that scarred her.


    "They said I went into the wrong room, but I''ve never been to your grandparents'' house before.I was


    just following her.Even though I drank a little, I was still conscious enough to know what had


    happened.I wouldn''t wander around a ce that I''m not familiar with.I don''t care if she was joking or


    just pulling a prank on me, but what happened that night disgusted me greatly.I was terrified.I don''t


    know if I''d kill him and Aurora if he did anything to me that night.I can''t imagine what I''d be.You


    always said that I wouldn''t let go of the fact that you left that night.But I''ve always wondered how much


    better things would be if you were there..."


    Keegan felt a lump in his throat as he spoke in a twangling and shaking voice, "Why have you never


    told me about this before?"


    Ste''s eyes looked teary, but she did not cry.


    She said, "I was scared at first.I thought it was very disgusting and embarrassing.Not to mention that it


    happened on my wedding night.We got married before we got to really know each other, and they were


    your family members.I was not sure if you''d trust them or me.Our marriage would be doomed if you


    chose to believe them, and my mom and I could not afford to see that happen.Besides, they kind of


    threatened me not to say a thing about it, so I didn''t dare to.However, I didn''t feel like bringing it up


    againter because it was already in the past.I don''t have any proof, and our marriage was close to


    copsing by then.So, I figured you wouldn''t care about it even if I told you."


    "Why would I not care..."


    Keegan choked and spoke.


    He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close.


    Ste could feel Keegan''s body shaking involuntarily.He held her waist tightly as if he wanted to


    be one with her.


    "I''m sorry..."


    "I''m sorry...


    "I''m sorry..."


    Keegan apologized to her again and again with his adenoidal voice.


    He did not know what else to say other than sorry.He would remind himself of how big of a failure he


    was as a husband whenever he had a deeper conversation with her.


    Ste did not even dare to talk to him about how she got mistreated and bullied.


    That was because he could not give her any sense of security around him as a husband.


    She did not feel like he was someone she could confide in.


    He used to think he built an indestructible castle for her to live in with his money.


    But little did he know there was a bottomless pit underneath it.


    "Ste," Keegan said in a hoarse voice, "I''m sorry...I''m really sorry..."


    The edge of Ste''s mouth twitched, and she finally started sobbing out loud.It sounded so pitiful and


    distressing that it broke Keegan''s heart.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    ¡®How dare they do this to someone I treasure so much!

 Chapter 745

    Chapter 745


    Chapter 745


    Ste had no tears left to cry after Rainee passed away.She thought that she would never cry again in


    her life if not required by work However, Keegan repeatedly apologizing made broke her down.


    What happened that night had never stopped bothering her.


    She was afraid she would find somebody else sleeping beside her after switching off the lights at night.


    So she would always leave a light on in her bedroom every night.She was scared that Keegan would


    touch her and get rough in the sheets with her as even a tiny movement could remind her of the night


    that turned her stomach upside down.She just could not forgive Keegan for leaving her alone on their


    wedding night, and it was impossible for her to let it go.


    Keegan stoked Ste''s back as he felt like his heart was being stabbed many times.


    Material things that he gave Ste were something worth the least to her.She wanted affection, trust,


    and protection.


    Yet he failed to give her any.


    Keegan finally knew why she gave him a negative score.


    He could not expect her to forgive him easily after he and his family hurt her.He wanted to ask why


    Ste did not tell Cordelia about it since she was always reasonable.


    Then, he figured out the answer himself.


    Ste came to the Kane family all alone.


    To her, everybody else was a part of the family, and she was the only outsider who did not share the


    samest name as them.


    So, there was no way she could be sure that Cordelia would be on her side.She was so isted and


    helpless in the Kane family, full of threats.


    The Jewell Group was in crisis, and Albert wanted to stop paying for Rainee''s medical bills in the year


    when they got married.


    So, she did not dare to make a scene out of what happened.


    Also, Ste would have no idea what to do if Keegan chose his family''s reputation over her and


    dumped her.


    Keegan repeatedly thought about the past and felt a dull ache in his chest.


    He let go of Ste and bowed his forehead to touch Ste''s forehead.


    Then, he wiped away the tears in the corner of her eyes before saying in a hoarse voice with his red


    eyes, "I''m not going to let this slide.I swear."


    Ste pushed him away.


    She recollected herself and said after a while, "That''s your business.It''s your choice to do whatever you


    want, but please don''t get me involved.I don''t want you to me me for instigating you to take revenge


    on Aurora and your mom when you regretted doing so in the future.I''ll get them back by myself.It''s


    entirely based on your ethical perspective if you want to defend and punish them.It should not have


    anything to do with me."


    Keegan replied softly, "I understand."


    Ste gave in anyway and did not cut ties entirely with Keegan.She wanted him to judge those people


    based on his moralpass and not do anything to avenge her just because he felt guilty.


    Ste said those things to give Keegan a heavy blow and let him know what kind of person Aurora was,


    but emotions got the best of her after talking about it.She had been keeping it to herself for too


    long.She hurt Keegan''s feelings as she told him about what happened, but she also twisted the knife in


    her own wound.


    Keegan reached out, brushed her hair at the side of her face, and said in a low voice, "I''ll drive you


    home now."


    Ste said, "I need to call Mr.Moore first."


    Keegan frowned and said in a slightly unhappy tone, "He doesn''t have time for you now."


    Ste paused.


    "Do you know where he is?"


    Keegan pursed his lips.


    ''''How would I know? I just want to take you home as soon as possible.Didn''t you say stayingte is bad


    for your skin?"


    "But I still have to call him."


    Ste nced at the jealous man.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Mr.Moore tried to protect me too.I don''t know if the boiling water sshed on him."


    Keegan was very upset.However, something else popped into his head.


    ¡®Would Ste still be calm enough to listen to my words if Marshall really did save her from getting


    burned by the boiling water just now?! Keegan eyes darkened.


    Ste dialed Marshall''s number, and it took him some time to pick up.Mr.Moo¡ª Marshall, it''s me.Are


    you not at the hospital?"


    Marshall sounded a little tired.


    "I had something else to do back home and went back I''m sorry for not letting you know earlier.How''s it


    going over there? Is Leighton okay?"

 Chapter 746

    Chapter 746


    Chapter 746


    "Not really.The doctor said he''s going to need a few days of rest.Other than that, he''s all right." Ste


    paused.


    "Is everything fine...at your home?"


    Ste heard a loud noise from the phone as if something had fallen on the ground and shattered before


    Marshall could say anything; it shocked her.


    Then, she heard a crackling sound in the phone before Marshall hurriedly said he would call her back


    and hung up.


    Ste frowned and mumbled, ''''Why does Mr.Moore sound like he''s fighting someone..."


    Keegan said, "He''s so fragile.Who could he be fighting?"


    Ste thought what Keegan said made sense, but then she heard him add, "He''s probably just getting


    beat up."


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®Marshall started this.He can''t me me for doing the same back at him."


    Keegan thought to himself and suddenly felt like he hated the old- fashioned and stubborn old man in


    the Moore family a lot lesser because nobody in the Moore family could handle him whenever he


    caused a scene.


    Ste red at Keegan.


    "How could you be so mean? I don''t know why anyone would want to befriend you."


    Unexpectedly, Keegan did not talk back.He grabbed her wrist instead.


    "I''ll drive you home now."


    Ste pulled her hand back.


    "Minus one hundred points."


    Keegan was speechless.


    "What for?"


    "For lying to me and grabbing me without my permission."


    Keegan kept quiet.


    "Do I really need permission to grab your hand?"


    Ste glowered at him.


    "Of course! You didn''t even ask me before you tried to get me back.It''s rude for you to grab my hand


    like that."


    Keegan kept quiet again.He held her hand.


    "I''m just going to keep holding your hand since you''ve already deducted my points."Then, he looked at


    her, "Not umtive, right?"


    Ste was speechless.


    A gust of cold wind blew at them as soon as they left the hospital.So, Keegan took off his jacket and


    draped it over her shoulders.


    Ste''s eyelid twitched.


    "Keegan, what month is it now?"


    Keegan did not know why she asked that.


    "August."


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    "What''s the temperature now?"


    "About 95 degrees, I guess."


    Ste removed the jacket and threw it back at him.


    "That''s right! It''s 95 degrees, and you draped your jacket over me?"


    Keegan was speechless.


    Then, he pursed his lips and said softly, ''''I just wanted to get some extra points.I heard them say it feels


    warm when their boyfriends do this."


    "You''ve got to at least do it at the right time!"


    Ste''s heart melted as she pretended to be mad.


    "I''m already sweating so much.Are you trying to give me a heat rash by doing that?"


    She paused after saying that and squinted.


    "Them? Them who?" Keegan pursed his lips.


    ''''No one."


    Ste got curious.


    There was just no way that she would let him off this easily.


    So, she red at him and said, "Do you want me back?"


    "Yeah."


    Then, he added, "But this is my privacy."

 Chapter 747

    Chapter 747


    Chapter 747


    Ste did not give up.


    "It''s not entirely your privacy if it has something to do with me.Tell me now."


    Keegan tried to change the subject.


    "Are you thirsty?"


    Ste became even more curious after Keegan did that.Then, she whipped out her best card.


    "I''m going to deduct your points again if you don''t tell me now." Keegan frowned.


    "You''re being unreasonable."


    Then, Ste became even more unreasonable.


    "I told you that I make the rules.I''ll really do if you don''t tell me right now."


    Keegan looked hesitant and reluctantly said when Ste thought he was about to give in, "Do whatever


    you want." Ste paused.


    "I''ll deduct one hundred points then."


    Keegan replied, "If it floats your boat."


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®What? It doesn''t work on him anymore!¡¯ Ste did not intend to do that, but she just could not contain


    her curiosity.


    The more Keegan tried to hide it, the more she wanted to know about it.


    Then, she said, "I''ll give you some extra points if you tell me."


    Keegan felt very excited, but he pretended to be calm.


    "How many? "


    "Ten,"


    Keegan said, "I''ll get some drinks."


    He was about to walk away.


    Ste grabbed him.


    "Twenty! Twenty! Is that enough?"


    Keegan looked at her.


    "Two hundred."


    Ste kept quiet.


    "Don''t you think it''s a little too much?"


    Keegan replied, "This is my privacy.I''ve got to take it seriously."


    Ste thought to herself.


    ''He has negative ten thousand points now.So two hundred points aren''t going to help him much


    anyway.


    So, she said, "Okay, two hundred it is then.So, who are they?"


    Keegan smirked.


    "I''ll tell you in the car."


    They got into the car and buckled up.


    However, Keegan did not speak at all, even though he had started driving.


    Ste furrowed her brows.


    "Did you lie to me for the extra points?"


    "Why would I?"


    Keegan reached into the back seat and handed Ste a book.


    "This is the answer."


    Ste looked at it and saw the title, "A hundred romantic things that couples need to do."


    The edge of Ste''s mouth twitched.


    "Isn''t this lying?"Keegan said.


    "Turn to page twenty-seven." Ste did as he said.


    It was a picture book, and the title of page twenty-seven was "Jacket."


    Then, Ste read the words on that page, "Wear a scarf for him/her or drape a jacket over his/her


    shoulders.Lower your head and kiss his/her cheek/forehead.With your scent all over him/her, even the


    coldest winter will feel as warm as toast."


    The picture illustrated a guy bowing his head down to kiss a girl''s forehead, and the girl was wearing


    exactly a man''s jacket.


    But...


    Ste gritted his teeth and said, "Why did you say them?!"


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Keegan said, "Look at the authors."


    Ste flipped back to the cover.


    "Written by: The girls."


    Ste was speechless.


    She wanted to scold Keegan for lying to her.But, she stopped herself after thinking that it was not


    exactly a lie.

 Chapter 748

    Chapter 748


    Chapter 748


    It was Ste who insisted on knowing and offered to give him extra points.No one expected that "they"


    was an author''s pen name.


    Ste''s face turned red as she angrily tossed the book back at Keegan.


    "Aren''t you going to take a peek?" Keegan said with an innocent face.


    "This book is very well written," he added.


    Ste''s face turned dark as she ignored him.


    Keegan, on the other hand, was happy that his scheme seeded. He flipped through the book and


    said, "There are many more topics on this.


    Tell me which one you like, and I''ll make it happen.


    Ste tried to hold herself back but failed, "What do you mean '' make it happen?'' Do you think the


    romance between us would return after doing the things in this book?"


    "Yeah," Keegan said.


    "I think page 49 is rather romantic. Look."


    "No! "


    Keegan did not force her to look at the book.


    Instead, he continued, "Statistics show that 78 percent out of 4000 young women found this behavior


    romantic.It''s stated right below."


    Ste could not help but take a nce.


    The title read¡ªThe Caress.


    [Caress your partner after sex.Let her feel your love by kissing her fingertips, thighs, and chest.] Ste


    was silent.


    "What? Are you one of the 78 percent of women in the survey?"


    Keegan teased with a smile.


    ¡®That darn dog.How dare he tease me!'' Ste nced at Keegan and said, "Like you, I am in the 22


    percent of people who are cold and ruthless."


    Keegan was shocked.


    The tips of his ears turned red as he stared at her and said, "Since when am I cold and ruthless?"


    "Have you forgotten how you''d take one to two-hour showers every time we had sex? So what? Did


    you feel dirty for sleeping with me?"


    Keegan opened his mouth, his face looking dumbfounded.It took him along time before saying, "Since


    when did I say you made me feel dirty? 1 was just scared that I wouldn''t be able to control myself.The


    doctors said that you were at high risk of miscarriage.I didn''t want to get you pregnant!"


    "Why didn''t you just wear a condom if that''s your excuse?"


    Ste did not believe in his nonsense.


    "You took no safety measures, yet you say you feared getting me pregnant? Clearly, you did it for your


    own pleasure!"


    Keegan gritted his teeth and said, "Do you have fucking dementia or something? Did you forget that


    you are allergic to condoms?!"


    Ste was taken aback, "W-What..?"


    Keegan was getting mad and wanted to break her skull open to see what was in there.


    "Didn''t you secretly go to the hospital for a check-up after we had intercourse for the first time? Do you


    not remember what was written in your report?" Ste stayed quiet.


    ''I-It seers as if there was such a thing..."


    After Ste and Keegan slept together for the first time, her body ached and started heating up after


    Keegan left for work the next morning.


    Ste thought that she had injured herself the night before or that it was some kind of gynecological


    disease, so she rushed to the hospital in a panic.


    She calmed down once the diagnosis was made and discovered that it was not a disease.She applied


    the ointment that was prescribed by the doctor once, and the symptoms disappeared the next day.


    The report stated that it was some kind of allergy.


    Since it was not aserious disease, Ste put the information to the back of her mind andpletely


    forgot about it until now.


    Ste found the whole thing to be fascinating.


    What Keegan said had overturned her previous thoughts.


    However, she still did not quite believe him.


    "How do you know about that? I didn''t tell you that I went to the doctor''s."


    Keegan nced at her angrily and said, "The smell of the ointment was so strong; how could I have


    missed it?"


    Ste had put the anti-allergy ointment on the bedside table.


    Keegan was shocked when he saw it and asked Aldor to look it up.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Aldor then found her medical records: [Symptoms: Local redness, swelling, congestion, and burning


    sensation in the lower body after intercourse.No medical history.]


    [Diagnosis: Suspectedtex allergy/ lubricant allergy.]


    The doctor suggested they try out other brands of condoms.


    But Keegan was too embarrassed to mention it to Ste, so he decided not to use it.


    However, this made his member more sensitive.


    It was harder for him to hold it in.

 Chapter 749

    Chapter 749


    Chapter 749


    Ste looked at Keegan, who was blushing and a little annoyed.


    For awhile, she did not know what to say.


    "So...you were in the bathroom for so long because you had to settle it yourself?"


    Ste could not believe it.


    "The doctor said there was still a possibility of getting pregnant during your menstrual cycle...I could not


    stop sleeping with you, so I decided to reduce the number of times I cum in you." Ste was taken


    aback.


    "Did you say that just to hide the fact that your sperm count is low? W Keegan''s face changed from


    dissatisfaction to anger.


    "Why do you fee] that way?"


    "There are other ways to gain pleasure," Ste muttered.


    Keegan stayed quiet.


    He then gritted his teeth and whispered in embarrassment, "Do you even know what you''re talking


    about?"


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Seeing Keegan being shy was a rare urrence for Ste.So, she decided to tease him since Keegan


    was the one who did the same in the past.She leaned over to him, parted her red lips slightly, and


    whispered, "Outercourse."


    Keegan started to blush from head to toe.His adam''s apple bobbed, and the look in his eyes was


    burning.


    "Who taught you that?"


    Ste looked at him like a professional and said, "We''re all adults here.So, of course, I know about


    this."


    Just when she thought she had overtaken him, Keegan suddenly pursed his lips, leaned over, and said


    in a low and hoarse voice, "I''m afraid I don''t know what that means, Ms.Jewell.Can you teach me?"


    Ste did not know what to say.Not only was Keegan good- looking, but he also had a nice voice,


    especially when he spoke in a low tone.


    Anyone would fall for him when they heard his voice.


    Ste pushed him away, blushing.


    "You can learn it on the Inte, " she said.


    Keegan''s eyes drew her in as he slowly said, "The information on the Inte is all jumbled up.What if I


    pick up on something that does not please you? You are equipped with a wide range of knowledge.I''m


    sure you can teach me both the theories and practical aspects."


    He paused before he continued, "Just name your price, Ms.Jewell."


    "What are you on about?! I know nothing!"


    Ste yelled, her face as red as a tomato.


    ''I was the one with the upper hand.So why am I the one getting teased right now?'' she thought.


    Ste was both flustered and annoyed.


    A smile shed across Keegan''s face as he said in a low voice, "I guess I have to do some research so


    we can learn together."


    Ste blushed and hurled a throw pillow at him.


    "Just find out for yourself, you noob!"


    Keegan hugged the pillow in his arms and chuckled.It seemed that the student had be the master.


    Ste was someone who was well with words.


    However, when Keegan teased her back, she could only take off her armor and hide away.


    The driver gripped the steering wheel hard.His scalp tingled when he heard what the two were saying,


    but he did not dare breathe.


    Aldor asked him to pick up Keegan and Ste.


    He was joyful when given the task and wanted to perform well to leave a good impression.


    But he did not expect to listen in on such an exciting conversation.


    ¡®No wonder Aldor is the board secretary.This is not an easy job," the driver thought.


    ''If anything they say gets out, Mr.Kane could always silence me forever, right?"


    There were discussions at thepany group chat, betting on how long it would take for Keegan to get


    a new girlfriend and who that wealthy girl might be.


    Only Aldor said that he and Ste would get remarried.

 Chapter 750

    Chapter 750


    Chapter 750


    Everyoneughed at Aldor at that time, but now it seers that his prediction of remarriage was not far


    out of sight.


    ''I''ve got to change my bet, '' the driver thought.


    Soon, they arrived at Clouditude International, and Keegan took Ste''s hand as he said, "Go home


    and rest.Don''t worry.I''ll take care of everything."


    Just as Ste was about to speak, she suddenly felt a chill on her wrist.


    Keegan had slipped her a beautiful bracelet made out of Red Agate. It was a simple bracelet without


    any extra charms or essories.


    The beads were of high quality and round.


    Ste liked it very much at first sight.She reached out to remove it, but Keegan pulled her back and


    said, "Wear it.Didn''t you say Red Agate could break bad luck and bring in good luck? You''ve been in a


    series of bad luck recently.You should wear it to break the misfortune; maybe your luck might turn


    around."


    "Didn''t you always tell me to stop being superstitious when grandma and I went to the temple to pray?


    Look who''s superstitious now?" Ste nced at him and said.


    Keegan lowered his head and kissed her fingertips lightly while whispering, "I''m just afraid."


    Ste froze for a moment and realized that he was referring to the incident that had happened earlier.


    Ste pursed her lips.


    After a while, she withdrew her hand and whispered, "I''ll be heading in then."


    Keegan gave her a nod and helped her unlock the car door as he said, "Go."


    Ste exited the car, took two steps forward, and looked back to see Keegan sitting with the window


    half open.His eyes were looking at her, and his gaze was gentle.


    Ste felt relieved.She turned around and quickly walked toward the building.


    Keegan watched her go, and when he could no longer see her, he said, Next stop, Uncle


    Chandler''s."Aldor had sent a text to Keegan saying that Aurora was hiding at Chandler''s ce.It was


    clear that she was not dumb.She knew that if she went to Cordelia''s ce, the olddy would be on


    Ste''s side.


    If she went to her mom''s ce, Dahlia could not stand against Keegan.


    The only ce she could go was her Uncle Chandler''s.


    More than half an hourter, Keegan arrived at Southridge Vi.


    Aldor''s car was parked outside while he was on the phone in front of the vehicle.


    He then walked over quickly when he saw Keegan.


    "Ms.Kane is refusing toe out, Mr.Kane."


    Not only that, Aldor could not even get through the front door.


    Aldor kept calling Chandler''sndline, but no one picked up.


    He did not expect Aurora to hide at his house.


    Although Chandler and Keegan were rted, they were also in apetitive rtionship.


    Theirpanies were head-to-head with each other.


    Although Chandler treated Keegan well on the surface, no one liked a nephew that would always go


    against them in their workce.


    The fact that Aurora went to Chandler''s ce showed how much of an idiot she was.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    With Keegan''s temper, he would even draw blood if it would lure her out.


    He was not afraid of breaking the rtionship he had with his uncle.


    "Have you contacted the police?" Keegan asked sullenly.


    "Yes, Mr.Kane.They are on their way here."


    "Where''s the bulldozer?" Keegan asked again.


    "It''s also on the way.It''ll reach in around 10 minutes.Keegan did not say a word.Instead, he took out his


    phone and called Chandler.At that moment, Aurora was sitting in the living room, trembling.


    Cyrene handed her a ss of water and sat in her pajamas on the other side of the couch.She did not


    care much for Aurora because she was a troublemaker.She also did not understand why she was at


    her house in the middle of the night.

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    Chapter 751


    Chapter 751


    Cyrene knew that something bad must have happened for Aurora to be there.


    Chandler was on the phone with Dahlia on the balcony.


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Dahlia was slightly relieved when she found out that Aurora was with him.


    "Don''t let Keegan take her away.Something bad is going to happen if she gets taken away."


    "I know," Chandler nced at the living room and said.


    "What did Aurora do, and why does Keegan want to arrest her?"


    Dahlia naturally did not want to admit that her daughter was wrong, so she angrily said, "He''s out of his


    mind! That''s why.He always stood up for outsiders and not his own family.He has a pea-sized brain,


    just like his father!"


    "Anyway, we mustn''t let him take her away.Aurora is my life.If something happens to her, I will never


    forgive you!"


    Chandler pursed his lips, "Don''t worry.He won''t do that as long as I''m here."


    While he was talking, Keegan called.


    Chandler nced at the caller ID and said, "I''m going to hang up now.He''s here."


    When Chandler answered the call, he heard Keegan''s cold voice saying, "Bring Aurora out, Uncle


    Chandler."


    He went straight to the point.


    Chandler turned on the speakerphone.


    When Aurora heard Keegan''s voice, she shook her head, terrified.


    "Aurora hasn''t been over for a long time.Your Aunt Cyrene misses her very much.She''s staying at my


    house tonight.You should go."


    Chandler said lightly, Keegan''s tone was deep, "The police want to ask her in for an interrogation.I''m


    afraid she won''t be able to stay at your ce tonight.Open the door."


    When Aurora heard that the police wereing, she quickly shook her head and whispered, "I''m not


    going, Uncle Chandler."


    Chandler withdrew his gaze, "Aurora is asleep right now.I can talk to the police."


    After announcing why he was there in patience, Keegan said with a calm face, "Aurora, I know you are


    listening.I will give you five minutes toe out, or I''ll drag you down here myself!"


    Then, Keegan did not give Chandler the time to talk and directly hung up the phone.Chandler frowned.


    ''This kid is getting more and more disrespectful,"he thought.


    Aurora turned pale with fright, "Uncle Chandler, you have to help me.Keegan is never letting me off the


    hook for this."


    "What did you do this time? Why is your brother so mad at you?"


    Cyrene asked before Chandler could speak.


    Aurora''s lips trembled.


    After a long time, she said, "I poured boiling water on Ste."


    Cyrene was shocked for a moment but immediately recovered.


    "Is Ste hurt?" she asked.


    "No, someone else blocked it for her."


    Aurora knew that if Ste got hurt, Keegan would never forgive her.


    Cyrene thought it was good that Keegan still cared about Ste.She heard that Dahlia had an


    appointment with Darcie and her mother today but didn''t like it.


    Cyrene had wanted to meet up with Darcie several times, but the other party always made excuses to


    reject her.


    In other words, she looked down on their family, which made Cyrene mad.


    ¡®If Keegan still loves Ste, it would mean that Jackson would still have a chance with Darcie."


    Thinking of this, Cyrene asked, "Your brother divorced her, and she is no longer a part of the


    family.What did she do that was so bad that you had to do what you did?"


    Aurora Started getting angry, "Ste is a vixen.It''s fine that she seduced my brother, but she made


    Marshall fall for her too.It''s true that she has a good figure.But like, what''s so special about her?!"


    Jackson came down the stairs and chuckled, "Her figure is her greatest asset.Men are visual


    animals.Who would refuse a beautiful woman?"


    He leaned on the railing and said, "I suggest you go out so Keegan can see you''re sorry.He''d probably


    show you mercy."


    "No!"


    Aurora was unwilling to go out on her own.


    "You don''t know my brother! He once locked me in the bathroom the whole night to avenge Ste.Who


    knows what he''ll do if he gets ahold of me this time? Uncle Chandler, please.Help me.Don''t let Keegan


    take me away,"


    Aurora begged.


    "Don''t worry.He can''te in here if I don''t open the gates."


    As soon as he said that, they all heard a loud bang.


    Chandler was startled.


    After a while, their doorman rushed in and said, "Sir, someone knocked the door open with a bulldozer."

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    Chapter 752


    Chapter 752


    Everyone in the house thought that they had misheard the doorman.


    "What did you say?" Cyrene asked in a hurry.


    The doorman wiped off the sweat from his brows and said nervously, "Mr.Kane asked someone to


    come with a bulldozer and knock down the gates."


    Suddenly, Aurora''s face changed.


    ''Is this what he meant by giving me five minutes toe out?'' she thought.


    Before she could further analyze his words, the door was kicked open, and four tall and burly


    bodyguards entered the room.


    They stood in a horizontal line while Keegan stepped out from the middle with Aldor right behind


    him.His face looked like stone, and his eyes were on Aurora.


    "Come here!" he said.


    Aurora did not do as she was told.


    Instead, she got up and hid behind Chandler.


    Her face was pale, and she gritted her teeth as she said, "No!"


    Chandler tried to protect Aurora by saying, "What are you doing here, Keegan? Breaking into other


    people''s houses in the middle of the night? Do you have no respect for your elders?"


    "Uncle Chandler, I called you in advance because I respect you," Keegan said with a cold expression,


    which meant that he would not have wasted his time giving him a call if he did not respect his uncle.


    Instead, he would have just destroyed his home.


    Chandler''s face turned ashen when he heard that.


    Keegan ignored him and looked straight at Aurora.


    "I saide here, Aurora.You have to bear the consequences of your actions.No one is going to


    protect you today."


    Aurora held onto Chandler''s arm and resisted stubbornly, "What do you mean by bearing the


    consequences?! You''re just trying to avenge that woman.I''m not going anywhere with you unless you


    beat me to death!"


    Keegan''s patience was running low.He raised one of his hands and made a gesture.


    The bodyguards behind him immediately went to catch Aurora.


    Aurora panicked and ran upstairs.


    The bodyguards wanted to chase after her, but Chandler blocked their way.


    "This is my house.I dare you to take one more step," he said with a cold face.


    He then stared at Keegan and said, "This is a criminal offense of breaking into private property."


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The bodyguards stopped in their tracks and waited for Keegan''s instructions.


    The atmosphere was tense.


    Cyrene frowned.


    She knew Keegan would not give up if Aurora were not in his hands.


    She was under the impression that Chandler was being foolish.


    ¡®Dahlia can''t even persuade her own son.Why are we here busy taking care of this crap?¡¯ Before she


    could say anything, Jackson stepped forward and smiled, "We''re all family, Keegan.Let Aurora stay


    here for the night and return when you''ve calmed down tomorrow.You can pick eu Keegan did not wait


    for him to finish.Instead, he grabbed Jackson by the cor and threw him aside coldly.


    "You have no right to say those things to me!"


    Jackson hit his back on the coffee table.The corners of the marble tabletop pushed against his spine,


    causing him to turn pale from the pain.


    Cyrene did not have time to think about anything else at that moment.


    She quickly helped her son and asked, ''"What in the world are you doing, Keegan?"


    "You''re going too far, Keegan," Chandler added, his face dark.


    "Go and get her," Keegan instructed the bodyguards without even looking at him.


    As soon as Keegan said that, two bodyguards pulled Chandler away while the other two went upstairs


    to drag Aurora down.


    Chandler was over half a century old and was no match for those well- trained bodyguards.


    Before he could make a move, he was grabbed from behind and pressed against the wall.He had been


    in a high position for many years, and it had been long since anyone dared to fight him like this.


    Chandler felt angry and embarrassed at the same time.


    "How dare you, Keegan!"


    "Just block him.Mr.Kane is old.Don''t break his arm,"


    Aldor coughed and said.

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    Chapter 753


    Chandler was furious.


    The bodyguards were very obedient and immediately let go.


    However, both of them had formed a wall of flesh surrounding Chandler, which made him unable to


    move.


    Chandler''s had an angry look on his face.


    The moment he was let go, he used his phone to call for help, "Get a few people who can fight over!


    Immediately right now!"


    He hung up the phone while staring coldly at Keegan, "No one is getting out of here today!"


    Keegan looked at him calmly, "Uncle, you are overstepping your boundaries."


    Chandler''s expression turned serious.


    His tone was simr to his older brother''s back in the day.He gripped his fists tightly, and his expression


    was somber.


    Very swiftly, the bodyguards brought Aurora from upstairs.


    One person held her leg while the other held onto her shoulder.


    Aurora struggled furiously, and her nails scratched the bodyguard''s face.She kept kicking while


    screaming, "Let me go! You sons of bitches! Let go!"


    The bodyguards kept a poker face andpletely ignored her struggles.


    They forcefully carried her downstairs.


    When Aurora arrived downstairs, she noticed Keegan lying on the sofa with an ashen face.


    Cyrene was applying medication on him while Chandler was restrained by another two bodyguards.


    There was ultimately no one to protect her.She immediately panicked, "Keegan, brother.I was


    wrong.Spare me, brother.I won''t dare to do it again."


    Keegan stared at her coldly, "Aurora, do you know what you did wrong?"


    Aurora replied through clenched teeth, "I shouldn''t have poured hot water at other people."


    After saying this, she added, "That person was wearing such thick clothes.It wouldn''t have hurt that


    much in the first ce.They called the police just to scam us.It''s just money; our family has money."


    Keegan''s expression was filled with disappointment.This was her morals.She had no hint of regret for


    the wrongdoings she had done.She said she was wrong not because she thought she was wrong; but


    because she was forced topromise under his threat.


    "Keegan, I was wrong.I really didn''t mean to do it.You should have them let me go.My arm is hurting..."


    Aurora pleaded.


    "It hurts?" Keegan said nonchntly, "It should hurt less than being burned by boiling water."


    He then said to the bodyguards, "Use a bit more force.I don''t want to hear her speak."


    Aurora was stunned.


    Before she could react, the bodyguard suddenly twisted her arm backward.


    Aurora was in so much pain she howled and grimaced.


    Chandler was furious, "Make them stop! Keegan! Are you lynching in my house?"


    Keegan did not bother to talk to him and ordered coldly, "Get her into the car."


    After he finished, they were about to leave.


    Coincidentally, the people Chandler had called for help had arrived at the scene.


    At the same time, they had blocked the entrance.


    The one leading them was the head of thepany''s security department.


    The other group of people had weapons.


    They arrived at the scene menacingly.This resulted in them running into Keegan as they entered the


    door.


    "Mr., Mr.Kane?"


    The head of the security department was stunned for a moment.


    Keegan gave them a nce and said, "Make way."


    "Okay,"


    Upon answering, he got out of the way.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Chandler''s face was contorted with rage,"Idiot! I order you to stop him!"


    The head of security was surprised and quickly blocked Keegan''s path again.


    Keegan''s expression fell.


    Chandler, at this point, had already walked to the front.


    He had a chilly expression while he spoke, "Let Aurora go, or else no one gets to leave those doors


    tonight!"


    Aurora seemed to have found her savior and started to shout, "Uncle Chandler, Uncle Chandler.Save


    me..."


    Keegan nced at Chandler and asked Aldor, "How many years is it for an armed brawl?"

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    Chapter 754


    Aldor answered, "Depends on the situation.If convicted by a usual armed brawl, it would be three years


    and below.The circumstances might vary between three to ten years if the circumstances were


    serious."


    After his exnation, he added, "By having a betterwyer, you can have the maximum sentence with


    a bit of effort."


    Everyone was at a loss for words.


    Chandler had a livid expression while he said, "You should stop fearmongering about this!"


    Keegan briefly nced at him, "Uncle Chandler, you are overthinking it.My assistant was merely having


    the employees familiarize themselves with thew."


    After he spoke, he looked at the crowd, "Three years and below or ten years and below.Choose one,


    and let''s get this over with."


    Everyone was speechless again.


    Could they not choose either of them? They were carrying weapons and initially did not want to make a


    move.They only wanted to deter them for a while.


    Who knew the person they would deter would be the otherpany''s president? Who would dare to


    make a move? Keegan had already removed his suit and rolled his sleeves up, "Are all of youing


    at once, or do you want to go one by one?"


    Everyone was speechless.


    Who would dare to touch the young master of the Vinci Rivera Group? Are you joking? The head of


    security saw his stance and advised Chandler, "Mr.Chandler, I think every family needs to prioritize


    harmony.If there is conflict, we should discuss them so that it doesn''t escte to a physical level.That


    would hurt everyone''s feelings."


    Chandler''s face fell, "Did I call you to smooth things over? Get her for me!"


    The head of security was embarrassed.


    Chandler was his boss, but Keegan was also his boss.


    None of them were people that an employee would want to offend.He dared not make a move, yet he


    did not give way.He just blocked the entrance, causing a stalemate.


    Within a few minutes, the sound of a vehicle''s engine came from outside.


    In amoment, flurries of footsteps were closing in.


    A voice came after, "Sorry to bother you, we are the police from the Lakeside Road police station.I just


    received an anonymous tip iming that the Cotton Rose Restaurant case suspect has allegedly been


    hidden here.We just want to understand Ms.Aurora Kane''s situation."


    After saying this, he paused and scanned the surroundings, "May I know which of you is Ms.Aurora


    Kane?"


    Aurora immediately panicked.She did not expect Keegan to phone the police directly and thought, ''If I


    went to the police station, would I still be fine?"


    Aurora tried to escape while carrying her ashen expression.


    Keegan grabbed at her wrists and pulled her to the front, "She is."


    The policeman looked at Aurora and said calmly, "Please take a trip to the police station with us."


    Chandler stood before them and said, "Officer, the case has yet to be determined, and my niece


    doesn''t count as a suspect.I have already arranged for awyer.If you have any questions, you can


    speak with thewyer."


    Two of the police officers look at each other.


    One answered, "We just want to understand the situation."


    "I''ve already told you awyer will be working with you,"


    After saying this, he nced at Keegan, "I think the matter you should be most concerned about is the


    issue of trespassing on private property.My perfectly fine door was bashed down.Shouldn''t I get an


    exnation?"


    Naturally, the two police officers saw the situation of the bashed door when they walked in.


    One of them asked, ''''Who bashed it down?"


    Chandler did not speak, but the direction his gaze was pointed at was obvious.


    The police officer was about to ask a question when a sound of a car horn came from outside.


    A small truck stopped at the entrance.


    There were a few workers in it, and they brought things down from it slowly.


    The officer walked out and asked, "What are you doing?"


    One of the leading personnel answered, "Installing a door.Didn''t you order this?"


    Aldor replied, "Officer, my boss saw that his uncle''s door had not been changed for many years; hence


    he purposedly came over to help change the door.We were definitely not trespassing on private


    property.Who would trespass on private property to voluntarily install a door for someone else?"


    The corner of Chandler''s lips twitched, "Who would bring their bodyguard to install a door for someone


    else?"


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Aldor answered, "Doesn''t it show more sincerity? You instead called so many armed people over.To


    those who didn''t know, they would''ve assumed that an armed brawl was about to happen."


    At that moment, the officer noticed the hidden weapons behind their back, and his expression


    immediately changed.


    The head of security was cursing internally but coughed once.


    Then, heughed dryly and said, "We all know each other.What are you talking about, an armed brawl?


    We also came over to help Mr.Chandler to install the door.We worried the tools were insufficient, so we


    brought some on the way."


    While saying this, he beckoned the others, ''''Brothers, let''s go.We should go and give a hand to the


    installers."


    Thus, the group of people ran off happily to the entrance to help install the door.


    Chandler was speechless.


    ''A bunch of fools!'' He thought.


    The officer saw it was settled and was about to speak before his colleague sent him a video.


    The video was of Aurora holding a pot of boiling water to ssh a person.


    It would directly prove that Aurora had intentionally injured someone at that moment.


    His colleague sent a message saying, "Just arrest her since the victim has filed a case."


    The officer said, ''''Ms.Aurora Kane, we now suspect you are rted to an intentional battery


    case.Pleasee with us."


    Chandler was about to open his mouth, but the officer interrupted him, "You can hire awyer for her,


    but that would be after our interrogation.Now, please do not obstruct justice."


    Then, under Aurora''s shrieks, she was carried away by the police.


    Chandler heard her miserable cries, and his expression was sullen.


    He stared at Keegan coldly and said word for word, "Keegan, you did great!"


    Keegan retorted, "Thanks for the praise, uncle."


    Then, he told Aldor, "When he gets back, send the bill to Uncle Chandler.He doesn''t like to owe people


    favors."

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    Chapter 755


    Chapter 755


    Aldor answered him and thought Keegan finally took his stand with Chandler.


    When they got in the car, Aldor thought for a while before advising, "Mr.Kane, let the underlings fight


    when we face these types of situations in the future.There is no need for you to do it yourself."


    Keegan''s move of taking off his suit and rolling his sleeves had truly scared Aldor.


    If something really happened when Keegan was about to fight himself, no one could bear the


    responsibility.


    Keegan nced at him, "Who said I was about to fight?"


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Aldor was stunned, "Didn''t you ask whether all of them wereing at once, or did they want to go one


    by one just now?"


    Keegan said, "I could train with them if they came individually.If they came all at once..."


    Keegan paused, "Then, it would be up to you, Assistant Aldor."


    Aldor''s eyelids twitched violently, "Mr.Kane, I don''t know how to fight."


    "I''m not letting you fight,"


    Keegan loosened a button before continuing, "You should be fine with taking a beating.You are quite


    good at acting injured.I might even take the opportunity to give you a vacation."


    Aldor was speechless.


    ''You truly are my wonderful boss," Aldor thought.


    As they were chatting, Dahlia''s phone call came.Keegan turned the phone to speaker mode and put it


    to the side.


    "Keegan, are you nuts! You let the police take Aurora away.Do you know what kind of people are


    inside? Is that a ce for people to stay at? Aren''t you worried she would be bullied by someone else?"


    Keegan answered expressionlessly, "You need to let her experience the dangers of society.This would


    save her from feeling that she is the boss of the world and that everyone would tolerate her."


    The sarcasm in those words was harsh, and Dahlia''s expression immediately turned ugly,"You


    heartless piece of shit! She is your own blood sister! Did you forget how nice she treated you when you


    were younger? You would go against your own blood kin just for a woman? Has your brain gone


    haywire?"


    Keegan gave a ful chuckle, "You should be d we still have that bit of blood rtion.Or else, she


    would not even have the chance to leave that police station!"He paused, then said, "I advise you not to


    act rashly.Don''t even look for Uncle Chandler.You wouldn''t want some messed up rumor to reach


    grandma, would you?"


    Dahlia''s expression changed drastically, "Are you threatening me?"


    "It''s a warning," Keegan replied.


    Before Dahlia could rage, Keegan hung up the call after finishing his speech.He then ordered Aldor,


    "Find someone to watch over her.Don''t let her bail Aurora out."When Ste changed shoes as she


    entered the house, Vermont called, "Ste, are you home?"


    "I am.Is there something wrong?" Ste asked.


    "No,"Vermont coughed before speaking, "I just wanted to ask if your roommate is home?"


    "Felicity?"


    Ste paused and looked at the entrance of the house.She noticed that Felicity''s shoes and bag were


    there.She should be home.She continued asking, "Did you want to discuss something with her?"


    "It''s nothing," Vermont said.


    "We had some minor conflict, so she went home first and did not ept my calls.I was afraid that she


    did not return home, so I called to ask.If she''s home, then fine.I''ll hang up first."


    Ste was slightly bewildered and thought, ''What conflict would Vermont and Felicity have that he


    would humble himself to ask her here?"


    Thinking about this, Ste walked into Felicity''s room.


    The door to the room was open, but she did not see Felicity inside.


    Instead, she heard the sound of running water from the bathroom.

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    Chapter 756


    Chapter 756


    She stood at the bathroom entrance and knocked.


    "Felicity, are you inside?"


    The sound of water sshing in the bathroom suddenly stopped.


    After a while, Felicity walked out from inside.


    She had taken a bath and wore short sleeves and short pants, holding a toothbrush in her hand.She


    then asked with her mouth filled with bubbly toothpaste, "You in a rush to use the bathroom?"


    "Nope."


    Ste gave Felicity a once-over and saw that she was normal as usual.Her heart eased slightly.


    "No, Vermont just called and asked about you.Did something happen to you tonight?"


    Felicity''s face immediately fell.She rinsed her mouth and spit out all the bubbles.


    Only then did she ask, "Did the Stinky Cucumber tell you something?"


    "He didn''t say anything.He was merely worried about whether you came home or not.So, he called to


    ask," Ste replied.


    "Worried, my ass!"


    Felicity could not help but cuss.


    "Block him.I''ll beat that son of a bitch if I ever see him in the future!"


    "You...What happened?"


    They were so friendly a few days ago.


    They would go to each other''s houses to y games every day.


    Why did she hate his guts so much suddenly? Felicity said through gritted teeth, "That son of a bitch


    said he would help me deliver meals to Dr.Steven.It turns out that they all went to his stomach.If I


    hadn''t met Dr.Steven today to ask about this, I would''ve fucking made meals for a year and wouldn''t


    know it was be all eaten by that Stinky Cucumber! You tell me, is this something a human would do?


    He said he would help me pursue Dr.Steven.It''s already two months.I''ve been pursuing shit.He''s just


    here to scam food from me!"


    Ste was shocked.


    Vermont definitely did Felicity dirty on this matter, but this would not be enough to make Felicity this


    angry, right? Felicity was easy to coax, and Vermont was very good at it.


    Based on Ste''s understanding of Felicity, under the pretense that Corbin and her rtionship had yet


    to be confirmed, Felicity would not be so furious with Vermont just because he sneakily ate the


    lunchbox.She probed further.


    "Did Vermont do something out of line?"


    Felicity froze and immediately thought about the wet slippery tongue that had entered her mouth.Her


    face flushed red in an instant.It was not from embarrassment.


    It was from rage! Felicity gritted her teeth and said, "That shameless thing used me to ward off his


    terrible pursuers.He even kissed me with tongue!"


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    "More importantly, he did it in front of Dr.Steven! It would''ve been fine if it was during our usual


    routine.The point is that he let Dr.Steven see! Dr.Steven definitely thinks I have a rtionship with that


    son of abitch!"


    Ste looked at her best friend with her jaw open, thinking, ¡®Is Dr.Steven''s misunderstanding the real


    point? The key point is that Vermont kissed her! She doesn''t think that Vermont kissing her is a


    problem.


    Instead, she''s more bothered by Dr.Steven misunderstanding their rtionship.


    That shouldn''t be her biggest issue!"


    She opened her mouth and considered for a long time before saying, "Even if it was to deter his


    pursuers, there was no need to kiss you, right?"


    In regards to kissing, ordinary people would not really be able to kiss someone if they did not like them.


    Yet, Felicity did not understand the meaning behind Ste''s words.


    Face filled with ire, Felicity said, "That''s right! I bet he didn''t want me to be close to Dr.Steven, so he


    purposely sabotaged me! Because if I were, who would make meals for him? In order to fill his


    appetite, he behaved maliciously!"


    Ste was speechless.


    Since Felicity could not take hints, Ste should opt for a direct exnation.


    "What I mean is that, could there be a possibility that he kissed you because he liked you?" Ste


    asked.


    "That''s impossible.I saw him on a date with ady with big boobs a few days ago.He''s purposely


    sabotaging me!" Felicity answered.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste heard this and felt that she was giving it too much thought.


    However, through the years she had known Vermont, she had never seen him kissing any girlfriend in


    public.


    Felicity did not take what Ste said seriously.She, in turn, asked Ste, "How much fun did you have


    with your night?"


    Ste returned to her senses and shook her head.


    "Don''t even mention it.I met that crazy bitch Aurora."

 Chapter 757

    Chapter 757


    Chapter 757


    Ste told Felicity everything that happened that night easily and in detail.


    When Felicity finished hearing it, she was so angry she wanted to bite someone.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "That insolent wench, Aurora! They should put her behind bars for along time just to have her get some


    sense! Like you said, she was born from nobility.Why did she act like a skank? Did she reallye


    from the same mother as Keegan did?"


    After she finished her rant, she felt that her words had slight hints of praise for Keegan.She


    immediately said, "I''m not saying that Keegan''s nice, but to be fair, Keegan still behaves like he had a


    noble upbringing."


    Felicity asked, "Aurora scalded someone with boiling water this time.So what did Keegan say?"


    "He went to get Aurora himself." Ste pursed his lips.


    "He said he would send Aurora to the police station by daybreak."


    Felicity looked doubtful and asked, "He would be willing to? Isn''t that his biological sister? She used to


    take your things in the past, and didn''t he always take her side? Thatst time his great- grandfather


    had an incident, didn''t he also not do anything to Aurora?"


    Ste did not know herself.She thought of the incident on the night she was wedded to purposely


    trigger Keegan''s emotions.


    However, she did not know how far Keegan would go.


    Felicity said, "If he covers for Aurora again this time, you should never give him another chance, even if


    all the men in the world are dead! I think Tiger isn''t bad.You could be with him."


    Ste was confused.


    "Tiger?"


    "It''s Leighton.That fe''s nickname in the celebrity world is Tiger.He''s very bold and wouldn''t give


    anyone any respect if he detests them.He would just start biting! One time, I was apanying an


    actor to record for a show.The show''s production crew didn''t follow the script and asked him a foolish


    question.It was about intimate scenes with actresses and which of them made him react most.The host


    was even one of the big shots in the scene.Tiger''s face immediately fell, and he said why don''t you try


    and get hard in front of a camera yourself? "Holy shit! You wouldn''t understand how pissed the host


    looked.The Tiger dropped the mic and just left! So fucking cool! That dumb question not only insulted


    the actor, but it also disrespected the actress.He was a lunatic for trying to set up that trap just for a bit


    of viewership."


    Ste was really surprised by this.It might have been due to her impression of Be, but Ste always


    had prejudice toward actors withrge fanbases.


    Actors with proper morals and who were true to themselves like Leighton really impressed her.


    "What about what happened after? This would count as going against the show''s production crew,


    right? Wouldn''t it affect him? " Ste asked.


    "This incident was suppressed afterward.Leighton was also not affected by it.He just does what he


    needs to.I had a tipoff that his family at Salcator was quite powerful.His family might''ve done something


    to settle the problem," Felicity answered.


    She continued, "I didn''t expect him to take the hurt for you.Could it be that he has some feelings for


    you?"


    Ste rolled her eyes.


    "I met him for the first time tonight and didn''t even get a word in."


    You could not really say they did not talk.Since Leighton did reveal that Ste was faking her


    drunkenness and even covered for her in front of Stuart.


    "We have a pure work rtionship.As you said, Leighton blocked it for me because he has morals and


    helped me because it was right, " Ste exined.


    "I was joking." Felicity yawned.


    "You should find some timeter to visit him.Remember to help me get a signed photo."


    "I know," Ste replied.


    After Ste finished washing up, she tossed and turned on the bed.


    At one moment, she would think about the incident that night.


    At another moment, she thought about the words Keegan had said to her.


    She remembered that Keegan did not like to get intimate with her because she was allergic to


    condoms.He had purposedly suppressed it, and she still felt stunned from it.


    ¡®You can repress these kinds of things? Yetst time, he didn''t hold back.He dragged me to have fun all


    the way tillte at night," Ste thought.


    She pondered about it and still thought Keegan was slightly odd.


    Hence, she purposely used this incident to help her block her pursuers.


    However, Keegan was quite attentive in some aspects, which caused her to feel somewhat touched.


    She thought some more and sent Keegan a message: [What are you doing?] Keegan replied:


    [Learning.] Ste was confused and typed: [?] Keegan then sent an image.


    Ste tapped it open, and her expression fell.

 Chapter 758

    Chapter 758


    Chapter 758


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Keegan had sent her a screenshot from Google.


    The content of the Google search was "General Methods for Outercourse." This search was already


    ridiculous enough.


    What was even more ridiculous was the content written below it.


    The author dared to write it, and Keegan dared to believe it.


    Keegan sent another message: [The exnation of the words was subtle.I n to use a VPN to see if


    there are any pictures or video tutorials.That would be easier to visualize.Do you need me to share it?]


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    She could not imagine how the dog, Keegan, could type out this sentence with a serious expression.


    Perhaps he wanted to see her embarrassed.


    What other intentions could Keegan have? After that, Ste forwarded a pornographic website to him


    before typing: [Why are you using a VPN? This one is high-speed with no ads.]


    Keegan was curious about what she had forwarded to him.He tapped open the link, and his expression


    fell.


    National, Japanese, Korean, European...


    She seems to know a lot about this! He had an unhappy expression while asking: [How much of this


    have you watched?] Ste replied like a true veteran: [I''ve watched them countless times.] In actual


    fact, she had not seen shit.


    These types of trashy betting websites with bright colors would usually attract the attention of people to


    scam them into participating in online gambling.


    Usually, when searching for things, these pop-up windows will jump out.


    They would not close even after trying to close them for along time, which was disgusting.


    The reason why she had this website was that she was disgusted by this thing.


    She would report it every time she saw one.


    Yet, they would only have tighter regtions during Inte cleaning operations.


    Besides that, most reports would not have any effect.


    However, since it could be used to provoke Keegan, it suddenly felt slightly helpful.


    Keegan was actually provoked by it.


    He had a disgruntled expression while typing: [These websites have many trojan horse viruses.


    You know your information would be stolen when you randomly tap into them?] When he typed this, he


    sent a zipped file to Ste: [Install this.When you tap into those trashy websites, it would automatically


    help you perform antivirus.]


    Ste was speechless and thought, ''Was that the main point? This blockhead!¡¯ Ste changed the


    subject: [Have you hung out with Vermont recently?] Keegan replied: [I''ve been busy recently.I haven''t


    seen him much.Why?]


    Ste then asked: [Does Vermont have a girlfriend?]


    Keegan typed: [I haven''t heard of any.]


    He then asked out: [Why are you inquiring about this?]


    [I suspect that Vermont has dubious intentions for my best friend.] Ste answered.Keegan replied


    swiftly: [He wouldn''t be that thirsty.]


    Ste''s face fell: [What bullshit are you saying?]


    Keegan paused then said: [I meant She.The autocorrect changed it wrongly.]


    Ste huffed while typing: [You help me keep an eye on him.


    If he does fool around with a woman while flirting with Felicity, you have to tell me.


    I don''t care if he cheats on someone else, but he can''t cheat Felicity!] [Felicity''s naive and wouldn''t be


    able to outy yboys like him.


    If he doesn''t want to take this seriously, he should stop flirting with others! ] Ste feared Keegan would


    scheme with Vermont, so she threatened him: [If you dare help him lie to me, don''t even dream of


    reaching a hundred in this life!]

 Chapter 759

    Chapter 759


    Chapter 759 Keegan immediately defended himself.


    [Although he and I are childhood friends, I''m a man of principles.I would never beplicit in such


    matters.However...]


    Keegan paused, then typed: [If I help you keep an eye on him, do I get bonus points?]


    Ste squinted her eyes and replied: [Are you negotiating with me?]


    [How would I have the right to set conditions?]


    It was as if Keegan had taken a crash course inmunication.His progress was phenomenal.He then


    typed: [Naturally, whatever you say goes.I merely asked offhandedly.]


    Ste held back herughter.


    [Well, if you tell me as soon as something happens, I can add points for you adequately, which may


    vary between 50 to 200.] Keegan''s lips twisted into a smile, and he answered: [I won''t let you down.]


    At unit 902 next door, Vermont gave a few sneezes.He rubbed his nose and thought, ''Is that bandit


    cursing me again?¡¯ After finishing his conversation with Ste, Keegan''s first step was to forward the


    trashy link from Ste to Zane.


    "Hack the website for me!"


    Keegan ordered.


    Zane was confused.


    He ordered a big shot of the Inte to hack a trashy website.


    Would this not feel like using a shotgun to kill a fly? After Aurora was questioned, she was detained.


    Thewyer from Leighton''s side had already arrived.


    This indicates that before she was convicted, Aurora had to stay here.


    She was temporarily detained at the local police station.


    One cell would have up to five people locked inside and basically had prostitutes who were caught


    trying to get business on the streets.


    Each and every one of them was dressed scantily, and they always spoke with a few cuss words in


    their sentences.


    Aurora felt dirty with every second she stayed there with them.


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Hence, not long after she entered, she screamed to be let out.


    The police came to yell a few times and ignored her.


    Aurora still did not give up.


    Although Keegan did not want to care for her, she still had her mother, uncle, and grandmother.


    They would never let her stay in this kind of ce.


    For awhile, she would tell the officers how powerful and wealthy her family was.


    Then, she would say that she would not spare the officers who detained her.


    Her mouth would not shut as she cursed.


    It was alreadyte in the night.


    Everyone was already exhausted.


    One of the women, dressed in a camisole top and caked in heavy makeup, said, "Youngdy, stop


    shouting.You wouldn''t be locked up if your family truly wanted to pick you up.They don''t care about


    you.Keep quiet.The felony youmitted isn''t even that heavy.You''ll be let out after a few days."


    "you shut up!"


    Aurora gripped her fists tightly.


    "You''re just a hooker who sells her ass.You think you and I are the same?"


    Thedy''s expression changed.


    "You better wash your mouth!"


    Aurora had a whole chest of fury and worried she would not have somewhere to vent it.She then


    proceeded to let it out all on the camisole topdy.


    "Did I say something wrong? Just based on your outfit, who wouldn''t know what you did? What kind of


    thing are you? Do I need your lecture? Aren''t you afraid of your child being criticized for having a


    mother in such a business!"


    These words genuinely hurt thedy''s feelings.


    She went up and pulled at Aurora''s hair, giving her exquisite face two ps.


    Aurora did not expect her to make a move and was immediately stunned by the hit.


    She had an expression filled with disbelief.


    "You...You dare hit me? Who do you think you are to have the nerve to hit me? Do you know who I am


    ¡ª Ah!"


    Before she could finish, the camisole topdy gave another harsh p.She grabbed Aurora''s cor and


    said fiercely, "Do I fucking care who you are? Your mouth is filthy, though.


    Did you eat shit, growing up?"


    "I''ve only got my rotten life left.If I hit you, I hit you.At most, I get locked up for another few days.It''s just


    the usual.What about you?"


    As she said this, she wiped her hands on Aurora''s dress.


    "A noble missus? Can you even hold your head high in the future after being locked up in here with


    some prostitute?"

 Chapter 760

    Chapter 760


    Chapter 760


    Aurora felt a chill go down her spine.She raised her hand and was about to p thedy, but before her


    arm could be raised, she was held down by two other people.


    The camisole topdy raised her hand and gave Aurora two more ps.


    Aurora''s meticulously crafted hairstyle was instantly ruined.She screamed loudly, and this quickly


    attracted the officers on duty.


    However, they did not open the door.


    Instead, they stood at the tiny window and gave a look inside.


    "What are you doing?"


    Someone muffled Aurora''s mouth firmly, and another person answered, "Nothing.We''re just fooling


    around."


    The officer banged on the door and ordered, "Be quiet," before leaving.


    The few detainees worked together to pull the jewelry off Aurora''s body.The items could not be taken


    away, but humiliating her was pretty satisfying.


    "I''m teaching you your first lesson today.This is what people call manners!"


    The camisole topdy tore Aurora''s dress and ruffled her hair.


    "I did sell my body, but my daughter''s much more thoughtful than you.When people ask her something,


    she knows what manners are and wouldn''t simply bark like a bitch! You can''t even bepared to a


    daughter of a prostitute.Who are you then that you would be detained here?"


    While saying this, she pinched Aurora''s tender thighs hard.


    Aurora was in so much pain that her face was white, and her eyes widened in horror.


    Yet, her mouth was covered, and she could not make a sound, no matter how hard she struggled.


    "So what if you''re born of noble breed? Aren''t you still locked up in this cage with us ordinary folk?


    Where''s all your nobility?"


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The camisole topdy talked while she pinched at all of Aurora''s tender spots.


    Aurora was in pain and afraid, yet unable to make a sound.


    When Aurora''s skin was ck and blue, the camisole topdy gestured for the people on the side to let


    go.She used her backhand to pat Aurora''s face.


    "When someone talks to you properly, you answer properly.No one would put up with your temper."


    After saying this, she spits at her and gets up to sleep.


    Aurora lies on the cold floor in a mess.


    Her eyes were red, and her fingers tightly gripped.


    Before daybreak, the camisole topdy was bailed out by someone and got out.She dialed a number


    when she got ina cab.


    "I''ve done as you requested.About the remaining payment..."


    No one answered on the other side.


    After a short while, a payment of ten thousand dors was transferred anonymously to thedy''s


    ount.Her lips twitched into a smile.


    "Boss, if you need anything else done in the future, you can look for me."


    The other side hung up the phone.


    The incident of Leighton getting injured became a hot topic the next day.


    Leighton''spany imed that he was identally scalded by boiling water.He was fine.


    No one knew if this reply had any intervention from the Kane family.


    As for Aurora, Ste saw no information on any news tform.


    Thinking about it, the Kane family would not want this matter to get on the news.


    Ste contacted Stuart to ask for Leighton''s address.She wanted to order some fresh flowers and other


    supplements to extend her greetings.


    Stuart heard this and said, "Leighton''s fans and the media will keep a close eye.Don''t visit first, and let


    the production crew discuss this.When he''s slightly better, we''ll organize for everyone to visit him once


    together.Don''t act alone, to avoid causing otherplications."


    Ste thought about it and agreed.


    Stuart probably wanted to use this visitation to clear any rumors that Be and Leighton had


    disagreements, since having the lead actors in conflict would give the media something to talk about


    during their future promotions.


    As she thought about this, Ste asked, ''''How are Leighton''s injuries?"


    Stuart answered, "It should be better now.I haven''t gotten the chance to ask Leighton.I''ll forward his


    WhatsApp contact to youter, and you can ask yourself."

 Chapter 761

    Chapter 761


    Chapter 761


    After hanging up the phone, Stuart forwarded Leighton''s WhatsApp contact to her.


    Ste tapped it open and saw that Leighton''s profile picture was actually a tiger.


    She thought, ''This fe knows why people call him that and purposely chose this profile picture, right?¡¯


    Ste added his WhatsApp contact and sent a message.


    [It''s Ste.] After a while, she did not see him epting it.Ste thought for a while, and then


    chuckled.Leighton was a huge celebrity and probably did not remember who she was.She then put her


    phone to the side while thinking about it.At that exact moment, Leighton, who was initially lying on the


    bed nursing his injuries, heard the notification sound from his WhatsApp application.He squinted his


    eyes and grabbed this phone, taking a look.Leighton saw the notification for a newly added contact.He


    sat up from the bed with a whoosh.


    His manager was shocked.


    "What are you going crazy for?"


    Leighton kneeled down on the bed, half-naked.


    Eyes bright, he said, ''My goddess added me on WhatsApp!"


    His manager felt the need to roll his eyes, thinking, ''Look at that cheap expression.And he''s a famous


    idol? He looks more like a pervert!¡¯


    Leighton got down from the bed and paced around in bare feet.He then said with a serious look, "After I


    ept it in a while, what do I say?"


    "Say that you have a car and a house.You also have a million- dor yearly sry.You''re handsome


    and have long legs.Besides, you''ve been single since birth and you''re still a virgin," his manager


    replied.


    The corner of Leighton''s lips twitched, and he cussed, "Stupid fuck."


    His manager huffed.


    "You''ve never considered pursuing your goddess?"


    Leighton''s ears were instantly red.


    "I''m content to be able to shoot a scene with her.I didn''t consider much about other stuff."


    The manager said, "Not thinking about this much is correct.You know who your goddess'' ex-husband


    is?"


    Leighton immediately remembered the man with the powerful aura fromst night who helped massage


    his acupoints.


    "Who?" Leighton asked.


    "The young master of the Vinci Rivera Group, Keegan Kane."


    The manager told Leighton about the news he had found out.


    "Since the start ofst night, the Kane family has attempted to contact awyer to make us drop the


    case."


    Leighton furrowed his brows.


    "Keegan made us drop the case?"


    "It''s nothing like that.It''s Chandler Kane who that said as long as we drop the case, we''re free to make


    any demands."


    "You agreed to it already?" Leighton asked.


    "How could I possibly do that?"


    His manager nced at him.


    "She almost hurt your goddess, so how could I agree to this lightly?"


    Leighton''s expression immediately eased.He then heard his manager say, "Keegan also contacted


    me.He invited you to be the brand ambassador for the Frontier Series Drones.The condition was that


    we do not drop the case, so I agreed to it."


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Leighton''s expression fell.


    "You betraying piece of shit! Do I look like I need another endorsement?"


    His manager answered, "You don''t n to drop the case, so Chandler would definitely look for an


    excuse to cause trouble.However, if we ept Keegan''s deal, it''d be different.We can then not drop


    the case.You get to stand up for your goddess and get a free endorsement.Later, when Chandler


    troubles you, Keegan will definitely help with some of the damage.It''s three birds with one stone.Why


    wouldn''t I ept his deal?"


    Leighton pulled a long face while saying, "He divorced Ste.How could he be a good person? Why do


    I need to earn his favor?"


    His manager continued to coax him.


    "You''re helping your goddess earn his money.This would also be helping your goddess stand up to


    him."


    Leighton gave it some thought, and it seemed to make a little sense, so he reluctantly epted his


    manager''s exnation.He then said, "You should help me think about this.I''ve added her as a friend,


    so what do I say?"


    "There''s no need to say anything.Wait for Ste to speak first."


    Leighton''s manager nced at the silly Tiger and continued, "You''re an idol, so have some dignity.Don''t


    your fans like your cold demeanor?"


    Leighton felt that it was reasonable.


    Just as he epted the request, a sales phone call appeared on his phone.


    Leighton scrunched his eyebrows and tapped on the screen twice.


    After he hung up the sales call, Leighton''s expression fell utterly.He had identally pressed Decline.

 Chapter 762

    Chapter 762


    Chapter 762


    Keegan had meant what he said.He had given strict orders that no one was allowed to bail Aurora.


    Dahlia had begged everyone the whole night.She also used each and every contact avable.


    No one could get Aurora out.


    Not only that, but the police did not even allow visits.


    Dahlia did not get any sleep.


    Before daybreak the next day, she ran to Cordelia''s home to beg Cordelia.


    Cordelia knew about this incident the previous night.


    Keegan had been wary of Dahlia''s n.


    When he returned from his uncle''s house yesterday night, he had gone to Cordelia''s residence.


    He told Cordelia what had happened in exact detail, including all of Aurora''s deeds in the past.


    Cordelia finished listening to this and did not speak for a long while.


    Knowing what Keegan would do next, Cordelia said, "Let her suffer.She should learn this lesson.I truly


    regret that I let her take care of Aurora back then."


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Cordelia was worried Dahlia woulde to make a fuss.


    Hence, she had traveled through the night to the summer home at Sresportst night.


    Naturally, Dahlia did not find what she wanted.


    On top of that, her calls to Baldwin and others also could not go through.


    Dahlia was finally sure Cordelia did not care about Aurora this time.She left Cordelia''s residence with


    an ashen face.


    On the way, Darcie called.


    "Dahlia, how is it? Did Aurora get bailed out?"


    Dahlia''s eyes were bloodshot, and she said hoarsely, "Not yet.


    Keegan''s gone insane and won''t let me bail her."


    Darcie replied, "Keegan''s probably still angry."


    Dahlia suddenly asked, "Darcie, could you help me bail her out?"


    Darcie sighed.


    "Dahlia, it''s not that I don''t want to help you.The attitude of the Kane family is there on disy.As an


    outsider, how could I intervene?"


    Dahlia pursed his lips.She was just grasping at straws.


    As long as Keegan and Cordelia did not relent, no one knew how to bail Aurora out.


    "However, I think there''s one person you can look for."


    Dahlia was shocked and asked, "Who?"


    "Ste Jewell," Darcie said gently.


    "I heard all about it.It was because of her.Keegan not allowing anyone bail Aurora is most likely rted


    to Ms.Ste.If she opens her mouth to persuade him, this issue might be able to be turned


    around."Dahlia''s expression turned ugly.


    ''Is something wrong with her brain? Look for Ste?" Dahlia thought.


    Darcie continued, "Bailing Aurora out first is most important.Other things can temporarily be put on


    hold."


    Dahlia had a tight expression while she said, "I''ll think about it."


    When she hung up the phone, Jaylene asked, ''''Mom, we really can''t help?"


    Darcie answered calmly, "If the Kane family doesn''t care, on what grounds can we help? Aurora did


    this to herself.Did you forget how she almost killed you? Besides, the issue is that Keegan isn''t allowing


    anyone to put bail.If we go and help, would Keegan have a good impression of you?"


    Jaylene lowered her gaze.


    "Mom, Keegan seems to not care about me in that way."


    Darcie pulled Jaylene''s hand and helped her smooth the hems of her skirt.


    "Jaylene, if you want something, you need to fight for it yourself.Regardless whether its people or


    things, you can''t wait for it to approach you.Even animals will hesitate, let alone people! You have to


    grab ahold of him yourself and tame him."


    Jaylene wanted to say something when Wenham''s voice came from behind the door.


    "Darcie, Sawyer got me a belt that heats itself.There''s mugwort in it."


    Wenham held a belt in his hand.He walked in hurriedly.


    "His wife had back pain, and it got better after she wore it for a few days.Hence, I got them.I''ll let you


    try and wear them."


    Darcie heard this and agreed to it.


    Seeing this, Jaylene walked out.


    Wenham plugged in the belt.


    Both his hands surrounded Darcie''s waist and helped her wear the belt.


    As he adjusted the temperature, he asked, "How is it? Is it hot?"


    "It''s fine," she replied.


    Wenham let go and sat at the side.


    "If the pain doesn''t subside after a few days of applying it, go and take an x-ray at the hospital."


    "It''s an old problem.There is no need."


    Darcie paused and then said, Call Trevor over for a meal in the afternoon.He stays at Orchid Garden


    Residence alone and must''ve halfheartedly prepared his meals."


    "There''s no need to care for him.He isn''t in Rivera for these few days," Wenham said.


    Darcie was stunned.


    "He went to have fun?"

 Chapter 763

    Chapter 763


    Chapter 763


    Wenham pursed his lips.


    "He''s going back to Salcator to visit his uncle and grandparents."


    Darcie stopped talking.


    After a while, she said, "He''s been back for along time.He should go and visit them.How are the


    elders?"


    "Quite well," Wenham said vaguely.


    He then gave her an excuse before he went out.


    Darcie pursed her lips tightly.She used her fingers to press the hot waistband around her as she softly


    caressed it.


    Meanwhile, Ste had been reading the script the whole day.She also watched a few episodes of a


    popr drama.


    Toward evening, her doorbell rang.


    Felicity was amending the script with her earphones on.


    Ste got up and went to open the door.


    The people outside the door were the workers from The Emperor.


    They were holding a few bags.


    They smiled brightly when the door was opened.


    "Hi, your takeaway order from The Emperor is here.We''re d to serve you."


    Ste was stunned.


    "I didn''t order this."


    One worker took out the addressbel to verify.


    ''Clouditude International, seventh floor, unit 901, Ms.Felicity Thompson.Here''s your phone number.Isn''t


    this you?"


    "Felicity?"


    Ste said, ''Please wait for a while."


    She then went to Felicity and pulled out her earphones.


    "Did you order from The Emperor?"


    Felicity looked dazed.


    "I didn''t."


    "They said you ordered it.The address and the phone number are yours too."


    Felicity''s eyes brightened.


    "That''s great! Quickly ask them toe in."


    Ste was speechless.


    Felicity ran to the door and brought in the workers from The Emperor.


    The workers were quick, setting up the ce in ten minutes.


    Felicity took a piece of small bacon.


    She ate it before asking, "Is this paid for?"


    "It''s been paid."


    The worker handed the receipt to her.


    "Have a check."


    Felicity nced at it.She was extremely shocked when she looked at it.


    ¡®Oh my! It''s over two thousand dors.


    That person ordered all that expensive food?¡¯ Ste whispered, "Who ordered this for you?"


    Felicity coughed.


    ''''Probably an admirer."


    She could not guess who it was either.


    ''My birthday isn''t around the corner yet.Could it be my mom? ¡®I just sent her a sticker that said I''m poor


    yesterday.And she gave me a response so quickly? ¡®Indeed, mom''s the best!¡¯ Felicity sent the two


    workers away.


    She then grabbed her phone and took a picture of the table full of food.


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    She sent it to her mother.


    [Thank you for feeding me, my queen.]


    Her mother replied after a while: [I''m on a diet.Don''t send me this kind of stupid picture.]


    Felicity was confused.


    [Mom, didn''t you order this for me?] Florence Klein replied: [Yeah, right.I didn''t.]


    Felicity was speechless.


    ¡®who was it then?"


    While she was pondering, a cough sounded at the door.


    Ste turned her head.


    Keegan and Vermont were suddenly standing at the entrance.


    Vermont raised the bottle of red wine he was holding.


    "Can we join?"

 Chapter 764

    Chapter 764


    Chapter 764


    Felicity''s expression turned ugly.


    "You ordered this?"


    Vermont coughed.


    "Well, I''ve eaten a few of your meals.I''m paying you back with this."


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    Felicity gave a mockingugh.


    If Keegan were not there, she would have hit him! Holding the alcohol, Vermont walked to her.He


    whispered, "This is year eighty-two Lafite.Am I sincere enough?"


    Felicity''s ears moved.She nced at the alcohol that he was holding.


    Its packaging was indeed exactly the same as the one she saw on the set.


    Suspiciously, Felicity said, "You''re not fooling me with counterfeit wine, right?"


    Vermont said, "If this is fake, I''ll swallow the bottle."


    Felicity looked better.She took the bottle of alcohol from him.


    "For the sake of the Lafite."


    She then walked to the kitchen with it.


    Vermont lifted the corners of his lips as he followed her.


    Ste and Keegan stared at each other.Keegan said, "Let''s have a walk downstairs."


    Ste looked at the food.


    "I still haven''t eaten."


    Keegan smiled.


    He looked a little gentle, "I''ll bring you to eat something good."


    Ste wanted to pluck information from Keegan.She wanted to know what happened to Aurora.So, she


    agreed.


    Before she went out, she brought her small pouch that had some loose change in it with her.


    There was a night market near the west entrance of Clouditude International.


    After six o''clock at night, people would open their stalls to sell snacks, fruits, and so on.


    It was exceptionally hot today.


    Although the sun had set, the hot air rising from the ground could still make everyone''s lower legs


    sweaty.


    Ste was wearing shorts and a thin t-shirt.


    Not only did she still fee] hot, but she also felt a little stuffy.


    The weather forecast said that it would rain at noon.


    But it did not rain at all for the whole day.


    The tip of her nose had been sweating since they went out.


    Ste nced at Keegan.


    It was like Keegan was living in a different season than Ste.


    He wore a loose white shirt.


    His sleeves were neatly rolled up to his elbows.


    He also wore khaki-colored mulberry silk cks.


    His leather shoes were so shiny that they could reflect figures.


    He looked elegant.


    There was nobility and grace in his every movement.


    She was close to him and could clearly see the thin sweat on his face.


    If not, she would have thought he was not feeling hot.


    The night market was extremely lively.


    Keegan was dazzled by it.


    His elbow was suddenly hit by someone.


    Keegan came back to his senses.


    He then heard Ste whisper, ''Do you not feel hot?"


    Keegan honestly said, "I feel hot."


    "Why are you still wearing such thick clothes?"


    Ste murmured.


    Coincidentally, she saw someone selling clothes in front of her.


    She pulled Keegan as she said, "I''ll pick a shirt that''s cool for you."


    After that, she pulled him to a clothing stall.


    Clouditude International was in the high-tech zone.


    It was just a street away from the old city.


    There were many buildings on the east side but it was lifeless.


    While on the west side, it was lively and bustling.


    The control for these two years had been loosened.


    The night market was crowded again just like a few years back.


    But this was the first time Keegan saw a clothing stall at a night market.


    It was just that...


    Although the stall was selling shirts for both men and women, it was surrounded by mostly women.


    There were also a few men there but they were all standing at the side.


    They were probably apanying their loved ones.


    They did not go near the stall.


    Keegan was initially holding Ste''s hand.


    But when the stall owner took out a bag full of clothes, Ste immediately let go of his hand and went to


    grab the clothes with a group of women.


    Keegan finally understood why those men were standing aside instead of staying close to their lovers.


    Because those men would affect the speed of the women grabbing the clothes.


    So, he became one of the men who was watching from the side too.


    A white, chubby man of average height beside Keegan gave him a cigarette.


    "Do you want one?"


    Keegan did not take it.


    "Thank you.I don''t smoke."


    The man smiled.


    He then put that cigarette back into the box, "Actually, I don''t really smoke too.I smoke mainly because


    I''m afraid I''ll have nothing to talk about when I speak to someone."


    Keegan did not really understand him.


    Because he never needed to start a conversation with someone else.It was always other people who


    started a conversation with him.


    The man said, "I''ve been looking at you for some time.You were holding your wife''s hand in this


    heat.You two just got married recently?"

 Chapter 765

    Chapter 765


    Chapter 765


    Keegan pursed his lips.


    ''We divorced recently." But he still made a sound to imply yes.


    The man said, "Your wife''s quite pretty. My wife''s just slightly prettier."


    Keegan was speechless.


    "Your wife is..."


    "She''s the one on your wife''s left.She''s wearing a floral skirt."


    Keegan turned his head to look.He was silent.


    ¡®She looks...quite likable.


    ¡®They do look like a married couple.She has a chubby, round face.Her arms are one and a half arms


    thicker than Ste''s.


    The man said, "She was very slim before she gave birth.She only got chubbier after that.Actually, she


    isn''t chubby.I think she looks quite good.You guys don''t have a child yet, right?"


    Keegan said, "We aren''t nning on having a kid."


    The man winced.He then smiled as he said, "That''s good too.It was like being at death''s door.It was


    very torturous.My wife had too many supplements when she was pregnant.The baby was too big when


    she gave birth.She ended up staying in the delivery room for a day and a night.I was so scared."


    Keegan was stunned.Now, he was even more determined to not have a child.


    "Keegan!""


    Ste twisted her head to shout at him.Keegan came back to his senses.He then walked to her.Ste


    grabbed a ck fis t-shirt and put it in front of him to check the size.Her eyes were sparkling as


    she said, "This must be cooling."


    Keegan''s eyelid twitched.


    ''This is the kind of shirt that male strippers wear when they dance, isn''t it?¡¯ "And these shorts."


    Ste held the shorts up with her hands.


    Keegan was silent when he looked at it.


    The shorts and the fis t-shirt were a set.


    They were tight grid boxers.


    And what was more demoralizing was that they were freaking crotchless pants! Ste only noticed that


    when she held them up.¡®I was wondering why this shirt was so revealing.I only realized these are erotic


    clothes after so long! ¡®This is freaking crotchless! ¡®which genius designed this?!"


    Some people around them were already looking at them.


    Ste quickly squeezed the shorts in her hand.


    Keegan looked at her furtive expression and smiled.He lowered his voice to ask, "You like this kind of


    clothes?"


    "Who likes it?"


    Ste stared at him.She wanted to tease Keegan.


    That was why she took it.But she did not know that it was a set of erotic clothes.


    Keegan slowly said, "If you like them, I can wear them for you."


    Ste instantly imagined how he would look if he wore this outfit.She suddenly felt even hotter.She


    blushed as she stared at him."Shameless!"


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡®I just said I can wear it."


    Ste picked a cool-touch short-sleeved shirt and shorts.She then asked the stall owner for the price.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    The boss looked at their outfit.He said, "Eight hundred for them."


    Ste frowned.


    "That''s a little expensive."


    The owner said, "You can bargain."


    Ste said, "I don''t dare.I''m afraid you''ll hit me for the price I ask for."


    The owner replied, "I won''t.Just tell me the price."


    Ste probed, "Then...Eighty?"


    The boss nodded.


    "Deal."


    Ste and Keegan were speechless.

 Chapter 766

    Chapter 766


    Chapter 766


    ''I feel like I got ripped off...I should''ve said fifty."


    Ste felt she got a bad deal.But Keegan felt like his cognitive view got reconstructed.


    ¡®You can make such a counteroffer? Ste did not simply give her counteroffer.She always went to the


    night market near Trinity University.So, she could more or less know the price of these clothes.But she


    did not expect the stall owner to be so cunning.


    ¡®It''s fine.He has to make a profit.It''s a virtuous circle."


    When the owner held the bag open for Ste, Keegan handed the set of erotic outfits to him.He asked,


    "How much is this?"


    The stall owner nced at it.


    "Hundred and fifty."


    Keegan remembered the way Ste bargained just now.He said, "It''s too expensive.Give me a better


    offer."


    The owner said, "Make me a counteroffer."


    Keegan said, "Fifteen."


    The boss was stunned.He took the clothes from him and threw them at a pile of clothes.


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    "Have a nice day!"


    Keegan was speechless.


    Steughed hysterically.


    Keegan was a little dissatisfied.He felt that there was nothing he could not do. So, he learned from


    those women who bargained.


    With a sullen face, he said, "Fifteen dors.Or else, I''ll just leave."


    The corner of the owner''s eye twitched.


    "Leave then! Fifteen? Even I can''t buy them for fifteen dors.Are you trying to make trouble? Keegan


    was speechless.This was the first time Ste saw Keegan get knocked back in front of outsiders.Her


    stomach was in pain from holding back herughter.Keegan felt very dissatisfied that his counteroffer


    was unsessful.


    He said, "Tell me your price."


    The owner sized him up.


    "I won''t sell them for less than eighty dors."Keegan''s eye twitched.


    "These clothes have less material than hers.Isn''t it a little too much, asking for eighty dors?" The


    owner said.


    "Look at the quality.Look at the sticity. I earn very little from them.You can go and have a look at the


    other stalls.If they''re selling cheaper for the same quality, you cane back and trash my stall."


    Keegan pursed his lips.


    ''Eighty...It''s almost half of the original price."


    So, he said, "Eighty, it is."


    The stall owner suddenly smiled joyfully.


    "I''ll pack them for you."


    After Keegan paid, the owner smiled again as he said, "Buy from me again if it''s nice to wear."


    ¡®I made a profit of seventy dors from that."


    After they walked aside, Ste said, "He looked extremely happy."


    "Huh?"


    Ste nced at him.


    "He met a fool like you who didn''t know how to bargain.


    How could he not be happy? He made a profit of at least sixty dors from you."


    Keegan frowned.


    "Why didn''t you warn me just now?"


    Ste rolled her eyes.


    "How would I have known you''d agree to eighty dors?"


    Keegan was speechless.He tried to make up for what he did.


    "It''s impossible for him to make so much profit.The quality isn''t bad.Labor cost is very high.Moreover,


    the clothes had to be further processed.After that, it would''ve had to be delivered to multiple locations.It


    also had to be passed through a few distributors and middlemen.He probably didn''t earn a lot from the


    eighty dors.We should allow the boss to make some money."


    ¡®The fis t-shirt is just made from a few threads.And how would he know that the quality isn''t


    bad?"Ste suddenly felt that Keegan was quite cute when she saw how hard he tried to reassure


    himself that he was not ripped off.


    She handed the clothes in her hand to Keegan.


    "Do you want to change into these? You''ll feel cooler."Keegan said, "It''s fine."


    Ste nced at him.


    "Are the clothes I bought for eighty dors not good enough for you?"


    "It''s not that."


    Keegan did not want to anger her.


    "I''ll go and change."


    He then took the clothes from her.He went in the direction of the guardhouse to find a ce to change.


    Ste waited outside just for a short while.


    Keegan came out very quickly.She raised her head to look at him.She pursed her lips.


    "You should go in and change back."


    Keegan usually wore size XL.She picked clothes that were size XL for him too.


    But this shirt was smaller than the XL-sized shirts that Keegan normally wore.


    It was a loose short sleeve shirt but it became a tight shirt when he wore it.


    Keegan''s muscles could be seen even when he was wearing the shirt.It was too tight.


    Keegan said, "It''s not nice?"


    Ste said, "It''s not that."


    She then poked his nipple as she whispered, "It''s mainly because it''s a little sexual."

 Chapter 767

    Chapter 767


    Chapter 767


    Keegan was speechless.He grabbed Ste''s hand.


    "Watch what you''re doing, Ms.Jewell."


    He nced to the side as he said that.


    Ste twisted her head.She then saw a boy holding an ice cream.He was looking at them with his head


    tilted to the side.


    Ste coughed as she withdrew her hand.


    Just as she wanted to say something, the boy was called to by his mother.


    Ste then heard him say, "Mom, thatdy poked the man''s chest.Is she a pervert?"


    Ste was speechless.


    Keegan''s mood was very good.He pinched her earlobe.


    "Let''s go, little pervert." Ste''s expression turned ugly.


    "You''re the pervert!"


    She then followed him and said, "Are you not changing? Your shirt''s too tight."


    Keegan nced at her.


    "I''m not a woman.Moreover, it''s nighttime now.And I''m wearing a ck t-shirt.Who''de so close to


    look at me as you did?"


    Ste took a look at him.


    "Won''t you feel embarrassed?" Keegan was stunned.


    ''Why does this sentence sound so familiar? ¡®But it was me who said that back then."


    Keegan got close to her and whispered, "If I''m with you, I''m afraid I can''t win over you if I''m easily


    embarrassed."


    Ste was speechless.


    Keegan held her hand.


    "Do you want to eat Hustuabourgian or Yostranian?"


    Ste said, "I want to eat food from food stands."


    Keegan was frozen for a moment.


    "The food stands don''t have food licenses.Isn''t that unhygienic?"


    Ste let go of his hand.


    "I''ll eat food from the food stands.You just eat at a restaurant then.We''ll meet at the front door when


    both of us are done eating."


    Keegan immediately held her hand again.


    "It''s fine to eat those asionally."


    Ste nced at him.


    "Are you sure?"


    "I''m okay if you''re okay."


    Ste smiled slightly.She then took him to a stand that was selling grilled pork.She asked for two pork


    wraps.


    One of the wraps contained pork cheeks and pork tongues, another wrap contained pork belly.


    When the stall owner chopped the meat, Keegan furrowed his eyebrows tightly.He probably had not


    eaten meat with so much fat.


    Ste was a little amused when she saw him frown so tightly.She said to the stand owner, ''''Please add


    some garlic to the one with pork belly.Don''t add anything to the one with lean meat."


    Keegan said, "I want to order what you ordered."


    Ste did not look at him.


    "You don''t have to force yourself.If you don''t like it, you don''t like it.I don''t need you to change what you


    like just to amodate me.I don''t like to force myself to amodate you either."


    Keegan pursed his lips.


    "This isn''t amodating.I haven''t tried it before.I just want to try."


    Ste said, "I''ll give you a bite for you to taste.If you buy it and you don''t like it and if you decide to


    throw it away after that, it''ll be such a waste."


    Keegan winced.


    ''Is she saying we''ll share the wrap?¡¯ He was excited.


    He softly said, "I''ll listen to you."


    After a short while, the two wraps were ready.


    Steady asked the stand owner for a disposable glove.She then twisted off a piece of the wrap from the


    middle and put it near Keegan''s mouth.


    "Try it."


    Keegan was speechless.He thought she would just let him eat the wrap directly.He reluctantly lowered


    his head.


    Just when he wanted to open his mouth, a kid nearby ran to them and knocked into Ste''s back Her


    hand shook.


    All the meat in the piece of the wrap fell to the floor.


    Only the two in wraps were still in her hand.


    Ste felt sad when she looked at the meat on the floor.


    ''That kid''s so annoying!" She pouted.


    She was a little hurt as she said, "I''ll give you another piece."


    Keegan suddenly gave augh when he saw her expression.He whispered, "It''s fine.You eat it."


    ¡®A foodie is willing to share her food with me.This clearly shows that I hold a ce in her heart.


    ¡®It''s fine even if I''m not her number one."


    But Ste still twisted off another piece of the wrap for him in the end.It was not actually nice.


    The meat had too much fat.The sauce was a little salty.The garlic was a bit too spicy.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    It waspletely not to his liking.


    But Keegan did not spit it out because Ste said it was especially delicious.


    Vermont told him not to be a bummer when the other person liked something.


    This was a matter of respect.


    After they ate the pork wraps, Ste took him to another food stand to queue for matcha shaved ice.It


    was hot.


    So, the business of the matcha shaved ice stall was exceptionally good.


    The queue was more than ten meters long.


    But before it was their turn to buy it, it started to drizzle.


    Initially, everyone thought it would not rain heavily.


    But soon, it started to rain so heavily that it made drumming sounds.


    Ste grabbed Keegan and went to a store that sold fruits to shield themselves from the rain.


    Despite this, they still got wet from the rain.It was summer.So, they dressed lightly.


    When the shirt was wet, it would stick to the body.


    It was fine for men.


    But it was a little awkward for women.


    Ste''s white t-shirt stuck to her body.


    The color of her bra could be seen clearly.


    They were standing in front of the store entrance.


    When people came to the store to get shelter from the rain, they would nce at Ste''s body.


    Although they would stop looking when they made eye contact with Keegan, what they did still made


    him mad.He pursed his lips.He took out the shirt that he changed from the bag to drape over Ste''s


    body.


    Of course, Ste was aware of that too.


    She adjusted the shirt before she went closer to Keegan to shield herself.


    Her actions made Keegan very happy.


    He raised his hand and rested it against the window.


    This actually formed a half-circle surrounding Ste.


    After a while, the small store that was around three hundred square feet was filled with people who


    came to get shelter from the rain.


    When the store owner saw that, he immediately had an idea.


    He cleared his throat before he said, "Everyone, my shop is small.And there are too many people


    here.I have to prioritize my customers to be shielded from the rain.I hope you all understand."


    Everyone understood instantly what he meant.


    If they wanted to use his store as a shelter, they had to buy fruits from him.


    Two people left the store right after he said that.


    The others started to take the bags to put the fruits in them.


    After all, no one knew when the rain would stop.


    Ste did not like how the boss took advantage of the situation.She grabbed Keegan''s hand and


    wanted to leave.


    Keegan pulled her back.


    He whispered, "We can just buy a little.It''s thundering out there.It isn''t safe."


    Ste was unhappy as she said, "Buy the cheap fruits."


    Keegan picked two peaches.But when he went to weigh them, the boss said he would not sell the fruits


    if they were less than four and a half pounds in total.

 Chapter 768

    Chapter 768


    Chapter 768


    Ste was boiling with rage.She took the peaches from Keegan''s hands and threw them back.She


    looked grim as she said, "We don''t want them!"


    She then grabbed Keegan''s hand and left the fruit store.It was raining very heavily.


    The wind was strong too.


    When they stepped out of the shop, they immediately got wet from the nted rain.Ste suddenly


    regretted it.


    ''Why did I act tough in time like this? It''s fine to get ripped off.How expensive can four and a half


    pounds be?"


    She turned her head and wanted to tell Keegan to go back into the shop.


    But Keegan already held the shirt open to shield their heads from the rain.He went close to her ear and


    whispered, "Four and a half pounds isn''t expensive.But we can''t allow this unhealthy practice."


    Ste was stunned.Her heart softened a little.She said, "I have so many metal items on me.And you''re


    with me now.Aren''t you afraid of being struck by the thunder?"


    Keegan lowered his head to look at her.


    "Do you want a perfect answer or a real answer?"


    ¡®He even prepared two answers?"


    Ste was a little confused.So, she said, "Tell me the real answer."


    Keegan said, "There are many skyscrapers nearby.When lightning is formed, it''d preferentially


    umte the induced charge above these tall buildings.This kind of charge is stronger than the


    charge on the ground.So, it''ll exert a very strong attraction on the lightning.It can easily pull the


    lightning over.And usually, there are lightning arresters on top of these tall buildings.They''ll lead the


    lightning to the ground.So, we''ll most probably not get struck by lightning."


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®This is really a freaking real answer.It''s truly consistent with Keegan''s assessment of dangers."


    This answer was So real that Ste did not feel like talking to him anymore.


    Keegan leaned toward her and asked, "Don''t you want to hear the perfect answer?"


    Ste unhappily said, "Is there a need for that?"


    "Just listen to it.It took me a great effort to think of that."


    Ste felt annoyed with him.


    Then she casually said, "Tell me the perfect answer then."


    Keegan smiled.


    He then got close to her ear and made every single word clear as he said, "I want to live and die


    together with you."


    Ste cringed.She twisted her head to look at him.


    Keegan was looking down at her.She gazed at him.


    His hair blew out of ce in the wind, and it got wet from the rain.


    His hair was sticking to his forehead.


    Even if a person was very attractive, it was impossible for that person to still look good in this kind of


    situation.She had seen him too many times with his high-spirited look.But she rarely saw him looking


    so disheveled.


    Although he looked disheveled, his eyes were still sparkling.


    Keegan''s best feature was his eyes.He had standard nted eyes.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    The inner corners of his eyes curved downward.


    The outer corners of his eyes curved upwards.His double eyelids were somewhat narrow.His pupils


    could not be seen easily.He carried his own aura.


    When he did not smile, he was very imposing.


    But when he smiled, the end of his eyes would point upwards, he looked elegant and dashing.


    When he lowered his eyes to tell her that he wanted to live and die together with her, he looked like a


    God who lowered his dignity toe down to the mortal world for love.


    And if Ste were to say "no", he would be summoned to be burned in hell.


    Ste''s heart was pounding like thunder when she stared into his eyes.She looked away and coughed.


    "This isn''t the perfect answer." Keegan frowned.


    "There''s a better answer?" Ste snorted.


    "The perfect answer is, if the thunder strikes, it''ll strike you. You won''t let me die even if you die."

 Chapter 769

    Chapter 769


    Chapter 769


    Keegan was speechless.


    "That''s not the perfect answer.That''s just a lie."


    Keegan seriously pondered before he spoke, "Humans can only be responsible for someone else''s life


    if that person can protect himself.Or else, it''d just be empty talk.I can tell you these kinds of deceptive


    words as many times as you want.But when it really happens, I can''t promise you what I''ll do.Because


    human instinct is to protect oneself in a crisis."


    He paused before he whispered, "I''m not sure what my instinct will be.But, even if my instinct is to


    protect myself, I''ll be willing to live and die with you."


    Initially, Ste felt alittle ufortable when she heard him say he would choose to protect himself.


    But after hearing what he saidter on, she suddenly felt relieved.


    Keegan did not like hypothetical questions.


    But he seriously answered that question, so it meant that he seriously thought about it.


    Back then, she saw a video online.


    A car ident happened on a highway.


    The car that had two elderly people in it caught fire.


    The man escaped from the car.


    But the woman was still trapped in it.


    The fire was huge.


    The man could not get the woman out of the car.He was losing his mind outside of the car.He was


    crying like a kid before he decisively went back into the car.He died in the fire with the woman in the


    end.


    The man did not choose to save his lover immediately.


    But it did not mean that he did not care about her.


    It was human instinct to escape.


    But after he escaped, he still went back to the fire even though he knew he would die.


    That was love.


    One must love himself before he could love someone else.


    This was Keegan''s view on love.


    If someone told her this story back then, she would think that the person was selfish.


    She would think it was because that person did not love the other person enough.


    But now, she felt that this was a healthy concept of love.


    Ste thought to herself, ''I thought love meant that the person would live and die for you.


    He''d tell you that you''re more important than his own life.


    And once he stopped loving you, he''d also see you as a pain in the ass and a thorn in his flesh.


    ¡®If you love someone, you''d want them to live forever.


    But if you hate someone, you''d want them dead.


    ¡®I always thought that I knew a lot about love.But in reality, my perception of love was childish and


    laughable."


    Keegan was worried when he saw her silent for so long.He softly asked, "Are you angry?"


    ¡®Actually, I could''ve just said something else to lie to her.


    Just like back then, I actually cared about her, but I pretended that I didn''t care.


    ¡®l always felt that if I admitted that I cared about her, and if she didn''t respond to that, it''d put me at a


    disadvantage.I was too fussy about this.


    ¡®But love isn''t measured by gains or losses.


    ¡®I realized this toote.I don''t dare hide anything from her anymore.I''m afraid she''ll block me again if I


    do something wrong."


    Ste snapped out of her thoughts.She stared at Keegan''s worried eyes.She was suddenly amused.


    ¡®He wasn''t afraid that I''d get angry when he said that.But he''s worried after he said it?"


    Ste intentionally said with a straight face, "If I''m angry, what''ll you do?"


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    As expected, Keegan was upset.


    After pondering, he said, "I''ll take back what I just said then.I''ll listen to whatever you say."


    "I heard everything you said! Moreover, you''re a CEO.You can''t just take back what you said."


    Keegan frowned as he thought hard about it.He whispered, "You just forget about what I said then.You


    have a bad memory anyway."


    Ste was speechless.She still wanted to say something.


    But she suddenly noticed Keegan''s back waspletely drenched with the rain.She paused for a


    moment.She took out her phone to send Felicity a text.


    [Hey, gorgeous, bring me an umbre when you''re done eating.It''s raining heavily.I can''t go home.]


    Felicity was drunk at that moment.


    She hid the bottle of Lafite that Vermont brought.


    After that, she took out a bottle of white wine and started drinking with Vermont.


    When he saw his wine which was worth tens of thousands of dors was reced with a white wine


    that cost less than a hundred dors, the corner of his eye twitched.

 Chapter 770

    Chapter 770


    Chapter 770


    "Why aren''t we drinking Lafite?"


    Vermont could not help but ask.


    Felicity nced at him, "The Lafite is an apology gift from you to me.What makes you think you can


    drink it?"


    Vermont was speechless.Her answer was so reasonable that he could not argue with her.


    Felicity put the white wine aside.She did not open it.She just started eating on her own.


    Although it seemed like Felicity forgave Vermont because she took the Lafite, she did not talk to him


    throughout the meal.


    Felicity was a talkative person.


    When she ate at his house back then, she talked non-stop.She would rant and gossip.She would


    comin about what went wrong at work.


    Or she would talk about the drama and animated show she was watching.


    She would never keep quiet during meals or bedtime.


    In her own words, "If we''re not allowed to chat during meals, why should we sit together and eat? We


    can just eat on our own."


    When Vermont was brought back to Rivera when he was around eleven or twelve years old, he did not


    fit in with the people around him.


    Unlike kids from well-known families such as Keegan, Vermont did not receive an elite education.He


    was not a top student in school.He did not have excellent manners and etiquette either.


    When he first entered the Rivera circle, he was like a mongrel mixing with a group of expensive dog


    breeds.He was left out.He wasughed at.He got rid of the "unrefined" habits that he developed when


    he lived with his grandfather.


    He put on a mask to fit into that circle because everyone did that.He must do this to avoid sticking out


    like a sore thumb.He fitted in very well.


    Ever since he established himself with Green Hill Media and Neon Neb, no one dared mention


    "stinky fishmonger".


    If someone slipped up and identally mentioned that he "came from a family of fishmongers" or


    words like that, someone else would drop that person a "gentle reminder" without Vermont speaking.


    Because everyone thought that his working-ss background was a matter upon which he was


    reticent.


    Vermont did not feel that way.


    But after those people "reminded" him about that time and time again, he gradually began to feel upset


    with his background.


    People around him were rich young men and youngdies from very wealthy families.


    They conducted themselves with politeness and discipline.


    When he was with them, no matter what they were doing, his primary concern was whether his actions


    were different from theirs.He had been in this circle for a very long time.He slowly began to forget who


    he used to be.


    That was until he met Felicity.


    She would curse.She would even hit people who angered her.She was notdylike when she ate.She


    would open her mouth bigger than Vermont did.


    When there was only one piece of meat left on the sharing te, she would do everything she could to


    be the one who ate it.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Her behavior waspletely different from those rich young men anddies.


    But when he was with her, it was as though he got his old self back again after a long time.


    He felt very rxed in whatever he did.


    He did not need to worry about people gossiping about him when he went to eat or order takeaway


    from a restaurant.


    Not only did Felicity think it was fine, but she also praised him for saving money.


    He also did not have to worry about others telling him that he did not have good taste when he wore


    domestic products that he liked.


    Felicity would tell him to send her the link.She wanted to support domestic products with him.She told


    him charity began at home.


    Until now, Vermont still was not sure what kind of feeling he was having for her.He felt veryfortable


    when he spent time with her.He did not want Felicity to ignore him.


    But he felt something was missing when he thought about whether he fell for her.


    ¡®I don''t think I have the urge to sleep with Felicity.


    ¡®Even when I kissed her, it felt more like I was just teasing her.I felt gentle and calm when I kissed


    her.But I didn''t have the sudden urge to kiss her.


    I feel rxed andfortable when I''m with her.I didn''t feel these when I was with my ex-girlfriends.


    ¡®I don''t want her to be together with Corbin Steven because I''m afraid that she''ll get hurt.I want to tease


    her.I want to protect her.But I don''t feel like sleeping with her.Could it be because...I''m treating her like


    my sister?¡¯


    The more Vermont thought about that, the more he felt like that was the most likely reason.


    When he was very close to Keegan back then, the rtionship between Keegan and Marshall bothered


    him very much.


    When Marshall came back to Hustuabourg this time, he even got jealous for the first two days.

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    Chapter 771


    Chapter 771


    ¡®This is probably the kind of feeling I have for Felicity.


    ¡®She''s a little foolish.But she''s loyal.She makes good food.She''s hotheaded but she doesn''t hold a


    grudge.


    ¡®I like straightforward people like her."


    After he thought that over, Vermont increasingly felt that he should make it up to Felicity.He did not


    want to lose a loyal friend who could cook well.


    So, he grabbed the alcohol and filled their sses.


    "Miss ban¡ª Felicity, sorry for eating the food instead of delivering it.You trusted me but I failed you.I''ll


    apologize to you with this ss of wine.Please forgive me."


    Felicity was stunned.She then frowned.


    "Are you trying to manipte me again?"


    Vermont was speechless.He did not me Felicity for thinking that way.


    Vermont was too blunt when he asked her for forgiveness.She subconsciously felt that he might be up


    to something.He spoke more softly.


    "I''m really apologizing to you.After you exited the carst night, I deeply regretted what I did.You were


    so good to me.You made me good food and yed games with me.But I ate your food and made you


    angry.I feel terribly sorry about it."


    He was still thinking about how to exin that kiss to her.He did not want to just talk about it out of the


    blue.He then heard Felicity say, "This wasn''t the only thing you did wrongly.You even kissed me in front


    of Dr.Steven.I know you did that because you wanted to ward off your unwanted pursuers.But you


    should''ve taken my feelings into ount, right? When Dr.Steven saw that, what would he think of me?


    I treat you as my friend.But you shouldn''t just screw me over like that, right?"


    Vermont was speechless.


    Felicity already made an exnation for him while he was still thinking about how to justify that kiss to


    her.She thought Vermont used her as his shield and kissed her because he wanted to ward off the


    people pursuing him.


    To her, that kiss was meaningless.


    Vermont should have felt happy because he did not have to exin that kiss to her.But instead, he


    suddenly felt ufortable.


    ¡®She''s really not treating me as the opposite sex.


    ¡®Or does she treat every man like this except for Corbin?"


    Felicity took the ss of wine from him.


    "Since you''re apologizing to me so sincerely, and you bought me the Lafite, I''ll forgive you.But you can''t


    do that again.And you have to find time to exin it to Dr.Steven.I don''t want him to misunderstand."


    Vermont pursed his lips.


    He reluctantly made an agreeing sound.


    Felicity drank the ss of wine.She then started eating happily.She clearly did not take that matter


    personally.


    Because when she was eating, she even said to Vermont, "You had so many ex- girlfriends.But your


    kissing skills are terrible.You bit my tongue."


    Vermont was speechless.


    Felicity''s alcohol tolerance was only slightly better than Keegan''s.But Keegan could control himself


    better than Felicity when he drank.


    Keegan knew he had a bad alcohol tolerance.So, he would try to avoid drinking alcohol.


    Felicity was a bad drinker.But she loved to have fun.She was talking while eating.She drank a few


    sses of wine and four bowls of chicken soup.She started to get disoriented.Her cheeks were


    flushed.She was holding the fork, trying to take a piece of chicken from the pot of chicken soup.She


    failed to take it after several attempts.


    Felicity was furious suddenly.


    "I think you didn''t mean it when you apologized to me.The meat you brought has legs.It ran away when


    I tried to take it.It didn''t want me to eat it!"


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Vermont was speechless.He grabbed his fork.He then took the piece of meat and put it on her te.


    Felicity was unhappy again.


    "Do you think I don''t have hands? I can take it myself!"


    She then threw the meat on her te back into the pot.She tried to poke the meat again.


    Five minutester, her anger spiked.She threw the fork away.She then rolled her sleeves and stretched


    out her hand, wanting to grab the meat.

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    Chapter 772


    Chapter 772


    Vermont was shocked.He pulled her hand away just as the tip of her finger touched the soup.


    "Are you insane? This is very hot!"


    Felicity was stunned for a moment.


    In a second, she felt the pain.She then cried loudly.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Vermont immediately took her to the washroom.He used cold water to flow through her finger.


    Felicity said while crying, "You didn''t mean it when you apologized.It was fine that you didn''t let me eat


    the meat.But you even burned me..."


    Vermont opened his mouth.He then closed it back in the end.


    ¡®There''s no point in exining to a drunk person."


    Felicity was unhappier when he did not talk.


    "Why didn''t you apologize to me?"


    ¡°Sorry." Vermont said that in a very perfunctory manner.He then lowered his head to check her finger.It


    was a little red.


    But it did not blister or fester.Felicity frowned.


    "Just sorry?"


    "Is it not enough?"


    Vermont grabbed the toothpaste on the sink.He then squeezed some of it out to apply it on the tip of


    her finger.


    Felicity turned around to grab his cor.


    She looked dazed.


    "Of course not! You''re the bastard who took my first kiss and virginity.What makes you think I''ll forgive


    you just because you said sorry?"


    She had great strength even when she was drunk.She was grabbing his cor, so Vermont had to bend


    down to look her in the eyes.


    Frustrated, he said, "Tell me what I should do then."


    Felicity frowned.


    "Let me think."


    She looked like she was thinking very hard.But she seemed like she was having a lot of fun.


    When he saw that, Vermont unconsciously smiled with his eyes.


    Two minutester, Vermont asked her, "Have you decided?"


    Felicity raised her head and said, ''I want to respond in kind!"


    "What..."


    Before Vermont could respond to that, Felicity abruptly grabbed his cor and pulled him down.She


    stood on tiptoe to kiss him.


    Vermont''s pupils shrunk.


    "This piece of shit...ate garlic!¡¯ He looked gloomy as he grabbed the back of her neck.


    He then pulled her off his body.


    Felicity''s legs were swinging in the air.She showed her teeth as she wed the air.


    "Son! Let go of daddy!"


    The vein on Vermont''s forehead twitched.


    He carried Felicity and brought her to her room.


    Felicity seemed to be very energetic as if she had been given a shot of adrenaline.


    After she was thrown on the bed, she immediately bounced and sat up.She grabbed Vermont''s shirt


    and violently pulled him on top of her.She opened her mouth and wanted to chew on him.


    Vermont responded quickly.


    He immediately stretched his arm out to block her mouth.


    Felicity was extremely drunk.


    She just started gnawing on the thing that her lips touched.


    Shepletely did not care what she was sucking on.


    Vermont''s palm felt itchy from her nibbling.


    His heart was itching along with it too.


    Just as he wanted to grab the back of her neck, Felicity let go of him.She wiped her mouth with the


    back of her hand.She looked very pleased as she said, "How was it? My skill is better, right?"


    Vermont was speechless.


    The phone in his pocket rang right as he was about to say something.His hand took out his phone.


    Keegan was calling him.


    Vermont tilted his head and answered the call.


    "Hello?"


    "Have you finished your meal? Come down and bring us umbres when you''re done eating."


    Loud raining sounds could be heard on the phone when Keegan spoke.


    Vermont nced at the window.He just realized it was raining.


    ¡®It seems like it''s been raining for quite some time."


    "Where are the two of you?"


    "West entrance.Around zero point two miles south."


    "Wait.I''ll immediately¡ª Fuck!"


    Vermont cursed before he finished his sentence.He then ended the call.


    Keegan frowned.


    ¡®Fuck? ¡®Who?"


    Ste hurriedly asked, "What happened? What did he say?"

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    Chapter 773


    Chapter 773


    Felicity did not respond, so Keegan had suggested calling Vermont instead.


    After the call ended abruptly, Keegan came back to his senses and put his phone away.


    "Coming shortly."


    While hugging Ste into his embrace, Keegan asked, "Are you cold?"


    Ste shook her head.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    The weather was hot, so the raindrops were warm.It was not cold, but the rain did make one shiver.


    Just as Ste shook her head, she sneezed twice.


    Keegan frowned.He then turned Ste so she was facing him and hugged her tightly.


    Ste whispered, "You don''t have to block the cold for me.I have a better physique than you."


    Keegan said while looking down.


    "I failed as a husband the first time.I''m not failing as a boyfriend too."


    Ste was startled, and said softly after a long while, "You''re still far from 100 points."


    Keegan chuckled.


    "Does this add some points for me?"


    "Probably fifty points," Ste said, after thinking a while.


    "Make it five hundred.I''ll wear this outfit for you when we get back,"


    Keegan replied while pointing to the bag of fis shirts.Ste instantly blushed.


    "Who said I wanted to see that?!" Keegan smirked.


    "I''m the one who wants to wear it."


    Ste was speechless.


    "Don''t you think your actions are a little too debauchery?"


    Keegan replied, "You wore it voluntarily once, so it''s only fair if 1 do the same too."


    Ste was once again speechless.


    Keegan was talking about their consummation.She always died from embarrassment when she thought


    about this memory, hoping to bury it in the back of her mind.She gritted her teeth.


    "There''s no need to talk about this so straightforwardly."


    "These are the things that we have to be honest about." Keegan''s husky voice lightly came to Ste''s


    ears.


    "Just in case Mrs.Kane has any misunderstandings about my physiology and keeps making


    appointments for me with an andrologist."Ste was at a loss for words.Her ears were red, and said in


    embarrassment, "All right.I know you can talk.Now shut up!"


    Keegan''s eyes shed with a hint ofughter as he took off his shirt and securely protected the person


    in front of him.


    Meanwhile, Vermont cursed from the surprise in front of him.


    His eyes were about to pop out of his head.


    Felicity wasying down and she had started to take off her underwear.


    Through her short sleeves, she took and threw her underwear to the side right in front of Vermont.


    She then crossed her hands and pulled up both sides of her shirt.


    Vermont finally snapped out of his daze and immediately grabbed her hand to pull her shirt back down.


    Felicity furrowed her brows, looking unhappy.


    "What are you doing?"


    Vermont''s forehead was bulging with veins.


    "I should be the one asking that.What are you doing?"


    "I''m taking off my shirt to go to bed," Felicity said, looking as if he was an idiot.


    "Don''t you take your clothes off when you sleep?"


    Vermont stared at her, not knowing what to say.


    ''She takes her clothes off in front of people after getting drunk? Is this some kind of fetish?! He


    suddenly remembered the time he bought her to meet Corbin.She started to take off her clothes in front


    of Corbin after getting drunk.


    He also remembered that time at the hotel when the both of them were knocked out.


    ''Did I lose control that time because she was drunk and started to strip?¡¯ Before Vermont could think


    further, Felicity grabbed his hand and put it on her chest.Staring at him with a silly and innocent


    expression, she asked, "Is it big?"


    Vermont was dumbstruck.


    The thing under his palm was soft and full.


    He felt the heat burning in his palm even through the clothes separating it.He tightened his jaw, and he


    felt his heart about to burst from his heart.


    In his brain, there was only one thought left.


    '' It''s big."

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    Chapter 774


    Chapter 774


    He felt like his blood all rushed to his head and started to gather in his lower regions.He suddenly felt


    an unbearable heat.His throat was a little dry, and he could not help but lick his lips.


    Just as he was about to speak, he heard Felicity murmuring, "I wonder if Dr.Steven likes big ones or


    small ones."


    Vermont was speechless.Her words were like cold water sshing onto him, instantly waking him


    up.He was not just awake now, he also felt the embarrassment of being fooled.He pursed his lips,


    grabbed the air conditioner control from the bed, and threw it at Felicity.He got up with a cold


    expression and left.


    Keegan and Ste waited around ten minutes before Vermont showed up and brought the umbre


    over.He had taken two umbres, one for himself and one for them.


    Keegan frowned.


    "Just one?"


    Vermont''s eye twitched.


    ''This dumbshit.And to think he wants to pursue Ste with that foolish brain."


    Vermont pursed his lips.


    "Miss Bandit is drunk.I only found two umbres.Why don''t you take one, Ste, and I use the other?"


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Keegan''s face turned green once he heard that, but before he could speak, Ste answered first.I''m


    fine with that."


    Keegan was dumbstruck.


    Vermont curled one corner of his lips at the sight of Keegan being beaten.


    The frustration he just had from Felicity was instantly relieved by a lot.He continued exaggerating.


    "Ste, the water here is deep.Should I carry you across?"


    Keegan''s face darkened.


    ''''Last time during camp, you couldn''t even carry a piece of pork.What did you think you could carry


    now?"


    Keegan had no idea that he was being dragged into a trap.He said with a straight face, She''s 55


    kg.That''s heavier than the piece of pork."


    Ste''s facepletely darkened, she raised her umbre and walked away alone.


    Keegan paused and hurriedly chased up to her.


    "Ste, wait for me.I''ll carry you." Ste smirked.


    "No thank you.I''m heavier than a pig.Let''s not hurt Mr.Kane''s waist."


    Keegan was startled and turned to look at Vermont, who squinted his eyes and let out a sly


    smile.Keegan thought, ''That crazy bastard!'' Keegan did not know whether he should scold Vermont for


    being a smart mouth or himself for his sluggish response.


    "Ste, that''s not what I meant.I don''t think you''re fat."


    Surly, Ste said, "How am I not fat? I''m 55 kg, heavier than a piece of pork."


    Keegan was eager to express his sincerity, and eximed, "55 kg isn''t that heavy! I didn''t think you


    were fat when you were more than 70 kgst time.I could still carry you regardless."


    Ste''s face turned green after hearing this.She stomped on his foot and walked away with the


    umbre when Keegan screamed in pain.


    Vermont saw Keegan bent over.


    Keegan in dire straits made him fee] so much better.He walked up to Keegan with the umbre and


    smiled, "Bros are better, right?"


    Keegan shot him a look, took his umbre, and chased after Ste.


    Vermont cursed and quickly followed.

 Chapter 775

    Chapter 775


    Chapter 775


    Keegan quickly followed, but he was still one step behind as Ste had already gone up the elevator.


    Keegan ran up the stairs and knocked on the door for a long time, but Ste did not answer.


    Vermont watched from the side and said, "Give it up.Women hate it when people mention their


    weight.She needs to take a night to calm her anger."


    Keegan red at him and said snappily, "Why do you have the nerve to speak?"


    Vermont shrugged.


    "I went easy on you.What about the times when you showed off the love-packed lunch boxes your wife


    prepared for you or the new clothes she bought for you? You''re finally a bachelor like me.It''ll feel unfair


    if you get her back too quickly."


    Keegan''s expression was dark.


    ''What kind of shit have I been friends with?! Ste took a shower and changed out of her wet clothes


    after getting back to her apartment.When she finished her shower, she peeked into Felicity''s room and


    saw her sleeping.She then contacted the staff at The Emperor to collect the cutlery tomorrow since the


    rain was too heavy.But after calling for a while, no one answered the phone.


    So she messaged them.


    The doorbell rang when she was drying her hair, ready to sleep.


    Ste thought it was the staff who wanted to collect the cutlery, so she went out to answer the door.Her


    expression was frozen when she opened the door and found Dahlia outside.


    Dahlia was not alone.


    There was a middle-aged man who looked like her, standing beside her.It was Dahlia''s brother and


    Keegan''s uncle, ke.


    Dahlia looked a little pale but was still dressed decently.


    The rain was pouring outside, but there was not a single drop of rain on her body.


    Even her hairdo was untouched.


    Ste stared at them for a moment and raised her hand to shut the door.


    Dahlia seemed to predict her actions as she immediately pushed the door open.


    Ste staggered backward after being knocked back by the door.


    She had a cold expression and asked, "What are you doing?"


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Dahlia''s eyes wandered around the luxurious decor of the house and raised the corners of her mouth.


    "Keegan bought the house for you, right? Well, he''s rather generous to you."


    Ever since Keegan started limiting her ess to take money from thepany, Dahlia could not make


    ends meet.She used to attend gatherings with the other wives.Her essories and clothes were all


    from thetest season.


    With the Kane family''s reputation, she was always the most influential person among thedies.


    However, her monthly ie now was not enough for her to live her formervish lifestyle.


    Therefore, she rarely went for teatime with the other wives.


    Dahlia was envious because while she was strapped for cash, this divorcee was living in a luxurious


    mansion.


    Ste wanted to reply that this house had nothing to do with Dahlia''s son.


    However, looking at Dahlia''s unsatisfied expression, Ste felt spiteful and retorted, "Generous? Well,


    not really.This house was quite cheap.It''s not even as expensive as the ne he gave me."


    Dahlia was at a loss for words.Her chest heaved violently and she had a dark expression as if she was


    about to vomit blood the next second.


    Just as Ste thought Dahlia was about to pester and say something like "Get out from my son''s


    house", Dahlia took a deep breath and said, "Since Keegan gave this house to you, let it be considered


    as a littlepensation from the Kane family."


    Ste was confused.


    ''Did Dahlia wake up on the wrong side of the bed today?'' There was nothing wrong with Dahlia


    because her focus was on what she said next.


    "I heard you''re in the same production group with the actor, Leighton.Tell him we can satisfy any


    compensation he wants if he drops the case.This situation started because of you.You were once a


    sister-inw to Aurora.If you help to get her out, I won''t make a fuss about Keegan giving you a house."


    Ste could not help butugh out of irritation at Dahlia''s shamelessness.


    "Mrs.Kane, do you hear the nonsense you''re saying?"

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    Chapter 776


    Chapter 776


    Dahlia''s expression changed minutely.


    "Ste, don''t be ungrateful.¡± Ste chuckled.


    "First of all, Aurora has nothing to do with me.Don''t pretend you know what happened between the two


    of us when we were sisters-inw.Secondly, she failed to hit me, her real target, and hurt someone


    else.Do you think I''m dumb? Why should! plead for her? Thirdly, this is my boss''s house, it has nothing


    to do with your son.You don''t have the right to argue about the house.Fourth-"


    Ste paused, and her eyes turned cold.


    "I''m unable to have children because of you.Did you really think I''m magnanimous enough to overlook


    our past grievances?"


    With every point Ste made, Dahlia''s expression became more disapproving.


    Dahlia had underestimated Ste.


    ¡®After she divorced and cut ties with the Jewell family, she was supposed to fal] to the ground with no


    hopes of getting up.However, not only is she not in a mess, her life is getting better.So much better


    than the past that the once submissive and timid person now dares speak to me like this!"


    Dahlia clutched her hand, took a deep breath, and suppressed her frustration.


    "What do you want in exchange for your help?" Ste paused.


    After they became mother and daughter -inw for so many years, she could not say she knew Dahlia


    completely, but at least fifty percent.


    Dahlia was an extremely egoistic, selfish, and snobbish person.


    She would try every trick in the book to get close to people who had a better family background and


    were beneficial to her.


    However, she would not bother to be polite to those who were not advantageous to her, like Ste and


    the Jewell family, let alone beg.


    Dahlia''s abnormal behavior clearly showed how much she spoiled and indulged Aurora.


    Ste had never seen Dahlia''s protective behavior toward Keegan.


    Two years ago, Keegan was on a business trip to Sresport and was detained by the local police after


    getting into a conflict with a group of local gangsters.


    The police called Ste to get Keegan bailed out of jail.


    Ste went to Dahlia''s to get his household registration permit, took the necessary documents, and


    rushed to Sresport.


    After she got Keegan out, he asked, "Why were you the one who came here?"


    Only then did Ste find out from Aldor that they had given Dahlia''s contact to the police.


    It was more convenient for Dahlia toe since she already had Keegan''s household registration


    permit.


    Ste was confused since the police had called her as well.


    After some investigation, they found out that the police had indeed contacted Dahlia.


    However, Dahlia replied that she was out of town and gave Ste''s number to the police.


    That was why the police called Ste.


    Ste kept quiet after hearing this.


    Dahlia was at home ying Mah -Jongg with somedies when Ste went to get the permit.


    Dahlia told the maid to give Ste the permit without asking much when she wanted to do so.


    Ste thought Dahlia had no idea that Keegan had been detained.


    However, many outsiders were present at the time, so she did not mention Keegan''s situation to


    Dahlia.


    She did not expect that Dahlia was aware of Keegan''s situation but lied that she was on a trip to y


    Mah-Jongg.


    After they figured everything out, Ste found it unbelievable.


    Then she thought that maybe it was Dahlia''s way of parenting, a hands-off method.


    But this waspletely different from how she treated Aurora.


    When Ste kidnapped Aurora and injured her, Dahlia foamed at the mouth in anger and hit Ste right


    after she got to the hospital room.


    This time, Dahlia begged her after knowing Aurora could not be bailed.


    ''How could she treat her own flesh and blood so differently?"


    Seeing that Ste did not reply, Dahlia thought there was still room for her to negotiate.


    "Or you could name a price."


    Ste came back to her senses.She looked at Dahlia and said, "You don''t even have a million to buy a


    thumb ring.I don''t think you could afford the price I''d name."


    Dahlia''s expression distorted with fury as she struggled to control her rage.


    "Aurora''s still a kid.She''ll be ruined if she stays in that ce.If you still want to get back with Keegan,


    then you shouldn''t make things difficult.I don''t have to remind you how much Keegan spoils Aurora,


    right?"


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Ste furrowed her brows.

 Chapter 777

    Chapter 777


    Chapter 777


    ¡®How could she have the audacity to use this to threaten me? If Keegan continues to indulge Aurora on


    this matter, I won''t consider being with Keegan anymore," Ste thought.


    She looked Dahlia straight in the eye.


    "I could help, but I have a condition." Dahlia''s eyes instantly lit up.


    "Go on." Ste said coolly, "You have to turn yourself in and confess that you drugged me, causing me


    to be unable to conceive a child.Only then will I plead for your daughter in front of Mr.Hall."


    Dahlia''s face froze and her expression darkened.


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    "Are you kidding me?"


    "Why would I?" Ste raised the corner of her mouth.


    "I''m giving you a chance to save your daughter.With your love for Aurora, couldn''t you sacrifice a little


    for her?"


    Dahlia looked at the stunning face looking at her and was choked with rage.She raised her hand and


    aimed a p at Ste.


    Ste was prepared, so she immediately stepped back, dodging Dahlia''s strike.However, in the next


    second, another p came andnded on Ste''s face.


    Ste''s ears rang, and ke grabbed her hair, forcing her to lift her head.


    "Dahlia, I told you already.It''s best to just use force when dealing with bitches."


    As he spoke, he raised his hand to strike again.


    ke was a rather buff man, and a normal adult would not be able to handle his fist, let alone Ste, a


    weak female.


    If this strikended, Ste might take the hit badly and even loosen some teeth.


    Therefore, the moment ke raised his hand, Ste stretched out her hand and pinched his lower


    region without thinking twice.


    ke screamed in pain while bending forward, and his hand immediately let go of Ste''s hair.


    Dahlia was startled by Ste''s counterattack.


    "ke, are you okay?"


    Ste wanted to escape, so she used al] her might to fight back.


    ke felt like his insides were about to burst out.He groaned in pain and was unable to stand up.


    Ste was holding her phone and calling the police.


    "You bitch!" ke yelled.


    He took the chair beside him and swung it at Ste.


    Ste managed to dodge in time, but her phone slipped out of her hand and fell onto the sofa nearby.


    ke was filled with rage.He had learned from Dahlia that Keegan reported his production line


    because of Ste.


    After the production line shut down, his ie was cut in half.


    He was nearly beaten up because he could not return the money he lost while gambling.


    With the new hatred piled on the old one, ke wanted to crush Ste in pieces.


    Ste broke out in cold sweat, she had nowhere to hide in this living room.


    Seeing ke lift another chair, Ste grabbed a nearby pillow in defense.


    She bluffed and blustered, "I''m warning you, I''ve already called the police.You''re illegally trespassing


    on other people''s property and intentionally injuring someone.Even if Aurora gets out of jail, you would


    have to go back in."


    Instead of making him rethink his actions, Ste''s words provoked ke even more.


    He took the chair again, ready to hit Ste.


    However, the chair was not thrown.


    A loud ''bang'' sounded, and a vase was smashed into the back of ke''s head.


    Felicity was standing at the door with a flushed face, one hand holding the flower she pulled out of the


    vase.She screamed loudly, "You con man! How dare you hurt my Ste!"

 Chapter 778

    Chapter 778


    Chapter 778


    ke was startled.He loosened his grip, and the chair fell to the ground.


    Shaking, he touched the back of his head with his hand which was bloodied.


    Then he passed out.


    Dahlia''s expression turned pale upon seeing ke.She rushed over to him while calling his name.


    Felicity instantly sobered up after seeing blood.She asked with a pale face, "Did I kill him?"


    Ste patted her back and whispered, "You knew nothing.You were drunk.I was the one who hit him


    with the vase.Let''s call the police first."


    "Yes.Right.We have to call the police first."


    Felicity rushed back into her room in a panic and took her phone.


    Instead of calling the police, she called Vermont.


    Inside room 902, Keegan was showering in the bathroom while Vermont was ying games outside.He


    had already yed two rounds, but they ended pretty badly.His friends, who often yed games with


    him, asked, "You''re not in the zone today.What happened?"


    Vermont rarely talked to this friend in the game, but he felt quite depressed today.


    Since they were just online friends, they did not know him in real life, so he decided to vent to them.


    "I have a friend.He''s always eating and ying games with this girl, and they''re inseparable.He always


    thought of the girl as his friend, but watching the girl chase other men is making him


    ufortable.What do you think caused this?"


    His friend replied, "He''s into her, obviously.What other reason could there be?"


    Vermont frowned at his friend''s reply.


    "He has no interest in sleeping with the girl.Could you still call that liking?"


    After a long time, only the friend replied to him.


    "Dude, have you ever been in a rtionship before?"


    Vermont was just about to say that it was not possible, but he hurriedly realized what that meant.


    "I''m talking about my friend."


    His online friend continued, "Was your friend ever ina rtionship before?"


    "Duh, many."


    "Oh, he was probably just sleeping with the girls, rather than dating them."


    Vermont was speechless.He retorted, ''He was quite nice to his exes.He would spend money and take


    them out.How is that not considered dating?"


    "What were your¡ª I mean, your friend''s feelings toward those girls? Did he feel happy when he saw


    them, or feel upset when he missed them?"


    Vermont paused.


    ''I think...I guess I didn''t."


    Even if he was in a passionate rtionship, he never once had that feeling of missing someone.


    ''What were my feelings for Felicity? I wouldn''t be able to bear it for a day if she didn''t respond to me."


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Stubbornly, Vermont argued, "Is it really love if he doesn''t want to sleep with her though?"


    His friend asked, "What if someone else slept with her?"


    Vermont paused and immediately pictured Felicity doing it with other men.He felt a feeling of difort


    in his chest and his facial expression tightened.


    "Dude, let me tell you something.Your past rtionships were all for nothing.How could you not know


    how to differentiate whether you like someone or not? Even if you don''t make love with her, you''ll feel


    happy just by being with her.If you find someone you truly love, the first thing you''ll think of with her


    would not be sex."


    Vermont pursed his lips, not sure if he was convincing his friend or himself.


    "If I treat her like a sister, I wouldn''t want people to mistreat her either.Maybe I got too close to her


    recently and had these wrong ideas.It''ll be fine if we have less contact."


    His friend was at a loss for words.

 Chapter 779

    Chapter 779


    Chapter 779


    "Just pretend it''s not love.Wait until she dates and marries someone else, and your symptoms would be


    gone," his friend said.


    "Are you still ying?"


    Vermont was about to say "continue" when Felicity called him.


    Vermont instantly forgot what he just told himself, and picked up the phone.


    After he answered, he regretted it.He wanted to hang up, but he could hear Felicity sobbing.


    "Stinky Cucumber...What should I do? I killed someone..."


    Vermont stood up abruptly and asked, "What''s wrong? Take your time and tell me."


    Felicity spoke on and off about what had happened just now.She said someone was hitting Ste, so


    she used a vase to smash : someone to death.


    Ste was going to take the me.


    Vermont was listening to Felicity''s jumbled words but managed to make sense I of them.


    There was something going on next door.


    Vermontforted Felicity and went into the bathroom to drag Keegan out.


    Keegan was still shirtless, so he frowned and asked, "What happened?"


    "Something bad happened with your wife.Someone barged into her house and hit her!"


    Keegan did not even bother to wear his jacket.He grabbed his towel and followed Vermont to 901.


    When they both got there, they saw ke lying on the floor with broken pieces of porcin scattered


    everywhere.


    Dahlia was kneeling beside him, crying loudly, while Ste stood guard near the dining table with


    flowers in her hand.


    Dahlia stood up with red eyes after seeing Keegan.


    "Keegan! Ste''s gone crazy.She hit your uncle until he passed out.Call the police and have her


    arrested now!"


    Ste was speechless.She was just worried that Dahlia would drag Felicity down with her.It seems like


    Ste overestimated her intelligence.


    Keegan walked up to Ste.


    As he got close to Ste, he saw her slightly swollen cheek.His face immediately darkened at the sight.


    "Did ke hit you?"


    Ste nodded and said, ''''He didn''t take advantage of me.I hit his balls."


    Keegan was dumbstruck.


    He suddenly thought Ste had shown mercy on him when she hit him with the water bottle.


    If she had been more vicious, he might have needed to see a urologist.


    Keegan took the flowers from Ste''s hand and carefully inspected her palm.


    The vase did not hold roses, so it did not pierce her hand.


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    He gently brushed the dust off her palm.


    Dahlia had a grimacing look on her face when she saw Keegan being gentle with Ste.


    To her, it was like Ste had bewitched Keegan.


    "Keegan, look at your uncle! This was all her doing.Are you still worried about her?"


    Keegan gave Dahlia a cold nce and did not answer her questions.


    Instead, he asked, "Why are you here?"


    Dahliacked confidence but instantly regained herposure.


    "You''re asking me? For Aurora, of course.You wouldn''t let me bail her out, so I had to think of


    something else.I couldn''t just sit and watch my daughter suffer in there!"


    Keegan''s expression became serious.


    "Aurora purposely poured boiling water on others.This is considered intentional harm.As her mother,


    you didn''t correct her behavior and even took her side.If you easily let her off the hook now, she might


    dare tomit more illegal acts in the future."


    "Nonsense!" Dahlia eximed angrily.


    "Aurora''s still a kid.She still has no idea about the severity of her actions.She would realize her


    mistakes if you let her out now.How could she possibly repeat her mistakes?"


    Keegan smirked.


    "She''s a kid? What 23-year-old is still a kid? Ste married me at twenty-two.ording to your logic,


    Ste was still a kid back then, wasn''t she? Why didn''t you protect Ste when Aurora yed a prank


    and sent her to Jackson''s room?"

 Chapter 780

    Chapter 780


    Chapter 780


    "That''s not the same," Dahlia blurted out.


    Her expression changed, and gritted her teeth.


    "Did Ste tell you? Don''t believe everything she says. I was there at the scene, it was her who went


    into the wrong room!"


    "Oh really?" Keegan said coolly.


    "Why don''t you let her tell grandma?" Dahlia clenched her hands.


    "It was all for your sake. Your wife was about to cuckold you. Don''t you feel shame in yourself?"


    Dahlia''s straightforwardness instantly ruined Keegan''sst image of her. He said monotonously, "I don''t


    feel shame when she was being bullied by others. However, I feel shame for you being my mother."


    Dahlia''s expression twitched.


    "Keegan, I am your mother!"


    Keegan said indifferently, "Well since you like the Crosby family so much, you should move out from


    the Kane mansion. The Kane family isn''t that traditional. You don''t have to preserve chastity for my


    dad. Either you want to stay alone or remarry, suit yourself. I''ll pay your alimony of course. If you really


    do remarry, I''ll represent the Kane family and send you a gift."


    Dahlia was stunned, her expression turned into a grimace.


    "Keegan Kane! Do you know what you''re saying?"


    Keegan did not bother replying anymore.He turned around to look at Vermont who was staring at them.


    "Did you call the ambnce?" Vermont waved his phone.


    "I''m so heroic."


    Dahlia still wanted to make a fuss but Vermont interrupted.


    "Aunty, you should help him stop the bleeding first.What if uncle dies from blood loss before the


    ambncees? How wronged would he be?"


    ke was not actually bleeding a lot.He was just lying there, but there was no blood flowing out.


    Only his hands had some blood on them.


    Felicity bought the vase for ten dors from an online e-merce site.


    It was pretty, but the body of the vase was thin, so it was not heavy.


    Felicity was a girl.


    No matter how strong she was, a lot of the strength of the force was lost by throwing the vase from


    such a far ce.


    ke most likely passed out from the blood, not Felicity''s strength.


    But Dahlia was willing to do everything for her brother.


    Once she heard what Vermont said, she was instantly worried sick.


    She did not bother arguing with Keegan anymore and hurriedly went to check on ke.


    Dahlia''s beloved was first her daughter, then her bro-her, while her son...


    Ste looked at Keegan and asked, "Were you a free gift?"


    Keegan smirked.


    "Maybe I was picked up from the rubbish bin as a ticket to enter the Kane family."


    Ste was startled. She was just joking with no intention of sowing discord between them.


    But Keegan''s answer made it seem like he knew how coldly Dahlia treated him.


    Ste suddenly sympathized with him. She had always wanted Albert''s fatherly love, while Keegan was


    always enduring Dahlia for her motherly love.


    Albert was stingy with her fatherly love for Ste since she was not his blood.


    But it was strange for Keegan''s situation.


    "Why you..." Ste said.


    Before Ste could finish, Keegan interrupted.


    "I''m hers.I rana test."


    Ste was dumbstruck. She had no idea how to respond to him.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    After she knew she had no rtions with Albert, her expectations for him instantly vanished.


    As she was not his blood, Albert did not love her.


    This was a reason she could convince herself with.


    She would feel ufortable, but she would not be too sad about it.


    '' As for Keegan? How disappointed was he for him to run a test? The blood rtion between them was


    the reason he couldn''t get over how she treated him." She opened her mouth and shut it.


    After a long time, she said, "You still have your grandma."


    Keegan knew Ste wasforting him.


    He squeezed Ste''s hand and said in a soft voice, "And you."

 Chapter 781

    Chapter 781


    Chapter 781


    ¡®How was his emotional quotient so random? How would I bear it if he made me hate him for saying I''m


    fat and then made me feel wanted with that cheesy "And you"?'' Ste said inwardly.


    Soon enough, the ambnce arrived, along with the police.


    ke was immediately sent to the hospital while the police went to record the key witnesses¡®


    statements.


    Dahlia insisted that Ste was the one who started it, but thetter mentioned that the former broke into


    the private property.


    So, she only acted in self- defense.


    The police could not decipher who was telling the truth from their contradictory statements.


    And, due to theirplicated rtionship, mediation was decidedly the best course of action.


    Ste kept her silence while the police were mediating the scene for two reasons.


    Firstly, she did not want to implicate Felicity any further as she was the one who threw the vase.


    Lastly, her film was about to screen, and creating a scene here would take up her time.


    Dahlia, on the other hand, did not want to close the case and kept insisting that Ste was the one who


    instigated it.


    It was as if sending her to jail was the onlypromise.


    While Dahlia was busy falsifying her statement and muddling the police, Keegan asked Ste, "Was


    the security feed always turned on?"


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Ste paused and thought, ''Since when did I have a security camera?"


    In a moment of realization, she nodded and replied, "It''s always on."


    Keegan indifferently said, Check the security feed.


    That way, won''t we know who is lying then?"


    When he finished speaking, he looked toward Dahlia.


    "Things would be moreplicated than just ke being sent to the hospital if we were to check the


    security feed."Dahlia''s face turned dark.She gritted her teeth and hatefully said, "You rebellious son!"


    Immediately after, she was rushed to the hospital.


    The police left after taking down everyone''s statements.


    Meanwhile, Vermont went to the room to find Felicity.


    As for Keegan, he opened the fridge door and took out an ice pack.


    He then returned to where Ste was, pulled her to the sofa, and pressed the ice on her injury.


    His clumsiness made her feel pain.


    She frowned, took the ice pack from his hands, and applied it on her own face.


    Keegan softly said after a long pause, "Sorry."


    Not looking at him, Ste said, "If you''re apologizing for Dahlia, don''t be."


    "I''m saying it for myself," said Keegan as he brushed back her hair and continued, "Move back with


    me."


    "No," she said as she stared at him.


    "You better not count your chickens before they hatch."


    Keegan helplessly said, "I''m worried about you.It''s much safer at home."Ste shot a nce at Keegan


    and replied, "Clouditude has good management.How else would they let Dahlia sneak in here if you


    didn''t own property here?"


    Keegan opened his mouth but was unable to retort.


    "Then, how about I arrange a bodyguard to always stay by your side?"


    Ste fell silent for a moment before she replied, "You must have watched too many action


    thrillers.Where would you even see so much gore in real life?"


    ¡®Then again, they might not even gain the upper hand if they were to start getting rough," she thought.


    Naturally, she was not on guard against ke and never expected him to deal such a heavy blow.


    She did not interact much with Keegan''s uncle and was unfamiliar with him.


    It was just a passing rtionship even at the family gatherings during festivities.


    Keegan was still worried and proposed, "How about a caretaker, then?"Ste''s brow started to twitch,


    and she said, ''Since when did Keegan be such a nag?"

 Chapter 782

    Chapter 782


    Chapter 782


    Ste replied, "There are only Felicity and me.Is there really a need to have a caretaker?"


    Keegan said, "A robotic one."


    Ste paused before she asked, ''''You don''t mean Luna, right?"


    Keegan added, "Second generation."


    Luna, the first robotic artificial intelligence prototype that was developed by Keegan''spany, was


    taken home by Keegan.


    Luna was cute and had round featuresparable to Baymax.


    Keegan had let her try it and would inform her if there were any mishaps.


    Ste was very excited after knowing that she was the first to test it out.So, to help Keegan beta-test


    the functionality of the robot, Ste tried to fully utilize all its features.


    Luna was quite capable of housekeeping and was even capable of trimming the flowers in the


    courtyard.


    This made Ste very fond of it.


    One day, she gave an order to it before leaving.


    But,ter that day, she found that it had jumped into the pool and fried its own circuits.


    When Keegan brought it back to theb to retrieve the backup data, he found that thest order Ste


    gave was to do housekeeping.


    In fact, there was a water disruption that day due to nearby pipe maintenance.


    Luna was unable to find any water from the usual outlets.


    So, it went to the courtyard pool to get some water.


    Not knowing the harm water would cause it, it dove straight into the pool and fried its circuitry.


    Due to that bug, Luna was returned to the factory for rebuilding and was nevermercialized.


    That was why Ste''s interest in getting the caretaker sunk when she heard that it was Luna.


    She asked, "She wouldn''t jump into the bathtub this time and ask for help, would she?"


    Keegan replied, "Definitely not.The second generation has added a self-protection feature and also a


    police hotline setting.It''s very suitable for women who stay alone."


    Ste was a little excited when she saw the confidence in Keegan''s eyes.


    "How much?"


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Keegan replied with a smile, "It''s not for sale.But, you''re the first person to test it."


    Ste pursed her lips and said, "Why do I feel like you''re swindling me?"


    ¡®Thest time Luna was drowned, his colleagues from the research and development department


    almost wanted to stab me.Will there be some kind of trick this time around?" she thought.


    Keegan ruffled her head and replied, "I''ll send it over tomorrow."


    Keegan hung around until it was veryte before he reluctantly left.


    If it was not because being there inconvenienced him, he would not want to leave at all.


    As promised, Keegan, who had urgent business at the office, sent someone from the research and


    development department to deliver Luna to Ste the next day.


    Its outer design may have been altered a bit, but it still looked chubby and round.


    As the person was exining the user guide and precautions, he could not help but notice Ste


    poking at Luna''s head.


    "Madam, it wasn''t easy to develop the second generation.I would appreciate it if you would give us a


    call if you don''t like it.We''ll bring it back with us immediately.And, please also refrain from letting it do


    any dangerous stunts."


    Having said that, he silently whispered under his breath, "After going through so many trials and yet it


    became tech junk when you tested it."


    Ste was unable to retort, so she thought to herself, ''Why are you ming me when it was a system


    error?¡¯ Felicity could not wait for the worker to leave before she booted up Luna.


    "How are you, Misses? I am Luna, the robotic caretaker.I''m a year and a half today.You''re all so pretty.I


    like you all."


    The childlike and innocent voice instantly caught both Felicity & Ste''s attention.


    This was the first time Felicity met such a unique thing.


    Her eyes glittered as she circled Luna and asked, "Luna, do you know how to transform like


    Kabutack?"


    "I do! Father said Luna could only do it when Misses were to face a dangerous situation."


    Felicity curiously asked, ''''You even have a father?"

 Chapter 783

    Chapter 783


    Chapter 783


    Luna replied in an aggrieved tone.


    "Of course, I have a father.I''m not an orphan."


    Felicity turned her head and faced Ste with an excited look.


    "This Roundy sure is funny."


    Ste replied, "I''ll have you know, it destroyed itself by jumping into the pool, and it wasn''t funny."


    Luna immediately corrected her.


    "Luna is no longer afraid of water.Father had given me a water-resistant coating and even let Luna go


    to school to gain a lot of knowledge."


    "You even went to school?"


    "I have to learn what you have learned to assimte into human society," it said as it turned to Ste.


    "Miss, what tertiary education did you graduate from?"


    Ste nced at Roundy before she replied, "Technological university."


    "Huh? Did you not focus on your studies while you were attending the university? You''d definitely be


    able to get into Sunfyord University if you focused on your studies as much as I do."


    Ste was speechless.


    ''No doubt that this was designed by Keegan.Its sarcasm is real.The only difference between Luna and


    Keegan was that the former had a likable childlike voice."


    After ridiculing the other party, Luna asked with a smirk, "Miss, are you from Salcator Institute or DTU?"


    Ste replied, "MIT."


    This time, it was Luna''s turn to be speechless.


    Keegan was in a meeting when he received Luna''s data feed.He could not help but smirk, as he


    thought, ''Got to hand it to her."


    Luna sulked and hid in a corner to charge her batteries when she found out that someone was


    academically better than she was.


    Felicity, who was at the side, could not help butugh while clutching her belly.


    "Ste, you''re so naughty for trying topete with a robot."


    "Who asked her father to make her so sarcastic? She''ll have to learn eventually."


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    She shouted after conversing with Felicity, Mop the floor after your batteries are done charging!"


    Luna sadly mumbled, "Luna will try her best to please miss."


    "A sarcastic bootlicker, I like it!"


    Felicity said, "Reserve one unit for me in case Keegan''spany is nning to mass produce this.I


    want to send one to my mother."


    Ste replied, "Why don''t you bring this one to her instead?"


    Felicity lifted both her hands in resignation and retorted, "I don''t dare touch the token of love Keegan


    gave you."


    Ste went silent.


    Dahlia was at the hospital for the whole night.


    ke''s head injury was not as seriouspared to his lower half where Ste had squeezed.


    His wife''s grieving was making her frustrated, so Dahlia went back home as soon as she made sure


    that ke was all right.


    Aldor was already at the door with a group of people when she reached home.


    When he saw her, he smiled politely and said, "Madam, Mr.Kane asked me to bring men over to help


    you move."


    Dahlia panicked.


    ''Keegan actually dared to do it!'' Her expression turned grim as she gritted her and replied, "Who said I


    was going to move out?"


    Aldor politely replied, "The property you were staying at was nned to be sold off by Mr.Kane.How


    else would potential buyerse if you don''t move out?"


    Dahlia''s face darkened.


    ''Preposterous! What right does he have to sell this property when I''ve been staying here for so long?"


    Aldor replied, "This property has been under Mr.Kane''s name, and he has all the rights to do whatever


    he wants to it.You''ve been staying here for some time, and yet you''re not aware of this, Madam?"

 Chapter 784

    Chapter 784


    Chapter 784 Dahlia''s expression froze.


    She was aware of it, but having stayed there for so long, it already felt as if it was her own.


    After her husband''s passing, Cordelia took over and fostered Keegan while she alone had to take care


    of Aurora.


    Her love for Aurora was real, but it was also to secure her own future as well.


    It was clear to her that she would not be able to find another family as good as the prestigious Kane


    family if she were to remarry.


    That was why she refused and chose to take custody when Cordelia proposed to give her a big lump


    sum of money along but the custody of the children would go to the Kane family.


    She even dered that she would follow her husband''s will and not remarry until the children have


    grown up.


    The sum Cordelia mentioned would naturally not be small, but what Dahliacked was not merely


    money.


    Her heart''s deepest desire was the reputation and status that came along from marrying into the Kane


    family.


    She chose to bring up Aurora because she would definitely not want to lose her current status and


    return to her mundane and mediocre life.


    Cordelia respected her decision and did not mistreat her.


    This property was bought for Dahlia and Aurora to stay in.


    Cordelia was no less on guard against her.


    That was why thend title was under her name until Keegan was an adult.


    This caused some difort with Dahlia, but it was just a passing thought since Keegan was her son,


    and it made no difference if her name or Keegan''s was on it.


    Dahlia could not imagine at that time that Keegan would one day dare to kick her out of the house.


    Aldor, who did not care if she was recalling her past, turned his head toward the men and ordered


    them, "Let''s begin, then."


    Dahlia returned to reality, turned her head toward the group of people, and shouted, "Don''t you dare!"


    Aldor politely said, "Madam, this was an order from Mr.Kane.


    Please do not add more to our troubles.


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    You''d have to pay for the hospital bills if your esteemed self gets hurt from getting roughed up.


    He paused a moment before he continued, "Oh, right.Mr.Kane also said that your two million dors in


    alimony would be paid annually on the 11th of every year.The eleventh of this year from now is..."


    Aldor looked at his phone and added, "Fifty-seven days.You might need to consider reducing your


    expenditure.The hospital bill may not be a lot, but it would be wise to be frugal."


    Dahlia was angered until she almost could not breathe.


    She pointed her trembling fingers at Aldor and said, "Don''t you know who you are? You''re just


    Keegan''spdog, and yet you dare to speak to me this way?"


    Those that came with Aldor could not help but worry that he would take the swearing to heart, even


    though they would asionally make fun of Aldor by saying he bootlicked Keegan at all the right


    instances.


    Jokes aside, Aldor''s position in thepany was quite high since he understood Keegan''s habits and


    thoughts, was very capable, and had a very wide range of connections.


    Keegan was very strict and disciplined when working and may sometimes omit the worker''s feelings.


    It was a good thing that Aldor was there to fill up that weakness.


    He would request holidays from Keegan on behalf of everyone when a big project was just recently


    completed and would discuss everyone''s bonus with Keegan whenever the project profits exceeded


    expectations.

 Chapter 785

    Chapter 785


    Chapter 785


    Everyone may have made a joke out of him, but it also showed how much they trusted his character


    and ability.


    The words that came out from Dahlia''s mouth were too hard on the ears when even Keegan would give


    Aldor his due respect.


    Aldor did not get angry.


    Instead, he smiled indifferently with a little coldness in his eyes and said, "Madam, I would be an


    obedient one even if I''m hispdog.Why would I bite if my owner did not order it?"


    Dahlia''s face turned red with anger.


    "You insignificant bastards! Even if there was a quarrel between us, I''m still Keegan''s mother! I don''t


    believe that he would treat me like this! Just you wait.I''ll give him a call right now!"


    Aldor gestured to her to proceed and replied, "As you wish."


    Dahlia sullenly dialed Keegan''s number, and thetter finally picked up when the ringtone was about to


    end.


    She suppressed her anger and asked, "Keegan, are you aware that Aldor came with a group of men?"


    Keegan said in an aloof tone, "Didn''t Aldor tell you that I ordered them to go there?"


    Dahlia''s expression turned grotesque.


    "What are you trying to do?! Keegan, who was unconcerned, replied, "I thought I have clearly told you


    yesterday.Others might think that you are still with the Kanes since you''re staying on a Kane property.It


    might affect your chance of remarrying."


    Dahlia blew her top.


    "You rebellious son! Where have I gone wrong in bringing you up? Do you want to chase your own


    mother out now that you are old enough? Are you even human?"


    "Okay, if you say I''m not, then I''m not."


    Keegan was toozy to hear the same talk.


    She would always bring this up whenever she was short on money in the past.Hispliant attitude


    ended up making her unquenching desire evenrger.Her words right now were no longer able to make


    him falter.


    Dahlia''s motherly love was demanding and never giving.


    Keegan hung up the phone after speaking, leaving the helpless and enraged Dahlia alone.


    Aldor waited for her phone to hang up before he signaled the men and said, "Please bring Madam to


    rest."


    As ordered, the men doubtlessly lead Dahlia away.


    No matter how much they were cussed at by the enraged Dahlia, the men still went in and cleared out


    the house of items that belonged to her.She stared angrily at them as she helplessly watched the


    house she had stayed in for more than twenty years being cleared out.


    Dahlia picked up her phone and called Chandler.N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Chandler, who was with Cyrene visiting his father-inw who had a sessful surgery, frowned when


    he saw Dahlia''s call.


    Cyrene saw that Chandler was about to pick up the call from Dahlia and followed him out.


    When he picked up the call, Cyrene snatched the phone from him and turned on the loudspeaker.


    Then, Dahlia''s helpless voice could be heard from the other end.


    "Chandler,e quick! Keegan, that rebellious son, chased me out of the house!"


    Cyrene, who was busy swatting Chandler''s hands that were trying to snatch back the phone,


    indifferently replied, "Sister-inw, Chandler is visiting my father and is unavable.Besides, Keegan is


    your son, and this is a conflict between you and your son.Aren''t you sowing chaos between nephew


    and uncle if you let Chandler step in? Keegan is a mature and filial person.I''m sure it''s just a fit of


    rage.He might even invite you back to stay once his anger has died down."


    Dahlia''s blood turned cold when she heard Cyrene''s voice on the other end of the phone.

 Chapter 786

    Chapter 786


    Chapter 786


    Cyrene did not want to hear what Dahlia had to say.She was just trying to rify Chandler''s actions.So,


    she hung up immediately after she finished her words.


    Dahlia being kicked out of the Kane family was good news to Cyrene.


    In fact, it was great news.


    It would be stupid of Cyrene to let her husband help Dahlia out.


    Chandler''s expression looked bad.He grabbed the phone from Cyrene and said sullenly, "Why did you


    say that?"


    "What? Isn''t that the truth?" Cyrene said angrily.


    "Aurora ran into trouble and came to our house.Keegan tore down our door and injured your son just to


    catch her! It''s their family business.Why should we get involved? No one will remember our kindness


    later on."


    Chandler pursed his lips tightly and said after along time, "Even so, you were too harsh."


    "I was being kind, Chandler.Do you remember how Dahlia treated us when your brother was still alive?


    Why should I turn the other cheek? I have nothing to say if it involves your family''s best interest.But,


    this is their private business.Why should we clean up after them?"


    "Plus, I''ve made ns with Darcie to take Jaylene out for tea.I wanted to create an opportunity for


    Jackson, but Dahlia ruined my n by asking them out for a high school reunion!"


    "How many of her ssmates does she actually know? It''s just a plot to get Keegan and Jaylene


    together.Now that you''ve helped her, we would be her first target if anything goes wrong!"


    Chandler did not know what to say because he knew what his wife said was the truth.He knew how


    cunning Dahlia could be.


    Keegan held a high position in thepany.


    If he married Jaylene, Chandler''spany would be in danger.He thought about it, pursed his lips, and


    said, "Ask Jackson to contact Ms.Saun more."


    "Okay,"


    Cyrene''s expression softened.


    Dahlia was outnumbered.


    Aldor''s men had packed all her things and sent them to the Crosby along with her.


    The next day, Ste was woken up early in the morning by a knock on the door.She stayed uptest


    night to watch some shows and was tired.So, she dialed Felicity''s number and asked her to answer the


    door.


    "Takeout''s here," she said.


    Felicity also stayed up watching shows with Stest night, but she quickly woke up after hearing that


    it was takeout.


    Like a fish jumping out of the water, she jumped out of bed and rushed to the door.


    However, she was stunned when she opened the door.


    The people at the door were there to deliver some things, but they were not delivery people.


    Several handsome men and beautiful women, who were dressed in formal clothing, were at the door.


    They held a pile of thick clothes in garment bags in their hands.


    Felicity looked at them and saw a Louis Vuitton logo.Her eyes shined with excitement.


    One of the suited men, who was in his thirties, asked, "Is this Ms.Jewell''s residence?"


    Felicity nodded.


    "And, you are..?"


    We were sent here to help Ms.Jewell test out some clothes.Is she here?" the man asked.


    "y-Yeah.Wait here."


    After Felicity said that, she immediately ran to Ste''s room and pulled her out of bed.


    "There is a group of people outside who said that they came to deliver clothes to you!"


    "Huh? What clothes?"


    Ste was not fully awake.Her hair did not dry fullyst night and was messy.


    "I don''t know.Come have a look!"


    A few minutester, Ste stood in the living room staring at more than a dozen sets of seasonal


    products from major brands.


    Felicity did not know who they were, but Ste knew them well.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    When she first married Keegan, Aurora and her friends wouldugh at Ste for wearing clothes that


    were out of fashion when they attended balls and banquets.


    After that incident, Cordelia would have someone deliver new branded clothes that were released


    every quarter of the year.


    Ste rarely bought expensive garments for herself; they were all gifts from the olddy.

 Chapter 787

    Chapter 787


    Chapter 787


    Ste did the math and realized that it was the time of the year when she would receive new clothes


    from Cordelia.


    But...


    "Don''t you know, Mr.Elrod?"


    Ste interrupted the man''s introduction to the clothes.


    "What do you mean, Mrs.Kane?" the man asked.


    "I''m no longer part of the Kane family.There''s no need for you to send me clothes anymore."


    "We haven''t received any relevant instructions," said Thomas Elrod.


    Ste thought that this was the olddy''s doing.


    Otherwise, they would not havee to her current residence bearing garments.


    When Ste and Keegan were still together, Ste epted whatever gifts Cordelia gave.She was her


    favorite.


    But now that they were divorced, Ste felt that it would be inappropriate to ept them.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    "Hold on, Mr.Elrod.Let me make a call," she said.


    Thomas nodded and said, "Go ahead, Miss."


    Ste dialed for Cordelia, who was on vacation at a summer resort.


    Cordelia was fishing with Baldwin when Ste called.


    When Cordelia saw that it was Ste, she picked up the phone.


    "Grandma, it''s me."


    "Why are you calling? Did you miss me?" The olddy smiled and asked.


    Steughed and said, "Yeah.When are youing back?"


    "Maybe after a few more days."


    They had to wait until Aurora came out of hiding.


    Otherwise, things would get ugly.


    "Is there something wrong?" Cordelia asked.


    "Ah, yes."


    Ste tried to organize her words before she spoke.


    "Grandma, Mr.Elrod came to deliver clothes to me.Can you please tell them to take it back? I have


    enough clothes for the whole year! Plus, I''ve been busy on set most days, so I don''t have much of a


    chance to wear them.It''ll be a pity if they just stay in my closet."


    Cordelia was taken aback.


    "I''m afraid you''re calling the wrong person," she chuckled.


    "Huh?"


    "I''m not the one who sent you those clothes."


    Ste was stunned, "Weren''t you the one who asked Mr.Elrod to send me clothes quarterly?"


    "No..." Cordelia said as she put some bait on her hook.


    "I''m an olddy who''s already in her 80s.I wouldn''t know what''s fashionable these days," she added.


    ¡®If grandma wasn''t the one who sent me the clothes, then..."


    "Whoever it is, just take it.You''ll get to wear it sooner orter.It''s a good deal, you know," the olddy


    said.


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    Baldwin put his hand on his forehead in frustration.He thought the olddy would say something nice


    about her grandson, but it turns out, she told her granddaughter- inw to take advantage of him.


    Ste''s thoughts were all over the ce after she hung up the phone.She never expected that the


    clothes in her closet were from Keegan.She frowned and recalled Keegan being there when Thomas


    came to deliver the clothes for the first time.She did not dare to sign the package, so she asked


    Keegan toe downstairs.


    Keegan had told her that it was a gift from Cordelia, and she believed it.


    Now that she thought about it, Cordelia never attended the banquet.


    ''How would she have known that my dress was out of fashion?! Ugh.Keegan is such an idiot!¡¯ Ste


    then dialed Keegan''s number with a sullen look on her face. However, Aldor was the one who


    answered.

 Chapter 788

    Chapter 788


    Chapter 788


    "Hello? Mrs.Kane?"


    "Put Keegan on the phone!" Ste said sullenly.


    Aldor nced at Keegan, who was sitting next to him, widened his eyes, and said, "Mr.Kane is in a


    meeting right now.


    Would you like to leave a message?"


    "Ask him if he thinks he''s the man for doing such a thing without letting me know!"


    "He''s such an idiot; a 24K pure idiot!"


    "What kind of drama does he think he''s in? Does he think that I don''t know how much of a mutt he is?"


    "Does he think that giving someone candy after pping them in the face is good enough? Fuck him."


    "You''re so foolish, Keegan! What you did is extremely stupid!"


    Aldor put Ste on speaker just as she blurted out the first sentence.It was a rare urrence for Ste


    to have so much to say about Keegan after the divorce.So, he had to let Keegan in on the speech.


    Keegan grimaced as Ste scolded him through the phone.He would have tried to refute it if he had not


    lied about being in a meeting.


    After saying what she wanted to say, Ste''s tone became softer.


    "Forget it.Just tell him not to send me any more clothes in the future.There''s only one me, and I can''t


    possibly wear all of them."


    Keegan''s face changed.


    ''Does this mean she still cares for me?'' he thought.


    Aldor could not stand the two.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Ste was happy that she got to express her feelings.


    When she hung up the phone, she turned around and found that everyone was staring at her


    dumbfounded.


    "I''m not usually like this," she cleared her throat and exined.


    Everyone was quiet.


    They had no say in this because Ste was their client, even if she could be a little harsh sometimes.


    "Maybe you can try it on first, Ms.Jewell.We can tailor and deliver them to you if they don''t fit right,"


    Thomas said.


    "Why don''t you take it back?"


    There were 20-30 pieces of clothing to try on.


    Hence, it would take forever.


    "We can''t return these items because they are all custom-made.Even if you don''t sign for them, we


    would still need to take the payment."


    Ste did not know what to say.She tried each one on when she heard about how it would still cost


    money.


    Every time she wore a new set, Thomas would ask the apanying photographer to take a few


    shots as feedback to the designer.


    That way, they could see where the clothes need tailoring and get them done.


    Felicity sat and watched the live fashion show in their home for the next two hours.


    ''Keegan does have a taste for fashion," she thought.


    ''The clothes he picked out all fit Ste well.But then again, anything looks good on her with that face."


    Ste''s elegance paired well with her dresses.


    After trying on all of the items, Thomas asked Ste to try some lingerie.


    Ste walked to the bathroom, but Thomas stopped her and said that the underwear was from a new


    series, so they had to take some pictures for the designer.


    "Do you really need to take photos of me in my underwear?" Ste frowned.


    Thomas nodded.


    "It''s important that the pieces of clothing fit youfortably.The designers need to take these aspects


    into ount.But, don''t worry.The privacy of our customers is our utmost priority.We will never share


    your photos without your consent."


    Before Ste could say anything else, Felicity grabbed her phone and said, "I''ve recorded what you


    said, Mr.Elrod.If Ste''s pictures ever get leaked, you''re done.Her ex-husband is extremely powerful


    and can cause you to face bankruptcy."


    Both Ste and Thomas were quiet.


    ''But, I didn''t approve of this," Ste thought.


    In the end, they took the photos.


    The undergarments were designed by a female Hustuabourgian designer, who Ste liked very much.


    The designer had talked about the process of creating the lingerie on her social tforms, which


    entailed that her photos would be sent to the designer for feedback.


    However, Ste did not expect that her photos would be sent to Keegan''s phone.

 Chapter 789

    Chapter 789


    Chapter 789


    Ste copsed on the couch.She was exhausted after sending Thomas and his party off.


    On the other hand, Felicity was full of energy, taking pictures of the clothes with her phone.


    While doing that, she said, "Hey, Ste.Why did you call and scold Keegan when he''s trying to be


    decent?"


    After a while, Ste pressed her fingers against her temples and said, "I couldn''t help it.I mean, have


    you ever met someone who sends you gifts in someone else''s name?"


    "Well, that Stinky Cucumber, Vermont, gave me a tortoise and told me that Dr.Steven gifted it as thanks


    for dinner.I took care of it day and night for one whole week before I realized that it was that mutt who


    bought it.He used Dr.Steven''s name to prank me! That bastard!"


    Ste did not know how to respond to that.


    "It''s not the same," she pursed her lips and said.


    Keegan is an asshole.He''d never tell you that he did something good.Instead, he''d try to tease you and


    say that you''re ungrateful."


    Now that Ste thought about it, Keegan had tried to be the bigger person quite a number of times


    during their marriage.


    However, Ste thought that he was in love with Be, so she did not pay much attention to them.


    Keegan was mute when it came to their marriage.


    His lips were always sealed tight.


    That was why misunderstandings started umting and turned into huge disappointments.


    Their marriage started to have a downfall because of Keegan''s unwillingness to open up, and it ended


    with Ste''s suspicions and the intervention of others.


    Ste should have scolded her former self instead of reprimanding Keegan.


    ''If only we were more patient with each other...If only we knew how tomunicate...Our marriage


    wouldn''t have ended like this..."


    Felicity froze for a moment and suddenly thought of something.


    "There is something that I haven''t told you, Ste."


    "Huh?"


    "Do you remember when you divorced Keegan and came to stay with me? He called the police and


    said I stole a ring, right? And, do you remember me getting a contract for my script after you moved


    out? Yeah.Well...Keegan had something to do with that."


    Ste was confused.


    Felicity immediately expressed her loyalty by saying, "Don''t worry.I never betrayed you.I only found out


    about the script after along time."


    "Keegan did so much just to get you back.I asked him if he would keep his promise to give you one


    billion dors when you two divorced, but he said no.He told me that he did not want a divorce.


    Ste was speechless.


    "I was thinking...Is there a possibility that he didn''t tell you all the good deeds he has done because he


    was afraid that you would not care, which would probably hurt his self-esteem?"


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Ste was stunned for a long time.


    "What makes you say that?"she asked slowly.


    "Well...There is one more thing.I actually forgot about it for a while, but seeing that Keegan is treating


    you well right now, it popped up in my mind again."


    Felicity tried to organize her words and said, "Didn''t you alwayse to visit me when you first got


    married? One time, you had a fight with Keegan and got drunk at my ce, but you still called him to


    pick you up.When he arrived, you said you would not have married him if it wasn''t for his money.You


    told him no one would fall for someone with a bad temper like him.You even mentioned that every


    single one of your exes was better than him and that you would run to them after you got the money


    from the divorce."


    Ste did not know what to say.


    "Are you sure I said that?" she asked.


    "Yeah.Positive.I may have had too much to drink, but I heard everything and saw how dark Keegan''s


    face was.His expression was so dark that it looked worse than the pot you burned the other day."


    "I was so scared that he would hit you or something after hearing that, but he didn''t say anything and


    just took you home.When you woke up the next day, you went shopping with me.You looked fine, so I


    didn''t ask."


    "You always said that Keegan always took your words too seriously.Could it be that he took what you


    said when you were drunk seriously too?"

 Chapter 790

    Chapter 790


    Chapter 790


    Ste fell silent.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡®It really does sound like something Keegan would do.After all, he actually bought the 108-piece


    diamond ne I mentioned on a whim, '' she thought.


    Ste''s emotions rose and fell.Her heart was warm and swelled up.


    Finally, she said softly, "Why is he so silly?"


    Felicity was more concerned about the other issue.


    "Is your ex-boyfriend really more handsome than Keegan?"


    Ste was speechless.


    Luna came over to pour her some tea.But, Ste pushed her cup to the side and said coolly, "I dated a


    guy in high school.We broke up after two weeks and stopped contacting each other a long time ago."


    "Besides, who could be more good-looking than Keegan?'' she thought.


    Meanwhile, Keegan was at the Vinci Rivera Group, looking at the feedback data on his phone.He


    currently had a dark and gloomy expression.


    ¡®I can''t believe she has a first love!¡¯ he thought.


    Aldor looked at Keegan''s expression, which turned from bright to gloomy.He could not help but sigh.


    "Mr.Kane, why don''t you turn off the feedback data?"


    Back then, he had told Keegan not to add the data feedback.


    ¡®Privacy invasion is the second issue I''m worried about.The main issue is Mrs.Kane''s mouth, which has


    no filter.I''m worried that Mr.Kane will have a blood pressure spike if he listens to her words too


    much.See how quickly he got karma for snooping? Fortunately, Luna doesn''t listen throughout the


    entire day.It only sends feedback on the things that Ste says when she''s within six feet of proximity


    and not during usual times.Otherwise, Mr.Kane might be angry the entire day," Aldor thought.


    Keegan was still stubborn.


    "I''m doing this for her safety."


    ¡®Alright, continue being stubborn, then.After all, I''m already used to it," Aldor thought.


    In the afternoon, Stuart called Ste.He told her that Leighton''s wounds had gotten much better and


    that the team nned to visit Leighton the following morning.He also told Ste to bring a gift and dress


    up a little since they would be taking some photos.


    Then, Ste and Felicity discussed and thought about what to bring when visiting a patient.


    ¡®Even though Leighton got hurt because of me, I can''t bring something too expensive since we''re going


    in a group.I need to take the others into consideration," thought Ste.


    Felicity said, "Why don''t you ask Leighton and see what he likes? We''ll pander to his likings."


    Ste said, "He didn''t ept my friend request."


    Felicity was speechless.


    "He''s pretty cold."


    "He''s a famous artist, so he''s bound to have some personality."


    Ste thought for a while and said, "Should I give him a money pouch?"


    "There are so many of you going.If you give him a money pouch and others didn''t, it''ll seem a little too


    typical, and you''ll make enemies."


    Felicity thought for a bit and continued, "How about this? Buy a bouquet and bring a fruit basket.Put the


    money pouch in the fruit basket and tell his manager before you leave just in case they don''t see


    it.Then, give the fruit basket to someone else.That way, your gift will be presentable, and it won''t seem


    too small."


    Ste agreed.


    "Good idea," she said.


    The following morning, Ste went to pick out a freshly made bouquet and a basket of fresh fruits.


    Then, she headed to Leighton''s ce ording to the agreed time.


    Ste had just arrived on time.


    There were already many expensive cars parked near Leighton''s residence.


    After Ste parked the car, she got out with her things.


    At the same time, the door of the Maserati in front of her opened.


    Then, Ynda and Be both got out of the car.


    Be had only been discharged from the hospital a few days ago, so she looked really frail.


    Meanwhile, Ynda was all dolled up.


    She was visiting a patient, yet she wore a cocktail dress.


    As soon as Ynda got out of the car, she said, "I was wondering who the little Cayenne in front of us


    belonged to.I didn''t expect it to be you, Ms.Jewell.You''re visiting a patient; was it necessary for you to


    rent a car?"

 Chapter 791

    Chapter 791


    Chapter 791


    A Cayenne cost around a million.


    Celebrities of Be''s level scorned such cars.


    However, a car like that was considered high-end for a C-list celebrity.


    Ynda had her own Audi 47, which was gifted to her by her sugar daddy.


    Even though she could afford the car with the ie she got from acting, she could not afford to


    maintain it.


    That was why she conceitedly thought that Ste''s Cayenne was a gift from her sugar daddy when she


    saw it.


    Ynda could not help but feel jealous while making the snarky remark.


    Previously, Ste was revealed to have had a rendezvous with her sugar daddy.


    She was only cleared of the scandal because the Vinci Rivera Group came forward and rified things.


    However, Ynda still thought that the person who picked Ste up that night was definitely Ste''s


    sugar daddy.


    ¡®Who conducts business meetings in the middle of the night? Could a meeting in the middle of the night


    be something decent?'' she thought.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Apart from Ste stealing her role, one incident that made Ynda dislike Ste even more was the


    previous incident, which was Be''s allergic reaction.


    ''I got hate from Be''s fans because I handed the cup of coffee to her.Thankfully, Be helped me


    rify things.


    Otherwise, I wouldn''t be able to clear my name.


    But, it was also a blessing in disguise.


    Recently, Be has been contacting me pretty frequently.


    Two days ago, a variety show invited Be, and Be rmended me to the director.


    And, Be also took the initiative to call a cab and pick me up to visit Leighton today.


    On the way here, Be even posted a photo of the two of us, causing me to gain quite a number of


    followers.


    After all, who doesn''t gain poprity from an actress with lots of fans on social media?! she thought


    again.


    Ste merely nced at Ynda after hearing her snarky words.


    Just as Ynda thought she was about to retort, Ste walked past her with her bouquet and fruit


    basket without sparing her a nce.


    Ste did not even bother answering her idiotic remarks.And, Ynda''s face immediately fell.


    Ignoring someone was much more brutalpared to giving them a retort.


    "You bitch! Be, what do you think she has to be cocky about?"


    Be practically wanted to roll her eyes at Ynda.


    ¡®What does she have to be cocky about? Of course she''s cocky! At any rate, the Jewell family is still


    quite wealthy.What''s a million- dor expensive car to them? She''s an idiot for missing the mark when


    mocked someone!" she thought.


    While Be internally cursed Ynda, she still acted like a peacemaker on the surface and said,


    ''''Maybe Ms.Jewell didn''t hear you."


    "Both her eyes are practically on her head.She wishes she could look at people from her nostrils! No


    matter what, she''s still a newbie, right? She didn''t even greet her senior when she saw me.I''ve never


    seen someone as rude as her!"


    Be did not want to stand there and listen to Ynda spouting nonsense.


    ¡®What''s the point ofining? If you have the guts, why don''t you throw Ste out of the cast?" she


    thought.


    "That''s enough.Since almost everyone''s here, let''s go inside."


    Only then did Ynda stop talking.


    Leighton was a typical 2D character lover.


    There was a wall in his house that waspletely filled with various anime figurines he had collected.


    Ste did not watch anime series, so she did not know most of the figurines.She could only recognize


    the ones from the Naruto series and Hatsune Miku.


    ¡®There are at least a few hundred figurines on this wall.


    So, this wall must be worth a few million or even more? Even though I don''t buy figurines, I still know a


    little about its market.


    For instance, it''s really normal for discontinued figurines to cost five or six figures.Since he can afford to


    buy such things...He must be pretty rich,"she thought.


    Ste sighed.


    ¡®When will I earn as much money from acting..." she thought again.


    A total of nine people in the crew came.


    There were five actors and four behind-the-scenes staff members, including the director.


    They arrived at ten o''clock However, Leighton still did note downstairs after over ten minutes.


    The people who weed them were Leighton''s manager and his housemaid.


    Stuart waited for a while and could not help himself from asking Leighton''s manager, '' How''s Leighton?


    Is his wound still hurting? What''s taking him so long? Should we go upstairs to check on him? "


    "There''s no need for that. He''s almost recovered. It''s just..."


    Leighton''s manager paused momentarily.


    Then, he nced in Ste''s direction before he continued, ''''A little shy."

 Chapter 792

    Chapter 792


    Chapter 792


    Stuart was at a loss for words.


    "Does he know how to spell the word ''shy''?"


    Stuart had worked with Leighton before.


    ¡®The guy might look cold, but he''s actually a shameless bastard.Thest time we shot a bathroom


    scene in a drama, I initially asked Leighton if he wanted to clear the scene.But, Leighton asked me if he


    should offer his first on-screen nudity and that he was willing to expose his derri¨¦re for theater.Is this


    something a shy person would say?¡¯ he thought.


    Leighton''s agent thought to himself, ¡®Whether he''s shy or not depends on who he''s with."


    He then nced at the time and said, ''Have some tea first, Mr.Winfield.Feel free to take a look


    around.I''ll go upstairs and call for Leighton."


    Seeing how Stuart nodded, Leighton''s agent went upstairs.


    Leighton''s agent went up to the clothes room upstairs.


    When he opened the door, he saw Leighton shirtless.


    Leighton was rummaging through his clothes with his buttocks clenched together.


    Leighton''s manager could not help but put his hand over his forehead.


    "You''ve been picking out clothes since eight in the morning, and it''s almost ten thirty now! Why do you


    still have nothing on?!"


    Leighton frowned and said, "I feel like none of these are suitable.Let me continue to pick one."


    "Pick my ass! If you continue picking, your goddess will be gone!"


    Leighton immediately panicked.


    "How could she leave when she hasn''t even seen me?"


    "Who wouldn''t leave when you''ve made others wait this long for you?"


    Leighton pouted, "I just wanted to wear something a little more formal and leave a good impression on


    her."


    "There are so many people here to see you.She won''t even bother to see what you''re wearing.You


    might as well dress the way you usually do."


    "Really?"


    Leighton was skeptical.


    Leighton''s agent pulled him to the front of the mirror and said, "Look."


    Leighton was puzzled.


    "At what?"


    "Look at your face.Do you even need to pick an outfit? You''ll still look good wearing a sack with this


    face of yours." Leighton immediately felt ted.


    He touched his handsome face and patted his manager''s shoulder.He then said, "You''re still a little bit


    discerning."


    "Haha," his manager chuckled.


    ¡®You naive fool!'' he cursed internally.


    After ten minutes, Leighton''s manager came downstairs together with Leighton.


    Leighton wore a white-colored racerback tank top and pair of ck casual pants.


    As a qualified idol, Leighton was really strict with his body image management.


    ¡®Previously, at the hospital, I didn''t look closely at him because I was worried about his injuries.But, now


    that I''m taking a good look at him, he really is quite the looker.He''s got a perfect waist and arms, and


    the muscles on his arms look really smooth.All of this, paired with that exquisite model face of his, it''s


    no wonder his fans are so crazy," thought Ste.


    Meanwhile, Leighton had a calm expression, but his heart had almost jumped out of his chest.


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    The moment he came downstairs, he saw Ste looking at him.He kept his manager''s words in mind.


    ¡®Don''t maintain eye contact for too long.Others will notice that something is wrong," he thought.


    Leighton forcefully averted his gaze.


    However, he could still feel Ste''s gaze studying him from the corner of his eyes.


    ¡®Does she think I''m dressed too casually?'' he thought.Leighton started to feel frustrated again.


    ''I shouldn''t have listened to my manager''s nonsense.If I had dressed the way I wanted, I''d seem more


    dressed up," he thought again.


    Naturally, nobody knew what was going on in the mind of this actor, who had many fans on social


    media.


    When they saw him, they swarmed him.


    They gave him gifts and attentively asked about his well-being.


    When it was Ste''s turn, she handed him the flowers.


    "Get well soon," she said warmly.

 Chapter 793

    Chapter 793


    Chapter 793


    He could finally openly meet his goddess''s gaze this time.


    Leighton''s heart thumped loudly.


    Then, he stiffened his face so that he would not reveal his emotions.


    From Ste''s point of view, Leighton seemed...


    A little cold.


    ¡®He also didn''t ept my friend request on WhatsApp.Is it because he''s worried that his fans will be


    unhappy if he gets too close to an actress? He''s an idol, after all.So, he needs his fans'' support and :


    needs to consider their feelings," she thought.


    "These flowers...Did you buy them?"


    Leighton asked in a low voice.


    Ste snapped out of her thoughts and nodded.


    "I don''t know what "you like, so I bought a few stalks of everything," she said.


    Leighton''s ears turned red.


    He thought, ''She personally picked out c these flowers for me."


    Leighton lowered his gaze and stared at the bouquet.


    Then, he said * in a low voice, "I like freesias."


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    ¡®What a coincidence.There''s not a single stalk of freesia in my bouquet.Leighton must be ming me


    for not researching before getting him a gift.I initially wanted to pander to his liking, but I s, he didn''t


    ept my friend request on WhatsApp..." she thought.


    She pursed her lips and said, "Next time.I''ll properly pick flowers for you next time."


    Leighton was even happier now.


    ¡®She''ll be giving me flowers again next time! But, on second thought, she doesn''t even have my contact


    information.What if I don''t receive the flowers when she sends them to me?¡¯ he thought.


    Leighton''s simple mind suddenly had a light bulb moment.


    "Did you know that the screenwriter changed the part where we''ll act together?"


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Ste nodded and said, "Mr.Winfield has already told me."


    "There''s quite an increase in the lines, and Mr.Winfield told us to rehearse the lines in private.Will that


    be convenient for you?"


    ¡®He didn''t tell me about that.This little idol is pretty dedicated.Previously, Felicity criticized some of the


    pretty boys she worked with.Forget about rehearsing; they don''t even memorize their lines.They


    straight up recite numbers and rely on post-production dubbing.With such aparison, Leighton is


    still someone with professionalism," thought Ste.


    Ste really liked people who were serious about their work, so she nodded.


    "Yeah.After all, I have nothing to do before we start filming.You can just hit me up if you want to


    rehearse the lines."


    Leighton went with the flow and said, "But, I don''t have your contact."


    Ste was startled momentarily.


    "I added you on WhatsApp back then.Did you...not see it?"


    Leighton frowned and opened the WhatsApp application.


    Then, checked his friend request list.Ste nced at his phone.


    ¡®He has over a hundred notifications for new friend alerts alone," she thought.


    Leighton went through it for a long time before he said a little apologetically, "Sorry, I have too many


    notifications."


    ¡®So, he didn''t reject me," Ste thought.


    She felt relieved and smiled.


    "I''ll add you, then.Show me your QR code, and I''ll scan it."


    Leighton''s heart was pounding, but his expression remained nonchnt.


    After he epted Ste''s friend request, he immediately changed her contact name to "honey".


    ¡®As my goddess''s husband, I''ve fulfilled my wish of being a member of her friend list.I''ve aplished


    an extreme mission as her fan!'' he thought.


    Ste then said, "Just contact me when you want to rehearse.I''m free most of the time."


    Leighton forced down the corner of his lips that were about to turn upward.


    Then, he uttered a single word in his usual cold tone.


    "Okay."


    When Ynda saw that Ste had added Leighton on WhatsApp, she immediately felt jealous.She


    came over with her phone and forced Ste aside.


    Then, she smiled at Leighton and said, "Leighton, let''s also add each other.When the timees, we


    can rehearse together and progress collectively."


    Ste did not say a word even after being forced aside.


    Instead, she moved to the side while holding her cup.


    ¡®I really don''t want to argue with bimbos like her on such asions, especially when everyone got


    together to visit a patient, ¡®she thought.

 Chapter 794

    Chapter 794


    Chapter 794


    Ynda was so pleased when she saw Ste chickened out.


    Leighton''s eyes narrowed when he saw his goddess being pushed away by this woman with a


    lasciviousness outfit in front of him."


    Where did this bitche from?'' Ynda did not realize that Leighton''s mood had changed.


    She asked, "So, are we going to exchange each other''s contact?"


    Leighton nced at her and replied, "Have you read the script?"


    "Of course."


    "Didn''t you know that there are only four lines between us after reading the script? How poor is your


    acting if you need a rehearsal for four lines?" Ynda''s face froze.


    She just wanted to get Leighton''s WhatsApp number, not a rehearsal.


    The ways to survive in show business for actors like her who survived under pressure without strength


    and poprity were to y at the gallery and ride on the wave of those with high poprity.


    With Leighton''s poprity, even a celebrity like Be wanted to be a showmance with him, let alone


    Ynda.


    Ynda, too, wanted to take the opportunity to be on Leighton''s friend list when she saw him asking for


    Ste''s WhatsApp number.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    However, she never expected that Leighton would reject her so mercilessly.


    Ynda held her anger and made an excuse.


    "It''s not a must to have a rehearsal.Everyone needs to be in touch when the movie is released.Isn''t it


    more convenient to have a contact?"


    Leighton said even more ruthlessly, ''Promoting the movie is a matter of the lead actors.You are not one


    of them.So, there is no need to contact you, right?"


    Ynda''s smile froze.


    She said she was one of the female leads but was actually trying to increase her rank.


    Everyone had an equivalent y except for a few leading actors.


    However, everyone else had not been in show business as long as she had.


    All of them respected Ynda as a senior when they met her.


    Ynda made her debut earlier than Leighton.


    He was also a junior by right, but he was not one of those minor actors who would show respect to her.


    After he said that, Leighton added, "Stay a little away from me.The smell on your body makes me feel


    disgusted."


    Leighton did not mean to humiliate anyone.He was just stating the facts.


    The smell of Ynda¡¯s perfume was strong.


    Leighton would only find that the smell was unpleasant without saying anything if she had just passed


    by him.


    However, the smell kept going to him when she talked to him continuously.He was sensitive to the


    perfume.


    So, he felt like vomiting after smelling the disgusting perfume.


    However, it was extremely embarrassing when Ynda heard those words.


    ''I don''t stink, so how could he feel disgusted? He just humiliated me intentionally! Ste stood aside


    and heard the conversation between the two clearly.


    She thought, ''No wonder everyone called him Tiger.He''s really merciless when he''s blunt in talking to


    people.He has a sharp tongue like Keegan in the past."


    Thinking of Keegan, Ste suddenly smiled.


    She sent Keegan a message with Leighton''s fashion photo and a sentence.


    [He looks like you.] Keegan''s face changed when he saw the photo.


    Then, he frowned when he saw the sentence.


    He turned his head and asked Vermont, "Does Leighton look like me?"


    Vermont was leaning on the couch and sharing the game-winning record with Felicity.When he heard


    Keegan''s words, he asked casually, "What?"


    Keegan frowned.


    "Ste sent me a photo of Leighton, and she said that he looks like me.Is that true?"


    Vermont was speechless.


    "I think...so?"


    Keegan was unhappy.


    He said, "Does Leighton look better than me? "


    Vermont was silent and thought, ¡®You used to be jealous without admitting it, and now you''re jealous of


    everyone.


    You''re really awesome!'' "I''m asking you a question."


    Seeing that Vermont was silent, Keegan could not help but raise his voice.


    As a toxic friend, Vermont naturally wanted to take the opportunity to stir up trouble between them.So,


    he replied, "Clearly, it''s you who look better.But, who doesn''t like the younger ones?"

 Chapter 795

    Chapter 795


    Chapter 795


    "You''re good-looking but old.You don''t have the vibrancy of youth.Leighton is young, and his soft skin is


    pleasant to touch.The slogan of Leighton''s fans is life is meaningless if they can''t have a night with


    Leighton.You can tell how popr he is from this," said Vermont.


    Keegan was left speechless.


    Looking at Keegan''s angry face, Vermont added fuel to the fire maliciously.


    "I heard that Leighton acts as a couple with Ste in the drama.I don''t know if there''s an intimate scene


    though.Will the fans go crazy when they watch a handsome man and a beautiful woman kissing and


    hugging?"


    Vermont did not care if the fans were crazy.


    He mainly wanted to see Keegan go crazy.


    Keegan stared at Vermont''s gloating expression and suddenly said, "Was the meal cooked by


    Ms.Thompson for that month delicious? W Vermont paused, and he yed dumb as usual.


    "What meal?"


    Keegan nced at him.


    ''''Ms.Thompson entrusted you to investigate Hylda.Are you happy when you use the fruits of mybor to


    obtain food and drinks through fraud?"


    Vermont was speechless.


    He coughed slightly and said, ''"We''re buddies with close rtions.There''s no difference between who


    investigated it."


    Keegan snorted and saved the recording.


    Vermont was curious and asked, "How did you know?"


    Keegan nced at him.


    "If you don''t want anyone to know about it, then don''t do it."


    Vermont was left speechless.


    How Keegan knew about it was all thanks to Luna.


    Felicity loved Luna so much that as long as she was free, she would ask Luna all sorts of questions or


    comints about the people and things around her.


    Vermont ate her food for a month and still had not investigated anything for her.


    So, she scolded Vermont for being useless in front of Luna.


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Luna sent the data to Keegan when she heard that the matter involved Ste.


    Hence, of course he knew what Vermont had done.


    In fact, Keegan did not feel anything when he knew about it.


    He knew very well how sneaky Vermont was.


    However, he could not allow Vermont to livefortably when he was taking advantage of it and


    adding fuel to the fire at the same time.


    "Speaking of this, how is the progress of your investigation?"


    Keegan said, "Hylda does have a cousin named Ian."


    Vermont frowned.


    "So, he''s not her lover?"


    Keegan raised his eyes and said, "People in Hylda''s hometown said that Ian was abducted by


    traffickers when he was just over two years old."


    After Ian was abducted, the White family reported it to the police.


    Later, they said that there was news of Ian, and the police asked the White family toe over and


    identify their rtive.


    But, several years had passed by then, and the White family had given birth to two more boys.


    Due to the long journey and high cost, the White family never went to identify him.


    "They didn''t identify him.Then, how did Hylda contact Ian?"


    Keegan tapped his fingers lightly on the table.


    He asked after a long time, "If you were abducted and your parents were unwilling to bring you home


    because the travel expenses were too expensive, would you still contact them?"


    "Of course not!"


    Vermont understood immediately after he said that.


    "He''s not Ian!"


    Keegan then added, "I used to wonder where Albert got the money to buy the shares of Semiconductor


    Technology.But, I understand now."


    Vermont had a look of doubt, and he asked, "So, Hylda got a fake cousin to hook up with Aunt Irene?


    To pave the way for Albert?"


    Keegan sneered, "Do you think she''s doing it for Albert?"

 Chapter 796

    Chapter 796


    Chapter 796


    Hylda had been with Albert for so many years without the status of being his wife.


    Although she was Mrs.Jewell now, she still bears the infamy.


    Albert was stupid and was not as maniptive as Hylda.


    How could she remain loyal to Albert? She was so deliberate.


    Of course, it was for her status and children.


    Albert was old with a patriarchal attitude and had a strong concept of heirs.


    Hylda birth him a son and a daughter.


    After he died, the property of the Jewell family would naturally belong to these two children.


    She was paving the way for her children.


    Vermont was also a person who knew much news about the rich and powerful families in Rivera.


    However, what Hylda did was totally new for him.


    Forbearance for more than 20 years and sent her daughter to the Jewell family to let the legal wife help


    raise her.


    Then, she got a toy boy, pretended he was her younger cousin, and made him the lover of the richest


    woman in Rivera to pave the way for her children.


    None of the mistresses he had met was as maniptive as her, but...


    "Why did the fake Ian allow himself to be dictated to her?"


    "Either Hylda has the goods on him."


    Keegan pursed his lips, "Or they share the same goal."


    "Goal?"


    Vermont was smart.


    He figured it out immediately, "Are you saying that the biological dad of Hylda''s children is Ian?"


    Keegan said, "It''s just a guess.I''ll tell you after verification."


    "Are you going to debunk Ian''s identity after you verify?"


    Vermont was a little excited.


    "No."


    Keegan said tly, "Wouldn''t it be more pleasant for Albert to find out himself?"


    Compared with Hylda, Ste should hate Albert the most.


    He was the cause of Rainee''s tragic life and the main culprit who pushed Ste to the breaking point


    after she divorced.


    It would have been too lenient if he had been punished easily.


    With a tsk sound, Vermont said, "You''re ruthless, but I''m quite looking forward to it.I just feel pity for


    Aunt Irene.She finally found a husband, but he just wants her money."


    When Irene had been mentioned, one naturally thought of Marshall.


    "Have you seen Marshall these two days?"


    Keegan''s face darkened instantly, and he said coldly, "No."


    Without noticing it, Vermont continued, "I went to thew firm to give him something before I came to


    you today.Marshall was hit on the head with a teacup by his grandpa.The injury is at the corner of his


    left forehead and is at least three centimeters long.Mr.Frederick Moore must be in his eighties.Why


    can''t he control himself from attacking others? Marshall is no longer a child.How could he hurt


    Marshall''s face this way?"


    Keegan was taken aback for a moment.He asked, "How is he?"


    "What can he do? What a poor kid.Marshall is the most obedient one among us, right? So why is


    Mr.Moore still dissatisfied? He was punished by standing when he was a few minutesteing


    home during his childhood.He was also punished at home if he fought back at school when bullied.I


    would have gone crazy if I were born into that kind of family."


    Vermont was the most empathetic and slick person among these wealthy young men.


    He has had good social skills since he was a child.He knew how to be flexible and say the right thing in


    different situations to different people.


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    The elders were fond of Vermont despite him being isted by some mischievous students at Rivera


    after his transfer because he was honey-tongued and knew how to please others well.


    Most elders liked this kind of kid who had honey-tongued and greeted people politely.


    However, Mr.Moore was an exception.


    Vermont went to Marshall''s house with Keegan when he was young.


    The first time he met Mr.Moore, he called Mr.Moore grandpa by following Marshall and Keegan with his


    honey-tongued.


    Mr.Moore responded and turned to bring them candy.He gave Keegan imported chocte, but Vermont


    received a low-cost candy.


    However, Keegan pretended he did not like it and gave him the chocte.

 Chapter 797

    Chapter 797


    Chapter 797


    However, Vermont had always taken this incident to heart.


    At that time, he thought Marshall''s grandpa was like his ssmates.


    They did not like him because his family made a fortune in the fishing business and was a little low-


    ss.


    After Vermont graduated, he started his business and achieved outstanding achievements in his field.


    Then, he gradually understood that Marshall''s grandpa looked down on him for his background.


    Even if he obtained his current status with his own effort, for Marshall''s grandpa, Vermont still did not


    have blue blood and will never meet his requirement.


    Frederick was a typical old fogy born under feudal dogma.


    He was different from those who were snobs.


    Those snobs changed their attitude ording to the situation and entertained those with high


    poprity.


    As for Frederick, he never cared how sessful you were in the future.


    The pecking order was his way of treating people.


    In Frederick''s eyes, a rich and powerful family like Keegan''s was gentility.


    In contrast, the ones like Vermont''s who started halfway were stillmoners no matter how


    sessful they were.


    Vermont wondered, ''All these traditional rules had fallen into disuse for a hundred years.


    How can he be such an old fogy and still have an ancestral hall at home?'' Due to Frederick''s influence,


    Vermont and Marshall''s rtionship was not as close as the one Vermont had with Keegan.


    One summer, Vermont got Marshall out to catch fish in the river together.


    At that time, Marshall enrolled in many extra sses and had homework to do every day, while no one


    cared for Vermont''s studies.


    He lived up to expectations that he was always at the bottom of the ss before high school.So, he


    urged Marshall to skip ss.


    They went to catch fish at Lumi River all afternoon.


    However, Frederick did not allow Marshall in when he returned to Moore Mansion.


    Instead, Frederick asked the servants to take a knife and said since Marshall liked fish so much, he


    should take a good look at what the fish looked like.


    He asked Marshall to take a knife and kill the fish he caught one by one.


    Vermont still remembered how Marshall cried while killing the fish.


    To Vermont, killing fish was nothing because his family made a living from it.


    However, for someone like Marshall, a gentleman who had never done it before, killing the fish was


    equivalent to breaking his psychological defenses.


    Later, Marshall disliked eating fish.


    Vermont thought it was probably because of that incident back then.


    It passed for along time, and Marshall had been abroad for so many years to see a doctor.


    Vermont forgot about it gradually, but who knew this old fogy would still hurt Marshall at such an old


    age? Keegan clenched his hands tightly and said nothing for a long time.


    Vermont added, "I made an appointment with Marshall for a drink on the weekend.Let''s go together."


    Keegan pursed her lips tightly, "I''m not going."


    "Alright, stop making a fuss.We''ve been buddies for so many years.Just let everything out will be good


    enough."


    Vermont walked over and patted his shoulder, "By the way, don''t tell miss bandit that I didn''t investigate


    Hylda for her."


    Keegan nced at him and answered with a sound of um.


    When Vermont went out, Keegan immediately sent the audio he I _ had just recorded to Felicity''s


    WhatsApp.


    He then edited a message I and pretended to be innocent.


    [Although Vermont is my best friend, I don''t want you to be deceived.] After editing, he sent it to Felicity.


    Keegan had a chip on his shoulder if Vermont was forgiven easily by Felicity.


    Felicity phoned as soon as Vermont got into the car.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Vermont raised the corners of his lips, "Miss bandit, do you miss me?"


    "Of course I did!"


    Felicity gritted her teeth with an angry face, ''This bastard! You even cheated me to cook for you this


    month! "When will you be back?"


    Felicity asked with a smile.


    Vermont smiled, "What''s wrong? Why do you need to know when I''ll be back? Are you worried I''ll stay


    out all night?"


    "I''ll make chicken parmigiana for dinner.I won''t leave it for you if youe backte."

 Chapter 798

    Chapter 798


    Chapter 798


    As soon as Vermont heard there was delicious food waiting for him, he said immediately, ''''I''ve nothing


    to do at night.I''ll be back earlier."


    Felicity sneered, but her voice was still obedient and sweet, "I''ll wait for you."


    On the other side, Ste waited for a while before Keegan replied.


    Then, he replied with a photo of him at work in theboratory.It was taken by someone when the


    company website was writing a press release.He wore a ck shirt and stood in front of theboratory


    table.He looked down at the tablet''s data with the rimless sses hanging on the bridge of his nose.


    The photo was taken from an oblique side.


    Keegan''s mandibr angle was so perfect that it seemed unrealistic.


    The sleeves of the ck shirt were rolled up to the elbows, with two unbuttoned buttons on the


    neckline.


    The slightly raised Adam''s apple was aligned perfectly with the curvature of his chin and corbone.


    Keegan exuded a rigorous and ascetic vibe with the sses.


    Leighton''s photo was full of vigor and youthfulness.


    However, Keegan''s strong and sophisticated aura did not need a youthful look to highlight him.


    He could easily attract others by just standing there without doing anything.


    However, this photo was not what Keegan would have chosen.


    He had always been unaware of his attractiveness.


    He thought the best photos of himself were those holding a trophy on the podium.


    Ste asked Keegan to pick a few single photos of himself when she was decorating the photo wall at


    home.


    Keegan then sent many photos epting awards, such as College Students XX Competition First


    Prize Award, XX Best Design Award, XX Technology Competition Achievement Award, and so on.


    It was a must for Keegan to choose those photos that held a trophy to his chest.


    He wanted everyone to see the name of the award.


    At that time, Ste thought Keegan was deliberately against her.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    However, sheter realized that he thought those photos were handsome because he equated talent


    with physical attractiveness.


    This photo was taken very well.


    Keegan was one of those people who would unconsciously tense up when facing the camera.


    The snapshot was more suitable for him, but he may not think it looks good.


    ¡®Maybe someone taught him.That''s why he chose this photo and sent it to me."


    Ste''s guess was correct.


    This photo was indeed not picked by Keegan, but Aldor saved it from the team group for Keegan.


    This photo originated from a manuscript of thepany''s autumn recruitment and was created by a


    group of new hires.


    They had unconventional thinking, and their words were bold, even daring to make jokes about the


    boss.


    So, they directly ced Keegan''s work photo in the autumn recruiting brochure and wrote inrge


    fonts.


    [You can enjoy the benefits of seeing handsome men for free after joining the job! What are you waiting


    for? Send us your resume! ] Of course, this brochure for autumn recruits was rejected by Keegan and


    revised.


    However, it was already circted among the employees.


    When everyone were exhausted from working overtime, they would tease each other, "Our boss is


    handsome and generous; let''s bear it.After all, other bosses may be ugly and stingy."


    Aldor thought it was funny.


    So, he sent the photo to Keegan.


    Naturally, Keegan never thought this photo was handsome, but everyone praised it.


    So, he sent the photo to Ste.


    After sending it, he added a sentence, "We''re different."


    Ste did not know whether tough or cry, ¡®This man is so childish."


    Apart from the crew, the people who came to visit Leighton were also in the loop of showbiz.


    Leighton seemed to be going to the hospital for a reexamination in the afternoon.


    So, everyone visited him in the morning.


    Many people came one after another.


    Leighton was surrounded by people and had no chance to talk to Ste at all.


    It made him feel annoyed.


    Ste only knew a few of them, which made it difficult for her to join the conversation.


    So, she stood far away.


    Finally, she was called by Stuart when everyone took a group photo.


    Among these people, Leighton and Be were the most popr.


    So, everyone would let them stand in the middle of the group.


    Stuart was a senior in showbiz, so he stood in the middle too.


    The other would stand beside consciously.


    Ste was still new in showbiz, so she stood at the side.


    Due to the distance, the camera could only see half of her face.


    Leighton frowned, turned around, and pulled Ste over.

 Chapter 799

    Chapter 799


    Chapter 799


    Ste was already standing in front of Leighton before she realized it.


    Leighton found out there was not much space left after dragging Ste over, so he turned around and


    said to Be, "Move to the side."


    Be was speechless.


    Everyone else had all kinds of different looks on their faces, and the one on Be looked awful.


    Leighton hated fauxmance.


    When they worked together previously, Be tried to look intimate with him twice.


    As a result, he unfollowed her on social media.


    It attracted a lot of people''s attention and went viral.


    Leighton''s fans said that Be threw herself to him.


    Be''s team contacted Leighton and asked him to rify that, but Leighton''s team blocked them


    instead.


    ¡®He didn''t want to be in fauxmance with me, yet he has no problem doing that with Ste? Besides, why


    should I stand aside for her? I''m more experienced than her in this industry.


    Who does she think she is?'' Leighton frowned after seeing Be just stand there without moving.


    "Why are you still standing here?"


    Be kept quiet.


    She took a deep breath and took a tiny step aside unwillingly.


    Leighton was unhappy.


    The space Be gave was so small that it could barely fit a kitten.


    He was about to speak, but he heard Ste say, "I should just stand at the back.I''m going to block


    somebody behind me since I''m taller."


    Ste figured that Leighton might be just being nice to her, but she wanted to avoid standing in the


    middle and getting all the attention.


    After hearing that, Leighton immediately said, "I''m tall too.I''ll stand at the back with you."


    So, everyone watched the main cast follow Ste to the back from standing in the middle.


    They were speechless.


    They had no idea where they should be standing.


    They were standing in a triangr formation that slowly turned into a curve.


    Now, Ste and Leighton were positioned in the middle again.


    Initially standing in the center, Behad no choice but to stand at the end of the curve.


    Ste was speechless.


    Suddenly, a quote popped into her head.


    ¡®Be so good at what you''re doing that it''s impossible for you to keep a low profile."


    Leighton, who would barely smile while taking photos, grinned from ear to ear like a silly kid because


    he finally got an "intimate" photo with his crush.


    Leighton went upstairs to apply medicine to his wound after taking the photos.


    Ste talked to his manager about the money pouch and left.


    After that, Leighton came down.


    He could not see Ste anywhere and immediately got anxious.


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Then, his manager handed him the money pouch.


    "Your crush gave you some money." Leighton paused.


    "Where is she?"


    "She left.There are so many people here, and she knows none of them.I''m pretty sure she feels very


    awkward."


    Leighton said unhappily, "It''s all because of your stupid idea.Why did you even ask the crew to join us?!


    What''s the point? This is so unnecessary!"


    Then, he took the money pouch and went back up.


    The edge of his manager''s mouth twitched.


    ¡®Why am I managing someone like him?"


    Leighton did not feel like entertaining the guests anymore after Ste left.So, his manager lied, saying


    that his wound started hurting again, and sent them back.


    Ynda left Leighton''s house.She immediatelyined right after she got into the car.


    "Who does she think she is? How dare she stand in the middle? Does she even deserve to be there?"

 Chapter 800

    Chapter 800


    Chapter 800


    Be scrunched her face without saying anything.


    Everybody in the entertainment industry was very mean.


    Before she became famous, other people would squeeze her to the side whenever they took a photo,


    and she even had to apologize for blocking somebody else behind her.


    If the main character of the photo were not satisfied with how it turned out, she would be cropped out of


    the photo.


    That was why she cared a lot about where she stood whenever she took a photo.


    It was a group photo of the production crew.


    She was the female lead, yet she was not the one who stood in the middle.


    Instead, it was her worst enemy, Ste Jewell.


    Ste got a divorce but was not dispirited about losing her status as Mrs.Kane.


    Instead, she got very lucky and easily became a part of Elegant Media and got a role as the supporting


    female lead of a huge production.


    Even Leighton, who was so famous, would always ignore her.


    He would not participate in any publicity stunt and be obsessed with Ste.


    That made Be envious of Ste.


    Ste gained fame in the industry just by being Gxy Dusk before any of her shows aired.


    Be figured she would blow up anytime if she participated in decent shows.


    She worked in the samepany as Ste and could not help but feel threatened.


    She knew she had to toss this bright pearl back into the mud before it could rise.


    Otherwise, Ste would overshine her in just a matter of time.


    Be looked down and said, as she thought about that.


    ¡®It was just a photo anyway.I''m not really bothered."


    Suddenly, Ynda''s sense of justice took her over.


    "You''re always so kind.Everybody in this industry knows that the most popr star always stands in the


    middle while taking photos.It''s an unwritten rule.How could she be so ignorant? I''m sure she''s just


    trying to steal your limelight! If this photo gets out, all sorts of random people will dare to stand before


    you.No one''s going to respect you anymore."


    Be said, "I know, but we work in the samepany.I''ll still see her very often, even after the shooting


    ends.I don''t want to turn things any harder than it already is."


    Ynda figured it might be a chance to stand up for Be after hearing what Be said.


    ¡®I''m sure that Be will be very grateful for what I will do for her.Then, I can finally use our rtionship


    to make myself famous."


    So, she said, "You don''t have to get your hands dirty in this.Ste has got to prove herself before she


    wants to stand in the middle."


    Be lifted the corner of her mouth and pretended to say worriedly, "You''d better not do anything


    foolish."


    Ynda assured her.


    "I''m just going to teach her a lesson."


    Ste went home.She pushed the door open and was immediately choked by the smell of chili.She


    kept sneezing as she made her way to the kitchen.


    "What''s going on?"


    Felicity was frying chilis in the kitchen while wearing a face mask.She gave Ste another face mask as


    she saw hering in.


    "Go to the room first.I need a little more time."


    It took Ste some time to put the mask on.


    She looked at all the peppers in pain and said, "Have you thought about what this is going to do to our


    backdoors?"


    Felicity said, "This isn''t for us."


    Ste paused.


    "It''s not for Vermont, right? He can''t really eat spicy food."


    Felicity sneered.


    "I know.That''s why I''m making this!"


    Ste was speechless.


    "May I know...what did he do to you?"


    Felicity boiled with rage as she thought about that.


    "That scum asked me to make him food for a month, and he''ll investigate Hylda for me.I did it every


    day after work, no matter how tired I was.However, do you know what I found out? It was your damn


    ex-husband who did all the job, and he did absolutely nothing!"


    Ste kept quiet.


    "He lied to me and took credit for what your ex-husband did.He tricked me and treated me like a maid.I


    can''t ever sleep in peace if I don''t get him back for this one!"


    Ste was touched as she realized that Felicity only cooked for Vermont because she wanted him to


    investigate Hylda.She felt very lucky to have a friend like Felicity.


    But then, she was amused.


    Ste was not surprised, as that was exactly what Vermont would do.She was kind of looking forward


    to seeing how karma would bite him back.So, she suggested, "Add some peppers and wasabi.Don''t go


    easy on him."


    Felicity paused.


    "Good idea!"


    Vermont could not stop thinking about the chicken parmigiana he would have for dinner, so he left the


    office sneakily before work ended.


    He figured it would not be nice for him to go to the dinner empty-handed, as it was Felicity''s first time


    treating him to a meal.So, he booked a cake from a famous bakery.


    He went to take it after leaving work and rushed back home.He ran upstairs and went right to unit


    901.He pressed the doorbell for some time, but no one answered.


    Then, he received a text message from Felicity.


    She told him that Ste was memorizing her script, and she did not want to disturb her.So, she asked


    him to wait for her at home, and she would send the chicken parmigiana overter.


    Vermont replied with an OK.


    Half an hourter, Felicity''s chicken parmigiana with her secret sauce was finally done.


    To make the dish look less spicy, she even took her time to scoop up the chili oil from the chicken to


    fool Vermont.


    Felicity sneered.


    "I''m afraid his backdoor will be barged open after eating this!"


    Ste gave her a big thumbs up.


    ¡®I guess it''s true when people say that thest person you would want to cross is the chef."


    Ste felt bored at home after Felicity left.She would start shooting two dayster, so she dared not to


    eat too much at night.


    After all, she would act as a dancer and had to be in shape.


    Otherwise, she would not be able to y her character perfectly.


    She drank two cups of water and felt a little stuffed.


    So, she went to the sofa andy down.


    She opened her Facebook and logged in with her second ount.


    Then, she went to Keegan''s profile.


    Thetest update on his profile was still the same post when he shared her response to Vinci Rivera''s


    ount.


    Ste scrolled down and discovered that all his Facebook posts were rted to work, and she was


    bored.


    So, she went to see the ounts that he was following.


    There were about ten ounts, all of which were official ounts of other organizations except


    hers.She continued looking and discovered that Keegan was following an ount called "Married


    Bachelor."


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Ste was confused.


    ¡®This name sounds rather familiar."


    Then, she tapped it open.

 Chapter 801

    Chapter 801


    Chapter 801


    It turned out that the ount was set to only show posts from the most recent six months, and only one


    post was updated exactly six months ago.


    It''s only post was shared by a verified ount that published technology news that Ste could not


    understand.


    There were hundreds ofments under that post. Ste started reading them.


    [Is Mr. Bachelor not going to update anything about his personal life today?]


    [Obviously, they got into a fight again. He''d only share the news whenever that happens.]


    [To be honest, I like seeing them fight. Precisely, I like to see Mr. Bachelor begging for our support


    using his money. He''s so fucking hot.]


    [You don''t like him because he''s hot. You only want money! ]


    [Who''s with me? I started following Mr. Bachelor after he published the article "The Endless


    Assumptions Regarding Future Technology Advancement," but now I have be a fan of him and


    his wife.]


    [I''m with you. His paper review and scientific article attracted more than half of the users. But none of


    us expected that his daily life with his wife could be more interesting than that.]


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    [Mr. Bachelor is undoubtedly the leading figure in science and technology. Our lecturer told us that


    whatever he wrote could be used as a thesis.]


    [I''m a bigger fan of his personal life. Hahahaha. He''s so good at writing articles, yet he could never


    figure out how to deal with his wife. How funny and ironic.]


    [Don''tugh at Mr. Bachelor; he might throw money at you as a punishment.]


    [He wouldn''t have a problem if you criticized his article, but he''d start arguing if you said anything bad


    about his wife. He''ll shut you up with his rigorous logical thinking.]


    [It''s been five months since hisst update. Did he get a divorce?]


    [Let''s look at this a different way. Perhaps he had a baby and has no time to update his Facebook.]


    ¡®A tech blogger, huh?''


    Ste had no idea why Keegan would follow an ount with a username like that, but it turned out to


    be a page that published scientific papers.


    She left Keegan''s ount page and checked the trending searches.


    Then, she saw the hashtag, #NotPoprButLovesPiggybacking, on the top of the list.


    ¡®Which idol is under attack again?'' She wondered to herself.


    Ste got nosy and tapped on the hashtag. Then, her whole face twitched, and she froze.


    She realized that she was the victim.


    It happened because of a group photo the production crew posted while visiting Leighton. It was the


    same photo that Ste and


    Leighton had stood in the middle.


    Thement section was rather peaceful at the beginning.


    However, someone thought that Ste and Leighton looked very good together and made a nickname


    for them as a couple. They called them the "Lei¡±.


    Surprisingly, Lei gained even more traction than Kee. It became one of the most searched


    keywords on Facebook.


    Leighton''s fans were not happy about that. Leighton and his fans hated others who used him for a


    publicity stunt. So, they automatically viewed Ste as a fame chaser who used working with Leighton


    as an excuse to gain exposure.


    So, that was where the hashtag #


    NotPoprButLovesPiggybacking came from.


    Ste knew she had to act carefully while working with a famous actor like Leighton. Dealing with the


    actor himself was one thing, but his crazy fans were another thing to worry about.


    She had not even started working with Leighton yet, and they were already calling her a fame chaser.


    Ste was not amused. She was about to throw her phone aside when she received a call from


    Keegan. She picked up.


    "Ste, are you okay?"


    Ste was confused.


    "Why wouldn''t I be?"


    Keegan heaved a sigh of relief and said, "You should uninstall Facebook."

 Chapter 802

    Chapter 802


    Chapter 802


    Ste paused. Then, she realized why Keegan asked if she was okay. She figured Keegan probably


    read those negativements about her online, so he called to ensure she was okay because he did


    not want her to overthink.


    Ste asked, "Did you see what''s happening on Facebook?"


    "Yeah," Keegan said, "Just ignore those people."


    Ste replied, "I don''t care about them at all. I can''t control what they want to say anyway."


    Ste''s teacher told her and her ssmates they should not set foot in the entertainment industry if


    they could not handle hate.


    Instead, she should focus on people who watched her shows and gave genuine feedback on her


    performance instead of getting bothered by those ignorant fans'' criticism.


    Keegan did not feel as worried anymore. "I hired someone to take care of thements. So just stay


    off Facebook for these few days.


    Ste immediately sat up. "Why would you spend money on this? You should''ve given the money to me


    instead. Just let them say whatever they want. I won''t be affected anyway. Besides, I''m gaining


    exposure for free, isn''t it? There''s just no reason for you to do that."


    Keegan was speechless. He rubbed his temple and said helplessly, ¡°You don''t care what other people


    say about you, but I do. You''re not a person like that at all. Why would I let them spread rumors about


    you without doing anything?


    "Also, money is never a problem. Your husband has lots of them! I''ll pay someone if you want more


    exposure. We don''t need negativements like these to let people know about you."


    Ste kept quiet.


    ¡®Why did Keegan suddenly sound like a domineering boss?''


    Keegan reminded her of the fictional romance novel she read, and she chuckled. Keegan''s mood


    became a lot better after hearing herughter.


    Then, he asked softly, "Am I amusing to you?"


    "No." Ste could not hold back herughter. "I suddenly remember a joke from a romance novel I read


    online."


    "What is it?" Even though Keegan would not read any romance novels, he was all ears.


    "The assistant said, ''Boss, Madam has been hanging up there under the scorching sun for three days!''


    "Then, the boss replied coldly, ''Does she know what she did wrong now?''


    "The assistant said again, ''She''s all dried up.''"


    Then, Ste startedughing after saying that.


    Keegan was baffled by the nonsensical conversation.


    ¡®Is that what romance novels are about?"


    He could not understand the joke but could not help butugh along after hearing Ste''sughter.


    Ste was finally doneughing. Then, she wiped her tears and said, ''''You remind me a lot of the boss


    in that novel."


    Keegan was speechless.


    "No way..." Keegan disagreed with Ste. "I would never hang you up anywhere."


    Ste thought to herself. ¡®Other than how arrogant they both are, I can''t deny that Keegan would never


    do something so cruel to me.


    Cordelia would always say that Keegan was too kind and softhearted, which were not good traits for a


    businessman.''


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Ste used to think that Cordelia was just saying good words to Keegan, but she realized that Cordelia


    knew him too well. A merciful and emotional person could never be a good leader.


    Keegan went through many obstacles before he could get to where he stood.


    Ste suddenly asked, after thinking about that, "Keegan, if you chose to marry an heiress from a very


    wealthy family, would you be the biggest boss in Rivera now?"


    "Biggest boss..." Keegan chuckled. "Where did you hear that word from?"


    "Don''t change the topic!" Ste was very serious. Keegan sighed. "Don''t watch too many soap operas.


    Not all wealthy families had to maintain their beneficial rtionships with marriage. You can only expect


    others to treat you honorably if you do the same. Besides, I don''t want to use marriage as a bargaining


    chip. I only want to marry the person I truly love."

 Chapter 803

    Chapter 803


    Chapter 803


    ''The person he truly loves... Hmph... this scumbag finally knows how to hit my soft spot after our


    divorce.¡¯


    Ste was bbergasted with joy before something suddenly popped into her head.


    "Is Be really not your first love?"


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡°Why would you ask such a question?"


    Keegan thought about it. He figured he probably met with Be too often when Coco needed her blood.


    However, Be crossed the line by hiring reporters to photograph them together.


    That made Keegan very angry. He even made a nosy mediapany go bankrupt to send a message.


    However, Be became increasingly famous, and it became harder for him to suppress the media than


    before. But the media still dared not publish anything about him, so he was not expecting Ste to think


    he had a romantic rtionship with Be.


    Worse still, Ste even thought that Be was his first love.


    Ste pouted. "I heard people talking about it when we took the wedding photos a few days before the


    ceremony.


    "They said you were in love with a starlet, but your family wouldn''t allow you to date her. So your family


    forced you to break up with her, and you only went on the blind date because you had no other choice.


    Also, the only reason you picked me was I had the worst family background, making me the perfect


    candidate to piss your family off for making you break up.¡±


    Keegan was speechless. He kept quiet for some time before he finally spoke. Honestly, what kind of


    person am I to you?"


    Ste said without hesitating. "A cheater that can never be satisfied, has a bad temper and a wicked


    tongue, petty, always jealous, a liar..."


    Keegan''s eyelid twitched. "I was not asking you to judge me."


    "Oh." Ste shut up.


    Keegan pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Don''t you think what you said is very conflicted?


    "My family didn''t allow me to marry a starlet, and it shows that I have no right to choose whom I want to


    marry, right? How would it be possible for me to marry you just to piss them off? They wouldn''t allow


    me to marry you in the first ce, no? This shows that I have the right to choose who I want to marry if


    I marry you.


    So, it makes the statement about me not being allowed to marry my first love a false proposition. It


    doesn''t make sense at all."


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Ste paused. She felt a little dizzy after hearing so many words Keegan said.


    Then, she pursed her lips and said, "Could you just speak English?"


    Keegan replied, "I didn''t have a first love before the marriage, but you became my first love after we


    married."


    Ste''s immediately blushed bright red.


    "I told him to speak English, not flirt with me.''


    Even though Keegan told her that he had nothing going on with Be, the fact that she thought Be


    was Keegan''s first loveregistered in her mind for a very long time. So, she still could not believe


    Keegan entirely after hearing what he said.


    "Why did you call her name when you had that high fever then?"


    Keegan was confused.


    "How is that possible? My points are already low enough. You''d better not find an excuse to deduct my


    points again."


    "An excuse?" Ste got angry after talking about that. "I was the one who cared for you when you had


    a fever, yet the only thing that came out of your mouth was "Be." Why didn''t you ask her to take care


    of you if she''s so perfect to you?¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    "Whose name did I call?"


    "Be."


    Keegan pursed his lips. "Are you sure that I say Be and not...


    Ste?"


    Ste paused and said after a while, ¡°How is that possible?"


    "How is that not possible? Be sounds so familiar to Ste. How could you be sure you didn''t hear it


    wrongly?¡±


    ¡®Does that mean I was wrong about him calling Be''s name all along? Is there really something wrong


    with my ear? The same thing happened when Keegan said he was hungry, but I thought he said he


    would remarry. Also, he told me he couldn''t drink anymore, but I heard he couldn''t live anymore. It


    seems like the reality is very different from what''s in my head.''


    Ste did not know if she should feel happy or angry. However, she gritted her teeth and said, "Why


    didn''t you tell me about this earlier?!"


    Keegan kept quiet and said softly afterward, "I only found out about this today. Why didn''t you ask me


    about it earlier, then?" Ste became the one who kept quiet.


    She did not ask Keegan about it because she was very sure that


    Keegan had an affair with Be. She thought uncovering the truth would only embarrass herself, so she


    just decided to let it slide. After all, she was already married to Keegan and would rece his lover in


    just a matter of time.


    She did not expect that Keegan''s lover was actually non-existent at all.

 Chapter 804

    Chapter 804


    Chapter 804


    Keegan added to make Ste feel less embarrassed.


    "You were still young and innocent back then."


    Ste was speechless.


    "Why didn''t you sleep in the same bed as me when we first married?" Keegan kept quiet.


    "Would you not ask such personal questions?"


    Ste said, "There''s no outsider here anyway.Can''t you just tell me?"


    "Well, Ican," Keegan said gently, However, we''re neither dating nor married now.I''m afraid you''d find


    me inappropriate and deduct my points if we talked about this topic."


    ¡®And now he wants to be appropriate? He actedpletely different when I said I would wear the


    fis for him"


    Ste said, "I''m going to give you some extra points if you tell me.


    "How many?"


    "Two hundred."


    Keegan said, "Make it five hundred.It involves my privacy, after all.


    He thought the same old trick would work on Ste again, but Ste said, "Forget it then."


    Keegan was confused.


    "Do you...not want to knew the truth?"


    "Nope," Ste said, "I thought about it, and you''re right about it being your privacy.I''ve got to give you


    some personal space."


    Keegan was speechless.


    Then, he pursed his lips and said, "Actually, two hundred sounds fine too."


    ''Two hundred is better than nothing, I guess"


    "Am I making things difficult for you?"


    "Not at all." Ste smirked.


    "Go on then."


    Keegan coughed as if he was not feeling veryfortable.


    Then, he said after a while, "I was not prepared to do that."


    Ste was confused.


    "You''re not the one getting banged.What do you need to prepare for?"


    Keegan was speechless.


    "Could you speak more modestly?" Ste coughed too.


    "I will next time."


    Then, she added, "Quick, tell me more."


    Suddenly, Keegan did not feel like talking about it anymore.


    ''Why is she so obsessed with knowing the truth?! "It''s nothing, really."


    Keegan said in a deep tone, ''''I just wanted to increase my knowledge, so none of us would feel


    ufortable."


    Ste kept quiet for some time before saying to Keegan, "Well, I must say that you could''ve done it


    better.It hurt a little for me."


    Keegan was speechless.


    "I''ll be sure to do better in the future."


    Then, both of them kept quiet after Keegan said that.


    Ste just wanted to make fun of Keegan and see how awkward he could get.


    However, she got just awkward as him after learning his answer.


    "Hey¡ª "


    "Can I¡ª ¡°


    Both of them spoke and shut up at the same time.


    Then, they spoke unanimously again.


    "You go first."


    "You go first." Keegan smiled.


    "I''ll speak after you."


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Ste licked her bottom lip.


    "I''ve got to read the script now."


    She paused before asking, "What did you want to say?"


    Keegan asked, "Can I visit you after you start working on the set?"


    Ste said, "It''s best if you don''t.You''re too eye-catching."

 Chapter 805

    Chapter 805


    Chapter 805


    Keegan was a little disappointed.


    He said lowly, "I''ll just take a single nce from afar."


    Ste relented a little after hearing his pitiful pleas.


    "Thene with Mr.Snyder.If youe alone and get photographed, people will make up stories


    again." Keegan suddenly felt happy.


    "Alright.Go and read your script, then.Don''t stay up toote."


    "Mhm."


    Ste reluctantly hung up the phone and rubbed her hands on her face.


    ¡®Our conversation got me all worked up.How could I focus the script right now?" she thought.


    Leighton only saw the trending topic when he returned from the hospital.


    Then, he immediately blew up.


    When his manager was not looking, he logged on to Facebook and made a post.


    [Who else to piggyback on, if not someone with good acting skills? Someone who pulls publicity


    stunts? When are we rehearsing the lines? @SteJewell] Initially, Keegan had already cleared up


    most of the trending topics.


    However, the topics immediately trended again after Leighton''s post.


    He was obviously defending Ste.


    Besides, he made himself the subject of the "not popr but loved piggybacking" topic.


    So what Leighton meant was that he was piggybacking on Ste.


    There was an uproar among his fans.


    Leighton had never interacted with any female celebrities since his debut.


    This time, not only did he interact with one.


    He even very gentlemanly directed the attention to himself.


    The fans would definitely side with their idol after their idol had given a response.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    And so, the trending topics about Ste disappeared and were reced with the topic #Leighton Invites


    Ste to Rehearse Lines#.


    While the fans were dissatisfied with Leighton''s response, they kept their dissatisfaction to themselves


    and were not at odds with him.


    Ynda helplessly watched as the uproar she had stirred up changed directions.


    Naturally, she had fueled the mes of the incident.


    Not long after the production''s official ount made a post, Ynda also posted a group photo.


    However, the standing position of the people in this photo waspletely different from the photo the


    official ount had posted.


    In this photo, Leighton and Be were the ones standing in the center.


    After Ynda''s photo was posted, Be''s fans were immediately displeased.


    ¡®There''s clearly a group photo where Be''s standing in the center, but the official ount didn''t post


    the photo with her standing in the center.They''re obviously using Be to inte someone else''s


    poprity level" n.ovelebook they thought.


    Previously, Ste had a personality rightswsuit with Be''s fans.


    Not only did she win, she even made the more prominent fans pin their public apology posts; both


    parties could be said to have had beef for a long time.


    That was why they were definitely seeking justice for their idol now that there was a fight for the center


    position.


    Hence, some Be''s fans switched to their burner ounts and pretended to be Leighton''s fans.


    Then, they sowed discord in his fan group.


    Since his fans were rtively young, they became the scapegoat prodded by others and roasted Ste


    until she became a trending topic.


    Leighton had made a response, so his prominent fans all understood that their fellow fans had gotten


    taken advantage of by someone schemeful.


    His prominent fans were incredibly skilled.


    Shortly after, they caught the few who were sowing discord in the group.


    Just as Leighton''s fans privately messaged them, they deleted their ounts.


    The prominent fans immediately thought of Be''s fans when they realized these people were skilled at


    getting others to do their dirty work.


    Previously, things got really ugly between the two fandoms because Leighton denied the fauxmance.


    Be''s fans liked going undercover in the fan groups of their adversary fandoms and sowing discord


    among the fans.


    They were practically the root of all evil in the fandommunity.


    Right after Leighton''s manager got the news from Leighton''s prominent fans, he saw the post that


    Leighton had made on Facebook and immediately foamed at the mouth.


    ¡®I told him not to make a Facebook! That mutt just won''t listen!'' he thought.


    Just as he was about to go upstairs to look for Leighton, the doorbell rang.


    Leighton''s manager had no choice but to get the door first.


    He was stunned when he opened the door.


    "Mr.Saun?"

 Chapter 806

    Chapter 806


    Chapter 806


    Trevor asked while walking into the house, "Where''s he?"


    "Upstairs," said Leighton''s manager.


    Then, Trevor went upstairs without another word.


    ''Why''s Trevor suddenly visiting? Hasn''t he gone to Salcator?'' wondered Leighton''s manager. However,


    he could not ponder for long and hurriedly followed Trevor.


    Leighton was sweating buckets in the gym room upstairs. The stereo in the room was really loud. After


    Trevor opened the door, the heavy metal music rushing to him almost pushed him back out.


    ¡®What kind of shit music does he listen to?'' Trevor thought. He walked up to the stereo and unplugged


    it. Leighton frowned the moment the music stopped. When he turned around and saw


    Trevor, his face fell even more.


    ¡°What are you doing here?"


    Trevor said, "Your dad called you, and you didn''t answer. So I''m here in his stead to check on you."


    Leighton snorted.


    "He didn''t feel bad when he put his hands on me. So why is he acting like a loving father when others


    do so?"


    "You''re overthinking," Trevor nced at him. He continued, "He said he''s pretty happy you got beaten


    up. He told me to help him see you make a fool of yourself."


    Then, he pulled up Leighton''s shirt and nced at his bruise. He clicked his tongue, "This isn''t serious."


    Leighton twitched the corner of his eyes.


    "Are you done looking? If you are, scram."


    Then, he turned around and went to get the dumbbells. Trevor went over with his hands in his pockets


    and kicked Leighton on the butt.


    Leighton staggered a little and almost fell face t. After finally finding his bnce, he turned and


    angrily said, "Do you know how expensive my face is?"


    "That''s why I didn''t kick you in the face," Trevor narrowed his eyes. He continued, "I dare you to tell me


    to scram again."


    Leighton snorted.


    "I''ll forgive you."


    His manager leaned against the doorframe and thought, ''You''re forgiving him? More like you don''t dare


    to offend him. I''ve been working with Leighton since his debut, and he''s not like other pretty boys who


    create problems before they''ve even gotten popr. He doesn''t have promiscuous rtionships with


    the opposite sex and constantly lets thepany clean up after him. He''s not interested in such affairs.


    ¡®Besides working out, he''s usually obsessed with his two- dimensional characters. He always gets


    firsthand information about conventions, newly released figurines, and newly released shows. When


    the show Dusk Gxy dubbed got released, he stayed upte to get it trending after he finished


    shooting. If Dusk Gxy said "thank you to my fans" in the recording studio, the smiles on his face


    would be even more prominent than when he was at the shows he was forced to attend. He doesn''t


    ck at all at work, but he''s just a little... Too bad- tempered. If someone''s words make him


    ufortable, he won''t hold back. Besides Trevor, I haven''t seen Leighton afraid of anyone else,'' he


    thought.


    He thought again, ''During one of the new years, I apanied Leighton to a g hosted by some


    satellite television media group.


    Since my flight got canceled, I couldn''t return to my hometown that day. Leighton''s parents very warmly


    asked me to stay over and only go home on the second day. The Leighton family has the custom of


    visiting their elders on the first day of the New Year.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Since Leighton''s grandparents were still around, everyone in the Hall family had to pay them a visit at


    their residence.


    ¡®Everyone had gotten ready, and only Leighton was still asleep. His parents couldn''t wake him up.


    Then, Trevor came. He kicked the door open, pulled Leighton out of bed, and threw his clothes onto his


    face. "Put them on yourself!" he said coldly. It was the first time I had ever seen someone dare to treat


    Leighton this way.


    Leighton was really grumpy after waking up; just as I thought the Tiger was about to jump up and fight


    Trevor, I saw him grab the clothes and whisper discontentedly, "Fine, I will!". There''s always someone


    out there strong enough to subdue you. The fearless


    Tiger has no choice but to back off when faced with his own cousin.


    '' After Trevor returned from abroad, he went to Royalburgh twice or thrice. Leighton would always


    hurriedly leave when he caught wind of Trevor''s appearance. After all, Leighton''s parents¡¯ favorite thing


    to do was to let their nephew discipline their Tiger.


    Since Leighton was afraid of Trevor, naturally, he would hide from him whenever he could.

 Chapter 807

    Chapter 807


    Chapter 807


    However, Leighton did not expect Trevor to return from Royalburgh so soon this time.


    Trevor stuck out his leg and pulled the chair next to him over. Then, he sat down and asked, ¡°You¡¯re


    acting in Stuart Winfield¡¯s movie?¡±


    Leighton rolled his eyes at him, ¡°Why are you asking when you already know?¡±


    Trevor got straight to the point.


    ¡°Quit the production. I¡¯ll find you another one.¡±


    Leighton immediately rejected him, ¡°No!¡±


    Trevor studied him, ¡°Don¡¯t you know how scary your fans are? They roasted my artist until she became


    a trending topic when the filming hadn¡¯t even started. We aim to win an award with this film, so don¡¯t


    create any trouble for me.¡¯


    ¡°Who¡¯s creating trouble?¡± Leighton was displeased. He continued,¡± Someone¡¯s intentionally sowing


    discord. I¡¯ve already made a rification post on Facebook.¡¯


    ¡°You call that rification?¡± Trevor had a slight headache. ¡°Do you think others can¡¯t tell who you¡¯re


    talking about with that sarcasm of yours?¡±


    ¡®The target in Leighton¡¯s rification post on Facebook is way too obvious. He¡¯s talking about Be.


    But, most importantly, this bastard even tagged Ste. How¡¯s


    Ste supposed to respond? If she doesn¡¯t respond, she¡¯s looking down on Leighton.


    But if she responds, she¡¯s looking down on Be. Well, it¡¯s nothing much if she looks down on Be.


    The main issue is Be¡¯s fans are too annoying,¡¯ Trevor thought.


    At this thought, Trevor could not help but curse Keegan out.


    ¡®That bastard, Keegan. He single-handedly nurtured that gue who gives us trouble from time to


    time!¡¯ he thought again.


    Meanwhile, Leighton had a look of indifference.


    ¡°So be it if they can tell who I¡¯m talking about. After all, I¡¯m merely stating the truth. She had to use


    eyedrops to act out a crying scene. How could you be blind enough to sign her?¡±


    Trevor twitched the corner of his eye, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to sign her. Jaylene signed her.¡±


    ¡°Ohhh,¡± Leighton dragged out his sentence. He continued, ¡°That step-sister of yours? Can¡¯t you


    terminate the contract after she signed her?¡±


    Before Trevor could answer, Leighton continued, ¡°Let me guess, you relented because she pretended


    to be sick?¡±


    Trevor was speechless.


    ¡°What do you mean pretend? Choose your words properly!¡± he said. Leighton snorted.


    ¡°She¡¯s always sick at the right time. So many people worldwide have asthma, but none of them are like


    her. Even Colin Craven in The Secret Garden isn¡¯t as frail as her.¡±


    The Hall family disliked Darcie and her daughter because of Wenham¡¯s second marriage. Leighton


    grew up hearing such things, so he hated them passionately despite having only met them a few times.


    Trevor patted Leighton¡¯s head, ¡°Your mom and dad are so good-natured; how¡¯d they give birth to a foul-


    mouthed brat like you?¡±


    ¡°I probably take after you. Who¡¯d grow up well when they got beaten up that way as a child?¡±


    Leighton moved his head away and did not let Trevor touch him.


    Trevor was at a loss for words.


    ¡®He¡¯s so right that I actually can¡¯t refute him,¡¯ he thought.


    Leighton held a towel and wiped away his sweat.


    ¡°Why did you hurriedlye to Royalburgh to look for grandma and grandpa?¡±


    Trevor snapped out of his thought, ¡°Children shouldn¡¯t ask about grownup businesses.¡±


    Leighton clicked his tongue.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°Then grownups should also stop minding the children¡¯s business,¡± he said. Then, he stood up.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Trevor stopped him. He continued, ¡°Since you¡¯re in the cast, do something for me.¡±


    Leighton immediately said sarcastically, ¡®Do grownups need the help of children?¡±


    Trevor side-eyed him, ¡°Are you asking to be hit?¡±


    Leighton pouted, ¡°Go on.¡±


    Trevor cut to the chase and said, ¡®Help me protect Ste.¡±


    Leighton was bewildered.

 Chapter 808

    Chapter 808


    Chapter 808


    He immediately raised his guard, "You''re not thinking of doing backdoor deals with her, right? You can''t


    do such a shameless thing even if you''re a grownup. I won''t help you!"


    Trevor twitched the corner of his lips.


    "No wonder your parents are trying for a second child when they''re in their forties. If their dumbass


    child takes over the family business, it''ll get ruined sooner orter."


    Leighton twitched his eyelids in annoyance, "That''s because the country has liberalized the birth policy.


    What does that have to do with me?"


    "Don''t you talk nonsense with me. Do you remember the things I told you?"


    The matter involved Ste, so Leighton obviously had to get to the bottom of things. And so, he


    interrogated Trevor, "Why are you asking me to protect Ste? She''s not the only actress in your


    company, right? So why are you giving her special treatment?"


    Initially, Trevor wanted to reveal Ste''s identity directly. Then, however, he had second thoughts.


    "Leighton is acting very weird today. In the past, he would never ask so many questions when I told him


    something. Another thing is the Facebook post. Leighton isn''t one who interferes with other people''s


    business, yet he''s helping Ste rify things,¡¯ he thought.


    At this thought, Trevor countered his question, "What''s your rtionship with Ste? Why did you


    defend her on Facebook?"


    "I''ve always been one with a strong sense of justice," said Leighton. Trevor did not listen to his


    nonsense and asked Leighton''s manager.


    "What exactly is the matter?" Before Leighton could stop him, his manager said, "Ms. Jewell is Dusk


    Gxy, and Dusk Gxy is Leighton''s goddess."


    Leighton made a long face and cursed.


    " Fuck."


    Trevor raised his eyebrows, "You''ve even got a three-dimensional goddess?"


    Leighton snorted icily.


    "Mind your own business."


    "Since she''s your goddess, that''s all the more reason you should help her," said Trevor. He thought for


    a while and decided not to tell Leighton about Ste''s identity for now.


    ''First love, huh? He needs to have a bigger impression of her for it to be memorable. Besides, having


    this Tiger by Ste''s side can coincidentally guard her against Keegan. It''ll be like killing two birds with


    one stone,'' And so, Trevor resolutely decided to sacrifice his cousin''s "first love."


    "Ms. Jewell saved Jaylene''s life before this. So, of course, I want to protect her. Didn''t grandpa always


    tell us to repay kindness?"


    ''This is really an excellent reason,'' he thought.


    Leighton immediately felt slightly displeased after hearing the reason was rted to Jaylene. However,


    he still agreed to the request.


    "Don''t worry. No one will dare bully her with me around." Trevor nodded.


    ''This is what''s good about simple-minded people¡ªthey''re easy to coax,'' he thought.


    "Trevor," Leighton called out to him. He thought for a while and continued, "Do you think my parents will


    mind if I got a girlfriend who''s divorced?"


    ¡®While the dream of marrying my goddess is out of reach, it''s not wrong for me to think about it in


    advance, right?'' he thought.


    Meanwhile, Trevor twitched the corner of his eyes.


    He bluffed the child, "Work hard. Once your wealth and social status have far surpassed your parents,


    they won''t be able to stop you."


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®He''s got a point! '' Leighton thought. Then, he said happily, "I understand, Trevor!"


    Trevor had a look of "encouragement" as he patted Leighton on the shoulder.


    "You can do it!"


    Leighton''s manager nced at Trevor.


    ''why do I smell trickery in his words? Whatever. Leighton was no match for Trevor to begin with.


    n.ovel.ebook So it''s only normal for him to get the short end of the stick,¡¯ he thought.


    After Leighton went to the bathroom, Trevor asked his manager, " Did the Kane family trouble you


    guys?"


    Leighton''s manager shook his head, ¡°They didn''t. Mr. Kane told us not to withdraw the case and even


    signed Leighton for an endorsement."


    Trevor was surprised, "Keegan didn''t bail out Aurora?"

 Chapter 809

    Chapter 809


    Chapter 809


    "His sister initially wanted to ssh his ex-wife, as in Ste, and Leighton shielded her. So he''s


    probably avenging his ex-wife."


    Trevor darkened his gaze. After a while, he finally said, "Keep him in check, and don''t let him make


    Facebook posts rashly. Let him join the set only when his injuries are fully recovered. I''ll speak to the


    crew."


    "Alright."


    After Trevor left Leighton''s manager, he called thepany''s PR manager.


    "Sorry for calling you thiste at night, Sampson. You must''ve seen the trending topics already. Think of


    a way to remove Ste from the incident. Youe up with a n, and I''ll get Leighton to cooperate."


    The person on the other end said, "Mr. Saun, I cane up with a n. However, I think you''re a little


    too overprotective of Ms. Jewell. For trending topics like these, no one will remember them after a few


    days tops. For an actor, this is nothing. It''s better to divert things rather than remove them entirely.


    Besides, Ms. Jewell doesn''t have a work she is well-known for yet. If thepany is too protective of


    her, it''ll create news that''s disadvantageous to her instead."


    Trevor frowned, ''''So I''ll stand by idly and watch?!


    Sampsonughed, "Mr. Saun, Ms. Jewell is different from Be Young; she genuinely wants to act well.


    She cares about a bigger stage and spotlight, not shallow fights among the fandoms. I understand that


    you don''t want her to go down the wrong path, but things are bound to go rocky if one wants to achieve


    something. She''s new in the industry, and the actors she meetspete for poprity. In the future,


    when she stands on a stage with superstars, herpetitors will be even stronger, and the audience


    will be even harsher; she''ll need to have a certain degree of resistance to stress. Moreover, I think petty


    trending topics as such aren''t exactly a bad thing. Compared to giving her a public persona, getting


    ndered and turning things around with the truth actually attracts more fans."


    Trevor was silent for a while and had calmed down. Then, he said, " We could remove the topics,


    right?"


    Sampsonughed, "I''ll make the arrangements."


    Ste only saw the post where Leighton tagged her before she went to bed. Sheughed and replied to


    Leighton with a finger heart emoji. Then, she switched off her phone and went to sleep.


    ¡®People can say whatever they want online. I''ll keep myself in a good state and wait till I start work,'' she


    thought.


    Meanwhile, Be did not have a good mindset like Ste. After she saw Leighton''s Facebook post that


    alluded to her, she was practically fuming.


    ''That Tiger, Leighton. Was he talking about me when he said someone with bad acting skills? And that


    idiot, Ynda, thought she was so clever with her tricks. In the end, she still directed the mes onto


    me!'' thought Be.


    She stared at the Facebook posts and repeatedly edited thement dialogue box. In the end, she


    deleted them one by one.


    ¡®Leighton didn''t explicitly mention any names. So if I respond; now, I''m fitting the shoe onto myself and


    pping myself on the face! I can''t respond yet. I initially wanted to smear Ste''s reputation, but in the


    end, she gained quite some exposure because of Leighton,'' she thought.


    Be took a deep breath.


    ¡®This is good too. If she''s too unpopr, nobody will see it when her reputation falls to ruin,'' she thought


    again.


    It only took a day for the photo of the standing positions to disappear from the trending topics


    completely. Of course, phrases like #Be Young Bad Acting Skills# also trended during this period.


    Regardless, they disappeared very quickly.


    A dayter, the shooting for Motives for Murder officially started. Stuart purposefully hired a shaman to


    tell the most auspicious time, and the opening ceremony officially started at eleven twenty in the


    morning.


    Before Keegan went to pick up Ste, he went to the detention facility.


    Aurora was under administrative detention for seven days for aggravated assault. After the attorney


    paid the fine, they brought


    Aurora out of the detention facility.


    She looked incredibly haggard and disheveled, not her former elegant -looking self. She had also


    be much more taciturn.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Since she left the facility and got into the car, she practically did not speak at all throughout the journey.


    Meanwhile, Keegan was in a car nearby. When he saw this, he felt a little bad. So Aldor said in a low


    voice, "Mr. Kane, why don''t we go over and look?"

 Chapter 810

    Chapter 810


    Chapter 810


    "There''s no need," Keegan withdrew his gaze.


    He continued, "Make the arrangements for her to stay at my grandparents'' residence."


    "Yes, sir." The car drove past Keegan''s and disappeared into the traffic.


    On the way there, Keegan received a text from Ste.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    [Mypany got a car to drive me there, so you and Mr.Snyder can go straight to the set.] Keegan


    frowned and thought for a while before he sent a reply.


    [Alright.]


    ¡®Since she won''t let me driver her, I could take a nce at her, right?" he thought.


    At nine o''clock, the doorbell at unit 901 rang.


    Ste was still doing her makeup.


    When Shea saw Ste wanting to head to the entryway, she quickly stood up and said, "I''ll go get it."


    Shea was momentarily startled when she opened the door, "Kai? Mr.Saun?""


    Trevor said warmly, "Are you guys ready?"


    "Almost," Shea hurriedly weed them in.


    She was puzzled.


    ¡®Why''d Mr.Saune here in person?'' she wondered.


    Just as they got to the living room, Ste came outside.She had just done her makeup, but her hair


    was not tied up.She was surprised, like Shea, when she saw Trevor.


    "Trevor, you''re back?"


    Trevor could not help but soften his gaze when he saw her.


    "I just came back the night before.I happen to be free today, so I''ll follow you guys to see the opening


    ceremony," he said as he pointed to the various bags on the coffee table.


    He continued, "My grandparents really liked you when they watched Jurisdiction.After learning I had


    signed you, they insisted I bring you some gifts and get them an autographed photo of you."


    Ste was ttered, You shouldn''t have, Trevor.You could''ve just told me if your grandparents wanted


    an autographed photo; there''s no need for this many gifts.Take them back.After this, I''ll autograph a


    few more photos for them.Tell your grandparents, thank you for liking me."


    Trevor smiled and said, "I told them the same thing.But the elderly are stubborn and don''t listen.The


    thing is, their legs don''t work like they used to, so they can''t handle traveling.Otherwise, they''d


    definitelye here to see you.If you don''t mind, could you have a video call with them? While they


    can''t see you in person, I think they''d still be thrilled if they could speak to you."


    "Of course."


    "How could I not agree when they only have such a request?¡¯ she thought.Trevor immediately took out


    his phone, "Then I''ll call them now."


    Ste quickly tied up her hair with a hair tie.


    ¡®I suppose the elderly usually like girls who look neat and tidy" she thought again.


    At the Hall residence in Salcator, Mr.and Mrs.Hall Sr.sat upright with a mirror in each of their hands.


    Across them, a middle-aged man who resembled Leighton felt a little amused seeing how the two were


    acting.


    "Mom, dad, we aren''t even reuniting with her yet.Aren''t you two dressed too formally?"


    One wore a suit and tie, while the other wore a gown.


    Mrs.Hall Sr.even had her daughter-inw curl her hair for her. The elderly couple, who was almost


    eighty, looked dashing. Mr.Hall Sr. said, " This is the first time n.ovelebook Ste is meeting us; of


    course we need to take this seriously."


    Then, he turned to Mrs.Hall Sr. and asked, "Honey, does this strand of hair look a little funny? Please


    help me fix it."


    Mrs.Hall Sr. set down the mirror.


    Then, just as she raised her hand, she frowned, "Lower your head a little; I can''t reach it."


    Mr.Hall Sr. lowered his head, saying, "I''m worried that my hair will get messy if I lower my head."


    Right after Mr.Hall Sr. finished speaking, the phone in Daryl Hall''s hands rang. Mr.Hall Sr. quickly said,


    "I''ming, I''ming. Stop fixing my hair; hurry up and get it done."


    Mrs.Hall Sr. haphazardly brushed Mr.Hall Sr"s hair back and hurriedly returned to her seat.


    Then, she grabbed the sign, which Trevor gave, from the coffee table and ced it neatly between her


    and her husband.


    Meanwhile, Mr.Hall Sr. frantically grabbed the other side of the sign.


    The usually unsmiling man had now forced a slightly terrifying-looking smile.

 Chapter 811

    Chapter 811


    Chapter 811


    Daryl tapped the answer button and ced the phone on the phone holder in front of the two.


    When the call connected, Ste saw two old people appear on the phone screen. They were sitting


    upright on a couch while holding concert signs of her.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Trevor held the phone and said, "Grandpa, grandma. Look who''s here?"


    Ste opened her mouth. Suddenly, she thought of a question. She whispered to Trevor, "Trevor, how


    should I address them?"


    "We''re around the same age, so just follow how I address them."


    And so, Ste immediately smiled with her eyes.


    "Hello, grandpa and grandma. I''m Ste."


    The couple could not help but almost reveal her true identity after they heard her call them "grandma"


    and "grandpa."


    ¡®She looks like her. She really looks so much like her. Her big, bright eyes and that pretty nose; she''s


    practically the spitting image of Freesia,'''' they thought.


    Mr. Hall Sr''s dull eyes instantly brimmed with tears. If his wife had not pinched him on his back, he


    would have almost lost control of his emotions.


    "Lovely. Lovely. How lovely."


    Mrs. Hall Sr. also teared up. However, she had better control of her emotions. Her old-sounding voice


    revealed the passage of time she had experienced; it was amiable and gentle.


    "You look so lovely, even more than on TV."


    Ste felt happy hearing her straightforwardpliment, "You''re also very elegant, grandma."


    This was not ttery. While Mrs. Hall Sr.''s hair waspletely gray, and her hands were covered in


    wrinkles, she had an air of elegance. She had the sign in one of her hands while her other hand was


    gracefully ced on her knee; she looked gentle and elegant.


    Looking at her instantly, one could understand the saying, "beauty never fades."


    Meanwhile, Mr. Hall Sr. looked like an honest man. He had thick brows and big eyes; he looked


    incredibly dignified and charismatic.


    "That''s so sweet of you," Mrs. Hall Sr. was delighted. She smiled and stared at the person on the


    screen and asked many questions.


    One second, she asked Ste about her family; on the other, she asked about her childhood. Then, she


    also asked if Ste had a Boyfriend. She answered honestly but also in a reserved manner.


    "Let me also talk to Ste."


    Mr. Hall Sr. could not help butin when he could not be in the camera. Mrs. Hall Sr. almost rolled


    her eyes.


    "You didn''t speak for a long time. Did I stop you from speaking?"


    Mr. Hall Sr. was dejected.


    "Your mouth is like a shotgun; do I have the chance to cut in?'' he thought.


    However, he did not dare to say this aloud. Instead, he turned to look at the camera and said good-


    naturedly, "Eat more, Ste. Don''t be too skinny; be healthy."


    Ste felt warm inside. She said in a low voice, "Alright, grandpa."


    She paused momentarily before continuing, "Grandpa, grandma, I appreciate your kindness. I told


    Trevor to take the gifts away. After this, no.velebook I''ll give him the autographed photos. I''ll visit you


    two the next time I''m at Salcator."


    Mrs. Hall Sr said, ¡°Keep the things if you want; if you don''t, throw them out. They are not anything


    expensive. Since we''ve already got Trevor to bring them over, there''s no such thing as bringing them


    back."


    Ste did not know what to say. She could not throw the gifts out no matter what, so she could only


    say, "Thank you. You shouldn''t have."


    ¡®The gifts are nothing. We haven''t seen our youngest granddaughter in over twenty years. We wish we


    could give her all the best things,¡¯ they thought.


    They continued chatting for a while. Then, Ste said, "Grandpa, grandma, I''ve got some work after


    this, so I need to change. I''ll pass the phone back to Trevor."

 Chapter 812

    Chapter 812


    Chapter 812


    "Go do your thing. Don''t let us take you from your work."


    Ste grunted in agreement and bade them goodbye. Then, she returned the phone to Trevor and said


    in a low voice, "I''ll go get changed first."


    Trevor nodded and took the phone.


    After Ste returned to her bedroom, she shut the door and suddenly sat down.


    ''They''re so amiable, and how they speak to me is so loving. For some reason, this feeling reminds me


    of my grandpa,'' she thought.


    When Ste finished changing and came out, Trevor had already hung up the phone. He was sitting on


    the couch and studying Luna, who was pouring him tea. He lifted his head when he saw Stee


    outside.


    She was dressed casually. She wore a short-sleeved top, long pants, and a UV jacket. She also had


    her hair up in a high ponytail.


    Shea immediately stood up and went over to help Ste fix her outfit.


    "Trevor, Kai. When are we leaving?"


    Kai nced at the time, "Ten o''clock."


    ¡®That''s still over ten minutes,¡¯ she thought.


    Suddenly, Trevor asked, ¡°Where''d you get this Iron-headed Doll?"


    "Iron-headed Doll?! Ste wondered. Before she understood what


    Trevor meant, Luna had already realized what his words meant.


    "I''m not an Iron-headed Doll. I''m a robot butler. I''ve got a name;my name is Luna! L-U-N-A!" it


    said.Everyone was speechlessTrevor bent his middle finger and knocked on Luna''s metal exterior,


    "Iron-headed Doll."


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Luna was speechless.


    "Mister, you''re being really impolite."


    Trevor teased, "Politeness is meant for humans. You''re a robot. To put things bluntly, you''re a tool. For


    instance, the bowls people use to eat, and the cups people use to drink; they''re all tools people use.


    Have you seen anyone be polite to a bowl?¡±


    Luna did not get confused by his words. It said, "Luna isn''t merely a tool, but also the life partner of


    humans. So, of course, humans need to treat Luna with politeness."


    Trevor raised his brows.


    "It''s much smarter than the ones I''ve messed with in the past. The ones I bought before this did not


    make mistakes regarding instructions, but they had much worse logical thinking skills and


    comprehension. They usually can''t fluently respond to long- winded and tricky conversations as such,''


    he thought.


    "Alright," Trevor knocked on Luna''s metal head. He continued, " I''ll apologize to you. Sorry, Shiny Egg"


    Luna was at a loss for words. It did not want to speak to Trevor, so it turned around and went to charge


    itself at the corner.


    Then, Trevor asked Ste, "You still haven''t answered. Where''d you get this robot?"


    "Keegan sent it over. He asked me to help test its features." Trevor froze.


    ¡®That mutt, Keegan, had entered the house during my absence from Rivera?¡¯ he thought.


    He said calmly, "The Vinci Rivera Group researches robots?"


    "He''s always been researching it. However, the research is still in the testing stage and has not been


    mass-produced. Keegan said this robot no.velebookbutler has a newly added rm detector function,


    so it''s very suitable for those who live alone. That''s why he''s testing it at my ce."


    Trevor kept a calm expression. But internally, he snorted icily.


    ¡®That bastard, Keegan. He can fool Ste with this lie but not me. Does he dare say that there''s nothing


    shady installed within this robot?'' he thought.


    "Sounds good," Trevor said. Then, suddenly, he changed the topic,


    "Could you lend it to me and let me y with it for a few days?"


    "Huh?"


    Ste was momentarily startled. Trevor said warmly, "To be honest, I''m also a tech geek. This is my


    first -time seeing such a high-end robot. That''s why I really want to see how different it is from the


    robots I have at home."

 Chapter 813

    Chapter 813


    Chapter 813


    Ste was hesitant. Luna was still in the beta stage, so she was worried that Trevor did not fully


    understand some of the functions.


    Seeing that Ste did not respond, Trevor asked, ¡®Are you afraid I will dismantle it and make a copy?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Ste replied. Luna was expensive because its processor and programming could not


    easily be cracked and coded. Ste thought about it for a while and continued, ¡°The main thing is that


    Luna hasn¡¯t passed the market test yet. I¡¯m worried that something might go wrong.¡±


    Trevor smiled indifferently and said, ¡°It¡¯s a robot. If anything happens, I can just switch it off.¡±


    Ste found it hard to refuse after Trevor said that. ¡°¡­Okay. Remember to return it after a week.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    Meanwhile, Keegan and Vermont were waiting in the underground parking lot. At 10:03 p.m., the


    elevator doors of level 7 opened.


    ¡°She¡¯sing, Mr. Kane,¡± Aldor hurriedly called out.


    As soon as Keegan looked up, he saw Ste and a group of people stepping out of the elevator. Before


    he could let out a smile, the corners of his lips dropped immediately.


    ¡®Why is Trevor here? And why is Luna behind them?¡¯ Keegan¡¯s eyebrows twitched, and he suddenly


    had a bad feeling in his stomach.


    Vermont had diarrhea yesterday. The pain in his buttholested all day. He was feeling better today but


    was still restless. When he saw Luna, he wondered, ¡®Where are they taking that Shiny Egg?¡¯


    Soon, the mystery was solved.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    After some time, Xavier arrived in a BMW. He removed a cardboard box from the trunk and put Luna in


    it. Several people worked together to get the box into the car, and Xavier drove off.


    Keegan was speechless. ¡®Damn it. Did Trevor just steal that Shiny Egg?¡¯ Seeing that Ste was


    standing on the side, he knew she must have agreed to it. ¡®Trevor would not have taken Luna away


    without any reason. Did that sneaky fox unravel something?¡¯


    Then, Ste and the others left in a car. Aldor followed their car closely from behind.


    Motives for Murder was a huge hitpared to The Pce. A lot of media reporters and fans gathered


    at the scene. Some of the reporters were there by invitation, while others were there for the gossip.

 Chapter 814

    Chapter 814


    Chapter 814


    Among all the actors and actresses Shea had met, very few of them actually cared about their fans.


    When she was with the movie crew, she witnessed fans who traveled thousands of miles just to see


    their favorite actor. Even when the weather was freezing cold, they would stand in line outside with their


    jackets on. The fans'' faces would turn blue and sometimes purple from the cold, but they would be


    more invested in their idols'' actions. They would worry about how the crew treated the celebrities and


    how long they had until filming ended to take pictures with them.


    In reality, their favorite actors and actresses were enjoying themselves in a well-insted room. They


    would even use the weather as an excuse not toe out and take pictures. From most celebrities''


    points of view, fans were not human beings and just strings of data. Thus, they did not care about their


    feelings.


    "Did you know that the longer the fans wait, the higher the poprity and the stronger the ability to


    retain the number of supporters?" Shea said.


    Ste was surprised. "I can''t even be in the sun for too long. So what makes it different for them? This


    is torture. Ask them to go home."


    "Don''t worry," replied Shea


    The cast and crew gathered at the scene at 11:00 a.m., and the ceremony officially began at 11:20 a.m.


    After setting off the fireworks, Ste''s first big movie began showing on the screen. The group was


    interviewed when the opening ceremony was over. Then, Be and Leighton''s fans put bouquets for


    them on the stage one by one. Be''s supporters even made her a Winnie-the-Pooh-shaped bouquet


    of Blue Enchantresses, which looked amazing. They knew that Be''s favorite color was blue, and her


    favorite cartoon character was Winnie the Pooh.


    Ste was not impressed but rather disappointed that fans spend so much of their money and effort


    just to see their idols smile.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Just as she was thinking about it, a 6ft mango-shaped bouquet made of champagne-colored roses was


    carried onto the stage. It looked lifelike, with leaves and stems of rare green-colored roses.


    Ste was trying to guess which one of the fans ordered such a bouquet when she saw the staff wrap a


    banner around the mango- shaped roses, which read: [Congrattions on the sessfulunch of


    Motives for Murder, starring Ste Jewell.]


    Ste was speechless. She immediately knew who had prepared the giant mango. She looked toward


    the stage and saw Keegan standing in the distance among the crowd. nov.ele.book He wore a shirt


    with a pair of sunsses and stood away from the crowd. When he saw her looking over at him, the


    edges of his lips trembled slightly. He raised his hand and waved.


    The corners of Ste''s eyes twitched as she saw him holding a sign to show his support. It was the


    same one her fans held earlier. ''He must have asked them for it,'' she thought.


    Ste was not wrong. Keegan had noticed a few of Ste''s fans standing outside as soon as he


    arrived. He pretended to be casual and chatted them up, saying he was also a fan of Ste. He told


    them he was on the way to work but decided to stop by and take a look. The fans were happy to hear


    that. One of them gave him her sign while he gave the bouquet for her to carry up the stage in return.


    The supporter agreed to the exchange and told Keegan to continue supporting Ste. She even added


    him to their fan group.


    But Ste knew nothing about any of this. While she looked at Keegan, a few other fans came to the


    stage to give her flowers. She took the bouquets and thanked them with all her heart.


    When the media saw the giant mango at the scene, theypletely ignored the lead actor and went


    over to take pictures of the bouquet. Some even went to interview Ste. Be''s face turned red with


    anger as things unfolded.

 Chapter 815

    Chapter 815


    Chapter 815


    The Winnie-the-Pooh-shaped bouquet made with Blue Enchantresses was much more luxurious than


    the big flower basket in front of Leighton. When the opening ceremony began,the bouquet earned Be


    a lot of attention. However, her spotlight was taken away when the mango-shaped bouquet of roses


    came into the picture. Moreover, the mango was ced right next to the Winnie the Pooh bouquet.


    Be''s bouquet was 3ft at best, while Ste''s mango bouquet was at least 6ft tall. Theparison was


    like a child standing next to an NBA yer, which forcibly suppressed Be''s reputation.


    The media reporters were taking pictures of the mango-shaped bouquet as they interviewed Ste.


    "Ms. Jewell, how are you feeling right now? I mean, this is your first-time participating in the opening


    ceremony of a huge movie, right? Do you have any advice?"


    ''Ms. Jewell...¡¯ Ste inexplicably thought of when Keegan called her


    Ms. Jewell. Though, what he asked was not a serious question a teacher could answer.


    Ste cleared her throat and said in a gentle voice, "You can just call me by my name. There''s no need


    for formalities. I just entered the film and television industry. I don''t think I have the qualifications to give


    any advice."


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    "And to answer your question, I''m happy and excited to be here. I am honored to be able to cooperate


    with such a great director like Mr. Winfield and my amazing cast and crew members. I look


    nov.ele.book forward to seeing everyone on screen."


    There has always been a practice whereby popr celebrities are called teachers or masters in the


    field. In Ste''s eyes, teachers are those who educate, while masters are those who have a full grasp


    of their skills. She did not find herself worthy of such a title. In fact, she found it insulting to those who


    were much more capable than her.


    The media listened and followed suit, "What do you think of the photo incident on Facebook two days


    ago, Ste?" Ste had a premonition that someone would ask that. "I''m just a bystander like everyone


    else," she said solemnly.


    Her answer caused the people to fall silent. Then, a burst ofughter erupted. Ste smiled and said,


    "Actually, I think people are overthinking it. It was just a casual group photo taken when everyone


    visited Leighton. It was not taken for publicity since everyone changed their positions several times.


    Right, Be?"


    Be was clearly on the verge of losing control. Her eyelids twitched as she realized that she had


    underestimated Ste. ''She knows we''re like oil and water. How dare she cue me!'' Be suppressed


    her emotions and smiled, "Yeah. Unfortunately, the first shot was not good enough since Ste stood at


    the back, and we could not see her. So Leighton pulled her to the front. She did not insist on standing


    in the middle. Please stop making unreasonable spections. All of us are on good terms."


    Ste nced at Be and sneered, ''I knew she would never let go of such an opportunity.¡¯


    It seemed that Be was rifying the situation to help Ste, but she was actually trying to imply that


    Ste and Leighton had something going on. Sure enough, someone soon asked, "Leighton seldom


    interacts with his coworkers on Facebook. Does that mean you have a close rtionship with him,


    Ste?"


    Ste cautiously avoided the trap by saying, "Leighton is a good colleague. He pays attention to those


    in the back and stands for whatever he feels is right. This shows his true temperament. He would


    warmly invite me over to practice our lines and discuss how we should act out a scene together since


    we were scene partners. He deeply understands the roles and is very dedicated to his work I am


    honored to be able to work with him."


    The media reporters were a little disappointed when they heard Ste''s answer. They thought she


    would slip up since she was new to the industry.


    After speaking, Ste added fuel to the fire by saying, ¡°Leighton often praises the actors he has worked


    with and rarely criticizes others. I was initially worried and nervous about working with him, but I found


    out he is someone with a good temper."


    ''A good temper?!

 Chapter 816

    Chapter 816


    Chapter 816


    The reporters had seen Leighton pissing people off. However, they have not seen him say anything


    bad about anyone before. The post on Facebook two days ago was definitely his first.


    The reporters acted fast and immediately pushed the microphone toward Be. "Be, someizens


    said that the person Leighton was talking about in his post was you. Any thoughts on that?"


    Ste raised an eyebrow. She saw the logo on the reporter''s device and saw that they were from Easy


    Orange Entertainment. The question was clearly intentional.


    Be''s heart sank when she heard that. She almost could not control the expression on her face. She


    clenched her hands tightly and tried to suppress her emotions. "Sorry. I find that question a little


    meaningless. Next question, please.


    Reporters from the entertainment industry have had years of training to deal with this type of situation.


    Seeing that Be refused to answer, they were not angry. Instead, they continued to ask, "Rumor has it


    that you and Leighton''s team were not on good terms due nov.ele.book to some disagreement over the


    fauxmance. Now that you guys are partners again, does that mean everything has been cleared up?"


    Be tried her best to control her expression, but she could not help but frown. "Firstly, you said that it


    was a rumor. Hundreds of rumors like these can be created in a day. Do I have to answer every single


    one of them? Secondly, we are at the premier of Motives for Murder. I would much rather answer


    questions that are rted to the work."


    "Are you going to use your own voice for this movie since all your previous films and television dramas


    were voice acted by another actress?"


    "Is it true that the voice actress who yed your voice switched their profession and went into film? Is


    that why you had to use your original voice?"


    In the end, Be could not control herself. "Next," she said with anugly look on her face. The media


    reporters were taken aback and immediately started capturing her expression.


    Tammy hurried forward to block the cameras and took Be backstage. Be had been struggling for


    so many years in the industry, yet a group of reporters took her down. She was not doing well.


    In the distance, Vermont handed Keegan a bottle of water. "How was it? The reporter I arranged was


    pretty awesome, right?"


    "I think it''s getting personal," Keegan took the water and said. He had asked Vermont to get some


    reporters to ask some silly questions. Not only did they do that, but they also managed to turn the


    whole thing on Be.


    Keegan did not hate Be for not renewing her contract with him since he did not intend to sign her. He


    only did this because Be had spread rumors about theirpany to find anotherpany to take


    her in.


    Initially, Be wanted to go to Royal Deluxe Entertainment. She hit it off with the managers in the


    company, but when she was about to sign the contract, she changed her mind and gave the money to


    Trevor.


    Although Royal Deluxe Entertainment had always beenpetitive with Keegan and Vermont''s


    company, work was work.


    All of them did not exactly hate each other outside of work.


    When Be broke her promise and signed with Elegant Media,


    Royal Deluxe Entertainment held their anger. When everyone came together for a few drinks, they


    comined to Vermont. Vermont had always been a vengeful person. Since she was not cooperating,


    he was going to make her life a living hell.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    "Personal? Look at your wife. She''s smiling so hard right now. She''s clearly enjoying all this. Why aren''t


    you scolding her?"

 Chapter 817

    Chapter 817


    Chapter 817


    Keegan nced at Vermont and said, ¡°She¡¯s not like you.¡±


    Vermont was speechless. He could not believe Keegan was siding with her just because she had given


    him a little treat. He finally got some peace of mind after he went to Felicity toin about it.


    ¡°Do you not know how evil your wife can be?¡±


    ¡°Stop spreading nonsense. Ste has a kind soul,¡¯ Keegan said.


    The corners of Vermont¡¯s eyes twitched, ¡°Are you blind? How can you not see how evil she is? Did you


    forget that she cooked you a bowl of liver with something extra?¡±


    Keegan kept quiet. He indeed forgot about the incident but suddenly felt a little nauseous again after


    thinking about it.


    ¡®Then again¡­ How did Vermont know?¡¯


    For a moment, Keegan looked at Aldor, who moved aside. Aldor paused and coughed,


    ¡°You were sick the whole day. When Mr. Snyder asked me about it, I told him.¡±


    Keegan gave him a dirty look and turned to Vermont to say, ¡°She just did that to make me angry. She


    wouldn¡¯t do it without a good reason.¡±


    Vermont chuckled and said, ¡°Do you even realize how one-sided this rtionship is?


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    If Ste really cared about you, why is she not with you right now?¡¯


    As he said that, he saw Trevor and immediately found a new way to attack Keegan.


    ¡°You said she wouldn¡¯t let you near her because she was afraid that the sight of you two together may


    create rumors. But why does she let Trevor get close to her? Why did she let Trevor drive her? You


    rushed to give her the robot, yet she gave it to Trevor.¡±


    ¡°Leighton posted on Facebook to defend your wife even though she was not really in deep trouble.


    They are a couple in the movie and see each other very often. What if they get into a rtionship in the


    future? Your ex- wifecks self-control. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll fall for him.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she did not reject you because she thinks you¡¯re a fool with a ton of money. You¡¯re still rather


    useful to her, and having you as a backup is a good n.¡±


    Aldor watched Keegan¡¯s face getting darker and darker under Vermont¡¯s incitement.


    ¡®This is so not cool of Mr. Snyder. He knows how irrational Mr. Kane can be when his wife is involved,


    yet he still tries to add oil to the fire.¡¯


    ¡°Do you really think that Trevor can¡¯t walk away when he sees a good looking woman? He¡¯s not you,


    okay? Plus, Leighton is still a baby; there¡¯s no way Ste would be interested in him.¡±


    Vermont raised his eyebrows, ¡°Ha? That¡¯s not necessarily the case. It¡¯s in men¡¯s nature to admire


    beautiful people, and Trevor is a man. Besides, you also like looking at hot chicks. Otherwise, you


    wouldn¡¯t have wanted Ste. Besides, so what if he¡¯s still young? That just means she can train him to


    be whatever she wants him to be.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like her because she is hot!¡± Keegan said with a dark face.


    ¡°Would you have remembered her if she was not this pretty?¡± Vermont shrugged. ¡°We are all visual


    creatures, after all.¡±


    Keegan calmed down and pursed his lips. After a long time, he said,¡± Maybe you¡¯re right, but


    appearance is by no means the only reason I chose her.¡±


    Appearance is a thing that gradually changes as time goes by. In other words, it is something that does


    not affect the true value of a person. If Keegan had only liked Ste for her looks, he would not be so


    insistent on getting her back.


    Ste was not entirely kind and gentle. Sometimes she can be a little irritable or a little vain. She


    asionally liked to brag, and often misunderstood the situation due to her poor memory. The thing


    that Keegan liked most about her was how she made him feel when they were together. It did not


    matter if it was rain or sunshine between the two of them; she cared.


    Keegan looked at Ste in the distance and saw that the reporter was still interviewing her.


    ¡°Ste, is this mango-shaped bouquet a gift from your fans or thepany? Does it have any


    significant meaning?¡±


    ¡°This mango,¡± Ste looked back and smiled with downcast eyes. ¡¯Is a gift from a fan. I¡¯m guessing that


    they know I like mangoes. Plus, some believe that mangoes can grant wishes. That fan must¡¯ve hoped


    it¡¯d make my wishese true.¡± Keegan¡¯s eyes softened.

 Chapter 818

    Chapter 818


    Chapter 818


    Keegan was the one who told Ste that mangoes could grant wishes. He did not expect her to


    remember and connect the mango-shaped bouquet to what he had said.


    ¡®Does this mean we¡¯re connected?¡¯


    Keegan was looking at the people on the stage when suddenly, a figure blocked his sight. It was


    Trevor. He stood right in front of him, blocking his view of Ste. The corner of Keegan¡¯s lips twitched.


    ¡°Mr. Kane and Mr. Snyder, are you two here to watch the premiere? I see you guys have a lot of free


    time on your hands,¡± Trevor said with a half smile.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Keegan nced at him and said, ¡°I think we can say the same about you. I heard thepany¡¯s not


    good doing well. How could you still have the time to wander around, Mr. Saun?¡±


    Trevor paused, and his smile widened, ¡°Thepany¡¯s fine. This is the first time one of my actors


    starred in a big movie. I¡¯m here to show my support. Why are you here, Mr. Kane?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to support my girlfriend,¡¯ Keegan said.


    ¡°Pfft-¡± Vermont almostughed out loud.


    Trevor¡¯s eyelids twitched. ¡®I see his skin has thickened after not meeting for a few days.¡¯


    ¡°Oh,¡± Trevor said, ¡°Is Mr. Snyder going to make it public with Ms. Young?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s temples popped. ¡®Spreading rumors because he knows he can¡¯t win?¡¯


    ¡°You know who I¡¯m talking about, Trevor. I hope the money I invested in you was not wasted. Of


    course, I don¡¯t expect you to spend much money to support her, but I will not forgive you if you wrong


    her.¡± Keegan was unhappy when he thought about how Ste said she had a crush on Trevor.


    Trevor¡¯s face turned ugly. ¡®How dare this mutt threaten me?! You want


    Ste back? Well, you have to pass through me!¡¯


    ¡°Ms. Jewell is now an artist at ourpany. She signed a contract and is not allowed to be in a


    rtionship for five years. If you im to be her boyfriend, I¡¯m afraid she has to pay for liquidated


    damages.


    Keegan¡¯s eyebrows twitched. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°We¡¯re not official yet. So if you have a


    problem,e at me!¡¯


    Trevor was overjoyed when he heard that. ¡®Haha. It¡¯s just a self-proimed love,¡¯ he thought. He then


    nced at Keegan and saidcently,¡± Hmm. That¡¯s right. If you were actually her boyfriend, she


    would not have borrowed me her robot.¡±Trevor¡¯s words were hurtful and insulting to Keegan. With a


    dark face, Keegan turned around and got into his car.


    Trevor was ecstatic that he had won the argument. In the past, he did not have the chance to get Ste


    back and had let Keegan take advantage of her for years. But now, the Saun family would have to


    agree if Keegan wanted to get their family¡¯s precious daughter.


    Aldor said goodbye to Trevor politely and got into the car. Only Vermont stayed. He looked Trevor up


    and down andughed, ¡°You don¡¯t like Ste, do you?¡±


    ¡°Stop helping Keegan interrogate me.¡± Trevor shot him a look and said. Vermont smiled, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not. I


    am actually delighted that he can¡¯t get her.¡¯ Then, he turned around and thought, ¡®He definitely doesn¡¯t


    like her that way. The look in his eyes is resentment, not jealousy.¡¯

 Chapter 819

    Chapter 819


    Chapter 819


    ¡°What did you talk to him about?¡± Keegan angrily said when Vermont got into the car.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Vermont said after a moment. ¡°Don¡¯t you think Trevor is being a little too nice to your wife?¡±


    Those words pierced Keegan¡¯s heart. ¡°I suspect that he nned to steal my girl since the beginning!¡±


    he said with a cold face.


    When Ste rescued Jaylene, Trevor came over to deliver a Bentley, and his eyes were glued to Ste.


    Keegan did not think much about that at the time, but thinking about it now, he realized that Trevor


    looked at Ste differently from the first time they met. As soon as they divorced, Trevor could not wait


    to sign Ste to hispany. His intention was obvious. Keegan and Trevor were friends, but no good


    friend would do such a shameless thing.


    Vermont pursed his lips. ¡°I don¡¯t think he has a romantic rtionship with Ste.¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t, but Ste has feelings for him,¡± Keegan said sadly.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Ste has a crush on Trevor,¡± Keegan scowled.


    Vermont was speechless. ¡®Not only is Keegan blind, but he¡¯s be dumb when he¡¯s in love! Earlier,


    in the underground parking lot, Ste and Trevor kept a distance.


    Trevor wanted to help her with her bag, but she politely rejected him. Is Keegan blind? He stared at


    them for a long time, yet he didn¡¯t see all that?¡¯


    ¡®Ste is obviously not interested in Trevor, but Trevor seems a little too concerned and enthusiastic


    about Ste. He must be blind to think she has a crush on Trevor. No wonder his arrogance has


    depleted so much recently; he actually thinks he¡¯s a backup.¡¯


    Vermont suppressed his uing smile. Instead, he frowned and said with a shocked face, ¡°Ste


    said that?¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Keegan responded sullenly.


    Vermont looked at his distressed face and could not help but smile. He quickly pinched his cheeks,


    frowned, and said, ¡°How can Ste be so evil? Why is she still holding on to you by the thread if she


    already likes someone else? Doesn¡¯t this mean you¡¯re her backup? You have to be strict about this,


    Keegan. Ignore her, and let her know that you¡¯re not hung up on her. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll panic and definitely


    fall for you.¡±


    Keegan paused, gave him a sideways nce, and said, ¡°That¡¯s stupid.¡± Vermont did not know what to


    say. ¡®Now he¡¯s being rational?¡¯


    Vermont stopped teasing Keegan and texted his assistant: [Help me find out more about the


    rtionship between Trevor and Ste.)


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®Nothing goodes for free. Plus, Trevor doesn¡¯t seem like a benevolent person.¡¯


    At around 12:30 p.m., during lunchtime, the crowd gradually dispersed.


    Leighton walked up to Ste when no one was around and nervously said,¡± M-Ms.


    Jewell, do you want to have lunch together?¡±


    Ste was a little surprised. She smiled and said, ¡°Thank you for the offer, but I¡¯m afraid I must take a


    rain check. I made an appointment with someone. Let¡¯s have lunch together next time. My treat.¡± She


    dared not go out with people alone while her poprity was rising.


    Leighton¡¯s eyes showed that he was disappointed, but he was not discouraged. ¡°Do tell me when the


    timees so I may have time to prepare.¡±


    Ste was silent. ¡®I mentioned next time as a way to reject him. Why is this Tiger so insistent?¡¯


    There was no way for Ste to get out of this. After thinking about it, she said,


    ¡°Tomorrow, after work, at Hatun. What do you want to eat?¡±


    Leighton immediately became happy, ¡°You pick. I¡¯m fine with anything.¡±


    His manager could not believe their ears. ¡®Fine with anything? You¡¯re such a picky eater. You¡¯ve


    changed over a dozen servants because you did not like their food! The fuck?¡¯


    Ste smiled. This Tiger is so easygoing. He¡¯s nothing like what they say in the news. I guess the


    media really likes to stir up drama.¡¯

 Chapter 820

    Chapter 820


    Chapter 820


    Keegan looked at the way Leighton and Ste were talking, and his eyes burned with anger. He


    immediately took out his phone and dialed Ste¡¯s number. Seeing that it was Keegan, Ste looked at


    Leighton and said,¡± Sorry, I have to take this call.¡± She then turned around and walked away with her


    phone.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont saw the raging fire in Keegan¡¯s eyes and thought he would be sly and sarcastic on the phone.


    But, to his surprise, his voice was gentle when the call connected. ¡°Is it over? Are you tired?¡±


    Vermont was speechless. ¡®Imagine if she could see your face right now,¡¯ he thought.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright. Just feeling a little warm. Did you leave?¡±


    ¡°No, not yet. I reserved a table at The Deli to celebrate your sess.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t overorder. The weather is hot, and I don¡¯t have much appetite right now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask them to make something light. You need the energy to deal with work,¡± said Keegan.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ste replied after thinking about it.


    Keegan smiled and said, ¡®Til wait for you in the car.¡±


    After they hung up, Keegan turned around and saw Vermont, dumbfounded. Vermont blinked and said,


    ¡°Were you possessed by a monster or something?¡±


    Keegan shot him a side eye and said, ¡°Go sit in front.¡±


    Vermont was shocked. ¡°I¡¯m taking back what I said. You have no morals when ites to girls!¡±


    Vermont was wondering why Ste was being so nice to Keegan. It turns out that Keegan had changed


    his strategies. He now spoke in a soft tone. ¡®Isn¡¯t he just acting like Marshall?¡¯ he thought.


    Vermont sat in the passenger seat and fastened the seat belt. He then turned over and said to Keegan,


    ¡°Don¡¯t reveal your true intentions after only a few days of pretending, okay? She¡¯ll see right through


    you.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Keegan said angrily.


    Aldor parked the car in a secluded ce, and Keegan sent Ste the location. After a while, she got


    into the car with a hat and sunsses. Keegan immediately opened a bottle of water and handed it to


    her.


    Aldor raised an eyebrow as he thought, ¡®Mr. Kane is progressing pretty fast.¡¯


    Ste grabbed the bottle and took two sips before she spoke. ¡°When did you guys arrive?¡± she asked.


    ¡°We arrived a littleter than you,¡± Keegan said while observing her expression. ¡°How did you get


    here?¡±


    ¡°Trevor arranged a car for me.¡±


    ¡®Trevor¡­¡¯ Ste suddenly paused and said, ¡¯There¡¯s something I have to tell you, Keegan.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Keegan replied.


    ¡°Well, Trevor was very interested in Luna and wanted to borrow it from me for a week. I agreed.¡± After


    giving Luna to Trevor, Ste felt bad for not consulting Keegan about it since the robot was extremely


    valuable and patented. ¡°Do tell me if you think I made the wrong decision. I¡¯ll ask Trevor to give it back.


    You don¡¯t have to worry about hurting my feelings. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡®I knew it! Trevor was the one who shamelessly wanted to borrow Luna!¡¯


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Let him have it for a few days if he likes it.¡±


    Luna knew its master and had a self-defense program. Trevor would have to go through a lot if he


    wanted to know more about its build.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Ste asked, afraid Keegan was just trying to make her feel better.


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± Keegan said in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯m not really happy that you gave what I gifted you to


    someone else. Soooo¡­ You must find a way to make me feel better.¡±

 Chapter 821

    Chapter 821


    Chapter 821


    Ste heard this and knew he did not mind her lending it to people. Keegan would not use the results of


    his team¡¯sbor to coax her. He also would never use thepany¡¯s achievements to impress her.


    However, when Ste saw Keegan wanting her tofort him, she could not help but feel it was


    hrious.


    She nced at the front row. Aldor was not averting his gaze while Vermont had already taken out his


    phone. He had turned on his front facing camera and was watching them boldly.


    Ste could see Vermont mouth out the words from the screen, ¡°Don¡¯t spoil him.¡¯¡¯ Ste retracted her


    gaze and turned around to ask Keegan, ¡°What do you want as your constion?¡±


    Keegan got close to her ears and whispered, ¡°I want you to add two hundred points.¡± Ste was


    speechless. He is as good as it gets. He would have tried to obtain more from it had he used more of


    his brain. Ste used her purse to put a barricade in front of them to cover Vermont¡¯s camera before


    saying,¡± Did Vermont and you make a bet? Why does he care so much about us?¡±


    Ste was being nice when she chose the word care. Vermont was obviously trying to sabotage them.


    Keegan also said in a low tone, ¡°It isn¡¯t really a bet. When I pursued you before this, I consulted him


    about some matters. He was probably worried I couldn¡¯t sessfully court you, and I would have


    asked him topensate my learning fees.¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    ¡®Vermont doesn¡¯t look like he is worried Keegan can¡¯t pursue me. He clearly doesn¡¯t want him to get me


    so soon. This blockhead!¡¯ Ste thought.


    She lowered her gaze and gave Keegan a look, ¡°I can give you other types of rewards.¡±


    Keegan lifted his gaze, ¡°Mhm?¡±


    Ste pinched his jaw and gave his cheek a hard peck. This allowed her to sessfully leave a red


    lipstick mark there.


    Keegan was stunned. His gaze immediately heated up. He closed in to try to kiss her, but Ste


    stretched out her hand to pinch Keegan¡¯s mouth shut. She then said softly, ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression immediately became sullen, but he was still ecstatic deep down.


    Ste put her purse down and sat up straight. Vermont¡¯s eyes were bulging out when he saw this. He


    had a deathly stare at the lipstick mark on Keegan¡¯s cheek. It just grinds his gears.


    ¡®Fuck! How did he get the kiss!¡¯ Vermont cursed internally.


    Ste saw the annoyance in Vermont¡¯s eyes, and the corner of her lips curled into a smile. When it


    comes to bullying Keegan, there can be no one but her.


    Ste nonchntly took a tissue from her purse and passed it to Keegan. She then pointed at his


    cheek, ¡°You should wipe it.¡±


    Keegan took it but was not in a rush to wipe it. Instead, he tapped on Vermont¡¯s shoulder, and he


    turned around. Keegan then asked, ¡°Should I gift you apany?¡±


    Keegan did ask him a valid question, but the son of a bitch talked to him while nting his face. He was


    purposely showing him the lipstick mark on his face. He looked just like a peacock who had just won


    his mating rights. shing his tail and showing it off everywhere. It was so¡­ infuriating.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont insisted on not allowing Keegan to have his way by answering,¡± I¡¯ve been keeping you


    company the whole morning. I am also hungry, and I want to eat.¡±


    Keegan furrowed his brows, ¡°Your butt doesn¡¯t hurt anymore? Ste does like to eat spicy, though.¡± The


    underlying meaning was that Keegan would not take him into consideration.


    Vermont¡¯s expression was about to crack as he bellowed, ¡°I¡¯ll go even if it hurts! At worst, I¡¯ll admit


    myself at the anorectal department!¡±


    ¡®I also want to be the third wheel there!¡¯ Vermont thought to himself.


    Aldor quietly started the car and thought, ¡®How relentless!¡¯ Keegan naturally was not as ruthless as he


    said he was. He still amodated


    Vermont¡¯s tastes and ordered a few dishes to Vermont¡¯s liking.

 Chapter 822

    Chapter 822


    Chapter 822


    No one knew Vermont¡¯s third wheeling was a nuisance to Keegan.


    However, Keegan did force him to watch their lovers¡¯ antics. In actual fact, Keegan and Ste did not


    say much between themselves. Not many cheesy lines were said throughout, but the atmosphere was


    another matter. Without saying much, there were still rings of pink bubbles, and he was about to drown


    in those bubbles.


    After a few drinks, Ste got up to go to the washroom. Keegan¡¯s gaze finallynded on Vermont, ¡® Are


    you full now?¡±


    ¡°Stop being so smug,¡± Vermont rolled his eyes at him, ¡¯She kissed you because she likes your face.


    What corrtion is between that and Ste liking you as a person?¡± Keegan¡¯s expression did not


    change, ¡°At least I have the prerequisite for her to like me. Unlike someone who only knows how to lie.¡±


    Vermont was at a loss for words.


    ¡®Where is my sword!¡¯ Vermont screamed in his thoughts.


    There were many customers today at The Deli; hence quite a few were queuing for the washroom.


    When Ste walked past the corridor, she saw an employee of the restaurant hang up a sign. She


    noticed that it was Valentine¡¯s Day today.


    ¡®No wonder there were more customers than usual,¡¯ she thought.


    When she entered the bathroom stall, she heard someone outside say,¡± Sophia, will you attend Ms.


    Moore¡¯s birthday next week?¡±


    Ste¡¯s movements froze.


    ¡®It can¡¯t be a coincidence, right?¡¯ She thought.


    Yet, such a coincidence had happened. Sophia¡¯s voice very swiftly came, ¡°I probably would attend.¡±


    After Ste had been cast out of the Jewell family, Sophia was epted into the family honorably and


    was finally recognized as the daughter of the Jewell family. She was unfamiliar with Molly, but Molly¡¯s


    stepfather was her uncle. Hence, they have a pretty close rtionship. If she did go, the gift she would


    send could not be too shabby. Her father was not as generous when giving her money recently.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go together. Our chauffeur took sick leave, so I¡¯ll need to ride in your car,¡± the other girl said.


    Sophia was slightly disdainful of her best friends. Due to being illegitimate daughters, they had no


    choice but to band together. Now that she was a legitimate heiress, she only stayed with them because


    she enjoyed being the center of attention. However, she did not refuse them just in case they had some


    use in the future.


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll call you then,¡± Sophia replied.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± her best friend continued to tter her, ¡°In the past, I used to be with your sister¡­ Ah, that


    would be incorrect. When I yed with Ste, I would never get a chance to use her stuff. When I


    talked with her, she would always be indifferent and carry herself regally. Who knew she was actually


    an illegitimate child.¡±


    Ste kept quiet. She could not remember who the voice owner was and questioned herself, ¡®Did she


    really hang out with me?¡¯


    However, Sophia obviously liked being held on a pedestal and stepping on others.


    She could not resist stomping Ste into the abyss and not letting here back up ever again!


    ¡°She was always like that, arrogant,¡± Sophiamented.


    ¡°Luckily, the Kane family had their eyes open and swept her out of their house. I heard that she had


    started acting in films. Speaking of which, she used to be the granddaughter-inw of the Kane family.


    But now, she has to sell her body to earn some money. I really want to see her pathetic state right


    now.¡±


    As she finished speaking, the door to the bathroom stall opened from within. Ste came out


    expressionless. She wore simple clothing with only a pair of diamond ear studs to match. She clearly


    had no expensive jewelry on her, but just by standing there, she could make you feel that everything


    she wore was expensive.


    An item of a smaller brand for a few hundred bucks would feel like a branded item when she wore it.


    Sophia¡¯s expression froze momentarily, and she thought, ¡®What a coincidence it is to meet her here!¡¯


    Ste did not even nce at her and was about to walk away after passing through Sophia. Sophia


    instead blocked her path, ¡°Ste, long time no see.¡±


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste paused her movements and raised her gaze to look over. In the past, Sophia would purposely


    not wear nice clothing or expensive jewelry on public asions to emphasize how terrible Ste was to


    her. Now, she was wearing all of them.


    Her face seemed altered slightly and more beautiful than in the past. Who knew if the previous incident


    was the reason behind her getting stic surgery. She might have been afraid that it would affect her


    life.

 Chapter 823

    Chapter 823


    Chapter 823


    Sophia wanted to use this opportunity to humiliate Ste, but Ste did not give her a chance. After she


    checked Sophia out, Ste asked, ¡°Which doctor helped do your face? Do you not n to sue them? I


    know awyer specializing in medical cases, and I can introduce him to you. Then you can have more


    compensation to find a better doctor to fix it.¡±


    She spoke with such ¡°sincerity¡± that the woman standing next to her waiting for the stall could not help


    but look over. Technically, she was looking at Sophia¡¯s face.


    Sophia¡¯s expression immediately contorted in rage, but she had yet to absorb the injection she got fully.


    The muscles on her face were slightly stiff while the corner of her lips twitched like she had facial palsy.


    This further cemented Ste¡¯s statement on


    Sophia¡¯s stic surgery.


    Sophia had yet to open her mouth when her best friend could not resist helping her stand up to Ste,


    ¡°Sophia had greeted you out of the kindness of her heart. Don¡¯t you think the words you said are too


    harsh?¡±


    Ste nced at her. Turns out, the ¡°best friend¡¯ who said she could not take advantage of her was the


    daughter of an executive at Albert¡¯spany. The number of times they¡¯ve encountered each other


    was so scarce you could count them with your fingers. Ste did not even know her name, let alone


    remember hanging out together.


    Sophia saw many people around, so the performing aspect of her personality immediately went online.


    ¡°Laura, you shouldn¡¯t say that. After my sister left the Jewell family, she has been living quite roughly.


    Hence, she might have some resentment for me.¡¯


    ¡°What right does she have to resent you? The one who did something wrong was her mother. You are


    the legitimate heiress who the illegitimate child bullied for so many years. Has she ever thought how


    difficult it is for you? There is no need to be too kind toward people like her.¡±


    Ste almost vomited when she heard it. To say that Sophia should not be too kind to people was the


    same as Obama getting awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. It was a joke.


    Sophia continued to act as the kind younger sister, ¡°The things in the past have passed. Anyhow, we


    are still sisters. I don¡¯t want her to live too shabbily.¡±


    As she said this, she looked at Ste, ¡°Ste, I heard you were left with nothing when you divorced.


    The quality of your life must¡¯ve dropped, and it should be quite hard to adapt to it, right? If there is any


    difficulty with your finance, you should tell me.


    Although you aren¡¯t our father¡¯s legitimate daughter, our father raised you for many years. Anyhow, we


    still care for each other. I¡¯ll help you ask him, as he couldn¡¯t bear having you suffer.¡¯


    Ste saw her fake sincere expression, and the corner of her lips twitched into a cold smile, ¡®Sophia,


    are youfortable wearing the wedding gift the Kane family gave?¡±


    Sophia¡¯s body froze, and she unconsciously covered the bracelet on her wrist. Ste nced at her


    indifferently and said slowly, ¡°When I got married, the Kane family sent those wedding gifts over. The


    cost of them should be at least twenty or thirty million dors. There is also my mother¡¯s dowry, the


    residence my grandmother left her.¡±


    ¡°Since I am not a member of the Jewell family, as my mother and Albert have already divorced, I will be


    demanding to have these things back. So you should go home and tell Albert to help me tally them up.


    I will find time toe over and take them back,¡± Ste continued.


    ¡°If I do not get them back, well, you should know my temper. I like to do things using the legal route.


    When theintes to sue you, paying back would be the least of your problems. When the


    news spreads, do you know how ugly it will be? The great noble Jewell family hogs the dead wife¡¯s


    dowry and the illegitimate daughter¡¯s wedding nuptial gifts. When this news spreads, the others would


    think how broke or poor the Jewell family is.¡±


    Sophia¡¯s expression was ugly, ¡°Ste, you still have the dignity to speak? How much money had father


    spent on you, the stuff you ate and used during all those years you spent at the Jewell family? When


    you were married, our father even added more dowry. Now that you are divorced and penniless, you


    want to bite the hand that fed you. Aren''t you a little too shameless?¡±


    Ste was not angry but smiled instead, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say you would have your father finance me?


    Why did you stop your act when I took the initiative to demand the dowry and nuptial gifts back? Turns


    out what you said were just lies to your sister?¡±


    Sophia was furious at Ste¡¯s enigmatic demeanor.


    ¡°You should go back and ask Albert to see how much my nuptial gift was and how much dowry he


    gave. We¡¯ll take inventory very thoroughly just in case the Jewell family would think I took advantage of


    you and start barking at me when they see me.¡±


    After saying this, she nced at the ¡°best friend¡± beside her, ¡°A brown noser should lick the correct


    body parts. You can¡¯t just stick your nose in disgusting stuff just because the word brown is in it. How


    humiliating is that?¡±


    After she finished speaking, she left the washroom, leaving both of them with shitty expressions.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

 Chapter 824

    Chapter 824


    Chapter 824


    With just a few sentences, she cursed both people without using any cuss words. Sophia was


    frustrated. Ste, the bane of the socialite group photos, has be an actress who survived by


    selling her body on the silver screen. Yet, the arrogance in her has not subsided and even grew more


    outrageous.


    Laura said, ¡°It seems the rumors are true. If not, why would her arrogance skyrocket?¡±


    Sophia looked at her, ¡°What rumors?¡±


    Laura got closer and said mysteriously, ¡°I heard that Ste had hooked up with the son of the Saun


    family. Soon after she divorced, someone saw her and Trevor looking for houses. She also signed with


    apany under the Saun family. This is not a coincidence, right?¡±


    Sophia paused, ¡¯You sure?¡±


    Laura replied, ¡°I also heard some gossip but didn¡¯t see it with my own eyes. However¡­ if no one was


    backing her, how would she have the guts to speak to you like that? She is an illegitimate child.


    Shouldn¡¯t she tuck her tail between her legs when she meets you, the legitimate heiress?¡±


    Sophia did not speak. If Ste were fooling around with Trevor Saun, she would not even need to make


    a move.


    Molly had pursued Trevor for so long and still had not had the opportunity to go on a date alone. If she


    knew Trevor liked a divorced woman, how could her pride allow her to ept it?


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    A day Ste did not rot in the mud and taste the suffering she had endured is a day that Sophia would


    never be happy. As Ste exited the washroom, Sophia followed her from behind. She wanted to see


    who was eating with her at The Bistro. If it was Trevor, it would be leverage sent straight to her hand.


    When Ste came back, Keegan saw that her expression was unwell. As she sat down, he asked,


    ¡¯What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Ste replied, ¡°I saw two flies in the washroom.¡± Keegan paused and said, ¡¯The washroom must¡¯ve


    been done improperly. Or could it be that someone did not flush the toilet?¡¯


    Ste was stunned for a moment. The next second, she could not help but burst intoughter. Keegan


    saw herughing state and was a little baffled.


    He inquisitively looked at Vermont and asked, ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± Vermont answered


    thoughtfully, ¡°It might have been the mother fly that brought the kid fly to eat their lunch.¡±


    Keegan and Ste were both at a loss for words. Fortunately, the three of them had almost finished


    eating. If not, the continuation of their conversation would destroy their appetite.


    Sophia waited outside for half an hour until the door to the booth opened. She immediately braced


    herself and took her phone out. In the end, the person who walked with Ste was not Trevor; instead,


    it was Keegan.


    Ste had not walked far from the booth when Keegan caught up and pulled at her wrist. He then put


    the sunsses in his hand onto her face.

 Chapter 825

    Chapter 825


    Chapter 825


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sophia saw this scene y out, and her expression contorted bitterly.


    ¡®Ste was actually having a meal with Keegan! Aren¡¯t they divorced? They had made such an ugly


    mess back then, and he divorced her with nothing to her name. How could he still have lunch with her?


    Why would they even have such intimate interactions?¡¯ These questions filled Sophia¡¯s head.


    ¡®No wonder Ste was so fearless. She was hooking up with Keegan while fooling around with Trevor.


    After she divorced, she has been even more in her element, hanging around with men,¡¯ Sophia


    continued her train of thought.


    Sophia hated yet envied her so much that she left without even eating. Her best friend waited a long


    time and did not see Sophia return. Hence, she went out and searched for her.


    Instead, just as she was about to step out the door, she was blocked by a waiter. The waiter made her


    pay the bill first.


    Laura replied, ¡®I¡¯m looking for my friend. When shees back, we¡¯ll pay together.¡±


    The waiter instead directly told her, ¡®Ms. Jewell had already left.¡±


    Laura was stunned. Then her expression immediately became ugly, ¡®That damned


    Sophia! She said she would be treating me, so I ordered so much. In the end, she dined and dashed. A


    chicken will always be a chicken. Even if they have the feathers, they will never be a phoenix!¡¯


    Once Sophia returned home, she threw her bag onto the sofa. She did not even change her shoes and


    left a trail of shoe marks on the floor that the housekeeper had just mopped. The housekeeper quickly


    brought Sophia¡¯s slippers over and said softly,


    ¡°Ms. Jewell, you should change your shoes. I just mopped the floor.¡±Sophia¡¯s chest filled with rage, and


    she was worried she had nowhere to vent it. She did not change her shoes. Instead, she even stepped


    on the floor a few more times purposely.


    ¡°If you just mopped it, you can mop it again. We pay you to do these chores. Do you think our family


    does charity, and you can earn money so easily?¡±


    The housekeeper¡¯s expression was ugly. She lowered her gaze and did not speak before quietly taking


    the mop to clean the shoe marks on the floor. Sophia gave her a side eye and saw the housekeeper


    had just mopped the floor clean. She immediately gave it a few stomps again.


    She saw that the housekeeper had looked over and said coldly, *What are you looking at? Continue


    cleaning.¡¯


    The housekeeper pursed her lips and took her mop to leave. Before she could moore, Sophia shoved


    all the paint on the coffee table. It was left by Hugo when he was drawing, and he had forgotten to keep


    them. The colorful paint sshed onto the floor, and some of them sttered onto the carpet.


    The housekeeper was crossed and said in a tight voice, ¡°Miss, the paint colors stuck in the crevices of


    the floor are not easy to mop.¡¯


    The corner of Sophia¡¯s lips twitched into a smile, ¡°If you can¡¯t mop it, use a cloth, kneel on the floor, and


    wipe it. It¡¯s not too much to do when you get paid such a high sry, right?¡±


    Kneel on the floor and wipe it¡­ It was too humiliating for her.


    The housekeeper¡¯s eyes are red from all the anger. The more aggrieved the housekeeper seemed, the


    happier Sophia was. Not everyone had the guts to quit their job. Ordinary folk would be just like that,


    even if the job were not going their way. Even if they keep getting wronged by others, they are forced to


    persist with their job positions to survive.


    Once Albert reached home, he saw the housekeeper with red eyes, half kneeling while wiping the floor.


    Sophia sat on the sofa and did not stop throwing sunflower seed shells on the ground. She even urged


    the housekeeper to clean more tidily.


    Albert furrowed his brows and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

 Chapter 826

    Chapter 826


    Chapter 826


    Sophia continued to throw the seed hulls on the floor as she said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m teaching Samantha


    to tidy up the house. Her work is getting sloppy because she is growing older.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too much!¡±


    Albert roared in anger, ¡°Do you think I wouldn¡¯t know how capable Samantha is after she had worked


    for us for all these years?!¡±


    He lifted Samantha and told off Sophia with a scowl on his face.¡± Apologize to Samantha! Now!¡±


    Sophia¡¯s expression turned ugly. She threw away the nuts that were still in her hand, and shrieked, ¡°I


    won¡¯t! How is it my fault when she was the one who didn¡¯t do her job well?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with that attitude of yours? Don¡¯t you have any manners?!¡±


    ¡®Sophia no longer seemed well-mannered after taking in all three mother and daughters. She was a


    sweet and caring person that would help with spring cleaning, helping the attendants with their work,


    and even serving them drinks. Why did she change?¡¯


    ming herself for escting the conflict between the both of them, Samantha immediately said, ¡°It¡¯s


    alright, Mr. Albert. I¡¯ll tidy this up immediately.¡±


    Sophia coldly said, ¡°Father, are you dissatisfied with how I mistreated her because she was hired by


    your ex-wife? Why are you still so afraid when Rainee has already been cremated for so long?¡±


    What Sophia said deeply saddened Albert. He lifted his hands and pped her. ¡°You better shut up!¡±


    Sophia was momentarily dazed from that p. She never thought that Albert would p her.


    Hylda saw everything when she came downstairs. She snapped and shouted, ¡°Why are you pping


    your own child?!¡±


    She hugged Sophia as she finished speaking. Albert, whose face was still red from the anger, replied,


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask her yourself? Ask her what she had just said?¡±


    Sophia, with reddened eyes, wept with a depressed look. ¡°I only mentioned Rainee. Was it wrong to


    even mention someone who had already passed away?¡±


    Hylda then immediately realized why Albert blew his top. It was naturally not because he had deep


    feelings for Rainee, but the recent spooky incidents had put him on edge. He would jump in fright if


    there was any mention of Rainee. Mysterious incidents had continued to happen since Hugo drew the


    scene where Rainee was met with the ident. And, it had not been peaceful since. Freshly unsealed


    milk turned into blood, photos of Rainee that were clearly incinerated reappeared at the headboard


    where the both of them were sleeping, and even the voice of Rainee singing could be heard from the


    attic in the middle of the night¡­


    All these supernatural events made Albert tensed up, and he became a devout. He would visit temples


    that were a few hours¡¯ drive just to be charitable. All this to have some peace of mind even though


    Hylda did not believe that it was all supernatural.


    Rainee would not turn into a poltergeist just to y little tricks on them. Even when the security camera


    had not taken shots of anyone ying tricks on them, Hylda firmly believed that it was not supernatural,


    but Albert thought otherwise since he was cowardly and believed in the supernatural.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    That was why he was infuriated when Sophia mentioned Rainee. She turned her head to Sophia and


    threatened her with a whisper. ¡°Shut up.¡±


    She then gently pulled Albert and consoled him. ¡°Rx, Albert. Don¡¯t you know Sophia is normally not


    like this? She must have gotten the short end of the stick when she was outside.¡±


    Albert rxed and howled, ¡®At least teach your child some manners. Such a grown-up yet so


    disrespectful! Even Ste, who was brought up by Rainee, would never bully the attendants in the


    house¡¯¡¯


    Hylda¡¯s face contorted at what Albert said and Sophia immediately retorted, ¡°Are you really sure that


    Ste is such an upright person? She wouldn¡¯t be hooking up with men left, right, and center after her


    divorce if she was so upright and civilized!¡±

 Chapter 827

    Chapter 827


    Chapter 827


    Albert frowned. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡±


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sophia coldly harrumphed, ¡®That respectful daughter of yours not only got back together with Keegan


    after the divorce, but she also hooked onto the Saun family¡¯s sole heir. She even wanted me to tell you


    to return her mother¡¯s dowry and the Kane family¡¯s betrothal gift. She will find a time to pick it up, and


    she will sue if you don¡¯t give it back.¡±


    Albert¡¯s expression turned grotesque, gritting his teeth as he said, ¡°Why is she biting the hand that fed


    her now?¡±


    Having been humiliated by the p along with the addition of Hylda¡¯s presence, Sophia sarcastically


    whispered, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t she dare? Anyone would hate you to the core if you divorced their mother


    immediately after she turned vegetative.¡¯


    Hylda frowned and shouted, ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Sophia stopped speaking even though she was unhappy about it. Hylda continued,


    ¡°She¡¯s really funny. Who is she to want us to return the betrothal gift when she is already divorced?


    Only the Kanes have the right to ask for the gift to be returned. As for the dowry, did she honestly think


    that Rainee left her with a lot of money when Rainee¡¯s hospital bills already cost so much?¡±


    Albert naturally would not bring out the money since he couldn¡¯t fork out any. His funds had shrunk


    from buying the shares for Semiconductor Technology, and a lot of major long-term customers left due


    to Ste and Keegan¡¯s divorce. It shrank more than half of the business¡¯s turnoverpared to the first


    quarter. Some from the management level had already started to lose their confidence and privately


    sold off their shares.


    He might face the possibility of bankruptcy if he did not get more sales and bring in more cash flow.


    He did not dare to even tell Hylda about these since she had warned him about being greedy when


    they were just starting to see returns. His avarice caused him to lose most of his funds when he bought


    Semiconductor Technologies.


    He did not have the courage to tell Hylda about this and was afraid that she would scorn him for acting


    on his own. He should not have soured their rtionship earlier on. Thepany¡¯s turnover could


    easily breach the hundred million mark with Ste¡¯s support.


    He had no idea that Ste could still hang onto Keegan even after the divorce. Only with Keegan¡¯s help


    would thepany be able to tide over its current predicament.


    This was his chance since Ste and Keegan were together once again.


    After she finished her meal, Ste went back home to take a shower. Felicity called out to her the


    moment she came out of the bathroom.¡± Ste, your phone has been ringing for some time. I didn¡¯t


    dare to pick it up since it was an unknown number.¡±


    Ste acknowledged that and went to pick up her phone when the number called again. She then


    picked up the call.


    ¡°Ste, it¡¯s me.¡±


    The moment Albert opened his mouth, Ste hung up the phone and cklisted his number. Felicity


    saw her decisively hanging up the phone, so she asked, ¡°Is it a promoter?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡®Why does that whole disgusting family have to appear consecutively? First, it was that gut-wrenching


    Sophia, and now it¡¯s Albert who called.*


    Albert did not give up and changed a few numbers within the hour just to get through to Ste. Even


    someone like Felicity who was slow to realize could feel that something was off. ¡°Who called?¡±

 Chapter 828

    Chapter 828


    Chapter 828


    Ste clenched her jaw and replied, ¡°Albert.¡±


    Felicity was outraged. ¡°That piece of trash dared to call you?!¡±


    ¡°Who knows? It¡¯s bound to be something bad.¡±


    The phone rang again as she spoke. Felicity replied, ¡°Pick it up. Let¡¯s see what that trash wants.


    Hopefully, he¡¯ll spit out the money that belongs to Rainee.¡±


    Ste pondered for a moment before she answered the phone. She wondered what made him so


    anxious that he would spam call her.


    ¡°Ste, please don¡¯t hang up,¡± said Albert as soon as the call patched through. Ste turned on the


    loudspeaker, ced the phone on the table, and started recording. ¡°Albert, I could report you for


    harassment after you pestered us with your non-stop calls.¡±


    ¡°I only want to discuss something. Nothing more,¡± said Albert warmly.


    Ste responded irritatingly, ¡°Tch. What else is there between us apart from thewsuit? There is still


    room for discussion if Sophia has passed on the message, and you n to return the money.¡±


    Albert¡¯s expression froze as he forcefully forced down his displeasure.¡± Ste, we may not be blood-


    rted, but we¡¯re still father and daughter after bringing you up for so long. I¡¯ve actually been very


    worried about you since thewsuit. How are you?¡±


    Felicity immediately showed her disgusted face and gestured with her lips, ¡°He has the audacity to say


    something like this?¡±


    Ste indifferently replied, ¡°Please be straightforward, Mr. Jewell. Stop acting as if you still have any


    fatherly love.¡±


    Albert¡¯s facade broke. ¡®Ste¡¯s mouth is as sharp as her mother¡¯s!¡¯ He suppressed his anger and


    muttered, ¡°Ste, stop thinking of people to such extremes. Sophia said she met you today and you


    were not doing well. I¡¯m very worried about you. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like you to be my adopted


    daughter. Let bygones be bygones. Since your mother¡¯s passing, I, as your mother¡¯s husband, by right


    should have taken care of you, her own biological daughter.¡±


    Felicity looked quizzically at Ste. ¡®What is going on with this crazy Albert?¡¯


    Ste pursed her lips and said sluggishly, ¡°Will Hylda and Sophia agree if you take me in as an adopted


    daughter?¡±


    Albert was hopeful. After all, Ste was now a ¡°bastard child¡± without a record of her biological father.


    She could be an official member of the upper ss once she acknowledged him as her adoptive


    father. Albert felt that it was unlikely that Ste would pass up on this chance to regain her social


    status. Ste would need a certain status to remarry Keegan, so he believed that Keegan would


    support the Jewell family as he did in the past if he adopted Ste.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about what they think. Adopting you as my daughter is my decision and has nothing to do


    with them. If you want to, I¡¯ll send someone to reinstate your registration. You will receive the same


    treatment as Sophia moving forward since we¡¯re family after all.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes turned cold, yet she replied in a soft tone, ¡¯Are you sure you want to make me your


    adopted daughter?¡±


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Albert could not hide the excitement in his voice. ¡°I was heartbroken when I knew you were not my own


    biological daughter. Blood-rted or not, I¡¯ve already thought of you as my own daughter because I


    raised you.¡±


    Ste hesitated and said, ¡°Thewsuit before was a little too public. Shouldn¡¯t we publicly announce it if


    you want to take me in as an adopted daughter?¡±

 Chapter 829

    Chapter 829


    Chapter 829


    If Felicity did not observe Ste¡¯s face, her soft tone alone was convincing enough that she was moved


    by Albert¡¯s words.


    Albert stuttered when he heard ¡®publicly announce¡¯.


    ¡°H-How do you n to announce it?¡± ¡°At least go through proper adoption application procedures,


    publish it on the media, and set a will. With all that. I¡¯d at least get a share of the inheritance when you


    pass away.¡±


    Albert¡¯s face was a little stiff. He only wanted to use Ste to create connections, not to give her rights


    to her inheritance.


    ¡°Ste, isn¡¯t it too early for us to discuss this? It¡¯s not very appropriate if I were to write my will when I¡¯m


    still quite healthy. Besides, aren¡¯t you making it difficult for me since adults can¡¯t go through the


    adoption application? Don¡¯t worry, even without these two,


    I will still treat you as my own biological daughter. In the public¡¯s eyes, you¡¯d be the daughter of the


    Jewell family, my daughter. It doesn¡¯t matter if you remarry Keegan or other families. The Jewell family


    will always be there for you.¡±


    Ste immediately realized the purpose of Albert¡¯s call as soon as he mentioned


    Keegan. Albert, who was self-serving would never adopt her without a reason. Hemust have heard the


    rumors from somewhere. Ste meekly responded, ¡°How can I trust your words if there¡¯s no sincerity


    behind them?¡±


    Albert frowned, knowing that she was not easy to fool. She would not be convinced if he doesn¡¯t pay a


    price. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sincere about this.


    Didn¡¯t your grandfather leave a vi that was mortgaged? I¡¯ve already redeemed the mortgage, and it¡¯s


    currently under your mother¡¯s name. Once you remarry to¡­ another family, I will pass on the property


    over to you in my will. Of course, there would be more I will give you once you be my adopted


    daughter.¡±


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Ste tightened her grip as she softly asked, ¡°Will Hylda agree to something as important as a deed


    transfer? You won¡¯t me it on me if she had a miscarriage over this matter, will you?¡±


    Albert was bbergasted. ¡°Miscarriage?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Hylda pregnant? Why are you hiding such joyous


    news?¡¯


    Albert¡¯s face turned serious as he asked, ¡°Pregnant? Who told you that?¡±


    Ste acted surprised and replied, ¡°Don¡¯t you know? My friend personally saw her visiting the


    gynecologist.¡±

 Chapter 830

    Chapter 830


    Chapter 830


    ¡®With the Vinci Rivera Group supporting him, Albert became well- off after using my marriage with the


    Kane family to bring in sales.


    His sales were bound to drop after my divorce from Keegan since he did not put his heart into product


    development nor expand his loyal customer base. Even if that was the case, the Jewell Group should


    be able to tide over a crisis since they have been around for years and umted enough wealth.


    There is definitely something else going on with Albert that made him think of such a crooked idea.''


    Unable to arrive at the reason, Ste stopped pondering over it.


    She wondered if she could get back her mother''s vi with the recording. She swiftly wanted to send a


    message to Marshall but paused as she was recording midway. Then, she deleted it right after. Asking


    Marshall would be the most convenient, n.ovel.e.book but she knew that Keegan would get jealous,


    and it would turn into another issue to fight over. So, she lifted her eyes and asked, "Felicity, will that


    lawyer friend of yours take up inheritance disputes?"


    Felicity replied, "Should be. He will take anything. Why don''t you look for Mr. Moore? He''s a


    professional and has a good track record."


    "I can''t always bother him. Give me your friend''s WhatsApp contact."


    Felicity sifted through her phone contact as she said, "You must be worried that Keegan might get


    jealous. You''re too kind to Keegan!


    The divorce was because he wasn''t willing to exin about Be and that caused you to be hated for


    no reason at all. Now that he wants you back in his life, why not just y hard to get and let him


    experience that feeling of anxiousness."


    Ste added the contact and responded at the same time, "Even if that was the case, I can''t take


    advantage of Mr. Moore. Wouldn''t it be taking advantage of him emotionally?"


    Felicity harrumphed, "Who knows? Maybe Mr. Moore feels the same way you do."


    ¡°Huh?"


    Ste was confused.


    Felicity replied, ¡°Aren''t you the kind of person that is ok with someone cheating you out of your feelings


    but not your money?"


    Ste stood there and was speechless.


    Trevor was examining Luna at his ce. He observed every nook and cranny of it.


    "Keegan, are you seeing this on your end?"


    Trevor''s voice came out of Keegan''s phone, but he continued looking at his documents. Trevor stood


    up and ordered the person behind him, "Dismantle this and check if there are any listening devices set


    up.¡±


    "D-Dismantle?"


    The man thought he misheard Trevor. One moment he was in awe of the artificially intelligent robot that


    the Vinci Rivera Group had invented, but then he gave the order to dismantle it the next moment.


    Trevor sat at a corner and said indifferently, "Yes, dismantle it. Aren''t you also from the research center


    and working in the same field? Dismantling a robot shouldn''t be a hard thing for you, right?"


    The man gulped before he responded, "Mr. Saun, it isn''t about this being difficult or not. I''m afraid that


    Vinci Rivera Group will find faults with you if they find out that we dismantled their patented


    technology."


    Trevor, with an unchanged expression, replied, "Dismantle it to your heart''s content. I''ll take


    responsibility for it if anything happens."This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 831

    Chapter 831


    Chapter 831


    The worker had no choice but toply with Trevor''s request, even though it was beyond his


    capabilities. He opened the toolbox and rummaged through the miniature dismantling tools. Luna''s


    mechanical eyes scanned through the pile of tools. It then said suddenly, "Mister, you can only


    dismantle me by sending me back to the factory. It would be dangerous for anyone besides my


    authenticated owner to disassemble me."


    The worker nearly dropped the tool in his hand. "Mr. Saun. Maybe we should stop."


    The robot was highly intelligent and could even predict human behavior. The worker was afraid that he


    would fail to put it back together after disassembling it.


    Trevor sat with his legs crossed and took a sip of his tea. "Just do it. If it''s being noisy, just shut it


    down."


    The worker kept quiet. After some consideration, he shut Luna down. Once he found the motherboard,


    he started dismantling it.


    After he took off the surrounding screws, it exposed the motherboard. Just as he was about to reach


    his hand in, Luna, who was originally shut down, grabbed his wrist.


    Trevor watched in astonishment as the Shiny Egg''s limbs began to stretch, and it transformed from a


    1.2m tall dwarf to a normal adult height. With a gentle twist of its mechanical arm, Luna left the person


    who dismantled it screaming in pain. Trevor was stunned to silence. He did not even feel the water that


    was sshed on his body. ''What in the world is that? A transformer?"


    Luna went into defense mode, releasing the worker''s hand. It then turned its head and locked its


    attention on Trevor. It lifted its legs and moved over to him. When it reached the front of Trevor, it took


    the bottle in his hand and crushed it into pieces with its mechanical hand. Trevor came back to his


    senses just as Luna''s hand was going to attack him, so he quickly fled.


    Luna chased after him relentlessly and switched on her destruction mode, destroying everything in its


    path. It destroyed everything that was in its way. Jaylene heard the ruckus downstairs and decided to


    check it out. The living room was a mess with things scattered everywhere as if someone had robbed


    their house. Trevor was nowhere to be found, and all she could hear were pounding noises. She was a


    little worried, so she called out, "Trevor, where are you?"


    Luna, who was initially banging on the bathroom door heard someone, so it stopped and went outside.


    Trevor was relieved when he heard that there was no noise outside. However, Jaylene''s scream broke


    the silence, and Trevor rushed out.


    Luna and Jaylene were circling the coffee table in the living room. This was Jaylene''s first-time seeing


    Luna, and she was petrified by it. She tried to hide and threw everything she could grab at Luna.


    When she saw Trevor, Jaylene yelled, "Trevor, what on earth did you bring back? Tell it to stop!"


    Trevor nned to call for help when Luna was not paying attention to him. However, it noticed him after


    Jaylene talked, and it left Jaylene to chase after him. Trevor was furious and thought, ''


    How could it even choose who to attack?"


    He grabbed his phone and instructed Jaylene, "Go upstairs!" Just as he spoke, Luna''s mechanical arm


    reached out and grabbed


    Trevor, immobilizing him on the floor. Trevor could not move, so he used a voicemand to call


    Keegan for help. Trevor broke out into curses when the phone was answered. "Keegan, what kind of


    horrible product have you designed!"


    Keegan pretended that he did not understand. "Is there a problem with the product you bought from


    Vinci Rivera Group? You could apply for a refund. Vinci Rivera Group has after-service for all its


    products."


    Trevor gritted his teeth and yelled, "I''m talking about the robot you created. It has gone crazy, and it''s


    pinning me on the floor. It''s not letting me go!"


    "Are you talking about Luna?"


    "Yes! Tell it to let me go!"This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 832

    Chapter 832


    Chapter 832


    "We''ve never encountered this in our experimental stage. What did you do?" Keegan asked.


    Trevor was naturally not going to say that he wanted to dismantle Luna. So, he stubbornly said, "How


    could I even do anything to a robot? There''s a bug in your development." He then continued, "


    Quit talking nonsense, and tell me how to stop it!"


    Keegan sneered at Trevor in his heart and thought, ''What a stubborn guy.'' Keegan then replied


    seriously, "Wait for a while. I''ll go ask."


    ¡°Hurry up!" After hanging up the phone call, Trevory on the floor, as Luna had pinned both of his


    hands behind his back.


    Robots were nothing like humans. They had no idea how to control their strength, so Trevor felt as


    though his arms were about to be dislocated. His arms were in pain and numb at the same time.


    "Trevor, did Keegan build this robot?" Jaylene sat on the stair far away from them and asked out of


    curiosity. Trevor retorted, " Besides him, who would have created such a useless thing!"


    ¡°Whoa, he''s quite impressive."


    "Impressive, my foot! If he was really talented, why would this thing lose control? "


    Jaylene kept quiet. Trevor had stayed in that position and waited for more than ten minutes. However,


    Keegan, the bastard, did not return his phone call. So, he had no choice but to call him again. "


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Have you asked about how to make it stop?"


    "I just did," Keegan said. "The staff in the R&D department said that it must have triggered its defense


    mode." The truth was that Keegan had not gone and asked. He had not even moved from his chair


    between thest call and this one.


    "I don''t care what mode it''s on. Tell me how to stop it!" Trevor strongly suspected that Keegan was


    stalling for time.


    Keegan responded "Oh," and continued slowly, " Well, it''s not set up yet."


    Trevor was furious. He gritted his teeth and asked, "What did you say?"


    "I said we haven''t set up the force stop function yet. After all, it''s still in the development stage, and it''s


    normal for the program to be imperfect."


    Trevor was exasperated. "You call this normal? This thing is highly dangerous, yet you dare to give it to


    others? Are you crazy?"


    "It won''t attack its authenticated owner," Keegan said. He had implied that it was fine as long as it did


    not attack Ste. It was Trevor''s fault that Luna attacked him. Trevor was so furious that he felt like he


    wanted to strangle Keegan. ''How was Ste even with this guy back then?!"


    Trevor then said with a gloomy face, "What about me?"


    "It''s fine, don''t worry," Keegan "kindly" reassured him. "It would automatically shut down once its


    battery dies."


    Trevor asked with a stiff face, "How long would it take for the battery to die?"


    "We used a superrge energy storage with a standby time of 36 hours." Keegan paused and


    continued, "If you haven''t charged it before, it might not take so long. It probably just needs more than


    ten hours or so. Just bear with it."


    Trevor''s expression darkened, as Keegan continued to kick the man when he was down. "I have to


    thank you, though, for helping us test and debug Luna. When Luna returns to the factory, we''ll make


    some improvements-" Before Keegan could finish his sentence, Trevor hung up. Keegan clicked his


    tongue and thought, ''


    Trevor is so narrow-minded.''

 Chapter 833

    Chapter 833


    Chapter 833


    Keegan lied to Trevor. He knew the way to solve the problem. Luna''s energy consumption was high


    when it activated its defense mode passively. Therefore, the time set for the defense state was very


    short, which was only two hours. These two hours were enough to embarrass Trevor to death. For


    example, his father''s first reaction after getting home was not to save him from despair but to take


    pictures and post them on social media.


    As soon as Leighton saw the picture on social media, he instantly Made it into a sticker that said, ¡°Me


    and my life" and sent it to the family chat of the Hall family. It then turned into a year-long joke.


    Keegan finished the evening meeting and instructed some work to Aldor. When Keegan finished, Aldor


    said, "Keegan, it''s Valentine''s Day today. Aren''t you going to go celebrate it with Ste?"


    Keegan was stunned and furrowed his brows. "Why did you only now remind me?" He had forgotten


    about the holiday and had not prepared a gift.


    Keegan was speechless. He looked at Aldor as if he was ming him for reminding him at thest


    minute. But, Aldor replied, "I''ve booked two movie tickets. People say that it''s a must-watch for


    couples. You can bring Mrs. Kane to watch it and improve your rtionship."


    Keegan loosened his frown. He looked at the time and asked, " What is the time for the movie?"


    "Eight at night, and it''ll end in two hours. There''s antern exhibition tonight at Lumi River. You can go


    enjoy thenterns after the movie," Aldor replied.


    Keegan was not only rxed now. There was even a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. "Where''s the


    movie ticket?"


    "I was a little busy today, so I didn''t get to pick up the tickets. I have sent the QR code to your phone.


    You can pick it up with Mrs. Kane on the spot," Aldor reminded. "Go home and change your clothes.


    You should wear something casual to look younger."


    Keegan paused and asked, "To look younger?"


    Aldor said with a straight face, Mrs. Kane liked the way you look in your college photos."


    Keegan pursed his lips. After a long while, he replied, ¡°You think I don''t know what you''re thinking just


    because you brought up Ste."


    ¡°We, the employees, like how you look," Aldor ttered. Keegan nced at him and got up. "I''m off."


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    "Alright."


    Just as Keegan left, Aldor sent a message in their group chat, " Time to get off work! Let''s go home and


    celebrate Valentine''s Day! The people instantly filled the chat with the message, [Aldor, you''re


    awesome! Keegan got in the car and sent Ste a message. ]


    [Are you free tonight?]


    Not long after, Ste replied, [I''m watching a movie with Felicitytonight.]


    Keegan was at a loss for words. [At the movie theater?]


    (At our home theater.]


    Keegan then persuaded, [Why not go to the theater? The viewing experience is better.]


    Ste said, [It''s a holiday today. I didn''t get any tickets becausethere were too many people.]


    Keegan replied, [Thepany gave me two tickets.]


    Ste saw his message and instantly stood up. (Give me yourtickets. I''ll bring Felicity with me.)


    Keegan was dumbstruck. ''Why did I even say that?!


    Ste urged him, [Have you collected the tickets? And, what movieis it?]


    Keegan pursed his lips. [I''m not sure. I haven''t picked it up yet.]


    (Send me your QR code. We''ll go pick it up.)


    Keegan was once again speechless. He sent Ste the QR code unhappily and called Vermont. Once


    the phone call connected, he said directly, "Take Felicity out. I want to go watch a movie with Ste."

 Chapter 834

    Chapter 834


    Chapter 834


    Vermont''s eyelids twitched. "Huh? What did you say? The signal''s bad here. I can''t hear you."


    Keegan said, "You can drive the Bugatti."


    Vermont could suddenly hear as if his signal instantly cleared up. " Alright."


    Vermont arrived at Room 901, looking handsome as ever, when


    Ste and Felicity had packed up and were ready to go. Felicity''s expression darkened the moment


    she saw Vermont and closed the door. However, Vermont used his feet to prop the door open. "Come


    on, I knew you were pranking me, and I fell for it. Are you still angry?"


    Felicity sneered, "You deserved it! We''re even now. Stop knocking on my door for no reason."


    As she spoke, she was about to close the door, but Vermont pulled out a car key and said, "I''ll make it


    up to you and take you ona ride in a Bugatti."


    Felicity''s attention was quickly drawn to the car key. To be honest, she was tempted. "You''re not using


    a fake car key to trick me, right?"


    Vermont thought that Felicity had absolutely no trust in him ever since the two incidents. He would be


    letting Keegan off lightly if he did not drive the car to his heart''s content. "The car is in the basement.


    Why don''t you follow me and check it out? You can ignore me from now on if there''s no car there."


    Felicity stared at him. "I''m ignoring you anyway. I''ll treat you as a brother, and you''ll treat me as a


    sister!"This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Vermont grabbed her wrist with augh. "Alright, stop being mad at me. Just go down and see for


    yourself. You can shoulder throw me if I''m lying to you."


    Ste walked out after changing and sensed Felicity''s absence. Not longter, Felicity called her and


    said, "Ste, I''m not watching the movie. I have something going on. You should find someone to go


    with you or return the tickets to Keegan."


    Ste was speechless. ''It''s unreliable to count on your friends during Valentine''s Day.''


    Ste was not angry, as Felicity did not want to go in the first ce. She intended to go with Ste. "Be


    sure toe back early," Ste said and hung up.


    Ste was reluctant to go alone, so she called Keegan. "Keegan, I didn''t pick up the tickets. You should


    go exchange it so that it doesn''t expire."


    Keegan asked, "You''re not going?"


    ¡°Something came up, and Felicity is not going. So, I don''t feel like going alone."


    "Oh." Keegan pursed his lips. "I''m free for the night. It''s been a while since I watched a movie. Do you


    want to go together?"


    Ste paused and said. "I thought you didn''t like to watch movies."


    Keegan did not ingratiate himself to please Ste by saying his liking had changed. Instead, he replied,


    "I just want to go with you. Maybe you''ll add some marks for me when you''re happy." Ste was at a


    loss for words. She suddenly reflected on the idea of giving marks to Keegan because now all his brain


    was thinking about were marks. She replied to him, "Come pick me up, then."


    Ste did not want to waste the ticket. Keegan reached after ten minutes. He came here too soon, so


    Ste suspected that he was just nearby. Keegan drove a rather low-key Mercedes Benz that was


    worth four to five million. He wore a white T-shirt with ck casual pants, and his hair was slightly


    styled. He looked the same, but it felt like he was younger.


    Ste thought for a moment and realized that maybe it was because of the sses. He had a myopia


    of about 100 degrees, but he rarely wore his sses. He only wore it when he was driving, and he did


    not drive that often.


    Just as Ste got to the passenger seat, Keegan''s phone rang before she could even talk to him. So,


    she remained quiet and put on her seatbelt. Keegan put the phone call on speaker, and Jaylene''s voice


    sounded. "Keegan, are you free tonight?"


    Ste''s movement slightly paused.

 Chapter 835

    Chapter 835


    Chapter 835


    ¡®Jaylene called Keegan...'' Ste looked down and slowly put on her seat belts. She pretended to be


    ying with her phone but was actually listening to their conversation. Keegan frowned and asked,


    ¡°Who are you?"


    Ste was shocked and confused. Even she knew who the caller was from the sound of her voice.


    However, Keegan did not seem like he was pretending. Maybe he really did not know who it was. The


    person on the other side of the phone was silent for a few seconds before she said, Keegan. I''m


    Jaylene. | added your WhatsApp before and messaged you, but you didn''t reply. That''s why I took the


    liberty of calling you. Am I disturbing you? "


    Keegan knew who she was after she mentioned her name. The reason why he did not reply to her


    message was that he muted her chat after transferring money to her for buying the Red Agate Bracelet.


    Therefore, Jaylene''s message was naturally left unnoticed by him. Keegan turned the car around and


    asked, "What can I help you with?"


    Jaylene replied, "I would like to explore Rivera, but I''m not familiar with the ce. Can you be my


    guide?" Afraid that Keegan might reject her, Jaylene added, "Didn''t you say you would bring me there


    thest time we ate together?"


    Ste looked at Keegan, but Keegan did not notice Ste''s response. He was confused about why


    Jaylene called him on this Valentine''s Day evening. Keegan replied, "It''s reallyte to explore the area


    at night. You''ll only see the streetlights."


    Jaylene then said, "It''s alright to watch the streetlights. I heard that the streetlights in Rivera are


    beautifully designed. Maybe I can take a drone to take some pictures. Plus, it''s Valentine''s Day today,


    and there might be people lighting upnterns in the suburbs. I want to go check it out and make a


    wish."


    Ste thought, ¡®Well, this is totally Keegan''s area of expertise. I''m sure he would give Jaylene a vivid


    lesson of safety.'' However,


    Keegan did not talk about the hazards ofnterns as he did with her. Instead, Keegan simply said,


    "Where are you? I''ll go pick you up."


    Ste was shocked. Jaylene''s voice became softer, and she gave him her address. She then reminded


    him, "Keegan, drive safely."


    Keegan did not respond and hung up. He then called Jackson.


    Jackson was not just sitting around and doing nothing on Valentine''s Day. He was having a party


    celebrating with a bunch of rich kids with some celebrities and young stars.


    When he saw Keegan''s call, he felt as though his recovered waist started to hurt again. He pushed off


    the young model on hisp, took his phone, and walked away from the crowd before answering the


    phone. "Keegan."


    "Where are you?"


    Jackson looked at the crowd ying in the pool, and he said with a straight face, "I''m at home."


    Keegan was not concerned about his whereabouts and said directly,


    ¡°Are you free for the night? If you are, take Ms. Saun and show her around the area. If you have ns,


    I''ll find someone else."


    Jackson paused and thought, ''What kind of good news is this?'' He instantly replied without thinking


    twice, ''I don''t have ns for the night. Where is Ms. Saun?"


    Keegan told him the address and said indifferently, "Ms. Saun is not familiar with Rivera. Show her


    around the area. Bring her to see the streetlights andnterns."


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    After hanging up the phone, Jackson was still dazed. Keegan had just helped set up Jaylene with him.


    ¡®Is Keegan out of his mind?'' However, Jackson could not care less about Keegan. Since his opponent


    had given him an opportunity, he was determined to seize it.

 Chapter 836

    Chapter 836


    Chapter 836


    Ste never expected that Keegan would pass the buck to Jackson.


    After Keegan hung up the phone, Ste said, "Isn''t it a little dangerous for you to ask Jackson to take


    Jaylene out?"


    Keegan understood what Ste meant. He said, "Don''t worry. Jackson doesn''t have the guts to mess


    around."


    Obviously, Chandler''s family wanted to have a connection with the Saun family through marriage. So,


    Jackson was eager to make a good impression on Jaylene and would never dare to overstep the mark.


    "Aren''t you scared that they will really get into a rtionship and kick you out of the Vinci Rivera Group


    together?"


    Although Ste understood nothing about business, she knew how bad it would be for Keegan if


    Jackson had a connection with the


    Saun family through marriage.


    ''This idiot actually created opportunities for others.''


    Keegan looked at her resignedly and replied, "If the connection through marriage is useful, my dad


    would have been kicked out by Uncle Chandler long ago." ''cyrene''s family is more powerful than


    Dahlia''s.''


    Ste thought for a while and said, "It''s still bad for you even if they can''t kick you out, right?"


    With an "um" sound, Keegan said, "Yes, there will be some influence. After all, Uncle Chandler would


    absolutely be confident in terms of funds and connections if he has a connection with the Saun family


    through marriage."


    Ste pursed her lips and said after a long time, "What are you going to do if they really get into a


    rtionship?"


    While turning the steering wheel, Keegan said, "Work harder to increase the points. I can''t be thest


    to get married."


    Ste was left speechless. She said with reddened ears, "I''m talking about yourpany."


    Keegan nced at her and smiled. "Don''t worry. I won''t sacrifice my marriage when it''s not the end of


    the road. I just want to marry you."


    Ste clenched her seat belt tightly, turned her head, and muttered softly, "Who''s worried?"


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan''s eyes softened, and he drove away from the apartmentplex.


    Ste suddenly remembered a confusion on the way. So, she asked Keegan, "You told me a lot of


    nonsensest time when I said I was going to fly a skyntern. You said that it would cause a fire, and I


    would be detained. That''s why you wouldn''t let me go. Why didn''t you say anything to Jaylene when


    she was going to fly a skyntern?"


    Keegan nced at her inexplicably and replied, "It''s none of my business if she is detained for flying a


    skyntern."


    Ste was speechless. Keegan was definitely not saying sweet words to please her, but these words


    made her emotions swirl in Confusion.


    Today was Valentine''s Day, so the cinema was crowded. It took almost half an hour just to find parking.


    Ste put on a mask after getting out of the car. When she was queuing up for the tickets, Ste asked


    Keegan, "Do you know what movie it is?"


    When he thought about what Aldor had said, Keegan guessed, " Probably a romance film."


    The movies that couples watched were mostly romance films. Ste had never watched a movie with


    Keegan, but she often came to the cinema and watched movies. Keegan''spany distributed many


    movie tickets every month. However, since he disliked watching movies, those tickets were basically


    used by Felicity and Ste.


    It was the first time Ste hade here with Keegan, and they were going to watch a romance film,


    which was a bit strange. However, Ste was silent when she got the ticket.


    ¡®I shouldn''t have thought that Keegan is reliable. What kind of romance film is this? What romance


    movie would name itself "Evil Days"? Is it Halloween now?!


    Obviously, Keegan had also found out that he was deceived by Aldor. So, he frowned hard. He called


    Aldor on the phone with an angry face, but Aldor, who was usually on standby 24 hours a day, did not


    answer the phone.

 Chapter 837

    Chapter 837


    Chapter 837 Of course


    Aldor refused to answer the phone.


    ''How is it possible to book movie tickets on Valentine''s Day? It''s already considered good enough that I


    could get tickets for "Evil Days."


    Don''t be dissatisfied! '' Ste saw Keegan pulling a poker face and could not get through after a long


    time.


    So, she sighed, "Forget it.Let me ask if we could cancel it and exchange it for something else."


    Thus, Keegan and Ste went to inquire again, only to be told that the two tickets had a special offer.


    It was non-refundable and non- exchangeable.


    Besides, all tickets for other movies during this time had sold out, unless they wanted to book for the


    midnight show.


    However, no one wanted to watch it since Valentine''s Day was over during the midnight show.


    Seeing that they were hesitating, the ticket seller persuaded them, "In fact, this movie contains many


    elements of love and is also suitable for couples.It has been yed several times today and has sold


    well."


    Ste found it hard to believe.So, she thought, ''Who would watch a horror movie on Valentine''s Day?"


    The ticket seller then said, "And, I can''t refund it for you if you don''t watch it.You can go in and have a


    look.If you don''t like it, you can leave halfway.It''s better than canceling the ticket directly."


    Ste was a little convinced.She was most afraid of wasting money, so she held the two movie tickets


    and looked at Keegan.


    "How about we go and have a look?"


    Since they hade here and redeemed the tickets, it would be a waste if they did not watch it after


    going through the trouble for such a long time.


    Keegan did not care what movie he was going to watch.He naturally had no objection since Ste


    wanted to go.


    Thus, both of them went to watch a domestic horror movie named "Evil Days" on Valentine''s Day.


    Surprisingly, the ticket seller was not lying.


    The attendance rate of the movie was high.


    When they entered the theater, they found that more than half of the seats had already been upied.


    And, the screening hall was designed for couples, as all of them were couple seats.


    Aldor chose the best viewing seat.


    It was right in the center of the penultimate row.


    The lights in the theater dimmed, and the movie started as soon as Keegan and Ste took their seats.


    Ste had watched countless movies and had dabbled in horror movies and gory movies before.


    However, this was the first time she had watched a movie like this in the cinema.


    A man and a woman were having sex in a dpidated old mansion after the opening titles.


    Ste almost spat her water out before she gulped it down.


    The actors were super dedicated.


    Their clothes were half off, and they hugged and kissed each other.


    The wraparound yback of breathing and moaning sounds made people blush.


    No one spoke in the screening room.


    Luckily, the light was dim.


    Otherwise, everyone would feel awkward.


    Ste nced at Keegan secretly, and he was staring at the screen intently.


    The expression on his face did not look like he was watching a feature film but an academic film.


    If a pen was given to him, Ste suspected that he might take notes on the spot, analyze it carefully,


    and put forward the advantages and disadvantages of the movie.


    The erotic scenested five to six minutes, and the screen finally changed.


    The movie was about a group of film academy students who were about to graduate.


    They visited an old mansion deep in the mountains to find material for their graduation film.


    At the beginning of the movie, a group of five with three men and two women went to the old mansion


    after an arduous journey.


    They lived in the old mansion after negotiating the rent.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Among the five, there was a couple, a pair that was more than just friends, and one that was single.


    At first, Ste thought that it was always like this.


    The movie had built a scary vibe at the beginning, and the gatekeeper of the old mansion told them not


    to go out at night in a frightening way.


    However, as characters in horror movies, they would always refuse to listen to warnings.


    When the girl who had a boyfriend took a bath at night and found someone peeping, she put on her


    clothes and went out with a shlight to catch the culprit.


    She chased the culprit to the ancestral hall where the statues of ghosts and Gods were enshrined,


    which looked very scary.


    Suddenly, a man sneaked out from the darkness, covered the girl''s mouth, and dragged her away.


    Just when Ste thought that the protagonist was in danger, the scene changed.


    The girl and the single man had sex in the ancestral hall of the old mansion.


    Ste was stunned.

 Chapter 838

    Chapter 838


    Chapter 838


    ¡®Is this the element of love that the ticket seller said?'' Ste was shocked.


    The following plot waspletely chaotic.


    Theplicated rtionship between the five protagonists and the sex implications shot when they


    escaped together made Ste lose interest in the story.


    Instead, Ste turned her attention to Keegan, who was watching with great enjoyment.


    ¡®Is it really that good? He is staring at it without even blinking"


    Ste looked at the screen again.


    Suddenly, she found that the heroine had a good figure.


    She was not sure what the director was thinking, but the heroine''s clothes were designed to entuate


    her curves.


    Even Ste could not help but take another nce.


    "Does Keegan like this type of woman?"


    There was a strange feeling arose in Ste''s heart.It seemed as if she never knew what Keegan''s


    aesthetics toward the opposite sex was.


    She used to think that it was the type like Be that had an innocent look.


    However, she had no idea after she found out that she was wrong.


    After pondering about it carefully, Keegan had never shown what type of woman he particrly liked.


    The only few women in the friend list of his social ounts were his coworkers.


    Suddenly, Ste was curious about what kind of opposite sex Keegan had fantasized about in his


    youth.


    Thinking of that, she stretched out her index finger and gently scratched the back of Keegan''s hand


    that was resting on his knee.


    Keegan did not look at her.


    Instead, he grabbed her hand into the palm of his hand.


    Ste tried to withdraw from him, but she could not do so.


    Hence, she just allowed him to hold her hand.


    Keegan held her soft hands and asked softly, "What''s wrong?"


    Ste leaned over and asked softly, "What does your first sexual fantasy look like?"


    Keegan was left speechless.He was unsure whether to praise her for having the courage to flirt with the


    opposite sex without a rtionship or be happy that she said such a private topic to him.


    This was because it showed an improvement in their rtionship.


    In short, Mr.Kane''s mood swung.


    Then, it was calmed down by his intellect in the end.


    "It''s been too long.I don''t remember."


    Ste frowned.


    Obviously, she was dissatisfied with the answer.


    "How could he forget something like that?"


    Keegan then asked, "Do you remember yours?"


    "I..."


    Ste paused and stared at him.


    "Why should I tell you? You didn''t even tell me!" Keegan frowned.


    In fact, for boys in the development period, their sexual fantasy was not necessarily someone they


    liked.


    It might not even have a specific person.


    Keegan used all his energy in his studies and work before he was married.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    To him, love was dispensable.


    Moreover, he had seen the mushy-gushy rtionship between Vermont and his girlfriends.


    Keegan felt that falling in love was something troublesome.


    He would never skip ss to celebrate a girl''s birthday as Vermont did.


    Besides, due to the lessons he learned from his parent''s marriage, he also could not believe in the


    concept of forever love.


    Keegan used to think that marrying Ste was because of his age, and she was pleasing to the eyes.


    It was also because of some things back then.


    Later, he just realized that the word "pleasing to the eyes" already showed how special Ste was to


    him.


    However, Ste would probably find a reason to deduct his points if she heard those words.


    Thus, he was unwilling to tell.

 Chapter 839

    Chapter 839


    Chapter 839


    ¡®I didn''t say it because there was none.But, is it because her first love broke up with her in two weeks,


    so she didn''t want to say it?'' Ste was someone who never took responsibility after teasing.Her words


    disturbed Keegan''s heart, and then she started watching the movie again.So, Keegan''s mind was


    completely out of the movie during the next half of it and was full of thoughts about who her sexual


    fantasy was.


    Keegan kept frowning as he walked out of the theater.


    Ste noticed that he still looked despondent when she returned with drinks, so she ced the cold


    drinks against his neck.


    The sudden chill caused Keegan to shake off his thoughts immediately.


    Ste nced at him and asked, "Do you want to continue watching?"


    "Huh?"


    Keegan could not get the meaning of Ste''s words.Ste said casually, "I didn''t expect you, who are


    usually serious, to have the same taste as Mr.Snyder.Don''t you like the one with the curvy body?"


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Finally, Keegan understood her meaning.


    Ste felt jealous in her heart.


    However, she still said hypocritically, ''''You''re a man, so I understand."


    Keegan pinched the center of his brows and resignedly said, "Why do you particrly like to make


    assumptions and then take them as facts andbel me indiscriminately?"


    These words pressed Ste''s button, and she was dissatisfied immediately.


    "When did Ibel you indiscriminately? You were staring at the heroine in the movie without even


    blinking.Am I wrong?"


    Keegan then gave examples one by one.


    "You think I cheated on you because you thought that Be was my first love.Youbel yourself as the


    mistress because you heard others gossiping.You unterally thought I''m impotent because I didn''t


    have sex with you often."


    Hearing thest point, Ste quickly covered his mouth and red at him.


    "Are you crazy? Keep your voice down!"


    Keegan took the opportunity to kiss her palm and put his lips against her palm.


    He whispered, "And now, you thought that I wanted to have sex with someone I saw because I looked


    at the characters in the movie without blinking.Am I such a superficial person in your heart?"


    Ste''s palms were itchy from the heat sprayed by his words, and her heartbeat became irregr.


    "Why did you look at it seriously? The movie isn''t even good!"


    Keegan paused and replied, "Didn''t you say that I''mcking in this part? I''m observing and trying to


    learn something, so I won''t hurt..."


    Before he finished, Ste covered his mouth again.She blushed and stared at him.


    "I know you have a sharp tongue.So, shut up!"


    Keegan held her wrist and took the opportunity to kiss her again.


    He asked softly, "When should we give it a try?"


    Ste blushed badly.


    However, she was, fortunately, wearing a mask, so it was less obvious.She said, "You still haven''t


    increased your mark to a hundred.Your thoughts are still far away, right?"


    Now, Ste started to rejoice that she had proposed the idea of counting scores.


    Otherwise, she might not be able to guard her body even if she could guard her heart.


    Especially when Keegan kept flirting this way.


    ¡®Ste, you''re a face-judger without principles!'' Keegan became unhappy again when the mark was


    mentioned.


    "Can I increase some marks today?"


    Ste nced at him and asked, "What do you think you can do today to increase your marks? I


    queued for the movie tickets and the drinks.I even had to lead you, a person with myopia, in when


    entering the theater.What did you do? You just park your car, and you even park it far away.My legs


    hurt when I walked here."


    Keegan was stunned.


    Even his graduate thesis was not as critical as Ste''s words.


    Ste looked at Keegan with curved eyes and a smile.


    "Do you regret that you said you wanted to chase me? I held my temper to please your family when I


    was with you back then.Now, this is whom.I have a bad temper, and I love to cause trouble for no


    reason.I''m narrow-minded and always hold grudges.It''s not toote for you to regret it now.You''re the


    boss of the Vinci Rivera Group.Why should you suffer such grievances?"

 Chapter 840

    Chapter 840


    Chapter 840


    Ste nced at the time and said, "It''ste now.Thanks for driving me to a movie today.Let''s call it a


    night and head back to our respective homes."


    Ste turned around and left after speaking.


    Keegan grabbed her wrist abruptly and pulled her back into his arms.


    "Are you done?"


    Keegan''s eyes were ardent.


    "You should have given me a chance to say a few words after you finished, right?"


    Ste looked at him.


    "What do you want to say?"


    "You don''t have to try to make me give up.Do you think I don''t know that you did that to me on


    purpose? You keep testing my tolerance for you.Don''t you believe in my determination to be with you?"


    Ste licked her lower lip without saying anything.Her undeniable crush on him and mixed feeling were


    easily found out by Keegan.


    Keegan held her hand and whispered, "I know you have a lot of uncertainties about me in your heart.I


    also know that the issue of childbirth has been weighing on your mind.I won''t force you to make a


    choice so soon.If you''re willing to fall in love with me, our rtionship can start anytime.If you''re not


    willing, you can continue to observe.You''re the one who amodated me a lot when we were


    togetherst time.It''s my turn to amodate you now.Tell me if I did anything wrong.I''ll try my best to


    change."


    Ste was moved, but it onlysted for a second.


    Then, she heard Keegan continue, "If you don''t fall in love with me, don''t fall in love with anyone else."


    Ste was puzzled.


    "Don''t you feel that your request is a little overboard?"


    Keegan lowered his eyes.


    With a sound of "um," he whispered, "I''ll go crazy."


    Ste did not hear it clearly.


    However, she felt that Keegan had be clingier and better at detecting others'' moods since their


    divorce.He was really changing just like what he said.


    The truth was that he could always know her thoughts, even if she hid them well in front of others.


    Suddenly, Keegan squatted down in front of her.


    "Come." Ste was taken aback.


    "What?"


    Keegan then said, "Didn''t you say that your legs were hurting from walking to the parking lot? I''ll carry


    you there."


    Keegan was squatting in the center of the square.He was tall and strong, so he was a little


    conspicuous.


    People around kept looking at him.


    Ste pulled him hurriedly and whispered, "I was just kidding.Now, get up."


    Keegan was very stubborn.


    He replied, "I took it seriously.Come."


    Ste whispered, "It''s not that you don''t know how heavy I am.The parking is over a kilometer away


    from here.Are you crazy?"


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Keegan said, "Let''s give it a try.I haven''t carried you much.People will recognize you if you don''t move


    fast."


    Seeing that more and more people were there, Ste simply jumped on his back and angrily said, "I''m


    gonna crush you!"


    Keegan chuckled.He stood up with Ste on his back.


    After walking a few meters, he said, ''''You''re quite heavy."


    Ste hammered him on the shoulder and whispered, "Shut up!"


    The distance of a few hundred meters was neither far nor close, but it must be very tiring to carry a


    person on such a hot summer day.


    Although Keegan did not pant loudly, Ste could clearly feel his heartbeat beating faster as he walked.


    Ste wrapped her arms around his shoulders and buried her face in the hollow of Keegan''s shoulders.


    After a long time, she murmured, "Keegan."


    "Yes?"


    Keegan responded softly.


    A few secondster, Keegan heard her say, "Bring me to the doctor you mentionedst time.I have no


    family, and I really want a child of my own."


    Keegan''s heart trembled, and he pressed his lips together tightly.It took him a long time before he said


    in a hoarse voice, "Okay."

 Chapter 841

    Chapter 841


    Chapter 841


    The matter of infertility was something thatrgely affected Ste.She must have gathered a lot of


    courage to take the first step into discussing having children.


    Keegan felt a lot of intense emotions at that time.He turned his head and gently rubbed against Ste


    and said in a soft tone, "Let''s go make a wish on a skyntern."


    Ste froze for a moment and said subconsciously, "Aren''t you afraid of being caught?"


    "Nah.We can write Vermont''s name on thentern," he replied.


    Ste was speechless.


    ''No wonder Vermont pranks him all the time.He isn''t particrly nice to him either"


    There was antern event on 10th Street near Lumi River that day.


    The whole road was covered withnterns.


    If one stood at the intersection, the century-old alley would look lively with endless lights illuminating it.


    While they were there, Ste saw an antique mask in one of the booths.She picked it up, put it to her


    face, and asked Keegan if it looked good.


    "It looks good on you," he said.


    Ste nced at him and thought, ''He sure is sweet"


    While she was still looking at the masks, Keegan was already at the checkout.


    There were still many beautiful pieces on disy.


    Ste saw a gold one and was about to reach for it when someone beat her to it.


    Before Ste could turn around and see who it was, she heard a familiar voice that said, "If you like it,


    you can try it on."


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Jaylene did like the mask at first, but when she heard Jackson say that, she was no longer


    interested.She pursed her lips, put the mask back, and turned around.


    When she was about to leave, she suddenly saw Keegan walking up to a girl with a mask on.


    "Do you want to pick up a few more?" he asked.


    Jaylene was taken aback.


    She subconsciously called out to him, and Keegan paused before looking at them.He was surprised to


    see Jaylene and Jackson together.He froze for a moment and gave them a nod.


    Ste did not know if Keegan was embarrassed, but she was embarrassed for him.He had asked his


    cousin to take Jaylene out in his ce, and now Jaylene caught him and Ste together.


    It was an extremely awkward situation.


    Jaylene''s smile faded when she saw Ste.


    Jackson recognized the masked woman next to Keegan at a nce.


    He was slightly surprised and realized that Keegan had given him the opportunity to go out with


    Jaylene because he wanted to go out with Ste.


    ''Is he crazy? He gave up his chance to be with the daughter of the Saun family just to pester his ex-


    wife? But...I guess it''s a good thing for me" thought Jackson.


    He immediately walked to them with Jaylene and greeted Keegan with a smile.


    "Keegan, Ste, what a coincidence.Are you guys out on a date for Valentine''s Day?"


    He directly called her out.


    Ste pursed her lips.She felt physically sick at the sight of him.Her hands heated up, and Keegan


    interlocked his fingers with hers.


    The scorching warmth from her palm then went to her heart, giving her the courage to stand before


    Jackson.


    "Weren''t you going to take Ms.Saun to see the street lights?" asked Keegan.


    Tre corners of Jackson''s lips turned upward as he said, "Why would I take her to see the street lights


    when there arentems here? We''re celebrating the asion just like you two are."


    "Stop joking around, Jackson," said Jaylene.


    "He was the one when asked," said Jackson, as he shrugged.


    "Plus, he handed you over to me, so I have to bring you to fun and exciting ces."


    Jaylene was fine before this, but her lips tightened at the mention of it.


    Ste understood what she was feeling.


    Jaylene obviously had a crush on Keegan.


    Otherwise, she would not have asked him out on this day.


    Keegan agreed to her invitation, but Jackson showed up instead while Keegan was out with another


    woman.


    Moreover, Jaylene bumped into them while they were on a date.


    From her point of view, Keegan did not handle the situation well.


    However, the fact that she was able to suppress her anger showed how well her family had taught her.

 Chapter 842

    Chapter 842


    Chapter 842


    Ste was also involved in this whole thing, so she could not exactly try to show her sympathy for


    Jaylene.


    If she did not look at Keegan from an ex-wife''s perspective, Keegan was indeed a very attractive man.


    It was not surprising for girls to have a crush on him.


    However, Jaylene showing affection for her ex-husband so soon after their divorce was not ideal,


    especially since Ste had saved her before.


    Matters of the heart could not be controlled, but there was still a need for moral restraint.


    Ste did not want to define someone through something like that, and she certainly did not want to


    stay and embarrass that person.


    So, she took Keegan''s hand and whispered, "Let''s go somewhere else."


    "Okay," Keegan replied and pulled her away.


    Jaylene looked at the familiar Red Agate bracelet on Ste''s wrist and clenched her fingers tight.She


    was both embarrassed and humiliated.Her face was ashen.She had dolled herself up for this date, but


    Keegan gave her over to Jackson.She dialed Keegan''s number, and he did not pick up.She tried to


    come up with excuses for him, yet she did not realize that he was busy with another woman.


    Jaylene would not have felt what she felt if Keegan had rejected her in the beginning.


    ¡®It''s clear that they see me as a joke" she thought.


    She did not question the situation out of respect for herself.She knew that she would just make a fool of


    herself if she did.


    Jackson read her expression and said slowly, "Keegan is a stubborn man.It''s not easy for him to


    change his mind about a girl he likes.Someone as great and talented as you shouldn''t be hung up on


    someone like him.You should pay more attention to the people around you."


    Jaylene nced at him and asked, "Do you like me, Jackson?"


    Jackson was shocked.He did not expect her to ask him about it so bluntly.


    Without any hesitation, he nodded and said, "Yes, I do."


    "I would''ve believed you if you weren''t reeking of somebody else''s perfume," Jaylene smiled and said.


    Jackson paused and chuckled, It was just for show."


    "And, that is why I won''t choose you,"


    Jaylene turned around and said, as she walked away.


    After meeting Jackson, Ste did not want to make a wish with the skynterns anymore.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Once she got into the car, she kept telling Keegan to take her home.


    Hence, Keegan had to cancel their original n and drive Ste home.


    On their way back, it started to Tain, and Keegan began to speed up.


    When they arrived at the underground parking lot of Clouditude International, Ste unfastened her


    seatbelt and said, "Thanks for the ride."


    "I''ll send you up," Keegan said after unbuckling his seatbelt.


    "It''s okay.Felicity''s home."


    "No, she''s not back yet," said Keegan.


    Ste was taken aback.


    "How would you kn¡ª"


    She suddenly became suspicious halfway through her sentence.


    "Did you ask Vermont to take her out?" Keegan''s face was still.


    "I just took a guess since his car isn''t here."


    Ste turned around and saw that Vermont''s usual parking spot was empty.


    "Come on.I''ll send you up," Keegan said as he took her mask.

 Chapter 843

    Chapter 843


    Chapter 843


    Ste got out of the car and followed Keegan.


    While they were in the elevator, Keegan suddenly asked, "Do you think it''s still raining?"


    "Probably not.The weather forecast didn''t predict any rain.It''ll most likely stop in a while," Ste replied.


    "The rainsted for two hoursst time," said Keegan.


    Ste immediately recalled the two of them being drenched when she heard that.


    "Well, we''re not outside this time."


    After she said that, the elevator door opened, and Keegan walked out.


    "It''s not safe to drive in the rain," he said.


    Ste paused and realized why he could not stop talking about the weather.


    The guy was looking for an excuse to stay.


    Ste was amused, but with a serious look on her face, she said, "Drive slow."


    "We''re here.You can go now," she added.


    Keegan let out a disappointed sigh of acknowledgment and said in a low voice, "I want to see you go


    in."


    He thought that Ste would pity him and invite him in for some tea.But, she mmed the door behind


    her after she said her goodbyes.


    Keegan stared at the closed door for a long while and sighed.


    On the other hand, Ste had changed into a new set of clothes.


    For some reason, the image of Keegan looking dejected appeared in her mind.She then got up and


    walked to the entrance of her home.She stood there for a while before opening the door.


    Keegan was squatting outside in a daze.When he saw the door open, he looked up.Ste''s heart beat


    faster.Why are you still here?" she asked calmly.


    "I want to spend more time with you," he replied.


    You always found me annoying when I wanted to spend more time with you in the past," Ste said.


    Keegan wanted to tell her that he did not find her annoying.


    But, thinking of how he acted, he said, "I was wrong."


    Only then was Ste satisfied.


    "Felicity isn''t back yet.You cane in and stay for a while.You can leave when the rain stops."


    Suddenly, Keegan''s eyes lit up.


    He got up and entered the apartment while Ste bent over to help him with his slippers.


    When she straightened up, Keegan hugged her from behind.


    She patted his arm and said, "Wear the slippers."


    Keegan did not say a word.


    Instead, he just lowered his head and kissed her corbone.


    Ste''s body trembled under his touch.She reached out and pushed him away as she said, "Stop


    fooling around."


    She did not use much force, so Keegan took it as a disguised encouragement to continue.


    He did not let her go.He held her hand and continued kissing her from her corbone to her neck then


    her chin.He paused when he reached her lips and gave her a soft peck before diving in deep.


    Ste wanted to stop him, but it was useless.


    She did not have the strength to push him away, which made it seem like she actually liked the


    attention.


    Ste admitted that Keegan''s kisses were turning her on.


    A voice in her head told her that she must stop.


    It was dangerous territory since they were not together.


    However, another voice told her that they were both adults and had slept together before.


    Hence, it was not a big deal, and she clearly wanted it.


    While Ste was arguing with her inner thoughts, Keegan suddenly picked her up and put her on the


    cab at the entrance where they put their shoes.


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    His gaze was deep, and his face was expressionless.


    His earlobes were so red that they looked as though they were going to bleed.


    Just when Ste thought that he was about to do something wild, he leaned on her shoulder and called


    her name softly.


    "Ste." Ste did not speak.She was gasping for air when Keegan called out to her again.


    "Ste."


    "What?" she leaned on his shoulder and asked.


    Her voice was muffled.


    Keegan nudged up against her and whispered, "Thank you."


    Ste froze.

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    Chapter 844


    Chapter 844


    Keegan kissed Ste''s lips again and said, "Thank you for taking that one step.You''re much braver


    than me taking those 99 steps toward you."


    Ste was surprised that their 18+ romance had turned into a high school romance.


    ''Fuck" she thought to herself.


    "Ste, I¡ª"


    Before Keegan could finish his words, Ste suddenly grabbed his cor and started biting his lips.She


    was not as patient as him.She kissed him passionately and let go of him after that.She then stared at


    him and said, "You idiot!"


    Keegan was confused.


    Ste jumped off the shoe cab with a dark face and walked away.


    Keegan did not know why she was mad.


    ¡®She was fine with me kissing her earlier"


    Just as he was thinking about it, the doorbell rang.


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    Keegan came back to his senses and answered the door.It was themunity security guard holding a


    bouquet of flowers.


    The security guard was shocked when he saw a man open the door.


    "Is Ms.Jewell home?" he asked.


    Keegan nced at the bouquet and said lightly, "Is something wrong?"


    "Someone left Ms.Jewell this bouquet of flowers at the guardhouse.One of my colleagues informed me


    that she''s back, so I''m here to give it to her.Can you ask her toe and get it?"


    "Just give it to me," Keegan said.


    The security guard hesitated.


    "Sorry, but you are?"


    Keegan looked at him in disdain and said, "I''m her husband."


    The security guard was at a loss for words.


    ¡®Someone else gave her flowers on Valentine''s Day, and her husband is the one to receive them? Oof"


    He then quickly handed the flowers to Keegan and left.


    Keegan held the bouquet of flowers and saw a card inside.He took it out and saw the words: [You got


    this.] He could tell that it was Marshall''s handwriting without looking at the signature.


    "Who was it?"


    Ste came out of the kitchen with two sses of water.


    Keegan stuffed the card into his pocket calmly and handed her the flowers.


    "Happy Valentine''s Day," he said.


    Ste was surprised.


    "You got me flowers?"


    ¡°Yeah," Keegan replied with a straight face.


    Ste''s anger disappeared immediately.She took the bouquet of flowers and started looking for a vase.


    ''''These look way better than the ones you got me before.Good job," she said.


    Keegan had always gotten Ste roses in pink wrapping paper because he thought that girls liked pink.


    However, this bouquet was different.It consisted of lilies, carnations, and daises.


    Their colorsplemented each other so much that all Ste had to do was put them directly into a


    vase.She did not have to rearrange them.


    Keegan stayed quiet.He was mad and a little hurt when he heard Ste''s praise.He pursed his lips and


    crumpled up the card in his pocket.


    When Ste was dealing with the flowers, she turned around and saw that Keegan was sullenly sitting


    on the couch.


    "What''s wrong? " she asked.


    "You didn''t like the flowers I got you previously?"

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    Chapter 845


    Chapter 845


    Ste was taken aback.


    ''He''s angry because of this?'' she thought.


    '' He''s clearly being a little childish.Who cares if I like this bouquet more? He''s the one who bought it,


    didn''t he?"


    Ste was in a good mood, so she did not want to pick a fight.


    "The flowers you got me before were practical.They were good for baths and rose petal cookies," she


    said tofort him.


    But, Keegan was not impressed.He did not feelforted whatsoever.


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    Speaking of cookies, Ste suddenly remembered that Felicity had made some pastries and wanted


    Keegan to try them.


    Felicity really knew how to bake.


    There was a time when Keegan sent a bouquet of roses to their apartment almost every day.It was a


    pity to throw them away since they weren''t cheap, but Ste did not have anywhere to put the


    roses.So, Felicity plucked the petals, washed them, and turned them into cookies and tarts.She even


    sealed each of her creations into individual packaging to preserve them longer.


    The two of them would then eat them as a snack when they were watching shows together.


    Since Vermont lived across the hall, there were only a few cookies left.


    Ste handed Keegan a rose custard-filled tart and said, "Here.Try it."


    Keegan unwrapped the pastry and took a bite.


    The pastry was light, and the rose enhanced the taste of the custard.


    The tart was not too sweet and the vors burst in his mouth.


    "It''s good, right?" Ste said with a smile.


    "Felicity is a great baker.¡±


    "You''re not too bad yourself," Keegan''s gaze lowered as he said that.


    Ste paused before she said, You don''t have to lie."


    "I mean it," Keegan emphasized.


    Ste looked at him and said, "Do you think I didn''t see you throw out the lunch I made for you?"


    "When did I¡ª"


    Keegan''s voice faltered, and he seemed to remember the one time he did that.He then connected it


    with how Ste never cooked for him again after that.


    "Is that why you stopped making lunch for me?" he asked.


    Even though the incident had happened a long time ago, a lump still formed in Ste''s throat when she


    thought of how her kindness was rejected.


    "I''m not that ignorant.Why would I continue making lunch for you when you clearly did not like them?"


    Ste lowered her gaze and said.


    ¡®I see.."


    Keegan thought that Ste was getting tired of making him lunch for work, and that was why she


    stopped.


    He remembered how she bought a guitar after seeing someone y it on television.


    After two months of practice, the guitar was ced in the storage room.


    Ste had always been one to start projects and not finish them.So, when she stopped cooking for


    Keegan, he thought that it was because she had moved on to new hobbies.He never thought that it


    was because of his actions.


    ¡®Does that mean...she learned how to cook because of me..?"


    This realization softened Keegan''s heart.


    Ste was sad about the past.


    When she looked up, she saw Keegan smiling and became annoyed.


    "Am I a joke to you?" she asked unhappily.


    "No."


    Keegan took her hand and stroked it lightly.


    "I think it''s cute," he whispered.


    Ste''s eyelids twitched.She pulled her hand away and said, "Don''t you gaslight me!"


    "I''m not."


    Keegan put his hand over her waist and pulled her into hisp.


    He then stared into her eyes and said slowly, "I only threw the lunch you made me into the garbage


    once, and it wasn''t because your food tasted bad.I went to the golf course with a client that day.The car


    was parked under the hot sun for the whole day.When I came home, I found that the food had gone


    bad, so I decided to throw it out."

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    Chapter 846


    Chapter 846


    Keegan could have just brought the food home, but when he thought of how happy Ste was every


    time she saw that his lunch box was empty, he decided to throw it in the garbage in front of their


    house.He never thought that Ste would see him doing that.


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    And, because of his actions, she stopped cooking for him.


    Ste was stunned when she heard his exnation.


    "Don''t lie to me.You told me that my cooking was bad."


    "I mean...It wasn''t the best food I''ve ever had, but it wasn''t bad.Sometimes, it''s way better than the


    company cafeteria food.Sometimes, I just have to drink tons of water the whole afternoon.Overall, it''s a


    pass.Plus, I''ve never been to the doctor for food poisoning after eating your lunch."


    Ste was speechless.


    "No one asked for your opinion." Keegan smiled.


    He wrapped his arms around her waist and gently rubbed her fingers.


    "I''m not someone who doesn''t know that he''s privileged.You worked so hard to cook for me.I wouldn''t


    have brought the food you made to work if I didn''t like it.Everyone was jealous of me, you know?"


    Aldor could attest to that.


    Keegan could have eaten his lunch in the office, but he insisted on going to thepany cafeteria and


    asked the chef to heat it up just to let everyone see how lucky he was.


    The staff lost their appetite when they saw their boss there.


    However, they could not pretend that they did not see him.So, they tried their best to converse with


    him.


    "I see you brought your own lunch, Mr.Kane."


    "Yeah.My wife thinks that food outside can be unhealthy, so she prepares lunch for me," he would say


    calmly.


    Both Keegan nor Ste did not say a word.


    The biggest victim of the story was the one living in apartment 902 since he had to watch Keegan eat


    his homemade lunch.


    Ste pursed her lips and said, "Why is it that whenever you talk about one of my grudges, it sounds


    like I''m the one being unreasonable here?"


    Keegan cautiously stepped away from the trap by saying, "That''s because weckmunication.How


    can someone as virtuous and gentle as you be unreasonable?"


    Ste was amused.She grabbed his hair and said in a low voice, "That''s too much, Mr.Kane."


    Keegan put the tip of his nose against hers and rubbed it lightly.


    "Is there a reward for that?"


    "What kind of reward do you want?"


    Ste looked at him and asked.


    Keegan did not speak.He picked her up, put her on the couch, and knelt down beside her on one


    knee.He stretched out his hand to brush away the hair on the side of her face and stared at her.He was


    about to bend down and touch her when they heard the sound of the door opening.


    Ste quickly raised her leg and kicked Keegan off her.


    The force was So great that Keegan fell to the floor in embarrassment.


    Ste did not care about him at that moment.


    Instead, she sat up and witnessed Vermont helping Felicity into the room.


    As soon as Vermont walked in, he saw Keegan on the floor, frowning with a tight face.


    Meanwhile, Ste was on the couch, and her body was tense.


    When Ste saw Felicity in his arms, she stood up hastily and asked, "Did she get drunk?"


    "Mhm," replied Vermont as he stared at Keegan.


    "D-Did wee at a bad time?" Ste pretended that she did not understand what he meant.


    "It''s eleven o''clock, Vermont.It''ste," she said calmly.


    "It seems that the rain has stopped.You can go now, Keegan," she added.


    Keegan reluctantly agreed, and he and Vermont left the apartment.


    As soon as they were outside, Vermont looked at him and said with a smile, "Did you get to home


    base?"


    Keegan nced at him and said, "Fuck you."


    Vermont was speechless.


    ''He''s ming me for his ipetence? Bro, she''s been waiting.

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    Chapter 847


    Chapter 847


    Albert went to ask Hylda if she was pregnant after hanging up the phone call with Ste.


    Hylda froze for a moment and asked, "Who did you hear that from?"


    Albert noticed that there was something weird about her reaction, so he did not tell her the truth.


    "Someone in thepany said that he saw you at the gynecology department in the hospital the other


    day."


    Hylda had made an appointment to get an abortion that week.She did not expect that Albert would


    question her before it happened.


    '' If I tell him that I''m not pregnant, with his suspicions, he would surely ask someone to get to the


    bottom of it.Things wouldn''t be pretty if he found out that I lied"


    Thinking about that, Hylda said with a bit of hesitation, "I...am pregnant."


    Albert was surprised.It took them many years to conceive Hugo.


    Moreover, the doctor told him that his sperm motility was low a few years ago.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Albert thought that they would not be able to have children anymore, and he certainly did not expect


    Hylda to be pregnant.


    When the thought of having a son came to his mind, he quickly supported Hylda and said, "Why didn''t


    you tell me such big news?"


    Hylda then looked a little sad.


    "It''s not that I didn''t tell you.I didn''t want to tell you."


    Albert frowned and said, "What?"


    "When I went to the hospital for a checkup, the doctor said that my fetus was unstable.My blood sugar


    and blood pressure are on the higher side.They told me that it would be dangerous for me to give


    birth."


    "Which doctor said that? Did you ask for a second opinion? Are they sure about this?"


    "It''s the best hospital in the city.I''m sure they know what they''re saying."


    Albert pursed his lips and said, "Tim''s wife was in her 40s when she gave birth to their youngest


    child.The doctors said that it was dangerous too, but their child was fine.The doctors just like to scare


    people."


    Hylda lied to Albert because she did not want the child.So, his words made her shudder.


    From his point of view, the child was more important than the mother''s safety.


    Hylda suppressed the pain in her chest and whispered, "I really want to have another child with you,


    but the doctor said that the child would likely suffer from a birth defect if I give birth at this age.That''s


    why I''m worried..."


    When Albert heard that, he hesitated.


    He thought about it for a while and said, "Okay.I''ll find an expert in two days.We can find a solution if


    there is something wrong with the child."


    Hylda frowned and reluctantly agreed.


    "By the way, where did you put the deed for the Spade family residence?" asked Albert.


    Hylda paused then said, "It''s in the safe.Why do you ask?"


    "Ah.It''s nothing.Just keep it safe."


    Hylda acknowledged him and said, "It''s payment time for Hugo''s trust fund.


    Remember to transfer the money to me in the next few days."


    Albert frowned.


    "Why is it payment time again? What''s the use of that thing anyway? Maybe we should just cancel it."


    "We''ve paid that thing for years.We''d lose money if we cancel it now.It''s for Hugo''s future.If he ever


    falls sick or wants to start a business, he''d have the funds for it.Plus, you spent a lot of money on


    Rainee''s treatment.Even Ste''s piano is more expensive than this..."


    "Alright, alright," said Albert.


    He was starting to get a headache with all the noise.


    "I''ll send you the money, okay?"


    "Isn''t it better to spend money on your son rather than spending it somewhere else? He''s the one who''s


    going to take care of you when you''re all old and lying in the hospital bed," Hylda snorted.


    Albert knew that he would not win the argument, so he stayed quiet and went back to his study.


    There was not much liquid currency in his ount.


    He knew he would be exposed if he kept withdrawing money without depositing.He could no longer


    wait for Ste to make a decision.


    It would be toote if she agreed and got back together with Keegan.


    Albert opened a drawer and grabbed a brown paper bag from the bottom.He was in deep thought for a


    long time before deciding his next step.


    Keegan went to thepany early morning the next day.His temper was much better than usual in the


    meeting.It was most likely because of the pleasant time he hadst night.


    "Did the date go well, Mr.Kane?" Aldor asked after the meeting.


    "It''s all thanks to the movie you booked," Keegan nced at him and replied.

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    Chapter 848


    Chapter 848


    "Horror movies are the best choice to enhance the closeness between couples," Aldor chuckled dryly.


    "Is that so?" Keegan asked.


    "Why are you still single if you know so much about rtionships?"


    Aldor was speechless.


    ''Ugh.I shouldn''t have helped him this well.Look at how cocky he''s acting"


    Keegan''s phone beeped when he was walking toward his office.He grabbed it and saw that it was an


    email.


    Keegan froze when he clicked on it, and his face turned extremely gloomy.


    Aldor sensed that something was wrong, so he asked in alow voice, "What is it, Mr.Kane?"


    Keegan did not answer him.


    Instead, he put his phone away and said, "I''m heading out for a while."


    "Do you need me to apany you?" Aldor asked.


    "No, "


    Keegan pursed his lips and said.


    "Stay here at thepany.Call me if something urgentes up."


    "Okay."


    Keegan seldom left his post during work.


    Aldor felt that something big must have happened.


    Otherwise, Keegan would not have lost hisposure.


    Aldor was right.


    Keegan had received ckmail.It was a set of pictures in a changing room.


    The girl in the photo looked like she was around 14 or 15 years old and had not fully hit puberty yet.


    The girl was changing and was almost fully naked on camera.


    Keegan could not fully see the girl''s face, but he knew who it was when he saw the birthmark on her


    back.


    It was Ste.


    The person who sent Keegan the photo asked for 100 million dors to delete it.


    The person also stated that they would make the photo public if he did notply.


    Ste''s career had just started.


    So, if the photo gets out, it would be a devastating blow to her reputation.


    People would not care about why or how she was secretly photographed.


    They would only circte it and make spections.


    They would put unwarrantedbels and criticism toward her in both speech and writing.


    Keegan thought of the worst-case scenario in an instant.


    Anger was boiling inside of him, but he tried his best to stay calm.


    The fact that the person who sent the photo wanted money meant that they would not leak the pictures


    so easily.


    When Keegan was on his way, the person sent him another email asking him to transfer the money to


    the given ount before 12:00 p.m.


    The photos would be sold to various gossip ounts if he waste by one second.


    Keegan rushed to Carter''s house and dragged him out of bed.


    Carter frowned and was half awake.


    He then said, "Who let you in here?"


    "I let myself in," said Keegan.


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    Lena brought in two sses of water and leaned against the door frame, "Do you want me to kick him


    out again?"


    "You wouldn''t have let him in if you didn''t want him here,"


    Carter sat up and said to his wife.


    After saying that, he jumped out of bed and asked, "What''s wrong?"


    "Someone is ckmailing me.Can you check their IP address?"


    Keegan said in a deep voice.


    "Shouldn''t you call the police?"


    "The person is using a VPN, and the message is encrypted.It''ll be toote when I finish filing a case."


    Carter furrowed his brows.


    "What leverage does that person have over you? Why are you so nervous?"


    Keegan pursed his lips and said, "It involves my wife."


    Carter did not ask any more questions after that.


    Instead, he immediately went to his study and turned on theputer.

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    Chapter 849


    Chapter 849


    Carter turned on theputer and started his operation by logging into Keegan''s ount while


    Keegan stood at the side, frowning.


    Carter pushed his mug away and said, "It''ll take some time.Have a seat and think about who the


    ckmailer might be."


    Keegan did not know who would have those kinds of photos, but the amount of money that the person


    requested was so huge that he suspected it was Albert.


    Albert had lost nearly 100 million dors from his stock investment, which happened to be the amount


    that was stated in the email.


    A normal ckmailer would not dare to ask for such an amount with only a few photos.


    The other party must be sure that Keegan coulde up with that kind of money and that he would not


    let the images leak so easily.


    Moreover, Ste was still a teenager in those photos.


    Usually, ckmailers would use recent pictures of their victims because they have a stronger impact.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    The person who owned the photos must be someone who was close to Ste.


    Hence, the chance of it being Albert was high.


    "I didn''t expect Albert to be so desperate and use Ste''s reputation to ckmail me" he thought.


    Keegan''s face turned dark.


    "I want you to find enough evidence to convict this person."


    Carter nced over the pictures and looked away.He then took the data from the pictures and added


    them to aparison program.


    "Ask that person how many pictures they have and how we would know that they wouldpletely


    destroy them if we transferred the money.Just in case they have a backup film."


    Keegan then typed out the email and sent it.


    The person replied vigntly, [I will send you a video as proof.


    However, I will leak these photos to the inte if you call the police.) Carter''s fingers were quick on the


    keyboard.


    ''''They might not have a backup film."


    Keegan looked at Carter when he said that.


    "These photos are rted to a peeping tom case twelve years ago."


    As Carter spoke, he clicked on some pictures to show Keegan.


    ''''A camera was hidden in an off-campus dance studio''s dressing rooms and toilets.The perpetrator set


    the camera there to watch naked teenage girls but was then caught by his girlfriend.The girlfriend made


    copies of the pictures and tried to ckmail the students.Some of the parents reported the incident to


    the police, and the two were arrested.


    "The incident was huge at that time.That asshole was a pedophile.In addition to the secret


    photography, he also had records of sexual assault.In order to protect the privacy of the children, the


    case was not brought to public court.The camera films have long been confiscated by the police and


    were either stored in the archives or destroyed.So, there aren''t any pictures circting out there.If


    there are..."


    Carter paused before he said, "That means that the ckmailer would be the victim''s parent."


    This further confirmed that the person who emailed Keegan was Albert.


    "Can you locate his exact address?"


    Keegan''s face looked stone cold.


    "Riverton Tower, block B, fourth floor," Carter pursed his lips and said.


    "It''s a nail salon."


    "Give me the shop owner''s information."


    Carter clicked his tongue and stated, "Obtaining other people''s information is illegal."


    "Since when were you aw-abiding citizen?"


    Keegan nced at him and said.


    "Hey, I can be aw-abiding citizen when I want to be."


    As soon as he said that, he got to work and found information on every owner and tenant in the


    building.


    This included their family members, residential address, upations, and social rtions.


    Keegan went through the data and found a woman with the surname "Canfield"


    Albert''s secretary.


    Suddenly, Keegan''s phone vibrated as he received another ckmail stating, [You have 20 minutes.]

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    Chapter 850


    Chapter 850


    "Call the police and have him interrogated," said Carter.


    Keegan was silent momentarily before he asked, "Can overseas ount transfers be tracked?"


    Carter paused.


    "Once you send the money to the other party''s ount, it will be difficult to trace it.But...Now that you


    know who the ckmailer is, you can monitor his local bank ount since he''s going to use the money


    unless he ns on using it abroad."


    Albert was not someone who would give up everything he had here and move out of the country.He


    was not going to let go of thepany he had worked hard for his entire life.


    Otherwise, he would not have ckmailed Keegan.


    Keegan called Aldor and asked him to transfer 50 million dors into the other party''s overseas ount


    in five installments.


    Carter took a sip from his cup and said, "Why don''t you just call the police?"


    "I''m not letting him get away with attempted extortion," he said tly.


    Carter was slightly taken aback.


    He nced at Keegan and said nothing.


    Keegan was the mostw-abiding person in their circle.He would always use thew to seal someone''s


    fate.


    Between attempted extortion and extortion as a whole, thetter was sure to receive the heavier


    punishment.


    When Ste was saved after being drugged in the bar, they could have let the police deal with the


    situation.


    However, Keegan led the suspect to a fruit stall and allowed the perpetrator to stab him with a knife and


    beat him badly in self-defense.


    Keegan did not break thew that day, but he used it to his advantage to the extreme, especially when


    it came to matters regarding Ste.


    Carter smiled as he thought about the incident.


    "What are you smiling about?" Keegan nced at him and asked.


    Carter put his fist against his lips and coughed lightly.


    "Nothing.I just think that this divorce wasn''t really fair on you."


    Keegan kept quiet.


    One of the reasons why he did not call the police immediately was that he wanted to convict him of


    extortion.


    Another was that it was not the right time to mess with Albert.


    Dealing with Albert was easy, but Ste was still investigating the car ident that happened back


    then.


    Keegan knew that Albert would not havee up with a n like this because he was a coward.


    There was a high chance that Hylda helped him during the process.


    If Albert went to jail due to extortion, there was no guarantee that he would not try to protect Hylda for


    the sake of his children.


    ¡®Intentional homicide is much more serious than extortion.Albert may not plead guilty without solid


    proof.This might even cause their rtionship to be closer than before.So, it''s not the right time to deal


    with Albert" thought Keegan.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    After Aldor had transferred the 50 million dors into the ckmailer''s ount, Keegan received an


    email that said, [Why did you send only half of the requested amount?)


    [I want to see you destroy the pictures, ] Keegan replied.


    [Transfer the money, and I will send it to you immediately.]


    [Send me the video first.] The other party became impatient.


    [Stop fooling around, boy.If I don''t receive the money within an hour, I''m going to leak these pictures all


    over the inte! ] [Fine by me.I''m done with my ex-wife.If you want to make things public, go for it.I''m


    sure I can catch you in the country,] Keegan replied calmly.


    Keegan was in control of the situation after confirming that the other party was Albert.


    Albert did all this just to make some money.He did not actually want to publish the photos.


    The downfall of Ste''s reputation would bring him no good.


    The other party did not respond after that.


    On the other end of theputer, Albert was looking at the 50 million dors in his ount.His hands


    were shaking with excitement.He did not expect to get the money so easily.

 Chapter 851

    Chapter 851


    Chapter 851


    Albert felt excited but also regretful.


    ¡®If I had known that Keegan cared about Ste this much, I wouldn''t have openly cut ties with her.Hylda


    says that Sophia will marry into a wealthy family and form connections for thepany, but is it that


    easy to marry into one? Not only was Ste raised by Rainee to be multi-talented, but she''s also miles


    ahead of Sophia in terms of looks.What does Sophia have to marry into a wealthy family? I better hold


    on to Ste, my pawn" he thought.


    On the first day of the shoot, Ste arrived at the set really early.


    Only the more reputable actors on set had their own dressing rooms and makeup artists.


    Other actors shared a dressing room.


    Normally, whoever came first got styled first.


    While these were the rules, not everyone followed them.


    Right after Ste finished changing, someone opened the door.


    Ynda waltzed in with her assistant and sat down in front of the vanity mirror.


    Then, Ynda''s assistant, who was next to her, immediately handed her coffee and started fanning her


    with a fan.


    She fanned Ynda while urging the makeup artist, What are you waiting for? Hurry up and do


    Ynda''s makeup."


    The makeup artist had just finished mixing Ste''s foundation shade.


    Ste had already washed her face and was waiting at the side.


    However, Ynda had a benefactor backing her, so the makeup artist did not dare to offend her and


    could only say, "Please wait for five minutes, Ynda.I''ll do your makeup once I''m done with hers."


    Ynda looked up and gazed at Ste.


    Ste was currently makeup-free andpletely barefaced.Her skin was fair and clear, and she did not


    need to do a thing.


    Just the sight of her standing there was already hard for others to look away from.


    While they were filming, the lighting and filters were really strong, so everyone looked beautiful in front


    of the camera.


    However, there were practically no actors who had such wless skin even after actually removing their


    makeup.


    Since actors had a packed daily schedule and shot day and night, it was impossible for them to have


    wless skin.


    Actors actually had some makeup even when they said that they were so-called barefaced on shows.


    However, Ste did not need makeup at all.


    She was so fair that she was like a reflective board.


    Even the slight dark eye circles did not affect her beauty at all.


    Ynda was envious and jealous.


    She gave her assistant a look, in which the assistant immediately said, How interesting.


    Who is she to let Ynda wait for her? In the entertainment industry, the junior always waits for the


    senior; how could the junior let the senior wait?"


    Ynda''s assistant''s words were obviously directed at Ste.


    However, the makeup artist could not afford to offend Ynda, so she could only awkwardly look at


    Ste.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    "Why don''t you wait for a while? I''ll do Ynda''s makeup first."


    Ste nced at Ynda''s smug expression before she averted her gaze.


    "It''s fine.You can do her makeup first," she said.


    Ynda was momentarily startled.


    Just as she wondered why Ste had changed her attitude today, she heard Ste say, "Ms.Fenley''s


    skin..."


    Ste paused.


    Instead of saying things explicitly, she said tactfully, "It''d probably take a lot of time to do her makeup.If


    she were thest, the first shooting''s time might have to be postponed.Then, everyone would have to


    wait."


    Ynda turned red in anger.


    ''''Are you saying I have bad skin?"


    After a while, a few more people came into the dressing room.


    Everyone turned to look at Ste after hearing Ynda''s angry shouts.


    There were curious people and also nosy ones.


    Meanwhile, Ste had an innocent expression and said, "Did I say that? I said you''re a senior in this


    industry, so you certainly should be prioritized in getting your makeup done.I''m new here, so I don''t


    know how things are done.I thought getting our makeup done was on a firste, first-served basis;


    I''m so sorry."


    Ynda was so furious that her face had turned red.


    Even her expression had contorted.


    ¡®Darn you, Ste Jewell! How is she such a bitch?! She speaks mockingly behind others'' backs but


    sarcastically in front of others.Isn''t she trying to tell everyone that I''m being condescending on the set


    and bullying a neer?" she thought.


    However, Ynda could not get angry at Ste yet, because if she did, this would confirm Ste''s


    ims of her bullying the neers.


    Ynda swallowed her anger and turned to the makeup artist.


    "Why are you just standing there? Hurry up and do my makeup!"

 Chapter 852

    Chapter 852


    Chapter 852


    The makeup artist turned red in anger.


    However, she could only swallow her discontentment and do Ynda''s makeup.


    Ynda felt vexed because of Ste, so she kept picking on the makeup artist.


    After the makeup artist did her makeup, Ynda insisted that both sides of her eye makeup were


    uneven.


    Then, she got the makeup artist to remove and redo her makeup.


    Once the makeup artist redid Ynda''s makeup, she said her contour was not done properly and made


    her face look bigger.


    The makeup artist removed and redid Ynda''s makeup back and forth five or six times.


    Ynda only slowly stood up when someone from the directorial team came over to urge her to leave.


    Then, she gave Ste a side eye, put on her coat, and waltzed away.


    Meanwhile, the makeup artist did not look happy after getting picked on.


    Ste knew she had gotten the makeup artist involved in this, so she felt a little guilty.


    However, the makeup artist did not say anything harsh and did Ste''s makeup dutifully.


    Ste took the initiative and chatted with her.


    "Janice, what brands do you usually use for eye makeup?"


    The makeup artist did not quite want to talk to her, so she said expressionlessly, "MAC or some local


    brands."


    "You must know a lot about cosmetics." The makeup artist wanted to roll her eyes.


    ¡®This is like asking a chef if they''re familiar with pots and pans; she''s asking the obvious!'' she


    thought.The makeup artist pursed her lips.So so."


    "Do you know the cosmetic brand Herseor, then? Is it good?"


    The makeup artist thought she was talking too much but still answered.


    "Herseor is a cosmetic brand created by the renowned makeup artist CC.They''re not sold to the public


    and only ept private orders.When I was an apprentice, I saw a famous actress with their makeup.Its


    application is really good.Their product sits best on the skin of all the makeup products I''ve seen."


    "So, they''re really good?"


    "More than good.They''re god-tier." Ste sighed.


    "What a shame," she said as she took out an unopened box of Herseor eyeshadow palette.


    "I''m not good at makeup, so letting me have this product is a waste." The makeup artist was stunned.


    She stared at the eyeshadow palette and asked, "Where did you get that?"


    "My friend gave this to me.Unfortunately, I''m not very good at makeup," she said and paused


    momentarily.


    She then continued, "Why don''t I give it to you? Good things can only unleash their worth in the hands


    of someone who knows how to use them."


    The makeup artist stuttered, "For...For me?"


    Ste smiled with her eyes and said, "I''m not giving it for free though.You have to make my makeup


    look goad in exchange."


    "You don''t even need to say it!¡® the makeup artist thought.The makeup artist immediately moved past


    the incident and enthusiastically did Ste''s makeup. Ste smiled.


    Everyone is just trying to make a living, and what people want while working is merely respect.


    Giving a small gift to win the hearts of others will prevent me from being boycotted here.After all, the


    set is also a workce, so I need to be a little crafty" she thought.


    When Ste finished her makeup and came outside, everyone was already at their positions.


    Only the lighting engineers and cameraman were adjusting their equipment.


    Everyone looked up and turned to Ste when she arrived.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    The first scene was about dance students collectively performing on a show on the local television


    station.


    That was why they not only wore the same clothes but also practically had the same hairstyle, which


    wasbed-back hair that revealed their entire face.


    They looked clean and nice.


    While everyone was dressed the same, Ste was extraordinarily eye-catching just by standing there.

 Chapter 853

    Chapter 853


    Chapter 853


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    There was actually not much the makeup artist could do on her face.


    Initially, the scene was about 18 or 19-year-old dance students performing at the New Year''s G.


    Based on the director''s request, the actors had to reflect a student''s in and elegant side.


    So, they all had very light makeup.


    The makeup artist only gave Ste some base makeup, eye makeup, and eyebrows.


    However, the effects were already surprisingly good.


    She did not even need to contour Ste''s face.


    Even Stuart, a director who was used to seeing all kinds of beauties in the entertainment industry, was


    impressed.


    Then, he was once again thankful for his wise decision.


    "Ste is an amazing fit for the role of Georgia, who''s elegant, cold, beautiful, and arrogant.Of all the


    actors, I''m most satisfied with this casting" he thought.


    However, there were bound to be unhappy people when there were happy ones.


    For instance, Be and Ynda.


    Ynda was unhappy purely because of what happened just now, but Be felt this way because of


    jealousy and discontentment.She could not stand Ste stealing her thunder time and time again in the


    show she was starring in.


    While everyone was still in a daze from the visual feast Ste had brought them, another showstopper


    appeared right after.


    Ste heard the screams of the fans outside before she even saw the person.She turned around and


    saw that Leighton had appeared.He wore at -shirt and a suit, which was padded in the shoulders and


    popr in the 1990s.


    Leighton was tall and had broad shoulders, but his face was small and delicate.


    The suit made his shoulders look even wider, and he looked incredibly arrogant.


    ¡®In Rainee''s group photos back in college, many of the boys dressed this way.When I looked at the


    photos, I made fun of the clothes from that period of time for being corny.Now that I look at it, it really


    depends on who''s wearing the clothes for it to be corny.Not only did the clothes not look corny on him,


    he even made them look cultured" she thought.


    Leighton''s character was a top student.


    His name in the movie was Ralph.He was a history student, childhood friends with Georgia, and also


    Georgia''s first husband.


    When Leighton saw Ste look in his direction, he subconsciously straightened his back and walked


    over while pretending to be calm.


    Little did he know that his fans had already taken videos of him walking with unnatural arm-leg


    coordination.


    Every single fan who shipped "Lei" went crazy.


    Leighton walked to Ste''s side and stood still.


    Ste smiled her eyes and gave him a thumbs up.


    "You look super handsome," she said in a low voice.


    Leighton''s ears immediately turned red.


    His head was filled with the thought, ''Sheplimented me.Sheplimented me.Sheplimented


    me...Since everyone had arrived, the director did not dawdle around.


    He immediately told everyone to get to their ces.


    The first scene was the highlight of the movie.


    At the g performance, Lexi fainted on stage while dancing a duet with Georgia.


    After that, she was sent to the intensive care unit inaa for 37 days.


    Since many of her organs were failing, she was given critical illness notices several times.


    The doctors could not find the cause of her illness, so they consulted experts nationwide.


    In the end, a pathologist suggested that it could be "Thalium" poisoning.


    Then, the incident turned into an attempted murder, and an investigation wasunched.


    Georgia was the initial lead dancer during the dance rehearsal.


    However, it waster changed to Lexi.


    Ever since then, Georgia had held a grudge.


    Before Georgia went on stage, she overheard others talking about the change of lead dancer.


    They said that it was because someone had made a report saying that there was something shady


    behind her winning her previous award.


    The school then switched out Georgia to neutralize its impact.


    Georgia thought that Lexi was the one who made the report, and a fierce conflict broke out between


    them before they went on stage.


    After that, Lexi fainted in the middle of the performance, and Georgia became the biggest suspect.


    There was a p scene in this scene.


    First, Georgia would p Lexi, and Lexi''s bestie, Lulu, would stand up for Lexi and retaliate against


    Georgia.


    Stuart wanted to strive for realism, so he had a discussion with Ste, Be, and Ynda.


    He asked if they were alright about actually pping each other in this scene instead of using


    malposition to fake the action.

 Chapter 854

    Chapter 854


    Chapter 854


    Naturally, Ste was fine with it, and Be had no objections.


    As for Ynda, she had been having issues with Ste a long time ago and was waiting for a moment


    to release her pent-up resentment.


    ¡®Isn''t this my chance? I''ve been in the entertainment industry for a long time.I''m well aware of how to


    bully other actors while acting, ¡® she thought.


    Ste nced at Ynda''s twinkling eyes.


    Then, she lowered her gaze.


    While she walked past the prop team, she quietly took something from the prop tray.


    Leighton saw her action and froze.


    However, he did not say a thing.


    After everyone got to their ces, the director shouted, "Action!"


    Then, they kicked off the first scene.


    In the washroom, two girls in dance outfits talked quietly.


    "Hey, do you know why Ms.Hull got switched out of the lead dancer position?"


    The other girl shook her head and replied, "No, I don''t.Why?"


    "I heard that someone made a report to the school, listing Georgia''s family tree.They suspect that


    something shady happened before thepetition.The person made well-grounded points and pointed


    out Georgia''s mistake during thepetition.They questioned the judges at the time.And, they also


    questioned the school administration and asked why she was allowed to lead the team when she


    wasn''t the best dancer in school.Isn''t there something fishy about this? This letter wasn''t only sent to


    the school but also to the Department of Education.The school was worried that this would affect their


    reputation, so they switched out Georgia from the lead dancer position."


    "They switched her out because they were questioned? Wouldn''t that make them look guilty?"


    "Everyone saw Georgia''s mistake.Besides, the award she won is of great value, so the school won''t


    take the risk of being investigated.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    "Who do you think made the report?"


    The other girl nced around before she said in a low voice, "I think it''s someone from our ss.


    Think about it.


    They clearly pointed out her mistakes, so they definitely also took dance sses.


    Otherwise, they wouldn''t have sounded so professional.


    Moreover, someone will naturally rece Georgia once she''s removed."


    "You mean Lexi¡ª"


    "I didn''t say that.Let''s go.Hurry up and get your makeup done.We need to go on stage in a while."


    The two of them hurriedly left the washroom.


    Then, the sound of flushing water came from the closed cubicle next to them, and Georgia came out


    with an icy expression.


    At the backstage, everyone was busy doing their makeup and getting changed, so nobody paid


    attention to Georgia.


    They watched as she expressionlessly walked across the crowd before she grabbed Lexi by the


    shoulder and pped her.


    Lexi staggered momentarily from the p and almost fell down.


    A girl from the dance group next to them held Lexi.


    "Georgia, why did you p her?!"


    Lulu furiously rushed over.


    Georgia hadpletely bloodshot eyes, and her face was coated in a cold sweat.


    "I pped her because she needs a beating!" she said as she raised her hand once more.


    Lulu grabbed Georgia''s hand and pped her.


    Ynda definitely saved up all of her strength for this p.She even revealed an excited and sardonic


    smile when she threw the p.


    The p flung Ste to the ground, bringing down the stool beside her.She fell onto the ground, and


    blood seeped out of the corner of her lips.


    There was an uproar on the set.


    Stuart grabbed the megaphone and shouted, "I told you to control your strength.Why did you p her


    so hard?!!"


    Meanwhile, Ynda looked at Ste in disbelief.


    ¡®I did touch Ste''s face, but she fell backward the moment I touched her.The strength I used did


    nothing to her face, so how could it possibly have made her bleed?!¡¯ she thought.

 Chapter 855

    Chapter 855


    Chapter 855


    Stuart quickly came over to check on Ste''s injury and asked about her well-being.


    Ste sat up and smiled through her paleplexion.


    Then, she said with forced lightheartedness, "It''s fine, Mr.Winfield.Ynda didn''t do it intentionally.She


    was just too caught up in the moment.It''s my fault for dodging it too slow.I should''ve stood more


    steadily just now.Before this, we seeded with one take.But now, I''ve troubled everyone because we


    need to retake the scene."


    Ynda''s face contorted after hearing Ste''s words.


    "You clearly fell down yourself.What''s that got to do with me? Do I have iron fists? I can make you spit


    blood with just a p?"When Stuart heard Ynda''s words, his expression turned sour, "


    Supposedly, the p scene needs two actors to cooperate.How many years have you been an actor?


    Can''t you even control your strength? And your expression just now.


    You''re helping your friend retaliate, but look at your expression! If one didn''t know the story, they''d think


    that Georgia killed your entire family!"


    Ynda''s face turned red in anger.


    Stuart then turned to Ste and consoled her.


    "Get some rest.After this, a doctor wille and take a look at you."


    Ste shook her head and said, "It''s alright.My tongue hit my teeth.I''ll be fine after gargling."


    Ynda thought of something and suddenly jumped up.


    "You''repletely unhurt, aren¡¯t you? You''re trying to frame me, aren''t you?" she said.


    Ste frowned.


    "Ynda, let''s end it here.Don''t slow down everyone''s filming progress."


    Ynda sneered, "Hah! I knew it! You''re feeling guilty now, aren''t you? Mr.Winfield, tell the doctor to


    come.I dare to say that she doesn''t have any injuries in her mouth!"


    Stuart had a tense and icy expression.Meanwhile, everyone else had various expressions.


    When Be saw this, she said, "Mr.Winfield, why don''t you let the doctore and take a look? If the


    injury is serious and not treated on time, the filming progress will be slowed down even more. What do


    you think?"


    Ste nced at her and had a strange expression.


    Before Stuart could speak, Leighton impatiently said, "We''re stuck for so long when we''re only on the


    first scene.How can we finish filming in two months? The shot just now was continuous, and it clearly


    caught her spitting out blood, so what''s there to investigate? The person who got pped didn''t even


    say anything, yet the person who pped the other is acting righteously.What''s the matter? Do you


    n on going through the legal procedure and paying herpensation after examining her injury?


    Would that work?"Be pursed her lips and said, "The purpose of the investigation is to set things


    straight."


    "If you were also this serious about your acting, you wouldn''t have not won a single award after working


    for a few years," Leighton sneered icily.


    Be''s expression stiffened.


    Leighton usually would not speak, but when he did, his words usually hit people where they hurt.


    Ynda said angrily, "What''s wrong with letting the doctor take a look at her? She doesn''t dare to do so


    because she''s guilty¡ª"


    Before she could finish speaking, Stuart already felt annoyed.He stood up and said, "All of you zip


    it.Film if you can; if you can''t, get lost!"


    His words immediately stopped Ynda from saying what she wanted to say.


    Ynda turned red in anger.


    Then, she dramatically turned around and left.


    Shea hurriedly brought over some water for Ste to gargle.


    After everyone had left, Shea finally spoke.


    "I was scared shitless just now.What you did was a little too risky."


    At first, she did not notice that Ste had taken a blood bag.She only saw Ste walk past the prop


    team and did not see her actions at all.She only realized what had happened when Ste spat out


    "blood".


    Ste spat out a mouthful of water.Then, she said in a low voice, "I''ve got to let her know that I''m not


    someone to be messed with.Otherwise, she''ll keep finding ways to give me trouble."


    Shea sighed.


    "Thank God the doctor didn''te.Otherwise, you would''ve been exposed after a single nce." Ste


    smiled.


    "My cover wouldn''t have been blown even if the doctor came."


    "If the doctor were to reallye, I''ll just bite the inside of my cheeks.No biggie.I''ll hurt myself, but


    she''ll suffer more damage.It''s a pretty worthwhile deal" she thought.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

 Chapter 856

    Chapter 856


    Chapter 856


    Shea began to face her boss.


    Although she had little experience, she was quick on her feet and liked to take action.She even had


    backup ns.


    It would be hard for others to take advantage of her.It seemed that there was nothing to be worried


    about when it came to Keegan''s orders.


    On the contrary, they should be d she was not bullying others on set.


    Stuart was so mad at Ynda for leaving the scene midway that he skipped her act and began filming


    Ste and Leighton''s scene.


    In the script, Georgia and Ralph were childhood sweethearts.


    Georgia always acted superior to others, but she was like a little girl when she was with Ralph.


    Though, Ralph and Lexi were also in an ambiguous rtionship.


    It was mentioned that after Lexi passed out on stage, a man in a suit watched her indifferently from a


    distance.


    The script did not mention who the guy in the suit was, but Ste had an understanding that it was


    Ralph.


    Hence, the few emotional scenes between them were useful in promoting the plot.


    In this scene, Georgia visited Ralph''s apartment.


    When she was showering, she noticed a hairpin she had not seen before in the bathroom.


    She called Ralph over to look at it, and he said that it was a surprise for her.


    He then carried her out of the bathroom, and they entered an intimate state on the bed.


    Leighton froze when he heard what they were doing.


    ''It''s the only intimate scene in the whole movie, and we''re already going to film it! Is Stuart crazy?''


    Leighton thought.


    He sneaked a nce at Ste, who was sitting there as the makeup artist put on her makeup.Her eyes


    were fixed on the script in her hand; there were not many emotions on her face.


    Perhaps sensing Leighton''s gaze, Ste turned to look who it was.


    When she saw that it was him, she smiled and jokingly said, "I''ll try not to be too touchy with you


    later.Please tell your fans to go easy on me."


    Leighton''s ears turned red.He scratched his head and said, "We''re professional actors.My fans will


    understand."


    "That''s good," Ste chuckled.


    Yuna secretly observed their expressions and sent a text with her phone.


    Vermont was sitting in his chair, twirling it round and round.


    ''I haven''t gotten the chance to eat miss bandit''s food for days.To be honest, I kinda miss it.I have to find


    a way to grab a bite."


    Just as Vermont was thinking about it, his phone beeped.


    He looked at it and regained his spirits immediately.


    Being a gossip, he sent a text to Keegan.


    Keegan had just finished his word when he saw the message: [Your wife is going to film a sex scene


    with Leighton today.Do you wanna go on set?]


    Keegan was speechless.


    They were filming the shower scene on set.


    The director had yelled action, and Ste entered the scene in a tube top and short skirt.


    After taking a shower, Georgia put on her pajamas.


    When she was drying her hair, she saw a light-yellow hairpin on the sink She picked it up and looked at


    it for a long time.


    She then put down the hair dryer and shouted, "Ralph, why is there a hairpin in your bathroom?!"


    "What hairpin?"


    Ralph''s voice came from outside.


    "Why are you asking me when it''s your bathroom?" Georgia asked while wiping her hair with a towel.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    "Did you ask a girl out behind my back and bring her into your apartment?" Ralph did not answer.


    Georgia then yelled, "Why aren''t you saying anything? Is it because you''re guilty? I¡¯m telling you, if


    you''re cheating on me, I''ll¡ª AHH¡ª"


    Before she could finish speaking, a pair of arms stretched out from behind and carried her.

 Chapter 857

    Chapter 857


    Chapter 857


    "What are you doing?!"


    Georgia struggled while hitting the person who carried her.


    "Put me down!" she yelled.


    Ralph threw her on the bed and pressed himself against her.


    Just as he was about to kiss her, Georgia pushed him away.She pulled out the yellow hairpin and said,


    "Tell me.Where did you get this hairpin?!"


    Ralph chuckled, took the hair essory, and put it in her hair.


    "The shop owner didn''t have any change when I was buying cigarettes, so he gave me this hairpin


    instead."


    As he said that, he grabbed Georgia''s chin, looked and her, and smiled.


    "It looks good on you."


    Georgia took the hairpin off and held it in her hands.She looked at it for a while and threw it aside while


    she pursed her lips.


    "It''s ugly, " she said.


    She then hooked her arms around Ralph''s neck and said softly, "My visa is almost done.Wait for me


    when you get there.I''ll fly over to you after six months."


    "Six months..?"


    Ralph looked at her and said, "Isn''t that a little too long?"


    "It''s one semester.I heard that the girls over there are gorgeous," Georgia said slowly.


    "Is that so? I guess I''ll have to take a good look when I''m there," Ralph replied yfully.


    Georgia hit him on the shoulder and stared at him as she said, "Don''t you dare!"


    Ralphughed and said, "Okay, okay."


    He grabbed her chin and was about to lean over to kiss her when...


    BANG! The reflector fell to the head of the bed, almost hitting Leighton''s hand.


    Stuart cursed the gods when the shot got interrupted.


    "What is wrong with you? Is holding that thing so hard?"


    The crew member who was holding the reflector was embarrassed.He felt something hit his elbow


    earlier, so he subconsciously let go of the reflector.He kept apologizing, but Stuart was not having it.


    Suddenly, Vermont''s voice came from behind.


    "It''s summer, and the weather is hot.There isn''t any air conditioning here, so getting sweaty hands is


    normal.Maybe that''s why he couldn''t hold the thing steadily."


    Vermont handed Stuart a ss of watermelon juice and said, "Here, Mr.Winfield.Don''t be mad.Let''s get


    back to work after a short break."


    Stuart could only suppress his anger when he saw that it was Vermont.He grabbed the ss of juice


    and said, "Mr.Snyder, what brings you here?"


    "I''m here to see Yuna, of course.This is the first time she''s in a big -screen production.I was worried


    she''d get stage fright, so I came to show her support."


    Stuart nced at Vermont and thought, ''Why would a big boss like youe all the way here to watch


    an actress with a small supporting role? She doesn''t even have much screen time"


    He then recalled how much of a gossip Vermont was and suspected that he was there to see Leighton


    and Ste.


    Without waiting for Stuart to speak, Vermont greeted everyone on set, "Come, everyone.I''ve brought


    fresh juice for you guys to relieve the heat.Keep up the hard work!"


    He then turned around and said, "Hurry up, Keegan! Distribute the drinks!"


    "Keegan?"


    Ste was fixing her hair when she heard that name.She looked up, and her face changed.


    Standing next to Vermont was a tall man wearing a mask, a white shirt with sleeves to his wrists, a pair


    of suit pants, and a pair of leather shoes on a hot day.


    When Ste looked over at him, the other party happened to look at her too.


    ''Who is it if not Keegan? she thought as she stared into the unique pair of eyes.He held chilled, freshly


    squeezed juice bottles and distributed them to everyone.Stuart nced at the person with the mask


    and asked Vermont, "Is he an artist from yourpany?"


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    Keegan''s eyes were mesmerizing, especially since it was the only exposed part of his face.


    It was no surprise that Stuart thought he was an artist for showing up with the boss of an entertainment


    company.


    Most of the time, they would bring neers on set and try to push them.


    "No," said Vermont.


    "He''s my driver."


    Stuart''s eyelids twitch at the sound of that.


    "A driver? Did you...Pick him out from the artists of yourpany?"


    Vermont smiled and said, "Only the top half of his face is good- looking.The bottom half of his face


    would surely scare you to death.That''s why he''s wearing a mask despite the hot weather."

 Chapter 858

    Chapter 858


    Chapter 858


    Vermont was making things up.


    Whether Stuart believed him was unclear, but he stopped asking more questions after that.


    On the other hand, Leighton was very much still immersed in the movie scene.His ears could not help


    turning red when he saw Ste.


    "Did I identally throw you too hard just now?" he whispered.


    When Leighton tossed Ste onto the bed, her head hit the bed frame.He heard a soft bang because


    he was so close to her, but she did not say anything.So, he continued to act out his part.


    "Yeah, but it''s fine.It doesn''t hurt that much," Ste smiled.


    "I would''ve yelled out in pain if it did."


    Leighton did not major in acting but was born for this career; he understood his role as Ralph well.He


    did not look like a celebrity when they were shooting the scene earlier.


    With his hair down and his sses on, he looked like a college student who was gentle and kind.


    There was not even an ounce of hostility in his manner.His lines and expressions were also delivered


    very well.


    Ste knew she was not a gifted actor because she had seen what they looked like.


    Those who were born to be actors did not need to learn any theoretical knowledge systematically or


    practice their expressions repeatedly.


    Gifted actors could quickly empathize with the characters in the script and enter their roles immediately.


    Even if there were ws in their acting, it was not something that a good director could not fix with a bit


    of guidance.


    Ste could only score 95% out of 100% with hard work.


    The remaining 5% came from talent, which hard work cannotpensate for.


    However, Leighton was different.He could easily win her over with his 5%.


    This made Ste a little envious of him.


    Leighton sighed in relief and handed Ste a kiwi and pear juice.


    "Here.You have it.I''ll go grab another one."


    Before Ste could say anything, a ss of mango juice appeared before her.She froze for a moment


    and looked up to see Keegan.He lowered his eyes and nced at her lightly, holding the mango juice.


    Ste was at a loss for words.She coughed and said, "You have it.I like mango juice better."


    After saying that, she took the ss of juice out of Keegan''s hand.


    Leighton was a little disappointed, but he did not say anything.He just grabbed the juice and sat to the


    side.


    Keegan could not talk to Ste because there were many people around, so he stood beside her with a


    stern face.


    The people next to them did not even have to drink the juice to feel the sudden drop in temperature.


    Ste kicked him on the calf when no one was paying attention and signaled him to leave.


    Keegan pretended not to see it, and she frowned.She wanted to kick him again when she heard Stuart


    say, "Times up.Let''s finish filming and call it a day."


    So, she had no choice but to withdraw her legs.


    After a while, the situation on set returned to its original state.


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    However, the person in charge of the reflector was nowhere in sight.


    "Where is that guy?" Stuart asked.


    "He''s in the toilet.He''ll be out in a sec," said someone from the lighting team.


    Stuart''s eyes twitched.


    "Does he expect us all to wait for him?" he said.


    "It''s an easy job, right? Why not have someone else do it?" Vermont asked with a smile.


    "We need someone tall and strong," said Stuart.


    Ralph''s bed was ced against the wall.


    Since it was a single bed, they could not put a light stand there.


    Thus, they had to use a reflector to get the best lighting.


    The reflector was three feet long and had a little weight to it, so not everyone could be in charge of


    holding it.


    "Wait.I have an idea!"


    Vermont immediately rmended his "driver" to do the job.


    "Keegan,e and do Mr.Winfield a favor.Go up there and hold that thing."

 Chapter 859

    Chapter 859


    Chapter 859


    Ste''s eyelids twitched violently.She quickly tried to stop him and said, "Mr.Winfield, wouldn''t it be


    better to find an experienced crew member?"


    Before Stuart could speak, Vermont said, "Are there even professional and technical requirements to


    hold a reflector? The person just needs to have enough strength to hold the thing, and strength is the


    only thing my driver has."


    Seeing that the person initially in charge of the reflector was noting back soon, Stuart did not want


    to waste any more time.


    "Let''s just roll with it for now.Ben, show him how it''s done and get things started."


    Ste did not know what to say.


    Everyone was performing their duties while she held a worried expression on her face.


    Due to theyout of the bed, the person holding the reflector had to stand at the head of the bed.


    As soon as Stey upward on the bed, she could see Keegan holding the board and looking at


    her.She told herself to treat him like he was invisible.She ignored Keegan and looked at Leighton as


    they re-entered the scene.


    "I heard that the girls over there are gorgeous."


    Leighton propped himself on top of Ste and smiled, saying, "Is that so? I guess I''ll have to take a


    good look when I''m there."


    Ste stared at him as she said, "Don''t you dare!"


    "Okay, okay," Leighton chuckled.


    After saying that, Ste leaned down on the bed again.She was really into the scene when she nced


    up and saw Keegan looking down at her.


    Ste could not see his expression due to the mask, but the hurt in his eyes made her feel guilty.


    Before Leighton''s kiss fell on her lips, she subconsciously turned her head away.He did not expect her


    to do that, so he paused and froze.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Ste apologized immediately and said, "Sorry.Can we take that shot again? I wasn''t ready."


    Stuart found it strange since Daniel, who had worked with her before, told him she was a great actor.


    During the filming of The Pce, Ste was able to enter her role quickly and rarely caused any cuts in


    filming.


    "What''s going on? Is something wrong?"


    ¡° No."


    Ste could not say that she could not kiss her scene partner because her ex-husband was staring at


    her.So she said, "This is my first time working with such a big star.I''m just nervous since it''s a kissing


    scene."


    Leighton was taken aback for a moment when he heard that.


    Suddenly, his ears turned red.


    Keegan watched how overwhelmed and shy Leighton was getting, and his temples started to twitch.


    After hearing what Ste had said, the director smiled and said, "That''s understandable.Let''s readjust


    the position and do it again."


    "Okay," Ste replied.


    She was confident in her professionalism and had a n in mind.


    However, things backfired.


    The director yelled "cut" three times in a row.


    Every time Leighton was about to kiss her, she would open her eyes ording to the script and see


    Keegan''s face staring at her.


    The cute and sexy scene between the two had be a crime scene.


    Finally, Ste could no longer take it.


    Everyone showed dissatisfaction on their face during the fifth take.


    Ste knew that her reputation would be ruined if this went on.


    Hence, when Leighton finished saying "Okay, okay" for the fifth time, she wrapped one of her hands


    around his neck, took off the bracelet on her wrist with the other hand, and threw it aside.


    She then pulled the sheets over his head and turned her face away while fiddling under the nket


    with her hands.


    Keegan clearly saw what was happening from above, and theers of his lips curled up


    unconsciously.


    The director looked at the fluttering sheets and was stunned for a moment before yelling, "Cut!"


    Ste pulled off the sheets, feeling extremely guilty.


    To her surprise, Stuart was happy with the shot.


    The bracelet Georgia had on was a rosary which was usually worn by religious people.

 Chapter 860

    Chapter 860


    Chapter 860


    Georgia was not a religious person, but her family was.She had always been a well-behaved and


    sensible girl in her family''s eyes.


    However, Georgia was actually rebellious.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    When she removed the rosary bracelet and made out with Ralph, it symbolized her breaking her


    religion''s view on sex before marriage, further showing her rebellious side.


    Stuart liked the metaphor very much and praised Ste repeatedly for her impromptu act.


    "That was good.Very good.I always felt that something was missing in this scene.How did you ever


    think of doing that, Ste?"


    Ste was quiet.


    There was no way she would expose herself by saying that she had to do it because she did not want


    to kiss someone else in front of her ex-husband.


    "The idea popped up, and I wanted to give it a try," sheughed dryly in reply.


    Leighton sat on the side, feeling a little disappointed.He did not have any distracting thoughts when


    they were shooting the scene.


    Ste was good at acting and delivered her lines well.Her skills were able to pull him into the scene


    where she was Georgia¡ª Ralph''s childhood sweetheart.


    However, when the cameras stopped filming, Ste was Dusk Gxy¡ªLeighton''s idol for the past two


    to three years.


    As a fan, he was excited to kiss her on screen.So naturally, he was not happy about it when it did not


    work out.


    Vermont found the whole thing meaningless.He was annoyed they did not kiss since he wanted to see


    Keegan go crazy.


    ''Who knew that Ste would be such a coward? One look, and she can''t kiss him? Ugh" thought


    Vermont.


    They then continued to film several scenes after that.


    Keegan watched the whole thing, but because there were no intimate scenes, Ste was not affected


    by his stare.


    The sky waspletely dark by the time work was over.


    When Ste returned to her dressing room to remove her makeup, she received a text from Keegan


    saying, [ I''ll wait for you outside.]


    Ste thought about how that man stood by the bed during filming and got mad.She quickly removed


    her makeup and left the set after saying bye to Shea.She saw Keegan''s car at a nce went she


    exited the ce.She walked up to the car sullenly, and the door opened.


    Keegan sat on the inside and said, "Get in."


    Ste did not want to be the center of gossip, so she got into the car to avoid being seen.She wanted to


    give Keegan a tongueshing as soon as the door closed, but he handed her a mango pudding and


    said, "That took a long time.You must be hungry."


    Ste did not say a word.


    Instead, she suppressed everything she was about to say and just stared at him.


    "Why did you show up? Don''t you have work to do?"


    ¡®work wasn''t hectic this afternoon, so I came to visit and see what filming is like," Keegan replied slowly.


    ¡®Who does he think he''ll convince?"


    "Was that why you were standing at the head of my bed?"


    Keegan closed his eyes and said, "I was just doing the crew a favor."


    Ste was about to leave the car when Keegan wrapped his arms around her waist and said as he


    gritted his teeth, "I was jealous, okay?"


    Ste stopped and looked at him.


    "The kiss wasn''t real.It''s called acting.It''s my job.You''ll mess things up for me if you keep doing this,


    you know?"


    "I was just holding the reflector.I didn''t even say anything," Keegan pursed his lips and said in a muffled


    voice.


    Ste''s eyelids twitched at the sound of that.


    "Are you trying to say that I''m not professional enough?"


    "I''m saying that you have a high moral limit and a strong sense of shame.You care about your partner,


    and you have good values."

 Chapter 861

    Chapter 861


    Chapter 861


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®His words make me feel good, but.." she thought.


    "Don''t butter me up.Do you think I don''t know? You''re deliberately causing trouble!"


    Keegan countered, "Would you feel indifferent if I were to kiss another woman?" Ste frowned.


    At the thought of the scene, she suddenly felt ufortable.


    However, she still wanted to persuade Keegan.


    "Those are two different things! This is my job; everything is fake.


    "I know," Keegan lowered his gaze and looked at her.


    He continued, "But the fact that my heart aches is real.The fact that I''m upset is also real."


    Ste was startled and suddenly could not speak.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Keegan circled his arms around his waist and inched a little closer to her.


    Then, he said in a muffled voice, "Must you shoot intimate scenes? Can you not do it?"


    Ste yielded to soft approaches rather than forceful ones, so she could not help but relent when she


    heard Keegan''s tone.


    Well...It''s not like I have to.Of course, it depends on the script, but directors usually don''t like actors


    with too many restrictive conditions."


    "That means they''re not good enough and can only rely on borderline explicit things to get attention."


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®This guy.He''s tarring all directors with the same brush" she thought.


    "Not all directors are like that.Why can''t people shoot intimate scenes in a romance film?"


    "Why is it necessary to shoot intimate scenes in a romance film? Didn''t you say that novelist S.Y.


    Jewell''s romance novels are all purely romance and have no action, yet you still can''t get enough of her


    work?"


    The corner of Ste''s eyes twitched, "How''s that the same thing? Besides, do you think she doesn''t


    want to write some action? She''s probably worried her superiors will want to have a word with her."


    Keegan said in a low voice, "The same logic applies. I''ll admit that my selfishness is a part of it.Still, the


    public always harshly scrutinizes and makes malicious spections about women in the workforce,


    especially women like you who stand out appearance- wise.Aside from my mere jealousy, I certainly


    don''t want you to bebeled."


    Ste was startled.


    Keegan had brought up the biggest problem with the calmest tone.


    ¡®For an excessively beautiful actress, her intimate scenes and the explicitness of her scenes will always


    be more buzz-worthy than her acting.


    Even if she wins an award that carries weight, she''ll be mocked with words like "XYZ Award has


    declined.Someone can win an award just by taking off their clothes and moaning".


    For instance, if a female employee is promoted too quickly, nobody cares about her efforts and the


    value she has created for thepany.


    Instead, they care more about the gossip about the men around her.


    Once they find "dirt" on her, they''ll, without hesitation, attribute her getting her position to her looks and


    deny all of her worth" she thought.


    Ste looked up and stared at Keegan, "How many parts of it is your selfishness?"


    Keegan hesitated momentarily.


    Then, he decided to tell the truth.


    "Nine out of ten parts."


    Ste nced at him in surprise.


    After a while, she finally said, "If your answer just now were anything lower than five parts, I would have


    deducted 10,000 points."


    Keegan broke out in cold sweat on his back.


    ¡®That was close.I almost went back to square one" he thought.


    Naturally, Keegan was more concerned if his persuasion had gotten to her.


    "Well, you won''t be shooting intimate scenes anymore, right?"


    Ste said, "It depends on the situation."


    Keegan frowned.


    ¡®I''ve been talking for so long, and this is the oue? [ thought my words had gotten through her" he


    thought.


    The truth was, his words had already persuaded her.


    ¡®Keegan said a lot.But ultimately, the words that touched me the most were, "The fact that my heart


    aches is real. The fact that I''m upset is also real".


    Shooting is my job.


    My job is important, but it isn''t everything.


    The feelings of my significant other are really important too.


    After all, it''s not like I have to shoot intimate scenes; actors can choose their roles.However, he''ll


    probably get cocky if I say this aloud" she thought.


    Ste grabbed the pudding at the side.


    She ate it while asking, " Where''s Mr.Snyder?"


    Keegan was still troubled by her filming intimate scenes, so he said in a depressed tone, "At the


    washroom."


    Ste froze, "Why''d he go to the washroom again?"


    Keegan took his anger out on his bad influence of a friend, "Why else? He has bad kidneys."


    Ste was at a loss for words.

 Chapter 862

    Chapter 862


    Chapter 862


    Just as she wanted to say something, her phone notified her of a message.She looked down and


    nced at her phone.


    [You have received a transfer of 50,000 in your ount.] The transferer was actually Albert.


    He also left a post- script.


    [P/S: Tell me if you need anything.] Ste was bewildered.


    ¡®Has Albert gone crazy? Since I got married, Albert has never given me money on his own ord.


    Thest time he spent money on me was because everyone had set him up, and he couldn''t back


    down.So he had no choice but to spend a million dors to buy me a bracelet" she thought.


    "What''s wrong?" Keegan asked when he saw Ste''s furrowed brows.


    She snapped out of her thoughts, "Albert transferred me 50,000 dors."


    Keegan paused.


    "He transferred money to you?"


    "Previously, he called me and wanted to take me in as his foster daughter."


    Ste felt sick at the thought of Albert''s feigned kindness.She continued, "He wants to reconnect our


    father-daughter rtionship with money; how "generous" of him."


    Keegan frowned, "You agreed to it?"


    "No way!"


    Ste rolled her eyes.She continued, "I''m not an idiot.


    He''s merely willing to spend money on me because he thinks there''s a possibility of us reconciling.He


    wants to use our rtionship to continue riding on The Vinci Rivera Group''s coattails.He thinks now


    that I''m an illegitimate daughter, I must have a decent identity if I want to remarry you.


    Since he''s being merciful by taking me as his foster daughter and charitably giving me the identity of


    the family''s daughter, I will definitely find it hard to resist.


    Right now, he''s waiting for me to take the bait.


    Who would want such a shitty status? So be it if I can''t get married. Who cares?!"


    Keegan twitched his eyes, and he pursed his lips.


    "I think getting married is still better.It''s guaranteed by thew."


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    "I''m trying to be serious with you!"


    Keegan chuckled, "I''m also being serious; you should consider my words."


    Ste automatically skipped the discussion.She took a screenshot while saying, "That cheapskate,


    Albert, actually transferred 50,000 dors to me.I''m starting to wonder if he scammed someone


    rich.Otherwise, why''s he being so generous?"


    Keegan was speechless.


    A little after, Vermont arrived.


    Once he got in the car, he teased Keegan, "Keegan, are you giving up? Come over and drive."


    Keegan said two words to him, "Fuck off."


    "Tsk I have the status of a boss but the life of a chauffeur," said Vermont.


    Then, he put on his seatbelt and started the car.


    On the way, he asked Keegan, "It''s Molly''s birthday this Friday.Are you going?"


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Keegan replied coldly, "No."


    "How about you, Ste?"


    Ste said, "I''m not close with Ms.Moore."


    Vermont frowned and said, "If you are all not going, then what is the point of me going? I won''t go too,


    then."


    Initially, Keegan wanted to have a meal with them.However, Aldor called him and asked him to go to


    thepany.


    And so, the meal did not happen.


    Vermont drove Keegan back to hispany.


    Then, he and Ste went back to Clouditude International together.


    BANG! Ynda flung the mug to the ground.


    "Are you trying to scald me to death? It''s so hot!" she roared angrily.


    Yoven saw Ynda picking on her assistant as soon as he entered the room.


    The young girl, who was in her twenties, paled as she got told off. She looked really pitiful.

 Chapter 863

    Chapter 863


    Chapter 863


    Yoven furrowed his brows and said, "What''s happening here?"


    When Ynda saw that it was her benefactor, she immediately acted coyly.


    "It''s all because of this clumsy fellow.She almost scalded me."


    "Why are you asking her to get you hot water on a hot day?"


    Naturally, Ynda refused to admit she was picking on her assistant.


    Instead, she said coquettishly, "That''s because I''m on my period; I can''t have cold drinks."


    Yoven was obviously looking for Ynda to deal with his problems down there.


    When he heard she was on her period, he immediately lost interest, "You should get some rest since


    you''re not feeling well.I''lle over some other day."


    Ynda could not possibly let him leave.


    ¡®The second he leaves my ce, he''ll get into someone else''s bed.Everything I use and eat, including


    all of my good resources, are all given to me by this fat man.How could I possibly let some other slut


    keep himpany?¡¯ she thought.


    She tenderly embraced the man.


    Then, she suggestively slid her fingers down to his waist.


    "I''m unwell, but that doesn''t stop me from making you feel good, daddy," she said seductively.


    Yoven started to breathe heavily, and his gaze darkened.


    Ynda''s assistant took the hint; she left and helped them shut the door.


    A whileter, embarrassing sounds came from within the room.


    After the sounds stopped, the man became physically and mentally happy.


    His fingers absentmindedly rubbed her shoulders.


    "Who made you angry again to make you pick on your assistant?" he asked.


    "Of course it''s that bitch, Ste Jewell!"


    At the mention of this, Ynda became angry.


    She exaggerated the incident on the set, "She fell onto the ground and spat out blood.Then, she


    insisted it was because of my p.I would''ve admitted if I really had pped her, but I didn''t eveny a


    finger on her at all! Now everyone on the team thinks I bully neers by using the shoot as an


    excuse.I can''t clear my name at all.This bitch.She stole my role, and now she''s trying to kick me out of


    the cast."


    Ynda had frequently taken her anger out on cast members and bullied the neers on set in the


    past.


    She only hit a wall when her tried-and-tested method was used on Ste.


    Apart from that, Ste even unexpectedly turned the situation around.


    Ynda could not swallow her discontentment.


    As she finished speaking, she hugged the man while begging coquettishly, "Daddy, could you help me


    find someone to mess with her? I want the bitch to have some setback for her attitude."


    "She dares to bully my people?"


    Yoven felt good after her service, so he was much easier to talk to than usual, "Send me her photo, and


    I''ll get someone to mess with her."


    Ynda instantly rejoiced.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Then, she immediately sent Ste''s photo over.


    Yoven had seen numerous beautiful women before but was still stunned by Ste''s beauty.


    He greedily stared at the person in the picture; he thought she was beautiful yet also familiar.


    "l feel like I''ve seen her somewhere before."


    Ynda saw the lecherous gaze in Yoven''s eyes and huffed, "You must find every beautiful woman


    familiar?"


    Yoven chuckled as he pinched her butt, "Why? Are you jealous?"


    "You don''t say?"


    Ynda smiled and straddled him.


    Then, her fingers slowly slid downward.She seductively whispered into his ear, "Daddy, if you help me


    dispose of her, I''ll y the game you mentionedst time with you."


    Yoven darkened his gaze and cursed.


    "You slut."


    He continued in a deep voice, "Just you wait."


    Then, he immediately got someone to handle the matter.


    Ynda smiled.


    She only felt content after taking revenge.


    At New Water Street of La Ventura, a Maserati stopped in front of the neighborhood at nine twenty-five


    at night.


    La Ventura was an estate that was developed two years ago in the old town district.


    It was a lower-middle-ss area far from the city, and its price was not high.


    Most of the house owners were older to middle-aged people and non-locals.


    This was why luxury cars were a rare sight.


    After a car pulled over, a beautiful young woman emerged.


    She stood there and waved her arms.


    After the Maserati left, she threw the flowers the man had gifted her into a trash can beside her.


    Then only did she turn around to enter the neighborhood.


    However, she took only a few steps before a pair of high-beam lights shone behind her.She thought


    she was blocking the car''s path and hurriedly moved aside.


    The car slowly drove over and stopped beside her.


    Then, the car''s window rolled down.It was a refined-looking man.He asked politely, "Are you Madam


    Xenia Garcia?"

 Chapter 864

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 864


    Chapter 864


    Thedy was stunned momentarily.


    ¡°I am. And you are?¡±


    Aldor answered warmly, ¡°My boss would like to discuss some matters with you. Are


    you free?¡±


    Xenia was slightly wary, ¡°Who¡¯s your boss?¡±


    Aldor replied, ¡¯The person whom Mr. Jewell emailed this afternoon is my boss. You


    must¡¯ve heard of him before.¡±


    Xenia¡¯s expression changed drastically, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    After saying this, she turned around and left in a hurry.


    Aldor tailed her slowly, ¡¯Xenia Garcia. 23 years old. Graduated from the Luitcham


    University of Technology and got epted into a Master¡¯s Program at Markham


    University. However, you didn¡¯t show up and chose to work instead. Your sister, Gina


    Garcia, got sexually assaulted over summer vacationst year. During the dispute,


    she identally stabbed the person, resulting in minor injuries. It¡¯s said that the


    person was only willing to drop charges after getting a 3-million-dorpensation.


    In order to save your sister from prison, you surrendered yourself to Albert. That¡¯s why


    you gave up on doing your Master¡¯s, right?¡±


    Xenia paused from walking. She clenched her fists, and her face turned ghostly pale.


    She turned to look at Aldor.


    ¡°What the hell do you want?¡± she asked in a trembling voice.


    Aldor smiled, ¡°Hop in, Ms. Garcia. Perhaps my boss could help free you from your


    current situation and get you back in school.¡¯


    The persona Xenia had in front of others was exposed, so she had no other choice.


    With a pale expression, she opened the car door. An imposing man was sitting in the


    backseat. He was handsome and tall. However, his indifferent expression gave off an


    icy feeling that pushed others miles away.


    Keegan nced at her.


    ¡°Get in,¡± he said coolly.


    Xenia awkwardly got in the car and sat in the corner.


    Aldor U-turned the car and drove them away.


    Keegan studied the woman in front of her. He found her familiar. However, she did not


    dare to meet his eyes and hurriedly lowered her gaze.


    As soon as she lowered her gaze, Keegan realized who she resembled.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡®This girl looks like Rainee. When Ste and I got married back then, she brought a


    photo album that mostly contained photos from her childhood to adulthood. There


    were also a few family photos. Xenia¡¯s looks resemble the young Rainee in the


    photos,¡¯ he thought.


    Keegan suddenly understood what Ste meant by someone looking like another.


    ¡®That scumbag, Albert Jewell,¡¯ he thought again.


    Xenia was dressed very inly; most of her clothes were below a hundred, and her


    bag was the only expensive item on her. However, she did not seem to quite like it.


    She did not react at all when the seatbelt scratched her bag.


    ¡®If it were Ste, she¡¯d probably feel so upset that she¡¯d be screaming,¡¯ he thought.


    When the car pulled up at the park nearby, Keegan got straight to the point and


    asked, ¡°How many photos does Albert have?¡±


    Xenia gripped her shirt tightly. She stuttered in a low voice, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know. N


    ¡°He sent me a ckmailing email at your sister¡¯s store; how would you not know?¡±


    Xenia paled further, ¡°I really, really don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Aldor stared at Xenia¡¯s terrified expression and quickly cut in.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, Ms. Garcia,¡± he said as he took out a bank settlement invoice and


    handed it to her.


    He continued, ¡°This is to demonstrate our sincerity.¡±

 Chapter 865

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 865


    Chapter 865


    Xenia hesitantly took it over. But then, she was shocked.


    It was a 2.3-million-dor remittance slip; the recipient was the hooligan her sister had


    stabbed back then.


    Aldor took out another hand-written slip the hooligan wrote.


    ¡°My boss has already helped you settle thepensation. From now on, this person


    will not be troubling your family members ever again. You could consider taking the


    test to be a graduate student if you want to. If you don¡¯t want to do so, my boss


    is acquainted with Markham University¡¯s chancellor, so he could help you exin the


    reason to the chancellor and get them to issue a leave of absence proof. It is not a


    difficult task to get you back into studying,¡± said Aldor.


    Xenia¡¯s hands trembled, and her eyes immediately watered.


    ¡®Ever since I epted Albert¡¯s proposal, I never thought I would have a chance to


    continue my studies again. The family of the hooligan my younger sister had stabbed


    is quite influential. He bought off many witnesses and forced them to say the sexual


    assault was banter among friends. Due to theck of surveince footage, we could


    not win thewsuit. Instead, the hooligan countersued us formitting battery. The


    charges if we paid, and we¡¯d go to jail if we didn¡¯t. My sister is only twenty. Her


    wonderful life has only just started, so how could we possibly just watch and not do a


    thing? Regardless, a middle-ss family simply cannot afford three million dors,¡¯


    she thought.


    She thought again, ¡®It was then that Albert extended an olive branch to me. I had no


    choice but to grab it like it was a lifeline. I thought my life was already ruined, so I


    never thought I could free myself from this disgusting rtionship.¡¯


    Xenia gripped her hands tightly and looked up, ¡°I really don¡¯t know how many of those


    photos he has hidden. He came to my sister¡¯s store for WiFi, saying he wanted to


    upload something. I saw him upload the photos but didn¡¯t know what he wanted to do


    with them.


    Xenia actually could deduce that the photos were not for something good because


    they were way too unusual. They were all rather intimate photos of a young woman.


    ¡°You guys¡­ You guys want to arrest Albert?¡±


    She asked tentatively.


    Keegan did not answer her question. Instead, he lifted his gaze, ¡°How frequently does


    Albert ask you out? How much authority do you have over him?¡±


    Xenia was stunned. Suddenly, she found it a little hard to speak.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Aldor added, ¡°What my boss means is, do you have a way to get those photos?¡±


    Xenia answered, ¡°I can try. Do you want to get them back?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Keegan said. ¡°I want to destroy all of them. If you can do that, we¡¯ll call it even. I


    will also fulfill what I promised you.¡±


    Xenia was thrilled. However, she felt a little skeptical.


    ¡°May I ask why you are doing this?¡¯


    Keegan said slowly, ¡°The person in the photos is the person I love.¡±


    Xenia was shocked. Suddenly, she understood everything. Just as she was about to


    say something, her phone rang. It was an unknown number.


    Xenia was about to hang up when Keegan suddenly said, ¡°Answer it first.¡±


    She felt it was wrong to hang up the call, so she answered it.


    ¡°Hello? Please to meet you. Is this Ms. Xenia Garcia?¡±


    Ste¡¯s voice sounded from Xenia¡¯s phone. Aldor was slightly surprised, but Keegan


    was totally unfazed. This was because he saw Ste¡¯s number when he took a nce


    just now.


    ¡°That¡¯s me. And you¡¯re?¡¯


    ¡°My surname is Jewell, and I¡¯d like to ask you some questions. Are you free right


    now?¡±


    ¡®Why¡¯s there another one here to ask me questions? This one¡¯s even a Jewell?¡¯ she


    thought.


    She asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you over the phone. Could you meet me tomorrow morning at nine?¡±


    Xenia refused, ¡®Sorry, but I don¡¯t know you.¡±


    Steughed, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know how you ended up as Albert Jewell¡¯s


    mistress?¡¯


    Xenia was speechless.


    Aldor raised his brows in surprise.


    ¡®Mrs. Kane¡¯s almost as quick as Mr. Kane,¡¯ he though

 Chapter 866

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 866


    Chapter 866


    Xenia tightened her grip on her phone and started feeling anxious. ¡°What exactly are


    you trying to say?¡±


    Ste said, ¡°Miss Garcia, calm down. I mean no harm. However, it¡¯s a little


    inconvenient for us to talk about this over the phone. Let¡¯s meet up at the cafe on New


    Water Street tomorrow. It won¡¯t be toote for you to reject me if you really are not


    interested in what I told you after we meet.¡±


    Xenia looked very hesitant. Keegan was looking for his phone when he spoke


    soundlessly. ¡°Say okay.¡±


    So, she pursed her lips. ¡°Okay then. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡±


    She looked at Keegan after hanging up. ¡°Why do you want me to see her?¡±


    He said tly. ¡°That woman you spoke to is my lover.¡¯


    Xenia was speechless.


    ¡®Why would they look for me separately, then? Can¡¯t they just work together?¡¯


    Keegan continued. ¡°Be there on time tomorrow. Just agree with her on everything she


    has to say, and I¡¯ll fulfill every condition that she offers you.¡±


    Xenia had no reason to turn down such a fantastic offer.


    Ste was at Clouditude International when she ended the call. Felicity quickly asked


    her, ¡°How did it go? Did she say yes?¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°We¡¯re meeting tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to go with you?¡±


    Ste shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not something she would be proud to be talking about. I¡¯m


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    worried that she won¡¯t tell me much if there are two of us.¡±


    Detective Karl returned with some new information and told Ste that Albert had a


    lover, and thatdy was even younger than her. She initially wanted to disgust Hylda


    with what she found out by stirring things up between her and Albert.


    However, after knowing what was happening to Xenia and seeing her picture, she


    gave up that idea. She figured that using such a useful pawn just to upset Hylda


    would be a big waste.


    Not only that Ste wanted to stir things up between them, but she also wanted to


    take the worst revenge on them and bring them to justice with hard evidence.


    The next morning, Ste arrived at the cafe very early to wait for Xenia.


    At nine o¡¯clock sharp, a youngdy dressed in a white tee and light blue jeans


    appeared in the shop. Ste lifted her hand and said, ¡°Miss Garcia, I¡¯m here.¡±


    Xenia turned around and saw a curly-haireddy with a mask on calling her.


    She went forward and asked, ¡°Miss Jewell?¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°Have a seat. Do you want a drink?¡¯


    ¡°I don¡¯t drink coffee.¡± Xenia pulled the chair and cut to the chase. ¡°What is it that you


    want to talk to me about?¡±


    Ste did not beat around the bush too. She took a photo out of her bag and pushed it


    toward Xenia. ¡°Take a look at this.¡±


    Xenia gazed downward. It was a photo of a girl leaning against a bicycle while holding


    a book. She had two ponytails, and her eyes were very bright.


    However, Xenia thought that the girl looked very familiar. ¡®She looks like me.¡¯


    Ste said calmly. ¡¯This is my mom, Albert¡¯s ex-wife.¡¯


    Xenia paused. Ste continued, ¡°You knew Albert during campus recruitment, right?¡¯


    Xenia recollected herself. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    Ste smirked. ¡°Because that¡¯s how his current wife got everything she has now too.¡±


    Xenia felt very ufortable as she said in a low voice. ¡°I never wanted to get


    anything from him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ste said gently, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that. I was just saying that Albert


    wouldn¡¯t stop using the same trick.¡± ¡°Trick?¡± Xenia was confused.

 Chapter 867

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 867


    Chapter 867


    Ste said, ¡°Your sister was molested during summer breakst year, and the person


    demanded a ridiculous amount ofpensation after your sister hurt him by ident,


    right?¡±


    Xenia managed to keep herselfposed after how Keegan did the same and caught


    her off guardst night.


    ¡°Yes, how did you find out?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not important,¡± Ste said slowly, ¡°You were in dire need of money. Albert


    called you, so you wanted to borrow money from him. That was when he suggested


    you be his secret lover, and he would pay you a hundred thousand every month so


    that you could pay off your debt. You didn¡¯t have a choice but agreed to be his


    mistress for three years, is that right?¡±


    Xenia¡¯s face turned pale. Clearly, Ste reminded her of some unspeakable past.


    She went to an interview with her roommate during the campus recruitment and met


    Albert there.


    During the campus talk, she felt like somebody kept looking at her as she sat in front


    of the stage. Albert approached her after the speech ended and asked her name.


    Then, he asked if she was interested in working in hispany.


    She was yet to get her result and wanted to further her studies, so she rejected him.


    However, she received a call from Albert because she filled in her personal


    information that day, and he said he wanted to treat her to a meal.


    Xenia was very disgusted by what Albert did. He was older than her father, and she


    just could not stand it. So, she blocked his number.


    However, her sister got into trouble sometimeter, and she had no other choice but


    to be Albert¡¯s lover. She just felt ironic and embarrassed after thinking about it.


    So, her tone became a little aggressive. ¡°What exactly are you trying to say? II


    Ste replied slowly, ¡°Miss Garcia, have you ever suspected why Albert would happen


    to call you just when you needed money the most?¡±


    Xenia paused. ¡°W-What do you mean?¡±


    Ste continued, ¡°There aren¡¯t so many coincidences in this world, and Albert has


    never been a kind man. He and my mother were university ssmates. She spent a


    fortune on him and kick-started his business together. However, he used the same


    trick on another high school student as he did to you while my mom was pregnant.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I used to think that he was genuinely in love with his current wife, which was why he


    killed my mom. However, it seems like he¡¯s just a scumbag who loves to mess with


    young girls. He would do anything to satisfy his own desires.¡±


    She continued, ¡°He could get my mom killed for his current wife, and I wouldn¡¯t be


    surprised if he¡¯d do the same to his current wife for you. However, do you think you¡¯re


    going to be the next victim when his fourth lover appears?¡±


    ¡°Hold on; you¡¯re already a victim of his.¡±

 Chapter 868

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 868


    Chapter 868


    Xenia did not take it.


    Instead, she asked Ste, ¡¯What do you want me to do?¡±


    Ste shifted her gaze to the photo. ¡°You saw it too. You looked very simr to my


    mother. Albert did not bump into you by ident; it¡¯s because of your face that


    resembles my mother a lot.¡¯


    Xenia pursed her lips. ¡°He¡¯s still in love with your mom, huh?¡±


    Ste sneered. ¡°You¡¯re wrong. He¡¯s in love with nobody. He¡¯s selfish, and the person


    he¡¯ll only ever love is himself.¡± She looked back up at Xenia and continued, ¡°I want


    you to get the evidence of Albert and Hylda causing my mom¡¯s death. I want them to


    pay the highest price for their actions and turn their lives into a living hell.¡¯


    Xenia was shocked by the hatred she saw in Ste¡¯s eyes as she said that. Then,


    after pausing for a while, Xenia asked, ¡°H-how can I help you?¡±


    The expression on Ste¡¯s face turned calmer. ¡®Til let you know how¡­¡¯


    Ste thought about something when she was about to leave. ¡°Your sister is still


    young. You should let her continue studying and sit for the college entrance exam next


    year. I have a younger brother who¡¯s pretty good at studying, and he can be your


    sister¡¯s tutor if needed. A girl should be more knowledgeable. She¡¯ll have more options


    in life if she¡¯s well-educated, and she¡¯ll know how to protect herself too.¡±


    Xenia said thankfully, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to her about it.¡±


    Xenia immediately called Keegan after parting ways with Ste and told him


    everything that Ste had told her.


    Keegan listened to her and said tly, ¡°Just do as she said.¡±


    Aldormented after Keegan hung up, ¡°Mrs. Kane is better than you in making use


    of other people and reading somebody else¡¯s mind.¡¯


    Keegan was speechless.


    What Ste said to Xenia was not entirely true. Indeed, Albert had bad intentions, but


    he was not the one who hired someone to molest Xenia¡¯s sister.


    However, the timing of what happened was just too coincidental. So, Ste faked the


    call history and misled Xenia into thinking that what she said was true.


    Instead of just using money or a favor, Ste figured it would be better to manipte


    her into thinking that Albert ruined her life to get Xenia to work with her. Besides, she


    got to use Xenia¡¯s sister as leverage too.


    Ste knew very well that an ally could only be trusted if the same goal was shared.


    She held firmly on those two points. Xenia would find it hard to turn Ste down even


    if Keegan did not talk to her before.


    Aldor knew that Ste was a very vengeful person, yet she chose to divorce Keegan


    peacefully back then. So, he thought that she was being very kind to his boss.


    Keegan red at him, ¡°What are you talking about? Ste is a very innocent and kind


    person.¡±


    Aldor kept quiet.


    He thought to himself. ¡®You would still be together with her if you knew about this


    earlier.¡¯


    Keegan put the documents aside and said, ¡°Get someone to send a bouquet of


    flowers to the set. I don¡¯t want too many roses. Get a few stalks of every flower and


    wrap them nicely.¡¯


    Aldor thought to himself again. Tm sure Mrs. Kaneined that the roses looked


    too ugly. Otherwise, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll get her a bunch of pink roses judging by how dull of


    a man he is.¡±


    Ynda disappeared for a day, and she got to the set on time after that.


    No one knew if herpany lectured her or if Stuart gave her a good scolding, but


    she started behaving a lot better after returning.


    After shooting for three days, the male lead of this show, Jorge Goldwyn, finally


    finished his work and joined the production.


    Jorge was in his forties and won the best actor award three times. His role in the


    drama was a policeman in charge of the poisoning case, and he had a lot of scenes


    with Ste.


    He was the most popr actor that Ste met after beginning her acting career.


    Jorge was a very humble man with no airs and graces on the set. If there were


    younger actors asking for his advice, he would be more than happy to help them.


    Leighton did not frequently appear in the drama, so his schedule was more flexible.


    He was going to fly to another city for another job. Stuart thought that his crew was


    notplete when the pre-production party was held, so he wanted to organize


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    another gathering on the weekend before Leighton left.


    He chose the same hotel where the charity g was held previously.


    Everybody in the crew had arrived, and about twenty of them were there.


    All of them were talking in the private lounge, and it was very noisy.

 Chapter 869

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 869


    Chapter 869


    Ste was the kind of person who would only be very talkative around people she was


    familiar with but awkward with strangers.


    The production had started a week, yet she only talked to a few other actors or the


    crew. She was not very familiar with them at all. She would only speak to them when


    they asked her a question. At other times, she would just be eating or looking at her


    phone.


    She was scrolling through Facebook when she received a text from Keegan: [Let¡¯s eat


    together tonight.]


    Ste snapped a photo of the delicacies in front of her and texted back: [ I¡¯m eating


    now.]


    Keegan immediately replied: [With who?]


    Ste sent him another text: [Leighton is leaving town, so Stuart organized a gathering


    before he does.]


    Keegan felt very good after knowing that Leighton was going to leave.


    However, he asked anyway: [Is he done with all his parts?]


    Ste: [Not yet. He¡¯s a big star and has a lot of jobs. He¡¯s only making a guest


    appearance in this drama anyway. Otherwise, why would he ept such a minor role


    with how popr he is? He¡¯lle back to the set after he¡¯s done with that job.]


    Keegan¡¯s face looked upset again after finding out that Leighton would return.


    ¡®Not only that I have to worry about Trevor, but now I have to deal with this greasy little


    boy too. I can never live peacefully until I marry Ste again!¡¯


    Keegan pursed his lips and asked: [What time will your dinner end? i¡¯lle and pick


    you up.]


    Ste replied: [It¡¯s fine. I think we¡¯re going somewhere else after this, and the night will


    probably end veryte. I¡¯ll just ask Mr. Winfield to drive me back home by then.]


    Keegan sent her another text after a few minutes: [It¡¯s been so long since I heard your


    voice.]


    They had not seen each other since the day Keegan went to the set because Ste


    got very busy after the production started. She would always be working, sleeping, or


    memorizing her lines whenever Keegan called.


    Keegan knew she took this job very seriously, so he would not bother her during her


    working hours. However, he did not want to be neglected, so he egged Aldor to post


    some photos of him on his social media ount.


    As an example, Aldor posted Keegan¡¯s graduation photo online.


    Keegan¡¯s ssmates decided to wear swimwear as their theme through voting.


    The reason was very simple. Keegan¡¯s ssmates were all guys, so they could go all


    out and do whatever they wanted.


    The normal bunch wore board shorts to show off their muscles, while the ¡± abnormal


    bunch¡± took it to another level by wearing bikinis.


    Keegan was forced to be there as he did not know how to swim. The news of his ss


    taking swimsuit photos was leaked, and many people came to the beach. He insisted


    on not taking off his clothes, and everybody got¡± mad.¡±


    His ssmates poured water on him and made his whole body wet.


    That photo Aldor posted was taken exactly at that time.


    Keegan was wearing a t-shirt customized by his ssmates, and he was soaked in


    seawater. His shirt molded around his body, making the silhouette of his muscles look


    very distinct.


    Aldor added a very interesting caption too: [When are you getting off work if you have


    a boss like this?]


    Any normal person would only see it as a joke without realizing that he actually had


    other intentions.


    Aldor also posted other photos of Keegan, and Ste would always like all of them.


    However, it had been a day since Aldor posted that photo, but Ste had yet to like it.


    So, that was when Keegan finally knew what it felt like to be ignored.


    Not only that Keegan was trying to express how much he missed Ste by saying he


    had not heard her voice for a long time, but he was also kind ofining.


    Ste could not help but smile when she thought of how Keegan would be frowning on


    the other side of the phone. She opened her WhatsApp. She was about to unblock


    Keegan¡¯s number and sent him two voice messages.


    However, she realized that Keegan¡¯s number was not on her block list at all when she


    found his number. She looked at it over and over again, yet she was still seeing the


    same thing.


    ¡®How is that possible?¡¯


    She clearly remembered that she blocked Keegan¡¯s number the night she asked


    Keegan for a divorce.From N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 870

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 870


    Chapter 870


    Ste pursed her lips. She went back to the homepage and recovered her chat


    history.


    Then, her face darkened.


    She wondered why Keegan had turned into apletely different person who could


    guess how she felt at times. He would even know when she was hungry.


    She thought that they had some kind of connection, but she was totally wrong!


    Keegan unblocked his own number when he used her phone to take a picture of her


    and Julian when he sat for the college entrance exam!


    It turned out that he had been spying on her WhatsApp story these two months!


    Keegan was way too good at pretending. He even told Ste not to unblock his


    number too early when he transferred her money because he wanted to prove himself


    to her.


    ¡®Bullshit! He only said that because he knew I¡¯d find out what he did if I unblocked


    him!¡¯


    Ste clenched her teeth as she sent Keegan a middle finger emoticon. Then, she


    blocked him again.


    Keegan knew that he was exposed when he saw what Ste had sent him. He


    immediately drafted a message, but it could not be delivered. That was when he knew


    Ste blocked him again.


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡®Why did I have to say that I miss her voice?¡¯


    Keegan wanted to text Ste to exin himself, but his phone rang. The Rivera


    Chamber of Commerce president called him and asked when he would arrive.


    Keegan did not feel like going to a business gathering like this, but the current


    president was a good friend of his father. So, he felt it would be impolite for him not to


    show up after the president invited him repeatedly. So, he just made it to the hotel of


    that gathering.


    ¡°I¡¯m already here. Coming up now.¡±


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll send down someone to bring you up.¡±


    After hanging up, Keegan transferred five hundred and twenty thousand dors to


    Ste with the remark: [I was wrong. Please forgive me.]


    Ste wired him one cent: [Noted.]


    Keegan chuckled as he put his phone away. Then, he got out of the car.


    Ste was looking at her bank bnce when she received a text message from an


    unsaved number: [Do you want to work together?]


    Ste was confused.


    Then, she replied: [?]


    That person texted back: [I¡¯m Wendy Musk.]


    Ste immediately blocked her number.


    ¡®Wendy Musk¡­ A good friend of Dahlia and Olivia. I doubt I can ever trust her.¡¯


    Olivia did not get any response after sending the text, so she gave Ste a call.


    However, she found out that she was blocked.


    She gritted her teeth in anger. ¡®I¡¯m too smart to make a careless mistake like this!¡¯


    Be was thest one to arrive.


    She wore a dress from Chanel¡¯stest collection, and her makeup looked morous.


    She was holding a bag while she stood at the door as she said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m


    sorry for beingte. I was caught in a traffic jam.¡±


    Stuart waved his hand. ¡°We just arrived anyway. Come on, grab a seat.¡¯


    Ynda saw Be¡¯s bag, and she was green with envy.


    She recognized that it was a limited-edition Hermes bag with just a nce. Its retail


    price was nearly three million, and it was only exclusively sold to its premium


    members.


    Be¡¯s was at the top of the industry, and her payroll was on apletely different


    level from theirs. Ynda was considered to be doing pretty well among the B and Clisters, but the


    most expensive handbag she owned was only five hundred thousand.


    Not to mention that she only had one bag that cost that much. It was the exact bag


    that she had brought to the dinner today.


    She was so confident when she walked in there, and somebody evenplimented


    her bag. However, Be¡¯s arrival with her luxurious bag made hers look very cheap.


    So, she felt unhappy and envious.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    She swept her gaze across the room and found that the other actress¡¯s bags were not


    as expensive as hers, and she felt a lot better. In particr, Ste¡¯s bag did not even


    have a proper logo on it, and she almost burst outughing after seeing it.

 Chapter 871

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 871


    Chapter 871


    Ste was not affected by the fact that Olivia called her at all because she made


    Olivia very mad at Cordelia¡¯s birthday celebration. Olivia was only doing everything


    Dahlia said because she could help her husband with his work.


    However, not only did Olivia¡¯s husband have a secret lover, but he also gave birth to


    an illegitimate child with his lover. Olivia would never expect her bestie, Dahlia, to hide


    everything from her despite knowing about it a long time ago. She just could not find a


    reason not to hate Dahlia.


    Ste figured that Olivia most probably had something to do about the ident during


    the birthday celebration. She was not interested at all in what Olivia proposed to her.


    Olivia was sharp and tactful. She managed to keep herself out of the firework ident


    Olivia would set her up if she were to associate herself with her. So, she blocked her


    instantly because she did not want anything to do with her.


    ¡°Be, your bag is so beautiful.¡¯


    An actress named Hailey Glover said. She acted as their roommate who also


    happened to be in the same ss as them. She could dance really well. Somebody


    even said that she graduated from a professional dance academy.


    Ynda immediately chimed in, ¡°Of course. It¡¯s a Hermes premium member


    exclusive. I¡¯ve only seen it once on their fashion show.¡±


    It was perfectly normal for actresses to pursue materialistic things. Not only that it


    could feed their pride, but it could also be a method for sponsors to evaluate their


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    potential in the fashion industry. So, that was a very crucial way to attract luxury


    brands.


    It would be difficult for famous stars to secure a luxury endorsement if they were not


    stylish enough. This is because the big brands did not want to risk losing their


    influence in the fashion world by hiring a tacky person to be the face of their brands.


    For example, Be did not know how to dress when she just got famous. Her sense of


    fashion was very strange, and she could not even rent a dress from high-end brands.


    At that time, the trending searches on Facebook were:


    #BeWearingACheapDressOnRedCarpet, #


    BeimedThatStlyeCouldNotBeDetermindedByBrands, #


    BeSupportsLocalBrandOnRedCarpet, #¡­


    Her fans praised her for what she did. They thought that their idol was a very noble


    and humble person.


    In fact, she only wore cheap dresses because she could not get any brand to sponsor


    her. However, the PR team Vermont hired for her was very good at their job, and they


    turned her disadvantage into an advantage.


    But anybody who had a little knowledge of the fashion industry would know that not


    only did foreign countries have high-end brands, but Hustuabourg did too. However,


    actresses still preferred high-end brands from other countries because their poprity


    and influence were simply impable.


    Why did Be stop wearing a dress from local brands the next year if she really did


    want to promote them?


    That was because she changed her styling team and began dressing better. Also, she


    started to get more famous, and high-end brands held out the olive brand for her. In


    simpler words, she stopped promoting local brands once she had other options.

 Chapter 872

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 872


    Chapter 872


    ¡°But the photos she took of it were very detailed, and it didn¡¯t look like a replica at all.


    A friend of mine wanted to rent the bag for a photoshoot, but the seller said she only


    wanted to sell it. After saving enough money, she contacted the seller again, but it


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    turned out it was already sold. So, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a replica. Besides¡­¡± That person


    paused. ¡°I think Be¡¯s bag has the same serial number as the one I saw online.¡±


    The atmosphere became a little strange after that person said that.


    That person was implying that Be bought the bag on a website that sold used items,


    and the bag was pre-owned. Be was a rising fashion icon in showbiz and that was


    thest thing she wanted others to know she did.


    Everybody shifted their gaze to Be. However, Be acted rather calmly as she put


    on a faint smile. ¡°You¡¯ve probably made a mistake. I bought this from an authorized


    store.¡±


    Ste looked for a moment before looking back at her phone.


    ¡®An authorized secondhand store.*


    She did not have any ns to expose Be. After all, the bag did not have anything to


    do with her now. The bag was worth three million, but she sold it to Be for five


    million. She made a huge profit.


    Besides, she would have to admit that the bag once belonged to her if she exposed


    Be. She figured that people would start making assumptions about her since she


    was just a small actress, and there was just no way that she could afford to buy that


    bag.


    She did not want to get anybody¡¯s attention, so she kept her mouth shut. Be


    probably knew Ste would think this way too, which was why she said that in front of


    everybody.


    Ynda immediately chimed in. Be can get just any bag she wants with her


    influence in the fashion industry.¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    She figured that Ynda probably did not know how arrogant Hermes was.


    It was at the top of its game, and it looked down on everybody equally other than its


    partners. That was why even some very wealthy women could not always get the


    designs they wanted.


    Ste paused as she thought about that. She suddenly remembered how angry


    Keegan looked when she sold the bag.


    ¡®I guess he only acted like that because he spent a lot of effort just to get it for me. I


    was so silly. Why did I believe him when he said it was a gift from his client? What


    kind of client would give him such a valuable gift? Besides, why would his client give


    him a women¡¯s bag? Clearly, that prideful man wanted to cheer me up, but he ruined


    everything with his stupid mouth.¡¯


    In fact, Keegan gave her plenty of bags when they were still married. That was the


    reason why she had such exquisite taste in bags.


    Keegan gifted her many expensive jewelry pieces and bags, yet she would only buy


    him discounted shirts in the mall. The most expensive thing she ever gave him was a


    two hundred thousand dor watch on his birthday. Suddenly, she felt very sorry for


    Keegan.


    She gazed downward and smiled. Then, she sent a WhatsApp messenger to her


    friend specializing in jewelry design: [Can you make a pair of cufflinks for me?]


    Her friend replied very swiftly: [Do you want it customized?]


    Ste: [Yeah. I¡¯ll send you my design first so that you can touch it up. Then, just let me


    know how much it¡¯s going to cost.]


    Ste was still typing on her phone when the waiter identally dropped some sauce


    on her screen while serving the food. The waiter immediately apologized, but she just


    waved her hand, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡¯


    Then, she took out a packet of tissues from her bag and cleaned her screen.


    The actresses at the table were chatting, and they just could not stop talking about


    Be.


    Ynda said, ¡°I remember Be participating in an observing program. It revealed that


    she has a walk-in closet in her house to put her bags in.


    There were so many ssic designs in there.¡±

 Chapter 873

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 873


    Chapter 873


    ¡°I watched that show too! I waspletely shocked when the door was pushed open.


    That¡¯s literally my dream room!¡±


    ¡°I mean, isn¡¯t that the dream of every woman in this world?¡¯


    ¡°Be is so humble. I don¡¯t see her showing off her collection at all. I¡¯d have a rotation


    of different bags every day without using the same one for a month!¡±


    Be smiled. ¡°Most of them were gifted by my sponsors. I only bought a few bags,


    and some of the purchases were work-rted. There were some outdated designs,


    and I n to get rid of them or give them away. I¡¯m running out of space.¡±


    Her words made the actresses both envious and jealous.


    None of the actresses would give their bags away, even if they were only worth a few


    thousand. Be could only do that because she was famous and earned much more


    than them.


    Ynda gazed at Ste, who was wiping the sauce off her phone screen. Then, she


    suddenly said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you give some of them to Ste? Even though bag designs


    are very subjective, using anything too cheap is inappropriate.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine if she uses it in a private event like this, but she¡¯s going to affect our image if


    she uses a trashy bag when we promote our show in person.¡±


    Ste paused.


    She looked at Ynda and said tly, ¡°Whose bag are you calling cheap?¡±


    Ynda continued pretentiously, ¡¯That¡¯s not what I meant. I¡¯m only saying this for your


    benefit. You just came into this industry, and you don¡¯t know how it works. It¡¯s


    important for an actress to present herself well, so you have to spend some money on


    new clothes and bags. You just started your career and you¡¯re only making little


    money. You¡¯re just going to embarrass yourself if you spend more than you earn on


    your appearances, right? Be is going to save you a lot of money by giving you some


    of her bags now that she wants to get rid of them.¡±


    Ynda¡¯s words sounded sincere, as if she was being thoughtful and wanted to save


    money for Ste. However, her condescending tone made it very obvious that she


    was just being sarcastic.


    Ste was not having it at all. ¡®Is this how showbiz works now? Money speaks louder


    than words, huh?¡¯


    Be acted like a phnthropist before Ste could say anything. ¡¯Miss Jewell, I¡¯d be


    more than happy to give them to you if you want them. I was going to throw them


    away, but I guess it would be more meaningful to give them to you if I could help you


    by doing so.¡±


    All the other actresses had different looks on their faces.


    ¡®The sarcasm is so obvious. What¡¯s the point of being so phony when everybody


    knows what they¡¯re up to?¡¯


    The actresses knew what was happening very well, but none was brave enough to


    stand up for Ste. After all, they could not afford to cross a big star like Be.


    The kinder ones kept quiet, but some added, ¡°Be, you¡¯re so nice to her. I wonder


    how much money I could¡¯ve saved if I had met you earlier.¡¯


    ¡°Be has always been kind to newbies.¡¯


    ¡°Ste, you¡¯re so lucky.¡±


    Be got so happy after receiving so manypliments and even began looking at


    Ste disdainfully.


    Be kept getting outperformed by Ste since the production started.


    They filmed many scenes together, and Stuart would always criticize her acting skills


    whenever that happened.


    The filming crew would always have to retake the scene because of her. In fact, she


    practiced for a very long time after knowing that she would share a lot of scenes with


    Ste because she did not want to be outshone.


    However, herst-minute hard work just could not surpass Ste¡¯s strong fundamental


    acting skills often years.


    She would forget the lines she had memorized for days whenever she stood before


    Ste. In other words, she just could not put up with Ste¡¯s acting skills.


    Stuart would feel like he was watching the finest show ever during Ste¡¯s part, but it


    would turn into a corny idol drama when Be appeared. That was why he was a little


    dissatisfied with Be. Even though he did not openly scold her, he would give her


    attitude.


    So, Be took what she had to go through as Ste¡¯s fault. That was why she would


    do Ste dirty whenever she had the chance.


    Be only pretended to say hesitantly after all the kind words, ¡°Guys, cut it off.¡± Then,


    she looked at Ste and continued to speak generously, ¡°Ste, I know you¡¯re


    embarrassed because there are many of us here. Why don¡¯t youe to my house


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    and have a look tomorrow? You can take home anything you like. I¡¯m going to treat


    you a lot better than others would since we¡¯re working in the samepany.¡±


    Ste swept her gaze across Be¡¯s hypocritical face. ¡®She could act pretty well when


    she¡¯s outside the set.¡¯

 Chapter 874

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 874


    Chapter 874


    Ste smiled. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be right for me to let you down since you¡¯re being so kind to


    me. Forget about tomorrow since we don¡¯t have anything to do now anyway. I


    remember you live not far away from here, right? Why don¡¯t you take me there to have


    a look today?¡±


    Then, she said jokingly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to give me any bags after


    tomorrow.¡±


    Be paused. Did Ste get so poor after the divorce that she went crazy? Can¡¯t she


    tell that I was only trying to embarrass her? Why would she even say yes to that? Is


    she out of her mind?¡¯


    Ste¡¯s words left Be no choice but to y along, ¡°Everybody here heard what I


    said. Of course, I¡¯ll honor my promise, but-¡¯


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡±


    Ste cut Be off before she could finish her sentence.


    She stood up and put on a happy look. ¡®I kind of want to see what every woman¡¯s


    dream room looks like.¡±


    Ynda scoffed.


    ¡®Is she really feeling excited to get someone¡¯s used bags? Once a lowlife, always a


    lowlife!¡¯


    Then, she turned around and said to Be, ¡°Be, you should show them your


    collection and open their eyes.¡±


    Be pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯ll let Mr. Winfield know about it then.¡±


    Be¡¯s house in Lake Vi was near the hotel and would only be a ten- minute car


    journey.


    The houses in Lake Vi were not cheap, and a unit could cost more than ten million.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    So even though Be bought it with a loan, she would need to earn a lot of money to


    fork up the down payment.


    There were eight of them, and they took two cars. They arrived at Be¡¯s ce shortly


    after.


    The door was pushed open, and a very luxurious Pairinian style house weed


    them. The ceiling was about fifteen feet tall, and a huge chandelier was hanging on it.


    It looked extravagant.


    It seemed like Be wanted to tell everybody she was rich when she designed the


    house.


    The actresses were amazed by the house¡¯syout and decorations.


    Be said humbly, ¡°I did some minor renovations, and it¡¯s really not much. I don¡¯t feel


    veryfortable here because there¡¯s no winter garden. The only reason I didn¡¯t sell


    it and move elsewhere is that it has a good location.¡±


    Everyone felt very sour when they heard how Be could buy a ten million house just


    like that.


    Ste swept her gaze across the house indifferently and thought to herself. ¡®Indeed,


    she should get a new house. Even my dining hall isrger than her living room. Is this


    really a vi?¡¯


    Be brought them to the second floor. Then, she showed them where her bag room


    was, and everyone was stunned.


    The bag room was about hundred and fifty square feet, and there were more than a


    hundred customized ss disy boxes. Each box had a bag ced neatly in it.


    There were various sizes, designs, and variations of bags in there. Also, the wall that


    faced directly at the entrance was filled with almost all Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent


    bags.


    One of the actresses was very impressed. ¡°God, how much does everything cost?¡±


    ¡°This color went out-of-stock once it went on sale. How did you manage to get it?!¡¯


    ¡°I want to live here.¡±


    The actresses spoke, and Be felt like her feet could barely touch the ground.


    Ynda saw how indifferent Ste looked and said with a smirk, ¡°Be, you should tell


    Ste which bags you¡¯re trying to get rid of, so she can start choosing them. Just look


    at how impatient she¡¯s getting.¡±

 Chapter 875

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 875


    Chapter 875


    Ste swept her gaze across Ynda.


    ¡®Olivia was thest person who tried to embarrass me like that. Could Ynda be her


    long-lost daughter?


    ¡®However, Olivia only wanted to tter Dahlia for the sake of her husband. I just can¡¯t


    figure out what Ynda is trying to get by doing this. She would even praise Be no


    matter what she did. Is Be giving her a cut from her earnings?


    ¡®Be can¡¯t be considered one of the top actresses, and she doesn¡¯t even know any


    wealthy person. She has some connections with third-rate producers, but that¡¯s it. She


    doesn¡¯t even know how to pick the right script for herself. How could she help


    Ynda?


    ¡®Perhaps Ynda isn¡¯t doing this for anything; she just hates me.¡¯


    Ste smiled. Tm good. However, you seem like you¡¯re in a rush more than me. Why


    don¡¯t you ask Be for one or two bags too? You¡¯re so close with her, and I¡¯m sure that


    she won¡¯t let you go home empty-handed.¡±


    Ynda could be very quick-witted when it came to things like this. She responded


    with a smile, ¡±1 was just trying to save us some time since we still have to go back to


    the hotelter. It was a joke. Look at you; why did you get so nervous? It¡¯s not


    something to be embarrassed about anyway.¡±


    Ste gazed at her and said slowly, ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was embarrassing at all. Instead,


    I¡¯m very d that Be is actually willing to give me her bags.


    ¡°Why do you make it sound like Be is trying to embarrass me by giving me her


    bags? Even though I¡¯m not bothered, I¡¯m sure that you¡¯re going to tarnish Be¡¯s


    reputation if somebody else knew what you said about her and used Be of


    hazing a newbie.¡±


    Be was stunned.


    Ynda got so angry that the edge of her mouth twitched.


    ¡®This bitch is sharp-tongued. She turned the conversation against Be and me with


    just a few sentences. I underestimated her!¡¯


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Ynda did not want to argue with her anymore as she looked at her and said,


    ¡°Everybody knows what kind of person Be is, and no one can tarnish her reputation.


    You should focus on which bags you want to pick instead. Also, pick a newer one so


    nobody would know it¡¯s a used bag when you use it.¡±


    Each of the actresses reacted differently to what Ynda said. They knew Ynda


    and Be were just trying to humiliate her by giving her free bags.


    Ste smiled and asked Be as if she could not notice the sarcasm in Ynda¡¯s


    words at all, ¡°Be, can I choose any bags from here?¡±


    Be looked carefully at the expression on Ste¡¯s face.


    Ste did not look angry at all. Instead, she actually seemed very happy.


    That was not what Be expected.


    She put on a kind face and said gently, ¡°Some of the bags were given to me


    temporarily by my sponsors, and I have to return them, and some of them are what I


    normally use.¡± She pointed at the wall on the other side, saying,¡± You can choose any


    bags from here.¡¯


    Indeed, the bags there were out of season, and almost none was a ssic design.


    There were all kinds of colors in there, and their prices ranged from a few thousand to


    tens of thousands.


    So many bags were on that wall, and everything could easily cost more than a million.


    It was not a small amount at all.


    Someone said, ¡°My god, you¡¯re not going to keep any of these?¡±


    ¡°Be, it would be a shame to throw everything away. You should sell them online to


    at least get some of your money back.¡±


    Be flipped her hair. ¡®They aren¡¯t worth a lot anyway. It¡¯s better to do someone a favor


    than have the money back.¡±


    Then, she paused and looked at Ste, ¡°Ste, pick any bag you want. Don¡¯t be shy.


    You can have any of them.¡±


    ¡°Can I have every single one?¡± Ste¡¯s words shocked everyone.


    Everyone kept quiet.


    ¡®Not only that she¡¯s a lowlife, but she¡¯s also not embarrassed to be one at all.¡¯


    Be chuckled. ¡°Can you even use all of them? Besides, can you fit so many bags in


    your house?¡±


    In other words, Be was saying that Ste lived in a tiny house after the divorce. She


    doubted if it was even big enough to fit those bag

 Chapter 876

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 876


    Chapter 876


    Ste said, ¡¯I don¡¯t quite have the space for them in my house, so I n on cing


    them at a friend¡¯s.¡±


    A while ago, Keegan had been getting people to send Ste lots of shoes and clothes,


    so her clothes room was full and could not fit the bags.


    To others, however, Ste¡¯s words meant her house was so small she had to store her


    bags in her friend¡¯s house. She sounded incredibly broke.


    Everyone could not help but gaze at her with sympathy.


    ¡®Why is she challenging Be when she doesn¡¯t have what it takes?¡¯ they thought.


    Meanwhile, Ynda was not that nice about it; she outright said mockingly, ¡°She¡¯s


    asking you to pick two; do you think you¡¯re doing wholesale?¡±


    Ste was not angered. She answered coolly, ¡°Be¡¯s going to throw them out


    anyway. Besides, doesn¡¯t she like helping neers? Isn¡¯t giving the bags to me


    better than throwing them out?¡±


    Her words put Be in a difficult spot.


    While the bags were outdated, one could still get quite some money back if they sold


    them off as secondhand goods.


    It was no secret celebrities in the entertainment industry sold luxury items they did not


    use in private.


    After all, luxury goods were inherently expensive; they could not afford to let them go


    to waste even if they were rich. Besides, they bought many of their things because


    they were trending. Once the trend was over, the things had no wearable value


    anymore, so they sold them and reced them with new ones.


    Be only said she was not selling the bags because she wanted to show off her


    wealth. However, Ste took her words seriously, so Be now had no choice but to


    give them to her.


    Seeing how Be had been silent for a long time, Ste decided to provoke her.


    ¡°Are you having a hard time letting go, Be?¡± Ste looked at her with an


    understanding look. She continued, ¡°After all, these things aren¡¯t cheap, so it¡¯s normal


    for you to be unable to let go¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking, Ste,¡± Be cut her off. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m willing to give them to


    you if you truly want them. However, these things are outdated and no different from


    trash to me. However, these things are considered to have been used to their full


    potential if they¡¯re useful to you, Ste.¡±


    ¡®No different from trash¡­ She¡¯s giving Ste trash¡­ How could Ste tolerate such


    humiliating words?¡¯ everyone thought.


    However, Ste actually tolerated Be¡¯s words. Her reaction was not even


    considered toleration because she was really excited.


    ¡°Thank you, Be. Can I take them today, then?¡±


    Be looked at how broke Ste acted.


    ¡®I¡¯ve thought too highly of her. After leaving Keegan, she¡¯s worthless!¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°Can you manage to take them all at once? There are so many. Why don¡¯t you drive


    your car over to take them.¡±


    Ste smiled, ¡°I better take them today. I¡¯m worried that Be will go back on her word


    tomorrow.¡±


    Be was so angry she almostughed. She nced at Ste condescendingly,


    ¡°There really is no need for me to do so for these few things.¡±


    Ste said, ¡°I¡¯ll only feel at ease if I take them away as soon as possible.¡±


    Right after she finished speaking, the doorbell downstairs rang.


    Ste smiled, ¡°My friend¡¯s here. After this, I¡¯ll get him to help me take these away. This


    way, I won¡¯t have toe over again tomorrow.¡±


    Then, she went downstairs to meet her friend.


    Ynda was in disbelief, ¡°Has she gone crazy from being poor?¡±


    Meanwhile, Be only smiled.


    ¡®Ste really doesn¡¯t know how to spell the word ¡°embarrassment,¡± huh? She even


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    divorced her backbone when she got divorced. I didn¡¯t even need to do anything to let


    her make a fool of herself. She has alreadypletely embarrassed herself,¡¯ she


    thought.


    However, Be could no longer smile when the friend Ste mentioned arrived.

 Chapter 877

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 877


    Chapter 877


    Ste¡¯s friend was no other than Timothy Elrod, the boss of the secondhand store


    where she had bought her bag.


    Timothy did note alone; he even brought a staff member from the store with him.


    The two trailed behind Ste and slowly walked into the room with the bags.


    Timothy was really famous in the secondhand luxury goods market. Since many


    celebrities and influencers had traded with him, the actors present immediately


    recognized him the moment he appeared.


    ¡®How could Ste¡¯s friend be Timothy?¡¯ everyone wondered.


    Then, they heard Ste say, ¡¯Please help me take a look at all of these bags,


    Timothy.¡±


    Timothy nodded and immediately got his staff to examine them.


    The two took out gloves, sses, and various examination tools from the toolbox.


    Then, they started verifying the bags in the cupboard.


    After the staff member checked the bags, he handed them to Timothy, who inspected


    them carefully. Then, Timothy took a photo with his tablet and wrote down their


    appraisal.


    Everyone stared dumbfoundedly as the two systematically inspected the goods.


    Ynda regained herposure and said loudly, ¡°What¡¯re you doing, Ste?¡¯


    Ste looked up and said, ¡¯Didn¡¯t Be already give me all of these bags? Since I


    don¡¯t have space for them in my house, I got Timothy to help me examine them. After


    this, I¡¯ll just sell them to him. With the money I get from these bags, I can get a better


    bag and not embarrass our team when I attend events. Isn¡¯t this what you said?¡¯


    ¡°Since when did I say that?¡± Ynda gritted her teeth in anger. She continued, ¡°Don¡¯t


    you twist my words! What I meant was you pick one out among the bags. How can


    this be the same as selling the bags for money?¡±


    Ste nced at her, ¡°Be has already given me her bags, so what I do with them is


    my own business. Why are you barking about it when Be hasn¡¯t even said a thing?


    Are you mad you didn¡¯t get any? You could ask her since you¡¯re close to her. Be¡¯s


    beautiful inside out and cares for her juniors. She¡¯ll definitely give you one.¡±


    Ynda turned red in anger. For a while, she could not speak.


    Meanwhile, Be also had a long face. She pursed her lips, ¡¯Ste, you¡¯re right about


    me giving you the bags. However, isn¡¯t it inappropriate for you to sell it right after?¡¯


    Ste smiled slightly, ¡°Be, you¡¯ve already given me the goods, so whatever I do with


    them is appropriate. Besides, it¡¯s not my first-time doing business with Timothy. The


    new owner of thest bag I sold to him loves the bag very much. She carries it to


    every asion, which is better than it collecting dust if it were with me.¡¯


    Be¡¯s expression stiffened.


    Ste was clearly referring to the Hermes bag Be had bought from her at a high


    price.


    ¡®I¡¯ve shot myself in the foot boasting about it in the past; I said I bought it on a proper


    tform. If all of these actresses find out that it¡¯s secondhand, they¡¯ll all surelyugh


    at me. This is why I must swallow my anger and let Ste appraise the bags and sell


    them off,¡¯ thought Be.


    The total appraisal for the forty-two bags was 699,787 dors.


    Be¡¯s bags were of low quality. Some had gone through multiple hands; they were


    even the kind that did not increase in value over time and decreased the more it was


    resold. The price Timothy had given Be was already considered high.


    ¡°Tsk,¡± Ste clicked her tongue. She mumbled quietly, ¡¯I thought it was worth over a


    million.¡±


    Be twitched her eye.


    ¡®I wish I could cut off Ste¡¯s mouth right now!¡¯ she thought.


    Timothy said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you 700,000.¡±


    Ste shook her head.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need. Give me the exact amount,¡± she said as she texted him her bank


    ount number.


    Timothy was really deft and quickly transferred her the money. However, he froze


    when Ste took out her purse from her bag.


    ¡°Ms. Jewell, may I take a look at your bag?¡±


    ¡°My purse?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Timothy said. ¡°The one you¡¯re wearing.¡±


    Ste smiled


    ¡°Of course, you may,¡¯ she said, taking off the bag and handing it to Timothy.


    He put his gloves and sses back on again. Then, he carefully took the bag with


    both hands and carefully examined it.


    The more he examined the bag, the more serious his expression turned. A few


    minutester, he looked up and said, ¡°Ms. Jewell, where did you buy this bag?¡¯


    ¡°I didn¡¯t buy it; my friend gifted it to me. It¡¯s tiny and very convenient for holding my


    phone and keys. However, it¡¯s not that good in terms of being waterproof. I dropped


    my previous one in the pool, and it cracked.¡±


    Timothy twitched his eye, ¡°You have more than one?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Ste blinked. ¡°Can¡¯t I have more than one?¡±


    Timothy fell silent. After a while, he finally said, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, Ebenezer himself


    designed, fully handmade, and customized this bag, right?¡¯


    Before Ste could answer, Ynda sneered, ¡°You must be mistaken, Timothy. How


    could she afford something designed by Ebenezer the Prodigy? Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡±


    Ebenezer was an Italian women¡¯s handbag designer who was once a chief designer


    at a top luxurypany. After he resigned, he quietly retreated from the fashion


    industry.


    However, he would asionally ept private orders.


    Regardless, he only epted a few orders a year. Aside from the price, one could not


    even find him if they had some connections.


    This was why a private customized Ebenezer only existed in myths despite his


    poprity.


    The reason was few had seen an actual one.


    ¡®A cheap, penniless person like Ste being able to afford a designer bag by Ebenezer


    the Prodigy? Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡¯ thought Ynda.


    Timothy frowned. He was a little unhappy with someone questioning his expertise.


    He opened Ste¡¯s bag, revealing the metal hardware within it. Then, he pointed at


    the characters on it and said, ¡°Ebenezer leaves a string of code on every bag he


    makes. The first two characters represent the month and year it was made, while the


    proceeding two represents the owner¡¯s birthday and zodiac.¡±


    He paused momentarily before asking Ste, ¡°Ms. Jewell, are you a Capricorn born


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    on the 10th of December?¡±


    Ste was momentarily startled before she nodded.


    Timothy said a little excitedly, ¡°I knew this was one of his works! As expected, I was


    right.¡±


    Be tightened her fists and looked incredibly unhappy.

 Chapter 878

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 878


    Chapter 878


    Practically everyone in the fashion industry knew the social status of a private


    customized Ebenezer among luxury goods.


    ¡®A custom-made Ebenezer is worth even more than all the bags in my house. Scratch


    that; the value of this bag cannot even be measured with money. It¡¯s a one-and-only


    fashion item that has an enormous collection value. If Ste¡¯s bag is genuine, I


    practically embarrassed myself by shamelessly boasting about giving her the bags,¡¯


    she thought.


    Meanwhile, Ynda was still shouting.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Can¡¯t the code be faked? Nine out of ten of Ebenezer the Prodigy¡¯s bags online are


    fake. Who knows if hers is a realistic imitation?¡±


    Timothy frowned and said lowly, ¡°Madam Fenley, you bought that Cartier bracelet on


    your wrist from Mrs. Fell, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Ynda was taken aback. She covered her bracelet out of reflex and said with a


    slightly flustered expression, ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? My bracelet is brand


    new!¡±


    ¡°Only two pieces of this model were sold in Rivera; one is with Ms. Moore, while Mrs.


    Fell bought the other. Mrs. Fell¡¯s family has been facing some problems with their flow


    of funds, so they¡¯ve sold quite some things to me. I appraised this bracelet of hers at


    260,000 dors. However, she thought this was not a good price, so she didn¡¯t sell it.


    Judging from the color of this bracelet, she must have refurbished and sold it. She


    must¡¯ve asked for 300,000 dors or more, right?¡± he said as he grabbed Ynda¡¯s


    wrist.


    Then, he looked at it up and down and said, ¡°It does look better after being


    refurbished. However, it¡¯s harder to sell a bracelet at a higher price once it¡¯s been


    refurbished.¡±


    His words implied Ynda had gotten ripped off.


    At first, Ynda remained stubborn. However, the more she listened to Timothy, the


    more she paled.


    This was because Timothy¡¯s words had hit the mark. She bought the bracelet from


    Mrs. Fell for 300,000.


    ¡®Back then, Mrs. Fell told me she wanted 350,000, but I thought it was too expensive.


    After persuading her for a week, she finally budged and sold it to me for 300,000.


    However, we traded in private instead of appraising it on a tform. I thought Mrs. Fell


    didn¡¯t want to pay the intermediary fees at the time. I sneered at her miserly actions


    and thought a rich woman like her was merely a cheapskate. Looking back now, she


    didn¡¯t do so because she wanted to save money but because she was worried the


    appraiser would discern something! I thought I had gotten a steal, but who would¡¯ve


    known I had gotten massively ripped off?¡¯ thought Ynda.


    Ynda was so furious that she was practically fuming. So, she did not have the time


    to defend Be.


    Timothy had a tactful character. Most people who traded with him were from the


    fashion industry or celebrities; he usually treated everyone with respect as long as


    they did not offend him.


    For instance, he saw Be the moment he entered. Even though he knew she had


    bought the bag from Ste, he did not expose her. This was because that was his rule


    of conduct. However, Timothy was angry with the way Ynda continuously


    questioned his expertise.

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    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 879


    Chapter 879


    Everyone was curious. Aside from the giant mango on the first day of shoot, Ste


    had always kept a low profile on the set.


    Her food and amodation were the same as everyone else. She had never been


    picky with the lunch boxes they gave her on set and ate whatever was given. After all,


    actors who were the slightest bit popr or came from well-off families were all very


    spoiled.


    Filming was one thing, but they would never let themselves suffer apart from filming.


    For instance, Be and Ynda had never eaten the lunch boxes on set. After they


    finished filming, people would escort them out with umbres and walk them to the


    car.


    The air conditioner was turned on in the car, and there were even specially- made


    meals. What was even crazier was that some people even brought their masseuses


    over to massage them in the car.


    This was why everyone could not help but feel curious about Ste¡¯s family.


    Ste smiled and told a half lie, ¡°He¡¯s sort of¡­ My ex, I guess.¡±


    Everyone was stunned. Their attention immediately shifted from Ste¡¯s family to the


    ¡¯ex¡± she spoke of.


    ¡®Why would she break up with an ex who can afford to give her such a bag?! ¡®they


    thought.


    ¡°May I know the reason behind the breakup?¡± someone cautiously asked.


    Steughed, ¡°It¡¯s really cliche. Some woman fell in love with him and couldn¡¯t get us


    to break up, so she lied about him having an affair. I believed it and broke up with


    him.¡¯


    Then, she nced indifferently at Be. Be felt the hairs at the back of her neck


    stand and subconsciously tightened her fists.


    ¡°God! How can there be someone so disgusting?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this person knowingly being a homewrecker?¡±


    ¡°I want to know what this homewrecker looks like. How could she have the guts to


    steal Ste¡¯s man?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s her name? What does she do? I¡¯ve got a friend who specializes in digging up


    dirt. Send me her details. I¡¯ll get my friend to expose her and publicly embarrass her!¡±


    Be turned paler and paler. She pursed her lips tightly and did not even dare to


    breathe too loudly.


    After Ste was done admiring Be¡¯s reaction, she said slowly, ¡°She¡¯s also in the


    entertainment industry and is pretty popr. However, I don¡¯t n on exposing her for


    the time being. I want her to live in fear every day. I want her to be unable to eat or


    sleep well because she¡¯s constantly worrying about when I¡¯ll expose all of this


    information, which will ruin her career and the public persona she worked hard to


    create. How could I easily spare someone like her?¡±


    The moment Ste uttered herst word, Be was so frightened that she froze and


    knocked off the bag on the table.


    Ste walked up to her. Then, she bent down to pick up the bag and gently patted


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    away the dust on it. She handed the bag to Be and said through her red lips, ¡°Hold


    this properly, Be. Such an expensive thing will be worthless if it¡¯s ruined. Keep it


    properly; you can trade it for money to enjoy the rest of your life if you quit the


    entertainment industry someday, no?¡±


    Be turned ghostly pale. Ste¡¯s smile was clearly gentle, but Be felt a chill run


    down her spine and was terrified.


    Be suppressed the terror she felt within. She took the bag with trembling hands and


    did not say another word.


    Timothy transferred the money into Ste¡¯s bank ount and asked his staff to carry


    the goods downstairs. Before he left, he thought for a while and said, ¡°Ms. Jewell, if


    you n on selling this bag, please do prioritize me. I¡¯ll surely offer you an irresistible


    price.¡±


    Ste lowered her gaze and stroked the bag. Then, she smiled.


    ¡°There probably won¡¯t be such a day.¡±


    This bag was a gift Keegan had gotten her when he went on a business trip in the first


    year of their marriage.

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    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 880


    Chapter 880


    Ste did not know of this brand back then, so she was unaware of how expensive the


    bag was. She merely liked the bag because it was something Keegan had given her


    of his own ord, so she brought it everywhere.


    However, her actions made thedies in the high society loathe her. They thought she


    was a beauty without a brain and was so lowly that she only knew how to show off her


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    wealth.


    After she learned how expensive the bag was, she rarely used it.


    However, the people¡¯s loathing for her did not disappear. Instead, they picked on her


    other ws.


    Gradually, Ste started to understand. What they looked down upon was not her


    fashion sense or the way she unted her wealth but the way she easily married into


    the Kane family when she clearly had nothing. She had attained a ss leap that


    others could only dream of.


    After that, Ste stopped caring about what others thought.


    When she was unhappy, she shared photos of her jewelry on social media tforms;


    when she was happy, she also shared photos of her jewelry.


    Whether or not she felt happy, seeing the people who did not like her unhappy made


    her feel invigorated.


    But of course, due to the above events, Ste¡¯s reputation for unting her wealth


    became well-known in the high society.


    However, this habit of hers was unconsciously caused by Keegan.


    ¡®He gave me an expensive bag, telling me he bought it off the streets. Then he gave


    me a piece of jewelry, telling me it was from a client. Back then, I didn¡¯t even know


    these brands. So naturally, I believed everything he said. Throughout our marriage,


    Keegan had given me many things, but I like this bag the most. Up till now, I still


    remember the joy I felt when I received this bag. This is because even though he lied


    to me and said he bought it off the streets, it was the first time he had ever bought me


    a gift of his own ord. Back then, I thought I would never sell this bag, no matter


    how washed-up I ended up. Right now, I still feel the same way,¡¯ thought Ste.


    Timothy did not say anything more.


    ¡®Someone who can afford such a bag probably isn¡¯t short of this amount of money,¡¯ he


    thought.


    After Timothy left, Stuart called. He told the girls to head straight to Sapphire for the


    second round.


    Be was furious and had lost a lot of money, so she was not in the mood for the


    second round. She made an excuse about not feeling well so that she did not have to


    go.


    After everyone bade Be goodbye, they drove to Sapphire.


    Due to the incident, Ste¡¯s status had raised several ranks within the hearts of the


    actors her age on set.


    Those who liked her liked her even more. However, those who disliked her were now


    too scared to start trouble with her.


    ¡®After all, she dared to teach someone like Be a lesson. Nobodys like us are no


    match for her,¡¯ they thought.


    On the way to Sapphire, Ste evidently felt everyone had be much more


    respectful to herpared to before.


    She sighed.


    ¡®I wanted to keep a low profile, but my ability won¡¯t allow me, ¡¯ she thought.


    The phone in Ste¡¯s bag vibrated, so she took it out and nced at it. It was a text


    message from Keegan.


    [The food at the banquet is bad. I feel a little nauseous smelling them.]


    Ste replied.


    [Is it pregnancy sickness?]


    Keegan was speechless.


    [???]


    Ste smiled.


    [Don¡¯t be pretentious.]

 Chapter 881

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 881


    Chapter 881


    Keegan could not refuse the President¡¯s enthusiasm, so he forcefully pulled himself


    together and walked over with his ss.


    The President introduced him to the businessmen immigrants who had returned from


    overseas this year and had settled in Rivera, so Keegan inevitably had to interact with


    them in the future.


    The President very proudly introduced Keegan to everyone and kept on praising him.


    Naturally, these people knew of Keegan even if the President did not introduce him.


    The Vinci Rivera Group had already expanded its business presence overseas long


    ago. Besides, Keegan participated in many projects thepany had overseas. He


    even went abroad yearly to recruit talents and offered them high sries, so he was


    well-known among international students.


    Everyone toasted each other and exchanged pleasantries.


    The difort Keegan felt seemed to have gotten even worse. While his nausea was


    relieved, he still felt dizzy, and the weakness in his limbs had intensified. Apart from


    these symptoms, he also felt an inexplicable warmth within his body, causing his


    throat to go dry.


    ¡®Something isn¡¯t right with me,¡¯ he thought.


    Keegan forced himself to hold on and said to the President in a low voice,¡± Mr.


    Anderson, please excuse me for a moment.¡±


    Keegan set down the ss. Then, he walked out while calling Aldor on his phone.


    However, someone bumped his arm before the call got connected. His phone


    coincidentally fell into the ice bucket on the ground. Since most of the ice in the bucket


    had already melted, his phone was submerged in the water.


    The attendant paled and said in a panic, ¡°Sorry.¡±


    Keegan frowned as his vision kept on swaying. He pushed away the attendant and


    stumbled to the ice bucket. Then, he took out his phone.


    His phone screen had turnedpletely dark due to the water and was now


    Keegan pressed against his temples and felt his head spinning. He had a splitting


    headache. 1


    ¡°Keegan?¡±


    A woman¡¯s voice sounded above him.


    Keegan lifted his gaze in a daze.


    Meanwhile, Ste felt a little worried after Keegan replied, ¡°Okay,¡± so she sent him


    another text after a while.


    [Where¡¯s your banquet held? Why don¡¯t¡­ I go pick you up?]


    However, she did not receive a response after sending the text message. Keegan did


    not send her a reply at all.


    Ste frowned.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know why, but I feel a little worried,¡¯ she thought.


    And so, she texted Aldor.


    [Aldor, Keegan seems to be feeling a little unwell. He isn¡¯t replying to my texts. Could


    you please go check on him?]


    Aldor¡¯s reply was prompt.


    [Mrs. Kane, I¡¯m not in Rivera at the moment. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll send someone to check


    on him. Once we get in touch with him. I¡¯ll contact you.]


    Ste breathed a sigh of relief.


    [Thanks.]


    After everyone got out of the car and went upstairs, Ste coincidentally ran into


    Marshall at the elevator. There was a bald and fat middle-aged man with Marshall.


    Ste found him inexplicably familiar.


    She did not notice Ynda, who was standing next to her, slightly changed her


    expression when she saw the man. Then, she averted her gaze and pretended she


    did not see him.


    ¡°Ste. What¡¯re you doing here?¡±


    Marshall visibly turned happy when he saw Ste. She smiled.


    ¡°Our crew is having a gathering, so we came here together. How about you? Are you


    here for work?¡±


    Marshall nodded. His gaze was warm as usual.


    ¡°I wanted to contact you in the next two days, but I didn¡¯t expect to meet you before


    doing so,¡± Marshall paused momentarily. He continued, ¡°What time will your gathering


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    end? Are you free to have a chatter?¡±


    Ste was startled, ¡°Chat about what?¡±


    Marshall lowered his gaze andughed, ¡°Chat about how you didn¡¯te to me for


    consultation and went to a trainee solicitor in our firm instead.¡±


    Ste was speechless.

 Chapter 882

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 882


    Chapter 882


    ¡®This is awkward. This is really awkward. How could the attorney Felicity introduced to


    me be from Marshall¡¯s firm? That bastard. Why didn¡¯t she tell me? If I had known, I


    would¡¯ve just directly consulted Marshall. What gossip is there to avoid? Now


    everybody knows. How awkward is that?¡¯ Ste thought.


    She scratched her head and tried toe up with an excuse, ¡°Well¡­ Well, it¡¯s just a


    small problem, and I feel like you¡¯ve been pretty busy recently. Besides, it¡¯s just a


    consultation. I¡¯ll definitely go to you if I really need to go to court.¡±


    When Marshall saw how Ste spoke carefully, worried that she would say things that


    made him upset, he suddenly felt a tenderness in his heart. Heughed and said


    warmly, ¡°I¡¯m not ming you. You¡¯re helping ourw firm¡¯s staff enhance their


    professional skills, so you¡¯re kind of helping me train them.¡±


    Ste faked augh.


    ¡®If it weren¡¯t for Marshall¡¯s earnest expression, I would¡¯ve thought he was mocking me


    with such words,¡¯ she thought.


    Yoven stared at Ste.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t this the woman Ynda asked me to deal with? And here I was, wondering why


    she looked so familiar. I think thest time I met her was also at this ce. Marshall¡¯s


    originally icy expression instantly melted away. No wonder he doesn¡¯t want the money


    or women I gave him; his heart already belongs to someone. Which man can resist a


    beauty like her?


    I knew it; as long as the person is a human, they¡¯ll have desires. If they remain


    unmoved, it¡¯s only because I didn¡¯t get their desires right,¡¯ he thought.


    At this thought, he smiled. When he walked past Ynda, he pinched her butt when


    nobody was paying attention. Then, he exchanged some words with Marshall and left.


    Ste initially wanted to tell Marshall they should meet another day since she did not


    know when the gathering would end. However, Marshall suddenly called out her name


    before she could speak.


    ¡°Ste.¡±


    Ste lifted her gaze.


    He pointed at her head, ¡°There¡¯s something in your hair.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Ste was confused as she reached out to touch her head. Marshall grabbed her


    hand before she could do so.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s better for you not to touch it.¡±


    Ste was bewildered.


    Then, the actresses next to her also looked over. Someone said, ¡°Ste, there¡¯s an


    insect on your head!¡±


    ¡°Oh shoot! It¡¯s massive and has many legs.¡±


    Ste abruptly froze on the spot. She did not dare to move at all, and her voice


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    trembled slightly.


    ¡°Wh-What insect? Stop joking!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really not joking! Stop moving around. What if it falls into your shirt?¡±


    Ste paled in fear hearing the person¡¯s words. She was terrified of insects,


    particrly the ones with really long legs.


    Marshall looked at her pale expression and warmly consoled her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯ll help you get it off,¡± he said, taking a handkerchief from his


    pocket. Then, he ced the handkerchief on his hand and removed the insect from


    the top of her head.

 Chapter 883

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 883


    Chapter 883


    ¡°It¡¯s gone.¡±


    The moment Marshall spoke, Ste¡¯s entire body rxed. However, she was driven


    by her curiosity and could not help but nce at his handkerchief. Then, she could not


    help but curse, ¡°Fuck!¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Marshall was speechless.


    He gripped his handkerchief, and within it was a bush cricket. Its plump legs were still


    kicking around wildly as its thin, long antennae moved about. Ste was terrified and


    felt her entire body itch like insects were crawling on her.


    ¡°Take it away! Take it away! Take it away!¡±


    Ste no longer cared about her image and pped his arm, telling him to dispose of


    the insect quickly. Marshall chuckled. Then, he took the insect outside and set it free.


    When he returned, Ste was wiping her hair with a wet wipe an attendant had given


    her. She still looked a little pale and seemed rather shaken up.


    The actresses with her were no longer around and had probably gone upstairs.


    Seeing how Marshall had returned, Ste handed him two wet wipes to wipe his


    hands. He took the wet wipes and wiped his hands while saying,¡± Bush crickets aren¡¯t


    venomous and don¡¯t bite.¡±


    ¡°But they look scary,¡± Ste said.


    At the thought of the creature¡¯s appearance, she felt her skin crawl again.


    Ste was terrified of insects with long legs and mandibles. Over the summer, she


    would not dare to sleep at all if one had flown into the house.


    She would only rest after waking Keegan and getting him to catch the insect.


    Once, Keegan brought the insect over and showed it to her after he had caught it.


    However, he did not hold the insect properly, and it sprung onto her face while she


    looked at it.


    That night, Ste hurled all of the curses she knew at Keegan. Then, she did not let


    Keegan into their bedroom for the entire week.


    Ste was already afraid of insects, but what Keegan did worsened it. Now, she felt


    her skin crawl whenever she saw such insects.


    ¡®If Marshall didn¡¯t stop me just now and I had touched it with my own hands, I probably


    would¡¯ve been so afraid that I¡¯d disco dance in front of everyone and embarrass


    myself big time,¡¯ she thought.


    At this thought, she lifted her head and asked Marshall, ¡±1 didn¡¯t embarrass myself too


    much just now, right?¡±


    Marshall paused. When he thought of how she stiffened like a puppet and proceeded


    to blurt out a curse word right after, he could not help but chuckle.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, but your reaction was quite interesting. I didn¡¯t expect you to be this


    terrified.¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    She weakly exined, ¡°The truth is I wasn¡¯t this terrified of insects; I only felt a little


    ufortable seeing them. But one time, that bastard, Keegan, got one onto my


    face. After that, my skin crawls every time I see one.¡¯


    Marshall paused and did not answer. He grabbed his cup and took a sip of water.


    Momentster, he finally said, ¡°You want to consult about ways to recover your


    mother¡¯s house?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Ste became serious when Marshall got down to business. She


    continued, ¡°Judging from Albert¡¯s words, the ownership of the house my grandfather


    left for my mother hasn¡¯t been transferred. I remember my grandfather mentioning this


    property in his will; Albert shouldn¡¯t have any rights to get this house. However, my


    mother had used this house as a mortgage to the bank for a loan, and she and Albert


    repaid the loan together. This is why I¡¯m still unsure and wanted to consult if I could


    get back the house.¡¯


    ¡°Its ownership is pretty evident if there¡¯s a will present. Even though they repaid the


    loan as husband and wife, they also used the loan money together as husband and


    wife, so this has little to do with the matter.


    Besides, I¡¯ve seen the documents you sent over. The house is self-built and has a title


    deed. Since that¡¯s the case, the does not permit Albert to use thisnd for buying or


    selling purposes.¡¯


    Ste was delighted.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying there¡¯s a high chance I could recover this house?¡±


    Marshall nodded.


    ¡°Let me know when you¡¯re free. I can apany you to the Housing Authority. It¡¯s


    better for you to personally visit the site and see if it¡¯s really like what Albert said, that


    it hasn¡¯t been resold and is unupied.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Ste said and paused momentarily. Then, she asked in a low voice, ¡°Why


    don¡¯t you let your intern go with me? Then, I could help him enhance his professional


    skills?¡±


    Marshall turned to her. Suddenly, he asked, ¡°Ste, did something I do make you feel


    ufortable?¡¯

 Chapter 884

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 884


    Chapter 884


    Ste was bewildered.


    Marshall lowered his gaze and said softly, ¡°Was it because I didn¡¯t win your case with


    Albert, so you don¡¯t trust me anymore and would rather consult an intern than me?¡¯


    Ste was stunned.


    She quickly denied his question, ¡°No. Why would you think so? Besides, it¡¯s not like


    we lost the case; we just dropped it. Furthermore, it¡¯s not your fault. Who would¡¯ve


    thought that Albert and I were not biologically rted?¡±


    Marshall lifted his gaze. He sounded a little hurt, ¡¯Then why are you avoiding me?¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    ¡°I¡¯m not avoiding you¡­¡± Ste suddenly did not know how to exin herself.


    ¡®I can¡¯t possibly say it¡¯s because Keegan¡¯s jealous, right? After all, we haven¡¯t gotten


    back together. And even if we get back together, I still don¡¯t want to tell outsiders too


    much,¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°I feel like the earnings from cases like mine are peanuts to you. Compared to your


    earnings from the divorce cases in the high society, which you usually deal with, my


    case practically holds you up from earning big bucks. You¡¯re helping me solely


    because you¡¯re my friend, and I don¡¯t want to always trouble you.¡±


    Marshall pursed his lips. After a long while, he finally said, ¡°I never found your matters


    troublesome, and I¡¯ve been feeling guilty that I couldn¡¯t help you recover the


    inheritance your mother had left. If I could help you in this matter, it would slightly


    reduce the guilt I¡¯m feeling. So, don¡¯t push me away, okay?¡¯


    ¡®Is this the pride of a top-tierwyer? He can¡¯t let go of this matter because he doesn¡¯t


    allow himself to fail? Be it him helping me handle my mother¡¯s affairs after her passing


    or him representing me in the twowsuits, he¡¯s really helped me way too much. I


    can¡¯t push away a friend who¡¯s helped me when I was at a low point,¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll see when I¡¯m free and get back to you in the next few days.¡±


    Marshall smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for your call.¡±


    Ste also smiled with her eyes. Then, she asked in a nosy manner, ¡°You¡¯re not done


    with the divorce case yet?¡±


    She suddenly remembered who the unappealing, bald, middle-aged man was when


    she was chatting with Marshall just now.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t he the person who kept pestering Marshallst time, wanting to negotiate


    something with him? Having more than one mistress is one thing; he even has an


    illegitimate child. His wife wants to recover the money he spent on his mistress. I¡¯m so


    nosy; I can¡¯t remember other things, but I remember such gossip so well,¡¯ she thought.


    Marshall looked at her curious expression and chuckled.


    ¡°This is my client¡¯s privacy,¡± he said.


    Ste covered her mouth and quickly said in a low voice, ¡°Pretend I didn¡¯t ask.¡±


    ¡°But I can tell you,¡± Marshall also lowered his voice. ¡°The hearing is next week. Based


    on the current evidence, my client has a high chance of winning the case.¡¯


    Ste immediately said words of ttery, ¡°Well, of course! Do they know who the


    ¡°Law Pro?¡± Marshall did not understand.


    Ste exined, ¡®Yeah, the Top Gun in the legal profession.¡±


    Marshall paused. Then, heughed, and his gaze on her softened further.


    Stuart texted Ste, asking why she still was not upstairs yet.


    Ste did not dilly-dally around. She stood up and said, ¡°The director is asking for me,


    so I¡¯ll be going upstairs now. I¡¯ll contact you in due time.¡±


    Marshall nodded and only averted his gaze after seeing her enter the elevator.


    Many left during the second round. Leighton had a ne he needed to catch, while


    two actors had gotten sent home because they were drunk. However, the rest were no


    better and had gotten more or less tipsy.


    Not long after Ste went upstairs, two more actors got drunk. Besides that, many


    staff members were already married and had a family, so their family members would


    worry about them if they went home toote.


    This was why the second roundsted only briefly and ended soon.


    Ste helped her drunk co-workers into the car. Then, Stuart drunkenly stuck his head


    out of the car and asked, ¡°How are you going home?¡¯

 Chapter 885

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 885


    Chapter 885


    ¡®You¡¯re worried about me when you¡¯re this drunk?¡¯ thought Ste. However, she felt


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a cab. It¡¯s easy to get a cab in this area,¡± she said.


    Stuart grunted in response. Then he said, ¡°Don¡¯t bete tomorrow.¡¯


    Ste was amused.


    ¡®We can¡¯t tell for sure who¡¯s the one that¡¯ll bete tomorrow,¡¯ she thought.


    After everyone had left, Ste took out her phone and started to book a cab.


    Just as she entered the e-hailing application, a silvery gray Land Rover pulled up by


    the curb. The driver rolled down the window and asked, ¡°You booked a ride, ma¡¯am?¡±


    Ste answered, ¡°Nope. I haven¡¯t even booked one.¡±


    The driver grunted in response and took out his phone to contact his client. Ste


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    heard him cursing even though she was quite a distance away from him.


    It seemed like the driver¡¯s customer had canceled the booking, so he had made a


    wasted trip and was arguing with the customer.


    The driver angrily hung up his phone and asked Ste, ¡°Where are you going,


    ma¡¯am? Since I don¡¯t have any customers, why don¡¯t I drive you there? This way, my


    trip won¡¯t be wasted.¡±


    Ste nced at her phone. A dozen people were in the queue to book a cab, so she


    had to wait an estimated 20 to 30 minutes. She looked up and asked, ¡°Can you send


    me to Clouditude International?¡±


    ¡°Sure. Hop in.¡±


    Ste walked to the side of the car and only got in when she saw the cab driver¡¯s


    identification.


    The driver made a U-turn whileining, ¡°The cancel feature on e- hailing


    applications is so unreasonable. A five-dorpensation? The gas money I spent


    driving here is more than that!¡±


    The car reeked of cigarettes. Ste did not like it, so she winded down the car window.


    The cab driver ranted for a long time. Finally, Ste asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t there a meter?¡±


    The driver smiled and said, ¡°My phone acts as a meter, so don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t


    overcharge you.¡±


    Then, Ste did not say another word.


    She took out her phone and nced at it. Aldor did not text her, and Keegan still had


    not replied.


    After driving for a while, the driver said, ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯m going to pick someone up at the


    front. He¡¯s also heading to Clouditude International. After this, you just have to pay


    half of the fare.¡±


    Ste frowned.


    ¡®I don¡¯t really like sharing a cab with strangers; the driver should¡¯ve asked me first. If I


    had known, I wouldn¡¯t have gotten in just because I didn¡¯t want to wait,¡¯ she thought.


    Soon after, the cab pulled up at a junction. Then, a man dressed in ck and a face


    mask got in the car.


    The man did not go to the front passenger seat. Instead, he sat in the backseat, like


    Ste. Even though he waspletely covered in the middle of summer, the smell of


    cigarettesing from him was much stronger than the car¡¯s. This made Ste feel


    even more ufortable.

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    Chapter 886


    ¡°How is she?¡± the driver asked. The man in the back seat patted Ste¡¯s face and


    whispered, ¡°She¡¯s out.¡±


    The driver tugged at his clothes and said, ¡®Fuck. That was close. She was being so


    cautious. We nearly lost her. Call Mr. Brown and tell him that it¡¯s done.¡±


    Neither of the men noticed that a Chevrolet hade out from the Sapphire


    Clubhouse and tailed their Land Rover. They drove all the way to a hotel and worked


    together to get Ste out of the car. They then carried her up the building in an


    elevator from the underground parking lot.


    The two put Ste on the bed when they reached the hotel room. The man in ck


    could not help himself from touching her face, but the driver quickly pped his hand


    away. ¡°Mr. Brown said that no one is allowed to touch her. Do you have a death


    wish?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just taking a good look at her. I¡¯ve never fooled around with such an iconic woman


    before,¡± the man in ck said, and his eyes were full of lust.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Women are going to line up just to be with you after Mr. Brown is satisfied with this


    job,¡± said the driver as he rearranged the bed and urged the other guy to leave.


    The person in the Chevrolet watched the men drive away before making a call. ¡°Hey,


    sis. She¡¯s in Redford Hotel on 7th Avenue. Send someone to give me ess.¡¯


    Marshall returned home after leaving the Sapphire Clubhouse. He had just finished


    taking a shower when the nanny knocked on the door. He downed a ss of water


    and answered it. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Someone sent this over and asked me to give it to you, sir.¡± Marshall looked down


    and saw that it was a room card for Redford Hotel. He frowned, threw the card into the


    trash, and closed the door.


    After a while, he received a text message. Marshall finished printing his documents


    before looking at his phone. It was Mr. Brown. [I hope you like this little gift I got you.]


    Marshall snorted slightly. Suddenly, the image of Mr. Brown staring at Ste in the


    elevator shed across his mind. ¡®That room card¡­ Could it be..?¡¯ Marshall pursed his


    lips, grabbed the room card from the trash, quickly changed his clothes, and went out


    the door.


    Ariel was making soup in the kitchen when she saw him. ¡°Are you going out again at


    this time of the night?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yeah. Something came up,¡± said Marshall as he slipped on his shoes.


    ¡°It¡¯s the middle of the night. I think you should listen to your grandpa. Just go back to


    thepany. You won¡¯t have to take on so much work, and he can finally retire in


    peace.¡± Ariel could not help but feel distressed thinking about the injury on his head.


    ¡°Is he ready for retirement? I mean, he hasn¡¯t even thought about it when I was still in


    thepany,¡± Marshall said in disdain.


    Ariel opened her mouth but could not find a goodeback. After a long time, she


    said, ¡°You should at least find a girlfriend.¡±

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    Keegan was put on the bed after being carried into a hotel room. Jaylene looked at


    the unconscious man, turned to the bellboys, and said, ¡°You guys can leave now.¡±


    She then walked over to the bed and sat down.


    Keegan¡¯s cheeks were slightly flushed. His panting was a little loud, and his chest


    heaved violently. Feeling out of breath, he frowned and tugged at his cor. Jaylene


    grabbed his hand and said, ¡°How are you feeling, Keegan?¡±


    His body temperature was surprisingly high, which made Jaylene¡¯s touch a little cold.


    Keegan unconsciously tightened his hands, but the unfamiliarity made him let go of


    his grip. However, it made Jaylene¡¯s heart beat faster, and her face turned red. She


    whispered Keegan¡¯s name again. But, seeing that he did not respond, she got up and


    went to the bathroom.


    After a while, she came out with a towel and wiped him down. Slowly and gently,


    Jaylene rubbed the towel across Keegan¡¯s face before moving to his neck. Heid


    sideways, showing his perfect jawline and his sexy Adam¡¯s apple.


    Jaylene clutched the towel tightly and blushed as she went to unbutton his shirt. But,


    before she could do it, Keegan stopped her. Jaylene was startled. Seeing that he was


    still in a blur, he cautiously tried calling out to him.


    Keegan could not see or hear clearly, but he knew that the blurry figure in front of him


    was emanating an unfamiliar scent that made him feel repulsed. He pushed the


    person away, not wanting her to touch him.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    However, the drug made him weak.


    Jaylene did not realize that he was trying to stop her. On the contrary, she got nervous


    because of his sudden touch. ¡°Don¡¯t move, Keegan. I¡¯ll help wipe your sweat. It¡¯ll


    make you feel better,¡± she blushed and said in a low voice.


    As she spoke, she unbuttoned his shirt once more. After she undid two of the buttons,


    there was a knock on the door. Jaylene paused, put the towel down, and walked to


    the door. ¡°Who is it?¡¯ she asked before opening it.


    ¡°Room service.¡±

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    Chapter 888


    The man who pretended to be the maintenance person ced Jaylene aside before


    opening the door to reveal another man carrying Ste. The two put her next to


    Keegan and cleaned up the evidence. They then used their shirt to cover Jaylene¡¯s


    face and dragged her out of the room before locking the door. They avoided getting


    caught on surveince and carried Jaylene to the parking lot.


    Olivia had been waiting in the car for a long time. ¡°How¡¯s Keegan?¡± she asked when


    she saw Jaylene being put into the car. ¡°The drug hasn¡¯t worn off yet. But, based on


    calctions, he should wake up in a couple of minutes. The woman also seems to be


    drugged. Her breathing sounded a little weird.¡±


    Olivia paused andughed, ¡°Well, thank god I saved her!¡±


    Her ¡°good¡± deeds were not in vain. After Cordelia¡¯s birthday banquet, Olivia went to


    investigate the case of her husband and his mistress. She found out that the truth was


    harsher than what Ste had told her. Not only did Dahlia know that Erick was


    cheating on her, but she was the one who introduced him to his mistress.


    Olivia was kept in the dark like an idiot. She even tried her best to please Dahlia,


    expecting her to help Erick in his career. Things took a turn when she knew about the


    matter. All Olivia wanted now was to ruin the scumbag¡¯s name, obtain the property,


    and take revenge on Dahlia.


    Olivia had the brains. She understood that Erick¡¯s status would not be affected by


    some random expose on his private life. He would only bebeled as problematic in


    the media and would stay low for two years before getting back into thew field like


    nothing had ever happened.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Olivia was not foolish. She knew that she could not harm her husband¡¯s reputation


    before wreaking vengeance on Dahlia. With Dahlia¡¯s current state, it would be hard to


    deal with her since the Kane family would not be happy. Olivia could not afford to


    offend the Kane family. She did not want to go to the extremes just to get pay back.


    She had a daughter, so the perfect revenge was to obtain the property.


    The only way for Olivia to execute this n was to stay by Dahlia¡¯s side and continue


    her act. She did well in the firework incident. Dahlia med the person who made the


    fireworks after giving them some tongueshings. Olivia even talked to those who


    were injured for her. This made Dahlia trust her even more.


    When Dahlia was forced back to the Crosby residence by Keegan a while ago, Olivia


    was the first person she contacted to talk about the incident. During the conversation,


    she belittled Ste and asked Olivia to help her find a way back into the Kane family.


    Dahlia¡¯s life was not going well after she left the Kane residence. Her younger brother


    and sister-inw had relied on her for financial support because of her connection with


    the Kane family.

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    Dahlia told Olivia that she had a good rtionship with Darcie. ¡°If Jaylene got together


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    with Keegan, Darcie and I would be inws. I¡¯m sure Jaylene wouldn¡¯t just let me fend


    for myself.¡±


    Olivia was not amused by the idea. ¡®Your son doesn¡¯t want anything to do with you,


    and you want to set him up with someone for your sake? Did you forget how Keegan


    reacted when he discovered that you caused Ste¡¯s infertility? He clearly still loves


    her. How in the world would he get together with Jaylene? Does she even know her


    son? Why would a man like Quentin ever fall for such an idiot???¡¯


    Olivia underestimated Dahlia. When things did not work out between Keegan and


    Jaylene, Dahlia took oundish measures to ensure it worked out. Dahlia took the


    initiative to tell Olivia about her n of drugging Keegan and sending Jaylene into his


    room to get things going. Naturally, she did not want to get her hands dirty, so she


    asked Olivia to do it since she had a vastwork of contacts and knew different kinds


    of people for the job.


    However, Dahlia never imagined that the loyal Olivia would betray her.


    Olivia wanted her ns to fail. So, she did not want her to creep back into the Kane


    family. The more Dahlia cared about something, the more Olivia did not want her to


    obtain it. This was the best way to avenge herself.


    Therefore, Olivia did not drug Keegan and sent Jaylene to his room as per Dahlia¡¯s


    request. Instead, she asked someone to give Keegan a narcotic that would make him


    unconscious for two hours at most and contacted Ste to save him. Since the enemy


    of an enemy was a friend, Olivia intended to partner up with Ste and went against


    Dahlia.


    However, she miscalcted. Ste blocked her without waiting for her to finish. Olivia


    had no choice but to kidnap her in order to carry out her n. She did not expect that


    another group of people would abduct Ste. The incident happened to be seen by


    the person Olivia had arranged for the kidnapping.


    Initially, she wanted to call the police, but the people brought Ste to a hotel room


    and left. So, she came up with another strategy. Olivia thought of saving Ste and


    forming a good rtionship with Keegan. That way, she would not have to worry


    about Keegan not providing support when it came to her scumbag husband. Til be


    killing three birds with one stone.¡¯


    Even though Olivia had a well-thought-out n, there was still an error of judgment.


    She did not expect Jaylene to take the lead and send Keegan into a hotel room. ¡®Why


    does it look like she¡¯s not surprised that Keegan was drugged? Wouldn¡¯t someone call


    an ambnce or maybe the police if someone is unconscious? Ugh. Whatever. I don¡¯t


    have time for this.¡¯


    Olivia took out a few stacks of cash from her purse and handed them to one of her


    men. ¡°Go and hide out there for a while. Come back after the limelight has passed. I


    will take care of everything.¡±

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    The other person¡¯s hand went under Ste¡¯s clothes, groping her smooth tender skin.


    Ste was so frightened that the hairs on her back stood on end. ¡°Please let me go. I¡¯ll


    give you any amount you want. Please,¡¯ she said in a hoarse and trembling voice.


    Keegan looked at the sexy woman before him and swallowed without saying a word.


    He thought he was dreaming when he saw the person he had longed for lying beside


    him. He flushed the moment he woke up. It urred to him that it was not a dream


    when he felt the warmth underneath his palm.


    Keegan was confused about what was going on, but that did not stop him from


    teasing Ste. He continued to rub his hands all over her waist in silence. There was a


    thinyer of goosebumps on her skin, which Keegan found cute. He could not help but


    lower his head and kiss her stomach.


    Ste was so frightened that she almost cursed out loud. She suppressed her fear


    and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Please. I was married once. My ex- husband left me


    because of my low sex drive. I¡¯m not good in bed. I¡¯m like a lifeless dummy. Please.


    You¡¯re better off taking my money.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyelids twitched. ¡®Would a lifeless dummy keep wearing sexy nightwear to


    tease me now and then?¡¯ he thought. He was curious about how she would find a way


    out of this situation, so he lowered his voice and said, ¡°How much money are we


    talking about?¡±


    Keegan was not as good as Ste when it came to voice acting. Usually, she would


    recognize the sound of his voice. But, other than being drugged and blindfolded, she


    was in a highly stressful state. Her senses were worse than usual, so she did not think


    that it was him.


    Ste thought that there was room for negotiation as soon as she heard the other


    party inquire about money. ¡°I have a card in my purse with more than two million


    dors on it. You can take it all. Just let me go. Please,¡± she hurriedly said.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Keegan chuckled, touched her chin, and said, ¡°I have a ce in Schlechberg where


    over a dozen suites were built. I have people renting that ce for more than one


    million dors per year. And, you¡¯re offering me two million? Hah.¡±


    ¡®Why the fuck are you doing this then if youe from a rich background? For fun?¡¯


    Ste cursed in her heart. However, she did not dare to offend the other party in the


    slightest. ¡®The fact that he¡¯s telling me so much about himself means that he¡¯s not fully


    on edge yet. Maybe there is still hope for getting out of this.


    Ste made persistent efforts, trying to talk some sense into the man holding her


    captive, ¡¯You don¡¯t have to do this. You don¡¯t look like someone who needs the money.


    I am an artist. My manager would definitely call the police if they found out that I¡¯m


    missing. You¡¯ll go to jail. Who¡¯ll help you collect the rent when that happens? Weigh


    out the pros and cons.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need the money, but I need the body. And, I think you¡¯re perfect. You¡¯re goodlooking and quite


    the smooth talker. You¡¯re also very kind- hearted for worrying about


    me getting caught by the police,¡± said Keegan.

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    ¡®Is this dude crazy? Does he actually have a crush on me?¡¯ Ste¡¯s mind was racing


    all over the ce. ¡°That sounds wonderful,¡± she said.


    Keegan paused, and his eyes lit up. His face remained calm as he asked,¡± Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. We, as women, want men who can provide a stable lifestyle. You seem like


    someone who could do that, based on what you told me. A reliable man lets his


    partner handle the assets. My ex-husband wasn¡¯t like that. After being married to him


    for so many years, he never gave me any financial power. That was why we got


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    divorced.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyelids twitched. ¡°Didn¡¯t you divorce because of your low sex drive?¡¯


    ¡°Ah?¡± Ste was taken aback. ¡°Yeah. I became depressed because I had no say in


    our financials, which then caused a drop in my sex drive. I¡¯m sure it¡¯d be different with


    you.¡± While speaking, Ste¡¯s right thumb broke free from the rope. She then


    continued to wiggle all her other fingers out quietly.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Keegan gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Show me.¡±


    Ste blushed as if she was shy. ¡°Can you take off my blindfold? Seeing the other


    person¡¯s face makes me want them more,¡¯ she whispered.


    Keegan¡¯s face turned dark. ¡®She sure knows how to y,¡¯ he thought. He proceeded


    to stretch out his arm and lift her blindfold with his index finger. Just when Ste


    thought she was going to see the beast¡¯s true identity, Keegan put the piece of cloth


    back on. He unbuttoned her shirt and said in a deep voice, ¡°I like it better when you¡¯re


    blindfolded.¡±


    As he said that, he continued to undress her. Ste turned pale and tried to get out of


    that situation. ¡°Let go of me, you bastard!¡¯ She gathered all her strength and almost


    broke free when Keegan straddled her. He grabbed her wrist with one hand and


    raised them above her head.


    ¡°What did you say? Didn¡¯t you say that being with me sounded wonderful?¡±


    ¡°Fuck you. Lay a finger on me, and I¡¯ll fucking castrate you!¡±


    Right after Ste said that, she felt a kiss on her cheek. The man lowered his nasty


    voice and said, ¡°There. I did it. What are you going to do now?¡±

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    Chapter 892


    Ste¡¯s eyshes fluttered while her eyes were closed. ¡®Am I hallucinating? Why does


    that sound like Keegan?¡¯


    ¡°Ste.¡± The voice got closer. ¡°Ste, open your eyes. There¡¯s no one else in here.


    Look, it¡¯s me.¡±


    Ste slowly opened her eyes, and the blurry figure in front of her started to be


    apparent. It was Keegan. She burst into tears once she calmed down. She hugged


    Keegan and proceeded to hit him as she cried out, ¡°You bastard! Why did you scare


    me like that, you mutt?!¡±


    Keegan knew he was in the wrong, so he did not dare to talk back at her. He hugged


    her back tightly, no matter how much she tried to break free. Keegan then tried to


    okay?¡±


    Ste was in shock. The fear of the unknown after being drugged in the car and


    brought to a hotel really scarred her. She even thought she would have to have sex


    with her captor for a moment.


    When Ste gradually stopped crying, Keegan asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Ste paused and replied, ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who arranged for someone to kidnap


    me?¡±


    Keegan frowned. ¡°Why would I do that? I would never joke about something that


    serious.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just tease me earlier?¡± Ste used him immediately.


    Keegan was speechless. ¡°I had just regained consciousness and saw you tied up next


    to me when I woke up.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®regained consciousness¡¯?¡¯ Ste started getting suspicious.


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened at the mention of it. ¡°Someone drugged me, and I passed out


    before I could leave the event.¡± Thest person Keegan remembered seeing was


    Jaylene. However, Ste was the one tied up next to him when he woke up.


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t arrange this abduction, then who did?¡± Ste tried to recall what had


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    happened that night but was at a loss. Keegan lightly patted her shoulder and said,


    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you can¡¯t remember anything. I¡¯ll have someone look into it.¡±


    As Keegan was about to get up, Ste held onto his waist like a sloth hugging a


    branch. ¡°I want to check the surveince,¡± he exined.


    ¡°Oh. Okay,¡± Ste blushed and said. However, she was not letting go of her hands.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Can you let go of me for a sec?¡±


    ¡°Am I not doing that?¡±


    Both of them looked down and saw that not only was she hugging Keegan¡¯s waist, but


    she was also picking at his belt.

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    Chapter 893


    Ste hugged onto her knees and curled up into a ball, ¡°l-lt¡¯s just an aphrodisiac. I¡¯ll


    take a cold bath and wait for the drug to wear off. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    She was so stubborn that Keegan had no choice but to go to the bathroom and fill the


    tub. He pursed his lips when he thought of the person on the bed being tortured by the


    drug.


    When the water was ready, Keegan came out of the bathroom and called for Ste.


    But, she was lying on the bed and out of strength. She sat up limply when she heard


    the man calling her. Keegan looked at her for a few seconds, bent down to pick her


    up, and carried her to the bathroom.


    As her body was soaked under water, she suddenly frowned and asked,¡± Why does it


    feel warm?¡±


    ¡°The cold tap is broken, so there¡¯s only the hot option. It¡¯s okay. The water will cool


    down after a while.¡±


    ¡°How long will that take?¡± Ste asked, feeling ufortable in the warm water.


    Keegan took a mug and sat down by the bathtub. ¡°I¡¯ll move the water around to make


    it cool down a little faster.¡±


    Ste¡¯s mind was working slower than usual at that moment. Otherwise, she would


    have found Keegan¡¯s idea to be ridiculous. ¡® How is that teeny tiny mug going to help


    in such arge tub of water?¡± she would say. Not only did she not find it unreasonable,


    but she also found Keegan to be much more considerate than before.


    Ste had a soak in the tub with her clothes on while Keegan sat on the edge of the


    tub, swishing the water with the mug. Steam began to rise in the bathroom, and


    Keegan¡¯s shirt was wet in no time. Ste was enjoying the view as his clothes stuck


    onto his body. She could see his muscles clearly, and they looked nice and tight.


    Ste¡¯s libido did not drop. Instead, it kept increasing overtime. She averted her gaze


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    and recited the bible in her heart, ¡®For all that is in the world-the desires of the flesh


    and the desires of the eyes and pride of life ¡ªis not from the Father but is from the


    world.¡¯


    Ste opened her eyes abruptly and looked at Keegan. His clothes were already


    soaked, and his hair was half-wet. At some point, he pushed it back. Seeing that she


    was staring at him intently, Keegan asked in a low voice, ¡¯Are you feeling better now?¡±


    Ste watched his Adam¡¯s apple slide up and down as he spoke, and her mouth went


    dry. She tilted her head upward but could not help looking at Keegan.


    ¡°Hey, Keegan, l-ls it hot in here, or is it just me?¡¯


    ¡°Yeah. I do feel kinda warm right now.¡± The tub was filled with hot water in the


    summer. There was no way that they were not going to feel the heat.


    ¡°Take off your clothes, then.¡±


    Keegan paused and lowered his gaze. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be appropriate.¡±


    Ste¡¯s sanity was no longer with her. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve never seen you without your


    shirt. Why don¡¯t you take it off to cool down?¡±

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    Chapter 894


    Keegan¡¯s blood turned cold. ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re asking me right now?¡± he


    gritted his teeth and asked.


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Ste replied.


    Keegan bit her lip angrily and said, ¡°Mhm?¡±


    Ste frowned in pain. ¡°Don¡¯t you men like it when there are nomitments?¡±


    ¡°Who even told you that?¡±


    Ste could not control herself. She reached out to touch Keegan, but he stopped her


    and said in a low voice, ¡°Tell me, and I¡¯ll allow you to touch me. N


    As soon as Ste heard that Keegan was willing to let her touch him, she immediately


    confessed that she had seen a post about it on the inte.¡± What did it say exactly?¡±


    Keegan undid a button and continued to elicit information from her. ¡°In detail, and I¡¯ll


    let you see what¡¯s under here.¡±


    Ste was not someone with a strong will. Now that she was under the influence of


    the drug, Keegan seemed like her walking antidote. Her rationality had been thrown


    out the window at that point. So, she told Keegan about the post. Although she kept


    quiet about infertility, she still cared about the matter, especially since Keegan had


    used it as a weapon against her in the past.


    Ste was afraid that there was nothing she could do about her infertility and that she


    would not know how sincere Keegan was when he said that he did not want children.


    After some thought, she looked up an inte forum to find out if anyone faced the


    same problems as her and how they dealt with them.


    She then found a post where the original poster¡¯s girlfriend was unable to conceive


    due to gics. The woman had told her partner about it before getting engaged, so


    now, he was having second thoughts. They had been together in a wonderful


    rtionship for three years. The original poster stated that he did not like children that


    much, but his parents looked forward to having a grandchild.


    Meanwhile, the people in thements were not helping. One of the replies with the


    highest number of likes stated, [If she can¡¯t conceive, doesn¡¯t that mean you don¡¯t


    have to wear any protection? That¡¯s quite the bargain if you ask me. Nomitments!


    I¡¯d say marry her!]


    Ste felt physically sick when she saw thatment, so she immediately closed the


    tab. Initially, she did not even think about the matter. But, in order to get Keegan to


    sleep with her, she had to say it. She just wanted to get him on the hook.


    Keegan was speechless after listening to what she had to say. ¡°You should be more


    aware of what you read on the inte. That way, it doesn¡¯t affect your IQ.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ste replied, staring intently at Keegan¡¯s wet shirt. ¡°Can I start touching you


    now?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyes darkened. Without saying a word, he undid another one of his buttons.


    Ste¡¯s eyes were glowing as her gaze followed the movement of his fingers without


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    blinking.

 Chapter 895

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 895


    Chapter 895


    Keegan did not move and just let Ste kiss him. It was not until she reached out and


    grabbed his shirt that he held her down. He then put some distance between them,


    stared into her watery eyes, and asked in a low voice, ¡®Do you really want to have sex


    with me?¡¯


    Ste nodded.


    ¡°Do you know who I am?¡¯ Keegan asked.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste was confused by why he would ask that and replied softly, ¡¯Yeah. You¡¯re


    Keegan.¡± As she said that, she wanted to kiss him even more.


    Keegan avoided her lips and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t you ever say those words you said


    earlier to anyone else but me, got it?¡¯


    Ste was no longer in a rational state. She did not know what Keegan was referring


    to, but she knew she would be rewarded if she yed along. So, Ste nodded and


    eagerly said, ¡°Got it.¡±


    As expected, Keegan was delighted with her answer. He took her hand, lowered his


    gaze, and kissed her fingertips. Ste¡¯s fingers trembled under his touch. A tingling


    sensation spread from her hands to her heart. It almost jumped out of her chest.


    Keegan then furthered the kiss to her wrists, and her hand was unconsciously ced


    on his chest. Keegan paused, and with a charming voice, he said, ¡°Help me undress.¡±


    Ste was being very obedient. She blushed, looked downward, and reached out to


    help him unbutton his shirt. Her hands were trembling. Due to the drug¡¯s effects and


    her nervousness, it took a long time for her to undo five buttons.


    ¡°Good job,¡¯ Keegan praised her with augh. His words of affirmation made her blush.


    Keegan leaned in and kissed Ste¡¯s eyebrows, the bridge of her nose, lips, and


    corbone. Ste moaned and immediately covered her mouth in panic after realizing


    the sound she had made.


    Keegan was pleased by her cute reaction. He looked down at her and smiled. He


    kissed her earlobe and said in a low voice, ¡®Tell me if you feel ufortable, okay?


    You have the right to stop me.¡±

 Chapter 896

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 896


    Chapter 896


    Marshall pursed his lips and pulled the corner of the sheet to look at the woman


    underneath it. His face turned gloomy when he saw who it was. He let go of the sheet


    nkly, turned around, and left the room.


    Marshall tried to contact Ste, but she did not pick up. He then pursed his lips and


    dialed Felicity¡¯s number. Felicity sat on the couch and yawned, but the people around


    her did not leave. Suddenly, her phone rang. Before she could answer the call,


    Vermont quickly nced over at the caller ID and froze. [Handsome Bentley Guy]


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Thompson, hi. I¡¯m sorry to disturb you, but is Ste home? I want to discuss


    something with her, but she¡¯s not picking up her phone.¡±


    ¡°Ste is out right now. I¡¯m guessing that the party isn¡¯t over yet. She told me that she


    was going to let loose and have fun tonight.¡±


    Marshall frowned at the sound of that. ¡°Can you try to contact her? It¡¯s dangerous to


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    be out thiste.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Okay. I¡¯ll update youter if I get ahold of her.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Who was that?¡± Vermont asked after Felicity hung up the phone. She ignored him


    and called Ste instead. However, no one answered the first or second call. Felicity


    continued to dial her number seven to eight times before someone finally picked up.


    Felicity sighed in relief andined, ¡°Ste, why did it take you so long to answer


    the phone? Is the party not over yet?¡±


    Complete silence came from the other end of the phone. After a few seconds,


    Keegan¡¯s deep voice sounded, ¡°She¡¯s not going home tonight.¡±


    Felicity was petrified. ¡°Y-Y-You¡­¡± She stuttered for a long time before she said,


    ¡°Where¡¯s Ste?¡± Keegan hung up the phone after that.


    Felicity was shocked. She redialed the number, but it went straight to voicemail. ¡°Ah!


    I¡¯m hungry. Are you hungry?¡± Vermont turned to Felicity and asked.


    She looked at him sideways and said, ¡°Don¡¯t expect me to cook you another meal.¡±


    Vermont did not know what to say. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you gone to thepany these past


    two days?¡± he asked.

 Chapter 897

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 897


    Chapter 897


    Felicity had been in the film industry for ages. Naturally, she did not take the initiative


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    to help a screenwriter change the plot. Instead, she would tactfully mention that the


    script could be better with some appropriate changes. However, this time, the


    screenwriter passed this responsibility to her.


    Felicity was fine with polishing the script, but she did not want to change the original


    plot. The screenwriter for the particr script she was working on kept praising her


    and said that they could assign her as a co-writer if she executed it well.


    Felicity was intrigued as soon as she heard that. Like everyone in the same field, she


    hoped to make a name for herself with one of her works and be an actual


    screenwriter. Now that an opportunity had presented itself. Felicity had to take it. She


    let go of her other work and focused on changing the script.


    Felicity stayed up almost every night for more than half a month, and when she finally


    revised the entire script, she sent it to the original screenwriter. She was filled with joy


    as she waited for the other party to review her work and put her name on it. However,


    they said that the changes were not good enough and that they preferred the original


    plot.


    Felicity was greatly disappointed, and although she felt hurt by theirments, she


    epted them. Maybe the quality of my work is just not there yet,¡¯ she thought.


    Things would have been fine if the matter had ended there, but what happenedter


    disgusted her to the core.


    The script was bought by a film and televisionpany within less than two months


    after she revised it. And, the production was set to start within a year.


    Felicity liked going on different group chats to talk about various topics and to get to


    know the small actors in the group. A few days ago, a friend of hers shared a piece of


    good news with the group, stating that she just got a part as the third-female lead and


    that her pay had increased by more than ten thousand dors per episode.


    Everyone was happy for her, and they nned to celebrate at her ce. They had


    much to drink. The actress was so happy with the increase in sry that she took the


    script and said she¡¯d act out a short scene for them.


    Felicity was screaming and ying around like everyone else at first, but her


    expression changed when she heard the script. ¡®Wait. That line sounds familiar. Isn¡¯t


    that my fucking work?!¡¯ Felicity thenpared the script with the one she wrote and


    found that the screenwriter had sold her version word for word.


    This made her so mad that she went to thepany the next day just to settle the


    score with the screenwriter. The other party refused to admit their wrongdoing and


    said they had mistakenly sent the revised manuscript. After some time, they said they


    wouldpensate Felicity for the money. Felicity did not want that. Instead, she


    insisted on getting credit for her work. However, the screenwriter threatened her with


    the fact that the actress had already leaked the plot before filming even started.


    Felicity was furious and exposed the matter to all the major group chats in the


    screenwriting world. The incident gained a lot of attraction, but justice was not served.


    The film group continued on with the production of the series, and the asshole


    screenwriter still got their money. On the other hand, the actress who showed her the


    script lost her role.


    Thepany did not punish Felicity, but she was put on leave after they wrapped up


    the recent filming. Felicity knew that this was the result of her actions. She also knew


    that thepany would devise another way to make her resign ¡°voluntarily¡¯ after this


    leave was over.


    ¡®What a bullshitpany! All they care about is money!¡¯ Felicity had wanted to leave


    thepany for a long time, but the thought of causing her friend to lose her job


    made her feel guilty.


    Vermont knew his guess was correct when he saw Felicity¡¯s face and how she did not


    bite back. ¡°Are they really thinking of letting you go?¡±


    Felicity pushed his face away and indifferently said, ¡°Shut up.¡±

 Chapter 898

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 898


    Chapter 898


    ¡°You want me to be an artist in yourpany?¡± Felicity put her hand on her chin


    and asked. She held her phone to her face and stared at her reflection before saying


    in a low voice, ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound too bad. Based on my looks, I can y the role of


    a concubine or maybe a young, innocent intern who has something going on with the


    CEO, don¡¯t you think? Plus, they don¡¯t really focus on looks anymore, right? There


    have been several average-looking female stars who have be quite popr in


    the past two years. Maybe I¡¯ll be in the next generation of celebrities, huh?¡±


    Vermont was speechless. ¡°Do you wanna go to the bathroom for a sec?¡±


    Felicity looked at him suspiciously and asked, ¡°Why would I need to go to the


    bathroom?¡±


    ¡°To freaking look at yourself in the mirror,* Vermont replied with a serious look on his


    face.


    The corner of Felicity¡¯s mouth twitched, and she kicked him off the couch.¡± You go


    look in the mirror!¡± she yelled.


    Vermont slumped onto the carpet and sat there with one of his legs bent as he


    to mypany and be my personal secretary. All you have to do is cook for me, and


    I¡¯ll give you fifty thousand dors a month. You¡¯ll also get your weekends off, holidays,


    and insurance. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Felicity refused the offer without any hesitation. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for a nanny, go


    to a housekeepingpany.¡±


    Vermont could not believe his ears. ¡°Would you be able to earn this much money with


    your screenwriting assistant job?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont was puzzled. ¡°Then, why not be my secretary?¡±


    ¡°My life goal is not just limited to cooking. I would¡¯ve opened a restaurant if I wanted to


    be a chef. I have a dream, you know?¡± Felicity said while scrolling through her


    phone.


    ¡°Then, tell me, what¡¯s your dream?¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eyes lit up at the mention of that. ¡°I want to write the best script in the world,


    win the craziest award of all time, and have sex with the hottest man alive.¡±


    Vermont was at a loss for words. ¡°You can cross thest one out. You¡¯ve already done


    it.¡±

 Chapter 899

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 899


    Chapter 899


    Felicity nced at Vermont and asked, ¡°Have you ever seen the ad for pain- free


    surgical abortions?¡± ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°There was this girl who was undergoing pain-free surgery, and she asked the doctor


    if they were going to start, but the doctor told her that they were done.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Vermont frowned.


    ¡°That was how I felt that night,¡± said Felicity, and Vermont froze.


    ¡®Are we going to start? We¡¯re already done. Not only was it fast, but it felt as though


    there was nothing.¡¯ Vermont could not believe it and was a little embarrassed. ¡®This is


    my manhood we¡¯re talking about. Shit. There¡¯s no way that¡¯s true, especially not after I


    ¡°You were so wasted that day. You probably don¡¯t remember how it felt.¡±


    Felicity gave Vermont a sideways nce and said, ¡°Even though I have no


    experience prior to this, I¡¯m sure I should¡¯ve felt something, right? I mean, the pain I


    felt after getting a shotsted for two days. But, I didn¡¯t feel a thing after we had sex.


    Could it be that there¡¯s something wrong with your¡ª ¡± She paused and deliberately


    nced at his lower body to imply something.


    Vermont¡¯s face turned green. He was quiet for a long time, which made Felicity happy.


    She then pretended to look surprised and said, ¡°You didn¡¯t know about this? You had


    so many girlfriends, yet no one told you they didn¡¯t feel a thing? Poor you.¡±


    Before Vermont could respond, she continued, ¡°I know. They didn¡¯t want to hurt your


    self-esteem. That¡¯s why they said you were good. At the same time, they wanted to


    convince themselves that you were good.¡±


    As Felicity said that, she hit Vermont on the shoulder and added, ¡°You have to thank


    me. Otherwise, you would be kept in the dark all your life, and you wouldn¡¯t have


    known about your dysfunction!¡±


    Vermont gritted his teeth and pushed her hand away. ¡°I¡¯m not thanking you! ¡± He


    pped her feet, got up, and left the room with his phone.


    Felicity did not budge from her seat. ¡°Vermont, don¡¯t go! It¡¯s just a joke. Come on.


    Being a quick shooter can be a good thing. It¡¯s fast and painless¡­ n


    The door mmed shut with a bang after that. Felicity immediatelyy on the couch


    with one leg crossed over her knee, and her toes were wiggling happily. She picked


    up her phone and saw that they were giving virtual money pouches in the work group


    chat. Felicity immediately clicked on the virtual money pouch and got twenty dors.


    While thinking about grabbing coffee tomorrow with the money she got, she suddenly


    saw that the virtual money pouches were sent by the asshole screenwriter.


    Felicity scrolled the group chat only to find that the jerk was celebrating the start of


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    production for his script-the one she had revised. She felt that the money she received


    was now dirty money. However, before she could return the money to the


    screenwriter, the other party sent a text saying, [I¡¯m sooo jealous of those on leave.


    They get to rx at home while we have to work our asses off in the middle of the


    night to make the script better.]

 Chapter 900

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 900


    Chapter 900


    [Take a look at the goddamn mirror. I¡¯m the one who has been cleaning up after you


    all these years. You have no skills in writing historical dramas, yet you still do it. Can


    you at least do some research beforeing up with your bullshit scripts? And, how


    dare you ask me who the historical figures in my version are? I clearly stated them in


    my work. Are you fucking illiterate???]


    The group chat was silent. [Show some respect, Felicity.] The screenwriter wrote in


    anger.


    [Respect my ass! Are you even worthy of respect? You hold meetings where your


    assistants brainstorm ideas because you have absolutely no talent whatsoever. You


    take everyone¡¯s thoughts andpile them as one and then ask us to revise the


    script.


    [It¡¯s fine that we have to revise the script since it¡¯s our job, but could you treat us as


    human beings at least? While we were working overtime to review the manuscript,


    you were out watching a movie with your wife. You promised to give us a fair share of


    half of the earnings, yet out of 5 million dors, you only gave us twenty thousand.


    When Nicole talked about how stingy you were, you came up with some excuse to fire


    her. What? You can¡¯t stand being called out?


    [Mr. Hill let us get off work at 6:00 p.m. But, youe and tell us that there¡¯s a


    meeting at 5:50 p.m.??? I¡¯m fine with working overtime since I don¡¯t have anyone to


    go home to, but Max and Lynda have partners and kids, you know? How are they


    supposed to spend time with their family if you keep letting us off sote? These


    meetings always end at 8, sometimes nine. And, you have the audacity to tell us that


    you need the revised script done by 12:00 a.m.?]


    The screenwriter sent a smiley face and said, [I¡¯ve screenshotted this conversation.


    You¡¯ll be responsible for your own actions.]


    [Are you going to show the screenshots to your father-inw or something? Please.


    What would you be without him? I¡¯m not afraid of you, jerk.] Felicity sneered. After


    that, she sent a screenshot of the PayPal transfer to the group. [I¡¯ve wired you the


    money. I can¡¯t believe you divided 100 dors into twenty virtual money pouches to


    share with the group. That¡¯s not even enough to pay for my phone subscription.]


    After a short period of silence in the group chat, someone said, [What a role model.]


    Not long after, the entire group was full of words of encouragement.


    Although Felicity got to voice out her anger, it was clear that her job position was


    about to bepromised. The asshole screenwriter¡¯s father- inw held many shares


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    in thepany, which meant that she would probably be fired after this incident.


    Felicity did not have a deep attachment to thepany. Even though, she had


    worked there for three to four years after graduating and had made many friends. She


    was disappointed at the thought of leaving.


    Shey on the couch, changed her Facebook status to [unemployed], and blocked her


    mother from seeing her ount. This was not because she was afraid that she would


    be worried but because she would look like a joke.


    When Felicity was about to go to bed after taking a shower, she saw that Corbin had


    sent her a message. [A friend of mine just opened a studio and is recruiting


    screenwriters. Would you like to give it a try?]


    Felicity immediately set up from her bed and thought, ¡®Is this a blessing in disguise?1


    She then proceeded to have a chat with Corbin.


    Ste woke up in a daze the following day. When she opened her eyes, she saw a


    clock on the wall showing 8:30 a.m. She was about to sit up when she fell back on the


    bed. She realized that there was a hand on her waist.


    Ste paused and slowly looked at the owner of the hand. It was Keegan lying next to


    her with his eyes closed. And, he was naked. His left hand rested on her pillow, while


    his right hand was around her waist. From where Ste was, she could see all the


    scratches and love marks on his body.


    Her brain uncontrobly showed her scenes fromst night, and her ears turned red.


    She gently put Keegan¡¯s hand away, intending to leave without him noticing. But, he


    quickly pulled her back into his arms as soon as she did that.

 Chapter 901

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 901


    Chapter 901


    Ste had yet to put her shirt on. Keegan grabbed the nket and put it over her head


    as soon as he heard the doorknob turning.


    Those people went inside and saw Keegan standing by the bed while a few pieces of


    women¡¯s garments were scattered across the ground. There was a huge bump under


    the nket, and it was very obvious that someone was underneath it.


    Even though Keegan had his shirt on, the marks on his neck and corbone were too


    obvious for those people to have missed. All of them knew what had happened in this


    room.


    They got a phone call early in the morning and were told that the heir of Vinci Rivera


    had spent the night in a hotel with a woman yesterday.


    Keegan had not publicly disclosed that he was divorced, so he was still a married man


    to the media.


    The paparazzi were very enthusiastic about discovering celebrities¡¯ personal lives and


    were very interested in tracking down popr figures in Rivera. Especially an ultrawealthy family like


    Vinci Rivera.


    The news of the heir of Vinci Rivera having an affair was way more exciting than any


    starlet getting exposed. So, the paparazzi started taking pictures of Keegan from


    every angle with their phones and cameras as soon as they came inside.


    They asked as they did so, ¡°Mr. Kane, are you having an affair with the woman in the


    bed?¡±


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What is your rtionship with this woman? Does she know that you¡¯re married?¡±


    ¡°Does your wife know about you spending the night with another woman?¡± Keegan¡¯s


    personal life was spotless. The paparazzi could always find other rich men in the high


    society of Rivera messing with other women, but they had never caught him doing so.


    His cousin, Jackson, was an example. He had so many exes that he used to be in a


    rtionship with a starlet, a supermodel, and even an heiress of a very wealthy family.


    His girlfriends would asionally fight each other over him while he did nothing to


    stop them. He had given the media a lot of stories to tell throughout recent years.


    However, everyone knew that Jackson was a yboy, and no one was surprised that


    he would be caught in a scandal like that. Those scandals amused people at first, but


    they began to lose interest overtime.


    Stories between a rich kid and some gold diggers were just toomon. News like


    that could not entertain theizens anymore, so even the media stopped talking


    about him.


    But Keegan was different. He was the eldest heir of Vinci Rivera, the chairman of


    Semiconductor Technology, the best young entrepreneur of Rivera, an outstanding


    graduate from Trinity University who won countless awards in the technology field¡­


    His resume was simply perfect.


    The paparazzi figured that the world would probably go crazy if someone as wless


    as him turned out to be a cheater. So, they rushed to the hotel despite being warned


    by their peers after getting the phone call, hoping to get a special scoop and earn a


    fortune.


    Keegan¡¯s expression looked extremely cold when the paparazzi asked him those


    jarring questions. He tried to keep himself calm as he said in a deep voice. ¡°My wife


    knows about this.¡±

 Chapter 902

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 902


    Chapter 902


    ¡®This isn¡¯t what we were told.¡¯


    The paparazzi were disappointed, but some did not believe what Keegan said.


    After all, there was nothing to prove that what he said was true. That woman had been


    hiding under the nket since they came inside, and they did not see her face at all.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    So, they were not convinced.


    ¡°Would you let us interview Mrs. Kane since that¡¯s her?¡±


    One of the quick-witted paparazzi asked because even though they could not catch


    Keegan cheating, finding out who Mrs. Kane was could be an astonishing headline.


    Keegan publicly announced that he was married on Facebook four years ago, but he


    had never mentioned anything about his wife¡¯s identity.


    They had been married for four years, and he kept his wife¡¯s information a secret very


    well. Anyone who tried to look her up would instantly receive a warning from Vinci


    Rivera.


    However, rumors spread around iming that Be was Mrs. Kane because


    somebody had taken a photo of them together, but the photo was ordered to be taken


    down. They even called Vinci Rivera to uncover the truth, but they would be called


    ridiculous for asking that question.


    That was why everybody got more curious about who Mrs. Kane was. At least they


    would not have to go back empty-handed if they could find out who Mrs. Kane was.


    Ste¡¯s hair stood on end as soon as she heard that. ¡®How sick are these paparazzi?


    Why do they want to know whom Keegan is spending the night with?! They need to


    get out of here!¡¯


    However, she heard Keegan say through the nket the very next second.¡± I¡¯ve got to


    ask my wife about that first.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    Keegan bent down, lifted the nket¡¯s corner, and got inside.


    Ste was so nervous that she was biting her nails. She gritted her teeth and said in a


    low voice as soon as she saw him, ¡¯Tell them to leave now!¡±


    Keegan was a little disappointed when he saw that Ste already had her shirt on.


    He could not help but smirk after seeing how nervous she was. ¡°Would you give me


    some extra points if I do so?¡±


    Ste was baffled. She red at Keegan as if she was telling him. ¡°Do you have a


    death wish?¡±


    Keegan sighed as he understood what she was trying to say. Then, he wrapped his


    arm around her and said softly, ¡°Cover up your face. Don¡¯t let any of them take photos


    of you.

 Chapter 903

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 903


    Chapter 903


    ¡°What the fuck is this?¡¯


    ¡®A face-kini?¡¯


    Ste was terrified. Fortunately, Keegan was sharp enough to pass her the bag with


    something in it for her to disguise herself. Otherwise, her career would bepletely


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ruined if her face was exposed to the cameras after the nket was pulled down.


    Everyone was still looking at Ste¡¯s disguise when Keegan immediately grabbed that


    person¡¯s arm that was still grabbing the nket and twisted it behind his back. That


    person yelled painfully and kneeled on the ground as his face turned pale.


    Keegan¡¯s face looked very cold as he red at the paparazzi. ¡°Did I allow you to look


    at her face?¡±


    He got so mad that everyone there could feel his anger rippling through them. He did


    not look as calm as he was answering the question before. Instead, he made


    everyone shudder.


    The expressions of the paparazzi changed. Keegan was different from Jackson, as


    nothing would happen to them no matter what they wrote about Jackson. Keegan was


    the person who made the best paparazzipany. Banana Media, go bankrupt by


    suing them. Keegan was the reason why the chief editor of Banana Media went from


    always being in the spotlight to disappearing from the intepletely.


    None of thepanies they were from was as influential as Banana Media, so


    nobody there dared to challenge him. The bonus they would receive from getting that


    exclusive shot was not worth the risk.


    All of them regretted being there.


    The paparazzi were rethinking their life decisions when that fully covered woman


    spoke. ¡¯Get them to leave now, or I¡¯m going to deduct your points!¡±


    Everybody watched how Keegan turned from burning with rage to apletely


    different person after he heard what that woman said. Keegan frowned and said


    unhappily, ¡°How could you me me for this?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better stop talking.¡¯


    Keegan kept his mouth shut before saying resignedly, ¡°Fine.¡±


    His face immediately turned cold as he shrugged that person off and said fiercely,


    ¡°Get lost now!¡±


    Everybody rushed out of the room, and they were still sweating out of fear when they


    got to the elevator. They simply could not believe that they got out of the room safely.


    Also, they could not figure out who Mrs. Kane was and what kind of power she had


    over Keegan.


    The paparazzi exchanged looks before a rookie reporter asked, ¡°Are we still going to


    publish anything about this?¡±


    Her senior rolled his eyes at her. ¡°Do you want to lose your job? Did you see Keegan


    Kane¡¯s reaction?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll just say something about him and his wife then.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t even get a shot of his wife. So what are we going to talk about?¡±


    The reporter kept quiet.


    She could tell that Keegan spoiled his wife a lot, judging from what happened just


    now. So, she figured there would be nothing wrong with her writing an article about


    their besotted love since she could not get what she was there for.

 Chapter 904

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 904


    Chapter 904


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ste said. Her legs became weak as soon as she stood up and stumbled.


    Keegan was shocked and immediately went forward to help her up. Then, he asked


    softly, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Ste got embarrassed and only said after a while, ¡°Do I walk like I¡¯m riding on a pig?¡±


    Keegan kept quiet. He reminded himself of how ruthless he wasst night and got a


    little awkward too. Then, he said, ¡°Cover your face so no one will recognize you.¡±


    Ste was speechless. She knew what his answer was.


    It was a yes.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The bathroom had no cold water, and Keegan booked a room next door. The car that


    Aldor scheduled for them arrived after they freshened up.


    Ste only started thinking about what to do with this rtionship when the car started


    moving. She was not expecting their rtionship to progress so quickly, so she was a


    little lost. She initially nned to only focus on her rtionship after her career got on


    track.


    Keegan was already at the peak of his career, so she wanted to achieve something at


    least, even though she might not be able to be as sessful as Keegan.


    Trust was not the only reason why their marriage failed. The difference in


    socioeconomic status between them was also a factor. The huge gap between them


    always made Ste feel insecure, and she could never stop asking herself if she was


    good enough to be Keegan¡¯s partner.


    However, things did not go as nned. Ste would never expect to be in the same


    bed as him, let alone have intercourse. She thought to herself.1 Should I tell him I only


    slept with him because I was drugged and tell him to forget what happened?¡¯


    However, she felt like giving herself a big p as she thought about how horrible she


    would be if she said that. She started regretting. ¡®Why didn¡¯t I keep myself under


    controlst night? I would¡¯ve let Keegan send me to the hospital if I had known earlier.


    I¡¯d rather feel embarrassed than put myself in this position now.¡¯


    ¡°Last night¡­ was an ident¡­¡± Ste was still thinking about what to say, yet Keegan


    interrupted her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too bothered by it. Just consider me as your antidote.


    Everything¡¯s fine.¡± Keegan gazed at her with a gentle look on his face. ¡°I know you


    only did that because you were druggedst night. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d do the same if I


    were somebody else, so it had no special meaning.


    However, I¡¯m d that that person could be me. I won¡¯t ask you for anything because


    of what happenedst night. I¡¯ll respect your decision no matter what it is.¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    ¡®What now? I feel even more like a horrible person now. I was the one who started


    everything, yet he¡¯s defending me for it.¡¯


    Ste scratched her hair and said, while blushing, ¡°You¡¯re wrong. I¡¯d never do


    something like that with anybody else.¡±


    Keegan paused as a pleasantly surprised look shed across his face.

 Chapter 905

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 905


    Chapter 905


    Keegan paused. He was not sure if he heard what Ste said correctly.


    He held his breath and asked, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Ste was not a dilly-dally kind of person, and she could not deny her feelings for


    Keegan.


    She noticed everything that Keegan did to save their rtionship these days. She


    figured it would not be right for her to keep him hanging, no matter how strong their


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    rtionship was. So, she wanted to take their rtionship to another level since she


    could not turn back time.


    She looked at Keegan and said, ¡°Isn¡¯tpanionate marriage a trend now? Let¡¯s give


    boyfriend. If you do well, I¡¯ll turn you into my legitimate boyfriend, but if you fail¡­¡±


    Keegan immediately cut her off. ¡°There won¡¯t be another option. I¡¯m going to pass with


    flying colors.¡±


    Ste held herughter in. ¡°Don¡¯t be overconfident. I haven¡¯t even told you about the


    conditions yet.¡±


    Keegan grabbed her hand and gave her his full attention. ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°I only have one condition. During your probation, you¡¯re not allowed to tell anybody


    about our rtionship. You have toy low where other people are around,


    understand?¡±


    Keegan heard what Ste said and immediately frowned. ¡°Is dating me an


    embarrassing thing to you?¡±


    Ste kicked his calf. ¡°Do you think getting remarried is not embarrassing?¡±


    Keegan kept quiet. Even though he was not very happy with that answer, the word


    remarried made up for his dissatisfaction. He asked, ¡°What about after passing the


    probation?¡±


    Ste red at him. ¡°You¡¯re overreaching. We¡¯ll talk about this if you pass.¡±


    Keegan thought for a moment before he said, ¡°Does that mean that we can do


    everything that couples do during the probation period?¡±


    Ste nodded.


    Then, he moved closer to Ste and asked in a low voice, ¡¯Including what happened


    Ste red at him again. ¡¯Do the probationers in yourpany earn as much as


    your employees?¡±


    Keegan replied, ¡°Yes, they do.¡¯


    Ste kept quiet.


    ¡°They have the same sry?¡±


    Keegan tantly lied, ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll pay them the same sry if they¡¯re equally


    capable.¡±

 Chapter 906

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 906


    Chapter 906


    The technician turned on the tap. Then, he turned the faucets of the shower and the


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    bathtub; none of them had water at all.


    ¡®This isn¡¯t right. They can¡¯t all be broken at the same time. Could the main water pipe


    outside break? But I¡¯ve never heard about the cold-water pipes in other rooms not


    having any water,¡¯ thought the technician.


    He removed the ess panel and stared at the valve in a daze. Then, he twisted the


    valve, and the water from the cold-water pipes in the bathroom came rushing out.


    He was speechless.


    ¡®Which idiot turned off the cold-water valve?!¡¯ he thought.


    At the Crosby residence, Dahlia had had a hard time falling asleep sincest night.


    There were a few times when she wanted to head to the scene. However, she was


    afraid Keegan would find out she was behind the incident if the n failed.


    And so, she waited the entire night and got a call from Olivia, saying Keegan did not


    leave the room the entire night. Dahlia became excited and thought it worked out, so


    she immediately told the media to head there.


    ¡®Now, I just have to wait for the media to break the news and confirm that Keegan and


    Jaylene had slept with each other,¡¯ thought Dahlia.


    However, she waited until nearly eleven o¡¯clock, and there was still no news. She felt


    a little anxious. She paced back and forth in the living room with a frown.


    ke¡¯s wife-Kanara Kent-had just brought her child home from tutoring when she saw


    Dahlia pacing around the living room. The leftover snacks and takeout box fromst


    night were still lying on the table and had yet to be cleaned by anyone.


    She immediately felt a little disgruntled. After she sent her child upstairs, she walked


    up to Dahlia and said through suppressed anger, ¡°Dahlia, didn¡¯t I tell you to clean this


    up before I left? Why¡¯s it still the same as before?¡±


    Dahlia looked down on her sister-inw.


    ¡®If the Crosby family didn¡¯t fall, our family would never let ke marry a lowly


    prodding ke to kick me out. If I hadn¡¯t helped ke over these years, would they


    have been living thisfortably? However, I have no choice but to bow to them now


    that I¡¯m under their roof,¡¯ she thought.


    Dahlia stuck her hand out and said, ¡°I cut my finger when doing the dishes, so I can¡¯t


    get water on it. I¡¯ll let the housemaid clean it up when shees home.¡±


    Kanara almostughed when she saw the cut on Dahlia¡¯s hand.


    ¡®Of course, you can¡¯t get water on it; what if you realize that it¡¯s recovered when you


    get water on it? Besides, housemaids need vacation days too. Do we just stop living


    when the housemaid isn¡¯t around?¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°You can hire two housemaids and let them rotationally take leaves,¡± Dahlia said.


    ¡®Two housemaids?¡¯thought Kanara. She chuckled and nced at Dahlia.


    ¡°Then, who¡¯s going to pay for the second housemaid? You?¡±


    Dahlia frowned, ¡°Didn¡¯t I give you all some money over New Year¡¯s? It¡¯s more than


    enough to hire another housemaid, right?¡±


    ¡®Over the New Year¡¯s?¡¯ Kanara was amused.

 Chapter 907

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 907


    Chapter 907


    Kanara hit Dahlia, shouting, ¡°Stop putting yourself on a pedestal! Given by you? What


    did you give? You set a deal up for ke but took quite a bit ofmission from it.


    You alone have taken nearly half of thepany¡¯s annual ie. When the two of


    us followed thepany¡¯s progress nonstop, you were having afternoon tea with the


    high-societydies! You didn¡¯t even dare to utter a word when ke got beaten up by


    your daughter-in-w! You remember having a younger brother when you¡¯re in


    trouble, but do you treat us like family when you¡¯re not? Isn¡¯t it shameless for you to


    say such things?¡±


    Dahlia trembled in anger.


    ¡°Kanara Kent, have you gone crazy? I dare you toy another hand on me.¡±


    Kanara promptly fulfilled her request and pped her.


    ¡®I¡¯ve been putting up with Dahlia for a long time. It¡¯s true my husband is useless; he¡¯s


    unassertive and a gambler. But what kind of example has Dahlia, his older sister, set?


    If it weren¡¯t for those friends of hers, how could ke have gotten a gambling


    addiction? She gives us some bread and circuses and expects us to worship her?


    Does she really think she¡¯s a God?¡¯ thought Kanara.


    When ke came home, he saw his wife on top of Dahlia and hitting her. He hurriedly


    went up and broke up the fight.


    Dahlia¡¯s hair was disheveled, her clothes were stained, and her face was a little


    swollen. However, she continued to shout and tell ke to throw his wife out of the


    house.


    Kanara patted the dirt on herself and said icily, ¡°ke, if you dare let her stay, then get


    lost with her!¡±


    Then, she went upstairs.


    ke was afraid of his wife because of how assertive she was, but they had a really


    good rtionship as husband and wife. Besides, Dahlia staying over at their ce


    had genuinely increased their financial burden.


    After all, Dahlia¡¯s high expenses were not something an average family like theirs


    could afford in the long term.


    This was why ke chickened out when his wife gave him the word. He said to Dahlia


    in a low voice, ¡°Dahlia, I¡¯ve got a house in the Northern Suburbs. I¡¯ll clean it up in the


    next two days. Why don¡¯t you stay there? I¡¯ll get you another housemaid¡­¡±


    Dahlia was in disbelief.


    ¡®The little brother whom I¡¯ve pampered is siding with an outsider rather than me!¡¯ she


    thought.


    Dahlia trembled in anger. She shoved ke away and stood up, ¡°Fine! I don¡¯t need


    you all throwing me out; I¡¯ll leave myself!¡±


    She stood up and pointed at ke.


    ¡°You ungrateful thing! I¡¯ll consider my kindness over these years gone down the drain!


    From now onward, you¡¯re no longer my brother!¡± Dahlia shouted.


    Then, she grabbed her bag and stormed out of the Crosby residence. ke ran after


    her but gave up after two steps.


    ¡®I can¡¯t even deal with my own problems right now; I don¡¯t have the time to get


    involved in Dahlia¡¯s matters. At the end of the day, she¡¯s still Keegan¡¯s mother. She


    won¡¯t do that badly even if she can¡¯t return to the Kane family,¡¯ he thought.


    Dahlia finally saw a news story after she left the Crosby residence.


    [The Vinci Rivera Group¡¯s CEO Keegan Kane Stays at XX Hotel with His Wife. Fouryear Marriage Still


    Going Strong.]


    Dahlia was momentarily startled. She quickly opened the news story. The article did


    not include photos and was entirely a narration of how Keegan treated his wife, how


    he often kept things interesting in the rtionship despite being married for years, and


    so on.


    The news story was lost in the many news articles, so it did not create a ssh.


    Nevertheless, Dahlia did not give up and kept scrolling. However, she could not find


    any news about Keegan checking into a hotel room.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®How could this be?¡¯ wondered Dahlia.


    She quickly called Olivia.

 Chapter 908

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 908


    Chapter 908


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to curse yourself,¡± he said.


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    The medical staff listened to the two¡¯s conversation and could not help but look at


    them a few more times.


    ¡®They¡¯re both so sharp-tongued yet surprisingly harmonious,¡¯ the medical staff thought.


    After Ste finished the examinations, the two waited around half an hour before the


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    doctor called them into the room.


    She wanted to tell Keegan that she was fine going in alone. However, he had already


    grabbed her hand and started walking to the consultation room. And so, she did not


    speak and obediently followed him inside.


    The doctor was a middle-aged woman in her 50s or 60s. She had an average build,


    wore sses, and looked kind. She read the examination report and studied Ste¡¯s


    Then, she asked Ste whether her period was normal, the number of days her period


    Ste answered all of them.


    The doctor wrote down her answers, asking, ¡°How often do you have intercourse?¡±


    Ste paused and said in a low voice, ¡°Once every few months.¡±


    The doctor asked, ¡°Is it because of sexual indifference and unwillingness to have


    intercourse?¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    ¡°I divorced recently,¡± she said.


    ¡°How about before your divorce? How often?¡±


    Ste was silent for a few seconds before she said four words, ¡°It was the same.¡±


    ¡°Were there signs of frigidity even before the divorce?¡±


    Once again, Ste was speechless.


    Keegan finally spoke, ¡°I was the problem.¡±


    The doctor paused, ¡°So both of you have problems?¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    Keegan pursed his lips, ¡°She had a car ident previously, so her uterine


    appendages were damaged. As a result, the doctor said she had a high chance of


    getting a miscarriage. I didn¡¯t want her to get pregnant, so we had little intercourse.¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t reject having intercourse, is that right?¡± the doctor asked.


    Ste answered with difficulty,¡±¡­ Yes.¡±


    The doctor asked again, ¡°Do you feel pain or dryness when having intercourse?¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®Do the questions need to be this specific?¡¯ she thought.

 Chapter 909

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 909


    Chapter 909


    Ste instantly paled. The very next moment, she heard the doctor said,¡± However, it


    can be controlled. Besides, your condition isn¡¯t exactly serious. Your endometrium is


    functioning normally and secreting follicles normally. It¡¯s just the amount secreted is


    little.¡±


    Ste was startled, ¡°What¡­ Does that mean?¡±


    ¡°It means you still have the chance to naturally conceive as long as you receive timely


    treatment to curb ovarian failure. Even if you can no longer naturally conceive, you


    can choose to freeze your eggs and do an embryo transfer in the future.¡±


    The doctor slowly exined, pulling Ste back from the brink of hopelessness. She


    sat there in a daze.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying I could have my own children?¡¯* she asked dumbly.


    ¡°Of course, you could,¡± the doctor smiled. ¡°While premature ovarian failure is


    irreversible, embryo transfer technology nowadays is well-developed. It isn¡¯t difficult


    for a patient to have a child as long as they can be stimted to produce eggs.¡±


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste felt emotional, and tears welled up in her eyes.


    ¡®This is the best news I¡¯ve heard ever since my divorce,¡¯ she thought.


    Keegan squeezed her hand tightly and asked the doctor, ¡°Then, what exactly needs to


    be done to treat it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll first prescribe her some drugs. After taking the drugs for a while,e back for a


    checkup. At the same time, be mindful of your lifestyle. For instance, your routine,


    daily exercise, and your diet. Your diet is also really important. And just maintain a


    normal frequency of intercourse.¡¯


    Keegan paused and deadpanned, ¡°Define a normal frequency.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®Why does such a serious question sound so un-serious whening from Keegan?¡¯


    she thought.


    The doctor answered, ¡°Once to twice a week. Don¡¯t do it too often; always pay


    attention to your partner¡¯s physical and psychological state.¡±


    Keegan nodded, ¡°We¡¯ll definitely follow your orders, doctor.¡±


    Once again, Ste was speechless.


    By the time they collected her medication, it was already noon. When they got in the


    car, Keegan twisted open a water bottle and urged Ste to take her medication


    quickly.


    After she had taken the medication, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t eat the fast food served on the set


    in the future. After this, I¡¯ll get two nutritionists to go on set with you. They¡¯ll be


    exclusively responsible for your diet.¡±


    She almost spat the water in her mouth, ¡°Isn¡¯t this too much?¡±


    ¡®Bringing my own nutritionist and two at that. Even top actors and actresses don¡¯t go


    to this extent. Is Keegan trying to make me getbeled as someone who puts on airs


    when I haven¡¯t even gotten popr?¡¯ she thought.


    Keegan looked at her with a serious expression.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what the doctor said? Diet is really important, so you can¡¯t just eat


    whatever like you did in the past,¡± he said.


    ¡°It¡¯s just one meal. Can¡¯t I just have something better to eat when Ie home at


    night?¡±


    Just as Keegan wanted to say no, Ste said, ¡°If you¡¯re not busy at night, we could


    even grab a meal together.¡±


    Keegan immediately changed his answer, ¡°That¡¯ll do too.¡¯


    Ste¡¯s phone rang right after Keegan¡¯s answer. He nced at the caller ID: Trevor.


    He pursed his lips, and his entire body went on high alert. Ste did not notice


    Keegan¡¯s expression and answered the call.


    ¡°Ste, are you feeling unwell?¡±


    The moment the call connected, Trevor¡¯s concerned voice sounded from the other


    end of the line.


    ¡°I heard Kaiden say you took a leave today?¡±


    Ste felt guilty.


    ¡®Huh? Why¡¯d my boss get alerted by me taking a leave?¡¯ she thought.


    She coughed and said, ¡°My throat isn¡¯t feeling that good. I think I caught a coldst


    night.¡±


    ¡°Where are you right now? I¡¯ll pick you up and send you to the hospital to get it


    checked.¡±


    The vein on Keegan¡¯s head bulged. He thought, ¡®I hate bosses that don¡¯t have


    boundaries!¡¯


    ¡°There¡¯s no need. I just got back from the hospital, and they prescribed me some


    medication. I¡¯ll be fine after some rest.¡±


    Trevor was still worried.


    ¡°Are you really alright? Don¡¯t force yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really fine. I¡¯ve got a good constitution. I could even carry Keegan in the past.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡®How could she have the nerve to bring this up? She lost a game of truth or dare and


    had to twirl around while carrying me on her back. She almost flung me down from the


    second floor,¡¯ he thought.


    However, Trevor¡¯s answer was much meaner. He said, ¡°Is Keegan useless? He


    needed a girl to carry him?¡±


    Keegan darkened expression. Just as he wanted to make a rebuttal, Ste covered


    his mouth.

 Chapter 910

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 910


    Chapter 910


    After receiving 70 thousand dors in donations, the charity federation immediately


    made a thank you post on Facebook.


    However,izens noticed the charity federation had posted two photos of the


    donation. They wondered why Ste had split the 70-thousand-dor donation into


    two, and one which was a weird figure, 213 dors. And so, they tagged her and


    asked if there was a reason behind splitting the amount into two.


    Ste reposted the Facebook post that tagged her and captioned: [There¡¯s no special


    meaning behind it. I just thought it was auspicious.


    Coincidentally, the first day of our shoot was on the 13th.]


    Then, she tagged all the actors presentst night, including the star of the incident,


    Be. While others may not know the meaning behind the figure, those who were


    present yesterday were well aware.


    The star of the incident, Be, stared at the ¡¯213¡å figure.


    ¡®It¡¯s as if I¡¯m watching Ste sneer at how silly my behavior wasst night. She¡¯s


    tantly ridiculing me!¡¯ she thought. She was so furious that she smashed everything


    on the table.


    At the Saun residence, Trevor hung up the phone. When he turned around, he saw


    Wenham standing behind him with a frown and a skeptical stare.


    Trevor was startled. He frowned and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you make a sound when you


    walk?¡±


    Wenham side-eyed him, ¡°Why are you acting so guilty when making a call?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not guilty.¡±


    Trevor refused to admit it. Wenham had a serious expression.


    ¡°While I¡¯m urging you to marry, you also shouldn¡¯t go around poaching anyone for the


    sake of marriage. It¡¯s immoral, alright?¡±


    Wenham was confused.


    ¡°Who told you such nonsense? Who did I poach?¡±


    ¡°Who else?¡± Wenham had a disappointed expression. ¡°You¡¯ve been calling Keegan¡¯s


    wife day in, day out. I¡¯m not blind! And here I was, wondering why he always looked


    like he had something to say to me and constantly asked me about your love life. He¡¯s


    also been sending me information about girls and insists on setting you up on a date.


    Turns out, he¡¯s known about this long ago. Out of all the things you could do, why¡¯d


    you do such things? You think he can¡¯t take care of his own wife and needs you to


    take care of her? Look at what you¡¯ve done. How am I going to face Keegan in the


    future? You think I won¡¯t feel embarrassed?¡±


    Trevor¡¯s expression darkened the more he heard Wenham¡¯s words.


    ¡®That stupid mutt, Keegan! He¡¯s spent all his crafty little schemes on this, huh?¡¯ he


    thought.


    ¡°Keegan¡¯s already divorced Ste, so how¡¯s it any of his fucking business who


    pursues her?¡±


    Wenham revealed an l-knew-it expression.


    ¡°Keegan¡¯s already told me he wants me to be the witness when he and Ste


    remarries. He¡¯s already told me he wants to remarry, so what does this mean? It


    means their divorce is temporary. Maybe when the two argued, they let the anger get


    to their heads.¡±


    ¡°Let the anger get to their heads?¡± Trevor chuckled icily. ¡°He divorced Ste right after


    Madam Spade¡¯s passing, and you call that letting his anger get to his head? Did he


    lose his brain when arguing?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s their business as a couple. How could we, as outsiders, know the details? You


    don¡¯t share a bed with them, so how¡¯d you know if they don¡¯t have a good


    rtionship?¡±


    Trevor twitched the corner of his lips.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®That mutt, Keegan. He did a darn good job infiltrating my dad¡¯s thoughts. My foolish


    dad is actually defending this bastard!¡¯ he thought/


    Trevor pursed his lips and took out his phone. Then, he opened a document and


    ced his phone in front of Wenham.


    ¡°Take a good look.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Wenham frowned. He carefully studied the document, and his expression slowly fell.


    He stared at the words on the document and read them repeatedly. After he was


    certain of the contents written on the document, even the tone of his voice changed.


    ¡°What does this mean?¡±


    Trevor pursed his lips, ¡°Didn¡¯t you find her familiar when you saw her?¡±

 Chapter 911

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 911


    Chapter 911


    ¡°Dad/ Trevor paused. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Ste looking like my mom, and if it weren¡¯t for


    the DNA test I took out of curiosity, we probably would never have known that she¡¯s


    still alive. The birthmark on Ste¡¯s back is exactly the same as I remember. This


    means I didn¡¯t remember wrongly; she was clearly healthy, but the medical staff told


    us she was a stillbirth. Even if we got the wrong baby, how could they mix up a dead


    baby with a live one?¡±


    Wenham had also calmed down from the excitement of regaining his lost daughter.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying someone had purposefully switched out Ste?¡±


    Trevor pursed his lips, ¡°The medical staff in charge of my mother¡¯s delivery all died,


    migrated, or resigned and changed jobs before disappearing. Everything was handled


    too neatly, so it¡¯s hard for me not to feel dubious.¡±


    Wenham frowned, ¡°Since Ste¡¯s in the Jewell family, could it have been the Jewell


    family¡¯s doing?¡±


    Trevor shook his head.


    ¡°Rainee only learned that Ste wasn¡¯t her daughter after raising her for a few years.


    The baby we buried back then must¡¯ve been her daughter.¡±


    Rainee had contacted the hospital after she found out Ste was not her child.


    However, there was no follow-up after that.


    Since Rainee had already passed away, it was now impossible to know what


    happened back then. Regardless, after piecing these clues together, they could, at the


    very least, know that Rainee was not the person who switched out the child and that


    she was also a victim.


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t the Jewell family, who could it be?¡±


    For a moment, Wenham was clueless.


    Trevor tightly pursed his lips and did not speak.


    ¡®Usually, when people intentionally and secretly switch children, it¡¯s because they want


    to switch the children¡¯s lives. For example, they switched a child from an ordinary


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    family to a wealthy family. Even if the wealthy family discovered the child had been


    switched in the future, they would already harbor feelings for the child after raising


    them for many years. Even if they switched back to their families, the child originally


    from an ordinary family would still have the upper hand. However, Ste was switched


    with a stillborn, so that¡¯s really odd. Because the person didn¡¯t do it to switch the


    children¡¯s lives and intended to let us think the child died, they wanted to make the


    Saun family lose this child. If this is the case, what¡¯s their motive? Revenge? It¡¯s only


    revenge if we know. How could it be considered revenge if we don¡¯t know a thing? If


    revenge isn¡¯t their motive, it¡¯s a conflict of interest. But whose interest could Ste¡¯s


    existence conflict?¡¯ thought Trevor.


    Trevor almost immediately thought of Jaylene.


    ¡®But this theory is clearly unreasonable. Jaylene is only a few months older than


    Ste, and Wenham only got acquainted with Darcie two years after my mother¡¯s


    death. The timeline doesn¡¯t match,¡¯ he thought again.


    He sighed, ¡°I¡¯ll continue investigating the information on those medical staff. You


    should also think if you had offended anyone back then.¡±


    Wenham nodded. Suddenly, he started to feel emotional, ¡°If only your mother knew


    your sister was still alive.¡±


    Trevor sighed, ¡°Perhaps she¡¯s been watching over Ste all this time.¡±

 Chapter 912

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 912


    Chapter 912


    Wenham was speechless.


    Jaylene only returned around noon. Darcie came downstairs when she heard noises.


    She saw Jaylene sitting on the couch distractedly when she came downstairs.


    Luna stood beside her as it poured her some water. 1


    ¡°Jaylene,¡± Darcie called out. She continued in a low voice, ¡°Mow¡¯d it go?¡±


    Jaylene pursed her lips and had a slightly somber expression. After a while, she finally


    shook her head.


    Darcie frowned and asked quietly, ¡°He didn¡¯t touch you?¡±


    Jaylene tightened her fists and finally spoke momentster, ¡°Not long after I entered


    the room, somebody drugged me. When I came to, I was in a different hotel.¡±


    Darcie instantly darkened her expression, ¡°Keegan found out?¡±


    Jaylene shook her head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. The security footage got wiped out, so I cant find anything. But, mom, if


    it¡¯s really one of Keegan¡¯s people, will he suspect me of¡­¡±


    Before Jaylene could finish her sentence, Wenham¡¯s voice came from upstairs.


    ¡°Nana, help me look for my anti-hypertensive pills.¡± 1


    The signal lights on Luna¡¯s head blinked.


    ¡°Alright, grandpa,¡± it answered obediently.


    With its short little legs, Luna then went to help Wenham search for his pills. Darcie


    made a shushing gesture at Jaylene.


    Trevor changed his clothes due to Wenham¡¯s strong request. Then, he and Wenham


    went downstairs and nned to visit Ste.


    Trevor twitched his eyes when he heard Wenham¡¯s words. ¡°Don¡¯t you know where


    your own pills are? Why¡¯d you have to order Shiny Egg for such a small matter?¡±


    Wenham nced at him.


    ¡°How¡¯s that your business?¡±


    Trevor was speechless.


    ¡®Ever since Wenham saw Luna transform and pin me to the ground, he¡¯s been curious


    about it. He practically adores Luna after seeing how highly intelligent it is. Especially


    when Luna is also a sweet talker. Every time it sees Wenham, it calls him grandpa.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    And this made Wenham, who hasn¡¯t had the chance to have grandchildren, overjoyed.


    He frequently says things like ¡°Nana, get your grandpa a ss of tea¡±, ¡°Nana, read


    the news for your grandpa¡±, ¡®Nana,e for a walk with me¡±¡­ Now he¡¯s even asking


    Shiny Egg to help him get his anti-hypertensive pills,¡¯ he thought.

 Chapter 913

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 913


    Chapter 913


    Wenham frowned, ¡°Where are you taking my sweet grandchild?¡± ¡°This Shiny Egg is a


    gift from Keegan to Ste, and she lent it to me for a few days. For the past two days,


    she¡¯s already been asking me when I¡¯m going to return it to her. While this piece of


    scrap metal Keegan had created is ugly-looking, it¡¯s a pretty good doorman. As long


    as it¡¯s around, you don¡¯t have to worry about your daughter getting harmed,¡¯ Trevor


    paused.


    He lowered his voice and continued, ¡°Besides, if you return it, you could use visiting


    Shiny Egg as an excuse to contact Ste. You could use this opportunity to see and


    get to know her better.¡¯


    When Wenham heard this, his eyes instantly lit up.


    ¡°You should tell Ste about this soon. We didn¡¯t know about this in the past, but now


    that we know, we shouldn¡¯t let her suffer anymore. We must reunite with her soon.


    One more thing, take me to pay my respects to Madam Spade after this. Also, pay


    more attention to the matters rted to the Spade family and help them out more


    when you can,¡± he said in a low voice.


    Trevor wanted to say something, but he saw Darcie appear in front of him, so he


    forced back down his words. He greeted her, ¡°Hello, Darcie.¡¯¡¯


    Darcie slowly walked over and said with a smile, ¡°What¡¯re you two chattering and


    mumbling about?¡±


    Trevorughed.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Dad and I are talking about sending Luna away.¡±


    Seeing how Trevor was well-dressed, she asked, ¡®Right now? Why don¡¯t you go after


    having a meal?¡¯


    ¡°Nah. After sending Luna away, I¡¯ve got an appointment with a client in the afternoon,¡±


    Trevor walked to Jaylene¡¯s side. He momentarily paused from walking when he saw


    her pale face, ¡°Jaylene, are you not feeling well?¡±


    Jaylene shook her head.


    ¡°I think I stayed out toote with my friendsst night,¡± she said in a low voice. Trevor


    tussled her hair, ¡°Get some rest, and don¡¯t stay out toote in the future.¡±


    Jaylene lowered her head and grunted in response.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Trevor did not say anything else and got someone to carry Luna to the car. Then, he


    left.


    Darcie handed Wenham his anti-hypertensive pills.


    ¡°In the past, the chats you had with Trevor in the study room ended on a bad note


    eight out of ten times. Why do you look so happy today? Did Trevor get a girlfriend?¡±


    Wenham took the pills from Darcie and said happily, ¡°It¡¯s even better than that.¡±


    Darcie froze.


    ¡°What is it, then?¡± she asked with a smile.


    Wenham said mysteriously, ¡°You¡¯ll know when the timees. It¡¯ll definitely be a huge


    surprise.¡±


    Darcie scolded him.


    ¡°You¡¯re even ying charades with me now?¡±


    Wenham smiled and did not say anything.


    ¡°Ste, what do you think of my resume?¡±


    Felicity brought herptop to Ste, ¡°Tell me the parts that are no good, and I¡¯ll


    change them.¡±

 Chapter 914

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 914


    Chapter 914


    ¡°Keegan thought he had great potential, so he took him to a negotiation session for a


    huge project shortly after being hired. They seeded in getting the project signed.


    Then, Keegan asked him what the huge project he had participated in was. Guess


    what the fresh graduate said.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Felicity asked with a curious expression. She was also surprised a student


    could participate in such a huge project.


    Ste said, ¡®The over 10-billion-dor project was a campaign by PayPal, while the


    Felicity was speechless. She was in disbelief, ¡°Then, did Keegan sack him?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Ste chuckled. ¡°Not only did he not get sacked, I think he even got


    promoted after that.¡¯


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t Keegan angry he got lied to?¡¯


    ¡°I asked Keegan, and he said that a resume is only a reference for employers, and


    employers mainly examine the actual capabilities of employees. The fresh graduate


    performed really well during the negotiation session, so it doesn¡¯t stop Keegan from


    continuing to employ him despite the slight exaggeration in his resume. An


    employee¡¯s abilities are far more important than their resume. Besides, employers


    aren¡¯t dumb. Keegan has your back anyway, so who¡¯d dare call your experience a


    sham?¡±


    Ste lifted her gaze and asked, ¡°So, are you adding it?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Felicity had suddenly been ¡°enlightened¡± by Ste.


    ¡®Keegan can cover for me, and that Stinky Cucumber can also cover for me. Over the


    years, Vermont¡¯spany has released so many films and dramas; there are bound


    to be some that haven¡¯t been aired, right? So when the timees, I¡¯ll have a readymade ¡°experience¡±


    after adding my name to one of them, right?¡¯ she thought.


    At this thought, Felicity immediately opened the grocery delivery application and


    ordered many vegetables and fruits. She nned on making something delicious after


    this to butter Vermont up.


    Right after she made the order, her phone rang.


    Felicity answered the phone. She listened to the other end for a while and handed the


    phone to Ste, ¡°It¡¯s for you.¡¯


    ¡°For me?¡±


    Ste was confused, but she still took the phone.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s voice came from the other end of the phone. Ste pursed her lips and


    wanted to hang up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hang up yet. Even if you hang up, I¡¯ll contact you using other ways. Talking to


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    me for a bit won¡¯t waste much of your time, right? You wouldn¡¯t want me bothering


    your friends whenever I contacted you, right?¡±

 Chapter 915

    ?Chapter 915


    Olivia answered, "I''m not sure about that either. The two left after sending you to a hotel. When my people arrived, you had already been drugged.''


    Olivia''s family was in the hotel industry in the past, so she had seen all kinds of messy things.


    The two drugged Ste but didn''t do anything to her. There''s a high chance they''re giving her to someone in exchange for some kind of advantage. Usually, these kinds of people have a high social status. Firstly, I don''t want to be involved in other people''s business. Besides that, I also don''t want to wade into these waters and offend someone. These are the reasons I didn''t bring up my spection, she thought.


    She continued, "I should have recorded their license te number in my dash cam. If you need it, I could copy it for you."


    Olivia''s submissive attitude was really evident. Ste snapped out of her daze and pursed her lips.


    "I don''t understand. Why''d you choose to join hands with me? You''ve got so much evidence of your husband''s affair, you surely could divorce him and even get more property from him," she said.


    "Divorce?" Oliviaughed coolly. "Without me behind him taking care of things, does he have what it takes to get to where he is today? Why should I divorce and give this spot to someone else when I worked hard to get into thisfort zone? I think it''s better to be widowed than divorced."


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    ''Is Mrs. Chapman crazy? Am I allowed to hear things like being widowed? Mrs. Chapman really isn''t treating me like an outsider, huh?" she thought.


    Olivia continued, "Haven''t you been searching for evidence of Dahlia drugging you? I can help you find it. She wants to make Ms. Saun her daughter-inw. Since her nst night failed, she''ll definitely have other ns. I can be your eyes and ears, and I''ll inform you of all of her actions at all times. Dahlia has far more tactics than you think. For instance, you couldn''t have avoided something like what happenedst night."


    Ste pursed her lips. After a while, she finally said, "What do you want?"


    *I''ll avenge myself but asionally need Mr. Kane''s help. I also hope you''ll put in some good words for me," said Olivia.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste chuckled, "You''re dealing with your husband and Dahlia, right? What makes you think Keegan will listen to me and help you? We''re divorced."


    ''Because he reported and cut off the Crosby family''s production line for you. And because he kicked Dahlia out of the house for you," Olivia paused momentarily. Then, she continued, "Stop ying dumb when you know what''s going on. Did you and Keegan have a good timest night? I didn''t give Keegan any crude drugs. If he weren''t willing, what happened between you two wouldn''t have happened, right?"


    Ste was speechless.


    "Thank fucking you!'' she thought.


    ''I still feel wary of Mrs. Chapman. However, being wary is one thing: having an informant like Mrs. Chapman by Dahlia''s side is not bad. If Dahlia''s schemest night had worked, I wouldn''t have been able to let go of the incident even if I were the most sensible person,'' she thought.


    After thinking for a while, Ste said, "I''ll speak to Keegan, but I can''t guarantee he will do it."


    "That''s enough," Olivia smiled. "I look forward to working with you."


    Ste stopped her, "May I know how you n on taking revenge on your husband?''


    ''Mrs. Chapman was practically a husband show-off back then. She never shut up about her husband whenever she went to gatherings with the high-societydies. She loved showing him off so much it gave people the feeling


    she was dumb. After I told her about her husband''s affair, she didn''t do anything. I thought she would y deaf and dumb for the rest of her life. Who would''ve thought she was scheming something after holding it for such a long time? she thought.


    At the mention of the affair, Olivia''s expression darkened.


    "I want him to trust me, rely on me, and be unable to leave me. Then, I will push him into the depths of hell with my own hands.


    Ste was speechless.


    ''Mrs. Chapman''s actions perfectly demonstrate the saying, "When you love a person, you want them to live forever. But if you hate a person, you want them dead",'' she thought.


    Right after she hung up Olivia''s call, the doorbell rang.


    Felicity slid on her slippers and ran to get the door. A whileter, Ste heard footsteps but did not lift her head. Instead, she continued editing Felicity''s resume and asked, "Who is it?"

 Chapter 916

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted By Eleven Jewell Chapter 916


    Chapter 916


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± a warm, gentle voice sounded.


    Ste was taken aback. ¡°Mr. Moore?¡± she asked.


    Marshall was carrying a bouquet and smiling softly. ¡°I¡¯m not disturbing you bying


    uninvited, am I?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Ste hurriedly got up and tidied up the clutter on the couch. ¡°Have a


    seat. I¡¯ll go boil some water.¡±


    Felicity was impressed with Marshall. ¡®Til go boil the water. You stay here and chat


    with Mr. Moore,¡± she hurriedly uttered.


    Marshall handed Ste the flowers and said, ¡°No need to be polite. There was


    something I wanted to tell you after we parted waysst night, but I couldn¡¯t get


    through to you on the phone. That got me worried, and I happened to be in the


    neighborhood today, so I decided to stop by.¡±


    Ste took the bouquet and teased, ¡°And, you just happened to buy me flowers?¡±


    Marshall smiled and said, ¡°Well, this is my first time here. I didn¡¯t want toe emptyhanded. And, I


    saw a florist on my way here, so¡­ I remembered that you nted


    flowers in your previous ce and thought that a bouquet wouldn¡¯t go wrong.¡±


    Ste appreciated the thought and smiled. ¡°Thank you. I like it very much,¡± she said


    warmly. ¡°Stay put while I find a vase for the flowers.¡±


    Marshall gave a short reply and nced around the room. His gaze fell on a poster for


    The Pce that was put up on the wall. He stared at Ste¡¯s promotional photo for a


    long time before looking away.


    When Marshall turned around, he saw Ste tiptoeing to grab a vase from the shelf.


    However, she was not tall enough to reach it. Ste was just about to pull a chair


    when a shadow towered over her, and a hand reached over her head to take the vase


    down.


    ¡°Why did you guys put it so high up?¡± Marshall asked as he ced the vase on the


    table. ¡°That shelf isn¡¯t secured to the wall yet. It might fall, and someone might get


    injured if they touched it,¡± he added.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t us. Keegan put it there when he came overst time,¡± said Ste as she


    took the wilted flowers out of the vase.


    Marshall paused andughed, ¡°He reallycks experience, huh? Just like the old


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    days. Didn¡¯t he think of how troublesome it would be for you to water the flowers?


    Haha.¡±

 Chapter 917

    Chapter 917


    Chapter 917


    "I didn''t know that Keegan got you flowers, nor did he ask for my help," Marshall said as he looked at


    the flowers. "Maybe we have simr tastes. This bouquet looks quite simr to the one I sent you on


    the first day you were filming."


    Ste paused. "You sent me flowers?"


    Marshall nodded.


    ¡°Did you send them to the set?" Ste frowned and asked.


    "No. I was afraid you wouldn''t get them in time, so I sent them to your house. There was a card inside.


    Didn''t you receive them?"


    Marshall tentatively asked.


    Ste remained silent, and she carefully recalled what happened on


    Valentine''s Day. She and Keegan had juste back from 10th Street, and he insisted on going to her


    ce for drinks. Ste went into her room to change, and Keegan came into the apartment with a


    bouquet of flowers, saying that it was for her. She praised Keegan for having a good eye, but he


    frowned. ''Why would someone like him, who gets high on praise, be unhappy when Iplimented


    him? Is it because he wasn''t the one who got me the flowers? He threw the card away and pretended


    that it was from him?! What the fuck?!''


    Seeing that she was silent, Marshall called out to her. "Ste?"


    Ste came back to her senses and met Marshall''s concerned gaze. She felt embarrassed about the


    situation, even though Keegan was the one who did it. She let out a cough and tried to cover for


    Keegan. "Ah, I remember! The building security called me over the phone that day and said that there


    was a delivery for me. But, I was so busy that I forgot about it. I''m sorry," she said with an apologetic


    face.


    Marshall saw how she was busy apologizing and subconsciously clenched his fists. Only after a while,


    he said, "It''s fine. It''s just a bouquet of flowers. It''s alright if you didn''t get them. You don''t have to be


    sorry about it."


    However, Ste still felt embarrassed when she thought of Keegan iming someone else''s gift as his


    own and her almost exposing him. "I''ll go ask the security about itter," Ste said vaguely as she


    trimmed the stems of the flowers.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Marshall did not continue the conversation. He picked up a few roses and asked, "Why do you cut the


    flower stems at an angle?"


    "Honestly, I''m not sure. The people in my gardening group chat do this, so I do it too. I think it''s


    because the flowers can absorb more water and faster with arger surface at the bottom to prolong


    their life? Speaking of flowers, how''s your Clivia nt? Are there any ck spots on the new leaves?"


    Ste turned her head and asked with a smile. Her clothes moved along with her actions, revealing her


    fair skin and an ambiguous red mark on her corbone.


    Marshall was stunned. His pupils were dted. Countless images came up in his mind, and his head


    was filled with thoughts until they finally settled on a scenario of a man and a woman kissing.


    The image then shattered into a million pieces, and his world turned ck and white with a sh of red.


    Seeing that he was silent for a long time, Ste turned around and nced at him curiously. Marshall''s


    lips were tightly pursed, and his face was indescribably pale. Something about him looked wrong.


    Ste was shocked for a moment and called out, "Mr. Moore? Marshall?"


    Marshall abruptly came back to his senses and looked at Ste in a daze for a few seconds before he


    uttered, "What?"


    "You don''t look so good. Is something wrong?" Ste frowned.

 Chapter 918

    Chapter 918


    Chapter 918


    "No, I''m fine." Marshall forced a smile and put down the roses. He pressed his fingers against his


    temples and said, "Maybe it''s a side effect of my new medication. Sometimes, I''d feel a little dizzy."


    Ste was about to speak when she saw blood on Marshall''s temples. She was startled. ¡°Why is there


    blood on your face?" She asked.


    "Huh?" Marshall was stunned for a moment. He reached out to touch his face, but Ste tugged on his


    sleeve and said, "Your hand is bleeding."


    Marshall looked down and saw that the palm of his right hand was stained red. The several small cuts


    on it were oozing out with blood. There were also blood stains on the roses he had put down on the


    side. It was clear that he had pricked himself on the rose thorns.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    "One, two, three..." Ste squatted next to him, cleaning his wound. While doing so, she counted the


    puncture wounds on his hand and finally said in shock, "Six! There are six cuts, and you didn''t feel any


    of them?!"


    Marshall shook his head. "I''m naturally rather insensitive to pain."


    Ste closed her mouth cautiously and did not answer. She recalled the time she asked about Marshall


    about his pain tolerance during


    Cordelia''sst birthday party. Marshall had to exin to her that his nerves were damaged and parts of


    his skin that were burned became unresponsive. no.vel.e.book Ste knew better than to ask about it


    again.


    However, she was still a little confused as to why he did not feel the pain in his palm since it was his


    arm that was burned.


    If Keegan was the one who said that he was insensitive to pain, Ste would have thought that he was


    faking it and touched his wound until he broke character. However, Keegan was not one to say such


    things. Instead, he would act like it was the end of the world. When ignored, he would feel aggrieved


    and sulk; when given attention, he would act like a baby andin about how the band aid was not


    properly ced. Ste thought about it and her eyes softened.


    Marshall''s wounds were not deep but the blood kept flowing out of his hand. When Ste cleaned off


    the blood with a cotton swab, more blood came out. Ste found it a little odd and casually said, " Your


    blood doesn''t seem like it wants to stop. It''s like you''re hemophilic or something.¡±


    Marshall paused and said slowly, "Is it that obvious? I only have mild symptoms."


    Ste was quiet. ''Why did I say that?"


    ¡°I''m sorry. I wasn''t trying to make fun of the disease."


    Marshall smiled and said, ¡°It''s okay. I''m not that fragile. I have a very mild case of hemophilia." He took


    out a tiny bottle of medication from his pocket and handed it to Ste. "Open that for me and sprinkle


    some of it in my hand."


    Ste hurriedly took the bottle, unscrew the cap, and sprinkled some of the dry powder on Marshall''s


    palm. no.vel.e.book Marshall took a cotton ball and pressed the substance on the wound. The bleeding


    stopped in about half a minute.


    Ste was a little surprised. "Your wound healed with one dash of that powder! It''s magic!"


    Marshallughed at that and said, "It''s actually prothrombin."


    ¡®First, he was burned. Then, he has migraines. And now, he''s hemophilic. Damn. Marshall is strong and


    handsome, yet miserable. I would definitely beining about how unfair this is if it were me.''


    However, Marshall was not only a talented man; he was also someone with a good temper. People


    could not help but admire him for it.


    "By the way, you mentioned that you had something to tell me?"


    Hearing that, Marshall paused for a moment before he said, "Oh, it''s about the house. I asked


    someone to go overst night and investigate. There are people living in that house. ording to the


    neighbors, the family has been in that house for many years. thuy The head of the household is called


    Alex Jewell. Do you know him?"

 Chapter 919

    Chapter 919


    "Yeah, I do." Ste frowned.


    "He''s my second uncle¡ª Albert''s younger brother.


    Do they still live there?" Marshall caught Ste''s choice of words.


    "What do you mean? Have they lived there before?" Ste nodded.


    "In the earlier years, my cousins came here for school, but they had no ce to stay.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    So, my mom gave them the keys to our old residence.


    The house needed to be cared for, and they needed a ce to stay.


    So, mom decided to let them stay there since we were family." "I was in eighth grade at that time.


    So, it''s been almost 11 or 12 years since then.


    My uncle has gained some wealth in the past few years.


    They bought a house here in the city a few years ago.


    I even went to their housewarming party, so I thought they moved out of that residence." "Not only did


    they stay there, but they also turned the house''s backyard into a kindergarten," Marshall said in a deep


    voice.


    Ste was stunned.


    "Huh? But, the backyard was just a piece of wastnd." ¡®Grandpa had arge piece ofnd that was


    almost two acres wide.


    The house wasn''t that big, but the yard was huge.


    Mom said that thend was originally given to grandpa and his two brothers, but grandpa didn''t hear


    from them after they joined the army.


    Grandpa was afraid that thend would be deserted and taken by someone else, so he built a wall


    around it.


    He also built two small sheds to store his fertilizers and gardening tools.


    Can those be used for a kindergarten?" ¡°It was, but they built a new building and even renovated the


    ce.


    The neighbors said that the kindergarten has been there for at least four to five years now." Ste''s


    face changed drastically.


    "So, you''re saying my uncle and his family built a house and opened a preschool?" "We still need


    further investigation to find out whether that ce is run by your uncle." Marshall] paused for a moment


    and continued, "Ste, have you never been to that house all these years?" Ste shook her head with


    an ugly expression.


    "The house is quite far from the city.


    My grandpa passed away a long time ago, sol hardlye and visit.


    Plus, I didn''t know that there were problems with the ownership.


    My mom has always been the one to take care of these things.


    I had long forgotten about this ce after her ident.


    It was only when I was sorting out her belongings that I found out she owned some cars and real


    estate.


    ¡°What should I do now? Is there a way to force them to move out of there?" "You mentioned that your


    grandpa''s brothers own two-thirds of thend, right? And, none of them have any extended family


    members?" asked Marshall.


    Ste nodded.


    "Then, you''re the sole heir.


    Albert has nothing to do with thattwo.


    -thirds of thend.


    However, you and Albert have the right to obtain the remainingnd.


    You only have to file awsuit against Albert for the other third of thend.


    As long as you have the paperwork, you can order them to move out of there." Ste was surprised.


    "So, I don''t necessarily have to go to court?" Marshall nodded.


    Before Ste could be happy about that, Marshall added, "But, don''t get too excited.


    I have been involved in manynd dispute cases, and with the right evidence, these cases are not


    difficult to litigate.


    The ownership of thend can be very clear, but manywyers are not willing to take on cases like


    this." ¡°Whye" "Because you might not be able to get the house back even if you win thewsuit.


    Humans are greedy animals.


    Your uncle and his family have lived there for more than ten years.


    They are going to fight for that plot ofnd.


    The verdict would be easy, but the execution is going to be tough." Ste got a headache after thinking


    about how nasty her aunt could be.


    Although, she was still quite confident that she would win.


    "I''ll find a way to get it back as long as it''s legally mine.


    And, if I fail, I won''t make it easy for the person who ims the ownership." Marshall smiled when he


    saw her eagerness.


    "I''ll help you." "I can pay you more this time.


    I just got my cut from the movie," Steughed.


    ¡°And, how much is that?" "A little around...


    six figures." "Good.


    That''s just enough to afford my services," Marshall nodded.


    Ste took it as a joke and chuckled, ''''You''re so expensive." "I''m also willing to let you buy me for zero


    dors," Marshallughed lowly.

 Chapter 920

    Chapter 920


    Chapter 920


    Felicity''s eyelids twitched when she heard what Marshall said. ''I-Is this a fucking confession?!! I knew


    the handsome Bentley guy had a thing for Ste! Who would take on such a small dispute over a high-


    paying case? nove.lebook Ste is such a dumb dumb for saying that I''m overthinking it. She''s just


    blinded by her love for Keegan. What''s so good about that guy anyway? Apart from his good looks,


    he''s sharp-tongued and scheming.¡¯


    "The fact that he called the police and had me arrested? Ugh. Makes me think that he''d probably send


    Ste to prison someday in a fit of anger if he suddenly stops liking her.''


    ¡®Plus, he looks like a yboy, unlike Mr. Moore. Mr. Moore looks gentle, and he''s soft-spoken and


    polite. He also knows thew and is a greatwyer. He even gets worried about whether Ste arrives


    home safely during the night. He''s such a good partner; way better than that hypercritical jerk,


    Keegan!"


    Felicity waited expectantly for Ste''s answer. ''Did she not get the hint?!" she thought. She pricked up


    her ears and watched, only to hear Ste say while refilling Marshall''s tea, "Vermont told me you don''t


    have a girlfriend because you''re a typical straight man who doesn''t know how to talk to girls. But, he''s


    obviously wrong. You''re so good at flirting!"


    ¡®That idiot, Keegan, would never say such a thing. If I ever told him that he was expensive, he''d


    definitely ask me if I''ve ever considered that it''s because I''m poor,'' Ste thought.


    Felicity was speechless. Her emotions were like a roller coaster. '' Well, that''s Ste, alright. She didn''t


    get the hint at all!"


    "Did it work?" Marshall lowered his eyes and asked.


    Ste held up her fingers and joked, "Almost. For someone who has experienced the trials and


    tribtions of marriage, I think money works best."


    Marshall froze for a moment andughed. "How much are we talking here?"


    "Hmm. There are other requirements, though. Let''s see. My dream man would have a handsome face


    and a good figure. It''d be even better if he let me take over our finances and listened to me." After she


    said that, Ste tapped Marshall''s chin and asked with a smile,


    "I''m not asking for too much, am I?"


    Felicity was at a loss for words. ''Why don''t you just take out Keegan''s ID and show Mr. Moore your


    dream man? Only Keegan could fit into those criteria! ''


    Marshallughed for quite a while before he said, "Of course not. You''re worth it."


    ¡®See! This is what a man with a high EQ.would say! If it were Keegan, he would definitely tell me to


    stop dreaming! Even though he would silently cash in some money for me at the end of the month,


    novelebool his words are really unpleasant sometimes. But... If anyone else falls for him, they''d


    definitely be crushed to the ground with that sharp tongue of his. Ah... What is going on with me?


    We''ve only been apart from each other for a short time. Why do I keep thinking about Keegan?"


    Ste rubbed her ears and coughed as she said, "After you''re done with your currentwsuit, I''ll take a


    leave of absence from work. Then, we''ll deal with the house to avoid future problems."


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    "Alright." Marshall paused, grabbed two boxes from his briefcase, and put them on the coffee table.


    "Here''s some dessert I brought for each of you from thepany''s team-building event. They''re


    delicious."


    Felicity ran over immediately as soon as she heard that there was food. She read the name on the box


    and said, "Egg tarts from Royle''s?! Theirva egg tarts are the best! They are very expensive. Your


    company sure knows how to throw avish team-building event!"


    "One of my female colleagues bought them. I can ask her to order more next time and bring them over


    for you guys," Marshall chuckled.

 Chapter 921

    Chapter 921


    Chapter 921


    Felicity nodded immediately before Ste could say anything.


    "Bring us chocte custard tarts too.Those are delicious."


    Ste was speechless.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡®Felicity and Vermont sure are a match made in heaven.They always put everything down at the


    mention of food"


    After that, Marshall did not stay long.He received a text and said goodbye to thedies.


    Ste saw him off at the elevator and went back to her apartment.


    Felicity had already opened the box of pastries.


    There were two egg tarts in each box, and the packaging was exquisite.


    They also included a jade chick keychain.


    "This keychain is a limited Thanksgiving gift for those who spend 2000 dors at Royle''s! My colleague


    has one, and I was so jealous! Mr.Moore is such a great guy for giving us the tarts and keychain! "


    Felicity squealed in excitement.


    "Isn''t he more handsome than Dr.Steven? How about I do some matchmaking for you two? Mr.Moore is


    single, you know?" Ste teased.


    Felicity was at a loss for words.She immediately put down her keychain and said, "Please don''t. With


    your taste in men, you shouldn''t y matchmaker."


    Ste was dumbfounded. She and Felicity perfectly illustrated how best friends usually had very


    different preferences when choosing a partner.


    Felicity grabbed the other box of pastries and said, "Let''s see if there''s a keychain in this box. I''ll open


    it, okay?"


    "Sure," Ste responded.


    Indeed, there was another jade chick keychain inside.


    Felicity was thrilled. She initially thought of giving Ste her keychain if there was only one, but now


    they both get one.


    Felicity took out their set of keys and put the keychains on. She then took a photo of it and posted it on


    her Twitter, saying, [It''s finally my turn to show off! Look, guys. Bestie keychains! ]


    "You''re so childish," Ste said while tying her hair.


    As soon as she finished doing that, Keegan sent her a message.


    [Why are there only bestie keychains and not couple keychains?] Ste was speechless.


    ¡®Herees an even more childish one" she thought.


    [I have something to ask you,] replied Ste. Keegan sent acute sticker of a character kneeling on the


    ground and was ready to listen.


    [Did you really prepare the flowers you gave me on Valentine''s Day?] Keegan''s eyelids twitched.


    ¡®She must''ve found out something.Otherwise, she wouldn''t have asked"


    [Yes,] Keegan typed out.


    But, he deleted the message and sent, [No.Someone sent it to your door, and I signed for it.] Ste was


    taken aback.She did not expect Keegan to confess so early on.Her anger dissipated immediately.


    [Then, why did you say you got them? Mr.Moore asked me about the flowers today.Did you know how


    embarrassing it was when I told him you''re the one who got them for me?] Keegan frowned.


    [Just ignore him,] he said.


    [You''re the one who should be ignored! What kind of person takes someone else''s gift and says that it''s


    theirs? Is this how you court me?] ¡®Out of all the days he could send the flowers, he chose Valentine''s


    Day.You should be grateful that I didn''t throw them out"


    Keegan snorted coldly.


    Although that was what he thought, he still admitted defeat in front of Ste.


    [I was in such a hurry to see you that I forgot to buy flowers.I''ll definitely remember next time.] He then


    sent another text.


    [Are you feeling okay? Do you need me to ask for two more days off?] Ste was stunned for a


    moment.


    She immediately understood what Keegan meant.


    [I went from riding a wild boar to a suckling piglet.Don''t worry.I''m in good shape.I should be fine


    tomorrow.] Keegan was at a loss for words.


    [Are you trying to hint at something at me?]

 Chapter 922

    Chapter 922


    Chapter 922


    [Oh don''t be so sensitive, Mr.Kane,] Ste chuckled.


    A gleam of joy shed in Keegan''s eyes as he replied, [Are you taking a leave for Thanksgiving? We


    can spend the holiday together.] Ste froze for a moment.


    ''Thanksgiving is the day families get together, but my family will never be whole again"


    [Let''s talk about it when the timees.You should spend more time with Grandma.] Keegan wanted


    to spend the holiday with both Ste and Cordelia, but after some thought, he decided not to.


    ¡®Our rtionship is a secret.


    We just got back together.


    I don''t think Ste would be willing to celebrate with us.


    Plus, the Kane family didn''t really leave her with a good impression.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    She probably wouldn''t want to see those people on a day for giving thanks"


    Keegan swallowed his words and returned to the initial topic.


    [I want couple stuff too.] Ste was stunned.


    ''I guess he isn''t done with this yet" sheughed.


    [I bought tons of couple stuff when we were togetherst time, but you didn''t even use them.] [You want


    a grown man like me to wear those *pink* PJs?] Keegan quickly replied.


    Ste smiled.


    Couple items usually came in pink and blue.


    Ste did not like the color pink, so she always gave the pink ones to Keegan.


    However, Keegan was unwilling to use them.


    [What''s wrong with pink? Many men wear pink nowadays.With your fair skin, you''d look sexy in pink.]


    Keegan replied a momentter, [Really?]


    [Why would I lie to you? Why do you think I bought you so much pink-colored stuff? Clearly, I thought


    you looked good in them, but you never even wore them once.]


    Keegan immediately fell for it.


    [Then...I guess I''ll wear them next time.]


    [No.Don''t force yourself if you don''t like them.] She imitated Keegan''s tone.


    [I don''t want us to be together just for you to amodate me.I want you to be with me because you


    want to.] [I can''t tell if you''re being serious or not sometimes...] Keegan sighed.


    [Oh? You''re already getting impatient with me, huh?] Ste raised her eyebrows and said.


    Keegan let out a lowugh and sent Ste a voice message.


    [Even though you have a fierce personality, I like that you soften up every time I kiss your earlobe.I like


    that you''re only like that with me.] After listening to the voice message, Ste blushed and proceeded


    to send Keegan an eye-rolling emoji.


    "Ste, do you want some egg tarts?"


    Felicity handed her one of the pastries and said with her mouth full, "Should I open them up for you?"


    "No, thanks.They''re all yours.The doctor told me to take care of my diet recently.So, I have to cut down


    on the high -calorie stuff."


    Ste put her phone away and said with a smile.


    Felicity swallow her food and said, "Are you not feeling well?"


    "Sort of," Ste replied.


    "What does the doctor rmend? Tell me, and I''ll cook them up for you since I don''t really have


    anything to do."


    Ste hugged her and said, "Thanks, bestie.But, you don''t have to.You rest.I can prepare my own


    food."


    "I''ll bring these egg tarts over for Dr.Steven if you don''t want them."


    Ste paused and said, "Have you made any progress with him yet? w Felicity was excited when she


    heard the question.


    "I have.He was the one who introduced the new job I''m about to apply to."


    "Wouldn''t it be a little embarrassing if you only gave him egg tarts in return?"


    "This is just a treat.I''ll definitely do more if I get hired."


    Ste frowned and gave it a little thought.


    "Why don''t you invite him over for dinner? I can help you judge his character in the process."


    "With your taste in men?...Nah," said Felicity.


    Ste gave her a p and red at her.


    "I admit Keegan has some things to work on, but he has a fine personality, okay?"


    "He had me arrested."


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    "So, are you going to invite Dr.Steven over or not?"


    "Of course I am!"


    Felicity hugged Ste and said, "I''m scared that it''ll be awkward if it''s just the two of us.Thank God


    you''re here."


    After Felicity put the box of egg tarts for Dr.Steven into the fridge, she shoved the other one into her


    pocket and headed out.


    Ste caught a glimpse of what Felicity did and said, "Would eating those outside make the calories


    lesser?"


    Felicity''s forehead twitched as she said, "I''m going to give it to that Stinky Cucumber."

 Chapter 923

    Chapter 923


    Chapter 923


    Ste was shocked. "One for Dr. Steven and one for Mr. Snyder?My, my, my..."


    Felicity was speechless. "Me and that Stinky Cucumber have nothing going on, okay? I''m going there


    to ask him a favor. I can''t possibly show up empty-handed, can I?"


    "Oh. We have a whole box of mangoes here. You should give them to Vermont. I mean, these are your


    favorite egg tarts. You should just share them with Dr. Steven. Are you and Vermont even close enough


    to be sharing your favorite food?" said Ste.


    Felicity was stunned for a moment. After a long time, she said, " It''s not like they''re new. I''ve already


    opened the packaging. That Stinky Cucumber doesn''t deserve to eat a whole box of mangoes."


    Felicity did not seem like she wanted to stay on the subject. She opened the front door and said, "I''ll be


    heading out now." Then, she disappeared.


    As Marshall turned his steering wheel to leave the parking lot, he saw a Maserati with a familiar license


    te entering the ce.


    When the car drove past, he saw Trevor sitting in the back seat at a nce. Marshall looked at Trevor


    thoughtfully for a while and drove away.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicity soon stood in front of apartment 902. She tried toe up with ways to convince Vermont into


    adding a few more details to her resume and rang the doorbell. However, no one came to the door.


    Felicity frowned and rang a few more times. ''I haven''t heard from him the whole day. There''s no way


    he''s out, is he? Why isn''t he opening the door?''


    Felicity grabbed her phone to call Vermont when the door to apartment 902 opened. "Who are you


    looking for?" a woman''s voice sounded, and Felicity froze. When she looked up, she saw a beautiful


    woman in a man''s shirt with bare legs and no visible bottoms.


    The door was only half opened. The woman held the door and tilted her head to look at Felicity. The


    woman was taller than Ste. Her legs were extremely long, her hair was tied loosely on one side, and


    she had elegant features that exuded a certain charm to her.


    Felicity recognized the woman. She was the one who won the best actress award at the Oscars ¡ª


    Nicole Aspen. Nicole was one of Vermont''s ex-girlfriends and one of the most impressive exes in terms


    of career development.


    Seeing that Felicity was silent, Nicole impatiently asked, ¡°Who are you looking for?"


    Felicity came back to her senses and said, "I''m here for Stin¡ª I''m looking for Vermont."


    Nicole looked at the other party, whose height only reached her chin, for a few seconds before she


    said, "And, why are you looking for him?"


    Felicity pursed her lips and ignored the question.


    "Is he home?" she asked.


    "No," Nicole answered. As soon as she said that, Vermont''s voice came from inside the apartment,


    "Who is it?" The man walked over, pulled the door wide open, and saw that it was Felicity.


    Vermont was stunned. "What are you doing here?" He asked ufortably. Felicity nced at


    Vermont and saw him in his bathrobe. His hair was dripping wet. He probably just got out of the


    shower. Felicity then stared at him nkly. Suddenly, her heart had a strange feeling. It felt stuffy and


    unpleasant. She was understandably jealous of Vermont being able to get into a new rtionship when


    she had never been in one before.


    Felicity took out the egg tart from her pocket and handed it over to Vermont. "I brought you an egg tart.


    It''s delicious," she said.


    Before Vermont could say anything, Nicole started talking. "Just one egg tart? Who gives something


    like that?"


    Vermont''s eyes twitched when he heard that. "Shut up. It''s not for you."


    Nicole pouted but did not say anything. She let go of her hand and walked back into the apartment.

 Chapter 924

    Chapter 924


    Chapter 924


    Felicity stood awkwardly in front of apartment 902. She was contemting whether she should hand


    over the egg tart to Vermont.


    Vermont took the pastry from her and asked in a low voice, "Did you buy this?"


    ¡°Someone gifted it to me. There were two in the box. I ate one and decided to give you the other one,"


    said Felicity.


    Vermont''s eyes lit up when he heard that. The corners of his lips wanted to upturn into a smile, but he


    tried to suppress it. He put his fist against his lips, coughed lightly, and asked, "So, you came here just


    to give me this?"


    "There is one thing I wanted to ask you..." Felicity paused. "But, I see that you havepany. We can


    talk about it some other time."


    Felicity turned to leave after saying that, but Vermont quickly caught up with her and grabbed her. "No.


    We can talk about it now. Come in,e in," he said as he dragged her into his apartment. Felicity


    wanted to break free, thinking that it would be inappropriate for her to go in when Nicole was there.


    However,


    Vermont had already pulled her into the house before she could do anything. She paused and withdrew


    her thought.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Vermont ced the egg tart on the coffee table and went to the kitchen. Felicity looked around the


    room and saw a woman''s purse on the couch. There were heels on the floor and an unfinished bowl of


    instant noodles on the coffee table. ''That must be Nicole''s,¡¯ she thought. ''Vermont''s such a picky eater.


    He doesn''t like instant food.


    "Do you want a drink, Miss Bandit?" Vermont''s voice came from the kitchen.


    ¡°water is fine," Felicity returned to her senses and said. Vermont opened the fridge, paused, and closed


    it. He then grabbed a ss and filled it with some warm water.


    Felicity leaned against the couch and realized that there was something under her hand. She looked


    down and went numb when she saw that it was a bra. She stared nkly at the undergarment in her


    hand and heard Nicole say, "Looks nice, right?"


    Felicity looked up and saw Nicole in a new set of clothes, leaning against the wall. She was wearing a


    hot tank top and a pair of wide- legged pants. She let down her hair and held a cigarette in her hand.


    "The design is pretty great," said Nicole as she seductively puffed out a mouthful of smoke.


    Felicity silently moved her hand away and stayed quiet. Nicole stared at Felicity for a while before she


    suddenly said, "Have we met before?"


    ¡®What a good memory. We''ve only met once two years ago,"


    Felicity thought to herself.


    Felicity was temporarily assigned an assistant role for one of thepany''s artists. She tagged along


    with the crew for half a month, and Nicole was the female lead in the film at that time. One time, Felicity


    forgot to bring an umbre and was scolded by the artist she worked for. Nicole walked by, tossed them


    an umbre, and said coldly, "So annoying." She then left, and Felicity was relieved by her help.


    Felicity was used to dealing with celebrities acting entitled in the industry. Only a few artists could catch


    her eye, and Nicole was one of them. She thought about it for a while and said, "I used to work with the


    XX crew."


    "Oh," Nicole replied. She stopped talking after that and continued smoking. Even though the smell was


    bearable, Felicity was very sensitive to tobo. After a while, she could not help but feel a tickle in her


    throat and cough.


    When Vermont saw that, he frowned and took the cigarette from Nicole''s mouth. "I told you not to


    smoke in my house," he said with a cold face.


    Nicole was a little upset. "Drop the act. Didn''t you smoke in here toost night?"


    ¡®Last night...¡¯ Felicity pursed her lips and clenched her fists unconsciously.


    Vermont frowned. "This is my house, and you live by my rules. If you don''t like it, get out!"


    Nicole stared at him for along time and said, "I''m not going!"


    Then, she went back into the room.


    Vermont put a ss of water in front of Felicity and turned on the AC. He sat down next to her and


    asked, "What did you want to ask me?"

 Chapter 925

    Chapter 925


    Chapter 925


    Felicity pursed her lips and said, You clearly havepany. Why don''t Ie back here some other


    day?" She was about to get up when Vermont pressed down on her shoulders and pushed her back


    into her seat.


    "It''s fine. Just tell me. She won''te out. And if she does, I''m sure she wouldn''t bber."


    Felicity sat back on the couch and thought for a while before she said, "I''m going to apply for a job in


    the next few days and realized that my resume is not good enough. Are there any un-broadcasted films


    or co-written dramas from yourpany that you can p my name on?" She added, "It''s fine if you


    don''t have any."


    ¡°That''s all?" Vermont chuckled. "I thought it was something serious."


    Felicity''s eyes lit up when she heard his tone rx. ''''Can you do it?"


    Vermont looked at how expectant she looked and began to tease, " Sure, but not for one egg tart."


    "How about I add on a whole box of mangoes?" Felicity said generously.


    "I don''t need something I can buy with my own money," Vermontughed.


    ¡°Then, what do you want?" Felicity asked in distress.


    The corners of Vermont''s lips immediately curled into a smirk as he said, "I want you to cook for me for


    one whole year."


    Felicity''s eyelids twitched. "Why do you need me to cook for you when you already have a girlfriend?"


    "Since when did I¡ª" Vermont paused and let out a cough. "Her arms are as thin as a toothpick. Does it


    look like she cooks?"


    Felicity pursed her lips and elbowed Vermont in the stomach. "Are you saying I have huge arms and


    look like someone who enjoys doing rough work?"


    Vermont dodged just in time to avoid being hit, but he still bent over in a pretentious manner and


    sighed, "I''m saying you can be a great housewife someday."


    Felicity snorted at the sound of that. "A year is too long. I''ll do one month at most."


    Vermont clicked his tongue and uttered, "That''s too little! This is your career we''re talking about. Six


    months."


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Forget it. I don''t need your help," Felicity got up and said.


    Vermont hurriedly pulled her back. "This is supposed to be a negotiation. How could you just end the


    discussion when I try to bargain?"


    Felicity red at him and said, "I asked you for a favor, and you asked me to be your maid for six


    months. I might as well just be your full-time maid than waste my time talking to you."


    "I mean, you can if you want to. I''ll give you the sry we discussed. All you have to do is cook my


    meals. With so much free time on your hands, I''m sure you can continue writing your script. It''ll be a big


    hit."


    ¡°Hands off!" Felicity said with a dark face.


    Vermont had no choice but to ask, "How about you cook for me for three months? Come on. It''s a good


    deal."


    Felicity stopped struggling and nced at Vermont. "I''ll cook for you every other day. If you''re okay with


    that, then fine. If not, forget it."


    Vermont gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, okay. You''re really something, Miss Bandit."


    Felicity''s lips curled upward. "Thank you, Vermont." She wanted to grab his arm and joke around like


    she usually does, but she stopped before touching him. She twiddled with her fingers and withdrew her


    hand.


    Vermont did not notice how strange she was acting. "Wait here. I need to make a call," he said as he


    walked to the balcony with his phone.

 Chapter 926

    Chapter 926


    Felicity sat on the couch and saw the bra once more.


    She sneakily grabbed a pillow and used it to block the lingerie from her sight.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Meanwhile, Vermont was done with the phone call and saw Felicity sipping her ss of water.


    Her face was cute and round.


    She looked like a hamster with puffy cheeks as she drank the water, which made Vermont feel pleased.


    ¡°Howe you wanted water today? You''d usually go for a beer or coke." Vermont walked over and


    said.


    "I''m on my period," Felicity replied.


    "You get periods?" Vermont teased.


    Felicity stopped what she was doing, and her whole face darkened.


    "No. I don''t," she gritted her teeth and said.


    She took out an unopened sanitary pad from her pocket, grabbed Vermont''s arm, and pped the pad


    in his hand.


    "Here! I don''t need this thing.


    You use it!" Felicity got up angrily to leave after saying that.


    Vermont hurried to catch up with her, but it was toote.


    Felicity had already mmed the door and left.


    When Vermont opened the door, she was nowhere to be seen.


    He held onto the sanitary pad in his hand and felt bad.


    ¡®Come on.


    I was just joking,'' he thought.


    When Vermont turned around, he saw Nicole sitting at the dining table, slowly sizing him up with


    narrow eyes and pursing her lips.


    "So, that''s your little chef? Interesting." Vermont shot her a cold gaze and said, "Don''t mind her." Nicole


    did not take his words seriously.


    She walked over to Vermont, put her arm over his shoulders, and said, ''''Have you two slept together?"


    Vermont nced at Nicole.


    The two of them were so close together and clearly flirting, but there was not much emotion behind


    Vermont''s eyes.


    "That has nothing to do with you," he said lightly and pulled her hand away.


    Nicole looked at him andughed, "Who knew you''d have this day too." Vermont disregarded her


    words and pushed her away.


    "Hurry up and ask your manager to pick you up.


    If they don''t show up after an hour, I''ll throw you out," he said coldly.


    ¡°Throw me out and see the news of us getting back together hitting the headlines tomorrow," Nicole


    rolled her eyes and said.


    " I don''t mind it anyway since there''s no one else in my life right now." Vermont looked disgusted.


    "Get lost.


    I''m a picky person." Nicole ignored him, turned around, and went back to her room.


    At Vinci Rivera, Keegan''s face gradually darkened as he studied the data Aldor had gathered.


    Aldor stood next to him in silence, feeling his anger.


    What happenedst night was strange.


    It was so bizarre that Keegan and Ste would be in danger if they had taken one wrong step.


    Aldor received a call from Olivia first thing in the morning after Keegan asked him to look into the


    matter.


    Olivia was in tears on the phone, exining that she had no choice but to follow Dahlia''s wishes and


    drug Keegan.


    She did not dare offend Keegan, so she went to Ste for help.


    However, she did not expect Ste to be kidnapped in front of her eyes.


    She then rescued her and sent her to Keegan''s room.


    ording to the clues provided by Olivia, Aldor investigated the case all the way to the hotel on 7th


    Avenue and found the two people who kidnapped Ste.


    He then dug out the truth from them.


    Olivia yed a significant role in the incident, but the fact that she saved Ste was a get- out - of-jail-


    free card for her.


    It was a clever move on her part to take the initiative and confess her crimes.


    However, the truth made their hearts sink.


    The person who arranged Ste''s kidnapping was someone who had a ce in Vinci Rivera''s business


    circle¡ªYoven Brown.


    He wanted to get her to sleep with Marshall so that Marshall would go easy on him and lose the divorce


    lawsuit.

 Chapter 927

    Chapter 927


    Chapter 927 If Olivia had not stepped in that night, the incident would have taken an unimaginable turn.


    Keegan clutched the document in his hand.


    "Does Marshall know about this?" He asked after a long time.


    "Mr. Moore went to the hotel and called the police that night.


    He may have been unaware.


    And, Mir. Saun withdrew from thewsuit to protect his reputation since it was Ms. Saun in the hotel


    room at that time," Aldor replied.


    ¡®Unaware, huh?'' Keegan thought.


    After a long time, he put the file on the table and said in a deep voice, ¡°Assist the police in finding the


    two underground casinos in Eastville.


    The holidays areing.


    We should help them with their search." Aldor understood what Keegan meant.


    Yoven owned the two underground casinos in Eastville.


    The gamblers range from high- ranking officials and dignitaries down to peddlers and traffickers.


    There were all kinds of people in the gambling ring.


    A few of themmit suicide every year because of their loss.


    It was a social cancer.


    Everyone in the business industry knew who the casino''s owner was, but the location would constantly


    change.


    Only those who got invited by a member of the casino could join the club.


    They would have to go through a series of trials to confirm their identity before they were allowed to


    enter.


    Since the gamblers were the ones to bring people in, none of them were willing to expose anything


    about the casino.


    Those who did not indulge in such activities but knew of the matter kept quiet because they did not


    want to get in trouble.


    The casinos would not have been in operation for so many years, and Yoven would not have been able


    tounder so much money without the help of insiders.


    One of Keegan''s college ssmatesmitted suicide by jumping off a buildingst year because of


    his addiction.


    He was a manager of an investment bank with an annual ie of tens and millions of dors, and he


    was the best among his peers.


    But, even so, he got addicted to gambling and started cking off at work.


    The Human Resource team in hispany tried to talk him out of it several times, but none of their


    advice worked.


    So, they fired him.


    He then started going to the casino day and night.


    At the beginning ofst year, he desperately went to Keegan and asked Keegan to lend him some


    money.


    He told him that one of his family members had gotten a chronic disease and needed the money to pay


    their medical expenses since he had lost all his money in the stock market.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan lent him two million dors without any hesitation.


    The manager returned the same month and told him that the money was insufficient to cover the bills.


    Keegan thought that it was a little strange and asked Aldor to investigate it.


    They found out that the once golden boy had be addicted to gambling.


    He lost all his fortune, and his wife and children left him.


    Yet, he did not repent.


    Keegan then realized that he had used the money he lent him to satisfy his gambling needs.


    Not only did Keegan stop lending him money, but he also reported the incident to the police.


    Gambling was a bottomless pit.


    Keegan knew that no matter how much money he lend his old ssmate, he would never get it back as


    long as he kept gambling.


    After one month of being detained in prison, the bank manager was released.


    Keegan wrote a letter of rmendation for him and helped him get a job.


    However, he stole his client''s money and disappeared in just two months.


    Thepany called the police, and they put out a BOLO for him.


    Two weekster, they found his body on the west side of a building.


    The cause of death was a fall from height.


    On the roof of the building was a suicide note which entailed how much debt he was in, how he was


    unable to pay for them, and how ashamed he was of himself.


    Keegan attended his old college ssmate''s funeral and witnessed the tragedy that befell.


    His head waspletely cracked open, and it was a ghastly sight.


    His 60-year-old father''s hair turned gray overnight, and his infant child was still waiting to be fed.


    Many of his friends did not show up after knowing that he had jumped to his death due to gambling


    debt.


    It was a depressing scene.


    The man''s father pulled Keegan aside and gave him some of his son''s remaining valuables, promising


    to help his son pay off his debt.


    Aldor had attended the funeral with Keegan.


    Keegan''s expression was extremely gloomy when they came back from the funeral home.


    He told Aldor that his ssmate was particrly frugal when they were still in school.


    He meticulously wrote down every amount of money he spent.


    And, whenever he exceeded the budget for one of his meals, he would only eat oatmeal for his next


    meal.


    He would then use the remaining money from his allowance to buy study materials.


    ¡°How could someone like him be addicted to gambling?" Keegan asked.


    Gambling addictions were simr to drug addictions; joined the wrong group of people, and they would


    peer pressure you bit by bit until you were done.


    Keegan could not control his emotions.


    The valuables in his hand felt heavier by the minute.


    He had taken gambling addictions lightly and set his expectations high on the willpower of men.

 Chapter 928

    Chapter 928


    Keegan began looking into the people who introduced gambling to his college ssmate. Each of them


    got arrested two months after the funeral. However, it did not bring his college ssmate back from


    death. The maximum sentence for gambling was only two to three years at most. The main culprit was


    the one who owned the casino.


    At the beginning of the year, Keegan had already discovered the location and requirements to enter


    Yoven¡¯s two underground casinos. However, he did not immediately take action because of the


    extensive number of personnel involved. He knew he would be making enemies if he did anything. If it


    was not for the incident with Ste, Keegan would have waited for a better opportunity to lock Yoven


    up, but he could not.


    Shortly after Aldor had left the office, Keegan received a text from Xenia. [ I¡¯ve retrieved all the photos


    that are in Albert¡¯s hands. He doesn¡¯t have a backup, and I¡¯ve deleted everything on his phone.]


    [Thank you,] Keegan replied.


    [Your lover asked me to fake a pregnancy to scare Hylda. Should I do it?]


    Keeganughed and replied, [I told you before. Just do as she says. You don¡¯t have to keep asking for


    my permission. Text me if you need assistance. I assure you that you¡¯ll receive what I promised, if not


    more.]


    Xenia was calm. She faked a pregnancy test, threw it into the bathroom trash can, and came out with a


    pale face.


    Albert was on the phone at that time. When he was done talking on the phone, he noticed Xenia¡¯s face


    and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you not feeling well?¡¯


    Xenia nodded and said, ¡°Just a little nauseous. Maybe it¡¯s something I ate.¡± Albert did not question her


    further. Instead, he said, TH go to the bathroom for a bit, and then we can head out for dinner.¡±


    Xenia¡¯s expression changed slightly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go to the bathroom outside? The nanny didn¡¯t


    come over and clean it today.¡±


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± Albert replied, not noticing how strange she was acting. ¡°You should go change.¡± After he


    said that, he went to the bathroom.


    Albert had been overjoyed recently after knowing that he could transfer the 50 million dors into his


    ount in two months once he sessfully washed them. To him, money can solve all problems.


    Albert was thinking about how he should coax Ste into agreeing to his terms when he looked down


    and saw a pregnancy test with two red lines in the trash. He was stunned for a moment and decided to


    take a closer look. There were clearly two lines.


    Xenia was the only one who lived in the house while Albert came over asionally. He had installed


    security cameras in the house because he was afraid that she would spend his money on other men.


    Albert knew that he was the only man who was close to Xenia. That means¡­ She¡¯s bearing my child!¡¯


    Albert was excited all of a sudden. ¡®What in the world is happening? Two surprises in one year?! I


    couldn¡¯t get my partners pregnant when I was younger, but now?!¡¯ He pulled up his pants and ran out


    of the bathroom without washing his hands.


    ¡°Xenia, are you pregnant?¡± he asked.


    Xenia immediately became flustered. ¡°N-no,¡± she said.

 Chapter 929

    Chapter 929


    Albert scowled. ¡°Then, what¡¯s with the pregnancy test I found in the bathroom?¡¯


    Xenia clenched her mouth shut and did not say a word.


    ¡°Hey, I asked you a question. What¡¯s going on?¡± Albert frowned.


    Xenia¡¯s eyes turned red as she said hoarsely, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve been a little nauseous these days, and


    my colleague asked me if I was pregnant. So, I got scared and bought a pregnancy test¡­


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that it would turn out like this¡­¡¯ Xenia choked up as she spoke. Her face was covered


    in tears. ¡°Mr. Jewell, I¡¯m scared¡­¡¯


    Albert looked into her blurry eyes, and his heart was beating vigorously.1 She looks so simr to


    Rainee when she¡¯s crying. It¡¯s like I¡¯m in school again.¡¯ Albert¡¯s heart melted in an instant. ¡®We wouldn¡¯t


    have toe to this point if only Rainee had relied on me more and obeyed my every word like this girl


    in front of me. Out of all my lovers, I¡¯ve always loved her the most. Why did she have to betray me?¡¯


    Albert hugged Xenia in his arms tightly, patting her on the shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. Go to the


    hospital for a checkup. If you¡¯re pregnant, we¡¯ll keep the baby.¡±


    ¡°How am I supposed to keep the baby? You already have a family. How am I going to raise a child


    alone? I don¡¯t want to be the mistress. I don¡¯t want to give birth to an illegitimate child.¡±


    Albert was stumped. Hylda was also pregnant. Things would not be pretty if Xenia kept the baby and


    Hylda found out. But, he also did not want Xenia to get an abortion. He thought that Xenia giving birth


    to this baby wouldpensate for not having a child with Rainee since they look so much alike.


    Xenia observed Albert¡¯s expression and sobbed, ¡°I know my ce, Mr.


    Jewell. I don¡¯t expect to be able to keep this child. I¡¯m afraid of getting an abortion, but at the same


    time, I don¡¯t want to make things difficult for you.¡±


    Albert¡¯s heart softened at the sound of that. He put his arm around Xenia andforted her in a warm


    voice. ¡°Give me some time to think about it while you go to the doctor and find out if you¡¯re actually


    pregnant.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Xenia replied obediently. She snuggled into Albert¡¯s arms and whispered, ¡°I don¡¯t even know if


    it¡¯s a girl or a boy.¡¯


    Albert¡¯s eyelids twitched, but he did not say anything.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Ste returned to the set after a day off. Surprisingly, she did not see Ynda there. Stuart told her that


    Ynda had taken a leave of absence.


    During lunch break, the filming crew gossiped about how Ynda was targeted by the federal tax


    department for tax evasion.


    ¡°Ynda really has the guts, huh? The tax department had done an inspection a few years ago and


    found out that people in the entertainment circle have been evading a total of 10 billion dors. They¡¯ve


    been warning them ever since. Yet, Ynda dares to sail against the wind? Damn. Is she throwing


    away her future?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s living off her sugar daddies. If nothing happens to them, then losing a little money wouldn¡¯t make


    a difference. Even if she does get caught for tax fraud, there will still be people who support her. Why


    are we even worrying about her when we should be worrying about our monthly bonus?¡±


    ¡°I really hope that she gets caught. She always has problems with the way I do her makeup. She¡¯s the


    most difficult actress I¡¯ve worked with.¡±


    ¡°Keep your voice down. You¡¯re going to be dead if she hears you.¡±


    ¡®Well, that was certainly an eye-opening discussion,¡¯ Ste thought as she sipped on her water.


    Soon, things became worse. Before the rumors that were going around among the crew subsided, it


    was revealed on the inte that Ynda was a sugar baby. In less than two days after that, an official


    notice was sent out regarding Ms. Fenley for evading more than 10 million dors of tax. It also asked


    her to pay up. Everyone guessed that it was Ynda Fenley. So, Endorsement brands started to


    announce their contract termination with Ynda one after the other, and her Facebook ount was


    banned.

 Chapter 930

    Chapter 930


    Chapter 930


    It only took three hours for the world to cancel Ynda Fenley. It was so fast that Ste thought it was


    magic. Soon, news of Ynda¡¯s tax fraud popped up on every social media tform for the whole day.


    Ynda finally got to experience being famous but for the wrong reasons. After the copse of Ynda


    Fenley, more and more of her dirt got exposed. For example, it was revealed that Ynda deliberately


    bullied the neers in her film crew. Another instance was when she interfered with someone¡¯s


    marriage and became a homewrecker.


    There were even leaked photos of Ynda getting in bed with other male celebrities. She also got


    exposed for her long-term use of illegal drugs.


    However, there was no official notice regarding the banned narcotics, so it was unclear whether it was


    true. On the other hand, the leaked photos were going around the inte like crazy. They were so


    erotic that they almost looked like pornography.


    The people behind Motives for Murder followed suit and kicked Ynda out of the cast. Thus, her


    stardom was over.


    Shortly after that, the authorities reported that tworge-scale gambling dens had been seized, and


    several people were arrested for the use of drugs. What shocked theizens was that Yoven Brown, a


    well-known entrepreneur in Rivera, was suspected to be the owner of the two casinos.


    Further investigation showed that Yoven was responsible for taking away people¡¯s life. An ident


    urred in the coal mine he operated more than 20 years ago. When the mine rescue team arrived at


    the scene, he tried to avoid responsibility by withholding the number of people who went down the


    mine. He dyed the rescue, and seven miners were buried alive.


    The victims¡¯ families did not get to retrieve the bodies of their loved ones, nor did they get any


    compensation. They also had no way to appeal their case for more than 20 years.


    After Yoven Brown¡¯s arrest, the matter was brought up again to theizens. This time, a survivor came


    forward and revealed that sixteen people had entered that mine. When the incident happened, Yoven


    joined forces with a few local authorities and pressured the survivors into staying silent. All of them


    were afraid, so they pretended to know nothing to protect themselves.


    More and more survivors joined in and reported the incident immediately afterward. After twenty long


    years of petitioning, many family members of the seven victims were either old or gone. Every one of


    the families had lived in misery for decades, especially since they lost their mainbor force.


    The case caused a big stir on the inte, and it almost reached worldwide news. Theizens were in


    an uproar, voting for a retrial of the case. With pressure from the public, the officials set up a task force


    to go to the location of the coal mine for an investigation. The local police teamed up with the


    firefighters to conduct a second excavation at the site of the ident after apse of 20 years.


    However, this time, they were excavating the victims¡¯ remains.


    Due to the national attention, they dug up the first remains two dayster. Then came the second, the


    third, and so on. However, only five sets of remains were found. The task force was unable to find the


    other two sets of bones in the area.


    Several officials involved in the disaster were questioned, and Yoven Brown was brought to justice. The


    case shocked the entire nation, and the local government restored the seven victims¡¯ graves to pay


    tribute to them. Many media reporters rushed to the scene that day and broadcasted the entire


    memorial service live.


    Ste was busy filming, but she watched the broadcast whenever she had the time. The families of the


    seven victims received donations from the public in addition to thepensation from the officials.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    One of themunity members, who wished to remain anonymous, donated 10 million dors to fund


    the education of the victims¡¯ descendants. Each of them could apply for schrships up to 50 thousand


    dors per year with their student ID. The donor wrote some words on a piece of paper and had


    someone send it to the scene. It read, (May the dead rest in peace, and may their souls find their way


    home.]


    Ste paused when she saw that and hurriedly took a screenshot. She stared at the words on her


    screen and furrowed her brows. ¡®Why does this look like Keegan¡¯s handwriting?¡¯


    Just as she was thinking about it, Keegan sent her a text. [What time are you getting off work today?]


    [The director said 6, but you know him,] Ste returned to her senses and replied.

 Chapter 931

    Chapter 931


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay you a visit on the set then.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You¡¯re going to affect my work.¡±


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Keegan smiled and said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t stand by the bed this time.¡±


    ¡°Just wait for me outside. I¡¯ll tell the director to shoot my scene first.¡±


    Keegan agreed.


    Ste got changed and came outside after she was done with her part. Then, she saw a Maserati


    stopping right in front of Keegan¡¯s Mercedes, and both cars¡¯ windows were rolled down. Trevor had a


    pair of sunsses and was resting his elbow on the door when he looked at Keegan with a smirk.¡± Mr.


    Kane, don¡¯t you need to work? Why are youing to the set so often? Are you a guest actor now?¡±


    Keegan red at him. ¡°Well, I should at least check on the progress of the movie I invested in as the


    boss, right?¡±


    Trevor frowned. ¡°When did you invest in a movie? I didn¡¯t know at all.¡±


    Keegan said without holding back. ¡°Did you pocket the two hundred million I invested in yourpany?


    Did you forget that I own Elegant Media? I¡¯m just here to see what kind of movie you¡¯re producing with


    my money.¡±


    The edge of Trevor¡¯s mouth twitched. He had totally forgotten about that.


    He was about to speak when he saw Ste moving sneakily as if trying to stay out of their sight. Then,


    he immediately lost interest in talking with Keegan and waved his hand, saying, ¡°Ste, are you done


    with work today?¡±


    Ste stopped walking. Then, she turned around and forced augh. ¡°Mr. Saun, what brought you


    here?¡±


    Trevor smiled. ¡°A brand is interested in hiring you to shoot an ad. I¡¯m here to take you there to see if we


    can work something out.¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    He used the same excuse yesterday, the day before yesterday, and the day before yesterday¡¯s


    yesterday.


    He would either tell Ste that some brands wanted her to be in their ads, hire her as their ambassador,


    or read the script for a new show¡­


    He had different excuses every time, but the other party would always miss the appointment for various


    reasons. What was supposed to be a business meeting would always turn into a meal between just the


    two of them.


    Keegan asked her out a few times, but she could never make it. She figured she could spend more


    time with him since her work ended early, but she unexpectedly bumped into Trevor. She could not hide


    from him at all.


    ¡°Mr. Saun, why not¡­ another day?¡±


    Trevor paused. ¡°Are you busy today?¡±


    Ste pursed her lips.


    Her contract had a no dating use. She was worried that Trevor would ask her to pay a penalty for


    breaching the contract if she were to tell him that she was going on a date with Keegan.


    So she said calmly. ¡°I need to talk to Mr. Kane about something.¡±


    Trevor looked at Keegan before shifting his gaze back to Ste. Then, he said, ¡°What¡¯s more to talk


    about between both of you other than redividing the assets?¡±


    The edge of Keegan¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°What does that have to do with you? You¡¯d better mind your


    own business!¡±


    Trevor felt a lot better after seeing how provoked Keegan got. ¡°It is my business because she works for


    me now. So I just have to know every single thing that¡¯s happening in her life. Otherwise, who¡¯s going


    to earn money for me if anything bad happens to her?¡±


    Keegan said disdainfully, ¡°Don¡¯t you have other ways to earn money? You¡¯re already thirty years old.


    What have you been doing in your life?¡±


    Trevor¡¯s face darkened as he responded sarcastically, ¡°Well, at least I¡¯m better than someone who


    knows how to earn a lot of money yet didn¡¯t give his wife a penny after divorcing her.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.

 Chapter 932

    Chapter 932


    Ste¡¯s head hurt when she saw how Keegan and Trevor insulted each other.


    For some reason, she felt like Trevor was more bothered about her not getting any money after the


    divorce than her. She figured that he had crossed his boundary as just her boss.


    In fact, she felt like Trevor had been paying extra attention to her ever since she started working for


    him. He also visited her very often to send her food and clothes in thepany¡¯s name, so she could


    not reject them.


    However, Ste noticed that even though the other artists he recruited would also receive benefits from


    thepany, the benefits would never be as generous as what she got, let alone having the boss


    himself doing everything personally.


    The way that Trevor treated her exceeded the line of how a boss should treat his employees. Normally,


    it would mean the boss intended to take advantage of his employee.


    However, Trevor never wanted anything from her.


    He would always take her to different restaurants to enjoy delicacies and even order everything on the


    menu just so she could try them all.


    Ste gained about five pounds after following him to those restaurants this week alone. Even Stuart


    had to ask her if she was suffering from edema.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste also began to suspect if Trevor wanted to make her fat purposely. In that way, she would be


    unable to take new jobs, so Trevor could use that as an excuse to make her pay the penalty for


    breaching the contract.


    But she figured the penalty was too insignificantpared to what the Saun family owned, so there


    was no reason for Trevor to do that.


    That was why Ste could not figure out what he was really up to.


    Keegan did not want to waste more time with Trevor, so he turned around and said to Ste, ¡°Ste,


    get in.¡±


    Trevor said before Ste could even move, ¡°Ste, you¡¯vee such a long way to finally have your


    own career. You shouldn¡¯t risk your career for someone irrelevant. Besides, this job pays very well; six


    figures. Think about it.¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    Keegan¡¯s heart dropped after seeing Ste¡¯s reaction. Indeed, the look on her face was hesitant. She


    was a person who could be convinced if there was money involved.


    Keegan gritted his teeth.


    Tve given her so much money when we were married. Why is she still so obsessed with it? Is money


    really more attractive than me to her?¡¯


    Keegan cleared his throat, and the sound he made reminded Ste of what was happening. She


    looked up and saw the resentment in Keegan¡¯s eyes. Then, she felt a little guilty.


    ¡°Um¡­ We agreed to meet today some time ago.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s mood became a lot better after how Ste chose him determinedly.


    Trevor red at Keegan and suddenly sighed. ¡°Kaiden and I spent a lot of effort and money to secure


    this advertisement. All we need is for you to be there and sign the contract tonight. I¡¯m not sure if the


    client would want to meet us again if you don¡¯t show up this time.¡±


    Ste kept quiet. She looked at Trevor and looked back at Keegan.


    Keegan looked defeated, as if he knew that Ste would ditch him. She thought that he looked kind of


    funny. ¡®Is this how much he trusts me?¡¯


    She looked up and said, ¡°Trevor, I honestly can¡¯t make it tonight. I have a little brother who¡¯s going to


    university soon, and Mr. Kane used to help him with his exams. So his family wants to treat Mr. Kane to


    a meal, and I have to be there because I¡¯m the reason they knew him.¡±


    Keegan paused, and his mood immediately lightened up.


    He thought to himself. ¡®She picked me.¡¯


    Trevor pursed his lips. Even though he kept a straight face, he was obviously upset.


    Ste sighed.

 Chapter 933

    Chapter 933


    To be honest, how well Trevor treated her was kind of scary to her.


    Marshall treated her very well too, but he would never reject her when she repaid the favor by giving


    him gifts or money.


    There was a difference between Marshall and Trevor. Marshall was more like a friend at work who


    would do her a favor without troubling himself, but Trevor was a person who would give her everything


    for free without wanting anything in return. Ste just could not ept it.


    That was when Ste could rte to the saying; free things are often the most expensive.


    She was afraid to ept Trevor¡¯s kindness because she knew she could never repay it. She bowed at


    Trevor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Saun.¡±


    Trevor was speechless.


    ¡®We just got closer, and everything just went back to the start. Why is she calling me Mr. Saun? I don¡¯t


    want to be just Mr. Saun to her!¡¯


    Trevor hid how upset he was and put on a smile. ¡®It¡¯s fine. There¡¯s nothing to be sorry about. Go on. I¡¯ll


    rearrange the appointment to another day.¡±


    Ste heaved a sigh of relief and went into Keegan¡¯s car.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Trevor watched them leave calmly until the Mercedespletely disappeared from his sight. Then, he


    said frustratedly, ¡¯How could she still be so forgiving after everything he¡¯s done?!¡±


    Xavier heard that and said in a low voice, ¡°Why not? Haven¡¯t you heard that people always prefer to be


    with their first partner? To me, Mr. Kane and Miss Jewell look like a good match.¡±


    Trevor paused and said scornfully,¡± When did you go blind? A good match? Is that dumb dog Keegan


    good enough to be with Ste?¡±


    Xavier kept quiet.


    However, he could not stop himself from talking back. ¡°Mr. Saun, I¡¯ve wanted to tell you this for a long


    time. You have so many other options, but why are you so obsessed with someone else¡¯s ex-wife?


    How could you insult him just because you were rejected? You used to be a generous man. II


    Trevor was speechless.


    He smoked with anger inside as he looked at his foolish assistant.


    Then, he asked deeply, ¡°Do you know why Aldor can earn more than you even though you have higher


    qualifications?¡±


    Xavier¡¯s feeling was hurt as Aldor was the benchmark in their field. Even though his ie was


    confidential, they could guess how much he earned from rumors.


    Aldor bought a one thousand square feet residence in the most prosperous area of the city after just


    three years of working for Keegan. No assistant could have done that. Even though he might not pay


    the full price, the down payment alone was enough to drop one¡¯s jaw.


    Xavier responded, ¡°Is it because he¡¯s a better bootlicker than me?¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡± Trevor chuckled.


    Xavier was speechless.


    Ste felt more rxed after they left Hatun.


    Aldor swept his gaze across the sweat on Ste¡¯s forehead and gently said while turning the steering


    wheel, ¡°Madam, are you feeling hot? Do you want me to turn down the temperature?¡±


    Ste shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Aldor noticed that Ste¡¯s knees were exposed after looking at her. Then, he hinted to Keegan, ¡°Mr.


    Kane, are you feeling cold?¡±


    Keegan understood what he was trying to say and grabbed the nket at the side before covering


    Ste¡¯s knees with it. ¡°It¡¯s not good for the cold wind to blow directly at you.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ste said as she smiled faintly.


    ¡°What time did youe? Did you see Trevor as soon as you arrived?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Keegan responded. He did not like hearing Ste say Trevor¡¯s name, and he felt even more


    annoyed after thinking she once said she had a crush on Trevor. However, he immediately felt better


    after knowing that Ste just rejected her crush for him.


    But he continued venting his jealousy, ¡¯Don¡¯t you have any feelings for your crush after all the nice


    things he¡¯s done for you?¡±

 Chapter 934

    Chapter 934


    Ste¡¯s hand that was holding her phone paused as she immediately noticed Keegan¡¯s jealousy.


    ¡®Does this dumb man really think I have a crush on Trevor?¡¯


    Ste rolled her eyes and suddenly started acting.


    She sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I said I have absolutely no feelings for him. He was once my crush,


    after all.¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    Then, he said in a deep voice, ¡°Why did you reject him ande with me then?¡±


    ¡°Because¡­¡± Ste drawled before whispering into Keegan¡¯s ear, ¡°Because someone looked so sad


    and disappointed, as if he would start crying if I didn¡¯te with him. I couldn¡¯t bear to see that.¡±


    Keegan paused and was delighted. He wrapped his arm around Ste¡¯s waist and held her chin with


    another. Then, he gritted his teeth and said,¡± Who¡¯s going to cry?¡±


    Ste chuckled and pinched his ear. ¡°Were you worried that I¡¯d go with him? N


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Keegan turned her head and kissed the back of her hand. ¡®I¡¯ll understand if you go with him because of


    work.¡± He paused before continuing, ¡°I suddenly realized how you felt when I couldn¡¯t make it to our


    date because of work after waiting for mest time.¡±


    Ste was a little surprised. ¡°How did you feel?¡±


    Keegan said softly, ¡°From filled with joy topletely empty inside. From feeling excited to feeling


    disappointed.¡±


    ¡°How poetic of you.¡± Ste chuckled. ¡°Actually, waiting isn¡¯t scary, but waiting for nothing is.¡±


    Keegan paused and hugged her tighter. ¡°I won¡¯t make you wait anymore.¡±


    Ste said, ¡°Let¡¯s see how well you¡¯ll do. After all, I can still terminate you after your probation period


    ends.¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    ¡°What do you feel like eating?¡±


    Keegan asked Ste.


    Ste thought for a while. ¡°Why don¡¯t we just stick to the lie? Julian is leaving soon anyway. Let¡¯s buy


    some gifts and pay him and Ms. Cooke a visit. What do you think?¡±


    Keegan said, ¡°Sure. You¡¯re the boss.¡±


    Ste took her phone and dialed Julian¡¯s number. She told him they would bring some food and have a


    barbecue tonight. She also asked him to clean the yard and prepare the tools.


    Julian replied with an ¡°OK¡± emoji very soon after that.


    Then, Aldor drove them to a nearby mall.


    They bought some ingredients at the supermarket, and Aldor carried the bags back to the car. Then,


    Ste grabbed Keegan¡¯s arms and took him to shop in the mall.


    They dressed very casually. Ste was wearing a ten-dor dress that Felicity bought from an online


    shop. It was too tight for Felicity, and she could not wear it. She did not return it because the shipping


    fees were costly, so she gave it to Ste.


    Even though it was a cheap dress, its material was surprisingly soft and cooling. Ste wanted to wear


    it to sleep, but it looked good on her after she put it on, so she kept wearing it out.


    Keegan was not wearing anything fancy too. He had a shirt and a pair of long pants on. Ste bought


    them for him, and they cost around a hundred dors. His outfit was not considered very expensive


    because any working person would be able to afford that. However, he made them look like expensive


    garments because of how good-looking he was.


    Ste wanted to buy some gifts for Shelley and those kids in the welfare center, but she could not stop


    herself from going to the women¡¯s section after circling around for a while.


    Women just could not get enough clothes, and Ste was no exception.


    She walked past a shop and could not take her eyes off the stic mannequin inside. Keegan was


    talking to her, but he felt she was not listening. He finally realized why.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a look inside, shall we?¡± Keegan asked.


    Ste refused. ¡°It¡¯s okay. We¡¯re supposed to be buying gifts for the kids.¡±


    Keegan said, ¡°But the big kid here hasn¡¯t bought new clothes in a long time.¡±

 Chapter 935

    Chapter 935


    Ste was very tempted but rejected Keegan¡¯s offer anyway. ¡°You bought me plenty of new clothes


    previously, didn¡¯t you? I hardly wore any of them.


    I shouldn¡¯t be buying any new ones now.¡±


    Keegan looked at her. ¡°I was talking about myself.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    Keegan smiled and walked into the fashion store after saying that. She gritted her teeth and followed


    behind him.


    ¡®How could he do this during his probation period? I¡¯m going to deduct his marks!¡¯


    Ste forgot about deducting Keegan¡¯s markpletely as soon as she entered the store.


    Thetest collection had just arrived, and the store was filled with various clothes designs. Ste liked


    everything she touched, but she put them back after seeing their price tags.


    Keegan rarely went shopping with her because he was always busy. Ste could really take her time in


    a store.


    Ste could make a decision immediately when it came to a huge amount of money but would be


    very hesitant while dealing with little money.


    She would alwayspare prices while buying her daily clothes and pick the ones with the best value


    for money. As for Keegan, he would never waste his time deciding on things like this because he could


    earn a thousand times more than what would cost him.


    He could never understand why Ste did that, but he began to get it after some time.


    He figured that a couple did not have to always spend a lot of money while being together as they


    should put their daily necessities first. She would only use those luxury items she bought on special


    asions anyway. After all, she needed to present herself well, not to embarrass him. She only


    dressed nicely because she wanted to make him look good.


    And she preferred to be a wise spender in her daily life.


    For example, she ordered a flower shelf online that she ced on the second-floor balcony. Then, she


    found out that thebor fees to assemble them would cost as much as a new one, so she bought the


    tools and asked Keegan to put them together with her.


    Keegan¡¯s hands-on skills were great, but he had only dealt with assembling machinery before. That


    was his first time building a flower shelf. He thought that it was a very time-wasting thing to do, but


    Ste kept convincing him that it was not.


    She said, ¡°Honey, do you remember who Mrs. Valle is? She¡¯s a big cat lover, right? So, her husband


    built a cat mansion for her in their backyard. It looked magnificent.¡± She even showed him the photos


    as she spoke.¡± Look, this mansion is much moreplicated than our flower shelf. Do you have any


    idea why her husband is so good?


    ¡°Also, Mrs. Miller just got pregnant, right? The doctor said that she has calcium deficiency and needs to


    get a bit of sun. Her husband was worried she would get bored while doing that, so he built her a swing


    in the yard. It was made from real wood. It looks so good and sturdy! However, her husband isn¡¯t as tall


    and strong as you. How did he manage to put those pieces of wood together? How powerful is he? And


    Mrs. Miller¡­¡±


    She gave him a few examples and purposely said their husbands were either very strong orpetent.


    Men did not likepetition, and thest thing they wanted was for their woman topare them to


    other men. So, Keegan¡¯spetitive spirit was immediately awakened.


    He did not just assemble the flower shelf for her but also built her an automatic canopy. He only


    realized he had fallen into Ste¡¯s trap after losing himself in her continuouspliments.


    He figured that Ste only wanted to use him by praising him.


    He never understood why Ste would want to spend a whole afternoon assembling it to save a few


    dors inbor fees. He was even a little mad that she wasted his precious time.


    However, he remembered how energetic Ste was when he thought about what happened that time.


    She would wipe away his sweat, ask him if he was getting tired, and remove the splinter from his finger


    with tweezers¡­


    Every penny that she saved showed how passionate she was about living.


    After assembling the flower shelf, the sense of aplishment was worth much more than the money


    she had saved.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Ste would probably be dumbfounded if she ever found out how greatly Keegan thought of her


    because she liked saving money, i


    Felicity was the main reason she subtly developed the habit. She also had more bills to pay after the


    divorce, so she had no choice but to make every penny count.

 Chapter 936

    Chapter 936


    ¡°Which one do you think is nicer?¡±


    Ste had two dresses in different hands and asked Keegan.


    Keegan looked over and found out that both dresses had a cor and the same pattern. He could not


    tell their difference apart other than their color.


    Keegan pursed his lips. ¡°The lighter one.¡±


    Ste finally thought Keegan had a sense of fashion as she said, ¡°I think so too, but it costs twice as


    much as the darker one, yet both of them use the same material.¡±


    ¡°Get the darker one then.¡±


    Ste paused. ¡°Am I not good enough to get the more expensive option?¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    He gazed at his cheeky girlfriend and slowly said, ¡°Actually, you can put a paper bag over your head,


    and other people will think it costs a million. The value of a piece of garmentes from the person


    who wears it.¡¯


    Ste held herughter and asked, ¡°How much is Aldor charging you to teach you this?¡±


    Keegan answered seriously, ¡°It¡¯s included in his bonus.¡±


    She threw her bag at Keegan. ¡°Wait for a while. I¡¯ll get a sales assistant to find my size.¡±


    Ste found the sales assistant and that person was picking her nails. She looked at Ste from head


    to toe and said, ¡°Are you sure you want to buy it? H


    Ste looked at her. ¡°I¡¯ve got to try it before deciding if I want to buy it, right?¡±


    Then, that person said, ¡°I¡¯m not going all the way to the storeroom just to get you your size if you¡¯re not


    sure of buying it. As you can see, there are plenty of other customers here. I¡¯m very busy.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyelid twitched.


    ¡®What in the world¡­ It¡¯s been some time since I met a snobbish person like this.¡¯


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your manager? I want to see her. I need to know if I can only try this dress on after I¡¯ve


    decided to buy it.¡±


    The sales assistant brought the manager over very soon after that. The manager immediately started


    apologizing when she saw Ste. Then, she scolded the sales assistant, ¡°Go and take it if the customer


    asks. Isn¡¯t that what you signed up for?¡±


    The sales assistant curled her lips and unwillingly went to fetch Ste the dress.


    After giving Ste the dress, she said, ¡°You¡¯d better not stain it. I doubt you have enough money to pay


    us back.¡±


    Ste gazed at her and chuckled. Then, she pointed at the dresses in the middle of the shop and said,


    *1 want those in my size too. I¡¯m going to try all of them.¡±


    The sales assistant frowned. ¡°Are you just doing that to mess with me?¡±


    The manager nudged her with her elbow. ¡°Quit talking. Go and get them!¡±


    The sales assistant scrunched her face and went back to the storeroom reluctantly.


    Keegan came back after a phone call and saw Ste changing into different dresses in the dressing


    room.


    She was tall and had a pair of long legs. Also, her bone structure was big enough to hold up every


    clothes she wore. So, all the dresses she tried on looked very good on her.


    Ste looked into the mirror while turning around after trying them on without speaking ormenting.

 Chapter 937

    Chapter 937


    The manager asked Ste gently, ¡°Miss, you have fair skin, and this color suits you very well. What do


    you think?¡±


    Ste nodded and asked, ¡°How much is this?¡±


    ¡°Three thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight, and members get to enjoy a five percent discount.¡±


    Ste looked at the tag. ¡°It¡¯s made from polyester fiber. It¡¯s not worth the price at all.¡±


    The sales assistant immediately spoke as if she finally had the chance to mock Ste. ¡¯Just say it¡¯s too


    expensive, and you can¡¯t afford it. There¡¯s no need to find excuses for yourself.¡±


    Keegan frowned. He was about to speak, but Ste grabbed his wrist.


    They understood each other so well that Keegan immediately knew that Ste did not want him to


    intervene as soon as she did that.


    Keegan swept his gaze across the sales assistant with a long face. Then, he pursed his lips without


    saying anything.


    The manager slightly told the sales assistant off and said to Ste with a smile. ¡°The price is the same


    across all of our stores. You can check out the collection at the door if this is out of your budget. The


    dresses there over are more affordable.¡±


    The sales assistant did not hold back as she said, ¡°Take it off if you can¡¯t afford it. I still have another


    customer to serve. Would you stop wasting my time?¡±


    Keegan looked at her. ¡® Who told you that we can¡¯t afford it? Pack everything up right now.¡±


    The manager was shocked. ¡°D-did you say¡­ everything?¡±


    Ste said, ¡¯Yeah. I¡¯m getting every dress that I tried just now.¡±


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    The sales assistant¡¯s jaw dropped as the manager said hastily, ¡°Why are you still standing there? Go


    on and do your job now!¡±


    It took a few moments for the sales assistant to realize what was happening before she hurriedly got


    the dresses.


    Ste stopped her. ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    The manager reacted very quickly. ¡°Do you need me to get you another sales assistant?¡±


    Ste paused and smirked. ¡¯She¡¯s fine.¡¯


    Then, she took a pair of socks from the disy stand at the side and asked, ¡°How much is this?¡±


    The manager answered, ¡°Sixty-nine for two pairs.¡±


    The sales assistant scanned the barcodes while Ste bowed her head down to scroll her phone.


    There were seven dresses, and they cost about seventeen thousand in total. The sales assistant


    double-checked the items and asked, ¡°PayPal or bank transfer?¡±


    Ste lifted her head. ¡°Do you think seventeen thousand is expensive?¡±


    The sales assistant was shocked. Then, she said softly, ¡°Yes, it is.¡±


    ¡°I thought so too, so I don¡¯t want them anymore.¡± Ste handed her the two pairs of socks she was


    holding. ¡°I¡¯ll take these instead.¡±


    The sales assistant was stunned, and her face twisted.


    ¡°Are you messing with me?¡±


    Ste smirked. ¡°You can actually act better than your manager, but you chose the wrong target this


    time. I don¡¯t mind spending a little more on things I like, but I hate it when someone tries to set me up


    and thinks I¡¯m a fool. Does my boyfriend look like a stupid person to you? What made you think you


    could fool him into spending so much money on these dresses?¡±


    The sales assistant and the manager were stunned as they did not see thating.


    Ste knocked on the counter. ¡®Would you pack these up now? If you¡¯re not going to do that¡­ can the


    manager do it instead?¡±


    They paid for the socks before leaving the store, and Keegan still could not process what happened


    back there.


    Ste unboxed the socks. Then, she felt the fabric and said, ¡®The quality is not bad.¡± She handed the


    pair in a bigger size to Keegan. ¡°The couple design you asked for.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡®Couple socks that cost sixty-nine dors for both. How half-hearted.¡¯

 Chapter 938

    Chapter 938


    However, Keegan did not dare to speak his thoughts out loud.


    He took the pair of socks over and put them in a bag. Then, he asked curiously, ¡°How did you know


    that they were acting?¡±


    Ste answered, ¡±1 wasn¡¯t sure at first. It¡¯s a pretty normal thing to encounter a snobbish salesperson


    like her, but she was just way too arrogant. She didn¡¯t even think she did something wrong after her


    manager came, and she still provoked me in front of her manager by repeatedly saying that I couldn¡¯t


    afford them. That was when I knew something fishy was going on.


    The manager was acting rather strangely too. All she did was tell the salesperson off without actually


    penalizing her. Also, did you notice how they kept looking at your wrist? Your match is the most


    valuable thing you put on today. They probably thought that you¡¯re a foolish rich man and I¡¯m your


    pretty sugar baby who happens to be stupid. That was why they tried to provoke and fool us into buying


    everything.¡±


    Then, she proudly said, ¡°They were right about you but not me. How could I let them take advantage of


    me?¡±


    Not only that Ste did not let that happen, but she also yed them. She figured that they should be


    honest in what they were doing instead of doing something like that.


    Keegan rubbed the top of her head. ¡¯You could¡¯ve just bought the dresses. You don¡¯t have anything to


    prove to them anyway. Did you think about the time you wasted on them?¡±


    ¡°I have plenty of time to waste. I¡¯m free tonight anyway.¡±


    Keegan paused. ¡°I don¡¯t. I only have so little time to spend with you, yet you wasted twenty minutes on


    other people. I don¡¯t even know when I¡¯m going to see you again after today.¡±


    Ste paused and thought that what he said was funny. She grabbed his arm and said in a low voice,


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home earlier tonight and spend more time together then.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s mood immediately became better.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Julian was epted by Stag University in Salcator, and he was going to leave on Thursday next week


    by train.


    He wanted to continue studying in Rivera, but Trinity University was the only ce with a reputation for


    the course he wanted to enroll in. He asked for Keegan¡¯s opinion and decided to settle for Stag


    University.


    He would be more than a thousand miles away from Shelley after leaving this time, and Shelley already


    knew she would miss him a lot. So, she crocheted a nket for him and went everywhere to buy him


    some daily necessities.


    Julian brought them to check out his luggage, about three and a half feet tall and sighed. ¡°Ms. Cooke


    gave me everything that she probably could. There are so many things. I don¡¯t think I can even get on


    the train with all these.¡±


    Ste poked his head. ¡°Be grateful that you have someone who loves you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mess my hair up.¡±


    So, Ste wrapped her arm around his neck and rubbed his head until his hair turned into a chicken


    nest.


    Julian wanted to fight back, but Keegan grabbed his cor. ¡°You can¡¯t treat a woman the same way she


    treats you.¡±


    Julian¡¯s eyelid twitched.


    Then, he said to himself. ¡®You were rather quiet when your wifeid her hands on me. You make it too


    obvious that you¡¯re biased.¡¯


    Ste went to help Shelly with the barbeque after bullying Julian. Keegan wanted to follow her, but


    Julian stopped him.


    ¡°Keegan, please take care of the welfare center and Ste when I¡¯m not around.¡¯


    Keegan paused. ¡°What did you call me?¡±


    Julian paused and realized his mistake. ¡°Brother-inw.¡±


    Keegan put on a satisfied look. ¡°We¡¯re family. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Julian kept quiet. Then, he softly asked, ¡°Have you managed to get Ste back?¡±


    Keegan corrected him. ¡¯We just got into a small argument, that¡¯s all. It¡¯s normal between a wife and a


    husband, understand?¡±


    Julian kept quiet.


    Tm actually shameless by how shameless he could be.¡¯


    ¡°Oh, yes. Someone came to make a donation at the welfare center previously. I overheard what he


    said, and he kept asking Ms. Cooke about Ste and Ms. Spade.¡±

 Chapter 939

    Chapter 939


    Keegan paused. ¡°How did he look like?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a short man and about forty to fifty years old. He wore a


    face mask and a cap. I couldn¡¯t see his face. However, his eyes did look wrinkly. He came to donate,


    yet he just wouldn¡¯t stop asking about Ste and Ms. Spade. He looked a little downhearted after


    finding out that Ms. Spade had passed away. Then, he donated a few thousand dors and asked Ms.


    Cooke where Ms. Spade¡¯s grave was before leaving. I feel like he knew Ms. Spade, but he denied it


    when Ms. Cooke asked him that. He just feels strange.¡±


    Keegan frowned.


    ¡®A short middle-aged man?¡¯


    He tried to think of a man like that who could be rted to the Spade family, yet he just could not think


    of one.


    ¡°What else did he say?¡±


    Julian thought for a while and said, ¡°That¡¯s about it. He went through a few photos of Ms. Spade and


    Ste. Also, he said that he would visit again at some other time.¡±


    Keegan paused and thought of a possibility. ¡®Could he be¡­ Ste¡¯s biological father?¡±


    He heard Ste¡¯s voice from afar while still in his thoughts. ¡°You two, get over here now! We need


    help!¡±


    Keegan recollected himself and patted Julian¡¯s arm before saying tly,¡± Let¡¯s get to work.¡±


    Ste was teasing the children of the welfare center while holding the gifts she bought. She told them


    they could have the gifts if they could put on a good show for her. The children were shy at first, but


    they began to open themselves up and show Ste what they could do after a while.


    Keegan watched her performing clumsily with the kids at the side. He was amused by how


    unrestrained she was as he subconsciously put on a faint smile.


    ¡°Mr. Kane.¡±


    He heard Shelley¡¯s voice.


    Keegan turned around and saw Shelley holding a ss of alcohol as she looked at him benevolently.


    ¡°Can I have a drink with you?¡±


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan stretched his hands out and softly replied, ¡°You¡¯re my elder. I should be the one asking you


    that question.¡±


    Shelley shook her head. ¡°I would never be able toe this far with these kids without you. You


    deserve this.¡¯


    Keegan paused and smiled. Even though he had been donating to the welfare center anonymously,


    Shelley knew exactly who that donator was. All the huge transactions came from a local bank ount


    of Rivera, and he was the only person rted to Ste that could afford to do that.


    Then, he took the ss of wine without saying anything else. Shelley clinked her ss with his and


    said. ¡®Please make yourself at home.¡±


    She downed her ss of alcohol after saying that.


    Keegan did not feel like drinking because he knew his tolerance was not high. He rarely got to be


    together with Ste, and he did not want to be drunk and miss out on a chance to spend time with her.


    However, he figured it would be impolite for him not to drink with Shelley after she finished her drink.


    So, he chugged it down too.


    Shelley poured him another ss. ¡°Here¡¯s another one on behalf of Rainee.¡± Keegan paused and


    suddenly felt guilty as he did not help much at


    Rainee¡¯s funeral. Even worse, he neglected Ste and left her high and dry.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Keegan pursed his lips. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve it.¡±


    Shelley said, ¡°But you took good care of Ste. I hardly saw a smile on her in those two years after


    what happened to Rainee. Even when she did smile, it could never be as lively as any young person¡¯s.


    Then, she started smiling so much more after getting married to you. I believe Rainee¡¯s biggest wish is


    to see Ste being together with a good partner that she could depend on and not trust the wrong


    person like she did.¡±

 Chapter 940

    Chapter 940


    Keegan did not say anything. Instead, he lifted his ss and chugged it down again.


    Shelley poured him another ss after they finished their drinks. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell you a secret about


    Ste. Can I trust you on this?¡±


    Keegan put on a serious look and said in a deep voice. ¡¯I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    Shelley looked at Ste, who was ying with the children, and said softly,¡± Ste is not Rainee¡¯s


    biological daughter. She¡¯s not an illegitimate child.¡±


    Keegan paused, and his expression looked even more serious. ¡°How did you know that?¡±


    Shelley bowed her head down. ¡°I apanied Rainee to do the paternity test. I promised Rainee that


    I¡¯d bring this secret to my grave. However, she¡¯s not here anymore, and Ste is the only person she¡¯d


    ever care about.


    ¡°There¡¯s only so much I can do as a partner that she trusts. I couldn¡¯t help her much with her marriage


    or work. I know there are a lot of rules in a wealthy family like yours, and everybody takes social status


    very seriously. I¡¯m only telling you this because I don¡¯t want you to have a gap with her just because


    she did note from a legitimate family. Even if you can¡¯t make it to the end for her, I don¡¯t wish to


    see this as why you guys break up because that¡¯s just not the truth.¡¯


    Keegan could not process what was happening.


    ¡®Ste has all the documents to prove that she¡¯s the daughter of Rainee. How is this possible?¡¯


    Then, he asked in a low voice, ¡¯Who are her biological parents then?¡±


    Shelley shook her head. ¡°I have no idea, as she was mistaken as someone else¡¯s daughter in the


    maternity ward. Rainee¡¯s health deteriorated after giving birth to her child, making it almost impossible


    to be pregnant again. Nevertheless, she did everything she could to raise Ste, so she did not want to


    give her up even after finding out the truth.


    ¡°Even though they were not blood-rted, their feelings for each other were genuine. She just couldn¡¯t


    find herself leaving the child that she had raised. Also, she had no clue where her own child was. She


    couldn¡¯t ept that she would be away from Ste and her biological daughter, so she didn¡¯t look for


    her real parents. However, she did try to find her biological daughter, but to no avail.¡±


    Keegan massaged his temple as the alcohol started kicking in. He had a lot of questions for Shelley,


    but he just could not think straight.


    Then, Shelley continued, ¡°Don¡¯t tell Ste about this. It¡¯ll only worsen if she still can¡¯t find her after


    knowing the truth.¡±


    For some reason, Keegan reminded himself of how devastated Ste looked during Rainee¡¯s funeral,


    and he felt a stinging sensation in his heart. ¡°Okay,¡± he said after keeping quiet for a while.


    Ste only left the children after Shelley left and sat beside Keegan. ¡°What were you talking about with


    Ms. Cooke?¡±


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan¡¯s forehead rested on his palm while propping his elbow on the table. He opened his eyes and


    looked at Ste when he heard her voice.


    Ste had so much fun with the children that her cheeks looked so pinkish, and her eyes sparkled.


    Keegan stroked Ste¡¯s hair. ¡°Ms. Cooke said you¡¯re bad-tempered and told me to ept you for who


    you are.¡±


    Ste paused. ¡°I think she was saying the opposite.¡±


    Keegan smiled and rested his chin on her shoulder. ¡°Please ept me for who I am, then.¡±


    Ste said, ¡°Am I not epting enough? I¡¯m always the one who cleans up your mess whenever you


    get drunk.¡±


    Then, she handed him a cup of water. ¡°You know you have low tolerance, yet you always drink so


    much. Does that mouth of yours only know how to insult other people but not reject them?¡±


    Keegan took the water. Then, he smiled and said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Kane.¡±


    Ste gazed at him. ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck.¡¯


    Keegan was exhausted. He took a sip of the water and continued toy on her shoulder. Then, he


    suddenly spoke after hearing what Ste said. ¡°The doctor said we should at least do the deed twice


    weekly. It¡¯s been more than a week since west did it.¡±


    Ste kept quiet.

 Chapter 941

    Chapter 941


    Chapter 941


    Ste¡¯s eyelids twitched violently. She elbowed Keegan and said, ¡°Are you pretending to be drunk?!¡±


    Keegan felt a little sore and frowned. ¡¯We can¡¯t go against the doctor¡¯s orders. We have to make Io-¡±


    Ste covered his mouth in horror before he could finish his sentence. She looked at the loose cannon


    in front of her with a dark face, and the hair on the back of her neck stood up.


    ¡®How did he go from speaking normally to being drunk all of a sudden?! Who knows what kind of


    shocking thing woulde out of him if I hadn¡¯t covered his mouth!¡¯


    Keegan was a little upset after being held back. He reached out and pulled Ste¡¯s hand away, trying to


    make her let go. However, Ste did not do so. Instead, she asked Julian to call Aldor.


    Ste immediately dragged Keegan into the car when Aldor drove over, and they left in a hurry so as


    not to dirty the minds of the youths at the scene. When they got into the car, Ste let go and leaned


    back in the seat.


    Aldor started the engine and asked, ¡°Where to, Madam, Mr. Kane?¡¯


    Before Ste could say anything, Keegan uttered, ¡°Home, so we can make¡ª Mmph!¡¯ Ste¡¯s face


    turned red. She held Keegan¡¯s mouth down for dear life as she gritted her teeth and said, ¡®Royalpark


    Vi, please.¡±


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Aldor nced at the two seated in the back, and a hint of mischief shed in his eyes. ¡°Do you want to


    go to the pharmacy and buy some birth control, Madam?¡¯ he said in a serious tone.


    Ste was speechless. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with these people?!¡¯


    ¡°No. There¡¯s no need for that,¡± Ste replied with a flushed face. ¡¯Keegan¡¯s so drunk; buying anything


    will be useless.¡¯


    Aldor did not know what was going on in Ste¡¯s mind, but he was surprised by the rapid progress of


    their rtionship. ¡®They don¡¯t even want protection!¡¯ He thought.


    Keegan was getting a little out of breath and tried to break free from Ste¡¯s grip. ¡°Be careful of what


    you say, or I¡¯ll throw you out of the car!¡± Ste warned. Keegan blinked his eyes to signal he


    understood, and Ste let go.


    Keegan kept his word. He held onto Ste¡¯s hand as if he was afraid that she would leave. After a


    while, Ste¡¯s palms started to sweat. ¡®Don¡¯t you feel warm?¡± She asked, speechless at his gesture.


    Keegan shook his head and waited for some time before saying, ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    Ste was confused.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Keegan continued as he stroked her back. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡¯


    Keegan¡¯s words were strange, but his low, soothing voice crossed Ste¡¯s heart like a warm current.


    She did what he always did and patted his head, saying, ¡°Silly guy.¡±


    Keegan fell asleep after a short while, and they arrived at Royalpark Vi in no time. With Aldor¡¯s help,


    they worked together to carry Keegan into his bedroom. Ste was sweating all over. She looked up


    and saw the familiar room; it felt like a dream.


    When Aldor was about to leave, Ste called out to him and said, ¡°Wait. I¡¯m going with you. Just let me


    settle this first.¡± Aldor was a little surprised, but he did not question her.


    None of them knew how much Keegan had had to drink. But based on his previous drinking habits, he


    would get up in the middle of the night once to throw up.


    Ste flipped him on his side and put a pillow behind his back to prevent him from choking on his own


    vomit. She thenid a small piece of cloth on the side of the bed with a bucket on the floor to catch the


    throw-up.


    After doing all that, Ste stroked Keegan¡¯s hair. Looking at him sleeping peacefully, her eyes soften.


    When she turned around to leave, someone grabbed her wrist.


    Keegan pulled her on top of him and asked, ¡°Can we make love, please?¡±

 Chapter 942

    Chapter 942


    Keegan¡¯s lips were right next to Ste¡¯s ear. His hot breath spread across Ste¡¯s cheeks and behind


    her ears, as he spoke. Her ears felt warm. Ste pushed Keegan¡¯s face away and said, ¡°Stop messing


    around.¡±


    Keegan sensed that she was not entirely opposed to having sex with him, so he leaned over to kiss her


    earlobe and said, ¡°I¡¯m just following the doctor¡¯s orders.¡¯


    ¡°When have you ever listened to the doctors?¡± Ste¡¯s eyelids twitched.¡± You¡¯ve never even taken your


    medication on time when sick.¡±


    Keegan frowned. It was as if he forgot all the times he did not listen to medical advice. However, he did


    not give up. ¡°I¡¯ll follow the doctor¡¯s orders from today onward.¡± Keegan began to kiss Ste as he said


    that. He kissed her gently from the corner of her lips to the middle. Keegan licked her lips but suddenly


    stopped and frowned. He then began to sniff her body.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ste could not help but ask when she saw his strange expression. Keegan looked


    torn. It took him a long time to say, ¡°Why do you smell a little funky?¡¯


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You smell funky!¡± Ste said. Suddenly, she realized what Keegan was referring to. She had eaten


    some roasted garlic earlier. Keegan hated the smell of garlic, especially raw ones, while Ste enjoyed


    eating barbeque with garlic. She especially enjoyed roasted garlic cooked on the outside but still raw


    on the inside.


    Keegan would avoid Ste like the gue whenever she ate garlic in the past. He would sleep in the


    study or the guest room as if the smell of garlic could kill him.


    Ste looked at Keegan¡¯s frown and suddenly thought of doing something naughty. ¡°Does it stink?¡± She


    deliberately said to intensify the garlicky aroma. ¡°I don¡¯t smell anything.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face turned green in an instant.


    ¡°It must be you. I grew up drinking high-quality mineral water, so it couldn¡¯t be me,¡± Ste teased.


    Keegan gave himself a sniff and proceeded to sniff Ste. ¡°It¡¯s you who stinks,¡± he said with certainty.


    Ste pretended to be angry and said, ¡°Do you not like me anymore?¡±


    Keegan paused and pursed his lips. Then, after a long time, he said, ¡°I can stand it.¡± The corners of


    Ste¡¯s lips turned upward slightly. ¡°That sounds so forced,¡± she imed.


    Keegan did not know how to exin himself anymore. He panicked, pulled Ste in, and kissed her to


    prove he was telling her the truth. What initially started as an act to prove a point ended up in both of


    them getting a little emotional.


    Somehow, Keegan pinned Ste down on the bed as they continued kissing. It took a while before


    Keegan let go of her, panting. Ste¡¯s ears and cheeks were red. She tilted her head and tried to calm


    her frantic heartbeat. ¡°I should go,¡± she cleared her throat and said in a low voice.


    Keegan buried his face in her shoulder and said, ¡°Can you stay here tonight? N


    Ste¡¯s heart rate spiked. ¡°Felicity is at home alone.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m home alone, too,¡± he said.


    ¡®Is he trying to be cute with me right now?¡¯ Ste chuckled, pinched his cheeks, and teased, ¡°You¡¯re old


    enough to sleep on your own.¡±


    Keegan did not let go of her. After a long time, he said, ¡°Then¡­ Leave after we finish doing what the


    doctor asked..?¡±


    Ste was speechless. ¡®Why is he so obsessed with getting me in bed? I can¡¯t believe he remembers


    when he¡¯s already so drunk,¡¯ she thought.


    Ste tried to reason with Keegan, ¡°The doctor just said that off the top of his head. It¡¯s not mandatory.¡¯


    It was times like these when Keegan¡¯s mind went into overdrive. ¡¯Why would the doctor specifically talk


    about it if it wasn¡¯t mandatory?¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words. ¡°Since when did he specifically talk about it? He just casually mentioned


    it.¡±


    Keegan refused to admit defeat, so he grabbed his phone from the table.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m calling the doctor to ask about it.¡±


    The corners of Ste¡¯s eyes twitched. She immediately snatched Keegan¡¯s phone away and said, ¡°It¡¯s


    late. Aren¡¯t you ashamed to be asking such a thing?¡±


    Keegan frowned in confusion. Due to Ste¡¯s refusal, he gradually realized something. ¡°Why don¡¯t you


    want to do it with me?¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s not a matter of me wanting it or not. The question is, are you capable of having sex right now?¡¯


    Ste said to herself.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what the doctor said? Although it¡¯s difficult for me to conceive, there¡¯s still a possibility


    that I might get pregnant. We can¡¯t have sex without protection. I¡¯m not ready for a baby,¡± Ste


    nced at him and said.


    ¡°You won¡¯t get pregnant,¡± Keegan suddenly blurted out.


    Ste was upset by this. She pushed Keegan in the chest and said, ¡°Are you saying that because you


    think I¡¯m too sick to conceive?¡±


    ¡°No. I got a vasectomy. That¡¯s why you can¡¯t get pregnant.¡±


    Ste was shocked.

 Chapter 943

    Chapter 943


    Ste was shocked. She thought that Keegan was spewing nonsense since he was drunk. ¡°I can¡¯t


    believe you can make stuff up like that just to sleep with me,¡± she pinched his face and whispered.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth. I had a vasectomy years ago/ Keegan said solemnly.


    Ste dismissed his words and said, ¡°Where¡¯s the scar then? You im to have had a vasectomy years


    ago. We were still married then, so howe I never saw any of your scars? Are vasectomies


    nowadays so advanced?¡±


    Keegan paused and whispered, ¡°I do have scars.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Keegan let go of Ste and began to unbuckle his belt. Ste blushed, and her eyes were about to pop


    out of her head as she watched him undress. She dreamed of sitting on the couch like a queen and


    watching Keegan strip in front of her.


    Ste was always the first to take off her clothes in the past. She felt ashamed whenever she was


    naked while Keegan was still in his suit and leather shoes. But, this time, the tables have turned. Ste


    wanted to watch Keegan go red. Her heart was about to burst now that she saw her dreams unfold


    before her eyes. ¡®This is honestly rather sexy,¡¯ she thought.


    With little rationality left in her, Ste grabbed a nket and covered Keegan with it. ¡®Don¡¯t think you


    can act like a hooligan just because you¡¯re drunk. I¡¯m not afraid to call the police.¡±


    Keegan pulled the nket off and whispered, ¡°Here¡¯s where the wound was. Look.¡±


    Ste did not believe him but could not help but nce over. That was when she saw the scar Keegan


    was talking about. It was about 1 inch long and was hidden quite well since no one would examine


    someone else¡¯s private part that closely. Ste hadn¡¯t even noticed it during the times they had sex.


    ¡°You actually got a vasectomy?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I wouldn¡¯t dare lie to you about this,¡± Keegan said in a daze.


    ¡°Why?¡± Ste recalled how impatient Keegan used to be to have children.¡± Don¡¯t you want children?¡±


    she asked in a low voice.


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    Keegan shook his head and said after a while, ¡®The doctor said it was difficult for you to conceive. Even


    if you did get pregnant, the chances of having a miscarriage were high. I wanted to wait for your body


    to fully recover before we tried having sex again. Then, I found out you were allergic to condoms. So, I


    decided to get a vasectomy just to be safe. I didn¡¯t want to get you pregnant because I know you would


    be devastated if you had a miscarriage.¡±


    Ste started to choke up. Her heart felt heavy; it was painful and numb at the same time. She had no


    idea how determined Keegan was to go through with the procedure for her. She never thought that he


    would do something so crazy for her.


    ¡°How long did it take to heal?¡± Ste asked.


    ¡°The wound healed in a month, but the doctor told me it would be best to stay away from sex for at


    least three months.¡±


    Ste froze, and suddenly, it dawned on her that Keegan treated her indifferently around the exact time


    frame he got the vasectomy. She closed her eyes and said in a deep voice, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me


    about such an important matter?¡±


    Keegan noticed that she was angry. He rubbed his temples and whispered,¡± I¡¯m so sleepy.¡± Ste was


    stumped. ¡°Stop pretending! Exin yourself!¡±


    Keegan leaned against her shoulder and closed his eyes. Soon after, his breathing lengthened.


    Ste was speechless. ¡®He fell asleep right after he closed his eyes. Who does he think he¡¯s fooling?¡¯

 Chapter 944

    Chapter 944


    Ste nced at the person leaning on her shoulder and seductively whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to


    have sex with me anymore?¡± Keegan¡¯s eyshes fluttered, but he did not say a word. Ste kissed his


    chin and asked, ¡°No more following the doctor¡¯s orders?¡± The man¡¯s eyelids twitched again. Ste


    narrowed her eyes and said, ¡°Your probation is over. You¡¯re fired.¡±


    Keegan immediately opened his eyes and said, ¡°Sorry. I fell asleep. What did you say just now?¡±


    Ste was speechless. She suspected that Keegan acted drunk sometimes. He still liked to tease and


    fool around when he was drunk, but the things he said were shocking since they were not what he


    would say while sober.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about the vasectomy? It¡¯s a big deal, you know?¡±


    Keegan frowned and said after a long time, ¡°You¡¯re always asking questions.¡±


    Ste was baffled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with asking questions? How would I know about things if I don¡¯t ask


    about them?¡±


    ¡°You always take it too far. You clearly know why and whom I did it for. So why do you want me to say


    it? You never told me you like me; I don¡¯t want to be the one who says it first.¡± Keegan buried his face


    deeper into Ste¡¯s shoulders and continued, ¡¯You obviously like my money more than you like me.


    What if I told you about the vasectomy, but you didn¡¯t care? I didn¡¯t want to feel like a fool.¡±


    Ste looked stunned. ¡°Who said I like you for your money?¡±


    ¡°You said it yourself!¡± Keegan immediately used.


    The woman stayed silent. ¡®When and where did I ever say that? Why don¡¯t I recall ever saying that?¡¯


    Ste felt like she was being framed, so she said,¡± Well, you keep saying I¡¯m a beauty without brains!¡±


    ¡°Those were mere words of anger. I only said that during our arguments. They don¡¯t count. You, on the


    other hand,ined about me to people outside of our rtionship.¡±


    ¡°Who did Iin to? Don¡¯t simply use me because I have a bad memory.¡±


    ¡°Felicity Thompson. You were calling her on the phone, and I heard everything.¡± Keegan said in a


    muffled voice.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Suddenly, Ste recalled something simr happening more than once. Sheined to Felicity


    about Keegan on the phone, saying that if it were not for his money, he would not be able to get a wife


    with that personality.


    Felicity always asked her why she did not just divorce him. Ste was embarrassed to say that she


    liked Keegan, so she came up with excuses like, ¡°I would¡¯ve left a long time ago if he wasn¡¯t rich.¡±


    Ste did not know how much she had told Felicity about her rtionship with Keegan. She would


    always spill the beans to Felicity whenever she and her husband at the time quarreled.


    From her perspective, she just needed someone to vent her frustrations to. As Ste¡¯s best friend,


    Felicity advised for separation than reconciliation since she sounded miserable. However, Ste was


    not willing to get a divorce. She would find reasons to stay whenever Felicity urged her to do it, saying


    Keegan treated her well.


    For instance, she told Felicity about the card Keegan gave her with no limit to how much she could


    spend. She also told her how he would ask Aldor to prepare a small gift for her every time they fought,


    how he would take the initiative to show affection toward her, and so on.


    ¡®This must be what he referring to when he said I like him for his money,¡¯ she thought.


    Ste found it a little amusing and whispered to Keegan, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you divorce me then if you heard


    all that?¡±


    Keegan frowned the second he heard the word ¡®divorce.¡¯ He hugged her tightly and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you


    like me for my money. I¡¯m rich.¡±


    ¡°Even if I don¡¯t like you?¡±


    Keegan paused and clenched his fingers. After a long time, he said, ¡°You¡¯re not like her. You would still


    care for me even if you don¡¯t like me.¡±

 Chapter 945

    Chapter 945


    ¡®Her?¡¯


    ¡°Who are you talking about?¡± Ste asked while frowning.


    Keegan did not speak for a long time. Just when Ste thought he had fallen asleep, he softly said, ¡°My


    mother.¡±


    Ste was stunned for a moment. Keegan never spoke ill of Dahlia in front of her when he was sober.


    He held onto traditional concepts whereby elders were to be respected no matter how evil they could


    be. He would never say anything like that in front of others.


    Ste could see Dahlia¡¯s entricity, even as an outsider. Hence, it was very likely that Keegan


    noticed it too. For example, Dahlia was swiping Keegan¡¯s cards non-stop when she went to Europe


    with her friends for a monthst year.


    Keegan was a VIP in the bank, so they arranged for someone to deliver his monthly private ount


    statements to him every month. Ste often signed for them because she habitually kept tabs on their


    financials. She would jot down their expenses, including food, luxuries, daily necessities, gifts for


    weddings, funerals, etc. That way, they could track how much they were spending and bnce


    everything out.


    Keegan¡¯s bank ount was sucked dry when Dahlia went on her trip. She had spent more than 10


    million dors in that month alone. The statement from the bank clearly showed all of the expenses.


    Dahlia spent more than half of the money in duty-free stores and a few luxury ces. She even


    stocked up on a few things, such as skin care products worth ten thousand dors. Ste understood if


    Dahlia had bought two to three bottles of skincare. However, she purchased 20 to 30 bottles in one go.


    Ste found her behavior strange, but she knew it would not be easy to tell Keegan about it. It would


    also seem highly inappropriate since Dahlia was her mother-inw. So, she did not say anything and


    sent the bill to Keegan after jotting down the monthly expenses.


    When Ste woke up the following day, she heard Keegan talking to Dahlia on the phone. It was


    unclear whether he asked her about the money. After a while, Keegan asked Ste what she wanted


    from Europe since Dahlia was returning to the country soon and wanted to bring them gifts. Ste told


    him that she was fine with anything.


    Then, Dahlia returned with presents from Europe for both her and Keegan. She gifted Keegan a


    branded belt worth more than ten thousand dors and a Swarovski ck Swan ne for Ste.


    Keegan was sitting next to Dahlia when she presented them with the gifts. He and Ste both fell silent


    when they saw the ne. In an attempt to save his mother¡¯s face, Keegan said it looked nice.


    Soon afterward, the family went to Cordelia¡¯s ce for a small gathering. It was the end of September,


    and the weather was chilly. However, Aurora wore a halter dress that day, which was very unlike her.


    She also wore an eye-catching bracelet and ne that day. Cyreneplimented her essories.


    ¡°Mom bought it for me while she was traveling abroad,¡± Aurora said proudly.


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    Hearing that, Ste thought about Keegan¡¯s belt and her ne, which was two to three hundred


    dors. She immediately felt sick. Keegan¡¯s face did not look too good either at that time, but he did not


    say anything because Dahlia was his mother.


    Later, Ste realized that the dozens of expensive face creams Dahlia had bought were party favors


    since her birthday wasing up. Dahlia had spent her son¡¯s money to buy expensive gifts for her


    friends, yet the ne she bought for Ste was nowhere near as costly.


    People often took advantage of their parents, yet Dahlia took advantage of her son. Ste always felt


    that Dahlia treated Keegan as her ATM.

 Chapter 946

    Chapter 946


    Whenever Keegan was sick or detained for having conflicts with other people, Dahlia would always


    come up with various reasons for not being there for him. The only time she would show any affection


    to Keegan was when she needed money from him.


    Ste could not resist talking to Keegan about it, but she decided that it was best not to say anything.


    Since her rtionship with Keegan was unstable back then, she knew that it would seem like she was


    deliberately trying to make him hate his mother.


    Ste did not expect Keegan to notice Dahlia¡¯s behavior, especially since he had always kept it to


    himself. She poked Keegan in between his eyebrows and said, ¡°Are you saying your mom only likes


    you for your money and not you as a person?¡±


    Keegan closed his eyes and said softly after a while, ¡¯She doesn¡¯t like anyone. She doesn¡¯t love me nor


    my dad.¡±


    Ste paused and half-jokingly said, ¡°She treats your sister well though. The matching set of jewelry


    she gifted her from Cartier is a thousand times more expensive than the ck Swan she got me.¡±


    Keeganughed when he heard that. Ste grabbed his face and asked,¡± What are youughing at?¡±


    ¡°So, you wore the ne I gifted you just to spite her?¡±


    Ste froze momentarily and realized that he was talking about the time they went to Dahlia¡¯s birthday


    party. Thinking about how funny Dahlia¡¯s expression was at the party, Ste began tough too.


    She then nudged the tip of Keegan¡¯s nose and said, ¡°You¡¯re the one who chose to give me a ne


    on that particr day. You didn¡¯t expect that to happen?¡±


    Keegan chuckled and leaned into Ste¡¯s ear as he whispered, ¡°I did it on purpose.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re so childish,¡± Ste whispered back.


    Keegan had a goodugh and said, ¡°I don¡¯t care if she doesn¡¯t like me or mistreats me. What I do care


    about is how she forced you away from me. I will never forgive her for that.¡¯


    Ste paused and stayed silent, patting him on the shoulder in response.


    After a while, Keegan said, ¡°Do you have any feelings for me at all?¡±


    Ste returned to her senses. Then, with a helpless look, she thought, ¡®Are we still not past this?¡¯


    ¡°Just a little.¡¯


    Keegan found her answer to be perfunctory and frowned in dissatisfaction. ¡°Can you borate on that


    so I can try to increase it?¡±


    Ste noticed that he was serious and teased, ¡°I like how you splurge on me.¡¯


    Keegan was speechless. Ste stopped fooling with him when she saw his bitter expression of hatred.


    She then pulled him over and gave him a big kiss. ¡°Would I be dating you if I didn¡¯t like you, dummy?


    I¡¯d just get a sugar daddy if I only wanted money.¡±


    It was a rare confession from Ste, but Keegan only heard the second half. ¡°How much money do you


    want?¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words. She threw a pillow at Keegan¡¯s face and said, ¡°Go to sleep.¡±


    After a long day of tossing and turning, Keegan was finally willing to get off from Ste. However, he


    still had his arms around her waist and refused to let her go. Ste had no choice but to stay there for


    the night.


    She thought of Aldor, waiting for her outside, and grabbed her phone to text him. [You can leave, Aldor.


    I¡¯m staying here tonight.] [Alright,] Aldor replied. He tossed his phone on the couch and went to take a


    shower. He knew that it would turn out like this, so he just left.

 Chapter 947

    Chapter 947


    The next morning, Keegan woke up with a hangover and a throbbing headache. He wanted to rub his


    temples, but he noticed someone was pressing onto his arm as soon as he tried to raise it. Keegan


    froze and turned to find Ste lying beside him with her head resting on his upper limb.


    Keegan¡¯s expression rxed as his thumb gently stroked against her cheek. Ste found it itchy and


    reached out to scratch her face. Keegan skillfully dodged her hand and continued rubbing her cheek


    once she went back to sleep.


    Ste frowned. She got mad after not being able to catch what was grazing her face. All of a sudden,


    she opened her eyes and met Keegan¡¯s gaze. The ambiance in the room was awkward yet romantic.


    Ste licked her lips and exined, ¡°You were drunkst night and wouldn¡¯t let me leave, so I stayed.¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Keegan replied in eptance of her statement, but his expression showed otherwise. His half-


    smile seemed to be saying, ¡°You¡¯re making this up.¡±


    Ste pursed her lips and said, ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. Ask Aldor if you don¡¯t believe me.¡¯


    ¡°Sure,¡± Keegan gently stroked her hair and said. His eyes were drawn to her. Ste could not stand him


    looking at her like that, so she reached out and covered his eyes.


    ¡°Whatever!¡± She gritted her teeth and said.


    Keegan chuckled, pulled her hand toward his lips, and kissed it. ¡°Were you worried that I would choke


    on my vomit in my sleep?¡±


    When Keegan opened his eyes that morning, he saw the things that Ste had ced next to him. It


    was not the first time she had done something like this. Whenever Keegan came home drunk from


    social gatherings in the past, Ste would take care of him even though she said she disliked it.


    ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t have a name or ce in your family yet. I¡¯m not even qualified to inherit your estate right


    now. It would be a waste of my time if you died,¡± Ste paused and said in a serious manner.


    Keegan was not angry when he heard that. He even muffled augh for a while before he said, ¡°Then,


    let¡¯s go get that marriage certificate. You¡¯ll have a secure future with that thing if I di-¡°


    Ste immediately put her hand over Keegan¡¯s mouth and red at him.¡± Please stop with the


    nonsense. It¡¯s still early.¡± She never thought that Keegan would suggest getting married since she was


    only joking.


    Ste used to think that Cordelia was superstitious when she apanied her to the temple to pray for


    blessings. However, she realized that some things should not be joked about when it came to the


    people she cared for, fearing that the worse woulde true.


    Keegan kissed her on the palm of her hand before taking it away. He then whispered, ¡°I want to get


    married again.¡±


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    Ste did not want to talk about it.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t gone through everything in a marriage the first time we got married,¡± Keegan added.


    ¡°I¡¯ve done my part in the marriage, Keegan. You¡¯re the one who didn¡¯t do yours,¡± Ste nced at him


    and said.


    Keegan was taken aback. ¡°That¡¯s why I need to make up for it,¡± he said.


    ¡°You know how people in ancient times would use a rooster to rece a groom who can¡¯t show up for


    his wedding? Yeah. You should just buy a hen and marry it.¡± Ste sat up and replied.


    Keegan was speechless. He sat up and froze. ¡®Why are my pants halfway to my knees?¡¯ He looked up


    at Ste, and his confused state turned into a burning gaze. ¡°Ste,¡± he called out.


    ¡°What?¡± The woman turned her head and asked.


    Keegan coughed, and his eyes wandered around as he said, ¡°What happenedst night was¡­


    consensual?¡±


    Ste did not understand what he was asking.


    Keegan seemed to be a little embarrassed. ¡°I don¡¯t remember what happened. I didn¡¯t hurt you, did I?¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words. ¡°You thought we had sexst night?¡±


    Hearing that, Keegan¡¯s ears turned red. He wanted to tell Ste off, but he was worried that she would


    get mad at him. So, he held his tongue. ¡°Can you be any more subtle?¡± He said after a long time.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ste replied. ¡°You thought we did THATst night?¡±


    Keegan did not know what to say. ¡®She might as well just stick with what she said earlier,¡¯ he thought


    but ultimately decided not to talk about it.¡± Didn¡¯t we?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Ste immediately denied but Keegan did not fully believe her. ¡°Why am I shirtless


    then?¡±


    ¡°You took it off yourselfst night,¡± Ste responded.


    ¡°Why would I take my shirt off for no good reason?¡¯ Keegan doubted her im. He thought that Ste


    was afraid that he would take it to the next level, so she denied it on purpose.


    Ste nced at Keegan and said, ¡°You even took off your pants to show me your¡­¡± She stretched


    out her finger and pointed to his crotch area.


    Keegan was bbergasted. ¡®Nonsense! I would never do such a thing!¡± He embarrassingly said.


    ¡°Why would I lie? You can always ask Aldor if you don¡¯t believe me. You were literally running around


    the room without any pants on.¡±


    Keegan paused and widened his eyes. ¡°And, Aldor knows about it?!¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be able to carry you to the bed alone, would I?¡± Ste blinked and said.


    Keegan felt ufortable at that moment.


    Ste bit her lip, trying not tough. She then tried tofort him by saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Aldor is one


    of us. I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t spread the news. Besides, what¡¯s wrong with him seeing you naked? Other


    males would only feel insecure about themselves if they saw you.¡±


    Keegan nced at her with a nasty look on his face. ¡®Is that supposed to fucking make me feel better?¡¯


    After teasing Keegan, Ste went to the bathroom happily to wash up. ¡®I love drunk Keegan. He¡¯s so


    always so dumb and confused the next day. He never gets mad no matter how much I tease him, and


    he¡¯d immediately try to coax me if I pretended to be angry. Even though he¡¯s not good with his words,


    he sure makes me want to tease him more. I must get him drunk again someday and pry out some


    deep and personal answers from him. He never talks about his feelings unless he¡¯s drunk. Alcohol is


    fun.¡¯


    When Aldor came to pick them up, he noticed that Keegan¡¯s face was sullen, and his gaze was as


    gloomy as ever. It looked like someone owed him a million bucks. Aldor did not know the reason behind


    Keegan¡¯s expression, so he acted more cautiously than before.


    Ste was scrolling through Facebook like she always did after getting into the car. She then saw the


    trending headline of the day. [Ynda Fenley in Critical Condition]

 Chapter 948

    Chapter 948


    Ste frowned. ¡¯What¡¯s this?¡¯ She was shocked when she clicked on the headline. Ynda was sent to


    the emergency unit for overdosing on drugs and was still in critical condition.


    ¡®Wasn¡¯t she taken in for questioning? How did she have an overdose? Was she released from the


    police station yesterday?¡¯


    Ste was confused. In the end, she turned and looked at Keegan. The man was still depressed about


    herment, which said that he was running around nakedst night. He was also puzzled by the fact


    that Aldor was there to witness it.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Keegan asked.


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    ¡°Ynda overdosed on drugs and is now in the emergency unit. She¡¯s been there for a few hours and


    is still in critical condition.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Keegan replied, not caring about the news.


    ¡°Do you think someone is doing these things to her? First, she was exposed for tax fraud and misuse of


    drugs. And now, she has an overdose in less than two days? Her reputation is done for.¡± Ste could


    not help but gossip.


    Ynda was a sugar baby, but it was clear that none of her sugar daddies were willing toe out and


    defend her. It was either they had abandoned her, or they were protecting themselves. ¡®She must¡¯ve


    offended someone with great power if none of her benefactors orpany want to save her,¡¯ thought


    Ste.


    ¡°Is she famous or something?¡± Keegan looked up and asked.


    Ste thought about it for a moment and said, ¡°She has a following, but she¡¯s no A-list star.¡±


    ¡°Why would someone waste their time and effort getting back at a small artist?¡± Keegan said calmly.


    ¡°The cost would be too high. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s in all this mess because she is a terrible person.¡±


    Aider¡¯s raised an eyebrow at the sound of that. ¡®Hmm. The cost would be too high? Well, it certainly


    wasn¡¯t easybor. Mr. Kane had to rely on his various connections to search for information about the


    tax fraud. His contacts were of great help. Mr. Kane rarely dealt with the entertainment industry. He


    wouldn¡¯t even bat an eye at those people if it weren¡¯t for Madam.


    ¡®None of them could escape Mr. Kane¡¯s wrath, not Yoven nor Ynda-the ones behind that previous


    incident. However, this drug overdose case is quite a surprise. Mr. Kane wouldn¡¯t try to kill her. He just


    made sure that she would be gone from the industry to make things easier for Madam. Why would


    Ynda be stupid enough to take drugs at this time?¡¯ Aldor found it strange. ¡®Could it be that someone


    else is trying to get rid of her?¡¯ There was no way for him to find out. Keegan had achieved his desired


    results and did not care if Ynda was alive or dead.


    Although Keegan¡¯s words made perfect sense, Ste still found the overdose incident strange. ¡®Maybe


    it¡¯s just a coincidence,¡¯ she convinced herself after she could note up with any other reason.


    After dropping Ste off at the film set, Aldor turned the car around and headed to the office. ¡°Find out


    who¡¯s behind Ynda¡¯s overdose,¡± Keegan loosened his tie and said in a deep voice.


    Aldor was taken aback. ¡°Is it even worth it for someone like her?¡±


    ¡°I want to know who¡¯s trying to take over my work,¡± Keegan said calmly.


    ¡°Ynda has offended many people. It¡¯ll take some time for me to do a thorough investigation.¡±


    ¡°Then, take your time.¡± Keegan paused for a moment before adding, ¡°Track


    Marshall¡¯s recent movements while you¡¯re at it.¡±


    Aldor found that a little strange. ¡®Mr. Kane seems to be more and more wary of Mr. Mooretely, but I


    don¡¯t know why. There¡¯s no way it¡¯s because of Madam since Mr. Kane is jealous of Mr. Saun. If Mr.


    Moore is interested in Madam, he should¡¯ve taken the opportunity to court her when she and Mr. Kane


    got the divorce. But, he did not make any moves on her.¡¯


    Aldor wanted to ask Keegan about it, but he felt that it was inappropriate.¡¯ Mr. Kane and Mr. Moore


    grew up together. There¡¯s no way I can ask since I¡¯m an outsider. Especially since there are many


    things that I don¡¯t know about them.¡¯ All he could do was say, ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°And, forget about what happenedst night,¡± Keegan slowly said once the car was running smoothly.


    Aldor became confused at the sound of that.

 Chapter 949

    Chapter 949


    Aldor thought about what Keegan was referring to and roughly got it. ¡®He¡¯s probably talking about what


    he said in the carst night when he was drunk. It was indeed rather violent.¡¯


    Aldor coughed and teased, ¡°I understand. A little spicy romance wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone.¡±


    Keegan was quiet. ¡®The thing is you don¡¯t understand!¡¯ He wanted to silence Aldor at the thought of him


    being watched running around the room butt-naked. He had been gloomy for half the day. ¡®Did you


    finish the minutes of yesterday¡¯s meeting?¡± he tightened his jaw and asked.


    ¡°I can hand it to you by noon,¡¯ Aldor replied.


    Keegan finally found a chance to vent his anger. He shot a nce at Aldor and said coldly, ¡°You used


    to submit them on the day of the meeting. Are you getting older? Why has your productivity dropped?


    The youngsters will catch up if you don¡¯t do something about it. Don¡¯t bring shame to my name, Aldor.¡¯


    Aldor was speechless. ¡®Didn¡¯t he say I can finish the meeting minutester because he wanted me to


    apany him to the orphanagest night? Otherwise, I would have gotten it done by yesterday.¡¯


    ¡®Mr. Kane has an amazing memory. There¡¯s no way he forgot about that. He must be nitpicking on


    purpose. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve never seen him ask Madam for sex before. Mr. Kane had always asked


    Madam to sleep with him every time he got drunk in the past.¡¯


    Aldor did not understand why Keegan was so bothered, so he chose his words carefully. ¡°Actually, Mr.


    Kane, what happenedst night was just a small matter. It¡¯s fine. Madam didn¡¯t mind.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened even more when he heard that. ¡°Meeting minutes on my desk by 10!¡¯


    Aldor was dumbfounded.


    Later that night, Ynda died in the hospital after the doctors failed to resuscitate her. Ste only found


    out about it when she watched the news after work. Several heartless reporters went to the hospital


    and took photos of her body. Soon, the pictures were taken down after being uploaded on the inte.


    Ste saw those pictures and realized how Ynda had be thin in just over a week. She was all


    skin and bones. Her cheeks were sunken, her cheekbones protruding from her pale face, and her lips


    were in a vivid shade of purple.


    Ynda had lost all arrogance in that photo. She was lying on the hospital bed with no dignity left and


    was being photographed by reporters who wanted to make the headlines.


    The onlinements regarding Ynda¡¯s situation were divided. Some of theizens believed that


    she deserved it. In contrast, others thought that the hate toward her was unjustified since she did not


    murder anyone.


    ording to them, all she did was let her fans down for not loving herself enough.


    One of the crew members who was close with Ynda¡¯s personal assistant talked to them about it and


    found out that no one came forward to im Ynda¡¯s body. She was in the hospital for three days


    straight. Even her parents were ashamed to collect their daughter¡¯s body. In the end, her former


    assistant went to the hospital and helped with the cremation procedures.


    Ste was sitting on the side, reading her script during lunch break, when she heard the crew


    discussing what happened to Ynda.


    ¡°Honestly, I feel sorry for Ynda. I heard that her parent got a divorce when she was still a child. Both


    of them built their own families after that,


    and nobody cared about her. She was then recruited to be a model because of her beauty. Even


    though she wasn¡¯t a big hit, she earned enough money to pay the bills.¡±


    ¡°Why are you feeling sorry for her? Don¡¯t forget how badly she treated us. Sure, her family was broken,


    but so what? She became a model at the age of neen and earned thousands of dors a day from


    auto shows.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Compared to other people whoe from broken families, she was considered lucky.¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t know how to be grateful andcked self-love. That¡¯s why she had all of those sugar


    daddies. Did anyone put a knife at her throat and force her to be a sugar baby? No. She was not


    ashamed of herself and even told outsiders about her sugaring experience. I say she got what she


    deserved.¡±

 Chapter 950

    Chapter 950


    ¡°No. The thing is, Ynda doesn¡¯t think much about us. To her, we¡¯re just a bunch of low-level staff who


    don¡¯t benefit her. She¡¯s actually rather nice to those who are more famous than her. When Be was


    hospitalized due to allergies, Ynda visited her and even brought her an expensive gift. She even


    heavily promoted Be¡¯s shows at that time. But, what¡¯s the point? Everyone is trying to avoid being


    associated with her now that she¡¯s gotten into trouble. They literally hate her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty normal to cut ties with people in this situation since whoever¡¯s friends with Ynda will be


    trending and talked about on the inte.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to talk about? Mr. Winfield went to her funeral to see her off onest time. But, Be, who


    Ynda shared the same pair of pants with, didn¡¯t even send her flowers. Their friendship is clearly


    fake.¡¯


    Be heard the crew¡¯s discussion as soon as she came out of the lounge and looked a little uneasy.


    She was pushed into the limelight after Ynda had passed away. Since she and Ynda had frequent


    interactions in the past, people immediately ssified her and Ynda as the same type of person.


    Someizens even called the police, demanded them to check Be¡¯s tax records, and make her take


    a drug test.


    Be then closed off all her private messages and hatements on Facebook in the past few days.


    ¡®Ynda is such an idiot for not doing a good job at hiding her secrets. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m the one who¡¯s


    getting dragged in right now!¡¯


    Be was furious. When she looked up, she saw Ste sitting in the corner. She held the script in her


    hand, and her skin was as smooth as cream. She looked gorgeous and at peace with herself.


    During the night of the cast party, Ynda had excitedly told Be that she found someone to get back


    at Ste on her behalf. Although Be always said that she wanted the cast to get along, she did


    nothing to stop the attack. She was so excited to see Ste defeated that she could not sleep the whole


    night. Be waited for two whole days, only to hear that Ynda was getting investigated for tax fraud.


    ¡®Ste must have something to do with this!¡¯ Be thought. ¡®Otherwise, my name¡¯s not Be Young!¡¯


    Due to that incident, Elegant Media cut off several of Be¡¯s film contracts and brand endorsements to


    help her keep a low profile. ¡®What did I do to deserve this? Ste was the one who started all this. Why


    is she still able to live her life without any harming her way? It¡¯s so obvious that thepany is


    biased toward her. Why is she given all the good resources when I¡¯m thepany¡¯s head artist?¡¯ Be


    questioned, as she sullenly stared at Ste. Anger and jealousy within her grew bit by bit.


    ¡°You must be happy about all this, huh?¡¯ She walked up to Ste and said.


    Ste was puzzled. ¡°What exactly are you referring to? If you¡¯re talking about you being cyber-bullied,


    sure. You should have thought about it when you rallied your fans to bully other people online,¡± she


    said indifferently.


    Be gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Stop pretending. Are you sure you have nothing to do with what


    happened to Ynda?¡±


    Ste¡¯s gaze was cold. ¡°And, you¡¯re questioning me because you don¡¯t know what happened to your


    best friend? That¡¯s rich.¡±


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°I¡¯m questioning you because I know. Don¡¯t think that you¡¯re untouchable just because you¡¯re hiding


    behind Keegan and letting him do all the dirty work for you.¡±


    Ste¡¯s face changed slightly. ¡°You should stop making false usations.¡±

 Chapter 951

    Chapter 951


    ¡°Who else has the power to cause Ynda¡¯s downfall other than Keegan? She was only ying


    around with you, yet you wanted her dead. Are you not scared that she¡¯ll turn into a ghost to haunt you


    in your dreams and take your life in exchange?!¡± Be sneered.


    Ste was a little confused. She did not understand what Be meant when she said that Ynda was


    just fooling around with her. Still, it did not prevent her from being irritated. She rolled up her script and


    put it aside as she stood up and grabbed Be by the cor. Looking down at her from above, Ste


    said in a deep voice, ¡°Did you turn your embarrassment from being rejected to anger? Even the haters


    on the inte don¡¯t turn as quickly as you. Didn¡¯t Keegan provide you with tons of resources over the


    years? You wouldn¡¯t be where you are today if it weren¡¯t for him.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s an official report from the police regarding Ynda¡¯s case. You can avenge your bestie by


    going to the authorities if you have a problem with that. But, if you¡¯re here to bark and use Keegan


    of something, I¡¯ll make sure that you¡¯ll be the next one to get kicked out of the crew,¡¯ Ste leaned


    closer to Be¡¯s ears and said. The look in her eyes was sinister and vicious, which caused Be¡¯s face


    to turn pale.


    At that moment, a male voice sounded from outside the set. ¡°Ste.¡¯


    Ste paused, let go of her hand, and immediately put on a harmless expression. ¡°Marshall? Why are


    you here?¡± she asked in surprise.


    Marshall was carrying a bag as he slowly walked toward Ste. He was wearing a brown suit with a


    white shirt inside, fully buttoned up as usual. His outfit made him look refined and hard to resist.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to visit the set,¡± said Marshall, as he walked up to Ste. He saw Be, who looked ghastly,


    and nodded politely to greet her. ¡°Good to see you, Ms. Young.¡± As he said that, he lifted the bag in his


    hand and asked,¡± Would you like a cup of coffee?¡±


    Be¡¯s expression changed when she heard the word ¡°coffee¡±. She had been afraid of epting drinks


    from others after the allergic reaction she had, especially since Marshall was the one who gave her the


    cup of coffee thest time. ¡°No, thanks,¡± said Be with a sullen look. She hurriedly walked away after


    saying that.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Marshall withdrew his gaze and handed Ste some coffee. ¡°What time does work end for you?¡¯


    ¡°Maybe five or six o¡¯clock. Why?¡±


    Marshall smiled and said, ¡°One of my clients invited me to his wedding tonight. He wanted to introduce


    me to someone, but I told him I was already seeing someone. He didn¡¯t believe me and insisted that I


    bring my partner to the wedding to show him I was telling the truth. Since I¡¯ve already lied, I might as


    well continue the act.¡± He paused, looked at Ste, and asked in a warm tone, ¡°Can you please do me


    a favor and apany me to this wedding and help me put on a show?¡¯


    Ste was shocked. ¡®Why would you tell him that? Shouldn¡¯t you be excited since he would introduce


    you to someone?!¡¯


    ¡°He¡¯s going to introduce me to one of his cousins. I¡¯ve met the girl before,¡¯ Marshall lowered his eyes


    and said.


    ¡°You¡¯re afraid of rejecting her because you don¡¯t feel the same, so you lied about having a girlfriend?¡±


    Ste suddenly realized.


    Marshall smiled and nodded. ¡®We would casually greet each other whenever we meet. If I rejected her


    in front of her face, things would be awkward the next time I see her.¡±


    ¡°But, you shouldn¡¯t have lied about being in a rtionship. People are going to find out about the truth


    one day.¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m taking one step at a time,¡± Marshall uttered. ¡¯Can you please do me this favor?¡±


    Steughed dryly and said, ¡°I want to, but I¡¯m scared that people will recognize me and expose your


    secret. Don¡¯t you have tons of female colleagues? Maybe you can ask them for help.¡¯


    ¡°The client I talked about has been to thepany multiple times and has met all of my female


    colleagues,¡± said Marshall.

 Chapter 952

    Chapter 952


    Marshall paused and said, ¡°I know a wonderful makeup artist who can give you a touch-up if you¡¯re


    worried about being recognized. He¡¯s so good that even your acquaintances won¡¯t be able to recognize


    you if they were standing right in front of you.¡±


    Ste was speechless. ¡®You really thought of everything, huh?¡¯ she thought. She would not hesitate to


    help Marshall if he had asked her for help with something else. After all, he had been a great help to


    her in dealing with her mom¡¯s funeral and herwsuits with Albert after her divorce. However, she felt


    that pretending to be his girlfriend was a little out of her morals since she was already seeing someone.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea. Why don¡¯t I¡­ hire a one-day girlfriend for you online?¡±


    Initially, Ste wanted to ask Felicity to be Marshall¡¯s date. But, she knew that Felicity would reject the


    offer because she had been getting along with Corbin pretty well recently. Moreover, Marshall was a


    lousy actor. He would always expose himself before anyone else could ask about it whenever he got


    nervous.


    Marshall paused and pursed his lips before he said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you help Vermont out in a simr situation?


    Why can¡¯t you do the same for me?¡±


    Ste froze for a moment and realized that Marshall was referring to the bachelor party in the barst


    time. She put her hand on her forehead and said, ¡°He paid me to do it. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have done


    such a thing.¡±


    ¡°How much?¡± Marshall asked. ¡°Can you do this for me if I pay you? Just name your price.¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words. She could rip off Vermont but not Marshall since he had done a lot to


    help her. ¡®I must return him the favor,¡¯ she thought.


    Ste hesitated for a while and said, ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll make a call and ask my manager if there¡¯s anything


    else going on tonight.¡±


    Marshall nodded his head.


    Ste then went to the side with her phone and immediately dialed Keegan¡¯s number. Keegan was on a


    return flight from a business trip. The flight got dyed, so his phone was still off.


    After two to three calls, Ste had no choice but to send him a text message to tell him about the


    situation. Before she could finish typing, Marshall came over and asked, ¡°What did your manager say?¡±


    ¡°I can help you, but I wouldn¡¯t be able to stay for long,¡± Ste put her phone away and replied.


    Marshall¡¯s expression eased up, and he warmly said, ¡°You just have to stay there long enough to make


    him put off the introduction.¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Ste left with Marshall after work. He first took her to the makeup artist he mentioned earlier and gave


    her a disguise. The makeup artist¡¯s work was so exquisite that even Ste could not recognize herself.


    Her eye shape had been elongated and her features were now different from her own. Although, they


    were still a little recognizable. Her strong jawline had been smoothened out into an oval-shaped face,


    which made her look more feminine. The fake mole on the corner of her lip added a little more charm to


    her entire look.


    Ste had never tried prosthetic makeup before, so she was amazed by the makeup artist¡¯s


    techniques. Tm literally a different person. With that kind of skill, I can have a brand-new face per day


    for 365 days.¡¯


    Ste nced up at Marshall to ask him how she looked but saw that he was already staring at her in


    the mirror.

 Chapter 953

    Chapter 953


    Marshall looked a little dazed. There was aplex set of emotions behind his eyes when he stared at


    Ste, which she found strange. ¡¯ Marshall? Mr. Moore?¡± Ste called out several times before he came


    back to his senses.


    Marshall was aware that he lost hisposure. He cleared his throat and said in a low voice, ¡®I¡¯m just


    in shock. You look like apletely different person.¡±


    Ste looked at herself in the mirror and nodded. ¡°Yeah. I was shocked when I saw myself in the mirror.


    This is the first time I¡¯ve seen this type of makeup skill. It¡¯s like the ancient art of disguise.¡±


    ¡°You cant really tell in pictures, but people may notice that you have heavy makeup on in real life.


    However, it¡¯s not obvious because you have a good base,¡± the makeup artist said with a smile while


    cleaning his makeup brushes.


    After saying that, he teased Marshall and said, ¡¯It looks so real, right?¡±


    Marshall did not answer. Instead, he stood behind Ste, propped up against the back of her chair as


    he looked at the person in the mirror, and let out a faintugh.


    ¡°What?¡± Ste asked, not knowing why he wasughing.


    ¡°I was thinking of giving you a new identity when I suddenly remembered how you lied to me. You said


    your name was Celeste when we first met.¡±


    Ste was quiet. ¡°It¡¯s best we don¡¯t mention that ever again.¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s so embarrassing,¡¯ she thought.


    Marshall chuckled and said, ¡°It¡¯s a good name. Tonight, you¡¯ll be Celeste Thompson. What kind of job


    do you think Celeste would have to make itContent provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    believable?¡±


    ¡°A human surface dirt remover engineer!¡±


    Marshall was confused.


    Seeing he did not get the joke, the makeup artist beside him interjected and said, ¡°A spa scrub


    attendant for short.¡±


    Marshall did not say a word.


    ¡°Not funny, huh?¡± Ste intended to make a joke, but it was not funny anymore since it flew over


    Marshall¡¯s head.


    ¡°Sure it is,¡¯ Marshall said as he faked augh. ¡°Sounds like a high-end career.¡±


    Ste pursed her lips and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need tofort me. The joke has passed.¡¯


    Marshall was taken aback for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m just a little surprised. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever heard


    something like that.¡¯


    ¡°Don¡¯t you surf the inte?¡± Ste asked in shock.


    ¡°Rarely. Since public opinion can affect some cases forwyers, I don¡¯t use social media much.¡¯


    Suddenly, Ste realized that Keegan had a sense of humorpared to elites like Marshall. In the


    past, when she was in a fit of anger after arguing with Keegan, she would pack her suitcase and n to


    run away from home. Keegan never persuaded her to stay. Instead, he would just stand in the bedroom


    with his arms crossed, watching her pack with a cold gaze. When she was ready to leave, Keegan


    would stop her and ask, ¡°Are you really leaving?¡±


    Ste thought that Keegan would ask her to stay, so she would say, ¡°Do you expect me to just sit here


    and get mistreated?¡±


    However, Keegan would say, ¡°Think about it. If you leave, you¡¯ll have to find a job and earn your own


    money. You got married to me as soon as you graduated college. You¡¯re out of touch with society and


    have no working experience. How are you going to find a decent job?¡±


    Ste always became angrier when she heard that. She did not expect Keegan to add fuel to the fire. ¡°I


    don¡¯t need your concern, not even if I starve to death. Worsees to worst, I¡¯ll be a human surface


    dirt remover engineer!¡±


    Keegan paused and slowly said, ¡°Maybe you can learn how to be a human dead body tissue


    removal surgeon and open up a shop in


    Hansonville. Hike up the prices, and maybe you can be financially free in a few years.¡±


    It took Ste a long time to realize that Keegan was telling her that he could be a barber. She was still


    mad at first but could not hold back herughter when she heard him say, ¡°Human dead body tissue


    removal surgeon¡¯.


    Keegan came over with a smile in his eyes as he teased, ¡°Do you need me to rent a storefront for you,


    Ms. Barber?¡±

 Chapter 954

    Chapter 954


    ¡®I guess only Keegan knows how to deal with my nonsense,¡¯ she thought after having shbacks of


    their time together.


    ¡°When will we be leaving?¡¯ Ste got up and asked.


    ¡°Now,¡± Marshall nced at the time and replied.


    Ste checked her phone several times for Keegan¡¯s response on the way to the wedding venue. He


    had told her that his flight wouldnd at 5:00 p.m. But, it was already 6:30 p.m., and she still had not


    heard from him.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Marshall asked in a low voice when he noticed her looking at her phone.


    ¡°Nothing.¡¯ Ste clutched onto her phone and looked up. ¡°How long till we reach the venue?¡± She


    asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±


    Ste paused and immediately nced out the window. She did not know who Marshall¡¯s client was,


    but she assumed that he was not an ordinary person since the wedding was held in one of the best


    hotels in the city.


    The parking spaces near the hotel were upied by all kinds of luxury vehicles. This was enough to


    show how grand the wedding was going to be.


    Marshall got out of the car and walked over to open the door for Ste. He stretched out one of his


    hands and said warmly, ¡°Come.¡± Ste put her hand on his as she grabbed the end of her dress with


    her other hand.


    When the two entered the elevator, they ran into Carter and his wife, Lena.


    Ste subconsciously wanted to say hello. However, before she could say anything, she heard Carter


    say, ¡°Is this the girlfriend you told Duncan about? N


    Ste shut her mouth in an instant.


    ¡°So, he has told you,¡¯ Marshallughed.


    ¡°He said something about a rare urrence that only happened in a million years, and I knew he was


    talking about you.¡±


    Ste was able to gather some information from the conversation between the two men. ¡®The person


    who is getting married tonight is Carter¡¯s cousin, Duncan. When Duncan started his ownpany,


    Marshall represented hispany as a legal counsel for a whole year. Their connection isn¡¯t as simple


    as Marshall made it sound. It was more than a client-attorney rtionship. Marshall¡¯s bond with


    Duncan seems simr to his bond with Keegan.¡¯


    After Carter and Marshall exchanged pleasantries, Carter¡¯s gaze fell on Ste once more. ¡®Aren¡¯t you


    going to introduce us, Marshall?¡± he asked.


    Marshall graciously pulled Ste over and said, ¡°Carter, Lena, meet Celeste Thompson. Celeste, meet


    the Lowe¡¯s.¡± Ste changed her voice to be unrecognizable and said hello to the couple. She


    used to perform in shows and movies, but this time, she was acting in front of her real-life


    acquaintances. Even though there was a low chance of her being exposed, she still felt a little


    awkward.


    Suddenly, Ste regretted agreeing to help Marshall with this favor. She would not havee if she


    had known that the wedding was going to be filled with people she knew.


    ¡°What do you do for a living, Ms. Thompson?¡¯ asked Lena.


    ¡°I¡¯m a music teacher.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Lena replied without another word.


    Lena excused herself to the restroom when they arrived at the floor where the wedding was held. ¡°I¡¯ll


    go with you,¡± said Carter.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Lena responded. Carter did not find her answer to be cold and immediately followed


    behind her.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    When Lena came out of the restroom, she saw Carter leaning against the door, waiting for her. ¡°No one


    will dare toe into the restroom if you¡¯re standing there,¡± she said while washing her hands.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel safe and secure?¡± Carterughed.


    Lena shook the water off her hands and said, ¡°You know I¡¯d be the one to protect you if a mugger


    shows up.¡±

 Chapter 955

    Chapter 955


    Carter thought about it andughed as he handed Lena some tissue paper.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine with me.¡± ¡°Marshall¡¯s girlfriend is rather pretty, but her makeup is a little heavy, don¡¯t you


    think?¡± Carter asked as the two headed over to the wedding.


    Lena paused when she heard that and asked, ¡¯Don¡¯t you see it?¡±


    ¡°See what?¡¯


    ¡°Celeste Thompson is actually Ste Jewell,¡¯ Lena said slowly.


    Carter could not believe it. ¡°My dear, I think you¡¯ve been looking at too many dead bodies in the


    morgue. Otherwise, why would you be saying such nonsense?¡±


    Lena rolled her eyes at her husband and said, ¡°Are you doubting my skills?¡±


    Carter took some time and thought about how Lena had never misidentified anyone before. It was what


    she was good at. Her ability to distinguish people¡¯s faces was highly urate. Carter tried to recall


    what the woman he had just met looked like and realized that she had a simr figure to Ste. Their


    facial features, however, werepletely different.¡¯ Is this even possible?¡¯


    ¡°Her smile lines are the exact same as Ste¡¯s. Although the makeup has modified her looks, you can


    still see it in dimly lit ces,¡± Lena said.


    Carter was still in doubt. ¡°But, her voice is different.¡±


    Lena looked at him and said, ¡°Did you forget that Ste was a voice actor? She can easily change her


    voice whenever she wants.¡±


    Carter paused. ¡°So, that means¡­ Marshall¡¯s current girlfriend is Keegan¡¯s ex -wife?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing that since Duncan keeps wanting Marshall to get together with Yara, and Marshall had no


    way to refuse, he asked Ste to show up in disguise to fool Duncan. No one will doubt them since


    they¡¯ve never seen her face around.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you already suspecting them?¡± Carter put his arm around Lena and asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m a professional.¡±


    ¡°Things sure are getting interesting around here,¡± Carterughed. ¡°Say, do you think Keegan would


    recognize his ex-wife when he arrives?¡±


    Lena gave him a sideways nce and said, ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just curious. Would Ste be mad if Keegan didn¡¯t recognize her?¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯d know it¡¯s her.¡±


    ¡°Because Keegan knows how to look at smile lines?¡±


    Lena rolled her eyes again and said, ¡°She¡¯s the love of his life. How could you not recognize someone


    you¡¯ve spent your life with?¡±


    Carter paused and unreasonably said, ¡®Can you tell me and Zane apart?¡±


    Lena pursed her lips. ¡°Why not? You two have very different personalities.¡±


    Carterughed and did not continue the topic. Instead, he grabbed his cell phone and dialed for


    Keegan.


    Keegan had just gotten off the ne and turned on his phone when he received a call from Carter.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± He picked up the phone and asked.


    ¡°Where are you? Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d be back in time for Duncan¡¯s wedding? N


    ¡°I just got off the ne. I¡¯ll be there in a sec.¡¯


    ¡°Are you going toe alone? Is Steing?¡±


    Keegan wanted to take Ste to the wedding and announce their rtionship to everyone. But, Ste


    wanted to keep it under wraps first, so he said, ¡°Why would I bring her? We¡¯re divorced.¡±


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Carter was dumbfounded. ¡®That¡¯s not what you said when you asked me to hack Albert¡¯sputer and


    delete Ste¡¯s private pictures,¡¯ he thought.¡¯ You did so much to help her behind her back, and now


    you¡¯re saying she¡¯s just your ex-wife?¡¯


    Carter thought about how Keegan would meet Steter, and the corners of his lips turned upward.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Anyway, there are many celebrities here at the wedding tonight. You should take the


    opportunity to get to know them. By the way, Marshall has a girlfriend now. You really need to put on


    your A-game.¡¯

 Chapter 956

    Chapter 956


    Keegan paused. ¡°Who did you say found a girlfriend?¡± ¡°Marshall. Marshall Moore,¡¯ Carter said, ¡°You¡¯re


    so close with him. How could you not know?¡¯


    Keegan pursed his lips.


    Vermont arranged a dinner together previously, and Keegan went there. But, Marshall did not show up


    because he said he had work to do. Then, they had not met each other since then.


    Keegan thought about it and realized that it had been some time since hest saw him.


    ¡®Marshall has a girlfriend now? It¡¯s impossible for Vermont not to tell me that if that¡¯s true.¡¯


    Keegan felt strange as he asked, ¡¯Do you know which wealthy family she¡¯s from?¡±


    Carter paused and said slowly, ¡°I didn¡¯t ask that much. She looked unfamiliar, so she¡¯s probably not


    from a family that we know. She¡¯s very elegant, and she¡¯s a music teacher.¡±


    Keegan tried to think of a person who matched the description but to no avail.


    He did not believe that Marshall would date a girl from an ordinary family as his family would never


    allow that to happen.


    However, Keegan stopped asking and said, ¡°That¡¯s good news, then.¡±


    Carter could not help butugh.


    Keegan was puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Lena¡¯s joking with me.¡±


    Lena red at him as if her eyes were saying, ¡°How rude of you.¡¯


    Carter wrapped his arm around her waist and gently pinched her as he said to the phone, ¡°Hurry up.


    The wedding is about to start.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Keegan responded and hung up the phone.


    He looked at his phone and saw a few missed calls from Ste.


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    He tried to call her back, but her phone was unreachable.


    There was a WhatsApp text from Ste, telling him to rest well.


    Keegan replied, [I¡¯ll talk to you tonight.] Then, he put his phone away and left the airport.


    Ste had just switched off her phone and gave it to the staff at the entrance to keep it.


    Marshall said that nobody was allowed to take any pictures at the wedding ceremony due to the identity


    of Duncan¡¯s newlywed wife. So, every guest had to switch off their phones and give them to the staff


    before entering the venue.


    The staff would immediately seal the phone in a bag and let the phone owners personally write their


    names on the sealed bag. That way, their privacy would not bepromised.


    This was Ste¡¯s first time going to a wedding ceremony with such strict rules. She could not contain


    her curiosity as she asked Marshall, ¡°Who exactly is this bride?¡±


    Marshall smiled. ¡°She¡¯s not someone particrly important, just the daughter of a government official.¡±


    Ste was shocked. ¡°Is that not important enough?¡±


    Marshall smiled again. ¡°I mean, my grandfather used to be a deputy minister.¡¯


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®No wonder he said that.¡¯


    Marshall did not tell Ste that even his father had been promoted to the head of the central


    administration department. That was also the reason why he did not think that an officer of a division


    would be someone important.


    That was when Ste realized that Marshall was actually a very powerful friend to have.


    Not only that he was outstanding himself, but he also came from a very powerful family.


    However, that kind of power kind of scared her.


    ¡°I think the real reason taking pictures isn¡¯t allowed is because the bride doesn¡¯t want anyone to post


    any unedited pictures of her online. She¡¯s pregnant and gained a little weight. After all, every girl wants


    to look perfect at her wedding, right?¡±

 Chapter 957

    Chapter 957


    Marshall was known to be a friendly person, and a lot of people greeted him as soon as he entered the


    venue.


    Inevitably, they also asked about Ste.


    Marshall introduced her to them, and of course, as Celeste Thompson.


    Ste¡¯s face was going numb after constantly smiling.


    Suddenly, she thought about attending banquets like this with Keegan. Keegan was like a walking


    iceberg, especially when he ran into people he was not familiar with. Even though many people would


    greet him, he would always keep a cold face. So, those people would awkwardly walk away after


    greeting him, which reduced her social obligations.


    She used to think that Keegan was very unfriendly for doing that. But now, she realized that what


    Keegan did was push away a lot of meaningless social interactions.


    The wedding venue was decorated in a very romantic way as all the flowers used there were all real.


    That alone was already extremely luxurious.


    Her wedding with Keegan was decorated with real flowers too, and even the wedding favors were a


    pair of customized bracelets made of African Sandalwood that cost several thousand.


    By right, wedding favors were supposed to be prepared by both parties. However, Keegan was very


    busy with work, and Dahlia was not very supportive of their marriage whereas Cordelia was too old to


    be handling hassles like this. So, the Kane family offered a very high dowry because they wanted the


    Jewell family to take care of everything.


    Albert was naturally very happy to do so. However, the wedding favors that he prepared were just


    some candies and choctes. The most expensive thing that he prepared was the two boxes of


    Cohiba.


    Everyone only found out what Albert prepared a day before the wedding when Ste and Keegan went


    to the wedding venue for a rehearsal. Even though Cordelia did not say anything about it at that time,


    her expression revealed some dissatisfaction.


    Albert even boasted about how thoughtful his wedding favors were. Ste felt very embarrassed


    because she had no say at all in the Jewell family.


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    Cordelia asked for Keegan¡¯s opinion, and Keegan said that he was fine with that. However, he got


    someone to buy some new gifts the day after without telling Albert about it.


    The next day during the wedding, Albert saw what Keegan prepared and his face turned very upset.


    Ste used to think that Keegan only did that to show off. At the time, she figured that he would not be


    bothered by things like this as he was someone who did not even care to celebrate his own birthday.


    However, she now realized that everything he did was for her.


    Perhaps Keegan did not like her back then, but he showed everyone the respect and dignity she


    deserved as his wife.


    She used to always say that Keegan¡¯s face was what attracted her, but in fact, his values were what


    touched her the most.


    Of course, his face yed a big part too.


    And his body.


    And his voice.


    When he was not being mean.


    ¡°Ste-Celeste, have a seat.¡±


    Marshall called out to her. ¡®Sure.¡± Ste recollected herself and responded. She went around the chair


    that Marshall had pulled out from the table for her and sat beside him.


    After a while, Carter and his wife arrived and sat opposite them.


    Marshall casually chatted with Carter as the other guests arrived one after another.


    Vermont came very soon after that. His eyes sparkled as soon as she saw Marshall sitting next to a


    lady, ¡°Not single anymore, huh?¡±


    Ste avoided eye contact with him by drinking some water.


    Vermont was too much of a yful person, and she was worried that he would start messing things up


    if he recognized her.


    Marshall smiled faintly without saying anything.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to introduce her to me?¡¯ Vermont asked.


    He lowered his jaw and asked, ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡±


    Marshall answered, ¡°You can call her Miss Thompson.¡±


    ¡°Thompson?¡± Vermont became interested. ¡°I know someone named Thompson too. She couldn¡¯t be


    rted to her, right?¡±


    Ste pursed her lips.


    In fact, they were rted and living under the same roof.


    Marshall then spoke for her. ¡°I guess not. She¡¯s a local, and I remember that Felicity is not from around


    here.¡±

 Chapter 958

    Chapter 958


    ¡°Oh.¡± Vermont gazed at Ste again, thinking that she looked somewhat familiar. He frowned while


    looking at her, and something suddenly popped into his head. ¡°Hey, are you¡ª*


    Corbin¡¯s voice came from behind before he could finish his sentence. ¡°Can we sit here?¡¯


    Vermont turned around and saw Corbin and Felicity standing behind him.


    Felicity had makeup on, and she was wearing a beautiful little dress. Her eyes were big, and she


    looked very lively anddylikepared to how boyish she would usually be.


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


    Vermont was a little surprised. However, his expression became stiff and cold when he saw her holding


    Corbin¡¯s arm.


    He looked at Corbin before shifting his gaze to Felicity. ¡°Why are you here? You know Duncan?¡¯


    Obviously, Felicity was not a friend of Duncan, but the bride. She used to be a rather close friend with


    the bride during high school. She was there because she received a wedding invitation from her. The


    reason she came with Corbin was because she bumped into him downstairs.


    Felicity looked at him. ¡°Why can¡¯t I be here, but you can?¡±


    Felicity did not know why, but she would feel somewhat annoyed every time she saw Vermont these


    days.


    He did nothing wrong, yet seeing his face alone would annoy her.


    She was kind of happy when she bumped into Corbin downstairs, but all her happiness vanished as


    soon as she saw him.


    Vermont frowned. ¡¯You don¡¯t even know him. Did youe for the free food?¡±


    Felicity immediately got upset. ¡°Free food? I brought a gift, okay? Who told you I know neither of them?


    Do I have to tell you about every person I know? How ridiculous is that?!¡¯


    She grabbed Corbin¡¯s arm after saying that. ¡°Let¡¯s sit at that table over there.¡±


    Corbin then said, ¡°That table is for the bride¡¯s friends. Let¡¯s just sit here. It¡¯ll be awkward for us to sit


    around people we don¡¯t know.¡±


    Felicity pouted and murmured, ¡°It¡¯s not like sitting with people we know is any better. I doubt I¡¯ll have


    any appetite if I look at him.¡±


    Vermont was speechless.


    Corbin smiled and replied, ¡°That¡¯s just how Vermont is. He was just joking with you.¡±


    Felicity stopped talking. Then, she took a seat with Corbin beside Carter and his wife. Vermont was


    sitting beside Corbin, who happened to block his view of Felicity.


    Vermont was both upset and confused.


    Felicity had been ignoring himtely, and he was not too stupid to tell.


    He agreed to help her if she would just cook for him, but she suddenly told him that she did not need


    his help anymore the day after because she still had work to do and could not quit yet. She said that


    she would talk to him about it again.


    However, two weeks had passed since then, and he began to feel that Felicity was not as friendly


    toward him as before anymore.


    Previously, she would y games with him at night. But now, when he asked her to go online, she


    would always say that she was busy.


    Vermont just could not figure out what she could possibly be doing as someone who was always at


    home.


    He knew he was not overthinking because Felicity would also always avoid him when he left for work


    and came home. That was an undeniable fact.


    Even if they met in the elevator, she would only greet him and leave before he could say anything as if


    Vermont was a ghost.


    That made Vermont very unhappy.


    This feeling of unhappiness had been bothering him for some time. However, it peaked when he saw


    her appearing with Corbin all dressed up.


    She had never put the effort into looking so good with him, so he could not help but wonder, ¡®Am I not


    worthy enough to see her like this?¡¯


    Vermont was upset, so he decided not to speak with her anymore.


    And obviously, he had forgotten what he wanted to say.


    Ste felt relief as neither of them recognized her. She felt a lot more confident.


    She lifted her ss and took a sip. Then, she heard a familiar voice from behind. ¡°Sorry, am I still on


    time?¡¯


    Ste was then speechless.

 Chapter 959

    Chapter 959


    ¡®Isn¡¯t this guy on the ne?


    ¡®Did he jump off the ne ande down with a parachute?


    ¡®Did he read my message? Is he going to recognize me?¡¯


    Vermont then interrupted Ste¡¯s thoughts and said, ¡°Why did youe alone? Where¡¯s your wife?¡±


    Keegan paused and corrected him. ¡°I¡¯m single.¡±


    He was probably afraid that other people would start introducing girls to him like what Marshall had to


    go through because he then added, ¡°Still trying to win her heart.¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    ¡®He kept his promise by not announcing our rtionship to others.¡¯


    However, what he said was not any different from tantly admitting it.


    Everyone at the table had the ¡°I knew it¡± looks on their faces.


    Vermont wanted to make fun of him. But, he thought about it and figured that Keegan would always say


    that they were just having a small fight between lovers before he got back together with Ste to prove


    that he was in a rtionship with her.


    Today, however, he imed that he was single, and there was only one possibility-he had gotten back


    together with Ste.


    ¡®Ste should torture him for a little longer.¡¯


    Vermont was upset, especially when he saw that even Marshall had a girlfriend. That made him feel


    even worse.


    He nced at Felicity, who was speaking quietly with Corbin. She would suddenly widen her gaze and


    cover her mouth to stifle augh as she chatted with Corbin. Vermont¡¯s heart felt very sour.


    Then, he turned to Ste and said, ¡°Miss Thompson, are there a lot of female teachers at your school?


    Could you introduce someone to me if there are any suitable ones?¡±


    Felicity paused and swept her gaze across him. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a girlfriend? n


    ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± Vermont nced at her. ¡°I¡¯m single.¡±


    ¡°You clearly-¡¯ Felicity realized that they were in a public ce as she spoke halfway, and it would be


    inappropriate for her to say some things. So, she glowered at him and said to Ste, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to


    him. He has so many exes that even a train could not fit all of them. It would be better if you don¡¯t


    introduce anyone to him, especially if you don¡¯t want to lose a colleague after he cheated on her.¡¯


    Vermont was speechless.


    ¡°Miss Thompson?¡±


    Keegan looked at Ste inquisitively. He paused when he saw Ste¡¯s face and brought his brows


    together.


    The expression on his face looked a little strange as he looked at Marshall before shifting his gaze


    back to Ste.


    Just when Ste thought that Keegan had recognized her, she heard that idiot asking, ¡°What¡¯s your


    name?¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    Suddenly, she realized that not being recognized by Keegan felt worse than him not reading her text


    messages.


    She stood up and stretched her arm out gracefully. ¡°Nice to meet you. My name is Thompson, Vivian


    Thompson.¡±


    She came up with a strange name that Keegan was unfamiliar with, as she wanted to find out how long


    it would take for him to recognize her.


    Keegan paused, feeling that the voice and the way she spoke sounded somewhat familiar.


    Ste had already shaken his hand before he could realize what was happening.


    Ste raised her brows and said, ¡°Mr. Kane, I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Truly, you live up to your reputation. You look very imposing and smart.¡±


    She spoke normally, but her hand sped with Keegan¡¯s and secretly scratched his palm.


    Keegan immediately shrugged her hand off as if he felt an electric shock, and his expression turned


    ugly.


    Ste¡¯s yfulness in her was awakened when she saw how bothered Keegan looked as if he was


    assaulted. She rubbed her finger pretentiously and said in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Kane, you¡¯re very strong.¡±


    As expected, the look on Keegan¡¯s face turned even uglier. He began to look a little angry too.


    Perhaps it was because she was a woman, or perhaps it was because she came here with Marshall.


    All Keegan did was pursed his lips and swept his gaze across her coldly without saying anything. Then,


    he pulled the chair out and sat down.


    Vermont lifted his brows. ¡®Why does this new girlfriend of Marshall seem so flirty?¡¯


    Marshall nced at Keegan. Then, he looked away and said to Ste, ¡°Do you want to drink some


    alcohol or fruit juice?¡±


    ¡°Juice, please.¡±


    Marshall rinsed the ss in front of her and poured her a ss of pomegranate juice.


    However, Ste furrowed her brows. ¡®I wanted mango¡­¡¯

 Chapter 960

    Chapter 960


    ¡°Marshall, tell us about it.¡±


    Vermont rested his chin on one hand and asked curiously, ¡°How did you meet Miss Thompson?¡¯


    His question caught the attention of everyone else as they looked over unanimously.


    Marshall was the one who had been single for the longest time among them. It was just surprising that


    he suddenly brought a female partner to attend his friend¡¯s wedding.


    Marshall paused and looked at Ste.


    They had not made up an answer to this question.


    Ste looked very calm as she took a sip of her juice before she said, ¡¯ Through a dating app.¡¯


    ¡°Pfft-¡± Felicity almost spat out the water in her mouth.


    She gazed at the woman sitting opposite her. ¡®The way she talks so quirkily sounds exactly like Ste.¡¯


    When somebody asked her how she met her husband at the previous ss reunion she attended, she


    would always say with a straight face, ¡®On a dating website.¡±


    Vermont then noticed something.


    ¡°Miss Thompson, aren¡¯t you working at Xenus High School? It¡¯s pretty far away from Marshall¡¯s office,


    right? About 20 miles?¡±


    Ste remained calm. She replied, ¡°I used to stay around there for some time because I had another


    law firm there to handle my divorce case.¡±


    Everyone was shocked!


    But, Marshall kept quiet.


    He thought that Ste would be very restrained around all these people that she knew, yet she acted


    like she finally found her stage to shine and feltpletely free to be herself.


    ¡°D-Divorce case?¡±


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    Vermont could not believe it. ¡®What¡¯s going on with the Moore family? How could Marshall dare to date


    a divorced woman?1


    Ste replied calmly, ¡®It¡¯s not me. It was someone in my family.¡±


    Vermont kept quiet.


    ¡®She¡¯s so weird. Why wouldn¡¯t she say that earlier?¡¯ He thought to himself.


    Keegan had not been speaking much since he sat down. He would only nce at Ste for a second


    before looking away from time to time.


    The expression on his face looked very strange. He looked like he was pondering yet confused.


    However, when Ste purposely waited for him to look over and meet her gaze, he would immediately


    put on a disdainful look.


    Ste suddenly felt although she had a good eye for men, the man she chose to be with was actually


    blind.


    Soon after, the wedding ceremony began.


    The bride and groom looked very good together. Even though the bride was a little chubby due to her


    pregnancy, the groom¡¯s face looked very round too. His features were somewhat simr to Carter¡¯s.


    Even though they might look fat at first sight, they were very attractive.


    After the ceremony, the bride and groom changed their wedding outfits and went to each table to thank


    their guests foring with a toast.


    Marshall introduced Ste to the newlyweds when they came to their table. Duncan sighed and said, ¡°I


    thought you were joking with me. I didn¡¯t expect it to be real.¡±


    Marshall smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t joke about things like this.¡±


    Duncan looked at Ste and suddenly said, ¡®She kind of reminds me of someone.¡±


    Vermont paused as he finally realized why he found the person opposite him familiar.


    ¡®Her features kind of resemble Marshall¡¯s first love.¡¯


    He then looked at Keegan suspiciously.


    ¡®He looks so tense. Obviously, he already noticed it.


    ¡®Does Marshall see it?¡¯


    However, Marshall looked very surprised. ¡°Who?¡±


    Vermont kept quiet and heaved a sigh of relief quietly.


    However, Keegan still looked very tense.


    Not only that, but he had also been secretly observing Marshall¡¯s reaction.

 Chapter 961

    Chapter 961


    The bride said in a low voice, ¡®Fortunately, I stopped you from talking to Yara about it that time. Can


    you imagine how awkward things would be?¡±


    Duncan smiled. ¡°How wise of my wife.¡±


    The bride hit him, and Duncan stopped being cheeky. He chatted with everyone for a while before


    going to entertain other guests.


    Then, somebody came over and said a few words to Marshall as soon as they left. Marshall turned to


    Ste and said, ¡°They need my help with something. I¡¯ll be back in a while.¡±


    Ste nodded and touched her face confusedly.


    She wondered if the reason why so many people looked at her strangely was due to the makeup on


    her face.


    However, that did not stop her from teasing Keegan.


    Everyone started eating after the toast. Keegan had been on the road for the whole day, and he was


    starving.


    So, he did not speak much when others at the table were chatting. Instead, he picked up his utensils


    and dug in.


    He was about to pick up a piece of spare rib with his fork, but he saw another fork going for the same


    piece.


    Keegan frowned.


    On the other hand, Ste pretended to be surprised. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Keegan did not say anything. He moved his fork away and went for another dish.


    Ste put that piece of spare rib on Keegan¡¯s te. ¡°You can have it first.¡±


    Keegan stared at her fork. He brought his brows so close together that they could have squeezed a fly


    to death.


    ¡®What is wrong with this person? Did she just put a piece of spare rib on my te with her own fork?¡¯


    Keegan did not touch the spare rib. Instead, he ate a different dish.


    Felicity red at Ste and thought to herself, ¡®Where did this bitche from? How dare she seduce


    my bestie¡¯s man? Does she have a death wish? I


    She wanted to inform Ste about it. But, she realized that she had left her phone outside when she


    searched for it in her bag.


    So, she could only pout and glower at Ste with an expression that seemed to say, ¡°You better stop


    being so flirty.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s gaze wandered between the two of them as a yful smile appeared on his face.


    ¡®This woman is something else. She came with Marshall, yet she dared to flirt with another man in front


    of everyone. Marshall has always been smart, but he made a mistake this time.¡¯


    Most women would have backed up if they kept getting pushed away like this.


    However, this woman did not.


    Ste tried to initiate another conversation after Keegan ignored her. ¡°Mr. Kane, you¡¯re such an


    outstanding man. I simply can¡¯t believe that you¡¯re still single at this age. How surprising.¡±


    Vermont almost spurted out the water in his mouth.


    ¡®At this age¡­


    ¡®Ste is the only person who dares to make fun of Keegan like this. Is this woman crazy? Does she


    really think Keegan is a gentleman?¡¯


    Keegan swept his gaze across her. ¡°How old are you?¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°Twenty-five,¡± Ste answered.


    Keegan said tly, ¡°You¡¯re still not married at this age. Can¡¯t you find a man who wants you? Did you


    choose a man who¡¯s five years older than you because you can¡¯t attract men your age?¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    Vermont put on an ¡°I knew it¡± face.


    ¡®He¡¯s thest person you¡¯d want to mess with.¡¯


    Ste suddenly realized that Keegan was actually holding himself back when he would mock her. She


    was impressed by how mean he could be when talking to a person of the opposite sex other than her.


    She hadpletely forgotten that Keegan only acted so ungentlemanly because she was the one who


    provoked and annoyed him. Even though Keegan could be a very sarcastic person, he would not


    intentionally embarrass other people.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, you¡¯re overthinking. I just like men who are a little more mature since older men tend to be


    better at taking care of their partners. By the way, do you prefer your partner to be a wild kitten or a


    very obedient one?¡±


    Keegan paused. ¡°Even though I don¡¯t discriminate against others who have strange sexual


    orientations, I prefer to be with a human myself.¡±

 Chapter 962

    Chapter 962


    Ste kept quiet.


    Carter¡¯s cheeks hurt while trying to hold back hisughter.


    He looked at Lena and asked with his gaze, ¡°Look, I told you he wouldn¡¯t recognize her, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    Lena took a sip of her tea and said in a low voice, ¡°Keegan is nearsighted. The lighting here is so dim


    and he¡¯s sitting so far away from her. That¡¯s probably why he cant get a good look at her.¡¯


    Then, she added, ¡°Ste disguised herself well too.¡±


    Ste was so good at changing the way she spoke that it was simply difficult for a normal person to tell


    that it was actually her.


    In fact, Lena was right. Keegan was nearsighted and he could not see clearly.


    He did not look at Ste carefully at all. Everything that his eyes told him was a woman with really


    heavy makeup on well-defined features that somehow looked familiar to him. All he cared about was


    whether Marshall had regained his memory, and he just did not have the mood to pay so much


    attention to Ste¡¯s face.


    Ste was annoyed as it had been so long, yet that idiot Keegan still could not recognize her!


    She was still feeling a little yful before, but she began to feel her blood boiling.


    ¡®He said that he would recognize me no matter what! What a liar!¡¯


    Ste swept his gaze across the man who was eating with his head down. Then, she suddenly hooked


    her foot onto Keegan¡¯s leg.


    Keegan immediately stood up as if he was electrified.


    He moved so abruptly that even the table shook.


    Ste looked at him innocently.


    Keegan started at her with an ugly expression on his face as if he was angry, yet he had no idea how to


    express it. Then, he said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m going to the washroom.¡±


    He pushed his chair away and strode away from the table.


    Ste looked at him before standing up and said, ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    After that, she left her seat too.


    Felicity immediately stood up, but Vermont grabbed her wrist before she could walk away. ¡°Come with


    me. I have questions for you.¡±


    Felicity wanted to pull her hand back instinctively.


    However, Vermont tightened his grip and wrapped his arm around her shoulder as he said in a


    threatening tone, ¡°You¡¯re going to work for a newpany. Do you still want me to boost your


    resume?¡±


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    Felicity paused and stared at him. ¡°You have no dignity!¡±


    Vermont smirked. ¡°Dignity doesn¡¯t earn you money.¡±


    Corbin asked after he saw them whispering and holding each other like that, ¡°Felicity, are you okay?¡±


    Vermont spoke before Felicity could say anything. ¡°This is a private conversation between cousins.


    Stay out of this, outsider.¡±


    Then, he grabbed Felicity, who was grumbling, and left.


    On the other side, Keegan bumped right into Ste in the hallway as soon as he came out of the


    washroom.


    He frowned and wanted to walk past her.


    Ste moved quickly and stood in his way.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, it¡¯s not right for you to just walk away like this, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Keegan did not even bother to look at her. ¡°Step aside!¡±


    Ste remained still and even leaned toward him. ¡°My feet are sore. Would you please help me?¡±


    Keegan could not suppress his anger anymore as he shoved her away.¡± Please behave yourself!¡±


    ¡°Ouch!¡± Ste knocked herself into the wall and groaned in pain, exposing her disguise.


    Keegan paused and looked at her in disbelief.


    Ste rubbed her arm. She did not notice the look on Keegan¡¯s face as she continued to speak in the


    same tone as she did earlier. ¡°Mr. Kane, are you always this rough with women?¡±

 Chapter 963

    Chapter 963


    Keegan scrunched his face and finally took a closer look at that face.


    Ste had heavy makeup on, eyeliner that extended from the ends of her eyes, highlights on both sides


    of her nose bridge to make her cheekbone stand out, and she applied an obviously thickeryer of


    foundation on her lower jawpared to other parts of her face, especially¡­ the mole on her earlobe!


    It was exactly at the same spot as Ste¡¯s mole.


    The cunningness in Ste¡¯s eyes seemed to be telling him how she was nning to mess with him.


    Keegan pursed his lips and swept his gaze across her. ¡°How long have you been with Marshall?¡±


    Ste was yet to realize that her disguise was exposed as she answered naturally, ¡°One to two


    months.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Keegan scoffed.


    Ste froze. ¡®Why do I feel like he¡¯s sneering at me?¡¯


    Indeed, Keegan was sneering at her, as he had only been dating Ste for less than a month!


    Even a lie that Ste made up upset him!


    However, he immediately concealed his expression and put on a straight face as soon as Ste looked


    over.


    He lifted his brows. ¡°One to two months¡­ It looks like you¡¯re not very deeply in love with him.


    Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have kept trying to seduce me.¡¯


    Ste continued to push her luck on the knife¡¯s edge. ¡°Mr. Kane, you¡¯re one in a million, and you have


    such an attractive face. I¡¯m just a normal woman, so it¡¯s perfectly normal that I find it hard to suppress


    my interest in you.¡± She then continued to speak softer. ¡°Besides, don¡¯t you find it more exciting by


    doing this behind your best friend¡¯s back?¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    He took a risky look at her before putting on a different face and attitude. Then, he started talking


    shamelessly.


    His eyes looked deep. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Ste squinted. ¡°Mr. Kane, why do you act like a fool?¡± She went closer to him and whispered beside


    his ear, ¡±1 want to sleep with you.¡±


    Ste was waiting for Keegan to get angry and push her away before telling him the truth. However,


    Keegan grabbed her wrist instead and said, ¡°I¡¯ve never done it in the washroom. You wouldn¡¯t mind,


    right?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Ste paused, and she was dragged into the washroom before she realized it. ¡°Bang!¡± The door was


    mmed shut.


    Keegan sped both of her wrists and put her hands over her head. He stared at her with a gloomy


    expression as he loosened his tie with another hand.


    Ste was shocked!


    ¡®I¡¯ve gone too far¡­ No! I know I teased him, but how could he have such little self-control? Does this


    scumbag want a breakup?!¡¯


    Keegan pinched her chin as she was still lost in her thoughts. ¡°Even though you¡¯re not my cup of tea, I


    just can¡¯t find a reason to reject what¡¯s already been offered to my mouth.¡±


    He went forward and kissed Ste with his tongue before Ste could realize what was happening.


    Ste widened her gaze, and her eyes were about to pop out.


    She could not y along anymore as she struggled to push him away.


    However, Keegan grabbed her wrists so tightly that she could not break free at all.


    His kiss was so provocative that it left Ste feeling weak all over her body after just a few moments.


    Keegan pinched her ear lobe. ¡°Have you been wanting to do this with me in the washroom for a long


    time? Look at how you¡¯re reacting after just a kiss, n


    Ste responded with a blush. ¡°Bullshit!¡±


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan kept quiet. ¡®As vulgar as always.¡¯


    Ste then finally realized it. ¡°W-When did you recognize me?¡¯


    Keegan got angry when he heard that. ¡°Did you really want me to kiss somebody else?¡±


    He continued to pinch her chin, and he wiped off the lipstick on her lips with his thumb. ¡°What¡¯s with all


    this makeup? What are you up to?¡± ¡°Ouch. Don¡¯t be so rough. You¡¯re going to ruin my makeup!¡±

 Chapter 964

    Chapter 964


    Ste smacked the back of his hand and red at him. ¡°I texted you on WhatsApp. Didn¡¯t you check


    your phone?¡±


    ¡°You asked me to take a good rest, right?¡±


    Ste paused. ¡¯I sent you a few messages. I told you I needed to do a favor for Marshall, and I was


    going to see you after your rest.¡±


    Keegan frowned. ¡°I only read the message about resting.¡±


    The other messages were probably erased or dyed because he had to switch off his phone.


    Then, Ste repeated everything that was happening to him. ¡°He said that others had introduced him to


    several girls, and he thought it would be inappropriate to keep rejecting them. So, he lied about having


    a girlfriend. But, Duncan asked him to bring his girlfriend along to attend his wedding. He couldn¡¯t find a


    girl, so he came to me and asked for my help. I was afraid that you¡¯d misunderstand anything, so I


    called you. But, your phone was switched off.


    ¡®Can¡¯t find a girl?¡¯


    Keegan scoffed.


    ¡°Do you have no principles? You¡¯re a married woman. How could you do a favor like this?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just my boyfriend on probation.¡¯ Ste corrected him. She paused for a moment before she


    continued, ¡°Marshall was the one who handled my mother¡¯s funeral arrangement. I just couldn¡¯t refuse


    him.¡±


    Ste noticed that Keegan still looked a little unhappy after she said that. So, she stretched her pinky


    out and hooked his palm before she softly said, ¡°Besides, I didn¡¯t want to hide this from you. I called


    and texted you.¡±


    However, Keegan was not mad at her.


    He was only angry because Marshall was the reason why she had to put so much makeup on her face,


    and she only had to help him because she owed him a favor.


    He regretted everything that he did before and after the divorce. He figured that Marshall would never


    have an opportunity to make Ste owe him a favor if he would just control his temper and


    communicate more with Ste. He just could not ept the fact that Marshall guilt trip Ste into doing


    such a thing to repay him.


    Keegan took a deep breath to suppress his emotions. Then, he pinched her earlobe and asked softly,


    ¡¯Who made you look like this?¡±


    Ste answered, ¡°A makeup artist that Marshall hired. He imed that no one would recognize me with


    this makeup.¡±


    Then, she paused before sheined, ¡®I thought you¡¯d recognize me with just a nce!¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t wear my sses.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®How could I forget that?


    ¡®Keegan is nearsighted.¡¯


    Keegan would not normally wear spectacles or contact lenses unless it was for an important asion.


    ¡°Do you want to go home?¡± Keegan held her in his arms. ¡°Do you want me to drive you back?¡±


    He did not want to see Ste standing next to Marshall, even if it was just for the show.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Ste said softly. ¡°I¡¯m going to be alone at home since you¡¯ll still be here. I don¡¯t want


    to go back.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s heart immediately softened after hearing what Ste said.


    However, he said this anyway, ¡°Then, you better not hold his hand. Stay away from him.¡±


    Ste said, ¡¯I was nning to leave right after meeting the bride and groom anyway. I didn¡¯t expect that


    you¡¯d show up.¡±


    She chuckled after she said that. ¡°So, that¡¯s how you look when somebody else teases you. You¡¯re so


    hostile.¡± She paused for a moment before leaning into his ear. ¡°Are you really not into wild kittens?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s gaze turned deep. ¡°Do you want to finish what we started?¡±


    Ste quickly shut up.


    When they were tidying up in the washroom, Ste suddenly said while looking in the mirror, ¡°Did you


    feel like you were cheating with someone else when you were kissing me just now?¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    He then said, ¡°It¡¯s okay to keep quiet when you have nothing to say, baby.¡±


    Ste paused. ¡¯What did you call me?¡±

 Chapter 965

    Chapter 965


    Keegan pretended that he did not hear Ste¡¯s question as he turned around and said, ¡°Let¡¯s get out of


    here.¡±


    However, Ste went after him. ¡°Say it again.¡±


    Keegan acted like he did not hear anything again.


    Ste held his arm, and she just would not give up. ¡°Would you say it again, please?¡±


    Keegan would rarely say anything cheesy, especially those cheesy nicknames between couples.


    For example, he would only call Ste by her name and never once as ¡® wife ¡°, let alone ¡® baby¡± or


    ¡°darling¡±.


    So, Ste was very surprised to hear him calling her that as that was something she had never heard


    before.


    When she saw male online celebrities calling their viewers ¡°babies¡± in a cute voice while browsing short


    videos on the inte, she would get goosebumps. It was just not her thing.


    However, she did not feel like that at all when Keegan did the same thing. It even made her feel a little


    flustered.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Her heart even melted because Keegan said that unintentionally.


    That was when she realized that it all depended on the person who said it.


    But, Keegan just would not say it again as if his mouth was sealed shut no matter how she persuaded


    him.


    ¡°Are you going to repeat it or not?¡± Ste pretended to be mad. ¡°Your probation will be terminated if you


    don¡¯t say it now! I¡¯m going to fire you!¡±


    Keegan nced at her. ¡°I said it a lot of times that day.¡±


    Ste paused. ¡¯Which day?¡±


    ¡®Did he?


    ¡®Howe I don¡¯t remember at all?¡¯


    Ste frowned and looked at him curiously. ¡°Are you lying to me?¡±


    Keegan went closer to her and whispered, ¡°In the hotel, when we did it several times. I kept calling you


    that. Don¡¯t you remember?¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    She pushed him away with reddened ears as she red at him. It took her several moments before


    she said, ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Then, she opened the door and stormed out.


    Keegan chuckled and quickly went after her.


    Ste went around a corner and saw Vermont pinning a girl against the corner while kissing her.


    Ste was shocked, and she wanted to walk away. However, her curiosity took over, and she tilted her


    head to take a glimpse.


    Her eyes almost popped out. She was about to yell at him, but Keegan put his hand over her mouth


    before she could make a sound. Then, Keegan dragged her aside.


    Ste stared at him and patted the back of his hand, telling him to take his hand off her.


    Keegan said in a low voice, ¡°Do you want to attract everyone¡¯s attention?¡±


    Ste paused. Obviously, she was not trying to do that. However, what she saw was just too shocking


    for her to not shout. Vermont was actually kissing Felicity!


    She could not figure out when they started dating and why she did not notice anything at all.


    She patted Keegan¡¯s arm again, signaling him to let go as she was not going to shout anymore.


    Keegan finally let go of his hand after making sure that she was not lying to him.


    Ste poked her head out and continued peeking at them.

 Chapter 966

    Chapter 966


    Keegan took a peek from above Ste¡¯s head.


    Vermont held and kissed the person who was almost a head shorter than him for some time before


    finally letting go of her.


    Felicity¡¯s face was extremely red. She raised her hand up and pped Vermont.


    Ste knew Felicity very well, and she could tell that Felicity did not use her full strength in that p.


    Otherwise, Vermont would be screaming in pain if the p did not make him bleed.


    Vermont turned his face sideways and pressed his tongue against his cheek that Felicity pped. He


    looked at Felicity and said mischievously,¡± I¡¯ve touched your lips too. Are you going to rip it off as well?¡±


    Felicity wiped her lips with her elbow and scolded Vermont with red eyes.¡± You scum! I treated you like


    my brother, yet to you, I¡¯m a toy that you can y with just whenever you want?¡±


    ¡°Brother?¡± Vermont chuckled. ¡°You kept avoiding me like I¡¯m a ghost. Is this how you treat your


    brother? You asked for my help, but you don¡¯t even want to see me. You¡¯re not that much of a saint


    yourself, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Felicity froze and said while gritting her teeth, ¡°When did I treat you like that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d run a thousand miles away from me every time I grabbed your arm, and you¡¯d even stick


    yourself to the wall when we met in the elevator. Do you really think that I¡¯m blind?¡±


    Vermont got angrier as he spoke. The negative emotions that he umted peaked when he saw


    how good she and Corbin looked together earlier.


    ¡°You¡¯d be so polite when you need my help, but you¡¯ll treat me worse than a pile of dirt when you don¡¯t.


    I guess you don¡¯t need me anymore now that you have Corbin, huh? Do you really think Corbin is


    interested in you? I¡¯ll tell you what, he¡¯s only here with you because he wants to get in your-¡°


    p!


    Felicity used her full strength this time.


    The side of Vermont¡¯s face immediately felt numb.


    He was fuming. Nobody had ever pped his face like this since he became an adult. He turned


    around and was just about tosh out at Felicity. However, he found that tears were already rolling


    down from her eyes.


    Her eyes were huge and so were her tear droplets. They fell from her face like beads from a broken


    string.


    Vermont¡¯s rage immediately went away. Suddenly, he was at a loss as he looked at her tears.


    ¡°W-Why are you crying?¡± A person who was always so good with words had no idea what to do, and he


    even reached out to catch her tears. ¡°I didn¡¯t even hit you back. Why are you crying when I¡¯m the one


    who got pped?¡±


    Felicity kept crying as she pushed him away. ¡°Go away! You scum, rotten egg, stinky cucumber¡­ Why


    did I avoid you? Can I even spend time with you now? I didn¡¯t have anything to worry about when I


    yed games with you and asked for your help because you were single. But, you have a girlfriend


    now, and what would your girlfriend think if I keep doing the same thing? What are the others going to


    say about me? A third party who interferes in your rtionship with her? I¡¯m not that shameless, okay?¡±


    Vermont paused. ¡°Who told you that I have a girlfriend?¡±


    Felicity got angrier when she heard that. She stomped on his foot. ¡°What a yboy! Nicole is living in


    your house, and she even left her bra on your couch! I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re like this!¡±


    Vermont lifted his foot in pain and shook it. ¡°What are you talking about? I have nothing going on with


    her at all! She came to sleep at my ce that day because she got into a fight with her team, and she


    didn¡¯t want to go to work.¡±


    Obviously, Felicity did not trust him. ¡°It¡¯s just impossible for me to believe that you didn¡¯t do anything to


    her when she¡¯s already in your house.¡¯


    Vermont got so angry that heughed. ¡®What do you think I am? Am I that desperate of a man? I¡¯m not


    interested in someone like her.¡±


    Felicity put on a ridiculed look on her face. ¡°Why did you date her if you¡¯re not interested in her?


    Besides, she¡¯s one of the best actresses. Who do you think you are?!¡±


    Vermont was speechless.


    The look on his face seemed a little strange. He gritted his teeth and said after a while, ¡°I¡¯ve never


    dated her!¡±


    ¡°Did you really think that I didn¡¯t read the news back then? You drove a car filled with flowers and


    confessed to her on the set. You were on the trending page for a few days.¡±


    Vermont kept quiet.


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


    ¡°I only did that because I lost a bet, and she was the one who asked me to send her flowers. I wasn¡¯t


    dating her.¡± Vermont paused before he continued, ¡°She did try to seduce me. But, I was not swayed


    because I¡¯m a man of principles.¡¯


    Felicity put on a forceful smile.


    Vermont sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve never dated her, but we did have something going on with each other.¡±

 Chapter 967

    Chapter 967


    Felicity sniffed and nced at him. Then, she said in a quavering voice,¡± What thing?¡±


    Vermont paused as if he had something difficult for him to talk about. Then, he said after some time, ¡°I


    used to have a girlfriend who was a model. She showed interest in me first, and she looked kind of


    pretty. So, I dated her fora while.¡±


    Felicity paused. ¡°You mean you slept with her for a while, huh?¡±


    Vermont was speechless.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡¯ Vermont red at her. ¡°I only wanted to be in a rtionship because I enjoyed the process of


    it, okay? Who told you I slept with every girlfriend I had? Besides, she was the one who chased after


    me. I only dated her because I thought she looked kind of cute, and she was fun to hang around with.


    But-¡°


    His tone changed as he gritted his teeth, ¡¯But, that model was Nicole¡¯s ex girlfriend! Nicole thought that I


    stole her girlfriend, and she got so angry that she tried so hard to be with me just so I would break up


    with her ex girlfriend. Not only that she could take revenge on her ex-girlfriend by doing that, but she


    could also hurt my feelings.¡±


    Felicity was confused.


    She could not process what she had been told. ¡°Nicole¡¯s ex-girlfriend? Isn¡¯t Nicole a girl? Her


    girlfriend¡­ l-ls she¡­¡±


    Felicity widened her gaze.


    Vermont put on a look on his face that said, ¡°It¡¯s exactly what you¡¯re thinking.¡±


    Felicity was speechless. ¡®What I wrote is already cliche enough. I can¡¯t believe the reality is even more


    cliche.1


    Vermont said in a low voice, ¡°Only a few people know about this. I¡¯m only telling you this because I trust


    you. So, you better not speak a word about it. The people in our country are not that open-minded yet.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Felicity¡¯s voice sounded a lot softer too. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid.¡¯


    Then, she asked, ¡°Why did you send her flowers and confess to her then?¡±


    Vermont answered, ¡°She wanted to be with me, but I already had a girlfriend back then. Besides, I


    didn¡¯t have any romantic feelings for her, so I kept ignoring her. But, she¡¯de looking for me at the


    snooker club. She just wouldn¡¯t leave no matter how hard I tried to chase her away. She wanted to y


    a game with me. She said that she¡¯d never appear in front of me again if I won, but I¡¯d have to visit her


    at the set with flowers and tell everyone that we¡¯re dating for a day if I lost.¡±


    ¡°So, you lost?¡±


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Felicity looked at him as if her eyes were saying, ¡°How could you lose to a woman? You¡¯re so useless.¡±


    Vermont gritted his teeth as he tried to defend himself. ¡°Nicole is a bitch. She had been ying snooker


    since she was a kid. She even won a fewpetitions. None of us in the snooker club could beat her


    at all! I wouldn¡¯t have agreed to that if I had known about it earlier.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Felicity said before she continued, ¡°What happened after that? Did your ex-girlfriend break up


    with you after you confessed to Nicole?¡±


    ¡°It got on the news, and of course, she saw it too. She thought that I had betrayed her and fallen in love


    with Nicole. Then, she told me that Nicole didn¡¯t like men, and she only wanted to date me to take


    revenge on her.¡±


    Felicity kept quiet.


    She bowed her head down as her shoulders shook.


    Vermont then angrily said, ¡® Just go ahead andugh if you want. There¡¯s no need for you to hide.¡±


    Felicity burst intoughter right after hearing that. ¡¯Hahaha!¡± Sheughed and mocked Vermont, ¡°Even


    a yboy like you was once yed by somebody else!¡¯


    Vermont was speechless.


    ¡°How am I a yboy? I treated each and every one of my rtionships with all my heart. Would a


    yboy do that? You can¡¯t call me a yboy just because I¡¯m inexperienced with love. A yboy is


    someone who thinks with his lower body. How can I find someone suitable for me without being in a


    few rtionships?¡±


    Felicity scoffed. ¡°Then, would you mind if your future girlfriend had been in as many rtionships as


    you did?¡±


    Vermont said, ¡°Of course. I¡¯m not the kind of person who messes around with different women before


    marriage and would only choose to marry a young and innocent girl. Compatibility is what matters most


    in a


    rtionship. There¡¯s no use if a person as pretty as a fairy is ced before me, but we¡¯re not


    compatible.¡±


    Vermont looked at her. Then, he coughed and asked, ¡°What about you?


    Would you mind if your future boyfriend dated plenty of girls?¡¯

 Chapter 968

    Chapter 968


    Chapter 968


    Felicity thought for a moment.


    "To be honest, I do mind." Vermont''s heart sank.


    "But..."


    Vermont immediately felt better as his ears perked up.


    "But, I think it would be okay if both parties truly love each other.What matters is the present and the


    future.As for the past...I wouldn''t mind as long as he didn''tmit any crime or if he cut tiespletely


    with his exes.I never want to be with a bad person even if he''s a virgin!" Vermont got curious.


    "Did you have any bad experiences with virgins?"


    "One of my friends did!"


    Keegan panicked a little as he looked down at Ste, who got very excited over their conversation.


    ¡®Did shein about me to Felicity?'' However, Keegan was proven wrong.


    Felicity was not talking about Ste.


    "My friend''s husband was her first love and he had never been with anybody else before.They started


    dating each other in school, but so what? Her husband hooked up with his female boss less than two


    years after their marriage.My friend was six months pregnant, and she had to get an abortion because


    that scumbag wanted a divorce.


    "He was still a virgin when he married my friend back then.But, that didn''t stop him from cheating.After


    what happened to her, I realized that the number of a man''s past rtionships has absolutely nothing


    to do with his faithfulness."Vermont strongly agreed with her.


    "It''s true that great minds think alike."


    Felicity continued toin without holding herself back at all."


    There''s really nothing good about some virgins, and my friend''s ex -husband is the perfect example.He


    doesn''t know what to do in bed at all.


    Not only that he couldn''tst long, but he also caused her pain.


    Even worse, she had to pretend that she was enjoying it very much to not hurt that scumbag''s feelings


    and self-esteem.


    People like him are the worst.


    They''re literally nothing but virgins.


    Vermont''s eyelids twitched.He looked at the person who got so excited talking smack about another


    person.


    Then, he coughed and agreed with her.


    "It''s true that experienced men can be more enjoyable for both parties." Felicity paused.


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


    "You''re an exception." Vermont was speechless.


    Meanwhile, Ste was shocked! ¡®what are they talking about? Besides, how did Felicity know that


    Vermont is an exception? ¡®What exactly are they doing behind my back?'' Before Ste could figure it


    out, a waiter who was offering drinks walked by.


    He saw how weird they were standing behind the wall and asked out of curiosity, "Is there anything I


    can help you with?"


    The waiter''s voice immediately caught Vermont and Felicity''s attention.


    They turned around and saw Marshall''s "girlfriend" and Keegan standing very intimately together while


    staring at them.


    Felicity suddenly realized that she had something more important to do.She glowered at Ste, as she


    walked toward her and aggressively said, "What are you two doing?"


    "I¡ª"


    Ste was about to speak, but she realized that she was still another person to Felicity. So, she


    decided to pull another prank on her good friend after doing so to Keegan. She quickly changed her


    voice and innocently said, "Nothing.What''s wrong, Miss Thompson?"


    Felicity''s eyes were burning with fire.


    "Why are you holding his arm then?"


    Ste looked down at her own hand.


    "Oh."


    Then, she asked without letting go, "Can''t I do this?"

 Chapter 969

    Chapter 969


    Chapter 969


    Felicity''s eyelid twitched.


    ''I''m surprised by how shameless this woman can be"


    "Don''t you have a boyfriend? Why are you holding another man''s arm if you already have one?" Ste


    said softly, What''s the big deal about this? Miss Thompson, you''re overthinking. Am I right, Mr.Kane?"


    Keegan nced at her and agreed.


    "Yeah."


    He had no choice but to y along with his yful wife.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Felicity was furious.She would never dare to confront Keegan face- to-face, but she was too angry to


    be scared.


    Then, she started scolding him without holding back.


    Keegan Kane, are you blind? Can''t you see that this woman is seducing you? I''m so stupid for


    believing that you were different from other men! You''re so disappointing! Men are all trash! All of you


    would do anything for a beautiful woman.A person like you can never get Ste back! Never in your life,


    or your next life¡ªugh¡ª"


    Vermont covered her mouth and dragged her aside before she could finish talking.


    "She''s just talking nonsense because she had too much to drink.Please don''t mind her," He looked at


    Keegan and said before walking away.


    "You better watch out.I can''t control her mouth."


    Then, he picked up Felicity, who was struggling to break free, and left.


    "Traitor! Let go of me!"


    Felicity made a lot of noise, and Vermont put her down after walking for a short distance.She retorted,


    "Why did you pull me away?! I was just about to smack that filthy couple!"


    Vermont then said, "She was just holding his arm.It''s not like what you think at all.Keegan knows his


    boundaries very well.I''m sure that he was just doing it out of courtesy."


    "Why would he treat such a flirty woman with courtesy? He''s clearly interested in her! No way, I''ve got


    to call Ste now and tell her to stay away from this scumbag!"


    Vermont wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her back.


    "You haven''t even found out what''s really happening.You''re just going to make everyone''s life difficult if


    you were wrong."


    Felicity glowered at him.


    "I saw everything with my own eyes.There''s something wrong with you.Are you just trying to get your


    best friend out of trouble?" Vermont replied in a serious manner.


    "You''re overthinking.I''m only interested in making things worse for him."


    Felicity paused and yelled at him.


    "What a troublemaker!"


    She turned around and was about to walk away.


    Then, Vermont stopped her.


    "Where are you going?"


    "Where can I go? To eat, of course!"


    Felicity said angrily, "I brought them a thousand-dor worth of gift!"


    Vermont was shocked.


    "I thought you came here for free food!"


    The edge of Felicity''s mouth twitched.


    "Speak for yourself! The bride was my ssmate and she invited me here.Did you think I came here


    empty-handed? How shameless do you think I am?" Vermont thought of something.


    "Did youe here alone?"


    Felicity was getting impatient.


    "Duh! Did you want to drive me?"


    Vermont smirked and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.


    "I can drive you back."


    Felicity shrugged him off.


    "I''m good.You just humiliated me, and I haven''t dealt with you about it yet!"


    "You already pped me twice.Isn''t that enough?"


    Felicity red at her.


    "No! You deserve more than that!"


    Vermont was very sincere in admitting his mistake.


    "Give me another p to make yourself feel better then."


    Then, he leaned forward.


    Felicity immediately raised her hand.


    However, she started hesitating when she saw the p mark on his face.She poked the shallow


    fingerprint on Vermont''s face and softly asked, "Does it hurt?"


    Vermont was touched.


    "Yeah, but my heart hurts even more.I just can''t believe that you ignored me for a ridiculous reason like


    that."


    "Can you me me?" Felicity pouted.


    "You didn''t make yourself clear.I was just avoiding you for your sake."


    "Yeah.It''s all my fault."

 Chapter 970

    Chapter 970


    Chapter 970


    "It has always been!"


    Felicity wanted to say that he deserved to be pped for kissing her without even saying hi to her.


    However, she hesitated and gave up the idea.It was because he was not supposed to kiss her even if


    he did greet her earlier.She felt weird as if she was getting mad over the wrong thing.


    '' Why am I angry at what he said more than the fact that he actually kissed me? ¡®Is it because I don''t


    take him as a man, so I didn''t mind him kissing me?'' Felicity''s head turned into a mess, but she felt


    somewhat happy. She thought to herself.


    ''I guess I''m happy because I found out that Vermont is single, and I can finally ask for his help without


    having to avoid him anymore..."


    "Yeah.You''re right."


    Vermont was in a good mood and his words made Felicity feel very good.


    Felicity looked at his face again before she said softly, ''I should probably put some ice on it.It looks so


    ugly." Vermont replied with a serious face.


    "It''s okay.Didn''t you say that Thave thick skin?" Felicity kept quiet.


    However, she could not hold it in andughed out loud.


    Vermont smiled.


    Then, he leaned forward and asked, "Miss Bandit, can we talk about something?"


    Felicity looked at him.


    "What is it?"


    "I feel like eating gntine this weekend."


    Felicity''s eyelid twitched.


    "Did you think that I''m a master chef who knows how to cook everything?"


    Vermontughed and said, "To me, you''re better than a master chef.You''re literally the goddess of


    cooking."


    His words ttered Felicity very much, but she humbly said, "Gntine has too many steps to make


    and it takes a lot of ingredients.It''s probably going to take me a few days to prepare it.


    "That''s why I said I want to eat it on the weekend.I''ll take care of the ingredients and all you have to do


    is cook."


    He turned his face to the side as he spoke.


    "Look at my face.All I want is to be your friend, yet I had to be thrown over your shoulder and pped


    by you.You have to cook something nice for me to heal me, or I won''t be able to get up the next time


    you hurt me again."


    Felicity kept quiet.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ''This guy would say just anything to get fed"


    However, his words sessfully made Felicity feel guilty.


    Even though gntine was very difficult to make, she agreed without hesitating for too long.


    "I''ll list out the ingredients for you to buy then." Vermont smiled.


    "No problem."


    "Did you meet Corbin on the way here?"


    Vermont pretended to ask unintentionally after talking about that.


    Felicity answered honestly without thinking too much, "We met downstairs and came up together."


    Vermont immediately felt relieved.


    ''It turns out that she didn''t purposely dress up for Corbin."


    On the other side, Ste turned around and saw the dark expression on Keegan''s face as soon as they


    left.


    "Pfft."


    Sheughed.


    Keegan nced at her angrily.


    "How could youugh?"


    Ste grabbed his arm and softly said, "I had to do that, so they would forget about us eavesdropping


    on their conversation."


    Then, she patted his chest.


    "I''m very sorry you had to go through that." Keegan scoffed.


    "How are you going to make up to me?"


    Ste leaned in and whispered beside his ear, "I''ll do everything that the doctor said tonight. How about


    that?"


    Keegan immediately felt like all that scolding was worth it, and he even wanted to instantly make her


    wordse true.


    "Then, let''s leave now."

 Chapter 971

    Chapter 971


    Chapter 971


    Ste pped Keegan lightly.


    "I came with Mr.Moore.I have to at least tell him before I leave.Keegan was very reluctant, but he


    unwillingly followed her back to the venue anyway.Their n was great, but they soon found out that


    they could not leave that easily.There were plenty of things nned for that wedding ceremony that


    night, and all of them were pre-arranged.The groom''s best friends were supposed to follow him and


    y some games with the bride.Keegan had to stay, and there was no point for Ste to leave


    alone.So, she just stayed there.Marshall was asked to help in preparing the props for the games.


    He noticed how bored Ste looked and gently said, "The game is very interesting, and it''ll be fun.But, I


    can talk to Duncan and drive you back first if you don''t feel like staying anymore."


    "I''m good."


    Ste looked at Keegan and said, "I''ve promised to help you, and 1 don''t mind staying just a little


    longer.I''lle with you."


    Marshall smiled.He reached out and was about to pat the back of Ste''s hand, but she suddenly lifted


    her hand to grab her ss.


    Marshall paused and took his hand back before he said in a low voice, "Thank you."


    Keegan saw everything and a faint smile appeared on his face.


    Everybody drank and chatted, but Felicity just could not take her eyes off Keegan and Ste.She


    wanted to catch them doing something inappropriate, and she was very prepared to catch Keegan


    cheating on her best friend.


    The games were supposed to be yed in the groom''s house, but it was located pretty far away from


    the hotel.


    So, they thought it would be more convenient and decided to y them here because everyone drank


    alcohol.


    There were two games.


    The first one was truth or dare, and the other one was "Who''s the Imposter", which was very famous


    among variety shows.


    Ste thought to herself, ''This couple is so bold.Why would they choose to y truth or dare on their


    wedding night? Aren''t they worried that some private questions would be asked and affect their


    rtionship?'' However, Ste was just overthinking because the games were designed for guests like


    them.Her unlucky boyfriend was one of them.They spun the beer bottle to decide the turn, and the


    odds were supposed to be the same for everyone there.


    However, Keegan was like a ma attracted to the beer bottle that night.He was so unlucky that it


    spun directly at him in the first round.


    Keegan was always a serious person among his friends, so everyone got very excited when the beer


    bottle was pointed at him.


    After hearing that he chose truth, Vermont even volunteered to draw the question for him.


    He randomly picked a piece of paper from the box of questions.


    Then, he read it and said, "When was your first time having sexual intercourse with the opposite sex?"


    A burst of teasing whistles could be heard as soon as Vermont asked that question.


    Obviously, most of the guests were intrigued by that question.


    They were all adults, and it would only be right for them to ask thrilling questions like that.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Keegan swept his gaze across Vermont.


    "Show me the paper."


    Vermont crumbled up the paper and was about to throw it away.


    "Why would I lie to you?"


    Keegan grabbed his hand and took that paper from his hand.It turned out Vermont was indeed lying.


    The paper clearly wrote, "When was your first love?"


    Keegan looked at him and asked, "Is this the same question you asked?"


    Vermont did not panic after his lie was exposed as he said with a smile, "They''re almost the same, no?"


    Keegan did not feel like arguing with a troublemaker like him.So, he tore off the paper and tly said,


    "After marriage."


    Everybody was shocked.


    Someone was not satisfied with his answer.


    "That''s too vague.After marriage? When is that exactly? With who? Come on, be more specific."


    Keegan said, "The game rules stated that only one question can be asked, and I''ve answered it."


    He was implying that he would not speak any further than that.


    The guests began ming the person who designed the question for not being specific enough.


    However, it did not make them any less interested in continuing the game.


    Then, the bottle pointed at Keegan for the second time, and he chose truth again.


    He drew the question himself, but it turned out, he got a worse question than what Vermont drew for


    him.


    The question was, "The person that you first had sexual intercourse with, is he or she your current


    partner?"


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®What kind of questions are these?"

 Chapter 972

    Chapter 972


    Chapter 972


    However, the crowd got even more excited.


    Then, Vermont said with a smile, "You should''ve just answered the question I asked you just now."


    Keegan looked down and tore off the paper slowly.


    Then, he said while everybody was looking at him expectantly, ''I choose to drink."


    The crowd was suddenly filled with disappointed sighs.


    They were expecting to hear some exciting gossip, but Keegan had let them down.


    On the other hand, Ste was relieved.


    To be honest, she did not like to talk about their private affairs in front of the public regardless of their


    gender as she thought that it was a form of respect for the couple.


    However, Keegan, the unfortunate man, was picked for the third time before Ste could sit back.


    The crowd went silent this time.


    They had seen unlucky people, but none of them coulde close to him.


    Carter joined in the fun.


    "You should choose dare this time.Otherwise, you''ll have to drink again."


    Mr.Kane was a very stubborn man, and he picked truth once again.So, he reached into the box and


    drew his third question.


    After unfolding the paper, Vermont could not help butugh after reading it.


    He was amazed by Keegan''s rotten luck.


    Felicity was very curious, so she quickly asked Vermont, "What question did he get?"


    Vermont took the paper from Keegan''s hand and unfolded it in front of everyone.


    "Are you eighteen plus or eighteen minus?"


    Felicity did not understand it.


    "What plus-minus? Age or height?"


    Vermont leaned toward Felicity and whispered something into her ears.


    Felicity''s gaze became stunned and her face turned red.


    Everyone was an adult there, and all of them knew exactly what that question was asking about.


    They smiled knowingly and waited for Keegan to expose his secret.


    Ste poured a ss of wine silently at the side, and Keegan understood what she meant.


    "I choose to drink."


    Vermont said, "That''s not going to work.The game rules state that a yer can''t skip two questions in a


    row.So, please answer with honesty."


    Keegan was speechless.He shot a nce at Ste.


    Ste''s face seemed to be saying, ''''Go ahead.I''m done."


    She figured that even God himself would not be able to help such an unlucky person like him.


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


    Keegan pursed his lips and said, "Eighteen plus."


    The crowd cheered and Vermont took the chance and asked, "Did you measure it yourself or your wife


    did? Is this based on before or after? You''re not exaggerating, right?"


    "That''s it," Keegan said to him.


    Ste looked at the awkward expression on Keegan''s face.She felt likeughing, but she tried so hard


    to hold it in that it hurt her.


    After three rounds, Keegan''s luck finally took a big turn, and the beer bottle started pointing at the bride


    and groom for the next several rounds.


    The questions were as explicit as before, but the couple was very smart.


    They answered all of them without giving out too much information.


    Then, the beer bottle pointed at Carter.He picked truth, and the question he got was, "When did your


    first kiss with your current partner happen?"


    Duncan said before Carter could answer the question, "Wait a minute.We should let Lena write her


    answer down first.Otherwise, we wouldn''t know if Carter remembered it wrongly as another ce


    where he kissed somebody else."


    Carter was speechless.


    "Bro, do you want me to get a divorce on your wedding night?"


    Lena looked at him.


    "Your memory is not that bad, isn''t it?"


    Carter smiled.


    "I guess not."


    Lena spoke again.


    "Let''s do it then."

 Chapter 973

    Chapter 973


    Chapter 973


    Then, somebody handed a piece of paper and a pen to Lena after that.


    Lena wrote her answer and folded it before putting it on the table.


    Then, she looked up and said, "Go ahead."


    Carter said, "Graduation party during our senior year.We kissed downstairs of your dorm."


    Lena paused and looked at him again as aplicated look appeared in her eyes.


    Duncan unfolded the piece of paper on the table and saw the word "Cinema" on it.


    Then, heughed and said, "They''re really different.So, which one of you remembered it wrongly?"


    Carter smiled and looked at Lena gently, "Were you thinking about the time we went to the cinema on


    your birthday?"


    Lena''s eye twitched.


    "You knew yet you gave another answer?"


    Carter continued, "I''m not wrong.I kissed you for the first time after the graduation party.You were


    probably too drunk to remember it.The cinema was actually the second time.However, it''s considered


    the first time for you.So, technically, we''re both right."


    Lena pursed her lips and curled her fingers up.


    In fact, they did not kiss when they were at the cinema that day.


    All Carter did was kiss her cheek.


    Their real first kiss happened on Valentine''s Day.


    The same year they officially got together.


    Lena closed her eyes and vaguely remembered the person who hugged her during the graduation


    party, but she just could not recall what happened exactly.


    The only thing she could remember after that was someone sending her a cup of coffee to sober up


    through her roommate.


    She asked around for quite some time before she could find out that the person was Carter.


    However, she asked him about it sometimeter, and he did not seem to remember it.


    Lena opened her eyes and looked at her husband, who was sitting next to her.


    Carter used to be so enthusiastic and romantic when he was pursuing her, yet he made Lena feel that


    he had be very indifferent toward the rtionship after they got together.


    Be it dating or just their daily lives, Lena could not feel the same passion in him when he was pursuing


    her.


    She used to think that he got bored of her after getting her.


    But, unexpectedly, he proposed to her.


    Actually, she was not very deeply in love with Carter when they got married.


    Her feelings for Carter died down a lot when he would treat her differently based on his mood in those


    three years.


    She had been contemting breaking up with him for a long time.


    However, before she could say it, Carter came proposing at her door unexpectedly.


    Her parents liked Carter, and their friends thought that their rtionship was very stable.


    Even though Carter''s parents did not think that she was the perfect wife, they ultimately respected


    Carter''s choice anyway.


    After her friends and family convinced her, she figured that chasing after an earth-shattering


    rtionship was unrealistic, and life was meant to be lived as peacefully as water.


    Both parties agreed on the marriage very quickly, and the wedding was held very soon after that too.


    However, Lena was the only one preparing everything, and the Lowes were not very enthusiastic about


    it.


    Zane was the only person who would ask a few of his friends toe over and help.


    Lena found it funny how the least favored and youngest son in the Lowe family, a person who was said


    to be dissipated and infested with bad habits, was the only person who treated her like family during


    that wedding.


    He would always look like he did not care about anything in this world, and the only time the coldness


    in his eyes would fade away was when he smiled...


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Just like when Lena first met Carter.


    Unfortunately, that wedding turned into his funeral.


    Carter seemed as if he had changed a little after Zane passed away.He would rarely say romantic


    things to Lena, but he did it on a daily basis now.He became a lot more attentive and better at taking


    care of her after they got married.He would even give in and apologize first whenever they got into a


    fight.He was like a perfect husband who was gentle and responsible.


    asionally, he would also create some unexpected romance and surprises for Lena.


    So, her passionless heart was ignited once again because of him.


    However, some weird things followed.


    For example, he forgot a lot of small things that they did when they were together, but he would be able


    to recall the tiniest details that Lena had forgotten.


    Another example was that he started not liking his favorite food.


    And, he would be very aroused whenever they made out, but he would always stop himself from doing


    anything more than that.


    He imed that his family had a rule saying that they were not allowed to have a baby for three years


    after a family member passed away.


    And, he was worried that he would not be able to control himself if he touched her.


    However, Lena was not very convinced by him.


    They could simply use protection if that was the case.


    She figured that there was no need for him to avoid intercourse.She had a lot of questions, yet she


    never asked him about any of them.


    Perhaps...perhaps she was just overthinking, and Carter simply changed.

 Chapter 974

    Chapter 974


    Chapter 974


    "What''s wrong?"


    Carter leaned toward her and asked.


    Lena recollected herself and softly asked, "You''ve never told me about what happened that night."


    Carter smiled.


    "I kissed you without your permission.I''m not trying to get myself into trouble."


    Vermont waved his hand.


    "Alright.No showing off from married couples, please."


    He wanted to uncover more secrets, yet the bottle pointed right at him on the next round.


    Vermont''s luck was just as bad as Keegan''s.


    Everybody burst outughing as soon as he unfolded the question.


    The question was, "Twelve plus or twelve minus."


    Vermont''s face immediately darkened after he saw that.


    "Who wrote this question? Show yourself! Why did Keegan get eighteen, but I got twelve?"


    Keegan gloated at him.


    "It won''t make much of a difference if you''re not below twelve.Why are you so worked up? Are you


    really below twelve?"


    The edge of Vermont''s mouth twitched as he pointed his middle finger at Keegan.


    To protect his dignity as a man, he chose to drink without hesitating.


    ¡®I''m not going to lie!"


    Almost all the inappropriate questions were drawn by Keegan and Vermont.


    The bottle pointed at Marshall at thest round, and he chose dare.He was the only person to do


    that.He drew what he had to do from the box, and it said that he had to French kiss the person on his


    left for one minute.


    Everybody looked at the dare and shifted their gaze to Ste.


    Ste was speechless.


    Keegan immediately became mad and was about to raise his hand to dispute it.


    However, Ste said with a smile before he could speak, "I don''t mind, but I think the child''s parents will


    probably think otherwise.


    She moved aside and that was when everybody realized that there was a little boy about four to five


    years old between her and Marshall.He was munching on a fruit tart as he looked up at the group of


    weird adults.


    Ste touched the boy''s hair and slowly said, "I don''t think it''s allowed by thew either."


    Everybody kept quiet.


    Duncan saw the little boy and started rubbing his temple.


    Then, he shouted, "Sis, what is Justin doing here?"


    Then, someone came inside and took the little boy away.


    Ste took the chance and said that she needed to use the washroom.


    Then, she left for a while.


    Marshall looked at her receding back and slightly pressed his lips together.


    Vermont was sitting right opposite them.


    When Marshall unfolded the paper, he saw that woman grabbed a piece of fruit tart and made that little


    boy stand between her and Marshall.


    Vermont was confused by how much effort she put in to avoid her boyfriend, yet so obsessed with


    Keegan.


    ¡®This woman is so weird"


    He watched her leaving the table, and he suddenly thought of something.


    ¡®Damn! Why does her body proportion look so much like Ste''s?'' Then, he immediately shifted his


    gaze to Keegan, who was looking very angry while clenching his jaw.


    He thought about the fact that Keegan let that woman do anything she wanted to him in the hallway


    earlier and figured that everything would make sense if that woman was Ste herself.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    His eye twitched slightly.


    ¡®Are they trying the feeling of cheating on each other?"

 Chapter 975

    Chapter 975


    Chapter 975


    Ste stayed outside for quite some time before going back in.She had no idea how Marshall dealt with


    the dare earlier, but she saw Keegan''s face turning even redder than when she left just now as if he


    was chosen again.She figured that he probably drank more.


    ¡®He''s so silly, and he just doesn''t know how to say no.It''s not like his alcohol tolerance is very high


    anyway"


    Then, he texted Aldor and asked him to pick Keegan up.She was worried that Keegan would say


    something that he should not have if he suddenly got drunk.


    "Draw one."


    Marshall handed her the paper box and said softly, "I''ll drive you back after this round."


    Ste put her hand inside and said, "Just stay and keep on ying.I''ll just take a cab myself because I


    have somewhere else to be."


    Marshall chuckled.


    "Everything that we did will go to vain if I were to let you leave by yourself."


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Ste wanted to tell him that none of the people there would notice that, but someone asked them to


    y a new game before she could open her mouth.So, Ste kept it in and nned to talk to Marshall


    about it again after the game finished.


    Who''s The Imposter; The rules were very simple.


    Each yer would have to pick a piece of paper and describe the person or thing written on it.


    In each round, one yer would pick a person or thing that was different from every other yer.


    So, the yers would have to find out the imposter among them based on their description of what was


    written on their paper.


    The yers would win if they managed to find out who the imposter was and vice versa.


    The losers would have to pay for not only the expenses of that wedding dinner but also every guest''s


    room, including everything that they spent on in the hotel.


    The wedding was held in a seven-star hotel, and the stakes were extremely high.


    Felicity wanted to quit right after she heard about the punishment.


    However, Vermont grabbed her back.


    "What are you afraid of? I''ll pay for you if you lost."


    Felicity did not believe in him at all.


    "The first thing you''ll do is probably run away from me if I really did lose."


    Vermontughed as he reached into his pocket and handed Felicity a key to his sportscar.


    "You can have my car as a deposit.How''s that?"


    Felicity immediately took it from him.


    "I''ll sell your car to pay everything off if I lost."


    Vermontughed again.


    Then, he leaned closer to Felicity and said in a low voice, "Sure, but you''ll have to cook for me for ten


    years to pay me back."


    Felicity gave him another offer.


    "I''ll look after you for the rest of your life instead, okay?"


    Vermont instantly said, "Deal."


    Not only that Felicity was afraid of losing, but so was Ste.


    It was a seven-star hotel, and the cheapest room would cost more than a thousand dors per night.


    If every guest stayed there that night, the loser would have to spend several hundred thousand on the


    rooms alone.


    Ste''s money did note easy, so she hesitated whether to y or not.


    Marshall smiled and said as if he could read her mind.


    "Just go ahead and y.I''ll pay for you if you lose the game."


    Keegan swept his piercing gaze across Ste as if he was telling her, "You better not!"


    Ste found it funny.


    ''He hasn''t even be my official boyfriend yet, and he''s already acting like one"


    Of course, she would never agree to let Marshall pay for her.


    She was the type of person who would choose money over her own life, and there was just no way that


    she would allow herself to lose.


    So, she smiled and said after hearing what Marshall told her, "I''ll give it a try, then."


    About ten of them sat around the table.


    The groom was the first to start and the bride was thest.


    Duncan said, ''''Very thin."


    Carter continued, "Daily necessity."


    Lena added, "Hydroxyethyl Methacrte is one of its materials."


    Everybody kept quiet.


    Carter coughed.


    "Darling, describe it with words that all of us can understand.You don''t have to be so specific.


    "Okay,"


    Lena said before she described it again.


    "You need to wear it to use it."


    Vermont said, "You can wear it yourself."


    Felicity nced at him and thought to herself, ''He''s pretty good at misleading people"


    So, she added, "Others can wear it for you too."


    It was Corbin''s turn.


    "You can buy it at the hospitals."


    Marshall continued, "It''s avable at the supermarkets too."


    Then, Ste added, "Not everybody wears the same size."


    Keegan paused and looked at Ste in surprise.


    Then, he smirked.


    Ste was confused.


    After that, Keegan said in a serious manner, "I don''t need it anymore."


    Ste felt even more strange.She looked down at the paper, and the words written on it were contact


    lenses.


    ¡®Doesn''t he wear it on every important asion he attends?"

 Chapter 976

    Chapter 976


    Chapter 976


    Too little was revealed in the first round of the game, so everyone decided to move on to the next round


    without guessing who the imposter was.


    They were only given three chances to confirm their guesses.


    If they fail to find the true imposter, those who were named would be kicked out of the game and would


    lose a teammate.


    Hence, everyone was cautious with their guesses in the case of uncertainty.


    "The storage for the intern is moist," said Duncan during the second round.


    "It''s morefortable not to wear it," said Carter.


    Keegan nced at Carter and silently agreed.


    Lena continued, "I prefer using it."


    "I never use it," uttered Vermont.


    "Ites in different colors. I like ck the most," Felicity added.


    Keegan paused after hearing that, seemingly surprised.


    "You should wash your hands before putting it on," said Corbin.


    "Not everyone needs to wear it," Marshall continued.


    Ste said, "You shouldn''t have it on too long."


    "You might have to rece it with a new one when you''re halfway through," said Keegan.


    All of them were puzzled.


    ''Do you really need to?'' they thought.


    Ste had a vague idea of what was written on Keegan''s note. She looked up and was about to signal


    him when the man raised his chin and gave her a nod, feeling confident.


    ¡®what a fool"


    While no one was watching, Ste pointed two fingers to her eyes.


    Keegan paused and, as if he understood, gave her an OK sign.


    Ste sighed in relief, thinking, ''Okay.Good.But...hisst description sounded so suspicious."


    Soon, the bride uttered a description that confused the whole group.


    "I change it up to three times a day."


    As a result, she got the highest number of votes.She revealed that she was not the imposter and got


    kicked out of the game.


    Anew round of descriptions began.


    This time, Keegan gave the group a vague description, presumably because of Ste''s signal.He did


    so for the next two rounds.


    Felicity, Carter, and the others were kicked out one after another.


    At that point in the game, everyone had used almost every word they could think of to describe the


    object and had to be careful with what they said next.


    Keegan was the first to voice out his stance.


    "The thinner, the better," he said.


    Lena paused momentarily and continued, "They can be soft or hard."


    Vermont''s eyes darted around as he looked like he was going tough.


    "Thin ones are superior."


    "It reallyes down to preference.Some people don''t enjoy wearing thin ones,"


    Ste interfered.


    Marshall stroked his chin and said, "I wore them today."


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


    Keegan was confused.


    He had not fully processed everyone''s answers, and it was now his turn again; he frowned.


    "I''ve only used it once," he pursed his lips and said.


    Vermont widened his eyes in shock, amazed by Keegan''s words.


    Everyone there had a weird look on their faces.


    Ste, on the other hand, looked disheartened.


    ''He''s so bad at this!'' Lena continued to describe the object, "People usually use them in pairs."


    Vermont held back hisughter and said, "It can be used again after a quick wash."


    "You use it in your eyes," Ste added.


    "It''s contact lenses," said Marshall.


    Keegan was at a loss for words.

 Chapter 977

    Chapter 977


    Chapter 977


    Everyone knew who the imposter was at that point.


    The game master asked the yers to write down their guesses.


    Vermont sipped his tea and smiled, "Is it even necessary? Mr.Kane will take care of our expenses


    today!"


    Felicity was still in a state of confusion.


    "Wait, what? Who''s the imposter?"


    Vermont lifted his chin at Keegan and said, "Him."


    "Huh? Why him?"


    "Because...Keegan is short-sighted.How could he have only worn contact lenses once?"


    Felicity did not fully understand.


    "What''s the thing he was describing then?" novelebook she asked.


    Vermont stifled hisughter and said, "You know how contact lenses are for everyday use? Yeah, his


    item is for ¡®every night'' use."


    Ste was speechless.


    A married young woman like her had already figured out Vermont''s joke, but Felicity did not.


    "Huh? What are you talking about?"


    "Condoms," Vermont whispered.


    "Con¡ª"


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Felicity blushed.


    Her eyes widened when she recalled Keegan''sment about only using it once.


    ''Does that mean he and Ste don''t partake in intercourse? What the fuck? What the fuck? What the


    fuck?!"


    Ste looked at Keegan''s tense face and was d she was there in disguise as another person.


    Otherwise, she would have to suffer the same humiliation.


    ''This man is a genius when ites to his work, but he''s in stupid when it''s something else.I


    assumed that he understood me when I gave him a hint earlier.God, he even confidently gave me an


    OK sign.But after all that, he still didn''t get it? He probably thought that his item was the same as


    everyone else''s.What a dumb-dumb"


    Ste could not help but find it funny thinking about it.


    ¡®The bride and groom are usually the main centers of attention, but Keegan is in the spotlight tonight.I


    guess you can get away with anything if you look like a main character" she thought.


    Carter then teased, "What''s the item written on your paper, Keegan? I''m curious about what you meant


    by ¡®the thinner, the better" You also said that you might have to rece it with anew one when you''re


    halfway through, but somehow, you only used it once. Come on. noveldrama.org Open up the paper,


    and let us have a look"


    Hearing that, Keegan tore up the note expressionlessly to get rid of the evidence, which caused


    everyone to roar inughter.


    It was then that Ste realized how close Keegan was with these people.


    Though he was not good with words and always had a serious look on his face, he never got mad


    when they joked around with him.


    When Ste was still married to Keegan, she rarely engaged with his friends.


    After experiencing several unpleasant encounters during the parties, she categorized them as the


    same as Aurora''s group of friends.


    Ste assumed Keegan''s friends did not like her because she was not from a wealthy family, so she did


    not interact with them.


    But the truth was that none of them gloated after she and Keegan divorced.


    In fact, Carter, Vermont, and Marshall had been lending her a hand whenever she needed it.


    They would not have done it if they had looked down on her since there was no need to please their


    friend''s ex-wife.


    ¡®I may have been a bit blind, but Keegan''s the one to me.I wouldn''t think that way if he didn''t keep


    me away from his friends.


    "Come on, people.Let''s rack up that bill," Vermont said excitedly.


    Keegan was a little drunk.He pulled a card from his wallet, put it on the table, and said, "Let''s y


    another round.If I lose, I will pay for everyone and everything, including the wedding expenses."

 Chapter 978

    Chapter 978


    Chapter 978


    Ste''s eyelids twitched after hearing what Keegan had said.


    ''Is he drunk already?'' Before anyone from the group could speak, a voice came from behind them,


    "What are you guys ying that''s making Keegan so obsessed?"


    The voice sounded familiar.


    Ste looked over subconsciously and saw a man she recognized in a white suit with Molly on his arm.


    The man was also one of Keegan''s friends¡ª Howard Campbell.He attended their wedding, but


    Keegan did not seem to have much contact with him.


    Thest time Ste saw him was at Carter and Lena''s wedding.


    Howard hade over with a drink to strike up a conversation, but Keegan responded dismissively


    and dragged Ste away.


    Ste''s attention was on Howard.


    Suddenly, she realized that someone was staring at her.She looked up and saw Molly sizing her up


    with a smirk.


    "Marshall, why didn''t you tell the family you have a girlfriend?" Molly asked.


    Marshall shot her an unconcerned nce and said, "It''s not time yet."


    "You should let them know.Don''t wait till you wanna marry her to tell them.Wouldn''t the rtionship be


    a waste of time if Aunt Ariel and Uncle Wace disapproved of her?" novelebook Molly uttered.


    Ste frowned.


    ''She''s so rude.Though Marshall is the older cousin, she doesn''t seem to have much respect for him,


    judging from her tone of voice.She speaks to him as if she''s the older one here.It''s making me a little


    ufortable"


    Marshall nced at Molly in disdain and said, "Mind your own business.I know what I''m doing."


    As if she did not hear him, Molly looked at Ste and said, ''"What''s your name, and what do you do for


    a living?"


    "Celeste Thompson.Music teacher."


    "Pfft¡ª"


    Felicity spat out a mouthful of tea and thought, ¡®Celeste Thompson..? Isn''t that the fake name Ste


    used before?¡¯ She immediately looked at the woman next to Marshall.


    The more Felicity stared at her, the more familiar her eyes became.


    Felicity was about to scream when she noticed the mole on Ste''s earlobe, but then Vermont stuffed a


    piece of watermelon into her mouth.


    He put his arm over her shoulders and whispered, "Stay quiet and watch the show."


    Felicity did as she was told.


    "A music teacher?" Mollyughed.


    "You don''t look like someone who teaches music.What do your parents do?"


    "Do you want my entire background check, Ms.Moore?" Ste asked with a smile.


    "It''s easy to get into my cousin''s social circle.He trusts people too much.So naturally, I have to know


    more about the girl he''s dating, right? What would people think of the Moore family if he dated a


    random girl from the streets? I have to at least find out if she passes the bar," novelebook Molly


    shrugged.


    Ste froze and looked around with sunken eyes.


    Before she could speak, someone snorted.


    Everyone paused, and one after the other, they nced at Keegan.


    Keegan slowly poured himself a cup of tea without lifting an eyelid.


    "Well, if a bar waiter can pass in the Moore family, I''d say the bar is pretty low."


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont could not help butugh when he heard that.


    Keegan was clearly making fun of Molly''s stepfather, Ian.


    Ian first worked as a waiter at the Sapphire Clubhouse and became a fitness instructor after that.He


    then opened an online shop where he did paintingmissions, but his business was not great.He


    would asionally post photos of himself online, and people noticed his good looks.


    That was when Ian became an influencer.He would talk to people on the inte, host lives, and help


    mediate disputes, all of which were scripted.

 Chapter 979

    Chapter 979


    Chapter 979


    Ian deleted his social media ount after dating Irene.She gave him the money to be a gallery


    artist and invested a lot of cash to make him a young painter.


    People from the circle knew that Ian was a waiter at Sapphire Clubhouse, but no one ever mentioned it,


    mainly because they could not afford to offend Irene.


    However, Keegan was not afraid.


    He could not stand Molly ndering Ste, so he exposed her family''s secrets.


    Molly immediately felt embarrassed after that.


    Seeing Marshall had no intention to speak up for her, Molly gritted her teeth and argued, "That''s not the


    same thing.Ian graduated from the Silver Academy of Fine Arts.He only worked at Sapphire Clubhouse


    to earn extra pocket money."


    Keegan swirled his ss and said, "Do you have any idea how much the waiters at Sapphire


    Clubhouse get paid? You''re a regr.I''m sure you can see why those people work there.Do you really


    think he was there to earn some pocket money? You''re such a liar that you''re starting to believe your


    own lies."


    Everyone was shocked.


    Although Keegan was rude at times, he was rarely this harsh.


    ''Did he have too much to drink?'' they thought.


    Only Vermont knew what was going on.


    He coughed and tried to smooth things over, "Don''t mind him.He''s had too much to drink.Come, sit."


    Molly suppressed her frustration and sat down next to Marshall with a sullen face.Her expression was


    extremely ugly after being confronted by Keegan.She did not even want to attend Duncan''s wedding in


    the first ce.


    Someone posted a group picture, and Aurora saw Marshall with his new girlfriend.When Aurora called


    her to ask about it, Irene overheard their conversation and asked Molly to attend the wedding.


    The Moore family had tried to set Marshall up with several women after he returned to Rivera.However,


    he always used his work as an excuse to reject them.


    Unsurprisingly, the Moores wanted to know more about his new girlfriend, who popped up out of


    nowhere.


    Molly was not happy since she was forced to be there.


    But, looking at the woman, she was even more upset because of what Keegan said.


    ''She doesn''t even look good"


    "Which school do you teach at?" novelebook Molly casually asked.


    "St.Louis High School," Ste replied.


    Molly nced at her and continued, "Coincidentally, I have a friend who works there.His name is


    Joshua Flynn.He''s a rather well-known homeroom teacher.Do you know him?"


    "No, I don''t.Are you sure he works there? I don''t recall a Joshua Flynn in our school."


    Molly gauged her expression and said, "Oh.It must be St.Lucy''s High School, then."


    ¡®Do you actually think I''d choose a school on random? Hah" Ste snorted to herself.


    ''A few children from the orphanage go to St.Louis High School.I''ve attended several parent-teacher


    meetings in ce of Shelly.I know the teachers there.I won''t fall for your trick"


    "Since you''re a music teacher, Ms.Thompson, why don''t you perform a piece for everyone here at the


    wedding? I would like to see what my cousin-inw is capable of," novelebook Molly added.


    Marshall frowned.


    "Enough, Molly.Stop with all the nonsense.We''re here to celebrate Duncan''s marriage."


    "How is it nonsense? I''m giving your girlfriend a chance to show off her talents," Molly pursed her lips


    and said in a low voice.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    "You¡ª"


    Ste tugged on Marshall''s sleeve, signaling him to let it go.She knew that Molly woulde up with


    other ways to provoke her if she did notply with her wishes, but Ste was not afraid.

 Chapter 980

    Chapter 980


    Chapter 980


    "I''m sure there will be many opportunities to watch me y, Ms.Moore.It''s Mr.and Mrs.Lowe''s big day


    today.I don''t want to take away the spotlight from the wedding host.But since you asked, why not I


    show everyone here a little magic trick as entertainment and my wedding gift to the newlywed?" Ste


    said in a warm and gentle voice with a smile on her face.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Vermont was interested and asked, ''''Are you going to conjure a beautiful woman?"


    Ste raised her eyebrows and said, "I''m going to make thingse alive."


    Everyone was looking forward to Ste''s magic trick except for Keegan.He frowned when he heard her


    say that.


    After a while, the waiter brought a few fuzzy pompoms and two clear sses.


    Ste''s first performance was known as Sleight of Hands.It was a simple magic trick she learned in


    high school.She even participated in the school''s talentpetition to show off her skills.She moved


    the pompoms from one ss to another without touching the balls.


    Everyone was having fun.


    "That''s what you call magic? That''s child''s y," Molly sneered.


    "Tsk.Then you go up there and show everyone what real magic is like," Felicity sneered while Molly


    frowned and gave her a look.


    The bride, on the other hand, was curious.


    "What else can you do?"Ste smiled.


    "Can you lend me your hand?" novelebook She asked warmly.


    The bride put her hand out, and Ste ced two pompoms on her palm.


    Ste then asked the bride to hold the tight before she put a handkerchief over her hand.


    "Abracadabra," she said, and something moved under the cloth.


    A beautiful cockatiel appeared in the bride''s palm when Ste lifted the handkerchief. The bird bobbed


    its head and looked around the ce in high spirits.


    "Oh my god!" The bride eximed.


    "It''s amazing!"


    Molly scoffed at the party trick, saying, "You must''ve put that bird in her palm earlier! It''s the exact same


    color as the pompoms!"


    Ste looked at her and asked, "If you think that Mrs.Lowe and I wereplicit, why don''t youe


    and try it yourself, Ms.Moore?


    "Okay.I want to see how you can conjure up a living thing right in my palm,"


    Molly stood up and uttered as she stretched out her hand in front of Ste.Ste ced two pompoms


    in Molly''s hand and asked her to close her hands.


    "No.This will do.Turn these balls into a bird.Come on.Don''t tell me you can''t do it just because I don''t


    close my hands," Molly said proudly.


    "I''m scared that you won''t be able to hold on to itter since it''s a living thing," Ste said in a warm


    tone.


    "I think you''re scared of getting exposed," novelebook Molly snorted disdainfully.


    "As you wish," Ste chuckled, covering Molly''s palm with the cloth.


    Molly''s face was arrogant. She did not believe Ste could pull the trick under her nose.


    ''Hah.This is going to be a p in her face when she fails" Molly thought.


    Ste asked Molly, "Do you like animals, Ms. Moore?"


    "I guess."


    "Have you ever had a pet before?"


    "Are you trying to divert my attention and rece the pompoms in my hand with something else?"


    Molly nced at her and said.


    "I''m just making small talk to avoid awkward silence, Ms.Moore.This type of magic takes time."


    "Let me ask you this.What do your parents do for you to have so many dirty tricks up your sleeve?"


    Molly asked, hinting that she looked down on her.

 Chapter 981

    Chapter 981


    Chapter 981


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Ste did not get mad at Molly.Instead, she said slowly, "My parents...sterilize animals, Ms.Moore.I can


    give you a 20% discount if you evere over.We don''t even need to use anesthesia.Three minutes


    per animal.Though some animals may seem wild, they immediately be docile once they are


    neutered.So much so that they would stop barking at people."


    Everyone was at a loss for words.


    They knew Ste was insinuating something else.


    It was obvious that Molly knew it, too, judging from the ugly expression on her face.


    However, before she could speak, Ste said, "Here ites."


    Ste pulled off the handkerchief, and a fluffy gray animal was gnawing on a peanut in Molly''s palm.It


    was a mouse.


    Molly was shocked to her core when she met the rodent''s eyes.She screamed and threw the mouse


    right at the bride.


    The bride was startled and took a few steps back.Her foot tripped over the chair, and the groom rushed


    to pull her up.


    However, both of them lost their footing and fell to the ground.


    This incident surprised the guests, and everyone quickly went up to check on the newlywed.


    Duncan reacted fast enough to pull his wife on top of him.He was not hurt, but he was in shock.


    When he helped his wife up, her face was pale, and her stomach began to throb and hurt.


    Duncan panicked and carried her in his arms, wanting to head to the hospital.


    Carter quickly stopped him and said, "Let Corbin take a look first.It''ll be faster than going to the


    hospital."


    Corbin immediately went over and checked the bride''s pulse.


    Molly was startled by the ident.


    Then, after realizing what had happened, she pointed at Ste and said, "It''s all her fault.If she hadn''t


    turned those pompoms into a mouse, I wouldn''t have tried to get away from it."


    Ste ignored her and looked at the bride with concern.She just wanted to y a trick on Molly; she did


    not expect her to throw the mouse at the bride.


    ''If something happens to her, I would be the one to me" novelebook she thought.


    Molly tried her best to push the responsibility on Ste, "She did it on purpose just because my


    question hurt her pride.She deliberately turned those pompoms into a mouse to scare me.This woman


    is vicious, Marshall.Why would you be with someone like¡±


    "Shut up!"


    Marshall cut her off with a stern face.


    Soon after, Corbin frowned and said in a low voice, "Get her to the hospital.She''s bleeding.We need to


    check the fetal heart rate."


    Duncan''s face turned pale.He carried his wife and rushed out of the building without caring about


    anything else.


    The night was ruined; all of them had an ugly look.


    "That''s all for today, everyone.It''s gettingte.Let''s all go back.I''ll update you all about the situation in


    the group," said Carter.


    Since the matter hade to this, it was the only way to go.


    Ste felt guilty and asked Carter to apologize to the bride and groom on her behalf.


    Molly, however, refused to admit her mistake and kept throwing the me on Ste.


    "You SHOULD apologize.You knew there was a pregnant woman here.Why did you pull out a mouse


    and drag me into this mess?!"


    Carter frowned, "Ms.Moore, if I remember correctly, Ms.Thompson asked you to hold the pompoms


    tight several times.But you were arrogant and didn''t listen.You''re free to go if my cousin- inw is


    fine.But if anything happens to her, the Moore family will owe us an exnation!"


    Molly was furious, "What does this have to do with me? How would I have known that she''d pull out a


    mouse?!"


    "Enough!"


    Marshall yelled, grabbing her wrist so hard that Molly turned pale from the pain.He put on a straight


    face and did not bat an eye at her.


    "Please send my apologies to Duncan and his wife and tell them we''ll visit soon."novelebook


    Marshall looked at Ste, and without waiting for him to speak, she said, "You go first. I''ll take the cab."


    Marshall pursed his lips and said, "I''ll call you."


    Ste did not answer.She watched him leave with Molly, who was upset.

 Chapter 982

    Chapter 982


    Chapter 982


    Each of the guests left after that.


    When Ste passed by Keegan, she whispered, "I need to go to the bathroom.Wait for me."


    Keegan touched the back of her hand with his to show that he understood.He did not have much to


    drink today; the alcohol content of the drinks was rtively low.He was not fully drunk but did not feel


    very well either.However, he remembered what Ste told him and obediently waited for her in the


    corridor.


    When Howard came out of the guest room, he saw Keegan standing at the end of the corridor, getting


    some air.He then decided to walk over and said, "Keegan, long time no see."


    Keegan froze and did not answer him.


    Howard did not find it awkward.


    Instead, he continued, ''I was busy a while ago and couldn''t attend Mrs.Kane Sr"s birthday party.How is


    she?"


    Ste just came out of the restroom when she heard Howard''s voice.


    ''Sounds like they''re exchanging pleasantries.The birthday party was over months ago"


    Ste did not want to interrupt the two men, so she stood out of their sight and listened quietly.


    "She''s fine," Keegan answered concisely.


    Howard continued, "Your mom invited my mom for tea a few days ago.I heard she went to the hospital


    two days ago.The doctors said she had a cyst.I noticed she had lost a lot of weight.She kept talking


    about you, though.Talking about how she worries if you''re being taken care of."


    Ste''s expression was hard to read at the mention of Dahlia.She had been so busy with work that she


    had not heard from her for a long time.She knew about Dahlia leaving the Kane residence but never


    asked Keegan about it.


    A while ago, Ste had heard from Olivia that Dahlia was renting a house in their neighborhood.She


    seemed to have been kicked out of the Crosby residence as well.


    However, Ste was busy then, so she did not ask for more details.


    ¡®It seems like Dahlia is at the end of her rope.She''s probably nning to trick Keegan into taking her


    back again, and Howard is obviously here to speak for her"


    The corners of Keegan''s mouth twitched when he heard about his mother.He looked at Howard and


    said, "Shouldn''t she be telling me¡ªher son¡ªthat she misses me and not you, an outsider?"


    "My mom was the one who told me.She''s worried about your mom''s health.You should visit her if you''re


    not too busy with work It''s not easy for her, you know, being alone, especially since your dad is gone,"


    novelebook Howard exined.


    Keegan was already feeling dizzy before this.


    Hearing that, his face turned cold immediately.


    "I don''t need you to lecture me.I know what my responsibilities are.Take her into your home if you pity


    her that much.Go be the caring son she wants me to be."


    Howard was taken aback for a moment.He did not expect Keegan to say something like that and did


    not know what to say.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Keegan ignored him and left with a sullen face.


    Soon, Ste received Keegan''s message: [I''ll wait for you in the car.]


    When she got into the car, the man was already leaning against the seat, resting.He did not even open


    his eyes when she entered.


    '' I guess he must be asleep" thought Ste.


    "Madam..."


    Aldor whispered.


    Ste brought her index finger to her lips, gesturing him to stay silent, and whispered, "Home."


    Aldor immediately started the car after that.


    Ste grabbed the makeup remover wipes from her bag and removed her makeup while looking into a


    compact mirror.


    When she was almost done, she put down the mirror and saw Keegan looking at her with his head


    tilted.


    "You awake?" novelebook Ste asked in a low voice.


    Keegan pursed his lips.


    "I wasn''t asleep."


    "So you heard me get into the car and ignored me?"

 Chapter 983

    Chapter 983


    Chapter 983


    "My head hurts," Keegan said.


    Ste beckoned him over and said, "Come here."


    Keegan came closer and asked, "Why?"


    Ste put his head on herp and massaged his temples.


    "To help you with the headache," she said.


    Keegan took in her scent, buried his face in her arms, and closed his eyes.


    Ste had strong fingers and great techniques.


    Keegan felt a lot better after a while.


    "I just heard you talking to Howard,"


    Ste brought up.


    "Oh.Don''t mind him," said Keegan.


    Ste pinched his hard and stubbled chin, asking, "Aren''t you moping because of what he said?"


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan froze for a moment and let out a lowugh.


    Ste was puzzled.


    "What are youughing at?"


    "Are you thinking that I''m feeling down because I feel sorry for her but don''t know what to do because,


    at the same time, I care for you?"


    "Is that not what''s happening?"


    Keegan grabbed Ste''s hand and put it on his forehead, "You don''t know her at all.She''s not trying to


    trick me into going back for her; she''s forcing me.Today, it''s Howard''s mother; tomorrow, it might be


    Marshall''s or Vermont''s family.She will use those who don''t know the truth and are close to me to get


    me back.Parading your family problems out to the world is not a good thing.She''s doing it because


    she''s betting that I''d take her back into the home to save my reputation."


    Dahlia was a selfish, narcissistic, and arrogant person.


    Keegan was the one who kicked her out of the Kane residence.


    Even if she was unhappy, Dahlia would never ask Keegan to take her back herself.She wanted him to


    be the one to take the first step.


    Keegan knew her all too well.


    When his father refused to help the Crosby family clean up their mess, Dahlia quarreled with him and


    ran away from home with Aurora.


    No matter how many times the Kane family asked her to return, she refused.


    However, she kept telling Quentin''s friends about her unstable life andplicated pregnancy.


    No matter the reason, anyone would judge the Kane family if they found out a pregnant woman, who


    was about to give birth, was living on her own instead of with her husband.


    In the end, Quentin was the one who had topromise.


    Now that the same trick was being used on him, Keegan found it pathetic.


    Their little mother-son rtionship was over the day Dahlia was cruel to Ste.


    Keegan did not expose his mother or take things to the extreme because he wanted to leave her the


    last piece of decency.


    However, whether Dahlia was sick or not, he would not change his decision.


    '' I wouldn''t have kicked her out of the house in the first ce if I cared about what others think'' Ste


    stroked the top of his head and asked, "Then why are you so glum?"


    "I was just bummed to see Howard," novelebook said Keegan.


    Ste was confused.


    "Why? Didn''t you have a good rtionship with him before?"


    "It was average, I''d say."


    "Would you have let hime over if it was just average?"


    Ste poked at him and said, "He used toe over a lot when we first married."


    Thinking of this, Ste smiled, ''''He evenplimented me on my desserts."


    Keegan got even more upset when she said that.


    '' He doesn''t know shit! I''d rather give them to the dogs than that guy!"


    Ste was taken aback.


    ''It''s confirmed; Keegan is drunk.He would never swear or say such things if sober" she thought.


    However, he is also cute when he swears.

 Chapter 984

    Chapter 984


    Chapter 984


    Ste was amused and decided to y along.


    "What did he do to deserve this reaction from you?"


    After a long time, Keegan pursed his lips and told the story in bits and parts.


    From his incoherent speech, Ste found out that Keegan disliked Howard because of her.She never


    thought that she would be the reason.


    The details were both funny and heartbreaking.


    Ste did not know Keegan very well when they first got married.


    So, she decided to talk to his friends to find out what he liked.


    Since they did not really know her and may not want to engage with her, Ste often made desserts to


    bribe them into letting her learn more about Keegan.


    Keegan''s friends were good people.


    After receiving her gifts, they would tell Ste about his likes and dislikes.


    Keegan did not know about this at first, but when he found out, he had a fight with her.


    Ste always thought it was because he was ashamed of her trying to tter his friends with desserts.


    But now, she realized it was because Keegan overheard Howard saying mean things about her.


    He would tell people that she was "all beauty, no brains" or that she was using her looks to get favors


    from men and climb to the top.


    Keegan chose to use nicer words in his exnation because the ones Howard had used were way


    worse.


    Howard''sments affected other people''s perceptions of Ste at the beginning of her union with


    Keegan for a long time.


    Keegan was understandably upset when he heard that.


    He had let Howard into his home and treated him well, yet Howard went behind his back and


    badmouthed his wife.


    So, Keegan went off on him right there and then.


    When Keegan returned home that day, he saw Ste burn her hand making desserts.


    She even asked him to bring some for his friends when they met the next day.


    Keegan''s face turned dark He did not hold back from telling her that she should stop putting effort into


    these things and that it was useless.


    Ste felt hurt after Keegan burst her bubble. novelebook She was so angry and disappointed that


    she threw away all her dessert molds and did not talk to him for several days.


    From then on, she subconsciously avoided his circle of friends.


    As Ste listened to Keegan ramble on about the incident, she suddenly asked, ''''So it''s not because


    you don''t like me around your circle of friends?"


    Keegan was stunned and frowned, "Isn''t it you who don''t like being around them? You pull a long face


    whenever you''re invited to a gathering."


    Ste was surprised, "When have you ever invited me? "Did you forget?"


    Keegan asked.


    Ste was taken aback for a moment.


    "Give me a hint, Mr.Kane."


    "Vermont held a grand opening ceremony for hispany.I asked if you wanted toe along, but


    you pulled such a long face that you looked like a donkey.You even told me I could bring whoever I


    want," Keegan grunted.


    Ste thought about it and recalled the incident.


    It was nothing like the version Keegan provided.He was not the type to ask if someone wanted to go


    nicely.His exact words were, "Vermont is holding a grand opening for his newpany today.He asked


    if you wanted toe.Do you? I won''t bring my secretary if you do.There won''t be enough seats."


    No one would be happy to hear that invitation.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ''Well, you''ve already decided to bring your secretary.So why would you need your wife there?''


    novelebook Ste thought.


    "You can bring whoever you want because I''m not going!" She replied.


    Ste pinched Keegan''s ears and gritted her teeth, "Is that even a proper invitation? You literally asked


    me if I wanted to go AFTER you nned to attend the event with your female secretary."


    Keegan frowned in pain and whispered, "I didn''t n on doing that. I just said that on purpose so you''d


    care about me."


    Ste was speechless.

 Chapter 985

    Chapter 985


    Chapter 985


    ¡®Has he never been in a rtionship before?! What the hell was he thinking?! Why would I care about


    him after he told me that he would bring another woman?!" thought Ste.


    "So, the only reason you didn''t let me make food for your friends anymore was because Howard was


    talking shit about me?" She asked in a low voice.


    Keegan pulled her hand off his head and kissed it.


    He looked up at her and said softly, "Ste, you know I''m not good with words sometimes.I wasn''t mad


    at you for giving them gifts.I was mad that you worked so hard to prepare those desserts for them just


    to be ndered.Then, when I saw that you burned your hand, I got even angrier.I bought you some


    ointment for the burn and even wrote you a note, but you threw it away without looking at it."


    Ste was quiet for a while.


    "I didn''t see any ointment."


    Keegan was taken aback for a moment.He then defended himself by aggrievedly saying, "I bought it.I


    swear.I''m not lying to you."


    Ste believed him because he was not a good liar when drunk.


    ''If Keegan bought the ointment, and I wasn''t the one who threw it away¡­ that means the previous


    nanny did it.The nanny was loyal to Dahlia, so it was most likely her.Dahlia must''ve instructed her to


    throw the ointment away, just like how she ordered the nanny to put a box of contraceptive pills on the


    table for Grandma to see.Dahlia did not want Keegan to have a good rtionship with me since the


    beginning of our marriage"


    ¡®On the other hand, Keegan was not very good at hiding his emotions.So, seeing Howard again might


    have triggered those unpleasant memories and upset him"


    "Our children would be in kindergarten by now if only you knew how to use your words better," Ste


    sighed.


    Aldor was amused by this.


    ''You''re really no better than Mr.Kane, Madam" he thought.


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste nced at him and asked, "What are youughing at?"


    "Mir.Kane probably doesn''t want to have a child so early now.


    He just got into a rtionship.So it''s likely that he would want to spend more time with just the two of


    you, Madam,"


    Aldor joked as he turned the wheel.


    Ste did not say a word.


    The road to their home was closed when they were halfway back.


    An ident had urred on their usual route¡ªa big tree had fallen on a few passing cars.


    Although there were no casualties, vehicles could not pass through the road because of how huge the


    tree was.


    They were waiting for someone toe and deal with it.


    Thus, authorities had to temporarily close off the road until the mess was cleaned up.


    Aldor had no choice but to make a U-turn and take a long detour.


    Keegan was not feeling too good at that moment.


    He sat up and tugged his tie, frowning.


    "Do you want to throw up?" novelebook Ste asked as she grabbed a stic bag and opened it.


    Keegan shook his head and said, "I''m kinda itchy.


    When he said that, he could not help but scratch his wrist.


    Ste was taken aback.She pulled his hand and pushed the sleeves up, just to see his arm covered in


    rashes.She frowned, "Did you eat something you shouldn''t have?"


    Keegan shook his head.He could not remember what he had eaten.


    All he knew was that he had to keep scratching.


    Soon, the rash spread to his neck.


    Ste was familiar with this condition.


    It was like when Keegan triggered his allergies from eating mangoes in the past.


    Aldor changed onto a new route and hurried to the hospital.


    When they arrived at the hospital, the doctor prescribed Keegan two medicine bottles and an IV drip.


    Ste did not want to take up Aldor''s time since he lived with his parents, so she sent him away and


    stayed to take care of Keegan.


    Keegan''s body was so itchy that he could not help but scratch himself.


    When Ste could not hold him down, she would threaten him and say, "I''ll leave if you keep scratching


    yourself."


    Keegan would then hold onto her and not let go.


    The itch was hard for him to bear; sometimes, he rubbed his body on the bed to relieve it.


    Ste decided it would be easier to justy on the bed with him and grab his hands.


    "Just bear with it for a sec.It''ll stop itching after the medicine kicks in."

 Chapter 986

    Chapter 986


    Chapter 986


    Keegan gradually fell asleep after some coaxing.


    Ste could not help but drift off to Keegan''s steady breathing.


    When the doctor came to make rounds the next morning, Keegan woke up to see Ste sleeping


    soundly.He pulled the nket over her and made shush gesture to the doctor.


    The doctor quietly finished the check-up and left.


    Ste did not wake up until it was almost 9:00 a.m.


    She opened her eyes and saw Keegan''s handsome face close to hers.


    Ste pinched his cheeks as she said hoarsely, "Why were you so fussyst night? Keegan found her


    words ambiguous, hearing them early in the morning.He could not help but think about how she had


    asked him to follow the doctor''s orders and feel distracted.


    "when are you going to give me my reward you talked about yesterday?" asked Keegan.


    Ste was still a little confused by his question.


    "What reward?"


    Keegan''s eyelids twitched at the sound of that.


    ¡®Do you only know how to start fires and not put them out?''novelebook he thought.


    He took her hand, put it on his chest, and moved it down slightly.


    Ste froze and sprang up instantly.She quickly withdrew her hand and stared at the man.


    "Behave yourself! This is a hospital!"


    She gritted her teeth and said.


    Keeganughed and stopped teasing her.He then kissed her head and said in a low voice, "Let''s pack


    up and get you home."


    "Mhm," Ste replied, pulling Keegan''s clothes up to check his rashes.


    She was relieved that the red spots had faded quite a lot.


    The two packed up and proceeded with the discharge procedure.


    Keegan was queuing up at the front desk while Ste waited at the corner of the lobby.


    Her hair hung loosely on her shoulders as she did not tie her hair up, and her mask covered most of


    her face.


    Those who did not personally know her would have a hard time recognizing her.


    Ste was staring at Keegan.


    Among the people in the long queue, she could see Keegan''s head floating above the crowd.


    ''How can he be so tall and handsome? I can''t stand how hey in my armsst night, acting like a


    needy puppy.


    He''s so cute! Ah!'' Ste''s heart was full just thinking about how that man was hers.


    Suddenly, Ste heard a familiar voice saying, "I can''t put it off any longer.Seeing as the month is going


    to be big, things are going to be harder if I don''t do it now."


    Ste paused and nced aside indistinctly.


    Hylda was dressed in low-key clothing, and a handsome young man followed behind her as they


    walked past Ste.


    The two were busy talking and did not notice her.Ste pulled up her mask and followed them.She


    knew Hylda would recognize her, so she did not dare to tail her too closely.The two seemed to be


    arguing about something.


    Hylda did not look too good.


    The man put his arm around her waist as thoughforting her.


    They finally hugged but quickly let go and got on the elevator.


    Suddenly, someone tapped on Ste''s shoulder.She was shocked at first but relieved when she turned


    around and saw that it was Keegan.


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


    "All done?" novelebookShe asked.


    "Mhm,"Keegan replied.


    "What are you looking at?" Ste pulled him aside and said, "I saw Hylda and her fake brother, Ian,


    here. They just got on the elevator."


    After saying that, she continued in frustration, "I was afraid she would recognize me, so I didn''t follow


    them too closely, which meant I couldn''t clearly hear what they were saying."


    Keegan nced at the elevator at said, "This elevator is used for even-numbered floors.The wards are


    on the twelfth floor and above, the operating room is on the fourth floor, the men''s health and urology


    department is on the eighth floor, the orthopedics department is on the tenth floor, and the obstetrics


    and gynecology department is on the sixth floor."


    Ste was taken aback for a moment and made a guess based on what she had just heard, "She''s


    here for an abortion?!"

 Chapter 987

    Chapter 987


    Chapter 987


    Keegan was uncertain about Ste''s theory.


    Ste went intobat mode and quickly contacted Xenia, asking her to find a way to bring Albert over


    so that he could stop Hylda from getting an abortion.She exined the n in detail, and when she


    hung up, she saw Keegan staring at her.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "I thought you asked her to bring Albert so he can catch Hylda having an affair," said Keegan.


    Ste''s face looked cold.


    "Hylda is very cautious when ites to her rtionship with Ian.Judging by Albert''s character, he


    wouldn''t believe me if I didn''t provide any substantial evidence.The fact that Hylda is eager to get rid of


    that child is the best evidence I can get.I''m not letting her win so easily.I don''t care if she wants an


    abortion.I want her to continue the pregnancy and have Albert personally drag her to give birth!"


    "She got together with Albert when my mom was pregnant, let my mom raise her wild child, and finally


    tried to kill her.She caused all of this herself.I want her to have a taste of her own medicine! Only then


    can I relieve the hatred in my heart."


    Keegan opened Ste''s hands, interlocked her fingers, and said in a low voice, "I''ll take care of what''s


    inconvenient for you.If you want revenge, I''ll do it.You don''t have to do the dirty work."


    Ste''s expression softened slightly, and she whispered, "Do you think I''m scary?"


    Keegan thought about it momentarily and said, "The most serious thing you''ve ever done to me was


    p me.Is this favoritism I smell?"


    Ste was speechless.She held his hand and said in a low voice, "Your standards are too low.Aren''t


    you afraid that I''ll hurt you one day?"


    Keeganughed, his eyes brimming with certainty.


    You won''t.You can''t bear to see me hurt."


    Ste smirked and said, "Maybe I will if you fall in love with someone else.I''m a very jealous and


    vindictive person.You have to think about this during the probation period.There is no turning back once


    you choose me."


    Keegan leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Do you know what I regret most when we got


    divorced?"


    Ste said, "Leaving me with nothing?"


    Keegan was at a loss for words.


    "Please broaden your perspective.Don''t just think about money." novelebook Ste chuckled and


    asked, "What is it then?"


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Keegan lowered his eyes and said, "The thing I regret most during our divorce was that I didn''t burn our


    marriage certificate immediately after receiving it.You wouldn''t have been able to divorce me if there


    wasn''t a marriage certificate."


    Ste did not know what to say.She wanted to tell him that a marriage certificate could be reissued and


    that divorces nowadays do not necessarily requireplete documents.


    But she decided not to.


    There was no way that Keegan did not know all that.


    He was clearly trying to be romantic by insinuating that their divorce was the thing he regretted most.


    Ste rarely feltfortable with Keegan being cheesy, but this time, she coughed and said, "We can


    burn it together if there''s ever a next time."


    Keegan immediately took out his phone and said, "Can you say that again? I want to record it as


    proof."


    Ste stayed quiet.


    At first, she wanted to let Keegan leave while she waited here for Albert to arrive, but Keegan was


    worried that she could not handle it alone and insisted on staying together.He reminded her that Albert


    wanted her to be his goddaughter because he found out she and Keegan still had feelings for


    each other.


    "How will the show go on if I''m not here?" He said.


    Ste thought that it made sense, so she let him be.

 Chapter 988

    Chapter 988


    Chapter 988


    After Xenia hung up with Ste, she called Albert and told him she had fallen and was bleeding.


    Albert took it as a sign of miscarriage and could not care less about sending his son to school anymore.


    So instead, he hurriedly rushed over to Xenia¡¯s ce. He nned to send Xenia to the nearest


    hospital. Still, she insisted on going to the one in the city, saying that their obstetrics and gynecology


    department was the best in Rivera.


    Albert was so eager for a child that he naturally went along with her. He drove Xenia to the city hospital


    in ten to twenty minutes. Once they got on the elevator, Ste and Keegan took another elevator and


    followed them.


    At that time, Hylda had just finished her preoperative evaluation. She was about to go to the operating


    room when she bumped into Albert, dragging a young woman to the outpatient department in a hurry.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡­


    Don¡¯t worry¡­ I¡¯m sure everything will be fine¡­¡± Heforted the woman in a low voice.


    Hylda was bewildered. In a fit of rage, shepletely forgot about her situation and sternly said,


    ¡°Albert, what are you doing?!¡¯


    Albert was startled. When he saw Hylda, he was taken aback momentarily, and his expression


    suddenly became a little embarrassed. ¡°Hylda, what are you doing here?¡±


    The woman who came with Albert froze when she heard Hylda call his name and quickly turned away.


    Hylda walked over to them with a cold face and gritted her teeth. ¡°Why are YOU here? Who is she?¡±


    Albert hesitated for a long time before saying, ¡¯She¡¯s an employee in thepany. She¡¯s not feeling


    well, so I brought her here to see the doctors.¡±


    ¡°Why would she need toe to the OB-GYN? And why does she need you to bring her?¡± Hylda was


    not going to fall for Albert¡¯s lies that easily. She worked hard to get to where she was and would not let


    someonee and take everything away from her, especially not with the same methods she once


    used.


    Albert had two big problems now. He never expected to meet Hylda on such an asion. His mind


    was in a mess, and all he could say tofort Hylda was, ¡°I¡¯ll exin everything at home. First, she


    needs a doctor.¡¯


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Hylda looked at the young woman, and her eyes darted to her stomach


    instantly. ¡°Did you knock her up?¡± Hylda asked in a sharp voice. Her yelling caused people in the


    hallway to turn around and look at them inquisitively.


    Albert felt slightly ufortable and whispered, ¡®I told you I¡¯ll tell you when I get home. Stop causing a


    scene, and stop embarrassing yourself.¡±


    A few people in the obstetrics and gynecology department could not help but take pictures and video


    recordings of the scene in front of them and post them on Twitter.


    ¡°Oh, so you know how embarrassing it is, huh?¡± Hylda turned pale with anger. ¡°She doesn¡¯t even look


    as old as your daughter, yet you got pregnant?! Do you have no shame? Does SHE have no shame?!


    I¡¯m literally pregnant with your child!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    As Hylda said that, she grabbed Xenia¡¯s hair and said bitterly, ¡®You bitch. How dare you steal


    someone¡¯s man? Did your family not teach-¡± Before Hylda could finish her sentence, she saw Xenia¡¯s


    face and froze. ¡®She looks¡­ so simr¡­ That face¡­ she looks just like Rainee when she was


    younger.¡¯


    Xenia and Rainee looked identical. So much so that when she nced at Hylda, a chill ran down


    Hylda¡¯s spine, and her legs turned into jelly.


    Hylda violently pushed Xenia and said, ¡°Who are you?!¡± Xenia was unstable on her feet. Her body


    swayed, and she fell to the ground. Albert was so shocked that she pped Hylda in the face and went


    to help Xenia up.


    Albert looked concerned as heforted Xenia, just like when Hylda saw him treat Rainee with her


    own eyes back then. ¡®With everything I did to get what I want, I still can¡¯tpete with that face.¡¯

 Chapter 989

    Chapter 989


    Chapter 989 Hylda was trembling with anger, and her stomach was starting to ache.


    She staggered and seemed to be unable to steady herself.


    At the same time, Ian just returned with a form.


    Seeing this scene, he immediately stepped forward to help her, ''''What''s the matter, Hylda?" Hylda was


    pale and fainted without saying a word.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Albert heard Ian shout and saw Hylda pass out with blood stains on her skirt.


    Suddenly, Albert panicked.


    The two pregnant women were rushed to the emergency room.


    Keegan had an acquaintance in the city hospital.


    He called her in advance so that Xenia would not get exposed for her fake pregnancy.


    The doctor said that Xenia was experiencing miscarriage-like symptoms.


    She prescribed some pills to prevent the miscarriage and asked her to go home and rest.


    Albert was relieved after hearing that.


    Hylda and the baby were also safe.


    The doctor told them that she was too emotional.


    Paired with her age, it strained her body and caused the bleeding.


    However, the baby was in good health, and the fetal heart rate, along with other data, was stable.


    Just as Albert let out of sigh of relief again, a nurse came in witha form and asked for a family


    member''s signature.


    Albert grabbed it before Ian could and saw that it was the abortion confirmation form.


    His expression changed immediately.


    "What the hell is this? An abortion confirmation form? No one''s having an abortion.


    Did you make a mistake?" The nurse was afraid she had made a mix-up, so she quickly checked the


    information provided and asked, "Isn''t this Ms.


    White''s ID number?" Albert frowned, "It is her, but we didn''t say we would have an abortion!" "we have


    her signature right here, stating that she wants to terminate the pregnancy." the nurse said.


    Then, after pausing, the nurse continued in a low voice, "Do you need time to discuss this?" Albert


    looked at Hylda¡®s signature on the paper, and his expression turned ugly.


    Hylda had told him that she was going to church earlier that morning to pray for the children, but it


    turned out she was getting an abortion at the hospital.


    ''She didn''t tell me about her pregnancy at first, and now she''s hiding an abortion from me.


    I wouldn''t have known about this if I hadn''te to the hospital today.


    I wouldn''t even know that my child was gone!'' Albert became very angry thinking about it.


    It just so happened that Hylda woke up at the time.


    Albert walked to her hospital bed with the document in his hand and was about to throw them at her,


    but Ian stopped him in mid-air.


    Tan was a gentle and handsome man.


    He was not too short, but he was thin.


    However, he was naturally much stronger than Albert because he was young.


    He clutched Albert in his arms, and Albert could not move for a while.


    ¡°Albert, Hylda is still pregnant with the child.


    Are you nning to have a funeral for the child so soon?" Ian asked solemnly.


    As soon as Albert heard that, he immediately surrendered.


    Ian was a part of the Moore family; Albert could not afford to offend him.


    So with a sullen face, he held the consent form and questioned Hylda.

 Chapter 990

    Chapter 990


    Chapter 990


    "You lied to me, saying you were going to church, yet you came here to abort a baby.How could you


    make such a big decision without consulting me first?!"


    The image of Xenia''s face was embedded in Hylda''s mind.


    When she saw Albert, she felt sick to the stomach and couldn''t help but dry heaven quickly grabbed


    a bucket and put it next to the bed.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Hylda tried to throw up for a long time, but nothing came out.Her face was paler than before.


    Seeing how rough she looked, Albert softened his attitude.


    He sat on the edge of the bed and took Hylda''s hand, whispering, "Didn''t we agree to keep the baby?


    Why on earth are you doing this?"


    Hylda withdrew her hand with a cold face and asked, "How long have you been with that woman? How


    many months old is that bastard?"


    Albert was a little upset when he heard his child being called a bastard, but Hylda was pregnant and


    had just bled earlier, so he patiently exined, "She''s an intern at thepany.I''ve brought her to a


    few of the meetings with clients.One time, I drank too much, and when I woke up the next day..."


    Albert did not go on, but everyone understood what happened next.


    "I felt guilty and wanted to tell you about it several times, but I didn''t know how to start.I thought about


    firing her but found out that she got pregnant after only one time."


    Hylda could not take another second of that disgusting exnation, but she suppressed her anger and


    asked, "So what if she¡¯s pregnant? Why do you want her baby? Are you going to rece me with her


    like you reced Rainee with me?"


    "What are you talking about?"


    Albert was not happy.


    "I didn''t want this, Hylda.Heck, I''m older than her father.Do you think I''m that shameless? She''s just a


    little girl who contacted me in panic when she found out she was pregnant.I haven''t figured out how to


    handle it yet."


    "Do you even need to think about it? Just get her to abort it!"


    Hylda didn''t actually care about how, where, or when Albert got together with Xenia.


    All she cared about was the child in that woman''s belly.


    She did not want her children to divide their inheritance with an outsider.


    Albert hesitated, "Hylda, you know that our family is small, and I like children very much.Look, we can


    give her some money after she gives birth to the baby and ask her to leave.We''ll raise the baby


    ourselves.Since he will be around the same age as the baby in your belly, we can tell people you gave


    birth to twins.No one will suspect a thing.You''ll also have one more son to care for you when you''re


    older."


    Hylda was mad at Albert''s reply, "Do you think I''m Rainee? Do you think I want to raise my child and


    someone else''s for you? I already have children and can simply give birth to more if I want to.Why


    would I want to care for a bastard? Hurry up and deal with that woman.If you don''t, I will do it.I can


    assure you I won''t bepassionate."


    "Why would youe for an abortion if you can have a baby?"


    Albert was running out of patience.


    "I know you don''t want to give me a son.Do you think I''m dumb?"


    ¡®It''s all Hylda¡¯s fault.She stopped having sex with me.I wouldn''t have to have sex with other women if


    that weren''t the case!¡¯ Albert thought.Hylda was furious, "Do you know how old I am? I''m at an


    advanced maternal age.Have you considered my safety? We already have Sophia and Hugo.Aren''t


    they enough?"


    "What''s the point of having a daughter? They just leave with other men when they get older.How can I


    let my daughter inherit such a big family business? Hugo...Hugo is an enigma.He''s seven years old, yet


    he can''t even utter aplete sentence.Do you know what people say about that behind my back?


    They say he¡¯s retarded!" Albert said angrily.


    "How am I going to continue the Jewell family lineage if there''s actually something wrong with him and I


    don''t have any more children?" Ste and Keegan heard those words loud and clear from outside the


    hospital room.


    ¡®They say that cells regenerate every seven years, yet Albert has not changed at all over the years"

 Chapter 991

    Chapter 991


    Chapter 991


    Ste immediately felt a lot better when she thought about how much Albert loved Sophia, yet he was


    still unwilling to let her inherit his wealth.She was pretty disappointed that she could not be there to


    witness Sophia''s reaction when she heard that.She turned around and asked Keegan, "Are you going


    to pass your inheritance only to your son, but not your daughter?"


    Keegan answered, "I''ll pass them to you so that you can enjoy them with me.They can earn their own


    money."


    Ste could not help butugh.


    "Didn''t you inherit your wealth from your father? Why are you nning to be so strict with your own


    child?"


    Keegan said in a serious manner, "It''s true that my family gave me a good head start, but I could still


    have everything I own now if I didn''t have them.It would just take me a little longer to achieve it, that''s


    all.My father''s wealth has always been kept by my grandmother, and I''ve not touched it.If I''m not


    competent enough, I wouldn''t be able to run Vinci Rivera if it was passed down to me."


    He paused before continuing, "The same goes for my children.They have to prove that they are


    competent enough to inherit my wealth."


    Ste thought to herself, ¡®Keegan probably got these values from his grandmother, as she had always


    taught him this way.On the other hand, Aurora was raised by Dahlia, who was both narrow-minded and


    shortsighted.So, it was no surprise that she became a spoiled brat"


    Ste felt proud of herself because of how she managed to pick such a good man like Keegan, as she


    was a person who prioritized looks over other traits in choosing a partner.


    "What''s so funny?"


    Keegan pinched her hand.


    Ste looked up and softly said, "I was just thinking about something.Aren''t you worried that I''ll


    abandon you when you''re old and spend all your money on a sugar baby after you pass them all to


    me?"


    Keegan kept quiet.He furrowed his brows and began thinking about that question seriously.


    After all, his girlfriend was very famous among hot guys on the inte for being easily attracted by


    looks alone.


    After a few seconds, Keegan said, "I''ll ce them all in a trust fund to umte my wealth then."


    Ste glowered at him and pushed him with her elbow.


    "How fickle of you! I''m not going to marry a person like this!"


    Keegan chuckled and wrapped his arms around him.


    Then, he whispered in a seductive manner, "They''re not going to ,I take off their clothes for you even if


    you tipped them, but I''d strip everything off just for you."


    Ste was speechless.


    Keegan was an excellent critical thinker, especially when he noticed that his n needed to be


    adjusted to achieve his goals.


    He would urately utilize his advantage to the fullest.


    And to Ste, his face was his biggest advantage.


    It was very easy for Keegan to get what he wanted from a ,I Person who was obsessed with looks


    because all he had to do was something seductive, and it would always work.


    Just like the night when she was drugged; all Keegan had to do was tease her a little and her guard


    crumbled like a I house of cards.


    As expected, Ste''s eyes turned very red as soon as he finished speaking.


    She cleared the censored scenes in her head and nced at Keegan.


    "Did you know that being too flirty would lower one''s attractiveness?"


    Keegan immediately shut up and returned to his usual cold self as if he was saying, "Woman, you


    better not test me."


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Ste could not help butugh.


    Keegan was tall, handsome, and imposing.


    He would always look like the most respectable alpha wolf in his pack.


    But, once he did anything foolish, he would immediately turn into a little husky who thought that he


    looked elegant, but was, in fact, silly.


    That extreme contrast was simply irresistible.

 Chapter 992

    Chapter 992


    Chapter 992


    Ste said in a low voice, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve only tipped them once. They were having a lucky draw in


    their live session, and they were going to pick ten winners to get ten thousand dors each. So, I


    wanted to try my luck and topped up a few hundred dors to enter the draw?


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    As expected, she did not win anything at all. Online hosts like them would not just do a money-losing


    business like that.


    They were only willing to give away one million dors because they knew that they could have ten


    million or even more in return from their viewers¡¯ desire to take risks.


    It would only cost a few dors to enter the draw once, but it gave each participant a chance to


    purchase a Maserati in cash. The host would also keep persuading their viewers by telling them the


    more entries they had, the higher the chances of getting selected.


    When their lucky draw gained more traction and attracted more participants that could go up to a


    million, the probability of winning became extremely low. However, the hosts still gained fame and


    money from the viewers, and organizing a lucky draw like that once would earn them a fortune.


    Keegan was speechless after hearing that.


    One of her bags alone could already be worth more than a hundred thousand.


    He suddenly realized that Ste seemed like the kind of person who would expect good things to fall


    into herp.


    For example, she would always purchase a few lottery tickets from a shop whenever she went to the


    mall. The maid would always find a few lottery tickets in her pockets when washing her clothes.


    Keegan remembered that she won three hundred dors once, and it was enough to make her dance


    around. She even dragged him to dine in a


    Fredrus restaurant. She had merely won three hundred dors, but the bill turned out to be more than


    three thousand.


    He thought about it and figured that Ste was not after the prize itself, but more to the thrill of winning.


    She was nothing like a rich girl who would be petty and materialistic. Instead, she was a softhearted


    person who would never show her true feelings, and that was the exact trait of hers that Keegan


    became so obsessed with.


    The argument was still ongoing in the ward.


    Hylda was furious at the statement that Albert had just made. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with our daughter? Isn¡¯t


    she also your child? Hugo is just introverted, that¡¯s all. Why are you so desperate to get him reced?


    How could you be so sure that the slut will give you a son?¡±


    Albert had made his decision to keep the baby, and he was not going to change his mind because of


    her words. Especially when he thought about the fact that she was going to have an abortion behind


    his back, he spoke even louder. ¡°Is it wrong for me to find someone else to have my child because you


    won¡¯t do it? I¡¯m going to keep this baby no matter what.¡± Then, he warned her, ¡°You better not try


    anything. If anything ever happens to Xenia and the baby, I¡¯lle after you!¡±


    Hylda got so angry that her face turned pale. It was true that she snatched Albert away from Rainee,


    but she did not expect him to be such a hypocrite. Albert did not dare to say a word when Rainee told


    him to do anything, but suddenly, he became a male chauvinist as soon as he got together with her.


    Hylda had been together with him for so many years, yet he still would not let her be fully in charge of


    their finances.


    Otherwise, she would never have to be so inferior and go through anything like this.


    Hylda shut her eyes and took a deep breath before she said in a deep voice, ¡°Fine, go ahead and let


    her have your child. I can only me myself fortrusting the wrong person. I want a divorce and please


    prepare the necessary documents. I¡¯m not going to take a penny from you. All I want is Sophia and


    Hugo.¡±


    After that, she said to Ian, ¡°Ian, help me pack my things. I¡¯m leaving the hospital.¡±


    Albert froze in ce, as he was not expecting Hylda to ask for a divorce at all.


    Although he wanted another child, it did not mean that he was about to give up his current children.


    He was already so old, and in addition to how big of a scandal he got himself into by remarrying that


    time, he was not nning to divorce Hylda and marry Xenia even though he wanted Xenia to have his


    baby.


    Hylda was always very obedient to him, and she was also the mother of his two children. Moreover,


    they had some secrets that could never be exposed. There was just no way that he would divorce her.


    Albert panicked and hurriedly grabbed her arm. ¡°What divorce? You¡¯re still pregnant! Don¡¯t be


    ridiculous!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want this baby anymore.¡± Hylda shrugged his hand off and said with reddened eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t you


    have another woman to bear your child? Why would you still want this baby? If someone else is going


    to take away the fatherly love my child deserves as soon as he is born, I¡¯d rather have him die in my


    womb!¡±

 Chapter 993

    Chapter 993


    Chapter 993


    Albert tried to grab Hylda again, but Ian blocked his hand and said with a dark expression, ¡°Brother-in-


    law, the decision you made is very unfair to my sister, yet she didn¡¯t say anything harsh to you. How far


    do you want to push her?¡¯


    Albert opened his mouth and could not find a word to say.


    Then, Ian tly said, ¡°I¡¯m going to hire the bestwyer for my sister in thiswsuit. We¡¯re not going to


    give up on Sophia and Hugo. You should tell yourwyer to be prepared as well.¡±


    Albert started panicking at that time.


    Ian was not the same man anymore. He had the advantage over Albert since he married into the


    Moore family. Besides, Albert did not trust Hylda in keeping the secrets she had been hiding for so


    many years if their marriage were to be broken.


    Albert would be caught in serious trouble if that happened.


    When he thought about that, he got so worried that he immediately stepped forward to stop Hylda.


    Then, he said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Hylda, don¡¯t be mad. I¡¯m foolish and made a stupid decision.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been with me since you were seventeen years old, and I¡¯ve not given you a proper status or


    recognition at all. I didn¡¯t even give you a proper wedding ceremony, yet I¡¯m making you go through


    something like this. I¡¯m such an idiot.¡¯


    Hylda¡¯s eyes turned red as she choked with sobs. ¡°There¡¯s no need to say anything like this. I know I¡¯m


    getting older, and I¡¯m nothingpared to a young girl in her early twenties. I guess I deserve this for


    ruining somebody else¡¯s family back then, and I ept it. After all, we¡¯ve been together for many years.


    Let¡¯s not turn things ugly.¡¯


    Albert said downheartedly, ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m not going to divorce you. I want Sophia,


    Hugo, and the baby inside of you regardless of gender. Just focus on taking care of your health and


    quit thinking about giving up on the baby. The child is destined to be in our family, and I¡¯m going to love


    the baby just as much regardless if it¡¯s a boy or a girl. As for Xenia, I¡¯ll give her some money and tell


    her to get an abortion. I¡¯ll never see her again.¡±


    Hylda replied in a hoarse voice, ¡°You¡¯re not lying to me, right?¡¯


    Albert then said, ¡¯I¡¯ll go to her now and have the operation arranged.¡±


    Hylda sneered inwardly, but her face looked very helpless anyway. ¡°Talk to her nicely and don¡¯t make


    things worse. Otherwise, your image in thepany will be affected. A fresh graduate like her only


    wants to climb the socialdder and take shortcuts. Offer her more money and try your best to satisfy


    her.¡±


    Albert agreed with her and grabbed her hand before he gently said, ¡°Get some rest, then. I¡¯ll go over


    there now.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Try to settle it peacefully,¡± Hylda said.


    As soon as Albert stepped out of the door, the helpless look on Hylda¡¯s face immediately disappeared,


    and she said in a deep voice, ¡°Ian follow him and see if he¡¯s really going to do as he said, or he¡¯s just


    trying to fool me.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ian said and left.


    When Albert came out of the ward, he coincidentally saw Xenia talking on her phone in the hallway.


    Xenia saw him, and she was stunned for a moment. Then, she turned around and was about to walk


    away.


    Albert quickly went after her and grabbed her hand. ¡¯Didn¡¯t the doctor say there¡¯s another checkup in a


    while? Where are you going?¡±


    Xenia anxiously moved her hand away as her lips trembled. It took her a few moments before she


    could speak. ¡°Does your wife want me to have an abortion?¡±


    Albert paused and did not know what to say.


    The look on Xenia¡¯s face instantly turned dejected when she saw how Albert just kept quiet without


    saying anything. After a few seconds, she said in a breathy voice, ¡°Can I have two more days with my


    baby before I do that?¡±


    Albert felt a bit conflicted, but he hardened his heart as soon as he thought of Hylda. ¡°Get it done as


    soon as possible for everyone¡¯s sake.¡±


    Xenia¡¯s face turned pale as her eyshes trembled slightly. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she held


    them back without letting them roll down.

 Chapter 994

    Chapter 994


    Chapter 994


    Xenia continued in a hoarse voice, "I know.I''m not trying to get anything from you using the baby, but I


    just want to bid a proper farewell to it.Even though I got very scared when I first found out about my


    baby, its existence made me somewhat greedy...for someone who doesn''t belong to me."


    She started sobbing as she spoke.


    "Mr.Jewell, I don''t want anything from you.I can have an abortion like you wanted, but can we not do it


    today? The doctor just let me listen to my baby''s heartbeat, and my baby is probably conscious now.I


    want to have a proper conversation with my baby and tell the baby that I''m not giving up on it because I


    don''t love it.Albert saw Xenia crying, and his heart immediately softened.She looked so much like


    Rainee when she was crying.


    Besides, he even started to feel like their voice sounded very simr too even though it might just be an


    illusion.


    When she cried and said those words, he could almost see Rainee in her twenties standing in front of


    him with her eyes reddened because she was injured from ying sports.


    Albert was taken aback, and he turned hesitant.


    He just could not forgive Rainee for betraying him.


    He had always believed that his rtionship with Rainee became so disastrous because of how


    assertive and domineering Rainee was to him.


    Yet, deep down, he was very proud that he got to marry a woman like Rainee, who was beautiful,


    capable, and admired by many boys in their ss back then.


    The fact that this girl chose him and not the other boys who looked down on him greatly satisfied his


    inferior sense of pride.


    However, Rainee had always been a very controlling person.She did not allow him to smoke or drink if


    it was not for business purposes, and she even had a curfew for him to obey.She would call him


    nonstop if he was not home after ten o''clock.


    He felt as though Rainee chose him only because he was an easy person to contain, and he could


    easily satisfy her desire for control.


    She would never seek his opinion when it came to making important decisions at work and always


    acted based on her own judgment.


    That made Albert, who graduated from the same school as her, feel very unfair.


    As time passed, he began to forget a lot of things that had happened when he was still dating Rainee.


    However, after Rainee had passed away, he would always see Rainee''s face when she was younger in


    his dream.


    Sometimes she would look coquettish, and sometimes sad.


    But, it all reminded him of the times when she depended on him for everything.


    Xenia looked exactly like the Rainee in his dream right now.


    Their simr voice and looks struck Albert right in his heart.


    Suddenly, hepletely forgot about the promise he had just made to Hylda as he gently wiped away


    the tears on Xenia''s face.


    "Don''t cry.You don''t have to get an abortion if you don''t want you.It''s just a child anyway.I have plenty of


    money to raise him."


    Xenia asked in a hoarse voice, "But, what are you going to tell your wife? I don''t want to put you in a


    difficult position."


    Albert frowned, and his head hurt when he heard that.


    Then, he said in a low voice, "Let that be my concern.I''ll take care of it."


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Hylda was just called out, and she heard exactly what Albert said as anger flooded her veins.


    ¡®What an asshole.He can never change who he truly is!¡¯ Hylda was about to explode with rage, but she


    heard Ste''s voiceing from a distance.


    "Mr.and Mrs.Jewell, what a coincidence."


    Albert and Hylda were both shocked.


    They turned around and saw Ste''s nonchnt face from not far away with Keegan, why they had not


    seen for a long time, standing beside her.


    They stood about two or three feet apart from each other, looking neither too intimate nor distant.But,


    the looks on their faces were very indifferent.

 Chapter 995

    Chapter 995


    Chapter 995


    Albert and Hylda both had strange looks on their faces as they realized that Ste witnessed the


    dramatic scene that had happened.


    ¡°Ste, why are you at the hospital?¡±


    Albert was the one who recollected himself first as he hurriedly asked novelbob. Then, he looked at


    Keegan and asked, ¡°Did youe here with Mr. Kane?¡°


    Ste shook her head. ¡°Nope. I¡¯m here to see a doctor and met him downstairs, so we came up


    together.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    She looked at Albert before shifting her gaze to Hylda, and finally to the woman that Albert was


    hugging. ¡°And, this is?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s-¡°


    ¡°She¡¯s thepany secretary.¡± Hylda interrupted Albert before he could finish speaking.


    Hylda was a homewrecker who ruined Rainee¡¯s family, and she was so proud of it back then. However,


    after less than a year of getting married to Albert, he got sick of her and found someone a lot younger


    to rece her. How ironic was that?


    Hylda could turn a blind eye to Albert having an affair outside their marriage, but she would not allow


    herself to be aughingstock to Ste.


    So, the first thing she could think of was to hide Xenia¡¯s real identity.


    Ste did not speak as she sized up Xenia. Then, she said after a few moments, ¡°This secretary of


    yours looks somewhat familiar.¡±


    Xenia¡¯s face was right in front of Ste, so it was just impossible for her to not see the resemnce


    judging from how close Ste was with Rainee. Hylda was fuming at the fact that not only did Albert


    cheat on her nv?lx.o, but he even did it with someone who looked so much like Rainee to challenge her


    limit.


    Ste was a sharp person, and she could sort of already guess what was happening after bumping into


    them in the hospital.


    ¡°I thought the same as you too when I first saw this youngdy. Look at her eyes. They look so much


    like Rainee¡¯s.¡± Hylda sighed before she added,¡± Unfortunately, Rainee lived a short life and left us too


    soon. Otherwise, they¡¯d look so much like mother and daughter when they stand next to each other.


    We wouldn¡¯t have hired her if it wasn¡¯t for how she looks. This youngdy is a very hardworking and


    novelbob meticulous girl who knows how to read others¡¯ moods very well while serving tea and coffee


    to us in the office.¡±


    Ste¡¯s blood boiled with anger when she heard the shameless and malicious wordsing out of


    Hylda¡¯s mouth


    She sneered and said, ¡°Do you feel okay with someone with so much resemnce to my mother


    serving you tea and coffee?¡±


    Hylda smirked. ¡°Why not? I actually feel prettyforted too. If it wasn¡¯t for Rainee¡¯s help, I would¡¯ve


    never gotten the opportunity to make it out of my old neighborhood. I¡¯m very grateful to her.¡±


    Ste clenched her fists tightly.


    Keegan coughed softly and the sound he made brought Ste back to her senses, as she took a deep


    breath to calm herself down.


    Obviously, Hylda was just trying to provoke her, and everything that she had done would go in vain if


    she were to fall into Hylda¡¯s trap.


    Her face turned pale, and she put on a dejected look on her face as she questioned Albert, ¡°Is this what


    you meant by sincerity? My mother has passed away, yet you¡¯re making her go through a humiliation


    like this?¡±


    Albert, who had been at a loss for words, finally recollected himself as he quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to


    her nonsense. Today¡¯s her first day seeing Xenia.¡±


    Hylda¡¯s face brimmed with anger. ¡®What a despicable asshole! How could he embarrass me like this?!¡¯


    After rifying, Albert shifted his gaze back to Ste and Keegan. ¡°Keegan, longtime no see.¡±


    His voice sounded a little unnatural. Even though he extorted fifty million from Keegan online


    remorselessly, he could not help but feel a little guilty when he saw Keegan in person.


    Keegan¡¯s eyes always looked sharp and calm as if he could see through everything. Albert was about


    thirty years older than him, yet he would somehow feel uneasy around him.


    Keegan swept his gaze across him. ¡°Mr. Jewell, it¡¯s better for you to not address me by my first name


    to avoid any misunderstandings from others.¡±

 Chapter 996

    Chapter 996


    Chapter 996


    Albert said in a gentle voice, ¡°Even though you and Ste are divorced, to me, we¡¯re still family.


    Besides, I¡¯m just used to calling you that after so many years.¡±


    Keegan raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m afraid that you have to start getting used to


    addressing me in a different way now. You¡¯re not Ste¡¯s father. Technically, I¡¯m not rted to you in


    any way. If you don¡¯t stop calling me that, I¡¯ll have to do a lot of exining to others. So, please stop


    doing that.¡±


    The edge of Albert¡¯s eye twitched as he felt extremely awkward.


    However, when he heard how warmly Keegan said Ste¡¯s name, he realized that Keegan was still


    willing to be with her despite being lied to previously.


    So, it further solidified his decision to adopt Ste and be her foster father because the benefits


    that the Kane family had brought him in the past years were simply irresistible and he could not let go


    of them.


    Albert quickly adjusted himself. ¡°Even though I¡¯m not Ste¡¯s biological father, I¡¯ve raised her since she


    was a child. I¡¯ve also told her about adopting her and I know that deep down, she¡¯s fine with it too. No


    matter what, I¡¯m still considered as her father.¡±


    Hylda became anxious after hearing what. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Are you sure that


    you want to adopt Ste? Are you out of your mind?¡±


    Albert¡¯s face immediately darkened. ¡°Shut up when men are talking!¡¯


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Hylda was fuming. Not only that Albert cheated on her and got another woman pregnant, he even tried


    to adopt Ste. She could not figure out what was going on in Albert¡¯s head. Ste had such deep


    resentment toward them, yet he wanted to keep a deadly threat around him. Albert¡¯s decision was


    simply ridiculous to Hylda!


    As her anger red, her stomach began hurting. She instinctively grabbed Albert and grunted, ¡°Albert,


    my stomach hurts.¡±


    Albert thought that she was just pretending to ruin his n, so he got impatient with her. ¡°Go back to


    your room and rest then. Who told you toe outside?¡±


    Then, he turned to Ste and put on a concerned look on his face. ¡°Ste, how have you beentely?


    Is the money I transferred to you previously enough? I can give you more money If you need them.¡±


    Hylda was already very angry, and her eyes rolled to the back of her head when she heard Albert


    giving Ste money behind her back.


    Ian was watching from afar, and he immediately went forward to hold Hylda up when he noticed that


    something was wrong with her. He frowned and asked worriedly, ¡°Sis, are you okay?¡±


    Hylda responded weakly, ¡°My stomach hurts.¡±


    It was only then that Albert knew that Hylda was not pretending. He immediately startedining


    when he realized that their baby could be in danger, ¡°The doctor already told you that you need to rest.


    Why did youe outside? You just got to make things difficult for everyone, don¡¯t you?


    It was simply impossible for a person to listen to what he said and not get angry.


    However, Ste did not sympathize with Hylda at all. She figured that her revenge would mean nothing


    if Hylda could not experience what her mother had to go through back then.


    Hylda was in so much pain that she could not speak. Ian immediately held her up and went to look for a


    doctor without saying anything.


    Albert was not bothered to throw himself at Keegan anymore, as he quickly followed Ian after briefly


    saying goodbye to him.


    Keegan asked, ¡°Mr. Jewell, do you need help?¡±


    Albert paused as he did not expect Keegan to call him back.


    He instinctively asked without thinking, ¡°With what?¡±


    Keegan then tly said, ¡°I can rmend you to a good obstetrician that I know. She provides


    excellent care for older mothers and ensures minimal pregnancyplications.¡±


    Albert was surprised when he heard that. ¡°Why would you know an obstetrician?¡±


    Keegan replied, ¡°I had ns to have a kid with Ste, and I wanted to find out how to increase the


    probability of having a boy.¡±


    Ste was speechless.

 Chapter 997

    Chapter 997


    Chapter 997


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe it!¡¯


    Ste was still worried that Keegan¡¯s acting would be unnatural and too obvious to trick them.


    It turned out that her concern waspletely unnecessary, as she saw how effortlessly Keegan said


    that.


    The serious and calm look on his face was so convincing that even Ste herself was going to fall for


    his lies.


    Albert got interested as soon as he heard what Keegan said. However, he remained skeptical.


    ¡¯Is that even possible?¡±


    Keegan said, ¡°Our technology is so advanced now that gene engineering and gene medication are very


    normalized. So, why would it be impossible to do that?¡¯


    Albert immediately got tempted. ¡°C-Could you send me her contact, then?¡±


    Keegan replied, ¡°Of course. Just mention my name when you call her.¡±


    Albert was extremely grateful, but he was filled with deep regret when he saw how well Ste and


    Keegan looked together.


    However, he could not spare more time to chat with them anymore, so he said to Ste, ¡¯Ste, my


    words always stand. It¡¯s not easy for a girl like you to earn a living out there. The Jewell family¡¯s door


    will always be open for you if you ever feel likeing back.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes twitched, but she remained silent.


    Albert finally acted like a father as he said to Keegan, ¡°Mr. Kane, please take care of Ste for me.¡±


    ¡¯Sure,¡± Keegan responded. Then, Albert walked away hurriedly, and of course, taking Xenia with him.


    Steughed out loud after they went out of their sight. ¡°Your lie is ridiculous! How could you choose


    the gender of a baby? Aren¡¯t you worried that he¡¯ll see through your lie?¡±


    Keegan shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I didn¡¯t explicitly tell him that it¡¯s possible. He could be just unlucky if


    things didn¡¯t work out for him. How brilliant was that, huh?¡±


    He held her finger as he spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s go. The show¡¯s over. I¡¯ll take you home now.¡±


    Ste grabbed his hand and openly held it.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Aldor had been waiting in the car for them. He started the car as soon as they got in.


    ¡®Mr. Kane, I got what you asked for. They¡¯re on the seat.¡±


    Aldor said while driving.


    ¡¯Okay,¡± Keegan said as he picked up the file from the passenger seat. He scanned it before shifting his


    gaze to Ste. He was about to say


    something, but he saw Ste texting someone on WhatsApp while typing nonstop.


    Keegan put on his sses, and his face turned red with anger.


    Ste was going back and forth with a person named ¡°Fifty Million¡± on WhatsApp.


    Keegan knew that the person could only be Marshall.


    He felt even worse when he thought that the fifty million originated from the money she had to pay for


    filing the divorce against him back then.


    ¡°Who are you talking to?¡±


    She suddenly heard Keegan speaking. His breath was so close to her that she was startled.


    Ste pushed him away and said, ¡°Don¡¯t speak so close to my ear.¡± Then, she added, ¡°Marshall said


    that Duncan¡¯s wife is safe now, and their baby is fine too. He just texted me to keep me updated.¡±


    Keegan said, ¡°And, it takes him so many messages just to tell you that?¡±

 Chapter 998

    Chapter 998


    Chapter 998


    "We talked about something else too, but I mainly want to find out if he knows anything about his


    uncle.But, he doesn''t seem to know much." Keegan scoffed.


    "It''d be strange if he does.His parents aren''t really close with Irene, and they don''t talk with each other


    much.No one in the Moore family is happy with Irene''s husband either.They didn''t even allow them to


    have a wedding ceremony after receiving the marriage certificate, and Marshall has only met with him a


    few times." Ste was shocked.


    "But, Marshall''s mom seems very close with Irene at the jewelry exhibition back then.How can you be


    so sure?"


    Keegan said tly, "They were just putting on a show for outsiders."He paused for a moment before


    continuing, "


    Marshall had a brother who was two years younger than him, but he identally choked on a small toy


    and passed away."


    Marshall''s parents were out shopping at that time because Frederick was very happy that Irene had


    come back from studying abroad.He prepared a grand weing party and insisted on organizing it at


    home.


    Because Marshall''s parents lived with Frederick back then, they were responsible for arranging the


    party.So, both of his parents were told to go out and do the shopping.


    Everyone in the family was busy doing something for Irene.


    No one was there to look after the two children, and that was how the ident happened.


    Because no one was around them, nobody knew that Marshall''s brother was choking on something.


    Marshall was only three or four years old at that time, and he had no idea why his brother could not


    breathe.He went to the adults for help, but all of them thought that he was just ying around, so they


    ignored him.


    By the time the nanny went upstairs to check on Marshall''s brother, his face was already purple, and


    his heart had stopped beating.


    When they sent him to the hospital, the doctor told them that it was already toote.


    Ariel was so shocked that she passed out on the scene.


    In fact, there was no need for them to leave the house since the nanny could have done everything for


    them.


    However, Frederick insisted that Marshall''s parents should do that instead because he thought that the


    nanny would not be meticulous enough.


    Ariel was still in the breastfeeding stage, and she was so worried about her younger son getting hungry


    or needing to get his diaper changed that she would call the nanny for updates every half an hour.


    The nanny told her that her child was doing fine, yet something like that had happened.


    Marshall''s parents confronted the nanny.


    However, she imed that Frederick asked her to do something else, and she had told Irene to check


    on the kids.


    But, Irene said that the nanny did not speak to her about it at all.


    The child lost his life due to the adults'' negligence, yet no one in the family took responsibility for the


    tragedy.


    Ariel even called the police, but all the police could do was find out the cause of death, and further legal


    actions would have to depend on the court.


    Frederick thought that their family¡¯s reputation would be tarnished, so he fired the nanny and prohibited


    anyone in the Moore family from ever talking about it.


    In the end, no one was held responsible for what happened.


    Then, Keegan said, "No matter whose fault it was, it all happened because Irene came


    back.Otherwise, the nanny wouldn''t be doing anything else apart from looking after the children.Do you


    think that Ariel could ever let this go?"


    Ste felt a chilling sensation all over after listening to Keegan''s words.She finally knew why Keegan


    said that they were just putting ona show.


    It was simply impossible for a mother not to hold resentment toward a person who caused her son''s


    death.


    Any mother in the world would have a difficult time forgiving Irene, in this case.


    Ste sighed and softly said, "I feel so bad for Marshall.He was right there with his little brother.I


    wonder if any of the adults me him for what happened.He was only three years old.He was probably


    frightened."


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Keegan paused and pulled her face closer as he said ina deep voice, "Are you feeling bad for another


    man?"


    Ste was speechless.


    Then, she shouted angrily, "It''s natural human emotions, okay? Don''t you know who else I feel sorry


    for? I had such a hard time sleepingst night.I would''ve just left if it weren''t for the rashes all over your


    body!"


    Keegan felt very happy, yet he said, "You clearly took up most of the bed, and I was the one getting


    squeezed into the corner despite being the patient."


    Ste gritted her teeth.


    "I''m a chicken if ever go back here to take care of you!" Keegan chuckled.


    "! still prefer you to be a human." He handed her the file as he spoke.


    "Take a look.It''s something you wanted."


    Ste took it and said, "A property transfer contract?"


    Keegan kept quiet.


    "No.It''s an organ transnt contract."


    Ste was speechless.

 Chapter 999

    Chapter 999


    Chapter 999


    Ste flipped it open and sawn White''s information.


    No, it should be Phil Corden.


    This person had a very simr background to Hylda.


    They were both from a small town and came to Rivera with nothing when they were just teenagers.He


    worked as a waiter, a nude model, a helper ina barbershop, and a car mechanic...He had worked in


    almost every position that was avable to the lower-ssborers.


    The two positions that he worked the longest were as a model and a waiter at Sapphire Clubhouse.His


    parents had passed away a long time ago, and his family, including his two older brothers, had not


    seen him for a very long time.


    A lot of people believed that he died in an ident, and even his identification documents were


    destroyed.


    That was the exact reason why Hylda could seamlessly fake him asn White.He was a person without


    an identity, and nobody would suspect anything if he were to rece another person who was


    abducted and went missing a long time ago.He had known Hylda for ten years, but Hylda was a careful


    person.


    That was why they could not get a lot of information about him.


    However, it was proven that Hylda paid for Phil''s tuition fees at the art academy.


    Most importantly, Phil had stic surgery, and he lookedpletely different nowpared to how he


    used to.


    Ste looked at the photos of him before he had the stic surgery, and her eyes widened.


    "He...looks so much like Hugo!"


    Keegan was not surprised at all as he already had this suspicion before looking him up.He only


    conducted the investigation on Phil to further solidify his assumption.


    Then, he asked, "What are you nning to do about it?¡¯ Ste recollected herself as she closed the


    file.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    "The show will be better when the baby is older.In three months...or maybe lesser, Hylda will be more


    worried than us."


    Hylda had already used her pawn, Phil, to pave the way for her son by making him marry Irene.


    Ste figured that Hylda would not want another child at that time because she would not have the


    energy to take care of him, and it would risk jeopardizing her n too.


    From the information Ste read about Phil, she realized that he was very deeply in love with Hylda.


    Hylda was very smart.


    She did not deny that Phil was just a pawn to her to help her in achieving her goals.


    With both of her children in a favorable position, she knew that she would be able to live her life


    comfortably and luxuriously without having to worry about anything in the world.She was already


    nning to sort out her rtionship with Phil as Irene was not just a pushover that she could take


    advantage of.


    The stakes were extremely high in what she was doing, and she could potentially lose everything she


    had to reach her goal.


    Ste had never met anyone like Hylda in her whole life.


    Hylda would do just about anything to climb the socialdder.


    She did not only desire a man, but she also wanted to be wealthy and earn herself a reputation in


    Rivera.She wanted to turn her life around which most people could only dream of doing.


    Ste was impressed by how ambitious she was, but she detested her unscrupulous means.


    Her mother, Rainee, had always yearned for the Jewell family to make a name for themselves in the


    upper circle of Rivera.


    However, she prioritized the well-being of her children, the safety of her husband, and the harmony of


    her family.She thought that if she could achieve that, all of her problems would be resolved by money


    alone.


    Rainee was also once met with cold nces too when she tried to fit in that circle, but her worth as a


    person surpassed all those women who could only live under their husband''s shadow by miles.


    Ste''s intention for revenge became even stronger when she thought about how Albert hurt her


    mother for a woman like Hylda.


    The car arrived at Clouditude International very soonter.


    Ste asked Keegan when she was getting out of the car, * Are you going straight to the office?"


    Keegan nodded.


    Ste said, "You haven''t changed your clothes yet."


    Keegan paused and said, "It''s fine."


    "Your colleagues are going to gossip about you."


    "They wouldn''t dare," Keegan said.


    Ste looked at Aldor, and he immediately said, "They wouldn''t dare to do it in front of you, but they''ll


    do it privately.Keegan was speechless.


    Ste tried to hold herughter back, as she softly said, "I have some men¡¯s clothes at my ce.Do


    you want to get changed?"

 Chapter 1000

    Chapter 1000


    Chapter 1000


    Keegan''s eyelid twitched, and he repeated what she said.


    "You have men''s clothes at your ce?"


    Ste replied, "I did a photoshoot for a local clothing brand previously.They had a design that looked


    really good, so I took two sets of it for you.The fabric is very soft, but it''s not something very


    expensive.Just forget it if you''re not interested."


    Keegan paused.


    "Why are you speaking as if you''ve bought me any expensive clothes before?" Ste was speechless.


    Then, she gritted her teeth and said, "What makes you say that? The socks that I bought you cost a


    few hundred dors for a pair, and the ones I''m wearing are just a few dors!"


    "Except for socks," Keegan said.


    "What about boxers? They cost several hundred, and some are even more than a thousand!" Keegan


    was speechless.


    "Except for boxers."


    Ste opened her mouth and argued back, "I didn''t buy you expensive clothes not because I''m not


    willing to spend that money on you, but because they''re just not worth the price.You know that when


    you buy from a luxury brand, you''re paying a premium for its brand.A shirt that is sold for a few


    thousand dors only costs a few hundred to make.I just can''t find a reason to spend that much on


    something that you wear casually every day."


    She began to think that her point made a lot of sense, and she spoke even more confidently, "I''d


    compare prices from different stores whenever I buy something.It''s a very tiring thing to do, okay? I''m


    just trying to save money for you, yet you''re mocking me for it."


    Keegan''s eyelid twitched.


    "Youpared prices from different stores, and you got me a pair of swimming trucks which the color


    came off?" Ste kept quiet.


    Aldor could not help but burst intoughter.


    Everybody knew that Keegan did not know how to swim.


    However, some of his business partners would choose to talk business in a club to y some golf or


    swim while they were at it.


    Obviously, Keegan had to apany them throughout those activities, but he would normally not get


    into the water.


    However, he met a client who happened to be an excellent swimmer.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    After finding out that Keegan could not swim, he insisted on teaching him.


    He even said that Keegan would get himself a deal once he learned how to swim.


    Keegan had not gotten a stable position in thepany yet, so he needed big contracts like this to


    boost his reputation.So, he agreed with the client even though he was afraid of the water.


    Then, he called Ste and told her to bring a pair of swimming trunks over.


    Ste knew that he was going to learn to swim and enthusiastically went to pick a pair of swimming


    trunks for him.


    However, Ste''s taste in swimming trunks was rather peculiar.


    They either had superheroes printed on them, had a farting pattern printed on the back, or had an


    elephant''s trunk or banana printed at the front.


    None of them could be worn in public.


    The problem was that Keegan had a meeting with the client, and he was waiting for her to send him the


    swimming trunks.


    She sounded very confident and said that Keegan would love the swimming trunks she bought when


    she was speaking to him on the phone.


    What happened next was obvious.


    Keegan''s face turned pale when he saw those various designs of swimming trunks.


    However, the client was waiting for him, and he had no time to buy a new one.


    So, he reluctantly picked a in ck and red design and wore it.


    It looked like the most normal one out of the others; before he got into the water, at least.


    When they were almost done negotiating the terms, the client told him to get into the water and that he


    was going to teach him some breathing techniques.


    So, Keegan prepared himself mentally and got into the pool.


    Everything was going fine at first, but the look on his client''s face began to look strange after teaching


    him for a while.


    In the end, the client could not hold himself back anymore and asked, "Mr.Kane, do you want to see a


    proctologist? Your hemorrhoids seem pretty serious.Even the water is turning red."


    Keegan was stunned.He looked down and saw a faint red color seeping out from between his thighs.


    The scene looked just as shocking, as his backside was bleeding from hemorrhoids.


    Keegan''s face looked extremely dark.


    Even though Aldor tried his best to exin that the red color came from the discolored swimming


    trunks, the client still gave him a peculiar look despite already acknowledging the situation.


    Keegan was very bothered by that embarrassing incident, and he still could not let it go even though


    two years had passed.


    At the same time, Aldor still had a hard time containing hisughter whenever he thought about it.


    Ste''s way of saving money was simply impable.


    Ste naturally remembered what happened after Keegan brought it up, and she spoke in an awkward


    manner.


    "That pair was a gift from the store owner.All the other ones I bought were just fine, yet you just had to


    pick the free gift."


    Keegan lifted his brows.


    "So, it''s my fault, huh?"


    Ste gritted her teeth.


    "Forget it if you don''t want to get changed! Bye! Keegan grabbed her wrist and chuckled softly, "You


    offered to give them to me.How could you go back on your words?"

 Chapter 1001

    Chapter 1001


    Chapter 1001


    Ste glowered at him.


    "Then you should''ve just stopped bbering." Keegan scratched her palm.


    "I was just ying hard to get.Otherwise, I''d make myself look desperate and cheap."


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®What a genius"


    Felicity was not home; she probably went to the office.


    Ste opened the door and handed Keegan a pair of slippers.


    "Change your shoes into these.I''ll go get the clothes."


    "Okay."


    Keegan changed his shoes and walked inside.He looked at the house decorations and noticed not


    much difference from thest time he came here.


    Luna had been sent back here and was getting charged at the corner.Keegan called out to Luna, and it


    came to him.


    "Daddy." He opened the operation port on its body.


    Then, he upgraded its system and changed its safety mode.


    When Ste came out with the clothes, Keegan was transferring data with his phone.


    "What are you doing?¡¯ Keegan replied, "Collecting the data so it''ll be easier for me to make


    adjustments."


    "Oh," Ste said and sat at the side to wait.


    "Does Luna secretly listen to me?" Ste suddenly asked out of nowhere.


    Keegan''s hand almost trembled as he said with a calm expression.


    "Of course not.Luna is going into the market soon.How would anyone dare use it if it can''t protect their


    privacy?" Ste kept quiet.


    Then, she said after a while, "Keegan, do you know that you wouldn''t look at me every time you lied?"


    Keegan kept quiet.She slightly squinted and said casually.


    "Did you think that I''m a foolish and naive girl?" Keegan was speechless.


    "It''s true that Luna will transmit some data, but it''ll only do that when its security system is breached.I''ve


    got to know that you''re safe, after all.Besides..."


    Keegan paused, "I want to listen to your voice."


    He stole a nce at Ste as he said that.She was not mad.


    Instead, she stroked her chin and asked, "There are no hidden cameras, right?"


    Keegan replied, "You don''t live alone."


    Keegan was implying that he would not mind installing one if Ste lived alone.


    Ste was speechless.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®He became much more confident just because I said he could be my trial boyfriend"


    "Are you done yet? Try the clothes on if you are.It hasn''t been seven days yet, and I can still return


    them if they don''t fit well."


    "Okay."


    Keegan finished upgrading the system and took his shirt off.


    Ste''s eyelid twitched.


    Then, she went to the study room to drink water.


    Her manager called when she was boiling the water, telling her that her ount used to publish short


    videos had reached two million followers, and urged her to post another video to reward her fans and


    boost her poprity.


    The drama, Jurisdiction, was very famous on that tform.


    That was how Ste gained her fame there.


    Kaiden took the management of Ste''s social media ounts very seriously.


    He filmed a short video for her to thank her fans when she reached two million followers, and it got on


    the trending page too.He was not expecting that Ste would gain another million followers in such a


    short time.She had no idea what to post now, so she asked Kaiden for his opinions on the type of video


    to shoot.


    Kaiden sent her a challenge video and told her to find a model and shoot something simr.She


    watched the video and felt blood rushing all over her body.

 Chapter 1002

    Chapter 1002


    There was a couple in that video. The woman had poofy and wavy hair and wore a ck miniskirt, and


    her bra was unbuckled. She held the bra against her chest as she walked to the man condescendingly


    before sitting on hisp with her back facing the camera.


    The man buckled her bra for her. When she stood up, she lifted her foot with a strappy heel and ced


    it on the man¡¯s shoulder. The man looked at her and tied it for her elegantly.


    The man and woman had no intimate interactions throughout the video, but it was very suggestive and


    immersive.


    That video gained a lot of traction on the short video tform, and many online celebrities started doing


    their own versions of that video. Also, plenty of them became viral, whether they were being serious or


    just messing around. Clearly, Kaiden wanted her to hop on the trend.


    Ste was never interested in these trends or challenges of girls showing off their skinny waists, long


    legs or touching their belly buttons from behind. They bore her because anybody who was skinny


    enough and had working limbs could do that.


    Instead, she preferred the more creative challenges like Robot Dancing, Clothes Changing Transition,


    or Gender- Swapping Challenges that had more visual impact on the audiences.


    As for those lovey-dovey videos that were filmed by couples to show off their love life, she would


    always scroll past them.


    However, Kaiden¡¯s videopletely changed her mind about this type of content. She realized that a


    couple could appear to be very ssy and sexy if it was done right.


    Kaiden sent her a WhatsApp message: [I have a few male models here to be your partner. I¡¯ll send you


    their pictures to have a look.]


    Ste replied with an ¡°OK¡± emoji.


    Keegan had already put on his new shirt when she came back out with the water.


    He was adjusting his cor in front of the mirror. He habitually buttoned his shirt to the top. The in


    ck shirt and pants looked somewhat professional on him.


    Ste replied to Kaiden¡¯s text as she spoke, ¡°You can leave two buttons open. This is not formal wear;


    there¡¯s no need to button all the way up.¡±


    Keegan paused before unbuttoning two buttons from his shirt. Then, he turned his head to Ste,


    waiting for her opinion.


    However, Ste¡¯s eyes were glued to her phone with her head down.


    Keegan called out to her twice, but she did not respond at all. So, he walked over to her and saw her


    staring at a muscr man on her phone before he could speak.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    He was speechless.


    The edge of his lips twitched. He abruptly snatched her phone away, grabbed her wrist, and pinned her


    against the wall. Then, he looked at her and said in a deep voice, ¡°Am I not attractive enough


    compared to that man?¡±


    Ste paused and smiled teasingly. ¡°Of course not.¡± Then, she went closer to him and whispered into


    his ear, ¡°But you can¡¯te to work with me. I¡¯ve got to pick a colleague to film a short video with me.¡±


    Keegan paused. ¡°Colleague?¡±


    Ste reached out and took her phone back from his hand. She gestured to him toe closer and


    showed him the video Kaiden sent her earlier.


    ¡°My manager wanted me to reward my fans by shooting something like this. So he sent me the pictures


    of my potential partner and told me to pick one.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s guard was lowered as soon as he heard the word colleague, but his face immediately


    darkened after he watched the video.


    ¡°It seems like he only wants you to reward your male fans, huh?¡±


    Steughed. ¡°I¡¯m not going to film something exactly like this. How could I dress like that in front of


    someone else? We just need to create the sensual atmosphere that everybody likes.¡±


    Keegan did not understand anything about the sensual


    atmosphere Ste was talking about. However, when he thought of another man buckling up her bra,


    he felt like banning her from the industry forever.


    ¡®Trevor is such an idiot for hiring a stupid manager like this. Why does an actress have to film a


    seductive video like this? And she¡¯s only wearing a bra¡­ just a bra?¡¯

 Chapter 1003

    Chapter 1003


    Chapter 1003


    Keegan paused as he lightly tapped his fingers on his knee and said emotionlessly, "Is it hard to film a


    video like this?"


    Ste said, "Not really.It''s very simple, and it''ll probably be done in a minute.However, the filter and the


    background music are what create the atmospheres."


    "I haven''t filmed a short video before," Keegan said.


    Ste was confused.


    Keegan added, "I''d like to try."


    Ste was even more confused.


    Keegan continued, "I''ll let Carter take care of the postproduction so nobody recognizes me.In that way,


    you won''t have to feel awkward while filming this with a stranger.Ste thought to herself.


    ¡®I''m a professional.I wouldn''t feel awkward at all"


    She knew exactly what Keegan was thinking.She knew that he would not openly say that he was


    jealous, and he woulde up with all types of excuses to cover up his real intention.She would y


    around with Keegan if this happened in the past, but she figured that his rmendation was pretty


    interesting after thinking about it.


    After all, she could step on Keegan''s chest with a heel! That scene looked very spicy in her head.She


    had been fantasizing about her being a queen to a vicious little puppy, or rather, a queen to an alpha


    wolf.So, Ste epted Keegan''s proposal after thinking for just a while.She took out her phone and a


    tripod before quickly decorating the scene.


    Then, she went to get changed in the room.


    Keegan sat on the single sofa and texted Aldor: [I need a minute.] Then, he watched the video that


    Ste showed him again and soon heard the sound of high heels approaching.


    Keegan looked up and saw hering out with her wavy hair down.She wore a ck halter neck bra,


    punky hot shorts, and strapped high heels.She wore a diamond-studded lip piercing in the middle of


    her bottom lip.


    With her heavy makeup and fiery red lips, she looked hot and sexy.


    That was Keegan''s first-time seeing Ste dressing up in this dark and edgy style.He was both


    surprised and amazed.


    Ste was initially confident but felt somewhat shy after Keegan stared at her.


    Even though she was not showing anything, she felt embarrassed under his intense gaze.She flicked


    her long hair and coughed.


    "Shall we start?"


    "Sure."


    Keegan followed Ste''s instructions, turned his head sideways to the camera, and faced her.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Ste began recording.She took a deep breath and walked up to Keegan.


    Then, she sat on hisp with her back facing the camera.


    Keegan pursed his lips and brushed her hair to one side of her shoulder.He grabbed the strap with both


    hands and wrapped it around her neck as he tied it with his eyes lowered.His fingers identally


    brushed over her back, and she felt a shiver down her spine.


    She could normally do that in less than a second, yet she felt it was taking him forever.


    Ste''s back was already tense, and the time that Keegan took to finish the job would make her back


    stiff.


    Suddenly, she heard Keegan asking, "How does this go?"


    Ste was speechless.


    "Are you kidding me?"

 Chapter 1004

    Chapter 1004


    Chapter 1004


    Keegan said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I got nervous and forgot what to do. Let¡¯s start over.¡±


    Ste did not trust him. ¡°You? Nervous?¡¯*


    Keegan chuckled, lowered his gaze, and said, ¡°I¡¯m just a man. How could I not be nervous when the


    person I like dresses like this and sits on myp?¡±


    Keegan was the kind of person who could make someone¡¯s heart flutter with just one sentence.


    Perhaps that was his talent as a hard-headed man.


    Ste¡¯s ears turned red as she coughed. ¡°I can¡¯t remember you getting nervous over anything. You


    could speak in a technologypetition or national award ceremony in front of thousands without a


    script and not feel nervous. You could just go on and on about all sorts of things.¡±


    Keegan paused. ¡°Have you watched the award ceremony?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ste said before pausing for a second. ¡°I was there.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier or talk to me there?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Ste looked at him. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me you went there to receive an award, so why would I? I just


    didn¡¯t want to look like an extra.¡±


    Keegan chuckled. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you because I wasn¡¯t sure if I¡¯d win.¡±


    The first runner-up in that prize was a champion in another category. The result of that person¡¯s


    research was so groundbreaking that it gained a lot of publications in the country. So, he became a lot


    less confident in winning that year.


    He only brought Aldor and two other core team members when he was invited to attend the ceremony.


    Nobody other than them knew that he had gone to the ceremony.


    However, he won unexpectedly. He went up on the stage without preparing an eptance speech


    before that. After being surprised, he quickly readjusted himself and gave a speech to thank his team


    for the hard work in the past few months.


    In fact, Keegan could not really remember what he said during his speech. He could only recall booking


    a flight ticket back home because he wanted to show Ste the award he won.


    He put the trophy at the most noticeable spot at his house as soon as he got back, thinking that it


    would catch Ste¡¯s attention immediately without making himself look too eager.


    However, he desperately wanted Ste to see that trophy and repeatedly praised him with adoring


    eyes.


    But what happened made him very disappointed.


    When Ste returned home, she did not seem to notice that huge trophy.


    The trophy had been there for two days, and Keegan¡¯s anticipation turned into disappointment. Finally,


    Ste asked him about it.


    ¡°Do you still want that trophy? Keep it somewhere else if you do. The maid cleaned the house today,


    and she almost broke it.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    The news about Vinci Rivera¡¯s research team winning the award spread like wildfire after he came


    back, yet Ste had never once asked him about it.


    So, the excitement in Keegan slowly died down too.


    He felt very defeated because no matter how prominent the award was, it would be meaningless if he


    could not share the joy with the person he wanted to share it with.


    At one point, Ste¡¯s indifference made him feel like his beautiful and superficial wife could not share a


    deep resonance with him.


    However, after talking about it, he found out that there had always been a misunderstanding between


    them.


    Ste thought he did not care about her because he was not bothered to tell her about winning such a


    big award. Meanwhile, he hated Ste for being indifferent to the award he badly wanted to show her.


    Keegan was not unwilling to tell her about it, but Ste just failed to pick up on the subtle way he was


    showing off the trophy to her. However, she knew all along that he was going to the award ceremony


    with his team and secretly bought a ticket for the same flight as him just to witness his most glorious


    and proudest moment.


    Ste gazed at him. ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell that you went up on the stage unprepared when you were speaking.


    Several thousand people were there, yet you did not look nervous. Instead, you spoke so fluently that


    every audience became your fan. You didn¡¯t get nervous in such a big event, yet you¡¯re nervous in front


    of me?¡±


    She was implying, ¡°Who are you trying to fool?¡±


    Keegan chuckled quietly for a while. Then, he leaned closer to her and rested his forehead against her


    shoulder, saying in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s different. I wasn¡¯t nervous on stage because I knew everything


    about our research. I was confident and assured. However, I¡¯m feeling neither of that in front of you.


    ¡°I used to have a marriage certificate to boost my confidence, but now¡­ I¡¯m just an admirer of yours.


    Like any man, I¡¯d be nervous when faced with the person I like, hoping she feels the same way about


    me.¡±


    Ste¡¯s heart fluttered, and it felt like the butterflies in her stomach would fly right through her

 Chapter 1005

    Chapter 1005


    Chapter 1005


    Ste tried to cool herself down and spoke calmly.


    "Did you secretly sign up for another ss? You''re getting better at flirting." Keegan chuckled.He held


    her hand and gently kissed the back of it.


    "I spent a few hundred bucks to attend those sses." Ste was speechless.


    "Did you really go to sses?"


    Keegan replied, "There''s an online love influencer who matched over a hundred couples who want to


    remarry in just one year alone.I was very curious about how she did that, but theter episodes could


    only be unlocked by paying, so I had no other choice."


    Ste did not know what to say.


    "So, what have you learned?"


    Keegan said, "In one of the episodes I watched, thedy who just got back together with her ex-


    husband went to participate in another blind dating show the next day and imed that she''s single


    and unmarried.So, I requested a refund and got blocked."


    Ste paused and burst outughing.


    Keegan watched her swing back and forth,ughing in his arms and felt extremely happy inside.


    Then, he wrapped his arm around her waist and whispered, "Let me tell you something."


    Ste took a while to stopughing before she asked, "What is it?"Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    "I have a big projecting soon," Keegan said.


    Ste was confused.


    ¡®Why is he talking to me about work? It''s not like I''d understand anything"


    Keegan continued, "The project will probably be finished in just three months.I''ll receive the payment by


    the end of the year or early next year.The profit is expected to be ten figures."


    Ste was puzzled.


    ¡®Why is he showing off?¡¯ Keegan added, "If we get married in these three months, that money will be


    considered our marital property.However, that won''t be the case if we were to remarry any time after


    that."


    Ste was confused.She squinted and asked, "What are you trying to say?"


    Keegan replied seriously, "To maximize your benefits, I think you should shorten my probation period."


    Ste''s eyelid twitched.


    "Wouldn''t it be better if I ended it now and married you?"


    Keegan paused and thought for a while.


    "I''ve got to prepare for the wedding two months in advance."


    Ste stood up and said, "I''ll get someone else to shoot this with."


    Keegan immediately pulled her back into his arms.


    "It was just a suggestion.The decision is yours to make."


    Ste scoffed and said after a moment, "I don''t want to get married so quickly this time.If we do that


    now and our tempers stay the same, we''ll just end up where we were if we argued again.What''s the


    point of getting married again, then? I don''t want to amodate your temper, and I don''t want you to


    do that for me.The dating phase is the best time to get to know each other better.It won''t be toote for


    us to marry when we fully understand each other."


    Ste paused and said slowly, "I don''t want to get married for the third time."


    Keegan was stunned.


    Then, he replied softly, "I''m sorry.I was too hasty."


    Ste did not me him, but his apology made her feel strange.So, she shifted the topic.


    "Let''s finish shooting this.Aldor''s still waiting for you."


    The shooting went a lot smoother this time with their previous experience.


    Keegan did not have to act at all.


    When Ste stepped on his chest with her heel, he elegantly lifted his hand and tied it for her.


    Then, he caressed her ankle and suddenly lowered his head to kiss it.


    "Thump!"


    Suddenly, they heard a sound as if something had fallen on the floor.


    They were both shocked.


    Then, they turned around and saw Felicity standing at the door with Wenham, both staring in disbelief.

 Chapter 1006

    Chapter 1006


    Chapter 1006


    Ste paused for two seconds before she couldprehend what was happening.She promptly


    lowered her leg and adjusted her clothes awkwardly.


    Then, she cleared her throat and greeted, "Hello, Uncle Wenham."


    Contrarily, Keegan remained remarkably calm, with no hint of embarrassment on his face, despite


    being caught kissing Ste''s ankle.


    He even greeted Wenham as if nothing had urred, saying, "Uncle Wenham, what brings you here?"


    Wenham''s expression transitioned from confusion to shock, eventually settling into a dissatisfied look.


    Thinking Keegan was an unworthy suitor for Ste, he said with a scrunched face, "I''m here to see my


    baby."


    Keegan was puzzled.


    Then, Ste whispered and exined, "He''s talking about Luna."


    Keegan was left speechless.


    It turned out that Wenham had been visiting to see Luna for the past few days.


    However, Ste was always upied, so Felicity would entertain Wenham during his visits.


    Ste had crossed paths with him once or twice, but she only greeted him briefly before leaving without


    time for a conversation.


    Ste couldn''t help but wonder how a small robot could attract such frequent visits from the CEO of a


    listedpany.


    Just two days ago, she had been contemting discussing with Keegan the possibility of selling a few


    units of Luna to the Saun family as soon as it went into production.


    Considering Wenham''s infatuation with Luna, she believed it could potentially bring Keegan a fortune.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Clearly, she had not expected Wenham to arrive so early in the morning and witness such an awkward


    scene.


    Keegan was a little surprised.


    ¡®Why did hee so early just to see Luna?" he wondered.


    ¡®I find it impossible to believe.Considering how close our families are, shouldn''t he be seeking me out if


    he¡¯s so interested in Luna?¡¯ Suddenly, Keegan recalled how pleased Wenham used to be when he


    would send him information about potential girlfriends for Trevor.


    However, recently, Wenham seemed less interested in talking with him.


    In fact, he even returned the gifts Keegan had sent just two days ago to celebrate a special asion,


    as if he wanted nothing to do with Keegan anymore.


    The dissatisfied expression on Wenham¡¯s face only reinforced Keegan''s suspicions.


    ¡®What did I do to upset him? ¡®Keegan wondered.


    ¡®Or did that cunning man, Trevor, say something negative about me?¡¯ Ste draped a jacket over her


    shoulders and said, "Uncle Wenham, you''re so early today."


    As soon as Wenham heard Ste''s voice, the cold expression on his face transformed into a bright


    smile.He spoke warmly, "I was actually nning to call you beforeing up, but I ran into Felicity


    downstairs, and she asked me to follow her.Was it too abrupt?"


    "Not at all.You''re wee toe anytime," Ste replied.


    "Luna is currently charging.Please have a seat.I''ll get you a cup of tea."


    Wenham responded, "That''s fine.I''ll only stay for a little while."


    Then, he nced at Keegan and inquired, "Why aren''t you working at this time? What brings you


    here?"


    Keegan looked back at him and replied slowly, "I drove her back here."


    Wenham paused, processing Keegan''s words.


    "Drove...her?" he questioned.


    Ste pursed her lips, and the answer was evident.


    ¡®Felicity told me that Ste didn''t return to sleepst night.Did she spend the night with Keegan?¡¯ With


    that in his mind, Wenham''s blood began to boil.


    It was in that moment that he understood why Trevor would lose his temper whenever Keegan was


    mentioned, as he himself was about to do the same! Before finding out that Ste was his daughter,


    Wenham had considered Keegan a perfect man, superior to his own son in every aspect.


    However, after learning the truth, he began to meticulously scrutinize every aspect of Keegan,


    deliberately perceiving even his positive traits as negative ones.


    For instance, he viewed Keegan''s towering height as an imposing presence, causing Wenham to tilt his


    head upward during their conversations.


    Keegan''s remarkable handsomeness, instead of being an asset, began to convey an impression of


    fickleness and unreliability.


    Additionally, Keegan''s unwavering dedication to work, whilemendable in some respects, was now


    seen by Wenham as neglecting his familial responsibilities.


    And what Wenham considered the most egregious offense was Keegan''s refusal to allocate any of


    Keegan''s assets to Ste in their divorce, unjustly denying his beloved daughter her rightful share.

 Chapter 1007

    Chapter 1007


    Chapter 1007


    Ever since learning about Ste''s real identity, Wenham couldn''t help but feel annoyed whenever he


    heard Keegan''s name.


    Not only had he rejected Keegan''s previous gifts, but he had also gone as far as returning the wine that


    Keegan had sent him.


    Wenham was determined to sever all ties with Keegan.He had even mentally prepared himself to


    confront Keegan if he continued to bother Ste, and he never expected them to have spent the night


    together.


    As a father, it was impossible for him not to be furious.


    Sensing the growing awkwardness, Ste cleared her throat and intervened, "You guys continue your


    conversation.I''ll go make some tea."


    Afterwards, she hastily made her exit, pulling Felicity along with her, leaving Keegan to face Wenham


    alone.


    Wenham threw a nce at Keegan.


    When he was about to take a seat, he heard Keegan saying, "Uncle Wenham, make yourself at


    home.Take a seat."


    Instantly, Wenham changed his mind and stood upright.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    "I prefer standing.It''s better for my muscles."


    Keegan paused briefly, then grabbed the nt board next to the sofa and positioned it in front of


    Wenham.


    "Uncle Wenham, try this.It can help strengthen your knees."


    Wenham was speechless.


    ''Why is this young man so shameless? Wasn''t it obvious that I just didn''t want to do as he said?¡¯ Kegan


    added, "Ste uses this for stretching very often, and it''s actually very good for the knees."


    He stood on it to show Wenham as he spoke.


    "Would you like to try?"


    Wenham wanted to ignore him, but he got interested as soon as he heard that Ste would use it very


    often.


    A nt board was designed for a person to stand on it where the person''s heel would be on the ground


    and his toes would be lifted upward.


    Standing on it would stretch the person''s calves, and it would start to hurt very soon for people who


    were not used to exercising.


    The expression on Wenham''s face immediately changed as soon as he stepped on it.


    ''Is this brat trying to mess with me? Keegan even motivated him at the side.


    "Do five to six sets of three minutes each every day, and I guarantee that you''re going to be fitter than


    ever."


    Wenham had long forgotten about settling the score with Keegan as he asked after just a few seconds,


    "How many seconds left? Is it done yet? Why is it taking so long?"


    Keegan told him that he still had a long way to go and asked, "Uncle Wenham, why didn''t you tell me


    that you like Luna? I can customize a unit for you, so that you don''t have toe all the way just for it."


    Wenham''s face was turning red from the stretching, and he hadpletely forgotten about Luna as he


    blurted out, "I didn''te here for Luna."


    Keegan paused and kept asking, "Didn''t you just say that you''re here to see Luna?"


    Wenham realized that he said something wrong and immediately recorrected himself, "Yeah, I''m here


    to see Luna."


    Keegan smiled without saying anything.


    However, his gaze turned a little gloomy.


    ¡®How shameless can Trevor be? Unable to win Ste''s affection, he''s now seeking his father''s help?¡¯


    Keegan couldn''t find any other exnation for Wenham''s abrupt change in attitude toward him.


    He was convinced that Wenham viewed Ste as a potential daughter-inw, which rified the cold


    treatment he received as her ex- husband.


    It was at that moment that Keegan realized why Wenham had shown no interest in the potential


    marriage partners he had suggested for Trevor.


    The realization struck him deeply, and he silently pondered, ¡®It appears that both father and son are


    plotting to take Ste away from me!¡¯ "Has it been three minutes yet?"


    Wenham couldn''t bear the tension any longer and asked impatiently.


    Keegan nced at the timer, which disyed three minutes and fifty-eight seconds, and responded in


    a t tone, "It''s only been a minute and a half.Just hang in there."

 Chapter 1008

    Chapter 1008


    Chapter 1008


    Wenham''s face turned pale, as if all the blood had drained from it.


    "Just a minute and a half? It feels like it''s been five or six minutes already.Are you messing with me?"


    he asked, his voice filled with suspicion.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Keegan maintained a serious expression and replied, "The perception of time can vary greatly


    depending on whether you need to use the restroom or not.So, your feeling might not be entirely


    urate."


    Wenham''s face flushed bright red.


    "I give up.I give up.Please help me down."


    Stepping back, Keegan remarked, "There''s still another minute to go.Remember, persistence is the key


    to victory."


    Wenham was left speechless.


    Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Felicity regained herposure after the earlier shock.She stared at Ste


    with wide eyes, clearly astonished.


    Ste felt uneasy under Felicity''s intense gaze.


    "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    "Keegan just kissed your foot," Felicity blurted out.


    Ste was dumbfounded.


    Then, she corrected Felicity, saying, "You mean my ankle."


    Felicity''s eyes sparkled.


    "Does Keegan have a foot fetish?"


    Ste''s expression darkened.


    "What are you talking about? We were simply shooting a short video!"


    "Just because it''s a video doesn''t mean he had to kiss your foot, right?"


    "Ankle," Ste corrected Felicity once again.


    Felicity blushed, unable to shake the memory of what she had witnessed.


    "He seemed really into it."


    Ste was left speechless once more.


    In truth, she had also been taken aback when Keegan made that move.


    However, a mix of excitement and shyness had followed.


    After all, kissing someone''s ankle was an incredibly submissive gesture in a romantic rtionship,


    suggesting deep affection.


    Ste never expected someone as proud as Keegan to put himself in such a vulnerable position to


    express his love for her.


    The thought made her ears tingle with warmth.


    Rubbing her ears, she whispered, "Please promise me you won''t tell anyone about this, okay?"


    Felicity confidently replied, "Don''t you already know how good I am at keeping secrets? I won''t utter a


    single word!"


    ¡®Yeah right.I reminded you because I don''t trust that loose lip of yours" Ste thought to herself.


    Out loud, she said, "Start by washing the cups.I''ll bring out the fruits."


    "Okay," Felicity responded.


    As soon as Ste left the room, Felicity seized her phone and sent a voice message to Vermont: [Have


    you ever kissed your exes¡¯ feet?] Vermont immediately replied: [Do I look sick to you?]


    Then, just a secondter, he asked: [Why are you suddenly asking me that?] Felicity replied: [Oh, it''s


    nothing.It just crossed my mind.]


    Unable to contain her curiosity, Felicity asked again: [Under what circumstances would you kiss your


    partner''s foot then? ]


    Vermont''s eyelid twitches at the mention of kissing feet, and the first thought that came to his mind was


    his own smelly socks.


    Vermont responded: [If I had a foot fetish, maybe.]


    Felicity quickly replied: [Apart from that!]


    ¡®What other reason would someone have for kissing someone else''s foot if they don''t have a foot


    fetish? Unless they''re mentally unstable, Vermont pondered, pausing momentarily as images from


    adult films shed through his mind.


    Then, he spoke softly: [If it''s not for experimentation, then that person must be deeply in love with their


    partner, willing to do anything for them.]


    Unintentionally, Felicity muttered to herself, but she identally sent it as a voice message: [I didn''t


    realize Keegan is so deeply in love with Ste...] Vermont was taken aback.


    [What did you say?] Felicity quickly responded: [Nothing] Vermont was speechless, thinking to himself,


    ¡®Does she think I''m deaf? I heard every single word she said!"


    He considered pressing her for more information, but then he changed his mind, realizing that Felicity


    may have identally revealed a secret.


    He decided it was best to stay out of such matters.


    So, he changed the topic, sending another voice message: [ When are you nning to quit your job?]


    Felicity replied: [In the next couple of days, most likely.But I won''t have anything to eat if I don''t start


    working after that.] Vermont chuckled and said, [That won''t be necessary.How could I let you go hungry


    when you''re the one cooking for me?]

 Chapter 1009

    Chapter 1009


    Chapter 1009


    Felicity smirked as she heard his voice message.She replied: [Other than just filling my stomach, I also


    want to live afortable life, okay?]


    Vermont chuckled after hearing what she said.He said: [I''lle with you when you quit your job then.]


    Felicity responded: [Don''t be silly.I''m going to resign.Do you think this is a game? How could I bring you


    with me?]


    Vermont leaned on the sofa and said in a rxed manner: [ When you bring the CEO of Green Hill


    Media with you, other people will only think that you left the oldpany for a better future.Your new


    boss values you so much that he even came with you to resign.What about your manager who always


    took advantage of you? I just can''t imagine the look on his face when he sees this.Don''t you want to


    prove something to him?]


    Felicity was immediately convinced.


    Over the years, Felicity had suffered a lot working under that manager of hers.


    He was an idiot who did not know anything, yet he could alwayse up with a new way to make his


    subordinates¡¯ jobs difficult and take credit for their work.


    Felicity felt a little angry knowing that she would not have a chance to get back at him after quitting her


    job.


    So, she figured that bringing Vermont with her...was not necessarily a bad thing.


    However, Felicity was a lot smarter now after what happened previously.


    So, she sent another voice message, asking, [I''m sure that you won''t suddenly help me for nothing.Tell


    me, what''s your motive?] Vermont sighed.


    [That''s so hurtful.What kind of person am I to you? I''m just kind, okay?]


    Felicity chuckled and replied: [You''re the type of person who would yank a leg off a fly that buzzed


    by.So, why would you offer me unconditional help?]


    Vermont was speechless.He then said: [Don''t you have any other way to describe me? Why did you


    have to use such a gross example?]


    Felicity replied in a righteous manner.


    [My lecturer said a good literary work should be rtable and down-to-earth.Fly is a verymon


    insect in our lives, so it''s an analogy that anyone can understand.] Vermont kept quiet as he thought, ''l


    have no idea how she graduated from university.I can''t believe that she''s a certified scriptwriter"


    Felicity said: [Don''t change the topic.Quick, tell me what you want in return.]


    Vermont recollected himself.


    Then, he said after thinking for a moment: [I can''t think of anything yet.I''ll let you know once I do.]


    Felicity sent another voice message: [That''ll do.However, I''m not going to ept your help if it''s


    something unreasonable.]


    Vermontughed and said: [What do you consider unreasonable? I''ve got to at least have a concept in


    mind.Otherwise, you''re just going to reject everything I propose, and it''s not going to be fair for me.]


    Felicity thought for a moment and said: [You can''t make me look ugly, cook, and...)


    She paused before continuing: [Or anything that requires intimate contact between us.]


    Vermont paused and said: [What do you mean by...intimate contact?]


    Felicity thought about the kissst night.She could not help but blush and her heart beat in a strange


    rhythm.


    Then, she cleared her throat and said softly: [Basically, we''re not going to do anything that friends


    wouldn''t do!] Vermont was confused.


    [What things friends wouldn''t do?] Felicity was speechless.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    She said: (Things that you did to me yesterday'']


    Vermont sent another voice message: (Oh, you meant kissing?]


    Felicity corrected him: [Kissing without consent that is!]


    Vermont smirked: [I sacrificed myself so that you could enjoy the privilege of having a boyfriend, yet


    you''re not happy about it?]


    Felicity''s mouth twitched: [It''s not funny! I''m being very kind to regard that as kissing without consent


    because it could also be seen as harassment! You could literally get arrested if you did that to someone


    else!]


    Vermont asked: [Have you thought of calling the cops on me?]


    Felicity was hesitated before she argued: [I''m being very kind to you.You''re Keegan''s friend, after all.I


    don''t want to put Ste in an awkward position after I called the cops on you, but¡ª]


    Suddenly, her tone changed as she warned Vermont: [Don''t ever do that again!]


    ¡®I''ve already kissed her anyway.Nobody knows what''s going to happen in the future" Vermont said to


    himself.


    He curled his lips, thinking about the kissst night.He sent the voice message: [Are you stilling


    over to y games tonight?]

 Chapter 1010

    Chapter 1010


    Chapter 1010


    Felicity replied: [I don''t think so.I''ve gained almost eight pounds because of the supper we ate every


    night while ying games together.I should lose some weight now.]


    Vermont responded: [You''re not a celebrity who makes money off your appearance.Why would you


    want to lose weight? Did you see how skinny Ste is? She looks like a skeleton] Felicity''s eyelid


    twitched.


    She said, [I would''ve been fooled by you if I''m stupid!]


    Ste was not considered as skinny among other female celebrities.She was about five feet four and a


    little over a hundred pounds.She was actually about ten pounds heavier than other female celebrities


    on average.


    None of the female celebrities would dare to exceed the hundred pounds mark, but Ste was an


    exception.She had a very tiny face and extremely slender slims.Her butt and chest contributed a big


    portion to her weight, and her body type was the kind that would make people jealous just by


    looking.So, even in person, she would not appear to be a very skinny person.


    Clearly, Vermont was "defaming" her.


    Vermont added after realizing that his trick did not work.He sent another voice message: [I just got the


    latest skin from the Glory Collection, but I haven''t yed enough matches on that hero, so I can''t select


    that hero in ranked games.I was thinking that maybe you could help me test that hero out]


    Felicity was surprised! Felicity asked: [You got another new skin?]


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont replied: [I have OCD.I''ll feel ufortable without the full collection.] Felicity was speechless.


    She cursed inwardly, ¡®What an arrogant jerk! Clearly, he''s just unting his money!¡¯


    Vermont invited her over again: [Are youing or not?) He sent another voice message: [I want to gift


    you that matching skin with mine so that we can trigger the special effect when ying together.I


    haven''t seen other yers doing that before.I''m kind of curious.] Felicity became hesitant as soon as


    she heard about the free skin.


    [Hm...I''ll try to squeeze some time out for you then.But please, no more takeovers, okay?] Vermont


    smirked.


    [Roger that.]


    Meanwhile, Ste went out with a tray of fruits and saw Wenham standing on her nt board while


    Keegan stood at the side to motivate him.


    "Hold on.You''re almost there.Uncle Wenham, don''t be a quitter," said Keegan.


    Wenham was shaking all over as he said with a scrunched face, "Am I not there yet? How many


    seconds are left?"


    "Just thirty seconds.You''re going to make it soon."


    Wenham was going to pass out.


    ''I can''t believe there''s half a minute to go"


    Ste put the tray of fruits down and said after seeing the suffering look on Wenham''s face, "Uncle


    Wenham, you don''t have to stretch for so long on your first try.It''s better to progress gradually.Let me


    help you down."


    Wenham waved her off, determined.


    "There''s only half a minute left.I can do this."


    He refused to give up.So, Ste gave up the idea and stood aside.


    Suddenly, she noticed the timer ticking another full minute.She was about to intervene, but Keegan


    beat her to it.


    "Ten more seconds.Hang in there, you''ve got this!"


    Ste was bewildered by what was unfolding.


    Keegan deliberately counted down slowly, "Ten...Nine..."


    It became evident that Keegan was intentionally prolonging the countdown, and at that moment, Ste


    realized he was toying with Wenham.


    She swiftly kicked Keegan''s calf and shot him a fierce re.


    As a result, Keegan resumed counting down at a regr pace.


    The moment Keeganpleted the countdown, Wenham finally got off the nt board, his legs


    trembling.


    Sweat dripped down his forehead.He copsed onto the sofa, gasping for air, and after a moment,


    managed to say, "It''s so challenging to endure just three minutes on that thing.Ste, how on earth did


    you handle it for half an hour?"


    Ste was at a loss for words.

 Chapter 1011

    Chapter 1011


    Chapter 1011


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Ste looked at Keegan as if her eyes were asking, ¡®What nonsense did you tell Uncle Wenham when I


    was in the kitchen? When did I ever stand on that for half an hour?¡¯


    Keegan answered Wenham¡¯s question with a straight face. ¡°Ste learned how to dance, so her


    muscles are more flexible. She can even stand on there for several hours.¡¯


    Ste was speechless.


    Wenham hadpletely forgotten the pain in his calves as soon as he heard what Keegan said, and


    he hurriedly asked, ¡°You learned how to dance before?¡±


    So, Ste said, ¡°Just for a few years when I was a kid. However, I don¡¯t really remember what I learned


    during the sses. I¡¯m not good at it.¡±


    Wenham noted that down inwardly and continued asking, ¡°A friend of mine told me that he watched


    you y the piano on a cruise party previously, and you were good.¡¯


    Ste replied humbly, ¡°I¡¯m not really good at it, and I can only y one or two pieces well. I¡¯m nothing


    compared to your daughter.¡±


    Normally, a parent would modestly ept thepliment when somebody else praised his or her


    child, but Wenham¡¯s reaction was different. ¡°It¡¯s very impressive that you could y two pieces well.


    Nobody is good at everything, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡®Hm¡­ that makes sense too.


    ¡¯Ste, do you have any favorite food?¡± Wenham asked.


    Ste paused for a moment. Wenham immediately realized that his question seemed a little abrupt, so


    he quickly exined, ¡°You know that Trevor¡¯s grandparents are big fans of yours, right? They¡¯reing


    over soon and they want to see you. I thought that it would be nice for us to have a meal together.


    However, I don¡¯t know what you like to eat and what ingredients to prepare.¡±


    Keegan was confused. ¡®Trevor¡¯s grandparents have been living in Salcator for so long, and they¡¯re


    coming all the way to Rivera just to see Ste?¡¯


    Keegan thought that Wenham¡¯s reason was a little far-fetched. It would be more convincing if Wenham


    said that they wereing to see Trevor¡¯s girlfriend instead.


    ¡®Is their whole family going to work together to steal Ste away from me?¡¯ Keegan became more alert


    as he thought about that.


    Keegan interrupted before Ste could say anything, ¡°Uncle Wenham, when will they be here? It¡¯s


    been so many years since I met them. I would also like to see them and extend my hospitality if it¡¯s


    possible.¡±


    Wenham frowned and he was very annoyed by Keegan interfering in his conversation with Ste. ¡°It¡¯s a


    family gathering. I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t be possible.¡±


    ¡¯Family gathering?¡¯ Keegan repeated the two words and asked directly,¡± Isn¡¯t it a fan meeting?¡±


    Wenham kept quiet for a moment before he responded, ¡°Is it wrong to bring Ste to my family


    gathering?¡¯


    Ste already did not feel like going and she immediately said after hearing Wenham¡¯s words, ¡°Uncle


    Wenham, it¡¯s not appropriate for me to attend your family gathering. I¡¯ll pay them a visit personally to


    take a photo with Trevor¡¯s grandparents some other day. In that way, they won¡¯t have to travel all the


    way here at their age. I don¡¯t feel so good about it anyway.¡±


    Wenham started to panic a little after hearing that Ste would not be going.


    He made a promise to Trevor¡¯s grandparents that he would take Ste there, and their trip here would


    be in vain if Ste could not be there. They had a very clear purpose-to bring Ste back into their


    family.


    Wenham quickly said, ¡°What¡¯s so inappropriate about that? Don¡¯t put so much pressure on yourself.


    They had nned on staying in Rivera for a short while anyway. After all, they have been aboard all


    these years, and they miss Trevor very much too. Since you¡¯re also in Rivera now, why don¡¯t you


    spend some time with them on behalf of Trevor? Aren¡¯t you two very close?¡¯


    Keegan was confused again. Then, he said in a deep voice, ¡°Uncle Wenham, Trevor is merely Ste¡¯s


    boss, and they share a professional rtionship with each other. It¡¯s not right for you to guilt-trip Ste


    just because thepany pays her. It¡¯s her choice whether to go or not.¡±


    The edge of Wenham¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°I¡¯m talking to Ste. Won¡¯t you just keep quiet?¡± He cursed


    inwardly, ¡®--. This brat just wouldn¡¯t shut his mouth! It¡¯s weird that I never realized how


    annoying he is.¡¯


    Keegan¡¯s expression remained calm, and he said in a t tone, ¡°Ste is an artist under Elegant Media.


    If you really were to tell her that you would cancel all her jobs assuming that she won¡¯t go, do you think


    that she¡¯ll be able to turn you down?¡¯

 Chapter 1012

    Chapter 1012


    Chapter 1012


    Wenham¡¯s face darkened. ¡¯When did I say anything about canceling her jobs? Am I not asking for her


    opinions now?¡±


    ¡¯Oh,¡± Keegan said before asking Ste, ¡°Do you want to go?¡±


    Obviously, Ste did not feel like participating in other people¡¯s family gatherings, so she said tactfully,


    ¡°Uncle Wenham, I¡¯ll not be attending if it¡¯s a family gathering. Your family is not going to feel


    comfortable with an outsider among them too. I¡¯ll visit Trevor¡¯s grandparents some other time if they


    really want to see me.¡±


    Wenham did not like that idea at all. So, he said, ¡°It¡¯s not really a family gathering. We¡¯re just going to


    have a meal together. It¡¯s nothing formal.¡±


    Ste replied softly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that it¡¯s a family gathering and rejected Keegan from going?¡±


    Wenham kept quiet for moment before he replied, ¡°I¡­ I just thought that he¡¯d be too busy toe.¡±


    Keegan immediately chimed in, ¡°I¡¯ve not been busytely. I can free up my schedule when Trevor¡¯s


    grandparents are here.¡±


    Wenham pursed his lips and said reluctantly, ¡°Come along if you really have the time then.¡¯


    ¡¯Thanks for the invitation, Uncle Wenham.¡± Keegan said.


    Even though Wenham was unhappy about Keegan tagging along, it did not dampen his joy upon


    seeing Ste. With Luna as theirmon topic, Wenham was not worried that he would have nothing


    to talk about with Ste. He could not wait to find out everything about Ste in the past twenty-plus


    years, including her likes and dislikes, the schools she went to, what kind of hardships she suffered,


    and whether her parents treated her well¡­


    However, none of these questions seemed to matter anymore as soon as he saw the bright smile on


    Ste¡¯s face.


    It was the greatest blessing from above the fact that she could stand in front of him in good health. As


    for her hardships and sufferings in the past, Wenham was going to make up for them in the future.


    But the things he talked about with Ste mainly revolved around Luna.


    With his own explorations and Keegan¡¯s guidance, Ste knew literally everything about Luna, and she


    could exin each of its features in detail.


    Wenham¡¯s affection for Ste grew even stronger when he saw how confidently she spoke about Luna.


    Ste began asking more about Wenham¡¯s habits and personal preferences after talking about Luna.


    She asked everything from what time Wenham would get out of bed and sleep at night to what time he


    would usually exercise and eat.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Wenham was surprised, but he answered all her questions anyway, wanting tomunicate more with


    his daughter.


    Ste said, ¡°After you feed all this information to Luna, it¡¯ll be able to work as an rm or even your


    personal assistant. I remember forgetting to bring a document with me after I left the house, and Luna


    sent it to me through remote scanning.¡±


    Wenham saw how much she talked and immediately handed her the cup of water beside him.


    Ste took a sip and asked, ¡®Uncle Wenham, what do you think of Luna?¡±


    Wenham¡¯s mind was not on Luna, so he said offhandedly, ¡°It¡¯s great. Luna is actually a lot better than


    what I¡¯ve seen previously.¡±


    Ste put on a smile. ¡°Keegan and his team put a lot of effort into developing Luna. It¡¯s probably more


    intelligent and advanced than itspetitors in the global robotics industry.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s impressive.¡±


    Wenham became a little uninterested when he heard her mentioning Keegan.


    However, Ste was very enthusiastic as her eyes widened. ¡°Would you like to ce a pre-order for


    one unit then?¡± She asked.


    Wenham was taken aback.

 Chapter 1013

    Chapter 1013


    Chapter 1013


    ¡®It¡¯s going to be globally exclusive. Keegan hasn¡¯t started mass producing it yet, so if you want one, I¡¯ll


    get him to customize one for you. Don¡¯t worry about the price, I¡¯m sure that he¡¯ll give you the best


    offer.¡± Ste paused before asking tentatively, ¡°So, what¡¯s your decision?¡¯


    Wenham kept quiet. He did not expect Ste to only say so many things to him because she was just


    pitching Keegan¡¯s product.


    Wenham¡¯s heart ached. Hemented inwardly, ¡®Why is my daughter so silly? She was left with nothing


    after the divorce, yet she¡¯s still helping that brat with his business?*


    Ste figured that her intentions were too obvious after seeing Wenham¡¯s silence, so she cleared her


    throat and said, ¡°I was just asking. You don¡¯t have to take it seriously.¡±


    Wenham could never have to heart to put his precious daughter in an awkward position, so he


    immediately said, ¡°No, I was just thinking how many units I want.¡±


    Ste was shocked!


    ¡¯Do you need them for any other purposes?¡±


    Wenham replied, ¡¯I¡¯ll have one at home, one at Trevor¡¯s grandparents¡¯ home, and another one at my


    office to look cool. So, at least three units.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Are you sure you want three?¡±


    Wenham¡¯s mood brightened up too after hearing the excitement in Ste¡¯s voice. He nodded and said,


    ¡®I¡¯ll have three for now.¡±


    Ste nudged Keegan. ¡°Did you hearthat? Get it down now.¡¯


    Keegan nced at Wenham and said tly, ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll get someone to contact youter. We¡¯re going to


    need an initial deposit.¡±


    Wenham paused. He looked back at Keegan as his smile faded slightly.¡± Don¡¯t worry about that.


    However, I have a question. Does Ste get a cut from this deal that she closed for you?¡±


    Keegan paused and said slowly, ¡°She can have the boss if she wants.¡±


    Wenham and Ste were speechless.


    Ste was not sure if it was just her, but she felt like Wenham¡¯s got unhappier after Keegan said those


    words and left shortly after.


    Keegan asked as soon as Wenham left, ¡®Did you feel like Uncle Wenham seemed to hate me a little?¡±


    Ste gazed at him. ¡®That¡¯s because you couldn¡¯t stop talking. How could you keep interrupting when


    he was asking me questions? He¡¯s an elder, after all. It¡¯s not wrong for him to have a temper.¡±


    Even though what Ste said made sense, it could not be applied to Wenham.


    Wenham was not someone who could hide his emotions well.


    Keegan could tell that his dissatisfaction toward him came from Ste.


    He figured that Trevor¡¯s grandparents¡¯ visit to Rivera this time could probably be an opportunity to


    unravel the mystery in his heart.


    Ste rested for the morning and went back to the set in the afternoon.


    Felicity, on the other hand, finished writing her resignation letter too and sent it to thepany¡¯s email.


    It was approved very soonter, and she was instructed toplete the resignation procedures as


    soon as possible.


    After seeing how soon thepany replied, Felicity could not help but wonder if there was someone


    on the other side of theputer just waiting for her resignation letter.


    When Felicity got everything done, it was already eight. She knocked on the door of unit 902 while


    holding her bolster and a small nket in her hands, ready to stay upte with Vermont to boost her


    rank.


    However, no one answered the door after she knocked for some time. She called Vermont, who then


    told her to enter the house directly as he would be out in a while after showering.


    Felicity asked, ¡°What¡¯s the passcode?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Vermont said, ¡°Quit pretending. You¡¯vee here with me so many times. Haven¡¯t you seen me


    entering the passcode? You probably even know my bank card passcode.¡±

 Chapter 1014

    Chapter 1014


    Chapter 1014


    Felicity said, ¡°I had to ask. What if something went missing and you med it on me?¡¯


    Vermont chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll just sell you topensate my loss then.¡±


    Felicity scoffed. ¡°Well, everything in your house has to go missing first then. ¡¯ She continued


    impatiently, ¡°Hurry up. I still have to go to thepany tomorrow morning. I can¡¯t stay for too long.¡±


    ¡®Got it. Come on in.¡±


    Felicity hung up, entered the passcode, and went inside.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    There was a faint fragrance inside, and a pot of butterfly orchids with green leaves and snowy petals


    emitted a pleasant aura at the entrance.


    When she was changing her shoes, she subconsciously looked at the shoe cab. She saw several


    rows of men¡¯s shoes and she took the only pair of women¡¯s slippers inside. It was a pair of pink slippers


    with fluffy rabbit ears.


    They were bought by Vermont after Felicityined about his home slippers being too big and


    ufortable for her to walk in.


    She even mocked Vermont¡¯s taste back then, but she realized that the design actually looked not bad


    after some time.


    For some reason, she felt relieved after knowing that there was only a pair of women¡¯s slippers in the


    shoe cab.


    She walked past the entrance and cautiously walked inside.


    The house was neatly organized and there were several scented candles lit on the coffee table. The


    dining table had a vase with two roses, red and white each, giving a ssy touch.


    Vermont just knew how to enjoy the materialistic things in life.


    Even though he lived alone, his house was always spotless.


    Felicity initially thought that Vermont had a part-time maid who came regrly to clean his house.


    However, after getting close to him, she only found out that the part-time maid would onlye every


    Wednesday and Saturday, which meant that Vermont took care of the cleaning for the other days.


    Vermont had OCD, and he could not bear to see his house in a mess. When she fumbled through his


    collection of ssic books, he would immediately start putting them back in ce as soon as she


    messed the order up. He had to arrange every book at the same angle, and Felicity could never


    understand what that strange habit was of his about.


    She ced a pillow behind her waist and sat cross-legged on the sofa. Then, she started logging into


    the game on her phone.


    As soon as she logged in, she heard Vermont¡¯s voiceing from the bathroom.


    ¡®There are drinks in the fridge. Take whatever you want. Also, grab me two bottles of beer.¡±


    ¡¯Okay,¡± Felicity said before putting down her phone and going to open the fridge.


    The fridge was filled with alcohol, drinks, and bottled water. The only food inside was a slice of bread


    stuffed in the corner, and Felicity had no idea how long it had been there.


    It had only been a little over one week since thest time and she could not figure out where all the


    food went. There was a supermarket right downstairs, and it was extremely convenient for him to just


    grab some groceries. ¡®How does he live like this?¡¯


    Felicity took out some drinks and two bottles of beer and closed the fridge door. She thought for a


    while, took her phone out, and called the owner of the supermarket downstairs.


    After a while, the employee working the night shift at the supermarket came knocking at the door with


    bags of groceries in his hands.


    Vermont has just done showering. He grabbed a towel and dried his hair with it beforeing out in a


    bathrobe.


    There was no one on the sofa, but he saw the panda bolster that Felicity would always hug and her


    little nket all over the sofa.


    He was still wondering where Felicity was when he heard some noiseing out of the kitchen.


    Vermont dried his hair as he walked toward the kitchen.


    In front of the fridge, he saw a tiny figure busily stuffing food inside.

 Chapter 1015

    Chapter 1015


    Chapter 1015


    There were various types of vegetables, fruits, snacks, some frozen tacos, and ready-to-eat meatballs.


    Vermont froze and stood there in ce. He watched how quickly Felicity filled the previously empty


    fridge with all those foods.


    He had multiple siblings. Even though he was the youngest one, he did not particrly receive the


    most attention from his parents.


    He did not grow up with his parents by his side and he was not very close with his siblings either. Also,


    his parents often criticized him for the ¡°bad habits¡± he developed while living in the countryside.


    So, he moved out after getting into a university. In all these years, he had been living alone, and he


    would only return home for a day or two when there was a special asion.


    However, even those mere two days would be suffering for Vermont.


    His parents would take pride in his achievements and boast about him to his rtives, thinking that


    their child had seeded in life. However, they would not show him any concern at all. They did not


    care about the hardships he went through to get where he was, nor did they care about if he had eaten


    or rested well while busy working.


    Not only that they would make a lot ofments about his lifestyle, but they would also urge him to


    settle down and start a family. Then, they would introduce some youngdies from different wealthy


    families to him. Also, they never seemed to notice that his fridge was always filled with alcohol when


    they took something from inside.


    Perhaps they did notice, but they just did not care.


    Even his exes who imed to care about him would only verbally ask him how he was doing without


    actually doing anything to ensure his well-being.


    Felicity was the only person who would always stuff Vermont¡¯s fridge with so many things whenever


    she was there.


    Although it was all bought with his money.


    After putting thest item into the fridge, Felicity stood in front of it with both of her hands on her lips,


    finally feeling satisfied.


    She closed the fridge door and saw a person standing at the entrance of the kitchen. She was startled


    and her heart almost jumped out of her chest.


    ¡¯What¡¯s wrong with you? Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you were done? You scared me!¡±


    Vermont was delighted when he saw the angry expression and big eyes on her face.


    He crossed his arms and leaned against the fridge door. Then, he smirked and said, ¡°Miss Bandit, I


    realized that even though you don¡¯t have a lot of feminine charms, you¡¯re a very virtuous woman. You


    can cook, do chores, and even y games with me. You¡¯re like aplete package.¡¯


    Felicity¡¯s eyelid twitched when she heard Vermont saying that she did not have a lot of feminine


    charms. ¡°You look like a normal person, but why just can¡¯t anything nicee out of your mouth?¡±


    She picked up the supermarket bags from the floor, bumped him out of her way, and left the kitchen.


    Vermont rubbed the spot where she bumped into. Then, he chuckled and went after her. ¡°I said so


    many things, yet that was the only thing you picked up on. I gave so manypliments.¡¯


    Felicity scoffed. ¡®I don¡¯t see that as apliment at all. Weren¡¯t you just saying that other than cooking,


    I know nothing else? Would you be happy if I said the same thing to you?¡±


    Vermont sat down beside her. ¡°You¡¯re just twisting my words at this point. I was genuinely praising you.


    Aren¡¯t girls like you every man¡¯s ideal wife?¡±


    Felicity red at him. ¡¯ A person that can do chores, be slept with, and give birth to babies is every


    man¡¯s ideal maid.¡±


    Vermont was rendered speechless by Felicity¡¯s strong statement.


    ¡¯This is pure stereotyping. Just because I appreciate a woman who can cook, it doesn¡¯t imply that she


    cannot pursue her own career. Cooking can be a passion for her without it being an obligation. I¡¯m


    perfectly capable of living without someone cooking for me, and I value quality time spent with a


    partner, where we can both cook and enjoy meals together.¡±


    Felicity was taken aback for a moment and then responded, ¡°Why do I get the impression that you only


    prefer women withrge breasts who spend their time exclusively in nightclubs?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Vermont was left speechless again.

 Chapter 1016

    Chapter 1016


    Chapter 1016


    Vermont wanted to defend himself, but after thinking about it, he realized that all his exes fit Felicity¡¯s


    description.


    So, he said, ¡°Well, that¡¯ll just be a bonus on top.¡±


    Felicity glowered at him. ¡°What a yboy!¡±


    Vermont chuckled. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a double standard? Don¡¯t you watch short videos of guys showing off their


    abs too? You like people with good figures just like me.¡±


    ¡°How am I like you? I¡¯m only watching them for inspiration, but you actually get your hands on them!¡±


    The edge of Vermont¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°You looked at those men¡¯s abs for inspiration? What kind of


    script are you writing?¡±


    Felicity put on a scornful look. ¡°Are you implying that I write erotic stuff? I¡¯m only watching those videos


    to sharpen my observational skills, okay?¡±


    She continued proudly, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what. My new script¡¯s opening has been epted, and they said


    they¡¯re going to sign the contract once I finish the entire script and there are no problems with it!¡±


    Vermont felt happy too when he saw the excited look on her face. Then, he asked, ¡°What is the story


    about?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a workce drama.¡± Felicity smiled as she spoke. ¡°It mainly focuses on doctors. To be honest,


    Doctor Steven gave me a lot of inspiration and things to write about.¡±


    The smile on Vermont¡¯s face slowly faded away. ¡°I see,¡± he said nonchntly before adding, ¡°It¡¯s better


    not to write about professions like doctors that require a lot of specialized knowledge. You can make a


    mistake very easily. There are just too many workce dramas that ended up badly in recent years.¡±


    Felicity was not worried at all. ¡°Doctor Steven agreed to be my professional consultant. I can just ask


    him if I¡¯m faced with any difficulties or issues rted to the profession.¡±


    ¡°Is the main character based on him?¡±


    ¡°Ah. Doctor Steven is already a deputy chief doctor despite his young age. I couldn¡¯t think of any other


    people who have a better story to write about.¡±


    The look on Vermont¡¯s face looked worse. ¡°I owned a fewpanies despite my young age too. Why


    don¡¯t you write about me instead? Being an entrepreneur is so much more interesting than being a


    doctor.¡±


    Felicity swept her gaze across him. ¡°You? I¡¯ve thought about it too, but you looked too much like a


    yboy. I would think of your countless ex girlfriends whenever I try to write something about you.


    People nowadays prefer a loyal protagonist. You and your eventful love life made it impossible for you


    to be a male lead in a modern drama.¡±


    Vermont frowned. ¡°yboy?¡±


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah. Just like a waiter in the Sapphire Clubhouse who has a seductive face that constantly wants to


    lure women into his bed.¡±


    Vermont kept quiet for a moment before he said, ¡°Are you calling me a gigolo?¡±


    Felicity immediately said, ¡°You said that yourself, not me.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s face darkened. Tm not a fucking gigolo!¡¯


    Felicity realized that she might have gone too far with the way she described him after seeing


    Vermont¡¯s upset expression. So, she quickly shook his arm and said, ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be angry. I just


    couldn¡¯t find the right word to describe you. You¡¯re actually pretty attractive. However, you just happen


    to give off a vibe of being a yboy who sleeps around with women and then dumps them.¡±


    Vermont did not know what to say. ¡°Thanks, but you¡¯re not making me feel any better.¡±


    Felicity could not help butugh out loud after seeing his furrowed brow and unhappy expression.


    Vermont glowered at her. ¡°You still have the nerve tough?¡±

 Chapter 1017

    Chapter 1017


    Chapter 1017


    Felicity said, ¡°Come on, Mr. Snyder, be more like a gentleman. I didn¡¯t get mad when you said that I


    lack feminine charm, right? Although you look like a yboy, you¡¯re actually a very trustable friend.


    After all, I¡¯m not dating you, so you being a yboy doesn¡¯t affect me at all. We can still get along well


    as friends.¡±


    Vermont paused. The phrase ¡°I¡¯m not dating you¡± sounded very particrly unpleasant to him as he


    suddenly felt a stifling sense of frustration inside.


    He scrunched his face and said while gritting his teeth, ¡¯Like I would be interested in dating you!¡±


    Felicity did not notice that he was throwing a tantrum and thought that he was simply arguing with her


    as usual. So, she said yfully, ¡°You¡¯re right. Mr. Snyder is known to have high standards for women.


    How could my short legs ever be good enough for him?¡±


    Listening to her self-deprecating words that were meant to cheer him up, he felt even worse.


    He thought to himself. ¡®Yeah. I have no idea why I would lower my standards to the point where I can¡¯t


    stop thinking about your short legs. Even worse, you¡¯re so oblivious that you can¡¯t tell that I have


    feelings for you.¡¯


    ¡°Okay, okay. Stop being angry. I¡¯ll treat you to a Yostrainian meal after I receive my first payment. I¡¯m


    going to take you to the newly opened Yostrainian restaurant in Northgate and order everything on the


    menu. I¡¯m going to show that snobbish owner what I¡¯m made of!¡±


    Vermont suppressed his frustration and asked, ¡®How did that owner offend you?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t really offend me, but he would always give me this weird look whenever I passed by his


    restaurant.¡±


    Felicity even started imitating him as she spoke.


    ¡°He would roll his eyes to the back of his head as if he was saying that I¡¯m too poor to be eating there.¡±


    Vermont frustration disappeared and he could not help butugh. ¡°You think that he looks down on you,


    yet you still want to spend money in his shop? Did he save you in your past life or something?¡±


    Felicity paused. ¡°I¡­ I just want to show him that I¡¯m not poor.¡±


    Vermont sat upright and leaned closer to her. Water droplets fell from his damp hair. Then, he lifted his


    dashing eyebrows and said with a smirk, ¡°At this point, you¡¯re just giving him money. Not only that he¡¯ll


    continue to look down on you, but he¡¯ll probably think that you¡¯re an idiot too.¡±


    Felicity became unhappy upon hearing that. ¡°Do you have a better idea then?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s lips curved even more as his gaze turned cold. ¡°If I were you, I¡¯ll start a funeral business


    right next to his shop. I¡¯m going to sell mortuary supplies and st mourning music all day long. I¡¯m


    sure that his shop will be closed within a month.


    ¡°His store has a five-year lease contract worth about three million dors per year. Assuming that his


    renovation costs another million dors, in addition to other expenses, I can¡¯t even imagine how much


    money he¡¯d lose. Even if he wanted to sell his business, it would be difficult with a funeral supply store


    next door.


    Felicity responded, ¡°You¡¯re wicked.¡± She only wanted to embarrass the shop owner, yet Vermont


    nned to ruin his life instead.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    But thendlord may not rent you a shop if you¡¯re going to start a funeral supply store there. He has to


    think about other potential tenants too, right?¡±


    Vermont said, ¡°I¡¯ll just rent all the other shops as long as I can teach the restaurant owner a lesson. I¡¯m


    pretty sure that thendlord will be more than happy to do that.¡±


    ¡®A rich man¡¯s revenge.¡¯ Felicity thought for a while and said, ¡®You¡¯re not going to be so mean to me if I


    ever offend you, right?¡±


    Vermont smirked and pinched her cheek. ¡°That¡¯s hard to say. So, you¡¯d better show me some respect


    and stop being so violent to me.¡±


    Felicity immediately said, ¡°I¡¯m not that bold. You¡¯ve got to be very tired after taking such a long shower.


    Let me give you a back massage.¡±


    Vermont looked at her and said, ¡°Sure.¡± Then, he took off his bathrobe, revealing his muscr body as


    he turned her back against her and said tly, ¡°Press harder. My back has been very stifftely.¡±


    Felicity was speechless.

 Chapter 1018

    Chapter 1018


    Chapter 1018


    ¡®What? I didn¡¯t mean it!¡¯ Felicity¡¯s thoughts raced inwardly as she observed Vermont¡¯s well-defined


    back. ¡°Does he really think we¡¯re that close?¡± Her heart pounded with a mixture of confusion and


    anticipation.


    Despite being nearly the same height as Keegan, Vermont possessed a slightly leaner physique.


    However, once he removed his clothing, his well- defined muscles became apparent. It was evident


    that he maintained a regr gym routine and was in excellent physical shape.


    Felicity had spent a considerable amount of time working on set, witnessing numerous ¡°impressive


    scenes.¡±


    Especially in recent years, herpany had been producing drama series targeting young adult


    audience, featuring mostly popr young heartthrobs.


    Those guys had fair and soft skin. However, once they removed their clothes, many of them resembled


    boiled chickens, while others appeared skeletal.


    While their bodies disyed some degree of muscle, it was primarily due to their slimness. When they


    wore the shirts provided by the production team, their narrow shoulders and slim waists made them


    resemble children wearing adult clothing,pletely out of proportion.


    Nevertheless, their loyal fans continued to shower them with praise for their ¡°appealing¡± physiques,


    which led Felicity to question her own sense of aesthetics.


    In the past, whenever a male actor had to film a scene revealing his upper body, everyone would


    eagerly gather to watch. However, times had changed. Nobody seemed interested in looking at


    broomsticks anymore.


    Vermont was not bulky either, but he was very well-built. One could tell that he had an impressively low


    percentage of body fat and every muscle on his body was well-defined. He could easily be a live model


    for a medical school teaching human muscle. His figure was the kind that every normal person should


    be fond of, no matter age or gender.


    ¡°Quick, what are you waiting for?¡± Vermont said and snapped Felicity back from her thoughts.


    She coughed and tried to mask her unrhythmic heartbeat before saying,¡± Coming.¡±


    She stretched her fingers as she spoke. Then, she ced her hands on Vermont¡¯s shoulders and


    started massaging him.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡°Mr. Snyder, do you need me to press harder or does this feel okay?¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Vermont squinted and replied after a while. ¡°Go harder.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing.¡±


    Felicity began massaging harder as she asked, ¡°Are we going to the office at the same time


    tomorrow?¡±


    Vermont said with his eyes closed, ¡°No. You go first, and I¡¯lleter.¡±


    ¡°Why? How am I going to embarrass them without you by my side?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to make them proud and feel like their n worked for a moment, thinking that they finally


    managed to make you resign. Then, I¡¯ll make an entrance to shock them. In that way, you¡¯ll feel a lot


    more satisfied.¡± After saying this, he added disdainfully, ¡°Are you really a scriptwriter? You don¡¯t seem


    to know anything about writing a satisfying revenge story.¡±


    Felicity scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s not the genre I¡¯m good at anyway.¡±


    She could not help but touch Vermont¡¯s back muscles as she spoke. ¡°Tsk, look at this back. It¡¯s a


    shame that I don¡¯t have the cupping tools.


    Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t mind giving you a few cupping marks.¡±


    Vermont felt a little sore as he cleared his throat and said, ¡°You know how to do cupping?¡±


    Felicity immediately replied, ¡°Are you underestimating me? What is it in the world that I can¡¯t do?¡±


    Vermont paused. Then, he turned around and said. ¡°I have cupping tools at home. Let me get them for


    you.¡±


    Felicity kept quiet.


    Obviously, she knew nothing about cupping. She was just saying that because she needed an excuse


    to touch his muscles. She was not expecting him to actually have the tools at all.


    Shortly after, Vermont returned with a full set of cupping tools and ced the box on the coffee table.


    Then, he said to Felicity, ¡°Everything you need is in here, right?¡±

 Chapter 1019

    Chapter 1019


    Chapter 1019


    Inside the box, there were not only cupping tools but also a back massager and essential oil.


    Vermont was toozy to go to the shop for a massage session sometimes, so he would call a masseur


    toe to his house. It was nothing surprising that he actually had all those things at home.


    Felicity realized that she had gotten herself in trouble as bit the bullet and said, ¡°I would¡¯ve thought that


    you run a massage parlor if I don¡¯t know you.¡±


    ¡°Cut the nonsense.¡± Vermont threw her a lighter and said, ¡°Come on, show me how good you are.¡±


    Hey t on the sofa, exposing his entire back.


    Felicity looked at the lighter, then the bottles and jars in the box. She thought about thest time she


    had cupping therapy and how the therapist did it. She felt like¡­ it was not anything too difficult. ¡®I only


    have to do this, then this, and put the jar on his back, right? ¡®It doesn¡¯t require a lot of skills¡­ I guess.¡¯


    ¡® What are you waiting for?¡± Vermont urged her. ¡°We¡¯re going to y games after this.¡±


    Felicity recollected herself. Then, she took a huge cotton swab and dipped it in alcohol, lit it, and then


    swirled it inside a jar before quickly cing it in the center of Vermont¡¯s back.


    After noticing that Vermont did not say anything, Felicity pushed the jar slightly and felt that it was pretty


    sturdy. Suddenly, she felt like a genius who could ce the jar just anywhere she wanted.


    Vermont reached for the remote control and switched on the television while enjoying Felicity¡¯s service.


    The television was ying a trailer for World Peace, which was a show going to be aired on a channel


    during the prime time next week.


    In the past two weeks, World Peace had been on the trending searches of Facebook. The show had


    not even started airing, yet its marketing and promotion had made it very famous. When it was still in


    production, the original author of World Peace sparked controversy due to allegations of giarism.


    However, the issue seemed to have fallen apart after getting so much attention at the beginning, but


    what happened gained the show a lot of exposure.


    There were so many people criticizing World Peace previously, but there was hardly anyone


    mentioning the giarism anymore now that the show was about to be aired.


    From what Felicity knew about capitalism, she figured that the production team either spent money to


    suppress the criticism or it was nothing but a marketing strategy to gain traction for the show from the


    very beginning.


    Using giarism as a reason to boost a production¡¯s poprity had been a verymon thing in the


    industry for a long time.


    They would do anything for money, including tarnishing their own reputation.


    However, the disgusting about World Peace was due to its excessive and extensive promotion, it


    overshadowed Ste¡¯s debut work, The Pce.


    Although the director, Daniel Wood, was known to produce outstanding shows, he did not have a very


    good rtionship with people in the industry. Also, he was not a fan of pulling any publicity stunts or


    casting high-profile actors in his shows. So, other than the fact that the second female lead of The


    Pce got on trending searches because of her controversial stance, the other time that it gained a


    little attention was the inte rumor that Be¡¯s role was stolen by an unknown actress with a strong


    background.


    Even though the production team made an official rification that they never offered Be a role, it still


    gained lesser traction than the rumor itself.


    And now The Pce was going to premiere on the same day as World Peace, it had be anything


    topic forizens to talk about.


    Be¡¯s fans were extremely pleased that The Pce was overshadowed by World Peace¡¯s constant


    promotion.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    So, Felicity got very angry when she saw the trailer. ¡°What a rubbish giarized show. How could it


    even be aired? Are the reviewers blind or something? They halted so many other productions, yet they


    approved giarized work! Ridiculous!¡±


    Vermont chuckled. ¡°Well, it¡¯s just another money-making drama. It¡¯s not targeting the same market as


    The Pce anyway. Why are you so bothered?¡±


    Felicity replied, ¡°Because their premiers are on the same day. It¡¯ll definitely affect the viewership of The


    Pce by then. If The Pce failed to get a lot of viewers, Ste¡¯s future opportunities might be


    affected. After all, she needs to prove herself now.¡±


    Then, she started scolding Be, ¡°Mistress Young is really getting on my nerves.¡± Felicity suddenly


    remembered that Vermont was Be¡¯s ex-boss, and he was the reason why she became famous.


    Then, she got even angrier.


    Vermont had no idea what was going on in her head as he said, ¡°The one on the left feels a little loose.


    Fix it please.¡±


    Felicity took the jab off with a tense face. When she was about to put it back, the doorbell rang.


    She was startled, and the burning cotton swab fell on Vermont¡¯s shorts. Then, the me started


    spreading all over.

 Chapter 1020

    Chapter 1020


    Chapter 1020


    Felicity was stunned, and a sharp scream followed. ¡°Ahhh! Your butt is on fire!¡±


    Vermont was confused. Then, he felt the heat on his buttocks after a few seconds. He turned around


    and saw a tall me burning on his shorts.


    He quickly jumped off the sofa, took off his burning shorts, and threw them aside in a swift motion.


    Felicity saw it and quickly walked over to stomp on the shorts, putting out the me.


    She still felt a lingering sense of shock. When she turned around and was about to ask Vermont if he


    was burned, she saw him standing beside the sofa naked while wrapping her nket around his waist.


    Felicity¡¯s eyes widened as she glowered at him and said, ¡°What are you doing with my nket?!¡±


    Vermont tied a knot with it and swept his gaze across her. ¡°Do you prefer to see me naked then?¡±


    The imagination of Vermont¡¯s naked body shed across her mind as she blushed and kept her mouth


    shut.


    Then, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you wearing underwear?¡±


    Vermont replied slowly, ¡°It¡¯s the same reason why you don¡¯t wear a bra at home. It¡¯s morefortable


    this way.¡±


    Felicity was speechless.


    Vermont could not help but roast her after saying those words, ¡°Aren¡¯t you very good at cupping? How


    could you light my shorts on fire? I¡¯ll probably be burned alive if I didn¡¯t react quickly enough.¡±


    Felicity felt extremely guilty, and her usual confidence was nowhere to be found as she spoke in a low


    voice, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to do cupping. This is my first time doing it. But I was doing just fine earlier,


    right? The doorbell scared me and it¡­ just happened.¡±


    Vermont looked at her. ¡°Your mistake almost cost me my future generation. I wonder how you would


    compensate me if something really happened to me.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Felicity lowered her head, looking remorseful. She only spoke softly after Vermont lectured her, ¡°I¡¯ll take


    full responsibility if you were really harmed because of my mistake.¡±


    Vermont paused and said nonchntly, ¡°And how would you do that?¡±


    Felicity replied naturally, ¡°By marrying you, of course.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s heart skipped a beat as his chest trembled. He felt a tingling sensation spread across and


    his heart thumped unrhythmically.


    However, what Felicity said at the next secondpletely crushed the excitement in him. ¡°In that way,


    nobody else would know about your dysfunction. I¡¯ll keep this secret for the rest of my life even though


    it means being a widow,¡± Felicity said guiltily.


    The edge of Vermont¡¯s eyes twitched.


    Then, his face turned pale. He lost his bnce and was about to fall.


    Fortunately, Felicity was standing beside him and quickly grabbed him.¡± Stinky Cucumber, are you


    okay?¡±


    Vermont replied with his colorless face, ¡°The burned spot is starting to hurt. ¡ö


    Felicity suddenly became anxious. ¡°You were just fine a moment ago. Why does it suddenly hurt now?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t feel anything just now, but it¡¯s burning now¡­ It¡¯s probably a dyed pain.¡±


    Felicity panicked. ¡°So you¡¯re burned? What to do now? I¡¯ll take you to the hospital.¡±


    Vermont rejected her. ¡°Do you realize how shameful this is? Are you expecting to tell the doctor my butt


    was burned during cupping therapy? I¡¯ll probably die of embarrassment before I can get treated.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯ve got to do something about it.¡± Felicity thought to herself. ¡®If something bad really happened


    to him because of my mistake, there¡¯s nothing I can do topensate him.¡±


    Vermont looked at the guilty and nervous look on her face and reassured her instead, ¡¯Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll


    rinse it with cold water in the bathroom first. Let¡¯s see if it¡¯ll get better.¡±


    Felicity did not have a better idea, so she helped him to the bathroom.


    Vermont went into the bathroom alone and Felicity waited outside.


    Other than the sound of running water, Felicity could not hear anything else. So, she asked, ¡°Stinky


    Cucumber, how are you? Feeling any better?¡±


    After a while, Vermont replied, ¡®Would you check who pressed the doorbell just now first?¡±


    So, Felicity walked away.


    The doorbell only rang two to three times and then stopped.


    Felicity opened the door, and expectedly, no one was there. Instead, there was a cardboard box ced


    at the doorstep.

 Chapter 1021

    Chapter 1021


    Chapter 1021


    Felicity ran to the elevator. After making sure that nobody was there, she carried the cardboard box into


    the house.


    As soon as she went back inside, she saw Vermont limping out of the bathroom.


    Felicity immediately put the box down and asked, ¡°How are you feeling? Does it still hurt?¡±


    Vermont held onto the handle of a chair and said with a pale face, ¡°Not so good.¡±


    The look on Felicity¡¯s face was more unpleasant than Vermont¡¯s. She knew that she had caused huge


    trouble. Without hesitation, she helped Vermont to put on his clothes and rushed him to the hospital.


    Felicity¡¯s face was very tense during the entire journey.


    Vermont¡¯s backside was hurt, and he could not sit. So, he had to lie t in the backseat and rested his


    head on Felicity¡¯s thighs.


    From the angle he was looking Felicity at, she looked extremely worried. Her chubby chin was tightly


    clenched, and Vermont could tell that she was feeling very uneasy.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont could not help but reach out to poke the dimple on her cheek as he chuckled and said softly,


    ¡°Why are you so nervous? Are you afraid that you really have to marry me if I¡¯m injured?¡±


    ¡°Stop talking. You¡¯re only making me feel worse.¡± Felicity was in no mood to joke around as she was


    genuinely worried that Vermont was hurt.


    It seemed like Vermont was in real pain. After saying those words, he shut his eyes and stopped


    speaking.


    The car arrived at the hospital very soonter. Felicity registered at the emergency department and


    brought Vermont to a doctor.


    The doctor was in disbelief when he heard that Vermont was burned during cupping therapy. However,


    he quickly asked Vermont to take his shorts off to get checked anyway.


    Vermont paused. Then, he turned around and said to Felicity, ¡°Why don¡¯t you wait outside.¡±


    Felicity was still very worried as she said, ¡°Call me if you need anything.¡± Then, she left the emergency


    room.


    The doctor said after the door was shut. ¡°Lie down. Let me take a look.¡±


    Instead of lying down, Vermont grabbed a chair and sat opposite the doctor.


    The doctor was confused. ¡®Didn¡¯t he get burned? Is the burn so severe, that he lost his senses?¡¯


    Vermont looked at the doctor and said tly, ¡°Doctor Walford, prescribe some burn medicine for me.¡±


    The doctor had no idea what was going on, but he asked out of his professional ethics anyway, ¡°I need


    to examine the injury first to determine what medication to prescribe.¡±


    ¡°I was not burned. Just give me any medicine. I¡¯ll pay for the medical fees and all I need is you to keep


    this secret for me.¡±


    The doctor was taken aback. ¡°Erm¡­¡±


    Vermont grabbed a pen and ticked ¡°extremely satisfied¡± on every section in the feedback form on the


    table. Then, he looked up and said, ¡°Whether I can get a girlfriend or not is up to you now.¡±


    The doctor kept quiet. The pressure he felt was greater than treating any patient.


    Felicity walked back and forth in the hallway as she thought to herself. ¡®It can¡¯t be that serious, right?


    But what if it¡¯s very serious?


    ¡®Putting the money aside, I can never do anything topensate him if something bad really happened


    to him because of that burn,1


    At that moment, Felicity even had the urge to ask for her mother¡¯s help. Suddenly, the door of the


    emergency room behind her was opened.


    However, to her surprise, it wasn¡¯t Vermont who emerged, but rather the doctor.


    Felicity immediately approached him and asked anxiously, ¡°Doctor, how is he? Is it serious?¡±

 Chapter 1022

    Chapter 1022


    Chapter 1022


    The doctor avoided direct eye contact with Felicity. He adjusted his spectacles and cleared his throat


    before saying, ¡°It¡¯s pretty serious. Apart from his buttocks, his groin, perineum, and the area near his


    genital were also burned.


    Felicity was shocked.


    ¡°Doctor, are you sure about that? He was still walking fine at home earlier. How did it be so


    serious?¡±


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    The doctor swept his gaze across her. ¡°Are you doubting my professionalism?¡±


    Felicity immediately shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I was just¡­ very surprised. He didn¡¯t say


    that he was in pain at all earlier. He had no difficulty walking, and I¡¯m just shocked that he can¡¯t even


    get up now.¡±


    The doctor replied, ¡°In cases of severe burn, the sensation of pain can sometimes be dyed. It¡¯s very


    common.¡±


    The doctor immediately continued speaking before Felicity could process the logical loophole of his


    words, ¡°His reproductive ability would be affected if it¡¯s not treated properly. Conducting cupping


    therapy without professional knowledge is already a dangerous thing. How could you two do that at


    home instead of going to a legitimate therapy center? This is absurd!¡±


    Felicity was stunned by the doctor¡¯stter words before she could even think about what he said


    earlier.


    Her face immediately turned pale, and her eyes reddened after hearing how serious Vermont¡¯s injuries


    were. She sniffled as if she was going to cry anytime.


    ¡°What should we do now? Does he need to be hospitalized? Does he need surgery? How much money


    do I need?¡±


    ¡°That area has very rich blood vessels and nerves, so it¡¯s better for us to start with conservative


    treatments first. After all, it¡¯s risky to conduct an operation right away. He¡¯s still so young. We¡¯ll consider


    operating if the treatment can¡¯t yield a satisfactory result.¡±


    The guilty look on the doctor¡¯s face was obvious as he said that.


    There were so many loopholes in his words, yet Felicity was too worried to process what he said


    thoroughly as the phrase ¡°his reproductive ability would be affected¡± echoed in her head.


    ¡®It¡¯s just a small burn. How did it lead up to this?¡¯ Felicity¡¯s head was in a mess. When she saw Vermont


    lying on the bed inside, she was flooded with guilt.


    Then, she said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Doctor, you¡¯ve got to save him.¡±


    The doctor looked at her innocent face. He hesitated and said, ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡±


    The doctor thought, ¡®She¡¯s such a kinddy. How did she end up with such a cunning man? He lied to


    her, yet she¡¯s still crying over him. Is this how rtionships work among young people nowadays? Is


    lying amon thing to pursue a girl?¡¯


    The doctor went away after briefing Felicity.


    Felicity went inside with a pale face. She wanted to apologize, but doubted her words would hold any


    significance for Vermont. Ultimately, he was hurt because she had deceived him about her knowledge


    of cupping.


    Felicity¡¯s mother had often referred to Felicity as a troublemaker, abel she hade to ept. It


    seemed that nobody knew her better than her own mother. Indeed, she had always been a


    troublemaker.


    Back in kindergarten, Felicity had adamantly insisted on ying seesaw with her ssmates, despite


    her teacher¡¯s disapproval. She even coerced a scrawny child into joining her. Taking advantage of her


    weight, she lifted the other child high in the air without allowing her toe down, resulting in a day


    filled with tears.


    During elementary school, Felicity made up her mind to learn how to climb trees, just like the other


    kids. She sought the guidance of an older skinny boy from her neighborhood. While she managed to


    ascend sessfully, she found herself clueless about descending. Her pants got snagged on


    branches, leaving her teary-eyed and stranded in the treetop.


    Fortunately, the older boy was kind. He told her to jump down, and he would catch her. After building


    up her courage, she did as he said, but ended up fracturing his arm. When her mother found out about


    it, she chased Felicity through the streets with a hanger in her hand.


    Felicity couldn¡¯t help but reflect, ¡®Despite everything that has transpired, I never seem to learn from my


    mistakes.¡¯


    On one asion, a fortune teller predicted that a cmity would befall Felicity at the age of twenty-five,


    emphasizing the need to find someone with a strong fate to ovee the impending misfortune.


    ording to the fortune teller, only then would she be guaranteed a smooth and luminous future.


    Felicity¡¯s mother held great faith in the fortune teller¡¯s words, constantly arranging introductions with


    men who perfectly matched the specified criteria.

 Chapter 1023

    Chapter 1023


    Chapter 1023


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Felicity would not have run away from her home if it was not because of the endless blind dates her


    mother arranged for her.


    With her twenty-sixth birthday approaching in two weeks and nothing bad happening to her, her head


    got big. She even texted her mother to make fun of her superstitious belief and told her to be more


    practical.


    Unexpectedly, karma hit her right in the face.


    The disaster had caught up with her right before turning twenty-six.


    And she could even be jailed.


    Felicity got more anxious and scared as she thought about that. She even wanted to swap ces with


    Vermont.


    Vermont heard hering inside, but not talking at all. His back was starting to feel stiff. He was about


    to stretch for a bit, and he heard Felicity say, ¡®I¡¯ll take care of your medical bill and all your expenses


    during your recovery period, including your lost wages¡­¡± She paused and continued with her red eyes,


    ¡°I probably can¡¯t afford topensate you for your lost wages for now. Can you write me an I0U


    instead?¡±


    Vermont looked at her. He ignored her question and asked, ¡°What did the doctor tell you just now?¡±


    Felicity paused. ¡°Didn¡¯t he talk to you about it?¡±


    Vermont replied, ¡°It hurt too much when he was treating me, so I didn¡¯t pay attention to his words.¡±


    Felicity kept quiet.


    ¡®What am I going to tell him? That he¡¯s probably going to be permanently injured? And his reproductive


    ability could be affected?¡±


    Seeing that Felicity remained silent, Vermont asked tentatively, ¡°Is it very serious?¡±


    Felicity nodded slowly.


    She felt even guiltier as she thought to herself. ¡®Even if you¡¯re mentally prepared, you probably can¡¯t


    ept the fact that you¡¯ll be important, right?¡¯


    She took a deep breath, organized her words, and said softly, ¡°The doctor said that your manhood was


    burned, and your reproductive ability will probably be affected before you¡¯re recovered.¡±


    Vermont paused. He subconsciously clenched his fist as his expression turned tenser too. After two


    seconds, he asked, ¡°What about after recovering? Everything will be the same as before, right?¡±


    Felicity said with difficulty, ¡°The doctor said it¡¯s uncertain¡­¡±


    Vermont¡¯s face immediately turned pale.


    Felicity beat herself up and quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll get the best doctor to treat you. If we can¡¯t get


    it treated here, I¡¯ll take you abroad. I¡¯m going to spend every penny I have to cure you.¡±


    Vermont shut his eyes, seemingly to ept his face. Then, he asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°What if it can¡¯t


    be cured? Am I going to stay this way forever? ¡ö


    Felicity felt even worse. Her heart ached and was about to cry as she said in a shaky voice, ¡°Think


    positively. Although¡­ although it that¡¯s really the case, it doesn¡¯t mean that you¡¯re worthless. Well,


    Stephen Hawking


    became one of the most famous physicists and Stevie Wonder recorded so many top hits too. Your


    disability is not going to define who you are.¡±


    ¡°Ahem., ahem¡­¡± Vermont choked on his own saliva and almost sold himself out. ¡®She¡¯s so good at


    comforting others.¡¯


    Felicity quickly went to pat his back to soothe him.


    It took Vermont a while to finally stop coughing. Then, he looked at Felicity and said, ¡°I¡¯m not worried


    about that. I¡¯m just afraid that when this gets out. I¡¯ll be aughingstock of everybody.¡±


    Felicity immediately assured him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to spill a word about this. If you ever heard


    anyone else talking about this, you can cut my tongue off.¡±


    Vermont sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s not as simple as you think. Even if you don¡¯t say a word about it, people


    would be suspicious of me if I still couldn¡¯t get a girlfriend at my age. It¡¯s impossible for me to hide


    this forever.¡±


    Felicity thought about how other people had been paying so much attention to Ste¡¯s belly all these


    years after she married Keegan, so she believed in what Vermont said without a doubt upon hearing it.


    ¡°What should we do then?¡± Felicity started pondering. ¡°Why don¡¯t you find an actress and pay her to be


    your fake girlfriend? In that way, people won¡¯t be suspicious of you anymore, right?¡±


    Noticing that Felicity had fallen into his trap, Vermont sighed and said,¡± That could work, but only


    temporarily. Especially with a person that we don¡¯t know, we can never trust her entirely. If I can never


    recover from this, no one will be my fake girlfriend forever and how can I live without being with my true


    love?¡±


    Felicity frowned and hesitated for some time before she finally said in a low voice, ¡°l-l¡¯ll be your fake


    girlfriend then.¡±

 Chapter 1024

    Chapter 1024


    Chapter 1024


    Vermont¡¯s heart was about to jump out of his chest, yet he pretentiously asked, ¡®Be my what?¡±


    After thinking that Vermont would not have to go through this if it was not for her, she made up her mind


    and said with gritted teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll be your fake girlfriend. Would that be okay?¡±


    Vermont paused and looked at her from head to toe. ¡®You? I guess not.¡±


    Felicity immediately got upset as she thought that Vermont was looking down on her. ¡°What? I admit I


    don¡¯t have big breasts and long legs like your ex-girlfriends, but what other choice do we have now?


    Other than me, where else can you find someone¡­ someone who will keep this secret for you?¡±


    Vermont sighed. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I just don¡¯t want to hold you back.¡± He paused and lowered


    his head, continuing, ¡°Aren¡¯t you interested in Corbin? And there has already been something going on


    between you two, right? So if you were to be my fake girlfriend, everything would be ruined for


    you. I can¡¯t let that happen.¡±


    Felicity suddenly looked hesitant after hearing Corbin¡¯s name.


    Vermont observed her expression silently. When Felicity was still fighting herself over it, he coughed


    and said, ¡°Forget it. I don¡¯t want to put you in a difficult position. After all, this is a very big decision.


    Perhaps this is my fate. Why did I even ask you to do cupping for me¡­¡±


    Felicity was still in a dilemma, but what Vermont said immediately flooded her with guilt. Every single


    word that came out of his mouth hit her right in her moral code, repeatedly bashing her conscience.


    ¡®Do I even deserve true love if Vermont has to live like this forever?¡¯ Felicity was drowning in guilt.


    Besides, she had already made it obvious that she was interested in Corbin. Although he did not reject


    her, he had not given her a direct response either.


    ¡¯Perhaps he doesn¡¯t like me. I guess he didn¡¯t reject me because he thought I¡¯d be hurt.¡¯


    Even though she showed so much interest in Corbin, to be honest, she had not really thought about


    what getting into a rtionship with him would be like.


    Perhaps she did not even have any hope herself.


    As Felicity thought about that, her thoughts became clearer. Then, she said in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t say


    that. After all, you¡¯re only hurt because of me.


    How can I stand by and do nothing? It¡¯s not as depressing as you put it. It¡¯s not like you¡¯ll be like this


    forever anyway. I¡¯ll just cooperate with you before you¡¯re fully recovered. Just focus on your treatment


    or whatever you¡¯ve got to do. I¡¯ll never spill a word about this.¡±


    Vermont was ecstatic. However, his face looked even calmer as he reached out and rubbed Felicity¡¯s


    head. She wanted to move away, but she gave up the idea when she thought about what Vermont said.


    Vermont¡¯s hand was warm, and when he ced it on Felicity¡¯s head¡­ it felt like a gentle night breeze


    blowing by.


    For some reason, her ears felt hot.


    When Vermont saw her reddened eyes and puffy lips, he felt a strong temptation to kiss her. However,


    he managed to stop that dangerous thought.


    ¡®She has only set one foot into my trap. I can¡¯t be too hasty and scare her away.¡¯


    He took his hand back and ced it on top of her hand that was resting on her knee. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you


    have to do this,¡± he said softly.


    Felicity felt a little strange when he spoke like that to her. She was more used to the mean and


    sarcastic version of him. She could not help but feel like he was up to something bad with how gently


    he acted.


    She withdrew her hand and scratched her head as she said unnaturally,¡± Let¡¯s not talk about it


    anymore. Does it still hurt?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s bearable,¡± Vermont replied.


    ¡°Hm¡­¡±


    Vermont spoke before Felicity could continue the awkward conversation,¡± Are you going to post it, or


    should I do it?¡±


    Felicity was surprised. ¡°Post what?¡±


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont paused and looked up, saying, ¡°Are you not going to tell the others that we¡¯re dating?¡±

 Chapter 1025

    Chapter 1025


    Chapter 1025


    Felicity was shocked.


    ¡°l-lsn¡¯t it¡­ too soon?¡±


    Felicity was not mentally prepared for that as she hesitantly said, ¡®The doctor said that the treatment


    could work. Why don¡¯t we see how it goes first? It¡¯s too pessimistic to be announcing it now. What if


    you recovered after that?¡±


    Vermont put on an extremely downhearted look. ¡°The doctor wouldn¡¯t put it that way if it really works.¡¯


    He paused momentarily, ¡°Are you regretting your decision now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Felicity was about to exin herself, but she figured she would only sound like she was making


    excuses for herself. So, she said after a while. ¡°Well¡­ you do it then.¡±


    Vermont was delighted.


    He drafted the text and nced at Felicity, who looked like the saddest person on earth. Then, he


    cleared his throat and said, ¡°Give me your hand.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Felicity had no idea what he wanted to do, but she did as he said anyway.


    Vermont held her tiny hand and slid his fingers through the gaps between her hand, holding it tightly.


    Before Felicity could realize what was happening, Vermont had already taken a photo of their


    interlocked hands.


    After that, he let go of her hand, uploaded the photo, and published it.


    Ste had just finished showering and was lying on the bed wearing a face mask. Her phone was


    beside her, ying a podcast where the hosts criticized some judges and participants of an acting


    variety show.


    The hosts did not hold themselves back at all. They knew that variety shows like that were all scripted;


    singing and dancing idols would participate in challenging themselves while children of celebrities


    participated to prove that they did not need their parents to be sessful. Also, participants that the


    judges praised would never be selected, whereas the ones they criticized would always advance to the


    next stage. And when they ran out of ideas to manipte their audience, they started spreading rumors


    about their participants dating each other.


    Ste was the kind of person who would not watch a single episode of these shows but was obsessed


    with criticizing them.


    One could imagine what quality these shows had when even a person like Be could be a judge.


    Daniel even asked her if she wanted to gain more exposure by attending this show before.


    Ste thought it was part of her work, so she implicitly expressed her reluctance to participate.


    However, she also said she would cooperate with thepany if needed.


    Daniel listened to her and never asked her about it again. It was then that Ste realized that she could


    actually pick her jobs. Thepany had given her much flexibility on this.


    Then, she thought about Wenham¡¯s invitation to have a meal together. She contemted if she should


    take the opportunity and bring some gifts to thank Trevor for his care and support at work.


    Suddenly, her phone rang.


    She looked at it and saw Vermont posted something on his social media ount.


    ¡®it¡¯s already sote. Did this guy go mess around in a bar again? Keegan isn¡¯t with him, right?¡¯


    She had set special notifications for Vermont¡¯s updates a long time ago. He was obsessed with social


    media and frequently updated his Facebook and Twitter. She followed him mainly to keep an eye on


    Keegan since he would rarely post anything himself. So Vermont was the only source for her to get any


    updates on Keegan.


    Ste was worried that Vermont had brought her man out to mess around, so she immediately tapped it


    open.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    In the next second, she sat up from her bed abruptly.


    Vermont posted a photo of him holding hands with another person with the caption: [Guys, I¡¯m off the


    market. It¡¯s been nice knowing you. @ FelicityThompson]

 Chapter 1026

    Chapter 1026


    Chapter 1026


    Ste was shocked.


    ¡®What¡¯s going on? Is Vermont drunk or something?¡¯


    She immediately refreshed the webpage, and the photo was still there with a lot ofments below it.


    Carter: [Congrattions. Will this rtionship finallyst for more than two months?]


    Marshall: [I¡¯m surprised. Did Ste set you up with her? Ms. Thompson is a nice person.]


    Corbin: [Aren¡¯t you two rtives?]


    Ste gritted her teeth. ¡®What?! I can¡¯t believe she has not said anything about this to me before! What


    is she up to? Isn¡¯t she interested in Corbin? How did she suddenly get together with Vermont?¡¯


    She took off her mask and quickly dialed Felicity¡¯s number.


    Felicity was sitting nervously by the bed. She panicked when she heard her phone ringing and saw


    Ste¡¯s iing call.


    She did not know whether to hang up or answer.


    ¡®Ste must¡¯ve seen the photo that Stinky Cucumber posted just now and called to ask me about it. My


    head is in a mess right now. I have no idea what to say to her at all.¡¯


    Vermont saw her just sitting there and asked softly, ¡°Should I talk to her for you?¡±


    Felicity immediately handed him her phone and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be so straightforward.¡¯


    Then, Vermont picked up the call.


    Ste¡¯s voice was immediately heard from the other side of the phone,¡± Felicity Thompson! I want to


    know what that photo Vermont just posted is about. Did he or you lose a bet or something? Why would


    he post that?¡±


    Ste had previously tested Felicity and knew very well that Felicity was not interested in Vermont at


    all. So it was just strange that they suddenly got together.


    ¡°Ste, I¡¯m impressed by your imagination.¡± Ste heard Vermont¡¯s voice instead of Felicity¡¯s. ¡°We¡¯re


    really dating now.¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    After hearing Vermont¡¯s voice, she quickly changed her tone and said with a frown, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard


    Felicity talk about this before. How did the two of you get together?¡±


    ¡°Our fate brought us together.¡± Then, he lowered his voice and continued,¡± You and Keegan¡­ are


    hiding from us too, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®What a cunning fox this man is! He just knows everything!¡¯


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    She frowned and said, ¡°Where¡¯s Felicity? Pass the phone to her. I need to ask her something.¡¯


    Felicity quickly waved her hand after hearing that Ste wanted to talk to her.


    She knew that Ste was a lot more quick-witted than her. However, she was yet toe up with a


    perfect excuse. She knew she would sell herself out with just a few questions from Ste.


    Vermont looked away and said tly, ¡°She¡¯s asleep. You can just ask me if you have any questions.¡±


    Ste gritted her teeth. ¡®Felicity is definitely hiding somewhere and is scared to talk to me!¡¯


    She took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, Mr. Snyder, Felicity is different from your ex-


    girlfriends. She hasn¡¯t met many people, and she¡¯s a very innocent girl. I hope you can stay away from


    her if you¡¯re not serious about this. She will take it seriously when someone treats her well, regardless


    of their intentions. People like her don¡¯t handle breakups well, and it¡¯ll take her a very long time to move


    on.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s face turned serious as he pursed his lips. After a while, he said,¡± Ste, my past


    rtionships don¡¯t define who I am. Finding true love is known to be a result of trial and error. I only got


    to find out what I truly wanted through experiences with other girls. I wouldn¡¯t have waited until now if I


    was just messing around with her. I¡¯d appreciate it very much if you called to give us your blessings.


    But if you¡¯re just going to use me, I don¡¯t really feel like continuing this conversation anymore.¡±


    Then, he directly hung up the phone after saying that.

 Chapter 1027

    Chapter 1027


    Chapter 1027


    After that, Vermont switched off Felicity¡¯s phone.


    ¡°Why did you do that?¡± Felicity was confused.


    Vermont looked at her and said, ¡°Would you prefer telling her that my down there is injured because of


    you? And I might never be able to sleep with another woman ever again, so you¡¯re just pretending to


    be my girlfriend to save me from embarrassment?¡±


    Felicity kept quiet.


    Then, she said softly, ¡¯I didn¡¯t say I would say that. Ste is just worried that you¡¯re lying to me.¡±


    Vermont chuckled. ¡°Lie to you about what?¡±


    Felicity opened her mouth to say something but shut it back.


    ¡®He didn¡¯t put a knife against my throat and force me. I was the one who couldn¡¯t bear the guilt and


    offered to be his fake girlfriend. Everything seems fine, but I just feel weird about it.


    ¡®Whatever. I should stop thinking about it. The most important thing now is to get him healed. Then, I


    wouldn¡¯t have to be his fake girlfriend anymore.¡¯


    Felicity stopped dwelling on it as she thought about that.


    ¡¯I¡¯ll go and get the admission procedure for you then.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯ll take care of myself at home.¡¯


    ¡®No way! The doctor could lie to me only because I was in the emergency department at night. Other


    doctors will find out that I¡¯m simply faking my injuries during the regr check-ups.¡¯


    Felicity paused. ¡°Your injuries are so serious. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to stay here?¡±


    ¡°The guys wille to visit me if I stay in the hospital, and they¡¯ll know what happened to me. I¡¯m not


    trying to getughed at while lying on the hospital bed.¡±


    Felicity frowned. ¡°Who will apply the medicine to your wound if you stay at your house?¡±


    Vermont replied naturally, ¡¯I¡¯ll get a doctor to go there.¡±


    Then, Felicity stopped talking about it.


    ¡¯I guess money can really do everything, huh? Even doctors will provide home services.¡¯


    Vermont held her finger when she was still lost in her thought as he said softly, ¡®Miss Bandit, I¡¯m a little


    hungry.¡±


    Felicity came back to her senses. ¡°What do you feel like eating? I¡¯ll go downstairs and buy it for you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat anything from here,¡¯ Vermont said pickily, ¡°The food additives will affect my healing


    progress. Would you cook me some minced pork porridge?¡±


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Felicity¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡®His butt is burned, yet all he¡¯s thinking about is eating. I wonder if he died of


    starvation in his past life.¡¯


    Felicity still felt very sorry for what happened. She would do anything to satisfy Vermont, so she said,


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go home and cook it for you.¡±


    Vermont felt refreshed all over after hearing the word ¡°home.¡¯ But then, he became greedy and said,


    ¡®What about the pickled cabbage and bean you madest time? Can you make some more?¡±


    His words left Felicity stunned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you should eat food like that while recovering. It¡¯ll probably dy your healing progress.¡±


    ¡°Okay then.¡± Vermont sounded a little dejected. ¡°I¡¯ll just have the porridge then. Remember to make it


    for me once I¡¯ve recovered.¡±

 Chapter 1028

    Chapter 1028


    Chapter 1028


    Felicity was at a loss for words.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t even promise to make it for you, okay?¡¯


    She was doubtful.


    ¡®A man would probably be very bothered regarding their sexual ability, right? Let alone a yboy like


    him. However, why do I feel like he epted everything too quickly?¡¯


    ¡°You-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯ll lie down for a while. It¡¯s hurting so much.¡± Then, the look on Vermont¡¯s face suddenly turned awful


    as he said softly, ¡°Let me rest for a while


    before we leave.¡±


    Felicity instantly swallowed back her doubts.


    ¡®Perhaps I¡¯m just overthinking things.¡¯


    On the other side, Ste was burning with anger after she had been hung up on. She immediately put


    her phone down and dialed Keegan¡¯s number.


    Keegan was still in a meeting at thepany. When he saw Ste¡¯s iing call, he paused


    momentarily and stood up. ¡°Keep discussing the problems we were just talking about earlier. I¡¯ll be


    back in a while.¡±


    Then, he left the conference room while holding his phone.


    Everyone in the room exchanged nces and turned to Aldor, who looked emotionless. One of them


    said jokingly, ¡®Aldor, can we leave work early again tonight?¡±


    Keegan would always be exceptionally understanding everytime they heard that particr ringing


    tone from his phely.


    Not only that they get to leave work early, but they were also given some days off without their bonuses


    getting deducted. That month felt like a honeymoon forthem.


    In the industry they were working in, it was almost impossible for an R&D team like them not to work


    overtime.


    The data they collected from experiments must be consistent and urate. They could not just go


    home as soon as the data was generated without anyone analyzing them. No one could guarantee that


    the data would not be tampered with when no one was in theboratory.


    That was why they would work even more hours when they reached the more critical stages of their


    experiment and work in different shifts to improve their efficiency. It wasmon for them to gather


    around and devise a strategy once the data was generatedte at night.


    Their boss would always show great mercy to them whenever they heard this specific ringing tone


    ying. So, every time they heard it, they would feel excited, as if their savior hade to rescue


    them.


    That night was no exception.


    However, Aldor nonchntly said while reading the documents, ¡°Work more and dream less.¡±


    Everyone on the team liked Aldor very much, and none of them was afraid of him, so one of them


    joked, Mr. Kane let us leave early when he received this phone callst time. And the time before that,Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    he was about to go off at us after looking at the experiment results, but he held back after receiving the


    same phone call. And the time before that, when I went to deliver some documents to his office, his


    smile shone brighter than the sun after he received this phone call. Aldor, it seems like Mr. Kane is very


    fond of his new girlfriend.¡±


    Aldor swept his gaze across that person. ¡°Focus on your work and don¡¯t be such a busybody.¡±


    ¡°Come on. Mr. Kane isn¡¯t here anyway. Won¡¯t you just share something with us?


    ¡°Which wealthy family does Mr. Kane¡¯s new girlfriende from? He¡¯s so secretive about it, and no


    one talks about it. I tried to ask Mr. Snyder about it when I went to Neon Neb, and not even he knew.


    Aldor, you¡¯re always with Mr. Kane. I¡¯m sure that you know something, right?¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Aldor said tly.


    ¡°Tsk. Forget it. We can never get Aldor to talk about anything he doesn¡¯t want to.¡±

 Chapter 1029

    Chapter 1029


    Chapter 1029


    ¡®I wonder how Mr. Kane¡¯s current girlfriend looks like. His ex-wife was gorgeous, yet he could still


    divorce her. I just can¡¯t imagine how beautiful his new girlfriend is.¡±


    Aldor¡¯s ears moved slightly, but he remained quiet.


    ¡°Sigh. To be honest, I¡¯m very fond of Mr. Kane¡¯s ex-wife. Even though I¡¯ve only seen her twice,


    something in how she speaks makes me sofortable. She¡¯s not arrogant at all. She even gave me


    an orange after she asked me for directions. And her smile¡­ oh my. It made me blush even though I¡¯m


    a woman myself.¡±


    ¡°I heard that she became an actress after divorcing Mr. Kane. She has a showing up, and I¡¯m


    looking forward to it very much. It¡¯d be a shame if she didn¡¯t join showbiz with that gorgeous face of


    hers.¡±


    ¡°After the divorce, there were even rumors about her being an illegitimate child. There were a lot of


    scandals revolving around her, but it seems like Mr. Kane has never said anything bad about her. Mr.


    Kane is actually pretty respectful as her ex-husband.¡±


    ¡°I also heard that before her movie production began, a rich man sent her a humongous bouquet of


    9999 champagne roses as a gift, and it got so


    many people talking about it. She has so many people pursuing her after the divorce. I¡¯m just d that


    both of them are doing so well after the divorce.¡±


    Aldorughed inwardly upon hearing that. ¡®I wonder how they would react if they found out that Mr.


    Kane was the one who sent her that bouquet.¡¯


    On the other side, Keegan left the conference room and picked up the call.


    As soon as it was connected, Ste immediately questioned him, ¡°Keegan Kane, didn¡¯t I tell you to


    keep an eye on Vermont? What is going on?¡±


    Keegan was confused, and he frowned. ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Ste gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Vermont has taken away my best friend!¡±


    ¡°Felicity?¡± Keegan asked as if he still could not figure out what was happening, ¡°What happened


    between them?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see what Vermont posted online? He said that he¡¯s dating Felicity!¡±


    Keegan was shocked. Then, he immediately checked Vermont¡¯s ount and saw what he had posted


    half an hour ago.


    ¡°I knew that he was up to no good, and that¡¯s why I told you to keep an eye on him. How could you let


    this happen? I¡¯ll probably only find out about this after they get married if I didn¡¯t have Vermont¡¯s


    number!¡±


    Keegan was surprised after looking at it too, but he recollected himself soon after. ¡°I¡¯ve asked him


    about it, but he explicitly told me that he and Felicity are just friends.¡±


    Ste sneered. ¡°Yet she¡¯s his girlfriend now. Vermont is always full of lies. I can¡¯t believe that you


    actually believed him.¡±


    Keegan was taken aback.


    However, he tried to find excuses for his good friend anyway, ¡°Do you think they just had too much to


    drink? Or they¡¯re ying some kind of game?¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°I called Felicity, but Vermont was the one who answered. He even told me to stay out of this. Does this


    sound like a game to you?¡±


    Keegan remained silent for a while before he said, ¡°Hm. Perhaps they really do like each other.¡±


    ¡°Like my foot! Vermont changes his girlfriend faster than you change your clothes. I don¡¯t have a


    problem with him messing around with other girls, but not with Felicity! Never!¡±


    Keegan felt a headache. ¡°How does your opinion matter when he already made it public? Even though


    Vermont could be flirty, he¡¯s not as irresponsible as you think. Besides, outsiders like us don¡¯t know


    what¡¯s really happening between them. So don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll keep an eye out on him for you.¡±


    ¡°How can I still trust you?¡± Ste could not help but vent her anger on Keegan after thinking that an


    unworthy man had taken away her best friend, ¡°He¡¯s going to eat her alive if I keep trusting you!¡±


    ¡°Do you have a better idea then?¡±


    Clearly, Ste did not, and she was just very worried. So, she decided to just throw the problem to


    Keegan, ¡°Get Vermont to break up with Felicity.¡±


    Keegan rejected her without hesitating. ¡°No.¡±


    Ste did not actually mean that, but she got upset after hearing Keegan¡¯s instant response.


    ¡°Why not? Is that so difficult for you? You said you¡¯d listen to everything I say, yet you just rejected me


    after I made such a simple request. How can I trust anything you say?¡±


    Keegan frowned. ¡°These are two different things. Don¡¯t mix them up. I can listen to you regarding


    things between us, but this is someone else¡¯s rtionship. How could outsiders like us interfere?


    Please don¡¯t be unreasonable.¡±

 Chapter 1030

    Chapter 1030


    Chapter 1030


    Ste shook with fury after hearing the word ¡°unreasonable.¡±


    Her face immediately darkened as she said, ¡®Yes. I¡¯m very unreasonable. Is this the first day you know


    me? I¡¯m going to be even more unreasonable now! Listen to me, Keegan Kane. If you don¡¯t get


    Vermont to break up with Felicity, then I¡¯ll break up with you!¡±


    Then, she hung up the phone without giving Keegan a chance to speak.


    The look on Keegan¡¯s face was awful. He wanted to call her back, but he felt dejected when he thought


    about what Ste said.


    The word ¡°break up¡± came too easily from her, as if she did not care about their rtionship.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Keegan¡¯s grip on his phone tightened, but he did not make the call. Then, he went back to the


    conference room with a gloomy expression.


    Everyone inside was still gossiping about their boss and his gorgeous wife when they heard the door


    being pushed open.


    They immediately fell silent after seeing Keegan.


    Keegan sat down with a tense face. When he picked up a document, a male colleague asked, ¡°Mr.


    Kane, can we leave early today?¡¯


    Keegan read the document emotionlessly as he asked, ¡°Do you have something else to do?¡±


    The male colleague said jokingly, ¡°I don¡¯t, but I was wondering if you do. We can benefit too if you have


    a date to attend.¡¯


    Keegan paused and looked at him. ¡¯Benefit?¡¯


    Aldor¡¯s heart dropped when he saw the look on Keegan¡¯s face.


    Clearly, the male colleague did not notice the change in Keegan¡¯s emotions. Though, it was not


    obvious at all. The only different thing about him was his slightly contracted pupils, indicating how


    unpleasant he felt at that moment.


    The male colleague smiled, ¡°To get off work early. That¡¯s a huge benefit.¡±


    Aldor looked at Keegan¡¯s drooping eyelids and became more certain of his judgment as he immediately


    interrupted their conversation, ¡°Stop talking nonsense. Present your data on the project for us to


    analyze it. Finish it as soon as possible so we can go home earlier.¡±


    The male colleague did not catch Aldor¡¯s message as he kept pushing his luck, thinking he could still


    leave work early like before. ¡°We don¡¯t have to finish everything by today. It¡¯s the same if we do it


    tomorrow. We shouldn¡¯t dy Mr. Kane¡¯s date.¡±


    Aldor was speechless.


    This guy knows nothing other than research. I made things obvious for him, yet he still couldn¡¯t get it.¡¯


    Keegan¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he said tly, ¡°Do you want to leave early?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Haven¡¯t we been working nine to fivetely? Mr. Kane, we won¡¯t be overworked if we stick


    with this schedule in the future, and we can even be more motivated and efficient.¡¯


    Keegan paused. Then, he swept his gaze across the room while tapping his metal pen on the table. It


    was not very loud, but everyone could hear it.¡± Did I give everyone too many things to work on?¡± he


    asked.


    Everyone exchanged nces.


    Honestly, there were not too many things to work on in the R&D team. They should even consider


    themselves lucky for beingpensated for overtime, as not everypany offers that.


    After the experimental phase was over, they were going to be a lot less busy. So, Keegan would let


    them take turns to have some time off, excluding mandatory holidays, and they would still be paid.


    So, no one reallyined despite having to work overtime.


    ¡°It¡¯s manageable to me.¡±


    ¡°Not really. Thestpany I worked for required us to work 24/7 with only three days of marriage


    leave and half of the benefits here.¡±


    ¡°We get to take days off after the project is finished, so not at all.¡¯


    Keegan shifted his gaze back to that male colleague. ¡°Do you feel tired?¡±


    He paused and said hesitantly, ¡°A little¡­ I guess.¡±


    Then, Keegan spoke tly. ¡°You¡¯re the only one feeling tired here. It looks like your physical condition


    isn¡¯t fit for this working environment. If that¡¯s the case, you should go home and rest. Then, return to the


    office when you¡¯re free and settle your sry with the HR department. Then, find a more rxed job


    and take care of your health.¡¯


    His words left the male colleague dumbfounded.


    ¡®How did his mood change so quickly¡­¡¯

 Chapter 1031

    Chapter 1031


    Chapter 1031


    Keegan looked away from him and put his pen down. Then, he said, ¡°Go on, where¡¯s the result?¡±


    The male colleague looked embarrassed, not knowing whether to stay or leave.


    Aldor cleared his throat and said to him, ¡°Hurry up and show us the result now! Do you really want to


    switch jobs tomorrow?¡±


    The male colleague recollected himself, quickly connected hisptop to the projector, and presented


    his result stutteringly.


    Even though the look on Keegan¡¯s face was icy, he did not interrupt the male colleague.


    Everyone was relieved as they thought to themselves. Mr. Kane is so unpredictable.¡¯


    As for Ste, she actually felt a little regretful after hanging up. She used to hate people talking about


    breaking up easily, yet she just became one of them.


    She knew very well that Keegan could not do anything about Vermont¡¯s rtionship; indeed, she was


    just being unreasonable.


    However, she just could not bring herself to apologize after saying those things.


    Unless Keegan gave her a chance to do so.


    She waited for Keegan to call her. But after an hour, she did not even receive a text from him, let alone


    call her back!


    Ste tossed and turned. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got.


    ¡®Stupid man! I hate him! Is it so difficult for him tofort me?!


    ¡®I don¡¯t care about you anymore! Do whatever you want!¡¯


    She put her phone aside to charge it. Then, she pulled her nket over her head and slept.


    Keegan¡¯s meeting onlysted about two hours.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Keegan unbuttoned his shirt after everyone else left. He leaned back against his chair, removed his


    sses, and closed his eyes to rx.


    After Aldor finished packing up, he turned around and looked at Keegan.¡± Did you get in a fight with


    Madam?¡± he asked.


    Keegan opened his eyes. ¡°Are you trying to ¡°leave work early¡± too?¡±


    Aldor chuckled. ¡°How did you argue with her over the phone?¡±


    Keegan was already very frustrated. So, when Aldor brought it up again, he could not hold it in


    anymore, ¡°She was the one who started it! Then, she hung up on me.¡±


    Aldor was all ears while he sat beside him. ¡°What did you two talk about?¡±


    Keegan scrunched his face and briefly told him about what had happened earlier.


    The edge of Aldor¡¯s mouth twitched a little. ¡®That¡¯s it?¡¯


    ¡¯How can we interfere with someone else¡¯s rtionship? Is she not being unreasonable?¡±


    Aldor only spoke after hearing that, ¡°Perhaps she didn¡¯t mean it literally when she said that. She might


    just be worried that her best friend was getting mistreated, but she couldn¡¯t scold Mr. Snyder for it. So,


    she was just seekingfort in you. You just have to go along with her and speak badly of Mr. Snyder.


    There¡¯s no need to get upset with her.¡±


    Keegan paused. Although he thought what Aldor said made a lot of sense, he could not help but say, ¡°It


    doesn¡¯t mean that she could mention breaking up so easily.¡±


    ¡® It¡¯s normal for her to say things she didn¡¯t mean when angry. Didn¡¯t you just tell Frank to leave the


    company when you were angry just now, but you didn¡¯t really mean it, did you?¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips and said, after a long pause. ¡°Why do I feel like you¡¯re always on her side?¡±


    Aldor said inwardly, ¡®If I don¡¯t do this, you wille after me after both of you reconcile.¡¯


    However, he kept a ¡°neutral¡± stance, saying, ¡°After all, she¡¯s just a girl, not to mention that she has no


    parents or anyone else to depend on now.


    Regardless of who is right or wrong, she doesn¡¯t have anyone to confide in after arguing with you. So, I


    think it¡¯s best to avoid arguing if possible. After all, she¡¯s not always unreasonable like this. I¡¯m sure


    she¡¯s regretting it and waiting for your call.¡±


    When Keegan heard Aldor saying that she had no one to depend on, his frustration immediately went


    away. He was then filled with regret and concern.


    He took out his phone and quickly called Ste. The call rang two times on the other side before it hung


    up.

 Chapter 1032

    Chapter 1032


    Chapter 1032


    Keegan paused. He called her again, and the same thing happened.


    Ste did not answer his call.


    He looked at Aldor as if his eyes were saying, ¡°It¡¯s not like what you told me at all.¡±


    Aldor coughed. ¡°You should¡¯ve called her back as soon as she hung up. It¡¯s already been more than


    two hours now. She probably got a lot angrier than before after so long. I¡¯m not surprised that she isn¡¯t


    picking up. If you want to apologize to your girlfriend, you¡¯ve got to do it as soon as you can. The longer


    you wait, the less willing she is to reconcile.¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    ¡°What should I do then?¡±


    ¡°Pick her up tomorrow morning and talk to her in person.¡±


    Keegan thought about it and stopped dwelling on it. It was already sote, and it would be difficult for


    him to exin himself through the phone.


    Moreover, he figured that he would probably make Ste even angrier if that happened.


    So, he transferred five million into Ste¡¯s ount with the remark: [Have a good sleep.]


    Ste was still waiting for Keegan¡¯s call, and her eyelid twitched when she saw the notification.


    She transferred back one dor with the remark: [I can¡¯t sleep.]


    Keegan wired her another five million: [What about now?]


    Ste bit her lip and replied, holding back her smile: [I¡¯m a little sleepy now.]


    Then, Keegan gave her ten million. [Am I doing this correctly?]


    Ste replied: [Asleep, do not disturb.]


    Keegan chuckled.


    Aldor leaned closer and asked, ¡°Has she replied to you?¡¯


    Keegan put his phone away and nced at him. ¡°Your assumptions weren¡¯t very urate.¡±


    Aldor was confused.


    Then, he heard Keegan saying tly, ¡°She¡¯s a lot easier to pamper than you said.¡±


    His words left Aldor stunned.


    ¡°Oh, yes. Have you found anything suspicious about Trevortely?¡±


    Aldor recollected himself. ¡®There¡¯s nothing weird about Mr. Saun. He would either be working or


    rxing. However, he does visit Madam often, but he wouldn¡¯t stay long. Also, he always brought


    something with him too.¡±


    ¡°Brought something? Brought what?¡± Keegan became cautious. ¡°Jewelry?¡±


    ¡°No, mostly food and drinks. The most expensive thing he gave her was a massage chair, endorsed by


    one of the artists in theirpany. He got it delivered to her home.¡± Aldor frowned. ¡°As if¡­ he¡¯s taking


    care of his daughter.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡°He¡¯s only a few years older than her, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, but what he has been doing just makes me feel like that.¡± Aldor paused before continuing,


    ¡°Oh, yes. Mr. Saun seems like he¡¯s looking for someely.¡±


    ¡°Looking for someone?¡± Keegan frowned. ¡°Who?¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Aldor furrowed his brows. ¡°Someone from a hospital. A nurse assisted in his mother¡¯s delivery more


    than twenty years ago. He¡¯s very low-key about it. I didn¡¯t know anything about it initially, but a friend


    saw his picture and mentioned it. He told me that someone paid him to look for that person.¡¯


    Keegan found it strange.


    ¡®Why would he suddenly look for a nurse from twenty-plus years ago? Is he suspecting that something


    was wrong with his mother¡¯s death?¡¯


    ¡°This is the information of those people.¡±


    Aldor handed him a file. Keegan flipped through a few pages and suddenly saw a photo of a child.


    He brought his brows closer and asked, ¡°Why is a photo of Ste here?¡±


    Aldor paused. ¡°It can¡¯t be.¡¯ He looked over, and he was shocked. ¡°Mr. Kane, this is a photo of Mr. Saun


    as a child.¡±

 Chapter 1033

    Chapter 1033


    Chapter 1033


    Keegan froze for a moment as his expression turned serious. Then, he picked up the photo and took a


    closer look at it.


    The child in that photo, about four to five years old, wore a little dress and looked extremely upset.


    Although the child¡¯s hair looked long, it seemed like a wig was attached to the hat.


    The child was holding a pink leopard toy beside a swimming pool. The pool tiles were of an old-


    fashioned grid pattern, and there was a small duck that could spray water.


    Keegan paused and remembered that the ce was Orchid Garden Residence-Trevor¡¯sold house.


    Keegan went there with his father many times when he was younger.


    Trevor fooled him into believing the duck would spin once he sat on it. He sat on it and ended up


    wetting his pants all over.


    Trevor had always been mischievous since he was young.


    Keegan saw a photo of Ste as a child that she brought to his house after marrying him, and he


    realized that the ¡°little girl¡± in the photo resembled her very much.


    The only noticeable difference was Trevor¡¯s furrowed brows.


    That was because Ste would never frown while taking photos, regardless of when she was younger


    or now. Instead, whenever she took a photo, even when she was crying, she would still force a smile


    on her face. So, that was clearly not Ste.


    Keegan closed his eyes. He kept thinking about Trevor¡¯s strange actions and Wenham¡¯s excessive


    care for Ste. Finally, he connected the dots and included information about the medical staff he was


    going through. A shocking possibility exploded in his head.


    He opened his eyes abruptly and said, ¡°Ms. Hall¡­ Trevor¡¯s biological mother. When did she pass away


    fromplications duringbor?¡±


    Aldor flipped through the documents and looked up. ¡°December 20,1997.¡± Aldor was also stunned, and


    it took him a while to speak. ¡°Is it the same day as Madam¡¯s birthday?¡±


    Not only that Ste and Trevor look so much alike when they were young, but she also shared the


    same birthday as Trevor¡¯ste younger sister.


    It just could not be pure coincidence.


    After observing what the Saun family had been doing and how much Wenham spoiled Ste, they


    probably already thought about that.


    ¡®So, does that mean Ste is not biologically rted to Ms. Spade? Could she be Wenham¡¯s long-lost


    daughter?


    This is¡­ unbelievable.¡¯


    Even Aldor, who was alwaysposed, could not ept that possibility either.


    After thinking about it, Aldor realized that Trevor looked a little simr to Ste, but a male¡¯s features


    would always be more defined and prominent. Also, the more familiar one was with them, the harder


    one could notice the subtle resemnce.


    Not even Keegan was able to notice it. Aldor figured that he would never make such a connection if


    Keegan never saw a photo of Trevor when he was a child.


    Aldor opened his mouth, but it took him a while to speak. ¡°Didn¡¯t you grow up with Mr. Saun? Have you


    ever thought about this when you look at Madam¡¯s face?¡±


    Keegan furrowed his brows. ¡°How could I remember what Trevor looked like back then?¡±


    Aldor thought to himself, Tm d that he said that. Otherwise, I¡¯d think he only chose to marry Ste


    after falling for Trevor¡¯s looks because of public pressure.¡¯


    After all, the public doubted his sexual orientation when he was still single, and the rumor only


    disappeared after he got married.


    ¡®How could Miss Spade not know if Ste is really Wenham¡¯s daughter? I¡¯m sure a mother would know


    if a child was hers, right?


    ¡®How did a ¡°deceased¡± daughter of the Saun family be a part of the Jewell family? This is probably


    what Trevor is investigating so urgently, huh?¡¯


    ¡® Does Madam know about this?¡±


    Keegan thought of the cautious look on Wenham¡¯s face and said in a deep voice, ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    Ste never doubted that she was not Rainee¡¯s daughter, so it was impossible for her to even think


    about this.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1034

    Chapter 1034


    Chapter 1034


    Besides¡­ she did not even know that the Saun family once lost their daughter.


    Only a few families that were good friends of the Saun family knew about it.


    Aldor thought momentarily and said, ¡®This could be a good thing. At least we know Mr. Saun is not


    trying to be with Madam, right?¡±


    Aldor paused as he spoke. Then, he added, ¡°Is Mr. Saun going to hate you for the socialites you


    introduced to him back then? And what about the time when you used Luna to pull a prank on him?¡±


    The expression on Keegan¡¯s face did not look very good. Clearly, he had thought about that too.


    Aldor said to himself. ¡®Tsk. Although he doesn¡¯t have to worry about a love rival now, he will have a


    hard time pleasing his brother-inw.


    Tve met unlucky people, but no one came close to him. Mr. Kane thought he had already won Ste


    back, not knowing that he had only cleared the game¡¯s first stage and the final boss was waiting for


    him.¡¯


    Keegan not only upset his brother-inw but was so sick that he did not spare his future father-inw


    either. Wenham was already so old, yet Keegan still yed a prank on him with the nt board.


    The Saun family was known to value daughters more than sons, and they had probably cklisted him


    before even knowing Ste¡¯s real identity.


    After all, he made a foolish decision by divorcing Ste and leaving her with nothing.


    Keegan shut his eyes, feeling both happy and worried.


    He was happy that other than himself, Ste had her own family, and he was worried that¡­ it would be


    much more difficult to remarry her.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Aldor put on a sympathetic look as he coughed and tried tofort him,¡± Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not toote to


    make things right. The socialites we found for this time are all very attractive. Mr. Saun will probably


    forget everything you did once he finds someone he¡¯s interested in there.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyelid twitched, and he said while gritting his teeth. ¡°Get out of here.¡±


    Aldor chuckled and walked away.


    Felicity did not go home that night and only returned at six o¡¯clock the next morning.


    The curtains were still closed in the house, and it was dim inside. She felt a little guilty and did not even


    turn on the lights while sneakily changing her shoes at the doorway.


    As soon as she changed into her slippers, she heard the light in the living room switching on with a


    ¡°click.¡±


    Ste sat cross-legged on the sofa while crossing her arms across her chest and stared at Felicity with


    a tilted head.


    Her intense gaze made Felicity¡¯s hair stand on end. Then, she coughed and greeted Ste with a


    smile, ¡°You¡¯re up early today.¡±


    Ste glowered at her. ¡°I didn¡¯t sleepst night!¡±


    Felicity looked away and said guiltily, ¡°You should go to sleep now, then. I¡¯m going back to my room.¡±


    Then, she was about to run away.


    ¡°Come back here!¡¯


    Ste yelled at her. ¡°Are you not going to exin what happenedst night? ¡ö


    Felicity froze and slowly retracted her leg, which was about to step forward. She scratched her head


    and said softly, ¡°You already saw everything. There¡¯s nothing for me to exin.¡±


    Ste said with a serious expression. ¡® Are you really dating Vermont? Do you like him?¡±


    Felicity lowered her head as she dared not look into Ste¡¯s eyes at all. Then, she said in a low voice,


    ¡¯O-Of course. I do. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be with him.¡±


    Ste frowned. ¡°You¡¯ve only known each other for four to five months. Do you really know him? How


    could you date him so quickly?¡±


    Felicity racked her brain, trying to think of something good about Vermont.¡± I guess I do. Although he


    could be very mean, he¡¯s a nice guy. He¡¯s not calctive and even gifted me so many in-game skins.


    When the water pipe in our house broke, he was the one who came over to fix it. I would say that he¡¯s


    pretty dependable.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how he treats his friend. Do you know how he treats his girlfriend?¡±

 Chapter 1035

    Chapter 1035


    Chapter 1035


    Felicity said inwardly, ¡®Of course I do. I knew a few of his ex-girlfriends through work. Not only that I


    know them, but I also know how they broke up with Vermont.¡¯


    After all, Felicity was very nosy and loved hearing gossip like that in the industry.


    Felicity cleared her throat and acted like a lovestruck girl. ¡°Even though he has a lot of ex-girlfriends, he


    has never cheated on any of them. Well, he¡¯s just another man, not to mention his sess. So it¡¯s


    normal for him to attract so many girls.¡±


    Her words left Ste utterly speechless.


    ¡®Is this still the same person who only believes in true love that I knew?


    When did she be so open-minded?¡¯


    Ste asked, ¡°You don¡¯t mind at all?¡±


    Felicity wanted to say no, but as soon as she opened her mouth, she found it difficult to get the word


    out.


    The reason for that was not because she did not feel like lying. It was because she felt a bit


    ufortable after thinking about Vermont¡¯s ex girlfriends.


    Then, she lowered her gaze and said, ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I said I don¡¯t, but I can¡¯t dwell on his past. What


    right do I have to control what he wants to do when I wasn¡¯t even a part of his life? If I really like a


    person, shouldn¡¯t I be focusing on my present and future with him?¡±


    Ste paused and could not find a word to retort.


    Keegan was right. Outsiders have no ce to interfere in someone else¡¯s rtionship. Nobody knew


    better than who they truly liked other than the person involved.


    Ste was worried that Felicity would get hurt. However, she figured Felicity would only get to know


    Vermont more if she gave him a chance. Also, she could not guarantee that Felicity would not be hurt if


    she dated somebody else.


    If the possibility of her getting hurt would still exist, she thought that choosing Vermont was a safer


    option. At least if he ever did Felicity wrong, she could ask Keegan to deal with him!


    Ste sighed and asked, ¡°When did you start dating him?¡±


    Felicity said inwardly, ¡®You might not believe this, but it was yesterday.¡¯


    However, she lowered her head and stammered. ¡°There was a spark between us a few days ago, and


    he confessed to mest night. Then, he posted the photo.¡±


    She still did not dare to look up, but Ste thought that she was just being shy. After all, it was her first


    love, and Ste did not suspect anything.


    ¡°So, what base have you two gone to? Did you sleep with himst night?¡±


    Felicity froze as her face turned extremely red. ¡°What are you talking about? I was at the hospitalst


    night!¡±


    Ste frowned. ¡°What were you doing in a hospital?¡±


    ¡°I-Stinky Cucumber had hemorrhoid, and I apanied him to treat it.¡±


    Ste did not know what to say.


    She nced at Felicity and sighed. ¡°Forget it. Since you two are already together, there¡¯s nothing more


    I can say than give you my blessing. Let me know if he ever dares to mistreat you. I¡¯ll have Keegan


    deal with him. Also, don¡¯t be in the same bed with him unless you get married to him. He has a lot of


    history, and I don¡¯t trust him enough.*


    Felicity was speechless.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    She slept with Vermont on the first day they met, even though¡­ she could not remember the details


    anymore.


    Felicity blushed as she said reluctantly, ¡°I¡¯m not going to marry him. You¡¯re thinking too far ahead. I¡¯m


    just casually dating him, and we¡¯ll break up if I don¡¯t like him anymore. He¡¯s so old anyway.¡±


    Ste pursed her lips.


    Vermont was a year younger than Keegan.


    ¡®Perhaps I was worried about the wrong person. It sounds like Vermont is the one getting yed.¡¯


    Felicity yawned. ¡°I¡¯m so sleepy. You should get some rest too. You stayed up all night, right?¡±


    Ste paused. ¡°I slept. I lied to you.¡±


    Felicity was at a loss for words.


    ¡®You¡¯re the worst person ever!¡¯


    Felicity returned to her room and immediately called Vermont, ¡°Ste probed me just now, and I told her


    we went to get your hemorrhoid treatedst night. So remember to y along.¡±


    Vermont took a sip of water and spurted it out.


    The edge of his mouth twitched. ¡°Couldn¡¯t youe up with a better excuse?¡± ¡°Your injuries are on


    your butt and upper thigh. What would you prefer me to say? To see a gynecologist?¡±

 Chapter 1036

    Chapter 1036


    Vermont kept quiet.


    ¡®I guess having a hemorrhoid is better than that.¡¯


    "You didn''t let anything slip, right?"


    Felicity scoffed. "Do you realize how many times you repeated yourself about this? I''m not that stupid,


    okay?¡±


    Vermont chuckled. "What did Ste say?¡±


    Ste was a very tricky person. Vermont was worried that she may have probed Felicity into saying


    something without realizing it.


    "Nothing much. She just gave me her blessing and said that if you ever dare to mistreat me, she''ll ask


    Keegan to beat you up!"


    Her words left Vermont stunned.


    ¡®Ste is an overprotective person anyway. That sounds exactly like what she''d say.¡¯


    Felicity added, "We''re not really dating anyway. You need me to cover up for you, so I doubt you''d dare


    to mistreat me.¡±


    Vermont wanted tough but kept a straight face anyway. "I wouldn''t dare even if we were dating for


    real.¡±


    Felicity kept quiet.


    ¡®Why do I feel like this guy has be so flirty?¡¯


    "Is that all? Didn''t she say anything to oppose this rtionship?¡±


    Felicity recollected herself. "She told me not to share a bed with you because you''ve slept with so


    many girls. She''s worried that you''ll dump me right after that.¡±


    The edge of Vermont''s mouth twitched as he said defiantly, *She hates me because we always go at


    each other back then. She''s deliberately smearing my name.¡±


    ¡°Ste''s not that kind of person! It''s just hard to trust you with the past you have!¡±


    Vermont was at a loss for words. Before officially starting to date Felicity, Vermont had already listed


    Ste as his number one nemesis.


    ¡®Ste just has way too much influence on Felicitypared to Corbin. She would literally believe in


    everything Ste says.¡¯


    Vermont thought about his rtionship with Ste and figured that she probably would not say anything


    good about him, so he needed to do something to change her perspective toward him.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    "I''m going to hang up now. I''ll rest for a while and finish my remaining resignation procedures." Felicity


    yawned. " Remember to call the doctor toe and change your bandages.¡±


    When Ste was about to finish cleaning up at about eight o''clock, the doorbell rang.


    She put her slippers on and went to open the door. As soon as she twisted the doorknob open, a huge


    figure hooked her fast and pinned her against the shoe cab at the doorway. Then, he lowered his


    head to kiss her lips while kicking the door shut.


    Ste was shocked. When she realized what was happening, she wrapped her arm around his neck


    and passionately kissed him back.


    Keegan was going wild, and the warmth of his tongue stirred Ste up.


    She could hear his deep, heavy, and seductive breath. She felt like she had a strange fetish. She was


    somewhat more turned on listening to Keegan''s breathing than his touch.


    Keegan kissed her for a long time before moving his lips away. Then, he hugged her without saying a


    word, resting his chin on her head while slowly catching his breath.


    Ste heard his heartbeat pounding as fast as her own. After some time, she said in a deep voice,


    "Aren''t you mad at me for being unreasonable anymore?"


    Keegan chuckled as he said in a hoarse voice. "It''s been a whole night. Are you still bothered?¡±


    Ste scoffed. "Your twenty million was only enough to make me sleep, not erase my memories,


    okay?¡±


    "What about another twenty million?¡±


    Ste said, "I don''t want your money.¡± She paused for a moment before continuing, "But I won''t mind if


    you really want to give me that.¡±


    Keegan pinched her cheek, intrigued by her love for wealth. However, his chin was still on top of her


    head as he said ina low voice, "I was too harsh on you yesterday. I should''ve been calmer and talked to


    you instead of immediately calling you unreasonable. Please forgive me.¡±

 Chapter 1037

    Chapter 1037


    Ste was a little surprised.She was not expecting Keegan to apologize directly.


    After all, it was not entirely his fault.She figured everyone else would have responded simrly after


    hearing that ridiculous request.


    Keegan was a person who would hold firm to his principles, and he was not the kind of person who


    would apologize if it was not his fault.


    ¡®Does that mean he¡¯s giving up on his principles for me?¡¯ Ste could not help but smile.


    Then, she coughed and said, "Well, I can''t put all the me on you.I was wrong too.You were right


    when you said outsiders like us couldn''t interfere with other people''s rtionships.I understand what I


    said could be a little uneptable."


    After saying that, Ste thought that both of them would reflect on themselves and that their


    rtionship with each other would be better than ever, leading to a happy ending...However, that was


    just her imagination.


    Because what Keegan said waspletely different from what she expected.


    "I know you.You don''t think about things thoroughly when you''re nervous.You would always act and talk


    rashly based on your feelings.That''s a really bad habit that needs to be changed." Keegan said.


    His response left Ste utterly speechless.


    ¡®Isn''t he supposed to be apologizing? Who does he think he is criticizing now?¡¯ Keegan continued,


    "Also, don''t talk about breaking up so easily anymore.It''s bad for our rtionship."


    Indeed, that was Ste''s fault.She could not deny it.


    However, when she thought Keegan started criticizing her when he was supposed to be apologizing,


    she looked up and said, "What other bad habits do I have that you think need to be changed?"


    Keegan paused.


    "I can tolerate all the other ones.You don''t have to change them."


    Ste secretly gritted her teeth.


    ''l was just testing him.I didn''t expect that he actually thinks I have so many other bad habits!¡¯ Ste


    struggled to control her clenched fist as she pretentiously put on an ungrudging look.


    "It''s fine.Communication is very important in a rtionship, isn''t it? So just be honest with me.I''ll humbly


    ept them if I''m really problematic."


    Keegan did understand Ste to some extent, but when she utilized her acting skills, he would still have


    difficulty seeing through her.


    Just like now, Ste had a sincere look and a pair of watery eyes on her face as she said gently while


    shaking his arm, "Come on, tell me.I want to know what I am like to you.You can say anything you


    want.I promise I won''t be mad."


    Keegan could never resist it when Ste acted coquettishly like that.


    Not only that he did not realize something was wrong, but he even thought that Ste became more


    mature after the divorce as she could talk to him rationally to resolve problems.So, Keegan honestly


    expressed his inner thoughts without holding back at all.


    "It''s nothing serious.You''re just a little materialistic, greedy, unwilling to apologize during a fight even


    though you already knew you were in the wrong, and..."


    Ste''s face had already darkened.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    "There''s more?¡¯ Keegan thought momentarily before saying, "You have a boyfriend, yet you still watch


    hot guys¡¯ live streams.I find it a little insensitive toward your partner."


    Ste''s face could not be any darker, as she said with a half- smile.


    "Yourments are pretty objective."


    Keegan seemed to notice that Ste''s tone was off as he immediately added, "You told me to tell you,


    and you said that you wouldn''t get angry."


    "I''m not angry." Ste smiled.


    "Am I that petty to you? I''ll consider what you said seriously.After all, I can''t let you make all the


    sacrifices in this rtionship."


    She said each word sincerely, but Keegan could not tell whether she meant it or was just being


    sarcastic.


    He sighed and hugged her tighter.


    "I''m d that you think this way.Actually, I''m not really bothered.It''s fine if you don''t want to change.I''m


    used to them anyway."


    "I''m going to change.Trust me."


    She patted Keegan''s shoulder and said in a gentle tone.However, a hint of piercing coldness shed


    across her eyes.


    "You came so early.Have you eaten breakfast? You have gastric problems.Don''t skip meals."


    Ste''s words left Keegan no chance to tell her he had breakfast.So, Keegan replied softly, "I''lle


    back and eat after sending you to the set."Ste said, "That''ll be toote.You''ll probably be having


    lunch by then.I haven''t eaten yet, either.I didn''t have dinnerst night, and I''m starving.Why don''t you


    go downstairs and grab something from the store? We''ll eat first and go to the set together."

 Chapter 1038

    Chapter 1038


    Chapter 1038


    Keegan was immediately persuaded when he heard that Ste had not eaten yet.


    Then, he asked in a gentle tone, "What do you want to eat?"


    Ste replied tenderly, "I''ll like it as long as it¡¯s something you bought."


    Keegan was charmed by her sweet words as he hugged her and said in a low voice, "Wait for me.I''ll be


    back in a second.


    "Okay." She walked Keegan out with a smile, but her face immediately darkened at the next second.


    She took out her phone and called the management office of her apartment.


    The youngest security guard in the team picked up, and he was a fan of Ste too.


    "Hello, is this Walt?" Walt was surprised.


    "Yes, Ms.Jewell."


    Ste continued speaking in a gentle tone.


    "Hey, I need you to help me with a little something.Would it be okay?"


    Walt stopped eating and immediately responded, "You''re too polite.Please tell me what it is."


    "A fan of mine found out where I''m staying, and he kept sending flowers and breakfasts to me.As you


    know, only two girls are in my house, and we''re very scared of him.Could you deal with him for me?"


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Walt was enraged.


    "That''s not a fan; that''s a stalker.Should I call the police?"


    Ste''s eyelid twitched, and she quickly said, "That won''t be necessary.After all, he didn''t do anything


    to hurt me.Besides, if the police arrested him, his future would also be affected.Just don''t let him in


    here."


    Walt replied, "Ms.Jewell, you''re too kind.He''s harassing you, yet you''re still thinking of him.Could you


    roughly describe that person''s appearance to me?"


    Ste felt slightly guilty as she coughed and said, "He''s tall, handsome, and always wearing suits.His


    car te is A8968."


    Walt noted it down and said, "Don''t worry.I''ll keep an eye out and won''t let hime in here and


    harass you again."


    "I appreciate it very much."


    "Heh heh."


    Walt chucked and wished her, "Wishing you all the best for the premiere of The Pce.It''s going to be


    a hit.Ste smiled and replied sincerely.


    "Thank you."


    There was only one shop selling breakfast downstairs.


    During the morning rush, the shop sometimes takes a very long time to prepare their food with a long


    wait line.So, Keegan drove out of the area to buy breakfast somewhere else.


    After he parked his car from buying breakfast, he heard someone shouting behind him, "Stand right


    there!"


    Keegan paused.He turned around and saw a young man walking toward him in his security guard


    uniform.


    Walt''s expression looked very serious when he sized Keegan up.


    ¡®Tall, handsome, suits, breakfast, and the te...8986.He''s the stalker that Ms.Jewell was telling me


    about! Keegan closed his car door and nced at Walt.


    "Is there a problem?" He spoke calmly.


    Walt kept a stern face.


    "What do you think? How cana stalker speak with such audacity? You look like a smart man.There are


    so many things for you to do, yet why do you have to do such a shameless thing?" Keegan''s eyelid


    twitched.


    "Stalker?" Walt red at him.


    "You secretly followed Ms.Jewell to her ce without going through proper channels to meet your


    idol.This is exactly what a stalker does.Ms.Jewell is so kind, and she stopped me from getting the


    police involved.However, if you dare to harass her again, I won''t hesitate to call the police!"


    The more Keegan listened to Walt, the more confused he got.


    Finally, he called Ste, but it went to voicemail, and that was when he realized something was wrong.

 Chapter 1039

    Chapter 1039


    Chapter 1039


    Keegan finally realized that Ste had been angry at him all along.


    When Ste said she was not angry, it meant she was already boiling with rage.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Being materialistic, greedy, and obsessed with good-looking men was nothingpared to how petty


    and vengeful she could get.


    She had ws, and she knew very well she had them too. However, she did not allow Keegan to point


    them up.


    When she was asking him about it with a smile, she was giving Keegan a chance to redeem himself


    rather than really listening to him listing out her ws.


    Obviously, Keegan took it literally and listed out a bunch of her ws, so Ste got mad at him.


    Keegan was so mad that heughed after knowing that Ste called him a stalker and told a security


    guard to chase him away.


    After seeing how Keegan stood there, Walt spoke again,¡± Hurry up. Stop daydreaming and drive away.¡±


    Keegan recollected himself and swept his gaze across Walt. ¡°Who¡¯s Ms. Jewell?¡±


    Walt red at him. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to pretend. You followed her here, yet you¡¯re telling me


    you don¡¯t know who


    Ms. Jewell is?¡±


    Keegan replied tly, ¡°Follow? Is that what that Ms. Jewell told you?¡±


    ¡°Quit pretending. I watched the surveince footage, and I saw you kept going into Block Seven in


    these few days and exiting the elevator on the ninth floor. That¡¯s exactly where Ms. Jewell is staying


    at.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face remained nonchnt. ¡°My friend, Mr. Snyder, lives in unit 902 on the ninth floor.


    Besides, I¡¯m also a property owner here.¡±


    He took out his phone and opened the homeowner¡¯s app for Clouditude International. Then, he showed


    it to Walt.


    Walt took a nce, and his gaze immediately widened.


    ¡®This man owns two residential units and threemercial lots in Clouditude International!


    ¡®They¡¯re worth billions ording to the current market price!¡¯


    Even though Clouditude International was filled with wealthy people, it was extremely rare for a person


    to own five properties here.


    Walt immediately went to verify his information, and everything matched.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who Ms. Jewell is. Is she a celebrity?¡± Keegan asked.


    His expression looked so real that Walt suddenly felt like he had used the wrong person.


    Then, he awkwardly said, ¡°Ms. Jewell is an actress and a homeowner here. She called and said that


    someone is harassing her, and her description of that stalker¡­ is pretty identical to you.¡± He paused


    momentarily and immediately added, ¡°However, it turns out that everything is just a misunderstanding.


    I¡¯m so sorry, Mr. Keegan.¡±


    ¡®Identical, huh?¡¯


    Keegan sneered. ¡®What a way to put it.¡¯


    ¡°How could she use other property owners of being a stalker without any proof? Do you think calling


    it an apology is enough to fix it?¡±


    Walt looked very awkward as he quickly apologized, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. It¡¯s my fault for not-¡°


    Keegan cut him off, ¡°Please contact this Ms. Jewell. She should at least personally apologize for


    using me like that, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Walt was a little hesitant.


    Keegan continued, ¡°Let me talk to your manager if you can¡¯t make a decision.¡±


    Walt immediately said, ¡°Hold on a minute. I¡¯ll give a call to Ms. Jewell now.¡±


    He took out his phone as he spoke and dialed Ste¡¯s number.


    Ste was already on her way to the set by then. She saw Walt calling her and answered the phone.


    Instead of hearing Walt¡¯s voice, the maic voice of Keegan came from the other side of the phone.


    ¡°Ms. Jewell, do you think it¡¯s fun to simply use others of being a stalker?¡±


    Ste kept quiet.

 Chapter 1040

    Chapter 1040


    Chapter 1040


    Ste wanted to hang up, but she heard Keegan say, ¡°Don¡¯t hang up. Listen to me first.¡±


    Ste paused.


    Keegan said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to deliver some food to you at the set. You must eat


    something before you start working. I don¡¯t care about how skinny all the other actresses want to be,


    but I don¡¯t allow you to have a diet if you¡¯re not ying a role that needs you to lose weight. It¡¯s okay to


    make lesser money as long as you¡¯re healthy.¡± He paused before continuing softly, ¡°I still have a lot of


    three years to spend with you in this lifetime, and neither of us can fall sick.¡±


    Ste was taken aback, and she did not know what to say.


    She suddenly felt like¡­ Keegan was spoiling her too much.


    Until the point that he forgot all his principles.


    He was not mad at her for asking the guard to chase him away; he was even still worried about her not


    eating breakfast.


    Keegan¡¯s thoughtfulness made her look extremely unreasonable¡­


    Ste coughed, yed with the thread on her pants, and asked in a low voice, ¡°Why are you not mad?¡±


    Keegan answered, ¡°I was at first, but¡­¡± He paused. ¡°I can¡¯t expect you to have all the good qualities


    when you¡¯re already gorgeous. That¡¯d be way too greedy of me. I can settle with either one of them.


    After all, all of the nutrients in you have gone to your appearance, and it¡¯s normal that your brain


    development is neglected.¡±


    The guilt that Ste was feeling suddenly vanished.


    ¡®I hate him. He said all those nice things just to ¡°humiliate me¡± when I felt guilty. I can¡¯t believe that I


    was actually touched!


    ¡¯He¡¯s the worst creature ever! I thought that he¡¯d changed. No, he did change. Instead of being


    straightforwardly mean, he became subtly sarcastic now!¡¯


    Ste hung up with a dark expression, not wanting to hear Keegan¡¯s voice for another second.


    Shea struggled to hold herughter back.


    ¡°Laugh all you want,¡± Ste said with an upset face.


    Shea finallyughed and said, ¡°Mr. Kane is such an interesting man.¡±


    ¡°Haha.¡± Steughed nonchntly.


    Shea said, He¡¯s not actually spoiling you. He has the right to be mad after what you did to him.


    However, instead of being mad at you, hemunicated with you differently. Although¡­ hmm, he¡¯s a


    little sarcastic, it¡¯s much better than arguing with you directly. The way that he¡¯s not blindly pampering


    his partner is actually what one should do in a healthy rtionship.¡±


    Ste pouted. ¡°So you think it¡¯s okay for him to mock me like that?¡±


    Shea chuckled. ¡°But you¡¯re not really angry, are you?¡±


    Ste paused and quickly defended herself, ¡°That¡¯s only because I¡¯m used to how mean he is. If I got


    angry because of this, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be able to live without constantly being angry.¡±


    Shea smiled without saying anything.


    Keegan was not just all talk. After Ste arrived at the set for a while, Keegan¡¯s worker came to give


    her breakfast. It was porridge with some other condiments, a nutritious and bnced meal. It was


    obvious that a doctor rmended the meal.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Ste¡¯s unhappiness inside had long disappeared.


    ¡®He¡¯s handsome and so good at pampering me. If he¡¯s mean, so be it.¡¯


    Sophia brought a ss of cogen drink and knocked on Hylda¡¯s door in the Jewell residence.


    ¡°Mom, your drink is here.¡±


    Albert forced Hylda to nourish her health in the room and served her all the most nutritious food every


    day.


    She looked like she was in very good health, but the expression on her face was awful, especially


    when she saw that ss of cogen drink. After that, she got even more annoyed.


    ¡°Take it away now. The smell makes me nauseous.¡±


    Sophia stirred the drink and said confusedly, ¡°Mom, it has no smell. Are you having morning sickness?¡±


    Hylda scrunched her face and kept quiet.


    The bigger her belly grew day by day, the more anxious she got.

 Chapter 1041

    Chapter 1041


    Chapter 1041


    If Hylda could not get an abortion in time, she would have no choice but to undergo an induced delivery


    later in the pregnancy.


    She gave birth to Hugo at a private hospital, where it was easy to alter his blood type and stuff like that,


    but things were different now.


    Albert registered her name at a public hospital, so she had to give birth there. Putting everything else


    aside, the blood type alone would expose her lie.


    Albert had blood type A, and Hylda was type 0. It was impossible forthem to have a child with blood


    type B.


    Hylda figured Albert would find out the truth by then, no matter how foolish he might be. She was very


    worried.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Sophia had no idea what was going on. She put the coge drink on the table and sat beside Hylda¡¯s


    bed. ¡°Mom, you¡¯ve got to look after your health. Otherwise, how are you going topete with that little


    slut?¡±


    Hylda paused. ¡°Has that slut gotten an abortion?¡±


    ¡¯Not yet!¡± Sophia got angry upon hearing that. ¡°I brought a few men with me and nned to force her to


    get one. However, Dad hired several bodyguards to watch her, and I couldn¡¯t even get close.¡±


    Hylda clenched her fists. ¡®I knew I couldn¡¯t trust that scum! He¡¯s full of shit!¡¯


    ¡®Where¡¯s your dad? Bring him here!¡±


    Sophia sneered. ¡°It¡¯s not going to help anything if I brought him here. That slut is having a baby boy. I


    guess you know him well enough. There¡¯s no way he¡¯ll get rid of a boy.¡±


    Hylda was so surprised that she sat up abruptly. ¡°What do you mean? A baby boy?¡±


    Sophia said with a serious expression. ¡°She went to an unlicensed clinic to find out her baby¡¯s gender.


    Otherwise, why would Dad suddenly change his mind and not let her have the abortion? He only hired


    so many people to protect her because he feared we¡¯d hurt her. Haven¡¯t you noticed he¡¯s avoided you


    these past few days?¡±


    The look on Hylda face was awful.


    ¡®A boy¡­ she has a boy!


    ¡®That baby will be Albert¡¯s only son once he is born.


    ¡®What about everything that I¡¯ve done? I can¡¯t let her take my ce!¡¯


    Actually, Sophia was not very happy about Hylda¡¯s pregnancy either.


    There was initially just one daughter and one son in their family. Although Albert favored boys over


    girls, he treated her pretty well. However, things may be different if she had another baby brother.


    So, she did not want Hylda to have another child.


    But before Hylda could decide whether to keep that child, Albert¡¯s mistress had already confirmed


    being pregnant with a boy, which bothered Sophia very much.


    She got someone to force Xenia to have an abortion and imed that she did it for Hylda, but she


    actually did it for herself.


    However, she failed to do that. So, she could only manipte her mother into taking matters into her


    own hands.


    As expected, Hylda would explode with rage when she heard that Xenia was pregnant with a baby boy.


    She gritted her teeth and said, ¡®Call your father and tell him my stomach¡¯s hurting. Tell him toe


    back now.¡±


    That was everything Sophia waited to hear. Sheforted Hylda and asked her to calm down while


    calling Albert.


    Albert was overjoyed when he found out that the baby inside Xenia was a boy.


    He imed to be at the office but spent most of his time at Xenia¡¯s ce to protect his precious son.


    And when Hylda and Sophia were looking for him everywhere, he wore an apron to cook a meal for her


    at her ce.


    Albert¡¯s phone rang on the table. Xenia nced at it without notifying Albert. Instead, she picked up her


    phone and took a picture of Albert cooking in the kitchen. Then, she sent the photo to Ste

 Chapter 1042

    Chapter 1042


    Ste was taken aback when she saw that photo.


    Ste asked: [What is he doing}


    Xenia replied: [He''s cooking porridge for me. I told him I was having very bad morning sickness and


    had no appetite. He got so nervous and worried that the baby would be affected if I didn''t eat and came


    with a bunch of things. I said that I wanted to eat the porridge he cooked, so he started learning and


    cooking it on the spot.]


    Ste was dumbfounded.


    She had no idea whether tough or mock Albert.


    Albert had never set foot in the kitchen before. He used to score very well in exams since he was


    young, and although he came from a vige, his family doted on him. His family had several ntation


    fields, and his parents always asked his little brothers to do all the farming work, never letting him break


    a sweat.


    So, despiteing from a small town, Albert was treated like an heir of a wealthy family who got to


    enjoy all the best resources his family could offer him with.


    He probably did not even know how to hold a scythe properly, let alone cook.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Not only had he not cooked before, but he also had his own principles. When Ste used to argue with


    him when she was young, she always heard him say that women should stay at home to care for the


    family while men should earn money. He even told Ste that her future husband would feel inferior


    and disrespected if she were to take the lead in everything.


    It was strange that a misogynist like him would suddenly start cooking.


    However, his actions started to make sense when the motivation behind him doing all that was because


    he knew that Xenia was pregnant with his son.


    Ste said: [He didn''t suspect anything about the report, right?]


    Xenia replied: [Not at all. He wouldn''t stop staring at my stomach in these two days. He even said my


    stomach looked a little pointy, so it must be a boy. I guess he has already imagined what the child will


    look like.]


    Ste: [Hylda is a wicked person. She will probably take action when she finds out you''re having a


    baby boy. So look after yourself and call me immediately if anything goes wrong,]


    Xenia read Ste''s message and sent her another reply: (She probably already knew it. Sophia already


    came to harass me, but she was stopped and warned by Albert''s bodyguards. I''m sure she''ll tell Hylda


    about it since she can''t do anything to me.]


    Ste thought for a while and replied: [Post the photo you took on your Twitter and make it visible to


    only people working in Albert''spany,]


    Xenia did as Ste said.


    Sophia could not reach Albert on the phone and walked back and forth anxiously.


    At that time, Hylda¡¯s phone rang. She took a nce at it, and her pupils immediately contracted.


    One of the spies she ced in Albert''spany sent her a screenshot of the photo Xenia had just


    posted on her Twitter.


    In the photo, Albert was busy cooking in the kitchen. Xenia¡®s caption was: [A man who knows how to


    cook is so attractive.]


    Hylda was breathless with anger. That was the moment she felt an unprecedented sense of threat.


    When she was pregnant with Hugo, Albert took good care of her too, but mainly in materialistic ways.


    He did not go so far and did something so diligent to her.


    Judging from how simr Xenia and Rainee looked, it was difficult for her not to suspect that the


    scumbag, Albert, still had notpletely moved on from his old lover.


    If that was really the case, her position in the family would be at a greater risk.


    The more Hylda thought about it, the more restless she got. '' I can never let her give birth to this baby.¡¯


    She thought to herself.


    After that, she quickly called Albert without thinking any further.


    Xenia waited for Albert''s phone to ring thrice before giving it to him, "Mr. Jewell, your wife''s calling."


    Albert paused and almost cut his finger.


    He frowned as he took the phone over. Then, he heard Hylda question him assertively, "What are you


    doing? What took you so long to pick up?¡±

 Chapter 1043

    Chapter 1043


    Chapter 1043


    Albert felt a little guilty, as he evasively said, ¡°I¡¯m in a meeting, so I couldn¡¯t hear the ringing. Is


    everything okay?¡±


    That sounded awfully familiar to Hylda. Those were the exact same lines Albert would say to fool


    Rainee whenever she called. At the time, he was actually lying on Hylda¡¯s bed.


    The words he used, and his tone were exactly the same.


    Hylda trembled with anger and said without beating around the bush, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you brought her to


    get an abortion yet?¡±


    Albert pursed his lips and answered, ¡°The doctor told me that her current condition isn¡¯t fit to undergo


    surgery. Her life would be in danger.¡±


    Hylda¡¯s face darkened. ¡°When will she be fit enough, then?¡±


    Albert said, ¡°Give her some time to rest and let¡¯s see what the doctor says. We can¡¯t force her to do it if


    the doctor disagrees with the operation.¡±


    Hylda clenched her fists, as she sneered inwardly. ¡®When did he be such a righteous man? I can


    still remember how reluctant he sounded when I suggested taking action against Rainee. However, he


    did not hesitate at all once he found out that he might go to jail.¡¯


    She suppressed her anger and said in a calm tone, ¡°Albert, be honest with me. Do you want to keep


    that baby?¡±


    Albert paused and quickly denied it. ¡°Of course not. I¡¯ve promised you that I¡¯ll handle this as long as


    you take good care of our baby inside you. It¡¯s true that I like children very much, but you¡¯ve been with


    me for so many years. I can¡¯t just neglect your feelings like that. Don¡¯t overthink it and just rest well.¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Hylda scoffed disdainfully inside, but she gently said,¡± Albert, maybe we should just forget it since the


    risk of having an abortion is too high.¡±


    Albert was taken aback and thought that he had heard her wrong. ¡°W-What did you say?¡±


    Hylda then added, ¡°You can keep the baby if you really want to. But, I want you to promise me one


    thing. Once that baby is born, get that woman out of Rivera forever, and you will not see her ever


    again. I¡¯ll treat her baby as my own. If you can guarantee this, I¡¯ll dly ept her baby into our


    family.¡±


    Sophia was stunned. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re crazy-¡°


    Hylda shot her a nce, and she immediately stopped talking and gritted her teeth.


    ¡®Is my mom out of her mind? How could she offer to raise someone else¡¯s baby? Did her pregnancy


    make her go insane?¡¯


    Albert was caught off guard by Hylda¡¯s sudden change, and he even began to feel a little cautious.


    Based on his understanding of Hylda, she was never such a kind-hearted person.


    ¡°What¡­ What made you suddenly change your mind?¡±


    ¡°What else can I do?¡± Hylda said as her voice choked with tears. ¡°If I don¡¯t give in, you¡¯ll eventually


    leave me like how you left Rainee back then. I¡¯m only doing this because I don¡¯t want to lose you.¡±


    Albert felt a little hesitant and regretful after listening to her tearful voice. After all, they had been


    together for more than twenty years, and the feelings between them were genuine. He knew very well


    how Hylda had treated him.


    In fact, Albert also knew that Xenia was still very young, and she would never want to be someone¡¯s


    mistress. He already had ns to distance himself from her if it weren¡¯t for her pregnancy.


    That baby in her was the exact reason why he could not make his mind up.


    He had been troubled by this for the past few days.


    However, he could not be any happier now that Hylda had thought it through.


    Albert felt a lot more at ease as he thought about that. Then, he said gently, ¡°It¡¯s great that you can


    think of it this way. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll get rid of her as soon as the baby is born, and I¡¯ll never see her


    again.¡±


    Hylda suddenly said, ¡°Let¡¯s have a wedding ceremony.¡±


    Albert paused and frowned. ¡°Why are you suddenly bringing this up?¡±


    That was not the first time Hylda had talked to him about having a wedding ceremony. She mentioned it


    the most in the first months after they had registered as a married couple. However, their marriage was


    supposed to be a secret, and she understood that. So, she stopped bringing it up after talking about it a


    few times.


    Albert was clearly a little upset now that she brought it up again.


    After the news that Sophia was his illegitimate child broke out, almost everyone in his circle knew what


    happened between him and Hylda. Albert just thought that it would be very embarrassing for him to


    have a wedding ceremony with Hylda after cheating on his wife and secretly marrying his mistress.


    So, he would always just brush it off whenever Hylda talked about it.


    Hylda knew exactly what he was thinking as she said in a low voice, ¡°Albert, hear me out. We can use


    the wedding ceremony as an excuse to announce my pregnancy and tell everyone that I¡¯m pregnant


    with a pair of twins. That way, we¡¯ll not raise any suspicions. I can ept that baby, but I can¡¯t stand


    other people criticizing my marriage. Do you understand?¡±

 Chapter 1044

    Chapter 1044


    Chapter 1044


    Hylda made herself very clear.


    She would not have a problem with raising Xenia¡¯s baby, but Albert had to make their marriage look


    pretty to everyone else.


    She was a homewrecker who managed to rece Rainee, yet the same thing was going to happen to


    her. She knew that she would be everybody else¡¯sughingstock if they ever found out about this.


    The reason she wanted to have a wedding ceremony was simply to conceal the fact that Albert had


    another illegitimate child with another woman. She just did not want to be a joke in the upper-


    ss social circle of Rivera.


    Albert was immediately convinced upon hearing what Hylda said.


    He knew that Hylda would put her dignity before anything else in the world.


    Although Hylda would act feeble and gentle in front of him, he knew very well what kind of person she


    was; a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing. Albert figured that he should be more cautious if she told him she


    wanted to have the wedding ceremony solely because she loved him.


    However, everything made sense to Albert after he listened to Hylda¡¯s reasons.


    Albert thought for a moment and softly said, ¡°That¡¯s a very good idea, but¡­ you¡¯re pregnant now.


    nning a wedding ceremony can be very tiring. I¡¯m worried that you¡¯ll be exhausted now that you¡¯re


    pregnant.¡±


    Hylda sighed. ¡°I¡¯m only doing this for the sake of that child. We can just keep the ceremony simple. I


    wouldn¡¯t mind.¡±


    Albert immediately regretted what he did to Hylda upon hearing those words.


    He fell silent for a while before he said, ¡°Don¡¯t say that. I know this is very hard for you. You¡¯ve gone


    through so much with me all these years. You always told me that wearing a wedding dress is the


    dream of every woman, yet you¡¯ve never worn one. I couldn¡¯t give you that when I was younger, but it


    wouldn¡¯t be right for me to not give it to you now since I have the means. If we¡¯re going to have a


    wedding ceremony, we¡¯ll make it a grand one. You don¡¯t have to worry about the preparations. Just


    focus on taking care of yourself and the baby at home. I¡¯ll handle everything.¡±


    Hylda looked emotionless when she said in a gentle voice, ¡°Thank you, Albert.¡±


    The look on Albert¡¯s face turned less tense. ¡°I¡¯ming back soon. What do you feel like eating? I¡¯ll


    bring some food back for you.¡±


    Hylda could not help but think about Albert wearing an apron and cooking for another woman when she


    heard what he said. It made her feel


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    nauseous.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t really have an appetite these days. There¡¯s nothing I want to eat.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get some fruits for you, then. Even if you don¡¯t feel like eating, we can¡¯t let our son go hungry.¡±


    Hylda sneered. ¡®As expected, the baby is all he cares about.¡¯


    After she hung up the phone, Sophia, who was sitting at the side, could not hold herself back anymore.


    ¡°Mom, have you lost your mind because of that little slut? Are you really going to raise her baby as your


    own? What is wrong with you?¡±


    Hylda put her phone aside. Then, she looked up and tly said, ¡°Do you have a better idea to get rid of


    her, then?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just get someone to watch her. I¡¯m sure that we¡¯ll eventually catch those bodyguards cking.


    And when that happens, we¡¯ll seize the opportunity and kidnap her to the hospital.¡±


    Hylda looked at Sophia as if she was an idiot. ¡°Do you think that you own the hospital, and the doctors


    would terminate a pregnancy for someone you kidnapped there? Use your brain! Would you have


    come to me if you could get close to her?¡±


    Sophia froze and her heart skipped a beat. ¡°Mom, what do you mean?¡±


    Hylda¡¯s expression was cold. She knew her own daughter well enough to see through Sophia¡¯s true


    intentions.


    Sophia obviously got very upset ever since she found out about Hylda¡¯s pregnancy. It was just


    impossible for her to be happy about dividing her family¡¯s inheritance with another person.


    She restrained herself a little from showing her dissatisfaction in front of Hylda, but her resentment


    completely took over her as soon as she found out that Xenia had a baby boy.


    Hylda was not bothered to expose her because they had amon enemy. She had no problem with


    her daughter being ambitious.


    Then, Hylda said with a deep voice, ¡°How will we ever have the chance to get close to that slut if I


    didn¡¯t suggest having a wedding ceremony?¡±


    She leaned close to Sophia and whispered.


    Sophia was stunned and suddenly realized what Hylda was trying to do.¡¯ Mom, are you¡­

 Chapter 1045

    Chapter 1045


    Chapter 1045


    ¡°I just want a wedding ceremony.¡± Hylda nced at her and said nonchntly, ¡°You better keep your


    guard up. Stop going shopping and having high tea with those rich girls all the time.¡±


    Sophia still could not process what happened. She only nodded after hearing what Hylda told her. ¡°I got


    it, mom.¡±


    Albert left not long after he hung up. Xenia quickly told Ste about the information she had gathered


    earlier.


    Ste frowned and fell into her thoughts.


    She was still trying to figure out what Hylda¡¯s n was when she received a text message from the


    production team of The Pce, telling her that World Peace¡¯s premiere had been rescheduled. The two


    dramas were supposed to be aired a day apart. However, both premieres fell on the same date at the


    exact same time, which was the prime-time slot of 8 PM.


    The production team of World Peace had cut off the ending of another drama just to secure the slot


    and premiere World Peace on the same day as The Pce.


    It was a despicable move as the ratings of the premiere were very crucial to the production. It could


    directly affect future investments, online exposure, and public attention.


    The original premiere dates of these two shows were already very close to each other, yet World Peace


    decided to reschedule it to the exact same day. It was very obvious that they were simply trying to


    overshadow The Pce.


    World Peace was adapted from a controversialic, and it had gained a lot of traction before it was


    even aired. The production team was known for not prioritizing quality in their work. They only wanted


    to take advantage of the hype and create a money tree.


    Even though The Pce had been very low-key in its marketing campaign, Daniel¡¯s reputation was just


    too good. Everyone knew that every drama he directed would be worth watching.


    If The Pce were to be aired first, audiences who watched it would not be able to stand a money-


    grabbing drama like World Peace. So, they had to be aired on the same day to overshadow The


    Pce and secure a share of the viewership.


    By doing so, even if some people realized that The Pce was a better drama than World Peace, it


    would not matter anymore because the show had already ended and made enough money forthem.


    Nobody would care anymore after that.


    Then, The Pce would be a drama with good reviews but no viewership.


    That was the dark side of the film and television industry.


    A coworker shared the news of World Peace rescheduling its premiere in the group chat.


    And everyone was shocked.


    After a few months of hard work, they were met with a cut-throatpetition like this to ruin their


    drama. So, all of them were upset.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Daniel sent a publicity temte in the group chat and tagged Ste. [ SteJewell, why haven¡¯t you


    uploaded any of our promotional posts yet?]


    Ste froze.


    [I forgot to.]


    Daniel urged her. [Hurry up and post it now. You¡¯re the only person who hasn¡¯t done it.]


    Ste edited the temte and uploaded it on Facebook.


    Then, she thought for a while and decided to call Daniel.


    As soon as the call was connected, the sound of people chattering and ying drinking games came


    from the other side of the phone.


    Ste softly said, ¡®Mr. Wood, are you drowning your sorrows before the war has even started?¡±


    The edge of Daniel¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Shut up, you jinx! I¡¯m at my friends¡¯ baby shower party.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Ste then added, ¡°I¡¯m impressed. How could you still have the mood to attend a party when the


    premiere is on tomorrow night?¡±


    Daniel replied nonchntly, ¡°Have you gone to school and taken an exam? Have you ever seen a top


    student studying the day before the exam?¡±


    Ste paused. Then, she said slowly, ¡°Well, a low-performing student wouldn¡¯t study a day before the


    exam either because he wouldn¡¯t understand a thing anyway.¡±


    Her response left Daniel speechless

 Chapter 1046

    Chapter 1046


    Chapter 1046


    Daniel replied in an unhappy tone, "Did you call to argue with me?"


    Ste chuckled before she said softly, "I was worried that you would be upset by the capitalist''s game.


    So, I called to check on you."


    Daniel scoffed and said, "Do what you''re supposed to do, and don''t think about these unnecessary


    things. We did our best, and we should just leave the rest to fate. It doesn''t matter what the oue


    will be as long as we did our part.¡±


    "Well... we can actually do more." Ste paused and continued, "If they can reschedule their premiere,


    we can dig up their scandals. They like to use giarism as their marketing strategy, right?


    "Let''s stir up the topic even more and cause an even biggermotion. We can contact the original


    authors and get them to file awsuit against them too. Let''s expose all the previous shows that they


    giarized to make money.


    "We''ll emphasize protecting the original authors¡¯ interests and condemning those shows that imed


    the drama or actors have nothing to do with the original work, yet they benefited from it. They stole the


    work of someone else and repackaged it as a brand-new drama to fool uninformed audiences. How


    despicable is that!


    "If they want the attention so badly, let''s use that against them to ruin their reputation. It would be best if


    we could get rid of this corrupt practice in the industry. If we can''t do well, no one will either.¡±


    Daniel was taken aback and said after a while. "W-Who taught you that?¡±


    "My heart of justice.¡±


    The edge of Daniel''s mouth twitched. "I can notice that there are some personal grudges involved here.


    Is it because Be stole your dog?¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    ¡®It''s been so long. How could he still remember it?¡¯


    Ste coughed. "I found the dog.¡±


    "Oh." Daniel lifted his brows. "Does it still recognize you as its owner?"


    Ste replied, "He became even more clingier than before.¡±


    Daniel clicked his tongue without saying anything.


    Then, he said, "Keep that thought to yourself, and don''t spread it around to others. Your idea is not only


    going to offend one or two people but more than half of the industry and their fans. You think you''re


    doing something righteous, yet you''re just a viin destroying their idols¡¯ stardom to the fans. All of


    them wille after you."


    Ste replied, "I wasn''t nning to do that. I want you to do it, and I''ll repost it using a fake ount of


    mine. After all, I''m going to earn a lot less money if those fans were to reallye after me.¡±


    Daniel was speechless.


    "Shut up and get lost."


    He hung up right after he said that.He thought that Ste was calling to console him, but she actually


    wanted to mock him!


    ¡®She looks like a decent person. I just can''t imagine that she would propose something like that!¡¯


    Keegan was in his office. He handed the revised document to Aldor and said in a t tone, "Check it


    again. If there are no problems with it, duplicate a few copies and distribute them. Follow the


    instructions written here.¡±


    He stretched his arm out for a while, yet no one came to take the document from him. He frowned and


    looked up.


    Then, he saw his assistant scrolling through Facebook with his head down.


    Keegan pursed his lips and threw the document on his desk. He lightly tapped his fingers on the desk


    and said, "Do you need a day off just to y with your phone?¡±


    Aldor recollected himself and immediately showed his phone to Keegan. "Mr. Kane, the premiere of


    World Peace has been rescheduled, and it will be airing at the same time as The Pce tonight. The


    viewership of Madam''s new drama will probably be affected.¡±


    "Oh," Keegan said. Then, he asked, ¡°Is that why you''re cking off at work?¡±


    Aldor was speechless.


    ¡°Aren''t you worried at all?"


    Keegan put the cap back on his pen and nonchntly said, ¡± Get it printed now."


    Aldor stopped speaking as he thought to himself, ¡®This is such a perfect chance for him to prove


    himself, yet he doesn''t care at all. ls this because he already won her back?¡¯Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1047

    Chapter 1047


    Chapter 1047


    Keegan immediately dialed Vermont¡¯s number as soon as Aldor left his office.


    He said straightforwardly, ¡°I need a favor.¡±


    Vermont was lying on the couch and eating fruits. Keegan could vaguely hear the sound of running


    watering from the other side of the phone because Felicity was busy cooking for him in the kitchen


    to speed up his recovery progress.


    His waist felt a little sore after lying down for so long. He was living his best lifetely.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    After hearing what Keegan said, hezily replied, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Keegan briefly told Vermont about his purpose of calling, and Vermont refused without even hesitating.


    ¡°You can go ahead and do these hical things yourself.¡±


    However, Keegan was not angry as he calmly said, ¡°I guess Miss Thompson hasn¡¯t read your medical


    record yet, huh? As your girlfriend, I think she should have the right to know what really happened to


    you.¡±


    Vermont kept quiet.


    Then, he gritted his teeth and said, ¡°You¡¯re such an asshole. Do you remember how much I helped you


    to get Ste back? n


    Keegan sneered. ¡°I would¡¯ve forgotten about it if you didn¡¯t bring it up. Ste and I would be married


    again by now if it weren¡¯t for you stirring things up between us!¡±


    Vermont was left speechless.


    He coughed and stopped acting arrogant. Then, he tried to negotiate with Keegan in a friendly tone. ¡°I


    was just ying with you. I¡¯m your brother. Of course I¡¯ll get that done for you. But please keep your


    mouth shut and don¡¯t mess with my rtionship.¡±


    Keegan scoffed. ¡°Let me remind you, rtionships built on lies are not going tost. Don¡¯t y with fire


    or you¡¯ll end up getting burned.¡±


    ¡°How could you have the audacity to say that?¡± Vermont could not help but retort. ¡°Didn¡¯t you lie to


    Ste by making her think that she wanted to sleep with you? Did you lose your memory? Talk about


    the kettle calling the pot ck! If you can win someone over, it doesn¡¯t matter what method you use as


    long as you¡¯re going to treat her well, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    Felicity came out of the kitchen while holding a pot as Vermont was speaking.


    Vermont said in a low voice, ¡°I have to go now. Bye.¡±


    Then, he quickly put away his energetic demeanor and continued to lie on the sofa weakly.


    Felicity ced the pot on the table and quickly rubbed her reddened hands on her ears.


    She looked down and asked Vermont, ¡°How are you feeling?


    Does it still hurt?¡±


    Vermont nodded weakly and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been lying down for too long and my back feels so stiff.¡±


    He sniffed as he spoke. ¡°What did you make?¡±


    ¡°Stewed pork ribs with carrots.¡± Felicity paused before she continued, ¡°Just stay here and rest if it still


    hurts.¡±


    Vermont thought to himself, ¡®There¡¯ll only be leftovers for me to eat if I sleep now. It¡¯s not going to be as


    delicious if I don¡¯t eat it now.¡¯


    So, he said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. It took you so much effort to cook this. How could I not eat it right away?¡±


    After that, Felicity helped him stand up. Then, he ced a cushion on the couch and let him sit on it.


    To make his acting look more realistic, Vermont kept his back straight after sitting down as if he could


    not bend it at all.


    Felicity went to take a posture corrector belt and said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ll help you put this on. It¡¯ll make


    you feel a little better.¡±


    Vermont nodded.


    Felicity held the belt, wrapped it around his waist, and fastened it.


    She was standing very close to Vermont. It was so close that Vermont could see the mole below her


    neck by just lowering his head.


    Felicity had somewhat light-colored hair, and even the hair on her body was translucent. When she


    bent her neck down, Vermont could see her cervical vertebra extending all the way into her T-shirt.


    Vermont pursed his lips and shamefully discovered thatpared to apletely naked woman, a


    casually exposed patch of skin like this turned him on even more.

 Chapter 1048

    Chapter 1048


    Chapter 1048


    Vermont was still indulging himself in his dirty thoughts when Felicity suddenly lifted her head. Then,


    her lips identally brushed against his chin. Both of them were stunned, and the awkwardness


    followed.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Of course, Felicity was the more embarrassed one, and there did not seem to be any special


    expression on Vermont¡¯s face.


    Felicity cleared her throat, breaking the awkward silence.¡± How do you feel? Is it too tight?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Vermont replied as he secretly observed Felicity¡¯s reaction with an indifferent face.


    ¡°Good.¡± Felicity then asked, ¡°Why did Keegan call you just now?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s hand trembled, and he almost fell from his seat.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. We just chatted.¡±


    Felicity did not ask any further as she filled his bowl with the dish she made. Then, she sat beside him


    and asked, ¡°Does yourpany have a group chat?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Why?¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Can you ask them to boost Ste¡¯s viewership, then? Be¡¯s new drama is


    going to be aired on


    the same day as Ste¡¯s. I¡¯m kind of worried about her premiere¡¯s viewership.¡±


    Vermont chuckled. ¡°There are only about a hundred members in the group chat. I doubt they¡¯re going


    to help much.¡±


    Felicity slumped her shoulders in disappointment as soon as she heard that.


    Vermontforted her after seeing how disheartened she looked. ¡°The shows haven¡¯t even aired yet.


    It might not turn out as bad as you think it will.¡±


    Felicity was not expecting anything. She knew how difficult it was topete for viewership against a


    popr drama like World Peace.


    However, she was still going to sit in front of the television and contribute to the viewership of her best


    friend¡¯s drama on that night.


    Felicity had connections, and she could see the live viewership data of various channels in real-time.


    She watched the drama while keeping a close eye on the data.


    As expected, the first episode of World Peace had a peak rating of more than 4, which was considered


    excellent.


    The first episode of The Pce scored 1.3, which was considered average.


    Felicity thought that The Pce had no chance to beat World Peace anymore, but The Pce¡¯s


    viewership began to spike suddenly when the second episode was aired.


    It started from a mere 1.5, and slowly increased to three and even surpassed it.


    When she went to check on World Peace¡¯s data, she found out that its second episode was not aired


    on that day.


    However, that channel unexpectedly broadcasted an interview with the R&D team of Vinci Rivera.


    At the same time, both dramas topped the trending searches on various online tforms. Felicity


    watched the hashtag #WholsTheActressyingTheEmpresslnThePce slowly climb up the charts.


    Keegan managed to get The Pce a chance to turn the table around after the premiere. The


    viewership of The Pce stayed in the top three for the next few days, and its viewership kept


    increasing bit by bit.


    World Peace¡¯s premiere rating had surpassed 4, and it remained at the top. However, its overall


    viewership rate was declining. It was only able to keep theizens talking about it because of its


    intimate scenes between the male and female leads.


    On the other hand, the topics revolving around The Pce focused more on the plot and acting skills.


    More and more people started mentioning Ste¡¯s name because a gorgeous yet talented actress like


    her was extremely hard to find in the industry.


    Felicity had a feeling that The Pce was going to blow up, and Ste would be a superstar.


    Soon, the era of capitalistic beauty standards would be reshaped as well.


    Thepetition between the two dramas was very intense. Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the set of


    Motives of Murder was very awkward.


    The two female leads of both dramas were the female lead and supporting actress of Motives of


    Murder, soparisons between them were inevitable.


    Ste did not want to have anything to do with Be, so she would keep a distance from her as soon as


    she filmed her part.

 Chapter 1049

    Chapter 1049


    Chapter 1049


    They had almost done filming their scenes together. After this one, they would only have to film the final


    scene before wrapping up.


    Daniel¡¯s assistant shared the good news in the group chat. Ste briefly read it and jumped in the


    queue to touch up her makeup.


    She was going to film a scene with Leighton, Be, and a few others.


    She could only have her makeup touched up on the set because she did not have to change her


    costume.


    The male and female leads had their personal makeup artists. However, Ste and the other actors


    had to share one makeup artist because the other one took a leave due to family matters.


    With only one makeup artist, the waiting time became very long.


    Leighton¡¯s makeup artist held a brush and gently outlined his face.


    Leighton kept turning his head to the side, and the makeup artist had to constantly adjust himself to


    follow his movement, even when contouring his face.


    The makeup artist was very annoyed but did not dare toin.


    Leighton¡¯s manager, who was standing at the side, paused. Then, he traced Leighton¡¯s gaze and saw


    Ste ying with her phone.


    Everybody else was standing because they were doing on-set makeup.


    Ste was required to wear a pair of heels to film that scene, so her legs started to feel sore after


    standing for some time. That was why Ste had to change her posture every now and then to stretch


    her legs.


    Leighton¡¯s manager looked away and asked the makeup artist, ¡®Is it done?¡± ¡°Almost,¡± the makeup artist


    replied.


    Leighton¡¯s facial features were perfect and did not require a lot of makeup. However, his role was


    supposed to be a forty-year-old man, so the makeup artist had to use contour to create the appearance


    of an older man around his eyes and brows.


    The director wanted to cast a different actor to rece Leighton while filming his character at an older


    age.


    However, Leighton offered to do it himself. Stuart was so impressed that he could not stop praising him.


    He said that saying that he saw the determination and conviction of the younger generation in him.


    However, his manager thought otherwise.


    Leighton¡¯s manager knew very well that he only wanted to spend more time with his crush. After all, he


    was going to start filming a new drama as soon as this one ended, and nobody knew when they would


    meet again.


    However, despite his ulterior intentions of wanting to act with his crush for a longer time, his manager


    could not deny that he did an excellent job at portraying a forty-year-old man. Perhaps that was¡­ the


    power of an idol.


    Leighton¡¯s manager was not worried at all about any scandal breaking out between Leighton and


    Ste. After all¡­ from his observation, he could tell that Ste was not interested in him.


    Even he knew who to choose between a wealthy heir in Rivera and a popr idol adored by many


    female fans.


    However, he figured that there would not be any harm for him to establish a good rtionship with


    Ste for Leighton. After all, there was a possibility that Keegan would offer Leighton a few


    endorsement deals if Keegan was happy. At the same time, that would also ultimately increase


    Leighton¡¯s ie.


    As he thought about that, he asked Leighton, ¡°Should I call Miss Jewell over and let Miller touch her


    up?¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Leighton¡¯s ear twitched. ¡¯Hm. Whatever.¡±


    The manager lifted his brows. ¡®What a poser.¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to. After all, Miller is your personal makeup artist.¡¯ Leighton¡¯s eyelid twitched,


    and he pointed his middle finger at his manager.


    The managerughed and yfully cursed back at him. Then, he turned around and went to look for


    Ste.


    Ste¡¯s toes were hurting from wearing the heels, so she kept shifting her weight between her two feet.


    She got so bored waiting that she decided to text Keegan to annoy him.


    She downloaded a picture of toes squeezing out of the heels from the inte and sent it to Keegan


    with a WhatsApp Message. [Look at my new shoes.]


    Keegan was discussing how to improvise the blueprint with Aldor when the notification of Ste¡¯s


    message popped up.


    Aldor wanted to look away, but Keegan had already tapped and opened it.


    Then, Aldor saw the picture that Ste sent and almostughed out loud

 Chapter 1050

    Chapter 1050


    Chapter 1050


    Keegan read Ste¡¯s message and replied in a serious manner.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Aldor took a peek, and the edge of his eyes twitched.


    Keegan replied, [Did you get rid of the mole on your foot?]


    Aldor¡¯s eyelid twitched even more as he quickly grabbed Keegan¡¯s hand which was about to hit the


    send button.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, that¡¯s not Madam¡¯s foot.¡±


    Keegan paused and nced at him. ¡°How can you tell?¡±


    Aldor immediately exined himself. ¡°This picture went viral a while ago, and a user turned it into a


    WhatsApp sticker.¡±


    He took his phone out, and indeed, there was a sticker of the exact same picture on his phone.


    Keegan looked at it and said curiously, ¡°Why would she suddenly send me a picture of someone else¡¯s


    foot?¡±


    Aldor thought about it and came up with an assumption. ¡°Maybe the shoes she is wearing don¡¯t fit her,


    or maybe she¡¯s just messing with you.¡±


    Keegan asked, ¡¯How can we find out?¡±


    Aldor found a picture of heels stretched out by chubby feet and sent it to Keegan. ¡°Send this to


    Madam,¡± he said.


    Keegan followed his suggestion.


    Ste could not stopughing after seeing that picture. When there was no one around, she sent a


    voice message to Keegan in a quirky tone. ¡°The shoeys on the set are so smalley, and my feety are


    hurty.¡±


    Keegan saw her reply and yed the voice message.


    Then, Ste¡¯s coquettish voice came through the iPad.


    Suddenly, both men fell silent.


    Aldor suppressed hisugh and coughed, ¡°It seems like her shoes don¡¯t fit her.¡±


    Keegan felt goosebumps all over as he replied, [We probably wouldn¡¯t be together if you talked to me


    like this on the first day we met.]


    Steughed for some time after reading Keegan¡¯s reply.


    There was something about Keegan himself, as he could manage to remain single before marrying


    Ste.


    Ste attended a ss reunion a few years ago. One of her ssmates told Ste that she was looking


    for a job in Rivera, and she could not find a ce to stay. So, she asked her if it would be okay for her


    to stay at her ce for a few days.


    The truth was that Ste was not very close to her when they went to school together, and they were


    just normal friends. So, Ste felt a bit reluctant when she made that request.


    However, there were many other of her old ssmates there, and when that person made that request,


    everybody else chimed in to help her.


    Theypletely put her on the spot. At that time, she thought to herself, ¡®If I said yes, Keegan is


    probably going to be upset, but everyone is looking at me right now. I¡¯m going to look very


    inconsiderate if I were to reject her since she has already put herself aside and asked.¡¯


    So, she contacted Keegan and hesitantly told him about it.


    She thought that Keegan would be unwilling, but he did not say much after listening to her. Instead, he


    told her to inform the housekeeper and have a room prepared for her ssmate.


    Keegan was not against it, so Ste said yes.


    Then, Ste brought her ¡°old ssmate¡± on the same evening that day

 Chapter 1051

    Chapter 1051


    Chapter 1051


    The housekeeper had already cleaned up the room, and Ste wanted to just quickly send her old


    ssmate to the room.


    However, her old ssmate seemed very interested in her house and insisted on meeting Ste¡¯s


    husband to thank him in person.


    At that time, the huge wedding photo in the living room had not been installed yet and there were not


    any photos of Ste and Keegan on the first floor.


    Her old ssmate kept speaking in a regretful tone saying that Ste should not have gotten married


    so early because of how well she did at school. She even said that marriage should not be built on only


    materialistic things, butmon values. She also mentioned that a huge gap in age difference would


    often lead to a problematic rtionship.


    Ste listened to her words and realized that she was implying that she had married an older man for


    his money.


    Ste immediately got a little mad at her. However, she did not confront her about it out of politeness.


    Instead, she began to treat her old ssmate a lot colder.


    Ste¡¯s old ssmate probably realized that she had spoken too much and stopped talking about that


    topic.


    Ste would only think that her old ssmate was bad at socializing if everything ended there.


    However, when her old ssmate saw Keegan returning home and found out that he was Ste¡¯s


    husband, her attitude took a big turn.


    She began calling Keegan by his first name and would evenpliment him when he drank some


    water by saying, ¡°Keegan, you look so attractive when you¡¯re drinking water.¡±


    Ste¡¯s old ssmate was petite and had a decent-looking face, but it was nothing too outstanding.


    However, she was very popr among the guys during their school days. She never had to lift a finger


    whenever there was an event that required the students to move their chairs and tables because there


    would always be guys who were not even her boyfriend offering to help.


    Even Ste, who was the prettiest girl in school, had never experienced a privilege like that.


    Ste used to tell Felicity about this and wondered why she could not get the guys¡¯ attention like her old


    ssmate. She just could not figure out why none of them would offer to help her.


    Felicity¡¯s response hit the nail on the bed. ¡°Well, it¡¯s because she knows how to act cute. All men are


    the same. They¡¯ll lose control whenever they heard a woman acting all sweet.


    ¡°And you? Although you have a pretty face, you speak like a man. When guys asked you for your


    number, you¡¯d tell them that you don¡¯t have a subscription n; when they ask if you¡¯re hungry, you¡¯d


    tell them you just ate; when they asked if you¡¯re drunk, you¡¯d say that you can barely taste the alcohol.


    No one dares to flirt with a girl like you. They just don¡¯t know how to deal with you.¡±


    Ste did not agree with her at first. However, as time passed, she began to realize that the girls who


    got the most attention from the guys were not necessarily the prettiest, but rather those who were


    outgoing and would treat guys as their brothers if they were not the type who loved to act cute.


    Her old ssmate was one of them.


    When Ste heard her calling Keegan by his name, she got goosebumps all over. She shifted her gaze


    to Keegan and did not see any special reaction on his face.


    Ste was actually kind of unhappy with how her old ssmate addressed her husband. However, her


    old ssmate imed that she did that on purpose to test her husband as soon as Keegan walked


    away.


    Ste was confused.


    Her old ssmate exined in a serious tone, ¡°Rich men are usually unfaithful, especially those who


    are handsome. Most of them can¡¯t resist temptations at all. Did you notice how he did not reject it when


    I called his name so suggestively in front of you? It means that he still enjoys being admired by other


    women. You better watch out.¡±


    Ste felt very ufortable after hearing what she said.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    On one hand, she thought that how could one make a correct judgment about a person in just a few


    minutes? On the other hand, she was bothered by the fact that Keegan did not reject her old ssmate


    as if he really did enjoy another woman talking to him like that.


    In those days, the caretaker took leave due to personal matters, so Ste spent most of her time at the


    hospital. She would leave home early in the morning ande backte at night, barely having the


    chance to speak to anyone in the house.


    Her old ssmate said that she would only stay for a few days. However, it had been a week, and she


    showed no intention of wanting to leave at all.


    Ste felt as though it was very inconvenient for an outsider to stay in her home. Sometimes when she


    wanted to get intimate with Keegan, her old ssmate would knock on their door to say that the door of


    her room toilet was jammed or ask her how to use the hair dryer, which ruined their mood.


    Their moods werepletely dampened, and Keegan even moved to the study room to sleep.


    When Ste asked her about her job search, she would always say that there were no suitable jobs for


    her. Ste rmended her to a few jobs, but she eitherined about the working hours being


    too long, the low sry, or the need to work outside of Rivera.


    Ste originally wanted to help her old ssmate out of goodwill but ended up bringing trouble upon


    herself.


    Just as Se was contemting how she could tactfully ask her to move out, she woke up the next


    morning, and her old ssmate was nowhere to be found

 Chapter 1052

    Chapter 1052


    Chapter 1052


    When Ste asked Keegan about it, Keegan shot her another question. ¡°Do you want her to stay for


    another year?¡±


    Clearly, Ste did not want that. Instead, she was more than happy that her old ssmate left. She just


    could not understand why she would just leave without saying anything. However, Ste did not think


    much about it.


    Ste would have forgotten about this incident. However, after two months, her old ssmate posted a


    paragraph on her Twitter ount that was a thousand words long, describing how she was harassed


    by her ssmate¡¯s husband when she was staying at their house.


    In the paragraph, she imed that she did not tell her ssmate about what happened and kept


    everything to herself out of ¡®good intentions¡±. However, she saw the husband flirting with other women


    again, and she could not stop herself from exposing him anymore.


    A lot of people knew that the old ssmate had gone to stay at Ste¡¯s house, so everybody knew very


    well who the old ssmate was referring to.


    Ste got furious. She immediately called this old ssmate of hers, but she just would not pick up.


    The rumor about Ste getting married to an unfaithful man spread like wildfire, and even her high


    school friends who did not know the old ssmate came to ask her about it.


    Ste could not even sleep well for nights after what happened. After some time, Keegan noticed


    something unusual and asked her about it.


    So, Ste stopped holding back and told Keegan everything.


    Ste might have believed in her old ssmate if she stopped at iming that Keegan had gotten


    tangled up with his ¡°old lover¡±. But there was just no way that she would believe that Keegan actually


    harassed her.


    Although Keegan could be mean at times, he was still a decent man. He would never mess around with


    his wife¡¯s ssmates.


    As expected, Keegan got extremely surprised after listening to Ste.


    Then, he took his phone out and showed a video to Ste without saying anything.


    Keegan kept a lot of his information in the study room, so he installed a few surveince cameras


    inside.


    The video that Keegan showed her was recorded exactly a day before the old ssmate moved out.


    In the footage, Keegan could be seen working in the study room when someone knocked on the door.


    Then, Ste¡¯s old ssmate came inside with a cup of tea while wearing very revealing pajamas. It was


    about one o¡¯clock at night, and Ste was resting upstairs.


    Her old ssmate handed Keegan the tea, and as he reached out to take it, she let go before he could


    touch the cup. Then, the tea spilled right on Keegan¡¯s pants.


    Then, the old ssmate very ¡°helpfully¡± took a handkerchief and offered to wipe Keegan¡¯s pants while


    she was half-kneeling on the floor.


    Keegan pushed her hand away and told her to leave with an unhappy expression.


    The old ssmate probably had never gotten rejected by a man like this before, and she was so


    stunned that her face turned pale. After that, she left the study room and moved out overnight.


    After all, that was not something to be proud of, and she felt extremely embarrassed too after getting


    rejected by Keegan.


    It should have ended there, but after a few days, she met Keegan again when she was apanying


    her boss to meet a client.


    She made a promise to her boss, saying that she was a friend of Keegan, and she could definitely


    close the deal.


    However, Keegan did not act like he knew her at all. She could not answer any of Keegan¡¯s questions


    regarding the product she was pitching, so the deal was called off.


    Her boss scolded her because of that. So, out of anger, she made up a story like that to take revenge


    on Ste.


    Ste boiled with anger after she found out about what had happened.


    Since she could not confront her old ssmate about it, she decided to send the footage to all of her


    group chats.


    Keegan even hired awyer to sue her for defamation.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    However, Ste was not bothered to find out about the judge¡¯s decision. Then, this old ssmate of


    hers just disappeared from all the group chats she was in.


    After that, Ste teased Keegan, ¡°None of the guys could ever resist her. How did you manage to keep


    yourself under control?¡±

 Chapter 1053

    Chapter 1053


    Chapter 1053


    Keegan replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t. I snapped at her.¡±


    Ste paused and burst outughing.


    Keegan was never going to let things go her way.


    Ste did not know that there were other reasons why Keegan scolded her ssmate other than that


    incident alone. When her old ssmate was still staying in their house, she spoke ill of Ste to


    Keegan plenty of times.


    The old ssmate said that Ste was too materialistic and money- oriented. She even used Ste


    of bullying her other ssmates and being very arrogant at school. She also mentioned Sophia and


    called Ste unsympathetic for rejecting an orphan into her family.


    At first, Keegan kept quiet without giving anyment for Ste¡¯s sake. However, Keegan began to


    lose patience after she kept saying the same thing.


    He knew very well what kind of person his wife was, and he did not need other people to tell him


    otherwise.


    After seeing how resistant Keegan was toward her old ssmate, Ste could not help butugh.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky that I¡¯m being coquettish with you. Just stopining.¡¯


    Keegan replied, ¡°I prefer you begging for mercy, especially¡­ when you¡¯re about to cry. I¡¯m very


    attracted by that.¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    ¡°How shameless of you!¡±


    Keegan then added with a serious expression, ¡°I was talking about your acting skills when you begged


    for mercy in front of the antagonists. What were you thinking about?¡±


    The edge of Ste¡¯s mouth twitched, and she sent him a picture of her middle finger.


    Then, Leighton¡¯s manager came to her. ¡°Ms. Jewell, is it not your turn yet?¡¯


    Ste put her phone away and replied politely, ¡°Soon, I guess. There are only a few people left in the


    queue.¡±


    Leighton¡¯s manager smiled and said, ¡°Leighton is done with his makeup, and he wanted Miller to help


    you with yours.¡±


    Ste wanted to reject the offer, but the manager added, ¡®Leighton has another event to attend tonight,


    and I¡¯m worried that we won¡¯t make it there on time if we finished shootingte today.¡¯


    ¡®Oh, he just wants to save time for Leighton.¡¯


    Ste thought to herself and gave up the idea of refusing him. Then, she said, ¡°Well, thank you so


    much.¡±


    So, Ste and another actor followed Leighton¡¯s manager and left.


    Leighton was sitting very close to Be, and they had to pass by her before reaching where Leighton


    was.


    After what happened to Ynda, Be¡¯s reputation in the production team plummeted, and she had


    been tucking her tail between her legs ever since. Her arrogance only started to return after World


    Peace topped the chart.


    After all, in the entertainment industry, the value she could create was far more important than those


    minor scandals.


    Having a premiere episode surpass the rating score of four was an achievement that most people


    could only dream of.


    However, the viewership of The Pce was not bad either. So, it was inevitable for other people to


    compare Ste and Be since they were now working on the same drama, especially when Ste had


    previously dubbed Be.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    This time, Be very confidently used her own voice for this new drama. Of course, her voice was


    significantly better than those new idols. But Be was going against Ste, who had years of


    experience in dubbing. Theparison was simply one-sided.


    Some sarcasticizens even created hashtags like #


    IsTheEmpressOfThePceUsingTheSameDubAsBe? and #


    SometimesYouJustGottaPayForDubbing to mock Be¡¯s voice-acting skills. So, Be resented Ste


    for that.


    That was why when Ste walked past her, she broke character and suddenly said sarcastically,


    ¡°Having connections can really bring you ces. It¡¯s impressive how you could achieve such results in


    your first drama. Congrattions, Ms. Jewell.

 Chapter 1054

    Chapter 1054


    Chapter 1054


    The words, ¡°having connections¡¯ carried a strong sense of bitterness, and they made Ste


    immediately stop walking.


    The crew members around them heard what Be said and looked at Ste.


    In showbusiness, when someone said that an actress had connections, it would often imply that she


    was a sugar baby.


    After all, only a few people who were as rich as Nicole would venture into the entertainment industry.


    It would take an enormous of luck for an actress to participate in a big production without having


    anyone to support her at the back. It was extremely difficult.


    So, a lot of them believed it when Be said that Ste was a sugar baby.


    With Ste¡¯s gorgeous face, it was hard for others not to be convinced that no one was backing her up


    in exchange for her body.


    Even though some actresses did not want to take that path, once someone took an interest in the


    actresses, there were various ways for one to force them intoplying.


    In fact, there had been gossip circting among the crew members such as Ste having an unclear


    rtionship with Mr. Saun of Elegant Media.


    Whenever Ste had to be on the set, Mr. Saun of Elegant Media would visit her, iming that he


    wanted to pay more attention to hispany¡¯s artists. However, he would never look at the actress


    who created the most value for hispany, Be. Instead, his gaze was always fixed on Ste.


    One time, when Ste had to film a scene where she got into a conflict with another actor, the actor


    used too much strength and ended up leaving a red mark on Ste¡¯s wrist. Even though Mr. Saun did


    not say anything about it, his eyes looked as if he was going to murder that actor.


    And, when Be passed out and was hospitalized, Mr. Saun had only visited her once to deal with


    public rtions. Then, never again.


    The double standard was way too obvious for others not to make assumptions about his rtionship


    with Ste.


    So, everyone naturally assumed that Be was referring to Mr. Saun from Elegant Media when she


    said that. Be was very upset because of how differently she was treated by thepanypared


    to Ste.


    Internal conflicts among artists were simply verymon.


    Ste turned around and nced at her. Then, she chuckled.


    Be paused as she was puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± she frowned and asked.


    Ste shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I just don¡¯t think the result is anything great. We¡¯re only in third ce


    on the chart, yet the person who¡¯s on top of it is being sour about it. Don¡¯t you think this is funny? After


    all, this is my first time seeing a person with higher viewership mocking someone under her. You¡¯re


    making others think that I¡¯m actually better than you.¡±


    Be¡¯s face turned red. ¡®What a sharp-tongued bitch.¡¯


    Then, she said, ¡°It was just a joke, Ms. Jewell. Don¡¯t be angry.¡±


    Ste lifted her brows. ¡°I¡¯m not angry at all. I¡¯m more than happy that you praised me for the good


    result.¡± She paused for a moment before she continued, ¡°If we were to talk about connections, mine are


    nowhere near yours. I remember in your first drama, you partnered with the most popr actor at that


    time with the best production team. If I remember correctly, the viewership of that drama was the


    highest among costume dramas in the past ten years, and the record remained unbroken.¡±


    Be got a little angry when she heard Ste talking about connections. But, as soon as she realized


    how familiar she was with her achievements, Be felt proud.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    The more Ste knew about her indicated how much she was bothered by her existence.


    Be was very happy that she could get into Ste¡¯s head.


    So, she smirked and said, ¡°Ms. Jewell, you do know a lot about me, huh? Did you find out about this on


    your own, or did someone else tell you about it?¡±


    She deliberately emphasized the word ¡°someone else¡±.


    And Ste knew exactly who she was implying

 Chapter 1055

    Chapter 1055


    Chapter 1055


    Ste and Be had nothing to do with each other back then, and Keegan could be the only reason


    why Ste looked her up.


    Although Ste knew that Keegan did not have anything going on with Be, she was still provoked by


    what Be said.


    Tm never going to remarry him if this jerk can¡¯t give me a reasonable exnation after this!¡¯


    Ste suppressed her rising anger and put on a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t need anyone to tell me that. That drama


    was so popr among all the major tforms back then. I¡¯m also a big fan of that drama.¡±


    Someone at the side chimed in. ¡°You¡¯re talking about Legacy, right? It was amazing. I still rewatch it


    every year.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already been four years, and I heard that they are still generating tens of millions from their annual


    royalties. It shows just how many people are still rewatching it.¡±


    Be smirked, brimming with confidence.


    It was just an achievement that anybody would be proud of.


    Yelena, who had just finished her makeup, walked over at that moment and chimed in. ¡°I remember


    that this drama was a turning point for Nicole, and she got nominated for the best actress because of it


    too. Before that, everyone thought that she could only act in idol dramas, but she proved herself in


    Legacy.


    ¡°She would¡¯ve won the best actress award if it wasn¡¯t for the intensepetition that year. But Legacy


    opened a broader market for her. She has be a familiar face in serious dramas while other


    actresses who debuted at the same time as her are still chasing fame in idol dramas. My parents would


    be glued to the TV every night whenever her show was being broadcast.¡±


    The look on Be¡¯s face froze.


    When Yelena said that the other actresses who debuted at the same time as Nicole were still chasing


    fame in idol dramas, she automatically thought that it was directed at her.


    Her face darkened as she red at Yelena. However, Yelena did not even notice that as she just


    turned around and continued chatting with other people.


    ¡°My grandma is just the same! She doesn¡¯t know any new idols when I mention them to her. But, when


    I bring Nicole up, she immediately knows who I¡¯m talking about! She even bought five bottles of the


    peanut oil that Nicole endorsed! Nicole¡¯s character as the orphan really touched people¡¯s hearts, and


    my grandmother always thinks that she¡¯s not doing very well in real life either. So, she wanted to help


    her¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say¡­¡±


    ¡°The male lead is doing very well too! The new movie that he starred in got nominated in the Cantown


    Film Festival, and he only films movies now.¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Not only that the male lead is doing well, but other actors who participated in that show are also now


    big names in serious roles after Legacy blew up. The director and scriptwriter did such a good job that


    they made both the drama and the actors famous.


    Be¡¯s expression changed from being proud to not wanting to be involved in this conversation


    anymore.


    However, Ste was not going to let that happen. She just had to get the main character involved since


    the topic had been brought up.


    So, she asked after listening to what they said, ¡°Does Be have other dramas that are not idol


    dramas? I thought Legacy was the only one because I just couldn¡¯t find any information about it online.


    Is the information on Wikipedia not up to date?¡±


    Be kept quiet.


    Everybody paused and exchanged nces.


    Be had two non-idol dramas. One of them was Legacy and the other one was Rose Storm.


    She was not exactly the protagonist in the former, but with the director¡¯s careful guidance and her


    beginner¡¯s luck, her performance was not considered too bad. It could even be the peak of her acting


    skills.


    However, the cast of Rose Storm was nowhere as good as Legacy and her acting skills could not


    portray her character well at all. Besides, Be was already a popr influencer when she filmed Rose


    Storm, so the production team did not really dare to offend her.


    She could change the script as she wished and even demanded to redecorate the set just because she


    thought that it was not good enough. Rose Storm was supposed to be a spy drama, yet it turned into a


    Mary Sue fantasy in the end.


    It received tons of criticism after being aired, and they were mostly directed at the scriptwriter.


    However, the majority of those who criticized it were Be¡¯s fans

 Chapter 1056

    Chapter 1056


    Chapter 1056


    The scriptwriter could not take it anymore and eventually published the original version of the script in a


    Facebook post.


    In the post, he hinted that he hoped for a day where he could have full control over the script in the


    future as a scriptwriter himself, rather than sumbing to what the current trend demanded. He also


    mentioned that one should leave the professionals to handle professional matters and not blindly make


    modifications to the script as well as let others take the me.


    The inte went crazy as soon as it was posed.


    Many scriptwriters started sharing the post, and it gained a lot of traction. Even the official media


    outlets responded to it.


    Netizens fought tooth and nail online, but everything onlysted for half a day before they were


    suppressed.


    The viewership of Rose Storm plummeted after what happened, and the production team did not even


    dare to buy a spot in the trending searches when its final episode was aired.


    Half a yearter, Be was given the title of the most disappointing actor/ actress of the year by an


    online trolling tform.


    Needless to say, she did not go to receive the award. Otherwise, she would at least have an award


    rted to her acting career.


    Rose Storm became Be¡¯s failed attempt at transforming her career. After that, she returned to idol


    dramas and indulged herself in her fantasy.


    Be¡¯s fans removed Rose Storm from Be¡¯s Wikipedia profile, and it could not be found there under


    the shows she starred in. They even locked her Wikipedia page and stopped others from making


    changes to it.


    If anyone were to mention Rose Storm online, Be¡¯s fans would immediatelybel that person as a


    hater, regardless of their intentions.


    So, Be would never say a thing about Rose Storm herself. The fact that Ste brought it up hit Be


    right in her weak spot. After that, Be looked very upset.


    Attempting to make a career transition was nothing to be embarrassed about, but stopping others from


    talking about it after failing was.


    Ste was the type of person who loved to poke at others¡¯ sore spots. Even Keegan did not dare to


    mess with her and could only spoil her. Be was nothing in Ste¡¯s eyes.


    Ste pretended to be surprised after noticing that no one spoke. ¡°Is there none? Be, is it true that


    you¡¯ve only acted in one drama that¡¯s not an idol drama? That¡¯s not right. You should expose yourself


    to other genres. Even though idol dramas can get you a lot of fans, they¡¯re not going to help you in your


    future career. I know even older actors and actresses are venturing into idol dramas too, but you can¡¯t


    expect to still be filming an idol drama when you¡¯re forty, right? You should at least give younger


    actresses an opportunity.¡±


    Be¡¯s face turned red to pale, and back from pale to red.


    She refused to admit her failed transition and tried to save her dignity. ¡°I just didn¡¯t take on any other


    dramas because I haven¡¯t found the script that I like. Of course, I¡¯ll take on the role if the script is good.¡±


    Ste chuckled softly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to wait for scripts like the others, do you? Don¡¯t you have a


    boyfriend who knows a lot of people? If he could secure a role for you in Legacy, I¡¯m pretty sure that he


    can get you other good scripts, right?¡±


    Everyone around them widened their gaze.


    There were plenty of rumors about Be having a boyfriend, and the couple was once caught on


    camera too. The most notable thing about it was Be spending the night with him in Lake Vi.


    Someone literally took photos of them holding onto each other while going back to Be¡¯s house.


    Even though the photos on the trending searches were suppressed, it did not stop people from talking


    about it. However, Be had nevere forward to make any rifications.


    Be¡¯s career skyrocketed after that, and everybody believed that it was because of her rumored


    boyfriend.


    But this rumored boyfriend of hers seemed to have disappearedtely. It urred somewhere around


    the time when she terminated her contract with Mount Olive Entertainment.


    And, after that, Be started to get lesser jobs and sponsorships. So, everybody spected that


    Vermont was her rumored boyfriend.


    However, nobody dared to talk about it publicly. After all, Be was a rising star, and Vermont was the


    CEO of the five biggest entertainmentpanies in the country. Nobody dared to offend either of them.


    The statement that Ste just made showed how fearless she was.


    Her actions could only be described with one word-bold!


    When everybody else thought that Ste was going to trigger Be, only Be knew that she was


    actually giving her a warning.


    Interfering with others¡¯ marriages and ruining a couple¡¯s rtionship was the biggest scandal that she


    tried to hide.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    There have been plenty of celebrities whose careers were ruined for the exact same reason. Once she


    was exposed, her persona would crumble, and her future in the entertainment industry would be


    completely hopeless.


    Ste had plenty of ways to deal with her, but she preferred to enjoy the pleasure of tormenting her like


    this

 Chapter 1057

    Chapter 1057


    Chapter 1057


    Be did not dare to take the risk of getting exposed nor could she afford to take it.


    She had no leverage at all ever since she underwent surgery.


    Be swallowed her resentment and said, ¡°Ms. Jewell, that¡¯s not true. I don¡¯t have a boyfriend. The


    media made it up.¡±


    Ste smiled. ¡°Is that so? After the multiple car crash on the bridge that time, I personally saw that


    gentleman visiting you at the hospital. Would an ordinary friend do that?¡±


    Keegan, who was working in his office, mysteriously sneezed a few times in a row.


    Be was starting to get annoyed by how assertive Ste was as she said with a dark expression, ¡°I


    already told you I don¡¯t have a boyfriend. So, what are you trying to say?¡±


    Ste looked at her indifferently. ¡°It was just a joke. Don¡¯t you like to joke around? There¡¯s no need to


    get angry.¡±


    Her response left Be speechless.


    Ste was not bothered to talk to her anymore. She turned around without looking at her and left to


    touch up her makeup.


    In truth, Ste would never want to push Be over the edge if she would just stay in her ownne.


    If Be were a little smarter, she would just stick with making money and nothing else. After all, her


    poprity was not going to disappear overnight, and she would always have another chance to make a


    transition. That way, she could still be relevant in the industry even when she got older.


    However, Be just would not stop provoking Ste and imagined that Ste was her enemy. There


    was just something wrong with her head.


    The fact that Be ditched The Tea Merchant and chose a subpar drama like World Peace made Ste


    think that idols like Be had to exist in the industry.


    At least idols like her could show their fans the consequences of not studying hard, which caused her


    to not be able to tell a good or bad script apart.


    Leighton¡¯s manager pinned him down on the chair. He was very worried that Leighton would lose


    control and stand up for his crush.


    It was just a small argument between two actresses, but it would turn into a battle between two fan


    bases if he were to intervene.


    Leighton¡¯s manager did not want to clean up Leighton¡¯s mess at all, so he did not let go even if


    Leighton bit him.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Ste said while waving her hand.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Leighton¡¯s anger was nowhere to be found as soon as he heard Ste¡¯s voice. He pushed his manager


    away and fixed his cor in a rather attractive manner as he responded, ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Ste was taken aback.


    ¡®Why is he so cold to me?


    ¡®Didn¡¯t his manager say that he voluntarily offered to touch up my makeup?


    ¡®It doesn¡¯t look like it at all.¡¯


    Ste licked her lips and coughed. ¡°Um, can I have your makeup artist touch up my makeup?¡±


    She added before Leighton could say anything. ¡°Forget it if it¡¯s not convenient.¡±


    ¡°Sure you can!¡± Leighton blurted out when he saw that Ste was about to leave. Then, he felt like he


    made himself look too eager and quickly readjusted his expression. ¡°We can get off earlier if everyone¡¯s


    makeup is done sooner.¡±


    Ste immediately replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going to slow you down.¡±


    Leighton kept quiet.


    On the other side, Be was in the washroom and the expression on her face was extremely awful.


    The fact that Keegan stopped supporting her and Elegant Media not taking her seriously anymore,


    coupled with the emergence of new idols, her poprity had started to go downhill. If she could not


    come up with a solution, she would be irrelevant in less than two years. She had gotten used to a


    morous and luxurious lifestyle like now, and she could never allow herself to go back to her old life.


    After thinking about it, she took out her phone and found a contact

 Chapter 1058

    Chapter 1058


    Chapter 1058


    Be dialed the number, and it went to a voicemail.


    After mentioning her name, she ended the call. Then, she called the same number again, and it was


    answered after a short while.


    It waspletely silent on the other end. It was so quiet that she could not even hear the person


    breathing.


    ¡®Hello.¡¯ Be held her phone tightly and spoke.


    Still, there was no response at all. Be tightened her grip and said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ve done what you


    asked for. Is it time for you to return the favor?¡¯


    A deepugh came from the other end of the phone. Be did not know if that person used a voice


    changer, but it sounded very eerie and sent chills down her spine.


    Just when Be thought that she would be rejected, that person asked, ¡¯ How would you like me to help


    you?¡±


    Be replied in a deep voice, ¡°I want The Pce to be taken down.¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    That personughed scornfully upon hearing what she said.


    Be got a little irritated by theughter as she gritted her teeth and asked, ¡®What are youughing at?¡¯


    Instead of answering her question, the person asked, ¡®That drama was approved through all the


    necessary procedures. How do you expect me to help you with it? I don¡¯t have that kind of power yet.¡±


    ¡®I know there¡¯s a way. You can find out about such a well-hidden secret. Exposing a scandal of an


    actress should be a piece of cake for you, right?¡¯


    The person sarcastically replied, ¡®Do you think that other people have so many scandals waiting to be


    exposed like you?¡±


    Be ignored the sarcasm and said, ¡°Ste hid the fact that she was married and deceived the public.


    That¡¯s a scandal too, right? You can just expose her for that.¡±


    The person scoffed. ¡°Hiding her marriage is nothingpared to cheating or ruining someone else¡¯s


    rtionship. Have you seen an actress getting canceled just because she hid her marriage history?¡±


    Be became even more annoyed. ¡°Then, tell me. What should I do?¡±


    The person kept quiet for a moment and said, ¡°This is a question you should be asking yourself. How


    can you make everybody on the inte boycott her? Isn¡¯t that what you do best?¡±


    Be frowned. ¡°Would I havee to you if I knew?¡±


    The person replied coldly in a sarcastic tone, ¡®Use your brain. Do you remember how you dealt with


    yourpetitors back then? Why are you progressing backward now?¡±


    Be paused and abruptly realized what that person was implying.


    The sins that she had been hiding in the dark were slowly being revealed inside of her.


    A face covered in blood appeared in her head, and her heart suddenly felt a tight sensation, causing


    her breath to be rapid.


    Be clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to do that!¡±


    ¡®Does it matter?¡± The person spoke coldly, ¡°Achieving your goal is the only thing you should care about.


    After all, you¡¯re not a person who feels guilty so easily. It has been so many years, yet just look at how


    sessful you are in your career.¡±


    Be¡¯s face turned extremely pale.


    The person paused and continued, ¡°Think about it. Compared to losing your fame and sponsorships,


    and eventually going back to your old life, do these things really bother you? Being at the top is what


    matters most regardless of how you¡¯re going to do it. Once you¡¯re there, it¡¯s up to you to decide what¡¯s


    right and wrong as you please.¡¯


    Be thought about how ordinary her life was before meeting Keegan and bing a blood donor


    forthat little girl. No one seemed to notice her at all.


    Not only that no one knew her name when she was just an extra, she had no dignity either.


    She was requested to squat on the floor to eat during mealtimes. Although there were chairs, she was


    not allowed to sit there.


    When male actors touched her private parts while filming, they would continue to vite her if she did


    not speak up. However, they would call her overly sensitive if she did. As a result, she would be kicked


    out of the set regardless of what was morally right or wrong and not get to earn a penny after working


    for a whole day.


    Anyone on the set would look down on her, including the lead actors or some minor staff with little


    authority, just because she was not famous and did not have money or influence

 Chapter 1059

    Chapter 1059


    Chapter 1059


    Be was jealous of Ste. She was jealous that their lives were so different despite sharing the same


    age.


    Even after getting a divorce and joining the entertainment industry, Ste could meet so many people


    to help her along the way. She managed to work with a good director like Daniel on her first drama and


    was favored by a bigpany like Elegant Media at the same time.


    Meanwhile, Be had to sell her body to get the same opportunity as Ste.


    It took her so long to finally have a drama that could blow up, yet The Pce came out of nowhere like


    a dark horse and trampled her.


    She made a bet with the production team of World Peace, stating that if World Peace could secure the


    top viewership spot of the year, the production team would sign her for their next big drama, Twinkling


    Lights¡±.


    That was why she ditched The Tea Merchant for the controversial drama, World Peace.


    The director of Twinkling Light was very fond of Nicole, so Be agreed to film World Peace just to


    secure herself an opportunity to be a part of the drama.


    However, the viewership of World Peace was declining while The Pce was soaring. If she continued


    to sit back and do nothing, she would be someone that Ste described her to be; someone who


    could only film idol dramas for a few more years before getting old.


    Be finally made up her mind after thinking about that. Then, she spoke in a low voice, ¡°I need you to


    find someone for me¡­¡±


    Ste was done with her makeup very soonter.


    She looked into the mirror and adjusted a few strands of hair beside her ear. Then, she lifted her head


    and met with Leighton¡¯s eyes.


    Leighton moved away with a swoosh and avoided eye contact with her.


    Ste was stunned.


    ¡¯Are top actors all so unpredictable?¡¯


    They had been filming together for almost two months. Although they were a couple in the drama, they


    did not have a lot of scenes together. Ste would try to start a conversation with him whenever they


    filmed a scene together, but he would always be on his phone with a cold expression.


    He looked as if he did not want to talk to anybody, so Ste never approached him.


    Thinking that Leighton was about to finish filming his scenes and how he shielded her from boiling


    water previously, she never had the chance to thank him properly. So, she bit the bullet and walked


    over to him.


    ¡°Leighton¡­ Dude, are you free after we finish filming tomorrow?¡±


    Ste decided to call him dude after contemting it for some time.


    Leighton was younger than her, so calling him Mr. would make him look old. But, calling him by his


    name did not feel very right either. So, she settled with dude.


    Leighton was a tall and handsome guy, just like a handsome dude in university. ¡®Hm¡­ More handsome


    than the most handsome guy in my university,¡¯ Ste thought to herself.


    Leighton was clearly a little surprised that she took the initiative to talk to him. He cleared his throat and


    said, ¡°Probably. Why?¡±


    Ste replied in a low voice, ¡°I still owe you a meal, right? I want to make it upto you.¡±


    Leighton realized what it was about and immediately said, ¡°I¡¯m actually free tonight.¡±


    He could not wait for another day at all.


    Ste paused. ¡°Don¡¯t you have somewhere to be after this?¡±


    ¡°No. Who told you-¡± Leighton stopped halfway and suddenly thought about his quirky manager, so he


    immediately corrected himself. ¡°I was supposed to go, but it got canceled at thest minute.¡±


    ¡°Oh, let¡¯s have a meal tonight then. I¡¯ll send you the address after we¡¯re done filmingter. See you


    there.¡±


    Ste walked away after saying that.


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    Leighton¡¯s heart pounded with excitement, and he did not get angry when his manager made fun of him


    either. He said, ¡°Get someone to send me a few outfits. I want to look good.¡±


    His manager put on an expression as if he were trying to say, ¡°No problem. Then, he turned around


    and called Keegan to tell him about what was happening

 Chapter 1060

    Chapter 1060


    Chapter 1060


    Leighton¡¯s manager thought to himself, ¡®Eating is fine, but her partner has to be present.¡¯


    So, when Leighton arrived, looking handsome and radiant, he saw Ste talking to Keegan with her


    head lowered.


    He had no idea what Keegan said, but he saw Ste punching the back of Keegan¡¯s hand. Then,


    Keegan grabbed her hand and held it in his palm.


    After that, Keegan looked over at the entrance nonchntly and greeted Leighton. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡±


    Leighton was speechless.


    The way that Keegan said ¡°You¡¯re here¡± reminded him of the fear he felt when he worked for Trevor as


    Trevor would always speak like he was someone older than him.


    Leighton was never fond of Keegan. After all, Keegan was a man who married his crush, yet did not


    cherish her and ended up getting a divorce with her. Leighton always thought that there was something


    wrong with Keegan¡¯s head.


    Ste lifted her head and saw Leighton. Then, she smiled and waved at him. ¡°Have a seat. We haven¡¯t


    ordered yet. Here, have a look at the menu.¡¯


    Leighton, who was contemting whether to leave or not, closed the door and strode over.


    Tm going to have a meal with my idol, not him! I¡¯ll just ignore him!¡¯


    Keegan and Ste were sitting next to each other, so Leighton pulled out the chair and sat opposite


    Ste.


    Ste pushed the menu toward him and gently said, The Luwanese dishes here are not bad. I read


    from your fans that you like Luwanese food, so let¡¯s see if this is good enough for you.¡±


    Leighton replied softly, ¡®Tm not really particr about my food. Just order whatever you like.¡±


    Ste smiled. ¡°Pick something. I know idols like you have a strict diet. Order what you can eat, and I¡¯ll


    add the things that I want to eatter.


    So, Leighton stopped refusing and began reading the menu.


    Keegan looked at the young man in his twenties.


    ¡®This guy probably doesn¡¯t know that Ste is his cousin, and he actually treats me like his love rival.¡¯


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan brought his brows so close together that they could squeeze a fly to death after seeing the


    dishes that Leighton picked.


    They were all Ste¡¯s favorite.


    ¡®Trevor is such an inhuman scum. He even dragged his cousin into this just because he wants to keep


    me away from Ste.¡¯


    After choosing the food he wanted, Leighton passed the menu to Ste. Ste looked at it, and she


    was shocked. ¡°Our tastes are pretty simr. I can¡¯t believe that you actually ordered everything I


    wanted to eat.¡±


    Leighton said inwardly, Tve watched your interviews. How could I not know what you like?¡¯


    However, he kept a calm face and said, ¡°What a coincidence.¡±


    Ste ordered a bowl of pumpkin soup for Keegan and told a waiter to submittheir order.


    ¡°Is your back¡­ fully healed?¡±


    Ste asked.


    Leighton wanted to tell her that it had healed, but he changed his mind after he saw Keegan. ¡°There


    are still some scars left, and it hurts a little when it rains. Other than that, I¡¯m all good.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyelid twitched.


    ¡®His skin is injured, not his bone. What does it even have to do with the rain? I


    However, Ste did not catch that Leighton was just acting cute and seekingfort as she


    straightforwardly said, ¡°You¡¯re still so young, yet you¡¯re recovering so slowly. Is it because your


    manager has been restricting your diet? That¡¯s not going to work. You need a lot of nutrients to heal.


    You¡¯ve got to eat moreter.¡±


    Her reply left Leighton speechless.


    However, Keegan was not surprised at all. He even took pleasure in it.


    He poured Leighton a ss of alcohol and tly said, ¡®You didn¡¯t change muchpared to when you


    were younger.¡±


    Leighton paused. ¡°Did you mistake me for someone else? I¡¯ve never seen you before.¡±


    Keegan slowly replied, ¡°Your father, Daryl Hall, used to live in our house. Your mother, Ms. rk, used


    to be my English teacher. I used to call your father my brother, so technically, you should call me uncle.

 Chapter 1061

    Chapter 1061


    Chapter 1061


    The edge of Leighton''s lips twitched.


    "I''ve never heard my dad talking about it." Keegan nodded.


    "I''m not surprised.Your mother always said that you rarelye home." Leighton kept quiet.He did not


    believe Keegan at first, but he was getting suspicious.


    "Do you really know my parents?"


    Keegan took his phone out and dialed a number.


    After the phone vibrated a few times, a gentle and feminine voice came from the other end.


    "Hello, how are you?"


    Leighton widened his gaze.It really was his mother''s voice.


    Keegan smiled faintly and said, "Ms.rk, it''s me.Keegan."


    "Hey, Keegan.It''s been so long since you called.How have you been? Are you busytely?"


    "A little.Everything piled up, and it could get overwhelming sometimes.novelebookTrevor told me


    that you''reing to Rivera soon.Have you set a date?"


    Leighton blurted out, "Mom, are youing to Rivera?"


    The woman paused.


    "Leighton? Are you with Keegan?"


    Keegan pursed his lips and reluctantly said, "Yeah.We''re eating together."


    "How did you...know each other?"


    Leighton kept quiet, as he was not willing to answer that question.


    However, Keegan said, "He''s working on the same drama as my lover.I met Leighton when I went to


    visit her."


    Leighton was speechless.


    Katherine was delighted after hearing that and said that they were destined to meet each other.


    Then, she chatted with Keegan for a while more and even asked him to take care of Leighton for her.


    And, she said that they should meet up when she came to Rivera.


    Keegan hung up and looked at Leighton.


    "Do you believe me now?"


    Leighton pursed his lips without speaking.However, Ste got very nosy about it.


    "Leighton¡¯s mother is your teacher, and his father is your brother.This is weird.The age doesn''t add up


    at all."


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan exined to her, "Daryl became a father when he was only twenty-one and Ms.rk is six


    years older than him.She came to my home and became my private tutor when I was four for three


    years.So, you could say that they actually met at my house."


    Ste immediately started doing the calctions inwardly.


    ¡®Leighton is twenty-two, and Daryl became a father at the age of twenty-one.So, Daryl is only forty-two


    this year, which makes him twelve years older than Keegan.So, when Keegan was five, Daryl would


    only be seventeen, yet he fell for a private tutor who was in her early twenties and even married her.


    That''s such a bold thing to do in their time!¡¯ Ste jokingly said, "So, are you a matchmaker for her


    parents?"


    Keegan chuckled and looked at Leighton.


    "We''re all family here.Just let me know if you ever need help.Talk to Ste if there''s something you


    don''t feelfortable asking me.Just treat her like she''s your own sister."


    Ste added, "Didn''t you just say that you''re his uncle? How could I be his sister, then? He should call


    me his aunt."


    Leighton did not know what to say at all.


    ¡®Would you guys at least think about my feelings before discussing things like this out loud?¡¯ Keegan


    replied, "He''s a grown man.Wouldn''t that make you look older by calling you his aunt? Let''s just stick


    with sister.I''ll just be like Trevor and let him call us his uncles."


    Ste thought about it and happily epted Keegan''s suggestion.


    Then, she turned her head and lifted her ss of wine before she said to Leighton, "You''ll be my little


    brother after drinking this.From on now in Rivera¡ª"


    She paused and wrapped her arm around Keegan''s as she pointed at his face.


    "He''ll look after you," she continued.


    For whatever reason, Leighton took the ss, and for whatever reason, he finished the wine with how


    his crush had suddenly be his sister.

 Chapter 1062

    Chapter 1062


    Chapter 1062


    Leighton and Ste held their liquor well while Keegan did not.


    However, he knew himself and did not drink much during dinner.


    On the other hand, Ste was a little drunk.


    Her face was all red, and she was slurring her words.


    "Tell me, Leighton.How much money do top-tier people like you make in a year?"


    Leighton was taken aback and did not know what to say.Keegan sipped his tea calmly, thinking about


    how Ste''s social skills had improved.


    ¡®It''s good that she''s asking about his financials rather than just handing him the money" he thought.


    Seeing that Leighton did not answer, Ste began to guess.


    "30 mil?"


    Leighton shook his head.


    "50 mil?"


    Leighton shook his head again.


    "100 million dors?"


    Leighton remained stationary this time, and Ste''s eyes widened.


    "After taxes?" She asked.


    The man nodded.


    Ste put her arms around him and said, "You''ve gotta teach me how.I wanna earn some money too."


    Leighton was left speechless at the sound of that.


    Keegan grabbed Ste''s hand and put it on his as he said,novelebook "There''s a high-profile


    person right here."


    "I need to earn more than you,"


    Ste clutched onto Keegan''s arm and drunkenly replied.


    Keegan tucked a few strands of hair from her cheeks and asked in a low voice, "And then what? You''re


    gonna propose to me?"


    Ste shook her head, and after a while, she whispered, "I want to earn more money so that I can buy


    your time."


    She then closed her eyes and murmured, "I don''t want you to be so busy that you don''t even have time


    to travel with me."


    Ste''s words left Keegan stunned.


    The man smiled and looked at the woman.His gaze was tender.


    "We''ll go once it snows this year, okay?"


    "Can we go for two weeks?"


    Keegan thought about it and said, "I''ll try my best to extend the vacation to more than ten days."


    Ste cheered up immediately after hearing him say that.


    If Keegan had said something along the lines of, "We can go as many days as you want,"


    Ste would have thought that he was just ying around.


    However, she knew that he was being serious when he gave a specific number.


    Ste wanted someone who was earnest in rtionships.She would not me Keegan even if


    something came up, and he could not take the two-week leave.


    Leighton watched the interaction between the two and felt a little sore.He was envious of what they


    had.


    Keegan could guess what Ste was thinking from a single movement, and Ste, despite being drunk,


    was still worried about Keegan working overtime.


    The chemistry between them was so great that it was clear that they could not amodate a third


    person in the equation.


    When dinner was over and it was time to part ways, Keegan called out to Leighton while he was


    carrying Ste, who was drunk, in his arms.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Leighton still did not like Keegan, but he did not dislike him as much as before.


    "I have a friend who is very good at program optimization.Maybe I can introduce him to you," said


    Keegan.


    Leighton paused for a second and asked, "Why would I want that?"

 Chapter 1063

    Chapter 1063


    Chapter 1063


    Keegan shot Leighton a nce and was silent for a few seconds before he said, "You can choose not


    to get acquainted with him and keep on having bugs in your games.Nobody is stopping you from


    continuing your acting career to make up for your losses in the gaming industry.I''m just saying that


    you''ll be a joke to Trevor when you lose everything."Leighton was stunned upon hearing that.


    "You looked into me?" He asked with a sullen look on his face.


    Keegan did not take his anger seriously.


    He readjusted Ste''s position in his arms and lightly said, "Well, I have to know what kind of person is


    my lover hanging out with, right? You can forget what I said."


    Keegan turned around and left while carrying Ste after he said that.


    Leighton hesitated for a while and stopped him.


    "I''ve spent a lot of money hiring people to fix the bugs, but none of them seeded.Who''s your friend?


    Can he really help me optimize the program?"


    Keegan did not answer his question.


    Instead, he asked, "What do you think about the Honor of the Deities game?"


    "It''s awesome", Leighton replied."My friend is the one who optimizes the game.Is that enough to prove


    how good he is?"


    Keegan pursed his lips and asked.


    Leighton''s eyes lit up at the sound of that.


    However, the excitement was soon overpowered by reason.


    Leighton looked at Keegan with a wary face and asked, "What''s in it for you?"


    "Hold the door for me,"


    Keegan motioned to him when they arrived at the car.


    Leighton opened the door to the car, and Keegan gently put Ste in the back seat.He was being


    careful so that he would not hit her head.


    After closing the door, Keegan turned to look at Leighton and said, "Ste sees you as her


    brother.novelebookTo her, you are family.In that sense, me helping you is equal to me helping


    her."


    Leighton was not convinced.


    "I think you''re scared of being at a disadvantage and losing to me.That''s why you''re trying to win me


    over."


    Leighton''s words left Keegan speechless.He suddenly realized that the look Trevor gave him was


    probably the same look he was giving Leighton at the moment.


    ''What a confident fool" he thought.


    "How long have you known Ste? How much do you know about her? And where did you get the


    audacity to say that to me?"


    "Do you think how long you''ve known someone has anything to do with how well you know them? I


    know every role she ever yed, including the ones she did voice-overs for.I could recite every one of


    her works.Can you? I bet you haven''t even finished watching one of her dramas."Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan pursed his lips.


    "It''s true that I haven''t seen much of her previous works and that I didn''t know she was Dusk Gxy


    before she revealed her identity."


    ¡®l knew it! Leighton thought.


    "And you said you know her?"


    "I do," Keegan replied with a calm face, as he was unfazed by the conversation.


    "I don''t know much about her work, but I do know her favorite dishes.I know she likes mangoes, and


    she hates rainy days.I know she is afraid of bugs and is allergic to peanut butter.I Know that she likes


    to sleep on her left side, and she likes having something in her arms when she''s asleep.I know she


    adds syrup to her coffee and raw garlic when she''s eating meat..."


    Keegan paused.He nced over at the young man in front of him and asked, "Do you want me to go


    on?"


    The corners of Leighton¡¯s lips twitched as he said in displeasure, "What''s there to be proud of? You two


    have lived together for a few years.It''s normal to know all those stuffs."


    Keegan smirked and patted the other party on the shoulder.


    "And that, young man, is why I have the upper hand."


    Leighton brushed Keegan''s hand off with a sour face and said, "I''m not going to like you just because


    you help me."


    "That''s fine.Just remember to help Ste when she''s in need," Keegan said indifferently.


    Leighton''s eyelids twitched at the sound of that.


    ¡®Damn it! Why didn''t I think of that?!¡¯ Keegan walked around the car, pulled the door open, and sat in


    the back.


    Through the window, Leighton saw him lifting up Ste''s head and resting it on hisp.


    Keegan then touched her cheek and gestured for Aldor to get going.


    Leighton¡¯s manager watched Keegan''s car leave before driving over to Leighton.


    He lowered the window and said, "Stop staring and get in."

 Chapter 1064

    Chapter 1064


    Chapter 1064


    Leighton red at his manager and asked, "Was it you who called that guy over?"


    The manager naturally refused to admit his doing.


    "How would someone like me get in contact with the boss of Vinci Rivera?"


    Leighton did not believe him.


    ¡®Who would spread the news about my date with Ste if not for this lousy person?¡¯


    "Then, why did he show up?"


    "He must''ve seen the way you were looking at his ex-wife.He''s not blind, you know.He was clearly


    trying to get you to stay away.Do you know why Ste keep messing up during the make-out scene you


    two shot together?"


    Leighton looked puzzled, indicating that he did not know the reason behind the retakes.


    "It was because her ex-husband was holding the reflector and standing above the two of you! Would


    she have been disturbed to kiss you if they were actually over?"


    Leighton froze and vaguely recalled the man who wore a face mask during the shoot.His eyes looked


    simr to Keegan''s.


    Leighton''s face turned green, and he finally understood why Ste acted weird that day.


    ¡®Fuck! What a fucking mutt!¡¯ Ste was twisting and turning in the car.


    Keegan held her shoulder down and whispered, "What''s wrong?"


    Ste frowned and said, novelebook "There''s something under my neck."


    Keegan was confused.He reached out to feel it but found nothing.


    "You cany down now.It''s gone."


    Steid down again after that.


    Then, she immediately popped back up and frowned.


    "It''s still there," she said.


    Feeling puzzled, Keegan searched around but could not find the item Ste was talking about.


    Suddenly, he knew what it was when Steined about it for the third time.


    Keegan reached into the pocket of his pants and pulled out a ring.


    Every time Steid down on Keegan''sp, her neck rested on the ring, making her feel


    ufortable.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Ste looked at the ring and was surprised.


    "Why don''t you wear it on your hand instead of putting it in your pocket?"


    Keegan looked at her and whispered, "Did you forget? We are divorced.This was our wedding ring.I


    can''t wear it now."


    Ste was a little slow.She did not hear the grief behind Keegan''s words.


    "I''m not wearing my ring either," she said while holding up her hand to Keegan''s face.


    Keegan did not know what to say.


    ¡®There''s no way she''ll understand what I mean when she''s this drunk" he sighed.


    He then stroked her face and whispered, "Go to sleep."


    Ste put her hand up to her mouth, leaned over to Keegan''s ear, and said, "Let''s go buy a new pair of


    rings and wear them without anyone knowing."


    Keegan''s eyelids fluttered when he heard that.


    "And what will the rings symbolize?" He asked in a low voice.


    Ste cocked her head to the side and thought for a while.


    "An engagement.What do you think?"


    Keegan''s heart pounded.


    "Okay," he cleared his throat and said.


    "To the jewelry store," he told Aldor.


    When Aldor stopped the car near University Town, Ste pulled Keegan out of the vehicle and walked


    toward the bustling street.


    The woman reeked of alcohol, and people kept looking at her as they passed.


    Keegan stopped her and helped her put on a face mask.


    However, the crowd made it hard for Ste to breathe with the mask on.She subconsciously tried to pull


    it off, but Keegan prevented her from doing so and whispered, "I''ll get jealous if others see your face."


    Ste froze and said, "You''re such a child"


    Although, she did not try to take off her mask anymore.


    Ste pulled Keegan through the streets and alleys when they finally found a small shop that sold gold


    and silver jewelry.It waste, and the lights were on.


    The owner of the ce was lying on a chair while watching The Pce on television.

 Chapter 1065

    Chapter 1065


    Chapter 1065


    When the man heard the sound of customers entering his store, he put down the remote control to the


    television, got up, and said, "Are you here to find something or pick up an order?"


    "We''re here to look at your rings, sir.Can you show me all of your gold rings?" asked Ste.


    The shop owner then took out several trays of jewelry and put them in front of the couple.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Keegan took a nce and found that the rings in the store were unexpectedly beautiful.


    Many of the styles were not avable on the market.


    Some of the rings were simple, and some looked vintage.


    All of the designs were very detailed.


    Ste leaned against the counter, looking at each of the rings carefully.


    However, she did not like any of them.


    "Maybe you two can tell me what you want, and I''ll help you find it.We also make custom orders in case


    none of these are to your liking.Just send me a picture of the ring, and I can make it happen."


    "I want in and simple couple rings," Ste said.


    Upon hearing this, the jewelry store owner took out three different styles of rings and handed them to


    her.


    "What do you think of these?" he asked.Ste looked down and immediately fell in love with a half-


    polished, half-frosted ring.


    A cloud was carved on the ring, making it look simple yet stylish.


    "Is there a men''s ring in this design?" Ste hurriedly asked the owner.


    "Yes," said the man as he took out the pair of rings to show her.


    "These are in standard sizes.I can tailor them to your sizes if it doesn''t fit right."


    Ste picked up the men¡¯s ring, took Keegan''s hand, and put it on for him.


    Coincidentally, the ring was not too big, nor was it too small.


    It was just right.


    Keegan looked at the ring, and just as he was about to say something, novelebook Ste took the


    other ring and put it on herself.


    Keegan was taken aback by that.


    ¡®Don''t we need a ceremony or something? She just put them on so casually.."


    "How much are these?"


    Ste leaned on the counter again and asked.


    The store owner took down the weight of the rings and named a price.


    "Woah.That''s a lot.Can''t you lower the price a little, sir?"


    "Gold is expensive these days.I didn''t even add much cost forbor.I still need to earn a living, Ma''am,"


    the owner said with a smile.


    "The price of gold is only a little over 400, yet your price per troy ounce is 600.Can''t you lower the price


    a little? We''lle back here to buy rings for our marriage."


    Keegan did not say a word.


    ¡®Isn''t she drunk? How can she still bargain so well?¡¯ "This is a gold ring, Ms.Not a diamond ring.The


    capital for this ring is high; I can''t give you any discounts.Plus, they''re handmade.Look at the


    craftsmanship.We use traditional methods to make them.I really can''t go any lower,"


    The jewelry store ownerughed bitterly.


    Ste frowned with her hands on her cheek.


    Although she wore a mask, Keegan could tell that she was pursing her lips.Her expression was bitter.


    Keegan saw that the negotiation was unsessful and was ready to pay when Ste suddenly said,


    "Are you watching The Pce, sir?"


    "Yeah.It''s a good show.It''s all because of the actress who ys the queen.The scenes where she cries


    always get me."


    "I like that character too.My friend even said that I look like her."


    The bossughed, thinking she was just spewing nonsense, but did not say a word.


    "You don''t believe me? Maybe you can take a look and tell me if it''s true,"Ste said as she took off her


    face mask.


    As soon as the boss looked up, he froze.


    ''She looks exactly like her!¡¯ He thought.

 Chapter 1066

    Chapter 1066


    Chapter 1066


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    The owner of the jewelry store looked at the television and then at Ste.


    Bewildered by the resemnce, it took him a long time before he said, "You...do look like her."


    "Right?" Ste smiled.


    "My friend took a photo with me and told everyone that it was the actress, and no one could tell the


    difference."


    Keegan was rendered speechless at that point.


    ¡®Again, isn''t she drunk? How could she tantly make up a lie like that without messing up?¡¯ The shop


    owner was clearly fooled.


    "Your eyes look exactly like hers, but your lips look a little different," he said.


    Ste immediately did the expression the queen always did in the show and asked, "How about now?"


    The man''s eyes lit up.


    "You look so much like her!" he said immediately.


    Ste leaned over and whispered to the owner, "Let''s make a deal.Take off 15 dors per troy ounce,


    and I''ll take a picture with you.When that actress bes famous, you can hang the photo in front of


    your store and attract more customers.You''re going to receive orders here and there by that time. It''s


    good advertising¡ª way better than hiring a professional."


    The other party''s eyelids twitched.


    "Don''t try to swindle me, Ms.The actress will sue me for portrait rights infringement if she finds out I''m


    using her name for free advertisement.I don''t have the money to get in awsuit."


    "You''re taking a picture with me, not her.How can she sue you if you don''t put her name on there? Am I


    breaking thew because I look like her?novelebook It''s not like she patented her face.Even if she


    tries to pursue legal action, are we really in the wrong for getting on with the trend? There''s no way for


    her to say that we''re infringing portrait rights," Ste said confidently.


    The shop owner was swayed by her words and hesitantly asked, "Do you really think this could work?"


    Ste sighed and softly said, "If you''re scared, then forget it.I''ll just go to another store."


    She was ready to take off the ring and leave after saying that.


    The man hesitated for a while and clenched his teeth as he said, "Okay, okay.I''ll take off 15 dors, but


    you have to let me take more than one picture."


    Ste immediately smiled and said, "You can take seven or eight if you want."


    In the end, the two rings that weighed more than 0.5 troy ounces were bought at 8500 dors.


    The owner of the store took several pictures with Ste, who was wearing a full set of jewelry from his


    shop, at the storefront.


    When the couple left, the man could not stop looking at the photo and at the actress on TV.He felt that


    Ste sometimes looked like her, but sometimes, she did not look like the queen from The Pce.He


    then decided to post the picture on Twitter to see what other people would think.


    Less than ten minutes after putting the photo online,ments started popping up nonstop under the


    post.


    All of the owner''s followers asked whether Ste had visited his store.


    The man was relieved that no one could tell that she was a fake.


    When Ste dragged Keegan out of the store, she could not help but sneeze when a gush of chilly


    wind blew.


    Keegan draped the coat he was holding over Ste''s shoulders.


    Ste rubbed her nose, took his hand where the ring was worn, and put it up with hers.


    "What do you think?" she asked with a smile.


    "They look great," Keegan said truthfully.


    When the jewelry store owner took out the rings to show them, Keegan fell in love with the pair of rings


    the first time heid eyes on them.


    But...


    "I thought you liked diamond rings.Why did you get gold ones?" he asked.


    In his opinion, there were better materials for rings other than gold, as it was prone to deformation and


    would get easily worn out.


    Ste''s reasoning was rtively straightforward.

 Chapter 1067

    Chapter 1067


    Chapter 1067


    "Gold retains value.I got an appraisalst year for the wedding ring you bought me, and they estimated


    that it cost a little more than one million dors, but we bought that ring at three million.That''s too great


    of a difference.However, the price of the gold bracelet you bought me increased by nearly ten thousand


    dors this year! That''s why gold is much better than diamond.If you were ever to go bankrupt in the


    future, we could sell the gold rings and support ourselves for a while."


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡®That''s my girl" he thought.


    Keegan had expected the rings to hold a special meaning, but after all that, Ste only considered their


    devaluation.


    ¡®I guess money is and always will be her number one priority"


    "How did you know where to find this store?"


    Keegan grabbed Ste''s hand and asked as they continued to walk.


    The location of the store was a little hard to find.


    Yet, Ste located it perfectly.


    ¡®This must not be her first time at that store, Keegan thought.


    "Back in our school days, Felicity wanted to buy a gift for her mom on Mother''s Day.She said the prices


    in branded jewelry stores were ridiculous, so she took me all over the ce, trying to find a local shop


    selling jewelry.In the end, she picked out a pair of earrings from that store."


    "At that time, I fell in love with one of their trace chain nes.It was so shiny and beautiful.I wanted


    to gift it to my mom, but I didn''t have that much money. novelebook And, I couldn''t have asked my


    dad¡ª I mean Albert, for the money.He wouldn''t have given it to me even if I did ask for it.I would have


    probably gotten a tongueshing instead."


    "After all, he was already upset that he had to pay my mom''s medical bills.There was no chance that


    he would let me buy her a gift.I didn''t have enough money, so the only way I could buy that ne


    was to take on part-time jobs.During those years,mercial models earn 500 dors a day, and car


    show models earn around 1000 to 1500 dors a day.I was lucky enough to be selected as one of the


    car show models and worked for a total of six days.


    "That meant I could''ve gotten around 8000 dors.But I got into a fight with someone on thest day of


    the auto show, and that person got injured.The other party caused amotion, and the police arrived


    at the scene.They contacted my guardian, which was Albert, and we had to pay the person 5000


    dors aspensation.


    "I tried to go to the head of the auto show to im my pay, but Albert stopped me and said that I was a


    disgrace.


    "In his opinion, I should be ashamed of myself for being harassed by a man.He said being a car show


    model meant she picked out a pair of earrings from that store."


    "At that time, I fell in love with one of their trace chain nes.It was so shiny and beautiful.I wanted


    to gift it to my mom, but I didn''t have that much money.And, I couldn''t have asked my dad¡ª I mean


    Albert, for the money.He wouldn''t have given it to me even if I did ask for it.I would have probably


    gotten a tongueshing instead."


    "After all, he was already upset that he had to pay my mom''s medical bills.There was no chance that


    he would let me buy her a gift.


    I didn''t have enough money, so the only way I could buy that ne was to take on part-time jobs.


    During those years,mercial models earn 500 dors a day, and car show models earn around


    1000 to 1500 dors a day.


    I was lucky enough to be selected as one of the car show models and worked for a total of six days.


    "That meant I could''ve gotten around 8000 dors.But I got into a fight with someone on thest day of


    the auto show, and that person got injured.The other party caused amotion, and the police arrived


    at the scene.They contacted my guardian, which was Albert, and we had to pay the person 5000


    dors aspensation.


    "I tried to go to the head of the auto show to im my pay, but Albert stopped me and said that I was a


    disgrace.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    "In his opinion, I should be ashamed of myself for being harassed by a man.He said being a car show


    model meant that I had no self-respect.I once thought that beauty was a sin because of him.I didn''t


    even dare to wear nice dresses anymore.But didn''t all of use into this world naked? Aren''t the


    harassers who are the ones at fault here?" Ste said in a calm and collected tone.


    It was as if she was not telling her own story.


    Keegan''s heart ached for her at that moment.


    "After that, the senior who pushed me into taking the job as a car show model contacted me, telling me


    that one of the people in charge of the auto show hade forward to talk to the head.They discussed


    the situation and decided to pay me 6000 dors.When I returned to the shop with the money, I found


    out that someone had already purchased the ne, and Mother''s Day was also over at that point."


    Keegan started to choke up.He knew about the harassment that urred, but he did not know that


    Ste was the victim.


    Keegan was at the auto show that year as a VIP.He was invited by the organizer and was having drinks


    with the people upstairs when the exhibition was going on.He had not witnessed the incident when it


    happened.


    But there was already amotion downstairs when he found out about it.


    The people at the convention center were afraid that the incident would negatively impact their brand


    image, so they quickly called the people involved in the conflict to go into a room and discuss the


    matter.


    Keegan had a sessful business meeting and was about to leave when he saw a girl crying at the


    stairwell.

 Chapter 1068

    Chapter 1068


    Chapter 1068


    Keegan was not one to meddle in other people''s affairs.


    However, the girl''s heartbreaking cry made him stop in his tracks for no apparent reason.


    The girl tried not to make too much noise, but her sobs and trembling shoulders were painful to watch.


    The usher who sent Keegan downstairs saw the scene and told him about what had happened.


    "The girl was harassed by a man during the exhibition, and she pped him across the face.Her


    guardian, who came to deal with the matter, did not take her side and even gave her a tough time


    about wanting to im her sry.She must be crying because of that," said the usher.


    Keegan looked at the girl''s back and asked, "How much is her sry?"


    The staff told him that thepany issued 8000 dors to those who show up to the job six days


    straight, but because of the incident, they would most likely have to fork up more money than that to do


    damage control.


    Therefore, the girl would not be able to get paid.


    "She has to pay the price for causing a scene," the staff stated.


    After listening to everything, Keegan asked, "What would you do if you were harassed in this setting?"


    The other party was stunned for a moment before methodically stating a set of curated responses.


    In other words, brand image was everything.


    Keegan did not respond.


    Instead, he suddenly reached out to grab the other party''s chest.


    The woman subconsciously took half a step back and was ready to block his hand.


    Keegan then stopped without touching her.He slowly withdrew his hand under the usher''s bewildered


    gaze.


    "There''s nothing wrong with women protecting themselves.If yourpany can''t put the people''s well-


    being first, then your reputation is just a joke."


    Although it was unclear whether Keegan''s words made them realize something or that they were just


    afraid of ruining their rtionship with one of their VIPs, thepany got over the situation and paid


    Ste most of her sry.


    A few dayster, Keegan received a message from the organizer, talking about how they had resolved


    the issue and thanking him for his valuable opinion.


    Keegan forgot about the incident after that.He vaguely remembered the image of the girl crying and


    nothing else.He never imagined that his thoughtless act so many years ago would bring hope to Ste.


    ¡®Maybe it was all destined to happen"


    "I was happy even though I never got to buy the ne.I felt lucky.It seemed like God was always on


    my side.I was always able tond a job whenever I needed money, which was good because it meant I


    didn''t have to ask Albert for it."


    As Ste said that, she smiled and turned her head to look at Keegan.


    "And I just so happened to meet you when I was forced to get married.You saved me from marrying


    someone I hated."


    Keegan''s heart melted at the sound of that.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ''This is the difference between Ste and other people.She was raised by Rainee with great care and


    lived her life as a princess, clueless about the darkness of the world.When she turned neen, her


    mom got into a severe car ident and could no longer wake up.Her father favored his illegitimate


    daughter and treated Ste as a tool for a united marriage.Things took a major turn, and Ste was


    forced to grow up overnight.


    ¡®Most people who go through this would feel sorry for themselves andin about their misfortunes,


    yet Ste said she was lucky.She said that opportunities came to her when she needed them most, and


    when she was going to run away from home, I showed up.She always looks at things from a positive


    point of view.It''s probably the most attractive thing about her"


    Keegan squeezed Ste''s hand and asked in a low voice, "Did you bring me here to spend some


    money and make up for that time you didn''t get to buy that ne?"


    Steughed at that and held onto his arm for along time before she said, "The first time I entered that


    store and saw those beautiful pieces of jewelry,novelebook I told myself that I would bring my


    future partner there to buy a set of couple rings."


    "Then, why are you only bringing me here now?" Keegan asked in a dissatisfied manner.


    "Because you''re my significant other now.Back then, you weren''t."


    Keegan was puzzled.


    "Then, what were we?"


    "Marriage buddies? Meal buddies? Bed buddies? They''re pretty much the same thing," Ste said


    slowly.


    Her words rendered him speechless.


    ¡®I shouldn''t have asked, ¡®thought Keegan.


    "Are you sober now?" he asked.

 Chapter 1069

    Chapter 1069


    Chapter 1069


    Ste shot Keegan a nce and said, "Why? Did you want to do something to me while I was drunk?"


    "I like doing things to you while you''re sober, darling."


    Ste was taken aback.


    "I''m deducting ten points," she said.


    That made Keegan stunned.


    "Why does the point system still exist? Aren''t we already together?"


    The man frowned.


    "Since when were we officially together?"


    Ste turned her back on her own words and refused to give in.


    "We''re still in the probationary period.We''re not official until you finish your probation.novelebook


    Of course I''m going to deduct points if you don''t perform well."


    Keegan was at a loss for words.


    ''I''m still on probation after all that?¡¯ he thought, not wanting to talk.


    Ste took his hand, and they continued walking.


    "Albert is going to have a wedding soon," she suddenly said.


    Keegan froze for a moment when he heard that.


    "Before we met up tonight, he called and told me about it.They''ve finalized the date.The wedding is


    going to be held next weekend."


    Keegan came back to his senses and thought, ''No wonder she kept talking about Albert and acted so


    emotional tonight"


    "Are you going to attend the wedding?"


    Ste nodded.


    "Of course.He invited me, so I have to go.I have to see what will happen to that nasty couple for my


    mom."


    Keegan pursed his lips, and after a few seconds, he whispered, "Have you ever noticed that you and


    Rainee don''t look simr?"


    "I look like my grandfather on my mom''s side," Ste said with confidence.


    "Mom always said that grandpa was a handsome man when he was younger, and I must have


    inherited his good looks."


    Keegan was a little speechless when he heard that.


    "I don''t think that you and your grandpa look simr either..."


    "You can''t even differentiate Jaylene and me.It''s no surprise that you don''t see it."


    The corner of Keegan''s lips twitched.


    "I told you I didn''t mistake her for you."


    Ste did not want to talk about it anymore, so she said, "I''m sleepy.Go book a hotel, and let me see


    your abs."


    Keegan was going to ask if Ste wanted to find her other family members but held back when he


    heard what she said.


    However, he did not book a hotel.


    Instead, he took her back to Royalpark Vi.


    Ste''s drama was currently on air.So, there was the possibility of her being recognized if they went to


    a hotel.


    Ste fell asleep in a daze on the way home.


    Keegan carried her back to the bedroom and went to wash up.


    Halfway through cleaning himself, Ste opened the bathroom door and came in.


    Keegan was startled and thought that she wanted to use the toilet.


    However, to his surprise, Ste walked right up to him and touched his abs.


    After putting her hands all over Keegan, Ste patted him on the chest and said, "Not bad.Keep up the


    good work."


    The corners of Keegan''s eyes twitched as he pulled back the woman who thought she could do


    whatever she wanted.


    He nibbled on her ears and said in a hoarse voice, "Are you really just going to check my abs? Why


    don''t you check every part of me?"This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

 Chapter 1070

    Chapter 1070


    Chapter 1070


    Ste''s eyelids twitched, and she said with a cheeky face, "Having great core strength is enough.It''s


    fine if you''recking in other ces."


    Ste tried to slip away after saying that, but Keegan wrapped his arms around her waist and put her


    up on the sink.


    The mist from the shower caused the mirror behind Ste to be foggy.


    Keegan put one hand on the mirror and looked down, staring at Ste.


    "Ms.Jewell, do you know that there used to be a crime called hooliganism? It''s specifically used for


    people like you, who flirt and run because they don''t want to deal with their feelings and the


    aftermath.The sentence can range from less than three years to more than ten years depending on the


    severity of the crime."


    Keegan''s voice was low, matching the sound of the water running in the bathroom.It sounded


    inexplicably arousing.


    Ste sat across from Keegan, wanting to lower her head to avoid his burning gaze.


    However, she realized that the man was naked when she looked downward.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste immediately looked up, and her eyes were wandering around, not knowing where to look.


    novelebook But her lips were stubborn as always.


    "You must''ve made that up.All I know is that it''s a crime to have non-consensual sex, even between


    husband and wife."


    Keegan let out a lowugh and leaned close to Ste''s ears.


    "The crime of hooliganism was abolished in 1997.It''s understandable that you don''t know that since


    you''re young, Ms.Jewell.But I''m aw-abiding citizen.I can''t just stand by and watch you go astray,


    Ms.Jewell..."


    Keegan got closer and closer to Ste, and his lips almost touched her face.


    Ste always found Keegan irresistible when he spoke in a serious manner.


    Now that his charm was in full swing, she could not withstand it.


    The sound of Keegan''s voice made her legs go weak.


    Ste''s ears were red.


    She pushed Keegan in the chest and said in a trembling voice, "I-I''ll go check and argue with youter."


    As she was about to get down from the sink, Keegan approached her and pressed himself against her


    while he was fully naked.


    Droplets of water fell from his hair, sliding down his cheeks to his chin, his corbone, and then down


    his toned muscles.


    The close-up visual made Ste''s lips run dry.


    "Where are you going to fact-check that?"


    Keegan nuzzled the tip of her nose and asked in a low voice.


    Ste''s brain turned into a puddle of mush when she heard that.Her eyes did not know where to look,


    and she stumbled to find an answer.


    After a long time, she stuttered, "I-I''ll ask...M-Mr.Moore."


    Keegan froze and gave her a squeeze on the butt.


    Ste was not prepared for that and let out a cry of shock even though Keegan did not use too much


    force.


    Ste felt embarrassed.


    She blushed as she covered her butt and red at Keegan.


    "Why did you do that?"


    Keegan propped himself up with his hand against the mirror, lowered his head, and bit Ste''s lips.It


    was as if he was punishing her.


    However, he did not bite her too hard.


    Ste felt a slight pain before Keegan put his lips around hers and kissed her gently.


    "We haven''t settled the score of you pretending to be his girlfriend."


    Ste was taken aback.


    "Haven''t we already moved past that?"


    Keegan looked at the woman and said in a matter-of-fact tone, "I haven''t gotten mypensation yet."


    His words left Ste speechless.


    "What are you suggesting?"


    Keegan''s lips turned into a smirk as he leaned in and whispered a few words into her ear.


    Suddenly, Ste''s eyes widened.


    Her ears and neck turned red as she furiously said, "That''s something from the film.How am I


    supposed to get it for you? Don''t be crazy."


    "It''s not a problem that money can''t solve," said Keegan.


    Ste did not want topromise.


    "I won''t do it.I have something called dignity.Call Daniel yourself if you want it so badly."


    "Are you sure about that? What would Daniel think if I were the one to call him?"


    Ste was dumbfounded when she heard that.

 Chapter 1071

    Chapter 1071


    Chapter 1071


    After a lot of agony, Ste finally picked up the phone and called Daniel.


    Daniel had just finished taking a shower and was reading a script at that time.He was a little surprised


    to receive Ste''s call since it waste.


    ¡®She wouldn''t call me at this time of the night if it wasn''t an emergency, right?¡¯ he thought as he quickly


    pressed the answer button.


    "Hey, Mr.Wood.It''s me."


    Ste sounded squirmish, but Daniel could not tell.


    Instead, he teased her by saying, "So excited to be famous that you couldn''t sleep?"


    His words made Ste speechless.


    Sheughed dryly and replied, "Hahaha.You''re so funny."


    Daniel recalled the moments when Ste teased him and shrugged.


    He leaned against his couch and happily asked, "So, why did you call?"


    "It''s nothing, really.I just wanted to know if you still have the royal mantle I wore when I yed the


    queen?"


    "I think the costume crew has it.Why?"


    "Well..."


    Ste stammered.


    "Is it for sale? I want to buy it as a souvenir."


    Daniel paused and said, "That royal mantle was hand sewn by a master embroiderer.The time it took


    him to make that piece and the materials would cost more than one hundred thousand dors.


    novelebook How much do you earn from your films? Why would you want to spend that kind of


    money on a piece of clothing? Are you crazy?"


    Steughed again and said, "Then, forget I¡ª Keegan Kane, give me back my phone!"


    After some rustling noises, Daniel heard a male voice on the other line.


    "I''ll give you three hundred thousand dors.If it''s a deal, I''ll send someone over to get it immediately."


    Ste stomped her feet as she tried to grab her phone and cursed, "You''re such an idiot, Keegan.That


    piece of clothing is only one hundred thousand dors.Do you have nowhere else to spend your


    money?"


    Daniel froze for a moment and quickly said, "Deal."


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    Half an hourter, the royal mantle used in The Pce was brought to Royalpark Vi, and the couple


    stood before the cloak for some time.


    Ste tried to run away, but Keegan put his arm around her waist and pulled her into his embrace.


    ¡° Time to get changed, Ms.Jewell," he said with his chin on her shoulders.


    His actions made Ste speechless.


    She gritted her teeth and said, "Fine.I''ll give you what you want this time.But you''re a rotten egg if you


    hold on to that matter."


    Keegan smiled and said, "Whatever you say."


    Ste was about to go upstairs with the piece of clothing when Keegan called out to her.


    "Just change your clothes here."


    Ste could not believe her ears.


    Keegan sat on the couch with his legs crossed and his elbows resting on the side while looking at her


    in admiration.


    He was done with his shower but did not get into his pajamas for some reason.


    Instead, Keegan was wearing a pair of suit pants and a cored shirt.


    Earlier, he even set his hair up while waiting for the royal mantle to arrive.


    He was now sitting in an elitist posture, looking all serious and ascetic.


    Ste''s heartbeat involuntarily elerated when she saw him like that.


    However, she was not blinded by lust.


    "Don''t get too cocky," she sensibly rejected Keegan''s request.


    "Shouldn''t thepensation be decided by the person who''s beingpensated? What kind of


    compensation is this if you can''t do it?" Keegan said slowly.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste gritted her teeth and said, "You''ve seen me change before."


    "Not into a royal mantle," Keegan said earnestly.

 Chapter 1072

    Chapter 1072


    Chapter 1072


    Ste did notply with Keegan''s request.


    "It''s all justyers of clothing.There''s nothing new to see here," she said.


    Hearing that, Keegan looked at her and grabbed his phone to make a call.


    Ste was about to ask him who he was calling when Marshall''s voice came on the speakerphone.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    "Keegan?"


    Ste recognized the voice and was shocked.


    ¡®What is this mutt trying to do!?'' "Mhm,"


    Keegan casually replied.


    Marshall sounded a little tired.


    "It''s prettyte.What''s wrong? Why are you still up?"


    "Vermont wants to meet upter this week and wants you to bring your girlfriend along.Would she be


    able toe?"


    Ste waspletely speechless when she heard that.


    Marshall paused.


    "Didn''t you guys always say no chicks around when we''re hanging out?" he asked.


    Keegan put the me on his friend and said, novelebook "Vermont wants to meet her since he


    didn''t get to talk to her much at Duncan''s wedding."


    Ste''s face darkened, beckoning him to stop acting crazy and to hang up the phone.


    Then, Keegan pointed at the royal mantle, telling her that he would stop if she changed into the clothes


    right then and there while a ferocious look appeared on Ste''s face.


    Marshall, who was on the other line of the phone, pursed his lips and said, "She''s been busy with work


    recently, so she probably doesn''t have time to hang out with us."


    Keegan smiled and said, "Isn''t she a music teacher? How busy can she be? Could it be that


    Ms.Thompson doesn''t want to meet us?"


    Marshall went silent for a moment and said, "I''ll ask her about it."


    They hung up after that, and Ste was finally able to speak.


    She gritted her teeth and said, "What do you think you''re doing?"


    Keegan leaned back on the couch and said, "Since I couldn''t get thepensation I wanted, I had to


    get it somewhere else.Otherwise, I won''t be happy."


    "Why did you have to drag Mr.Moore into this?"


    Keegan took offense at thement and slumped forward.He looked at Ste with a sullen expression


    and said, "I''m already being civilized about this.I didn''t even confront him for putting that hideous


    disguise on you."


    Before Ste could pick a bone with Keegan for saying that it was a hideous look, her phone rang; it


    was Marshall.


    Ste did not know if she should answer the call.


    Keegan looked at her, crossed his legs, and said, "What? You''re not going to pick that up?"


    Ste was at a loss for words.She really did not want to answer the phone, but Marshall had called


    thrice consecutively.She knew that he would not stop until she picked up, and so she did.


    Keegan''s eyelids twitched as he watched Ste''s movements.


    Once the call was connected, Marshall''s warm voice was heard.


    "Ste, were you asleep? Sorry to bother you thiste."


    "I just finished taking a shower.I''m about to sleep now since I had a busy day," Ste said as she


    pretended to sound sleepy.


    "Is something wrong, Mr.Moore?"


    Marshall could tell that she was tired.He paused and did not mention the thing Keegan had asked him.


    Instead, he said, "Oh, it''s nothing.I just wanted to congratte you on the show.Many of my friends are


    watching The Pce, and they mentioned that you''re really pretty and talented."


    Ste was overwhelmed by thepliment and modestly said, "They''re too kind."


    "It''s true," said Marshall.


    "You yed that role so well. You literally went into character."

 Chapter 1073

    Chapter 1073


    Chapter 1073


    "Really?"


    Ste was happy to hear Marshall''sment.It was the highest praise an actor could receive.


    "You''re not just saying that, are you?¡¯


    "I''m not.You''ll see it when youe to thew firm next time.Everyone here is a fan of you,"


    Marshall chuckled.


    "Including you?" Ste teased.


    "I''m the leader of the fan club,"


    Marshall joked back.


    "I asked them if they would rather watch The Pce or do overtime, and they clearly love the show


    since they chose the prior."


    Ste immediatelyughed.


    As she was about to continue with the conversation, a hand quietly wrapped around her waist.


    Then, she could feel hot, wet lips kissing her neck.


    Ste was startled and let out a yelp.


    Marshall paused and asked, "Ste? What''s wrong?"


    Ste pushed Keegan''s head, trying to stop him from causing trouble.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    However, the man did not stop.He smothered his lips all over Ste and even slipped his hand under


    her shirt.


    Ste''s goose bumps rose as the hot palm touched the skin around her waist.She blushed and held


    Keegan''s hand down, ring at him.She whispered, "Are you insane?"


    Instead of restraining himself, Keegan kissed her all the way from her neck to her corbone, biting her


    with each kiss.


    Ste could not stand the stimtion, and her breathing became quicker.


    At that moment, Marshall''s voice sounded again.


    "Ste? Why aren''t you saying anything?"


    "Ah.N-Nothing...It''s just...Something came up."


    Ste sounded a little raspy.She did not dare to say anything more.


    "Talk to youter," she said and hung up the phone.


    As soon as the call ended, Ste grabbed Keegan by the hair and gritted her teeth as she said, "Are


    you crazy?novelebook What if Mr.Moore heard that?"


    "So what if he did? It''s not like he¡¯s never seen people do it,"


    Keegan grunted.


    Ste wanted to get mad at the man, but she could tell that he was jealous by the tone of his voice.


    Suddenly, she could not help butugh.


    "Why are youughing?"


    Keegan frowned.


    Ste tried to hold herself back and said, "I pretended to be Marshall''s girlfriend as a favor.I even told


    you about it right away when I saw you.Why are you still being such a sourpuss? You were never this


    jealous before."


    ¡®I was always jealous...I just didn''t show it because you never understood why I was upset.Instead,


    you''d say that I''m bad-tempered" thought Keegan.


    "Don''t you think you''re being too submissive to Marshall? You always agree to anything he asks, yet


    you won''t even change in front of me when I want you to!" Keegan said unhappily.


    Ste''s mouth twitched at the sound of that.


    "Do you hear yourself right now? How can youpare those incidents when they''re not the same


    thing?"


    "To me, they are.You reject me whenever you feel like it.But, when ites to Marshall, you suddenly


    be Mother Teresa." Ste could tell that Keegan was angry and softened her tone.


    "What makes you say that? I didn''t reject Marshall''s request because he had never really asked for my


    help before.On the contrary, he always helped me.You know how I don''t like owing people favors.I did


    find it odd when he asked for my help, but it was a way for me to pay him back, That was why I did it,"


    When Keegan thought about it, Ste''s exnation made sense.


    However, he did not want to act rationally.He had been holding on to this grudge for a long time, and at


    that moment, everything poured out.


    "You always smile when you talk to him.Even your voice sounds softerpared to how you speak to


    me!"


    "When have I ever done that?"


    "You''re doing it right now! See, you''re yelling at me.Have you ever yelled at him?"


    Keegan snorted.


    Ste was speechless when she heard that.She then turned her tone around and said in a high-pitched


    voice, "I wasn''t yelling~ Do you want me to talk to you like this instead~?"

 Chapter 1074

    Chapter 1074


    Chapter 1074


    Keegan almost let out augh, but he held himself back and cast a cold nce at Ste.


    "I want you to show me affection, not buffoonery," he said, unsatisfied.


    Ste''s lips twitched, and she said, "Don''t push it, Keegan."


    With that, he found another thing to argue about.


    "You keep getting impatient with me.You can''t evenst a minute, yet you were patient with Marshall


    from the beginning.I was clearly injured more badly than him when we had that horse race at


    Grandma''s ce.But you left with him without even looking back.Don''t you think that it was too much?"


    Keegan''s words left Ste stunned.


    "Aren''t you standing right in front of me now with no injuries?"


    Keegan immediately felt wronged.


    "I dislocated my arm, Ste! He just scraped himself a little.I''m sure the wound scabbed over when the


    two of you reached the hospital!"


    Ste was taken aback when she heard that.


    "Why didn''t you tell me you were injured?"


    Keegan thought that he had already let go of that matter.


    However, when Ste asked him that question, he felt more and more aggrieved.


    "You rushed up to me and scolded me at that time.You med me for his injury because I was the one


    who wanted to have the race with him.How was I supposed to tell you?"


    Keegan looked down and said, "Even if I did say something, you wouldn''t have cared anyway since


    you hated me so much."


    Ste opened her mouth, but no words came out.


    After a long time, she said, "I didn''t know you were hurt.Plus, I wasn''t scolding just because Mr.Moore


    got hurt.I was...in shock."


    Ste almost had a heart attack when Keegan fell off the horse. novelebook She only breathed a


    sigh of relief when she saw him get up from the ground and walk toward them.


    Other than being in shock, she hated herself for still caring about Keegan after their divorce.Her two


    conflicting emotions then led her to give the man a tongueshing.


    Keegan was startled.His heart went soft when he saw Ste''s expression.He gently rubbed her hand


    and whispered, "Forget it.I forgive you."


    Hearing those words, Ste was a little puzzled.


    ''l wasn''t trying to apologize.I''m not the only person at fault here"


    "Just don''t smile at him like that next time."


    Ste could not believe her ears, but she said, "I will try to avoid having contact with him the next time


    we meet, okay?"


    Keegan nodded.


    "Great."


    Ste hit him in the arm and said, "There''s no need to be jealous.I wasn''t worried about him because


    he was special to me.I just felt sorry for him.You know about his previous injury, right? The huge burn?"


    Keegan paused, and his expression slightly tightened.


    "How do you know about his burn?" He asked in a deep voice.


    "He showed me,"


    Ste blurted out.


    Keegan gritted his teeth, and his face darkened.


    "He showed you? How? By taking off his clothes in front of you?"


    Ste''s mouth twitched.


    "What are you thinking about? Remember how we take my grandpa on a cruise? I..."


    Ste paused before she continued, "I saw the wound when he rolled up his sleeves to wash his


    hands."


    Keegan noticed the pause.He gauged her expression and snorted, "You mean when he was making


    you pasta?"


    Ste did not answer.


    She ignored Keegan''s unwarranted jealousy and said, "He''s so young, yet his body is full of scars, and


    he also has migraines.I feel sorry for him, especially after you told me a few days ago that he


    witnessed his brother''s death when he was a child.Though, he is optimistic about life and very soft-


    spoken.I feel bad every time I want to say something harsh to him.How could I possibly yell at that


    man?"


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    A strange expression appeared on Keegan''s face.


    After a long time, he opened his mouth and asked, "Did he tell you how he got his injury?"


    Ste shook her head.


    "No.He doesn''t seem to remember much.I think his brain is blocking the memory, which is normal.Like,


    I wouldn''t want to recall the day my mom and I got into the car ident.It would be great if I could


    erase that painful memory from my mind."


    Ste paused briefly, asking, "Do you know how he got that injury?"


    Keegan nced at her and said, "Didn''t you just say you wouldn''t talk to him anymore? Why are you


    getting so concerned about him now?"


    "Can''t I just gossip a little?"

 Chapter 1075

    Chapter 1075


    Chapter 1075


    "No!" said Keegan.


    "You''re such a Scrooge when ites to information!" Ste snorted.


    Suddenly, Keegan''s phone rang.


    Ste could see that it was Marshall.He nced at her and gave her two options,novelebook "Do


    you want to change, or do you want me to answer the call?"


    Ste gritted her teeth and gave in.


    "Fine, I''ll change!"


    "You may begin," said Keegan as his lips curled into a smile, happy that his n had worked.


    Ste began to undress unwillingly.She was not embarrassed to change in front of Keegan since they


    had seen each other naked when they were married.


    However, things were different when one of them was just there to watch the other take off their


    clothes.


    Keegan looked more serious watching Ste undress than when reading documents in the office.


    Ste was bursting with embarrassment under his gaze.


    She tried not to look at him, removed her clothing, and grabbed the royal mantle to put it on.


    Though the faster Ste tried to get dressed, the more difficult it was for her to get it on; either her arms


    would not enter the sleeves correctly, or the strap would keep getting loose.


    As she tried to tie the cloth for the third time, Keegan walked up to her, held her hand down, and


    whispered, "Let me help."


    "You don''t know how," Ste whispered, her ears red.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    "Then teach me," Keegan leaned into her ears and said.


    Under Ste''s guidance, Keegan was able to help her put on the mantle.


    He looked at Ste to see that she did not have the makeup she had on in the drama.


    However, her cool- toned skin and bright red lips made her look like a cold and elegant queen.


    Keegan had always wanted to undress Ste while she wore the mantle the first time he saw her wear


    it.


    Now that she was facing him in the costume, he had a strange feeling.


    Keegan thought he was in a film for a moment, but the person in front of him reminded him that it was


    real¡ªthe woman across from him was his lover.


    Keegan did not say a word and just stared at Ste, making her ufortable.


    She cleared her throat and said in a low voice, "Are you done? If you are, I''m going to take this off.It''s


    heavy."


    She was about to leave when Keegan suddenly took her by the wrist, his voice low and sexy, "Are you


    not going to take me tonight, your majesty?"


    Ste was taken aback for a moment.


    Her cheeks flushed as she stumbled on her words, "W-What do you mean?"


    Keegan looked up slightly, his eyes sparkling with great elegance.


    "Didn''t you have a boy toy in the film? Do I not look more handsome than him?"


    As he said that, he stuck one of his hands under Ste''s clothes while undoing the buttons on his shirt.


    Ste grabbed his hand in a panic, looking a little pitiful.


    "What are you doing?" She asked.


    Keegan smiled and leaned in closer to her ears as he slowly said, "I want to go all the way with


    you.Can I please make love to you, your royal highness?"

 Chapter 1076

    Chapter 1076


    Chapter 1076


    Ste was blushing hard.She had fantasized about Keegan begging to have sex with her many times


    before and could not believe it had happened so easily.


    Though the situation they were in was a little strange.


    Ste pushed Keegan''s hand away and said, "Wait for me to change into my clothes first."


    But Keegan pulled her back, nibbled on her ear, and said in a raspy voice, "What did you think I paid


    300 thousand dors for this costume for?"


    Stunned, Ste began to speak.


    "You¡ª"


    Keegan did not wait for her to finish.


    He lowered his head, kissed her, and picked her up in his arms.


    Ste was afraid of falling, so she subconsciously held onto his neck.


    Keegan chuckled and deepened the kiss.


    Keegan had always been very conservative when it came to sex.


    After all, Ste failed to seduce him even when she wore a fox outfit.


    For a long time, she thought that Keegan had no sexual desires.


    However, today, she found out he did not have a fetish for rabbit costumes or fox costumes.


    Instead, he liked it when she cosyed one of the characters she yed.


    When Keegan was on top of Ste, she could feel his passion for the first time.


    It was so hot and fiery that her body went limp, and her voice trembled.


    There was a hint of eagerness behind his movements, novelebook and they were not as gentle as


    usual due to the intense emotions.


    He went straight in before she even took off all her clothes.


    Ste furrowed her brows as she felt some pain.


    Keegan paused and kissed her forehead before asking in a low voice, "Does it hurt?"


    Ste nodded her head and shook it after that.


    It was a little painful, but it was bearable.


    She liked it more when Keegan was rough with her; she found it sexy.


    Keegan held down Ste''s hands above her head and grabbed her chin.


    He leaned over and whispered, "It probably won''t hurt as much if you focus more on my face."


    Ste did not reply.


    It was clear that Keegan was teasing her about what happened during their first night together.


    Ste was not easily swayed.


    "Do you think you still look as young as you were four years ago? You''re getting older, Keegan.Looking


    at you wouldn''t help with the pain anymore.You should work on your skills and rely less on your


    emotions."


    Her words left Keegan dumbfounded.He narrowed his eyes threateningly and said, "You''re right.I


    should work on my skills.Let''s practice tonight, Ms.Jewell."


    Ste was taken aback.


    She tried to argue, but Keegan was already in her.


    ¡®Fuck.I should''ve stayed quiet.Never provoke a man at times like this, or else you''ll be the one who''s


    suffering"On the other end, Marshall looked at the long-unanswered phone and pursed his lips.


    He then hung up and called Vermont.


    Vermont was lying in bed at the time, ready to get a massage from Felicity.


    Though the woman was petite, she was strong.


    She also had great technique when it came to massages.


    Vermont enjoyed himself so much that he almost fell asleep.


    Felicity was the one who called out to him when his phone rang.


    He then came back to his senses and picked up the call.


    "Mr.Moore, do you not know that you shouldn''t be calling people in the middle of the night while they''re


    asleep?"


    Marshallughed and said, "Based on your routine, aren''t you supposed to be wide awake right now?"


    "That was the old Vermont," the other party replied.


    "I''ma family man now.I''ve gotta take care of my health."


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Hearing that, Felicity''s eyelids twitched.


    ¡®This guy is such a good liar.I get nervous any time someone asks me something in detail"


    After that, Vermont asked, "What''s up?"


    "I wanted to know when we''re having the gathering," said Marshall.

 Chapter 1077

    Chapter 1077


    Chapter 1077


    "What gathering?" asked Vermont.


    Marshall paused and said calmly, "Didn''t you invite everyone to get together and ask Keegan to contact


    me?"


    Vermont was confused when he heard that.


    ''When did I set up a get-together, and why do I not know about it? What is Keegan up to?¡¯ Vermont


    was the best at helping his best friend out in a lie.


    "Ah, yes.Are youing?"


    He immediately asked.


    "I''m not sure yet.I have two uingwsuits to settle this week.I''ll be there if I finish my work in time,"


    said Marshall.


    He paused momentarily and asked, "Are you guys bringing the girls? Or will it just be us?"


    Vermontughed and said, "It''ll just be us, of course.Where''s the fun if the girls are there?"


    This was especially true when Ste was there.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont would y around with Keegan when he was drunk whenever they went out for drinks.


    However, Ste would always re at Vermont for pouring Keegan another drink when she was there.


    Marshall was silent momentarily before saying, "Okay, I see."


    After hanging up the phone, Felicity stared at Vermont and said, novelebook "Why even bother


    having a girlfriend if having us at your gathering is no fun?"


    Hearing that, Vermont grinned and said, "You can go if you want to.I''m sure it''ll be fun with you there."


    "I''m already tired from dealing with you every single day, and you want me to deal with you when you''re


    drunk? Are you suggesting I die faster?"


    "You''re being dramatic."


    Felicity pointed at her dark circles and said, "Look at me! When I went to pick up my delivery earlier,


    the person at the counter asked if I was alright because, apparently, I looked awful."


    That statement amused Vermont, but when he saw the dark circles under Felicity''s eyes, he did not


    laugh.


    ¡®It does look pretty bad" he thought.


    Vermont had always called her over on the grounds of being injured, and she would always respond to


    his requests out of guilt.


    Vermont did not actually want Felicity to work for him; he just wanted to spend more time with her.


    However, he knew she would not have shown up if he did not use his body as an excuse.He grabbed


    Felicity¡¯s hand, and in a low voice, he said, "Thank you."


    Felicity found it a little weird that Vermont was suddenly being so serious.


    "It''s not a big deal as long as you get well soon.What did the doctor say thest time you went for a


    check-up?"


    Vermont could not tell her he was fine that quickly, so he said, "The doctor said that my body''s still


    healing and told me to sleep on my back for the next two days.It doesn''t hurt that much anymore.They


    told me I can go on with my daily life but can''t take part in extreme exercise."


    Felicity''s eyes lit up at the sound of that.


    "Does that mean you''re fine now?"


    Vermont was a little disappointed.


    "The wound had scabbed over, but...I still can''t...You know..."


    "But why? Isn''t the injury healed already?"


    Felicity was getting a little anxious.


    "Did the doctor say anything about it? Is it not fully healed yet? Or is it a psychological thing?"


    "The doctor didn''t say much and just told me to rest."


    Vermont cleared his throat and continued, "They also told me to try stimting emotions with my


    girlfriend."


    Felicity frowned.


    With a weird expression, she said after a long time, "D-Do you want to find a girlfriend to try it out?"


    Vermont''s heart felt stuffy.He could not believe she was asking him to find another girl.


    "You''re my girlfriend.Why are you telling me to find someone else?"


    "I''m just your pretend girlfriend,"


    Felicity muttered in a low voice.


    Vermont red at her and said, "You''re my real girlfriend in other people''s eyes.They''d think I''m


    cheating if I find another woman.Ste would kill me if she knew I ¡®cheated¡¯ on you!"

 Chapter 1078

    Chapter 1078


    Chapter 1078


    ¡®Ste would indeed do something like that" Felicity thought.


    Although Vermont said he did not want to find someone else because he was scared that Ste would


    kill him for cheating, she felt relieved that he would not look for another woman.


    Felicity felt troubled when she thought about the tricky matter.


    "What would you do then?" She asked.


    Vermont wanted her to propose herself for the position, but he knew she would be mad if he said that


    out loud.


    So he sighed and said, "I guess I''d probably find some videos and work on it myself."


    His words took her aback.She immediately understood what kind of videos Vermont was talking about


    and became shy.


    Though, she was curious.


    "You mean the non-censored ones?" Felicity asked in a soft voice.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Her question rendered him silent.


    ¡®I can''t believe she''s discussing this with me right now.She really doesn''t see me as a man, huh?¡¯


    "Boys watch uncensored videos because it''s sensual and exciting.Men like me, however, prefer the


    plot.For example, teacher-student romances, novelebook sex with sisters-inw, sex with a


    stalker, bondage, coercion...The more taboo the plot, the more stimting it is."


    Felicity blushed, and it took her a while to say, "You pervert!"


    Vermontughed and asked, "Which one do you prefer?"


    Something popped up in Felicity''s mind, and her cheeks turned red.She red at Vermont and snorted


    coldly, "Why would I tell you?!"


    "Why are you scared of me knowing? Could it be that you''re more perverted than me?" Vermont said


    slowly.


    Felicity did not fall for his trick this time.


    Instead, she grunted and said, "Don''t worry.You''re definitely the more perverted one."


    Vermont chuckled for a long time after that.It was a little over 11:00 p.m., and Felicity kept yawning.


    "I have to go," she rubbed her eyes and said.


    However, Vermont did not want her to go.


    "Ste''s noting home tonight.Aren''t you scared of being alone in that apartment?"


    "What''s there to be scared about? I used to live alone."


    "But it''s not safe.Didn''t you hear about that dog in our area that was brought to the basement and


    abused? What are you going to do when you encounter such criminals?"


    Felicity got mad at the mention of this.


    The perpetrator was only sentenced to pay the dog owner a few thousand dors, which Felicity


    thought was insufficient.


    "He should damn welle here and let me p the shit out of him!" She eximed.


    Vermont was stunned to hear that.


    He believed that Felicity was capable of defending herself since she had body- mmed him¡ªa six-


    foot and fit man¡ªbefore.


    In his opinion, it was not something an average woman could do.


    "I''ve set a timer for the porridge.All you have to do is eat it tomorrow morning,"


    Felicity said while she put on her coat and headed for the door.


    Vermont realized his words did not work, so he said, "Remember to close your windows.The family


    downstairs is going to send one of their family members to the funeral home tomorrow.They''ll probably


    do it in the early morning, so it will be noisy."


    Felicity froze and asked, "Someone died downstairs?"


    "Did you not see the messages? They informed us about it in themunity group chat."


    "I''m not in the group chat."


    Suddenly, Felicity had difficulty staying still.


    "When did they pass? How did they die? Has it been a week yet?"


    "I don''t think so.They sent the message to the group yesterday.If I''m not wrong, the person slipped in


    the bath and hit their head.They then drowned in the bathtub."Felicity started to be more fidgety


    at the sound of that.

 Chapter 1079

    Chapter 1079


    Chapter 1079


    Felicity was not afraid of many things, but she was afraid of the dead, especially those who died by


    drowning.


    When she was younger, she attended a rtive''s funeral with her mother.Her rtive was fishing by


    the river when he had a heart attack and fell into the water.


    It took the salvage team four to five days to recover the body.


    Felicity was young at the time and could not help being curious.


    At the funeral, she saw her rtive being put into the casket.


    His body was entirely swollen.


    She had nightmares for one year straight after that.


    Her dreams always consisted of her dead rtive asking her to enter the waters and y with him.


    When she heard that her downstairs neighbor had drowned in the bathtub, she was afraid to go home


    alone.


    Vermont saw the odd look on her face and asked, "What''s wrong?"


    She returned to her senses and immediately said, "It''s still early.Why don''t we y some video


    games?"


    Vermont gauged her expression and realized that something was wrong.


    He pursed his lips and said, "Did you forget? They''re updating the servers.It''ll only be avable at 7


    a.m.tomorrow."


    Felicity stayed quiet.


    Seeing that she did not respond, Vermont asked, "Why don''t we watch a movie? My friend introduced


    me to this new show. novelebook Do you want to watch it with me?"


    Felicity took advantage of the situation and immediately said, "Okay."


    So the two of them turned off the lights, turned on the TV, and put on the movie.It was a European film.


    When the title yed, Felicity hugged a pillow, asking, "What kind of movie is it?"


    Vermont handed her a nket and said, "It''s a romance film.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Oh," Felicity responded as she put the nket on herp.


    The plot was rather cheesy.


    The male lead was a leader of a gang who fell in love with the female lead¡ªan ordinary girl.


    Both of them were extremely good-looking and had great chemistry.


    Though the film was somewhat of a cliche, it was still bearable.


    As the show progressed, Felicity noticed the bizarre plot.


    When she saw the female lead being handcuffed in bed, she finally realized that it was a different type


    of romance film.


    She wanted to ask Vermont to change the movie, but she saw how much he was enjoying it, so she


    kept her mouth shut, not wanting to make a fuss.


    The scene was very ambiguous, and the male and female protagonists were not fully exposed, but the


    sexual tension between them was through the roof, it was sexy.


    Felicity tried to stop herself from looking.


    After three minutes, the scene changed.


    That was when she realized what she had watched earlier was just the beginning.


    First, the main characters of the movie were in the bathroom.


    Then, they were on a cruise.


    The story had be irrelevant as all Felicity saw was the male lead humping.


    She could no longer stand the plot, so she sneaked to the bathroom.


    Vermont saw her leave and smiled in satisfaction.


    Felicity stayed in the bathroom for 30 to 40 minutes and came out when the movie was over.


    The TV was off, and Vermont sat on the couch, scrolling through his phone.


    Seeing that Felicity was out of the bathroom, he asked, "What took you so long?"


    Felicity''s ears were red as she pretended to be calm and said, "My period came, and my tummy hurt."


    Vermont raised an eyebrow and said, "Oh.I thought it was because you were too shy to watch the rest


    of the movie."


    Felicity immediately denied the usation.


    "What''s there to be shy about? What they were doing wasn''t even exciting enough."


    "Really?"


    Vermont looked at her and asked.


    "I have a few more films like that in my stash.Why don''t we put one on to fulfill you?"


    Felicity was at a loss for words.


    "Maybe some other time.I''m getting sleepy," she said.


    She was about to grab her phone when she tripped on the rug and fell in Vermont''s direction.

 Chapter 1080

    Chapter 1080


    Chapter 1080


    Vermont was afraid of Felicity falling, so he hurriedly reached out to catch her, but the sudden impact


    caused him to fall. Worried that she would get injured, Vermont quickly switched their positions and


    landed on the ground first. Felicity thennded on top of him.


    There was a loud thud. It seemed that Vermont had hit his head on the floor. Felicity quickly held his


    head and rubbed the back of his head with a nervous look on her face.


    Vermont¡¯s heart melted when he saw what she was doing. ¡°Does it hurt?¡¯ Felicity asked while she


    rubbed his head. ¡¯You could¡¯ve just pushed me away. Why did you fall with me?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to push you, but you were so heavy, I couldn¡¯t do it.¡¯


    Felicity elbowed him and got up. ¡°Fuck you!¡± She said angrily.


    Vermont grabbed onto his chest and sat up with a stifled smile. ¡°It actually hurt,¡± he said.


    ¡°You deserved it,¡± Felicity responded with ack of sympathy.


    Vermont stood up and said warmly, ¡°You can do your thing. I¡¯m going to the bathroom.¡¯ Felicity did not


    want to talk to him. He smiled and turned around to leave.


    After closing the bathroom door, Vermont took a deep breath, looked down at his member, and started


    to worry. He was convinced that he was not sexually attracted to Felicity before this. Now, he was


    having a physical reaction to that minor interaction.


    Vermont had never felt ashamed of himself with other women before. However, he felt a little


    embarrassed when facing Felicity¡¯s clear eyes. Compared to being worried about his lie being exposed,


    he was more afraid of scaring Felicity.


    Suddenly, he understood what Keegan meant when he said, ¡°To care about someone is not to indulge,


    but to restrain.¡±


    ¡®How much longer am I supposed to hold back? Fuck.¡¯


    Vermont took a shower to calm himself down. Felicity had already fallen asleep on the couch when he


    came out of the bathroom. The nket she had on earlier was kicked to the side. With her two legs


    curled up, she turned into a ball. Vermont found it cute. He crouched by the couch and stared at her for


    a while before calling, ¡°Little miss bandit?¡± There was no reply. ¡°Felicity Thompson? Felicity¡ª¡¯


    The person on the couch did not respond. Vermont looked at her pink pouty lips and could not resist


    kissing her. He tried to hold himself back, but the more he tried, the more difficult it was for him to stop.


    His movements gradually intensified.


    Only when Felicity let out a short gasp from trying to breathe did Vermont snap back into his senses.


    He let go of Felicity and stood up. Looking at her unusually red lips, his heartbeat became unbelievably


    fast. He hurriedly grabbed the nket and covered Felicity with it. Then, he turned around and went


    back to his room.


    Marshall was staring at his phone screen at the Moore Mansion with a deep gaze. Suddenly, there was


    a knock on the door. It was Ariel.¡± Marshall, are you asleep?¡±


    ¡°No, Mom,¡¯ Marshall turned off his phone and replied.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Ariel opened the door and entered the room. She was in her pajamas and was holding a bowl of


    yogurt. She slowly walked toward her son and put the bowl on the nightstand. She said, ¡°Gloria told me


    you didn¡¯t eat much dinner earlier. Are you not feeling well?¡±

 Chapter 1081

    Chapter 1081


    Chapter 1081


    Marshall smiled and said, ¡°No. I wasn¡¯t hungry.¡± ¡°You should still eat something even if you don¡¯t feel


    hungry. Your health is important, especially since you stay upte every night.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Okay, Mom. Got it. I¡¯ll eat that yogurt in a while.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. Eat it now. I won¡¯t leave until you do.¡± Marshall had no choice but to pick up the bowl of


    yogurt and oblige. He did not like eating yogurt because of the sourness. He felt nauseous every time


    he finished but never refused to eat it when his mom asked him to.


    Ariel was more than relieved to see her son obey her wishes. She sat on the side of the bed and


    helped Marshall fold his clothes. While doing so, she asked, ¡°Marshall, I heard you have a girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°Who told you that?¡± Marshall responded indifferently.


    ¡°A few people from poker said that they saw you bring a girl to Duncan¡¯s wedding and asked me if she


    was your girlfriend.¡±


    Marshall smiled, but it did not reach the bottom of his eyes.¡± Seems like they¡¯re quite interested in my


    personal affairs.¡±


    ¡°Well, I did ask them to introduce some girls to you. They¡¯re just concerned. They wanted to know more


    to avoid causing you and your partner trouble.¡± Ariel paused and asked, ¡°What


    kind of work does she do? How old is she? Do you have a picture of her?¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Marshall did not answer her questions. Instead, he said,¡± Does it matter? Will you ept our


    rtionship if I like her? No matter her background?¡±


    Ariel hesitated for a while, treading carefully. ¡°We¡¯d have to meet her parents to make a better


    judgment. After all, both families should be involved.¡±


    Suddenly, Marshall let out augh. There was an indescribable sense of strangeness behind that


    laughter. Ariel was startled when she heard that. ¡°What?¡± She asked in a low voice.


    Marshall put down the empty bowl and shook his head.¡± Nothing. It¡¯s just too early to talk about all this.


    We¡¯re still in the talking stage.¡±


    Ariel swallowed her words, picked up the folded clothes, and put them in the closet. When she was


    about to close the door, she saw bloody scratches inside the wardrobe. Her heart trembled, and she


    rushed to check Marshall¡¯s hand.


    Seeing that his hands were fine, Ariel¡¯s heartbeat gradually calmed down. She seemed like she wanted


    to say something but held herself back. She pulled one of the shirts to cover the scratches and


    hurriedly closed the cab door.


    ¡°Go to sleep earlier. Don¡¯t stay up toote.¡± Ariel picked up the empty bowl and said softly, ¡°Put your


    body first. It¡¯s okay to put work aside for a while. If¡­ If you really like that girl,


    then go for it. I¡¯ll help you in any way I can.¡±


    Marshall smiled at the sound of that. ¡°Thanks, Mom.¡±


    After that, Ariel quietly left the room and gently closed the door. Marshall nced at the closet and got


    up to go to the bathroom. Not long after, there was the sound of Marshall vomiting.


    Keegan did not hold back from fooling around with Ste the whole night. She was knocked out


    completely when they were done. Her phone started ringing nonstop early the next morning. Ste was


    so sleepy that she kicked Keegan in a daze and said, ¡°Answer the phone.¡±


    With his eyes closed, Keegan walked to the bedside table and grabbed the phone. He then pressed


    answer without looking at it. ¡°Hello?¡±


    The person on the other line did not say a word.


    ¡°Who is this?¡± Keegan frowned and asked.


    There were three seconds of silence on the other line. ¡°Why is Ste¡¯s phone with you? Where is she?¡±


    Trevor gritted his teeth and asked.


    Keegan was taken aback when he heard the voice from the other side.

 Chapter 1082

    Chapter 1082


    Chapter 1082


    Ste woke up immediately after hearing Trevor¡¯s voice and was no longer sleepy. She quickly sat up


    and signaled Keegan not to say anything inappropriate to her boss. She did not want to pay for


    breaching the contract because of her rtionship with Keegan.


    Keegan nced at her and calmly said into the phone, ¡°She¡¯s sleeping.¡±


    Ste was speechless at his response.


    Trevor¡¯s face darkened at that, and his tone changed, ¡°She slept with you?¡±


    Ste quickly sat up and covered Keegan¡¯s mouth. The expression on her face looked like she was


    trying to tell him, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡±


    Keegan looked at her naked chest and suddenly reached out to give her a squeeze. Ste immediately


    withdrew her hand to shield herself, her face full of disbelief. ¡®He was rather conservative before the


    divorce. What happened on the bed stayed in bed. He never did anything indecent after sex. It was like


    he graduated first ss from the Academy of Male Virtues. But what kind of immodest behavior is this?


    Did he lose all his male virtues after getting the vasectomy?¡¯


    Satisfied with Ste¡¯s reaction, Keegan pinched her stunned face and said to the person on the other


    end of the phone, ¡®We had dinner with Leightonst night. She got drunk, so I brought her to a hotel.¡±


    ¡°And you stayed?¡± Trevor asked.


    Keegan pursed his lips and said, ¡°Was I supposed to leave her here alone when she¡¯s unconscious?


    You think that¡¯s safe?¡¯


    Trevor choked when he heard that. ¡®No, it isn¡¯t safe. But it¡¯s not any safer with you there!¡¯ He thought.


    From Trevor¡¯s standpoint, Keegan was like his neighbor¡¯s dog, who kept looking at his parrot through


    the yard fence, wanting to take his pet away. No matter how hard Trevor tried to keep them apart, his


    bird still flew next door to y with the dog when he was not home. He felt bad being unable to keep an


    eye on the parrot or his sister.


    ¡°Do I need to remind you that the two of you are divorced, Keegan? Can you behave yourself? Why


    didn¡¯t you just send her home if it wasn¡¯t safe? Her career is just starting to take off, and you¡¯re


    messing around with her. Are you afraid that she¡¯d have a better life without you?¡±


    Ste frowned, thinking Trevor¡¯s words were slightly over the line. ¡®He never talks like this in front of


    me. Why is he so harsh toward Keegan?¡¯ Afraid that Keegan would get mad and argue with Trevor,


    Ste quickly said, ¡°Trevor, I was the one who asked Kee- Mr. Kane to bring me to a hotel. Don¡¯t worry.


    I was wearing a mask, so no one saw me. Please don¡¯t me him.¡±


    Trevor stayed quiet. ¡®Damn it. Did Keegan say that earlier just to provoke me? Why does it seem like


    I¡¯m the bad guy now?¡¯


    Keegan, who was sitting on the side, teasingly said, ¡°Trevor was just concerned. Just let him say what


    he wants. This isn¡¯t the first time he said something like that to me. I¡¯m used to it.¡±


    Trevor wanted to grab the insole of his shoe and gag Keegan with it at that moment. ¡®God! This guy


    always says the wrong things at the wrong time!¡¯ Though Trevor was furious, he could not bring himself


    to be mad at his baby sister. He swallowed his anger and decided to ignore Keegan.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°Grandpa and Grandma arrived at Rivera yesterday. They initially nned to meet you on the


    weekend, but they couldn¡¯t wait to see you. So they called me to ask if we could bring the meeting


    forward to this afternoon. I¡¯ve asked the crew about your schedule, and you don¡¯t have anything going


    on at that time. What do you say?¡¯ ¡®How am I supposed to reject you when you¡¯ve already checked my


    schedule?¡¯ Ste said to herself. ¡®But whatever. It¡¯s going to happen sooner orter since I¡¯ve agreed to


    the meeting.¡¯

 Chapter 1083

    Chapter 1083


    Chapter 1083


    ¡°Sure. Send me the address. I¡¯ll be there when I¡¯m done with work,¡± said Ste.


    Trevor made an OK sign to the people behind him before he cleared his throat and said, ¡°That¡¯s okay.


    I¡¯ll pick you up.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Ste asked Keegan, ¡°Do you think I should bring something?¡±


    ¡°Just focus on filming. I¡¯ll prepare the gifts,¡± Keegan wrapped his arm around her waist and said in a


    low voice. Ste kissed him as a reward and teased, ¡°Looks like the sses were worth it.¡±


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Keegan bit his lower lips before saying, ¡°I¡¯m trying to graduate.¡±


    As they were talking, Ste¡¯s phone rang. She looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Daniel. Ste


    felt a little embarrassed when she recalled her calling him in the middle of the night to buy a costume.


    But she realized that Daniel did not know why she purchased the mantle, so she tried to act normal.


    ¡°Hello?¡± She answered the phone in a natural tone.


    ¡°Ste, thepany just called and informed me about two uing variety shows you must attend.


    I¡¯ll text you the detailster.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Also, you have to be in character during the show. That means you¡¯ll have to wear the royal mantle.


    Don¡¯t ruin the costume.¡±


    Ste was stunned when she heard that. Sheughed guiltily and said,¡± Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t. It¡¯s for my


    home disy as a souvenir from the show.¡±


    ¡°Oh. It¡¯s the first time I encountered a celebrity calling in the middle of the night to buy a costume for


    their collection.¡±


    Daniel¡¯s words left Ste speechless. ¡®There¡¯s no way someone like him wouldn¡¯t know why we wanted


    that costume,¡¯ she thought. ¡®I guess there¡¯s no point in lying.¡¯


    Ste did not have the face to go on, so she hurriedly hung up and asked more about the variety


    shows.


    Then, she told Keegan, ¡°The next time you want to do something humiliating, do it yourself. Don¡¯t drag


    me down with you.¡±


    Keegan was in a good mood because he got what he wanted the night before. So he did not talk back


    to her. Instead, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s buy the costume you wore when you murdered those people in


    Jurisdiction.¡±


    Hearing that, Ste was at a loss for words. The two quarreled for a while before getting up. Keegan


    had tons of work waiting for him at thepany because he left work early to apany Ste to her


    meet-up with Leighton yesterday.


    The set and thepany were in two different directions. Ste did not want to dy Keegan¡¯s time,


    so she drove herself to work. It was not too early orte when she arrived at the set. Ste started


    checking her body while she did her makeup and costume. Knowing that she had to film the next day,


    Keegan was self-restrained enough not to leave too many marks on her. There was a red mark on her


    thigh, but no one else could see it since it was on the inside.


    Ste came out of the room after makeup and costume. That was when she bumped into the prop


    master, securing bags of fake blood underneath Be¡¯s shirt.


    Ste and Be had a very intense rivalry scene that day. They did not film the scene ording to the


    order of the script. Various factors came into y when filming the scenes, including the background,


    makeup, time, weather, etc. Everything will then be edited based on the script. That was why today¡¯s


    rivalry scene was one of the first few scenes in the script despite only being shot after so long.


    The fight between Be¡¯s character-Lexi¡ªand Ste¡¯s character-Georgia -had urred before Lexi¡¯s


    fainting incident on stage.

 Chapter 1084

    Chapter 1084


    Chapter 1084


    The rivalry scene between Georgia and Lexi happened after Georgia found a yellow hairpin at her


    boyfriend¡¯s ce, Ralph¡¯s residence. Although Ralph had told her that the hair essory was used as


    compensation because the store ran out of change when he bought a pack of cigarettes, Georgia did


    not buy it.


    The hairpin had gone viral at the time, and the prices had shot up. In Georgia¡¯s opinion, there was no


    way the seller would use it as a change due to the high demand, especially when it was a male


    customer.


    So, Georgia paid attention to her female schoolmates, who liked using hair essories. She then


    heard from someone that Lexi had an identical yellow hairpin that went missing a week ago. Georgia


    was driven to take her revenge. She did not necessarily like Ralph but hated it when other people went


    after what she owned, especially when it was the person who one-upped her in dance ss-Lexi.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    After one of their sses together, Georgia went up to Lexi and asked her about the hairpin. Naturally,


    Lexi denied having anything to do with Ralph, and an altercation urred. While shoving each other,


    Lexi lost her footing and fell down the stairs. There were sheets of ss stacked on the stairs, which


    shattered the minute she fell onto them, cutting her arm.


    Lexi was sent to the hospital, and Georgia got a warning from the school. Everyone in school knew


    about the incident, and she lost her chance to be an exchange student. Her parents also


    reprimanded her. The feud between her and Lexi also grew deeper because of this. Therefore, multiple


    people pointed to Georgia as the perpetrator when Lexi was poisoned.


    The scene Ste and Be were going to shoot today was the one on the staircase. They had no


    problem with their lines but had to work on Be rolling down the stairs. The shot required the


    cooperation of the two actors. Ste had to do a pushing action, while Be was to control her direction


    as she fell. At the same time, she had to poke the blood bag attached to her sleeve.


    This scene required the actresses to know how to control their bodies. The film crew would usually take


    close-ups during a scene like this and have stunt doubles roll down the stairs.


    Be, who secretly used eyedrops during crying scenes, always asked for doubles to stand in for her.


    However, it was different this time. When the director exined the scene to the actors, Be said, ¡°Mr.


    Winfield, I don¡¯t think I need a stunt double for this part.¡±


    Ste was a little shocked when she heard that, but Stuart was even more surprised. It was generally


    good when actors wanted to do their own stunts, but this shot posed a certain danger. Stuart


    considered Be¡¯s fame and said, ¡°There¡¯s a level of difficulty to this stunt. It¡¯s moreplex than you


    think. Rolling off from the camera is easy when you have no experience with this. There¡¯s no way you


    can do this in one or two takes. I think it¡¯s better to have the stunt double do it.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Winfield, this movie will be on the big screen. It could be obvious that it isn¡¯t me in the shot if we


    use a stunt double. This is my first time on the big screen. I don¡¯t want to be criticized for being unable


    to do my stunts. We can do more takes if I can¡¯t do the shot in one or two takes. I¡¯m sure I can do it.


    Stunt doubles were not born to be stunt doubles. They require tons of practice and experience to


    get to where they are. If they can do it, then I can do it too. I want to present my best to the audience.¡±


    Stuart was pleased to hear such inspirational words from the young actor¡¯s mouth. Fans visiting the set


    were also proud of Be for not wanting a stunt double. They immediately wrote tons of posts about the


    incident to boost their idol¡¯s image with titles like: [Be Refused to Use Stunt Doubles ], [Be Does


    Her Own Stunts], and [The Voice for Stunt Doubles].


    Ste was the only one who felt Be¡¯s behavior was abnormal. Be had brought in her stunt double.


    It was said that the substitute was Be¡¯s dedicated understudy. She had be a stand-in for Be


    in several of the dance scenes in the movie. It was weird that the actor wanted to do the dangerous


    stunt when she asked her double to help in simple dance scenes.


    Ste did not believe that Be would gain a conscience that quickly, so she kept an eye out for her.


    After repeatedly confirming that Be wanted to do the scene, Stuart asked the stunt director toe


    over and show the two actors how to get the perfect shot. Filming began once they finished the


    briefing.

 Chapter 1085

    Chapter 1085


    Chapter 1085


    Lexi came out of the shower and chatted with her friends when she ran into Georgia at the corner. She


    was wearing the clothes she wore during practice. She stood out among the other dancers. Standing


    there, her long, slim neck made her look like a graceful swan.


    Georgia¡¯s eyes nced over Lexi when she saw here out of the bathroom. Lexi avoided her gaze


    and tried to leave with her ssmates, but Georgia stopped her. ¡°Wait,¡¯ said the protagonist.


    Several people stopped in their tracks, not knowing who Georgia was shouting at. Georgia approached


    Lexi, pulled out a yellow hairclip, and asked, ¡°Does this look familiar?¡±


    Lexi clenched her fingers as she saw the hairpin. One of the students beside her recognized the


    essory and whispered, ¡°Lexi, isn¡¯t this the hairclip you lost a few days ago?¡±


    ¡°No. Mine got lost off campus,¡± Lexi pursed her lips and said.


    ¡°What a coincidence that I found this hairclip off campus,¡± said Georgia as she lightly scanned her eyes


    over her. The other students sensed the tension and left in a hurry. Soon, only Lexi and Georgia were


    left in the frame.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Lexi pressed her lips together and tried to leave with her change of clothes. However, Georgia blocked


    her path. ¡°Don¡¯t you want your hairclip back?¡±


    Lexi frowned and said, ¡°I told you, it¡¯s not mine.¡±


    ¡°Then where is yours?¡±


    ¡°I lost it! Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡±


    ¡°You lost it?¡¯ Georgia bit the corner of her mouth and continued, ¡°That hairclip must¡¯ve cost a fortune


    based on your family¡¯s financials. How could you just lose something valuable so carelessly?¡±


    ¡°idents happen. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m going to leave.¡¯ Lexi got ready to walk down the stairs


    after saying that when Georgia suddenly said joyously, ¡°Ralph? What are you doing here?¡¯


    Lexi paused and turned her head subconsciously, only to see Georgia looking at her with mockery.


    ¡°What? Disappointed that he¡¯s not here?¡±


    Lexi pressed the corner of her lips tightly and said in a deep voice, ¡°If Ralph leaves you one day, know


    it¡¯s because you¡¯re the problem. I used to envy you for your looks, background, and social life. But now,


    I feel sorry for you because those are all you have. You have so much going on in your mind. That¡¯s


    why you can¡¯tprehend the core of dance. That¡¯s why your movements have no passion despite


    you doing them right.¡±


    Georgia¡¯s expression turned ugly in an instant. To her, Lexi¡¯s emotionlessment was a stinging


    insult. Georgia grabbed Lexi¡¯s hair and said coldly, ¡°Who are you to judge me?¡¯


    Lexi started to struggle immediately, and the two of them began wrestling. Gradually, they reached the


    stairs as they were pushing each other. Georgia suddenly reached out in a rage and shoved Lexi on


    the shoulder.


    ording to Stuart¡¯s request, Be had to fall backward when Ste pushed her. Though it looked like


    the two were actually hitting each other, Ste was supposed to draw back her push, and Be had to


    create the force to allow herself to fall. However, when Ste made the push motion, Be somehow


    leaned closer toward her.


    Before Ste could retract her hands, she pushed Be¡¯s shoulders, and Be screamed as she


    missed the crash pad. She rolled down the stairs, and her head hit the floor with a thud. Her scream


    echoed across the set.

 Chapter 1086

    Chapter 1086


    Chapter 1086


    Everyone on set was in shock when they witnessed the sudden change of events. ¡°What are you guys


    doing?! Somebody help her and call the doctor! ¡± Stuart uttered with an ugly look on his face. Only then


    did the crew return to their senses and rush over to check on Be.


    Be had curled up on the ground in a strange posture. The bag of fake blood that was attached to her


    had ruptured, and her whole body was covered in the liquid while a trail of blood was dripping down her


    forehead. It was a tragic scene.


    The crew wanted to help Be up, but she screamed as soon as they touched her. That was when they


    noticed that her left leg was in a weird position. No one dared to help her after that. The only thing they


    could do at the time was to wait for the ambnce to arrive.


    Be¡¯s fans were terrified by the scene. When they saw that no one was helping their idol up, they


    immediately rushed over to check on her while yelling insults at Ste.


    Stuart¡¯s expression did not look good. He was worried that the fans would cause more trouble, so he


    had the security guards block their way and had Shea lead Ste to the lounge. To Stuart, the two


    important things right now were Be¡¯s condition and the angry fans, not who was responsible for the


    fall.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    After some time, the paramedics arrived and rushed Be to the hospital. Ste silently sat in the SUV


    and thought about what had happened. Then, she finally understood why Be wanted to take on such


    a dangerous stunt herself. Initially, Ste knew that Be was trying to give her fans the illusion that she


    was being bullied on set and make them hate her even more. However, she did not expect Be to


    deliberately hurt herself in the process.


    ¡®The Be I knew wouldn¡¯t have done such a thing. She cherished her looks very much as a star. She


    would have never hurt herself just to deepen the people¡¯s hatred for me. When she tried to frame me


    for ¡°pushing¡± her into the water on the cruise, I recall her protecting her face as I dragged her with me.


    That is why I never expected her to do something like this.¡¯


    Ste realized Be¡¯s true intentions when she leaned forward during the falling scene. However, it was


    toote for her to do anything in that situation. Ste tried her best to withdraw her force and avoid


    touching Be when she created a pushing motion earlier. The strength she used was not enough to


    make her fall down the stairs, but no one really knew that except for her and Be. From their


    perspective, Ste had pushed Be on the shoulders, and the actor had fallen.


    Shea handed Ste a bottle of water and said, ¡°Here. Have a sip.¡±


    Ste came back to her senses and took the water bottle. She unscrewed the cap, took a sip, and


    asked in a low voice, ¡°How is she?¡±


    ¡°Her leg looks broken, and there¡¯s an injury on her forehead. No one knows much for now, so we have


    to wait for news from the hospital.¡± Shea paused for a while before she continued, ¡°I¡¯ve contacted the


    company.


    Someone will take care of it.¡±


    Suddenly, Ste received a text on her phone. It was a hate message from an unknown number. The


    person med Ste for Be¡¯s injury, saying that she had forcefully pushed her on purpose. [This


    goes to show that you would go to any lengths just to be famous. Go to hell, Ste.]


    It was obvious that Shea saw the message too. ¡®These haters are really something. It¡¯s not surprising


    that they would send something like this through text since they have different ways to get an actor¡¯s


    contact information.¡¯


    ¡°Don¡¯t reply to it. Put your phone on Do Not Disturb mode, and take a screenshot of that message,¡±


    said Shea.

 Chapter 1087

    Chapter 1087


    Chapter 1087


    Ste did as she was told. Shea also asked her to turn off thements on her Facebook page so that


    haters could not leave mean texts on her posts when they found out about what happened.


    Following that, Ste logged onto her ount and saw Be¡¯s injury trending online. Among the


    searches about Be¡¯s fall was the news about Ste being the perpetrator. Some of the entries


    included [Ste Jewell Pushing Be Young Down the Stairs], [Ste Jewell is A Bully], and [Ste


    Jewell is A Murderer].


    The video of Ste ¡±pushing¡± Be had gone viral on Facebook. It gained millions of views in just an


    hour. Ste watched the video closely and noticed that it was taken at an angle where Be¡¯s


    expression was clear but not hers. At the same time, the video showed Ste pushing Be and how


    horrified Be looked when she fell backward.


    Be¡¯s fans attacked Ste for her indifference; even theizens could not stand it.


    [You call that pushing? It¡¯s obviously murder!]


    [Look at Be¡¯s expression! She waspletely defenseless! They asked for the person who directed


    the action toe forward, but there was no way this was prenned. I mean, just look at how


    shocked she looked!]


    [Girls support girls. How could Ste be so cruel?]


    [It¡¯s well known that Ste has had a long-standing grudge against Be. She literally bought likes and


    followers during the showcase of Secret Sweetheart just to pull Be¡¯s numbers down. After she


    became an actor, she often used Be¡¯s name to get on the trending page. I think she knows she


    wouldn¡¯t have be famous without Be¡¯s help.]


    [I heard that the original actor for the queen in The Pce was banned from ying the role because


    of Ste¡¯s sponsor. Be spent five years climbing the industry to get to where she is today on her own.


    That scum better stay away from her.]


    [As expected, she¡¯s a cold-hearted bitch.]


    [How could you? Be¡¯s life is as important as anyone else¡¯sj


    [My parents and I liked her as the queen in The Pce. I can¡¯t believe she would do something like


    this. She has officially lost some fans.]


    [I don¡¯t know why you guys think she¡¯s a good actor. Sure, she¡¯s pretty, and she delivers her lines well,


    but her expressions are not it. I love The Pce, but her face always looks so ndpared to the


    other actors on the show. If that¡¯s what you guys call good acting, then I can be an actor too.]


    [I wanted to ask if you guys actually think she was good in Jurisdiction. Like, I don¡¯t get it. She¡¯s a bit


    too much, in my opinion.]


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    [Same here! I don¡¯t know how she became an actor, and I certainly don¡¯t understand those who say


    she¡¯s gorgeous.


    Even a random girl from the streets would look better than her. Her fans are so brainless.]


    [Careful. Her fans are going to kill you if they see this. She¡¯s at the top of the beauty ranking among the


    new generation of actors.]


    [Can they remove her scenes from The Pce? Every time shees up on the screen, people keep


    talking about her looks in the livements; it¡¯s really affecting my viewing experience.]


    [If she did push Be, I don¡¯t think an apology would suffice. She has to go to jail for this. And they


    shouldn¡¯t just delete her part from The Pce. She should be removed from everything if she¡¯s found


    guilty!]


    [They better remove her ASAP! She¡¯s so annoying.]


    What was initially a wave of public opinion now turned into a criticism of creative work. Ste frowned


    as she understood the real reason why Be fell down the stairs on purpose.


    ¡°Stop reading thements,¡± Shea said as she grabbed Ste¡¯s phone and logged her out from


    Facebook. ¡°Don¡¯t get on there for a few days. Don¡¯t do anything. Just wait for news from thepany.¡±

 Chapter 1088

    Chapter 1088


    Chapter 1088


    Ste returned to her senses and smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Shea replied. Afraid that Ste could not control herself, she deleted the Facebook app from


    her phone. Ste did not stop her.


    Instead, she said, ¡°Shea, didn¡¯t Be have protection on? How could she break her leg?¡±


    ¡®She¡¯s not a porcin doll. Why would her leg be broken after falling down around forty flights of stairs


    with


    protection on?¡¯ Shea was also puzzled about the situation.1 Be couldn¡¯t have suffered from such a


    serious injury, even if she identally fell,¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Once Shea stepped out of the room, Stuart and a few people walked in. One of their main leads had


    suffered an injury, and it was not a trivial matter, especially since she was injured on set. Not only did


    this affect the shooting schedule, but it also affected the public¡¯s view of the crew and the movie¡¯s


    reputation.


    Previously, thepany was under a lot of heat because of the incident regarding Be¡¯s allergy and


    the death of Ynda Fenley. At that time, filming was dyed again and again. It was unfortunate that


    Be was now admitted to the hospital once more for an injury.


    Stuart had been in the movie business for more than twenty years, yet he had never experienced such


    a difficult shoot before. The expression on his face looked bad. He did not expect this incident to reach


    the upper management so quickly.


    The person standing next to Stuart was a senior executive at the film productionpany, Zachery


    Jensen. With a gloomy look on his face, he wanted to meet Ste. Stuart did not know what was going


    to happen, but it was beyond his control. All he could do was lead Zachery to the lounge where Ste


    was at.


    ¡°Mr. Winfield,¡± Ste stood up and called out as soon as she saw Stuart. But the man did not speak.


    Instead, the lean


    man next to him, who was 5.7 feet and in his early forties, asked, ¡°So, you¡¯re Ste Jewell?¡±


    Ste did not reply. She was thrown off by the indifference in his voice. This was the first time she met


    Zachery, and she felt a little ufortable being around him.


    ¡°This is Mr. Jensen. He¡¯s one of the people in charge of the film,¡± Stuart introduced.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Jensen,¡± said Ste.


    Zachery shot her a nce and said, ¡°Thepany has prepared an apology statement. Add my


    assistant on WhatsApp, and he¡¯ll send it to you. Then, post the official apology on Facebook.¡±


    ¡°An apology statement?¡± Ste bit down on her words. ¡°Who am I apologizing to?¡±


    ¡°Be Young and her fans, of course!¡± Zachery said impatiently. ¡°Do you know how bad the impact of


    this matter is? If Be¡¯s leg does not recover soon, the movie will be put on hold indefinitely. It¡¯s arge


    investment. One extra day of dy costs us tens of millions of dors. Do you want to bear this


    responsibility? Issue the statement to control the public¡¯s opinion so that the incident wouldn¡¯t affect the


    crew¡¯s reputation.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Ste¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I refuse to make the statement. I didn¡¯t push Be. She was


    the one who didn¡¯t follow the directions. I withdrew my strength the moment she touched my hands.


    This ident has nothing to do with me. I won¡¯t apologize.¡±


    Ste¡¯s reply made Zachery¡¯s expression turn cold. ¡°The video of you pushing Be is all over the


    inte, and you¡¯re still trying to defend yourself? What kind of grudge does Be have against you?


    Why would she hurt herself just to frame you?¡±


    Ste¡¯s body tensed up at that moment. ¡°I think you should be asking her this question.¡±


    ¡°Where did you get the confidence to say something like that after pushing someone down the stairs?¡±


    ¡°I told you I didn¡¯t push her.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that but where¡¯s your proof?¡±


    While they were talking, Ste¡¯s phone rang.

 Chapter 1089

    Chapter 1089


    Chapter 1089


    It was Keegan calling, probably because he had seen the news on the inte. Ste tried to leave to


    answer the call, but Zachery nced at her. Then, a man came forward and snatched her phone away.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ste frowned and asked.


    ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to post the apology, we¡¯ll post it for you,¡± said Zachery, who was ready to go


    through her phone.


    Ste turned red. She picked up a cup of coffee on the table nearby and threw it at Zachery¡¯s face.


    Zachery cursed as he wiped off the coffee from his eyes, while Ste grabbed her phone with a cold


    expression and said, ¡°My agency will handle the post. The document I signed with yourpany is just


    a business cooperation contract. You have no right to dictate what I do with my personal social media


    ount.¡±


    Ste paused for a moment and continued, ¡°I¡¯ve said what I need to say. You can check the CCTVs if


    you don¡¯t believe me. Don¡¯t use me of doing something I didn¡¯t do just because people are talking


    about it in thements. If I were the one who pushed Be down the stairs, then I would die a


    horrible death. But, if she was the one who did it to herself, then she deserves the broken leg.¡±


    Zachery was so angry that his face turned red. He was about to say something when Stuart interrupted


    him. ¡°Mr. Jensen, it¡¯s too early to make this kind of decision. If we force her to apologize now, things will


    getplicated when the truthes out.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s your responsibility!¡± Zachery pushed Stuart¡¯s hand away and said in a cold voice.


    At the same time, Shea entered the room and saw that Zachery was ready to leave. She took a few


    nces at him and withdrew her gaze. From Ste¡¯s expression, she could tell that something


    unfavorable must have happened while she was gone.


    Before Shea coulde up with theories about what had happened, Stuart called out to Ste and


    said in a low voice, ¡°Stay home and rest for the next two days. I¡¯ll update you if there¡¯s any progress.¡±


    Ste wanted to exin herself but decided not to when she saw how tired Stuart looked. The more


    she tried to clear herself without any proof, the more it would look like she was guilty. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t waste


    my time here,¡¯ thought Ste. She entered the car and called Keegan.


    ¡°Where are you right now?¡± Keegan asked as soon as the call connected.


    ¡°I¡¯m in the car, and I¡¯m about to go home.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go back to your ce. Your address has been doxed online. There are journalists stationed all


    around Clouditude International. You won¡¯t be able to get in.¡±


    Ste was stunned. Sheughed wryly, thinking about how much she had underestimated Be¡¯s


    influence on her huge fan base.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you a location. Ask the driver to take you there. I¡¯ll be there in a bit.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t push her,¡± Ste said softly.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°I know,¡± Keegan replied.


    ¡°But, I did kick her off the ship when we were on the cruisest time.¡±


    Keegan chuckled and whispered, ¡°I know that too.¡±


    Ste was silent for a while before she said, ¡°You mentioned that Be saved someone significant to


    you, but you didn¡¯t tell me who it was. And I won¡¯t ask you about it now, but I want to know¡­ Are you


    going to intervene if I go against Be?¡±


    Ste did not wait for Keegan to respond. Instead, she continued, ¡°If you do, at least let me do what I


    need to, and you can do what you need to afterward. I have to take my anger out on her even if I don¡¯t


    win in the end.¡±


    Hearing that, Keegan sighed and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t get in the way. I¡¯ve already paid back


    what¡¯s due to her long ago. But it¡¯s better if you keep your hands clean. I¡¯ll deal with the payback.¡±

 Chapter 1090

    Chapter 1090


    Chapter 1090


    Keegan believed in Ste¡¯s ability to deal with Be herself. However, he was worried about what it


    would do to her career. Ste had made her revenge obvious when it came to the incident regarding


    Arthur and Aurora. This was also true when she exposed Sophia¡¯s identity during an event.


    This did not matter when Ste was just a nobody. But now, she was an actor with a decent number of


    followers. The recent incident had also caused her to gain a lot of attention. Keegan was worried that


    he would be unable to deal with the aftermath if Ste handled the matter the way she did before.


    Ste closed her eyes, as she suddenly felt a little tired. ¡®I thought filming my scenes well was enough


    to fulfill my duties as an actor. But the reality is people who work hard don¡¯t get the appreciation they


    deserve. Instead, cheaters and backstabbers are the ones who get to climb to the top. Be couldn¡¯t


    push an evil narrative on me on her own, so she used the power of the inte to bring me down. But,


    framing me is just a front to drag The Pce through the mud. The exponential rise of haters in the


    comments shows that someone else is behind this.¡¯


    Ste could feel the dangers of being in the film industry for the first time ever.


    Suddenly, Shea asked, ¡°Ste, what did Zachery Jensen say to you earlier?¡± Ste came back to her


    senses.


    ¡°That dude who looked like an addict is called Zachery?¡±


    Shea was taken aback by those words. ¡®That¡¯s¡­ one way to describe him,¡¯ she thought. ¡°Zachery is a


    shareholder at Jetsun Entertainment. He¡¯s one of the people in charge of the film production in the


    company. Hees from a PR background, so he¡¯s rather sharp and brutal in his ways. He


    umted a good amount of wealth during his years in public rtions. That was when he joined


    Jetsun Entertainment and became one of the shareholders.¡±


    Shea paused for a moment and said in a low voice, ¡°He does hold another title to his name though, and


    you will understand everything once I let you in on it.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Ste asked as she was full of curiosity.


    ¡°Kelly Harper¡¯s husband,¡± Shea said in disdain.


    Ste was baffled by the answer. ¡®No wonder Kelly was signed on for tons of famous work and


    dominated the industry. Thest time I saw her on Facebook was when she was interviewed for


    creating rumors about me long ago. Kelly and Be had always had a good rtionship. The fact that


    her husband is involved in this matter makes it even more suspicious,¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°Did you know that they crossed out Kelly¡¯s name on The Pce? They even unfollowed her on their


    official ount.¡±


    Feeling surprised, Ste asked, ¡°When did that happen?¡± She had always skipped the credit rolls when


    watching a show, so she naturally did not know that someone¡¯s name was removed.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not so sure. I noticed it a few days ago and asked around to get more information. It


    seems that Daniel Wood had something to do with it. Kelly Harper¡¯s husband invested a ton of money


    into the movie to ensure a role for her. But Daniel called the shots and said that he would pull out if


    Kelly was working in the film. So, the producers had no choice but to kick her out.¡±


    Ste was unaware of this matter. Since Kelly rarely came to the set, she did not think that it was


    unusual when she did not show up at all. Now that she thought about it, it was strange that Kelly did not


    go to the wrap party.


    Shea then gave her analysis of the situation. ¡°Daniel Wood removed Kelly Harper from the crew mainly


    because of you and the former actor who yed the queen. He put a lot of effort into choosing actors fit


    for the roles. With his temper, it¡¯s no surprise that he kicked the former actor out after realizing that she


    could not do her parts well.¡±


    ¡®Knowing her, Kelly would never stand for this. This makes Zachery Jensen appearing here even more


    suspicious.¡¯

 Chapter 1091

    Chapter 1091


    Chapter 1091


    ¡®Kelly and Zachery knew that I would never post an apology statement if it wasn¡¯t from my agency. So,


    why did they make the extra effort to have me post it?¡¯ Ste thought as she clutched onto her phone.


    Keegan had sent her the address of a vi in the middle of a forest on the penins. Aldor was already


    at the door when she arrived. Cordelia had gifted Keegan the property for his 30th birthday. It was only


    renovated inte spring that year.


    Ste had chosen the renovationpany and the design for the interior with Cordelia before


    renovations took ce. However, her marriage with Keegan almost came to an end when the house


    was finished. This was her first visit since then, but Ste was not in the mood to appreciate the


    house¡¯syout.


    Aldor led Ste into the vi, and as soon as they arrived in the living room, Ste saw a huge wedding


    photo on the wall. It was the exact same picture as the one in Royalpark Vi, but this one wasrger.


    Ste was speechless when she saw the photo hanging there.


    ¡°The house was done right after New Year¡¯s, but this picture took too long. Mr. Kane initially wanted to


    live here with you since it was far from Mrs. Kane¡¯s ce. He said that it was more peaceful here,¡±


    Aldor exined.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Ste stayed quiet for a moment before she asked, ¡°Does Keegan give you a bonus every month for


    promoting the


    emotional harmony between us?¡±


    Aldor always knew how to put in a good word for Keegan, and Ste fell for it every time. ¡°No, Ma¡¯am.


    But, you can put in a request for me if you¡¯re willing,¡± the man chuckled.


    Ste did not say anything. ¡®Cheeky,¡¯ she thought as she suddenly received a call from Trevor. Trevor


    was busy setting up the scene at the hotel for their family dinner when the unfortunate incident


    happened. He left his phone to charge and only found out about the news when he saw Kaiden making


    calls left and right.


    ¡°Ste, are you okay?¡± Trevor asked anxiously when Ste picked up the phone.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Trevor. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t attend dinner tonight,¡± the woman rubbed her temples and said in a


    low voice. ¡°Please help me apologize to grandpa and grandma. I¡¯ll visit them when this whole thing


    blows over.¡±


    ¡°We can talk about dinnerter. Where are you right now? I¡¯ll arrange for someone to pick you up.


    Kaiden informed me that your personal address had been exposed. It¡¯s not safe for you to go home. I¡¯ll


    find a safe ce for you to live temporarily.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. I¡¯m in a safe ce right now where no one will find me.¡±


    Trevor had a bad feeling in his stomach when he heard that. ¡°Where are you?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m at Keegan¡¯s ce and not the one in Royalpark Vi. It¡¯s a different property; not many people


    know about it.¡±


    Ste¡¯s words left Trevor baffled. ¡®I knew it!¡¯ he thought.


    Although he was upset about it, he knew that it was not the time to argue. ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere these


    few days, and don¡¯t answer any anonymous numbers. Hand over your social media ounts to Kaiden


    or your assistant and let them handle it. I¡¯ll call you if anythinges up.¡±


    ¡°Are you not going to ask if I pushed her?¡± Ste pursed her lips and wondered.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to clear your name even if you did it,¡¯ Trevor said to himself. Afraid that his sister would be


    scared of him, he said, ¡°You¡¯re not that kind of person. Plus, doing something like that on camera would


    be too obvious. I know you¡¯re not that stupid.¡±

 Chapter 1092

    Chapter 1092


    Chapter 1092


    Ste pressed her lips together momentarily and said,¡± Thank you, Trevor. Maybe you¡¯re doing all this


    because of Keegan, but your trust in me means a lot right now.¡±


    Trevor¡¯s eyelids were twitching hard at that time. ¡®What does this have to do with that son of a bitch,


    Keegan?! I can¡¯t believe she gave him all the credit!¡¯


    Trevor almost revealed their rtionship when Ste said,¡± By the way, Zachery Jensen from Jetsun


    Entertainment showed up on set today and asked me to post an apology statement. When I refused to


    do so, he had someone snatch my phone to post it themselves. Then, I threw a cup of coffee at him. I


    feel like this is something I should share with thepany.¡±


    Ste did not regret what she did, but she could not help but think about the possible consequences of


    her actions.


    ¡°Zachery Jensen?¡± Trevor frowned. ¡°You mean the dude who looks like an addict?¡±


    Ste could not believe her ears. ¡°Yes,¡± she said.


    ¡°That piece of crap¡­¡± Trevor wanted to curse Zachery but decided to swallow his words. ¡°What¡¯s done


    is done. That guy is more thick-skinned than Keegan. If Keegan can be fine after being doused in


    coffee, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s fine too.¡±


    Ste and Aldor were both shocked at Trevor¡¯s statement.¡¯ It seems like Mr. Saun has a deep


    resentment toward Mr.


    Kane since he couldn¡¯t help berating him when he¡¯s clearly not the main issue.¡¯


    Trevor reminded Ste about what she should and should not do before hanging up the phone. As


    soon as the call was disconnected, Ste received a call from Felicity, who was worried about her.


    Ste told her best friend that she was safe and hung up after exchanging a few words.


    In her opinion, Be had already made a move, and there was no way she would just sit there and wait


    for something else to happen. After dismissing Aldor, Ste grabbed her cell phone, walked to the floor-


    to-ceiling window, and dialed a number.


    ¡°It¡¯s me. Have you looked into what I asked? Can you send me the information you got right now? It¡¯s


    urgent.


    ¡°Yup. Okay. Thanks.¡±


    Keegan told Ste that he would be at the vi in a bit, but he had many things toplete at the


    office. It was dark out when he finished. When he arrived at the house, Ste was lying alone on the


    couch, watching TV with a few bags of snacks and bottles of Coke sitting next to her.


    Seeing him return, Ste sat up from the cushion and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s my fried chicken?¡±


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Keegan was a little surprised. At first, he was worried that Ste would be depressed, overthinking the


    situation. But now, it seemed that he was the overthinker. Keegan ced the box of fried chicken on


    the coffee table and sat down next to her. Ste squatted in front of the table and opened


    the box of food. She put on her gloves to enjoy the food and said, ¡°Why are they all covered in spicy


    sauce? Where¡¯s the honey mustard-vored chicken?¡±


    ¡°They were out of honey mustard,¡± said Keegan.


    Ste reluctantly epted the answer and said, ¡°Okay then. ¡± As she took a few bites, she noticed that


    Keegan was staring at her. She brought a piece of fried chicken to his mouth and said, ¡°You want


    some?¡±


    ¡°No thanks. It¡¯s all yours,¡± Keegan shook his head and replied.


    ¡°Then, stop staring at me. You¡¯re making me stressed out here.¡±


    ¡°But, I want to learn. It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll watch you in secret.¡±


    ¡°Learn what?¡± Ste asked.


    ¡°The mentality of a person who can eat two pounds of fried chicken unfazed, even though they¡¯re in the


    midst of a crisis.


    Keegan¡¯s response left Ste speechless. ¡°I¡¯m eating to gain more strength for the war. How am I going


    to survive the next few days if I don¡¯t get some food in my system?


    Haven¡¯t you heard the saying, ¡®An army marches on its stomach¡¯?¡± She slyly argued.


    Keegan could not believe his ears. ¡®Is that how the phrase is used?¡¯ He thought. Then, Keegan stopped


    messing around with Ste, opened his briefcase, pulled out a pile of documents, and ced them in


    front of her.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Ste nced at the papers and asked.


    ¡°Everything I can find about Be since she was a child. I thought you might be able to use it.¡±


    Ste was shocked. She hurriedly took off her gloves, picked up the stack of files, sat on the couch,


    and read through them.

 Chapter 1093

    Chapter 1093


    Chapter 1093


    The documents containing Be¡¯s past included her family background and everything that happened


    to her before and after she became famous. It was much more detailed than what Detective Karl had


    sent to Ste.


    The more Ste read the files, the more rmed she became. There were many things on the record


    that were enough to make Be fall out of the entertainment industry. It was clear that Keegan had


    handed Ste a murder weapon. Even the information from a detective she paid was not as exhaustive


    as the one Keegan gave her.


    Ste felt upset when she thought about the money she had wasted. ¡°How did you find out so much


    about her?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I had to go through some unconventional means,¡± replied Keegan.


    ¡°Like?¡±


    ¡°The thing you like the most about me,¡± Keegan said in a low voice.


    ¡°Money!¡± Ste blurted out.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be this sad if you hesitated a little.¡±


    The woman could not help herself. ¡°You knew what you were going into when you said that.¡±


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Keegan went in thought for a while and said, ¡°Then, which part of my body do you like most?¡±


    Ste immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. ¡°Haven¡¯t I made it


    obvious enough?


    IV


    ¡®Oh, it¡¯s obvious alright. You clearly like my face.* Keegan thought.


    Ste was flipping through the papers when Keegan leaned over, put his arms around her waist, and


    asked in a low voice, ¡°Can I get extra points this time?¡±


    Ste was taken aback. ¡®How does he manage to switch back and forth between being a dominating


    boss and a clingy puppy?¡¯


    ¡°Are you going to take away these documents if I don¡¯t give you extra points?¡± Ste looked at Keegan


    and asked.


    ¡°Of course not. But, I¡¯ll be sad if you don¡¯t,¡± he whispered.


    Ste could not stand it when Keegan talked to her like that. There was a hint of grievance behind his


    low tone. Ste found it to be so cute that it was unbearable for her.


    Like coaxing a child, she said, ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll give you some extra points, okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be super happy if you give me 100 thousand points,¡± Keegan went ahead and said.


    Ste immediately closed the file and returned it to him, pretending to get up. Keegan hurriedly pulled


    her back and said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you room for negotiation. Don¡¯t just up and leave like this.¡±


    Ste opened her mouth, ¡°I¡¯ll give you ten thousand points.¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    The woman was speechless. What she thought was a good bargain on her side was a better one on


    Keegan¡¯s side. Keegan had deliberately given her arge number, knowing he would get a good deal


    even if the points were reduced to 10%. ¡®I really shouldn¡¯t have taught him this tactic!¡¯


    Ste was expecting updates regarding Be¡¯s condition that evening. However, there was still no


    news in the early morning hours. It was reasonable to say that the studio would have provided a


    statement to reassure the fans, but nothing happened all night from Be¡¯s side.


    The only update they got was a photo of Be on Elegant Media¡¯s official ount around 11:00 p.m.,


    saying that she is fine for the time being. The update was supposed to give the fans peace of mind, but


    netizens were not impressed.


    [Yo, you¡¯re still alive?]


    [She¡¯s fine? Be has had four stitches on her forehead, and it looks like she broke her leg. How is this


    ¡°fine¡±?]


    [It¡¯s been eight hours since the ident, and all you guys coulde up with for us is this? What


    about Ste Jewell? How are you guys dealing with the person who pushed Be down the stairs?


    Where is her apology? Are you guys turning a blind eye? Is this a cover-up?]

 Chapter 1094

    Chapter 1094


    Chapter 1094


    [What a shittypany. No one would know about you if it wasn¡¯t for Be. Is this how you treat your


    main actors?]


    [Why don¡¯t you have Stee out and make a statement as justice for Be, instead of just trying to


    take down the trending searches?!]


    [Don¡¯t be mistaken, people. This is an intentional assault. It¡¯s a case of murder and not something an


    apology can fix.)


    [#TheShittyPce #SteJewellisACriminal # TakeDownThePce]


    Not only did Be¡¯s fans leave meanments on the official page of The Pce, but they also went


    on IMDb to give the show a one-star rating. The film initially received a rating of 8.9 stars, dropping to


    8.1 stars overnight and still decreasing by the minute. The ratings for thetest episode releases were


    also affected to a certain degree. In a way, Be¡¯s goal was considered halfway done.


    ¡°Stop looking at thements.¡± Keegan took Ste¡¯s phone away from her and said in a low voice,


    ¡°Go to bed.¡±


    Ste rolled over and curled up in his arms as she whispered, ¡°What do you want to eat tomorrow? I¡¯ll


    make it for you.¡±


    Keegan was confused. ¡°Did thosements do something to your brain?¡±


    Ste hit his arm and said, turning her back toward him, ¡°I felt sorry because you¡¯re doing so much for


    me, yet you don¡¯t appreciate my efforts. Forget it. I¡¯m not cooking anymore.¡±


    Keegan moved closer and hugged Ste from behind as he said, ¡°You can cook whatever you want if


    you¡¯re bored. I¡¯ll eat anything you make.¡±


    ¡°How about a seafood stew? Great-grandpa taught me how to make itst time, and it tastes so good.


    I¡¯ll also grill up a steak on the side. How does that sound?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s guts churned as soon as he heard her mention seafood stew. ¡°How about something else?¡±


    he asked in a low voice. Ste knew what he was thinking at that moment. Everyone except for Keegan


    was fine after eating the seafood stew thest time they cooked it. He had to go on a toilet run multiple


    times that night.


    ¡°I think the crabs weren¡¯t fresh enough. This time, I¡¯ll buy fresh ones at the supermarket. I¡¯m sure you


    won¡¯t get diarrhea,¡± Ste chuckled.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Keegan said reluctantly. ¡®It would be insensitive to be picky right now since she¡¯d already


    offered to make me something,¡¯ he thought as Ste leaned into his arms and fell asleep shortly after.


    At the Hall residence, Mr. Hall Sr. was excited to meet his granddaughter, but he became anxious when


    he got the news that she would not being that day. ¡°What happened? Doesn¡¯t she want to meet


    us?¡± Mrs. Hall Sr. asked apprehensively.


    ¡°I told you not to rush things with her. Now look at what you have done. You scared her,¡± said Mr. Hall


    Sr.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that, grandpa. Something came up at work, and she couldn¡¯te,¡± Trevor said, not intending


    to tell the old man what had actually happened to Ste. It was hard for him to exin everything since


    the old couple knew little about the inte. ¡®There¡¯s no need for them to worry,¡¯ he thought.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you her boss? Don¡¯t you arrange all her work? Just push things off.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a sudden request from the crew. I have no control over it. Don¡¯t worry. You will meet her sooner or


    later since the two of you are here. There¡¯s no need to hurry,¡± Trevor lied.


    Mr. Hall Sr. was not happy with his answer. ¡°How can we rx when it¡¯s been more than 20 years?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, dear. Young people tend to focus on their careers. Let¡¯s try to be more understanding,¡± said


    Mrs. Hall Sr.


    Trevor breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Mrs. Hall Sr. was being reasonable. That was when


    she suddenly said, ¡°If she can¡¯te to us, Trevor, we can go to her. Where¡¯s Ste filming? You can


    take us there tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 1095

    Chapter 1095


    Chapter 1095


    Mrs. Hall Sr.¡¯s words left Trevor speechless. ¡¯People are working there, grandma. We can¡¯t juste


    and go as we please,¡± he lied.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Mr. Hall Sr. frowned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the boss? Can¡¯t you take us there tomorrow? What kind of


    boss are you?¡±


    Trevor did not know what to reply. Seeing that her grandson could not speak, despite usually being


    eloquent, Mrs. Hall Sr. sensed that something was wrong. ¡°Tell me the truth, Trevor. Did something


    happen to Ste?¡± she solemnly asked.


    Trevor opened his mouth, but no words came out. His uncle and aunt were on the sidelines, and their


    faces did not look so good. Meanwhile, Wenham¡¯s expression looked even worse.


    In the end, the old couple could not take it anymore. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Ste? What happened? Why


    are you all hiding the truth from us?!¡± Mr. Hall Sr. said in a trembling manner.


    ¡°Mom, dad, Ste is fine. She¡¯s fine. She just encountered something at work, got tangled up, and


    couldn¡¯t show up.¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    After some careful questioning, the old couple found out about what happened to Ste on set. They


    were angry and distressed when they heard the news. Knowing that their granddaughter had been


    wrongly used, they could not help but turn to Wenham andin, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that


    you have everything under control? How could something like this happen under your watch? Ste is


    clearly being framed here. Why has no onee forward and clear things up? Why is she


    reprimanded for something she didn¡¯t do?¡±


    Ashamed, Wenham stood there and continued being lectured by his parents. The old couple had


    treated him indifferently ever since he remarried after his ex-wife died. This was especially true for Mr.


    Hall Sr., who would get annoyed from just looking at Wenham for too long.


    Wenham tried to mend his rtionship with his parents over the years, but it never worked. When he


    learned that his youngest daughter was alive, he invited them over. First, it was to meet her, and


    second, to fix their rtionship. He did not expect the scandal to happen before the meeting took ce.


    Trevor could not bear to see Wenham being scolded by his elders at his age. So, he said in a low


    voice, ¡°No one wanted this to happen. Thepany is trying its best to coordinate the next steps.


    Ste is safe right now. There¡¯s no need to worry.¡±


    ¡°How are we supposed to be at ease if we can¡¯t even see her?¡± Mrs. Hall Sr. sighed.


    Trevor thought about it, took out his phone, and sent a text to Keegan. Right after Keegan had put


    Ste to sleep, he noticed that his phone was vibrating, and he grabbed it to see Trevor¡¯s message.


    [How¡¯s Ste?]


    [She just fell asleep.]


    ¡®Should I ask if they¡¯re sleeping together or in separate beds? Ugh. On second thought, that¡¯s a load of


    crap. Keegan had gone through a lot of trouble to get her there. There¡¯s no way he¡¯s going to keep


    things PG13. Then again, it¡¯s not the time to settle scores right now¡­¡¯


    [Take a few pictures of her and send them to me.]


    [What for?]


    [Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t know!] Trevor was not blind to Keegan¡¯s change in attitude. He must have


    known about my connection to Ste. Otherwise, he would¡¯ve fought me a long time ago.¡¯


    [My grandparents need to see that she¡¯s okay to feel at ease. So, hurry up and take the pictures. If you


    don¡¯t, I¡¯ll go over there to fetch her.]


    Keegan sneered when he saw the message. He then took several pictures of Ste sleeping and sent


    them to Trevor. [ Say hello to grandpa and grandma for me, brother-inw.]


    Trevor got goosebumps when he saw thest word. [Don¡¯t boast. None of us see you as part of this


    family.]


    Keegan did not reply.

 Chapter 1096

    Chapter 1096


    Chapter 1096


    Trevor quickly showed the pictures of Ste sleeping that Keegan took to Mr. and Mrs. Hall Sr. ¡°Look,


    she¡¯s asleep. You can stop worrying now,¡± he said.


    Mrs. Hall Sr. grabbed the phone and looked at the person in the picture lovingly. Mr. Hall Sr. tried to


    squeeze his way in to see the photo and said,¡± Hey, let me see!¡±


    ¡°Why do I feel that she has be much thinner? Her cheekbones are higher, and her face looks


    smaller than before.¡±


    ¡°I think so too. Herplexion doesn¡¯t look too well.¡±


    ¡°Oh, the poor thing¡­¡±


    Trevor¡¯s eyelids twitched when he heard that. ¡®Isn¡¯t herplexion a little off because Keegan has a


    warm light on?¡¯


    The couple could not get enough of the photos until they realized something. ¡®Trevor, who took these


    pictures if Ste is asleep?¡± Mrs. Hall Sr. asked.


    ¡°Her assistant,¡± Trevor answered with a straight face.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Mr. Hall Sr. held the phone farther away and stared at the picture for a long time before he


    said, ¡°Why do I see what looks like a men¡¯s belt on the bedside table?¡±


    ¡°You must be mistaken, grandpa,¡± replied Trevor. ¡°That¡¯s a choker. It¡¯s a type of ne that young


    women often wear nowadays. They¡¯re usually made ofce, cloth, and sometimes, leather.¡±


    ¡°A leather ne? Isn¡¯t that the same as a dog cor?¡± Mrs. Hall Sr. frowned.


    ¡°Grandma, you don¡¯t get it. It¡¯s a fashion trend. It¡¯s simr to when overcoats were popr during your


    generation. Many young people wear them.¡±


    The old couple found it strange that the younger generation would put on leather cors around their


    neck. But, as soon as they reminded themselves about their precious granddaughter, they said, ¡°Ste


    looks good in anything.¡±


    Wenham stayed silent. ¡®This boy¡¯s bluffs are rather useful for once. Mom and Dad keep getting fooled.¡¯


    After appeasing the two elders, Trevor left and drove home with Wenham. While they were on their


    way, Wenham asked, ¡¯How¡¯s the actor who fell and hurt herself? Why is there still no news about her?


    You should quickly ask her to rify the situation.¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take care of it,¡± said Trevor as he steered the wheel.


    ¡°How are you going to do that?¡± Wenham understood Trevor¡¯s temper. With a serious face, he said,


    ¡°Don¡¯t act foolishly, son. We¡¯re not overseas.


    Remember to do everything ording to thew of this country.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? When have I done anything illegal?¡¯ Trevor said in disdain.


    ¡°Have you forgotten what you did while you were underage?¡¯


    Trevor chuckled at the sound of those words. ¡°I was just trying to scare those guys. Who knew they¡¯d


    be such cowards?¡±


    ¡°This matter involves Ste. I don¡¯t care how you handle it as long as it¡¯s reasonable and legal in the


    court ofw. It¡¯s important you don¡¯t tarnish your reputation while clearing her name. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Oh. Have I gotten an upgrade? Am I on par with your daughter now?¡± Trevor teased.


    Wenham then grunted, ¡¯I¡¯m just scared that you¡¯d drag me down in the process.¡¯


    Trevorughed and did not say anything else.

 Chapter 1097

    Chapter 1097


    Chapter 1097


    Darcie came out with a coat when she heard the sound of the car engine arriving at the house.


    Wenham had gotten out of the car and was holding the door as he spoke to the person inside. At the


    same time, Darcie called out to him.


    Wenham turned his head around and said, ¡°Why are you still awake?¡±


    Darcie walked over, put the coat over his shoulders, and said in a soft voice, ¡°I couldn¡¯t fall asleep


    without you here. How was it? Did all of you have a good talk?¡±


    Wenham vaguely responded to her questions as he turned to Trevor and said, ¡°Pay attention to the


    road and drive safely.¡±


    Before Trevor could reply, Darcie said, ¡°It¡¯s veryte. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to stay for the night?


    I¡¯ll have the guest room cleaned up for you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Darcie. I have some work at thepany, and I have to go there for a sec. You two should


    get some rest.¡±


    ¡°You have work at this time of the night?¡± Darcie sighed.¡± Alright then. Take care and be safe. If you


    ever need anything, juste here, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Trevor replied with a smile. However, when he pulled up the windows, his smile faded away. ¡®I¡¯ll


    have the guest room cleaned up,¡¯ he mocked in his heart, and his gaze gradually turned cold.


    After Trevor had left, Darcie gently rubbed her arms.


    Wenham took off his coat and put it over her shoulders. ¡° Let¡¯s head inside. It¡¯s cold out here.¡±


    Jaylene was on her phone in the living room at that time. As soon as they entered the house, Darcie


    called for Jaylene, and she stood up. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re back,¡± she said.


    Wenham was a little surprised that her daughter was still up. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you in bed? It¡¯ste.¡±


    ¡°Mom was worried about you and refused to sleep, so I apanied her. I had a short nap while we


    waited, but Mom didn¡¯t even blink.¡±


    Wenham felt sorry for keeping them waiting. ¡°I told you to go to bed without me since I woulde


    homete. Why didn¡¯t you listen?¡±


    Darcie lowered her head and smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to


    Jaylene. I was watching TV. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t sleep.¡±


    ¡°No, dad. Remember the time you almost got into an ident on your way home a few years ago?


    Since then, Mom has always waited for you toe home before she goes to sleep. I¡¯ve seen it with


    my own eyes. She turns off the bedroom lights only when your car arrives.¡±


    ¡°You kids are so annoying nowadays,¡± Darcie snapped.


    Jaylene shrugged and said, ¡°Well, you¡¯re the one who asked me to stay up with you.¡± When she said


    that, her phone vibrated. She looked at her phone, picked it up, and stated,¡± I¡¯m going to bed now.¡±


    Wenham had mixed feelings about the situation. After a long time, he said, ¡®Til call or text next time


    when I¡¯m on the road. You should rest earlier. There¡¯s no need to wait for me.


    Darcie smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m used to it. I can¡¯t lose to Freesia. I don¡¯t like beingpared, and I don¡¯t


    like losing to her when ites to you.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Wenham paused and pursed his lips. ¡°You¡¯re different in your own ways. No one¡¯sparing the two


    of you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to rece her, nor do I want you to forget her. On the contrary, I appreciate her and


    cherish everything I have now. I wouldn¡¯t have met you if it wasn¡¯t for her.¡± Darcie paused before she


    continued, ¡°I know your dad and the others have their opinions about me. But I really want to meet


    them and do my filial duties.¡±


    Wenham sighed. ¡°They don¡¯t have a problem with you. They have a problem with me, but things are


    better now. After they meet the child, she¡¯s going to be the lubricant in the family. I¡¯ll take you to


    meet my parents once our rtionship is restored.¡±


    ¡°Child? What child?¡±

 Chapter 1098

    Chapter 1098


    Chapter 1098


    Wenham realized that he had slipped his tongue, but after thinking about it, he decided not to hide the


    truth anymore. He told Darcie everything about Ste right then and there.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying the child Freesia had given birth to is still alive, and Ste¡¯s the child?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Wenham said with emotion. ¡°What a coincidence, right? Ste saved Jaylene when she had that


    asthma attack. Trevor got to know her when he went to her ce to thank her. After doing a DNA test,


    he confirmed her identity. It feels like God had nned this and returned her to me after twenty-five


    years.¡±


    ¡°When I first saw Ste, I noticed that her eyebrows looked simr to Freesia¡¯s. I was surprised by how


    much she looked like her. It all makes sense now,¡± Dahlia imed. She paused for a moment and


    suddenly said, ¡°By the way, didn¡¯t the doctors say that the child died of suffocation because the


    umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck? Whose baby was buried if Ste¡¯s alive and well? How


    could the hospital make a mistake like this?¡±


    Wenham¡¯s face turned cold when Darcie mentioned that. ¡°I think it¡¯s Rainee Spade¡¯s child. But she¡¯s


    gone now. There¡¯s no need to do a DNA test anymore. As for the mix-up, Trevor is still looking into the


    matter. Some of the doctors and nurses who delivered the baby back then have emigrated out of the


    country. At the same time, the whereabouts of some of them are unknown. They¡¯re clearly covering


    something up. Everything will be revealed when we find them.¡±


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Darcie pursed her lips, and after a long time, she said, ¡°Well, at least the child is alive and healthy. It¡¯s a


    constion for Freesia and your family. They can finally ease their pain of losing the child.¡±


    Wenham thought about something, and his lips curved upward. There was tenderness between his


    eyebrows. ¡°In the end, she still won the bet. Our daughter does look like her.¡±


    Darcie clenched her fingers and said with a smile, ¡°She¡¯s as gorgeous as her mother.¡±


    Meanwhile, the news about Ste pushing another actor down the stairs continued to fester. Be


    initially thought Keegan would not be able to sit still and would find someone to negotiate with her.


    Although her goal was to take The Pce off the shelves, she would likely make a deal with Keegan if


    he took the initiative to discuss the terms. After all, none of the bosses Be had dealt with over the


    years had been as generous as Keegan. Td be stupid to reject his proposal if he could provide me with


    top resources like he did before,¡¯ she thought.


    However, Be was wrong about Keegan making a deal with her. The man did not make a move at all


    for the whole night. The only visits she got were from the people in Elegant Media. However, Be


    refused to see them by stating that she was not feeling well.


    She knew that they were not there to support her but to have her post a statement to clear up Ste¡¯s


    name. She also knew that if she did that, there would be no turning back. If Be cleared up everything


    that had happened, thepany would either reduce her screen time or cut her out of the film


    completely. So, to her, she had to take the sinister path no matter what. This meant that Be had to


    frame Ste all the way and take The Pce down with her.


    At 7:00 a.m. the next day, an online interview with Be went viral. Felicity was still asleep at that time


    but was woken up by texts from the group chat. She hurriedly clicked on one of the links, but her


    mobile data was not working. This was a major problem since she did not have Wi-Fi. ¡®My datawork


    has always been fine. Why is this happening now?¡¯


    Felicity¡¯s data limit had reached its limit that month. Not wanting to turn on the roaming option on her


    phone, she slipped on her shoes and went to Vermont¡¯s ce to use his Wi-Fi.


    Felicity entered the password to the apartment and ran toward the study to switch on the router. Even


    though Vermont seemed like someone who did not have a healthy lifestyle, he cherished his life very


    well. He would turn off the router every night before bed just to avoid the chances of radiation.

 Chapter 1099

    Chapter 1099


    Chapter 1099


    Felicity often argued with Vermont that the whole building uses Wi-Fi and that he would still get


    radiation even if he turned off his router. After some time, Felicity was able to connect to the inte.


    She hastily clicked on the video and saw it was a media interview with Be.


    In the video, Be was lying on a hospital bed with gauze around her head, looking pale and weak. The


    reporter asked about her condition, and she told them everything while not forgetting to stare at the


    screen and ask for prayers.


    After exchanging pleasantries, the interviewer went down to business. The questions were


    straightforward. ¡°Be, it is rumored that you fell down the stairs because an actor you were working


    with pushed you. Is that true?¡±


    Be stayed quiet for a few seconds and said, ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t exactly remember what happened. I


    was following the director¡¯s orders, and suddenly, I felt a force pushing me on my shoulder. I couldn¡¯t


    keep my bnce and fell, but I don¡¯t think Ste would shove me on purpose.


    ¡°You know, actors must have a sense of control in force and direction during scenes like this. One


    wrong move, and everything changes. I think Ste just didn¡¯t have good control over her force. This


    doesn¡¯t mean that she did it deliberately. I mean, she has no reason to do so.¡¯


    ¡°It is known that she sued your fans for defamation. Do you think she¡¯s still holding onto this grudge


    and is hurting you to anger your fans?¡±


    Be pondered the question for a while before she said, ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­ My fans are young and don¡¯t


    know what they¡¯re saying sometimes. They gave an apology and were punished ordingly. My


    assistant contacted the people who were sued, and they told us that they regretted their choices and


    learned their lesson. One of them suffered a lot of stress from this incident and began to cut herself.


    She waster diagnosed with moderate depression.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it if Ste pushed me for this reason. It was my fault for not managing my fans well till the point


    where they caused her trouble.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    However, I don¡¯t think she had any ill intentions. She treated me rather well when we were filming the


    movie.¡±


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Felicity could not help but curse. ¡®I knew this bitch was up to no good when she epted this


    interview. They portrayed Ste as this narrow-minded and vindictive person! She said she believed


    Ste didn¡¯t do it on purpose, but she keeps directing her answers back to her! She might as well just


    say she did it. Theizens like to do their own detective work by extracting clues from every word and


    convicting people in the end.¡¯


    Felicity went on Facebook, and sure enough, the people berated Ste and asked her toe forward


    with an apology. Even more horrendous was an audio clip with Ste¡¯s voice spreading on the inte


    shortly after the interview was released.


    In the audio, a man was asking Ste to issue an apology, but she refused.


    [I¡¯m not apologizing. She deserves the broken leg.]


    Felicity listened to the audio over and over again. ¡°You idiot!¡± she cursed.


    Just then, the door to the study room opened, and Vermont stood naked at the doorway.

 Chapter 1100

    Chapter 1100


    Chapter 1100


    Felicity screamed in fright. She grabbed an object nearby and threw it at Vermont. ¡°You pervert!¡± she


    yelled.


    Vermont panicked and watched as a bottle of ink grazed past his crotch through the opening in


    between his legs and shattered into pieces as it hit the ground. That was when he broke out in cold


    sweat, thinking, ¡®My junk would actually be dysfunctional if that thing had hit me in the crotch.¡¯


    Seeing Vermont just standing there, Felicity gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Go get dressed, you mutt!¡±


    Topless still, he had put on his pants by the time he reappeared.


    Felicity was sitting at the desk, staring at her phone with a bitter look on her face. Vermont put a cup of


    coffee on the table and leaned over. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything when you came in? I thought a


    burr broke into my apartment.¡±


    ¡°You thought there was a burr and decided to confront them without any clothes on?¡±


    Vermontughed. ¡°I mean¡­ They could¡¯ve been a woman. I could seduce her and prevent her from


    trying to rob me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really something,¡± said Felicity in disgust.


    Hearing that, Vermont chuckled. He did not mean to scare her. He usually slept without any clothes on


    and was about to wash up when he heard someone in his study. He thought that it was strange, so he


    opened the door to see what was going on.


    Even though Felicity did ask him to put on some clothes, he was not wearing a shirt on purpose. ¡®Men


    and women are the same. They tend to fall for lust. Felicity first fell for Corbin because of his abs. I


    doubt I would lose to that man in terms of looks. She¡¯d definitely fall for me now,¡¯ thought Vermont.


    However, Felicity clearly did not pay much attention to Vermont. Afterining about him, she went


    back to looking at her phone. ¡®Am I losing to an electronic device right now?¡¯ Vermont leaned over the


    table and asked in a low voice, ¡°Why do you seem so serious? What are you looking at?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s that bitch, Mistress Young. She gave an interview about the incident and kept hinting that Ste


    pushed her for revenge,¡± Felicity gritted her teeth and said.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to get mad. She has no evidence. I don¡¯t think theizens would believe her.¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°If only that was true. Listen to this,¡± Felicity said as she yed the audio clip she had just heard earlier.


    [I¡¯m not apologizing. She deserves the broken leg.]


    Vermont was stunned. ¡°Ste said that?¡±


    While gritting her teeth, Felicity replied, ¡°That is Ste¡¯s voice, alright. But the audio is edited. I¡¯ve


    listened to it a dozen times and could tell that at least some parts were cut out. Someone had set up a


    trap and tricked Ste into saying those words. They then edited the clip and created this audio.¡±


    Vermont listened to the recording again and realized that there were slight pauses between the lines. It


    was professionally edited, making it hard for those who were not in the editing field to notice the cuts


    and stitches.

 Chapter 1101

    Chapter 1101


    Chapter 1101


    Be portrayed herself as kind and generous during the interview by not saying anything bad about


    Ste. This created a problem when an audio clip of Ste saying Be deserved what happened to


    her went viral online.


    Theizens were enraged and began to side with Be. They all started to curse Ste and told her


    that her morals were messed up while demanding that she be removed and boycotted from the film


    industry.


    ¡°Mistress Young is such a virus! Look at her fans. It¡¯s like they¡¯re in a cult!¡± Felicity red at Vermont


    and said, ¡°This is all your fault! If you hadn¡¯t taken Be into yourpany and pushed her to the


    public, she wouldn¡¯t be so in her head! Why did you have to pick her out of so many talented and


    beautiful actors?! Are you freaking blind?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s eyelids twitched, and he immediately dumped the me on his best friend, ¡°I swear it wasn¡¯t


    me. Keegan was the one who helped her obtain the resources she needed to climb up the industry. He


    just used thepany as a cover-up. I wasn¡¯t about to get involved in this mess. I didn¡¯t even take any


    action when Be got into some online drama.¡±


    Felicity gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I knew Keegan was having an affair with Be Young! Otherwise,


    why would he do so much to boost her career? Thank God Ste divorced him. That piece of shit


    doesn¡¯t deserve to be in a happy


    marriage.¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t know how to cherish what he has because there¡¯s nothing bad going on in his life,¡±


    Vermont chimed in.


    Felicity turned to re at him and said, ¡°You¡¯re no saint either. You knew about Keegan¡¯s affair, yet you


    helped him hide the truth! People like you are worse than cheaters like him.¡±


    Vermont was speechless. In order to clear his name, he had no choice but toe up with an excuse.


    ¡°Keegan was only doing it for the money. He never had an affair with Be. I assure you; I would be the


    first to stand up against him if he ever disrespects Ste.¡±


    Felicity snorted and said, ¡°Lend me yourptop for a while.¡±


    ¡°What for?¡±


    ¡°I want to dissect the audio. I can¡¯t just let them frame Ste like this.¡±


    Vermont turned on hisptop and pushed it in front of Felicity. After thinking about it, he could not help


    but say sourly, ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being too kind? I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re trying to fix her image this


    early in the morning.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because Ste is kind to me¡­ When I faced financial problems during my college years and


    needed the money to eat, Ste was the one who helped me. When I lost my test slip during one of my


    finals, she was the one who printed it out and rushed to the exam hall to give it to me.¡±


    Vermont paused. ¡°Didn¡¯t she have to take the test?¡±


    After a long time, Felicity pursed her lips and said, ¡°She passed the test during the first semester of


    sophomore year. I, on the other hand, only passed the test after taking it four times.¡±


    Vermont suppressed hisughter. ¡°I bet she was there tough at your face.¡±


    Felicity red at him and said, ¡°Not everyone is as evil as you.¡±


    Hearing that, Vermont could not help but ruffle her hair.¡± Why did you have financial issues during


    college? Did your family control your expenses?¡±


    ¡®I got into an argument with my mom and had my card suspended, which made me give in after one


    month,¡¯ Felicity said in her heart. She decided that it would be embarrassing to tell Vermont about it, so


    she came up with something else. ¡°My parents aren¡¯t rich, you know. The fact that I was able to go to


    college was a blessing. That¡¯s why they didn¡¯t give me much for my allowance.¡±


    ¡°Wait. Your parents aren¡¯t rich?¡± Vermont had never heard Felicity mention her family before.


    ¡°Would I be buying things on Temu if they were?¡± Felicity bluffed. ¡°The good thing is I¡¯m working now.


    Although I don¡¯t have a fancy job, I can still care for myself. Plus, I¡¯m getting a new job soon. Maybe I


    can be a famous author or be a popr screenwriter. That way, my mom can be


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    impressed with me when I visit.¡±


    Seeing Felicity¡¯s optimism, Vermont unconsciously bit his lower lips and joked, ¡°You can go home now.


    Even though you can¡¯t brag about your career yet, you can brag about how awesome your boyfriend is.


    I mean, do you know how many assets I own?¡±

 Chapter 1102

    Chapter 1102


    Chapter 1102


    Felicity wanted to ask Vermont when he became her boyfriend, but when she heard about the assets,


    she immediately became curious and asked, ¡°How many do you own, exactly?¡±


    Vermont shrugged and calmly replied, ¡°Around ten figures.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Felicity said with disinterest. ¡°That¡¯s average?


    Vermont was puzzled. ¡°Average?¡±


    ¡®An unemployed person is saying that my ten-figure assets are average? Is she so used to being poor


    that she has no concept of money?¡¯


    Just as he was about to exin how much ten figures of assets were, Felicity said, ¡°There¡¯s quite a


    difference between Keegan¡¯s assets and yours. Before the divorce, Keegan told Ste that he would


    give her a billion dors, which is ten figures, yet you only own ten figures?¡±


    This left Vermont speechless. ¡°I¡¯m only talking about real estate and liquid assets. I haven¡¯t included


    any stocks or investments yet!¡± he argued.


    ¡°Is your total as much as Keegan¡¯s, then?¡±


    Vermont went quiet. He then gritted his teeth and defended himself. ¡°I started my business from scratch


    while Keegan had the wealth of his family.¡±


    Hearing that, Felicity nodded. ¡°Your family¡¯s financials aren¡¯tparable to Keegan¡¯s, yet he¡¯s still


    friends with you.


    Hmm. This makes him seem rather easygoing, huh? And, I thought the rich discriminated against those


    who weren¡¯t from the same ss as them.¡±


    Vermont was taken aback by Felicity¡¯s words. ¡®How is he getting the praise when I literally started from


    the ground up? ¡® he thought. ¡®I guess having a great friend isn¡¯t always a good thing, especially when


    your crush keepsparing the two of you.¡¯


    Felicity quickly pointed out the cuts and edits that were made in the audio, attached a description, and


    sent the newly processed clip to a few of her friends who had a following on Facebook. She also asked


    them to help spread the word. However, all of them brushed off the idea of posting something like that,


    as they feared that they would be boycotted. They advised her to wait until everything subsided before


    making such a post.


    ¡®We have to take advantage of the situation and try to clear Ste¡¯s name before the trend dies down.


    Who would care about the audio when they¡¯ve already pinned her as the perpetrator if we wait?¡¯


    Felicity was getting anxious as she tried to convince her friends to help her.


    Vermont saw how desperate she was. He reached out to grab her phone and deleted those people


    from her friend list one by one. Felicity¡¯s face changed when she realized what he had done. She got


    up, snatched her phone back, and angrily said, ¡°Why did you remove my friends?!¡±


    ¡°You call those friends?¡± Vermont¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°They¡¯re


    marketing ounts, yet they don¡¯t know what¡¯s the best time to make some noise? There¡¯s only one


    reason for their excuses. I bet they received some sort of payment from the other party. That¡¯s why


    they¡¯re not willing to help you release the audio.¡±


    Felicity was stunned after hearing Vermont¡¯s prediction. ¡°I only know these people. I don¡¯t know who to


    ask for help anymore. Plus, I¡¯ve helped them before. Maybe they¡¯ll open up their hearts if I beg.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t pin your hopes on other people¡¯s sympathy. Sympathy is worthless when there¡¯s money


    involved,¡± Vermont said while he showed her a number. ¡°Add this person on WhatsApp and send the


    video to him. You can send him any follow-ups if you want. He¡¯ll help you deal with it.¡±


    Felicity clicked on the person¡¯s profile and saw that he was called ¡°S¡¯. He had a picture of a golden


    retriever with a flower in its mouth as his profile picture. ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yosef Yarden.¡±


    Felicity was shocked when she heard that name. ¡®The top PR manager in the industry?! He has


    handled so many cases regarding public rtions!¡¯


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    A few years ago, a celebrity came out to clear things up about an illegitimate child. Yosef was the one


    who suggesteding out to the public while there was an ongoing case about another celebrity who


    allegedly abused and abandoned their child. Theizens praised the star who had the illegitimate


    child for taking responsibility rather


    than just abandoning the kid. Soon, it became a multimillion dor PR case, and Yosef Yarden rose to


    fame.


    Since he did notck wealth, one would need to have the right connections to get in touch with a PR


    manager like him. Ste¡¯s situation was a piece of cakepared to the cases that Yosef had dealt


    with before. This meant that Felicity would not have to beg her so-called friends to help her out.


    Felicity was excited. ¡°D-Do you think he would ept my request?¡±

 Chapter 1103

    Chapter 1103


    Chapter 1103


    Vermont nced at Felicity and said, ¡°Not if you use your name. But, if you say that you¡¯re my


    girlfriend, I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t refuse.¡± The man paused for a moment before proudly saying, ¡°No one


    would dare go against me in this industry.¡±


    Felicity immediately added Yosef¡¯s number on WhatsApp and let him know that she was Vermont¡¯s


    partner. Vermont smirked and the smile in his eyes would not fade away. Sure enough, Yosef


    responded to her within seconds. Before she could say anything, he asked, [Are you really Vermont


    Snyder¡¯s girlfriend?]


    [Yeah. I am.]


    [Prove it.]


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicity was confused. [How?] she asked.


    [Send me a pic of you two kissing.]


    Yosefs request left Felicity speechless.


    [He¡¯s next to me right now. I can send you a video.]


    [Sure. Kissing on tape is fine.]


    [Why would I lie about being together with Vermont? I can have him tell you on video.]


    [No. Vermont has a record. He asked me to help out a male artist before, saying that it was his


    boyfriend, when in fact it was just an artist from hispany. He tricked me into helping him so that he


    wouldn¡¯t have to pay me.]


    Felicity red at the person beside her with a dark look on her face. Vermont coughed and exined,


    ¡°His fee starts at six figures, but friends and family get his service for free.¡±


    With Yosefs level of defensiveness, it was obvious that Vermont had fooled him more than once. ¡°I


    want to kill you,¡± said Felicity as the corners of her mouth twitched.


    Soon, Yosef sent another text. [I¡¯ll give you five minutes to send me a video or pic. I¡¯m not going to


    respond once the time is up.]


    Felicity had a hard time figuring out what to do when her best friend and her integrity were on the line.


    ¡®Ah, whatever. It¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t kissed him before. I guess a picture would be fine. As for the


    camera position¡­¡¯ Felicity held up her phone and turned on the camera. She looked at Vermont as she


    blushed and said, ¡°He wont help if you don¡¯t do this with me.¡±


    ¡°Do what?¡± Vermont asked calmly.


    ¡°Bend over.¡±


    Vermont bent over slightly. Since Felicity was not tall enough, she had to stand on her toes. She put the


    phone in front of them and tried to find a good angle. Vermont looked at the woman who had her lips all


    over his face and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to find a good angle that would make it look like the real thing,¡± said Felicity, not looking


    away from the camera.


    ¡®She¡¯s trying to fake this? No way am I going to let her do that!¡¯ Vermont thought as he suddenly


    grabbed her chin and kissed her on the lips.


    Felicity¡¯s eyes widened when that happened. Vermont had taken her by surprise. The woman stood


    there stiffly without pushing him away. Her calves could not help but tremble at the tingling sensation


    she was feeling. Vermont saw how dumbfounded she looked, and his heart melted. While he was


    kissing her, he reached out to grab her phone and pressed the shutter button.

 Chapter 1104

    Chapter 1104


    Chapter 1104


    After taking the picture, Vermont let go of the person in his arms. Without saying a word, he nuzzled his


    nose against the tip of the other party¡¯s nose and said, ¡°Let¡¯s see how the picture went.¡±


    Felicity returned to her senses and hurriedly backed away. She wiped her lips and went through her


    phone with shaky hands. Her earlobes were so red that it looked like they were bleeding. She usually


    had a lot to say, but at that moment, she did not dare to look at Vermont¡¯s face.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Vermont quickly leaned over to see the finished product with Felicity in a serious manner. ¡°What? Is it


    blurry?¡±


    Felicity almost threw her phone in shock when Vermont¡¯s voice sounded in her ears. The photo they


    took was not blurry, but since Vermont was moving a lot, the picture seemed a little ambiguous.


    The man in the picture was shirtless, showing off his indescribably sexy muscr body. At the same


    time, Felicity was in a tank top and a pair of shorts with Vermont¡¯s arms around her waist as they


    kissed.


    Vermont looked at her with affection. She looked very petite and innocent, especially since they had


    quite a height difference. This was the first time Felicity felt small in a good way. Hearing the man¡¯s low


    voice, she backed up a little and rubbed her burning ears. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± she said.


    ¡°Should we take another one? Yosef is rather picky. I¡¯m afraid he wouldn¡¯t let it slide,¡± Vermont tried to


    persuade her.


    Felicity paused and gave him an odd look. Vermont realized that he was being too obvious. ¡°He¡¯s a


    compulsive man. He probably wouldn¡¯t like the picture.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we try sending it first?¡± Felicity whispered as she sent Yosef the photo. He then immediately


    approved it and asked her about the situation. Felicity hurriedly told him everything and sent all the


    evidence she had on hand, including the processed audio. After Yosef received the information, he told


    her that he would update her soon.


    Felicity was not really familiar with the other party and decided that it would not be good on her part to


    rush him. So, she turned to Vermont and said, ¡°Can you tell him to work on Ste¡¯s case first?¡±


    Vermont agreed without spewing any nonsense. Felicity went silent again after that. She was usually a


    chatterbox, but no words coulde out of her mouth at that moment. Whenever she looked at


    Vermont, she would get inexplicably awkward and ufortable because she would think about the


    strange kiss they had shared earlier.


    ¡°Have you had breakfast yet?¡± Vermont asked in a warm tone. ¡°Do you wanna grab something to eat


    together?¡±


    Felicity cleared her throat and said in a low voice, ¡°No, thanks. I have to go run some errands. Bye.¡± As


    she said that, she grabbed her phone and left in a hurry.


    Vermont watched her walk out the door and leaned against the table. Then, he gently rubbed his thumb


    over his lips and smiled.


    Suddenly, his phone vibrated. It was a message from Yosef. [ You beast!]


    Vermont smirked and said, [I¡¯ll take that as apliment.]


    Meanwhile, Ste was having breakfast and looking through the haters¡¯ments. [This bitch clearly


    got her face done. Look at how high her cheekbones are! Why would anyone think she¡¯s pretty?]


    Upon reading that, Ste paused and touched her cheekbones. She gently kicked Keegan, who was


    across the dining table, to get his attention. ¡® Does it look like I had stic surgery?¡± she asked.


    Keegan nced at her, continued checking his emails, and said, ¡°No. I don¡¯t think the current


    technology in stic surgery could reach this level of detail which allows you to make smooth micro-


    expressions.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Ste said, giving him a thumbs up. Then, she read out one of thements. ¡°Honestly,


    I don¡¯t think anyone would ever fall for her solely based on her looks.¡±


    Keegan casually took a bite of his oatmeal and said,¡± Honesty, I think that¡¯s because none of them are


    of age yet.¡±

 Chapter 1105

    Chapter 1105


    Chapter 1105


    Ste stayed silent after hearing what Keegan had said.¡¯ He¡¯s so mean, but I like it.¡¯


    Ste read out anotherment. ¡°Does anyone actually find any good in her crying scenes?


    Personally, I think she looks ugly when she cries. She opens her mouth far too wide.¡±


    Keegan elegantly cut his omelet and responded to thement. ¡°You should look in the mirror the next


    time you cry. Maybe you¡¯d stop crying once you see how ugly you look.¡±


    Ste could not help butugh out loud. ¡°Mr. Kane, are you sure you never thought of opening a


    Facebook ount to go against the haters? I¡¯m sure people would pay you for your services.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not worth my time,¡± he said. Keegan then looked up at Ste and continued, ¡°Am I not worth


    your time? You¡¯ve been looking at thosements for half an hour.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Ste said as she turned off her phone and fed a piece of her bread to Keegan.


    Satisfied with her reaction, Keegan ate the food and said, ¡° You¡¯re forgiven.¡±


    Ste did not reply. When Keegan finished his breakfast, he asked, ¡°When are you going to take your


    revenge?¡±


    The woman took a sip of milk and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be any time soon. Probably when she thinks


    she¡¯s about to win.¡±


    Keegan nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll have Aldor to help you out.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just put him as my assistant?¡± Ste joked.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way I would do that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯d be jealous of him¡­¡± Ste squinted her eyes and said.


    Keegan looked at her and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t think you can afford to pay his sry.¡±


    Ste was not happy when she heard that. ¡°He¡¯s an assistant. How high can his pay be?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a lot higher than your current sry. And, I mean A LOT,¡± Keeganughed.


    His words left Ste dumbfounded. She then leaned over and said with a smile, ¡°Do you need any


    more assistants, Mr. Kane? I can take the job.¡±


    Keegan nced at her and said, ¡°I need a personal life assistant. Do you want to fill the position?¡±


    ¡°Will my pay be the same as Aider¡¯s?¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯ll receive a higher sry,¡± Keegan smirked.


    Ste¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard that. ¡°Is it a tough job? Can I only work part-time?¡±


    ¡°No, the job isn¡¯t hard. And yes, you can do it part-time. The tasks are pretty straightforward.¡±


    Ste was all ears at that point. ¡°What exactly will I be doing? IT


    Keegan gazed upon her face and leaned into her ears before he said in a deep voice, ¡°You¡¯ll have to


    eat with me, talk to me, and sleep with me. I¡¯ll cover your insurance, and you¡¯ll get an annual sry of


    ten million dors. What do you say?¡±


    His answer made Ste a little dumbfounded. ¡°What do you mean by sleeping together? Do you


    mean¡­ sex?¡±


    Keegan looked at her and said, ¡°You¡¯ll get ten million dors if you sleep next to me every night.¡±


    ¡°What if I make love to you?¡± Ste asked.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Keegan paused. ¡°Five million dors.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d add on another five million dors?¡±


    ¡°No. You¡¯ll get five million dors in total.¡±


    Ste was both shocked and dissatisfied with his reply. ¡± Why would I get lesser pay if I sleep with


    you?¡±


    Keegan got up and straightened his tie. ¡°I¡¯d have to put in some extra work if you want to make love to


    me. I can¡¯t possibly give you my time and energy and pay you at the same time now, can I?¡±


    Hearing that, Ste was rendered speechless.

 Chapter 1106

    Chapter 1106


    Chapter 1106


    Ste seethed with anger. ¡°So, I¡¯m supposed to pay you in the future if we have sex, huh?¡±


    Keegan let out a soft chuckle, his eyes gleaming with mischief. ¡°No need forthat. Business is business,


    and pleasure is pleasure. Pleasing my girlfriend is my duty, and I¡¯m willing to go to any lengths.¡±


    Ste couldn¡¯t let hisment slide and decided tounch a personal attack. ¡®But I didn¡¯t feel pleased,


    though.¡±


    Keegan paused, then suddenly strode toward her. His expression was devoid of emotion, his steps


    steady, and hismanding presence filled the room.


    A hint of intimidation crept over Ste. However, surrendering was never an option for her. She


    straightened her posture and locked eyes with him, defiance emanating from her gaze. ¡°What do you


    want?¡±


    Keegan swiftly bent down, lifting her onto the table. He parted her legs and positioned himself in front


    of her, one hand gripping her waist and the other firmly nted on the table, ensnaring her within his


    grasp.


    Ste was startled by this sudden move, only then realizing how suggestive the position was. She


    thought to herself,1 Isn¡¯t this some kind of table y? Geez, has Keegan been reading some


    inappropriate stuff? Why is he so full of surprises these days?¡¯


    Just as she was about to voice her thoughts, Keegan leaned in and nted a kiss on her lips.


    Under the spell of Keegan¡¯s seduction, Ste¡¯s self-restraint melted away. She put on a brief show of


    resistance before sumbing to the allure of the kiss, her arms instinctively wrapping around Keegan¡¯s


    waist. Her mind became a jumble of thoughts, recalling an online phrase that had been circting: ¡°A


    man¡¯s waist is not simply a waist, but a dangerous curve.¡±


    Caught up in the whirlwind of emotions, Ste heard Keegan¡¯s deep voice resonate, ¡°You¡¯re only truly


    honest in moments like this.¡±


    She gazed at him through watery eyes, her expression mirroring confusion.


    Keegan pointed with his finger, signaling her to look down.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Lowering her head, Ste discovered that her hands had unknowinglye to rest on his belt buckle.


    She had unknowingly contemted undoing it.


    Startled, she hastily withdrew her hands, a look of disbelief etched across her face.


    Nonchntly adjusting his attire, Keegan nced at the bewildered Ste, a smirk dancing on his lips.


    ¡°I rather enjoy this side of your honesty,¡± he mused. After yfully ruffling her hair, he sauntered away,


    content.


    Left speechless, Ste found herself spending the next two days as a guest in Keegan¡¯s opulent


    mansion, feeling akin to a canary in a gilded cage.


    Despite Elegant Media¡¯s best efforts to rify the situation through a statement and apanying


    video footage, Ste¡¯s ongoing silence inadvertently fueled the intensifying turmoil. The relentless


    onught of online condemnation from keyboard warriors painted Be as the ideal victim in the


    incident, adding to theplexity of the situation. As a result, the viewership of The Pce suffered a


    significant decline, plummeting below its previously impressive premiere ratings.


    Coincidentally, on that very same day, a social media channel leaked the news that Be Young, the


    central figure in the controversy, had secured the coveted role of the leading actress in the highly


    anticipated New Year blockbuster drama, Twinkling Lights. This revtion was followed by both the


    official social media page of Twinkling Lights and the director themselves promptly extending their


    virtual embrace to Be by bing her followers.


    Be¡¯s devoted fans erupted in joyous celebration as the news broke, especially since there had been


    persistent rumors suggesting that Nicole Aspen was a strong contender for the female lead in Twinkling


    Lights prior to this revtion.

 Chapter 1107

    Chapter 1107


    Chapter 1107


    In the world of showbiz, it was only natural for actresses within the same age group to bepared.


    Nicole Aspen, a former star of teen dramas, had sessfully transitioned her career and managed to


    sweep almost every mainstream award before reaching the age of thirty. On the other hand, Be


    Young, despite attempting a career shift, found herself confined to the realm of teen dramas. The


    rivalry between their respective fan bases had been ongoing, and Be¡¯s fans had alwayse up


    short.


    Winning awards served as a clear way to establish dominance in these fan wars, and Becked any


    acting des to wield as ammunition. What could her fans possibly use to level the ying field?


    However, things took an unexpected turn with the official announcement of the drama series, Twinkling


    Lights. Be¡¯s fans finally had something to boast about. They flooded social media with triumphant


    posts and tweets, even going so far as to leave snidements on Nicole¡¯s social media pages.


    Naturally, Nicole¡¯s fans were far from pleased, prompting one of her devoted followers to take it upon


    themselves to write a lengthy post in the afternoon:


    [Let me share a story with you. A and B were the best of friends. They both auditioned for a particr


    role, and their appearances were a perfect fit for the character. However, during the audition, A s


    performance outshone B¡¯s, ultimately securing her the role. B, happy for her friend,


    suggested they celebrate with a drink.


    A ended up drinking excessively, to the point of being heavily intoxicated. The next morning, she woke


    up in a hotel room naked. Finding no visible signs of sexual assault, she didn¡¯t think much of it and


    carried on with her work, eagerly awaiting the contract offer from the production team.


    To her surprise, the expected contract never arrived. Instead, A found herself facing the exposure of


    compromising photos. These pictures depicted her having sex with a married man, and she instantly


    became the target of public criticism. Not only did she lose the contract, but the production of the


    drama she was filming was also halted. On top of that, she was even demanded to pay a significant


    amount in breach of contract fees.


    A noticed that the photos were taken at the same hotel where she had gotten drunk that night.


    Determined to uncover the truth, she confronted B. However, B imed to be unaware of the situation


    and avoided A, citing a busy schedule as an excuse.


    The relentless online bacsh,bined with the enormous financial burden, pushed A into a severe


    mental breakdown. Her depression resurfaced, and her family convinced her to leave the entertainment


    industry and seek treatment. During this difficult time, B posted on her social media, celebrating her


    sessful contract signing. It turned out that the role she secured was the same one A had almost


    signed for.


    The next day, Amitted suicide by jumping off a building.


    Does this story sound familiar to you? Well, the incident involving Ste Jewell reminds me of this story.


    I¡¯ve visited the set countless times in my pursuit of catching a glimpse of Nicole Aspen. During my


    visits, I had the opportunity to witness the falling-from-staircase scenes on multiple asions. In order


    to ensure the safety of the actors, there were always crew members positioned with cushions to catch


    them when they fell. It was a precautionary measure aimed at minimizing the risk of injury.


    But Be Young somehow missed the cushion and fell directly. I mean, Ste must have been


    incredibly strong to push Be a meter away from the cushion¡¯s reach.


    Furthermore, the crew members responsible for handling the cushions were supposed to adjust their


    positions based on the actors¡¯ movements. Strangely enough, the crew member positioned on the left,


    who was supposed to handle the cushion for Be, seemed more like a mere spectator. While the crew


    member on the right had already moved forward, the one on the left remained frozen, as if afraid that


    Be wouldn¡¯t miss the cushion.


    If it is indeed revealed that Ste was the one who pushed Be, it would be advisable to take Ste to


    a research institute for further investigation. Who knows, they might uncover extraordinary abilities in


    her, potentially leading to the development of a superhuman with incredible strength.]


    As soon as this lengthy post was published, Nicole¡¯s fans propelled it to be a trending topic.


    Inparison to the subsequent story, the initial one caused a significant uproar.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    [Actress A], promising photos exposed], [having affair with a married man], [substantial breach of


    contract settlement], [depression], [suicide], [jumping off a building]¡­ Several keywords immediately


    brought to mind the deceased Andrea Sonn from three years ago.


    Andrea Sonn epitomized fresh-faced beauty. Shortly after graduating, she caught someone¡¯s eye and


    landed a role in a popr teen drama, gaining a certain level of fame.


    Subsequently, she took on supporting roles in several hit shows, gradually bing recognized by the


    public.


    She had the appearance of the girl next door-innocent and pure-which forged a special connection with


    the audience. However, it was this innocent and pure girl who suddenly had explicit private photos


    leaked, featuring a married man. This revtionpletely shattered her image in the eyes of the


    viewers, and her reputation took a nosedive.


    A monthter, news broke of Andrea¡¯s untimely passing, coinciding with the confirmation of Be¡¯s


    mermaid role in her breakthrough hit, Returning to Ocean. Prior to that, rumors had been swirling about


    Andrea securing the same role.

 Chapter 1108

    Chapter 1108


    Chapter 1108


    An actress had devised a cunning n to ensnare her rival, ultimately leading to the rival¡¯s tragic


    demise. If this allegation held any truth, it would undoubtedly cause a major uproar.


    Having finished perusing the lengthy post, Ste eagerly sought to delve into thements section


    and gauge the public¡¯s response. To her dismay, she discovered that thements were inexplicably


    inessible. She attempted to refresh the page in the hopes of remedying the situation, but to no avail.


    The post had vanished into thin air. Returning to the homepage, Ste couldn¡¯t help but notice its


    sudden absence from the list of trending topics. She couldn¡¯t help but think to herself, Be works fast.¡¯


    Among the details Keegan had shared with Ste about Be, this particr incident had also been


    mentioned. However, the reality of the situation proved far more horrifying than what had been exposed


    by the owner of that social media channel.


    Andrea Sonn not only had her pictures taken, but she also endured unimaginable sexual assault and


    physical abuse. Compounded by the haunting childhood memories of canal abuse, she had battled


    severe depression for years, striving to manage the relentless condition. Regrettably, this distressing


    incident thrust her life back into a deste abyss.


    In the pursuit of justice, tragedy struck once again when her elder brother lost his life in a car ident


    while collecting evidence for her case. Andrea faced online bullying and experienced betrayal, which


    intensified her already present depression. Sadly, the loss of her dear brother further worsened her


    mental health, ultimately leading to her tragic demise.


    Andrea¡¯s parents also became sick, one after the other, following the loss of their children. Despite their


    illnesses, they continued to fight tirelessly for justice in this case. The deceased were no longer with


    them, and it seemed impossible to uncover the truth. The one who had sexually assaulted Andrea, as


    well as the person behind the whole scheme, still roam free, even up to this very moment.


    Ste tapped her fingers on the table. She thought, ¡®It¡¯s time for them to pay the price.¡¯


    Meanwhile, in the hospital, Be¡¯s countenance grew increasingly somber as she scrolled through


    Facebook. Frustration and anger welled up inside her. ¡°These despicable individuals! They¡¯re nothing


    but trash, mindless minions spewing senseless nonsense!¡±


    Tammy suggested, ¡°Be, why don¡¯t you have something to eat? Let them say what they want.


    Falsehoods can never transform into truths. What is there for you to be afraid of?¡±


    Be snapped back as if a raw nerve had been touched, her tone sharp and defensive. ¡°Who said I¡¯m


    afraid? What


    reason do I have to be afraid? She couldn¡¯t handle a trivial matter and chose to end her own life. That


    has absolutely nothing to do with me! Her demise was her own doing. She had a short, insignificant life!


    Fame was never meant for her! rv


    Tammy, taken aback by Be¡¯s unprecedented fury, cautiously inquired in a hushed tone, ¡°Who are you


    referring to?¡±


    Be¡¯s demeanor turned rigid for a moment, and she responded icily, ¡°Nobody.¡±


    After a brief silence, Be inquired, ¡°Has there been any word from Ste?¡±


    Tammy sadly shook her head. ¡°Since the incident, she hasn¡¯t logged into her social media ount. The


    comments section remains open, and it¡¯s filled with over a hundred thousand derogatory remarks


    aimed at her.¡±


    Be sneered. ¡°She¡¯s better off hiding like a coward.¡±


    Tammy proposed, ¡°Should we consider reaching out to Nicole¡¯s team and engaging with them to clear


    up any misunderstandings? The fans are bing increasingly unruly.¡±C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    The mention of Nicole¡¯s name irked Be slightly, given the constantparisons made byizens


    between her and Nicole. While their interactions had been minimal, Be couldn¡¯t help but harbor a


    dislike for Nicole. However, Be contemted Nicole¡¯s sizable fan base and concluded that it was


    unnecessary to provoke any further animosity. Thus, she responded, ¡°Go ahead and contact her.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Tammy swiftly reached out to Nicole¡¯s manager, Lindy.


    Lindy nced at thedy working out nearby and approached her, stating, ¡°Be wishes to interact with


    you on social media.¡±


    Nicole set aside her equipment, removed her gloves, and took a sip of water before inquiring, ¡°Who is


    Be?¡±


    Lindy was momentarily speechless.


    After a brief introduction from the manager, Nicole vaguely recollected the individual. She couldn¡¯t


    recall Be¡¯s face, only her perpetually semi-permanent makeup.


    ¡°Why does she want to interact with me? Have we been coborating recently?¡± Nicole asked once


    more.


    Once again, Nicole¡¯s question rendered Lindy silent.


    Lindy then went on to describe a recent incident involving Ste, as well as the ongoing dispute


    between influencers concerning certain topics involving her and Be.


    ¡°Ste Jewell? Keegan Kane¡¯s ex-wife?¡± Nicole contemted. ¡°She¡¯s quite attractive, almost on par


    with me, but it¡¯s a shame she¡¯s interested in women.¡±


    Lindi¡¯s face twitched slightly. ¡°I¡¯m not here to discuss her appearance. Let¡¯s focus on the matter at


    hand! Be wants to interact with you. Will you ept or decline?¡±


    Nicole responded nonchntly, ¡°Sure, why not? Let¡¯s ride the wave and gain some exposure.¡±

 Chapter 1109

    Chapter 1109


    Chapter 1109


    Lindiined, ¡°Are you riding this wave too? Do you even need it?¡±


    Nicole nced at her and shot back, ¡°Aren¡¯t you always telling me to not offend others? They


    approached me, so shouldn¡¯t I appreciate that?¡±


    Lindi was at a loss for words. She thought, ¡®She never listens when she should and always listens


    when she shouldn¡¯t.¡¯


    Meanwhile, Be, having received Nicole¡¯s positive response, quicklyposed a congrattory tweet


    for Nicole¡¯s award-winning show and eagerly awaited Nicole¡¯s reply.


    After approximately thirty minutes, Tammy stumbled upon Nicole¡¯s freshly posted tweet and eximed


    excitedly,¡± Nicole tweeted!¡±


    Be hurriedly asked, ¡°What did she post? Did she tag me?¡±


    Tammy¡¯s mouth twitched slightly as she checked.


    Noticing Tammy¡¯s silence, Be furrowed her brow and inquired, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Tammy brought her phone in front of Be, who took a look and felt her anger rise, almost leaving her


    breathless.


    Nicole had shared a screenshot of Tammy¡¯s request for social media interaction, apanied by the


    caption:¡± Done.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t interaction at all; it was pure humiliation. Nicole¡¯s tweet felt like a sarcastic remark, implying


    that despite Be¡¯s poprity, she was still begging for Nicole¡¯s attention. It seemed as if Nicole was


    intentionally trampling on Be¡¯s pride.


    Fueled with fury, Be swiftly deleted her earlier congrattory tweet about Nicole¡¯s award and


    unfollowed her.


    Meanwhile, Keegan was still absent for lunch, leaving Ste feeling a bit bored at home. After finishing


    her meal and taking a brief rest, she decided to head upstairs to the workout room and hop on the


    treadmill for a jog. She hadn¡¯t been running for long when her phone rang, causing her to immediately


    step off the treadmill and anxiously answer the call.


    ¡°Hello, Cordelia.¡±


    Cordelia sounded worried, ¡°Ste, Sevin is missing!¡±


    Ste paused for a moment and quickly responded, ¡°Did it perhaps hide at the bottom of the pond? Try


    tempting it with some food. It¡¯s quite the glutton, so it¡¯s bound to show up.¡±


    Sevin was a golden koi fish residing in Cordelia¡¯s pond. Cordelia had acquired it along with Keegan¡¯s


    grandfather when they moved into the estate, and it had been a resident of the pond ever since. Sevin


    measured around ny centimeters in length and weighed over thirty pounds.


    Remarkably, it was even older than Keegan. The fish appeared plump and robust.


    Among all the pets Cordelia owned, Sevin held a special ce in her heart, second only to Juno.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    It seemed highly unlikely that such arge fish could just disappear, so Ste thought there was a good


    chance that Sevin had hidden itself.


    However, Cordelia insisted, ¡°No, no matter how many times I call for it, Sevin doesn¡¯te out.


    Baldwin just used a to catch all the other fish, and they¡¯re all there except for Sevin. Someone must


    have stolen it!¡±


    ¡°I find it hard to believe that someone could easily steal a big fish like Sevin,¡± Ste replied.


    ¡°Then do you think it could have jumped out of the pond on its own and wandered off?¡± Cordelia¡¯s


    desperation was evident.


    Ste had never encountered a situation like this before.


    ¡°Cordelia, when was thest time you saw Sevin?¡±


    ¡°It was there yesterday morning!¡± Cordelia replied in extreme anxiety. ¡°Could it have transformed into a


    human and run away?¡±


    Cordelia¡¯s statement left Ste momentarily speechless.


    Attempting to calm Cordelia¡¯s worries, Ste suggested,¡± Let Baldwin check the surveince footage.


    I¡¯ll give Keegan a call and ask him about it.¡±


    After concluding the conversation with Cordelia, Ste stood on the second-floor terrace and dialed


    Keegan¡¯s number. As she waited for him to answer, her gaze absentmindedly fell upon the yard below,


    where she caught sight of a plump, golden fish swimming in the pond.


    Ste was taken aback once again, finding herself at a loss for words.

 Chapter 1110

    Chapter 1110


    Chapter 1110


    Ste was staring at the fish in the pond when her call connected.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Keegan¡¯s voice came from the other end of the phone. Ste returned to her senses and


    asked, ¡°Why is Sevin in our yard?¡±


    Keegan paused and slowly said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say two days ago that the pond in our yard looked empty?


    So, I went to Grandma¡¯s ce and stole a random fish.¡±


    Ste¡¯s face darkened when she heard that. ¡°You took Sevin just because I mentioned the pond


    seemed empty? If I were to say the yard looked empty, would you snatch Juno too?¡± She muttered to


    herself, frustrated. ¡®Grandma¡¯s pond is teeming with fish, and Sevin is the biggest. And you expect me


    to believe it was a random catch?¡¯


    ¡°Well, the yard isn¡¯t big enough for Juno,¡± Keegan chuckled.


    ¡°Stop joking!¡± Ste said as her eyes widened. ¡°No wonder Grandma called me and told me she


    couldn¡¯t find Sevin. She must¡¯ve known that you stole it! Maybe she thought I was your aplice and


    called to test me! I told her I would ask you, and it turns out the fish is here! How do you expect me to


    tell her that her wonderful grandson stole her baby?¡±


    Keegan stayed silent. ¡®Ste is smart, but¡­ Grandma wasn¡¯t calling to know if Sevin was at my ce.


    She clearly called to know if Ste was there. There was no way Grandma


    didn¡¯t know when Aldor went over to get the fish. I bet Aldor mentioned something that made her call


    and confirm. Ste was so busy trying to keep our rtionship a secret that she didn¡¯t realize how


    obvious she was acting. Once Grandma told her Sevin was missing, she immediately thought of calling


    me.¡¯


    Ste did not know that she had unintentionally revealed her rtionship with Keegan. Looking at the


    huge koi in the pond, she felt stressed out. ¡°Hurry up and get someone to send Sevin back. Grandma is


    worried sick.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll return the fish in a couple of days. It¡¯s just starting to get used to its new environment. We shouldn¡¯t


    take it out yet.¡±


    tell Grandma?¡±


    ¡°Just tell her that Sevin drank a witch¡¯s potion, grew a pair of legs, and ran away.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyelids twitched at Keegan¡¯s answer. ¡°And it fell in love with a prince, got its heart broken, and


    disappeared into the water, right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it would¡¯ve fallen in love with a prince. Sevin¡¯s a male koi. It probably turned back into a


    fish after the rain and was picked up by some random person and cooked into a fish stew,¡± Keegan


    said in a serious tone. ¡°What do you think a 30-pound koi taste like?¡±


    Ste was baffled by his response. ¡°Keegan,e on.¡±


    The man chuckled and stopped teasing her. ¡°Alright, alright.I have some work to do. I¡¯ll call youter.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Ste called Cordelia. The woman was relieved to hear that Sevin was at


    her grandson¡¯s ce. ¡°Is Sevin adapting to the new ce? He has lived his whole life here with me. I


    hope he¡¯s doing well. Can you send me a few pictures of him?¡±


    Ste was about to say ¡±yes¡± when she realized that it would mean she was at Keegan¡¯s house. So,


    she said, ¡°Maybe Keegan can do it, Grandma. I¡¯m home right now, and I can¡¯t go visit Sevin.¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°He can¡¯t. I deleted him from my contacts,¡± said Cordelia.


    Ste was confused.


    ¡°I showed Keegan my new perm, and he sent me a picture of a clown, saying my hair looked like the


    wig. Ugh, that punk!¡± Cordeliained.


    Suddenly, Ste recalled the time when she got a perm during New Year¡¯s. She was excited to show


    Keegan her new hairstyle, but the man said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know this century- old hairstyle is back in trend.¡±

 Chapter 1111

    Chapter 1111


    Chapter 1111


    ¡°What are you talking about? This hairstyle has been trending these past few years,¡± said Ste.


    Keegan pulled out a picture of Isaac Newton andpared Ste¡¯s hairstyle with his, concluding that it


    was a century-old fashion. Ste was so mad that she went to straighten her hair the next day.


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe hepared Grandma¡¯s perm to a clown¡¯s wig,¡¯ she thought. ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯ll have Keegan


    send me a few pictures of Sevin and forward them to you.¡±


    ¡°Ask him to take some close-ups, and don¡¯t try to fool me,¡± said Cordelia.


    After Ste agreed to Cordelia¡¯s request, she ran downstairs, lured Sevin out with some bait, and took


    pictures of the fish with her phone. She waited a long time before sending the photos in order to appear


    that they were sent to her by Keegan.


    Cordelia was eating some grapes in her garden when she heard the phone ring. She asked Baldwin to


    pick it up and saw that it was photos of the koi. She then grabbed her reading sses and said, ¡°Zoom


    in the picture, Baldwin.¡±


    Baldwin zoomed in on the photo, and Cordelia saw Ste¡¯s figure from the reflection in the pond. She


    was squatting on the water bank, taking pictures of the fish with her phone.


    ¡°That darn kid! How dare he trick me?¡± Cordelia took off her sses and threw them aside. ¡°I knew


    something was up when Maria told me that Keegan hadn¡¯t been home muchtely. Then, Aldor came


    and got Sevin. He said Keegan felt that the yard was empty and wanted a pet. Why would he want a


    pet koi when he¡¯s afraid of water?! I can¡¯t believe that brat is hiding the fact that he and Ste are back


    together!¡±


    ¡°Maybe they don¡¯t want to go public yet because Ms. Jewell has a new image now,¡± said Baldwin.


    ¡°That¡¯s a stupid excuse!¡± Cordelia grunted. ¡°When are they going to be official if not now? Are they


    going to wait till Ste bes an international superstar? She probably wouldn¡¯t even want him


    anymore when that timees!¡±


    Baldwin did not know what to say.


    It seemed as if Cordelia¡¯s grandson was worthless whenpared to her granddaughter-inw. Still,


    she was happy at the thought of them reconciling. ¡°Say, do you think they¡¯re sleeping together?¡± asked


    Cordelia.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. Keegan is a well-behaved kid. I don¡¯t think he would do anything that displeases Ms.


    Jewell,¡± Baldwin replied.


    ¡°He¡¯s an idiot if he¡¯s ying by the rules now!¡±


    Balwin was at a loss for words.


    Cordelia was thinking about how she could assist her grandson when Aurora¡¯s voice came from


    behind. ¡°Grandma. If


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Cordelia turned around and beckoned her over. ¡°You¡¯re


    awake,¡± she said.


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Aurora responded, walked over, and sat next to the olddy. Aurora had lost some weight,


    including her baby fat, which made her features look more like Dahlia¡¯s. She tugged at the grass


    around her feet and after a while, she said, ¡°Grandma, I want to work at thepany.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a position in mind?¡± Cordelia asked.


    Aurora thought about it and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take whatever you¡¯re offering, Grandma.¡±


    ¡°Even if you start from the bottom like your brother did?


    Aurora nodded.


    Cordelia looked at her unexpectedly. ¡®This girl is holding her temper well aftering out of that


    detention center. Her personality also seems calmer now. She wouldn¡¯t have agreed to a low-ranking


    job position back then,¡¯ the olddy thought.

 Chapter 1112

    Chapter 1112


    Chapter 1112


    Aurora seemed to have grown a lot after the incident. Cordelia was a little relieved. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Keegan


    later and have him arrange a suitable position for you,¡± she said in a kind voice.


    ¡°Okay, Grandma,¡± said Aurora. ¡°Can I return to my ce after getting the job?¡±


    Cordelia plucked her tea leaves gently and said, ¡°You¡¯ve been living well here for some time now. Why


    do you suddenly want to go back?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m used to living in my old ce. Plus, it¡¯ll be more convenient for me to get to work from there. Your


    ce is a little far from thepany, Grandma,¡± Aurora said softly.


    Cordelia sipped her tea and said, ¡°I¡¯ll have Baldwin drive you to and back from work if you think it¡¯s too


    far. I¡¯d be worried if you lived alone.¡±


    Aurora observed Cordelia¡¯s face as she spoke. Seeing that her expression was soft, Aurora¡¯s courage


    grew a little.


    ¡°There¡¯s another reason I want to return to my home, Grandma. I want to bring Mom back. She had a


    cyst removed a while ago, and she¡¯s not recovering well after the surgery. The ce she¡¯s staying at is


    a little small. Her environment is poor, and she can¡¯t sleep well. I¡¯m worried about her wound, which is


    recovering very slowly. That¡¯s why I want to bring her home and take care of her.¡±


    There was no expression on Cordelia¡¯s face. ¡°Did your mother tell you those things?¡± She asked.


    Aurora quickly shook her head and said, ¡°She didn¡¯t even tell me about her surgery. I had to hear it


    from someone else.¡± While saying that, Aurora could not help butin about her brother. ¡°I know


    Keegan hates her, but how could he not care when she underwent such a huge surgery?¡±


    Cordelia put down her teacup and looked at Aurora. ¡°Are you saying that your brother went too far


    when he kicked your mom out of the house?¡±


    Aurora hesitated for a moment and said cautiously, ¡°Well, Mom did give birth to us and raised us. Even


    though she wasn¡¯t perfect, she did put in the work. Didn¡¯t you always teach us to respect our elders,


    Grandma?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I also teach you to only respect elders who deserve respect?¡±


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Aurora choked up and was unable to speak for a long time.


    ¡°You keep saying that your brother is cruel and heartless, but have you ever wondered why?¡±


    ¡°Ste¡¯s the one to me for that. Mom and Keegan started having conflicts when she came into the


    picture. Keegan would never have treated Mom like that before he got married to that woman,¡± said


    Aurora.


    ¡°You fool!¡± Cordelia mmed her hand on the table, and her teacup shook from the vibration.


    Aurora was so shocked that she fell silent.


    ¡°Do you think your brother is an idiot? Is he someone who blindly follows others¡¯ words and can¡¯t


    distinguish right from wrong? Ask yourself. Did Ste stop your brother from buying things for your


    mother all those years? Did she emotionally alienate him from her? Didn¡¯t she and your brother give


    your mother and me the same courtesy during the holidays when everyone got together?


    ¡°Ste did everything a daughter-inw should do. But what did your mother do? Their marriage was a


    huge deal. Yet, as a mother-inw, your mom only woke up at 8 o¡¯clock in the morning for her son¡¯s


    wedding! She didn¡¯t even bother with the wedding preparations. Even your Aunt Cyrene was more


    excited than her!¡±


    Aurora was a little dissatisfied. ¡°Of course Aunt Cyrene was excited about their marriage. Ste isn¡¯t


    helpful to Keegan¡¯s career, which put lesser pressure on Uncle Chandler¡¯s shoulder inpeting with


    Keegan. Her being happier than Mom was a given!¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Based on what you said, I shouldn¡¯t have agreed to let your dad marry your mom in the first ce. The


    Crosby family is nothing but a piece of shit, and that woman is not qualified to enter the Kane family,¡±


    Cordeliaughed in anger.

 Chapter 1113

    Chapter 1113


    Chapter 1113


    Aurora was so choked up that she could not speak. Cordelia then took a deep breath and said in a


    deep voice, ¡°Your mother¡¯s actions after Ste married your brother had shown that she was not worthy


    of respect. But, what about before that?


    ¡°Not only did she not help your brother out when he first joined thepany, she even transferred his


    ie to her ount, causing him to almost lose himself. After your brother found his footing in the


    industry, your mom secretly used his name to promote the Crosby family¡¯s business.


    They didn¡¯t even know how to run a business. Every now and then, they would encounter problems


    and have your brother clean up their mess.


    ¡°You said raising you alone wasn¡¯t easy for a widow like her, but did we ever treat her poorly in the 20


    years she lived in our house? It¡¯s true that she raised you, but did she use the Crosby family¡¯s money


    to do that? Do you really think she didn¡¯t remarry after your dad passed away because she wanted to


    take care of you? No. She just couldn¡¯t let go of the opportunities and benefits she reaped from our


    family.¡±


    From the look on Aurora¡¯s face, Cordelia knew that she could not ept herments about Dahlia.


    Aurora¡¯s feelings for her mother were deeply rooted in her after more than 20 years of upbringing.


    Although she did not believe a word that came out of Cordelia¡¯s mouth, she did not dare to refute them.


    Cordelia took another deep breath and continued, ¡°You were sheltered by your mother since you were


    a child. Even if she did not raise you well, she did put in the work like you said. I know you want to fulfill


    your filial duty to her, but it¡¯s different for your brother. Your mom did not treat him well. Over the years,


    Keegan had repaid her for giving birth to him. So, what he does next is up to him. Neither you nor your


    mother has the right to say anything.


    ¡°You can visit her if you¡¯re worried about her, and you can move back to your house. But, unless your


    brother agrees to let you bring her into our home, you¡¯re on your own. You can always find a new ce


    to live with your mother.¡±


    Cordelia¡¯s tone was neutral, but her message was loud and clear. At that time, Aurora knew that it was


    impossible for her to bring Dahlia back into the house. Before Aurora could say anything, Cordelia


    waved her hand and said, ¡°I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m going to take a rest. You may pack your bags if you¡¯ve decided


    to move out.¡±


    Aurora stayed silent.


    When Dahlia heard Cordelia¡¯s remarks from her daughter, she was so angry that she pushed


    everything off the table. Aurora pursed her lips and said in a low voice, ¡°Mom, why don¡¯t you ask


    Keegan to take you back? He¡¯s the only one with the power to do that right now.¡±


    ¡°Your brother has long lost his mind to that whore, Ste. He¡¯s not going to listen to me,¡± Dahlia bitterly


    said.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Aurora did not respond. She did not want to talk about


    Ste since it reminded her of when she was locked up.


    ¡°How are things going between you and Marshall?¡±


    ¡°He has a girlfriend now,¡± Aurora whispered.


    ¡°What?¡± Dahlia furrowed her brows. ¡°Who¡¯s the girl?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. He took her to a wedding; I saw the post on Facebook.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you do anything? How could you let someone else take him?¡± Dahlia said with hatred.


    ¡°They¡¯ve already made their rtionship public, Mom. I don¡¯t want to be known as the other woman.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like they¡¯re married. Nothing is set in stone yet. You have to actively fight for Marshall, Aurora.


    You and your brother wouldn¡¯t exist if I didn¡¯t fight for your dad back then. You have to be more


    proactive. Ask Marshall out more often and find opportunities for yourself, you know? Meet up with that


    woman and offer her money. If she doesn¡¯t want to take it, then let me know. I¡¯ll help you solve the


    problem.¡±

 Chapter 1114

    Chapter 1114


    Chapter 1114


    It was unclear whether Aurora understood what her mom was saying, but she still sent her the picture


    of Marshall¡¯s girlfriend on Facebook.


    Dahlia immediately contacted Olivia after hanging up the phone. The news of her being kicked out of


    the Kane residence had spread around her inner circle. She was losing her reputation as Mrs. Kane,


    and her ¡°friends¡± slowly distanced themselves from her.


    Dahlia had seen what humans were capable of in the past two months. Those who supported her when


    she was in her prime ran faster than anyone else after knowing she was disowned by the Kane family.


    However, Olivia still treated her the same. They formed a better bond, and she even helped Dahlia rent


    the ce she lived in. Dahlia also became more trusting of Olivia and relied on her more and more.


    It did not take long for Olivia to answer the phone. ¡°Dahlia? What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Olivia, can you please look into someone for me?¡±


    Olivia chuckled and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be this polite, Dahlia. I¡¯m not used to you talking like this.¡±


    She then paused before she asked, ¡°Who¡¯s the person you want me to look into?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Marshall¡¯s girlfriend. I¡¯ll send you a picture of herter.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sure.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s quick reply made Dahlia feel a little embarrassed for asking, especially when she recalled her


    previous attitude toward her. ¡°How¡¯s the thing with Erick¡¯s working out?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Thanks to your help, the project is going rather well. His leader has also been interested in promoting


    him. He¡¯s been working a lot on the campaigntely,¡± Olivia responded.


    Dahlia was happy for her. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. It seems like all your hard work hadn¡¯t been in vain.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Olivia sneered as she bit the corner of her lower lips. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have done it without you. I¡¯ll


    set up a banquet when Erick gets the promotion. Promise me you¡¯ll show up when the timees,


    Dahlia. I¡¯ll save you a seat. You have contributed a lot to his sess.¡±


    At that time, Dahlia was not as overbearing as she used to be. ¡°We¡¯re friends, Olivia. Of course I¡¯d


    show up,¡± she said in a soft tone. Oliviaughed and did not say anything else.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna hang up now. Hurry up with the investigation and update me if you found something.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Olivia then called Ste after hanging up the phone and receiving the photos.


    Ste had not been in touch with Olivia for a long time. asionally, she would see her posts on


    Facebook about Erick¡¯s election campaign, a few couple photos, as well as pictures of the awards her


    kid won and some of the desserts she made. Ste would have thought that Olivia was just a devoted


    mother and wife if she had not told her about wanting revenge.


    As soon as the call connected, Olivia asked, ¡°Does Marshall have a girlfriend?¡±


    Ste was puzzled. ¡°Why would you want to know that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the one who wants to know. It¡¯s Dahlia who¡¯s asking. She asked me to find out more about the


    girl. I¡¯ve sent you the picture on WhatsApp. Can you take a look and let me know if you recognize her?¡±


    Ste clicked on the picture, and the corners of her eyes twitched when she saw a photo of herself in


    disguise.


    ¡°Do you know her?¡± Olivia asked.


    ¡°Why is Dahlia asking about her?¡± Ste questioned back.


    ¡°Why else? She clearly has her heart set on Marshall being her son-inw. So, if I¡¯m not mistaken,


    she¡¯s probably going to go after this woman and take her down.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyelids twitched at the sound of that. ¡°How is she going to do that?¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°She¡¯ll probably offer her money. But, if the girl doesn¡¯t take it, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll find another way. She just


    wants her out of the picture.¡±

 Chapter 1115

    Chapter 1115


    Chapter 1115


    ¡°How much money are we talking about?¡± Ste pursed her lips and tentatively inquired.


    ¡°That depends on how much the other party wants, I guess,¡± Olivia replied.


    ¡°Is Dahlia going to pay her whatever amount she asks?¡±


    ¡°What do you think? Dahlia was kicked out of the Kane residence and had her financials restricted.


    How much money does she have left? It¡¯s barely enough for her to maintain a decent living.¡±


    ¡°But you just said it depends on how much the other party wants.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but that doesn¡¯t mean Dahlia would give her what she asks. Do you really think she¡¯d be that


    kind and just give Marshall¡¯s girlfriend money for free? She is definitely going to ckmail the girl and


    will probably get arrested for it.¡±


    Ste went quiet after hearing that.


    ¡°So, do you recognize the girl or not?¡± Olivia questioned.¡± Give me something to work with so that I can


    report back to Dahlia.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the girl in the picture,¡± said Ste.


    ¡°What?¡± Olivia thought she had misheard her.


    Ste then briefly talked about what had happened that


    night, and Olivia burst outughing. ¡°I think Dahlia must¡¯ve wronged your ancestors in her past life. And


    now, you¡¯re here to haunt her. Her son literally kicked her out of the house for you. She¡¯s gonna flip if


    she knows you¡¯re having an affair with her self-proimed son-inw.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyelids twitched at the sound of that. ¡°We didn¡¯t have an affair. I was just doing Marshall a


    favor.¡±


    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. Dahlia is already trying to track the girl down, so be careful. Don¡¯t let her find


    out that it¡¯s you. Otherwise, with the grudge she has against you, she¡¯d probably skin you alive.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of her,¡± Ste sneered.


    ¡°Do whatever you want if you don¡¯t intend to be with Keegan in the long run. But I suggest that you hold


    back a little if you ever decide to get back with him. We both know he¡¯ll choose to protect you, and


    people willbel him as an unfilial son. It won¡¯t affect him. But, in the long run, what if it goes on for ten


    or twenty years? Can you be sure that he wouldn¡¯t me you for the downfall of his reputation? You


    have to take a step back with Dahlia, Ste. It¡¯ll be Keegan¡¯s only way out of her control.¡±


    Ste was silent for a moment before she said, ¡°It¡¯s kind of surprising that a hopeless romantic like you


    would say such a thing.¡±


    Upon hearing that, the corner of Olivia¡¯s lips twitched. ¡®The things she says are so annoying! No


    wonder Dahlia doesn¡¯t like her!¡¯


    ¡°I heard that your husband was nominated for the election. From what I see on their official page, he


    got hundreds of thousands of votes and is the runner-up in the campaign. It seems like he is rather


    popr with the people.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit. No one knows him other than the people in his office. At least 70% of those votes were


    my doing!¡± Oliviaughed coldly.


    Erick did not have a great rtionship with his colleagues. He often thought that he was better than


    others andined about them behind their backs. He would also patronize those with a higher


    ranking than him and be cruel to his subordinates. Whenever he was assigned tasks, he would use his


    authority and have his juniors work overtime to finish them. No one would have voted for Erick if it were


    not for Olivia.


    ¡°How in the world did you get so many people to vote for him?¡± Ste asked in surprise.


    ¡°All my years and hard work of maintaining rtionships in this circle weren¡¯t for nothing,¡± Olivia said


    proudly. She was not good with words in the past. However, she began to step up and develop


    connections with people for the sake of her husband and her family. Olivia met tons of people and


    suffered a lot of humiliation, which allowed her to gain more social skills. Although not many of the


    contacts she had umted over the years would help with major issues, they were still willing to


    lend a hand when it came to voting for her husband.


    ¡°Let me know when you¡¯re going to take your revenge,¡±


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Ste said solemnly. ¡°I enjoy watching scumbags get what they deserve.¡±


    ¡°You mean Dahlia?¡±


    Ste bit her lips and said, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Since you have people to vote for your husband, I¡¯m assuming that they can help spread some news,


    right?¡± Ste suddenly asked when they were about to hang up.


    ¡°Yes, but spreading too much fake news would result in awsuit.¡±

 Chapter 1116

    Chapter 1116


    Chapter 1116


    Ste pouted and said, ¡°Who said I was going to spread fake news? I¡¯m surely going to post the truth!¡±


    ¡°What news do you want me to spread?¡± Olivia asked in a low voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a suicide case that happened three years ago.¡±


    Not long after they hung up the phone, Ste received a text from Aldor. [We¡¯ve found the target,


    Ma¡¯am. Everything has been arranged ordingly.]


    Ste sent him a sticker of two kittens hugging each other with a heart above their heads. Keegan


    looked at the messages in the group chat and sent a question mark.


    Aldor¡¯s eyelids twitched when he saw that. He cautiously replied with a sticker of two puppies and the


    word ¡°Besties¡± to rify the misunderstanding.


    Keegan had added Aldor into a group chat with Ste out of nowhere the day before, and Aldor found it


    weird. ¡®Mr. Kane said that it was for easier cooperation andmunication, but I don¡¯t think he needs


    to be in the loop. He keeps popping up whenever I talk to Ms. Jewell as if he is trying to remind me of


    his presence. We¡¯re just having a normal interaction, but why do I feel like Mr. Kane is monitoring me?


    He knows that I wouldn¡¯t dare to question his actions, but why is he suddenly being so possessive?¡¯


    Aldor thought about it long and hard but still could not


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    figure it out. Keegan was not afraid of Aldor trying to snatch Ste away from him. On the contrary, he


    was scared that Ste would take Aldor away since she had shown great interest in him. ¡®He¡¯d probably


    be swayed if I wasn¡¯t there to keep things in check,¡¯ Keegan thought.


    Ste understood why Keegan was being cautious and found it funny. She then privately messaged


    him and said, [ Are youing home for dinner?]


    [You¡¯re cooking?]


    [Yeah. I can¡¯t just stay here for free. Let me show you my appreciation.]


    [Then, let¡¯s go to a restaurant and order at least $30k worth of food per person. You can pay the bill to


    show your appreciation.]


    [Do you know how much food that¡¯s going to be? We can¡¯t possibly finish all that.] Ste paused and


    sent another text. [ Just tell me what you want, and I¡¯ll make it for you.]


    Keegan did not respond for a long time. When Ste was about to stop waiting for a reply, Keegan sent


    her hundreds of photos. All the photos were failed dishes she previously learned online. [You mean like


    these?] he asked.


    Ste was baffled when she saw the pictures. [When did you take these?) she gritted her teeth and


    typed out.


    [I was scared of getting food poisoning, so I took them as evidence. I thought you were ying around


    at first. But then, I realized you were being serious.]


    [I should¡¯ve put poison in your food from the start!]


    Keegan smiled and said, [The presentation is alright, but the taste¡­]


    Ste thought that Keegan was about to praise her cooking skills when he sent another message.


    [They didn¡¯t taste good.]

 Chapter 1117

    Chapter 1117


    Chapter 1117


    Ste was utterly speechless. [I¡¯m giving you a second chance to restructure your sentence.], she said


    with a dark face.


    Keegan could already imagine Ste gritting her teeth and ring at her phone on the other side of the


    screen. He unconsciously smiled while thinking about it. He then replied to her text as he listened to the


    news. [Is it not obvious that I¡¯m trying to show my love for you?]


    Ste felt confused. ¡®Am I blind? Or is there something wrong with my readingprehension?¡¯ [You


    must be crazy if you think criticizing my cooking means professing your love.]


    [I know the food you made didn¡¯t taste good because I tasted all of them. That means I¡¯m still willing to


    eat them even though they aren¡¯t delicious.]


    Ste did not know what to say to his response. The corners of her mouth twitched as she grimly said,


    [Your way of showing affection is really original. I would¡¯ve thought you were deprecating me if you


    hadn¡¯t exined it.]


    [That¡¯s understandable since you¡¯ve never really been very good at readingprehension.] Keegan


    replied when the woman was clearly teasing him.


    ¡®Who¡¯s the one with bad readingprehension now? How can he be so confident? No wonder girls


    never liked him.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    His way of thinking is bonkers,¡¯ Ste thought. [So, are youing home for dinner or not?] She


    grunted.


    [Yeah.] Keegan finally stopped ying around. [But I¡¯ll bete since there¡¯s a lot going on at work.]


    [That¡¯s fine. I can wait.]


    Keegan then sent her 143 dors as a code for ¡°I love you.¡± As usual, Ste thanked him within


    seconds. Keegan smiled and was about to put his phone down when Ste transferred him 637 dors,


    which meant ¡°Forever and always.¡±


    Keegan was taken aback by her sudden move that stirred his emotions.


    Vermont was ying video games in his office at Green Hill Media, helping Felicity boost her ranking.


    Just as he got to the exciting part of the game, Keegan texted him. [How are you spending


    Thanksgiving this year?]


    Vermont found it weird. ¡®What¡¯s going on? He doesn¡¯t usually ask what I do during the holidays¡­¡¯ [I¡¯m


    going to have lunch with the fam and probably spend the rest of my day with miss bandit.]


    ¡®She won¡¯t be going home for the holidays, would she?¡¯ Vermont thought about it and decided to call


    Felicity. ¡®If she is, I¡¯m going to ask if I could have dinner with her parents.¡¯


    [Oh. Are you getting her a present since it¡¯s the first holiday you guys are celebrating together? I bet it¡¯ll


    make the asion more special.]


    Vermont was surprised. ¡®What kind of sses did Ste sign this man up for? This is so not like him.¡¯


    [Of course, I am. But I¡¯m not sure what to get her yet. Do you have any ideas?]


    Keegan then sent Vermont a screenshot of the 637 dors Ste had sent him earlier. [I¡¯m not sure


    either. She¡¯s the one who gives me gifts during the holiday.]


    Vermont could not believe his eyes. His eyelids were violently twitching as he thought, ¡®That mutt! I was


    wondering why he was asking so many questions. It turns out he just wanted to show off! Damn. It¡¯s


    making me kinda mad.¡¯


    Before Vermont could say anything, Keegan sent another picture of Ste¡¯s cooking. [I said we could


    go out for dinner today, but she didn¡¯t want to and told me homecooked meals are better.]


    Vermont pursed his lips and decided not to go along with him. He opened the gallery app and selected


    dozens of photos of Felicity¡¯s cooking to send Keegan. [Miss bandit has great cooking skills. Maybe


    she can teach Ste sometimes. I¡¯m pretty sure your stomach issues are more or less rted to her


    cooking.]

 Chapter 1118

    Chapter 1118


    Chapter 1118


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    (After all, her dishes all taste the same. Literally anyone who eats them would suffer from stomach


    issues.] Vermont¡¯s words stung like a knife in the back. ¡®Let¡¯s see if you dare show off your rtionship


    next time,¡¯ he thought.


    Keegan was at a loss for words. He had tasted Felicity¡¯s cooking before and knew her food was much


    better than Ste¡¯s. However, he was not about to give in and let his partner lose. [That¡¯s talent, okay?


    She is not good at quality control if all her dishes taste different.)


    That made Vermontugh. [Don¡¯t you feel guilty for lying, Keegan? If given a chance, are you going to


    say that Ste¡¯s fart smells good too?]


    The corner of Keegan¡¯s mouth twitched as he replied, [ Asshole.]


    Vermont felt happy. ¡®That mutt really needs someone to put him in his ce. I can¡¯t just stand back and


    let him have all the fun. Though, I am rather jealous that Ste, who loves money so much, would give


    him a coded amount as a gift.¡¯


    As he thought about it, he quit the game and shot Felicity a message, [How are you spending


    Thanksgiving?] He waited for half an hour, but there was no reply. Vermont immediately became upset


    and called her.


    It did not take long for Felicity to answer. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up?¡±


    Vermont was a little disgruntled. ¡°What are you up to right now? Why didn¡¯t you reply to my text?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see it. I just picked up some medication.¡±


    Vermont paused. ¡°Medication? What kind of medication?¡±


    Felicity was speechless when she heard how clueless he was. ¡°Your medication, duh! I noticed that


    you¡¯re almost out of pills, so I went out and picked some up for you to avoid having to buy themst


    minute.¡±


    Hearing that, Vermont¡¯s mood improved instantly, and he could not stop smiling. ¡°Look around and grab


    anything you want. I¡¯ll pay for it when you get back.¡±


    Felicity pursed her lips and said, ¡°Why, thank you for buying me pills.¡±


    Vermontughed half-heartedly, saying, ¡°I didn¡¯t say you had to buy pills. You can get anything you


    want, and I¡¯ll pay.¡±


    There was a crowd at Felicity¡¯s side of the phone, and she found it inconvenient to be talking on the


    phone, so she said, ¡°Is there anything else you want to tell me? I need to hang up now.¡±


    ¡°I texted you asking if you have ns for Thanksgiving.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going home to celebrate the holiday with my family. I¡¯ve already bought the ticket. I¡¯m leaving once


    I send you the meds.¡±


    Vermont was shocked. ¡°So soon?¡±


    ¡°Thanksgiving is in two days. I¡¯d miss the holiday if I don¡¯t leave now.¡±


    Vermont was heartbroken to hear that. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Heined.


    ¡°Well, you didn¡¯t ask. And why would I tell you I¡¯m going home to see my family? I¡¯ll be back after the


    holidays.¡±


    Vermont did not know what to say. He gritted his teeth and tried to find an excuse, ¡°We¡¯re literally


    boyfriend and girlfriend. What would people think if they asked about you, and I didn¡¯t know where you


    were because you left without a word?¡±


    Felicity paused and said in a low voice, ¡°Our social circles don¡¯t ovep much. Who in the world would


    ask you about me? You¡¯re clearly overthinking it.¡±

 Chapter 1119

    Chapter 1119


    Chapter 1119


    Felicity¡¯s answer rendered Vermont silent. After a long time, he asked, ¡°Does Ste know you¡¯re going


    back home?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Felicity whispered, feeling guilty.


    Suddenly, Vermont found a reason to lose his temper. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me? What if we talked about


    you, and I had no clue what was happening? Aren¡¯t you afraid that she¡¯d kill me?¡±


    Felicity did not know what to say. ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll let you know next time. Do you want anything to eat?


    I¡¯ll bring you food and your meds before I leave for the airport.¡±


    ¡°Forget it. I don¡¯t want anything. I¡¯m hurt and don¡¯t have the appetite,¡± Vermont sulked.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is it the injury?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s my heart.¡±


    Felicity found his answer puzzling and was at a loss for words.


    Vermont sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have toe over and give me the meds anymore. Just


    pack your bags and go. Remember to send my regards to your mom.¡±


    The man¡¯s tone made Felicity ufortable. ¡°Why are you acting like this all of a sudden? What¡¯s


    wrong?¡± She asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just feel that the holiday will be boring.


    Everyone is getting together with their family and partners, but I¡¯ll be all alone. I thought you would be


    alone too, and we could celebrate Thanksgiving together. But it looks like it¡¯ll just be me.¡± ¡¯


    Felicity felt bad for Vermont and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to celebrate Thanksgiving with your family?¡±


    After a long time, Vermont pursed his lips and said, ¡°No one cares if I go back or not. So why should I


    go and make a nuisance of myself?¡± He paused and tried to put on a fake persona, ¡°Why am I telling


    you all this? You shouldn¡¯t be doing so much for me. Didn¡¯t you tell me you live in town? Switching


    stations will be tiring. You should rest up.¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Hearing him say that, Felicity felt worse. She hesitated long before saying, ¡°Why don¡¯t youe to my


    hometown with me? My family is pretty small. Let¡¯s get together and have some fun.¡±


    The corners of Vermont¡¯s mouth curled upward, but he still tried to reject the offer, ¡°I don¡¯t think I


    should. Thanksgiving is a holiday for family reunions. I feel like it¡¯d be rude if I showed up.¡±


    ¡°My family doesn¡¯t care about that.¡± Felicity paused for a moment and continued, ¡°Though¡­ I think the


    flight is sold out. Hold on. Let me check if there are any uing flights, w


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. I can ask my assistant to contact the airline and see if anyone has returned their ticket. I¡¯ll


    keep you updated,¡± said Vermont. ¡®As long as she agrees to have me there, we could ride a helicopter


    for all I care.1


    ¡°Okay then. Pack up some of your stuff and get ready to go.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Vermont immediately contacted his assistant to help him with the ticket.


    Then, he went home to wash up and pack his bag. ¡®I have to make a good impression,¡¯ he thought.


    Meanwhile, Ste changed her clothes, put on her mask and sunsses, and went grocery shopping.


    She bought some vegetables and proceeded to the seafood section of the market to look at the fish.


    Felicity had taught her how to make fish stew a while ago, which tasted good. So, she decided to cook


    it for Keegan.


    Ste was undecided between getting a wild carp or a farmed carp. The farmed carp was priced at


    $15.90 per pound, while the wild one was $29.80 per pound. ¡®The wild carp looks smaller, but the price


    difference is huge,¡¯ she thought. ¡®Then again, they¡¯re like the same fish, right?¡¯


    Ste was about to reach for the farmed carp when a thought came to her mind, ¡®Would it be better to


    buy the expensive one? But this one¡¯s cheaper.¡¯


    Seeing that she had been standing there for more than ten minutes, the fishmonger could not help but


    ask, ¡°What are you looking for, miss?¡±


    ¡°Hold on. Let me ask my partner,¡± said Ste. She took a picture of the fish and sent it to Keegan with


    the caption, [ Which one do you want?]


    Suddenly, a voice came from behind as she pressed the send button. ¡°Ste?¡±

 Chapter 1120

    Chapter 1120


    Chapter 1120


    Ste was startled. She turned over and saw Marshall, standing not far away from her, with many


    things in his hands. The man just stood there, sizing her up from top to bottom. There was some


    hesitation in his eyes, indicating that he was unsure if it was her.


    Ste put up her finger to make a silent gesture, and Marshall instantly understood. He walked toward


    her and whispered disapprovingly, ¡°Why are you out and about in the market at this crucial time?¡±


    ¡°This ce is hidden from the city. Who would think I would be at a market if you don¡¯t tell anyone?¡± As


    Ste said, she took two oranges from her bag and gave them to Marshall.¡± Here. Try them. They¡¯re


    cheap and sweet.¡±


    Marshall looked at the two oranges that were green and doubted her im. He wore light gray


    sportswear and did not style his hair as usual. His clean look made him seem younger.


    Ste could not help but take a few nces at him. ¡®That sporty attire looks good on him. I wonder if


    theye in white. Keegan would probably look dashing in them,¡¯ she thought.


    Ste¡¯s stare was so obvious that it made Marshall slightly ufortable. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡±


    he asked.


    Ste leaned toward him and whispered, ¡°No wonder youwyers have to suit up. I would doubt your


    abilities if you showed up in casual wear like this.¡±


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Marshall was taken aback for a moment and chuckled. He then leaned closer to her and said, ¡°Would I


    seem more unstoppable with a receding hairline?¡±


    Ste immediately nodded. ¡°It¡¯s just more professional to have your hair up.¡±


    Marshallughed and joked, ¡°I¡¯ll think about trimming my front hair when no one hires me as their


    lawyer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. You¡¯re an experiencedwyer. People won¡¯t judge you based on your hair,¡± Ste


    said,ughing.


    ¡°Have you decided on what you want, miss?¡± The fishmonger could not help asking after seeing the


    two chatting up a storm.


    ¡°You can go ahead and attend to other customers while I look around first,¡± said Ste.


    The fishmonger then said to call her if she needed help and proceeded to serve the other customers.


    ¡°Are you getting carp fish?¡± Marshall asked.


    Ste nodded and said, ¡°I want to make some fish stew, but I don¡¯t know how to choose one that¡¯s


    good.¡±


    ¡°Are you nning on buying a wild or farmed carp?¡±


    ¡°Is there a huge difference between the two?¡±


    Marshall smiled and said, ¡°It depends on what you like. Wild carps tend to have low-fat content, and


    their flesh is meatier. Due to their growth environment, wild carps have a slightly higher amount of


    vitamins and trace elements than farmed fish. Though, the nutrients don¡¯t differ much when it¡¯s only


    one fish. So don¡¯t expect to glow after eating a wild carp.¡±


    ¡°So there isn¡¯t a huge difference between the two?¡±


    ¡°Some people prefer wild carp because they can be picky about the texture and origin of their food.¡±


    ¡®Well, Keegan certainly is picky about his food, but not because of the texture. If he knew that I got the


    cheaper option, he would definitely say something like, ¡°Am I not worthy enough to eat fish that¡¯s 30


    dors per pound?!¡± Maybe I should just buy the wild carp,¡¯ Ste thought.


    ¡°How do I know which wild carp to choose?¡± She humbly asked Marshall.


    ¡°What are you going to do with the fish again?¡±


    ¡°I want to make a pot of fish stew.¡±

 Chapter 1121

    Chapter 1121


    Chapter 1121


    ¡°Hmm. I suggest you not choose a big one if you¡¯re making stew.¡± Marshall looked at the fish and


    pointed to one of them that had slightly sunken eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t choose the ones with bulging or cloudy-


    looking eyes either because they¡¯re no longer fresh. It¡¯s best to avoid ones that are too dark in color


    too. Choose the ones that look paler and have their scales intact.¡±


    Marshall paused and pointed to one of the t carp almost the size of his palm. ¡°Get that one. It¡¯ll be


    good for soup.¡±


    Ste informed the fishmonger about the fish, and he said,¡± This young man knows his stuff.¡± The seller


    then weighed the fish and cleaned out its guts. After some calctions, the carp cost 45 dors. Ste


    stuffed the fish into her bag, looked up at Marshall, and asked, ¡°Are you not getting one?¡±


    Marshall smiled and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t eat fish,¡± he said.


    Ste was a little surprised. ¡°Seeing how you know so much about fish, I thought you liked them a lot.¡±


    ¡°I like to fish, but I don¡¯t eat them,¡± Marshall exined.


    ¡°Why not? Do you not like the taste?¡± Ste asked casually.


    Marshall was silent for a few seconds. Then, he lowered his gaze and smiled. ¡°I remember fishing at


    the river with Vermont once we were young. I hadn¡¯t finished my homework at that time, and my


    parents found out. They


    asked me to ughter the fish I caught to teach me that I couldn¡¯t just y around and not do my


    homework. I was not able to eat fish after that. It feels like a sin.¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words. ¡®Fuck. Why do I always remind him of his bad memories? I was also a


    yful child when I was younger, but the worst punishment I got from Mom was a few ps on the


    hand and, asionally, no dinner. How can any parent force their child to kill a fish because they don¡¯t


    want him to neglect his homework?


    What kind of parenting is that?¡¯


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± Ste tried tofort him. ¡°It¡¯s normal for children to be yful. Name one child who


    doesn¡¯t like ying. I often lied to my mom when I was younger, saying that I had practiced the piano.


    But actually, I sneaked out of the house to y with my friends. I got tons of beatings too¡­¡±


    Suddenly, Ste did not know how to continue. Her punishment was iparable to Marshall¡¯s. For a


    long time, she racked her brain to say, ¡°But I don¡¯t remember the beatings. Once the marks were gone,


    I would immediately forget the pain and continue ying. You don¡¯t have to keep reminding yourself


    about your past. It¡¯s good to let loose sometimes. The more you remember the bad times, the sadder


    your life will be. Life¡¯s too short to keep pondering about things that make you unhappy, Marshall. It¡¯s


    better to think about the good times.¡±


    Marshall unconsciously smiled when he saw how hard Ste tried to improve the situation. ¡°You¡¯re


    right. I think I¡¯ll get one to try.¡±


    Ste hurriedly pulled him back and said, ¡°No. Wait. Don¡¯t just jump right in and get a whole fish! You


    have to do these things one step at a time. Do it when you¡¯refortable. Don¡¯t just listen to what


    other people say.¡±


    Marshall¡¯s heart softened when he heard that. ¡°You¡¯re so good atforting people, Ste,¡± he said


    warmly.


    Ste went quiet. ¡°Why does it feel like you¡¯re teasing me with that statement?¡± She asked since she


    was the one who always opened up his old wounds.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± Marshall chuckled.


    Ste saw that he was carrying a lot of things and asked,¡± Why did you buy so much stuff?¡±


    ¡°Thanksgiving is an important holiday for my family. We always have a reunion dinner together.


    Everyone from the family would show up during this time of year, and things get hectic for my mom and


    Gloria. Since I¡¯m on leave for two days, I decided to help with the shopping.¡±


    Ste wanted to tell him it would be better to hire someone to do the shopping, but she remembered


    what Keegan had told her before she could say anything. ¡®Back then, something unfortunate happened


    to Marshall¡¯s brother when his family was busy weing their Aunt Irene back, and his mom was told


    to go out for groceries by Mr. Moore Sr. This umon custom has been in their family for a long time.


    It¡¯s better if I don¡¯tment about it as an outsider.¡¯

 Chapter 1122

    Chapter 1122


    Chapter 1122


    After thinking about it, Ste changed her mind and asked,¡± Are you done with your shopping?¡±


    Marshall looked at the items in his hands and said, ¡°I¡¯m still short of some ssware. Do you have


    somewhere to be, Ste? If not, can you help? I¡¯m not very good at choosing this kind of stuff.¡±


    Ste looked at the time and realized it was still early, so she said, ¡°Sure, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll pick up two


    pieces of ssware too.¡±


    ¡°For you and Ms. Thompson?¡± Marshall casually asked.


    Ste paused andughed dryly, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    She was actually buying them for Keegan¡¯s new house.¡¯ Though the mansion has been renovated,


    there¡¯s basically nothing in it. All of the tableware and toiletries that Aldor bought are disposable.


    Keegan said to wait until we¡¯re free to go shopping together since we¡¯ll move into the new ce when


    we get remarried. Grandma mentioned that the house was in a good location that could promote a


    healthier marriage and possibly children. I don¡¯t get why an atheist like Keegan would believe that, but I


    like how he wants to buy stuff for our new home together. That being said, I will still buy the ssware


    today because I¡¯m sure Keegan would choose something ugly. I¡¯ll just execute my n and ask for


    forgivenesster.¡¯


    Ste put her groceries into the car and followed Marshall to a nearby mall. He asked how she was


    doing along the way, and she answered his questions casually.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Her reaction was a little worrying because of all the heat she was under. After the news about Be¡¯s


    fall and the interview broke out,izens started to attack Ste on the inte, asking her to


    apologize. However, Ste did no such thing despite it happening two days earlier.


    ¡°I know a few people who are in the PR industry. If you need any help, just call me,¡± Marshall said with


    consideration.


    Ste was momentarily taken aback and realized he was talking about her recent turmoil. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I


    can handle it,¡± she said.


    ¡°How are you going to do that?¡± Marshall asked.


    Ste opened her mouth to say something, but she closed it again. ¡°It¡¯s a secret. You¡¯ll find out


    tomorrow,¡± she said mysteriously.


    Marshall smiled and did not ask further questions.


    Soon, they arrived at the underground parking lot of the mall. Marshall parked the car, and the two of


    them got on the elevator together. The mall was crowded due to the holiday season. Many people were


    waiting for the elevator, including parents holding onto their children and college students on


    Thanksgiving break.


    Everyone swarmed into the elevator once the doors opened, and the people inside got out. Ste could


    feel herself being


    pushed in by the crowd. When she turned to see if Marshall had entered the elevator, she heard his


    voice above her head say, ¡°Come here.¡± The man slightly raised his arms and created a gap for her to


    pass through to the corner.


    Marshall stood in front of Ste while a bunch of people was on her right, and two young girls¡ª


    whispering to each other since they came in-were on her left.


    When the elevator started moving, a woman carrying her child stumbled backward. Ste was shocked


    and quickly supported her. The woman was startled and turned to thank Ste after getting back on her


    feet. ¡°Say thank you,¡± She looked at her child in her arms and said in a low voice. The child blinked at


    Ste and suddenly reached out to grab her mask


    The woman was stunned and pulled the child¡¯s hand away as she apologized, ¡°Sorry. He¡¯s probably


    still sleepy and didn¡¯t know what he was doing.¡± As she said that, she gently hit the child at the bottom


    and said, ¡°How can you be so rude? Is that how I taught you to treat people? Quick. Apologize to the


    kinddy.¡±


    The child was only about three years old and already had a sense of self-esteem. After being


    reprimanded by his mother, his eyes turned red, and his nose twitched as if he was about to cry.


    Ste pulled her mask up and hurriedly said, ¡°That¡¯s okay. He¡¯s still a kid. It¡¯s no big deal.¡±


    The woman thanked Ste again and turned around. While Ste was readjusting her face mask, she


    noticed a young girl next to her staring.

 Chapter 1123

    Chapter 1123


    Chapter 1123


    As soon as Ste met the young girl¡¯s eyes, the other party immediately stopped staring and avoided


    her gaze. Ste wondered why she was looking at her when Marshall asked, ¡°What kind of ssware


    are you going to buy?¡± She returned to her senses and said, ¡°Mugs, I suppose. You?¡±


    ¡°I need some teacups for the guests.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have teacups at home?¡± Ste wondered. ¡®Didn¡¯t he say they have a Thanksgiving dinner


    tradition? How in the world would they not have enough ssware?¡¯


    ¡°Our cupboard that holds the tea sets fell a while ago. Everything was broken, and no one got around


    to buying new ones. So¡­¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± said Ste. ¡®How would a cupboard where the tea sets were kept fall for no reason? Did his


    family fight and break all the ssware?¡¯


    The elevator arrived at the fourth floor, and the crowd started getting out. Marshall led Ste straight to


    a store that sold tea sets. The ssware looked pretty, but the prices were not since they were from


    imported brands.


    Ste looked around and found a pair of ss mugs. She picked them up to take a closer look quite


    thick. The cups were made from explosion-proof ss. They looked simple yet beautiful with a little


    color gradient.


    ¡°Those are quite nice,¡± Marshall walked over and said. ¡°Are you going to get them?¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste nodded. ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s so much to choose from, but these caught my eye.¡±


    Marshall turned to the seller and said, ¡°Wrap these up for me and ring them up.¡±


    Ste was stunned when she heard that. ¡°No. Wait. We¡¯ll split the bill,¡± she hurriedly said.


    Marshallughed. ¡°It¡¯s not even that expensive, Ste. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Ste waved her hand and said, ¡°It isn¡¯t for you. These are several hundred dors per piece. That¡¯s a


    lot of money. You can¡¯t keep doing this, or I¡¯ll run from you the next time I see you.¡±


    Marshall could not resist her, so he sighed and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s just some mugs. There¡¯s no need to take it


    so seriously.¡±


    ¡°Then, how about I pay for yours?¡± Ste asked.


    Marshall then handed her the ssware he had chosen and said, ¡°Here you go. Thanks.¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words. ¡®I was clearly just trying to make an analogy¡­¡¯ she thought. However,


    she still reached out to grab the teacups. Marshall suddenly pulled his hand away and said, ¡°Oh, never


    mind.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that you¡¯d regret it when you get home and block my socials,¡± Marshall raised an eyebrow


    and said.


    Ste red at him and said, ¡°What kind of person do you think I am?!¡± Then, she generously told the


    salesperson to put everything on her card.


    Marshall smiled and did not try to fight her. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you over here,¡± he said.


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe him,¡¯ thought Ste.


    There were a lot of people in the store at that time. While queuing at the checkout line, Ste felt


    someone staring at her. She turned to the side and saw a youngdy in her twenties taking pictures of


    her with her phone. The girl hid her phone and pretended to look at the cups and sses when she


    noticed Ste ncing at her.


    Ste looked away but could feel a pair of eyes staring at her again after a while. When she turned her


    head this time, the girl¡¯s phone was three feet away. It was apparent that she was secretly taking


    pictures of her.

 Chapter 1124

    Chapter 1124


    Chapter 1124


    Ste frowned and gave the girl an unpleasant look. She pulled her cap down and said nothing. Ste


    realized that the girl, who was taking pictures of her, was the same girl standing next to her in the


    elevator. ¡®Maybe she recognized me when the kid pulled my mask earlier. It doesn¡¯t matter. I have to


    leave as soon as possible.¡¯


    Ste turned her head in Marshall¡¯s direction, but he was nowhere to be seen. So, she pulled out her


    phone and texted him, [I think someone recognized me. I¡¯ll buy the mugs some other time. I¡¯m gonna


    go downstairs and try to leave. Don¡¯t wait for me.]


    After sending the message, Ste handed the ssware to the cashier and said, ¡°Sorry. I don¡¯t want


    these anymore.¡± She then turned around and left. When the girl saw her leaving, she ran up and


    grabbed her. ¡°You¡¯re Ste Jewell, right?¡±


    Ste broke away from the girl¡¯s grip and coldly said, ¡°I think you got the wrong person.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. It¡¯s you!¡± The girl agitatedly said as she held her phone in Ste¡¯s face and tried to yank


    her mask off, hitting her chin in the process.


    Ste was in pain and subconsciously pushed the other party¡¯s hand away. She identally hit the


    girl¡¯s phone, and it dropped. Everyone looked toward the direction of the sound while the girl hurriedly


    bent down to pick up her


    phone. Ste was about to say something when another girl rushed up and pushed her away. ¡°What do


    you think you¡¯re doing? Are you trying to hit her again?¡±


    The push caused Ste to stagger. When she regained her footing, she saw that the girl¡¯s phone was


    fine. So, she kept quiet and turned to leave, but the other girl immediately stopped her. ¡°How dare you


    try to escape after dropping this poor girl¡¯s phone?¡±


    Ste narrowed her lips and responded in a deep voice, ¡°Her phone hit me on the chin, so I instinctively


    pushed it away. It¡¯s called a reflex. And as you can see, her phone is perfectly fine.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you apologize even if you didn¡¯t break it? I was clearly taking pictures of the store. What


    makes you think you could hit my hand like that?¡± The first girl said


    aggressively.


    ¡®What the hell? You weren¡¯t taking pictures of the store. You literally held your phone in my face and


    asked for my name,¡¯ thought Ste. She would have fought the girls if it was not for the wrong timing.


    Ste took a deep breath and suppressed the raging fire in her heart. Then, she said in a muffled voice,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the misunderstanding.¡±


    But the other party said, ¡°Who apologizes while wearing a mask? It¡¯s not sincere enough. Take off your


    mask and do it again!¡±


    Ste looked at the girls and decided not to entertain them without something in return. ¡°I can do that,


    but she has to delete the photos she took of me.¡±


    The girl was taken aback. She did not expect Ste to react the way she did and started to get a little


    annoyed. ¡°She said she wasn¡¯t taking pictures of you!¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m afraid she can¡¯t take pictures in this store,¡± said Ste while pointing at a ¡°No Photography


    Allowed¡± sign. ¡°I¡¯ll apologize again if you tell her to delete all the photos she took in here.¡±


    Ste then called one of the staff, pointed to the two girls, and said, ¡¯Hello. These twodies have taken


    photos of the store. Can you please check their phones? I came here to purchase some ssware, not


    appear in other people¡¯s galleries.¡±


    The staff hastily apologized and asked the two girls to show the recent pictures in their albums just to


    make sure. The girl who dropped her phone was flustered when she heard that. However, the other girl


    was calm. ¡°You¡¯re not thew. You have no right to search our phones.¡±


    ¡°So you know thew, huh?¡± Steughed. She held her phone up to show them that she was calling


    911. ¡°Since I¡¯m also aw-abiding citizen, I think it would be best to settle this with the authorities. That


    way, we can amicably get things over with.¡±


    The two girls panicked when they saw what was on the screen of Ste¡¯s phone.

 Chapter 1125

    Chapter 1125


    Chapter 1125


    The girl who dropped her phone pulled her friend away and said in a muffled voice, ¡°Let¡¯s forget it. My


    phone is fine.¡± Her friend¡¯s face looked tense as she stared at Ste.


    Suddenly, she rushed forward and yanked Ste¡¯s mask off just as the call to 911 was connected. ¡°It is


    you!¡± she yelled.¡± Everyone, gather around! The big star, Ste Jewell, knocked my friend¡¯s phone out


    of her hand and refused to apologize! She even threatened us just now! Do celebrities think that they


    can do whatever they want and bully others?¡±


    This attracted the attention of others. The sound of a celebrity being there was intriguing, so everyone


    surrounded the ssware store in no time.


    Ste pursed her lips and was about to answer the phone when one of the girls knocked her phone to


    the ground.¡± What? Trying to call for backup?¡±


    ¡°Look, guys! This is the person who refused to apologize after pushing Be Young down the stairs! A


    fewizens said she was being framed, but where¡¯s the proof for that? All I see is someone who


    doesn¡¯t want to apologize for knocking my friend¡¯s phone out of her hand and threatening us. She¡¯s not


    fit to be a star with such morals,¡± said the girl as she pulled Ste¡¯s disguise, trying to expose her face


    to the public.


    Ste backed up a bit in the midst of all the pulling and pushing to avoid the exposure and bumped into


    the girl who dropped her phone earlier. The girl lost her bnce and fell to the ground.


    Before Ste had the time to look behind her, the girl¡¯s friend shouted, ¡°She hit her! She hit her!¡± She


    then signaled her friend to pretend like she could not get up.


    Most of the young people at the mall were Be¡¯s fans.


    Once they heard that Ste was there, they began to take action. A few were filming the incident while


    others tried to defend the girls.


    One even took advantage of the crowd and scratched Ste¡¯s neck. Ste¡¯s anger red up at the


    sudden attack. She pushed the hand away and said with a cold face, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Her voice was


    loud and strong. The crowd did not dare toe forward for a while.


    Ste removed her cap, and her silky ck hair cascaded down her back. Pulling down her mask, she


    revealed her wless face, a sight that left everyone in awe. Her delicate features were nothing short of


    breathtaking, surpassing the beauty of other stars and the general public. Even those who had


    encountered numerous celebrities were taken aback by her extraordinary allure.


    However, their views changed when they thought of what Ste had allegedly done.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be proud of for being a star, especially when you refuse to apologize after pushing


    someone,¡± said someone from the crowd.


    ¡°I thought she was framed at first, but now I think she¡¯s just a bad person. I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s not


    apologizing to the girl.¡±


    ¡°Did you push Be down the stairs? Why aren¡¯t you responding to the people?¡±


    The crowd started to confront Ste and blocked her from escaping. Ste looked up and said into the


    cameras in front of her, ¡°I didn¡¯t push Be down the stairs. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t issue an apology. Just


    like how I won¡¯t apologize when these girls were the ones who secretly took pictures of me. Being loud


    doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re right. I¡¯m not responding because I¡¯m waiting for a verdict from the authorities.¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Apologize to Be!¡± someone shouted after she said that.


    At that time, an object was heading toward Ste while a high school student stood on her tiptoes,


    trying to take a video of Ste. Seeing that the item was about to hit the girl in the head, Ste pushed


    her aside. Ste¡¯s selfless act came at a cost as the flying object her instead.


    Crash!


    The sound of shattering ss filled the air. Ste felt a mix of numbness and pain radiating from her


    forehead. She instinctively reached out to touch it, only to find her fingers smeared with blood.

 Chapter 1126

    Chapter 1126


    Chapter 1126


    The high school student that Ste had pushed away was shocked when she saw the broken shards of


    ss on the ground. ¡®It would¡¯ve been me if it weren¡¯t for her,¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°Ste!¡± Marshall¡¯s voice sounded. His face was sullen as he pushed through the sea of people, trying


    to get to Ste. He hastily used a handkerchief to cover her wounded head. Seeing that the cloth was


    soaked in blood, Marshall stared at the crowd with a cold face and said, ¡°Who did this?¡±


    Those shouting at Ste earlier immediately shut their mouths and looked at each other. No one


    admitted to the assault. Then, someone said, ¡°She deserved it for pushing Be and refusing to


    apologize.¡±


    Marshall¡¯s cold gaze pierced through them as he said, ¡°Did any of you see her push Be down the


    stairs? Or did the police say that she did it?¡±


    The person choked on their own words and retorted, ¡°Why didn¡¯t shee forward and clear things up


    if she didn¡¯t do it? Why did she go into hiding? It¡¯s not fair. She should apologize for her wrongdoing.¡±


    ¡°All of you believed what you saw on the inte without solid evidence and convicted her. None of you


    held back when you criticized and bullied her, yet now you¡¯re asking why she didn¡¯t juste out and


    rify herself? Would you even believe her if she said she didn¡¯t do it?¡± Marshall said


    coldly.


    ¡°I bet you¡¯d think that she was lying. You¡¯d attack her no matter what she says and never be satisfied


    with her, no matter what she does or doesn¡¯t do. You vent your anger and frustrations in the name of


    your so-called justice. But all you¡¯re doing is hurting someone on behalf of your idol.¡±


    Marshall¡¯s words made the public question themselves.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    After all, most of them were actually trying to seek justice for Be and not hurt Ste. However, a few


    people did not fall for Marshall¡¯s approach. ¡± Who are you to say something like that?¡± one of them


    asked.


    Marshall shot the person a cold nce and said, ¡°I¡¯m Marshall Moore, a friend of Ste¡¯s and her


    lawyer. I am responsible for protecting her in terms of her reputation and personal safety. The police


    are investigating the case, and the court will decide if shemitted the crime. None of you have the


    right to convict her.¡±


    After saying that, Marshall paused and nced around. ¡°I think everyone here is aware of how


    important an actor¡¯s appearance is in the film industry. I urge whoever threw that ss toe forward


    now. Don¡¯t make me contact the authorities and have them look up the CCTV.¡±


    Ste was in excruciating pain at that moment and was feeling a little dizzy. She pulled Marshall down


    and whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s forget it.¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m not letting this one slide. I feel helpless for not being able to protect you. Put some pressure on


    the wound and don¡¯t say another word. I¡¯ll take you to the hospital after


    I¡¯m done here,¡± Marshall held her hand and said softly.


    Before Ste could say anything, Marshall looked toward the crowd sternly. ¡°No one wants toe out


    and admit it? Fine. We¡¯ll check the surveince. I¡¯m telling you; you can be convicted for at least three


    to ten years for intentional harm. Refusing to plead guilty will only add to your sentence.¡±


    Someone in the crowd started to panic after hearing thewyer¡¯s words and started to fess up, ¡°It was


    me.¡±


    Everyone turned around and made way for the person, only to see an eleven or twelve-year-old girl


    sobbing. A longhaired woman in her early twenties stood next to her and apologized on the girl¡¯s


    behalf. ¡°My sister is still young and believes everything she sees on the inte. I¡¯m really sorry. It¡¯s my


    fault for not stopping her earlier.¡±


    When the woman said that, she poked the little girl in the arm and continued with a straight face, ¡°What


    are you doing? Apologize, quick!¡±


    Ste was stunned. She did not say anything. The little girl sobbed even harder as she uttered the


    words, ¡°l-l¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Marshall¡¯s demeanor changed at that moment. ¡°You¡¯re the one who threw the ss?¡± He walked up to


    the little girl and questioned in a warm voice.


    The little girl fearfully nodded.


    ¡°Do you know her?¡± Marshall pointed at Ste and asked.

 Chapter 1127

    Chapter 1127


    Chapter 1127


    The little girl shook her head.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°Why did you throw the ss at her if you don¡¯t know her?¡± Marshall asked.


    The girl subconsciously nced at the woman next to her, and the woman immediately said, ¡°She


    didn¡¯t mean it. She was just too caught up in the moment.¡±


    Marshall looked at her indifferently and said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking you.¡±


    The woman shut her mouth after that.


    Marshall then turned his gaze to the little girl again and said, ¡°Please answer my question.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I just don¡¯t like her¡­¡± The girl said, and her eyes were red.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a reason to hurt someone. You should be responsible for your own actions.¡± Marshall stood


    up and grabbed the child¡¯s hand. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go to the police station.¡±


    The girl started to panic at the sound of that. She tried to break free from Marshall¡¯s grip and sobbed,


    No¡­ I don¡¯t want to¡­ I don¡¯t want to go to the police station¡­ Please¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ Don¡¯t send me to


    jail¡­¡± Obviously frightened, she cried as she pleaded.


    ¡®My sister said she was sorry. Stop scaring her. All you want ispensation, right? We can pay for


    Ste¡¯s medical bills.


    ¡± The woman standing at the side tried to help.


    The crowd could not stand seeing the little girl cry her heart out and tried to plead with Marshall as well.


    ¡°She¡¯s still a child. She doesn¡¯t know what she¡¯s doing.¡±


    ¡°Just take the apology and move on. There¡¯s no need to get aggressive.¡±


    ¡°The kid said she was sorry. Stop being so inhumane. You¡¯re an adult for God¡¯s sake.¡±


    Marshall did not let go of the girl no matter what they said. Instead, he dragged her out of the building


    with a chilling look on his face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go¡ª¡± Seeing that it was no use, the girl blurted, ¡°I haven¡¯t turned fourteen yet. My sister


    said I wouldn¡¯t have to bear any criminal charges. I¡¯m not going to the police station¡­¡±


    Marshall paused when he heard that. He finally stopped in his tracks and slowly said, ¡°You¡¯re right. You


    can be acquitted in the court ofw if you¡¯re not over fourteen. But surely you have friends and family,


    right?


    What do you think they¡¯d say if they knew about what you did today? You¡¯d likely be suspended from


    school because the administrators wouldn¡¯t want you to ruin the school¡¯s image. Other parents would


    also warn their children to distance themselves from an evil person like you. No one would want to be


    your friend, and your parents would be ashamed and disgusted by your behavior. Think of the


    consequences.¡±


    These words sessfully instilled fear in the little girl, and


    she immediately confessed, ¡°I didn¡¯t do it. It wasn¡¯t me. It was my sister. She told me to say that I did it


    when I actually didn¡¯t.¡±


    As soon as she said that, everyone was shocked and looked at the woman who had defended her


    sister earlier.


    The woman¡¯s face changed in an instant. She poked the little girl¡¯s head and said, ¡°What are you


    talking about, you ungrateful kid! I brought you to the mall, and this is how you repay me? How dare


    you try to frame me like that?¡± She then pushed the little girl away and continued, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have


    brought you out here. You should bear the consequences of your own actions.¡±


    The woman was about to leave when Marshall stretched out his arm to block her way.

 Chapter 1128

    Chapter 1128


    Chapter 1128


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you should be leaving when we aren¡¯t done with the issue at hand here,¡± said Marshall.


    ¡°Go find whoever did it, then. Get out of my way! This has nothing to do with me,¡± The woman, who


    was used of throwing a ss at Ste by her own sister, sullenly said.


    ¡°We will know who the perpetrator is after we check the surveince footage. You can¡¯t leave even if


    the kid did it and you didn¡¯t, since you¡¯re her temporary guardian.¡±


    The woman could not hold herself back when she heard that. ¡°So what if it was me? She deserves it!


    She¡¯s overrated. She bullies her colleagues and would do anything to gain poprity. She isn¡¯t worthy


    of bing an actor. I was just helping everyone in eliminating that pest!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯vemitted a crime and let an underage kid take the me. After being exposed, you get angry


    and say that you did it in the name of justice. Is this what you learn from being a fan of Ms. Young? A


    role model should positively influence her followers, not instigate her fans to cause trouble. I think those


    are the kinds of celebrities who aren¡¯t worthy,¡± Marshall snorted.


    Ste looked at Marshall unexpectedly at that time. ¡®That girl didn¡¯t even mention Be¡¯s name when


    she admitted to throwing the cup at my head. Whenever fans get into trouble, they would rather remove


    their fan status than involve their idol in a mess. But Marshall¡¯s words are


    implicating Be. It¡¯s like he¡¯s pushing everything onto her,¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°Who¡¯s Be Young? I don¡¯t even know her. Don¡¯t incriminate me. I¡¯m not a fan of anyone. I just don¡¯t


    like her!¡± The woman denied everything as soon as she heard what Marshall had said.


    Marshall nced at the other party in disdain and said,¡± When did I mention the name Be?¡± The


    woman realized she had fallen into Marshall¡¯s trap, and her face changed slightly.


    Before she could defend herself, the police and the mail¡¯s authorities had arrived at the scene. The


    police did not take the incident lightly, especially since it happened in a public space and involved an


    actor who had been highly discussed on the inte recently. They questioned the people around and


    began to retrieve the surveince footage.


    The two girls who confronted Ste earlier turned pale and tried to escape. However, Marshall had


    been watching them from the start. When he saw that they were about to leave, he calmly stopped


    them and politely asked, ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±


    The girls avoided his gaze and said something along the lines of having some errands to run. ¡°What¡¯s


    the rush? You¡¯re alreadyte anyway,¡± said Marshall. He then stared at one of them and continued,


    ¡°You fell earlier, right, miss? It just so happens that I will be taking Ste to the hospital. Why don¡¯t you


    come along and get a checkup?¡±


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°N-No. That¡¯s fine¡­¡± The girl did not dare to go, as she knew that she would be exposed for faking her


    injury.


    ¡°I insist. I don¡¯t want you to me Ste if something happens to you after a few days because you


    didn¡¯t get yourself checked out. It¡¯s easier if we settle things face to face,¡± Marshall said.


    ¡°No, no. I¡¯m fine. Really. I-I couldn¡¯t get up earlier because I was in pain, but I¡¯m fine now,¡± the girl


    stammered. She even moved her limbs around to show that she was alright.


    Marshall nodded in response. ¡°Okay. That¡¯s good. Now, let¡¯s go to the police station to see how Ste


    knocked your phone out of your hand ande up with the appropriatepensation.¡±


    ¡®Shit. We can¡¯t do that, otherwise, we¡¯ll get exposed for taking pictures of her,¡¯ thought the girls. The


    two racked their brains to excuse themselves, saying that the phone was fine and they had personal


    matters to attend to.


    However, Marshall remained unfazed and insisted on taking legal action no matter what they said.


    The police began to ask for their identification, and the woman who threw the cup realized the


    seriousness of the matter when she saw their ashen faces. The girls were high school students and


    were underage. They would only have to issue an apology at best, but it was different for the woman.


    She had one year left before her graduation and was going to apply for graduate school. She then


    realized that her name would be tarnished if this matter got out of hand, so she began to feel scared.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was influenced by thements online. Please forgive me. My graduation ising up in


    a year, and I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to graduate if the school knows about this. Please¡­¡±

 Chapter 1129

    Chapter 1129


    Chapter 1129


    Ste was already in a lot of pain from the injury. Her head hurt even more when the woman suddenly


    approached her and apologized. ¡°Please get up. There¡¯s no need to make a scene,¡± said Ste.


    The woman was no longer arrogant. She shook her head and started to choke up. ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m ashamed


    of myself. I shouldn¡¯t have been biased after seeing a few one-sidedments on the inte, and I


    shouldn¡¯t have hurt you on impulse. I¡¯m truly sorry.¡±


    Seeing that her sister was about to be arrested, the little girl on the side was terrified. ¡°P-Please don¡¯t


    let the police take my sister, miss. Please¡­¡± She cried and pleaded.


    Ste pressed her lips together and patted the kid¡¯s head. She turned to Marshall and said, ¡°Let¡¯s send


    her home first.¡±


    Marshall nodded, but the little girl was hesitant to go. She held onto Ste and asked, ¡°Are you going to


    let my sister go, miss?¡±


    Ste did not answer her question. Instead, she said, ¡°She¡¯ll be back.¡±


    The kid did not get the hidden meaning behind Ste¡¯s words. Hearing that, the little girl felt relieved


    and whispered, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    After the child had left, Ste set her eyes on the woman once more. ¡°Get up,¡± she said calmly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not getting up until you forgive me,¡± the woman sobbed. She knew that her action was caught on


    CCTV, and she would face severe consequences if Ste pushed forward with the investigation. Once


    detained, she would likely be suspended from school, and her dreams of graduating would be crushed.


    More than a decade of hard work would instantly turn into nothing.


    However, the school would go through with some motions and give her a warning if Ste forgave her.


    She could also take her finals and graduate with sess if the news died down. Therefore, everything


    came down to Ste¡¯s view of the matter.


    ¡®She has to forgive me now that I¡¯m begging her in front of so many people. Pushing the case forward


    won¡¯t help with her established image of tolerance and generosity,¡¯ thought the young adult.


    Many people in the entertainment industry had created a persona for themselves. Some were known to


    be foodies; some were known for their book smarts; some were known to be smug, while others had an


    innocent appearance.


    This incident has caused Ste¡¯s reputation to have a downfall. She¡¯s probably going to take the bait


    and promote herself to gain more followers,¡¯ the woman said to herself. However, the truth was the


    opposite of what she thought.


    Ste did not y her cards as the people expected and did not care about her reputation. ¡°I


    appreciate that you admitted your mistake, but I don¡¯t intend to forgive you. You¡¯re an adult. You should


    be responsible for your own actions. You can apologize when the investigation is over if you truly


    meant what you said.¡±


    The woman was dumbfounded. She never thought that Ste could be so cold-hearted.


    Ste did not intend to say anything further. When she turned and walked away, the woman tried to


    catch up to her but was subdued by the police. All Ste could hear was the woman¡¯s intermittent cries


    and curses from behind.


    Marshall stepped forward and draped his coat over her shoulders as he whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the


    hospital.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ste replied, and her face was extremely white. The handkerchief that was used to put


    pressure on her wound was stained with blood. Although the wound seemed to be bleeding a lot lesser


    now, it still hurt like hell.


    Ste leaned on the passenger seat and closed her eyes in exhaustion. Marshall looked at her pale


    face and remained silent for a while before he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should¡¯ve stayed by your side.¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Ste opened her eyes, and her gaze did not hold any me. Instead, her eyes were filled with


    understanding as she said, ¡°This has nothing to do with you. It¡¯s not like you could predict the future.


    Things would be much worse if you didn¡¯t appear in time like you did. You saved me.¡±

 Chapter 1130

    Chapter 1130


    Chapter 1130


    Ste paused for a while before softly saying, ¡°You don¡¯t have to take on everything yourself. You¡¯d be


    living a tiring life if you did.¡±


    Marshall swallowed; Adam¡¯s apple bobbed in his throat. He clenched onto the steering wheel and


    waited long before saying, ¡°Just scold me so that I feel better.¡±


    ¡°Pass. I¡¯ll feel bad if I scold you,¡± Steughed.


    Marshall let out a chuckle and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not letting this matter slide.¡±


    Ste did not take his words to heart. She closed her eyes and sighed, ¡°Tell me something, Marshall.


    Why would these fans put their future on the line for celebrities who wouldn¡¯t do the same for them?¡±


    ¡°Most of them are young and have too much free time on their hands. They won¡¯t engage in this


    nonsense once they grow older and get into rtionships.¡±


    This was Ste¡¯s first hearing such an answer, and she could not hold back her amusement. Though, it


    made sense after she thought about it. ¡°You¡¯re funny,¡± she said.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Suddenly, she received a notification on her phone from Keegan. He had just finished work and texted


    her, [Just get the cheap one. Getting the expensive fish would be a waste. Plus, I don¡¯t deserve it. I¡¯d


    rather save up and buy you designer bags.] Ste¡¯s lessons were clearly working from the sound of


    Keegan¡¯s words.


    [You¡¯re rather self-aware, huh?] Ste replied as she suppressed her smile.


    Keeganughed and said, [Remember to go home earlier after you¡¯re done shopping. Don¡¯t stay out


    too long.


    Something came up in theb, so I¡¯d probably bete.]


    Initially, Ste had typed half of what happened today to send to Keegan. But when she to do, she


    deleted her paragraph and said, [Got it. Talk to you when you¡¯re home.]


    Keegan was about to reply when Aldor called out to him. So, he had to put away his phone and go


    back to theb.


    It was almost dark when Ste finished her checkup and assisted with the investigation. Marshall


    wanted to drive her home, but she said, ¡°Can you drop me off at the supermarket? My car¡¯s still there.¡±


    Marshall was concerned. ¡°You can¡¯t drive in this condition. I¡¯ll drive you where you want to go and have


    someone fetch your carter.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright. I¡¯m fine. I can drive home myself,¡± Ste said stubbornly.


    Seeing that there was no persuading her, Marshall did not say anything and turned the car around back


    to the grocery store. When they arrived, he stopped her when she tried to get out of the vehicle.


    Ste turned around and saw Marshall exiting the car. He grabbed a coat and shook it, ready to put it


    over her shoulders. Ste¡¯s reflexes kicked in, and she took a step back. Marshall paused, folded the


    clothing, and naturally handed it to her. ¡°The weather¡¯s cold at night. You should put on something


    warm, so you don¡¯t catch a cold.¡±


    Ste did not get the implication behind Marshall¡¯s words.¡± Huh? Carse with heaters, remember? I


    won¡¯t catch a cold. You should go. Your family must have been waiting for you while you were stuck


    with me.¡±


    Marshall withdrew his hand and smiled. ¡°Why does it seem like you don¡¯t want to be associated with


    me?¡± he asked.


    His words made Ste speechless.

 Chapter 1131

    Chapter 1131


    Chapter 1131


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. I wouldn¡¯t have agreed to go to the ssware store with you if I was actually


    trying to avoid people from seeing us together. I just don¡¯t feel cold right now,¡± Ste exined.


    Ste was someone who only remembers the good and forgets the bad. She had forgotten Keegan¡¯s


    warning when Marshall asked her to go shopping for ssware with him. However, Marshall¡¯s sudden


    move of putting his coat over her reminded her how flirty they were being with each other. That was


    why she rejected the offer.


    ¡®Then again, he did it so naturally. It doesn¡¯t seem like a romantic gesture. I bet Marshall wouldn¡¯t even


    fall for someone like me. Someone as gentle as him would probably like a modest and elegant woman


    or a girl with a sassy personality who deviates from the norm. And I¡¯m clearly none of those. I¡¯m just


    awkward and cheesy, especially when ites to love.¡¯


    Marshall smiled, hearing her say that. ¡°Alright. Maybe I¡¯m the one who¡¯s being overly sensitive.¡± He


    paused for a few seconds and said, ¡°Hold on.¡± He turned and went back to the car. After a while, he


    came back and handed Ste a gift box. ¡°Here are the mugs you picked out earlier.¡±


    Ste was surprised. ¡°When did you get these?¡±


    ¡°When you were making a statement with the authorities. I asked the people at the store to pack them


    up for me. I had


    to get the tea sets anyway, so I got yours too.¡±


    Ste smiled and said, ¡®Til transfer you the moneyter.¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Marshall smiled back and did not say anything to that. ¡°Go on, get in the car. Drive safe, okay? Find


    somewhere to stop if you¡¯re not feeling well. Text me when you get home.¡±


    Ste nodded, ¡°Alright. You drive safe too.¡±


    After saying goodbye, Ste drove away. Marshall only turned around to go when her car disappeared


    from view.


    While Ste was on her way home, Keegan called. She turned on the speakerphone and teased,


    ¡°Have you finished your work, Mr. Kane?¡±


    Keegan sounded serious on the phone. ¡°Where are you?¡± he asked with a hint of fear and anger. He


    tried his best to suppress it, but Ste could tell he had probably learned about what happened in the


    mall earlier.


    The incident had gone viral on the news not long after she came out of the hospital. Her phone was


    filled with unread messages and missed calls from caring fans and friends. However, some were from


    haters online, and Ste did not bother to reply.


    Keegan called just as she thought about how he would have received the news by then. ¡°I¡¯m on the


    way back to your ce. I bought the expensive fish, by the way. Don¡¯t say I don¡¯t spoil you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point.¡± Keegan was annoyed and amused at the same time.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who said I don¡¯t spoil you enough?¡± Ste asked.


    Keegan was furious but did not let it get the best of him. He knew that the incident was not Ste¡¯s


    fault. ¡®She was bullied. I have to get back at those people for her, not scold her.¡¯


    ¡°How¡¯s the injury?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s as small as a fingernail. It was almost healed when I got to the hospital.¡± Ste tried to make it


    sound less severe than it was lest Keegan would worry.


    ¡®It must be serious. Ste always acts like it¡¯s the end of the world whenever she gets a minor injury.


    But she ys it cool when things are serious so that she wouldn¡¯t trouble others and make them


    worried,¡¯ Keegan thought to himself.


    Keegan started to choke up. After a while, he said, ¡°Where are you right now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m almost at Lumi River.¡±


    ¡°Come pick me up at theb. We can go home together,¡± said Keegan.

 Chapter 1132

    Chapter 1132


    Chapter 1132


    Ste hesitated for a moment before agreeing to Keegan¡¯s request and hung up the phone. As she


    waited for the red light, she tried to fix her hair while looking into the rearview mirror. She felt relieved


    only when her bangs covered the wound on her forehead.


    The building where Keegan usually did his experiments was built on the outskirts of town. Ste knew


    where it was but never went there before. This was because non-authorized people were not allowed


    inside the building. Moreover, some materials used for experiments were radioactive, meaning they


    had to put on a special suit when entering the premise. Naturally, Keegan did not want Ste to go


    anywhere near the ce.


    Ste parked the car across the entrance of the building and was about to call Keegan when he walked


    out of the gate. He seemed to sit in the guardhouse, waiting for her to show up.


    Ste put her phone aside and watched him stride over step by step. ¡®He looks so good in that suit. I


    bet he wore it because he knows I like it. After all, hispany doesn¡¯t require him to wear formal


    clothes to work.¡¯


    Keegan was already in front of the car as she thought about that. He knocked on the window, and


    Ste lowered it while smiling. ¡°You look handsome today, Mr. Kane.¡±


    Keegan nced at Ste and said, ¡°I look handsome every day.¡±


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but you¡¯re extremely handsome today!¡± Ste quickly praised, trying to ease his mind.


    ¡°Go over to the passenger¡¯s side. I¡¯ll drive,¡± Keegan said.


    Ste did as she was told obediently. Keegan opened the door on the driver¡¯s side and got in the


    vehicle. He did not rush to start the car. Instead, he grabbed Ste¡¯s chin and brushed her bangs away


    from her forehead. Ste tried to stop him, but he held her back. The stitches she got were not obvious,


    but since the wound was a little red and swollen, it was still noticeable.


    Keegan¡¯s lips tightened upon seeing that. ¡°Did you hit them back?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t hit. There were too many people there. I¡¯m a public figure now, so I have to act like a role


    model,¡± Ste said truthfully.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve diverted the crowd and hit them back.¡±


    Ste was speechless when she heard his suggestion. ¡°The police have her in custody. Mr. Moore told


    me she won¡¯t be able toe out for a while.¡±


    Keegan paused and sullenly asked, ¡°Do you want to exin why you were with him?¡±


    Ste was quiet for a moment before she said, ¡°Would you believe me if I told you I ran into him while


    buying groceries at the supermarket?¡±


    ¡°What do you think? He¡¯s awyer. He should be working on cases. Why in the world would he be at


    the supermarket buying groceries?¡±


    Ste frowned. ¡°What are you trying to say? Do you think I¡¯m lying? Do you think I asked him out on


    purpose?¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips and said, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    ¡°It seems pretty clear to me that that¡¯s what you were insinuating!¡±


    Keegan stayed silent. ¡°I told you to stay away from him. Why didn¡¯t you listen? Why didn¡¯t you avoid


    him when you saw him? Do you even remember what you promised me?¡±


    Ste started getting angry after being questioned like a criminal. ¡°Since when did I not listen? Would I


    drive myself home despite my injury if not for my promise to you? No. I would have asked him to drive


    me! There are times when it¡¯s okay to be jealous, Keegan, but now is not the time.


    Marshall is your friend, and I¡¯m your partner. What do you think would happen when we¡¯re together?


    Don¡¯t you trust him? Don¡¯t you trust ME?!¡±

 Chapter 1133

    Chapter 1133


    Chapter 1133


    Keegan¡¯s face turned ugly. ¡°I¡¯m not jealous,¡± he said.


    ¡°Then, tell me. Why are you acting out?¡± Ste had tried her best to downy everything not to make


    Keegan worry. She had expected to get his affection andfort, but he ended up focusing on the fact


    that she and Marshall were together. Ste¡¯s heart turned cold.


    ¡°You never say anything or even tell me anything. You asked me to keep my distance from Marshall


    and not talk about when you left me alone at our wedding after we married. I know you have your


    reasons, but they¡¯re the only thing you have! You never had any trust when it came to sharing things


    with me! It¡¯s like I¡¯m never good enough for it!¡±


    Keegan was frustrated and did not want to argue with Ste. ¡°This has nothing to do with my trust in


    you. I¡¯m doing this for your own goo-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m sick of hearing that! You keep thinking that you¡¯re doing things for my own good, but if that were


    true, you would¡¯ve told me your reasoning.¡±


    After a long time, Keegan said, ¡°Marshall suffers from dissociative identity disorder, also known as DID.


    His switches ur randomly, and I¡¯m afraid you would get hurt.¡±


    Ste was startled. ¡°What¡¯s DID?¡±


    Keegan spent a few minutes exining the condition to Ste, and she finally understood.


    ¡°Dissociative identity disorder is a mental health condition where the patient has two or more separate


    identities, also known as alters. It results from severe and prolonged trauma and develops as a way to


    cope with the past. When a person with DID switches from one alter to the other, they often have


    varying levels of awareness. They do not have much control over when a switch happens. Their alters


    can have different personalities and are usually quite different from their host. At the same time, they


    often do not recall their actions when their alters took over.¡±


    This was the first time Ste had heard of this disorder. The outrageous nature of the symptoms also


    made her feel as if Keegan had fabricated the condition to deceive her.


    However, she realized it was real when she looked it up on her phone.


    Ste recalled everything she had seen and done since meeting Marshall and thought he had always


    acted normal.¡± It doesn¡¯t say that people with DID get aggressive when they switch their identities. Why


    are you afraid that he would hurt me? He seems fine to me. He¡¯s logical and rather well- spoken. Plus,


    he wouldn¡¯t have passed the bar if he had a mental condition, right?¡±


    Keeganpressed his lips upon hearing that and said, ¡°He has tried different ways to control his


    condition for the past few years. It¡¯s under wraps right now, but who knows when it will return? Anything


    can trigger a bad memory, and his symptoms would start showing. I¡¯m just worried he would hurt you


    during one of his switches.¡±


    Ste thought that it was strange. ¡°Why would he want to hurt me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just making an example,¡± Keegan said in a low voice. He then continued to scare Ste, ¡°One time,


    his alter killed his childhood dog. He hugged it and cried when he turned back to normal.¡±


    Hearing that, Ste felt more sympathy for Marshall instead of fear. ¡°I don¡¯t me him. Didn¡¯t you say


    he couldn¡¯t control his behavior when he switched? He must¡¯ve felt so bad for killing his dog when he


    returned to his original self. I read that DID is rted to traumatic events as a child. I¡¯ve always


    wondered how Marshall could be so optimistic after experiencing so much pain. Now I know it¡¯s


    because his alters are helping him fight his demons. You and Vermont should take him out more.


    Maybe it¡¯ll help with his condition,


    Keegan was at a loss for words. He did not expect her to have this kind of reaction. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid


    he¡¯d do something to you if he switches?¡±


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste was confused with Keegan¡¯s logic. ¡°I¡¯m not a dog. I can run if he tries to kill me. You¡¯re worrying


    about nothing. Marshall¡¯s not a murderer. Plus, he hasn¡¯t switched in years. That means his current


    state is the best for him. It would be counterproductive if we treated him differently. Even if he starts


    switching, we could just follow along and get him professional help.¡±


    Keegan stayed quiet. He realized there was no use trying to convince Ste, for she could refute him


    no matter what he


    said. ¡®I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s turning into Mother Teresa right now.¡¯


    Keegan nced at Ste and said, ¡°What do you mean follow along? Are you going to follow along


    with him when he asks you to be his girlfriend when he switches?¡±


    ¡°Impossible,¡± Ste immediately replied.


    Keegan felt a little relieved and said, ¡°And I thought you¡¯ve lost your mind.¡±

 Chapter 1134

    Chapter 1134


    Chapter 1134


    Suddenly, Keegan¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Wait, are you saying I¡¯m hindering you from finding another love?¡±


    Ste chuckled and said, ¡°I¡¯m saying that I wouldn¡¯t choose anyone else with you here. There¡¯s no


    denying Mr. Moore is rather goodlooking, but I still love you the most.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s anger subsided after hearing what Ste just said.


    ¡°I think you should be more worried about yourself if you think he¡¯d turn aggressive during his switches.


    I¡¯ve only known him for a few months, and we don¡¯t even contact each other much. You, on the other


    hand¡­ You¡¯re his childhood best friend, and your families are well acquainted. He¡¯d probably want to


    hurt you more than he¡¯d hurt me. Right?¡±


    ¡°He can¡¯t beat me,¡± Keegan confidently said.


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true, though. I¡¯d say Mr. Moore is as fit as you. He even won first ce in


    amateur boxing before. The only exercises you do are running and lifting some weights here and there.


    I don¡¯t think you¡¯re his match.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyelids twitched at the sound of that. ¡°And how do you know he¡¯s as fit as me?¡±


    Ste was stunned. ¡°I¡¯m just guessing. By the way, I bought two mugs today,¡± she said, trying to


    change the topic of conversation. Ste then grabbed and opened the gift box Marshall had handed her


    earlier to show Keegan what she had chosen. ¡°Aren¡¯t they cute?¡±


    Keegan took a look and rxed his brows when he saw that they were couple mugs. He closed the


    box and tucked Ste¡¯s hair behind her ears before asking, ¡°Does it still hurt?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It hurts,¡± Ste said immediately.


    ¡°Do you want me to blow on it?¡± Keegan asked.


    ¡°Do I look like a child?¡± Though Ste said that, she still leaned forward and continued, ¡°Go on, then.¡±


    Keeganughed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you weren¡¯t a child?¡±


    Ste closed her eyes and said, ¡°A child may find blowing on a wound childish, but I find it endearing.¡±


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan epted her skewed answer and gently blew on her injury. ¡°What do you want to eatter?¡±


    He asked while doing that.


    ¡°We can just eat at home. I¡¯ve bought a fish, remember?¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re hurt. You shouldn¡¯t be cooking.¡±


    ¡°Then, you cook while I tell you what to do,¡± Ste replied nonchntly.


    Her words made Keegan speechless. ¡°Why don¡¯t we just order some takeout?¡±


    Ste opened her eyes and said, ¡°Is it so difficult for you to cook for me just this once?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that. I have confidence in my cooking. It¡¯s your teaching I¡¯m worried about,¡± said Keegan.

 Chapter 1135

    Chapter 1135


    Chapter 1135


    Ste¡¯s face darkened, and she hit him on the shoulders.¡± I¡¯m not the one to me if you fail at


    cooking. It must be because youck talent!¡±


    ¡°Okay. So Ick talent. Can you invest more of your attention on me, Ms. Jewell?¡± Keegan chuckled.


    ¡°Stop fooling around and drive. The fish¡¯s gonna go bad if we don¡¯t get home soon,¡± Ste urged as


    she fastened her seat belt. Keegan stopped talking and began to drive.


    When they arrived, Ste went upstairs to change. Keegan had just taken off his coat when his phone


    rang. It was Trevor. ¡®He¡¯s definitely calling to talk about the incident.¡¯


    As Keegan expected, Trevor questioned him as soon as he answered the phone. ¡°I allowed Ste to


    stay with you, and this is how you take care of her? I should¡¯ve gotten her out of there from the start!¡±


    Keegan put his phone on the table and went to pour himself a ss of water. He did not listen to a


    single word of Trevor¡¯s subsequentints and usations since he already knew what he would


    say. Trevor no longer held back ever since Keegan found out about Ste¡¯s identity. He had been


    acting strange the past few days, sending pictures of Ste being intimate with her photo shoot


    partners to Keegan in thete nights.


    Keegan had a good idea of what his childhood friend,


    Trevor, was trying to do. ¡®He¡¯s clearly trying to make me mad and use it as an excuse to get Ste out


    of here. Ste had always been one to put family first. She¡¯ll probably follow Trevor¡¯s unreasonable


    request of breaking things off with me once she meets the family. So, I can¡¯t retaliate right now, no


    matter how harsh Trevor¡¯s words can be. The mall incident happened under my watch. There¡¯s no way


    he¡¯ll let me go easily without giving me a scolding.¡¯


    Seeing that there was no response from Keegan, Trevor¡¯s face darkened as he said, ¡°I asked you a


    question, Keegan! Why isn¡¯t Ste answering my calls? Did you ask her not to pick up the phone?¡±


    Keegan put his ss down and nicely said, ¡°What are you talking about, my dear brother-inw? I


    wouldn¡¯t dream of doing such a thing. You know I want to remarry her.¡±


    Trevor was so used to being called ¡°brother-inw¡± by Keegan these days that he didn¡¯t even bother to


    correct him. ¡°Then why isn¡¯t she answering my calls? Where is she?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s upstairs, changing. We just got home.¡±


    ¡°How bad is the injury? Is it serious?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty bad,¡± said Keegan.


    Trevor¡¯s tone changed once he heard that. ¡°How so? Did she suffer from an internal injury, or are her


    looks affected?¡±


    ¡°None of those,¡± Keegan said slowly.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡°Then what¡¯s the matter? Tell me!¡± Trevor was getting so anxious that he felt like rushing to Keegan¡¯s


    ce as soon as possible. The only person to whom Ste had responded after the incident was


    Kaiden. Trevor would not have contacted Keegan if not for how he could not get ahold of his sister.


    ¡®Can he just tell me already?!¡¯


    ¡°The cut¡¯s pretty small and not that deep, so she didn¡¯t need any fancy surgery. She did cry earlier


    because she was in pain, but don¡¯t worry; Iforted her all the way home.¡±


    Why, this little mutt¡­ I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s trying to show off in front of me right now!¡¯


    ¡°There¡¯s no way she cried from an injury. She didn¡¯t even shed a tear when you bowed in front of so


    many people at Rainee¡¯s funeral. I bet she cried because she was angry at herself for falling for a man


    like you. Maybe she was thinking how useless her ex-husband is after Marshall came to her rescue


    and protected her,¡± Trevor gritted his teeth and sneered.


    Keegan was baffled by his words. His face darkened as he tried to hold himself back, but he finally


    could not. ¡°Ste wouldn¡¯t be hurt if he actually protected her!¡±

 Chapter 1136

    Chapter 1136


    Chapter 1136


    ¡°Says the one who wasn¡¯t even there,¡± Trevor grunted. The anger in his heart subsided after seeing


    that Keegan did not have aeback. He even tried to add more fuel to the fire by saying, ¡°Marshall¡¯s


    a reliable man. Not to mention, my grandparents like him. He¡¯d be a much better candidate for


    marriage than you.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyelids twitched at the sound of that. ¡°Don¡¯t you even¡­ Ste doesn¡¯t like him like that!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just saying that because you¡¯re here. I bet she would fall for Marshall if you broke things off with


    her and let them spend one-on-one time together. What do you say?¡±


    Trevor¡¯s suggestion did not provoke Keegan. ¡°No,¡± the man said in the firmest tone.


    ¡°You wimp!¡± Trevor berated him. As soon as he said that, he could hear Ste¡¯s voiceing from the


    other line. ¡°Why is Mr. Saun scolding you again?¡±


    Keegan looked up, and his tone immediately turned soft, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Maybe because he doesn¡¯t


    like me¡­¡±


    Trevor was at a loss for words. ¡®What an asshole!¡¯ He thought. However, Trevor did not poke fun at


    Keegan anymore. Instead, he asked, ¡°Ste, how are you? Why can¡¯t I reach you on the phone?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I was receiving too many messages and iing calls, so I turned it off. I¡¯ve replied to


    Kaiden, though. Didn¡¯t


    he tell you?¡±


    ¡°He did, but I was still worried and had to hear you say it.¡±


    Steughed and said, ¡°I¡¯m not a weakling. But¡­ I¡¯m sorry for causing trouble to thepany again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble.¡± Trevor¡¯s face darkened at the thought of the person who started the whole thing. ¡°Get


    some rest. We¡¯ll handle the public.¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Mr. Saun,¡± Ste called out. Trevor paused and asked,¡± What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Ste opened her mouth and hesitated for a moment. After a while, she said, ¡°Nothing. I just wanted to


    say that you should get some rest.¡±


    Trevor smiled and said, ¡°You too.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Keegan gauged Ste¡¯s expression and asked in a low voice, ¡°Were you


    going to tell him about your n?¡±


    Ste nodded.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell him?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t. No matter what, Be is still the top actress in Elegant Media. My n is going topromise


    his interest.


    I just know he wouldn¡¯t agree to it.¡±


    ¡®He¡¯d probably give you the moon and the stars if you ask for it. What¡¯s a little loss of profit?¡¯ thought


    Keegan. ¡®But¡­ the less people know about the n, the better. I mean, what if someone on Trevor¡¯s


    side leaks it to the media?¡¯


    Ste was a very responsible mentor for teaching Keegan how to cook even though she was injured.


    Keegan was confident in his skills, but Ste¡¯s frantic voice filled the kitchen.


    ¡°Are you throwing the fish into the pot or shooting hoops? Why are you standing so far away from the


    stove?¡±


    ¡°Turn it over, turn it over! It¡¯s going to burn! What are you doing?!¡±


    ¡°Ahh! I told you to add water! What did you put in there?!¡±


    Ste could not help but ask a soul-crushing question at the end of the day, ¡°How did you have the


    confidence to say that you¡¯re a good learner?¡±


    Keegan stayed quiet. ¡®Let¡¯s just say that learning to cook and learning to do other things arepletely


    different.¡¯


    Not long after, the fish stew was done. The dish was ced on the table, and the couple sat across


    from each other. Keegan grabbed adle and filled up a bowl of stew for Ste, but she politely pushed


    it toward him and said,¡± You¡¯ve worked really hard cooking this. You first.¡±

 Chapter 1137

    Chapter 1137


    Chapter 1137


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s been working so hard to teach me, Ms. Jewell. You should be the one who takes


    the first sip,¡± said Keegan.


    ¡°All I did was order you around. You¡¯re the one who put in the work. So, after you,¡± Ste insisted.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Keegan put on a generous act and said, ¡°Fish stew is great for healing wounds.¡±


    Ste did not back down. ¡°Fish stew is good for the brain. You should drink up since you use your brain


    so much at work.¡±


    Keegan looked at the bowl of stew that radiated a strange smell before him and pondered for a


    moment. ¡°Why don¡¯t we order takeout instead?¡± he suggested.


    ¡°It would be a pity if we just throw this out, though. The fish was 30 dors per pound,¡± Ste


    pretentiously said.


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Keegan thought about it for a moment and continued, ¡°I know a way to not waste it.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the n?¡± Ste curiously asked.


    Keegan did not say anything. He took a picture of the pot of stew with his phone and sent it to Leighton.


    Leighton was lying on the couch, looking at the news online about the incident at the mall earlier that


    afternoon. Then, he received the photo from Keegan. [What¡¯s this?] he asked. [Ste cooked this pot of


    stew as a thank you for providing details about Andrea. Send me your address, and I¡¯ll deliver it to you,]


    Keegan replied.


    Leighton immediately sat up from the couch and typed, [ Ste made it?]


    [She purposely went to the market this afternoon to pick out a fresh fish for you. The incident wouldn¡¯t


    have happened if she hadn¡¯t gone out to buy the fish,] Keegan lied through his teeth.


    Suddenly, Leighton was ovee with guilt. [She went out just because she wanted to get a fish for


    me?]


    [Why else would she go out?]


    Leighton was about to feel touched by Ste¡¯s actions when he sensed that something was not quite


    right. He narrowed his eyes and asked, [And, you¡¯re just gonna give it to me?]


    Leighton had witnessed Keegan¡¯s jealousy before. ¡®Knowing his temper, he¡¯d be hunting me down if


    Ste had gotten hurt because of me. There¡¯s no way he¡¯d be so generous to give me that pot of fish


    stew.*


    Keegan¡¯s tricks could never fool Trevor, but Leighton was an easy target. [Well, I don¡¯t really want to. I


    was just asking to please Ste. I¡¯m d you don¡¯t want it.]


    [Who said I didn¡¯t want the food?! Where are you right now? I¡¯ll go get the stew myself.]


    Keegan smirked and solemnly said, [There¡¯s no need for that. Just send me your location, and I¡¯ll have


    someone send it over.]


    Leighton immediately sent him his address, and Keegan called an Uber to deliver the stew. After that,


    Keegan had an idea and said, [It¡¯s quite a big portion of stew. Ask Trevor if he wants some if you can¡¯t


    finish it. Remember to tell him Ste made it.]


    Leighton¡¯s eyelids twitched at the sound of that. ¡®He wants me to give some to Trevor? Is he crazy?¡¯ He


    thought. Still, he replied, [Noted.]


    Ste was dumbfounded by the fact that Keegan gave the pot of stew away with just a few sentences.


    ¡°That¡¯s not really nice,¡± she said, as she was bothered by his actions.¡± He helped us, Keegan.


    Shouldn¡¯t we be repaying him with kindness?¡±


    Tve literally done so much for youpared to the information he gave us. Plus, how is he going to


    stop being delusional without me keeping him in check?¡¯ thought Keegan. ¡°What makes you say that?


    You¡¯re clearly overthinking. Leighton would be happy to receive the stew,¡± he said.


    In the end, Keegan won. Ste was curious to see what Leighton had to say about Keegan¡¯s cooking.


    She cleared her throat and said, ¡°Remind him to reheat it, or it¡¯ll taste fishy.¡±


    ¡°How thoughtful of you,¡± Keegan replied.

 Chapter 1138

    Chapter 1138


    Chapter 1138


    Ste did not say a word. She would have thought Keegan wasplimenting her if she did not know


    him well.


    The pot of fish stew was delivered to Leighton¡¯s residence half an hourter. As a famous celebrity,


    Leighton had strict rules about his food intake to maintain a healthy figure. He had been particrly


    opposed to eating at night since the start of his career. Other than when he was out for social


    gatherings, Leighton had never eaten anything after 8:00 p.m. Even if it was after ate-night shoot.


    His manager, Estelle, was surprised to see him run down the stairs when the doorbell rang, and he


    came in with a pot and a bag of fruits. She stood in the living room with her takeout and said as she ate


    her food, ¡°I just asked if you wanted some dinner, and you said no. Yet, you ordered takeout?¡±


    Leighton carefully carried the pot into the house and grunted, ¡°Do restaurants give you their pots when


    you order from them?¡±


    Estelle was stunned. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s a gift from one of your fans. Are you in a rtionship with them,


    you bastard? A good handful of people in the industry have met their downfall after dating their fans.


    Don¡¯t you dare do the same!¡±


    Leighton rolled his eyes at his manager and said, ¡°Are you crazy?¡± After he said that, he carried the pot


    into the kitchen.


    Estelle chased after him and asked, ¡°Who gave it to you, then?¡±


    Leighton was in an excellent mood. ¡°Ste cooked some fish stew for me,¡± he said with a smug.


    Estelle did not believe him. ¡°Why on earth would she do that? If


    ¡°To thank me, of course, for helping her collect information about Andrea¡¯s case.¡±


    Estelle was confused. ¡°When did that happen? Why didn¡¯t you tell me? There isn¡¯t much evidence in


    Andrea¡¯s case. Why would you want to get into this mess?¡±


    ¡°Evidence can be found if you look hard enough for it,¡± said Leighton. Not wanting to discuss more on


    the topic, he put the pot on the stove and began to light it. However, the gas did not turn on. ¡°Is the


    stove broken?¡± Leighton frowned and asked.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s just not connected to a gas line,¡± Estelle replied.


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t it connected?¡±


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t cook. So, why would you need gas? It costs thousands of dors to set up those


    things, you know?¡±


    Leighton was annoyed. ¡°It¡¯s not like I can¡¯t afford that!¡±


    ¡°True, but your temper is going to cause your downfall. I have to prepare some savings for you when


    that happens so that you won¡¯t starve to death,¡± Estelle said with a straight face.


    Leighton¡¯s expression darkened when he heard that.


    In the end, Estelle went to the neighbor¡¯s ce to borrow a portable gas stove, and Leighton was able


    to reheat the pot of food. The stew looked rather good after it came to a boil. Leighton then took a


    picture of it, sent it to Ste, and said, [ It smells delicious. Thank you.]


    Ste was having some mushroom soup when she saw the message and almost spit her food out. She


    looked up at Keegan and said, ¡°Leighton texted me to thank you.¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan was not surprised. He maintained his elegant posture and said in disdain, ¡°So, that boy has


    manners.¡± Ste was speechless at his remark.


    Meanwhile, Leighton happily picked up his spoon to taste the stew upon seeing Ste¡¯s reply. However,


    he spit the food out the moment it entered his mouth.

 Chapter 1139

    Chapter 1139


    Chapter 1139


    The fish stew looked murky and tasted fishy. It was also salty, spicy, and a little burned The weird


    combination of vors made it almost inedible.


    Leighton was in absolute shock when he took the first sip. He had never eaten something as disgusting


    as that before.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Does it taste bad?¡± Estelle could not help but ask after she saw his reaction.


    As a fan of Dusk Gxy, Leighton vowed to defend his idol¡¯s image until the end. So, he said, ¡°No. It¡¯s


    pretty tasty.¡±


    ¡°Then, why did you spit it out?¡±


    ¡°It was too hot,¡± Leighton stubbornly said.


    Estelle did not bother to continue the conversation and said, ¡°I¡¯m gonna go wash up. Remember to go


    to bed after you finished your stew. We have work tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±


    After Estelle left, Leighton stared at the pot of stew and thought, ¡®Should I just throw it out? Ste did


    make it for me, but it¡¯s literally so hard to swallow.¡¯


    Leighton frowned, as he thought about what he should do with the food. Then, he suddenly


    remembered Keegan¡¯s idea of giving some to Trevor. He was not willing to do so earlier, but now it


    seemed like an excellent idea. ¡®There¡¯s no way I¡¯m suffering alone,¡¯ he thought as he quickly packed


    things up


    and had someone send the stew over to Elegant Media.


    Trevor was still working in the office at that time. Xavier signed the package and thought that it was


    from the Saun family. He put the stew in a bowl and sent it to Trevor¡¯s office without question. That


    night, Trevor drove to Leighton¡¯s residence and beat him up while the true culprit was safe at home.


    Ste was washing up when Aldor called Keegan. Keegan then left the bedroom to answer the phone.


    Mr. Kane, I¡¯ve checked the surveince. A kid in the elevator pulled Ms. Jewell¡¯s mask off, and two girls


    recognized her.¡±


    ¡°A kid?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The woman carrying the kid almost fell, and Ms. Jewell helped her. That was when the child


    yanked her mask off.¡±


    ¡°Have you tracked them down?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. The woman was also wearing a mask and did not take it off during the whole thing. There¡¯s no


    trace of her after she left the mall on foot.¡±


    Keegan felt that it was strange. ¡°She had a child with her. Did she not get into a car?¡±


    Aldor also thought that it was odd. When the incident happened, the woman looked at it from a


    distance and left with her child in a hurry. The traffic near the shopping mall wasplicated since


    there were more vehicles involved.


    ¡®The woman was carrying a child who was about two or


    three years old. That¡¯s the age when a child would be running around. She was also carrying some


    things with her. Logically speaking, she should have taken some sort of transport instead of walking,¡¯


    thought Aldor.


    ¡°What about the troublemakers? Are they rted to each other?¡± Keegan asked again.


    Aldor snapped back to his senses and said, ¡°Two of the high school students know each other, but they


    don¡¯t know the woman who threw the ss. I looked into their socials and found no real connection


    between them. But all three of them are avid fans of Be. In addition to that¡­¡±


    Aldor paused and said in a low voice, ¡°The person who threw the ss at Ms. Jewell is also one of the


    culprits behind the cyberbullying against Dusk Gxyst year. For some reason, she was left out


    when Ms. Jewell sued the bullies this year¡­¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened when he heard that.


    Aldor continued, ¡°The parents of the perpetrators have already rushed to the police station. Several


    families are advocating for a settlement. Ms. Jewell¡¯swyer suggests the same since minors are


    involved. If this case is not handled well, it could potentially have an impact on Ms.


    Jewell¡¯s reputation.¡±


    ¡°Have the kids write a 3000-word apology and present it to the public during their school assembly. If


    they¡¯re willing to do so, the case would be settled. If they don¡¯t¡­¡± Keegan paused slightly before he


    said, ¡°We¡¯ll push on with the charges!¡±


    Aldor knew in his heart that Keegan was already being generous. He would not have given them the


    option if they were not underage.


    ¡°Track down that mother and child and contact me if anythinges up.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Mr. Kane.¡±

 Chapter 1140

    Chapter 1140


    Chapter 1140


    When Keegan was about to hang up, Aldor suddenly said,¡± Mr. Kane, are you¡­ Are you okay?¡±


    Keegan was confused by his question. ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡±


    Aldor cleared his throat and said, ¡°The things on the inte are fake. Just take them with a grain of


    salt, Mr. Kane.


    There¡¯s no need to be mad because of thements. It¡¯s not worth it.¡±


    Feeling puzzled, Keegan frowned and said, ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen thetest news?¡± asked Aldor.


    ¡°What news?¡±


    Aldor paused. ¡°It¡¯s better if you check it out yourself, Mr.


    Kane. I gotta go.¡± Not wanting to be the target of Keegan¡¯s wrath, Aldor dropped the suspense and fled.


    Keegan¡¯s face turned ck the moment he opened Facebook.


    The title of an entertainment news popped up, and it read, [ The Celibate Lawyer and The Vivacious


    Actress]


    Keegan clicked on the post and saw photos of Marshall shielding Ste from the people. There were


    also videos of him confronting the haters in a calm and educated manner. His wisdom showed his


    extraordinary temperament, and his looksplimented Ste¡¯s appearance as well.


    Apart from the incident itself, when the videos came out, the rtionship between Marshall and Ste


    became one of the topics of discussion amongizens.


    Keegan should have closed the tab the first time he clicked on it, but he could not control himself.


    Instead, he clicked on thement section.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    [I want all the deets about thiswyer!]


    [Why would herwyer go to the mall with her? He must be her boyfriend.]


    [It doesn¡¯t seem like it though. His hand was resting on her shoulder when he shielded her. Shouldn¡¯t


    they be more intimate if they were boyfriend and girlfriend?]


    [He was obviously furious about the situation, yet he still acted like a gentleman. They should be


    together.]


    [The celibatewyer is in love with the beautiful pretentious actress. She tries to run, but he chases


    after her. There¡¯s no way for her to escape. AHHHHHHH, I WANT THEM TO GET TOGETHER SO


    BAD RN!!!]


    [That sounds like a really good plot. You should write a book about it. I¡¯d definitely read it!]


    [Guys, his handle is @MarshallMoore]


    [Isn¡¯t he thewyer who represented Ste in the defamationwsuit involving Be¡¯s fans? They


    literally have the same name!)


    [My friend was there during the incident. I just showed him his ount, and he said that it¡¯s the same


    lawyer. He remembers him because of his good looks.]


    [So, they knew each other before Ste started her career? He represented her in court, silently stayed


    by her side, and helped her fight against the haters?]


    [Guys, I personally dislike rising actors falling in love, but I actually ship this pair. They¡¯re a good match.


    I think they should get married!]


    Keegan¡¯s blood began to boil. ¡®How are they a good match? Are all these people blind?!¡¯ he thought.


    Keegan was so angry that he wanted to close the app when he suddenly saw aizen say, [He made


    ament about this, guys! Check it out!]


    Keegan could not control himself once again and clicked on Marshall¡¯s Facebook ount.


    Marshall¡¯stest post was about work, but there were thousands ofments underneath it. The most


    poprment was, [Please tell us how you sessfully courted Ste.]


    Under thement was a reply by Marshall a few minutes ago. [We¡¯re just friends, for now.]


    Upon seeing that, Keegan immediately turned red.

 Chapter 1141

    Chapter 1141


    Chapter 1141


    [We¡¯re just friends, for now.]


    Marshall¡¯sment implied that he was in the process of courting Ste and that they were still


    friends. To no one¡¯s surprise, the group ofizens underneath his post thought so too. A few of them


    asked him how he met Ste, while others asked him how far along he was. Some even gave him


    ideas on how he could pursue her.


    The more Keegan read thements, the angrier he was. He was afraid that he would affect Ste¡¯s


    career and only dared to show off their rtionship in front of Vermont. * Marshall works with celebrities


    all the time. Doesn¡¯t he know how an ambiguousment like that could affect a rising star¡¯s


    reputation?¡¯ he thought. In the end, he began to tense up and decided to call Vermont.


    Vermont had just gotten off the ne and was still pretending to be sick while Felicity was holding all


    the luggage. However, he was not to me for not carrying his own stuff. Felicity was so guilt-ridden


    that she did not let Vermont do anything because she feared that it would worsen his wound. So,


    Vermont followed her requests and tagged along behind her.


    Vermont thought that Felicity was too naive. At the same time, he felt that he had good taste in women


    and that his ancestors would be proud of him. ¡®Being with her is both fun and enjoyable,¡¯ he thought.


    When Vermont saw the phone call from Keegan, he could not help but pick up the call and said, ¡°Do


    you know what time it is right now? Why would you call me thiste at night? Even if you don¡¯t have a


    nightlife anymore, I do, you know?¡±


    ¡°Shut up and take down a Facebook ount for me,¡± Keegan simply said.


    Puzzled, Vermont asked, ¡°Whose ount are we talking about?¡±


    Keegan gritted his teeth. Marshall¡¯s!¡± he replied.


    Vermont was taken aback upon hearing that. It took him a few minutes to figure out why Keegan had


    asked him to do so, and he was speechless. ¡°You petty bastard. Just call the dude and have him delete


    thement. Why the hell would you need to take down his socials?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the bastard. Would you be this calm if Corbin had said the same about Felicity?¡±


    Vermont paused. ¡°Fuck Corbin. But Marshall¡¯s different. We grew up together. Back when we were in


    school, he literally rejected all the girls I was courting when they confessed their feelings to him. Come


    on, man. He knows that Ste is your ex-wife. There¡¯s no way he¡¯d cross the line.¡±


    Keegan did not bother to continue the nonsense. ¡°Are you going to help me or not?¡± he asked.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°Just post your wedding photos to Facebook, and everyone will know that you two are married. Then,


    everything would be solved. No one¡¯s going to think that your ex-wife is in a rtionship with Marshall


    when they see that. Do you think I own Facebook or something? How the hell am I supposed to take


    down other people¡¯s ounts?¡±


    Hearing that, Keegan¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Why would I ask for your help if I could publicize our


    rtionship?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just ask Ste to rify everything?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want her to think that I don¡¯t trust her,¡± said Keegan.


    This was the first time Vermont had seen Keegan so stressed out, and he was enjoying it. ¡°Keegan,


    rtionships are 50/50. You can¡¯t just spoil her forever. Aren¡¯t you afraid that she¡¯d dump you for


    another man after she bes famous?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. I mean, have you looked at me?¡± Keegan said confidently.


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna grow old someday, you know? There are tons of young men in this world. Ste has no


    obligation to stay faithful to you. She¡¯d probably think you¡¯re too old for her when her career starts to


    soar, and you¡¯d just be a hindrance on her road to sess,¡± said Vermont.


    Keegan was taken aback by his friend¡¯s words.

 Chapter 1142

    Chapter 1142


    Chapter 1142


    Felicity walked over and handed Vermont a bottle of water.¡± Do you want to sit and rest for a while?¡±


    she asked in a low voice.


    Vermont smiled, nodded, and walked to the side with his cell phone. ¡°Let Ste know that you don¡¯t feel


    comfortable with the situation. Don¡¯t tell her what to do though. Just tell her where it hurts. You have to


    be tactful in love. Don¡¯t just rush into things, and don¡¯t try to keep things from your partner. Let her in on


    everything and exaggerate the situation sometimes.


    ¡°If there is a third party in the rtionship, it¡¯s useless to target them. You have to target the person


    you¡¯re with! Only dumbasses would target the other party. It¡¯ll make you look like a clown, and the third


    party would get what they want!¡±


    ¡°Well, there is no third party in our rtionship. Ste only likes me,¡± said Keegan.


    ¡°If you say so. Remember to talk to her. My ride¡¯s here. I¡¯ll talk to youter.¡± Seeing Felicity approach


    him, Vermont immediately hung up the phone.


    Keegan held his phone in his hand and thought about what Vermont had said. When Ste came out of


    the shower, she saw Keegan changing the duvet cover. She was surprised to see him do that since he


    did not even wash his own clothes or change the bed sheets.


    As she brushed her hair, she strode over and sat on the edge of the bed. ¡°This cover hasn¡¯t been used


    forthat long. Why are you changing it?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that it felt ufortable on your skin yesterday?¡± Keegan asked as he continued to


    work on the cover.


    ¡°All I said was that it felt a little rough.¡± Ste helped him pull the corner of the duvet and continued, ¡°I


    used to tell you to squeeze the toothpaste from the bottom and throw your dirty clothes in the hamper,


    but you always forgot. Why is it that you remember me mentioning the duvet? Why are you suddenly


    so attentive? Are you hiding something?¡±


    ¡°Well, there is something on my mind,¡± said Keegan.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Keegan sighed. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ What happened today suddenly reminded me of what you said to me


    before. It¡¯s making me feel ashamed.¡±


    ¡°What did I say?¡± Ste wondered.


    ¡°You said that I wasn¡¯t there for you every time something happened, and I promised you there


    wouldn¡¯t be a next time. But look at what happened today.¡± Even though Keegan said that to pull at


    Ste¡¯s heartstrings, he was still annoyed at himself for being absent at some of her crucial moments.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste very much agreed with his notion. ¡°You know how the male lead always shows up when the


    female lead gets into trouble? Yeah. It makes you seem weak inparison. You


    should hire ten bodyguards to protect me when I go out and customize bullet-proof windows for my


    car.¡±


    Keegan was speechless when he heard that. ¡°Are you making fun of me?¡± he asked.


    Ste chuckled and said, ¡°You should really stop thinking of me as a weak and innocent bunny who


    needs saving, Keegan. What I said before was partly out of anger. The only things I me you for were


    the car ident and my mother¡¯s funeral. The former disheartened me, and thetter killed me.¡±


    Keegan did not know what to say. Not only did he not gain Ste¡¯s sympathy, but he opened up her old


    wounds. In order to stop her from bringing everything up, Keegan decided to please her. He stopped


    working on the duvet and said, ¡°The milk should be warmed up by now. I¡¯ll go down and get it.¡±


    It took Keegan quite some time to return to the room while Ste had already gotten the duvet cover


    done herself.


    Grabbing the milk Keegan handed over, Ste took a sip before she said, ¡°Remember to delete your


    browsing history the next time you search for how to gain sympathy.¡±


    Herments left him stunned.

 Chapter 1143

    Chapter 1143


    Chapter 1143


    ¡°It¡¯s not okay to look at someone¡¯s phone,¡± Keegan asserted.


    Ste looked at him and asked, ¡°Is it okay to set my birthday as your phone password?¡±


    Keegan did not know what to say to that.


    ¡°Come here,¡± Ste said while she made a beckoning gesture.


    ¡°Can you be more polite? Don¡¯t call me over like I¡¯m a dog.¡± Ste was getting annoyed. ¡°Are you


    coming over or not?¡± Never again,¡¯ Keegan mumbled to himself as he got ready to suffer the


    consequences of his actions. When he walked over, Ste pushed him onto the bed and nestled into


    his arms.


    Keegan paused and whispered, ¡°I haven¡¯t showered yet.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t mind if you stink.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better to wash up before intercourse. 80 percent of gynecological diseases are rted to having


    unhygienic sex. The vast majority of people with these diseases get them from partners who don¡¯t pay


    attention to their personal hygiene,¡± Keegan whispered.


    Ste was a little taken aback after hearing him say that.¡± You know a lot about this,¡± she said.


    Keegan was very humble. ¡°I read that on an HPV pamphlet thest time I apanied you to the


    doctor.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Ste said and suddenly leaned into his ear. ¡°But I can¡¯t wait any longer.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s muscles tensed up in a sh. He slowly rxed himself while his ears were flushed red. He


    swallowed and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we do it in the bathroom?¡±


    ¡°But I want to do it here.¡± Ste¡¯s voice was warm and flirtatious. ¡°There¡¯s no stool in the bathroom, and


    I don¡¯t feel like standing.¡±


    Keegan blushed hard when he heard Ste say that and could not help but think of a few R-rated


    images. His gaze deepened, and his voice turned husky. ¡°I can hold you up,¡± he said.


    ¡°Then, how am I going to hold my phone?¡±


    Keegan was slightly aroused. ¡®I can¡¯t believe she wants to record this moment.¡¯ He thought about it and


    decided to advise her. ¡°I suggest that you don¡¯t take those kinds of videos with anyone, even with your


    husband. Women will always be at more of a disadvantage if the videos get leaked. We can have


    someone install mirrors in here someday if you really want to watch.¡±


    Ste could not hold back herughter. ¡°Keegan, what kind of crap are you thinking about? Did you


    think I was going to sleep with you?¡±


    ¡°You used to dress and hug me like this when you wanted sex.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s clear you didn¡¯t pay much attention. When have I ever asked you for sex in my underwear?¡±


    Keegan did not know what to say. ¡®How could she justify this matter with such a straight face?¡¯ he


    thought.


    ¡°Besides, I¡¯m on my period,¡± Ste muttered. ¡°So, you wouldn¡¯t have a chance at it even if you wanted


    to.¡±


    ¡°So, what are you doing?¡±


    Ste unlocked her phone and handed it to Keegan.¡± Satisfied?¡± she asked.


    Keegan took a look at the post Ste had just put out, rifying her rtionship with Marshall. Not only


    did she thank Marshall for helping her, but in the rification, she imed that she had always treated


    him like a brother. [I hope that people can stop spreading false rumors as it may cause a


    misunderstanding for the girls who like Marshall,] she added.

 Chapter 1144

    Chapter 1144


    Chapter 1144


    Keegan¡¯s brow instantly rxed. ¡°I didn¡¯t say I didn¡¯t trust you. Why do you have to make such a formal


    rification?¡± he asked.


    Not wanting to go easy on him, Ste immediately said, ¡°I won¡¯t post it, then.¡±


    Keegan quickly grabbed her cell phone and clicked the post button. After doing that, he turned to look


    at Ste and saw that she had a smirk on her face, which made him feel a little ufortable.


    Ste leaned closer and said, ¡°You¡¯re quite the master.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Keegan did not know what she meant.


    ¡°The master of denial.¡±


    Her words left Keegan speechless.


    Vermont and Felicity got off the ne and went on a two- hour car ride to town.


    It was 11:00 p.m. Unlike the city, the stores on both sides of the street were closed at that hour. With


    the asional convenience store or adult store open, hardly anyone was on the road.


    Vermont saw Felicity sweating profusely and could not bear it. Hence, he offered to carry the luggage


    himself.


    ¡°No. That¡¯s alright. We¡¯re almost home,¡± Felicity waved her hand and said.


    ¡°You¡¯ve carried it the whole way. It¡¯s time you take a break. We¡¯re already here. There¡¯s no need to


    rush,''¡± said Vermont as he pulled out a tissue and wiped the sweat off Felicity¡¯s forehead.


    Felicity then took the tissue and handed the luggage to him. ¡°My mom said she woulde pick me


    up. But I bet she went dancing again and forgot all about me! She¡¯s so unreliable!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s two of us, Miss Bandit. There¡¯s no way she could drive us home on her electric bike.¡±


    Felicity kept quiet. ¡®I bet mom would be angry if she heard someone say she rode an electric bike.¡¯


    When Felicity was a child, her mom rode a bicycle to send out goods and was looked down upon by


    herpetitors. After her business blew up, Florence bought a Maserati and drove around every day.


    People then started to diss her and chase her down the street.


    Although Felicity said that they were close, they still walked fora mile.


    Vermont had already started imagining Felicity¡¯s home as a run-down house with an overgrown yard


    and leaky roof. He was shocked when she brought him to a house that had been beautifully renovated.


    All the houses in the neighborhood had the same look on the outside, but they were very different on


    the inside.


    However, the other houses were tiny and ndpared to Felicity¡¯s home. The entire ce was


    covered in lights. The third floor had European-style floor-to-ceiling windows, while the second-floor


    balcony had a gazebo. The pink roses that grew from the first floor up to the third floor looked


    absolutely gorgeous.


    Felicity was about to open the gate when Vermont pulled her back and asked, ¡°Are you sure we¡¯re not


    at the wrong ce?¡±


    Felicity nced at the door number and said, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Vermont could not believe his eyes. ¡°I thought you said your family wasn¡¯t very well off?¡±


    Felicity made up something and said, ¡°Our town is a model vige designated by the city. The house


    was built ording to the municipal¡¯s n. So, we didn¡¯t have to fork out much of our own money.¡±


    Vermont was still not convinced. ¡°And, why did they do that? IV


    ¡°Because of the apples, of course. As you can see, we have apple trees on both sides of the street. We


    also have an apple cultivation base where we produce banana-vored apples, lychee-vored apples,


    and more. You name it, we have it. Our apples are delicious.¡±


    Since Vermont moved to the city, he had very little knowledge about the towns and viges. He never


    went back except for the time they had his grandfather¡¯s funeral. He was also rarely in touch with his


    childhood friends.


    asionally, he would see their posts on Twitter and realize how much everything had changed.


    So, Felicity¡¯s ims were able to suppress his doubts for the time being.


    Felicity opened the gate and led Vermont into the house. The yard was full of flowers and nts. It was


    obvious that they were all very well-kept. Vermont was walking and fixing his hair simultaneously when


    something suddenly lunged at him from the side.

 Chapter 1145

    Chapter 1145


    Chapter 1145


    Vermont staggered and was directly tackled to the ground by a huge and furry thing. A wet tongue


    licked his head, and Vermont got goosebumps on his back. He was about to fight back when Felicity


    yelled, ¡°Don¡¯t hit it! Don¡¯t hit it!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Felicity rushed over and pulled the thing away. When Vermont backed up, he realized what it was. It


    was a three- feet tall Caucasian Shepherd Dog that seemed taller than Felicity when it stood up. Its


    coat was gray with white stripes, and its hair was fluffy and shiny. Its limbs were big and strong. The


    dog could not stop turning in circles after Felicity pulled it back. With Felicity¡¯s small figure, she could


    hardly hold him down. ¡°Richie! Richie! Calm down!¡± she muttered.


    Vermont used to think that he was not afraid of dogs, but now he realized that it depended on their size.


    The biggest dog he had ever seen before was a golden retriever. A Caucasian Shepherd, however,


    was bigger and a lot stronger. Nine out of ten people would be scared if they saw it.


    The dog was lively. It was so excited to see a stranger that it pounced on the man. Vermont felt


    nervous. He was unsure of how well Felicity would be able to hold it back, so he said, ¡°Why don¡¯t I go


    out first, while you put him on a leash. I¡¯lle back in after that.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. He¡¯s very docile.¡± Felicity confidently said. As soon as she said that, Richie


    broke free from her grip and rushed toward Vermont once again.


    Vermont had no time to fake his injury anymore and started to run. Thinking that he was ying


    around, Richie chased after him happily.


    The yard was not small, but it still felt a little tight for a giant dog. There were many flowers and nts


    in the yard, so Richie was not usually allowed to run around. Now that it was chasing after Vermont, the


    dog felt free. It knocked over all the greenery in the yard despite Felicity yelling for it to stop.


    Vermont¡¯s muscles tensed up as he ran with all his strength. However, he could not take over his four-


    legged opponent. Seeing that Richie was getting closer, Vermont looked for somewhere to hide. That


    was when he saw a mahogany tree on the east side of the yard. Vermont rushed over immediately and


    climbed the tree.


    The mahogany tree was not tall, nor was the stem of the tree thick. The poor tree was trampled when


    Vermont, who was more than six feet tall, stood on it.


    Vermont was seven feet higher than the ground at that time. Since Richie could not climb the tree, the


    dog ran around in circles with its furry tail wagging in excitement. Vermont got more and more anxious,


    as he watched Richie crouch down on its front paws and was ready to pounce.


    Felicity finally caught up, got ahold of Richie, and gently hit him on the head. ¡°He¡¯s our guest, Richie.


    No biting, okay?¡± Richie lowered his ears as if he was being scolded. But, with one look at its behind,


    Vermont knew that it did not take Felicity¡¯s warning to heart. The dog¡¯s wagging tail showed that it still


    had a great interest in him. However, due to its owner¡¯s lecture, it became a good boy and calmed


    down.


    Felicity took a leash and tied Richie up. ¡°He¡¯s tied up. You cane down now,¡± she said to the person


    in the tree.


    Vermont sighed in relief and was just about to get down when Richie, who was obediently lying on the


    ground, looked at him. Seeing Vermont on the move, the dog suddenly got up and let out a loud bark.


    Hearing that, Vermont panicked and lost his footing. He fell straight out of the tree and into a rose bush.


    Felicity was so stunned that she did not know what to say. The hugemotion in the yard finally


    rmed the people in the house. The front door opened, and an olddy said,¡± Felicity?¡±


    Felicity was helping Vermont when she heard the voice. She turned around and said, ¡°Hey, Grandma.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re back. Why didn¡¯t you juste in? What are you doing in the yard?¡± Walking toward her


    granddaughter, the olddy was shocked by the messy scene in front of her.¡± Did you get robbed in the


    yard?¡±


    Felicity helped Vermont up from the rose bushes and said,¡± It was Richie. He chased after my friend


    around the yard and even caused him to fall off a tree.¡±


    Only then did the olddy see the tall young man standing beside her granddaughter. However,


    Vermont looked like a mess. He was covered in leaves and rose petals with many small wounds on his


    arms and face from the rose thorns. There was also some dirt on his face, presumably from falling on


    his face.


    The olddy had not seen anyone being chased by a dog like that for decades. After a long time, she


    said, ¡°Hurry up and go in to get changed. You look terrible.¡±


    Vermont did not say a word. He initially thought he would meet Felicity¡¯s family in a grand manner, but


    he did not expect to end up in such an embarrassing situation. He did not even have the nerve to


    exin himself. All Vermont wanted was to find a hole and hide.


    Vermont¡¯s clothes were covered in rose thorns. Felicity wanted to help him pluck them out, but there


    were too many of them. So, she said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you get changed and take a shower? I¡¯ll help you


    pluck those thorns out when we have better lighting tomorrow.¡±


    Vermont nodded. But, when he grabbed his luggage, he found that the suitcase had been opened.


    Richie had gotten ahold of his clothes, tore them up, and used them as a cushion.


    Seeing that, Felicity was at a loss for words.

 Chapter 1146

    Chapter 1146


    Chapter 1146


    Vermont was speechless after knowing that Richie had gone through his clothes and torn them up.


    ¡®That dog is targeting me!¡¯


    *A mini scene.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    On some random day, Keegan received a text from Ste while he was working. [HR is so expensive


    right now.]


    [I think the prices are alright,] Keegan replied.


    [It was cheaperst year.)


    [Prices are increasing due to intion, my dear.]


    [But, it¡¯s over my budget.]


    [Are you in need of HR?] Keegan asked.


    [Yeah. I¡¯ve been working too muchtely, and I¡¯ve been staying upte. I really need to treat myself,]


    Ste responded.


    Keegan thought of how Ste had stayed up all night shooting a movie recently and how her dark


    circles were getting worse. So, he texted, [I¡¯ll make some arrangements.]


    [Thanks, honey. You¡¯re the best,] Ste replied.


    Felicity gave her a thumbs up and said, ¡°So, this is how you save your money¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just giving him a chance to perform.¡±


    Felicity gave a knowing look and used the same tactic on Vermont.


    Vermont responded in seconds. [The client had dropped off a couple of those at the office. I¡¯ll have


    them delivered to your houseter.]


    Felicity continued to apply what she learned from Ste and said, [That¡¯s rather perfunctory of you.


    How could you give me something someone else gifted you?]


    Vermont¡¯s eyelids twitched when he received that text. ¡®Why does the way she talks sound so familiar?


    It doesn¡¯t seem like something Miss Bandit would say. On the contrary, it sounds like Keegan¡¯s


    girl,¡¯thought Vermont.


    However, he still replied, [Be good. You¡¯re pregnant right now, so you can¡¯t use poor-quality items. We¡¯ll


    go to their headquarters once you give birth, okay?]


    Felicity immediately obeyed Vermont¡¯s words. Ste, who was at the side, shook her head and said,


    ¡°You believe him? He will use the fact that you¡¯ll be breastfeeding as an excuse after you give birth to


    deter you from getting what you want. Hasn¡¯t he made enough empty promises?¡±


    Vermont was frugal by nature. This was especially clear to Felicity after their marriage. He canceled all


    their annual club cards except those used in the two usual spots where he often discussed business.


    Vermont loved collecting sports cars but was forced to cut down on spending. Even when Felicity


    wanted a new vehicle, Vermont rejected her idea on the grounds that she was pregnant and not in the


    best condition to drive. He then assigned a driver to pick her up and drop her off whenever she needed


    to travel.


    Felicity then thought about how Keegan had always fulfilled Ste¡¯s requests and felt that Vermont did


    not care about her enough. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have gotten together with a man that has so many ex-


    girlfriends,¡¯ she thought.


    While Felicity was sulking, Vermont sent her a picture of a real estate purchase agreement. [Pick a


    date, Miss Bandit.We¡¯re moving.]


    Felicity looked at the address of the property and was stunned. [You bought the vi?!] she asked.


    [I have to give you the best. Otherwise, your mom would think that I¡¯m a good-for-nothing son-inw


    and keeps wanting you to go home.]


    [Did you pay in full, or did you take out a loan?]


    [I paid in full, of course. The interest rate at the bank is too high. I¡¯m not letting them earn my money. I


    would have bought it sooner if I had the cash.]


    Felicity was immediately overwhelmed with emotion. ¡®No wonder he stopped buying sports cars. He


    was trying to save up to buy us a house!¡¯


    Suddenly, Ste¡¯s phone rang. It was Aldor. ¡°We¡¯re here, Mrs. Kane.¡±


    Ste opened the door, expecting a gift box from the skincare brand known as HR. She was stunned to


    see Aldor and another man at the door. ¡°Uh¡­¡± 1


    ¡°Let me introduce you to the top human resources manager in Rivera. He has an eye for details and is


    good at recruiting people. He would definitely be able to make your work life easier, Mrs. Kane.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyelids twitched violently, and Felicity¡¯sughter was heard from behind. ¡°Hahaha¡­ I can¡¯t


    believe Keegan thought you were talking about human resources! Ahahaha¡­¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words.

 Chapter 1147

    Chapter 1147


    Chapter 1147


    Felicity was embarrassed about Richie tearing up Vermont¡¯s clothes. ¡°I think he likes you. I¡¯ve never


    seen him so excited to see anyone before,¡± she said, trying to repair the damage.


    Just as she said that, they heard Richie tearing another piece of clothing, and Vermont was utterly


    speechless.


    Felicity¡¯s grandmother was a kind little olddy. After she saw how miserable Vermont looked, she


    immediately said,¡± Felicity, go and grab a set of your father¡¯s old clothes for your friend to change into.


    You can bring him to buy new clothes in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Felicity said and immediately ran upstairs to get the clothes.


    Vermont was dirty and covered in thorns. He was too embarrassed to sit down on the couch, so he


    stood obediently in the living room. Although he was in a mess, his silver tongue remained unchanged.


    ¡°Hi, Grandma,¡± he said.


    The olddy smiled and said, ¡°When Felicity said she was bringing a friend home for the holidays, I


    didn¡¯t expect it to be a young man.¡±


    Vermont paused when he heard that. ¡°She told you I was her friend?¡±


    The olddy was taken aback by the question. ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°No, yeah. I am,¡± said Vermont with a smile.


    The olddy was skeptical after he said that. ¡®What¡¯s with his tone? Could it be that he¡¯s her boyfriend?¡¯


    The woman¡¯s gaze changed immediately. She eyed Vermont from top to bottom and thought, ¡®This tall


    young man is rather polite. His looks are¡­ too dirty to tell right now. But he doesn¡¯t seem very smart


    since he was chased around by Richie.¡¯


    ¡°What¡¯s your name, young man?¡±


    ¡°My name is Vermont Snyder. You can call me Vermont.¡±


    While Felicity was getting the clothes, Vermont was downstairs talking with her grandmother. It was like


    they were best friends. When the olddy saw Felicitying, she asked her to take Vermont to the


    bathroom and went out to call Florence.


    The town was a tight-knitmunity; everyone in the neighborhood knew each other well. Florence


    was addicted to poker and dancing. When she was not busy at work, she would go to one of her


    friend¡¯s houses to dance and y. She would usuallye home around 2:00 a.m.


    Felicity¡¯s grandmother would normally let her be, but things were different today. ¡®I have to call her to


    come home and meet Felicity¡¯s boyfriend,¡¯ she thought.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Felicity¡¯s childhood home did not only look good on the outside but, it also looked magnificent on the


    inside. The tiles and beams outside looked like modern art, while the decoration in the house had a mix


    of antique and rustic styles.


    Vermont no longer believed Felicity when she said she came from a low-ie family. ¡®They¡¯re rather


    well off,¡¯ he thought. Still, he was happy that he had the chance to meet her family.


    ¡°Is no one else home other than your grandma?¡± Vermont asked as he followed her around.


    ¡°Yeah. My aunt and uncle don¡¯t live in this area. It¡¯s just my mom and my grandma.¡±


    ¡°What about your dad?¡±


    Felicity turned on the lights and said, ¡°My parents got divorced when I was eight. So, my mom raised


    me on her own.¡±


    Vermont did not know what to say. When Felicity¡¯s grandmother told her to grab her father¡¯s old


    clothes, Vermont did not realize that it was because they were divorced. He simply thought that he was


    working outstation.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said in a low voice.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be sorry about? It¡¯s not like he¡¯s dead.¡±


    Once again, Vermont did not know how to respond to that.

 Chapter 1148

    Chapter 1148


    Chapter 1148


    ¡®It seems like she¡¯s fine with it,¡¯ thought Vermont. ¡°May I know why you still have his clothes?¡±


    ¡°Well, my mom bought them. There was no way we were going to let him have it,¡± Felicity rightfully


    said. ¡°My mom was going to give the clothes to my uncle, but they didn¡¯t fit him. She was reluctant to


    get rid of it, so she kept it. A lot of thebels have not even been removed yet. They¡¯re probably


    considered antiques.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a good rtionship with your dad?¡± asked Vermont, wanting to learn more so that it


    would be easier for Felicity¡¯s family to like him.


    ¡°It¡¯s not good per se, but it¡¯s not bad either. We didn¡¯t really have much time together. My dad is not


    from here. When my mom married him, she lived far away from here for six or seven years. She then


    took me back to live with my grandma and got divorced in less than two years. My dad was still in


    school back then, so I didn¡¯t get to see him much. He finished high school and wanted to study abroad.


    My mom was not willing to go with him to the city, and they had a fight about it. Since they couldn¡¯t


    come to an agreement, they decided to go their separate ways and signed the papers. My dad has


    been pretty good to me, but there¡¯s been a lot of tension between him and my mom. He started a family


    a long time ago. I have a half-brother, you know? But his current wife doesn¡¯t like us being in contact,


    so I don¡¯t really take much initiative to get in touch with him.¡± Vermont picked out the gist of everything


    and thought,¡¯ Okay. Mom hates the old man. In conclusion, approach with caution.¡¯


    Felicity opened the bathroom door and handed him a towel. ¡°Wash up. And, remember to throw out


    your dirty clothester.¡±


    ¡°My back hurts,¡± said Vermont.


    ¡°Well, of course it hurts. You freaking fell from a tree! You shouldn¡¯t have run when Richie chased after


    you, dummy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I wanted to run. That dog is massive. He chased after me with his tongue out, drooling all


    over. It¡¯s called reflexes, Felicity.¡±


    Felicityughed and said, ¡°Look at you. You¡¯re the big boss of apany, yet you got chased by


    Richie. Don¡¯t you know that the more you run when a dog chases you, the more excited it gets? The


    trick is to bend down and pretend to pick something up to throw at them. I guarantee that 80% of dogs


    would fall for it.¡±


    ¡°What about the other 20%? Half of them are rabid dogs while the others are police dogs. What do I do


    if Ie in contact with them?¡±


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡°Cut the crap and wash up.¡± Felicity pushed Vermont into the bathroom and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to go get


    us both something to eat.¡±


    Seeing her go, Vermont closed the door reluctantly. He thought his experience tonight was strange, but


    there was a


    bigger surprise waiting for him. Vermont finished cleaning himself up and changed into a fresh set of


    clothes. He carried his dirty clothes out and went to ask Felicity where he could put them. His clothes


    were covered in thorns, so they could not be directly thrown into the wash.


    Felicity was cooking. She asked Vermont to grab a hamper on the frontwn and put his clothes in


    there. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it tomorrow,¡± she said.


    Vermont went to the yard to look for the hamper and found it tucked away under the sink. He crouched


    down to get it. But something kicked him right in the ass. He then heard a female voice behind him say,


    ¡°You thief! How dare you steal from my house!¡±


    As she said that, the woman grabbed a broom and hit Vermont. Felicity saw that as soon as she


    walked out the door. ¡°Mom! That¡¯s my friend!¡± she yelled.


    Both Florence and Vermont were stunned.


    ¡®I should have checked my horoscope beforeing out today,¡¯ thought Vermont.


    Once the mall incident became viral, the public¡¯s opinion gradually began to change. Theizens were


    questioning Be¡¯s fan group after they lost control of their actions. The video of Ste protecting the


    girl from the ss also made the public view her differently.


    It was clear that Ste had a chance to escape when danger struck, but she chose to pull a stranger


    away from danger. This contradicted the public¡¯s assumption that she had pushed Be down the stairs


    because of jealousy. They believed that someone who was cruel and vicious could not show that kind


    ofpassion.


    At the same time, the girl¡¯s parents also sent out a post on Facebook, thanking Ste for keeping their


    daughter safe.

 Chapter 1149

    Chapter 1149


    Chapter 1149


    The girl¡¯s parents had handwritten the thousand-word thank you letter. In addition to expressing their


    gratitude, there was a section detailing their daughter¡¯s ount of the incident. The girl said that she


    had entered the store around the same time as Ste and had witnessed Ste¡¯s argument with the


    two minors.


    She said that one of the girls had pulled Ste¡¯s mask off and held her phone in the celebrity¡¯s face.


    That was when Ste pushed her phone away.


    The post also stated that Ste was not responsible for the girl¡¯s fall. Another girl had pushed Ste


    during the argument, which caused her to identally bump into the first girl when she stepped back.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    That was the first time the girl, who was saved, had seen Ste in real life. She could not help but take


    a few videos and photos of the incident to show her friends some firsthand news. She stood very close


    to them in order to get a clearer shot of the incident.


    The scene was very heated, but it was mostly the two perpetrators who were yelling, screaming, and


    pointing their fingers at Ste. On the other hand, Ste did not say much or take any action. [She


    pushed our daughter away from danger when someone threw a ss at her,] they said.


    [My husband and I are in the media industry. We did not feel good about Ms. Jewell after seeing all the


    negative news about her online. Especially since that video seemed clear, and Ms. Jewell never


    apologized for the incident or responded to the usations. I was surprised when my child told me that


    she was the one who shielded her from harm.


    [My daughter¡¯s description of Ms. Jewell was a far cry from her inte image as a corrupt entertainer.


    She did not take credit for saving our daughter¡¯s life and did not go around parading it. When we


    contacted Ms. Jewell¡¯spany to thank her, they ryed a message saying that it was no trouble.


    That was when I began to doubt thements online about her.


    [I then asked my colleague to contact the cast of Jurisdiction to find out what kind of person Ms. Jewell


    truly is. I believe that no matter how well an actor she is, she is bound to slip up and show her true


    colors. However, the cast and crew of Jurisdiction all said that Ms. Jewell is a kind person. When the


    team did not have enough funds to supply costumes in the early stages of shooting, Ms. Jewell


    generously shared her clothes with the other actors and even guided them on how to act in front of the


    camera.


    [Her colleagues said that she does whatever she can and gives it her all. It¡¯s illogical to say that she


    pushed one of her colleagues down the stairs because she was jealous of her. My family is ashamed of


    ourselves for ever believing in those rumors. We hope that everyone can learn to screen what they see


    on the inte and think independently for themselves. Don¡¯t be so easily influenced by the media. We


    also urge those who know the truth about the situation to step forward and clear Ms. Jewell¡¯s name.]


    The thank you letter caused a stir in the onlinemunity.


    The official ount for Jurisdiction shared the post with the caption, [Not to mention starring in the


    show for free and providing us free publicity.]


    Following that, a federated charity came out and said, [Ms. Jewell has donated seven hundred


    thousand dors to fund education for children in impoverished areas. Please refer to our homepage


    for more details about the cause.]


    The posts from the two verified ounts heated up the situation. Then, the crew from Motives for


    Murder also created a post stating that the staff who were in charge of the actors¡¯ safety were


    responsible for the mishap.

 Chapter 1150

    Chapter 1150


    Chapter 1150


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    [There is something wrong with the angle of the video circting on the Inte. Ste did not exert


    her force at all. I clearly saw her from behind but did not dare to speak out because of the fame and


    power that the other party holds. I¡¯m overjoyed to see her being dragged down these past few days. I


    should havee forward sooner.


    [I was one of the staff members responsible for Be¡¯s protective gear at that time. Strangely enough,


    Be asked me to help her add an extra set of knee pads that day. There was no need to do so since


    the danger level for that scene was not high. It seems like she knew she was going to be badly injured.]


    As more and more people came out, the public had different views about the situation. 1


    Be was in the hospital at that time. Her eyes reddened with anger when she saw the viral posts on


    the inte. She tried to call the mystery person who had contacted her before, but the number was no


    longer in service. The man had said that he would reach out to Be and did not like it when she


    contacted him first.


    Be was mad that the call could not get through. Sheshed out at Tammy and instructed her to


    remove the bad press.


    Tammy did not appreciate being yelled at by Be, but she still did what she was told. She tried to take


    down the posts by reporting them, but none of the social media moderators were willing to do that.


    Tammy wanted to bribe them with money, but they did not ept it. ¡®There¡¯s only one possibility.


    Someone has already paid them to keep those posts up!¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°They won¡¯t take down those posts, Be. It¡¯s not toote to send out a statement exining what


    happened that day and say that it was just a misunderstanding,¡± said Tammy.


    ¡°Are you crazy? They¡¯d think I¡¯m guilty of hurting myself and framing Ste!¡± Be yelled.


    Tammy¡¯s face turned ugly as she mumbled, ¡°So, what now?¡±


    ¡°What now?! Is asking that the only thing you can do? Have you learned nothing from being around


    Wein all this time? Would I have asked you to deal with it if I knew what to do?!¡±


    Tammy immediately shut her mouth. ¡®You were the one who was in a hurry to leave Elegant Media and


    get rid of your exmanager, Wein. Why would he tell me everything, knowing that we¡¯re close? He¡¯s not


    a fool,¡¯ she thought.


    Be was worried about the sudden change in the situation. Soon, a new matter came to light, and she


    had no time to handle the problem she was facing with Ste.


    An article about Andrea Sonn¡¯s suicide three years ago had been wildly circted on WhatsApp that


    afternoon. The report pointed the me at Be for setting up Andrea to be sexually assaulted back


    then and exposing the matter online after that. Various details were included in the article, along with a


    variety of evidence.


    The post entailed the story of Andrea¡¯s family members suffering from illnesses and dying from trying to


    avenge her death. Subsequently, a video of Andrea and Be checking into a hotel after getting drunk


    at a party was also exposed. Be¡¯s figure was visible in the clip. She turned to leave after watching


    Andrea being taken away by the man who assaulted her.

 Chapter 1151

    Chapter 1151


    Chapter 1151


    Andrea¡¯s suicide note was also revealed online. The contents detailed the night she had dinner with


    Be. She did not suspect Be at the beginning and even regarded her as her best friend. Andrea was


    terrified after being sexually assaulted, so she consulted Be immediately to discuss the matter. She


    thought about calling the police, but Be stopped her.


    Be advised her not to call the police on the grounds that she was about to be signed on as an actor.


    She told Andrea that the casting directors would definitely rethink their choice if things came out,


    despite the fact that she was the victim. ¡°I think you should wait till they sign the contract before calling


    the police,¡± she said. Andrea felt alone and helpless at the time. So, she had no choice but to trust her


    good friend, Be.


    Andrea had nightmares every night about the torture she suffered. To add to the trauma, her private


    pictures were uploaded to the inte. Netizens started calling her all kinds of names when the photos


    surfaced. Each word hurt her deeply. Andrea was horrified at the sight of people calling her a slut and a


    whore. She was scared, and she tried to contact Be. However, she was unreachable.


    The incident festered, and the movie crews who had worked with her previously ended up taking her off


    the shows. The directors from unaired dramas and agencies even asked her topensate them for


    liquidated damages.


    It was also at this time that Be was officially announced to y the role that Andrea had previously


    auditioned for. Andrea watched the news in dismay. She immediately chose to call the police after


    finally connecting the dots.


    The police brought the person who sexually assaulted her in for an investigation, but the other party


    insisted that the two had a one-night stand. Since the incident happened quite a while now, traces of


    rape could not be found on Andrea¡¯s body anymore. The staff at the hotel also mentioned that she was


    conscious when the two went into a room together. Thus, there was no solid evidence to prove that


    Andrea was sexually assaulted. So, she could not build a case.


    Her rapist even spread rumors about what had happened that night on the inte. Andrea was on the


    verge of breaking down, and her family members finally noticed that something was wrong with her.


    They took her back to their hometown to recuperate, and her mental health gradually improved.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    One day, Andrea decided to tell her brother about the evil she had encountered. Her older brother was


    shocked and heartbroken when he heard the news. He went to settle the score with Be without


    anyone knowing and never returned.


    Andrea¡¯s brother died trying to avenge her. Her family was left in tatters while Be made a name for


    herself. Andrea could not ept this oue and wanted to leave the world behind. She left a farewell


    message to her parents and fans, and herst line read, ¡°I am off to see my brother.¡±


    The suicide note arguably added new evidence to the matter, but Be¡¯s fans were still stubborn. They


    imed that the document was forged and stated that Andrea would have published it before her death


    if it was real. They also said that someone was trying to use this to cover up the fact that Ste pushed


    Be down the stairs.


    But soon, Andrea¡¯s fans posted her signature to prove that the handwriting on the suicide note was


    hers.


    Then, one of Be¡¯s previous fans came out to say her piece. ¡°I was the first few people to follow Be.


    Before Be¡¯s ident, she and Andrea frequently interacted with each other. Andrea often visited her


    workce to give her food. Be¡¯s old fans would know how close they were. All of us expected them


    to reach the top hand in hand, but shortly after Andrea¡¯s private photos were leaked, Be took over


    her role in one of her dramas. I felt disturbed by this at the time. When Andrea was being called names


    on the inte, Be did not stand up for her at all, not even when she passed away. I could not


    believe it, so I decided to leave the fandom. Now, it seems like I made the right choice. She¡¯s such a


    shitty person.¡±


    As expected, Be¡¯s followers were not happy about thatment and tried to attack her verbally.


    However, the former fan did not back down. ¡°So what if I¡¯m shitting on her? Why should I provide any


    evidence to prove that I was once her follower? Don¡¯t I have the right to speak about her?


    I don¡¯t see Be defending herself in thements. Why the hell do you guys care?¡±


    The former fan then posted pictures of all the magazines and posters of Be she collected during the


    early years.¡±


    Seeing that you guys love her so much, I¡¯m willing to sell my collection for 50 thousand dors.¡±


    After seeing all the merchandise, people recognized that the person was Be¡¯s number one fan. The


    former fan had managed Be¡¯s fan group when the celebrity had not blown up yet. She ran around


    and took various paparazzi photos of Be during the early years. However, she suddenly disappeared


    from the face of the earth after Be became famous.


    Be¡¯s fans then started to believe the former fan because they knew that she had a lot of contact with


    their idol and was aware of what kind of person she was in private.

 Chapter 1152

    Chapter 1152


    Chapter 1152


    Fans often turned a blind eye to their idol¡¯s morals if they did not go against thew. A celebrity¡¯s


    follower deciding to leave the fandom was a huge deal. This caused Be¡¯s name to explode all over


    the inte. Out of all the times she had been in the eyes of the public, this was the first time she had


    gotten so much attention.


    Ste was eating an apple while she scrolled on Facebook. Keegan sat next to her, answering his


    emails. ¡°The suicide note is fake, right?¡± Ste asked. She agreed with the skeptics that Andrea would


    have published it to the public before her death.


    ¡°So what if it¡¯s fake?¡± Keegan asked.


    ¡°You can go to jail for falsifying evidence,¡± Ste leaned over and exined.


    Keegan nced at her and said, ¡°The suicide note was burned long ago. This is considered a rumor at


    best.


    Though, the police wouldn¡¯t have time to worry about such trivial matters right now. They have too


    much on their te with the sexual assault case reopened.¡±


    ¡°And I thought you were an upstanding andw-abiding person,¡± said Ste.


    ¡°This is only the second time I¡¯ve done something against thew,¡± Keegan replied indifferently.


    ¡°And what did you do the first time?¡± Ste asked, surprised.


    She wanted to have the option of reporting his crime to the authorities if he ever mistreated her.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Keegan leaned into her ear and whispered, ¡°I rode without a license.¡±


    Ste was shocked. ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot of nerve, huh? How dare you ride without a license?! Aren¡¯t you


    afraid of getting caught? You¡¯d be locked up for at least ten to fifteen days!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was that serious,¡± Keegan pondered for a moment and replied.


    Ste leered at him. ¡°How did you even get your license? I bet you forgot everything you learned the


    moment you got it. N


    Keeganughed and said, ¡°I¡¯m talking about another kind of ride. You know¡­ the one you do in bed.


    Well, I did it without a marriage license. I don¡¯t think the authorities would punish me forthat.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s words left Ste speechless. ¡®That was what he was referring to?!¡¯ She thought.


    ¡°When are we going to legalize this? I¡¯m a bit of a coward. I¡¯m scared to ride without a license,¡± Keegan


    uttered in a low voice.


    ¡®You bastard! How dare you tease me!¡¯ Ste nced at him and said, ¡°Just don¡¯t do it if you¡¯re scared.


    I, for one, like excitement and danger.¡±


    Keegan went silent for a while. When Ste thought he was deted and no longer had a response, he


    added, ¡°So you¡¯re saying you want to have some fun with me?¡±


    Ste did not give him an answer.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t worn the mesh pajamas we bought at the night marketst time. Do you want to see me in


    them?¡± Keegan tried to persuade her.


    Ste¡¯s eyelids twitched violently upon hearing that.

 Chapter 1153

    Chapter 1153


    Chapter 1153


    Ste nced at the man beside her, who was clearly thinking about having sex. She said, ¡°Behave,


    Keegan. You¡¯re giving me the ick.¡±


    ¡°But Vermont always talks like that,¡± the man grunted.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯d y the macho boss if you were in a movie, while he¡¯d y the manager,¡± Ste


    joked. ¡°But you¡¯ll be neither if you don¡¯t stop with the gross talk.¡±


    Keegan was at a loss for words. ¡®So I need to be in a high position to get along with her now? That¡¯s


    sad¡­¡¯


    While they were chatting, Ste¡¯s phone rang. It was Albert. She gave Keegan a silent gesture and


    answered the call.


    ¡°Ste, are you okay?¡± asked Albert.


    Ste and Keegan looked at each other. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Is something the matter, Mr. Jewell?¡±


    Albert sounded concerned. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you faced such a major situation?¡±


    ¡°Well, you didn¡¯t ask,¡± Ste replied indifferently.


    ¡°I just saw the news yesterday. I wanted to call, but I feared you wouldn¡¯t pick up. I didn¡¯t like it when


    you said you wanted to pursue acting. I knew the people in the show business were all a bunch of


    bums. Your mom even argued with me when I told her that. But now look. You¡¯re suffering.¡± Ste could


    not stand Albert. She almost threw up at the tone of his voice.


    Albert was the typical oppressive and self-centered parent. If his child wanted to learn something, he¡¯d


    be against it. If they did not listen to him and decided to chase after their dreams, he would keep finding


    ways to tear them down.


    They would also not get a single word of praise from him, even if they were the best of the best. In


    response to their sess, Albert might even say, ¡°What¡¯s the point of learning all that?¡± If his children


    encountered setbacks in pursuing their desires, he would immediately tell them, ¡°I told you so. You


    should have listened to me.¡±


    Ste did not care about all the things Albert had said or done to her in the past, but she could not


    believe he was shameless enough to judge her choices. ¡°Did you call just to mock me, Mr. Jewell?¡±


    She asked coldly.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡°I am concerned about you, Ste. As soon as I found out about this matter, I immediately pull some


    connections and have them start an investigation. Don¡¯t worry. The truth wille out, and your name


    will be cleared.¡±


    ¡®He sure knows how to tter himself. He never once called to ask how I was doing when the issue was


    people are starting to stand on my side, he wants to help me and take credit for being a good person?¡¯


    ¡°Are you with Keegan right now?¡± Albert asked as he began leading up to his call¡¯s main point.


    ¡°No. We haven¡¯t had much contact since the incident. He¡¯s probably afraid of getting dragged down


    with me,¡± Ste said with a straight face as sheid her head on Keegan¡¯sp.


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible. I think Keegan¡¯s afraid that the paparazzi will capture you two together and cause


    you more trouble. I saw him share the thank you post on Facebook.¡±


    Hearing that, Ste paused and stared at Keegan.


    The man then looked away sheepishly. ¡®It¡¯s not like I said something ambiguous to mislead the public


    like Marshall did. I literally just shared the post,¡¯ he thought.


    However, the effect of the repost was not less impactful than that of Marshall¡¯sment on his


    rtionship with Ste.


    [#Ke] was again trending, and fans who shipped the couple were overjoyed.


    So naturally, Albert did not believe Ste when she said they were not together.


    Ste was also speechless by Keegan¡¯s action. She red at him and slowly said into the phone, ¡°Is


    that so? I haven¡¯t had the chance to look at the post yet.¡±

 Chapter 1154

    Chapter 1154


    Chapter 1154


    ¡°Have you considered what we discussedst time?¡± Albert asked.


    ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± Ste pretended not to understand.


    ¡°You know, about me taking you in as an adoptive daughter. These bullying incidents are happening


    because you have no one on your side. I mean, have you ever experienced anything like this when you


    were a part of the Jewell family?¡±


    ¡®How dare he say that?! I wasn¡¯t bullied in the past because people were afraid of Keegan and the


    Kane family.¡¯ Contrary to Albert¡¯s belief, Ste was miserable in the Jewell family.¡¯ He¡¯s literally so full of


    himself!¡¯


    Resisting the urge to fight back, Ste poked Keegan, asking how to reply. Keegan then mouthed the


    words, ¡°Say yes.¡±


    Ste understood him. She pursed her lips and said, ¡°You and Hylda are getting married soon. Let¡¯s


    talk about thister. It¡¯s not up to you alone to decide.¡±


    Albert heard her loosening up to the idea and immediately said, ¡°Of course it is. Don¡¯t worry. As long as


    you agree, I will immediately dere it to the public and hold a proper ceremony.¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid Hylda won¡¯t show up if you make this decision alone. I don¡¯t want things to be


    awkward.¡±


    ¡®Hmm. It would be difficult to get Hylda¡¯s approval,¡¯ Albert frowned and pondered for a moment. ¡°Then


    we¡¯ll announce it during the wedding,¡± he said.


    Ste bit her lower lips and said, ¡°I can do that, but¡­ Will Hylda be okay with it?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her. I¡¯m the head of the house. What I say goes.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ste slowly said.


    Before hanging up, Albert reminded her to bring Keegan to the wedding.


    ¡®So that¡¯s his goal,¡¯ thought Ste. ¡°I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s free to show up, but I¡¯ll try my best to convince


    him.¡±


    After the call ended, Ste looked up and pinched Keegan¡¯s face. ¡°Albert thinks you¡¯re the God of


    Wealth. Oh, he just can¡¯t wait to worship you,¡± she teased.


    Keegan pushed her hand away and said, ¡°Stop being so handsy. It makes men less attracted to you.¡±


    Ste was shocked to hear him say that. ¡®You mutt! I¡¯m going to get you back for this,¡¯ she thought.


    Keegan¡¯s cell phone rang while Ste was going to the restroom. He looked at the caller ID and saw


    that it was Be. Keegan nced in Ste¡¯s direction and walked to the balcony to pick up the call.


    When the call connected, Keegan heard Be¡¯s frantic voice saying, ¡°Mr. Kane, please help me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong person. Our contract is over,¡± Keegan replied in disdain.


    ¡°I know, but I really don¡¯t have a way out. I¡¯m going to lose everything if things go on like this. I¡¯ve gone


    through a lot to get to where I am today. I don¡¯t want to lose what I have right now. You¡¯re the only


    person who can help me, Mr. Kane. Please. I¡¯ll do whatever you want in return,¡± Be sobbed.


    Keegan¡¯s voice was grim, ¡°You should have thought of the consequences when you set out to frame


    her. I warned you long ago to stay away from her, but you didn¡¯t listen.¡±


    Be was stunned upon hearing that, and a chill ran down her spine instantly. ¡°Y-You¡­ You¡¯re the one


    who did this¡­¡±


    ¡°You were getting greedy,¡± Keegan said coldly.


    Be felt scared and disturbed at the same time. ¡°You¡¯re responsible for what I¡¯ve be, Keegan. I


    could have lived my life as a small actor, but you had to pull me out of the slumps and show me what


    it¡¯s truly like to live. How could I ever go back?¡±

 Chapter 1155

    Chapter 1155


    Chapter 1155


    When Be worked as an extra and a frence actor, she often fantasized about bing famous


    one day. Though, she knew that it was just a fantasy. Her schedule was filled with work, and she had


    no time to dream about being a hit in the industry.


    Every day before Be went to sleep, she would think about how much food the crew would need


    tomorrow and whether she would have to fork out her own money. She would think about how many


    more days of work she had for that month and how much more money she could get to provide for her


    family.


    If Keegan had not sent someone to find her, her life would have been dull and busy. But he showed up


    and pulled her into a colorful world of fame and fortune. Never in Be¡¯s wildest dreams did she think


    anything like that would happen to her. Everything, including money and fame, became easy for her at


    that point.


    With every blood transfusion she did, Keegan would help her get roles in different movies and


    sponsorships from various brands. She got everything she asked for with almost no effort.


    Soon, Be began to make a name for herself in the entertainment circle. She also built more


    connections and gained more poprity during that time.


    Be used to imagine getting paid a thousand dors daily when she was only paid 200 dors. Now,


    she was getting tens of millions of dors per show, but she was still unsatisfied. Be always wanted


    more than what she had, which was human nature.


    It was true that Keegan allowed Be to reach the top, but one mistake could cause her downfall. ¡®I


    wouldn¡¯t have to do all these things if Keegan hadn¡¯t provided me with all these resources and had


    Elegant Media sign me on,¡¯ she thought.


    After listening to Be¡¯s little rant, Keegan suddenly sneered, ¡°Our dealings have always been clear-


    cut. I gave you whatever you wanted. Everything that happened after that was due to your insatiability


    and recklessness.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s words hit the nail on the head.


    Before the two had reached an agreement back then, Keegan provided Be with another option-find


    someone to n her career, hire an acting instructor, and start from the bottom. That meant Be could


    choose how far to go depending on her skills, but she did not want that. Instead, she decided to take a


    shortcut to sess.


    Keegan was aware of the dark side of human nature. The easier it was to obtain something, the easier


    for people to lose their will to fight and be greedy.


    Back then, Be was hardworking and self-motivated. Yet, all that changed when Keegan came into


    the picture.


    Keegan had no interest in advising strangers, so he never stopped Be¡¯s greedy demands throughout


    the ordeal. He knew her greed would get the best of her and be a problemter. But, in his


    opinion, Be was responsible for her own path and should pay the price herself.


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    Be¡¯s face turned white when she received an iing call from the police. She was afraid to answer


    it. Once the relevant authorities provided a final statement about Andrea¡¯s case, everything would be


    over for her. Be¡¯s name would forever be tarnished, and she would be forced to resign as an actor.


    There was also the possibility that she would have to face jail time.


    Be was greedy for money and fame. She had bought countless likes and followers on her social


    media ounts in order to be in the spotlight. She also bought many luxury brand items so others


    would think she was an upper-ss woman.


    This meant that even though Be earned a lot of wealth over the years, she had no savings. In fact,


    she needed money. That was why she always epted every endorsement offer, regardless of the


    product or service provided. At the same time, Be would not have the assets to pay the sponsorship


    brands for the breach of contract if she lost her career.

 Chapter 1156

    Chapter 1156


    Chapter 1156


    Be would really be left with nothing if she was caught. The thought of that terrified her. Seeing that


    Keegan would not budge no matter what, Be clenched her fists and said, ¡°Ste still doesn¡¯t know


    about that little girl¡¯s existence, does she?¡±


    Keegan looked up and clutched his phone tightly. ¡°What did you just say?¡± He asked with a cold voice


    that caused Be to shiver over the phone.


    ¡°I said she doesn¡¯t know about Coco, right? Ste hates it when people lie to her, you know? How will


    she react when she finds out you have a daughter? Do you think she¡¯d choose to be with you after


    that?¡±


    Keegan did not say a word. Be could not even hear him breathe. The silence was a little intimidating.


    However, Be still dared to say, ¡°I¡¯ll expose the news about Coco if you don¡¯t help me handle this


    matter. If I can¡¯t get a happy ending, then no one can!¡±


    ¡°A happy ending?¡± Keegan gritted his teeth and said with a gloomy expression, ¡°You don¡¯t deserve a


    happy ending!¡¯


    Be panicked for a moment, but she quickly calmed herself down. ¡°Just help me, and I¡¯ll-¡°


    ¡°83, Phoenix Road,¡± Keegan uttered an address without any warning, making Be turn pale instantly.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Do you actually think I have nothing up my sleeves, Be?¡¯ Keegan¡¯s voice sounded news about


    Coco, and I¡¯ll tear the ce down to the ground,¡± he said.


    Be¡¯s eyes widened in fear as she shuddered. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare! Don¡¯t forget that we¡¯re living in aw-


    governed society.¡±


    Keegan tapped his fingers lightly on the balcony railing and said, ¡°Try me.¡±


    ¡°Keegan, where did you put my charger?¡± Ste¡¯s voice came from upstairs, and Keegan immediately


    hung up. He walked back into the room and asked, ¡°Is it not on the nightstand?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯ve checked,¡± Ste grumbled as she continued the search. ¡°Can you please put my charger to its


    original ce after you use it? I¡¯ve had to look for it eight out of ten times I lend it to you. Can¡¯t you just


    use your own charger?¡±


    ¡°But your wire is longer,¡± said Keegan.


    His answer left Ste speechless.


    Both Keegan and Ste¡¯s phones came with a charger, but Ste got a 10- foot-long cable charger so


    that she could roll around in bed and use her phone while it was charging. When Ste first purchased


    the wire, she asked Keegan if he wanted one too, but he said using non-original chargers was


    dangerous. Despite that, he would still secretly use the charger when Ste was not around. Now, he


    would often use the charger openly and misce it almost everytime.


    ¡°Where did you put it? My phone is going to die,¡± said Ste.


    Keegan could not remember where he ced the item, so he joined her in the search for the charger.


    Ste went to the study and pulled open Keegan¡¯s desk drawer one at a time. In the end, she found the


    charger hiding in thest drawer.


    When Ste reached out to grab her belonging, she saw a pile of documents underneath her charger.


    A picture of a child that looked just like her was on the file. Normally, Ste would not look through


    Keegan¡¯s stuff, but she and the kid looked so simr that she simply could not let it go. She then bent


    down and grabbed the file out of curiosity.

 Chapter 1157

    Chapter 1157


    Chapter 1157


    Keegan was standing in the living room and making a phone call when he saw Steing


    downstairs. He hung up the phone and asked, ¡®Did you find it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ste responded, looking a little absent-minded.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Keegan asked.


    Ste nced at him. ¡°Is the paternity test in your drawer real?¡¯


    Keegan paused. ¡°You saw it?¡±


    Ste red at him. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ce it next to the charger just so I could see it?¡±


    It just did not make sense for Keegan to put the charge at such a hidden location after using it.


    Keegan smiled. ¡°I just didn¡¯t know how to tell you about it.¡¯


    He did not agree with how the Saun family handled the matter.


    He could not ept the fact that they wanted her to return to their family without telling her anything at


    all. He knew it would be difficult for Ste to ept it, no matter how strong her heart was.


    If he weren¡¯t worried that it might add to Ste¡¯s stress when she had to deal with Be before this, he


    would have done this way earlier.


    He thought Ste would keep it to herself for a few days before asking him about it. But to his surprise,


    she did it right away.


    Though, Ste was a little overwhelmed.


    Keegan was worried that the documents would be confusing, so he ced drawer. There was


    information about Trevor and his mother, Jessica Hall, as well.


    Then, he ced the paternity test between her, Trevor, and Wenham underneath them.


    She and Trevor only looked alike when they were younger, but she resembled Jessica much more after


    she grew up. Their eyes looked almost identical. The only difference was that Jessica¡¯s bone structure


    was more defined, giving her a more vibrant look. On the other hand, Ste¡¯s features looked gentler


    and delicate.


    Ste had always had questions about this as a child because she looked neither like Rainee nor


    Albert.


    People would always say the same thing during the school open day or when her ssmates came to


    her house to y. ¡°You don¡¯t look like your parents at all.¡±


    When she asked Rainee about it, she would say, ¡°You used to look like us when you¡¯ were younger, but


    not anymore now.¡±


    Then, she would look through the photos when she was one or two Rainee. So, she believed her.


    However, the features of babies were often simr, and it was only as their skeletal structures fully


    developed that their appearances became more distinct.


    That was why she always had that doubt. She felt relieved When she finally learned that Albert was not


    her biological father. It turned out that the person she looked like was her biological father.


    But now Keegan told her that she actually resembled her biological mother, and someone that she had


    been calling Mom for over twenty years was just her foster mother.


    She had mixed feelings, and it took her a while to finally speak. ¡°Does Mr. Saun know about this?¡±


    Keegan nodded.


    That was when Ste finally knew why Trevor treated her so well at work. She thought he was trying to


    pursue her, but he was actually her brother.


    Then, she asked softly, ¡®Was I abandoned?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Keegan said in a low voice, ¡°You were switched, and they didn¡¯t know about this.¡±


    ¡°Switch? With Jaylene?¡±


    Keegan held her hand and made her sit down. ¡°I told you that Jaylene isn¡¯t Uncle Saun¡¯s daughter.


    She¡¯s the daughter of his current wife. Your foster mother¡¯s biological daughter was the one who was


    switched with you.¡¯


    Ste paused. ¡°And she¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t make it,¡± Keegan said softly, ¡°She had a nuchal cord and passed away before she was born.¡¯


    Ste curled her fingers and remained silent before asking, ¡°Did my mom know that her child was


    switched then?¡±

 Chapter 1158

    Chapter 1158


    Chapter 1158


    Keegan knew that Ste was asking about Rainee.


    Keegan had no answer to that, as Rainee had already passed away.


    However, she had so many medical reports of Ste that there was simply no way she was not aware


    that she and Albert could never give birth to a child of Ste¡¯s blood type.


    Keegan kept quiet before saying, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if she knew. Trevor is still looking into it, but her love for


    you was never fake.¡±


    Ste fell into silence once again.


    Itsted a bit longer this time, and it worried Keegan. He was about to say something, but he heard


    Ste speaking. ¡°I noticed that the day she passed away was my birthday. Did she die from


    complications during childbirth?¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Keegan responded.


    Ste¡¯s lips trembled. ¡¯It was because of me¡­¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t.¡± Keegan cut her off. ¡°All of them were looking forward to seeing you, but idents do


    happen, and they¡¯re not something humans can control. The fact that you¡¯re still living well in this world


    is already their biggest surprise.¡±


    Ste closed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m a little overwhelmed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Keegan hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. ¡°You don¡¯t have to see anyone from the


    Saun family until you¡¯ve made up your mind.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Ste said before continuing a whileter, ¡°Trevor looked so much like me when we were


    younger.¡±


    Keegan nodded. ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Did both of you grow up together?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Keegan responded. They even used to sit by Jessica and


    It was just magical now that he thought about it.


    Then, Ste asked the question that Aldor dared not to ask, ¡°You didn¡¯t marry me just because I look


    like Trevor, right? After all, I know it¡¯s hard to let go of a childhood friend.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    On the same afternoon, Andrea¡¯s parents filed a report at the police station with theirwyer, hoping


    that the police would reinvestigate their daughter¡¯s case and bring justice to her.


    Of course, Keegan was the one who made the arrangement for them.


    They had been keeping Andrea¡¯s belongings and her phone, which contained the WhatsApp chat


    history between her and Be before and after the incident. Thewyer identified some clues relevant


    to the case and submitted them to the police. Very soonter, Be was summoned for questioning.


    Despite the attempts to suppress the news, Andrea¡¯s case had gained too much traction to be gone


    unnoticed. The fact that a popr actress instructed another person to sexually assault her colleague


    was way too heinous, regardless of who the victim was. That was why it caught the attention of all the


    media.


    So, the news of Be getting summoned went public overnight.


    Her fans were devastated by the continuous unsettling news. Some of her more rational fans had


    unfollowed her, while some chose to wait for the investigation result before making any decision. Of


    course, a small portion of blindly loyal fans were still defending here at that time by writingments


    like ¡°We¡¯ll always believe in you.¡¯.


    The production team of World Peace knew that Be had messed up this time and decided to stop


    updating the series on the same night.


    An artist management association also published a warning regarding Be¡¯s situation, and many


    major brands began deleting Facebook posts rted to Be.


    Meanwhile, the production team of The Pce announced that there would be an extra episode to


    celebrate Thanksgiving right after World Peace announced its hiatus.


    Daniel even shared the post.


    Ste was shocked and immediately sent him a WhatsApp text: [Mr. Wood, are we taking advantage of


    them?]


    [No. We¡¯re simply kicking them when they¡¯re down.]


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡°Oh, no! Grab it!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Felicity¡¯s hand slipped, and the apple fell from the tree, narrowly missing Vermont¡¯s head.


    He was wearing a straw head, a sleeveless shirt, and a pair of long pants. He was sweating profusely


    as he glowered at the woman on the tree,¡± Miss, how hard is it for you to throw properly?¡±

 Chapter 1159

    Chapter 1159


    Chapter 1159


    ¡°Mistress Young is arrested!¡¯


    Felicity stood up excitedly on the tree. ¡°I thought there was only something wrong with her personality,


    but it turns out that she would actuallymit a crime! I guess it¡¯s true that every failed celebrity would


    eventually turn into a convict!¡±


    Her sudden action shocked Vermont, and he immediately said, ¡°Stay still up there. The branches are


    extremely thin. They can¡¯t withstand your movements.¡¯


    Felicity did not pay attention to a word he said; all she could think of was that Be¡¯s career had finally


    copsed. She was overwhelmed with joy.


    ¡°She has been acting arrogantly in the industry for way too long. I¡¯m d that someone is finally getting


    rid of her now! How many years is she going to get for doing something like that? The judge must not


    go lenient on her.¡±


    Felicity could not stop talking. ¡°If she could order someone to sexually assault her colleague, I¡¯m sure


    she would alsomit tax evasion. She¡¯s so close with Ynda and might even be involved in abusing


    drugs! No, I¡¯ve got to report it.¡±


    She changed her posture and squatted down as she typed on her phone, asking, ¡°What¡¯s the hotline


    for reporting tax evasion again?¡±


    ¡°12366,¡± Vermont replied, feeling shocked and scared as he watched her step on the tree branch that


    was close to snapping. Then, he quickly urged, ¡°Get down first if you¡¯re going to call them. It¡¯s not safe


    up there.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure!¡± Felicity spoke while entering the number on her phone. Just as she was about to dial it,


    she heard a cracking sound beneath her feet.


    Then, she let out a short scream and fell.


    Vermont¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He immediately dropped the basket of apples in his hands and


    reached out to catch her.


    However, he missed her entirely, and Felicity fell in front of him beforending on the grass.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Vermont was stunned. He looked at his empty hands. Then, he hurriedly went to check on Felicity.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Felicity rubbed her butt andined, ¡°Why did you throw the apples on the ground? They¡¯re hurting


    me so much.¡±


    The tree was not very tall, and the ground was covered in soft grass, so the fall was not supposed to be


    very painful. Instead, the apples that Vermont dropped on the floor hurt her the most.


    Vermont was relieved after seeing that she was fine. He brushed off the dirt from her clothes and said,


    ¡®I told you to stay still, yet you just could not stop moving around up there. Won¡¯t you look at yourself?


    Did you really think that the thin branches could support your weight?¡¯


    Felicity red at him and pushed him down to the ground. ¡°Would I have fallen to the ground if you


    could be just a little useful and catch me?¡±


    Vermont pressed his hands against the grass andughed. ¡°Do you think we¡¯re filming an idol drama? I


    can never beat gravity no matter how fast I run.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re full of excuses!¡±


    Felicity got up and brushed off the dirt from her pants. Then, she picked up her phone and continued to


    make the call.


    Vermont picked up the apples from the ground and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to do that. Whatever you


    can think of, Keegan can too. Let¡¯s just enjoy our holiday peacefully.¡¯


    Felicity paused. ¡°Are you saying that Keegan is behind all this?¡¯


    ¡°Who else do you think it could be?¡±


    Felicity frowned and asked, ¡°So, what did Yosef do to help Ste with public rtions?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s eye twitched as he said with a calm face. ¡®The apology letter. Did you think that the parent


    coulde up with such a professionally written apology letter?¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Felicity nced at him and suddenly forwarded the apology letter to Yosef.


    After picking up all the apples for the ground, Vermont¡¯s back felt a little sore. He looked into the


    distance and asked, ¡°How many apple trees did she nt?¡¯


    They arrived at the orchard at eight o¡¯clock in the morning, and he had already seen more than a


    hundred workers picking the fruits.


    ¡°Not too many.¡± Felicity turned around and took a look. ¡°Everything that you can see from here is hers.¡±


    ¡°When can we go back then?¡±


    Vermont took off his straw hat, fanning himself. It was simply much more tiring than going to the gym.

 Chapter 1160

    Chapter 1160


    Chapter 1160


    ¡°We¡¯ve got to at least finish picking everything on this row.¡± Felicity scoffed after seeing how exhausted


    Vermont was. ¡°It¡¯s your fault for insisting oning here. I came back home to rest, yet you just had to


    drag me along and be freebor!¡±


    Vermont was astounded by Felicity¡¯s words. He was just trying to prove himself to her mother.


    Felicity initially wanted to take Vermont shopping for a few clothes when they woke up in the morning.


    However, they bumped into Florence just when they were about to leave.


    Vermont casually asked where she was going, and Florence told him she was going to the orchard to


    pick apples because there were not enough workers. Florence was worried they would be unable to


    harvest everything in time.


    Vermont heard that and saw it as an opportunity to impress his future mother-inw. So, he


    immediately offered to help.


    He was too eager to prove himself to Florence andpletely failed to notice the signals that Felicity


    kept sending with her eyes.


    Upon arriving at the orchard, he only realized that picking apples was not an easy task.


    The apples on each tree ripened at different times and varied in size. Some trees even had different


    kinds of apples, requiring them to separate the apples upon picking them.


    They had been working the entire morning and only managed to pick seven trees. They were


    exhausted after constantly climbing up and down and bending over. Even worse, a whole row of trees


    was still waiting for them to harvest.


    Vermont could not help but defend himself after hearing what Felicity said, ¡°I¡¯m just trying to help your


    mom. The more we help her, the less tired she¡¯ll be.¡±


    ¡°Help her? She¡¯s thrilled to get two freebors, saving her a day¡¯s wages!¡±


    Vermont had no words to respond to her. He was about to say something but heard a loud woman¡¯s


    voiceing from behind, ¡°What are you two talking about?¡±


    Felicity was startled and immediately stood up. ¡°Mom.¡±


    Florence was fully equipped with sun protection clothes, revealing only her eyes as she stared at them.


    However, she frowned after looking at the baskets of apples on the ground. ¡°Is that all you got


    throughout the entire morning?¡±


    Vermont was about to say something, but Felicity beat him to it. ¡®We wanted to pick faster, but your kick


    last night was too powerful. His back has been hurting all night, and he couldn¡¯t even stand just now.¡±


    Then, she secretly poked Vermont¡¯s back, causing him to feel a tingling sensation and almost fall to his


    knees.


    ¡°Just from that kick? How is a young man like him so weak?¡±


    Vermont kept quiet.


    Felicity started making things up because she did not want to work anymore. ¡¯City boys like him are all


    spoiled. They¡¯re nothing like you, who raise your daughter like a boy and your son like an animal.¡±


    Florence just stared at her daughter in disbelief.


    ¡°Well, you two can stop picking now, then.¡±


    Felicity thought she had escaped from work because of how quick-witted she was, but she heard


    Florence continue, ¡°Go over there and help Freddie load the trucks. You don¡¯t have to bend your back


    for that.¡±


    Felicity was stunned for a while at her orders. After that, they went to the loading area.


    There were a lot of farmers there. The women were responsible for sorting while the men were


    responsible for loading them into crates. A machine was also printing out orders at the side, constantly


    spitting out different orders. After the crates were packed, the order slip was pasted on and sent


    directly for shipping.


    They were shipping the fruits out as the producer themselves.


    It seemed like the producers there all knew who Felicity was. They immediately greeted her warmly


    when she arrived, ¡°Felicity, when did youe back?¡±


    Your grandma said that you brought your boyfriend back. Is this him?¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

 Chapter 1161

    Chapter 1161


    Chapter 1161


    Felicity¡¯s eyelid twitched.


    ¡®What nonsense did Grandma say to them?¡¯


    However, Vermont acted fast and responded, ¡°Nice to meet you, everyone.¡±


    ¡°Hello, hello. This young man from the city is so polite.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s so handsome and tall. You¡¯ve got to be at least six feet, right?¡±


    Vermont smiled and corrected, ¡°I¡¯m six feet one inch tall.¡±


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re really tall. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Just call me Vermont.¡±


    With his sweet words and how well he couldmunicate with older women, he immediately


    befriended all thedies there.


    Felicity was left speechless at the side as she thought to herself. ¡®He¡¯s truly a social butterfly. He can


    literally make friends everywhere he goes.¡¯


    After drinking too much water, she had to go to the washroom, leaving Vermont behind to help load the


    trucks.


    Thedies saw his good-looking appearance and pulled him over to help sort the fruits. After all, it was


    a much easier taskpared to the heavy lifting.


    Vermont learned how to sort them while chatting with thedies, ¡°Ladies, don¡¯t you have a sorting


    machine? Or do you rely solely on manualbor?¡±


    ¡°We do, but it can only sort them by size. The machines can¡¯t detect the bruises on the apples. That¡¯s


    why we must sort them out manually before loading them into the crates.¡±


    ¡°What will happen to the apples with bruises then?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be sent for fermentation to make wine or vinegar. They could be used to make canned products


    too. We have our own processing factory here, and they¡¯ll be sent to various parts of the country after


    processing. Lastly, all the remaining ones would be fed to the pigs. Did you see the iron sheds beside


    the road when you were on your way here? Those were all owned by Felicity and her family. You


    should ask her to take you there sometime.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡°It¡¯s all part of their family¡¯s business?¡±


    He could not believe it. When they were in the car traveling here, he could not see the end of the apple


    farm. He figured that her family had to be pretty wealthy, judging by how many orchards they owned.


    The chubbydy beside Vermont noticed his interest in the orchards and started telling him more about


    it.


    ¡°Each of the orchards here operated independently in the past, and the profits rely solely on the


    weather. One acre ofnd could earn them up to two thousand dors during the good days. However,


    if there¡¯s a disaster, they wouldn¡¯t even make half of that. The fruit merchants would evene every


    year to pressure us to sell our produce at a lower price,


    causing the farmers to earn barely more than a proper job despite working so hard for a whole year.


    ¡°As time passed, many orchards were abandoned, and Felicity¡¯s mother leased all the unusednd in


    the vige. Then, she went to talk to the other farmers about implementing centralized management.


    She spent a lot of money hiring professors from some agriculture universities to experiment on ournd


    to research agricultural cultivation management and whatnot. Now, the yield per acre can reach about


    five thousand pounds every year.


    ¡°Also, as producers ourselves, the premium-grade fruits we packed can be sold for about eight dors


    per pound. With the help of livestock farms and processing factories to handle the subpar fruits, our


    ie has more than doubled. You came during the holiday season; most people are on leave now. If


    you came at another time, you¡¯d see many online celebritiesing here to sell our produce.¡±


    The more Vermont listened to her, the more surreal it all sounded. In the end, he was in total disbelief.


    However, he was unaware that the chubbydy knew only a small part of the story. In fact, the industry


    chain extended beyond just the vige.


    The chubbydy continued, ¡°The fruit wine that Felicity¡¯s mother invented is very popr in the market,


    and it¡¯s exclusively sold at their own supermarket.¡±


    Vermont was stunned once again. ¡°They owned a supermarket too?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Have you heard of Deron Supermart? They have many branches in different cities.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Vermont did not know what to say anymore. There was one near Clouditude International.


    It was one of the top ten supermarket chains in the country, mainly operating in major cities. It was


    famous for its fruit wine, exclusively sold at its branches.

 Chapter 1162

    Chapter 1162


    Chapter 1162


    Vermont thought to himself, ¡®If I remember correctly, thergest shareholder of Deron Holdings is


    named Florence.¡¯


    As Vermont realized that all the information aligned, he found himself at a loss. It finally became clear


    to him why Florence had that expression when he presented her with the gift brought from Rivera the


    previous night.


    It was an exclusive limited-edition box of egg tarts from Deron. He believed he had chosen a pretty


    decent gift, only to discover that he had inadvertently bought something produced by Florence¡¯s own


    company as a gift for her. Looking back, Vermont realized that Florence had looked at him as if he were


    a fool.


    ¡°Vermont, have you ever had your fortune told with Felicity?¡± the chubbydy asked.


    Vermont snapped back, ¡°What do you mean by having my fortune told?¡±


    ¡°Oh, my goodness! Felicity didn¡¯t tell you anything?¡± she eximed.


    Vermont was puzzled, ¡°Tell me what?¡±


    ¡°Felicity¡¯s mom believes in fortune telling. Whether or not she epts you as her future son-inw


    depends on thepatibility of your birth date with Felicity¡¯s. If they are notpatible, she probably


    won¡¯t approve of you,¡¯ she exined.


    Vermont couldn¡¯t believe his ears. He had put in so much effort, only to find out that Florence¡¯s final


    decision hinged on his birth date.


    Meanwhile, the production of Motives for Murder was abruptly halted as Be Young was embroiled in


    a scandal.


    The crew received a heads-up that there would be a dy of one to two weeks in thepletion


    schedule. This was due to the need to recast the female lead and reshoot all of Be¡¯s scenes.


    Thankfully, the shooting had not yet beenpleted. If the scandal hade to light after the shooting


    had wrapped up, the reshoots would have faced scheduling conflicts and caused significant dys. It


    would have been a great pity considering the exceptional script and the immense amount of hard work


    that had been put into the production. Failing to release it would have been a shame.


    While the oue of Be¡¯s situation was still pending, the production team was already in a rush to


    find a new actress. Everyone was curious about who would dare to take on the role.


    It was a long holiday weekend, and Keegan decided to visit Cordelia. together became less frequent,


    so he wanted to spend quality time with her.


    Keegan had invited Ste to join him, but she declined his invitation due to her reluctance to see


    certain members of his family at the moment.


    Meanwhile, Felicity and Vermont were enjoying the long holiday weekend with their own families.


    Hence, Ste was all by herself in the spacious house. Feeling bored, she grabbed a chair and ced


    it at the edge of the pond in the yard. She sat down, intending to spend some time feeding the fish.


    However, just as she started, her phone began to ring-it was Trevor.


    She hesitated for a moment before answering the call.


    ¡°Ste, you¡¯re the only one who hasn¡¯t received the gift given out by ourpany. Are you at home? I


    can swing by and drop it off for youter,¡± Trevor said.


    Ste pressed her lips together. Ever since she found out who she really was, she couldn¡¯t find any


    peace. If she were still a kid, it might have been easier to reconnect with the Saun family and rebuild


    those family ties. But being in her twenties, suddenly having so many family members overwhelmed


    her, and she felt a mix of nervousness and fear.


    Ste didn¡¯t know the rest of the Saun family. Dealing with family members she had never met before


    was unfamiliar territory, and she worried that her presence might disrupt their lives.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    But when Trevor called and expressed his care and concern for Ste, her tense state of mind


    suddenly eased up.


    While she was hesitant about embracing her newfound family, they were gradually making efforts to


    reach out and be a part of her life. They were even more concerned than she was, cautiously


    showing their care and hoping she would ept them.


    Ste¡¯s heart softened, and she smiled before asking gently, ¡®Aren¡¯t you spending the holiday with your


    family, Brother?¡±

 Chapter 1163

    Chapter 1163


    Chapter 1163


    ¡°They-¡± Trevor did not finish his sentence. After a moment of silence, he became excited. ¡°Wh-What did


    you just call me?¡±


    Ste had known Trevor for a long time, but she had never heard him sound so thrilled. She couldn¡¯t


    help but smile. ¡°I just called you ¡®Brother.¡¯ If you¡¯re notfortable with it, I can still call you ¡®Mr. Saun¡¯


    like before.¡±


    Trevor paused for a moment, then asked, ¡°Did Keegan tell you everything?¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°Yeah, he showed me your childhood photo. You looked like me when you were little.¡±


    Gritting his teeth, Trevor thought, ¡®That brat¡­ I was caughtpletely off guard because he didn¡¯t


    bother giving me a heads-up.¡¯


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    He responded, ¡°You haven¡¯t seen our mother¡¯s childhood photos. You resemble her more. Our


    grandparents have her photos at their ce. When we go back to Salcator, I¡¯ll show them to you.¡±


    Recalling her grandparents who had appeared in the previous video call, Ste asked, ¡°Brother, did


    Grandma and Grandpae specifically for me?


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Trevor felt there was no need to hide the truth anymore. ¡°You were supposed to meet them that


    day, but who could have predicted what happened. Now that you know, we can announce your true


    identity and put a stop to those individuals spreading rumors.¡±


    Trevor was referring to the people who were gossiping about Ste, attempting to undermine divorced


    and wasn¡¯t a biological member of the Jewell family.


    Following her divorce, Ste had heard these rumors. Initially, they bothered her to some extent, but


    after repeatedly encountering them, she stopped paying them any mind.


    It was Keegan who was more affected by thements than Ste. Whenever he attended events and


    overheard people engaging in gossip rted to her, he would be angry for the entire evening.


    ¡°Can we hold off on announcing my identity for a little while?¡± Ste requested. ¡°I still have some


    matters to attend to. If we reveal it prematurely, it will only make it harder for me to achieve my goals.¡±


    Trevor immediately grasped her point. ¡°Is it about the Jewell family?¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°I want to settle the score with the Jewell family.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your n? Let me help you.¡± Trevor offered.


    Shaking her head, Ste replied, ¡°For now, don¡¯t do anything. While Albert may be foolish, Hylda is


    cunning. If she bes aware of my true identity, she will take precautions beforehand, and it will be


    challenging for me to turn them against each other.¡±


    Albert was eager to have Ste recognized as his adoptive daughter to gain favor with Keegan. For


    Ste, this presented a good opportunity to infiltrate the Jewell family. However, if her true identity were


    to be exposed now, even Albert, in his foolishness, would start to doubt her true intentions for epting


    the proposal.


    Ste wanted Albert and Hylda to experience the pain Rainee had endured.


    Trevor sighed. While he wished to officially dere Ste as his sister sooner, he was willing to wait.


    He had already waited for several months, and a few more days wouldn¡¯t make much difference,


    especially since Ste had already acknowledged him as her brother. The formal announcement was


    merely a matter of time.


    Moreover, Ste sought to avenge Rainee. Both the Saun family and the Hall family felt a deep sense


    of gratitude toward Rainee for raising Ste so well. As a result, they had no reason to object when


    Ste expressed her desire for vengeance.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll follow your lead. I¡¯ll speak with Dad and our grandparents,¡± Trevor paused and whispered,


    ¡°Even if we don¡¯t make this public for now, you can at least meet them. Everyone is eager to see you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±


    Trevor didn¡¯t want to pressure her on this topic, so he asked a question that weighed heavily on his


    mind instead. ¡°What¡¯s the deal between you and Keegan now? Are you back together with that brat?¡±

 Chapter 1164

    Chapter 1164


    Chapter 1164


    Trevor and Keegan were the same age, yet Trevor referred to him as ¡°that brat.¡± It was clear that he


    held a strong dislike for Keegan.


    Initially, Ste believed that Trevor¡¯s animosity toward Keegan stemmed from Keegan setting him up on


    blind dates. However, she now suspected that it had more to do with her divorce with Keegan. Ste


    stumbled over her words for a moment before finally admitting, ¡°Well¡­ we are dating, at least for now.¡±


    Trevor¡¯s disapproval was evident from his expression, his face reflecting his thoughts: ¡®I knew it!¡¯


    He hadn¡¯t forgotten what Keegan had done before and after Rainee¡¯s funeral. He never expected that


    his sister would forgive Keegan so easily.


    But now, Ste had just acknowledged Trevor as her brother. He felt caught in a dilemma. If he scolded


    her, it would make him appear too controlling; yet, if he chose not to say anything, it would be letting


    Keegan off the hook too easily.


    Trevor took a moment to gather his emotions before speaking. ¡°Ste, at this point in your career, your


    focus should be on work. Don¡¯t rush into rtionships.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not rushing, just trying things out with him,¡± Ste replied.


    ¡°You might not be in a rush, but he is. How old is he? Do you think it¡¯s easy for him to deceive another


    young and beautiful woman like you? He¡¯s likely targeting his former victim,¡± Trevor argued.


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡°You¡¯re not the same person you were when you were part of the Jewell family. Back then, you were


    forced into marrying him. But now, you¡¯re free. Our family doesn¡¯t pressure you to get married and have


    children. You have plenty of opportunities to meet other men. Once you¡¯ve dated a few, you¡¯ll realize


    that Keegan isn¡¯t that special,¡± Trevor continued.


    ¡°He¡¯s average-looking. His ie barely passes the mark. Sure, he¡¯s tall. But the key is that he has so


    many shitty things going on in his life, with a troublemaking mother and sister. He should consider


    himself lucky if any woman agrees to marry him,¡± Trevor added.


    Ste finally realized that where she got her sharp tongue from. Even if she teamed up with Keegan,


    she couldn¡¯t win against Trevor when he got confrontational.


    Listening to her brother¡¯s remarks, Ste couldn¡¯t help but clear her throat and speak up for Keegan.


    ¡°Dahlia has already moved out of the Kane residence, and Keegan and I are just in the dating phase.


    Don¡¯t jump to conclusions.¡±


    Before Trevor could respond, Ste continued, ¡°Just like you mentioned, Keegan should be the one


    worried about his age. I¡¯m not in a rush. Even if we were to break up after a few years, I¡¯d still be in my


    prime while he would be past his glory days. Wouldn¡¯t he be the one losing out in the end?¡±


    Trevor was at a loss for words. Ste managed to refute hisments.


    Fearing that Trevor might say something more, Ste quickly added, ¡°I have an iing call. I need to


    hang up now.¡± With that, she hang up on Trevor.


    Ste was taken aback by the news of the wedding venue chosen for Albert and Hylda. The venue


    turned out to be Dragon Lagoon, which was owned by Olivia Warren.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Considering it was an upscale location, Ste found it difficult to believe that it could be booked on such


    short notice. Filled with curiosity, she made up her mind to call Olivia and find out more.


    Confirming Ste¡¯s suspicions, Olivia exined, ¡°Hylda made the booking through me. October is a


    peak wedding season, and when she approached me, all the slots for this month were already taken.


    However, she was determined to secure a spot, so I helped her get in touch with Mrs. Fell. In the end,


    she paid more than triple the original price to acquire the slot from Mrs. Fell. I must say, Hylda¡¯s


    generosity has surpassed my previous perception of her. It¡¯s quite surprising to see a homewrecker


    being so extravagant.

 Chapter 1165

    Chapter 1165


    Chapter 1165


    When Ste heard that Hylda was the one who had booked the venue, she felt it made sense.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Having been Albert¡¯s mistress for so many years, Hylda had kept a low-profile. Now, as hiswful wife,


    it seemed only fitting to make her wedding avish affair.


    Olivia grumbled, ¡°During their rehearsal yesterday, Hylda had so many requirements for the setup.


    Especially with that gazebo, she kept inspecting it repeatedly. It¡¯s just a bunch of balloons; I don¡¯t


    understand what¡¯s so special about it.¡±


    ¡®Gazebo?¡¯ Ste thought, ¡®It must be the one used during Lancelot Lewie¡¯s performance. It isn¡¯t even


    situated at the center of the venue. What makes it so special?¡¯


    Olivia was too sensitive when the topic of a mistress transitioning into an official wife arose. After


    expressing her frustration, she couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Men are despicable. They don¡¯t appreciate the


    ones who treat them well and save them money. They fall head over heels for women who spend their


    money recklessly. I¡¯vee to realize now, if you have money, spend it on yourself and your children.


    If you try to save it for your husband, not only will he not appreciate it, but that money will end up in


    another woman¡¯s pocket. She¡¯ll indulge herself with luxurious dresses and handbags!¡±


    Having shared her thoughts, Olivia offered some advice to Ste, saying, ¡°You should be wise. Hold on


    tightly to


    Keegan¡¯s wallet. It¡¯s more valuable than holding onto him. He¡¯s handsome, which increases the


    likelihood of him being unfaithful.¡±


    Ste took screenshots of several transaction records showing Keegan transferring money to her and


    sent them to Olivia, proudly boasting, ¡°He usually takes the initiative to give me an allowance.¡±


    Olivia immediately had the urge to block Ste.


    Ste continued her bragging, saying, ¡°When looking for a husband, it¡¯s better to find someone


    handsome. If he cheats, at least he¡¯s a good-looking man who cheats, rather than an ugly one.¡±


    Olivia was left speechless by the taunt. ¡®Isn¡¯t she mocking me?¡¯ she thought.


    Olivia¡¯s husband, Erick Chapman, was far from goodlooking. In her younger days, Olivia had suitors


    who were handsome and from good family backgrounds. However, at that time, she was influenced by


    someone and believed that a man who looked honest would be loyal to marriage. She stubbornly


    insisted on marrying him, even causing a rift with her family.


    Even when Erick knelt before Olivia, begging for forgiveness after his infidelity, she genuinely believed


    he had been seduced by another woman. She even feared her family would find out and assisted him


    in concealing his actions. Yet, he continued to cheat repeatedly.


    Olivia realized that she had been blind to find Erick¡¯s appearance appealing back then. Now that she


    was thinking clearly, even a glimpse of his face filled her with disgust.


    Olivia silently acknowledged to herself, ¡®Ste does have a point.¡¯


    ¡°Olivia, are you at Dragon Lagoon now?¡± Ste suddenly called out to Olivia with a touch of affection.


    Olivia knew that Ste must have a request because in the past, Ste would only address her as Mrs.


    Chapman or Ms. Warren.


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way there. What¡¯s up?¡± Olivia replied.


    Ste thought for a moment and said, ¡°Could you carefully inspect the gazebo for me and see if there¡¯s


    anything unusual?¡±


    Olivia responded, ¡°It¡¯s Hylda¡¯s own wedding, and she wants it to be grand. She¡¯ll definitely inspect it


    more thoroughly than any of us.¡±


    ¡°Please, just do it for me,¡± Ste persisted, sensing something odd about Hylda¡¯s excessive focus on


    that area.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take another look for you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Ms. Warren,¡± Ste expressed her gratitude.


    Olivia was left speechless by Ste¡¯s change in address.


    It was Albert and Hylda¡¯s wedding day.


    As Keegan emerged wearing a well-tailored suit, Ste stood downstairs, clutching a curling iron and


    styling her hair.


    She was wearing a dark green, body-hugging maxi dress, paired with a vintage-inspired makeup look.


    She was stunning in this look, but it didn¡¯t quite match her age, especially with her curled hair that


    resembled the hairstyle of a 90s celebrity.


    Keegan surveyed her from head to toe as he stood beside her. He was uncertain of what to say.


    Observing his reaction in the mirror, Ste posed a question while continuing to style her hair, ¡°Don¡¯t


    you think I look good?¡±


    Keegan shook his head and replied, ¡°You look fantastic.¡±

 Chapter 1166

    Chapter 1166


    ¡°What¡¯s with that face?¡± Ste asked.


    Keegan tried to be honest. ¡°You look nice, but with that outfit, you don¡¯t seem like a young guest invited


    to a wedding.¡±


    Ste thought to herself, ¡®He¡¯s indirectly telling me that I look old.¡¯


    ¡°Still got time, do you want to change into something else?¡± Keegan asked her.


    ¡°No need,¡± Ste sprayed some hairspray, then gently ran her fingers through her hair, adjusting it in


    front of the mirror. She said lightly, ¡°This is the look I want.¡±


    After all, she wanted to give Albert and Hylda a ¡°surprise¡±¡® at their wedding.


    It was Albert¡¯s second marriage, and he had invited almost half of the social elites in Rivera.


    He wouldn¡¯t have been able to invite all those people on his own. But he was cunning. He had


    someone create the invitation and posted it on social media. When everyone saw that Keegan and


    Vermont wereing, they decided to attend as well.


    After all, Keegan was now an eligible bachelor in Rivera. There were too many people eager to


    introduce him to potential partners. Just in the past few days, he had


    received six or seven messages from wealthy and influential women that his clients and friends had


    rmended.


    Dahlia had been expelled from the Kane family, and Keegan emerged as the most promising candidate


    to be the Chairman of the Vinci Rivera Group. Naturally, his prospective wife would hold the


    position of the matriarch in the Kane family. It was a highly sought-after position for any woman. After


    all, even someone like Albert had managed to gain substantial advantages by associating himself with


    the Kane family.


    When Ste and Keegan arrived, the parking lot was almost full.


    Ste touched up her makeup in front of the mirror and turned to Keegan. ¡°Til go in first, and you can


    jointer.¡±


    Keegan frowned. ¡°Why?¡±


    Ste exined, ¡°You need to y the role of a devoted admirer so that Albert will believe you yearn


    for me. The stronger his desire to win me over, the more he will exert efforts to do so.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡°A devoted admirer? How am I supposed to y that?¡±


    Ste said, ¡°Just be a little more restrained than your usual self.¡±


    ¡°Pfft! Hahaha!¡± Aldor couldn¡¯t hold it back and burst intoughter. He thought to himself, ¡®Madam sure


    dares to speak her mind.¡¯


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Keegan red at him. ¡°What are youughing at?¡±


    Aldor immediately stifled hisughter.


    Ste leaned closer and kissed Keegan. ¡°Give it your best shot, I believe in you.¡±


    After saying that, she tried to slip away, but Keegan pulled her back, pressing her for another kiss. ¡°If I


    perform well today, how many points will I get?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s obsession with earning points left Ste quite speechless. ¡®We¡¯ve already slept together, and


    he¡¯s still fixated on earning points. What a silly guy.¡¯


    She leaned in close to Keegan¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°Do you want to earn points or follow the doctor¡¯s


    advice?¡±


    Keegan hesitated. Just when Ste thought he would choose ¡°follow the doctor¡¯s advice,¡± Keegan


    resolutely answered, ¡°Points.¡±


    She raised her head, looking serious. ¡°What?! Are you sure?¡±


    Keegan nced at her and said calmly, ¡°I can still distinguish between temporary satisfaction and


    lasting fulfillment.¡±


    Ste had nothing to say. After getting out of the car, she headed straight to the wedding venue.

 Chapter 1167

    Chapter 1167


    As soon as Ste arrived at the wedding venue, she saw Sophia in a light yellow maxi dress. Sophia


    was busy weing the guests. She dressed so grand that it seemed as though she was the one


    getting married that day. After years of being known as the illegitimate daughter, it was understandable


    that Sophia wanted to let everyone know she was the real deal.


    Although Ste was no longer in her previous circle after her divorce, she still received updates about


    what was going on from Olivia. Ste heard that Sophia had recently be well-known among the


    people and had even found a boyfriend.


    It was said that Sophia¡¯s boyfriend came from a good background. His family owned a Multi-Channel


    Network ( MCN)pany where they managed online creators and influencers. They offered services


    such as audience development, content programming, product coborations, and more.


    Over the years, the emerce industry became more and more popr. Many inte personalities


    had been able to generate ie that wasparable to A-list celebrities by promoting products as


    brand ambassadors. This caused a lot of stars to join the business since their fame made it easy for


    them to make money.


    Thepany owned by Sophia¡¯s boyfriend specifically focused on creating more traffic for product


    partnerships, causing them to make a name for themselves following the rise of emerce.


    Sophia was an online influencer with millions of followers on her social media ounts. However, her


    numbers began to drop after people found out that she was an illegitimate daughter and hadmitted


    charity fraud. She remained hidden from the public eye for almost three months when the incident


    broke out.


    Despite that, Ste noticed that Sophia had been updating her ount sincest month. The first post


    that Sophia made was in regard to the charity fraud, where she released an apology statement to theN?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    public. She still posted videos seeking donations, but it was much more low-key than it was before. She


    even turned off the gift function on her Facebook ount.


    Many haters gathered in thement section when Sophia first posted the apology. However, a few


    people came forward to express their gratitude for Sophia¡¯s donation from time to time. Initially,


    netizens thought that the posts were fake, but they soon started to believe in them as more posts were


    made.


    While someizens were still holding on to the past, many of them had begun to see the brighter side


    of the situation. They said that they were d she owned up to her mistake and that everybody


    deserved a second chance.


    ¡®Her boyfriend must have had something to do with this,¡¯ Ste thought.


    Olivia had told Ste that Sophia was working at her boyfriend¡¯spany, which meant that she was


    back in the entertainment business. The fact that Sophia was dating someone who had gained wealth


    only recently surprised her. Based on her understanding, Sophia was obsessed with marrying into an


    already established wealthy family. When they were younger, Sophia only liked to y with children


    who dressed and behaved well when they attended events with their parents.


    One of the most distinctive characteristics of children from wealthy families was their demeanor.


    Marshall and Jaylene, for example, were soft-spoken. Even Keegan, who had a sharp tongue, always


    acted dignified and reserved in front of people. Aurora, however, was an exception.


    Naturally, Ste was curious about the man who was able to make Sophia give up her dream of


    marrying the rich.

 Chapter 1168

    Chapter 1168


    Chapter 1168


    When Ste was looking around for the location reception, she heard Sophia¡¯s voice from behind her.


    She said, ¡¯Excuse me, Ma¡¯am. The reception is over there.¡±


    Ste¡¯s dark green dress was remarkable under the night lights. With her excellent figure, she looked


    elegant from the back.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Thinking that Ste was a nobledy from one of the wealthy families. Sophia¡¯s tone was polite and


    gentle. ¡°Allow me to show you the way.¡¯


    Ste slowly turned around and pushed back the hair on her shoulders.¡± Thank you,¡± she said with a


    smile.


    Sophia¡¯s expression immediately changed when she saw the familiar face.¡± Ste? What are you doing


    here?¡±


    Ste showed her the wedding invitation and said, ¡°Can¡¯t you tell? I¡¯m here to celebrate Albert and


    Hylda¡¯s union.¡±


    Sophia almost grabbed the drink beside her and threw it at Ste, as she hated her. Thousands of


    people criticized Sophia after the incident at the press conference, causing her to lose the opportunity


    to enter Vinci Rivera ande into contact with top celebrities. As a result, she wanted to kill Ste for


    this.


    However, Sophia felt that God was on her side when she thought of Ste being divorced from Keegan


    and bing an unidentified illegitimate daughter. ¡°Quit fooling around. I know you¡¯re not here to


    congratte the couple. I heard you lost everything after divorcing Keegan, making things difficult. So,


    you¡¯re here to grab a meal, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Sophia¡¯s voice quickly attracted a huge crowd. As the Kane family¡¯s previous granddaughter-inw,


    Ste was the talk of the town. She lost her status as a nobledy and was exposed as the true


    illegitimate child in the Jewell family. She was then reduced to ying minor roles in movies.


    Ste¡¯s life was full of ups and downs. Those who used to envy her now felt pity for her.


    ¡°Oh my God, is that Ste Jewell? What has she be? Did the divorce affect her that badly? What


    is she even wearing? It looks so out of fashion.¡±


    ¡°I knew people were exaggerating about her appearance thest time she was on TV. Look at those


    dark circles under her eyes. Her pores are so obvious too. Were those people blind?¡±


    ¡°She used to be pretty. But now¡­ I think she had the money for skincare when she was still in the


    Kane family. Now that she¡¯s divorced, she lost all that.¡±


    ¡°Her dress looks so cheap. I remember her being bejeweled at every party and event we had in the


    past. Her nes alone would cost tens of millions of dors, not to mention her custom-made


    dresses.¡¯


    ¡°She¡¯s so lucky. I can¡¯t believe an illegitimate daughter experienced what it¡¯s like to marry into the Kane


    family.¡±


    Xianna saw Ste¡¯s sorry state, and her heart burst with joy when she heard what the people were


    saying. ¡®Serves you right. Don¡¯t think I forgot how you screwed me over with that bracelet, bitch,¡¯ she


    thought.


    Xianna¡¯s father hit her for the first time ever due to that incident. Hylda helped her out by taking that


    bracelet to the jewelry convention and selling it to recover some losses. Even so, Henry¡¯spany still


    had not recovered from the unwise use of the money.


    Sophia¡¯s uncle then married into the Moore family, and Sophia began dating her current boyfriend. This


    caused a shift between Sophia¡¯s and Xianna¡¯s statuses in the circle. Consequently, Xianna had started


    following Sophia around.


    She sized up Ste¡¯s outfit and smirked. ¡°Mrs. Kane- Ah, I mean Ms.Jewell. Wait, no. You¡¯re not really


    part of the Jewell family anymore. But¡­ Sophia¡¯s a generous person. I don¡¯t think she¡¯d mind if we


    called you by thatst name, right, Sophia?¡±

 Chapter 1169

    Chapter 1169


    Chapter 1169


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind as long as Ste doesn¡¯t mind. After all, it¡¯s just a name,¡± Sophia smiled and said.


    Hearing that, the crowd began to discuss Ste being an illegitimate daughter.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Ste is the illegitimate daughter, and Sophia is the actual daughter of the Jewell family.


    You don¡¯t even get to see this kind of a plot twist on TV.¡±


    ¡°How does she have the nerve to show up on such a joyous asion?¡±


    ¡°Look at her. I bet she¡¯s either here to win sympathy or to ask for money. I heard that Mr. Jewell has


    been secretly helping her out despite her not being his actual daughter.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Jewell is a good man. I would¡¯ve found someone else too if I knew that my wife cheated on me and


    had a baby.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyelids twitched when she heard that. ¡®No wonder Albert transferred fifty thousand dors to


    me for no reason before this. It¡¯s all for show. He just wanted to establish the image of a good father,*


    she thought.


    Ste¡¯s expression remained the same no matter what the people said about her.


    Annoyed that Ste was not giving them the reaction they wanted, Sophia and Xianna nced at each


    other. Then, thetter immediately said, ¡°Ste, you look miserable after the


    divorce. Did you buy that dress at the thrift store? It looks so poorly made. Don¡¯t you have anything


    decent for the wedding? Sophia can lend you one of her dresses if you


    want. If I remember correctly, Sophia always got your hand- me-downs when you were younger, right? I


    hope you don¡¯t mind wearing Sophia¡¯s clothes this time around.¡±


    Keegan could not stand to see Ste being embarrassed, and he wanted to go forward to help her.


    However, Aldor hurriedly pulled him back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Kane. Ms. Jewell is a strong woman. She won¡¯t be affected by thosements that


    easily. It¡¯s important to wait for the finale,¡± said Aldor.


    Keegan understood the situation, but he did not like to see Ste being bullied like that. ¡®She used to be


    able to say and do whatever she wanted with me around. How can I not be worried now that she¡¯s all


    alone?¡¯ he thought as he stared at the group sullenly, memorizing their faces one by one.


    Sophia looked at Ste¡¯s sad expression and smiled before she hypocritically said, ¡°I brought two other


    sets of clothing today, Ste. I¡¯ve only worn them once. Do you want to change into them?¡±


    Hearing that, Ste looked up and nced at her. Just when Sophia thought she was about to get mad,


    Ste asked in disdain, ¡°What brand are they? I¡¯ll pass if the dresses are from a cheap brand like the


    one you¡¯re wearing right now.¡±


    Sophia¡¯s face stiffened as she clenched her fists.


    ¡°You uneducated bitch. This dress is handmade by the


    famous designer, Wendy Carlson. It was also worn by a certain celebrity on Paris Fashion Week. Do


    you know how much a dress like this would cost?¡± Xianna jumped in and said.


    ¡°Oh, my God. No wonder that dress looked familiar. It¡¯s the one Nicole Aspen wore at the fashion week.


    It looked great in the videos, and it looks even more stunning in person.¡±


    ¡°Wendy Carlson is the most popr designer in Hustuabourg right now. Her pre-made designs are


    really hard to get, let alone a custom-made dress!¡±


    ¡°How dare she say that Wendy Carlson¡¯s design looks cheap? Did she look in a mirror?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s clearly blind and in denial. She probably hasn¡¯t epted her sudden change of status from Mrs.


    Kane to the illegitimate daughter of the Jewell family.¡±


    ¡®That dress doesn¡¯t even appeal to straight men like Keegan, let alone me. The marketing is quite on


    point though,¡¯ Ste thought to herself. ¡°Oh. So, someone else has worn it? I thought it was a


    customized order,¡± she said.

 Chapter 1170

    Chapter 1170


    Sophia was taken aback when she heard what Ste had said. ¡®Oh, she''s really pushing it,¡¯ she


    thought.


    ¡°I understand that you''re not into these brands, Ste. After all, you used to wear high-end clothing


    from Elie Saab, but things are different now. I''m sorry that I could only afford dresses from Wendy


    Carlson. Even though it''s not as extravagant as your previous attires, I still think it''s better than what


    you''re wearing right now," said Sophia with a smile, implicating that Ste was out of line.


    Ste nced at her and pushed her hair behind her shoulders, showing the designer dress she was


    wearing that entuated her curves. A silver embroidered phoenix on the side of her dress gleamed


    under the light. Due to Ste''s figure, the bird looked like it was about to take off.


    ¡°Why does that embroidery pattern on that dress look so familiar?¡±


    "Is that actually embroidery? I thought it was printed on there."


    ¡°Right? I feel like I''ve seen that design somewhere.¡±


    "It''s probably because it''s mass-produced," said someone from the crowd.


    Suddenly, a male voice said, "Isn''t that the phoenix of Lea Sartorre, the famous embroidery designer?


    It was embroidered at the National Embroidery Exhibition earlier this year.¡±


    The crowd froze.


    Lea Sartorre was a well-known name in the embroidery world. She was the queen of embroidery, and


    her work was amazing. Over the years, she restored a lot of stitching techniques that were lost in time.


    Some of them had even been included in the Intangible Cultural Heritage list designed to protect


    traditions worldwide.


    Lea had represented her country in foreign cultural exchange events, shocking the nation with her


    skills. At this year''s National Embroidery Exhibition, she embroidered a phoenix that looked like it was


    flying, depending on the lighting. The design quickly went viral because people were amazed by how


    she was able to make the bird "move".


    The secret behind Lea''s design was the special threads she used and her technique of embroidering


    more than a dozen of the same phoenix taking off. From a fixed point of view, the bird looked still.


    However, when the fabric moved, the change in shadows and lighting created an illusion that it was


    flying. The sight was so shocking that many people still remembered that day.


    After the crowd heard what the man had said, everyone looked at the phoenix on Ste''s dress. The


    more they looked at it, the more it looked like Lea Sartorre''s work.


    Lea Sartorre was an inspiration to many designers across the world. The value of her work was


    iparable to Wendy Carlson''s pieces.


    "It looks exactly the same," said someone from the crowd after looking up the photos of the famous


    phoenix embroidery online andparing it to the one on Ste''s dress.


    "If that really is Lea Sartorre''s work, doesn''t that mean Ste''s dress is expensive?"


    ¡°Forget the price of the dress. Lea Sartorre''s work is impossible to get even if you have the money. It


    would be heavenly just to touch one of her pieces, let alone wear it on your body.¡±


    ¡°No wonder Ste didn''t want to wear Sophia''s clothes."


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Sophia''s face darkened as the crowd continued to talk.


    "She''s divorced from Keegan. How could she afford a Lea Sartorre? She must''ve found someone to


    create a knockoff. That''s so disgusting. It''s a straight-up insult to the original designer,¡± Xianna


    immediately uttered.

 Chapter 1171

    Chapter 1171


    Chapter 1171


    Everyone felt that Xianna was right. To them, it was better to wear a generic brand than a counterfeit.


    Since Ste did not look like she could afford to wear a designer dress, the people believed that she


    bought a replica to save her face after her downfall. After all, not many people had ever seen the


    famous phoenix embroidery in real life.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe she resorted to wearing knockoffs when she used to wear so many high-end designs


    before.¡±


    ¡°I know, right? The embroidery looks like the real thing, but there¡¯s still a difference if you look close


    enough. The feathers on the phoenix seem different from the original piece.¡±


    ¡°She should¡¯ve worn something less recognizable, in my opinion. I mean, that design literally went viral


    online. She has to be dense to wear that.¡±


    ¡°I think she¡¯s rather smart. How else are people going to notice her if she doesn¡¯t wear a Lea Sartorre


    knockoff? After all, she always had to be the center of attention back when she was Mrs. Kane.¡±


    Sophia was thrilled when she heard that. ¡®There¡¯s no way Ste could get her hands on an original Lea


    Sartorre when she¡¯s just a neer in the entertainment industry and no longer part of the Kane


    family. She¡¯s clearly trying to keep up appearances.¡¯


    Sophia smirked and said, ¡°It seems you¡¯re really fond of Lea Sartorre¡¯s work, sis. You even found


    someone to create a duplicate of it. Sorry, I didn¡¯t notice it before.¡±


    Ste nced at her and indifferently said, ¡°That¡¯s understandable. People who don¡¯t really know much


    tend to see things differently.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Sophia got mad. ¡®I see someone¡¯s skin got thicker after the divorce,¡¯ she thought.


    She was about to say something when a voice came across the room. ¡°The thread used in Lea


    Sartorre¡¯s work is specially made for her. There¡¯s nothing simr for sale on the market. Do all of you


    really think that Ste found someone to create an exact replica of the famous phoenix with normal


    thread?¡±


    The crowd turned around to see a middle-aged woman wearing a in-colored gown slowly walking


    over. The woman looked ordinary, but her dress was spectacr.


    Everyone was confused as to who that person was. ¡°Who are you? Are you even knowledgeable


    enough to say that?¡± Xianna frowned and asked.


    The woman nced at Xianna indifferently and replied, ¡°I¡¯m in the fashion design industry, so I¡¯d like to


    think I know a thing or two.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    ¡°It¡¯s funny how you¡¯rementing on the situation when all you know is ¡®a thing or two¡¯,¡± said Xianna,


    but the woman did not pay any attention to her.


    Instead, she walked toward Ste with elegance and politely said, ¡°Ms. Jewell, due to some unforeseen


    circumstances, I wasn¡¯t able to attend the National Embroidery Exhibition this year, and I wasn¡¯t able to


    see this piece of art with my own eyes. Initially, I wanted to ask Lea if she could show it to me, but I was


    told that it had already been gifted to someone. I didn¡¯t think I would be fortunate enough to run into


    Lea¡¯s work here today. Would you allow me to take a closer look and take a few pictures, Ms. Jewell?¡±


    Ste smiled. ¡°Of course,¡± she said.


    The woman thanked her and grabbed a camera from her assistant. She then observed Ste¡¯s dress


    while recording the embroidery details.


    Suddenly, someone from the crowd excitedly said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that Annie Crawford?¡±


    ¡°Annie Crawford? Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s Wendy Carlson¡¯s mentor. Wendy Carlson studied fashion under her, but they had a fallout. After


    that, Carlson branched out to start her own business.¡±

 Chapter 1172

    Chapter 1172


    Chapter 1172


    ¡°Annie Crawford? The Annie Crawford who won the World Fashion Awards?¡± The crowd began to burst


    into sound.


    ¡°I heard it¡¯s impossible to get her work now. She¡¯s literally in every fashion show and the top fashion


    designer in the country!¡±


    ¡°Ste¡¯s dress must be the real deal if Annie Crawford said so. She and Lea Sartorre are very well


    acquainted with each other. There¡¯s no way she¡¯d be wrong about Sartorre¡¯s work.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Xianna actually hinted that Annie Crawford knew nothing about the fashion industry


    when she¡¯s the top yer in the game.¡±


    ¡°Did you guys hear what Annie Crawford just said? She said that Lea Sartorre gave that dress to


    someone as a gift. That means Ste was the one she gifted it to!¡±


    ¡°Oh, my God. That dress is priceless.¡±


    ¡°I knew Ste wouldn¡¯t wear a knockoff to an event like this. She would never make a joke out of


    herself no matter how bad the situation she is in.¡±


    ¡°So, that¡¯s why Ste said that Sophia was someone who didn¡¯t know much. She didn¡¯t even recognize


    the real thing when it was right in front of her.¡±


    Annie Crawford expressed her gratitude to Ste once again after she was done taking photos of the


    dress. ¡°When Lea was designing this piece, she told me that she drew inspiration from a woman she


    met on the ne. The woman was on her way to a convention while wearing an eyecatching dress.


    Lea was amazed when she saw her outfit and was inspired toe up with this design as soon as she


    The crowd was shocked.


    Everyone who saw the video taken at the National Embroidery Exhibition regarding The Flying Phoenix


    knew the story behind it. Lea once told the audience that she met a woman on a ne who jumped into


    action when one of the passengers fainted due to a cardiac arrest. The woman in the dress quickly


    held out her arm to prevent the person¡¯s head from hitting the dining cart nearby. A few other young


    people then did some first aid and brought that person back to life.


    Lea continued and told her audience how there was so much negative news about young people


    nowadays, but they were the ones who took action first. She expressed that the older generation


    should not hold young people by outdated standards since times were changing. She then described


    the younger generation as being highly motivated and possessing an uplifting force, just like a flying


    phoenix.


    Lea repeatedly mentioned the woman in the costume in her story. She stated that her attire made her


    look like a majestic phoenix, and her prompt action rendered the idea of the bird taking flight.


    Everyone was trying to find out who Lea Sartorre¡¯s muse was after hearing her story. Little did they


    know that it was Ste.


    ¡°Lea is a kind and gentle person, and she¡¯s not stingy withpliments to young people either,¡± said


    Annie.


    Ste smiled at hermentary as she thought, ¡®Why is Annie Crawford here?¡¯ She stole a nce at


    Keegan and saw him looking at her while holding a ss of wine. When their eyes met, Keegan slightly


    raised his eyebrows as though he was trying to say, ¡°Praise me, please.¡±


    Ste did not react. Instead, she thought, ¡®Huh. He became more thoughtful after the divorce.¡¯ She did


    not know how big of a part Keegan yed in Annie¡¯s speech, but the dress she wore was indeed a gift


    from Lea Sartorre.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Ste was watching the National Embroidery Show at home with Keegan when she saw Lea¡¯s work on


    disy. She could not help but brag by asking, ¡°Do you know who that phenomenal woman Lea


    Sartorre is talking about?¡±

 Chapter 1173

    Chapter 1173


    Chapter 1173


    Ste loved watching the National Embroidery Show. She would always sit in front of the TV whenever


    the show came up. Keegan was not interested in the program but would still watch it with Ste to pass


    the time.


    However, that was not what Ste thought he was doing. From Ste¡¯s point of view, Keegan was


    simply trying to steal the TV from her. Whenever she went to the bathroom during themercials,


    Keegan would switch the program to the finance or sports channels. He would also intentionally hold


    onto the remote and make Ste beg for it. Ste did not know that that was Keegan¡¯s way of trying to


    interact with her.


    Despite being in the digital era, Ste still liked to catch up on shows on TV rather than the inte.


    She often worried that looking at her phone too much would affect her eyesight. Ste was very


    protective of her eyes, as they were important for expressing emotions in acting. She would also take a


    break to rest her eyes after every episode she watched.


    Keegan knew that Ste would never give up grabbing the remote since she liked watching TV so


    much. At the same time, he knew she would sit in front of the screen for several episodes in a row and


    would not initiate any conversation if she had control over the TV. However, she would whisper sweet


    nothings to him or try to threaten him whenever he hid the remote from her.


    But it was different this time. Ste had taken the initiative to talk to Keegan while the show was still


    ongoing. Her eyes lit up as if she could not wait to share her secret with him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s you,¡± Keegan nced at her and said.


    ¡°Ding ding ding. We have a winner.¡±


    Keegan looked her up and down and said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be able to tell if you hadn¡¯t said anything.¡±


    Ste grunted. ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m not wearing the dress,¡± she said as she stood up and ran upstairs.


    ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll go put it on right now.¡± After changing into the dress she wore on the ne, Ste ran


    back downstairs and twirled around in front of Keegan. ¡°See? Do you see it? Do I look like a phoenix


    about to fly off into the sky in this dress?¡±


    Keegan stared at her for a while and said, ¡°Shut up and stand still. Let me take a better look.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Ste immediately corrected her posture and adjusted the sleeves of her dress. She folded her hands


    before her chest and looked down slightly. She was absolutely charming. Keegan¡¯s eyes meticulously


    scanned every inch of her body as he forcibly suppressed his throbbing heart.


    Ste blinked a few times and went over to ask, ¡°So? Do I look like a flying phoenix or not?¡±


    Keegan averted his eyes and said, ¡°I bet Lea Sartorre hadn¡¯t witnessed you with your mouth open.


    Otherwise, she would probably design a tiger roaring in the forest.¡±


    Ste could not believe her ears. She red at Keegan and snorted,¡± Clearly, you know nothing about


    art!¡±


    However, this incident did not diminish Ste¡¯s enthusiasm for sharing this matter with other people in


    her life. Keegan even heard her talking to Felicity on the phone about how great it would be to take a


    picture in the dress.


    Then, one day, her dream came true.


    Keegan was going on a business trip and insisted on bringing Ste along with him. He told her that


    Cordelia liked the zed porcin made there and needed her to pick some as a gift.


    During the trip, Ste ¡°coincidentally¡± bumped into Lea Sartorre once more, and Lea recognized her at


    a nce. Since Keegan was the organizer of one of thetest events she attended, Lea kindly invited


    them to visit her embroidery workshop.

 Chapter 1174

    Chapter 1174


    Chapter 1174


    Lea and the couple had a great conversation and even decided to give Ste the dress she designed


    as a gift. Ste was so happy with what had happened that she could not stop talking about it all the


    way back home. She mentioned how Lea had a vision for things, unlike Keegan, who knew nothing


    about art.


    Keegan¡¯s eyes twitched as he listened to her talking about it. He then grabbed a grape and stuffed it in


    her mouth. What Ste thought was a coincidence was actually a deliberate arrangement by Keegan.


    Ste often felt disconnected from Keegan due to Be¡¯s existence in his life at the time.


    Subconsciously, she always felt that Keegan did not like her and did not treat her well. Therefore, she


    did not connect the dots.


    Now that she was seeing things from the outside, she realized that Keegan was not half bad at all. Not


    only did Keegan treat Ste well, but he also took the me for many of the things that he did not do.


    Ste and Annie did not know each other well. The fact that the well- known designer stood up for her


    meant that Keegan had something to do with it. Ste used to own a lot of Annie Crawford¡¯s designs in


    her closet, including ready-to-wear and high-end fashion clothes. All of them were sent over by Aldor


    as per Keegan¡¯s instruction.


    Keegan was not good at picking these types of things, but he knew how superficial Ste was. She


    often sought the most expensive items rather than the best in quality. Naturally, the top designer in


    Hustuabourg, Annie Crawford, became Keegan¡¯s first choice. In the end, Annie felt that she had to give


    her VIP client some face.


    A big shot in the fashion industry standing out to speak on Ste¡¯s behalf was self-evident whether the


    dress was an original Lea Sartorre or counterfeit.


    ¡°It¡¯s unimaginable that Ste actually has such a connection with Lea Sartorre.¡±


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Well, she was a part of the Kane family. It¡¯s no surprise that she would be wearing such a collection.


    Unlike a special someone who was excited to show off her dress that was already worn by someone


    else on the runway.¡±


    ¡°Sophia was literally trying to humiliate Ste nonstop, asking her if she wanted a change of clothes.


    Yet, the dress she is wearing isn¡¯t half as costly as the one Ste has. It¡¯s pathetic.¡±


    ¡°Wendy Carlson¡¯s designs are iner and more suitable for an international target audience. Any small


    artist in Hustuabourg would be able toe up with something more innovative than her work. Lea


    Sartorre¡¯s pieces, however, are one of a kind andplement the wearer well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the difference between a bronze-level yer and a grandmaster.¡±


    Xianna¡¯s face turned red with anger when she realized that Ste was bing the center of attention.


    However, Sophia¡¯s expression was even uglier. Initially, Sophia wanted to humiliate Ste by asking if


    she wanted to borrow her clothes. She did not expect to be the one who was embarrassed in the end.


    In order to avoid further ridicule, Sophia swallowed her anger and left the crowd on the grounds of


    entertaining other guests who wereing.


    Ste pushed her hair back and took the wedding gift she had prepared to the reception while Keegan


    tagged along quietly. As soon as Ste handed over the present, Keegan stopped her. He pulled out


    two envelopes filled with money and gave them to the receptionist. Then, he said, ¡°We¡¯re together.¡±


    Ste was taken aback by his action. She gently pushed the envelope away, immediately held out her


    gift, and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can give yours while I give mine.¡±


    ¡°Is it really that necessary to have such a clean-cut rtionship with me?¡± Keegan pursed his lips and


    asked.


    Ste¡¯s eyelids twitched violently. ¡®What is he doing?¡¯ she thought.

 Chapter 1175

    Chapter 1175


    Chapter 1175


    ¡°Is it really that necessary to have a clean-cut rtionship with me?¡±


    As soon as Keegan said that, everyone looked over. They were shocked to see the divorced couple at


    Albert and Hylda¡¯s wedding, not to mention the ex-husband trying to give wedding gifts on both of their


    behalfs.


    Ste nced at Keegan indifferently and said, ¡°Mr. Kane, our rtionship ended when we signed the


    divorce papers. It¡¯s better if we refrain from doing something controversial.¡± She paused for a while and


    continued,¡± Mr. Jewell raised me. It¡¯s only right that I give him a wedding present in return. Why are you


    giving them a gift, Mr. Kane?¡±


    ¡®And, a generous one at that!¡¯ she thought.


    Keegan pressed his lips together and replied, ¡°I knew you were going to be here, so I came to show a


    little token of my appreciation too.¡±


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    The crowd went wild. They were wondering why Keegan would show up at Albert¡¯s wedding. ¡®It turns


    out it¡¯s because of Ste!¡¯


    Everyone had heard that Albert and Ste were in contact again. No one was surprised since Albert


    raised her despite her not being his flesh and blood.


    The crowd found it strange that Keegan showed up at the wedding. But now, they finally understood


    what was going on after hearing his words. They did not expect that he and Ste would be there


    together since they had a messy divorce nearly six months ago.


    Moreover, Keegan¡¯s eyes had been glued to Ste from the moment he appeared. His gaze showed a


    hint of unrequited love, which was different than his usual cold and indifferent look. Outsiders thought


    that there was no need for Keegan to be upset over his ex-wife with the status and power he held


    unless there was something more to it.


    The people turned to Ste and saw that she hadpletely ignored Keegan¡¯s remark. She looked at


    him in disdain and said, ¡°I think it¡¯ll be better to put your time and energy into the future Mrs. Kane.


    There¡¯s no need for you to express your feelings here.¡±


    After she said that, Ste tossed Keegan¡¯s wedding gift back to him and handed her present to the


    receptionist. ¡°Ste Jewell,¡± she said to the receptionist.


    Keegan looked at her with a hurt gaze for a long time before he said, ¡°Put my name on there as well.


    It¡¯s from the both of us.¡±


    Ste could not believe what he was doing. ¡°Did I say I¡¯d let you do that?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t I at least have some sort of connection to you? I promise I¡¯ll pay it back after the wedding.¡±


    Ste gave Keegan a cold nce and said, ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡± She then turned around and walked away.


    She was afraid that she would break character if they kept up the act.


    Everyone at the wedding venue was bbergasted, as they watched things unfold. ¡®Is Keegan still not


    over her? No wonder he didn¡¯t like any of the wealthy young women who showed interest in him. He


    still has his heart set on Ste,¡¯ they thought.


    Ste grabbed herself a ss of mango juice and walked to Vermont. Vermont shot her a quick nce


    and said, ¡°You two are quite the actors.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Felicity?¡± Ste sipped on her juice and asked.


    ¡°She left her phone in the car. She¡¯s going back to get it.¡±


    Ste paused and said, ¡°What kind of boyfriend are you?¡±


    Vermont did not know how to respond. He wanted to go grab Felicity¡¯s phone, but she did not allow him


    to do that since he was ¡°sick¡±. So, he lied. ¡°I fell from a tree and injured my back when I visited her


    hometown with her that day. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have let her go on her own. I¡¯m not Keegan, you


    know; bringing you around when you¡¯ve already suffered an injury.¡±

 Chapter 1176

    Chapter 1176


    Chapter 1176


    Ste was at a loss for words after hearing Vermont¡¯sment. ¡®Is he the one who pushed Keegan to


    do all this and make things difficult for me?¡¯ she thought. However, Keegan just did not want her to get


    bullied.


    ¡°Felicity said she is going to invite Dr. Steven over for dinner this week. You know Dr. Steven quite well.


    Do you know what kind of dishes he likes, so we can buy the proper ingredients?¡± Ste asked.


    Vermont¡¯s eyelids twitched. ¡°What? Why wasn¡¯t I told about this?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Felicity tell you? Dr. Steven was the one who got her the new job. Everything¡¯s settled once she


    passes the physical examination required for the job. She has to thank him somehow, right?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s face darkened in an instant. ¡°Corbin was the one who introduced her to the job?¡±


    Ste nodded and asked, ¡°Why does it look like you¡¯re lost? Don¡¯t you two talk about these kinds of


    things?¡± She originally wanted to stir up some jealousy in Vermont, but she did not expect him to not


    have a clue about the situation. ¡®Felicity is such a chatterbox. I can¡¯t believe she didn¡¯t share this news


    with her boyfriend,¡¯ thought Ste.


    Vermont did not care if Ste was being skeptical of their fake rtionship. All he could think about was


    how Felicity kept smiling at her phone during their way back from her hometown to Rivera. She told him


    she got a notification saying that she had been hired and was asked to do a physical examination.


    Vermont thought she was delighted because of her new job, but¡­ ¡®Considering the situation, she must


    have been smiling because Corbin texted her!¡¯


    ¡°Have she and Corbin been in touch often recently?¡± asked Vermont.


    ¡°I¡¯m not really sure.¡± After she said that, Ste paused for a moment and decided to add fuel to the fire.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they really lost contact though, especially since Felicity had a crush on him, and he¡¯s been


    helping her a lot. N


    That sentence made Vermont furious.


    Ste then grabbed a cup of cucumber juice from the waiter and handed it to Vermont. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.


    They¡¯re just friends. Plus, she¡¯s YOUR girlfriend. Here, drink up.¡±


    ¡®But we¡¯re not really in a rtionship,¡¯ Vermont thought. He wanted to say something but decided not


    to. ¡®Ste is such a vindictive woman! Only a mutt like Keegan would ever fall for her.¡¯


    On the other side of the room, the receptionist watched as Ste walked away and turned to look at


    Keegan. ¡°Mr. Kane, are you¡­¡±


    Keegan put the envelope filled with money away and said, ¡°Put down both of our names. She doesn¡¯t


    like it when I overspend.¡±


    The crowd was speechless. ¡®He¡¯s so delusional. Ste clearly wants nothing to do with him,¡¯ they


    thought.


    Keegan watched as the receptionist wrote his name with Ste¡¯s in the same column before leaving.


    The receptionist opened up Ste¡¯s gift, as he intended to fill in the amount of money next to their


    names. He then realized that there was only a 100-dor bill inside with a real estate flyer tucked


    underneath it.


    The receptionist froze for a moment and hastily unfolded the flyer to see if there were any hidden


    money inside. He could not believe that Ste would do something like that. ¡®A hundred dors? They


    both fought over giving a hundred dors?!¡¯


    The receptionist had been at this job for years. Of all the weddings and birthday banquets he was hired


    for in Rivera, he had not seen anyone give that amount of money as a gift in the past ten years. This


    incident was surely a refresher.


    Soon, Keegan saw Ste and grabbed two sses of orange juice as he walked over to her. Ste


    looked away and did not touch the offering. Meanwhile, Keegan pulled out a chair and sat next to her.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Ste was clearly upset but did not say anything due to the crowd. Keegan then slipped the envelope


    to her under the table. Ste nced at it and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to put


    my efforts into the future Mrs. Kane?¡± he whispered.

 Chapter 1177

    Chapter 1177


    Chapter 1177


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe how good Keegan is at flirting when he has to,¡¯ Ste thought. She would melt just from


    looking at his face, let alone him taking the initiative to patch things up between them. Ste tried to


    hold back her smile and sneakily put her hand under the table to receive the envelope.¡± I¡¯m honestly


    baffled by how thick this envelope is. Does your money grow on trees?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a lot,¡± Keegan whispered.


    Ste pinched the thick red envelope and red at him. ¡°It¡¯s as thick as a brick,¡± she said.


    Ste had given Vermont a hard time earlier, so he wanted to get back at her through Keegan. He


    knew that Keegan would not mind a few insults unless they were targeted at Ste.


    ¡°Keegan doesn¡¯t know what it feels like to not have money. He literally booked the whole ce when


    Duncan got married that day. Carter grabbed a few bottles of red wine that were worth more than ten


    thousand dors when he left, and Keegan paid for all of it. Do you know how much he spent that day?


    ¡°He spent up to seven figures! Do you know how much that is? He could¡¯ve bought a Maserati, a


    Hermes bag, or even put in the down payment for a house! It would take you at least half a year to


    spend that kind of money if you spent ten thousand dors per day. Yet, he spent it all in one night.¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan snapped. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare try to wreak havoc here!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not causing trouble. I¡¯m just telling the truth! I mean, Ste was there to see it happen. And it¡¯s fine


    since Duncan is one of our own, but what is Albert to you? Why would you fork out so much money for


    your ex-father-in-w? When you and Ste got divorced, he immediately kicked her out of the Jewell


    family and cut ties with her. Why would you give him that much money as a gift? Do you think he


    should be awarded for disowning his daughter?¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words. She had almost forgotten about Keegan¡¯s spending at Duncan¡¯s


    wedding. She could not help but feel the pain again when Vermont reminded her of it.


    Keegan¡¯s logical thinking skills were thrown out the window once he was drunk, and he would agree to


    anything anyone wanted. Ste was often worried that someone would trick him into signing over his


    company at a cheap price when he was wasted.


    Even though, her worries were unfounded. Keegan understood that he had a low alcohol tolerance and


    would never indulge in drinks during serious business asions. The only time he would drink was


    when he was with his close acquaintances. Due to his current status, he did not have to drink with


    business partners to secure a deal.


    Keegan noticed that Ste was frowning under Vermont¡¯s provocation, and his face darkened. ¡°Stop


    instigating things, or I¡¯ll air out your dirtyundry,¡± he said.


    Vermont froze upon hearing that and immediately shut his mouth.


    Ste¡¯s heart ached for the money Keegan had spent, but she was not angry at him since Vermont was


    the one who tried to stir the pot. However, she found it strange that Vermont would back off when


    Keegan said he would expose his secrets. ¡°What do you have on him?¡± she asked Keegan in a low


    voice.


    Before Keegan could say anything, Vermont tried to derail the conversation. ¡°I¡¯m a great guy. He


    doesn¡¯t have anything on me. He just said that to piss me off.¡±


    However, Ste was not that easily fooled. ¡®There¡¯s no way he¡¯d immediately turn quiet if Keegan didn¡¯t


    have anything on him,¡¯ she thought.


    She continued to ask Keegan about the leverage he had on Vermont so that she could tell Felicity.


    At that moment, Vermont remained silent. Keegan looked at him and saw that he was signaling him not


    to say anything. So, Keegan withdrew his gaze and said, ¡°I can¡¯t tell you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you extra points if you tell me,¡± Ste quickly responded.


    Vermont was confused as to what she meant by that.

 Chapter 1178

    Chapter 1178


    Chapter 1178


    ¡®Extra points? To what?¡¯ thought Vermont.


    Keegan¡¯s expression loosened, seemingly hesitant. Vermont gritted his teeth and said, ¡°It¡¯s just a few


    points, Keegan. Is it worth ruining our friendship? Man up, dude. Don¡¯t make me look down on you.¡±


    Keegan paused. Just when Vermont thought that he had sessfully recalled Keegan¡¯s conscience,


    he heard him say, ¡°How many points are we talking about?¡±


    Ste wanted to know Vermont¡¯s secret, so she said, ¡°A thousand!¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Do you even have a heart, Keegan? Do you remember who helped you out


    when you didn¡¯t attend your ex-mother-in-w¡¯s funeral? Do you remember who gave you advice when


    you were courting Ste? How could you betray me now that she¡¯s yours?!¡±


    Keegan turned a deaf ear and whispered to Ste, ¡°His recent ex-girlfriend is his first ex-girlfriend¡¯s ex.


    She used him to get back at her.¡±


    Vermont did not say a word.


    Ste was shocked. ¡°Can you borate on that?¡± she asked.


    Vermont sighed and shot a nce at Keegan. He wanted to give him a tongueshing but decided not


    to since he was afraid that Keegan would expose more of his secrets. So, Vermont stayed silent and


    listened to Keegan go on and on about the embarrassing incident just to please Ste.


    He then looked at the envelope in Ste¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°How much money did Keegan put in


    there? Why does it look so thick?¡±


    Ste was also curious about the amount of cash in the envelope, as she thought about how it would


    have been given to Albert if she had not interfered. ¡°How much is in here?¡± she asked Keegan.


    Keegan slowly sipped his orange juice and said, ¡°Not much.¡±


    ¡°Why is it so thick, then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still not as thick as the one you gave.¡±


    ¡°Mine looked like a lot, but I only put in 100 dors,¡± said Ste.


    Vermont could not believe his ears. ¡°There¡¯s no way you only gave them 100 dors!¡±


    Albert did not opt for a small wedding. The venue was expensive, and the alcohol provided was of


    great quality. He even hired Michelin-starred chefs to cook for the guests. It was estimated that he


    spent a thousand dors per person there. The fact that Ste and Keegan put down their names for


    only 100 dors was outrageous.


    Ste nced at Vermont and said, ¡°How dare you judge me when the two ssware you bought as a


    wedding gift is only ny-nine dors plus shipping.¡±


    ¡°Look who you¡¯re talking to. They were 198 dors!¡± Vermont sneered.


    Ste was dumbfounded by Vermont¡¯s unyielding attitude. ¡®Those ssware cost ny-eight dors at


    most. He must¡¯ve spent 100 bucks on the packaging since the original box looked hideous.¡¯


    As Keegan listened to the conversation between the two, he thought,¡¯ Trevor must be an impostor. It


    would make much more sense if Vermont and Ste were siblings. I mean, look at them. Both of them


    are stingy, and they love money so much.¡¯


    ¡°I have to know how much is in that thing. Open it up, Ste,¡± Vermont began to encourage her. ¡®You


    have to break up with him if it¡¯s more than 3000 dors. Who the hell gives that much to their ex-father-


    inw as a wedding gift?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyelids twitched upon hearing that.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be mean, Vermont,¡± said Ste before she turned to Keegan. ¡°I¡¯m confiscating this,


    okay?¡±


    Keeganpressed his lips and said, ¡°Let me keep the envelope, at least. I can reuse it since a client


    of mine is having a wedding in a few days.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

 Chapter 1179

    Chapter 1179


    Chapter 1179


    ¡°Just buy another one,¡± said Ste as she opened up the envelope underneath the table.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    She froze when she reached into the envelope. ¡®This doesn¡¯t feel like money,¡¯ she thought as she


    looked at Keegan suspiciously.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Keegan asked.


    ¡°Is it a lot?¡± Vermont chimed in.


    Ste did not say anything. Instead, she pursed her lips and drew out the contents. Vermont could not


    wait to see how much money Keegan had put into the envelope. However, the two went quiet when


    they saw what was inside.


    They were a bunch of wedding photography brochures.


    Ste could not believe it. She opened the other envelope, and the corner of her mouth twitched when


    she saw different itineraries for honeymoon trips inside.


    ¡°You two are a match made in heaven. You better stay out of my wedding if you¡¯re going to pull this shit


    on me,¡± said Vermont.


    Keegan ignored him and said to Ste in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ve got a lot of travel brochures at my ce.


    Why don¡¯t you choose one of the packages for our next honeymoon?¡±


    Ste was taken aback. ¡®He tricked me into opening the envelopes.¡¯ Even though she thought that it


    was a sweet gesture, she still put on an angry face. ¡°What were you going to do if I hadn¡¯t stopped you


    at the reception?¡±


    ¡°I was sure that you were going to stop me. That¡¯s why I did it. I mean, look at how thick this thing is.¡±


    He paused and whispered, ¡°I set it up just for you.


    N


    Vermont could not stand the couple. ¡®I should¡¯ve kept my mouth shut,¡¯ he thought. Soon, Felicity


    entered the venue. Vermont saw her in the crowd and raised his hand to get her attention. ¡°Over here!¡±


    he yelled.


    Felicity immediately ran to them when she saw him. She grabbed the ss of juice on the table and


    took a big gulp. ¡°Guess who I ran into on my way here?¡±


    ¡°Is it Corbin?¡± Vermont asked with a straight face.


    Felicity was puzzled. ¡°Why would Dr. Steven be here? It¡¯s not like he and Albert know each other well.¡±


    Vermont was relieved to hear that. ¡°Who is it, then?¡±


    ¡°Spencer Graham!¡±


    Ste froze. She then tactically picked up her ss and sipped her juice.


    ¡°Spencer Graham? Why does that name sound kinda familiar?¡± Vermont thought for a while.


    ¡°He¡¯s Penn Graham¡¯s son. You know, the CEO of SP Entertainment?¡±


    Vermont knew who Felicity was talking about as soon as he heard Penn¡¯s name.


    SP Entertainment was one of the earliest batches of film and mediapanies in Hustuabourg. They


    pioneered the entertainment business and managed many stars from the 1990s to the early 2000s.


    Although there were many mediapanies now, the pioneers still ruled the industry.


    ¡°Does Albert know the Graham family?¡±


    Ste shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard him mention anything about that.¡±


    ¡®At least not when I was still part of the family. Based on what I know about Albert, he would¡¯ve made a


    big deal out of it and let everyone know that he knew the Grahams,¡¯ she thought.


    Vermont hade into contact with Penn Graham before, but he had never met his son since Spencer


    studied abroad.

 Chapter 1180

    Chapter 1180


    Chapter 1180


    ¡°How do you know Spencer Graham?¡± Vermont suddenly paused and asked Felicity.


    ¡°I submitted my resume to SP Entertainment when I graduated, but it didn¡¯t make the cut. I met him


    during the interview process. I first thought that he was one of the artists in thepany, but the other


    people there for the job told me he was Penn Graham¡¯s only son. His good looks make him


    unforgettable. I also heard that Mr. Graham¡¯s wife was the champion of Miss World back in the day. So,


    it¡¯s not surprising that Spencer is handsome since boys often look like their mothers.¡±


    Vermont did not like it when Felicity praised other men. ¡°How handsome are we talking about here? Is


    he better looking than me, or maybe Keegan?¡±


    Keegan was stunned by Vermont¡¯s question. Felicity, on the other hand, thought hard about the


    differences between them. ¡°He does give off the same vibes as Keegan, and he looks rather simr to


    him too. I think they¡¯re both equal in appearance, but don¡¯t take my word for it. Beauty is subjective,


    y¡¯know?¡±


    Vermont did not believe her. ¡°You¡¯d find anyone good-looking, Felicity. The only time Marshall¡¯s looks


    were evenparable to Keegan¡¯s was when he was at his peak. Would there be a shortage of


    conventionally beautiful people in the entertainment industry if you keep running into so-called


    handsome men?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, you don¡¯t have to believe me,¡± Felicity red at Vermont and said.


    Vermont then looked at Ste for approval. ¡°What do you think, Ste?¡±


    Ste had been in a daze. It was only when Vermont called out to her that she returned to her senses.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± she asked.


    Vermont was speechless while Felicity grunted, ¡°Ste, Spencer Graham will be here in a few minutes.


    Your job is to have a good look at him and tell us if he¡¯s as good-looking as Keegan. That way, we can


    prove if I¡¯m right or wrong.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not fair. Men and women don¡¯t have the same standards when ites to aesthetics. The only


    way we can prove he¡¯s handsome is if we let Keegan be the judge,¡± Vermont argued.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°You and Keegan are best buds. He is definitely going to stand on your side, so his vote doesn¡¯t count!¡±


    ¡°Well, you and Ste are besties!¡±


    ¡°Ste can¡¯t take her eyes off a handsome guy when she sees one. Just wait and see her reaction.¡±


    ¡®Thank God for besties!¡¯ Ste sarcastically eximed to herself.


    Keegan nced at her and suddenly said, ¡°Since you put it that way, I¡¯m kinda looking forward to her


    reaction.¡±


    Ste was confused when she heard that.


    ¡°If he¡¯s as handsome as Felicity says he is, I¡¯d like to know who your eyes would be glued to. Me or


    him?¡± Keegan said slowly.


    Ste did not respond.


    As the group of friends were talking, there was amotion not too far away. The four of them turned


    their heads and saw a well-built man in a white suit walking in as people began to surround him. He


    was about the same height as Keegan, and his facial featuresplemented each other well. His eyes


    also looked simr to Keegan¡¯s, but his gaze was gentle and youthful.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t look very old,¡± Vermont rubbed his chin and said.


    ¡°Duh. He¡¯s only twenty-five. You and Keegan look like senior citizens next to him,¡± Felicity exined.


    Both Vermont and Keegan were baffled to hear her say that. ¡®We¡¯re only five years older than him, yet


    she says we can pass as senior citizens?¡¯ In reality, Felicity meant that they were mature and much


    more attractive in terms of their experience.


    While they were talking, Spencer suddenly stopped and looked at them. They then saw a young man


    beside him, who was most likely his assistant. The young man whispered something into his ears. After


    that, Spencer nodded slightly and then walked toward them.

 Chapter 1181

    Chapter 1181


    Chapter 1181


    After a while, Spencer stood right in front of the group. He looked at Ste first, then at Keegan and


    Vermont. ¡°Mr. Graham, this is Mr. Snyder from Green Hill Media,¡± said the young man beside him.


    Spencer nodded slightly, stretched out his hand, and warmly said, ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Mr. Snyder.¡±


    Spencer had just returned to Hustuabourg recently. His father, Penn Graham, had assigned the young


    man beside him to show him around and familiarize himself with the people in their circle.


    Although Green Hill Media and SP Entertainment werepetitors, Vermont and Penn maintained a


    good rtionship in private. So, he reached out to shake Spencer¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Ah, you must be


    Spencer Graham. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. You remind me so much of your father.¡±


    ¡°My father has also told me a lot about you, Mr. Snyder. He said you are a promising young man with a


    unique vision and asked me to learn more from you,¡± Spencer politely replied.


    ¡°We can learn from each other,¡± Vermont smiled and said.


    Spencer¡¯s assistant then introduced him to Keegan. ¡°This is-¡°


    ¡°Mr. Kane from the Vinci Rivera Group,¡± Spencer said without waiting for the assistant to finish. ¡°I have


    often heard about you in my social circle abroad. You¡¯re very well-known there, Mr. Kane.¡± He then


    stretched out his hand and said, ¡¯It¡¯s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.¡±


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Keegan shook his hand and immediately let go of it after that. He and Penn knew each other, but they


    were not close. However, Penn had a good rtionship with Chandler. Naturally, he was not very


    enthusiastic about getting to know his son, Spencer.


    Keegan did not like to deal with strangers, but Vermont was the opposite. Vermont liked to chat


    because that was how he got all the juicy gossip in the circle. So, after introducing each other, he


    asked, ¡°What are you doing here at this wedding, Spence? Are you friends with the bride or the


    groom?¡±


    Spencer was ufortable by how Vermont called him Spence. He pressed his lips together and said,


    ¡¯I don¡¯t know either of them very well. But my cousin is dating their daughter, Ms. Jewell. So, I was


    asked toe and congratte Mr. Jewell on the union.¡±


    ¡®Oh, I see. So, he is the cousin of Sophia¡¯s boyfriend,¡¯ thought Vermont. ¡°Do you know how your cousin


    and Ms. Jewell got to know each other,


    Spence? Why would your family have youe over if they aren¡¯t engaged or married yet?¡± he


    continued to inquire.


    Spencer¡¯s eyebrows twitched once again at the nickname Vermont gave him. ¡°Their engagement is


    already on the way,¡± he replied. ¡°By the way, you can just call me Spencer, Mr. Snyder.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Yeah. Sure, Spence.¡±


    Spencer was utterly speechless when he heard that.


    ¡®It seems like Sophia and her boyfriend are making things official. No wonder the Grahams asked


    Spencer toe,¡¯ thought Ste. That was when she discovered why Sophia was acting more


    arrogant than before. ¡®I knew she wouldn¡¯t have dated someone who had gained wealth only recently.¡¯


    Just as she pondered about the situation, a male voice came from above her and said, ¡°Ste, long


    time no see.¡¯


    Vermont, Keegan, and Felicity were shocked and confused to hear that.


    Ste saw Keegan¡¯s questioning gaze and proceeded to say with a straight face, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You


    are¡­?¡¯


    Her reply caused Spencer to be at a loss for words.


    Vermont looked back and forth between the two and thought, ¡®What¡¯s going on here?¡¯

 Chapter 1182

    Chapter 1182


    Chapter 1182


    Spencer frowned when he heard Ste ask him who he was. ¡¯Don¡¯t you remember me?¡¯ He asked in


    disbelief.


    Vermont, Felicity, and Keegan were struck hard by those words.


    After some time, Vermont was no longer shocked. Instead, he was waiting for everything to unfold. ¡®So


    Ste knows this man who has simr features as Keegan? Interesting¡­¡¯


    He then looked at Keegan, who had slightly pursed lips and an indifferent expression, calmly staring at


    Ste. She felt so guilty for pretending not to know Spencer and did not dare to meet Keegan¡¯s gaze.


    Still, she was as steady as a rock. ¡® You do look familiar, but I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t remember. Care to


    refresh my memory?¡±


    Spencer was silent. He looked at the woman before him and realized she had actually changed quite a


    bit since high school.


    Her facial features were much more refined. ¡®She lookspletely different from the girl who danced


    on stage during our school¡¯s talentpetition.¡¯ The only thing that remained unchanged was her


    unforgettably bright, beautiful eyes.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Though, Spencer knew what kind of mischievous person hid behind those seemingly harmless eyes.


    He recalled the time Ste told him that she wanted to perform a magic trick and pull out a cute little


    animal. But to his surprise, she pulled out a rat instead.


    Spencer stared at Ste for a few seconds and smiled. He looked up and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t


    remember. Let me introduce myself.¡± He held out his hand and continued, ¡°Hi. I¡¯m Spencer Graham,


    ss of 2015 from Rivera High.¡±


    Before Ste could say anything, Felicity chimed in, ¡°Rivera High? Ste, isn¡¯t that where you went?


    And didn¡¯t we graduate in 2015 too?¡±


    At that moment, Ste wanted to sew her best friend¡¯s mouth shut. ¡®Can¡¯t you see how upset Keegan is


    already? God!¡¯


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re an alumnus. It¡¯s nice to meet you,¡± said Ste as she shook the tips of Spencer¡¯s fingers


    and let go immediately. ¡°I didn¡¯t know we had such a prestige member in the Rivera High alumni,¡± she


    continued.


    Spencer touched his fingertips and put on a faint smile. His assistant then whispered something in his


    ear, and he nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go say hello to Mr.


    Jewell and catch youter.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Um. That¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have toe back. You can just go about your business,¡± Ste said,


    unclear whether Spencer heard her. The man then turned around and walked into the crowd with his


    assistant.


    Ste felt relieved as she watched Spencer leave. She saw Keegan staring at her with no apparent


    expression and began to feel anxious.


    Vermont quickly tried to gossip and asked, ¡°Ste, is Spencer one of your high school ssmates?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I think so,¡± Ste replied.


    ¡°What do you mean you think so? Do you not remember him at all? I mean, it¡¯s impossible to forget a


    face like that.¡±


    Ste could feel Keegan¡¯s stare bing more intense as Vermont said that.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have the time to look at men when I was in school, Vermont. I had so much homework to do


    back then!¡±

 Chapter 1183

    Chapter 1183


    Chapter 1183


    Vermont did not quite believe Ste¡¯s denial of knowing Spencer. He could tell that something was off


    judging by her reaction. It seemed like there was more to them than just ssmates.


    He was about to say something when Ste interrupted him, ¡°Let¡¯s go grab some food, Felicity.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Sure,¡± Felicity replied.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Once the two women left the table, Vermont leaned into Keegan¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°There¡¯s


    something fishy going on with your partner. She¡¯s the type who can¡¯t take her eyes off a handsome guy,


    but she barely looks at Spencer. She would even avert her gaze everytime their eyes met. Since when


    she has ever been shy around guys?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s words caused Keegan to suspect that something was going on. He had also noticed Ste¡¯s


    unusual behavior, but he still chose to defend her for now. ¡°Is she acting shy? I hadn¡¯t noticed. It seems


    to me that she doesn¡¯t find him attractive.¡±


    Vermont did not say a word. ¡®I didn¡¯t know Keegan could be so protective over Ste,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Still,


    I think there¡¯s more to the story than what she is letting on.¡¯


    At the food section of the wedding, Ste grabbed an egg tart for Felicity with a pair of tongs.


    Felicity picked up the pastry and ate it as she asked, ¡°Ste, isn¡¯t Spencer your ex-boyfriend whom you


    dated for two weeks before you guys broke up?¡±


    Ste did not answer. Felicity confirmed her suspicions after seeing her reaction. ¡°Ah hah! I knew it!


    There¡¯s no way you would forget him since we¡¯ve only graduated not too long ago, especially since


    he¡¯s so good- looking.¡±


    Ste sighed. ¡°Please don¡¯t say anything about this in front of Keegan, or he¡¯ll get upset.¡±


    ¡°He might¡¯ve been fine with it if you had just admitted it earlier. Why did you even pretend like you didn¡¯t


    know Spencer? I¡¯d be upset too if I were Keegan.¡± Felicity paused a while before saying, ¡°Wait a


    minute. They look so simr; you clearly have a type. You¡¯re not using Keegan as Spencer¡¯s substitute,


    are you?*


    Ste¡¯s eyelids twitched when she heard that. ¡°What are you talking about? They¡¯re nothing alike.


    You¡¯ve been watching too many dramas.¡¯


    Felicity did not care much about the resemnce between the two men. Instead, she was more curious


    about how Ste managed to date the campus heartthrob. ¡°Come on, tell me. How did you win him


    over?¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t it be the other way around? Maybe he was the one who hit on me first,¡± said Ste.


    Felicity scoffed and said, ¡°I would believe you if you looked the way you do now back in high school.


    I¡¯ve seen the pictures, you know? You literally weighed at least 130 pounds back then. I don¡¯t think an


    attractive teenage boy would¡¯ve wanted to hit on you.¡±


    Ste¡¯s face darkened upon hearing that. ¡°Excuse you? I didn¡¯t weigh 130 pounds. I was 120 pounds at


    most. Plus, I¡¯m tall. It¡¯s normal for me to weigh a little more than the other girls in school.¡¯


    ¡°Okay, fine. So who was the initiator of the rtionship?¡±


    Ste hesitated for a moment and finally said, ¡°I randomly confessed to him one day, and he epted


    it.¡±


    ¡®It was surprisingly easy to win him over,¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that confession was random.¡± A cold voice suddenly came from behind her.


    Ste¡¯s hands trembled, and she almost dropped her te. Thankfully, Spencer was there to catch it.


    ¡°Why did you pretend not to know me earlier? ¡± he asked.


    Felicity¡¯s mouth dropped open wide. ¡®Oh, shit. She¡¯s been caught red- handed!¡¯ She continued to eat


    her egg tart, pretending nothing had happened while eavesdropping on their conversation.


    Ste fidgeted around and thought, ¡®Everything¡¯s going to be fine as long as I remain calm.¡¯


    ¡°Well, you have a different status now, and we¡¯re no longer in the same circle. I just don¡¯t want people


    to get the wrong idea,¡± she said.


    Spencer pondered upon her answer and asked, ¡°Who would get the wrong idea, exactly? Keegan? I


    thought you guys were divorced.¡±

 Chapter 1184

    Chapter 1184


    Chapter 1184


    Felicity was shocked to hear what the ex-boyfriend had to say. ¡®Spencer seems to know a lot about


    Ste¡¯s affairs. He had just returned to the country, yet he knew she and Keegan were divorced. Could


    he have been secretly keeping tabs on her? I mean, there¡¯s no way he¡¯d get the news so soon, right?*


    Felicity wished she could give Vermont a video call at that time so that they could tune into the love


    triangle drama together.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to exin myself to you,¡± Ste frowned.


    Spencer smiled faintly and said, ¡°I was just asking. But I suppose it¡¯s not him since you¡¯ve always been


    good at cutting ties.¡¯


    Felicity could not believe her ears. ¡®Wait. Does that mean Ste dumped him? Oh my god.¡¯


    ¡°Are you done? If you are, I¡¯m leaving,¡± said Ste. She put her te down and was about to go when


    Spencer stretched out his hand to stop her. He then grabbed a mango pudding and ced it in her


    hand, saying, ¡®It¡¯s really nice to see you again.¡¯


    Without waiting for Ste to respond, Spencer left. She stared at the pudding cup in her hand and


    decided to put it back. When she looked up, she saw how stunned Felicity was and threatened, ¡°Don¡¯t


    tell Keegan, or it¡¯s the end of our friendship!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your secret is safe with me,¡± Felicity swore. After that, she whispered, ¡®Were you the one


    who dumped him?¡±


    ¡°I brought up the idea of breaking up, and he agreed. It was an amicable breakup,¡± Ste replied.


    ¡°But why did you do that? Isn¡¯t he your type? Plus, he seems to have a much better temper than


    Keegan.¡±


    Ste sighed. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really. I just decided we couldn¡¯t be together anymore when he told me his


    parents were sending him abroad to further his studies.¡¯


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Felicity asked.


    ¡°Yeah. He was going to leave the country, and I wasn¡¯t going with him. Though I wished he would stay,


    I didn¡¯t want him to change his decision because of me. Rtionships are hard, especially if you¡¯re


    doing long distance. We were going to be miles apart when I didn¡¯t even get to know him yet. There


    was no way we would havested. So, I suggested we break up. I didn¡¯t want us to waste each other¡¯s


    time. Plus, it made more sense to end the rtionship since we weren¡¯t really that into each other yet.¡±


    It was true that Ste did initiate the breakup, but Spencer did not agree to it. However, since they were


    unmarried and not legally bound together, Ste did not have to wait for his consent. After suggesting


    the idea, she immediately blocked Spencer¡¯s number and all his social media ounts.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Moreover, she had met Spencer¡¯s father before and realized he was not someone she could get along


    with.


    ¡°You¡¯re so heartless. Would you break up with Keegan if he told you he had to leave the country for a


    few years to expand his business abroad?¡¯ Felicity asked.


    Ste shook her head and said, ¡°No because I love him. Plus, I¡¯m an adult now. I can just book a flight


    and see him anytime I want, no matter where he is.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying you didn¡¯t like Spencer that much.¡±


    Ste smiled and did not say anything. She was infatuated with Spencer, but her feelings for him were


    iparable to her deep love for Keegan.

 Chapter 1185

    Chapter 1185


    Not long after, Keegan and Vermont finally freed themselves from social engagements and walked over


    to the girls. Keegan casually grabbed a banana and handed it to Ste. When she was about to peel


    the fruit, Keegan signaled her and said, ¡¯Albert¡¯s here. Time to put on a show.¡¯


    Ste paused and threw the banana at Keegan, saying, ¡¯Stop getting ahead of yourself. I don¡¯t like


    eating bananas.¡±


    Vermont was taken aback by how fast Ste got into character while Albert stood nearby, observing the


    two.


    Keegan held the banana in his hand and asked after a while, ¡°Well, what do you want to eat? I¡¯ll go get


    it for you.¡±


    ¡°What does it matter to you what I want to eat?¡¯ Ste sounded impatient.¡± Can¡¯t you just go away?¡±


    ¡°Ste, what are you doing? Keegan is just concerned about you. What are we going to do about that


    temper of yours?¡± Albert came over and said.


    Ste kept a straight face and stayed quiet.


    Albert wanted to find out what Ste was to Keegan now that they were divorced. He nearly had a


    heart attack when he saw Ste throwing the banana at Keegan. ¡®Sigh. This brat is as stubborn as her


    mother. Who does she think she is? Does she really think Keegan would spoil her and let her have her


    way forever?¡¯


    Albert was afraid Keegan would get angry, so he quickly apologized on Ste¡¯s behalf, ¡°Are you okay,


    Keegan? Sorry for the trouble. Ste¡¯s temper is getting worse day by day. I can¡¯t believe she hasn¡¯t


    taken the time to reflect on herself after the divorce.¡¯


    Felicity was mad that he would say such things about her best friend.¡¯Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Didn¡¯t Keegan and Ste divorce because of her mother¡¯s death? Albert didn¡¯t even lift a finger during


    the funeral. How dare he have the nerve to criticize her?¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Mr. Jewell. Ste didn¡¯t do anything wrong,¡± Keegan pursed his lips and said.


    His words left Albert aback, wondering if Keegan¡¯s love for Ste had clouded his judgment. Soon,


    Albert realized that it was a good thing. ¡®Given that he¡¯s obeying Ste¡¯s every wish andmand, I


    could benefit from hispany if I win Ste over,¡¯ he thought.


    With that in mind, Albert changed his tone immediately. ¡°You¡¯re spoiling her, Keegan. I know my


    daughter,¡± he said before continuing, ¡°Ste, the fact that Mr. Kane showed up means that he values


    your rtionship. You should work on your attitude. Do you think other men would dote on you like


    Keegan does, especially since you¡¯re a divorcee now?¡±


    Ste found that funny. ¡®Just say you want to suck him dry.¡¯ She pretended to sulk and impatiently


    replied, ¡°Who cares?¡±


    ¡°I just think it¡¯s better that you work on things with your initial partner rather than finding someone else,


    you know?¡± said Albert.


    ¡°But, Mr. Jewell, your current bride isn¡¯t your initial partner either,¡¯ Felicity interrupted.


    Albert did not know what to say. It was ironic of him to judge Ste when he cheated on his wife and


    married his mistress. He was embarrassed, but he quickly regained hisposure. ¡°I¡¯m speaking from


    experience. Sadly, there¡¯s no way to turn back time and stop myself from doing what I did. The only


    thing I can do now is to make up for my past by preventing my daughter from making the same


    mistake.¡±


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s trying to spin things around. I bet Mom wanted a divorce because she had seen


    through all his lies,¡¯ Ste thought.


    As the conversation progressed, Sophia walked over arm in arm with a man. ¡°Dad, what are you doing


    here? The ceremony is about to begin. Mom is waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush,¡± said Albert, calling the two over and introducing them to the others. ¡°Keegan,


    this is Ethan Shaw. He is Sophia¡¯s boyfriend and one of the founders of Celestial Media.¡± He then


    turned to the man next to Sophia and said, ¡°Ethan, this is Keegan Kane, the CEO of Vinci Rivera.¡¯

 Chapter 1186

    Chapter 1186


    Ste nced at the young man named Ethan, thinking it was impossible that he was Spencer¡¯s


    cousin. ¡®He looks rather average. His eyes are small, and his forehead is huge. He¡¯s not really short,


    but his proportions are not that great, either. Moreover, he slouches when he stands, which makes him


    look even more unattractive,¡¯ she thought.


    Perhaps sensing Ste¡¯s gaze, Ethan looked over at her. She immediately averted her eyes.


    Albert was so eager to introduce Ethan to Keegan that it seemed like he genuinely liked the man.


    Keegan shook Ethan¡¯s hand nonchntly and kept his eyes on Ste.


    Seeing this, Albert became even more convinced that Keegan still had feelings for her. ¡®I must find a


    way to get them back together. That way, I can continue funding my business.1


    With that in mind, he turned around and whispered to Ste, ¡°I will publicly announce the adoption after


    the wedding ceremony. The Jewell family will always have your back from then on, Ste.¡±


    Ste looked down and said, ¡°I think you should discuss this with Hylda. It¡¯s her big day. An


    announcement like that would ruin the asion.¡±


    ¡®Hylda would never agree to this. She¡¯s so short-sighted; she never sees the bigger picture,¡¯ thought


    Albert. ¡°Yeah, okay. Sure,¡± he said to Ste. After that, he turned around and told Sophia to entertain


    the guests while he checked up on Hylda.


    ¡® Alright, Dad,¡± Sophia replied as Albert left the scene.


    Sophia noticed that Keegan was still looking at Ste and could not help but feel irritated. She had


    mixed feelings about him; she admired, feared, and liked him all at once. At the same time, Sophia held


    a grudge against Keegan for dismissing her at the press conference. Although she had no proof as to


    who caused the incident, she believed that Ste was behind it.


    Sophia was overjoyed when she heard that Keegan and Ste got divorced, but¡­ ¡®What the hell is


    going on? Why are Keegan¡¯s eyes glued to that bitch?¡¯ she thought as she stepped forward between


    Ste and Keegan.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, there are freshly grilled steaks over there. Allow me to take you to grab some.¡± Sophia tried


    to take Keegan¡¯s arm, but he avoided her touch and coldly replied, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡¯


    His action left her dumbfounded.


    Vermont nced at Sophia and then at her boyfriend, Ethan. He noticed Ethan¡¯s eyes darting toward


    Ste from time to time. ¡®Interesting¡­¡¯ He approached the couple and said, ¡®Ms. Jewell, Mr. Shaw. I


    haven¡¯t eaten much today. How about you take me to the steaks?¡±


    Sophia did not have a good impression of Vermont because he always seemed like he was plotting


    something, making her ufortable. However, Sophia had no choice but to reluctantly agree to his


    suggestion.


    Felicity could hear Vermont chatting up a storm as the three of them walked away. ¡°So, how did you


    two meet?¡± he asked.


    Felicity was furious. ¡°Can¡¯t that Stinky Cucumber get his own steaks? Why did he have to ask that


    annoying ass girl to take him to the grill station? Also, her boyfriend looks hideous. I can¡¯t imagine why


    she would date him, let alone kiss him.¡±


    ¡°Because he¡¯s wealthy, of course,¡± Ste replied.


    Keegan¡¯s eyelids twitched when he heard that. ¡°Money can buy kisses?¡± he asked.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Ste paused and quickly rified, ¡®That only applies to Sophia. I prioritize looks.¡± She then teased


    Keegan, saying, ¡°I would kiss any guy who had your looks, though.¡±


    Keegan felt slightlyforted by her calling him handsome. But he was also a little weirded out by the


    thought of Ste kissing every man who looked like him. He was about to say something when he


    heard Felicity say, ¡°So does that mean you kissed Spencer Graham?¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words, while Keegan was confused. He slowly turned his head to look at Felicity


    and asked, ¡°What did you just say?¡±

 Chapter 1187

    Chapter 1187


    Chapter 1187


    Felicity immediately covered her mouth and whispered, ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡±


    ¡°You said that Ste kissed Spencer before,¡± Keegan said in a deep voice.


    Then, Felicity said awkwardly, ¡°You must have misheard.¡±


    After that, she abandoned her best friend without a second thought and said, ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m hungry. Let


    me check if there¡¯s any steak left.¡± Then, she hurriedly left.


    Ste was stunned, ¡®I knew I shouldn¡¯t have trusted her big mouth!¡¯


    Keegan turned around and looked at Ste with a stern face. ¡°Please exin.¡±


    Ste swallowed and said softly, ¡°Can I do thatter? We still have a show to put on.¡±


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Keegan kept quiet, and his expression remained serious. Ste saw that and realized that she had to


    exin right away. So, she cleared her throat and said, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. It¡¯s just that, the guy,


    Spencer¡­ he was my first love.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression immediately darkened. He gritted his teeth and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t


    know him earlier?¡±


    Ste replied softly, ¡°I just didn¡¯t want you to get angry.¡±


    ¡°Why did you hide it from me if you knew I¡¯d be angry?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to do that.¡± Ste gently held his hand. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see him here today, and I just


    didn¡¯t know how to tell you about it. You know how jealous you could be, too, right? Our n would be


    in vain if you got upset and stopped acting with me.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face still looked very sour.


    Ste softened her tone. ¡°Keegan Kane? Keegan? Mr. Kane?¡±


    Keegan remained silent.


    Then, Ste gathered her courage, clenched her teeth, and said, ¡°Babe, please don¡¯t be mad at me


    anymore. You can punish me however you like when we get hometer, okay? It hurts me to see you


    angry like this.¡±


    Suddenly, Keegan¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    He lowered his head and saw Ste looking at him pitifully as he thought to himself. ¡®Sknows just how


    to handle me.¡¯


    Keegan really wanted to take a stand and be mad at her, but he just did not have the heart to. He


    swept his gaze across her and asked in a deep voice, ¡°When did you date him?¡±


    Ste answered truthfully, ¡°During the second semester of my senior year.¡±


    Keegan frowned as his fatherly temper exploded, ¡°How could you have the time to date when you had


    the college entrance examing up?¡±


    Ste replied softly, ¡°I was worried it would affect my studies too. That was why I broke up with him


    after two weeks.¡±


    Keegan reluctantly epted that exnation before he continued, ¡°How did it start? Did you or him


    make the first move?¡±


    Ste pursed her lips. ¡°Can we talk about this when we get hometer?¡±


    Keegan red at her, ¡°It was you!¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    She licked her lips and said, ¡°We were in the same ss back then, and we sat next to each other. He


    always couldn¡¯t remember what the teacher told us and would often borrow my notes. After some time,


    I felt he was nice and asked him if he wanted to date me. Unexpectedly, he said yes. I wasn¡¯t expecting


    it to be so easy at all.¡±


    Keegan scoffed. ¡°It was mainly because he looks good, right?¡±


    His response left Ste speechless.


    Keegan was not convinced by what Ste said. He was not doubting Ste but rather the excuse


    Spencer used to approach her.


    He had heard about this son of Penn Graham studying at a prestigious institution abroad that was not


    easy to get into. Besides being exceptionally good at studying, one also had to be talented at


    something to be selected.


    So, he did not believe Spencer would have trouble understanding what their teacher taught them and


    even needed to borrow Ste¡¯s notes.

 Chapter 1188

    Chapter 1188


    Chapter 1188


    ¡®What a cunning man!¡¯


    Ste had no idea what Keegan was thinking about as she said softly, ¡® We were just kids back then.


    How would we know anything about love?¡±


    Keegan nced at her, and she quickly added, ¡°To me, you¡¯re the most handsome man other than my


    brother.¡±


    Keegan was at a loss for words. ¡®Whatever. I don¡¯t mind losing to Trevor.¡¯


    ¡°Why did you break up?¡±


    ¡°He was going aboard, and I didn¡¯t have confidence in a long-distance rtionship,¡± Ste answered.


    ¡°Is that it?¡± Keegan was doubtful.


    Ste continued truthfully, ¡°His father met me and said some things that made me very ufortable.¡±


    Keegan immediately understood what happened.


    Penn Graham was a person who took social status very seriously. He probably said something harsh to


    Ste after learning about her family background.


    They were just a young couple who had just started dating each other without deep feelings. Also,


    Rainee treated Ste like a treasure at that time. There was no way Ste wouldpromise herself


    for such a rtionship.


    Keegan thought about it and realized he had met Ste at the perfect time. If he were to meet her when


    Rainee was in good health, he figured he might not be able to win her over with how arrogant and


    conceited he was. Keegan smirked with that in mind. ¡°What a difficult rtionship you had.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Ste knew that Keegan was simply gloating. Then, she snorted softly,¡± You wouldn¡¯t be here if it


    wasn¡¯t difficult.¡±


    Suddenly, Keegan remembered Felicity¡¯s question and asked, ¡°How far did you guys go? Did you


    kiss?¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    Then, she shifted the topic. ¡°The ceremony¡¯s about to start.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression turned gloomy. ¡°Was he your first kiss?¡±


    Ste felt a headacheing on. ¡°What could high school students like us do? We only kissed each


    other¡¯s cheeks. Is that considered a first kiss?¡±


    Keegan smoked with anger. ¡®I knew I shouldn¡¯t have asked! I¡¯m even more bothered now!¡¯


    Ste could not help but find it amusing after seeing how angry Keegan got because of her.


    ¡°Keegan, you¡¯re such a fool. I didn¡¯t choose to be with him eight years ago; what makes you think that


    I¡¯d still have feelings for him after so long? Your mother offered me money to leave you back then, but I


    didn¡¯t take it. However, if his father did the same thing, I¡¯d take the money without a doubt.¡±


    Keegan paused. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t leave you,¡± Ste said.


    Keegan asked, ¡°Did you say my mother offered you money?¡±


    Ste sighed. ¡°It was a long time ago. We just got married that time, and your mother offered me five


    million to divorce you.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression darkened. He would bepletely unaware of this if Ste did not mention it.


    If he had known earlier, he would surely suspect something was wrong with Dahlia¡¯s ¡°secret method to


    conceive¡±, and Ste would never have had to suffer the way she did.


    Keegan suppressed his difort and said, ¡°Were you not tempted by the five million?¡±


    ¡°To be honest, a little.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyelid twitched. He was about to say something, but he heard Ste continuing, ¡°However, I


    hadn¡¯t slept with you at that time. That was why I didn¡¯t take it.¡±


    Keegan was speechless. Just a few words from Ste had eased his jealousy. He extended his finger


    and hooked Ste¡¯s hand gently. ¡¯Let¡¯s talk about itter.¡¯


    Meanwhile, Hylda was getting her makeup done in the dressing room. Her tummy was getting bigger,


    so she decided to wear a flowy maxi dress instead of a wedding dress.


    The makeup artistplimented her while styling her hair, ¡°Mrs. Jewell, out of all the brides I¡¯ve done


    makeup for, you have the best skin.¡±


    The makeup artist figured she could receive more tips from the client by saying ttering words on a


    joyous asion like this.


    However, Hylda was not having that at all. Instead, she was a little annoyed. ¡°You can leave if you¡¯re


    done. I want some time alone.¡±


    The makeup artist¡¯s mouth twitched as she cursed inwardly. ¡®What a stingy woman.¡¯ Then, she left with


    a sulky face.


    After that, Hylda immediately made a phone call. ¡°How is it going? Is it done?¡±

 Chapter 1189

    Chapter 1189


    Chapter 1189


    The person on the other end of the phone said something before Hylda replied worriedly, ¡® Did they


    suspect anything.¡±


    ¡°No, they didn¡¯t.¡¯


    Hylda pinched her brows and said softly, ¡°Thank you for your help. I can finally be at ease after this is


    done.¡±


    The door of the dressing room was forcefully pushed open as she spoke. Hylda was startled as she


    hurriedly hung up the phone.


    Turning around, she saw Sophia and was immediately relieved. Then, she scolded, ¡¯Don¡¯t you know


    how to knock? You¡¯re the heiress of the Jewell family now. Behave yourself, and don¡¯t make people


    think that you¡¯re uncultured and embarrass yourself.¡±


    Sophia¡¯s face was angry when she said in a hateful tone, ¡°That bitch Ste is here!¡±


    Hylda paused and frowned. ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°My dad invited her. You should see how he talked to her just now. He treated her as if she was his own


    daughter. Why would he want her here on such an auspicious day? I hate her!¡±


    However, Hylda immediately put her guard up. She said in a deep voice,¡± Who did shee with?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s alone, I guess.¡± Sophia thought for a moment before answering.


    Indeed, Ste did arrive alone earlier. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that she¡¯s still acting and dressing like a rich


    person after everything that had happened.¡±


    Sophia¡¯s stupidity was driving Hylda mad. ¡°Who asked you about that? I was asking if Keegan was with


    her.¡± Hylda spoke with a frown.


    Sophia pouted. ¡°Keegan dide, but not with her.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Hylda was doubtful. ¡°Are you sure?¡¯


    ¡°Of course. Mom, you haven¡¯t seen the look on Ste¡¯s face. She doesn¡¯t even give Keegan a proper


    look. However, I have no idea what spell she cast on Keegan. He just couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her.¡±


    Hylda thought about the strange things Albert did back then and suddenly understood what was


    happening.


    She figured Albert probably believed there was a chance for Ste and Keegan to reconcile, so he


    wanted to use this opportunity to win Ste over. In that way, he could leverage the Kane family¡¯s name


    to gain more business opportunities, just like he did in the past.


    ¡®What a fool! Does he really think Ste would be satisfied with the small benefits he offered her? She


    insisted on suing him in court even though she had nothing left after the divorce. Can¡¯t he tell how


    much she hates him?¡¯ Hylda thought to herself.


    Although there was no evidence to prove that the supernatural incidents in the house were fake, as an


    atheist herself, Hylda firmly believed that it must have something to do with Ste. She just had not


    found anything to prove it yet.


    Ste had already be suspicious about the car ident that happened in the past, and Hylda


    couldn¡¯t understand why Albert would be so foolish to keep such a huge threat so close to him.


    She could not help but wonder if Albert thought money was more important than his life.


    They had already earned enough money to sustain them for several lifetimes, yet Hylda just could not


    figure out why Albert was so insatiable.


    ¡°I know Ste is cunning. I¡¯m sure she did something to make Mr. Kane so obsessed with her. She¡¯s


    probably faking a pregnancy!¡±


    Hylda was irritated by what Sophia said as she replied with a stern face,¡± She can¡¯t get pregnant


    anyway. That¡¯s not possible.¡±


    Sophia paused. ¡°Mom, what did you say?¡±


    Hylda pursed her lips. ¡°I was just saying that she would¡¯ve done this long ago if that¡¯s really the case.


    Keegan is not stupid.¡± Then, she shifted the topic, ¡°Where¡¯s your father? Tell him toe inside. I have


    something to ask him.¡±


    *


    After a while, Vermont came back with the steaks.


    Felicity followed behind him as she muttered under her breath, ¡°There are so many people running a


    multi-channelpany, yet why do you have to work with someone like him? Not only that he looks


    sleazy, but he¡¯s also Sophia¡¯s boyfriend. You could partner with anyone else with the money you have.


    Why did you choose them?¡±

 Chapter 1190

    Chapter 1190


    Chapter 1190


    Vermont grabbed a cherry tomato and stuffed it into her mouth, which would not stop talking. ¡°You don¡¯t


    understand. This is called spying. How can we fight without knowing our enemies well?¡±


    Felicity swallowed the cherry tomato. Then, she snorted, ¡°You¡¯re just jealous of how much a multi-


    channelpany can make. That¡¯s why you want to learn from them and get a piece of the pie, right?¡¯


    Vermont smiled and pinched her face. ¡°Oh, tiny brain. How did you be so clever today?¡±


    Felicity swatted his hand away. ¡°I know you well enough. You just can¡¯t resist money.¡±


    Vermont scoffed. ¡°That sounds more like your bestie, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Felicity kicked his calf. ¡°Ste loves money, but she¡¯d never betray her friends for it. Unlike you, how


    many times have you betrayed Keegan?¡¯


    Vermont tried to defend himself. ¡°He wants to learn from the master. Isn¡¯t it reasonable for him to pay


    some tuition fee?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to learn from a person full of scheming ideas like you?¡±


    Vermont smirked. ¡°Any ideas are good as long as they work.¡± He then put a sliced steak on Felicity¡¯s


    te before adding, ¡°Why are you here instead of staying with your bestie to protect her? Do you miss


    me this much?¡±


    Felicity paused as she was caught off guard.


    Vermont thought he was right about it as he immediately raised his eyebrows and said in a deep voice,


    ¡°It seems being apart from me even for a while is driving you crazy, huh?¡±


    Felicity rolled her eyes at him. ¡®Dream on!¡¯ She hesitated for a moment before continuing, ¡°I¡¯m afraid


    that Ste will beat me up.¡±


    ¡°Why would she do that?¡¯


    Vermont was puzzled and only found out what happened after asking Felicity about it.


    ¡°You know me. I can never control my mouth. I¡¯m sure that Keegan is confronting Ste about it now.


    After that, Ste wille to confront me about it.¡±


    Felicity smacked her mouth as she spoke.


    Vermont immediately grabbed her hand. ¡¯It¡¯s better to say it now if Keegan will know about it sooner or


    later. If he were to find out about it on his own, something worse would happen, and all of us who know


    the trouble will also be in trouble.¡±


    Felicity still felt very guilty but also somewhatforted. ¡°Really?¡± she asked softly.


    Vermont wrapped his arm around her shoulders and replied with a smile,¡± There¡¯s nothing to be afraid


    of. I¡¯ll always back you up no matter what.¡¯


    Felicity finally felt a little at ease. She turned to Vermont as she felt a strange sensation building up


    inside her. ¡°Vermont.¡± She called him softly.


    Vermont was tickled by her voice, but he pretended to be calm. He lowered his gaze and asked, ¡°What


    is it? Do you think I¡¯m very hot?¡±


    Felicity chuckled. ¡°How about you be my super-close buddy? What do you think?¡±


    Vermont was dumbfounded. It seemed like he was still in her friendzone despite all his efforts to look


    like boyfriend material.


    He figured there was probably something wrong with his way of pursuing Felicity, which was why she


    did not have any romantic feelings toward him. Felicity nudged him with her elbow. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m asking you


    a question.¡±


    Vermont snapped out of his thoughts and nced at her. Suddenly, he reached out to pinch her chin


    and said with a smirk, ¡°Miss Bandit, do you know what you¡¯re talking about?¡¯


    Felicity paused and was confused.


    Vermont leaned closer to her ear and whispered, ¡°For straight guys like me, super-close buddy


    means¡­ fuck buddy.¡±


    Felicity widened her gaze in shock as her ears turned red. She immediately shoved Vermont away.


    Vermont¡¯s smirk turned even more mischievous. ¡°This is why you don¡¯t want to say things like that to a


    guy. He might interpret it in apletely different way.¡±

 Chapter 1191

    Chapter 1191


    Chapter 1191


    Felicity covered her ears as her face turned red. She stammered, ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant! I wasn¡¯t


    thinking about anything like that at all. I just think that you¡¯re a good person, and I want to be your


    buddy.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s smile faded a little. ¡°Don¡¯t go telling anyone else about this. You¡¯re my girlfriend now.¡±


    Felicity paused and felt like his tone did not sound quite right when he said that as if he was angry.


    Then, she asked softly, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s just that my wound is hurting.¡±


    Felicity was taken aback again. ¡°Why is it hurting again?


    Didn¡¯t you say it was almost healed when we returned to my hometown?¡±


    Vermont was still mad about her calling him a buddy, so he replied without holding back, ¡°Yeah, it was.


    But your precious Richie chased me up a tree, and I fell. Now even my whole back is hurting.¡±


    Felicity became worried and said softly, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything earlier? Does it hurt a lot? Is it


    serious?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s mood improved after seeing how concerned and anxious she was. He suddenly hugged her


    and said, ¡°Let me lean on you for a while. It hurts to stand.¡±


    Felicity wanted to push him away but changed her mind after hearing what he said. She stood there


    obediently without resisting. She even ced her hand around his waist and asked, ¡°Is it hurting here?¡±


    Vermont closed his eyes and savored the scent of her hair.¡± Mmm,¡± he murmured.


    Felicity felt tickled by his breath, and she could not help but squirm her shoulder a little. Vermont


    thought she was trying to escape, so he held her tighter. Felicity¡¯s entire face was pressed against his


    chest, and she could hear his heart¡¯s steady and powerful thumping.


    It sounded a little fast.


    Suddenly, Vermont let go and gazed at her. Felicity pursed her lips and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Why is your heart pounding so loudly?¡± he asked.


    Felicity froze.


    She immediately put her hand on her chest before realizing how awkward it made her look. Then, she


    gritted her teeth and said, ¡°It was your own heartbeat!¡±


    Vermont leaned closer to her, and she subconsciously stepped back, almost bumping into a waiter


    passing by. Fortunately, Vermont pulled her back into his embrace.


    ¡°It was yours.¡±


    Vermont wrapped his arm around her waist and said in a serious tone. ¡°I could hear it by just standing


    beside you.


    Why are you so nervous?¡±


    ¡°I-I-I-L. I¡¯m not!¡± Felicity pushed him away. ¡°This is ridiculous! If


    Vermont looked at her from head to toe. ¡°Why is your heart beating so fast if you¡¯re not nervous then?¡±


    Felicity curled her fingers, looking very ufortable.


    Vermont lifted the edge of his mouth. ¡°You¡¯re feeling nervous because I hugged you, right? You¡¯ve


    never been hugged by a hug like this before, have you?¡±


    Felicity¡¯s face turned extremely red as she said in annoyance, ¡°Nonsense! Countless guys have


    hugged me. It¡¯s just my arrhythmia. I¡¯m not nervous! Not at all!¡±


    With that, she pushed Vermont away and hurriedly fled the scene. He stood there and watched her


    walk away as a faint smile appeared on his face.


    ¡®So, she¡¯s afraid of physical contact¡­¡¯


    The wedding ceremony officially began at eight o¡¯clock in the evening.


    Although it was Albert¡¯s second marriage, he made sure that the setup was grand and magnificent for


    his current wife, who used to be his mistress.

 Chapter 1192

    Chapter 1192


    Chapter 1192


    The wedding was prepared by the best wedding nner in Rivera. Ste walked through the venue


    and noticed it was decorated with real flowers. The door gifts were even made of expensive preserved


    flowers.


    Although not all the guests there were genuinely happy for the couple, the luxurious setup could not


    help but evoke envy among some of them.


    ¡°Albert is really generous. This wedding has got to cost at least seven figures, right?¡±


    ¡°Probably more than that. I heard that Hylda¡¯s wedding ring alone is nearly a million.¡±


    ¡°How could a mistress act so audaciously? Has she no shame?¡±


    ¡°Sigh. Money is the only thing people care about nowadays. Shame is nothing for people who don¡¯t


    care about their reputation.¡±


    ¡°Poor Rainee. She worked so hard her whole life. In the end, everything went to someone else.¡±


    ¡°Rainee had an affair too. There¡¯s really no right or wrong in this rtionship.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? Although Rainee could be assertive, she treated Albert with all her heart. When Albert


    was just starting his business, she went to beg for her grandparents¡¯


    help despite being pregnant. I don¡¯t think she¡¯d have an affair after doing so many things for Albert.


    Instead, it¡¯s more likely that Albert intentionally set her up to justify what he did.¡±


    ¡°I think so too. I heard they didn¡¯t even have a proper wedding ceremony when Rainee married Albert


    because he was too broke. However, Rainee¡¯s family was kind of rich. Her father didn¡¯t approve of their


    rtionship, so they never had a wedding ceremony. Rainee used to talk about having a recement


    wedding ceremony, but now that Albert finally did it, he did it for another woman. What a shame.¡±


    ¡°But the paternity test showed that Ste and Albert are not biologically rted.¡±


    ¡°It could be fake.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. Someone¡¯sing.¡±


    Ste listened to their conversation quietly from afar before she suddenly turned to Keegan and said,


    ¡°You can tell how much a man values his partner by the way he handles a wedding. My mom was too


    naive.¡±


    Keegan kept quiet. He felt like she was indirectly criticizing him. He cleared his throat and said lowly,


    ¡°We¡¯ll do it however you want when we remarry.¡±


    His words took Ste aback as she had no n of doing that at all.


    As the wedding march sounded, Hylda slowly entered the venue with Ian¡¯s support. Hylda was only in


    her forties but looked about ten years younger with the makeup on.


    Her foxy eyes and high cheekbones exuded a piercing aura. After years of livingfortably without


    having to worry about anything, she was no longer the same timid person when she once was when


    Rainee financially supported her. Her elegant movements seemed to tell everyone she was destined


    for a life like this.


    Ste closed her eyes, and her mind was filled with images of Rainee lying in a pool of blood and how


    haggard she looked on the sick bed.


    ¡®I know that this world is never fair, but that doesn¡¯t mean that a low life like her can live without facing


    the consequences of what she did.¡¯ Ste thought to herself.


    Ian ced Hylda¡¯s hand in Albert¡¯s palm. Then, Albert held her hand and walked up the steps.


    Under the witness of the marriage officiant, the couple exchanged vows of eternal love before taking


    the microphone over to thank the guests foring.


    Ste lifted her ss and took a sip as she gazed at Hylda through the crowd from a distance.


    The smile on Hylda¡¯s face immediately froze when she saw Ste. She widened her gaze in fear as


    she stared at Ste.


    ¡®A dark green dress, curly hair, and bold lipstick¡­ This¡­ this is¡­¡¯


    ¡°Move aside! Let me through!¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Suddenly, an argument erupted not far away amidst the joyous asion, causing everyone to shift


    their attention to the source of themotion.

 Chapter 1193

    Chapter 1193


    Chapter 1193


    Ste also turned her head and saw a disheveled man being held back by the security guards not far


    away.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    That man shouted, ¡°The bride is my sister. Let me in!¡±


    All the guests were shocked as they wondered to themselves. ¡®Isn¡¯t Hylda an orphan with only one


    younger brother? Who is this man iming to be her brother?¡¯


    Hylda frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know this person.¡±


    After hearing that, the disheveled man immediately said,¡± Sis, I¡¯m Ian. I¡¯ve been looking for you for so


    long. You used to take me up the hills to pick wild berries when we were kids. I have a birthmark on my


    arm, and you always teased me, saying I got it from being naughty in Mom¡¯s belly. Sis, do you still


    remember?¡±


    Hylda paused, and her face suddenly turned extremely pale. The ¡°Ian¡± who helped her get on the stage


    looked a little nervous too.


    However, Hylda recollected herself very quickly and said while gritting her teeth, ¡°I have no idea where


    this beggar is from. I¡¯m not your sister. My brother, Ian, hase back home a longtime ago. What are


    you doing here pretending to be someone else?¡±


    The disheveled man was taken aback and suddenly became agitated. ¡°He¡¯s the fake one! I¡¯m the real


    Ian White! I did something wrong and was in jail for a little while when you


    posted the missing person notice. I just got out recently. Sis, we can do a DNA test if you don¡¯t believe


    me. This person is impersonating me!¡±


    Hylda got so nervous that her fingers started trembling as she clenched her fists tightly and said


    deeply, ¡°You don¡¯t even look like a healthy man. Why don¡¯t you get a proper job instead ofing here


    to scam us?¡±


    ¡°Sis, I¡¯m really Ian!¡±


    The man was worked up as he pulled up his sleeve to reveal his birthmark. ¡°Look, my birthmark is still


    here!¡±


    Hylda did not want to look at all. She lookedposed, but her heart was already in her mouth.


    ¡®Ian¡­ The real Ian White. How did he get here?¡¯


    Hylda thought of Ste immediately as she shifted her gaze to her. However, Ste looked just as


    confused as she observed that man.


    ¡®It¡¯s not her. Who could it be then?¡¯


    Hylda was panicking but tried her best to calm herself down anyway. Then, she whispered to Albert,


    ¡°This man probably heard about Ian¡¯s story somewhere and came to cause trouble. Just give him some


    money and send him away. It¡¯s my big day today, and I don¡¯t want him to ruin it.¡±


    Albert was a little suspicious.


    Hylda was the one who suggested searching for Ian back then. She imed that her parents were


    getting old and that they wanted to see their long-lost child before passing away.


    Albert helped distribute the missing person¡¯s notice, thinking there was no chance of finding Ian.


    However, they received good news within just two months.


    They did not take down the notice after Ian returned, and several other people imed to be him over


    the next few months. However, nobody came forward to do that anymore after the notice had been


    retracted, so Albert found it very strange.


    Despite the doubts, Albert figured it was inappropriate to have someone causing a scene on such an


    asion, so he immediately had his assistant handle it.


    The disheveled man continued to prove his identity, but there were simply too many security guards.


    So, he was eventually ¡°asked¡± to leave the venue.


    The farce then came to a temporary end.


    Ste shifted her gaze to Keegan and asked, ¡°Is it you?¡±


    Keegan lifted his brows. ¡°A wedding gift,¡± he answered.


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you talk to me about it first? This is going to raise a lot of suspicion!¡±


    Keegan replied tly, ¡°The best way to take revenge is not to deliver a fatal blow but to torment the


    person psychologically, over and over again.¡±


    Ste could not agree more, considering that she had done that herself.


    However, she said something different from what she was thinking anyway. ¡°You¡¯re such an evil


    person. What if I want to break up after spending more time together and find you unsuitable for me?


    You won¡¯t hold a grudge against me and do something simr, would you?¡±


    Keegan nced at her. ¡°No, I will not.¡±


    Ste was about to praise him, but she heard him continuing slowly, ¡°I¡¯ll probably just tie you on the bed


    and drain you every night and day.¡±


    His words took Ste aback. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being a normal person?¡±


    Keegan chuckled. Then, he leaned into her ear and whispered, ¡°Aren¡¯t you a fan of novels about


    captivity? I¡¯ll give you a first-hand experience then.¡±

 Chapter 1194

    Chapter 1194


    Chapter 1194


    Ste kept quiet.


    Tve got to change my iPad password!¡¯


    After that, Ste got back to the main point, ¡°Is that person you found the real Ian or just another fake


    one?¡±


    Keegan asked her back, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°A fake one,¡± Ste said.


    Ste figured that if finding someone who had been missing for over thirty years was so easy, then the


    parents of those abducted children would not have searched fortheir children for so many years without


    making any progress.


    Even the police could not do anything about it. Ste thought that although Keegan had a lot of


    connections, he still would not be capable of doing that.


    ¡°Can we trust that person?¡±


    ¡°We can trust money,¡± Keegan replied slowly.


    Ste gave him a thumbs-up. ¡°Bravo, Mr. Kane.¡±


    Ste thought for a moment before asking again, ¡°Did you train him well? He¡¯s not going to sell you out,


    right?¡±


    Keegan answered, ¡°Aldor talked to the people from their hometown and conducted a detailed


    investigation about Ian¡¯s physical features and how he went missing. He also learned some things from


    his childhood, so we now know plenty about Ian.¡±


    However, it would not matter, even if they knew little about him. Hylda was already so frightened when


    she saw the ¡°real ¡± Ian earlier that she could not bother checking if he was fake.


    ¡°What if Hylda wants to do a DNA test with him?¡±


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯d dare to?¡± Keegan asked.


    Ste put herself in Hylda¡¯s shoes and realized that she would not dare. Her n would bepletely


    ruined if the DNA test showed that he was the real Ian. However, she could always refuse to conduct


    the DNA test by insisting that he was just a fake.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Keegan¡¯s idea was brilliant, and Ste could not believe that she did not think of it earlier. She was


    about to say something more, but a ss of mango juice was handed to her.


    Ste took it without looking and said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Then, she took a sip of it. Suddenly, she heard Spencer say,¡± You¡¯re wee.¡±


    Ste was stunned. She felt conflicted with the gulp of mango juice in her mouth, not knowing whether


    to swallow or spit it out.


    Spencer then handed Keegan another ss of it and asked,¡± Mr. Kane, what about you?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face looked extremely cold.


    ¡°He¡¯s allergic to mangoes,¡± Ste said.


    Spencer paused and apologized in a low voice. Then, he took a ss of wine and said, ¡°Wine should


    be fine, right?¡±


    Keegan nced at him without taking it.


    Ste¡¯s scalp tingled. She was about to find another excuse for Keegan, but she heard Spencer


    speaking again. ¡°Mr.


    Kane, are you not good with alcohol?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyelid twitched as he replied in a deep voice, ¡°I just don¡¯t like it, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Spencer smiled. ¡°That¡¯s a shame.¡± Then, he said to Ste,¡± You used to say that you like guys who can


    drink. I always thought that you¡¯d find someone who could drink as much as you.¡±


    Ste was stunned. She had not even spoken yet but saw Keegan taking the ss of red wine over


    and downing it.


    ¡®Spencer hasn¡¯t changed one bit! He still likes to provoke other people! And Keegan can never keep


    himself calm in a situation like this!¡¯


    Ste¡¯s expression turned gloomy as she said, ¡°I can choose to be with whoever I want. What does that


    have to do with you?¡±


    Spencer did not get upset. ¡°I¡¯m just catching up with you as an old ssmate. There¡¯s no need to get


    mad,¡± he said with a smile.

 Chapter 1195

    Chapter 1195


    Chapter 1195


    Ste pursed her lips and ced the ss of mango juice on the table.


    Spencer swirled the ss of red wine in his hand and suddenly said, ¡°On the night of our high school¡¯s


    farewell banquet, I asked someone to pass you a message to meet at our usual spot. Why didn¡¯t you


    come?¡±


    ¡®Usual spot¡­¡¯


    Keegan¡¯s grip on the wine ss tightened as he shot Ste a cold nce.


    Ste kept quiet. She knew that it was a tricky question.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°There¡¯s no why. I just didn¡¯t want to go. I¡¯ve told you everything I needed to tell you, and there was no


    point for us to pester each other anymore.¡±


    Spencer lowered his gaze. ¡°I waited for you the whole day that day.¡±


    Before Ste could say anything, Keegan interrupted coldly,¡± You should¡¯ve known what would happen


    that night. Who are you trying to me now?¡±


    ¡®How dare he act pitiful here. I knew her ex-boyfriend isn¡¯t someone decent!¡¯


    Spencer was speechless.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, this is just between me and Ste,¡± Spencer said, implying that Keegan should not get


    himself involved.


    However, Keegan did not seem to get it as he continued to speak. ¡°Didn¡¯t Ste tell you that she¡¯s


    signed with mypany? Not only that I have the right to interfere with her affair, but I can also get rid


    of anyone who might cause rumors around her.¡±


    Spencer frowned. ¡°Isn¡¯t she with Elegant Media? Mr. Kane, I don¡¯t remember you owning Elegant


    Media.¡±


    Keegan swept his gaze across him. ¡°The good thing about running a conglomerate is having a stake in


    various industries. Mr. Graham, do you not know I also have shares in the movie theater operated by


    your family?¡±


    In other words, Keegan was telling Spencer that he was simply rich.


    Ste tried to hold back herughter.


    Showing off was not something that Keegan would normally do; that was usually her doing.


    He was born and raised in a prestigious family, so he always had a different perspective on money.


    From his habit of spending money on herself, his mother, and his sister without blinking an eye, Ste


    could tell that he was the type of person who did not love money and had absolutely no interest in it


    either.


    He never desired topare his wealth with other people, and he rather focused on his capability and


    mental strength.


    This was Ste¡¯s first time seeing him unting his wealth to other people, and it was out of jealousy.


    However, she knew very well that the only reason why Keegan did not im to be her boyfriend was


    because he had a mission to carry out. Otherwise, with how possessive he was, he would not need to


    unt his wealth like that.


    Keegan only restrained himself to ensure her n could go well. A man who could set his priorities


    right like him was simply irresistible.


    Spencer was clearly taken aback by what Keegan said.


    However, he quickly recovered from it and chuckled softly.¡± We¡¯re just two friends chatting. There¡¯s no


    need to get so nervous, Mr. Kane.¡±


    Keegan swept his gaze across him without saying anything.


    Spencer then shifted his gaze to Ste. ¡°There¡¯s a ss reunion in a few days. Do you want to join us?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t have the time to,¡± Ste replied coldly.


    Spencer smiled, unclear whether it was out of anger or not. He turned around and was about to walk


    away but suddenly stopped. Then, he turned back to Ste and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be staying in Rivera from now


    on. You¡¯re going to fulfill your promise now, right?¡±

 Chapter 1196

    Chapter 1196


    Chapter 1196


    Ste and Keegan were both shocked!


    Spencer¡¯s mood immediately brightened after seeing the surprised look on Ste¡¯s face. Then, he said


    flirtatiously before leaving the venue, Til wait for you.¡±


    He was only here to show face on behalf of his family. Now that the ceremony was over, there was no


    reason for him to stay there anymore.


    However, the words that he left before walkingpletely triggered Keegan.


    Keegan clenched his teeth and said as soon as Spencer left, ¡°What did you promise him?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no promise at all. Don¡¯t listen to that guy¡¯s nonsense!¡±


    Ste cursed at Spencer inwardly and figured that he must be holding a grudge against her because


    she dumped him back then. That was why he fabricated the promise to provoke Keegan after getting


    embarrassed by him.


    Spencer had always been a person like this since high school.


    There was a very prettydy in school who liked him and confessed to him. However, he said


    something and made her cry instead. The next day, thedy¡¯s admirer came looking for him to settle


    the score.


    Ste saw how Spencer brainwashed thatdy¡¯s admirer with her own eyes.


    ¡°Is she your girlfriend?


    ¡°Why did shee crying to you if she¡¯s not?


    ¡°You¡¯re doing what her boyfriend should be doing, yet you¡¯re not one. So, what can you get from


    picking a fight with me? Is she going to date you then?¡±


    ¡°Why would you want to fight me if you won¡¯t? If you win this fight, you¡¯ll be expelled, and if you lose,


    she¡¯s going to think that you¡¯re useless.¡±


    ¡°How about this? Go back to her now and tell her that you broke my leg. Watch how she¡¯s going to


    react to that. If she¡¯s worried about you, then it means you have a ce in her heart. After that, you can


    come back and fight me for real. At that point, you¡¯ll have nothing to lose.¡±


    And that admirer really believed Spencer and did exactly as he say. However, thatdy¡¯s first reaction


    was to scold him for resorting to violence, and immediately denied that she knew him because she was


    afraid of getting affected.


    Then, the admirer exploded in anger, and they got into a heated and melodramatic argument with each


    other on campus while the instigator watched it from a distance.


    Ste knew Spencer very well, but Keegan did not. ¡°Why would he say that if you didn¡¯t promise him


    anything? You probably just forgot. I bet you don¡¯t remember the sweet things you said to be back


    then!¡± Keegan said with a dark


    expression.


    Ste was speechless.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    The more that Keegan thought about it, the angrier he got. Marshall was already annoying enough, and


    now he had to deal with another ex-boyfriend, someone who not only knew that Ste liked mangoes


    but also aware of her past that he was not a part of. There was just no way that Keegan would not be


    bothered by this.


    After all, his identity as Ste¡¯s boyfriend was still a secret, and he was in no ce to dere Ste as


    his lover.


    Ste sighed and coaxed him softly, ¡°Have you thought about why he didn¡¯te looking for me in the


    past eight years if he really still has feelings for me? I¡¯m not a missing person, and he only went


    overseas to study. It¡¯s not like he couldn¡¯te back and find me. There are plenty of ways to see or


    contact someone. I mean you also found a way to talk to me even though I blocked you, right? You


    care about me and that¡¯s why you would do whatever it takes to approach me. But he didn¡¯t, because


    he doesn¡¯t like me that much. That¡¯s the difference between two.


    ¡°I¡¯ll always choose someone who¡¯s willing to do everything for me than someone who¡¯ll just expect me


    to go to him.


    ¡°Besides, I really didn¡¯t make any promise to him, and it wouldn¡¯t matter even if I did. You¡¯re the person


    that I like and you¡¯re the only person I want to be with.¡±


    Keegan paused and his bad mood immediately turned better. He just could not resist the way Ste


    alwaysforted him.


    However, he still could not fully get over it as heined softly, ¡°We would¡¯ve been growing up


    together if you weren¡¯t switched back then!¡±


    In that way, Ste would not have any ex-boyfriend.


    Ste could not help butugh upon hearing that.


    ¡®We probably won¡¯t even like each other if we really did grow up together.¡¯ She thought to herself.


    Keegan used to be such a mean person and she figured that she probably would not want to put


    herself through that.


    Of course, she kept that to herself. Otherwise, she would have to coax Keegan again.


    As they were talking, Ste caught a glimpse of a familiar figure in the crowd.

 Chapter 1197

    Chapter 1197


    Chapter 1197


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡®Xenia? Why is she here?¡¯ Ste checked her phone to see if she got any messages from Xenia, but


    there were none. So, she went to a more secluded area and tried to call her. However, Xenia was not


    the one who picked up the phone.


    No one spoke on the other end even though the call was connected. Ste quickly realized that


    something was wrong and changed to a different tone. ¡°Is this Ms. Xenia Garcia?¡¯


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± a slightly inaudible voice replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m a consultant from XX Loan. Are you in need of any financial loans?


    The other party was not easily fooled. ¡°Do you have any loan rmendations?¡±


    ¡®Fuck!¡¯ Ste cursed inwardly. Keegan handed his phone to her with the information he found on


    Google. Then, Ste continued, ¡°Yes, we currently have an ongoing promotion¡­¡±


    Ste read what was written on the screen and improvised. ¡°We are a legitimate personal loan service


    company that doesn¡¯t charge any hidden fees. After the loan is approved, the funds will be directly


    transferred to your personal bank ount, and the repayment will be directly deducted from the bank.


    Rest assured, your funds are secure with us. You maye down for a visit if you like. I¡¯ll send you our


    address on WhatsApp.¡¯


    There was a moment of silence on the other end. ¡°Sure,¡± the person on the other line said indifferently


    and hung up before Ste could say anything.


    Ste sighed in relief and turned to ask Keegan, ¡¯You couldn¡¯t tell that it was me, right?¡±


    ¡°Since when did you doubt your acting skills?¡¯ Keegan chuckled.


    ¡°Everything was too sudden, so I had to improvise,¡± Ste said and frowned. ¡°That sounded a little like


    Hylda, but I¡¯m not 100% sure since the person deliberately lowered their voice.¡±


    ¡°Whoever it is, I bet they won¡¯t know it¡¯s you.¡±


    That being said, Ste still broke out in a sweat. ¡®The person on the other line was being very careful.


    They didn¡¯t even say anything when they first answered the call. I would¡¯ve probably exposed myself if I


    hadn¡¯t noticed that Xenia was not holding her phone. Thank God I didn¡¯t send her a text. Otherwise, the


    person on the other line would be suspicious of her. Maybe Hylda had been skeptical all along and was


    waiting for something to happen,¡¯ she thought as she became worried about Xenia.


    Just as she was about to go after her, Keegan held her back and said, ¡°Let Vermont keep an eye on


    her. You going over there might raise suspicion.¡±


    Ste had no choice but to restrain herself and wait as Keegan contacted Vermont.


    Seeing that she furrowed her brows, Keegan whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She won¡¯t betray us. I¡¯ve already


    settled things with her family.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about that. I¡¯m afraid that something bad might happen to her,¡± said Ste.


    Xenia¡¯s future was ruined, and her family suffered because of her actions. She had immense hatred


    toward Albert as much as Ste. Hence, Ste was more worried that Hylda might hurt Xenia rather


    than being stabbed in the back by her.


    During the time Xenia faked her pregnancy, people were monitoring her house and checking her


    medical records at the hospital. It was undoubtedly Hylda¡¯s doing.


    ¡®That woman is cautious and ruthless. There¡¯s no way she can just sit still, especially since Xenia


    announced that she was pregnant with a boy. She must¡¯ve sent Xenia an invitation to their wedding,¡¯


    thought Ste. ¡®Even though Xenia is part of my revenge n, she¡¯s still known as the mistress that got


    impregnated by Albert. It¡¯s clear that Hylda invited Xenia to lure me in and counter our n.¡¯

 Chapter 1198

    Chapter 1198


    Chapter 1198


    Ste did not expect Hylda to search for clues in Xenia¡¯s phone. Fortunately forthem, Hylda could not


    find anything since Xenia did not save Ste¡¯s number and had deleted their conversations.


    Ste wondered why she would invite Xenia over to the wedding. ¡®Is she going to expose Albert for


    having a mistress? But, she¡¯s about to be Mrs. Jewell. It would be quite a p in the face if she


    did that on her wedding day. Or¡­ is she going to expose the child?¡¯


    At that time, Xenia realized that her phone was missing. ¡®I must¡¯ve left it in the cab,¡¯ she thought. She


    then started getting anxious about not being able to contact Ste. She was looking for her in the crowd


    when she suddenly heard Albert say, ¡¯Xenia? Why are you here?¡± His tone was full of surprise. He


    quickly nced around to see if anyone noticed them and frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to stay at home


    and take care of yourself? Why did youe here?¡±


    Xenia finally saw Ste at that moment and felt relieved when she saw the reassuring look Ste gave


    her.


    She clenched her fists, and her eyes red. Then, she hoarsely said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise to break things


    off with her? Yet, what do you two think you¡¯re doing? Were you just lying to me?¡±


    Albert was in a sticky situation. He had organized the wedding without Xenia¡¯s knowledge since he did


    not want to lose her nor did he want to lose Hylda.


    Before leaving Xenia¡¯s ce, Albert had instructed the bodyguards to keep an eye on Xenia and


    prevent her from leaving the house. ¡®Those idiots. Why can¡¯t they just do their job?¡¯ he thought. ¡®People


    are going to think that something is wrong when they see this young girl crying in front of me. Ugh.


    Ultimately, Albert had no choice but to coax Xenia. ¡°Why would you say that? You know she¡¯s pregnant.


    This wedding is just a formality. I don¡¯t have any feelings for her anymore, but the child¡­ Don¡¯t worry. I


    promise I¡¯ll divorce her as soon as the baby is born.¡±


    Xenia was still sobbing. She looked like Rainee the most when she cried, and this made Albert melt.


    ¡°Albert, what are you doing here?¡± Hylda¡¯s voice came from behind, and it frightened Albert.


    Hylda¡¯s expression turned ugly when she saw Xenia. ¡°Why is she here? It¡¯s my big day today. What are


    you trying to do, Albert?¡± she asked angrily.


    Albert was at a loss. ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything. It wasn¡¯t me who invited her. Ah, forget it. I¡¯ll have


    someone send her away immediately.¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey. What¡¯s with all themotion?¡± Vermont appeared out of nowhere and said. When he


    saw Xenia¡¯s face, he paused for a moment and continued, ¡°This youngdy looks rather familiar.¡±


    Hearing that, Albert felt guilty. Worried that Vermont would recognize Xenia from helping in Rainee¡¯s


    funeral arrangements, he exined, ¡®She¡¯s a distant rtive.¡±


    Hylda was embarrassed by the situation and remained silent.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    ¡°Oh. What¡¯s your name, miss?¡± Vermont asked curiously.


    ¡°She is shy, Mr. Snyder. Why don¡¯t you stop with the questions ande have a drink with us?¡±


    ¡°What? Are you scared that I¡¯ll take a fancy to your rtive?¡± Vermont chuckled.


    Albert forced augh and pulled Vermont away.


    See? He¡¯s not into you,¡± Hylda nced at Xenia and said in a deep voice.

 Chapter 1199

    Chapter 1199


    Chapter 1199


    Once Albert had left, Xenia no longer acted as submissive as she did before. She coldly looked up and


    said, ¡¯Is that so? Then, why did you have someone invite me here? What are you afraid of?¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Suddenly, Hylda¡¯s face darkened. ¡°You¡¯re still young. Why are you engaging in such disgraceful


    affairs?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you do the same when you were younger, Mrs. Jewell? No matter how hard I try, I can never


    reach Mr. Jewell¡¯s social status. So, why would I stop when there¡¯s a shortcut for me to get to the top?¡±


    Xenia smirked.


    Hylda was livid upon hearing that. ¡°Do you think Albert will marry you? Dream on! He just wants the


    child that¡¯s growing inside you. He wouldn¡¯t even spare a nce at you once the child is born.¡±


    Xenia lowered her gaze and smiled. When Hylda saw that expression, she felt a mixture of fear and


    disgust. It reminded her too much of Rainee, which evoked memories of her dark past and


    unspeakable actions.


    ¡°Looks like the child is my biggest bargaining chip,¡¯ Xenia nced at Hylda and said. ¡°With this child, I¡¯ll


    always have a ce in the Jewell family¡¯s future, even if Mr. Jewell doesn¡¯t marry me. He might not


    care about me, but he cares about the child. Especially since it¡¯s a boy who could inherit hispany. I


    would like to thank you for setting up a great example. I mean, didn¡¯t you get to be Mrs. Jewell because


    you¡¯re going to give birth to a baby boy?¡± she paused and gently touched her belly. ¡°I guess I have to


    thank my ovaries too.¡±


    Hylda was trembling with anger. She suppressed her rage and coldly said,¡± All you want is money,


    right? I bet we cane up with a deal that would benefit the both of us.¡±


    Xenia paused and responded, ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Meet me at the gazebo,¡± Hylda said coldly. She then turned and left without waiting for Xenia¡¯s


    response.


    Xenia frowned and followed her.


    Vermont quickly rushed over to report the situation to Ste. ¡°Hylda just asked your dad¡¯s mistress to


    meet her at the gazebo to discuss something, a


    Ste was taken aback. ¡°What were they talking about?¡± Albert asked.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t hear them clearly from a distance, but it seemed like she was going to pay her to back off.¡±


    Ste remembered that Olivia had once told her that Hylda was repeatedly inspecting the gazebo.


    Then, she suddenly realized what she was up to. Within a few minutes, there was a screaming


    from the gazebo.


    ¡°Oh no! The bride fell!¡± someone yelled.


    Albert¡¯s face changed drastically, and he rushed through the crowd. Ste and the others followed


    closely behind.


    Both Hylda and Xenia were lying on the ground outside of the gazebo. Hylda was clutching her belly


    with a pale face, while Xenia¡¯s face was covered in blood from hitting her head on the steps.


    At that moment, Albert looked as pale as a ghost. ¡®My son! My son!!!¡¯


    He was about to check on Xenia when he heard Hylda cry out, ¡°Albert, Ri my belly hurts¡­¡±


    Upon hearing that, Albert hesitated. So, he turned and went to Hylda. He crouched down to support


    her, as he yelled for someone to call for an ambnce. ¡°Are you okay? How did you fall from up


    there?¡±


    Ste was about to approach Xenia when Albert pulled her back. All of a sudden, a figure emerged


    from the crowd and went to check on Xenia.


    Ste looked closely at the person and was surprised to find that it was Lena. She looked suspiciously


    at Keegan, but he was expressionless as though he had expected this.


    While Lena was checking on Xenia, Carter appeared and asked, ¡°How is she, honey?¡±


    ¡°She should be fine,¡± Lena said. She then reached out and grabbed the first aid kit that Carter handed


    to her. After that, she took out some tools and began to clean Xenia¡¯s wounds.


    Although Albert was holding Hylda in his arms, his eyes were fixed on his mistress. He heard Lena say


    that Xenia was fine, but he still felt uneasy.¡± Take a closer look and see if she suffered any internal


    injuries,¡± he said.

 Chapter 1200

    Chapter 1200


    Chapter 1200


    The crowd was baffled by Albert¡¯s reaction. ¡®What does he mean by internal injuries?¡¯they thought.


    Lena paused and gave Albert a puzzled look.


    Albert did not know how to tell the people that he was worried about the child in Xenia¡¯s belly.


    Hylda, who knew what he was referring to, was filled with anger. She grabbed onto Albert tightly, and


    her eyes were red as she said, ¡°My stomach is hurting like hell. Do you think the baby will be okay?¡±


    Hearing that, Albert returned to his senses immediately. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The doctor will be here soon.


    Everything will be fine.¡±


    Suddenly, Sophia rushed out from the crowd and reached out to grab Xenia, but Carter stopped her.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing, Ms. Jewell? ¡± he asked.


    Sophia gritted her teeth and said, ¡°That bitch pushed my mom from the railing. She deserves to be in


    pain. Why are you all helping her?¡±


    The crowd was stunned by her words. They were still wondering who Xenia was when they found out


    that the Jewell family knew her.


    Despite all themotion, Carter remainedposed. ¡°How can you be so sure that it was Ms. Garcia


    who pushed Mrs. Jewell and not the other way around? From the looks of it, Ms. Garcia seems more


    injured than Mrs. Jewell.¡±


    ¡°I just am! That bitch literally seduced my dad! This is not the first time had a talk with my mom!¡± Sophia


    retaliated.


    No one was surprised that Albert had cheated in his rtionship once again. However, Albert¡¯s face


    turned grim after he was publicly exposed like that. ¡°Nonsense!¡± he yelled.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth!¡± Sophia eximed in a hateful tone. ¡°Dad, haven¡¯t you figured it out yet? That


    woman wants mom to have a miscarriage so that she can be the next Mrs. Jewell!¡±


    ¡°Sophia! Please stop,¡± said Hylda. Her face was extremely pale.


    Albert¡¯s heart softened when he saw her in pain. ¡°Did she push you, honey?¡± he asked in a low voice.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she meant to. Ms. Garcia is still young, and youngsters tend to be impulsive, you know?¡±


    Hylda closed her eyes and said softly. She knew that this would cause more damage than directly


    using Xenia.


    Albert¡¯s expression changed when he heard that. He enjoyed the two women fighting over him, but he


    did not like his unborn sons to be involved in the drama. He looked at Xenia in disgust.


    Ste¡¯s expression tensed up at that moment. ¡®Hylda is such an evil person. Here I thought she wanted


    to get rid of Xenia¡¯s baby. But, in reality, she wanted to get rid of the child in her womb as well. At the


    same time, she wants to win Albert back by making him hate Xenia.¡¯


    Xenia¡¯s face ashened upon hearing Hylda¡¯s words. ¡°I didn¡¯t push her, Mr. Jewell. She was the one who


    invited me here and pushed me off the railing, ¡± she said weakly.


    ¡°She¡¯s at an advanced maternal age, Xenia. She needs assistance to go up and down the stairs. Do


    you think she would endanger herself just to set you up? I¡¯m truly disappointed in you.¡±


    Xenia turned pale. ¡°I swear I didn¡¯t do it. I never wanted topete with her for anything,¡¯ she said as


    tears fell down her cheeks.


    ¡®Damn. Albert is lucky to have two women fighting over him,¡¯ the crowd thought.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Suddenly, Olivia stepped forward and said, ¡°There are surveince cameras at the gazebo. We can


    check the footage to see what happened.

 Chapter 1201

    Chapter 1201


    Chapter 1201


    Hylda froze, and her eyes widened as she looked at Olivia. ¡®That can¡¯t be right! I¡¯ve checked this


    wedding venue multiple times when everything was being set up, and there were no cameras near the


    gazebo.¡±


    The area was surrounded by lush greenery, which made it difficult for people to spy on Hylda and


    Xenia when they were having their conversation. It was the perfect ce for Hylda to execute her


    scheme without leaving any traces behind. She had even consulted the park administrator of Dragon


    Lagoon to confirm the locations of all the surveince cameras to ensure that there were no hups in


    her n.


    ¡®What the hell is Olivia on about?¡¯ thought Hylda. She forced herself to remainposed and asked,


    ¡°What is the meaning of this, Mrs. Chapman? Do you think I¡¯m lying?¡±


    Olivia put on an innocent-looking face and exined, ¡°Mrs. Jewell, as the owner of Dragon Lagoon, it is


    my responsibility to ensure that the facilities I provide are safe for use. Since I would be liable if


    anything happens to my tenants or their guests due to amenity issues, I¡¯ve installed multiple CCTVs


    around the area to monitor the ce. I don¡¯t mean to question your honesty, Mrs. Jewell. I¡¯m just


    suggesting we check the surveince footage to find out the truth.¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Hearing that, Xenia was quick to react. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she said, ¡¯Mr. Jewell, I


    swear I didn¡¯t push her. She asked me toe here, and we were just talking when she suddenly


    grabbed my arms and jumped off the-.¡¯


    ¡°That¡¯s enough! Stop trying to frame my mom for what you¡¯ve done!¡± Sophia interrupted.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not jump to conclusions, Ms. Jewell. How can you be absolutely certain that this youngdy


    pushed your mother without looking at the surveince footage?¡± Vermont asked in disdain.


    ¡°It¡¯s obviously her! My mom¡¯s pregnant and can barely climb the stairs. There¡¯s no way she could push


    someone off the railing!¡± Sophia angrily retorted.


    ¡°Exactly. It would be difficult for Mrs. Jewell to climb the stairs. Why did she go to the gazebo when she


    knew that it was so high up? Did the youngdy carry her up there just to push her?¡±


    Sophia was taken aback. Feeling both embarrassed and furious, she asked, ¡°Are you trying to imply


    that my mom framed her?¡¯


    Vermont shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m just pointing out the obvious. There¡¯s no need to get feisty, Ms. Jewell. Like


    Mrs. Chapman said, we can check the surveince to see what happened. Why don¡¯t we just do that


    instead of making assumptions? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re scared to reveal the truth.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s words were sharp, leaving Sophia at a loss for a quickeback.


    ¡°I¡¯m not scared!¡¯ Sophia said.


    Surprised, Vermont said, ¡°Then, let¡¯s find out who the real culprit is. By the way, there¡¯s no reason to be


    mad, Ms. Jewell. I never said that Mrs. Jewell did it.¡±


    ¡°You-¡¯


    ¡°Enough, Sophia!¡± Hylda stepped in to stop her daughter. She turned to Albert with a pale face and


    said, ¡°I¡¯m not going to argue with someone like her. We can watch the surveince footage if you don¡¯t


    believe me.¡¯


    Seeing how disheartened she looked, Albert felt that he was being ridiculous for suspecting that she


    would risk her own safety to harm Xenia.¡¯ Hylda is not a foolish person,¡¯ he thought.


    ¡°Alright. I trust you,¡¯ whispered Albert.


    Just then, the park manager approached Olivia and said, ¡°Madam, we¡¯ve found the surveince


    footage you requested. We¡¯re currently making a copy which will be sent to your phone shortly.¡¯


    Hylda¡¯s lower back and abdomen were aching as she thought, ¡®Fucking hell.


    I can¡¯t believe that she actually has CCTV footage.¡¯ Suddenly, she felt a warm liquid gushing out of her


    lower body, and her face turned pale as she realized the severity of the situation. ¡°Albert, the¡­ the


    baby¡­¡¯


    Albert was rmed when he noticed that Hylda¡¯s dress was stained in red. At the same time, Xenia


    was also experiencing excruciating abdominal pain. She curled up on the ground and held her lower


    abdomen while crying out in agony.

 Chapter 1202

    Chapter 1202


    Chapter 1202


    Albert was unable to care for both women simultaneously. Fortunately, the ambnce had arrived just


    in time to rush Hylda and Xenia to the hospital.


    Since Ste¡¯s n was only halfway nearpletion, she quickly devised a reason to tag along. She


    nced at Albert and saw him stepping forward to say, ¡°Let¡¯s head to Rotona Pinnacle Hospital. They


    have better medical facilities there. I¡¯ll have someone to get things prepared.¡± He then turned to Ste


    and said, ¡°Ste, some of Rainee¡¯s belongings are still at the hospital. I¡¯ve already asked the staff to


    keep them somewhere safe. Would you like toe along and pick them up?¡±


    Ste¡¯s expression turned cold as she replied, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just have someone deliver them to me


    before this?¡±


    Albert lowered his gaze and said, ¡°Well, I missed you and wanted to use this as an opportunity to see


    you.¡±


    Everyone found Albert¡¯s response to be cheesy.


    The group then made their way to Rotona Pinnacle Hospital. Aldor drove Ste, Keegan, Vermont, and


    Felicity to the hospital while the Jewell family traveled in another vehicle.


    ¡°Did anyone notice that when the homewrecker, Hylda, was being put into the ambnce, her younger


    brother seemed extremely concerned? It¡¯s like he¡¯s the father of her child,¡± Felicity whispered as they


    were on their way.


    The others remained silent, leaving Felicity puzzled. ¡°What? Am I wrong?¡±


    Vermont patted Felicity¡¯s head and exined, ¡°Don¡¯t you recognize him? Remember when you were in


    my car, and you saw Hylda being intimate with a man during her hospital visit? Yeah, they¡¯re the same


    person.¡±


    ¡°But, the man I saw was her young lover, no? I¡¯m talking about her younger brother, guys-¡± Felicity


    paused and said, ¡°Wait! Her brother is her lover?! She¡¯s got some nerve to do all this right under


    Albert¡¯s nose. No wonder she looked so anxious when the other Ian appeared. Poor Albert.¡±


    Everyone was at a loss for words at Felicity¡¯ste revtion.


    ¡°So, were there actually surveince cameras at the gazebo?¡± Keegan asked Ste.


    ¡°Not initially. But, Mrs. Chapman had one installedst night,¡± Ste replied in a hushed tone. She had


    asked Olivia to keep an eye on the gazebo, so Olivia did her a favor by installing a CCTV.


    When Olivia was renovating the ce, the construction workers found that the terrain near the gazebo


    was low, which caused it to be built high up. She wanted to demolish the whole thing but waszy and


    eager to rent out the ce. So, she decided to put it off. At the same time, not many people were using


    the facility. Forthat reason, she neglected to install surveince in the area.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Olivia checked the area when she was asked to but found nothing suspicious. Despite that, Ste could


    not shake off the uneasy feeling she had. She was certain that Hylda had deliberately chosen the


    gazebo tomit her crime. Unable to find any evidence, she thought it would be best to install a


    camera and see what Hylda was up to.


    As fate would have it, the camera proved invaluable that night. Ste could not believe her luck.


    Hylda had chosen Dragon Lagoon, not just for its grand setting but also because it was the perfect


    location for what she wanted to do. What she did not expect was that Olivia was Ste¡¯s ally. Hylda was


    doomed the minute she rented Dragon Lagoon as her wedding venue.


    After some time, Ste¡¯s thoughts shifted to Xenia, and she frowned.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Keegan asked.


    ¡°Something doesn¡¯t seem right with Xenia. I thought she was faking it when she was clutching her


    stomach earlier. But, I¡¯m starting to have doubts


    after seeing how pale she looked when she was taken away. Somehow, it doesn¡¯t seem like an act.¡±

 Chapter 1203

    Chapter 1203


    Chapter 1203


    Keegan barely paid any attention to Xenia amidst the turmoil. So, he did not notice what Ste was


    talking about. After contemting for a brief moment, he reassured Ste by saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry,


    we¡¯re almost at the hospital. The doctors will conduct a thorough examination.¡±


    Ste could only suppress her concerns and hoped that nothing would go wrong.


    Soon, they arrived at the hospital. Albert instructed the medical staff to take Xenia to the gynecology


    department, prioritizing his son¡¯s safety. He did not care what other people thought of him as long as


    one of his sons could be saved. As per his request, Hylda and Xenia were taken to operating rooms on


    different floors. Since Albert was Hylda¡¯s husband, he had to wait outside her surgery room patiently


    despite being worried about his mistress.


    When Xenia arrived at the hospital, she could not stop vomiting. The doctors struggled to determine the


    cause of her symptoms, but they discovered that she was having vaginal bleeding.


    Ste and the others were puzzled by the situation. ¡°But, she¡¯s not pregnant. Why is she bleeding?¡±


    Ste asked the doctor.


    ¡°Did she eat anything bad?¡± the doctor inquired.


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure. Is it food poisoning, doc?¡±


    The doctor pursed her lips and said, ¡°Food poisoning doesn¡¯t cause vaginal bleeding. She¡¯s also


    suffering from abdominal pain and vomiting. I suspect that she may have taken drugs like mifepristone


    and misoprostol.¡¯


    Ste was stunned. ¡°What kind of drugs are those?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re taken after one gets a medical abortion. I had a patient who had simr symptoms. We¡¯ve


    drawn some of Ms. Garcia¡¯s blood and collected a sample of her puke to conduct further testing. We¡¯ll


    be able to confirm the cause of her problem soon,¡± the doctor exined.


    Ste nodded as her mind raced. She could not help but think of Hylda at that moment. ¡®Did she


    somehow administer those drugs to Xenia as an extra precaution? Was pushing her off the railing not


    enough?¡¯ Ste shivered at the thought of that.


    Keegan noticed that Ste was anxious and asked the doctor, ¡°Are there any side effects to taking


    those drugs if one isn¡¯t pregnant?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely not a good idea to take medication you don¡¯t need, but there¡¯s no need to worry. She


    should be fine once her hormone levels return to normal.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Thank you, doctor,¡± Keegan replied. He then grabbed Ste¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.


    Xenia will be okay. We can hire a private doctor to look after her if you want.¡±


    Ste gave him a nod and said, ¡°I just thought of something.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Keegan asked.


    ¡°Remember when I told you that my mom wanted another child?¡±


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    Keegan nodded and recalled the past conversation. Since Ste was not Rainee¡¯s biological daughter,


    it was not unusual for her to want another child of her own. ¡°Yeah. I remember you said that she could


    not conceive because of health issues.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought, but today¡¯s incident made me consider another possibility,¡± Ste continued.

 Chapter 1204

    Chapter 1204


    Chapter 1204


    ¡°Have I ever told you that Hylda was one of the students my mother sponsored? She was the only


    student in her group who didn¡¯t go to university but attended a nursing school,¡± Ste revealed.


    Keegan recalled that Hylda¡¯s academic pursuits had been hindered after getting involved with Albert,


    leading her to choose nursing school as an alternative. It was not too bad, as it still granted her a


    diploma.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°She has some medical knowledge, and from what I remember, my mom wasn¡¯t in bad health.


    However, she couldn¡¯t conceive despite several attempts, even after a sessful IVF that ended in a


    miscarriage,¡± Ste continued.


    Keegan quickly understood what Ste was trying to say. ¡°So, you believe that Hylda has something to


    do with your mother¡¯s infertility?¡±


    Ste looked at him and asked, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Keegan thought about it and said, ¡°Prescription drugs aren¡¯t easily obtained, and improper use of


    abortion medications can be dangerous.¡±


    This meant that the drugs Hylda administered to Xenia must have been obtained through reliable


    channels. ¡®If we could find out where she got those meds, we might uncover whether she was involved


    in mom¡¯s miscarriage years ago,¡¯ thought Ste.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll have someone look into it. She¡¯ll be held ountable for her actions if she had


    something to do with it,¡± Keegan assured her.


    Just then, Felicity rushed upstairs and yelled, ¡°Homewrecker Hylda lost the baby!¡±


    Vermont followed behind her and said, ¡°Keep your voice down, will you?¡±


    Felicity hurriedly covered her mouth and whispered, ¡°Hylda had a miscarriage. The nurses said it was a


    boy. Albert is downstairs crying like his own parents just died.¡±


    Ste and Keegan exchanged nces, and thetter suggested, ¡°Should we go take a look?¡±


    Ste hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t think I should go. She might suspect something.¡±


    ¡°You not being there would be even more suspicious. Come on. It¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Convinced by his reasoning, Ste decided to go and check on Hylda.


    Hylda had just finished surgery, and she looked pale. Due to the blood loss on her way to the hospital,


    she was currently receiving a blood transfusion.


    Albert was at the side, looking dejected. ¡®How could this have happened..? ¡± he said.


    Hylda gently held his hand. Her eyes were red, as she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I failed to protect our child,


    Albert.¡±


    Albert was filled with anguish over the loss of his son and could not help but scold Hylda, ¡°Why did you


    go to the gazebo that was so high up, knowing your condition? Don¡¯t you know your limit?¡±


    Hylda¡¯s face flushed red upon hearing that. She could not believe that Albert cared about the loss of his


    son more than her.


    Ian frowned and said, ¡°Do you think my sister feels good about losing the baby, Albert? She just


    underwent a miscarriage and is in a weak state. So, shut up. Her health should be our priority.¡±


    Albert did not have much affection for his brother-inw. He did not appreciate how Ian had relied on


    Hylda for financial support during his entrepreneurial endeavors. Albert was also unhappy that he was


    not able to gain some benefits from Ian now that he was part of the Moore family. When Ian married


    into the Moore family, the only thing Albert got was a gift from Irene.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what to do. I¡¯m well aware of the situation,¡± Albert retorted.


    ¡°Uncle Ian is just concerned about mom. The child would be fine if it weren¡¯t for that wench. Don¡¯t vent


    your anger on the wrong person, dad.¡± Sophia immediately defended her uncle.


    Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. Olivia stood there with a fruit basket and asked, ¡°Is Mrs.


    Jewell okay? Is the baby safe?¡±


    The atmosphere in the room grew even more intense.


    Albert did not respond to her question. Instead, he stood up and said, ¡°Mrs. Chapman, what brings you


    here?¡±


    ¡°I was worried about Mrs. Jewell after the incident on my property. I also brought a copy of the


    surveince footage since I thought you might want to take a look, Mr. Jewell,¡± Olivia exined in a


    warm voice.


    Upon hearing that, Hylda froze.

 Chapter 1205

    Chapter 1205


    Chapter 1205


    Hylda¡¯s body stiffened, and she subconsciously gripped the bedsheets tightly. Unaware of her being


    tense, Albert turned away, as he was still reeling from the loss of his son. He had no interest in


    watching the surveince footage and politely declined Olivia¡¯s offer. ¡°That¡¯s alright, Mrs. Chapman.


    Thank you foring, and sorry for the trouble.¡±


    Olivia smiled reassuringly and said, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all, Mr. Jewell. I just want to make sure that


    everything is clear so there are no futureplications for my business. It¡¯s better to address these


    matters directly than to deal with misunderstandingster. Do contact me if you need anything, Mr.


    Jewell.¡±


    Albert, being a businessman himself, understood Olivia¡¯s perspective and did not doubt her intentions.


    On the other hand, Hylda red at Olivia angrily, as she was unhappy about her interference.


    Sophia furrowed her brow and said, ¡°I think this is the wrong time to discuss this, Mrs. Chapman. My


    mom just had a miscarriage and is still recovering.¡±


    Surprised by the news of Hylda¡¯s miscarriage, Olivia eximed, ¡°Oh my! I¡¯m sorry to hearthat.¡±


    Sophia expected her to leave after expressing her concern. But, to Sophia¡¯s dismay, Olivia continued,


    ¡°Then, that¡¯s all the more reason to investigate and rify what happened. We cannot let this incident


    go unaddressed.¡±


    Sophia was at a loss for words. ¡®Is Mrs. Chapman intentionally stirring up trouble?¡¯


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Upon hearing that, Albert felt an overwhelming anger welling up, as he recalled that he had lost a son.


    He was determined to find out who harmed his child. ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Chapman,¡± he said.


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem. I want to clear my name as well,¡± replied Olivia as she pulled out her phone and


    yed the surveince video.


    Hylda clenched her fists, thinking that there was no point in trying to keep things a secret any longer.


    ¡®What¡¯s the worst that could happen? The baby in that bitch¡¯s belly isn¡¯t going to survive anyway.¡¯


    After a few minutes, Albert roared, ¡°It was you!¡±


    Sophia¡¯s heart trembled, and she cursed Olivia in her heart. Ian, on the other hand, remained silent


    with a tense expression.


    Meanwhile, Hylda wasposed. She looked up and responded in a cold tone, ¡°She was the one who


    started making disrespectful remarks to me! Who does she think she is? Who gave her the audacity to


    provoke me on my wedding day?¡±


    As she said that, she looked at Albert with tears in her eyes and continued, ¡°You promised me that you


    would handle this situation, but look at what happened. You impregnated her and allowed her to ruin


    our wedding!¡±


    Albert had a lot on his mind but was momentarily speechless after being exposed by Hylda. He had


    assured her that he would deal with Xenia if she promised to keep the child. He even offered her a


    small share of his business to pacify her. Hylda had agreed to the deal and appeared unaware of


    Xenia¡¯s impending visit. ¡®Did Xenia deliberately show up to provoke Hylda?1 Albert thought.


    Olivia nced at Albert, who was thrown off by Hylda¡¯s words. Then, she calmly stated, ¡°You could


    have simply dismissed the girl if you didnt want her there, Mrs. Jewell. There was no need to resort to


    violence. Given your condition, weren¡¯t you concerned about harming the child in your womb?¡±


    She was trying to imply that Hylda did not really care for the baby since she engaged in a physical


    altercation over a few taunts from someone else.


    Albert might not be the brightest person in the room, but when it came to matters concerning his child,


    he was extremely quick-witted. Olivia¡¯s words instantly reminded him of Hylda¡¯s previous attempt to


    abort the child behind his back.


    ¡®Hylda did not want this child since the beginning. She didn¡¯t even seem as excited about giving birth.


    When she was pregnant with Hugo, she panicked and contemted calling the ambnce after a


    minor fall in the bathroom. This time, however, her immediate reaction was to me Xenia for pushing


    her over the railing¡­¡¯


    Albert¡¯s lips tightened as he locked eyes with Hylda, and his anger intensified. Hylda felt a sudden


    wave of panic and said, ¡°What are you insinuating, Mrs. Chapman? Are you saying that I purposely got


    rid of my own child and framed that woman for it?¡±

 Chapter 1206

    Chapter 1206


    Chapter 1206


    ¡°Of course not. I was just thinking out loud, Mrs. Jewell,¡± said Olivia.


    Just then, there was a knock on the door. It was Keegan and the rest.


    ¡°Mr. Jewell, Ms. Garcia needs some papers signed to keep the baby. Could you help contact her


    family?¡± Keegan said.


    Albert was taken aback, but Hylda was the first to react. ¡°She didn¡¯t lose the baby? How is that


    possible?!¡±


    Albert was so immersed in the joy of his son being alive that he did not pay much attention to what


    Hylda had said. However, the others present heard it word for word.


    Ste looked at Hylda and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why do you sound awfully certain that Ms. Garcia


    would have a miscarriage, Mrs. Jewell?¡±


    Realizing that she slipped up, Hylda quickly tried to regain herposure.¡± Well, I lost my baby. Is it


    wrong to think that she would¡¯ve lost hers too when we both fell off the gazebo?¡±


    Sophia was offended by the group¡¯s sudden intrusion, specifically Ste¡¯s. So, she frowned and said,


    ¡°Why are you here, Ste?¡±


    Ste shrugged and smirked. ¡°I¡¯m here to watch the show. It¡¯s funny how your mom was the other


    woman, and now she¡¯s the one who¡¯s being cheated on.¡¯


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You bitch-¡°


    Keegan¡¯s expression darkened. He grabbed an empty IV bottle from the table and threw it toward


    Sophia. The bottle shattered in front of her feet, and shards of ss flew across the room.


    Sophia was still in shock when Keegan¡¯s cold voice sounded in her ears.¡± Remember who you¡¯re


    talking to.¡±


    Ethan, who had just returned from downstairs, witnessed the situation and quickly stepped forward to


    shield Sophia. ¡°Don¡¯t you think your behavior is a little inappropriate, Mr. Kane?¡±


    Keegan nced at Ethan coldly and said, ¡°And, who are you to say that to me?¡±


    ¡®Who cares if he¡¯s acting insane right now? He¡¯s protecting Ste, and that¡¯s what matters,¡¯ Felicity


    puffed her cheeks and thought. ¡®No wonder Ste is infatuated with him. I¡¯d probably fall in love with


    someone if they defended me like that too.1


    Meanwhile, Vermont was holding back hisughter. ¡®I can¡¯t believe Keegan did that. I guess Ste


    must¡¯ve rubbed off on him. The only other person who would¡¯ve done that is Marshall,¡¯ he thought.


    Marshall was the type to treat everyone with kindness. Keegan, on the other hand, was indifferent to


    social status or beauty. He treated everyone equally. Even though getting along with someone like that


    was not easy, Keegan would not purposely embarrass people in front of others. Ethan was just unlucky


    to have bumped into Keegan that day. Normally, Keegan would not even bat an eye at him.


    Ethan did not look pleased. He seemed as though he was ready to burst into anger, but Albert quickly


    intervened. ¡°What did the doctor say, Keegan? Is the child okay?¡±

 Chapter 1207

    Chapter 1207


    Chapter 1207


    ¡°The child is fine for now. But, they found some drugs in Ms. Garcia¡¯s system, and there¡¯s still a risk of


    miscarriage. The doctor said they¡¯ll do their best to ensure that she and the baby are safe,¡± Keegan


    withdrew his gaze and said in disdain.


    Albert was taken aback. ¡°Drugs? What kind of drugs?¡±


    Ste casually nced at Hylda. As expected, her face turned paler upon hearing about the medicine.


    Keegan did not hold back. ¡°Abortion pills,¡± he said.


    ¡°Abortion pills?!¡¯¡¯ Albert¡¯s heart trembled. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it the fall that caused her to bleed?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about the details. Maybe you should ask the doctor,¡± Keegan replied. He knew that


    some things were better left unsaid to avoid suspicion.


    Not long after, Xenia¡¯s attending doctor arrived and exined her condition to Albert. The more Albert


    listened to what the doctor said, the darker his expression became. ¡°We¡¯ve asked Ms. Garcia about the


    pills, and she insisted that she didn¡¯t take any. However, she mentioned that she had a ss of juice at


    the wedding that tasted strange. She thought it was just that it had gone bad, so she didn¡¯t drink much


    of it. As a result, it did not cause any seriousplications.¡±


    After a brief pause, the doctor added, ¡°Mr. Jewell, if the drugs were administered during the wedding, I


    suggest Mrs. Jewell should get a blood test as well. It¡¯s possible that her miscarriage was caused by


    the pills.¡±


    Hylda realized that Xenia wanted to pin the me on her, and she quickly retorted, ¡°There are two


    types of abortion pills, Mifepristone and


    Misoprostol. The former terminates pregnancy from within, while thetter induces contractions to


    expel the embryo from the body. There¡¯s no way someone could¡¯ve drugged her with those on the


    same day she nearly had a miscarriage.¡±


    The doctor was taken aback and said, ¡°I never specified the type of drugs found in Ms. Garcia¡¯s


    system, Mrs. Jewell. Why are you so certain that it¡¯s one of the two you mentioned?¡±


    Hylda, who was caught off guard, replied, ¡°Aren¡¯t those two the mostmon ones in the market?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Jewell, I think the most important thing now is to find out whether you have been drugged. Don¡¯t


    you care about finding out what happened to your child?¡± said Olivia.


    Hylda¡¯s abnormal reaction raised strong suspicions in Albert¡¯s mind. Her fear of checking the


    surveince footage, her aversion to getting a blood test, and her fall from the gazebo all pointed to her


    wanting to get rid of the child.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t having a childter in life supposed to be a joyous asion? Why does she seem so indifferent?


    It¡¯s not like she was pregnant with someone else¡¯s child,¡± Felicity muttered.


    This statement struck a chord in Albert¡¯s mind. ¡®Hylda had no reason to reject the child, especially after


    learning that Xenia was also pregnant.


    She¡¯s a smart woman. She must¡¯ve known that having another child meant that she would get arger


    share of the family¡¯s wealth. Yet, she still didn¡¯t want the child. The only possible reason for that is the


    child was not mine.¡¯


    Hylda¡¯s heart sank upon hearing that. Sophia pointed at Felicity and yelled,¡± What kind of nonsense are


    you on about, you moron?!¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eyelids twitched as she yelled back, ¡°You know I¡¯m right, bitch!¡±


    She was about to roll up her sleeves and teach Sophia a lesson, but Vermont hugged her from behind


    and pulled her away. ¡°Let¡¯s stay focused on the situation and not cause any trouble,¡± he said.


    Felicity kicked her feet in protest andined, ¡°That bitch literally called me a moron when she


    looks dumb as hell.¡±


    She pounded Vermont¡¯s shoulder as she continued, ¡°Can you be more like Keegan? He couldn¡¯t wait to


    tear Sophia apart when she disrespected Ste. Yet, here you are, pulling me away while she¡¯s calling


    me names. You¡¯re my boyfriend. Shouldn¡¯t you be on my side?¡±


    Vermont put his arm around her shoulder and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll avenge you.¡±


    Meanwhile, in the hospital room, Albert had already figured out everything.


    He stared at Hylda with a tense face and asked, ¡°Whose baby was that?¡±

 Chapter 1208

    Chapter 1208


    Chapter 1208


    Hylda felt a knot in her heart, but she remained defiant. She held Albert¡¯s hand and tried to sound


    composed. ¡°Who else¡¯s baby would it be, Albert? Of course, he¡¯s yours.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t we do a DNA test? They haven¡¯t disposed of the embryo that was just


    removed, right?¡± Albert sneered.


    Hylda¡¯s fingers trembled when she heard that. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you trust me?¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I trusted you, yet you yed me like a fool!¡± Albert replied coldly. After that, he pushed Hylda¡¯s hand


    away and strode out of the room.


    Ste leaned against the door frame, as she watched the scene unfold with a mocking smile. ¡°I guess


    the lovely couple¡¯s rtionship is now in shambles,¡± she said.


    Hylda¡¯s expression turned cold upon hearing that. ¡°Did you have something to do with this?¡± she asked


    in a low voice.


    Ste looked up and said, ¡°I wish. If it were me, I would have brought your lover to Albert right away


    and show him how blind he¡¯s been.¡± Her expression was indifferent, and her words were filled with


    resentment, making it difficult for Hylda to determine her involvement.


    ¡°Why did you show up at the wedding?¡± Hylda questioned.


    Ste smiled and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t Albert tell you? He ns to adopt me as his daughter at your wedding. I


    wasn¡¯t thrilled about it, but I didn¡¯t mind causing you some distress. Although, I didn¡¯t expect you to


    have another obstacle to deal with. What a twist of fate we have here.¡±


    Hylda¡¯s face turned uglier by the minute. ¡°You bitch!¡± she yelled.


    Keegan reached out to grab another IV bottle when Ste said, ¡°If you¡¯re going to throw things at


    people, do it on your own ord. Don¡¯t pull me into it.¡± With that, she turned around and left. Keegan


    dropped the bottle and quickly followed her while calling her name.


    Hylda looked defeated. She no longer cared about Albert adopting Ste with the situation at hand. Til


    be doomed when the DNA test resultse back,¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°Hylda¡­¡± Ian¡¯s gaze wandered to his sister.


    Hylda pursed her lips and said, ¡°You should go. Don¡¯te over in the next few days.¡±


    As soon as Ian left, Sophia also saw Ethan off. ¡°Mom, is that child really not dad¡¯s?¡± she asked Hylda in


    a low voice.


    Hylda did not give a direct answer. Instead, she said, ¡°Hurry home and take Hugo to the address I¡¯m


    about to tell you. Don¡¯t let your dad know about this.¡±


    Sophia was startled and nodded quickly.


    At that moment, Hylda knew that she had no other choice but to protect Hugo. She knew that Albert


    would not take it well when he found out that the child she bore was not his. ¡®He¡¯d probably think that


    Sophia and Hugo are not his offspring too,¡¯ she thought.


    Meanwhile, a car pulled up in front of Ste when she walked out of the hospital, and someone pulled


    her into the vehicle. She fastened her seatbelt and heard Keegan¡¯s cold voice saying, ¡°Aldor, head


    back to Royalpark Vi.¡±


    Ste hesitated for a moment and whispered, ¡°I promised to stay with Felicity tonight.¡±


    Keegan shot a nce at her, and Ste felt nervous. ¡°But¡­ I can keep youpany if you want,¡± she


    said.


    Aldor remained silent.

 Chapter 1209

    Chapter 1209


    Chapter 1209


    ¡®Why does Ms. Jewell seem unusuallypliant and understanding today? And, what¡¯s up with Mr.


    Kane? He looks a little annoyed. Didn¡¯t Mr. Snyder say that they were killing it? Why doesn¡¯t it feel like


    it?¡¯ thought Aldor.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Keegan asked Ste coldly.


    Ste immediately nodded and said, ¡®Yes. I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Keegan snorted in response.


    Realizing that she was in the wrong, Ste approached him and said, ¡°Are you alright, Mr. Kane?


    You¡¯ve been ying along with me all day. Do you want a shoulder massage?¡¯


    Keegan nced at her and moved closer. Ste then immediately started to massage his shoulders.


    Seeing that, Aldor¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®Did Mr. Kane and Ms. Jewell exchange statuses?¡¯


    ¡°Can you put a bit more effort into it? Haven¡¯t you eaten already?¡± Keegan demanded discontentedly.


    Ste gritted her teeth, wanting to hit him, but decided otherwise. After all, she was the one who had


    been unreasonable before. So, she put on a nice smile and said, ¡®Sure, Mr. Kane. Is this okay?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ It¡¯s alright,¡± Keegan replied.


    Seeing Ste sweat despite the cool autumn weather, Aldor considerately turned on the air conditioner.


    When Ste felt the breeze, she immediately said, ¡°Can you please turn off the air conditioner, Aldor?¡±


    Aldor was puzzled. ¡°Isn¡¯t it hot back there, Madam?¡±


    Ste shook her head. ¡°It is, but I don¡¯t deserve the special treatment. Mr. Kane worked so hard today


    in supporting me and my n. Yet, I still made him mad. Running the air conditioner will consume more


    fuel, and fuel costs so much right now. I¡¯m not worthy of spending Mr. Kane¡¯s hard- earned money


    when he¡¯s mad at me.¡±


    Hearing that, Keegan could not help butugh. However, he immediately put on a straight face when


    Ste looked at him. He did not want her to know that she had won him over.


    Ste then leaned in with a smile and said, ¡°Are you not mad at me anymore, Mr. Kane?¡±


    Keegan gave her a sidelong nce and said, ¡°I¡¯m furious.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to cheer you up.¡± Ste tugged at his sleeve and softly said,¡± Please don¡¯t be mad anymore,


    Mr. Kane. It¡¯s bad for your health.¡±


    ¡°Nice try, but that won¡¯t work,¡¯ Keegan replied.


    Ste thought about it for a while and said, ¡°How about I tell you a joke?¡±


    ¡°No thanks.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ Do you want to hear about something that happened at my ss reunion?¡¯


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    As soon as she mentioned that, Keegan was reminded of Spencer inviting her to their ss reunion,


    and he got even more annoyed. ¡°No. I dont want to hear about it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what my ssmates said about you?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s ears perked up upon the sound of that. ¡°What did they say?¡± he asked.


    ¡°They said I¡¯m lucky to have a husband like you. Not only are you rich, but you¡¯re also handsome and


    smart.¡±


    Aldor was amazed by how good Ste was at talking Keegan up.


    Keegan was clearly ttered, and a faint smile appeared on his face. He nced at Ste and said,


    ¡®You¡¯re not so bad yourself. You have extremely good taste in choosing your partner, unlike me.¡±


    His words rendered Ste speechless.

 Chapter 1210

    Chapter 1210


    Chapter 1210


    Ste red at Keegan and said, ¡®Thanks, but that did not feel like apliment.¡¯ She then looked


    away and thought, ¡®What a mutt! I should have known better than to try to appease him!¡¯


    Meanwhile, Keegan¡¯s mood lightened up a bit after teasing Ste.


    Soon, they arrived at Royalpark Vi. When they got out of the car, Aldor called out to Keegan and


    handed him a bag. ¡°Mr. Kane, Mr. Snyder dropped this off for you before he left.¡±


    Keegan grabbed the bag and was about to open it to see what was inside, when Ste yelled,


    ¡°Keegan, I forgot the code for the door.¡¯ He closed the bag and dismissed Aldor before walking toward


    Ste.


    After their divorce, Keegan rarely stayed at Royalpark Vi, so the housekeeper did not need to live


    there permanently anymore. Thus, she would onlye over every two days to clean up the house.


    Upon entering, the ce looked deserted. Keegan ced the bag he was carrying on the couch and


    went to the kitchen to grab himself a ss of water.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste poked her head through the door and looked around before she finally walked in. Although she


    had lived in Royalpark Vi for three years, it felt odd to be back after so long. Nothing much had


    changed in the house since Keegan had not moved anything. The two couple pillows on the couch


    were still ced together side by side, just like when Ste and Keegan were still married to each


    other.


    Ste then walked over and sat on the couch. When she reached out to grab the throw pillow, she


    noticed that the bag Keegan had left there. She picked it up and saw the hospital logo on it. ¡®Is Keegan


    not feeling well?¡¯ she thought.


    She looked toward the kitchen and yelled, ¡°Did you grab a prescription earlier?¡¯


    ¡°What?¡± Keegan¡¯s voice came from the kitchen.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the bag with the hospital logo,¡± Ste said.


    Keegan was washing some cups as he replied, ¡°Oh. It¡¯s from Vermont.¡±


    It was unclear whether Ste heard him, but she said, ¡¯I¡¯m going to open it up and take a look.¡¯


    ¡°Sure.¡± Keegan opened the cab, grabbed two tea bags, and ced them into the cups. He then


    came out of the kitchen with two cups of tea and saw Ste sitting on the couch. She was lost in her


    thoughts.


    When Keegan approached her, he saw what was in the bag and blushed. Vermont had given him a


    bunch of adult products. He hurriedly put the drinks down and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t buy those!¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay. What does this one do?¡± Ste asked, pointing to one of the items.


    Keegan was taken aback. ¡®Why is she being so open about this?¡¯


    He nced at the item and said, ¡¯I have no idea.¡¯ Then, he paused for a moment and added, ¡°Are there


    any instructions?¡±


    Ste looked at the manual and tossed it to Keegan. ¡®It¡¯s in anothernguage. Can you trante it?¡±


    Keegan was confused. He nced over the instructions and said, ¡°Are you sure you want me to


    trante this verbally?¡±


    Ste did feel shy about the situation, but her curiosity got the better of her. She had never seen adult


    products in real life before. ¡¯It looks so weird. I want to know how people use it,¡± she said.


    Keegan read through the instructions and pursed his lips. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to trante this.¡± ¡°Really?¡±


    Ste grabbed the manual back, and after struggling to read the first sentence, Keegan said, ¡°Why


    don¡¯t I show you how to use it?¡±

 Chapter 1211

    Chapter 1211


    Chapter 1211


    Ste¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard Keegan say that he would show her how to use an adult product.


    She cleared her throat and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, sure.¡±


    ¡®Why would I mind?¡¯ thought Keegan. Half an hourter, Ste¡¯s frantic voice sounded from the


    bedroom, ¡°Keegan! What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Demonstrating,¡¯ Keegan responded in a serious manner.


    Ste gritted her teeth. ¡°Why are you using it on me?!¡±


    Keegan held up the instruction manual and said, ¡°I can¡¯t possibly use them on myself now, can I?


    These are women¡¯s sex toys.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes turned red with anger. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that earlier?!¡±


    ¡°Well, you didn¡¯t ask,¡± Keegan replied with an innocent-looking face. He then held her down and said,


    ¡°Don¡¯t move. I¡¯m trying to see where this part goes.¡±


    ¡°Let me go! I don¡¯t want to use them anymore!¡± Ste cried out.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you wanted to know how they work?¡± Keegan said in a husky voice as he lowered


    his head and kissed her.


    Ste wrapped her arms around him and said, ¡°Yeah. I wanted to know how they work on you, not


    me¡­¡±


    ¡®I wouldn¡¯t have asked you to demonstrate how to use those things if I knew you were going to use


    them on me,¡¯ she thought.


    Keegan was baffled. ¡®No wonder she was so eager about using this thing.¡¯ Not wanting to cause her


    any more distress, he leaned down, rubbed their noses together, and asked, ¡°Do you want to continue


    with the demonstration?¡±


    Ste shook her head and said, ¡°No.¡± She kissed the corner of Keegan¡¯s lips and murmured, ¡°I want


    you instead.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Keegan was taken aback and was overwhelmed with affection for his partner. He


    tossed the sex toys to the side and unbuttoned his shirt.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan was out of control that night, and his jealousy was also far from being subdued. Each time they


    were about to have an orgasm, he would ask Ste questions and kill the mood. Ste could not stand


    this kind of torment and pleaded while she hugged him, ¡°Keegan, please¡­¡±


    However, this approach was of no use. Instead of restraining himself, Keegan intensified the


    interrogation. Ste was about to fall asleep when she heard Keegan¡¯s low and husky voice in her ear.


    He said, ¡°Call me by that name again.¡± Never in a million years did she think that he would like that


    during sex.


    Meanwhile, Vermont and Felicity were on a stakeout. Felicity was nibbling on some popcorn when


    Vermont opened up a drink for her and said, ¡°How are you still hungry when we had just finished


    eating?¡±


    Felicity took a sip of the drink and replied, ¡°All I had was a small piece of steak. I haven¡¯t had a chance


    to eat anything else when Homewrecker Hylda¡¯s ident happened.


    ¡°I was looking forward to having a good meal and gaining my money back. But, everything was over


    before it even started. I knew I shouldn¡¯t have gotten them a wedding gift!¡± Felicityined.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I buy the wedding gift while you just put your name down?¡± Vermont chuckled.


    Felicity nced at him and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t your money equivalent to mine? Besides, donating to charity


    would¡¯ve been a much better choice than giving anything to that homewrecker.¡±


    With that, Vermont assumed that Felicity was concerned about his financials and was being cautious


    with money. ¡®What an ideal partner,¡¯ he thought.


    ¡°Slow down. You¡¯re getting popcorn all over my car,¡± he said as he cleaned the crumbs off Felicity¡¯s


    shirt.


    Felicity then looked out the window and wondered, ¡°What are we waiting for?¡± ¡°Keegan asked me to


    keep an eye on Sophia, so that¡¯s what we¡¯re doing.


    We¡¯ll also get back at her for calling you a moron while we¡¯re at it.¡±

 Chapter 1212

    Chapter 1212


    Chapter 1212


    Felicity perked up at the mention of getting revenge against Sophia. ¡¯How dare she call me a moron?


    Do I look like a moron?¡± She turned to Vermont and asked.


    Vermont¡¯s lips curled up in amusement. ¡°You¡¯re more of a Munchkin.¡¯


    ¡°What do Munchkins look like?¡± Felicity asked.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Vermont said as he quickly pulled up a collection of cats on his phone.


    Felicity was ted to bepared to adorable creatures. However, she soon noticed something odd.


    ¡¯Wait. Why are their legs so short?¡±


    ¡°Are they?¡± Vermont looked at the pictures and asked. He turned to Felicity and said, ¡°I think they look


    pretty simr to yours.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s words made Felicity mad. ¡°You¡¯re the one who has short legs!¡± She stomped on his feet and


    said.


    Vermont grunted, pretending to be in pain, but Felicity ignored him. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to say you have short


    legs. I¡¯m just saying you¡¯re cute.¡±


    Hearing that, Felicity turned away and tried to hide her smile.


    ¡°Actually, I just got a cat. It¡¯s arriving in a couple of days,¡± said Vermont.


    Felicity was excited to hear that. She loved cats, but herndlord did not allow pets in the apartment.


    So, the thought of Vermont getting a cat made her a little envious.


    ¡°I have a picture of it. Do you want to see if it¡¯s cute?¡± Vermont asked.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve already bought the cat, you have to take care of it no matter what it looks like. Pets are


    friends, not toys,¡± Felicity said, showing concern for the cat¡¯s well-being.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t spend any money on it. My friend¡¯s cat gave birth to a litter of kittens, and I picked the cutest


    one. Are you sure you don¡¯t wanna have a look?¡±


    Unable to resist her curiosity, Felicity turned and looked at Vermont¡¯s phone. To her surprise, she saw


    her face with cat ears edited on there.


    Vermont leaned over, smiling as he said, ¡°Well? Isn¡¯t she cute?¡±


    Felicity could not help but be charmed by his antics. She red at Vermont and muttered, ¡°You¡¯re such


    a smooth talker.¡±


    Vermont grinned and handed her a tissue. ¡°Okay. But for real, I did adopt a cat. It just turned one month


    old and will arrive tomorrow. You¡¯ll get to meet it then.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow? Have you gotten any supplies for the cat?¡± Felicity asked.


    Vermont paused. ¡°Do I need to?¡±


    ¡°Duh! We need to get some kitten form, wet food, and a litter box; unless you want it to poop and


    pee in your bed.¡±


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    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t think that far ahead. I just thought it was cute and wanted to bring it home.¡¯ Vermont


    sheepishly admitted.


    Felicity could not believe what she was hearing. ¡°I¡¯ll apany you to the pet store tomorrow to get all


    the necessary supplies for the little furball.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s lips curled up slightly. ¡®Thanks, Felicity,¡± he said.


    She nced at him and continued, ¡°I¡¯m not letting an irresponsible owner like you take care of it alone.¡±


    As they were chatting, Felicity noticed Sophia walking out of the hospital in a hurry. She tapped


    Vermont on the shoulders and said, ¡°There she is!¡±


    They saw Sophia getting into a cab and leaving. Vermont followed the vehicle at a safe distance and


    soon arrived at the Jewell residence. The cab then drove away after dropping Sophia off.


    Vermont and Felicity sat in the car and waited to see what would happen next. Not long after, a ck


    BMW passed by. Felicity recognized it immediately and said, ¡°That¡¯s Albert¡¯s car. Ste has driven me


    in that car before.¡±

 Chapter 1213

    Chapter 1213


    Chapter 1213


    It waste at night, and only a few cars were on the road. Vermont and Felicity nervously trailed behind


    the ck BMW, afraid of arousing suspicion. Fortunately, the driver of the BMW was in a hurry and did


    not notice them.


    They followed the car all the way from the city center to the south of the city. Eventually, the BMW


    stopped in front of a kindergarten. Vermont and Felicity saw Sophia exit the vehicle while carrying a


    little boy and enter the school.


    The two exchanged nces, and Felicity whispered, ¡°What¡¯s she doing at a kindergarten with her


    brother in the middle of the night?¡±


    Vermont pressed his lips together and said, ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see.¡±


    After about twenty minutes, Sophia walked out of the building alone. She got back in her car and


    quickly drove away.


    Felicity was puzzled. ¡°Why didn¡¯t she take her brother with her?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Vermont frowned. Suddenly, his eyes twinkled with realization, and a sly smile spread across his face.


    ¡°Looks like she just gave herself away,¡± he said.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Felicity asked anxiously.


    Vermont patted her head and continued, ¡°We¡¯ve made a breakthrough, miss bandit. Let¡¯s go home and


    tell Keegan the news.¡±


    Felicity pushed away his hand and said, ¡°Tell me what¡¯s going on!¡±


    ¡°Albert is probably destined to be sonless,¡± Vermont chuckled.


    Felicity¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment when she heard that. ¡°Are you saying Hugo isn¡¯t his biological


    child?¡±


    Vermont smiled and said, ¡°We need to share this good news with Mr.


    Jewell right away.¡±


    Following that, he grabbed his phone and dialed a number. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me. Do you know who¡¯s in charge


    of the electrical circuits around Greenwood Grove in the south? Could you do me a favor and ask them


    to cut the power for an hour? Yeah. I¡¯ll cover any damages from userints. Thanks.¡±


    Felicity was shocked. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had the power to do that.¡±


    Vermont shed a yful grin and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t I awesome?¡±


    Felicity made a disgusted face in response.


    Vermont was able to ask someone to cut the power temporarily because they were in an old city district


    with only a fewrgepanies or office buildings. Moreover, it was nighttime, and not many people


    were using the electricity.


    After the call, the surrounding lights went out. The street plunged into darkness, with only a few


    pedestrians on their phones, illuminating the area.


    ¡°Come on. Time to get down to business,¡± said Vermont.


    Felicity did not know what the n was, but she decided to follow him. As soon as they stepped out of


    the car, Vermont reached out to hold her hand. Felicity was momentarily surprised when she felt the


    warmth of his palm. ¡°Remember to hold on tight. We wouldn¡¯t want you to go missing while we¡¯re on


    our mission.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a child,¡± Felicity snorted. Though, she still gripped Vermont¡¯s hand tightly in return. Vermont


    yfully squeezed her hand and felt happy.


    Greenwood Grove mostly consisted of single-story houses with people that knew each other. The


    residents often gathered on the streets during a power outage to chat with their neighbors and see if


    anyone knew what was happening. Soon, people starteding out of the kindergarten too.

 Chapter 1214

    Chapter 1214


    Chapter 1214


    Although everyone was holding up their phones, the dim light made it hard to see clearly in the


    darkness. Vermont skillfully blended into the crowd with Felicity alongside him.


    It was the weekend, and the people in Greenwood Grove were supposed to be having a rxing


    evening. However, they could not binge-watch their favorite shows or y any video games due to the


    power outage. The residents were annoyed and gathered in front of their homes to engage in lively


    chatter.


    Vermont whispered a few words in Felicity¡¯s ear, and she immediately said, ¡°Hugo, why are you out


    here?¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, another female voice said, ¡°Hugo! Who said you coulde out?


    Where are you, you rascal?¡±


    Vermont grabbed Felicity¡¯s hand and led her toward the source of the voice. The woman continued


    calling Hugo¡¯s name, searching outside and inside the building until she finally found him in one of the


    rooms.


    Infuriated, she scolded the child for not listening to her and wandering around.


    After giving the child a piece of her mind, the woman stormed out of the room and mmed the door


    behind her. Vermont seized the opportunity to enter the room, picked Hugo up, and walked out of the


    kindergarten with Felicity.


    Felicity¡¯s heart was pounding as they slipped through the crowd. Though, Hugo remained calm in


    Vermont¡¯s arms, seemingly unfazed by themotion around him. No one paid them any attention.


    With that, Vermont and Felicity seeded in taking the child away.


    After entering their car, Vermont dialed 911. ¡°Hello? I found a child on the side of the road.¡±


    Felicity was baffled. ¡®Isn¡¯t he afraid that the kid would blow his cover if he gets questioned?¡¯ she


    thought. However, she was overthinking things.


    Hugo was autistic, which meant he had difficulty concentrating on his surroundings. He was often


    immersed in his own world. So, they managed to take the child to the police station without arousing


    any suspicion and were even praised by the authorities.


    Felicity felt bothered by the situation, but Vermont was not. ¡°We¡¯re just doing our jobs as good citizens.


    I¡¯m sure anyone would do the same if they saw a kid alone on the road,¡± he said.


    His words left Felicity speechless. ¡®I guess I¡¯m not as shameless as I thought,¡¯ she said to herself.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Knowing Hugo would likely wander off at times, the Jewell family ced their contact information in his


    pockets in case anyone found him. So, the police were able to make a phone call to Albert. Once they


    confirmed Hugo¡¯s identity, they allowed Albert to pick him up from the station.


    Initially, the police on duty wanted to take a photo of the incident and post it on their social media


    pages. However, when he looked up, he realized the two helpful citizens had already left.


    While they were on their way back. Felicity empathized with the child. ¡°I feel sorry for Hugo,¡± she said.


    ¡°For having autism or for having parents like Albert and Hylda? Though there¡¯s no exact cure for


    autism, there are still a lot of ways to help improve his situation. But I don¡¯t think his parents really care


    that much. They should enroll him in a special education program that can amodate his needs,¡±


    said Vermont.


    However, Felicity could not help but feel bad that they had to involve Hugo in their affairs. Vermont


    noticed this and gently patted her head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not your fault. I¡¯m the one who carried out the


    n.¡±


    Felicity felt better upon hearing that and pushed away his hand. ¡°Hands on the wheel,¡± she said.


    After a whole night¡¯s worth of turmoil, Ste woke up the next day around noon. When she opened her


    eyes, she recognized the familiar ceiling above her head and slowly recalled what happened the night


    before.


    Various explicit images shed across her mind, and she remembered yelling Keegan¡¯s name as they


    had sex.


    She rolled over, wanting to bury herself under the covers, only to find Keegan lying next to her on his


    side with his head propped up. Keegan smiled as their eyes met and said, ¡°You¡¯re up.¡±

 Chapter 1215

    Chapter 1215


    Chapter 1215


    Ste pulled the nket and said nonchntly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be at work?¡± As she spoke,


    she realized her voice was a bit hoarse and decided to clear her throat.


    A hint of amusement shed in Keegan¡¯s eyes as he watched her. ¡°It¡¯s the weekend.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Ste replied while she buried herself under the covers.


    Keegan checked the time on his phone and said, ¡°It¡¯s almost 11 o¡¯clock.¡±


    Ste contemted getting out of bed but felt a little embarrassed with Keegan there since she was not


    wearing anything under the sheets. Seeing that Keegan was not moving, she decided to engage in


    some small talk. ¡°I wonder how things are going on Albert¡¯s side.¡±


    ¡°Hylda and Sophia tried to hide Hugo awayst night, but Vermont caught them¡­¡± Keegan informed


    Ste of what Vermont and Felicity didst night and concluded with,¡± He¡¯s probably busy taking a DNA


    test with Hugo now.¡±


    Ste froze for a moment when she heard that. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Albert spent his whole life longing for a


    son only to end up raising someone else¡¯s child,¡± she sneered.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope he cane to terms with it,¡± Keegan replied.


    Ste did not know what he meant, so he exined, ¡°The child is still his wife¡¯s even if it¡¯s not his. They


    come in a


    bundle. So he has to learn how to deal with it unless he wants to get a divorce.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Steughed.


    ¡°Should we get out of bed?¡± Keegan nced at her and asked.


    Ste held onto the nket tightly, trying to appearposed. ¡°You go ahead. I want toy here a little


    longer.¡±


    Keegan was about to sit up but decided to lie back down when he heard Ste say that. ¡°I¡¯lly with


    you for a while then.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you get up first? We¡¯d have to fight for the bathroom if we get up together,¡± Ste said,


    doing her best to make Keegan leave the bed first.


    Keegan looked at her and said, ¡°We literally have more than one bathroom.¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we have a chat? They say that having conversations with your partner can strengthen your


    bond,¡± Keegan said softly.


    ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± asked Ste.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about your first love,¡± Keegan suggested.


    ¡®Not this again,¡¯ Ste thought. ¡®He¡¯s such a jealous person!¡¯


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    She then tried to act dumb and say, ¡°You¡¯re making things hard here, Keegan. It¡¯s literally been so long.


    I don¡¯t remember much.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you remember the days when you guys went for tuition sses? Why don¡¯t we start


    from there?¡±


    Ste could not help butugh upon hearing that. She leaned closer to Keegan and yed with his


    hair, saying,¡± Howe I didn¡¯t know you were such a jealous partner? You¡¯re asking me to tell you


    stories about my ex, but you and I both know you¡¯ll get mad after listening to them. Why would you


    want to put yourself through that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d feel better if we¡¯re married,¡± Keegan pursed his lips and said.


    ¡°Okay then. We¡¯ll get remarried after you¡¯ve umted enough points,¡± Ste chuckled.


    Keegan¡¯s expression turned serious as he asked, ¡°You promise?¡±

 Chapter 1216

    Chapter 1216


    Chapter 1216


    ¡°I promise,¡± said Ste.


    Keegan finally let go of the topic of Ste¡¯s ex-boyfriend and focused on counting the points he had


    umted.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Curious, Ste leaned over as Keegan opened the calctor app on his phone. ¡°How many points do


    you have as of right now?¡± she asked.


    Keegan turned his phone away and refused to show her. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna tell you that. You¡¯re too


    calctive, Ste. You might take off some points if you know my total.¡±


    ¡®Psh. I could still take off some points without knowing your current total,¡¯ Ste thought. Suddenly, her


    phone rang while Keegan was busy with his score. Ste saw that it was Trevor and gestured to


    Keegan to stay quiet as she answered the call.


    ¡°Hey, Ste. Do you have time for lunch today?¡± Trevor asked.


    Ste nced at Keegan, who gave her an encouraging look. ¡°Is the familying?¡± she asked in a


    low voice.


    Trevor paused and said, ¡°I won¡¯t invite them if you¡¯re not ready.¡±


    Ste fell silent. She thought about the elderly couple who hade all the way from Royalburgh just


    to see her and realized that Wenham was not getting any younger. ¡°Bring everyone out for lunch and


    send me the location,¡± she said after some time.


    Trevor was a little surprised to hear her say that. He then smiled and said, ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll pick you up in a


    bit.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s fine. People are spreading rumors that you¡¯re my sugar daddy. It¡¯ll be hard to exin


    ourselves if the media catches us in a car together.¡±


    ¡°In some way, I am. You¡¯re the heiress of the Saun family. It¡¯s only fitting that I take special care of you.¡¯


    Trevor coldly snorted.


    Steughed for quite a while before saying, ¡°Should I quit acting then and just inherit the family


    business then?¡±


    ¡°You can do anything you want as long as you¡¯re happy,¡± Trevor chuckled.


    His words sent a wave of warmth to Ste¡¯s heart. ¡°I think I¡¯ll stick to acting. I really want to excel in this


    industry.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ll support you no matter what. I¡¯ll provide you with every resource I can find. Just say the word,


    and I¡¯ll make it happen. You¡¯re the best, Ste. I know you¡¯ll achieve anything you want,¡± said Trevor.


    Ste did not know how to respond. ¡®Now I know why Keegan always teased Trevor for being


    obsessed with me,¡¯ she thought.


    After hanging up the phone, Ste got out of bed and washed up. Keegan had asked Aldor to send


    over several sets of elegant-styled clothing for her to choose from. She looked extremely graceful when


    she tried them on. Since it was her first formal meeting with the Saun family, Ste took it very seriously


    and spent almost an hour doing her makeup.


    Keegan understood her nerves and did not rush her. Instead, he texted Trevor, saying: [Give her a few


    more minutes.


    She¡¯s a little nervous.]


    Surprisingly, Trevor did not scold him this time: [Take your time, and drive safely.] He replied.


    [Sure thing, my dear brother-inw.]


    Trevor did not respond.


    Keegan drove Ste to lunch after she finished getting ready. She was unusually quiet along the way.


    ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Saun Sr. are kind people. And you¡¯ve already met Uncle Wenham. Don¡¯t worry, Ste.


    Just be yourself. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll love you,¡± said Keegan.


    Feeling anxious, Ste clenched the hem of her clothes and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to apany me


    to meet the Sauns?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll meet the family when I want their approval for your hand in marriage.¡±


    Previously, Keegan thought that Trevor had fallen for Ste and insisted on tagging along whenever


    she met up with him. Now that he knew she was part of the Saun family, he realized it was


    inappropriate for him to show up uninvited.


    Soon, Ste arrived at the designated location. Keegan handed her a mask and reached out to fix her


    bangs. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll be alright. Call me if anything happens. I¡¯ll be waiting for you outside.¡±


    Ste scratched his hand lightly in response and put on a hat before stepping out of the car.

 Chapter 1217

    Chapter 1217


    Chapter 1217


    Keegan only withdrew his gaze after Ste went inside The Deli. Then, he received a message from


    Carter: [Please pay me and my wife for showing up.]


    Keegan read it and replied with a screenshot of a medal: [It¡¯s being made. I¡¯ll send it to your wife¡¯s


    ceter.]


    Carter texted a reply: [A medal worth thirty bucks? Come on, the gifts we brought are worth more than


    that.]


    Keegan took another screenshot of their conversation and forwarded it to Lena: [How much do you


    want? I¡¯ll pay you.]


    [Don¡¯t listen to him. We didn¡¯t bring any gifts.] Lena replied.


    After that, Keegan sent a screenshot of Lena¡¯s response back to Carter.


    Carter kept quiet for a while before sending him a middle finger emoji. Keegan loosened his tie and


    asked: [What about the thing I asked you to investigate earlier? Any updates on that?]


    Carter corrected him: [It wasn¡¯t an investigation. You wanted me to steal the information.]


    Keegan replied with an indifferent face: [Isn¡¯t hacking into other parties¡¯ security systems something


    you do when you¡¯re bored?]


    Carter replied in a serious manner: [It¡¯s more like assisting them to patch their vulnerabilities.]


    Carter was so good withputers that he could easily bypass the firewalls of most cybersecurity


    systems and even modify their data without being traced.


    Although Lena came from an ordinary family, she was very prideful and independent.


    Carter¡¯s parents were unhappy with this marriage and even expressed their disapproval in front of the


    couple and behind their backs more than once.


    Lena had a very strong sense of self-esteem and insisted on doing property notarization with Carter


    right after they married. She wanted to make her stance clear that she would not take advantage of


    Carter even if they were to get a divorce in the future.


    However, the notarization was never sessful because whenever they went to the notary office, there


    would always be something wrong with theputer systems.


    Lena had no idea why, but all his friends knew.


    They knew Carter was the one tampering with the system.


    He was not worried that Lena would take advantage at all. He even hacked into the notary office¡¯s


    computer system to avoid making the property notarization.


    Keegan felt regretful as he thought about that.


    When he was in the midst of divorcing Ste, he was consumed by anger and couldn¡¯t think clearly. If


    he had been moreposed and cleverer, he could have approached Carter to hack into the Civil


    Affairs Bureau¡¯sputers. That way, he would not have to turn himself from a husband to an ex.


    As Keegan thought about that, he asked: [Can you hack into the Civil Affairs Bureau¡¯s system and


    revoke my divorce with Ste?]


    Carter¡¯s eyelid twitched as he replied: [I can even change your father¡¯s status to being alive. Do you


    want me to do that too?]


    His response left Keegan speechless. Carter continued:


    [Your divorce, like your father¡¯s death, is already a fact. Ste doesn¡¯t even share an ount with you


    anymore. Are you out of your mind? Besides, the office is full of cameras. Do you think the staff


    working there are blind?]


    Keegan did not want to give up: [We can hack the surveince system too.]


    Carter was speechless at his suggestion.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Lena finally had a day offst night, and they nned to stroll by the river. However, Keegan called


    them for help, and their n was disrupted. They would have a date after helping Keegan, but Lena


    received a new case and had to leave.


    Carter med Keegan for not getting to spend time with Lena. He replied to Keegan with another


    middle finger emoji upon reading hisst message.


    Then, he said after venting his frustration: [The autopsy report of Ynda Fenley confirms that she died


    from an overdose. There¡¯s nothing suspicious about that, but¡­]


    [But what?] [But no one knows if she injected the drugs herself or not.]


    [What do you mean?]

 Chapter 1218

    Chapter 1218


    Chapter 1218


    Carter replied: [ording to Lena¡¯s remark, the angle of her injection was from top to bottom. However,


    most people would do it from bottom to top when self-injecting. Also, the injection site was on her upper


    arm. It just doesn¡¯t seem right, even though she had a habit of injecting from up to down.]


    Keegan frowned: [Why is there no further investigation into this?]


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Carted replied: [That¡¯s because no other person¡¯s hair or fingerprints were found at the scene. Her


    family was not bothered to im her body either. Cases like these usually go unresolved, and you


    know it too. Besides, there wasn¡¯t even a suspect involved in this case, and there¡¯s not much the


    prosecutor can do.]


    Keegan pursed his lips without replying. It was terrifying that something was suspicious, but no physical


    evidence could be found.


    Carter thought about something and sent another text to Keegan: [Oh, by the way, your wife¡¯s disguise


    last time was pretty good. I can¡¯t believe you couldn¡¯t recognize her after sitting at the same table for so


    long. Lena is curious to know her makeup artist, as she wants one of her team members to learn from


    them to improve undercover investigations and avoid being detected.]


    Keegan kept quiet.


    Ste saw Trevor making a phone call in the lobby, dressed casually in a shirt and trousers as soon as


    she entered The Deli. His outfit seemed more rxed and simplepared to the previous times she


    had seen him.


    Ste sized him up and realized¡­ that there were indeed some resemnces between them. She


    finally realized why Felicity always used to say that Trevor looked familiar.


    As she was still lost in her thoughts, Trevor turned around and walked toward her. Ste tightened her


    grip on her bag and stood in ce, feeling a little uneasy. However, Trevor gently held her wrist and


    said, ¡°Come with me.¡±


    Ste pursed her lips and followed him like a little kid. After getting into the elevator, Trevor finally


    turned to look at her. Ste was wearing a cap and a mask, so he could only see her eyes. However,


    those eyes were enough to fill Trevor¡¯s heart with a bitter feeling.


    He reached out to gently brushed Ste¡¯s long hair behind her shoulder and said softly, ¡°Grandpa and


    Grandma can be too friendly sometimes. Just tell me if you feel ufortable and want to leaveter.


    I¡¯ll take you home, and they won¡¯t have a problem with it.¡±


    Ste paused and felt a lump in her throat.


    She realized that besides Keegan and Rainee, there were still others who still cared about her feelings


    and looked forward to reuniting with her.


    Suddenly, her heart was filled with warmth as she lowered her gaze. She chuckled and said softly,


    ¡°Bro, I may not be as chatty as themter, but it doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t like them.¡±


    Trevor was taken aback. He smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. ¡°Wee home,


    Charmie.¡±


    Ste was taken aback. Then, she softly asked after Trevor let go of her,¡± Charmie? Is that my original


    name?¡±


    Trevor took the gift, which was prepared by Keegan, from Ste¡¯s hand. He spoke warmly, ¡°It¡¯s the


    nickname Mom gave you back then before we gave you a real name because we didn¡¯t know if you


    would be a boy or girl. It would be Charlie if you were a boy.¡±


    As Trevor pondered the past, he couldn¡¯t believe what had happened. Back then, they had lost both the


    mother and the baby. But the real shock came muchter when they discovered that the baby had not


    actually passed away; instead, it had been switched with another.


    ¡®Charmie¡­ What a beautiful name. The Sauns must be looking forward to this child¡¯s arrival.¡¯


    They got off the elevator, and Trevor led her to the door of a private room. Then, he knocked on it and


    pushed it open.


    Ste,e on in.¡± He turned around and said with a smile.

 Chapter 1219

    Chapter 1219


    Ste took a deep breath and walked inside slowly.


    Her back was kept straight. Not only was she nervous, but she was also trying to look more presentable in front of


    her elders, fearing that she might not meet their expectations.


    The private room was huge, and four people were sitting at a round table in the middle.


    An amiable-looking elderly couple sat next to each other, whom Ste had seen on a video call before. They were


    her grandparents, Wilfred Hall and Edith Wade.


    Wenham was sitting beside Edith. Although he gained a little weight, he still exuded a graceful presence. The look in


    his eyes showed a hint of excitement when he saw Steing in.


    Seated beside Wilfred was a middle-aged man with sharp and distinct features. He looked somewhat familiar to


    Ste and was strikingly good-looking. He seemed to be in histe forties, but his well-maintained physique would


    make him look only a few years older than Keegan if he changed his hairstyle.


    Ste took off her mask, and Wilfred could not contain himself and said, "My dear granddaughter."


    Edith''s eyes turned red. She tugged Wilfred''s sleeve and said softly, "Don''t scare the child."


    Wenham immediately stood up and pulled out the chair next to him. "Ste, sit over here," he said.


    Trevor held her hand and introduced everyone to her," You''ve seen our grandparents in the video call before, and


    obviously, you''ve met Dad too. This is our uncle, Daryl. He came along with our grandparents to see youOwned by N?velDrama.Org.


    specifically. His wife has a talk to attend at Frecford today, so she can''t be here. We''ll arrange another time for you


    to meet her."


    Ste clenched her fists nervously. She was always chatty but suddenly did not know what to say when faced with


    this family''s anticipating gaze.


    Trevor paused and put the gift box he was holding on the table. "Grandpa, Grandma, Ste brought this gift for you."


    The couple was delighted. "How thoughtful of you," Edith praised Ste.


    "Thoughtful children always have a difficult childhood. Just look at how skinny she is." Wilfred added.


    Edith felt distressed upon hearing that. "I''m sure that she suffered malnutrition when she was younger. Trevor


    showed me a photo of her in fifth grade, and she looked like a little dwarf."


    Ste was speechless. It was undeniable that she was not tall, but calling her a little dwarf was a bit of an


    exaggeration. She started growing taller and taller after her second year in high school.


    After listening to his grandparents'' outrageous remarks about Ste, Trevor coughed and said, "Ste wasn''t that


    short. Look, she''s all grown up and is a pretty woman now."


    "Of course, she is. Nobody in our family is too short anyway," Wenham said.


    Then, Wilfred added, "That''s because of the good genes in the Hall family. I''m d that she looks like Freesia and


    not you."


    Wenham was taken aback. Then, he whispered, "Her nose looks like mine. We both have a tall nose bridge."


    "No, she looks like me. Trevor looks like me; Ste looks like Trevor, so Ste looks like me." Daryl chimed in.


    Wenham''s expression grew dark. "How can my children look like you? Stop ttering yourself. I can''t tell which part


    of you is attractive at all."


    "Could you ever have such two good-looking children if it weren''t for Freesia''s genes?" Wilfred expressed his dissatisfaction.


    Wenham was left speechless once again.


    Ste was shocked that the family was actually arguing with each other over whom she resembled.


    She shifted her puzzled gaze to Trevor. He cleared his throat and said calmly, "You''ll get used to it."


    Ste felt like she had finally found where she inherited her feisty character from.


    The family argued for quite some time before they finally realized that Ste had been standing there all along.


    Then, Edith immediately said, "Let''s not talk about it anymore.


    Trevor, tell the waiter to serve the dishes now. I''m sure that Ste is starving, right?"


    Ste put on her iconic fake smile. "It''s fine. I''m not that hungry."


    "Come, sit next to me. Let me have a good look at you." Edith said with an amiable smile.


    Ste walked somewhat awkwardly to Edith and was pulled to sit between Edith and Wenham.

 Chapter 1220

    Chapter 1220


    Edith looked closely at Ste¡¯s face. It seemed like she saw a glimpse of her own daughter in Ste as


    her eyes welled up in tears.


    Ste got emotional too, but not to the point of crying.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    She was different from the family in the room with her. She had been carefully taken care of by Rainee


    since she was a baby and had no idea that she had been switched. She had never personally


    experienced the pain of losing a loved one for the past twenty years.


    However, the Hall and Saun families had gone through the death of a grandchild and a daughter, who


    was also Wenham¡¯s wife. It was a tragedy for them.


    That was the reason why they were so easily overwhelmed by their emotions as soon as they saw


    Ste, who was well and healthy, appearing in front of them.


    Ste felt a hint of warmth in her heart, suddenly filling her emotional void that had been empty for the


    past several years. Edith held her hand and asked gently, ¡°Ste, have you been doing well all these


    years?¡±


    Ste lowered her gaze and replied softly, ¡¯My mom-l mean, my foster mother treated me very well. I


    have been living a prettyfortable life.¡±


    Edith sighed. ¡°Your foster mother had it difficult. I guess her passing was a relief for her. Could you take


    us to the


    cemetery a few dayster? I want to personally thank her.¡±


    Ste nodded.


    ¡°Edith, move over. Let me speak to the child for a while.¡±


    Wilfred squeezed between them and stuffed a big envelope in Ste¡¯s hand. ¡°Ste, this is the money


    I¡¯ve been saving for you for over twenty years.¡± He whispered, ¡°None of them have as much as you.¡±


    Daryl paused. ¡°Dad, how could you steal my line?¡±


    Then, he took an envelope out too. ¡°What am I going to say now?¡±


    Wenham pursed his lips and took another envelope out from his pocket. ¡°Did Trevor tell you guys what


    I was going to give Ste?¡±


    Ste and Trevor both kept quiet at the exchange.


    After a moment, the three envelopes were already in Ste¡¯s hand. It felt weighty, like the deep


    affection from her family.


    She was initially worried that seeing her would remind them of herte birth mother and make things


    awkward between them. However, that did not happen at all. Instead, all of them were very considerate


    of her feelings and had not brought that up at all. Ste was the continuation of life to them, not the


    culprit who caused the death of their loved one.


    She pursed her lips and put the envelopes on the table.


    Then, she stood up and poured herself a ss of wine. ¡°I¡¯ll drink to express my gratitude.¡±


    Everyone else was shocked as they thought inwardly. ¡®Ah¡­ It seems like she¡¯s a good drinker.¡¯


    Ste only noticed that everyone else was staring at her after she finished her drink. Suddenly, she felt


    a little awkward.


    Daryl was quick to react; he cleared his throat and said,¡± You¡¯re just like my sister when she was


    young. Bold and daring!¡±


    Then, he lifted his ss. ¡°Here, I¡¯ll drink with you.¡±


    Wenham got very excited about this ¡°trait¡± of Ste as he thought inwardly. ¡®It seems like she enjoys


    alcohol as much as I do.¡¯


    ¡°And me too.¡± He quickly raised his ss and spoke.


    A female voice sounded at the door as soon as Wenham said that. ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t be able to


    resist a drink.¡±


    Ste was taken aback. Then, she turned around and saw Darcie standing at the entrance.


    Darcie was wearing a wine-red blouse paired with a ck red long skirt. Her exquisite makeup made


    her look very elegant and graceful.


    As everyone shifted their gaze to her, she greeted the elderly couple warmly, ¡°Long time no see, Mr.


    and Mrs. Hall Sr..¡±

 Chapter 1221

    Chapter 1221


    Chapter 1221


    Ste could immediately sense that the atmosphere in the room became somewhat awkward as soon


    as Darcie spoke.


    Wilfred¡¯s friendliness disappeared, and the look on Edith¡¯s face turned nonchnt. Daryl took a sip of


    his wine without saying anything. Trevor¡¯s gaze paused before he greeted her tly, ¡°Hello, Darcie.¡±


    Wenham stood up awkwardly and asked, ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    Darcie replied gently, ¡°You forgot your blood pressure medication. I was worried that you couldn¡¯t buy it


    here, so I brought it for you.¡±


    Trevor kept his lips pursed and remained silent. Blood pressure medication was not an emergency pill


    like nitroglycerine; it was not needed to be always carried around.


    However, Wenham did not think too much about it. He took the medication and said in a low voice,


    ¡°You could¡¯ve just asked someone to bring it over. Why did youe personally?¡±


    Darcie replied softly, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Hall Sr. have been in Rivera for some time now, and I wanted to pay


    them a visit. And¡­ I also wanted to share the joy of reuniting with Ste after waiting with you for so


    long.¡±


    Wenham felt a little conflicted.


    Although Wilfred and Edith did not say anything about his remarriage, he could feel they were not


    exactly happy about it.


    Besides, the reason they gathered here was to reunite as a family. Darcie¡¯s presence was just not


    appropriate for an asion like this.


    Wenham whispered to Darcie, ¡°You should go back first. We¡¯ll have a meal with Ste again when


    she¡¯s free some other time. Let¡¯s give her and her grandparents some space today.¡±


    Darice looked a little disappointed, but she did not argue with Wenham. Instead, she replied Mr. and


    Mrs. Hall Sr. at least. Then I¡¯ll leave.¡±


    At this point, Wenham did not want to reject Darcie anymore. He turned around and gazed at his ex-


    father-in-w, who shot him a look that said, ¡®You¡¯re a useless man.¡¯


    Wenham kept quiet.


    Darcie gracefully walked toward them before putting a delicately packaged bag on the table. Then, she


    greeted the elderly couple warmly, ¡°Mr. Hall Sr., Jaylene knows that you enjoy calligraphy, so she


    asked her friend to buy a Carpi fountain pen for you. I don¡¯t know much about it, but Jaylene said that


    its ink flow is consistent and steady, and its nib is very flexible too. It¡¯s very good for practicing


    calligraphy. I hope that you¡¯ll like it.¡±


    Ste nced at the box and noticed how beautifully packaged it was.


    She had heard people talking about the brand, Carpi when Rainee sent her to learn calligraphy back


    then. It was one of the four most famous brands in the market.


    ording to her teacher, the Carpi fountain pen was a work of art in terms of precision and luxury,


    perfect for those who strived for excellence. Its ink flowed effortlessly with even the lightest touch, and


    it was a favored choice among high society in past times.


    Depending on its design, a Carpi fountain pen could cost anywhere from a few thousand to even


    millions.


    Ste pursed her lips.


    The gifts that Keegan had prepared for her were not as expensive; they were just two bags of premium


    Da Hong Pao Tea and a box of cogen drinks.


    They were not exactly cheap either. Keegan figured it was still Ste¡¯s first time meeting them, so it


    would be inappropriate to bring something too expensive. Moreover, he picked the gifts based on how


    he used to give gifts to his grandmother on festive asions, which were not too extravagant but also


    presentable at the same time.


    However, Ste¡¯s gift appeared to be a little shabby when ced with the Carpi fountain pen. Wilfred


    swept his gaze across it and said tly, ¡°It¡¯s too expensive. You should take it back.¡±


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Darcie replied gently, ¡°Jaylene spent a lot of effort to purposely get you this from her friend. Besides,


    people who don¡¯t know anything about calligraphy, like me, will never know how to appreciate this pen.


    It¡¯ll only gather dust and devalue its worth if I were to bring it back.¡±


    Wilfred wanted to refuse further, but Edith patted hisp under the table, leading him to give up the


    idea. Then, Edith smiled, ¡°We¡¯ll take it since it¡¯s a heartfelt gift from Jaylene.¡±


    Daryl stood up and took the bag after Edith said that. ¡¯ Thanks.¡± He spoke tly.


    Darcie seemed delighted as she handed Ste another bag. ¡± Ste, this is a gift I brought for you as a


    token of our first meeting. Your father didn¡¯t tell me he wasing to meet you in advance, so I didn¡¯t


    have much time to prepare. I hope that you¡¯ll still like it.¡±


    Ste was a little surprised as she declined, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Darcie.¡±


    However, Darcie insisted, ¡°Your mom and I were very good friends, and I¡¯m very happy for her that


    you¡¯re well and alive. This is the least I can do for her. Please don¡¯t reject it.¡±

 Chapter 1222

    Chapter 1222


    Chapter 1222


    Ste did not know what to say in response. The atmosphere turned awkward again. After a moment,


    Wenham chimed in, ¡°Ste, just ept it as a blessing from my wife.¡±


    Ste had no choice but to take it and thanked Darcie politely. Edith stared at Darcie for a while before


    turning to her son and said, ¡°Daryl, have the waiter prepare another set of utensils.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Darcie quickly waved her hand. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mrs. Hall Sr., I¡¯m going to leave now. You all have a good


    chat with Ste.¡± Then, she turned around and said to Wenham, ¡°I¡¯ll get a room ready in the house for


    Ste as soon as possible. I can ask Jaylene to switch rooms with her, too, if she prefers Jaylene¡¯s


    room. I can¡¯t wait for Ste to live with us.¡±


    Wenham looked a little moved as he gently patted Darcie¡¯s arm and softly said, ¡°Thank you so much.¡±


    Darice smiled and replied, ¡°It¡¯s my duty.¡±


    Then, she bid farewell to everyone politely and left.


    Although Darcie was gone, Ste could still feel like the atmosphere was not as rxed as before. She


    could sense that her grandparents were a little unhappy.


    Ste pondered to herself and realized that Wilfred and Edith were probably bothered by the fact that


    their ex-son-in-w married another woman and formed a new family.


    In fact, she did not feel veryfortable around Darcie too. Although Darcie spoke politely to her, she


    could not shake the feeling that she was an outsider intruding into a family she did not belong in.


    Ste never nned to move back into the Saun family.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Daryl cleared his throat and said to Ste with a smile, ¡°Ste, just grab whatever you like.


    We don¡¯t have anyplicated family rules here. Just be yourself.¡±


    Ste¡¯s expression eased up as she replied warmly, ¡°Okay, Uncle Daryl.¡±


    Daryl paused before turning to Wilfred and said, ¡°Dad, can I have your card now? She called me Uncle


    first.¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    Wilfred red at Daryl. ¡°No way! You¡¯re not ying fair!¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡± Daryl put on an innocent look.


    Then, Trevor chimed in, ¡°I should be the winner. Ste already called me her brotherst week.¡±


    Wilfred was not having that. ¡°It doesn¡¯t count if I didn¡¯t hear it. Let¡¯s start over!¡±


    Then, he shifted his gaze to Ste. ¡°My dear, call me Grandpa now, and the money is all yours.¡±


    Ste did not know what to say. Daryl clicked his tongue and said, ¡°Dad, you¡¯re being unreasonable!


    And, you¡¯re bribing her!¡±


    Wilfred scoffed. ¡°You can do that too. Let¡¯s see if Ste listens to you.¡±


    Ste lowered her gaze and said softly, ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, Brother, can we eat first? I haven¡¯t


    eaten anything since morning.¡±


    The whole family smiled. ¡°I told you guys to eat first. I knew Ste is hungry.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who started the bet.¡±


    ¡°Just cut the nonsense and start eating.¡±


    The atmosphere in the room became lively again. Ste¡¯s te was piled up with food in no time. The


    affection and warmth of her family reminded her of someone when he was drunk.


    As she picked up a piece of prawn with her fork, the door was pushed open, revealing a tall and well-


    dressed figure at the doorway.

 Chapter 1223

    Chapter 1223


    Chapter 1223


    Just twenty minutes ago, Keegan was bargaining with Vermont on the phone while sitting in his car.


    ¡°I reached home at three thirty in the morning yesterday just to tail that person for you! Ten thousand?


    Am I a beggar to you? At least one million!¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡°A million? Do you even deserve it? n


    Vermont could only get along so well with Keegan solely because of how shameless he could be. What


    Keegan said hurt his self-esteem a bit.


    ¡°How do I not deserve it? Do you realize how old I am now? I can¡¯t believe I stayed up sote for the


    sake of your ex- father-inw. I¡¯m putting my life at risk here! I have probably one less day to live now


    because of how tired I gotst night. Isn¡¯t a day of my life worth one million? Your wife demanded two


    and a half million from me when you were shed at the bar back then! How am I not worth it if even


    you¡¯re worth that much?¡±


    Vermont could just not forget about the two and a half million, so he had to take the opportunity to ask


    for some back. Otherwise, his ¡°thrifty¡± character would never allow him to sleep soundly at night!


    Keegan utilized the bargaining skills he learned from Ste to the fullest as he retorted, ¡°How do you


    know that the day you lost would not be the day of you lying on a sickbed? You should thank me for


    sparing you from another day of suffering instead. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    The edge of Vermont¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°You son of a bitch! You¡¯re turning your back against me now


    just because you got Ste back, huh? You¡¯ll be the one lying on a sickbed soon! And your wife will be


    taking care of your sorry ass! In fact, I hope that she¡¯ll just throw a bed pan in your face once she gets


    tired of taking care of you!¡±


    Keegan leaned back on his head and replied with a smirk.¡± Ste would never do that to me. However,


    who do you expect to take care of you when that happens to you? Are you going to keep fooling Ms.


    Thompson by then?¡±


    Vermont was speechless.


    Where¡¯s my knife? I¡¯m going to cut this idiot into a million pieces! h-h-h! He needs to stop


    talking about his wife!¡¯ Vermont thought to himself.


    ¡°Cut the nonsense and give me my money now! I was on the edge of breaking thewst night


    because of you, and I was almost arrested too! Also, the power outage cost me a few hundred


    thousand! Do you think you could spend the night with your wife peacefully if it weren¡¯t for me? The toy


    must be fun, huh? A night of pleasure is priceless, yet I¡¯m just asking for a million!¡±


    His response left Keegan speechless. Then, he spoke with a dark expression. ¡°Don¡¯t send those


    rubbish over again without asking me first! You¡¯re outrageous!¡±


    Vermont snorted. ¡°You had a great timest night, didn¡¯t you? Quit pretending to be a saint.¡±


    Normally, Keegan wouldn¡¯t waste so much time talking to him, but he couldn¡¯t resist boasting about his


    pleasurable experiencesst night. So, he lightly tapped the steering wheel with his fingertips and


    smirked. ¡°Ste didn¡¯t like it. She wanted me more.¡±


    Vermont was dumbfounded.


    ¡®Fuck! He has scored a home run, yet I¡¯m still just holding hands with her!¡¯


    The more Vermont thought about it, the angrier he got. Then, he sneered and mocked Keegan, ¡°Is that


    so? I remember her telling me that you had a little problem down there and had to consult a specialist


    about it. So, have you two been to the doctor together? Or was Ste just pretending to make you feel


    better? After all, she¡¯s an expert in doing that. I mean, you couldn¡¯t recognize her when she pretended


    to be Marshall¡¯s girlfriend either, right? She probably just made some sound to make you happy, and


    you believed it because of how foolish you are.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face turned red. He cursed, ¡°Go to hell!¡±


    Then, he hung up the phone. However, Vermont continued to harass him through text because he had


    not received his rewards.


    [I¡¯ll introduce you to a specialist if you pay me one million. I guarantee that you¡¯llst for the entire


    night.]


    Keegan replied to him with just a word: [Idiot.]


    Vermont was still typing when Keegan lifted his head and saw a familiar MPV passing by his car before


    stopping in the parking space beside him.


    Keegan stopped bothering Vermont and looked out of his car window.


    After being parked for a few minutes, the MPV¡¯s door opened, and a familiar figure stepped out. It was


    Leighton.


    ¡®Took him long enough.¡¯ Keegan thought to himself.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1224

    Chapter 1224


    Chapter 1224


    When Keegan watched Ste walk inside, he wondered if Leighton would beat Trevor right then and


    there after discovering that she was his cousin. Keegan tapped his fingers on the steering wheel and


    picked up his phone to call Leighton.


    Leighton¡¯s phone rang after taking just a few steps. He got upset as soon as he saw the iing call


    from Keegan.


    Keegan was not only the ex-husband of Ste but also her current boyfriend. There was no way


    Leighton would be happy to receive a call from him. However, Leighton answered the call anyway after


    considering what Keegan had done to help him before.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Leighton spoke coldly, showing no interest in talking with Keegan. But Keegan was not bothered. He


    figured Leighton would eventually realize he was far more ¡°affectionate¡± toward him than his immoral


    cousin, Trevor.


    ¡°On your left,¡± Keegan spoke tly.


    Leighton paused and turned his head to look. Then, he saw the window of a Mercedes slowly rolling


    down next to them. Keegan was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat while holding his phone.


    Keegan hung up the phone after meeting Leighton¡¯s gaze. Then, he raised his hand to gesture him to


    come over.


    Leighton walked over suspiciously. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Just waiting for a friend,¡± Keegan replied.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Leighton said indifferently. ¡°Why did you call me then?¡±


    ¡°How was the fish stew? Ste wanted me to ask you about it, but I got too busy and forgot. Was it


    delicious?¡±


    Leighton kept quiet. His memory of the taste of that pot of fish stew had been reced by how Trevor


    beat him up.


    Trevor knew that Leighton was an actor. His face was the most valuable part of his body, so he would


    only hit him in ces not visible to the camera.


    Of course, Leighton did not just stand there and take the beating like a fool. The problem was that the


    boxing moves he learned were useless against Trevor. He would devise all sorts of excuses to stop the


    fight whenever Leighton gained the upper hand. Then, he would sneak up on Leighton again when


    they were resting.


    Leighton could not figure out why a righteous person like Wenham would give birth to such an evil son.


    Leighton¡¯s thigh was still hurting!


    Although Leighton had to endure all that, he did not want to let his crush down. So, he responded


    earnestly, ¡°It was perfect. The best fish stew I¡¯ve ever had.¡±


    Keegan was speechless and impressed by how polite Leighton was.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask her to make you another pot then.¡±


    Leighton was taken back as he cleared his throat and said,¡± That won¡¯t be necessary. I heard that the


    female lead is set, and Ste will have to start filming soon. She should rest more.¡±


    Keegan stopped teasing Leighton and said, ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll pass on the message for you.¡±


    Then, he paused briefly before asking, ¡°Are you here¡­ for business?¡±


    Leighton hesitated. He did not want to reveal too much information, so he nodded without denying it.


    Keegan then grabbed a beautifully designed box and handed it to Leighton. ¡°Some good stuff for you.¡±


    Leighton was puzzled, but he took the box anyway. He opened it and saw an exquisite lighter inside.

 Chapter 1225

    Chapter 1225


    Chapter 1225


    Leighton nced at it and gave it back to Keegan. ¡°I don¡¯t smoke.¡±


    Keeganughed. ¡°It¡¯s not a lighter, but a prank toy my friend gave me. I¡¯m too old for this, but I figured


    kids like you might like it.¡±


    Although Leighton did not like being referred to as a kid, he felt a little tempted when he heard it was a


    prank toy. He lifted his gaze and asked, ¡°Is it a lighter that sprays water?¡±


    ¡®It would be boring if that¡¯s all it does, judging by how well it¡¯s made.¡¯ Leighton said inwardly.


    Keegan nced at him. ¡°Why would I bother giving you something like that?¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s not?¡¯ Leighton got more interested in it. ¡°What does it do then?¡±


    Keegan grabbed his phone and sent him a picture. ¡°Read the instructions yourself.¡±


    Leighton read it, and his eyes immediately lit up. He wanted to have it, but he hesitated because it was


    given by Keegan, his crush¡¯s ex-husband. ¡®What kind of man am I if I epted this gift?¡¯ Leighton


    thought to himself.


    Then, he cleared his throat and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything for you, so I can¡¯t take this from you for free.


    Give me a price.¡±


    Keegan gazed at him. ¡°Ste treats you like her younger brother, so I have to treat you like one too.


    There¡¯s no need to be so calctive with me.¡±


    Leighton immediately corrected him. ¡°How she treats me has nothing to do with you.¡±


    Then, he transferred fifty thousand to Keegan¡¯s ount with his phone. ¡°I won¡¯t take advantage of


    you.¡±


    ¡®Ridiculous! He¡¯s my love rival. How could I everpete with him if I were to ept his gift? Although


    I have no advantage now, I still have a chance as long as they¡¯re not married!¡¯


    Keegan sighed. ¡°Whatever.¡±


    After knowing that Keegan had received the money, Leighton left with the lighter.


    When he checked his phone, Keegan found out that


    Vermont had sent him more than ten messages. Thest message was: [Are you going to pay me or


    not? If you¡¯re not, I¡¯ll go to your wife and make a scene! You know me; I have no shame!]


    Keegan immediately wired him two hundred thousand before replying to him: [Just keep your filthy


    mouth shut already.]


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    Vermont texted back instantly: [There¡¯s nine hundred and eighty thousand left. When are you going to


    pay me the rest?]


    Keegan decided to stop talking to Vermont and switched on the ¡°Do Not Disturb¡± mode on his phone.


    Vermont immediately called Felicity after receiving the


    payment, ¡°Miss bandit, didn¡¯t you say that you would go shopping for the cat with me? When are you


    coming?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m outside buying food. I¡¯lle after I eat.¡±


    ¡°What? I haven¡¯t eaten yet as well. Let me treat you to Joplonese cuisine!¡±


    ¡°Did you win the lottery?¡± Felicity was surprised.


    ¡°Tsk.¡± Vermont clicked his tongue. ¡°Do I have to win the lottery to treat you to a meal?¡±


    He grabbed his jacket as he spoke and walked outside.¡± Where are you now? I¡¯lle and pick you


    up.¡±


    Felicity nced at the pork chop in front of her and swallowed her saliva. However, she suppressed her


    craving after thinking about the expensive Joplonese cuisine. ¡°I¡¯m at the pork chop stall nearby our


    neighborhood.¡±


    ¡°Give me ten minutes.¡±


    Meanwhile, Leighton had made his way to the private room. He adjusted his clothes at the door.


    He was supposed to attend an event today, but his father called and told him they were going to have a


    meal with his cousin when he was on his way there.

 Chapter 1226

    Chapter 1226


    Chapter 1226


    Leighton was different from everyone else in the room; he had never met Freesia, so he did not share a


    deep rtionship with her. That was why he had not paid much attention to this cousin, who seemed to


    appear out of nowhere.


    However, he was quite pleased to have a new cousin in the family. It meant he now had someone to


    use as a shield if his father everined about him again in the future. After all, this cousin did not


    grow up in his family, so he figured she could never be more outstanding than him. In that way, he


    would no longer have to be the worstperforming member of the family and be despised by his father.


    Leighton pushed the door open after adjusting his clothes. Then, he saw his crush sitting in the middle


    of his family.


    He was shocked.


    Ste was stunned too. She paused and was unsure whether she should put the piece of prawn into


    her mouth or not. Keegan had previously told her about the rtionship between Leighton and Trevor,


    so she already knew that Leighton was her cousin a few days ago.


    She did not see him anywhere when she arrived and thought that he could not make it because he had


    something else to do. She was not expecting to see him there.


    She immediately put down her fork. To be honest, she still felt a little embarrassed. After all, they had


    acted as a couple before and even almost kissed each other. Come to think of it; she was actually


    grateful for that troublemaker, Keegan¡¯s interference. Otherwise, things would have been even more


    awkward.


    Leighton¡¯s eyes were filled with shock. Daryl frowned and said, ¡°Why are you just standing there?


    Come inside. We¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡±


    Edith red at him. ¡°Can¡¯t you talk to the child in a better way?¡±


    Daryl paused, coughed, and changed his tone. ¡°Come on in. Are you expecting one of us to walk you


    over? Mr. Superstar? It


    Leighton stiffened his face as he took off his mask and cap, walking rigidly toward Daryl. Then, he


    pulled out a chair and sat down.


    Wilfred got very excited. ¡°Ste, this is your cousin, Leighton. Leighton Hall. Trevor told me you both


    worked in the same production. So you know each other, right?¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°Not only that I know him, but he has also helped me a lot.¡±


    Daryl was puzzled as he looked at his own son. ¡°That¡¯s so kind of you. Why would you always talk back


    to me for everything I said back home? Is our family environment so bad that you can¡¯t act decent?¡±


    Leighton kept quiet. Ste did not know what to say either.


    ¡®I guess there¡¯s a reason why so many people exposed Leighton for having a bad temper. After all, the


    genes in this family are very strong.¡¯ Ste thought to herself.


    Then, she coughed and decided to speak up for Leighton,¡± Uncle Daryl, I was very rebellious too when


    I was Leighton¡¯s age. I argued with my family very often. However, Leighton is much more capable than


    I am. His acting skills are terrific, he has so many fans, and he is very dedicated to his work too.


    Everyone likes him very much. He¡¯s also a brave person. When we first met, I had gotten into a conflict


    with someone else, and that person sshed boiling water on me.


    Leighton was the one who stepped in to save me.


    Otherwise, there would¡¯ve been a scar on my face.¡±


    Daryl was very surprised. ¡°He got burned to protect you?¡±


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste nodded.


    Suddenly, the expression on Daryl¡¯s face became somewhat strange. He always thought that Leighton


    fought with someone else, and he even scolded him over the phone. However, Leighton just hung up


    on him without exining anything.


    Then, he coughed and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about it?¡±


    All Leighton could think about was that his crush had now be his cousin, and he was not in the


    mood to argue with his father. ¡°Did you ask?¡± he answered in a displeased tone.


    Daryl was speechless.


    ¡®Stupid brat! What a temper you have there!¡¯


    However, Daryl, for once, refrained from scolding Leighton after realizing he had wrongly used him.


    ¡°Good job.


    You¡¯ve got to take good care of your cousin. Don¡¯t let anyone mistreat her.¡±


    Leighton ignored what Daryl said and looked at Trevor. Trevor was putting food onto Ste¡¯s te while


    chatting happily with her. It did not look like that was the first time them meeting each other at all.


    His sluggish brain finally started functioning as he recalled all the things Trevor had done.


    Then, everything began to make sense to him.


    He finally figured out why Trevor would respond in that way when he asked him if he could pursue


    Ste.


    ¡®This cunning man already knew about Ste¡¯s identity and was just using me to fend Keegan off. I¡¯m


    not surprised that a person so protective of his sister would betray his cousin like that!¡¯


    Leighton was so mad that heughed after connecting all the dots.


    Trevor lifted his gaze and looked at him after hearing hisughter. He blinked his eyes and asked,


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±

 Chapter 1227

    Chapter 1227


    Chapter 1227


    Trevor was a petty person. He refused to reveal Ste¡¯s identity to Leighton when he asked for a photo


    of his long- lost cousin. His n was to let him find out during the family gathering and make a fool of


    himself. He found it entertaining to know that Leighton would have to suppress his anger and frustration


    in front of Edith and Wilfred, especially since he was not letting him have his way.


    However, to his surprise, Leightonughed strangely instead of getting upset.


    When Trevor inquired about the reason behind theughter, Leightonposed himself and said, ¡°I¡¯m


    just overjoyed to know that my celebrity idol is my cousin.¡±


    His words left Edith stunned. ¡°Ste is your celebrity idol?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yeah, grandma. Remember the voice actor I told you about? ¡± Leighton¡¯s voice softened as he


    exined.


    Edith had taken the time to know her grandson¡¯s interests, so she knew who he was referring to. ¡°You


    mean Dusk Gxy?¡±


    Leighton nodded.


    Edith was not familiar with animated characters, but she got to know those that were voiced by Ste


    after seeing various Dusk Gxy merchandise in Leighton¡¯s room.


    Realizing that her granddaughter and grandson had already connected long ago brought a smile to her


    face.


    ¡°See, honey. I told you God would answer our prayers. Ste was right in front of us all along,¡± she


    said.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, my dear. I¡¯ll give more offerings to the church in return,¡± Wilfred responded.


    ¡®That¡¯s it?¡¯ Trevor thought. ¡®Since when did Leighton have such a good temper?¡¯


    Leighton seemed genuinely unbothered by the situation and struck up a conversation with Ste. Being


    close in age, they found amon ground quite easily.


    Leighton had always had a crush on Ste and felt a little uneasy after finding out that she was his


    cousin. However, he was not heartbroken for too long because he knew she liked Keegan. ¡®Thank God


    for Keegan. I would¡¯ve been absolutely gutted if I had fallen any deeper,¡¯ he thought.¡¯ And, fuck Trevor


    for being an asshole.¡¯


    Soon, the gathering was filled with joy andughter. Wilfred drank a little too much and could not stop


    calling Ste¡¯s name. He even tried to give her the card he had won from the bet with Daryl, but she


    politely declined the offer.


    Worried that Ste was ufortable with the situation, Edith tried to change the subject. ¡°Ste, I


    noticed that you brought over some tea leaves and cogen drinks. How did you know that Wilfred


    enjoys tea?¡±


    ¡°Oh, a friend suggested it as a gift,¡± Ste chuckled. She wanted to mention Keegan but decided not to


    since no one in the family had brought up her divorce. So, she was not sure how they felt about him.


    ¡°Well, your friend certainly has good taste. These tea leaves are very high quality and rather pricey


    too,¡± Edithplimented.


    ¡°Not as expensive as the Carpi fountain pen,¡± said Ste.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Herment caused both Wilfred and Edith to fall into a brief silence.

 Chapter 1228

    Chapter 1228


    Chapter 1228


    Seeing Wilfred and Edith¡¯s reaction, Ste realized that she had misspoken. She was about to rectify


    her words when Wilfred said, ¡°We have plenty of fountain pens at home.


    They¡¯re not THAT rare. Besides, it¡¯s the thought that counts. I personally think tea leaves are a better


    choice than a pen.¡±


    Ste was a bit surprised to hear that. ¡°But, I¡¯ve never seen a Carpi fountain pen in all life,¡± she said,


    trying to justify its value through its rarity.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Unexpectedly, Wilfred unwrapped the gift box Darcie brought and presented Ste with a Carpi


    fountain pen.¡± Here. Take a good look. It¡¯s yours if you like it. If you don¡¯t, we can go to Royalburgh and


    pick out one of the many fountain pens in my study. And, if you like them all, I can give you my entire


    collection,¡± he said.


    Wilfred¡¯s generosity shocked Ste. She tried to decline the offer and said, ¡°That¡¯s okay, Grandpa. I¡¯m


    not particrly skilled in calligraphy. I was just curious.¡±


    However, Wilfred insisted. ¡°What do you mean? You¡¯re great at calligraphy! Trevor showed me your


    writing once, and I was impressed. Your penmanship is amazing!¡±


    Ste did not know what to say. She assumed that Wilfred was just being gracious. ¡®No calligraphy


    artist would ever think that if they saw my work.¡¯


    Keegan¡¯s handwriting, on the other hand, was beautiful. But, he was not one to show off, so only a few


    close friends had seen his handwriting.


    ¡®Taking Wilfred¡¯s fondness for the art into consideration, he and Keegan would get along well,¡¯ thought


    Ste. She then made a mental note to encourage Keegan to take up calligraphy again so that he


    would not embarrass her if Wilfred asked to see his work.


    As the evening progressed, Wilfred kept signaling Edith to say something. Eventually, Edith lightly


    smacked him on the leg and cleared her throat before speaking. ¡°Ste, your father and I are nning


    to host a banquet where we officially wee you into the family and introduce you to everyone. We


    want to hold it once your paperwork and ID are sorted. But, it¡¯s just an idea, and we want to hear your


    thoughts about it. What do you think?¡±


    Wenham looked at Ste eagerly following that question.


    Ste was touched by how much the family valued her opinion and respected her wishes. ¡®They are


    way better than Albert,¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°It¡¯s a great idea, grandma. But, I¡¯d like to postpone the event a bit since I still have some things to take


    care of with the Jewell family.¡±


    Edith was relieved to hear that. ¡°No worries, sweetie. Take your time. Remember to talk to Trevor or


    your Uncle Daryl if you need any assistance. We¡¯ll start making arrangements for the banquet when


    you¡¯ve sorted everything out.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, grandma,¡± Ste nodded.


    Edith squeezed her hand gently and offered herfort.¡± You¡¯re a good kid, Ste. I¡¯m sure your


    mother would be proud of you no matter how things turn out,¡± she said, referring to Rainee rather than


    her own daughter.


    Ste was taken aback and hugged Edith tightly. Even though the olddy had a frail body, her


    embrace was warm andforting, much like the ones she used to receive from Rainee.


    Ste buried her face in Edith¡¯s neck as she reminisced about the times when she used to hug her


    mother that way.¡¯ I finally feel like I belong somewhere,¡¯ she thought to herself.


    When the gathering ended, Wilfred and Edith apanied Ste downstairs. Trevor stood up to


    follow, but Leighton stopped him and said, ¡°Wait.¡±


    Trevor paused, and he wondered if Leighton wanted to start a fight. However, Leighton had something


    else in mind. He took out a box from his bag and said, ¡°A friend of mine gave me a lighter that looks


    pretty cool. But, I don¡¯t smoke, so I want you to have it.¡±

 Chapter 1229

    Chapter 1229


    Chapter 1229


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Trevor was surprised to hear that Leighton stopped him only to give him a lighter. ¡®Is he really okay with


    Ste being part of the family?¡¯ he wondered.


    ¡°Is that all? Is there nothing else you want to talk about?¡± he asked. Despite their less-than-friendly


    rtionship, Trevor could not bear to see Leighton in distress as they grew up together.


    Leighton nced at him and said, ¡°What do you want me to say? Do you want me to talk about how


    you kept me in the dark and screwed me over just to prevent Keegan from getting close to your sister?¡±


    Taken aback, Trevor froze for a moment. He cleared his throat before he said, ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I just


    didn¡¯t want you to get hurt, since I know how much you liked Ste.¡±


    ¡®You didn¡¯t want me to get hurt? Hah,¡¯ Leighton coldly snorted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I would¡¯ve been hurt. Sure, I would¡¯ve been upset. But, I know that Ste liked Keegan.


    So, even since the beginning, I never had a chance. Although, that is a good thing. Family over


    everything, right, Trevor? N


    Trevor frowned upon hearing that. ¡°Since when did Ste


    Leighton leered at him, and he now understood who Keegan was waiting for downstairs. He also


    realized what Keegan meant when he said, ¡°Ste and I see you as a little brother.¡±


    ¡®All this time, he was hinting the truth. Yet, I thought he was trying to get on my nerves. I should¡¯ve seen


    iting. There was no reason for him to use his connections to help me with thepany other than


    me being Ste¡¯s cousin. Conversely, Trevor concealed Ste¡¯s identity and tried to use me against


    Keegan. He even tattled on me when things did not go his way!¡¯


    Leighton¡¯s anger grew, but he remained calm on the surface. As an actor, he put his use. Even Trevor,


    who knew him well, could not see through his thoughts.


    ¡°They¡¯re practically in love with each other. Why do you care if he¡¯s worthy or not?¡±


    Trevor¡¯s mouth twitched, and he smacked Leighton on the back of his head. ¡®Did Keegan cast a spell


    on you or something? Whose side are you on?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t have time for your affairs,¡± Leighton snorted. He then shook the box containing a


    lighter and asked, ¡°Do you want this, or should I give it to someone else?¡±


    Trevor¡¯s two primary interests in life were drinking and collecting lighters. Although he was not much of


    a smoker, he had an extensive collection of lighters in various shapes and sizes. He even had some of


    them custom- made at a high cost. So, when he heard that Leighton had a lighter for him, he eagerly


    reached out to ept it.


    Trevor opened the box and found a unique tinum diamond-studded lighter he did not have in his


    collection. He liked it very much, and this was the first time he found his younger cousin to be


    somewhat endearing.¡± You¡¯re very thoughtful,¡± he ruffled Leighton¡¯s hair and said.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving now,¡± said Leighton indifferently, as he moved his head away. He calmly left the room


    without paying any further attention to Trevor and immediately rushed down the stairs.


    A minuteter, the sound of someone retching came from the room, followed by Trevor¡¯s angry voice.


    ¡°Leighton, you little¡­ Ugh¡­¡±


    Keegan sensed something and looked up the stairs. He did not know if Leighton had escaped, but he


    hoped he was alright.


    Keegan had asked Aldor to order a custom-made lighter that released a foul-smelling substance upon


    ignition. Anyone within a few feet would be overwhelmed by the stench of rotten eggs. It was


    unbearable for an average person, and for someone like Trevor with a highly sensitive sense of smell,


    it was pure torture.

 Chapter 1230

    Chapter 1230


    Chapter 1230


    Aldor already knew what Keegan had in mind when he approached him for the custom lighter. Being


    kind-hearted, Aldor was worried that Keegan might offend Trevor, so he tried to talk him out of it. But,


    Keegan dismissed his concern and said, ¡® Just do as you¡¯re told.¡± Aldor did not expect Keegan to use


    Leighton as a pawn in his game.


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    Despite being friendly toward Trevor and calling him his brother-inw, Keegan kept track of his actions


    and nned his revenge. ¡®Sorry, Leighton, but I had to,¡¯ he thought.


    Soon after, Ste emerged from the building. Keegan pulled up in his car, and Ste quickly got in. As


    she fastened her seatbelt, she pulled out three envelopes from her purse and said, ¡°Look at what I


    got..!¡±


    Keegan could not help but smile when he saw how happy Ste was. ¡°Are those from your


    grandparents?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and this one¡¯s from Uncle Daryl, and this is from Mr. Sa ¨C I mean, my dad.¡± Ste was still trying


    to get used to the idea of having such a loving father like Wenham, especially since she had Albert as a


    dad before this.


    ¡°Looks like everyone knows you well.¡±


    ¡°What makes you say that?¡¯ Ste asked.


    Keegan nced at her and said, ¡®Well, they all figured out your love for money.¡±


    Ste rolled her eyes. ¡®I guess old habits die hard,¡¯ she thought, referring to Keegan¡¯s constant remark


    on her preference.


    She then showed Keegan the fountain pen Wilfred gave her and said, ¡® I got you something.¡±


    Keegan turned his head and looked slightly surprised. ¡°A Capri fountain pen?¡¯


    ¡°You sure know your stuff,¡± Ste said, admiring the stationery. ¡°This thing is expensive, right?¡±


    ¡°Judging by the craftsmanship and quality, it must be. But, we¡¯ll need to test the ink to know for sure,¡¯


    Keegan replied.


    Keegan paused for a moment and asked, ¡°Why would Mr. Hall Sr. get you a pen when you don¡¯t even


    do calligraphy?¡±


    ¡°Technically, it wasn¡¯t him who got it.¡± Ste carefully ced the pen back in the box and continued,


    ¡°Mrs. Saun, my stepmother, gifted it to him, and he gave it to me.¡±


    ¡°Wait. Darcie was there?¡± Keegan was taken aback. ¡®I thought the Hall family didn¡¯t like her.¡¯


    ¡°We were having dinner, and she came to deliver some medicine to Uncle Wenham. From the way she


    spoke, it seemed like she knew about my identity all along. She gave this fountain pen to my


    grandfather and even prepared a gift for me.¡±


    Ste grabbed a bag nearby and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen what¡¯s inside yet.¡± She then opened the present


    to reveal an exquisite-looking box with a bottle of perfume inside.


    ¡°Caline,¡± Ste read thebel. ¡°Why does this brand sound so familiar?¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips and said, ¡®It¡¯s a Hall family product. It was founded by your birth mother and


    was previously known as Enchanted. Darcie¡¯s the one who¡¯s managing the brand now.¡¯


    Ste was stunned to hear that. ¡°My birth mother used to create perfumes? N


    Keegan smiled. ¡°Yeah. She was an exceptional perfumer. She was also great at anything rted to


    scent and taste, including food, liquor, and medicine. Myte father often used the essential oils she


    made when he was suffering from insomnia.¡±

 Chapter 1231

    Chapter 1231


    Chapter 1231


    An unusual feeling crept into Ste¡¯s heart. She had always been sensitive to scents. Moreover, she


    had been curious about the various fragrances emitted by nts since she was a child. This further


    developed her passion for cultivating flowers and nts. She had even created potpourri sachets back


    then. Now she realized where her unique hobbies might havee from.


    ¡°Why did Darcie take over the business instead of Trevor?¡± Ste asked, seeking rity.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Well, Darcie was the co-founder of Enchanted. But, your mother was the one who created the


    signature perfume that established thepany¡¯s reputation in the industry. It¡¯s called Secret Garden,¡±


    Keegan exined.


    ¡°After Aunt Freesia passed away, your Uncle Daryl managed the business for a while, but he didn¡¯t


    know much about perfumes. So, he handed it back to Uncle Wenham after a couple of years.¡±


    Wenham did not fullyprehend the world of fragrances either, but he wanted to keep histe wife¡¯s


    legacy, so he decided to assume control.


    Darcie was well-versed in perfume-making and business management. She provided guidance to


    Wenham when he first took charge of Enchanted. They spent a lot of time together as widows and


    gradually developed feelings for each other.


    Wenham married Darcie six years after the passing of his first wife.


    The Hall family did not approve of this union, as Enchanted was Freesia¡¯s life¡¯s work. They were not


    happy with the idea that her widowed husband and his second wife were managing it together.


    Additionally, Wilfred had helped Darcie out when she was financially struggling during the early days of


    establishing Enchanted. They treated her like family and felt betrayed now that she was involved with


    theirte daughter¡¯s husband not long after her death.


    Since then, the Hall family started distancing themselves from Wenham. They would not have kept in


    touch with the Saun family if it were not for their grandson, Trevor.


    Ste remained silent for a while after listening to Keegan¡¯s exnation.


    ¡°Actually, Uncle Wenham is a simple and honest man. He treated Aunt Freesia really well. He was in a


    terrible state for the first two years after her death. He lost a lot of weight and suffered from anxiety.¡¯


    ¡°But, that didn¡¯t stop him from remarrying someone else! He moved on so easily,¡± said Ste.


    Keegan was stunned to hearthat. ¡°Have you ever considered the pain and loneliness of losing a loved


    one? Some people choose to bear with it, while others choose to bury their past and start anew. You


    can love more than one person in a lifetime, Ste. Uncle Wenham has more to live for.


    ¡°If I leave this earth before you, and the days of yearning be too painful, I want you to find


    someone else. I want you to love and cherish him, ¡± he paused and added, ¡°But not more than how


    much you love me.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s words left Ste dumbfounded. ¡®I wasn¡¯t ming Uncle Wenham for moving on. I¡¯m just


    saying that he moved on too soon. I would never be able to move on that quickly,¡¯ she thought.


    Ste had imagined what would happen if Keegan died first, but she quickly brushed it aside. She


    would tell herself that they were still young, and there was still a long journey ahead. Subconsciously,


    she avoided the topic of death because she could not fathom what life would be like without Keegan. At


    the same time, she did not want to envision him with someone new if she passed away first.


    Ste often let her emotions control her first when it came to love. ¡®Why does he want me to find


    someone new when he¡¯s gone? Doesn¡¯t he love me anymore?¡¯ she thought. Soon, she realized that


    Keegan had said those words because he did not want her to feel alone after his death.


    ¡°What if I can¡¯t control myself and end up loving him more?¡± Ste teased.


    Hearing that, Keegan clenched the steering wheel and went deep in thought. He paused for a long time


    before he said, ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­ You¡¯ll still be buried next to me when your timees, and we can be


    together forever.¡±

 Chapter 1232

    Chapter 1232


    Chapter 1232


    Ste¡¯s heart fluttered when Keegan said that they would be together even after death. ¡°You¡¯re such an


    idiot,¡± she said after a while.


    The next day, news came from Xenia that Albert and Hylda had gotten into a heated argument. In the


    end, Hylda was kicked out of the house.


    When Albert went to the police station to pick up Hugo, he noticed Hylda¡¯s nervous demeanor, which


    raised his suspicion. He called Sophia to the hospital and had the two children take a DNA test along


    with the deceased baby from the miscarriage. The results showed that only Sophia was Albert¡¯s


    daughter. Hugo was not his biological child.


    Albert was furious and started a physical altercation with Hylda at the hospital. Despite Hylda¡¯s


    defiance, she refused to reveal the identity of the biological father. This did not please Albert, and it


    caused him to leave Hylda and Hugo at the hospital. He then visited Xenia and unloaded everything on


    her the following day.


    ¡°Albert looked like he was afraid of Hylda. I can¡¯t believe he hasn¡¯t considered divorce yet after that


    huge fight,¡± Xenia noted.


    Ste¡¯s lips curled into a knowing smile. ¡®That¡¯s because Hylda had leverage over him. He wouldn¡¯t


    dare leave her. No matter how much she betrayed him, he wouldn¡¯t dare to leave her. Even if he


    wanted a divorce, Hylda would demand substantialpensation given her character. And, Albert


    wouldn¡¯t want to fork out his money, so¡­¡¯


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Things would be more difficult if he got a divorce,¡± Ste said.


    ¡°What should we do next?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ That ¡®baby¡¯ in your belly must mean much more to him now. Get him to give you a proper


    status. If that doesn¡¯t happen, reel him in and get him to give you financial support. It¡¯ll be a good time


    to strike when he and Hylda dispute about the money.¡±


    It was evident that Hylda was in it for wealth and status rather than love. Now that her status was gone,


    money became her top priority.


    Ste did not expect that Hylda would keep the identity of her other lover hidden for so long. There¡¯s no


    way a profit-driven person like her actually likes her secret partner that much. She must be protecting


    Ian because she knows that nothing will change Albert¡¯s mind anymore. Plus, Hylda would not have to


    worry about getting support for Hugo as long as Ian prospers in the Moore family.¡¯


    As Ste pondered about the situation, her phone rang. She saw that it was Marshall and answered the


    call.


    ¡°Ste, are you free these days?¡±


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    ¡°Huh?¡± Ste responded cautiously. ¡°Why? What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve gathered information about the Hall family mansion. Can we meet up to discuss the findings?¡±


    Ste was about to agree when she recalled Keegan being jealous of Marshall. ¡°Can¡¯t we just talk on


    the phone?¡± she asked.


    Marshall chuckled. ¡°Sure, but it¡¯s easier for you to understand the situation if you have the documents


    in front of you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Just tell me over the phone. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get it.¡±

 Chapter 1233

    Chapter 1233


    Chapter 1233


    Marshall smiled and said, ¡°Alright, then. I¡¯ll talk on the phone.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Ste replied.


    ¡°Remember when I told you about the kindergarten in the backyard? Wanna guess who owns it?¡±


    Ste immediately thought of Albert and asked, ¡°Is it Albert?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s actually owned by Hylda and your Aunt Lydia. They are business partners. Hylda is the one


    who provides the capital and primarily takes the profits, while Lydia manages the operations.¡±


    ¡®So that¡¯s why Aunt Lydia and her family never left.¡¯


    ¡°ording to my findings, the kindergarten is doing very well in the local area. Greenwood Grove is


    part of the old side of town. Since the city government is currently carrying out an urban renewal n,


    the regtions for buildings in the area are quite strict. Apart from public preschools, the kindergarten


    is the only private property there. Just imagine how popr the school is.¡±


    The total number of students in the kindergarten exceeded 1000. With each child paying four figures for


    tuition every month, the monthly ie amounted to millions of dors. Moreover, Hylda and Lydia did


    not have to pay rent. Aside from necessary expenses like teachers¡¯ sries and utility fees, they were


    left with a ie of six to seven figures each month.


    ¡®No wonder Hylda is so rxed right now. She has another source of ie,¡¯ thought Ste. She


    could not believe that Hylda had used the Spade family¡¯snd for her business.


    ¡°But, don¡¯t they need approvals from relevant departments to build on that piece ofnd? They would


    also need a license to open a kindergarten. How did they manage to obtain those without the proper


    documents? How are they allowed to operate there?¡± she asked.


    ¡°They must have all the necessary permits. I¡¯m guessing some of them are fake,¡± Marshall said in a low


    voice.


    Ste fell silent. ¡®Hylda must have umted quite awork after being by Albert¡¯s side for so long.


    She would¡¯ve easily obtained the required paperwork with some help.¡¯


    ¡°You previously mentioned that the front yard of the house belongs to your grandfather, while the


    backyard belonged to his two brothers. So, I asked a friend to check the ownership of these two plots.


    Even though Albert has your grandpa¡¯snd certificate, the house itself is owned by Lydia and her


    husband. They filed for it with the housing authorities. But, they couldn¡¯t obtain the necessary


    documents for the plot ofnd behind it since it doesn¡¯t belong to Mr. Hall Sr.¡±


    ¡°Are you busy today? If you¡¯re not, I can take you to the relevant department and help you secure the


    land patent for the backyard. This document is crucial for you to get back that piece ofnd.¡±


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste was taken aback. ¡¯Didn¡¯t you say that the procedures would be difficult to navigate without the


    help of my grandpa¡¯s brothers?¡±


    ¡°That may be true for others, but I have my ways,¡± Marshall chuckled.


    ¡°Tell me more.¡±


    ¡°These skills are my livelihood, Ste. I might lose my career if I let you in on my secrets,¡± Marshall


    replied yfully.


    Steughed and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think I have the talent to steal your methods. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t


    have lost everything after my divorce with Keegan.¡±


    Marshall chuckled. ¡°So. when should we go and get the license?¡±


    Ste found that Marshall¡¯s words were ambiguous. ¡°Let me check with my manager to see if I have


    anything going on today. I¡¯ll call you backter.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll be waiting,¡± said Marshall.


    After ending the call with Marshall, Ste immediately called Keegan to exin the situation. Upon


    hearing that she nned to go with Marshall to obtain thend certificate, Keegan¡¯s face darkened.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t go with him. I¡¯ll apany youter.¡±

 Chapter 1234

    Chapter 1234


    Chapter 1234


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have an important meeting this afternoon?¡± Ste inquired.


    Keegan hesitated for a moment and said, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go with you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡¯


    Keegan was surprised at howpliant Ste was today. But then, she continued, ¡®Do you know


    where to go for the paperwork? Do you know the process of these things? Do you have anyone on the


    inside who could help us? It can be tricky to deal with the authorities in that department, you know?


    What if they say something you don¡¯t like? Can you guarantee that you won¡¯t lose your temper there


    and then?¡±


    With each question Ste raised, Keegan¡¯s expression turned grimmer.¡± Are you saying that I¡¯m not as


    capable as Marshall right now?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it that way. You¡¯re undoubtedly the best in your industry. No one can beat my man at


    building robots,¡± Ste said softly.


    Keegan was ttered by her praise, especially when she referred to him as her man. However, he did


    not let those words sway him. ¡°How can you acknowledge my abilities yet still want his help?¡±


    ¡°Everyone has their own expertise, Keegan. Sure, you excel at making money, but you¡¯re not that


    skilled in handling interpersonal rtionships like Marshall.¡±


    Keegan frowned. ¡°What do you mean I¡¯m not as skilled as him?¡¯


    ¡°See? I¡¯m just exining the situation, and you¡¯re already getting defensive. You¡¯re too stubborn,


    Keegan. Even though your research team puts in the most effort and makes the most money in the


    Keegan was about to refute, but Ste continued, ¡°I know you don¡¯t like those who suck up to powerful


    individuals just to boost their status and those who only befriend people who agree with them. But, our


    society is built on personal connections. You cant always think that way.


    ¡°I asked Marshall for help because he¡¯s adept at dealing with people. As awyer, he knows the ins


    and outs of interpersonal rtionships and has interacted with all sorts of individuals, especially those


    in political circles. He also knows how to navigate conversations with those people, which will make


    things easier.¡±


    Although Keegan was not happy to hear that, he knew what Ste said was true. He might have


    argued back if Stepared both of them in other aspects, but he had to admit that Marshall had far


    more connections than he did. Getting thend patent would be a piece of cake for Marshall.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Is it urgent?¡± Keegan pursed his lips and asked, believing that he could help Ste obtain the


    necessary paperwork if he was given a few days.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to drag this on for too long. The kindergarten on that piece ofnd is generating ie


    the patent as soon as possible to cut off her financial resources. That way, she and Albert will teareach


    other apart.¡¯


    Keegan fell silent for a moment. ¡°Do as you wish,¡± he said and hung up the phone.


    Ste was speechless at how childish he was acting.


    After the call ended, Keegan thought about the situation and dialed Felicity¡¯s number.


    Felicity had been preparing for her new job for the past two days. When she saw Keegan¡¯s namee


    up on the screen of her phone, she hesitated before picking it up.


    ¡°Hey, Ms. Thompson, are you busy at the moment?¡± Keegan¡¯s tone sounded polite, which made


    Felicity nervous.


    ¡°Wh-What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°The person who bought the scriptst time said it was good and wants to get another customized copy


    from you. Are you avable to take it?¡± Keegan asked.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Felicity blurted out. Suddenly, she remembered that Keegan gave her the first job because he


    wanted topensate her for getting her arrested. ¡®There¡¯s no way this guy is introducing me to


    another job for no reason,¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°Why are you suddenly offering me a job? What do you want this time?¡± Felicity asked with caution.

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    Chapter 1235


    Keegan did not waste anytime and got straight to the point, ¡°Ste wants to get her family¡¯snd patent


    with Marshall this afternoon, and I need you to apany her.¡±


    Hearing that, Felicity immediately became wary. ¡°You want me to be your spy? No way!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, then,¡± Keegan responded.


    Felicity was confused. ¡®Since when was he so easy to deal with?


    As expected, Keegan then added, ¡°I think I need to have a talk with your new boss about the time you


    worked at Vinci Rivera, which is mentioned in your resume.¡±


    Felicity gritted her teeth and said, ¡°You promised Ste that you¡¯d help me.¡±


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Oh. But, didn¡¯t she tell you that I¡¯m the best at changing my mind?¡± Keegan shamelessly replied.


    Felicity could not believe her ears. ¡®Why in the world did Ste fall for this asshole?¡¯


    Ste was busy preparing the relevant documents and materials to obtain thend patent in the living


    room when Felicity called out to her.


    ¡°Ste¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± she replied but was too upied to look up.


    ¡°Are you heading outter?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m going to get the patent for my family¡¯snd with Marshall in a few. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Um¡­ I want to buy some clothes for Vermont, but I¡¯m not very good at picking men¡¯s clothing. You


    used to buy clothes for Keegan all the time, right? Can you help?¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°Sure, we can shop together after I finish with thend certificate.¡±


    ¡°Can Ie with you? We can get the certificate first and go shopping way. Plus, I have nothing else to


    do right now.¡¯


    Ste did not think much about it and agreed. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll let Marshall know.¡±


    ¡°Great. I¡¯ll go get changed,¡± said Felicity as she rushed back to her room.¡¯ Thank God Ste was busy


    with her stuff. I¡¯d probably give myself away if she stared at me during that interaction.¡¯


    Marshall was shocked to learn that Felicity would be joining them when he picked Ste up, but he did


    not say anything. He invited them into the car and drove to their destination.


    With Marshall¡¯s help, the paperwork that usually included several procedures waspleted in one


    afternoon. Ste felt much more at ease after obtaining thend certificate.


    When they left the office building, Marshall suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s grab a meal together. I still need to


    discuss some follow-up matters with you, Ste.¡±


    ¡°Sure. My treat,¡± said Ste.


    Marshall smiled and epted the offer.


    After getting into the car. Felicity grabbed her phone and texted Keegan. [ We got the papers. Ste


    wants to treat Marshall to lunch.] [Where are you guys nning to eat?] asked Keegan.

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    Chapter 1236


    Chapter 1236


    Felicity pursed her lips and said, [I¡¯ll send you the location when we arrive.]


    Before Keegan could reply, he heard Chandler say, ¡°Keegan, why are you on your phone when you


    called for this meeting?¡±


    Keegan paused and nced at Aldor, who immediately turned on the projector and shared Jackson¡¯s


    phone screen. Suddenly, a live video of a woman swaying her hips provocatively appeared on the big


    screen. This caused amotion among the people present in the conference room. Meanwhile,


    Jackson remained oblivious and was still engrossed in sending virtual gifts to the live streamer.


    ¡°I was just replying to a text, Uncle Chandler. I think you should pay more attention to your son. Do you


    think it¡¯s appropriate for him to look at girls online and send them virtual gifts when we¡¯re in a meeting?¡±


    asked Keegan while he flipped open a document.


    Only then did Jackson notice that his phone was being projected on the screen and quickly turned it off.


    However, Chandler¡¯s face had already turned dark. He gave his son an exasperated re before he


    sternly said,¡± Continue with the report!¡±


    Jackson stared at Keegan, looking rather displeased.


    Keegan had organized today¡¯s meeting with the purpose of reorganizing thepany¡¯s structure and


    reiming some power from certain shareholders. He wanted to do this based on everyone¡¯s


    capabilities and efforts in the establishment.


    This style of management would significantly reduce the ie of some high-ranking individuals who


    were merely upying positions without much contribution. Naturally, a number of people did not


    agree with the approach.


    When it came down to the voting, half of the meeting attendees were in favor of the motion, but the


    other half were against it. Chandler was satisfied with the results. ¡°This is not child¡¯s y, Keegan.


    We¡¯re talking about business around here. Stop being so idealistic,¡± he said.


    Keegan leered at his uncle, and he seemed unsurprised by the votes.


    ¡°Since so many people are against the idea, let¡¯s put it aside for now. While we¡¯re here, let¡¯s review the


    financials of the various projects and industries under ourpany. The economy has been tough


    these past two years. We need to shut down projects that have been continuously losing us money. We


    must cut expenses if we can¡¯t make revenue, people.¡±


    As soon as Keegan said that, some of the faces in the room turned sour. Vinci Rivera was involved in


    dozens of projects, but the truly profitable ones were those in Keegan¡¯s control. When Quentin was still


    around, the most lucrative business under Vinci Rivera was real estate. However, due to the economic


    situation in recent years, they were not making much ie.


    Even though other businesses under thepany were barely staying afloat, they were still able to


    operate as long as things were still running in headquarters. The money used to cover these losses


    came from Keegan¡¯s projects that generated a high ie.


    With Keegan¡¯s proposal, it was clear that he would no longer subsidize thesepanies. Soon, the


    people began to voice their objections.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, many of thesepanies have been operating for over a decade. It would be a shame to


    shut them down now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Kane. Some of these projects have great potential. Maybe they will take off soon. Our


    investment in medical equipment a few years ago is already starting to pay off, right?¡±


    Keegan looked over at the person who said that and continued, ¡°Mr.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Ziegler, have you ever seen potential stock markets that take over a decade to make a profit? The


    media industry has been booming these past few years, yet our mediapany has been suffering


    losses. Can you tell me why that¡¯s happening?¡±


    The other party was silenced, and their expression looked unpleasant.


    Keegan scanned the room and said in a cold tone, ¡°Sorry, everyone, but I have to be blunt. If anyone is


    thinking of benefiting from thepany without putting in any effort, I might have to ask you to leave.


    Vinci Rivera is not a charity. Not to mention it would be unfair to those who actually do the work.¡±


    ¡®Mr. Kane is being too straightforward,¡¯ thought Aldor.


    Many shareholders on Chandler¡¯s side had been taking a free ride in Vinci Rivera and making quite a


    sry. On the other hand, Keegan¡¯s team had been working overtime to increase profit, but they were


    not being paid as much due to the toxic practices in the organization. Keegan saw that it was time for a


    change. However, the culture had been so deeply rooted in thepany that it would be hard to


    achieve the desirable results overnight.


    Aldor was worried that Keegan would offend someone with his words. He had the feeling that his boss


    was being too hasty, but at the same time, he understood the urgency of the matter from the


    perspective of an employee.


    Especially since one of the staff in the research and development (R&D) department suffered a heart


    attack due to overworking a few days ago. Fortunately, his colleagues rushed him to the hospital in


    time. Although he survived, he was still in critical condition and was currently in the ICU.

 Chapter 1237

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    Chapter 1237


    Keegan immediately visited his staff at the hospital as soon as he received the news. Since the worker


    was not from Rivera, his family had to travel from another state to visit their son. His pregnant wife


    anxiously waited outside the hospital room. She vented her frustration upon seeing Keegan, ming


    thepany for not hiring more staff and forcing employees to work overtime until the early hours of


    the morning.


    No one else in Vinci Rivera knew about this except for Aldor.


    When Keegan first arrived at thepany, there were more people in the R &D department than there


    are now. However, the research industry did not bring significant benefits to thepany. Additionally,


    Keegan¡¯s research team was the most costly among the other sectors under Vinci Rivera since the


    staff were highly skilled and demanded a high sry.


    When the higher-ups in thepany saw that they were not making revenue, they concluded that


    Keegan was wasting resources. The major shareholders of Vinci Rivera were displeased. They


    collectively impeached Keegan and caused nearly half of his staff to beid off.


    After some time, the projects became profitable, and Keegan wanted to hire more people. However, he


    faced numerous obstacles from the major shareholders. Wanting the highest returns with the lowest


    investment, they believed that there was no need to get new hires if Keegan¡¯s current team could


    achieve such high profits alone.


    As time passed, the team gradually increased in size. But, with the growing number of projects, they


    still needed more manpower. Keegan continuously coordinated with the upper management about


    recruiting new talents or ie distribution. However, he was in a weak position, and several


    suggestions he put forward were rejected by the board of directors.


    Keegan had been cultivating his own connections in secret over the years. Currently, about half of the


    company¡¯s management supported him. Being a neer, it was quite impressive that he managed


    to catch up to Chandler within a few years. Most thought that Vinci Rivera would undoubtedly belong to


    Keegan in time.


    However, Keegan had a hard time oveing the fact that one of That was the main reason he called


    for the meeting today.


    Knowing this, Aldor felt that his boss was being too soft-hearted. ¡®I would¡¯ve never confronted the board


    of directors at this time for the sake of one employee,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Mr. Kane should¡¯veid low and


    waited for the right moment to do this. You need to be prepared in order to make any major changes.¡¯


    Despite Aldor¡¯s opinion on the matter, he was still d to be working under someone who cared about


    the rights and interests of his employees.


    Chandler¡¯s face turned dark after Keegan demanded for a change. ¡°Did you forget that your team also


    relied on thepany¡¯s support during the initial stages of operation? I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re trying to


    burn down bridges now that your projects have taken off. Have some mercy, Keegan.¡±


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    As soon as Chandler said that, one of the shareholders in the meeting chimed in. ¡°We have invested a


    lot of money into your project back when it was still under development, Keegan. The business industry


    is filled with ups and downs. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being unreasonable right now?¡±


    ¡°We were the ones who stood behind Vinci Rivera in the most difficult times. We invested in it with


    everything we had. Everyone continued to work in harmony when there wasn¡¯t much ie. Why are


    you doing this now that we¡¯re generating profit?¡¯


    ¡°I bet he thinks us old-timers are useless and wants to kick us out,¡± one of the shareholders said.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we stick together as apany; for better or worse?¡±


    Keegan looked at them coldly and said, ¡®It¡¯s true that you have provided me with 10 million dors


    when my team had just been established in the beginning. However, when I applied for the second


    round of funding, you said that my projects were useless and should not be spent on non-profit


    ventures. Since then, I¡¯ve kept my work afloat with my own money.


    ¡°It¡¯s funny how you talk about sticking together for better or worse, Peter. While all of you were enjoying


    your time with your loved ones, my team was working overtime at thepany. Shouldn¡¯t you also be


    working with us since you said we should ¡®stick together1?¡± he continued.


    Vinci Rivera¡¯s shareholder, Peter, turned pale upon hearing that. Chandler was the one who suggested


    the rejection of the funding, iming that Keegan was inexperienced. He did not expect him to actually


    turn things around with the 10 million dors they provided.


    ¡°Why bring up the past when we¡¯re talking about the present? With so many sectors and employees


    involved, have you considered how the workers are going to put food on their tes with the sudden


    loss of employment?¡± said Chandler.


    ¡°Now that you mention it, Uncle Chandler¡­ I recall having someone inspect Peter¡¯spany not too


    long ago. We found that the organization only consists of 37 employees when we¡¯re paying 53 sries


    monthly. Care to exin?¡±

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    Chapter 1238


    Chapter 1238


    Peter scowled after being exposed. Embarrassed and frustrated, he got up and said, ¡®What are you


    implying? Are you saying that I¡¯m stealing from thepany?¡±


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan¡¯s face remained cold. ¡®I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s why I decided to let the authorities handle the


    matter. The cops should be here any time now.¡±


    Peter¡¯splexion turned pale, as he did not expect Keegan to take such extreme measures.


    At the same time, Chandler wore a grim expression. He had assured his colleagues that he had


    everything under control just before the meeting. Little did he know that Keegan would report the


    incident to the police.


    ¡°Are you out of your mind, Keegan? You¡¯re tearing thepany apart!¡± eximed Chandler.


    Keegan remained unfazed and replied, ¡°I¡¯m just getting rid of the trash.¡± He nced continued, ¡°Now,


    let¡¯s get back to the performance of each department.¡±


    Chandler was infuriated.


    Aldor pondered for a moment and decided to text Baldwin about the situation.


    ¡®Things are getting a little out of hand. Mrs. Kane Sr. would know what to do,¡¯ he thought. ¡®From now


    on, I have to be more cautious around Mr. Kane and avoid stepping on his toes.¡¯


    Meanwhile, Marshall was looking for a ce to have dinner when he received an urgent call. When he


    answered the phone, he heard a woman sobbing. ¡¯Mr. Moore, I¡­ I want to drop thewsuit¡­


    ¡°Aaahll!¡±


    Before Marshall could respond, he heard the woman scream in agony, followed by ss shattering.


    ¡°Are you f**king calling another man, bitch?!¡± said a man on the other line. Then came a series of loud


    noises, and the call ended abruptly.


    Ste and Felicity exchanged concerned looks, knowing that the woman was being abused.


    Marshall furrowed his brow and immediately called the number back, but no one picked up. His face


    darkened, and he made a quick U-turn. ¡°Sorry, girls. Dinner might have to wait. I need to check on my


    client,¡± he said.


    ¡°Forget about dinner. Someone¡¯s life is in danger,¡± Ste assured him, reaching for her phone. ¡°What¡¯s


    your client¡¯s address? I¡¯ll call 911.¡±


    Marshall sped through traffic, and they arrived at a residential area after a few minutes. The ce was


    a slum, with cars parked haphazardly around the road. Marshall stopped in front of a building and said


    to the two women, ¡°Stay in the car. I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    ¡°Be careful. Don¡¯t try to fight the man. The police will be here soon,¡¯ said Ste.


    Marshall nodded and headed upstairs. Shortly after he left, Felicity expressed her concerns. ¡°The man


    on the phone sounded scary as f**k. I hope Marshall will be okay. Should we go up and help?¡±


    Ste hesitated and said, ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on up there. Getting involved might make things


    worse. Let¡¯s wait for the cops.¡±


    Before Felicity could respond, a piece of ss fell from upstairs,nding several feet away from the car.


    Both of the women were shocked. Felicity rolled down the window and looked up to see what was


    happening. That was when her face changed.¡± OH MY GOD! Marshall has been pushed against the


    window!¡± she yelled.

 Chapter 1239

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    Chapter 1239


    Ste was stunned and quickly looked up to see what was happening.


    Marshall¡¯s whole upper body was pushed out of the third- floor window. He was desperately clutching


    onto the window frame with one hand while restraining a man holding a knife with the other. The knife


    was dangerously close to Marshall¡¯s neck, and there were traces of blood on his hand.


    As Ste observed the situation, she saw the person swinging the knife again. Marshall managed to


    dodge it and tightly gripped the person¡¯s wrist.


    The sound of ss shattering caught the attention of some neighbors, but many minded their own


    business as if such situations were not umon in the area.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡®Damn, that guy is out of control!¡± Felicity unbuckled her seatbelt and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go up there to help


    Marshall. You call for help.¡±


    Before Ste could respond, Felicity opened the door of the car and rushed toward the building.


    ¡®Is she crazy?! That man has a knife!¡¯ Ste muttered to herself. However, she did not have time to


    dwell on it. She grabbed her phone and called the emergency services while running after Felicity.


    When Felicity arrived at the third floor of the building, she


    found a hidden door. She walked up to it, and she could hear a man say, ¡°You be her secret lover,


    right? There¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting her leave me. See you in hell, jerk!¡±


    Felicity pushed the door open and saw that the room was a mess. A woman was lying unconscious on


    the floor near the coffee table, and her face was covered in blood.


    A shirtless man stood at the living room window, wielding a knife and spewing profanities. Marshall¡¯s


    feet were already floating above the ground, and it seemed like he could fall out the window at any


    moment.


    Felicity quickly assessed the situation and grabbed a ss bottle nearby. Then, she swung it toward


    the man¡¯s head with great force.


    However, her height worked against her. When she was swinging the bottle, the man¡¯s head moved


    slightly, causing it to hit the back of his neck instead. The bottle shattered, and ss shards cut into the


    man¡¯s neck, drawing blood.


    The man froze and touched the back of his neck. Upon seeing his bloody hand, he turned red with


    rage. He then turned toward Felicity with the knife and yelled, ¡°You bitch! How dare you hit me!¡±


    Felicity¡¯s heart raced. She immediately fled when the man lunged at her. With the man gone, Marshall


    managed to pull himself back from the window. He then grabbed a broom nearby and chased after the


    man.


    On her way out, Felicity bumped into Ste and quickly grabbed onto her. ¡°That man is crazy! RUN!¡±


    she yelled.


    Soon, the man with the knife caught up with them.


    Ste shielded Felicity and sprayed some pepper spray on the man¡¯s face. The spray hit his eyes and


    caused him to scream in pain. He waved the knife wildly, as he cursed, ¡± You bitch! I¡¯m gonna kill you!¡±


    However, the man could not aim his knife correctly due to his limited vision. Ste quickly pulled Felicity


    to the side to avoid getting hurt.


    One of the residents in the apartment heard themotion and opened their door to see what was


    going on. The man detected movement and quickly lunged toward the neighbor. Fortunately, the other


    party was able to shut the door in time.

 Chapter 1240

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    Chapter 1240


    Marshall rushed out and hit the man¡¯s wrist with the broom, causing him to drop the knife. Then, a


    struggle ensued between the two. The man¡¯s burly build gave him an advantage, even though he was


    shorter than Marshall. His moves were calcted and precise.


    After some time, the two men ended up wrestling each other on the ground. The man locked his arm


    around Marshall¡¯s neck. His eyes were burning with rage as he threatened, ¡°I¡¯ll kill you for making her


    leave me!¡±


    Due to theck of oxygen, Marshall struggled to breathe. His face turned blue, and his veins bulged


    from his forehead. His hand was pushing against the man¡¯s head, and his eyes were bloodshot red as


    he looked at Ste and hoarsely said, ¡°Go!¡±


    Ste¡¯s hand was trembling, and Felicity¡¯s face was white with fear. They had never encountered such


    a dangerous situation before.


    Realizing that he could not overpower Marshall, the man tried to reach for the knife nearby. Marshall¡¯s


    gaze grew desperate as he watched the man¡¯s hand inch closer to the weapon.


    Suddenly, a loud smash echoed through the room.


    Someone had thrown a pickle jar at the man¡¯s forehead. The man staggered, trying to see who had


    attacked him. But, before he could do that, he became unconscious and


    copsed on the floor.


    The pressure around Marshall¡¯s neck was finally released. He looked up to see Ste standing there.


    Her face was drained of color, and her hand was trembling.


    Felicity kicked the knife away and asked, ¡°Are you okay, Mr. Moore?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Marshall replied in a low voice. He nced at Felicity and said, ¡°Ms. Thompson, can you find


    some rope for me?¡±


    Felicity quickly went inside the apartment and searched for what he requested.


    Marshall turned to Ste and saw that her eyes were still fixated on the blood on the back of the man¡¯s


    head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s not going to die.¡±


    Ste tried to calm down and nodded in response.


    Then, Felicity returned with some shoces and a bedsheet to tie the man up.


    The police arrived shortly after and arrested the man, who was now awake. He gritted his teeth when


    he walked past Ste and said, ¡°You¡¯re not getting away with this, bitch!¡±


    Marshall shielded her and coldly said, ¡°See you behind bars.¡±


    The man was then taken away, and the woman, who was still unconscious, was brought to the hospital.


    Marshall, Ste, and Felicity were asked to head down to the police station to make their statements.


    On their way there, Marshall revealed that his client was a victim of domestic violence. She was


    trapped in an abusive marriage whereby her husband would threaten her every time she considered


    divorce. He would even threaten to kill her entire family.


    Not long ago, she suffered a severe beating from her abuser, resulting in hearing loss in her left ear.


    That traumatic event finally gave her the courage to take legal action and move out of the house.


    ¡°The man had received a court summon just the day before, which exined his sudden appearance at


    my client¡¯s ce, ¡± said Marshall.


    Felicity was angry to hear that. ¡°She should have left the first time he hit her. Why would she stay in an


    abusive marriage and tolerate such shitty treatment?¡±


    ¡°In many cases, abusers are masters of maniption. They may shed a tear while begging for


    forgiveness and even apologize on their knees after each violent outburst. Such tactics can make it


    challenging for the victims to resist their pleas, especially if children are involved. Societal norms and


    parental beliefs can also pressure victims to stay in abuse. Some parents think it¡¯s normal for couples


    to fight and fail to realize that they themselves are in abusive rtionships too. Some even feel that


    their child getting a divorce would bring shame to the family. That¡¯s why victims of domestic violence


    can find it difficult to escape abusive rtionships, ¡± Marshall exined in a soft tone.


    ¡°At the same time, we have to consider that not everyone


    has the financial means or emotional support to leave an abusive rtionship. Therefore, it¡¯s important


    to question the abusers instead of resorting to victim ming,¡± he continued.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1241

    Chapter 1241


    Chapter 1241


    As Felicity listened to Marshall¡¯s response, she could not help but admire his professional and


    commanding presence as awyer. ¡°Mr. Moore, what we just did earlier, was it considered self-


    defense? We won¡¯t be held responsible for that abusive man¡¯s injury, right?¡± she asked.


    Marshall smiled and said, ¡°With me here, don¡¯t worry.¡± His eyes then shifted to Ste, who seemed lost


    in thought. He softly called her name. ¡°Ste? Are you okay?¡±


    Ste nodded and turned to see blood seeping through the tie that Marshall had tightly wrapped around


    his hand.


    Felicity also noticed the blood and eximed, ¡°You¡¯re bleeding a lot, Mr. Moore. It¡¯s like you hit a major


    artery or something.¡±


    Marshall was amused by her statement and replied, ¡°It¡¯s just a cut. My blood doesn¡¯t clot well, but I¡¯ll be


    fine.¡±


    ¡°Felicity, can you apany Marshall to the hospital to stop the bleeding while I head to the police


    station and make a statement?¡± Ste asked. She knew that Marshall had hemophilia, and things might


    get serious if the bleeding continued.


    Initially, Felicity thought of pointing out that she and Marshall were not that close and Ste should


    apany him instead. However, she recalled that Keegan had entrusted her with the task of


    preventing them from getting too close to each other. So, she decided to cooperate and


    said, ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. We can give our statements together. I¡¯m fine,¡± said Marshall.


    ¡°No. Your well-being is more important right now,¡± Ste replied.


    Marshall fell silent for a moment and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for bringing you two into this.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be sorry about. We¡¯re friends, and friends help each other out,¡± Felicity quickly


    waved off his apology.


    Marshall smiled upon hearing that. He then turned to Ste and said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste paused for a moment and did not respond. She felt guilty because she did not intend building if


    Felicity had not rushed up first. Instead, she was scared for Felicity¡¯s safety.


    Keegan had advised her to prioritize herself when helping others since she climbed out the window on


    the 12th floor of a hotel to save Jaylene. But, Ste was not the kind of person who would feel


    compelled to save everyone. She understood that climbing out a 12-story window was dangerous, but


    it was a situation she could handle.


    However, things were different this time. Ste found the circumstances to be much more risky with a


    knife involved. Not only she might fail to save the person from the assant, but she could also end up


    losing her own life.


    Ste knew that she was not as fearless as Felicity when it came to standing up for justice. Before


    jumping into rescue, she would assess her abilities and the likelihood of sess.


    She felt undeserving of Marshall¡¯s gratitude, and she also could not ignore the frequency of unexpected


    events happening whenever she was with Marshall.


    ¡®First, it was the horse racing incident with Keegan. Next, it was me being sshed with hot water by


    Aurora. Then, I was surrounded by Be¡¯s fans at the mall. And now, this?¡¯ Ste did not know if she


    was just overthinking, but these incidents were too hard to ignore.


    Sensing Ste¡¯s gaze, Marshall turned to her and asked, ¡°Is something bothering you?¡±


    Ste shook her head and said in a warm voice, ¡°No. Just take care of yourself, and try to avoid getting


    hurt again.¡±


    Marshall smiled and replied, ¡°Okay.¡±


    With that settled, Felicity apanied Marshall to the hospital while Ste headed to the police station


    to give her statement.

 Chapter 1242

    Chapter 1242


    Chapter 1242


    After giving the statement at the police station, Ste messaged Felicity to check on Marshall¡¯s


    condition.


    [It seems pretty serious. The nurse took him to get some stitches.] Felicity replied.


    Ste was taken aback upon hearing the severity of his injuries.


    [Should we get him some flowers or something?] Felicity continued.


    Ste pondered the suggestion and said: [It¡¯ste. He needs to rest. Why don¡¯t we visit him at a more


    appropriate time? I¡¯ll have Keegan contact his family.]


    [Alright. Are you stilling over?]


    [Not today. You should head back when his family arrives at the hospital. We can discuss the restter


    tonight.]


    [Okay.] Felicity texted back.


    Ste then ended the conversation with Felicity and called Keegan.


    At that time, Keegan was in the chairman¡¯s office with Chandler and Jackson. On the opposite side of


    the table sat Cordelia, Baldwin, and Aurora.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordelia stared at Chandler and Keegan sternly and said,¡± You two are embarrassing me! Did you


    have to make a


    scene like that during a meeting?!¡±


    Keegan maintained hisposure and showed no signs of emotion, while Chandler felt wronged.


    ¡°Keegan was the one who went too far this time, Mom! He wants to put a stop to thepany¡¯s


    operations. How am I supposed to exin that to our shareholders? Our family doesn¡¯t solely own this


    group. Shouldn¡¯t we consider the interests of the majority? Plus, we were the ones who supported


    Keegan¡¯s businesses when the industry wasn¡¯t doing well,¡± said Chandler.


    Cordelia nodded and looked at Keegan. ¡°Did you hear that? How will your uncle exin himself if you


    halt all the businesses?¡±


    Keegan raised an eyebrow and muttered, ¡°Then let¡¯s suspend two losses and go from there.¡±


    Cordelia nodded again. ¡°That does sound like a viable option.¡±


    Her reaction puzzled Chandler. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s the difference between at once and suspending them


    every few months?¡±


    ¡°The industries you mentioned would still have a few quarters to prove themselves. Their operations


    won¡¯t be suspended if they can make aeback. As you said, Vinci Rivera must consider the


    majority¡¯s interests, not just the individual shareholders.¡±


    Chandler¡¯s face darkened as he clenched his fists upon


    hearing that. He looked at Keegan, who remained calm, and took a deep breath, suppressing the anger


    in his heart. In a low voice, he said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, can we arrange for a few people from the board


    to supervise Keegan¡¯s projects? Since we are amunity, I think all of us should be open and


    transparent with each other. This would also make things easier for me and the shareholders.¡±


    Hearing that, Keegan leered at Chandler. Aldor¡¯s heart sank as well.


    The core members of Keegan¡¯s team were people he trusted. The board had tried to send their men to


    supervise their work before, but Keegan rejected their entry, knowing they had ill intentions. His


    sess with Semiconductor Technology had caused many people in Vinci Rivera to be envious. If they


    could learn or even obtain useful information, it would benefit them in the industry.


    Thinking that Cordelia was not likely to turn down his proposal, Chandler took advantage of the


    situation. Sure enough, as he finished speaking, Cordelia looked at her grandson and asked,


    ¡°Keegan?¡±


    Before Keegan could answer, his phone rang. He nced at the name on the screen and said, ¡°Alright.


    I agree to the terms. Excuse me while I take this call outside.¡±


    Chandler was stunned. ¡®Did Keegan just agree to the proposal?¡¯


    ¡®He could¡¯ve at least pretend not to be so excited to receive Ms. Jewell¡¯s call,¡¯ thought Aldor.

 Chapter 1243

    Chapter 1243


    Chapter 1243


    After leaving the office, Keegan answered the call and said,¡± Did you just remember you have a


    boyfriend after having dinner with another man?¡±


    ¡®What a jealous partner,¡¯thought Ste. ¡®Wait a minute¡­1


    ¡°How did you know we were going to have dinner together?¡± Ste asked.


    Keegan paused and snorted, ¡°It¡¯s because I know you. Surely you wanted to treat Marshall to a nice


    meal for helping you.¡±


    ¡°Okay. But we didn¡¯t get to eat,¡± Ste replied softly. ¡°Mr. Moore got into some trouble.¡±


    Keegan was shocked to hear that. He furrowed his brow and said, ¡°What kind of trouble?¡±


    ¡°His hand got injured in a knife attack. He¡¯s currently at the hospital getting stitches. Can you contact


    his family and tell them what happened?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡°I thought you guys went to get thend patent. How did it turn into a knife attack?¡± asked Keegan.


    Ste briefly exined the afternoon incident. The more Keegan listened, the darker his face became.


    His eyelids twitched when he heard she knocked out the attacker with a pickle jar. Keegan was about


    to reprimand Ste when she continued, ¡°Mr. Moore thanked me, but I never intended to go upstairs in


    the first ce.¡±


    ¡°What? Why? Isn¡¯t it your thing to be the hero who saves the damsel in distress?¡± Keegan joked, but


    Ste did not find it funny.


    ¡°The man had a knife, Keegan. I¡¯m not stupid. Plus, it¡¯s not like you were the one being held hostage.


    Why would I put myself in that scary situation?¡±


    Ste¡¯s words left Keegan stunned. He smiled and asked,¡± Would you have rushed up the building


    without hesitation if I was held at knifepoint?¡±


    ¡°Nah. I would¡¯ve run away. With your sharp tongue, that man might have killed you on the spot. It would


    be much better for me to stay away and save myself from being implicated.¡±


    Hearing that, Keegan was at a loss for words. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you smart?¡±


    Ste chuckled. ¡°Okay. Enough with the teasing. Hurry up and contact the Moore family.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Keegan responded. ¡°Are you at the hospital right now?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Ste said in a low voice. ¡°I just finished giving my statement. Now I¡¯m on my way home.¡±


    Keegan was somewhat surprised. Although he did not want Ste to get too close to Marshall, he


    expected her to stay at the hospital all night based on what he knew about her.


    ¡°I thought you would be by his side during this crucial time,¡± Keegan admitted.


    ¡°There are too many people at the hospital. I¡¯m afraid of being recognized. I don¡¯t want theizens to


    come up with theories about Marshall and me lest a special someone gets jealous,¡± exined Ste.


    Keegan felt a lot more relieved upon hearing that. ¡®It seems like getting jealous and causing a fuss still


    works. I guess I have to keep this up in the future.¡¯


    ¡°Plus,¡± Ste hesitated for a moment and whispered, ¡°I feel like Mr. Moore is a bringer of bad luck.¡±


    Her words caused Keegan to be speechless. ¡°What? You must be joking,¡± he said.

 Chapter 1244

    Chapter 1244


    Chapter 1244


    ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡± Ste red at her phone and said.


    Keegan did not quite understand what she meant by Marshall being a bringer of bad luck, but he


    decided to give her a chance to exin. ¡°Care to borate?¡±


    ¡°You see, Marshall and I have only known each other for half a year. But every time we meet,


    something bad happens, or he ends up getting hurt. There¡¯s also the possibility that our horoscopes


    don¡¯t align. And when we¡¯re together, we attract more negativity. So, I think I should keep my distance


    from him. I don¡¯t want to visit him at the hospital because I¡¯m afraid his condition will get worse.¡±


    Keegan did not know whether tough or cry at that. ¡®I can¡¯t believe all it took was some superstition to


    get her to stay away from Marshall.¡¯


    ¡°Come on. Didn¡¯t you use to say that horoscopes are fake? Howe you believe in it now? Marshall


    would feel awful if he heard all this.¡±


    ¡°Stop pretending,¡± Ste snorted. ¡°You must be happy I¡¯m keeping my distance from Mr. Moore, right?¡±


    Keegan chuckled and said, ¡°All I want is for my friend and partner to be fine. I don¡¯t like it when you


    treat him too well. Marshall has paranoid personality disorder; I don¡¯t want you to get hurt.¡±


    Ste did not know much about paranoid personality disorders. Still, she did not see Marshall as


    someone with a mental illness. However, she preferred to avoid trouble whenever she could. ¡®If being


    close to Marshall means more problems, then I¡¯d rather keep my distance,¡¯ she thought.1 Besides,


    Keegan wouldn¡¯t harm me. Although he couldn¡¯t fully convince me to stay away initially, I know he has


    my best interests at heart.¡¯


    ¡°Okay. I won¡¯t contact him anymore. I¡¯ll try to find anotherwyer for thewsuit.¡±


    Keegan was satisfied with her response. ¡°Leave that to me. I promise to find someone as good as


    Marshall,¡± he said.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to set him as the standard. Just find someone cheap and good. I¡¯ve been looking


    through thew these past few days and realized there¡¯s probably no need to bring the matter to court.


    Thewyer will only be there to put some respect to my name.¡±


    Her words amused Keegan. ¡°You don¡¯t have to study thew. It¡¯s okay to spend on a good attorney.


    Fortunately for you, your husband can afford one,¡± he said deeply.


    ¡°You sure know how to talk. I¡¯m adding an extra one hundred points to your probation score.¡±


    Keegan paused for a while and said, ¡°Give me full marks, and Vinci Rivera is yours.¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Steughed and hung up the phone.


    After that, Keegan contacted Ariel and exined the situation to her. He then returned to the office


    once he finished the call.


    Chandler was annoyed because hispanies were going to be shut down. When he saw Keegan


    enter the room, he could not help butin, ¡°How could you just up and leave in the middle of a


    serious conversation, Keegan? Was the phone call that important? Your grandma is right here, you


    know? Where¡¯s your respect?¡±


    Cordelia was making tea when she looked up and said,¡± Your uncle is right. Whose call was so


    important that you had to answer right away?¡±


    ¡°It was the IRS,¡± Keegan uttered in disdain.


    His response rendered Chandler silent. ¡®Does he think we¡¯re fools? Why would the IRS be calling him?¡¯


    But Cordelia did not doubt Keegan at all. ¡°Ah yes, the IRS. It¡¯s good that you picked up the call, then.


    We must abide by thew.¡±


    ¡°The board of directors will select a few representatives to supervise your department in the next two


    days, Keegan. The appointed individuals, including Jackson, will then formally carry out their tasks


    starting next Monday,¡± she continued.


    Keegan nced at Jackson and was quiet for a few seconds before saying, ¡°That¡¯s fine. But I have a


    request too. n


    Chandler narrowed his eyes and thought, ¡®I knew it wouldn¡¯t be that easy.¡¯


    ¡°Since the research team requires a rtively quiet environment to focus on their work, I would like to


    ask Jackson to refrain from watching women dancing in live videos and sending them virtual gifts


    during his time in my department.¡± ¡°Pfft-¡± Aldor almost burst intoughter. He quicklyposed himself


    when he saw Jackson looking at him.

 Chapter 1245

    Chapter 1245


    Chandler¡¯s expression turned cold upon hearing Keegan¡¯s request. Cordelia nced sharply at


    Jackson, who wore a gloomy expression and said, ¡°You better start taking this job seriously, boy. Your


    cousin is giving you a golden opportunity here. I¡¯ll have no choice but to send you to the western


    branch if you don¡¯t keep your act up.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Grandma,¡± Jackson replied with a tense look.


    Then, Cordelia put down her cup and said, ¡°Keegan, you should consider giving Aurora a job as well. It


    doesn¡¯t have to be a high position, just one where she can learn something.¡±


    Keegan nced at Aurora, who stiffened her back and pursed her lips. She avoided making eye


    contact with him because if she did, her mind would be flooded with memories of how he dragged her


    out of Chandler¡¯s house and handed her over to the police. All the care and affection she had received


    in the past became a nightmare. Her days in the detention center haunted her, filling her with fear and


    resentment.


    Keegan fell silent for a moment before saying, ¡°She can enter the secretary department. I¡¯ll have Aldor


    mentor her.¡¯


    Aldor was baffled by the suggestion. He looked at his boss somewhat d isg runt led ly and thought,


    ¡®Couldn¡¯t they just hire a nanny to look after that girl?¡¯


    Cordelia seemed satisfied with the arrangement. Aldor was Keegan¡¯s protdg¡ê and would undoubtedly


    be a key figure in thepany¡¯s leadership. His capabilities and approach to handling matters


    were excellent. By assigning Aurora to Aldor, Keegan was showing that he was taking her under his


    wings.


    ¡°Do you ept your brother¡¯s arrangement, Aurora? Or do you have anything to say?¡± Cordelia


    inquired.


    Aurora kept her head down and replied, ¡°I ept.¡±


    Cordelia nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s settled then. Aldor, take Aurora toplete the onboarding process


    so that she can start working tomorrow.¡±


    Aldor reluctantly epted the task and said, ¡°Follow me, Ms. Kane.¡±


    Aurora hesitated and followed Aldor out.


    Cordelia then turned her attention to Chandler and Jackson. She rubbed her forehead and waved her


    hand dismissively, saying, ¡°You two should also leave. I can¡¯t believe you asked me toe down here


    for such a trivial matter. You¡¯re giving me a headache.¡±


    ¡®I wasn¡¯t the one who asked you toe down here,¡¯ thought Chandler. However, knowing Cordelia¡¯s


    bias towards Keegan, he took his son and left with a sullen face. Baldwin also left the room shortly


    after.


    Once everyone was gone, Cordelia red at Keegan and expressed her frustration. ¡¯It was reckless of


    you to cause a scene like that. Aren¡¯t you afraid of getting beaten up by those shareholders?¡±


    Keegan loosened his tie and said, ¡°I¡¯d get to fire them from their positions if they do, so no.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so thick-skinned,¡± Cordelia grunted. She remembered him picking up a phone call and paused


    before asking, ¡¯Was it Ste who called earlier? n


    ¡°Yes,¡± Keegan replied.


    This piqued Cordelia¡¯s curiosity. ¡°Is she still living with you?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No. She moved back to her ce.¡±


    Cordelia frowned. ¡°You¡¯re useless!¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Her words left Keegan speechless. ¡°Ste is an actress now and has paparazzi following her


    everywhere. It wouldn¡¯t be suitable for her to stay at my ce.¡± He exined.


    Cordelia was annoyed when she heard that. ¡°Can¡¯t you stay at her ce? Howe you¡¯re so clever


    when ites to messing with your Uncle Chandler but not when ites to pursuing a girl?¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m already dating her, Grandma,¡± Keegan felt the need to rify.


    Cordelia had her doubts. ¡®If what you say is true, why haven¡¯t you proposed? I want a great-grandchild,


    Keegan. I¡¯m not getting any younger. And why the hell would you let her go back to her ce?¡±


    Keegan did not know how to respond. He knew he could not tell his grandmother about his vasectomy,


    so he said, ¡°Ste has just found her footing in her career. I don¡¯t want to rush her.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s not because she doesn¡¯t want to remarry you?¡± Cordelia asked.


    Keegan remained silent.


    ¡°You only started treating her better after the divorce. Maybe she¡¯s afraid you would revert to your old


    ways if you two get married again. I don¡¯t me her for wanting to test the waters,¡± she continued.

 Chapter 1246

    Chapter 1246


    Keegan was getting frustrated with Cordelia¡¯s nonsense. ¡®She acts more like Ste¡¯s grandmother than


    mine,¡¯ he thought.


    ¡°Things are different now, Grandma. Ste has just reconciled with her family. Us getting remarried is a


    big deal. Not only do I have to get her to agree to the proposal, but I would also need the approval from


    her elders,¡± Keegan exined.


    Puzzled with the information given, Cordelia asked, ¡¯What do you mean she reconciled with her


    family?¡±


    Keegan then told her about Ste¡¯s rtionship with the Sauns and Halls.


    Cordelia took a long time to take everything in before sighing. ¡°I knew Ste looked familiar from the


    first time I saw her. I couldn¡¯t help but want to love and take care of her. I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s Freesia¡¯s


    child. Fate surely works in mysterious ways,¡± she said.


    There was another brief silence after that. ¡°It seems like the chances of you remarrying Ste aren¡¯t


    looking too good. I don¡¯t think her family would approve of you, especially since you¡¯re her ex-


    husband,¡± Cordelia continued.


    ¡°Maybe you should invite Mr. and Mrs. Hall Sr. out for some dinner and put in a good word for me. You


    do want to see me married before I turn 35, right?¡± Keegan suggested.


    Cordelia sneered, ¡®That¡¯s your problem. Don¡¯t tell me Ste can¡¯t live without you when you¡¯re the one


    who needs her. I knew you couldn¡¯t bear to lose her the moment you picked her in the beginning!


    Everything you said about not wanting to waste your time finding a partner was a lie.


    Admit it; you loved her the second youid your eyes on her!¡±


    His grandmother¡¯s confrontation took Keegan aback. ¡°I really didn¡¯t like her that much at first,¡± he tried


    to defend himself. Cordeliaughed upon hearing that.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth,¡± said Keegan.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Would you have researched the right way to have intercourse if you didn¡¯t like her that much? You


    were so afraid of hurting her that you took so long to even do it,¡± Cordelia nced at him and said.


    The corner of Keegan¡¯s mouth twitched as he warned his grandmother not to start any rumors.


    ¡°I have eyes and ears everywhere, Keegan. There was no way for your actions to go unnoticed.¡±


    Keegan did not say a word.


    ¡°You¡¯re just as stubborn as your father! At least you¡¯vee to your senses. If your father had half of


    your rtionship knowledge, he would¡¯ve married your Aunt Freesia long ago. Your Uncle Wenham


    wouldn¡¯t even stand a chance,¡± Cordelia sighed.


    Meanwhile, Felicity waited until the Moore family arrived before leaving the hospital.


    Ariel¡¯s heart ached when she saw Marshall¡¯s injured hand. She shed a few tears and said, ¡°I told you


    not to be awyer. Knowing that you¡¯d have to deal with all sorts of people in that line of work, I¡­¡±


    Marshall¡¯s head throbbed from her nagging. ¡°Mom, stop. You¡¯re making my head hurt.¡±


    Ariel shut her mouth and rushed up to put some pressure on his temples to relieve his headache. But


    he dodged her touch and said, ¡®I just need some rest.¡±


    Hearing that, Ariel had no choice but to obey her son¡¯s wishes. She sat on the side as she peeled


    some fruits for him.


    Soon, the door creaked open, and Marshall instinctively looked up. His gaze became dull once more


    when he noticed it was just a nurse.


    Ariel noticed her son¡¯s strange behavior and whispered, ¡°Are you waiting for someone, Marshall?¡±


    Marshall pressed his lips together for a long while and asked, ¡°Is Ms. Thompson still here?¡±


    Thinking he was referring to the short-haired woman who had spoken to her outside, Ariel said, ¡°She


    left after telling me about what happened. Why? R


    Marshall shook his head and fell silent. ¡°Did Stee?¡± he suddenly asked.


    Ariel froze, ¡°You mean¡­ Ste Jewell?¡±


    Marshall said nothing, causing Ariel¡¯s heart to sink deeper and deeper as she held onto the fruit knife.

 Chapter 1247

    Chapter 1247


    Ariel pursed her lips and asked in a low voice, ¡°Were you with her when that incident happened to you


    earlier?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Marshall responded before continuing, ¡°I probably wouldn¡¯t be here talking to you if it weren¡¯t


    for her. She saved me.¡±


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    The look on Ariel¡¯s face turned somewhat strange. She paused for a moment before speaking again,


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy something and thank Ms. Jewell personally.¡±


    Marshall waved his hand. ¡¯Mom, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll do that myself when I recover.¡±


    Ariel replied concernedly, ¡°Marshall, Ms. Jewell is Keegan¡¯s ex-wife. It¡¯s better not to get too close to


    her, or people might start spreading rumors.¡±


    Marshall paused. ¡¯What kind of rumors?¡± he asked in a t tone.


    ¡°They just got divorced a few months ago. People might think that you¡¯re why their marriage failed or


    that something is going on between you two if you don¡¯t distance yourself from her. You and Keegan


    are such good friends; rumors like this wouldn¡¯t do you any good.¡±


    Marshall kept quiet for a moment before he said, ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t be too bothered by that because¡­ I


    do like her.¡±


    Thump!


    Ariel dropped the fruit knife she was holding, looking extremely shocked. Then, she abruptly stood up


    after freezing in ce for a moment.


    ¡°What do you mean by that? Marshall, what nonsense are you talking about? Is there something wrong


    with your head? How could you like her?¡±


    Marshall looked at how shocked Ariel was, who eventually started panicking. However, he remained


    unusually calm.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I like her?¡¯


    Ariel¡¯s expression turned awful. ¡°What do you think? She¡¯s Keegan¡¯s ex- wife! How are you going to


    face Keegan if you like her? There are so many other good girls in the world, so why does it have to be


    her? Did Ste seduce you? I just can¡¯t believe that every time something bad happens to you, she has


    something to do with it.¡±


    Marshall¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Mom, can you not insult her like that? You have always taught me to respect


    women since I was a child, yet you just used the word ¡°seduce¡± to degrade Ste. Do you think what


    you¡¯re doing is right?¡±


    Ariel¡¯s lips trembled as she spoke, ¡°You can date anyone, but never her!¡±


    Then, she took a deep breath to calm herself down, as if she was worried that she might have triggered


    her sensitive son. ¡°Even if I agree, or even if you don¡¯t care about what Keegan thinks, your


    grandfather will never allow a divorced woman with an illegitimate family background to be a part of our


    family.¡±


    Marshall swallowed as he lowered his gaze and chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t dare to confess. I¡¯m


    scared that she¡¯d reject me, but even more scared of what would happen if she said yes.¡±


    Ariel cleared her throat as she clenched her slightly trembling fingers. It took her a while to finally sit


    back down and hold Marshall¡¯s uninjured hand.


    ¡°Marshall, you just returned not long ago, and you¡¯ve been too busy with work. You haven¡¯t even met


    other girls yet. Your aunt introduced plenty of girls to me; you should meet them after you recover. I¡¯m


    sure that you¡¯ll change your mind.¡±


    Marshall slowly withdrew his hand. ¡°If Ryan were still alive, you¡¯d probably be doing everything you


    could to support him no matter who he likes, right? II


    Ariel¡¯s heart ached as her face immediately turned pale.


    Her lips trembled again. ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­¡± she said hoarsely.


    ¡°Mom,¡± Marshall interrupted her and said nonchntly, ¡°I¡¯m tired. You should go now.¡±


    Ariel stood there without moving.


    Then, he added, ¡°I¡¯ll meet the girls you mentioned earlier and do what I¡¯m supposed to do. But I need


    some rest right now, if that¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡±


    Ariel¡¯s eyes turned red, but Marshall shut his eyes, unwilling to continue the conversation.

 Chapter 1248

    Chapter 1248


    Chapter 1248


    Ariel had no choice but to stop convincing him any further. She cleaned up the mess on the floor,


    ced a cup of water next to Marshall¡¯s bed, and quietly left the ward.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Marshall opened his eyes after the ward fell silent.


    He turned his head to look at the dark sky outside the window. He slightly moved his stitched finger,


    and the wound seeped some blood onto the gauze.


    He nced at it and looked away as if he could not feel it.


    ¡°I jumped and smacked the back of that scum¡¯s head with a thermos sk! Although he screamed in


    pain, he was too tough and didn¡¯t pass out. Then, he turned around and tried to hurt me with the knife. I


    immediately kicked him in the sack, causing him to roll his eyes, and then he fainted.¡±


    Felicity bragged as she took the water bottle handed over by Vermont. She twisted it open and took a


    sip. ¡°If the police arrived a minuteter, I would have made sure that he¡¯ll never have a child!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a sack?¡± Vermont asked. Felicity pointed at his groin area.


    He gulped nervously. His eyelid twitched as he said in a deep voice, ¡°He had a knife, yet you kicked


    him instead of running away? Is there something wrong with your brain?¡±


    Felicity scoffed. ¡°What do you know? This is something that only a heroic, brave, and fearless person


    would do!¡±


    Vermont side-eyed her. ¡°You mean that¡¯s something a person with a death wish would do. What is your


    family going to do if you¡¯re dead? Do you think they¡¯d be proud of how heroic, brave, and fearless you


    were?¡±


    The edge of Felicity¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Shut up! I wanted you to praise me, not criticize me.¡±


    Vermont replied softly, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing to help others, but we have to do it within our capability. For


    example, someone fell into a river. You don¡¯t know how to swim but jump in to save that person


    anyway. You might think it was a brave thing to do, but you¡¯re just putting yourself in danger. Have you


    thought about your family and¡­ your friends like me?


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to always remember to put your own safety first. Unless you¡¯re sacrificing for the country,


    then I have nothing to say.¡± He added.


    Felicity thought about it after listening to what Vermont said and felt a little scared.


    ¡°I just didn¡¯t think that much at that moment. Fortunately, Ste had a pepper spray and sprayed it in


    that scum¡¯s face. Otherwise, I can¡¯t imagine what would¡¯ve happened to us.¡±


    Vermont paused. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the guy fainted after you kicked him in the sack? What¡¯s with the


    pepper spray now?¡±


    Felicity kept quiet.


    ¡°Do you know a figure of speech called hyperbole?¡±


    Her response left Vermont utterly speechless. Then, he paused his lips and said, ¡°This is my first time


    seeing someone boast so shamelessly.¡±


    He held Felicity¡¯s hand as she spoke and used a cotton swab to disinfect the small cut on it caused by


    the shattered ss. ¡°Don¡¯t you have to revise the script this afternoon? How did you end up together


    with Ste?¡±


    ¡°Because-¡± Felicity paused and coughed before continuing, ¡°Because I was worried that Ste would


    be unable to handle that man, so I went with her.¡±


    Vermont did not doubt anything she said. He continued disinfecting her cut, ¡°Just give me a call when


    there¡¯s a problem next time. I don¡¯t want my girlfriend to get hurt. I certainly don¡¯t want to be thest


    one to know.¡±


    The word ¡°girlfriend¡± made Felicity feel a little strange inside. Then, she asked softly, ¡°Um, have you


    tried doing that again?¡±

 Chapter 1249

    Chapter 1249


    Chapter 1249


    Vermot had no idea what she was talking about. He asked her while wrapping a band-aid on her


    wound, ¡°Try what?¡±


    Felicity leaned closer to him, gesturing with her thumbs facing each other and slightly bent. Then, she


    whispered mischievously to him, ¡°The harmonious act of human procreation in the vast universe.¡±


    Vermont paused and lifted his gaze. ¡°You mean sex?¡±


    Felicity nodded, her ears red. ¡°Have you tried it? Any reactions?¡±


    Vermont ced the band-aid firmly on the cut.


    ¡°Everyone thinks that I have a girlfriend now. What would they think of me if I tried to do that with other


    girls?¡±


    Felicity did not believe in him. ¡°You don¡¯t look like someone who is loyal and faithful.¡±


    The edge of Vermont¡¯s mouth twitched before he said with a dark expression, ¡°Although I have a few


    exes. I¡¯ve never cheated on any of them.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± Felicity nced at him. ¡°Haven¡¯t you tried it yourself during showers or anything? Did you try


    waking him up?¡±


    Vermont could not believe what he had just heard.


    ¡®Wake him up¡­ What a way to put it.¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯ve been spending all my time with youtely, except when


    I¡¯m working or sleeping. Where would I find the time to try that?¡±


    Felicity frowned. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go to a doctor then? Ste brought Keegan to a clinic before, and it


    seems like he¡¯s been doing much better since. That doctor is probably very good. Should I ask her to


    give you the doctor¡¯s number?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s eyes twitched slightly as he said while gritting his teeth. ¡°No way! I¡¯d rather never have an


    erection again in my life than do something so embarrassing!¡±


    Felicity looked a little worried. ¡°That¡¯s not going to work. Are you expecting your sickness to go away on


    its own? Do you really want to be this way forever?¡±


    Vermont looked at her and asked, ¡°Do you regret bing my girlfriend just to help me hide this?¡±


    Felicity red at him. ¡°I¡¯m worried about you!¡±


    Vermont¡¯s mood immediately brightened as he whispered,¡± The movie we watched has a sequel now,


    and I just got it. Do you want to watch it together?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a sequel?¡±


    ¡°I believe there¡¯s a third episode


    Felicity cleared her throat. ¡°Just share it with me on my cloud ount. I¡¯ll watch it on my own.¡±


    Vermont pursed his lips. ¡°It¡¯s probably


    Felicity was puzzled.


    ¡°How did you get it then?¡±


    ¡°Let that be my concern.¡±


    Felicity was speechless.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not going to watch it then.¡±


    Vermont was shocked as he thought to himself. ¡®She¡¯s getting harder to fool now.¡¯


    Then, he pursed his lips again, looking conflicted. ¡®TH give you my iPad to watch it first. I have no


    interest in such things right now, anyway. Watching it will only make me feel worse.¡±


    Felicity kept quiet. At that moment, she felt sorry for Vermont.


    ¡®I can¡¯t even imagine how a yer like him feels when unable to get intimate with a woman.¡¯


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    She wanted tough at Vermont but felt guilty again once she remembered that he only had to go


    through this because of her.


    So, she took the iPad over and said in a low voice, ¡°Actually, this is the best time for you to find out who


    you really love without being driven by lust.¡±


    Vermont chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t believe in tonic love. I think physical intimacy is also a part of love.¡±


    However, Vermont also knew that the more he liked someone, the more careful he should be with that


    person.

 Chapter 1250

    Chapter 1250


    Chapter 1250


    Felicity took it as just something that a yboy would typically say, so she curled her lips and said,


    ¡°Well, this has got to be tough for you then.¡±


    Just as she was speaking, her phone rang. It was a call from Ste.


    ¡°Are youing back tonight? Or are you staying at Vermont¡¯s ce?¡±


    Felicity immediately stood up, ¡°I¡¯ming back!¡±


    Then, she grabbed the iPad and left. Vermont froze in ce.


    ¡®Keegan is such a useless guy. When is he going to marry Ste and take her home? He¡¯s literally the


    reason why I¡¯m still single!¡±


    Keegan told Ste that he would find awyer for her, and he did. The next day, someone contacted


    Ste and told her that Keegan had given him her number.


    Ste told thewyer to meet her at a secluded cafe nearby. She pushed the door open and was a little


    taken aback.


    It turned out that thewyer was someone she had seen before. It was Ted Eldrich, the samewyer


    who represented Be in the previous defamation case.


    Ted stood up as soon as he saw Steing in and greeted her politely, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m thewyer


    appointed by Keegan. My name is Ted Eldrich.¡±


    Ste recollected herself and nodded. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Have a seat, Ms. Jewell,¡± Ted said warmly. ¡°Keegan had briefly told me about what¡¯s happening, but


    can you walk me through it again so I don¡¯t miss out on any details?¡±


    Ste quickly snapped out of her confusion and carefully exined the situation to Ted.


    Ted was very professional. He seemed to be calmer a more empatheticwyer like Marshall.


    However, this sense of indifference came from maintaining a professional distance from his clients. It


    did not affect the way he handled the case at all. He would raise doubts and questions regarding


    Ste¡¯s statements to note them down.


    They finished three cups of coffee each before Ste could finally rify everything.


    Ted closed his notebook and lifted his gaze. ¡°I understand the situation now. I¡¯ll issue a notice as soon


    as possible to demand the other party¡¯s eviction.¡±


    Ste was taken aback. ¡°They¡¯re not going to obey, right?¡±


    Ted smiled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. This is just a part of the protocol. We can only proceed to the next step


    after issuing a warning. However, you have to be prepared.¡±


    ¡°Prepared for what?¡±


    ¡°This case is very straightforward but tricky because we¡¯re dealing with a kindergarten. Hundreds of


    children would be left without a school to attend if we were to evict the kindergarten. I¡¯m sure the


    parents will be against this, and the opposingwyer will exploit this point to provoke the parents. It¡¯s


    not going to be easy dealing with this situation.¡±


    Marshall had already told Ste about this previously.


    The kindergarten was the biggest uncertainty in this case.


    Ste knew she could not expect the parents who paid their children¡¯s dispute between the


    kindergarten and thendowner. Undoubtedly, their primary concern would be their personal interests.


    Ste pursed her lips and said, ¡°Mr. Eldrich, my intention is not to evict the kindergarten. I just don¡¯t


    want the founder of this kindergarten to take advantage of this and keep earning money from it.¡±


    Ted understood what she meant. ¡°Well, I have a rough idea of what to do now if that¡¯s the case. Rest


    assured. I¡¯ll do my best to safeguard your interests.¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Ted ced his belongings back into his bag. Ste stared at him for a few seconds before she


    suddenly asked, ¡°Mr.


    Eldrich, can I ask you a few questions outside of work?¡±


    Ted looked at the time. ¡°I charge based on hours, and Keegan¡¯s payment is not used up yet. Go


    ahead.¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®What a money-minded man.¡¯


    Then, she cleared her throat and asked, ¡°Are you a very good friend to Keegan?¡±


    Ted lifted his gaze. ¡°We went to the same college. We were in the same dorm, but we studied different


    courses.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­ So, were you appointed by Keegan too, when you represented Be for the defamation case


    back then?¡±

 Chapter 1251

    Chapter 1251


    Ted was taken aback. ¡°Of course not. He has to be heartless to ask me to help someone in awsuit


    against his ex-wife.¡±


    Ste frowned. ¡°But I saw you talking to each other during the recess.¡±


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Well, we were schoolmates, after all. Besides, we were pretty close back then too.¡± Ted said.


    ¡°Why would he be in the courtroom that day then?¡±


    Ted was puzzled. ¡°Wasn¡¯t he there to see you?¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    ¡®See me, my foot! Keegan didn¡¯t even know I was the intiff.¡¯


    Ste initially thought that Keegan was there for Be. However, after discovering that Be shared


    those flirtatious messages visible only to her, she realized that was not the case.


    Moreover, Be was not the person getting sued. Ste figured that Keegan would not bother himself


    with awsuit between her and Be¡¯s fan if there were really something going on between him and


    Be.


    Ste could not help but think to herself. ¡®Ted just said that it wasn¡¯t Keegan who appointed him. Could


    it be that Be hired him herself? Did she intentionally hire awyer Keegan knew, misleading me into


    thinking that he was involved and making our rtionship worse? But Be got so busy with thewsuit


    that she even toned down her public appearances. Would she even have the energy to do such


    things?¡¯


    Ste asked again, ¡°So, was it Be who asked you to help her?¡±


    Ted shook his head. ¡°She wasn¡¯t the one who hired me. If I my friend¡¯sw firm.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so good at what you do, and both of you even worked together before. Why didn¡¯t she ask for


    your help?¡±


    Ted replied tly. ¡°We¡¯ve never worked together, and I don¡¯t know her.¡±


    Ste paused. ¡°Hm¡­ What about thewsuit you helped her assistant with? Wasn¡¯t she the one who


    hired you?¡±


    ¡°My assistant was the one who took up the job. To be honest, I didn¡¯t really know who the client was. I


    only epted it because that person offered a very high price. Who would say no to money, right?¡±


    ¡®Be wasn¡¯t the one who hired Ted? Who could it be then?¡¯


    Ste frowned as she thought to herself. She recalled the whole incident and slowly connected the


    dots. a strange feeling that someone intentionally made her believe Keegan helped Be with the


    lawsuit against her.


    In fact, Ste did get very mad and disappointed at Keegan because of that. She wondered to herself.


    ¡®Who would have


    such a motive? Could it be Dahlia? That doesn¡¯t make sense. Keegan and I were already divorced at


    that time. There wasn¡¯t any reason for her to do such a thing.¡¯


    ¡°Ms. Jewell, is there anything else?¡± Ted asked tly before saying, ¡°It¡¯s been almost ten minutes, and I


    charge based on every thirty minutes beyond that.¡±


    Ste snapped back to reality and asked, ¡°How many minutes do I have left?¡±


    ¡°Two minutes.¡±


    ¡°How much is this going to cost me then?¡±


    ¡°To show some kindness and make the world a better ce, the first ten minutes will be free.¡±


    ¡°Please show some kindness to me then. Otherwise, I¡¯d feel like I¡¯m getting overcharged.¡±


    Her response left Ted speechless. He carefully sized Ste up.


    He was very busy with his doctoral thesis when Keegan got married, so he could not be there.

 Chapter 1252

    Chapter 1252


    Before thewsuit, Ted had only seen Ste in photos shared by their ssmates in the group chat


    during the wedding.


    Ted simply found her attractive back then and nothing more.


    He did not pay much attention to her. He could not believe that someone as prestigious and


    unattainable as Keegan would marry a woman with only superficial beauty. He figured that Keegan


    knew that too, which was why he never brought her to any ss reunions.


    Ted still had the same impression of Ste beforeing to this cafe.


    However, he suddenly felt like he was the superficial one for judging a person solely based on their


    looks. He realized that Ste was actually a very interesting person.


    ¡®Keegan probably didn¡¯t bring her out because he was over- possessive rather than being ashamed of


    her.¡¯


    Ted chuckled softly as he thought about that and said in a gentler tone than before, ¡°Is there anything


    else you¡¯d like to ask?¡±


    ¡°You mentioned that Be¡¯s case is handled by your friend¡¯sw firm, right? From your experience, how


    many years is she going to get?¡±


    ¡°It depends on how capable the intiffswyer is.¡±


    ¡°How capable do you think he is?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not bad, but he lost to Mr. Moore in thest defamation case,¡± Ted said.


    Ste¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡°Are you the intiff¡¯swyer?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Ted smile faintly.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little surprised. Is there any chance that Be would turn out to be innocent?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s solid evidence against her, so I doubt it.¡±


    Ste thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Try to demand marypensation during the trial. I


    heard that Andrea¡¯s parents are not living a veryfortable life.¡±


    ¡°Sure, but I can¡¯t guarantee anything. It seems like Be is already liquidating her assets. The amount


    she has to pay for breaching the contract is enormous, and the properties she purchased earlier are


    also being sold. I will do my best to demand it, but it may not be much.¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°Thank you for that.¡±


    She paused before continuing, ¡°Has it been ten minutes yet?¡±


    ¡°There are thirty seconds left. Would you like me to show more kindness?¡±


    Ste immediately waved her hands. ¡°Bye, take care.¡±


    Ted was very efficient and sent a letter to the kindergarten the next day.


    Ste¡¯s aunt, Lydia Night, was scolding the kitchen staff in the kindergarten¡¯s kitchen.


    ¡°Who threw this bag of meat away?¡±


    She had a stern expression as she held the bag of meat taken from the trash can. She swept her gaze


    across everyone, ¡°Who threw it?¡±


    A woman in her forties stuttered. ¡°M-Ms. Night, the meat¡¯s color didn¡¯t look so right, so I threw it away.¡±


    Lydia opened the bag and took a piece of meat out. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the color? Isn¡¯t meat supposed


    to be this color?¡± she said with a cold face.


    The short-haired woman said in a low voice, ¡°It has a strange smell¡­¡±


    ¡°What smell? I can¡¯t smell anything at all.¡± Lydia handed that piece of meat to another kitchen helper.


    ¡°Take a sniff. Is there any strange smell?¡±


    That person did as she said and was immediately met with a sour smell. She frowned. However, she


    was worried she might get fired, so she lowered her head and said softly, ¡°I can¡¯t smell anything.¡±


    Lydia nced back at the woman who threw the bag of meat. ¡¯ Did you hear that? You¡¯re the only one


    who could smell it. Are you a dog?¡±


    The woman put on a displeased look as she clenched her fists tightly and said bravely, ¡¯ Ms. Night, the


    meat is past its expiry date, and we¡¯re not supposed to cook it even though there¡¯s no smell. We¡¯re


    cooking for the children, and they don¡¯t have a strong stomach. We can never bear the responsibility if


    anything bad happens to them.¡±


    Lydia sneered. ¡°You¡¯re just a kitchen helper. Are you telling me how to do things? I used to run a


    restaurant back then, and I know better than all of you here whether the meat is edible or not. This


    kindergarten has been operating for so many years, and I¡¯ve been doing the same thing. Have you


    seen any child getting sick because of this? The parents havee to visit the kitchen, and none of


    them made anyments. Who do you think you are to question me?¡±


    The woman¡¯s expression turned awful. Her colleague next to her pulled her sleeve, signaling her to


    stop talking back.This is from N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1253

    Chapter 1253


    Everyone fell silent, and Lydia walked around the kitchen and said, ¡°Just cut off the sprouted parts of


    the potatoes, and they¡¯ll be good to go. Why did you throw them away? Do you think I got these


    potatoes for free? Also, don¡¯t peel the eggnts. The skin has all the nutrients! Why are there fish?


    Who bought these? Fish has so many bones. How are you expecting the children to eat it? How many


    times have I told you to buy chicken only? Chicken is rich in protein and good for the children¡­¡±


    She lectured the kitchen staff while pointing at the different items. All of them held their heads down


    with their lips pursed, dared not to refute her.


    The kitchen supervisor followed her, nodded, and said,¡± You¡¯re right Ms. Night. These neers


    aren¡¯t familiar with our operations yet. I¡¯ll make sure to train them better.¡±


    Lydia was about to say something, but a teacher knocked and came inside. ¡°Ms. Night, there¡¯s a letter


    for you.¡±


    She frowned. ¡°From who?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s from aw firm.¡±


    Lydia paused and walked outside, asking, ¡°Why would aw firm send me a letter?¡±


    The kitchen staff only heaved a sigh of relief after she left.


    One of them said, ¡°What a heartless woman. How could she feed of food while charging their parents


    such high tuition fees?¡±


    ¡°Seabass and Barramundi can be boneless if prepared properly. She only wants to cook chicken


    because it¡¯s cheaper.¡±


    ¡°My sister-inw was nning to send her child here because of its reputation. I it if I didn¡¯t work here.


    This evil woman would only buy leftover


    groceries that aren¡¯t fresh anymore. She would buy rotten strawberries, cut off the spoiled parts, and


    serve them to the children. Meanwhile, she only eats the freshest produce at home!¡±


    ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s just continue working. She has both money and power. Ordinary folks like us can never


    afford to offend her.¡±


    Some of them had considered exposing her wrongful acts, but only people with connections could start


    a kindergarten there. The kitchen staff were only here to earn a living and put food on the table. So,


    none of them actually dare to stand against a wealthy person like her.


    Lydia went outside and opened the envelope. It was a letter with a her face changed.


    The vice principal who stood beside her asked, ¡°Ms. Lydia, what is it about?¡±


    Lydia kept a straight face and said in a deep voice, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Take care of the children¡¯s mealter. I


    need to go out for a while.¡±


    Then, she hurriedly walked towards her home. She went inside and closed her room door before


    calling Hylda.


    Albert kicked Hylda out of the Jewell residence, so she was staying in an apartment with Hugo. She


    just had a


    miscarriage, and her body was still very weak. So, Sophia hired a nanny to care for her and Hugo here.


    Hylda did not like the soup the nanny made for her, so she put the bowl aside after just a sip. Suddenly,


    her phone rang, and she saw an iing call from Lydia. Then, her face darkened.This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    She would have never gone through anything like this if Lydia had taken better care of Hugo. Hylda


    answered the call and said in a deep voice, ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    Lydia was a little upset with her tone as Hylda was simply a homewrecker to her. However, considering


    her problem, she restrained herself and said, ¡°Hylda, how are you feeling?¡±

 Chapter 1254

    Chapter 1254


    Chapter 1254


    Hylda replied coldly, ¡°What do you think? You were supposed to look after Hugo, yet you managed to


    lose him as soon as I sent him to you!¡±


    Lydia defended herself. ¡°It wasn¡¯t entirely my fault. It was dark, and Hugo ran out on his own. There are


    so many children in the kindergarten. How am I supposed to keep an eye on everyone?¡±


    In fact, Lydia was not feeling guilty at all.


    Albert invited all the prominent figures of Rivera to his second wedding. Lydia wanted to attend and


    take this opportunity to expand her social circle. She wanted to know more people of higher social


    status so that her son would have better opportunities in the future.


    However, Hylda did not allow her to be there and made it clear that she did not want any of Albert¡¯s


    ¡°poor rtives¡± to attend her wedding.


    Although Rainee did not like them too, she still invited them to her wedding. So, the fact that Hylda was


    not even bothered to hide that she hated them made Lydia furious.


    Lydia thought to herself. ¡®Not only that she didn¡¯t allow us to attend her wedding, she wanted us to take


    care of her child. She should be grateful that I didn¡¯t refuse to help.¡¯


    Hylda did not want to argue with her. She was very disgusted by a scheming bumpkin like Lydia. So,


    she asked


    coldly, ¡°Why did you call?¡±


    Lydia finally got to the point. ¡°Ste, that illegitimate child, hired awyer to sue us. She ims that we


    upy the Spade family¡¯snd and demands us to move.¡±


    Hylda was taken aback as her expression immediately darkened. ¡°She¡¯s onto us already?¡±


    ¡°Thewyer she appointed sent us a letter demanding we move out in three days, or they¡¯ll sue us for


    property infringement. Hylda, I invested more than a million in this kindergarten back then. You¡¯ve got


    to reimburse me if we really must move out because you were the one who said there wouldn¡¯t be any


    problems. You should bear the responsibility now that she¡¯sing after us.¡±


    Hylda got so angry that her eyes twitched.


    What a dumbass! I can¡¯t believe that she¡¯s trying to put all the me on me instead of trying to solve


    the problem!¡¯


    Hylda took a deep breath and suppressed her anger. Then, she said in a deep voice, ¡°What¡¯s the point


    of saying something like this now? You¡¯re aware that I invested more money than you did, right? Have I


    ever paid you less than you deserve? How could you think of running away just because of an issue?


    Even if I reimburse you now, the kindergarten is still registered under your name. Do you think you can


    stay out of this?¡±


    Lydia¡¯s face turned red. ¡°You¡¯re the one who suggested it!¡±


    Hylda replied tly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you make money out of it? Could you ever have bought a house in the city


    center of Rivera if it weren¡¯t for me? Do you think your son could¡¯ve found a decent girlfriend?¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Lydia¡¯s expression turned awful. She despised hearing that condescending tone from Hylda as if she


    owed her life to her!


    ¡°What should we do now, then? Are we just going to sit here and get sued?¡±


    Hylda sat up. ¡°Yeah, why not? Our kindergarten is huge and has so many students. Do you think we


    can move out just because she demanded us to? The parents and authorities will never agree to this!


    Besides, we have the title deed. Why are you so afraid of her?¡±


    Although Hylda was right, the thought of going to court terrified Lydia. She had never set foot in a


    courtroom and always had a bad feeling about that ce.


    ¡°Should we hire awyer, then?¡± Lydia asked.


    Hylda pondered momentarily before saying, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything now. Just continue running


    the kindergarten as usual. Let¡¯s see what they¡¯ll do after three days, and we¡¯lle up with a n by


    then.¡±


    Lydia had no idea what else to do, so she listened to Hylda.


    Hylda hung up the phone, and her face immediately darkened.


    She just got kicked out of the Jewell residence, and now Ste was demanding the kindergarten she


    invested in move out. Albert terminated all her bank cards, and the kindergarten was her only source of


    ie. ¡®What a bitch Ste is. She¡¯s trying to ruin my life!¡¯

 Chapter 1255

    Chapter 1255


    Chapter 1255


    Be¡¯s fans were still trying to defend her one week after Andrea¡¯s fall got exposed.


    They flooded Be¡¯s Facebook ount with messages like [ We believe in you.], [Justice will prevail.],


    etc.


    The fans argued with theizens and agencies. They were like a doting mother refusing to believe


    their child was a murderer, as others imed.


    Instead of finding thosements funny, they were rather pathetic to Ste.


    Fans would always be the ones who suffered the most behind every fallen idol. They regard their idols


    as shining lights and role models, but knowing a person¡¯s true nature through a screen is impossible.


    After all, fans were also the victims of the capital packaging of idols. Ste found it pathetic that when


    the idol failed to uphold thew and moral boundaries, their fans became the ones who had to face


    ridicule and scorn from the public after their idol¡¯s wrongdoings got exposed.


    Perhaps someone could not bear to see how these irrational fans blindly defend their idol anymore, so


    that person leaked a recording of Be¡¯s voice a few dayster.


    ¡°These brainless fans have lost their minds! Do they think they can boss me around just because they


    boosted my viewership? I¡¯ll sign with whoever I want. Who are they to tell me what to do? They really


    think my sess relies on them, huh? They only managed to boost my magazine salesst week by a


    million copies. Do you know how many copies Vincent West sold at the same time? Almost twice my


    figure! They im they¡¯re my fans, yet they do nothing practical to support me. All they do is stir up


    troubles!¡±


    The recording went viral across the inte as soon as it was uploaded.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    People who were not even Be¡¯s fans could tell it was her voice, let alone her devoted fans.


    Her fans boosted her sales and viewership, yet she betrayed them and called them brainless. Her fans


    could not find any other reason to support her anymore.


    So, her fans started unfollowing her on her social media ounts. Her Facebook feed which was once


    filled with fans defending her was now flooded with angry remarks from her ex-fans.


    All of Be¡¯s social media ounts were suspended the same afternoon. The usation of her


    involvement in a criminal case had be indisputable, leaving no one to speak for her anymore.


    ¡°How satisfying! A terrible idol like her should¡¯ve been exposed long ago! I can¡¯t believe how much


    money she made!¡±


    Felicity scrolled through thements and videos criticizing Be and scolded, ¡°Can we donate all the


    earnings of these fallen idols to charity? The thought of these rubbish celebrities getting canceled yet


    still living a luxurious life anger me!¡±


    Her words made Steugh. ¡°You should consider changing your career then. You can reform the


    entertainment industry once you be the Minister of Culture.¡±


    Felicity paused. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I like my current job better.¡±


    Then, she continued, ¡°Who do you think leaked this recording of Be? Could it be Keegan?¡±


    Ste shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it doesn¡¯t feel like it. IV


    ¡°How do you even feel that?¡±


    Ste chuckled. ¡°I couldn¡¯t do this before, but now I can.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    Ste said, ¡°He¡¯s constantly seeking approvals and asking me to give him merits for what he has done


    now that we¡¯re together. He would have already demanded rewards from me if he had leaked it.¡±


    She suddenly received a video call from Keegan as she spoke, and she answered.


    Felicity was unaware of that, and her head was filled with scenes of Keegan the mutt begging Ste for


    merits. She instantly felt relieved as she pouted and said, ¡°Don¡¯t give him merits so easily! Do you


    remember how wicked he was before? He wanted you to go home, and he called the cops on me to


    force you to return because he was too prideful to talk to you himself. The few hours I spent at the


    police station will be in vain if you reward him so quickly!¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    Felicity scoffed. After seeing the weird look on her face, she said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you too eager to


    marry him and can¡¯t bear to deduct his marks now? Is he more important than your best friend?¡±


    Ste pursed her lips and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m on a call with him.¡±


    Felicity was puzzled.


    Ste showed her the phone screen. Suddenly, Felicity saw the gloomy face of Keegan staring at her.


    The puzzled look on Felicity¡¯s face turned surprised instead.


    ¡°Haha.¡± Felicity forced augh and waved her hand. ¡°Hello, Mr. Kane.¡±


    Then, she directly hung up the call before Keegan could say anything.


    Keegan froze in confusion.

 Chapter 1256

    Chapter 1256


    Chapter 1256


    ¡°You traitor!¡± Felicity gritted her teeth. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were on call with Keegan?¡±


    Ste could not stopughing. ¡°I was about to tell you, but you were too quick.¡±


    Felicity threw a pillow at Ste¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯re the worst!¡±


    Then, she went to grab her jacket and put on her shoes.


    Ste sat up. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Felicity red at her while putting her shoes on, ¡°Running away for my life! Keegan is downstairs, isn¡¯t


    he? He¡¯s going to kill me if he sees me hereter.¡±


    Then, she opened the door and hurriedly ran to the unit next door.


    The doorbell rang less than two minutes after Felicity left. Ste went to get the door and saw Keegan


    standing outside with a bag in his hand.


    She could not help butugh after seeing him.


    Keegan went inside and closed the door. Then, he gazed at Ste and asked, ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±


    Ste crossed her arms and replied yfully, ¡°Thank god Felicity can run fast. Otherwise, she¡¯d be


    stuck in here with you.¡±


    ¡°Am I the kind of person who holds grudges?¡± Keegan asked.


    Ste shook her head. ¡°No, you¡¯re the kind of person who¡¯d take revenge as soon as they can.¡±


    Her response left Keegan speechless.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    He ced the bag he was holding on the dining table and said, ¡°I bought some pork loin rice for you


    both.¡±


    Ste paused, and a faint smile appeared on her face.


    Keegan was bing more and more like a thoughtful boyfriend. He not only looked after Ste but


    also made sure to include her best friend.


    ¡°We already ate. Put it in the fridgeter. Well heat it tomorrow and eat it.¡±


    Keegan nodded. Then, he took off his jacket and ced it on the back of the sofa before sitting down.


    After that, he gestured for Ste toe over.


    As Ste walked towards him, Keegan grabbed her wrist and pulled her to sit on hisp. Then, he


    wrapped his arm around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder.


    Ste rubbed the back of his head and asked, ¡°Are you tired? rv


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Keegan responded with his eyes closed.


    So, Ste began massaging his head to help him rx.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have toe here if you¡¯re working overtime. I know how tiring it can be,¡± she said softly.


    Keegan¡¯s eyes were still shut as he said in a low and deep voice, ¡°This is the only time we can meet. I


    won¡¯t be able to see you anymore once I go home.¡±


    Ste found what he said funny. She pinched his ear and whispered, ¡°Mr. Kane, you¡¯re thirty now. How


    can you be so clingy?¡±


    Keegan tilted his head and pecked her lips. ¡°The older I get, the more I want to start a family.¡±


    Ste kept quiet as she thought to herself. ¡®That¡¯s all he thinks about. I¡¯m impressed.¡¯


    ¡°Have you seen the news today?¡± Ste asked. Keegan thought for a moment. ¡°About Be?¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°Was it you who leaked the recording?¡±


    Keegan shook his head. ¡°No, it was her assistant.¡±


    ¡°Tammy Gull?¡± Ste was taken aback.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they cousins? Why would Tammy do this to her?¡±

 Chapter 1257

    Chapter 1257


    Chapter 1257


    Keegan replied tly, ¡°Aider found out that Tammy had tricked Be into signing some sort of transfer


    agreement, iming to help her manage her assets. However, Tammy did not fulfill her promise and


    ran away with the funds. It was she who leaked the recording online. Maybe she¡¯s taking revenge on


    her.¡±


    Be was never an honest person, and she had been taking advantage of others and exploiting them in


    the entertainment industry. Tammy was the closest person to her and naturally became one of her


    victims.


    Not only that Tammy had not earned any money from Be over the years, but she also had to endure


    Be¡¯s reckless humiliations and insults.


    There was solid evidence that proved Be¡¯s wrongdoings, leaving no room for suspicions. Tammy


    knew that Be¡¯s glory days were over because there was no chance of turning the situation around,


    especially in a criminal case like this.


    So, she lied to Be and told her that she could be released on bail, but it would require a huge amount


    of money. Be¡¯s assets had already been frozen by then, but there were still sizeable funds she


    invested in under her parents¡¯ name.


    Be had fallen from grace, and the time she spent in the lockup was not pleasant at all. She was a


    famous person in the country, so almost everyone she met there knew who she was.


    She was insulted, ridiculed, and marginalized. In just over a week, she had lost almost ten pounds.


    She had always been a slim person, so shedding ten pounds made her face look almost skeletal. She


    no longer exuded the charm of an idol. Instead, she seemed extremely dejected.


    The days she spent in the lockup had taken a toll on her sanity. That was why she immediately


    authorized Tammy to withdraw funds from her investments to bail her out as soon as Tammy lied to her


    about it.


    However, Tammy took the money, fled, and even stabbed her in the back.


    Ste listened to Keegan¡¯s words and said, ¡°It¡¯s pretty sad.¡±


    Keegan was puzzled.


    Then, Ste continued slowly, ¡°It¡¯s pretty sad that I couldn¡¯t see the look on her face when she found


    out that Tammy had fled with her money. It must have been the most vivid expression she¡¯s ever had in


    her life.¡±


    Her words left Keegan speechless.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be the third day tomorrow. Is there any update from the kindergarten?¡±


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Ste shook her head. ¡°No. The students are attending sses as usual.¡±


    ¡°What is Ted¡¯s n?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Eldrich said that he¡¯ll get the police involved tomorrow and let them handle it.¡±


    Keegan frowned. ¡°Won¡¯t that escte the situation?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Elrich said that is exactly what he wants.¡±


    Keegan kept quiet for a moment before he said, ¡°Will doing that have a negative impact on you?¡±


    Ste massaged the back of Keegan¡¯s head and replied with a you personally hired for me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just worried that something simr to the mall incident would happen again,¡± Keegan said in a low


    voice


    Ste responded, ¡°The kids in the kindergarten and their parents are the only leverage they have. We¡¯ll


    have to resort to this eventually if we want to evict them from thend. Mr. Eldrich has it all nned out.


    Getting scolded and criticized is probably the worst thing that could happen, but I couldn¡¯t be bothered


    less if it can cut off Hylda¡¯s source of ie.¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep here tonight,¡± he said.


    Ste was taken aback.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be staying here until this matteres to an end,¡± he added.


    Ste was now confused.


    Keegan looked at her and said, ¡°I have to watch you and make sure that you won¡¯t get hurt again.¡±


    Ste helplessly replied, ¡°Felicity is staying here with me. How can you live here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to sleep in the living room. I¡¯m staying in your room.¡± Keegan confidently said.


    Ste¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡°Who cares where you¡¯ll be sleeping? It¡¯s inappropriate for you to live here!¡±


    Keegan seemed to realize something. After thinking to himself for a moment, he said, ¡°I¡¯m not going to


    do anything like that as long as you don¡¯t actively seduce me.¡±


    The edge of Ste¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I¡¯m saying that it¡¯ll be


    inconvenient for Felicity if a grown man like you were to stay here! She¡¯s not going to feelfortable


    bumping into you while going to the washroom to get a shower or something!¡±

 Chapter 1258

    Chapter 1258


    Chapter 1258


    ¡°Just ask her to stay with her boyfriend for now.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡°Are you working together with Vermont? Is he just trying to get Felicity into his bed?¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    It was nothing like that at all. He simply got inspired by his grandmother¡¯s words.


    However, he could not think of another better idea than letting Vermont take the me at that moment.


    ¡°No, Vermont is not that kind of person at all.¡±


    Ste became even more convinced of her assumption upon hearing what Keegan said. ¡°What a scum!


    He only started dating Felicity not long ago, and he already wants to do the deed with her!¡±


    ¡°I guess he just loves her too much,¡± Keegan said.


    ¡°My foot!¡± Ste retorted, ¡°He¡¯s been spending nights with Felicity these days. Felicity would have been


    his victim if I hadn¡¯t called her!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking. Vermont wouldn¡¯t force Ms. Thompson if she is not willing to¡­¡± Keegan paused


    before he corrected himself. ¡°Vermont can¡¯t force her into doing anything anyway. He¡¯s no match for


    her.¡±


    His words left Ste speechless.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point! Vermont is very persuasive, and he might seed with a few sweet words! No


    way, I¡¯ve got to make here back!¡±


    Ste was about to get up as she spoke, but Keegan wrapped his arm around her waist before pulling


    her back down.


    ¡°Ste, I know you¡¯re worried about Ms. Thompson, but as outsiders, it¡¯s not right for us to meddle in


    their rtionship too much. You can never guarantee that your interference will lead to the oue


    that your friend truly desires.


    ¡°Ms. Thompson is an adult, and she can make her own judgment. If you were to interfere after she


    asked for your help or you found out that Vermont mistreated her, then I won¡¯t stop you.¡±


    Ste frowned. Although she did not want to admit it, she figured that what Keegan said was right.


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    She was worried that Felicity might be taken advantage of, but she could never be sure of how Felicity


    felt toward Vermont.


    Felicity had always been talking about Vermonttely, and she would even think of buying him


    groceries when they were shopping in the supermarket. And, when the light bulb in their house went


    out, she immediately asked Vermont to help without hesitating.


    Perhaps she really was being overprotective.


    Ste kept quiet for some time before she finally spoke again. ¡°I¡¯ve got to call Felicity and ask her if


    she¡¯s willing to stay with Vermont first. I can¡¯t just allow things to go you and Vermont¡¯s way like this.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Keegan nodded.


    Then, Ste dialed Felicity¡¯s number.


    Felicity was still thinking about how Keegan would deal with her, and she did not even have to mood to


    eat the snacks Vermont offered her.


    The phone in her hand vibrated, and it startled her. However, she felt a little relieved after she saw


    Ste¡¯s name. Then, she answered it.


    ¡°Has Keegan left?¡± she asked softly.


    ¡°No.¡± Ste paused before asking Felicity in a low voice,¡± Felicity, do you have any ns to live


    together with Vermont?¡±


    ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Vermont took a sip of the water and almost spurted it out.


    Felicity could not process her words. ¡°What did you just say? n


    ¡°Keegan told me that Vermont wants to live together with you, and he asked him to stay in our ce.


    Vermont is trying to make you stay with him. But, I didn¡¯t agree to it because I wanted to ask for your


    opinion first. So, do you want to live with Vermont?¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡± Felicity was not having that at all!


    However, a WhatsApp message popped out on her phone before she could say anything more. [If you


    agree, you live. If you don¡¯t, you die.]

 Chapter 1259

    Chapter 1259


    Chapter 1259


    Felicity¡¯s face twisted in frustration.


    ¡®What a shameless thing this Keegan is! How could he threaten me again!¡¯


    ¡°Felicity?¡± Ste spoke in a gentle tone when she did not get any response. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Keegan to leave if


    you don¡¯t want to stay with Vermont.¡± She thought for a moment before she continued, ¡°You two just


    started dating not long ago, so there¡¯s no need to rush things.¡±


    Felicity clenched her teeth. ¡¯Does that mutt really think that I¡¯m afraid of him?


    Tm going to bite back this time!¡¯


    She took a deep breath and was about to explode at Keegan. However, Vermont put his hand over her


    mouth as soon as she was about to speak.


    He threw her phone away, and whispered in her ear, ¡°Keegan is a very vengeful person. I¡¯m sure that


    he¡¯s determined to stay with Ste now. If you were to ruin his n and he goes berserk on you, there


    will be nothing I can do to help you.¡±


    Felicity remained silent and widened her gaze to express her anger.


    Vermont looked at her zing big eyes and felt a tickling sensation inside.


    Then, he tried to convince her. ¡°To them, you¡¯re my


    girlfriend. Ste will start suspecting our rtionship if you reject them too tantly, and my reputation


    will be ruined. You said you¡¯d help me. How can I consider you a friend if you were to back out now?¡±


    Felicity heard that and a slightly hesitant expression appeared on her face.


    She would have no problem going against Keegan, but she could not turn her back on her friend,


    Vermont.


    Vermont noticed her expression softening and immediately took the chance to persuade her further.


    ¡°We¡¯re clearly at a disadvantage here. Just agree with him, and I¡¯ll find a chance to get back at them for


    you next time.¡±


    Ste¡¯s voice rang out again after Vermont said that.¡± Felicity? Are you there?¡±


    Vermont rubbed her head and let go of her.


    Felicity¡¯s face darkened, but she seemed a lot calmer now. Then, she cleared her throat and reluctantly


    said, ¡°Ah, I mean, I do have thoughts about it¡­¡±


    Vermont gave her a big thumbs-up and silently said, ¡°Talk about it more to convince her.¡±


    Felicity gritted her teeth and shyly continued, ¡°Vermont talked to me about it before, but I never had the


    courage to tell you¡­ I didn¡¯t want you to think that I¡¯m an easy person¡­¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    She could not believe that she had been making a fool out of herself. She thought she was helping


    Felicity, but it turned out that she was simply ruining a happy couple¡¯s rtionship.


    Ste sighed. ¡°Why would I think that? You should¡¯ve told me sooner.¡±


    Felicity replied nonchntly, ¡°I was shy.¡±


    ¡°When are you going to move, then?¡±


    ¡°I¡­I¡¯ll probably stay here tonight. He¡¯s acting very clingy today.¡±


    Her response left Ste utterly speechless.


    Then, Ste hung up the phone with a worried expression on her face before turning to look at Keegan.


    Keegan locked the screen of his phone without raising any suspicion.


    Ste did not notice anything strange at all, as she asked in a low voice, ¡°Do you think Vermont will do


    that thing to Felicity?¡±


    Keegan lifted his gaze. ¡°What thing?¡±


    Ste kicked him and red at him. ¡°Quit pretending.¡±


    Keegan chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s none of our business. It¡¯s not something that you should be worried about.¡±


    Then, he pulled her back into his arms again before he asked in a deep voice, ¡°Which room am I


    sleeping in tonight? n


    Ste was still thinking about Felicity, so she replied absentmindedly, ¡°Whichever you want.¡±


    Keegan lifted his brows.


    ¡®Is that¡­ an invitation?¡¯


    Ste ignored him and ordered something from an app on her phone.


    Keegan leaned closer to her. ¡°What are you buying?¡±


    Then, he saw Ste browsing the webpage of a pharmacy and adding a box of Durex to her cart.

 Chapter 1260

    Chapter 1260


    Chapter 1260


    Keegan was confused.


    ¡°Why are you buying that? We don¡¯t need them anyway,¡± he asked in a low voice.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Ste ced the order as she spoke. ¡°Who told you I¡¯m going to use them with you? I¡¯m buying them


    for Vermont.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyelid twitched, as he raised his voice unintentionally. ¡°For him? Are you that close to him to


    the point you can buy something like this for him?¡±


    Ste rolled her eyes at him. ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m just looking out for Felicity! Can I expect


    men like you to have any integrity?¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    ¡°There are different sizes.¡± Ste frowned and turned to Keegan. ¡°Which one should I buy?¡± she asked.


    Keegan was taken aback.


    ¡°How am I supposed to know?¡±


    Then, Ste said puzzledly, ¡°Have you never taken a peek at him when you go to the washroom


    together? Just topare?¡±


    The edge of Keegan¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Stop reading those trashy novels!¡±


    Ste curled her lips. ¡°I have no idea which one to buy.¡±


    Keegan nced at her. ¡°What is the question that Vermont didn¡¯t answer in Duncan¡¯s wedding?¡±


    Ste paused, as a question immediately popped into her head. ¡®More or less than twelve?


    ¡®He skipped it without answering. Could it be¡­ less than?¡¯


    She looked at Keegan. ¡°Just follow your heart,¡± Keegan said tly.


    So, Ste picked the smallest one.


    In unit 902, Felicity vented, ¡°Keegan is such a scum! He didn¡¯t win Ste¡¯s heart back through genuine


    means! He¡¯s ying dirty! How could he put the me on you and threaten me just because he wants


    to stay together with Ste? He¡¯s such a wicked person!¡±


    Vermont sighed. ¡°He lost his father at such a young age, and his mother never cared much about him.


    He had a tough childhood, and it¡¯s normal for him to have some personality disorders.¡±


    Felicity continued to vent her anger and scolded Keegan until she ran out of breath. She turned around


    and saw Vermont sitting on the couch and ying with the cat. She immediately felt frustrated. ¡°Aren¡¯t


    you mad that he¡¯s putting the me on you?¡±


    Not only that he¡¯s not angry, but he still has the mood to y with the cat. Is he that kind-hearted?¡¯


    Felicity wondered to herself.


    Vermont lifted his gaze and said, ¡°I am, but what can I do about it? Keegan has always been like this


    anyway. And, he¡¯s been through a lot to win Ste back. As his best friend, I can¡¯t just ruin his chances


    at a time like this, right?¡±


    Felicity pouted. ¡°You¡¯re a pretty loyal friend.¡±


    Vermont smiled without speaking.


    Keegan had already handed Vermont the opportunity on a silver tter, and Vermont figured that he


    truly deserved to be single if he could not seize it.


    Then, he said, ¡°There are two empty rooms here. You can sleep in either of them.¡±


    Felicity did not really mind, as she thought that Keegan would leave after staying for a few days. So,


    she casually answered, ¡°Any of them will do. Just let me sleep in the room that you¡¯re not using.¡±


    ¡°Well, sleep in the one next to the master bedroom. The window faces the sun and has good lighting.¡±


    Vermont said that because the two rooms shared a balcony, and he figured that it would make things


    easier for him.


    Felicity replied absentmindedly, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Vermont smirked. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you pillows and a nketter.¡±


    Felicity poked the kitten¡¯s head. ¡°Have you named it?¡±


    The kitten that Vermont adopted was a stray that had just turned one month old, and there was still a


    layer of blue membrane in its eyes. The kitten had snow-white fur all around with a hint of ck around


    its mouth.


    Its chubby belly made it look very lively and active.


    Vermont nced at the kitten upon hearing Felicity¡¯s question. ¡® Blockhead.¡±


    Felicity was speechless.


    ¡°What about Ruler?¡± He pinched the kitten¡¯s ear as he spoke, and the little thing immediately used its


    paw to push his hand away.

 Chapter 1261

    Chapter 1261


    Chapter 1261


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Felicity responded, ¡°Did you see that? It¡¯s extremely dissatisfied with the names you¡¯re giving it!¡±


    Vermont chuckled. ¡°Do you have any better ideas, then?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got to give it a more imposing name that is aristocratic, yet down to earth,¡± Felicity said.


    ¡°Nik Blockhead? Or, James the Ruler? Which one do you think is better?¡± Vermont asked.


    Felicity was speechless.


    ¡°Have you ever been to school? You¡¯re so uncultured. Not a single animal would like those names.¡±


    Vermont burst intoughter. ¡°Well, I guess we should let the great screenwriter decide, then.¡±


    ¡°Ed Sevyn.¡±


    Vermont remained silent for a few seconds before he said,¡± Okay, the name is indeed imposing,


    aristocratic, yet down to earth.¡±


    A smile shed across Felicity¡¯s face, as she reached out to pinch the kitten¡¯s paw and said in a soft


    voice, ¡°Sevyn, do you like your name?¡±


    The kitten meowed and rubbed its head against the back of Felicity¡¯s hand.


    Felicity¡¯s eyes lit up, as she lifted her head and excitedly said, ¡°It likes the name I gave it.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s heart melted, and a faint smile appeared across his face. Then, he spoke in a gentle voice,


    ¡°You¡¯re going to be one of the best screenwriters in the scene, after all. It would be ignorant of it to not


    like it.¡±


    ¡°Stop making fun of me.¡±


    Felicity could not help but smile after retorting. Then, she picked up a small bottle and started feeding


    the cat some goat milk.


    At that time, the doorbell rang.


    Vermont stood up and went to get it.


    There was a delivery man with bags in his hand standing outside the door. ¡°Hello, is this Mr. Synder?¡±


    Vermont nodded.


    The delivery person handed him the bag. ¡°This is what you ordered. Please sign here.¡±


    Vermont was puzzled, as he did not remember ordering anything.


    ¡®Could it be Miss Bandit?¡¯


    He signed it while thinking of that. Then, he closed the door and went back to the living room with the


    bag. ¡°Did you buy something?¡± he asked Felicity.


    However, Felicity shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡®Who could it be, then?¡¯ Vermont wondered.


    He nced at the bag and opened it. What he saw inside stunned him. It was a box of condoms.


    He took it out and found a piece of note inside. It read, ¡°Be safe.¡±


    Vermont was speechless.


    Then, he picked up the box and saw the words ¡°Super Tight, Ultra-Thin, Extra Small¡± on it. His face


    immediately turned red as he cursed, ¡°Fuck.¡±


    Felicity turned around and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Vermont stared at the box of condoms with a dark expression without responding.


    Felicity walked over and instantly blushed. ¡°Why did you buy this? You can¡¯t use it anyway.¡±


    Vermont gritted his teeth and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t buy this. Your best friend got this for us because she was


    worried that we might have a baby.¡±

 Chapter 1262

    Chapter 1262


    Chapter 1262


    Feclity kept quiet.


    It seemed as though it was something her mother-like best friend would do. However, Felicity could not


    believe it because Ste kept telling her not to do anything intimate with Vermont when she first told


    Ste that she was dating him.


    Now, she had be so thoughtful and even bought them a box of condoms.


    Felicity was speechless. She thought that Vermont was angry because he had a dysfunction and could


    not use it. She believed that Vermont was embarrassed, so sheforted him. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Just keep it


    since she already bought it. You can use it when you recover.¡±


    ¡°This is outrageous! She bought the smallest size!¡± Vermont said with a dark expression.


    Felicity was taken aback before she burst intoughter. ¡°You can¡¯t use it anyway. Why are you angry?¡±


    Vermont glowered at her. ¡°That¡¯s not the issue here. This is something to do with my dignity.¡±


    ¡°If you put it that way, does that mean that every man who buys the smallest size has no dignity?¡±


    Vermont snorted. ¡°That¡¯s none of my concern. My size is XL! I¡¯ll even use duct tape if I have to!¡±


    Felicity continuedughing. She suddenly felt like Vermont could be very childish and could not believe


    how a box of condoms could make him so angry.


    ¡°Okay, okay. Calm down. I just checked the fridge, and there are some ingredients left. Do you feel like


    eating chicken and cheese pie?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s mood immediately turned better as soon as he heard that. ¡°Only if it¡¯s made with chicken


    breast.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the only part we have left anyway.¡±


    Felicity went into the kitchen while Vermont threw the box of condoms into the trashcan. Then, Vermont


    picked up his phone and sent Keegan a middle finger emoji.


    He refused to believe that Ste would do something like that without Keegan¡¯s involvement.


    Lydia lived her next three days with anxiety, but she felt relieved after noticing that the other party had


    not taken any action.


    However, in the morning of the fourth day, around nine o¡¯clock, while the parents were sending their


    children to the kindergarten, a police car pulled up at the entrance.


    A few policemen in uniforms got out of the car and requested to see the person in charge.


    Lydia had never dealt with the police before, and her knees felt weak as soon as she saw them.


    A middle-aged officer that was leading the team sized her up and asked, ¡°Are you the principal of this


    kindergarten?¡±


    ¡°Y-Y-Yes¡­ I am.¡±


    ¡°Somebody filed a report iming that you¡¯re upying someone else¡¯s property, and we¡¯re here to


    verify things.¡±


    Lydia moved ufortably and said in a shaky voice, ¡°0- Okay.¡±


    Several parents had already noticed the police car at the entrance, and they gathered around to


    discuss the situation.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are the police here?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just got here. I was going to ask you the same thing.¡±


    ¡°All of us just got here too. We have no idea what¡¯s happening.¡±


    Suddenly, a chubby woman in a white shirt spoke mysteriously. ¡°I know why.¡±


    Everyone shifted their gaze to that woman and asked curiously upon hearing that. ¡°Why? Does it have


    something to do with the fire inspection checklist or something?¡±


    The woman shook her head and lowered her voice. ¡°I heard that this kindergarten is operating on


    somebody else¡¯s property, and thendowner wants to im it back. The kindergarten might be


    demolished.¡±


    The parents were shocked. ¡°Are you sure? You better not be spreading rumors.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a rumor. I have a rtive working here, and I was


    told that the kindergarten received a demand letter from thendowner¡¯swyer. The kindergarten was


    demanded to move out in three days, but no actions were taken. So, I guess that was why the


    landowner called the police.¡±


    ¡°They should just solve it among themselves. Why do they have to make the kindergarten move? What


    about our children? All the kindergartens nearby are full. Where are our children supposed to go to


    school?¡±


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°That is true, but thendowner is probably very determined in wanting thend back. There¡¯s nothing


    we can do about it. n


    ¡°But, even if that¡¯s the case, thendowner has to be reasonable. Our children have been attending this


    kindergarten, and we haven¡¯t missed any payments. What is my child going to do now? They¡¯re in the


    middle of a semester now, and where are we supposed to transfer them to? Even if there are other


    kindergartens willing to ept our children, they will have a hard time adapting to a new environment


    after finally making some friends here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Their dispute can¡¯t affect our children¡¯s right to education. The kindergarten was approved by


    the government, and they should¡¯ve resolved this issue before operating the kindergarten. Why is this


    happening now after so many years? Are they trying to raise the tuition fees?¡±

 Chapter 1263

    Chapter 1263


    Chapter 1263


    The other parents were convinced by the fact that the kindergarten was simply trying to raise the tuition


    fees.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t they im that the beds in the dormitory for afternoon naps were broken and couldn¡¯t be used


    anymore? They wanted us to pick up our children in the middle of the day. They finish school at eleven


    something, and all of us would be at work at that time. We talked to them about it, and they said that


    they didn¡¯t have enough money to rece the broken beds and wanted us to wait until the next


    semester. That solution was nonsense. As a result, we parents had to pay an extra two hundred dors


    every month. I¡¯m sure that they¡¯re just going to do the same thing again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only been a few months since that happened, right? How could they raise it again? The tuition fees


    here are already more expensive than other ces. This is ridiculous. Do they think our money grows


    on trees? We¡¯re paying about a thousand dors here without including the meals. Are we sending our


    children to a kindergarten or a university?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got to bring this matter up to the authorities if they¡¯re really trying to raise the tuition fees again.


    It¡¯s uneptable for them to raise it again in just two months.¡±


    After seeing that the discussion was getting offtrack, the chubbydy quickly added, ¡°So what if they¡¯re


    going to raise the tuition fees? We all chose this kindergarten because of its location, and it offers high-


    quality education. We should be willing to spend just any amount for the sake of our children. The


    problem now isn¡¯t the tuition fees anymore. If this is a realnd dispute and thend has to be


    reimed, it¡¯s a matter of whether our children will have a school to attend at all.¡±


    Her words struck a chord with the parents, and they immediately became worried.


    Suddenly, one of the parents said calmly, ¡°Let¡¯s not panic before we find out what¡¯s really happening.


    It¡¯s a big matter since hundreds of children are attending this kindergarten. We shouldn¡¯t be the ones


    bearing the consequences if there really is a dispute. I¡¯m sure that someone else will take over the


    kindergarten. Let¡¯s stay calm and try not to be manipted by others.¡±


    The chubbydy in a white shirt got upset. ¡°What do you mean manipted? I¡¯m just worried about our


    children¡¯s education and sharing what I heard with everyone. Who cares about who this ce belongs


    to? I¡¯m only concerned about whether my child can continue to attend school.¡±


    The calm parent was bewildered. ¡¯I was just expressing so defensive?¡±


    The chubbydy was embarrassed. ¡°Yeah, yeah. to manipte anyone when your children don¡¯t have


    a school to attend!¡±


    The other parents began to de-escte


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that wasn¡¯t her intention.¡±


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°We¡¯re all just concerned about our children¡¯s education. Let¡¯s not argue with each other.¡¯


    ¡°We¡¯ve got to work together when our children are really forced to leave.¡±


    After the crowd had dispersed, the chubbydy called someone.


    The police only left the kindergarten after a little over an hour.


    On the same afternoon, the school suddenly posted a message in the parents¡¯ group chat, stating that


    the kindergarten would need to suspend its sses for some time due to some unforeseen


    circumstances.


    The group chat was flooded with messages as soon as that statement was sent.


    Everyone started asking what happened, why they had to suspend sses out of the blue, and when


    would the sses resume.


    The teachers evaded the questions and only told the parents to wait for further announcements.


    ¡°Wait for further announcements¡± was thest thing the parents wanted to hear. They had no idea if


    they should wait for the announcement about sses resuming or the kindergarten getting shut down.

 Chapter 1264

    Chapter 1264


    Chapter 1264


    After hearing what the chubbydy said in the morning, the sudden suspension of sses in the


    afternoon inevitably led to assumptions.


    The parents kept calling the kindergarten for the whole day, and the vice principal only responded in


    the group chat at night.


    [Dear parents, I understand your concern, but we are facing some difficulties at the moment. There¡¯s a


    dispute over the ownership of thend that we lease, and the other party has demanded that we cease


    operation in the kindergarten. As long as this matter is not resolved, we have no other choice but to


    comply.]


    One of the parents asked, [How long is this going to take? And, how long will the sses be


    suspended?]


    The vice principal replied, [I¡¯m not sure about that. It depends on whether the other party is willing to


    compromise. If they aren¡¯t, we might need to take this matter to court.]


    The parents started panicking.


    [Does that mean our children won¡¯t be attending ss if the dispute isn¡¯t resolved? All of us here paid


    the tuition fees. Why should we bear the consequences of your actions?]


    [That¡¯s right! Eighty percent of the parents here have both spouses working. We only send our children


    to your kindergarten for the whole day because we don¡¯t have time to take care of them. What are we


    supposed to do with our children now that the sses are suddenly suspended? Who¡¯s going to take


    care of the children?]


    [Why didn¡¯t you inform us about thend dispute when we paid the meal fees yesterday? Did you just


    get the news today?]


    The vice principal replied, [I understand how all of you are feeling right now. We don¡¯t want to see


    something like this happen either. I asked the principal about it just now, and she¡¯s deeply sorry about


    the situation. She promised that she¡¯ll do everything in her power to resolve this matter. She knows that


    all of you are concerned about your children¡¯s education, and she takes full responsibility for this


    matter. So, she told me that any parents who wish to withdraw their child from our kindergarten will be


    fully refunded with the tuition and meal fees for this month as an apology.]


    It was already halfway through the month, yet seemed as if they were indeed facing a very tough


    dispute.


    The parents only wanted to resume sses as soon as possible, not to transfer their children to


    another kindergarten.


    Although many of them hadints about Sunlight Kindergarten, they knew very well that it was the


    best kindergarten in the area. The teachers were known to be very patient, and it eased the worries of


    many parents.


    While transferring to another kindergarten seemed easy, no other kindergartens in the area could


    amodate hundreds of children. All of the parents preferred to send their children to a nearby


    kindergarten to avoid the hassle ofmuting far distances. Not only that they would not know if the


    kindergartens would ept their children, but transportation would also be another problem.


    So, the parents stopped being assertive as


    After some time, another parent asked, [Ms. Lynch, can you tell us what exactly is going on? How did


    the dispute escte to the point of going to court and suspending sses?]


    The vice principal responded, [Thend originally belonged to the ex-wife of Ms. White¡¯s husband. His


    ex-wife had used it as coteral for a loan to repay her debts, but she becameatose before the


    mortgage could be settled.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    [However, Ms. White¡¯s husband collected enough money and managed to redeem thend. Ms. White


    thought that it would be a waste for such a bignd to go unused, so she decided to run a kindergarten


    here with Ms.Night.


    [Some time ago, the ex-wife¡¯s daughter came out of nowhere and wanted this piece ofnd back. We


    have no idea where she got the title deed from, but she¡¯s iming that thend was left to her by her


    mother.


    [In fact, her mother had mortgaged thend, and Ms. White and her husband are the people who


    repaid the loan. However, due to some technical issues, they could not get the title deed for a long


    time, and that was why the daughter managed to take advantage of this situation.


    [We initially wanted to settle this peacefully, but she demanded five million or we have to cease all


    operations in the kindergarten. We are worried that she might cause a scene at the kindergarten and


    affect the children, so we had no other choice but to temporarily suspend the sses.


    [Please rest assured that Ms. White has already appointed awyer and is actively resolving this


    matter. We will ensure that the children can get back to school as soon as possible.]

 Chapter 1265

    Chapter 1265


    Chapter 1265


    Upon discovering the ¡°truth¡¯ of what was happening, they were immediately filled with righteous


    indignation.


    [She¡¯s being unreasonable. What right does she have to im this piece ofnd if the loan was repaid


    by Ms. White?]


    [It¡¯s simple. You just have to show proof that the loan was repaid when this matter is brought to court


    and make her pay everything back. How can she think that she can take thisnd away without


    spending a dime? It¡¯s ridiculous!]


    [It took them so long to get the title deed, but how did she manage to get one? I¡¯m sure obtaining such


    documents is not an easy process, right?]


    One of the parents suddenly said, [I heard that Ms. White¡¯s stepdaughter is a celebrity.]


    [A celebrity? A celebrity who engages in such underhanded dealings?]


    [Tell us who she is. We¡¯ll inform herpany of her despicable actions and expose her online. I believe


    karma¡¯s going to get her back.]


    [Is her name Ste Jewell? Is she the one who yed the empress in the recent hit drama ¡°The


    Pce¡±?]


    [What? Is she a superstar? She can easily earn millions from just one show, yet she wants to reim


    thend where we send our children to school?]


    [She perfectly confirms my impression of people like her. They would do anything for attention, and


    there is no limit to their greed.]


    [Now we know how she managed to get the title deed so easily. Turns out it¡¯s just ¡°celebrity privilege¡±.]


    [Let¡¯s contact the media and expose her. She can¡¯t just do anything she wants without any


    consequences.]


    Hylda read the messages, and a smile appeared on her face.


    ¡®What chances does Ste have against me with these parents on my side?¡¯


    In Clouditude International, Ste was looking at the do the parents believe in her exnation so


    much?] she asked.


    Ted replied, [That¡¯s because I had someone to it¡¯s easy to manipte them when something goes


    wrong in this area.]


    [What idea?]


    Ted briefly exined to Ste, and Ste finally realized that police arrived at the school earlier.


    Hylda using the parents as leverage against them was the exact thing Ted wanted, so he paved the


    way for her in advance.


    Fortunately, Hylda did not let him down.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Ste was utterly impressed by Ted¡¯s tactics. He was even better than a professional PR person.


    Her initial intention was only to reim thend and cut step further and wanted to utilize the situation


    to gain more public attention.


    Ted added, [Keegan paid me too much, so I won¡¯t feel at ease without doing some extra for you.]


    Ste curiously asked, [How much did he pay you?]


    [That¡¯s confidential,] Ted replied.


    Ste was speechless


    Keegan came out of the kitchen with a te of sliced mangoes, as they were still chatting. He sat down


    beside her and pretended to casually ask,¡± Who are you chatting with?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Eldrich.¡± Ste used a toothpick to pick up a piece of mango and took a bite. ¡°Why did you finish


    work so early today?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m moving today,¡± Keegan said.


    Ste was confused.


    Suddenly, the doorbell rang.


    Keegan put down the te and went to get the door.


    Then, Ste saw Aldor walking in with a few other men carrying boxes in their hands.


    Ste sat there in a daze and even forgot about the piece of mango in her hand, as she watched those


    men ce the boxes in her bedroom under Keegan¡¯smand.


    Ste finally came back to her senses after a while. She put down the mango and pulled Keegan out of


    her room before ring at him and said,¡± What are you doing?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you agree to let me stay here?¡±


    Keegan asked.

 Chapter 1266

    Chapter 1266


    ¡°I said you could stay for a few days until the kindergarten matter is resolved. Who said you could move


    in permanently?¡±


    She saw more people entering her home carrying a desk,puters, and other equipment, as she


    spoke. The corner of her eye twitched involuntarily. ¡°Are you here to settle down for good?¡±


    Keegan said in a low voice, ¡°You need another person to share the rent with since Ms. Thompson


    moved out.¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Ste scoffed. ¡°This ce belongs to my brother. Why do I have to pay rent?¡¯


    Keegan added persuasively, ¡°Although you don¡¯t have to pay rent, it would be a waste for you to live in


    such a big ce alone. You always want to get the best deal out of everything, right? Rent the unit to


    me and I¡¯ll pay you three times the market price for the rent. How does that sound?¡±


    Ste nced at him. ¡°I own Vinci Rivera. Why would I care about such a tiny amount of money?¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    ¡°You have to be mine first before Vinci Rivera can be yours.¡¯


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to be smart!¡± Ste glowered at him. ¡°This is my brother¡¯s ce. What will other people think


    of you moving in so conspicuously? You¡¯re making yourself look like someone who depends on a


    woman.¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips. ¡®I¡¯ll just consider it as an experience of being a freeloading son-inw.


    His response left Ste utterly speechless.


    Aldor then came out of the guest room. ¡°Mrs. Kane, would youe and try the sound card?¡±


    Ste was taken aback. ¡¯What sound card?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Kane has bought a set of professional voice-over equipment for you, so you can record your work


    and even do live broadcasts for your fans at home.¡±


    Ste paused, as she shifted her gaze to Keegan. ¡°Thatputer wasn¡¯t for you?¡±


    Keegan smirked. ¡°I can bring mine over if you want to use it.¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    The men that came with Aldor proceeded to set up the recording studio for Ste.


    They installed soundproofing panels, cables, and other necessaryponents in the room. The room


    that was initially just a storage space quickly transformed into a decent recording studio.


    Then, the technician asked her to try out the audio.


    With the addition of the professional equipment, the quality of her voice had significantly improved


    compared to using her phone.


    Keegan leaned on the door with his arms crossed, as he watched her test the new setup.


    The technician praised her, ¡°Good job.¡¯


    However, Ste pretended to the nonchnt, as she humbly responded,¡± It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    However, her sparkling eyes and red ears revealed her true emotions of being praised.


    Keegan had always thought that he knew Ste very well, but he just found out that his wife was a


    legendary figure in the voice-acting scene. Ste was not merely someone who loved luxury goods, but


    she also had her own interests and pursuits.


    He had almost gone through all her previous works recently, including the recordings made by her fans


    during the live streams in her early career.


    He was impressed and felt somewhat proud while listening to her using various tones to portray


    different characters.


    He even heard a conversation between her and one of her fans on the livestream.


    The fan asked, ¡°What do you want the most right now?¡±


    Ste kept quiet for a while before she said softly, ¡°I want my partner to understand me. If that¡¯s not


    possible, then I¡¯ll want a recording studio of my own. That way, I don¡¯t have to secretly stream online.¡±


    ¡®I want my partner to understand me.¡¯


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Keegan looked at the person from afar, as tears welled up in his eyes.


    It turned out that the person he longed for was already his.


    Ste put down the headphone and opened her arms in front of Keegan.


    Keegan hugged her and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Why are you asking for a hug in front of so many


    people?¡±


    Ste was taken aback.


    The edge of her lips twitched, as she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking for a hug! I wanted you


    to take off my coat because my hands are covered in dust after touching the boxes!¡±


    Her response left not only Keegan but also everyone else in the room speechless.

 Chapter 1267

    Chapter 1267


    The atmosphere grew awkward for a moment. Fortunately, Keegan was good at keeping his


    composure. He ced his hand on Ste¡¯s cor and helped her take off her coat. He then drew closer


    to her and whispered,¡± Aldor is still here. Let¡¯s keep things on the down low.¡¯


    Ste cast a sidelong nce at him and casually looped her arm around his waist after he removed her


    coat. ¡°Are you saying we can¡¯t cuddle when there are people around?¡± she teased.


    Keegan¡¯s lips curled up slightly when he heard that. ¡°Of course, we can. We can cuddle whenever you


    want,¡± he said.


    Aldor was speechless. However, he maintained his professionalism and refrained frommenting on


    his boss¡¯s actions.


    Half an hourter, the equipment was installed, and Aldor led everyone out.


    Ste wasted no time and rushed to the recording studio to examine her new equipment. Keegan


    followed behind, holding a thermos.


    Ste ran her fingers over the headphones and microphone, feeling satisfied with everything. She then


    turned to Keegan and said, ¡®How about I give you a special treat?¡±


    Keegan hesitated. ¡°What do you have in mind?¡±


    Ste smiled and said, ¡±1 was thinking of putting on an auditory show. Tell me who your favorite


    celebrity crush is, and I¡¯ll mimic her voice so that you can get up close and personal with her.¡± She


    radiated a certain charm when she was in her element.


    Keegan¡¯s heart skipped a beat upon hearing that, and his gaze darkened.¡± Are you capable of


    mimicking any voice?¡± he inquired in a low tone after a brief while.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t know he had a celebrity crush!!!¡¯ Ste thought. However, she kept her cool and said, ¡°Voice


    actors possess versatile talents. We can do anything you can think of.¡±


    Keegan squinted, seemingly in thought. A few secondster, he looked at Ste and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t


    have a particr preference for anyone¡¯s voice. But, I do enjoy listening to audiobooks. Could you read


    something for me?¡±


    Ste¡¯s mood improved instantly upon realizing that Keegan did not have a celebrity crush. ¡°Audiobook


    narrators don¡¯t necessarily possess the same skills as voice actors. Having me narrate an audiobook


    would be a waste of my potential,¡± she said.


    Audiobook narration and voice acting are very different. The former focuses on storytelling skills, while


    thetter brings their character to life through their voice.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I appreciate a good story,¡± Keegan concurred.


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe this man! I was going to impress him with my voice-acting skills, yet he¡¯s asking me to


    read him a book!1


    Ste pursed her lips and reluctantly agreed. ¡°Alright. What do you want me to read?¡±


    Keegan opened a short story on his phone and handed it to her. Ste skimmed through a few pages,


    finding the content somewhatckluster. The male lead appeared to be a schr from the city, while


    the female lead was a widowed tavern owner.


    The book revolved around the story of a busty widow who had a charming and bold personality. She


    managed a tavern alongside herte husband¡¯s younger siblings. The widow crossed paths with the


    male lead, a city dweller who relocated to the town as an educator due to certain circumstances. The


    man was depressed and often went to the tavern to drink. That was when he became acquainted with


    the female lead.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    As Ste looked through a few pages of the book, she quickly lost interest. Keegan often gravitated


    toward materials that focused on patriotism or critical analyses of societal issues, while she preferred


    light readings.


    ¡°Have you finished reading this?¡± Ste asked.


    Keegan nodded and said, ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s only a few thousand words.¡± With that, he pulled out a chair and


    sat on the side. He opened the thermos and blew on the drink inside, as he looked up and said, ¡°You


    may start.¡¯


    Ste adjusted her microphone and started to narrate the story while looking at the phone.


    Initially, the plot followed a conventional trajectory whereby the author talked about what happened to


    the male lead. Soon, things gradually took an unexpected turn. The schr was intoxicated at the


    tavern, and the tavern owner guided him to her quarters. She then drew some water and helped wash


    him up.

 Chapter 1268

    Chapter 1268


    Ste could not help but feel a little perplexed when she was reading the story. ¡®Doesn¡¯t this story take


    ce in an olden-days setting? Since when were people from those times so open?¡¯ She nced at


    Keegan and saw him calmly sipping his tea. He was unfazed by the plot.


    So, she continued reading aloud. ¡°na trailed a wet towel from the schr¡¯s chin to his chest.


    Perhaps feeling ufortable, the man rolled over, which caused his clothes to fall openpletely.


    He had fair skin and an average body. ¡®He looks so different from the brawny men whoe into this


    ce,¡¯ thought na, knowing that he was not from town. na¡¯ste husband was also a schr.


    Unfortunately, his health was not in good condition. He passed away after less than three months into


    their marriage. ¡®We only had sex a few times,¡¯ na reflected¡­¡±


    Ste paused briefly after that.


    Keegan did not hear thest sentence, so he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why did you stop?¡± His


    expression was so nonchnt that it made Ste¡¯s hesitation seem deliberate.


    Ste found herself bouncing back and forth, thinking, ¡®This story seems a little inappropriate. But, the


    topic of sex is rathermon in literary ssics.¡¯


    In the end, she chose to keep reading out of trust in the books Keegan had read in the past. ¡®I promised


    to give him a special treat. I can¡¯t back out now.¡¯


    ¡°na realized that the few times she had sex with herte husband were mediocre. It was hardly


    living up to the blissful descriptions by other women. ¡®Could such pleasure truly exist?¡¯ she asked


    herself.¡±


    ¡°Her gaze wandered to the schr¡¯s waist, and her cheeks flushed red. She gently nudged his


    shoulder and said, ¡®Mr. Allen, it¡¯s a little warm in here. Allow me to assist in cooling you down with this


    towel.¡¯ The man¡¯s eyes remained shut. It was unclear whether he heard her. na began loosening the


    schr¡¯s belt when¡­¡±


    Ste clicked to the next page and blushed.


    At that time, Keegan was already standing behind her. He put his arms around her waist and rested his


    chin on her shoulder, as his deep voice sounded in her ears. ¡°And then what happened?¡±


    The explicit content that followed on the page was too graphic for Ste to read aloud. She clenched


    her teeth and her cheeks burning, as she protested, ¡°Are you messing with me right now?¡±


    ¡®What a jerk! I can¡¯t believe he asked me to use my voice-acting skills to read out smut!¡¯ she thought.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Keegan chuckled and gently kissed her earlobe. ¡®Well, you did mention that you¡¯re giving me a special


    treat.¡±


    Ste shot him an incredulous look and said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t referring to this!¡±


    Suddenly, another question crossed her mind. ¡°Wait. Why do you have such explicit content saved on


    your phone?¡±


    ¡°Vermont wrote it,¡± Keegan said in a low tone.


    Ste¡¯s expression remained deadpan. ¡°You really expect me to believe that?¡±


    Keeganughed and said, ¡°It¡¯s true. He¡¯s the one who wrote¡­ the beginning, n


    Ste was stunned. She prodded for more details, and Keegan fully recounted Vermont¡¯s embarrassing


    story.


    ¡°Back when Vermont was still in college, he enrolled in a creative writing ss to impress a girl he was


    pursuing. Due to that reason, he paid no attention to the actual lectures. At the end of the semester, the


    students were asked to finish a short story for their final assignment. The lecturer provided them with a


    two-hundred-word opening paragraph and asked them to continue the narrative with topics covered in


    ss. The students had to develop a coherent plot and clear message.¡±


    ¡°Vermont had no clue on how to finish the assessment. He struggled for an entire week and barely


    wrote a few words. With the submission deadlineing up, Vermont was desperate. Someone then


    told him that he could find someone to do the work for some cash. This led him to an online service


    where they help students write college assignments and final year projects.¡±

 Chapter 1269

    Chapter 1269


    Chapter 1269


    The assignment helpers offered a range of services from beginner to master-level pieces. Since the


    final coursework affected Vermont¡¯s overall credit score and he didn¡¯tck any funds, he opted for a


    master-level writer to do his assessment. Vermont paid them a deposit, and they assured him that he


    would get high marks.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    The writer finished the story in just three days after the initial payment. Upon inspection, Vermont was


    impressed with the short story which was a few thousand words long. He only read the first half of the


    paper and continued to pay the remaining bnce.


    Vermont then added his own name to the document and submitted it to his professor. Upon receiving


    Vermont¡¯s work, his professor lodged a formalint with the college dean, using him of


    inappropriate behavior and harassment.


    The college did not take the harassment allegations lightly andunched a formal investigation. When


    Vermont was summoned back to campus and confronted with the evidence, his face turned pale, as he


    realized the gravity of the situation. In an attempt to clear his name, he eventually confessed to hiring


    someone else to do the assignment.


    After uncovering the truth, the institute issued an official warning to Vermont and failed him from the


    elective course. This incident was quickly spread throughout campus and left a stain on Vermont¡¯s


    reputation.


    At that time, Carter¡¯s younger brother, Zane, happened to be attending the same college as Vermont.


    He managed to hack into Vermont¡¯sputer and stumbled upon the infamous paper. Zane then


    shared the document among their close-knit group of friends for their amusement.


    Keegan was one to hold onto memories and had saved the masterpiece over the years. Whenever


    Vermont crossed a line with his jokes, Keegan would send him the short story as a reminder of the


    past, and Vermont would get annoyed.


    Ste could not stop butugh for quite some time after listening to Keegan¡¯s ount of the situation.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Vermont demand ountability from those assignment helpers?¡± she asked.


    ¡°He did try,¡± Keegan replied. He leaned into Ste¡¯s ears and whispered, ¡°He asked for a refund, but


    the person blocked him.¡±


    Vermont could not swallow his pride and decided to have Zane track down the writer¡¯s IP address. He


    printed out the person¡¯s personal information as well as the short story they wrote and sent it to their


    home and workce every day for nearly a month. Eventually, the person gave in and refunded the


    payment, along with an additional five thousand dors inpensation.


    Ste continued tough and thought that the incidentputer science?¡± she inquired.


    Keegan nodded. ¡°Apart from his rebellious nature and unconventional behavior, Zane was aputer


    genius. His skills were on par with Carter¡¯s. Some might even say that he was better.¡±


    Ste sighed softly and said, ¡°What a pity.¡±


    Keegan did not continue with the topic. Instead, he steered the conversation back to the Ste¡¯s


    narration. ¡°Keep reading. You promised me a treat, and I don¡¯t think it¡¯s nice to break a promise.¡±


    Ste¡¯s lips twitched, and her expression looked sullen. ¡°I¡¯m a woman with dignity. You can read it


    yourself!¡±


    With that, she started to walk away, but Keegan swiftly pulled her back. ¡°I might have to ask for some


    compensation if you won¡¯t continue reading the story,¡± he said. His husky voice sounded in her ears,


    sending shivers down her spine.


    While blushing, Ste struggled to get away. ¡°You better behave yourself. We¡¯re at my brother¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°I bet Trevor wishes he could be an uncle. Why don¡¯t we try for a baby?¡± Keegan said in a low


    tone.


    Ste was wondering if she should say something or keep it to herself, but she could not hold back


    when she heard that. ¡°You had a vasectomy, Keegan. If I were to get pregnant, you¡¯d have to worry if


    I¡¯m cheating on you.¡±


    Keegan froze and looked at Ste. A mixture of shock and confusion shed in his eyes before


    embarrassment set in.


    After a moment, he gritted his teeth and said, ¡°How did you find out?!¡±

 Chapter 1270

    Chapter 1270


    Chapter 1270


    Ste immediately sealed her lips, and her gaze wandered in uncertainty. ¡°Uh¡­ the trash still needs to


    be taken out. I¡¯ll go do that real quick.¡±


    She attempted to slip away, but Keegan was not willing to let her go. Knowing that she knew his secret,


    he firmly grabbed her wrist and stopped her. His face tightened, as he probed, ¡°When did you find out?


    Who spilled the beans? Was it Aldor?¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste looked surprised. ¡°Aldor knows about it too?¡± she asked.


    Both of them fell quiet for a while.


    ¡®Shoot. I should¡¯ve just med it all on Aldor,¡¯thought Ste.


    Under Keegan¡¯s intense gaze, she eventually mumbled, ¡°You were the one who told me.¡±


    Keegan found it hard to believe. ¡°No. That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°But, it¡¯s true.¡± Ste nced at him and softly added, ¡°You told me when you were drunk.¡±


    Keegan froze with disbelief painted across his face.


    ¡°You even willingly showed me the scar. Despite my resistance, you insisted that I look. I didn¡¯t even


    have a choice,¡± Ste went on to deliver the final blow. As she spoke, she gestured with her fingers,


    illustrating the length of the scar. ¡°It was this long.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face tensed. His flirtatious mood instantly deted. He knew he had a tendency to ckout


    when he was intoxicated. But, he had no idea he was capable of such audacious behavior while he


    was under the influence. The realization that he had deliberately exposed himself and invited Ste to


    inspect his scar left him deeply embarrassed. He let go of Ste¡¯s wrist and walked away sullenly.


    However, Ste was not about to let an opportunity to tease Keegan slip away. She chased after him


    and yfully said,¡± Were you nervous when you went in for surgery? Did they use a general anesthetic


    or a local one? Did you have to make any special preparations before a surgery like that?¡±


    Suddenly, a realization dawned on her, and she eximed,¡± Did you avoid sharing a room with me a


    few months ago because you had the procedure? But, then again, a small scar like that wouldn¡¯t take


    several months to hea-¡°


    ¡°Enough!¡± Keegan ground his teeth and interrupted her.


    Ste bit her lip, and her eyes sparkled mischievously. She closed the distance between them and


    gently tugged at Keegan¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Why were you so concerned about me finding out about your


    vasectomy when you did it for me?¡± She asked in a soft and tender voice.


    Keegan was still upset about his drunken stupidity, so his responsecked patience. ¡°Don¡¯t tter


    yourself. I didn¡¯t do it for you.¡±


    ¡°Alright, fine. You didn¡¯t do it for me.¡± Ste was in a good


    mood and remained unfazed by Keegan¡¯s temper. She lowered her voice and continued, ¡°Then, when


    are you going to get a vasectomy reversal? Don¡¯t you want to have kids with me?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s annoyance gradually faded due to her soothing tone. He hesitated for a moment before he


    pursed his lips and said, ¡°I¡¯ll do it when the doctor says you can conceive.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ste frowned, seeming a little confused.


    Keegan nced at her and asked, ¡°What¡¯s with the face?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Ste then voiced her confusion


    in a soft tone.¡± Are you absolutely sure that your surgery was sessful?¡±

 Chapter 1271

    Chapter 1271


    Chapter 1271


    Keegan was stunned and took on a somewhat displeased look. ¡°You think I¡¯m lying? Why would I


    resort to something like that?¡± he asked.


    Ste quickly waved her hands and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it that way. I was just asking.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face turned cold. ¡°Then, what did you mean?¡±


    Ste stole a nce at him, stood on her tiptoes, and whispered something into his ear.


    Keegan¡¯s gloomy expression shifted to bewilderment in an instant. He looked into Ste¡¯s eyes and


    hesitated for a long time before he finally said, ¡°What did you learn in biology?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Ste stared at him, as she was dumbfounded.


    Keegan rubbed his temples, and he seemed annoyed by the situation. He then turned to Ste and


    said, ¡°Looks like I might need to give you a refresher on human anatomy.¡±


    Before Ste could respond, Keegan swiftly scooped her up into his arms.


    Startled, Ste thumped his shoulders and angrily


    Keegan looked at the woman in his arms and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to teach you about biology. You need to


    be prepared if we have a daughter.¡±


    Hearing that, Ste became even more furious. She was about to grab Keegan¡¯s hair when he threw


    her onto the bed and promptly closed the bedroom door.


    Amid their yful banter, Ste received an educational exnation from Keegan about the aftermath


    of the vasectomy and whether he could still ejacte.


    The next day, the hashtag [# SunlightKindergartenSuspendssses] dominated the trending list on all


    short video tforms, just as Ted expected. Parents were filming videos in front of the kindergarten


    gates, voicing their concerns over the suspension.


    Shortly after that, a well-known blogger by the name of @ Millions in Pay, While Others Sacrifice


    Everything for Their Children¡¯s Education]


    The article, which was designed to ignite discussions about ss disparities, quickly gained an


    astounding number of views.


    Felicity stumbled upon the post early that morning and immediately shared it with Ste. ¡°Can you


    believe that I used to think @ShilohTalks¡¯s articles were insightful and morally upright? Look at what


    she¡¯s doing right now. It¡¯s all pure nonsense and baseless ims! Did she even do any research to


    verify her ims? Or, did she just type out whatever came to her mind?¡±


    As Ste clicked on the article, she inquired, ¡°Huh? Who are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Seriously, Ste, don¡¯t you keep up with the news?¡± Felicity sighed beforeunching into a detailed


    introduction.


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    @ShilohTalks was a rising blogger who gained recognition for her thought-provoking take on current


    events. She never held back when it came to challenging the authority and advocating for the rights of


    themon people. She often criticized societal issues on her posts fearlessly, which earned her


    some poprity among theizens.

 Chapter 1272

    Chapter 1272


    Chapter 1272


    Throughout the year, @ShilohTalks published extensive articles on almost every trending topic on the


    news while delving into the depths of the matter and its broader implications. She wrote about a


    student being mean to a cat, a problem at a university cafeteria, a person taking bad pictures of others


    in the subway, someone cheating at a famous school, and a really sad time when a famous person on


    the inte died.


    In an age where honest journalism was scarce, the blogger fearlessly spoke the minds of many. Hence,


    it came as no surprise that she garnered a massive following.


    Felicity didn¡¯t always agree with what the blogger said. Sometimes the blogger seemed too much on


    one side or tried to make people angry. But still, some of the things she wrote were fun to read. So,


    Felicity started following the ount and reading what they wrote.


    It had not been a year since this ount started, but it already had millions of followers from different


    ces.


    The kindergarten thing wasn¡¯t a big story by itself, but on big websites.


    ¡°She weighed in on the Sophia incident a while back, and I started feeling uneasy. She admitted that


    Sophia was undoubtedly at fault. However, her acts of kindness after receiving bacsh deserved


    praise. She even went so far as


    to say that not all heroes wear capes. I almost stopped following her because of that,¡± Felicity said.


    ¡°I thought maybe we just had different ideas, but now check things before they write about them. So, I


    stopped following her,¡± Felicity said.


    Felicity talked like she was doing the right thing and wanted Ste to say she did good.


    Ste finished reading while Felicity was talking. Sheughed when she heard what her friend said and


    said, ¡°You can¡¯t trust everything you see online. People who make money from this stuff might not be


    fair all the time.¡±


    ¡°I think the article is good. If I didn¡¯t know about this already, I might feel sorry for the kids and parents.


    I¡¯d be mad at the person who caused the problem,¡± Ste said after a short pause.


    The article didn¡¯t say the person¡¯s name who was causing the problem. It talked about how important


    school is for kids. The text featured interviews with two parents who had relocated to Rivera, sacrificing


    a considerable portion of their savings to secure a home within a


    reputable school district. They saved a lot of money to do that. But then, after only half a year, they had


    to move their kids again, and that cost a lot of money.


    The fees for a good preschool were expensive; sometimes, they could even cost more than a college


    student¡¯s monthly allowance. The financial burden of transferring their child to a new school that was


    out of the district pushed parents to


    their limits. One parent even suffered an injury from a falling object during his construction job because


    he was busy worrying about his child¡¯s schooling. It was that he was still undergoing treatment in the


    hospital.


    The article concluded by emphasizing that people should prioritize collective interests in any personal


    dispute. @ ShilohTalks also mentioned that matters regarding education should be treated with greater


    caution. [We should not put others at risk for the sake of our own selfish desire and be the straw


    that breaks the camel¡¯s back for the next generation.]


    ¡®This is quite an impressive piece of writing. It covers topics ranging from wealth inequality to


    educational challenges. This blogger certainly mastered the art of leveraging trending topics to drawContent rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    traffic to his page,¡¯ thought Ste. It appeared that Hylda had not been idle these past three days. This


    article is unmistakably her initial countermove.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s next? Should we find someone important to write about this? The things they said about us


    aren¡¯t true. People who don¡¯t know might think we¡¯re causing problems, but it¡¯s Hylda who¡¯s trying to


    take Mom¡¯s property!¡± Felicity said.


    ¡°We just want what¡¯s ours. We didn¡¯t say to stop school; she did. She¡¯s clearly exploiting parents and


    inte users of their sense of justice to get what she wants!¡± Felicity talked like she really cared and


    said we should talk to the police.

 Chapter 1273

    Chapter 1273


    Chapter 1273


    Ste chuckled and said, ¡°We could call the cops, but Hylda wants everyone to join in. We gotta fight


    fire with fire. If the police handle it quiet, her reputation stays intact.¡±


    Felicity worried. Hylda was sneakier than Be. ¡®That homewrecker, she twisted Albert around her


    finger, ying the waiting game as his secret love. Ste dashed those hopes. Now, she might try


    crazy stuff since her cash flow¡¯s drying up.¡¯


    ¡°Ste, maybe you should have Keegan arrange a bodyguard for you. I¡¯m worried you might get beaten


    up.


    While they talked, Keegan strolled in shirtless, wearing boxers like it¡¯s his home. It was early morning,


    and Ste was more than happy to enjoy the view.


    Keegan had an amazing physique. Muscles stood out, and Ste could not help peeking more than


    once.


    Keegan had just woken up and felt a little groggy. When he saw Ste sitting cross-legged on the


    couch, sipping from her cup, he asked, ¡°Got water?¡±


    Ste pointed to the kitchen, ¡°Yep, there. Cups in the cupboard.¡±


    Keegan nodded, off to the kitchen. Ste almost choked on water when she saw his bare back. It was


    covered in scratches. His fair skin made those marks look obvious. In an instant, the scenest night


    reyed in Ste¡¯s mind, and her face turned red.


    ¡®Shit. Shit. Shit. I have to kick Keegan to the guest room tonight,¡¯ thought Ste.


    Soon, Keegan came back with water. ¡°Ted call yet?¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°Mr. Eldrich reached out to the person who made the post to gauge their stance.¡±


    As Keegan took a sip of his drink, Ste leaned in and asked, ¡°Hey, can you do something for me?¡±


    Keegan felt a jolt of worry, his hand shaking. He put his cup down and grabbed a tissue. Calmly, he


    said, ¡°What do you need? Is this gonna be something silly?¡±


    Steughed, ¡°Come on, can¡¯t I ask for help with something serious?¡±


    ¡°Tell me what it is then,¡± Keegan looked at her skeptically.


    Ste got closer and said, ¡°I want you to find Albert and convincend in my name. Once I¡¯ve got the


    papers, Hylda can¡¯t do anything about it.¡±


    Keegan wondered, ¡°How do I do the convincing?¡±


    Steunched into her clever n, ¡°Tell him you¡¯re crazy about me, can¡¯t live without me, and want to


    marry me ASAP. But, here¡¯s the twist¡ªI¡¯m not into it. You overheard I¡¯ve got my eye on my mom¡¯s


    house, and you¡¯re trying to make me happy. Persuade Albert to sign over the property, promise him


    some big business deal¡­ You catch my drift?¡±


    ¡°Got it. So, basically, I¡¯m making up a story,¡± Keegan


    summarized.


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°How many points would I get for doing this favor?¡±


    Ste went all out and said, ¡°A thousand!¡±


    Keegan grabbed his cup and stood up to leave. ¡°I need to wash up for work,¡± he said.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Ste quickly grabbed his hand and added, ¡°I mean two thousand!¡±


    Keegan raised an eyebrow, ¡°You do realize this is like fraud, right? I could end up in jail.¡±


    Ste hesitated for a moment at the mention of jail.


    ¡°High risk oftenes with high rewards. If I¡¯m willing to bear the risk, I expect to gain an appropriate


    return,¡± Keegan continued.


    Ste thought, then said, ¡°What do you suggest, then?¡±

 Chapter 1274

    Chapter 1274


    Chapter 1274


    ¡°I want twenty thousand points. No negotiation allowed,¡± said Keegan.


    Ste felt surprised by the big number. She clenched her teeth and warned, ¡®Don¡¯t push it, Keegan!¡±


    ¡°I might end up in jail,¡± Keegan said again, sticking to his point.


    ¡°But twenty thousand points is just too much!¡± Ste eximed. ¡®At this rate, the points will fill up soon!


    What if I can¡¯t keep Keegan in line?¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking a big risk helping you with this n. Shouldn¡¯t I get a few more points?¡± Keegan argued.


    Ste pursed her lips, relenting, ¡°How about five thousand points?¡±


    Keegan moved her hand away from his leg and told her,¡± Let¡¯s talk about thister.¡±


    Ste didn¡¯t give up, suggesting, ¡°Okay, how about eight thousand?¡±


    Keegan paused. ¡°Let¡¯s make it ten thousand points.¡±


    Ste¡¯s fingers shook as she pointed at him. ¡°Deal!¡± She said firmly.


    She then passed him the phone and urged, ¡°Now make the call!¡±


    A faint smirk appeared on Keegan¡¯s lips as he seated himself beside doesn¡¯t know about the


    kindergarten?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Thend wouldn¡¯t have remained vacant for so long if he actually near as daring as Hylda. He


    wouldn¡¯t openlymit such a crime,¡± Ste exined.


    Keegan pursed his lips and said, ¡°You might not know him well.¡±


    Ste frowned, surprised by what he said.


    After a moment of contemtion, Keegan disclosed the incident where Albert had usedpromising


    photos of Ste to ckmail him for fifty million dors.


    Ste¡¯s expression turned gloomy in an instant. It ¡®Why did you give him the money when he was


    ckmailing you?¡±


    ¡°I knew you were nning to have him arrested for trying to hurt you. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t do anything,¡±


    exined Keegan.


    If Albert got caught for ckmail, Hylda might be his only hope. Plus, he might not reveal the truth


    about the car ident to protect his kids, which would make it harder for Ste to proceed.


    Ste felt upset about losing the money. ¡°But you didn¡¯t have to give him five million dors. He would


    have spent it all before I could even get him arrested. And those pictures weren¡¯t even that bad. Only


    my back was showing. Why


    would you be so silly to fall for that?¡±


    Ste¡¯s reaction surprised Keegan. He held her chin and looked into her eyes, saying, ¡°What do you


    mean it¡¯s just your back? I get jealous whenever anyone sees your skin!¡±


    Ste was surprised, remembering the charity event. Keegan had taken her shopping for dresses, but


    he ended up giving the one she liked to Aurora. ¡®That dress was quite revealing,1 she realized. Ste


    started to understand what really happened, considering how Keegan acted when he gave the dress to


    Aurora and when she wore a different outfit.


    ¡°Keegan, did you tell me to give my dress to Aurora at the charity event because you thought it was too


    revealing?¡± She whispered.


    Keegan stared at her and replied, ¡°How are you figuring this out now?¡±


    Ste couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not a mind reader,¡± she said. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just tell me you didn¡¯t


    want others looking at me, you prude?!¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan looked at her after hearing that. ¡°Would you have listened? Remember when I said those torn


    jeans didn¡¯t suit you? What did you do? You wore them all the time for a whole month and made sure I


    saw them. It¡¯s like you¡¯re still in your rebellious phase.¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words.

 Chapter 1275

    Chapter 1275


    ¡¯Why the hell is he ming me? Does he even remember what he said about the ripped jeans?¡¯


    thought Ste. She recalled Keegan had looked at her indifferently and said,¡± Can¡¯t you afford clothes


    without holes? How expensive can normal clothing be? It¡¯s one thing for Aurora to dress like that at her


    age, but you¡¯re a married woman; could you dress a bit more maturely?¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Naturally, that did not go down well with Ste. She felt offended because she was only a few years


    older than Aurora. So, she bought a few more pairs of ripped jeans and wore them every day,


    purposely showing them off in front of Keegan.


    By coincidence, autumn arrived and brought rain for over half a month. Ste preferred sun-dried


    clothes since airdrying left a lingering smell, and machine-drying made clothes feel less fresh. As a


    result, a pile of dirty clothes umted and remained unwashed.


    When the skies finally cleared, the housekeeper tossed everything into the washer, unintentionally


    causing some of the holes in the ripped jeans to tear even wider during the wash cycle. By the time


    they were taken out to dry, most of them had transformed into a different type of fashion. A few pant


    legs were entirely torn away, and some jeans turned into tatters.


    At that moment, Keegan stood nearby, leisurely sipping his coffee. He found a bit of amusement in the


    situation. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve turned some into DIY skirts. No wonder Grandma calls you thrifty.¡±


    His words were enough to send Ste¡¯s frustration rocketing. She


    Back in the present, Ste red at him. ¡°Anyone with half a brain can tell you¡¯re crazy from the way


    you talk!¡±


    Keegan was stunned upon hearing that. He decided to test the waters and said, ¡°Should I just be more


    direct next time?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ste replied. She paused for a moment, nced at him, and added, ¡°But I¡¯ll probably ignore


    you anyway.¡±


    Dumbfounded, Keegan thought, ¡®So, what¡¯s the point then?¡¯


    Subsequently, Ste put on a deeply resentful expression as million dors back from Albert?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyelid twitched. He leaned in closer and asked,¡± How would we even do that?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ I have an idea! We could fake a kidnapping of Xenia. Given Albert¡¯s age, it¡¯s unlikely he¡¯ll have


    another child. And this is his only son. He might be willing to pay to get him back.¡±


    Keegan looked at Ste, who was full of cunning ideas, and for extortion is?¡±


    ¡°We could ask Carter to help us set up an overseas bank ount, like Albert did befo-¡°


    Before she could finish, Keegan flicked her forehead and said, ¡°Technology is supposed to make our


    lives better, not help you do illegal stuff.¡±


    Ste rubbed her forehead, pretending it hurt a bit from the flick. As she did that, she grumbled, ¡°Didn¡¯t


    you use technology to send five million dors to Albert?¡±


    ¡°Our situations are different. I was being ckmailed, and you¡¯re trying to ckmail someone else.¡±


    Keegan replied calmly.


    Ste rolled her eyes, finding his logic a bit of a stretch.


    However, Ste¡¯s worries were somewhat unnecessary. Keegan wasn¡¯t foolish; he wouldn¡¯t just hand


    over five million dors to Albert. To withdraw arge overseas transfer, Albert would need a way to


    launder the money, which wasn¡¯t easy to set up. It had been over two months, and Albert hadn¡¯t


    withdrawn any of the money. That was likely why he was so eager to adopt Ste.


    Seeing that Keegan¡¯s work hours wereing up, Ste quickly urged him to call Albert.


    Keegan had nned to make the callter, but he couldn¡¯t resist her persuasion and ended up dialing


    Albert¡¯s number early in the morning.

 Chapter 1276

    Chapter 1276


    Albert had been living with Xenia recently to provide better care for the ¡°baby¡± growing in her belly. He


    had also be remarkably amodating toward her needs. [Everytime I go to the bathroom, he¡¯d


    worry that I might identally give birth in the toilet.] Xenia texted Ste.


    Upon reading that message, Ste chuckled for quite some time, picturing Albert¡¯s anxious demeanor.


    He disyed the same behavior when Rainee sessfully got the IVF. He was obsessed with


    ensuring everything was perfect. He would pre-squeeze Rainee¡¯s toothpaste every morning and serve


    her warm porridge.


    For that brief period of bliss, Rainee entertained the idea that she would have a happy family life.


    However, that illusion was shattered when she suffered an unexpected miscarriage.


    The truth was Albert did not harbor genuine affection for any of the women in his life. His asional


    nces at Xenia only reminded him of the son he once had and not Rainee.


    Ste found it both amusing and pitiful watching Albert being manipted by Xenia¡¯s fake pregnancy.


    Albert was quick to answer Keegan¡¯s call. He seemed genuinely surprised and addressed Keegan with


    familiarity while engaging in light conversation. Though, Keegan had no patience for pleasantries with a


    man who had mistreated his wife. He cut to the chase and asked, ¡°Mr. Jewell, are you


    considering selling the Spade mansion in Greenwood Grove? If


    Ste was shocked to hear that. She leered at him and thought, ¡®Wasn¡¯t he supposed to charm his way


    in?!¡¯


    Albert was equally taken aback. ¡°Why the sudden interest in buying that mansion, Keegan?¡± he


    cautiously probed.


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    ¡®Could it be that something new is being developed in the area?¡¯ he thought.


    With an arm casually ced around Ste¡¯s neck, Keegan pulled her closer as he exined, ¡°I was


    thinking of gifting it to Ste for her birthday.¡±


    Ste found Keegan¡¯s tactic to be impressive.


    To buy a house two months in advance as a birthday gift was reasonable in Albert¡¯s eyes when Keegan


    was the one who said it.


    ¡°You make it sound as though the mansion wasn¡¯t originally intended for Ste. Rainee wanted Ste


    to have it. I¡¯ve been merely holding it in trust. We¡¯re family, Keegan. You don¡¯t have to buy the ce to


    gift it to her.¡±


    Keegan fell momentarily silent before calmly stating, ¡°But she isn¡¯t reciprocating my advances. I know


    she has always wanted the house; I just want her to be happy.¡± While exining, he absentmindedly


    yed with Ste¡¯s hair.


    Ste had contemted using a deceitful approach, but Keegan¡¯s methods sessfully caught Albert


    off guard.


    Eager to secure Keegan¡¯s alliance, Albert voiced his support,


    ¡°I did mention to Ste earlier that we should consider transferring the property to her name. However,


    as you¡¯re aware, there have been numerous family matters demanding attention, resulting in the dy.¡±


    After a pause, he continued, ¡¯ Don¡¯t worry, Keegan. I¡¯llplete the necessary paperwork with Ste


    by tomorrow. Consider it a gesture for my adoptive daughter.¡±


    Keegan did not even attempt to decline. ¡°I appreciate it, Mr. Jewell,¡± he replied in disdain.


    Albert cleared his throat before saying, ¡°No worries. By the way, Keegan, I have something to discuss


    with you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Keegan asked. Ste had assumed Albert would want to discuss a potential project


    coboration with Keegan, but his actual request was unexpected. ¡°Do you happen to possess the


    contact details for the Venerable Raphael Morghen? I¡¯m contemting consulting him for a premonition


    for my son.¡±

 Chapter 1277

    Chapter 1277


    ¡°I want to inquire about the best day for Xenia to get the C- section ording to God¡¯s n,¡± said


    Albert.


    Ste was at a loss for words. ¡®When did Albert be so godly? Where was this behavior when he


    decided to hurt her wife of twenty years?¡¯ she thought as her face tightened with displeasure.


    Keegan grabbed her hand and gently rubbed his thumb over it, trying to soothe her. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ll


    have to ask,¡± he answered Albert indifferently.


    He paused briefly before adding, ¡°Mr. Jewell, while I may not be a spiritual person, I find tampering with


    destiny and manipting life events through artificial means to be viting divine favor. Instead of


    seeking spiritual guidance, perhaps doing good deeds to create more blessings for the child might be


    more beneficial.¡±


    Albert¡¯s expression momentarily stiffened upon hearing that. He contemted about it and said, ¡°That


    makes sense.¡± He then reminded Keegan to get the venerable¡¯s number and hung up.


    After the call ended, Ste could not help but mutter, ¡°That man has gone mad!¡±


    Keegan, on the other hand, said, ¡°It¡¯s not entirely a surprise. The more bad deeds someone does, the


    more they fear that their wrongdoings will affect their child. He encountered numerous difficulties after


    our divorce. It¡¯s typical of him to want to turn to religion at this stage of life.¡±


    Before Ste could respond, her phone rang. Keegan nced at the screen and saw that it was


    Marshall. Ste froze and asked if she should answer, to which Keegan responded, ¡°Sure. Hold onto


    this cross while you speak to him since you said he brings negative energy.¡±


    Ste did not say anything. She picked up the call, and Marshall¡¯s voice sounded from the other end of


    the line.¡± Ste, it¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Moore, how¡¯s your injury?¡±


    Marshall chuckled softly and warmly replied, ¡°It¡¯s nothing too serious, dragging you into that dangerous


    situation.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be sorry about. We¡¯re friends, and friends help each other out,¡± said Ste.


    ¡°Are you home? I¡¯ve arrived at Clouditude International.¡±


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re here?¡± Ste asked. As soon as she uttered those words, she felt Keegan¡¯s intense gaze on


    her. ¡®What was


    with the look? It¡¯s not like I invited him over!¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°Yeah, I brought some gifts. I wanted to check on you and Ms. Thompson. Things might have turned


    out differently if it weren¡¯t for you two that day,¡± Marshall responded.


    ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you,¡± said Ste. ¡°He¡¯s not here just for me, so I can¡¯t say no on Felicity¡¯s behalf.¡¯


    ¡°Also, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to discuss with you concerning Ms. Spade¡¯s car ident,¡± Marshall


    continued.


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Keegan paused when he heard that. Ste raised an eyebrow as she asked in a low voice, ¡°Did you


    find something?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to you when Ie up. I¡¯m waiting for the elevator.¡±


    Ste turned to Keegan, who was shirtless, and said, ¡°Take your time. I need to clean up a bit.¡±


    Marshall chuckled softly and replied, ¡°Sure thing.¡±


    Ste then pulled Keegan up and said, ¡°Come on. Move it. Go to Vermont¡¯s ce. You can go to work


    when Marshalles.

 Chapter 1278

    Chapter 1278


    Keegan was not happy. ¡°Why should I leave just because he¡¯s here?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act all indignant! You know how close he and my brother are. Trevor¡¯s going to know you¡¯re


    living here the moment Marshall shows up. He already doesn¡¯t like you, and Wenham isn¡¯t fond of you


    either. The Hall family despises you even more. This is your chance to make a good impression. So


    show some restraint and know your boundaries, okay?¡± Ste exined.


    Keegan¡¯s face looked tense as he said, ¡°Marshall came without prior notice; why aren¡¯t you using


    him of not knowing boundaries?¡±


    Ste was puzzled by Keegan¡¯s logic. ¡°It¡¯s not like he¡¯s the one I¡¯m with.¡±


    That response seemed to ease the tension.


    However, Keegan still was not keen on leaving. ¡°We should just go public if he tells Trevor.¡±


    Ste shot him a sideways nce and said, ¡°While I don¡¯t want to discourage you, I have to remind you


    that you¡¯re on my family¡¯s cklist. When I mentioned your name during our reunion, it was met with


    silence. Plus, Trevor texted me yesterday, asking about my type in men, and imed he had many


    quality options for me to choose from. He even said that none are less superior than you. Do you


    realize how


    much they dislike you? I haven¡¯t even gotten fully acquainted with my family yet, and you want me to


    introduce you to them? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s respectful to do that. n


    Keegan looked at her with a sad expression and did not say a thing. Ste pushed him toward the


    room while reassuring him, ¡°I¡¯ll introduce you to the family once I get to know them better and everyone


    is prepared. Remember to behave and not cause any trouble. I won¡¯t cut ties with my family for you. It


    Keegan remained silent. ¡®What kind of crappy constion is this?!¡¯ he thought. He then finally got ready


    under Ste¡¯s urging. After putting on his suit, he immediately turned into the unapproachable Mr.


    Kane.


    When Ste was helping him adjust his cor, she suddenly tugged on his tie and nted a kiss on his


    chin. ¡°It¡¯s a pity I¡¯ve never seen you in your college days. If I had, I would¡¯ve definitely pursued you,¡±


    she murmured.


    Keegan nced at her and said, ¡°You were only 13 when I was a freshman, and when I became a


    senior, you had only turned 17. Do you want me to get arrested or something?¡±


    Ste could not help butugh, ¡°You¡¯re so unromantic. Now hurry up and go.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    As they were about to open the door, the elevator chimed, and Marshall walked out.


    Ste was shocked. ¡®Didn¡¯t I tell him to wait a bit beforeing up? Ugh.¡¯


    She immediately stopped pushing Keegan and said, ¡°Oh. Did you twoe together?¡±


    Keegan and Marshall seemed surprised to hearthat.


    Marshal strolled over with a handful of things and asked.¡± Keegan, when did you get here?¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips and reluctantly responded, ¡°Just now. If


    Marshall nced at Keegan¡¯s empty hands and handed him a fruit basket he was carrying.


    Keegan nced at the basket but did not take it.


    ¡°It¡¯s impolite to arrive empty-handed,¡± Marshall remarked. Before Keegan could speak, Marshall added,


    ¡°Just like how it was impolite of you to only bow at Ms. Spade¡¯s funeral.¡±


    Keegan and Ste could not believe that Marshall had just said that.


    Ste found Marshall¡¯smentary to be mean, but Keegan¡¯s expression was just tooical. She bit


    her lip to stifle herughter, determined not to burst outughing.


    Then, she indifferently said, ¡°Come in.¡±


    When the two men entered, Marshall put on the house slippers Ste had just bought for Keegan, and


    Keegan stood behind him with a dark expression.


    Ste noticed what was going on and walked over. She grabbed another pair of house slippers from


    the shoe rack and handed them to Keegan as she said, ¡°You¡¯re the most generous person I know!¡±


    Hearing that, Keegan suppressed his anger and put on the slippers.


    Upon entering the apartment, Marshall noticed that the room was neat and tidy. The flowers on the


    table seemed freshly watered, with a mistyyer of vapor on their petals. There was a book on the


    couch; its pages looked fluffy, suggesting it had been read frequently. Two cups were ced on the


    coffee table, each with only a small amount of water left, indicating that someone had been drinking


    from them.


    Marshall continued to observe the ce when Ste asked,¡± So, what would you two like to drink?¡±

 Chapter 1279

    Chapter 1279


    ¡°Coffee,¡± stated Keegan.


    ¡°Tea,¡± replied Marshall.


    Ste hesitated momentarily, then nced at Keegan and suggested, ¡°You might as well have some


    tea too. It would save us from firing up the coffee machine.¡±


    Keegan looked slightly displeased about the situation but chose not to argue.


    Marshall pressed his lips together slightly as he watched the scene unfold. ¡®Brewing tea was also a bit


    of a hassle,¡¯ he thought. The fact that Ste did not ask him to amodate Keegan¡¯s request felt


    respectful, yet created a sense of unfamiliarity between them.


    Keegan settled onto the nearby couch, maintaining afortable distance from Ste. He turned to


    Marshall and asked, ¡°How¡¯s the injury?¡±


    Marshall opened up his palm to show Keegan the wound. Though it was healed, the scar remained


    prominent. It would likely need some time to fade. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± he said.


    ¡°Given your experience, you don¡¯t really need to take on cases like that. The pay isn¡¯t a lot, and there


    are tons of risks involved. Why bother?¡± Keegan said indifferently.


    Marshall chuckled and said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t nning on taking it initially. But no one wanted a messy


    domestic abuse case,


    especially since the man¡¯s family had connections. I felt sorry for the woman. She¡¯s visited nearly every


    law firm in town. I¡¯ve seen her at our office multiple times, and on each visit, her face bore signs of


    injury. Once, her left ear was torn and needed stitches. She was determined to proceed with the


    divorce, even if it meant losing everything.¡±


    ¡°I asked myself why should individuals who just want to live endure such hardships. And that was when


    I took on her case. I just didn¡¯t expect her husband to locate her new residence so quickly that it almost


    led to Ste getting hurt.¡±


    Keegan thought about it and said, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have taken her there, and you shouldn¡¯t have gone


    alone. You should¡¯ve involved the authorities. You should¡¯ve known who you were dealing with. Thank


    god that nothing major happened that day. Did you ever consider what your parents would feel if you


    lost your life?¡±


    Marshall¡¯s throat tightened slightly, and he clenched his fist. After a while, he admitted, ¡°You¡¯re right. I


    made the wrong call.¡±


    ¡°Try your best not to let your parents worry. You might not recall it, but I witnessed firsthand how


    devastated they were when that incident happened to you seven years ago. No one is forcing you to


    push yourself to the extremes, Marshall. You don¡¯t have to take on everything head-on. Do you know


    that your current state is far from what it used to be when you were abroad?¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Marshall smiled and said, ¡°I feel fine.¡±


    Keegan was a little annoyed by his response and decided to stay quiet.


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Marshall used to engage in extreme sports overseas, from racing to marathons. Even people


    ustomed to theid- back lifestyle like Vermont envied his achievements.


    However, upon his return to Rivera, he seemed to revert to his state from seven years ago. He was dull


    and depressed as he carried the weight of everything behind his back.


    After a while, Keegan spoke again. ¡°Get to know the girls your mom introduces you to and go on dates


    with them. If you find a connection, give it a shot. Being in a rtionship is generally more fun than


    being alone.¡±


    Marshall lowered his gaze and said, ¡°Being with Ste is quite exciting.¡±


    Hearing that, Keegan froze. ¡°Are you intending to pursue her?


    ¡°Do you have a problem with that?¡± Marshall stared at him and asked.


    Keegan thought about it and said, ¡°No, of course not. I¡¯m fine with it as long as you¡¯re genuine.¡± He


    knew Marshall did not stand much of a chance, so there was no harm in letting him try. ¡°However, if


    you¡¯re not brave enough to pursue her, I advise you guys to remain friends. Don¡¯t make things


    awkward.¡±


    Marshall looked at him for a moment before suddenly asking, ¡°Why don¡¯t any of you want to tell me


    what happened seven years ago?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a pleasant experience, and the scene was gruesome. Some things are best forgotten,¡±


    Keegan replied indifferently.


    ¡°Was I the one who crashed into Ste¡¯s mom?¡±


    Keegan was taken aback. ¡°Why on earth would you think that? Don¡¯t worry. Your injury wasn¡¯t caused


    by a car ident.¡±


    As Marshall was about to continue, Ste entered the room with the tea. ¡°Felicity went out for


    breakfast. She¡¯ll be back soon,¡± she said.

 Chapter 1280

    Chapter 1280


    Marshall took the cup of tea and thanked Ste.


    Keegan reached for the other cup, only to find Ste grabbing and sipping from it. He shot her a


    puzzled look, to which she responded, ¡°Your cup¡¯s in the kitchen. Go fetch it yourself.¡±


    Ste¡¯s words left him speechless. ¡®Seems like she¡¯s seizing every opportunity to tease me, he thought.


    Annoyed by the situation, Keegan stood up and headed for the kitchen.


    There, he found a cup of coffee with a heart-shapedtte art waiting on the counter. His anger


    dispersed immediately.¡¯ Aw, she loves me.¡¯


    ¡°Mr. Moore, you mentioned something about my mother¡¯s ident during our call. What is it?¡± Ste


    asked.


    Marshall ced his cup down and pulled out his phone. He showed Ste a photo of someone and


    said, ¡°Take a look at this person. Do you know him?¡±


    Ste nced at the picture and immediately recognized the face. ¡°He used to be my family¡¯s driver. I


    had investigators look into him before, but he¡¯s rather cautious and avoids having interactions with


    outsiders.¡±


    Marshall continued, ¡°This man is now in Rivera. He developed a tumor and is undergoing


    chemotherapy at the city hospital.¡±


    Ste did not understand what Marshall was trying to convey, so he borated, ¡°Cancer treatments are


    expensive. Since this man is unemployed, he¡¯s likely searching for ways to earn some money.¡±


    ¡°Are you implying that he might approach Albert for financial help?¡± asked Ste.


    ¡°No, I think he¡¯s going to approach Hylda instead. He probably knows some of Hylda¡¯s secrets.


    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been supporting him financially for all these years.¡±


    Marshall paused for a while and added, ¡°Once the kindergarten goes out of business, Hylda won¡¯t be


    able to provide him with support anymore. In his desperation to stay afloat, he might turn against her.


    So, I think we could extract some valuable information from him.¡±


    Ste perked up at the alignment of events. The kindergarten situation was already a major headache


    for Hylda. It would be a blessing for Ste if another potential threat emerged.


    ¡°Please keep a close eye on this man for me, Mr. Moore. You could consider extending a mary


    offer if the opportunity arises.¡±


    Before Marshall could respond, Keegan interjected, ¡°How generous of you.¡±


    Ste nced at him and said, ¡°It¡¯s called being practical. I know when to save and spend when


    necessary. I¡¯m not as stingy as Vermont, you know?¡±


    As she said that, Vermont¡¯s voice sounded from the hallway.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Ayo. I didn¡¯t know you were such a backstabber, Ste.¡±


    Ste felt a little awkward after being exposed.


    Felicity pushed Vermont yfully and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you talk about my best friend like that!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Vermont responded, wrapping an arm around Felicity¡¯s waist. She stiffened up


    immediately and was led into the room by Vermont.


    Upon entering, Vermont noticed the gift box Marshall had brought. He picked it up and opened it to find


    a Chanel scarf.


    Vermont immediately draped it around Felicity¡¯s neck and said, ¡°Marshall sure has an eye for style.


    This scarfplements you perfectly.¡±


    Marshall did not know how to tell Vermont that the scarf was meant for Ste while Felicity¡¯s gift was in


    the other box.


    Hearing the words of praise, Felicity clutched onto the scarf and asked, ¡°Do you really think it suits me?


    I¡¯ve never worn a color like this before. It feels rather posh.¡±


    ¡°Confidence is key, baby,¡± he said and opened another box.¡± This bag looks great on you too. It goes


    well with your style. Here, put it on and give it a twirl.¡±


    His words left Marshall dumbfounded.

 Chapter 1281

    Chapter 1281


    Marshall had clearly put thought into selecting the gifts. The present he chose was a stylish leather


    backpack with dual shoulder straps, perfect for Felicity¡¯s rxed and casual fashion sense. However,


    the silk scarf he included felt a little out of ce, given that it resonated more with Ste¡¯s typical style.


    There were numerous scarves in that particr style in Ste¡¯s spacious walk-in closet. She even


    owned several of the same design in various colors.


    Not fully attuned to women¡¯s fashion preferences, Keegan yfully teased her for having so many


    scarfs. Ste then teased him back for his shoe collection.


    Felicity liked the bag Marshall gifted her. She swung it over her shoulder and asked Ste. ¡°Ste, do


    you think I look good in this?¡±


    Before Ste could respond, Vermont interjected, ¡°You do. That bag fits your aesthetic perfectly.¡±


    Felicity rolled her eyes at him and said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you. What would a man like you know about


    fashion?¡±


    Her words rendered Vermont silent.


    ¡°I agree; you look great. The scarfplements yourplexion well,¡± Keegan chimed in.


    Felicity was taken aback. Although it was meant as apliment, it carried a somewhat eerie


    undertone whening from Keegan. He had, after all, sent her a threat


    after she told Ste not to give him too high a score. It was hard to believe that he suddenly became a


    master atpliments.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Ste joined the conversation and offered her perspective.¡± It¡¯s not quite your usual style, but it does


    look good on you.¡±


    Felicity held Ste¡¯s taste in high regard, well aware of Ste¡¯s impable fashion choices. However,


    she overlooked the fact that sometimes, it was her beauty that made her look good rather than her


    clothes.


    Encouraged by Ste¡¯s praise, Felicity felt like the most stylish person around as she draped the scarf


    over her neck. Her eyes even twinkled with delight. ¡°Mr. Moore, you truly have an eye for gifts. I love it.¡±


    Marshall did not know how to respond.


    At that point, he could not bring himself to say that the scarf was not for her. So, he held back and


    managed a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m d you like it,¡± he said. After a brief pause, he continued, ¡°Regarding the


    bag¡­¡±


    ¡°I love the bag as well. Itplements my style so well. I can¡¯t believe your previous girlfriend let go of


    a gem like you, Mr. Moore. I¡¯d literally cling to my boyfriend day and night if he had such exquisite


    taste,¡± said Felicity.


    Hearing that, Marshall was silenced.


    Vermont put his arm around Felicity¡¯s waist and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you show me how you¡¯d cling to me?¡±


    ¡®I meant that hypothetically,¡¯ thought Felicity.


    Keegan was enjoying himself now that Marshall could not give Ste her gift. He did not want toe


    across as petty by telling her to reject the present. Thankfully, his concern was now resolved.


    He decided to add to the situation by saying, ¡°That bag is perfect for carryingptops and notebooks.


    Since those are essential for your work, you¡¯re bound to be a top screenwriter with Marshall¡¯s


    gift.¡±


    Felicity was getting a little scared with all the praise. Maybe you guys should take a step back from the


    compliments,¡¯ she thought.


    Marshall looked at Keegan and saw thetter giving him a thumbs-up and mouthing the words, ¡°Well


    yed, brother.¡±


    Marshall could not help but smile and mouthed back at him, ¡°You¡¯re such a child.¡±


    Chapter 1281


    Marshall had clearly put thought into selecting the gifts. The present he chose was a stylish leather


    backpack with dual shoulder straps, perfect for Felicity¡¯s rxed and casual fashion sense. However,


    the silk scarf he included felt a little out of ce, given that it resonated more with Ste¡¯s typical style.


    There were numerous scarves in that particr style in Ste¡¯s spacious walk-in closet. She even


    owned several of the same design in various colors.


    Not fully attuned to women¡¯s fashion preferences, Keegan yfully teased her for having so many


    scarfs. Ste then teased him back for his shoe collection.


    Felicity liked the bag Marshall gifted her. She swung it over her shoulder and asked Ste. ¡°Ste, do


    you think I look good in this?¡±


    Before Ste could respond, Vermont interjected, ¡°You do. That bag fits your aesthetic perfectly.¡±


    Felicity rolled her eyes at him and said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you. What would a man like you know about


    fashion?¡±


    Her words rendered Vermont silent.


    ¡°I agree; you look great. The scarfplements yourplexion well,¡± Keegan chimed in.


    Felicity was taken aback. Although it was meant as apliment, it carried a somewhat eerie


    undertone whening from Keegan. He had, after all, sent her a threat


    after she told Ste not to give him too high a score. It was hard to believe that he suddenly became a


    master atpliments.


    Ste joined the conversation and offered her perspective.¡± It¡¯s not quite your usual style, but it does


    look good on you.¡±


    Felicity held Ste¡¯s taste in high regard, well aware of Ste¡¯s impable fashion choices. However,


    she overlooked the fact that sometimes, it was her beauty that made her look good rather than her


    clothes.


    Encouraged by Ste¡¯s praise, Felicity felt like the most stylish person around as she draped the scarf


    over her neck. Her eyes even twinkled with delight. ¡°Mr. Moore, you truly have an eye for gifts. I love it.¡±


    Marshall did not know how to respond.


    At that point, he could not bring himself to say that the scarf was not for her. So, he held back and


    managed a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m d you like it,¡± he said. After a brief pause, he continued, ¡°Regarding the


    bag¡­¡±


    ¡°I love the bag as well. Itplements my style so well. I can¡¯t believe your previous girlfriend let go of


    a gem like you, Mr. Moore. I¡¯d literally cling to my boyfriend day and night if he had such exquisite


    taste,¡± said Felicity.


    Hearing that, Marshall was silenced.


    Vermont put his arm around Felicity¡¯s waist and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you show me how you¡¯d cling to me?¡±


    ¡®I meant that hypothetically,¡¯ thought Felicity.


    Keegan was enjoying himself now that Marshall could not give Ste her gift. He did not want toe


    across as petty by telling her to reject the present. Thankfully, his concern was now resolved.


    He decided to add to the situation by saying, ¡°That bag is perfect for carryingptops and notebooks.


    Since those are essential for your work, you¡¯re bound to be a top screenwriter with Marshall¡¯s


    gift.¡±


    Felicity was getting a little scared with all the praise. Maybe you guys should take a step back from the


    compliments,¡¯ she thought.


    Marshall looked at Keegan and saw thetter giving him a thumbs-up and mouthing the words, ¡°Well


    yed, brother.¡±


    Marshall could not help but smile and mouthed back at him, ¡°You¡¯re such a child.¡±

 Chapter 1282

    Chapter 1282


    ¡°What happened to ying fair?¡± mouthed Marshall.


    Keegan pretended not to notice and avoided the subject, while Felicity managed to score two presents


    due to her brave intervention.


    With the kindergarten issue grabbing headlines, Marshall was aware of the situation.


    Ste was mildly concerned that he would be displeased at her for consulting anotherwyer since he


    was the one who first helped her with the investigation. However, her worries were unfounded. This


    was proven when Marshall nodded affirmatively and said, ¡°Ted is a great attorney. I¡¯m sure he can help


    you deal with this matter well.¡±


    He even offered some advice saying, ¡°However, keep an eye on the ount called @ShilohTalks. His


    posts might appear pro-public, but they often carry a provocative tone that fuels division among the


    people.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s practically a leech. Remember that viral incident about a girl wearing a Lolita costume taking her


    wheelchair-bound grandmother with her when she enrolled in university?¡± asked Vermont as he peeled


    an orange.


    ¡°Oh yeah, I remember that. Online trolls were having a field day, saying that no student from a


    respectable institution would dress like that. But then, she turned the tables by revealing an eptance


    letter from a top-tier university. The trolls then shifted their focus to the fact that she brought her


    grandmother along, saying that she did it for sympathy. @ShilohTalks then posted an article in her


    defense. It was rather well-crafted,¡± said Felicity.


    ¡°I agree, but the incident might not have been as sensationalized as it was without his article. Once he


    made the post, keyboard warriors started to flood thement section and made things worse. That


    poor girl was bombarded with hateful messages, driving her into severe depression and, ultimately,


    suicide. This oue never made it to the trending news, but @ShilohTalks garnered quite a bit of


    followers from the whole thing,¡± Vermont sneered.


    Ste frowned and said, ¡°Now that you mention it, this tactic feels oddly familiar.¡±


    ¡°Sophia Jewell,¡± Keegan chimed in.


    Felicity¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°No way. Do you guys actually think an airhead like Sophia could write


    something like that?¡± She asked since those articles did showcase some fantastic writing skills.


    ¡°How do you think she managed to get into Vinci Rivera in the first ce?¡± Keegan borated.


    Sophia¡¯s speeches, masked with personal agendas, were often well-written, but Keegan did not


    appreciate her exploiting Vinci Rivera¡¯s poprity to gain followers.


    ¡°But @ShilohTalks¡¯s IP address shows that they¡¯re in another country.¡±


    Vermont fed Felicity an orange slice while saying, ¡°IP addresses could be faked, my dear. Carter can


    literally set your location to anywhere in the world in just a second.¡±


    ¡°If it truly is Sophia behind the ount,¡± Marshall paused and nced at Ste before continuing,


    ¡°There will be more toe.¡±


    Later that afternoon, @ShilohTalks made a post on Facebook: [A person contacted me to delete my


    article. But why would you be afraid of what others are saying if you did nothing wrong? I won¡¯t stop


    voicing my concerns until the Sunlight Kindergarten issue is resolved and kids can enter the school


    again. At the same time, her fans are already bashing me when I haven¡¯t even revealed her identity


    yet. Come on, people. I¡¯m currently coordinating with hospitals to relocate injured parents, not just


    sitting around and criticizing your idol. There¡¯s no need to act all high and mighty.]


    Apanying the text were screenshots of her conversation with the person asking her to delete the


    post and a photo of the parent in the ICU.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    The authoritative tone of the personmanding the removal of the post and the constant possibility of


    the injured parent¡¯s condition worsening fueled people¡¯s outrage. This causedizens to specte


    about who the influential figure might be.


    Soon, Ste received a text from Ted, saying, [We didn¡¯t send those screenshots. She hasn¡¯t


    responded to me yet.]


    [Release thend documents. I¡¯m free to y along with her since I¡¯m not shooting any shows right


    now.] Ste replied.

 Chapter 1283

    Chapter 1283


    That night, whileizens were still specting about which celebrity might be behind the incident, Ted


    immediately posted Ste¡¯s recently obtainednd license, along with relevant documents and images,


    on the inte.


    His caption meticulously refuted each inconsistent point in the article by @ShilohTalks.


    [1. The rights to 83 Brightway Road, Greenwood Grove, is owned by my client-Ms. Jewell. She


    possesses all the necessary legal documentation and paperwork, which contradicts the baseless im


    made in @ShilohTalk¡¯s article about my client maliciously seizing thend. (Images 1.2)


    Sunlight Kindergarten was built illegally on private property without the required permits from the


    relevant authorities. This constitutes a case of property encroachment.


    Ms. Jewell has consistently advocated for peaceful negotiation and never requested the suspension of


    sses at any point. Her approach has always been to resolve the matter discreetly while minimizing


    any disruption to the children¡¯s education unless the situation esctes to the need for legal action.


    (Images 3,4, 5)


    The mortgage agreement for this plot ofnd was established fifteen years ago with XX Bank, with the


    majority of the loan used forpany operations and a smaller portion for personal expenses. The


    contract was dissolved nine years ago. It¡¯s worth noting that at the time, Ms.


    Jewell¡¯s mother, Ms. Spade, had not yet terminated her marital rtionship with Mr. Jewell. Therefore,


    both parties are jointly responsible for repaying the loan. (Images 6, 7)


    The principal of Sunlight Kindergarten, Ms. White, is my client¡¯s stepmother. Ms. White was once a


    financially challenged student who received support from Ms. Spade over twenty years ago. She legally


    married Mr. Jewell a year ago after the mortgage contract had been dissolved. This contradicts


    @ShilohTalk¡¯s im that she assisted Mr.


    Jewell in repaying the loan.


    We have established contact with the injured parents one hour ago, and Rotona Pinnacle Hospital has


    dispatched personnel to facilitate their transfer to another medical facility. We will ensure that the best


    medical experts are involved in providing optimal treatment ns. We will cover all medical expenses


    after insurance ims.


    On behalf of Ms. Ste, I hereby dere that we will not actively seek the suspension of sses,


    tolerate any nderous remarks, and notpromise due to public opinion pressure. Suitable


    arrangements for the students will be made in handling thend remation process. Land ownership


    should be addressed through the judicial system rather than manipting public sentiment through


    online influence.]


    Ted¡¯s article was a forceful disy of righteousness. Ste was left astonished by his swift and decisive


    action. She even questioned whether he was the samewyer who had previously defended Be by


    meticulously scrutinizing arguments and twisting words to their advantage.


    She promptly shared the post with Keegan and asked, ¡°Does your ssmate stand by thew, or is he


    against it?¡±


    ¡°I think he stands with money, just like you do,¡± Keegan replied.


    Ste was speechless.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Ted¡¯s professional role and ethics were not to be morally judged. In his eyes, the role of awyer was


    simply a profession. In his perspective, it held no grandeur or sacredness. Instead, it was a means of


    livelihood. Ted represented whoever¡¯s money he took and utilized his expertise to win the case from a


    strictly professional perspective. Even if his client was a morally questionable figure, he believed that


    someone would take the case if he didn¡¯t.


    On the other hand, Marshall puts empathy andpassion into his legal work. He always strived to


    uphold justice.


    However, such individuals were not always the best fit for the realm ofw because morality cannot be


    legited.


    With Keegan¡¯s financial ability, Ted¡¯s Facebook post quickly gained traction among numerous


    entertainment channels and rapidly climbed the trending charts on major tforms. In this standoff,


    Ste¡¯s approach leaned more toward presenting solid facts and logical arguments than empty ims,


    as seen in @ShilohTalks¡¯s article.


    Notably,izens could not stopmenting on how Hylda stole Rainee¡¯s husband after she


    sponsored her and now sought to im the inheritance meant for her daughter.

 Chapter 1284

    Chapter 1284


    Chapter 1284


    In a swift turn of events, another group ofizens uncovered a startling revtion. It turned out that


    the former motivational influencer, Soph¡¯s Trove, who had publicly revealed her status as an illegitimate


    child during a seminar at Trinity University, was none other than Hylda¡¯s biological daughter.


    The timelines of these events intertwining revealed that Ste was actually the ¡°abusive¡± older sister


    who was mentioned in Soph¡¯s Trove¡¯s Facebook ount.


    Ste was robbed of her parents, and her once peaceful family was never the same after Hylda and


    Sophia came into the picture. Many inte users did not like learning that they were now trying to


    im Ste¡¯s rightful inheritance.


    In response, the public reported Sophia¡¯s ount @Soph¡¯s Trove for spreading false information. As a


    result, her ount was suspended that night due to an overwhelming number of reports.


    Sophia was fuming when she realized her ount was banned. The incident at Trinity University had


    already created a major blow to her online presence. She could not believe that Ste had managed to


    get rid of her ount just as her page was beginning to recover.


    Sophia picked up her phone and dialed Hylda¡¯s number.


    Hylda appeared even more distressed than Sophia on the other end of the call. While she refrained


    from participating in online activities, she had previously interacted with the rich wives in the upper-


    ss circle to give herself some exposure. They even had a group chat where they shared gossip and


    showcased their luxury items.


    Hylda participated in the chats as well, but her possessions were far less extravagant than those of the


    other wives. She had always longed for an opportunity to gain recognition within this group, and today,


    it seemed her wish hade true, albeit in a dubious manner.


    Upon waking from a nap, Hylda was bombarded by notifications from the group chat. They were


    relentlessly tagging her and questioning the Jewell family¡¯s standing. Since Ste had been removed


    from the Jewell family, this meant that they no longer had the Kane family to back them up. This


    caused the participants of the group to deem the Jewell family irrelevant.


    Hylda had never been well-liked by these women. Her recent rise to the status of ¡°Mrs. Jewell¡± was


    also overshadowed by news of her husband¡¯s extramarital affair. The women in the group chat found


    little sympathy for Hylda, who had climbed the socialdder by taking another woman¡¯s ce.


    They did not care to hold back their opinions. As soon as they heard the news, they flooded the group


    chat with messages directed at Hylda.


    [A reminder not to be too ruthless, Mrs. Jewell. Look at how it¡¯s backfiring now.]


    [Haven¡¯t you already gained enough profit from riding on Ste¡¯s marriage to the Kane family? Is it


    really necessary to stoop so low as to im the young girl¡¯s inheritance?]


    [You sure know how to repay someone, huh? You fucked Rainee¡¯s husband while she sponsored your


    education. I bet Rainee didn¡¯t even want to touch Albert. Honestly, good for her. The fact that she


    revealed Albert¡¯s true colors just by providing you with some financial help is a great deal. It¡¯s money


    well spent whenpared to the pathetic men who spend millions of dors on their mistresses.]


    Hylda found herself at a loss for words in the face of these taunts and blocked the group chat


    messages angrily. Just as she finished doing that, she received a call from Sophia.


    Sophia wasted no time andunched into a series of questions, ¡°Mom! Didn¡¯t you just say that we


    couldn¡¯t obtain the legal documents for that piece ofnd? How on earth did Ste manage to get her


    hands on them? We¡¯re in such a sticky situation.¡±Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1285

    Chapter 1285


    Chapter 1285


    Hylda was feeling increasingly restless. Albert had frozen her ounts and strip her of her position at


    thepany. Now, she was leftpletely incapable of withdrawing a single penny from the


    company¡¯s funds. While she did invest in a few small projects, these ventures barely yielded any


    significant returns. Most of those investments had been made simply to blend in with the social elite.


    She saw them as a payment to gain entry into the exclusive circle.


    Therefore, the kindergarten remained her primary source of ie, and she refused to let it slip


    through her fingers without a fight.


    ¡°Is that license of hers genuine?¡± asked Hylda.


    ¡°The documentse with official seals. They posted them online. Do you honestly think she would


    dare to fabricate something like that?¡± Sophia impatiently replied. When she thought about how the


    ount she had worked so hard managing in Hylda¡¯s favor all these years was banned, she could not


    help butin, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you put me in this mess without proper research!¡±


    Hylda frowned at the sound of that. Ever since Albert found out that Hugo was not his biological son,


    she had begun to have lesser patience toward Sophia. She knew her daughter¡¯s mindset too well. ¡®Did


    Sophia really believe she was the exclusive heir now that her brother was no longer in the picture?


    How naive!¡¯


    Hylda¡¯s tone turned stern as she countered, ¡°Why would I need your involvement if I had all the


    answers?¡±


    Sophia pouted in response and remained silent.


    Hylda¡¯s expression grew colder as she continued, ¡°Don¡¯t be under the delusion that without Hugo, the


    Jewell family is solely yours. I understand the kind of man your father is better than anyone. He holds


    his sons in high regard. I¡¯m telling you, if that bitch somehow doesn¡¯t give birth to his son, he¡¯d probably


    ask his brothers if he could adopt their son. He¡¯d easily hand over the Jewell family¡¯s wealth to his


    nephew rather than you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Sophia instinctively rejected the idea.


    Hyldaughed mockingly and said, ¡°You¡¯ll be someone else¡¯s wife. Albert would never let you carry the


    Jewell family¡¯s legacy under another man¡¯s name. Think about it. Why did he never allow you to join


    thepany? Why did he continuously encourage you to seek employment outside? Use your brain


    for once, Sophia!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get your share if your brother inherits everything.


    However, you won¡¯t get a penny if an outsider inherits the fortune! Can you guarantee that your future


    husband will remain devoted and won¡¯t abandon you? If not, how will you sustain your position in high


    society, especially if you don¡¯t have the Jewell family as support?¡±


    Sophia¡¯s trust in her father started wavering when she heard that.


    ¡°Why do you think I wanted to have Hugo in the first ce? I did it for you, Sophia. I¡¯m fully aware of


    your father¡¯s nature. That¡¯s precisely why I¡¯ve always wanted to birth a son.


    Would I have resorted to such an extreme measure if Albert truly cared about you? Would I have to


    lose my dignity?¡± Hylda sighed.


    Sophia found it difficult to respond. It felt strange to hear her mother talk about wanting to save her


    dignity when she was her father¡¯s mistress. ¡®What dignity did she have?¡¯ Though, she dared not voice


    that sentiment.


    Furthermore, Hylda¡¯s reasoning did hold a certain validity. Sophia had brought up working at the family


    company in the past, but Albert always found a way to divert the conversation.


    ¡°I secretly stored some of your father¡¯s sperm at the hospital. Even if I don¡¯t give birth, I can pursue


    artificial insemination. Since your father yearns for a son, I think it doesn¡¯t matter who bears the child as


    long as I adopt him. You can continue living without financial worries if that happens. You¡¯ll also be able


    to get a part of the estate when your father is no longer around.¡±


    Sophia could not counter Hylda¡¯s logic. Suddenly, she felt that her mom¡¯s actions were justified, and


    her tone sounded a lot softer. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it that way, Mom. It¡¯s just that the evidence Ste provided


    is overwhelmingly convincing. It¡¯ll be hard to refute her points,¡± she said.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Hylda had a strategy in mind. ¡°What about thatwyer¡¯s statement? He mentioned that they would


    ensure the students were properly cared for. How does Ste n to


    do that? Is she taking over the school herself? Does she want to be involved in the education sector for


    clout?¡±


    Sophia thought about it, and an idea sparked in her mind. ¡°I¡¯ll write an article right away.¡±


    ¡°Make sure not to disclose any personal information,¡± Hylda warned her.


    ¡°I know. Ethan will help me take care of that.¡±


    Early the following morning, rumors began circting from an unknown source that Ste was


    intending to assume control of the kindergarten. It first began circting on WhatsApp and Twitter, then


    quickly spreading to the inte. By daybreak, the rumor had evolved from a mere suggestion to a


    well-constructed narrative,plete with intricate details.

 Chapter 1286

    Chapter 1286


    Chapter 1286


    Meanwhile, Ste was not idle either. She decided to reach out to relevant authorities and discuss a


    potential coboration. She got up at six in the morning and set off with Ted. All parties showed up by


    around 8:00 a.m., and they delved into the matter for over five hours. It was almost 1:00 p.m. when


    they finished the meeting.


    Ste nced at the documents in her hand, and relief swept over her.


    ¡°You could always retain a portion of thend, you know,¡± said Ted.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Everyone knew how expensivend was in Rivera.


    ¡°This plot ofnd was originally in my grandfather¡¯s. He entrusted it to my mother before passing, and it


    became my responsibility since her departure from the world. My grandfather knew that his two


    younger brothers probably would not be heard from again. Still, he guarded thend, seemingly


    awaiting a reunion. What I¡¯m doing is not precisely a donation, either. Thend inherently belongs to


    the state. I¡¯m just giving it back in advance by donating my grandfather¡¯s mansion,¡± Ste smiled and


    said.


    Ted nced at her and muttered, ¡°You could consider donating a portion of Keegan¡¯s estate to increase


    your reputation.¡±


    Ste did not know how to respond. She bit her lip and asked, ¡°Mr. Eldrich, did Keegan bully you or


    something when you were still in school?¡±


    It took Ted a moment to say, ¡°He once took the water I boiled for my noodles to soak his feet. Does that


    count?¡±


    Ste fell into thought. ¡®I guess it does since not many would remember such an incident so clearly¡­¡¯


    As she mulled over this, Keegan called her on the phone.¡± What are you guys talking about?¡± he


    asked.


    Ste paused and looked around her. She then heard Keegan say, ¡°I¡¯m on your right.¡±


    Ste turned her head and spotted a familiar ck Mercedes parked nearby. She recognized the car¡¯s


    license te and walked toward the vehicle after saying goodbye to Ted. Just as she approached,


    Aldor emerged from the driver¡¯s side. He circled around the car and opened the door for her.


    Keegan was wearing a white suit today, and his hair was neatly styled. At first nce, he looked like he


    was about to get married.


    Ste entered the car, and Aldor promptly closed the door behind her. She took a quick nce at


    Keegan and asked,¡± Are we¡­ going on a blind date?¡±


    Keegan remained silent.


    ¡°Mr. Kane just came back from a ribbon-cutting ceremony. He thought it¡¯d be nice to pick you up for a


    meal.¡± Aldor chuckled.


    ¡°Oh. I see. And where are we dining?¡± Ste inquired.


    ¡°The choice is yours,¡± Keegan responded.


    Ste eyed Keegan¡¯s attire and said, ¡°I¡¯m thinking of going to a Yostranian restaurant. People would


    probably think you¡¯re crazy when they see you in that suit if we go somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. Let¡¯s go get some Yostranian food.¡±


    Thus, at the entrance of a Yostranian establishment, Ste found herself standing next to her first love.

 Chapter 1287

    Chapter 1287


    Chapter 1287


    Keegan was worried about being photographed. So, he had Aldor pick out a discreet Yostrainian


    restaurant with good music. The restaurant was located on the top floor of the Empyrean Luxe, the


    tallest building in Rivera. It was a rotating restaurant that allowed diners to enjoy a panoramic view of


    the Cobalt River.


    When Keegan and Ste rode the elevator, a kid identally stained Keegan¡¯s shirt with their ice


    cream cone. Once they reached the top floor, he told Ste she could wait for him at the restaurant.


    Meanwhile, Keegan headed to the restroom to clean himself up.


    Ste grabbed Keegan¡¯s phone and made her way to the restaurant. While the staff was checking her


    reservation, a familiar voice sounded behind her. ¡°Let me scan the PayPal QR code real quick.¡±


    Startled, Ste put on her hoodie.


    ¡°We have received your payment, sir. Thank you for dining with us, and have a good day.¡±


    ¡°You too. Which way to the restroom, by the way?¡± The voice asked in disdain.


    With a warm tone, the staff said, ¡°You may go left after exiting, and the restroom is straight ahead.¡±


    ¡°Great. Thanks.¡±


    Ste only nced back once she no longer heard the voice. To her surprise, Spencer was standing


    right behind her. He was leaning slightly forward and had his eyes fixed on her. Ste was shocked.


    She nearly bumped into him when she turned around. She pushed him away and eximed, ¡°Are you


    out of your mind? Back off!¡±


    Seemingly amused, Spencer smirked and said, ¡°Why were you trying to avoid me, huh?¡±


    Ste¡¯s face remained expressionless. ¡°I wasn¡¯t avoiding you. Don¡¯t tter yourself.¡±


    ¡°Then, what¡¯s with the hood?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t I put up my hood because I¡¯m cold?¡± Ste replied.


    Spencerughed at her response. He then grabbed her wrist and pulled her away.


    ¡°What are you doing? Let go!¡± Ste resisted.


    Spencer gave her an icy look and said, ¡°Say another word, and I¡¯ll rip your mask off for everyone to see


    your face.¡±


    Ste immediately shut her mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try,¡± Keegan¡¯s cold voice interjected unexpectedly.


    Hearing that, Spencer was taken aback. Meanwhile, Ste took the chance to break free from his grasp


    and rushed to Keegan¡¯s side. She wrapped her arms around his and red at Spencer.


    Spencer did not say a thing.


    Keegan was very pleased with Ste¡¯s action. ¡®Excellent. She knows exactly where her loyalty lies,¡¯ he


    thought.


    After that, he stared at Spencer with an expressionless face and said, ¡°Apologize.¡±


    Spence¡¯s expression turned cold. He pursed his lips and retorted, ¡°Apologize? For what? For having a


    chat with my ex -girlfriend? Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re overreacting, Mr. Kane?¡±


    His words left Ste stunned.


    ¡®This asshole is literally trying to add fuel to the fire! I knew he was still petty about the breakup. He


    acted indifferent about it thest time we met only because there were many people at the wedding,¡¯


    thought Ste.


    Spencer could not hold himself back now that they were not in a formal setting.


    As expected, Keegan¡¯s brows twitched involuntarily at the mention of the word ¡°Ex-girlfriend¡±. He leered


    at Spencer and said, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you threatened to reveal her identity just because she didn¡¯t follow


    your wishes. Where are your manners? Is this how the Grahams raised you?¡±


    Spencer chuckled and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think how my family raised me has anything to do with you, Mr.


    Kane.¡±


    Keegan did not waste his time. He retrieved his phone from Ste and dialed Penn¡¯s number. Then,


    Penn¡¯s voice sounded from the other end of the line. ¡°Keegan, my boy, to what do I owe the pleasure of


    this call?¡±


    Keegan nced at the tense-looking man in front of him and casually said, ¡°Mr. Graham, my sweet


    friend here is currently being a pest toward my partner. It¡¯s quite the predicament, I must say. Shouldn¡¯t


    he have already outgrown this phase at his age?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Spencer was puzzled by Keegan¡¯s words while Ste was amused. Damn, that¡¯s brutal,¡¯ she thought.


    Keegan was able to humble her ex-boyfriend in a single sentence. Ste could feel how much Keegan


    loved her.


    Penn froze momentarily before cautiously asking, ¡®Are you talking about Spencer?¡±

 Chapter 1288

    Chapter 1288


    Chapter 1288


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Keegan casually responded.


    Penn lowered his voice and said, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him.¡±


    When he hung up, Spencer¡¯s phone buzzed. Rather than answering immediately, Spencer nced at


    Keegan and inquired, ¡°Do you find this amusing, Mr. Kane?¡±


    Keegan looked at him indifferently and said, ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±


    Before Spencer could react, a young man called out to him.¡± Spencer, your dad called me. He¡¯s on the


    line right now.¡±


    Spencer was expressionless. ¡°Just hang up,¡± he said.


    When his friend opened his mouth to speak, Penn¡¯s voice came through the phone. ¡°Who are you


    trying to hang up on, you rebellious child?¡±


    Spencer did not reply. His face tensed, as he took the call. The others could not hear what Penn said,


    but they witnessed Spencer¡¯s face turn sour.


    Seeing that he ended the call, Keegan muttered, ¡°Be a good boy and listen to daddy. Now, apologize.¡±


    ¡°Pfft-¡± Spencer¡¯s friend tried to hold back hisughter. It sounded like Keegan was calling himself


    ¡°daddy¡±, even though it was obvious that he meant Penn.


    Ste pulled Keegan back and whispered, ¡°Forget it. His grip didn¡¯t even hurt. I just didn¡¯t want others


    to see us together.


    It¡¯s fine, Keegan. He¡¯s no match for me. Back when we were in school, he couldn¡¯t even win an arm


    wrestling match against me. He¡¯s really not that tough.¡±


    Spencer was dumbfounded. ¡®Does she think I¡¯m deaf? Why is she saying it out loud? I was clearly


    going easy on her back then!¡¯


    Keegan looked at him with a disdainful gaze andmented, ¡°I guess looks can be deceiving.¡±


    Spencer could not believe his ears.


    Fearing that Keegan¡¯s jealousy might escte, Ste hastily led him to a private dining room in the


    restaurant.


    It was then that Spencer¡¯s friend asked, ¡°What just happened? What¡¯s up between you and Keegan?¡±


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Spencer responded in disdain.


    ¡°Nothing? Are you kidding me? I swear, the tension was insane!¡±


    Spencer nced at him and said, ¡°What are you on about?¡±


    His friend rolled his eyes before he continued, ¡°Honestly though, I never noticed it before. But seeing


    you and Keegan together today made me realize that you guys share a certain resemnce.¡±


    Spencer paused for a moment. He then turned around and said, ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Ste had mentioned that he looked familiar when they saw each other at the wedding. At that time, he


    thought it was


    just a light-heartedment. But now that he had the chance to take a good look at Keegan¡­


    Spencer could not help but grit his teeth in frustration. ¡®Fuck this!¡¯ he thought.


    In the private room of the restaurant, Keegan finally asked,¡± Do I really look like him?¡±


    Ste was caught off guard by the question. ¡°Huh?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°Vermont said that I look like Spencer. What do you think?¡±


    His words left Ste speechless. ¡®Vermont just can¡¯t keep his mouth shut!¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you two look alike at all. You¡¯re clearly way more attractive than him,¡± she answered.


    Keegan gave her a sidelong nce after hearing that. ¡°Are you saying that just to make me feel


    better?¡±


    ¡°No. I swear. I¡¯ll be cursed to have a sexless life if I¡¯m lying.¡±


    ¡°Why does that sound like a punishment for me instead?¡±


    Ste stifled augh, as she hugged Keegan¡¯s waist and said, ¡°A bit of jealousy adds spice to a


    rtionship. But too much of it can be toxic. You¡¯ve already had his dad lecture him in front of us. What


    more could you possibly want?¡±

 Chapter 1289

    Chapter 1289


    Chapter 1289


    ¡°I don¡¯t see anything wrong with calling for backup,¡± said Keegan nonchntly.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. You¡¯re a genius,¡± Ste said, as she guided him to a chair. ¡°Let¡¯s eat before I starve to


    death.¡±


    Keegan reluctantly went along with her and picked up the menu to ce an order. As he made his


    selections, he turned to Ste and asked, ¡°What kind of soup do you want?¡±


    After several failed attempts to get her attention, he looked up to find Ste engrossed in scrolling


    through her Facebook feed.


    @ShilohTalks had just posted another article questioning thewyer¡¯s im of settling the matter


    privately.


    [Why involve the police during regr school hours if the matter was meant to be handled privately?]


    She wrote about how parents would be suspicious when they see the authorities at the


    kindergarten and start asking questions, making it impossible to keep things discreet. She also pointed


    out that Ste¡¯s name was not mentioned in her article, yet she rushed toe out with a statement.


    The article read, [Isn¡¯t that amon tactic used in the entertainment industry for publicity? Love


    affairs, reality shows, and even disaster relief donations are exploited for publicity. It¡¯s not surprising


    that they would use the


    kindergarten for publicity as well. But education is no game; it¡¯s not a pawn for those in this industry to


    exploit. They im they¡¯ll resolve the children¡¯s enrollment issue, yet they have yet to tell us how. It¡¯s all


    just empty words. A flippant remark aboutnd ownership cannot solve the problem in regard to the


    children¡¯s education.]


    The post went on to share multiple glowing reviews about Sunlight Kindergarten from its official forum.


    [My child is a picky eater at home, but they somehow eat voluntarily at the kindergarten. The teacher


    even took a picture of my child eating and said the kindergarten¡¯s chicken meatballs are delicious. This


    brought me tears of joy. Thank you, Sunlight Kindergarten.]


    [Same here. My kid said that their meatballs are better than my cooking. Now that he¡¯s older and


    knows how to talk, it¡¯s starting to break my heart. I don¡¯t want him to grow up too fast.]


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    [Beforeing here, we¡¯ve put our child in three different kindergartens. Our child wouldn¡¯t take naps


    at the previous kindergartens and often caused disruptions to her peers. So, the kindergarten


    suggested that we transfer her to somewhere else. Ever since wee to Sunlight, the teacher says


    that our child sleeps soundly during nap time. We just hope they would wake our child earlier and not


    let her nap too long. Otherwise, it would be difficult for us to put her to bed at night.]


    Following these were many more screenshots of positive reviews about the teachers. [Sunlight


    Kindergarten has earned a solid reputation within the industry and received


    numerous praises from parents since it opened its doors. This achievement isn¡¯t solely due to its


    location; it¡¯s closely tied to the principal¡¯s leadership and the dedication of the teachers. How can Ste


    manage such an excellent institution with her limited education?]


    [This matter has been blown out of proportion. If the kindergarten bes a popr social media


    destination, who will take responsibility for the inconvenience caused to parents?]


    @ShilohTalks understood how things were done on the inte. Since shecked evidence, she tried


    to tug at people¡¯s heartstrings.


    Ste did not exactly hold the upper hand in the emotional aspect of things, primarily due to her status


    as a celebrity. Over the past few years, numerous unsavory figures had emerged in the entertainment


    industry. Among them were top-earning artists and certain individuals who could not even adhere to the


    most basic rules andws.


    Meanwhile, regr civilians worked tirelessly to make ends meet. They saved their money wherever


    they could to provide their children with a quality education and a shot at a brighter future. However,


    this simple dream of theirs was crushed by a privileged few with the resources to livergely.


    People easily sympathized with those who had experiences that mirrored their own. Even without


    concrete evidence, @ ShilohTalks¡¯s persuasive post garnered significant support.


    The people¡¯s livelihoods depended on their education, healthcare, and housing. Education yed a


    tremendously important part in the lives of people in Rivera. Parents often bought property close to


    reputable schools, hoping that their child could get in.


    With @ShilohTalk¡¯s adept skills at manipting the narrative, her article was elevated to the level of


    public concern, attracting attention from influential online figures.


    Ste finished reading the post with a frown and could not hold back. ¡°That motherfu-¡°


    Before she could finish, Keegan sternly said, ¡°Language.¡±

 Chapter 1290

    Chapter 1290


    Chapter 1290


    Ste gritted her teeth and swallowed her word, ¡°-forked


    Keegan was a little taken aback when he heard that.


    ¡°@ShilohTalks is like a mad dog! She¡¯spletely unhinged and attacks people at random. Despite


    the presented evidence, she¡¯s resorting to ying the emotion card. How is the kindergarten¡¯s


    performance rted to my family¡¯snd? We¡¯re talking about one thing, yet she¡¯s talking about another.


    It¡¯s all just a deliberate attempt to confuse and manipte the people while trying to stir up conflict!¡±


    When Ste finished her rant, Keegan finally chimed in.¡± What kind of soup would you like?¡±


    Ste raised an eyebrow. ¡°Aren¡¯t you gonna join in and say a few words?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Why waste time evaluating such trash? It¡¯s not like it¡¯ll change things.¡± Keegan responded calmly.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Ste blinked in surprise.


    ¡®If I understand this correctly, Keegan is saying no matter how much we analyze @ShilohTalks¡¯s post, it


    won¡¯t change the fact that it¡¯s rubbish,¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°So, What kind of soup do you want?¡± Keegan asked for the third time.


    ¡°Corn chowder, please,¡± Ste finally responded.


    Keegan added two soups to the order on the tablet and pressed confirmed. Soon after, a serving staff


    brought out their dishes and told them to enjoy their meal before leaving the private dining room.


    Keegan draped a napkin over hisp, picked up his knife and fork, and carved his steak skillfully. His


    dining etiquette was impable, as his knife never grazed the te. Ste, however, made various


    sounds when she cut her food.


    Keegan quickly finished cutting his steak, handed it to Ste, and said, ¡°Here, take this one. I¡¯ll take the


    other.¡±


    Ste looked up and chuckled, ¡°Oh. I¡¯m not used to getting this treatment from you.¡±


    Keegan grabbed the other te and nonchntly responded, ¡°I¡¯ve always been this considerate. You


    just never noticed.¡±


    Ste was confused by his statement. ¡°Since when were you ever considerate to me before the


    divorce?¡±


    ¡°I peeled shrimps for you, didn¡¯t I?¡± said Keegan.


    ¡°You handed me shrimp shells!¡± Ste immediately retorted.


    Keegan paused for a moment before he countered, ¡°Well, you said you enjoyed sucking on the shells.¡±


    Ste could not believe her ears. She did not see it as a thoughtful gesture. ¡°Remember how I would


    ask you to deshell sunflower seeds for me, and you never did?¡±


    Keegan scoffed and said nothing else.


    ¡°Lost for words, huh?¡± Ste snorted.


    Keegan nced at her and said, ¡°Seems like your memory is failing you.¡±


    Keegan had deshelled sunflower seeds for Ste before. One New Year¡¯s Eve back at the old house,


    he had peeled a bunch of seeds for her while they were watching TV. She took one look, imed that


    he had gotten his drool on them, and refused to eat them. ¡®This ungrateful woman!¡¯ he thought.


    They savored their leisurely meal uninterrupted. Once their appetites were satisfied, Ste could not


    resist grabbing her phone to check what was happening online. To her surprise, her attention was soon


    grabbed by a trending hashtag.


    [#SunlightKindergartenFoodSafetylssues]

 Chapter 1291

    Chapter 1291


    Chapter 1291


    Ste blinked in surprise and quickly clicked on the entry.


    The Food Safety Department had conducted a surprise inspection at Sunlight Kindergarten¡¯s cafeteria


    today, and someone had shared images from the scene. They found numerous spoiled meats in the


    kitchen fridge and a thriving colony of mold in the dough mixer.


    Moreover, the cooking oil they used was not a brand that had been approved by the Food and Drug


    Administration ( FDA). The bottle was ubeled, and the content was darker than normal brands,


    resembling reused oil.


    Just as Ste was about to take a closer look at the images, they vanished. She exited the page and


    refreshed the list, but she noticed that the hashtag was dropping from the trending list. When she


    refreshed the list once more, the entire entry was gone. The speed of its disappearance made Ste


    question if it was all just a dream.


    Keegan saw Ste¡¯s bewildered expression and asked,¡± What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I just saw Sunlight Kindergarten trending due to food safety issues, but the posts are all gone now. Am


    I wishing for their downfall so much that I¡¯m imagining things?¡± Ste asked in a low voice.


    Keegan nodded in understanding. ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡± He then pushed the candle on the dining table in front


    of Ste. His


    tone was gentle, as he suggested, ¡°Close your eyes and make a wish. It mighte true, you know?¡±


    Ste chuckled and said, ¡°How silly!¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression remained earnest. ¡°Trust me.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Ste agreed. She shut her eyes, put her hands together, and said, ¡°I wish¡­ for all of Keegan¡¯s


    wealth to be mine.¡±


    With that, she blew out the candle.


    Then, she blinked and asked, ¡°So? Are you going to transfer the funds to my bank ount or pay me


    in cash?¡±


    Keegan was speechless. He picked up a lighter from nearby and rekindled the fire. ¡°You were


    mumbling. Here, give it another shot.¡±


    Ste yfully shot him a re and said, ¡°Cheapskate!¡±


    Her phone was flooded with notifications just as she said that. When she picked up her phone, she


    found that multiple people had tagged her in thements. Ste tapped into them and discovered a


    new topic. [Sunlight Kindergarten Failed Health Inspection]


    She refreshed the page and saw that the entry had skyrocketed to the top of the trending list. It had


    quickly be viral.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    After a couple more refreshes, a [trending] tag appeared in the entry. Ste clicked on it and read that


    the spoiled food was from home. A child¡¯s grandmother had ced the rotten food on the table with the


    intention of throwing it


    away, but the child ate it.


    While the kid was asked to throw up the food, they remarked that the meatballs at the kindergarten


    tasted the same. The child¡¯s parents found the situation to be severe and contacted a local media


    outlet to expose the issue. The media was uncertain about the parent¡¯s spection. So, they disguised


    themselves as a maintenance worker and infiltrated Sunlight Kindergarten.


    When nobody was watching, they managed to take pictures of the cafeteria¡¯s interior. The images were


    shocking. Upon opening the cafeteria refrigerator, a strange smell hit the undercover media person.


    They noted that the color of the meat stored in the freezer appeared off. Some of them even had


    production dates from over six months ago.

 Chapter 1292

    Chapter 1292


    Chapter 1292


    Meat could be frozen for preservation, but it was generally not rmended to be stored for more


    than three months. Even if the meat was not rotten after that timeframe, it would have lost a lot of its


    nutrients. Considering that it was meant for kindergarten children, the use of such poorquality meat was


    quite concerning.


    Other than that, the freezer contained bags of low-quality shrimp. The cutting board used for


    vegetables was covered with dark spots resembling mold. There were also visibly sprouted potatoes


    and half-rotten oranges in the cafeteria¡¯s kitchen.


    The media person took photos of these disconcerting scenes and promptly reported them to the FDA.


    Consequently, it caused a fury among theizens.


    [Good grief. Are these people even human? I bet adults might not be able to stomach those, let alone


    children¡­ Have any of the kids fallen ill?]


    [I pay almost two thousand dors per month for my children¡¯s meals at the kindergarten, yet they¡¯re


    using such ingredients? Do they even have a conscience? @ SunlightKindergarten]


    [Don¡¯t y dead. Come out and address the issue! @ SunlightKindergarten] One of thements


    read.


    [No wonder so many parents on the forums have been talking about the sour meatballs served at the


    kindergarten. Isn¡¯t that a sure sign they¡¯ve gone bad?]


    [These people are despicable! My son used to attend their school. He never had any issues with food


    from home, but once he ate there, he started having diarrhea. However, when I asked his teachers


    about the quality of the food, they used me of making a fuss. When I insisted on inspecting the


    kitchen, they t-out refused, iming that outsiders weren¡¯t allowed due to the risk of tampering. I was


    dissatisfied with their attitude and transferred my child to another school. It¡¯s clear that they had


    something to hide.]


    [Thest time I took my daughter to visit her grandmother, my mother-inw gave me some pesticide-


    free homegrown corn. While husking them after returning home, I discovered a few worms in one of the


    cobs. I called my daughter over to have a look, and she mentioned seeing something simr in the


    soup at school. At that moment, I thought she was referring to the rice¡­]


    [Have y¡¯all seen that post about a child who transferred schools multiple times because he had issues


    sleeping during nap time? It was said that he slept like a log at Sunlight Kindergarten. Does no one find


    it strange that so many teachers weren¡¯t able to get him to take a nap, yet Sunlight Kindergarten


    seeded so easily? It¡¯s terrifying when you think about it¡­]


    [I had the same thought! It¡¯s so weird. Could they be drugging the children?]


    [If they could do that to the children¡¯s food, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if they spiked it.]


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    [My baby just started attending there this fall. Reading this news gives me shivers. My baby has a


    sensitive stomach, and we go the extra mile to prepare his food separately, avoiding additives like soy


    sauce. How dare they feed children rotten food! This heartless kindergarten needs to face severe


    consequences! @RiveraDepartmentofHealth @ RiveraFDA]


    [They¡¯re cancer in the industry!]


    Thement section below the post blew up.


    [Even if they¡¯re not using expensive ingredients, the food should at least be fresh, especially since it¡¯s


    meant for children. We pay around a thousand dors for our children¡¯s meals each month. The


    kindergarten receives tens of thousands of dors from hundreds of children in their institute. Yet, they


    still choose to use bad quality and spoiled ingredients.]


    It was no wonder theizens were furious.


    Numerous users began tagging the official ounts of relevant departments and demanded a


    thorough investigation into the incident.


    Soon after, the official ount of Rivera¡¯s FDA issued an update. [Our team has returned from Sunlight


    Kindergarten with evidence. Relevant samples have been sent fortesting. We will work hard to keep


    everyone updated with the investigation results as soon as possible.]


    Netizens cheered upon seeing the statement.


    [It¡¯s rare to see such a swift investigation right after an expose. Good job! @RiveraFDA]


    [There shall be no leniency for (?SunlightKindergarten!]


    [Parents of Sunlight Kindergarten children, please make sure your kids undergo medical examinations.


    If there are any issues, keep the medical records and gather evidence for potential legal action and


    compensation!]


    Aside from the raging parents, otherizens also expressed their views.


    [It¡¯s weird how this incident surfaced while the kindergarten has a legal battle with a certain celebrity.


    The timing of it all is quite uncanny, isn¡¯t it? It really makes you think, is something much more sinister


    going on?]

 Chapter 1293

    Chapter 1293


    Chapter 1293


    [You know how celebrities are,] someone replied.


    [How was she able to directly involve the officials?] [It¡¯s a ssic distraction technique. She clearly


    wants us off her case. The two incidents don¡¯t even corrte.]


    At the same time, a few people were making insinuating remarks saying, [Exactly. Ste must have


    secretly ced that rotten meat in their cafeteria freezer during the night! I bet she nted those


    sprouted potatoes and oranges! And she must¡¯ve chucked their cutting board into the toilet before


    putting it back!]


    [You guys are making things up. Do you think she would resort to partaking in online drama to obtain


    the kindergarten if she had such power? And would she go as far as putting herself under public


    scrutiny and ruining her career?]


    ¡°I¡¯m neutral toward both parties. But food hygiene is much more serious than pulling publicity stunts.


    We should really separate the two topics. The kindergarten could be subjected to criminal charges!¡±


    Comments continued to flood in, showing the public¡¯s outrage over the food safety in Sunlight


    Kindergarten. In their eyes, Ste had not actually infringed upon the public¡¯s interests, even if she was


    doing it for publicity. However, the kindergarten was undoubtedlypromising the health of the


    children.


    After reading this news, many parents grew concerned about the sanitation standards of their children¡¯s


    kindergarten cafeterias and the healthiness of their daily meals.


    Consequently, officials from both the Health Department and the FDA found themselves swamped with


    work. They were receiving numerousint calls about the incident. Some reports were purely


    spective, but it was not entirely the parents¡¯ fault. The severity of the matter warranted a vignt


    approach from everyone.


    Ste kept scrolling through thements while Keegan leaned on the table with his elbows. He


    looked at her and asked, ¡°How¡¯s it going? Did your wishe true?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ste hesitated. Then, she suddenly realized something. ¡°You did this?¡±


    ¡°One must gather intel on the enemy to be prepared to counter their next moves,¡± Keegan casually


    replied. It was his customary approach.


    While Ste had been strategizing with Ted about what to do next, Keegan had already sent individuals


    to interact with the kindergarten staff.


    Keegan¡¯s investigation focused on two areas, which were food safety and fire safety. Any deficiency in


    either category could be exploited. Even if the food hygiene at Sunlight Kindergarten was up to


    standard, they could find problems with fire safety if they tried hard enough.


    The illicit profits earned by Sunlight Kindergarten had not tranted into better treatment for their staff.


    Keegan¡¯s men were able to expose the issues after a few probing questions to the workers at the


    kindergarten.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Following that, Keegan arranged for people to impersonate concerned parents and contact the media.


    Naturally, the media did not pass up the opportunity for such a scandal and got right to work.


    Ste pursed her lips and told Keegan she had just paid someone to have Sunlight Kindergarten


    investigated for fire safety.


    Keegan clicked his tongue and said, ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve wasted your money. I guess it¡¯s karma for not


    getting your husband involved.¡±


    Ste¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself! You¡¯re still on probation!¡±


    Keegan chuckled softly and leaned forward slightly. His voice deepened, as he said, ¡°When are you


    going to promote me? I¡¯ve already reached the required score.¡±


    Ste paused. ¡°How is that even possible? How many points do you have right now?¡±


    Keegan pulled out his phone and handed it to her. Ste nced at it and immediately frowned. ¡°Over


    a thousand? Did you add some points to yourself behind my back?¡±


    Keegan nced at her and said, ¡°I knew you¡¯d try to back out. Don¡¯t worry, I meticulously record every


    point on here.¡±


    He opened his notes that listed each time points were given or taken away from him.


    ¡°Why did you start with -10000 when I asked you to start with -100000!¡± Ste immediately pointed out


    the problem.


    Keegan was baffled.


    Ste handed the phone back to him and confidently stated that he cheated.


    Keegan clenched his teeth and said, ¡°You said to start with ¨C 10000! You can¡¯t just raise the bottom


    score now that I¡¯ve achieved your requirements!¡±

 Chapter 1294

    Chapter 1294


    Chapter 1294


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible! I definitely said -100000. Don¡¯t think you can pull one over on me just because I


    have a bad memory!¡±


    Keegan was getting mad. ¡°Since you know your memory isn¡¯t that great, how can you be so sure you¡¯re


    not remembering things wrong?¡±


    ¡°Because I have proof.¡± Ste immediately began to present her case.


    Keegan did not buy it for a second. He remembered clearly that Ste had said to start with -10000


    when they were in the car. ¡®There¡¯s no way I¡¯m mistaken.¡¯


    He waited for Ste to produce her evidence and was ready to see her embarrassed. However, instead


    of showing him an audio or video recording, she pulled out an entry in the notes app on her own phone.


    ¡°See for yourself.¡± Ste pointed at the text and said, ¡°I was giving you a discount when I said to start


    with a negative of a hundred thousand.¡±


    Keegan frowned and took the phone. As he read the list on the screen, his face turned pale.


    [Keegan:


    Good-looking +10


    Short tempered -1


    Pleasant voice +100


    Forgot to call when he was outte -10


    Gave me a birthday present +10000


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Said I¡¯m not his first love -100


    Called out another woman¡¯s name when he had a fever ¨C 10000


    Threw out the food I cooked -10000


    No longer likes me -100000¡­]


    The list went on and on.


    Keegan had experienced a fair share of ups and downs before, but Ste¡¯s list was one of his lowest.


    He never imagined that he would be scored like this. ¡®This is absolutely ridiculous!¡¯ he thought.


    With a dark expression, Keegan gritted his teeth and said,¡± Called out another woman¡¯s name when I


    had a fever?


    Weren¡¯t you the one who misheard that?¡±


    Ste hesitated and cleared her throat, ¡°Well, let¡¯s not count that one.¡±


    Keegan pressed on. ¡°Threw out the food you cooked? The food was spoiled!¡±


    Ste fell silent. ¡°¡­Alright, let¡¯s not count that either.¡±


    Keegan kept looking for loopholes. ¡°You are my first love.¡±


    Ste quietly crossed out that item as well.


    ¡°Since when did I stop liking you?¡± Keegan pointed at the one with the most deducted points.


    Ste quickly responded, ¡°We¡¯ve only been married for a short while. How well do you even know me?


    What do you even like about me?¡±


    Keegan felt like he was going to explode. ¡°Do you mean to say you chose our wedding day as the day I


    don¡¯t like you?¡±


    ¡°That date was just randomly chosen. It doesn¡¯t have anything to do with the points.¡± Ste started to


    evade the questions.


    Keegan stayed silent.


    Ste nced at him and asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face was expressionless. ¡°Is there anything left for me to say?¡±


    Ste stifled augh and continued, ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll end your probation, okay? You¡¯re such a petty


    person.¡±


    ¡®Clearly, you¡¯re the one who remembers things wrongly, yet I¡¯m the one being used of being petty,¡¯


    thought Keegan.¡¯ But since I¡¯ve been promoted¡­¡¯


    ¡°About the remarriage¡­¡±


    ¡°My brother has my household register. If you want to remarry me, you¡¯ll have to figure out a way to


    retrieve the register from him,¡± said Ste.


    Hearing that, Keegan was at a loss for words.

 Chapter 1295

    Chapter 1295


    Chapter 1295


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Sunlight Kindergarten shot to the top of trending topics due to the food safety incident. Parents started


    bombarding the school¡¯s group chat and demanded answers. Teachers remained clueless and were


    hesitant to respond. Lydia was a coward who proved herself as a money-minded opportunist. She did


    not dare show her face now that things were not going well.


    Regardless of how the parents asked for an exnation in the group, Lydia remained silent and


    avoided the heat.


    Unable to locate Lydia, the parents somehow managed to get hold of Hylda¡¯s number.


    Hylda had just caught wind of the news about the school cafeteria, and she was still processing the


    shock. She could not believe that Lydia did not bother to give her a heads-up when the kindergarten


    was under inspection.


    One minute, she was strategizing with Sophia about how to counter Ste¡¯s next move; the following


    minute, news about the kindergarten¡¯s kitchen safety was blowing up on social media.


    As the parents flooded her with calls, Hylda was also on the hunt for Lydia. Hylda did not know what


    was going on at first. After picking up a call, she was met with harsh words from the parents.


    ¡°You heartless, low-life scum! What the hell have you been feeding my son?! You¡¯re making a fortune


    from this shady business. Aren¡¯t you afraid that it¡¯lle back to haunt your own child?! Why don¡¯t you


    just kill yourself?¡±


    Hylda¡¯s face turned dark, as she hung up. Before she could catch her breath, her phone rang again,


    disying yet another unfamiliar local number.


    Hylda hesitated to answer. But the parents were not willing to let her off the hook. Soon, a flurry of


    enraged messages showed up on her phone.


    The parents were fuming, and their messages were highly unpleasant. Hylda¡¯s face turned pale from


    anger. She switched off her phone and swapped it with another one. She then dashed out of the house


    without considering her recent miscarriage and iplete physical recovery.


    She hopped into the Audi A6 she had taken from the Jewell family and zoomed off toward Greenwood


    Grove.


    At that point, there was no need to fight any more public opinion battles. Whether they won or lost


    against Ste was no longer important. The real urgencyy in the fact that Lydia¡¯s recklessness might


    lead to Hylda facing jail time.


    Hylda¡¯s anger grew, as she drove to her destination. Back when they were co-managing the


    kindergarten, Hylda had proposed hiring a principal to oversee things.


    Naturally, a principal would demand a higher sry than the average teacher. But, Lydia, the penny-


    pincher, did not want to cough up the extra cash. Instead, she volunteered to run the school.


    She bragged about managing a rtive¡¯s kindergarten before and being well-acquainted with the


    operations.¡± Handling the kids will be a breeze,¡± she imed. ¡°We only have to take care of their meals


    and entertainment.¡±


    Lydia also boasted about running a restaurant and being an excellent chef. She guaranteed that the


    children would be well-fed.


    Hylda was skeptical but decided to give her a shot. She agreed to let Lydia manage the kindergarten


    for two months, with the understanding that if things did not pan out, they would immediately find a new


    principal.


    Lydia eagerly agreed to the terms.


    During those two months, Lydia¡¯s performance wasmendable. However, Hylda noticed that she


    was being overly frugal with the ingredients. Moreover, she frequently asked the teachers to turn off the


    dormitory air conditioner during the summer. She imed that she did not feel hot.


    These two issues irked Hylda. She was practical and believed that they should not skimp on minor


    expenses when running a business. She was convinced that parents were willing to spend good money


    on their children¡¯s wellbeing. Even if tuition and meals had to be slightly more expensive, it would


    preventints about their services.


    Lydia promised to upgrade the ingredients and did so in no time. At that time, Hylda would inspect the


    cafeteria every now and then to ensure that Lydia was not lying behind her back. Satisfied, she began


    focusing more on her life after her marriage to Albert in thetter half of the previous year. Thus, her


    visits to the school cafeteria became less frequent.


    Who would have guessed that the issue she had initially been concerned about would end up in such


    trouble?


    ¡®Lydia is such a nearsighted simpleton! I wouldn¡¯t have teamed up with that dim-witted liability if I wasn¡¯t


    lacking funds,¡¯ thought Hylda.

 Chapter 1296

    Chapter 1296


    Chapter 1296


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe we have to face all this trouble just to save a few thousand bucks on ingredients fora


    month!¡¯ Hylda¡¯s frustration bubbled up, as she contemted the mess she was in. The thought of


    possible legal consequences and imprisonment had her blood boiling.


    Soon, she made her way to Sunlight Kindergarten and saw a swarm of parents surrounding the school


    entrance. Hylda parked her car at a distance and put on a pair of sunsses and a mask before getting


    out of her vehicle.


    While she was approaching themotion, she overheard parents hurling insults and profanities. With


    her mask firmly in ce, Hylda moved past the distressed parents and headed toward a yard adjacent


    to the kindergarten.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    She knocked on the door, but no one answered. Unfazed, Hylda pulled out a key from her bag and


    entered the building.


    After closing the door behind her, she removed her mask and fiercely walked into the ce.


    Meanwhile, Lydia was helping her daughter and husband pack their belongings. She remained


    oblivious to themotion outside.


    Pack up everything valuable. A car wille for them tonight,¡± she said.


    Hylda had a stern expression, as she inquired, ¡°And, just what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    Startled, Lydia clutched her chest dramatically and stared at Hylda with wide eyes. ¡°Oh, my God! You


    scared the life out of me!¡± she said.


    Hylda looked at the bags that were all over the floor, and her tone turned cold. ¡°You¡¯re nning to leave


    when things go south? No strings attached?¡±


    Lydia¡¯s gaze wavered slightly, as she responded, ¡°Hylda, aren¡¯t you supposed to be resting at home?


    Why are you suddenly here?¡±


    ¡°Why am I here? If I hadn¡¯t shown up, you¡¯d probably be fleeing with your whole family, leaving me to


    clean up this mess, right?¡± Hylda sneered.


    Swiftly, Lydia protested, ¡°It¡¯s not like that. The parents are overreacting and causing a fuss. I want to


    escape the chaos and live a quiet life.¡±


    ¡°A quiet life? Do you really think that¡¯s possible right now? I distinctly remember warning you about


    your use of ingredients. Why did you have to cut corners?¡±


    Naturally, Lydia refused to admit her mistake. ¡°You can¡¯t just pin this on me, Hylda. Why would I care


    about a small amount of money when I already have a house and a car? It¡¯s definitely one of our


    runners.¡±


    Hylda sneered and said, ¡°They wouldn¡¯t dare to do something like this without your instructions. Should


    I call in the finance team to clear things up?¡±


    Lydia felt guilty upon hearing that, but she quickly resumed her defense. ¡°Come on, these parents are


    just making a fuss out of nothing. The kids have been eating the same food for so long, and they¡¯re


    perfectly fine. Besides, my family and I have been eating cafeteria food too. Why would we do that if


    there was something wrong with the ingredients?¡±


    Hylda chuckled in annoyance. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you find this shit tastes good, but don¡¯t sell it to others. You¡¯re


    a foolish woman, Lydia. The samples from the cafeteria have been sent for testing. Once it is found


    that the harmful ingredients exceed the limit, this won¡¯t be something apologies andpensation


    could solve. By then, you can look forward to jail time!¡±


    Lydia turned pale at the mention of being locked up. ¡°l-l-ls it really that serious? Please don¡¯t scare me.¡±


    ¡°Would I havee all this way if it weren¡¯t? Would I have repeatedly reminded you not to cut costs


    from the food? Just think about it!¡±


    Hylda was not entirely righteous either. She had intentionally chosen small, narrow beds for the


    school¡¯s dorm so that the children wouldin to their parents about how ufortable the beds


    were. This would then lead to increased facility fees to amodate the children¡¯s needs. Even the


    toys and ssroom chairs were specifically designed for the same oue. However, she drew the


    line at their meals.


    Lydia knew that Hylda had recently suffered a miscarriage and had not fully recovered. ¡®Her swift arrival


    is undoubtedly triggered by this crisis,1 she thought. Soon, the realization sent panic coursing through


    her veins.

 Chapter 1297

    Chapter 1297


    Chapter 1297


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°I got caught up in the moment. I never thought that things would escte like this. Hylda, you know a


    lot of influential people. Can you find someone to help with the situation? I can¡¯t go to prison,1¡ä said


    Lydia.


    Hylda gave her a skeptical nce and sighed, ¡°I came here to deal with this matter. I¡¯ve already


    reached out to a friend who might be able to do something. He suggested I gather information about


    who was involved, who you instructed to buy the ingredients, and who else was aware of it. We need to


    deal with these individuals first.¡±


    Although Lydia might appear assertive, shecked decisionmaking skills. Upon hearing that Hylda had


    someone on the job, she immediately spilled the beans. Hylda listened intently. But little did Lydia know


    that Hylda was secretly recording the conversation with her phone tucked away in her bag.


    Sunlight Kindergartens food safety had gained nationwide attention at that point. The case warranted


    immediate action and a thorough exnation to the public.


    Rted departments in Rivera worked overtime to get things done. By 8:00 a.m. the next day, an


    official statement detailing the testing results was released.


    The investigation revealed that the samples from Sunlight Kindergarten had exceeded permissible


    levels of atoxin, E. coli, and benzopyrene. Additionally, there were elevated counts of bacteria in the


    commonly used kitchen utensils, along with uneptable levels of mold and pesticide residues.


    Theizens were immediately woken up by the shocking results.


    This isn¡¯t just a kindergarten cafeteria; it¡¯s a toxic chamber fit for evil people,¡¯ many thought.


    The city authorities swiftly formed a dedicated task force to handle the Sunlight Kindergarten food


    safety crisis.


    As Lydia waited for Hylda¡¯s friend to aid in the mess, she received an invitation from the police to go to


    the station.


    During Lydia¡¯s interrogation, Hylda published an edited version of their recorded conversation online.


    The recording caused another round of heated discussion on the inte.


    Meanwhile, Ste was lying in bed and scrolling through thements. Her expression grew darker by


    the second.


    Hylda¡¯s cunning and deceitful ways had be evident. Seeing the irreparable she distanced herself


    from the issue and made Lydia the scapegoat.


    Lydia is just a pawn now,¡¯ thought Ste. She was certain that Hylda, who ruthlessly eliminated any


    obstacle in her path, must have had a hand in Rainee¡¯s ident.


    When Keegan entered the room with a ss of water, he spotted his girlfriend sulking on the bed.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked, as he ced the water on the bedside table. He then sat beside Ste and


    held her hand.


    ¡°Hylda is pinning everything on Lydia and removing herself from the matter,¡± Ste sighed.


    Keegan let out a brief chuckle.


    Ste was confused. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±


    Keegan looked at her and said, ¡°I find it amusing that you¡¯re missing the point when you¡¯re usually so


    perceptive. The drama will only continue if she stays out of this. Your stepmother is smart. You have to


    be quick on your feet;


    don¡¯t give her room to breathe. Once she gets involved in the food safety case, thend issue will cool


    down. And, she will have to join forces with Albert. Then, how are you going to proceed?¡±


    Ste let out a sigh and said, ¡°I get your point, but it¡¯s just infuriating that she¡¯s getting away with such a


    vile act.¡±


    ¡°Remember the driver Marshall mentioned? It¡¯s now his time to shine,¡± said Keegan.


    The thought of Hylda¡¯s current predicament brought a fleeting smile to Ste¡¯s lips, brightening her


    mood. Just as she was about to speak, her phone rang.


    It was Trevor on the line.


    Ste sat up and answered the call. ¡°Hey, Trevor.¡±


    Trevor¡¯s heart melted when he heard her voice. Jaylene¡¯s voice was much softer and gentler than


    Ste¡¯s, but there was still a distinct difference between them. Whenever


    Ste called him, he felt an intense urge to provide the best for her.


    ¡°Ste, are you avable tomorrow? It¡¯s Jaylene¡¯s birthday, and we¡¯ve organized a celebration at a


    countryside spa resort. She¡¯d love to have you join us. Would you be


    interested to attend?¡± Trevor¡¯s voice carried warmth, as he spoke.


    Perhaps sensing Ste¡¯s hesitation, Trevor added, ¡°You know most of the guests. And, of course, it¡¯s


    completely okay to reject the invitation if you¡¯re notfortable with it.¡±


    Jaylene most likely invited me because of my connection to the Sauns. After all, we don¡¯t really share


    an extensive history of interaction,¡¯ thought Ste.

 Chapter 1298

    Chapter 1298


    Chapter 1298


    Jaylene probably sees me as part of the family. Maybe that¡¯s why she invited me.¡¯ Ste pondered for a


    moment and said, ¡°Tell her I¡¯ll be there and help me wish her an early happy birthday.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t worry about the gift. I¡¯ll take care of it. I ll swing by to pick you up tomorrow afternoon,¡±


    said Trevor.


    Ste felt a mix of emotions. Sounds good,¡± she said.


    Once she hung up, she noticed Keegan sitting on the edge of the bed, observing her. ¡°What¡¯s on your


    mind?¡± Ste inquired.


    ¡°I want to go with you,¡± Keegan replied.


    Ste raised an eyebrow and grabbed the ss of water on the side. ¡°Are you close with Jaylene?¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ll attend as your family member,¡± said Keegan.


    Pfft-¡± Ste almost choked on her water. She looked at the confident man across from her and wiped


    off the water droplets from the corner of her lips. She narrowed her eyes and asked, ¡°She didn¡¯t send a


    separate invitation to you?¡±


    Keegan frowned and said, ¡°Why would she personally invite me?¡±


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t you remember the whole blind date incident where you lied to me and said that you


    were workingte?¡±


    ¡°When did I¡­¡± Keegan paused, and it dawned on him. It was the day when Aurora had scalded


    Leighton with hot water. Dahlia had tricked him into believing that his father¡¯s old friend had arrived in


    Rivera, and she asked him toe along. Much to his surprise, he discovered that it was a setup fora


    blind date.


    Thinking back, Keegan could not help but smile. ¡°Your memory is so selective. Why do you remember


    this incident so vividly?¡±


    Ste snorted, ¡°I have an excellent memory for grudges! You tricked me into thinking you were working


    late. I even ordered food for you because I was worried you didn¡¯t eat. Yet, it turns out you were out on


    a blind date!¡±


    It wasn t a blind date. I only found out that Jaylene was there when I arrived. I think she might have


    been coerced into it by her family too,¡± Keegan rified.


    Ste was skeptical. ¡°And, how do you know that? Did she tell you?¡±


    Keegan shook his head. ¡°No¡­ But, given that Jaylenees from a wealthy family, she wouldn¡¯t rush


    into marrying someone who just got divorced, right?¡±


    Hearing that, Ste was momentarily at a loss for words. She was not sure if Keegan was slow or if she


    was being overly sensitive.


    Ste pressed her lips together and asked, ¡°Did you two have a conversation that day?¡±


    Keegan nodded. ¡°Yeah, we exchanged a few words.¡±


    ¡°About?¡± Ste probed.


    ¡°We talked about tea, and she asked me which type I prefer,¡± Keegan answered in a low voice.


    Ste found that a little weird.


    Keegan continued, ¡°I told her I like Da Hong Pao Tea.¡±


    Ste could not help but raise an eyebrow, thinking that it was too early to discuss each other¡¯s


    interests. She felt frustrated.


    Following that, Keegan said, ¡°And then, I mentioned that you make fantastic tea eggs using Da Hong


    Pao Tea.¡±


    Ste was taken aback.

 Chapter 1299

    Chapter 1299


    Chapter 1299


    Ste could not suppress herughter. ¡°You must be teasing her, right?¡±


    Keegan nced at her and said, Do I look like the kind who¡¯d do that intentionally?¡±


    No, you¡¯re not. But that makes it all the more heartbreaking for the other party,¡¯ thought Ste.


    After a moment of contemtion, she decided to give her clueless boyfriend a hint. ¡°Honey, have you


    noticed that Jaylene seems interested in you?¡±


    Keegan looked surprised. Are you trying to use me of something again?¡±


    Ste hit him and looked him in the eyes before she said,¡± I¡¯m serious!¡±


    Keegan furrowed his brows, as he pondered the idea. He genuinely could not figure out how Ste


    came to the conclusion of Jaylene¡¯s supposed interest in him.


    He had only interacted with the Saun family a few times. Wenham got remarried six years after


    Freesia¡¯s death, and Keegan first encountered Jaylene during his first year of high school. At that time,


    he shared a ss with Trevor, and Jaylene had always tagged along.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    Keegan did not dislike Jaylene but was not attracted to her either. Theck of fondness, however, was


    not directed at Jaylene herself but rather at theplications she brought along. Jaylene had asthma,


    and with her around, Trevor was always preupied with her health, making it difficult for them to


    enjoy their teenage years to the fullest. As a result, Keegan rarely epted Trevor¡¯s invitations to hang


    out.


    And, even when he did, he would make sure to leave early if Trevor had his little sister with him.


    Later on, Jaylene¡¯s condition worsened, and the Saun family moved abroad. He did not see her again


    for ten years. His memories of her were frozen in time. All he recalled was her as a sick child with a frail


    body.


    As for Ste¡¯s im about Jaylene being interested in me, I don¡¯t really see it. Does giving me a


    bracelet count as her being interested? I¡¯ve already paid her for it, though,1 thought Keegan.


    Considering how sensitive the topic was, Keegan threaded lightly. ¡°Are you because of her rtionship


    with the Saun family?¡±


    Hearing that, Ste was speechless. ¡°I¡¯m not THAT petty. Jaylene came into the family through


    Wenham¡¯s remarriage, unlike Sophia, who was a result of Albert¡¯s affair. Jaylene has been in the family


    for twenty years. Meanwhile, I¡¯ve juste into the family. Who am I to say that I dislike her?¡±


    Keegan fell silent for a moment.


    Ste was now a part of the Saun family, but she still maintained some distance from both the Sauns


    and the Halls, except for Trevor. Even though her excitement about having these newfound rtives


    was evident in her words, the bond she missed out on for so many years could not be made up for so


    quickly. She would unconsciously separate herself from the Saun family whenever she mentioned


    them.


    Keegan held her hand gently, and his warmth graduallyforted her. ¡°You have every right to like or


    dislike whoever you want. You¡¯re a part of the Saun family. Forget about being a neer. No matter


    how long Jaylene has been with the family, she could never take away the ce you hold in the hearts


    of your loved ones,¡± he said in a soft tone.


    His words left Ste a little taken aback. After some time, she put her arms around him and said, ¡°You


    seem to understand me bettertely.¡±


    Keegan kissed her on the head and said, ¡°That¡¯s because I love you.¡±


    His unexpected deration of love made Ste¡¯s heart race. She could not help but smile. ¡°Actually, I


    don¡¯t hate Jaylene. I¡¯m just a bit ufortable with her having feelings for you. After all, you¡¯re mine.¡±


    Hearing that, Keegan¡¯s heart fluttered. ¡°Your insecurities stem from not having the special bond of


    marriage. Once we get married, those thoughts won t bother you as much,¡± he murmured.


    Ste was dumbfounded. ¡®I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s trying to persuade me to get married right now!¡¯

 Chapter 1300

    Chapter 1300


    Chapter 1300


    After some persuasion from Keegan, Ste finally agreed to let him apany her to Jaylene¡¯s


    birthday celebration. However, she pointed out that Trevor would pick her up the next day, and she was


    unsure if he would allow him to join the ride.


    Meanwhile, at the Saun residence, Jaylene¡¯s group of friends were helping her choose the perfect outfit


    for her uing birthday party. The group was led by Molly, and most of them were young socialites


    who used to hang out with Aurora.


    Aurora s freedom had been restricted by her familytely, which meant she could not attend many


    social events. As a result, her friends started to grow closer to Jaylene.


    While Jaylene typically dressed rather modestly, her walk-in closet was nothing short of grand. It was


    adorned with limited-edition pieces crafted by elusive designers. Anyone with a keen sense of fashion


    would recognize the extravagance of her collection.


    The girls buzzed with excitement, debating which outfit would be the most fitting for the asion. Since


    it was a birthday banquet, Jaylene needed to have several options to choose from.


    During the discussions, Molly noticed how quiet Jaylene was. She turned her head and saw the


    birthday girl on the couch, staring nkly at her phone.


    Molly walked over and noticed the screen of Jaylene¡¯s phone, disying a conversationbeled (Mr.


    Kane]. Jaylene had sent numerous messages inquiring about his avability and inviting him to her


    birthday celebration. Even though the messages were sent two days ago, there was still no response.


    Seeing how desperate Jaylene was, the only Mr. Kane that Molly could think of was Keegan.


    She sat next to Jaylene and suggested that she put on the outfits. ¡°We have several options lined up


    for you,¡± she said.


    Then, Jaylene snapped back to her senses. She locked her phone screen and offered a faint smile.


    ¡°The makeup artist ising over tomorrow morning. I¡¯ll try them on by then. It¡¯s too much trouble to


    switch into multiple outfits right now.¡±


    Molly nodded and asked, ¡® Did you invite Aurora?¡±


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Of course. I even called her on the phone, but she said she was in the middle of her internship. And


    Keegan doesn¡¯t want her to attend social events in the meantime.¡±


    Molly clicked her tongue and stated, ¡°Keegan sure is controlling.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just looking out for Aurora¡¯s best interests,¡± Jaylene instinctively defended him.


    Molly nced at her and was about to say something when a knock sounded on the door. It then


    swung open, and Trevor stepped into the room.


    Trevor saw that the room was filled with girls and hesitated for a moment before he said, Jaylene, can I


    have a quick word with you?¡±


    Jaylene put her phone aside and stood up. Molly bit her lips and walked to the door, ready to


    eavesdrop.


    Trevor and Jaylene did not go far. They stopped in the hallway that was just a short distance from the


    walk-in closet. Molly could faintly hear Ste¡¯s name being mentioned during their conversation and


    frowned.


    After a brief exchange, Jaylene returned to her friends. They huddled around her and could not help


    but exim,¡± Jaylene, your brother is so handsome.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not just handsome; he¡¯s gorgeous.¡±


    Yeah. He¡¯s breathtakingly gorgeous. But I think he¡¯s gay.¡±


    ¡°Stop making things up. My brother is straight,¡± Jaylene scolded yfully.


    Then, one of her friends said, ¡°He makes any woman who stands beside him feel ugly. I can¡¯t imagine


    who¡¯d be worthy of him.¡±


    ¡°The only person I can think of is Ste Jewell,¡± said another.


    Jaylene was stunned to hear that. Soon, she fell silent.


    ¡°If we¡¯re talking about appearance alone, there are plenty of attractive people in showbiz. Trevor runs


    his own entertainmentpany, so he must have met countless beautiful women. I don¡¯t think he¡¯d be


    that shallow to only focus on looks,¡± Molly snorted.

 Chapter 1301

    Chapter 1301


    Chapter 1301


    The other girls exchanged nces, but no one said a word. It was a well-known fact in the group that


    Molly had taken quite a liking to Trevor. Her closeness with Jaylene was not necessarily because she


    wanted to be her friend. Instead, it was because it was easier for her to interact with Trevor.


    A union between the prestigious Saun and Moore families should garner support from both sides. It


    was clear that the Moores were optimistic about this marriage based on their frequent interactions with


    the Sauns recently. However, anyone with a discerning eye could see that Trevor was not interested.


    Jaylene tried to change the subject and said, ¡°My family housemaid has prepared some yogurt for us.


    Let¡¯s all go down and have some.¡±


    Meanwhile, in Keegan¡¯s phone, tucked away within a quiet corner of his messaging app,y the contact


    named [Red Agate Seller). Keegan had muted the conversation, which led to numerous messages


    being left unread.


    The following day, the official findings regarding the Sunlight Kindergarten incident were released to the


    public. All suspicions pointed toward Lydia and one of the kindergarten¡¯s directors. A range of evidence


    and witnesses indicated their involvement in the matter. Although other staff members had raised their


    concerns, they were silenced through threats of dismissal should they ever dare


    to voice their doubts.


    With the legal system involved, official sources would regrly report further updates on the case.


    The onlinemunity was abuzz with discussion. While many shared a sense of relief, concerns


    lingered about the children¡¯s education that was on hold.


    A ray of hope emerged as rumors spread that the government might take over Sunlight Kindergarten


    and turn it into a public institution. Though these rumors were met with joy, their credibility remained


    uncertain. Eager for rity, people bombarded the local education department¡¯s social media ounts


    in hopes of some confirmation.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    After a continuous back-and-forth, the education department finally issued a reply. [Sunlight


    Kindergarten is in the process of transitioning to public management.


    These words were music to the parent¡¯s ears. The unexpected turn of events was greeted with tion,


    especially since most parents preferred their children to attend public institutions. The fact that the state


    would ensure educational quality and food safety offered reassurance to many.


    However, people were also curious about why the education department would step in and manage


    Sunlight Kindergarten, given its tarnished reputation.


    Soon after, an insider iming to have knowledge of the situation revealed that Ste had struck a deal


    with the higher-ups. ording to the insider, she had agreed to give thend use rights to the state


    once the property dispute was resolved. Once the legal battle concluded, the buildings would be


    donated as well. The only condition was that the government would take over the school, guaranteeing


    continued education for the students. Ste even pledged financial support for any necessary repairs or


    renovations, ensuring the institution¡¯s sessful operation.


    The insider continued, [We are all well aware of the value of real estate in Rivera. Ms. Jewell¡¯s decision


    muste as a surprise for many, thinking that her motives would be financial gain or principle. But,


    for her, it¡¯s not about money; it¡¯s about justice. Unfortunately, her celebrity status has led people to


    doubt her intentions. Some might argue that she¡¯s seeking positive publicity. Yet, not everyone would


    do what she has done. Here¡¯s to hoping that Ms. Jewell will flourish in her future endeavors, and may


    she live a life free of worry.)


    This article was heavily circted and coincided with the day of The Pce¡¯s finale. In the show, the


    queen discovered her inability to conceive and chose to end her life in the cold pce.

 Chapter 1302

    Chapter 1302


    Chapter 1302


    The scene marked the final climax of the entire drama.


    Ste¡¯s portrayal of a fallen concubine from the cold pce was incredibly authentic. Her character


    introduced a perfect blend of tragedy, resentment, and sympathy. People usually hated the antagonist,


    but Ste¡¯s exceptional acting brought the role to life. Despite the queen¡¯s evil acts in the show, it was


    difficult for viewers to harbor genuine dislike for her due to Ste¡¯s captivating performance.


    The convergence of the show¡¯s finale and the case regarding Sunlight Kindergarten¡¯s food safety led to


    the trending hashtag, [#VersatileTalent] being associated with Ste.


    While scrolling through her phone, Ste stumbled upon this trending term and nearly dropped her


    ss of water. She found that thebel was somewhat intimidating despite seemingly being created


    with well-intention. She did not want people to hold her up high, as she feared that she might not be


    able to live up to their expectations.


    ¡°Ste, your fans have chosen a name for themselves,¡± said Felicity, as she held out her phone.


    ¡°They¡¯re calling themselves Stardusts.¡±


    ¡°What? Who came up with that?¡± asked Ste, who was practically frantic.


    Felicityughed and said, ¡°I think it¡¯s fitting since stars may seem small from afar, but they¡¯re big and


    bright up close.


    With so many Stardusts supporting you, you¡¯re bound to shake up the entertainment industry and


    revolutionize it.¡±


    ¡°People are going to stone me to death,¡± said Ste, slightly exasperated.


    ¡°I would like to see them try. They are in no ce to talk unless they possess your acting skills. Still


    water runs deep. Those who run their mouth are often the losers,¡± Felicity responded confidently.


    ¡°Wow. Why don¡¯t you send them this message?¡± Ste teased.


    Felicity paused for a moment before she said with a serious look on her face, ¡°As a famous person


    once said, ¡®Never argue with stupid people. They will drag you to their level and beat you with


    experience.¡¯ I won¡¯t bring my IQ down for haters. It¡¯ll affect my creative work.¡±


    Ste clicked her tongue yfully and asked, ¡°Are you nning on attending Jaylene¡¯s birthday party


    later?¡±


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Of course. Why wouldn¡¯t I go to a free spa day?¡± Felicity replied with a grin. ¡°Plus, Jaylene is spending


    the Sauns¡¯ money, and you¡¯re part of the Saun family. So, in a way, you¡¯re treating me. There¡¯s no


    reason for me not to go.¡±


    Steughed and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine to say that to me. But be careful not to spread such things to people


    outside our circle. You never know who might hear it and twist your words.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Felicity agreed. Then, she continued, ¡°Eventhough you were practically kidnapped, and your


    dad remarried


    yearster, it¡¯s hard for me to get along with Jaylene, knowing that she received so much love and


    affection while you suffered under the hands of Albert.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve only met her a few times, but the incident at Keegan¡¯s grandmother¡¯s birthday banquet left me


    feeling uneasy. The way she insisted on writing the calligraphy with you just makes my blood boil.


    Thankfully, you drew a portrait


    instead. Otherwise, she might have outshone you and stolen the spotlight.¡±


    Felicity sighed and continued, ¡°I was thrilled to know that you were able to find your birth family. But


    now, I¡¯m worried.


    I have no idea what Mrs. Saun is like. I hope she¡¯s not like Homewrecker Hylda. I don¡¯t want you to


    escape one perilous situation only to potentiallynd in another. You might as well marry Keegan if


    that¡¯s the case. No one would dare to mistreat you in the Kane family with Keegan and


    Mrs. Kane Sr. around.¡±


    Steughed at her best friend¡¯s words and casually put her arm around Felicity¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Do you


    really think I¡¯m that easy to bully? Even Keegan can¡¯t win against me, and no one is as vicious as him.¡±


    Felicity looked at her and said, ¡°That¡¯s because he lets you take the upper hand. Things will be different


    with others. You literally take in everything and everyone thates your way, be it challenges or


    affection. This makes you terrible at identifying people with malicious intent.¡±

 Chapter 1303

    Chapter 1303


    Chapter 1303


    Ste was taken aback upon hearing what Felicity had said.


    ¡°It¡¯s just better if you stay cautious,¡± Felicity advised.


    Suddenly, the door swung open. Aldor and several others entered the apartment one after another.


    Each of them was carrying two to three sets of dresses wrapped in dustproof covers. They then


    arranged themselves in a straight line in the living room.


    ¡°Ms. Jewell, Mr. Kane personally curated these dresses for you. Please take a look and see if any of


    them catch your fancy. I can make some adjustments if none of them appeals to you,¡± said Aldor.


    Ste could not believe what was happening, and Felicity¡¯s jaw dropped in astonishment. ¡°Is this how


    you always choose your outfits?¡±


    Ste rubbed her temples and said, ¡°Aldor, today is Jaylene¡¯s birthday. Do you think that these attires


    are suitable? I don¡¯t want to steal the spotlight.¡±


    Aldor also felt helpless in the situation. ¡°I did remind Mr. Kane about it, but he insisted that mboyance


    is your style. He even instructed me to bring all your jewelry over for you to choose.¡± He then signaled


    for the men behind him to open the boxes they were carrying, and it revealed a dazzling array of


    jewelry.


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    Meanwhile, Felicity¡¯s jaw dropped even wider. She turned to Ste and asked, ¡°Did you have to do this


    for every event you had in the past?¡±


    Ste did not reply. During her younger days, she deliberately wore bold outfits to irk those who


    gossiped behind her back. It was a conscious act to provoke them. Now that she was more mature,


    she found that there was no need to do so anymore. ¡®Oddly enough, Keegan seems to regress in


    maturity,¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°I¡¯m not wearing these. Call Keegan and have him take it back. I¡¯ll just select something from my


    wardrobe.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you contact Mr. Kane yourself, Ms. Jewell? He won¡¯t listen to me,¡± Aldor suggested.


    Following that, Ste reluctantly dialed Keegan¡¯s number


    As soon as he picked up, he asked, ¡°Have you chosen something from the outfits I sent over?¡±


    ¡°No, because I won¡¯t be wearing them.¡±


    ¡°Everyone dresses formally for a birthday celebration. So, you should too. It¡¯smon etiquette,¡±


    Keegan reasoned.


    ¡°Even so, I¡¯m not going to put on an extravagant dress to Jaylene¡¯s birthday party, you nitwit!¡±


    Aldor and the others were all taken aback when they heard Ste call Keegan a nitwit. However, Aldor


    maintained aposed demeanor.


    ¡®Even if these dresses weren¡¯t bought outright, merely lending them would incur substantial costs. If


    Ms. Jewell found out, she¡¯d likely give a three-day-three-night tongue-shing to Mr. Kane. Calling him


    a nitwit will only be scratching the surface,¡¯ he thought.


    ¡°You¡¯d still draw attention even if you¡¯re wearing a potato sack. Others use clothes toplement


    themselves, but youplement the clothes,¡± said Keegan.


    His words left Ste speechless. ¡®Since when was this guy so good at smooth talking?¡¯


    ¡°I think I should dress based on the asion. I don¡¯t want others to outshine me at my own birthday


    party. So, it¡¯s best if I keep it down a notch. Don¡¯t make others hate me, Keegan.¡±


    ¡°Maybe Aldor can offer you some in options to consider,¡± Keegan tried to reason. As Ste was


    about to object, he continued, ¡°Come on, your brother would never allow me to be with you if he found


    out that I couldn¡¯t even buy you a dress.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Ste begrudgingly agreed.


    Aldor acted swiftly and reced the first set of dresses with another selection for Ste to choose from.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Among the many options, Ste opted for a white dress with medium-length sleeves that was suitable


    for the weather. The bottom of the dress was covered with a light tie-dye pattern that made it look fresh


    and elegant.

 Chapter 1304

    Chapter 1304


    Chapter 1304


    Once Ste put on the dress, she emanated the aura of an elegant and refineddy. She looked at


    herself in the mirror for some time and suddenly said, ¡°This dress makes my butt look big.¡±


    Everyone was left speechless.


    ¡°Can you just be quiet for a moment so I can admire your appearance?¡± said Felicity.


    Meanwhile, Hylda looked ashen as she stepped out of the police station. Sophia¡¯s car was waiting not


    far away. When Hylda entered the car, Sophia asked urgently, ¡°How did it go, Mom?¡±


    Hylda¡¯s expression was strained, ¡°They said they have to wait for all the children¡¯s medical results


    before making a decision. The school has been ordered not to stay closed, and we can¡¯t work in the


    education industry anymore.¡±


    ¡°And Auntie Lydia?¡±


    ¡°Things wouldn¡¯t have turned out like this if she wasn¡¯t greedy for the money. She deserves to be


    locked up,¡± said Hylda.


    Sophia fell silent. After a while, she whispered, ¡°Mom, did you know Ste donated thend and


    house? She never intended to keep it. She wanted it back just to make our lives difficult.¡±


    Hylda frowned as she reyed the recent events in her mind. ¡°What¡¯s her end game? Why does she


    keep targeting me?¡± She murmured. Something flickered in her mind, but before she could grasp the


    idea, her phone rang and disrupted her thoughts.


    Hylda found it weird that someone was calling her since only a few people knew this number. She


    answered the call and asked, ¡°Who is this?¡±


    ¡°Congrattions on getting your wish, Mrs. Jewell,¡± a hoarse voice sounded from the other end of the


    phone, followed by a few coughs.


    Hylda froze upon hearing that voice. She promptly opened the car door and stepped outside to


    continue the conversation.


    Sophia was taken aback by Hylda¡¯s behavior. ¡®Who¡¯s on the other line? Why is Mom being so


    secretive?¡¯ She thought.


    Hylda moved to a quiet spot before speaking again, ¡°You didn¡¯t call just to congratte me, did you?¡±


    The person chuckled dryly and said, ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to discuss with you, Mrs. Jewell.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to discuss? I¡¯ve treated you well all these years, haven¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it that way, Mrs. Jewell. Especially since I¡¯ve kept your dirty secrets all these years.


    Remember Rainee¡¯s depression medication, the truth about her miscarriage, her car ident, and that


    man¡¯s identity? Any one of these


    secrets could have cost me my life, yet I never said a word about them.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Hylda¡¯s expression darkened. She gripped her phone so tightly that her fingertips turned white. She


    paused and said, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    The voice on the other end chuckled again. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much. I¡¯m not feeling well and would like to


    ¡®borrow¡¯ some money for my medical expenses.¡±


    ¡®Money? Again?¡¯ Hyldaposed herself and calmly asked,¡± How much?¡±


    ¡°Two million dors.¡±


    The person¡¯s answer left Hylda dumbfounded. ¡°Two million dors? Do you think that my money grows


    on trees?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not too much for you, is it, Mrs. Jewell?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have that much money. I can only give you a hundred thousand dors at most.¡±


    The man¡¯s voice turned stern, ¡°A hundred thousand dors? Are you kidding me?¡±


    Hylda became irritated. My money is tight right now.


    Haven¡¯t I already given you a significant amount over the years? Plus, didn¡¯t we settle everythingst


    time? These one hundred thousand dors is purely a kind gesture.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re in a tough spot. I need the money for surgery,¡± said the man.


    Hylda¡¯s expression turned darker, ¡°I told you I don¡¯t have two million dors. Where do you expect me


    to find it?¡±


    ¡°That is none of my concern,¡± the voice sneered. ¡°Didn¡¯t one of the Jewell family¡¯s daughters marry the


    wealthiest man in Rivera? I¡¯ll ask her for the money if you won¡¯t give it to me. I bet the secrets I¡¯ve kept


    are worth more than two million dors to her.¡±

 Chapter 1305

    Chapter 1305


    Chapter 1305


    A shiver ran down Hylda¡¯s spine. She took a deep breath and steadied her voice, ¡°Walter, your request


    is too sudden. I truly don¡¯t have that much money at the moment. Could you perhaps give me a little


    more time to-¡°


    ¡°My condition can¡¯t wait. I¡¯ll give you three days at most. If you don¡¯t transfer the money on time, don¡¯t


    be surprised when I seek Ms. Jewell¡¯s help.¡±


    After ending the call, Hylda¡¯s face turned unprecedently gloomy. ¡®I knew I should have cleaned things


    up back then!¡¯


    ¡°Mom?¡± Sophia¡¯s voice came from behind.


    Hylda was startled. She sighed in relief when she turned around and saw that it was Sophia.


    ¡°Mom, who were you talking to on the phone? Why did you get out of the car?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no one important,¡± Hylda said with a frown. ¡°Is your father home?¡±


    Annoyed, Sophia said, ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you already? He¡¯s been spending time at that whore¡¯s ce and


    taking care of her.¡±


    ¡°Drive me there.¡±


    Sophia blinked in surprise. ¡°Where?¡±


    Hylda opened the car door with a serious look on her face and said, ¡°Drive me to your father.¡±


    Throughout the ride, Hylda¡¯s brows remained furrowed. She was worried that Albert would discover the


    truth behind Rainee¡¯s miscarriage.


    Back then, Albert had bribed doctors at a private hospital to learn the gender of the child in advance. It


    was a boy.


    Sophia was only four years old at the time, and Hylda was in her early twenties. Shecked education


    and practical skills. Albert was her sole reliance.


    However, his demeanor shifted the moment he knew Rainee was having a boy. He started prioritizing


    his family and apanied Rainee to her medical appointments. He also gradually distanced himself


    from Hylda.


    Hylda could not fathom how he would treat her once the she teamed up with Walter to kill Albert¡¯s first


    son.


    Albert eagerly anticipated the baby¡¯s arrival and was devastated to find out he was stillborn. It was then


    that the conflict between Albert and Rainee grew each and every day.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    If Albert discovered that Hylda had intentionally caused the child¡¯s death, he would not let her off easily.


    Walter was aware of Albert¡¯s attachment to having a son and exploited this knowledge to extract


    benefits from Hylda over the years.


    With the kindergarten¡¯s earnings and her monthly allowance from Albert, Hylda managed fairly well.


    Now that both her ies were gone, she had no choice but to pull on Albert¡¯s heartstrings.


    Soon, the doorbell to Xenia¡¯s residence rang.


    Xenia stood up and peered through the peephole. Upon seeing Hylda, she immediately called for


    Albert.


    Albert¡¯s expression turned sour as soon as he heard that it was Hylda. ¡®Is this harm my son?¡¯ With that


    thought, he urged Xenia to go back into her room.


    Xenia pouted and said, ¡°This is my house. I don¡¯t think she would dare do anything to me. Besides,


    you¡¯re here.¡±


    Albert had no choice but toply. The only thing that mattered most to him was to have a son.


    Hylda waited outside for a long while before someone answered the door.


    Albert stood there with a dark face, clearly not pleased to see her.


    Hylda began to cry and said, ¡°Honey¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡± Albert¡¯s face tensed. ¡°Why are you here? Are you trying to get rid of the baby in


    Xenia¡¯s belly again?¡±


    Seeing that her act was not working on Albert, Hylda decided to dive right into the topic. ¡°I¡¯m here to


    talk to you,¡± she said with a stern face.


    Albert blocked the doorway, refusing to let her in.


    ¡°What¡¯s there for us to talk about?¡±

 Chapter 1306

    Chapter 1306


    Chapter 1306


    Hylda nced inside the house and saw Xenia pouring a ss of water. She retracted her gaze and


    lowered her voice, ¡°We probably shouldn¡¯t discuss Rainee¡¯s car ident here, right?¡±


    Albert froze when he heard that. ¡°What kind of nonsense are you spewing?¡± He asked angrily.


    Hylda¡¯s face grew cold as she said, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you in the car downstairs. Whether you decide to


    join me is entirely up to you.¡± With that, she turned and left.


    Albert remained in a state of uncertainty. ¡®Is this woman losing her sanity? Did she truly believe she


    could use this matter to ckmail me? Does she not realize that she was an aplice?¡¯ He thought.


    His expression changed several times before he picked up his coat and turned to Xenia. ¡°I need to step


    out for a moment.¡±


    Xenia quickly approached him and said, ¡°But didn¡¯t you say we would have dinner together? Why are


    you leaving now that she showed up?¡±


    ¡®TH just have a brief conversation with her and return shortly. ¡± Albert patted her hand and said.


    ¡°What do you two have to talk about? Why can¡¯t you just talk in here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about thepany. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    Though Xenia was not pleased, she did not press the matter. Instead, she helped him slip into his coat


    and saw him off.


    In Apartment 902 at Clouditude International, Felicity emerged from the bedroom wearing a pink red


    dress. She twirled around in front of Vermont and asked, ¡°What do you think of this?¡±


    Vermont rubbed his chin thoughtfully and shook his head once again, ¡°It looks a little too¡­ cutesy.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s face darkened. ¡®This is the eighth outfit I¡¯ve put on, and you¡¯ve rejected every single one. Do I


    really look that bad in everything?¡±


    Vermontughed and said, ¡°Everything looks lovely on you in my eyes. It¡¯s just that the choices might


    not be the best fit for the asion.¡±


    ¡°But these are the only clothes I have,¡± Felicity grumbled. ¡°I can¡¯t simply buy a new outfit just for a


    birthday party, can I? If it were Ste¡¯s birthday, I¡¯d do it without a doubt. But I¡¯m not going to do the


    same for that wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing.¡±


    Vermont was caught off guard. ¡°Did you just refer to Jaylene as a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing?¡±


    Felicity nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t you think she appears innocent on the outside but is actually deceitful and


    maniptive underneath? She tried to steal Ste¡¯s limelight during ourst event. Like, Ste literally


    saved her. Who would do that


    to the person who saved them?¡±


    Vermont was both amused and exasperated. ¡°Do you have toe up with a name for everyone you


    encounter?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just capturing their essence. It makes it easier for me toe up with personalities for my fictional


    characters,¡± Felicity replied earnestly.


    Vermont squinted slightly and said, ¡°Okay, so what¡¯s the essence of the nickname¡ªStinky Cucumber?¡±


    ¡°It carries the meaning of¡­¡± Felicity paused, then cast a nce toward his lower half. ¡°¡­


    Restlessness,¡± she continued, referring to the time when Vermont was still a yboy.


    Vermont was a little lost for words. Having said that, he did not mind ying along with Felicity. ¡°Welp,


    it¡¯s well-behaved now. Forever.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s words rendered Felicity speechless. ¡®God, I shouldn¡¯t have made thatment,¡¯ she


    thought.


    Then, she chuckled, ¡°I had someone read your fortune yesterday. They said you¡¯d have many children


    and grandchildren. The current situation of your stinky cucumber is only temporary.¡±


    Vermont nced at her and said, ¡°I guess I¡¯d have to thank you in advance.¡±


    Felicity did not understand the meaning behind his appreciation. ¡°For what? For taking care of you


    these past few months? I think you should thank your future wife.¡±


    Vermontughed and said nothing. After a while, he suddenly asked, ¡°By the way, what did you get me


    for my birthday again?¡±


    Felicity¡¯s gaze wandered as she said, ¡°I think it was a mug.¡±


    ¡°No. Keegan gave me the mug,¡± Vermont said with no emotion.


    ¡°Then, I must have remembered wrong.¡± Felicity pretended to think about it and said, ¡°It was a watch.¡±


    Vermont remained expressionless. ¡°No. The watch was from Marshall.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Vermont clenched his teeth and cut her off, ¡°Did you not get me a birthday gift?¡±


    Chapter 1306


    Hylda nced inside the house and saw Xenia pouring a ss of water. She retracted her gaze and


    lowered her voice, ¡°We probably shouldn¡¯t discuss Rainee¡¯s car ident here, right?¡±


    Albert froze when he heard that. ¡°What kind of nonsense are you spewing?¡± He asked angrily.


    Hylda¡¯s face grew cold as she said, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you in the car downstairs. Whether you decide to


    join me is entirely up to you.¡± With that, she turned and left.


    Albert remained in a state of uncertainty. ¡®Is this woman losing her sanity? Did she truly believe she


    could use this matter to ckmail me? Does she not realize that she was an aplice?¡¯ He thought.


    His expression changed several times before he picked up his coat and turned to Xenia. ¡°I need to step


    out for a moment.¡±


    Xenia quickly approached him and said, ¡°But didn¡¯t you say we would have dinner together? Why are


    you leaving now that she showed up?¡±


    ¡®TH just have a brief conversation with her and return shortly. ¡± Albert patted her hand and said.


    ¡°What do you two have to talk about? Why can¡¯t you just talk in here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about thepany. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    Though Xenia was not pleased, she did not press the matter. Instead, she helped him slip into his coat


    and saw him off.


    In Apartment 902 at Clouditude International, Felicity emerged from the bedroom wearing a pink red


    dress. She twirled around in front of Vermont and asked, ¡°What do you think of this?¡±


    Vermont rubbed his chin thoughtfully and shook his head once again, ¡°It looks a little too¡­ cutesy.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s face darkened. ¡®This is the eighth outfit I¡¯ve put on, and you¡¯ve rejected every single one. Do I


    really look that bad in everything?¡±


    Vermontughed and said, ¡°Everything looks lovely on you in my eyes. It¡¯s just that the choices might


    not be the best fit for the asion.¡±


    ¡°But these are the only clothes I have,¡± Felicity grumbled. ¡°I can¡¯t simply buy a new outfit just for a


    birthday party, can I? If it were Ste¡¯s birthday, I¡¯d do it without a doubt. But I¡¯m not going to do the


    same for that wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing.¡±


    Vermont was caught off guard. ¡°Did you just refer to Jaylene as a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing?¡±


    Felicity nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t you think she appears innocent on the outside but is actually deceitful and


    maniptive underneath? She tried to steal Ste¡¯s limelight during ourst event. Like, Ste literally


    saved her. Who would do that


    to the person who saved them?¡±


    Vermont was both amused and exasperated. ¡°Do you have toe up with a name for everyone you


    encounter?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just capturing their essence. It makes it easier for me toe up with personalities for my fictional


    characters,¡± Felicity replied earnestly.


    Vermont squinted slightly and said, ¡°Okay, so what¡¯s the essence of the nickname¡ªStinky Cucumber?¡±


    ¡°It carries the meaning of¡­¡± Felicity paused, then cast a nce toward his lower half. ¡°¡­


    Restlessness,¡± she continued, referring to the time when Vermont was still a yboy.


    Vermont was a little lost for words. Having said that, he did not mind ying along with Felicity. ¡°Welp,


    it¡¯s well-behaved now. Forever.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s words rendered Felicity speechless. ¡®God, I shouldn¡¯t have made thatment,¡¯ she


    thought.


    Then, she chuckled, ¡°I had someone read your fortune yesterday. They said you¡¯d have many children


    and grandchildren. The current situation of your stinky cucumber is only temporary.¡±


    Vermont nced at her and said, ¡°I guess I¡¯d have to thank you in advance.¡±


    Felicity did not understand the meaning behind his appreciation. ¡°For what? For taking care of you


    these past few months? I think you should thank your future wife.¡±


    Vermontughed and said nothing. After a while, he suddenly asked, ¡°By the way, what did you get me


    for my birthday again?¡±


    Felicity¡¯s gaze wandered as she said, ¡°I think it was a mug.¡±


    ¡°No. Keegan gave me the mug,¡± Vermont said with no emotion.


    ¡°Then, I must have remembered wrong.¡± Felicity pretended to think about it and said, ¡°It was a watch.¡±


    Vermont remained expressionless. ¡°No. The watch was from Marshall.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    Vermont clenched his teeth and cut her off, ¡°Did you not get me a birthday gift?¡±

 Chapter 1307

    Chapter 1307


    Chapter 1307


    Felicity hesitated for a while before she said, ¡°All your friends bought you such expensive gifts, and I


    just couldn¡¯t bring myself to give you what I had prepared. That was why I took Ste¡¯s gift and gave it


    to you.¡±


    Vermont scoffed. ¡°So, you came to the party for a free meal without giving me anything, huh?¡±


    Felicity replied softly, ¡°You received so many gifts that day, and my one gift wouldn¡¯t make a difference.


    Why are you so bothered by this?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it makes a difference. How can a gift from you be the same as the gifts from others?¡±


    Vermont paused before continuing, ¡°Why did youe to my birthday party that day? We haven¡¯t


    known each other at that time, right?¡±


    ¡°Because Doctor Steven wanted to go.¡± Felicity adjusted her dress as she spoke. ¡°I wanted to get close


    to Doctor Steven, so I told him you had invited me too. I didn¡¯t expect you toe out of nowhere and


    keep questioning me. I was afraid that you¡¯d expose my lie, so I held onto you to hide my face from


    you.¡±


    Vermont was speechless. It was supposed to be something to be happy about, but he felt bitter after


    knowing that Felicity only attended his birthday party for another man.


    Suddenly, Vermont remembered how panicked Felicity


    looked when Corbin came knocking on the door the next morning. She seemed extremely afraid that


    Corbin would know that she had spent the night with him.


    That realization made Vermont feel very unpleasant.


    ¡°Do you really like Corbin this much?¡±


    Vermont suddenly asked.


    Felicity was taken aback. It took her a while to respond, ¡°I used to, but not anymore, I guess. I always


    feel like Doctor Steven is a very difficult person to understand. He¡¯s just¡­ not as genuine as you.¡±


    Vermont paused. ¡°How am I genuine?¡±


    ¡°Well, I can see you and touch you. Although you can be very flirty and have many exes, you¡¯re


    actually a good person.¡±


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    Vermont kept quiet.


    ¡®Is that apliment?¡¯ he wondered to himself.


    Vermont gestured to Felicity toe over. ¡°Come here.¡±


    Felicity was puzzled. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡®Til tell you once youe here.¡±


    Felicity walked over reluctantly. ¡°Can¡¯t you just tell¡­ ah¡­¡±


    Vermont dragged her hand and pulled her onto hisp before she could finish her sentence.


    Felicity¡¯s heart raced as she immediately tried to stand up. However, Vermont wrapped his arm around


    her waist tightly, and she was unable to move at all.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Felicity red at him as her ears turned red.


    Vermont lifted her chin with another hand. ¡°Look at me.¡±


    Felicity was forced to lift her head up and look into his eyes. She felt very ufortable as she


    widened her gaze to express annoyance. ¡°Why should I?¡±


    ¡°Who looks better? Me or Corbin?¡±


    Felicity was speechless.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything better to do? What kind of stupid question is this?¡±


    She tried to break free as she spoke, but Vermont was surprisingly strong. She could not budge even a


    bit despite her efforts.


    ¡°Answer me, and I¡¯ll let you go.¡±


    Vermont was unusually stubborn on this matter.


    Felicity glowered at him frustratedly. Doctor Steven looks better, obviously. Are you not aware of what


    you look like yourself?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s gaze darkened as his grip on her waist tightened unconsciously. Then, he spoke in a low


    voice. ¡± Are you sure? N


    Felicity could not find the words to speak as she looked into Vermont¡¯s charming eyes.


    The way that Vermont looked was very different from Keegan, who was considered the man of every


    woman¡¯s dream. His features were not as delicate aspared to Keegan¡¯s. Also, his brows were not


    threaded like the male actors, and his eyes were not as attractive as those of Marshall¡¯s. However, he


    had a tall nose bridge, a very defined jawline, and a beautiful pair of lips. Thebination of these


    three made his appearance stand out among other guys.

 Chapter 1308

    Chapter 1308


    Chapter 1308


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    In fact, Corbin was not as good-looking as Vermont. The main reason that Felicity found him attractive


    was because of his profession as a doctor.


    It was the same thing as people would assume that the ss monitors are good at studying and


    students who are good at sports have bad academic results.


    To Felicity, Vermont was someone who caught himself in the morous world full of temptations due to


    the nature of this work. So, she assumed he would not be as dependable as Corbin, the high-achieving


    medical student. That was also the reason why she would rarelypare them with each other.


    However, now that she was forced to sit on Vermont¡¯sp and decide who actually looked better, she


    suddenly realized¡­ that Vermont was actually pretty attractive too.


    She could feel her heart racing even faster now.


    Felicity looked into his eyes and became somewhat nervous as she stammered uncontrobly, ¡°Wh-


    Wh-Why should I answer your pointless question?¡±


    Then, she tried her best to escape from Vermont again, her neck turning red. ¡°Go ahead and ask


    Doctor Steven yourself if you want to know.¡±


    Vermont replied tly, ¡°I think l¡®m much more handsome than Corbin. Perhaps you should get your


    eyes checked.¡±


    Felicity pretended that she was going to throw up and murmured, ¡°What a narcissist!¡±


    The doorbell rang as she spoke.


    Vermont went to get the door while Felicity went back into her room to get changed.


    When she came back out, she saw Vermont sitting on the sofa, petting the on the table with a light


    green floral off-shoulder dress inside.


    It looked somewhat like a beach dress but with better fabric.


    Her eyes lit up. ¡°Is that for me?¡±


    Vermont gazed at her. ¡°No, it¡¯s for my girlfriend.¡±


    Felicity replied, ¡°I¡¯m your girlfriend now.¡± She paused before adding, ¡°To other people.¡±


    Vermont scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re my girlfriend, yet you just said that Corbin looks better than me face? Get him


    to buy a dress for you if you think he¡¯s so handsome.¡±


    Felicity kept quiet.


    ¡°You¡¯re so petty. I cant believe you take everything so seriously. You¡¯re a man; act like one.¡±


    Her words struck a nerve in Vermont¡¯s heart. ¡°I¡¯m not aplete man now anyway. There¡¯s no point


    acting like one.¡±


    Felicity was speechless.


    ¡®I was just saying it. Why is he so angry about it? I don¡¯t remember him being so pettyst time.¡¯


    Felicity really liked that dress, and she also knew that Vermont had gotten it for her. So, she softened


    her voice and said, ¡°You¡¯re the manliest person in my heart. You¡¯re loyal to your friends and very


    generous to your girlfriend. I¡¯d never dare to imagine how happy life would be to have someone like


    you as my husband.¡±


    Vermont could not help but smile after listening to her words.


    He gazed at Felicity and scoffed. ¡°What a coward. I allow you a moment to imagine now.¡±


    Felicity was not expecting him to say that.


    ¡®He¡¯s doing too much now!¡¯


    She pouted and decided to hold her anger in for the sake of the dress.


    Around five o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Trevor came to Clouditude International to pick Ste up.


    The Onsen Vi was pretty far away from here, and it was about a forty to fifty-minute drive. So, Trevor


    left early.


    He saw someone that annoyed him as soon as he arrived at the parking lot.


    He walked past Keegan emotionlessly, intending to park his car somewhere else. However, after


    circling around, he found out that all the other spots were taken, except for the


    one that Keegan was standing on.


    So, Trevor had no choice but to drive back there.


    Keegan was dressed in a well-fitted suit with his hair carefully styled, looking exactly like a runway


    model.


    He voluntarily stepped aside to let Trevor park as soon as he saw Trevor¡¯s car approaching him.


    Trevor parked and rolled down his window. He was about to say something, but Keegan beat him to it,


    ¡°Bro, it¡¯s hard to find a parking spot here, so I reserved one for you in advance.¡±

 Chapter 1309

    Chapter 1309


    Chapter 1309


    Trevor kept quiet.


    The way that Keegan called him ¡°Bro¡± sounded too darn natural, and that gave him goosebumps.


    He stared at Keegan sternly for a few seconds before squinting. He said, ¡°Howe I¡¯ve never


    realized you can be so shameless?¡±


    Keegan replied calmly. ¡°That¡¯s because you went abroad too soon, and we didn¡¯t get to spend much


    time together. It¡¯s not toote for us to get to know each other better now.¡±


    Trevor gazed at him and sneered. ¡°Do you think everything is good now just because Ste epted


    you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I still need your approval, brother. Ste cares very much about your opinion,¡± Keegan


    responded humbly.


    His response left Trevor speechless.


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty confident about yourself. What if I don¡¯t think that you¡¯re good enough for her?¡±


    Keegan lifted his gaze and replied, ¡°Then I¡¯ll have no other choice.¡±


    Trevor was puzzled. Then, Keegan took his phone out and video-called someone.


    After a few seconds, someone answered the call, and a woman appeared on the screen.


    ¡°Keegan, why is it so dark over there?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s bright over here,¡± Keegan replied.


    He handed his phone to Trevor as he spoke, and Trevor saw the woman on screen. Trevor paused for


    a moment as he pursed his lips tightly, unable to speak.


    The woman was a little surprised too. It took her a moment before she spoke. ¡°Trevor, it¡¯s you.¡±


    Trevor clenched his jaw and responded softly, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Ste received Keegan¡¯s call and came downstairs. Keegan told her on the phone that he was waiting


    for her in Trevor¡¯s car.


    Ste was pretty shocked to hear that. She was initially worried that Trevor would not allow him to get


    in his car, but Keegan pulled through.


    Vermont and Felicity followed her.


    After all, Mr. Snyder would never miss a chance to catch a free ride.


    So, Trevor, who specifically came to pick his sister up, found his car filled with other people, leaving his


    face visibly displeased.


    Ste sat behind Keegan while Felicity sat in between her and Vermont. She could see Trevor¡¯s tense


    jaw from where she was sitting. She secretly poked Keegan¡¯s neck from the back, and he turned


    around.


    Ste shot a nce at Trevor as if she was asking Keegan with her eyes, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my


    brother?¡±


    Keegan turned to Trevor and said, ¡°Take the East Light Road. The traffic is bad here.¡±


    Trevor gazed coldly at him. ¡°Keep your mouth shut if you¡¯re not driving. No one asked for your opinion.


    Do you want to take over the wheels?¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    I can¡¯t believe that Trevor let Keegan in the car despite how grumpy he is. I never knew he could be so


    generous.¡¯ Ste thought to herself.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Keegan was not bothered by what Trevor said at all as he voluntarily offered, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll do that then.


    After all, the driver¡¯s unstable mood might affect the safety of everyone in this car.¡±


    Trevor desperately wanted to take off the steering wheel and smash it onto Keegan¡¯s skull. He was


    extremely annoyed by him.


    Trevor did not feel like arguing with Keegan, so he pulled over and unfastened his seat belt. ¡°Come on,


    show us how good your driving skills are.¡±


    Keegan did not hurry to get out of the car. Instead, he turned around and said to Ste, ¡°Ste, would


    you sit beside me? I need you to navigate.¡±


    Ste was caught off guard.


    She looked at Trevor¡¯s gloomy face and suddenly realized that Keegan probably did not need her to


    navigate. Instead, he was worried that Trevor would trick him into leaving the car and drive away


    without him. So, he had toe up with an excuse to make Ste step out of the car, too, using her as


    a hostage to keep Trevor in check.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Ste responded as she opened the car door. She felt so guilty that she could not bring herself


    to look at Trevor at all.


    After a moment, Keegan sat in the driver¡¯s seat with Ste next to him. Felicity sat between Vermont


    and Trevor, who had a disgruntled expression. For some reason, she felt immensely pressured.


    ¡®Ste¡¯s brother looks really angry¡­¡¯

 Chapter 1310

    Chapter 1310


    Chapter 1310


    Keegan swept his gaze across the rear-view mirror and felt very satisfied.


    ¡®This is more like it. Couples should sit together, and the single one should just sit at the side.¡¯


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan identally brushed his hand against Ste¡¯s exposed knee as he was shifting gears. Trevor¡¯s


    eyelid immediately twitched before Ste could even feel it.


    ¡°Are you blind? Watch where you put your hand! Are you trying to take advantage of her?¡±


    Felicity could not help but let out a chuckle. What Trevor said was supposed to be something serious,


    but herughter made it sound odd.


    She bit her lip, cleared her throat, and said softly, ¡°Mr. Saun, they have been married for so many


    years. I can¡¯t even imagine how many times Keegan has taken advantage of her. It was just a little


    touch. Come on.¡±


    Trevor kept quiet. Ste had no idea how to react to what her best friend said.


    Vermont struggled to suppress hisughter as he quickly pulled Felicity closer and whispered, ¡°You


    know too much.¡±


    Everyone was delighted except for Trevor.


    Ste and Keegan had visited the Onsen Vi that Jaylene picked for her birthday celebration.


    A couple of years ago, around Valentine¡¯s Day, Ste booked a room, intending to spend some alone


    time with Keegan here and have a romantic vacation.


    However, Keegan had to work overtime on the first day because something went wrong with his


    experiment¡¯s data.


    He went to the vi with Ste the next day and spent the entire day sleeping. Ste¡¯s n for a


    romantic retreat turned into watching Keegan sleeping in a hot tub.


    He even told Ste that sleeping in the water felt extremely refreshing after waking up.


    However, she had no chance to wear the sexy lingerie she had purposely prepared for him.


    She was sulking when they checked out the next day, leaving Keegan confused. ¡°You wanted me to


    come, and now I¡¯m here. Why are you still mad?¡± he asked.


    What a foolish man¡­¡¯ Ste thought to herself.


    After about forty minutes, they finally arrived at the Onsen Vi.


    They had not been there for two years, and the environment looked even better than before. The


    greenery at the entrance had been meticulously designed and trimmed into various shapes, making it


    look very appealing.


    As soon as Keegan stopped the car, a valet came over right away with a dedicated guide following


    closely behind.


    The guide led them to the lobby, and that was when Ste found out that Jaylene had booked the entire


    ce for her birthday celebration.


    The vi would not be epting any outside guests for the next two days.


    Felicity quickly walked up to Ste and whispered to her,¡± Your family is very generous with their


    money. I can¡¯t believe they booked the whole ce when only a few guests wereing. What a


    waste.¡±


    Ste gently patted the back of her hand, indicating her to keep quiet.


    When they arrived at the lobby, Trevor told the receptionist to get the rooms ready. The receptionist


    looked at the group and asked, ¡°Three rooms withrge beds?¡±


    ¡°Two rooms withrge beds and a standard room.¡±


    Keegan paused and thought that his brother-inw had finallye to his sense. However, he heard


    Trevor saying in the next second, ¡°Ste will take a room by herself, and you¡¯ll stay with me.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡®I should¡¯ve known better!¡¯


    Everyone there was not happy with that arrangement, except for Vermont.


    Felicity objected, ¡°Um, Mr. Saun, I¡¯d like to stay with Ste. Why not the three of you stay in a triple


    room? In that way, we can save some money too.¡±


    Everyone kept quiet.


    Then, the receptionist said softly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we don¡¯t have a triple room here.¡±


    So, they ended up getting two standard rooms and one room with arge bed.


    Keegan and Vermont shared one room, and thedies shared the other. Trevor had the room with the


    large bed to himself.


    Fortunately, Trevor was not that heartless and booked the rooms rtively close to each other, and a


    simple shout would be sufficient to get the other room¡¯s attention.


    However, Trevor was staying in the room right next to Ste¡¯s. So, Keegan dared not to do that even if


    he could.

 Chapter 1311

    Chapter 1311


    Chapter 1311


    Vermont threw his bag on the bed and grumbled at Keegan.


    ¡°Seriously, what¡¯s wrong with you? Why would you even think that your brother-inw was your rival in


    love back then? And you kept picking on him too! Look at the situation you put us in now. I can¡¯t believe


    that you are making me suffer the consequences of your actions with you!¡±


    Keegan was very annoyed that he could not stay with his girlfriend too. So, he red at Vermont and


    retorted, ¡°You¡¯re not paying anything for this trip. What consequences are you suffering exactly?¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont glowered back at him. ¡°Myrge bedroom is gone!¡±


    Keegan responded, ¡°So what if you could have that room? I¡¯m sure Ms. Thompson will make your lie


    come true immediately once you perform some medical miracles.


    You¡¯re only being treated like a national treasure because you¡¯re ¡®impaired.¡¯ Do you really think that


    you¡¯re her real boyfriend?¡±


    Vermont kept quiet.


    ¡®What an asshole! He¡¯s just venting his anger on me at this point!¡¯


    Vermont sprawled on the bed and talked back, ¡°I¡¯m not like you. Everybody in Felicity¡¯s hometown like


    me a lot, and we won¡¯t have any external obstacles as soon as I can win her over. However, things are


    different for you. Would you look at your reputation with the Saun family and Hall family? Is there even


    anyone on your side?¡±


    Keegan was speechless. Then, he said frustratedly, ¡°How can they be so fond of you when you¡¯ve only


    met them once? If


    Vermont responded proudly, ¡°It¡¯s just my charisma. Are you aware of how popr I am among middle-


    aged women?¡±


    Keegan looked at him coldly. ¡°You¡¯re lying to them again, huh?¡±


    Vermont snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me.¡±


    ¡®Well, paying the blind fortune teller to say I¡¯m a good match with teller is not really blind either, right?


    ¡®Two negatives make a positive. It means that Felicity and I are a perfect match.¡¯ Vermont thought to


    himself.


    In thedies¡¯ room, Felicity burst outughing at the balcony. She turned around to Ste, who was


    unpacking her stuff, and said, ¡°It¡¯s good to have a brother, isn¡¯t it? Look at the view; it¡¯s incredible! We


    can see both the men¡¯s and women¡¯s sections from here. I should¡¯ve brought a pair of binocrs.¡±


    Ste asked as she continued to unpack, ¡°What would you need that for?¡±


    ¡°To look at handsome guys and pretty girls, of course.¡± Felicity jumped over andy on the bed. Then,


    she looked at Ste, ¡°I¡¯m too embarrassed to be looking at their beautiful


    figures directly, but I can enjoy them from my room.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that Vermont will cause a scene after he finds out that you¡¯re looking at other


    people?¡±


    Felicity was puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s there to cause a scene about?¡±


    Ste was confused.


    ¡°Is Vermont this generous? Does he not care about you looking at other men?¡±


    Felicity kept quiet.


    ¡®Oops. I got carried away and forgot that he¡¯s my boyfriend.¡¯


    Then, she coughed and tried to keep up with her lie, ¡°He has so many exes, yet I haven¡¯t said anything


    about it, right?


    What¡¯s wrong with just taking a look?¡± Then, she seamlessly shifted the topic after that. ¡°I guess your


    brother really hates Keegan, huh? It seems like the path to remarrying him will be long and difficult.¡±


    Ste smiled. ¡°Actually, they wouldn¡¯t object if I insist on remarrying Keegan. But I want them to get to


    know Keegan more and truly ept him for who he is. They¡¯re not going to be happy with him if they


    were forced to ept him just because I like him. There¡¯ll be problems in the future.¡±


    Then, Felicity added, ¡°He ended the marriage so casually, and now he¡¯s paying the price for his big


    mouth to win you back. He deserves this.¡±


    Ste could not stopughing after hearing that.


    After that, she sat on the edge of the bed and took out a red box from her bag. She opened it, and


    there was a Red Agate bracelet inside.


    Felicity leaned over. ¡°This bracelet looks nice. When did you buy it?¡±


    ¡°Keegan got it for me.¡±

 Chapter 1312

    Chapter 1312


    Chapter 1312


    Ste took out a piece of cloth to wipe it before wearing it on her left hand. ¡°He got superstitious after


    the divorce and told me to wear this more often because it can ward off evil. IV


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicity pulled her hand over and took a closer look at the bracelet before saying enviously, ¡°Keegan¡¯s


    taste is pretty good.¡±


    Ste had fair skin, and the red bracelet looked exceptionally vibrant on her hand.


    She purposely tied her hair up with a silver hairpin to match her traditional Hustuabourgian-style dress,


    and the braceletplimented her outfit extremely well.


    Ste had plenty of other hand essories to wear, but they were all very expensive. She would feel


    bad if she scratched or damaged them in any way through daily wear.


    However, the Red Agate bracelet was rtively cheaper and more durable than her other bracelets. It


    would not be as heart-wrenching even if it did break. Besides, Keegan gifted it. He loved seeing her


    wear the things he gave her.


    At six-thirty, Trevor came knocking and told them to go downstairs as most of the guests had already


    arrived.


    On their way to the banquet hall, they could see orchids of various colors ced everywhere in the


    hotel, spreading a refreshing and pleasant fragrance.


    Ste asked, ¡°Trevor, doesn¡¯t Ms. Saun have asthma? There are so many flowers strong. Is she going


    to be okay with all this?¡±


    ¡°She requested them. She loves orchids.¡±


    Then, Ste stopped speaking.


    Trevor paused after answering Ste¡¯s question. Then, he asked softly, ¡°Ste, what flowers do you


    like? I¡¯ll get some for you when it¡¯s your birthday.¡±


    Before Ste could say anything, Keegan chimed in, ¡°She likes every flower. However, if she had to


    pick a favorite, it would be sunflowers because they¡¯re edible.¡±


    Ste remained silent.


    Trevor did not seem very happy with him interrupting his conversation with said, ¡°Mr. Kane, have you


    heard about this saying?¡±


    Keegan listened attentively.


    ¡°Stop closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.¡±


    Keegan was taken aback.


    Ste could not help but chuckle as she held Trevor¡¯s arm and said in a low voice, ¡°Bro, he always


    knew what kind of flowers I like. He was the one who took care of the flowers I nted at home when I


    wasn¡¯t around. Please do me this favor and stop teasing him, okay?¡±


    Although Trevor felt reluctant, he gave in anyway. Then, he asked Ste, ¡°Do you enjoy gardening?¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s mainly because of the flowers¡¯ fragrance. They amaze me.¡±


    Me too.¡± Trevor smiled. ¡°Like mother, like children.¡±


    However, that was not the case for Jaylene. She wanted to venture into perfumery back then but had


    asthma and could not distinguish different smells very well. She would even feel ufortable after


    smelling them for a long time.


    Although she was working in Caline, she was in the design department.


    They arrived at the banquet hall as they spoke. The door was pushed open, and plenty of other guests


    were inside.


    Jaylene wore a light pink chiffon dress and was happily chatting with the guests.


    She also had a diamond-stuffed silver crown on her head. Her matching bracelet and earrings shone


    brightly under the lights, making her easily noticeable in the crowd.


    It seemed like she could sense someoneing inside and turned around. She paused. Then, her


    eyes lit up as her usually elegant face turned lively. She ced the thing in her hand down and slowly


    approached them.


    As she came closer, she grabbed Trevor¡¯s hand, ¡°Bro, you¡¯re finally here.¡±


    Ste paused. She looked at her empty hand and curled her fingers.

 Chapter 1313

    Chapter 1313


    Chapter 1313


    Keegan lightly traced his fingers across Ste¡¯s palm. She looked at him and saw his nonchnt face.


    Then, he gently pinched her fingers.


    Ste lowered her gaze and smiled.


    Trevor patted Jaylene lightly. ¡°We¡¯ve been here for a while. The journey was long, so I took everyone


    upstairs to rest beforeing down.¡±


    Jaylene looked at them and said politely, ¡°Mr. Snyder, Ms. Thompson, thank you for attending my


    birthday celebration today.¡±


    She noticeably paused when her gaze fell on Keegan. Then, she continued softly, ¡°Keegan, thank you


    foring.¡±


    Keegan could clearly sense a piercing gaze from his girlfriend on him as soon as Jaylene thanked him.


    He could not figure out why Jaylene had to thank him separately. Then, he replied tly, ¡°Don¡¯t mention


    it. I didn¡¯t bring any expensive gift today anyway.¡±


    He felt the need to rify things before his girlfriend misunderstood anything. So, he purposely


    emphasized the word ¡°expensive.¡±


    Jaylene smiled. ¡°It¡¯s the thought that counts.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    Jaylene finally shifted her gaze to Ste after talking to Keegan. Her smile faded a little as she greeted


    Ste politely, ¡°Ms. Jewell, long time no see.¡±


    Trevor frowned. ¡°Jaylene, just call Ste by her first name from now. Herst name will be changed


    back.¡±


    Trevor despised thest name ¡°Jewell.¡± He would even feel better about it if Ste¡¯sst name was


    ¡°Kane.¡±


    Jaylene quickly apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just thought I¡¯d cause trouble by addressing you wrongly before


    the news is publicly announced.¡±


    Ste looked at her briefly and said tly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s just a form of address. Call me


    whatever you like, Ms. Saun.¡±


    Felicity murmured softly, ¡°What a hypocrite!


    Although she was not loud, they stood close to each other. Jaylene could hear what she said.


    Her gaze darkened as she asked, ¡°Ms. Thompson, what did you say?¡±


    Felicity kept quiet as she said to herself. Bitch, are you looking for problems? Are you sure you didn¡¯t


    hear what I said?¡¯


    Felicity was about to speak her thoughts out loud, but Vermont interrupted her.


    ¡°She said how great! This ce has a history of over four hundred years. She¡¯s just impressed.¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Then, he wrapped his arm around Felicity¡¯s waist, ¡°Baby, you¡¯re overreacting. I¡¯ll bring you to a fifteen-


    hundred-year- old hot spring next time. It¡¯s more impressive than this.¡±


    Everybody kept quiet. They were all amazed by how quickwitted he was.


    Vermont brushed what Felicity said aside, and Jaylene led them into the crowd.


    Felicity pped Vermont¡¯s hand that was wrapped around her waist and said, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have


    stopped me! I wanted to give her a piece of my mind!


    ¡°Did you hear what she said? Ms. Jewell? Everyone in her family knows about Ste¡¯s real identity and


    that she¡¯s just a counterfeit heiress of the Saun family. She¡¯s outrageous!¡±


    Of course, Vermont knew what Jaylene was trying to do by addressing Ste as ¡°Ms. Jewell¡¯ too.


    However, he said to Felicity, ¡°We can deal with thister. It¡¯s her birthday today. How can we cause a


    scene here? Besides, Ste has not officially returned to the Saun family yet. Other people will


    probably me Ste if you were to start amotion now. How would you defend Ste if they call


    her petty and ill- mannered?¡±


    Felicity thought about what Vermont said and thought that he made sense too. However, she was still


    very angry. ¡°I told you she was a hypocrite, but you just wouldn¡¯t believe me!¡±


    Vermont consoled her, ¡°I do now. You¡¯re the all-knowing one, and I believe in everything you say.


    However, we¡¯ve got to keep ourselvesposed on asions like these.


    Otherwise, you¡¯re just going to embarrass your best friend.¡±

 Chapter 1314

    Chapter 1314


    Chapter 1314


    Felicity scoffed. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll listen to you this time.¡±


    After looking at her obedient demeanor, Vermont could not help but lean in to give her a peck on the


    cheek.


    Felicity was startled. She was about to cover her face, but Vermont grabbed her hand. ¡°My childhood


    friends are looking at us from over there. Don¡¯t overreact, or we¡¯re going to raise suspicion.¡±


    She reluctantly withdrew her hand from her face and red at him, ¡°Can you at least give me a heads-


    up next time if you¡¯re going to do that? You scared me!¡±


    Naturally, Vermont interpreted that as Felicity was okay with him kissing her.


    So, he responded swiftly, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Felicity stopped dwelling on it after seeing how sincere he was. However, she felt a burning sensation


    on her cheek where Vermont kissed her, which was odd.


    As for the birthday girl, Jaylene was still very popr among the guests.


    As soon as Keegan and Trevor arrived, the other gentlemen pulled them over for a chat. Ste stood in


    ce, wondering if she would disturb Felicity¡¯s dating time with Vermont if she were to follow her. Then,


    Jaylene approached her.


    She grabbed Ste¡¯s hand and said in a gentle tone, ¡°Ste, let me introduce some friends to you.¡±


    Ste wanted to reject her as she had no interest in knowing Aurora¡¯s friends.


    However, it was her birthday. She thought that it would be inappropriate to turn her down. So, she


    followed Jaylene anyway.


    Jaylene¡¯s friends frowned as soon as they saw hering over with Ste.


    ¡°Jaylene, why did you bring her here?¡±


    Jaylene paused. ¡°Do you guys know her?¡±


    One of them sneered. ¡°Of course, she¡¯s Mrs. Kane-Ah, I mean Ms. Jewell. Ms. Jewell is very popr in


    the industry.


    Aurora¡¯s ex-sister-inw, right? We¡¯ve met a few times.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a superstar now. You should be more polite when speaking about her.¡±


    ¡°Superstar? She¡¯s just an overrated actress. She needs to remember her roots.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. What¡¯s there to be proud of?¡±


    Jaylene looked a little awkward as she said in a deep voice, ¡¯ Ladies, please don¡¯t say something like


    that. Ste is my guest.¡±


    Obviously, none of them took her words seriously.


    ¡°Guest? Are you sure she¡¯s not here to perform? Sigh. Ste Jewell, you graduated from the theater


    department, right? Are you going to dance or y the piano for uster?¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. Theizens always im that she¡¯s very good at acting. She should perform a


    short skit and entertain us.¡±


    Everyoneughed.


    Jaylene looked even more awkward, but Ste was somewhat nonchnt.


    She thought to herself. ¡®Now I know why Felicity always said that I¡¯m bad at detecting the bitch in


    someone. I¡¯ve never thought that Jaylene could be someone like this at all.¡¯


    Ste had always thought that although she did not know Jaylene very well, they had no conflict of


    interest with each other. So, there was no reason for Jaylene to give her problems.


    However, it seemed like the conflict between them was enormous. Not only that they have a conflict


    involving family and status, but also the person they both love.


    That was why Ste figured that Jaylene would definitely hold grudges against her.


    She smiled and said as she thought about that. ¡°If any of you are interested, I¡¯ll be performing at Rivera


    Theater for the y, ¡®Thunderstorm,¡¯ on the 27th of every month. You¡¯re all wee toe.¡±


    Jaylene¡¯s friend snorted. ¡°Are you here to promote your y? Are you that desperate for money? Can¡¯t


    you just attend someone else¡¯s birthday party without trying to sell tickets to your own y?¡±


    Ste swept her gaze across that person as if she was an ignorant piece of trash. ¡°Of course. Why


    would I want to perform for you for free?¡±

 Chapter 1315

    Chapter 1315


    Chapter 1315


    That person got so angry that sheughed. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re acting superior now just because you¡¯re in a


    y, huh? Is money all you care about?¡±


    Steughed too. ¡°I can¡¯t believe one can be so entitled while asking for free stuff. I¡¯m impressed. Ms.


    Dunphy, does your family have problems affording a ticket? Are you always trying to watch free ys


    wherever you go? Is your family¡­ bankrupt?¡±


    Indeed, Ms. Dunphy¡¯s family was facing some financial issues, and Ste¡¯s words struck a nerve in Ms.


    Dunphy¡¯s heart, regardless of whether Ste said that intentionally or not. She got so angry that her


    face immediately turned red.


    Jaylene quickly chimed in, ¡°Ste, Ms. Dunphy is just a straightforward person. She means no harm.¡±


    Ste smiled. ¡°That¡¯s why I was just joking as well. Why isn¡¯t anyoneughing?¡±


    Everyone kept quiet.


    Molly swept her gaze across Ste and said, ¡°A joke is only funny when the person being joked about


    finds it funny.


    Otherwise, it¡¯s simply impolite.¡±


    Ste turned to the heiress of the Moore family, who got so scared of a mouse, and said, ¡°Ms. Moore, if


    you¡¯re such a polite person, why didn¡¯t you say anything when thedies were belittling my profession


    earlier?¡±


    Molly looked at her captivating face. She could not help but think of how Trevor came inside the hall


    while holding her hand as her expression darkened.


    ¡°They were simply joking. How could you not tell?¡±


    Ste used Molly¡¯s own words to retort, ¡°A joke is only funny when the person being joked about finds it


    funny. However, I didn¡¯t find it funny at all.¡±


    She was indirectly criticizing Molly for having double standards.


    Molly looked coldly at her. ¡°Well, I can only say that you have a small heart and can¡¯t take a joke.¡±


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    Steughed. ¡°You¡¯re right, but at least I consider myself much braver than you, Ms. Moore. I can


    never imagine myself being so scared of a mouse that I would cry.¡±


    Molly¡¯s expression turned ugly. Obviously, she remembered how embarrassed she got at Duncan¡¯s


    wedding because Marshall¡¯s girlfriend pranked her.


    She got so scared of the mouse that she threw it on the bride, causing her to fall and almost have a


    miscarriage. The Lowe family came after her, and her grandfather openly punished her by spanking her


    palm with a ruler in front of everyone. The shame she felt at that moment still lingered in her memory.


    Now that Ste brought it up again, her embarrassment returned. However, she could not figure out


    how Ste knew about it.


    ¡®She wasn¡¯t there that day, right?¡¯ Molly thought to herself.


    Molly stared at Ste. Suddenly, she felt like the mocking gaze she saw in Ste¡¯s eyes oddly


    resembled the bitch who had made a fool out of her that day!


    She came up with a bold assumption after thinking about the heavy makeup on that woman¡¯s face.


    Then, she gritted her teeth and asked, ¡°You¡¯re Celeste Thompson, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Ste swept her gaze across her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    Molly became more convinced that her assumption was right.


    She felt like choking Ste to death right there when she thought about how embarrassed Ste made


    her look and even got punished by her grandfather.


    Molly sneered, ¡°Ste Jewell, you¡¯re pretty shameless.


    You¡¯re neither a part of the Kane family nor the Jewell family anymore. Who do you think you are to be


    attending this party today?¡±


    Ste directed the question to Jaylene, who looked embarrassed after trying to break up the argument


    several times. ¡°That¡¯s something you should be asking Ms. Saun. After all, she was the one who asked


    Trevor to personally invite me here. Otherwise, I really wouldn¡¯t want toe.¡±


    Jaylene paused. She was not expecting Ste to say that at all.


    At that moment, Molly¡¯s expression turned even more unpleasant. She looked at Jaylene somewhat


    resentfully.


    ¡®Jaylene knows very well that I¡¯m interested in Trevor. Why would she still ask him to personally invite


    Ste here?¡¯ Molly wondered to herself.


    Obviously, Jaylene noticed Molly¡¯s resentful gaze too, but she could not tell Molly the exact reason why


    she did that.


    She only invited Ste because Ste was going to return to the Saun family in the future, and that left


    her no choice but to invite her.

 Chapter 1316

    Chapter 1316


    Chapter 1316


    However, Ste¡¯s real identity was not publicly announced yet. Jaylene¡¯s father and brother repeatedly


    reminded her to keep it a secret, so she could not reveal the rtionship between Ste and Trevor.


    That was why she had no choice but to endure Molly¡¯s resentment toward her without telling her the


    truth.


    Jaylene looked at Ste and realized how nonchnt she looked, as if she did not just deliberately put


    her in such a difficult position. So, Jaylene could only swallow the bitter pill.


    She suppressed her unpleasant feelings and said lowly,¡± Ste is my guest, and I¡¯m d she could


    make time and attend my party today. I apologize to everyone here if her presence made any of you


    unhappy. It¡¯s my birthday today, and I hope all of you can ept my apology.¡±


    So, thedies stopped talking.


    Ste gazed at Jaylene.


    Jaylene was very smart with her words. She did not explicitly say that she was apologizing on Ste¡¯s


    behalf, yet she mentioned her name and subtly shifted the me onto her.


    However, Jaylene had already openly apologized. Ste figured that she would make herself look petty


    if she were to argue any further. So, she pursed her lips and stopped speaking too.


    As for Molly, her expression still looked very gloomy as she stared at Ste¡¯s face.


    At eight o¡¯clock, Jaylene went up the stage and gave a speech in her elegant attire.


    Ste watched it from afar while holding a ss of wine in her hand.


    Keegan was still chatting with the other guys and could not excuse himself at the moment. Felicity was


    worried that someone would mistreat Ste, so she ditched Vermont and went to find her best friend.


    ¡°Ste, did the hypocrite bully you?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Ste smiled. ¡°Am I that weak to you? Do you think just anyone can bully me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just worried, okay? I wanted toe over when you were surrounded by that group of people just


    now, but Stinky Cucumber just wouldn¡¯t let me. I was really worried.¡±


    Ste paused for a moment and then smiled.


    She was still debating whether to trust Vermont or not, fearing that he might just be ying with


    Felicity¡¯s heart. She was unconvinced when Keegan told her that she was just overthinking, but she


    finally realized that she was wrong about Vermont.


    With how straightforward Felicity was, she figured that Felicity would definitely draw attention and


    criticism toward herself under a circumstance like that. So, Vermont not allowing her toe over was


    simply a way of protecting her.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Ste said softly, ¡°You¡¯re right about something.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Jaylene doesn¡¯t like me.¡±


    Felicity immediately got excited. ¡°Right! I told you! She enjoyed everything that should¡¯ve been yours


    for twenty years. However, you came back out of nowhere and could possibly take everything away


    from her. How could she not hate you?¡±


    Ste pursed her lips and said, ¡°But I saved her life before. Is she just going to ignore that?¡±


    ¡°Well, Ms. Spade supported Homewrecker Hylda back then too. Look at what she did in return. Don¡¯t


    underestimate a person¡¯s greed. People can do awful things when blinded by it.¡±


    As they were chatting, a few waiters came in with a giant cake on a cart. The cake was a replica of the


    Disney Castle with tons of details on it.


    The guests could not help but be impressed when they saw the cake.


    After all, girls could never resist something like that. So they went forward to take photos with it one


    after another.


    Felicity was shocked too. ¡°This cake has got to cost a fortune, huh?¡±

 Chapter 1317

    Chapter 1317


    Chapter 1317


    Ste did not know how much the cake cost, but she knew that custom-made cakes like that were


    expensive. During Keegan¡¯s birthday, she contemted ordering a Lunashaped cake for him. However,


    after inquiring about the price, she had second thoughts and ended up settling for a ck swan design.


    Although it was still costly, Ste decided to splurge a little for the special asion. After all, Keegan


    had worked tirelessly to earn his ie, which he mostly spent on her. Now, looking at Jaylene¡¯s


    intricately designed cake, Ste suddenly felt she was frugal.


    Everyone in the room pped after Jaylene made a wish and blew out the candles. Trevor wanted to


    capture the moment on his phone, but it suddenly rang. He asked his friend to record the scene and


    stepped away to take the call.


    Following that, one of Jaylene¡¯s friends initiated a game.¡± Alright, everyone, let¡¯s y a game. Jaylene


    will throw this handkerchief, and whoever catches it will have the honor of sharing the first dance with


    her.¡±


    Ste was puzzled and turned to Felicity to ask, ¡°What kind of game is this?¡±


    ¡°Jaylene clearly has her eyes set on someone. She must¡¯ve asked her friend to create an opportunity


    for her to dance with her crush.¡± Felicity grunted.


    ¡°Really? That sounds a littleme.¡±


    But nobody cared about how tacky the n was as long as it worked.


    Jaylene tried to reject the idea but was unable to resist her friends. She ced an evesting flower


    into the handkerchief and nced around the room. Then, she turned around and threw the cloth into


    the air.


    The men in the crowd eagerly reached out to catch the handkerchief while others dodged it.


    Keegan was about to approach Ste after he finally managed to get away from the group when the


    handkerchief unexpectedlynded right in front of him. Instinctively, he reached out and caught it.


    All eyes turned toward Keegan as he stood almost theatrically with the fabric in hand. He was


    speechless.


    ¡°Mr. Kane caught it!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fate!¡±


    ¡°I heard they¡¯ve known each other since they were kids. It seems destiny is at y here.¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness Keegan got divorced. Otherwise, this would have been so awkward.¡±


    ¡°That divorce is a blessing. Only after separation can new opportunities arise. Ms. Saun and Mr. Kane


    are a match made in heaven.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face grew dark. He nced at Ste, only to find


    that his girlfriend was visibly displeased and had no intention of looking his way.


    Jaylene made her way through the crowd and stood next to Keegan, her eyes gleaming with


    excitement. ¡°Did you catch it, Mr. Kane?¡± She asked in a soft tone.


    With a stoic expression, Keegan handed the handkerchief to Vermont, who was standing nearby


    observing the unfolding drama. ¡°My friend here has been wanting to share a dance with you, Ms. Saun.


    I was only stepping in on his behalf.¡±N?velDrama.Org content.


    Vermont could not believe what he was hearing. ¡®The audacity. This dude only uses me as a scapegoat


    when things go wrong and makes fun of me left and right when things are fine!¡¯


    Although perturbed by Keegan¡¯s behavior, Vermont was a man of principle. Considering Jaylene¡¯s ties


    to the Saun family and their connection to Ste, he understood the need to address the situation


    quickly. Having both of the Saun¡¯s daughters interested in Keegan would not bode well for his


    rtionship with the Saun family.


    So Vermont grabbed the handkerchief and said with a smile, ¡°It would be an honor to share this dance


    with you, Ms. Saun. ¡± He then held out his hand and invited her to dance.


    Jaylene¡¯s expression froze for a moment.


    That was when one of her friends chimed in, ¡°Whoever catches the handkerchief has to dance with the


    birthday girl. You can¡¯t catch it on behalf of someone else, Mr. Kane. Are you turning Jaylene down


    because you despise her?¡±


    Vermont clicked his tongue and said, ¡°Ms. Sullivan, would Keegan show up if he despises Ms. Saun?


    Nobody said that having someone else catch the handkerchief on their behalf wasn¡¯t allowed. It seems


    more likely that Ms. Saun doesn¡¯t want to dance with me. If that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t press the matter


    anymore¡­¡±

 Chapter 1318

    Chapter 1318


    Chapter 1318


    Jaylene suppressed her emotions and offered a gracious smile, ¡°Mr. Snyder, I believe you might be


    overthinking things. Dancing with you is truly an honor.¡±


    Vermont smiled as he extended his hand and said, ¡°Shall we?¡±


    ¡°Is that Stinky Cucumber falling for that wolf?! What a mutt! He just can¡¯t think straight when a pretty girl


    is around!¡± Felicity muttered angrily.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste whispered to Felicity¡¯s ear, ¡°He¡¯s just dancing with her on Keegan¡¯s behalf.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eyes widened in realization. ¡°Is the wolf interested in Keegan?¡±


    ¡°I think she has some feelings for him,¡± Ste confirmed.


    ¡°I knew it!¡± Felicity huffed. ¡°She did have her eyes set on someone when she yed that handkerchief


    game!¡±


    Keegan approached the two women in the middle of their conversation.


    ¡°Wanna dance?¡± He asked Ste.


    Ste nced at him and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll step on your toes?¡±


    Keegan chuckled softly, his voice a low murmur, ¡°I¡¯ll match your rhythm.¡±


    Ste gave him a sidelong nce and slightly raised her hand. Keegan then gracefully led her onto the


    dance floor. As his hand settled on her waist, Ste could not help but ask, ¡°Do you still think I¡¯m


    making things up?¡±


    Keeganughed and leaned close to her ear as he said, ¡°Not at all, honey.¡±


    ¡°So, how do you feel?¡± Ste teased.


    Keegan seemed clueless. ¡°How do I feel about..?¡±


    ¡°About a wealthy and well-sought-after heiress having feelings for you,¡± Ste continued.


    ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s not that great. Even if we hadn¡¯t reconciled, she should¡¯ve been more discreet with it,


    given our connection,¡± Keegan stated.


    In Keegan¡¯s perspective, Jaylene and Ste were practically sisters due to their ties to the Saun family,


    despite theck of blood rtion. Having been married to Ste, Keegan viewed Jaylene¡¯s interest in


    him as inappropriate.


    He understood she could not necessarily control her emotions but expected her to have morals. Hence,


    Keegan found it disturbing that Jaylene had a crush on him.


    Ste was satisfied with his response. ¡°It¡¯s just a dance. You could¡¯ve taken her up on it. Isn¡¯t it a little


    unfair to Vermont that you added him into the equation?¡± She continued.


    Keegan knew Ste was only acting fine with it because he had already rejected Jaylene. ¡®I would be in


    for quite a ride the whole day¡­ No, the whole month if I danced with her.¡¯


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter as long as you¡¯re happy. I can¡¯t cater to everyone¡¯s emotions,¡± he responded.


    Ste was d to hear that.


    Meanwhile, Vermont led Jaylene in a slow dance on the other side of the room. However, Jaylene¡¯s


    gaze asionally wandered off.


    Vermont followed her line of sight and saw Keegan conversing with Ste. Keegan¡¯s demeanor was


    warm, and his eyes radiated happiness. On the other hand, Jaylene looked disappointed and bitter.


    ¡°Finding the dance with me boring, Ms. Saun?¡± Vermont asked.


    Jaylene snapped back to reality and looked at him. ¡°No. I just feel a little stressed out since you have a


    girlfriend, Mr. Snyder.¡±


    Vermont smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s just a dance. I¡¯m sure my partner wouldn¡¯t mind. If you¡¯re so concerned


    about me being in a rtionship, you should¡¯ve thrown the handkerchief slightly off-center, Ms. Saun.


    After all, Keegan and I both have partners.¡±


    Jaylene paused and asked, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Take a look at Keegan. Does he appear single to you?¡± Vermont continued.

 Chapter 1319

    Chapter 1319


    Jaylene was stunned after hearing from Vermont that Keegan was not single.


    Seeing that she pursed her lips, Vermont chose not to push the matter further. He did not know Jaylene


    well and was not particrly close to Trevor either. Therefore, he could not urately judge Jaylene¡¯s


    character. However, he was aware that her feelings could causeplications for Keegan. Since


    Keegan found it hard to bring up the subject, Vermont decided to offer Jaylene a subtle hint.


    After the dance, Vermont left the floor to find Felicity.


    Felicity was sitting in a corner, eating some lobster. When Vermont walked over, she nced at him


    and decided not to acknowledge him.


    Vermont leaned closer and said, ¡°Hey, baby, why the long face?¡±


    Felicity shot him a re. ¡°Don¡¯t call me baby! It¡¯s gross!¡±


    Vermont chuckled and sat beside her. He put his arms over her shoulders and asked in a warm voice,


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you in such a grumpy mood?¡±


    ¡°How does it feel to have your hands all over the wolfs waist?¡± Felicity asked.


    ¡®Is she referring to Jaylene?¡¯thought Vermont. He pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Not gonna lie, it


    feels kinda good.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eyes red up. ¡°You perv! And you said your lower half doesn¡¯t work!¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t. That¡¯s why I have to touch someone to know if I¡¯m attracted to them. I wouldn¡¯t have to do


    this with you if otherwise,¡± Vermont sighed.


    Felicity was caught off guard. ¡®Is he saying that he¡¯s only pretending to be in a rtionship with me


    because he can¡¯t perform sexually? Am I not his first choice?¡± She thought.


    Felicity could feel her chest tighten, making it hard to down the food in front of her. Her lips trembled as


    she looked at him with tears in her eyes, ¡°Do you think I want to be in this situation? I can¡¯t wait for you


    to get better so I don¡¯t have to deal with you anymore!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why are you suddenly so angry?¡± Vermont asked, all confused.


    Annoyed, Felicity pushed his arm away and snapped, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business!¡±


    Vermont was at a loss for words. ¡®Did I say something wrong? Why is she mad?¡¯ He thought, not


    knowing how his words sounded to Felicity.


    Unlike Keegan, who would have kept guessing, Vermont decided to ask her directly, ¡°Are you okay,


    miss bandit?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Felicity huffed with frustration.


    ¡®Then why doesn¡¯t it sound like she¡¯s fine?¡¯


    Vermont gently held her hand and asked, ¡°Did I say something that upset you?¡±


    His tender voice made Felicity realize how irrational she was being. Vermont had not said anything


    wrong. ¡®It¡¯s true that he wouldn¡¯t be in this condition if it weren¡¯t for me.


    But¡­ hearing him put it that way makes me feel uneasy.¡¯


    Slowly, Felicity realized that she might be feeling jealous. She did not want to see Vermont dancing


    with Jaylene or hear him say that he had chosen her out of necessity.


    ¡®Am I¡­ developing feelings for Vermont?¡¯ She thought. ¡®No. That¡¯s impossible!¡¯


    Felicity stood up, and her actions shook the table. Vermont was surprised. ¡°Where are you going?¡± he


    asked.


    Felicity gave him a strange look, then quickly shifted her gaze away. ¡°I need to use the restroom,¡± she


    said and left the venue without waiting for a response.


    As Felicity walked away, she pped herself, thinking, ¡®It must be the alcohol. There¡¯s no way I have


    feelings for that Stinky Cucumber!¡¯

 Chapter 1320

    Chapter 1320


    Chapter 1320


    ¡®It¡¯s one thing to have a string of bad romantic encounters, but it¡¯s another when his genitals can¡¯t even


    function correctly!¡¯ Felicity muttered to herself. ¡®I can¡¯t possibly like Vermont. It must be because of all


    the time I¡¯ve spent with himtely. I¡¯ve always been into brilliant schrs like Doctor Steven!¡±


    Soon, Marshall showed up at the party. He bumped into Felicity at the entrance, but she left before he


    could greet her. He surveyed the room and spotted Vermont sitting in a corner with a slightly furrowed


    brow.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°Why are you sitting here all alone?¡± Marshall asked.


    Hearing that, Vermont snapped out of his thoughts and invited Marshall to take a seat.


    ¡°The others are probably changing right now to soak in the hot spring,¡± answered Vermont. He then


    paused momentarily before adding, ¡°Why are youte?¡±


    ¡°I had some work to do at thew firm,¡± Marshall replied, taking a sip from the ss of water the server


    had brought him. ¡°What¡¯s up with Ms. Thompson? I ran into her earlier, and she seemed a bit off. She


    didn¡¯t even acknowledge me when I said hello.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea,¡± Vermont replied in frustration. ¡°She¡¯s acting so weird. She got angry out of nowhere


    when we were talking just now.¡±


    Marshall let out a chuckle when he heard that.


    Vermont nced at him and asked, ¡°What are youughing at?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯mughing at the fact that despite having so much dating experience, you still seem clueless about


    how women think.¡±


    Vermont was not about to let that slide. ¡°You do know that you¡¯re single, right?¡±


    Marshall did not know what to say.


    ¡°You¡¯re not getting any younger, Marshall. Meet up with the girls your mom sets you up with and give


    them a chance. Your mom is growing older by the day. You should find someone so she stops worrying


    about you,¡± Vermont continued.


    ¡°Yeah. I know,¡± Marshall replied.


    Vermont patted Marshall¡¯s shoulder and rose to his feet.¡± I¡¯m going out to look around. Catch youter.¡±


    Felicity was freshening up in the restroom when she received a call from Ste swimsuit. After all, the


    day¡¯s main activity was to soak in the hot springs.


    Even though Felicity and Ste were open and bold on social media, they opted for modest swimwear.


    Ste did not feelfortable wearing something revealing with so many people around. So, she went


    for a patterned tankini. Meanwhile, Felicity wore a one-piece swimsuit


    because she felt insecure about her belly.


    Ste owned numerous stunning bikinis. Unfortunately, Keegan was not one for swimming, which


    limited her chances of showcasing them.


    After changing, the two lingered on the upper floor for a while.


    Felicity leaned against the balcony as she looked toward the hot springs. She intended to wait until


    more people arrived so she would not feel awkward.


    She turned to Ste a whileter and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go down now. It looks like everyone is already there.¡±


    There were a few hot springs at Onsen Vi to spare strangers from the difort of soaking together.


    Vermont spotted Felicity and Ste when they arrived. He waved them over in his swim trunks,


    disying an impressive physique.


    Upon seeing him, Felicity instinctively turned and pulled Ste in the opposite direction.


    Ste held her back and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be near him,¡± Felicity pouted.


    Ste was surprised to hear that. ¡°Did you two have a disagreement?¡±


    Felicity frowned, uncertain how to proceed. After a brief pause, she muttered, ¡°I¡¯m mad at him.¡±


    ¡°What did he do to upset you?¡± Ste inquired.


    Felicity bit her lip. ¡®I can¡¯t tell her I¡¯ve fallen for Vermont when he doesn¡¯t feel the same, can I? No. Wait.


    I don¡¯t like him. How could I possibly fall for a yboy?¡¯


    Ste saw that her best friend was struggling toe up with an exnation. Hence, she offered her


    some reassurance. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s normal for couples to argue. Let me know what he did, and I¡¯ll give


    him a piece of my mindter.¡±


    After a bit of coaxing, Ste managed to persuade Felicity to turn around.


    Vermont had already secured a prime spot at that time. When he saw Felicity, he promptly stood up


    and said, ¡°Here. You can have my spot.¡±


    ¡®Why the hell is he being so nice to me right now?!¡¯ thought Felicity.

 Chapter 1321

    Chapter 1321


    Chapter 1321


    Vermont often had a way with words. He was also good with his actions, making it hard toin.


    Even Felicity had to admit that her grudge seemed somewhat unreasonable.


    ¡®It seems like I can¡¯t be mad at him now. He¡¯s not to me when I¡¯m the one who has feelings for him,¡¯


    she thought.


    As Felicity stepped into the water, Vermont took her hand.¡± Here. Hold onto me. Don¡¯t slip.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s head was in a mess at that point. In the end, she found herself sitting where Vermont had


    saved for her.


    Following that, Vermont settled beside her and extended his arm protectively around her. ¡°Feels nice,


    right?¡± He tilted his head and said.


    Felicity was about to answer when Vermont¡¯s well-defined chest appeared before her eyes. She could


    vaguely see his firm abs under the water.


    This sent her into a whirlwind of emotions.


    ¡®Why doesn¡¯t he have a beer belly? Considering his indulgent lifestyle, shouldn¡¯t he be carrying some


    extra weight? How is it possible that he looks like a fitness model? I¡¯ve been cooking him good food


    these few days. Why is he still so fit when I gained 7lbs despite eating less than before?¡¯ Felicity


    wondered.


    Little did she know that Vermont had put in extra hours at the gym to win her over. Every day after


    dinner, he would dedicate two hours to working out to burn the extra calories. He wanted to look his


    best while trying to capture her heart, and his efforts seemed to pay off.


    Felicity¡¯s gaze lingered on Vermont¡¯s physique, her eyes widening in appreciation.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Seeing this, Vermont leaned in and whispered, ¡°Do you want to touch it?¡±


    ¡°Of course¡­ not!¡± Felicity snapped back to reality, her face red as she red at him. ¡°You pervert!¡±


    Felicity¡¯s response made Vermontugh, causing his chest to vibrate and create ripples in the water.


    ¡°All the other girls are wearing bikinis. Why are you all covered up? It¡¯s pretty hot in here.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I want to be in this? I don¡¯t have a tiny waist or thin legs. I¡¯d be ridiculed if I wore a bikini!¡±


    Felicity replied, annoyed.


    Vermont was momentarily taken aback upon hearing that. He smiled and said, ¡°You should know that


    curvy bodies are just as beautiful as slender ones. Plus, the dream bods you see in the media are often


    unrealistic. Do you think those celebrities actually want to be that skinny? They do it for the camera. Do


    you know that some only consume carbs once every few days?¡±


    ¡°Why not every day?¡±


    ¡°Because they want to maintain their figure and don¡¯t have time to hit the gym. Their schedules are


    packed. So, they resort to controlling their diet. Be Young once went seventeen days without carbs


    just to appear better on camera. Though she looks good on screen, we both know how she looks in


    real life,¡± Vermont exined.


    ¡®Oh, please. She doesn¡¯t even look that great on screen. Her fans are the ones who find her pretty,¡¯


    thought Felicity.


    Seeing her zone out, Vermont yfully poked her belly, saying, ¡°Women naturally umte fat in


    their lower abdomen more than men because they¡¯re designed to bear children. It¡¯s a protective


    mechanism forthem and the baby.¡±


    ¡°Stop spewing baseless nonsense!¡± said Felicity as she swatted his hand away.


    Vermont chuckled and leaned closer, whispering in her ear,¡± I find it cute.¡±


    Felicity was not even remotely overweight; she only had a belly that was noticeable when she sat


    down. She had muscles in her arms and legs and was curvy from the front and back. However, she


    usually wore casual clothes that didn¡¯t emphasize her figure, like the one-piece swimsuit she was


    wearing. Yet even in this modest attire, she still garnered plenty of attention on her way to the hot


    spring.


    Her figure was truly captivating.


    Felicity nced at Vermont coldly and said, ¡°It sounds so weirding from you. Didn¡¯t all your ex-


    girlfriends have big boobs, tiny waists, and slender legs?¡±


    Vermont was momentarily speechless when he heard that. He cleared his throat and said, ¡°Those were


    my younger days. Men tend to be shallow and often only go for looks when they¡¯re young. But I¡¯ve


    matured now.¡±

 Chapter 1322

    Chapter 1322


    Chapter 1322


    Felicity only caught the first part of Vermont¡¯s exnation and thought, ¡®I knew he¡¯s into the small-


    waisted and busty type-a ssic yboy.¡¯


    Meanwhile, Ste had decided not to get in the water with Felicity and Vermont. Instead, she wanted to


    swim in the pool nearby.


    When Keegan heard about her ns, he immediately wanted to join. ¡°You don¡¯t even know how to


    swim. Are you going to just sit there and watch me? Stay here and enjoy the water. I¡¯ll be back after a


    fewps,¡± said Ste.


    But Keegan was insistent. ¡°Teach me,¡± he said.


    Ste looked at him and continued, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t want to learn how to swim thest time I


    said I wanted to teach you?¡±


    ¡®Well, I can¡¯t just sit here and watch other men hit on you, can I?¡¯ Keegan asked himself. Though, he


    said, ¡°It¡¯s good to have another skill in my pocket. You never know when it mighte in handy.¡±


    Ste thought about it and agreed that having extra skills couldn¡¯t hurt. ¡®Plus, it¡¯d be nice if he could join


    me in the pool instead of being stuck on shore, just watching me swim all the time.¡¯


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go,¡± she said.


    The pool area was not too crowded. Ste led Keegan to the poolside, where they warmed up before


    getting in.


    Following that, she entered the water and encouraged him to follow.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    As Keegan dipped his leg into the pool, memories of his near -drowning experience as a child rushed


    into his mind. He instinctively pulled his foot back.


    Ste held onto his hand and encouraged him, saying, ¡°Take it slow. Step on the steps. I¡¯ll guide you.¡±


    Keegan gathered a ton of courage and slowly dipped his other foot in. Each step was a struggle for


    someone with a fear of water. But it was not as terrifying as he thought with his lover by his side.


    Keegan realized the water only reached his chest once he was fully in it. He could even touch the


    bottom of the pool with his feet. Feeling the ground beneath him, he gained some confidence. He let go


    of Ste¡¯s hand and stepped forward. However, he slipped and fell back into the water the moment he


    did that.


    Keegan thought his feet touching the bottom of the pool meant he was safe. However, the buoyant


    force in water caused it to be dangerous for people who do not know how to swim.


    Witnessing this, Ste reacted swiftly and dove in to rescue him. Keegan coughed up some water,


    holding onto her as he tried to catch his breath. His fair face flushed red from all the coughing.


    Once heposed himself, Ste handed him a 20-inch intable mingo and said, ¡°Hold onto this.


    Let¡¯s start by practicing your breathing.¡±


    Keegan looked at the bird-shaped pool float andined, ¡°Isn¡¯t this for kids? I don¡¯t want it!¡±


    Ste shot him a nce and said, ¡°No. Most kids don¡¯t use floaties. Only rookies like you, who can¡¯t


    swim, need them.¡±


    Her words left Keegan taken aback.


    ¡°Do you want to learn or not? If not. I¡¯m gonna swim by myself.¡±


    Keegan was reluctant, but he still clung to the unappealing intable mingo.


    He paid close attention as Ste proceeded to teach him how to breathe while swimming. But when his


    head dipped into the water, it immediately popped back up. He grimaced and said, ¡°The water got in


    my ears.¡±


    Ste was patient at first but grew frustrated as time passed. ¡°As long as it doesn¡¯t get into your brain,


    you¡¯re fine. Come on. Are you gonna give up?¡±


    Keegan still had some reservations about continuing but wanted to stick around. As he thought hard


    about how to keep Ste close, a familiar voice sounded from beside them, ¡°Hey, Ste. Wanna race?¡±

 Chapter 1323

    Chapter 1323


    Chapter 1323


    Ste turned to see Marshall smiling at her in the water not too far away. He wore a short-sleeved


    swimsuit, no longer concealing his scarred arms that he used to keep hidden under long sleeves.


    The sudden change surprised Ste. She had always seen Marshall as someone who was a bit


    reserved. ¡®It must have taken a lot of determination to make such change,¡¯ she thought.


    Ste was not one to hold back her praise, so she gave him a thumbs-up and said, ¡°Looking dashing,


    Mr. Moore!¡±


    Seemingly a bit shy, Marshall looked down, and his ears turned red.


    Keegan¡¯s eyes twitched upon seeing that. ¡®Why the hell is he blushing?!¡¯ He pushed Ste¡¯s raised


    thumb back into the water and said, ¡°I¡¯m not done learning yet!¡±


    His reaction left Ste at a loss for words. ¡°You¡¯re never gonna learn how to swim if you don¡¯t get your


    breathing right, ¡± she said.


    ¡°The water keeps getting into my ears. It¡¯s ufortable,¡± Keegan pouted.


    ¡°Then¡­ You can just float around with your mingo,¡± Ste said as she let go of him.


    After that, she dove into the water and swam a few feet


    away. When she resurfaced, she nced back at Keegan with a smile and mouthed a few words


    before diving back down.


    Marshall could see how exasperated Keegan was and focused his ¡®Nice bird,¡± hemented before


    swimming after Ste.


    Keegan was not happy. He red at the pink mingo and had an irrational desire to strangle it.


    Ste was a good swimmer. She switched between freestyle, breaststroke, and backstroke effortlessly,


    maintaining a steady pace.


    Meanwhile, Marshall trailed not too far behind.


    Ste finally stopped afterpleting twops around the pool. It had been a while since shest


    swam; it was more tiring than anticipated. She might have considered giving up after the firstp if


    Marshall had not been behind her.


    Resting her arms on the pool¡¯s edge, she caught her breath and steadied herself. She then stole a


    nce at Marshall, who appeared unfazed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t breathe through your mouth, and remember to take slow breaths,¡± he advised. To Marshall,


    thoseps were as easy as walking a few steps.


    After a while, Ste¡¯s breathing began to stabilize. Impressed, she said, ¡°Your stamina is quite


    impressive, Mr.


    Moore.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Marshall chuckled and said, ¡°Back when I was abroad, I participated in swimming marathons. I trained


    extensively during that time. I guess it¡¯s just muscle memory.¡±


    Ste was shocked to hear that. ¡®I didn¡¯t know he was a professional,¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°I saw the attorney profiles at your firm before, and it says that you¡¯re into skydiving and scuba diving.


    You¡¯re quite the thrill-seeker. Is it safe to do these extreme sports?¡±


    ¡°It can be dangerous when doing those activities, but with proper precautions, the rush of the


    experience often outweighs those risks. Plus, exercising is a great way to release built-up stress,¡±


    Marshall exined.


    Keegan also often exercised to dpress.


    Ste pondered for a moment and asked, ¡°Mr. Moore, you and Keegan grew up together. Was he


    always this afraid of going into the water?¡±


    Marshall seemed somewhat surprised upon hearing that.¡± He never told you?¡±


    ¡°Told me what?¡±


    ¡°He had a near-drowning experience as a kid.¡±


    Ste was taken aback. ¡®Keegan has never shared this incident with me before. But then again, I hadn¡¯t


    explicitly asked him about it either. I guess I can¡¯t me that guy since he only reveals things when


    prodded.¡¯

 Chapter 1324

    Chapter 1324


    Chapter 1324


    With those thoughts in mind, Ste inquired, ¡°How did he nearly drown?¡±


    Ste found it strange that Keegan had a near-drowning experience when he was younger since


    Cordelia always kept an eye on her beloved grandson.


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about the specifics. All I remember is that it was pretty serious, and he was in aa


    for three days. He didn¡¯t want to talk about the incident when he woke up, so we didn¡¯t press him for


    details,¡± said Marshall.


    However, the actual circumstances were even more perilous than Marshall¡¯s ount. When Keegan


    was still unconscious, he was diagnosed to be in critical condition multiple times. Doctors said that the


    longer he remained in aa, the higher the chance he was brain dead.


    At that point, the Kane family had even started contacting funeral services. Fortunately, Keegan was


    able to escape from the brink of death.


    Given such an experience, it was only natural that Keegan developed a phobia of water. Ste then


    understood why he was reluctant to swim.


    Keegan watched from a distance as Ste conversed with Marshall. Clutching onto the mingo-


    shaped pool float, he sshed about for a bit, only to realize he had barely moved a few inches away


    from where he first started. That was


    when he realized the importance of being able to swim. He did not like the fact that all he could do was


    helplessly watch on the side with his mingo float as his partner talked to someone else.


    Keegan hyped himself up and took a deep breath. He submerged himself in the water while recalling


    what Ste had taught him earlier. Initially, he felt suffocated. His fear of water caused him to panic.


    However, Ste¡¯s guidance echoed in his mind, eventually soothing his nerves and allowing him to


    gradually get the hang of it.


    At the same time, Ste would frequently nce at Keegan while chatting with Marshall. Her


    expression rxed when she saw him practicing.


    But soon, she felt that something was off. Keegan had been underwater for half a minute and had not


    resurfaced.


    Ste¡¯s chest tightened, and she quickly swam toward Keegan.


    Upon reaching the mingo-shaped pool float, she saw that Keegan was still underwater. Worried for


    his safety, she plunged into the water immediately,


    Yet, before she could even assess the situation, she could feel a pair of arms wrapped around her


    waist and soft lips pressed against hers.


    Relief flooded through Ste, swiftly followed by annoyance at Keegan¡¯s antics. She sucked the air out


    of his mouth and pulled away from the kiss.


    Since Keegan was still a beginner, he quickly ran out of breath. He pushed her away and swam to the


    surface. He then grabbed onto the mingo and gasped for air.


    Following that, Ste emerged from the water and said,¡± Hah! You¡¯re such a noob!¡±


    Keegan leered at her and said, ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re an irresponsible teacher. You literally went off to


    chat with someone else while you were teaching me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you couldn¡¯t stopining about water getting into your ears,¡± said Ste with a


    straight face.


    Keegan did not know what to say. He pressed his lips together and mumbled, ¡°I was ufortable¡­¡±


    ¡°Please. You were just ying coy and acting helpless. Did you act this way with your coach when you


    were learning martial arts? Did you ask him to hold in his arms and coddle you?¡±


    Keegan remained silent. ¡®Why would I do that?¡¯ he thought.


    ¡°If you want to learn something, learn it right. Don¡¯t think acting cute and helpless will get you out of


    your situation. You might¡¯ve fooled me earlier, but what¡¯s going to happen when you¡¯re in the water and


    I¡¯m not there?¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®I wouldn¡¯t go in the water if you weren¡¯t there, duh!¡¯ Despite thinking that, Keegan acknowledged


    Ste¡¯s intentions and refrained from talking back at her.


    ¡°Does what you said earlier still stand?¡± he asked softly.

 Chapter 1325

    Chapter 1325


    Chapter 1325


    Ste gave him a sidelong nce and asked, ¡°What are you referring to?¡±


    ¡°You know¡­ When you mouthed that we¡¯d get remarried if I learned how to swim.¡± Keegan whispered.


    Initially, Ste said those words to motivate Keegan. However, after discovering his near-drowning


    incident from Marshall, she felt it was unfair to put that pressure on him.


    ¡°I would still marry you if you don¡¯t, but I do hope you¡¯d give it a try. My mom¡­ I mean, Ms. Spade used


    to tell me that it¡¯s always beneficial to acquire new skills. You never know when they mighte in


    handy. Swimming is a useful skill, so it¡¯d be good if you can learn. But if you can¡¯t, then no pressure. I


    can support you in the water,¡± she said softly.


    Keegan¡¯s heart melted at the sound of that. He gently pulled Ste¡¯s hand and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll give it


    another shot.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself to do it if you¡¯re scared. I only asked because I didn¡¯t know about your


    drowning incident,¡± said Ste.


    Keegan was surprised. ¡°Did Marshall tell you?¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°Is everyone aware except me?¡± She asked, a little annoyed.


    Keegan shook his head. ¡°Only a few people know about the incident. My grandma forbade anyone


    from spreading it out.¡±


    ¡°So, what happened exactly?¡±


    Keegan hesitated to tell the story. He paused for a long time before telling Ste everything.


    Keegan had nearly drowned at the age of six. Back then, Aurora was not born yet. Despite being the


    only son, Keegan did not receive much affection from Dahlia. For as long as he could remember, his


    mother¡¯s life revolved around indulging in luxury items and sipping afternoon tea with her friends. They


    would often discuss shallow topics in an attempt to one-up each other.


    Keegan could not fathom why his intelligent father had married such a superficial woman. All that there


    was to Dahlia was her beauty. She was materialistic, insincere, and arrogant.


    She had not been kind to Keegan, nor had she been particrly cruel. More often than not, she simply


    ignored his existence.


    Back then, Dahlia would invite the rich wives in her social circle and their children to celebrate


    Keegan¡¯s birthdays. Even though he was supposed to be the main character, Dahlia would exploit him


    as a means to showcase her status.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    She also used him to marry into the Kane family. Despite not actively participating in his upbringing,


    she would brag about him to outshine the other wives.


    Keegan was a fluent speaker, had a photographic memory, and a remarkable ability to learn. Hence,


    Dahlia believed her


    child had to be the best.


    When one of her friends mentioned that their son had won a school swimmingpetition, she felt she


    had been robbed of the limelight. In order to reim the spotlight, Dahlia falsely dered that her son


    was an excellent swimmer, too. Driven by vanity, she insisted that hepete against the other child.


    At that time, Keegan was too young to understand why his mother did not care for him like Marshall¡¯s


    or Trevor¡¯s mothers cared for them. Unable to grasp the situation, he always med himself. He would


    assume he was not good enough, which was why his mother did not like him.


    ¡°I told myself that I had to do better to make my mother happy. Seeing that she was excited about the


    competition, I decided to participate despite having just learned how to swim. Predictably, I lost my


    bnce in the water. At that point, the other child was already way ahead of me.¡±


    Seeing Keegan fall behind, Dahlia grew agitated and shouted for him to swim faster.


    While he struggled to stay afloat, images of his mother being disappointed and angry at him for losing


    thepetition appeared in his mind.


    What happened next was a blur. All Keegan could remember was waking up and seeing his dad sitting


    beside him with bloodshot eyes. Dahlia, on the other hand, stood far away. When she noticed Keegan


    was awake, her expression was not one of joy but of relief.


    ¡°That was when Grandma decided not to let my mother take care of me anymore,¡± said Keegan.

 Chapter 1326

    Chapter 1326


    Dahlia had never been apetent mother, especially to Keegan.


    After listening to his story, Ste struggled to find the right words. She wanted to ask Keegan why he


    cared about someone who treated him so poorly. But the question itself was unanswerable.


    ¡®People often cling to what they cannot have. Maybe he¡¯s hoping to receive some motherly love from


    Dahlia. Or perhaps he wants to fulfill his father¡¯s dying wish. Keegan is not a heartless person, which is


    probably why he suffered so much in hisplex rtionship with his mother,¡¯ thought Ste.


    ¡°We can¡¯t rewrite our past, but we can choose not to replicate our parents¡¯ behavior,¡± she sighed.


    ¡°Swimming really isn¡¯t as intimidating as it seems. I promise I¡¯ll be right there to save you if you fail.¡±


    Ste¡¯s gaze was soft yet determined. She was like a light in the darkness.


    Noticing this, Keegan smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Ste smiled back. ¡®Hold onto me, and let¡¯s practice breathing a few more times.¡±


    Just as Keegan was about to take her hand, Trevor showed up and asked,¡± What do you think you¡¯re


    doing?¡± He then positioned himself between them, effectively creating a barrier.


    His actions rendered Keegan speechless.


    ¡°I was just teaching him how to swim,¡± Ste replied.


    Trevor nced at Keegan and said, ¡°There are professional swimming instructors here. We can


    arrange something if Mr. Kane wants to learn. He shouldn¡¯t use it as an excuse to get close to you.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not¡ª¡± Ste tried to defend Keegan, but Trevor cut her off. ¡°A few male strippers are going to put


    on a showter. Come on. Let¡¯s get you the best seats in the house.¡±


    Hearing that, Ste¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°What male strippers?¡± She asked, momentarily forgetting she had a


    boyfriend.


    Keegan¡¯s face turned pale. ¡®Why is Trevor always giving me a hard time?¡¯


    ¡°Jaylene¡¯s friends hired them from a strip club for her birthday celebration, and I figured you might be


    into it.¡±


    Sensing Keegan¡¯s intense gaze, Ste chuckled awkwardly and said, ¡°I¡¯m not into it. I¡¯m just curious.¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go over to have a look. Stop giving out free swimming lessons to people who are clearly


    trying to take advantage of you,¡± said Trevor as he led Ste away, leaving Keegan dumbfounded with


    his mingo-shaped pool float.


    Marshall, who saw the whole ordeal, leaned against the poolside andughed.


    Hearing that, Keegan looked over and said, ¡°See that? You don¡¯t stand a chance with Trevor in the


    equation.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to trick me into putting myself in a dangerous situation and diverting it from you?¡±


    Marshall inquired.


    Keegan did not say a word.


    Marshall was clever. Even if he was unaware of Ste and Trevor¡¯s connection, he could still detect


    Keegan¡¯s tolerance toward Trevor. He knew Keegan was prodding him because he was not brave


    enough to challenge Trevor directly. ¡®Does he take me as a fool?¡¯ thought Marshall.


    Since his attempt at persuading Marshall failed, Keegan resorted to another tactic. ¡°I guess you don¡¯t


    really like her after all.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you worry about which male stripper Ste would want to sleep withter?¡± Marshall could


    not help but respond.


    This left Keegan speechless.

 Chapter 1327

    Chapter 1327


    Jaylene¡¯s birthday party was a st. It was evident that the rich knew how to have fun. Her group of


    close friends had invited over a dozen stunning and well-built male strippers to dance live at the event.


    While their dancing might not have been top-notch, the fact that they were all shirtless and gyrating


    was enough to set the scene on fire. A nce around the room revealed an array of chiseled muscles;


    the people¡¯s hormones were practically sizzling in the air.


    Felicity quickly stood up from the hot spring, eager to capture the scene on her phone. But Vermont


    wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her back. ¡°Don¡¯t forget you have a boyfriend. Show some


    respect, won¡¯t you?¡±


    Felicity did not care. She pushed Vermont¡¯s hand away and gritted her teeth, saying, ¡°After years of


    suppressing my desires, I finally get a taste of some eye candy, and you want to rain on my parade?


    Where¡¯s your humanity?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s lips twitched upon hearing that. He ced her hand against his chest and said in a low


    voice, ¡°Am I not enough to fulfill your desires? Why would you want to feast your eyes on others?¡±


    Felicity blushed as she withdrew her hand and red at him. ¡°Looking at you is quite the treat, but


    having a dozen men to ogle at is twelve times the fun! Now, shoo. The crowd is getting bigger. You¡¯re


    keeping me from the view.¡±


    Vermont realized it was no use trying to persuade Felicity. So, he lifted her out of the pool of water and


    said, ¡°I can take you straight to ¡®the view¡¯.¡±


    ¡®Let¡¯s see who would dare make a move on her with me watching.¡¯


    Having been in the entertainment industry for a while, Vermont was well aware of the dynamics and


    personalities within the circle. These male strippers were not just anyone; they were the offspring of


    wealthy elites. This high-end party was a haven for those hoping to catch the eye of rich heiresses or


    affluent wives, possibly making life easier for them.


    ¡®They¡¯re just a bunch of pretty ythings,¡¯ thought Vermont, who stayed away from this crowd despite


    having them at his birthday celebrations to amp up the atmosphere. ¡®After all, you never know whose


    bed these people had crawled out of before showing up at their gig.¡¯


    Felicity quickly located Ste, and the two fixated their gaze on the male strippers. The men were not


    only handsome, but their bodies were also very attractive. Felicity noticed that they were wearing even


    less clothing than she was. Their perfectly defined figures made her heart race.


    Felicity was flushed red as she leaned close to Ste and whispered, ¡°Third from the left.¡±


    Before Ste could identify who she was referring to, Vermont¡¯s eyes had already followed her


    instructions.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    The third person from the left was a biracial stripper. He was undeniably handsome, though not the


    most attractive among them. Vermont wondered why Felicity had singled him out until he noticed that


    the stripper¡¯s swim trunks seemed even tighter and more pronounced than the others.


    ¡®God damn it, Felicity!¡¯


    Vermont was so angry that he red at the stripper several times in a row. Meanwhile, the man was


    puzzled by the sudden chill he was feeling.


    ¡°Miss bandit, my wound is acting up a bit,¡± Vermont decided to act vulnerable, attempting to capture


    Felicity¡¯s attention.


    However, Felicity was engrossed in the show and furrowed her brow. ¡± You¡¯ve had that wound for quite


    some time now. How is it still bothering you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I can control it. Maybe I caught a chill from soaking in the hot spring.¡± Vermont replied.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why that would happen since you were fine soaking in the bathtub at home.¡±


    ¡°Well, the outdoors can be different,¡± Vermont justified.


    ¡°Then go to your room and rest.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t youe and take care of me?¡±


    Felicity found Vermont more and more annoying after she realized she had feelings for him. ¡°Can¡¯t you


    do it yourself? How am I supposed to nurse your sore ass? Do you want me to take off your pants and


    blow on it for you?¡±


    Vermont did not answer. ¡®That doesn¡¯t sound like a bad idea,¡¯ he thought.


    ¡°If you want to leave, go ahead. Don¡¯t bother me while I¡¯m looking at handsome men!¡± Felicity


    eximed.

 Chapter 1328

    Chapter 1328


    Vermont was infuriated, thinking that Felicity had probably gotten this attitude from Ste. ¡®Ugh! Can


    Keegane and control his woman?!¡¯ With a stern expression, Vermont sent Keegan a text: [If you


    don¡¯t get over here soon, your wife will be swept away by these strippers!]


    Meanwhile, the male strippers surrounded Jaylene, showering her with flowers and toasts, treating her


    like royalty. Felicity turned to Ste and said, ¡°Ste, remember to invite thirty male strippers for your


    next birthday and have them carry you on their backs. Don¡¯t let this wolf upstage you!¡±


    Ste chuckled and said, ¡°Sure. I don¡¯t see why not.¡± She only hoped Keegan would not get jealous


    and shut down the strip club.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Soon, Keegan and Marshall arrived at the scene. Marshall, who had seen all kinds of things when he


    was abroad, appeared unfazed.


    ¡°This is quite the birthday bash,¡± remarked Keegan. He then positioned himself before Ste and


    blocked her view, not allowing her to watch the male strippers.


    ¡®Who the hell called Keegan over?¡¯ thought Ste.


    Trevor saw what Keegan was doing and took half a step back to lift his sister onto his shoulders.


    Ste was stunned. Her sudden increase in height made her stand out, attracting everyone¡¯s attention.


    Ste felt utterly embarrassed. ¡®Why am I the one who¡¯s being humiliated when these two men are the


    ones who have beef with each other?¡¯ She awkwardly patted her brother¡¯s shoulder and whispered,


    ¡°Trevor, put me down!¡±


    Trevor nced at Keegan and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. The view is better from up there.¡±


    Both Ste and Keegan were speechless by his response.


    The unsuspecting spectators in the crowd were shocked to see a woman sitting on a man¡¯s shoulders


    since it seemed a little intimate for them.


    All sorts of questions were running through the people¡¯s minds at that point.


    ¡®When did Trevor and Ste develop such a rtionship?¡¯


    ¡®Wasn¡¯t the Saun family going to form an alliance with the Moores through their children¡¯s marriage?¡¯


    ¡®Why is Trevor cozying up to Keegan¡¯s ex-wife?¡¯


    To make matters worse, Keegan was just standing on the sidelines, looking unhappy about the


    situation.


    This turn of events left everyone bewildered.


    Trevor was clearly trying to provoke Keegan as he refused to put Ste down. On the other hand,


    Keegan was burning with anger but did not dare confront his future brother-inw. Thus, the three of


    them found themselves in a peculiar standoff.


    To others, it seemed like a rivalry between two men for a woman. They questioned how charming Ste


    was to make the heirs of Rivera¡¯s two most influential families fight for her affection.


    Molly stood nearby with a dark expression as she observed the scene.


    ¡°Ste has no shame! Everyone knows Molly has her eyes on Trevor, yet she¡¯s shamelessly pursuing


    him. Is she out of her mind?¡± One of her friends muttered.


    ¡°What did you expect? She was literally kicked out of her own home and left with nothing when she got


    divorced,¡± said another.


    ¡°This is infuriating. What kind of tricks does she have up her sleeves? How did she manage to get


    Trevor¡¯s attention? He hardly spares a nce for anyone else.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think she tricked him, per se.


    Any man woulde running with that face of hers.¡±

 Chapter 1329

    Chapter 1329


    ¡°Trevor doesn¡¯t seem like the type to care about appearances, though,¡± said one of the girls.


    ¡°Ladies, let¡¯s not overestimate his depth. Men are visual creatures. None of them will reject a pretty


    woman if she offers herself up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m truly amazed by Ste¡¯s inner strength. How can she sit there on Trevor¡¯s shoulders when Keegan


    is beside them? It looks so awkward.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m kinda jealous. Keegan and Trevor are far more handsome than those male strippers. I


    can¡¯t imagine the two of them fighting over me. n


    The girlsughed at the sound of that. However, their smiles slowly faded as they noticed Molly¡¯s grim


    expression.


    Trying tofort her, they said, ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, Molly. With the Saun family¡¯s high status, there¡¯s no way


    they¡¯d let Trevor marry a divorcee.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s just arm candy at most. Dealing with her would be a piece of cake once you marry into the


    Saun family.¡±


    ¡°You and Jaylene are close, and Trevor has a soft spot for her. Just ask her to put in a good word for


    you, and you¡¯ll be all set.¡±


    ¡°All Ste has is a pretty face. Other than that, she¡¯s nowhere near your league.¡±


    Molly stayed silent, her face cold as she poured her drink into a nearby pond.


    Ste maintained an awkward pose on Trevor¡¯s shoulders until she finished watching the performance.


    Keegan¡¯s expression was beyond grim at that point.


    Trevor was ted to know that he had sessfully gotten under Keegan¡¯s skin. He gently put Ste


    down and said, ¡°You can watch whatever you want. No one is going to get in your way with me here.¡±


    Clearly, that message was directed at Keegan.


    Although Keegan seemed unfazed, deep down, he was taking a mental note of every little thing Trevor


    had done to provoke him.


    Ste let out a dryugh and changed the topic. ¡°Where¡¯s Leighton?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Leighton isn¡¯t into these events. Plus, his fame is too prominent; it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for him to


    come,¡± Trevor said after a short pause.


    The truth was he had personally invited Leighton to attend the party on behalf of Jaylene. Many of her


    actor, but when Trevor called to ask if he woulde, he immediately hung up.


    Leighton had never liked Jaylene and her mother. Trevor knew he would not want to be here, but he


    still asked for the sake of asking.


    Suddenly, Trevor¡¯s phone rang. Ste instinctively looked over and saw that it was a number from


    another country.


    Upon seeing the caller ID, Trevor frowned and said, ¡°I have to take this call.¡±


    Ste nodded.


    As Trevor left, Keegan shot her a nce and asked, ¡°Did you have fun watching those men?¡±


    ¡°Meh. None of them are as good-looking as you,¡± Ste chuckled.


    Keegan huffed and reluctantly epted herpliment.


    As the performance wrapped up, the male strippers walked around and distributed sses of wine to


    the women in the room.


    The stripper Felicity had talked about earlier approached them with a ss and handed it to Ste. She


    hesitated to ept it at first, but Felicity tugged at her arm, showing interest in the man. So, she took


    the ss and thanked him.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± the stripper replied before hurrying away under Keegan¡¯s watchful gaze.


    ¡°He looks even more handsome up close,¡± said Felicity.¡±Biracial people are so attractive.¡±


    Vermont was brimming with jealousy when he heard that. ¡°Of course he is. He¡¯s a crossbreed,¡± he


    muttered.


    Felicity could not believe her ears. ¡°If you don¡¯t have something nice to say, don¡¯t say anything at all.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    This made Vermont even more annoyed.


    Following that, Ste handed her wine to Felicity and said, ¡°I find Keegan much more handsome than


    him.¡±


    ¡°At least someone has excellent taste,¡± Vermont eximed.


    Felicity took the ss and nced at him, saying, ¡°When you look at something long enough, even


    assholes can appear pleasing to the eyes.¡±


    Her words left Vermont speechless.


    Felicity then took a sip of the wine, and her eyes lit up. ¡°Ste, this wine is delicious,¡± she said.

 Chapter 1330

    Chapter 1330


    ¡°I bet you¡¯d find it delicious even if he handed you a ss of poison,¡± Vermont responded dryly, but


    Felicity ignored him.


    ¡°Here, Ste. Give it a try.¡±


    Ste took a sip and wrinkled her nose, ¡°It¡¯s a little too sweet for me. You have it.¡±


    ¡°The sweetness is what helps mask the taste of the alcohol,¡± Felicity exined as she downed the


    ss in one gulp.


    The party also featured magic performances and appearances by inte celebrities. Ste was not


    too interested in the two, so she secretly slipped away with Keegan to a private room for a soak in the


    hot spring.


    Perhaps it was fate, but the room they entered was the same one they were in two years ago.


    Ste brought up the past as she nestled in Keegan¡¯s arms, ¡°Do you remember that time when we


    were here?¡±


    Keegan nodded.


    ¡°Do you know you slept in here for an entire day?¡±ined Ste.


    Keegan chuckled and said, ¡°I was really exhausted that day.¡±


    Ste snorted, ¡°I brought so many clothes that day, wanting to show them to you. But you slept like a


    log.¡±


    Keegan paused. ¡¯Did you bring them this time?¡± he asked.


    ¡°What? Of course not. We¡¯re here for Jaylene¡¯s birthday party. Why the hell would I bring any sexy


    clothes?¡±


    Keegan seemed slightly disappointed. ¡°Hmm¡­ How about I ask Aldor to bring them over?¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡¯You¡¯re really something else, huh?¡± she said.


    Keegan was just teasing her; he had no habit of doing anything sexual in public spaces. He cherished


    the time he spent with Ste, even if they were not doing anything.


    The pool of water they were in was hot. The two of them were sweating profusely after a short while.


    Ste started feeling a bit lightheaded and breathless, possibly due to the heat.


    She pushed Keegan¡¯s hand away and said, ¡°I need some fresh air. It¡¯s getting a little ufortable in


    here.¡±


    Keegan nodded and prepared to get out of the water as well.


    ¡°You can keep soaking. It¡¯s not often that you get the chance to rx. The warm water is good for your


    body,¡± said Ste.


    Keegan gave her a faint smile and said, ¡°My body is not that weak. I need to go get my charger


    upstairs. I can order some food for you while I¡¯m at it.


    I can hear your stomach growling.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait for you then.¡¯


    After Keegan went upstairs, Ste opened the balcony door and breathed the cold air. The fresh air


    was invigorating, and it relieved much of her difort.


    Inside the room, the lights were off, creating a serene atmosphere. Ste sat on a nearby chair,


    squinting her eyes as she gazed at the distant lights.


    A short whileter, she heard the door creak. Ste was taken aback.¡¯ Could Keegan have returned so


    quickly?¡¯ She did not move. She had been in the hot spring for quite some time, and her body felt a bit


    limp. She did not feel like getting up. Soon, she sensed someone standing behind her.


    With her eyes closed, Ste waited three seconds before suddenly opening them and looking back.


    The person seemed surprised that Ste was awake and hesitated for a second before attempting to


    flee.


    Ste had not evenprehended what was happening when she reached out and grabbed the


    person¡¯s clothing. The person panicked and tried to pry Ste¡¯s hand away while making a dash for the


    door. Ste immediately shouted at the top of her lungs, ¡°Help!¡±


    Upon hearing her cry, the person turned around and tried to cover Ste¡¯s mouth.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    In the midst of their struggle, Ste¡¯s foot identally knocked over a vase in the corner, causing it to


    shatter.


    Within seconds, the door was forcefully pushed open. The person who had been covering Ste¡¯s


    mouth was suddenly lifted with great force and flung into the hot spring.

 Chapter 1331

    Chapter 1331


    Chapter 1331


    ¡°Ste!¡± Keegan called out anxiously.


    Ste¡¯s face was pale as she held onto his neck. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t let him get away!¡± She said in a hoarse


    yet urgent voice.


    Just as she finished speaking, the shadowy figure stood up from the pool of water and made a beeline


    for the exit.


    Keegan sprinted forward, grabbed the intruder by the back of his neck, and forcefully yanked him back.


    Ste wasted no time and switched on the lights. Keegan had already pinned the man down on the


    ground with his hands secured behind him.


    Ste walked over and frowned when she saw the person who tried to attack her. ¡°You?¡±


    The intruder was the biracial male stripper who had handed her a drink at the party earlier.


    Keegan must have used a bit too much force when he threw the man into the pool of water earlier, as


    the other party¡¯s forehead was swollen.


    The stripper tried to exin himself in two differentnguages, his eyes filled with fear. Ste found him


    difficult to understand. Annoyed, she kicked him in the lower body and said, ¡°Cut the crap!¡±


    Keegan was stunned.


    The male stripper winced in pain. After gathering his thoughts, he finally managed to convey that he


    was facing financial difficulties and had attempted to steal something to sell for cash.


    However, Ste was having none of it. ¡°If you were only nning to steal something, flee when you


    saw me? You literally stood there gawking for so long.¡±


    At first, she had assumed the man was Keegan. She waited a few seconds for him to make a move.


    But when he did not, she realized something was off.


    Given that Keegan was extremely clingy, he would not have just stood there without doing anything.


    Ste noticed that the man was staring at her for a long time, which made no sense if he was only


    there for some valuables.


    The male stripper then imed that he was startled at first and was captivated by Ste¡¯s beauty upon


    seeing her. ¡°I was tempted to do something else at that moment,¡± he said.


    Ste did not believe him. Her patience was wearing thin. She grabbed a vase nearby and advanced


    toward him. She positioned it right in front of his lower body and said sternly, ¡°I¡¯ll ask you onest time.


    What was your intention in entering this room? Think carefully before you answer. If you lie to me, I


    can¡¯t guarantee where I¡¯ll smash this vase. Got it?¡±


    The stripper¡¯s face turned even paler upon hearing that. In the end, he could not withstand the


    pressure and decided to tell them everything.


    ¡°Ms. Moore instructed me to do it.¡±


    Ms. Moore? Does he mean Molly?¡¯


    Ste squatted down to the man¡¯s level and used a slipper to tilt his chin upward. ¡°What exactly did she


    instruct you to do? And be transparent.¡±


    The male stripper stammered and took a long time to exin the situation. Finally, he revealed that he


    had a gambling addiction and owned a significant amount of debt. He had also fallen out of favor with aProperty ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    wealthy woman who had been supporting him. Struggling to pay off his gambling debts, he was willing


    to jump at any chance that offered a way out.


    When Molly approached him, he initially assumed the wealthy heiress had taken an interest in his


    looks. But instead, she had asked him to drug Ste and take advantage of her. In return, she promised


    to help him clear his gambling debts.


    The stripper was struggling to stay afloat due to his enormous debts. The work he could secure in a


    month barely covered the exorbitant interest rates that came with the loan. Thus, he was tempted by


    the offer.


    The more Keegan heard his exnation, the darker his expression and the tighter his grip on the man


    became.


    The man¡¯s face looked ashen from the pain. However, he dared not make a sound, fearing that he


    might be incapacitated or killed.


    Not long after, Ste finally understood why she had felt so weak after a short soak in the hot spring.


    With a somber expression, she asked, ¡°Were there other ingredients in the drug you gave me, or was it


    just hypnotics?

 Chapter 1332

    Chapter 1332


    The male stripper did not dare to hold anything back. He stumbled over his words and said, ¡°Th-there


    was also¡­ aphrodisiac¡­¡±


    Ste could not believe her ears. ¡®No wonder I felt feverish and weak after a short soak in the hot


    spring. It must have been the effect of that substance. If that¡¯s what I felt after only taking a sip, then


    what about Felicity¡­?¡¯


    Ste did not have time to confront the man. Instead, she immediately dialed Felicity¡¯s number. But


    Felicity did not pick up. Ste then dialed Vermont, only to have him hang up the call.


    Ste¡¯s lips twitched, and she gritted her teeth. ¡°That jerk hung up on me!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s probably with her right now. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Keegan tried to reassure her.


    Knowing Vermont¡¯s behavior, Keegan assumed that he was spending time with Felicity. That was why


    he did not answer Ste¡¯s call.


    Trying to alleviate Ste¡¯s concern, Keegan added, ¡¯Til give him a callter.¡±


    It was all they could do for now.


    Ste wanted to extract more information from the male stripper regarding why Molly had targeted her.


    However, it seemed that the man genuinely did not know the reasons; he was just doing it for the


    money.


    He thought Ste would be unconscious after drinking the alcohol, so when he saw Keegan leave the


    room, he attempted to sneak Ste away. When he realized that Ste was not out cold, he panicked


    and decided to abandon the task.


    Ste had never encountered such an inept individual. ¡®This guy didn¡¯t even stay and watch me


    consume the substance. He just relied on subjective judgment and proceeded with the n.¡¯ However,


    she had to acknowledge that Molly had lucked out in finding someone this ipetent. Otherwise, she


    could have been in serious trouble.


    Ste¡¯s mind was racing. She had not interacted much with Molly before. The only significant encounter


    they had was at Duncan¡¯s wedding, where Ste frightened Molly with a fake mouse.


    But, this method of revenge seems pretty excessive,¡¯ she thought.


    It was clear that Molly wanted someone to witness this incident so that Ste¡¯s image would be


    destroyed.


    ¡®Who could that person be?¡¯


    As Ste thought about the people around her, a realization dawned on her. ¡®Is it Trevor?¡¯


    Molly had always had a crush on him. Ste noticed this when Molly insisted on Trevor taking her


    home while she was drunk after having dinner together.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Recalling the male stripper¡¯s performance earlier, when Trevor had carried her on his shoulders, Ste


    wondered if Molly thought she and her brother were a couple. She could not help but burst into


    laughter. ¡®I would¡¯ve given her some credit if she had confronted me directly. But, to resort to such lowly


    tactics? Hah. Does she truly believe she¡¯s worthy of my brother?¡¯


    Ste nced at the trembling stripper and asked, ¡°How much gambling debt do you owe?¡±


    The stripper froze. ¡°O-Over three million dors,¡± he confessed.


    ¡°And your creditor¡¯s contact information?¡±


    The male stripper quickly gave her the number.


    Ste saved the number in her phone, as she said, ¡°Find an opportunity to slip that substance you used


    on me into Molly¡¯s drink and sleep with her. If you seed¡­¡±


    The male stripper assumed that Ste was about to offer assistance in settling his debt. However, her


    next words were, ¡°I¡¯ll spare you. But, if you fail, I¡¯ll call your creditor and tell them you¡¯re squandering


    money and not repaying your debts. You must¡¯ve borrowed the money from loan sharks, right? Do you


    think their debt collectors would break your arms or legs when they find out about that? Look at your


    handsome face. With those looks, you could benefit from thedies for a few more years. But what


    would they think when you¡¯re missing a limb or two?¡±


    The stripper was in disbelief. He did not expect Ste to threaten him.

 Chapter 1333

    Chapter 1333


    The male stripper was well aware of the ruthless tactics used by debt collectors. They lent people


    money with the intention of getting it back, one way or another. With his only valuable asset being his


    looks, he was not keen on losing it. But then, there was Molly, the heiress of the Moore family. Crossing


    her was not a path he could afford to take.


    Ste had no patience for his hesitation. ¡°You have three seconds. If you don¡¯t answer me, I¡¯ll assume


    you¡¯re out and make that call to your creditor,¡± she said firmly.


    ¡®Fuck!¡¯


    ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯m in, I¡¯m in!¡± said the stripper in a hurry.


    Ste then signaled Keegan to release him and took several pictures of the male stripper. Following


    that, she pointed at Keegan and asked the stripper, ¡°Do you recognize him?¡±


    The man shook his head. He did not recognize Keegan outright, but he did seem oddly familiar. His


    presence exuded an intimidating feeling. The male stripper was more afraid of the silent man than he


    was of Ste.


    ¡°He¡¯s Molly¡¯s cousin, Marshall, the young master of the Moore family. Molly won¡¯t dare to hurt you with


    him on your side.¡±


    Keegan did not say a word.


    Once the male stripper had left, Keegan frowned and asked,


    ¡°Did you just tell him I¡¯m Marshall?¡±


    Ste quickly wrapped her arms around him and said, ¡°That pretty boy is unreliable. He¡¯s going to spill


    everything just to save his skin if Molly ever confronts him. I introduce you as Mr. Moore because Molly


    won¡¯t dare to challenge her cousin. I don¡¯t want you to get all tangled up in this mess and lose


    supporters. Let¡¯s just leave the Moore family to deal with it.¡±


    Ste was not afraid of Molly, but Irene was a different story. She loved her daughter and spoiled her.


    Keegan could not afford to make any enemies right now since he was in the process of taking over the


    company. Even though he understood this, he was still displeased.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to confront her directly?¡± he pursed his lips and asked, not knowing the


    maniptive tactics women were capable of.


    ¡°She won¡¯t admit it. That pretty boy is so dumb he probably hasn¡¯t kept any evidence. Molly might turn


    the tables on us if we confronted her.¡±


    With a cold smile, she continued, ¡°Since she¡¯s so in love with my brother, I¡¯ll make sure she never has


    a chance to be with him!¡±


    Keegan was once again grateful to Ste for deciding not to kill him.


    Meanwhile, Molly was waiting for a message from the male stripper. Her friends invited her to y


    cards together, but she was not in the mood.


    Noticing that she was distracted, Jaylene whispered,¡± What¡¯s on your mind, Molly?¡±


    Molly snapped back to reality, stood up, and stated, ¡°I¡¯m feeling a bit tired. I think I¡¯ll head back to my


    room to rest.¡±


    However, her friends tried to convince her to stay.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t we nning to stay up all night?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s less fun without you. Stay and y a few rounds with us. If


    ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s y a bit more before you go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really exhausted, guys. I¡¯ll rest for a while, get changed, ande back,¡± Molly said.


    Hearing that, they decided to let her go.


    Once Molly had left, someone spected, ¡°Could Molly be interested in that biracial stripper?¡±


    ¡°What? Which stripper are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The one who was dancing the closest to Jaylene earlier. I saw her talking to him for a while, and they


    were being quite discreet.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°No way! Molly has high standards. She wouldn¡¯t be interested in someone like him. She¡¯s into Trevor.¡±


    Jaylene lowered her gaze, and she recalled the scene she had witnessed earlier. She saw the stripper


    slipping something into a drink when no one was watching.


    ¡°Jaylene, hello? Are you with us?¡± her friends asked, seeing that she was silent.

 Chapter 1334

    Chapter 1334


    Jaylene returned to reality and asked, ¡°Yeah. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the deal with your brother and


    Molly? Is there something romantic going on between them?¡± one of the girls asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure. I¡¯ll try to find outter,¡± Jaylene chuckled.


    Molly was on her phone, as she walked out of the elevator and headed toward her room. Little did she


    know, a shadowy figure was silently closing in from behind. When she swiped her key card to enter, a


    hand emerged from behind and covered her mouth and nose with a cloth.


    Molly immediately struggled. However, the cloth was soaked with a substance, causing her movements


    to slow down. Gradually, she grew weaker and lost consciousness altogether.


    At the same time, it had been around half an hour since Felicity finished her drink. She was beginning


    to feel weak and sweaty all over.


    There were magic performances on the stage. Vermont grabbed her hand, suggesting that they should


    watch the show. In a daze, Felicity followed him, but her vision was getting blurry. She could not make


    out what was happening. All she knew was that Vermont¡¯s touch felt cool against her skin. She could


    not help lifting his hand and pressed it to her face.


    Vermont was taken aback. He turned his head and saw that Felicity¡¯s face was flushed red, as she


    tilted her head and rubbed her cheek against his hand. ¡°Your hand feels so cold, ¡± she said in a soft


    voice.


    In reality, Vermont¡¯s hand was of normal temperature while Felicity¡¯s face was unusually warm.


    Vermont noticed this and frowned. He reached out to touch her face and asked,¡± Are you okay, Miss


    Bandit?¡±


    Felicity shook her head. ¡°I think I had a bit too much to drink. My head feels dizzy,¡± she replied after a


    few seconds.


    Her body also felt warm. Unexinably, Felicity had the urge to hug Vermont. However, she had not


    lost her sense of judgmentpletely. She realized her thoughts were rather peculiar, so she did not


    voice them.


    Amused by her words, Vermont chuckled and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you im that countless drinks? How is it


    that you¡¯re like this after just a few?¡±


    ¡°The alcohol content in tonight¡¯s cocktails is probably higher, ¡± Felicity replied.


    ¡°How strong can cocktails be?¡± Vermont draped a towel over her shoulders and said, ¡°Come on. I¡¯ll


    escort you back to your room.¡±


    Felicity mumbled in agreement, and he led her along.


    The party was filled with youngsters who were night owls. Many had not returned to their rooms yet, so


    the corridor was mostly empty.


    Felicity managed to walk on her own at first. But, over time, her head grew heavier, and her limbs


    became weaker. By the time they reached the elevator, her legs gave way, and she started sliding to


    the floor.


    Vermont quickly caught her and supported her with an arm around her waist.


    ¡°Miss Bandit,¡± Vermont said as he furrowed his brow, visibly concerned. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®How could she be this drunk all of a sudden? She was perfectly fine when she was chatting with me a


    short while ago. Yet, now she can¡¯t even stand on her own?¡¯


    Soon, Felicity¡¯s vision became even hazier. She clung onto Vermont¡¯s arms and murmured, ¡°Oh, Stinky


    Cucumber. Why are your pecs so massive?¡±


    Vermont was confused when he heard that.


    Her voice was soft and weak, which was entirely different from her usual self. Moreover, her choice of


    words was far more suggestive than what she would typically use.


    Vermont noticed that her body felt abnormally warm in his arms. ¡®It doesn¡¯t feel like a fever,¡¯ he thought.


    Vermont had witnessed countless dirty tricks used in his social circle, and he quickly realized that


    Felicity was not drunk. Instead, she was intoxicated with a foreign substance.

 Chapter 1335

    Chapter 1335


    Vermont¡¯s face darkened at the realization that Felicity may be under drug influence.


    When the elevator doors opened, he swiftly bent down, scooped her up, and carried her in.


    Felicity could not help but nuzzle her face against his chest, as she was held in his arms. Her nostrils


    were filled with the smell of his masculinity.


    Vermont was shirtless. The soft touch of her lips against his skin caused an involuntary shiver to course


    through him. He clenched his jaw, and his Adam¡¯s apple was bobbing. He then warned her in a low


    voice, ¡°Stay still.¡±


    Not fullyprehending the situation, Felicity frowned and said, ¡°Who are you to order me around, you


    Stinky Cucumber?¡± She then pinched his chest and continued,¡± Stop acting so innocent. Why can¡¯t I


    touch you when all your other girlfriends have touched you before?¡±


    Her question left Vermont stunned. ¡°Just behave, or there will be consequences,¡± he said.


    Felicity, who was still a bit dazed by the effects of the drug, did not quite grasp the gravity of his words.


    She rubbed her body against his, trying to alleviate her difort.


    Soon, they arrived at the floor. Vermont opened the hotel room door and gentlyid Felicity on the bed.


    When he stood up, Felicity hooked her arm around his neck and


    pulled him toward her.


    Vermont¡¯s heart raced in an instant. He never had a girl he cherishedy beneath him entirely


    defenseless. The aphrodisiac in Felicity¡¯s system had also caused her to unconsciously emit a


    seductive charm. It was truly a test of Vermont¡¯s self-control.


    Feeling uneasy, Felicity clung to him and murmured,¡± Vermont, I feel a bit weird.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Vermont asked in a husky voice. His warm breath brushed against her ear, sending shivers


    down her spine.


    Felicity instinctively recoiled, feeling somewhat fearful. However, the effects of the drugpelled her


    to get closer.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°Did¡­ Did it feel good when we made love for the first time? ¡± she asked.


    Vermont was at a loss for words. ¡®Fuck! Does she even realize what she¡¯s saying?¡¯


    He did not have an answer. He waspletely out of it that night. He only realized what had happened


    when he woke up the next morning and saw the bloodstains on the sheets and Felicity¡¯s thighs.


    He had not considered this question before, but Felicity¡¯s inquiry triggered something his mind. This


    then led him to have a subtle physical reaction.


    He thought about it and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I assume it felt great.¡±


    Felicity licked her lips upon hearing that. When Vermont thought she would invite him to spend the


    night, she said,¡± It¡¯s such a shame you¡¯ll never get to experience that feeling again.¡±


    ¡®What the hell?¡¯ thought Vermont.


    Just as he was trying to regain hisposure, Felicity suddenly ced her hand on his crotch and


    whispered, ¡°Let me wake him up for you.¡±


    Vermont froze right there and then.


    With an innocent face, Felicity started giving him a handjob.


    Vermont clutched onto the bedsheet tightly, and a mental battle raged on within him. ¡®Should I hold


    back when an opportunity is presenting itself? But I don¡¯t want to take advantage of her when she¡¯s in


    such a vulnerable state.¡¯


    Vermont was on the verge of losing it when Ste called. He pinned Felicity¡¯s hand down, answered the


    call, and hung up. He then got off the bed and kissed her cheek. ¡°Stay here. I¡¯m going to get you some


    cold water,¡± he said.


    While the water was running in the bathroom, Vermont could not help but shout, ¡°Coward!¡±


    The person he desired was right in front of him, yet he hesitated to take action. It was not that he was


    afraid to touch her, but it was more about being unable to cover up the lies he had previously told. He


    knew he could keep deceiving her if he wanted to.

 Chapter 1336

    Chapter 1336


    Despite using tricks to pursue her, Vermont refused to take advantage of Felicity. He wanted her


    consent.


    Meanwhile, Molly was in a daze. She could sense someone¡¯s weight on top of her, but her eyelids felt


    heavy. It took her a considerable effort to pry them open. That was when she saw a man hovering over


    her and engaging in inappropriate acts.


    Her face was ashen, and she let out a piercing scream.


    The door was forcefully kicked open the next instant, and security personnel stormed into the room.


    Witnessing the explicit scene, they were surprised and ufortable.


    Others on the same floor heard themotion and rushed over to see what was happening. Soon, the


    entire hallway witnessed Molly and a male stripper inside the room.


    Molly was overwhelmed with terror and struggled to process the situation. When she realized the


    growing crowd outside, she finally grasped the severity of the matter. She frantically pulled at the


    bedsheets, attempting to shield herself while yelling, ¡°Get out! All of you, get the hell out!¡±


    Despite her protest, the number of curious onlookers only multiplied. While many socialites engaged in


    lavish behaviors, it was the first time that such a scandalous scene had be public knowledge.


    Everyone was there to indulge themselves in the drama.


    ¡°Woah. What do we have here?¡±


    ¡°They must¡¯ve been going at it super hard¡­ I thought a robbery happened when I heard that scream.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t she have a thing for Trevor? What is she doing with a stripper?¡± someone asked.


    ¡°Does she like the stripper now?¡±


    ¡°Like mother like daughter. Just look at her mother and her young husband!¡±


    ¡°Damn, she used to act all high and mighty when I was courting her. Who knew she was such a wild


    animal,¡± said one of the men.


    Molly¡¯s face grew paler, as the humiliation intensified. More and more people gathered at the scene,


    regardless of how much she screamed and cursed.


    When Jaylene arrived, she helped to disperse the crowd while she called Trevor on the phone. Soon,


    both Trevor and Marshall showed up. Molly looked as pale as a ghost when she saw Trevor. He


    seemed more irritated by the situation than concerned about her wellbeing.


    Seemingly afraid of being misunderstood by Trevor, Molly clutched onto her clothes and sobbed, ¡°He


    forced himself on me!¡±


    This statement left several bystanders stunned. Sexual assault was a criminal act that had to be


    brought to court. Upon hearing Molly¡¯s im of being raped, the male stripper quickly said, ¡°Ms. Moore,


    you¡¯re the one who invited me to


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    your room. How could you turn your back on me now?¡±


    Molly was livid. She could not control her emotions any longer. ¡°Bullshit! When did I ever invite you to


    my room?!¡±


    ¡°You approached me by the pool just a while ago. Ms. Saun witnessed it too,¡± the stripper countered.


    Jaylene¡¯s face changed, as she did not expect to be dragged into this mess. ¡°What nonsense are you


    spewing? I didn¡¯t see a thing!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. I saw you looking at me when Ms. Moore was talking to me.¡± The stripper¡¯s acting


    skills were impable. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare pull a stunt like this if she hadn¡¯t invited me over.¡±


    ¡°I can return the money you paid me, Ms. Moore. Please don¡¯t falsely use me,¡± he continued. With


    that, he unlocked his phone to reveal a transaction from Molly.


    Molly¡¯s argument was weak now that there was a witness and evidence against her.


    ¡°Oh, damn. I can¡¯t believe she paid him for his service and used him of rape now that they¡¯ve been


    caught in the act. Where is her integrity?¡±


    The crowd began to discuss.


    ¡°The more innocent and purer someone may seem, the dirtier they may be.¡±


    ¡°I guess the Moore family is no exception.¡±


    At that point, Molly was unable to contain her frustration any longer. So, she blurted out, ¡°I gave you the


    money because-¡°

 Chapter 1337

    Chapter 1337


    ¡°Trevor, let¡¯s get these people out of here first. We have to protect Ms. Moore¡¯s reputation, after all,¡±


    Jaylene suddenly cut Molly off.


    Molly was taken aback and immediately stopped speaking.


    She had almost blurted out about her n to set Ste up.


    Trevor¡¯s gaze shifted between the two for a moment before he said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s just call the


    police and let them handle it.¡±


    The expressions on their faces instantly changed as soon as Trevor mentioned calling the police.


    One of them was afraid of going to jail whereas the other feared the exposure of her involvement in


    drugging and rape.


    Molly clenched her fists tightly and said in a low voice,¡± Don¡¯t call the police, Trevor. I don¡¯t want


    everybody to know about this.¡±


    As Trevor contemted what to do next, Ste¡¯s voice suddenly rang out. ¡°Ms. Moore, rape is a crime.


    Aren¡¯t you just condoning a criminal if you don¡¯t report him to the police? What if this person does the


    same thing again to other girls after he got away with it this time?¡±


    The biracial male stripper¡¯s eyes twitched. However, when he saw Keegan, who was standing next to


    Ste, he shrank back timidly.


    Molly¡¯s face darkened, as she stared at Ste with a dark expression.


    Molly might not be the smartest person, but she was not irredeemably foolish either.


    Ste, who was supposed to be unconscious, had appeared here to stir things up. So, Molly already


    knew what was happening by then.


    Molly knew that her n had failed and even ended up turning the situation against herself.


    Her face turned pale, as she desperately wanted to rush over and tear Ste¡¯s face apart.


    However, since she was the one who initially plotted against Ste, Molly thought that if she dwelled on


    the matter and the truth was exposed, Trevor might start to despise her.


    So, Molly clenched her fists tightly and swallowed her resentment.


    Her eyes turned red, as she said in a tearful voice, ¡°I was drunk. I can¡¯t remember what exactly


    happened¡­¡±


    Ste reminded her, ¡°The stripper seems to remember. He said that you asked him here, and there


    were a lot of witnesses too. Like¡­ Ms. Saun.¡±


    Ste shifted her gaze to Jaylene, as she continued with a serious expression, ¡°Ms. Saun, this matter


    concerns Ms. Moore¡¯s reputation. Think about it carefully; was it Ms. Moore who asked this stripper to


    come here, or did this stripper act out of his own desire?¡±


    Jaylene did not expect that she would get into this mess.


    She pursed her lips and exined, ¡°I did see Ms. Moore speaking to this man earlier. But I was too far


    away from them, so I couldn¡¯t really hear anything they said.¡± She paused before continuing, ¡°Trevor,


    Ms. Moore is not like that. We were ying cards earlier, and she said that she¡¯de back after


    changing. If she really did n to meet this gentleman, why would she say something like that?¡±


    Somebody at the side clicked their tongue. ¡°Well, why wouldn¡¯t she? Some may take hours to finish the


    deed, and some may take just a few minutes.¡±


    The crowd chuckled. They were all adults and understood what the person was trying to say.


    ¡°Ms. Saun and Ms. Moore are good friends. Of course, she¡¯d be on her side.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal of sleeping with a stripper? But, pretending to be innocent is kind of revolting.¡±


    Molly felt utterly embarrassed.


    Suddenly, Marshall, who had been silent, finally spoke.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, please delete the photos from your phones. The Moore family will handle this


    matter privately.¡± He paused before he added in a low voice, ¡°If the photos taken today were leaked, it¡¯d


    be considered an act against the Moore family and there¡¯d be consequences!¡±


    Marshall meant what he said.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    He brought up his family because he did not want anyone to talk about the matter anymore. He wanted


    to protect Molly¡¯s reputation.


    Although the crowd was nosy, they could not afford to offend the Moore family.


    So, fearing the Moore family, they began leaving one after another even though some of them were


    curious to watch the scene unfold.


    ¡°Tsk.¡± Ste clicked her tongue and softly said, ¡°She got away easy.¡±

 Chapter 1338

    Chapter 1338


    Keegan pinched Ste¡¯s palm, gesturing for her to keep it down.


    Trevor did not want to bother with such matters, but unfortunately, it happened at Jaylene¡¯s birthday


    party. So, he had no choice.


    After the crowd went away, he asked Marshall, ¡°How would we handle this? Do you want to call the


    police?¡±


    Marshall then looked at Molly. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± he asked.


    Molly clenched her teeth and replied in a cold tone, ¡°Get him out of here!¡±


    The male stripper felt like he had just escaped death. Then, he immediately grabbed his clothes and


    left.


    Ste sighed and added, ¡°We just let a criminal get away.¡±


    Molly¡¯s eyelid twitched. She wished that she could just rush over and tear Ste¡¯s mouth off.


    Then, Marshall said to Molly, ¡°We¡¯re heading outside. Get freshened up, and I¡¯ll take you home in a


    while.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Molly said while gritting her teeth.


    After they went out of the room, Marshall said to Trevor,¡± Trevor, could you take a look at the


    surveince footage for me? I want to find out what happened.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Trevor responded. When he turned around, he looked at Keegan, who was standing next to


    Ste, and said,¡± Keegan,e with me. You have sharp eyes.¡±


    Keegan was taken aback but felt pleasantly surprised and soon followed.


    ¡®Hmm¡­


    Til take that as apliment.¡¯


    So, he dly agreed.


    Once the three of them left, Ste felt bored and decided to return to her room.


    Just as she was about to turn around, Jaylene called out to her.


    ¡°Ste, wait a minute.¡±


    Ste paused. She had deliberately tried to steer the situation against Jaylene earlier because she


    heard the stripper mentioning he noticed her listening to his conversation with Molly.


    She was unsure if Jaylene knew that Molly nned to drug her. But, considering how Jaylene had


    discreetly tried to stop Molly from saying anything wrong, Ste figured that she was not entirely


    innocent.


    Ste wondered if Jaylene stopped her from leaving because she wanted to confront her about what


    she did.


    However, she was not afraid at all.


    Unexpectedly, Jaylene did not mention what had happened earlier. Instead, she just asked her to wait.


    Jaylene turned around and went back into the room. After a while, she came back out with two bags.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see you anywhere when we were cutting the cake earlier. Did you note forward because


    there were too many people?¡±


    She handed the bags to Ste, as she spoke. ¡°I prepared two slices of the cake for you and Ms.


    Thompson. I appreciate both of you very much foring to my birthday party. I hope that what


    happened today didn¡¯t make you feel ufortable.¡±


    Ste sized Jaylene up.


    Her gaze was sincere, as she spoke clearly and politely. She did not look like she was holding any


    grudges against Ste at all.


    Ste could not figure out what Jaylene was thinking at that moment. Suddenly, she felt like her


    cautious behavior seemed a little petty in contrast to how Jaylene was treating her.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    After remaining silent for a moment, Ste thanked her and took the bags.


    When Ste reached out to take the bags, Jaylene lowered her gaze and suddenly said, ¡°Ste, your


    bracelet¡­ is beautiful. Can you tell me where you bought it? The red color looks nice.¡±


    Ste was taken aback. She nced at her bracelet before looking at Jaylene. ¡°I didn¡¯t buy it. It was a


    gift,¡± she pursed her lips and spoke.


    Jaylene seemed somewhat disappointed before she said, ¡°I had a simr one too. It looked pretty


    much like yours. It was even blessed by a priest. Keegan saw me wearing it when we had a meal


    together back then, and he liked it too. So, I gave it to him.¡± She smiled before she continued,¡± Keegan


    and I seem to have simr tastes. We both like this kind of bracelet.¡±


    Ste paused.

 Chapter 1339

    Chapter 1339


    Ste lifted her gaze at Jaylene.


    She looked gentle with a faint smile on her face, and there was no sign of enmity at all. Instead, there


    was a trace of subtle mockery in her eyes, revealing some of her true colors.


    Ste took the bags and said, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not very fond of this bracelet, but since it¡¯s a gift, I


    can¡¯t just throw it away. That¡¯s why I asionally wear it. It¡¯s very durable. But it wouldn¡¯t matter much


    to me even if it broke.¡±


    Jaylene lowered her gaze and smiled. ¡°It¡¯ll be impolite of you to throw away a gift, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Ste smiled faintly too. ¡°He gave me way too many gifts. I can¡¯t possibly wear every single one. This is


    a nice bracelet, but I identally dropped it in some dirty water previously. It just makes me feel


    somewhat unlucky whenever I wear it. People always have to move on, right? Sometimes it¡¯s better to


    let go of the old things to make room for something new.¡±


    Jaylene pressed her lips together. ¡°That might be true, but it¡¯s still a little disrespectful to do that to


    someone else¡¯s gift. n


    Ste kept quiet for a moment before she said, ¡°Ms. Saun, you¡¯re right. It¡¯d be a shame for me to throw


    this away. You said that this bracelet is very nice, right? Do you¡­ have any intention of buying one? I


    can give you a good price since we¡¯ve known each other for so long. That way, I won¡¯t be disrespecting


    someone else¡¯s gift, and you can get what you want.¡±


    Jaylene was caught off guard by Ste¡¯s response.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    She stood in ce, looking a little dumbfounded.


    She could not believe that Ste just offered to sell her the bracelet.


    Jaylene looked at Ste¡¯s face, seemingly trying to find out her true intentions. However, there was


    nothing. Ste¡¯s expression waspletely natural and even looked a little eager.


    ¡®Ms. Saun, what do you say? I can give you a fifty percent discount if you want it. Three hundred


    thousand. Do you prefer PayPal or bank transfer?¡±


    ¡®Three hundred thousand¡­


    ¡®Keegan paid me ny thousand because it wasn¡¯t brand new, yet she¡¯s asking for three hundred


    thousand while iming that it¡¯s a fifty percent discount?¡¯


    Jaylen looked at Ste from head to toe.


    ¡®The Jewell family can never raise anyone well given their background. It looks like only her


    appearances bore traces of the Saun family.¡¯ Jaylene thought to herself.


    Ste called out to her.


    Jaylene recollected herself and responded tly, ¡°I don¡¯t


    really like wearing things that others have worn. If you really don¡¯t want it, you can consider selling it at


    a jewelry store. They might be interested.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Ste responded. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Before Jaylene left, she added, ¡°We¡¯ve been preparing your room recently, and we might buy some


    new furniture. You can talk to Trevor if you have any specific preferences. I hope that you¡¯re going to


    like what your future room looks like.¡±


    Ste was taken aback and left speechless for a moment.


    After briefly talking about that, Jaylene nodded and left before Ste could say anything in response.


    Ste watched her receding back and pursed her lips.


    ¡®Trevor has been Jaylene¡¯s brother for more than twenty years. And then, there¡¯s Wenham and the


    unfamiliar Saun family.¡¯


    In the surveince room, Marshall furrowed his brows tightly. He was looking at every screen, trying to


    catch every detail.


    The cameras caught Molly speaking to the stripper before he went to the side of the swimming pool.


    However, the manager said that the cameras around the pool area malfunctionedst week and have


    not been repaired yet.


    And the footage did not show how the male stripper got into the guest room either. The cameras only


    managed to capture the moment when the stripper embraced Molly at the door before entering the


    room.

 Chapter 1340

    Chapter 1340


    The multi-angled surveince cameras had only captured their backs.


    Marshall pursed his lips tight and did not say anything.


    Trevor looked at Keegan and softly asked, ¡°Did you notice anything?¡±


    Keegan came up with a conclusion. ¡°From the footage, it seems like Ms. Moore didn¡¯t struggle at all.


    Perhaps she was really drunk like she imed.¡±


    Trevor nced at him before asking Marshall, ¡°Should we find the male stripper and question him


    about it? After all, this has something to do with Ms. Moore¡¯s reputation.¡±


    Marshall remained silent for a moment before he said, ¡°I have to ask Molly how she wants to deal with


    this first.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Trevor said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the footage. I won¡¯t let it leak out.¡±


    Marshall thanked him. Then, he received a call from Molly and left.


    After Marshall walked away, Trevor looked at Keegan and pursed his lips. ¡°You managed to erase


    everything.¡±


    Keegan pretended to be confused. ¡® Erase what?¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Trevor scoffed. ¡°Keegan, you¡¯re clever, but don¡¯t assume that others are all stupid. Did you


    really think that I


    didn¡¯t know what you were trying to do by telling the guards that there were rats in the building? By


    doing so, they would have to leave the surveince room and catch them.¡±


    Molly would never leave the door to her room open if she was really trying to hook up with the stripper.


    Besides, it was simply too coincidental that the guard happened to be on patrol outside the room when


    he heard Molly screaming before he barged into the room and saw what happened.


    The odds were simply improbable for these two incidents to happen simultaneously.


    Trevor bumped into the hotel manager when he was going to the scene after receiving the call from


    Jaylene. The manager informed him that a guest named Kane had reported that he found a rat in his


    room, and the security guards were heading there with equipment to catch the rat.


    Trevor was quick-witted, and it did not take him very long to connect the dots.


    He would not have cared if Keegan was alone in this.


    However, he noticed how happy Ste got when Molly was in trouble. So, he figured that Ste was


    also involved in the act.


    Trevor only told Keegan to follow him there because he wanted to see if Keegan managed to clean up


    his own mess. If he had not, Trevor would have passed the me onto him and made him admit what


    he did with Ste.


    As childhood friends, Keegan could easily understand what Trevor was thinking.


    He gazed at Trevor. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try to figure out why we did this if you¡¯re so clever?¡¯


    Trevor paused before he replied in a deep voice, ¡°What did Molly do?¡±


    ¡°You should ask yourself what you did.¡±


    Trevor was confused.


    Keegan added irritably, ¡°Have you ever thought about how others would see Ste before giving her


    special treatment everywhere?¡±


    Keegan no longer felt the need to feign respect toward Trevor after realizing that Ste had almost


    gotten into trouble due to his actions.


    ¡°Only some of us know that she¡¯s your sister, but what about the others? Who wouldn¡¯t say that she¡¯s


    your lover after seeing what you have done for her? Don¡¯t you know that Molly has feelings for you?


    Don¡¯t you know what kind of person she is? Don¡¯t you know that you were also getting Ste involved


    in this when you tried to cause me trouble?¡±


    Trevor felt a little regretful after listening to what Keegan said and figured that he should not have done


    that out of impulse. While he regretted his actions, the fact that Keegan scolded him in his face caused


    his expression to turn dark.¡± You asshole, who do you think you¡¯re criticizing?¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan shot him a cold nce. ¡°You should be d that nothing bad happened to Ste tonight.


    Otherwise, you¡¯re going to be in big trouble!¡±


    Then, he left after he said that.


    Trevor was the main reason why that incident took ce. None of those things would have happened if


    he had not stirred things up, and Keegan thought that Trevor should consider himself lucky that he did


    not beat him up!


    Although Trevor was infuriated by Keegan¡¯s attitude, his expression grew even gloomier as soon as he


    thought about what Molly did.

 Chapter 1341

    Chapter 1341


    Chapter 1341


    Keegan stepped outside and gave Ste a call.


    He felt a little relieved after knowing that she was still in the room. He then spoke to a hotel staff to


    prepare some food and bring it to the roomter. Then, he took the elevator upstairs.


    He opened the door, and the room was brightly lit.


    Keegan closed the door, walked inside, and saw Ste sitting with her legs crossed while ying a


    game on the bed.


    He approached her, sat down next to her, and wrapped his arm around her waist. ¡°What are you


    ying?¡±


    Ste¡¯s face remained emotionless, as she yed the game. ¡°Escape Room ¨C One Hundred Ways to


    Kill Your Boyfriend.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡®Is that¡­ really the name of a game?¡¯


    Keegan thought to himself for a moment. ¡®Even though I didn¡¯t do anything extraordinary tonight, it was


    at least eptable, right? She has no reason to be sarcastic, does she?


    Maybe it¡¯s really just the name of a game.¡¯


    Keegan asked, ¡°How does this game work?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very simple. You just have to search the room for usable items and find a way to murder the


    boyfriend in order to win.


    Keegan kept quiet.


    ¡®This game¡­ is so violent. How did it even get approved?¡¯


    Keegan thought for a moment before he asked again, ¡°Why did the developer of this game choose a


    name like that? Did her boyfriend cheat on her?¡±


    Ste replied resentfully, ¡°He should just be castrated if he did! What he did is worse than cheating!¡±


    Worse than cheating?¡¯ Keegan put himself in Ste¡¯s shoes and said, ¡°Did he scam her for money?¡±


    Ste snorted coldly. ¡°He gifted something another woman gave him to his girlfriend. Don¡¯t you think he


    deserves to die? if


    Keegan was taken aback. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because he thought that it was something that his girlfriend


    would like?¡±


    Ste glowered at him. ¡°What? Something that another woman had worn? What¡¯s even worse is that


    he epted gifts from another woman!¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips and said, ¡°You¡¯re right. He shouldn¡¯t have done that. It¡¯s inappropriate for him to


    do so when he already has a girlfriend.¡±


    Ste gritted her teeth. ¡°You think so too, right? So, tell me, how should he die?¡±


    Keegan thought to himself, ¡®Well, I don¡¯t think he deserves to


    die just because he did that.¡¯


    However, after seeing the stern look on Ste¡¯s face, he said, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°What do I think?¡± Ste grounded her teeth. ¡°I think he should be castrated and chopped into a million


    pieces!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Keegan was shocked.


    ¡°Should I stay outside for a while ande back in after you¡¯re done with this level?¡±


    He felt like his girlfriend was getting a little too into the game.


    Ste nced at him. Then, she raised her left arm and jingled the bracelet on her arm. In an instant,


    her voice took on the tone of Jaylene. ¡°Keegan, do you think this bracelet looks good?¡±


    Keegan was taken aback. He frowned and asked, ¡°Why are you imitating her?¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Ste said coldly. ¡°Am I not doing it right? Let me try a different tone.¡±


    Then, she pretended to speak like Jaylene again. ¡°Keegan, I can give it to you if you like it.¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    What Ste said was almost identical to what Jaylene had said to him during the dinner back then.


    Suddenly, he remembered Ste¡¯s sarcastic remarks from just now and asked, ¡°Did you think that


    Jaylene gave me this bracelet?¡±


    Ste red at him. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what happened? She told me everything!¡±


    Keegan brought his brows together and responded, ¡°She told you that she gave it to me?¡±

 Chapter 1342

    Chapter 1342


    Chapter 1342


    ¡°You better not deny it. How could she recognize it right away if it wasn¡¯t hers?¡±


    Keegan exined, ¡°It originally belonged to her, but she didn¡¯t give it to me. Instead, I bought it from


    her.¡±


    He hurriedly took out his phone and began searching through their chat history.


    After scrolling through the messages, he had finally found a contact named ¡°Red Agate Bracelet


    Seller¡±, and its notification setting was set to ¡°Do Not Disturb¡±.


    Keegan tapped into that contact, and Ste immediately saw thest message from that person.


    [Keegan, I¡¯m having my birthday party the day after tomorrow. Any chance you have time toe?]


    Keegan did not even read it. Instead, he opened the transaction records and quickly found a


    transaction history of ny thousand dors.


    Fearing that Ste might not believe him, he further exined, ¡°I had Aldor find someone to appraise


    the value of this bracelet back then, and I paid her based on the market value at that time. She refused


    to take it, so I told Aldor to go to the bank the next day to wire the money to her. Aldor probably still has


    the receipt. I¡¯ll give him a call right now¡­¡±


    Keegan was eager to rify himself and was about to call


    Aldor.


    Ste looked at him and reached out to hold his wrist. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I trust you,¡± she said softly.


    In fact, she did not fully believe in what Jaylene said to begin with.


    However, she was sure that the bracelet did belong to Jaylene.


    She did not look at the bracelet closely when Keegan had given it to her previously.


    However, after speaking to Jaylene just now, she examined the bracelet after going back to her room.


    Then, she spotted the extremely tiny initials ¡°J.S.¡± in the corner of the bracelet¡¯s gold charm.


    That was the initial of Jaylene¡¯s full name, Jaylene Saun.


    Ste felt ufortable after seeing that.


    Jaylene did not tell Keegan anything about that when she sold it to him. Clearly, Keegan was unaware


    of that as well. He only bought it from Jaylene because he thought that it looked good.


    However, it was clear that Jaylene¡¯s intention was not just to sell the bracelet.


    She deliberately sold a bracelet with her initials engraved to Keegan¡­


    Ste knew exactly what she was up to.


    Keegan believed that the blind date was a secret to both sides, but it turned out that he was wrong.


    Once he came to that realization, he also figured out why Jaylene would know that he was not a good


    drinker when he ate with the Saun family for the first time.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    He was starting to get worried that Jaylene¡¯s feelings toward him were far from being just a simple


    infatuation.


    Keegan heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing what Ste said. Having learned from his past mistakes,


    he was very afraid of misunderstandings.


    However, his expression turned grim as soon as he thought of how Jaylene tried to stir things up.


    He took the bracelet off Ste¡¯s hand and said in a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯ll tell Aldor to return this to her


    tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Forget it.¡± Ste grabbed his hand. ¡°She¡¯s going to think that her n seeded if we were to return it


    now.¡±


    She took the Red Agate Bracelet back from Keegan and tly said, ¡°Let¡¯s keep it for now.¡±


    Very soon, Marshall got into the car with Molly and left.


    In the car, Molly asked, ¡°Marshall, where¡¯s the stripper?¡±


    Marshall turned the steering wheel emotionlessly and asked, ¡°Why are you still looking for him?¡±


    Molly gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I want to know who set me up!¡±


    Marshall replied calmly, ¡°Calling the police is the best way if you really want to know. Why didn¡¯t you


    want to do that?¡±


    Molly clenched her fists. ¡°I don¡¯t want my reputation to be tarnished!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Marshall swept his nce across her. ¡°You better not do anything to Ste. She¡¯s not


    someone you can mess with.¡±


    Molly¡¯s back stiffened before she said in a disdainful tone,¡± There¡¯s no one I can¡¯t afford to mess with.


    Are you warning me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just reminding you,¡± Marshall spoke tly.


    Molly scoffed, ¡°Ste is Celeste. Marshall, it looks like she¡¯s the one that you fell for, huh?¡±

 Chapter 1343

    Chapter 1343


    Chapter 1343


    Marshall tightened his grip on the steering wheel, as he pursed his lips and said, ¡°You should think


    about how you¡¯re going to exin this situation to Grandpa once he finds out about it.¡±


    Molly side-eyed him. ¡°This is nothingpared to you falling in love with Keegan¡¯s ex-wife. If things


    really escted, I¡¯ll just tell them that you-Ah-¡°


    Marshall suddenly made a sharp turn before Molly could finish her sentence, causing her to hit her


    head against the window. ¡°Ouch!¡± Molly screamed.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Marshall¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°If you dare to mention Ste¡¯s name to anyone in our family, I


    wouldn¡¯t mind reminding the Lowe family about the truth behind Zane¡¯s drowning.¡±


    The look on Molly¡¯s face changed, and her voice turned sharp. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡±


    Marshall looked nonchnt again, as he said, ¡°You know what I¡¯m talking about. I won¡¯t repeat myself.¡±


    Molly¡¯s eyes were filled with fear, and she clenched her fists. She stared at Marshall, but she just could


    not muster a word to say.


    Felicity kept Vermont awake until three in the morning before the drug finally started to wear off.


    The drug was so strong that she could not stop herself from seducing him at all.


    Vermont had to stop her from going wild on him, and at the same time, talk to her to distract her.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Felicity went straight to sleep after the drugpletely wore off, and Vermont was so exhausted that


    his dirty thoughts had vanished. He wrapped Felicity in a bath towel and ced her on the bed. Then,


    he fell asleep right next to her.


    The next day, Felicity only woke up when the sun was hanging high in the sky.


    She felt weak, and her mind was like mush.


    When she opened her eyes and saw the unfamiliar surroundings, she could not figure out where she


    was.


    However, it did not take her long to remember that she came here with Ste to celebrate Jaylene¡¯s


    birthday.


    She wanted to rub her eyes, but she realized that she could not move her arm at all as if something


    was trapping it.


    She lowered her head slowly, and she saw herself wrapped in a bath towel like a cocoon. Vermont had


    his face buried in the pillow, and his arm was tightly wrapped around her while he slept.


    Felicity jumped off the bed with a sudden jolt, causing Vermont to flip over onto the floor.


    ¡°Fuck!¡±


    Vermont hit his back on the floor, and he cursed as he opened his eyes. He saw Felicity sitting


    energetically on the bed, and he heaved a sigh of relief. Then, he yawned and asked, ¡°You¡¯re awake.


    Are you still not feeling well?¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eyelid twitched.


    ¡®Not feeling well?


    ¡®Why would I?¡¯


    Then, she started recalling what had happenedst night.


    She remembered saying to Vermont, ¡°Oh, Stinky Cucumber. Why are your pecs so massive?¡±


    Then, she saw herself asking him, ¡°Did¡­ Did it feel good when we made love for the first time?¡±


    She even saw herself fumbling with Vermont¡¯s pants and said, ¡°Let me wake him up for you.¡±


    In the end, she remembered getting into the bathtub with Vermont¡­


    ¡®So, what did I really do?¡¯ Felicity wondered to herself.


    Seeing her silence, Vermont sat up and ced his fingers on her forehead. ¡°Why is your face so red?


    Are you having a fever?¡± he asked.


    Felicity moved back a little instinctively to avoid his touch.


    Vermont paused, pursed his lips, and pulled back his hand.

 Chapter 1344

    Chapter 1344


    Chapter 1344


    Felicity¡¯s mind was a mess, and she realized that she had not been herselfst night.


    She figured that she was not drunk, as she did not ckout. In fact, she could remember a lot of things


    very clearly.


    As she thought about the embarrassing things she didst night, she desperately wanted to dig a hole


    and bury herself right then and there.


    She just realized that she had some feelings for Vermont, yet she did all those things in front of him.


    She just could not ept it!


    She clenched the bedsheet and softly asked, ¡°Was there something wrong with the drink I had


    yesterday?¡±


    Vermont nodded. ¡°Someone spiked the drink. It was originally for Ste, but you took the fall for her.¡±


    He was a little upset in his heart, but he said, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the hospital for a checkupter.¡±


    ¡°Is Ste okay?¡± Felicity immediately asked.


    Vermont scoffed. ¡°She¡¯s a lot smarter than you. She knows not to drink something offered by a


    stranger. But you, you downed it all! If it weren¡¯t for me, you would¡¯ve hooked up with any guy on the


    street!¡±


    Felicity was speechless.


    Her usually sharp-tongued nature was nowhere to be found.


    It was not that she had suddenly changed her personality, but she simply felt too awkward.


    Because she realized that she was not wearing anything under the nket.


    She did not even dare to ask Vermont if he had taken off her clothesst night.


    Vermont softened her tone after seeing her silence, as he thought that she might still be overwhelmed


    by what had happenedst night. ¡°It¡¯s just some shady stuff. You¡¯ll be okay once it wears off. Y-You


    should get freshened up. I¡¯ll wait for you outside.¡±


    Vermont left the room, and Felicity immediately roughly ran her fingers through her long hair.


    ¡®What exactly did I dost night?


    ¡®I almost slept with him!¡¯


    Her face reddened, as she regretted her actions. Suddenly, she realized another problem. She figured


    that Vermont¡¯s condition might really be incurable because he did not do anything to herst night


    despite her state¡­


    She still could not get over the fact that she actually developed feelings for Vermont. Yet, she


    discovered something even more shocking today. The man that she had fallen for was a limp noodle.


    She could not help but wonder to herself, ¡®Is this what the fortune teller meant when she said that I¡¯d


    have a major challenge when I¡¯m twenty-five and a smooth life will follow if I can ovee it?


    Otherwise, I¡¯d have a life of hardship. Did she know that I¡¯d fall in love with Stinky Cucumber?


    ¡®Falling in love with someone that has erectile dysfunction is indeed a life of hardship. I can¡¯t imagine


    what life is going to be.¡¯


    Felicity got changed and walked out of the room with her mind filled with thoughts.


    Vermont had been waiting outside for quite some time. When he saw Felicitying out, he said,


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. The car is here.¡±


    He took her bag from her, grabbed her hand, and led her to the elevator.


    Felicity lowered her gaze and nced at their intertwined hands before shifting her gaze to her bag on


    Vermont¡¯s shoulder. Then, she thought to herself, ¡®Stinky Cucumber seems like a pretty decent and


    dependable guy other than the fact that he has a lot of exes.¡¯ However, she had second thoughts right


    after. ¡®Damn it. So what if he¡¯s dependable? I can¡¯t spend the rest of my life with him just because he¡¯s


    dependable, right?


    Besides, he has always treated his friends well. Although he might be impotent, it doesn¡¯t necessarily


    mean that he¡¯s into me.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Like he said, he wouldn¡¯t have asked me to be his fake girlfriend if it wasn¡¯t for the issues he¡¯s


    having¡­¡¯


    Felicity¡¯s mind was in turmoil.


    Vermont faced the elevator doors, as he looked at the girl whose expression kept changing. Then, he


    suddenly said,¡± Miss Bandit, be my girlfriend.¡±


    Felicity could not figure out what he was trying to say, as she frowned and asked, ¡°Am I not your


    girlfriend right now?¡±


    ¡°Like for real,¡± Vermont said.


    Felicity¡¯s body stiffened, as she stuttered, ¡°Y-You¡¯re joking, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Vermont turned his head and lowered his gaze at her. ¡°After spending these days with you, I


    found out that you¡¯re an amazing girl. Not only can you cook and y video games, but you¡¯re also


    incredibly loyal. I enjoy being around you very much, and I want to be more than just your friend. I want


    to hug you, kiss you, and take our rtionship to the next level.¡±

 Chapter 1345

    Chapter 1345


    Chapter 1345


    Vermont¡¯s voice possessed a captivating allure. With each word he spoke, Felicity would blush harder.


    As he said those words, he had already taken a few steps forward to pin Felicity against the wall.


    He lowered his gaze and looked at her. His eyes were filled with sincerity and was eager to know what


    Felicity was thinking.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Then, he softly asked, ¡°What¡¯s your answer?¡±


    Felicity¡¯s heart was at her throat, as she had never experienced anything like this before.


    In the past, the boys who liked her in school would never confess to her, and they would lose contact


    with each other right after graduating.


    So, this was the first time that someone had confessed to her.


    Vermont was so straightforward and direct that it left her heart in chaos.


    She just realized that she might like him a little yesterday, and now he was confessing his feelings to


    her so directly.


    She found it hard to ept that things progressed so quickly in such a short time. So, she stuttered


    again, ¡°Wh- What answer¡­¡±


    Vermont smiled as his dimples appeared at the corner of his lips, making him look both handsome and


    charismatic.


    He spoke again in a gentler tone. ¡°Will you be my girlfriend?¡±


    Felicity¡¯s head was in a mess, as she was not sure if she would be fine with dating someone that had


    erectile dysfunction¡­


    ¡°Felicity?¡±


    Vermont got a little anxious. He could hold himself backst night, but he changed his mind after


    experiencing what happened.


    He figured that it would probably take Felicity a very long time to realize that he had feelings for her, so


    he did not want to risk losing her to another person.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t want to¡­¡±


    Vermont froze, as his face turned slightly pale. Then, he asked with his shivering lips, ¡°What did you


    say?¡±


    Felicity clenched her fists and avoided his gaze. She lowered her head like an ostrich, as she stuttered


    again, ¡°l-l don¡¯t have those feelings for you. l-l think we should just stay as friends.¡±


    Her words left Vermont devastated. That was his first time getting a taste of rejection.


    His heart trembled, as he tried to suppress his emotions.¡± Don¡¯t you¡­ like me at all?¡± he asked in a


    deep voice.


    Felicity¡¯s heart felt uneasy upon hearing that, but she simply could not think straight. Vermont¡¯s


    unexpected confession, his current condition, and her ownplicated emotions all hit her at once.


    She was unable to handle all of them at once, so she could only resort to avoidance.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that, but¡­ I just¡­ I see you as a good friend, like how I see Ste, my best friend.¡±


    ¡°Best friend¡­¡± Vermont mumbled.


    When he realized he had feelings for Felicity at the very beginning, he already knew that he would not


    seed that easily.


    Felicity had her own preferences and the type of guys she liked. And Vermont was not one of them.


    Despite his efforts to keep her close to him and thinking that he would have a better chance of winning


    her over that way, he still failed miserably.


    Vermont¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed, as he swallowed. It took him a while to speak again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for


    making you ufortable.¡±


    He took a step back as he spoke, and his expression did not look as passionate as before. Instead, it


    turned cold and distant as if he had suddenly put up a barrier between them. Then, he said, ¡°Just forget


    about everything I said. Let¡¯s just go back to how things were before.¡±


    Felicity was taken aback, as she subconsciously tugged at her clothes.


    ¡®Go back to how things were before¡­


    Before when?


    ¡®When we didn¡¯t know each other, or when we were pretending to be a couple?¡¯


    Felicity turned to Vermont.


    ¡®He would always offer to help. I¡¯m sure he would help Ste carry her stuff too if she was here.¡¯

 Chapter 1346

    Chapter 1346


    Chapter 1346


    Vermont remained calm and did not feel angry due to the embarrassment of getting rejected.


    He kept a distance away from Felicity and stopped holding her hands.


    When the elevator stopped, he turned to Felicity and said,¡± Let¡¯s go.¡±


    He still sounded very calm.


    As if¡­ the person who had confessed to her passionately just moments ago was not him.


    Felicity¡¯s tensed heart felt sour.


    However, Vermont still took her to the hospital for a blood test and check-up.


    He only felt at ease after making sure that everything was fine with Felicity.


    When they came out of the hospital, Vermont handed her the bag and said, ¡°I need to go back to the


    office now. I ordered a cab for you. You can go back on your own.¡±


    Felicity paused. ¡°A-Aren¡¯t you going to get changed?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Vermont chuckled. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. I¡¯m not exactly a respectable person to others anyway.¡±


    Felicity was taken aback and could not find the right words to say.


    After walking Felicity to the cab, Vermont waved her goodbye before the car drove away.


    She looked at Vermont through the rearview mirror in the car, but his figure became gradually blurry.


    So, she immediately rolled the window down and looked outside.


    Vermont had already turned around and slowly disappeared in the distance, blending in with the crowd.


    She sat back in the car, and her mind was nk, i


    Vermont did not go to work. Instead, he went to the club he would always go to.


    He was frustrated and needed a drink to ease his mind.


    Ste and Keegan left early in the morning.


    That was because Ste had received an audio file from Xenia.


    It turned out that Hylda had run out of money and contacted Albert to demand for some money.


    They were going to meet up in person, and Xenia could not be there. So, she ced a tiny listening


    device in Albert¡¯s pocket before he left.


    Then, she extracted the audio recording from the device and sent a copy to Ste.


    Ste yed it, and she heard Hylda¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Walter came to me.¡±


    Walter Ramsey was the Jewell family¡¯s former driver, who had recently fallen ill and was being treated


    in the hospital. Ste remembered him very well.


    Albert frowned. ¡°What does he want?¡±


    ¡°Money. He needs to get his malignant tumor treated.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Albert got upset. ¡°I already paid him a lot of money when I told him to leave back then. It has


    already been so many years. He probably spent it all and wants more now. He¡¯s out of his mind.¡±


    Hylda replied calmly, ¡°I think so too. However, he¡¯s threatening me with Rainee¡¯s ident. He said that


    he¡¯ll go to the police if I don¡¯t give him money.¡±


    Albert¡¯s expression changed. ¡°The police? It was purely an ident. What does that have to do with


    us? He¡¯s getting way too desperate for money.¡±


    ¡°Albert, it¡¯s just the two of us now. There¡¯s no need to put up the act anymore. We both know what


    exactly happened to Rainee. And Walter¡­ he knows too. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯te so boldly at me


    and ckmail me.


    Albert became very anxious upon hearing that, as he said worriedly, ¡°What are you talking about? I


    don¡¯t know anything!


    Hylda did not have the patience to argue with him on his matter. However, she knew that Albert had to


    pay Walter, or her secret would be exposed.


    Then, she said in a deep voice, ¡°Albert, we¡¯re in the same boat here. It¡¯s true that I was the one who


    tampered with her brake, but you¡¯re not exactly innocent either. You were the one who secretly ced


    her antidepressants at the scene. Otherwise, the police would have never concluded the case and said


    that she simply had a depressive episode.


    ¡°Walter knows about this, and now he¡¯s ckmailing me. He¡¯s asking for money to treat his illness.


    Would I havee to you if I had any other choice? If the police reopen this investigation and both of


    us get into trouble, can you imagine what would happen to the Jewell family and the kids?!¡±

 Chapter 1347

    Chapter 1347


    Chapter 1347


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The mention of kids struck a chord with Albert. He still had an unborn son that he had been eagerly


    waiting for half his life.


    What if Walter actually goes to the cops and says something that leads to a reevaluation of the case?


    What will happen to my son if I get taken away? What about my lifelong family legacy?¡¯ While thinking


    about being locked up in jail, Albert was reminded of his youth days in the detention center for some


    shady dealings. The nightmare of those days sent a shiver down his spine.


    Albert¡¯s face turned pale. He clenched his teeth and asked,¡± How much does he want?¡±


    ¡°Five million dors,¡± Hylda replied in a deep voice.


    ¡°Five million dors?¡± Albert raised the tone of his voice.¡± What kind of illness does he have that


    requires so much money?¡±


    Why bother getting treatment when it costs five million dors?¡¯ he thought, as his face darkened.


    Albert was still waiting for the 50 million dors he had extorted from Keegan. There was no way for


    him to transfer arge sum of money into his domestic ount without a legitimate source. So, he


    hired a foreignpany to help himunder the money through unconventional means. He thought


    that it would be a walk in the park. But it had been around two to three months, and the money still had


    note through.


    Albert did not have many liquid assets left, and converting his other assets such aspany shares


    and properties into cash was not quick or easy. Moreover, he was not keen on selling off his real estate


    holdings. Hence, five million dors was not a small amount for him.


    At the same time, Albert did not want to fork out that kind of money, even if he had it.


    ¡°It¡¯s the number I was able to get after negotiating with him. It¡¯s a good deal, Albert. Five million dors


    in exchange for our family¡¯s safety. The consequences could be catastrophic if we don¡¯t give it to him.


    Think of it as spending your money to keep disaster at bay,¡± Hylda murmured.


    Albert¡¯s expression remained tense. ¡°The evidence from that ident was cleaned up ages ago. How


    will the police reopen the case if he goes to them without any proof?¡±


    ¡®This fool is proving to be a tough nut to crack when ites to money,¡¯ thought Hylda.


    ¡°The police might not believe his story, but Ste will. She¡¯ll hound us like a rabid dog if he goes to her.


    She married Keegan because you promised to help her keep Rainee alive. Based on Ste¡¯s


    rtionship with her, she¡¯ll never let us off once she knows that the car ident was not an ident at


    all.¡±


    As soon as Ste¡¯s name came up, Albert¡¯splexion shifted. ¡°It¡¯s been years since that incident, and


    the vehicle involved has long been scrapped and disposed of. There¡¯s no evidence left. Even if she


    does get wind of it, what can she possibly do?¡± He said in a stern voice.


    Hylda was getting antsy. If Albert did not cough up the money, she would have to bear the


    consequences herself. Feeling desperate, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°How do you think the case


    was resolved so smoothly back then? Do you really think we executed everything perfectly? If it weren¡¯t


    forthat taxi-¡°


    The recording suddenly cut off and was reced by the sound of electronic interference.


    Ste furrowed her brow and quickly dialed Xenia¡¯s number. ¡°Did you not send me the full audio? The


    last part seems to be cut off.¡±


    ¡°There was some signal interference, and the listening device malfunctioned. So, the rest wasn¡¯t


    recorded,¡± Xenia responded.


    Ste¡¯s expression darkened. It was frustrating to know that the most crucial part of the conversation


    was not recorded.¡¯ What was Hylda about to say next? And what was the reason behind the case being


    closed so easily?¡¯ she thought.

 Chapter 1348

    Chapter 1348


    Chapter 1348


    ¡°Did Albert transfer the money?¡± asked Ste.


    Xenia shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. He¡¯s back, but he clearly looks troubled. It appears he¡¯s


    reluctant to pay up. I overheard him on the phone with Sophia, and it sounded like they were


    discussing about shares.-


    ¡®Shares?¡¯ Ste pondered for a moment. ¡®Could it be that Albert is exploring the idea of trading shares


    with Sophia to get the funds?¡¯


    She hung up the phone and frowned. ¡°Can this recording be used against them?¡± she muttered.


    With no response from the person beside her, she turned to find that Keegan was lost in thought. ¡°Hey,


    I¡¯m talking to you. What¡¯s on your mind?¡± she nudged his arm and said.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Keegan snapped back to reality and asked in a low voice.


    ¡°Why are you zoning out so early in the morning?¡± Steined before repeating herself.


    After hearing her out, Keegan exined, ¡°Recordings from wiretaps like this probably won¡¯t hold up as


    direct evidence. But we can consult Ted about itter.¡±


    Ste felt somewhat disappointed to learn that the evidence would not be admissible.


    Keegan noticed this and reassured her, ¡°Even if it can¡¯t be used as primary evidence to press charges,


    this recording does validate your suspicions. Rainee¡¯s car ident wasn¡¯t an ident. It was a


    calcted murder. Our focus right now should be on gathering concrete proof.¡±


    Ste realized that there was no need to rush. ¡°Should we try to locate Walter?¡±


    Keegan gently tapped his fingers on the leather seat. He considered the suggestion before he said,


    ¡°Let¡¯s give it a bit more time.¡±


    Albert genuinely did not want to give Walter five million dors. ¡®How on earth am I going to support my


    son if I hand over the money? I haven¡¯t even received a single cent from the 50 million dors Keegan


    gave me,¡¯ he thought.


    Albert then weighed his options and devised a n. He would negotiate with Sophia to sell a portion of


    thepany¡¯s shares to Ethan.


    Sophia and Ethan had a good rtionship. Even though they had only been together for a short while,


    the Shaw family was quite fond of the Jewell family and had a favorable impression of Sophia.


    Sophia had been doing a good job in promoting Ethan¡¯s career through her marketing articles and


    techniques as an influencer. Although the Jewell family could notpare to the prestigious families,


    theirpany had been performing well over the years, thanks to the support of the Kane family.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Furthermore, Albert only had a son and a daughter. If Sophia eventually tied the knot with Ethan, it was


    usible that the


    When a person got married, they would be part of their partner¡¯s family. Hence, Sophia¡¯s


    belongings would likely be connected with the Shaws.


    When news of Hylda¡¯s affair came to light, the Shaw family learned from Sophia that Hugo was not


    Albert¡¯s biological son. This revtion brought immense joy to the Shaw family because it meant that


    Sophia had be the sole heir of the Jewell family. As a result, the Shaws treated Sophia even


    better than before.


    Currently, Sophia and Ethan were living together. They were deeply in love and were behaving like


    newlyweds.


    Albert called when Sophia was goofing around with Ethan. She did not find Ethan¡¯s looks particrly


    appealing, but he had a way with words and knew how to make women happy. Even though Sophia


    had a contractual rtionship with thepany, Ethan consulted her on all majorpany matters


    and introduced her as his partner.

 Chapter 1349

    Chapter 1349


    Chapter 1349


    Ethan was a romantic and attentive partner. He was skilled in bed and was willing to go the extra mile


    to please her. Aside from his looks, Sophia was quite satisfied with this rtionship.


    When Sophia saw that it was Albert calling, she held down Ethan¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Hold on. My dad¡¯s


    on the phone.¡±


    Ethan released her hand, rolled off the bed, and lit a cigarette. He leaned against the headboard and


    smoked as he watched her.


    Sophia picked up her phone and said, ¡°Hey, Dad, what¡¯s up? Why are you calling so early in the


    morning?¡±


    ¡°Sophia, how are things with the marriage? Any word from the Shaws? ¡°Albert inquired.


    Sophia was taken aback. ¡®Why is he suddenly asking about this? He literally said there was no need to


    rush, and we should take our time.¡¯


    ¡°Ethan¡¯s parents are fine with it. But, since Ethan and I haven¡¯t been dating for long, I thought we could


    give it a bit more time.¡±


    Ethan exhaled a puff of smoke and closely observed Sophia without saying a word.


    ¡°You should get married sooner if possible. You¡¯re not getting any younger,¡± said Albert.


    After a brief pause, he added, ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking of transferring some shares to you to boost your


    assets.¡±


    Sophia¡¯s interest was piqued when she heard that. ¡°You want to give me your shares?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re my daughter. Everything I have will eventually be yours, no? I didn¡¯t do it earlier because


    you had just graduated, and your rtionship wasn¡¯t stable yet. But now that you and Ethan are talking


    about marriage, I can¡¯t just stand by without showing any support. Or do you want me to give you


    money when the timees?¡±


    Naturally, Sophia wanted the shares. Any dowry worth a few million dors would be more than


    enough. However, shares were different. With thepany still running, she could receive annual


    profits. So, she quickly replied, ¡°I¡¯d like to have the shares. In case I decide to step down from this


    business and help out at the familypany in the future.¡±


    ¡°I was thinking the same,¡± Albert said in a low voice. ¡°I initially nned to transfer ten percent of my


    shares to you, but I can only do five percent right now. I must have at least half of thepany¡¯s


    shares to maintain control. But I¡¯m having trouble freeing up even five percent. Coincidentally, Mr.


    Everett is looking to sell his shares because he is in need of money. Would you consider buying his


    shares?¡±


    Sophia was a bit skeptical, but Albert continued, ¡°I wanted to buy them, but we¡¯ve invested nearly a


    hundred million in several projectstely. All our funds have been used in these projects, and I need to


    pay the staff. So, I can¡¯t buy them. However, Mr. Everett¡¯s offering price is quite low. It would be great if


    you could buy it since the dividends alone could be worth millions each year. You¡¯ll have tons to spend.


    If


    Ethan¡¯s eyes gleamed when he heard the prospect of earning millions in dividends. With his cigarette in


    hand, he continued listening attentively.


    ¡°How many shares is Mr. Everett offering, and how much does he want for them, dad?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s selling four percent for eight million dors,¡± Albert replied. ¡®Based on the current stock market, it


    would likely cost at least ten million dors if you buy it somewhere else. If


    Sophia was tempted, but she could not immediatelye up with eight million dors. She was in a


    dilemma when Ethan put out his cigarette and whispered something in her ears.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Sophia paused and said, ¡°Dad, can you ask Mr. Everett to put the shares on hold for me? I need some


    time toe up with the eight million dors.¡±


    ¡°Sure. But you have to be quick. I can only hold it for two days at most,¡± replied Albert.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to buy the shares?¡± Sophia asked Ethan after hanging up the phone.


    Ethan put his arm around her shoulders and said,¡± Opportunities like this don¡¯te by often, Sophia.


    How can we let this one slip away? Plus, having arger stake will give you more say in thepany¡¯s


    affairs.¡±


    ¡°But, eight million dors isn¡¯t a small amount, and yourpany needs the funds right now,¡± said


    Sophia.

 Chapter 1350

    Chapter 1350


    Chapter 1350


    Ethan kissed Sophia on the cheek and reassured her, ¡°My parents have some savings, and we can still


    manage at thepany. Getting your affairs sorted out is my top priority. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m willing to


    endure a little stress. And, even if thepany runs into trouble, you won¡¯t just abandon me, will you?¡±


    Sophia was deeply moved by Ethan¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯ll write up an IOU. Once we secure the shares, we¡¯ll


    split the dividends fifty -fifty.¡±


    Ethan smiled and epted her proposal.


    Soon, he transferred eight million dors into Sophia¡¯s ount, and Sophia wasted no time reaching


    out to Albert to finalize the share transfer agreement.


    Meanwhile, Keegan¡¯s undercover sources reported these developments to him.


    Ste was rendered speechless upon hearing the details.¡± So, Walter asked Hylda for two million


    dors, yet Hylda asked Albert for five million? And Albert sold eight million worth of shares from a shell


    corporation to Sophia? What kind of financial game are they ying here?¡±


    ¡°Now I know where you acquired this knack for scheming,¡± Keegan remarked.


    Ste shot a re at him and said. ¡°I¡¯m different, okay? I only screw outsiders while they screw over


    their own.¡±


    ¡®She does have a point,¡¯ thought Keegan.


    ¡°Since Walter wants cash, should we consider a heist?¡± Ste whispered after a moment of


    contemtion.


    Keegan¡¯s eyelids twitched when he heard that. ¡°Can youe up with something more¡­ legal?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re doing an illegal trade. It¡¯s not like they¡¯d report us to the police if it gets stolen,¡± Ste scoffed.


    ¡°Robbing people of stolen money is still robbery,¡± Keegan countered.


    Ste did not bother to argue further and said, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll do it myself!¡±


    However, Keegan could not let her embark on such a dangerous journey alone. Thus, he used his


    connections to uncover the location of Walter and Hylda¡¯s transaction. He called in a few specially


    trained security personnel from thepany¡¯s security team to aid them in their mission.


    The transaction waspleted in the dead of night. Walter was making his getaway with the money


    when Keegan¡¯s armed team appeared and took the money from him.


    Seeing his lifesaving money vanish before his eyes, Walter got so agitated that he coughed up blood.


    Following that, his vision blurred, and he lost consciousness.


    Soon, two suitcases filled with money were delivered to Ste and Keegan.


    ¡°Whoa. Two million dors sure is a lot,¡± said Ste, as she


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    attempted to lift one of the suitcases, which weighed at least thirty pounds.


    She then clicked her tongue and said, ¡°How do TV shows manage to stuff a billion dors into those


    tiny suitcases?¡±


    ¡°They probably use Zimbabwean dors,¡± Keegan jested.


    Ste could not help but roll her eyes. She proceeded to load the suitcases onto the car and said,


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this money into the bank.¡±


    ¡°Uwful possession of someone else¡¯s property can lead to legal repercussions, especially withrge


    sums of money. It carries a minimum sentence of two years. However, what you¡¯ve done is not uwful


    possession but robbery. You can be sent to jail even if it¡¯s for a rtively small amount,¡± warned


    Keegan.


    Ste remained unfazed. ¡°Then, feel free to call the authorities.¡±


    Keegan had no response.


    Ste took the money to the bank, but she did not deposit it into her personal ount. Instead, she


    directed the funds into the donation ount of Eastern Alley Welfare Center.

 Chapter 1351

    Chapter 1351


    Chapter 1351


    All of Albert¡¯s ill-gotten money had essentially been obtained through Rainee¡¯s misery. It was only fitting


    for this money to be returned to its original source.


    Keegan lent his full support to Ste when she robbed the rich to help the poor. He cleaned up the


    aftermath efficiently and went the extra mile by nting a miniature listening device inside Walter¡¯s


    wallet.


    The nifty gadget was a new creation from theirb, and it was developed in coboration with some


    top-notch associates. The product had yet to hit the market, so it was a perfect opportunity to put its


    capabilities to the test.


    Walter was rushed to the hospital. It was unknown whether the shock of losing his cash affected his


    condition, but his health took a nosedive. The doctors urged him to make a decision. Surgery could


    potentially extend his life by a few more years, while any further dy would allow the cancer to spread


    beyond control.


    Naturally, Walter wanted to live, but he could not afford the treatment now that his money was gone.


    Moreover, he could not report the robbery to the police because they would dig up the truth behind the


    source of the funds and make matters worse.


    He did not understand how he could get robbed in a city known for its tight security andw


    enforcement. ¡®The transaction venue was so discreet. How did those robbers manage to corner me so


    effectively? And how did they know that the suitcase contained cash?¡¯


    As Walter ruminated over these questions, a realization crept over him. ¡®This wasn¡¯t a robbery, but a


    meticulously designed plot by Hylda! She had never intended to let me keep that money!¡¯ he thought.N?velDrama.Org content.


    Walter¡¯s face looked angry after this revtion.


    On the other hand, Hylda was enjoying a considerably smoother ride. She had used two out of the five


    million dors Albert gave her to quiet Walter, leaving her with three million dors to enhance her life.


    The results of the kindergarten children¡¯s health examinations hade in. Many of the kids had


    various health issues, primarily due to their unhealthy and unsanitary eating habits. The parents had


    come together to sue the kindergarten, demandingpensation for medical expenses and other


    losses.


    Fortunately for Hylda, she had nned everything carefully. All the kindergarten¡¯s paperwork had been


    in Lydia¡¯s name when it was first registered in the education system.


    Although Hylda had taken a significant chunk of the profits, she had never been directly involved in the


    management.


    As a result, all the debts and usations fell onto Lydia¡¯s shoulders.


    Lydia was still hoping that Hylda would use her connections to help her. However, she did not know


    that Hylda hadpletely abandoned her.


    Meanwhile, Lydia¡¯s husband frequently visited the area where Hylda was renting, causing her a lot of


    annoyance.


    With three million dors in her possession, Hylda had rented a new apartment in an upscale


    neighborhood. She was busy packing for the move, as her housemaid was off for the weekend. Hugo


    was in his room drawing while Hylda was sorting through their items, preparing to call a cab to move


    some of her belongings. Just as she was in the midst of this, the doorbell rang.


    Thinking that it was a delivery, Hylda got up to open the door. To her surprise, she found a man


    standing outside, d in a ck hooded coat.


    She furrowed her brows. ¡°Wh¡ª¡±

 Chapter 1352

    Chapter 1352


    Chapter 1352


    Walter looked up before Hylda could finish her sentence, and her expression shifted. ¡°Why are you


    here? Didn¡¯t I give you the money already?¡±


    Walter had lost a lot of weight in just two days. His hair was streaked gray, and his cheekbones were


    protruding. It was as if he had aged ten years within that short span of time.


    Upon hearing Hylda mention the money, Walter¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°There are some things I need to


    discuss with you, Mrs. Jewell,¡± He said in a deep voice.


    However, Hylda wanted nothing more to do with him and replied coldly, ¡°I¡¯ve given you what you asked


    for. There¡¯s nothing left for us to talk about. From now on, you deal with your illness, and I¡¯ll carry on


    with my life.¡±


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    She was about to close the door when Walter used his foot to block the door. The look on his face was


    even more sinister than before. ¡°Let me in!¡±


    Hylda remained unyielding. ¡°If you don¡¯t leave, I¡¯ll have the property management remove you!¡± She


    reached for her phone and was ready to make the call.


    This action infuriated Walter. He suddenly pulled out a knife from his pocket and pressed it against


    Hylda¡¯s waist. ¡°I said, let me in!¡±


    Hylda was petrified. Her hand trembled, as her phone fell to the floor. The gleaming de emitted a


    chilling presence. It was sharp enough to pierce through her flesh with the slightest movement.


    Hylda turned pale, trembling as she moved aside for Walter to enter. ¡°Walter¡­ What are you doing?


    We can talk things out if you want¡­.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Walter¡¯s expression was threatening. He forcefully pushed Hylda inside and mmed the


    door shut with a loud thud.


    ¡°Was it you? Was it you who arranged for someone to rob me of the money?¡±


    Hylda did not understand his question. ¡°Huh? Rob you?


    What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Stop pretending!¡± Walter yelled as he stared at her with a ruthless gaze. His bony face, paired with his


    prominent veins, made him look terrifying. ¡°After I received the money, a group of masked individuals


    came up and robbed me! This happened as soon as you left. It looked like they knew about our deal;


    they were waiting to attack. Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t do it when only you and I were involved in the


    transaction!¡±


    Hylda felt wronged. She had indeed contemted not giving Walter any money and having someone to


    rough him up a bit. But she no longer had enough funds to hire shady people for such actions. It could


    easily backfire, and she might end up in trouble herself. So, despite the pain of handing over two million


    dors, she still gave it to him for the sake of her own safety.


    Now, upon hearing that Walter¡¯s money had been stolen, she panicked. ¡°Walter, I swear this wasn¡¯t my


    doing. I wouldn¡¯t have given you the money in the first ce if I was behind it.


    I wouldn¡¯t go through all this trouble. Did you tell anyone else about our deal?¡±


    Walter gritted his teeth. ¡°I didn¡¯t contact anyone except you! I know you better than Albert does, Hylda.


    You¡¯re greedy, cunning, and malicious! You were the one who encouraged Rainee to go through the


    surrogacy procedure. You got her pregnant, forced her to have an abortion, and permanently destroyed


    her ability to conceive. Everything that has happened was all on you! If you¡¯re willing to harm the


    person who helped you for the sake of your own wealth and luxury, you¡¯re capable of anything!¡±


    His words were filled with rage, and his hand trembled while holding the knife.


    Hylda¡¯s face grew several shades paler, as she was afraid that he would stab her. But she held down


    her fear and spoke softly. ¡°Walter, please calm down. Whether you believe me or not, I had nothing to


    do with this. I¡¯ll get you the money again if you need it. Let¡¯s focus on getting you medical treatment


    first, okay?¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, someone sent her a message, and her phone beeped.


    Hylda clenched her hand and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, we can go to the bank


    together and withdraw another fifty thousand dors for you. I¡¯ll also have someone investigate the


    robbery. How does that sound?¡±


    Walter remained silent, seemingly weighing the credibility of


    Hylda¡¯s words. After a long pause, he picked up Hylda¡¯s phone and unlocked the screen to reveal a


    message from Albert.


    [Have you given Walter the five million dors? Has he left Rivera yet?]

 Chapter 1353

    Chapter 1353


    Chapter 1353


    ¡®Five million dors?¡¯ Walter¡¯s expression twisted in anger. He raised his hand and pped Hylda


    across the face, sending her sprawling to the ground. The force of the blow left her with a swollen


    bump on her forehead.


    Her vision became blurry. The next thing she knew, Walter was yanking her up off the floor by her hair.


    ¡°You bastard! Is there a shred of truth in anything you say? You even deceived Albert. How am I


    supposed to believe you?¡±


    Hylda cried out in agony. She gripped Walter¡¯s hand and begged, ¡°Walter, Walter! I swear I had nothing


    to do with it. We can go to the bank and check the withdrawal records. I had no idea your money was


    stolen. I- Ah-¡°


    Before she couldplete her sentence, Walter pped her once more. ¡°You despicable bitch. You¡¯ve


    manipted everyone, and now you expect me to believe you?¡±


    Hylda clutched her throbbing face and sobbed, ¡°No. I¡ª¡±


    Walter had no patience for her protests. He tossed her phone back to her and, with a cold expression,


    he ordered,¡± Transfer the five million to my ount right now. Don¡¯t you dare try anything else, or I


    swear I¡¯ll end you!¡±


    He then thrust the knife into the couch, making Hylda tremble in fear.


    Hylda did not have five million dors. Even if she did, transferring such an amount would leave her


    with nothing.


    Moreover, Walter knew too many of her secrets and could easily use them as leverage whenever he


    needed more money. ¡®Over the years, he had continuously treated me like an ATM. I would never find


    peace unless he is dealt with.¡¯


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Determined, Hylda began to think calmly. ¡°What¡¯s your bank ount number? I¡¯ll transfer the money to


    you,¡± she sobbed.


    Walter let his guard down when he saw that she had given up resisting. He ced the knife on the


    coffee table and pulled out his wallet.


    ¡®Now¡¯s my chance,¡¯ thought Hylda. As Walter was looking for his card, she suddenly grabbed the knife


    and stabbed him.


    Walter tried to snatch the knife away, but it was already toote.


    Hylda cut through his hand with immense strength, piercing the de directly into his chest.


    Walter¡¯s face turned ashen, and his eyes were filled with disbelief. ¡°You wretched-¡± He tried to reach for


    Hylda¡¯s neck, but she withdrew the knife and stabbed him again. This time, it went straight into his


    heart.


    Walter convulsed and copsed on the floor. His eyes stared nkly ahead.


    Although Hylda¡¯s hand was trembling, her mind was surprisingly clear. She pulled out the weapon,


    wrapped it in a stic bag, and began to clean the scene.


    At the same time, a pair of unflinching eyes had observed everything.


    Meanwhile, Felicity was feeding her cat in apartment 902 of Clouditude International. The kitten had


    grown a lot in the two weeks since she brought it home. It had noticeably increased in size and


    alternated between ying, eating, and napping. It was living the life.


    ¡°That stinky cucumber has beening home reallyte these days, huh, Sewyn?¡± Felicity gently


    stroked the kitten¡¯s head and said softly. It was as if she was talking to herself rather than the cat.


    After returning from Onsen Vi, Vermont had be increasingly distant. He no longer initiated video


    game sessions with Felicity or yfully requested that she replicate dishes from certain online


    influencers. Felicity hardly ever saw him at night, and she only crossed paths with him once when he


    got up to drink some water in the morning. They exchanged a brief greeting, and Vermont returned to


    his room.


    She did not run into him anymore after that. At times, Felicity would notice that his shoes were still on


    the shoe rack and assume that he was still asleep.

 Chapter 1354

    Chapter 1354


    Chapter 1354


    Vermont had suddenly adopted a distant demeanor toward Felicity. He still spoke to her politely, but


    she could not quite put her finger on why it bothered her.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Tomorrow was the weekend. Normally, at this time, the two of them would be gaming through the night.


    Every Friday at 8 p.m., they would show up in the living room with snacks. But today was different.


    Felicity nced at the clock. It was nearly 10 p.m., and Vermont was still nowhere in sight.


    She had been thinking about Vermont¡¯s confession over the past few days. And, every time she was


    reminded of it, her heart would flutter. She knew she had feelings for Vermont. But her thoughts were in


    turmoil, and she found it challenging to make a decision. t-out refusing seemed too hasty, yet


    epting felt even more impulsive. She was struggling to find a better way to handle the situation.


    ¡®Would that stinky cucumber feel like I¡¯m leading him on if I asked for some time to think it over?¡¯


    Felicity had to prepare herself for the possibility of being with a man with physical limitations. ¡®Ahhh,


    this is impossible,¡¯ she sighed to herself.


    Felicity then picked up her phone and messaged Ste. [ Hey, how did Keegan ovee his


    infertility?]


    Ste had just finished a phone call with Stuart, the director of Motives for Murder, when she saw


    Felicity¡¯s text. She nearly spat out her mango juice and coughed several times.


    Keegan grabbed a tissue to wipe her mouth and asked,¡± What¡¯s got you so worked up?¡±


    Ste waved it off and replied to Felicity¡¯s message. [Why are you asking?]


    [It¡¯s¡­ Vermont. He¡¯s¡­ infertile.]


    Ste was shocked and excited to know the story. [What?! Tell me more!]


    Felicity hesitated before she typed, [Not before you tell me how Keegan treated his condition.]


    Ste wanted to tell Felicity that Keegan did not actually have an infertility problem, but she realized


    that her not tell her more about Vermont¡¯s situation if she knew that they did not go for treatment.


    Wanting to be let in on the gossip, Ste replied, [We consulted an experienced alternative medicine


    practitioner, and he prescribed Keegan some remedies. The results were miraculous after a period of


    consistent use.]


    Felicity paused and considered the route of alternative medicine. She had heard of its effectiveness


    before when her uncle had suffered from severe back pain. He tried various treatments and was even


    advised to undergo surgery. Because of his fear of surgeries, his friend rmended him to go to an


    alternative medicine center. After several sessions, his pain miraculously vanished and had not


    returned in years.


    Hence, Felicity was intrigued when Ste mentioned alternative medicine.


    [What was the prescription? Can you share it with me? I¡¯d like to get it for Vermont.]


    [I think everyone¡¯s situation is different, so the prescription would vary. Tell me more about his


    symptoms, and I¡¯ll ask the doctor for you.]


    [He¡­ can¡¯t maintain an erection. Even watching porn doesn¡¯t help. Plus, he doesn¡¯t seem interested in


    that.] Felicity replied.


    Just as Felicity was about to confide in Ste about the situation with Vermont, she heard the door


    creak open. She quickly set her phone down and rushed over. Despite the awkwardness, she wanted


    to have a conversation with Vermont about possibly giving her more time.


    With determination, Felicity made her way to the hallway. That was when she saw Vermont standing


    there with an exceptionally attractive woman by his side.

 Chapter 1355

    Chapter 1355


    Chapter 1355


    Felicity was taken aback when she saw Vermont with someone else. He seemed noticeably intoxicated


    and emitted a strong scent of alcohol. His shirt was half-open, and he could barely maintain his


    bnce. He was leaning on the shoulder of the woman apanying him.


    The woman who was assisting him appeared surprised to find someone else in the house. She


    hesitated for a moment and then inquired, ¡°Are you¡­ the nanny?¡±


    Her question rendered Felicity speechless. ¡°No, I¡¯m his aunt, ¡± she replied.


    The woman looked puzzled. ¡°His aunt?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Do I not look like I can be his aunt?¡±


    The woman fell silent. Indeed, it did not seem likely, as Felicity appeared much too young. She was


    wearing cutesy pajamas, and her petite stature paired with her appearance, made her look like a high


    school student. ¡®Her rtionship with Vermont must be anything but ordinary if she lives here, ¡®the


    woman thought.


    While the woman assessed Felicity, Felicity was also sizing her up. The woman stood at around 57¡å


    with long legs that seemed to stretch up to Felicity¡¯s waist. She wore a formfitting, burgundy dress that


    entuated her figure. Her makeup was wless, and she had an attractive physique. While she might


    not possess Ste¡¯s striking allure, she was


    still undeniably beautiful.


    Suddenly, Felicity recalled Vermont¡¯s previous girlfriends. Even though they had known each other for


    only half a year, she was aware of his romantic history. As the youngest CEO of the five major


    entertainmentpanies in the country, he had switched partners faster than the rise of his firm¡¯s


    celebrities. Moreover, his exes were all exceptionally attractive. Coincidentally, the appearance of the


    woman holding up Vermont matched his type.


    Felicity¡¯s gaze dimmed, as she thought about it. She pressed her lips together, and she chose not to


    say anything.


    The woman eventually stopped staring and smiled faintly.¡± No. You don¡¯t seem like his aunt. You look


    rather young. Did you just start college? Vermont never mentioned anything about having such a young


    aunt before.¡±


    ¡®Are they close? Why did she call him by his first name?¡¯ While Felicity contemted this, Vermont lost


    his footing and startled her. She was about to reach out and help him when the woman took hold of


    him.


    Felicity froze for a moment, and her fingers curled into a fist.


    Vermont leaned heavily on the woman. Considering his tall stature, it was quite a challenge for her to


    support him. She turned to Felicity and said, ¡°Could you help me get him into bed? He¡¯s had a bit too


    much to drink.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s throat felt dry. She reluctantly grabbed Vermont¡¯s arm and draped it over her shoulder.


    Together, the women managed to get Vermont onto the bed.


    The woman began unbuttoning Vermont¡¯s shirt skillfully and continued, ¡°Could you get me a wet towel?


    I¡¯ll help him freshen up a bit.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Felicity replied and went to the bathroom.


    As she soaked the towel in water, an inexplicable anger surged within her.


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe that Stinky Cucumber! It had only been a few days since he confessed his feelings to


    me, and now he¡¯s with another woman? He¡¯s showing his true colors! I knew this guy wasn¡¯t genuine!


    How could a womanizer like him possibly be interested in me?¡¯ thought Felicity.


    He was clearly toying with my feelings with that confession. And here I was thinking that he was sad


    because I rejected him. I can¡¯t believe I even considered giving him a chance! What a joke!¡¯


    Vermont had never been truthful with Felicity. He tricked her into preparing lunch for Corbin and


    devoured it himself.


    When they were ying video games together, he would ask her to hide in the bushes with him. In the


    end, he would run away at the first sign of an enemy, leaving her to fend for herself.


    ¡®What kind of person would do that if they truly liked someone?¡¯ Felicity asked herself.

 Chapter 1356

    Chapter 1356


    Chapter 1356


    ¡®Ugh! That Stinky Cucumber!¡¯ thought Felicity.She wrung the towel dry and stormed back to the


    bedroom with a tense face.


    Upon reaching the master bedroom, Felicity noticed that the door was closed.


    When she tried to open it, she discovered that it was locked from the inside.She knocked on the door,


    and a woman''s voice emerged from within.


    "You should get some rest.Don''t worry.There''s a bathroom here.I''ll take care of him."


    Felicity was at a loss for words.She threw the towel into the bathroom sink and went back to her room,


    mming the bedroom door behind her.She then grabbed her phone and realized that Ste had sent


    her several messages.


    [Does he only have erectile dysfunction? What do you mean he''s not interested in porn? Are there any


    other symptoms? [When did he discover this? [Have you two tried having sex yet? Did he not be


    hard at all? [Give me more details, so I can discuss it with the doctor.


    [Felicity? Are you asleep?] Frustrated with Vermont, Felicity typed out the responses to Ste''s texts


    angrily.


    While Ste was eagerly waiting for her best friend''s reply, her curiosity was growing more and more


    intense.


    When Keegan noticed her repeatedly ncing at her phone and sighing, he eventually asked, "What''s


    bothering you?"


    Ste was eager to share the gossip with someone, and Keegan''s question almost prompted her to


    spill the beans.


    But, when she opened her mouth, she hesitated and decided not to tell him about it.


    Even though she knew he would not spread the news around, the topic was simply too awkward to talk


    about, given his close friendship with Vermont.


    Hence, she cleared her throat and said, "It''s nothing.I just told Felicity about something I saw online,


    but she hasn''t replied yet.A woman had publicly used her husband of having an affair."


    Keegan had no interest in such gossip and returned to checking his emails.


    Ste then got up, sat behind Keegan, and massaged his shoulders.


    "You must be tired, huh? I''ve noticed that you''ve been staying upte."


    Ste had gotten up to use the bathroom at night for the past few days and saw that Keegan was still


    working every time.


    Once, she had even found him in the living room with the lights on at 3 a.m.She had a vague sense


    that there was something big going on in Vinci Rivera, which exined Keegan''s busy schedule.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    However, she did not want to pry into his work.She refrained from disturbing him even when she saw


    him workingte at night.She feared that it might disrupt his flow.


    "Yeah.I''ve halted several projects that were under my uncle''s supervision and received some


    comints from his team.They''ve been getting riled up recently, so I need to pacify them."


    Even though Keegan exined the situation in a casual manner, the issue was far more severe.


    Not only were the people in Vinci Rivera expressing their discontent, but they were also joining forces


    with top executives in thepany and threatening to resign.


    They were hoping that this would impeach Keegan.


    However, Keegan was not willing to surrender.He did not care whether they wanted to leave the


    company.


    To him, those positions could be easily filled.He had already begun recruiting new talents.


    It was clear that he was unbothered by their actions.


    Keegan knew that the shareholders were merely looking out for their interests.


    They were threatening to resign as a form of pressure and did not genuinely intend to leave.


    Even if their profits had decreased due to their projects being stopped, it was still more than what other


    companies would be able to give them.


    As long as Keegan maintained control of his team, he was not worried about their threats.


    Nevertheless, Keegan''s unwillingness topromise still angered the shareholders.

 Chapter 1357

    Chapter 1357


    Chapter 1357


    However, it was not entirely Keegan''s fault either.


    When he started cleaning up the mess of these problematic projects at Vinci Rivera, Aldor suggested


    Keegan topromise a little by hosting a dinner event for the shareholders so that they could have


    an easy way out.


    Most of the shareholders were around the same age as Chandler, whereas the others were as old as


    Cordelia.


    They were all older than Keegan, and people around that age generally cared about their images very


    much.


    So, it would not been a good idea to handle things too harshly.


    Keegan listened to Aldor.He booked a private room at The Deli and scheduled a time to meet up with


    the shareholders.


    They agreed to attend the dinner event, but on the actual day, Keegan waited at the restaurant for


    more than an hour, and none of them showed up.


    It was not until the next day that they started calling Keegan to tell him that they had family matters to


    take care of and could not make it.


    Keegan was not convinced by their excuses.


    Clearly, the shareholders had decided to work with each other against Keegan for their own interests.


    They left Keegan with no other choice, but to stand against them with his own team.


    The fight for power within Vinci Rivera had begun, and Keegan could not afford to lose at all.


    He was determined to gain control of Vinci Rivera not only because it was his father''s wish to carry the


    company''s legacy forward, but there was also another reason.


    It was because he firmly believed that a person could only protect the people he cherished by being


    powerful enough.


    This belief had stuck with him for a long time, and now that Ste''s real identity as the heiress of the


    Saun family was revealed, it grew even stronger.


    After all, Trevor would have another reason to oppose their marriage if he could not gain control over


    Vinci Rivera.


    How could he marry the heiress of the Saun family if he could not even hold onto his ownpany?


    Ste had no idea what was going on.


    She only felt sorry for him, considering how he kept working long hours these days.


    "You should take a break if you''re tired.Don''t overwork yourself.You''re not a robot, after all.I''ll prepare a


    bath for you in a while, so you can rx, okay?"


    Keegan''s heart softened.He grabbed Ste''s wrist and pulled her onto hisp before gently cing his


    finger on her nose.


    "Would you join me?"


    Ste wrapped her arm around his neck and gave him a peck on the corner of his lips.


    Then, she smiled and said in a soft voice, "I have no problem with that, but I don''t know if I can say the


    same about you."Keegan paused, and his gaze darkened.He raised his arm to undo a button on his


    cor and stretched his neck.He gazed down at Ste, as his Adam''s apple bobbed.


    "Who do you think you''re talking to? Hm?"


    Ste could not resist Keegan unbuttoning his shirt at all.He simply looked stunning while doing that.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Her heart raced.She was about to tease Keegan with some sensual words, but her phone rang.It was a


    new message.


    Ste recollected herself, pushed Keegan away, and grabbed her phone.Felicity had replied to her.


    However, Ste was stunned, and her heart pounded profusely after looking at Felicity''s text.


    Felicity''s response read, [It''s okay.I''ll just let it be.It''s kind of cute when it''s soft anyway.] Ste was


    shocked.


    ¡®How...serious is his condition that she decided to give uppletely in such a short time?¡¯ Ste was


    incredibly curious, as she asked, [Is it really that serious? Why don''t you go see a doctor if it really


    doesn''t work? Don''t give up just yet.] Felicity did not reply to that message.


    Instead, she sent a sticker that said, "You do you!"


    Her reply left Ste speechless.She had a feeling that something had happened next door.


    Keegan was not pleased with her looking at her phone while she was teasing him.He reached out and


    turned her face toward him.


    "Is this really the time to check your phone?" he asked.


    Ste hugged him and gave him a kiss.


    "Babe, could you run the water for yourselfter? I need to talk to Felicity about something."


    Then, she hopped off hisp and went to the room with her phone.


    Keegan sat there in a daze.


    ¡®Rx? What a liar! I knew that women can never be trusted! Ste called Felicity after going back to


    the room.Felicity did not feel like answering the phone.She felt uneasy inside, and her mind was in


    chaos.She figured that Ste had noticed something wrong with her, and she was worried that she


    might identally reveal something if she answered the phone.So, she declined the call and sent


    Ste a message.


    [I''ll talk to you tomorrow.I''m tired.] After sending the message, she put her phone aside.

 Chapter 1358

    Chapter 1358


    Chapter 1358


    One minuteter, Felicity turned over andy on her right.


    ¡®They are just staying in the same room, right? Stinky Cucumber has a condition anyway.


    What could that woman possibly do?¡¯ Half a minuteter, she turned over again andy on her left side.


    ¡®Well, there are plenty of things for them to do even though he has a condition, right?¡¯ Ten seconds


    later, she was lying t on her stomach.


    ¡®After all, Stinky Cucumber can be pretty attractive.He has the face most women love"


    After three seconds, she turned over once more andy on her back, staring at the ceiling.


    ¡®Who cares what they did in the room? It has absolutely nothing to do with me!¡¯ Then, she abruptly sat


    up on the bed.


    ¡®Fuck! Why should I let them have all the fun!¡¯ Felicity grabbed her phone and called the property


    management''s number with a stern face.


    "Hello, a woman locked my nephew inside the room.Please get her out."


    The person on the other end agreed but turned hesitant after hanging up.


    ¡®It''s happening inside their unit.It''s probably not something that we can interfere with, right?¡¯ So, the


    person "thoughtfully" reported the incident to the police.


    More than ten minutester, there was a knock on the door.


    Felicity opened the door and saw a security guard apanied by two police officers outside.She was


    stunned.


    The police spoke politely.


    "Hello, we''ve received a report that someone has uwfully entered this residence of yours, is that


    correct?"


    Before Felicity could say anything, the security guard on duty spoke.


    "A woman entered her home and locked herself with thisdy''s nephew in a room.She''s doing the deed


    with an underage kid in there! This is uneptable!"


    Felicity was speechless.


    ¡®What? Why is he exaggerating things? When did I ever say anything like that? Underage?¡¯ The police


    officer turned serious, as soon as they heard that the boy inside was underage.


    "Where are they?"


    Felicity was about to correct what the security guard said, but she changed her mind and pointed


    toward the room''s door.She just did not want those two to stay in the same room! Then, the police


    officers walked inside toward the master bedroom.


    They knocked on the door and requested the people inside to open it.


    However, even after waiting for a few minutes, there was no response at all.


    Felicity''s heart sank.


    ¡®It''s only been such a short while.Have they already started doing it?¡¯ The police officers told them to


    stand back after they did not get any response.So, they were going to forcefully barge in.


    Felicity clenched her fists tight, and her mind was filled with images of Vermont messing around with


    that woman.


    She shook her head and thought to herself, ¡®Stinky Cucumber is not capable of doing that at all.


    Why am I overthinking it?¡¯ However, she felt very ufortable with those images in her head, as if


    her heart was getting poked by needles.


    She concentratedly watched the policemen kicking on the door three times before it was finally opened.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    In the next second, a woman''s piercing scream suddenly rang out.

 Chapter 1359

    Chapter 1359


    Chapter 1359


    When the door swung wide open, Felicity could finally see what was happening inside the bedroom.


    Vermont was still lying down in the same position he was in when she left, but all of the buttons on his


    shirt were undone.


    And there was a damp towel on the nightstand.


    The woman''s dress and bra were thrown on the bed.


    She was wrapped in a bath towel, as she walked out of the bathroom when all that happened.


    She screamed with a terrified look on her face when she saw the police officers.


    The police were not expecting to see anything like that at all.


    ¡®Didn''t they im that there''s an underage boy in here? ¡®Is this man on the bed underage?¡¯ The police


    were about to ask Felicity what this was all about when one of the officers looked at that woman and


    said, "Have I seen you somewhere?"


    The woman looked anxious, as she tried to avoid eye contact with the officer.


    Then, she grabbed her clothes and wanted to head back into the bathroom.


    "I know her!"


    The police officer said, "You were arrested before, right? Is your name Emily or something?"


    "No, you got the wrong person."


    The woman covered her face with her clothes, but the officer did not go easy on her.


    He continued asking, "What''s your name, then? Do you have an ID?"


    "I don''t have it with me right now..."


    A wallet fell out of her clothes, as soon as she said that.


    The officer immediately picked it up and looked at her ID.


    Then, his expression darkened.


    "It''s you.You were arrested for participating in an orgyst month.What''s going on now? Are you


    providing door-to-door service?"


    The woman''s face turned extremely pale.


    Felicity was taken aback, as she was not expecting that twist at all.


    She had only intended to kick the woman out of the unit.


    However, not only did the security guard call the police, but the police even found out that the woman


    was a prostitute.


    Since she was caught in the room with Vermont, the police assumed that they had engaged in


    transactional sex, and they were about to take him away as well.


    Felicity immediately stopped them from doing so.


    "Sirs, I''m sure that he wasn''t doing it with thedy over here.Look at how drunk he is.How can he


    possibly do anything? He couldn''t even walk into the room by himself, and I had to help him."


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    However, the police did not listen to her at all.


    "We''ll ask him about what happened once he sober up."


    He paused briefly before he added, "Is he your nephew?"


    Felicity pursed her lips and said after a while, "I''m his roommate-¡ªgirlfriend."


    The look on the police officer''s face turned even more confused.


    "Then, why did you say that he''s your nephew on the phone earlier? What are you trying to do?"


    Then, he shifted his gaze to the woman as if he had realized something.


    "Is this a threesome?" he asked with a stern expression.


    Felicity was left speechless.


    Then, all three of them were taken to the police station.


    It was not the first time that the woman had been arrested.


    Apart from sobbing for a little while when she was caught, she appeared rather calm at the police


    station.


    She insisted that it was Vermont who wanted her in his home, and Felicity only called the police out of


    jealousy.


    Felicity and Vermont were locked in the same room.


    Vermont had not woken up yet, and there was just no way that the police station would provide him


    with a bed to sleep.


    He was about six feet two.


    Hey on the narrow bench, and it was so ufortable that his brows were tightly furrowed.


    Felicity asked one of the officers on duty for a cup of water.


    Then, she crouched on the ground and gently shook Vermont''s arm.


    "Stinky Cucumber, have some water when you wake up, or you''ll feel terrible."


    Vermont opened his eyes in a daze, and he saw the blurry figure of Felicity.


    Her delicate brows were brought closely together with her eyes filled with concern.


    Vermont shut his eyes and thought to himself, ¡®I don''t want to wake up.


    At least she won''t reject me so resolutely in my dream"


    "Stinky Cucumber..."


    After seeing him open his eyes only to close them again, Felicity called out to him again.


    Felicity''s gentle voice echoed in his ears, making him very annoyed.


    He opened his eyes abruptly, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her toward him.


    Then, he pressed the back of her head and kissed her lips before Felicity could react.

 Chapter 1360

    Chapter 1360


    Chapter 1360


    Felicity froze in ce.


    Vermont sensed her pliance" and kissed her even harder.


    The kiss waspletely different from when he forcefully kissed her in the club in front of Steven


    previously.


    They were both a French kiss, but Felicity felt both shocked and angry back then.


    However, not only was she not mad this time, but she also felt a hint of delight.


    Her heart raced, and her mind was in chaos.


    Vermont sucked on her tongue and her lips gently.


    Then, he let go of her and nuzzled her neck.


    "Miss Bandit..."


    Felicity''s heart tightened for a moment and rxed afterward.


    Suddenly, she felt like the problem that had been bothering her seemed unimportant now.


    ¡®So what if he can''t get it up? We''ll just find a doctor who can cure him.To be honest, it feels pretty good


    kissing him.I''ve never had a feeling like this before"


    The next morning, Vermont finally sobered up.He had spent the night on the hard bench, and his entire


    body felt sore.He sat up, and his head felt sluggish.He swept his gaze across his surroundings and saw


    a table with a sign on it that said¡ªHeroic Police, Criminal¡¯s Nightmare.


    Vermont was taken back.


    ¡®Why am I at the police station?¡¯ While he was still wondering about that, the door was pushed open.


    A police officer came inside with a cup of tea.


    Then, he asked after seeing that Vermont had finally woken up, "Do you want to wash your face?"


    Vermont shook his head.


    The police officer walked around the table.


    "Let''s begin, then.How long have you known Emily Barr? Who introduced her to you? How many times


    have you done it with her? And where do you two normally meet?"


    Vermont kept quiet.


    Then, he asked, "May I know who Emily Barr is?"


    The police officer paused.


    "Didn''t you bring her back homest night to have a threesome with your girlfriend? But, the two


    women got jealous of each other, and your girlfriend called the police."


    Vermont was shocked.


    It felt like he had just listened to an unbelievable story, and he was the protagonist.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    However, he was starting to remember what had happenedst night bit by bit, upon listening to what


    the police officer said.


    He paused and his expression turned somewhat strange when he heard that Felicity called the police.


    Then, he asked in a low voice, "Sir, what was my girlfriend''s reaction when you broke inst night?"


    The police officer was puzzled.


    "What do you mean by that?"


    Vermont said hesitantly, "Um...Her expression.Did she look sad?"


    "I don''t think so.


    Instead, she looked like she didn''t really care about you.


    She even said that you were his nephew when she made the report."


    Vermont was speechless.


    While they were talking, Felicity returned from the restroom and went inside.


    Upon seeing that Vermont had woken up, she suddenly remembered about the kiss fromst night.


    Her expression turned somewhat awkward, as she coughed and said, "You''re awake."


    Vermont nced at her without saying anything.


    Instead, he spoke to the police officer.


    "Sir, it was just a misunderstanding.Ms.Barr came with one of my friendsst night, and I didn''t really


    know who she was.I had too much to drink, so my friend asked Ms.Barr to send me back home.I had


    no idea what she did for a living, but we don''t share that kind of rtionship with each other.I was in the


    Sapphire Clubhousest night and plenty of my friends can prove it."


    He paused before he continued, "As for Ms.Thompson here, she''s not my girlfriend.She''s just my


    roommate, and a very close friend of mine who''s just temporarily staying with me."


    Felicity waspletely stunned.

 Chapter 1361

    Chapter 1361


    Chapter 1361


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont just said that Felicity was not his girlfriend.


    Truthfully, she was not. They were just pretending to be a couple back then, and she even rejected his


    confession.


    Everything that he said was true.


    However, this very fact made her highly embarrassed.


    Vermont had just hugged and kissed herst night while whispering her name softly.


    She just could not believe that he would deny everything the next morning, iming that they were just


    really good friends.


    She had just made up her mind to ept him despite his condition, yet he did something so shocking


    to her!


    He even defended the prostitute!


    Felicity got so angry that her face turned pale, as she clenched her lips tightly without saying anything.


    The police officer gave Vermont a strange look.


    ¡®He just asked me what his girlfriend¡¯s reaction was when we barged in, yet he said that she¡¯s not his


    girlfriend now that she¡¯s here.¡¯


    Although the police officer could not understand why he was doing that, it did not hinder the police from


    investigating the case.


    The surveince cameras captured Vermont going in and out of the club, and his friends there could


    also testify on his behalf. So, the truth was evident.


    Everything turned out to be just a misunderstanding after a night of hassle. The police officer could not


    help but say to Felicity, ¡°Make sure you know the facts of everything before you call the police next


    time. Look how awkward things are now.¡±


    Felicity kept a tense face and remained silent.


    Vermont chimed in and said, ¡°My friend was just very worried. We¡¯re sorry for causing you trouble.¡±


    The police officer did not say anything more after seeing how cooperative Vermont was. So, he asked


    for Vermont¡¯s signature to close the case.


    As they left the police station, Vermont turned to Felicity and asked, ¡°Did we make a lot of noisest


    night, and we bothered you?¡±


    Felicity clenched her fists tight and looked at him. ¡°No. It¡¯s just that I hadn¡¯t met her before and didn¡¯t


    know who she was. That¡¯s why I called the police. I wouldn¡¯t have


    interfered if I knew that she was such a close friend to you.¡±


    Vermont scrutinized her expression, and he lowered his gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll be more mindful next time.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s heart sank.


    ¡®Be more mindful next time?


    What does he mean?


    ¡®He¡¯ll be more mindful when he brings another woman home next time?¡¯


    Felicity almostughed out of anger but managed to keep a calm expression. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.


    It¡¯s your ce, after all. You can do whatever you want. You don¡¯t have to tell me about it.¡±


    Vermont was about to say something, but Emily came out of the police station and said in a gentle


    voice, ¡°Vermont, are you okay?¡±


    Then, she lightly pounded her shoulder and added, ¡°The chair was so hard. It¡¯s making me sore all


    over.¡±


    Vermont pursed his lips and nced at her without saying anything.


    Emily knew that Vermont had testified for her and that was the reason why she could be released. So,


    she thought that Vermont was interested in her and pretended to be even more vulnerable in front of


    him.


    ¡°Vermont, your aunt is so busybody. She could¡¯ve just asked me to leave if she didn¡¯t want me there.


    Why did she have to call the police? My God¡­ Isn¡¯t that just causing trouble for the police?¡±


    Felicity swept her gaze across Emily. ¡°Stop babbling. Don¡¯t you know how to keep your mouth shut?


    Your voice is so annoying!¡±


    Her words left Emily fuming.


    Very soon, the cab that Felicity booked had arrived.


    She looked at Vermont and said in a stern voice, ¡°The cab is here. Let¡¯s go home!¡±


    Vermont stood still. ¡°You go ahead. I¡¯ll send her off,¡± he said softly.


    Felicity choked and gritted her teeth. ¡°Whatever!¡± i

 Chapter 1362

    Chapter 1362


    Chapter 1362


    Then, Felicity left with a gloomy expression on her face.


    Emily was ecstatic. ¡°Vermont, there¡¯s a hotel nearby. Should we go there and get some rest?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s gaze remained fixated on the cab driving away. He only looked away after the car


    completely disappeared from his sight.


    He nced at Emily nonchntly and said in a cold voice,¡± Who gave you the audacity to shower in my


    house?¡±


    Emily was taken aback by his sudden change of attitude. Then, she stuttered, ¡°V-Vermont, wh-what did


    you say?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that.¡± Vermont chuckled lightly as his gaze turned frosty. ¡°Do you think we¡¯re that close?¡±


    He leaned slightly forward and whispered in Emily¡¯s ear. ¡¯Do you know what happened to the person


    who did the same thing to mest time? I made her disappear from Rivera forever. You should be d


    that I¡¯m in a good mood today. Otherwise, I¡¯d do the same to you.¡±


    Then, he returned to his original position and nced at Emily¡¯s pale face. He smiled faintly. ¡°Don¡¯t look


    so sad; the police might think I¡¯m mistreating you.¡±


    Emily shivered and fearfully forced a smile on her face.


    Vermont had worked on himself and improved his temper over the years, but people seemed to have


    forgotten how he fought his way up from the bottom.


    He was so young, yet he managed to get where he was through his own abilities. He had seen all the


    dirtiest secrets in the industry and could easily see through a person¡¯s intention when they approached


    him.


    Only then did Emily realize that Vermont did not testify for her because he was interested in her.


    Instead, he was just putting on a show for someone else.


    Felicity felt awful, and her heart throbbed in pain.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Suddenly, her phone rang. She looked at it and realized it was almost time for her follow-up


    appointment with Steven next Monday.


    Just as the meeting ended, Aldor knocked on Keegan¡¯s office door.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, something¡¯s happened to Walter.¡±


    Keegan paused and lifted his gaze. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Aldor ced the tablet in front of Keegan and responded, *¡¯ This is the real-time location data from the


    tracking device on him. It hasn¡¯t moved at all sincest night, and it has been over forty hours now.


    ¡°I downloaded the audio recording here. Let me y it for you.¡±


    Aldor pressed the y button as he spoke.


    Keegan¡¯s expression grew solemn upon listening to the conversation. When it ended, he looked


    somewhat surprised as he shifted his gaze to Aldor.


    ¡°He¡¯s dead?¡±


    Aldor nodded. ¡°Most probably. The location of the tracker is very close to the sea. I¡¯ve contacted Mr.


    Lowe to find out where Hylda went these days. On the day Walter went missing, she was seen with a


    Keegan remained silent for a moment before he said in a low voice, ¡°Locate the suitcase and guide the


    police there.¡±


    Aldor nodded.


    Hylda was far more wicked than Keegan had expected her to be.


    He thought that taking away the money would cause them to turn against each other, but he did not


    expect Hylda to get rid of Walter in such a brutal way.


    Keegan figured that a person like Hylda would probably lose control and do unimaginable things to


    Ste if she ever found out that Ste was behind everything. So, Keegan got very worried as he told


    Aldor, ¡°Get several skilled bodyguards to protect my wife. Don¡¯t tell her about it; just do everything


    secretly.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Kane.¡±


    Three dayster, the fishermen out at sea retrieved a suitcase. They opened it and found a bloated and


    decaying


    corpse inside. They were terrified and immediately contacted the police.


    The police arrived at the scene very swiftly.


    The body inside the suitcase was already in an advanced state of decay, and it was only wearing


    underwear. There were two fatal wounds on the chest. The victim had a rather small build, so it could


    be stuffed into a suitcase.


    After collecting the evidence, the police recovered the face of the victim and published it online.

 Chapter 1363

    Chapter 1363


    Chapter 1363


    Arge crowd gathered at the scene when the body was recovered. The suitcase corpse disposal case


    spread online very quickly. Some people even shared uncensored photos of the decaying corpse


    online to gain attention, instilling fear in many.


    Rivera had not had such a heinous case of murder and body disposal for almost a year. The photos of


    the victim were already circting widely online before the investigation started. The authorities took


    this case very seriously and formed a special unit to handle the case overnight.


    Lena was eating with Carter when she received a call from her team. Then, Carter immediately drove


    her to the ce before they even finished their meal.


    The autopsy result was released on the same night.


    The victims had two knife wounds on their chest, both stabbed right into the heart. Clearly, it was not an


    ident but murder. The suspect intended to kill the victim. i


    The victim only had a pair of underwear on without any other garments. There was also nothing in the


    suitcase that could help identify the victim. Also, no fingerprints or DNA from another person were


    detected on the suitcase.


    However, there were numerous needle marks on the victim¡¯s arms. The officers first assumed that the


    person might have had a history of drug use, but Lena found a small needle mark on the victim¡¯s chest.


    Based on how the victim looked, Lena spectedter that the needle mark was most probably a


    result of the biopsy.


    After conducting the autopsy, her spection was confirmed. The victim had advanced lung cancer


    that had begun to spread. The needle marks on the chest were caused by medical examinations and


    treatments.


    So, she suggested beginning the investigation by checking with the oncology departments of all the


    major hospitals in Rivera.


    Her superior officers agreed with her. However, the next day, they published the victim¡¯s appearance


    online to gather clues.


    There was only one simple reason why they did that. The suitcase corpse disposal case had gained


    and they had to show that the officials were actively taking action to solve it.


    That left Lena infuriated, as that was the same thing as reminding the suspect to run away.


    When Carter came to pick her up, he saw Lena looking furious, as if she would just randomly go up to


    someone on the street and chop them into a million pieces.


    He cleared his throat and asked, ¡°Should we go to the shooting range for a couple of shots to lighten


    the mood?¡±


    Lena kept quiet.


    She nced at Carter. ¡°It¡¯s too far away. I don¡¯t feel like going there. Why don¡¯t youe to the boxing


    gym and practice with me?¡±


    Carter smiled and said softly, ¡°That¡¯ll do too. But please go easy on your fragile husband.¡±


    Lena looked at his yful expression, and her mood began to turn better.


    Then, she said, Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going to kill you. I don¡¯t want to be a widow at such a young age


    anyway.¡±


    Her response left Carter speechless.


    When they got into the car, Carter received a call from Keegan. He remembered how Keegan asked


    him to erase his divorce record, and his eyes twitched. Then, he declined the call without hesitation.


    However, Keegan gave him another call shortly after. Carter was about to hang it up again, but Lena


    said, ¡°Pick it up.


    What¡¯s if it¡¯s something urgent?¡±


    Carter sighed. ¡°He never calls for anything good.¡±


    Although he said that, he answered the call anyway.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    As expected, he heard Keegan speaking as soon as the call was connected, ¡°I need you to forge


    evidence about the suitcase corpse disposal case.¡±


    Carter¡¯s eyelid twitched abruptly before he secretly nced at Lena. She was scrolling through her


    phone, unaware of what Keegan said on the phone.


    Carter silently lowered his phone volume and said, ¡°I¡¯m busy.


    ¡°Your wife¡¯s going to thank you for that.¡±


    Carter paused for a moment and said, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to youter. I¡¯m going to eat with Lena right now.¡±

 Chapter 1364

    Chapter 1364


    Chapter 1364


    Keegan understood what Carter meant and said, ¡°I¡¯ll call you backter.¡±


    After the call ended, Lena looked at Carter and asked, ¡°What is it about?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much. He just wants to have a drink with me because it¡¯s been a while since we met.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead then. I¡¯ll get something to eat around here and get a cab back myself,¡± Lena said.


    ¡°No way.¡± Carter immediately rejected her suggestion. ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you for a while first.¡±


    Lena felt helpless. There was nothing she could do to change how clingy Carter was, but she kind of


    liked it too.


    Carter leaned in and kissed her on the lips. ¡°Lena, why don¡¯t you switch to another less demanding


    position? You¡¯ve been working overtime so frequently; it isn¡¯t good for your health. Look, you¡¯ve lost


    weight again.¡±


    Lena lowered her gaze and said, ¡°This is my field of expertise. What else can I do other than this?¡±


    ¡°You could work in the management department. It¡¯s less tiring.¡±


    In that way, not only that Lena would not have to put herself in danger on the front lines, but it was also


    the easiest path to get a promotion.


    It would probably be difficult for Lena to make the switch with her own capabilities, but Carter had all


    the connections. It would be effortless for him to help her with it.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    However, Lena did not want that as she said in a low voice,¡± The management role will need me to


    interact with living people, and I¡¯m only good at dealing with the dead. I¡¯m not very good with words. It¡¯ll


    be hard for me to deal with so many different people, let alone using official terms to handle the media.¡±


    She paused before asking softly, ¡°Is it because your parents want me to switch careers?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Carter brushed her hair that fell on her cheek to the back of her ear and said, ¡°I just don¡¯t want


    you to drain yourself. It was just a suggestion. I¡¯ll support you no matter what others say if you want to


    work in this field.¡±


    Lena¡¯s chilly gaze softened as she hugged Carter and gently kissed him.


    ¡°If we have children in the future, and the job is still as busy as now, I¡¯ll consider switching to


    management.¡±


    Carter was taken aback by her response. A faint smile appeared, and he said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    After eating and sending Lena back home, Carter called Keegan. He asked directly, ¡°Are you a friend of


    the victim of this case?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not, but I know who he is and how he was murdered.¡±


    The case had been widely spread. Keegan figured that Hylda would definitely start escaping, judging


    by how clever she was.


    Although Keegan knew about the truth behind Walter¡¯s death, he could not provide the police with the


    audio recording he heard earlier. The case would be much moreplicated if he was involved.


    The police had limited efficiency, and Keegan was worried that Hylda might already be gone before


    they sorted out the facts.


    So, he needed Carter to do what he did best and present the evidence to solve the case as soon as


    possible.


    Keegan told his entire n to Carter. Carter kept quiet for a while before he finally spoke. ¡°Can you find


    something legal for me to do next time?¡±


    ¡°Hackers are meant to break thew. That¡¯s how they showcase their skills.¡± Keegan said indifferently.


    Carter pointed a middle finger at him.


    Keegan gazed at him. ¡°You never did this before.¡±


    Carter paused and swept his gaze across him. ¡°I only did that because I respected you back then.


    However, it seems like you¡¯re not a respectable person, so I won¡¯t do that anymore.¡±


    Keegan stood up and buttoned his suit. Then, he looked at Carter and said, ¡°Both of you are the same.¡±


    Carter ignored what he said. ¡°I¡¯ll help you again for your wife -because your ex-wife helped Lena


    before. However, you¡¯ll have to pay me the next time you ask for my help again.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Keegan scoffed and corrected him. ¡°She¡¯s my fiancee, not my ex-wife.¡±


    He then showed the engagement ring on his finger to the camera and spoke somewhat proudly. ¡°Ste


    bought this engagement ring for me.¡±

 Chapter 1365

    Chapter 1365


    Chapter 1365


    Carter kept quiet for a while before he said without holding back, ¡°That looks cheap.¡±


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan got upset as he said, ¡°Gold maintains its value. It represents how I¡¯ll always have a ce in her


    heart.¡±


    Carter continued to mock him. ¡°How valuable can a gold ring be? She¡¯s so stingy that she doesn¡¯t even


    buy you a diamond ring. What¡¯s there to brag about?¡±


    Keegan frowned. ¡°If you bought a diamond ring for a million, can you resell it for a million?¡±


    Carter was speechless. ¡°Why would I sell something that I bought? Are you that desperate for money?


    One hundred grams of gold costs only around five thousand dors, even if it can maintain its value.


    Will you ever dress up in gold when you attend some important social events? Even if you wear twenty


    pounds of gold, it will only cost you around four hundred thousand dors. On the other hand, a


    tinum ring alone that I have cost tens of millions. Who do you think would be theughingstock?¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    Carter continued, ¡°She didn¡¯t buy you a diamond or a tinum ring because they¡¯re too expensive. She


    thinks her rtionship with you isn¡¯t worth spending that much money. So, gold naturally became her


    best option. Not only that it¡¯s cheap, but it can also easily satisfy someone as¡­ honest as you.¡± Carter


    wanted to call him stupid, but he was afraid Keegan would hold a grudge against him. So, he changed


    his mind.


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened as he gritted his teeth and said,¡± That¡¯s nonsense!¡±


    Carter said nonchntly, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, why don¡¯t you ask her to buy you a gold ring?¡±


    Keegan then left with a tense face.


    When Keegan got into the car, Aldor immediately noticed that his boss was in a bad mood.


    ¡®Could it be that Mr. Lowe turned him down?¡¯ Aldor wondered to himself.


    Carter was not the only person who could handle this matter. However, he was Keegan¡¯s close friend


    and Lena¡¯s husband, making him the best candidate.


    Aldor pondered how to ask Keegan about it, but Keegan raised his hand and asked, ¡°Is a gold ring


    cheap?¡±


    Aldor was taken aback. He had no idea why Keegan would suddenly ask such a question.


    Of course, Aldor knew who had given Keegan the gold ring. He would never dare to call it cheap, no


    matter what.


    However, judging from Keegan¡¯s expression, he figured Keegan did not really want to know if a gold


    ring was cheap.


    Aldor thought for a few seconds before he said cautiously,¡± It¡¯s the thought that counts.¡±


    However, Keegan was not as easy to brush off this time.¡± So, it¡¯s cheap?¡± he asked.


    Aldor was speechless.


    ¡®What on earth happened to Mr. Kane?¡¯


    He was so happy that he wore it every day when he first received the ring. He made everyone in the


    company so curious about it.


    They could not figure out why an elegant person like him would wear a tacky gold ring every day.


    Keegan¡¯s style shed terribly with the gold ring. He was very ssy, and people like him should only


    wear jewelry like titanium and diamond to match their aura. Gold would only do the opposite.


    However, Aldor was the only person who knew that the tacky gold ring was a priceless treasure to him


    because it was a gift from Ste.


    So, he did not know why Keegan would suddenly be so bothered by the ring¡¯s value.


    ¡°Mrs. Kane chose to give you this, and she surely thinks this is the best regardless of its price or value.


    She¡¯s giving you what she believes is the best, and you can¡¯t measure the sentiment behind it with just


    money.¡±


    Keegan immediately felt a lot better after hearing Aldor¡¯s words. But he still could not get over what


    Carter said, ¡°But I can¡¯t wear this everywhere I go. It¡¯s too tacky.¡±


    Aldor thought, ¡®You should be d that Mrs. Kane even bought a ring for you. The gold price is so high


    right now, and she definitely wouldn¡¯t buy gold at a time like this.¡¯


    He was wondering how to respond to Keegan, but then he heard Keegan say, ¡°Do you think that she


    would buy a diamond ring for me if I asked?¡±


    Aldor kept quiet.


    Keegan continued, ¡°I have a ce in her heart, and she cares for me. Why wouldn¡¯t she buy me a


    diamond ring, right?¡±


    Aldor opened his mouth but could not find the right words to say.


    Obviously, Keegan did not know his wife well enough.


    It was true that he had a ce in her heart, but it did not mean that she would be willing to spend


    money on a diamond ring for him.

 Chapter 1366

    Chapter 1366


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1366 [Eleven Jewell]


    ¡°Aldor suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t you call and ask Mrs. Kane about it.¡±


    He dared not to say anything rashly.


    So, Keegan confidently dialed his girlfriend¡¯s number.


    Motives for Murder had officially resumed shooting today. Ste made her way to the set very early in the


    morning.


    The lead character, Lexi, who was supposed to be yed by Be, had found a recement actress.


    Stuart acted mysterious and did not want to reveal the identity of the new actress in the group chat.


    Ste got very curious, especially after being out of work for so long. That was why she arrived at the set


    exceptionally early today.


    The entire cast and crew got along better with each other after Be left.


    Ste had gained significant fame after ying the empress in The Pce. After she returned to the set


    of Motives for Murder, the production team members would politely address her as ¡°Coach Jewell.¡±


    That made her feel very awkward as she did not think she deserved such a title. Hearing that also


    reminded her of Keegan¡¯s deep, low voice calling her when they role-yed.


    Fortunately, Ste knew how to disguise herself very well, and no one could notice anything strange


    about her.


    When they were getting their makeup done, Ste asked Shea, ¡°Is the female lead not here yet?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s already here and arrived even earlier than us. She¡¯s in the dressing room now,¡± Shea said.


    Ste was shocked. ¡°Is she that dedicated?¡±


    Ste was still wondering why she had not heard anything about the female lead, but it turned out that


    she had already arrived long ago.


    ¡°Do you know who she is?¡±


    Shea shook her head. ¡°A lot of people in the crew don¡¯t know either. Everyone¡¯s waiting to find out.¡±


    Ste asked again, ¡°Is Leighton here yet?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, not long ago. He¡¯s also getting his makeup done.¡±


    Leighton and the female lead¡¯s dressing rooms were next to theirs. Ste just could not contain her


    curiosity, so she grabbed two cups of coffee and her script to look for Leighton after finishing her


    makeup.


    She walked toward the doorway and saw many people gathering outside Leighton¡¯s dressing room.


    There were crew members and fans discussing who the new female lead might be. After all, she was


    going to work with their idols, and they were worried that another actress like Be woulde on


    board.


    With the script in hand, Ste imed that she needed to practice a scene with Leighton and managed


    to pass through the crowd.


    However, Leighton¡¯s fans were not particrly fond of her because there had been too many scandals


    around her for the past few months, giving them the impression that she was pretentious. Also, she was


    very beautiful. They worried she would stir up rumors about their idol.


    So, when Ste knocked on Leighton¡¯s dressing room door, she could feel countless sharp stares


    directed at her. She could hear the fans talking about her clearly.


    ¡°Can¡¯t she rehearse the scene outside? Why does she have to go into his room?¡±


    ¡°She honestly has no sense of boundaries.¡±


    ¡°She looks like she¡¯s going to be the next Be.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just worried that she¡¯ll affect Leighton if anything.¡±


    ¡°Leighton hates it when other people enter his dressing room, especially female artists. She won¡¯t be


    able to get inside, trust me.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    ¡°Be used the same excuse and tried to do the same thingst time, but Leighton didn¡¯t even open the


    door for her. She won¡¯t be any different.¡±


    Ste listened to them without a change in her expression.


    As soon as she knocked on the door, the voice of Leighton¡¯s manager came from inside, ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Me, Ste Jewell. I¡¯m here to practice a scene with


    Leighton,¡± Ste said.


    Nobody responded from inside.

 Chapter 1367

    Chapter 1367


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1367 [Eleven Jewell]


    Seeing that no one responded to Ste¡¯s knock, Leighton¡¯s fans could not help but chuckle, ¡°Hah. Looks


    like someone is facing rejection.¡±


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    ¡°We all know Leighton is dedicated to his career. He doesn¡¯t engage in these publicity stunts.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t some people have self-awareness?¡±


    While the fans were taking pleasure in Ste being turned away, the dressing room door swung open


    unexpectedly, leaving everyone in a state of shock.


    Leighton was the one who opened the door. Though Ste was now his cousin, his feelings for her had


    not faded. He was initially drawn to Ste¡¯s versatile voice, and now that he knew about their family


    connection, he felt even closer to her.


    ¡°Hey, Ste. What¡¯s up?¡± Leighton asked.


    Ste waved the script in her hand and said, ¡°Do you mind if we run through some scenes together?¡±


    Leighton shook his head and held the door wide open. ¡°Not at all. Come on in.¡±


    Leighton¡¯s fans were stunned by how he had graciously invited Ste into his dressing room. After a


    moment of silence, voices of discussion began to erupt again.


    ¡°This woman sure is something!¡± One of his fans said.


    ¡°Leighton previously mentioned his preference for older women. Could he be referring to Ste?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. Even though I don¡¯t like her, I have to admit she¡¯s incredibly attractive. It¡¯s possible that Leighton


    has developed feelings for her¡­¡±


    ¡°Is he out of his mind? He¡¯s in the prime of his career. Why would he get into a rtionship?¡±


    ¡°While it¡¯s disheartening to see Leighton get together with someone else, we have to remember that he


    had never cked off since the beginning of his debut. As long as they¡¯re serious about each other, I


    don¡¯t think we shouldment on his personal matter but rather wish him well.¡±


    ¡°Nah. Fuck that. I didn¡¯t spend all this money just to watch him date,¡± said someone from the crowd.


    ¡°Let¡¯s all take a step back and calm down. Public disys of affection don¡¯t necessarily signify a romantic


    rtionship. Take other celebrities¡¯ partners, for instance. They¡¯re usually kept out of the spotlight until


    the other officially announces their rtionship. Since Leighton isn¡¯t hiding anything, it¡¯s possible that


    their rtionship isn¡¯t what we think.¡±


    These words helped soothe the people¡¯s anxieties.


    Following that, one said, ¡°We¡¯re here to see who the new female lead is. Don¡¯t get today¡¯s mission


    twisted, guys.¡±


    Suddenly, Leighton¡¯s supporters remembered their main objective for the day. They had been concerned


    about the new female lead because the production team had been keeping her identity under wraps.


    Leighton was incredibly popr, and there were always individuals trying to leverage his fame for their


    own publicity during every shoot. On top of that, Stuart had a history of using certain tactics to promote


    his work. For example, he had cast Be to generate buzz about her partnership with Leighton.


    Hence, the fans¡¯ worries were not unfounded. They cared for their idol¡¯s career and reputation more than


    anyone else.


    As soon as Ste entered the room, she ced the coffee on the table and asked, ¡°Leighton, do you


    happen to know who the female lead is?¡±


    Leighton shook his head and said, ¡°No. Stuart didn¡¯t tell me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ste was surprised. ¡°But you two have so many scenes together today. Why hasn¡¯t he said


    something?


    What¡¯s his game?¡±


    Leighton was equally perplexed. He had inquired twice about the new female lead, but Stuart maintained


    his secrecy. So, he did not press him further for information.


    ¡°Could she be someone you¡¯re familiar with? Maybe it¡¯s someone you had a fallout with, and that¡¯s why


    Stuart is keeping his mouth shut,¡± Ste frowned and guessed.


    ¡°But I rarely hold grudges against people,¡± Leighton responded.


    Estelle, who had just inserted the straw into her coffee, chimed in, ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s only because his hatred


    goes beyond holding grudges.¡±


    Leighton¡¯s lips twitched when he heard that. ¡°Shut up and drink your coffee!¡±

 Chapter 1368

    Chapter 1368


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1368 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ste could not help butugh when she heard what Estelle had said. ¡®No wonder they call her Tiger. It


    seems like she¡¯s ready to bite at any moment,¡¯ she thought.


    Although Ste had failed to uncover the identity of the female lead, she decided to stay and rehearse


    lines with Leighton.


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    Despite not attending acting school, Leighton¡¯s talent and genuine passion for the art shone through. He


    would throw himself into his roles every time he performed his scenes.


    Ste would offer him a few pointers even though she felt somewhat unqualified to be an acting coach.


    At the same time, Leighton was a fast learner. He would listen to Ste¡¯s suggestions and implement


    them into his performance.


    Estelle was left in awe after watching them rehearse one of the scenes. ¡°With a bit more effort, you might


    even snag an award this year,¡± she said as she saw Leighton¡¯s potential in acting.


    He had risen to fame through an idol talent show.


    Considering the current state of the entertainment industry in Hustuabourg, the prospects of bing a


    sessful singer or dancer were limited. So, Leighton had been actively pursuing roles in idol dramas in


    hopes of switching careers.


    However, directors often look for young actors when ites to this genre of films. Since there was no


    way Leighton could secure a spot in idol shows forever, Estelle had been focusing on getting him roles in


    more serious dramas and movies starting this year.


    While the shows Leighton acted in often achieved high ratings, his acting skills were still a work in


    progress. Nevertheless, Estelle believed he could bridge the gap and sessfully transition into the field


    after watching his rehearsal.


    As Ste and Leighton were about to continue rehearsing, they heard amotion outside. It turned out


    that Stuart had called for everyone to gather.


    Despite having conducted a camera test earlier, Stuart believed it was an inauspicious day for filming.


    Thus, he had arranged for a priest to perform a ritual to ward off bad luck. Everyone was to participate in


    the ceremony to bring good fortune to the production.


    Soon, the three people previously in the dressing room heard a lively buzz from behind them. The female


    lead had arrived. The cheers and apuse indicated her considerable poprity.


    Leighton was not interested in greeting her, but Ste was curious. She turned around and was taken


    aback upon seeing the person surrounded by the crowd.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s her.¡±


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Leighton followed Ste¡¯s gaze to see who she was talking about. He then muttered a curse


    under his


    breath, ready to leave.


    Stuart seemed to have anticipated Leighton¡¯s reaction and quickly stopped him, ¡°Don¡¯t make a scene.


    You¡¯ve already signed the contract.¡±


    ¡°I can pay you the fee for breaching the contract if you want, ¡± Leighton said with a cold face before


    removing his tie and heading toward the exit.


    Ste had not quite grasped the situation when a female voice said, ¡°Two yearster, and you¡¯re still as


    impulsive as ever.¡±


    Leighton froze in his tracks. He looked at the woman with a piercing gaze and sneered, ¡°Two yearster,


    and your attitude is still as insufferable as ever, Nicole Aspen.¡±


    Hearing that, Nicole smiled and said, ¡°I can¡¯t help it when it¡¯s my signature style, just like how you have a


    habit of talking back.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes darted between the two actors as she processed the information. ¡®So¡­ these two know


    each other¡­? It appears they have some unresolved issues, given Leighton¡¯s threat to withdraw from


    the project upon seeing her.¡¯


    ¡®Had they worked together before?¡¯ Ste asked herself. She regretted not paying more attention to the


    actors¡¯ previous works and appearances, feeling frustrated for being out of the loop.


    Leighton¡¯s expression turned sour when he heard what Nicole uttered next. ¡°Mr. Winfield, please find a


    recement for my role. I¡¯ll cover the fees for the breach of contract,¡± she said and turned to leave.


    Ste was about to stop Nicole when she said, ¡°Mr. Winfield, I know an actor with a great appearance


    and exceptional acting skills. He¡¯s a perfect fit for the role. Would you consider allowing my friend to


    audition since Mr. Hall has acknowledged his inability to handle the job?¡± asked Nicole.

 Chapter 1369

    Chapter 1369


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1369 [Eleven Jewell]


    Leighton¡¯s face darkened as he stared at Nicole. ¡°I didn¡¯t quit because I can¡¯t handle the role. I quit


    because I don¡¯t want to act with you as my partner.¡±


    ¡°You said the same thingst time, yet you couldn¡¯t even nail a simple kissing scene. You kept bumping


    into my teeth. It¡¯s been two years since then. Have you finally figured out how to handle kissing scenes?¡±


    Nicole asked with a smile.


    Ste was shocked to hear that she said that in front of everyone. Leighton seemed to take Nicole¡¯s


    words to heart, and his expression grew even more unpleasant.


    Leighton was a top-tier idol, and Nicole was the youngest three-time award-winning actress. Both of


    them had high national recognition. No one dared to intervene in their conversation. Rather, they were


    d to not be involved in the drama.


    Estelle was terrified when she noticed that Leighton was on the verge of exploding. Ste gently tugged


    at his arm and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t be rash. You¡¯ve portrayed this role brilliantly. Are you sure you want to


    give it up?¡±


    Leighton¡¯s throat tightened. Although Ralph¡¯s screen time was not extensive, he was a special guest in


    the film.


    Leighton had invested a lot of time and effort into bringing the character to life. He genuinely enjoyed


    ying the role. To give it up now honestly did not sit well with him.


    Seeing his expression soften, Ste added, ¡°Your fans are watching. They¡¯ve been waiting for you since


    the beginning of this shoot. Do you know how disappointed they¡¯d be if you quit?¡±


    Leighton had a soft spot for his supporters. He did not depend on his family¡¯s background to debut in the


    entertainment industry. Instead, he worked hard and relied on his fans¡¯ unwavering support to climb to


    stardom. He might not say it often, but he dreaded the thought of disappointing the people who had


    supported him all along.


    After some thought, Leighton gradually regained hisposure. He shot a nce at Nicole and


    retrieved the script from the director. ¡°I¡¯m going to touch up my makeup,¡± he dered firmly.


    Nicole appeared somewhat disappointed when she realized Leighton did not take the bait. She turned to


    Ste and smiled, ¡°Hello, Miss Jewell.¡±


    Ste responded courteously, not surprised that Nicole recognized her. After all, during her previous


    altercation with Be, Nicole had posted something on Facebook that indicated she was aware of the


    situation.


    Perhaps to prevent an on-set confrontation between Leighton and Nicole, Stuart had not scheduled


    scenes where they would have to work together today. Instead, they were asked to reshoot some of the


    previous scenes in the movie.


    During her break, Ste asked Estelle, ¡°Estelle, what


    happened between Leighton and Nicole? Why are they at each other¡¯s throats?¡±


    Estelle shrugged and said, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not entirely sure. They worked together on a movie before,


    where Nicole yed Leighton¡¯s stepmother. However, the stepmother was rather flirtatious and ended up


    seducing her stepson, which is the character Leighton yed. He was just starting his acting career then


    and was barely in his early twenties. He knew very little about acting and could not even find his marks


    on set. He honestly yed the role well. However, once the show waspleted, he immediately upped


    and left.¡±


    ¡°He even skipped all the movie¡¯s promotional roadshows. He also steered clear of any projects or variety


    shows that involved Nicole. I found it weird. So, I talked to the production team back then and¡­¡± Estelle


    nced around cautiously before whispering, ¡°It seems like they got too deep into their roles, and what


    was initially just acting evolved into something more. After some time of being together, Nicole realized


    that Leighton was too young for her, and they broke up.¡±


    Estelle¡¯s words left Ste taken aback. ¡®It seems like she¡¯s even more of a gossiper than I am,¡¯ she


    thought.


    ¡®If I remember correctly, Nicole is Vermont¡¯s ex who likes girls. How could she have had a romantic


    rtionship with Leighton? I bet things aren¡¯t that simple. But I can¡¯t ask Leighton about it since his


    reaction was so intense. This is so frustrating!¡¯


    Just as Ste was contemting the situation, Keegan called. She picked up the phone and asked,


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Ste, my engagement ring has been deformed,¡± said Keegan.


    Ste paused before responding, ¡°I¡¯ll take it to get repaired for you when I have some free time in the


    next couple of days.¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips and said, ¡°The gold is too soft; the ring is likely to change its shape again even if


    you get it fixed.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1370

    Chapter 1370


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1370 [Eleven Jewell]


    ¡°Well, maybe you should leave it at home then,¡± Ste suggested, referring to the engagement ring.


    ¡°No! You gave me this engagement ring! I¡¯m not going to just leave it at home,¡± said Keegan.


    Ste paused and said, ¡°So, what do you suggest?¡±


    After considering Carter¡¯s advice, Keegan cleared his throat and proposed, ¡°Since diamond rings are


    more durable, shall we consider getting a pair of diamond rings?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    ¡°But diamonds are expensive, and they don¡¯t hold value,¡± said Ste.


    Keegan was a little annoyed. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m nning to sell


    them. ¡°


    ¡°But what if you don¡¯t get ahold of Vinci Rivera and go bankrupt?¡± Ste countered.


    Keegan¡¯s lips twitched upon hearing that, ¡°Can¡¯t you have more faith in me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just being practical. Sure, we can get a pair of diamond rings if you want. But my ie is limited


    right now, and I can¡¯t afford to buy you the best one,¡± Ste chuckled.


    Aldor, who was listening to the conversation, had expected Ste to reject the idea wholeheartedly.


    However, when that did not happen, he thought, ¡®Since when did Mr. Kane¡¯s status surpass the status of


    money?¡¯


    Meanwhile, Keegan¡¯s heart filled with joy. He coughed lightly and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to buy the rings. I


    should be the one who buys them.¡±


    Ste smiled and replied, ¡°You can buy the wedding rings, but I want to be the one who buys the


    engagement rings. Consider them¡­ a dowry. Once I¡¯ve given them, they can¡¯t be returned.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s mood was soaring at that point. ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll be waiting,¡± he pursed his lips and said.


    ¡®Mr. Kane is being overly ambitious about this,¡¯ thought Aldor.


    Keegan was in high spirits after ending the call. He nced at Aldor and remarked, ¡°See. She¡¯s willing to


    spend money on me.¡±


    Aldor found him to be delusional. ¡®Did he not hear she was buying the rings as a dowry? I guess you


    can¡¯t force someone to recognize a fact they don¡¯t want to.¡¯


    Recently, reports of a murder case involving a suitcase had been spread all over the media.


    As Hylda was getting out of bed one morning, she noticed the housekeeper tidying up the ce while


    watching the news on TV. Hylda froze and pressed her lips tightly as she stared at the screen.


    The police had released an image of the deceased and were actively seeking information from the


    public. They also mentioned that they were looking into hospital records as the victim had suffered from


    lung cancer.


    Hylda¡¯s hands trembled when she heard that. She dropped the ss she was holding, and it shattered


    into pieces.


    Following that, her face turned pale. She forgot that Walter hade to Rivera for medical treatment.


    ¡®Shit! He must¡¯ve visited a hospital! Once they obtained Walter¡¯s medical history, it would only be a


    matter of time before they track everything down and find me,¡¯ she thought.


    Hylda did not understand how the suitcase was discovered so soon when she had gone to great lengths


    to dispose of the body. She had sealed the suitcase with an iron chain and sank it to the bottom of the


    water. She thought it would have taken at least half a year for anyone to uncover it. By


    then, the body would be unrecognizable, and nobody would know who it was. But that was not the case.


    The housekeeper was startled by the sound of the ss shattering and quickly came over to clean it up.


    As she cleaned up the pieces, shemented, ¡°Were you also frightened when you heard the news,


    Mrs. Jewell? This murderer is ruthless. Not only did they kill someone, but they also dumped the body in


    the sea. I heard the police might have found the victim¡¯s phone or wallet thanks to the advancement of


    technology.¡±

 Chapter 1371

    Chapter 1371


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1371 [Eleven Jewell]


    Hylda froze when she heard the housekeeper¡¯s words. ¡°Wh- What did you just say?¡± she asked


    anxiously.


    The housekeeper, who did not reside in Hylda¡¯s ce, had to return homete at night. She was


    concerned about the killer on the loose since the area where the suitcase murder had urred


    happened to be very close to her residence. Though she pretended to be brave, her fears were genuine.


    Over the past few days, the housekeeper had been closely following various sources for updates on the


    case. She hoped more than anyone that the police would apprehend the killer soon so she could feel


    safe during her dailymutes.


    Early that morning, the housekeeper read a message in one of her group chats about how the police had


    sealed off a section of Cornelia Avenue. It seemed they had found crucial evidence rted to the


    suitcase murder case. Some rumors suggested it was the victim¡¯s phone, while others imed it was the


    murder weapon.


    Hylda¡¯s face turned even paler when she heard the mention of Cornelia Avenue. After killing him, she


    dismantled Walter¡¯s phone and tore up his wallet. Then, she disposed of them separately in several trash


    bins in the area.


    Cornelia Avenue was dozens of miles from where she had disposed of the body. She deliberately kept


    these two locations far apart to avoid potential issues. However, the police still managed to find the


    items.


    Hylda was rmed by the unexpected efficiency of the authorities. They were working much faster than


    they had in the case of Rainee¡¯s car ident.


    Hylda¡¯s scalp tightened, and her face lost all color. She was overwhelmed with anxiety, thinking about


    how the police could have traced the man¡¯s belongings.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Hylda did not know Walter¡¯s phone password and was unsure if it contained any evidence. So, she


    smashed the phone to the point where it couldn¡¯t be turned on before disposing of it. At the same time,


    there was nothing incriminating in Walter¡¯s wallet besides his ID and various cards. She had cleaned


    everything meticulously and ensured no fingerprints would be left behind. ¡®The police shouldn¡¯t be able to


    trace those things back to me,¡¯ she thought.


    Hylda kept telling herself to remain calm. She knew she could not stay in Rivera any longer, regardless


    of whether the police could trace her or not. ¡®Living a fancy life as Mrs. Jewell means nothing anymore


    now. My top priority is to take all my money and disappear.¡¯


    Hylda picked up her phone and called Albert abruptly. ¡°Give me fifty million dors, and let¡¯s get a


    divorce,¡± She said firmly.


    Albert was bewildered. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?¡±


    Hylda had no patience to indulge him or his sweet talk as she used to. Instead, she got straight to the


    point, ¡°That


    woman¡¯s belly is getting bigger every day. Don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t want to marry her just so your son


    wouldn¡¯t be seen as a bastard. Plus, there¡¯s no chance you haven¡¯t thought about divorcing me.¡±


    Albert remained silent. Hylda knew him all too well. His willingness tomit to a marriage had never


    been about cherishing the other person; it had always been for the sake of his son. Just as he had tied


    the knot with her for Hugo¡¯s sake, he would now leave her and marry Xenia for the same reason.

 Chapter 1372

    Chapter 1372


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1372 [Eleven Jewell]


    Hylda¡¯s face turned sour. ¡°Haven¡¯t I been by your side, working hard and contributing to our family all


    these years, Albert? Didn¡¯t I have Ian assist you behind the scenes when you took on the Northon


    project? Thanks to me, you nearly earned a hundred million dors from your shares in Semiconductor


    Technology. I didn¡¯t even ask for an equal share of our assets. I¡¯m only asking for fifty million dors from


    you. Is that too much?


    ¡°You invested eight million dors in Semiconductor Technology, and Ian lent you another million. It¡¯s


    been over half a year, and we still haven¡¯t seen any returns. Shouldn¡¯t you be repaying the capital?¡±


    Semiconductor Technology was a sore topic for Albert. His face turned ugly the moment she mentioned


    it. ¡°You sure have the nerve to talk, huh? Do you know how much effort and money I invested when Ian


    got involved with the Moore family? Despite not gaining any benefits when he married Irene, I never


    asked him for anything!


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°And you! Don¡¯t forget the food and drinks for your social gatherings with those wealthy wives. The


    clothes and essories you wore were bought with my money. You never earned a single cent. Yet


    you¡¯re asking me for money now? I didn¡¯t even question you about the guy you¡¯ve been cheating on me


    with! You should thank me for not leaving you with nothing!¡± Albert continued.


    Hylda looked furious. ¡°Thank you? Sure, you supported me financially, but we both know the money


    came from thepany that you did not work for. I was the one who was scheming and strategizing


    behind the scenes, enabling you to take advantage of the Kane family. Do you think you could have


    earned so much profit on your own?


    ¡°Wake the fuck up. Do you know why Rainee wanted to divorce you and kick you out of thepany


    back then? It was because she knew you were worthless! I can¡¯t believe you think that you¡¯re somebody


    just because you have a little money. You brought in your poor-ass rtives into thepany, yet none


    of them have any skills. Did you really expect those losers to help your business? Nobody would even


    know who you are if Ste had not married Keegan. Do you think you¡¯re the shit just because people call


    you Mr. Jewell?¡±


    Hylda had spent over twenty years with Albert and knew his character well. In the past, she had endured


    everything to be Mrs. Jewell. But with those illusions shattered, she did not have to act anymore.


    ¡®Albert might be a waste of space in many aspects, but he has an uncanny ability to choose a useful


    partner. Rainee was a capable woman who led him to where he is today. Yet, this idiot thinks he


    achieved everything in life on his own. What a joke!¡¯ thought Hylda.


    ¡°Shut your mouth, you bitch!¡± Albert had never been scolded like this before. He could not help but shout


    in anger, his face unsightly.


    However, Hylda was not afraid of him at all. Her voice remained cold as she continued, ¡°You know very


    well what kind of person you are. Rainee caught you cheating on her and embezzling funds from the


    company. To avoid going to jail, you cried in front of me and begged me toe up with a n. But you


    were just trying to implicate me into getting rid of Rainee. Don¡¯t think that you¡¯re innocent just because


    you didn¡¯t do the deed. The only reason I did what I did was because I hated Rainee for getting in the


    way of my life, but what about you? You deliberately sent Walter away and allowed Ste to get in


    Rainee¡¯s car. You wanted both of them dead!


    ¡°Now that there¡¯s a possibility that Ste and Keegan might reconcile, you¡¯re acting like you care for her


    and want to adopt her. In reality, you killed her mother and tried to get rid of her as well. Do you think


    Ste would want to be your daughter after she finds out all of this? Dream on!¡±


    Albert was trembling with anger as he continuously muttered the word ¡°bitch¡±.


    Hylda had suppressed her feelings for many years. She instantly felt a sense of relief after letting


    everything out.¡± Fifty million dors, and not a cent less. You have one day to transfer the money to my


    ount, or I will expose the truth about Rainee¡¯s ident to the police. I¡¯m not going to let you off the


    hook!¡±


    As soon as Albert heard that she was threatening to expose the incident, he panicked and tried to ease


    histone. ¡°Hylda, let¡¯s talk this out. There¡¯s no need to go to the authorities. I swear I never intended to


    divorce you. I only wanted the child¡­¡± ¡°You can stop with the act.

 Chapter 1373

    Chapter 1373


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1373 [Eleven Jewell]-


    Hylda cut Albert off abruptly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s disgusting to say all these things now?


    Whether you choose to marry her or not is your business. I¡¯ve already decided on the divorce and made


    myself clear about the money. I¡¯m giving you one day to transfer it to my ount, and that¡¯s that.¡±


    Without waiting for Albert to respond, Hylda ended the call.


    Meanwhile, Albert was so furious he wanted to throw his phone against the wall. Xenia, who was visibly


    pregnant, emerged from the bedroom and went up behind him. Seeing Albert in distress, she asked, ¡°Is


    everything alright, Mr.


    Jewell?¡±


    Albert quickly regained hisposure and assisted her in sitting down. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were unwell?


    Why are you up?¡±


    ¡°I woke up and didn¡¯t see you in the room. I got a bit scared, so I thought I¡¯de out and check,¡± Xenia


    said softly.


    Then, she continued, ¡°Who did you talk to on the phone? Why do you look so angry?¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Albert did not want to delve into the issue, so he said, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just someone from work.¡±


    Xenia took the hint and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been having nightmares these past few days after watching the news.


    It terrifies me even more when I don¡¯t see you in bed with me.¡±


    Albert handed her an apple and asked, ¡°What news?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? There¡¯s been a murder case in Rivera. They found a suitcase by the seaside with a


    body inside.¡±


    Albert was not particrly interested in this matter and chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re scared from just listening to a


    news report like that?¡± He then pinched Xenia¡¯s face, which resembled Rainee, and continued, ¡°What are


    we to do if our son turns out to be a scaredy cat like you?¡±


    Xenia tried to suppress her disgust and nestled in his embrace. ¡°It¡¯s not just a news report. Someone


    posted photos of the body online. It was horrifying. The person looked emaciated. I got curious and


    decided to take a closer look. Who knew that the image would be etched on my mind¡­ I can see


    Walter¡¯s lifeless form whenever I close my eyes.¡±


    Albert was taken aback. ¡°Walter?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s the deceased¡¯s name. I saw someone in thement section digging up information on


    him. His full name is Walter Ramsey, and he was a terminal cancer patient. Who could be so heartless


    as to harm an extremely ill person like this?¡± Xenia asked.


    Albert¡¯s expression became serious. ¡°Where did you see this news?¡± He asked in a low voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s all over the inte. It¡¯s been spreading like wildfire these past few days. Let me search it up for


    you.¡± Xenia quickly found a Facebook post and handed it to Albert.¡± Here. The official photos of the body


    seem to have been removed, but this is a picture of him before his death.¡±


    Albert¡¯s face changed slightly when he saw the photo. ¡°Oh my god. It¡¯s Walter. Wait. He¡¯s dead? Didn¡¯t


    Hylda just give him five million dors for his medical treatment? How could he suddenly be dead?


    While Walter¡¯s death was undoubtedly good news for Albert, he still found it suspicious. He could not


    help but consider Hylda¡¯s recent unusual behavior. ¡°Could it be that she had a hand in his death?


    Despite the incident at our wedding, Hylda hadn¡¯t shown any inclination toward divorce. She even plotted


    to get rid of Xenia¡¯s child. Why is it that she wants a divorce now?¡¯


    Albert and Hylda knew each other well. They could predict each other¡¯s moves based on the slightest


    hint and knew what was going on when something was amiss.


    ¡®Something is off about Walter¡¯s death. Even if Hylda did not murder him with her own hands, she was


    definitely involved somehow. What a ruthless woman!¡¯ Albert thought. ¡®I can¡¯t believe she would do such


    a thing and have the audacity to demand fifty million dors from me. She must be out of her mind!¡¯


    Albert pondered the situation and suddenly had an idea.

 Chapter 1374

    Chapter 1374


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1374 [Eleven Jewell]


    The police had discovered new evidence in the murder case.


    A homeless woman had found Walter¡¯s wallet and called Lena. This woman¡¯s son had died on the job,


    and an autopsy was conducted to investigate the cause. Lena was the forensic examiner involved in the


    autopsy at that time. It turned out that the woman¡¯s son had died from cardiac arrest during work hours.


    With this cause of death being overworking, the family was able to im somepensation. Since


    Lena had helped them considerably, the woman had kept Lena¡¯s phone number in her contacts all this


    while.


    Therefore, when she found the evidence, she reported it to Lena instead of the police. Lena was unsure


    if the woman¡¯s story was true, so she visited the scene to confirm whether the items belonged to Walter.


    Once it was verified, she immediately contacted her colleagues, and the police arrived promptly to


    secure the area for evidence collection.


    The authorities took Walter¡¯s shattered phone to the tech department to recover its data, hoping to find


    some clues. However, the phone was severely damaged, and data recovery posed a significant


    challenge. It was also unfortunate that their top tech expert had been temporarily reassigned to another


    provincial bureau to work on a cross- border fraud case and would not be back for a while.


    The other staff in the tech department had limited capabilities, and breaking into the phone¡¯s data


    required an extended period. Lena knew that every second counted, as the longer they took, the more


    time the perpetrator had to escape. After some contemtion, she decided to seek her husband¡¯s help.


    Her supervisor initially rejected the idea, as homicide case files were typically kept confidential, and


    outsiders were not invited to participate in investigations. Lena exined the pros and cons and finally


    put her career on the line, making it impossible for her supervisor to refuse. He reluctantly agreed, as


    solving this high-profile murder case would greatly benefit his career. ¡®Even if something went wrong, Dr.


    Gray could shoulder the me,¡¯ he thought.


    Soon, Carter received a surprising call from Lena, who exined the situation. Even though he preferred


    not to get involved withw enforcement, he could not bring himself to turn his wife down when she


    personally called and asked for his help. So, he agreed to assist in the investigation.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    When Lena brought him to the tech department, her colleagues were still busy trying to recover data


    from the damaged phone. Carter watched for a while and asked, ¡°Is this the phone?¡±


    Lena nodded and said, ¡°We need to recover the data inside. Can you do it?¡±


    Carter nodded back. ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯ll take some time.¡±


    ¡°How long exactly?¡± Lena asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to look at the motherboard.¡±


    Lena then turned to one of her technical colleagues and said, Mr. Thorne, can you allow him to check the


    motherboard?¡±


    Benjamin Thorne was a man in his forties with an average build and wore sses. ¡°You don¡¯t look like


    someone who deals with these things regrly. Do you even know what you¡¯re doing?¡± He sneered.


    Carter smiled modestly and said, ¡°I tinker around in my spare time, so I¡¯d say I do have some knowledge


    of what to do.¡±


    Hearing that, Benjamin snorted, ¡°Data recovery isn¡¯t as simple as taking things apart and putting them


    together, kid.¡±


    Carter nodded and said. ¡°I know. I¡¯d appreciate your guidance, Mr. Thorne.¡±


    Benjamin realized that his words had no impact on Carter. He knew that if he continued to belittle him, it


    would only make him seem like a bully. So he reluctantly vacated his position while Carter expertly put on


    a pair of disposable rubber gloves, picked up the necessary tools, and carefully examined the


    motherboard.

 Chapter 1375

    Chapter 1375


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1375 [Eleven Jewell]


    Carter fiddled with the motherboard for a while and then looked up confidently. ¡¯I believe I can recover


    this,¡± he said.


    Lena was ted. ¡°How long do you think it will take?¡±


    ¡°About an hour, give or take,¡± Carter replied.


    Upon hearing this, Benjamin could not contain his skepticism. ¡°An hour? You¡¯re quite confident, aren¡¯t


    you? Even our top tech expert, Mr. Everhart, wouldn¡¯t dare im he can recover data in an hour. You


    must be joking.¡±


    Malcolm Everhart was the renowned tech expert who had been temporarily reassigned to another


    bureau to aid in a different case.


    Benjamin was the second most skilled technician in the department after him. However, with Malcolm


    overseeing everything, he had limited opportunities to prove himself.


    When the murder case came up, Benjamin thought it was finally his moment to shine. But unexpectedly,


    Lena brought in an outsider, who confidently imed he could do it in an hour.


    ¡®This young man appears to be inexperienced and naive.


    What is he thinking?¡¯ thought Benjamin. As soon as he spoke up, other colleagues joined in, doubting


    that Carter¡¯s words were just mere boasts.


    ¡°An hour? Even the best tech experts in the country wouldn¡¯t dare to make such a im.¡±


    ¡°Right? He seems ignorant.¡±


    ¡°Where did Dr. Gray find this guy?¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯s her partner. I saw them hugging at the entrance.¡±


    ¡°I see. This must be some sort of favoritism.¡±


    ¡°Who knew that Dr. Gray was a romantic, huh? She always seems so serious.¡±


    Lena was growing frustrated with all the skepticism. She furrowed her brows and sternly said, ¡°We won¡¯t


    know what he¡¯s capable of unless we give him a chance, Mr. Thorne. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s fair to judge


    someone solely based on appearances or qualifications.¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Benjamin maintained his air of superiority. ¡°I understand that you¡¯re eager to solve this case since you¡¯re


    the one who came upon the evidence, Dr. Gray. But we can¡¯t rush things like this. Bringing in someone


    who knows nothing about data recovery is just a waste of our time. What if something goes wrong?


    You¡¯re being selfish, Dr. Gray.¡±


    Lena was about to respond when Carter grabbed her wrist and stopped her. She hesitated and decided


    to refrain from speaking.


    Carter looked at Benjamin indifferently and uttered, ¡°Lena is seeking justice for the deceased. She¡¯s not


    doing this for personal gain. At least she¡¯s taking action, unlike some people who cannot perform even


    the simplest tasks while they use their credentials to intimidate others.¡±


    Benjamin was taken aback by Carter¡¯s words. He turned red with anger and said, ¡°You sure know how to


    run your mouth, you arrogant brat! Let¡¯s see what you¡¯re capable of!¡±


    Carter nced at him in disdain and said, ¡°Stand aside and watch. Maybe you¡¯ll learn something.¡±


    The crowd gasped in astonishment. Though Benjamin was not as skilled as Malcolm, he was still a


    nationally renowned tech expert. For Carter to say those words to him was beyond audacious.


    Initially, Lena¡¯s colleagues assumed Carter was all talk, especially since he was younger than them.


    However, their perceptions were soon shattered. Those in the tech field watched in disbelief as Carter


    began his operation.


    Benjamin¡¯s expression also changed from contempt to shock when he saw what Carter was doing.


    Carter remainedposed, his fingers swiftly typing on the keyboard. Everyone was tensely staring at


    theputer screen while he seemed at ease. After a while, he pressed the final key, and all of Walter¡¯s


    data was spread across the screen.


    ¡°Done,¡± he said as the crowd looked at him, stunned.


    A few staff members checked the time and found that Carter had taken slightly over half an hour to


    recover the data, proving that he had been modest about his abilities earlier.

 Chapter 1376

    Chapter 1376


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1376 [Eleven Jewell]


    Realizing that Carter was truly a genius, Benjamin¡¯s face flushed red. He found himself at a loss for


    words.


    Carter shed a smile and said, ¡°Are you interested in learning now?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Benjamin instinctively nodded.


    ¡°Apologize to my wife, and I¡¯ll teach you,¡± Carter continued.


    Benjamin hesitated to do as he was told.


    Lena then quickly pulled her husband away.


    Carter was disgruntled. ¡°What? You¡¯re kicking me out after the job¡¯s done?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t look at the data. They¡¯re confidential,¡± Lena said in a low voice. She nced around to ensure


    no one was eavesdropping, then leaned in and gave Carter a peck on the corner of his lips. ¡°Thank you


    for your hard work. Go home and rest for now. I¡¯ll try toe home early today, and we can have dinner


    together.¡±


    Carter froze for a moment and pulled her into his arms. He lowered his head and deepened the kiss.


    After some time, Lena was red and breathless. Only then did he release her.¡± I¡¯ll be waiting for you,¡± he


    said in a husky voice.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lena replied. She saw Carter off and headed back inside. Shortly afterward, her colleagues


    rushed to her and said, ¡°Dr. Gray, your husband just made a significant


    breakthrough! He recovered an audio file on the phone that was recorded when the victim was attacked.¡±


    Meanwhile, Carter got into his car and dialed Keegan¡¯s number.


    As soon as Keegan answered the call, Carter said, ¡°It¡¯s taken care of. When are you going to throw me a


    parade?¡±


    ¡°Soon,¡± Keegan chuckled.


    ¡°I want something grand, okay? Otherwise, I¡¯ll ensure the Civil Affairs Bureau stays closed all day when


    you remarry.¡±


    Carter¡¯s words left Keegan a little speechless.


    Hylda had no clue that Keegan had asked someone to slip in a miniature tracking device that could also


    record audio inside Walter¡¯s wallet. Using the location data from the gadget, Keegan could find the


    discarded items quickly. As the evidence could not be used directly in court, he requested Carter¡¯s


    assistance in transferring the audio file to Walter¡¯s damaged phone.


    Carter was highly skilled in this department and extracted the file as quickly as he inserted it into the


    electronic.


    With the audio file in hand, authorities quickly pinpointed Hylda as the prime suspect.


    Albert had also reported to the police that he knew Walter and that his wife had lent him money for


    medical treatment. Officers were stunned when they learned his wife¡¯s name.


    ¡®What were the chances that the woman heard in the audio confrontation with Walter was also named


    Hylda?¡¯ they thought.


    Consequently, they immediately set out to arrest her.


    Hylda had waited all day for Albert to transfer the money. She grew increasingly uneasy and texted


    Sophia, requesting her to pick up Hugo and let him stay with her for a few days. Hylda then grabbed her


    suitcase and headed to the airport. When she arrived, she purchased a ticket for the next avable flight.


    While waiting at the airport gate, she noticed several uniformed police officers walking around and had a


    bad feeling. She proceeded to discard her ticket and left the airport with her suitcase.


    Hylda went into hiding and became the subject of a nationwide manhunt. Her photo was spread all over


    the inte within a day. Netizens also exposed that she was the other woman and her connection to the


    Sunlight Kindergarten food safety incident.


    At the same time, Sophia was once again targeted by inte users because of Hylda. The social media


    ounts she used to promote products and make money were nowpletely useless. No one was


    willing to spend their money on the child of a murderer.

 Chapter 1377

    Chapter 1377


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1377 [Eleven Jewell]


    The Shaw family began treating Sophia coldly after finding out what had happened to Hylda. Two days


    later, Ethan stopped her and said, ¡°Thepany recruited a lot of new people, and we¡¯re a little tight on


    money right now. I want to withdraw the eight million dors.¡±


    Sophia got a little irritated. ¡°You insisted on investing the eight million previously, and now you want to


    withdraw it right away just because my mom is in trouble? Ethan, what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    Ethan was straightforward. ¡°The situation is different now. Sophia, your mom is involved in a murder


    case. Do you think my family would want me to marry the daughter of a murderer?¡±


    Sophia¡¯s expression turned unpleasant, as she clenched her teeth and said, ¡°Fine! Don¡¯t regret it!¡±


    She turned around and left. Then, she immediately contacted Albert, intending to withdraw her shares.


    Albert lied, iming that Hylda took a lot of money with her when she left. So, he was short of money


    and told Sophia to wait for a few more days. Then, he hung up the phone.


    Sophia tried to call Albert again, but he did not answer.


    It was only then she realized that she might have been lied to.


    Keegan was very mad that Hylda had gone missing.


    The people he sent to track her down had followed her to the airport, but they lost her when she went to


    the restroom.


    It was Aldor¡¯s first time seeing Keegan so angry. He understood that Keegan was worried that Hylda


    would go after Ste.


    He picked up the documents on the floor and consoled Keegan. ¡°Mr. Kane, it¡¯s undeniable that they


    made a mistake this time, but Hylda was very cunning at avoiding detection.¡±


    After Hylda noticed that there were police at the airport, she gave her jacket and cap to a woman with a


    simr figure as hers in the restroom. Then, changed into another inconspicuous outfit and sessfully


    muddled through.


    No one had expected that a middle-aged woman like her would be so cautious.


    She did not go to any ces like the train or bus stations after leaving the airport. Instead, she took a few


    different cabs to avoid areas under surveince and made her escape.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Aldor said, ¡°The police have eyes everywhere, and she probably hasn¡¯t left Rivera yet.¡±


    Keegan rubbed his temples and said in a deep voice, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m worried.¡±


    Aldor thought for a moment before he spoke again. ¡°Mr. Kane, we should inform Mr. Saun about this, so


    he can keep his guard up too. The surveince system is very advanced now, and Hylda won¡¯t be able to


    hide for long.¡±


    Although Keegan was reluctant to do that, he contacted Trevor anyway out of concern for Ste¡¯s safety.


    Trevor heard what Keegan told him and immediately scolded him.


    Of course, he scolded Keegan for his ipetence and for allowing Hylda to be such a threat to


    Ste.


    Keegan knew that Trevor still held a grudge regarding how he had scolded him at Jaylene¡¯s birthday


    party previously. So, he just kept quiet and let Trevor vent his frustration.


    Once Trevor was done scolding him, he spoke in a more measured tone. ¡°I¡¯ll get more people to protect


    Ste. As for Hylda, who do you think she¡¯s most likely to ask for help?¡±


    The most likely person¡­ would undoubtedly be her adulterer, Ian White.


    Hylda had never once revealed Ian¡¯s real identity. This indicated that she probably still had some real


    feelings for him.


    Her rtionship with Albert hadpletely copsed, and there was no way that she would turn to him.


    Trevor¡¯s expression turned somewhat strange upon hearing Ian¡¯s name. Then, he cursed in a low voice,


    ¡°I would¡¯ve exposed her a few dayster if I knew that it was that scumbag.¡±


    Keegan was puzzled.


    Then, he asked softly, ¡°Were you the one who exposed Molly¡¯s bedroom shots with the stripper?¡±


    Trevor kept quiet.


    While Hylda¡¯s case was being investigated, the Moore family was in chaos.


    It all began with the scandalous photos of Molly and the stripper being spread around within the circle


    and eventually reaching Frederick¡¯s ears.


    He became extremely angry, and there were even rumors that he punished Molly severely that day.

 Chapter 1378

    Chapter 1378


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1378 [Eleven Jewell]


    Keegan was aware of how strict the family rules were within the Moore family.


    Back then, Vermont had beaten up a school bully, and the bully sought revenge on him with a group of


    aplices from outside of school. Keegan and Marshall were forced to get into that brawl. The incident


    escted, and their parents were all called to the school.


    However, after the matter was resolved, Marshall did note to school for two days.


    He and Vermont went to Marshall¡¯s house to look for him, and the nanny told them that Marshall had


    been admitted to the hospital.


    Keegan still remembered what he saw when they arrived at the hospital to this day. Marshall was lying


    on the bed, and his face was covered in whip marks. He looked defeated while Ariel was shedding tears


    next to him.


    Keegan was raised by Cordelia from a young age. She loved children very much and would only give


    Keegan a few spankings on the buttocks or palms when he misbehaved. When he grew older, Cordelia


    would punish him in different ways like making him recite books or memorize them.


    The disciplinary measures of the Moore family were shocking and despicable.


    Keegan and Vermont were worried that Marshall would feel embarrassed, so they looked at him through


    the window and left the hospital without going in.


    Molly was Frederick¡¯s favorite child, yet he did not go easy on her. It was evident how angry he really


    was.


    Marshall could not get up after being disciplined, and Molly had it even worse. It was said that she spent


    a few days in the hospital.


    Irene was very mad, and she had been looking for the person who leaked the photos.


    Trevor was one of her main suspects, so Keegan figured that it would not be a good time for him to ask


    for the Moore family¡¯s help.


    Not only that they would not help him, but they might even seek revenge on him.


    At that thought, Keegan could not help but say, ¡°You¡¯re so childish. You should have at least waited for


    some time before doing that. They just warned you about it, and the photos were leaked. How could they


    not suspect you?¡±


    Trevor was displeased. ¡°They asked for it when they did that to Ste. They should be d that I didn¡¯t


    end her life!¡± Then, he shifted the me to Keegan, ¡°You¡¯re the fool. You should have gotten someone to


    broadcast everything live at that time. Why bother putting on a show? You should embarrass her right


    there and then and show her who she shouldn¡¯t mess with!¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    ¡®What a crazy man! Our families are all friends with each other and doing that would only make things


    worse!¡¯ Keegan thought to himself.


    ¡®I should keep Ste away from her impulsive brother in the future.¡¯


    After contemting for some time, Trevor suddenly suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we try to contact that gigolo,


    Marshall? He¡¯s her rtive, after all.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Are you trying to give him an opportunity to prove himself?¡±


    Trevor snorted. ¡°You get anxious every time I mention his name. What are you afraid of? Ste falling for


    him?¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Keegan scoffed. He was about to unt his new diamond engagement ring but changed his


    mind after some thought.


    He knew Trevor too well. He figured that Trevor would probably steal the ring from Ste and throw it


    away when she was not paying attention.


    So, he said in a t tone, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this again after he gets stic surgery to have a face like


    mine.¡±


    Trevor kept quiet.


    ¡®Is he that proud of his looks?¡¯


    In unit 902 of Clouditude International, Felicity curled up on the couch while editing her script.


    She had adapted well to her newpany, and her


    coworkers were all very friendly. She no longer had to deal with matters that were irrelevant to her work


    and could finally focus on writing the script.


    Sewyny beside her, licking its fur asionally and nuzzling her.


    When Vermont came back, he saw this peaceful moment.


    He paused briefly before hanging his coat on the rack. Then, he softly asked, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you slept


    yet?¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

 Chapter 1379

    Chapter 1379


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1379 [Eleven Jewell]


    Felicity nced at him and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go back to my room if you want to use the living room.¡±


    Vermont was taken aback. Then, he said, ¡°Why do you think like that? I was just worried about your


    health since you¡¯ve been staying upte to work on the script.¡±


    He sat down next to her, as he spoke with a bag of freshly roasted pork knuckle in his hand. The aroma


    wafted toward Felicity, and her initially tense mood immediately rxed a little.


    ¡®Well, he¡¯s not that bad after all. I¡¯m d that he brought me some midnight snack.¡¯


    Felicity scoffed and said, ¡°Staying upte for work is just part of my job. I¡¯m not some big boss like you


    who can just stay in yourfort zone and still make money.¡±


    Vermont chuckled. ¡°I fought hard for thefort zone I have now. Everyone worked hard when they


    were young. We have to put in the effort when it¡¯s time to do so.¡±


    He spoke, as he took out a pair of disposable gloves.


    Felicity thought that he would hand them to her as usual.


    She even reached out to take them, but he put them in his own hand instead. He unwrapped the


    packaging and started eating the pork knuckle on his own.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicity was speechless.


    Vermont took a bite. Then, he turned to Felicity and asked,¡± The smell is not that strong, right? Is it


    bothering you?¡±


    Felicity felt frustrated and responded in a stiff tone, ¡°No! I¡¯m not hungry anyway!¡±


    Vermont paused. ¡®Are you sure? I ordered two portions of roasted pork belly for you. They¡¯re still in the


    aluminum foil.¡±


    Felicity was taken aback.


    That was one of her favorite foods, especially if it was spicy.


    However, she had just said that she was not hungry, and it would be embarrassing for her to eat them.


    She needed Vermont to find an excuse for her to eat.


    So, she pretentiously nced at it and tly said, ¡°Roasted pork belly has such high calories. I¡¯m going


    to gain so much weight if I were to eat this sote at night.¡±


    Given Vermont¡¯s high EQ, he would definitely say something like, ¡°You¡¯re so skinny. Eating this will only


    give you more energy throughout winter. Mammals naturally prefer high- calorie foods, and dieting goes


    against thews of nature.¡±


    Then, she would have a reasonable excuse to eat them.


    Vermont had always been really good with his words.


    At least, that was what Felicity thought and expected. She was waiting for Vermont to say that.


    However, she was wrong.


    Vermont kept quiet for a moment before he nodded and said, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll eat them all, then.¡±


    Felicity was puzzled.


    He was not joking. After saying that, he picked up the disposable utensils and unwrapped the aluminum


    foil.


    Felicity could not resist the smell, as she said, ¡°You can¡¯t eat things that are too spicy, right? Did you


    forget how you suffered three days in the toilet after eating the chicken parmigiana back then?¡±


    Vermont was speechless.


    Then, he said in a displeased tone. ¡°And, you have the audacity to remind me of it? Why did you make it


    so spicy for me when you already knew that I couldn¡¯t handle it?¡±


    Felicity scoffed. ¡°You were the one who lied to me first. You told me that you¡¯d help me with investigating


    Hylda, yet what have you done? You had Keegan do all the work and then came to take the credits. You


    tricked me into making food for you! You should be d that I didn¡¯t make you suffer for a week in the


    toilet!¡±


    Vermont kept quiet.


    Then, he murmured softly, ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t do anything to help at all. You were too ruthless.¡±


    Felicity swept her nce across him. ¡°What did you do to help?¡±


    ¡°I passed your message to Keegan,¡± he said.


    Felicity red at him. ¡°How shameless of you!¡±

 Chapter 1380

    Chapter 1380


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1380 [Eleven Jewell]


    Vermont chuckled softly. ¡°It¡¯s called working smart. Keegan is happy to investigate Hylda and so is your


    best friend. Everyone is happy, so technically, I wasn¡¯t lying.¡±


    Felicity snorted. ¡°You¡¯re just a cunning man with twisted logic!¡±


    Vermont handed her the disposable utensils and said, ¡°Here, you¡¯ve been busy all night. Eat something


    to fill your stomach. I specifically bought this for you, and I can¡¯t eat it anyway. It won¡¯t taste good when it


    gets cold, and I¡¯ll even have to throw it away.¡±


    Felicity initially wanted to reject him with dignity, but the crispy pork belly was simply too tempting.


    So, she ¡°reluctantly¡± said, ¡°Give me a heads up when you buy things like this next time. It¡¯d be a waste if


    I don¡¯t eat them.¡±


    Vermont replied with a smile, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Felicity took the utensils, and her fingers unintentionally brushed against Vermont¡¯s. He instinctively


    pulled his hand back, causing the utensils to fall on the floor.


    Felicity paused.


    Vermont made quite a big movement as if he had been poked by a needle.


    He seemed somewhat frustrated, as he picked up the utensils from the ground and threw them away.


    Then, he handed her a new set of unopened utensils before he softly said, ¡°Open it yourself.¡±


    Then, he ced it on the table, instead of putting it in her hand like before.


    Felicity felt strange at first but did not pay much attention to it.


    However, it did not take her very long to realize that Vermont was purposely avoiding physical contact


    with her.


    When they finished eating and clearing the table, she stood up to help, but her hair identally touched


    Vermont¡¯s arm. When she lifted her head, he quickly moved away.


    When he offered her a bottle of water, he did not open it for her. Instead, he ced it on the coffee table


    and asked her to get it herself.


    Felicity gradually realized that Vermont was deliberately keeping his distance from her.


    That realization made her feel very ufortable.


    Although they were not in a romantic rtionship, that was still not the way they treated each other.


    Vermont¡¯s sudden avoidance made Felicity feel awkward about their rtionship.


    After taking out the trash, Vermont came back and saw the troubled look on her face.


    That was a rare sight, as she was always an optimistic person and would rarely be bothered by anything.


    Vermont pretended not to see that and asked, ¡°Do you want to y some video games?¡±


    Felicity recollected herself and looked at her script. Her mind was a mess and could not continue the


    story. So, she closed herptop and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go get my charger.¡±


    It had been more than a week since they came back from the Onsen Vi, and they had not yed video


    games together since then.


    Felicity had yed a few matches by herself and even invited other online friends to join her, but the


    matches were not as enjoyable as ying with Vermont.


    They would hide in the bushes together,ining about their teammates, and even put on a show


    when they were losing, pretending to argue with each other to trick the opponents into a surprise attack.


    When they yed together, it was not about winning or losing. Instead, it was all about having fun.


    Felicity came back out with her charger, but Vermont was not in the living room anymore.


    As she plugged in the charger and entered the game interface, Vermont came out of his bedroom.


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    He changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top, holding his phone as he walked over.


    That tank top was tight. It revealed the well-defined outline of his muscles. It instantly reminded Felicity of


    the stripper she had seen at Jaylene¡¯s birthday party.


    However, Vermont¡¯s shorts were not as tight as theirs.


    He sat down next to her, started the game, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll invite a few more yers. Let¡¯s y as a five-


    yer team.¡±


    Felicity paused, and it took her some time to say, ¡°Sure.¡±

 Chapter 1381

    Chapter 1381


    Chapter 1381


    Vermont invited three yers.


    One of them immediately came online, while the others were stillunching the game.


    So, the three of them waited for the other two yers.


    Felicity did not know who the other yer was.


    So, she appeared rather quiet aspared to her usual chatty behavior.


    Vermont was probably very familiar with that yer.


    As soon as the yer with the gamer ID "IAmFragile" joined the party, he said, "My handsome man, it''s


    been so long since you yed with me."


    The yer was speaking to Vermont because Vermont''s gamer ID was "TheHandsomeMan¡¯".


    "I''ve been busy," Vermont said.


    IAmFragile chuckled.


    "I''ve seen youing online a few times recently but every time I tried to invite you, you had '' Do not


    disturb'' mode on. Busy with your new girl, huh? "Is she this pig-stealing girl?" he asked.


    Felicity''s gamer ID was "ThePigThief".


    Vermontughed and said, "This is my good friend in real life."


    That person understood immediately.


    "That''s fine, then.Otherwise, your wife would be heartbroken if you cheated on her."


    "His wife?"


    Felicity was surprised.


    The yer added, "That''s his partner in this game.She ys a support role and has a really sweet


    voice."


    As they chatted, the other two teammates logged in.


    One of them was called "FleeingPrincess" while the other was called "ComingForYou¡¯. Their gamer ID


    sounded like a couple''s.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    As soon as they joined, FleeingPrincess said, "Darling, it''s been so long since we yed together!"


    She sounded so cheesy that even Felicity got goosebumps as a girl.


    Vermont, on the other hand, remained expressionless as he replied, "Busy."


    His simple response sounded nonchnt and distant.


    FleeingPrincessined, "You''ve been gone for so long, and you have another girl with you now.


    What is this about?"


    Vermont said tly, "You can quit the game if you don''t like it."


    ComingForYou immediately chimed in.


    "Terminate your rtionship with him and let''s form a new one. I''m an exclusive V10 member too. I can


    give you everything he can. FleeingPrincess scoffed.


    "No way! I''m very loyal, and I''ll only be with TheHandsomeMan for the rest of my life."


    Then, she said to Vermont, "Are you expecting me to give my ce to another woman? Dream on!"


    Felicity was speechless.


    ¡®It''s just a game. They''re so dramatic"


    Felicity thought to herself.


    The match began, as they spoke.


    Felicity took the middlene while Vermont yed as the Jungler.


    FleeingPrincess went to the samene with her " husband" and picked the support role.


    Vermont seemed to y very frequently with those yers, and their teamwork was excellent.


    FleeingPrincess was not just a poser either.


    Her support role paired seamlessly with Vermont''s y style.


    Every time Vermont got a kill, she would praise him in a flirtatious tone, "Darling, you''re amazing!


    "Darling, get him! "Darling, that guy is such a bully! Avenge me! "Darling, save me!"


    Felicity tried to stay focused on the game at first, but her mind was filled with the words darling as the


    game continued.


    She found it somewhat annoying.


    The enemy''s Jungler kepting to the middlene to harass her, making it hard for her to farm and


    advance in the game.


    So, she could only stay close to her tower and y safe.


    When she was distracted by FleeingPrincess, the opponent seized the opportunity and killed her while


    taking down two towers in the process.


    FleeingPrincessined, "Can you not throw away the game? The advantage we fought for is gone


    now because of you."

 Chapter 1382

    Chapter 1382


    Chapter 1382


    Felicity pursed her lips without saying anything.


    Vermont said to her softly, "Stay under the tower and farm. Don''t go too far out."


    "Okay,"


    Felicity responded.


    However, in this type of game, one would be very vulnerable to the enemy team once the


    opportunity to farm in the early stage was lost.


    The enemy team found out that the middlene was their weak spot, so they kept targeting Felicity.


    Her teammates were busy pushing the top and bottomnes.


    They were not avable to back her up, and they would onlye to the middlene after she died in


    the game.


    In just a few minutes, she died thrice.


    The enemy would go past the tower to kill her, and she died almost instantly after respawning.


    After that, her teammates began to suspect that she was intentionally feeding the enemy team.


    ComingForYou said, "Stay near the tower if you can''t beat thene.How hard is that to understand?"


    FleeingPrincess added, "You died seven times in just fifteen minutes.Look at how much gold they got


    because of you.Darling, who is this noob that you invited into our team?"


    Vermont responded tly, "None of us here could handle that kind of pressure in the middlene."


    FleeingPrincess scoffed.


    "That''s just an excuse!"


    Felicity clenched her fingers, and for the first time, she remained silent and did not retort.


    Vermont nced at her but quickly looked away.


    "Shut up and y the game!" he said in a deep voice.


    AmFragile cleared his throat and said, "ThePigThief, I''ll go help you."


    "Okay,"


    Felicity responded tly.She was not in the mood at all.It was not because of her teammate''s criticism,


    as she would never take them to heart.She was the best at roasting people while gaming.


    However, she had no mood to do that at all today.Her mind waspletely upied by the word


    "darling" repeating over and over again.


    She just could not get it off her head.


    When she previously yed the game with Vermont, she had already noticed that he had an in-game


    lover.


    However, who would take in-game rtionships seriously? But, after ying with his in-game wife


    today, she suddenly realized something she had never considered before.


    Felicity realized that Vermont did not necessarily have to y with her.


    He was very good in the game and could y every role.


    He would y well with just anyone.


    It did not have to be her.


    He already had a gaming partner before her, and she was not his perfect match.


    Even without her, he could have easily reced her.


    This realization made her feel very ufortable.


    The match ended, and they lost badly.


    Felicity had the lowest score on the team.


    FleeingPrincess could not help butin, "I finally get to y a game with my darling, and we


    ended up losing.Damn it."


    Vermont calmly replied, "Shut up and let''s y another match."


    The team captain, I[AmFragile said, "ThePigThief, get ready."


    Felicity pursed her lips and said in a t tone, "You guys go ahead.I still have work to do.Bye."


    Then, she exited the lobby and headed toward her room.


    Vermont paused and quickly followed behind her.


    "Let''s y two more rounds.We rarely get to y together."


    Felicity suppressed her emotions and softly said, "I''m not ying anymore.You guys can go on.I need


    to work on the script."


    "It''s already sote.You can continue working tomorrow.Humans aren''t very productive at night


    anyway."


    He was about to grab Felicity¡¯s hand as he spoke, but Felicity reacted the same way as he did and


    instinctively pulled her hand away.


    Then, her eyes turned red, as she said, "Don''t touch me! Go y with your darling!"


    Vermont was taken aback.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Tears welled up in Felicity''s eyes, and her nose was red.


    She seemed like she was going to start crying at any moment.


    Vermont''s heart ached, and he spoke softly, "Miss Bandit, are you okay?"


    Felicity''s tears started streaming down her face as soon as Vermont asked her that question.


    "Vermont Snyder, what are you doing? What are you trying to do? Is it fun to y with my feelings?"

 Chapter 1383

    Chapter 1383


    Chapter 1383


    "Why are you saying that?"


    Vermont reached out and wanted to wipe away the tears at the corner of her eye, but Felicity quickly


    brushed his hand off.


    "Why did you confess to me, then? You messed up my mind.Yet, you acted as if nothing happened and


    yed games with another woman while flirting with her online.Am I just a toy for you to y with when


    you''re bored?"


    Her voice turned nasal, and due to how emotional she was, she began stuttering.


    "Youe hugging and kissing me when you like it.And, when you don''t, you just throw me aside like


    I''m nothing.Did you see how you reacted just because my hand touched you? Am I like a thorn or


    poison to you? Why did you confess to me if you don''t like me? "I''m the dumbest person alive.I knew


    what kind of person you were, and I knew how many exes you have.Yet, I still became so bothered by


    a casual confession from you.I couldn''t even sleep well after rejecting you.I kept thinking about giving


    you a chance, but turns out, you don''t even care.She lifted her arm and forcefully wiped her tears.


    "Thank you for taking me in for the past few days.I won''t disturb you anymore.I''ll transfer you the rent


    by tomorrow, and I''m moving out."


    She was about to speak after saying that, but Vermont would never let that happen.He grabbed her


    wrist without a second thought and pulled her back into his arms.


    "It''s already sote.Where would you go?" he said in a hoarse voice.


    Felicity struggled, as she did not want him to touch her.


    "Anywhere but here.I don''t want to stay with you anymore, you heartless yboy.Why did I even


    believe in your sweet words?"


    She could not help but burst out crying.


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    Vermont''s heart broke when he saw her crying.


    "You said we should stay as friends.I didn''t want to touch you because I was worried that you might not


    like it.I only went to have a drink because I felt too restless after getting rejected by you.I want to spend


    time with you, yet I fear that you''d get tired of me.I''d do anything to make you like me."


    Felicity was dejected, as she cried out, "You liar.You''re just ying with me, and you would never stop


    teasing me.You''re only doing all this to watch me struggle like a fool, right? Do you like me? Why did


    you spend the night with another woman after confessing to me if you like me? Why did you allow


    another woman to call you darling if you like me? Do you really like me? What do you like about me?


    My figure is not as good as your exes, and I don''t know how to cheer you up like they do either.I''d hit


    you when I get angry, so what is it that you like about it? Do you enjoy getting punched? Don''t lie¡ªUgh


    ¡ª"


    Vermont lowered his head and kissed her on the lips before she could finish speaking.


    He held her waist with one hand and kissed her passionately, while he held her hand with the other and


    ced it on his chest.His kissing skills were amazing, and Felicity could not keep up with him at all.


    Her initial resistance soon turned intopliance, and Vermont could taste her faint and salty tears


    between their mouths.


    Vermont teased her tongue and sucked on it repeatedly, trying his best to please her.


    Felicity gradually stopped crying, as the faint scent of citrus from Vermont surrounded her.


    After some time, he let go of her and lowered his gaze to her.


    "Did you feel it?" he asked.


    He caressed the back of her hand and continued in a hoarse voice, "My heart beats uncontrobly


    every time I get close to you.I''m not an immature kid who doesn''t know whether I like you or not.


    "I feel happy whenever we''re cooking, ying games, or even when you hit me.I enjoy the feeling of


    being with you, and this feeling can''t be reced by anything or anyone.It can only be you."


    Felicity''s eyes were still red, as her heart pounded.


    She felt powerless.


    She had just cried and wanted to storm off in frustration, yet Vermont managed to change her mind


    with just a few words.


    Vermont''s usually carefree eyes were filled with sincerity and concern.


    In an instant, she felt like she was going to drown in those eyes.


    Felicity looked away and said in a soft voice, "What do you want now?"


    Vermont lifted her hand and kissed it.


    "I want to be your boyfriend.Would you...still want me?"

 Chapter 1384

    Chapter 1384


    Chapter 1384


    Felicity''s eyes were filled with tears again, as she said ina nasal voice, "I would, but I have one


    condition."


    Vermont''s heart raced, and he was ready to agree to just anything, even if she had a million conditions!


    He suppressed his excitement and softly asked, "What is it?"


    Felicity gathered her thoughts and said, "I''m the only child in my family.My mom hopes that I can marry


    and have children with someone who will carry my family name.I don''t really care about that, but I''m


    sure that my mom will definitely insist on having more than just one child."


    Vermont nodded.


    Having a few more children was not a problem for Vermont.He liked kids too, and if Felicity''s body


    could take it, it would be perfectly fine for him.


    Otherwise, he would just go with the flow.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    However, Felicity was not done yet, as she continued, "If we got together, my mom''s dream of having


    grandchildren would be impossible toe true.


    "I don''t care if you''re capable of having children or not.I like you for who you are, and I''m totally fine


    with a rtionship without doing it.


    "But, if my mom insists on having a grandchild, you have to be willing to adopt a child.And, you can''t


    mistreat the child just because they''re not biologically rted to you.Can you do that?"


    Vermont kept quiet.


    He got so happy that he had forgotten that to Felicity, he was still someone with erectile dysfunction!


    ¡®Damn it, I should''vee up with a better excuse back then! However, his heart melted when he


    realized that Felicity still epted him despite his condition.


    After not getting any response from him, Felicity said in a low voice, "Are you not willing to do that?"


    She wanted to make everything clear before starting the rtionship, so they would not have to argue


    about it in the future.


    Vermont pursed his lips and replied softly, "You''re the boss."


    His condition depended on whether he could win her over.


    If he seeded, he would naturally recover.


    Felicity heaved a sigh of relief before she said, "We still have to see a doctor.Ste went to one with


    Keegan back then and tried some alternative remedies.After that, Keegan did not have a problem


    anymore.We should try it out too, just in case it helps."


    Vermont remained silent.He clenched his fists tightly and gritted his teeth, forcing a smile.


    "Sure, whatever you say."


    ¡®How could she tell Ste about my condition!¡¯ Vermont knew that Ste would not be easily fooled as


    compared to Felicity, so he had toe up with a way to cover up his lie.


    Hylda contactedn after disappearing for two days.She was in a difficult situation and had almost


    spent all her cash.Her credit card had been frozen by the police.


    However, she would not dare to withdraw any cash even if her ount was not frozen.


    The police''s surveince system was so advanced that if she showed up to withdraw money, she would


    instantly get arrested.


    She figured that she could no longer depend on Albert.


    And, as for Sophia...she could not even save herself.

 Chapter 1385

    Chapter 1385


    Chapter 1385


    Sophia could not sell the shares she had bought and could not turn them into cash to repay Ethan. So,


    the Shaw family was now hounding her for the money.


    Even worse, Ethan had also posted plenty of Sophia¡¯s private photos in their circle, threatening to


    release all the uncensored ones online if she failed to pay up. He wanted to show everyone how slutty


    she looked around men.


    Sophia did not dare to speak harshly to Ethan anymore and had no choice but to beg him for more


    time.


    She spent two days tracking down Albert and finally saw him around his office.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Compared to the miserable state she and her mother were in, Albert looked rtively radiant.


    As soon as he heard that Sophia came to him for money, he immediately said, ¡°Your mother took all the


    money, and she¡¯s nowhere to be found. I¡¯m worried too. Do you think I would keep all the money to


    myself if I had them? You¡¯re my own daughter, after all.¡±


    Sophia could not contact Hylda at all, but it did not mean that Albert could fool her with his words.


    Hylda could simply ask her for money if she wanted to scam her. There was no need to get Albert


    involved.


    ¡°Dad, at this point, you¡¯re still lying to me!¡± Sophia had been driven to the brink of madness after the


    Shaw family forced her to pay up. She could not help but scold her father when she heard his lies. ¡°The


    details of the case have been messed up. The driver asked for two million. Don¡¯t you have two million?


    Why did you have to take eight million from me and sell me shares in a shellpany that can¡¯t even


    make a profit? Even if you did give two million to the driver, what about the remaining six million? Are


    you trying to send me to my death?¡±


    Albert still did not want to give her any money, and he scolded, ¡°The Shaw family is being


    unreasonable. You and Ethan were going to get married. How can they do this? I was going to treat


    them very well after you get married.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about what¡¯s going to happen in the future. I just need the money now! Ethan wants to


    expose my private photos, and he¡¯s turning on me. How am I supposed to live if those photos went


    public?!¡±


    Not only did Albert show no concern, but he also med her. ¡°I told you to find out his true colors back


    then. You didn¡¯t listen to me and even slept with him before getting married. You weren¡¯t being cautious


    enough, and you have only yourself to me for what¡¯s happening right now.¡±


    Sophia got so angry that her face turned pale. ¡°Are you going to give me money or not?!¡¯ she gritted


    her teeth and spoke.


    Albert pursed his lips. ¡°Eight million dors is not a small amount. Tell Ethan to wait a little longer. Once


    thepany settles the ounts for this quarter, I¡¯ll pay you back for the


    shares you bought no matter what.¡¯


    Sophia immediately calmed down.


    Her mother was right about Albert being a selfish and selfserving man. He had never intended for her


    to take over thepany. Even if he did not have a son, he would simply find another male


    descendant of the Jewell family to inherit thepany. He would never give her thepany.


    She was nothing but a tool for making the Jewell family strong.


    Ste faced the same fate, and so did she.


    Sophia even had it worse than Ste, who had never experienced the fake fatherly love of Albert and


    got married to a decent man.


    As for Sophia, she was about to be dragged into some serious trouble.


    Her gaze turned cold with those thoughts in mind.


    After parting ways with Albert, she immediately went to Xenia¡¯s ce.


    Xenia heard somebody knocking on her door and immediately checked the surveince camera. Then,


    she informed Ste after seeing that it was Sophia.


    [Sophia came to see me.]


    Ste had been monitoring the situation on Xenia¡¯s side, as they were approaching the final stages of


    their n.


    Ste read the message from Xenia and quickly texted back. [Albert tricked her for money, and


    someone is pressuring her to pay her debt. She¡¯s probably going to use you as leverage to threaten


    Albert.]


    Xenia frowned. [Should I still open the door, then?]


    [Forget about it. I¡¯m scared that she might hurt you.]

 Chapter 1386

    Chapter 1386


    Chapter 1386


    However, Xenia was not worried at all. [There¡¯s nothing more satisfying than sending Albert Jewell to


    jail. You still have to look for Hylda if I don¡¯t open the door. But now that Sophia is here, I have a better


    n.]


    Ste quickly understood what Xenia¡¯s n was, but it was simply too risky.


    Ste called her and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush things. Your safety is our priority right now, so you


    shouldn¡¯t expose yourself.¡±


    Xenia smiled. ¡°Ste, without you and Mr. Kane¡¯s help in these past few months, I can¡¯t imagine what


    would have happened to my sister and my family. I already have no regrets in this life now that she can


    go to school like a normal person of her age. Helping you put the person who hurt your mother in jail is


    the only thing I can do for you. I¡¯ll do my best to protect myself.¡±


    Then, she hung up the phone before Ste could say anything.


    Ste tried calling her back again, but Xenia just would not pick up her call.


    Ste immediately grew anxious and contacted Keegan. She urgently asked him to send the


    bodyguards who were protecting Xenia to her ce right away.


    Xenia stood up and went to get the door.


    When she opened the door, Sophia immediately held a knife against her neck and said with a cold


    expression, ¡°Come with me!¡±


    Xenia appeared calm, as she pursed her lips and asked, ¡°Ms. Jewell, are you nning to use me as a


    hostage to make your father repay you the eight million dors?¡±


    Sophia was shocked. ¡°How did you know about this?¡±


    Xenia then tly said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I suggest that


    Sophia sneered. ¡°I know, but things will be different with his son in my hands.¡±


    Xenia paused and lifted her hand to unbutton her shirt. Sophia thought that she was reaching for a


    weapon, so she pressed the knife even harder on her neck. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡±


    The de sliced through her skin, and blood began to trickle.


    Xenia frowned but her hands did not stop moving.


    Once all the buttons on her cardigan were undone, she pointed at the silicone belly and said, ¡°Ms.


    Jewell, is this what you were referring to?¡±


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    Sophia was shocked and was in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re not pregnant!¡±


    Xenia nodded. ¡°That is why using me as a hostage is not going to help you with anything.¡±


    Sophia regained herposure and sneered while gritting her teeth, ¡°Why not? You faked your


    pregnancy and lied to my father. Do you think he¡¯s going to let you off the hook?¡±


    Xenia remained unfazed. ¡°So what? He¡¯ll onlye after me if he ever finds out. Do you think that he¡¯d


    return your money just because I faked my pregnancy? Ms. Jewell, I¡¯m sure you know very well what


    kind of person your father is. He only wants a son to inherit all his wealth. You have no chance even if


    you¡¯re his biological daughter.¡±


    Her words struck a chord with Sophia.


    She clenched her fists tightly, as her expression darkened.¡± At least without that worthless child in you,


    I¡¯d have a better chance.¡±


    Xenia smiled faintly. ¡°Without me, he¡¯ll eventually find another woman who can give him a son.


    However, there is another way that could help you secure everything in the Jewell family. Would you


    like to hear about it?¡±


    Sophia frowned. ¡°What kind of tricks are you trying to pull?¡±


    Xenia lifted her head slightly and exposed her vulnerable throat under Sophia¡¯s knife. ¡°My life is in your


    hands. What kind of tricks could I possibly pull?¡±


    Sophia looked at her from head to toe and said in a cold voice, ¡°Go on, tell me.¡±

 Chapter 1387

    Chapter 1387


    Chapter 1387


    ¡°Do you know how Rainee got into a car crash back then?¡± Xenia asked in a hushed tone.


    Sophia froze and frowned. ¡°Bad luck? Karma? Who cares? All I know is that have nothing to do with it.¡±


    ¡°Maybe not, but your family does,¡± Xenia said in disdain. She paused for effect and continued in a


    mysterious manner, ¡°I overheard Mr. Jewell and your mother arguing on the phone a few days ago. It


    turns out that they had a role in Rainee¡¯s ident.¡±


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Sophia¡¯s heart sank. She pressed the knife harder against Xenia and said, ¡°Do you really expect me to


    believe that?¡±


    The wound from earlier deepened, and blood trickled down Xenia¡¯s neck. Her lips were pale, but she


    pushed through the pain and said, ¡°I stumbled upon this detail by ident. Your mother paid a visit a


    few days ago, looking for Mr. Jewell. I thought she was trying to convince him not to divorce her, so I


    secretly followed them. That was when I overheard the truth. It wasn¡¯t a mere ident that caused


    Rainee¡¯s death. Your mother had tampered with her car all those years ago. I¡¯ve recorded everything. I


    can y it for you if you don¡¯t believe me.¡±


    Sophia¡¯s face turned ashen. She would have dismissed Xenia¡¯s words in the past. But, knowing that


    Hylda was currently running from the police for murder, Sophia could not help but think that it was


    possible.


    Xenia saw Sophia¡¯s softened expression and asked, Do you want to hear the recording? I have it on


    my phone.¡±


    ¡°You faked your pregnancy and tore my parents¡¯ marriage apart. And now you¡¯re telling me this?


    What¡¯s your game?¡± Sophia snapped back with a cold look.


    Xenia bore the pain and said, ¡°The pregnancy was misdiagnosed. But Mr. Jewell was thrilled and


    wanted me to have the baby. He even promised to marry me someday. So, I went along with it. After


    what happened at the wedding, I thought he would divorce your mother and marry me. Yet, he didn¡¯t.


    He only wanted the child. It¡¯s been a few months, and I can¡¯t keep up with this lie anymore. I just want


    some money and leave this ce. I know Albert wouldn¡¯t give me a dime. That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking for


    your help.


    ¡°Albert conspired with your mother to kill Rainee. If the authorities reopen this case, neither of them


    would get away. The entire Jewell estate will be yours once they get convicted,¡± she added.


    Sophia¡¯s hand trembled, as her heart pounded fiercely.


    ¡®The entire Jewell estate could be mine. I¡¯ve never thought of that before. Mom had said that Dad


    would never willingly hand over his assets to me. The fact that he was willing to give me a small


    percentage of his shares was a miracle. This bitch is onto something. I¡¯m Albert¡¯s only flesh and blood;


    his only legal heir. His fortune would be mine if something happened to him,¡¯ she thought.


    However, another voice soon emerged in her mind. ¡®But, he¡¯s my father. Should I really do this?¡¯


    Xenia noticed her uncertainty and tried to add fuel to the fire. ¡°Actually, Albert had the money when


    your mother asked him for it. He just didn¡¯t want to give it to her. He talked about how he had raised


    you and wanted you to repay him. I lost all hope that he¡¯d give me any money when I heard that.¡±


    Sophia¡¯s wavering expression turned dark after knowing that piece of information. She was reminded of


    what Albert had said earlier. He not only refused to return her money, but he also berated her. She was


    on the verge of insanity, yet he remained indifferent.

 Chapter 1388

    Chapter 1388


    Chapter 1388


    Sophia realized that money was more important to Albert than his children. ¡®He had callously watched


    me descend to this state without any concern. I have no reason to cling onto a nonexistent father-


    daughter bond.1


    Even though Sophia had made up her mind, she still did not trust Xenia entirely. ¡°What¡¯s your motive


    behind all this? Why should I trust you?¡± she asked in a cold tone.


    Upon hearing this, Xenia sensed she had gained about eighty percent of Sophia¡¯s trust. She lowered


    her voice and said, ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t you like to know?


    ¡°I¡¯ll hand over the evidence in exchange for a house and five million dors. You can give them to me


    when you inherit Albert¡¯s assets. How does that sound?¡± she continued.


    ¡°Are you even worth that much?¡± Sophia sneered.


    Xenia smiled and said, ¡°I overheard Albert say that the Jewell familypany is valued at ten billion


    dors. I¡¯m sure it will still be worth at least one billion dors with intion. Plus, Albert has several


    other properties. I¡¯m not asking for much. If you¡¯re not willing to go through with this deal, then there¡¯s


    no need to continue this discussion. You can do whatever you want to me. Just know that there are


    surveince cameras all over this ce. If anything happens, you won¡¯t get away with it.¡±


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Sophia¡¯s expression darkened. ¡®How dare she threaten me!¡¯ she thought.


    However, upon careful consideration, she realized that Xenia¡¯s words held weight. Sophia had always


    wondered why Albert did not divorce her mother when she had Hugo with another man.


    ¡®It makes sense that mom was only kicked out of the house because they had conspired to harm


    Rainee. It¡¯s most likely that Dad was afraid mom would turn him in for murder if he divorced her. If mom


    gets locked up, Dad could openly file for divorce. I would no longer be the Jewell family heiress


    anymore. Dad would definitely remarry and have more children. My status would likely be even lower


    than Ste¡¯s when that happens.¡¯


    Sophia finally stopped hesitating with those thoughts in mind. ¡°Alright. I agree to your terms,¡± she coldly


    dered.¡± This woman is such a fool. I can choose not to give her anything when I get my inheritance.¡¯


    Xenia was pleased. She asked Sophia to write an agreement and handed her some documents.


    When Albert returned home from work and found no sign of Xenia, he called her. She informed him she


    was away on a family trip for a few days and would return soon.


    Albert was furious. He thought she was acting recklessly and fretted about their son. However, he did


    not know where Xenia went. So, he could only stew in his frustration at home.


    The next morning, a knock came at the door. Albert thought Xenia had returned from her trip. But,


    when he swung open the door, he was met with a group of police officers. They disyed their badges


    and calmly stated, ¡°Are you Albert Jewell?¡±


    Albert hesitantly nodded, as he assumed that they were here to investigate Hylda¡¯s case. However,


    their next words caught him off guard. ¡°We suspect you¡¯re connected to a car crash seven years ago.


    Pleasee with us for interrogation.¡±


    Albert¡¯s face instantly went pale, and he panicked. ¡°Have you caught Hylda? Did that wretched woman


    say something? You can¡¯t believe her, officers. She¡¯s just trying to drag me down with her and make my


    life miserable!¡±

 Chapter 1389

    Chapter 1389


    Chapter 1389


    The police frowned. They were merely responding to a reported incident and had not even begun the


    interrogation. Hence, they did not understand why Albert was so agitated. His reaction made him look


    even more suspicious.


    ¡°We¡¯ll conduct an investigation to find out whether you are involved in this case. Now,e with us to


    the station,¡± said one of the officers.


    And so, Albert was escorted away by the authorities in a state of bewilderment.


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    At the hospital, Ste watched intently, as the doctor carefully treated Xenia¡¯s wounds. The sutures on


    her neck were prominent.


    ¡°Cost is not an issue, doctor. Please make sure that there won¡¯t be any noticeable scars on her,¡± Ste


    told the doctor in a hushed tone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Since the wound isn¡¯t too deep, it shouldn¡¯t leave any scars,¡± the doctor reassured her.


    ¡°Even if it does, it¡¯s no big deal. It¡¯s not like I need to be on camera or something,¡± Xeniamented.


    ¡°No one wants a scar on their neck,¡± Ste countered.


    Xenia offered a wry smile.


    Once the doctor had left, Ste voiced her concern.


    gullible and driven by greed. What if she didn¡¯t believe you and had taken you to Albert? Have you


    considered the consequences?¡±


    Xenia replied in a soft tone, ¡°I was betting on her greed.


    Plus, I¡¯ve set a scheduled text. Gina would have definitely reported me missing to the police if she


    wasn¡¯t able to contact me. Worst-case scenario, I¡¯d be tortured for a while. If it helps to get them locked


    up, it¡¯s worth the risk.¡±


    Ste thought otherwise. ¡°You didn¡¯t need be in such situations because of her.


    However, Xenia was grateful. ¡¯Maybe to you, the help you provided me was just a small gesture. The


    reality is that it pulled us out of the chaos. I¡¯m determined to repay this favor no matter what.¡±


    Ste froze upon hearing that. ¡®I didn¡¯t know people can be this different. Some are grateful and eager


    to repay the favor when shown kindness. Meanwhile, others are driven by greed and malice. They are


    never satisfied with what you give them.¡¯


    Realizing that, Ste felt enlightened. ¡®I guess it¡¯s never wrong to be kind. There¡¯s no need to question


    the act of doing good just because of a few bad apples.¡¯


    ¡°You shouldy low and rest up for now. No one will find you here. Once everything is settled, I¡¯ll make


    arrangements for whether you want to continue your studies or start fresh in another city.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Xenia expressed her gratitude.


    After chatting for a while longer, Ste urged Xenia to get some rest and left the room.


    Keegan was standing in the corridor waiting for her. The sunlight shone through the window, casting a


    golden glow on his profile. He looked incredibly handsome.


    Hearing the door close, Keegan turned his head and saw Ste. His cold expression instantly melted,


    as he smiled and asked, ¡°Shall we go see the doctor?¡±


    Ste gathered her thoughts and walked briskly toward him. She wrapped her arms around his waist


    and tiptoed to give him a peck on his chin. ¡°I have an idea,¡± she said in a low voice.


    Keegan was flustered by her sudden boldness. He instinctively held her closer and asked, ¡°What is it?¡±

 Chapter 1390

    Chapter 1390


    Chapter 1390


    ¡°I¡¯m going to focus on my acting career. I want to win some major awards and be the highest-


    earning actress so that you won¡¯t have to lift a finger once we get remarried. You can rx at home,


    and I¡¯ll take care of everything,¡± said Ste.


    Keegan was stunned to hear that. His lips twitched, as he said, ¡°Is that what you wanted to tell me?


    That I should be a stay-at-home husband? Only you could say something so audacious!¡±


    Ste yfully pinched his cheek and said, ¡°Well, I can¡¯t let you strut around and have people drool all


    over you. It¡¯s better if you stay at home.¡±


    ¡°I doubt you can support me with the amount of money you make,¡± Keegan snorted.


    Ste blinked and said, ¡°What? But you hardly spent a dime when we were still married. Look at the


    clothes I¡¯ve bought you. My handbag alone probably costs more than your entire wardrobe.¡±


    Her words left Keegan at a loss for words. ¡°And, you have the audacity to say that out loud?¡±


    Ste could not help butugh. ¡°If you know that the clothes I bought for you are all budget-friendly,


    why didn¡¯t you mention it before?¡±


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    Keegan pursed his lips and said, ¡°Because I know you, duh.


    You¡¯d never buy me clothes anymore if I said something negative about them. I experienced it when


    you stopped packing lunch for me. So, I knew not to be picky.¡±


    Steughed even harder at the sound of that. She did not know that was why Keegan never


    comined about the clothes.


    However, that was not entirely true. The clothes Ste bought might not be suitable for important


    asions, but they were perfectly fine for everyday wear. They were high- quality andfortable.


    Ste had observed which brands Keegan wore most often and used that information to determine his


    preferred styles and fabrics.


    Although Keegan did not say it out loud, he appreciated her attentiveness. He liked that she put so


    much thought into him and paid attention to small details that others might overlook.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Keegan said, taking her hand. ¡°It¡¯s time for your check-up.¡±


    After the examination, Ste and Keegan sat in front of their doctor, Luke Quinn, once again.


    Luke Quinn was a renowned gynecologist, who Keegan had consulted for Ste. With his sses


    perched on his nose, he carefully examined the data. After a while, he looked up at Ste and smiled.


    ¡°You look much better this timepared to yourst visit¡±


    Ste smiled back and said, ¡°I¡¯ve adjusted my daily routine and eating habits as per your advice.¡±


    Luke nodded. ¡°Your results are much better this time too. Many your hormone levels. How¡¯s your


    menstrual cycle?¡±


    Before Ste could respond, Keegan pulled out his phone and showed it to Luke. ¡°Here are her


    menstrual cycle dates for the past three months, Dr. Quinn.¡±


    Ste was speechless. ¡®Since when did he take note of my period?!¡¯ She felt a little embarrassed, and


    her ears could not help butturn red.


    Luke, however, remained professional. He took Keegan¡¯s phone, looked at the information, and


    nodded. ¡°Your period was dyed by ten daysst month, but everything else seems fine. Are you on


    any contraceptives?¡±


    ¡°No. My partner had a vasectomy. We want to wait until our bodies fully recover before considering


    having children,¡± said Ste.


    The doctor was surprised to hear that. He nced at Keegan, who looked indifferent.


    Keegan did not think he had done anything particrly remarkable. He was simply concerned about his


    partner¡¯s health. ¡°Has her health improved?¡± he asked the doctor.


    Luke shifted his gaze and said, ¡°Actually, there is really no need for vasectomy if you n on having


    children in a year or two. Ste¡¯s chances of conceiving are already lower than that of the average


    woman. It might take a while before she gets pregnant.¡±


    Keegan furrowed his brows. ¡°But our previous doctor told me that she would be at high risk of


    miscarriage even if she did conceive a child.¡±

 Chapter 1391

    Chapter 1391


    Chapter 1391


    ¡°That happened several years ago, right? I¡¯m not aware of her condition back then. But, based on her


    current state, there shouldn¡¯t be any major issues if she were to get pregnant, as long as she takes


    good care of herself during the pregnancy,¡± said Luke.


    He paused and chuckled, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t stress too much about the pregnancy. Unless your wife has a


    history of recurring miscarriages or underlying health issues, the likelihood of a miscarriage isn¡¯t high.


    ording to the report, she is in good physical health, and her blood regtion has improved over the


    past few months. So, you might not need any contraceptives.¡±


    Hearing that, Keegan breathed a sigh of relief. The weight that had been pressing down on him was


    finally lifted.


    Luke then prescribed some medicine for Ste and gave her a lot of advice while Keegan eagerly


    memorized and wrote down every word he said.


    On the other hand, Ste did not pay much attention to what the doctor was saying. Instead, she was


    highly focused on Keegan.


    Ste was stunned by how Keegan was even more anxious than her about her infertility. Little did she


    know that he was not worried about whether he could have children. Instead, he was concerned about


    the possibility of infertility bing the ultimate reason for her to leave him.


    However, he did not know that he was the love of her life and that she would never give him up to


    someone else.


    After Luke finished speaking, he turned to Keegan and said,¡± You should also find some time to


    undergo a reversal procedure for your vasectomy. Just let nature take its course. Who knows, you


    might be in for a pleasant surprise.¡±


    Keegan nodded and was about to leave when Ste suddenly said, ¡°Can you wait outside for a


    second? I need to ask Dr. Quinn something.¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan frowned. ¡°What are you going to ask, and why cant I stay and listen?¡±


    Ste gave him a stern look. ¡°It¡¯s just some gynecological matters. You don¡¯t need to know about it.


    Come on. Out you go,¡± she shooed him away.


    Keegan was unhappy, but he could not argue with Ste. In the end, he was kicked out of the


    consultation room.


    ¡°So, what would you like to know?¡± Luke asked in a kind manner.


    Ste nced at the door to make sure that Keegan was not eavesdropping. Then, she asked, ¡°Dr.


    Quinn, do you only specialize in gynecology? Or, do you have experience in urology as well?¡±


    ¡°I do know a bit about urology. What is it that you want to ask?¡± Luke replied.


    Ste hesitated for a moment before she whispered, ¡°I


    department and can¡¯t get hard. Is there a way to improve this?¡±


    Luke was taken aback. Thinking about Keegan, who was waiting outside, he asked, ¡°Does your partner


    have this issue?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Ste did not know how to exin the situation with Vermont and Felicity, so she lied, ¡°Yes.¡±


    This was the first time Luke had encountered a situation where both partners had infertility issues.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, there is truly no need for vasectomy. But you should have him checked out by a


    urologist to understand his condition and treat it ordingly,¡± he advised.


    Ste continued on with her fabricated lies and said, ¡°This only happened after the vasectomy. His


    pride won¡¯t allow him to get it checked out. He¡¯d argue with me if I suggested it. So, I thought I¡¯d consult


    you first.¡±


    Luke had seen many patients in his years of practice.


    Among them were couples where the man would me the woman despite the obvious issue being


    with them. Hence, Ste¡¯s words did not strike him as odd. ¡®Men can be highly protective of their pride


    when ites to certain matters,¡¯ he thought.


    ¡°Could you describe the specific symptoms?¡± Luke asked.


    Ste recalled what Felicity had said and exaggerated a bit.¡± Well¡­ he has trouble getting hard. And,


    even when he does get hard, he can¡¯t keep it hard for long. It gets soft very


    easily. Even explicit videos don¡¯t arouse him. It¡¯s like he haspletely lost interest in sex.¡±


    ¡°And this happened right after the vasectomy?


    Ste hesitated and said, ¡°It mainly started in thest couple of months.¡±


    Her description was rather vague. Those with kidney disease might also exhibit these symptoms.


    ¡°Can this condition be treated, Dr. Quinn?¡± asked Ste.


    Luke thought about Keegan. ¡®That young man doesn¡¯t seem like someone with kidney disease or blood


    deficiency.¡¯


    He pondered for a moment before he said, ¡°Based on what you¡¯ve described, I can¡¯t make a definitive


    judgment. Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do: I¡¯ll write down a few prescriptions for you to try. If they¡¯re effective, then


    there shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Remember to keep a healthy lifestyle. If the meds don¡¯t work, bring him


    in for a thorough examination at the hospital. He¡¯s still young. There¡¯s a good chance of recovery with


    early intervention and treatment.¡±

 Chapter 1392

    Chapter 1392


    Chapter 1392


    Ste expressed her gratitude profusely. She could easily share the prescription with Felicity if she


    asked for it. This also meant that she could stay in the loop.


    As Ste was leaving, another thought urred to her. She decided to ask Luke about it. nDr. Quinn, is


    it considered a medical issue if a person struggles to perform well during sex after consuming alcohol?¡±


    Luke was shocked to hear her question. He chuckled and said, ¡°Well, for most people, it¡¯s perfectly


    normal not to perform well when heavily intoxicated. In fact, if someone is able to perform under those


    circumstances, it usually means they aren¡¯t actually all that drunk.¡±


    Ste sighed in relief after confirming that it was not a grave concern.


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    Keegan had been waiting for a considerable amount of time when Ste emerged from the consultation


    room. ¡°Did you get your questions answered?¡± he inquired.


    Ste nodded.


    ¡°What did you ask?¡±


    ¡°Curiosity killed the cat, you know?¡± said Ste.


    Keegan looked at her momentarily and remarked, ¡°Why do I feel like you¡¯re acting a little guilty?¡±


    Ste did not say a word. It was not guilt on her face but rather to share the news with Keegan, but she


    held back. ¡®Let¡¯s leave Vermont with some dignity,¡¯ she thought.


    Keegan dropped Ste off at the film set before heading back to the office. Just before he arrived at the


    office building, his phone rang. He nced at the caller ID and saw it was Luke calling. Keegan quickly


    answered the phone, assuming it was additional medical advice.


    ¡°Dr. Quinn,¡± he said.


    Luke proceeded, Mr. Kane, could you give me your partner¡¯s contact number? It appears I made an


    error regarding one of the prescriptions.¡±


    ¡°You can tell me, and I¡¯ll make sure she gets the message,¡± Keegan responded.


    However, Luke insisted, ¡°It would be best if you could provide me with her number. I need to discuss


    something with her. She¡¯s expressed a preference not to involve you in this matter.¡±


    Keegan was not usually so inquisitive. But Luke¡¯s cryptic remark instantaneously aroused his interest.


    ¡®What could he be referring to? Why the secrecy?¡¯ He pursed his lips and said, ¡°Dr. Quinn, does my


    wife have any other symptoms? Please don¡¯t withhold any information from me. I¡¯m sure I can handle


    the truth.¡±


    Luke did not know how to respond. ¡®This man clearly has great affection for his wife. Oh, why does he


    have to possess such a problem?¡¯


    In the end, Luke sighed and decided toy it all out. ¡°It¡¯s not her with an issue; it¡¯s you.¡±


    Keegan was stunned to hear that. ¡°Huh? What do you mean, Dr. Quinn?¡±


    ¡°Your wife told me about your symptoms,¡± said Luke as he repeated everything to Keegan, word for


    word.


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened while he listened to what Ste had told the doctor.

 Chapter 1393

    Chapter 1393


    Chapter 1393


    ¡°I¡¯ve prescribed a few dietary supplements for you to try out. Come see me again if you don¡¯t find any


    improvement in your condition. I¡¯ll tailor the treatment ordingly,¡± Luke said to Keegan.


    He then considered Ste¡¯s concerns and added, ¡°This condition isn¡¯t a big deal. Many people


    experience it, especially with the high levels of stress nowadays. There¡¯s no need to be ashamed. Seek


    help early, and you¡¯ll be holding your little one in your arms soon.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression became ugly. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Thank you for the advice, doctor.¡±


    Aldor clutched onto the steering wheel as his eyes looked straight ahead. Keegan¡¯s appearance was


    too scary at the moment.


    ¡¯Mr. Kane is in good health. That means that the prescription Mrs. Kane got was not for him. Why would


    she request such medication on his behalf?¡¯ thought Aldor, stealing a nce at his boss before quickly


    averting his gaze. ¡®He looks furious. I hope nothing serious happens to Mrs. Kane.¡¯


    Meanwhile, Ste was entirely oblivious to what had urred. Today marked her first fight scene with


    Nicole, which she had previously filmed with Be. The scene had the most dialogue in the entire show,


    and the tension was intense. However, Ste was not entirely satisfied with the previous take. Be¡¯s


    acting skills were limited, making it


    difficult for her to fully engage in the scene. Moreover, Be kept forgetting her lines. In the end, the


    editing team had to cut a significant portion of the scene, resulting in a passable but far from impressive


    result.


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    Now, with Nicole as her scene partner, Stuart reintroduced the original lines and asked the entire set for


    their full cooperation during filming.


    Ste actually looked forward to acting with Nicole. She was not afraid of having an opponent. She


    believed that having a good scene partner could significantly elevate her acting skills.


    As it turned out, things went just as Ste had anticipated.


    It was a retake of the same scene with the same makeup and wardrobe. However, when Nicole


    stepped out on set, the atmosphere waspletely different from when Be was there. Be


    portrayed Lexi as somewhat timid, even though she was the one with the upper hand. The lines she


    delivered always carried a hint of hesitance, which was why Stuart always frowned when he directed


    the takes. He thought that a hesitant female lead was hardly rtable to the audience.


    Nicole, on the other hand, exuded a different aura. She hade from an impoverished county. When


    she came to the city, she could not help but feel inferior when she faced her wealthier peers.


    However, her insecurity stemmed solely from the difference in their living conditions. Nicole shined like


    a star the moment she stood on stage. With a subtly raised chin, she


    exuded confidence and determination. Her refusal to give in and her relentless effort to climb up the


    industry could be seen in the characters she portrayed.


    Greatness is not innate but achieved through hard work.


    This was the first time Ste felt pressure from an opponent in acting. Nicole was truly an impressive


    actor. She was in character in every movement she made. If Ste had not had several years of voice


    acting experience and had encountered numerous outstanding scene partners, she might have


    struggled to keep up with Nicole¡¯s performance.


    The eight-minute-long scene was done in one take.


    Stuart was ted with the shot and thought, ¡®This is precisely what I have been looking for!¡¯


    Ste stood in ce, slowly grabbing the water Shea had handed her. Her heart was still pounding


    rapidly, and she felt nervous in front of the camera for the first time.


    ¡°Rx. Nicole has had seven years of acting experience. She¡¯s been at it for a long time. It¡¯s


    understandable if you messed something up,¡± Shea said. She noticed how nervous Ste was during


    the take, but it did not affect her overall performance of the scene.


    Ste took a sip of water, and her rapid heartbeat slowed down gradually. ¡°She¡¯s amazing. She literally


    transitions in and out of character easily,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yeah. She is incredibly talented and willing to put in the effort. People like her are born for this


    profession,¡± Shea replied. ¡°But you¡¯re not bad, either. This is technically your


    second role. You¡¯ll encounter many co-stars like Nicole in the future, and they¡¯ll help you improve your


    skills. Don¡¯t be afraid of messing up.¡±


    Ste smiled upon hearing that. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid,¡± she said.

 Chapter 1394

    Chapter 1394


    Chapter 1394


    Nicole could not stop ncing in Ste¡¯s direction as she touched up her makeup. Seeing Ste quickly


    regain herposure, she murmured, ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Lindy immediately stepped in front of her and blocked her view of Ste. ¡°Focus on your acting. Don¡¯t


    let your heart wander!¡± She warned.


    Nicole was stunned to hear that. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in her, okay?¡± Nicole shot her manager a nce


    and said. ¡°I¡¯m just a bit surprised she managed to keep up with me.¡±


    With all the rumors circting, she had genuinely believed that Keegan had married some random eye


    candy. Though, it seemed that he had found a hidden gem.


    Just as Nicole was thinking about this, Leighton suddenly walked by her, and she extended her leg


    subtly. As expected, Leighton tripped over it and almost fell t on his face.


    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Nicole burst outughing.


    Once Leighton steadied himself, he red at Nicole, his face dark. ¡°Why the hell did you do that?¡± He


    asked.


    Nicole innocently shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault you don¡¯t watch where you¡¯re going. My leg hurts after


    you tripped over it, you know?¡±


    She shook her legs and yfully teased him, ¡°Or did you trip over them on purpose because you find


    my legs attractive?¡± Leightonughed in exasperation and said, ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m a man with taste. What¡¯s


    there to find attractive about your skeletal- looking legs?¡±


    Nicole paused and stepped up to him. ¡°Who are you calling a skeleton?¡±


    Leighton looked at her and firmly said, ¡°You.¡±


    Nicole then grabbed his hand and ced it on her breasts.


    Leighton¡¯s face burned up instantly. He pushed Nicole away and began heaving heavily. The veins on


    his forehead were about to pop. It took him a while to grit his teeth and say,¡± You should be ashamed!¡±


    It was a good thing that they were indoors and away from fans. At the same time, everyone else was


    too busy with their own tasks to pay attention to them.


    Nicole put on an innocent look and said, ¡°I was just providing proof that I¡¯m not all skin and bones.¡±


    Leighton knew just how shameless this woman was. He also knew he could not possibly win over their


    argument and might end up getting yed again like before.


    So, he swallowed his frustration and walked away with a dark expression


    Nicole felt a bit disappointed seeing that the Tiger was not biting back like he used to. ¡°Did he get a


    rabies shot or something? Why is he suddenly so docile?¡±


    Lindy could not help but say, ¡°It¡¯s best you don¡¯t provoke him. His fans will literally kill you.¡±


    ¡°I have a fanbase too, you know? I know they¡¯ll fight back¡­¡± Nicole shrugged.


    Hearing that, Lindy scoffed and said, ¡°Most of your fans are middle-aged and busy taking care of their


    kids. Who¡¯s got the time to fight for you online?¡±


    Nicole was rendered speechless.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Meanwhile, Keegan was not in a good mood after the call with Luke. He went straight home once he


    finished his work. He could smell some alternative remedies as soon as he entered the house. Keegan


    pursed his lips and headed for the kitchen without a word.

 Chapter 1395

    Chapter 1395


    Chapter 1395


    Ste was in an apron, with a spoon in one hand and her phone in the other. Her eyes were fixed on


    the screen,pletely unaware of the person behind her.


    The pot on the stove bubbled and simmered, its aroma filling the kitchen.


    I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s cooking up a soup for the erectile dysfunction I clearly do not have! Was she


    nning to prepare and deliver it to someone?¡¯ thought Keegan as he approached Ste. He held his


    breath and gently wrapped his arm around her waist. ¡°What are you cooking?¡± He rested his chin on


    her shoulder and inquired in a deep voice.


    Ste was startled, but she rxed upon recognizing his voice. Initially, she had nned to give Felicity


    the medicinal recipe directly. However, Ste realized she did not have an answer for how effective the


    remedy was. So, she decided to prepare a batch for Keegan to try first. This way, she could gauge and


    ry his reaction to Felicityter.


    ¡°Dr. Quinn gave me the recipe for a nourishing soup that helps replenish energy and boost blood


    cirction. I followed his instructions and cooked a pot. I assumed you could use a little boost since


    you¡¯ve been staying upte frequently due to work,¡± she exined.


    ¡°I see,¡± Keegan responded. ¡°What ingredients did you use?¡±


    Ste hesitated for a moment and replied, ¡°Just somemon herbs like cordyceps, angelica roots,


    and some gtin.¡±


    Keegan noticed a bag of dried herbs nearby and reached out to take a look. Ste, feeling a tad guilty,


    quickly moved the bag away. ¡°Did you wash your hands?¡± She asked.


    ¡°What¡¯s in that bag?¡± Keegan inquired.


    ¡®They¡¯re angelica roots. They¡¯re really good quality. Look at how thick they are,¡± said Ste with a


    straight face.


    Did she think I couldn¡¯t distinguish cordyceps from angelica roots?¡¯ thought Keegan.


    Cordyceps are known to improve sexual function and libido in men with erectile dysfunction.


    ¡°¡­ It sure does look thick,¡± Keegan said. ¡°Was it expensive?¡±


    Ste turned her head and nted a kiss on his cheek. ¡°Who cares when it can help improve your


    health?¡±


    Keegan would have been swept away on his feet if he did not know Ste had secretly asked for this


    prescription for another man.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let Dr. Quinn examine me before prescribing this natural remedy?¡±


    Ste coughed and exined, ¡°Well, since we live together, I know all your symptoms.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Keegan replied, unsure if he believed her. After a while, he asked, ¡°Is this medicine just for


    replenishing my energy and improving blood cirction?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ste replied, maintaining herposure. ¡°Let me know if it¡¯s effective or if there are any side


    effects after you try itter. I¡¯ll tell Dr. Quinn about it and see if we need to adjust the form.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyes darkened. He tried to smile but could not bring himself to it. ¡°Thanks, honey,¡± he said.


    Feeling guilty, Ste did not dare look into his eyes. She patted his arm and said, ¡°Go wash your


    hands. The soup will be ready soon.¡±


    Keegan nodded and let go of her waist. He then turned around and left the kitchen. He could no longer


    control his expression once he was out of there. His face turned ugly in frustration.


    ¡®Not only did she get a prescription for another man, but she¡¯s also treating me as a guinea pig! I can¡¯t


    wait to find out which asshole is trying to steal my partner from me,¡¯ thought Keegan.


    Soon, Ste brought out a bowl of soup. ¡°Here, honey. Eat up. rv


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    Hearing that, Keegan could not help but feel betrayed.

 Chapter 1396

    Chapter 1396


    Chapter 1396


    With a cheerful smile, Ste ced the bowl of chicken soup in front of Keegan and said, ¡°I just tasted


    it, and it¡¯s rather good. Go on. Give it a try.¡±


    Keegan nced at the soup and asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go grab yourself a bowl since it¡¯s for nourishing


    the body?¡±


    ¡°No thanks. I¡¯ve grown tired of chicken soup after eating the ones you¡¯ve cooked for me. Just looking at


    it makes me lose my appetite. I made myself some porridge with red dates. I¡¯ll just have that,¡± Ste


    lied.


    She then handed the spoon to Keegan and urged, ¡°Go on, dear. It won¡¯t taste as good when it¡¯s cold.¡±


    Keegan gave her a sidelong nce, took the spoon, and stirred the soup.


    ¡°Why does this soup smell a bit like the chicken soup your great-grandpa used to make?¡±


    Ste froze. ¡°Don¡¯t all chicken soup smell the same?¡±


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    Keegan nodded, seemingly agreeing with her exnation. He set down the spoon and picked up the


    bowl. Just as he was about to take a sip, he saw Ste staring intently at him.


    Keegan paused for a moment and drank the soup all in one go.


    Ste immediately refilled the bowl and said, ¡°Here, have more.¡±


    For some reason, Keegan was unusually amodating today. He drank three bowls of the soup in a


    row. Ste would have had him finish the whole pot if she were not worried about the potency of the


    medicine.


    Perhaps out of guilt, Ste, who used to insist on having Keegan clean up the kitchen after she cooked,


    took the initiative today. She cleaned up everything herself and even filled the bathtub with water for


    Keegan to rx in.


    Though Keegan was ready to expose Ste for ¡°cheating¡± on him, he enjoyed all the attention from her.


    When Keegan came out of the bathroom after his soak, Ste approached him with a bottle of essential


    oil, looking rather eager. ¡°Would you like to experience my massage techniques, honey?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s gaze deepened. ¡°What do you have there? Is it an aphrodisiac oil?¡±


    Ste was momentarily stunned. She blushed and said, ¡°It¡¯s a legitimate rxing essential oil blend I


    had someone else make. It¡¯s rather expensive. I can¡¯t even bear to use it on myself.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Keegan replied casually. He took off his bathrobe and tossed it aside before lying on the bed


    and saying,¡± Ready.¡±


    His actions caused Ste to be at a loss for words. Ste¡¯s eyelid twitched when she saw him behind


    his head and his eyes closed, looking content. ¡°Turn over. This is a back massage!¡±


    Keegan frowned andy on his stomach, not entirely pleased with the arrangement.


    Ste kicked off her shoes and sat on his legs. She poured some oil into her hands and rubbed them


    as she gently applied it to Keegan¡¯s back.


    It had been a while since Keegan had a massage. While Ste¡¯s techniques might not be as good a


    professional, her status in Keegan¡¯s heart elevated hisfort level.


    ¡°How does it feel, honey? Is it good?¡±


    Ste was tired after massaging Keegan¡¯s back for some time. Meanwhile, Keegan moaned in


    pleasure with his eyes closed.


    ¡°Does anything feel different than usual?¡± Ste inquired further.


    Keegan¡¯s eyshes fluttered, but he did not open his eyes.¡± In what aspect are you referring to?¡± he


    asked.


    ¡°All of them. I want to know the effects of the chicken soup you just drank. Are you experiencing any


    unusual


    sensations, like feeling hot all over? Do you feel anything out of the ordinarypared to your usual


    state?¡±


    Keegan pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Yeah. I feel a little different.¡±


    All of a sudden, Ste became excited. ¡°Tell me the specifics.¡±


    ¡°Well, it feels a bit warmer than usual. And my mouth is a little dry,¡± Keegan replied.

 Chapter 1397

    Chapter 1397


    Chapter 1397


    Ste¡¯s eyes gleamed with eagerness. ¡°Are there any other symptoms?¡± she asked.


    Keegan opened his eyes, which looked extremely dark.¡± Actually, there¡¯s a burning sensation in my


    chest. It feels rather stuffy. I can sense it intensify when you speak.¡±


    ¡®It works! Dr. Quinn¡¯s approach is effective!¡¯ Ste thought.


    ¡°There¡¯s also something else. Do you want to know what it is?¡± Keegan asked in a low voice.


    Ste nodded vigorously. To her, the more information she gathered, the more she could tell Felicity


    about it.


    Keegan¡¯s voice dropped even lower. ¡°I¡¯m seemingly more irritable than usual. I don¡¯t have much


    patience, and¡­¡± He paused.


    ¡°And what?¡± Ste asked as she grew impatient.


    Keegan took her hand and slid it down to his member. ¡°I feel harder than usual,¡± he said.


    Ste quickly withdrew her hand, and her ears turned red. She cleared her throat and said, ¡°I think you


    should calm down. I¡¯ll go report this to Dr. Quinn.¡±


    She was about to leave, but Keegan would not let her go. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward


    him, flipping her onto the bed. He pinned her hands and hoarsely said, ¡°Do you really need to do that


    right now?¡±


    Ste¡¯s mind was racing. The remedy was incredibly effective. She had been married to Keegan for so


    many years, yet it was her first time seeing him so horny.¡¯ Hopefully, it works for Vermont.¡¯


    Seeing that she was still lost in thought, Keegan gently grabbed her face and turned it toward him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you n to track all the effects after taking the supplement? That means you should be


    documenting my frequency and how long I¡¯dst, right?¡±


    Keegan grabbed his phone and set a timer. He then nced at Ste and said softly, ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Ste was confused. ¡°What are you¡ª Mmm¡ª¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, Keegan started to kiss her passionately.


    ¡®Maybe it¡¯s the soup, but Keegan is exceptionally¡­ enthusiastic tonight,¡¯ thought Ste. Not only did


    her partner behave wildly, but he paused the timer and reported the duration seriously every time he


    stopped. After that, he repeatedly restarted the clock and pulled her back into the whirlwind of desire.


    Ste was too exhausted to lift her fingers by the time it stopped, let alone record any data.


    ¡°Do you need to collect more data? Do you need to know my length and size? Don¡¯t fall asleep, honey.


    Tell me what you want,¡± Keegan leaned in her ear and whispered.


    ¡®What a beast,¡¯ thought Ste.


    When she woke up the next day, Keegan was already gone.


    Ste¡¯s body ached all over. She picked up her phone to check the time, but when she unlocked the


    screen, she found her notes app opened. There, Keegan had created a table for her, clearly recording


    the duration, intervals, and satisfaction ratings for each time he prated her.


    As Ste looked at the full-star ratings at the end of the table, her expression twisted into a mixture of


    shame and anger. ¡®He¡¯s such a mutt! How could he turn something like this into a spreadsheet?!¡¯


    Ste was furious but could not bring herself to delete the table. ¡®If Keegan had such an intense


    reaction to the brew, then it would definitely work for someone with erectile dysfunction,¡¯ she thought


    and immediately sent the recipe to Felicity.


    Felicity had just woken up from her sleep and was drinking some water, which she almost spit out when


    she saw Ste¡¯s text. She quickly put down her ss and asked: [ Does it really work?]


    [Yeah. And it¡¯s proven effective.] Ste replied.


    [How long does it take to work?] Felicity further inquired.


    Ste looked at Keegan¡¯s experimental data and said: [It should take effect the same day he takes it. If


    not, drinking it for a few consecutive days should do the trick. If it still doesn¡¯t work after that, I suggest


    you bring him to the hospital. Some things just can¡¯t be solved by normal means.]

 Chapter 1398

    Chapter 1398


    Chapter 1398


    [Alright. I¡¯ll give it a try.] Felicity nodded and replied.


    Vermont had just finished his morning routine when he found Felicity ordering some items on her


    phone at the dining table.


    ¡°You hungry already?¡± He yawned and asked.


    Felicity nced at him and quickly shifted her focus back onto her phone. ¡°Not really. I¡¯ve picked up a


    few new recipes. I¡¯ll cook them for you tonight. I¡¯m just pre-ordering the ingredients.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s interest was piqued at the mention of Felicity¡¯s cooking. ¡°What kind of dishes are you


    making?¡±


    Felicity kept it vague. ¡°You¡¯ll find out tonight.¡±


    Having a little mystery isn¡¯t so bad. It doesn¡¯t matter if I know what she¡¯s cooking since her culinary


    skills are amazing. I bet I¡¯d like those dishes anyway.¡¯


    Just as Vermont was thinking about it, his phone vibrated.


    Felicity took a nce and saw that it was a message from someone in his contacts named [Wifey]:


    [Hey hubby, up for a game?]


    She paused and said, ¡°Your wife just texted.¡±


    Vermont was confused. ¡°My wife?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You know, your in-game wife. What? Are they not your partner anymore when you¡¯re out of the


    game?¡± Felicity huffed.


    Vermont smirked and quickly looked at his phone. ¡°She¡¯s inviting you to y with us. Wanna join?¡±


    Felicity gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Why would I want to be your in-game mistress?¡±


    Vermont chuckled before initiating a voice call. The phone quickly connected, and a rugged male voice


    came through,¡± Can you hurry up and enter the game? I¡¯ve been targeted. I need you to avenge me.¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t. I have a meeting right now,¡± Vermont calmly stated.


    The person on the other end frowned and said, ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. What¡¯s the meeting for?¡±


    ¡°A misunderstanding.¡±


    The man was speechless.


    Vermont showed his phone to Felicity and said, ¡°My girlfriend thought we were having an affair. Can


    you exin to her what¡¯s actually going on?¡±


    Felicity looked at the screen and saw that the person¡¯s username was [Wifey]. It was not Vermont who


    gave him that name.


    Upon hearing that Vermont wanted her to exin, the person immediately switched to a higher-pitched


    tone.¡±


    Exin what? We are in a rtionship. Why should I exin anything? She stole my partner, and now


    she wants me to exin? How dare she?¡±


    Felicity was stunned. ¡®Isn¡¯t this the same voice from FleeingPrincess the other night? Is he another


    voice actor like Ste? Damn it! Did I actually get jealous of a man? How embarrassing!¡¯


    Seeing Felicity remain silent, the person immediately switched back to his normal voice and said, ¡°I


    was just kidding. Don¡¯t be mad. This guy has teased me in front of my partner countless times. I was


    just trying to get back at him on purpose.¡±


    Felicity did not know how to react. ¡°You guys talk. I need to get to work,¡± she stood up and said before


    heading to her room.


    Vermont watched her as she hurried off and was in a good mood.


    The person on the other end could not help but curse, ¡°You mutt! I¡¯ve never seen anyone pursue


    someone else so shamelessly.¡±


    It was not an impromptu act when they were acting lovey- dovey in their game that night. Instead,


    Vermont had nned it out earlier just to see Felicity¡¯s reaction.

 Chapter 1399

    Chapter 1399


    Chapter 1399


    Vermont was an incredibly smart individual. After being rejected by Felicity, he was genuinely sad and


    hurt. He frequented bars to drown his sorrows and avoided going home so he would not have to face


    her. Every time he saw her, his heart would flutter, and he would be reminded of the rejection.


    Vermont could employ hundreds of strategies to win her over, but they would all be meaningless. He


    wanted Felicity to be in a rtionship with him willingly. However, she did not want that. Vermont


    understood that no amount of effort could change herck of attraction toward him.


    During that time, he reasoned with himself to let go of his feelings since it was not mutual. He stayed


    away from Felicity and tried to stop thinking about her.


    However, after waking up at the police station following a night of heavy drinking one day, he heard


    from the police that he had brought another woman home. Felicity had been so furious that she called


    the police. This led him to form a conjecture.


    Maybe she does have feelings for me after all.¡¯


    The idea was exhrating. Vermont quickly recovered from his heartbreak and initiated a n to make


    Felicity admit her own emotions.


    Vermont did this by maintaining a respectful distance and only engaging in polite conversations. He


    also introduced her to his gaming partner. He even had ns to put on a show with an actor.


    Once Felicity responded to any of these tactics, he would be certain of her feelings for him. He would


    never let go, even if she did not admit it verbally.


    However, Felicity was more impatient than he thought. ¡®I can¡¯t believe she exposed herself after


    someone called me¡± hubby¡± a few times.¡¯


    After they officially became a couple, Felicity shared many things with him. She admitted that after


    rejecting him, she regretted it. That day at the police station, she had intended to give the rtionship a


    chance, but he went to escort Emily. Felicity was mad and refused to speak to him.


    Upon learning this, Vermont deeply regretted his actions. He would not have gone through such a


    lengthy approach if he had known. He knew his actions were hical, but it was the quickest and


    most effective way to help Felicity realize her own feelings. If she did not care about what was


    happening, he would have stopped and never bothered her again.


    Fortunately, she did care.


    Thinking of this, Vermont smiled and said, ¡°I would miss the boat if I had been any more reserved in my


    pursuit.¡± He paused for a moment and added, ¡°Let¡¯s break up. I don¡¯t want my girlfriend to


    misunderstand.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s gaming partner disyed a disgusted expression and said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have agreed to


    couple up with you if it weren¡¯t forpleting the in-game mission. Get lost, you scumbag!¡±


    With that, he hung up the phone.


    Meanwhile, Albert had never imagined that he would be brought in for questioning at the police station


    regarding Rainee¡¯s car ident seven years ago.


    He sat in the interrogation room and nervously rubbed his knees. He was anxious, scared, and


    overwhelmed by a whirlwind of emotions.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    At times, he wondered how much Hylda had disclosed to the police. At other times, he considered that


    the ident from seven years ago had been meticulously concealed.¡¯ There isn¡¯t any concrete


    evidence to incriminate me. Could the police truly use me based on Hylda¡¯s testimony?¡¯


    Following that, he mulled over Hylda¡¯s deceitful character. She was implicated in a murder case, which


    was a capital offense. ¡®Given her personality, she might just throw someone under the bus. Did she


    know I had informed the police about her connection with Walter? No one else knows what happened


    back then except for her,¡¯ thought Albert.

 Chapter 1400

    Chapter 1400


    Chapter 1400


    Albert assumed that Hylda had turned him in for the ident seven years ago. ¡®It had to be her! Since


    she had shown no mercy, I wouldn¡¯t hesitate to fight back either.


    After all, I didn¡¯t do a thing that would lead to the car crash back then. Even if I were convicted of the


    crime, I¡¯d be considered an aplice at most with a goodwyer.¡¯


    Albert¡¯s mind raced with various thoughts. Finally, the door to the interrogation room swung open. The


    police began the process of collecting his personal information.


    Albert was visibly on edge. Without waiting for the officer to speak, he blurted out, ¡°Has Hylda been


    apprehended, sir? Did she rat me out? What did she tell you? Did she pin all the me on me?¡±


    The police officer paused and looked at him while saying.¡± Sorry, we can¡¯t disclose that information.¡±


    Hearing this, Albert immediately confirmed his suspicions.¡± She¡¯s trying to frame me and use me as a


    scapegoat! You have to investigate this case thoroughly, officer!¡±


    He eximed.


    The police maintained aposed demeanor and said, ¡°We won¡¯t convict the innocent, nor will we let


    the guilty escape. As long as you cooperate with us, we¡¯ll conduct a thorough investigation and clear


    your name.¡±


    As long as Albert and Hylda kept their mouths shut, it would be hard to convict them since the case


    lacked evidence. However, Albert was overly selfish. He knew Hylda was doomed, yet he was not


    thinking aboutforting her or finding a way to protect her. Instead, he thought, ¡®What¡¯s one more


    charge when she¡¯s already facing the death penalty? I can live the rest of my life in peace as long as I


    shift the me onto Hylda.¡¯


    Thus, Albert told the truth about Rainee¡¯s ident. In his version of events, he was a good man


    devoted to his family. However, he slipped up one day and got involved with


    Hylda. From then on, she clung to him. He could not resist the temptation and gradually entered an


    affair with Hylda. However, she was insatiable.


    Knowing Albert wanted a son, she got pregnant with someone else and imed it was his. She


    demanded a ce in his life. Albert loved his wife and did not want a divorce. But Hylda¡¯s jealousy


    knew no bounds. She tampered with Rainee¡¯s car, causing her to have an ident. He learned about


    the situation muchter, but it was toote. Albert stated that he did not report Hylda to the authorities


    because he did not want the child to lose his mother.


    ¡°The biggest regret of my life is trusting her. If I had known she was this ruthless, I would have cut ties


    with her no matter what. Please understand, sir. I am only guilty of covering up her crimes. I implore


    you to catch her and give my wife the justice she deserves!¡± Albert cried.


    The two police officers in the room exchanged nces, signaling to each other that they knew Albert


    was faking it.


    Someone else had reported the incident, not Hylda. They were just there to take his statement as part


    of the routine procedure. Albert, however, took the opportunity to confess to the incident.


    The officers knew that what he said was not the truth, but one thing was certain-that ident was not


    just an ident.


    They initially thought that Walter¡¯s death was a straight murder case. They did not expect it to lead to a


    car crash that urred seven years ago.


    Albert was temporarily detained, and the police quickly contacted Ste. She was the survivor of the


    ident and the daughter of the deceased. They assumed that she was bound to know something.


    Ste was exceptionally thrilled when she received the call. The case from seven years ago could


    finally be reopened. She hurriedly headed down to the police station without even changing.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

 Chapter 1401

    Chapter 1401


    Just like what happened seven years prior, the police inquired about what Ste could recall from the


    ident. She recounted the memories etched vividly in her mind, leaving nothing out of her testimony.


    ¡°Albert wasn¡¯t inclined to dig deeper into the truth back then. He told me that my mom could be held


    criminally responsible if it was found that her depression had rpsed. He imed that her condition


    would result in erratic behavior, which caused the ident. He also said that insurance wouldn¡¯t cover


    that and that he simply did not have the money to pay her medical bills.


    ¡°When, in fact, my mother¡¯s depression had been well under control for quite some time. She was not


    taking any antidepressants in the six months leading up to her ident. I have all her detailed medical


    records and prescription logs here,¡± she continued.


    ¡°My mother had been gathering evidence of Albert¡¯s embezzlement and tax evasion six months before


    the ident. She had already drafted a divorce agreement. If the ident hadn¡¯t happened, they


    would have divorced within a month at most. In the divorce agreement, Albert was to receive a small


    percentage of shares. After my mom¡¯s ident, he never once mentioned their impending divorce to


    me.¡±


    Ste calmlyid out these details. She anticipated that she would be brimming with emotion when the


    day finally came. Yet she maintained aposed demeanor when giving her statement. The long-


    standing conflicts within the Jewell family were finally reaching a resolution.


    Meanwhile, Marshall had juste down the stairs when he saw Ian hurrying out the door with his


    coat. ¡°It¡¯s ratherte, Uncle Ian. Where are you off to?¡± He called out casually.


    Ian froze and turned around. He put on a calm face and said, ¡°I¡¯m having trouble falling asleep, so I


    thought I¡¯d go out for a walk.¡±


    ¡°Oh. I¡¯ll join you. I can¡¯t seem to fall asleep either,¡± Marshall said and grabbed his coat.


    Ian did not like the sound of that. Still, he managed a smile and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you have awsuit to work


    on?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all about bncing work and rest, right?¡± Marshall offered a faint smile. ¡°Shall we?¡±


    Ian pursed his lips. ¡°Truth be told, I was thinking of heading to the art gallery.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Marshall replied. ¡°I¡¯ve yet to visit your gallery. Today seems like a fitting asion.¡±


    Ian¡¯s expression tensed. Just then, Irene chimed in. ¡°Since when were you interested in art, Marshall?¡±


    Marshall turned around and regarded Irene with a polite nod. ¡°Hey, Aunt Irene.¡±


    Irene wore a silk pajama set, her hair casually draping over her shoulders. Her facial features exuded a


    mature and womanly charm.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been living under the same roof for quite some time, but I haven¡¯t seen you exchange many


    words with your uncle. Why are you clinging onto him so tightlytely?¡± She remarked.


    ¡°I realized we have so much inmon, given our close age, ¡± Marshall answered.


    His response rendered Ian speechless. ¡®When did we have anything inmon? Marshall has been


    watching me like a hawk these past few days. He seems to pop up everywhere I go, inviting me for a


    run or a meal. Coincidentally, it¡¯s always when Hylda reached out. I can¡¯t even meet her with this kid


    trailing me.¡¯


    ¡°Even so, you should give him some space. He¡¯s still your elder after all,¡± said Irene, ¡°Come y a


    round of chess with me, Marshall. While you are out, bring us back some food, Ian,¡± she added.


    Hearing that, Ian let out a sigh of relief and promptly took his leave. Marshall pursed his lips and faced


    Irene. ¡°There¡¯s a good chance Hylda will contact him, Aunt Irene. You¡¯ll be caught up in unwanted


    trouble if he meets up with her.¡±


    Irene offered a faint smile and said, ¡°If he can¡¯t distinguish priorities, then let him face the


    consequences.¡±


    Marshall looked at her but held his tongue.


    Once Ian was out the door, he made a beeline to the art gallery. As soon as he turned on the lights in


    the dimly lit studio, he saw a disheveled woman behind a canvasConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

 Chapter 1402

    Chapter 1402


    Hylda no longer possessed the allure of her past. She was wearing the inest clothes she could find,


    fearful of being recognized. She trimmed her long, flowy hair and no longer wore makeup. Hylda looked


    a decade older than before.


    As soon as the light flickered on, she instinctively hid. After days of evading capture, she had


    developed a fear of well-lit ces.


    ¡°It¡¯s too bright,¡± she said in a raspy voice.


    Ian felt for her and left a dimmp on.


    ¡°What¡¯s your n?¡± He sat across from her and asked.


    Hylda hesitated and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking a lot these past few days. I¡¯ve now figured out the things I


    did not understand before. None of this was a coincidence. She had nned everything out since the


    day of the wedding. She made me target Xenia out of jealousy and exposed Hugo¡¯s true identity,


    causing Albert to lose trust in me and freeze my ounts.


    ¡°She then targeted the kindergarten, causing me to lose my only source of ie. Following that, she


    had Waltere and threaten me, driving a wedge between Albert and me over the money. She led


    me into her trap step by step!¡±


    Hylda gritted her teeth in anger. Twenty years of her hard work to be Mrs. Jewell was flushed


    down the drain. She was now a fugitive and wanted throughout the city. All she felt was resentment.


    ¡°Who are you referring to?¡± Ian asked in a low voice.


    ¡°Ste Jewell, of course!¡± Hylda¡¯s face grew cold. ¡°She never believed that the car crash was just an


    ident. She never gave up on seeking revenge!¡±


    Ste did not simply want to bring Hylda to justice. She wanted to take away everything that did not


    rightfully belong to her and cast her into hell. It was the ultimate punishment for someone as greedy as


    Hylda.


    At this point, Hylda knew very well that she was already past her prime. Though, she could not ept


    it. ¡®I was so close to obtaining everything I had ever dreamed of, yet that bitch had toe and ruin it!¡¯


    she thought.


    Ian pursed his lips, not knowing what to say.


    Hylda probably could not see it, but her face looked extremely ugly. Ian recalled Irene¡¯s warning and


    steadied himself. ¡°So¡­ what¡¯s the n?¡± he asked once more.


    Hylda¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I want her dead!¡±


    ¡°That might be hard to achieve. Ste is not who she used to be. You might not even be able to get


    close to her right now,¡± said Ian.


    Hylda clenched her fists upon hearing that. She knew what Ian said was the truth, and her desire was


    likely impossible to fulfill.


    Ian took oirt two bundles of cash from his bag and handed them to Hylda. ¡°Here¡¯s some money to get


    by. I¡¯ll find a


    chance to help you leave Rivera.¡±


    Hylda looked at the banknotes in front of her, and her eyes began to water. ¡°How is Hugo doing now?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± said Ian. He nced at the time and added, ¡°I have to go. Otherwise, they¡¯ll start to suspect


    me.¡±


    Hylda had so much more to say, but she could not find the right words at that moment.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    After seeing Ian off, she stayed in the gallery for over an hour, waiting until there were fewer people


    outside before venturing out.


    However, as soon as she stepped out of the building, she spotted two police officers stationed nearby

 Chapter 1403

    Chapter 1403


    Hylda froze and immediately tried to flee. But it was toote. One of the police officers tackled her to


    the ground and put her in handcuffs. Her face was drained of color. Hylda realized that her time was up


    and did not resist the arrest.


    As the police escorted her away, she stole a nce toward the corner where Ian stood. He looked


    expressionless.


    Suddenly, it all made sense to her, and she began to curse.


    Humans are selfish creatures. Hylda was at the end of her road and could no longer turn things around.


    ¡®I guess our ten- year rtionship meant nothing to him. I used all my connections and means to get


    him married to Irene, yet this is how he repays me. Though, I can¡¯t me him. He is now a part of the


    Moore family. Why would he want to derail his own life for me?¡¯


    As Hylda was taken into custody, news of the suitcase murder case¡¯s perpetrator being caught spread


    like wildfire. The city, once fraught with anxiety and restlessness due to the case, became peaceful


    again.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Hylda readily admitted to killing Walter. When questioned about the reason for her actions, she


    remained remarkablyposed, stating that she wanted to see her husband and make arrangements


    for her children.


    ¡®Walter was the one who was extorting and threatening me. Moreover, he had a knife at the time. As


    long as Albert


    makes into finding a skilledwyer for me, I could at least argue that it was self-defense,¡¯ she thought.


    However, Hylda¡¯s illusions were shattered by the police when they told her that someone had reported


    her involvement in Rainee¡¯s car crash. When they questioned Albert, he imed she was the


    mastermind behind the whole thing. He removed himself from the picture, insisting that Hylda was


    consumed by jealousy and plotted the ident.


    Hylda could not believe her ears. Suddenly, she burst intoughter that sounded crazed. It got louder


    and louder as her eyes filled with tears. Albert had fended himself in the face of disaster. He showed no


    trace of affection and abandoned her without a second thought.


    For over two decades, Hylda had kept her head down and obeyed Albert¡¯s everymand. She could


    not ept that this was the end. ¡®Why the hell did I ever fall for Albert?¡¯ She thought.


    Hylda was in her prime back then. She had juste out of her remote, impoverished hometown.


    Even though she attended a rtively unheard medical school, she always held her head high. She


    aspired to change her destiny through her college entrance exam, where she could enter an Ivy


    League school and get a good job.


    With Rainee¡¯s support, she could focus on her studies without being burdened by life¡¯s hardships. She


    was just a step away from getting into college when Albert came along. He tricked her into having sex


    with him and got her pregnant. He robbed her of the one chance she had to


    change her future. She was blinded by a web of lies.


    To turn her dreams into reality, Hylda endured humiliation and went as far as to harm her benefactor. In


    the end, she was med for Rainee¡¯s murder.


    Hylda had ced her hopes in the wrong person from the very beginning. She recalled what Rainee


    had said when she supported her financially all those years ago. She had warned her not to rely on


    anyone else but herself. ¡°Only when you be strong can you face this world fearlessly,¡± said


    Rainee at the time.


    Hylda did not take her seriously. She assumed it was easy for someone who had not experienced the


    hardships of life to say that.


    ¡®Unlike her, Ie from a poor family with nothing to my name. How am I supposed to climb the social


    ladder by myself? How long would it take for me to seed in this world? Rainee doesn¡¯t know what


    she¡¯s talking about. She wouldn¡¯t have umted such wealth without her wealthy parents,¡¯ thought


    Hylda.

 Chapter 1404

    Chapter 1404


    Hylda had misunderstood Rainee¡¯s teachings. Rainee had imparted her with the art of survival, the


    ability to always have an exit strategy no matter the circumstances. Hence, Albert was the only one


    scared when Rainee wanted a divorce. On the other hand, Hylda relied on Albert like a parasite. She


    could not survive in this world once she was separated from him.


    Hylda finally looked up after a fit ofughter. There was a wave of calmness in her expression and


    determination in her gaze. ¡°The ident was indeed no mere coincidence. It was all part of a


    scheme¡­¡±


    Hylda began to tell the police everything. She started to talk about when Albert seduced her to be


    his mistress and all that happened in the 20 years they were together. The details she disclosed


    matched up with the evidence Ste had provided. She even recounted the moment when Albert had


    nted the antidepressants at the crime scene to throw off the police.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Hylda let the authorities know that Albert was not innocent; he had always been an aplice. Rainee


    could have been saved, but Albert intentionally caused a traffic jam to dy her treatment. He never


    wanted her to wake up from hera, either. Rainee¡¯s doctors have prescribed her the best medicine


    in the country. Yet, Albert asked the nurses to only give them to his wife during Ste¡¯s visits. At other


    times, Rainee did not receive any medication at all.


    If Ste had not married Keegan and personally moved Rainee to Rotona Pinnacle Hospital, she


    probably would not have survived that year. Hylda had the evidence to back up everything she was


    saying. She even possessed all of Rainee¡¯s medication records.


    Perhaps subconsciously, she never truly trusted Albert. She knew a man who could abandon his ailing


    wife without a second thought would turn against her when she was no longer useful to him.


    With the testimony and proof provided by Hylda, the police quickly re-interrogated Albert. Albert refused


    to confess, even in the face of overwhelming evidence. He stated he was being framed and demanded


    to see Ste and Sophia.


    The police were rather considerate and passed his request to his two daughters. Ste took great


    pleasure in taking advantage of someone¡¯s misfortune and immediately went to the station. At the


    same time, Sophia was eager to take control of the Jewell family fortune and to repay Ethan. To do


    that, she needed Albert to grant her his assets through an attorney. So, she showed up with legal


    representation.


    Ste and Sophia bumped into each other outside the police station. Keegan had an important meeting


    today with a client, but he did not want Ste to go alone. So, he arranged for Aldor to apany her.


    Just as they stepped out of the car, they ran into Sophia and herwyer. Sophia was seething with


    anger when she saw Ste. On the other hand, Ste remained remarkablyposed and paid her no


    mind.


    ¡°Have some decency, Ste. This is a family matter. It has nothing to do with you. Why the hell are you


    here? Are you trying to get a piece of the Jewell family fortune?¡± Sophia said while approaching her


    with a cold face.


    Ste stared at her like she was looking at a lunatic and said, ¡°You sure did inherit Albert¡¯s true


    essence. Your parents are in trouble, and all you can think about is the Jewell family fortune.¡±


    She paused for a moment and added, ¡°I almost forgot that Albert was arrested because of you. I guess


    my mother¡¯s efforts in raising you didn¡¯t go in vain. You¡¯ve finally repaid your debt. I should¡¯ve brought


    you flowers to thank you.¡±


    Sophia¡¯s mouth twitched, and her face darkened. ¡°How dare a fatherless bastard like you talk to me


    that way? Before my dad was caught, he wanted to adopt you as his daughter and give you a name to


    make it easier for you to remarry Keegan. Do you think the Kane family would ept you now that my


    dad is in custody and you¡¯re not his adopted daughter?¡±

 Chapter 1405

    Chapter 1405


    Ste could not help butugh upon hearing Sophia¡¯s ims. ¡°Oh dear. Do you think I want to be


    associated with a family of murderers? You should probably keep your family in order.¡±


    Having said that, Ste paid no further attention to Sophia and headed straight into the police station.


    Sophia clenched her teeth in anger and followed suit.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    When the two groups of visitors arrived, the police asked Albert whom he¡¯d like to see first. Sophia was


    convinced that Albert would want to see her. After all, she was now the sole remaining member of the


    Jewell family. ¡®Even if Dad doesn¡¯t want to entrust all his assets to me, he would still require my


    assistance in clearing his name,¡¯ she thought.


    However, that was not the case. The police soon informed them that Albert had explicitly requested to


    see Ste.


    Ste was not the least bit surprised. A considerable amount of Albert¡¯s wealth was invested in


    Semiconductor Technology. Hispany was already running at a loss, and Sophia would receive


    nothing more than an empty shell. Sophia might even be burdened with Albert¡¯s debts once his


    charges were confirmed.


    Albert was keenly aware of this, which was why he needed to see Ste first. After all, she still


    maintained an intimate connection with Keegan. As long as Keegan stepped in, there was still a


    glimmer of hope for him.


    Ste was sitting in the visiting room, patiently waiting, when the door creaked open, and the police


    escorted in Albert.


    Upon seeing Ste, he became visibly agitated and attempted to rush over. The officers firmly held his


    shoulders and guided him to the chair per protocol.


    Since Albert had not been formally charged yet, the visiting room had no thick ss partition. He still


    seemed somewhat decent, but he had lost some weight, and his hair had turned gray.


    Albert tried to force a smile when he saw Ste and warmly said, ¡°Ste, you¡¯re here.¡±


    Ste¡¯s expression was calm. She looked at the middle- aged man before her and noticed he was far


    from what she remembered. He was no longer the impatient man in her memory, nor the proud and


    ambitious schr depicted in her mother¡¯s photo album.


    He appeared to have lost his will to fight and was desperate to be set free.


    ¡°The police called and said you wanted to see me. What¡¯s up?¡± Ste pursed her lips and calmly


    inquired.


    Albert licked his chapped lips, apparently unsure of how to start. Ste grabbed a bottle of water from


    the table, poured the liquid into a ss, and pushed it toward him.


    Albert hesitated for a moment, touched by her gesture. He took the ss with both hands and drank


    the water all in


    one go. After that, he lowered his voice and said, ¡°Ste, please help me.¡±


    Ste¡¯s face remained unchanged. ¡°Help you with what?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Your mother¡¯s car crash wasn¡¯t an ident. It was Hylda¡¯s doing. She wanted to be the next Mrs.


    Jewell. So, she arranged for someone to tamper with the vehicle. Now that she has nowhere to run,


    she¡¯s trying to drag me down with her.

 Chapter 1406

    Chapter 1406


    Chapter 1406


    Albert hesitated for a moment and whispered, ¡°As long as you help me out, the Jewell estate will be


    yours. Your mother and I built the home together. Entrusting it to you rather than someone else puts my


    mind at ease. You can remarry Keegan once it¡¯s in your possession. You¡¯ll have a strong backing. And


    with this dowry, the Kane family won¡¯t dare to underestimate you.¡±


    Ste lowered her gaze andughed. The timing of theughter was rather peculiar. ¡°It sure is nice of


    you to think of me at a time like this,¡± she said.


    Albert could not quite figure out Ste¡¯s meaning. ¡°Having raised you for so many years, I¡¯ve long


    considered you my own even though we¡¯re not connected by blood,¡± he stated affectionately.


    ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± Ste pondered Albert¡¯s words and looked at him coldly. ¡°If you long considered me your


    own, why did you support Sophia when you knew she was framing me? Why did you want to give me


    away to those old men? How dare you utter such words to me when you did all those things?!¡±


    Albert tried to defend himself, ¡°Hylda and Sophia deceived me at the time. And I couldn¡¯t see through


    their -¡°


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Ste said coldly. ¡°You caused my mother¡¯s car ident, leaving her bedridden for nearly


    seven years, only to die with a grievance. Why would I help you?! Huh?! Did you really think I came


    down here to help you? Dream on! I¡¯m here to see what would happen to a piece of trash like you on


    behalf of my mother.¡±


    Albert froze as he did not expect Ste to say such harsh words.


    ¡°Do you think it was Hylda who betrayed you?¡±


    Albert was taken aback. ¡°Was it not her?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. Hylda hadn¡¯t even been caught yet when the police got to you.¡±


    Albert suddenly recalled the strange expressions of the two police officers when he gave his statement.


    ¡®If it wasn¡¯t


    Hylda who exposed me, then who?¡¯


    Ste kindly provided the answer, ¡°It was your obedient daughter, Sophia. She personally called the


    police and used you of being involved in the ident. Originally, the police were just conducting a


    routine inquiry. Who would have thought that you would shift the me onto Hylda and expose yourself


    because you were afraid of getting locked up?¡±


    ¡°Sophia owes the Shaw family so much money because you tricked her into buying your shares. Yet,


    you refused to help her repay it. Did you think she wouldn¡¯t resent you for this? The Jewell family


    fortune will be hers once you¡¯re convicted. It¡¯s only right that she resorts to extreme measures.


    Especially since you did the same and caused harm to my mother for money,¡± she added.


    Albert was horrified to hear that and could not help but curse, ¡°That ungrateful wretch! Have I not been


    good to her? How can she be so selfish and vicious? Did she forget that she has a younger brother?¡±


    ¡°A younger brother? I hope you¡¯re not talking about the baby in Xenia¡¯s belly,¡± Ste said slowly.


    Albert¡¯s heart trembled at the mention of his son. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt them, Ste. I¡¯ll give you whatever you


    want. I¡¯m sorry I killed your mother. Please don¡¯ty a finger on them. The baby is innocent,¡± he said


    with a pale face.


    Ste felt sad for him when she saw how terrified he looked while he begged her not to harm Xenia and


    his nonexistent son. ¡°Do you think Xenia still has the baby after taking an abortion pill? Even Hylda


    knew there was no baby. Why can¡¯t you see that?¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Albert¡¯s whole body stiffened when he heard what she said.¡± Wh-What are you talking about?¡± He


    asked.


    Ste stared at him coldly and said, ¡°There is no baby, Albert. Xenia was never actually pregnant. She


    worked for me and was just ying you all this while.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense!¡± Albert stood up in agitation. His movements were so rash that the table shook, and water


    spilled from the ss. The police officers held him down and sternly told him to sit.


    Ste stared at Albert expressionlessly while he was forced back into his seat.


    ¡°You could have had a son, you know? When my mom did the IVF, she knew you were desperate for a


    son. She asked someone from the hospital to check the gender of the baby, even though it was against


    the rules. It was a boy.


    Unfortunately, fate had other ns. Your mistress secretly drugged my mother, causing her to have a


    miscarriage.


    From then on, she could never conceive again.¡±

 Chapter 1407

    Chapter 1407


    Chapter 1407


    ¡°Albert Jewell, you¡¯re a wicked man who harmed even your own wife. You don¡¯t deserve to have a son!


    This is all karma! You should¡¯ve seen thising!¡±


    Albert¡¯s face turned extremely pale.


    His son, his only son, had died at the hands of Hylda many years ago.


    He could still remember how heartbroken Rainee looked when she lost her baby back then.


    This was what he said to Rainee at that time.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll have more children. Take care of your health.¡±


    Then, he turned to Hylda for an affair,pletely ignoring Rainee, who had just suffered a miscarriage.


    ¡°You said that you hate Rainee because she cheated on you and gave birth to me with another man


    behind your back, right? Why did you not even bother to investigate who that man was even once? Is it


    because you cheated and assumed my mother did too, just to make yourself feel better?¡±


    Ste took a deep breath and continued.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t look into it, so you don¡¯t know that your biological daughter had died in the hospital twenty-


    five years ago! I¡¯m not an illegitimate child that Rainee gave birth


    to with another man. Instead, I was switched by my grandfather because he was worried that Rainee


    would not be able to ept the fact that her daughter was dead.


    ¡°She knew that I wasn¡¯t her daughter long ago and that her own daughter had died. However, she


    didn¡¯t tell you about it because she didn¡¯t want to share the pain of losing a child with you. She bore all


    the pain by herself, and you, her good husband, what were you doing? You indulged yourself in alcohol


    and women instead. You don¡¯t deserve her, and you never will.¡±


    After saying that, she did not even bother to look at Albert¡¯s defeated face as she stood up and left.


    In fact, she had no idea how she was switched back then, either. However, she figured she got it right


    about Rainee¡¯s decision not to tell Albert about their daughter¡¯s passing.


    Rainee boosted his career and gave birth to his children. Then, she suffered a miscarriage because of


    him and was stripped of her wealth by him.


    Ste figured Albert¡¯s punishment came way toote and hoped Rainee could finally find peace in


    heaven.


    As she left the meeting room, she bumped into Sophia.


    Sophia approached her and asked, ¡°What did my father say to you?¡±


    Ste nced at her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask him yourself?¡±


    Sophia snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t think that just because my dad promised you something, you¡¯re all that! I¡¯m the


    one in


    charge of the Jewell family now, and you won¡¯t get a penny from us!¡±


    Ste lifted the edge of her lips and said tly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No one¡¯s going to take anything from you.¡±


    As for those debts, Ste hoped that Sophia would enjoy them.


    Then, Ste directly left without looking at her again.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Sophia frowned upon looking at her receding back. She only recollected herself after the police urged


    her to see Albert.


    After that, it was said that Albert pinned Sophia to the ground and beat her up fiercely. Even three


    police officers could not hold him back¡­


    Sometimeter, Keegan sued Albert in court, iming that thetter had extorted fifty million from him.


    He had both witnesses and concrete evidence, including proof of the transaction.


    Other than attempted murder, Albert was charged with another usation of extortion and ckmail.


    Hispany soon copsed after he got into trouble.


    The projects he had invested in were found to have safety issues. The police seized all assets under


    his name to perform corrective actions andpensation.


    Before Sophia could liquidate the things in the Jewell residence, she was evicted.


    As for Hugo, it was said that the police found his drawing


    when they were searching Hylda¡¯s residence. It vividly showed how Hylda murdered Walter, adding


    another piece of evidence against her.


    Hugo¡¯s custody was initially entrusted to Ian. However, he was sent to a welfare center for some


    unknown reason.


    Ian just did not have the guts to raise his own flesh and blood under Irene¡¯s nose.

 Chapter 1408

    Chapter 1408


    Chapter 1408


    The Jewell family¡¯s affair had finallye to an end, and what followed was the sentencing.


    Rainee¡¯s birthday happened to be around that time, too. Ste nned to go to the cemetery alone to


    celebrate Rainee¡¯s birthday quietly.


    However, Keegan was already waiting outside when she was about to leave after getting ready. He


    dressed formally in a ck suit without a tie, with a white flower tucked into its welt pocket.


    His suit coincidentally matched Ste¡¯s ck outfit and white hat.


    He stretched his arm out and said softly, ¡°Let me go with you.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid she might hate you for not kneeling during the funeral?¡± Ste asked.


    Keegan nodded. ¡°I am. That¡¯s why I want to make amends quickly and reassure her that I¡¯ll take good


    care of you.¡±


    Ste smiled.


    Then, she held Keegan¡¯s hand and spoke gently. ¡°My mom may be sharp-tongued, but she actually


    had a very soft heart. Just bring some of her favorite food and speak nicely to her. She¡¯ll forgive you.¡±


    Keegan wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her on


    the forehead. ¡°Let¡¯s go buy them then.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    The two of them bought a lot of things. When they arrived at the cemetery with the flowers, Trevor was


    already there.


    Ste called out to him, ¡°Trevor, why are you here?¡±


    Trevor turned around and replied with a smile, ¡°I came to tell Ms. Spade that I¡¯m taking you back to the


    Saun family. I feared she might miss you, so I figured I should let her know in advance.¡±


    He shifted his gaze to Keegan after saying that. He pursed his lips and added, ¡°Are you here to take a


    bow again?¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    Ste grabbed Keegan¡¯s arm and said, ¡°He brought a lot of food here, and all of them are my moth¡­


    foster mother¡¯s favorite.¡±


    Trevor nced at them and said nonchntly. ¡°He never did anything for her when she was alive. She


    must be very happy to taste the food he brought now that she has passed away.¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    She went forward and softly said as she grabbed Trevor¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Trevor,e with me. I have


    something to tell you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still paying my respect to Ms. Spade. We can talkter,¡± Trevor replied.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to postpone the banquet to announce my return to the Saun family if you don¡¯te with me


    now.¡±


    Ste¡¯s words left Trevor speechless.


    How dare she threaten me with that!¡¯


    He red at Keegan and reluctantly let Ste pull him away. When they were about a hundred feet


    away from Keegan, Ste stopped and let go of Trevor¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Trevor, please understand that Keegan and I are together now.¡±


    Ste got straight to the point.


    Trevor¡¯s eyelid twitched, pretended to be clueless, and said,¡± I already saw you twoing here


    together.¡±


    Ste did not give him a chance to y dumb. ¡°What I meant was we¡¯re in a rtionship now. It¡¯s


    official, and we might get married.¡±


    The edge of Trevor¡¯s mouth twitched, and he blurted out,¡± Did that scum trick you with his money and


    sweet words? Did he brainwash you? Or were you charmed by his face? Ste, if you like him for his


    looks, I can find someone else who looks just like him. Our family has a lot of money, and I can


    definitely afford to find a man younger, smarter, more vibrant, or even more caring than him!¡±


    Ste¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Trevor, I¡¯m looking for a partner, not an escort.¡±


    Trevor glowered at her and said, ¡°You fell for his cunning face, didn¡¯t you? Besides his looks, what else


    does he have to offer?¡±

 Chapter 1409

    Chapter 1409


    Chapter 1409


    Ste¡¯s mouth formed a thin line.


    ¡®Cunning face¡­


    ¡®That description seems to suit you better, Trevor.¡¯


    Ste sighed and said, ¡°Trevor, I believe you can find someone better than him, but I won¡¯t like any of


    them.


    ¡°I can¡¯t deny that Keegan has his ws. He could be mean, stubborn, and difficult to deal with, but he


    also has redeeming qualities. He would try to cheer me up whenever he made me angry. He wouldn¡¯t


    get mad at me even if I locked him out. He has never gotten physical with me. He doesn¡¯t force me to


    do anything I don¡¯t want to do, and if there¡¯s something I like, he buys it immediately without looking at


    the price. Also, even if I hit him when we argue, he would never raise his hand against me.¡±


    Trevor retorted, ¡°Not hitting you is literally the least he can do. How can that be considered a good


    quality?¡±


    ¡°Let me finish.¡± Ste continued softly, ¡°After divorce, many couples would speak ill of each other in the


    worst way possible, but Keegan has never said a bad word about me in front of anybody else. Trevor,


    I¡¯ve always thought you can judge a person¡¯s character by how they act after a breakup. Things got


    very unpleasant when Keegan and I divorced, and he could¡¯ve easily ruined my life if he wanted to. A


    person¡¯s character is what makes the marriagest, right?


    I¡¯m very confident in Keegan¡¯s character, and I¡¯m willing to give him another chance.¡±


    Trevor was about to say something, but Ste interrupted him.


    ¡°I know you¡¯ve always hated Keegan because he did not give me any of his wealth after the divorce.


    However, it was my choice to leave him with nothing. I despised him because of some


    misunderstandings back then and desperately wanted to break free from that marriage. But in fact, he


    did actually give me something.


    ¡°He transferred so much money to me that I could livefortably for the rest of my life without


    working. But he has never mentioned anything about that to you, right? He has not spoken a word


    about it, although you kept on ming him. You¡¯ve known him since you were a kid. Don¡¯t you know


    that he¡¯s the kind of person who always does more than he says?


    ¡°That¡¯s just how he is. Actually, he¡¯s changed a lot now, and¡­ ¡± Ste cleared her throat before


    continuing, ¡°And you only see Keegan¡¯s ws and not mine. There are very few people who can


    tolerate my temper.¡±


    Keegan was actually doing men a favor.


    Trevor asked, ¡°What ws do you have? Your only w is being blind. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t fall for


    him.¡±


    His words left Ste utterly speechless.


    ¡®Well, it seems like my brother is the master at talking nonsense with a straight face.¡¯


    ¡°Trevor, I¡¯m only telling you all this because I want you and our family to know that I really like him for


    who he is. I hope you all can like him, or at least not reject him, okay?¡±


    Ste had never asked Trevor for anything from the moment she acknowledged he was her brother.


    That was her first time doing it, and it was for Keegan¡¯s sake.


    Trevor did not feel veryfortable about it. He thought Keegan did not deserve any of that. But on


    second thought, he felt he should give his little sister freedom.


    He slowly began to understand what Ste was trying to do. She wanted to use him as the middle


    person to convey her message to the family.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Trevor nced at Keegan.


    Keegan had just done paying his respects and was fixing the flowers in front of Rainee¡¯s grave.


    Having grown up together, he knew very well what kind of person Keegan was. However, he was


    worried that Keegan would only bring trouble to Ste if he failed to recover thepany from other


    shareholders.


    The internal conflicts within the Kane family were veryplicated.


    However, there was nothing more he could say after everything that Ste had said.


    Trevor pursed his lips. ¡°We¡¯ll see what happens.¡±


    Ste¡¯s expression rxed as she gently hugged Trevor and softly said, ¡°Thank you, my brother.¡±


    Trevor patted her shoulder.


    ¡°Everything with the Jewell family has been settled. Is it time to start nning the banquet?¡±


    Ste nodded, ¡°Sure. Just make sure that no reporters will be there. I want to keep a low profile, just


    like Leighton.¡±


    Trevor chuckled, ¡°Got it.¡±


    Ste and Trevor chatted for some time. When they returned to Rainee¡¯s grave, Keegan handed a


    flower to Trevor. ¡°Here you go, my brother.¡±


    Trevor gazed at him and epted the flower. Then, he walked up to the grave and took a bow in front


    of it.


    Keegan was a little surprised that Trevor did not just ignore him.

 Chapter 1410

    Chapter 1410


    Chapter 1410


    Ste nudged Keegan with her elbow. He got her message and said, ¡°Trevor, let¡¯s have a meal


    together after this.¡±


    Trevor put down the flower and stood back up. Then, he said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I have a meeting with someone


    later. By the end of this month, we¡¯ll host a banquet to celebrate Ste¡¯s return to our family and reveal


    her identity to the public.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Take good care of her. If anything happens to her, you won¡¯t be invited.¡±


    Keegan was taken aback and did not say anything in response.


    Trevor frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you have a problem taking care of her? If so, I¡¯ll-¡°


    ¡°I don¡¯t!¡± Keegan recollected himself and immediately interrupted him. ¡°I¡¯ll do everything in my power to


    take care of her.¡±


    A faint smile appeared on Trevor¡¯s face. Then, he walked up to Keegan and said in a low voice,


    ¡°There¡¯s still something between us that isn¡¯t settled yet.¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    Ste hurriedly asked right after Trevor left, ¡°What did my brother say to you just now?¡±


    Keegan thought about what he had done, cleared his throat, and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. He was just


    reminding me to keep my


    word.¡±


    Then, he asked Ste, ¡°What were you guys talking about over there?¡±


    ¡°I told him that if they don¡¯t let me be with you, I¡¯ll die right in front of them,¡± Ste said.


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Ste immediately went after Keegan after not getting any reaction from him. ¡°What? Are you not going


    to say anything about it? Aren¡¯t you moved?¡±


    Keegan scoffed. ¡°I know where I stand.¡±


    He could clearly remember what Ste said when he told her he would live and die with her.


    Ste said, ¡°You have to protect me no matter what happens, even if it means dying.¡±


    Keegan knew she would never make any sacrifices for him, so he never expected her to use her life to


    ckmail Trevor for his sake.


    He had stopped having such fantasies many years ago.


    Vermont¡¯s assistant was passing by the office of Green Hill Media after hanging out with his friends. He


    went inside, intending to print the documents he would need the next day to avoiding in early in


    the morning.


    However, he found out that the light in the CEO¡¯s office was still on when he went to get his things. He


    peeked through


    the blinds and found out that his boss had not gone home yet.


    The assistant looked at the time and saw it was already ten o¡¯clock. Vermont was someone who never


    workedte and would usually leave the office by seven. He could not figure out why Vermont would


    still be there.


    He thought for a moment and decided to knock on the door. Vermont said in a t tone, ¡°Come in.¡±


    The assistant pushed the door open and asked, ¡°Mr. Snyder, why are you still here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave in a bit. You go home first,¡± Vermont pursed his lips and spoke.


    His phone rang as he spoke.


    The assistant nced from afar and saw the caller¡¯s name- Baby.


    That was his first time seeing such a name on his boss¡¯ phone. Vermont would always save his exes¡¯


    names by their real names. The assistant wondered who that could be.


    Vermont looked at the ringing phone and hesitated to answer it. Atst, he looked at his assistant and


    said, ¡°Here, pick it up for me.¡±


    The assistant was taken aback.

 Chapter 1411

    Chapter 1411


    Chapter 1411


    Vermont¡¯s assistant said inwardly. ¡®You¡¯re sitting right here. Why should I answer it?¡¯


    Vermont furrowed his brows after seeing how his assistant just stood there. ¡°What are you waiting for?


    Come over here and answer it.¡± He paused for a moment before adding,¡± You¡¯re going to get extra pay


    for this.¡±


    Then, the assistant immediately went over and picked up the call.


    As soon as the call was connected, he heard Felicity¡¯s voiceing from the other end. ¡°Stinky


    Cucumber! Do you know what time it is now? Why haven¡¯t youe back yet?¡±


    The assistant looked at Vermont.


    Vermont pointed at the sofa and gestured as if he was sleeping.


    The assistant understood and said, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Mr. Snyder¡¯s assistant. Mr. Snyder worked overtime and


    has fallen asleep in his office.¡±


    Vermont gave him a big thumbs up. Although the assistant could notpare to Aldor, he was pretty


    clever.


    ¡°He¡¯s asleep?¡± Felicity frowned. ¡°When is he going to wake up then?¡±


    The assistant looked at Vermont again, and Vermont just waved his hand at him.


    Then, the assistant said, ¡¯I have no idea. Thepany has been busytely, and Mr. Snyder is


    probably exhausted.¡±


    Felicity fell silent for a while before she said, ¡°Okay then. Is there a nket in his office? Please cover


    him with it so he doesn¡¯t catch a cold.¡±


    After that, she hung up.


    Vermont¡¯s heart warmed up. He wanted to just go back home and cuddle with Felicity.


    However, he gave up the idea after thinking about all the herbal soup Felicity would make for him every


    day.


    He could not bear to stand them even if he had a condition.


    Felicity told him she had learned to cook a new dish, and he naively believed in her. She said it was


    good for his blood cirction, and he did not suspect anything. However, after drinking it, he felt like


    something was wrong with his body when he was about to sleep.


    His head was filled with dirty thoughts, and he could not get his little one down at all. At that time,


    Felicity would knock on his door and ask if he was asleep because she wanted to watch a movie with


    him.


    He did not dare to respond and pretended to be asleep.


    He had thought it was just a one-time thing, but it was just the beginning.


    Felicity started making all kinds of soup for him, and he had to drink all of them to keep up with his lie.


    Then, he would pretend to be sleepy and go to bed early every night, refusing to give Felicity any


    chance to observe him.


    He would have an erection the entire night after drinking those soups.


    He even started to have nosebleeds and was worried that his little one would explode if he did not stop


    drinking Felicity¡¯s soups.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Now he realized how true it was that when one told a lie, one would have to tell a hundred more lies to


    cover the first one up.


    He had originally nned to y it cool and surprise Felicity with a slow ¡°recovery¡±. However, it turned


    out his girlfriend was more concerned about him than he was.


    He felt that every day when he came out of his room, Felicity¡¯s gaze wouldnd on the area between


    his legs before disappointingly shifting her gaze to his face.


    He figured his lie would soon be exposed if he did nothing about it.


    With that thought, he dialed Keegan¡¯s number.


    Keegan was in an overtime meeting with his workers to analyze data. He answered the phone as soon


    as he saw Vermont¡¯s caller ID and put it aside on speaker.


    Vermont¡¯s voice came through from the phone, ¡°Keegan, how did you manage to endure the virility


    soup your wife made you?¡±


    ¡°Pfft-¡°


    One of his workers could not hold back and spurted water out of his mouth.

 Chapter 1412

    Chapter 1412


    Chapter 1412


    The experiment team was made up of all men, and they spoke without restraint.


    ¡°Did I hearthat correctly? Did he just say virility soup?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he did. I heard that too.¡±


    ¡°Wow. I thought I was the only one who needed that. It turns out that Mr. Kane is just another middle-


    aged man like us.¡±


    ¡°With how many hours we work overtime every day, I¡¯d have a hard time getting it up even if Megan


    Fox is standing in front of me.¡±


    ¡°I suddenly feel like Mr. Kane is just a regr man now.¡±


    ¡°Aldor, who is the wife that the person mentioned on the phone? Is that Mr. Kane¡¯s new girlfriend?¡±


    Aldor replied tly, ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Kane¡¯s private matters. How would I know?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re with him all the time. How could you not know?¡±


    The group clearly did not believe Aldor.


    ¡°If you¡¯re that curious, we should swap roles for a day. Try to spend one day with Mr. Kane, and maybe


    you¡¯ll find out,¡± Aldor suggested.


    Everyone fell silent after hearing what Aldor said.


    While they had signed a confidentiality agreement to keep their sries a secret, they could guess how


    much Aldor was earning.


    Aldor¡¯s ie was the envy of many, but his position was not one that many were eager to take on.


    Before he came, the previous assistants that Keegan hired could onlyst for three months at most.


    Keegan was not a difficult person;pared to other wealthy men, he was rtively easy to work with.


    However, he had very high expectations for his assistant.


    These expectations include professionalpetency, work attitude, adaptability, extraordinary memory,


    and courage to offer constructive criticism.


    All of them were equally important, andcking one would not make a qualified assistant to him.


    At times, people feel that Keegan was not just selecting an assistant but a teammate who could fight


    alongside him.


    Needless to say, none of the people in the room dared to point out Keegan¡¯s mistake.


    ¡°Aldor, don¡¯t be so secretive. Just tell us a bit about it.¡±


    Aldor put on an innocent look. ¡°I really don¡¯t know.¡±


    How could he possibly share that information with others?


    He figured that the less people knew about Ste¡¯s identity, the more advantageous it would be for him.


    Keegan walked outside and said while gritting his teeth,¡± What¡¯s wrong with you? Why are you


    suddenly asking me


    about that sote at night?¡±


    Vermont replied confidently, ¡°Should I have waited till morning then? Would that make it better?¡±


    Keegan did not have the time to argue with him as he frowned and said, ¡°Why did you call?¡±


    Vermont responded, ¡°I only have one question. How did you endure the virility soup your wife made


    you?¡±


    A week ago, Keegan unlocked Ste¡¯s phone. He intended to find out what she had been hiding from


    him.


    The more he thought about it on his way to work, the angrier he got.


    So, he called Vermont and wanted him to probe Felicity to find out who Ste had been in contact with


    frequently.


    Of course, he did not think Ste was cheating on him, but she secretly made kidney tonic soup for


    another man and even asked him to try to see the effect. Keegan just could not stand it; he had to find


    out who that man was.


    However, Vermont tried doing that for a few days and still could not get any information from Felicity.


    He even mocked Keegan for being petty.


    So, Keegan instinctively felt that Vermont was simply making fun of him by asking him such a question


    now.


    He said coldly, ¡°Why would I have to endure it? I have a girlfriend, and there¡¯s nothing wrong with my


    body. I¡¯d just release myself when it kicks in.¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Vermont could not help but shout after how Keegan showed off to him. ¡°What about me then?¡±


    Keegan was puzzled. ¡®¡±What about you?¡±


    Vermont clenched his teeth and decided to put aside his pride. ¡°My girl is determined to cure metely.


    She has been making me all kinds of soups to get my little man up. I don¡¯t have a problem down there,


    and the soups are making me feel very vigorous. If this goes on, I¡¯d even find a hole in the wall


    irresistible. I need your help!¡±

 Chapter 1413

    Chapter 1413


    Chapter 1413


    Keegan paused and chuckled mockingly. Then, he said, ¡°You deserve it. You should¡¯ve been honest


    from the beginning, yet you just had toe up with such a despicable lie.¡±


    Vermont retorted, ¡°Scumbag! How can you have the nerve to judge me? Your methods in pursuing


    Ste were far from honest!¡±


    What Keegan did was not entirely honorable.


    He was not any less of a schemer than Vermont. He knew that Ste was drugged and could not


    control herself, yet he still seduced her and took advantage of the situation.


    However, that was something that Keegan would never admit to Vermont. He replied tly, ¡°We both


    genuinely love each other.¡±


    Vermont really wanted to mock him, but he figured he would still need Keegan¡¯s help, so he held


    himself back and said in a low voice, ¡°Stop showing off. What should I do now?¡±


    Keegan thought for a moment and said, ¡°How about finding an alternative medicine practitioner to get a


    prescription to lower your sex drive and neutralize the effects?¡±


    ¡®That¡¯s medicine, not a chemical solution. Can it really be neutralized?


    ¡®This scumbag is ying with me!¡¯ Vermont thought to himself.


    Keegan gave another suggestion, ¡°Why don¡¯t you juste clean? Tell her that the medicine works


    very well and instantly cured you.¡±


    Vermont said, ¡°They¡¯re just soups. How can they really cure me? Felicity isn¡¯t stupid.¡±


    ¡®Soups?¡¯


    Keegan suddenly thought about something and asked in a low voice, ¡°When did you start drinking this


    soup again?¡±


    ¡°A week ago, around the time when youined to me about your wife helping someone else to


    make virility soup and using you to test it out-¡°


    Vermont abruptly paused and cursed, ¡°Fuck!¡± His face turned red in anger. ¡°Keegan Kane, your wife is


    such a f**king kind person!¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    It turned out that the man Ste had been ¡°cheating¡± on him with lived right next door.


    Suddenly, Keegan¡¯s mood improved as a mischievous smile appeared on his face. ¡°Yeah, she has


    always been very caring, especially toward her friends. You see, she even used me as a guinea pig to


    test the recipes out.¡±


    Vermont clenched his teeth and said, ¡°You two better be prepared to pay up if anything bad happens to


    me!¡±


    Then, he hung up with an angry face. He would never expect the person he sought help from would be


    the culprit of his problem.


    As soon as he ended the call, the security guard downstairs called him, ¡°Mr. Snyder, your takeaway is


    here.¡±


    Vermont frowned. ¡°I didn¡¯t order any.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s from your girlfriend.¡±


    ¡®Miss bandit?¡¯


    Vermont¡¯s heart softened as he said in a low voice, ¡°Bring it to my office.¡±


    He took off his coat and headed to the washroom in his lounge.


    He had decided to spend the night in his office because he could not stand to drink more of those


    soups.


    After a quick shower, he came back out in a bathrobe.


    He saw someone sitting on the sofa as soon as he stepped out. He froze for a moment before saying


    softly, ¡°Miss bandit?¡±


    Felicity turned around and smiled. Her dimples emerged, leaving Vermont stunned for a moment.


    Then, Felicity spoke and immediately snapped him back to reality.


    ¡°I¡¯ve brought your takeaway.¡± She waved the thermos jar in her hand as she spoke. ¡°It¡¯s the soup I


    made for you. Drink it before you sleep.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Vermont was speechless.


    ¡®What am I going to do with such an overly considerate girlfriend?¡¯


    Vermont forced a smile and said softly, ¡°I could have drunk it tomorrow when I go back home. Why did


    you have toe all the way here just to give me it?¡±


    Felicity replied, ¡°It¡¯s not good to leave this soup overnight; it¡¯ll lose its efficacy. Besides, I have nothing


    else to do, and your office isn¡¯t far from our ce. So, I thought I¡¯d bring it over.¡±

 Chapter 1414

    Chapter 1414


    Chapter 1414


    Vermont put on a fake smile. ¡°You¡¯re too thoughtful. It¡¯s dangerous for a girl like you toe out sote


    at night.¡±


    Felicity replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ste dropped me off here. She went to send Keegan supper, too. She¡¯ll


    pick me up after she¡¯s done.¡±


    Vermont was speechless. He gritted his teeth while continuing to fake his smile. ¡°She¡¯s really helpful.¡±


    Felicity said, ¡°Ste treated me really well. She purposely consulted a doctor before helping me make


    this soup.¡± She paused briefly before continuing, ¡°She said that it significantly affects Keegan. You¡¯ve


    been having it for a week now. Do you feel anything?


    ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to ask you about it, but you¡¯d run off every time you finish it, and I don¡¯t get a chance


    to do that at all. Ste said that something should be happening after a week of drinking it. Otherwise,


    she suggests we go to the hospital for aprehensive checkup.¡±


    Vermont said inwardly, ¡®You¡¯ll see it happening with your naked eye if I didn¡¯t run off.¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m talking to you.¡± Felicity nudged him.


    Vermont had no choice but to lie, ¡°It kind of works, I guess. I¡¯d feel warmer after drinking it.¡±


    ¡°Is that all? Nothing else?¡±


    Vermont shook his head. ¡°Nope.¡±


    Felicity furrowed her brows, looking very concerned.


    Vermont added, ¡°Alternative medicine varies from person to person anyway. What works for others


    might not work for me.¡±


    He intended to tell Felicity that the soup was not working and that she should stop making it for him.


    However, she took it the wrong way as she nodded and said, ¡°That makes sense. I¡¯ll get the doctor¡¯s


    number from Steter and take you there for a more urate diagnosis.¡±


    Vermont was at a loss for words.


    Felicity was not done yet. She added, ¡°This soup is working since you said you feel warm after drinking


    it. Let¡¯s not waste it. I¡¯ll pour it out for you.¡±


    Vermont did not say anything. He looked at the soup being offered to him. However, he had no choice


    but to go along with it.


    After finishing the soup, Vermont handed the thermos jar back to her and said, ¡°It¡¯s getting veryte.


    You should go back now. Don¡¯t you have work tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Ste isn¡¯t here yet anyway. There¡¯s no rush.¡±


    She ced the thermos jar on the table and started looking around in his office.


    Vermont¡¯s office was not like Keegan¡¯s, which only had books and files. There were a lot of figurines,


    toys, and puzzles in his office. Felicity scanned his office and saw many things unrted to work.


    She took a Rubik¡¯s cube, sat on his office chair, and began ying with it.


    Vermont looked at the time and thought to himself. ¡®Did Ste go to deliver food, or is she going there


    to cook?


    ¡®It has been so long. Why is she not here yet? Felicity will soon find out I¡¯m lying to her if she doesn¡¯t


    leave now.¡¯


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Then, he cleared his throat and said, ¡°Miss bandit, you shouldn¡¯t wait for Ste anymore. I¡¯m sure that


    she¡¯s having a good time with Keegan now. God knows when she¡¯lle and pick you up. I¡¯ll have my


    driver send you back.¡±


    Felicity replied without even lifting her head. ¡°Ste said that she¡¯de pick me up. She always keeps


    her word.¡±


    Vermont was speechless.


    ¡°Do you want to wait downstairs then?¡±


    Felicity paused and looked at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Can¡¯t I stay in your office?¡±


    Vermont pursed his lips. ¡°I have work to do, but I can¡¯t shift my attention away from you if you¡¯re here.¡±


    However, Felicity was not that easy to fool.


    She stood up, walked up to Vermont, and sized him up with her eyes squinted.


    Vermont felt a shiver run down his spine under her gaze as he pretended to be calm and said, ¡°What


    are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Something¡¯s wrong with you!¡± Felicity said.


    Vermont kept a poker face. ¡°What is? You¡¯re imagining things.¡±


    Felicity scoffed. ¡°I brought you soup, and you pretended to be happy. But your smile sold you out.¡±

 Chapter 1415

    Chapter 1415


    Chapter 1415


    ¡°And you kept asking me to leave. Did you do something wrong?¡± Felicity thought of what Vermont did


    in the past and red at him. ¡°Are you hiding a woman in your office?¡±


    Vermont was speechless. ¡°Am I that kind of person to you?¡±


    ¡°Why do you keep asking me to leave then?¡±


    Vermont was at a loss for words. ¡®I can¡¯t possibly tell her that I just don¡¯t want her to see my reaction,


    right?*


    So, he pursed his lips and said, ¡°I really have work to do. Don¡¯t you know me well enough? Do you


    think I¡¯d work overtime if it weren¡¯t urgent?¡±


    Felicity continued scrutinizing him and noticed that he did not seem to lie. So, she said, ¡°Go ahead and


    work then. I¡¯ll just sit here quietly and won¡¯t disturb you.¡±


    Having a clingy girlfriend could be a good thing, but that was not the case for Vermont at that moment.


    ¡°There¡¯s a bed inside the lounge here. You can rest in there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not tired.¡±


    Vermont felt helpless. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll go in to have a rest myself then. I¡¯m tired.¡±


    He stood up and was about to walk away as he spoke, but Felicity grabbed his bathrobe.


    Vermont had just finished showering, and he just tied his


    bathrobe loosely. With just a tug from Felicity, the entire bathrobe fell off.


    Vermont stood there, exposed. However, he still had his underwear on.


    Felicity was taken aback. Her face instantly turned red as she stammered, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to do that.


    Why didn¡¯t you tie it properly?¡±


    She hurriedly tried to wrap the bathrobe around Vermont¡¯s body as she spoke.


    However, not only that she did not manage to cover him up because of how hasty she was, but she


    also dropped the bathrobe to the ground.


    As she bent down to pick it up, she unintentionally saw something she should not have when she


    looked up. She paused and instinctively said, ¡°Damn, it¡¯s up?¡±


    Vermont kept quiet.


    The edge of his lips twitched as he tried to cover himself up, but Felicity stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯t move. Let


    me take a picture and ask the doctor if this counts as progress.¡±


    Vermont could not believe what he had just heard. He was about to say something but felt blood


    streaming down his nose.


    Perhaps the soup was too effective; his nosebleed was like an open faucet, gushing out of his nose


    heavily and staining Felicity¡¯s t-shirt.


    It shocked Felicity. She was not bothered to take a picture anymore as she immediately went to grab


    some tissues and stuffed them into Vermont¡¯s nose.


    ¡°Stinky Cucumber, are you okay?¡±


    Felicity got anxious when she saw more and more blooding out of Vermont¡¯s nose. ¡°Come on,


    quickly get dressed. I¡¯ll take you to the hospital now.¡±


    Vermont did not want to go, but his nosebleed just would not stop. So, he did as Felicity said and


    reluctantly went to the hospital with her.


    In contrast to the chaos on their side, everything was very peaceful with Ste and Keegan.


    Ste not only prepared supper for Keegan but for his team members as well. However, Keegan¡¯s


    portion was specially made for him.


    Keegan was not too concerned about what he used or wore, but he could be very particr about his


    food.


    Of course, Ste catered to his preferences. She carefully picked out thetro from his soup with a


    spoon before handing it to him, ¡°Enjoy, Mr. Kane.¡±


    ¡°You should have some, too,¡± Keegan said.


    ¡°The production has restarted, and I can¡¯t afford to gain weight.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost done, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°We were almost going to wrap up before Be got exposed. However, Nicole reced


    her now, and we¡¯re just reshooting some previous scenes. We should be done with it by next month.¡±

 Chapter 1416

    Chapter 1416


    Chapter 1416


    Keegan finished his soup and said, "The date for the banquet has been set.Has Trevor told you about


    it?"


    Ste replied, "Yes, he did.He told me not to worry about anything, and all I''ve got to do is show up on


    that day.However, I''m still a little nervous about it.Is there really nothing I have to do?"


    Keegan smiled.


    "Just prepare yourself mentally.I''ve had Aldor order a few gowns, which should be here soon.You can


    choose the one you like and let everyone see how beautiful the heiress of the Saun family is."


    Steughed.


    "How beautiful can I be? I just don''t want to embarrass them.Everyone''s attention will shift to Jaylene


    anyway once she appears."


    After spending some time in the industry, Ste learned how to read people well.


    Judging by their manners and etiquette, she could easily distinguish between fake and real socialites.


    Jaylene had the elegant aura that only a well-raiseddy could possess.


    Although not exceptionally beautiful, her discerning demeanor set her apart from many otherdies.


    Rainee had spent some money hiring someone to help Ste with her postures, seating, and table


    manners.It was not difficult to learn those things, but making them a habit was challenging.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Ste could pretend she belonged in the upper-ss circle in public but for Jaylene...It was


    different.She did not have to pretend and could do everything right naturally.


    The manners and etiquette were ingrained in her, and she could never reveal her true self easily.


    Keegan gently held her hand up and kissed the back of it before he said in a deep voice, "She can


    neverpare to you, no matter how good she is.I don''t think it''s just me who thinks that; I''m pretty


    sure your family does, too."


    Ste chuckled and leaned in to give a peck on the corner of his lips.


    "It doesn''t taste sweet, but why do the wordsing out of it sound so sweet?" she whispered.


    "Are you sure? Why don''t you get another taste of it?"


    Keegan was about to get it on with Ste, but her phone suddenly rang.Ste, who had always been a


    loyal friend, pushed away her boyfriend and answered her best friend''s call.


    "Ste, Stinky Cucumber is having a terrible nosebleed.Was the soup prescribed by a professional?"


    Ste paused.


    "Of course, it was! Keegan drank it, and he''spletely fine.Why would I rmend something that''s


    not safe for you?"She paused before continuing softly, "Could it be that he''s too weak to handle it?"


    Felicity was taken aback.


    ¡®That might actually be it.Since the efficacy isn''t working for him down there, it has probably gone


    somewhere else"


    Felicity frowned.


    "Could he be so weak that he can''t even handle soup?" Ste said empathically, "You should take him


    for a proper checkup.If it really doesn''t work, it''s best for you to end this rtionship before you develop


    deeper feelings for him."


    Keegan was speechless.


    Felicity was very worried as she said softly, "It seems like the bleeding has stopped.I''ll hang up now to


    check on him."


    "Okay."


    After hanging up, Ste turned around and saw Keegan looking at her with an inquisitive expression.


    "What''s wrong?" she asked.


    Keegan asked, "Are you going to break up with me too if I became like Vermont?"


    "Of course not," Ste replied.


    Keegan felt a little better inside.


    Then, he heard Ste adding, "I mainly fell for how you look, and that''s what I prioritize."


    Her words left Keegan speechless again.


    However, Ste was not actually suggesting a breakup.She was simply making fun of Vermont''s


    condition.She just could not help but find it amusing that Vermont, someone with so much experience


    with women, had trouble getting his little man up.


    The news of the return of the Saun family''s heiress had spread among the upper-ss circle of


    Rivera.It had be a hot topic among thedies.

 Chapter 1417

    Chapter 1417


    Chapter 1417


    The group of wealthy wives were gossiping in their group chat: [Isn''t Jaylene the Saun family''s


    daughter? When did they discover they had another daughter?]


    [Someone is a bit behind on the news.Jaylene is actually the child of Darcie and her ex-husband.It''s


    true that she grew up in the Saun family, but she''s not Wenham''s biological kid.]


    [Wait.Wenham had a daughter with another woman while he was with Darcie?]


    [No.He''s not Albert, you know.Wenham¡¯s ex-wife gave birth to the girl.She''s a full-blooded Saun.She


    shares the same mother as Trevor]


    [So she''s Freesia''s child?]


    [Yep]


    [But I heard Freesia had a difficult childbirth and didn''t make it]


    [I heard that, too.They said the child didn''t survive.Did the Saun family make a mistake?]


    [I don''t think so.They''ve already arranged a banquet to announce the return of their long-lost daughter.I


    doubt a prestigious family would make a mistake on something like this.]


    [I''ve heard some rumors that she''s the child Freesia gave birth to during the difficult childbirth.It seems


    like there was a mix-up.The Halls thought that child didn''t make it, but she''s actually alive and well.]


    [What a stroke of luck to be able to find her after all these years.]


    [Though, won''t things get a little awkward for Darcie and her daughter with the real heiress back?]


    [Why would things be awkward? It''s not like it''s the ex-wife who''s back.]


    [But won''t Jaylene''s position as the heiress waver? Tons of young men in Rivera are pursuing her for


    her status.]


    [She''s still Wenham''s daughter, though.So, who knows what will happen]


    Dahlia read the messages in the group chat and frowned.


    '' The true heiress of the Saun family? When did this happen? Why haven''t I heard a word about it?¡¯


    She pursed her lips and called Olivia.


    Olivia was busy arranging the venue when she received the call.


    Seeing that it was Dahlia, she casually tossed her phone aside.


    It was not until she finished her tasks that she called her back.


    Dahlia was a bit annoyed that her call had been ignored.


    * What are you up to? Why did it take you so long to get back to me?"


    She spoke in a low voice.


    Olivia did not like the way Dahlia questioned her.


    ''Who does she think she is?¡¯


    "I know you have a filial son whom you do not need to worry about, Dahlia.But I have my daughter''s


    wedding to n."


    Dahlia¡®''s mouth twitched when she heard that.


    Her son had already turned his back on her and kicked her out of the house.


    She did not consider him as filial.


    However, she ignored Olivia''s remark and whispered, "Have you seen the group messages? The Saun


    family is hosting a banquet to announce the return of their long-lost daughter."


    "Yes, I''ve seen them," Olivia nodded.


    Not only had she seen them, but she was also currently decorating the venue where the Sauns would


    hold the celebration.


    Apart from Dragon Lagoon, Olivia also owned a slightly smaller hotel specializing in wedding banquets.


    Olivia was unsure why the Sauns chose the hotel for an event as significant as a family reunion.


    Though, she did not ask too much about it.


    She knew her job was setting up the ce and making her clients happy.


    That way, she would get more opportunities in the future.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    "Do you know anything about the girl?" asked Dahlia.


    "I have no idea.The Saun family has kept it very confidential.They haven''t disclosed specific


    information about their daughter, probably to avoid anyplications before the event."

 Chapter 1418

    Chapter 1418


    Chapter 1418


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Olivia paused momentarily and said, "The Saun family raised Jaylene from a young age.I''m sure


    they''re not going to treat her poorly even if they''ve reunited with their biological daughter.So don''t


    worry.They won''t hinder you from your dreams of having Jaylene as your daughter-inw."


    Dahlia''s eyelid twitched at the sound of that.


    ¡®Why would I go for Jaylene if the true heiress of the Saun family had returned? The Sauns are the


    perfect inws for our family.Keegan should marry the real heiress instead"


    Despite thinking that, Dahlia was not invited to the banquet because the Kane family disowned her.


    Therefore, she did not have the chance to see who the true heiress of the Saun family was.


    "Olivia, did you receive an invitation to the celebration?"


    "Though I really want to attend the party, I don''t have much connection with the Saun family.So, no.I did


    not receive an invitation.Maybe you should ask Mrs.Kane Sr.She has a good rtionship with both the


    Sauns and the Halls.She''s probably on their guest list.Or...You could ask Keegan since he and Trevor


    are close.I doubt he''ll miss such a big event."


    Dahlia''s face grew darker at each suggestion Olivia made.


    She could not help but feel that Olivia was intentionally touching her sore spots.


    However, her tone was so perfectly normal that it made Dahlia wonder if she was reading too much into


    things.


    "Come on.You know many people and have so many connections.Can''t you ask them for an invitation


    for me? I''ll try to pull some strings and help your husband''s business in return,"she pursed her lips and


    said.


    Olivia''s expression darkened.


    She knew Dahlia could not keep her promise.


    Yet, she still said, "Alright, I''ll ask around."


    After hanging up the phone, Olivia cursed Dahlia before calling Ste.


    Ste had just finished work and made ns to meet Keegan for a suit fitting.


    She was on her way there when she saw Olivia''s call and answered it.


    "Dahlia, that shameless bitch..."


    Ste remained silent.


    She listened to Olivia cussing for a full five minutes before asking, "Did you call me just to show me


    your impressive swearing?"


    Olivia gritted her teeth.


    "Why in the world would Quentin marry such a useless and idiotic woman?"


    "For true love, maybe?"


    "Don''t kid me, girl."


    After another round of tongueshing, Olivia asked, "Do you know that the Sauns want to announce


    the return of their long-lost daughter?"


    "Yeah," replied Ste.


    "Okay.So, Dahlia has been inviting Jaylene out every few days to shop or look at jewelry.It''s like they''re


    mother and daughter.I thought she genuinely liked Jaylene.But as soon as she heard about the true


    heiress of the Saun family, she immediately gave up the idea of wanting Keegan to get together with


    Jaylene."


    Ste waspletely unaware of this situation, and Keegan definitely did not know about it either.


    Otherwise, he would not have been so surprised when he found out that Jaylene was interested in him.


    "I know that she''s practical, but couldn''t she at least pretend? She didn''t even try to hide her


    intentions.I''ve met all sorts of people, yet I''ve never met someone like her."


    "You''ve been friends with her for a long time, and you''re just figuring out what kind of person she is?"


    Steughed.


    Olivia sighed.


    "I was young, okay? Ugh.Let''s stop talking about her.Do you know anything about the Sauns'' long-lost


    daughter?"


    "I do," Ste nodded.


    Hearing that, Olivia immediately perked up.


    "Well, what kind of person is she?"


    "She''s as beautiful as a celestial being and has an extremely good personality.She''s also very


    approachable and is destined to be an A-list actress in the future," said Ste.

 Chapter 1419

    Chapter 1419


    Chapter 1419


    Olivia was as quick-witted as ever.She immediately connected the dots and asked, "You''re the Saun


    family''s long -lost daughter?"


    "It seems that everyone acknowledges that I am as beautiful as a celestial being," Ste responded.


    ¡®How shameless"


    Olivia smiled wryly and said to herself.


    As she thought about Ste''s face, she remembered seeing Trevor from previous events, and it


    suddenly clicked.


    ''No wonder he looked oddly familiar; they have the same features"


    Olivia did not believe that Rainee had cheated on Albert.


    Despite not interacting much with her, she knew Rainee was a force to be reckoned with.


    ¡®She literally gathered evidence about her husband''s affair and filed for divorce.I don''t think someone


    like that would betray her marriage"


    So, she almost instantly epted the new narrative when she found out that Ste was not Rainee¡¯s


    daughter.She then recalled Dahlia''s eagerness totch onto the true heiress of the Saun family and


    burst intoughter.


    Dahlia had been fixated on finding a woman for Keegan who was of high social status and deserving of


    him.


    She was even willing to interfere with his marriage to Ste.


    Yet, it turned out that the person she wanted her son to marry was her former daughter-inw, whom


    she had previously looked down upon.


    ¡®I can''t wait to see her face when she finds out" thought Olivia.


    She felt extremely fortunate.She could not believe she had met such a powerful ally when, initially, she


    had just wanted to get back at Dahlia.


    Olivia thought about how the Saun family had chosen her hotel for the banquet and asked, "Were you


    the one who suggested my ce for the party?"


    "It wasn''t exactly a suggestion.It was more of a passingment," said Ste.


    Ste was ruthless toward her enemies but was very kind toward her friends.She was grateful for


    Olivia''s help in spreading the news about the incident with Andrea and the kindergarten food safety


    issue.


    Hence, she decided to repay her.


    Knowing that Ste had done that, Olivia thought, ''No wonder Mrs.Kane Sr.didn''t think highly of Dahlia.


    Ste helps her friends in secret without asking for anything in return.


    On the other hand, Dahlia would insist on extracting benefits from others every chance she gets.


    While she had indeed provided some help to my husband''s career, what I gave back to her far exceeds


    what she has done for me"


    Since Ste had handled the matter nicely, Olivia decided to open up and say, "The banquet is a big


    deal.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    If the Saun family only had you as a daughter, then it wouldn''t matter where it was held.


    However, since they have a stepdaughter, others will think that the Sauns love you less if the event is


    held in a small setting.


    You should show up with a bang, so they won''t underestimate you."


    Ste was taken aback.


    "I didn''t think of that," she said.


    "Who did you talk to about the hotel?" Olivia asked.


    "I went to the Saun residence for a meal the other day, and Darcie gave me a few hotel options to


    choose from.Coincidentally, your hotel was among them, so I brought it up."


    "Do you remember the names of the other hotels she mentioned?"


    Ste racked her brain and managed to name two other hotels.


    Olivia''s gaze darkened when she heard them.She bit her lip, and it took her a while to say, "I don''t want


    to jump to conclusions...But the hotels you mentioned are about the same scale as mine.


    In my opinion, the Sauns should''ve found some of the top venues in Rivera for this banquet."


    ¡®These hotels shouldn''t have even made it onto the list of potential venues" thought Olivia.


    She had a lot of experience living in this world.


    Having met different kinds of people, she tended to analyze them based on her own judgment.

 Chapter 1420

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    Chapter 1420


    Ste fell silent when she realized that Darcie and Jaylene were the ones with the most to lose from


    her return.


    Though her suspicions might be unfounded, the mother-daughter duo might not be as weing as


    they appeared.


    During the dinner, Darcie had shown genuine warmth, and Jaylene had been polite.


    The meal had been harmonious.


    As the conversation shifted to the choice of venue, Darcie had been thoughtful by providing Ste with


    several options.


    "Ste, I''ve personally visited these hotels, and each of them has a unique style.While we want the


    banquet to be grand, yourfort is our priority.Take a look and choose the one you prefer."


    Ste casually flipped through the options and noticed Olivia''s hotel among them.So, she made her


    selection.


    At the time, she did not think much about it.


    Butter, when Trevor drove her home, he revisited the topic.


    He suggested the event be held at either Dragon Lake, which had the best outdoor scenery, or


    Emperor Suite, the highest-rated hotel in Rivera.


    Considering it was already November, an outdoor venue would be too chilly, making Emperor Suite the


    most fitting choice.


    However, Ste did not think much about it then.


    She told Trevor that Regal Banquets was owned by her friend and that they should support her.


    Trevor respected her choice and dropped the subject.


    ¡®Looking back at it now, was Trevor implying that I should change the venue? Was this what Olivia


    meant?¡¯ Ste was sharp, but her mind could not naturally navigate such scenarios.


    Fortunately, Olivia''s suggestion made her weigh the situation.


    After some contemtion, Ste finally said, "Regardless of whether she intended this, it''s toote to


    change it now.


    The event is tomorrow, and changing venues at this point would be a hassle."


    Even if feasible, making a switch at this stage would be overly inconvenient.


    Guests had already been notified; a sudden change would undoubtedly lead to spection.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    It might even lead to a bad impression.


    Olivia furrowed her brows as she tried toe up with a solution.


    "Since we can''t change the venue, I''ll help you elevate the ambiance.Your return to the Saun family


    must be a grand one."


    Ste was intrigued.


    "How will you do that?"


    Olivia smirked and said, "Just wait and see."


    ¡®Since the Sauns will be paying for this event, I''m sure they''re willing to spend a little more on their


    long-lost daughter"


    After ending the call, Olivia told the manager, who was busy with venue preparations, to clear out the


    decorations.


    The manager was taken aback.


    He could not believe that he was being asked to remove everything after a day of hard work.


    "Is there an issue with the arrangements, or is the party canceled, Mrs.Chapman?"


    Olivia waved her hand dismissively and said, "Don''t ask questions.Just carry out my instructions."


    Thus, the decorated venue was quickly returned to its original state.


    Olivia reached out to a few of her contacts and immediately set her n into motion.


    Not long after, Ste arrived at the location where she had nned to meet Keegan.

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    Chapter 1421


    Chapter 1421


    Keegan had arrived at the location earlier than expected.


    As Ste entered, she found him seated on the sofa, flipping through fashion magazines in boredom.


    Upon hearing her footsteps, he looked up, rose, and took her hand.


    Ste had rushed over from the set, so she just dressed lightly.Her hands were cold from the air.


    Keegan casually tucked her hand into his pocket and whispered, "Didn''t you turn on the heater in the


    car?"


    "Well, it was just a ten-minute drive,"


    Ste chuckled.


    Hearing that, Keegan removed his coat and draped it over her shoulders.


    They were snuggling close to each other when a familiar voice sounded nearby.


    "The banquet is for Ste, not me.


    Why should I bother picking out a dress? I don''t want to outshine her."


    "Rx.You''re not going to outshine her."


    Vermont slung his arm around Felicity''s shoulders and said, "There will be quite a few people from the


    wealthy circle tomorrow.I previously mentioned I was off the market, but they didn''t believe me.I have to


    bring you along to show them I''m taken."


    Felicity nced at him.


    "Taken by what?"


    "Taken for granted, it seems,"


    Vermont chuckled.


    Felicity balled her fist, ready to hit him.But as she looked up, she saw Ste and Keegan.She instantly


    disregarded Vermont and ran over, calling Ste''s name.


    "Ste, are you here to pick out a dress? Have you found one you like yet?"Ste shook her head.


    "Not yet.I haven''t even tried anything on."


    Felicity immediately took Ste''s hand and said, "Perfect.Let''s do it together."


    While the twodies went off to choose dresses, the two men exchanged nces.


    "The party is tomorrow, and you just brought her to try on dresses today?" asked Vermont.


    He initially nned to help Felicity with the zipper and have some intimate contact while she tried on


    her dresses.But he could not do that now with Ste here.


    So, his words were not out of concern but rather aint.


    Keegan gave him a sidelong nce and said.


    "Was the chicken soup effective?"


    Vermont gritted his teeth upon hearing that.


    "Do you have to bring that up?" Keegan shrugged.


    "I''m not the one who''s pretending to have erectile dysfunction.Hurry up and find a chance to ¡®recover"


    Don''t let Ms.Thompson catch you in the lie, or you''ll be dead."


    "Do you think I don''t want to? When we were at the hospital, she told the doctor about my


    condition.The dude is such a bad actor; he told her the soup wouldn''t help, and I had to undergo


    surgery."


    Vermont clenched his teeth and continued, "I thought she would get off my back and stop trying to feed


    me chicken soup.But now, she''s trying to find doctors to operate on me."


    Keeganughed upon hearing that.


    "I say just go for it.You''d be able to openly dere yourself healthy once youe out of the operating


    room."


    "It''s easy for you to say.Why don''t you go for it?"


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡®It''s not like I haven''t had surgery done on my penis before"


    Just as Keegan was thinking this, his phone rang.


    He checked the caller ID and said, "Excuse me, I have to take this.You stay here and keep an eye on


    things."


    Keegan walked out and made sure no one was around before answering the call.


    A woman''s voice came through the phone.


    "Mr.Kane, Coco has a fever and refuses to take her medicine.She insists on talking to you no matter


    how we try to coax her."


    Keegan hesitated and said, "Give her the phone."


    After a short while, a weak voice of a young girl came through.


    "Liar!"


    Keegan asked, "What did I lie to you about?"


    "You said you''d take me to see Aunt Ste after my surgery, but you still haven''t fulfilled your promise!"


    Keegan exined, "You must have remembered it wrongly.I said I''ll take you to see her once you''re


    fully recuperated.And you haven''tpletely recovered yet, have you?"


    Coco''s body had rejected the bone marrow when she first got the transnt.

 Chapter 1422

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    Chapter 1422


    Coco had made significant progress in her recovery over the past month.


    "I''mpletely fine," the determined little girl dered.


    "Is that so?" Keegan responded calmly.


    "Then head to the field, run a couple ofps, and ask your caretaker to record a video.After that, grab a


    jump rope and jump 200 times.If you''re not too out of breath, I''lle pick you up."


    Coco could not believe what she was hearing.


    "Do you treat Aunt Ste like this, too?" she asked.


    Keegan chuckled, "Of course not.I like her too much to see her get tired."


    "Don''t you like me?"


    "Not really," Keegan joked.


    Coco was frustrated.


    "Then why do you care about me if you don''t like me?"


    Keegan sighed, "Don''t throw a tantrum, Coco.Just take your medicine.The sooner you get better, the


    sooner I can pick you up."


    "Will you adopt me?"


    Coco pouted and asked in a soft voice.


    "No.You have your own family."


    "But why aren''t they here to take care of me?"


    "They..."


    Keegan paused and lowered his voice.


    "They''re afraid you''ll get hurt."


    Coco felt a little devastated.


    After a while, she asked, "Why aren''t you my daddy?"


    Keegan was not one tofort children.


    He truly did not know how to respond to her question.He listened to the girl''s sobs and stated, "Your


    dad is an amazing person."


    Coco held back her tears at the mention of her dad.


    "More amazing than you?" she asked.


    "Yeah.Much more amazing than me."


    "When can I meet him?"


    Keegan hesitated for a moment before stating, "Some day."


    Coco soon cheered up again.


    "I saw Aunt Ste on TV.She''s So pretty.Will I be as beautiful as her when I grow up?"


    "Probably not.Your mom isn''t as beautiful as she is,"


    Keegan teased.


    His words rendered Coco speechless.


    "You''re a meanie!" She said.The dresses Keegan had ordered were stunning and perfectly suitable for


    the asion.


    The colors were not too shy, and the styles were elegant.


    Ste tried on a few of them and eventually settled on a peach-colored gown.


    She did not want her dress to be too in, nor did she want it to overpower her makeup.


    After careful consideration, the peach-colored dress seemed to be the most suitable choice.


    Ste put it on and came out from the dressing room to show Felicity.


    "This gown isn''t particrly stunning, but you wearing it elevates it quite a bit," Felicitymented.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Steughed, "I think you''ve been spending too much time with Vermont.You''re getting better at giving


    compliments."


    "I''m just being truthful.Not everyone can pull off this dress.But it exudes elegance when you have it on."


    Ste twirled in front of the mirror and felt pleased with herself.


    "Thank you," she said.


    After that, Felicity asked for Ste''s help to pick out a dress for her since she did not have much


    experience choosing outfits for huge events.

 Chapter 1423

    Chapter 1423


    Chapter 1423


    Vermont trailed behind Felicity and Ste as they browsed through the dresses.


    After trying on over a dozen options, Felicity finally settled on one she was satisfied with.She put it on


    and eagerly approached Vermont for his appraisal.


    "What do you think, Stinky Cucumber? Does it look good?" she asked with a yful grin.


    Vermont was just about to nod in approval when he noticed the back of the dress was almost entirely


    open as she twirled around.He immediately changed his tone and said, "Hmm, I''m not quite sold on it.It


    makes your legs appear shorter."


    Felicity''s lips twitched, and she shot him a determined look.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    "It''s because I''m not wearing high heels right now.Once I put them on, it''ll be perfect."


    "Can you even walk in high heels? You wouldn''t want to trip before we get to the venue, would you?


    You should probably consider changing into something else," Vermont advised.


    "You''re such a buzzkill! You clearly have no sense of fashion.Ste even said that I''d turn heads in this


    dress!" Felicity retorted.


    "Whose opinion do you trust more, mine or hers?" Vermont inquired.


    Felicity did not hesitate for a moment.


    "Hers.I''m wearing this dress, Vermont.Don''t try to stop me unless you want to go to the banquet without


    a date.I''ll just go with Ste."


    ¡®ls this what Keegan felt when Ste had worn that backless dress at Cordelia''s birthday party? Fuck.I


    should have brought Felicity to choose her dress earlier so we wouldn''t have bumped into Ste.I feel


    like second-best with her here"


    Once thedies had settled on their dresses and Keegan had returned from his call, the gang made


    their way to the makeup area to meet with the makeup artist.


    They had to confirm all makeup and hair arrangements in advance to ensure everything went smoothly


    on the big day.


    Ste had been busy with shooting for the past few days.


    Hence, Vermont decided to help her find a makeup artist, given his extensive experience in the


    entertainment industry and his extensivework.


    He hired a well-known celebrity makeup artist, Michael Caleb, who crafted looks for several prominent


    female figures in the industry.


    They waited half an hour upon arrival, but Michael failed to appear.


    Keegan furrowed his brows and asked, "Are you sure you made an appointment?"


    Vermont shared Keegan''s confusion.


    "Of course.I wouldn''t mess up something this important.Let me give him a call."


    He dialed Michael''s number, but it went straight to voicemail.


    Vermont frowned and tried calling the artist''s assistant.


    This time, the call was answered promptly.


    "Mr.Snyder," the assistant greeted.


    "Where''s Michael? I want him on the phone."


    The assistant spoke in a hushed tone, "Mr.Caleb is at a client''s house right now.He''s rather busy at the


    moment."


    "What the hell is he doing at another client''s ce? I have an appointment with him," Vermont said


    sternly.


    The assistant was unaware of the situation and responded softly, "Let me check that for you."


    "Hurry up," Vermont urged.


    The assistant set the phone aside.


    After a few minutes, they returned to the call and said, "I''m sorry, Mr.Snyder, but Mr.Caleb said he


    forgot about your appointment.He''s already taken on another job and can''t cancel it.He asked if you''d


    be okay with having another makeup artist."


    Vermont''s face darkened instantly.


    "What? He took on another job?" The assistant felt uneasy.


    "Mr.Snyder, we take jobs based on scheduled appointments.You only made a verbal agreement with


    Mr.Caleb.He''s very busy, and it''s likely that the agreement slipped his mind."


    Vermont let out a frustratedugh.


    "Are you saying it''s my fault for not giving him a deposit in advance? I was the one who helped his


    career back in the day.Am I not good enough for him now that he''s a famous makeup artist?"

 Chapter 1424

    Chapter 1424


    Chapter 1424


    "Please don''t take it that way, Mr.Snyder.Mr.Caleb genuinely forgot about the appointment.He would


    have rescheduled everything to amodate your needs if it were another client.But he¡¯s working with


    the daughter of the Saun family.Mr.Caleb can''t afford to offend them,"


    Michael''s assistant exined.


    Ste paused and looked toward Vermont when she heard that.


    Vermont''s face turned cold.


    "Oh, so it''s fine to offend me instead?"


    "Of course not..."


    Vermont was not in the mood for excuses.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    With a stern face, he said, "Tell Michael that if he doesn¡¯te tonight, he won''t be taking any makeup


    jobs for Green Hill Media''s artists in the future."He then hung up the phone without giving the assistant


    a chance to speak.


    When Vermont looked up, he saw that Keegan was expressionless.


    "I counted on you to hire a good makeup artist for Ste, and you didn''t even put in a deposit? How


    cheap can you be? " Keegan asked.


    "Well, I didn''t expect the guy to stand me up."


    Vermont was not trying to save money on the deposit.He trusted Michael''s word because he had


    worked with him many times.He thought a quick notice would settle everything, but that was not the


    case.


    Vermont knew Keegan would be extremely mad at him for messing up, especially since the party was


    tomorrow.


    So, he had toy down thew and force Michael toe.


    Meanwhile, Ste bit her lips and thought about what Michael''s assistant had just said.


    "Ste, could they be referring to Jaylene when they mentioned the daughter of the Saun family?"


    asked Felicity.


    '' Wenham Saun''s family is the only Saun family they could not afford to offend.And since Ste is right


    here, they must be talking about the wolf"


    Ste pressed her lips together and said, "Most likely."


    "Could Jaylene be doing this on purpose? I mean, why would she book your slot when there are so


    many makeup artists in Rivera? It''s all too coincidental," said Felicity.


    The circumstances were truly baffling.


    At the Saun residence, Michael''s assistant hung up the phone and quickly told him what happened.


    "Mr.Caleb, Mr.Snyder sounded furious.He wants you to go over there immediately.He even said that


    Green Hill Media would stop hiring you to do makeup for their artists if you don''t show up."


    Michael was in the middle of color-correcting Jaylene''s foundation shade when he heard this.He


    frowned and whispered, "Didn''t you tell him what I told you to say?"


    "I did, but Mr.Snyder didn''t listen to me.He insisted that you be there."


    Michael immediately became worried, not because he would lose jobs in Green Hill Media, but


    because he was afraid Vermont would cause him trouble in the entertainment industry.


    "Is there a problem, Mr.Caleb?" Jaylene asked in a low voice.


    She had approached Michael through a friend a few days ago.


    Naturally, Michael epted the offer to do makeup for the daughter of the Sauns.


    He hoped to expand hiswork by doing business with her because she represented Elegant Media


    and the Saun family.


    Hence, he decided not to show up to his appointment with Vermont and intentionally turned off his


    phone.He did not expect Vermont to be so insistent this time.


    Michael thought about how to answer and said, "I''ll be honest, Ms.Saun.I originally did not want to take


    on this job.But the person who introduced us told me a lot about you and said you requested my


    presence.I couldn''t bring myself to reject you, so I epted the offer."

 Chapter 1425

    Chapter 1425


    Chapter 1425


    "I heard from my friend that you turned down a job from an important client," said Jaylene.


    Michael nodded, "I assumed that with our long-standing rtionship, he would understand.I didn''t


    expect him to be so insistent this time.He even called to have me back right away."


    Jaylene frowned.


    "So you''re leaving?"


    "I''ve taken your payment and epted your job.It would be unprofessional of me to just up and leave.I


    have toplete the job.However, my client has some influence in the industry.I''m afraid I might not


    get the chance to do your makeup again if he gets angry, Ms.Saun."


    "You just focus on your work.The entertainment industry is vast, and no one holds all the power.As long


    as you do a good job, I''ll discuss with my brother about entrusting you to style every artist in Elegant


    Media," Jaylene assured.


    This was exactly what Michael was waiting to hear.He smiled and said, "Let''s talk about that in the


    future.Making you look stunning tomorrow night is my top priority right now."


    Jaylene smiled, "I appreciate the effort, Mr.Caleb."


    Meanwhile, Ste and the gang waited for Michael to show up, but he never did.


    Vermont then realized that the guy had stood him up.


    "Damn it! It seems like that mutt has forgotten his roots! If I had known better, I wouldn''t have given him


    a second chance,"


    Vermont cursed.


    Felicity was equally disgruntled.


    "Jaylene must have hired him on purpose! With her looks, I bet she''d still end up looking like a mess


    even if a goddess did her makeup."


    "Can''t we just find someone else?" Ste asked after some thought, confident in her own appearance.


    "No!"


    The other three responded in unison.


    Vermont then exined, "It''s not that simple.Do you know what it means to hire a celebrity makeup


    artist? It''s not just about their makeup skill.For events like this, the makeup artist is also expected to


    attend.The more reputable the makeup artist, the greater your status.If otherwise, Keegan wouldn''t


    have asked me to book a slot with Michael."


    On the other hand, Felicity said, "The Sauns are hosting a banquet to announce YOUR return, not


    Jaylene''s.You can''t let her win!"


    The problem now was that they did not know where to find another celebrity makeup artist this soon.


    All of them had packed schedules.


    Sometimes, makeup artists apany stars to international fashion events, which can take up to half


    a month.


    They''re nearly impossible to reach without an advanced booking.


    Vermont had no other option but to contact his friends one by one, asking if any makeup artist had an


    opening.


    The party had not even started, yet a series of problems had already arisen.


    Ste was now beginning to ponder Olivia''s words.


    After making many calls, Vermont still could not find an avable celebrity makeup artist.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan took a moment to reflect on the situation and dialed Leighton¡¯s number.


    Leighton was still on set, filming his scenes with Nicole.


    While they were having their break, Estelle handed him the phone, saying it was a call from Keegan.


    "Hello?" Leighton answered.


    Keegan got straight to the point, "Do you know any skilled stylists?"


    Leighton furrowed his brows, "The banquet is tomorrow, and you''re only looking for a stylist now?"


    Following that, Keegan concisely exined the situation.


    When Leighton heard that Jaylene had intercepted their ns, he could not help but say, "That woman


    must''ve done it on purpose!"


    However, Keegan was not focused on whether it was intentional or not.


    What he wanted was to find a good makeup artist.


    "Can you find us a new stylist or not?"


    Leighton thought about it but could note up with a name immediately.

 Chapter 1426

    Chapter 1426


    Chapter 1426


    Vermont had already contacted all the prominent stylists Leighton knew by name, yet none were


    avable.


    Just as Leighton brainstormed new suggestions, Estelle said, "What about Nicole''s stylist, Mia Lopez?"


    "I''m not asking her!"


    Leighton instinctively responded at the mention of Nicole.


    Keegan''s brow twitched, "Your cousin needs your help.Stop acting like a child."


    Leighton clenched his teeth, "I''m not..."


    "Do you know anyone else?" Leighton fell silent.


    Keegan then decided to appeal to his emotions.


    "Ste''s your only cousin, you know.And she''s treated you so well.Remember how she cooked fish


    stew for you? I didn''t even get a taste.Can''t you put aside your feelings about Nicole and ask her if we


    could borrow her stylist? Do you want Ste to cook you another pot of stew in exchange?"Leighton


    could not believe Keegan would say such things.


    "Fine, I''ll ask.But I can''t guarantee if she''ll approve of it."


    "Find a way to convince her if that happens.I''ll have someone fix the bugs in your games once


    everything is settled."


    Upon hearing that, Leighton finally agreed.


    After hanging up the phone, he could not help but scold Estelle for meddling, "If you eavesdrop on my


    calls again, I''ll fire you!"


    ¡®With your temper, no one would dare take on this job after I''m gone" thought Estelle.


    Leighton hesitantly knocked on Nicole''s dressing room door and let himself in.


    Nicole was lying on a lounge chair with a script covering her face, napping.


    Leighton stood beside her and said, "I want to borrow Mia."


    Nicole paused and reached out to remove the script from her face.


    "What did you say?" she asked.


    Leighton clenched his teeth.


    "I said, I want Mia to do my friend''s makeup tomorrow.Can you ask her to do it? I''ll pay her for her


    work."


    "Why don''t you ask Mia yourself?" Nicole responded in disdain.


    "Isn''t she your exclusive stylist? She wouldn''t dare take on the job without your approval."


    "Are you asking me for a favor?" Nicole questioned.


    In order to help Ste out, Leighton changed his tone and said, "Yes."


    "If you''re asking for a favor, at least act like it.What kind of attitude is this?"


    Nicole paused before continuing, "You''re too tall.Crouch down a bit so that I don''t have to tilt my head


    up to look at you."


    Leighton''s eye twitched.


    ¡®I''ve never met such an annoying woman!'' He wanted to give Nicole a piece of his mind, but for the


    sake of Ste''s grand appearance tomorrow, he tried to tolerate Nicole''s wishes.


    Leighton was at eye level with Nicole after crouching down.


    When Nicole saw him squatting beside her, she could not help but reach out and ruffle his hair.


    "Aw.You look like a little puppy.Come on.Show me a fierce look."


    Leighton red at her.


    Nicole clicked her tongue and said, "Fiercer."


    She turned over in her chair, intending to tease him some more.However, the chair was unstable,


    causing her to fall in Leighton¡¯s direction.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    The man did not have time to react and was struck to the ground.


    The two ended up in a very awkward position, with Nicole on top and Leighton beneath.


    Leighton was wincing in pain as he hit the back of his head.


    Seeing him under her, Nicole could not help but tease.


    "If you want Mia''s help, maybe you can do something to amuse me.I might just agree if I''m happy."


    Leighton stared at the woman who was mischievously grinning on top of him and had an idea.He


    suddenly grabbed the back of her head and kissed her.

 Chapter 1427

    Chapter 1427


    Chapter 1427


    Nicole felt a soft touch on her lips and was shocked.


    Then, she pushed Leighton away and pped him in the face.


    The look on her face was unpleasant.


    She gritted her teeth and said, "Hey! What do you think you''re doing?"


    Leighton rubbed his sore cheek where she had pped him and then suddenly flipped over, pinning


    Nicole beneath him as he held her wrists down on both sides.He lowered his gaze as his eyes curved


    in a cold arc."


    You''ve been teasing me for so long.Isn''t it because you''re interested in me and purposely doing that to


    get my attention? What''s wrong? Was the kiss not good enough? Or were you expecting me to do


    something more?"


    Nicole could not help butugh disdainfully after hearing how confident Leighton was.


    "Yeah, I''m interested in you.With so many dogs I own, you''re the only kind I haven''t gotten my hands


    on.I just can''t stop thinking about you."


    Although she was pinned beneath Leighton, she still appeared to be undaunted.


    She smirked and continued unkindly, "If you''re willing to be my dog and wag your tail whenever you


    see me, I might consider lending Mia to you.After all, what owner doesn''t love their pet?"


    Leighton''s expression darkened.


    "Are you fucking sick?" Nicole nodded.


    "Yeah.I''m diagnosed with dogless syndrome."


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Leighton was speechless.


    Nicole sounded nothing like how a typical woman would speak when getting pinned down by another


    man.She did not even feel the slightest hint of embarrassment.


    Leighton thought about their interactions when filming.He just could not figure out how this woman


    could disy such rich expressions and invested emotions while having such a stark contrast off-


    screen.


    She seemed like a normal person when acting.But off camera, she was simply insane.


    Nicole lifted her head and leaned closer to him.


    "Come on.Call me master, and I''ll lend you Mia."


    Leighton would have already turned away and left it this was any other time.


    However, his cousin was expecting him to find her a makeup artist, and he needed Keegan to get


    someone to fix a bug in hispany, too.


    It would feel great for him to just leave, but none of the problems would be resolved.


    His first kiss in real life had already been given away, so this one word would not mean anything.


    Leighton gritted his teeth and said extremely reluctantly, * Master, please."


    Nicole was taken aback.


    She was not expecting Leighton to give in so easily.


    ¡®It seems like he''s really desperate"


    Nicole smirked, teasing him, "Do you know what makes a qualified pet?"


    Leighton furrowed his brows.


    ¡®What is this damn woman up to again?¡¯ A faint smile appeared on Nicole''s face as she said, "Get


    neutered."


    Leighton could not believe what he just heard.


    ¡®I''m done being a gentleman around this woman! He was about to get rough with Nicole, but the door


    was pushed open.Lindy stepped inside and was met with the sight of them in thatpromising


    position.


    She froze for a second, quickly went back out, and closed the door.


    ¡®Fuck! ¡®Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! ¡®Does she go both ways now?¡¯ Before Lindy could figure out what was


    happening, the dressing room door was opened again.


    Leighton came out with a stern expression and walked away.


    Lindy stared at Leighton''s receding figure for a while before suddenly realizing that her artist had


    messed with someone five years younger than her.


    ¡®Is she out of her mind? Is she aware of how old she is? This is so inappropriate!"


    Lindy pushed the door open, and Nicole had already gotten back up from the floor.She was now


    standing in front of her mirror and applying lipstick.

 Chapter 1428

    Chapter 1428


    Chapter 1428


    Nicole heard the sound and nced at Lindy through the mirror.She pursed her lips and said tly,


    "What''s with the stupid look on your face?"


    Lindy¡¯s mouth twitched.


    "Why did you mess with Leighton?"


    Nicole put on an innocent look and said, "I didn''t.He was the one who came looking for me first."


    Lindy frowned.


    "Don''t you hate men? Why do you always tease him whenever you see him?"


    Nicole lifted her finger to wipe away the excessive lipstick on the edge of her mouth and said with a


    smile, "I hate men, but I don''t hate little boys like him.Don''t you think it''s fun when he gets angry?"


    Lindy remained expressionless as she thought to herself.


    ''I wonder if you''d still find it fun if things go wrong"


    Just as she was still in her thoughts, she heard Nicole saying, "Give a call to Mia and tell her to help


    the little pit bull out."


    Lindy''s eyelid twitched.


    "Did you manage to get a taste of him just now? Why are you being so generous to him?"


    Nicole was a very selfish person who would never share anything with others, including her manager


    and makeup artist.


    She was earning a lot of money and offered very generous pay.So, they were very willing to work for


    her.


    After all, working for one person meant a lighter workload.


    Plus, the pay was decent, too.


    However, she was lending her exclusive makeup artist to Leighton, which confused Lindy.


    The only possibility Lindy could think of was that Nicole had taken advantage of Leighton, and this was


    hispensation.


    Nicole nced at Lindy and said, "This is how a master shows love to her pet."


    Lindy was speechless.


    Leighton went back to his dressing room and rinsed his mouth for a very long time.


    His expression remained extremely dark.


    ¡®Fuck.I''ve already gone so far, yet she still wouldn''t give in.Why did I talk so much with her? I should


    just tie her up and take a bunch of ugly photos of her! Leighton regretted that he had not been more


    decisive earlier.Then, he heard his phone rang.


    He answered it and heard a female voice from the other end, "Hello, my name is Mia Lopez.Are you


    Nicole''s friend? She said that you needed some help..."


    Leighton was taken aback.


    He immediately untied Nicole in his mind.


    Then, he cleared his throat and said, "Yes, I am..."


    That night was filled with tension, but he still managed to sort everything out in the end.


    As soon as Ste went back home, she removed her shoes, walked into the house barefoot, and


    slumped onto the sofa.


    Keegan bent down to put her shoes back in the cab and came inside after taking off his coat.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    He ced a ss of water on the coffee table and sat beside Ste.


    "Tired?" he asked softly.Ste shook her head.


    After a moment, she said, "Do you know anything about my stepmother?"


    "I''ve already told you everything I know about her," Keegan said.


    She was a friend of Ste''s birth mother, a business partner of Enchanted, and a divorced woman with


    a child.


    Also, she only got together with Wenham six years after Freesia passed away.


    Everything seemed fine.


    But on second thought, it seemed like everything was not fine.


    Ste could not figure out what kind of person would marry her friend''s husband after her death.


    If she were to ask Felicity whether she would marry Keegan after she died, Felicity would probably give


    her a piece of her mind right there and then.


    After that, during the meal where Ste reunited with her grandparents, Darcie hurriedly made her way


    there just to bring the fountain pen that Jaylene bought and the perfume she had given herself.


    Darcie appeared to be a very weing person, but it seemed like she had a hidden agenda.


    Regarding the hotels, she really could not recall the names of the other hotels.


    Although some high-end hotels were among them, Olivia pointed out that hotels of that level should


    never be on the list.


    Oliva might be right.


    Perhaps Darcie was not as weing as she seemed to be.


    After all, her arrival would disrupt the bnce that had existed in the family for many years.

 Chapter 1429

    Chapter 1429


    Chapter 1429


    "There''s nothing to worry about."


    Keegan consoled Ste.


    "It doesn''t matter how cunning or evil she may be.She can never hurt you as long as I''m here."


    Ste smiled and snuggled into his arms.


    "I''m not worried about her hurting me if she does it to my face.I''m just afraid that she might secretly set


    me up while I still see her as a considerate and thoughtful person, catching me off guard."


    Keegan thought for a moment before he said, "Darcie managed to get together with Uncle Sean back


    then, despite being a divorced single mother, before taking control of Enchanted.I''m sure that she''s


    more than just an ordinary woman."


    He figured that they should be more cautious when dealing with Darcie in the future.


    Ste thought about what Trevor told her and suddenly said, "The banquet is tomorrow, yet my brother


    hasn''t contacted me all day."


    "He went to Salcator," Keegan said.


    "What?"


    Keegan hugged her tighter.


    "The Hall family is rooted in Salcator, and their rtives and friends are all there.They''re all influential


    and reputable people.Your return to the Saun family is a big matter, so Trevor has to extend the


    invitation in person as a sign of sincerity on how serious the Saun family is about this banquet.On the


    other hand, Uncle Wenham is responsible for dealing with the people in Rivera.There''ll be a lot of


    prominent figuresing to the banquet tomorrow.You should prepare yourself for it to avoid feeling


    nervous."


    Ste replied, "Don''t worry.Although I can be shy sometimes, I''m good at pretending I''m not."


    "You''re being humble.I don''t think you''re a shy person at all." Ste kept quiet.She then gritted her


    teeth and grasped his throat.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    "You don''t even bother to pretend anymore now that your probation is over, huh?" Keegan bent down


    and lifted her.


    "I''m just telling the truth.You might lose sight of who you really are if I keep buttering you with lies."


    He lowered his head and kissed her on the lips.


    "I''m marrying a woman who loves to lie, brag, be greedy, and lustful.Do you really want me to pretend


    I''m marrying a wless fairy?"


    Ste pretended to choke him.


    "I''ll give you another chance to rephrase your words!"


    Keegan chuckled softly as his chest vibrated slightly, producing a deepughter.


    "Okay then.I''ll try to tell a lie.Baby, you''re the most modest person ever," he said.


    Ste felt frustrated and bit his neck.


    Keegan lifted her even higher and said in a low voice, "I''m going to wear a suit tomorrow.Do you want


    me to show up with a bite mark on my neck?"


    Ste paused before biting him even harder.


    Then, she let go and said, "You deserve it! Figure out how to cover it yourself! November 7th,


    Tuesday.The sky was very cloudy in the morning, and it started drizzling as noon approached.Then, it


    rained heavier in the afternoon.Trevor personally drove to pick Ste up.The banquet was scheduled to


    begin at eight o''clock, but Ste had to arrive at the hotel early for preparations.Keegan figured that he


    should not tag along with Trevor because of how formal the asion was.However, Vermont was not


    bothered and hopped into Trevor''s car without hesitation.


    Of course, he also brought his girlfriend along.


    The couple was already waiting in the car when Ste was still getting ready upstairs.


    Trevor was already used to how shameless Vermont could be, so he did not really mind.


    He casually asked when they were still waiting for Ste.


    "The makeup artist and her outfit are all sorted out, right?"


    Felicity blurted out before Vermont could say anything, "It almost wasn''t."


    Trevor paused.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Because of that bitc¡ªugh¡ª"


    Vermont put his hand over Felicity''s mouth and cut her off.


    Trevor had grown up with Jaylene since they were young.Even though they were not blood-rted, he


    still regarded her as his little sister.

 Chapter 1430

    Chapter 1430


    Chapter 1430


    Trevor would not just turn a blind eye to others criticizing and insulting Jaylene, no matter what.


    Vermont smiled and said, "It''s nothing, just a little incident.The makeup artist that Keegan asked me to


    find for Ste was booked by Ms.Saun."


    Felicity bit his hand.


    Vermont could not bear the pain and let go of her.Then, she said, "She didn''t book the makeup artist


    before us; she cut us off!"


    Trevor frowned.


    "Are you saying Jaylene took the makeup artist from Ste?"


    Vermont said, "Well, technically not.After all, I haven''t paid Michael the deposit, and we only made a


    verbal agreement.Ms.Saun made the payment first.So naturally, she has priority over us."


    "Are you sure that Jaylene really did that?"


    Felicity immediately got unhappy after hearing that question from Trevor.


    "Why would we use her? The makeup artist''s assistant made it clear over the phone that they had


    epted Ms.Saun''s booking and could not turn her down.That''s why we had to look for someone else.


    "Are there any other Saun families in Rivera that Michael can''t afford to offend? Isn''t yours the only


    one? Is there another Ms.Saun in your family other than that pretentious witch?"


    Felicity rattled off like a machine gun, and Vermont could not cover her mouth in time.


    Trevor tightened his grip on the steering wheel and frowned in a dark expression.


    After a while, he asked, "What happened next? Did you guys manage to get another makeup artist?"


    "Of course,"


    Vermont said, "Keegan and I stayed up the entire night yesterday and looked everywhere in Rivera.In


    the end, we managed to find an avable makeup artist.He was determined to do anything to ensure


    your sister shines like a star tonight, even if it kills him."


    Felicity was taken aback.


    ¡®Wow, I''m impressed! Is this how he helps his best friend? It was Leighton who did everythingst


    night!¡¯ Felicity moved her lips but decided to keep quiet.She did not want to expose her boyfriend.


    It was unsure if Trevor believed in Vermont''s words, but he said calmly anyway, "I''ve got to give that to


    him."


    Ste arrived as they were chatting.


    Trevor''s expression no longer looked indifferent.


    A warm smile that could melt ice and snow appeared on his face.


    After the car started, he said in a gentle voice, "I''ll bring you to eat something first.


    It''s going to take a long time to get your makeup der, and you might get hungry before the meal


    is served."


    Ste smiled.


    "Sure, my brother."


    Trevor reached out and ruffled her hair.


    Then, he started driving.


    When they arrived at the hotel, the Hall and Saun family elders were already there.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Both sides of the family took the banquet very seriously.


    The hearts of the elderly couple from the Hall family sank as soon as they stepped out of the car.


    After all, Ste carried the blood of the Saun family.


    Although they were unhappy about their son-inw remarrying, they were not so unreasonable as to


    reject Ste from returning.


    Therefore, the Saun family had been responsible for preparing this banquet to wee Ste''s return


    to the family.


    However, they could not believe they settled in a hotel with such standards.


    The scale and grandeur of the hotel were more suited for a baby''s 100-day celebration.


    Actually, Olivia''s hotel was not that shabby and rundown.


    However, Wilfred and Edith, who came from Salcator, had seen luxury venues beyond imagination.


    That was why a mere five-star hotel like that could not meet their expectations.


    Wilfred got angry.


    "These fools! What on earth are they doing? I told them not to be thrifty and that we would pay for it if


    they exceeded their budget! I can''t believe they still ended up choosing a hotel like this! They are such


    donkeys!"

 Chapter 1431

    Chapter 1431


    Chapter 1431


    Edith did not look very pleased too.


    "Wenham is not this careless. Let''s go inside and see what this is about." Wilfred scoffed.


    "It still wouldn''t change the fact that he''s foolish!"


    Daryl chimed in, "Dad, the venue is already booked anyway.Let''s go inside first."


    Katherine added, "Dad, it''s a joyous day today.Let''s not find fault among our own family."


    Wilfred only reluctantly let go of his frustration after his children soothed him.Then, they headed toward


    the hotel.


    Wenham and Darcie had also arrived.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Wenham was also very dissatisfied with the venue chosen and questioned Darcie, "Why did you book


    this one?"


    Darcie exined, "I wanted to pick a better one, but Ste insisted on this hotel.I know this banquet


    was organized for her, so I respect her choices and follow her decisions."


    Wenham¡¯''s brows were furrowed.


    Then, he kept quiet after knowing that it was Ste''s decision.


    Indeed, it was important to respect Ste''s choices.But the hotel was simply not up to Wenham''s


    standards.


    Wilfred and Edith came inside as they were speaking.


    Wenham immediately approached them.


    "Dad, mom, you''re here."


    "Hmph!"


    Wilfred scoffed and looked away from him, Edith remained expressionless as she said warmly, "Is


    everything set?"


    "Yeah," Wenham replied.


    Edith continued, "Wenham, Ste is not only your child but also the beloved granddaughter of the Hall


    family.You''re her father, and it''s only right for you to lead the ceremony.However, don''t make Ste feel


    neglected no matter what."


    Wenham responded sincerely, "I won''t, Mom."


    As soon as he said that, a voice rang out, "The rain is so heavy out there.The Saun family really picked


    an inauspicious day for the asion."


    Molly shook off the raindrops from her body andined, "Your newly recognized daughter seems


    to bring bad luck to your family.After so many rainless days, it just had to pour on the day of today''s


    ceremony.Even my shoes are soaked."


    These words darkened the expressions of the elders there.


    At that time, another voice chimed in, "Ms.Moore, don''t be too quick to judge.It''s not inauspicious, but


    it''s an incredibly auspicious day.Do you know how many people are queuing up for marriage in the Civil


    Affairs Bureau office today? Everyone knows today is a great day.Look, it''s raining so heavily, yet


    there''s no wind at all.Isn''t this a rare sight? This is a sign of good luck!"


    Olivia smiled faintly and quickly turned the conversation around.


    Nobody would want to hear such discouraging words on a joyous asion like that.


    Only then did Molly realize that the Hall family members were there.


    Then, she greeted them politely.


    Wilfred and Edith nodded and ignored what she said, not wanting to argue with a youngdy.


    However, Daryl did not share the same patience as he said coldly, "Ms.Moore, have you heard the


    saying if you do not have anything nice to say, it''s better to just keep your mouth shut?"


    Molly was taken aback.


    The look on her face turned ugly instantly.But Daryl was older than her.It would be impolite for her to


    talk back, so she just swallowed her anger silently.


    Darcie spoke up, "Jaylene, please take Ms.Moore upstairs to rest.Bring her back down when the


    banquet starts."


    "Okay," Jaylene said and did as was told.


    A whileter, Ste arrived at the hotel.

 Chapter 1432

    Chapter 1432


    Chapter 1432


    Wilfred and Edith''s mood immediately brightened up as soon as they saw their beloved granddaughter.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    They finally smiled.


    They warmly greeted Ste and asked about how she had been.


    Ste introduced her friends to them, too.


    After chatting, Trevor said, "Grandpa, Grandma, I''ll take Ste upstairs.It''s going to take some time for


    her to get her makeup ready."


    "Sure, go ahead."


    Edith let go of Ste''s hand.


    "Make sure you look gorgeous so we can show you offter."


    "Sure," Ste replied with a smile.


    As she turned around, she saw Darcie standing behind her.


    She nodded at her before going to the lounge upstairs.


    Darcie pursed her lips and pondered the meaning behind Ste''s gaze.


    After Ste left, Oliva started hosting the quests as the hotel''s owner.


    "Mr.and Mrs.Hall Sr., let me take you to get some rest and have something to replenish your


    energy.The banquet will only start in the evening, and it will be very tiring for you if you don''t eat


    something now."


    The elderly couple''s expression eased slightly.


    Although the hotel was not the best, the owner was courteous and attentive.


    After hearing Olivia''s suggestion, they seemed to be less bothered by the hotel selection.


    However, Wenham still could not let it go and his expression remained unpleasant.


    Darcie pursed her lips.


    "Wenham, I''m sorry for not thinking this through.It''s my fault for blindly listening to Ste.Her return is a


    big deal for both the Hall and the Saun family. I was wrong for following Ste''s wishes without being


    considerate enough. I''ll make a call to the owner of Emperor Suite now and see if there''s any hall


    avable for booking. I don''t mind spending a little more money to make Ste feel special."


    Wenham furrowed his brows.


    "We don''t have the time anymore.What''s the decoration going to be like even if there''s a hall avable?


    It might turn out worse than this ce."


    Darcie lowered her gaze.


    "I''m sorry.This is all my fault."


    Wenham was not ming her, but he could not help feeling guilty that he had not given his child the


    best option.


    Darcie had always been meticulous, so he let her pick the venue for Ste.


    However, he was not expecting things to end up this way.


    Darcie prepared everything herself and even carefully decorated Ste''s room, leaving no detail


    overlooked.


    Wenham had noticed it all.


    So, he knew that it was not fair to put the me entirely on her.


    "Never mind.Just forget it.Ste has got to like this ce since she chose it herself.Her happiness is


    the most important thing."


    Then, he patted Darcie''s shoulder.


    "Go on and get some rest, too.There''ll be a lot of guests to entertain tonight."


    "Okay," Darcie said and went upstairs with Wenham.


    At seven o''clock, the guests began arriving one after another.


    Because the hotel was not top-notch, there was some gossip among the attendees.


    But they were considerate enough not to criticize it openly.


    Although it was not the most expensive hotel, the interior decorations were elegant and could rival


    those of more luxurious hotels.


    The entire banquet hall was decorated with preserved flowers, whereas the tables were decorated with


    fresh ones.


    Preserved flowers were difficult to make and more expensivepared to fresh ones.


    It added a touch of luxury to the decorations, showcasing how serious the Saun family was about this


    asion.


    The guests could not help but specte who the long-lost heiress of the Saun family was.


    "Where did they find their daughter?"


    "I have no idea.The Saun family has been very secretive about it.They also didn''t allow the media to


    enter this venue tonight and prohibited us from taking any photos."

 Chapter 1433

    Chapter 1433


    Chapter 1433


    "Could she be a bumpkin who can''t fit into high society? Is that why they did not want to reveal her


    identity right after finding her back? Look at this hotel.Would they choose to organize the banquet here


    if they really care about her?"


    "Well, although this is just a normal hotel, the decorations here are decent.


    Perhaps they have other considerations."


    "An ugly duckling transforming into the daughter of the richest man in town. How cliche."


    "You''re wrong.The ugly duckling was always a white swan from the beginning."


    "Do you think the return of this real heiress will threaten Jaylene''s status?"


    "It''s hard to say.I heard that the Saun family favors daughters over sons.Jaylene is treated better than


    Trevor in their family, even though she was adopted.Can you imagine how they''d treat their real


    daughter?"


    "But Jaylene has been in the family for more than twenty years.You can develop feelings even for a pet


    in such a long time, let alone a child raised as their own.I doubt that this true heiress can overshadow


    her."


    "Even if she doesn''t get favored in the Saun family, there''s still the Hall family.Anyway, this true heiress


    has reached the peak of her life."


    Vermont clinked his ss against Keegan''s.


    "I heard that your uncle, the second son of the Hall family, almost got into an argument with Wenham


    because of the hotel selection."


    "Uncle?" Keegan thought for a moment.


    "Daryl Hall?"


    Vermont nodded.


    Keegan was puzzled.


    "When did you be so close with him?"


    Keegan could not believe that he managed to get that information from Daryl.


    Vermont shrugged.


    "Our personalities clicked.We got along so well that he even wanted me to be his brother, but his


    wife interrupted us.Otherwise, you''ll also be calling me your uncle, too, now."


    Keegan''s mouth twitched.


    "Piss off."


    "Tsk.


    How could you scold me after I told you something you didn''t know?"


    Vermont curled his lip and added, "I''m pretty sure your wife''s stepmother tricked her into choosing this


    hotel.How cunning that woman is.She listed out all the hotels for Ste to choose from, so no one could


    me her since Ste was the one who made the decision herself.


    "But Mrs.Chapman is very clever.She made her hotel look so much better with the


    decorations.However, it still can''t add another star to her hotel, and every guest here knows there are


    certainly better hotels out there.I''m afraid your wife will lose her first battle after returning to the Saun


    family.Hopefully, she''ll learn her lesson from this."


    However, Keegan was not worried at all.


    "Ste is very intelligent.The battle hasn''t ended yet, so don''t be too quick to judge."


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Vermont nced at him.


    "Don''t you think you''re overestimating your wife? Are you sure intelligent is the best word to describe


    her?"


    Keegan red back at him.


    "Why would she look for the soup recipes for you if she''s not intelligent? She has been asking me


    about your condition, and she might have already figured out that you''re lying to Felicity."


    Vermont froze and immediately said, "Not only is your wife intelligent, but she''s also gorgeous and


    graceful.Please, you''ve got to cover it up for me before I cane clean to Felicity at the right time."


    Keegan scoffed.


    He was about to say something more but saw Cordelia entering the venue with Aurora and Baldwin.He


    put his ss down and said to Vermont, "Excuse me."


    Then, he walked over to Cordelia.


    Cordelia noticed Keegan from afar.


    She saw himing closer and stretched her arm out toward him.


    Keegan held her hand and said, "Grandma, let me bring you to your seat."


    Cordelia patted his hand and allowed Keegan to assist her to her seat.


    Aurora was about to follow them, but she heard Dahlia¡¯sing from behind.


    She paused and turned around.


    "Mom, why are you here too? "


    She was surprised.


    Dahlia dressed very elegantly for the night, reminiscent of the time when she was still in the Kane


    family.She was adorned with jewelry and exuded an air of wealth, giving her the look of a rich man¡¯s


    wife.She held her handbag with both hands in front of her, presenting a graceful and poised


    appearance.


    After hearing Aurora''s question, she said, "Your dad used to be very close with Uncle Wenham.This is


    an important event for the Saun family.How could I not be here?"


    Of course, she purposely said that for others to listen.


    She wanted to assert her identity and let the guests know how close she was with the host.


    Aurora did not think too much of it and asked softly, "Grandma and Keegan are over there.Would you


    like to say hi to them?"

 Chapter 1434

    Chapter 1434


    Chapter 1434 Dahlia reminded herself of when she was kicked out of the Kane family when Aurora


    mentioned Cordelia, fueling her resentment.


    She said coldly, "I don''t think your grandmother would want to see me, sol won''t bother her." Then, she


    asked, Have you met this new heiress of the Saun family before?" Aurora shook her head and said,


    "No, but Keegan has." Dahlia was surprised.


    "What? Are you sure? What did he say?" Everyone was curious about the new heiress of the Saun


    family, and Aurora was no exception.


    She overheard Trevor and Keegan talking about the banquet on the phone the other day.


    Aurora was curious as to why Keegan would be so interested in the new heiress of the Saun family, so


    she asked him about it out of curiosity.


    She was not expecting a response from him, but he answered anyway, ''''Ms.


    Saun is a melody of grace in a world of noise, with eyes holding stars and a heart''s gentle poise.


    You''ll get it when you see her." Dahlia was shocked.


    "Did your brother really say that?" Aurora nodded.


    Dahlia was worked up.


    Her son would neverpliment anyone like this.


    Although it was just two lines of description, Dahlia could tell that Keegan held the new heiress of the


    Saun family in high regard.


    Dahlia tried to match him up with Jaylene, but he was not interested in her at all.


    However, his high praises for the new heiress led Dahlia to believe that he deeply admired her.


    Dahlia was overjoyed that Keegan did not take an interest in Jaylene because she was not the real


    heiress of the Saun family, after all.


    As she contemted how to speak to the new heiress to establish a good rtionship, she heard


    Jaylene''s voice.


    "Ms.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Crosby." Dahlia paused, turned around, and nodded nonchntly.


    Jaylene did not notice Dahlia''s aloofness as she said gently, " There are some freshly served desserts


    over there.


    Would you like to have some?" Dahlia rejected her indifferently.


    "It''s fine.


    My blood sugar has been a little hightely, so I''m cutting down on sugar." Jaylene paused and looked


    at Dahlia.


    Dahlia was not as friendly when she wanted to pair her up with Keegan back then.


    Instead, she felt cold, as if they were strangers.


    Jaylene pursed her lips and said tly, "Okay then." Then, she stood upright and walked away.


    Aurora frowned.


    ''Mom, why are you so cold to her?" Dahlia said, "Your brother isn''t interested in her.


    If I get too close to her, she might think otherwise." Aurora thought to herself.


    ''Keegan had never liked her, yet you treated her very differently back then.'' As soon as Jaylene turned


    around, her gaze grew cold.


    She could not figure out why Dahlia''s attitude toward her had changed.


    ¡®New heiress of the Saun family, huh? I hope she won''t be too shocked when she sees her face.''


    "How''s Ste?" Cordelia held onto Keegan and asked softly.


    "She''s fine.'''' Keegan poured her a ss of water.


    "Don''t worry." Cordelia nced at him and said, "I should have been the host today if it weren''t for your


    ipetence.


    Look at me now, sitting in the corner.


    I''ll even have to crane my neck to see Steter." Keegan was speechless.

 Chapter 1435

    Chapter 1435


    Chapter 1435 Cordelia continued, "However, it seems like you''ve been performing welltely since the


    Saun family is still willing to invite you here." Keegan replied, "Ste had made her stance clear to her


    family.


    She said that if they don''t agree with us being together, she''ll end her own life." It was just a statement,


    but Keegan was somehow showing off when he said that.


    Cordelia fell silent for a moment.


    Then, she said, "The banquet hasn''t even started yet, and you''re already drunk?" Her response


    dumbfounded Keegan.


    "Don''t you have a little self-awareness? Clearly, Ste was just teasing you.


    Why would you take it so seriously?" Of course, Keegan did not take it seriously, as Cordelia said.


    He was simply trying to show off a little.


    However, it turned out that his grandmother was still sharp enough to know about his ce in Ste''s


    heart.


    It stung Keegan a little.


    "Keegan." Jaylene''s gentle voice came from behind.


    Keegan paused, turned around, and nodded politely to her.


    Cordelia also adjusted her posture.


    She sat up straight with an elder''s demeanor.


    Jaylene wore a light blue long dress that exuded a hint of elegance.


    Her long hair was tied in a low ponytail, and she wore a delicately designed sapphire ne around


    her neck, with matching earrings.


    Theyplimented her graceful makeup and highlighted her beauty.


    She had a slender figure, a skinny waist, and a charming presence.


    She walked gracefully, catching the attention of many.


    Obviously, she was the spotlight of the banquet that night.


    As she approached Cordelia, she asked gently, "Grandma, when did you arrive?" Cordelia smiled and


    replied, "Not long ago.


    Jaylene, you look gorgeous tonight." Jaylene seemed a little shy and said softly, "Our family is


    weing my younger sister back in the family today, and it''sa joyous day for everyone.


    So, of course, I have to dress up for the asion." Ste was almost three months younger than


    Jaylene.


    So, technically, she was Jaylene''s younger sister.


    Cordelia still smiled when she said, "The jewelry you''re wearing shone so brightly, and I couldn''t even


    see you clearly when you were walking over here.


    I thought that it must be the new heiress of the Saun family because of how extravagantly you dressed.


    I only realized I was wrong when you spoke to me." Jaylene was taken aback.


    Cordelia''s words sounded strange as if she was implying that her outfit was too showy and that she


    was trying to steal the limelight.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Jaylene scrutinized Cordelia¡¯s expression and saw her gentle and kind smile, which made her feel like


    she might just be overthinking.


    She pursed her lips and changed the topic before she stepped forward to hold Cordelia''s arm.


    "Grandma, this seat is a bit off to the side.


    Let me take you to the front." "It''s fine." Cordelia patted the back of her hand and said gently, " My old


    eyes can''t see if I sat too near to the front.


    This distance is just right for me." Jaylene paused and had no choice but to retract her hand.


    She raised her hand, and a waiter soon came over with a tray.


    The waiter bent over and ced some delicate-looking pastries on the table next to Cordelia.


    Jaylene said, "Grandma, I had someone specially prepared these pastries and food for you.


    The dishes servedter are mostly very vorful, and I thought you may not like them.


    So I got you these lighter and softer snacks that are easier to digest." She paused for a moment before


    saying to Keegan, ''"Keegan, the banquet will only start a whileter.


    You should have some, too." Keegan did not say anything.


    Cordelia smiled and said to Keegan, "Look at how thoughtful Jaylene is.


    It would be great if your sister were as sensible as her." Keegan said, "I''ll make Aurora learn from her."


    His response made Jaylene utterly speechless.

 Chapter 1436

    Chapter 1436


    Chapter 1436 ¡®Why am I beingpared to Aurora?¡¯ Jaylene was about to say something, but


    Cordelia interrupted, " Jaylene, you should attend to other guests.


    Don''t worry about us.


    Many people are here tonight; don''t neglect them." Jaylene had no choice but to purse her lips and


    comply, "All right.


    I''ll leave now, then.


    Grandma, just have someone call for me if you need anything." Cordelia nodded and smiled amiably,


    Sure, go ahead." As Jaylene walked away, Cordelia looked at the pastries on the table and said, "I


    can''t deny that Jaylene is really thoughtful." Those pastries and snacks were all her favorites.


    Cordelia figured that Jaylene must have purposely asked out to know about her preferences.


    Cordelia had lived for many years and had met countless people.


    She knew Jaylene had other intentions when she invited her to sit at the front.


    Both the Saun and Hall families took the tables in front, as well as friends and rtives from Darcie''s


    side.


    If Keegan and Ste were not divorced, she would have sat there without a second thought.


    However, they were currently not publicly together.


    If she were to go to the front with Jaylene, it could easily lead others to specte about Keegan''s


    rtionship with her.


    Cordelia liked youngsters with sharp minds but not those who used them to manipte others.


    Jaylene had always been obsessed with Keegan since she was a child.


    Whenever she visited the Kane residence with Trevor back then, her gaze never left Keegan.


    Cordelia thought it was just puppy love.


    But to her surprise, those feelings had not faded even after so many years.


    Cordelia never really cared about who Keegan married, including their family background.


    She only cared if that person was the one that he genuinely wanted to be with.


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    So, the reason why she treated Jaylene so coldly was not because she was not biologically rted to


    the Saun family.


    Cordelia thought for a moment, nced at Keegan, and said, " You''re pretty popr among thedies."


    Keegan remained silent.


    ''It certainly did not sound like apliment.¡¯ He thought about what Ste had said about him and


    decided to go all out on himself, "Well, I consider myself a very charming man." Cordelia was


    speechless.


    She opened her mouth as if wanting to say something.


    But she gave up that thought after considering that Keegan was still her grandson.


    "Jaylene is interested in you.


    You should keep a distance from her.


    She''s still the daughter of the Saun family.


    Regardless of your intentions, the Saun family would be unhappy if rumors spread." "IT know." Cordelia


    wanted to warn his grandson that Jaylene was a scheming person and had put in significant effort to


    gain her favor, so she might not give up so easily.


    However, she figured it might not be appropriate for her toment about Jaylene as her elder.


    So, she decided to keep her thoughts to herself.


    ¡®I should just let the youngsters handle their own affairs.


    Keegan is smart; he doesn''t need me to tell him what to do.'' ¡°How shameless!" Felicity red in


    Jaylene''s direction and angrily said, "She''d do anything for a man! She actually went to suck up to Mrs.


    Kane Sr.!" Vermont sighed.


    "You''ve been keeping an eye on Jaylene since we came here.


    You''re making people think that she''s after your man instead." Felicity gave him a side-eye.


    "She''s trying to steal Ste''s man.


    Of course, I have to keep an eye on her.


    If she ever tries to steal mine...


    Vermont got interested and leaned closer to Felicity.


    "What are you going to do about it?" he asked.


    "I''ll just give him to her.


    I''m going to have plenty of other options anyway." Vermont''s mouth twitched.


    "What? You''re not going to do anything about it?" "What''s the point of fighting for a man who can be


    easily taken away from me?" Vermont gritted his teeth.


    "Does Keegan not love Ste enough? Jaylene can never take him away from Ste, so why are you


    so worried?"

 Chapter 1437

    Chapter 1437


    "Well, we can''t just stand by and watch as Jaylene tries to put herself between our best friends, can


    we? Sure, Keegan loves Ste and wouldn''t fall for her, but why should we give that annoying little


    thing a chance to try? I have to keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn''t cause any trouble.


    It would be best to teach her a little lesson and let her know she can''t juste into other people''s


    territory!" Vermont''s heart turned cold when he heard that.


    Though he and Felicity were in a rtionship, it seemed she did not care much for her boyfriend


    compared to her best friend.


    ¡®My ex- girlfriends were always very protective of me.


    Although I''m not one to cheat, plenty of women are interested in me because I''m so attractive.¡¯


    Vermont''s exes loved to pick a fight with him whenever he was friendly with a member of the opposite


    SeX.


    "It seems like I''ve chosen poorly this time.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Felicity ispletely indifferent to women who approach me.


    She would even be kind enough to step aside...'' Vermont gradually realized that he had pressured


    Felicity into confessing her feelings.


    She might not like him as much as he thought.


    ¡®If she actually likes me, she would be jealous.'' The more Vermont pondered about it, the more he felt it


    was true.


    His expression grew tense.


    Unaware of Vermont''s thoughts, Felicity noticed Jaylene being praised and admired by a group of


    socialites.


    "She''s probably just showing off again!" She snorted.


    Felicity put her cup down and dered, "I need to go over there and see what they''re talking about."


    But just as she stood up, Vermont grabbed her wrist.


    Felicity was stunned.


    "What''s wrong?" She asked.


    Vermont hesitated and said, "Miss bandit, do you...


    Do you like me?" Taken aback, Felicity reached out to touch Vermont''s forehead.


    " Do you have a fever or something? What''s gotten into you?" Vermont took her hand and looked at her


    with a serious gaze.


    " Answer me, please..." Felicity felt puzzled.


    "Would I date you if I don''t like you? Why would I still stay with you after knowing you have erectile


    dysfunction if I don''t like you?" Vermont fell silent for a moment.


    "Then, why do you seem fine with the idea of other girls fawning all over me?" His words rendered


    Felicity speechless.


    She poked his forehead and said, "How can you still be clueless after being in so many rtionships? I


    was just joking." ¡°T''ll kill anyone who darese in between us!" She added.


    Vermont wrapped his arms around Felicity''s waist and asked, "Do you actually like me?" Amnoyed by


    Vermont''s queries, Felicity said, Get lost! Don''t distract me from my mission." She then went over to


    eavesdrop on Jaylene''s group with a wine ss in her hand.


    As she approached them, she heard someone say, "Mrs.


    Kane Sr.


    seems to like you a lot, Jaylene.


    I saw her smiling the whole time you two were talking." "Grandma is just a very nice person.


    She acts that way with everyone," Jayleneughed.


    ¡°Grandma? Oh, you two sound close!" ¡°Well, I''ve been calling her that since I was a child.


    It''s just a habit.


    "That''s good.


    It means you won''t have to get used to calling her that when you marry into the family." The group burst


    intoughter as they teased and joked around.


    It was clear that Jaylene''s affection for Keegan was no secret among her friends.


    As they chatted, someone nearby said, "Ms.


    Saun, your earring is loose."

 Chapter 1438

    Chapter 1438


    The crowd turned their heads to see a stylish man standing beside Jaylene, gently reminding her that


    one of her earrings was loose.


    The man was none other than Jaylene''s makeup artist, Michael Caleb.


    Jaylene tried to adjust her jewelry, but Michael intercepted her and said, "I''ll take care of it." He fixed


    Jaylene¡¯s earrings and tucked in a few of her loose hairs.


    " I''ll be right here, Ms.


    Saun.


    Just give me a call if you need anything.


    "W Jaylene nodded in response.


    Once Michael stepped away, her circle of friends began to chat.


    "Is that Michael Caleb, the top-tier makeup artist in the industry? "W "I was wondering why Jaylene''s


    makeup looked so different today.


    Turns out Mr.


    Caleb had a hand in it.


    His skills are extraordinary." ¡°It''s incredibly tough to book him.


    My friend couldn''t even get an appointment for her birthday." "Jaylene, your makeup looks exquisite.


    The Sauns'' long-lost daughter is going to be overshadowed when she stands next to youter." ¡°If


    Jaylene can hire such an impressive makeup artist, I bet her makeup artist must be just as good,


    right?" "Michael is basically at the top of the industry.


    Who could the long -lost daughter of the Saun family possibly hire that''s better than him?" "It''s just


    some makeup, guys.


    There''s no need to argue," Jaylene modestly said.


    However, things would be a little awkward if Ste''s makeup artist was not on par with Jaylene''s.


    After all, she had already selected a hotel not up to the circle''s standards.


    Jaylene''s friends thought that the true heiress of the Saun family was no better than Jaylene.


    They agreed that their friend''s status would not waver with her return.


    Felicity lingered around, intently listening to the group while sending snippets of the conversation to


    Ste, bit by bit.


    Then she intentionally said on the phone, "This ce is full of shallow gossipers.


    You''re better off noting." The crowd fell silent.


    Jaylene looked at Felicity in disdain, just to have her eyes met with a defiant stare.


    Felicity proceeded to say into the phone, " Someone''s sure being a pick- me girl here." Jaylene was


    stunned to hear that.


    Seeing that his girlfriend was going too far, Vermont hurried over to pull her away.


    "I''ve been searching everywhere for you," he said, whisking her away.


    As they left, Jaylene''s group of friends started to gossip.


    ¡°That woman speaks so rudely.


    Who is she? How did she end up with Mr.


    Snyder?" "It seems she''s his new girlfriend.


    She even made an official announcement on social media." ¡°Is Mr.


    Snyder blind? How did he fall for such a crude?" "Maybe he finds simplicity appealing after indulging in


    the finer things for so long," one of the girls said.


    ¡°Let go of me!" Felicity yelled, struggling to break free.


    Wanting to subdue her, Vermont firmly grabbed her face and kissed her.


    Felicity froze and becamepliant in an instant.


    ¡°Why bother with those people? No matter how beautiful she thinks she is, Jaylene can''tpare to


    Ste." Felicity found sce in his words.


    "But she hired the makeup artist on purpose.


    You saw when people were praising her for it earlier, right? The look in her eyes and posture indicated


    that it was intentional.


    I was infuriated as I stood there and watched! "She''s been with the Saun family for years, and they''ve


    never mistreated her.


    We''re here to celebrate the fact that they found their long-lost daughter.


    Why the hell is she trying so hard to be the center of attention at such an important event?! What an


    ungrateful child," She continued.


    Vermont chuckled and said, "It''s understandable for her to act like this.


    She and Trevor were supposed to inherit the Saun family''s wealth.


    Now that Ste''s back, she feels threatened, especially since she''s the only one who was adopted."


    Felicity was about to say something when she received a message.


    She opened it and found a selfie from Ste with the caption, "My looks are definitely going to win them


    over.¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.

 Chapter 1439

    Chapter 1439


    Felicity was at a loss for words because of her best friend''s self - confidence.


    Meanwhile, Wenham was weing his guests and beaming with delight.


    He was extremely pleased to hear people congratte him.


    Since his wife''s passing over twenty years ago, today was the happiest day he had ever experienced.


    As he shook everyone''s hands, he suddenly spotted a blond, blue-eyed man conversing with Keegan


    not far away.


    Wenham hesitated for a moment, then hurried over and said, " Mr.


    Winston?" The man turned around, and his deep-set eyes met Wenham''s.


    He politely smiled and greeted him with a Yostrainian ent.


    Wenham extended his arm and shook the man''s hand.


    His name was Danny Winston.


    Danny Winston was a client Wenham had dealt with recently in North Yostrain.


    The deal did not go through because Danny was not inclined to do business in Hustuabourg.


    He was not even willing to look at the proposals, let alone discuss them further.


    Trevor had been traveling abroad often recently, all in pursuit of this business.


    They had tried many ways to negotiate a deal but had yet to sway Danny.


    He knew Danny was traveling with his girlfriend in the area recently, so he had someone deliver an


    invitation.


    However, he did not hold much hope that Danny would actually show up.


    Although the business deal did not work out, they had be friends of sorts after all this time.


    Given the significance of the event, it did not seem strange to invite Danny.


    Wenham was overjoyed to see him there.


    Danny mentioned that Keegan had told him about their daughter being taken away.


    He said he had almost lost track of his own child once, so he understood how Wenham felt.


    Wenham was somewhat surprised to hear that.


    He nced at Keegan, who appeared unfazed, showing no sign of seeking credit.


    Wenham then began to chat with Danny about the process of finding his daughter.


    They did not talk long before Trevor came over to inform his father it was time.


    Wenham bid his farewell and told Keegan to greet the rest of the guests.


    Keegan paused for a moment and nodded.


    Not long after, Wenham took the stage.


    After expressing his gratitude to everyone, he began his opening speech for tonight''s event.


    The story about Ste being switched at birth happened too long ago, and the Sauns had not really


    looked into it yet.


    Hence, Wenham breezed through the incident in one sentence, emphasizing the joy of reuniting with


    his child.


    "It''s a miracle that we have our child back.


    We''ve invited everyone here today to formally introduce her and share our joy with all of you." He


    raised his hand, and the spotlight quickly moved to the entrance.


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Everyone was eager to catch a glimpse of the true heiress of the Saun family.


    The audience was straining their necks and fixating their eyes on the corner of the stage, waiting to see


    her enter.


    They first saw Trevor walk into the room.


    He extended his hand, and a delicate, fair hand reached out from behind, lightly resting on his.


    Soon, a graceful figure came into view.


    Ste''s peach-colored gown appeared soft and jubnt under the lights.


    The audience gasped when they saw her fully revealed face.


    "Ste?!" ¡®She''s the Saun family''s long-lost daughter?! ¡®Had the Sauns made a mistake?" ¡®Isn''t she


    Rainee''s illegitimate daughter?"

 Chapter 1440

    Chapter 1440


    Dahlia was standing very far back in the crowd.


    It took her quite a bit of effort to squeeze her way to the front row.


    When she finally spotted the woman Trevor was leading, she felt a sense of familiarity.


    As she began furrowing her brows, the woman lifted her head.


    Dahlia was shocked to see who the true heiress of the Saun family was.


    She could not help but yell out, "Ste?!" The scream was incredibly abrupt in the otherwise quiet


    atmosphere.


    Ste paused for a moment, casting a faint nce toward the audience.


    When she met Ste''s indifferent gaze, Dahlia instantly felt a chill down her spine.


    ''What in the world...


    How could the Sauns'' long- lost daughter be her?! How is this possible?!'' She thought.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Dahlia had gone to great lengths to separate Keegan and Ste.


    And now, the heiress she wanted him to marry was none other than the ex-daughter-inw she had


    driven away.


    ¡®This is absolutely absurd!'' Dahlia''s face turned pale.


    Aurora was also shocked by the realization but did not lose herposure.


    She gently whispered to Dahlia, "Mom, are you alright?" Dahlia thought about all the wicked things she


    had done to Ste before, and a wave of panic washed over her.


    She could not bear to imagine how the Saun family would treat her if they knew about the drugs she


    had administered to Ste.


    "Mom?" Aurora called out again.


    Dahlia snapped back to reality and said, "I-I''m feeling a bit tired.


    T''ll head back first." Without waiting for Aurora to say anything, she hurriedly left the scene.


    Olivia''s lips curled upward as she saw Dahlia''s distress from a short distance away.


    If it were not for the asion, she would have liked to go over and make a sarcastic remark or two.


    Trevor stood in the center of the stage with Ste, and Wenham gazed at his daughter with tender


    affection.


    He grabbed the microphone and said, "Everyone, let me introduce my daughter, Ste.


    Many of you probably know her or have seen her on TV.


    But today, she stands here simply as my daughter." "I''m very grateful to Madam Spade for caring for


    Ste over the years.


    She had raised her well.


    Unfortunately, I did not have the chance to personally thank Madam Spade when she was still with us.


    She''s my family''s benefactor, and we will forever be grateful.


    ¡°We''re hosting this banquet today not only to formally wee Ste back into our family, but we also


    hope all of you will remember her face.


    If you have the opportunity to interact with her in the future or if she encounters any difficulties, we


    hope you can lend her a helping hand.


    Our family will be deeply grateful and will surely repay your kindness." Wenham''s affection for his


    daughter was evident by how he was asking everyone to help her.


    It was clear he wanted to pave a smooth path for her future.


    Since Ste was previously known as the daughter of the Jewell family, no one had thought about her


    connection with the Sauns.


    Now that she was standing next to Trevor, people were starting to realize the two indeed looked alike.


    Those who had mocked Ste for being abandoned by Keegan before were no longerughing.


    None of them thought she experienced so many ups and downs with her seemingly great life.


    "Ste, would you like to say a few words?" Wenham handed the microphone to Ste, and she took it.


    While she was good with words when she was with Keegan, she could not help but feel a little nervous


    in this situation.


    Her hand holding the microphone started sweating.


    She looked down at the audience and saw Keegan standing not far away, gazing at her with


    tenderness in his eyes.


    Seeing that she had not started speaking yet, Keegan teased her by mouthing, " Scaredy-cat." The


    method of provocation worked well on Ste.


    Herpetitive spirit immediately kicked in after he said that.


    ¡°Thank you all for taking the time to attend this banquet amidst your busy schedules.


    I''m very d that you could witness an extremely important moment in my life..."

 Chapter 1441

    Chapter 1441


    Chapter 1441


    Ste spoke at a calm and steady pace. Her speech was devoid of any exaggerated recounting of her


    past twenty- plus years. There was no overwhelming excitement about being recognized by the Saun


    family. Instead, she shared her journey from the moment she learned about her true heritage and the


    love and care she received from the Saun family. Her words were sincere and filled with gratitude


    toward her family and friends.


    Edith and Wilfred were in the audience and had tears in their eyes. Despite Ste''s excellent


    upbringing, it was inevitable that they felt heartbroken after over two decades of separation.


    Darcie watched as Ste spoke on stage, carefully observing her features. ¡®They''d be identical if she


    just has a mole on her nose,¡¯ she thought.


    "Mom, it''s time for the group photo,¡± Jaylene interrupted. She returned to reality and realized that Ste


    had already finished her speech. The elderly couple and Daryl were already on stage, taking photos.


    Darcie pursed her lips and said, "Let''s go.¡±


    "Stand next to me, Ste. Leighton and Trevor, pick whichever side you like," said Edith.


    Wilfred frowned and said, "No. Ste should stand next to me. These two are so tall they''ll block my


    airway if they stand next to me.¡±


    Trevor and Leighton were speechless as they noticed the obvious favoritism.


    Seeing the elderly couple argue, Trevor could not help but say, "Can''t we just take a few more photos


    with different standing positions? I''m sure we have enough film.¡±


    The elderly couple red at him and said, "But we can only hang one family photo on the wall.¡¯


    If Edith and Wilfred took different shots with Ste standing next to them, they''d have to argue over


    which picture to hang on the wall. So, they rather seized the opportunity from the very beginning.


    After a long dispute, they finally settled on having Ste sit in the middle. Meanwhile, Leighton and


    Trevor were to stand on either side of the elderly couple.


    Ste suddenly felt like she had been promoted to a higher position as everyone was standing except


    her and the elderly couple.


    After taking the shot, Wilfred wanted to take a few more photos with his granddaughter alone.


    "Wenham, let''s take a photo together, too,¡± Darcie suggested.


    As soon as she spoke, the lively and joyous atmosphere in the room died down quite a bit.


    Wenham said, ¡°Let''s wait for Ste to take a few more photos with mom and dad. They have things to


    attend to in Royalburgh and can''t stay here for long. They''ll be going back soon.¡±


    "In that case, I''ll apany them for these few days and show them around.¡±


    The elderly couple''s expressions immediately turned solemn. Wilfred was not keen on the idea as well.


    ¡°That''s alright. Ste can take us around. After all, she grew up in Rivera and knew this ce better


    than you," said Edith.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Wenham could sense the displeasure in her words. Even though the banquet went rtively smoothly,


    the hotel chosen still weighed on the elderly couple''s minds.


    ¡°Mr. Winston is here. I''ll go greet him first,¡± Wenham whispered.


    Darcie gave a slight nod and left with Jaylene. As Jaylene passed Leighton, he suddenly muttered,


    "Ugly bitch."


    Jaylene was taken aback, turning to look at Leighton.


    However, he had already gone to look at the family portrait. Jaylene pressed her lips together and left


    the stage with a tense expression.


    The atmosphere on stage became lively once again after the mother-daughter duo walked away.


    Wilfred took out an exquisite-looking box and handed it to Ste.


    ¡°My dear, this is a gift your grandmother and I prepared for you.¡±


    Ste did not expect to receive any gifts at this event.

 Chapter 1442

    Chapter 1442


    Chapter 1442


    ¡®Why are they giving me another present? What was that money pouch they gave mest time?¡¯


    thought Ste as Wilfred handed her a box.


    She was about to decline when Trevor intervened, saying, ¡ã It''s a heartfelt gesture from your


    grandparents. You should ept it.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Ste found it hard to refuse. She took the present and said, "Thank you, Grandpa


    and Grandma.¡± Following that, Daryl also handed her a gift box. "Ste, this is a gift from me and your


    aunt. We hope you like it.¡±


    This left Ste stunned. Soon, everyone in the family was giving her gifts. Even Leighton''s younger


    brother, Noah, who was 12 years old, prepared one for her. Before she knew it,


    Ste held a pile of presents from her rtives.


    Trevor helped her carry some of them and said, "Let me keep these for you. We''ll go through the gift


    receipts together after the party.¡±


    Ste''s heart skipped a beat. "Gift receipts?¡±


    Trevor chuckled. "Yeah. Did you think everyone''s here just to see you?¡±


    Wenham held a prominent position in the business world, and with his outgoing personality, he made


    friends everywhere. He would make sure to send gifts and mary contributions for weddings,


    funerals, and other asions back in Hustuabourg, even if he was abroad and could not be present.


    Since the Saun family had not held anyrge-scale events for joyous asions, and considering


    Wenham''s generosity, this banquet was essentially a way for the people to reciprocate.


    Ste looked at the sea of people and realized that the banquet hall would be filled with presents if


    everyone gave a gift.


    ¡°Enjoy it while you can,¡± said Trevor.


    ¡®Am I being too obvious?¡¯ Ste thought.


    ¡°This is probably why Keegan has a hold over you,¡± Trevor sighed, hinting that Ste was easily


    amazed by fame and money.


    Ste was a little annoyed. "It''s not like that. I also judge people by their appearance,¡± she said.


    Her response left Trevor at a loss for words.


    After they stored the gifts, Trevor led Ste to the table.


    Wenham was chatting with Danny at the moment. Seeing his children enter the scene, he waved for


    them toe.


    As they approached, Wenham introduced his friend to his daughter, "Ste, this is a friend of mine from


    business, Danny Winston.¡±


    Danny extended his hand to greet her, and Ste shook it. Wenham then introduced him to Jaylene.


    Jaylene confidently exchanged greetings with him and immediately initiated a conversation in fluent


    Yostrainian.


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste stood by, listening quietly without interjecting.


    ¡®Danny seems highly enthusiastic about Jaylene''s words, though it could also be the exaggerated


    mannerisms typical of foreigners,¡¯ thought Ste. He had quite an array of reactions when talking to


    Jaylene.


    After a while, Danny shifted his gaze to Ste and spoke to her in Yostrainian. When he finished, Ste


    asked, "Can you say that again in Hustuabourgian?"


    Danny was taken aback, seemingly not expecting her to say that.


    ¡°Ste, Mr. Winston is a true Yostrainian. He doesn''t understand Hustuabourgian. I can trante for


    you if you don''t understand," said Jaylene.


    Ste nced at her, then turned to Danny and spoke in


    Yostrainian, "I heard from Trevor that your girlfriend is from Hustuabourg, and youe here every


    year to spend time with her. I just thought you''d at least know how to converse in hernguage.¡±


    Ste''s pronunciation was clear, indicating that she knew thenguage. Jaylene felt embarrassed and


    curled up her fingers unconsciously.


    Danny chuckled and said in Hustuabourgian, "I do, but I''m not particrly proficient in it.¡±


    Ste smiled when she heard that. "Practice makes perfect. You should use thenguage since you''re


    already here in Hustuabourg.¡±

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    Chapter 1443


    Danny observed Ste and noticed this was the first time since he rose to his current position that


    someone had taken the lead in a conversation in theirnguage with him. He found it rather intriguing.


    ¡°You make a valid point,¡± he remarked. ¡°Did you ask me to speak Hustuabourgian because you¡¯re not


    proficient in Yostrainian?¡±


    Others turned their attention to Ste upon hearing that.


    Being bad at Yostrainian was not a big deal, but the fact that she asked Danny made it seem like she


    was ignorant. With Jaylene, who was fluent in Yostrainian, standing nearby, it inevitably made people


    think less of Ste. They realized that they not only had different upbringings but also varying education


    levels and views as well.


    Wenham was about to speak up for his daughter, but Ste admitted, ¡°My speaking is average, but I


    have no problem understanding you.¡±


    People learnnguage when they can practice it in an environment where it is often used. Ste had


    long set Yostrainian aside after she passed it in sixth grade.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    However, she often tuned into Keegan¡¯s phone calls when hemunicated with overseas clients in


    Yostrainian. Her spokennguage was only passable due to this. She could manage basic


    communication but was bound to stumble when it came toplex conversations.


    Moreover, Keegan had briefed Ste on Dannyst night. He mentioned that Danny appreciated


    straightforward people. Hence, Ste found it appropriate to just ask him if he spoke Hustuabourgian


    instead of pretending she knew thenguage well. After all, it was something that would be revealed


    sooner orter. It would be embarrassing if she was exposed.


    Just as Ste finished speaking, Darcie exined, ¡°Unlike Jaylene, who spent a few years studying


    abroad, Ste did not get to grow up in a Yostrainian-speaking environment. It¡¯s rather impressive that


    she can understand it even a little, considering that the quality of education in Hustuabourg is limited.¡±


    Ste paused and looked at her stepmother. While it seemed like Darcie was defending her with that


    statement, upon closer examination, it subtly highlighted the difference between her and Jaylene.


    Ste smiled and said, ¡°Darcie, perhaps you¡¯ve been abroad too long. Your impressions of


    Hustuabourg seem to be outdated. Conditions have improved now, and parents pay great attention to


    cultivating their children¡¯s secondnguage. Try stopping any primary school student off the street and


    ask them for directions in Yostrainian; they¡¯ll help you find your way. Just because I haven¡¯t put much


    effort into learning thenguage, which doesn¡¯t mean the quality of education in Hustuabourg is low.¡±


    Darcie froze upon hearing that. She chuckled and said,¡± Indeed, this country has changed so much


    over these years.¡±


    Danny was more interested in Ste¡¯s candor. Although his girlfriend was from Hustuabourg, he did not


    have a particrly good impression of the people. This was because he had encountered a


    Hustuabourgian business partner who caused him a lot of trouble during his early entrepreneurial days.


    Danny met the person at university. They started their business together, but luck was not on their side.


    Their products did not sell well, and they had difficulty finding investors. They lived frugally, scrimping


    and saving every penny to invest in their business. They practically stayed in their office during the


    most difficult times, sharing a single loaf of bread with each other. Despite their circumstances, neither


    of them spoke of giving up.


    The business started to show signs of improvement after two years. Just as Danny thought their hard


    work was finally paying off, his partner took their profit and defected to arge enterprise at the time.

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    Chapter 1444


    Danny tried to confront his business partner at the time, only to be swiftly shown the way out. He could


    not ept the oue and fell into a depressive state. He wasted two years doing nothing at home.


    Eventually, his wife divorced him, taking their daughter with her. Meanwhile, his former business


    partner soared to sess on the back of their joint efforts.


    When they crossed paths again at a ss reunion, the person not onlycked remorse but also taunted


    him with harsh words. He denied Danny¡¯s contribution to their shared sess and belittled him to the


    point of worthlessness.


    This incident then ignited his spirit to get himself together. He began to pick up the pieces and start


    anew. The process was tough, but the thought of being betrayed and abandoned spurred him on.


    His current girlfriend, whom he met during his second venture, stood by him during the most grueling


    moments. She provided him with much encouragement and help.


    However, Danny still held a deep mistrust for Hustuabourgians in terms of character due to the actions


    of his previous business partner. This was also why, despite dating his girlfriend for nine years, he had


    not yet married her.


    Danny did not resent his ex-associate for betraying the business. However, he was hurt that he


    betrayed their friendship and went out of his way to degrade him.


    As the saying goes, once bitten, twice shy. After Danny¡¯s business grew, he coborated with all sorts


    of businessmen, except for Hustuabourgians.


    Nevertheless, Danny¡¯s girlfriend was a Hustuabourgian and well-known in hermunity. Trevor was


    the one who introduced them.


    Danny had a favorable impression of Wenham and his son, but the lingering concern that he would be


    betrayed still made him hesitant to consider doing business with them. In his perception,


    Hustuabourgians were hypocrites and backstabbers.


    Initially, Danny had not nned on attending the banquet. But his professor from his university, whom


    he was close with, suddenly contacted himst night. The professor asked him to visit a


    Hustuabourgian student of theirs named Keegan Kane. So, he decided toe.


    Danny found it a pleasure to converse with Keegan and Ste since both of them were straightforward


    individuals.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    He smiled and said to Wenham, ¡°Your daughter is very honest.¡±


    Wenham looked at Ste with affection in his eyes. ¡°She¡¯s a sensible andpliant child. She does


    things without any hidden motives.¡±


    Danny sighed. ¡°My daughter is the same. When I asked her if she liked me or her mother better, she


    chose her mother while holding onto the gift I bought for her. She¡¯s so brutally


    honest; it breaks my heart.¡±


    Wenham chuckled, and the two engaged in lively conversation.


    Darcie, keeping an eye on the time, reminded Wenham,¡± Darling, maybe you should lead Mr. Winston


    to his seat. The dishes might be getting cold.¡±


    Wenham put their conversation on hold and said, ¡°This way, please, Mr. Winston.¡±


    Olivia had prepared a special table for VIPs and decorated it exquisitely. As soon as guests arrived,


    she warmly weed them.


    Danny took his seat. In passing, hemented, ¡¯Mr. Saun, I¡¯m not trying to impose, but I think you


    could¡¯ve rented a bigger venue. It seems like your guests could use more space.¡±

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    Chapter 1445


    Wenham froze upon hearing Danny¡¯sment, clearly displeased. He opened his mouth but struggled


    to find the right words.


    Darcie then intervened and said, ¡°You might not be aware of this, Mr. Winston, but Ste was the one


    who chose this hotel. We realized that we should¡¯ve held the event at arger venue. But we decided


    to ask Ste for input and consider her wishes.


    ¡°Having grown up in another family, a five-star hotel might already be luxurious in Ste¡¯s eyes. Plus,


    the environment here is satisfactory. Since Ste liked the venue, we didn¡¯t question much,¡± she


    continued.


    Trevor was grabbing a tissue when he heard Darcie say this. He paused and narrowed his eyes subtly.


    Ste lowered her gaze, thinking that Darcie had been nning this all along. ¡®She was the one who


    provided me with a list of hotels. It¡¯s like she was expecting me to choose it.¡¯


    Darcie¡¯s words implied that Ste was a country bumpkin and did not know much about the finer things


    in life.


    The people at the nearby table had been eavesdropping on the conversation from the beginning. Upon


    hearing this, they immediately huddled together to gossip.


    ¡°I was wondering why they held this banquet here. Turns out


    Ste herself chose it. She probably doesn¡¯t even know which hotel in Rivera is the best. She likely


    thinks a five-star is already impressive.¡±


    ¡°Even the ce Jaylene rented for her birthday before is much morevish than this.¡±


    ¡°Well, she was raised by the Jewells. What did you expect?¡±


    ¡°But she¡¯s been married into the Kane family for three years. Doesn¡¯t she have even a basic level of


    discernment?¡±


    ¡°A person¡¯s growth and potential can be shaped by their surroundings. Even someone with great


    potential may struggle to reach their full capabilities if raised in an unfavorable environment.¡±


    Lena could not stand it anymore and indifferently stated,¡± Unfortunately, some people can still be pricks


    despite being raised in a good family.¡±


    Everyone at the table went silent.


    Carter cleared his throat and raised his thumb to signal Lena that she was incredible.


    Ste regained herposure and said, ¡°Dad, I did not randomly choose this hotel. The owner of this


    hotel is Ms. Olivia Warren, who has helped me a lot before. Since I haven¡¯t had the chance to properly


    repay her, I thought, why not let her handle it? I wanted to express my gratitude for her help. Moreover,


    she pays great attention to detail and does things well.


    ¡°I know the hotels Darcie suggested, such as Harmony


    Heights, Elysian Oasis, and Azure Haven, are great. I like them all. I understand that Ms. Warren¡¯s


    hotel might be slightly smaller than others, but it feels right. Although the decorations may not be as


    grand as what you are used to, I findfort in knowing that my friend had put much thought into it.


    ¡°Trevor often said that it¡¯s important to repay people¡¯s kindness. I didn¡¯t have the means to do so in the


    past. But now that I¡¯m part of the Saun family, I have the resources to help my friends with their


    businesses. I want to show them how much I care. Dad, you aren¡¯t upset that I chose this ce, are


    you?¡±


    Wenham was quite interested in listening to his daughter speak at first. However, as he listened, his


    expression grew increasingly somber. None of the hotels she mentioned were considered the best in


    Rivera. Some of them were even inferior to Regal Banquets. They were actually on the list of venues


    Darcie put together, which showed that she had not put much effort into her research.


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Darcie noticed Wenham shooting a look at her way, and her heart sank. She quickly exined, ¡°Didn¡¯t


    you flip the list over, Ste? I also wrote down ces like Dragon Lagoon and Emperor Suite.¡±


    Ste continued to act ignorant. She smiled and said, ¡°Well, I think they¡¯re about the same. They¡¯re all


    good hotels.¡±


    Darcie did not know what to say.


    ¡°I was wondering why the Sauns would hold this banquet here. Turns out it was your suggestion,


    Ste?¡± Olivia spoke up.

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    Chapter 1446


    ¡°You know, this banquet is a significant event for your family. You didn¡¯t have to hold it here because


    you wanted to repay me. We¡¯re friends, and friends help each other out. It means a lot that you even


    remember me,¡± said Olivia.


    ¡°People who understand would see that you¡¯re looking out for me. But those who don¡¯t would think that


    you are simple- minded and unsophisticated,¡± she continued.


    After listening for a while, Danny finally figured out why this particr hotel was chosen. It turned out


    that the daughter of the Saun family and the owner of this hotel were old friends. Now that she had


    risen to prominence, she wanted to support her friend¡¯s business.


    Thinking of his own experiences and looking at Ste now, Danny suddenly felt like he¡¯d been too


    narrow-minded for so many years. He realized he should not judge someone based on their nationality


    or background just because of a few negative interactions. There were both good and bad people in


    this world, just like there were those who betrayed trust and those who held loyalty in high regard.


    Danny recognized that his Hustuabourgian girlfriend had stood by him through thick and thin. And now,


    knowing that Ste had not forgotten her old friends while rising to sess, he felt that he was wrong


    to have categorized Hustuabourgians as backstabbers.


    Danny smiled and said, ¡°Your daughter is a good person, Mr.


    Saun. I¡¯m very impressed by her.¡±


    Wenham loved nothing more than hearing praise for his daughter. So, he immediately joined in praising


    her.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    As Ste listened to the praises, she wondered if they were too much, especially because she and


    Wenham had not had much time to bond yet.


    After Danny chatted with Wenham, he finally said, ¡°Mr. Saun, please send me your proposal again. My


    assistant cleared out my mailbox earlier, so I did not have the chance to read it. I¡¯ll take a good look at


    it when I get back and give it some thought.¡±


    Everyone at the table was surprised to hearthat. They knew Danny was a tough nut to crack in the


    business industry. Many of them had been trying to coborate with him for so long, but he never


    budged. He did not even look at the documents they sent and simply deleted the emails.


    No one expected him to say something like this on such an asion. It was a rare urrence.


    Wenham, slightly excited, said, ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll have Trevor send it to youter.¡±


    Danny nodded and said, ¡°It¡¯s evident that your daughter is loyal to her friends and has a noble


    character. I believe you won¡¯t disappoint me either.¡±


    Wenham was even happier to know that Ste had a hand in this decision. He felt that she was a


    blessing to their family.


    Darcie clenched her hands, her face soft as ever. She raised her ss and said, ¡°Mr. Winston, I raise


    this ss to you. Thank you for giving our family this opportunity.¡±


    Meanwhile, Jaylene was not asposed as Darcie. She pressed her lips tightly together, unable to


    muster a smile no matter how hard she tried.


    Trevor observed her expression and looked away to continue peeling a shrimp for Ste.

 Chapter 1447

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    Chapter 1447


    Ste raised her ss and clinked it against Darcie¡¯s. She said, ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Saun.¡± Her smile was


    friendly, yet it left one wondering if her gratitude was genuine.


    Darcie returned the smile, her tone kind, ¡°We¡¯re family; there¡¯s no need for formalities. You¡¯re


    Wenham¡¯s daughter and also a kin to Jaylene and me. If you ever need anything, just let me know.¡±


    Ste nodded and lowered her gaze.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    After bringing Danny to his seat, Wenham guided Ste to greet the other rtives and friends at their


    tables.


    Trevor excused himself for a moment, and Ste was hesitant about following Wenham around.


    Surrounded by unfamiliar faces, she worried about handling conversations. To her surprise, she found


    little need to speak. As Wenham indulged in a few drinks, he became quite chatty. Ste only needed


    to greet the people and let Wenham do all the talking.


    Whenever someone paid her apliment, Wenham would linger for a chat.


    After finishing their rounds, they went back to the center stage.


    Trevor had also returned by this point. He leaned in to share a few hushed words with Wenham, who


    nodded in agreement. He cleared his throat and addressed the guests,


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention for a moment. I have an announcement to make.¡±


    Darcie observed Wenham¡¯s expression and felt uneasy because they did not discuss this segment.


    Wenham continued as the room¡¯s attention shifted, ¡°I want to thank all of you for being here with us.


    Today¡¯s banquet went smoothly. Ste has returned to her birth family, and as her father, I couldn¡¯t be


    happier. As many of you know, Enchanted, now branded as Caline, was founded by myte ex-wife.


    After her passing, I¡¯ve been overseeing it. Now that my daughter has returned, it¡¯s only fitting that I


    entrust it to her care.¡±


    Wenham paused and epted a folder from Trevor before passing it to Ste. ¡°Inside, you¡¯ll find the


    shares for Caline and the important documents since its establishment. I¡¯m handing this to you. From


    here on, you¡¯re one of Caline¡¯s shareholders.¡±


    The statement left everyone astonished.


    Caline stood as one of the most lucrative ventures within the Saun family¡¯s portfolio. This fragrance


    company was cofounded by Freesia and had risen to prominence in the domestic industry under the


    Saun family¡¯s management. Their perfume line had be a global sensation, making waves even in


    international markets.


    In addition, their tailored fragrance services in top-tier cities formed aprehensivework between


    the people brand. At least half of the men and women attending the banquet had used Caline¡¯s


    products before.


    Thepany was poised to generate substantial profits, which were far from a trifling sum.


    Wenham showcased the depth of his affection for his biological daughter when he entrusted this


    sizeable enterprise to Ste instead of Trevor or Jaylene.


    Darcie¡¯splexion paled when she heard what he had said.


    Darcie and Wenham talked about presenting Ste with a wee-home gift during the event.


    Wenham had mentioned this idea, but she had persuaded him otherwise. She argued that Ste was


    currently focusing on her acting career, and handing over such a sizablepany might not be the


    best option. Instead, she proposed gifting Ste a primemercial street in the East. The bustling


    areamanded steep rents, yielding millions of dors annually. Moreover, it would be hassle-free.


    Wenham agreed to the suggestion and arranged for a transfer of ownership to be drafted well in


    advance so they could present it to Ste on the banquet day.


    Everything had been meticulously deliberated and settled. Hence, it was surprising that Wenham


    deviated from the original n by suddenly entrusting Caline to Ste for management without


    consulting Darcie.


    Caline had two significant shareholders-Wenham and Darcie. Thepany had been established by


    both Darcie and Freesia. After Freesia¡¯s passing, Wenham had initially intended to allocate Freesia¡¯s


    share to the Hall family.


    However, Daryl returned it to the Sauns after operating the business for two years.

 Chapter 1448

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    Chapter 1448


    The Hall family owned a lot of businesses in various industries. But with the loss of their daughter in


    theirter years, they found themselves no longer interested in managing them. That was when


    Wenham stepped in and struck a deal with the Saun family. As a result, all of Freesia¡¯s shares fell


    under his name. Even though Darcie was the primary operator of thepany, her stake only


    amounted to thirty percent, with Wenham retaining the majority.


    Now that he handed Caline over to Ste, he instantly leveled the ying field for the two of them


    within thepany. Darcie felt a tightness in her chest. She quickly pieced together that this was


    Wenham¡¯s way of expressing his displeasure about the hotel selection and also aspensation to


    Ste.


    At the same time, Jaylene¡¯s face darkened. She had expressed her desire to be part of Caline¡¯s


    management on multiple asions, only to be met with Wenham¡¯s refusal, citing her health as a


    concern. Yet, Ste did not even need to ask before being handed the authority on a silver tter.


    Jaylene felt that her father was now a stranger.


    Jaylene clenched her fingers, her gaze locked onto the figures on stage as a surge of emotions brewed


    within her.


    Ste was well aware of the value Caline carried. She hesitated from grabbing the documents and


    said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m not particrly versed in perfumery. Are you sure entrusting the business to me is a


    good idea?¡±


    Wenham smiled and said, ¡°You can always learn. Consider it practice. I have tons of otherpanies


    you can manage, Ste. You can take on any of them if you want.¡±


    Ste did not know what to say. The degree to which Wenham doted on his children seemed


    boundless. It was surprising that he had not spoiled Trevor to the extent of no return.


    She stole a nce at her brother, who shot her a cool look, implying that she should draw her own


    judgments. Ste fell silent for a moment, suddenly realizing that her father might not be as lenient with


    Trevor.


    This gift was remarkably valuable. If it were anything else, Ste might have hesitated to ept.


    However, knowing it was thepany left behind by her biological mother, she could not help but get a


    strange feeling.


    After a brief moment of contemtion, she extended her hand and took the papers, softly saying,


    ¡°Thank you, Dad.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Wenham was overjoyed and grabbed her hand, saying,¡± You¡¯ve been on your feet for a while. Let¡¯s


    grab a bite and take a breather.¡±

 Chapter 1449

    Chapter 1449


    Chapter 1449


    The room dimmed as Ste, Wenham, and Trevor settled into their seats after descending from the


    stage. Soon, the soft sound of orchestral music filled the air. Suddenly, the stage lit up, and the


    backdrop changed. A deep, resonant voice filled the room, and a troupe of performers entered in a


    precise formation. With the progression of the music, the opera unfolded.


    Cordelia immediately lifted her head upon recognizing the familiar tune. Once she spotted the


    performers on stage, she excitedly grabbed Keegan and said. ¡°That¡¯s Lancelot Lewie! That¡¯s Lancelot


    Lewie! How is he here? You never mentioned he would be performing!¡±


    Keegan gently removed his grandmother¡¯s hand from his arm and said, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re fawning


    over celebrities like a teenager at your old age, Grandma.¡±


    Cordelia¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡°You little scoundrel. Who are you calling old?¡± She said. She would have hit


    him if they were not in public.


    Cordelia was there to witness the official announcement of Ste being weed into the Saun family.


    She did not expect the delightful surprise of seeing her favorite opera performer singing on stage. It


    could not have made her happier.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier? If I¡¯d known Lancelot would be here, I would have dressed up more,¡±


    Cordelia


    ¡°He¡¯s literally younger than dad. He probably wouldn¡¯t care about what an old fan like you is wearing,¡±


    Keegan remarked, referring to Cordelia¡¯s age.N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Cordelia could not help but kick him under the chair. Keegan wisely held his tongue after that. ¡®Some


    things are better left unsaid.¡¯


    Keegan had no prior knowledge of Lancelot¡¯s performance. Upon reflection, it was most likely arranged


    by Olivia.


    The other attendees were equally surprised and delighted. Lancelot had a sizable following within their


    circle.


    However, after he announced he would no longer perform publicly, getting him to sing again was no


    easy feat, regardless of the marypensation.


    Thest time anyone heard him sing was at Cordelia¡¯s birthday banquet six months ago. It was an


    unexpected pleasure to catch his performance at the Saun family¡¯s event.


    ¡°Even though this hotel is rather ordinary, the Sauns did invite an incredible performer. It¡¯s evident


    they¡¯ve put thought into it.¡±


    ¡°Right? Especially when even money can¡¯t guarantee Lancelot¡¯s presence.¡±


    ¡°After taking a closer look, it seems like they¡¯ve spent quite a bit for this event despite the venue. Those


    preserved flowers and the connections required to invite Lancelot don¡¯te cheap.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear them just now? They chose this hotel not to save money but to support a friend¡¯s


    business.¡±


    ¡°Damn it. If I¡¯d known Ste was a part of the Saun family, I would¡¯ve befriended her long ago. Maybe


    she¡¯d lead me to greater heights.¡±


    Lancelot concluded his performance by grabbing the microphone and delivering his congrattory


    remarks.


    Wenham was overjoyed and ensured each performer on stage received a bonus for their act.


    As the performers left the stage, the banquet hall doors suddenly swung open. An elderly man led a


    few younger individuals into the room while pushing a small food cart.


    All eyes were now on this unexpected arrival.


    ¡®Hadn¡¯t they served all the dishes already? What is this about?¡¯ The guests thought.


    The elderly man was dressed in a suit, radiating an aura of dignified authority. With his prominent


    brows and expressive eyes, hemanded respect.

 Chapter 1450

    Chapter 1450


    Chapter 1450


    The man met the curious eyes of the crowd as he approached the table where Ste was seated. Once


    in front of her, he extended his hand and introduced himself, ¡°Good evening, miss. I am the head chef


    for tonight, Nathan Turner.


    I am honored to have prepared this feast for you and your family and friends. I hope the food met your


    expectations.¡±


    Ste promptly stood and shook hands with the seasoned chef. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Nathan. The


    dishes were absolutely splendid. Thank you for your hard work.¡±


    The chef beamed. ¡°It¡¯s my privilege.¡±


    With a graceful motion of his hand, his apprentices promptly served the dishes from the cart.


    Nathan borated, ¡°This is the special dish I¡¯ve crafted for you. It¡¯s called Bitter Moments to Sweet


    Delight. I hope your journey ahead mirrors this dish-sweetness will follow after a touch of bitterness.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s Nathan Turner! The heir to the Turner family¡¯s culinary legacy, winner of the national


    Master Chefpetition five times in a row! And they managed to invite him to cook!¡±


    ¡°What? Who?¡±


    ¡°You know, the chef mentioned in the news¡­ The owner of that restaurant where the president hosted


    a leader from another country to sample his creations. Nathan Turner personally prepared the meal. It


    is said that after the leader returned to his country, he couldn¡¯t stop raving about the food. Later on, he


    even sent a representative to invite him to cook in their country.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why the dishes at tonight¡¯s banquet are so extraordinary. It turns out they specifically invited


    this chef.¡±


    ¡°Allow me to correct you. Nathan Turner is not just any chef. He¡¯s the five-time national Master Chef


    champion and the culinary expert admired by presidents.¡±


    ¡°The fact that the Sauns requested both Lancelot and the Master Chef champion to attend this event


    shows that they hold Ste in high regard. The money spent on inviting Nathan alone could¡¯ve covered


    a three-day stay at the Emperor Suite.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Olivia could not help but massage her temples as she listened to the conversations. She knew that her


    late-night efforts and early-morning calls had not been in vain.


    The venue for the ceremony was set, and she could not alter it. She had to put in extra effort elsewhere


    to enhance the event¡¯s prestige, like securing Lancelot and Nathan to make up for it.


    Both of these figures were not easy to invite. It was not primarily about money; it was about their


    networks. Olivia was fortunate to have invested years into cultivating these rtionships, even though it


    demanded significant effort. She managed to pull it off.


    Darcie shot a cool nce at Olivia, who responded with a gracious smile.


    After surveying the entire banquet, no one dared to im that the Saun family did not hold their long-


    lost daughter in high esteem.


    Ste had initially intended to find Keegan and Felicity. But as soon as she left her seat, a fewdies


    surrounded her for a conversation. These people held no prior grievances with her. They likely knew


    her background and wanted to get acquainted, so they came over to exchange pleasantries.


    Jaylene, emerging from the restroom, spotted Ste engrossed in a conversation. She pursed her lips


    and approached.


    Before she could reach them, Michael appeared. ¡°Ms. Saun, allow me to touch up your makeup.¡±


    Ste¡¯s makeup had outshined what he had done for Jaylene. Michael could not help but worry that


    Jaylene might lose her spotlight if he did not act swiftly. So, he disyed extra attentiveness.


    However, Jaylene was not in the mood for touch-ups at the moment. She calmly declined, ¡°No thanks.¡±


    Michael persisted, ¡°There¡¯s a bit of smudging on the sides of your nose. I strongly rmend a quick


    touch-up.


    Otherwise, it might not look as good in photos.¡±


    Jaylene furrowed her brows, about to retort, when she heard Ste¡¯s voice nearby, ¡°Are you Michael


    Caleb?¡±


    Michael was taken aback, clearly ttered by the inquiry


    from the esteemed heiress. ¡°Wait. You know me?¡±


    Ste smiled, ¡°We haven¡¯t met before, but my friend is well- acquainted with you. He tried to arrange


    for you to design my look tonight, but you were tied up with a new project. I was right there when you


    were on the phone with my friend Mr. Snyderst night. I see the Ms. Saun you mentioned was my


    sister, Jaylene.¡±


    Michael¡¯s face turned ashen.

 Chapter 1451

    Chapter 1451


    Chapter 1451


    Michael had turned down the gig with Vermont, even if it meant risking their rtionship. He believed


    he had secured a spot on the Saun family''s high-profile event, only to realize he had actually passed


    up the opportunity to work with the true Saun heiress.


    He and Vermont had known each other for six or seven years. When they first met, Vermont''s fame


    was nowhere near what it is today. Green Hill Media was just starting to make waves in the industry.


    Vermont recognized Michael''s skills from when he did makeup for his artists. So, Vermont would often


    reach out to him whenever work was avable.


    Back then, Michael did not have much recognition. He would take on any job, regardless of how much


    it paid. As his reputation grew, he found that the ie of a makeup artist was very different when he


    was famous. After gaining recognition, the price of his services for A-list celebrities increased many


    times. He became highly sought after, and outsiders would address him as Mr. Caleb. Moreover, he


    had significant control over the pricing of his services.


    He made a fortune doing makeup for anyone except for Green Hill Media''s artists. After his status


    skyrocketed, Vermont''s payments to him were only half of what other clients paid. This was especially


    true because Vermont never paid a deposit and only made verbal agreements.


    Michael wanted to stop taking jobs from Green Hill Media long ago. So, when Jaylene approached him


    to do her makeup, he agreed without much thought. She was the heiress of the Saun family in Rivera


    and the sister of Elegant


    Media''s owner. He would not be afraid of offending


    Vermont if he could make her happy and secure the Saun family''s support. His future jobs would only


    be of higher caliber.


    Michael never imagined that the job he turned down from


    Vermont was actually for the legitimate Saun family heiress. He had already witnessed how much the


    Saun family doted on her at the scene just now. ''If I hadn''t turned down that job, I would have been the


    one doing her makeup today,¡¯ he thought. The more the Saun family doted on Ste, the more benefits


    Michael would have reaped.


    And now, not only did he turn down the makeup job for the true heiress of the Saun family, but she also


    heard the content ofst night''s call. It was clear that he did not refuse to take Jaylene¡¯s appointment


    because he did not want Vermont''s job. Michael was unwilling to give up this opportunity to climb


    higher in the industry.


    The reputation of being a top makeup artist had inted Michael''s ego over the years. He had started


    to be conceited. He thought all of his sess was because of his own abilities. But in reality,


    Hustuabourg was big. There were far more talented makeup artists than the few he knew. Most people


    just did not get the opportunity to showcase their work.


    When Vermont first met Michael, all he did was focus on doing makeup. He was not much of a talker.


    Vermont thought he was reliable and had decent makeup skills, so he kept his contact information.


    Whenever his artists had events, he would call Michael to do their makeup.


    Vermont was indeed frugal, but he was not ignorant of social etiquette. After Michael gained fame, the


    compensation Vermont offered him increased along with


    Michael''s status. He just did not think about providing a tip for the makeup team. The reason was


    simple: he had a widework in the industry and had brought Michael a lot of work over the years.


    This included the several celebrities who paid for Michael''s work, all of whom Vermont had


    rmended.N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Vermont thought that since he brought him so much work and made plenty of money, it was not


    unreasonable for him not to tip Michael. However, humans are greedy by nature.


    Michael felt that Vermont was taking advantage of their rtionship now that he was much more


    famous.

 Chapter 1452

    Chapter 1452


    Chapter 1452 [Eleven Jewell]


    The realization of missing out on an opportunity to work for the true Saun family heiress gnawed at


    Michael. His face grew pale, and his lips quivered before he managed to speak. ¡°M-Mr. Snyder never


    mentioned that it was you who wanted the makeup.¡±


    Ste maintained her smile and her tone. ¡°Once you¡¯ve made amitment, you should have the


    integrity to keep it regardless of who it is, no? Did Mr. Snyder offer you less than my sister did, causing


    you to change your mind at thest minute? Given your close ties with him, I¡¯m sure he would¡¯ve


    understood if you just said something.¡±


    Michael stood frozen, and his face was still pale. He struggled to answer Ste¡¯s prompt.


    Jaylene pressed her lips together, and she attempted to exin. ¡°Ste, this is most likely a


    misunderstanding. Mr. Snyder didn¡¯t provide a deposit, so Mr. Caleb might have thought that it was a


    casual mention.¡±


    Ste turned her attention to Jaylene, and her voice tinged with a hint of irony. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that¡­¡±


    This single statement caused a stir among the onlookers.


    ¡°Wait, how did Jaylene know that there wasn¡¯t a deposit?¡±


    ¡°Could she have intentionally snatched the makeup artist away from someone else?¡±


    ¡°I heard something like this earlier, but I¡¯m not sure¡­¡±


    ¡°What did you hear?¡±


    ¡°There was gossip in the group chat saying that Vermont was running around trying to find a makeup


    artist in the middle of the night. A makeup artist of Michael¡¯s talent usually requires advanced booking,


    so they were in quite the trouble.¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°This means that Michael knew he couldn¡¯t make it well beforehand. But, instead of letting Mr. Snyder


    know early, he waited until thest minute to back out. Was he intentionally putting the other party in a


    tough spot?¡±


    ¡°This is so intriguing, especially since the other person who hired him was Jaylene.¡±


    ¡°Look at her. She¡¯s all dolled up when she isn¡¯t even the main focus of the event. The fact that she


    hired Michael knowing that he was supposed to do makeup for Ste shows her intentions.¡±


    Jaylene¡¯s face turned pale, as she listened to the people¡¯s discussions. ¡°I heard about it from Mr. Caleb


    after he did my makeup. I genuinely didn¡¯t know that you had arranged for him to do your makeup. If I


    had known, I definitely wouldn¡¯t have approached him,¡± she hurriedly exined.


    Ste smiled faintly. ¡°Whether you knew or not doesn¡¯t matter anymore. I wouldn¡¯t want to work with


    makeup artists like him, who are only after profit and have no sense of loyalty. You have to keep your


    eyes peeled when you hire a makeup artist, sis. With your natural beauty, you¡¯d be better off without


    these overhyped makeup artists who could potentially ruin your existing grace.¡±


    Ste was just a step away from saying they were all show and no substance.


    Jaylene¡¯s expression turned grim, and her fingers trembled slightly. Suddenly, her eyes reddened, and


    her voice choked. ¡°Ste, you¡¯ve really misunderstood the situation. Ever since dad told me you were


    his daughter, I¡¯ve been eagerly anticipating this day. I valued this moment, and all the effort I put into


    dressing up was just to leave a good impression on you. I didn¡¯t know that because of me, you almost


    couldn¡¯t find a makeup artist in time. Even if it wasn¡¯t intentional, I¡¯m still to me. I¡¯m sorry. Truly, I¡¯m


    so-¡°


    Before Jaylene could finish her sentence, her body suddenly stiffened. She clutched her neck. Her


    mouth opened and closed as if she could not breathe while she made a wheezing sound.


    Ste was startled. She quickly realized that Jaylene was having an asthma attack.

 Chapter 1453

    Chapter 1453


    Chapter 1453 [Eleven Jewell]


    Jaylene¡¯s face flushed, as she struggled to breathe. The veins on her forehead bulged. Many onlookers


    were witnessing this situation for the first time, and their reactions were dyed. All the guests were


    taken aback by Jaylene¡¯s distressing condition. Some instinctively stepped back to give her space. 1


    Ste frowned. She was prepared to approach and assess the situation, but Keegan had already


    appeared by her side. Then, he gently restrained her by the wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t get too close,¡± he murmured


    to her.


    Steplied, holding her position without moving. The suddenmotion quickly attracted


    attention. Trevor promptly arrived to disperse the gathering. Witnessing her daughter¡¯s struggle,


    Darcie¡¯s eyes reddened. She swiftly embraced her and urgently called for someone to fetch her


    medicine. Jaylene¡¯s symptoms showed no sign of improvement after a few puffs from the inhaler. This


    caused Darcie to worry even more.


    Wenham¡¯s face was tense at the moment. Heforted Darcie while instructing Trevor to promptly


    arrange transportation to the hospital. The discussions around them persisted.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t Jaylene just talking to Ste? Why did she suddenly have an asthma attack?¡±


    ¡°Could Ste have said something that upset Jaylene?¡±


    ¡°It seems like Ste¡¯s makeup artist appointment was canceled because of Jaylene. She thought it was


    intentional, and they got into an argument.¡±


    ¡°There wasn¡¯t an argument. I was right here. They hardly exchanged a few words before Jaylene had


    an attack.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s still Ste¡¯s doing, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Ste¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡®If Keegan had not held me back, and I had moved forward to assist, would I


    still face these unwarranted usations?¡¯


    Ste did not realize that Keegan had not considered this either. He was simply rmed by Jaylene¡¯s


    distressed state and was concerned that Ste might inadvertently exacerbate the situation.


    On the other hand, Felicity was seething with anger. ¡°She had an emotional outburst and then fell ill. It¡¯s


    her own inability to control her emotions. What does this have to do with Ste? Does she me the


    TV shows for upsetting her if she watches something emotional? These people are nuts! ¡± she


    murmured to Vermont.


    Vermont consoled her with a pat on the shoulder and said in a low voice, ¡°We can¡¯t control whates


    out of other people¡¯s mouths. Mr. Saun isn¡¯t unreasonable; I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t me Ste.¡±


    Due to Jaylene¡¯s sudden condition, the celebration quickly concluded. Even if Jaylene was not


    Wenham¡¯s biological daughter, he had raised her for many years and even lived abroad for an


    extended period to ensure that she received


    proper medical care.


    Continuing the banquet would be out of the question. If he failed to address this situation, it could give


    rise to criticism.


    Wenham was worried that Ste might misunderstand, so he intended to provide his daughter with an


    exnation. Ste, however, understood perfectly. ¡°Go ahead, dad.


    Keegan and I will stay here to see off the guests. We¡¯ll go to the hospital after that.¡±


    Wenham was touched by his daughter¡¯s understanding and said, ¡°Don¡¯t pay attention to those people.


    Jaylene¡¯s health has always been weak. This has nothing to do with you.¡±


    Ste smiled. ¡°I know, dad.¡±


    Following that, Wenham and his entourage escorted Jaylene to the hospital.


    Wilfred and Edith were a little displeased with this sudden turn of events but did not voice their


    concerns since Jaylene¡¯s life was on the line. However, the two elders were aging, and their bodies


    could not bear the strain. Therefore, Daryl and Katherine decided to take them home.


    When they were ready to leave, Daryl noticed that Leighton was not following them. ¡°Why are you still


    lingering here? Let¡¯s go,¡± he called out.


    Leighton did not move. ¡°I¡¯ll visit the hospitalter.¡±


    Daryl¡¯s expression was odd. ¡®This guy hates Jaylene and Darcie. What in the world is going on here?¡¯


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Daryl did not believe that his own son had suddenly turned over a new leaf. He knew that Leighton


    must be hiding something. But he could not be bothered to stop him. He simply warned, ¡°Just don¡¯t


    cause any trouble.¡±


    Leighton did not respond.

 Chapter 1454

    Chapter 1454


    Chapter 1454 [Eleven Jewell]


    Leighton¡¯s younger brother, Noah, noticed that Leighton stayed behind and let go of his mother¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Dad, I want to stay with Jaylene a little longer,¡± he said.


    Daryl, who usually found Noah quite obedient, agreed. He then advised Leighton to bring Noah back


    when he leaves.


    Leighton did not seem pleased. He nced at the little one beside him and reluctantly agreed.


    The Kane family departed quietly without a word, just as they had arrived. The revtion of Ste¡¯s


    status as the Saun family heiress was too shocking. Their main concern now was the potential of


    rekindling Keegan and Ste¡¯s past rtionship. With the support of the Saun family, Keegan would


    undoubtedly have a formidable ally, making it less likely for Chandler to seize control of Vinci Rivera.


    They needed some time to digest this information. Cordelia and Aurora left with Chandler¡¯s family.


    Soon, the guests gradually departed, leaving very few people. Marshall, who had been quietly


    observing from a corner, finally stood up.


    Ariel followed him, as she noticed he was heading toward Ste.


    Having worn high heels all evening, Ste¡¯s feet were sore. She vented to Keegan, ¡°High heels are


    unequivocally a woman¡¯s torture. They look nice, but they¡¯re good for nothing!¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips. ¡°Why does it seem like your description of high heels and your description of


    me are exactly the same?¡±


    Ste was momentarily taken aback by his response. Sheughed softly and said, ¡°That was ages ago.


    Back then, you were so obnoxious. In my eyes, you were only good-looking and nothing else.¡±


    Keegan nced at her. ¡°Does that mean your impression of me improved?¡±


    ¡°Of course. If you were still the same as before, how could I ever get along with you?¡±


    Keegan grew curious. ¡°So, what is your evaluation of me now?¡±


    Ste leaned close to his ear. ¡°Handsome and very very naughty,¡± said Ste.


    Keegan did not know how to respond.


    Ste blinked and asked, ¡°Is my evaluation urate?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyes darkened, and his voice was deep. ¡°Do you know what it means when you talk dirty to a


    man you¡¯re interested in?¡±


    Ste could be quite provocative with her words when she was not in bed. She leaned in and


    whispered, ¡°It means I want to sleep with you.¡±


    Keegan was eating it up, even though he always corrected


    Ste¡¯s more explicitnguage. He was about to discuss following the doctor¡¯s advice when Marshall¡¯s


    voice sounded from nearby.


    ¡°Ste.¡±


    Ste let go of Keegan¡¯s hand and stood up. She looked toward him and greeted, ¡°Mr. Moore.¡±


    Marshall was wearing a white suit today, which exuded refinement and gentility. His features were


    handsome, and he spoke in a warm tone. ¡°It was too crowded earlier to talk.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    I deliberately stayed a bit longer. Congrattions on reuniting with your family.¡±


    Ste politely smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°When did you discover this?¡± Marshall asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s already been discovered for a while,¡± Ste said. She thought about how she had been keeping


    the secret from Marshall all this time and added, ¡°I didn¡¯t announce it earlier because there were still


    some matters in the Jewell family that needed to be handled. I didn¡¯t want too many people to know.¡±


    Marshall grinned. ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin to me. I understand.¡±


    Keegan watched the two of them chatting amicably. He calmly addressed Marshall, ¡°Tomorrow is


    Monday. Don¡¯t you have work? You should head back early.¡±


    Marshall nced at him. ¡°You¡¯re still here too,¡± he said.


    Keegan replied, ¡°There¡¯s a difference between being the boss of apany and a worker.¡±


    Marshall was rendered silent. Just as he was about to say something, Ariel¡¯s voice came from behind.


    ¡°Ms. Saun.¡±

 Chapter 1455

    Chapter 1455


    Chapter 1455 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ste turned toward the voice and saw Ariel standing there in a light beige dress, holding a gift box.


    Unlike Dahlia and Irene, who always exuded extravagance, Ariel¡¯s appearance was elegantly


    understated. Even though she had gained a little weight, she still radiated grace.


    Thest time Ste and Ariel met was at the jewelry exhibition over half a year ago. In her memory,


    Ariel had fair skin and a healthyplexion. But now, looking at her, she seemed to have lost some


    weight, and her spirit did not seem as vibrant as it did half a year ago.


    With a smile, Ste nodded politely. ¡°Hello, Mrs. Moore.¡±


    Marshall subtly furrowed his brows, as he was annoyed.¡± Why did youe along? I¡¯m leaving after a


    few words.¡±


    ¡°I want to talk to Ms. Saun too,¡± Ariel replied.


    Marshall¡¯s frown deepened, and he stood there in silence.


    Ariel turned to Ste and spoke warmly. ¡°Ms. Saun, I remember you helping Marshall when he was


    injured a while ago. Initially, I wanted toe and thank you personally, but Marshall didn¡¯t allow it. He


    feared that you might feel ufortable. However, the incident is still in the back of my mind. I felt that


    I had to thank you personally.¡±


    Ste understood and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry, Mrs. Moore. Mr. Moore is my friend, and friends


    help each other out. Besides, I wasn¡¯t the first to lend a hand that day. It was a friend of mine. Mr.


    Moore has already expressed his gratitude with a gift. He has helped me a lot in previous


    legal matters as well. You really don¡¯t have to do anything.¡±


    Ariel continued, ¡°Marshall is my only son. You saved him, which means you saved me too. I feel


    indebted for this favor. I thought about adopting you as my goddaughter and having Marshall protect


    you as a brother. But I didn¡¯t realize you were the long-lost heiress of the Saun family. It feels a little


    embarrassing to bring this up.¡±


    As she spoke, she took something wrapped in a velvet cloth from her bag and began to unwrap it


    slowly. Ste saw that it was a pendant made from ck jade. A dragon and phoenix were carved on


    one side, while the word ¡°Moore¡± was engraved on the other.


    ¡°This is a pendant exclusive to the descendants of the Moore family. It was originally made for


    Marshall¡¯s younger brother, but that child¡¯s time with me was short. Now, I¡¯m giving this pendant to you.


    Marshall sees you as his sister. As long as you hold onto this pendant, the Moore family will do


    everything in our power to help if you encounter any difficulties in the future.¡±


    Marshall¡¯s face darkened. He sternly said, ¡°I would still help her without the pendant. Why are you


    doing this, mom? Why are you trying to bring sadness by giving away heirlooms on such a joyous


    asion?¡±


    Ariel stiffened, and her eyes turned slightly red. She whispered, ¡°Ryan never got to wear this pendant.


    It was finished after he passed away.¡±


    Marshall felt a lump in his throat and could not speak for a long while.


    Keegan lowered his eyes, and his expression was pensive. Meanwhile, Ste felt awkward. It was not


    that she thought it was bad luck, but receiving an exclusive family heirloom from the Moore family felt


    strange.


    After a moment¡¯s thought, she said, ¡°Mrs. Moore, I regard Marshall as my brother even without this


    pendant. If there¡¯s ever a need for his assistance, I will definitely not hesitate to ask. Please keep theN?velDrama.Org content rights.


    pendant as a keepsake.¡±


    Marshall clenched his fist, and his face was tense.


    Ariel¡¯s eyes grew a little redder, but it seemed as though a weight had been lifted off her chest. She


    whispered softly,¡± Thank you for saying that.¡±


    She did not persist in trying to get Ste to ept the pendant. Instead, she took out another gift she


    had prepared and handed it over. ¡°This is a small token from me and my husband for you officially


    rejoining the Saun family. You must ept it.¡±


    Ste could not refuse, so she thanked Ariel and epted the gift.


    Ariel seemed as if she wanted to say more. But, before she could speak, Marshall interrupted. ¡°Come


    on, mom. Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s gettingte.¡±

 Chapter 1456

    Chapter 1456


    Chapter 1456


    Ariel suppressed her words and bid farewell before leaving the venue with her son. Once they were


    gone, Ste turned to Keegan and said, ¡°Marshall¡¯s mother is a little strange. Why did she give me her


    younger son¡¯s pendant as a sign of gratitude? It feels like a movie where the protagonist can make


    requests by holding on to a certain family heirloom.¡±


    Keegan stayed silent. At first, he did not understand Ariel¡¯s intentions. However, after hearing her


    words, he seemed to grasp it.


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Ariel likely sensed Marshall¡¯s feelings for Ste. She came here to sever any lingering romantic ties


    between them.


    Whether it was adopting Ste as her goddaughter or giving her the pendant, her objective was clear.


    She wanted to push them into a sibling rtionship and extinguish any romantic sentiments Marshall


    might have.


    Ste tugged at Keegan¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m asking you a question. Why aren¡¯t you responding?¡±


    Keegan returned to reality and calmly said, ¡°How should I know what she means? Maybe she finds you


    charming and adorable.¡± He had no interest in ying messenger for Marshall¡¯s affections.


    Ste was taken aback. ¡®Smooth,¡¯ she thought.


    Meanwhile, Marshall¡¯s face remained cold. It was not until they were in the car that he spoke in a low


    voice. ¡°I¡¯ve been


    able to control my feelings well, mom. There¡¯s really no need for this.¡±


    Ariel pressed her lips together, and after a long while, she said, ¡°I can see she still has feelings for


    Keegan.¡±


    Marshall found his mother¡¯s words annoying. ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know that?¡±


    ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you give up?!¡± Ariel asked, and she was slightly agitated.


    Just a few days ago, when she was organizing his son¡¯s study, she found piles and piles of papers with


    Ste¡¯s name written all over them.


    Marshall closed his eyes. After a moment, he said, ¡°Is it wrong to like someone in secret? Why do you


    have to force me to stop?¡±


    This statement broke through Ariel¡¯s defenses. Her eyes reddened, as she choked up. ¡°I just don¡¯t want


    to see you get hurt. You¡¯re all I have.¡±


    Ste was a member of the Saun family. Now that she had a new identity, it was likely that Frederick


    would agree to their rtionship. This was precisely what worried her the most.


    Marshall seemed to have grown tired of this conversation. He remained silent for a long while before he


    said, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Ariel felt uneasy, but she did not regret her actions.


    After seeing off all the guests, Ste asked Trevor for a few envelopes and went to Olivia.


    Olivia was still instructing the staff to clean up the venue. When she heard Ste calling for her, she


    walked over.


    Ste did not beat around the bush. ¡°Olivia, today¡¯s banquet was a great sess, thanks to you. I


    thought of helping your business and repaying the favor, but in the end, I had to ask for your help


    again. I owe you even more now. I¡¯m not very good at expressing myself, but I¡¯ll remember this favor. If


    you ever need any help in the future, don¡¯t hesitate to ask. I¡¯ll do everything I can.¡±


    Olivia smiled at her words and let out a sigh. ¡°Friends don¡¯t keep scores like this. It¡¯s true that I did


    more than I was asked. But, by holding the event here, business would be booming with so many


    dignitaries from Rivera in attendance, witnessing the grandeur I provided. You¡¯ve helped me plenty,


    Ste.¡±

 Chapter 1457

    Chapter 1457


    Chapter 1457


    Ste smiled.


    Mrs. Chapman¡­No, Olivia Warren was a very clever person who knew exactly what to do at the right


    time.


    If she were to make any demands, she would be seen as someone who could be mutually beneficial to


    Ste at most, but she did not take the opportunity to im any credits. Instead, she told Ste that


    there was no loss on her side, and it was a win-win situation. So, there was no need for Ste to be so


    courteous. Her words suddenly made Ste like her a lot more.


    Ste was about to say something, but Olivia¡¯s husband, Erick Chapman, walked over.


    He politely greeted Ste. ¡°Hello, Ms. Saun.¡±


    Ste nodded and said in a t tone, ¡°Mr. Chapman, are you here for your wife?¡±


    Erick smiled faintly. He was an average-looking man who was rtively chubby. His physique


    resembled the stereotypical boss who loved to brag just about anything and had literally nothing


    exceptional about their looks.


    Although Olivia was about fifty years old, she loved interacting with others, and her physique was well-


    maintained. Her face did not look very youthful, but her features hinted at how attractive she looked in


    her younger days.


    Ste could not figure out how such a beautiful and intelligent woman would end up with a man like


    Erick.


    Erick said, ¡°I came to pick up my wife, and I just found out that you¡¯re Wenham¡¯s daughter who had just


    returned to the Saun family. Congrattions.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s tone turned softer as soon as she saw her husband.¡± I told you I¡¯d go home by myself. It¡¯s very


    late. Why did you stille here? You¡¯re leaving for a business trip tomorrow morning, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and that is why I wanted to see you before I go. Just to ease the pain of missing you for the next


    few days.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    She admitted that she had yelled at Keegan too harshly before.


    However, Keegan had the looks. Even if he said something cheesy, it would still sound romantic.


    But¡­ what Erick said shocked Ste to the core.


    Ste felt like she was going to throw up after listening to what Erick said and how he pretended to be


    gentle with Olivia.


    However, Olivia was already used to the way Erick spoke. She smiled gently and said, ¡°Wait for me


    here. I¡¯ll wrap things up and go home with you in a while.¡±


    Then, she shot Ste a nce and walked away.


    Erick began to size up Ste as soon as Olivia left.


    He was aware of the bad blood between Ste and his wife, so he could not figure out why the Saun


    family would organize the banquet here. He even saw the two of them standing very close to each


    other. Although he could not hear what they were talking about, it was enough to make him anxious.


    He was worried that Ste might say something about him to Olivia at this critical moment. Olivia was


    still useful to him, so he could not afford to let anything go wrong with their marriage.


    Ste stood in ce for a while before she turned around.


    However, Erick stopped her. ¡°Ms. Saun.¡±


    Ste shifted her gaze back at him. ¡°How can I help you?¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Erick opened his mouth and spoke hesitantly, ¡°I¡¯m in a very happy rtionship with my wife, and I still


    love her very much even though I¡¯ve made some mistakes. I don¡¯t want her to get hurt.¡±


    Ste stared at him for a few seconds before she tly said, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in meddling in your


    rtionship.


    Besides¡­¡± She smiled coldly and said in a malicious tone,¡± She had caused me so much trouble back


    then, why would I tell her about her husband cheating on her and having a child with his lover? I should


    at least wait until you have your first grandchild, so she can feel the crushing disappointment of all her


    lifelong efforts going to waste in an instant.¡±


    Then, she left without waiting for Erick to respond.


    Erick heaved a sigh of relief, as he thought to himself.¡¯ Phew. I¡¯m d that Ste still hates Olivia.¡¯


    When Ste went back to Keegan and the others, she could not help but scold, ¡°What a shameless


    being! How could he have the audacity to bring that up?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Keegan was puzzled.


    Then, Ste told him what happened.


    In fact, Ste did not trust Olivia very much when Olivia proposed to work together with her.

 Chapter 1458

    Chapter 1458


    Chapter 1458


    After all, Olivia had a history of helping Dahlia, which caused Ste a lot of trouble.


    However, ever since she found out that her husband had been secretly having an affair for nearly


    twenty years and even conspiring to cheat her money, Olivia seemed to have suddenly woken up.


    She had always been a smart person. Otherwise, she would not have been able to operate two of her


    hotels so sessfully. However, terrifying things could happen when intelligent people fall in love.


    She had mingled with all kinds of people in society for her husband¡¯s future. She also used her hard-


    earned money to boost her husband¡¯s career and reputation. She might be a materialistic person to


    others, but she was ultimately doing everything for the person she loved and for her family.


    Unfortunately, the man who she sacrificed so much for became the same person who betrayed her.


    Even worse, Erick still shamelessly said those cheesy words to Olivia in front of Ste. It was utterly


    disgusting.


    Felicity could not help but disdainfully say, ¡°He¡¯s just like your useless father, Albert Jewell! These


    stupid men have no shame! They should take a good look in the mirror and see how nasty their faces


    look. If they like having a child so much, they should get a uterine transnt for themselves!¡± Everyone


    there kept quiet.


    Vermont immediately hugged his girlfriend, who went out of control, and said, ¡°Hey, why are you


    speaking like this? It¡¯s too crude.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Felicity snorted. ¡°Crude? You haven¡¯t seen the crude side of me!¡±


    Vermont quickly pulled her to the side. ¡°I think everyone here has seen enough. We should just go


    home now, so you can show me the crude side of you¡­¡±


    Then, they walked away. After a while, Trevor finished checking the gift list and came back after loading


    them all into the car.


    ¡°Dad texted me and said that her condition is stable now. But she¡¯s still unconscious. He also said that


    since you¡¯ve had a long day, it¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t feel like going to the hospital.¡±


    Ste said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not going to take very long anyway. We¡¯re family, and it happened when I was


    just next to her. It wouldn¡¯t be right if I don¡¯t go.¡±


    She mainly wanted to see what Jaylene would say after regaining consciousness.


    So, the three of them, along with their younger cousins, got into the car and headed to the hospital


    where Jaylene was.


    Before leaving, Ste exchanged a few words with the hotel manager and handed him an envelope


    with money.


    The hotel manager quickly went to Olivia and said, ¡°Ms.


    Warren, Ms. Saun told me to give this to you, so all of us can share the joy tonight.¡±


    Olivia immediately understood that the money was meant to reward her staff.


    Although Ste did not grow up in the Saun family, she was just as thoughtful, sharp, and generous as


    anyone who came from a wealthy family.


    Olivia figured that Wenham had handed over Caline to Ste, so it would probably not take long before


    she became a threat to Darcie.


    The five of them squeezed into one car. Trevor drove while Keegan sat in the passenger seat whereas


    Noah sat between Ste and Leighton in the back seat.


    Noah bore a striking resemnce to Leighton, and he looked like a younger version of Leighton. His


    facial features were exquisite, and he was extremely adorable.


    However,pared to Leighton¡¯s icy demeanor, Noah seemed more sensible and prudent.


    His voice sounded extremely cute when he talked to Ste, and Ste could not resist it at all. After


    chatting for a while, they exchanged numbers and followed each other on social media.


    Leighton could not help but get jealous because he actually had to get burned just to get Ste¡¯s


    number. ¡®What a lucky brat!¡¯ he thought to himself.


    Very soon, the car arrived at the hospital.


    Upon entering the ward, they saw Darcie sitting by the bed with her reddened eyes, while Wenham


    stood at the side, furrowing his brows.


    They walked inside quietly, and Trevor asked in a low voice,¡± Is she not awake yet? What did the doctor


    say?¡±


    Wenham replied, ¡°The doctor is not sure either. They told us to just wait.¡±


    Leighton looked at the woman with a pale face on the hospital bed. Then, he lifted up his younger


    brother and threw him onto the bed when no one was looking. *


    Suddenly, the person on the bed let out a loud scream. 2

 Chapter 1459

    Chapter 1459


    Chapter 1459


    Everyone was surprised, and when they turned around, they saw Noah sprawled on Jaylene¡¯s bed,


    struggling to get up.


    The scream came from Jaylene.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Herplexion was already somewhat pale when they came in, but now it had be ghostly.


    After all, Noah was eleven years old. Although he had not hit puberty yet and was only about four feet


    nine, he weighed around a hundred pounds. Leighton had thrown him directly onto Jaylene¡¯s stomach.


    Jaylene was already a very skinny person, and the impact nearly crushed her internal organs.


    She arched like a shrimp and clutched her stomach in pain while groaning.


    Darcie was shocked. She immediately grabbed Noah and dragged him off the bed. ¡°What are you


    doing?!¡± she yelled.


    She would have pushed Noah to the ground if Keegan did not catch Noah in time.


    Noah seemed terrified, as he stood in front of Keegan with a pale face, trembling in fear.


    Darcie held onto Jaylene, and her face was filled with concern. ¡°Jaylene, are you okay? Where does it


    hurt?¡±


    Jaylene clutched her abdomen and even her lips had turned pale. She could not speak at all.


    Leighton rubbed Noah¡¯s head and asked, ¡°What¡¯s up with you? Why did you jump on her?¡±


    Noah responded softly with teary eyes, ¡°I was just too nervous to check on her, and I tripped because I


    ran too fast. n


    He looked remorseful, as tears streamed down his face and his voice Wenham, I didn¡¯t mean to do


    that. Did I hurt Jaylene?¡±


    Darcie spoke sternly. ¡°How could you be on the bed if you tripped? Did you trip or intentionally jump on


    her? She was still unconscious!¡±


    Leighton chimed in tly, ¡°Well, she¡¯s awake now, right? She might probably still be unconscious if it


    weren¡¯t for my brother. She¡¯s been unconscious for so long, and she could suffer from oxygen


    deprivation to the brain. We didn¡¯t even ask you to pay us for treating her. How could you be so rude to


    him?¡±


    Darcie was so infuriated that her lips trembled. ¡°Are you suggesting that I should thank him for jumping


    onto my daughter? What kind of twisted logic is that?¡±


    Noah cried even louder. ¡°Aunty Darcie, I really didn¡¯t mean to dothat. Boo-hoo¡­¡±


    Wenham frowned. ¡°Children can be very clumsy at times. I¡¯m do that. Look at how frightened you made


    him.¡±


    Darcie¡¯s expression turned ugly. ¡°Jaylene just came out of the emergency room and he did that to her,


    yet I can¡¯t even scold him?¡±


    Wenham thought that Darcie was being unusually harsh today. She would normally be very tolerant of


    her subordinates making mistakes at work, so he could not figure out why she was being so rough on


    Noah.


    He was about to say something, but Jaylene finally got over the pain and said hoarsely with a pale


    face, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m okay. Let it go.¡±


    Her tone was filled with grievance, and her sickly appearance made her look extremely vulnerable.


    She was the daughter that Wenham had raised for twenty years, after all. Wenham could not bear to


    see her in a state like that, as he turned to Trevor and said, ¡°Go get the doctor.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Trevor responded and left the ward.


    Darcie¡¯s heart broke, as she looked at Jaylene. ¡°Don¡¯t speak if you¡¯re not feeling well. The doctor will


    come and check on you soon,¡± she said softly.

 Chapter 1460

    Chapter 1460


    Chapter 1460


    Jaylene shook her head, as she held Darcie¡¯s hand and struggled to sit up. Then, she looked at Ste.


    ¡°Ste, I¡¯m sorry. Although it wasn¡¯t intentional, I know that you almost got into trouble because of the


    makeup artist. You might not believe anything I say, but I would still like to apologize to you. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    She bowed at Ste after saying those words, and tears welled up in her eyes when she raised her


    head back up.


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    ¡°I may not be dad¡¯s biological daughter, but he raised me since I was a child. I¡¯ve seen how much he


    missed you with my own eyes. I hope more than anyone that the banquet can be held smoothly so that


    Dad¡¯s wish can finallye true. I¡¯ll never be able to forgive myself if I¡¯m the reason why the banquet


    went wrong.¡±


    After saying that, she got up and knelt on the bed, facing Wenham. She paid no attention to the needle


    on her face, as she said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m sorry. I honestly had no idea that Michael was Ste¡¯s makeup


    artist. I would¡¯ve never hired him no matter what if I had known. I¡¯m the reason why Ste could not get


    a makeup artist for the banquet. Please punish me.¡±


    Ste pursed her lips.


    On the other hand, Wenham had not found out what exactly happened.


    Then, Ste said, ¡°Dad, it¡¯s my fault. Michael was the one who stood me up and caused me the trouble


    of getting him reced at thest minute. I only found out that he epted Jaylene¡¯s booking during


    the banquet and realized that he is a dishonorable person who prioritized people with a background.


    ¡°I think we should just forget it. We¡¯re all family, after all.


    Let¡¯s not make a fuss over this. Jaylene was feeling very guilty over it, and she could not wait to rify


    things with me. In the end, she got so agitated that she fell ill.¡±


    Ste replied in a quivered voice, as tears fell out of her eyes like beads on a broken string. ¡°I was so


    worried on the way here, and I couldn¡¯t imagine what I would do if anything bad happened to Jaylene.


    It¡¯s just a small matter anyway. It wouldn¡¯t matter if Jaylene did that intentionally or not since everything


    had already happened, and the banquet ended smoothly. Why did I go after Michael to demand an


    exnation and make Jaylene misunderstand¡­¡±


    Perhaps Jaylene was shocked by how bitchy Ste sounded, and for a moment, she forgot to cry.


    Meanwhile, Ste¡¯s tears continued to stream from her eyes. She was a professional in doing that, after


    all.


    ¡°If I had known that this would cause Jaylene to fall sick, I would¡¯ve just kept everything to myself and


    never mentioned a word to her.¡±


    Wenham¡¯s heart broke when he saw his precious daughter shedding tears.


    Jaylene had always been a sensitive person and would cry


    just about anything. She would overthink a simple phrase that another person said and get upset over


    it.


    And people were more likely to ce their trust in those who mattered to them, so Wenham had


    complete faith in what Ste said.


    ¡°You were stood up, so it¡¯s perfectly reasonable for you to demand an exnation. Jaylene has always


    been a


    sensitive person who tends to overthink things anyway. It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    Jaylene¡¯s face turned even paler. She clenched her fingers so tightly that they turned white.


    ¡°Ste,¡± Darcie spoke. Although her eyes were still a little red, her expression had returned to normal. ¡°I


    lost control just now. Jaylene is my only child, and she¡¯s very fragile. I get very anxious whenever she


    falls sick, so I failed to fully understand what happened.


    ¡°Jaylene could¡¯ve handled this better, and she should¡¯ve ensured that everything was in order before


    choosing a makeup artist for herself. She¡¯ll be the only person to me if the banquet can¡¯t be held


    smoothly because of this. It¡¯s only right for her to apologize.¡±


    She took off her tinum bangle, as she spoke. ¡°Ste, please ept this and forgive Jaylene. I hope


    you¡¯ll like it.¡±


    Clearly, Darcie was trying to patch things up.


    If they were to pursue the matter further and it turned out that Jaylene had done it intentionally, things


    would be even worse. At that point, Wenham would definitely see


    Jaylene differently, and her image in his heart would be tarnished. So, Darcie figured that stopping


    everything there was the best way to handle the situation.


    But¡­ would Ste be satisfied with just a bangle? 3

 Chapter 1461

    Chapter 1461


    Chapter 1461


    Ste did not take it. She had just cried, and her eyes were still red. It made her look very vulnerable.


    "Darcie, this was just a misunderstanding to begin with, and it''s my fault for bringing it up at the wrong


    time. If I were to take this bangle from you, how do I exin where it came from if others asked? If I


    told them that you gave it to me aspensation on behalf of Jaylene, they would definitely want to


    find out what exactly happened. I''m never good at exining things, and if they misunderstood


    anything, there would be a big problem.


    "You''ve been busy preparing and picking the right hotel for the banquet in the past few days. I


    should''ve just let it go considering the effort you put into this for me. It was my fault for bringing it up."


    Darcie''s heart sank, as she subconsciously nced at Wenham.


    His expression turned somewhat unpleasant.


    ¡®Why did she have to mention the hotel?


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡®She''s clearly just pretending to admit that it was her fault.


    ¡®I underestimated her. I shouldn''t have tried to make things difficult for her during the banquet. Wenham


    is very eager topensate her due to his guilt, and there is just no way that he would allow her to be


    mistreated,¡¯ Darcie thought to herself.


    The fact that Wenham gave the shares of Caline to Ste without discussing it with her was to show


    how dissatisfied he was with her actions.


    Darcie pursed her lips and gently said, ¡°It''s my fault for not being thoughtful enough. You''re already


    generous enough to let things go, and I shouldn''t have brought it up. Just keep this bangle as a gift


    from me for returning to our family. And...¡±


    She paused before she continued, "I''ll let you manage a jewelry shop named The Velvet on Gxy


    Avenue. It might not be as valuable as your father''s gift, but please don''t refuse it.¡±


    Ste lowered her gaze. "Darcie, it''s too much...¡±


    ¡°Ste, you can take it,¡± Wenham said. ¡°Our family has a lot of businesses. You''ll need to learn how to


    manage them in the future anyway. Consider it a part of your training.¡±


    After being married for so many years, Darcie knew that Wenham had epted her proposed offer as


    soon as he spoke.


    However, Jaylene still looked pale, as her fingers trembled slightly.


    Ste did not push it any further. "Since dad says so, I''ll ept it, then. Thank you, Darcie.¡±


    She reached out and took the bangle. "It''s so beautiful. Darcie, you have such great taste,¡± she praised


    with a smile. Darcie clenched her fists tightly and forced a smile. "I''m d that you like it.¡±


    The titanium bangle was worth a fortune. Ste was shocked by how generous Darcie was, as she


    would have never done the same thing as her.


    After a while, the doctor came.


    Then, the doctor examined Jaylene''s condition.


    The doctor told everyone that Jaylene was fine now, but she could stay in the hospital for another night


    if they were worried.


    Darcie felt the need for it and wanted Jaylene to spend the night in the hospital. Wenham had to send


    off a few old friends who were catching ate-night flight. So, he had Trevor to stay and help.


    After that, Ste and Keegan, apanied by her two younger cousins, took the elevator down.


    Aldor was already waiting outside the hospital by then. Ste turned around and said to her younger


    cousins, "Let''s send you back first.¡±


    Leighton was wearing a mask and a cap, looking very cool.


    ¡°It''s fine. My manager''s car is here,¡± he said.


    Ste did not insist. "Okay, then. Be careful on the road and let me know when you''re home.¡±


    Noah grabbed Ste''s hand and finally asked the question he had been holding back for the entire


    night. "Ste, is that your husband?"


    He silently pointed at Keegan, who was standing next to them.


    Ste paused before she smiled and said, "Yeah."


    "What a handsome man," Noahplimented.


    Ste felt very happy as if thepliment was directed to herself. "You''re very handsome too,¡± she


    said.


    Leighton could not stand the fact that his little brother was getting more attention than him, so he


    nced at him and said, "Are youing or not? Find your own way home if you want to stay.¡±


    Noah pouted and reluctantly said goodbye to Ste before getting into the MPV with his brother.


    Noah waved at Ste behind the car window while Leighton, who was sitting in the front passenger


    seat, silently rolled up the rear window on Noah''s side.

 Chapter 1462

    Chapter 1462


    Chapter 1462


    Noah was speechless.


    He shot Leighton a nce and said, "How childish!¡± Leighton did not feel ashamed at all. "Well, it''s


    better than acting cute.¡±


    Noah snorted. "They would''ve known that you purposely threw me on the bed if it weren''t for me being


    clever and cute!¡±


    "So what?" Leighton was not bothered. "I''m not afraid of her.¡± He figured that an unconscious person


    could not be woken up just like that.


    Noah pouted and said, "I was just wondering why you would be so kind to take me with you today. It


    turns out, you just wanted to use me.¡±


    Leighton gazed at him. "What other uses do you have?"


    ¡°Take me with you to the set tomorrow. I want to take a picture with Nicole.¡±


    Noah had bragged too much to his friends about it, and he just had to get a picture with Nicole no


    matter what to get everyone''s attention.


    "No." Leighton rejected him without hesitating. "I''m going there for work. Do I look like a babysitter to


    you?"


    However, Noah threatened him. "I''ll tell dad if you don''t take me!"


    Leighton retorted, "I''m not going to change my mind even if you tell grandpa."


    He opened a bottle of water and took a sip as he spoke.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡®Is this little brat really trying to threaten me?¡¯


    Noah stared at his defiant older brother and brought out his trump card. "I''ll tell dad that you have a


    secret crush on Ste!¡±


    "Pfit-"


    Leighton spurted out the water in his mouth. Then, he gritted his teeth and said with a dark expression,


    "What the hell are you talking about?!"


    Noah replied calmly, All the figurines in your room are from the shows Ste voiced in. Your CD


    collection has herplete dubbing work, and even your phone''s ringtone...¡±


    "Shut up!¡±


    Leighton''s face turned even darker.


    ¡®Why would my dad even think that Noah is a good boy?¡¯ Leighton wondered to himself.


    In fact, Noah was better than Leighton in pretending to be a good boy. He might appear cute and


    innocent on the outside, but he was actually full of mischievous ideas on the inside!


    When he was younger, he used to be afraid of getting caught wetting the bed. So, he would sneak into


    Leighton''s room and sleep with him. In the middle of the night, if he wet the bed, he would immediately


    wake up and run back to his own room.


    During that period of time, Leighton would always wake up with a puddle in his bed. The adults in the


    family thought that there was something wrong with him and even brought him to see a doctor. It left


    him thinking that he had some kind of medical issue that led him to wet the bed even in his high school


    years.


    It was not until one night, he woke up from a dream and found his little brother sleeping stark naked on


    his bed.


    He wanted to wake the little brat up, but then he realized that Noah was already wetting the bed.


    He initially thought that Noah was just sleepwalking, so he did not confront him about it.


    The next night, hey in bed with his eyes closed, pretending to be asleep. After a while, he heard his


    bedroom door being opened.


    A tiny figure climbed onto his bed, adjusted the sheets, and slept next to him. In the middle of the night,


    Noah woke up right after wetting the bed again. Then, he got ready and left the room with his bottom


    exposed.

 Chapter 1463

    Chapter 1463


    Chapter 1463


    Leighton caught Noah right in the act.He immediately grabbed Noah, who was half naked, and woke


    the whole family out to rify himself.


    However, Noah started crying and said that he had only secretly gone to sleep with his brother because


    he wanted to get closer to Leighton, but he feared that Leighton might not like him.


    The adults reacted very differently to a teenager and a child wetting their bed.


    And, Noah always knew the right time to cry.


    So, not only was he not punished, but he was alsoforted.


    After that, Leighton realized that his little brother was not as innocent as he might appear, and he was a


    person filled with evil ideas.


    Noah was not afraid of Leighton at all.


    "I''ll snitch on you if you don''t take me!"


    Leighton felt a headacheing on.


    "I''m not very close to her.So, it''s not likely that she''ll take a picture with you even if you go."


    Noah replied, "All you have to do is take me there, and I''ll have my own ways to get a picture with her."


    Leighton thought about the "malicious" woman, nced at his "annoying" little brother, and thought to


    himself, ''I don''t have a problem letting him experience the harsh reality of this world"


    So, he said, "Think about your own excuse to mom and dad. I''ll get someone to take you there


    tomorrow."


    "Thank you, brother." Noah instantly smiled.


    Leighton scoffed lightly.


    Noah would only seem a bit like a child when he called him "brother." Ste took off her high heels right


    after she got in the car.


    Then, she leaned back in her seat and said in a low voice, " I''m exhausted. This is even more tiring


    than the wedding."


    Keegan fastened her seat belt for her and said, "You won''t have to do anything when we get married.


    All I need is for you to show up."


    "That''s not going to work." Ste nced at him.


    "What about receiving the wedding gifts? I want to experience the feeling of my hands going sore from


    opening all the gifts." Keegan chuckled softly.


    "Didn''t you experience itst time?" He felt like pping himself after he said that.


    Keegan was not even there during their wedding night, and Ste had almost fallen into Jackson''s trap.


    She had no chance to do that at all.


    Keegan pursed his lips and was about to say something.


    But, without mentioning anything about the incident, Ste said, "Most of the cash that we received


    during our wedding was taken by your mother.


    I only received those that were personally given to me by my friends, so I haven''t really experienced it."


    Keegan did not care a lot about the gifts and money, so he was not bothered about who ended up


    having them.


    Ste had just married into his family, and he figured that it would be right for them to be so calctive.


    Keegan sent all the wedding gifts that his friends had given him to Royalpark Vi, but most of the cash


    went into Dahlia''s pocket.


    In the end, the notebook that recorded everything they received on their wedding night ended up with


    Ste.


    After all, they needed it for reference when returning the favor next time.


    Ste had some free time and decided to calcte the total amount of cash they received.


    It turned out that it was close to eight digits, yet Dahlia had not given them a single penny.


    Keegan frowned.


    "She didn''t give you any money?"


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    "What...Was she supposed to?"


    Ste was puzzled.


    Keegan''s face darkened and said after a long pause, "Grandma told her to give us the notebook


    because she wanted you to keep all the cash we received at our wedding.We''re considered a


    standalone family after getting married and should bring our own gifts when attending other people''s


    celebrations in the future.The notebook and cash were meant to make our job easier when giving gifts


    to others."


    Not only that, but Cordelia had also instructed Dahlia to deposit all the cash into a bank card with an


    additional five million in it as a blessing to the newlyweds.


    Cordelia had already personally given Ste some money, but that five million was given in Dahlia''s


    name to tell her that the family regarded Ste as one of their own.


    Cordelia wished that Ste could settle down and feelfortable in this family, so she had to build a


    good rtionship between Ste and Dahlia, the mother-inw.


    However, nobody would expect that Dahlia would take all the money for herself.


    Not only did she take the five million, but she also took all the cash that was meant for them.


    To be honest, five million was barely anything to the Kane family, so no one really paid much attention


    to it.


    After all, it was meant for the new member of the family.


    No one could have anticipated that someone would take this money away.


    But, as it turned out, someone really did.

 Chapter 1464

    Chapter 1464


    Chapter 1464


    Keegan''s expression was not pleasant.


    Ste had married him right after graduating, and she had no savings at all upon arriving at the Kane


    residence.


    That money was meant to support her, and there was no way that Dahlia did not know that.


    Yet, she did not give Ste a single penny! Keegan got very angry.


    But, when he thought about how he neglected Ste, he realized he was at fault as well.


    He failed as a husband.


    He had taken everything for granted, thinking that everything was going as nned.


    However, he failed to consider how difficult it must have been for Ste when she first joined the


    unfamiliar family.


    Otherwise, she would have mentioned this issue to him way back then.


    Ste might have even assumed that everything was done ording to his wishes.


    Keegan did not know where to start exining.


    Ste also kept quiet for some time before she said, "I think we just got bamboozled."


    Keegan remained silent.


    Her words made Aldorugh, as he said to ease the tension, "Mrs.Kane, you should sit at the entrance


    and personally collect the gifts from the guests when you remarry Mr.Kane in the future.After that, you


    can go up the stage with all the money in your hands."


    Ste was speechless.


    "Just shut up and drive!" Keegan said angrily.


    Very soon, the car arrived at Clouditude International.


    In Block 7, Unit 902, Vermont was panting, as he softly asked, "How does it feel?"


    Felicity frowned.


    "It hurts a little, and it feels ufortable.Try doing it harder."


    "Harder? Are you sure you can take it?"


    "Don''t ask so many questions.Just do it!"


    Vermont had no choice but to shut up and do as Felicity said.


    "Ah, yes, yes.That''s the spot.Press it harder."


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Vermont massaged the spot.


    "Here?"


    "Yes."


    Then, he applied some ointment to his hand and continued massaging the area.


    Felicity murmured, "I suddenly feel like having a boyfriend can be really nice.It''s great to have someone


    to do anything for you."


    Vermont massaged her and said, "The boyfriend might not think the same way.He was expecting to


    have a girlfriend, yet he got a boss that he has to cater to instead."


    Felicity closed her eyes.


    "Let''s break up and end this rtionship, then." Vermontughed.


    "No way.I have no problem catering to my boss at all."


    As they chatted, they heard the sound of the elevator arriving through the partially closed door.


    Felicity jumped up from the couch abruptly.


    However, she sprained her waist and let out a painful cry.


    Vermont held onto her and asked, "What are you doing?"


    "To see how many gifts Ste received, of course.Aren''t you curious about it?"


    Vermont was indeed curious.


    After all, he was just as money minded as Ste.


    After they got home, Trevor''s assistant, Xavier, brought some men to move the gifts into Unit 901 next


    door.


    Vermont and Felicity ced their ears against the wall.


    Then, they heard the sounds of those people walking back and forth to move the gifts for more than


    half an hour.


    They got so curious that they did not even go to sleep aftering home.


    Instead, they waited for the couple next door to return, so they could see the gifts Ste received.

 Chapter 1465

    Chapter 1465


    Chapter 1465


    Ste did not feel like wearing her high heels.


    So, Keegan, who was being a good boyfriend, carried Ste all the way back.


    In the elevator, Ste wrapped her arms around his neck to show him the bangle on her wrist.


    "Do you think this bangle is worth ten million?"


    "It''s probably more.The finishing on this piece is exceptional, and Marshall''s aunt would never sell it for


    just ten million."


    Ste was taken aback.


    "Did she buy this from Marshall''s aunt?" Keegan nodded.


    "I was there at the auction.Vermont also had his eyes on that piece of raw titanium.But he thought that


    the price was too high, so he gave up on it.In the end, Marshall''s aunt won the bid."


    It turned out that the titanium purity was extremely high, and it was worth way more than the final


    bidding price.


    That made Vermont regret not bidding for it very much.


    Vermont just could not get his mind off it, and he kept asking Marshall about it in the group chat.


    However, Marshall went overseas and had no idea what was happening.


    After about half a year, Marshall suddenly said in the group chat that the raw titanium had been made


    into a bangle and a few other essories.


    And he mentioned that the bangle was bought by the Saun family.


    So, Keegan figured that it was most probably the same bangle that Darcie had given to Ste.


    Keegan paused.


    "You''re not thinking of selling it, are you?" Ste nced at him.


    "Am I that desperate for money to you?"


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Keegan dared not to expose her, as he thought inwardly, '' Well, let''s put it this way.If she could rent her


    husband out to make money, she would immediately do it without a second thought!¡¯ Ste touched the


    bangle.She had only met Darcie a few times, and she would always wear the same bangle.


    So, it was clear that she loved it very much.


    Ste thought for a moment before she said, "I have to wear it more often, especially in front of her.I''ve


    got to give her a taste of her own medicine after she set me up at the hotel."


    Keegan reminded himself about something and suddenly chuckled.


    Ste looked at him and asked, "What''s so funny?"


    Keegan gazed back at her.


    "It looked very real when you were crying just now.I''m very impressed."


    Ste snorted.


    "Even my dad was fooled.Saying that you''re impressed is an understatement."


    "Uncle Saun is biased.He would believe you anyway no matter how fake you cry," Keegan said.


    "What about you?"


    Keegan smiled and said, "I''m still rational enough to make my own judgment, even though I''m biased


    too."


    Ste pretended to pinch his ear, but Keegan tilted his head and kissed her lips.


    "But I''m willing to y along."


    Keegan was saying that even if he knew Ste was just pretending, he would still do anything to make


    things go her way.His heartfelt words instantly stirred up Ste.


    The elevator doors opened, and Ste suddenly hooked her arm around Keegan''s neck to kiss him


    even harder.


    Keegan was surprised.


    He set her down and wrapped his arm around her waist.


    Both of them had been busytely, and it had been a while since they got intimate with each other.


    At that moment, Ste was not thinking about anything lewd.


    She was just happy to be there.


    She finally got to reunite with her family, witness the culprit of her foster mother¡¯s ident be brought


    to justice, and receive so many gifts that her hands felt sore.


    Suddenly, she felt like her life was very fulfilling.


    Keegan pinned her down against the door and ran his finger through his hair.


    Then, he held the back of her head and caressed her.


    Ste opened her eyes, intending to ask Keegan to open the door first.


    But, as soon as she did, she saw Vermont and Felicity standing not far away.


    The couple stared at them nkly and even took out their phones at the same time.


    Ste was caught off guard.She nudged Keegan.


    Keegan had yet to sense the awkwardness in the air, and he said in a low voice, "Do you prefer a virgin


    or an experienced person?"

 Chapter 1466

    Chapter 1466


    Chapter 1466


    Ste was speechless.She tugged on Keegan''s hair and pulled him away from herself.


    Then, she cleared her throat and tried to cover up.


    * He''s drunk."


    Keegan ignorantly corrected her.


    "I''m not."


    Vermont tried to suppress hisughter and said, "Doesn''t look like it to me either."


    Keegan kept quiet.It was only then he realized that there were two audience members standing behind


    him, which exined why his girlfriend had stopped him earlier.


    He frowned in annoyance and said, "What are you two doing here in the middle of the night?"


    Keegan was extremely irritated.


    "We want to help Ste tally the gift list," Felicity said.


    "Your brother-inw moved so many things here just now.The two of you will probably have to count


    the gifts until tomorrow if we don''t help.We''re just trying to be a good friend,"


    Vermont chimed in.


    Keegan replied, "We can continue some other time if we can''t finish today.It''s not urgent anyway."


    "That might be the case for you, but do you think Ste will be able to sleep in peace before she


    finishes counting the gifts? She''ll probably kick you out of the bed in the middle of the night to count


    them."


    His words left Keegan speechless.


    Vermont was absolutely right.


    After all, both of them were just as money-minded, and they shared the exact same thoughts.


    Ste warmly weed the couple inside, leaving Keegan sulking in frustration.


    They entered the unit, turned on the lights, and all four of them were shocked.


    Vermont had underestimated the gifts Ste would receive.


    The living room was now filled with so many things that they barely had any room to walk.


    Felicity opened her mouth wide in astonishment and only said after a long pause, "Magnificent!"


    Ste and Keegan had no experience in tallying the gifts, but Vermont had.


    After all, he was someone who had celebrated his thirtieth birthday.


    So, he took charge of the situation and said to Ste, "Ste, get the gift list out.We''ll count the gifts


    together.Once we''re done, you can decide on what you want to keep and what you want to sell."


    Ste nodded.So, the four of them started searching for the gift list.


    However, none of them could find it.


    Then, Ste said, "I''ll call my brother and ask."


    In the hospital, Trevor came back upstairs with two bowls of porridge.He opened the door, and there


    was only Jaylene lying on the hospital bed.


    Darcie had gone out.


    He ced the porridge on the table and tly said, "Have some."


    Jaylene looked at Trevor.


    Trevor would get nervous whenever she fell sick in the past.


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    They had grown up together, and he had always doted on her.


    However, he did not act the same as usual, and he even appeared to be somewhat distant.


    Jaylene pursed her lips and said softly, "Thank you, brother."


    Trevor did not respond to that.


    Instead, he sat somewhere far away and said, "Just let me know if you need anything."


    Then, he started scrolling on his phone.


    He did not ask Jaylene how she was feeling, whether the injections hurt, or if the medicine tasted bitter.


    Before this day, Jaylene had never thought that it would be possible for Ste to rece her in her


    father and brother''s hearts.


    After all, they had spent over twenty years together.


    How could they suddenly treat her differently because of a daughter who had just returned and had not


    lived with them for a single day? But, today, her father did not coddle her like he used to.


    Even her brother became distant toward her.


    Jaylene felt heartbroken.


    She could not ept this sudden change, and she suddenly started crying.


    Trevor was about to ask Xavier if all the gifts had been delivered, but he heard a faint sobbing sound


    coming from beside him.


    He paused, lifted his gaze, and saw Jaylene lying on the hospital bed with her back facing him.Her


    shoulders trembled as if she was crying yet trying to hold back her tears at the same time.

 Chapter 1467

    Chapter 1467


    Chapter 1467


    Trevor pressed his lips together and pocketed his phone.He stood up, walked over to Jaylene, and said


    nothing.


    Instead, he picked up the bowl of porridge from the table and offered it to her.


    "Come on.Eat something."


    Jaylene had been quietly sobbing.Her grievance intensified upon hearing Trevor''s voice, and her sobs


    grew louder.She grabbed her nket to cover her head and said hoarsely, * You don''t have to worry


    about me."


    Trevor sat at the edge of the bed, gently removing the nket from her head.


    "Dad asked me to look after you.Don''t be stubborn."


    Tears welled up in Jaylene''s eyes.


    "If Dad didn''t say anything, are you just going to ignore me? Now that you have your real sister, you


    don''t need to find emotional sce in me anymore.Is that why you won''t even look at me?"


    Trevor did not reply but instead repeated what he''d said earlier, "Come on, eat.The porridge is getting


    cold."


    Jaylene felt even worse.


    She swatted the porridge out of Trevor''s hand in one swift motion, gritting her teeth.


    "If you don''t care about me, then just leave.Don''t pretend to be concerned when you''re not."


    Trevor nced at the spilled porridge and said, "When you were looking for Michael, did you genuinely


    not know he was Ste''s makeup artist?"


    Jaylene felt a sharp pang in her heart.


    "Don''t you believe me, Trevor?"


    Trevor pressed his lips together.


    "Jaylene, there are so many makeup artists in the industry.What are the chances that both of you would


    end up choosing the same one?"


    Jaylene¡¯s face turned pale, and her lips trembled.She instinctively wanted to exin, but without


    waiting for her to speak, Trevor continued, "We''ve grown up together since we were young.I can tell


    with just one look whether you''re lying or not.It''s obvious."


    Jaylene felt flustered.


    "I really didn''t do it on purpose, Trevor.I only found outst night."


    "Is that so?" Trevor said coolly.


    "If you found outst night, then you should have known how difficult it was for Ste to find a makeup


    artist sost minute.Why didn''t you tell me then?"


    "I..." Jaylene''s lips quivered.


    It took her a long time to say, "I was scared..."


    "Scared of what?"


    Jaylene clenched her fists, and tears streamed down her face.


    "I was scared that if she came back into the family, you would no longer see me as your sister.I was


    scared that you would only care for her from now on.Trevor, do you know how long it''s been since you


    looked at me in the eyes? Why is that? She''s your sister, but what about me? We grew up


    together...You''re MY brother..."


    Trevor silently watched her cry.


    After a long while, he sighed and handed her a tissue.


    "I don''t know why you''re having these thoughts, but Ste''s return won''t change the fact that you''re my


    sister.She should have been in the Saun family from the start, growing up with all the love and care you


    got.But she suffered for over twenty years.I want to care for her, love her, and make it up to her; that''s


    what being an older brother means.How can I be a good brother to you if I turn a blind eye and not care


    about my biological sister?"


    Jaylene could hardly speak through her sobs.


    Trevor took a tissue and gently wiped away her tears.


    "Don''t do anything unnecessary anymore.I''ll let it slide this time.But if anything like this happens again,


    I won''t be so understanding."


    He paused for a moment and added, "I won''t allow anyone to mistreat her by any means.This matter


    wouldn''t have been settled so easily if someone else did what you did.You know me."


    His tone was calm, but it sent shivers down Jaylene''s spine.


    Just then, Trevor''s phone rang.


    He looked at the caller 1D, and the severe coldness from earlier disappeared instantly, reced by


    warmth.He stood up and said, "That bowl of porridge is for Darcie.You have it first, and I''ll go buy


    another one."


    Saying that, he left to pick up the call.


    As the door closed, Jaylene heard Trevor''s voice turned soft.It sounded like he was smiling.


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    "What''s up, Ste?"

 Chapter 1468

    Chapter 1468


    Chapter 1468


    Jaylene''s expression turned extremely sour at that moment.


    "Trevor, where''s the record book for the gifts? I can''t find it.Did you forget to put it out?" Ste asked.


    "The record book is with me.Why do you need it?" Trevor replied.


    "So I can refer to it for giving gifts in the future.Where are you right now? I''ll have someonee over


    and pick it up." Trevor chuckled.


    "You just focus on receiving the gifts.You don''t need to repay any favors.I''ll keep the record as a


    reference."


    Ste hesitated for a moment.Her mind was racing, but she held back.


    "Trevor, I''ve received tons of gifts.It would be inappropriate of me not to reciprocate."


    "Why''s that? Dad has given out gifts over the years, more than what''s listed here.Just ept them and


    don''t worry.Dad and I have you covered."


    Trevor suddenly seemed like a rock in Ste''s life.


    "Then...I''ll ept them for now.I''ll return the favor when you get married," she whispered.


    Trevor could not help butugh.


    "Sure."


    After hanging up the phone, Ste turned to the gang and said, "Trevor told me it''s all for me, and I


    don''t need to give anything in return."


    Vermont was slightly envious, "Call your brother and ask if your family has a long-lost brother.I think I


    might also be a part of the Saun family''s bloodline," he joked.


    Keegan gave him a sidelong nce.


    "What would it take for the Saun family''s genes to mutate to the point of producing someone like you?"


    Vermont''s lips twitched as he cursed, "Watch out, you!"


    After a bit of yful banter, they began sorting the items.


    Though the calligraphy, paintings, tea sets, and jewelry took up space, they were rtively easy to


    organize.


    Keegan, Vermont, Felicity, and Ste worked tirelessly for over an hour, meticulously ounting for


    each item.


    All that was left were the mary gifts and the smaller, less space-consuming items.


    Felicity opened a bag and pulled out a set of keys.


    She paused for a moment, then reached in again and retrieved a document.


    When she saw what was written inside, she eximed, "Oh my God!"


    The others turned to look, and Vermont asked, "What''s got you so excited, babe?"


    Felicity held the keys, struggling to find her words.


    "Wilfred and Edith gifted you an estate!"


    Vermont quickly took the document and flipped through several pages.


    "Oh my God!!!" He yelled.


    "It''s a mansion at Graceful Green Shore in Royalburgh! The average price for vis there is over a


    hundred million dors!"


    Ste was too stunned to speak.


    Felicity opened another document.


    [Transfer of Property for Shop Lot No.32, 11th Commercial Street, Eastern Rivera] She flipped through


    the pages and could not believe what she was reading.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    "This is crazy!" she said.


    There were a total of 27 shop lots under Ste''s name.


    Vermont opened another bag and closed it before turning to Keegan, saying, "You should marry into


    the family.Why bother working hard? Isn''t afortable life appealing?"


    Felicity grabbed the bag Vermont had opened and nced inside.She was shocked to know that Daryl


    had gifted Ste a private jet.

 Chapter 1469

    Chapter 1469


    Chapter 1469 "Aplete set of ck pearl jewelry from Tahiti," said Felicity.


    "A pair of imperial green jade earrings," added Vermont.


    ¡°A bracelet with blue diamonds from South Zuluford." "A carved jade statue of Jesus." The two


    sounded like they were reciting a song.


    Upon finishing the list, they embraced in feigned emotional disy.


    Felicity pretended to sob, "I''m so envious.


    I''m afraid my best friend will suffer, yet I''m jealous that she''ll be driving a Land Rover.


    This is so contradicting." Vermont joined in, "I''m scared my best bro will outshine me in looks, yet I''m


    also worried he''ll enjoy a life of luxury.


    This is happening all too soon.


    What should I do?" Ste and Keegan were speechless.


    ''No wonder these two can get together,'' they thought.


    Seeing the two continue their act, Keegan walked over and yfully kicked Vermont''s backside.


    "Enough of that, or I''ll chase you out.¡± Vermont retorted with a middle finger.


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    They then finally settled down andmenced a serious inventory.


    Most valuable items like vehicles, properties, and jewelry were gifts from the elders of the Hall and


    Saun families.


    Most other guests had given mary gifts, with a few presenting valuable calligraphy, paintings, or


    collectibles.


    It was already three in the morning when the grouppleted the inventory.


    Ste and Felicity were tired.


    They opted to sit on the carpet to tally up the gifts.


    Vermont took pictures of items Ste knew she would not use and sent them to some of his friends in


    the resale business, inquiring about potential returns.


    Keegan ordered some room service and brought over several bottles of water.


    He settled down next to Ste and said, "How''s it going?" "We''re nearly finished," Ste paused.


    "There''s only the transfer of ownership for The Velvet left." "The Velvet?" Vermont chimed in.


    "Did your stepmother gift you the jewelry store? What''s the story behind that?" Ste raised an


    eyebrow, "You''re familiar with this store too?" ¡°Did you forget I''m also in the jewelry business?" Vermont


    borated, ''''The Velvet has been thriving and boasting a steadfast customer base.


    While it might not generate as much profit as the jewelry store Iunched, it holds itself within the


    industry.


    "The name alone speaks volumes.


    It''s clear your stepmom set this store up for her daughter.


    How did you end up with it?" Ste then recounted the circumstances at the hospital.


    Vermont nodded in enlightenment.


    "Ah, it all makes sense now." "What makes sense?" Vermont pocketed his phone.


    "Even though this store is profitable, transferring it into your name might alter its fortunes." Ste was


    intrigued.


    "What do you mean?" "The story is a tad lengthy.¡± Felicity interjected, yfully nudging him with her


    bare foot.


    " Just spill the beans.


    Enough with the mystery."

 Chapter 1470

    Chapter 1470


    Chapter 1470 ¡°when I mentioned a stable customer base, I meant that most of their clients are


    regrs, and many of them have connections to Darcie or the Saun family," said Vermont.


    "If you want to profit in the world of jewelry and precious stones, you either cater to the high-end


    market, dealing with those willing to pay a premium price, or target the mass market.


    That''s where you find products made from discarded materials, skillfully polished to mimic the real


    thing.


    They''re affordable for the general public, allowing them to own a piece or two without breaking the


    bank.


    With high sales volume, you can still make a decent profit.


    ¡°The Velvet focuses on the high-end market, and Darcie''s connections serve as her entry to that


    exclusive clientele.


    As for the mass market, Darcie thinks it might dilute the brand image, so she avoided it.


    They''ve already established a stable rtionship in their high-end market.


    If you take over, all Darcie has to do is ask, and your clients will turn away and run.


    You follow?" Ste grasped the situation.


    Darcie had, in essence, handed her a shop she could run independently.


    As long as Darcie did not meddle, the store would be under Ste''s control.


    She might even need to invest money herself, but the store was highly profitable on the surface, which


    kept Wenham from suspecting anything.


    '' This woman is exceptionally sharp!'' Ste had sessfully sidestepped one pitfall only to walk right


    into another.


    "But if I take over and the store doesn''t profit for a year or more, won''t Wenham think I''m incapable of


    running apany?" Ste questioned.


    "I don''t think so.


    But if word gets out about the poor performance, there will be grounds for doubting your capabilities no


    matter whichpany he entrusts to you in the future.


    That won''t bode well for your management position," Keegan exined.


    Felicity clenched her teeth.


    "That old fox is so sneaky! Why don''t you just tell your dad you can''t handle it and give it back to her?"


    "Do you think I''d have the face to return it after ying her like a fiddle?" Darcie had a n.


    Even if Ste returns the store, she will find another way to ruin her.


    ¡°So what do we do?" Felicity frowned.


    ''Do we fake the ounts ourselves? Have Keegan be your middleman and move millions of dors of


    goods each month?" Keegan was shocked to hear her say that.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Vermont knocked Felicity on the head.


    "Have you lost your mind? Why would we lose money on a business venture? Any expert can see


    through your n.


    It''ll only be more embarrassing if we get exposed." Felicity swatted away his hand.


    "I''m just worried about Ste." Keegan turned to Ste.


    "What''s your strategy?" Ste pondered for a moment.


    "First, I''ll take over the management rights.


    As for sales, let''s see what Darcie does.


    I''ll shift to the mass market if the high-end market is beyond my capacity.


    But I''d prefer to have a finger in both pies.


    Why not enjoy the best of both worlds?" Vermont chuckled.


    "That''s the spirit.


    Adaptability is key in business.


    Just go for it, Ste.


    Keegan''s path to afortable life is just around the corner." Ignoring Vermont''s jest, Keegan said,


    "For high-end market clients, recognizing quality is key.


    Building rtionships is a bonus.


    With some effort, you can certainly handle it.


    You''ll be better than Vermont for sure." Vermont raised an eyebrow.


    "ttering your partner by bringing me down, huh?" Keegan shot him a look.


    "Well, aren''t you one to talk? Your jewelry store relies on celebrities from yourpany to promote it


    and milk their fans for all they''re worth." Vermont did not seem ashamed.


    "So what if that''s true? It''s all part of the industry chain." The room service arrived shortly, and the


    group sat down to eat.


    Then, the residents of room 902 bid each other farewell.


    Keegan returned after disposing of the trash.


    He found Ste seated on the couch, rubbing her feet.


    He paused for a moment and went to the bathroom.


    When he returned, he carried a basin of water and ced it by the couch.


    "Put your feet in," he said.


    Ste nced at the water, then at Keegan, and suddenly burst intoughter.


    "You''re so dedicated, Mr.


    Kane."

 Chapter 1471

    Chapter 1471


    Chapter 1471


    Keegan did not quite understand what Ste meant, but he caught on to her teasing tone. He grabbed


    a low stool to sit beside her and casually rolled up his sleeves. ¡°Today marks your official return to the


    Saun family, so you¡¯re getting special treatment.¡±


    With that, he gently submerged her feet into the water.


    ¡¯Am I not getting this treatment anymore after this?¡± Ste asked.


    ¡®You¡¯ll get it upon our remarriage. The treatment you¡¯ll receive as Mrs. Kane will be higher than that of


    my girlfriend. Today¡¯s a special exception for you to enjoy in advance,¡± Keegan exined.


    ¡¯I don¡¯t remember getting special treatment when I was still married to you, ¡± Ste pointed out.


    ¡®Well, I was a useless husband back then. All I had were my looks. Now, I¡¯m trying to be better by


    washing your feet!¡± Keegan chuckled.


    Ste was quiet. Considering the context, she could not argue with Keegan. He was an excellent flirt.


    He could always take a casual remark and weave it into something more, making her shy.


    Ste gritted her teeth. ¡°Grandma said you¡¯re not good with words. Looks like you¡¯ve been using all


    your linguistic prowess on me, huh?¡±


    Keegan massaged her feet, smiling as he said, ¡°I just wanted to talk with you more.¡±


    ¡°Back when we weren¡¯t divorced yet, you seemed pretty impatient with my chatter,¡± Ste stated.


    Keegan had initially wanted to deny any impatience, but when he recalled his behavior in the months


    leading up to their divorce, he had to admit there was an issue. It was not that he was impatient with


    Ste; he was intolerant of her constant talk of separation.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Keegan apologized sincerely. ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Kane, for being so forgiving another chance.


    I realize that looks do carry some weight.¡±


    Ste stared at him and gave him a kick. The water from her feet sshed onto his shirt, leaving a wet


    stain.


    Keegan caught her ankle and gently ced her foot back into the water.¡¯ Stop messing around. You


    can soak for a bit, then get ready for bed. It¡¯s almost dawn.¡±


    Hearing that, Ste felt incredibly tired. She leaned back on the couch and yawned. ¡°You go ahead and


    sleep. You have work in the morning. I¡¯ll take my time.¡±


    ¡®It won¡¯t make much of a difference,¡± Keegan replied.


    ¡®Then I¡¯ll hurry up and wash,¡± Ste murmured softly.


    She talked to him about how nervous she was before going on stage, and her voice gradually grew


    softer and more distant.


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    As Keegan dried her feet, she drifted into the realm of dreams.


    When he lifted her up, Ste briefly woke up. Her drowsy eyes met Keegan¡¯s, and she whispered,


    ¡°Honey?¡±


    ¡®Mhm?¡± Keegan replied. Ste closed her eyes again and murmured, ¡°Go to sleep; don¡¯t stay upte.


    Now that I have the money, I¡¯ll take care of you in the future.¡±


    Keegan did not say a word. He did not know whether to be amused or exasperated by Ste wanting to


    care for him financially. He sighed and lowered his head to nt a kiss on her forehead before carrying


    her to the bedroom.


    In the week following the banquet, Ste¡¯s days were filled with acting and spending time with Wilfred


    and Edith. Sometimes, they shared meals as a family; other times, they explored the city. The elderly


    couple found it challenging to adapt to the damp climate of Rivera. Due to the reveal event, they had


    been in town for an extended period. Now, they were cherishing their moments alone with their


    granddaughter while also making preparations to return home.

 Chapter 1472

    Chapter 1472


    Chapter 1472


    As Wilfred, Edith, and Daryl¡¯s family prepared to depart, Ste took a leave from the set to apany


    them to the airport. Amidst the farewells, Edith gently held Ste¡¯s hand and whispered, ¡°Your grandpa


    and I are getting older, Ste. We aren¡¯t as robust as we used to be. Otherwise, we¡¯d love to stay a bit


    longer. I can¡¯t believe we¡¯ve only just reunited, and now we have to part again¡­¡±


    Tears welled up in Edith¡¯s eyes, and Ste¡¯s heart twinged. Sheforted her and said, ¡°Grandma,


    Uncle Daryl has gifted US a private jet. Once all the formalities are sorted out, I can fly over whenever


    you want to see me.¡±


    Edith¡¯s spirits lifted. ¡°You don¡¯t need toe too often. Once or twice a month will do. You work too


    hard. Remember to take good care of yourself. ¡ö


    ¡°Okay, Grandma.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t Keegane?¡± Edith suddenly asked.


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    Wilfred snorted. ¡°He¡¯s probably feeling guilty!¡±


    Ste was taken aback. ¡°He wanted toe, but I didn¡¯t let him. I was afraid you might feel


    ufortable with him here,¡± she said.


    ¡°Oh, the Kanes are good people. And Keegan¡¯s personality isn¡¯t bad either. Why don¡¯t you and him set


    a date for the wedding? We¡¯ll arrange a formal meeting between the two families.¡± Edith spoke kindly.


    Ste was momentarily surprised. She smiled and said, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Trevor checked the time. ¡°It¡¯s almost boarding time. Let¡¯s head in.¡±


    Ste bid farewell to the family.


    ¡°Bye, Aunt Ste!¡± Her little nephew waved enthusiastically. He took three steps forward and turned to


    wave again before leaving with his family.


    After Ste and Trevor got in the car and fastened their seatbelts, thetter said, ¡°Dad asked me to


    bring you home for a meal.¡±


    Wenham knew that Ste had spent time with Edith and Wilfred these past few days. He did not want


    to disturb their precious family time. Now that the elderly couple had left, he was eager to bring his


    daughter home.


    Ste nodded.


    Everything worked out perfectly. It had been a week since she acquired the operating rights to The


    Velvet, and Caline¡¯s equity transfer had gone smoothly. However, there had been no news from Darcie.


    She needed to visit and remind her to avoid any further dys.


    Thinking about it, Ste took the bracelet out of her bag and wore it on her wrist. Trevor caught sight of


    her action and teased, ¡°You didn¡¯t sell it, huh?¡±


    Ste did not answer.


    ¡°Trevor, did you and Keegan often get into fights as kids because you couldn¡¯t settle your arguments?¡±


    ¡°Not really. I didn¡¯t bother arguing with him. I usually just went straight to punching.¡±


    His response rendered her speechless.


    Ste understood what he meant. ¡°I see.¡± Although Trevor did not show much emotion on the surface,


    she could not shake the feeling that he might not be very fond of their stepmother.


    ¡°Keegan mentioned that Darcie and Mom were friends. Wasn¡¯t she also one of the founders of Caline?


    Why did she marry Dad? Was it true love?¡±


    Trevor exined, ¡°Grandma really liked her. In the years after Mom passed away, Darcie worked


    tirelessly at home. She cared for both me and Dad while frequently looking after Grandma. Over time,


    Grandma developed a deep bond with her.¡±


    Ste understood what he meant. ¡°I see.¡± Although Trevor did not show much emotion on the surface,


    she could not shake the feeling that he might not be very fond of their stepmother.


    ¡°Keegan mentioned that Darcie and Mom were friends. Wasn¡¯t she also one of the founders of Caline?


    Why did she marry Dad? Was it true love?¡±


    Trevor exined, ¡°Grandma really liked her. In the years after Mom passed away, Darcie worked


    tirelessly at home. She cared for both me and Dad while frequently looking after Grandma. Over time,


    Grandma developed a deep bond with her.¡±

 Chapter 1473

    Chapter 1473


    Chapter 1473 Darcie took on the role of thedy of the house despite Wenham''s initial reluctance.


    She often cited reasons like being good friends with Freesia and not wanting to see Trevor suffer to


    make frequent visits to the Saun residence.


    As a widower and a single mother, rumors began to circte over time about their rtionship.


    It did not take long for these whispers to reach the ears of the Saun family elders.


    "Grandma''s health was deteriorating, and she was bedridden in herst few years.


    Darcie''s own daughter could not bring herself to serve her in such close quarters, but Darcie could.


    She not only cared for her meticulously but also personally tested the alternative medicine prescribed


    by the doctor to ensure its safety before Grandma took it," said Trevor.


    Wenham''s mother, Eleanor Albott, saw Darcie as a kind woman who knew how to manage a


    household.


    Thinking about her son, who was reluctant to remarry, and her poor motherless grandson, she felt


    reassured knowing a woman like Darcie was looking after them.


    So, she began to y Cupid.


    Wenham was initially unwilling to marry Darcie; he even felt a bit repulsed.


    It was not until his mother was critically ill and about to undergo surgery that he decided to marry


    Darcie.


    Otherwise, she would not agree to the operation.


    In order to appease his mother, Wenham eventually consented.


    "After the surgery, Grandma got better and insisted Dad fulfill his promise." So, six years after Freesia''s


    passing, Wenham married Darcie.


    The wedding was kept very low-key, as it was not a marriage Wenham had willingly entered into from


    the start.


    In the days after their wedding, they treated each other with respect.


    With a woman in the house, the lives of Wenham and Trevor became more organized.


    Eleanor was also very happy with the oue.


    Five years into their marriage, Eleanor passed away.


    Wenham feelings for his new family had gradually grown over those five years, especially toward


    Jaylene.


    Every time he saw her, he could not help but think of his own daughter, who he assumed had died.


    ¡®If she were still alive, she would be around the same age,'' he thought.


    Humans are emotional creatures.


    Even if there was no romantic love after so many years of being together, there was always familial


    love.


    And so, this family continued to exist.


    "This version is different from what Keegan told me.


    In his version, Dad and Darcie gradually fell in love with each other," said Ste.


    Trevor chuckled.


    "That''s just the story we tell outsiders.


    Who would want to let the world know they were pressured into marriage?" Ste paused.


    It seemed like there was an underlying meaning behind Trevor''s words, hinting at something about


    Darcie.


    She nced at him.


    "What do you think of her?" Trevor curtly said, "She''s as sharp as a sword and a wolf in sheep''s


    clothing." Ste did not expect Trevor to be so direct with his words.


    After some thought, Trevor added, "She''s good to him though.


    When Dad was seriously injured at the mine years ago, her quick thinking saved him.


    She did not care about the storm and brought him back to the city in the middle of the night.


    The doctors said if it had been anyter, they might not have been able to save him." ¡®If that was the


    case, why does she harbor such strong animosity toward me?" thought Ste.


    "It''s not like I would threaten her position as Mrs. Saun.'' This was something Ste could not fathom.


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Soon, they arrived at the Saun residence.


    Situated in Clear Water Cove, the ecological environment was excellent, and the atmosphere was


    serene.


    Ste did not get a good look at the ce thest time she was there because it was already evening.


    This time, she was able to appreciate the gardenndscapes.


    They both got out of the car after it came to a stop.


    As Trevor knocked on the door, Ste noticed two flowerpots covered with stic wrap not far from the


    entrance.


    Inside, there were two identical nts.


    They were short and delicate.


    They looked like roses.


    Ste found it a bit strange.


    Roses were tough nts and did not require instion.


    Even if they withered in winter, they would bounce back up in spring.


    They did not need protection.


    Ste was about to ask Trevor about the flowers, but the doors opened.


    A woman in her forties called out, "Mr. Saun, Ms. Saun, you''re back."

 Chapter 1474

    Chapter 1474


    Chapter 1474 The titles left Ste feeling a bit out of ce.


    It also reminded her of Cordelia''s butler, Baldwin.


    She could not help but wonder why everyone seemed to favor such formalities.


    Trevor seemed equally ufortable with these formalities.


    "Sandra, you can just call me by my name.¡± Sandra nodded in agreement.


    "Of course, Mr. Saun." Trevor was speechless.


    He turned to Ste and decided to introduce them.


    "This is Sandra.


    She used to work as a caregiver and took care of Jaylene." Ste exchanged greetings with Sandra,


    and she warmly weed them inside.


    Wenham, unable to contain his excitement, had already left the living room.


    When he heard the sound of the engine at the door, he rushed to greet them.


    As Ste passed through the entryway, Wenham''s voice reached her ears.


    "Why did it take you so long toe home?" Trevor sighed, "As soon as Grandpa and Grandma


    entered the boarding gates, I brought Ste straight here.


    It''s not like we flew a ne, Dad." Wenham was in high spirits and did not pay much attention to his


    son''s response.


    He greeted Ste eagerly and asked, "Ste, are you hungry? Dinner will be ready soon.


    I personally prepared a fruit tter for you.


    Please, have a seat and enjoy." Trevor nced at the te full of fruit and let out an impressed sound.


    "Woah.


    What in the world is that supposed to be?" Wenham''s lips twitched, and he yfully scolded, "You


    rascal¡ª It''s arabb¡ª." Before he could finish, he noticed Ste gazing at him, eyes wide.


    Wenham paused, then suddenly said.


    "Ste, since you were born in the year of the rabbit, I specially carved out this bunny for you." "Dad,


    I''m actually born in the year of the tiger," Ste whispered.


    Wenham was taken aback.


    "Well, tigers do eat rabbits, so it all works out." Trevor could not help but chuckle.


    "Maybe we should talk about something other than your bunny, Dad." Wenham was about to reprimand


    his son for his constant teasing when Darcie''s voice came from behind.


    "Ste, you''re here." Trevor''s smile was nearly wiped off his face while Ste remainedposed.


    "Mrs. Saun, thank you for having us." "There''s no need for such formalities, child.


    We''re family," Darcie said warmly.


    She was dressed in a light gray, long-knit coat with a white long skirt underneath.


    Her curled hair framed her shoulders.


    She emitted an aura of sophistication and grace.


    Even her voice held a gentle, soothing tone.


    ¡°Where''s Jaylene? Hasn''t shee down yet?" Wenham turned to ask.


    "Jaylene is upstairs helping Sandra get Ste''s room ready." Wenham was momentarily surprised and


    felt a touch of mncholy.


    "What? But I haven''t had a chance to discuss it with Ste yet." ¡°What''s there to discuss? Now that


    Ste''s back, of course, she should stay at home," Darcie said, turning her gaze to Ste.


    " We''ve been busy preparing your room these days.


    Your dad was worried you might not like it.


    You just rest, and I''ll take you upstairs to have a lookter." Wenham was frustrated.


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    He had intended to subtly gauge his daughter''s feelings about moving in over dinner.


    While he longed for his daughter toe home and grow closer to him, he also wanted to respect her


    wishes.


    Yet, before he could even try, Darcie had ruined the surprise.


    Wenham thought that Ste would reject the offer, but reality proved otherwise.


    Ste smiled and softly said, "Alright.


    Thank you, Darcie."

 Chapter 1475

    Chapter 1475


    Chapter 1475 Darcie froze when Ste agreed to the offer.


    Wenham, however, went from confusion to sheer delight.


    "Ste, y-you''re open toing back and staying here?" Ste looked at her father, her voice gentle.


    "Dad, we''ve been separated for over twenty years.


    Even though we''ve found each other, our time together has been so short.


    You don''t know me well, and I don''t know you that well either.


    The only connection we have is blood.


    I''m eager to know what kind of person my father is, and I look forward to spending time with you.


    If staying together can help fill in the gaps of those years, I''m willing to do it.


    I''m afraid of missing another opportunity.


    Once I''m married, the chance to be with you will be even rarer." Wenham''s joy was palpable.


    "Okay.


    I''ll ept that as long as you''re willing.


    I was just worried you''d gotten used to life outside and wouldn''t want toe back.¡± "No matter how


    exciting life can be out there, it can''tpare to the sense of security and happiness of living with


    family." Wenham was overjoyed.


    He hardly knew what to say.


    Darcie observed the tender moment between father and daughter and pressed her lips together.


    ¡°Alright then.


    Why don''t I take you upstairs to see your room? We can have someone make changes if there are any


    issues." Ste looked at Darcie and beamed.


    "Your taste should be just fine.


    Darcie returned the smile.


    "Let''s go.


    I think the room should be almost ready." The three of them walked up the staircase.


    As they arrived at the second floor, they saw Jaylene exiting one of the rooms.


    She approached them when she spotted them.


    ''Dad, Mom," she called out.


    She turned to Ste and said, "Ste, you''re here." Ste nodded gently.


    How are you feeling, Jaylene?" Jaylene lowered her eyes.


    "It''s just an old illness acting up.


    I might have been overthinking things that day.


    I''m sorry I almost let the people misunderstand you." "It''s okay.


    Don''t push yourself too hard.


    You''re fine now, and that''s what matters." Ste reassured her.


    Jaylene clenched her hands, forcing a smile.


    "I''m not that weak, sis." "That''s good," Steughed.


    "Shall we?" Darcie interjected at the right moment.


    "Go in and take a look, Ste.


    See if you like it." Unaware of the underlying tension, Wenham reveled in the joy of his daughter''s


    return.


    He urged her in a low voice, "Ste, go have a look.


    I personally picked out the curtains for you.


    Tell me if you like them." Ste found it all amusing.


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    "If you''re the one who picked them, I''m sure I''ll love them," she said.


    But soon, Ste found herself taken aback.


    The curtains Wenham had picked out were a bright shade of pink.


    And it was not just the curtains.


    The entire room was in various shades of pink.


    Pink walls, a pink bed, pink everything...


    Ste fell silent.


    ¡°What do you think? Do you like it?" Wenham beamed.


    Ste nced at Trevor.


    ''Is this what he meant when he told me my room is going to be unique?¡¯ Trevor had made suggestions,


    but Wenham did not take any of his advice.


    He stubbornly believed that girls like the color pink.


    Ste mustered a smile and said, "It''s quite...


    unique." Wenham proudly began introducing every detail of the room.


    Ste could tell that he must have been heavily involved in the entire decoration process since he knew


    every detail like the back of his hand.

 Chapter 1476

    Chapter 1476


    Chapter 1476 Ste listened to Wenham''s enthusiastic description of the room and gradually found the


    ce rather charming.


    Even if it was not exactly to her taste, it was filled with her father''s love.


    Wenham drew open the curtains.


    "This room has excellent natural lighting," he said.


    Ste stood by the window and immediately spotted the balcony of the adjacent room.


    It wasrger and had a wider view than hers.


    Jaylene noticed her gaze and said, "That''s my room, the master bedroom.


    The balcony is much bigger.


    We can switch rooms if you like, Ste.


    But Dad arranged theyout of my room ording to my preferences.


    I''m worried you wouldn''t like it." Ste paused for a moment and asked, "Dad arranged it? Now I''m


    curious.


    Can I go take a look?" Jaylene smiled invitingly and said, "Of course." When they reached the room,


    Ste finally understood what Jaylene meant.


    The master bedroom was nearly halfrger than the guest room.


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    It had a bookshelf, a separate dressing room, and a balcony spacious enough to y badminton.


    Every piece of furniture and decoration in the room seemed carefully selected.


    Though Ste was expressionless, she was surveying everything.


    Wenham had put even more consideration into Ste''s room than he had with Jaylene''s.


    However, Jaylene had lived here for over half a year, and her personal belongings had filled the room.


    The presence of her valuables and limited-edition luxury items elevated the overall atmosphere.


    "Do you like it, Ste? If you do, we can switch rooms." Ste nodded, "I do." Wenham''s heart sank.


    He did not want Ste to switch rooms.


    While Jaylene''s room wasrger, he was hardly involved in its decoration process.


    He had overseen every detail of Ste''s room and did not want his daughter to live in a space that


    someone else had upied.


    "Then let''s switch.


    I have a lot of stuff, so it''ll take a day or two to pack," Jaylene said eagerly.


    Ste shook her head, "Jaylene, this is your room.


    You''ve been living here for so long; you must be used to it.


    It wouldn''t be right for me to take over your room just like that.


    I''m just here to appreciate it." Jaylene was feeling generous, "We''re all family; what''s mine is yours.


    There''s no need to be so formal." "While that''s true, it wouldn''t be right.


    I won''t switch rooms with you, Jaylene.


    But I do like the decorations in your room.


    Could you give me a few?" Jaylene blinked, "What?" Ste''s eyes sparkled, "I won''t take them for free,


    of course.


    I have quite a few decorations at home, too.


    I''ll give you some in return." "Ste, I''ll buy you whatever you like," said Wenham.


    "It''s not just about the decorations, Dad.


    I just want to feel close to my sister.


    If she gives me some of her things, I''ll also give her some of mine.


    It''s like exchanging our preferences.


    I want to share a bond with her.¡± Wenham was delighted to hear that, "Ste, you''re always so


    thoughtful." Ste looked at Jaylene.


    "Can I begin choosing, Jaylene?" Jaylene''s throat seemed to tighten.


    Wenham had already implicitly approved Ste''s actions.


    ''How could I refuse?¡¯ She clenched her hands and mustered a strained smile.


    "Take whatever you like," she said.


    Ste beamed, "Thank you, Jaylene." She turned to her brother and said, Trevor, help me carry some


    of these." Ste cleared out Jaylene''s specially designated disy cab in no time.


    She picked out all the expensive and rare items.


    "Jaylene, we have simr tastes.


    I love all of these!" She eximed with each selection.

 Chapter 1477

    Chapter 1477


    Chapter 1477 "T like this one too! Dad, I feel like Jaylene and I are meant to be sisters.


    Our tastes are so simr!" Wenham replied happily, "Of course, we''re a family." Jaylene''s heart ached


    when she saw the affectionate interaction between Wenham and Ste.


    Not only did Jaylene spend a fortune on the decorations in her room, but she also had to use her


    connections to acquire some of them.


    She even had them specially packed with severalyers of bubble wrap when they were being shipped


    back.


    It had taken her years to collect them.


    Yet, Ste had effortlessly taken away more than half of them! She pondered the phrase "our tastes are


    so simr" and suddenly recalled the words she had said to Ste about the Red Agate bracelet at her


    birthday party.


    ¡°We seem to have simr taste." She said to Ste back then.


    Ste kept repeating that line as if deliberately trying to provoke Jaylene.


    Ste did not hold herself back at all.


    She came empty-handed with Trevor, and when they left Jaylene''s room, they were both carrying a full


    load of decorations.


    Even Wenham helped carry two items.


    Wenham was worried that Ste would have difficulty carrying many things.


    Then, he saw a "woven bag" hanging in Jaylene''s room and said, "Jaylene, give Ste the bag for her


    to carry the things." Jaylene turned to look; it was a new bag she bought from a luxury store.


    She had just unboxed it and had not used it even once! She immediately said, "Dad, let me find a


    stic bag for you." However, Wenham had already opened the bag.


    "stic bags can''t take the weight.


    What if everything falls out of it and breaks? " Then, he turned to Ste and said, ''''Here, Ste.


    Put everything inside.


    It''l] make things easier for you." Ste immediately stuffed everything inside as if she did not know how


    expensive that bag was.


    "Jaylene, this bag of yours sure can hold a lot of things." She praised.


    Jaylene''s heart ached even more as she watched her brand-new luxury bag, which she had not even


    used once, being turned intoa suitcase.


    Darcie looked at her daughter''s reddened eyes and pursed her lips, "Ste, you''re going to live here in


    the future anyway.


    There''s no need to take everything at once.


    As long as you like them, you''re wee toe get more from Jaylene whenever you want."


    ¡°Whenever I want? I''m just going to cause Jaylene inconvenience then, won''t I?" Ste smiled and


    added, "They''re not that heavy, Darcie.


    You don''t need to worry about me." Darcie kept quiet.


    So, the mother and daughter watched as Ste and Trevor carried those decorations into Ste''s room.


    When they came out of the room, Ste turned around and asked Trevor, ''Trevor, which one is your


    room?" "I don''t live here," he said.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You should have a room even if you don''t live here, right? You''ll need a ce to stay when youe


    back home to spend some time with Dad during the holidays, won''t you? Didn''t Darcie prepare you


    aroom?" Darcie''s eyelid twitched.


    She said in a gentle tone, "Of course, there''s a room for Trevor.


    However, we don''t get it cleaned very often because he doesn''t stay here permanently.


    It''s been unused." Ste finally understood Trevor''s answer when she asked whether she should stay


    at the Saun residence.


    He said it would not matter as she would still have a room there.


    She also realized why Trevor would speak of Darcie like that despite their seemingly good rtionship.


    There was no difference between having an uncleaned room and not having one.


    Obviously, Darcie was not weing Trevor to stay here.

 Chapter 1478

    Chapter 1478


    Chapter 1478 Ste smiled and said, "Darcie, you should have someone clean it up now.


    If the room is not cleaned, he won''t be able to stay if he wants to.


    You can''t only clean the room whenever he wants to stay, right? He''s not a guest, yet there''s no room


    avable for him.


    "W Wenham had never thought much about it.


    Trevor had always been a willful and stubborn person from a young age.


    He did not like staying at home after growing up.


    Wenham had talked to him about it a few times but eventually stopped bothering him because he


    figured his adult son should be able to make his own choices.


    However, now that Ste brought it up again, he suddenly felt her words made a lot of sense.


    He had to at least give the little brat a room to stay no matter what.


    Besides, he would eventually bring his future wife back home.


    And if they only began cleaning the room when his daughter -inw stayed in the house, it would make


    him look biased.


    So, he turned and said to Darcie, "Ste is right.


    Get someone to clean up Trevor''s room and do it regrly.


    It doesn''t matter if he stays here, but the room must always be ready." Darcie curled up her fingers as


    she lowered her gaze and said softly, "I''m sorry for not being thoughtful enough.


    I''ll get it der." Sandra''s voice rang out just as Darcie said those words, "Mr. and Mrs. Saun, the


    meal is ready.¡± Wenham held Ste''s arm and said, "Let''s go downstairs and eat first.


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    After that, you can talk to me about other things you''re unsatisfied with." Ste smiled and nodded.


    Then, they went downstairs together.


    Trevor was about to follow them, but Jaylene stopped him, "Trevor, pleasee back more often.


    I miss you a lot." ¡°Mhmm," Trevor responded before he said tly, "Get changed ande downstairs


    to eat." After Trevor walked away, Jaylene''s face immediately darkened.


    " Look at the way the Jewell family raised her.


    I just can''t figure out why Dad and Trevor would like her so much!" Darcie replied calmly, "She''s your


    father''s biological daughter.


    She''ll still be a treasure to him even if she''s a pile of mud.


    You don''t have topare yourself to her.


    Your father raised you since you were little; his love and care for you is real.


    Do you understand?" Jaylene took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Yes, Mom." Then, Darcie


    said, "Get ready, and let''s go downstairs and eat." Wenham had probably made an effort to find out


    Ste''s food preferences, as all the dishes served on the table were her favorite.


    Wenham got Ste to sit next to him so he could easily get the food for her.


    Ste was very polite and ate a lot, too.


    Wenham asked her about her life and work as they had some drinks.


    He had no problem with her acting career.


    Still, he expressed his concern about the demanding workload and the recent incident of an actor dying


    from a heart attack due to working excessively.


    He told Ste not to overwork herself and emphasized that quality was always more important than


    quantity.


    However, Ste did not find acting tiring at all.


    She loved it and even enjoyed being on set.


    Also, she did not have a lot of scenes to filmpared to her peers, so her job was actually very


    rxing.


    Wenham had misunderstood, thinking she was only saying that to reassure him and avoid worrying


    him.


    So, he said, "Look at how skinny your face is nowpared to when the banquet took ce.


    Are you sure it''s not tiring? Don''t try to fool me." Ste smiled and said, "It''s really not.


    I might have lost some weight due to all the paperwork and share transfers I''ve been handlingtely.


    I''ve been pretty busy.¡± "Ts everything done now?" Wenham asked.


    "Almost.


    I''ve just got to deal with the jewelry store that Darcie wanted me to take over.


    That''s the only thing left." Ste paused for amoment as she shifted her gaze to Darcie and said,


    "Darcie, I''ve been too busy to call you in the past few days.


    I took a day off from work today; if you''re not busy, we can handle the paperwork in the afternoon.


    Would that be okay?" Wenham was taken aback, "That has not been done yet?"

 Chapter 1479

    Chapter 1479


    Darcie said, ¡°Jaylene has been staying in the hospital for the past few days, and I had a lot of work to


    do in the office. I couldn¡¯t spare the time, so it got dyed.¡±


    She shifted her gaze to Ste and smiled as she continued, ¡°I wanted to talk to you about it, but it


    seems you brought it up first before I could.¡±


    She appeared to be smiling, but her eyes did not look friendly at all.


    Ste had a smile on her face, too, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not in a hurry too. It¡¯s just that I know you¡¯re a busy


    person and it¡¯s difficult for you to have some free time. I have a pretty busy schedule, too, and I have to


    rush over to the set at any time with just a phone call from my team. That¡¯s why I thought it¡¯d be better


    to finish it as soon as possible since I have a day off today.


    You¡¯re my elder; it won¡¯t be right for me to keep you waiting. That would be impolite.¡±


    Darcie tightened her grip on her utensils, shot her a nce, and pressed her lips together, ¡°You¡¯re


    overthinking. After the meal, we¡¯ll rest and get it done.¡±


    Ste nodded, ¡°Thank you, Darcie.¡±


    Darcie replied amicably, ¡°We¡¯re family. There¡¯s no need to be so polite with me.¡±


    Ste smiled and lowered her gaze as she thought, ¡®Her patience is impressive. I¡¯ve pushed her


    buttons this much, yet she can still hold back her anger. I¡¯d probably dump this bowl of soup on the


    person who openly tried to set me up like that.


    ¡®She may look like a kind person, but she isn¡¯t even willing to give Trevor a room here. She¡¯s so


    cautious around me and Trevor. Is she afraid we would snatch Jaylene¡¯s share of the family property


    away?¡¯


    After the meal, Darcie yed two rounds of chess with Wenham and took the initiative to get the


    paperwork done.


    Trevor stood up and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go together. I¡¯ll have to take Ste back home after we¡¯re done.¡±


    Darcie paused without objecting.


    On the other hand, Ste loaded the valuable decorations she took from Jaylene¡¯s room onto the car.


    Changing the shop¡¯s ownership was aplicated process, but Ste did not mind at all when it came


    to making money.


    They left the house at two in the afternoon and did all the procedures until evening, finally submitting all


    the necessary documents.


    Once everything got approved, The Velvet was officially Ste¡¯s property.


    When they came out of the office, not only that Ste was not tired, but she was also full of energy. She


    said enthusiastically, ¡°Darcie, let¡¯s eat something together since you¡¯ve spent so much time with me on


    this.¡±


    Darcie looked at her calmly and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve made an appointment with a friend for a skincare


    treatment tonight.¡±


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll have a meal some other time then.¡±


    Darcie paused before she lifted her gaze and said, ¡°Ste, I¡¯ve put a lot of effort into operating The


    Velvet. Now that it¡¯s in your hands, I hope you¡¯ll take good care of it for me.¡±


    Ste smiled, ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll take good care of my own business, Darcie. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Darcie¡¯s gaze darkened, but she did not say anything more.


    After Darcie left, Ste said, ¡°Trevor, she¡¯ll never be able to mistreat you anymore with me around.¡±


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    She could not believe that her silly father was oblivious to what Darcie had been subtly doing. He even


    thought that Trevor not having a room in the house was nothing unusual.


    Ste realized that Trevor, being a man, might not be as sensitive to a woman¡¯s subtle maniptions


    as she was. This led her to suspect that Darcie might have taken advantage of Trevor many times over


    the years.


    She had no intention of causing trouble at home after returning to the family. Darcie was Wenham¡¯s


    wife, and Jaylene was his adopted daughter. If everyone could live together peacefully, she would not


    care how much of the family¡¯s wealth would be divided between them in the future. However, if they


    had ulterior motives and tried to take advantage of her and her brother, she would never just sit back


    and let it happen.


    If they would not live harmoniously, then she would y the game by their rules.


    Trevor paused momentarily before a hint of warmth appeared in his eyes. Although they did not grow


    up together, they were blood siblings and had a special ce in each other¡¯s hearts.


    When their mother was pregnant with Ste, she hoped that Trevor and Ste could rely on and


    support each other. And now, it seemed like that wish hade true.

 Chapter 1480

    Chapter 1480


    ¡®Ste cares about me.¡¯


    That thoughtsted only for about ten minutes. When he was driving past the office of Vinci Rivera,


    Ste told him to drop her off there.


    Trevor furrowed his brows, ¡°It¡¯s after work hours. Why do you want toe here?¡±


    ¡®He¡¯s working overtime today.¡± Ste put on a mask and a cap and picked up the items she had looted


    from Jaylene¡¯s room. Then, she said to Trevor, i¡¯m going to put a couple of these decorations in


    Keegan¡¯s room. His office is too boring.¡±


    Trevor¡¯s eyelid twitched, ¡°What about my office?¡±


    Ste replied, ¡°What if Jaylene wants them back when she sees them in your office? She¡¯s your sister,


    too. Plus, you grew up together. Would you have the heart to not give them back to her?¡±


    Trevor kept quiet.


    If Ste had bought the decorations for him, he would definitely not give them to Jaylene. However, the


    thing was that Ste acquitted these decorations through ¡°unconventional¡± means, so he would most


    probably give them back.


    He understood why Ste would not give the decorations to him, but he was still upset!


    He felt he had a special ce in his little sister¡¯s heart just a while ago. But now, he realized that plenty


    of other things had a special ce in her heart. Other than money, Keegan the scumbag was also one


    of them!


    He could not get over it!


    ¡®I should¡¯ve been firmer and not agreed to their rtionship so quickly!¡¯ he thought.


    Ste opened the car door and waved at Trevor, ¡°Be careful on the road. Bye.¡±


    Then, she went into the office without turning back.


    Trevor massaged his temple, ¡®Hmph! I cant believe she put another man before me!¡¯


    With the VIP card given by Keegan, Ste did not have to register her entry at Vinci Rivera. All she had


    to do was swipe the card, and the receptionist would allow her to pass.


    She walked into the elevator with her bag and pressed the button for Keegan¡¯s office floor.


    When the elevator reached the seventh floor, it stopped.


    Ste paused. The elevator she was in would only stop at the floors the executives were working on.


    She had never experienced it stopping on other floors on the way up, so she was surprised.


    As she was thinking about it, the elevator doors opened. Ste lifted her gaze, and her expression


    immediately darkened.


    Jackson was shocked, too, as he was not expecting anybody to be in the elevator.


    He paused for a moment before stepping inside. Then, he pressed the button for the floor he wanted to


    go to.


    Ste looked at the floor numbers on the screen emotionlessly.


    Jackson looked at her from head to toe and said, ¡°Ste Jewell?¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    Jackson frowned and tried to remove her mask. Ste forcefully pped his hand away and said coldly,


    ¡°Get away from me!¡±


    Jackson chuckled, ¡°I knew it was you. Ms. Saun, why did youe to our office instead of staying


    home?¡±


    Ste ignored him.


    However, Jackson continued, ¡°You had such an ugly divorce with Keegan. Why are you still keeping in


    touch with him? Do you still have feelings for him?¡±


    ¡®What does that have to do with you?¡±


    Jackson chuckled softly, ¡°Ste, Keegan is a heartless and unfeeling man who doesn¡¯t even care about


    his own mother. Why don¡¯t you date me instead? I look like him, and I don¡¯t mind being a rebound for


    you.¡±


    Ste was utterly disgusted by his words. She turned to look at Jackson and said nonchntly, ¡°Do you


    have a mirror in your office?¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

 Chapter 1481

    Chapter 1481


    Jackson could not process what Ste was talking about.


    She continued, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t, have you ever taken a good look when you¡¯re in the bathroom? The


    only thing you and Keegan have inmon is your gender. I¡¯d never bother to look at Keegan if he


    looks as ugly as you.¡±


    The elevator doors opened after Ste said those words. She picked up the bag on the floor and


    walked outside without even looking at him.


    Her good mood was immediately ruined by Jackson!


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Still in the elevator, Jackson red at her receding back until the doors closedpletely.


    Keegan was working in the technical department, and Ste waited for him in his office as usual.


    She opened the bag and took out the items she had taken from Jaylene. She selected the two best-


    looking ones and ced them where Keegan would notice them immediately.


    When Keegan finally returned from his work, he saw his girlfriend sitting on the sofa, poking at the


    decorations on his coffee table with a bored expression.


    Her indifferent eyes suddenly brightened up as soon as she heard the door open, ¡°Come here. I have a


    reward for you.¡±


    Keegan paused, turned around, and locked the door.


    Ste was speechless. ¡°Why did you lock the door?¡±


    Keegan removed his tie and unbuttoned his shirt. Then, he lifted his gaze and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going


    to give me a reward?¡± i


    Ste¡¯s eye twitched, ¡°How shameless of you! What are you thinking about? I¡¯m talking about this!¡±


    She tapped on the decorations on the coffee table, ¡°Come take a look.¡±


    Keegan walked over and sat down next to her.


    Ste excitedly said, ¡°The others aren¡¯t as nice, but these two are okay. They¡¯ll look very good on your


    bookshelf. Take a look and see if you like them.¡±


    Keegan picked one up and examined it before asking, ¡± Where did you get these?¡±


    Then, Ste told him everything that had happened in the Saun residence earlier.


    Keegan¡¯s eyelid twitched after listening to Ste, ¡°So you¡¯re giving Jaylene¡¯s things to me?¡±


    Ste nced at him, ¡°Didn¡¯t you give me a bracelet that belonged to her? You even spent ny


    thousand on it. I¡¯m much smarter than you because I didn¡¯t spend a single penny on these.¡±


    Keegan was speechless. ¡°This isn¡¯t about money. Are you really okay with putting another woman¡¯s


    things in my office?


    ¡°I won¡¯t be if she gave them to you, but I wouldn¡¯t mind about these two.¡± Ste narrowed her gaze and


    said slowly,¡± Because every time I see these two decorations, I think of the expression on her face


    when she had to give them to me. My day will immediately brighten up.¡±


    Keegan did not say anything.


    If Jaylene had not repeatedly shown off her room and indirectly tempted her to switch rooms, she


    would not have done anything like that.


    Ste had just returned to the family. If she were to upy Jaylene¡¯s room right after returning to the


    Saun residence, her reputation would undoubtedly be tarnished.


    Wenham might not have taken it seriously if she had done it one or two times. But if Jaylene kept


    getting ¡°mistreated¡± by her, Ste figured that her silly father would sympathize with Jaylene. If that


    happened, he might generously reward Jaylene with something. By then, she would be concerned with


    showing Jaylene ¡°affection¡± instead ofpeting for the rooms with her.


    So, she would never change rooms. However, she felt the need to teach Jaylene a lesson anyway and


    thought she would never learn without a little pain.


    ¡°Take a look and see if you like them. Pick something else if you don¡¯t. After that, I¡¯ll get Vermont to sell


    the rest for me.¡±


    Keegan pushed the two decorations toward her, ¡°Sell these two too to avoid any trouble.¡±


    Ste pouted, ¡°Fine. What do you want then? A car? I have money now.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    She sounded exactly like a spoiled and rich yboy in the nightclub who, after sleeping with their


    girlfriends, would coax them with words like, ¡°Tell me whatever you want, and I¡¯ll get them for you. I


    have nothing but money.¡±


    Keegan looked down on those people. Never in a million years did he expect to find himself in a simr


    situation as such.


    However, the roles were switched; he was the one being offered money by his lover.


    It did not¡­ feel very good.

 Chapter 1482

    Chapter 1482


    ¡®Or does Ste actually think that this is romantic in a way?¡¯


    Keegan felt as though he should y along with it, so he swept his nce across Ste and copied her


    tone. ¡°Why would you suddenly give me a car? Ms. Saun, do you think that I did a good job in serving


    you well? Is that why you¡¯re giving me a reward?¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    ¡®Why does that line sound so familiar?¡¯


    She instinctively retorted before she could process what Keegan just said. ¡°Are you sure that you


    served me well? All you do is lie there.¡±


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Ste finally realized why Keegan said that.


    It was something she said when Keegan asked her what kind of ne she wanted back then!


    Keegan was taken aback, as he did not expect her reply to be so straightforward.


    His memory was exceptionally good, so he could clearly remember what Ste said preciously. He


    hesitated for a moment before he said in a low voice, ¡°Well, I moaned from the bottom of my heart if


    that counts.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    She was a little shy, yet somewhat expectant.


    Then, she changed her mind about what she originally wanted to say. ¡°Moan for me now, so I can be


    the judge of it. IV


    Aldor opened the door and identally overheard their conversation. His hand trembled, and the


    documents in his hands fell to the ground.


    Keegan and Ste both froze in ce.


    Aldor cleared his throat and said while trying to act as normal as he could, ¡°I¡¯lle backter.¡±


    Ste gritted her teeth and red at Keegan. ¡°Didn¡¯t you lock the door?¡±


    ¡°I was just ying with you.¡± Keegan pursed his lips.


    He pretended to have locked the door to tease Ste, but little did he know that his girlfriend would go


    wild on him.


    It would have been better to have actually locked the door.


    As Aldor picked up the documents and was about to open the door, Keegan said, ¡°Come inside. Finish


    your work first.¡±


    Aldor heaved a sigh of relief and walked in cautiously.


    Ste held a book in front of her face to hide her embarrassment.


    Although Ste could not really understand what Keegan and Aldor were talking about, she could tell


    that it was something happy based on Aldor¡¯s excited tone.


    It seemed that Keegan¡¯s research team had made a breakthrough in some technology, and they were


    repeatedly testing it.


    No wonder Keegan had been so busytely. The breakthrough was great news and could even be an


    industryshaking development. It meant that Keegan would have a highly significant bargaining chip


    when trying to take over Vinci Rivera.


    Ste thought that Keegan would probably propose to her when he gained full control of Vinci Rivera.


    The thought of it alone was enough to make Ste strangely excited.


    She had initially nned to date Keegan for a couple of years before considering marriage, but now


    that she thought of the possible proposal from Keegan, she could not imagine herself rejecting him.


    ¡®Maybe getting married wouldn¡¯t be such a bad idea,¡¯ she thought to herself.


    She was so lost in her thoughts that she did not even realize Aldor had already left the room. She only


    snapped out of her thoughts when the couch suddenly sank, and she heard Keegan¡¯s voice. ¡°Do you


    still want to hear me moan?¡±


    Ste¡¯s fantasy shattered, as she turned around and kicked him yfully. ¡°Shameless!¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡®Wasn¡¯t she the one who brought it up first?¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m getting a little hungry. Let¡¯s go grab some food.¡±


    Then, Keegan went downstairs with her.


    When Keegan was going to get the car, Ste suddenly felt that someone was watching her, causing


    her to turn her head in that direction.

 Chapter 1483

    Chapter 1483


    The ce was empty, and no one was there.


    Although that was the case, Ste did not believe that it was just her imagination. The feeling of being


    watched was simply too intense and impossible to ignore.


    ¡®Could it be paparazzi?¡¯ she wondered to herself.


    The Pce had finished airing for some time now, and the show¡¯s poprity had cooled down too.


    Although the role gained her some fame, she was not particrly a hot shot that would make paparazzi


    follow her.


    Just as she was thinking about that, Keegan¡¯s car pulled up in front of her. ¡°Get in.¡±


    Ste snapped out of her thoughts and got into the car. In the car, Ste kept looking out of the window


    until the car finally drove out of the parking lot. Then, Keegan asked,¡± What were you looking at?¡±


    Ste averted her gaze. ¡°I feel like someone was watching me when I was waiting for you just now, but


    I couldn¡¯t see anyone around.¡±


    Keegan paused. ¡°I¡¯ll have Aldor check the surveince footageter.¡±


    Ste was a little surprised. ¡°I thought you would say that I was just overthinking.¡±


    Keegan turned the steering wheel, as he said, ¡°I certainly hope so.¡±


    Overthinking would be a lot better than someone actually following them.


    It was not easy for someone to enter the building of Vinci Rivera, but¡­ even Keegan himself could not


    be too certain that the office was entirely safe. So, it would be better for them to be more cautious.


    Keegan drove the car into a garden-like ce.


    Ste thought that Keegan was taking the opportunity to bring her to meet some friends. But it turned


    out that it was actually a private restaurant when they went inside.


    The ce was quiet and secluded. However, the menu was outstanding.


    During the meal, Keegan asked, ¡°Have you officially changed your name?¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going to have my mother¡¯sst name. We¡¯re just waiting for the right time to


    publicly announce it now.¡±


    Keegan paused before he said, ¡°Is Uncle Wenham okay with it?¡±


    Ste said, ¡°Dad was the one who suggested it. He said it was an agreement she made with Mom a


    long time ago.¡±


    Wenham loved her so much, yet he was fine with her having his wife¡¯sst name. That made Ste feel


    that Wenham


    must have loved her mother very much. Otherwise, he would not have honored this promise that no


    one knew about even after so many years.


    He could just be selfish and make Ste have his ownst name since nobody would have known


    anyway.


    Keegan recalled some shattered memories from his childhood, and he could remember that Wenham


    and Freesia were indeed the most loving couple among his parents¡¯ friends.


    His own father was obsessed with work while his mother indulged herself in materialistic pursuits.


    Although Marshall¡¯s parents would always be very respectful toward each other, they seemed tock


    the intimacy of a married couple. As for Carter¡¯s parents, they had an open rtionship. Vermont¡¯s


    parents were perhaps the closest, but they were more like partners who shared amon goal.


    Only Trevor¡¯s parents were different.


    Keegan remembered a time when their kindergarten organized a pic to improve the rtionship


    between the parents and children.


    Cordelia knew about it and forced his parents to participate with him.


    It suddenly rained midway through the pic. Afraid of her bag getting wet, Dahlia ran off to find


    shelter, leaving him and his father behind.


    His father hurriedly packed their things and picked him up before finding a ce to hide from the rain.


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    He turned around to Trevor and saw something that he would never forget.


    Freesia held Trevor up while Wenham shielded them both with his coat. The rainwater flowed above


    the coat and down Wenham¡¯s back. Then, Freesia extended her arm and lifted the coat behind


    Wenham to prevent him from getting soaked.


    He remembered this scene for many years, and he envied them very much. It was to the point where


    he wished that he could be a part of their family. He had no idea why he felt that way. However, now


    that he had gone through a marriage, he only realized that he envied the love and care they showed


    each other. He envied having a normal family rtionship.


    Now, he was indeed going to be a part of that family. It made him wonder if, in a way, his childhood


    wish had finallye true.


    ¡°Why are you smiling like a fool?¡±

 Chapter 1484

    Chapter 1484


    Ste could not help but ask when she handed him a bowl of soup and saw him chuckling with his


    head down.


    Keegan lifted his gaze, and a faint smile appeared on his face. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You¡¯re almost done filming


    the show, right?¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°Just a couple more days.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to take a break after that, or do you have other work to do?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be in any new productions this year. Trevor helped me secure a role in an art film, and I¡¯ve


    already met with the director. They n to start filming around the beginning of spring. So, after The


    Pce wraps up, I won¡¯t be working for a while. It¡¯s good because I¡¯ll have time to focus on managing


    the family¡¯s business.¡±


    Keegan asked, ¡°Do you need me to introduce some clients to you?¡±


    Ste nced at him. ¡°With that attitude of yours, are you sure you¡¯re going introduce clients to me and


    not sabotage my business?¡±


    Keegan scoffed, ¡°Why do you think those people associate with me?¡±


    Ste said without hesitating, ¡°Because you¡¯re a fool with a lot of money, of course. I¡¯m sure that they


    earn a lot when


    they do business with you. Otherwise, why would they give you such expensive jewelry and gifts?¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡°Do you really think that my clients gave me those things?¡± Keegan retorted.


    Ste paused. She suddenly thought of the bag she sold to Be and asked in a low voice, ¡°You didn¡¯t


    buy all those things for me and pretended that they were gifts from your clients, did you?¡±


    Keegan glowered at her. ¡°How much do you think they can earn from a single deal? Why would they


    give me such expensive gifts? Do you think they¡¯re all crazy?¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re crazy or not, but I¡¯m sure that you are. If you want to give me something, just do


    it. Why would youe up with a lie like this and expect me to know the


    truth? You¡¯re so weird.¡±


    How can I tell her I was worried she might not like the gifts, and I¡¯d feel embarrassed and hurt if that


    happened?¡¯ he thought.


    So, he came up with another lie. ¡°You love an aloof man, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Ste said helplessly, ¡°Aloof to other people, except to me. Do you really think that you deserve a wife


    for being aloof?¡±


    Her words left Keegan speechless.


    ¡°So, do you want me to introduce clients to you or not?¡±


    Ste immediately stopped roasting him. ¡°Yes, I do!¡±


    Keegan continued eating leisurely. ¡°You know, there¡¯s no such thing as free lunch.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Ste snorted. ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯ll give you amission.¡±


    Keegan smiled faintly. ¡°That¡¯s not what I want.¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to marry you, then?¡±


    Keegan chuckled softly. ¡°I¡¯m not going to use this to make you marry me. I want you to do that


    willingly.¡±


    ¡®What a sweet talker!¡¯


    ¡°What exactly do you want, then?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it once you close a deal with the clients,¡± Keegan said.


    ¡°Okay, then.¡± Ste lowered her voice and said, ¡°If you can help me close ten or more deals, I wouldn¡¯t


    mind doing anything you want in bed with you.¡±


    ¡°Ahem-hem¡ªhem-¡°


    Keegan choked on his soup, and his face turned red.


    ¡®How could she say such bold words without changing her expression at all?¡¯


    Keegan blushed, as he said, ¡°Have some decency!¡±

 Chapter 1485

    Chapter 1485


    Keegan was not exactly happy with the fact that Ste was going to move back to the Saun residence.


    He had done so many things to finally live under the same roof with Ste. And now, after just a while


    of living together, his girlfriend was going to move back to her house and have a curfew.


    Keegan turned the steering wheel, as she asked, ¡°Are you going to stay there tonight?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll move tomorrow. I¡¯ll go back tonight and pack.¡±


    Keegan was reluctant to be separated from her, but when he thought about how long Ste had been


    away from her own family and how much Wenham missed her, he realized that there was no reason for


    him to be unhappy.


    He pursed his lips and said after a long pause, ¡°Then, I won¡¯t go back to the office. I¡¯ll pack with you. If


    you¡¯re going to move up, there¡¯s no reason for me to stay there anymore.¡±


    Ste looked at his resentful expression and chuckled.


    Then, she whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll only stay there temporarily, and I¡¯ll have a reason not to go back when I start


    filmingter. You have to be at home so that we can hook up anytime.¡±


    Keegan gritted his teeth. ¡°Hook up? What am I to you?¡±


    Ste said, ¡°It¡¯s just a phrase. Take it easy.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    He did not feel any better.


    He sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯ll just go back with you to help you pack, then. It¡¯s yourst night here, and I


    want to spend it with you.¡±


    Ste could not resist how clingy he was and agreed gently.¡± Sure.¡±


    The news of Ste moving back to the Saun residence quickly spread to Unit 902.


    Felicity was overjoyed when she heard that someone was moving out.


    She initially thought that the someone was Keegan and that she could move back in. However, her face


    turned sour immediately when she heard Vermont saying that it was Ste who was going to move out.


    ¡°Why would Ste want to move back? Isn¡¯t this just making it easier for those two pretentious witches


    to bully her?¡±


    ¡°Stick your arm in,¡± Vermont said, as he helped her put on her coat. ¡°You¡¯ve known Ste for so many


    years. Do you think she¡¯s the kind of person who¡¯s easy to bully?¡±


    Felicity argued, ¡°Whether she¡¯s easy to bully is one thing, and whether or not she will be bullied is


    another.¡±


    Vermont chuckled. ¡°Then, you don¡¯t have to worry. She might be the bully when she goes back. A


    friend told me that your best friend took her stepfather to the government office to change the


    ownership of The Velvet this afternoon.


    ¡°Darcie promised to hand over The Velvet to her, yet there was no actual action taken. Your best friend


    went to the Saun residence, and her stepmother immediately went to get the procedure done. Don¡¯t


    you understand what happened? She¡¯s not as easy to bully as you are.¡±


    Felicity got upset. ¡°Why do you say that? Do you think I¡¯m afraid of that pretentious witch?¡±


    Vermont said to himself, ¡®You might not be easy to bully, but you¡¯re definitely easy to fool.¡¯


    Of course, he dared not to say any of that out loud. As he helped her adjust the coat, he said, ¡°I¡¯m the


    easiest to bully. Have you seen me fighting back when you beat me? I¡¯m just a coward who doesn¡¯t


    dare to stand up for myself.¡±


    Felicity snorted. ¡°That¡¯s true. You¡¯re so useless that you can¡¯t even beat me. What will you do if my


    mom hits you when I bring you home? You¡¯ll never be able to fight back at all.¡±


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Vermont¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡°Is she really going to hit me?


    Felicity nced at him. ¡°Did you forget how hard she kicked you on the butt back then? She doesn¡¯t


    even do that to a thief when she catches one, yet you¡¯re the person who took her only daughter away


    from her. A good beating wouldn¡¯t be too much, would it?¡±


    Vermont was speechless.


    He pursed his lips and said after a long pause, ¡°Is it toote to return you to her now?¡±


    Felicity immediately stomped on his foot and said with her


    teeth clenched, ¡°Not before I chop you up!¡±


    Felicity did not use any force at all, but Vermont pretended to groan in pain anyway before he muttered


    under his breath, ¡°You¡¯re heartless.¡±


    After they finished packing, they went to Unit 901 to find Ste.


    Ste was nning toe back asionally, so she did not have much to pack.


    When Felicity and Vermont came over, she was already close to finishing.

 Chapter 1486

    Chapter 1486


    As soon as they went inside, Felicity ran to Ste and hugged her, expressing how much she was


    going to miss her.


    Ste felt a little sad at first. But, her face darkened, as she listened to what Felicity said to her.


    Felicity blurted out the truth when she was about to stop crying. ¡°Ste, why do you have to leave?


    Whose makeup and facial masks can I leech off from? I¡¯m going to spend so much more money now.


    Boo-hoo¡­¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    Her lips twitched, as she clenched her teeth and said, ¡°Are you going to miss me or my makeup


    products?¡±


    Felicity continued crying. ¡°Both, so please leave your makeup products here as a memory.¡±


    Ste wanted to unfriend her right there and then!


    It was unbelievable how much Felicity¡¯s attitude had changed after she started dating Vermont. She


    had be extremely shameless and stingy as if she had turned into apletely different person!


    Vermont did not just sit there either. He held a fruit tter that Keegan and Ste had brought from


    dinner earlier. He savored the fruits while scanning the house.


    ¡°Ste, just let me know if there¡¯s something you can¡¯t move. I¡¯ll sacrifice myself and take them back to


    my house.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    She could not believe Vermont had just said that.


    However, there was indeed something that Vermont could help her with.


    She waved at Vermont and said, ¡°Mr. Snyder,e have a look.¡±


    Vermont walked over with the fruit tter in his hands and saw Ste opening a bag. She took


    something out from it, and Vermont¡¯s eyes immediately lit up.


    ¡°Damn, Ste. Where did you get all these from?¡± He reached out to grab a bloodstone ornament then


    turned to see a religious artifact made of titanium.


    ¡°This is some good stuff. It¡¯s got to cost a fortune, right? Why would someone turn it into a decoration?


    It¡¯s unbelievable!¡±


    Ste continued to take out the other items she had in the bag. Some of them were made of different


    composite materials while others were carved from natural stones like jade, emerald, amber, and


    crystal, to name a few.


    Each piece was extremely expensive.


    Vermont was astonished, as he had a hobby of collecting gemstones and things like these. He knew


    how exorbitantly priced these items could be.


    Ste was just as money-minded as him, so he was uncertain if she would be willing to sell them.


    Before he could ask a question, he heard Ste say,¡± Jaylene gave them to me.¡±


    Vermont kept quiet.


    ¡°You mean she was forced to give them to you, right?¡±


    Ste showed no guilt. ¡°Mr. Snyder, where can I sell these off?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡°Are you really nning to sell them?¡±


    Ste lifted her gaze. ¡°These things are only valuable among people who want to collect them. For


    ordinary folks like me, it¡¯s just a piece of worthless rock. To put it bluntly, they¡¯re nothing but trash. I¡¯d


    rather turn them into money.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re talking about?¡±


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan kicked him from the side. ¡°Just answer her question, rv


    Vermont was speechless.


    He stood up and sat next to Ste. Then, he picked up one of the decorations and asked, ¡°Are you sure


    you want to sell these?¡±


    Ste nodded.


    ¡°What is your desired price for everything?¡±


    Ste said, ¡°I don¡¯t know much about these things. You can decide on the price, and I¡¯ll sell it as long


    as you think it¡¯s fair. I¡¯ll give you a thirty percentmission for each item sold.¡±

 Chapter 1487

    Chapter 1487


    Vermont was surprised. ¡°Thirty percent?¡± he asked. ¡°Listen, Ste, the selling price for these can easily


    hit eight figures. Do you know what giving me thirty percent means?¡±


    He was worried that Ste might not be familiar with the value of these items, so he thought it would be


    best to give her a heads-up.


    Ste chuckled, ¡°Of course. I¡¯m well aware of this. I¡¯m offering you a generousmission, so you


    won¡¯t shortchange me. We¡¯ll both benefit from the sale. But, if you feel uneasy about taking thirty


    percent of the profit, you could do me a little favor in return.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I may not have much, but I have a thick skin. I¡¯mfortable with taking your money,¡±


    Vermont reassured.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste was taken aback by hisment.


    Keegan kicked Vermont from behind, nearly causing him to crash into the coffee table.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Vermont ground his teeth. ¡°I was just kidding! Can¡¯t y¡¯all take a joke?¡±


    ¡°You had iting for running your mouth with my best friend,¡± Felicity giggled.


    Vermont could not believe that his girlfriend was choosing her best friend over him. With the three of


    them against him,


    Vermont swiftly decided to switch allegiances. ¡°What favor do you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing much.¡± Ste smiled and continued, ¡°I just want you to give me a crash course in jewelry


    knowledge and share some insights on how to run this store while you¡¯re at it.¡±


    Vermont did not know how to respond. ¡°Ste, we¡¯repetitors. Are you really asking me to be your


    business mentor?¡± He shot her a look to indicate that he was not a fool.


    ¡°Who saidpetitors can¡¯t be partners?¡± Ste squinted and painted an optimistic picture. ¡°Your


    jewelry store relies on artists from yourpany for endorsements. How much buzz do they actually


    generate?¡±


    ¡°Now, consider my position. I know I¡¯m still an uing artist, but take my cousin, Leighton, for


    instance. He¡¯s the top dog in the local entertainment scene. He has a clean-cut personal life, pays


    taxes like clockwork, and has zero scandals. His endorsement power speaks for itself, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Then, there¡¯s Nicole, who can win the hearts of many. A lot of her middle-aged and elderly audience


    thinks she¡¯s a sweetheart. Remember the time she promoted a cooking oil, and it flew off the shelves?


    Imagine her poprity. Don¡¯t you want them to be the face of your brand?¡±


    Ste¡¯s words struck a chord with Vermont. He wanted in on the deal. The promotional influence of a


    top-tier celebrity was beyond question. However, the endorsement fees were


    expensive, causing Vermont to be hesitant.


    ¡®If Ste brought those two people on board, sales would skyrocket,¡¯ thought Vermont. ¡®But¡­¡¯


    We can leave Nicole out of this. As someone with a partner, I don¡¯t want to work with my ex.¡±


    These words were clearly directed at Felicity, but she was not having any of it.


    ¡°She¡¯s not just your ex; she¡¯s also your former rival. I bet you don¡¯t want to coborate with her


    because you¡¯re afraid of being reminded of how she yed you.¡±


    Vermont was speechless. ¡°Could you cut me some ck here?¡±


    Felicity huffed, ¡°It¡¯d be amazing if we could get Nicole on board. She¡¯s known for selling out products.


    The stuff she uses always bes viral. I used to have a colleague whose mother-inw wasn¡¯t even


    a fan of Nicole. She was just a regr viewer, but she loved buying clothes, jewelry, and bags for her


    daughter-inw. All those products were based on Nicole¡¯s on-screen looks and some from her


    endorsements.¡±


    Ste was not particrly close to Nicole. She only mentioned her to tempt Vermont. She might face


    challenges if they wanted her to participate in the n.


    Keegan caught her concern and said, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Nicole.¡±


    Ste was surprised and asked, ¡°Are you close with her?¡± ¡°I have my connections,¡± Keegan exined,


    as he was ready to ask for Leighton¡¯s help.


    Ste nodded. ¡°Okay. Terms are negotiable as long as she¡¯s open to the idea.¡±

 Chapter 1488

    Chapter 1488


    Vermont found Ste¡¯s proposal intriguing. After contemting, he said, ¡°You¡¯ll need to familiarize


    yourself with every aspect of The Velvet, from sourcing raw materials to crafting and delivering the final


    product. It¡¯s crucial to have reliable people in key positions. There is no room for error once you start


    gettingrge orders.¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°Darcie¡¯s assistant arranged for me to visit The Velvet tomorrow to get a feel of the


    operation.¡±


    ¡°1¡¯11 join you,¡± Felicity chimed in immediately. ¡°Jaylene must be mad that you got the jewelry store.


    She¡¯s probably itching to ruin your ns. Take me along. I¡¯ve got your back if they try to give you a


    hard time.¡±


    Vermont thought for a moment and suggested, ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. We can have a video call before


    you guys enter the store, and I¡¯ll keep an eye on things through the screen.¡±


    Ste was waiting for Vermont to say that. ¡°As long as The Velvet can be managed smoothly, I¡¯ll add an


    extra one percentmission for you on these pieces, Mr. Snyder.¡±


    Vermont shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s alright. Thirty percent will do. Your partner and best friend will kick my ass if


    I ask for more.¡±


    ¡°Thank God, you¡¯re self-aware,¡± Felicity huffed.


    Ste handed the items to Vermont and gave Felicity a stack of unopened skincare and makeup


    products.


    Following that, Felicity happily pulled her boyfriend away and left.


    Once Ste finished organizing, Keegan emerged from the bathroom. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it. I¡¯ve prepared


    the bathwater for you. Go ahead and freshen up.¡±


    Ste nodded and reminded him, ¡°Just pack those items into the suitcase.¡±


    Keegan acknowledged her and crouched down to do the packing. Ste watched him for a few


    seconds before she grabbed a fresh set of clothes and headed to the bathroom.


    Not long after she entered, a scream echoed from the bathroom.


    Keegan froze and immediately rushed toward the bathroom. He pushed the door open and found no


    one in the bathtub.


    Keegan¡¯s heart pounded. He was about to step in and check when the door behind him was mmed


    shut.


    Ste was in a bathrobe with her dark hair draping over her shoulders. She had hands folded over her


    chest, as she looked at him with a yful gleam in her eyes.


    Keegan cleared his throat. ¡°If everything¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll leave.¡±


    Ste blocked his way. She ced his hand on her waist and guided him to untie the strap around her


    bathrobe. She lightly brushed her nose against his chin, as she tiptoed and gave him a kiss on the chin.


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m heading back to the Saun residence tomorrow. Why don¡¯t we make the most of tonight? Hm?


    Honey?¡±


    Keegan could not resist.


    He lifted her up in his arms, and the rest is history.


    The next day, Ste woke up alone. She reached her hand out to cover her eyes from the sunlight.


    Lately, Keegan had been so busy that there was no sign of him every morning she woke up. If it were


    not for the lingering sensations, she might have even thought that what happenedst night was just a


    dream.


    ¡®That ruthless tease!¡¯ she thought.


    Ste lingered in bed for a while before she finally got up. She had an appointment with Darcie¡¯s


    assistant at ten in the morning. It was still early, so she grabbed some breakfast downstairs and


    knocked on the door of apartment 902.


    Vermont answered the door. He stared at her, clearly halfasleep, and mumbled, ¡°Just grab a seat. I¡¯ll go


    get her.¡±


    Ste sat on the couch with her breakfast, as she waited for Felicity.


    Vermont returned to the living room, and not long after, Felicity emerged from the same room. Vermont


    then went back in and did note out again.


    Ste was stunned. Doesn¡¯t Vermont suffer from erectile dysfunction? Why would they be sleeping in


    the same room?¡¯

 Chapter 1489

    Chapter 1489


    ¡°Good morning, Ste,¡± Felicity greeted with a yawn. She grabbed some clothes from another room


    and disappeared into the bathroom. Shortly after, she came out, all set.


    Ste pushed a ss of soy milk toward her and inquired in a hushed tone, ¡°Where¡¯s Vermont?¡±


    ¡°He went back to sleep,¡± Felicity replied.


    Ste pursed her lips and finally asked after a moment,¡± How¡¯s Vermont¡¯s condition?¡±


    Felicity let out a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s still the same. You know, we share a bed, but his member doesn¡¯t respond to


    me at all. The doctor suggested surgery, but Vermont is dead set against it, iming it¡¯s too risky. But, I


    think, since he¡¯s already living on the edge, what¡¯s the extra risk? He could just continue living the way


    he is.¡±


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Ste did not know what to say. Her best friend had a remarkably open mind.


    ¡°So, are you considering giving up on treatment?¡±


    ¡°I do want him to get better, but it feels like he¡¯s resisting,¡± Felicity confessed.


    Ste found it peculiar. Vermont was still young, so it was odd for him to reject treatment when he had


    a condition like this. If he was naturally indifferent to ***, that would be one thing. But, taking his history


    with so many ex-girlfriends into


    consideration, he did not seem like the type to just let himself be.


    Ste furrowed her brows and asked in a hushed tone,¡± When exactly did he start experiencing these


    issues? Did it suddenly happen, or was there an ident?¡±


    Felicity hesitated for a moment. She nced toward the room and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, but promise


    me you won¡¯t spread it around. Vermont cares a lot about his pride. If word got out and bruised his ego,


    he¡¯d find even more ways to make me cater to him.¡±


    ¡°Why on earth would I go gossip about this?¡± Ste assured her. She would share a bit with Keegan,


    but Keegan was tight -lipped and would not spread it around.


    After fidgeting for a moment, Felicity continued in a low voice, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll tell you the truth. It was when I


    identally burned him while I did the cupping for him.¡±


    ¡°What? How were you involved?¡±


    Since she had already started it, Felicity did not hold back andid out the story for Ste.


    Ste¡¯s expression changed after listening to the whole thing.


    She heard about Vermont¡¯s burn from Keegan before. At the time, she had considered visiting him.


    However, Keegan assured her it was not serious and that there was no need to visit him.


    ¡®So, why did Felicity im that it led to his erectile dysfunction? Vermont was someone who would set


    up camp in the hospital and ept gifts from everyone even if he just had a fever. Why would he keep


    the burn a secret from others?¡¯


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t he mention this before?¡± asked Ste.


    ¡°He¡¯s afraid of bing aughingstock. He refuses to bring it up with anyone and even had me


    pretend to be his girlfriend to cover for him,¡± Felicity said.


    Ste was stunned to hear that. ¡°What do you mean you pretended to be his girlfriend?¡±


    Felicity blushed and said, ¡°It started off as a pretense, but as time went on, I fell for him. He eventually


    confessed to me, and I hesitated a bit due to his condition. But then I thought of giving him a chance


    since being with him makes me happy.¡±


    Ste fell silent.


    No wonder Felicity announced out of the blue that she and Vermont were together. When Ste first


    asked her what she liked about Vermont, she could not give a clear answer. Upon reflection, there were


    quite a few oddities in the details, but she did not probe further at the time.


    Thinking back to when Felicity moved into apartment 902 and the strange expressions she had, Ste


    suddenly suspected the role Keegan yed in all of this.


    ¡°So, when did you and Vermont officially start dating?¡± she asked in a low voice.


    Felicity shyly replied, ¡°It was just a few days after Jaylene¡¯s birthday party.¡±


    ¡®This means she and Vermont weren¡¯t even in a romantic rtionship yet when she was forced to move


    into


    apartment 902! Keegan knew that Vermont¡¯s injury wasn¡¯t serious. Did that mean he knew from the


    start that Vermont was just pretending to be injured?¡¯

 Chapter 1490

    Chapter 1490


    Ste¡¯s expression turned serious.


    ¡°Ste, what¡¯s going on?¡± Felicity noticed the sudden change in her best friend¡¯s demeanor and felt a


    twinge of concern.


    Ste collected herself and said, ¡°Tell me, how is Vermont treating you?¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eyes sparkled, as she responded, ¡°He¡¯s¡­ treating me well. I don¡¯t have to worry about


    cleaning or doingundry. He¡¯s always there to lend a hand, even when ites to cooking. After


    meals, he takes care of the dishes. He also handles things like changing the light bulbs and fixing the


    pipes, so I don¡¯t have to do it myself.¡±


    Her words caused Ste to be surprised.


    ¡°Tell me something beyond being handy around the house.¡±


    ¡°He drives me to and from work and saves my favorite food for me. He¡¯s quick to apologize whenever


    he upsets me.


    He¡¯s just a bit too much of a smooth talker.¡±


    Ste was not quite sure how to respond. Vermont seemed practically wless. It was just his approach


    to courtship that was infuriating. ¡®How dare he deceive her!¡¯


    If Felicity had not truly fallen for Vermont, Ste would have surely exposed him. But now that they


    were genuinely in love, she did not want to say anything that could potentially lead to a fight and a


    breakup.


    How did I not see through this sooner?¡¯ thought Ste. ¡®And then, there¡¯s that mutt, Keegan! He must


    have yed a part in all this!¡¯


    ¡°Come on, Ste. It¡¯s time to go,¡± Felicity said. Ste reluctantly swallowed her words and stood up


    while clutching her bag.


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    As they were leaving, Felicity packed the breakfast Ste had brought in a container and announced,


    ¡°Stinky Cucumber, I¡¯ve left your breakfast on the table. Don¡¯t forget to eat it.¡±


    Vermont mumbled a response and said, ¡°Be careful on the way, and video call me when you arrive.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Ste felt a wave ofplex emotions.


    ¡®Oh, well. It¡¯s best if I observe Vermont a bit more before making any decisions,¡¯ she thought.


    On the way to Gxy Avenue, Felicity asked, ¡°Ste, have you updated your name on your ID?¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°The new ID will be ready in a few days. From now on, I¡¯ll be going by Ste Hall.¡±


    ¡°Ste Hall?¡± Felicity repeated a few times. She then turned and said, ¡°It¡¯s catchy. I¡¯ll try to call you that


    more often, so I can get used to your new name.¡±


    Ste smiled. She, too, needed time to adjust to being called Ste Hall instead of Ste Jewell.


    Darcie¡¯s assistant was named Aubrey Abbott. Ste had not met her in person, but they had spoken on


    the phone yesterday and arranged to meet at Gxy Avenue.


    The two best friends parked the car and waited for Aubrey in the square.


    It was an early weekday morning, so the mall was not crowded. However, the wind was unusually


    strong, making it hard for the girls to keep their eyes open.


    ¡°Ste, why don¡¯t we just go inside and wait? The wind is really intense,¡± Felicity suggested.


    Ste agreed and said, ¡°I¡¯ll give her a call.¡±


    As she dialed the number, she walked with her head down, not paying attention to the path ahead. She


    identally bumped into a girl who was carrying some documents. The impact caused the papers to


    fly everywhere in the wind.


    Ste quickly put away her phone and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I wasn¡¯t watching where I was going.¡±


    The girl furrowed her brows. She did not have time to pay attention to Ste. She anxiously picked up


    the scattered papers, looking very tense. It was clear that these documents were extremely important


    to her.

 Chapter 1491

    Chapter 1491


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1491 [Eleven Jewell]


    As the wind scattered the papers across the ce, Ste and Felicity quickly joined in to retrieve them.


    After a thorough chase, they finally managed to collect all the blueprints.


    While Ste was gathering the papers, she was surprised to find that they were sketches for jewelry


    designs. She flipped through a couple of pages, nced at the signature, and paused.


    Just then, the girl whose papers had been scattered about caught up with them. She abruptly snatched


    the papers from Ste¡¯s hand, and her face was tense. ¡°Don¡¯t go snooping through other people¡¯s


    things.¡±


    Felicity frowned. ¡°You seriouslyck manners. We were helping you with picking them up.¡±


    The girl replied coldly, ¡°None of this would have happened if she hadn¡¯t run into me.¡±


    ¡¯You-¡°


    Ste held Felicity back and politely apologized to the girl. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was on the phone, and I didn¡¯t


    watch where I was going. Please check if any of the papers are missing.¡±


    The girl seemed to appreciate Ste¡¯s decent attitude, and she replied calmly, ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±


    With that, she walked away with her belongings.


    Felicity stood with her hands on her hips. ¡°Did you see how she reacted? It¡¯s not like we bumped into


    her on purpose.¡±


    ¡®Those were design blueprints. It¡¯s understandable for her to be anxious,¡± Ste murmured.


    Felicity pursed her lips and said, ¡°We aren¡¯t even proficient in the field. Yet, she acted like we were


    going to steal her design.¡±


    Steughed and said, ¡°Well, considering how she had been stabbed in the back before, I get why


    she would keep her guard up.¡±


    Felicity was confused. ¡°Do you know her?¡± she asked.


    Ste shook her head. ¡¯No, but I saw the name ¡®Maggie Hart¡¯ on the blueprint, and I know about her.¡±


    Felicity became curious. ¡°What¡¯s her story?¡±


    So, Ste proceeded to tell her. Ste had a fondness for jewelry, and she paid quite a bit of attention


    to the industry.


    A couple of years ago, a prominent jewelrypany had its new collectionunch overshadowed by a


    public usation from their own jewelry designer, Maggie Hart. She went online with her real name,


    iming that the pieces thepany was releasing were her designs. Yet, they were credited to


    another supposed design expert.


    This incident had caused quite a stir in the designmunity. giarism was a significant issue, and


    the used designer was a well-known figure in the industry.


    After the matter came to light, thepany initially denied the allegations. However, in the face of


    public scrutiny, they could not produce the design drafts.


    They then stated that their contract with Maggie allowed them to do whatever they pleased with the


    pieces she created during her tenure with thepany. They further pointed out that Maggie had taken


    privatemissions and repeatedly left work without reason during her contract period. So, they


    terminated her employment.


    They defended the designer who giarized her work and pushed Maggie, a rtively unknown


    designer, to the lions.


    Ste was following the incident out of sheer curiosity at that time, and she witnessed the entire


    process.


    It was tant copying and pasting. Thepany did not even bother to make any modifications.


    Instead, they put someone else¡¯s name on the design and mass-produced the pieces for sale.


    Ste despised giarism to the utmost, especially after learning how thepany handled the


    incident. After that, she cklisted the brand and never purchased anything from them again.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    During that time, Maggie had showcased many of her original drafts online to prove that the pieces


    were indeed her creations. That was why Ste recognized her when she saw the handwriting style of


    her name on the sketches she had just picked up.

 Chapter 1492

    Chapter 1492


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1492 [Eleven Jewell]


    Felicity¡¯s initial irritation dissipated, as she listened to the story of Maggie Hart. ¡°No wonder she reacted


    that way when we looked at her sketches.¡¯


    Just then, Darcie¡¯s assistant called to inform them that she had arrived at the store.


    Ste ended the call, turned to Felicity, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. She¡¯s here.¡±


    Felicity snapped back to her senses and quickly video-called Vermont before inserting a wireless


    earpiece into her ear.


    The Velvet was situated on the mail¡¯s first floor, boasting a spacious storefront covering at least two


    thousand square feet.


    When Ste and Felicity entered, they were warmly greeted and asked what they were looking for.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to meet someone,¡± Ste replied calmly.


    At that moment, a woman who had been taking a call by the counter suddenly turned around.


    She sized up Ste and said something to the person on the other end of the line before hanging up.


    She walked directly up to Ste and respectfully said, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Hall. I¡¯m Ms.


    Arnold¡¯s assistant, Aubrey Abbott. Ms. Arnold had instructed me to assist you in the handover of The


    Velvet.¡±


    Ste observed Aubrey without giving away any emotions. She appeared to be in her thirties or forties


    with average looks. Her makeup was well done, and she had a professional demeanor. Her expression


    wasposed and did not reveal much.


    ¡®This person must be special for Darcie to keep her as a trusted aide,¡¯ thought Ste.


    ¡°Hello, Aubrey. I appreciate your help.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure.¡± Then, Aubrey turned to a man who had been looking at Ste the entire time and


    said, ¡°Chris, from now on, The Velvet will be under the management of Ms. Ste Hall. Gather


    everyone for a meeting.¡¯


    Felicity¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®Chris?¡¯


    The man Aubrey addressed immediately came over with a smile. ¡°So, this is the new boss. I apologize


    for my rudeness. Everyone is busy with their respective tasks right now, so I doubt we can gather


    everyone together.¡±


    Chris had thick brows and big eyes. He exuded a presence of righteousness. Yet, his eyes seemed


    evasive, which added a touch of shrewdness.


    Upon hearing his words, Ste smiled faintly. ¡°There¡¯s no need to call everyone. You can just show me


    around, Chris.¡±


    Chris nced at Ste before he responded, ¡°Of course, Ms. Hall. Please follow me.¡±


    The entire first floor was the sales area. Chris began by showing her around the section and exining


    everything along the way.


    The Velvet specialized in high-end jewelry. Each of their designs was produced in limited quantities


    with no restocks once they were sold out. They had premade jewelry but also epted private


    commissions with dedicated designers to help create pieces tailored to their clients¡¯ preferences.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Based on the information Darcie provided, The Velvet had been in operation for nearly a decade. They


    were a brand that focused on luxury jewelry and were quite renowned in the elite circles.


    After a thorough tour, Ste found that the jewelry designs did not particrly stand out. If she were a


    buyer, the pieces in the disy cabs would not entice her to make a purchase.


    Ste scanned the merchandise and asked, ¡°Chris, are there no better- designed jewelry pieces in the


    store?¡±


    Chris chuckled and said, ¡°Ms. Hall, you¡¯re not usually into jewelry, are you? These designs are actually


    the most requested by our clients. As for better ones, they do exist. But each piece costs millions and is


    locked in the safe.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eyelids twitched. ¡®What is this store manager implying?! Ste could fill all their cabs with


    the jewelry she owns!¡¯


    However, Ste was not offended. She smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m new here, so I¡¯m not very knowledgeable.


    Chris, could you bring out the most outstanding piece in the store for me?¡±

 Chapter 1493

    Chapter 1493


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1493 [Eleven Jewell]


    Chris maintained his smile. ¡°Ms. Hall, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m unwilling to show you, but the key to this safe is


    with another team leader. She has taken a day off today, so¡­ I¡¯m terribly sorry. But it seems you might


    not get to see the piece today.¡±


    Ste nced at him and then inquired, ¡°Well, there must be some ounting records in the store.


    Can you bring them over?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s rather unfortunate. Those ounting records and the valuable jewelry are kept in the safe.


    Perhaps we could arrange for another day. I¡¯ll personally take you to have a look,¡± Chris exined.


    Felicity furrowed her brows. ¡°Who stores jewelry and ounting records together? Aren¡¯t you worried


    about dropping the jewelry when you¡¯re handling the records?¡±


    Chris replied, ¡°It¡¯s always been this way in our store. We¡¯re used to it. Ms. Hall, everything will go


    smoothly once you¡¯re ustomed to it.¡±


    Felicity clenched her teeth. ¡®He¡¯s clearly doing this on purpose! How dare he ask the boss to get


    ustomed to their practices!¡¯


    Just as she was about to express her discontent, Ste intervened.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, Chris. Please take US to the design studio and workshop upstairs,¡± Ste suggested.


    Chris offered a strained smile and said, ¡°The workshop is filled with dust and tools. Ms. Hall,


    considering your esteemed status, we wouldn¡¯t be able to bear the responsibility if you were to get dirty


    or hurt.¡±


    Ste pursed her lips and said, ¡°If you genuinely feel you can¡¯t bear the responsibility, why not resign?


    I¡¯ll find someone who can do their job. That way, we won¡¯t have a problem anymore. To be frank, Chris,


    I¡¯m beginning to question your professionalism.¡±


    Finally, Chris¡¯s expression showed a little change.


    He forced a smile and said, ¡°Ms. Hall, you certainly have a sense of humor. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m unwilling to


    take you there. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m concerned about your delicate nature. I¡¯m worried you might feel


    ufortable in that environment,¡± Chris exined.


    After saying that, he instructed the staff to prepare protective gear for Ste. Turning back to them with


    a cheerful grin, he stated, ¡°Follow me,dies.¡±


    The first floor of The Velvet was the sales area, the second floor housed the design studio and the


    reception area for custom clients. Meanwhile, the third floor was the carving workshop.


    The group took the elevator to the third floor. As soon as the doors opened, the sound of machinery


    filled the air.


    Ste and Felicity donned their protective gear and followed Chris, as he showed them room after


    room.


    Felicity discreetly took photos of the items with her phone, with Vermont assisting her on the other end


    of the call. Ste randomly picked up a piece of uncarved stone from the pile and held it up for Felicity


    to photograph.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, this is quite valuable. Please handle it with care,¡± Chris hastily warned.


    Ste nced at him. ¡°For something so valuable, is it appropriate to just pile it on the ground?¡±


    Chris exined, ¡°These are newly arrived raw stones. They haven¡¯t been sorted yet.¡±


    Ste examined a few and then ced them back.


    Felicity tapped Ste¡¯s arm, and as Ste leaned down, Felicity whispered in her ear, ¡°Stinky cucumber


    says that these raw stones are of good quality; high-grade even. But they have a high loss rate during


    polishing. Many scraps are discarded. He wants you to ask how they handle these scraps.¡±


    Ste nodded.


    The group quickly made their way to the bags piled in the corner. They were filled with discarded


    materials. Ste asked, ¡°Chris, how are these things handled?¡±


    ¡°We have a dedicated recycling channel,¡± Chris replied. ¡°These items aren¡¯t worth much. They¡¯re too


    small to be made into jewelry or damaged during the polishing process. We¡¯ll repair and reuse


    whatever we can. As for the ones that can¡¯t be salvaged, we have to throw them away. Each bag goes


    for ten thousand dors, and we collect them once a month.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s eyelids twitched. ¡°How much?¡±


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Felicity casually added, ¡°Ten thousand dors.¡±

 Chapter 1494

    Chapter 1494


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1494 [Eleven Jewell]


    Chris turned to Ste after he finished his statement. Ste cleared her throat and feigned, ¡°You can


    sell a whole bag for ten thousand dors?¡±


    ¡°The person in charge of recycling is a partner of our store, so the price they offer us is rtively high.


    The few newly established factories only offer six thousand per bag,¡± Chris exined.


    Vermont¡¯s voice grew serious. ¡°With this quality of scraps, unless they¡¯re too damaged to be used for


    jewelry, they should definitely not be sold by the bag. Their raw stones are of good quality. Even if


    they¡¯re considered scraps, a bag shouldn¡¯t cost only ten thousand dors.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not jump to conclusions just yet. Ste has just arrived, and the business hasn¡¯t fully started yet.


    The people don¡¯t trust her, and nobody will tell the truth even if we look into it.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Felicity did not know how to convey such a long message to Ste.


    However, Ste would surely sense something fishy even if Felicity did not say anything.


    ¡°Chris, let¡¯s go take a look at the design studio,¡± Ste said calmly.


    Seeing Ste¡¯sposed demeanor and theck of immediate objection, Chris concluded that she


    might not understand these matters. He put his concerns aside and led them to the second floor.


    The Velvet had five designers. When they arrived, four of them were at their respective workstations.


    Chris cleared his throat and announced loudly, ¡°Stop whatever you¡¯re working on, and let me introduce


    the new owner of our branch.¡±


    Everyone looked up, and one familiar face instantly caught Ste¡¯s eye.


    She blinked in surprise. ¡®Isn¡¯t that Maggie, the woman I bumped into at the square earlier? I didn¡¯t know


    she worked at The Velvet.¡¯


    Maggie was a skilled designer, and a bigpany was more suitable for her career growth. ¡®Why


    would she be here?¡¯


    Maggie had also noticed Ste and paused for a brief moment. She then quickly regained her


    composure. However, her expression now held a touch of seriousness.


    Chris proceeded to introduce Ste with great enthusiasm. It was almost as if he was conducting an


    awards ceremony. Ste listened attentively before she interrupted. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet everyone. Weren¡¯t


    there supposed to be five designers? Where¡¯s the other one?¡±


    One of the designers responded, ¡°Our team leader, Barbara, took Ms.


    Wilson to the reception.¡±


    Chris was momentarily taken aback. ¡°Ms. Wilson is here?¡±


    The designer nodded. ¡°She came early this morning before you arrived. She has a banquet this


    evening and wanted to pick out a couple of pieces of fine jewelry for the asion, so she came over


    early. Barbara has been assisting her for over an hour.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t anyone inform me earlier?¡± Chris was getting anxious. ¡°Has anyone offered her


    refreshments? Did Ms. Wilson buy the pastries she likes? Did she have breakfast when she arrived this


    morning? Did you ask?¡±


    Ste and Felicity stood there silently. ¡®Ms. Wilson must be quite the character if Chris is so devoted


    toward her,¡¯ they thought.


    If Ste was not present, he would have probably left directly.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, this is essentially how thepany operates. I have clients in the store today, so I need to


    attend to them. If there¡¯s anything else you¡¯d like to know, let¡¯s arrange a time, and I¡¯ll show you


    around,¡± Chris said.


    Ste responded, ¡°Let¡¯s see everything since we¡¯re already here. Barbara is in charge of the design


    department and is the person who controls the product design standards. I need to meet her. Chris,


    please take US to her.¡±


    Chris was in a hurry to attend to Ms. Wilson, so he did not have time to decline further. ¡°This way,


    please,¡± he said.


    When they arrived at the reception room, they heard a subservient voice saying, ¡°May I know if this fits


    your satisfaction, Ms. Wilson?¡±

 Chapter 1495

    Chapter 1495


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1495 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ste followed the voice and found a young woman seated on the couch. Her arms, head, neck, and


    ears were adorned with extravagant jewelry.


    There were gemstones everywhere possible. The pieces were huge, and the quality of the stones was


    high. However, whenbined, they appeared excessive andplex. Even celebrities like Ste did


    not wear such essories.


    The woman¡¯svishness extended beyond her jewelry. Her dress was from a high-end brand that cost


    a minimum of six figures.


    At first nce, she did not exude grace and elegance but rather an extravagant disy. It was a sign of


    affluence.


    The wealthy youngdy looked somewhatnguid. Seated beside her was someone almost half-


    kneeling, holding a design sketch and conversing with her.


    ¡¯She must be Barbara, the team leader of the design group they mentioned earlier.¡¯


    Ms. Wilson nced at the design sketch and frowned. ¡¯It doesn¡¯t seem quite right.¡±


    Barbara immediately responded, ¡°Please let me know how you want it, and I¡¯ll make the necessary


    adjustments.¡±


    Ms. Wilson¡¯s brows tightened, as she pointed to a specific area on the sketch. ¡°Why does this phoenix


    look botched? Why is it so ugly?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you request a phoenix, Ms. Wilson? That is what a phoenix looks like,¡± Barbara exined.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t match the image I had in mind. It looks too intricate.¡±


    ¡°In that case, what changes would you like to be made? I¡¯ll make sure to alter it until you¡¯re satisfied.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Ms. Wilson pursed her lips. She was facing a dilemma herself. The design was created ording to


    her instructions, but she found fault with various aspects upon seeing it.


    The problem was that she could not pinpoint exactly what she did not like. She initially came to The


    Velvet to choose a ne and leave, but she ended up getting roped into a discussion on how to


    modify the design. The piece was meant to be worn at her father¡¯s birthday party next month, but


    nearly a month had passed, and the design had not been finalized. The designer kept pestering her


    every day, and she was getting extremely annoyed.


    As Ms. Wilson was about to express her impatience, Chris approached her with a beaming smile. ¡°Ms.


    Wilson, you¡¯re here. Why didn¡¯t you let US know in advance?¡±


    He immediately arranged for some refreshments and added, ¡°I¡¯ve sent someone to buy your favorite


    souffle from Plum Blossom Delights. It¡¯ll be here shortly. Please have some tea in the meantime.¡±


    Ste and Felicity shared a knowing look. Both of them thought that Chris was an insincere tterer.


    ¡°No need to trouble yourself. I¡¯ll be leaving shortly,¡± Ms. Wilson calmly replied.


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all. You can stay for however long you like,¡± Chris insisted. He paused and added in a


    low voice, ¡°Have you found any jewelry that suits your taste, Ms. Wilson?¡±


    The woman shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I particrly like.¡±


    Chris was about to continue when Ste intervened at the opportune moment. ¡°Chris, why don¡¯t you


    introduce US?¡±


    Only then did Chris remember that Ste was still here. He cleared his throat and said, ¡°Ms. Wilson,


    this is our store¡¯s new owner, Ms. Ste Hall. And, Ms. Hall, this is our VIP client, Ms. Ka Wilson.¡±

 Chapter 1496

    Chapter 1496


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1496 [Eleven Jewell]


    Chris paused and introduced the designer who had been speaking with Ka. Ms. Hall, this is Barbara,


    the head of our design team. She¡¯s our most sought-after designer, and many clients admire her work.


    Barbara, please greet Ms. Hall.¡±


    Barbara gave Ste a discerning look and greeted her with a nod. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Ms. Hall.¡±


    Ste nced at the design sketches on the table and politely asked,¡± Barbara, may I look at the draft


    for this design?¡±


    Barbara, who was somewhat disdainful of this young new boss, perceived her as someone who did not


    quite grasp the world of jewelry. She questioned how Darcie could entrust the store to such an


    inexperienced individual.


    ¡°Feel free to look, although I fear you may not fully understand it,¡± she replied indifferently.


    Felicity stared her down and said, ¡°There must be something wrong with your design if we can¡¯t


    understand it.¡±


    Barbara was annoyed and wanted to fight back, but she held back due to Ste¡¯s status. Instead, she


    just looked at Felicity with a cold gaze.


    Ste grabbed the paper and said, ¡°Goodness, this is rather¡­ unique.¡±


    Felicity leaned over to examine the sketch. She could not help but exim, ¡°What in the world? It¡¯s


    hideous. What is it, a rooster¡¯s head?¡±


    Ka¡¯s brow furrowed slightly.


    Hearing that, Barbara could not contain herself any longer. ¡°Don¡¯t embarrass yourself. It¡¯s clear you


    don¡¯t understand art.¡±


    ¡®Even though that may be true, I know what a chicken looks like when I see one,¡± Felicity scoffed.


    ¡°It¡¯s a phoenix, you uneducated girl!¡±


    Felicity was about to fire back, but Ste intervened. ¡°Barbara, my friend tends to be forthright.


    However, I must admit that it¡¯s rather difficult for me to appreciate this design.¡±


    Barbara was tempted to retort. She wanted to say, ¡°And, what do you know?¡± But, considering Ste¡¯s


    status, she restrained herself. She then looked at Ka and had an idea.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, I designed this piece based on Ms. Wilson¡¯s preference. I painstakingly revised this phoenix


    as per her instructions. Are you doubting her taste?¡±


    As expected, Ka¡¯s face showed a slight displeasure. She looked coldly at Ste, as she was curious


    about what Ste would say.


    Chris, who was afraid of offending Ka, quickly whispered to Ste, ¡°Ms. Hall, Ms. Wilson is a major


    client of ourpany. It would be better if you revise your words.¡±


    Ste ignored him and nced at Barbara. ¡°Ms. Wilson is a client who hase for customized


    jewelry. Shouldn¡¯t she let the designer do the work? The essence of custom-made jewelry lies in the


    design. If the client dictates all the changes, whose design is it in the end? Yours or the client¡¯s?¡±


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Barbara¡¯s face grew increasingly grim. ¡°Ms. Hall, you clearly don¡¯t understand the intricacies of design.


    When we ept custom orders, the client¡¯s preferences take precedence. This isn¡¯t a design


    competition.


    We¡¯re not here to showcase our creativity.¡±


    Ste¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Clients may not have an in-depth understanding of design. They


    typically have a rough concept of the jewelry they desire. That is why they seek out designers like you


    for assistance. If you simply defer all the responsibilities to the client, do you also expect them to


    handle your design fees in the future? Do you have no concept when ites to design? What


    purpose do designers like you serve in thepany if the customer is the one who does most of the


    work? Perhaps having clients to provide their own sketches directly would be more efficient.¡±


    Ste had met many jewelry makers. Most of the outstanding designers were prideful of their work.


    Even when taking on custom projects, they would ensure that their own style and design philosophy


    were reflected in the draft. They would never follow the client around like apdog while showing no


    regard for their creations and making changes wherever pointed out.

 Chapter 1497

    Chapter 1497


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1497 [Eleven Jewell]


    Barbara got so angry that her face turned red as she cried to Chris, ¡°Mr. Poole, I designed this


    ording to the customer¡¯s requirement. Did I do anything wrong? Does Ms. Hall have a problem with


    me because I was busy serving Ms. Wilson and didn¡¯t greet her right away?


    ¡°Ms. Wilson is a VIP customer of The Velvet, and I only put her first for the sake of our store. It¡¯s not


    right for her to target me without any valid reasons just because she¡¯s our new boss!


    ¡°I¡¯ve been with thepany for years, and you know me very well. You¡¯ve seen how much effort I put


    into serving our customers. You probably realize how many of our clients onlye here for my


    service, right?


    ¡°I would¡¯ve nevere here to work if it weren¡¯t for Mrs. Saun¡¯s sake. If Ms. Hall doesn¡¯t appreciate my


    designs, I might as well quit!¡±


    Ste pursed her lips.


    She was initially dissatisfied with Barbara¡¯s obsequious service attitude. But after hearing what she


    said, she became unhappy with her as a whole


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    First, Barbara ndered her for being arrogant and used her connections to threaten her. Then, she


    brought up Darcie and used resigning as an excuse to pressure her.


    Ste could not believe a mere designer could have such a big ego and act snobbishly just because


    she criticized her design.


    Chris tried to calm Barbara down before turning to Ste and said, Ms. Hall, Ms. Tucker was personally


    recruited by Mrs. Saun from a bigpany. She designs a lot of jewelry in the disy case downstairs.


    She¡¯s also the most popr and well-received designer in ourpany. She has good rtionships


    with many of our clients; many of theme to our store solely because of her.¡±


    Ste replied nonchntly, ¡°Ourpany specializes in high-end luxury jewelry. I¡¯ve always thought


    our customers only buy from US because of our product¡¯s quality. However, it turns out that it¡¯s all


    because of Ms. Tucker¡¯s charm. Mr. Poole, if what you said is true, if Ms. Tucker quits, thepany


    won¡¯t be able to operate, is that right?¡±


    Chris hesitated momentarily before saying softly, ¡°Ms. Tucker ys a very important role in our


    company.¡±


    In other words, yes.


    Chris¡¯s words seemed to boost Barbara¡¯s arrogance. She wiped her face and said hoarsely, ¡°Mr. Poole,


    please help me with my resignation. Ms. Hall and I have different values, and I refuse to stay here and


    be humiliated.¡± Then, she turned to Ka and continued, ¡°Ms. Wilson, I¡¯m very sorry, but I won¡¯t be


    able to serve you anymore. Please find someone else to help you with your design.¡±


    Ka had no intention of interfering in thepany¡¯s affairs. In fact, she did not like Barbara very


    much either.


    Every time she ordered something, Barbara would call her dozens of times a day to ask about every


    detail. Just like what that woman said, she would end up being the one designing the entire thing


    despite paying the designer to do what she was supposed to do.


    However, Ka¡¯s not liking Barbara was one thing; the attitude with which Ste spoke also made her


    somewhat displeased.


    ¡®How could she criticize my taste?¡¯


    Ka was about to speak, but Ste said, ¡°If you really care about Ms. Wilson¡¯s image, shouldn¡¯t you


    have noticed how tacky her outfit looks? Have you given her any advice? How could you not have any


    sense of aesthetics as a designer? Or do you prefer her to dress this way and wear a lot of jewelry just


    so you can make a lot of sales from her? You don¡¯t care about how she looks as long as you can make


    money. You¡¯ll praise her regardless of what you really think, am I right?¡±


    Ka¡¯s eyelid twitched.


    Barbara¡¯s expression slightly changed, ¡°Ms. Hall, please do not use me without any proof. Why


    would I think that way?¡± ¡°Well, then tell me. Which part of Ms. Wilson¡¯s outfit looks good?¡±

 Chapter 1498

    Chapter 1498


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1498 [Eleven Jewell]


    Barbara was taken aback and did not darement on Ka¡¯s outfit. She stuttered and just could not


    find the words to say.


    Ste said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re a designer, yet you don¡¯t have your own design concept. As a customer¡¯s


    image management consultant, I can¡¯t believe that you cannot offer any effective advice on her outfit.


    What¡¯s the point of thepany hiring you? Are you simply here to find out the customers¡¯ preferences


    so you can constantly tter them?¡±


    Chris remained silent.


    ¡®Why does it sound like it¡¯s directed at me?¡¯ Chris thought to himself.


    Barbara¡¯s expression looked very unpleasant. Ste¡¯s words had left her utterly speechless.


    ¡°Since Ms. Tucker also thinks that she¡¯s notpetent for this job, Mr.


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Poole, please proceed with her resignation.¡±


    Barbara¡¯s expression changed drastically.


    She was just pretending and had not thought about actually resigning at all. Themission from high-


    spending customers like Ka was enough to make her rich in just a month. It could earn her more


    than working anywhere else.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, I¡¯m personally recruited by Mrs. Saun. You have no right to fire me!¡±


    Ste red at her, Didn¡¯t you say you want to quit? Why are you saying that I¡¯m firing you now? Or


    were you just joking with me when you said you would quit?¡±


    Barbara¡¯s face turned extremely red, not knowing whether to admit it. So, she could only cling to the


    same thing, ¡°Mrs. Saun personally hired me. I¡¯ll only leave if she doesn¡¯t want me here anymore!¡±


    Ste¡¯s gaze widened, ¡°Ms. Tucker, it seems like you don¡¯t understand something here. I¡¯m the owner


    of The Velvet now, and I have every right to decide who stays and who goes.¡±


    Barbara¡¯s face turned pale now.


    Aubrey, who had been quiet and following Ste, suddenly spoke. ¡°Ms.


    Hall, you just took over The Velvet, and there are a lot of things that you¡¯re not familiar with yet. It may


    not be worth it to fire her at this moment.¡±


    Ste nced at Aubrey and thought, ¡®She kept quiet when Chris gave me problems and did not want


    to show me the ounts, yet she spoke up when I was about to fire Barbara.¡¯


    ¡°Thank you for the reminder, but unlike Mrs. Saun, I have a really bad temper. I don¡¯t tolerate my


    employees challenging me. And since this is mypany, I only want people I like to work for me. The


    fact that she kept bringing up her previous boss to threaten me upsets me greatly, and I don¡¯t want to


    pay her to make me angry.


    ¡°As for thepany, you don¡¯t have to worry too much. It wouldn¡¯t really matter if it does well or not.


    This is my family¡¯s business, and my dad is not going to care too much about it. I can do whatever I


    want.


    ¡°Darcie is very fond of Ms. Tucker, isn¡¯t she? After she resigns, you can help her find a job for Darcie.


    In that way, all of US here can get what we want.¡¯


    Audrey pressed her lips together and lowered her gaze, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean it that way.¡¯


    Barbara listened to their conversation and knew that no one was going to back her up anymore. So,


    she immediately shifted her attitude, ¡°Ms. Hall, I¡¯m just not very good with words. Please forgive me for


    what I said. I¡¯ve been working in thispany for so many years, and it¡¯s like a home to me. I don¡¯t


    want to leave.¡±


    Ste replied indifferently, ¡°Would you want to resign so easily if it¡¯s really like a home to you? Besides,


    I think that you¡¯re very good with words. Otherwise, how could you have fooled Ms. Wilson so easily?¡±


    Ka was speechless.

 Chapter 1499

    Chapter 1499


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1499 [Eleven Jewell]


    It seemed like Chris had a pretty good rtionship with Barbara. When he heard that Ste was really


    going to fire her, he immediately chimed in with some kind words.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, Ms. Tucker is just a little straightforward and not good at expressing herself. She¡¯s the head


    of our design team and oversees the entire design operation here. If you let her go, the design


    department will be a mess without a leader.¡±


    Ste paused, ¡°You have a point there. We can¡¯t have a design department without a leader.¡±


    Then, she added, ¡°Let¡¯s have the designer at the third workspace in the office take her position for now.


    I¡¯ll make further adjustmentster.¡±


    ¡®The third workspace¡­ Maggie Hart?¡¯


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Chris¡¯s expression shifted. He could manage everyone in the design department except for Maggie.


    However, Maggie was not someone he could fire because her designs were very popr and her


    prices were low, which was very rare in the industry.


    Nevertheless, Maggie was very blunt and only knew how to draw. She did not even know how to tter


    her clients, let alone y these little tricks with Chris and Barbara.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, are you sure? Maggie Hart only knows how to draw, and that¡¯s all. ¡ö


    ¡°That¡¯s good enough. A designer¡¯spetence is built on their designs. What¡¯s the point of having


    sales and marketing staff if I need her to deal with the customers?¡±


    Chris was about to say something more, but Ste interrupted him, ¡°Go get it done. Make sure Ms.


    Tucker hands over all her projects before she leaves. I don¡¯t want to see her here again when Ie to


    thepany next time.¡±


    Barbara¡¯s face looked extremely pale.


    ¡°Hold on.¡±


    Ka finally spoke in azy tone, and she looked arrogant. She casually nced at Ste and


    continued tly, ¡°Who is going to handle my custom order if you fire her? Who will advise me on how to


    match my jewelry tonight?¡±


    Barbara seemed to have found her savior and immediately grabbed Ka¡¯s arm, ¡°Ms. Wilson, please


    help me. I¡¯ve almost finished the design drawings. They can¡¯t just rece me like that.¡±


    Ka brushed her hand away and said indifferently, ¡°I have nothing to do with this. There¡¯s no use


    begging me. I don¡¯t work here, and I only care about who¡¯s going to handle my order.¡±


    Of course, she would not get involved in theirpany affairs. She was merely unhappy because


    Ste had criticized her taste.


    Barbara¡¯s hope was shattered, and her face turned ashen.


    Chris had no choice but to escort her out. If she left now, thepany would still offer some


    compensation. However, if they were to anger Ste further, that might not be the case anymore.


    Chris thought that Ste would be easy to fool because of how young she looked when he met her


    downstairs. He never expected her to fire an employee so decisively that even Darcie¡¯s assistant did


    nothing to stop it. That made him more cautious.


    Ste looked at Ka from head to toe before asking, ¡°Ms. Wilson, what event will you be attending


    tonight?¡±


    ¡°A business banquet organized by my own family,¡± She replied tly.


    ¡®There¡¯s no need for you to purchase any new jewelry if that¡¯s the case. The dress code for a business


    banquet usually emphasizes elegance and simplicity. You don¡¯t need to wear a lot of excessive


    essories.¡±


    As she spoke, she reached out, intending to remove the hair essory on Ka¡¯s head. Ka was


    startled and moved backward instinctively. nWhat are you doing?¡± she asked.


    Ste smiled, ¡°I¡¯m going to help you with your outfit tonight.¡±


    Ka looked at her skeptically, ¡°You¡¯re not a designer. How are you going to do that?¡±


    Felicity chimed in before Ste could say anything, ¡°My bestie knows a lot about fashion, and she


    always gets the spotlight wherever she goes. No matter how ugly a person can be, she can turn them


    into someone who will leave everyone in awe.¡±

 Chapter 1500

    Chapter 1500


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1500 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ka kept quiet.


    ¡¯Are you calling me ugly?¡±


    Ste smiled, ¡¯My friend is straightforward, but she means no harm. Ms. Wilson, why don¡¯t you take my


    advice and see how it turns out for you tonight? If it doesn¡¯t suit you, you cane back, and I¡¯ll do as


    you say, whether it¡¯s a refund orpensation.¡±


    Ka looked at her, put her hand down, and said coldly, ¡°Go ahead then.¡±


    So, Ste began removing all her excessive jewelry.


    With each piece Ste removed, Ka felt more uneasy. She was too used to wearing them and


    having them all taken off made her feel somewhat ufortable.


    After Ste was done, she called over an assistant designer to help fix Ka¡¯s hair. Then, she said,


    ¡°Ms. Wilson,e have a look.¡±


    Ka stood up hesitantly and walked over to the mirror.


    There were only ivory-white pearl earrings on her ears and a delicate silver ne across her


    corbone. She looked simple yet elegant,pletely different from how she was before.


    She did not hate the look but found it difficult to adapt to. So, she instinctively reached out for the


    bangle next to her, but Ste stopped her.


    ¡°Ms. Wilson, wearing more isn¡¯t always going to make you look better. Instead, excessive essories


    can sometimes make you lose your grace.


    ¡°A business banquet is not a fashion show; it does not require you to dress extravagantly. Pair these


    with a simple ck fitted dress and keep your hair as it is now. If anyone says you don¡¯t look good


    tonight, you¡¯re free to return here and trash our store.¡±


    Ka pursed her lips and looked in the mirror for a while longer. Then, she turned to Ste and said, ¡°It


    better turn out the way you said it, or I won¡¯t let this slide!¡±


    After saying that, she picked up her bag and left. Chris immediately went after her but could not


    persuade her to stay.


    Chris came back andined to Ste, ¡°Ms. Hall, Ms. Wilson is one of our most important


    customers. Many socialitese to our store because of her. She¡¯s literally our walking billboard. You


    shouldn¡¯t have taken such a gamble with her. Our entire store will suffer if she gets angry with her looks


    tonight!¡±


    Ste smiled, ¡°Mr. Poole, it¡¯ll be my responsibility if I upset her and lose her as a customer. Your sry


    won¡¯t be affected, so you do not need to be so anxious.¡±


    Her words left Chris utterly speechless.


    Ste did not stay very long after Ka left. She told Chris that she woulde to look at the financial


    records the next time she came and left with Felicity.


    Chris could not help but scold Ste after they left, ¡°She doesn¡¯t know anything, yet she¡¯s acting like


    she¡¯s all that. I can¡¯t believe she fired Barbara on her first day here. Is Mrs. Saun really okay with


    someone like her taking over thepany she built from scratch?¡±


    Aubrey said tly, ¡°Mrs. Saun wants you to cooperate and assist Ms. Hall in managing thepany.¡¯


    Chris asked, ¡°And how am I supposed to do that?¡±


    Aubrey nced at him, ¡°You¡¯re a smart person. You don¡¯t need me to say more, do you?¡±


    Chris¡¯ eyes lit up, and he immediately smiled, ¡°I got it.¡±


    Aubrey left The Velvet and called Darcie to tell her everything that had happened earlier.


    When Darcie heard Aubrey repeating Ste¡¯s words: ¡°This is my family¡¯s business, and my dad is not


    going to care too much about it. I can do whatever I want,¡¯ a hint of sarcasm shed across her eyes.


    ¡°How arrogant of her. Just ignore it. Arrange a gathering for me in these two days and tell everyone that


    my new beauty salon will be in business soon, and I¡¯d like to invite them toe.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

 Chapter 1501

    Chapter 1501


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1501 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ste shook her head, ¡°Have you met her before?¡±


    Felicity patted her hand, ¡®Look at how she dresses. Aren¡¯t you the same as her when you had just


    married Keegan back then? You would wear every piece of jewelry you have when attending an event


    even though you know they may not make you look good. You just wanted to unt your wealth.¡±


    Ste was momentarily speechless. She then retorted, ¡°Let¡¯s not remind me of how ignorant I was,


    okay?¡±


    The people in their social circle despised her for how inappropriately she dressed when she had just


    married Keegan. Those people even openly mocked her.


    Ste had always been rebellious, and the more they made fun of her, the more she wanted to stand


    against them. She would use Keegan¡¯s connections to buy those jewelry and bags they could not buy,


    and wear them immediately, just to make those people jealous. She enjoyed looking at the sour


    expressions on their faces.


    However, she would always regret it aftering back home. She felt like a fool for spending so much


    money just to make others feel bitter.


    So, she stopped doing it after a few times.


    She would have forgotten that embarrassing period if Felicity had not brought it up.


    But Ka wore even more essories than she did back then.


    Putting her clothes aside, her sheer amount of jewelry could easily be worth several houses. She was


    literally a living bank, which exined whyAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Chris was so deferential to her.


    Ka only seemed difficult to deal with. Ste bluntly criticized her taste, yet Ka did not get angry.


    Instead, after Ste fixed her looks for her, she appeared to be a little unconfident when all her jewelry


    was removed.


    Felicity was right about one thing. Perhaps Ka knew that how she dressed could be tacky, but the


    excessive jewelry boosted her confidence.


    Ste figured that she had to find out more about Ka. She had to build her ownwork and grow


    her own customer base, as she knew that Darcie would not be so kind as to provide her with profitable


    clients.


    ¡°Ste, I¡¯ll go get some coffee. Wait for me in the car.¡±


    Ste nodded. Then, she gave Keegan a call after getting into the car.


    At that time, Aldor was showing Keegan the surveince footage.


    ¡® Mrs. Kane could be right. This car is not from ourpany. It drove away not too long after you and


    Mrs. Kane left. I asked the parking lot attendants and was told that this car came in with Chandler


    Kane. They thought it was Mr. Kane¡¯s friend, so they didn¡¯t register it.¡±


    Keegan stared at the license te for a moment before saying, ¡°Send this to Carter and have him


    check the owner¡¯s information.¡±


    ¡°Oh, by the way, Mrs. Kane bumped into Jackson when she came to the office yesterday.¡± Aldor


    paused before saying in a low voice, ¡°Chandler probably already knows now that you and Mrs. Kane


    have gotten back together.¡±


    ¡°Just let it be then,¡± Keegan replied coldly. ¡°He always wanted to match Jackson and Jaylene up, right?


    That¡¯s perfect. He can now be my cousin and also my brother-inw.¡±


    Aldor was speechless.


    ¡®How hrious.¡¯


    Keegan¡¯s phone rang. His expression immediately changed as he saw it was Ste and answered it


    happily.


    ¡°Hey, Ste.¡±


    However, Ste¡¯s tone did not sound very happy as she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Keegan Kane, you


    liar! Did you already know that Vermont was faking about his condition and was lying to Felicity?¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    ¡®What an idiot Vermont is! When did he expose himself?


    ¡®And why did he have to drag me into this?¡¯ ¡°Ste, listen to my exnation¡­¡±

 Chapter 1502

    Chapter 1502


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1502 [Eleven Jewell]


    Exnation?¡± Ste scoffed. ¡°Well, let¡¯s see what excuse you cane up with then.¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    Aldor teased him, ¡°Tell her the truth. Nothing beats honesty.¡±


    Keegan red at him, ¡°Mind your own business!¡±


    ¡°Who are you talking to? Don¡¯t talk to Aldor like that!¡±


    Aldor felt incredibly happy that he had chosen the right side. He was d that Ste defended him.


    Keegan pursed his lips and said in a low voice, ¡°Do you know that he gets the highest bonus every


    time? other people are even starting toin.¡±


    Ste snorted, ¡°I wonder how many assistants you¡¯d have to hire if Aldor weren¡¯t so good at catering to


    your terrible temper.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Aldor dared not to take credit for that and quickly chimed in, ¡®Mr. Kane isn¡¯t like this at work. He is very


    fair, and everyone likes him very much for that.¡±


    Keegan nced at him, and Aldor understood what his gaze was saying: good job.


    Keegan figured that he could no longer hide the truth since Ste had asked, so he chose to ¡°betray¡¯


    his best friend.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know it at first, but his acting was simply too fake. So I figured it out.¡±


    Ste gritted her teeth, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about it if you knew?¡±


    ¡°I was worried that you¡¯d use me of working together with him. Did you forget what was the first


    thing you did when they got together? You argued with me and even told the security guard I was a


    stalker to stop me from entering your house.¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    She remembered what happened. She was worried that Vermont would not be loyal to Felicity and hurt


    her, so she put the me on Keegan.


    Although it was a little rash, it turned out that she was right. Vermont had indeed lied to Felicity to win


    her over!


    Keegan said, ¡°I just could not figure out how to tell you about it after I figured it out. You would¡¯ve


    doubted me no matter what.¡±


    ¡¯Don¡¯t try to fool me! You knew they were fake dating, so why did you lie to me about them wanting to


    live together? Now I know why Felicity looked so strange when I asked if she wanted to stay with


    Vermont. Did you secretly threaten her?¡±


    Keegan sighed, ¡°Vermont and Ms. Thompson hadn¡¯t made any progress in their rtionship, and he


    was getting anxious about it. He kept asking me for help. He did help me quite a few times when I was


    pursuing you, so how could I turn him down?¡±


    Keegan paused before continuing, ¡°Although Vermont can be flirty sometimes, he¡¯s a gentleman at


    heart. Even if he used some tricks to win Ms. Thompson over, I¡¯m sure he would never force her to do


    anything if she isn¡¯t interested in him.¡±


    Ste remained silent. Then, Keegan proposed a bold idea, ¡°We should meet up with them. I¡¯ll ask


    Vermont, and you can bring Ms. Thompson.


    Then, we can talk about this openly.¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Ste said angrily. ¡°What if they can¡¯t clear things up and end up fighting and breaking


    up because of this? We¡¯re going to be med. Vermont is your childhood friend, and Felicity is my best


    friend. How are we going to get along with each other?¡¯


    Keegan kept quiet for a moment before he said, ¡°What if I suggest Vermonte clean to Ms.


    Thompson about it?¡¯


    ¡®Do it now!¡± Ste urged him. Then, she suddenly stopped him, ¡°Hold on. Let me ask you something.¡±


    ¡®What is it?¡±


    ¡°Do you know who Ka Wilson is?¡±


    ¡°Ka who?¡±


    ¡®I¡¯m asking you!¡± Then, Ste described Ka, ¡°She¡¯s a woman around my age with a cool and elegant


    appearance. However, she dresses


    extravagantly and likes to wear very expensive jewelry. She looks exactly like the nouveau riche.¡±

 Chapter 1503

    Chapter 1503


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1503 [Eleven Jewell]


    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m being serious! Do you know her or not?¡± ¡°Let me think about it. Ka Wilson¡­¡± Keegan


    thought about the name but could not recall anything.


    Aldor, on the other hand, reminded him, ¡°Ka Wilson is the daughter of Mark Wilson, the owner of


    Mark Energy.¡±


    Keegan was taken aback, ¡°Mr. Wilson¡¯s daughter?¡±


    ¡°Who? Don¡¯t whisper. Let me hear what Aldor said.¡±


    Keegan had no choice but to put his phone on speaker.


    Aldor said, ¡°Mrs. Kane, does this Ka Wilson have a mole on her eyebrow and wear multiple bangles


    when she goes out as if she wants everyone to know she¡¯s rich?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes. That¡¯s her. Aldor, do you know who she is?¡±


    Aldor chuckled, ¡°She¡¯s the daughter of Mark Wilson. I do not personally know her, but Mr. Kane worked


    with hispany before, so I did some background research on their family.¡±


    Keegan frowned, ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me about it.¡±


    ¡°I told you about Mr. Wilson. But when I was going to tell you about his daughter, you told me that you


    weren¡¯t interested in that.¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    Ste praised him, ¡°I knew I could count on you, Aldor.¡±


    Keegan red at hispetent assistant, who always managed to steal his spotlight in front of his


    girlfriend!


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Aldor kept quiet.


    ¡®Here we go again.¡¯


    Ste said, ¡°Aldor, tell me more about Ka Wilson.¡±


    Aldor began telling Ste about Ka after getting Keegan¡¯s pardon.


    The Mark Group had been the most prominent energypany in the past decade. Mark Wilson was


    not originally from Rivera. He started his business in a small city and moved around a lot before finally


    settling down here.


    Mark was not highly educated, but he was passionate about researching, had a good eye, and was


    lucky. He started hispany just when the government wanted to focus on energy development.


    When otherpanies struggled during the recession in the past two years, the Mark Group¡¯s


    business had been booming, earning him a fortune. In just a few years, his umted wealth made


    him the top ten richest man in the country.


    Ka was Mark¡¯s only child. He spent most of his time working with his wife when she was a baby and


    did not have the time to care for her. Ka was raised by her grandparents, who were both teachers.


    So, she was very well-educated.


    When Mark¡¯s business stabilized and he no longer needed to travel extensively, he took his daughter


    back to live with him.


    Mark had already reached the top of the business world. Although many people would secretlyugh at


    him for not attending college, attribute his sess to sheer luck, and mock him for being an uncultured


    bumpkin, all of them were very eager to establish a connection with the Wilson family.


    So, his only daughter, Ka Wilson, naturally became the person they all tried to tter.


    However, she was from a small town. Everything in this new social circle was unfamiliar.


    The socialites her age were different from the friends she had. Her school friends were ordinary. Other


    than studying, they would only talk about the popr shows or the gossip online.

 Chapter 1504

    Chapter 1504


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1504 [Eleven Jewell]


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    On the other hand, the socialites dressed fancily; even small essories like their hairpins could cost


    thousands of dors. Their conversation revolved around the other wealthy families in the circle or the


    things they wore.


    Ka sometimes needed to look up a logo online to know what brand it was, but these people could


    instantly recognize it and its value with just a nce.


    Perhaps she was trying to fit into this circle as soon as possible or to avoid beingughed at. She had


    been on a crazy shopping spree in the two years since she returned.


    She would buy whatever that was expensive or limited.


    The Wilson family was rich, and Mark was very indulgent with Ka.


    Because he did not get to spend a lot of time with her due to his busy work schedule, he never stopped


    her from doing that.


    That was why the luxury goods sellers in Rivera loved dealing with Ka.


    Not only was she rich, but she was also easy to fool.


    Ste pursed her lips. She found out that Ka was somewhat simr to her in a certain way.


    However, she had already realized her mistake; Ka was still deeply trapped.


    Ste asked, ¡°Are you saying she only dresses that way because she¡¯s trying to fit in?¡±


    ¡°More or less,¡± Aldor said. ¡°She doesn¡¯t have many friends in Rivera. Mr. Wilson needs to attend


    various business banquets frequently, and he


    would bring his daughter along. On the one hand, he wants everyone to get to know Ka; on the


    other hand, he hopes to find her a suitable partner.


    ¡°You know what the circle is like. It¡¯s not meant for ordinary people at all. Ms. Wilson hasn¡¯t seen


    anything like that, and no one has ever taught her what is right and wrong. So, she can only blindly


    follow what others do to try to bridge the gap between herself and everyone else.


    ¡°But her so-called friends don¡¯t genuinely treat her as a friend. They only talk to her because their


    families need favors from the Wilson family. Her friends would pretend to praise her while calling her a


    country bumpkin and say that she¡¯s trying to be something she¡¯s not behind her back.¡±


    There was much more to it than what Aldor had mentioned. Those people mocked her secretly, but


    whenever there was an event, they would still invite her because she was generous. She never once


    dodged the bill and was happy to pay for these people. In their words, she was just a fool.


    Ste said in a low voice, ¡°Ms. Wilson doesn¡¯t look like an ignorant person at all. Is she really unaware


    of this?¡±


    it¡¯s unlikely that she is, but perhaps this is just her way of fitting into the group. Who are we to judge?¡±


    Aldor said.


    Ste finally knew why Ka acted so ufortably when she removed her jewelry. She did not dress


    that way to unt her wealth. Instead, the jewelry gave her a sense of security. No one would dare


    mock her openly because a single piece of jewelry she wore could easily rival the expenses of some


    socialites.


    Aldor paused momentarily before asking, ¡°Mrs. Kane, how did you know about her?¡±


    Ste recollected herself and told them about what had happened in the store earlier.


    ¡°Aldor, from what you¡¯re saying, Ms. Wilson is very good at promoting products because she is popr


    among the socialites. They all want to be her friends. So if she buys things from The Velvet, they would


    all follow suit just to have something inmon with her, is that right?¡±


    Aldor nodded, ¡°Yeah. Despite what they say behind her back, they would still try to tter her. Mark


    Energy has grown so much recently, and everyone wants to cooperate with them to get a piece of the


    pie.¡±


    Ste narrowed her gaze, ¡°I¡¯ve got to hold on to this connection then.¡±


    Darcie must have had the same idea before, which was why she hired such a pathetic designer to


    cater to every one of Ka¡¯s wishes. It did not matter how good or bad the design was; as long as


    Ka wore it, the socialites would still praise it blindly.


    The pieces of jewelry that Barbara designed for her were allrge and shy. They all require high


    labor and material costs, making them incredibly expensive. Ka was simply a money tree to them.


    With that in mind, Ste asked, ¡°Aldor, do you know the time and location of that banquet Ms. Wilson


    will be attending tonight?¡±

 Chapter 1505

    Chapter 1505


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1505 [Eleven Jewell]


    Aldor nced at Keegan, sitting next to him, lookingpletely out of ce. Then, he cleared his


    throat and said, ¡°I have no idea, but perhaps Mr. Kane can ask Mr. Wilson about it. He has a good


    rtionship with Mr.


    Wilson.¡±


    Then, he pushed his phone over to Keegan and silently stepped aside.


    So, Ste asked Keegan in a soft voice, ¡°Darling, can you help me ask around where their banquet is


    taking ce?¡±


    Keegan initially wanted to put on airs, but Ste calling him darling instantly changed his mind.


    He cleared his throat and asked, ¡°Why would you want to know about that?¡¯


    ¡®I want to get in touch with Ms. Wilson and get a deal done with her. Also, bring me along whenever you


    have any events or banquets to attend in the future. I want to expand mywork.¡±


    Keegan said, ¡°You never liked to attend them, no?¡±


    ¡®That¡¯s because I didn¡¯t want to entertain those nosy and talkative people. But it¡¯s different now. I want


    to earn money from them and don¡¯t mind talking to them for hours.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡°Okay, okay. Go on and ask Mr. Wilson about it and get back to me.¡±


    Ste ended the call after saying that.


    Keegan felt frustrated. Then, he lifted his head and asked Aldor, ¡¯Is she treating me like a tool now?¡±


    Aldor sighed, ¡°You should be d she¡¯s still talking to you. Don¡¯t be so picky. She¡¯s not the same


    person as she was anymore. It wouldn¡¯t be difficult for the Saun family to get you reced.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened. He scolded Aldor, ¡°Get lost!¡±


    After that, Aldor left with his tablet in hand.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Meanwhile, Ka felt extremely ufortable once she left the store.


    As she entered her home, the maid had a shocked expression on her face as she called out, ¡°Ms.


    Wilson, you¡¯re back.¡±


    Ka thought she must not have looked good after seeing the maid¡¯s reaction, which made her hate


    Ste even more. ¡®I knew that I shouldn¡¯t have listened to her.¡¯ With that in mind, she wanted to go to


    her room and put on the jewelry she had taken off earlier.


    She pushed the door open and saw Mark sitting in the living room. She greeted him and was about to


    head upstairs.


    However, Mark suddenly stopped her, ¡°Who designed this outfit for you today? You look much more


    refreshed than usual.¡±


    Ka paused and walked to the living room, ¡°Dad, you really think I look good like this?¡±


    Mark nodded, ¡°Much better than before. The way you dressed previously made you look like a


    Christmas tree. I wanted to tell you about it, but your mom stopped me. She was afraid that it would


    hurt your self-esteem.¡±


    Ka kept quiet.


    Mark stood up and scrutinized Ka. He said, ¡°This is more like it. Simple and beautiful. My daughter is


    so much prettier than those aristocratic youngdies. I have no idea what your previous stylist has


    been doing to you. You look so much better now. Who is your new designer?¡±


    Ka pursed her lips. She felt a little happy, but she did not show it.


    ¡®The Velvet, but they have a new owner now. She was the one who helped me,¡± she said.


    ¡®The new owner has good taste,¡± Mark said. ¡°Freshen up ande downstairs to eat something. Then,


    get some rest before we go to the banquet tonight.¡±


    ¡®Okay, Dad.¡±


    Ka lifted her dress and went upstairs. When she entered her room, she immediately put her things


    down and looked at herself in the mirror.


    She had not realized how good she looked when she was still in the store but changed her mind after


    coming back home.


    She stood in front of the mirror for more than ten minutes until her phone rang, snapping her back to


    reality.


    ¡±Ms. Wilson, your dress has arrived. I can have someone deliver it if you¡¯re not free toe over.¡±

 Chapter 1506

    Chapter 1506


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1506 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ka paused. Then, she remembered the luxurious and extravagant dress she had custom-ordered


    earlier. She was about to have it delivered, but she suddenly remembered the words Ste had said in


    the store just now. So, she paused for a moment before saying, ¡®Mr. Morgan, do you have a simple


    ck dress avable now?¡±


    The manager was shocked, ¡°Ms. Wilson, are you thinking of changing your dress? The one that you


    ordered previously was exclusively shipped from France, and the deposit has already been submitted.


    It will not be refunded if you change your mind now. Also, you¡¯ll have to cover the cost of the air freight.¡¯


    Ka replied tly, ¡°I didn¡¯t say I don¡¯t want it. Get me a simple ck dress, and have it delivered with


    the dress I ordered.¡±


    The manager heaved a sigh of relief, ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll get that done right away.¡±


    It did not take long for Keegan to find out the details about the banquet from Mark himself. Mark did not


    ask many questions and even generously sent him two invitation cards.


    Actually, the organizer had also sent Keegan the invitations, but he would rarely attend such ordinary


    business gatherings. So, the receptionist asked Aldor, and they decided to get rid of it.


    After resting for a while at home, Ste got ready and met up with Keegan to attend the banquet


    together.


    They drew the crowd¡¯s attention as soon as they arrived at the venue.


    This was the first time they had appeared in public together in such a manner since their divorce.


    Ste had returned to the Saun family and now had a morous family background. They wondered if


    she had gotten back together with Keegan again.


    Keegan ignored everyone¡¯s gazes and asked Ste discreetly, ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to keep our


    rtionship a secret? This doesn¡¯t look like a secret to me.¡±


    Ste nced at him, ¡°Are you not happy with this?¡¯


    Keegan scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re just using me to expand your socialwork, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Ste red at him, ¡°Are you not going to help me with it then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll never have the guts not to.¡±


    Ste chuckled softly, ¡°My family has already agreed anyway. There¡¯s no need to keep this a secret


    anymore.¡±


    ¡°What if the paparazzi caught US and said I¡¯m your sugar daddy?¡±


    Ste replied jokingly with a straight face, ¡°I¡¯ll just show them whose house you¡¯re staying in, and they¡¯ll


    know the truth.¡±


    Her words left Keegan speechless.


    As they spoke, a deep and loud voice rang out from behind, ¡°Keegan.¡±


    They both turned around and saw an energetic, tall, middle-aged man with gray hair greeting Keegan


    with a smile.


    Although he was wearing a suit, for some reason, he gave off the impression that he was wearing his


    work clothes.


    Perhaps it was because of hisrge build.


    Keegan greeted him politely, ¡°Hello, Uncle Mark.¡±


    Ste paused, ¡®Could this be Ka¡¯s father, Mark Wilson?¡¯


    Mark appeared strong and full of energy. His sharp eyebrows gave off a sense of righteousness.


    Ste figured Keegan probably had a good rtionship with Mark, judging from how he addressed him.


    Otherwise, he would have referred to him as ¡¯ Mr. Wilson.¡±


    They chatted for a while before Mark¡¯s gaze finally fell on Ste, ¡°And this is¡­¡±


    ¡°This is Mr. Saun¡¯s daughter, Ste Hall. She¡¯s also my girlfriend.¡±


    Mark was taken aback. Then, he smiled, ¡°I see. I couldn¡¯t attend the Saun family¡¯s banquet because I


    was out of town at that time. I had my family prepare a small gift as a blessing and hope you won¡¯t


    mind, Ms. Hall.¡±


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Ste lowered her gaze, ¡°You¡¯re too polite, Uncle Mark.¡±


    Ady¡¯s voice came from behind as they spoke, ¡°Dad, why are you here? Mom¡¯s been looking for you


    everywhere.¡±

 Chapter 1507

    Chapter 1507


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1507 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ste paused and lifted her gaze to meet Ka¡¯s.


    Ka was adorned with the same jewelry she had worn in the morning, but now her makeup was more


    refined. She wore a ck V-neck gown, exuding elegance and grace.


    Upon spotting Ste, Ka hesitated for a moment. There was a flicker of difort on her face,


    though it quickly faded. Beside her stood a woman resembling her, but she looked older. It was likely


    her mother, Lauren Bet.


    Mark was d to see his daughter. ¡°Come, let me introduce you. This is Keegan Kane from The Vinci


    Rivera Group and his girlfriend, Ste Hall.¡± He gestured toward them, ¡°And this is my daughter, Ka.


    You haven¡¯t had the chance to meet before, so now¡¯s a good opportunity for you young folks to get


    acquainted.¡±


    Ka remained silent, and Ste sensed she probably wanted to avoid mentioning their earlier


    encounter. Ste did not bring it up either. Instead, she extended her hand graciously, ¡°Hello, Ms.


    Wilson.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Ka sized her up for a moment before extending her hand, giving a brief shake before letting go. Her


    response to Keegan¡¯s greeting was simrly restrained.


    She did not seem particrly impressed by Keegan, despite her father¡¯s rtionship with him or his


    striking appearance.


    Ste quickly found her equilibrium.


    Mark and Lauren must have interacted with Keegan quite a bit. They engaged in conversation as if


    they were old acquaintances.


    Since Ste was not well-versed with them, she did not initiate much of the conversation. She simply


    responded politely when Mark or Lauren talked to her.


    Both Mark and Lauren were straightforward individuals. They did not speak in circles like most people


    in the business circle. However, they refrained from making easy judgments about others or expressing


    their opinions on specific industries or events during their conversation.


    Ste realized Mark was not the uneducated country bumpkin rumored in their circle. Clearly, he relied


    on more than just luck to achieve the pinnacle of the energy industry.


    Ste nced at Ka, who seemed somewhat disinterested in these topics. She was even absorbed


    in her phone at one point.


    Soon, a group of girls approached, calling out to her, ¡°Ka! My goodness, it¡¯s really you!¡±


    Ste looked up and recognized Xianna. She was often seen together with Sophia. However, with the


    recent turmoil in the Jewell family, their sisterhood seemed to have fallen apart. Now, she was swiftly


    buddying up with this new noble figure from the Wilson family.


    Xianna was as fickle as ever. She effortlessly transitioned from one circle of friends to another.


    As she chatted with Ka, Ste listened in on their conversation. She was more interested in


    watching Ka. She observed that Ka seemed unwilling to engage in these topics. Instead, she


    wandered off to the side to y with her phone.


    Before long, several elegantly dressed girls approached, marveling, ¡°Ka, we spotted you ages ago


    but didn¡¯t dare to call you out. We weren¡¯t sure if it was you until we saw you approach Uncle Wilson.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t recognize you either at first. Why did you suddenly change your style, Ka? It¡¯s like


    you¡¯re apletely different person from before.¡±


    ¡°Do you think my current style or previous style looks better?¡± Ka asked.


    ¡°Both have their merits. The previous style was morous. When you stood in a crowd, everyone could


    pick you out. Now, it¡¯s fresh and elegant, with its own unique charm,¡± Xianna chimed in.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. When you stood there just now, I thought a celebrity had arrived on the scene. Your aura


    is amazing.¡±


    ¡°Ultimately, you can pull off any clothing style with that pretty face.¡±


    Everyone showered Ka with praises.


    Ka¡¯s smile was understated. She did not seem particrly pleased. However, she did not stop them


    from speaking or walk away.


    Keegan and Mark chatted for a long time before they were interrupted by someone who came over to


    greet them.


    Keegan initiated a conversation with them, took Ste¡¯s hand, and led her away, gradually moving


    further from the crowd.

 Chapter 1508

    Chapter 1508


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1508 [Eleven Jewell]


    Lauren gently nudged her husband, ¡°Since when did Keegan have a girlfriend?¡±


    Mark was taken aback upon hearing that, ¡®Come on. He¡¯s a respectable guy who aplished quite a


    bit. Having a girlfriend ispletely normal.¡±


    ¡°I was actually thinking of setting him up with Ka,¡± Lauren said.


    ¡°What? He¡¯s undoubtedly outstanding, but he¡¯s been through a divorce. I only have one daughter. I


    don¡¯t want her to marry a divorced man. Who knows what kind of trouble might arise in the future? Why


    not just let Wenham¡¯s daughter have him.¡±


    Lauren hit him in the arms and scolded, ¡°Times are different, honey. Why do you still care about this?¡±


    ¡°Well, I do, and that¡¯s that. Don¡¯t go meddling andplicating things unnecessarily.¡±


    Lauren was displeased, ¡°I was just casually mentioning it, yet look at how you act. You make it seem


    like I don¡¯t care about our daughter. Only you can do what¡¯s best for her!¡±


    Mark quickly reached over and took his wife¡¯s hand, whispering, ¡°You know I¡¯m not good with words.


    Forgive me, darling.¡±


    Lauren reluctantly epted his apology and followed him, chatting with those who came.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    After walking a distance with Keegan, Ste released his hand and whispered, ¡°You enjoy yourself. I


    have some business to attend to.¡±


    Keegan stopped her and said, ¡°What are you up to?¡±


    ¡°I want to see who the people around Ms. Wilson really are,¡± Ste said. Keegan hesitated, ¡°What¡¯s


    your n?¡±


    Ste leaned in, whispered a few words in his ear, then patted his shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m off.¡± With that, she


    walked away.


    Keegan was worried and called Aldor over, ¡°Keep an eye on her. If there are any slip-ups, cover for


    her.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Kane has quite the knack for schemes,¡± said Aldor.


    Keegan red at him, ¡°Go.¡±


    Aldor closed his mouth and did what he was told.


    Ka chatted with her friends for quite a while. As the banquet began, everyone became engrossed in


    their own activities. Ka did not stay long and went to the balcony near the door to get some fresh air.


    The balcony was small, with two ss doors separating it from the banquet hall. A curtain shielded the


    view between the two areas.


    Without pulling back the curtain, a first-time visitor would not think a 6-foot wide balcony was hidden


    behind it.


    Ka stood at the balcony¡¯s edge with a ss of wine, gazing at the crescent moon in the sky, a sense


    of loneliness enveloping her. She raised her ss and tilted it slightly. The red liquid flowed slowly,


    falling into the darkness.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite an expensive ss of wine you have there. It¡¯s easily a few hundred dors per ss,¡± A


    female voice sounded from behind.


    Ka paused, turned her head, and nced at the person, ¡°Why are you here? Coming to take


    credit?¡±


    Ste chuckled softly, ¡°More or less. I need to make an effort with a big client like you, Ms. Wilson.¡± She


    went straight to the point, surprising Ka.


    This woman was different from those in the past who wanted to do business with her. They always


    approached her under the pretext of making friends, avoiding the topic of purchasing goods at the


    beginning. They would maintain the guise of friendship and only gradually reveal their true intentions as


    they grew closer.

 Chapter 1509

    Chapter 1509


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1509 [Eleven Jewell]


    Gradually, Ka realized those people did not want to be her friends. They were only after her for


    business.


    Ste, on the other hand, was an exception. She stated her true intentions, making Ka slightly less


    repulsed.


    ¡®If you¡¯re so keen on doing business with me, you shouldn¡¯t have sent away that designer today,¡± Ka


    remarked.


    ¡®Wanting to do business with you doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m willing to resort to any means. I do not want to push


    something as beautiful when it clearly isn¡¯t, just to encourage you to spend more in the store. I¡¯d rather


    not run mypany that way.¡¯


    Ka scoffed, ¡°What¡¯s the difference? In the end, you all just want me to buy from you, right?¡±


    Ste put away her smile and spoke softly, ¡°Ms. Wilson, there¡¯s no need to force yourself to fit into a


    ce that doesn¡¯t suit you. You¡¯re different from those people. Mr. Wilson¡¯s position in the business


    world means you don¡¯t have to change yourself to cater to this circle. Instead, they should be the ones


    amodating to you.¡¯


    Ka was momentarily taken aback. She then quickly grasped the meaning behind Ste¡¯s words. She


    felt somewhat embarrassed, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to fit in. I just like dressing this way!¡±


    Ste sighed, ¡°If you truly liked it, you wouldn¡¯t have felt so ufortable after I took off your jewelry.


    In your eyes, those aren¡¯t just essories.


    They¡¯re your ticket to fitting into this world. But in reality, you don¡¯t need them at all. The circle Mr.


    Wilson created for you is enough to be yourself. You don¡¯t have to try and please others.¡±


    Ka was about to say something when a female voice behind the curtainined, ¡°We were


    called over for a gathering half an hour ago. Where is she?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see her. Could she be ying tricks on US?¡±


    Xianna sneered, ¡°Could a hayseed like her be this scheming? She wouldn¡¯t have been deceived by US


    so easily if she were that smart. I can¡¯t believe she essorized herself from head to toe just because


    we said she looked good. What a fool. She¡¯s lucky to have been born into the Wilson family.¡±


    Ka¡¯s expression suddenly became unpleasant. She was about to storm out, but Ste held her back.


    In a low voice, she said, ¡°What will you achieve by rushing over? Are you going to confront them? Even


    if they apologize to you, what difference will it make? They won¡¯t regret what they said, they¡¯ll only


    regret that you heard it.¡±


    Ka clenched her fists. Although she did not want to admit it, she knew everything Ste said was


    true.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    The discussions outside continued.


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s lucky. But apart from luck, she¡¯s useless. Can you believe she used an expensive bag to


    shield herself from the rain? It¡¯s a waste of a good item. She clearly has no taste!¡±


    ¡°Not to mention that rare red jade she bought. It was of such good material. Look at the jewelry she


    made from it. It¡¯s incredibly tacky and iscking in the aesthetic sense.¡±


    Someone self-deprecatingly said, ¡°What good does our aesthetic sense do? Even if we could afford


    what she bought, we can¡¯t possibly live her lifestyle. The essories she¡¯s wearing are worth more


    than my entire house. It makes me fume with jealousy.¡±


    ¡°So what if she¡¯s rich? Money can¡¯t change the fact that she¡¯s tacky and tasteless!¡± Xianna huffed.


    Others were about to agree when suddenly, the curtain was pulled open. Their faces changed when


    the person they had been talking about silently appeared behind them.


    Xianna had her back to the curtain and had not realized what was happening. She kept chattering


    away about Ka, ¡°She¡¯s so dumb. She was so happy when I praised her appearance earlier. How


    could an idiot like her get so lucky?¡±


    Her friends tried to signal her, but Xianna was too engrossed in what she was saying.


    Ka¡¯s voice was cold, ¡°I don¡¯t know the answer to that question. Maybe you should ask God how I


    ended up in the Wilson family.¡±


    Xianna¡¯s body stiffened, and her face turned pale suddenly.

 Chapter 1510

    Chapter 1510


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1510 [Eleven Jewell]


    Xianna turned around stiffly, mustering a smile, ¡°Ka¡­ Wh-What brings you here?¡±


    Ka¡¯s gaze was cold, and her lips curved upward, ¡°If I weren¡¯t here, how would I have heard your true


    opinion of me?¡±


    ¡°Ka, i-it¡¯s just a misunderstanding, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ms. Anne, I believe we¡¯re not close enough to be calling each other by our first names,¡± Ka cut her


    off coldly.


    Xianna¡¯s face grew even paler.


    Ka swept her eyes across the crowd, ¡°Ms. Anne and I aren¡¯t exactly close, and we certainly aren¡¯t


    friends. If any of you consider yourselves friends of hers, it¡¯s probably best to stay away from me from


    now on. I have no interest in having any sort of association with this type of people.¡±


    Ka¡¯s message was crystal clear. She gave the girls the choice to be friends with her or Xianna.


    All of them were there to win Ka¡¯s favor.


    Since the incident with the Jewell family, the Anne family, which had the strongest ties to them, had


    suffered the most damage. Now, they were just barely holding on. Xianna tried to connect with the


    social circle, hoping to bring more business to her family. Unfortunately, she hadpletely failed to


    establish her identity. Even if Ka dressed inly, she was still the one giving orders. It was surprising


    that Xianna dared belittle her like this.


    So when Ka said what she did, everyone exchanged nces and unanimously distanced


    themselves from Xianna. Not a single person stood upto defend her.


    There was also no need for a defense. The girls knew Ka had heard


    what they had been saying. She was already being generous by not dwelling on it. They were not going


    to take the me for Xianna¡¯s actions.


    As Xianna left, someone said, ¡°Ka, why did you have the waitstaff call everyone over?¡±


    Ka was taken aback, ¡°When did I¡­¡± Her voice trailed off, and she turned to look at Ste.


    Ste did not show any embarrassment at her little trick being exposed. Instead, she smiled.


    Ka grounded her teeth and said, ¡°Oh. Uh¡­ I asked you here so you can taste one of the desserts I


    had earlier. The servers shoulde soon.


    Remember to grab a bite before you leave.¡±


    The girls sighed in relief upon hearing that. They expressed their gratitude and walked away. They did


    not want to stay any longer, fearing they might say the wrong thing.


    After the crowd left, Ka stared at Ste and said, ¡°Was it you who used my name to call them over?¡±


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Ste nodded and openly admitted, ¡°Yes, it was me.¡±


    ¡°Why did you do that? Did you want to show me how ridiculous I look in the eyes of these people?¡±


    Ste shook her head, ¡°I just wanted you to see how hypocritical the people in the circle you care about


    are.¡±


    Ka¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Did you think I don¡¯t know that? I know how they talk about me behind my back


    and mock me. But there¡¯s nothing I can do. I can¡¯t just reveal the truth. You don¡¯t understand how lonely


    it is to enter a circle where you don¡¯t know a single person! I would have no friends if I exposed them,


    even if they are fake friends.¡±

 Chapter 1511

    Chapter 1511


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1511 [Eleven Jewell]


    ¡®You know nothing. What gives you the right to take matters into your own hands?!¡± Ka asked.


    Ste stared at her without flinching, ¡°Ms. Wilson, would your former friends mock you for not dressing


    in thetest fashion?¡¯


    Ka hesitated for a moment and pursed her lips, ¡®Of course, they wouldn¡¯t.¡¯


    Real friends are people who are there through thick and thin. They offer constructive criticism and


    support but never betray.


    ¡®Ms. Wilson, there¡¯s nothing wrong with wanting to make friends or fitting into your surroundings. But


    you¡¯ve got the wrong people. Those who genuinely consider you a friend wouldn¡¯t try to take advantage


    of you.


    ¡®As you can see, many in this circle have masks on. They might look morous, but they are ying


    roles they despise. But you don¡¯t have to do that. No matter how they talk about you, everything you


    have and the position you hold is a height they can never reach.


    ¡®They stand in the shadows and criticize you while finding some satisfaction in it. They say you¡¯re a


    country bumpkin. But when all of you are face to face, they can only fawn over you. A word from you


    could easily seal a business deal for them. As I said, you don¡¯t need to conform to this circle. It¡¯s the


    people in this circle who should cater to you.¡±


    Ka pressed her lips together and stayed silent for a while.


    Ste was unsure if she had made the right choice, ¡®Perhaps Ka does not have the spoiled


    tendencies of someone like Aurora, but would she realize the situation as I had hoped?¡¯ She decided


    not to say anything about the situation, afraid it might just annoy Ka.


    ¡°Ms. Wilson, if you want to return the jewelry you ordered from The Velvet, feel free toe by. It¡¯s my


    fault that you couldn¡¯t receive the product on time. I¡¯ll cover any penalty fees,¡¯ said Ste. With that, she


    nodded slightly at Ka and turned away.


    Ka was filled with confusion as she watched Ste leave.


    Ste returned to Keegan¡¯s side with a dark face, ¡°I overestimated my abilities,¡± she said.


    Keegan held her fingers and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did your attempt at making friends fail?¡¯


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a failure, but it¡¯s not a sess either. I was ying mind games from the start. I was


    truthful because I feared she would feel ufortable and hold a grudge against me.¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s okay. We¡¯ll find someone else if this deal doesn¡¯t work out.¡¯


    Ste fiddled his hands and spoke softly, ¡°Actually, I pity Ms. Wilson. She genuinely wanted to integrate


    into this circle and be friends with everyone. But those people only wanted to use her for their own


    gain. She knows all this but still maintains a facade, pretending not to know anything. It¡¯s funny how


    she¡¯s conscious but still gets yed like a pawn.¡±


    Kacked experience, unlike Mark, who knew how people talked behind his back. They called him a


    nouveau riche and a lucky dog. Yet they did not know how much he had to endure to get to this state.


    He simply did not care about what people said since they would still ask to work with him.¡¯ Ka


    wouldn¡¯t be so troubled if she thought this way,¡¯ Ste told herself.


    Keegan nced at her, ¡°Am I not pitiable too? You dragged me here to attend this banquet, yet you


    were so engrossed in your own matters that you didn¡¯t even have time to acknowledge me.¡±


    Ste was speechless. ¡®I¡¯m doing this for you, aren¡¯t I? It¡¯s all to let you have a better life. Why cant you


    understand that?¡± She joked.


    Stunned by her words, Keegan replied, ¡°Is it really necessary to live afortable life?¡±


    ¡®Yes, it is,¡± Ste said earnestly. ¡°I¡¯m working hard right now so that if you ever want to divorce me after


    enjoying a few years of easy living, I can say,¡¯ What? Divorce? Keegan, what right do you have to bring


    this up? I provide everything you eat and own. Can you adapt to a life without this luxury? Can you


    even survive in this world?¡±¡®


    ¡®And you said you have a terrible memory. How are you able to remember all this when the time


    comes?¡±


    Ste snorted, ¡°My bad memory doesn¡¯t apply to grudges.¡¯


    She remembered every hurtful word Keegan had said in the past and was ready to refute each one


    when the opportunity arose.


    Keegan deeply regretted hisments earlier now that he was being attacked. It was unclear what he


    had in mind, but he leaned in and whispered, ¡°Can I propose you give me one billion dors in


    exchange for me to stay in the marriage?¡±

 Chapter 1512

    Chapter 1512


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1512 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ste pushed Keegan away and shot him a nce. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s best if we just stay divorced. I could


    find a whole bunch of guys younger and more handsome than you with a billion dors.¡±


    Keegan could not believe his ears. ¡®I should have kept my mouth shut,¡¯ he thought.


    The evening was still in full swing when Wenham called. ¡°Ste, what time are youing back? I¡¯ve


    already made the bed, and your brother even put out some sleep-inducing essential oils for you. We¡¯re


    waiting for you to return and see if you like it.¡±


    Ste nced at the time, and it was already 9:00 p.m. She felt a twinge of guilt, as she thought about


    her elderly father waiting for her at home.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon, dad. It¡¯s gettingte. Please don¡¯t wait up for me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m watching TV while waiting for you. Can you drive yourself back, or should I have the driver


    pick you up? It¡¯s pretty dark out.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dad. Keegan will drive me back shortly.¡±


    Wenham was at a loss for words. He was not at ease with the thought of Keegan being near his


    daughter. Ste had just returned to the Saun family. Wenham could not bear the idea that she might


    be the Kane family¡¯s daughter-inw this soon. Having her live with them would be difficult if she


    married Keegan.


    At the same time, he did not want to be in the way of her daughter¡¯s preferences. ¡°Tell Keegan to drive


    safely. There¡¯s no need to rush. Safety first,¡± Wenham reminded.


    ¡°Okay, dad.¡±


    After bidding farewell to the Wilsons and others, Keegan and Ste left the banquet.


    Vermont was known for his efficiency. All the items Ste had requested were neatly prepared. Keegan


    helped load them into the car and drove to the Saun family vi in Clear Water Cove.


    Wenham was at home, watching TV. However, he could not focus on the show. His attention was on


    his daughter, who had yet to return home. Whenever a car passed by, he would get up to look out the


    window.


    Trevor sat beside him. He observed his dad¡¯s reactions and teased, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just grab a chair


    and sit by the door? Can your knees handle all this back and forth?¡±


    Wenham shot him a re. He was about to give his son a piece of his mind when he suddenly


    changed his heart and said, ¡°Go get a chair and wait by the door.¡±


    Trevor¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡°It¡¯s cold outside. I know you¡¯re fond of your daughter, but don¡¯t forget I¡¯m your


    son. How could you do something like this?¡± he joked.


    Wenham snorted. ¡°I spoiled you too much when you were a child. That¡¯s why you grew up unruly! Do


    you remember how much trouble you caused me when you were little?¡±


    Trevor was about to say something, but he saw Darciee out with a te of fruit. He swallowed his


    words and said, ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll go wait outside.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s still not here?¡± Darcie ced the fruit on the coffee table and asked.


    Wenham shook his head. ¡°They should be arriving soon.¡±


    As soon as she spoke, the sound of a car engineing from outside got closer and closer until it


    finally stopped.


    ¡°They¡¯re here!¡± Without saying a word to Darcie, Wenham rushed out to greet them.


    Darcie¡¯s expression turned slightly cold. Jaylene came downstairs and said, ¡°Mom, she went to the


    banquet this evening, all for Ka.¡±


    ¡°That exins it,¡± Darcie said. ¡°You had a good rtionship with Ms.


    Wilson, didn¡¯t you? Spend more time with her.¡±


    Jaylene lowered her gaze. ¡°Got it.¡±


    In no time, the father and son each carried a bag, leading Ste into the house. Darcie immediately


    went up to help with the bags, and Jaylene warmly greeted her to offer assistance.


    Ste did not have much luggage. It was just two suitcases, a canvas bag, and three cardboard boxes.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    After everyone worked together to get the items upstairs, Ste smiled and handed the canvas bag to


    Jaylene. ¡°Jaylene, these are some collectibles I¡¯ve gathered over time. I specifically picked out some of


    my favorites for you. I hope you like them.¡±


    She paused for a moment and added, ¡°I couldn¡¯t find the bag you used to pack my things the other day.


    So, I bought one that¡¯s simr on Amazon. It looks almost identical, doesn¡¯t it? The fake is just as good


    as the real thing.

 Chapter 1513

    Chapter 1513


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1513 [Eleven Jewell]


    Jaylene looked at the cheap canvas bag andpared it with her designer bag that had not even been


    used. It was a struggle to maintain her smile.¡¯ How could she bring herself to swap my high-end bag for


    this poor offering? ¡® she thought.


    ¡°Ste, you¡¯re so thoughtful,¡± Wenham praised.


    Suppressing the sourness in her heart, Jaylene opened the bag and could not help but sigh. Sure


    enough, as she suspected, Ste had given her only cheap, low-quality items.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Ste smiled, as she said, ¡°You can have a good look at them, Jaylene. If you don¡¯t like them, I can


    exchange more stuff for you.¡±


    Jaylene looked at the insincere look on her face and forced a smile. ¡°Since you personally chose them,


    I bet they must be the best in your eyes. Our tastes are so simr. If you like them, I¡¯m sure I will too.¡±


    Ste paused. She looked at her and smirked. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±


    With their daughter officially moving back home, Wenham was overjoyed. He busied himself in the


    room, as he feared that his daughter might feel ufortable. After everything was set up, he spent


    quite a while chatting with Ste. It was mostly about her childhood. Ste shared her stories with him,


    and over an hour had passed before they knew it.


    Darcie, who had been quiet the whole time, reminded them, ¡°Wenham, it¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s go back to


    our room. It¡¯s Ste¡¯s first day here, so she might need some time to get used to the room by herself.¡±


    Wenham nodded reluctantly and turned to Ste. ¡°Ste, get some rest. My room is upstairs from


    yours. If you need anything, just call me.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Good night, dad.¡±


    Jaylene bid her farewell, as Wenham and Darcie left the room.


    Trevor sat on the bed and opened the drawer of the bedside table. He took out a photo album and


    handed it to Ste. ¡°Open it and take a look,¡± he said.


    Ste hesitated. She grabbed it and opened the first page, revealing a wedding photo.


    The man stood tall and handsome in the picture with a hearty smile. The woman had solid features and


    a hint of determination in her eyes. She looked like Ste, except for the mole on her nose.


    She gently brushed her fingers across the people in the photo and murmured, ¡°So, you questioned my


    identity when you first saw me?¡±


    With such striking simrities between the two and Ste¡¯s age being close to the deceased Saun


    family daughter, Trevor was determined to verify it no matter how improbable it sounded.


    Trevor nodded. ¡°When you and Keegan got married, we were all abroad. Jaylene wasn¡¯t feeling well at


    the time, so we couldn¡¯t make it to Keegan¡¯s wedding. I would have brought you back years earlier if I


    had seen you, then.¡±


    Sometimes, things in this world just seem to happen by chance.


    When Keegan got married, Trevor had already booked his flight. But suddenly, Jaylene caught the flu,


    which quickly turned into pneumonia.


    Since it was an epidemic, everyone in the family except Trevor fell ill. He had no choice but to cancel


    his flight and stay to take care of everyone.


    At the time, several people in the group did not make it to Keegan¡¯s wedding. They were all urging him


    to send a photo, but Keegan did not.


    They all knew that Keegan did not like to take pictures, so he might not even have taken any wedding


    photos.


    ¡®Who¡¯s the unfortunate girl that got stuck with this guy?¡¯ thought Trevor back then. He did not imagine


    that it would be his sister.


    Ste continued to turn the album pages. The first few were pictures of her parents at work and at


    home. There were also photos of them with their other rtives. Ste turned a couple more pages and


    came across an image of a baby lying in a wicker basket. The picture seemed to be taken when the


    baby was a month old.

 Chapter 1514

    Chapter 1514


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1514 [Eleven Jewell]


    Trevor cleared his throat. ¡°That would be me.¡± ¡°Woah. I can¡¯t believe a CEO like you was once one


    month old?¡± Ste teased.


    Trevor chuckled. ¡°I even wet my bed too.¡±


    Steughed and continued flipping through the album.


    As Trevor grew older, their small family became even more heartwarming. The album not only


    documented Trevor¡¯s growth, but it also held many family portraits of the trio.


    It was not until they reached thest family photo, where Trevor was around five or six years old. He


    stood at the forefront while Wenham supported Freesia from behind. She was wearing a coat, and her


    visible belly indicated her pregnancy.


    She looked so happy. Perhaps it was because she was pregnant. Compared to the earlier photos, her


    face appeared slightly rounder. However, every corner of her eyes and every arch of her brows exuded


    the tenderness of a mother, adding a touch of grace.


    There were no more pictures beyond that. All records came to an abrupt halt.


    ¡°When mom was pregnant with you, her appetite wasn¡¯t so good. She was worried that if she couldn¡¯t


    eat well, you wouldn¡¯t get the nutrients you needed. So, she forced herself to eat more every day. It


    wasn¡¯t until thest few months that her weight caught up. Were you a healthy child?¡± asked Trevor.


    Ste lowered her gaze and nodded. ¡°My foster mom said I weighed six pounds and eight ounces


    when I was born. I guess I was considered quite heavy for a newborn.¡±


    Trevor smiled. ¡°Mom would have been very relieved to know that.¡±


    Ste¡¯s nose tingled, and her eyes welled up with tears.


    ¡°Trevor, d-did mom get to see me before she¡­ passed away?¡±


    Suddenly, Trevor¡¯s eyes reddened. He turned away and, after a long while, said, ¡°It¡¯s all in the past


    now. What matters is that you¡¯re back now and in good health.¡±


    Ste closed the photo album, taking a moment topose herself before she asked, ¡°Have you found


    out how I was swapped at birth, Trevor?¡±


    Trevor pursed his lips. ¡°I recently received some leads about the medical staff present when mom gave


    birth. Two of them have passed away, one is missing, and one emigrated abroad. I¡¯ve asked a friend to


    investigate the one who relocated to another country. We¡¯ve located her, but we still need some time to


    get her detailed address and contact information. It shouldn¡¯t take too long. I may have to make a trip


    abroad around New Year¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going with you.¡±


    Trevor smiled and ruffled her hair. ¡°That¡¯s okay. I can go alone. You should stay in Rivera and take care


    of the legacy mom left behind.¡±


    ¡°Alright, but let me know when you¡¯re leaving, so I can see you off. I want us to stay in touch.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Trevor paused before asking, ¡°How was the handover at the jewelry store today?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°How did you know I went to the jewelry store?¡±


    ¡°Jaylene mentioned that you fired the most formidable designer in the store.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Ste shrugged. ¡°That was fast.¡±


    ¡°Since returning to Hustuabourg, Jaylene has been managing The Velvet in her spare time. She¡¯s very


    familiar with the store.¡±


    Hearing that, Ste thought it was not surprising that she knew about what had happened earlier.


    ¡®What else did she say?¡±


    ¡°Not much. She mentioned that she knows the designer, and they have a good rtionship. The


    designer called her toin, but she told her that the store is now under your management. So, she


    can¡¯t interfere.


    However, she did request for me to ask you about it.¡±

 Chapter 1515

    Chapter 1515


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1515 [Eleven Jewell]


    ¡°Considering how well-acquainted she is with the people at the jewelry store, shouldn¡¯t she be aware of


    why I fired that designer?¡± Ste stated calmly.


    Trevor chuckled. ¡°Regardless, you¡¯ll have to provide me with an exnation, so I can give her


    something.¡±


    Since Jaylene had already made the request, Trevor naturally could not just ignore it. He came to ask


    Ste for a reason just so he could provide an answer to Jaylene.


    Trevor cherished his younger sister, Jaylene, since they grew up together. Even after the makeup artist


    incident, Jaylene worked hard to mend their sibling rtionship. Even though Trevor felt somewhat


    distant from her, he could notpletely ignore or avoid interacting with her.


    Ste thought about the situation and said, ¡°Now that the jewelry store is in my hands, I must


    reorganize its operations. Originally, I didn¡¯t n to make such swift changes to the staff, but this


    designer practically forced my hand.


    ¡°She¡¯s opportunistic,cks skill, and keeps mentioning Mrs. Saun this and Mrs. Saun that. I¡¯m The


    Velvet¡¯s boss now. I can¡¯t allow someone to casually invoke the previous owner¡¯s name to pressure me.


    Since she doesn¡¯t acknowledge me as the new owner, I have no reason to keep her.


    The Velvet upholds a high-end and luxurious image. Their service should by no means involve


    excessive ttery toward customers. A brand should exude confidence and integrity rather than


    pouncing on a big client the moment they walk in. If I was shopping and witnessed that behavior, I¡¯d


    probably lose interest in buying anything from them,¡± she continued.


    ¡°The Velvet has a lot of issues. Not only do they resist me as the new boss, but there are also


    significant problems with their products and their overall service attitude. I have to make a change


    somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Are you nning to revamp everything from top to bottom?¡± asked Trevor.


    Ste froze. ¡°How could that be possible? Re-recruiting new employees and going through the training


    process would be time-consuming and resource-intensive. Besides, aplete change may not


    necessarily be a good thing. If I just came in and reced everyone, others might think I either don¡¯t


    have the ability to manage this group, or Ick the tolerance to amodate former workers.


    ¡®These employees have been working here for so long. Nobody understands thepany¡¯s operations


    better than them. Even though I let go of Barbara, I also appointed a new team leader. I wanted to


    show these people that I¡¯m the boss now. I employ my staff based on merit, not just personal


    connections. I won¡¯t tolerate anyone who¡¯s not focused on their job.¡±


    Trevor listened and smiled. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell dad that you don¡¯t understand the business world? Why


    does it seem like you do?¡±


    Ste sighed. ¡°It¡¯s true that I don¡¯t understand much about the industry, but


    I have a strategist.¡±


    Trevor¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Did Keegan ask Aldor to help you? Ste, tell Aldor to work for me. Whatever


    Keegan¡¯s paying him, I¡¯ll double it!¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Ste did not know what to say.


    Aldor was a top-notch personal assistant and was practically a household name in their circle. Not only


    did Ste consider hiring him for herself, but it seemed Trevor also had the same thought about it for a


    while now.


    ¡¯No. Actually, it¡¯s Mr. Snyder who¡¯s been helping me,¡± Ste said and shattered his dream.


    Trevor was stunned to hear that. His enthusiasm faded and was quickly reced by a hint of disdain.


    ¡°What kind of strategist is he? He¡¯s more like a troublemaker.¡±


    The two continued chatting for a while. Then, Trevor got up and said,¡± Alright. I¡¯ll be heading out now.


    You should get some rest.¡±


    Ste got up to see him off. As they walked down the stairs, she said,¡± Trevor, since you don¡¯t have a


    girlfriend right now, why don¡¯t you stay at home more often? Dad is getting older, and we should spend


    more time with him. He was so happy when I agreed to live here.¡±


    Trevor chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s you. If I were toe back and stay for a few days, he¡¯d probably


    find me annoying.¡±


    ¡®Well, you should stille back,¡± Ste whispered. ¡°What if I have a date with Keegan one day, and I


    don¡¯te home for the day? You being at home could help divert some of dad¡¯s attention.¡±


    Trevor could not believe his ears. ¡®So, this is the main reason she wants me here!¡¯ he thought.


    Back in her room, Stey on the bed after freshening up. She figured she might have trouble


    sleeping in a bed she was not used to sleeping in, but it turned out to be the opposite.

 Chapter 1516

    Chapter 1516


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1516 [Eleven Jewell]


    As Ste settled into her bed, it did not take long for drowsiness to wash over her. She turned around


    and took in the bold fragrance that filled the room, as she gradually drifted into slumber.


    She had anticipated her days at the Saun residence to be filled with constant battles, but things were


    less hectic than she thought. On the surface, everyone seemed to be getting along.


    Jaylene, in particr, seemed to treat her like a true sister. One day, it was an invitation for a shopping


    spree; the next, a suggestion for a new hairstyle. The day after, it was a proposal for a facial or meeting


    friends for afternoon tea. Jaylene was warm and affectionate, even though Ste had repeatedly turned


    down her invitations.


    When Jaylene went for facials, she would bring back new products from the beauty salon for Ste.


    During shopping trips, she would also return with bags of new clothes for her. Jaylene had gifted her


    with over ten sets of clothes in just a week. Ste could not help but wonder if Jaylene was unaware or


    if it was intentional, as all the clothes were not in her size.


    Ste was tall with a sturdy frame. At just over a hundred pounds, she did not really fit in a size s.


    However, driven by herpetitive spirit, she did not want to admit that the clothes were too small.


    Ste believed that Jaylene would not be kind to her without a reason, especially since she had


    essentially taken over The Velvet, which initially belonged to Jaylene.


    Sure enough, news of Jaylene gifting her clothes reached Wenham¡¯s ears, painting the picture of a


    considerate and caring elder sister.


    Wenham took a liking to anyone who treated Ste well. So, not long after, he grandly gifted Jaylene a


    car during dinner. Of course, Ste received one too. But, Jaylene said, ¡°Dad, I don¡¯t want a car. I want


    to take part in Caline¡¯s production department.¡±


    Ste was momentarily surprised. ¡®So, this was her true intention.¡¯


    Wenham furrowed his brows. ¡°The production department deals with fragrances, which can be too


    stimting. How can you handle it with your condition?¡±


    ¡®I consulted a doctor, and she said it¡¯s fine as long as I don¡¯te into contact with allergens. I rarely


    have re-ups now.¡±


    ¡®Jaylene, you had a re-up at thest banquet we attended,¡± Ste kindly reminded her.


    Jaylene found her annoying. She pursed her lips and said, ¡°That was an ident. It was because I


    didn¡¯t manage my emotions well. Dad, please let me work there. I really enjoy blending fragrances.¡±


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Wenham would not budge. ¡°Life isn¡¯t a game, Jaylene. What if something happens and you don¡¯t


    recover? Don¡¯t act recklessly.¡±


    ¡°Wenham,¡± Darcie, who had been silent until now, spoke up. ¡°Just let Jaylene give it a try. You know


    she¡¯s a stubborn child. She¡¯ll never give up until she gets what she wants. Once she tries and realizes


    it¡¯s not for her, she¡¯lle back on her own.¡±


    Seizing the opportunity, Jaylene added, ¡°Dad, please let me do this. I¡¯ll find another fragrancepany


    to work at if not Caline. I¡¯ll do it even if I have to start from the bottom!¡± ¡°Dad, since Jaylene is so eager


    to go, you should let her,¡± Ste suddenly said, surprising everyone by siding with Jaylene.

 Chapter 1517

    Chapter 1517


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1517 [Eleven Jewell]


    Wenham was shocked. He only turned Jaylene down because he was worried that she might pose a


    threat to Ste. Although Jaylene had asthma, she had built a good foundation in fragrance blending


    since she had been with Darcie all her life.


    He figured that both of them would bepared by others if they worked at the samepany. Of


    course, Wenham did not want his precious daughter toe up short, so there was a bit of bias behind


    his refusal.


    Ste then said, ¡°Dad, it¡¯s better for Jaylene to work in our ownpanypared to someone else¡¯s


    company. Both Darcie and I can take care of her in Caline. We¡¯re always more reliable than outsiders if


    something bad really happened.¡±


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Jaylene gazed at Ste, seemingly a little surprised. However, she did not think much about it, as she


    added softly with reddened eyes, ¡°Dad, just let me do it. If anything bad happens to me, I promise I


    won¡¯t go near fragrance blending for the rest of my life.¡±


    With that said, Wenham would appear to be unfair if he continued to reject Jaylene¡¯s request.


    ¡°Okay, go to Caline with Ste when the timees, then.¡±


    Jaylene heaved a sigh of relief before she said gently, ¡°Thank you, dad.¡±


    After eating and getting some rest, Ste wanted to go out. As soon as she went downstairs, she saw


    Jayleneing up with a cup of tea in her hand.


    Ste greeted her politely and was about to continue walking. However, Jaylene stopped her. ¡°Ste,


    thanks for speaking up for me earlier.¡±


    ¡°I should be the one thanking you for giving me so many beautiful clothes,¡± Ste said.


    Jaylene paused before she swept her gaze all over Ste. ¡°Have you tried them on yet? I can


    exchange them for you if they don¡¯t fit you.¡±


    Ste was taken aback. Then, she smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. They fit perfectly as if they were tailored


    for me.¡±


    Jaylene pursed her lips and gazed at her indifferently before she smiled back. ¡°I¡¯m d that they do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get going now. Bye.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Jaylene stopped her again. ¡°Ste, can you give me a ride if you¡¯re driving? I have a manicure


    appointment with Ms. Wilson, but there aren¡¯t a lot of parking spaces in Century Mall. I don¡¯t feel like


    driving there.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Wilson?¡±


    ¡°Ka Wilson, the daughter of Mark Wilson, the CEO of Mark Energy. Do you want to tag along? I can


    introduce you to her.¡±


    It had been a week, and Ka had not contacted Ste at all. She should have realized that something


    was wrong, but she did not expect Jaylene to be the problem.


    Ste lifted her gaze and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll pass. I¡¯m going to watch a movie with Keegan, and I have to go


    pick him up. Actually, I¡¯m runningte. Jaylene, you should have the driver take you there instead.¡±


    Jaylene¡¯s gaze darkened, and the smile on her face momentarily froze.¡¯ Well, I won¡¯t trouble you, then.¡±


    Ste nodded and her expression immediately turned cold as soon as she turned away.


    Since Jaylene had purposely mentioned Ka to provoke her, she had no choice but to bring up


    Keegan to get her back.


    Besides, she was now very sure that Jaylene had intentionally sent her those small-sized clothes.


    This was because she had just remembered that Keegan mentioned before that Jaylene majored in


    fashion design. She should have known what size she was with just a nce, and it was unlikely for


    her to make such a mistake.


    Jaylene wanted to be the bigger person and make things difficult for Ste. However, Ste med


    herself for not seizing the opportunity at the dining table earlier. She figured that it was pointless to


    argue over it now.


    In Clouditude International, Unit 902, Felicity spoke angrily. ¡°See? I knew that the pretentious witch was


    up to something bad! She only gave you so many clothes because she wanted to work in Caline.


    What¡¯s worse is that none of the clothes even fit you! She¡¯s the only one who coulde up with such


    a devious n!¡±


    Ste was sitting on the other side of the couch when she sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t see iting at all.¡±


    Vermont handed Felicity a slice of orange and said, ¡°I think she¡¯s very clever, and she knows you really


    well. If she didn¡¯t know that you¡¯re someone who cares about what other people think of you very


    much, her ns wouldn¡¯t have gone so smoothly.¡±


    He took a piece of fruit from the te before handing it to Ste. Then, he sat down across Ste with


    his legs crossed. ¡°But I just don¡¯t understand what¡¯s the difference between size M and size s.¡±


    ¡°Is ¡®longer than eighteen¡¯ and ¡®longer than twelve¡¯ the same thing?¡± Felicity asked.


    Her words left Vermont speechless.


    ¡®Damn it. I shouldn¡¯t have asked that question.¡¯

 Chapter 1518

    Chapter 1518


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1518 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ste rubbed her temples. ¡°She really got me back there. Do you know what she said to me? She said,


    ¡°Ste, this is the best-selling one in the store. I got you the standard size. I¡¯m sure you can fit in it.¡¯ I


    tried it on in my room, and it clung to my body so tightly that it was as if I had anotheryer of skin. I


    just couldn¡¯t see myself telling her that they¡¯re too tight for me.¡±


    Felicity got angrier. ¡°Standard size my ass! She was provoking you intentionally! Only a skeleton like


    her can fit in the size s these days!¡±


    ¡¯That¡¯s not even the worst part. Do you guys remember the Ka Wilson I talked about earlier? Jaylene


    seems very close to her, and now I¡¯m worried if I can even secure the deal.¡±


    Vermontughed and said, ¡¯You¡¯re overlooking something here.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Jaylene has only been back for less than a year, so how close could she possibly be with Ka? If she


    was really friends with Ka, do you think she¡¯d just watch those people mock Ka behind her back


    without doing anything?¡±


    Ste suddenly realized something.


    Ka was not a fool. She knew very well why everyone approached her and could see their ulterior


    motives. So, it was impossible that she did not know whether Jaylene was being genuine to her or not.


    Jaylene was merely saying those words to mess with her n.


    As Ste thought about it, the door opened, and Keegan came inside with a bag of roasted duck. Ste


    immediately stood up and grabbed Keegan¡¯s arm. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Apany me for a manicure.¡±


    Keegan was puzzled.


    ¡¯I thought we were going to y cards.¡±


    ¡°Not anymore. Let¡¯s focus on making money!¡±


    She dragged Keegan out of the house and Vermont shouted, ¡°Leave the food here!¡±


    Keegan was about to hand the bag over, but Ste snatched it away and said, ¡°Order something else


    for yourself. I need this!¡±


    Then, they left.


    Vermont clenched his teeth. ¡°I didn¡¯t even eat anything because I was waiting for the duck. And now it¡¯s


    gone before I can even smell it!¡±


    Felicity kicked his leg. ¡°Go get changed.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Vermont was shocked.


    ¡°My friend rmended a medical practitioner who specializes in the needling technique. Since you


    don¡¯t want to get surgery, let¡¯s try if this helps.¡±


    Vermont kept quiet.


    ¡¯Can we do this another day? I¡¯m not prepared for it.¡±


    Vermont nearly choked upon hearing what his girlfriend said.


    He cleared his throat and said, ¡°It¡¯s getting there.¡±


    Felicity suddenly became serious. ¡°Wait for me here.¡± Then, she ran to the kitchen.


    Vermont was puzzled. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯


    After a moment, Felicity returned with a jade mushroom and bent it at different angles. ¡°Is it like this or


    like this?¡± she asked.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Vermont was speechless.


    Vermont nearly choked upon hearing what his girlfriend said.


    He cleared his throat and said, ¡°It¡¯s getting there.¡±


    Felicity suddenly became serious. ¡°Wait for me here.¡± Then, she ran to the kitchen.


    Vermont was puzzled. ¡®What¡¯s going on?1


    After a moment, Felicity returned with a jade mushroom and bent it at different angles. ¡°Is it like this or


    like this?¡± she asked.


    Vermont was speechless.

 Chapter 1519

    Chapter 1519


    Although Vermont had seen a lot of things, he had no idea howto react to that situation.


    ¡°Tell me!¡±


    Felicity urged him.


    Vermont stared at the mushroom, pursed his lips, and said, ¡°It¡¯s not that thin.¡±


    Felicity was taken aback, and her face turned extremely red. She kicked him and gritted her teeth.


    ¡°Who asked you about that?¡±


    Vermont grabbed her ankle with one hand and held her waist with the other. He pulled her closer to him


    and whispered near her ear, ¡°Am I really your first love? Howe you¡¯re not shy at all to discuss such


    private matters in front of me?¡±


    Felicity could be very assertive as long as there was no physical contact, but she would immediately


    stiffen up the moment there was, especially when Vermont spoke in her ear like that.


    However, she would notst too long in that state because as soon she thought about Vermont¡¯s


    condition, she would be disappointed and snap herself out of it.


    Felicity snorted. ¡°Who told you you¡¯re my first love?¡±


    Vermont chuckled softly. His eyes looked deep, as he said in a seductive tone, ¡°If I remember correctly,


    on my birthdayst time, which was your first time doing it, right? How could I not be your first love,


    then?¡±


    Although he could not remember what exactly happened that night, he felt guilty for doing what he did.


    Now that he thought about it again, he felt like God was sending her into his arms.


    Felicity could not help but blush after Vermont mentioned that night. She thought of how many ex-


    girlfriends Vermont had and retorted, ¡°First love? You¡¯re the third at most, including Dr. Steven!¡±


    ¡°Corbin doesn¡¯t count at all. You two never dated, but¡­¡± Vermont said in a deep voice, ¡°Who¡¯s the


    other one?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not telling you!¡±


    Felicity was about to stand up as she spoke, but Vermont held her waist and kept her seated on hisp.


    Then, he threatened her, ¡°You¡¯re not going to? Well, then¡­¡±


    Felicity looked at him and provoked, ¡°Then, what?¡±


    ¡°I will¡­¡± Vermont narrowed his gaze. ¡°I¡¯ll not see a doctor and be a limpy for the rest of my life. When


    you can¡¯t stand it anymore and break up with me, I¡¯ll tell everyone that you abandoned me and our


    child because of my condition, and you need someone else to satisfy you!¡±


    Felicity¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°Our child?¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Vermont pointed at the cat sleeping in its bed. ¡°Over there.¡±


    Felicity was speechless.


    Vermont leaned closer and gently bit her earlobe. ¡°Tell me, who¡¯s the other one?¡±


    ¡°No-¡± Felicity barely got a word out of her mouth and Vermont silenced her with a kiss. He nibbled her


    lips and deepened the kiss. He caressed her, leaving her clueless about what she should do at all.


    Her face, ears, and neck turned red. She felt her heart racing, and her body grew weaker. If Vermont


    kept on kissing her, she knew that something embarrassing would happen. So, she immediately


    pushed Vermont away, covered his mouth, and said with a blush, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you! I¡¯ll tell you, okay!?¡±


    Vermont held her wrist and nted a kiss on her palm. Then, he smirked.¡¯ I¡¯m all ears.¡±

 Chapter 1520

    Chapter 1520


    Felicity was simply lying.


    All the boys she liked during her school days ended up being her buddies, and she even introduced a


    girl to one of them. Last year, she attended their wedding where she spent a thousand dors on the


    wedding gift forthem.


    As for the others, they either got snatched by some other girls or realized that their ***ual orientation


    was gay as they grew older. Otherwise, a good catch like her would not have stayed single until now.


    ¡°There¡¯s no one, right?¡± Vermont grew smug after seeing her silence. ¡°You were just making something


    up to tease me, right?¡±


    Felicity could not stand the prideful look on his face!


    So, she stiffened her neck and said, ¡°Of course, there is! Not only that he was my first love, but we also


    grew up together! We used to spend so much time together when we were younger, and he would take


    me everywhere. He was handsome, had a good temper, and was very good at cheering me up.¡±


    Initially, she only said that to mess with Vermont. But, once she talked about it, she recalled many


    things even though she could not really remember what that boy looked like. ¡°Back then, I was very


    chubby and rough. When I yed with the other kids, I would identally hurt them. They would cry,


    call me an ogre, and say I¡¯d never find a husband when I grew up. I was really sad, but he would help


    me deal with those naughty kids. He¡¯d tell me that I¡¯m very cute and if no one wants to marry me when


    I grow up, he would.¡±


    Vermont could not stopughing. ¡°Did you really believe him? Is that how he cheers you up?!¡±


    Felicity glowered at him. ¡°Do you think everyone is a liar like you?¡±


    Vermont said, ¡°Well, why didn¡¯t he marry you, then?¡±Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Felicity pouted. ¡°That¡¯s because his parents earned a lot of money, and they moved to the city.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I get it now.¡± Vermont was teasing her. ¡°So, the poor boy turned into a rich kid and abandoned


    his childhood sweetheart, huh?¡±


    Felicity scoffed. ¡°No! He gave me his number, but I lost it when I was moving! Do you think you¡¯d have


    a chance with me if I still have his number?¡±


    Vermont was not convinced. ¡°You lost his number, but doesn¡¯t he have your number? It has been so


    many years, and he never even called you once. It was all just a joke to him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Felicity tried her best to prove her charm. ¡°He couldn¡¯t find me because my mom


    and I moved to a different ce after my parents divorced.


    ¡°He was really nice to me. One time, I climbed up a tree and got stuck up there. He was worried that I¡¯d


    fall and hurt myself, so he offered to catch me with his arms. I listened to him, and I ended up breaking


    his arm. He was in so much pain that even his face turned pale, yet heforted me and asked if I


    was okay because I cried.¡±


    She became angrier, as she spoke. ¡°What about you? I stepped on you, and you acted like you were


    paralyzed. How dramatic!¡±


    Not only that Vermont did not retort, but he also had an odd expression on his face.


    Felicity thought that she had sessfully proved her charm to Vermont, and she continued proudly,


    ¡°So, what do you think? Feeling hurt, huh? Do you know how average you are as a boyfriend? He set


    the bar so high, yet I still gave you a chance.¡±


    She expected Vermont to talk back, but he just remained silent.


    Felicity lifted her gaze at Vermont and saw that he was frowning and looking strange.


    She could not figure out what was happening and thought maybe she had gone too far with her joke.


    She lightly tapped Vermont¡¯s shoulder and said,¡± Stinky Cucumber? Are you okay? I was just kidding.


    Don¡¯t take it too seriously. How could I possibly-¡°


    Before she could finish speaking, Vermont suddenly grabbed her wrist and asked, ¡°Were you living in


    Joyville before you moved?¡±


    Felicity was taken aback. ¡°How did you know?¡¯

 Chapter 1521

    Chapter 1521


    Vermont¡¯s expression turned serious, as he held Felicity¡¯s face and examined her closely. He stared at


    her so closely that it made her feel uneasy.


    She swatted his hand away and red at him. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Vermont replied after a long pause, seemingly in disbelief. ¡°How were you a girl?¡±


    Felicity¡¯s face darkened. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? We¡¯ve been dating for so long, and


    only now you realize that I¡¯m a girl?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Vermont was usually very quick-witted, but he seemed to be at a loss for words at that moment.


    He did not know how he could exin his thoughts to her. After a while, he said, ¡°Can¡¯t you tell? I¡¯m the


    boy you were talking about.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°What is wrong with you? Are you possessed? You don¡¯t have to go so far even


    if you want topete with him.¡±


    Vermont ignored her question and called out, ¡°Buffy?¡±


    Felicity paused before she turned around slowly and asked, ¡°What did you call me?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s gaze was intense. ¡°Is that your childhood nickname? Buffy?¡±


    Felicity became angry, and she reached out to choke him. ¡°How did you know about that? Did you go


    to Ste and ask about my secrets? Speak!¡±


    Buffy was a nickname given by her grandmother. When her parents were still together, her mother was


    very busy earning a living, so Felicity used to spend a lot of time with her grandmother.


    Felicity¡¯s grandmother had many children, and plenty of grandchildren. She was not exactly her


    grandmother¡¯s favorite, but her grandmother would always call her Buffy as if she were a boy. She was


    hoping that Florence would have a son someday.


    Florence did not like it, but her grandmother insisted on calling her that regardless of whether there was


    an outsider around or not.


    Felicity was just a kid, and she thought that Buffy was her real name because of how often her


    grandmother called her that. So, before her parents split up, the people in her father¡¯s hometown would


    call her Buffy. It was only after her parents divorced and Florence moved out with her that people


    stopped calling her that.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    It was safe to say that other than the people living in her father¡¯s hometown, her family, and Ste, no


    one else knew about this childhood nickname of hers.


    Vermont forcefully removed her hands from his neck before pinching her chin and forcing her to face


    him. ¡°You wanted to learn how to climb a tree and insisted that I teach you. After I did, you went to


    show it off in front of your friends. However, you couldn¡¯te down after climbing up. Your friends


    asked why you stayed up there, but you were too proud to tell them the truth. You even told them that


    the view up there was too beautiful. You only started crying and told me that you couldn¡¯te down


    when I saw you aftering back from school.


    ¡°That tree was about six feet tall. I told you to jump, and I¡¯d catch you. But you refused because you


    didn¡¯t want me to get hurt. I told you that I was much bigger than you, and there was no way you could


    hurt me. So, you jumped andnded right on top of me. You were small but surprisingly heavy.¡±


    Vermont chuckled as he spoke. He pinched her chubby cheeks and continued softly, ¡°I wonder what


    took me so long to recognize you.¡±


    Felicity was shocked.


    She was in a daze and could not figure out how her childhood sweetheart would have anything to do


    with Vermont.


    It was terrifying. Her childhood sweetheart had such an innocent face, and she could not believe that


    he and her current flirtatious boyfriend were the same person.


    Felicity shook her head. ¡°It can¡¯t be you. I was only six or seven years old back then, so I couldn¡¯t really


    remember what happened. You were already a teenager, so you should¡¯ve remembered, right? Why


    would you only remember everything after I told you everything?¡±

 Chapter 1522

    Chapter 1522


    Vermont had a strange look on his face, and it took him a while to say,¡± That¡¯s because I¡¯ve always


    thought that the chubby little kid was a boy.¡±


    Felicity was speechless.


    ¡°Besides, you look so different nowpared to before. Your face used to look like a ball, and your


    cheeks were very red. Now, you look like a fairy. How was a mere mortal like me supposed to


    recognize you?¡±


    Felicity did not feel any better after listening to his sweet words and irrelevant remarks about her. She


    gritted her teeth and went straight to the point. ¡°We spent two years together, and you¡¯ve always


    thought that I was a boy? Were you blind? Why did you say that you¡¯d marry me if you thought I was a


    boy?¡¯


    Vermont reached out to stroke Felicity¡¯s back. ¡±l didn¡¯t think too much about it. I had no idea why a big


    boy would be worried about not having a husband in the future, so I said that to make you feel better.¡±


    Felicity got even angrier and began hitting him. ¡¯What a yboy! You started flirting around when you


    were just a teenager! You shattered my first love! Give me back my childhood sweetheart!¡±


    Vermont felt wronged.


    How could he have known anything about flirting when he was so young?


    He genuinely liked Felicity very much when they were younger. The living conditions in their hometown


    were not very good back then, so the kids there did not look as polished as city kids. And, due to the


    environment, their skin colors were somewhat dull.


    When he was going home from school one day, an adorable and chubby kid in the crowd caught his


    attention.


    He saw the kid being bullied and immediately stepped in to help even though it was something he


    would not normally do.


    Felicity looked really cute, and her voice sounded very sweet. However, she was surprisingly strong


    and was able to lift him, who was four years older than her. And the way she called his name was


    simply endearing.


    After he went home, Vermont asked his grandfather about the kid, and he was told that the kid lived on


    the opposite street from their home. The kid¡¯s father was studying in the city, and the mother was


    working there. So, they left their child here.


    It was only then he found out that Felicity was from the city, which exined why she looked so


    different from the other kids.


    After that, he would y with the kid for a while whenever they bumped into each other. Everytime his


    parents sent him something special from the city, he would show them off to his friends. But, after


    knowing Felicity, he would pick some of the best ones and give them to Felicity as a gift.


    However, days like that did notst long. In less than two years, Vermont¡¯s parents¡¯ business stabilized


    in the city. They were worried that the son who had been sent to the countryside would turn into a


    bumpkin and embarrass them. Additionally, with his grandfather¡¯s health deteriorating, they finally took


    him to the city.


    He could still vividly remember how sad Felicity looked when he got into the car and left. He gave


    Felicity his phone number and told her to call him if she ever missed him.


    However, right after he returned to the city, his parents sent him to boarding school, where he only got


    to go home every two weeks. When he came back and asked if there were any calls for him, nobody


    paid attention to him.


    At that time, not every household had a telephone, and he had no idea how to contact Felicity at all. He


    thought about asking his grandfather for help, but his grandfather was already starting to have


    problems remembering things and soon forgot about it.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Three yearster, his grandfather passed away, and his family returned to their hometown for the


    funeral. He brought thetest gaming system at that time to find Felicity, but she was nowhere to be


    seen.


    Someone said that her father became a professor at a university in town, and the whole family moved


    to the city to live afortable life.


    Vermont held the gaming system in his hand and felt lost for a very long time.

 Chapter 1523

    Chapter 1523


    Vermont had never imagined that the kid from his childhood turned out to be a girl, and she even


    became the girlfriend he was so obsessed with.


    Although Vermont worked in the entertainment industry, he was not as superstitious as many others in


    the business.


    He did not believe in fate or destiny. He only believed in himself.


    He would do anything in his power to get everything he wanted, just like how he pursued Felicity. Even


    if it meant using some tricks, he would still do it.


    However, he suddenly felt as though some things might truly be destined.


    Otherwise, after all these years apart, just when he was about to forget his childhood friend, why would


    Felicity suddenly appear in his life?


    He finally realized why his heart would melt every time he looked at Felicity¡¯s watery eyes and wanted


    to share all the good things with her.


    He would feel happy when Felicity was happy and feel worse when Felicity was sad.


    That was because Felicity still had the same eyes that captivated him many years ago.


    After so many years, fate had brought her back to his life.


    Vermont¡¯s heart trembled. As Felicity was about to pounce toward him, he could not help but hold her


    face and kiss her deeply. He hugged her and murmured, ¡°Miss Bandit, what took me so long to


    recognize you¡­¡±


    Felicityy on his shoulders, feeling frustrated.


    She was only trying to prove her charm by mentioning her first love. She never expected that the gentle


    boy from her memories would turn out to be Stinky Cucumber. Not only did she not achieve what she


    wanted, but she also found herself feeling rather foolish for falling for the same person once again after


    so many years.


    However, she felt somewhat peculiar after thinking about this strange twist of fate.


    ¡®How did we end up together again?¡¯ she wondered.


    On the other side, Keegan was in the car with Ste, heading to Century Mall.


    While driving, Keegan steered the wheel and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you usually go to your manicure


    appointments with your best friend? Why did you suddenly ask me to go with you this time?¡±


    Ste was not particrly fond of getting her nails done, and she did not even like having long nails


    because of how inconvenient they would be for her when acting.


    Ste replied, ¡°Jaylene is going to get her nails done with Ka. Help me seduce Jaylene and bring her


    somewhere


    else. That way, I can take this opportunity to approach Ka. ¡ö


    Keegan¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°Distract Jaylene,¡± Ste said.


    Keegan gritted his teeth. ¡°You said seduce!¡±


    Ste yawned. ¡°They¡¯re the same. Don¡¯t overthink it.¡±


    Keegan snorted. ¡°How could you ask your partner to seduce your rival for an opportunity? Only you


    coulde up with such a crappy n!¡±


    Ste consoled Keegan after she saw that Keegan was getting a little mad. ¡°I was just kidding. I¡¯d feel


    disgusted if she touched you by ident. How could I bear to let you sacrifice yourself? You¡¯ve been


    workingte these days, and your shoulders must be stiff. There¡¯s a good massage parlor nearby, and


    the masseurs there are very experienced. I¡¯ll take you there once I¡¯m done with Ms. Wilson.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s mood became better after hearing that. ¡°It¡¯s important to have a n while running a


    business, but you¡¯ve got to do everything honorably.¡±


    Ste was speechless. ¡°Got it, boss. Please focus on driving. M


    Of course, Ste had no intention of letting Keegan ¡°sacrifice ¡± himself. She was just being cheeky with


    her words.


    If they were topete, she would want to beat Jaylene with her own capability. As for bringing


    Keegan along, she just did not want to feel too embarrassed if she lost and


    figured that having Keegan next to her would save her some face.N?velDrama.Org ? content.

 Chapter 1524

    Chapter 1524


    After all, Jaylene was the one who yed dirty first by stealing her customer. So, Ste figured that she


    had to do something about it.


    Since she admired and liked Keegan so much, Ste wanted Jaylene to see how someone so


    unattainable to her would do just anything for Ste herself!


    The Century Mall only had one nail salon, and it was located on the third floor.


    The shop lot was huge. It did not only offer manicures, but it also offered a wide range of other basic


    beauty treatments. However, manicures seemed to be their specialty.


    When they stepped into the salon, the receptionist immediately approached them and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.


    Our services here are exclusively for women. Sir, you can head to our designated lounge to wait and


    enjoy the desserts and tea provided.¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    ¡®Now, how am I supposed to show him off?¡¯


    Keegan was very happy with that arrangement and even encouraged Ste. ¡°Go on. Beat her with your


    own capabilities.¡±


    Ste red at the gloating person and followed the salesperson inside.


    While they were walking, the salesperson asked, ¡°Miss, is this your first time here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ste replied while ncing around.


    ¡°Miss, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Myst name is Hall.¡±


    Ms. Hall, you look somewhat familiar. It¡¯s like¡­ I¡¯ve seen you somewhere¡­ Ah, I remember now. You


    look so much like an actress.¡±


    Ste kept a straight face. ¡°Are you talking about the empress from that recent drama, The Pce?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, that one! You look exactly like her!¡±


    Ste replied with a smile, ¡°My husband said the same thing too. He said that if we ever run out of


    money, he¡¯d make me impersonate that actress to sell autographed photos to pay for his expenses.¡±


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    The salesperson chuckled. ¡°Your husband is funny.¡±


    Ste smiled. ¡°That¡¯s one of the reasons why I fell for him. I can¡¯t just marry him for his looks.¡±


    The salesperson¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡®What a showoff¡­¡¯


    ¡°Ms. Hall, please have a seat.¡± The salesperson led her to a spacious lobby and took out a tablet to


    show her thetest nail designs. ¡°Feel free to let me know if you have your own ideas in mind. If you


    don¡¯t, you can have a look at our sample designs.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Ste took the tablet and asked while browsing, ¡°Your salon is quite popr. I told my friend I wanted to


    get my nails done, and she immediately rmended your shop to me. She imed that both your


    service and design are excellent. ¡¯ Ste subtly nced at the salesperson¡¯s nametag before she


    continued, ¡°Especially a youngdy named something. My friend told me that she¡¯s very helpful, and


    I¡¯ve got to find her when I¡¯m here. I have such a bad memory that I can¡¯t recall her full name. Do you


    have someone named Reba working here?¡±


    The salesperson¡¯s eyes lit up, as she asked, ¡°Ms. Hall, may I know who your friend is?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    The salesperson replied shyly. ¡°I¡¯m Reba Baker.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you.¡± Ste smiled. ¡°What a coincidence. I found you right away.¡±


    May I know who rmended me to you?¡± Reba thought that she had to find out who


    rmended her to Ste because they get most of theirmissions from repeat customers. After


    all, most people did not have to get their nails done frequently, and those who liked it would only return


    every one or two months.


    ¡°Jay¡­¡± Ste paused and said, ¡°Ka Wilson. Do you know her?¡±


    The salesperson immediately said, ¡°Oh, Ms. Wilson! She¡¯s been my customer for a long time, and she


    comes here almost every month. In fact, she¡¯s here today.¡±

 Chapter 1525

    Chapter 1525


    Ste heaved a sigh of relief. Tm d that I can think fast.¡¯


    She wanted to say Jaylene¡¯s name, but then she thought that since Jaylene had invited Ka to get


    their nails done here, she must have chosen a salon that Ka visited frequently.


    ¡°Really?¡± Ste pretended to be surprised. ¡®What a coincidence.¡±


    Reba replied gently, ¡®TH get you in the same room as Ms. Wilson. The manicurist she booked today


    is the best one in our salon. She can do all kinds of designs, including hand- painted ones.¡±


    Ste smiled. ¡°Thank you so much.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. So, which design are you interested in?¡±


    Ste looked at her and asked, ¡°Which would give you the highestmission?¡±


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Reba was taken aback and suddenly felt a little awkward.


    Ste added, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to pry into your industry secrets. I¡¯m very happy with your service. That¡¯s


    why I want you to earn a little bit more. That way, both of us can be happy.¡±


    Reba was moved upon hearing that. She was only used to customers bargaining for lower prices,


    and it was her first time meeting someone concerned about how much she was earning.


    So, she said softly, ¡°You should go for this one. I can tell that you don¡¯t often get your nails done, and


    you¡¯ll probably need an extension. The one with the highestmission is not practical, but this one


    isn¡¯t going to affect you much in your daily life. You can consider signing up for a package for three


    sessions at a ten percent discount.¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Ste simply paid and signed up for the package without asking for its price.


    After everything was done, Reba led her to the room.


    The door was pushed open, and Ste saw Ka and Jaylene sitting inside.


    Both of them turned their heads around upon hearing the sound. Ka was momentarily taken aback


    before she shifted her gaze back to the manicurist painting her nails.


    Jaylene swept her gaze across Ste and smiled lightly.¡± Ste, weren¡¯t you going to the movies with


    Keegan? You said you couldn¡¯t make it when I asked you toe earlier.¡±


    Ste smiled back. ¡°We arrivedte and decided to leave. We came here to shop, and I suddenly


    remembered that you were going to get your nails done here with Ms. Wilson. So, I thought I¡¯de


    take a look and maybe experience it.¡±


    Jaylene continued to smile. ¡°Are you here for the experience, or are you simply here to get your client¡¯s


    attention?¡±


    Ste did not retort. ¡°Whatever floats your boat.¡±


    Jaylene nced at her and added, ¡°If I remember correctly, you used Ms. Tucker of ttering her


    customer for her personal interests when you fired her. Yet, you¡¯re doing the same thing as her now. If


    that¡¯s the case, I feel very bad for Ms. Tucker. After all, you¡¯re the boss, but you¡¯re not setting a good


    example.¡±


    Ste smirked. ¡°Jaylene, you misunderstood something. I¡¯m here because I want to be Ms. Wilson¡¯s


    friend, unlike your moth- Somebody else who¡¯s only interested in her money.¡±


    Jaylene¡¯s expression shifted slightly. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    Ka¡¯s eyes flickered, but she pursed her lips without saying anything.


    Nothing much.¡± Ste lighted tapped her own mouth. ¡°Look at me, I¡¯m just not very good with words.


    Jaylene, please don¡¯t overthink it.¡±


    Jaylene¡¯s gaze darkened.


    Reba felt her scalp tingling. ¡®Why do I feel like something isn¡¯t right here?¡¯ she wondered.


    However, Ste had already walked forward and sat down next to Ka.


    She noticed that Ka was still wearing the set of jewelry she had rmended to herst week.


    However, her clothes were very fancy and exuded a strong sense of affluence.


    Ste lowered her gaze to look at her nails before she said,¡± You should try cool-toned colors to appear


    more elegant.¡±


    Jaylene chimed in before Ka could say anything. ¡°Ka has fair skin and warmer colors will suit her


    better. No heiress would go for cool-toned colors because they look too rebellious.¡±


    Ste chuckled. ¡°Jaylene, it¡¯s just a matter of preference.


    Your nail color is supposed to match with the way you dress. What does it have to do with being


    rebellious or not? The color you mentioned isn¡¯t ugly, but it seems to be what you personally like. Have


    you asked Ms. Wilson if she has the same thoughts as you?¡±

 Chapter 1526

    Chapter 1526


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1526 [Eleven Jewell]


    ¡°Ka has never gotten her nails done, and it¡¯s me who rmended her toe here. So, I know


    exactly what she likes.¡±


    Ste paused. ¡°She has never gotten her nails done?¡±


    Jaylene froze and immediately realized that she had said something wrong.


    She immediately looked at Ka, who had a cold expression. She could not figure out what Ka was


    thinking.


    Jaylene felt regretful. She had been so focused on stopping Ste from getting close to Ka that she


    failed to consider Ka¡¯s feelings. She should not have revealed her rtionship with Ka just


    because she wanted to provoke Ste.


    She did not expect Ste to be so shameless and even followed them here.


    She pursed her lips and tried to correct what she said. ¡°What I meant was that she hasn¡¯t done any


    designs simr to this.¡±


    Ste breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Please be clearer next time. I thought you were saying that Ms. Wilson


    is uncultured.¡±


    Jaylen¡¯s mouth twitched. She had just managed to brush it off, yet Ste just had to bring her back to


    the topic.


    ¡°Why would I¡­¡±


    ¡°Which color do you think suits me?¡±


    Ka, who had been quiet all this time, suddenly spoke up. However, her question was directed at


    Ste.


    Jaylene¡¯s heart sank a little.


    Ste answered, ¡°I think that cool-toned colors would look better on you.


    As for what color, in particr, you can have the manicurist try different colors on you. That¡¯s the only


    way to determine which color suits you the best.¡¯


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    She then looked at the manicurist and asked, ¡°You¡¯re the professional. Could you rmend some


    colors to my friend?¡±


    The manicurist did not know what to say. Ka and Jaylene hade here together several times, but


    Jaylene would always decide what would look best on Ka and get everything arranged for her.


    Although some colors did not suit Ka, the manicurist did not dare to say anything, as they were both


    the salon¡¯s high-spending customers. And Ka had neverined about it herself.


    However, it seemed that she had no choice but to speak up now, especially when Ka had asked for


    her opinion too.


    So, the manicurist asked, Ms. Wilson, what kind of clothes do you normally wear?¡±


    Ka was about to answer her question but could not find the right words to describe it.


    Next to her, Ste chimed in and said, ¡°Cool, elegant, and atmospheric. Just like her presence;


    reserved, but ssy.¡±


    Ka remained silent.


    ¡®This woman¡­ She did not even bother to hide her ttery.¡¯


    Jaylene chuckled, as she said tly, ¡°Ste, it looks like you don¡¯t understand Ka¡¯s preferences at


    all.¡±


    Ste pretended to be shocked. ¡°What? Really?¡±


    Jaylene continued confidently, ¡°Ka likes something extravagant and shy.¡±


    ¡°Is that true?¡± Ste frowned. ¡°But I saw her wearing a simple ck dress at a banquet previously, and


    she looked incredibly elegant and ssy. Oh, yes. Xianna was there too. Didn¡¯t she tell you about it


    since you¡¯re so close to her? Ms. Wilson looked absolutely stunning that night.¡±


    Ka paused before she turned to Jaylene and asked, ¡°Are you really close to Xianna?¡±


    Jaylene was somewhat baffled. She did not really know what happened at the banquet. She figured


    that Ste was trying to get closer to Ka through Xianna, but that was all she knew.


    However, Jaylene noticed that there was something off with Ka¡¯s reaction.


    So, she replied cautiously, ¡°Not really. We¡¯re just acquainted.¡±


    Ste immediately said, ¡°Jaylene, did you forget that you invited Ms. Anne to your birthday party?¡±


    Jaylene did not know how to respond to that.

 Chapter 1527

    Chapter 1527


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1527 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ka nced at Jaylene.


    Then, Jaylene said hesitantly, ¡¯I invited a lot of guests to my birthday party, but not all of them are my


    close friends. It was just a matter of courtesy.¡¯


    ¡°Oh.¡± Ste nodded and kept quiet after that.


    She did not need to say anything more, as Ka could already see what was going on.


    Ste never thought that she would ever be so hypocritical. She was never a petty person like this.


    Instead, she was just like the current Ka. If someone did not like her, she would do whatever she


    could to show off in front of them.


    However, doing that would only drain her and make her feel ufortable in the end.


    So, she figured that if she had to feel ufortable, she might as well make the people who did not


    like her ufortable as well.


    She would y their game by their rules to get them back. She was an actress who was simply the


    best at putting on an act.


    Jaylene was about to say something, but she heard Ka asking the manicurist, ¡°Do you have any


    colors to rmend?¡¯


    Indeed, the manicurist did have rmendations. But she had no idea which person¡¯s description of


    Ka¡¯s clothing style to match them with.


    The manicurist hesitated and suddenly realized that Ka did not respond. Her expression even turned


    somewhat cold after hearing Jaylene¡¯s description of her.


    So, the manicurist made a decision inwardly and handed a nail sample to Ka.


    Of course, Jaylene noticed Ka¡¯s change in mood as well. She thought,¡¯ That fool Xianna must¡¯ve


    done something stupid again. Otherwise, Ka wouldn¡¯t react like this after hearing her name.¡¯


    Jaylene had no interest in getting close to Xianna, a fair-weather friend. Jaylene was well-liked in her


    circle because she respected everyone, regardless of their backgrounds. She did not easily show her


    dislike toward someone.


    However, Xianna did not seem to understand her boundaries. She considered Jaylene very close to


    her just because they asionally talked. That was why she loved telling Jaylene everything.


    Xianna was the one who told her about what happened at the banquet earlier, but she had not revealed


    all the details. She was too anxious about getting The Velvet back and did not want Ste¡¯s business to


    thrive. That was why she kept inviting Ka out these few days.


    However, her impatience caused her to overlook plenty of things.


    For example, Ka used to dress extravagantly but had recently toned down her style.


    Also, she would always invite a group of friends when she made ns. But she began telling Jaylene


    that she would only join her if it was just the two of them.


    Only then did Jaylene realize that something must have happened between Ka and Xianna, and it


    was not something good.


    Jaylene regretted being so hasty and not asking more people about what had happened that night. She


    felt extremely frustrated as she nced at Ste, who looked very calm. Ste smiled politely in


    response, but Jaylene somewhat felt a hint of sarcasm behind it.


    She clenched her fists, stood up, and said, ¡°Excuse me, I need to use the washroom. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    After Jaylene left, Ka took two colors the manicurist rmended and asked Ste, ¡°Which one do


    you think is nicer?¡±


    Ste looked at them and said, ¡°The left one.¡¯


    Ka nodded. Then, she said to the manicurist, ¡°I¡¯ll get the right one.¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    Then, Ka continued tly, ¡°There are so many people wanting to earn my money, but you¡¯re the


    most shameless one I¡¯ve met.¡±


    Ste modestly replied, ¡°Ms. Wilson, that¡¯s because you haven¡¯t met a lot of people.¡± To Ste,


    Vermont was a lot more shameless than her.


    Her response left Ka speechless.N?velDrama.Org ? content.

 Chapter 1528

    Chapter 1528


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1528 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ka pursed her lips and said, ¡°I remember you saying I can have a refund anytime for the jewelry I


    purchased from The Velvet. You sounded very confident back then. What makes you so desperate


    after just a few days?¡¯


    Ste chuckled, ¡®I¡¯m just doing what I¡¯ve got to do.¡±


    Ka switched hands for the manicurist as she lowered her gaze and said, ¡®Have you ever considered


    that no matter how much effort you put in, it still would not mean I¡¯ll be your customer? I don¡¯t know you


    very well, and I don¡¯t want to get involved in the feud between you and your sister either.¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s your freedom to choose who you want. However, I¡¯m just doing what I can to secure this deal. The


    oue is not what I care most about.


    Getting to know you as a friend is good enough for me.¡±


    Ka smiled, ¡°Friend?¡± She lifted her gaze, ¡°You¡¯re only approaching me because of money. Do you


    really think that we could be friends?¡±


    Ste was taken aback. Then, she smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll get your deposit refunded right now.¡±


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Ka looked at her, surprised.


    Ste took her business card from her bag and handed it to Ka, ¡°Give me a call when youe.¡±


    Then, she stood up and walked away. However, after a few steps, she stopped, turned around, and


    looked at Ka, ¡°Ms. Wilson, you¡¯re very right.


    I was wrong for approaching you with an intention. It is my fault.¡±


    She walked back to Ka as she spoke. Then, she took out a pen from her bag and wrote something


    on the business card before giving it back to Ka, ¡°You can have a look at these magazines here. The


    fashion tips inside can probably give you some inspiration. Also, The Velvet has a new head of


    designer now, and her work is excellent. You¡¯re free to drop by anytime if you¡¯re interested. Goodbye.¡±


    Ste turned around and left after saying that.


    Ka looked at the name card in her hand and frowned.


    Ste started reflecting on herself uponing outside.


    She figured that she was indeed a little hasty foring here today. She was worried that Jaylene


    would manipte Ka after hearing what Vermont said but failed to consider thating here would


    actually make her look annoying.


    She used to point out others¡¯ hypocrisy. But today, she found herself guilty of the same criticism.


    Keegan had always told her to prioritize her products while doing business, but now she could not help


    but feel that her actions were not on the right path.


    She would be just the same as Darcie if she were to close this deal by relying on building a good


    rtionship with Ka.


    Ste figured that although Vermont was right at some point, Keegan¡¯s focus on integrity and product


    quality were the fundamental strengths of a brand.


    As she walked and thought about that, she saw Keegan and Jaylene chatting happily in the lounge


    area.


    Suddenly, Ste had a feeling that she was being cheated on.


    She coughed lightly.


    Keegan shifted his gaze to her, and his cold eyes immediately softened. Then, he walked over and


    asked, ¡°Is it done?¡±


    ¡®The manicurist said that my nails are too thin, so all she did was apply ayer of nail protection. I


    shouldn¡¯t have signed the package,¡± Ste said. Keeganforted her, ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s all chemicals


    anyway. They¡¯re not good for you.¡±


    Then, Jaylene stood up and said warmly, ¡®Ste, Keegan, there¡¯s a nice Yostranian restaurant


    downstairs. Why don¡¯t we have a meal togetherter?


    Ste replied, ¡°It¡¯s fine. We have other ns. Jaylene, you should stay here with Ms. Wilson.¡±


    She held Keegan¡¯s hand and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m a little tired. Let¡¯s go home.¡¯


    Keegan was puzzled by her sudden change in mood. However, he agreed with her anyway, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Jaylene watched their receding backs for some time before turning around and walking away.


    Once they got into the car, Keegan asked Ste, ¡°You were full of energy when you went in there just


    now, but why do you look so defeated now?¡±


    Ste leaned against the window and sighed, ¡°I just realized that doing business isn¡¯t as simple as I


    thought. I was too eager to win Ka over as a client, and every step I took was driven by self-interest.


    In Ka¡¯s eyes, I¡¯m no different from her so-called ¡°friends¡± from before.¡±

 Chapter 1529

    Chapter 1529


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1529 [Eleven Jewell]


    Keegan chuckled.


    Ste turned to re at him, ¡°Are you reallyughing at me?¡¯


    Keegan looked at her with gentle eyes, ¡°No, I¡¯m just happy that you¡¯re finally learning. You know how to


    reflect on your mistakes and can even recognize what¡¯s right and wrong now. That¡¯s rare. You never


    admitted anything you did wrongly in the past and would even deny it.¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    Then, she clenched her teeth and said, ¡°That¡¯s only because you never gave me a way out.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I said that you¡¯re learning.¡± Keegan held her hand andforted her, ¡°Remember, there¡¯s


    no overnight sess in business. If you want to capture certain clients, you must first understand what


    they need.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be risky if you want to win them by relying solely on so-called rtionships. If something


    unexpected happens and those rtionships break, you¡¯ll immediately lose them. You have to attract


    them to what you offer and stimte their desire so they spend their money on your


    business. This is the best way to retain clients. Maintaining your personal rtionships with them is just


    the icing on the cake.¡±


    Ste nodded, ¡°You¡¯re right. I was indeed too hasty.¡±


    Keegan rubbed the top of her head and continued in a warm tone, ¡°That¡¯s perfectly normal. This is your


    first time doing business; everyone wants to seed as quickly as possible. It¡¯s not a bad thing.¡±


    Keegan paused before he asked, ¡°How¡¯s business in the store these days?¡±


    Ste shook her head, Nothing extraordinary. After I took over The Velvet, we haven¡¯t got any major


    clientsing in, but we do have some customers spending a little here and there. The products in the


    store are somewhat outdated, but due to the store¡¯s reputation, we can still sell some of them.¡±


    ¡°Have you looked at the store¡¯s ount book for the monthly expenses and revenue?¡±


    Ste nodded, ¡°I read it two days ago.¡±


    ¡°How is it?¡±


    Ste shook her head again as she spoke in a low voice, ¡°The Velvet isn¡¯t doing as well as Vermont


    imed. The economy has declined in the past two years, and every industry suffers from it. The


    Velvet is no exception. Its sales have shown a clear downward trend sincest year. They used to have


    many new customers as returning customers, but not anymore. The number of new customers has


    decreased noticeably, and the repeat purchase rate of returning customers has also dropped. However,


    The Velvet sells its products at a high price and has good profit margins, so they¡¯re still making a profit.¡±


    Keegan said, ¡°Just as you said, it is crucial to have products that can attract your customers.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re already working on it. I was thinking that maybe we couldunch a promotion campaign when


    the new designs are ready. The store will be hitting its tenth anniversary soon, and we can introduce an


    exclusive tenth anniversary gift box. I¡¯ll invite our customers to the event, and anyone with a purchase


    record with US can receive the gift box for free. What do you think?¡±


    Keegan nodded, ¡°The gift box has to be unique and striking. You¡¯ll also have to allocate a bigger


    marketing budget to this event and make it big. If you don¡¯t have enough money, I¡¯ll chip in.¡±


    Ste smiled and teased Keegan, ¡°You¡¯re so generous, Mr. Kane.¡±


    After talking about her business, Ste suddenly remembered that there was something that she


    should be jealous of.


    ¡°What were you talking about with Jaylene just now?¡±


    Keegan grabbed the bag of duck from the side and said, ¡°She wanted to eat this, so I told her where I


    got it from.¡±


    Jaylene¡¯s exact words were, ¡°Keegan, are you a duck-lover? They¡¯re one of my favorite foods, too.¡±


    And Keegan¡¯s response was, ¡°Go and buy them then. I got mine from a store down the street. You


    might still be able to catch thest batch if you go there now.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Ste burst intoughter upon hearing that.


    Sheughed so hard that tears welled up in her eyes. After a while, she wiped away the tears and said


    softly, ¡°Do you really not know what she was doing, or were you just pretending not to?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Keegan scoffed.


    Although Keegan could be slow when it came to showing interest in the opposite sex, it did not mean


    that he was ignorant of such matters.

 Chapter 1530

    Chapter 1530


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1530 [Eleven Jewell]


    After that day, Ste shifted her focus to the products.


    She spent almost every day in the store to monitor the design and craftsmanship. She had a genuine


    fondness for jewelry. When she was married to Keegan, she learned a lot about jewelry and purchased


    plenty of them. So, she had her own aesthetic preferences and insights regarding jewelry designs.


    Time flew by, and two weeks had passed before she knew it.


    As Ste had just arrived at the design room in the store, Chris approached her, ¡°Ms. Hall, do you have


    a moment? I need to speak to you about something.¡±


    Ste was looking at the drawings from yesterday, and without lifting her gaze, she said, ¡°You can talk


    here.¡±


    Chris lowered his voice, ¡°It has something to do with ourpany¡¯s financials. It¡¯s better if we can talk


    somewhere else.¡±


    Ste paused, put down the drawings, and stood up, ¡°Let¡¯s go outside then.¡±


    Once they left the design room, Chris said, ¡°Ms. Hall, it¡¯s almost time to pay the sries.¡±


    Ste asked, ¡°Is there not enough money in the ount?¡±


    Chris replied, ¡°We have enough for this month, but I won¡¯t be too sure for theing months. We¡¯ve


    only sold a little over three hundred thousand worth of goods this month, and it¡¯s barely enough to


    cover the cost of raw materials, not to mention thebor costs and rent. At this rate, it won¡¯t be long


    before our expenses surpass our profit. Ms. Hall, you¡¯ve got to do something about this. The store can¡¯t


    keep operating like this.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Ste said, ¡°I already have a n in mind. Just give me a little more time.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t afford to wait


    anymore. We won¡¯t know how our new products will perform after they¡¯re introduced to the market, so


    we¡¯ve got to clear everything we have on hand first. If we don¡¯t do that, we might not have enough cash


    to even produce our new designs.¡±


    Ste lifted her gaze, ¡°How did you handle the outdated designs in the past?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Saun knows a lot of people. With products like these, she could simply wear them out, and they¡¯d


    be sold out in no time.¡± Chris paused before continuing, ¡°Ms. Hall, you¡¯ve just taken over, and there are


    still many things you don¡¯t know. You should ask Mrs. Saun for her advice.¡±


    Ste chuckled, ¡°Why would she hire you if she could sell everything herself? Is she running a charity,


    paying you to do nothing?¡±


    The look on his face changed, ¡°Ms. Hall, what do you mean by that?¡±


    Ste¡¯s smile disappeared as she said in a cold tone, ¡°Chris, it¡¯s understandable that our existing


    customers stoppeding here because The Velvet doesn¡¯t trust its new boss yet. However, don¡¯t you


    think the decline in new customers has something to do with our sales performance? Should I hold you,


    the store manager, ountable for this?¡±


    Chris immediately responded, ¡°Ms. Hall, this happens every month, and it¡¯s nothing new. The loss of


    returning customers is the real issue here.¡±


    Ste adjusted her coat and said tly, ¡°Well, find a solution then. If you can resolve this, I¡¯ll triple your


    bonus.¡±


    With that, she turned and went back into the design room.


    Then, Chris took out his phone and dialed Aubrey¡¯s number with a serious expression. As he walked


    away, he muttered, ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem worried about it at all¡­¡±


    Not long after Ste returned, Maggie came inside carrying a few folders.


    She hurriedly made her way back to her desk and saw Ste sitting across her while working with other


    designers. Then, she pursed her lips.


    Maggie put her things down, took the drawings she hadpletedst night, and handed them to


    Ste, ¡°Ms. Hall, please take a look.¡±


    Ste took them over and said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    As she flipped open the design sketches, she was instantly stunned by what she saw.

 Chapter 1531

    Chapter 1531


    Chapter 1531 The design on the sketch resembled a butterfly with cloud -like patterns, and between its


    wings featured a tinum charm with scattered diamonds around it.


    The design was so powerful that it immediately resonated with Ste.


    She flipped through the pages, and the subsequent sections had more details exining the design.


    "It''s beautiful," Ste praised.


    "It''s much more beautiful than I had imagined." Maggie lowered her gaze and said softly, "I was


    inspired by some of the elements you mentioned." The butterfly symbolized a new life and beauty,


    while the clouds represented peacefulness.


    How Maggie merged these two elements was exactly what Ste wanted.


    Moreover, the tinum piece in the middle could be carved into different patterns, adding a distinct


    touch and making each piece unique.


    Ste lifted her gaze and said with a smile, "I only told you the themes I wanted, but you''re the one who


    managed to merge them.


    Let''s go with this design.


    Send it to the carver to create a sample and see how it turns out.¡± However, Maggie did not move after


    taking the sketches back.


    Instead, she hesitated for a moment before asking softly, "Ms.


    Hall, is this design going to bear the name of the designer?" "Of course, your name will be on this work.


    After all, you''re the one who created it." Ste thought that Maggie only asked that because she was


    caught in a giarism case previously, but she heard Maggie adding, "Ms.


    Hall, is it okay if we use another designer''s name instead? Tessa or ke will do, too." Ste was


    taken aback, "It''s your design.


    Why would you want to use another person''s name?" Maggie seemed to have something that she


    could not tell Ste.


    However, after hesitating for a moment, she said, "Ms.


    Hall, you may not be familiar with this industry since you''ve just taken over The Velvet, but I was


    involved in a court case in the past." Then, she told Ste everything that had happened truthfully


    without omitting any details.


    "T looked everywhere for a job after I was forced to resign.


    I knew that my former employer had cklisted me in the industry because the designer who copied


    my work had tarnished thepany''s reputation and caused them significant losses.


    They would not allow me, who didn''t understand the industry''s rules, to have it good.


    "I couldn''t get a job, and the other party kept dying the legal case.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    They were argepany with a dedicated legal team to deal with such matters, and I was fighting


    alone.


    It drained me both financially and emotionally.


    It also deeply affected my parents, and even their health deteriorated.


    After that, I figured that justice no longer meant anything to me, and all I needed was money.


    "The Velvet pays me rtively well.


    However, they were worried that my past would tarnish thepany''s reputation, so I was never


    allowed to put my name on any of my designs here.


    Do you get it now?" Maggie thought that Ste had randomly chosen her to deal with Barbara when


    she promoted her to the head of designer.


    However, that was not the only reason.


    Instead, it was because Ste admired her work and even knew about her design from her earlier


    years.


    She did not pick Maggie for no reason.


    Maggie was pleasantly surprised after learning about that.


    She had a passion for this industry and hoped to shine in it.


    However, she did not want to deceive Ste.


    She had lost thewsuit, and her former employer had not cleared her name in the industry either.


    She still had a bad reputation in the scene, and using her name posed a certain risk.


    Ste chuckled upon hearing that, "I thought it was something serious.


    You were the victim, not the giarizer.


    What''s the problem with using your name? You spent so much effort into designing this.


    Are you going to be happy with someone else taking credit for it?" Maggie lowered her gaze and said


    softly, "I''m exhausted after going through thewsuit, and I dare not ask for much.


    I just want to have a stable ie." "The more you give in, the more they will take advantage of you.


    You''re working for me now; I have an obligation to protect you as long as you''re not viting any


    professional ethics or thew.


    You should be the one taking credit for your own designs." Maggie was overwhelmed, and her


    indifferent eyes lit up a little.


    "I''ll talk to the engraver about the details." Ste nodded, "Make sure to keep the digital files and


    sketches somewhere safe.


    Don''t publish them anywhere; we''ll decide what to do after the samplees out."

 Chapter 1532

    Chapter 1532


    Chapter 1532 "Sure." After Maggie showed the craftsmen her design, they quickly processed them.


    Two dayster, the sample was ced in front of Ste.


    The sample looked even better than the sketches, and Ste took several photos of them.


    After all, she had two managers sorting out the existing customers who made repeated purchases


    within the past year before officially putting Maggie''s design into production.


    She spent most of her time preparing for theunch event.


    She was so busy that she did not even have the time to check her phone.


    When she eventually nced at her phone, she noticed several missed calls from Keegan.


    After some time, Keegan stopped calling her.


    He would either deliver some food to the store ore directly to pick her up and drive her back after


    having a meal together.


    Keegan''s intention was clear.


    He had no problem with Ste working so hard to make money, but she had to take care of her health.


    He would not let her sacrifice her well-being because of her work.


    Some people may be born to be thoughtful, but Keegan has learned to be like this step by step.


    Ste was eating the minced pork porridge in Keegan''s car when she suddenly said, ''''Keegan Kane,


    let''s get it done on Valentine''s Day this year." Keegan, who was checking the guest list for her, paused


    momentarily upon hearing that.


    Then, he asked, "Get what done?" Ste swallowed a mouthful of porridge, looked at him, and said, "


    Our marriage registration certificate." Keegan was taken aback, "You''re not joking, are you?" Ste


    chuckled and teased him softly, You''re improving too quickly, and I''m afraid that someone else will take


    you away from me if I don''t tie you down." Keegan lowered his gaze andughed, "Let''s get the


    certificate tomorrow if you''re really worried." ¡°No.


    I didn''t feel like I was getting married the first time we went to get registered.


    We''ve got to make it special this time." "Your birthday ising soon.


    We can get the certificate on your birthday," Keegan suggested.


    "In that case, I''ll only get to celebrate either my birthday or our wedding anniversary on that day."


    Keegan added, "Which also means twice the happiness." Ste red at him.


    "Which also means you''ll only have to give me one gift.


    It''s certainly more convenient for you." Keegan was speechless.


    He sighed, "Do you think I''m someone who would be stingy with my gifts for you? I just can''t wait to


    marry you." Ste chuckled softly, "I''m just joking with you.


    Everything you own will be mine after we get married.


    Why would I still care about the little gifts you give me?" She just wanted to get the certificate with


    Keegan on a special day, like most couples.


    So, she could remind herself every year on that day that she only married him because she loved him.


    A weekter, Ste began promoting her business by sending gifts and invitations after all the


    preparations were ready.


    Ka had just returned to her home when Mark called out to her, " Ka, there''s a parcel for you.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Take a look."

 Chapter 1533

    Chapter 1533


    Chapter 1533 "A parcel? I didn''t order anything online." Ka put her jacket down and walked over.


    She picked up the parcel from the table, but there were no sender details.


    She opened it curiously and saw a beautifully wrapped gift box and an envelope.


    "That''s a nice box." Mark looked at Ka, "Do you have a new boyfriend?" "Could I possibly hide


    having a boyfriend from you?" Ka opened the envelope.


    There was an invitation card and a hand-drawn sketch inside.


    She read the invitation card and immediately knew who had sent her this parcel.


    The Velvet was going to organize a new productunch event, and the items in the gift box were


    specially prepared for their existing customers as a token of appreciation, hoping they would attend the


    event.


    On the other hand, the sketch was the design of the jewelry she had ordered previously.


    She was very surprised when Ste suddenly left that day.


    She had initially thought it was just a part of Ste''s strategy.


    But unexpectedly, the deposit she had paid was refunded to her ount the next day.


    Ste had not appeared before her again since that day.


    Instead, she would only send some fashion magazines to her every week.


    Ka felt somewhat awkward because she had not actually made up her mind when she said those


    things to Ste previously.


    She was not expecting Ste to refund her deposit so promptly at all.


    So, she did not bother to read any of the magazines Ste sent her.


    She just left them in the living room until one day when her rtives'' kid came over and tore the


    magazines apart one day.


    It was only then she saw what was inside.


    The pages were marked and thoughtfullybeled with fashion rmendations that Ste had


    specially prepared for her.


    Regardless of whether Ste genuinely wanted to be her friend or simply wanted to earn her money,


    Ka admired Ste''s attention to detail.


    However, Ste had refunded her deposit, leaving her no reason or excuse to visit The Velvet anymore.


    She would never expect Ste to send her this invitation and even have someone redesign the jewelry


    she ordered.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Ka felt a little conflicted.


    However, Mark was totally unaware of what Ka was thinking.


    He opened the box and was surprised by what he saw, "Ka, is this the jewelry you just bought?¡±


    Ka turned her head and was instantly captivated by the butterfly.


    She took the box over and carefully picked up the ne from inside before examining it closely.


    Initially, she thought the gift mentioned in the envelope would be some worthless trinkets, but she was


    surprised to see how beautifully designed it was.


    Mark said, "What you ordered this time is so much more beautiful than the previous ones.


    You should visit this store more often." After a long pause, Ka pursed her lips and said, "Dad, can I


    ask you something?" "Of course." Then, Ka told Mark about everything that had happened recently.


    After that, she added, "I might consider bing friends with her if she didn''t own The Velvet.


    However, I know that she''s only doing all this for the sake of her business.


    I don''t know if I should go to this event."

 Chapter 1534

    Chapter 1534


    Chapter 1534 Mark smiled upon hearing that, "We should judge a person based on their actions rather


    than their motives.


    Nobody is perfect in this world.


    Whether she wants to earn money from you or be your friend, she hasn''t done anything to harm you.


    In fact, she has been helping you.


    So, what''s the point of dwelling on these details? ¡°Would you not buy anything from her if she were


    really your friend? Shouldn''t it give you another reason to support her business if that''s the case? Your


    mindset now is contradictory.


    ¡°You don''t have to worry too much about her intentions.


    Just attend the event if you feel like it.


    She hasn''t threatened you to go, right? Why are you overthinking it?" Ka paused.


    Suddenly, she felt more at ease.


    On the day of The Velvet''sunch event, Wenham purposely rearranged his schedule to attend.


    He had heard about The Velvet''s recent sales performance and was concerned about his daughter''s


    hardships in running her business.


    He even asked Ste if she needed any help, and he could secretly assist her.


    However, Ste was confident and insisted that he should stay out of her business.


    Wenham could buy all the leftover goods, and The Velvet would survive for at least a few more months.


    However, that would be pointless.


    It would also be embarrassing for Ste if people found out.


    Although Ste declined his offer, Wenham figured that he should still be there to show his support for


    her first business endeavor as a father.


    So, he also contacted some of his close friends and invited them to the event.


    As a result, Ste saw plenty of prominent figures in the business world attending the event before it


    was even started.


    She was shocked.


    ¡°What''s my dad thinking?" Steined to Keegan backstage, My target audience is wealthy


    women and rich girls, yet he invited a bunch of men.


    What''s even worse is that none of them brought their wife." "Uncle Wenham probably didn''t think much


    of it," Keegan said.


    Just as they were chatting, Vermont brought Felicity backstage, too.


    "Ste, the gift you prepared for your customers is beautiful.


    Why didn''t you make one for my pretty girlfriend?" Felicity nudged him with her elbow, "Do you ever


    stop talking?" Ste smiled, "Of course, how could I forget about Felicity? I didn''t give you one because


    I was worried about the design being leaked.


    I''ll give it to you once the event endster." ¡°Did you hear that? You should stop trying to sabotage our


    rtionship.


    Ste will never forget about me." "Yes, yes, yes.


    She''s your best friend, am I right?" Vermont teased Felicity before he continued, "Ste, there are so


    many people here.


    Your marketing team did a pretty good job." Ste said, "Most of them are probably here because of my


    family''s influence.


    It''s unsure how many of them will be our actual customers." Keegan held her hand and said, "You''ve


    got to be confident in your product." A bright smile appeared on Ste''s face, "I''m very confident." The


    event began, and Ste led her team to the seats in the front row.


    The emcee delivered the opening speech, followed by Chris and the design team taking the stage to


    exin the event''s theme.


    Everything was going ording to n.


    When the images of the new products were disyed on the screen, Ste observed the reactions of


    those around her.


    She could tell that many were interested in the product line, and some were even taking photos with


    their phones.


    Ste felt less worried.


    The designers on stage gradually rxed as they confidently talked about their creations and shared


    their design philosophies.


    When it was Maggie''s turn, she clenched her hands nervously as the screen showed her design for the


    tenth-anniversarymemorative gift.


    She grabbed the mic and introduced it, "This is the tenth- anniversarymemorative gift we came up


    with.


    Its name is Rebirth.


    We chose the butterfly as the main theme because..." Suddenly, a voice from the audience interrupted


    Maggie''s presentation, "Are you the one who designed this? Ourpany justunched a new


    ne from the ''Dancing Butterfly'' series, which looks almost identical.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Are you copying it, or is this merely an inspiration?"

 Chapter 1535

    Chapter 1535


    Chapter 1535 That person''s words immediately drew the crowd''s attention as everyone shifted their


    gaze to him.


    They saw a stylish young man sitting in the middle of the venue with his legs crossed.


    His fairplexion, heavy makeup, and how he carried himself exuded an air of arrogance.


    Shockingly, seated beside him was Barbara, who had been fired by Ste just a month ago.


    Maggie could not help but curl her fingers as she gazed at the two individuals in the audience.


    The unexpected usation at the event stirred amotion among the guests.


    "who said that?" "I think it''s Chad Benson, the design manager from Grandeur Gallery." ¡°They''re


    competitors, huh?" "A lot of guests here are from the same industry.


    The Velvet has been aggressive with its marketing campaign, and everyone came intending to learn


    and congratte them.


    Mypany also sent me to be here.


    I was not expecting to stumble upon such shocking news." ¡°What news?" "The Velvet''s designer,


    Maggie Hart, used to work for Grandeur Gallery.


    A few years back, the Chief Designer of Grandeur Gallery was exposed for giarism, and Maggie


    was the whistleblower.


    She openly revealed that Grandeur Gallery published her design under someone else''s name and got


    into awsuit with her former employer." ¡°What happened after that? Did she win?" ¡°Win what? Both


    sides suffered losses.


    Grandeur Gallery faced massive losses when the scandal broke out.


    However, Maggie did not have it good either.


    She backstabbed her former employer, and nopany would want to hire such a troublemaker like


    her.


    Surprisingly, she''s working for The Velvet now, and the gship product is being used of giarism


    by her former employer.


    What a twist of fate." A few days ago, thememorative gift, "Rebirth," was delivered to The Velvet''s


    existing customers.


    As Ste had expected, the design was well-received, and the existing customers shared photos of it


    on their social media ounts.


    A lot of people saw the design, and it gained plenty of attention within the jewelry designmunity.


    Its design concept was unique, so it got many people talking about it.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    At that time, no one knew who designed it.


    They all thought it was a renowned industry expert newly recruited by The Velvet.


    It was not until today''s event that they discovered it was actually Maggie, the person who every


    company in the industry had cklisted.


    The fact that someone who exposed her superior for giarism had now been used of it herself by


    her former employer made things very dramatic for everyone.


    The Velvet''s productunch event was organized on a grand scale.


    Not only had they invited their existing customers, but also many media representatives and fellow


    industry professionals.


    So, everything happening at the venue was being live-streamed by the media.


    The security guards immediately tried to escort Chad out to maintain order for the event.


    Chad stood up and shrugged off the security guards who tried to take him away.


    He gazed at Maggie, who was standing on the stage, and said, "Is The Velvet just going to take the


    person seeking justice away instead of addressing the issue? I can''t believe this is how The Velvet


    deals with its problems.


    They have no respect for originality at all." The media immediately directed their cameras toward Chad.


    Matters concerning giarism always garnered the most attention, so the reporters were determined


    not to miss this opportunity.


    Chris scolded the security guards with a stern expression, "Why are you just standing there? Escort


    him out! He''s clearly causing trouble!" Felicity asked, "Why does he want to kick him out instead of


    rifying things? Is he an idiot?" Ste was about to stand up, but Keegan held her hand.


    She turned to him and said, "It''s going to be fine." So, Keegan let go of her hand.


    Then, Ste took the microphone she was handed to and spoke, "Please let go of this gentleman."


    "Ms.


    Hall," Chris came down from the stage anxiously, "We should talk about this privately with him.


    This is a big matter.


    We might have to end theunch event here.¡± Ste looked at him indifferently, "Why should we?

 Chapter 1536

    Chapter 1536


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1536 [Eleven Jewell]


    Chris whispered, ¡°He¡¯s iming that Maggie¡¯s design¡­¡± ¡°Are we just going to believe what he said


    without seeing any proof? You¡¯ve worked with Maggie for so many years, yet you still don¡¯t know what


    kind of person she is?¡±


    Chris was stunned upon hearing what Ste said. Then, he tried to defend himself, ¡°What if it turns out


    to be true? What are we going to do then? I¡¯m just doing this for ourpany¡¯s interests.¡±


    Ste ignored him and walked directly to the man who stirred things up. Then, she introduced herself,


    ¡°I¡¯m the owner of The Velvet, and myst name¡¯s Hall. First of all, I¡¯d like to thank you for attending The


    Velvet¡¯s new productunch event today. Secondly, did you mention that our designer is copying


    someone else¡¯s work?


    ¡°giarism is a very serious usation. We have stated that this is our original design, and we would


    not resort to such methods to deceive the public. If you can provide evidence of the giarism


    committed by our designer with the product showcased today, I¡¯ll take the necessary actions. However,


    if you fail to do so, I¡¯ll consider this an intentional act to smear mypany¡¯s image, and I¡¯ll file a


    lawsuit against you for causing a disturbance.¡±


    Chad snorted, ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±


    Ste smiled, ¡°Just a friendly reminder.¡±


    Chad retorted in a cold tone, ¡°Do you think I¡¯d make baseless usations without any proof?¡±


    Then, he raised his phone and continued, ¡°I have our designer¡¯s electronic drafts on my phone and the


    date they were created. Do you dare to put them up on the big screen? nSte stared into Chad¡¯s eyes


    for a moment before turning to Chris and said, ¡°Take this gentleman to the projector.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Hall¡­¡±


    ¡°Now!¡±


    So, Chris had no choice but to bring Chad to the projector and disy the drafts on the big screen.


    Everyone gasped when they saw the drafts.


    ¡°Oh my god, they look so simr!¡±


    ¡°Simr? They¡¯re exactly the same!¡±


    ¡°The dates show that they werepleted a month ago, and Ste Hall only took over The Velvet for


    less than a month.


    Thememorative gift must have been designed within the past months, which means after the


    dates shown.¡±


    ¡°So, does that mean what the man said is true?¡±


    ¡°Are you serious? I actually like it very much. Even my husband, who doesn¡¯t really appreciate jewelry,


    says it looks good when I wear it.¡±


    ¡°Me too, but we can¡¯t tolerate it if it¡¯s a work of giarism.


    It¡¯s worth nothing. How could they give us trash and expect us to wear it on our body?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not jump to conclusions now. The drafts don¡¯t really prove anything. Thepletion date is


    handwritten and can be easily altered. How can that serve as evidence?¡±


    ¡°But this designer doesn¡¯t have a clean record herself. She was used several times of copying other


    people¡¯s designs when she had awsuit with Grandeur Gallery back then. Her designs were


    compared to the other designers¡¯ work, and they looked very simr.¡±


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not make any baseless ims.¡±


    ¡°Everyone is talking about the designer, but doesn¡¯t anyone think Ste Hall is the problem here? The


    Velvet¡¯s reputation has been so good over the years, and a scandal like this broke out as soon as she


    took over. She¡¯s the one who should be held ountable for.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. She should¡¯ve just stayed in herne. What would an actress possibly know about running


    a business? She got lucky and found herself to be a member of the Saun family, then rushed into doing


    business. Look at how things turn out for her now. How embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°Ste Hall might not be innocent either. She was probably too eager to revive The Velvet¡¯s reputation


    and used some dirty tricks. Besides, she could easily get out of this trouble if she got someone like


    Maggie, who had a history of giarizing, to do the dirtyundry for her.¡±


    Wenham listened to these harsh remarks, and his expression turned extremely unpleasant.


    Darcie whispered, ¡°Wenham, let¡¯s get the guests out of here. It¡¯s better if we handle this matter in


    private.¡±

 Chapter 1537

    Chapter 1537


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1537 [Eleven Jewell]


    Wenham remained silent, clearly agitated by thements about his daughter.


    No matter howpelling the evidence on the screen was, he refused to ept his daughter would


    resort to giarism.


    Even if it were true, he wholeheartedly believed that Ste waspletely unaware. But things could


    escte, and it could stain her reputation if the giarism were confirmed.


    As Wenham was about to speak, Trevor cut in and said, ¡± What do we do? If we don¡¯t address this now,


    people will think our designer is a thief.¡±


    Darcie shot Trevor a nce, ¡°The other party has shown their drafts. They wouldn¡¯t have made a


    scene at this press conference if they didn¡¯t have concrete proof. I also find it hard to believe Ste


    would instruct a designer to do this. But if


    the designer is guilty, Ste will be implicated since she is organizing this event.¡±


    Trevor calmly added, ¡°What if it¡¯s a set-up? What if the other party is intentionally trying to frame us?


    Well miss the optimal time for aeback if we wait any longer. Even if we issue a statementter, few


    will buy it. The people have already made up their minds. They¡¯ll believe what they first see. Even if the


    evidenceter is irond,izens will dismiss it as a slick defense.¡±


    Darcie furrowed her brows. She wanted to say more, but Wenham interjected, ¡°Let¡¯s hold off for now.


    Ste is confident, and we shouldn¡¯t doubt her.¡±


    Darcie pressed her lips together and said nothing more.


    The revtion of the design drafts caused amotion in the audience.


    Chad grinned and said, ¡°Ms. Hall, care to exin how our design was turned into The Velvet¡¯s tenth-


    anniversary piece?


    Don¡¯t we and your loyal consumer base deserve an exnation?¡±


    Ste redirected her gaze toward him, ¡°If you think this can pass as evidence, then anyone can waltz in


    with a few sketches and cry giarism.¡±


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that. I¡¯ve got proof that your designer, Maggie, took a peek at our designer¡¯s work,¡±


    Chad sneered as he yed a video from his phone.


    As the tape unfolded, Maggie¡¯s demeanor shifted slightly. The video disyed surveince footage of


    Maggie and Barbara meeting at a coffee shop. Mid-conversation, Barbara stepped out with her phone,


    likely to take a call.


    There was a folder on her seat.


    Maggie sat engrossed in her phone. After a while, she beckoned the server for the bill and took the


    document.


    When the video concluded, Barbara stepped up to the stage. She grabbed the microphone and


    addressed the audience,¡±


    Hello, everyone. I¡¯m Barbara, the designer whose work was giarized. I believe some of you here


    might remember me.


    Just a month ago, I was still the head of The Velvet¡¯s design team. I worked at thepany for four


    years and eight months, designing countless pieces and receiving numerous praises.¡±


    ¡°Due to creative differences with Ms. Hall, I left The Velvet and joined Grandeur Gallery. My new boss


    values me highly and entrusts me with the design of our new series. I poured my heart and soul into my


    work to establish myself in thepany. Having just left apany I had worked at for many years, I


    felt down and unsure of my future. With my friend¡¯s encouragement, the term ¡®rebirth¡¯ came to mind.


    So, I integrated this notion of breaking free from the cocoon into my


    design.


    ¡°I left The Velvet in haste and left behind some personal items. So, I asked Maggie, who had a good


    rtionship with me before, to fetch them for me. That was why we met up at the coffee shop. We


    didn¡¯t chat for long when I suddenly received a call saying something had happened to my child at


    school. I immediately rushed out and couldn¡¯t even manage a proper goodbye.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°It was only when I was on the road that I remembered I¡¯d forgotten my design drafts. They contained


    the sketches of the


    new products I¡¯d created for thepany. I hastily contacted Maggie, asking her to hold on to them


    and telling her I¡¯d swing by to pick them up. My design drafts were in Maggie¡¯s possession for nearly an


    hour. She easily could have browsed through them and giarized my work!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re spouting nonsense!¡± Maggie¡¯s face turned pale with anger. She gripped the microphone, her


    voice quivering from the intensity, ¡°I kept your design drafts safe, but I didn¡¯t so much as turn a page.


    I¡¯m a designer myself; I know howimportant sketches are to a designer. Why would I possibly intrude


    on your private belongings?¡±


    ¡°Only you know what you did,¡± Barbara jeered, looking at her with a sardonic smile. ¡°How do you


    exin the striking simrities in our designs if you didn¡¯t peek at my work? Are you insinuating that we


    somehow share the same brain?¡±

 Chapter 1538

    Chapter 1538


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1538 [Eleven Jewell]


    The crowd burst into a discussion as they watched everything unfold.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe she stole another designer¡¯s work.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this a clear case of giarism?¡±


    ¡°She trusted her with her designs, yet she betrayed that trust. How shameless!¡±


    ¡°How did someone with such questionable integrity be appointed the team leader? It seems Ste hires


    anyone into herpany.¡±


    Felicity fumed, ¡°This video doesn¡¯t prove a thing! If the design drafts were so crucial, would she just


    leave them casually on a chair?¡±


    ¡°The method may be crude, but it¡¯s effective. No one can prove whether Maggie nced at them


    during that hour. And simrly, no one can prove she didn¡¯t. They can spin any narrative they want,¡±


    whispered Vermont.


    Felicity became nervous, ¡°What do we do? How do we clear her name?¡±


    Vermont nced at Keegan and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything up your sleeve? What kind of partner


    are you?¡±


    Keegan shot him a sharp look. ¡°Shut up,¡± he said.


    Vermont stayed quiet. He was initially quite worried, but


    seeing Keegan¡¯s calm demeanor, he suddenly thought things were not that simple.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    Maggie tightened her grip on the microphone, her voice steady, ¡°I can prove that I didn¡¯t go through her


    things.¡± After speaking, she turned to look at the big screen. The image on the screen changed


    instantly.


    The surveince footage in the coffee shop continued to y, but the time frame was after Barbara had


    left.


    Maggie settled the bill and left while clutching the folder. The camera quickly switched to the scene of


    her exiting the coffee shop. Then, it followed Maggie.


    She made a call and carried her items to where she stood and waited. asionally, she would nce


    at her phone. After some time, another person appeared on the screen. It was Barbara.


    Maggie handed the design drafts to Barbara and then left. The fifty-six-minute recording, yed at


    eight times the speed, captured every moment from Maggie taking the drafts to returning them. She


    never once looked at the contents of the folder. There was no way she giarized them.


    Barbara waspletely caught off guard by Maggie¡¯s defense. Her face turned pale. She anxiously


    protested, ¡± This must be an edited video! Who would have this kind of continuous footage in real life?


    This is not a movie.¡±


    Ste smirked and said, ¡°It¡¯s a drone footage. Haven¡¯t you seen it before? It¡¯s the new drone from Vinci


    Rivera¡¯s Frontier Series. You should check it out.¡±

 Chapter 1539

    Chapter 1539


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1539 [Eleven Jewell]


    Keegan observed the triumphant figures on stage with a wry smile.


    ¡°You cheeky rascal. I¡¯ve been asking for that new Frontier drone for ages. You couldn¡¯t bear to let me


    use it even once, but


    you let Ste use such a high-end gadget for this? I see you¡¯re prioritizing love over our friendship,¡±


    Vermont muttered


    under his breath.


    Keegan shot him a nce, ¡°And what would you do about it? n


    ¡°I would escort Miss Bandit to work. Duh. Sounds cool, right? ¡± Vermont defended himself.


    Keegan gave him a disdainful look.


    ¡°What¡¯s that thing?¡± Felicity asked curiously.


    Vermont exined, ¡°It¡¯s a new drone developed by Keegan¡¯spany. It has biometric recognition,


    target locking, and


    tracking capabilities. It was originally meant to assist search and rescue teams, but Keegan let Ste


    use it to catch liars.


    Quite the waste, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eyelids twitched at that, ¡®Didn¡¯t he just say he was going to use it to escort me to work? How


    dare he mock


    Keegan? But that¡¯s not important right now.¡¯


    ¡°Mr. Kane, did Ste know there would be trouble today?¡±


    With all this evidence prepared so thoroughly, it was clear she was onto them.


    Keegan shook his head, ¡°It was just a suspicion. We weren¡¯t entirely sure, but we took extra


    precautions.¡±


    Two weeks ago, Maggie called Ste the day after she finalized her design. She told her that someone


    had flipped


    through the drafts she had left on her desk.


    Ste quickly essed the surveince footage from the design room. Interestingly, the camera had


    been messed with


    and was purposely not directed at Maggie¡¯s desk.


    Hence, it was impossible to determine whether her things had been tampered with.


    However, Maggie was certain that it happened. When she went out for lunch, the pen resting on the


    folder had no cap on.


    When she returned, the cap was back on.


    Ste did not know how to handle the situation. Launching a thorough investigation without evidence


    might only lead to


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    resentment from other staff members.


    So, she called Keegan.


    After hearing the situation, Keegan offered her a piece of advice, saying, ¡°Designers and developers


    share amon


    trait; they pay great attention to detail. This is because details often determine the sess or failure of


    one¡¯s work. So I


    think you should trust her despite the camera not capturing the incident.¡±


    The leak of the design drafts was no trivial matter. The press conference timing had already been set,


    and it was


    impossible to create something better in that short time.


    Moreover, it did not make sense forthem to change their design when their designer was the original


    creator.


    Keegan added that there was likely someone intentionally trying to frame them. Stealing the design


    drafts was just the first


    step. ¡°The other party would probably make the next moves, so we need to be extra vignt,¡± he said.


    Both Keegan and Ste were exceptionally cautious during the days leading up to the conference.


    It was not until two dayster that Maggie received a call from Barbara, asking her to bring over some


    things she had left


    at thepany, that things took a turn.

 Chapter 1540

    Chapter 1540


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1540 [Eleven Jewell]


    Maggie did not give Barbara¡¯s request much thought at first. It was not until Barbara abruptly left the


    design drafts with her


    after answering a call that Maggie sensed something was amiss.


    While a lot of design work is done onputers these days, most designers still prefer hand-drawn


    sketches.


    Maggie was familiar with Barbara¡¯s habits after knowing her for many years. When Barbara had to step


    away from her


    desk in the office, she would always keep her drafts in a drawer and lock it. There was no way she


    would leave the drafts


    to pick up a call and have Maggie safeguard them.


    So, Maggie contacted Ste without hesitation.


    Ste happened to be with Keegan at the time. He promptly drove her to the scene and used the drone


    to capture


    footage. Originally, Maggie had intended to leave the design drafts untouched and wait for Barbara to


    retrieve them


    herself.


    However, Ste believed Barbara would undoubtedly have a backup n if this were a set-up. It was


    better to be


    proactive in that situation.


    Now, they had the full-length surveince footage on screen.


    Maggie stared icily at Barbara, ¡°Let¡¯s have the experts onsite verify if this clip is edited. We¡¯ll know


    who¡¯s telling the truth. I


    never opened your folder, and I have no idea what


    you¡¯ve drawn on there. So, how could I have giarized your work?¡±


    Barbara was utterly bbergasted after watching the tape.


    She thought that as long as there was evidence proving that Maggie had handled her design drafts,


    she could firmly


    assert that she had copied her work. Little did she know that the other party would present evidence


    and im innocence.


    Barbara¡¯s n instantly unraveled as her lie about the design drafts fell apart. She nced around and


    turned to Chad.


    He wore a stern expression, ¡°What does this video prove? The two designers had a private meeting,


    yet you went the


    extra mile to film it. Does that not suggest you had something to hide?¡±


    Ste could not help but chuckle, thinking of the double standard.


    ¡°Mr. Benson, we got this evidence to guard against dishonest people. We can¡¯t just stand here and let


    youthrow the dirt on


    us, can we?¡±


    Chad¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Ms. Hall, we all know Maggie has a track record. Since you¡¯re now protecting


    her, can I


    reasonably suspect that you¡¯re also behind or condoning the action of giarism?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Ste¡¯s gaze turned cold, ¡°Track record? She was the one being giarized. If I¡¯m not mistaken, the


    designer who copied


    Maggie back then was someone under your management. Doesn¡¯t that mean you turned a blind eye to


    giarism too?¡±


    ¡°You-¡± Chad ground his teeth in anger. ¡°Quit spouting nonsense! We went to court over it, and she lost.


    What right do you


    have to use us of giarism?¡±


    Ste¡¯s tone remained icy, ¡°So you understand that a legal opinion is required in this situation? Since


    you can¡¯t even


    produce substantial evidence, why should you be able to im we giarized? What¡¯s with this tant


    double standard?¡±


    Hearing that, the onlookers started a hushed conversation.


    ¡°Those few sketches really don¡¯t prove anything. Is Grandeur Gallery trying to gain publicity during


    someone else¡¯sunch


    event?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite possible. After that incident years ago, their reputation in the industry took a hit. It¡¯s been a


    while since they had


    a best-selling item. I¡¯ve heard they¡¯re even downsizingtely. How could Barbara still get hired there?¡±


    ¡°Well, Barbara does have quite a bit of experience.¡±


    ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a possibility that Barbara actually stole Maggie¡¯s design and used it to apply at


    Grandeur Gallery?


    Could it be that that¡¯s how she got the job?¡±


    ¡°Everything is uncertain. Neither side has strong evidence to prove that they are the original creators of


    this design. Let¡¯s


    give it some time to see how things develop.¡±

 Chapter 1541

    Chapter 1541


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1541 [Eleven Jewell]


    Chad was not pleased with Ste¡¯s retort. Unable to outwit her, he redirected his frustration toward


    Maggie, whom he saw


    as an easier target, ¡°Maggie, you¡¯ve been fighting thiswsuit for so many years and still haven¡¯t won.


    So, nursing a


    grudge, you orchestrated this appalling spectacle to make US all ufortable, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    After setting the microphone down, he lowered his voice and issued a veiled threat, ¡¯I¡¯m telling you. If I


    can make you slip


    in this industry back in the day, I can do it again.¡¯


    Ste stood close to Maggie and heard every word. She stepped forward to shield her and said in a


    cold and determined


    voice, ¡°I sure want to see you try.¡±


    Maggie looked at Ste and felt her heart racing.


    Ste turned, thinking Maggie was scared, and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. He¡¯s all bark and no bite.


    He wouldn¡¯t darey


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    a finger on you.¡±


    Maggie smiled, took the microphone, and addressed the audience, ¡°I have a way to prove which one of


    US is the true


    giarist.¡±


    Her deration hushed the room. Maggie turned her gaze toward Chad and challenged, ¡°Are you


    willing to put your bet


    on her?¡±


    Chad looked at Barbara.


    Barbara was already thoroughly acquainted with the design. She was not the least bit apprehensive.


    With a nce, she


    assured Chad that she got this.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Chad asserted.


    Barbara was exuding confidence. She dered firmly, ¡°Then let the faceoff begin! I want to expose this


    giarist right in


    front of everyone!¡±


    Maggie paid no mind to the taunt. She turned around and scanned the audience, ¡°Mr. Green, would


    you kindlye up


    on stage? I have some questions to ask you.¡±


    All eyes turned to the center, where a distinguished, white-haired man sat. Upon hearing the request,


    he stood up and


    graciously replied, ¡°It would be my pleasure.¡± With the guidance of security personnel, he walked up to


    the stage.


    ¡°Who is that?¡± Felicity asked Vermont curiously.


    In a hushed tone, Vermont whispered, ¡°That¡¯s Keh Green, a famous artist who carves beautiful


    designs into jade. He¡¯s


    got a fantastic eye for choosing the right pieces of jade, and his skill in crafting them is just as


    impressive. Anything he


    works on can easily be three times more valuable.¡±


    ¡°Ste is amazing. I can¡¯t believe she managed to invite someone of his stature.¡±


    Vermont shot a nce at Keegan. Ste might not personally know Keh, but Keegan did. Cordelia


    was a frequent


    patron of Keh, and many of her custom-made jewelry pieces were picked up by Keegan. He was


    very familiar with


    Keh.


    ¡®This guy speaks with a forked tongue. Back then, he imed he didn¡¯t like Ste, yet he was always


    secretly hiring


    reinforcements for her,¡¯ thought Vermont. He had never seen anyone with a mouth as stubborn as


    Keegan,¡¯ Why didn¡¯t he


    just stick to his guns? I wanted to watch him court Ste for at least a few more years. Their


    reconciliation happened too


    quickly!¡¯


    Barbara red at Maggie on stage, ¡°Mr. Green is quite elderly. Why did you invite him up here? Are


    you trying to cover


    your tracks of giarism?¡±


    Maggie turned to face her, ¡°Barbara, could you please project your work onto therge screen?¡±


    Barbara proudly uploaded her work onto the screen with her chin held high. Her piece closely


    resembled Maggie¡¯s, with


    only subtle distinctions.


    Maggie directed aser pointer at the screen, circling a section, ¡°Barbara, is this an openwork design?¡±


    Barbara nced at what she was referring to and confirmed, ¡°Of course.


    Even the dimensions are clearlybeled. Can¡¯t you read?¡±

 Chapter 1542

    Chapter 1542


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1542 [Eleven Jewell]


    Maggie calmly pointed to her own draft and said, ¡°Unlike your work, mine doesn¡¯t feature an openwork


    design.¡±


    Barbara responded with a mockingugh. ¡°That¡¯s precisely why I¡¯m saying you¡¯re a skillful giarist.


    You would be


    used of copying my work if you hadn¡¯t tweaked a few things.¡±


    Maggie¡¯s lips curved into a sardonic smile, and her eyes were glinting with resolute determination. She


    proceeded to


    highlight a few subtle distinctions. Barbara¡¯s impatience grew, and the crowd began to murmur.


    ¡°What kind of standoff is this? It feels like they¡¯re just spotting the differences.¡±


    ¡°I doubt this proves anything. It only shows she¡¯s capable of making changes.¡±


    ¡°I have to admit; Barbara¡¯s design does look better after thisparison.¡±


    ¡®Well, duh. How can giarized work bepared with the original?¡±


    Barbara was getting upset. But, when she noticed that the audience¡¯s sentiments were gradually


    swaying in her favor, a


    sense of smugness began to creep in, and she rxed a little. ¡°What are you trying to say with all of


    this?¡± she asked.


    Maggie wasposed and collected. She turned to Keh and said, ¡¯ Mr. Green, have you


    thoroughly examined these


    two designs?¡±


    The elderly man nodded. ¡°I have.¡±


    ¡®Then, can you determine which is the result of giarism?¡±


    Barbara was taken aback.


    Keh gazed at the two images on the screen and pointed decisively at Barbara¡¯s design. ¡°This one


    is the copied work,¡±


    he stated.


    The audience gasped, as they were astonished at how he discerned that.


    ¡°How did he figure that out?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea.¡±


    ¡°Could it be that The Velvet hired him as a stooge?¡±


    ¡°What? How is that possible? Why would Mr. Green even agree to do that when he¡¯s well-established


    in the circle?¡±


    ¡°So¡­ Is it really Barbara who copied Maggie¡¯s work?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡±


    Barbara¡¯s expression changed abruptly. ¡°Mr. Green, please don¡¯t y the age card and spew nonsense


    here,¡± she said in


    a low voice.


    Keh seemed somewhat displeased by her words. He furrowed his brows briefly but did not lose his


    temper. In a stern


    manner, he continued,¡± Earlier, I heard you say that this is a new series recentlyunched by your


    company, correct?¡±


    ¡®That¡¯s right,¡± Barbara responded cautiously. She was afraid of falling into the other party¡¯s trap.


    Keh then asked, ¡°Since it¡¯s a new product, you must have created samples and put them into


    production, right?¡±


    Barbara thought he wanted topare the release dates of the two designs and replied, ¡°Of course.¡±


    But, unexpectedly, Keh¡¯s expression suddenly turned grave. He said, ¡¯ You¡¯re lying!¡±


    Barbara was startled. ¡°How am I lying? You need evidence to make such a im!¡±


    Keh gave her a nce and pointed to the right image. ¡°This kind of openwork design may look


    beautiful, but with this


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    thickness, when it¡¯s set in ce, it¡¯s extremely prone to breakage. Even if you were to make it, a slight


    bump could easily


    damage the jade. In mass production, style and quality are of the utmost importance. No designer


    would agree to produce


    a design so susceptible to damage. The material wastage is too high. The first one to be med would


    be the carver.


    They would certainly tell the designer to make changes.¡±


    He looked at Barbara after he finished his exnation. ¡°How could you not know this if you had made


    samples?

 Chapter 1543

    Chapter 1543


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1543 [Eleven Jewell]


    Barbara panicked, and she quickly looked to Chad for help.


    Chad wore a stern expression and remained unyielding. He scoffed at Keh¡¯s assertion. ¡°You


    weren¡¯t directly


    involved in the production, Mr. Green. How could you be so certain that this design can¡¯t be produced?¡±


    Keh¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°I¡¯ve been crafting jade for over forty years. I can discern at a nce which


    designs are


    feasible and which are not. You can bring someone here to create that piece if you doubt my judgment.


    If I¡¯m wrong, I¡¯ll


    personally tarnish Emerald Skies Jeweler¡¯s reputation!¡±


    For a craftsman to stake his own reputation, he must be confident.


    Tension permeated the room. The audience below murmured, exchanging their thoughts.


    ¡°I¡¯m not following here. What¡¯s the issue with not being able to produce it?¡±


    ¡°If it can¡¯t be produced, it means this design is merely a conceptual sketch. To put it bluntly, it¡¯s a draft.


    It¡¯s like scoring a


    hundred on an exam while someone next to you scores zero, and they use you of cheating because


    your answer


    matches their draft exactly. Then, they say they just didn¡¯t write it on their paper.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that absurd? Who knows if what¡¯s on their draft is the correct answer? And, who would copy from


    your draft?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s an appropriate example. A conceptual sketch is still a design. If she takes someone


    else¡¯s conceptual


    sketch and makes some alterations, doesn¡¯t that count as giarism?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not sure who¡¯s the real culprit here. Moreover, if Barbara is so confident in her own design, why


    hasn¡¯t she made a


    sample to test its effectiveness? Isn¡¯t it strange?¡±


    Seeing his n foiled, Chad stubbornly clung to the usation of giarism. ¡°Thepany has a lot


    of orders recently.


    We haven¡¯t had the time to make samples yet.


    Does being a bit slow mean someone can im the design as theirs? Doesn¡¯t the timestamp of the


    digital file prove who


    came first?¡±


    Maggie looked at him coldly. ¡°Digital file timestamps can be manipted. You know this better than


    anyone. Didn¡¯t you


    use the same method to stain my name back then? Where did all thoseparison images online


    come from?¡±


    Chad gritted his teeth. ¡°Stop making things up!¡±


    Maggie ignored him and walked straight to theputer that controlled the projector. She opened the


    digital file of


    Barbara¡¯s design using specialized graphic design software. With deliberate steps, she started


    removingyers, until


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Barbara¡¯s face turned pale.


    Ste was equally astonished, as she watched the screen. Maggie had not told her about this hidden


    detail in the design.


    The crowd roared in shock.


    ¡°l-ls that..?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a logo, right? It¡¯s The Velvet¡¯s logo.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t Barbara work for Grandeur Gallery? Why did she use The Velvet¡¯s logo in her design for her


    newpany?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you guys figured it out? Barbara stole Maggie¡¯s work. This fool didn¡¯t realize that there was a


    hidden logo in


    Maggie¡¯s design. She copied it without noticing!¡±


    ¡°How could she have the nerve to use others like this? She¡¯s shameless!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s clearly in it for the money. If she had sessfully tricked us today, The Velvet¡¯s productunch


    would have turned


    into Grandeur Gallery¡¯s million-dor marketing event instead!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s using someone else¡¯s tform to bolster her own image. What a daring and


    vicious move!¡±


    ¡°What is wrong with her? She has quite a reputation in the industry. Why resort to such underhanded


    tactics?¡±

 Chapter 1544

    Chapter 1544


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1544 [Eleven Jewell]


    ¡°Do you think Barbara earned her reputation on her own? I heard she was the head of the design team


    at The Velvet


    before she left. With that kind of authority, who would dare to question her actions? Just look at the


    jewelry she designed


    for Ka. Itcks creativity. It¡¯s just a jumble of tacky elements,¡± said someone from the crowd.


    ¡°I find Chad to be the most shameless one in this scenario. When Maggie was giarized in Grandeur


    Gallery and


    exposed the culprit, he cklisted her. Now that she left them and joined a newpany, she still gets


    giarized by his


    associates. Did Maggie kill someone in her past life or something? Why do they keep targeting her?¡±


    ¡°Birds of a feather flock together. None of them are good people.¡±


    ¡°The integration of the logo is rather smart. Maggie sure is something special. Are these pendants only


    for old clients?


    What about potential new clients?¡±


    ¡°I want one too.¡±


    Barbara¡¯s expression turned ashen. She could not fathom why Maggie had not brought up the


    evidence earlier, and she


    realized she looked like a clown.


    Maggie approached Barbara calmly and looked her straight in the eyes. ¡°Barbara, can you exin why


    there¡¯s The


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Velvet¡¯s logo in the design you did for Grandeur Gallery?¡±


    ¡°I-I-I must have identally¡­¡± Barbara stammered. She was utterly unable toe up with a


    reasonable exnation.


    ¡°It¡¯s because you didn¡¯t actually draw this design yourself. You copied the sketch from my design.¡±


    Barbara froze upon hearing that. ¡°What do you mean sketch? If


    ¡°Did you think I would leave the finalized design in the open on my desk? What you took was my initial


    draft! I wanted to


    incorporate the logo and an openwork design at the tip of the butterfly¡¯s wings. But, when I showed the


    design to the


    carver, he told me that this kind of design would result in a very high scrap rate for the jade. He said


    that the design was


    suitable for personal use but not rmended for mass production. That¡¯s why I made the


    modifications, resulting in the


    final version,¡± Maggie sneered.


    ¡°If you had taken it home and redrawn it yourself, you would have noticed the clues. But, you didn¡¯t.


    You¡¯re so used to


    getting others to do your drafting that you can¡¯t be bothered to redraw it, right?¡±


    Barbara¡¯s face was extremely pale. She red at Maggie, and her eyes were red. ¡°You set me up!¡±


    Maggie nced at her coldly and said, ¡°You overestimated yourself.¡±


    Once bitten, twice shy. Over the years, Maggie had incorporated specific elements into her designs as


    a habit.


    She never imagined that she would be used of giarism again.


    Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Chad seized an opportunity to slip away.


    Ste had been keeping an eye on him and intercepted his path. She smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Benson, the


    show isn¡¯t over.


    Where are you off to?¡±


    At this point, Chad¡¯s arrogant demeanor faded. He smiled awkwardly and said, ¡°Ms. Hall, this is all just


    a


    misunderstanding. Barbara deceived me. She imed her work was giarized. As the head of the


    company¡¯s design


    department, I couldn¡¯t just ignore it. I didn¡¯t think she was lying.¡±


    Ste¡¯s gaze turned cold. ¡°You¡¯ve been in the design industry for years. You should understand how


    serious giarism is.


    Shouldn¡¯t you have contacted us first to confirm your suspicions instead of causing a scene at the


    presentation? What


    were your true intentions?¡±

 Chapter 1545

    Chapter 1545


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1545 [Eleven Jewell]


    ¡°l-l let my emotions get the better of me. I didn¡¯t think it through. And, Barbara manipted me. She¡¯s


    the one who


    giarized Maggie¡¯s work. If you want to hold someone ountable, she¡¯s the one.¡±


    Chad shifted the me onto Barbara, trying to distance himself.


    Ste did not believe his nonsense. She knew that Barbara would not act brazenly if no one backed her


    up behind the


    scenes.


    Barbara grew anxious before Ste could say anything. ¡°Mr. Benson, I came here at your request. Why


    are you pushing


    everything on me?¡±


    ¡®What a fool! Does she think that her previous outburst wasn¡¯t enough?¡¯ Chad¡¯s voice was stern. ¡°What


    do you mean you


    came at my request? Don¡¯t be silly. When you gave me the design, you told me it was your original


    work. That¡¯s why I put


    my position on the line and help you fight for your rights. But, it turns out that you have deceived me. I


    literally said so


    many good things about you to the boss earlier. Now, you need to go back and exin everything to


    him yourself.¡±


    Chad had made his hint quite clear. He wanted Barbara to admit to the giarism but not drag the


    company down with


    her. That way, he could help her keep her job.


    However, Barbara could not sense that in her current state. She felt as though she was a pawn. She


    got involved in this


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    publicity stunt to help Chad, but he kicked her to the curb at the sign of danger. ¡®How am I going to


    continue to work in the


    industry if I bear all this infamy? Since he is acting so unrighteous, don¡¯t me me for showing no


    mercy.¡¯


    Barbara said with a stern face, ¡°Mr. Benson, you nned all this. You wanted to use The Velvet¡¯s


    launch event to promote


    yourpany. How could you turn your back on me now that the n has failed?¡±


    Chad¡¯s expression suddenly changed. ¡°What kind of nonsense are you spouting?!¡¯


    In her agitation, Barbara said, ¡°You know what you did. You resented Maggie for exposing your


    girlfriend¡¯s giarism,


    which led to your breakup. cklisting her wasn¡¯t enough for you. You wanted to use this incident to


    ruin her reputation.


    It¡¯s true that I stole her idea, but it was your n! I was blinded by the conditions you promised me.


    That is why I did this!¡±


    ¡°You wretched woman! You fool!¡± Chad¡¯s arrogance was long gone. He was now shouting angrily. The


    two began to


    exchange insults, which escted into a physical altercation on stage.


    The media below recorded and filmed the entire scene with their phones. The spectacle was


    broadcasted live.


    Chris quickly approached Ste and said, ¡°Ms. Hall, let¡¯s get these two out of here. The conference has


    turned into a


    joke.¡±


    Ste nced at him. ¡°Our work has been giarized. As a manager, shouldn¡¯t you actively investigate


    this? Why are you


    so eager to sweep things under the rug?¡±


    Chris froze for a moment. He then quickly said, ¡°We must investigate the giarism! I¡¯ll make sure to


    find out who¡¯s


    behind all this. But, today is theunch of our new product, Ms. Hall. If the situation gets ugly, it might


    leave a bad


    impression on the clients. It might not be worth it.¡±


    Ste said in disdain, ¡°We can¡¯t let these two leave for now. Contact the owner of Grandeur Gallery and


    have theme


    pick up their staff. Also¡­¡± Ste paused. ¡°Call the police. We must get to the bottom of who leaked


    Maggie¡¯s work. I want


    to know who¡¯s stabbing me in the back.¡±


    Chris clenched his fists and looked down, as he replied, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll arrange it immediately.¡±


    While Barbara and Chad were arguing, the security escorted them off the stage.


    Ste held the microphone and addressed the audience. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for taking up so much of your time


    witnessing this


    spectacle. Aspensation, everyone in the audience today can receive a freememorative item


    from Rebirth within


    thirty days with your entry ticket. For our existing customers who already have ourmemorative item


    and don¡¯t want


    another, just present this coupon and enjoy a 20% discount on anything from our store.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, that¡¯s generous!¡±


    ¡°We were just wondering if they would sell these items, but now they¡¯re giving them away!¡±

 Chapter 1546

    Chapter 1546


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1546 [Eleven Jewell]


    ¡°Guys, that piece is made of alloy, and the jade on it is just leftover scraps. It¡¯s so thin that the raw


    materials probably cost


    only a few hundred bucks. This is just a marketing strategy to entice people into spending. What¡¯s there


    to brag about?¡±


    Someone from the crowd said.


    ¡°Well, someone¡¯s bitter. We have to factor inbor costs. Sure, this thing isn¡¯t worth much, but they¡¯re


    giving away


    thousands of it for free. It still costs over a million dors. And besides, it¡¯s not like they¡¯re forcing you to


    buy from them.


    There¡¯s no need to be so petty.¡±


    ¡®Cartier uses alloy material too. Why didn¡¯t anyone think that was cheap? The Velvet is considered


    high-end jewelry in


    Hustuabourg with its impable quality. Why does everyone put foreign brands on a pedestal but


    quick to criticize a local


    brand?¡±


    ¡®Exactly. Why not donate a million dors to show your wealth if you think it¡¯s too little?¡±


    The person¡¯s face turned ashen. He was unable to utter a single word in response to the people¡¯s


    taunts.


    Ste made a brief statement and then left the stage, leaving the introduction of the new products to


    Maggie and the


    others.


    When Wenham saw his daughter stepping away, he quickly waved for her toe over.


    Ste walked over with a smile and asked in a soft voice, ¡°Hey, dad. What¡¯s up?¡±


    Wenham took Ste¡¯s hand and proudly introduced her to a few people nearby. They were about his


    age. ¡°This is my


    daughter. What do you think? She is beautiful and courageous, just like me, right?¡±


    Ste remained silent.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    One of the middle-aged peopleughed, ¡°You really know how to tter yourself. Since when did


    anyone describe you as


    beautiful?¡±


    Another person chimed in and said, ¡°He¡¯s been like this since he was young! He married a beautiful


    wife and bragged to


    me about it every day when I was still single back then. What kind of a friend is that?¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness his daughter doesn¡¯t take after him. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be so pleasing to the


    eyes.¡±


    Jaylene listened to thesepliments about Ste, and her lips were tightly pressed together.


    Wenham was very pleased with himself. ¡°You guys are just jealous that I have a daughter.¡±


    He turned to Ste and introduced her. ¡°Ste, these are my friends. We had a reunion recently, and a


    few couldn¡¯t make


    it. Let me introduce you to them.¡±


    Ste nodded.


    Wenham proudly presented Ste to everyone, and she politely greeted them.


    After the round of introductions, someone asked, ¡°Wenham, does your daughter have a boyfriend? My


    son is about to


    graduate with a Ph.D. and is about the same age as her.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡®Parents always want to y matchmaker.¡¯


    Wenham thought of Keegan and pursed his lips. ¡°I think she does.¡±


    ¡®You think? What do you mean by that? Does she have a boyfriend or not?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she does. But, he¡¯s not as highly educated as your son, nor as eloquent. And, he¡¯s not as kind-


    hearted as your son


    either,¡± Wenham said indignantly.


    His words left Ste taken abac

 Chapter 1547

    Chapter 1547


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1547 [Eleven Jewell]


    ¡®Keegan hadpleted his postgraduate studies. Even though he didn¡¯t pursue a Ph.D., he did spend a


    year studying


    abroad at a prestigious institution¡­ It¡¯s true that Keegancks conversational skills. But, even so, his


    tongue can be quite


    sharp. As for kind-hearted?¡¯


    Ste pondered for a moment. Before she officially met Keegan, Wenham had visited their home under


    the pretext of


    seeing Luna. There, he encountered Keegan, who managed to keep Wenham standing for a solid twenty


    minutes with a


    nt board.


    ¡®Well, being kind-hearted isn¡¯t exactly Keegan¡¯s strong suit.¡¯


    Ste struggled to find any strong arguments in his favor considering these aspects.


    Wenham¡¯s friend could not help but wonder, ¡°With all these points against him, why did you agree to let


    your child date


    him?¡±


    Wenham waved a hand dismissively. ¡°It¡¯s not like he doesn¡¯t have any merits. He¡¯s reasonably good-


    looking and on par


    with Trevor. He runs a sessful chip-makingpany, which is no small feat. While he¡¯s not overly


    talkative, he¡¯s sharp minded. Did you see the robot I posted on my Twitter recently? He built it and gave


    it to me. Although, I can¡¯t say it¡¯s my


    cup of tea.¡±


    Ste was stunned to hear that. Keegan never mentioned gifting Wenham a robot. She only found out


    about it through


    Wenham¡¯s social media ount.


    Before knowing that Wenham was her father, she even considered selling Luna to him to help Keegan¡¯s


    business. She


    had forgotten about this, but Keegan did not. As soon as the upgraded version was ready, he promptly


    sent one to


    Wenham.


    He was evidently putting in considerable effort to maintain a favorable image in the eyes of his father-in-


    law. And, from the


    looks of it, it seemed to be working to some extent.


    Although Wenham appeared outwardly disdainful, there was an undertone of smugness in his voice. His


    friends, who had


    witnessed this change, immediately chimed in and jested,¡± Oh, you old rascal. You¡¯ve bragged about


    your daughter, and


    now you¡¯re bragging about your son-inw!¡±


    ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t have asked. Look at how proud he is!¡± one of them said to the person who asked


    about Ste¡¯s


    partner.


    ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re fooling? You say you¡¯re not fond of the robot, yet you post it every day on your


    socials. Give it to


    me if you don¡¯t like it.¡±


    Darcie listened to the conversation without much expression. She then turned to Ste and asked,


    ¡°Ste, did you find out


    long ago that the design was stolen? Is today¡¯s productunch event part of a calcted publicity stunt?¡±


    Ste offered a faintugh. ¡°Of course not, Mrs. Saun. I wouldn¡¯t use giarism for a publicity stunt. The


    consequences are beyond my control if it were to backfire.


    ¡°I understand your concern about The Velvet¡¯s reputation. After all, you built it from the ground up. Even


    though you¡¯re no


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    longer directly involved, it¡¯s still a brand you hold dear. I¡¯ve already reported the matter to the police. We


    will


    uncover who leaked our designs. Please rest assured, The Velvet¡¯s reputation won¡¯t suffer on my watch.


    I won¡¯t tolerate


    anyone, regardless of who they are,¡± she added.


    Darcie gazed at her for a moment and offered a smile.¡± That¡¯s good to hear,¡± she said.


    After bidding farewell to the elders, Ste went to search for Keegan.


    Jaylene observed her as she walked over, and Keegan¡¯s once icy demeanor quickly softened. Her


    fingers instinctively


    tightened when she saw that.


    Upon returning to her seat, Ste assessed Keegan while suppressing a smile.


    Keegan, who was slightly unnerved by her scrutinizing gaze, could not help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s with the


    intense stare?¡±


    Ste patted his hand and whispered, ¡°My dad was just talking about you with his friends. Do you want to


    know what he


    said?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s ears perked up, and he nced at her, feigning indifference. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t mind knowing.¡±


    Ste cleared her throat. ¡°My dad said that you don¡¯t have a higher education. You¡¯re sharp-tongued and


    malicious at


    heart. He also said you don¡¯t respect your elders and behave like a spoiled brat. He also mentioned how


    you have a


    resting bitch face.¡±


    Keegan could not believe what he was hearing.

 Chapter 1548

    Chapter 1548


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1548 [Eleven Jewell]


    Keegan gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Did Uncle Wenham say that, or you?¡±


    Ste held onto his arm and whispered.


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s him who said that. I¡¯m crazy about you. Why would I make up something like that?¡±


    Keegan was a bit dazed by her words. He bit his lip and asked, ¡°Does Uncle Wenham really think that of


    me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. And, he¡¯s got a point, you know? I couldn¡¯t even find a way to defend you. He also said that his


    calf is still trembling


    because of your little prank,¡± she exined.


    Suddenly, Keegan recalled his unkind actions. He almost instantly trusted Ste¡¯s words. He frowned


    and said, ¡°I thought


    he was there as a matchmaker for Trevor. I just wanted to get some information from him. I¡¯ll find an


    expertter to give


    Uncle Wenham a proper evaluation of his legs.¡±


    Vermont could not believe what he was hearing. ¡®What is Keegan thinking? How could he fall for such a


    crude lie? Is his


    intelligence slipping due to his age?¡¯


    Thinking of that, Vermont said, ¡°Keegan, I have a project going ontely. You don¡¯t have to invest in it. All


    you have to do is


    just set aside a million. Follow my instructions to register an ount, and you can make deposits and


    withdrawals daily by


    Felicity¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That¡¯s like thirty percent interest! Even loan sharks wouldn¡¯t be able to


    guarantee that.¡±


    Vermont quickly responded, ¡°Why do you think I didn¡¯t spread the word? There are limited spots. First


    come, first served.¡±


    Felicity shot him a re. ¡°Well, why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    ¡°Because you don¡¯t have the money,¡± Vermont candidly exined.


    Felicity was speechless.


    Vermont then turned to Keegan and tried to convince him.¡± Are you in? If you are, I¡¯ll send you the link


    later.¡±


    Keegan looked at him and asked, ¡°What kind of scam is this? n


    Vermont fell silent. ¡®Looks like his intelligence hadn¡¯t dipped. Ah, I know! He must be blinded by love to


    believe what Ste


    said.¡¯


    Felicity did not hear Keegan¡¯s words. She was still pondering about the thirty percent internal quota. She


    grabbed Vermont


    and said, ¡°Send me the link. I don¡¯t have much cash, but I can put down ten grand. That should let me


    earn an easy thirty


    grand a month!¡±


    Vermont held her waist and clenched his teeth. ¡°I asked you to cook for me with weekends off and full


    benefits for fifty


    grand a month, but you turned me down. Now, you¡¯re enticed by just thirty grand?¡±


    Felicity huffed, ¡°I had to work for fifty grand. This thirty grand requires no effort. I can make moneyjust by


    lounging


    around.¡±


    Vermont chuckled, leaned in close to her ear, and whispered, ¡°You can make money lying down at home


    too. Didn¡¯t the


    doctor say you should stimte me more? Just strip down and lie in bed to stimte me. I¡¯ll still give you


    fifty grand a


    month. How about that?¡±


    Felicity¡¯s face flushed red. She elbowed him in the chest and angrily whispered, ¡°You pervert! Are you


    trying to hire me for


    sex?¡±


    Vermont covered his chest and eximed, ¡°Excuse you? Didn¡¯t you say you want to make money while


    lounging around?


    I¡¯m just offering you a job opportunity. Why are you hitting me?¡±


    Felicity, who was both angry and embarrassed, retorted, ¡°I¡¯m your girlfriend! Do you think I can be bought


    with your


    money?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Vermont immediately understood her point. ¡°So, I don¡¯t have to pay to watch you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Felicity did not catch on.


    Vermont lowered his voice and said, ¡°Then, why are you always fully clothed, even though the doctor told


    you to stimte


    my sex drive?¡±

 Chapter 1549

    Chapter 1549


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1549 [Eleven Jewell]


    Vermont¡¯s words left Felicity stunned. ¡°That¡¯s how I usually sleep,¡¯ she said and defended herself.


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Vermont did not believe her. ¡°I remember you answering the door without a bra on when


    you didn¡¯t live with


    me. How do you exin wearing one to bed now that we¡¯re together? Are you putting up your guard


    against me? I can¡¯t


    even get a boner. What in the world can I do to you?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not guarding against you,¡± Felicity denied stubbornly. ¡°I wear a bra because¡­ because I read


    online that sleeping


    with a bra on prevents your boobs from sagging and spreading apart. Why would you think that I¡¯m


    putting my guard up?¡±


    Vermont stole a nce at her chest and said, ¡°Cant you just put it on after you¡¯ve stimted me?¡±


    Felicity blushed. ¡°You don¡¯t even get a reaction when you watch explicit videos. How can I possibly


    help you?¡±


    ¡°I feel stuff when I lie in bed with you. Plus, the doctor suggested you to do it.¡±


    Even though their voices were very low, Ste was sitting next to them and could hear every word of


    their spicy


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    conversation.


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe this shameless asshole haspletely fooled my best friend!¡¯


    Ste inexplicably thought of a viral image online where a big golden retriever was holding an innocent


    and adorable little


    kitten in its mouth. To her, Felicity was that defenseless little kitten, while Vermont was that big


    shameless golden retriever.


    ¡®No, wait. He¡¯s a big bad wolf!¡¯


    Ste had asked Keegan to advise Vermont toe clean sooner, but it seemed that Vermont did not


    hear a single word


    that Keegan had said to him.


    Just as Felicity was blushing and feeling conflicted, Ste suddenly spoke up. ¡°Felicity, Dr. Quinn will


    being to Rivera


    in a couple of days. You want to consult him, right? Do you want me to apany you?¡±


    Enter title¡­


    10/23/23, 8:08 PM Read Mr. Kane Got cklisted by Eleven Jewell Chapter 1549


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    ¡®Dr. Quinn? Isn¡¯t that the miracle doctor who cured Keegan?¡¯


    Felicity immediately nodded. ¡°Yes,¡± she agreed. She then turned to Vermont and said, ¡°Don¡¯t go to


    work when the time


    Vermont had no idea who Dr. Quinn was and asked, ¡°Are you not feeling well?¡±


    Felicity whispered, ¡°I¡¯m fine. We¡¯re consulting the doctor for you. Ste said that Keegan had some


    issues with his private


    parts before, and it was Dr. Quinn who helped him. So, I asked her to rmend Dr. Quinn to me. He


    doesn¡¯t work in this


    city and onlyes asionally to give lectures. It¡¯s really hard to get an appointment with him. I had


    help from Ste to


    make one. I didn¡¯t expect that he woulde to Rivera so soon. You¡¯re really lucky.¡±


    Vermont was petrified. ¡®I don¡¯t feel lucky at all.¡¯ He grabbed Felicity, gritted his teeth, and said, ¡°Why did


    you tell others


    about this?!¡±


    ¡°Ste is very discreet. She wouldn¡¯t bber this to anyone. Plus¡­ She told me about Keegan¡¯s issue.


    We¡¯re both in the


    same boat. There¡¯s no judgment here. Stop being so reserved.¡±


    Vermont could not believe it. ¡®If Keegan had any issues, the entire circle would know within three days.


    He¡¯s clearly fine!


    Why did Ste lie to Miss Bandit?¡¯


    Vermont¡¯s mind immediately started working, and he quickly figured out two possibilities.


    ¡®She deliberately said this to either create amon topic and entertain Miss Bandit, or she knows I¡¯m


    faking it and was


    testing me.¡¯


    Vermont became mad when he recalled the herbal soup he drank for a whole week. ¡®I knew Ste was


    up to no go

 Chapter 1550

    Chapter 1550


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1550 [Eleven Jewell]


    Vermont had assumed that Corbin was the biggest hurdle in his rtionship with Felicity. However, little


    did he know that


    her resentful best friend was the real impediment.


    He knew his lies would be exposed if he consulted Luke. He tried looking for a way to dissuade his


    eager girlfriend from


    actively seeking medical attention for him. ¡°Baby, we just consulted a doctor a few days ago. Let¡¯s


    finish one course of


    treatment to see the results before deciding if we should consult Dr. Quinn. Each doctor has their own


    approach, and I


    can¡¯t follow both. What if their methods conflict with each other? It might worsen my condition.¡±


    Felicity hesitated upon hearing this.


    ¡°Dr. Quinn will be around for a while. Seeing him a few dayster won¡¯t hurt,¡± Ste casually added.


    Vermont wanted to shut Ste¡¯s mouth right then and there. He found her to be just as annoying as


    Keegan.


    Completely unaware of the turmoil beneath the surface, Felicity happily said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s finish this


    course of treatment


    first.¡±


    Vermont forced a smile. ¡°Whatever you say, baby.¡±


    After saying that, he nced at Ste. She appeared calm. She lifted her hand to make a zipping


    motion at her mouth,


    which signified that she would keep quiet. However, Vermont did not fully trust her. He had a feeling


    that she had


    something nned.


    Vermont knew he needed toe clean soon. Otherwise, his budding rtionship with Felicity would


    face a major test


    when Luke was involved.


    The new productunch went smoothly. The designs from the creative team were well-received, and


    after the event, many


    customers stayed to inquire further.


    Enter title¡­


    10/23/23, 8:09 PM Read Mr. Kane Got cklisted by Eleven Jewell Chapter 1550


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    When Ste was bidding farewell to the guests, she unexpectedly spotted Ka. It was unclear when


    she arrived, but she


    was not dressed extravagantly like before. Instead, she wore a set of sportswear from a reputable


    brand. Her hair was


    pulled back into a ponytail, presenting a simple, elegant look that almost made Ste fail to recognize


    her.


    Ste approached her and greeted, ¡°Ms. Wilson, I didn¡¯t know you were here.¡±


    Ka paused and raised her chin slightly. ¡°I was just passing by, so I thought I¡¯de and take a look,¡±


    she said


    indifferently.


    Ste smiled when she noticed that Ka was wearing a pair of running shoes. ¡®I guess I had


    misunderstood the


    situation.¡¯


    Just as she was thinking that, Jaylene walked over. ¡°Ka? I called you this morning, and you said you


    couldn¡¯t make it.¡±


    ¡°I was just passing by,¡± Ka replied.


    Jaylene nced at her attire and did not press the matter further. ¡°Would you like to take a peek at the


    new designs that


    were just released? Ste put a lot of effort into them, and they look pretty good. But, they¡¯re different


    from the styles you


    bought before.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Ka nced at Ste.


    She thought that Ste would be as enthusiastic as before, guiding her to take a look and giving her an


    introduction.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    However, Ste did not do that.


    Instead, Ste was looking at her phone and said, ¡°Ms. Wilson, there¡¯s a resting area with tea service


    by the seats. You


    can rest there if you feel tired. I have something to attend to, so I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± After nodding


    slightly to the two of


    them, she turned and left.


    Ka was momentarily stunned. ¡®She¡¯s just going to leave? Isn¡¯t she eager to make some sales? Isn¡¯t


    she going to try and


    persuade me?¡¯


    ¡°Ka, let¡¯s go and take a look,¡± Jaylene said, grabbing her hand.


    Ka agreed with a nod and let Jaylene lead the way.


    Meanwhile, Ste did have something to attend to. The police were here.

 Chapter 1551

    Chapter 1551


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1551 [Eleven Jewell]


    The fact of Barbara¡¯s giarism was undeniable. However, she remained tight-lipped about how she


    obtained the design


    drafts. In other words, she refused to confess.


    The person in charge of Grandeur Gallery had also arrived at the scene. They imed to have no


    knowledge of Chad¡¯s


    actions and dered that it was his personal endeavor.


    Nevertheless, they stated that they would appropriatelypensate for any losses caused to The


    Velvet due to Chad¡¯s


    behavior since he was their employee.


    Barbara¡¯s file had not even been registered yet. She had not signed any contract with Grandeur


    Gallery, which meant that


    she was not officially their employee and, therefore, not under their jurisdiction.


    Barbara was ready to argue with the head upon hearing this. She used them of colluding to deceive


    her. If it were not


    for the police¡¯s intervention, she might have gotten into a brawl with the person in charge.


    Grandeur Gallery distanced itselfpletely from the situation. Consequently, the main target of the


    police investigation


    was Barbara, who was suspected of stealing the artwork.


    Barbara refused to speak, no matter how the police questioned her. She merely repeated, ¡°I did it


    alone. No one else was


    involved. I¡¯ll do anything to make up for it, be itpensation or an apology. I didn¡¯t use the stolen


    items


    formercial purposes, nor did I gain any profits. You have no right to arrest me.¡±


    The two police officers exchanged puzzled nces, wondering why she wouldmit such an act if


    she knew thew so


    well.


    They did not have the authority to detain her unless she gained ill-gotten profits from her giarism.


    She would be


    subjected to civilpensation and an apology at most.


    Enter title¡­


    10/23/23, 8:10 PM Read Mr. Kane Got cklisted by Eleven Jewell Chapter 1551


    https://en.novelxo/mr-kane-got-cklisted-by-eleven-jewell/r1021305.html 2/3


    Barbara knew this all too well. She acted fearlessly and was prepared to pay a fine. She knew they


    could not actually


    harm her.


    Ste nced at Barbara, who seemed indifferent, then turned to the police officers. ¡°Gentlemen,


    would you minding


    to ourpany? I suspect there might be a conspiracy between some of our employees and outsiders


    that resulted in the


    theft of ourpany¡¯s trade secrets.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Infringing on trade secrets and giarism was not in the same league. If proven guilty, the


    consequences could be


    severe.


    Upon hearing this, Barbara immediately changed her expression. ¡°Cut the crap! It was just a sketch.


    What does that have


    to do with trade secrets?¡±


    Ste looked at her coldly. ¡°I initially intended to sell over a thousand of those pendants. But now,


    because of your actions,


    I¡¯m forced to give them away for free. The loss of over a million dors is entirely due to the theft of our


    company¡¯s design.


    Why wouldn¡¯t that count as trade secrets?


    Barbara¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°It¡¯s clearly just one of your marketing tactics! What does it have to do with


    me?¡±


    ¡°Tell it to the police,¡± said Ste.


    Naturally, the police did not show bias toward either side. However, with evidence provided by the


    public, they had to


    conduct an investigation.


    Seeing a group of people heading to thepany, Chris quickly called Ste aside and whispered,


    ¡°Ms. Hall, can¡¯t we


    handle this privately? Let¡¯s not get the police involved. No matter who did it, they¡¯re long-time


    employees of thepany.


    Don¡¯t you think we should give them a chance?¡±


    ¡°You sure have a point, Chris,¡± Ste said indifferently


    The remark sounded rather sarcastic, but Chris forced a smile. ¡°We¡¯ve been colleagues for so many


    years. It¡¯s just a small


    mistake. It won¡¯t bode well for us either if we act ruthlessly.¡±


    ¡°What a great manager you are.¡± Ste¡¯s voice turned ominously dark. ¡°Thepany¡¯s money and


    reputation are on the


    line here! If that dirty scheme had seeded today, we¡¯d bebeled as giarists. All our efforts would


    be in vain. The


    upfront investment would be a total loss, and we¡¯d bear the shame of being used by everyone. The


    person who


    betrayed us didn¡¯t think twice about leaving us a way out when they did those dirty deeds. Why should I


    spare them?¡±


    Chris¡¯ expression changed upon hearing that.


    After Ste finished speaking, she regained herposure and casually added, ¡°We haven¡¯t been


    working together for


    long. So, maybe you don¡¯t know how I roll. Respect me, and I¡¯ll do the same; harm me, and I¡¯ll make


    you regret for even


    trying. However, my temper has improved quite a lot. So, I¡¯m willing to opt for the legal route instead of


    taking matters into


    my own hands.¡±

 Chapter 1552

    Chapter 1552


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1552 [Eleven Jewell]


    The change in Ste¡¯s revenge tactics was all thanks to Keegan. He acted as her legal expert and


    educated her daily.


    Ste used to think that Keegan had a bad temper, but he was actually just stubborn. Deep down, he


    was a kind- hearted


    person. As for Ste, she held onto grudges, and she wanted to settle every score. This demonstrated


    the importance of


    having a partner with stable emotions and aligned values.


    Of course, there was so much more about Keegan that Ste had learned from. For instance, she


    imitated his calm and


    authoritative demeanor to assert dominance.


    Chris was clearly intimidated by her. His face turned green, as he bit his lips. ¡°You¡¯re right, Ms. Hall. I¡¯m


    sorry for being too


    soft-hearted.¡±


    Darcie watched Ste and the others leave in the police car. She thought about the situation and turned


    to Wenham.¡±


    Honey, Aubrey called and said something came up at thepany. I have to attend to it.¡±


    Wenham nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll have the driver take you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can take a cab.¡±


    Wenham did not insist and reminded her, ¡°Be careful on the road.¡±


    Trevor saw Darcie leaving and sent a message to Xavier. [ Keep an eye on Darcie. See where she¡¯s


    heading.]


    The police inspected the store and found the same surveince footage Ste had seen earlier. They


    could not identify


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    who had entered the office or rifled through Maggie¡¯s files. The other cameras captured several people


    going upstairs


    during that time. However, it coincided with lunch break, and everyone had an alibi.


    However, the police were not easily fooled. After crossreferencing some information, they questioned


    each person


    separately and discovered that one individual was lying. It was thepany¡¯s financial assistant.


    Enter title¡­


    10/23/23, 8:12 PM Read Mr. Kane Got cklisted by Eleven Jewell Chapter 1552


    https://en.novelxo/mr-kane-got-cklisted-by-eleven-jewell/r1021306.html 2/3


    She imed to have picked up her lunch despite having someone from the office to help her. She


    quickly confessed to


    taking photos of Maggie¡¯s design drafts when presented with multiple pieces of evidence.


    She insisted that she only did it as a favor for Barbara and did not know what she was photographing.


    She also imed


    ignorance about its extensive impact on thepany, expressing deep remorse.


    She admitted to it too easily. It was almost as if she had been prepared in advance. There was no


    concrete evidence to


    directly link her to the act.


    ¡®If I was guilty, I would have vehemently denied it. Yet, she chose to confess,¡¯ Ste thought but said


    nothing.


    After the financial assistant was taken away, Chris sighed,¡± She was usually so quiet. How could she


    do something like


    this?¡±


    Ste nced at him and said, ¡°Chris, have the surveince cameras in themon areas reinstalled.


    If there¡¯s another


    incident and the suspect isn¡¯t caught on camera, I will hold you responsible.¡±


    ¡°It was indeed my negligence,¡± Chris quickly responded.


    Ste did not want to waste her time talking to him. She gave Maggie some instructions and left The


    Velvet.

 Chapter 1553

    Chapter 1553


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1553 [Eleven Jewell]


    Keegan had been waiting in the car for Ste. As soon as she got in, she fumed, ¡°How dare he strut


    around in front of me!


    I may not have caught him red-handed, but I¡¯m not a fool!¡±


    Keegan opened a water bottle and handed it to her. ¡°Here. Take a sip and tell me what happened.¡±


    Ste took a few sips and cleared her throat before she said, ¡°I know all this happened because of


    Chris! But, I don¡¯t have


    any concrete evidence that could link him to this incident. Otherwise, I would¡¯ve fired him on the spot!¡±


    Ste had noticed the financial assistant as soon as she joined thepany. She was quite attractive


    and about the same


    age as Ste.


    Ste had been busy with the new productunch recently and spent a lot of time in the store. She


    would run into the staff


    casually gossiping whenever she went to the break room or restroom.


    From those conversations, Ste learned that the financial assistant had been specially recruited and


    had a close


    rtionship with Chris. Some of them had even seen them leaving a hotel together. However, no one


    dared to speak up


    since he was in a higher position than them.


    When Ste saw the financial assistant being used of the crime, she knew that Chris must have had


    something to do


    with it. However, the assistant was unwaveringly loyal to Chris and willingly shouldered all the me.


    Ste was naturally upset that she was unable to catch the person who was actually behind the


    incident.


    After listening to the story, Keegan chuckled. ¡°He¡¯s a store manager. He only makes money if the store


    makes money. The


    fact that he would do this is either because he has a grudge against you or some ulterior motives.¡±


    ¡°Well, I think he should fuck off.¡± Ste took off her high heels and put on the ts Keegan had


    prepared for her. ¡°The


    Velvet¡¯s revenue is fairly high. I doubt Darcie would let go of thepany so easily. The worse I do, the


    more reason she


    has to take it back. But, I won¡¯t give her the satisfaction.¡±


    When Ste returned to the Saun family, she did not expect to get anything from them. However,


    Darcie was cautious


    around her. She was not even willing to leave a room in the house for Trevor. She appeared kind on


    the outside, but she


    had never truly epted Ste.


    Since that was the case, Ste knew that Darcie would not hesitate to take what was rightfully hers.


    Seeing her so clear-headed, Keegan chimed in and said,¡± You shouldn¡¯t let those who oppose your


    management cause


    trouble right under your nose. Find a reason to let them go.¡±


    Ste sighed, ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Keegan. Chris and Darcie have some sort of rtionship.


    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t


    have entrusted the store to Chris so easily when


    she went abroad. If I fired him for no apparent reason, Darcie would go to my dad andin. Even


    if he doesn¡¯t openly


    criticize me, he¡¯ll definitelypensate her. Firing him would do more harm than good. I can¡¯t do


    anything unless he does


    something majorly wrong.¡±


    Keegan was about to speak, but Aldor, who was driving, interjected their conversation. ¡°That¡¯s not the


    way to go, Madam.


    Isn¡¯t this your specialty? Remember that time when you and Mr. Kane went to a banquet and, on the


    way back, you


    identally knocked over your precious nt? You didn¡¯t want to spend money to buy a new one, so


    you pinned the


    me on Mr. Kane. He was drunk at the time and naturally couldn¡¯t remember what he had done the


    night before. In theC0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    end, not only did hepensate you for the Clivia, but he also gifted you a handbag. Have you


    forgotten?


    ¡°You just need to find a fault for him tomit. When the timees, just frame him, and you¡¯re


    good,¡± he added.


    Keegan turned to her abruptly and said, ¡°You were the one who broke that flower pot?!¡±


    Ste was stunned. ¡®What a bbermouth!¡¯ she thought.


    Keegan clenched his teeth and asked, ¡°Was it really you?¡±


    Ste gave a wry smile. ¡°Uhh¡­ It was so long ago. I don¡¯t think I remember¡­¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened. ¡°That morning, you were sitting on the edge of the bed crying. You said that it


    was a birthday gift


    from your mother on your twelfth birthday!¡±


    Ste choked up a bit and said that she had ced the flower by the door, hoping that it was the first


    thing he saw when


    he came in. She thought it would improve his mood since he¡¯d been so busy with worktely. ¡°I


    wouldn¡¯t have put it there if


    I knew you woulde home drunk.¡±


    That was when Keegan knew that Ste was the one who knocked over the flower pot and not him.

 Chapter 1554

    Chapter 1554


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1554[Eleven Jewell]


    Back then, Keegan¡¯s memory was a blur after a few too many drinks. He could not recall what had


    happened. When he


    saw Ste in tears, he had no choice but to take her words at face value.


    Keegan was not one to offer apologies to smooth things over. Instead, he sent Aldor a snapshot of the


    Clivia and asked


    for his assistance in procuring a recement that matched as closely as possible.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you try transnting it?¡± Aldor asked.


    Keegan replied, ¡°I think I might¡¯ve stepped on it. It didn¡¯t look salvageable.¡±


    His words left Aldor at a loss for words. Aldor distinctly remembered that it was Ste who identally


    knocked over the


    nt. ¡®Since when did it be Mr. Kane¡¯s doing?¡¯


    At that moment, he could not help but think that his boss was a little gullible. Keegan seemed to believe


    everything Ste


    told him.


    As Keegan reflected on bringing back the new nt, he recalled gauging Ste¡¯s reaction and noticing


    that she did not


    seem entirely pleased. So, in a misguided attempt to make amends, he even gifted her a bag. Now that


    he thought about


    it, he was furious with himself.


    Keegan ground his teeth and asked, ¡°Was that potted flower really a birthday gift from Madam Spade?¡±


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste responded meekly, ¡°I got it for a couple hundred bucks online.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s anger increased. ¡°Is there anything else you¡¯ve kept from me?¡±


    Ste softly admitted, ¡°Actually, my dad didn¡¯t paint you in such a bad light. He said you¡¯re handsome,


    reliable, and


    capable. He praised you for being the CEO of apany at such a young age. Not to mention your


    remarkable work in


    robotics. He even noted your considerate nature. He said I¡¯d be in good hands with you.¡±


    Keegan could not believe his ears. He struggled to maintain a stern expression. ¡°I¡¯m still upset. What


    are you getting at by


    saying that to me?¡±


    Ste reached up and gently caressed his chest. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask if there was anything else I hadn¡¯t


    been entirely truthful


    about?¡±


    Keegan held her hand firmly. ¡°ttery will get you nowhere.¡±


    ¡°I messed up. Will you please forgive me?¡± Ste¡¯s tonecked a certain sincerity. It leaned more


    toward yfulness.


    However, against his better judgment, Keegan fell for it.


    He shot a quick nce at the sly woman and huffed, ¡°No more next time, got it?¡±


    Ste gave him a thumbs-up. ¡°You¡¯re quite forgiving, Mr. Kane.¡±


    Keegan then cast a nce at Aldor. ¡°You too. No more


    stirring the pot..¡±


    Aldor remained quiet. ¡®Damn. He let himself be swayed again by a few sweet words.¡¯


    Ste recalled Aldor¡¯s recent suggestion and suddenly had an epiphany. ¡°I think I¡¯ve figured out how to


    handle Chris.¡±


    ¡°What do you have in mind?¡± Keegan inquired.


    Ste nted a soft kiss on his cheek. ¡°I¡¯ll fill you in over dinner.¡±


    In apartment 902 at Clouditude International, Felicity stood before the bathroom mirror, assessing


    herself.


    ¡®Is it really that obvious I¡¯m not wearing a bra beneath this pajama top? This feels a tad too daring of


    me.¡¯ She picked up


    her bra and intended to put it on when a knock came at the bathroom door.


    ¡°Miss Bandit, are you done in there?¡±

 Chapter 1555

    Chapter 1555


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1555[Eleven Jewell]


    Felicity hurriedly finished buttoning up her clothes and opened the bathroom door in response to


    Vermont¡¯s knock.¡± What¡¯s


    up?¡± she asked.


    ¡°The grilled fish is getting cold. Come on out and eat,¡± Vermont urged.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ming.¡±


    Vermont was already seated at the dining table when


    Felicity emerged from the bathroom. He waved her over.¡± You took a while in there. Were you


    constipated or something?¡±


    Felicity was speechless. ¡°You¡¯re quite the pest,¡± she shot back, as she red at him. ¡°Other couples go


    on dates. They sip


    on coffee or wine and explore various ces together. But, with you, all we do is eat, drink, and sleep.


    Vermont handed her some cutleries with a grin. ¡°Those are the basics of life. Who spends their days in


    an RV with a ss


    of wine? Will you be drinking when we have children?¡±


    Felicity was feeling a little stifled. ¡°Can¡¯t we have a bit more romance? I feel like you didn¡¯t really woo


    me. The more I think


    about it, the more I feel like I just settled with what I have.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean I didn¡¯t woo you?¡± Vermont looked up and chuckled. ¡°I asked you to y video


    games with me and


    invited you for meals. Isn¡¯t that a way of pursuing you?¡±


    Felicity was exasperated. ¡°That¡¯s what you call courtsmanship? Based on that logic, I must have many


    potential suitors!¡±


    she said, as she began to eat.


    ¡°You have tons of exes. How did you pursue them back then? Why am I getting the short end of the


    stick?¡± Felicity asked,


    and her frustrations were apparent. ¡°Did you not put as much effort into pursuing me because I¡¯m not


    as pretty as them?¡±


    Vermont knew she was genuinely upset when he heard her mention his ex-girlfriends. He walked


    around the table, pulled


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    a chair, and sat beside her. He took her hand and spoke gently. ¡°Whypare yourself to them?


    You¡¯re not in the same


    league. It¡¯s your inner qualities that truly won me over.¡±


    Felicity grew even more discontented. ¡°So, you admit I¡¯m not as pretty as your ex-girlfriends?¡±


    Vermont chuckled softly. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. They¡¯re no longer a part of my life. In my eyes, you¡¯re the


    most beautiful person


    in the world.¡±


    Felicity felt even more aggrieved. ¡°Can¡¯t you just say that I¡¯m prettier than them?¡±


    Vermont sighed. ¡°If I said that, you¡¯d see right through me and feel even more unhappy.¡±


    Felicity pouted. ¡°Then, tell me, how did you pursue them?¡±


    Vermont smiled. ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t really have to try that hard. Most of the time, it was just a couple of


    dinner dates, and


    things naturally fell into ce. After all, I own a house, a car, and apany, not to mention my good


    looks. I don¡¯t really


    have any bad habits either. They were usually willing to ept me whenever I made a move.¡±


    Felicity thought about it and mumbled, ¡°Well¡­ Is there anyone who wouldn¡¯t ept you with that thick


    skin of yours?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really misunderstanding me. Love is a two-way street. If I pursue someone and they say no,


    then it¡¯s done. I won¡¯t


    continue to pursue them.¡±


    Felicity suddenly recalled Vermont¡¯s confession to her. After being rejected, he immediately distanced


    himself from her.


    She then felt a pang of heartache.


    ¡°Is your affection really that shallow? You confess once, get rejected, and give up?¡± she asked.


    Vermont said, ¡°I was young back then. If I liked someone, I¡¯d confess. It didn¡¯t matter if I got rejected.


    There are so many


    girls on this Earth. I¡¯d just find another girl I like and confess again. There was bound to be someone


    who¡¯d say yes.¡±


    Felicity was dumbfounded. ¡°That makes you sound like a scum.¡±


    Vermont chuckled softly. ¡°Babe, scums date multiple women at once. They mo

 Chapter 1556

    Chapter 1556


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1556 [Eleven Jewell]


    Felicity wanted to retort, but she could not find a good reason to do so. ¡®I guess being rejected after a


    confession and


    pursuing someone else doesn¡¯t really harm anyone,¡¯ she thought.


    However, she still felt that something was a bit off. ¡®How could he shift his affection for someone to


    another person so


    quickly?¡¯


    Felicity bit her lip and expressed her concern. ¡°Did you really¡­ like your ex-girlfriends?¡±


    Vermont sighed. ¡°Do you really want to discuss this when we¡¯re spending time together?¡±


    Felicity did not say anything, but her expression showed her discontent.


    Vermont wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hide anything from


    you. I definitely had


    feelings for my exes. I wouldn¡¯t have dated them otherwise.¡±


    ¡°I grew up in the town with my grandpa. Even after I made money, I didn¡¯t have any grand aspirations. I


    thought treating


    your partner well was about sharing what I found enjoyable, but they didn¡¯t see it that way. I worked so


    hard to find


    affordable restaurants to take them to, but I would be


    criticized for being cheap. They also questioned the hygiene of the ces I chose.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°Most of them didn¡¯t even care about the taste of the food. They were more focused on whether the


    restaurant had a


    certain level of ss. I didn¡¯t have the right to judge their preferences. At the time, I felt that our pursuits


    in life were


    contradictory. We focused a lot on the gains and losses in the rtionship. So, we weren¡¯t fully


    invested in it. That is why I


    don¡¯t feel much attachment to my exes once things ended.¡±


    Vermont paused and gently caressed Felicity¡¯s cheek. ¡°But, after meeting you, everything changed. It¡¯s


    completely


    different with you. I never have to worry about whether you like going out to eat with me or whether our


    tastes match.


    Even if we get married, I want to be with you every single day. I¡¯ve started to understand that I was too


    picky in my


    previous rtionships. I didn¡¯t feel like being with someone forever, so I wasn¡¯t willing to change for


    anyone.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s heart felt warm. She realized that she was no match for Vermont. He was able to sway her


    with just a few casual


    sentences. He had her wrapped around his fingers.


    Felicity did not dare to look into Vermont¡¯s eyes. She lowered her gaze and murmured softly, ¡°If you


    cared about me so


    much, then why didn¡¯t you continue to pursue me after I rejected you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I did. You¡¯re just a bit naive. I used all sorts of tactics to court you, but you thought I was


    indifferent,¡± Vermont said.¡± I


    was also afraid that you¡¯d dislike me. When we used to watch shows together, you said you hated


    clingy men. So, I didn¡¯t


    want to continue pestering you to avoid you disliking me.¡±


    Felicity was overwhelmed with guilt. She whispered, ¡°I rejected you because of your erectile


    dysfunction. But, when you


    started to ignore and avoid me, I felt terrible. At that time, I decided that your disability did not matter. I


    didn¡¯t want to see


    you with another woman.¡±


    Vermont kept quiet. ¡®This seems like a perfect time to reveal my secret. Should I take the chance?¡¯


    ¡°Actually¡­¡± Just as he was about to confess, Felicity¡¯s phone rang.


    She nced at it and pushed Vermont away slightly. ¡°It¡¯s my supervisor. I have to take this.¡± With that,


    she picked up her


    phone and walked to the balcony to answer the call.


    Vermont was organizing his thoughts. He was wondering how he should exin himself so that his


    actions would not


    seem so harsh.


    But, before he could find the right words, Felicity hurried back into the room.

 Chapter 1557

    Chapter 1557


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1557 [Eleven Jewell]


    ¡°I need to go out for a bit,¡± Felicity dered.


    Vermont was surprised. ¡°What? Why?¡±


    As Felicity hurried toward the bedroom to get changed, she exined, ¡°My supervisor got ambushed.


    Turns out her


    boyfriend is a married man. A bunch of people showed up at her ce and wrecked the whole house.


    I¡¯m going to take


    her to the police.¡±


    Vermont followed her with concern etched on his face.¡±


    Why didn¡¯t she just call the cops herself? It¡¯s already sote.¡±


    ¡°They shredded all her clothes. She¡¯s got nothing to wear now. She probably didn¡¯t want to call the


    cops and have them


    show up while she¡¯s in this state.¡±


    Worried for her safety, Vermont said, ¡°Let mee with you. What if those guys haven¡¯t left yet? It¡¯s


    not safe for you to go


    alone.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Aren¡¯t you hungry? Go grab a bite. I¡¯ll be back in no time.¡±


    As she spoke, she moved toward the entrance to put on her shoes. Vermont swiftly grabbed her wrist


    and pulled her back.


    ¡°I know you can handle yourself, but can¡¯t you let me be there for you? I¡¯m your boyfriend, Felicity. Let


    me do this.¡±


    Felicity eyed him up and down. ¡°Don¡¯t expect me to wait for you if you¡¯re slow.¡±


    Vermont clicked his tongue. ¡°You love me too much to leave me behind.¡±


    Felicity huffed and urged him to get changed. The two quickly got ready and headed over to her


    superior¡¯s ce.


    By the time they arrived, the troublemakers had already cleared out. They left behind a scene of utter


    chaos.


    Felicity grabbed some clothes and headed to the bedroom to find her supervisor while Vermont pulled


    out his phone. He


    recorded the mess for evidence, as it would be useful for the police report and to check if anything was


    missing.


    Vermont could faintly hear a woman¡¯s sobs from the bedroom, apanied by Felicity¡¯s soothing


    words. He stood in the


    entryway and dialed for the police. Not long after, the police arrived. Once things were settled, the two


    said their goodbyes


    and left.


    On their way back, Felicity vented her frustration about the man her superior was dating. Not only did


    he cheat on his


    original partner, but he lied to her supervisor. When the truth came out, the man fled and left the two


    women to have a


    face-off. ¡°What a loser,¡± said Felicity.


    Vermont turned the steering wheel and suddenly asked, ¡°Are you absolutely sure your supervisor had


    no idea this guy


    was married?¡±


    ¡°Of course. She¡¯s got it all. She¡¯s got the looks and the status. Why would she settle for a married


    man? Plus, he¡¯s not


    good-looking at all.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s so sleazy. What did she see in him?¡± Vermont said slowly.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicity sensed that there was more to his words and furrowed her brow. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    Vermont did not answer the question. Instead, he asked, ¡°Is your supervisor well-known in the


    screenwriting industry?¡±


    ¡°Not really. Some of her work was aired, but the feedback was average. Although, she¡¯s got quite the


    network and gets


    plenty of script offers,¡± Felicity replied.


    ¡°So, she has no notable work, yet a surplus of script offers. Don¡¯t you find that peculiar?¡± Vermont


    mused.


    Felicity paused before she said with a hint of uncertainty in her voice, ¡°Well¡­ like I said, she¡¯s got a


    widework. She¡¯s


    been in the industry for years.¡±

 Chapter 1558

    Chapter 1558


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1558 [Eleven Jewell]


    ¡°Scripts that don¡¯t turn a profit won¡¯t keep selling, no matter how many favors you owe. No one¡¯s in the


    industry for


    charity,¡± Vermont factually stated.


    Felicity seemed to grasp the concept, but there was still a hint of confusion in her expression. She cut


    to the chase and


    asked, ¡°Can you be more specific?¡±


    Vermontughed and said, ¡°The average price for an apartment in the neighborhood we just left is only


    slightly lower than


    Clouditude International. She¡¯s a screenwriter with an average family background and who hasn¡¯t


    written a blockbuster.


    How do you reckon she affords a ce like that?¡±


    This caught Felicity off guard.


    Her supervisor¡¯s ce was anything but small. It was around 4000 square feet, with an average price


    of over ten grand


    per square foot. It was a mansion worth nearly half a billion and definitely not within financial reach for


    a screenwriter like


    her superior.


    ¡°Why did security let those people in? Have you considered that perhaps the house is registered under


    the married


    couple¡¯s name? Maybe even those script offers she gets are all thanks to her boyfriend¡¯s connections?¡±


    Felicity¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°Are you suggesting she knew about the affair?¡±


    Vermont replied calmly, ¡°I can¡¯t say. But, for a house this expensive, how could she not have done a


    background check on


    her boyfriend? Moreover¡­¡±


    He paused. ¡°When you both came out of the bedroom, her facial expressions didn¡¯t seem quite right


    after she heard that I


    called the police. She clearly didn¡¯t want to involve the authorities, but maybe she didn¡¯t say anything


    because I was


    there.¡±


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    When the police arrived and asked Felicity¡¯s supervisor some questions, the woman¡¯s responses were


    all very vague. She


    did not seem like someone who had suffered property damage and a threat to her personal safety, nor


    someone who was


    eager to seek justice. This was particrly odd to Vermont.


    Felicity tried to recall the situation upon hearing that. After a while, she said, ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem like


    that kind of person.


    She has always been good to us at work, especially to the neers. One time, a neer messed


    up some


    documents and caused a problem in thepany, but my supervisor stepped in to take the me.


    She¡¯s also rather low key when ites to her personal life. I just can¡¯t imagine her ruining someone


    else¡¯s rtionship.¡±


    ording to Felicity¡¯s understanding, the other woman was usually conniving like Hylda. Her superior


    did not fit the mold


    at all. She could not fathom how someone who seemed so elegant, sessful, and gentle could be a


    homewrecker.


    Vermont chuckled and said, ¡°That¡¯s because you haven¡¯t met many people. Humans are inherently


    complex. One¡¯s


    professional abilities and adept social skills don¡¯t entirely represent their morality.¡±


    In the early days of his business, Vermont often mingled in various social circles. He had met people


    from all walks of life.


    Some of them had the worst personalities. However, once they were in public, they were known as


    good fathers, good


    husbands, and good leaders. This went on as long as they kept up with their facade.


    Vermont thought about the circumstances. He could not help but feel uneasy and worried for Felicity.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you pretend like you know nothing about what happened today. Don¡¯t ask any questions


    and don¡¯t discuss the


    situation with anyone. Just continue to do what you¡¯ve been doing. Try to have as little contact as


    possible with your


    supervisor outside of work.¡±


    Felicity still found it hard to believe that her superior would ruin someone¡¯s rtionship. ¡°Maybe she


    was tricked by that


    asshole,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Even so, that¡¯s her business. You should stay out of it. I know you have your principles and morals, but


    when ites to


    other people¡¯s private matters, I think you shouldn¡¯t get involved.¡±


    Although Felicity still believed that her supervisor was fooled, she was willing to heed Vermont¡¯s advice.


    After all, he would


    not harm her.


    However, Felicity was feeling a bit resentful. ¡°It¡¯s all those despicable men¡¯s fault. They act like a hot


    shot and trick girls


    into falling for them. They¡¯re all liars and master maniptors! I¡¯m not gonna go easy on any of them if


    we ever cross


    paths!¡±


    Vermont did not know what to say. He cautiously asked,¡± What if he genuinely liked the girl, but she


    didn¡¯t like him back?


    And, because he felt desperate, he told a little white lie so that he would have a chance?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why would he deceive her into liking him if he genuinely likes her? How can you trust a man like


    that? I bet he just


    wants to get her into bed with him!¡±


    Vermont pursed his lips. ¡°¡­Well, they haven¡¯t had sex yet.¡±

 Chapter 1559

    Chapter 1559


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1559 [Eleven Jewell]


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Felicity asked, as she did not catch Vermont¡¯s words.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Vermont replied and shut his mouth. ¡®Bringing up the lie at a time like this might only stir up


    more conflict. It¡¯s


    best to let it slide for now,¡¯ he thought.


    Vermont felt uneasy because he could not confess what he had done. He had little appetite for dinner


    that night.


    Felicity was also preupied with the matter and did not eat much. They were having fish. Normally,


    they would finish it,


    but not today.


    After dinner, they went out for a stroll. Upon returning, Vermont took a quick shower and headed


    straight to the bedroom.


    Meanwhile, Felicity still had to revise her scripts and said she would sleep a bitter.


    As Vermont was on the verge of dozing off, he felt a slight dip in the bed beside him. A faint smell of


    shower gel lingered in


    the air. While he was half asleep, he turned over and instinctively pulled the person into his arms.


    Felicity froze for a moment before gradually rxing.


    Vermont nuzzled his face into her hair and asked in a husky, drowsy voice, ¡°Did you change into your


    PJs?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Vermont smiled and kissed her ear. ¡°The fabric feels soft-¡°


    Before he could finish his sentence, his hand brushed against something delicate. He jolted awake and


    abruptly opened


    his eyes.


    The bedsidemp was on, casting an amber glow. Vermont noticed that Felicity was wearing an


    extremely sheer


    nightgown. However, that was not the main point. What caught his attention was that she was wearing


    nothing


    underneath.


    The sheer fabric of the nightgown outlined every curve of her body. Vermont¡¯s heart raced, as he took a


    nce at Felicity.


    The man who was usually calm and collected now wore an expression of astonishment and


    embarrassment. It took him a


    good while to regain hisposure. He gritted his teeth and asked, ¡°Why are you dressed like this?¡±


    Felicity was shy at first. She froze when she heard Vermont said that. Then, she grew agitated. ¡°You


    think I want to wear


    this? Wasn¡¯t it you who asked me to stimte your sex drive? What¡¯s with that damn expression on


    your face?¡±


    Her words left Vermont taken aback. ¡®I was just joking. I never intended to actually go through with it.


    And I certainly didn¡¯t


    expect Felicity to be so bold. She certainly knows how to stimte me.¡¯


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not prepared for this,¡± said Vermont.


    Felicity blushed, as she yelled, ¡°The heck did you need to be prepared for?! I¡¯m the one who needs to


    be prepared!¡±


    After saying that, she grumbled and concealed her embarrassment. ¡°Aren¡¯t men primarily driven by


    their sexual instincts?


    What¡¯s your problem? I can¡¯t believe you made me do this. But¡­ I¡¯ll give you what you want as long as


    it helps you get


    better. Here you go!¡±


    As she spoke, she started to unbutton her nightgown. Vermont¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, and he


    quickly grabbed the


    nket to cover her up.


    ¡°Stop it. This is not what I had in mind.¡± Vermont was scared that his lies would get exposed.


    He hugged Felicity who was wrapped in the nket and sighed softly. ¡°Why are you so silly?¡±


    ¡®Why would she do this without a second thought? Did she not consider that I would take advantage of


    her?¡¯


    Felicity pouted. ¡°I just want you to recover sooner. What if my mom mes you for not being to give her


    a grandchild?


    What if she forbids me from being with you? Even though you¡¯re a glib and you like to tease me, I¡­ I


    don¡¯t want to be with


    anyone else but you.¡±


    Vermont looked at her lively expression, and his heart softened. He could not help but taunt her, ¡°I


    haven¡¯t even proposed.


    Why are you already thinking about having kids?¡±


    Felicity¡¯s ears turned red in an instant. She bared her teeth and hit him. ¡°Who said I was going to


    ept your proposal?


    With your yboy reputation, you could most likely form a football team of kids with all your ex-


    girlfriends. Besides


    being experienced in sex, what else do you have going for you? I¡¯m so unlucky to have fallen for you


    when you no longer


    have the ability to do what you do best.¡±


    As Felicity spoke, she could not help but feel a twinge of sadness. ¡°What happens if you can¡¯t get


    better? Would thest


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    time we had sex during your birthday be the only time we did it?¡±

 Chapter 1560

    Chapter 1560


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1560 [Eleven Jewell]


    Vermont was taken aback when he heard Felicity¡¯s words.¡± Aren¡¯t I still looking for a cure with the


    doctors? Be more


    optimistic, baby.¡±


    Felicity frowned. ¡°How can I be optimistic? I really didn¡¯t feel a thing that night when we slept together,¡±


    she said, looking


    at Vermont skeptically. ¡°Have you had this condition for a long time? Or did you take advantage of me


    using the cupping


    technique and falsely use me of your erectile dysfunction?¡±


    Vermont could not believe his ears. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°I was perfectly normal, okay?¡± He


    paused and added, ¡¯


    There was nothing wrong with me when we had our first time.¡±


    Felicity furrowed her brows. ¡°Then, why do I have no memory of being pleasured at all? I bled that


    night, but why didn¡¯t I


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    feel anything?¡±


    This left Vermont speechless. He was also wondering the same thing.


    Vermont did not have any recollection of that night either. He had way too much to drink on his birthday.


    The surveince


    footage only showed the two of them entering the room, arm in arm, looking a bit tipsy. As for what


    happened in the room,


    he vaguely remembered Felicity trying to demonstrate something to him, but he could not recall


    anything specific.


    ¡®Did I ck out or something? Felicity lost so much blood that night. How could she not feel any pain?¡¯


    Vermont muttered, ¡°Miss Bandit, do you think it¡¯s possible that we didn¡¯t have sex that night?¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡°Then, where did the bloode from? Were you the one who bled?¡±


    Vermont fell silent.


    There were no wounds on his body, and there were no other wounds on Felicity. Moreover, those


    bloodstains were all


    near Felicity¡¯s thigh.


    Vermont had thoughts about suggesting going to the hospital for an examination, but he felt that it was


    not appropriate.


    Just as he was contemting, Felicity suddenly said in a soft voice, ¡°You¡¯re rather skilled to make me


    lose so much blood.


    But, at the same time, I didn¡¯t feel a thing. You¡¯re really tarnishing your own reputation here.¡±


    Vermont pinched her face and ground his teeth. ¡°Do you know what are the consequences for taunting


    a man with


    something like this?¡±


    Felicity blinked. ¡°Yeah. A typical man would surely try to prove his prowess.¡±


    ¡®So, she knows!¡¯ thought Vermont.


    However, Felicity¡¯s next words immediately deted his ego. ¡°But you¡¯re not a typical man. So¡­¡±


    Vermont looked at her mischievous expression and suddenlyughed. He leaned in close to her ear


    and whispered, ¡°Did


    you know that my erectile dysfunction doesn¡¯t hinder me from proving my prowess, baby?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Felicity had not fully reacted yet when Vermont tossed the nket aside, bent down, and kissed


    her. Soon, his


    hand slipped inside her delicate nightgown, causing Felicity¡¯s body to stiffen.


    Ste was flipping through a dictionary, as she leaned back on the couch in Vinci Rivera. The book


    covered her entire


    face.


    Aldor was still writing a report when he saw Keegan looking at Ste. He had never met a boss who


    was so love-struck,


    especially during work.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, if there are no issues, I¡¯ll proceed with this arrangement.¡±


    Keegan withdrew his gaze, made a few remarks on the documents, and handed them to Aldor. ¡°Go


    ahead.¡±


    Once Aldor had left, Keegan walked around the desk and approached Ste.


    ¡°Are you still giving virtual gifts to Toy Boy? Are you trying to be the number one donor on the list?¡± he


    asked.

 Chapter 1561

    Chapter 1561


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1561 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ste could hear the sarcasm in Keegan¡¯s remark. She paused and suppressed augh. ¡°It¡¯s been a


    longtime since I


    watched his livestreams, okay?¡±


    Keegan let out a light snort and sat down beside her. ¡°Must be because you¡¯ve been too busy. You¡¯d


    probably tune into his


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    live streams if you had the time.¡±


    Ste chuckled softly. ¡°Oh,e on. I stopped watching his content because I didn¡¯t want you to get


    jealous. You were so


    salty thest time I watched him dance online. I wouldn¡¯t dare to do it again.¡±


    Keegan scoffed at her attempt to defend herself. ¡°He was swaying his hips and thrusting it. How is that


    considered


    dancing?¡±


    Ste clicked her tongue. ¡°You¡¯re being narrow-minded. He has a great body. What¡¯s wrong with him


    showing it off?¡±


    ¡°Does that mean I can watch other women dance online?¡± asked Keegan.


    Ste turned serious in an instant. ¡°The inte is a treacherous ce. I don¡¯t think you can handle it.¡±


    Keegan could not help but chuckle at her double standard.¡± Howe you don¡¯t want me watching


    other women, but


    you¡¯re allowed to watch other men?¡±


    ¡°I swear I stopped tuning into his livestreams,¡± Ste said.


    Seeing that Keegan was still bothered by it, she turned on her phone and showed him. ¡°Look, I


    unfollowed him ages ago.¡±


    Keegan quickly scanned her following list and did not see Toy Boy¡¯s ount. His mood improved


    instantly.


    ¡°Then, what were you looking at earlier? You were so focused.¡±


    Ste swiped to a different tform for Keegan to see. ¡°The product on this live stream is selling out


    fast. I told you those


    scraps can bring in a lot each month. Just a bag of it can be worth thousands. If we process the leftover


    materials, their


    price can easily increase tenfold. It¡¯s such a waste to just throw them out. Should we process these


    pieces and start our


    own livestream to sell them?¡±


    Keegan was taken aback. ¡°Are you nning to sell it under The Velvet¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°Definitely not. The Velvet is branded as high-end jewelry. I would never use its name to sell these


    budget-friendly


    products.¡±


    ¡°So, are you thinking of coborating with these livestream hosts?¡±


    ¡°I just connected with a few influencers, but their advertising fees andmissions are too expensive.


    We won¡¯t make


    much money if we have them promote our products. I thought about partnering with Vermont. The two


    of us can start a


    separatepany, invest our own money in live streaming, and do a one-stop processing service


    without


    having to give a cut to a middleman.¡±


    Her response left Keegan baffled. ¡°Why are you constantlying up with ways to make money? Is


    our rtionship just a


    side quest for you? Am I someone you could just brush off that easily?¡±


    Ste was momentarily taken aback. She then burst intoughter. ¡°You couldn¡¯t even be bothered to


    talk to me when you


    were busy with work. You should be grateful I¡¯m even speaking to you.¡±


    ¡°I did talk to you,¡± Keegan muttered under his breath.


    Ste gently rubbed his chin and whispered, ¡°You¡¯re being so adorable right now. Aren¡¯t you too old for


    this?¡± She leaned


    in, gave a peck on the corner of his lips, and teased, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so cute.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyelid twitched. He could not believe that Ste just used the word ¡°cute¡± to describe him. He


    was just about to


    pull her closer and have a discussion when the office door was pushed open.


    ¡°Keegan, Mom¡¯s in trou-¡°


    Before Aurora could finish her sentence, she spotted Ste sitting with Keegan. Her voice trailed off, as


    she pressed her


    lips tight.


    Ste stopped smiling and withdrew her hand from Keegan¡¯s. She then tidied her skirt slightly.


    Keegan was displeased with Aurora for not knocking. ¡°How many times do I have to remind you to


    knock when youe


    into my office?¡± he asked in a stern tone.


    Aurora¡¯s eyes reddened. She gritted her teeth and said,¡± Mom fell down the stairs! The hospital called


    and told me she¡¯s


    having surgery.¡±


    Keegan froze for a moment before he asked, ¡°How is she? Is it serious?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just got the call and came here to tell you,¡± Aurora replied, and her voice was trembling.

 Chapter 1562

    Chapter 1562


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1562 [Eleven Jewell]


    Keegan remained silent.


    Aurora observed his stoic demeanor and clenched her teeth. ¡°No matter what Mom may have done, it


    doesn¡¯t diminish the


    fact that she raised you. You didn¡¯t visit her thest time she was in the hospital. Are you not going to


    visit her this time,


    either? Are youpletely indifferent to her well-being? Have you forgotten the promises you made to


    dad before he


    passed away?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s fist tightened, and he responded icily, ¡°You don¡¯t have the right to lecture me!¡±


    Aurora¡¯s expression turned grim. She stormed out and mmed the door behind her.


    Ste looked at Keegan, who appeared distant and unfazed. She pressed her lips together and said,


    ¡°You should go. It


    might reflect badly on you if you don¡¯t.¡±


    Keegan took a deep breath, and his voice was hoarse. ¡°I have nothing to say to her. I¡¯m sure she


    doesn¡¯t want my concern


    right now.¡±


    Ste touched his hand gently and whispered, ¡°But you should still go. The election for Vinci Rivera¡¯s


    chairman ising


    up soon. If this incident gets youbeled as unfilial, it won¡¯t be good for your campaign.¡±


    Keegan looked at her and thought, ¡®This matter is entirely unrted to the election. The chairman is


    chosen based on


    their capabilities, performance, and connections. She¡¯s simply looking for an excuse so that I would


    visit my mom.¡¯


    Keegan hugged Ste and gave her a peck on the cheeks.¡± Okay. But you have toe with me.¡±


    Ste was about to refuse when Keegan added, ¡°You can wait for me in the car if you don¡¯t want to go


    in. We¡¯ll have


    dinner with grandma after I visit my mom. She¡¯s been asking me to bring you over these past few


    days.¡±


    Hearing that, Ste could not refuse. ¡°Alright,¡± she said.


    Dahlia had finished her surgery when Keegan arrived at the hospital. She had a cast on her leg. She


    sat on the bed with a


    pale face.


    Aurora was sitting beside her, peeling an orange with red- rimmed eyes.


    Just as Keegan approached the door, he heard Dahlia ask,¡± Why didn¡¯t your brothere with you?¡±


    Aurora kept her eyes lowered. ¡°He¡¯s in a meeting, so I didn¡¯t ask him to visit.¡±


    Dahlia fell silent. After a while, she asked, ¡°Is he unwilling toe?¡±


    Aurora spoke bitterly, ¡°Now that he¡¯s head over heels for Ste, he has no time for us anymore.¡±


    Dahlia sighed. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I thought your brother didn¡¯t like her and wanted to find a woman who


    would benefit his


    career. I never expected to induce his resentment.¡±


    As she spoke, she identally touched her injured leg and could not help but yell out in pain.


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t move around,¡± Aurora hurriedly said.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Just as Dahlia was about to raise her eyes, she saw Keegan standing at the door. Her eyes


    reddened, and she


    hoarsely said, ¡°Keegan¡­¡±


    Keegan did not say a word. He ced the fruit basket he was holding on the table and calmly asked,


    ¡°What did the doctor


    say?¡±


    He did not ask how she fell, how serious her injuries were, or if she was in pain.


    Upon noticing that, Dahlia recalled how caring Keegan was when he was younger. He would visit her


    every now and then


    whenever she fell ill, asking if she was in pain or ufortable. Dahlia found her son annoying at that


    time and did not


    give him the time of day.


    However, Keegan did not care for her anymore. Their bond was no longer there. Dahlia understood


    that it was impossible


    to mend this rtionship. It was impossible that Keegan would forgive her, especially since he knew


    about her trying to


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    hurt Ste.


    Dahlia clenched her hands and mustered a smile. ¡°They said I¡¯m fine.¡±

 Chapter 1563

    Chapter 1563


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1563 [Eleven Jewell]


    Aurora was visibly upset. ¡°What are you talking about? The doctor said your leg might never fully


    recover if we had waited


    any longer to get you to the hospital!¡±


    Tears streamed down her face, as she continued, ¡°You live all alone with no one to take care of you.


    You were lucky the


    neighbors found you this time. What if no one had noticed? What would I do without you¡­¡±


    Dahlia reached out to wipe away Aurora¡¯s tears and sighed softly. ¡°You worry too much, my dear child.


    I¡¯m perfectly fine. R


    ¡°How can I not worry about you¡­¡± Aurora¡¯s cries grew louder. ¡°Look at how much weight you¡¯ve lost


    and how gray your


    hair has be. It¡¯s hard for me not to be worried!¡±


    Then, she could not help but express her frustration. ¡°And, what about Uncle ke and Aunt Kanara?


    You¡¯ve always


    treated them so well, but where are they now?¡±


    Dahlia¡¯s expression stiffened, her face was showing traces of destion. ¡°Your uncle has his own


    family now. I don¡¯t want


    to burden them.¡±


    ¡°But aren¡¯t you the one who helped them out when they needed it? During those times, they would rush


    over to show their


    concern, even if it was just a scratch. How can they not show up when you¡¯ve suffered such a serious


    injury?¡± Aurora


    pressed on.


    Dahlia¡¯splexion did not look good. ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± she said.


    She, too, felt resentment. She had lent the Crosby family a hand many times over the years. But, as


    soon as she lost her


    status in the Jewell family, ke and Kanara turned their backs on her. Among the two, ke was


    even more useless. He


    was too afraid to even utter a word. Dahlia could not believe she had to rely on her own daughter when


    she was in


    trouble.


    Keegan stood still and did not say anything. His face showed little emotion and only a cold expression.


    Dahlia looked at her son, who had never been particrly close to her. He looked both familiar and


    distant.


    ¡°Keegan, have you and Ste gotten back together?¡± Dahlia asked in a low voice.


    Keegan looked at her with indifference, and his words were icy and heartless. ¡°What else do you want


    to do to her?¡±


    Dahlia¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°I¡¯m just asking,¡± she said hoarsely.


    Keegan sneered, ¡°Are you trying to see if the Saun family knows what you did?¡±


    Dahlia turned pale.


    Aurora did not know that they were talking about the drugs that had led to Ste¡¯s weakened state. She


    thought Keegan


    was referring to how Ste was not treated well in the Kane family when they were married before. So,


    when she heard


    Keegan¡¯s disrespectful words, her face immediately turned cold.


    ¡°Keegan, don¡¯t talk to mom like that. Didn¡¯t Ste marry you for money? Does her past actions no


    longer matter now that


    she has be the Saun family heiress? Mom couldn¡¯t stand her fake demeanor. What does she-¡°


    ¡°Shut up! Do you even have a say here?¡± Keegan¡¯s face grew colder, and his voice was sharp. ¡°Did


    you think I forgot how


    you led her into Jackson¡¯s room on the night of my wedding? I haven¡¯t settled that score with you yet!¡±


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Aurora was momentarily stunned, and she panicked. Since her brother had brought this up, she had no


    choice but to


    admit it. She avoided Keegan¡¯s gaze and gritted her teeth. ¡°I- I was just joking with her.¡±


    ¡°So, you think it¡¯s a joke?¡± Keegan sneered. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s see if grandma finds this ¡®joke¡¯ amusing when


    I mention it to her


    Aurora immediately grew flustered.


    Then, Dahlia spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, Keegan. I spoiled her too much back then. Aurora, find time to


    prepare some gifts


    and sincerely apologize to Ms. Hall. Don¡¯t forget to ask for her forgiveness.¡±


    Aurora was naturally reluctant to bow down to Ste, butpared to Keegan telling Cordelia what she


    did, she felt that


    apologizing was more eptable. Given Cordelia¡¯s emphasis on the family¡¯s reputation and her


    fondness for Ste, there


    was no guarantee that she would not send her to some remote location, just like she did with Jackson.


    ¡°Alright, mom,¡± Aurora replied.


    Keegan looked at the woman lying on the hospital bed, who now seemed as though she was a kind


    and gentle figure. A


    series ofplex emotions brewed in him.


    ¡®Has she changed?¡¯

 Chapter 1564

    Chapter 1564


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1564 [Eleven Jewell]


    But that¡¯s impossible,¡¯ thought Keegan, as he noticed a shift in Dahlia¡¯s demeanor.


    All these changes were merely due to Ste now being recognized as the Saun family heiress. This


    newfound status


    instilled a sense of caution in Dahlia regarding her past actions.


    She was apprehensive that Ste might spill the beans to the Saun family, and they would hold her


    ountable.


    Keegan had mentioned this issue to Ste before. He told her that her condition would be revealed


    sooner orter. ¡°It


    would be best if you could tell the Saun family about your health. I promise I won¡¯t interfere,¡± he said.


    Ste had acknowledged his concerns, but she never brought it up with the Saun family.


    Keegan was well aware of why she did not want to discuss it. She feared that the Saun family might


    point fingers at him


    for what transpired. After all, it happened right under his nose. He did not protect her properly.


    While Ste swore she would take matters into her own hands, she had actually shown leniency long


    ago because of the


    familial ties between him and Dahlia. She did not want to escte the situation.


    Keegan understood that Ste giving up her pursuit of holding Dahlia ountable was apromise


    she made


    for the sake of their rtionship. However, his mother was not one to do the same. Before the Sauns


    publicly


    acknowledged Ste as their long-lost daughter, she had tried every means to set him up with Jaylene.


    She even resorted


    to drugging him.


    Once Ste was brought back into the Saun family, Dahlia never brought up this matter again. She


    used Ste of


    being materialistic and chasing after his wealth. However, the one who truly wielded his riches as a


    means of control and


    even withheld emotional responses was Dahlia.


    ¡®There is no way she has changed.¡¯


    Dahlia watched Keegan¡¯s gaze shift from distant to cold, and she felt uneasy.


    ¡°I had a bias against Ste due to the Jewell family. Back then, I believed that you didn¡¯t have feelings


    for her either. It was


    just a sense of duty. You even said it yourself that it¡¯s the same whoever you marry.¡±


    ¡°I never said such a thing,¡± Keegan said icily.


    ¡°You did!¡± Aurora interjected. ¡°You said that when we all went out to eat after my graduation trip.¡±


    Dahlia scolded her in a hushed tone. ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt our conversation. Please step out for a moment.¡±


    Aurora pouted and hesitantly left the ward.


    Keegan had a good memory and quickly recalled that past event.


    At that time, Ste was in the midst of divorcing him, and the atmosphere between them was tense.


    She reluctantly


    apanied him to the banquet and even bit him in the bathroom halfway through the event. As for


    what was said during


    the meal¡­


    Keegan remembered that Aurora was once againining about Ste in front of her, and he grew


    tired of hearing it.


    At that time, Dahlia did not intervene. In fact, she added, ¡°Forget about being knowledgeable and


    refined. She should be


    able to take care of your daily needs at the very least. Why did you agree to marry her? She¡¯s a full-


    time housewife, yet


    she doesn¡¯t even cook or clean. Your grandma might be good at analyzing someone, but there are


    times when even she


    might make a mistake.¡±


    Keegan found it amusing at the time. ¡®Isn¡¯t she a full-time housewife herself? How many times had she


    cooked for the


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    family in her lifetime? She¡¯s literally the same. Why is sheining about Ste now when I¡¯m the


    one marrying her?¡¯


    Keegan did not want to argue with Dahlia about this matter, so hezily replied, ¡°With your standards,


    whoever I marry


    wouldn¡¯t make a difference.¡±


    Many of thedies in high societies were pampered and coddled. Not a lot of them could actually cook.


    ording to


    Dahlia¡¯s requirements, not one of them would meet her standards to be her daughter-inw. That was


    what Keegan meant


    when he said those words.

 Chapter 1565

    Chapter 1565


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1565 [Eleven Jewell]


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Ste was notpletely useless. She took meticulous care of the nts around the house and even


    used to prepare


    meals for Keegan, although she eventually stopped.


    Keegan lifted his gaze and said indifferently. ¡°I doubt you misunderstood the intention behind my


    remarks back then.


    You¡¯re twisting my words on purpose, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Dahlia¡¯s expression wavered when she heard that. ¡°It was genuinely hard to discern just how much you


    cared for her at


    that time. I thought you were merely following your grandmother¡¯s wishes.¡±


    ¡°Grandma never coerced me into marrying anyone. She¡¯s not like you; she respects my choices. From


    the moment I first


    brought Ste before you, you held a disdain for her. Don¡¯t use my perceived disinterest to justify your


    actions. Even if I


    didn¡¯t harbor affection for her, she was my wife back then. As an elder, you should¡¯ve shown the


    respect and care that¡¯s


    due. Grandma didn¡¯t like you either, but she still defended you in front of others and granted you the


    dignity you


    deserved.¡±


    Dahlia¡¯s face darkened, and her eyes were now tinged with red.


    ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t like her, but everything I did was all for you. Without a powerful inw, how would you win


    in this


    election alone? How would you fulfill your father¡¯s legacy¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pursue what I desire on my own. I don¡¯t need a woman to pave my way.¡±


    Keegan continued with a stern expression, ¡°You never gave me what I want. Yet, you take away what I


    achieve. Your talk


    about looking out for me is merely to smooth the path for you and be the esteemed Mrs. Kane!¡±


    Dahlia¡¯s lips trembled, and her voice was hoarse. ¡°Is this how you truly think of me?¡±


    Keegan clenched his fists. ¡°Tell me, where were you the day theb on caught fire? You knew it was


    extremely hazardous,


    yet you took Aurora there with you. Why didn¡¯t you keep an eye on her?!¡¯


    Dahlia¡¯s face turned pale instantly. She trembled, as she spoke. ¡°Are you ming me for your father¡¯s


    death?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Keegan did not deny it this time, and he spoke in a deep tone. ¡°She was just five years old and


    unaware of


    anything. My father instructed you to take her to the lounge and wait. You were asked to watch over


    her. How did she end


    up in theb? The fire wouldn¡¯t have happened if she hadn¡¯t identally touched the equipment. Dad


    managed to escape


    with me, but you told him Aurora was missing. It was such a massive fire, yet he rushed back in without


    hesitation¡­ Where were you at that time? Where were you?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s emotions became highly agitated as he spoke, and his hand could not stop trembling.


    The most agonizing aspect of it all was not his father¡¯s state in the fire but rather his father¡¯s death. In


    reality, Quentin did


    not suffer many burns. He emerged unscathed, and everyone believed he was fine. But, after a few


    hours, he began


    struggling to breathe.


    When he arrived at the hospital, the doctor exined that he had inhaled an excessive amount of


    harmful chemicals,


    resulting in severe lung burns. His entire respiratory system had copsed beyond recovery.


    Keegan watched his fathery on the hospital bed, enduring immense pain as his life slipped away bit


    by bit. It was a


    nightmare that would haunt him for the rest of his days.


    Cordelia did not hold Aurora responsible for Quentin¡¯s death. He had saved the child at the risk of his


    own life. It was not


    her granddaughter¡¯s fault. So, after Quentin¡¯s death, Cordelia forbade anyone from mentioning the


    matter again.


    However, Keegan, who witnessed the tragedy firsthand, never forgot what happened.


    Dahlia¡¯splexion grew even paler when she heard his son¡¯s words. ¡°Would you have preferred that I


    was the one who


    died that day?¡± she asked in a hoarse tone.


    Keegan did not respond to the pointless question.


    Regardless of his answer, his father could not be brought back to life.


    ¡°I went to the car to grab your dad¡¯s lunch, and Aurora wasn¡¯t willing toe with me. So, I instructed


    someone to watch


    over her. How would I have known she¡¯d run into theb? Do you think I wasn¡¯t grieving when your


    father died? He was


    my husband! Without him, your sister and I endured so much as a widow and an orphan for all those


    years. Why would I


    intentionally harm him?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s tone remained insensible. ¡°Only you know the truth. IV


    He nced at the time and calmly stated, ¡°Take good care of yourself. When you¡¯re discharged, I¡¯ll hire


    someone else to


    look after you. Let¡¯s not discuss the family ties between us anymore. It¡¯s better if we just talk about


    money.¡±


    Keegan pulled a debit card from his wallet and ced it on Dahlia¡¯s bedside table. ¡°The password is


    dad¡¯s birthday.


    Hope you get well soon.¡± With that, he turned away without ncing at her and left the ward.

 Chapter 1566

    Chapter 1566


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1566 [Eleven Jewell]


    Dahlia¡¯s hands trembled. She could not contain herself after Keegan left. She grabbed the fruit basket


    beside her and


    threw it to the ground in frustration.


    Keegan¡¯s lips twitched ever so slightly when he heard themotion from the hallway. He turned and


    made his way


    toward the elevator.


    Not long after, another figure entered the hospital room.


    Dahlia¡¯s hair was disheveled, and her face looked worn. Her gaze turned even colder when she saw


    the persone in.


    Her tone grew sharp. ¡°What are you doing here? Are you here to revel in my misery?¡±


    The person remained silent. They bent down, picked up the scattered items, and ced them neatly


    back into the basket


    before setting it on the table. They observed Dahlia¡¯s fatigued appearance and let out a soft sigh. ¡¯Why


    would I revel in


    your misery?¡±


    ¡°Keegan is your child. You should know his temperament. Why are you upset with him?¡±


    Dahlia¡¯s heart tightened at the mention of her son. ¡°Well, why does he feel more like my enemy than


    my child?¡±


    The person replied, ¡°I told you you¡¯re better off relying on yourself, but you didn¡¯t believe me. He¡¯s the


    same as his father.


    They¡¯re intolerant to any shorings. How could he not be indifferent when he has seen through your


    facade a long time


    ago? Moreover, you and Ste are like oil and water. For her sake, Keegan can¡¯t possibly treat you the


    way he did before.¡±


    Dahlia clutched onto the bedsheet but remained quiet. Her eyes were filled with contemtion.


    As Keegan left the hospital, he noticed a small gap in the passenger window of his car. A slender, pale


    hand emerged.


    The hand held out one finger, then four, and finally three.


    Keegan paused for a moment, and a touch of warmth permeated his otherwise somber mood. He


    smiled and walked


    briskly toward the car.


    Once inside, Ste teased, ¡°Why did you suddenly pick up the pace?¡±


    Keegan fastened his seatbelt, as he said, ¡°Weren¡¯t you doing a five-second countdown? You messed


    up a few seconds


    there, though.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyelid twitched when she heard that. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I was signaling you a


    143!¡±


    Keegan paused and asked, ¡°What?¡±


    Ste replied with a bit of exasperation, ¡°A 143! I love you! Ugh. You¡¯re so clueless.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s lips curved upward. He leaned in closer and whispered, ¡°Mind borating?¡±


    ¡°I-¡± Ste lifted her gaze, only to meet Keegan¡¯s eyes. She instantly realized that this rascal was toying


    with her. She


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    became irritated in an instant. ¡°You wish!¡±


    Keegan chuckled softly and started the car.


    Ste did not ask about Dahlia¡¯s condition, and Keegan did not bring it up either. Instead, they talked


    about what to get


    Cordelia fortheir visit.


    ¡°The pastries from Artisanal Bites are quite good. Let¡¯s get a small assortment of baked goods for her


    since she can¡¯t


    consume much sugar.¡±


    Keegan stared at the traffic light and nodded in agreement.


    ¡°And¡ªAH¡ª¡±


    Ste had not finished her sentence when their car was suddenly rear-ended. She did not have time to


    react. Her head


    crashed into the side window, causing her to cry out in pain.

 Chapter 1567

    Chapter 1567


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1567 [Eleven Jewell]


    Keegan and Ste¡¯s car surged forward uncontrobly, mming into the Audi ahead. Keegan swiftly


    yanked the


    handbrake and turned to Ste. A sh of concern etched on his face. ¡°Are you alright? Are you hurt?¡±


    Ste rubbed her forehead and frowned slightly. ¡°I¡¯m fine. What about you? Are you hurt?¡±


    Keegan shook his head and nced at the rearview mirror. His expression was serious. ¡°Contact the


    police and the


    insurancepany while I go check things out.¡±


    Ste nodded.


    When Keegan stepped out of the car, he noticed the vehicle that had rear-ended them was a white van.


    He approached the vehicle with his phone in his hand.


    The van had tinted windows which blocked the view inside. Nevertheless, Keegan had a hunch that


    someone inside was


    watching him.


    He raised his hand to knock on the window when a gleam from the de of a knife emerged slowly


    from inside the van.


    However, before his hand could make contact with the ss, the owner of the Audi suddenly rushed


    over and grabbed


    Keegan by the cor. His anger was apparent.¡± What the hell, man? Can you even drive? Are you


    blind?¡± Keegan


    furrowed his brows and pushed the man¡¯s hand away. ¡°I was rear-ended by this vehicle,¡± he said in a


    composed tone.


    The man looked at the van behind them and gritted his teeth. ¡°Bullshit! You literally crash into me!¡±


    Keegan did not bother to argue with him. He calmly said,¡± We¡¯ve already called the police. They¡¯ll


    handle it when they


    arrive.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got ces to be. Who¡¯s got time to wait for the cops? I want a hundred grand inpensation!


    Pay up!¡±


    Keegan came from an affluent background and rarely encountered such unreasonable behavior in his


    social circle.


    Despite his irritation, his good upbringing helped him restrain his emotions. He kept a stern face and


    said, ¡°The insurance


    baseless usations and demands here.¡±


    The man looked at Keegan¡¯s expensive car. He noticed his fairplexion and the fact that he did not


    resort to using foul


    responsible for the crash. He knew that the owner of that beat-up van could not afford the damages to


    his vehicle.


    Therefore, he had to exploit Keegan.


    ¡°Quit wasting my time. Pay up now!¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened. He was about to speak when he suddenly saw the white van about to leave.


    It attempted to


    merge into the flow of traffic on the left.


    Keegan was taken aback and took a step forward to chase after it. But the owner of the Audi


    immediately grabbed the


    back of his cor.


    Keegan, who was exercising his patience, turned around and twisted the man¡¯s arm behind his back.


    He then kicked the


    man¡¯s leg, causing him to kneel on the ground.


    With his arm twisted at an awkward angle, the man cried out in pain. Keegan¡¯s eyes turned ice-cold,


    and his voice cut


    through the air like a de. ¡°I told you to wait for the police to handle this. Which part of that did you not


    understand?¡±


    ¡°That hurts¡­ Let go of me!¡± The man¡¯s face turned white, as he tried to pull free from Keegan¡¯s grip.


    However, the more


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    he struggled, the more it hurt him. His arm felt as though it was about to break.


    At that moment, a pregnant woman came out from the Audi. She hurried over, grabbed Keegan¡¯s


    clothes, and started


    hitting him. ¡°Let go of my husband!¡±


    Keegan did not want to resort to violence against a woman. He dodged to the side while keeping a


    tense expression. The


    pregnant woman stumbled and fell. She clutched her stomach and whimpered in pain.


    The man turned pale instantly. ¡°Baby, are you alright?¡± he yelled out.


    Keegan did not expect that the situation would escte like this. He rxed his grip, and the man


    wriggled free. He


    scrambled to his wife, who was now sitting on the ground,


    holding her belly and moaning in pain.


    Seeing the scene in front of him, the man got scared. He did not dare to approach Keegan again. He


    felt a shiver down his


    spine, as he recalled how close he had been to having his arm snapped. As the crowd around them


    grew, the man started


    to twist the facts.

 Chapter 1568

    Chapter 1568


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1568 [Eleven Jewell]


    ¡°This grown man rear-ended me and refuses to take responsibility. When I approached him to talk


    about it, he resorted to


    violence and even pushed my pregnant wife. He¡¯s acting all high and mighty just because he drives a


    Bentley. Isn¡¯t there


    any justice left in this world?¡± said the man who Keegan crashed into.


    Keegan frowned, and his voice low and stern. ¡°I didn¡¯t push her. She fell on her own.¡±


    ¡°I saw it with my own two eyes. You pushed her!¡±


    Several onlookers had arrived at that point. They saw the cars blocking the intersection and got out of


    their vehicles to


    assess the situation.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    No idea. Seems like a rear-end collision that led to a conflict. That guy pushed the pregnant woman.¡±


    ¡°What? Regardless of the situation, he shouldn¡¯t haveid a hand on a pregnant woman.¡±


    ¡°These people think they¡¯re invincible just because they drive fancy cars. They treat the road like it¡¯s


    their own property


    and speed around without a care.¡±


    ¡°Right? How dare hey a hand on a pregnant woman?¡±


    The pregnant woman¡¯s moans seemed to grow louder when peoplemented about the situation. It


    appeared that her


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    condition was indeed quite serious.


    Meanwhile, her husband was too busy asking how she was rather than calling an ambnce.


    Keegan decided not to argue with the people there. Instead, he dialed 911 and was about to return to


    his car.


    When the man noticed that Keegan was about to leave, he stepped forward and stopped him. ¡°Stop! I


    can¡¯t believe you¡¯re


    trying to leave after you push my wife.¡±


    Keegan hated it when peopleid their hands on him when speaking. He brushed off the man¡¯s touch


    with a stone


    expression and said, ¡°First of all, I didn¡¯t push anyone.


    Secondly, my car is right here. I¡¯m not going anywhere. And third, you should call an ambnce to take


    her to the hospital


    instead of arguing about who¡¯s right or wrong here!¡±


    ¡°Stop with all the big talk. Don¡¯t even think about leaving withouting up with a solution first!¡± the


    man yelled.


    Keegan¡¯s gaze turned even colder. It was clear that the man was trying to extort money from him. With


    that in mind,


    Keegan smirked, as he locked eyes with the man and said,¡± What do you propose, then?¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes darted around. ¡°Twenty thousand dors for crashing my car and pushing my wife. If


    you transfer the


    money to me now, you won¡¯t be held responsible for anything that happens after this.¡±


    Keegan was about to respond when the passenger door of his car swung open. An elderly woman with


    gray curls and a


    hunched back struggled to get out of the vehicle.


    One of her hands rested behind her back, while the other held up a mask to her mouth. She coughed


    and took a few


    steps toward them.


    ¡°Is everything not settled yet, dear?¡±


    Keegan froze. He stared at Ste, who was disguised as an olddy, speaking to him in an elderly


    voice. His eyes were


    filled with astonishment.


    Ste took small, careful steps, as she slowly made her way over. Unable to contain herself, she


    scolded Keegan.


    ¡°Why are you just standing there? Come and help your grandmother!¡±


    Keegan gritted his teeth. ¡°Grandma???¡±


    ¡°Quickly now!¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eye twitched uncontrobly. Every muscle in his body was on edge. ¡®This woman is surely


    addicted to acting,¡¯ he


    thought.


    Keegan approached her with a dark expression and supported her. There was a question behind his


    gaze. ¡®Why couldn¡¯t


    you just stay put?¡¯


    Not only did Stee out of the vehicle, but she also put on the clothes and wig he had bought for


    his grandmother.¡¯


    And, what¡¯s with the dark smudges on the corners of her eyes and forehead?¡¯

 Chapter 1569

    Chapter 1569


    Ste shot Keegan a look that asked him to rx. She approached the couple with trembling hands.


    She then hunched over and asked, ¡°Sir, how is your wife?¡±


    Seeing Keegan¡¯s expression bing much more restrained, the man immediately used him.


    ¡°Your grandson crashed into my car and pushed my wife. She¡¯s five months pregnant, and we don¡¯t


    even know if the child will make it!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ste raised her trembling hand and pped Keegan. ¡°You unfilial child! How could


    youy a hand on a pregnant woman?!¡±


    Keegan endured the p that did not really sting. He bore his teeth and cooperated with her


    performance. ¡°I didn¡¯t push her!¡±


    ¡°Stop being so stubborn, will you?!¡± Ste yelled, and she pped him two more times.


    Keegan kept his mouth shut. He suspected that this woman was taking this opportunity to settle an old


    score with him.


    After reprimanding Keegan, Ste started coughing for a moment. Then, she turned to the man with a


    gentle smile.¡± This boy was in a rush to take me to the hospital. He doesn¡¯t have much patience and is


    not good with words. There¡¯s no need to argue with him, sir.¡±


    The man gave Ste a scornful look. ¡°At least one of you is making sense here. How did you end up


    raising such a crude, olddy?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened. He was on the verge of losing his temper, but Ste firmly held onto his hand.


    She changed the subject and asked, ¡°How is your wife? We can take her to the hospital for an


    examination.¡±


    ¡°We can do the examination ourselves. Justpensate us, and we¡¯ll get going.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better we all get her checked just in case. What will you do if things are more serious than it is and


    what we pay you isn¡¯t enough for her medical bills?¡± Ste said persuasively.


    The man was baffled upon hearing that. ¡®What is wrong with this olddy? Why would she care if they


    underpensate us?¡¯


    ¡°Stop wasting my time. Give us twenty grand, and we¡¯ll be even. We won¡¯t be bothering you even if my


    wife¡¯s condition turns out to be more serious than it is.¡±


    Ste frowned and gripped the man¡¯s hand. ¡°Sir, can¡¯t we talk this out? Two hundred thousand dors


    is not a small sum¡­¡±


    Just as the man was listening to her, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his palm. He instinctively pulled


    his hand away from hers, causing Ste to stumble and fall to the ground.


    Ste cried out in pain, as shey there. Her face was turning pale. Her legs twitched, as she struggled


    to get up.


    This scene left the man dumbfounded. Keegan was also startled by this sudden turn of events. He was


    about to help Ste up, but she pinched him just as his hand touched her.


    Keegan could not believe her.


    ¡°Ouch¡­ My back¡­ Ouch¡­ My elbow¡­ Ouch¡­¡± Ste trembled and groaned. ¡°Sir, I was just trying to


    negotiate with you. Why did you push me? Ouch¡­¡± she said in a strained voice.


    The man finally realized what she was doing. ¡°You old hag. You¡¯re trying to scam me, aren¡¯t you? I


    didn¡¯t push you!¡±


    Ste curled up on the ground. Her voice was frail, as she used, ¡°Why would I falsely use you


    when so many people are watching? I didn¡¯t say I wouldn¡¯t give you money. Why did you resort to


    violence..? Ow¡­¡±


    ¡°Is this guy out of his mind? Not only did he not rush his pregnant wife to the hospital, but he even


    pushed an olddy!¡±


    ¡°With so many surveince cameras around, they won¡¯t get away with this. Why was he so insistent on


    getting the money when insurance would cover the damage and the medical bills?¡±


    ¡°That pregnant woman was wailing earlier, but now she¡¯s not even shedding a tear. Were they trying to


    con the man into paying them?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Seeing the crowd pointing fingers at him, the man suddenly grew furious and embarrassed. ¡°You old


    hag. You used something to prick me. That was why I let go of your grip. Just admit you don¡¯t want to


    pay me. You are deliberately trying to scam me out of mypensation!¡±


    Ste remained silent. Her face was pale as shey on the ground, while her legs were twitching. Upon


    witnessing this scene, Keegan suddenly thought of Jaylene¡¯s condition during thest family gathering.

 Chapter 1570

    Chapter 1570


    Keegan remained silent, as he debated with himself on whether to speak or not. He felt that Ste was


    good at this.¡¯ Why did she have to get me involved in such an embarrassing situation?¡¯


    Keegan suppressed his irritation and reached out to gently support Ste. ¡°Grandma, are you okay?


    Can you stand?¡± he asked. Histone was filled with genuine concern.


    Ste responded with theatrical groans. ¡°Oh, my goodness¡­ it hurts so much¡­¡±


    The crowd around them buzzed withmentary, drawing parallels to simr incidents they¡¯d heard of.


    Some spected on the authenticity of the pregnant woman¡¯s condition, while others pointed out the


    suspicious nature of the entire situation.


    ¡°Why would this olddy prick him with a needle? I can¡¯t believe he would say that just to evade


    responsibility.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen this pregnant woman before.¡±


    ¡°There was news about a pregnantdy who got into an ident and demanded over ten thousand


    dors forpensation. The police came, and she argued with them for a long time. In the end, she


    got a few thousand dors. Could it be that they¡¯re the same person?¡±


    ¡°Let me search up the video real quick.¡±


    As the situation escted, the swindling couple attempted to make a hasty exit, but they were


    intercepted by concerned bystanders.


    ¡°Just where do you think you¡¯re going after injuring this elderlydy?¡± one person demanded.


    The man no longer disyed his previous arrogance. Instead, he stood his ground and insisted on


    taking his wife to the hospital.


    ¡°The ambnce is on its way. Just wait here,¡± someone said.


    Just as they were speaking, both the ambnce and the traffic police arrived at the scene.


    Ste¡¯s feigned injuries quickly unraveled under the scrutiny of the medical professionals, and it


    became apparent that the pregnant woman was unharmed. The police revealed that this couple was


    notorious for such scams with a history of three simr incidents in just three months.


    At the same time, the authorities reprimanded Ste for her act.


    The white van that had rear-ended them turned out to be a stolen vehicle, and efforts were underway to


    identify the owner. The officers mentioned that they would contact Keegan and Ste with updates


    when they found out who was behind the wheel.


    After experiencing the tumultuous events, Ste stretched her limbs and vented her frustrations. ¡°I


    actually thought that woman was pretending to be pregnant. Who would¡¯ve


    thought that it was real? I can¡¯t believe they would pull such scams with a baby on the way.¡±


    Keegan could not help but snort in agreement. ¡°I cant say much about their actions. But I must admit,


    you seemed to thoroughly enjoy your performance. Did you have to act out your dreams of bing


    an aspiring actress right in front of me?¡±


    Ste let out an awkwardugh. She linked her arm with Keegan¡¯s and said, ¡°I was just worried that


    you¡¯d be taken advantage of. They were clearly trying to extort you, and you, being soooo kind-hearted,


    might have fallen for it. What if they actually got the money?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that naive,¡± Keegan retorted, as he wiped off the dark stains on Ste¡¯s face. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid


    that someone would see through your facade?¡±


    ¡°A good actor would know what to do in order to stay in disguise. With the right actions and voice,


    who¡¯s going to scrutinize an olddy?¡± said Ste while she removed her wig. ¡°I have to buy a new set


    of clothes for grandma since these ones are dirty.¡±


    Not far away, a man in a duckbill cap watched the two intently with a cigarette in his hand. Suddenly,


    his phone rang, and he answered it with his other hand.


    The voice on the other end sounded cold. ¡°I told you to keep an eye on them and not to act recklessly!¡±


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    The man let out a puff of smoke, and his tone was firm.¡± Don¡¯t talk to me with that tone!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m merely giving you a warning. Do you think you can escape if you make a move now?¡±


    The man queried, ¡°Are you sure we have the right man? He doesn¡¯t quite fit the description.¡±


    ¡°Even if you can¡¯t identify him, surely you would recognize the woman beside him, right?¡±


    The man¡¯s expression darkened. He put out his cigarette and clenched his teeth. ¡°I¡¯d still be able to


    recognize her even if she was reduced to ashes!¡±

 Chapter 1571

    Chapter 1571


    ¡°Alright. Just keep an eye on him. Don¡¯t take any unnecessary risks. Otherwise, the consequences-¡± The


    man in the cap abruptly ended the call before the person on the other line could finish.


    He pulled out another cigarette, lit it, and squinted at Keegan¡¯s photo on his phone. The face was blurry,


    leaving only a faint resemnce.


    The person on the other end could not help but curse, ¡°That fucking idiot!¡± He then dialed another


    number to report the situation. ¡°Boss, this guy is unpredictable. I¡¯m worried that things might go south.¡±


    ¡°He can¡¯t even remember someone¡¯s face. What kind of trouble could he possibly cause? Just keep a


    close eye on him,¡±


    came the dismissive response.


    The man hesitated and spoke in a low voice. ¡°Understood.¡±


    Ste did not waste anytime. The next day, she approached Vermont to discuss the possibility of opening


    apany together.


    Vermont was in his office, as he listened to the n. Ste painted an optimistic picture of their potential


    coboration. It was a concept that amused him.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Vermont began to respond but was interrupted by a cough from Keegan.


    He immediately bit his lip and thought, ¡®Am I being forced into this coboration? These two are


    shameless!¡¯


    While Vermont was not entirely uninterested in the idea, he admittedly had not paid much attention to his


    jewelry store with his diverse business interests. The leftover materials from his store were usually sold


    off at a low price. It was indeed a waste.


    Moreover, since the incident with Be, he had not found a suitable spokesperson for the jewelry store. If


    he coborated with Ste and managed to convince Leighton toe on board, it would be a major


    win.


    The influence Leighton had over the masses was something he greatly valued.


    Vermont¡¯s eyes darted around the room, as he smiled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s not rush into this matter, Ste. If


    I¡¯m not mistaken,


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Leighton has an uing concert, right? My nephew really likes him. Could you check if he¡¯s avable


    these days? I¡¯d like to invite him for a meal. We can discuss it further at the dinner table.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly. She immediately caught on to Vermont¡¯s intention. The promises she


    had made earlier were now being cashed in by Vermont.


    Truth be told, Ste was not entirely sure if she could convince Leighton. Despite being her cousin, he


    was, after all, a high-tier celebrity. His superstar status made her wonder if he would even agree to the


    request.


    As Ste pondered howto respond, Keegan interjected the conversation. ¡°There¡¯s no need to discuss the


    matter further. The newpany¡¯s revenue will be split 70-30, with Ste getting therger share. If you


    can ept that, I¡¯ll call Leighton and have him sign the contract.¡±


    Ste was shocked to hear that. She quickly grabbed Keegan¡¯s hand and whispered, ¡°We haven¡¯t even


    discussed this with Leighton yet. How could you make the decision for him?¡±


    Keegan patted her hand and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t reject the idea.¡±


    ¡®That kid would definitely be enthusiastic to do a favor for his cousin, who is his idol.¡¯


    And, Keegan had found a top-notch game optimization expert for Leighton. He was not doing all this for


    nothing.


    Vermont¡¯s eyelids twitched when he heard that they were splitting the profit 70-30.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t 70-30 a bit disproportionate? Let¡¯s make it 60-40.¡±

 Chapter 1572

    Chapter 1572


    Chapter 1572 [Eleven Jewell]


    Upon hearing this, Keegan promptly pulled Ste to her feet, ¡°Let¡¯s go. We can do this thing ourselves.


    We don¡¯t need him.


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey, aren¡¯t we still discussing this?¡± Vermont gritted his teeth, ¡°Fine. Well do 70-30. Ugh.


    You¡¯re so petty!¡±


    Vermont knew Leighton¡¯smercial value was far greater than this small profit. He could clearly


    distinguish between the two.


    With the agreement settled, the two parties immediately began preparations.


    There was an avable space at Green Hill Media for the live stream, and the processing could be done


    directly in Vermont¡¯s jewelry processing workshop.


    Early that morning, when Chris arrived at the store, he saw bags of jade and stone materials being


    moved out of the warehouse and loaded onto a truck. He frowned and quickly stopped one of the


    workers, ¡°What are you doing? Who told you to move these?¡±


    The worker was sweating profusely and did not even have a chance to respond when Ste¡¯s voice


    came from behind, ¡°I told them to move it.¡±


    Chris turned to Ste and smiled immediately, ¡°Ms. Hall, someone wille to collect these scraps at


    the end of the month. We don¡¯t need to move them ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I forgot to tell you. Let those factories collecting scraps know we won¡¯t be selling these raw


    materials anymore.¡±


    Though Ste¡¯s tone was calm, her words had a powerful impact on Chris, shocking him greatly.


    ¡°What? We won¡¯t be selling the scraps to them anymore?¡± Chris¡¯s heart tightened, ¡®Did she find out about


    my secret?¡¯


    Chris assessed Ste¡¯s expression and did not see any signs of anger. However, she was different from


    her usual self.


    Chris could not quite grasp Ste¡¯s thoughts. So, he smiled and asked, ¡°Ms. Hall, it would be a shame


    just to throw away these materials. Selling them to these processing factories could still earn us some


    money, providing another source of ie.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say we would throw them away,¡± Ste replied, seeming very pleased. She continued to share


    the news with him,


    ¡°I found another factory that offers a higher price for the scraps. They pay twenty thousand more per bag


    than our previous buyer. I¡¯m nning to sell to them.¡±


    Chris¡¯splexion changed slightly, ¡°May I know which factory is this, Ms. Hall? Are they reliable? We


    have a huge amount of raw materials. Smaller factories may not be able to handle such arge quantity.


    They might not even dare to take on so much. We¡¯ve been cooperating with this factory for years. While


    their prices may not be the highest, they¡¯re arge and stable organization capable of handling any


    amount of goods.¡±


    Ste chuckled, ¡°Sure, they have arge factory, and they might be our long-time business partner¡­


    However, they exploit us by paying such a low price for our high-quality scraps.¡±


    ¡°Most of these discarded materials can only be polished into beads. No matter how good the material is,


    it¡¯s not worth much. Waste materials are usually categorized in the same grade,¡± said Chris.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Steughed ambiguously. ¡°In that case, it seems like the factory owner I found isn¡¯t too


    sharp. He¡¯s offering to buy our scraps at a loss.¡±


    Chris thought Ste had bought into his words and seized the opportunity to say, ¡°Somepanies


    operate like that.


    They lure you in with high prices, then slowly start reducing them. In the end, they will profit from the


    materials.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Ste frowned, seeming somewhat uncertain.


    Just as Chris thought he had sessfully persuaded her, Ste said, ¡°Well then, let¡¯s take advantage of


    them for a few months. When they start pressuring us to lower the price, we can go back to our original


    partner.¡±


    Chris was dumbfounded, ¡°What do you mean, Ms. Hall?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re buying our scraps for an additional twenty thousand dors per bag. So, selling ten bags would


    equal an extra two hundred thousand dors. We can give the staff a bonus with that money,¡± Ste


    exined.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s-¡°


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough for now,¡± Ste interrupted him. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to inform our original buyer about the n.


    I¡¯m going to check the goods and collect the money now.¡±


    Chris watched in astonishment as Ste left with over a dozen bags of jade and stone scraps. His face


    darkened, and he looked extremely displeased. He relied on the money he made from selling those


    scraps to pay his monthly mortgage and support his family¡¯s high-cost lifestyle. Ste¡¯s actions were


    affecting his financials.


    ¡®Is she doing this on purpose?¡¯ he thought.

 Chapter 1573

    Chapter 1573


    There was no doubt that Ste¡¯s actions were deliberate. She had taken the time to investigate the


    prices of these gemstone scraps and knew that their raw


    materials were of high quality. The price for one bag of scraps was at least 200 -300 thousand dors


    higher than what Chris was selling them for.


    Naturally, Ste suspected Chris of taking a cut of the profit. She even sent someone specifically to the


    factory to gather information. However, the factory


    manager was tight-lipped. He insisted that every batch of material was different,


    so the prices varied. He would not even give a final quote until he saw the goods. The manager spoke in


    vague terms the whole time.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    As the jewelry store manager, Chris lived in a luxury vi worth over twenty million dors in Rivera. His


    children attended prestigious schools; he even had


    spare money to support a mistress. All this couldn¡¯t possibly be sustained by his sry alone. His wife


    was a full-time homemaker, and their familial background


    wasn¡¯t exceptionally affluent. Therefore, Ste was sure that Chris was skimming off their gains.


    Unable to find concrete evidence and struggling to break his co-conspirators¡¯ silence, Ste decided to


    forge her own path. She would personally handle the


    recycling, processing, and selling of the scraps herself.


    She wondered how long Chris could keep up with his lifestyle with a sixty thousand dor mortgage and


    school fees exceeding thirty thousand monthly.


    Ste and Vermont¡¯s emerce venture was named FeCity. Upon learning of the name registered


    by Vermont, Ste immediately considered revoking it.


    However, Vermont seemed rather pleased by it, ¡°It¡¯s abination of your name and Felicity¡¯s. It really


    highlights your friendship!¡±


    ¡°Do you really think it¡¯s a fitting name for a jewelry brand?¡± Ste could not help but scoff.


    ¡°People buy stuff based on quality, not the brand¡¯s name. Besides, it has a ring to it, right, miss bandit?¡±


    Vermont turned to Felicity and asked.


    Felicity was also visibly dissatisfied, ¡°Oh, wow. You¡¯re so proficient ating up with names,¡± she replied


    sarcastically.


    ¡°Okay. So you don¡¯t like it.¡± Vermont pondered for a moment. ¡°How about Hallicity?¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Felicity ground her teeth, ¡°Why in the world does it have to be abination of our names?¡±


    Vermont did not know what to say, ¡°I asked for suggestions in the group, and you all said I could choose


    whatever. Yet none of you are satisfied now that I¡¯ve


    chosen a name. You people are so hard to please,¡± He grumbled.


    Felicity recalled the name Vermont had given his kitten and sighed, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I get that you¡¯re not a


    schr. It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t have a wide range of


    vocabry.¡±


    Her words left Vermont dumbfounded.


    Keegan stared at the logo briefly before saying, ¡°Honestly, it doesn¡¯t sound too bad. At least it¡¯s easy to


    remember.¡±


    Ste pursed her lips and said, ¡°Thanks for the input, honey.¡±


    Keegan was being serious. The unconventional store name quickly attracted a surge of attention.


    Everyone was curious about what kind of products they were


    selling. Furthermore, the host Vermont recruited was skilled at retaining online viewers. They were highly


    professional and could handle the influx of traffic


    during the live stream.


    With a diverse range of products offered at exceptionallypetitive prices, the business conversion


    rate was high. After three days, the operation exploded,


    and sales revenue grew exponentially.


    Vermont gazed at the refreshing transaction notifications in the background, his eyes gleaming with


    eagerness, ¡°No wonder no one wants to be an actor


    anymore. They¡¯d rather be live hosts and sell things online. This is where all the money is at!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so money-minded!¡± said Felicity.


    Vermont wrapped his arm around her waist and said, ¡°Baby, once I¡¯ve made enough money for the


    dowry, we¡¯ll have a grand wedding ceremony. I¡¯ll even


    bring you home in a splendid bridal carriage.¡±


    Felicity fell silent and then said, ¡°Stop fooling around!¡±


    FeCity soared up the jewelry bestsellers list in less than two weeks. After factoring in costs, the profit


    margin was still around thirty percent. Ste could


    hear the sound of money pouring into her bank ount.


    That evening, Ste attended an acquaintance¡¯s baby shower with Keegan and had quite a bit to drink.


    She was feeling a bit light-headed as she walked. She


    kept tugging Keegan along and chatted away, ¡°Honey, do you know how much money I¡¯ve made


    recently?¡±


    Looking at her rosy cheeks, Keegan¡¯s heart softened. He murmured, ¡°A hundred million dors?¡±


    ¡°Mmm- No. That¡¯s not it. Take another guess.¡±


    After a moment of thought, Keegan said, ¡°Three hundred thousand dors?¡±


    ¡°No. Go higher.¡±

 Chapter 1574

    Chapter 1574


    ¡°Let¡¯s see. Could it be five hundred thousand dors?¡± Keegan asked.


    Ste bit her lip and shook her head. She then let go of Keegan¡¯s arm and held up ten fingers, ¡°I made


    eight hundred thousand dors!¡±


    Keegan chuckled and gently put two of her fingers down.¡± You held up two extra fingers,¡± he said.


    Ste tugged at his tie, her voice soft but yful, ¡°You have to admit that I¡¯m quite impressive, right?¡±


    Eight hundred thousand dors might not be much in Keegan¡¯s eyes, but it was enough to make Ste


    happy. So Keegan graciously said, ¡°Yeah, very


    impressive. Otherwise, how could you have won me over?¡±


    Ste smiled dreamily, ¡°If only you had been this good with words when we were still married, I would


    have birthed ten of your kids in a year!¡±


    Keegan found her funny. He knew she was drunk but still wanted to tease her,


    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll have one kid per month and take two months off?¡±


    Ste leaned in close to his ear and whispered, ¡°Yeah.


    Those two months are reserved for having sex with you.¡±


    Keegan remained calm. He was used to Ste¡¯s unexpected words. He put his arm around her waist and


    murmured enticingly, ¡°Why don¡¯t we do it tonight?¡±


    Keegan and Ste had been living a life of abstinence after Ste moved into the Saun residence.


    Wenham consistently called Ste every night, urging her toe home early.


    The couple barely had any time alone together. They hardly exchanged a conversation, even when


    having a meal. Both were busy people and would


    quickly part ways after their meal.


    Today was a rare moment of quality time together. Keegan did not want Ste to leave. He lowered his


    head and rubbed his nose against hers, whispering softly,


    ¡°Can you stay over tonight?¡±


    Ste shook her head, ¡°Maybe next time. You¡¯ve been drinking today.¡±


    Keegan was confused, ¡°What does that have to do with you staying over at my ce?¡±


    Ste nestled in his arms and murmured, ¡°You don¡¯t perform well in bed when you drink, so there¡¯s no


    point in me staying.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s body stiffened, ¡°W-What did you say?¡±


    Ste yawned, ¡°Hasn¡¯t the car arrived yet?¡±


    Keegan could not let go of thatst sentence, ¡°Exin yourself before you leave. What do you mean I


    don¡¯t perform well when I drink?¡±


    Ste frowned, ¡°I mean, you don¡¯t get hard when there¡¯s alcohol in your system.


    Sophia would¡¯ve had her way with you long ago during Vermont¡¯s birthday party if that wasn¡¯t the case.¡±


    Before Keegan could even process the shock from the first sentence, he heard the second part of her


    statement and was thoroughly bewildered.


    ¡°Huh? Sophia? What does Sophia have to do with anything?¡±


    Only then did Ste, in a fragmented manner, recount the night of Vermont¡¯s birthday and how she went


    to save him.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Her emotions red up as she spoke, and she couldn¡¯t help but get angry, ¡°I pushed the door open, and


    Sophia was straddling you. Your buttons were


    undone, and she got her lipstick all over you. I was so angry at the time I pped her a few times. I


    would¡¯ve done more if Mr. Moore didn¡¯t stop me. How


    dare she touch my man!¡±


    Keegan frowned upon hearing that and asked, ¡°So you¡¯re saying that Marshall was with you when you


    came to rescue me from Sophia?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He was the one who called and told me to save you,¡± Ste replied. ¡°You should¡¯ve drunk less,


    knowing you don¡¯t hold liquor well. I don¡¯t want to imagine


    what you would¡¯ve done if Mr. Moore hadn¡¯t been watching you that night!¡±


    ¡°If he was looking after me, how did Sophia get into my room?¡±

 Chapter 1575

    Chapter 1575


    Keegan¡¯s query left Ste taken aback.


    Having had a few drinks, her mind was not as sharp as usual. After a few seconds of contemtion, she


    hesitated before responding, ¡°Maybe¡­ he wasn¡¯t


    feeling well. When I went there that day, he looked pale and couldn¡¯t even stand properly. He had some


    water and took a moment to recover. M


    Keegan furrowed, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you mention this to me at the time?¡±


    Ste snorted, ¡°You were giving me a hard time already.


    Who knows if you intentionally let Sophia in?¡±


    Keegan was baffled by her usation. Annoyed, he said,¡± How could I have let her into the room in the


    state I was in? Why can¡¯t it be Marshall who let her in?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly.¡± Ste poked Keegan¡¯s forehead and said,¡± Mr. Moore wouldn¡¯t do that. Even if he did, I¡¯d


    say he¡¯s quite the character. He took advantage of


    you being drunk and gave you a little bonus. What a good man.¡±


    Keegan was at a loss for words, ¡®She must be ying a trick on me. How could she say something like


    that?¡¯ He thought as he hugged her tightly. He then took


    out his phone and dialed Trevor¡¯s number, ¡°Let Uncle Wenham know that Ste won¡¯t be going home


    tonight.¡±


    Trevor¡¯s eyelids twitched, ¡°Why are you asking me to cover for you?¡±


    ¡°Please, my dear brother-inw?¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡±


    Keegan brought Ste back to Clouditude International.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    After caring for her and ensuring she fell asleep, he went outside with his phone and called Aldor, asking


    him to retrieve the surveince footage from Vermont¡¯s


    birthday night.


    Aldor happened to be dining nearby with his friends. When he received Keegan¡¯s call, he hurriedly


    excused himself.


    His friends teased, ¡°Your high sry doesn¡¯te easy, does it? Are you on call twenty-four hours a


    day?¡±


    Aldor did not respond. Instead, he just smiled and said, ¡°You guys enjoy yourselves. Put it on my tab.¡±


    Keegan certainly was not one to exploit his employees. He would not disturb them after work if it were


    not for something important.


    Aldor knew that there was a reason behind his boss being so eager to retrieve the footage from that


    night.


    However, Vermont¡¯s birthday was over half a year ago, and hotel surveince tape is usually only kept for


    a month. So, Aldor came back empty-handed.


    Since there was no CCTV footage, the only ones who knew the truth were the people involved.


    Sophia had been having a very tough timetely. Albert and Hylda¡¯s case had entered the second phase


    of the trial, and the court had frozen all their assets. Sophia was left homeless.


    Moreover, her report against Albert had somehow gotten out, and now anyone who knew her would


    mock her for her¡± great achievements¡± in upholding justice.


    Sophia had be a joke in the entire social circle.


    At the same time, she had no means to repay the eight million dors that Ethan had lent her, and he


    would not let her off the hook. The authorities had also


    banned her @ ShilohTalks ount for spreading false information about the food safety incident at the


    Sunlight Kindergarten.

 Chapter 1576

    Chapter 1576


    Sophia worked as a copywriter at Ethan¡¯s new mediapany. Knowing that she was incredibly skilled


    at crafting articles that grabbed people¡¯s attention,


    Ethan took advantage of this to introduce new inte celebrities.


    A video of a drunk guy hitting on a girl and getting rejected went viral not long ago, propelling a figure


    known as HungryBaby into online stardom.


    This influencer was a recent sess story from Ethan¡¯spany. She did not have any notable talents


    or wit. She imed to be a mukbang expert, but the


    videos of her eating are often off-putting. That was when Ethan brought Sophia in to help strategize her


    videos.


    Truth to be told, Sophia had a keen understanding of trends online. She knew exactly what topics to


    focus on to draw in the crowd. Since HungryBabycked


    skills to talk about, Sophia decided to hone in on the most contentious issues of the day. These include


    wealth disparity and gender conflict.


    The video that went viral was a ssic case of gender conflict. It painted the intoxicated man as


    incredibly creepy. Even after multiple rejections from the


    woman, he continued to pester her. Considering how many women have faced simr situations in real


    life, the video instantly sparked a whirlwind of


    discussions.


    As the views skyrocketed, the ount followed up with a series of videos touching on gender differences


    to capitalize on the inte wave. The ount


    quickly gained millions of followers after a month.


    Sophia initially thought that managing this ount might change Ethan¡¯s perspective of her. She even


    hoped the earnings from these videos could help


    recoup her past dues.


    But Ethan was one cold-hearted individual. He did not give her properpensation for her work and


    even publicly humiliated her. He was in a heated


    affair with the rising star HungryBaby while he maintained his rtionship with Sophia.


    When HungryBaby taunted her about it, Ethan refused to help and even joined in on the scandal.


    Sophia could not escape Ethan¡¯s grasp as she owed him money. Whenever she attempted to resist or


    flee, he would respond with immediate physical violence


    and threats to reveal her location to her debt collectors.


    It was not until she fell from grace that she finally saw Ethan¡¯s true colors. His so-called affection was


    merely predicated on her being the sole Jewell family


    heiress. He thought Sophia would inherit the Jewell family¡¯s assets, and he could naturally take over


    everything when they got married.


    Now, with her parents in trouble and their assets frozen, Sophia did not inherit a dime. Not only that, but


    she was also deep in debt. She was no longer of value


    to Ethan, and he treated her like trash. At the same time, Sophia had no choice but to endure being


    exploited to avoid her debt collectors.


    Aldor could hardly recognize her when he found her in a low- rent housing. He had not interacted with


    Sophia much. The most he saw of her was when she


    acted as thepany¡¯s ambassador.


    While Sophia might not be considered conventionally attractive, she can present herself exceptionally


    well. In Aider¡¯s recollection, her outfit was thoughtfully put


    together each time he saw her, with essories and lipstick perfectlyplementing her attire.


    Yet, the woman standing before him now had her hair tied up messily. She hardly had any makeup on


    and was wearing a cheap coat. She was almost


    unrecognizable from a few months prior.


    Sophia stood in the hallway, slightly hunched over, speaking softly to the man beside her, ¡°Please, this is


    all the money I have left. I¡¯ve given you nearly


    everything. You have to let me keep some to live.¡±


    The man snatched her wallet away, ¡°Go earn some money if you¡¯re short on cash. Albert used our


    shares as coteral and spent all that money on you. It¡¯s


    only right that you pay it back since you¡¯ve been enjoying the profits now that he¡¯s in a jam.¡±


    He nced at Sophia and remarked, ¡°Women have an easier time making money than men, especially


    someone with your looks. You can spread your


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    legs, and a few hundred bucks wille easily. You only have to sleep with eight to ten men a day. It


    won¡¯t be long before you can pay me back.¡±


    With a lewd grin, he added, ¡°Or you could spend the night with me for 500 bucks. I promise not to tell


    those people you¡¯re living here. What do you say?¡±


    Sophia trembled all over, ¡°You scumbag! Is this how your mother raised you?!¡±


    She yelled, unable to contain her outrage.


    The man¡¯s face contorted with anger, and he raised his hand to strike her. ¡°You wench. Don¡¯t act like


    you¡¯re all high and mighty,¡± he said as he hit her.

 Chapter 1577

    Chapter 1577


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1577 [Eleven Jewell]


    That p was incredibly hard, leaving Sophia feeling dizzy.


    Just as the man was going to p her again, she closed her eyes in despair.


    However, the second p nevernded. Instead, she heard a familiar voice saying, ¡°Gentleman, I¡¯ve


    recorded a video of you assaulting thisdy. If you do it


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    again, I¡¯ll submit this video to the police. Your face is captured, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be detained for a few


    days.¡±


    The man gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Mind your own business! She owes me money!¡±


    Aldor stopped speaking to the man and pretended as if he was about to call the police. Seeing that, the


    man immediately let go of Sophia and threatened her,


    ¡°Just wait and see!¡±


    Then, he took the money from Sophia¡¯s wallet and threw it on the ground before leaving.


    Aldor picked up the wallet, dusted it off, and handed it back to Sophia.


    ¡°Ms. Jewell, do you have a moment?¡±


    A cold smile appeared on Sophia¡¯s face, ¡°Why¡¯s that? Has someone ordered you to add insult to my


    injury?¡±


    Aldor replied warmly, ¡°I only have a few questions for you.¡±


    One side of Sophia¡¯s face was swollen. ¡°What are they about?¡± she replied impatiently.


    Aldor said, ¡°How did you enter Mr. Kane¡¯s room on Mr. Snyder¡¯s birthday night?¡±


    Sophia was taken aback as she looked at Aldor from head to toe. Then, she asked, after a long pause,


    ¡°Why do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°You just have to tell me who let you in.¡±


    Sophia chuckled softly, ¡°You want to know, huh? Clear my debt, and I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    Aldor kept quiet.


    Sophia could not be bothered to speak with him anymore. In her eyes, Aldor was just another useless


    assistant, no different from the assistants Albert


    messed around with. They were all just pets that would do whatever their master said.


    She was about to leave after not getting any responses from Aldor. The debt collectors had already


    found where she was hiding, so she had to move out as


    soon as possible.


    However, the money she had left was barely enough to cover her rent.


    Just as she was about to turn away, Aldor spoke, ¡°I can help you get rid of Ethan.¡±


    Sophia paused and looked at Aldor, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Aldor¡¯s expression remained calm as he continued slowly, ¡°I said I can help you break free from


    Ethan¡¯s control. Ms.


    Jewell, with your capabilities, I¡¯m sure you can easily make enough money to support yourself.¡±


    The look on Sophia¡¯s face changed.


    She despised Ste and Keegan but had worse things to worry about. Despite her hatred toward them,


    she did not have the energy or means to deal with that.


    So, if Aldor could really get rid of Ethan for her, she would not have to live so pathetically without any


    money.


    ¡°Can you really do that?¡±


    Aldor returned to his initial question, ¡°As long as you tell me the truth.¡±


    Sophia kept quiet momentarily before saying, ¡°Someone handed me a note telling me which room


    Keegan was in. Also, I got the room card from that


    person, too.¡±


    ¡°Who was it?¡± Aldor asked in a deep voice.

 Chapter 1578

    Chapter 1578


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1578 [Eleven Jewell]


    ¡°It was¡­¡± Sophia paused and smirked. ¡°Find me a ce to stay and help me get rid of Ethan. Then, I¡¯ll


    tell you the rest.¡±


    Aldor frowned, ¡°You¡¯re giving me too little information. How can I be sure that you¡¯re not lying to me?¡±


    ¡°What happened that day was too strange, so I took a picture of the note,¡±


    Sophia replied.


    She took out her phone and showed Aldor the picture as she spoke.


    The number ¡°0713¡± was written on the note, and a room card was next to it. The date in the picture


    showed that it was taken on Vermont¡¯s birthday, so Aldor


    knew that Sophia was not lying.


    As Aldor was about to take a picture of that note, Sophia quickly put her phone away, ¡°You do what I


    asked, and I¡¯ll send you the picture.¡±


    Aldor frowned, ¡°Weren¡¯t you worried it might be a trap? Why would you just go to the room without


    knowing anything?¡±


    ¡°Your trick is not going to work on me,¡± Sophia said coldly.¡± If you want to know who gave it to me, do


    as I say.¡±


    Aldor nced at her and said in a deep voice, ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll help you.


    However, you can¡¯t tell anyone we spoke today, including the person who handed you the note. You¡¯ll


    be responsible for the consequences if anyone else


    ever finds out about this.¡± He paused before continuing, ¡°I have other ways to find the truth, even if you


    won¡¯t tell me.¡±


    Sophia¡¯s gaze darkened, and she nodded, ¡°I promise.¡±


    After Aldor left the cheap rented room, he immediately called Keegan to exin the situation. ¡°Mr.


    Kane, you were right. Someone indeed guided Sophia to your


    room.


    However, she won¡¯t reveal who that person was unless I help her get rid of Ethan. So, I¡¯ve agreed to


    help.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s gaze turned deep as he asked, ¡°Who do you think it could be?¡±


    Aldor dared not make any assumptions. After all, most of the guests at the venue that day were people


    they knew.


    ¡°I believe that the person who handed Sophia the room card was not one of the guests at the birthday


    party that night. It could¡¯ve been a staff member, someone


    she wouldn¡¯t have to meet again after that night. Otherwise, she would¡¯ve definitely held that person


    ountable after she messed up that night, which


    also exins why she kept the note.¡±


    What Aldor said aligned with Keegan¡¯s suspicions. Keegan even had an idea who that person might


    be, but he found it hard to believe.


    Keegan closed his eyes and said, after a long silence,¡± Proceed with your n and try to get as much


    information as you can from Sophia. Then, investigate


    the list of hotel staff who resigned in the past six months. Also, I want you to find out every person who


    performed that night and ask them questions. Keep it low,


    and do not raise any rms.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    After hanging up, Keegan paced back and forth. Then, he picked up his phone and made a call. ¡°Hello,


    Doctor Walford. It¡¯s me, Keegan. Are you free this afternoon? I¡¯d like to ask you some questions. Great,


    I¡¯ll see youter at 3 p.m.¡±


    Aldor was very efficient. He rented another house for Sophia the next day and even paid a year¡¯s rent


    upfront.


    Sophia was very satisfied with her new ce and quickly moved in.


    As promised, she sent a picture of the note to Aldor.


    However, she still did not disclose who had given her the room card. She said that she would only do


    that after Aldor helped herpletely eliminate Ethan.


    Aldor soon contacted Ethan through his connections, attempting to negotiate with him to let Sophia go.


    However, Ethan offered a ridiculous twenty-million-dorpensation because Sophia had breached


    the contract.


    Of course, Aldor was not going to let his boss pay. Although investigating the matter through Sophia


    was the fastest way, it was not the only option.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    He then made a few calls to put pressure on Ethan, which he quickly sumbed to.


    Ethan did not believe a word of the promises Aldor made. However, he realized that his social media


    ounts andpany would continue facing severe


    restrictions if he did not give in. His source of ie would be destroyed.


    So, he reluctantly agreed to terminate Sophia¡¯s contract but insisted that she repay the five million


    within three years or he would take legal action against


    her.


    Sophia was desperate to break free from him, so they quickly agreed. However,


    Ethan yed a dirty trick and exposed Sophia as the illegitimate daughter of the Jewell family, who had


    also falsely used Ste of abusing her. He also


    revealed that Sophia was the daughter of the cofounder of Sunlight Kindergarten.

 Chapter 1579

    Chapter 1579


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1579 [Eleven Jewell]


    Sophia found herself in the line of fire as soon as her identity was exposed.


    Regardless of being an adopted child or as ¡°@ShilohTalks,¡± her actions of manipting public opinion


    with her influence to gain online attention had made


    many people despise her.


    Even worse, she was also the person who had benefited from the kindergarten incident earlier.


    She was the person who knew every detail of the incident, yet she spread false information online to


    make false usations against others.


    So, after Ethan exposed her, her personal information, such as her ID number,


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    phone number, personal photos, and home address, was dug up and shared online.


    Her phone was bombarded with notifications on the afternoon Ethan terminated her contract with him.


    People even recognized her on the streets and insulted her in her face. In just one day, Sophia had


    be someone that everyone hated.


    She did not dare to go outside or even order takeaways. She worried the delivery person might


    recognize her and expose her current address.


    When Aldor came to give her a new SIM card and food, Sophia appeared even worse than the days


    before. He knocked on the door for several minutes, and


    Sophia only opened it after confirming that it was not someone else multiple times.


    ¡°Use this SIM card to contact me for now. Things will get better once everything cools down a little.¡±


    Sophia was starving and paid no attention to what Aldor said. She snatched the bag of food and tore


    open a bag of bread before devouring it.


    Aldor could not help but feel a sense of pity as he watched Sophia wolfing down the food.


    Although she had done something wrong, what she was going through was incredibly harsh on her.


    Aldor saw her face turning red from choking on the bread, grabbed a water bottle, and handed it to her.


    Sophia snatched it over and chugged half a bottle to


    wash down the bread in her throat.


    Then, Aldor asked, ¡°I¡¯ve done what you asked. Can you tell me who was the person who gave you the


    note now?¡±


    With her disheveled hair, Sophia nced at him, ¡°Divert the public¡¯s attention from me, find me a job,


    and I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    Aldor¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Ms. Jewell, what we initially agreed on was that I¡¯d help you terminate the


    contract with Ethan, and you¡¯d tell me who it was. Are you


    breaking your promise now?¡±


    Sophia scoffed, ¡°You did help me terminate the contract, but why didn¡¯t you clean up the mess he


    made? That scum


    exposed my personal information, and now I¡¯m being doxed and scolded everywhere. I can¡¯t even find


    a job. How am I supposed to live?¡±


    ¡°I only promised to terminate your contract for you. As for what Ethan would do,


    it has nothing to do with me. I can¡¯t possibly predict what would happen.¡±


    ¡°Sort it out for me then. Otherwise, give me five million, and I can tell you too.¡±


    With a sly grin, she added, ¡°Five million is just a pocket change for Keegan. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be more than


    willing to spend it.¡±


    Aldor stared at the woman in front of him, and his gaze turned indescribably dark. He was ashamed of


    himself for feeling that sense of pity toward her


    earlier. Some people just never change. They might seem very vulnerable in their downfall, but their


    greedy nature reveals itself once they have leverage.


    ¡°Mr. Kane is not going to pay you anything,¡± Aldor¡¯s voice turned cold.


    Sophia opened another pack of bread, ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing I can tell you then.¡±


    Aldor continued to stare at her for a few more seconds.


    Then, he suddenly grabbed her wrist and forcefully pulled her off the sofa before dragging her toward


    the door.


    Sophia was startled and did not know how to react as she was dragged.


    Aldor had always given others the impression of being gentle and polite, always putting a warm smile in


    front of everyone. This led to Sophia thinking that she


    could take advantage of his seemingly kind nature.


    However, the fact that Aldor could stay by Keegan¡¯s side for so long meant that he was no ordinary


    man. He was just someone who preferred to do things the


    peaceful way before resorting to the hard way.

 Chapter 1580

    Chapter 1580


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1580 [Eleven Jewell]


    Sophia recollected herself and started struggling, ¡°What are you doing? Let go of me!¡±


    Aldor replied coldly, ¡°Ms. Jewell, it seems you¡¯ve forgotten who provided you with this ce to stay. If I


    can¡¯t get the information I want from you, there¡¯s no


    need for me to treat you nicely.¡±


    As he spoke, he opened the door and shoved her out.


    Sophia had not expected Aldor to do anything like that, and she was shocked,


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know who gave me the note?¡±


    Aldor said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ve told you I can find out who that person is even if you won¡¯t tell me. It¡¯s just


    going to take me more time.¡±


    Then, he threw her luggage out, too.


    After realizing Aldor was serious about kicking her out of the house, she panicked and said, ¡°I can¡¯t


    even get in contact with that person now. How are


    you going to find that person without even knowing anything?¡±


    ¡°Let that be my concern.¡± Aldor looked at the time, ¡°Leave now before it¡¯s toote. Otherwise, I¡¯ll have


    the security involved.¡±


    Sophia¡¯s expression changed as she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°One million, I¡¯ll tell you who it is for just


    one million!¡±


    Aldor dialed the property management¡¯s number, ¡°Hello, a strange woman had barged into my home¡­¡±


    Ten minutester, the security guards escorted Sophia out of the residential area as she cursed under


    her breath.


    Of course, Aldor was not going to give up just like that. He knew people like Sophia too well. He


    understood that they would never talk if he appeared too


    eager. Once they realized how valuable the information they held was, they would keep using it to their


    advantage.


    Aldor would never give her a chance to do so. Not only did Sophia have no money, but her reputation


    was also tarnished. He figured it could not take long


    for her to return to him, and then he could gather the information he needed.


    Sophia had nowhere to go, so she tried calling Ian.


    Ian saw Sophia¡¯s call and sneaked a look at the woman sleeping next to him. He quietly got out of bed


    before answering the call.


    ¡°Uncle, I need some money.¡±


    Sophia went straight to the point.


    Ian furrowed his brows, ¡°Didn¡¯t I just give you ten thousand earlier? Why do you need money again?¡±


    Sophia sobbed and said, ¡°The debt collector took that ten thousand away from me long ago. Uncle,


    you¡¯ve got to help me.¡±


    All Ian felt was annoyance. After Hylda and Albert were both caught, Sophia frequently called him to


    ask for money. After all, they were rtives. He also feltThis content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    guilty for betraying Hylda, so he gave Sophia more than a hundred thousand.


    However, the interest on Sophia¡¯s debt kept piling up like a bottomless pit. He was merely a ything


    for Irene; there was no way he would have enough


    money to repay Sophia¡¯s debt.


    So, he decided to tell her the truth, ¡°I¡¯m not your uncle. I¡¯m not biologically rted to your mother.¡±


    Sophia was taken aback, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand? Hugo Jewell is my son. Who do you think I am to your mother?


    ¡°The name Ian White was simply an excuse for us to have an affair.¡±


    Sophia¡¯s mind was blown. She had visited Hylda several times, yet she had never mentioned anything


    about this.


    She finally knew why Ian was so eager to distance himself from the Jewell family after they got into


    trouble.


    ¡°I still have ten thousand dors left, and I¡¯ll transfer them to you in a while. I¡¯m only doing this because


    your mother supported me financially back then. All the


    best to you, and don¡¯t call me ever again.¡±

 Chapter 1581

    Chapter 1581


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1581 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ian hung up the phone.


    After a while, Sophia received ten thousand dors in her ount. She was wearing a mask and a hat.


    Suddenly, she burst intoughter while sitting on the


    street.


    Her voice grew louder, and her expression turned deranged. The people walking past her thought she


    was insane and hurriedly kept their distance from her.


    Ian went to the balcony on the third floor after ending the call.


    Meanwhile, the windows on the second-floor balcony were wide open. Marshall stood outside as he


    lowered his gaze and poured the tea leaves from his cup


    into the flowerbed below.


    Ethan was determined to make Sophia¡¯s life miserable. Not only that the online uproar about her did


    not stop; it even escted.


    He also hired a few people just to harass her.


    Those people would follow her as soon as she went out. Instead of getting physical or scolding her,


    they would hold up signs to tell the public about the vile


    things she had done.


    It was extremely embarrassing for Sophia.


    Finally, she could not bear Ethan¡¯s wicked n anymore.


    She created an online ount without anyone knowing and publicly live streamed the truth behind


    how the video of¡± HungryBaby¡± went viral.


    She revealed how the so-called creepy guy who approached her was entirely staged, and she was the


    one who personally wrote the script.


    Not only did she share the script of the short video, but she also revealed the location in which it was


    shot. The creepy guy was just a co-worker from the


    samepany. After shooting the video, they even drank together to discuss how to edit it to make it


    go viral.


    After that, she uploaded the medical report of when Ethan physically assaulted her and used


    ¡°HungryBaby¡¯1 of having an affair with Ethan while he was still


    dating her, iming that they had gone to the hotel several times and even bullied her at the


    workce¡­


    Ethan had never expected Sophia to do anything like that. She had dragged them down without holding


    back.


    ¡°HungryBaby¡± began losing followers rapidly after Sophia¡¯s livestream. The authorities even got


    involved due to the staged video.


    The online celebrity Ethan had spent a fortune on creating had disappeared instantly. The online


    tform also permanently banned the ount


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°HungryBaby¡± formitting the hical act. The endorsement deals they received were also all


    pulled back after being engulfed in this controversy.


    Ethan suffered a huge loss, and the reputation of¡± HungryBaby¡± waspletely ruined, being


    condemned by theizens. It was impossible for them to save


    themselves online now.


    It had been some time since Ste heard anything from the Jewell family. So,


    she was pretty shocked when she saw Sophia¡¯s name appearing on the trending searches.


    Ste was slightly taken aback upon learning about what had happened recently. However, she


    scrolled to the next news very soon after that.


    She was not going to sympathize with any of Sophia¡¯s ordeals. The moment she chose to betray Albert


    for money, Ste knew she was no different from her


    parents, who were imprisoned. Sophia was just as guilty as them.


    Knock, knock.


    Ste recollected herself and said in a gentle tone, ¡°Come in. Maggie pushed the door open. Upon


    noticing that Ste was the only one inside, she turned around and locked the door.


    Ste was puzzled.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

 Chapter 1582

    Chapter 1582


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1582 [Eleven Jewell]


    Maggie walked over to where Ste was sitting and ced several sample pieces on the desk before


    saying softly, ¡°Ms. Hall, the top row here are the


    samples of our new product for this month, and the two below are from the batch two weeks ago.


    Please have a look.¡±


    Ste grabbed her jeweler¡¯s loupe and examined the items on the table. Then,


    she frowned and asked, ¡°Why are there so many cracks on these pieces?¡±


    Maggie pursed her lips and said, ¡°All the items made from thetest batch of raw materials have the


    same issue. A customer ising this afternoon to pick


    up her order, but I had to make up an excuse to postpone it. We can¡¯t give our customers products as


    such. They¡¯re all experts and can easily tell how bad the


    quality these are.¡±


    Maggie paused briefly before being more straightforward,¡± Ms. Hall, I understand that business might


    be toughtely due to the rising raw material


    andbor costs, but we can¡¯tpromise on quality. That is what jewelry enthusiasts care about the


    most. We can¡¯t cut corners just to lower our cost.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡°Did you think that I ordered lower-quality materials to save money?¡±


    Maggie was taken aback, ¡°It wasn¡¯t you?¡±


    Ste massaged her temples. ¡°The cost of raw materials has never been cheap,


    and I would never order bad quality materials just to save money.¡± She lifted her gaze and continued,


    ¡°When did you notice these materials had issues? If


    ¡°Yesterday. One of our customers wanted to check the progress of her order, so I went to fetch the


    items and found out that half of the materials we had were


    subpar.¡± After a brief pause, Maggie lowered her voice and added, ¡°I thought it was because you


    wanted to save money.¡±


    Ste replied in a deep tone, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me, but I have an idea who might¡¯ve done this.¡±


    Ste thought it would take some time before that person took action, but it seemed he could not wait


    any longer.


    Then, she lifted her gaze and asked, ¡°Is there anyone in thepany whom you have a good


    rtionship with and can be trusted?¡±


    ¡°The assistant manager and Shirley from the logistics department.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone know about this; please make a dinner reservation tonight. I want to have a chat with


    them.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Now that the fish had taken the bait, it was time to reel it in.


    Chris had been quite nervous about purchasing lower-grade materials behind Ste¡¯s back. However, a


    week passed, and Ste seemed ignorant of what


    happened.


    Then, he grew even bolder. After all, Ste was new to the industry, and he thought she could not


    discern the quality of the raw materials even if he


    switched them.


    He was not worried about other people in thepany who could tell the difference because Darcie


    was his rtive. Plus, they would not dare to expose


    him anyway.


    The money he gained from switching to lower-grade materials was way more than what he had earned


    from selling leftover materials. He regretted not doing


    this earlier as he would have probably paid off his loans by now.


    One day, Chris received a call from his supplier demanding payment for his recent orders because they


    received some new stock and needed extra funds.


    Chris was baffled, ¡°What? I already settled the bill a few days ago.¡±


    The person in charge replied, ¡°That was only a part of it, and the rest you had someone collect is still


    unpaid. We¡¯ve worked together for so long and wouldn¡¯t


    normally ask for the payment so soon. However, you¡¯ve taken too many of our stocks on credit, and our


    cash flow is affected. We can¡¯t order any new materials


    if you don¡¯t pay us now. It¡¯d be greatly appreciated if you could understand the situation. Please settle


    at least half of the outstanding amount.¡±


    Chris frowned, ¡°You must be mistaken. I personally made all the purchases and never had anyone


    collect anything for me. If The person in charge¡¯s expression changed, ¡°Mr. Poole, this is not right. That


    person was from yourpany. Who else could¡¯ve sent that person other than you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s got to be a misunderstanding. I¡¯m the only person managing the purchases at The Velvet, and I¡¯ve


    never authorized anyone to make any orders. Please


    doublecheck. I have a call to take.¡±


    Chris hung up the phone before the other person could say anything.


    That person was agitated and had been trying to contact Chris for the next three


    days. However, Chris was too preupied with exploiting thepany and had


    no time to be bothered by that.


    Not only did Chris not pay up, but he also denied making all the orders.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Eventually, the person in charge had no choice but to reach out to Ste.

 Chapter 1583

    Chapter 1583


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1583 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ste sat in her office, listening to the person in charge venting his frustrations.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, we¡¯ve been working with The Velvet for so many years, and we always provide you with the


    highest-quality, top-notch materials, even on credit.


    We wouldn¡¯t have asked for the payment if we didn¡¯t need the money so urgently.


    ¡°We¡¯re all running a business, and trust is essential. However, what you¡¯ve done is simply unfair to us!¡±


    Ste pushed a cup toward him and said in a gentle tone, ¡° Mr. Burton, have some water first.¡±


    After he took the cup, Ste said, ¡°I¡¯mpletely unaware of the situation you¡¯re describing. Mr. Poole


    has always been responsible for purchasing raw


    materials, and I can¡¯t just believe everything you said without listening to him.


    Please wait a moment, and I¡¯ll call Mr. Poole toe here. Then, we¡¯ll talk about it, okay?¡±


    Of course, Sam was up for the confrontation, ¡°I¡¯ve tried talking to him, but nothing worked out. That¡¯s


    why I came to you.¡±


    Ste nodded, ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll get him over right away.¡±


    Chris had taken a day off, iming he would attend a meeting at his child¡¯s school, but he was actually


    out shopping with his secret lover.


    His secret lover took the fall for him and was even fired. So, he had topensate and repay her. He


    had made some money from exploiting the


    When Ste called, Chris was shopping in a luxurious clothing store with his secret lover. He frowned,


    excused himself from his secret lover, and answered


    the call outside.


    ¡°Hello, Ms. Hall.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Poole,e to the store right now. There¡¯s something I need to talk to you about.¡±


    ¡°Now? Ms. Hall, I¡¯m having a meeting with my child¡¯s teacher right now. Can we talk over the phone


    instead?¡± Chris replied.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be difficult for us to discuss this over the phone. Pleasee back to the store now.¡±


    Chris felt like something bad had happened, so he said no, ¡°I really can¡¯t leave right now. Can we talk


    about it tomorrow?¡±


    Ste fell silent for a few seconds before saying, ¡°Isn¡¯t Mrs. Poole a housewife?


    Can¡¯t she attend the meeting on your behalf? I¡¯ll speak to her if you have difficulty talking to her.¡±


    His heart sank a little, and he quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll call her now ande back to the store in a while.¡±


    Chris was anxious as he called his wife while making his way back to The Velvet. He said, ¡°If I don¡¯t call


    you within an hour, call Darcie and have here


    to The Velvet.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    His wife was chatting with her friends and was taken aback upon hearing what Chris said, ¡°What¡¯s


    going on?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask so many questions; just do as I say.¡±


    Chris hung up the phone right after saying that. He figured that something must have gone wrong.


    However, he kept his ounts clean and had his own staff


    make all the purchases. He could not figure out what was the mistake he made.


    When Chris arrived at Ste¡¯s office, he saw the person in charge, Sam Burton.


    He felt nervous but kept a calm face anyway while greeting Sam, ¡°Mr. Burton,


    what brought you to our store today?¡±


    Sam scoffed, ¡°Since you¡¯re not going to settle the bill, I have no choice but to turn to your boss.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯ve already settled all the payments on the spot when I collected the


    materials. I¡¯ve told you that it wasn¡¯t my staff who made


    those orders you im, and you insisted I pay. You¡¯re simply being unreasonable.¡±


    Sam immediately burned with anger, ¡°You only paid for the materials you collected yourself, but not the


    ones picked up by your staff. The orders consisted of all top-grade materials. Do you think I¡¯d make


    such a mistake on stock worth a hundred million?¡±

 Chapter 1584

    Chapter 1584


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1584 [Eleven Jewell]


    ¡°When did I ever send someone to collect anything? Do you even have proof?¡±


    Then, Chris added, ¡°There must be some mistake. You should go back to your office for now, and I¡¯ll


    get in touch with your boss for verificationter.¡±


    Normally, Sam would just listen to Chris¡¯ suggestion and return to his office,


    knowing that the person who ordered the goods would usually get a share of the profit.


    Chris had done something like this in the past. His supplier would overquote the order to pocket the


    difference between the quoted and the actual price.


    However, Sam¡¯s boss had been giving him a hard time every day because of their cash flow issue. Yet,


    Chris refused to pick up his phone andmunicate.


    Sam was brimming with anger and did not intend to take his suggestion. He took out a dozen delivery


    notes and credit bills from his bag and asked, ¡°Is this


    not yourpany¡¯s stamp?¡±


    Ste took the documents and looked at them. Then, she frowned before shifting her gaze to Chris,


    ¡°Mr. Poole, what is this about? Thepany¡¯s stamp


    has always been with you, right?¡±


    Chris hurriedly came over and was equally puzzled, ¡°Could someone have impersonated our staff to


    collect the goods? Have you been scammed?¡±


    Ste¡¯s gaze turned extremely cold, ¡°Can¡¯t you tell if this is real or fake?¡±


    Chris was sweating profusely.


    Although Darcie had handed over The Velvet to Ste, she did not give her thepany¡¯s stamp.


    Instead, she wanted Chris to keep it.


    Ste had asked him for it previously, but he always gave her different reasons to reject her.


    Now that something like this had happened, Chris would undoubtedly be held ountable.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, I¡¯ve always personally handled all procurement orders. I¡¯ve never allowed anyone else to do


    it, and I don¡¯t know who used my name and the


    Ste stared at him and asked, ¡°Are you sure that you personally took care of all of the orders?¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Chris immediately nodded, ¡°I¡¯m absolutely certain. It involved a huge amount of money, and I¡¯ve always


    handled it personally because I¡¯m worried that anything


    would go wrong.¡±


    ¡°So, how much money worth of raw materials have you ordered from Mr. Burton for this month?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Chris was taken aback and at a loss for words.


    Ste scrutinized the look on his face and said calmly,¡±


    What¡¯s wrong? Can¡¯t you remember the details of something you personally


    handled?¡±


    Chris stammered, ¡°I¡­I remember it was a little over fourteen million.¡±


    Sam ¡°helpfully¡± chimed in, ¡°Mr. Poole had personally collected three payments


    from us with a total of eight point six million. I have all the transaction records


    here.¡±


    ¡°Eight point six million¡­.¡± Ste lifted her gaze and looked at Chris coldly, ¡°If I


    remember correctly, you reported to the finance department as one hundred and


    thirteen point eight million. What¡¯s the extra five million for?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Chris continued to sweat, and it took him a while to finally say, ¡°I found a


    new supplier, and the additional amount was paid to them.¡±


    Ste asked, ¡°Ordering from another supplier is a serious matter. Why didn¡¯t you


    tell me about it? Also, I noticed that all the invoices you submitted are from Mr.


    Burton¡¯spany. So, are you telling me that the new supplier is somehow


    rted to Mr. Burton, and he¡¯s the one who issued you the invoices?¡±


    At this moment, Sam finally understood why Chris refused to talk to him


    previously.


    They had a verbal agreement with each other. Whenever The Velvet ced an


    order with them, they would give Chris a certain amount ofmission. It was


    supposed to be a mutually beneficial rtionship, but Chris had found a new


    supplier behind their backs. Clearly, Chris was not satisfied with themission


    they were offering him.


    So, Sam decided to go all out, ¡°Ms. Hall, we only issue the invoices to your


    indeed from us, but the extra five million has absolutely nothing to do with us.¡±

 Chapter 1585

    Chapter 1585


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1585 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ste chuckled softly, ¡°This is weird then. So, Mr. Poole, who issued you the invoices for the extra five


    million?¡±


    Chris still tried to deny it, ¡°I think¡­ it was probably a mistake made by the new ountant. Ms. Hall,


    we¡¯ve got to find out who stole thepany¡¯s stamp and


    used my name to collect so many raw materials.¡±


    As Chris was speaking, the assistant manager walked in to deliver something.


    When Sam saw the assistant manager, he immediately said, ¡°It¡¯s him! He¡¯s the one who came to


    collect the order. I knew he was working for you!¡±


    Chris was taken aback as his face turned pale.


    Finally, he understood what was going on. He was fooled. It was clear that Ste had instructed the


    assistant manager to use his name to collect the raw


    materials on credit.


    In that way, Sam woulde to demand payment, and she could expose his lies.


    After all, if she were to confront him directly, the supplier could easilye up with an excuse to cover


    up for him because of their rtionship.


    Ste was aware of that, so she set Chris up, misleading him into revealing that he secretly found a


    new supplier to anger Sam. And once Sam discovered the


    truth, he would not defend Chris anymore, and everything woulde to light.


    With an icy expression, Ste said, ¡°Ordering from a new supplier without authorization, faking


    invoices, and embezzling thepany¡¯s funds. Mr. Poole,


    how bold of you!¡±


    Chris could not help but tremble, but he still tried to defend himself, ¡°M-Ms. Hall,


    I did find a new supplier, but embezzlingpany funds is a serious usation.


    You can¡¯t simply say that based on your guess. I only changed the supplier because the quality of their


    materials was excellent. Everything I did was for the


    Ste sneered, ¡°You just wouldn¡¯t be honest with me, huh?¡±


    As she spoke, she threw a document at him, ¡°Mr. Poole, would you care to exin why there are so


    many huge amounts of money getting deposited into


    your bank ount in the past few years then? How could someone with an annual sry of seven


    hundred thousand afford a house worth over twenty


    million?¡±


    Chris looked at the document as his expression grew even paler.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t tell me, perhaps we should call the police to investigate this.¡±


    Just as Ste spoke, Darcie¡¯s voice came from the door,¡± What¡¯s the huge matter that we have to get


    the police involved?¡±


    Ste paused and lifted her gaze toward the door.


    Darcie pushed the door open, with Aubrey following behind.


    She wore a faint smile on her face as she spoke in an extremely gentle tone, ¡°I heard your voice as


    soon as I came upstairs. You¡¯re starting to look more and


    more like a big boss now.¡±


    Ste pursed her lips and stood up, ¡°Darcie, what brought you here?¡±


    ¡°Your dad has had a sore throat for the past few days, so I went to the doctor to pick up some


    medicine. I happened to pass by here, so I thought I¡¯de visit.¡±


    She paused momentarily before saying to Chris, ¡°Chris, get me a cup of tea.¡±


    Chris was about to speak, but Ste interrupted him, ¡°I¡¯ll have another staff do that for you. He¡¯s


    already fired.¡±


    ¡°Fired?¡± Darcie swept her gaze across Chris. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What did he do to be fired?¡±


    ¡°Faking invoices, embezzlingpany funds, reselling ourpany¡¯s raw materials after acquiring


    them at a low price. ¡± Ste paused before continuing,


    ¡°Darcie, he¡¯s made a lot of money by selling the raw materials he bought from The Velvet. A big portion


    of your money actually went into his pocket. This is the


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    transaction record of his bank ount for the past few years. Please have a look.¡±


    Darcie frowned.


    Of course, she knew that Chris had some shady dealings behind her back.


    However, she chose to turn a blind eye because he was family and to save trouble.


    However, only after looking at the evidence did she realize how much money Chris had taken from her.

 Chapter 1586

    Chapter 1586


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1586 [Eleven Jewell]


    Darcie¡¯s expression turned stern as she threw the papers onto Chris¡¯ face,


    ¡°What a disappointment!¡±


    Chris kept quiet and dared not to speak.


    The look on Darcie¡¯s face turned cold as she suppressed her anger and


    continued, ¡°What he did is embarrassing me very much. However, it¡¯s not wise


    for you to fire him now.


    ¡°Firstly, Chris has worked with us for the longest time and is very familiar with


    the store¡¯s operation. You have just taken over not long ago; if you were to fire


    two experienced employees in a row, outsiders might think you¡¯re incapable of


    managing them. Secondly, The Velvet is short-staffed now. If you fire him now,


    no one will rece him for such a crucial position, which could lead to many


    problems.


    Thirdly, if you cause a big scene and other people discover what happened to


    our internal operations, they¡¯d start suspecting the quality of ourpany¡¯s


    products, affecting its sales.¡±


    Ste sneered inwardly, but she said humbly anyway, ¡°So, Darcie, how do you


    think this should be handled?¡±


    Darcie replied, ¡°In my opinion, it¡¯s better to keep him for now and give him a


    chance to redeem himself. However, you can always fire himter if he still


    doesn¡¯t change his ways.¡±


    ¡°Heh-¡± Ste scoffed. ¡°He stole my money, and you suggest I keep letting him


    do it? Besides, it¡¯s a crime to embezzlepany funds. I think it¡¯s better to have


    the police handle this.¡±


    Chris grew anxious, ¡°Darcie¡­¡±


    He met Darcie¡¯s re and immediately held his tongue before he could finish his


    sentence.


    Darcie pursed her lips, ¡°Ste, Chris had been with thepany for many


    years. Although he did something wrong, he has made countless contributions.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    After you took over, he worked very hard to support you. No one is perfect.


    Sometimes, it¡¯s better not to drive someone over the edge.¡±


    Ste kept quiet, and Darcie continued, ¡°I understand that the business at The


    Velvet hasn¡¯t been goodtely. Although you worked hard for the new product


    customers, and you can give Chris another chance. What do you think?¡±


    ¡®Wow! I¡¯m impressed! She doesn¡¯t really want to help Chris. Instead, she¡¯s just


    trying to regain control of thepany,¡¯ Ste thought.


    Indeed, The Velvet¡¯s performance was not as good as before, but it improved


    after the new productunch event. Darcie was not worried about Ste failing


    but was more interested in her sess in running the business.


    As Ste contemted responding, her assistant knocked on the door and


    entered, ¡°Ms. Hall, would you pleasee downstairs? Ms. Wilson came with a


    group of people, and it seems they¡¯re looking for trouble.¡±


    Ste was taken aback. ¡®Ka Wilson? Why would shee at this time?¡¯


    Ste immediately stood up upon hearing the words¡± looking for trouble.¡± Then,


    she asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. There are more than ten people downstairs. Ms. Wilson looks very


    angry, and we didn¡¯t dare to ask too much.¡±


    After Ste left, Aubrey whispered to Darcie, ¡°This daughter of Mark Wilson is a


    pain in the neck. Something¡¯s bad probably going to happen.¡±


    Darcie smirked, ¡°Let¡¯s go downstairs and check it out.¡±


    In the lobby downstairs, Ka was sitting on the sofa while flipping through the


    product brochures nonchntly.


    From time to time, she would nce toward the staircase. She shifted her gaze


    elsewhere when she saw Ste and sat up straight.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have any better designs? What is this garbage that you¡¯re showing


    me?

 Chapter 1587

    Chapter 1587


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1587 [Eleven Jewell]


    The salesperson attending to Ka quickly handed her another brochure, ¡°Here


    are more of our designs, Ms. Wilson. r?


    Ka took the booklet and flipped through a few pages.


    Before she could speak, the woman who hade with her said, ¡°Honestly, I


    don¡¯t see much of a difference. Ever since they changed the management here,


    the aesthetics of the products have declined.¡±


    The group ofdies had gathered nearby for a meal. Since the incident at the


    banquet, Ka had not attended such socialite gatherings in ages, which had


    everyone concerned. They were worried that Ka might hold a grudge against


    Xianna, which would affect their family¡¯s businesses. After all, they were in a


    joint partnership and still had to coborate with Mark Energy.


    They finally managed to coax her out to socialize today.


    However, they had not been together for long when Ka suddenly expressed


    interest in checking out some jewelry. She even asked if they wanted to join her.


    The socialites were already hoping to mend their ties with Ka, so they eagerly


    agreed.


    The club where the gathering was held was just across Gxy Avenue. The


    group began to specte when they walked over and saw The Velvet.


    One of the girls¡¯ parents was on good terms with Mark. She had been invited to


    visit the Wilson family not too long ago.


    After she returned, she mentioned in the group that Ste seemed quite eager


    to befriend Ka. She would often send gifts to the Wilson family¡¯s heiress, but


    Ka did not pay much attention to her and even found her annoying.


    Everyone knew that Ka had a good rtionship with Jaylene. Since Ste


    reunited with the Saun family, Jaylene had noticeably been neglected by them.


    Furthermore, it wasmon knowledge that Darcie wanted to hand over The


    Velvet to Jaylene. Now that Ste was running the store, many people


    wondered if she had snatched over the rights for herself.


    If that was the case, it was only natural for Ka toe to her store and


    avenge Jaylene.


    ¡®No wonder she called us over to look at jewelry. She must want to embarrass


    Ste.¡¯


    Assuming so, the others quickly followed suit.


    ¡°This design is just too in, don¡¯t you think? It¡¯s far worse from what it used to


    be.¡±


    ¡°Sure, Barbara¡¯s professional conduct might not be topnotch, but she used to


    have quite a few noteworthy pieces. Now that she¡¯s gone, no one can take


    charge of the designs.¡±


    ¡°They should¡¯ve let professionals handle the business and not someone who


    knows nothing about jewelry.¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Ste heard all of the belittling remarks made by the group. Many have cast


    their doubts when she took over the business. Hence, she had long grown


    immune to theirments. However, she did feel somewhat uneasy seeing


    Ka walk in with the group of socialites.


    Ste had been desperate to do business with Ka, but that desire had waned


    a bit. When she sent those items to Ka, it was not just out of self-interest.


    She also hoped that she would be better. Their simr experiences made


    her easily empathize with Ka¡¯s situation among those socialites. But it


    seemed that empathy was not what Ka was after.


    Ste lifted her gaze and donned her usual smile. She was about to extend a


    greeting when Ka abruptly stood up and called out to the person behind her,


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you here, Mrs. Saun.¡±


    Ste immediately shut her mouth. She watched as Ka walked past her to


    Darcie and said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s been ages since west crossed paths. You


    look younger and prettier than thest time we met.

 Chapter 1588

    Chapter 1588


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1588 [Eleven Jewell]


    Darcie chuckled. She yed the role of an affectionate elder and gently adjusted a strand of Ka¡¯s hair,


    ¡°You always know how to make meugh, my


    dear.¡±


    Ka quipped back, ¡°I¡¯m serious. My mom always questions how you look younger than her when both


    of you are simr in age. She¡¯s practically green


    with envy.¡±


    Darcie nced at Ste, whose expression remained cool and detached. Her


    smile deepened. After a bit of small talk, she finally asked, ¡°Are you here for


    something?¡±


    Ka could not resist venting, ¡°It¡¯s those jewelry pieces I ordered earlier. The


    designer did such a horrid job. My dad could not stopughing when I showed it


    to him. He asked me why I was wearing a rooster around my neck. It really got


    under my skin.¡±


    Her friends around her burst intoughter, ¡°Mr. Wilson sure has a sense of


    humor!¡±


    ¡°Why not return it?¡±


    ¡°Custom-made jewelry usually can¡¯t be returned unless there¡¯s a quality issue,


    right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so unfair! Ka paid so much money for the jewelry, yet it looks hideous.


    And now you¡¯re saying she can¡¯t return it? This is daylight robbery!¡±


    Ste furrowed her brows slightly. ¡®When did I ever send


    Ka a rooster-themed piece?¡¯ she wondered.


    Darcie¡¯s gaze shifted to Ste. She smiled faintly and said,¡± Ste is still quite


    new to all of this, having just taken over. She might not be entirely familiar with


    how things work yet. If you truly dislike it, just bring it over, and I¡¯ll ensure you


    get a refund. Business should be a mutual agreement, not a forced transaction.¡±


    This statement showcased Darcie¡¯s understanding of business. Not only did she


    advocate for Ste and clean up her mess, but she also amodated her


    customers.


    However, beneath the surface, it was a subtle critique of Ste¡¯s apparentck


    of consideration and business ethics.


    Ste tightened her fists. She initially nned to fire Chris today, but with


    Darcie¡¯s unexpected appearance and Ka causing a scene in the store, she


    knew she had no chance of doing so.


    As Ste contemted her next move, Ka suddenly stated, ¡°I¡¯ve already


    returned it, and they¡¯ve made a new one for me.¡±


    As she spoke, she pulled out the jade phoenix pendant she was wearing. The


    jade was of exceptional quality, and the craftsmanship was exquisite. Everyone


    was instantly captivated.


    Darcie¡¯s expression stiffened, but she quickly regainedposure, ¡°You


    seemed so upset just now. I thought they didn¡¯t fix it for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not like that. I just recalled how you arranged for


    Barbara to work with me, and I couldn¡¯t help but get mad,¡± said Ka.


    She continued, ¡°You have no idea how many times she took advantage of me.


    She would mess up my order every time, and I¡¯d have to tell her to refine the


    design and make it more elegant. I also told her I didn¡¯t wantrge pieces, but


    she never listened and always charged me more than what I was asking for. I


    understand she did that because she would get a highermission, but it just


    doesn¡¯t sit right with me.


    ¡°Moreover, the designs she came up with were truly dreadful. Mrs. Saun, you


    clearly have a talented designer in your store. Why on earth did you assign


    Barbara to me? She even giarized other people¡¯s work! I¡¯m d Ms. Hall let


    her go and arranged a new designer for me. I¡¯m genuinely pleased with her


    work. I considered having her create another set for me, but she mentioned her


    superiors had assigned her to a different project. So she¡¯ll have to find someone


    else to work with me. I was not happy with that, so I rushed here.¡±


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Ka looked at Ste and said, ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone else. I want the designer


    you set me up with before.¡± She paused momentarily, her tone assertive, ¡°I don¡¯t


    mind paying more as long as I get to work with her again. Also, the designs on


    the brochure don¡¯t look as good as the ones you showed me before. How much


    would it cost to hire you as my image consultant?¡±


    Everyone was stunned to hear that, including Ste.


    ¡®So she wasn¡¯t here to bring Ste down?¡¯

 Chapter 1589

    Chapter 1589


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1589 [Eleven Jewell]


    Darcie¡¯s smile dropped at the sound of Ka wanting Ste to be her image consultant. She initially


    thought Ka¡¯s arrival was an opportunity to stir things up even more. She had even strategically ced


    new personnel in The Velvet but never expected such a turn of events.


    Ste did not see iting either. She had not interacted much with Kately. Most of the design


    matters were handled by Maggie.


    Ka was quite pleased with the piece, so she went ahead and paid the deposit. The item was delivered


    just a couple of days ago. It was personally sent to the Wilson residence by thepany staff.


    So, when Ka showed up at the store today, Ste genuinely thought it was because she was


    dissatisfied with the product.


    Every word Ka uttered, though harsh, seemed aimed at steering the situation in her favor. Ste could


    not help but think of Keegan, who simrly appeared cold and aloof but gradually showed a warmer and


    caring side.


    She looked at Ka, her gaze softening, ¡°rm not a professional. But if you like, I¡¯d be happy to offer my


    suggestions for free. It¡¯s not a problem if you want


    Maggie to handle future designs. The reason why she had another designer take on your order is


    probably because she has a heavy workloadtely and is afraid you might get impatient.¡±


    ¡°I have plenty of time and money. I can wait,¡¯ Ka huffed.


    Ste chuckled, ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll talk to Maggie and get an appointment scheduled.¡±


    ¡°Great,¡± Ka replied. She then turned to Darcie and softened her tone, ¡°Mrs. Saun, the quality of The


    Velvet¡¯s products has dropped significantly in the past two years. The new owner you found has only


    taken over for a little over a month, but the quality seems to have improved considerably. It¡¯s a step


    above what it was when I first encountered The Velvet. You¡¯ve truly found the right sessor, Mrs.


    Saun.¡±


    Darcie could not believe her ears. She tried to offer a smile, but she was not able to do so. This was not


    the oue she wanted.


    In the end, Darcie could only maintain herposure and say in a low voice,


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hearthat you¡¯re satisfied, Ms. Wilson. I agree; Ste has a sharp mind and good taste.¡±


    ¡°I trust her because you picked her, Mrs. Saun. I believe in your judgment,¡± said Ka.


    Darcie was in distress hearing that.


    The group of young socialites who were there with Ka finally caught on that she was not there to settle


    scores with Ste; she was there to ce a new order.


    Ka¡¯s phoenix pendant was so stunning that some of the girls began to get ideas, ¡°Ms. Hall, can I also


    make an appointment? My mom¡¯s birthday ising up, and I¡¯d like to get a custom piece for her.¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to order a pair of earrings, Ms. Hall. Is it possible to customize earrings?¡±


    ¡°There are issues with the craftsmanship of a pendant I bought from another store. Is it possible to get it


    fixed here?¡±


    The group was eager to ask questions.


    One of the reasons they wanted to make an order with The Velvet was Ka¡¯s obvious fondness for the


    store, in addition to the craftsmanship. Moreover, it would give them a shared topic of conversation.


    The Velvet had consistently delivered high-quality products. However, the girls were influenced by


    Xianna in hating Jaylene and hesitated to support the store.


    Now that they think about it, they find it unreasonable not to buy from The Velvet because of the conflict


    between the Annes and Sauns.


    We¡¯re just consumers. As long as the product is good and meets our standards, does it really matter who


    gets the money?¡¯ they thought.


    Ste had her assistant call for Maggie, and the few salespeople quickly registered the girls into their


    system.


    Darcie felt ashamed as she watched everything unfold. Just half an hour ago, she had sworn to help


    Ste stabilize her customer base. Yet, there was no need for her to do so anymore.


    Ste had just finished attending to the guests when she saw Darcie about to leave. She hurriedly


    stopped her and said, ¡°Mrs. Saun, I appreciate your kindness, but I¡¯d like to hold on a bit longer. As for


    the shortage of staff you mentioned, I¡¯ll try to manage on my own. Though the situation is not ideal, it is


    still better than a potentially worse scenario. As for Chris, embezzlingpany property is a crime. I¡¯ve


    already had my assistant report him to the police.


    Darcie¡¯s gaze abruptly darkened, ¡°Ste, that sounds a little ruthless of you. It¡¯s best not to take things


    too far in life.¡±

 Chapter 1590

    Chapter 1590


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1590 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ste chuckled when she heard what Darcie had said, ¡°If I were truly ruthless, I would have invited his


    wife, daughter, and mistress to join us today. I spared him out of respect for you, Mrs. Saun.¡±


    Darcie¡¯s face turned even paler. Without a word, she turned and briskly walked away.


    Ste watched as she retreated, her gaze cold.


    Not long after Darcie left, the police arrived. They escorted Chris out of the store through the back door.


    Only then did Ste return to the lobby.


    Upon entering, she spotted Ka looking at her. She was about to greet her, but


    Ka immediately turned around to chat with someone else.


    Ste was taken aback.


    Ka sat on the sofa and pretended to engage in conversation for a while.


    When she turned her head, Ste was nowhere to be found.


    She looked left and right while furrowing her brows, wondering where Ste had disappeared to. Just


    then, a cup of coffee appeared in front of her.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Looking for me?¡± Ste said as she smiled at Ka.


    Ka did not answer. She took the coffee, wanting to say something, but was feeling unsure how to


    begin. She felt a bit awkward. In the end, Ste broke the silence, ¡°Thank you for helping me today.


    Without you, I might not have handled it so smoothly.¡±


    Ka traced her fingers along the cup¡¯s edge, feeling a bit uneasy, ¡°I just thought the pieces were nice,


    so I came to take a look. Don¡¯t read too much into it.¡±


    Ste chuckled softly, ¡°Regardless of the reason, I still want to express my gratitude.¡±


    Maggie had just told her everything. While Ste was dealing with Chris, Ka asked about jewelry


    maintenance on WhatsApp. In passing, she had inquired about Ste¡¯s situation.


    Maggie touched on thepany¡¯s affairs and inferred that things might get moreplicated with


    Darcie¡¯s arrival.


    Shortly after, Ka arrived at the store with her entourage and put on this little performance.


    Ste regained control of the situation in one swoop, leaving Darcie speechless.


    She was unsure why Ka had helped her, ¡®Is it possible that the magazines I sent made her realize I


    truly wanted to be friends with her?¡¯


    ¡°The looks in the magazines you sent are terribly unattractive,¡± Ka pursed her lips and said. It


    appeared as though she had read her mind.


    She added, ¡°That scarf you helped me pick out the other day was much better.¡±


    Ste could not help but suppress her smile as she observed how weird Ka acted, ¡°Would you like to


    meet my partner? I¡¯m sure you two would hit it off,¡± she asked.


    Keegan and Ka were both equally headstrong. They tend to say one thing and mean another and are


    always ready to defend others.


    Ste¡¯s statement caught Ka off guard. It took her a moment to respond, ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me


    by introducing your partner to me. I don¡¯t find him appealing anyway.¡±


    Ste¡¯s mouth twitched. She thought Ka was simply being overly imaginative at first. Yet, she was


    surprised by her words, ¡®What does she mean when she said she doesn¡¯t find Keegan appealing?¡¯


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he attractive?¡± she asked.


    Ka shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    Ste was about to suggest Ka get her eyes checked when she saw Ka¡¯s eyes gleaming with


    interest, ¡°Who¡¯s that handsome guy over there?¡±


    ¡®Let¡¯s see who she¡¯s referring to,¡¯ thought Ste. Right after she turned around, she heard someone call


    her name.

 Chapter 1591

    Chapter 1591


    Ste spotted the approaching figure and momentarily froze. It was Marshall.


    ¡®Okay, fine. I¡¯ll admit he¡¯s good-looking. But Keegan is slightly more handsome than him,I thought Ste.


    She had infrequent encounters with Marshall following the banquet her family held to announce her


    return. Due to a priormitment, he was unable to attend the productunch, but he made sure to


    send two flower baskets in his absence.


    Over a month had passed since then, and Marshall seemed a little slender. His features had be


    more defined, but his smile remained gentle. His appearance suggested he had been at a party. He was


    dressed in a crisp white suit, projecting an image of refined sophistication.


    When Marshall approached the store, Ste greeted him with a smile and said,


    ¡°Mr. Moore, what brings you here?¡±


    ¡°I attended a wedding nearby and figured I¡¯d stop by since I haven¡¯t been here since you took over. Not


    gonna lie, I was worried you wouldn¡¯t be here,¡± he exined, offering a bag of candy. ¡°Here are some


    sweets from the wedding. We can share the joy.¡±


    Ste grabbed a handful of candies and took one for herself. She passed the rest to Ka and said,


    ¡°The flower baskets were more than enough, considering your busy schedule. I¡¯m afraid I would have to


    pay you for your time if you were to show up to the grand reopening.¡±


    Marshall joined in the banter, ¡°Perhaps you could treat me to a meal to make up forst time.¡±


    Ste paused, suddenly recalling the time when she had just divorced, and Marshall had helped her with


    the defamationwsuit. She offered to treat him to a meal aspensation. However, due to Keegan¡¯s


    antics, they never got to enjoy it. It had been so long since then. Ste did not expect Marshall to still


    remember.


    ¡°Alright. It¡¯s a deal,¡± sheughed.


    Ste turned to Ka and said, ¡°Ms. Wilson, this is my- My partner¡¯s childhood friend, Mr. Moore. He¡¯s a


    pro in thew field. If you ever have legal concerns, he¡¯s the man to go to. You¡¯re practically guaranteed


    a win in anywsuit thates your way.¡±


    She then looked at Marshall and continued, ¡°Mr. Moore, this lovelydy here is Ms. Wilson, the daughter


    of Mark Wilson from Mark Energy. She¡¯s also a friend of mine. You two should get acquainted while I go


    settle some stuff.¡±


    Ka confidently extended her hand, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Ka.¡±


    Marshall greeted her with a brief handshake. ¡°Marshall,¡± he said and stared at Ste while Ka sized


    him up.


    Ste was wrapped up in her conversation with the store manager as Marshall stood by patiently. He


    was watching her with an indescribable emotion behind his eyes.


    Previously, the Moore family had arranged for an acquaintance to introduce Ka to Marshall, hoping to


    set them up. Her parents had a favorable impression of the Moores, so they approved the request


    without consulting her.


    Although they did not push her to date Marshall, they hoped she would give him a chance.


    Ka¡¯s parents doted on her greatly, and she did not want to upset them over a small matter. So, she


    agreed.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    On the day of the blind date, Ka¡¯s car broke down on the way. She called for a mechanic and took a


    cab to her date. She arrived at the coffee shop a little after the scheduled time. That was when a waiter


    handed her a note that read, ¡°I don¡¯t like people who arete. I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re ipatible.¡±


    That incident infuriated Ka.


    She could not help but feel irritated when she realized the guy she deemed attractive earlier was the


    same person who wrote that note. However, she remained silent.


    Once Ste finished her conversation with the store manager, she walked over and said, ¡°Give me ten


    minutes. The three of us can go out for a meal after I attend to something upstairs.¡±

 Chapter 1592

    Chapter 1592


    Marshall nodded and said, ¡°Take your time.¡±


    Despite having promised to be with them after ten minutes, Ste got caught up with work and could not


    break free. Ten minutes turned into twenty, and she was still nowhere to be found.


    Ka looked at the time and asked, ¡°Mr. Moore, how is it that you¡¯re friends with Ms. Hall?¡±


    Marshall looked at her, seemingly surprised by the question. Nheless, he responded, ¡°Ste has a


    good personality. She¡¯s warm-hearted and loyal to her friends. She¡¯s someone worth knowing.¡±


    ¡°But didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t like people who don¡¯t value punctuality? She said she¡¯d be here in ten


    minutes, but it¡¯s been twenty, and she still hasn¡¯te down yet. Don¡¯t you want to write her a note and


    leave?¡± Ka queried.


    Marshall was taken aback. He then realized who she was. The recent string of arranged dates was more


    of a family obligation for him. He did not intend to pursue any romantic rtionships. So, he made


    excuses to end each date.


    Ka¡¯s mention of the note jogged his memory. He smiled and exined, ¡°I apologize for my rudeness.


    I¡¯m not particrly fond of getting to know someone with the intention of developing a romantic


    rtionship through arranged meetings. However, I couldn¡¯t refuse my family¡¯s arrangement, so I had to


    come up with an excuse to leave the blind date. I¡¯m truly sorry for making you upset.¡±


    His response left Ka stunned, ¡®Well, this is unexpected. I guess he isn¡¯t as bad as I thought.¡¯


    Ka realized that she had been acting petty and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I waste because my car broke down


    that day. I¡¯m not a fan of arranged meetings, either.


    You left a note, which gave me a chance to exin things to my parents.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still young, Ms. Wilson. There¡¯s no need to rush into arranged meetings.


    You should find someone who likes you back if you want to spend a lifetime together. That¡¯s the key to a


    lasting rtionship.¡± Marshall advised. Ka was at a loss for words.


    None of the men she had met were as polite and considerate as Marshall. Even if his words were merely


    courteous, his demeanor struck a chord. She chuckled and asked, ¡°Mr. Moore, do you like someone?¡±


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Marshall¡¯s eyes softened at the sound of that. ¡°Yes,¡± he replied.


    Ka froze momentarily. She then understood that the person Marshall liked did not like him back, ¡®It


    makes a lot of sense. How could such an outstanding person still be single at thirty?¡¯


    After nearly half an hour, Ste finally showed up, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for the dy. I got caught up with work.


    Let¡¯s go; you two choose somewhere. The food is on me.¡±


    ¡°You two go ahead. I¡¯ll pass,¡± said Ka.


    Ste was puzzled, ¡°Do you have ns?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m trying to lose some weight.¡±


    ¡°We can go for seafood. They¡¯re low in calories,¡± Ste immediately suggested.


    ¡°Trust me. It¡¯lle right out when you go to the toilet.¡±


    Ka could not believe her ears, ¡®This does not sound like something the heiress of the Saun family


    would say¡­¡¯


    She nced at Marshall, who seemed ustomed to this kind of exchange. He even clenched his fist,


    trying to suppress hisughter.

 Chapter 1593

    Chapter 1593


    After some convincing, Ste managed to drag Marshall and Ka out for food. She had messaged


    Keegan toe to the gathering, but he was busy with work.


    Upon hearing that she would be out with Marshall, he could not help but feel a pang of jealousy.


    However, knowing that Ka would be there, Keegan begrudgingly swallowed his anger. He advised


    Ste to leave promptly after the meal and return to the Royalpark Vi, saying he had something to


    discuss with her.


    Ste could guess what Keegan had in mind. It was her birthday tomorrow. He probably wants to give


    me a birthday gift,¡¯ she thought.


    Wenham had initially nned an borate celebration, but Ste declined the effort. She was not close


    with many of the people in her social circle.


    Considering the recent banquet thrown to announce Ste¡¯s return to the Saun family, throwing such a


    huge event might not only be unfavorable but also be seen as excessive.


    After much persuasion, Wenham settled for a smaller gathering with family and a few of Ste¡¯s close


    friends.¡± This is the first time we¡¯re celebrating your birthday,¡± he said.


    Ste did not want to throw a party. However, she could not help but feel a bit sentimental hearing those


    words and eventually agreed to the n.


    ¡®Even with a reduced guest list, there would still be people to entertain. This means I wouldn¡¯t spend


    much alone time with him on my birthday. There¡¯s no doubt he wants to spend some extra time with me


    beforehand.¡¯ With this in mind, Ste could not help but eat faster.


    Ka watched as she devoured her food and asked, ¡°Are you trying to eat more to get your money¡¯s


    worth?¡±


    ¡°Pfft-¡°


    Upon hearing that, Ste choked on her food and coughed while covering her mouth, ¡®She literally


    shares the same humor as Keegan.¡¯


    Marshall kindly handed her a tissue and said, ¡°I saw on your social media that your audition was


    sessful. When do you start filming?¡±


    Ste became enthusiastic at the mere mention of work,¡± Probably after New Year¡¯s.¡±


    The new movie adapted from a novel was called The Enclosure. The narrative unfolded during an era of


    strict social boundaries that ced significant limitations on women¡¯s freedoms.


    The female lead of the movie was not allowed to remarry following her husband¡¯s passing. Instead, she


    had to keep up with the mourning rituals within the confines of an enclosure. All the women in the town


    who lost their husbands were sent there. Those who tried to escape would be severely shunned by


    others.


    Should a woman bear a son who was willing to look after her, she could avoid confinement. If the son did


    not want to take responsibility for his mother, she would be left there.


    The story was narrated from the perspective of a child who lived in the enclosure. Her mother had given


    birth to her after the passing of her husband.


    This led people to think that the woman had the child with another man. When the woman¡¯s husband


    passed, his family tried to im his property and refused to acknowledge the child.


    In order to clear her name from the cheating usations, the child¡¯s mother took her own life. The child


    was then raised by the women inside the enclosure.


    Over the years, the main lead witnessed the struggles and resistance of every woman within the


    enclosure.


    The novel was exceptionally well-written. Ste could not fall asleep the first time she read it. Her mind


    was filled with the tragic destinies of each character, burdened by the chains of their time.


    Although the story mainly revolved around the fourth wife of a wealthy man, every character in the story


    had their own detailed fate. The narrative intricately showcased the experiences of the women of that


    era.


    Ste really liked the script of the movie. However, since Trevor had bought the rights to the film for her,


    the director did have some reservations about her. He did not even invite her to audition in person but


    rather had her send a video where she recited a few lines of dialogue.


    The director also had a liking for the script. However, Trevor secured the rights to the film before he


    could. So, the director approached Trevor, proposing to buy the rights from him.


    Trevor was very gracious. He offered to let him direct the film and even stated that they could share the


    box office revenue. The only condition was that Ste had to be the lead.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    The director was rather famous in the industry and found it annoying when sponsors insisted on putting


    an actor into a film. But he was particrly fond of the script. After much contemtion, he eventually


    relented.


    The director did not think it was necessary for Ste to audition because she would be getting the part


    either way. So, he did not bother to put her through the rigorous process.


    Ste genuinely loved the concept of the movie. Though she knew that the director did not particrly


    favor her, she boldly epted the role.


    ¡°I¡¯ll work hard to y my part when the timees. If the director still thinks I¡¯m not suitable for the role,


    I¡¯ll step down. That way, the director would be happy, and I won¡¯t have any regrets.¡±


    Marshall replied, ¡°The director might have some bias because you were put in the movie by a sponsor.


    It¡¯s normal. Actually, I don¡¯t think he dislikes you. It¡¯s just that most rmended actors whock talent


    tend to act all high and mighty.


    There¡¯s nothing wrong with using your connections if you truly can y a role well.¡±


    Ste feltforted by his words and smiled, ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll do my best and win over the director.¡±

 Chapter 1594

    Chapter 1594


    Ka looked at the two and suddenly noticed that Marshall regarded Ste as more than just a friend.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Before the group finished their meal, Ste¡¯s phone rang. Her eyes immediately lit up when she saw the


    caller ID. She grabbed her phone and said, ¡°Excuse me while I take this call outside.¡±


    Marshall was visibly disappointed once Ste left.


    Ka calmly took a sip of her water as she thought, ¡®Does Marshall have a thing for his friend¡¯s partner?


    Woah. The romantic dynamic in the entertainment industry is wild.¡¯


    Meanwhile, Ste walked to the terrace and answered the phone.


    ¡°Why did it take you so long to pick up?¡± The person on the other line sounded displeased.


    ¡°It was too noisy inside. I just stepped out of the restaurant,¡± said Ste. ¡°Are you done with work?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Keegan replied. ¡°I¡¯m on my way to pick you up. We won¡¯t have time if I go anyter.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Keegan lowered his voice mysteriously, ¡°I prepared a surprise for you.¡± Steughed and asked, ¡°What


    kind of surprise?¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be a surprise anymore if I tell you. I¡¯ll be there soon. You can start heading out.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    After hanging up, Ste settled the bill and bid farewell to Marshall and Ka.


    He offered to drive Ste home when he heard that she was leaving.


    ¡°Thank you for the offer, Mr. Moore, but could you please drive Ms. Wilson home instead? It¡¯ste, and it


    might not be safe for her to go back alone.¡±


    Marshall hesitated and said, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Ste thanked him and hurried downstairs.


    As soon as she left, Ka pointed to the table and said, ¡°She forgot her phone.¡±


    Marshall grabbed Ste¡¯s phone and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go give it to her. You can take your time. I¡¯ll wait for you


    downstairs and drive you home.¡±


    Without waiting for Ka to respond, he chased after Ste.


    At that time, Ste had already reached the roadside and was looking around, searching for Keegan¡¯s


    car.


    ¡°Ste,¡± Marshall called her name as he caught up to her.¡± You forgot your phone.¡±


    Ste turned around and immediately cursed herself for being so careless. She took the phone and said,


    ¡°Thank you so much. I would¡¯ve panicked had I realized after I left.¡±


    Marshall smiled and said, ¡°It was Ms. Wilson who noticed it. I didn¡¯t-¡°


    Before he could finish his sentence, his expression suddenly changed. He quickly grabbed Ste¡¯s wrist,


    pulling her toward him.


    Ste barely had time to register what was happening when a sudden breeze swept past her ear, and


    something brushed against her back. She turned her head only to catch a glimpse of the rear end of a


    car.


    ¡°They should really revoke that person¡¯s driving license!¡± Marshall¡¯s voice rang out in anger.


    Being so close to him, Ste could clearly see his hands trembling ever so slightly

 Chapter 1595

    Chapter 1595


    Ste soon realized that she had avoided a close call with death just a moment ago. She got


    goosebumps and broke out in cold sweat.


    Marshall held her hand, his tone unusually tense, ¡°Are you okay? Did the car hit you? Why aren¡¯t you


    saying anything? Are you hurt?¡±


    Ste pressed her lips together and suddenly withdrew her hand from his palm.


    Marshall was momentarily taken aback.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Ste lowered her head and pretended to adjust her clothes. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she said.


    She then looked up at him and smiled, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Her gaze suddenly grew distant, and Marshall watched her in a daze. He could read her emotions


    without the need for words. She was rejecting his affection.


    Marshall lowered his eyes, feeling a pang in his heart. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re fine,¡± he whispered.


    Ste clutched her phone. She wanted to say something but did not know how to begin.


    Ste always thought that Keegan was overthinking when he got jealous of Marshall. But the urgency


    and relief in


    Marshall¡¯s eyes made things apparent to her; he did not just see her as a friend.


    Ste could not help but reflect on whether she had done something to make


    Marshall misinterpret their connection and have feelings for her, Does he like me because I saved him


    from his client¡¯s abusive husband?¡¯


    ¡®That can¡¯t be it. Marshall is a mature and rational man. How could he develop feelings for someone just


    because they saved his life, especially when I¡¯m his best friend¡¯s ex cum current partner?¡¯


    Marshall was exceptionally good at keeping his emotions in check. If it were not for the sudden turn of


    events earlier, Ste would not have noticed it at all.


    However, since he had not confessed his feelings, she naturally could not say anything to reject him.


    Ste pondered the situation and decided to change the topic. ¡°I heard from Mr.Snyder that you¡¯ve been


    going on blind dates recently. How¡¯s it going? Have you found anyone you like?¡± she asked with a smile.


    Marshall sighed, ¡°The dates were fine, but I haven¡¯t found anyonepatible yet.¡±


    ¡°How do you know they¡¯re not the right fit if you haven¡¯t spent much time together? Love at first sight is


    rare. Familiarity breeds fondness, you know?¡±


    ¡°Then what about you and Keegan?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ He fell in love with me at first sight, relentlessly pursued me, and insisted on marrying me while I


    grew fond of him over time,¡± she bluffed.


    ¡°Did he fall for you during your blind date?¡±


    ¡°He fell for me even earlier than that.¡± Ste seemed to have endless things to say whenever she talked


    about Keegan.¡± I¡¯ve told you before, right? Seven years ago, I had a car ident with my mom. Keegan


    pulled me out of the car, and that¡¯s when he fell in love with me at first sight.¡±


    Marshall paused, his lips lightly pressing together, ¡°Really?¡± He chuckled.,


    ¡°Keegan is such a mutt. Weren¡¯t you just eighteen or neen at the time?¡±


    Ste was stunned to hear that. She forced augh, not knowing how to carry on the conversation. She


    changed the subject once again, ¡°Mr. Moore, if you don¡¯t like the girls your family introduces you to, I can


    introduce you to my friends.¡±


    ¡°Are you nning to get Ms. Thompson away from Vermont and introduce her to me?¡± Marshall joked.


    Ste felt a bit more at ease after hearing that. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that; Felicity is my best friend. But I


    do have other friends. Don¡¯t forget that I graduated from a drama academy. I have tons of gorgeous


    friends. I¡¯ll definitely find someone who matches your appearance and has a great personality.¡±


    Marshall chuckled softly, ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be asking for your help if I still haven¡¯t found anyone in a year or so.¡±


    Ste patted her chest and assured him, ¡°You can count on me.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, she heard a vehicle honking from behind.


    Ste turned around and saw Keegan¡¯s car parked not far away, its lights blinking on and off. Aldor got


    out of the driver¡¯s seat, greeted Marshall politely, and opened the door for Ste.

 Chapter 1596

    Chapter 1596


    Ste bid farewell to Marshall and reminded him to escort Ka home.


    ¡°Sure thing,¡± Marshall replied.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Ste waved and quickly stepped into the car. Aldor nodded at Marshall and got in as well.


    As the car drove away, Marshall stood in ce, watching it gradually fade from view.


    Inside the car, Ste leaned against the window and looked outside. After a while, she began to sigh


    deeply.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Regretting that I interrupted your dinner with Mr. Moore? Feeling disappointed that you


    had to leave?¡± Keegan teased.


    Ste would usually have aeback. But after noticing Marshall¡¯s feelings for her, she could not


    muster a spirited response.


    ¡°Keegan, can I ask you a question?¡± Her tone was serious.


    Keegan looked slightly surprised. He raised his chin, unscrewed his water bottle, and said, ¡°Sure.¡± He


    then took a sip of water, ready to attend to Ste¡¯s inquiry.


    ¡°Am I the type of woman men fall for at first sight?¡±


    Keegan choked on his water when he heard that.


    Ste handed him a tissue, slightly annoyed, ¡°What¡¯s with that reaction?¡±


    Keegan wiped the water from his lips, looked her up and down, and said, ¡¯Well, sure, if they¡¯re


    unfamiliar with you.¡±


    He was implying that many people are visual creatures, regardless of their gender. Individuals who look


    good are bound to catch people¡¯s attention.


    Ste took it as apliment and pressed on, ¡°What about after getting to know me?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s voice was soft, ¡°If they still like you after getting to know you, they¡¯re either blinded by lust, or


    they have a unique taste.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyelid twitched. She pretended to be angry and red at him, ¡°What do you mean they have a


    unique taste? Exin yourself!¡±


    ¡°For starters, you love to bluff and boast about yourself. You enjoy teasing people for no reason. You


    never admit that you¡¯re wrong. Plus, you¡¯re good at ying the victim. If someone still likes you after


    knowing all this, wouldn¡¯t you say they have a unique taste?¡± Keegan said.


    Ste ground her teeth, ¡°And what about you? You have a sharp tongue. A single word from you could


    kill a person! l-lf it wasn¡¯t for the fact that you¡¯re charming, I¡¯d want nothing to do with you!¡±


    Keegan chuckled softly. He leaned closer and whispered,¡± See, you get irritated at the slightest thing.


    Who else can put up with you apart from me? I¡¯m just taking one for the team and saving the world


    from your mischief.¡±


    Ste snorted, ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself. There are plenty of people who appreciate me.¡±


    ¡°Oh? And who might those be? Your ex-boyfriend you dated for two weeks? Or Marshall?¡±


    Ste was taken aback, ¡°So you know that Mr. Moore¡­¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, she immediately stopped herself.


    Keegan noticed that she was acting unusual and said, ¡°Mr. Moore¡­ what?¡±


    Ste hesitated to speak. She felt that the subject was awkward, but she would feel guilty if she did not


    tell Keegan. After contemting, she whispered, ¡°I think Mr. Moore might have a little crush on me.¡±

 Chapter 1597

    Chapter 1597


    Keegan¡¯s eyelids twitched when he heard Ste say that Marshall had a crush on her. He clenched his


    hands and tried to keep hisposure, ¡°Did he confess his feelings to you?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s just that I feel that he¡¯s treating me differently. It feels more than just a regr friend,¡± Ste


    replied.


    Keegan probed further, ¡°Did anything happen during dinner to give you that impression?¡±


    Ste chose to skip the part about the close call with the car and continued, ¡°Nothing significant. It¡¯s


    just that he seemed unusually concerned about me.¡±


    Ste let out another sigh, ¡°It¡¯s so strange, Keegan. Mr.


    Moore is such a perfect man. Why would he be interested in me? I know how charming I can be, but


    I¡¯m already in a rtionship.¡±


    Keegan tried to suppress his anger, but he could not, ¡°Are you trying to make me jealous?¡±


    Ste chuckled briefly before saying, ¡°I¡¯m just teasing you. But I¡¯m genuinely puzzled by the situation.


    Mr. Moore is your childhood friend. Him having feelings for me is making things awkward.¡±


    Keegan snorted, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I was overthinking it when I mentioned it to you before?¡±


    ¡°You were freaking jealous of Trevor back then. It left me wondering if you have a thing for unnecessary


    jealousy,¡± Ste muttered.


    Keegan red at her and said, ¡°So, it¡¯s my fault?¡±


    ¡°No. Of course not. It¡¯s my fault for not realizing it sooner. Unlike you, I don¡¯t have many admirers. Very


    few people


    have pursued me. So I couldn¡¯t tell Mr. Moore¡¯s intentions right away.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you receive love letters left and right when you were in school?¡±


    Ste was shocked by his response.


    ¡°Those love letters were merely yful exchanges between children. They shouldn¡¯t be taken seriously.


    If that many people truly liked me, howe I¡¯ve only dated one person?¡±


    ¡°You sound oddly regretful,¡± Keegan sneered.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. Though I haven¡¯t dated much, I¡¯ve dated wisely. I found my true love despite all the


    challenges.¡±


    Keegan was slightly moved by her words. He looked at her with a gentler expression and smiled. Then,


    he nced at her and said, ¡°Your first love was indeed a rollercoaster.¡±


    ¡®Is he referring to our first marriage?¡¯ thought Ste.


    ¡®Keegan seems particrly pleased when I referred to him as my true love.¡¯ After a moment of


    contemtion, she decided to keep her mouth shut, Til let him enjoy this.¡¯


    Ste realized they had been driving for a long time. ¡°Where


    are we going?¡± she asked as she noticed they were not heading to Clouditude International nor the


    Royalpark Vi.


    ¡°The airport,¡± Keegan replied.


    Ste was puzzled, ¡°Why are we going to the airport?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to Solstice Shore.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Why are we heading there all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Because someone said they wanted to travel with me once it snows this year.¡±


    Ste was momentarily taken aback. She immediately recalled herself uttering those words, and her


    heart melted.¡± But it¡¯s not snowing,¡± she said in a low voice.


    ¡°But it¡¯s your birthday,¡± Keegan replied, pulling her hand toward him and kissing it. ¡°You¡¯re turning 26,


    yet you¡¯ve never been to Solstice Shore. Your brother is going to call off the wedding if he hears of


    this.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1598

    Chapter 1598


    Keegan¡¯s eyelids twitched when he heard Ste say that Marshall had a crush on her. He clenched his


    hands and tried to keep hisposure, ¡°Did he confess his feelings to you?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s just that I feel that he¡¯s treating me differently. It feels more than just a regr friend,¡± Ste


    replied.


    Keegan probed further, ¡°Did anything happen during dinner to give you that impression?¡±


    Ste chose to skip the part about the close call with the car and continued, ¡°Nothing significant. It¡¯s


    just that he seemed unusually concerned about me.¡±


    Ste let out another sigh, ¡°It¡¯s so strange, Keegan. Mr.


    Moore is such a perfect man. Why would he be interested in me? I know how charming I can be, but


    I¡¯m already in a rtionship.¡±


    Keegan tried to suppress his anger, but he could not, ¡°Are you trying to make me jealous?¡±


    Ste chuckled briefly before saying, ¡°I¡¯m just teasing you. But I¡¯m genuinely puzzled by the situation.


    Mr. Moore is your childhood friend. Him having feelings for me is making things awkward.¡±


    Keegan snorted, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I was overthinking it when I mentioned it to you before?¡±


    ¡°You were freaking jealous of Trevor back then. It left me wondering if you have a thing for unnecessary


    jealousy,¡± Ste muttered.


    Keegan red at her and said, ¡°So, it¡¯s my fault?¡±


    ¡°No. Of course not. It¡¯s my fault for not realizing it sooner. Unlike you, I don¡¯t have many admirers. Very


    few people


    have pursued me. So I couldn¡¯t tell Mr. Moore¡¯s intentions right away.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you receive love letters left and right when you were in school?¡±


    Ste was shocked by his response.


    ¡°Those love letters were merely yful exchanges between children. They shouldn¡¯t be taken seriously.


    If that many people truly liked me, howe I¡¯ve only dated one person?¡±


    ¡°You sound oddly regretful,¡± Keegan sneered.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. Though I haven¡¯t dated much, I¡¯ve dated wisely. I found my true love despite all the


    challenges.¡±


    Keegan was slightly moved by her words. He looked at her with a gentler expression and smiled. Then,


    he nced at her and said, ¡°Your first love was indeed a rollercoaster.¡±


    ¡®Is he referring to our first marriage?¡¯ thought Ste.


    ¡®Keegan seems particrly pleased when I referred to him as my true love.¡¯ After a moment of


    contemtion, she decided to keep her mouth shut, Til let him enjoy this.¡¯


    Ste realized they had been driving for a long time. ¡°Where


    are we going?¡± she asked as she noticed they were not heading to Clouditude International nor the


    Royalpark Vi.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°The airport,¡± Keegan replied.


    Ste was puzzled, ¡°Why are we going to the airport?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to Solstice Shore.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Why are we heading there all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Because someone said they wanted to travel with me once it snows this year.¡±


    Ste was momentarily taken aback. She immediately recalled herself uttering those words, and her


    heart melted.¡± But it¡¯s not snowing,¡± she said in a low voice.


    ¡°But it¡¯s your birthday,¡± Keegan replied, pulling her hand toward him and kissing it. ¡°You¡¯re turning 26,


    yet you¡¯ve never been to Solstice Shore. Your brother is going to call off the wedding if he hears of


    this.¡±

 Chapter 1599

    Chapter 1599


    Trevor was astonished by the chaos unfolding at his father¡¯s residence, ¡®It looks like this matter


    concerning Chris is rather severe.¡¯


    ¡°By the way, don¡¯t let Stee home for now. Things are a mess, and I¡¯d rather not burden her with


    this,¡± stated Wenham.


    ¡°Why are you being so protective of Ste? Are you afraid she might have made the wrong decision?¡±


    Trevor teased.


    Wenham snorted, his tone filled with pride, ¡°Ste told me about the situation a few days ago. She


    asked if it was okay for her to fire Chris. She¡¯s much more level-headed than you and knows when to


    strike.¡±


    Trevor was stunned. He could not believe Ste had informed their father about the problem without


    giving him a heads-up. In response to Wenham¡¯s smugness, Trevor decided to bring down his spirits a


    little.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Ste won¡¯t being back tonight. She¡¯s not in Rivera right now.¡±


    ¡°Where did she go?¡± asked Wenham, taken aback.


    Trevor¡¯s tone was cryptic, ¡°I thought you two were close. Didn¡¯t she tell you?¡±


    Wenham retorted, ¡°Watch your mouth!¡±


    Trevor stifled augh, ¡°She didn¡¯t tell me where she went either. It¡¯s highly possible she¡¯s with Keegan


    since I can¡¯t reach both of them.¡±


    He expected his father to get a little jealous and upset.


    However, Wenham remained silent for a while before saying, ¡°You should learn from Keegan. He


    shamelessly tried to win Ste over, and now she¡¯s traveling with him to god knows where. Meanwhile,


    you¡¯re almost forty and still single! You¡¯re wasting the genes I gave you. How can you not have a


    girlfriend with those looks?!¡±


    Wenham¡¯s apparent disappointment left Trevor stunned. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°I think you can


    entertain Darcie¡¯s family yourself.¡±


    Despite that, Trevor still headed back to the Saun residence. He understood that Ste wanted to


    assert her authority in thepany, and Wenham naturally did not want to get in the way of her n.


    However, with Darcie being unhappy with the oue, he had to step in and be the viin.


    Chris was being detained at the police station while his wife and children decided to show up at the


    Saun residence and cause a scene.


    Before Trevor even entered the house, he could hearthem crying inside.


    ¡°I admit that Chris made a mistake this time, but he has helped Darcie manage thepany for years.


    Even though he may not have achieved significant results, he still put in a lot of effort. What will happen


    to our family if he gets locked up? Our kids are still young, Wenham. They need their dad.¡±


    Soon, the two children also started crying and demanded their father¡¯s release.

 Chapter 1600

    Chapter 1600


    Wenham pretended not to know about the incident, ¡°I¡¯m not involved in the affairs of the jewelry store.


    Ste did not tell me anything, so I have no idea what¡¯s going on. Please stop crying. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t


    want your children to witness you like this. I¡¯ll inquire about the situation when Ste returns. Trust me.


    I won¡¯t stand by her if she¡¯s in the wrong.¡±


    Chris¡¯s wife, usually preupied with looking after the children and ying Mah-Jongg,cked the


    sharpness of mind to see through Wenham¡¯s act. Moreover, Wenham¡¯s gentle demeanor and apparent


    lack of awareness left her uncertain. She cautiously nced at Darcie.


    Darcie¡¯s expression remained stern as she addressed the situation, ¡°Chris changed our material


    supplier in secret and padded his own pockets. What more is there to discuss? I¡¯ve treated him well


    over the years. I thought he was diligent and reliable. I let him assist Ste, thinking it was a good way


    for him to earn some extra money. If his sry wasn¡¯t enough, he should havemunicated with me.


    Instead, he decided to embezzle money. This is aplete disrespect to my authority.¡±


    Chris¡¯s wife started to sob, ¡°Darcie, you don¡¯t understand. Chris has his reasons for doing so. Business


    hasn¡¯t been good at The Velvet after being handed over to the new management. Chris¡¯s bonuses


    were greatly reduced.


    Normally, we could endure this, but my inws fell ill and needed surgery. Chris¡¯s monthly ie only


    covers the mortgage and our daily expenses. We have no extra money to pay for the surgery.


    ¡°I wanted to call you to borrow some money, but he disagreed, saying he didn¡¯t want to burden you and


    create conflict in your family. He said he¡¯d figure something out. I never expected he would do this. If I¡¯d


    known, I would¡¯ve sold the house and stopped him from making this mistake.¡±


    Tears streamed down the woman¡¯s face, ¡°Darcie, Wenham, please. I know Chris has betrayed your


    trust and deserves heavy punishment, but it¡¯s a matter of life and death. I don¡¯t expect you to forgive


    him, but can you give him a chance, considering his filial piety? My family and I will find a way to repay


    the money he took from you. Please.¡±


    Darcie frowned and looked at her husband, ¡°Wenham, that worthless fellow hasmitted such a


    foolish act. I shouldn¡¯t advocate for him, but these two children are still very young. I was also a single


    mother once. I know how hard it will be for her to raise two children on her own.


    ¡°Chris¡¯s parents helped me a lot when I was in university. He¡¯s their only son. If anything happens to


    him, especially now that they¡¯re older and in poor health, I wouldn¡¯t be able to face them. Can you


    please call Ste and ask her to be lenient? I¡¯ll bear the responsibility and cover her losses.¡±


    Wenham thought about it with his brows furrowed. His eyes asionally darted toward the door,


    ¡®Where is that rascal?¡¯


    ¡°Wenham,¡± Darcie called out after noticing his silence.


    Before she could continue, Trevor¡¯s voice echoed from afar, ¡°Darcie, you¡¯re also a member of the Saun


    family. This loss


    shouldn¡¯t fall on you.¡±


    Darcie was stunned while Wenham let out a sigh of relief. He had nearly exposed himself. ¡°Why have


    youe back sote?¡± He cleared his throat and asked.


    Trevor nced at his father, who clearly knew the answer to that, before calmly stating, ¡°Ste¡¯s on a


    business trip. She asked me toe and deliver a message for her.¡±


    He looked at Darcie as he continued, ¡°She mentioned that she knows Chris has a close rtionship


    with Darcie. Since Darcie might not be able to handle this matter herself, Ste said she¡¯ll take care of


    it. She¡¯s determined to see this through. She told me that if Chris¡¯s familyes to cause a scene, she


    wants us to pretend not to know anything and ce the me on her. She doesn¡¯t want to risk


    damaging Darcie¡¯s rtionship with her family.¡±


    Wenham heaved a sigh, ¡°That child is so considerate.¡±


    Darcie¡¯s gaze turned serious. Ste was trying to sabotage her backup n.


    Chris¡¯s wife could not sit still any longer, ¡°Darcie, Wenham, you can¡¯t just ignore this. Chris did this


    because he wanted money for my inws¡¯ medical expenses. Can¡¯t you forgive him just this once?¡±


    She pulled her two children close and continued, ¡°Quick, kneel and bow to them. If you do, Dad will


    come back.


    Otherwise, you might never see him again.¡±


    The older of the two children was only six years old. At the mention of not seeing their dad, they both


    dropped to their


    knees and started crying.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Wenham felt overwhelmed at the sight of the two children sobbing.


    Meanwhile, Trevor was asposed as ever. ¡°Are you sure the money your husband embezzled was


    for your inws¡¯ medical expenses?¡± He asked.


    Chris¡¯s wife hesitated, avoiding eye contact. With a shaky voice, she said, ¡°Of course. He only did so


    because thepany¡¯s performance was poor in the past two months, and bonuses couldn¡¯t be paid


    out. He made a foolish mistake in a moment of desperation¡­¡± She started choking up again.

 Chapter 1601

    Chapter 1601


    Trevor let out a sigh, ¡°Look, he probably fooled you.


    ¡°Wh-What do you mean?¡± Chris¡¯s wife thought her lie had been exposed, her voice trembling.


    Trevor pulled out his phone and scrolled through the photo album before handing it over to her. ¡°When


    Ste discovered that he embezzled money from thepany, she considered he might have his


    reasons, so she took the trouble to check the flow of funds in his ount. Turns out, most of his money


    went to this woman. He even spent two million dors to buy her a property that¡¯s less than a kilometer


    away from your ce.¡±


    Chris¡¯s wife looked at the photo of the young and attractivedy and instinctively denied the allegation,


    ¡°This can¡¯t be true. You¡¯re making things up!¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Trevor remained calm, ¡°Almost all of his friends know about this woman. If you don¡¯t believe me, you


    can take her photo and ask around.¡±


    The woman was still doubtful when her daughter suddenly spoke up, ¡°That¡¯s Cassie.¡±


    Chris¡¯s wife was taken aback, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    The little boy quickly covered his sister¡¯s mouth.


    The woman¡¯s heart sank. She suppressed her anger and asked in a low voice, ¡°Do you two know her?¡±


    The boy hesitated for a moment and whispered, ¡°Dad took us to Cassie¡¯s ce to y, but he told us


    not to tell you.¡±


    The little girl chimed in, ¡°Cassie¡¯s ce is so much fun. Her cooking is even better than yours, Mom.


    And she¡¯s prettier than you, too. Dad said he wants her to be our new mom.¡±


    The woman¡¯s face turned ashen. She staggered to her feet and started to stumble out. The two


    children ran after her, still unaware of what was happening, ¡°Mom, when is Dading back? I want


    him to take me to Cassie¡¯s ce to y.¡±


    The woman¡¯s finger trembled at the sound of that. She pushed her children away as she said, ¡°Go


    away! Don¡¯t follow me! Find that woman if you want her to be your mom so bad!¡±


    The children fell to the ground, crying. Their mother did not spare them a nce and left.


    Darcie¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Trevor, did you have to say something like that in front of the children?¡±


    Trevor looked at her calmly, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the children to have met the woman.¡±


    ¡°Chris¡¯s actions are shameless, but you should at least leave him some dignity in front of the kids! Have


    you thought about what would happen to their family once his wife discovered he was cheating on her?


    Why would you want to break up their marriage and push them to the point of no return?¡±


    Trevor¡¯s eyes grew cold, ¡®He embezzledpany property to support his mistress. Why are you


    condemning me when he¡¯s the one to me? Darcie, you¡¯ve been in this business for so many years.


    Why would you sumb to doing charity work?¡±


    Darcie seethed with anger, ¡°I¡¯m the founder of The Velvet. Despite it being a charitable act, it holds


    significance to me.¡±


    ¡°Without the Saun family¡¯s connections, how could you have built it up in such a short time?¡± Trevor


    said as he looked at her in disdain. ¡°Moreover, Ste owns the store now.


    Anything that goes on in there has nothing to do with you anymore.¡±


    ¡°You-¡± Darcie¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, her voice trembling uncontrobly. ¡°What do you mean by


    that? Are you saying I married your father just for the reputation of the Saun family?¡±


    Wenham asked Trevor toe and deal with Chris¡¯s family, not fan the mes with his own family.


    After being silent for a while, Wenham quickly raised his voice to reprimand his son upon seeing the


    commotion,¡± Stop with all your nonsense. How dare you argue with your stepmother?¡±


    No matter how rebellious Trevor was in the past, he always spoke with respect toward his elders. This


    was the first time he had ever gone head-to-head against Darcie. His recklessness surprised Wenham.


    Ultimately, Wenham could only try to smooth things by saying, ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, Darcie.


    He must¡¯ve been drinking beforeing home.¡±


    This light-hearted and nonchntment disappointed Darcie immensely.


    She withdrew her hand and said hoarsely, ¡°I know that all of you see me as an outsider. Being a


    stepmother is difficult enough. What a biological mother does, I have to do a hundred times more to


    prove my worth. It¡¯s just something I have to endure.¡±


    Wenham stepped forward andforted her. ¡°We¡¯re all family, Darcie. Trevor didn¡¯t mean what he


    said. Please don¡¯t overthink it.¡±


    Darcie pursed her lips and took two steps back to avoid Wenham¡¯s touch, ¡°Would you still be this


    lenient if he had talked back to Freesia like this?¡±

 Chapter 1602

    Chapter 1602


    Wenham furrowed his brows. ¡°Freesia wouldn¡¯t have fussed with the kids.¡±


    Darcie¡¯s face turned pale, and her heart was shattered.


    Wenham was about to say something else, but she had already turned around and left without a word.


    Trevor leaned back on the couch and observed his father¡¯s troubled expression. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you go


    upstairs andfort her?¡± he casually remarked.


    Wenham shot him a re. ¡°This wouldn¡¯t have happened if it weren¡¯t for you!¡±


    Trevor shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m just telling it like it is. Who would¡¯ve thought that Darcie would be so sensitive?¡±


    Wenham was frustrated. He had little experience inforting women. Histe wife was a


    straightforward person. It was easy to know whether she liked something or not. She would tell him


    whenever she was angry.


    Darcie, however, was different. Although she was understanding, her temperament was far less


    carefree. She would always overthink people¡¯s words ande up with many interpretations. She was


    both perceptive and sensitive.


    When Darcie was younger, she would often get mad because of something Wenham had said or done.


    Now that she was older, she was less likely to sulk on her own, but she still did so at times.


    Seeing Darcie so upset, Wenham felt distressed at the thought of having tofort her. He could not


    help but find his son annoying as well. ¡°You¡¯re making things worse with your words. Only a fool


    wouldn¡¯t pick up on what you were hinting.¡±


    ¡°If the shoe fits.¡± Trevor stood up and continued, ¡°I¡¯m leaving. Have fun.¡±


    His response rendered Wenham speechless.


    Keegan and Ste took a nearly four-hour flight to Grandale, a city in Hustuabourg.


    It was already past 11 p.m. when they arrived. They had to transfer in between flights, which took some


    extra time. By the time the couple reached their hotel near Solstice Shore, it was already 2 a.m.


    Ste was exhausted from the journey and did not have the energy to properly review their hotel room.


    She took a quick shower and copsed on the bed.


    Ste then woke up at 11 a.m. the next morning. She opened her eyes drowsily and she found herself


    alone in bed. She turned over and remembered that she was at


    Solstice Shore.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    She sat up and looked around in a daze. When she noticed that Keegan was nowhere in sight, she


    threw back the covers and got out of bed.


    Warm sunlight streamed into the room, as Ste pulled back the curtains. She squinted and saw


    Keegan on the balcony. He was wearing casual shirt and trousers while holding a cup of coffee, gazing


    into the distance.


    Ste walked over and wrapped her arms around Keegan¡¯s waist from behind. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake


    me up?¡± she asked.


    Keegan took a sip of his coffee and replied, ¡°Do you have any idea how grumpy you are when you


    wake up? We rarely get toe out like this, and I don¡¯t want to go home with any injuries.¡±


    Ste was taken aback by his response. ¡°Did you have to ruin such a beautiful view with that sharp


    tongue of yours?¡±


    Keegan chuckled and put the cup aside. He turned to hold her and leaned in close to her ear. ¡°Do you


    like the view?¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about myself, you know?¡±


    Steughed, as she brushed her cheek lightly against his and murmured, ¡°I like you the most.¡±


    Keegan kissed her cheek, and his voice softened. ¡°Then¡­ will you marry me?¡±


    As he spoke, he slipped a diamond ring onto the tip of her ring finger.

 Chapter 1603

    Chapter 1603


    Ste was momentarily stunned, and she turned to look at Keegan.


    He kept his gaze lowered, and his voice was soft but clear.¡± Even though it was you who initiated the


    idea of getting married on Valentine¡¯s Day, I believe that men should still be the ones to propose.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t really know each other well when we first met. Our marriage started hastily, and I wasn¡¯t


    mature or attentive enough at that time. I failed to notice the underlying issues in our marriage back


    then, leaving you feeling anxious and insecure, which ultimately led to a tragic end.¡±


    ¡°I used to think that marriage was simply about two people living together. I provided you with respect


    and everything you wanted. I was faithful to our marriage, thinking we could just grow old together. But,


    later on, I realized that my feelings for you were more than that. I realized I can¡¯t live without you,


    Ste. I¡¯ve always hoped that you¡¯d only have your eyes on me and that your heart belongs to me,¡± he


    added.


    ¡°I-I¡¯ve been scared ever since I found out about my mother prescribing you alternative medicine. I was


    afraid you wouldn¡¯t forgive me and that you would no longer see me as a partner. Have I ever told you


    how happy I was when you agreed to start over with me?¡±


    Keegan held Ste tightly and whispered, ¡°You¡¯ve always been braver than me. Every step forward


    between us has been a gamble on your part. I won¡¯t let you lose this time.


    Trust me.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes glistened with tears.


    Keegan did not slide the ring all the way. Instead, it rested on the tip of her finger. He was waiting for


    her response. If Ste were to reject his proposal, he would respect her decision, no matter how


    disappointed he might be.


    Keegan had always been a confident person. This characteristic of his stemmed from his business


    acumen and broad knowledge. Ste had never witnessed Keegan being anxious or uneasy in arge


    gathering or during a speech. But, at that moment, she could clearly feel his nervousness.


    His breathing was a little fast, and his ears were tinged with a deep shade of red. At the same time, his


    hand was sweating profusely.


    That was when Ste lowered her gaze and slid her finger through the ring. It fitted perfectly. It was


    evidently custom- made to her finger size.


    Ste raised her hand and stared at the diamond ring on her finger. ¡°How much did this ring cost?¡± she


    asked.


    Keegan was at a loss for words. ¡®This doesn¡¯t seem like an appropriate time to talk about money,¡¯ he


    thought.


    ¡°Not much,¡± said Keegan.


    ¡°And how much is that?¡±


    Seeing that she was persistent, Keegan had no choice but to tell the truth. ¡°It¡¯s about the same price as


    thest one.¡±


    Ste suddenly felt a pang of heartache. ¡°Why bother getting a new ring? You could have just brought


    me the old one. It makes no difference since you¡¯re the one who bought them both.¡±


    Keegan was silent for a moment before he said, ¡°You¡¯d probablyin about the ring if I did that.


    You¡¯d say that I¡¯m not putting in much effort to this marriage and that I¡¯m unwilling to spend my money


    on you.¡±


    His response left Ste speechless. ¡°Am I really that calctive? If you had told me in advance, I


    definitely wouldn¡¯t have let you buy a new one. Grandma said you¡¯ve invested quite a bit in the


    company. You shouldn¡¯t be spending your money willy-nilly.¡±


    Keegan chuckled and hugged her. ¡°My, my, aren¡¯t you frugal? We haven¡¯t even had the wedding yet.¡±


    Ste held her ground. ¡°I¡¯m just worried that our quality of life will decline once we get married.¡±


    Keegan nted a soft kiss on her cheek and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let you suffer.¡±


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Ste leaned against his chest, basking in the warm sunlight. At that moment, her heart softened.


    After a while, she whispered, ¡°I haven¡¯t used the money you transferred to me back then. I can give it


    back to you if you need it.¡±

 Chapter 1604

    Chapter 1604


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that,¡± Keegan leaned in and whispered in Ste¡¯s ear. ¡°I gave you that money so


    that you can have a safety. I¡¯ve already hired awyer toe up with an agreement. With the


    money, you will have the right to leave any rtionship in any unforeseeable circumstances.¡±


    Ste was momentarily stunned. She felt a bittersweet pang in her heart. ¡°Why are you saying it as if


    you would no longer be with me in the future?¡±


    Keegan gently nuzzled her cheek. ¡°Grandma was hospitalized again recently. Although it¡¯s for the


    same reason, I notice she¡¯s not as energetic as before. Life is unpredictable, Ste. Who knows what¡¯ll


    happen? I want to make sure you¡¯re well taken care of, so I can have peace of mind.¡±


    Ste understood that Keegan was thinking ahead for her sake, but such topics always left her uneasy.


    ¡°Why do you always bring up things like these when I¡¯m happy?¡±


    Keegan noticed that she was upset and changed the subject. ¡°Let¡¯s freshen up and go out for a walk.¡±


    Ste perked up when she heard that. ¡°I¡¯ll go change into a dress. We can take some photoster.¡±


    The couple had been together for four years but did not have many chances to travel, especially in


    such a rxed state.


    Keegan¡¯s photography skills had not improved, but Ste was still happy.


    After a day of walking around, Ste was tired. However, she became excited again when she returned


    to the hotel and showered. ¡°Can we take our wedding photos here?¡± she asked.


    ¡°We can go wherever you want as long as it¡¯s not off the face of the Earth,¡± Keegan replied.


    Steughed for a long while in response.


    Keegan then helped her dry her hair. Seeing her looking around, he reached out and pushed down on


    her shoulder.¡± What are youughing about?¡±


    Ste looked up at him. ¡°I was thinking about the photos from our first wedding. You had such a serious


    expression the whole time. It made me think you hated taking pictures. But you were all smiles in the


    photos we took today. Be honest with me. Were you nervous back then? Is that why you didn¡¯t smile?¡±


    Keegan chuckled and said, ¡°It¡¯s true that I don¡¯t really like taking pictures. And¡­ It¡¯s also true that I was


    nervous. But can you me me? It was my first time taking wedding photos.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s usual poker face was his go-to expression for hiding his nervousness.


    Just as they were talking, Keegan suddenly stood up and turned off all the lights in the room, leaving


    only a dimmp


    by the bed.


    Ste was confused. Not long after, she saw a sh of light in the darkness, and a cake with lit candles


    appeared on the table. At the same time, the cheerful tune of ¡®Happy Birthday¡¯ filled the room.


    Keegan walked over, took her hand, and brought her in front of the cake. ¡°Happy birthday, Mrs. Kane.


    You¡¯re another year older.¡±


    Only then did Ste realize that it had just passed midnight.


    ¡°Make a wish.¡± Keegan wanted to say something else, but seeing that the candles were almost burnt


    out, he urged her to blow them out.


    Feeling flustered, Ste made a wish and hurriedly blew out the candles.


    ¡°Wait, no. Light the candles again. I didn¡¯t make a good wish just now. I want to take it back and make


    a new one,¡± she fretted.


    Keegan was speechless. ¡°Can you take back a wish?¡±


    ¡°Just hurry up and light them up!¡±


    Keegan had no choice but to re-light a candle. Ste sped her hands and closed her eyes to make a


    new wish. She then opened her eyes and blew out the candles once more.


    Just as Keegan was about to remove them, Ste stopped him and said, ¡°I feel like myst wish might


    not be easy toe true. Let me do it again.¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan could not believe her.

 Chapter 1605

    Chapter 1605


    ¡°Stop,¡± Keegan yfully pinched Ste¡¯s cheek and said. ¡°If you¡¯re being too greedy, I bet none of them


    wille true.¡±


    Ste pouted and reluctantlyplied. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll just go with thest wish I made.¡± She then turned to


    Keegan and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s my birthday gift?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s closer than you think it is.¡±


    Ste immediately grabbed her fork and began to search within the cake.


    Keegan was confused. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°You said it¡¯s close by.¡± Ste did not even look up, and her face was filled with excitement. ¡°What did


    you hide in the cake? Is it a piece of jewelry or a credit card? It might be a bit cliche, but I like it. Wait,


    where is it? Why can¡¯t I find it? Did you hide it at the very bottom of the cake?¡±


    Keegan did not know how to break the news to her. ¡°Your gift this year is me.¡±


    Ste paused and red at him. Following that, she put down her fork and waved her hand.


    ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s mouth twitched when he heard that. He stepped forward, wrapped his arm around her waist,


    and pulled her into his arms. He clenched his teeth and said, ¡°Am I not as precious as jewelry and


    money?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you already give yourself to me when you proposed? Why are you giving yourself to me again


    on my birthday? Are you trying tobine the two special asions? I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re treating me


    like this when we¡¯re not even married yet.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s different. When I proposed, I gave you my heart. Now, I¡¯m giving you my body for your birthday.


    Don¡¯t you want it? I¡¯ve been working outtely,¡± said Keegan.


    Ste could not believe her ears. She nced at the man in front of her and cleared her throat. ¡°Can


    I¡­ take a quick peek?¡±


    Keegan chuckled softly and bent down to lift her up. His physique was indeed impressive. Not only did


    Ste get to look at it, but she also got to feel it.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Considering they had to leave the next day, Keegan did not want to overdo it. So, they only had


    intercourse twice that night.


    Following that, Ste nestled in his arms and murmured,¡± Can you reverse your vasectomy when we


    get back to Rivera? Otherwise, my wish won¡¯te true.¡±


    Keegan was taken aback. ¡°What on earth did you wish for?¡±


    Ste held him tighter and whispered, ¡°I wished for you to be a dad before you turn thirty-five. I don¡¯t


    want you to stand on the sidelines with a cane, as you watch me y with the kids. Their ssmates


    will probably think that you¡¯re their grandpa during parent-teacher meetings. The thought of it makes


    my heart break.¡±


    Her answer left Keegan speechless. ¡®I really shouldn¡¯t have


    asked her that question,¡¯ bethought. His heart suddenly softened when he imagined having children


    with Ste. He hugged her and said, ¡°I want a daughter.¡±


    Ste yawned and closed her eyes. ¡°Then, you better try harder.¡±


    The next day, the couple boarded a ne back to Rivera. Uponnding, they hurriedly went to the


    birthday party at the Saun residence. Ste had only invited a few close family members and friends.


    Even though the gathering was small, the atmosphere feltfortable.


    Keegan then returned to thepany before the birthday banquet ended.


    Ste did not see him again in the days that followed. The election was just around the corner, and


    Keegan was extremely busy. Ste did not dare to disturb him, as she was afraid that Keegan would


    get distracted. She had their servants prepare nutritious meals every day, which were delivered to the


    company for Keegan.


    During that period, business at The Velvet had be more stable. Wenham then decided to take


    Ste on a trip to Caline to familiarize her with the situation there.


    Caline waspletely different from The Velvet. It was a highly developed fragrancepany that had


    coborated with majorpanies in the country. These include well- known cleaning product


    companies, food organizations, and even tobo corporations.


    The business sectors in Caline were diverse and highly


    specialized. Since the brand was known for its perfume line, thepany headquarters ced great


    importance on this particr trade.

 Chapter 1606

    Chapter 1606


    Caline had specializedboratories and different rooms for storing various


    scents. When Ste was there, she got to smell fragrances she had never


    encountered before. It was a delightful experience for her.


    Darcie was very gracious and decided to apany Wenham in giving Ste a


    treated her with the utmost regard. Amidst the respect, there seemed to be a


    hint of awe.


    Ste did not have enough time to observe the situation to be entirely certain,


    but she realized something strange-the headquarters surprisingly did not have


    any employees with more than twenty years of service.


    Wenham mentioned that Caline¡¯s predecessor was called Enchanted and was


    established twenty-eight years ago. At the time, they recruited girls around 18 or


    19 years old to work in the store. ¡®Based on their age, they wouldn¡¯t be retiring


    yet, right?¡¯ Moreover, when the ssic fragrances were first introduced,


    Enchanted had already made a name for itself. The initial employees held


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Wenham quickly asked when he noticed that Ste was lost in


    thought. ¡°Are you tired?¡±


    Ste snapped out of her trance and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m just a little surprised.


    The employees in thepany are all so young.¡±


    Darcie stopped and said, ¡°In recent years, thepany has introduced a lot of


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    new advanced equipment, making operations more automated. Older


    employees had difficulty operating them, so we hired young people since it¡¯s


    easier for them to catch up. The senior employees have been reassigned to


    rtively lighter duties in subsidiary branches. r?


    ¡°I see.¡± Ste did not bring up the topic again, but she could not shake the


    feeling that something was off. She had visited the equipment room, and the


    machinery was not particrly difficult to handle.


    After returning from Caline, Ste made sure to jot down everything she had


    seen and the questions she had.


    She called Aldor and asked if he could help her look into something.


    Aldor chuckled upon hearing her request. ¡°Of course, but you¡¯ll have to wait a


    little longer. Maybe I¡¯ll be able to help you after the election. Mr. Kane has a lot


    on his te right now, and I need to assist him in his tasks.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. You can focus on your job. I¡¯m not in a rush.¡± Ste paused for a


    moment and asked in a low voice, ¡°Is Keegan not done with his work yet?¡±


    ¡°The election is tomorrow. Mr. Kane still has some matters to attend to,¡± Aldor


    paused. ¡°Would you like me to pass the phone to him?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m scared I wouldn¡¯t want to hang up if I heard his voice over the phone. I


    don¡¯t want to take up his time. Just let him know that I¡¯ll pick him up after the


    election. I¡¯ll be there whether he wins or not.¡±


    Aldor smiled. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be sure to convey that.¡±


    Vinci Rivera¡¯s chairman election was held on the day before New Year¡¯s.


    Keegan woke up early, and as soon as he came downstairs, the housekeeper


    brought him a neatly pressed suit. ¡°Sir, Mrs. Kane delivered thisst night. She


    wants you to wear it today.¡±


    Keegan looked at the white suit with a ck shirt that the housekeeper was


    holding. He was slightly puzzled. He was not particrly fond of light-colored


    suits. There was only one white suit in his wardrobe, which Ste had bought,


    and he had not worn it many times.


    ¡®It seems that she really likes seeing me in white,¡¯ Keegan smirked slightly. He


    took the suit and went upstairs to get changed. He headed to Vinci Rivera


    following that.


    As soon as Keegan arrived at thepany, he spotted a familiar figure not far


    from the entrance. He smiled and said to Aldor, ¡°I¡¯ll get off here. Find a parking


    spot and meet me upstairs in a moment.¡±


    Aldor nodded in response.


    On that chilly winter morning at 7:30 a.m., the streets bustled with vehicles, yet


    few pedestrians were in sight. The leaves were twirling in the air, as the brisk


    wind whistled.


    Ste was wearing a beige-colored coat with a thick scarf wrapped around her


    neck. She smiled and waved at Keegan from a distance.


    Keegan¡¯s breath formed a white mist in the cold air. He quickened his pace


    when he saw Ste.


    Ste, too, happily hurried toward him. However, her expression abruptly


    changed from joy to rm. ¡°Watch out!¡± she shouted in terror.


    Keegan did not have time to process her warning when he felt a heavy blow to


    the back of his head.

 Chapter 1607

    Chapter 1607


    There was no one else on the empty street, so neither of them noticed it when


    the heavily dressed man approached Keegan from another direction.


    It was not until he got closer and suddenly pulled out a baseball bat from his


    jacket that Ste screamed at Keegan to alert him.


    However, it was already toote. The man forcefully swung the bat at the back


    of Keegan¡¯s head.


    Ste¡¯s pupils contracted, as she dropped the thermos in her hands. She


    screamed for help and rushed toward Keegan.


    Keegan felt a sharp pain in his head. He staggered and narrowly avoided the


    second hit. He somehow managed to kick the attacker¡¯s knee, causing him to


    groan and kneel on the ground.


    Keegan¡¯s vision was going dark, but he used all his remaining strength to twist


    the attacker¡¯s arm behind his back and remove the mask from his face.


    As soon as he saw the man¡¯s face, a van came out of nowhere and sped toward


    Ste.


    Keegan was shocked, and his attention immediately shifted to Ste. He


    stumbled toward Ste and shouted at her, telling her to run.


    However, after just taking a few steps, he was struck from behind again. His


    legs went weak, and he fell to the ground.


    He felt something warm seeping from his head, and then he heard Ste¡¯s


    heartbreaking cries.


    He wanted to shout for her to run. But he could not make a sound, as his vision


    gradually turned darker.


    The van was just a distraction. Just as it was about to hit Ste, it swerved and


    grazed Ste¡¯s leg, causing her to fall. Then, it was driven toward the man not


    far away.


    The van¡¯s rear door opened, and someone from inside the van violently pulled


    Keegan inside. Just as the door was about to close, a hand suddenly clung to it.


    The man in the backseat was shocked. Then, Ste sprayed something in his


    eyes, instantly burning and blinding him.


    ¡°Fucking bitch!¡± the man cursed.


    While the man was rubbing his eyes, Ste took the opportunity and secretly


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    threw her phone under the seat.


    The security guard on duty heard themotion and ran toward them.


    The driver of the van urged, ¡°Close the fucking door!


    Someone¡¯sing!¡±


    Ste held onto the door handle even tighter, knowing that someone was


    However, the attackers were ruthless andpletely


    ignored Ste¡¯s actions. The driver immediately stomped on the gas pedal.


    The van suddenly elerated and dragged Ste forward. She noticed that she


    could not hold on and was about to let go of the door. But the man in the back


    seat grabbed her by the cor and violently pulled her into the van.


    The man was so rough that he caused Ste to knock her head against the van.


    Before she could react to what was happening, her mouth and nose were


    covered by a piece of cloth that had a pungent smell to it. She quickly held her


    breath and struggled, but she soon became still.


    That man pped her face, made sure that she had passed out, and threw her


    to the side.


    The look on the driver¡¯s face changed. ¡°Are you out of your fucking mind? Why


    did you pull her in?¡±


    The man in the backseat, who wore a baseball cap, looked at him and retorted,


    ¡°She saw my face. Would you prefer to let her go so she can report us to the


    police?¡±


    The driver did not argue further with him when he saw that the security guard


    was getting closer. At that moment, they quickly fled the scene.


    The security guard could not catch up with the van, so he rushed back to their


    office to call the police.


    However, as soon as he arrived, the security captain stopped him. ¡°The bosses


    areing soon, and you were supposed to show the drivers where to park


    their cars.


    Where did you go?¡±


    The security guard panted and replied, ¡°Captain, someone dragged a woman


    into a van at the entrance. It looks like a kidnapping. We¡¯ve got to call the


    police.¡±


    He had just gone out when he heard themotion. He only saw Ste being


    dragged into the van, but he did not know that Keegan was there too.

 Chapter 1608

    Chapter 1608


    The captain was taken aback. Then, he immediately stopped the security guard


    when he saw him dialing 911. ¡°What are you doing? It¡¯s broad daylight, and who


    would dare to kidnap someone right outside thepany? It¡¯s probably just a


    small fight between a boyfriend and a girlfriend. You must¡¯ve misunderstood it.¡±


    ¡°But it didn¡¯t look like that at all, and the surveince cameras-¡°


    ¡°Stop your nonsense and get back to work. Her parents will call the police if


    she¡¯s really been kidnapped. You have no business being so nosy. The meeting


    today is very important, and everyone from the board will being today. If


    you bring the police here and disrupt the meeting, do you think you can handle


    the consequences?¡±


    The security guard hesitated upon hearing that. The election was a big deal,


    and there was nothing he could do to handle the consequences if he made a


    mistake. He could only pray that what his captain said was right and that it was


    nothing serious.


    Aldor arrived at the office, made sure that all the documents were ready, and


    started waiting for Keegan.


    However, Keegan was nowhere to be seen even after thirty minutes. So, Aldor


    took out his phone and called Keegan.


    However, Keegan¡¯s phone was turned off.


    Aldor frowned. Keegan would rarely turn off his phone, especially on such an


    important day.


    Suddenly, Aldor felt a little restless.


    He tried calling Keegan two more times, but it still would not connect. So, he


    called Ste instead.


    The call was connected, but it was not answered.


    ¡®One is turned off, and the other is did not answer. This couldn¡¯t be just a


    coincidence, right?¡¯


    Aldor looked at the time and decided not to wait any longer. He rushed out of


    the office.


    Just when he was about to step into the elevator, his phone rang.


    It was a call from the board of directors¡¯ office. Aldor stood outside the elevator


    and answered the call.


    ¡°Aldor, the board of directors has added some documents for the meeting.


    Come pick them up.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll send someone to collect it now.¡±


    The person on the other end said, ¡°Please collect them personally. They¡¯re all


    confidential and sealed documents. Each office¡¯s assistants are required to


    collect them in person to avoid any unwanted trouble.¡±


    Aldor furrowed his brows, as he looked at the elevator¡¯s door opening. ¡°Okay,


    then. I¡¯ll be there now,¡± he said in a deep voice.


    After hanging up the phone, Aldor took the elevator upstairs instead of going


    down. Meanwhile, he dialed Vermont¡¯s number.


    Vermont had just returned from buying breakfast downstairs and was slightly


    surprised to see Aldor¡¯s call.


    He answered it and said teasingly, ¡°Aldor, are you worried that Keegan might


    lose the election, and you¡¯re looking for a new boss?¡±


    However, Aldor did not y along with him like he always would. Instead, he


    said in a deep tone, ¡°Mr. Snyder, I can¡¯t contact Mr. Kane.¡±


    Vermont was taken aback. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    Aldor then told him about what happened briefly. ¡°Mr. Kane told me to wait for


    him upstairs, but it¡¯s been over half an hour now. He didn¡¯te up and even


    his phone was switched off. I tried calling Mrs. Kane, but it wasn¡¯t answered


    either. I have something to do right now, and I can¡¯t check on it. Would you


    please try calling Mr. Kane? The general meeting will deny all entry fifteen


    minutes after itsmencement. We can¡¯t afford to let anything happen to Mr.


    Kane at this moment.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s expression immediately turned serious. ¡°I¡¯ll do that right now. Wait for


    my call.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Vermont tried calling Keegan for a few times after hanging up. Then, he quickly


    went home to get his car key after


    failing to reach him.


    Felicity had just finished brushing her teeth, and she was puzzled when she saw


    Vermont changing hurriedly. ¡°You haven¡¯t had breakfast yet. Are you leaving?¡±


    she asked.


    Vermont buttoned up his heart and said, ¡°Keegan and Ste have gone


    missing.¡±This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    The captain was taken aback. Then, he immediately stopped the security guard


    when he saw him dialing 911. ¡°What are you doing? It¡¯s broad daylight, and who


    would dare to kidnap someone right outside thepany? It¡¯s probably just a


    small fight between a boyfriend and a girlfriend. You must¡¯ve misunderstood it.¡±


    ¡°But it didn¡¯t look like that at all, and the surveince cameras-¡°


    ¡°Stop your nonsense and get back to work. Her parents will call the police if


    she¡¯s really been kidnapped. You have no business being so nosy. The meeting


    today is very important, and everyone from the board will being today. If


    you bring the police here and disrupt the meeting, do you think you can handle


    the consequences?¡±


    The security guard hesitated upon hearing that. The election was a big deal,


    and there was nothing he could do to handle the consequences if he made a


    mistake. He could only pray that what his captain said was right and that it was


    nothing serious.


    Aldor arrived at the office, made sure that all the documents were ready, and


    started waiting for Keegan.


    However, Keegan was nowhere to be seen even after thirty minutes. So, Aldor


    took out his phone and called Keegan.


    However, Keegan¡¯s phone was turned off.


    Aldor frowned. Keegan would rarely turn off his phone, especially on such an


    important day.


    Suddenly, Aldor felt a little restless.


    He tried calling Keegan two more times, but it still would not connect. So, he


    called Ste instead.


    The call was connected, but it was not answered.


    ¡®One is turned off, and the other is did not answer. This couldn¡¯t be just a


    coincidence, right?¡¯


    Aldor looked at the time and decided not to wait any longer. He rushed out of


    the office.


    Just when he was about to step into the elevator, his phone rang.


    It was a call from the board of directors¡¯ office. Aldor stood outside the elevator


    and answered the call.


    ¡°Aldor, the board of directors has added some documents for the meeting.


    Come pick them up.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll send someone to collect it now.¡±


    The person on the other end said, ¡°Please collect them personally. They¡¯re all


    confidential and sealed documents. Each office¡¯s assistants are required to


    collect them in person to avoid any unwanted trouble.¡±


    Aldor furrowed his brows, as he looked at the elevator¡¯s door opening. ¡°Okay,


    then. I¡¯ll be there now,¡± he said in a deep voice.


    After hanging up the phone, Aldor took the elevator upstairs instead of going


    down. Meanwhile, he dialed Vermont¡¯s number.


    Vermont had just returned from buying breakfast downstairs and was slightly


    surprised to see Aldor¡¯s call.


    He answered it and said teasingly, ¡°Aldor, are you worried that Keegan might


    lose the election, and you¡¯re looking for a new boss?¡±


    However, Aldor did not y along with him like he always would. Instead, he


    said in a deep tone, ¡°Mr. Snyder, I can¡¯t contact Mr. Kane.¡±


    Vermont was taken aback. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    Aldor then told him about what happened briefly. ¡°Mr. Kane told me to wait for


    him upstairs, but it¡¯s been over half an hour now. He didn¡¯te up and even


    his phone was switched off. I tried calling Mrs. Kane, but it wasn¡¯t answered


    either. I have something to do right now, and I can¡¯t check on it. Would you


    please try calling Mr. Kane? The general meeting will deny all entry fifteen


    minutes after itsmencement. We can¡¯t afford to let anything happen to Mr.


    Kane at this moment.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s expression immediately turned serious. ¡°I¡¯ll do that right now. Wait for


    my call.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Vermont tried calling Keegan for a few times after hanging up. Then, he quickly


    went home to get his car key after


    failing to reach him.


    Felicity had just finished brushing her teeth, and she was puzzled when she saw


    Vermont changing hurriedly. ¡°You haven¡¯t had breakfast yet. Are you leaving?¡±


    she asked.


    Vermont buttoned up his heart and said, ¡°Keegan and Ste have gone


    missing.¡±

 Chapter 1609

    Chapter 1609


    Felicity was taken aback. ¡°Gone missing? Ste just asked me how to make apple porridge this


    morning, and she even sent me a picture of it after she was


    done. She told me that she was going to bring it to Keegan.¡±


    Vermont paused. ¡¯Try contacting Ste now and see if you can reach her.¡±


    Felicity immediately tried contacting Ste through both calling and messaging.


    The call was connected, but no one answered. And her messages were left


    unread.


    Now, the both of them grew anxious.


    They would not be anxious like this if this was some other day.


    However, today was the chairman¡¯s election meeting of Vinci Rivera, so both of


    them going missing at a time like this made them overthink.


    Vermont immediately suspected that Chandler might be the person behind this.


    Chandler and Keegan were equally capable in thepany, and both of them


    had a significant chance of winning the election. A few years ago, Chandler was


    more influential and powerful than Keegan, but things had changed.


    Although the Saun family seemed as though they did not care about the election


    even after Ste¡¯s return to the


    family, they were secretly doing a lot of things to support Keegan.


    Anyone with a clear mind could see who the better chairman would be. No


    matter how hard Chandler tried to maintain his rtionship with other


    shareholders, they were still more concerned about their personal interests. So,


    even before the meeting started, many of them had already switched sides.


    If Keegan did not arrive at the meeting in time and it was canceled, his


    reputation would definitely take a hit. Then, Chandler would probably initiate an


    impeachment protocol along with other shareholders, causing the next election


    to be dyed indefinitely.


    The longer it dragged on, the harder it would be for Keegan to get rid of


    Chandler.


    Keegan had prepared for this battle for so long, yet he went missing on the most


    important day. Vermont could not convince himself that it had nothing to do with


    Chandler.


    Vermont and Felicity acted separately, with one going to Vinci Rivera to check


    on things, while the other contacted Ste¡¯s friends and family to check if


    anyone knew where she went.


    Aldor was asked to go upstairs, but the person who was supposed to give him


    the documents was nowhere to be seen.


    Aldor was not the only oneing to collect the documents, so he figured that it


    would be inappropriate for


    him to rush that person. He stared at his watch anxiously, hoping to hear from


    Keegan soon.


    When he finally got the documents, there were only about ten minutes until the


    meeting started.


    Vermont was squatting down outside of Vinci Rivera¡¯s office. He could see some


    bloodstains on the ground and some of them were not dried yet. And he saw


    some apple porridge spilled on the ground. He could not find the thermos


    anywhere and thought that the janitor had probably taken it away.


    He thought about the apple porridge that Felicity had mentioned earlier and said


    in a hoarse voice, ¡°Aldor, something bad has most probably happened to them.¡±


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Aldor¡¯s expression changed.


    Someone urged Aldor to go upstairs and prepare for the meeting, as it was


    going to start soon.


    Aldor wiped his sweat away and tried to calm himself down. ¡°Mr. Snyder, please


    call the police to find them. I¡¯ll take care of the meeting and tell Mrs. Kane Sr.


    about this.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Ste had inhaled some hallucinogenic substance, but she did not lose


    consciousness because she had held her breath. However, her limbs felt weak,


    and she did not dare to move or open her eyes.


    The sight of Keegan covered in blood was still vivid in her mind. She had no


    idea how bad his injuries were. He was right beside her, but she could not even


    bring herself to look at him.


    She was terrified, but she tried her best to keep her emotions in check and


    remain calm.

 Chapter 1610

    Chapter 1610


    Ste recognized the kidnapper that Keegan had unmasked earlier. It was the same person who


    attacked Marshall previously.


    ¡®Is he here to take his revenge on me?


    ¡®No, that can¡¯t be right. He was going after Keegan, and he only pulled me into the van because I didn¡¯t


    let go.


    ¡®Why would he do this to Keegan? Could it be that it¡¯s rted to today¡¯s meeting?¡¯


    Ste¡¯s mind was a mess, and she was overwhelmed by her own assumptions.


    However, she knew that it was not the time to find out the kidnapper¡¯s motive.


    Instead, she needed to find a way to save Keegan and herself.


    The kidnapper had searched both of them thoroughly and took away their phone and other electronic


    devices. The phone that Ste had secretly thrown under the seat was the only thing they did not take,


    which offered Ste a glimmer of hope.


    Her phone was on silent, and she needed to send out a message before the kidnappers found it.


    As she thought about it, she heard the driver answering a call. She could not hear what the caller said,


    but the driver replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s not going anywhere.¡±


    Ste¡¯s heart sank. It turned out that Marshall¡¯s assant was not the mastermind, and there were


    others behind it.


    The driver was very cautious during the entire call. He did not reveal any name or details about the


    caller and quickly hung up after the call.


    Ste did not get any other useful information, so when the kidnappers were talking to each other, she


    opened her eyes by a tiny gap to nce around.


    Keegan was thrown in the back row and lying horizontally with his hands tied behind his back. She


    could not see his face from her position. Instead, the only thing she could see were the bloodstains on


    his white suit.


    Ste¡¯s heart broke. However, she suppressed her emotions and continued to look around. Then, she


    noticed that the phone she had thrown into the van earlier was right under the seat of the kidnapper on


    the left.


    In truth, it was a very noticeable spot. But none of the kidnappers had expected her to throw the phone


    under the seat, so none of them checked.


    Ste could not make any big movements, as both of her hands and legs were tied. So, she had to wait


    for the right time.


    After some time, the driver stopped the car. Based on what Ste heard from their conversation, she


    knew that they were going to buy some food and water.


    The two kidnappers in the back got out, leaving the driver waiting in the car alone.


    The driver took out a cigarette. Then, he began searching for a lighter but could not find one anywhere.


    He nced at the people behind, made sure that they were still unconscious, and stepped out of the


    van.


    When Ste did not hear any sound in the van, she quickly opened her eyes. She moved toward the


    door and attempted to open it.


    However, when she realized that it was locked, she knew that there was no chance for her to call


    others for help. They were in the middle of nowhere, and she could barely see any houses nearby, let


    alone people.


    She turned around and managed to retrieve her phone after a few attempts. She could not even unlock


    her phone due to how scared she was. When she finally managed to do so, she opened a random


    chat, shared her live location, and dialed 911.


    Her tears almost fell out the moment when the call was connected. She quickly told the police about


    what was happening, kept her phone connected, and hid it in a more concealed spot.


    The kidnappers had yet to return, so Ste crept back to the rear. She knelt on the ground and called


    out to Keegan with a trembling voice. ¡°Keegan, Babe, wake up. You¡¯re scaring me.¡±


    Her voice shook, and when she looked at Keegan¡¯s pale face and bloody head, her heart wrenched.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Keegan¡¯s eyelids twitched as if he had heard Ste¡¯s voice. Then, he opened his eyes and said in a


    hoarse voice,¡± Ste¡­¡±


    Ste¡¯s heart trembled, and she almost burst out crying.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s going to be okay.¡± She gently rubbed her face against Keegan¡¯s cheek and tried her best


    to keep herself calm. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared¡­ I¡¯ve already called the police.


    They¡¯ll get us out of here soon. Don¡¯t worry¡­ we¡¯ll be fine¡­¡± sheforted Keegan,

 Chapter 1611

    Chapter 1611


    Even though she was trying her best to sound calm, her tears kept falling and dropping on Keegan¡¯s


    cheek when she looked at the blood all over him.


    Keegan could sense her fear and anxiousness. He could even feel her pounding heart.


    Keegan wanted to hug her, but his hands were tied behind him. Even the slightest movement caused


    intense pain in the wound at the back of his head.


    He endured the pain and wiped away the tears on Ste¡¯s face with his cheek.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m fine. It doesn¡¯t hurt at all.¡± he said softly.


    Ste cried even more when she heard Keegan say that. He was bleeding profusely, so it was


    impossible that it did not hurt.


    Keegan sighed and said weakly, ¡°Stop crying. They¡¯ll notice it when theye back.¡±


    These words seemed to work better than his attempt tofort her earlier, as tears immediately


    stopped flowing from Ste¡¯s eyes. However, she was still overwhelmed, and her shoulders trembled


    when she tried her best to hold her tears back.


    ¡®How did you call the police?¡± Keegan tried to divert her attention and asked because he thought that


    Ste was more frightened than he was.


    So, Ste told him about how she hid the phone under the seat earlier. Keegan chuckled upon hearing


    that, and his movement caused him another wave of pain.


    ¡°Stay still.¡± Ste¡¯s nose twitched. ¡°Do you have any idea what kind of situation we¡¯re in right now? How


    can you still have the mood tough?¡±


    Keegan teased her, ¡°I onlyughed because I felt lucky to have such a clever and brave girlfriend. It¡¯s


    unbelievable.¡±


    Ste would be overjoyed if she heard that some other time, but she could not even bring herself to


    smile now.


    Keegan struggled to sit up and said in a low voice, ¡°Bring me the phone. I want to talk to the police.¡±


    Then, Ste reached for the phone and handed it to Keegan.


    ¡°Hello, have you managed to track our location?¡± Keegan asked the police, as he nced outside the


    window.


    The police told Keegan the name of an area.


    That area had a very low poption, and it was evident that the kidnappers had taken an off-road


    route. A lot of buildings and roads were not shown on the map, so the police could not track their exact


    position. However, the police had already dispatched some units to the area and told Keegan to stall


    the kidnappers for as long as possible.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Keegan replied in a low voice, ¡°This phone¡¯s battery is running out, and it may notst until you arrive. I


    need to hang up now. The kidnappers have left the car to get some food and water, so they¡¯re probably


    not going to kill us. They would most likely lock us up somewhere, but hiding two adults is not going to


    be an easy task for them.


    ¡°They¡¯ll either choose a location they¡¯re familiar with or somewhere isted. There is not much going


    on around us, so they would probably opt for thetter. Please use our current location as the middle


    point and search for any abandoned factories or residential areas within a 10-mile radius.¡±


    The operator was a little surprised upon hearing that. Having worked in this position for so many years,


    it was extremely rare to encounter someone who could remain so calm in such a dire situation. He was


    very impressed by Keegan¡¯sposure.


    The operator wasted no time and told Keegan to keep the phone hidden. Then, he told Keegan that


    they would find another way to contact them if the n had changed.


    After hanging up, the operator immediately ryed the information to the police officers.


    One of them replied, ¡°We¡¯re already on our way. Tell him not to hang up the phone. We can definitely


    intercept the car before his phone runs out of battery.¡±


    The operator then said, ¡°But we¡¯re not sure if the kidnappers are armed. What if we rmed them and


    they harm the hostages?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ve dealt with cases like this countless times. They¡¯ll be fine.¡± Based on the police


    officer¡¯s past experiences, he did not think that the kidnappers would do anything rash, as most of the


    kidnappers he dealt with were very cautious and vignt. None of them acted in broad daylight and


    made a big mistake such as allowing the hostage to call the police.


    He figured that it might just be some financial or personal disputes that led to this kidnapping. After all,


    Rivera was famous for its safety, and he had not encountered kidnapping cases for many years.


    The operator did not press further after hearing how confident the police officer was.

 Chapter 1612

    Chapter 1612


    Keegan told Ste to turn off the phone¡¯s Bluetooth, enable power-saving mode, and hide it between


    two seats in the back row.


    Ste¡¯s face was covered in sweat after doing all that.


    However, Keegan only noticed that her right index finger¡¯s nail was broken when she tried to hide the


    phone. The blood seeping out from her nail was already dried.


    He swallowed a mouthful of saliva, clenched his hand tight, and remained silent.


    Ste saw the unpleasant look on his face and softly asked,¡± Is your wound hurting?¡± Then, she started


    ming herself. ¡°I should¡¯ve just waited for you inside the office. None of this would¡¯ve happened if you


    didn¡¯t get off the car outside the building just now.¡±


    Keegan heard it and said, ¡°They had this all nned out.


    Even if I hadn¡¯t gone out of the car, they would¡¯ve still done the same thing in the parking lot. They were


    going to get me anyway. It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    Ste frowned. ¡°But why would he do this to you? You¡¯ve done nothing against him. If he wanted to


    take revenge, he should¡¯vee after me, right?¡±


    Keegan paused. ¡°Who? Are you talking about the kidnappers?


    ¡°The man that you unmasked earlier.¡± Ste¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°Do you remember the man who


    attacked Mr. Moore back then? That time when Felicity and I went to save him. It was the same man.¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    That man had a fierce and hostile-looking face. He had even threatened Ste when he was arrested,


    so that was why Ste remembered him so vividly.


    ¡°It¡¯s him?¡±


    Keegan frowned and fell into deep thought.


    Ste looked at what Keegan was wearing and suddenly said, ¡°Do you think that he might have


    mistaken you for Mr. Moore?¡±


    Keegan shook his head. ¡°I remember you told me that he fought with Marshall on the ground for a long


    time. If he hated Marshall so much and wanted to seek revenge, do you think that he would make a


    mistake like this? Besides, Marshall and I don¡¯t look alike at all.¡±


    And that was true¡­


    Their physique might look simr from behind, but their faces looked entirely different.


    However, Keegan could not determine whether this person was sent by Chandler, and what were the


    odds of them being the same individual who had attacked Marshall?


    ¡°Stop thinking about it and conserve your energy. They might find out about the phone soon. We¡¯ve got


    to look for a chance to escape.¡±


    Keegan paused before he continued, ¡°If you encounter anything like this next time, don¡¯t look back and


    just run. It¡¯s very dangerous for you to go after people like them. What would I do if something


    happened to you?¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes turned red. ¡°That man just swung a bat at you, and I was so scared. How could I run¡­¡±


    Keegan chuckled while enduring the pain. ¡°It might look scary, but it doesn¡¯t hurt at all. I¡¯m only scared


    because you¡¯re here too.¡± Keegan exhaled deeply and jokingly added, ¡°You need to keep your word;


    one must always put themselves first.¡±


    ¡°What about you? Didn¡¯t you use to say that one¡¯s instinct should be to save themselves first in times of


    danger? Why did you rush forward when the van wasing at me? Why didn¡¯t you save yourself?¡±


    If the van had not driven toward Ste, Keegan would not have been distracted and got hit again.


    ¡°I was trying to save myself.¡±


    Ste was puzzled.


    Keegan then whispered, ¡°My heart is with you.¡±


    Ste could not believe that Keegan was still saying cheesy things tofort her at a time like this.


    She was about to say something more, but she saw the three kidnappers approaching the van with


    bags full of items.


    Ste nervously said, ¡°They¡¯reing back. Get down.¡±

 Chapter 1613

    Chapter 1613


    In the office of Vinci Rivera at ten past nine, every shareholder had arrived at the venue, except for


    Keegan. Only the seat in front of Aldor was empty.


    Chandler swept his gaze across Keegan¡¯s seat and pushed up his sleeve to check the time.


    A board member sitting beside him immediately understood what he was doing.


    Then, he cleared his throat and said,¡± Aldor, we¡¯ve waited long enough. When will your boss arrive?


    The whole board is waiting for him. He can¡¯t disregard us like this even if he¡¯s very confident in winning,


    right?¡±


    Aldor lifted his gaze and said, ¡°Mr. Kane has been kidnapped. I would like to request an extension for


    this meeting.¡±


    Everyone in the room fell silent upon hearing what Aldor said. Then, someone chuckled softly, followed


    by a wave of loudughter.


    ¡°Aldor, today isn¡¯t the first of April.¡±


    ¡°Kidnapped? Are you filming a movie here? You¡¯ve got to be joking.¡±


    ¡°Is he just hiding somewhere because he¡¯s afraid that he¡¯ll lose the election?¡±


    Aldor did not respond and remained silent.


    ¡°Quiet, please.¡± Chandler knocked on the table, and theughter gradually subsided.


    He nced at Aldor and said, ¡°I¡¯m sure you know how important this meeting is, and no one has the


    authority to stop this meeting today. There are¡­. three minutes left until his entry is prohibited. He¡¯s


    free to arrive any time before that.


    But, if he doesn¡¯t, ording to the rules, he loses the election by default.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s losing by default?¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    An old woman¡¯s voice came from the door, and Chandler¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    He turned around and saw Cordelia standing at the door with the support of Baldwin.


    He immediately stood up and said, ¡°Mom, I thought you weren¡¯t feeling well and that you wouldn¡¯t be


    coming.¡±


    Cordelia replied tly, ¡°I¡¯m just dropping by to have a look.¡± She scanned the room before she asked,


    ¡°Where¡¯s Keegan?¡±


    Tears welled up in Aldor¡¯s eyes, as he spoke. ¡°Chairwoman, something has happened to Mr. Kane. He


    might¡¯ve been kidnapped, and I can¡¯t reach him right now.¡±


    Someone who was on Chandler¡¯s side chimed in and said,¡± One of us saw you driving Mr. Kane here


    this morning. It has only been less than two hours and now you¡¯re saying that he¡¯s been kidnapped?


    Who would dare to do such a thing at thepany in broad daylight? Aldor, you must be joking.¡±


    Chandler said softly, ¡°Mom, Keegan would always hide himself whenever he¡¯s scared since he was a


    child. I noticed that he has been very anxious in the past few days, and he just might be hiding again.


    We can let him do whatever he wants if we were at home, but there are so many people waiting for him


    at thepany today. We can¡¯t give him any special treatment.¡±


    Cordelia pursed her lips, and her gaze gave Chandler an unsettling feeling. She then said, ¡°Do you


    think that Aldor would joke around with something like this?¡±


    ¡°He works for Keegan. He¡¯s just doing everything he can to dy the meeting for his boss.¡±


    Cordelia clenched her fists tight. ¡°We¡¯ll just give a call to the police and see if


    Aldor is lying or not. How can you just assume that Keegan is hiding without verifying if what Aldor said


    is true?¡±


    Chandler paused before saying in a deep voice, ¡°Mom, Vinci Rivera is no longer just our family¡¯s


    business. It involves the interests of many other shareholders. If I were to cancel this meeting just


    because Keegan was said to be kidnapped, what would our shareholders think? You¡¯ve got to see the


    bigger picture even if you favor Keegan.¡±


    Cordelia¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°Favor? Do you think that Vinci Rivera would still have a ce for


    you if I had favored him? I should¡¯ve just directly handed


    Vinci Rivera to Keegan on the day your brother passed away! When you demanded to start a business


    on your own, your brother allocated his research and development funds for you despite facing


    financial difficulties at that time.


    You didn¡¯t earn any achievements, yet he chose to forget the past and let you work in hispany. It¡¯s


    true that you¡¯ve gotten several promotions over these years, but do you think they¡¯re all because of


    your capabilities?¡±


    Chandler froze, and his expression was filled with disbelief. He could not believe that his own mother


    would say something so harsh in front of everyone.


    Chandler choked, as his expression turned from pale to stern.


    ¡°Yeah. To you, I am never as good as Quentin.¡± His tone turned cold, and he continued, ¡°But he¡¯s dead


    and Vinci Rivera doesn¡¯t belong to him anymore. You were the one who set the rules of the board back


    then, and I¡¯m merely following them.¡±


    He then nced at the time and added, ¡°There¡¯s only one minute left. I¡¯ll dere him absent if he


    doesn¡¯t show up.¡±


    Cordelia got so angry that her face turned pale. At that moment, the meeting room¡¯s door swung open,


    and the police went inside.


    The leading police officer said, ¡°Hello, we¡¯ve received a report about a kidnapping in this vicinity. We


    need to ess the surveince footage. May I know who the person in charge is?¡±


    Suddenly, the entire room fell silent. Cordelia¡¯s heart tightened, as she said in a low voice, ¡°Aldor, bring


    the police to the surveince room.¡±


    Aldor heaved a sigh of relief and left the meeting room with the police.


    It really was a kidnapping.


    The meeting could not proceed anymore because Keegan¡¯s absence was not voluntary.


    Chandler pursed his lips, trying to maintain a calm expression.


    He turned around and noticed that Cordelia had not followed the police downstairs. Instead, she stood


    there and looked at him expressionlessly. When nearly all the people had left the meeting room, she


    asked Chandler, ¡°Do you have anything to do with Keegan¡¯s disappearance?¡±

 Chapter 1614

    Chapter 1614


    Chandler¡¯s heart sank. ¡°Tell me, you already have an answer, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Cordelia said after a long pause, ¡°I¡¯m d that it¡¯s not you.¡±


    Chandler stared at her receding back and stayed in ce for a long time.


    After watching theplete footage in the surveince room, everyone was shocked, especially


    Cordelia. Aldor noticed that her hands were trembling when she watched the recording. However, she


    tried her best to suppress her emotions and managed to keep herself under control.


    The police immediately initiated an investigation upon obtaining the car¡¯s te number and the faces of


    the kidnappers.


    After they came out of the surveince room, Aurora rushed over anxiously.


    ¡°Aldor, what happened to my brother? Is it true that he¡¯s been kidnapped?¡±


    ¡°The police are still looking into it.¡± Aldor paused before he continued, ¡°Thank you for informing Mrs.


    Kane Sr. for me.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s my brother!¡± Aurora¡¯s eyes turned red. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything bad to happen to him no matter how


    much I hate him.¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Aldor¡¯s eyes reddened too when he thought of the footage where Keegan was covered in blood.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be fine. Be sure to take care of your grandmother. Her body is weak, and we can¡¯t let anything


    happen to her before Mr. Kanees back.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Aurora replied in a hoarse voice.


    She added after a short pause, ¡°Notify the Saun family, so Ste can use her family¡¯s connection to


    help with the search.¡±


    Aldor then said in a low voice, ¡°Mrs. Kane was also dragged into the van because she tried to save Mr.


    Kane. We¡¯ve already told the Saun family about what happened.¡±


    Aurora froze. ¡°Are you saying Ste was kidnapped too because she tried to save my brother?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Aurora had mixed feelings upon hearing that.


    Then, Aldor received a phone call and hurriedly left.


    Inside the van, Keegan and Ste went back to where they were. Then, the door of the van opened.


    The three kidnappers loaded their items into the van. When the driver was about to start the engine,


    the shop owner suddenly came out running. He imed that he had miscalcted the items and


    undercharged them.


    The driver rolled down the window by a tiny gap and asked with a frown, ¡°How much do I owe you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. You need to show me all the items, so I can recount them,¡± the shop owner said, as he


    quickly nced inside the car through the gap. He noticed that there seemed to be someone else in


    the backseat.


    The driver took out a hundred-dor bill and threw it at him.¡± This should be enough, right?¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to do? I¡¯m running a business here, not trying to cheat anyone. I¡¯ll only take how


    much the items are supposed to cost. I don¡¯t want anything extra.¡±


    The driver then got impatient. ¡°Just take it. We have somewhere else to be.¡±


    The shop owner replied, ¡°I¡¯ll be quick. It¡¯s not going to take long, I promise.¡±


    The driver was about to say something more, but the person who attacked


    Marshall suddenly chimed in and said, ¡°Let him. I want to get two more packs of cigarettes.¡±


    Then, he got out of the van, opened the trunk, and turned to the shop owner with a smile. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    The shop owner grinned and said, ¡°Sorry for the trouble.¡± Then, he began counting the items.


    At that time, they were only separated from the shop owner by one row of car seats. Ste wanted to


    shout for help.


    However, Keegan nudged her with his foot before she could do anything. Ste calmed down after that.


    Their hands and feet were tied, and there was no one else but the shop owner nearby. It was not


    certain if the shop owner would be able to help them. Acting rashly at that moment and alerting the


    kidnappers would even get the shop owner in trouble.


    So, she gave up the idea and continued to act unconscious.


    After the shop owner was done counting, he said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve undercharged you by twenty-three


    dors and thirty cents. I¡¯ll just take twenty three dors from you. Do you have any change?¡±


    The man exhaled a puff of smoke and tly said, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Would you follow me back to the store, then? I¡¯ll go back and get the change for your one hundred


    dors.¡±


    The man nced at him and put out his cigarette. Then, he suddenly pulled out a knife from his pocket


    and lunged it at the shop owner¡¯s stomach.

 Chapter 1615

    Chapter 1615


    The shop owner instinctively reached out to block the attack, and the knife cut through his palm.


    Although it slowed down the force, it still stabbed into his stomach firmly.


    Blood gushed out instantly, as the shop owner clutched his wound and copsed.


    The driver was shocked. When he saw the man going berserk and was about to stab the shop owner


    again, he immediately reversed the car and lightly bumped into him.¡± Are you leaving or not? Because I


    am!¡±


    It was only then the man stopped and quickly got into the van.


    Ste felt a chill down her spine. It was supposed to be a mere kidnapping, and there was no need to


    harm an innocent person. The fact that the man was carrying a knife showed that he was a


    psychopath!


    ¡°Fuck, are you out of your mind?¡± the driver cursed, as he sped away from the scene. ¡°Do you want to


    get the police¡¯s attention or what?¡±


    ¡°The police are alreadying after us.¡± The man wiped the bloodstain with a piece of tissue from the


    knife and threw it out of the car window. Then, he said coldly, ¡°When we were paying for the items, that


    scumbag answered a phone call and his expression immediately changed. He was trying to stall us for


    the police by saying he undercharged us!¡±


    The driver¡¯s face turned gloomy. ¡°We agreed on using the drug, yet you chose to fucking attack him on


    the street instead. You alerted the security guard, yet you just caused us another problem!¡±


    The man¡¯s face remained expressionless, as he said, ¡°Go in the opposite direction. The police are


    going to trace us here. We can¡¯t go to the ce we scouted earlier.¡±


    ¡°Fuck!¡± The driver felt frustrated and turned the van around.


    Keegan¡¯s heart sank.


    The police did not take his suggestion and contacted the shop owner directly.


    The kidnappers were rmed, and they changed their original n. Now, the police would most


    probably lose them, and Keegan had to find another way to send them their location.


    Just over ten minutes after the kidnapper¡¯s van had left, the police arrived at the scene. They saw the


    injured shop owner, and it was only then the officer realized that it was not just an ordinary dispute he


    had assumed; the kidnappers would really harm the hostages.


    Fortunately, the staff in the shop managed to stop the bleeding in time, and the ambnce had arrived.


    Consequently, the shop owner lived through the incident.


    The police did not reveal much detail when they called the shop to ask about the van.


    However, the shop owner had previously worked as an auxiliary police officer when he was younger.


    When he saw the group of people entering his store, he noticed that all of them were heavily dressed,


    and they also intentionally lowered their tone when they spoke. So, he could sense that something was


    off about them. Then, when the police called to ask about the kidnapping case, he became even more


    certain.


    So, he came up with an excuse to go outside and check things out. When he talked to the driver, he


    noticed the bloodstained shirt and a person in the backseat through the gap in the window.


    He intended to stall the kidnappers, but he did not expect that they would be so vignt.


    Before the shop owner was taken away by the ambnce, he described to the police, ¡°I couldn¡¯t really


    see the faces of the driver and the man who was wearing a pair of white shoes. But I did see the man


    who was wearing a cap clearly. He¡¯s probably around his forties, and he has a long scar behind his left


    ear that seems to extend from the top of his head down. He has a very hostile looking face.


    ¡°Oh, and I think there¡¯s something wrong with his eyes.¡±


    The police officer paused and asked, ¡°His eyes? What¡¯s wrong with it?¡±


    The shop owner shook his head, frowned, and thought for a few seconds before he said, ¡°When he


    entered the store, he asked me about the price of a pack of


    Marlboro Blue, and I told him. After they were done shopping and went to check out, my employee was


    the one who scanned the items for them. But the price of that pack of cigarettes came out different from


    what I had told him. He got very angry and said something to my employee.¡±


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°He said: ¡®You told me it was twelve dors when I asked you just now. Why is it showing fourteen?''¡±

 Chapter 1616

    Chapter 1616


    A young police officer was puzzled. ¡°He simply mistook your employee for you. What is the problem


    here?¡±


    People often would not pay much attention to the appearance of strangers, and the young police officer


    found it perfectly normal.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    The shop owner said, ¡°I lent him a lighter too when he asked me about the price, and we chatted for a bit


    before he left. My employee is a young man in his early twenties. Even if he has a bad memory, do you


    think it¡¯s possible that he would confuse a young person with an old man like me? We look nothing alike,


    except for our work uniforms. My employee even told him that I was the one he talked to, but he didn¡¯t


    seem to believe it. He stared at me for some time before reluctantly letting it slide.¡±


    The police officer then said, ¡°There¡¯s probably something wrong with his brain, not his eyes.¡±


    The shop owner continued, ¡°It¡¯s pretty strange. It seems like he has trouble telling strangers apart. But I


    only talked to him for a short while, so I can¡¯t be toosure.¡±


    The police officer took note of what the shop owner said, and the ambnce took the store owner away.


    Due to the kidnappers being alerted, when the police searched an abandoned factory nearby, they were


    nowhere to be found.


    At that time, the police received updates that Keegan Kane of Vinci Rivera had been kidnapped outside


    hispany. The white van and its car te number that were spotted matched the one that made a


    stop at the shop earlier. So, the police immediately deployed more units and expanded the search area.


    Meanwhile, Marshall had just parted ways with the girl that his mother had arranged a blind date with. He


    instinctively checked his phone after getting into the car and noticed several missed calls from Vermont.


    He was about to call him back when he saw a locationsharing notification from Ste.


    He paused briefly and decided to return Vermont¡¯s calls first.


    As soon as the call was connected, Vermont hurriedly said,¡± Finally, you answered! Keegan and Ste


    were kidnapped. We just received an update from the police, saying that they found traces of the


    kidnappers around Pantheon Belt Road. The police have limited manpower. Can you get some help, so


    we can search for them together?¡±


    ¡°Kidnapped?¡± Marshall frowned. ¡°Are you sure? Ste just shared me her location not long ago.¡±


    Vermont immediately said, ¡°The police received their call, and she can even send you her location. It


    looks like they still have a phone with them! Quick, check where they are!¡±


    Marshall tapped on the message and realized that it was still updating their current location. Then, he


    quickly headed to the police station.


    The police finally had a direction to follow after looking at Marshall¡¯s phone.


    Everyone hoped that they would be found, but when the police cars caught up to the location, the phone


    was on a truck transporting poultry.


    The truck driver was questioned, and he had no idea how the phone ended up in his truck.


    The police officers spected that the kidnappers had probably found out about the phone and realized


    that it was exposing their location. So, they threw the phone onto a truck, attempting to mislead the


    police.


    The fact that the phone was discovered, coupled with the brutality disyed by the kidnappers at the


    store, heightened everyone¡¯s concern.


    ¡°Crack-¡± The bamboo stick struck Keegan¡¯s back and split into several pieces.


    ¡°Ha! ying games with me, huh?¡± the man who attacked Marshall cursed, as he continued to hit


    Keegan.


    The wound on Keegan¡¯s head reopened. His mouth was now sealed with tape and his jacket was tossed


    aside. The threads of blood on his back could be clearly seen through the shirt he was wearing.


    However, he showed no sign ofpromising. Everytime he was knocked down, he struggled to stand


    back up.


    The more unyielding he was, the more it fueled the man¡¯s sadistic desires. He began hitting Keegan


    harder and harder. Even the thick bamboo stick he used to hit Keegan with was on the verge of breaking.


    Ste¡¯s mouth was taped as well, and she was forced to watch Keegan being tortured.

 Chapter 1617

    Chapter 1617


    Ste¡¯s eyes turned red, as she witnessed Keegan being tortured. She wanted to rush over to him, but a


    man held her back. She looked at her partner who was drenched in blood, and her tears fell


    uncontrobly.


    The man restraining Ste took in the tragic scene and felt somewhat uneasy.


    He loosened his grip, allowing Ste to break free and shield Keegan.


    Marshall¡¯s previous attacker, who was an abuser, swung the bamboo stick toward Ste and hit her neck.


    The splinters from the stick pierced through her skin. Although Ste was crying out in pain, she held


    onto Keegan with fierce determination.


    Bitch! How dare you stash that phone away!¡± The man¡¯s eyes burned with anger. He tossed the stick


    aside, grabbed a shovel from the ground, and was ready to strike.


    However, Ste did not care. She bent down and pressed her face to Keegan¡¯s.


    Tears streamed down her cheeks, as she heard his faint breaths.


    Just as the shovel was about to strike her, someone kicked the abusive man away.


    The driver, who hade back from the car, grimaced at the sight of the two. He grabbed the abuser


    and said in an icy tone, ¡°Didn¡¯t I warn you not to go too far? How dare you ignore my instructions?!¡± With


    that, the driver kicked the man in the stomach a few times. ¡°You¡¯re dead if I catch you losing it again!¡±


    The man curled up in pain. He clutched onto his abdomen, and his sweat glistened on his forehead. It


    was clear that the driver did not hold back when he was kicking him.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Then, the driver approached the couple and crouched down.


    He reached his hand out, and Ste instinctively flinched. The driver paused. He ripped the tape from her


    mouth and offered her a piece of bread.


    Ste turned her head away.


    ¡°I suggest that you eat something. Butting heads with me won¡¯t get you anywhere. Refuse to take this


    meal, and I might not be so amodating next time. You won¡¯t have the strength to walk out of here


    even if you manage to escape,¡± the driver warned sternly.


    Ste¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. She said in a low voice, ¡°What do you want from us? Money? How much


    will it take for you to release us?¡±


    ¡°I have noment on that,¡± the driver replied indifferently. He offered the bread to Ste again, and she


    reluctantly took a few bites.


    ¡°Can you please free me, so I can tend to his wounds?¡± she asked when he gave her some water.


    The driver remained unfazed.


    Ste clenched her fists, trying to suppress her emotions.¡± He¡¯ll die if you don¡¯t let me help him. You went


    through all this trouble to kidnap him. Will you get what you want from him if he dies?¡± she trembled, as


    she spoke.


    The driver contemted Ste¡¯s words.


    ¡°Release me so I can stop the bleeding. He¡¯s right here. I won¡¯t run away!¡± Ste pleaded. She was now


    on her knees with tears streaming down her face.


    ¡°Please, he¡¯s going to die!¡±


    The driver¡¯s lips tightened. He drew a dagger and released Ste from her bindings.


    Ste looked at Keegan, who was covered in blood, and her legs went weak. At that point, she was


    crawling to his side. There were countless wounds beneath his blood-stained clothes. Ste shook at the


    sight of it all. She was too afraid to touch her partner.


    ¡°Keegan¡­ Keegan¡­¡± she whispered his name and started to choke up.


    Keegan blinked, signaling that he was still with her.


    Ste¡¯s heart pounded. She held back her tears and softly said, ¡°Bear with me while I tend to your


    wounds.¡±


    Keegan blinked again in response. horrifying wound beneath.

 Chapter 1618

    Chapter 1618


    With no disinfectant in hand, Ste did her best to clean Keegan¡¯s wounds with water. She then used her


    scarf to apply pressure on them.


    Once she was done, she looked up and said, ¡°Let me feed him something.¡± The driver observed her in


    silence.


    ¡°You can tie me back up once he¡¯s done eating,¡± Ste insisted.


    The driver tossed a bag of food toward her and turned to his men. ¡°Keep an eye on them. Don¡¯t let that


    son of a bitch go berserk again. I need a smoke.¡±


    Keegan, who was battered and bruised, did not have much of an appetite. He ate only a little before


    losing interest.


    After the meal, the couple was quickly tied up once more. The abusive man¡¯s gaze was cold, but he


    refrained from further violence after being told off by the driver.


    The Kanes and the Sauns were in a panic after knowing about Ste and Keegan. They pulled every


    string they had and scoured for any lead that might prove useful.


    Using the blurry surveince footage and the ount of the stabbed shop owner, the police swiftly


    produced aposite sketch of the kidnappers. The sketches were then swiftly shared with the public.


    Upon seeing the sketch, Marshall mmed on the brakes and turned his car around. He headed in a


    different direction with a stern expression on his face.


    Soon, it was nightfall. The three kidnappers took turns on watch duty.


    Worried about Keegan¡¯s condition, Ste would call out to him every now and then.


    Fortunately, it was winter, and the wounds were less likely to be infected. However, with the


    significant loss of blood and numerous injuries, Keegan¡¯s face was ghostly pale.


    Ste could not fathom how the kidnappers had discovered the phone when it was hidden so discreetly.


    Keegan had even told her to turn off Bluetooth so that it would not be traced. Yet, they still found it.


    ¡°Ste,¡± Keegan called out to her.


    Ste returned to her senses and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Keegan leaned in close to her and whispered something in her ears. Ste then widened her eyes. ¡°But


    your injuries¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Keegan assured. He took a breath and said,¡± Resting here for a bit has helped a lot. They¡¯ve


    switched cars. They¡¯ll probably leave the city before daybreak. Once they¡¯re out of Rivera, it¡¯ll be much


    harder to track them down. When the timees, I¡¯ll provoke them while you act ordingly.¡±


    ¡°Let me provoke him,¡± Ste murmured. ¡°I¡¯ve met this person before. I know what buttons to push.¡±


    It was 1:00 a.m. when the abusive man was assigned to watch duty.


    Ste lowered her gaze and suddenly muttered, ¡°Useless piece of shit.¡±


    The man seemed particrly sensitive to those words.¡± What did you say?¡± he asked in a low and


    ominous voice.


    Ste looked up. ¡°I said you¡¯re a useless, abusive piece of shit! You only dare to prey on the vulnerable.


    You didn¡¯t even have the guts to fight back when that man kicked you in the guts. You¡¯re pathetic!¡±


    The man felt provoked. He grabbed Ste by the cor and pped her hard. ¡°I dare you to say that


    again!¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan clenched his fists, and his eyes were burning with a desire to make that scum suffer.


    Ste spat out a mouthful of blood, and her voice was cold.¡± You¡¯re useless, pathetic, and abusive. If


    you¡¯re as tough as you think you are, you wouldn¡¯t have stood there and taken that beating. No wonder


    your wife wants a divorce. You¡¯re weak!¡±


    The man¡¯s face darkened. He shoved Ste away, grabbed an ax, and stormed out.


    Ste had been careful with how she positioned her hands the second time they were tied up. Her hands


    were not bound too tightly. With a swift motion, she freed herself and skillfully untied Keegan. Then, she


    grabbed his hand, and they bolted for the exit.

 Chapter 1619

    Chapter 1619


    It was the dead of night. The bone-chilling wind echoed in their ears, as Ste held onto Keegan and ran


    fortheir lives. They knew that the abusive man was a mentally unhinged lunatic. Their lives would be at


    stake once he realized that they were gone.


    The deste surroundings offered nofort. There was not even a glimmer of light in sight. However,


    Ste did not care. She continued running with Keegan in one direction, hoping to put as much distance


    between them and their captors.


    After running for what felt like an eternity, Keegan¡¯s legs gave out, and he copsed to the ground.


    ¡°Keegan!¡± Ste¡¯s heart tightened, as she called out his name.


    ¡°Don¡¯t shout,¡± Keegan quickly responded, but his voice was weak. ¡°They¡¯ll hear us.¡±


    Ste swallowed her words and crouched down to help Keegan up. Just as she was about to speak, she


    felt a warm dampness in her hand.


    Ste froze. While trembling, she slowly opened her hand. The moonlight was faint, making it impossible


    to see what was in her palm, but the heavy scent of blood told her what it was.


    ¡°Can you tell me where it hurts?¡± Ste forced herself to ask. Her voice was hoarse.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. I¡¯m fine,¡± Keegan whispered.


    ¡°You¡¯re bleeding. How can you say it¡¯s nothing serious?¡± Ste started to choke up. ¡°Let me look at the


    wound,¡± she said. She tried to lift Keegan by his shirt, but he grabbed her hand and murmured,


    ¡°North is in that direction. I heard the sound of water from that way when we arrived. Run along that path.


    Once you see a bridge, it means you¡¯re not far from the main road.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Ste tried to pull him up, but Keegan held onto her wrist.¡± Ste, you have to go on without me.¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Ste froze. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t run anymore, but you can. They¡¯re after me. They¡¯ll get scared of being caught and flee when


    they realize you¡¯ve escaped. They won¡¯t track you down. Call the police ande back with them to find


    me. I¡¯ll try to leave some clues behind.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Ste cried. ¡°That man is insane. You won¡¯t be able to survive if he catches you. It¡¯s fine if you can¡¯t


    run. I¡¯ll support you while we walk. I¡¯m not leaving you behind!¡±


    Keegan¡¯s heart ached when her tears fell onto his hand. However, this was not the time to be


    sentimental.


    ¡°Ste, calm down¡­¡±


    ¡°No! I can¡¯t calm down, and I won¡¯t calm down! I can¡¯t just leave you here, Keegan. How do you expect


    me to do that?¡±


    Suddenly, Keegan reached out and embraced her. Even though the act affected the wounds on his back,


    causing his face to turn pale, he did not let go.


    Ste sobbed in his arms. ¡°Can¡¯t we give it a try? Maybe they haven¡¯t even found out that we¡¯re gone.


    Maybe the police will find us soon. Please don¡¯t make me go alone¡­¡±


    Keegan¡¯s heart ached at the sound of that. He gently patted her back and said,


    ¡°Ste, listen to me. It¡¯s clear that the driver has the final say among them. He won¡¯t let me die, at least


    not for now.¡±


    Keegan scanned the surroundings and continued speaking in a low voice. ¡°See that grove over there? I¡¯ll


    head into the woods while you run to the bridge. I¡¯ll try to hide and dy their efforts. Once you¡¯re out,


    find the police ande back for me. Can you do that?¡±


    ¡°How would you hide in the woods?¡± Ste asked.


    ¡°I can climb a tree. It¡¯s really dark out here. They won¡¯t see me,¡± Keegan assured.


    Lights were already flickering in the distance, indicating that the kidnappers had realized their escape.


    Ste clenched her fists, struggling to make a decision.¡± Hide well. I¡¯ll go find help.¡±


    Keegan smiled and kissed her. ¡°Alright,¡± he whispered.

 Chapter 1620

    Chapter 1620


    Ste wiped away her tears. She endured the heartache and ran in the direction Keegan had indicated.


    Keegan turned to check on the approaching headlights and went in the opposite direction. He attempted


    to throw them off by clenching his fingers tightly and creating a trail of blood.


    Ste was crying, as she ran. She tried not to think about Keegan¡¯s injuries, as she feared that she


    would not be able to resist turning back. All she could do was push forward and run even faster.


    Time seemed to stretch on forever, but she eventually came across the bridge that Keegan had


    mentioned. Underneath the bridge was a turbulent river shrouded in mist, and the air was cold.


    Ste was overjoyed, and tears streamed down her face. Just as she was about to rush across the


    bridge, she heard the growl of an engine approaching from behind.


    Panic surged through her, and she quickly sought cover.


    Then, the car came to a stop not far from the bridge. Ste heard the door open, and footsteps followed.


    Someone walked to the bridge and paced back and forth. Each step that they took made Ste¡¯s heart


    race even more.


    After a short while, the footsteps receded, and the person returned to the vehicle. The door of the car


    was opened again, and the abusive man stared at Keegan, who was tied up once again. ¡°Where did she


    run off to?¡± he asked.


    Keegan stayed silent, refusing to even look at him. His defiance irked his torturer.


    The man tugged Keegan¡¯s hair, forcing him to meet his gaze. ¡°I¡¯m asking you a question. Where did she


    run off to!?¡±


    Half of Keegan¡¯s face was covered with blood, but a cold smirk remained on his lips. He proceeded to


    spit a mouthful of blood at the man¡¯s face.


    The man¡¯s face darkened, and hended a vicious punch on Keegan¡¯s abdomen.


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    Keegan let out a grunt. His face instantly became paler than before.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way she¡¯d abandon you. She didn¡¯t leave you behind when she had the chancest time.


    Why would she do it now?¡± The attacker sneered.


    Keegan furrowed his brow. ¡®What does he mean byst time?


    Before he could ponder the matter further, the man grabbed him by his cor and yanked him out of the


    car. With wounds covering his body and hands tightly bound, Keegan was practically being dragged.


    Ste remained hidden in the shadows. Her heart ached, as she listened to Keegan¡¯s intermittent and


    heavy breathing.


    There was a soft rustling of leavesing from above the bridge. Ste¡¯s view was obstructed, and she


    could not see anything. Yet, a subtle sense of unease settled in her chest, and she tightened her grip on


    her clothes.


    In no time, the abusive man¡¯s voice echoed again. ¡°I know you¡¯re nearby.¡± He spoke while dragging


    Keegan with one hand and wielding a shlight to scour the surroundings with the other.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got some guts, woman. How dare you trick me twice?¡±


    No one replied to the man. All that filled the air was the sound of flowing water beneath the bridge and


    the rustling leaves stirred by the breeze.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you ten seconds. Come out, and I¡¯ll let bygones be bygones. If you don¡¯t¡­¡± The man suddenly


    grabbed the back of Keegan¡¯s neck and pushed him toward the edge of the bridge. ¡°I¡¯ll throw him into the


    river!¡± Ste¡¯s heart sank.


    Keegan smirked and said, ¡°Do you think she¡¯d be foolish enough to walk back into danger after leaving


    me behind?¡±


    Ste clenched her fist. Keegan did not know if she had escaped, but he did notwant to take the chance


    of her being caught. He was not only saying those words to the kidnapper but to her as well, in case she


    was nearby.


    ¡°Why not?¡± the abusive man sneered. He abruptly tugged Keegan¡¯s hair and said, ¡°Why would you lead


    me away from her after how she treated you? Do you think I¡¯m an idiot?¡±

 Chapter 1621

    Chapter 1621


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1621 [Eleven Jewell]


    Keegan¡¯s wounds tore open, leaving him pale and in silent agony. He scoffed,


    ¡°Did you bother to find out about us before making your move? She¡¯s my ex wife. Do you really think a


    woman would show up for an ex-husband who


    treated her poorly?¡±


    This seemed to strike a nerve with the kidnapper. He growled, ¡°You divorced her


    just to fool around with my wife, didn¡¯t you? And then, you conspired with her to


    divorce me!¡±


    Keegan was puzzled by his usation. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking


    about. I don¡¯t know your wife.¡±


    ¡°Cut the act!¡± the abusive man raged. ¡°As soon as she saw you, she wanted a


    divorce! You even helped her with thewsuit. How could you!¡±


    The p was brutal. Keegan¡¯s ears were ringing, but the man¡¯s words made


    Keegan realize that what Ste had said might be true-the kidnappers had


    mistaken him for Marshall.


    The abusive man grabbed Keegan¡¯s neck and continued,¡± My wife left me, my


    son is gone, and my parents were forced to quit their jobs by thepany. My


    family is torn apart because of you. I won¡¯t let you two off so easily!¡±


    Heughed maniacally. ¡°It¡¯s fine if she doesn¡¯te out. I¡¯ll deal with you first


    and then find herter. There¡¯s no one in this twenty-mile radius to help her. She


    couldn¡¯t have gone


    far.¡±


    The man was about to shove Keegan off the bridge when Ste¡¯s voice echoed


    not far away. ¡°Stop! You¡¯re looking for me, right? So, stop hurting him. I¡¯m


    Keegan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. The thing he was worried about was happening


    right before his eyes.


    Ste could have stayed hidden. However, she was afraid of what would have


    happened if she did not try to stop the man. Additionally, Keegan did not know


    how to swim. Even if he did, his clothes would weigh him down in the freezing


    water. The chances of him swimming to safety were low.


    Ste simply could not afford to make that gamble.


    As soon as Ste appeared, the perpetrator perked up. ¡°True love prevails in


    times of trouble. How heartwarming,¡± he stated sarcastically. The man then


    pressed down on Keegan¡¯s shoulder, and Keegan could not help but grunt.


    Ste¡¯s heart tightened. She clenched her fists and said,¡± You got the wrong


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    person. He didn¡¯t help your wife with the divorce. He¡¯s not even awyer. He


    doesn¡¯t even know how to represent someone in awsuit.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡± the abusive man sneered.


    ¡°It¡¯s the truth!¡± Ste urged. ¡°Take a good look at the person you¡¯re holding. You


    were in close quarters with thewyer when you fought him. I bet you know


    what he looks like.


    They lookpletely different. How could you mistake one for the other?¡±


    The man hesitated before examining Keegan¡¯s face once more. The man could


    hardly tell him and Marshall apart. He tried to view Keegan from another angle,


    but the figure seemed identical to the person in his memory.


    ¡®It¡¯s a perfect match if he was dressed in a white suit. That woman must be


    lying!¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to deceive me and make a run for it?¡± he sneered.


    ¡°You¡¯vee across thatwyer face to face. How could I possibly trick you?¡±


    Ste¡¯s voice trembled. She was afraid that the lunatic would lose his grip and


    drop Keegan into the waters. Even though she was terrified, she kept her tone


    as soft as possible.


    ¡°The man you¡¯re holding works at the Vinci Rivera Group. You can find his


    picture on their website. Meanwhile, thewyer who helped your wife with the


    as well. You can search them up on your phone topare them. Just one look


    and you¡¯ll realize you¡¯ve mistaken the two!¡±


    A flicker of doubt crossed the man¡¯s face. He stared at Ste with a tense


    expression and said, ¡°If what you¡¯re saying is true, I want you to call thatwyer


    and ask him toe over.¡±


    Ste tightened her fists and said, ¡°Will you release him if I give thewyer a


    call?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do it!¡± Keegan shouted.


    The man drew a knife and pressed it against Keegan¡¯s neck. ¡°Well, I won¡¯t kill


    him right away.¡±


    Ste had no negotiating power in this situation. So, she could only do her best


    to stall.


    ¡°Give me your phone, and I¡¯ll make the call.¡±


    The man did not trust her. ¡°Tell me his number, and I¡¯ll do the dialing. You can


    just stand there and speak. And don¡¯t even think about trying anything funny.¡±

 Chapter 1622

    Chapter 1622


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1622 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ste did not have a good memory. She only had a few numbers memorized in


    her mind. Aside from close family members, Keegan, and Felicity, the only


    number she remembered was Vermont¡¯s. So, she gave the man his number.


    The man had restrained Keegan with one hand while he called the number with


    his other hand.


    Vermont was driving toward the location that the police had mentioned at that


    time. He picked up the phone when he saw that an unknown caller was calling


    him.


    Ste was afraid that he might inadvertently reveal his identity, so she


    immediately spoke up as soon as Vermont answered. ¡°Mr. Moore, it¡¯s me.¡±


    Vermont was taken aback and mmed on the brakes. He quickly turned on the


    phone¡¯s recording function and spoke in a low voice, ¡°Where are you? We¡¯ve


    been searching everywhere for you!¡±


    Ste breathed a sigh of relief. She was worried that Vermont would not y


    along. She had overheard the kidnappers talking, and it seemed like the police


    were already involved. Clearly, news about the abduction had spread among


    friends and family. The kidnappers would catch on immediately if Vermont acted


    like he did not know about the kidnapping.


    ¡°We¡¯re safe for now, but we can¡¯t go back just yet.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s Keegan?¡±


    ¡°He¡­¡± Ste started to choke up at the mention of her partner¡¯s name. ¡°He¡¯s not


    doing well. Can youe over? A friend wants to see you. He might have


    mistaken something, and he needs you toe over to confirm it. Please, I¡¯m


    begging you.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s heart sank. ¡®Keegan must be in bad shape for Ste to act like this,¡¯


    he thought.


    ¡°Where are you? And how do I get there?¡±


    Ste looked at the kidnapper, who was holding onto Keegan¡¯s neck, and stuck


    to the original n.


    ¡°Stay with me on the phone. Tell me your location, and I¡¯ll guide you from here.


    Come alone, and don¡¯t call the cops. Things will get ugly for Keegan and me if


    the authorities are involved.¡±


    Vermont froze. ¡®Damn it. This guy is pretty smart.¡¯ The man assumed that he


    would not be able to contact the police if he stayed on the phone. However,


    Vermont was quickwitted. He immediately thought of Lena and sent her a text


    exining the situation while speaking to Ste.


    ¡°I¡¯m currently at¡­¡± After Vermont gave her his location, Ste quickly instructed


    him on how to get to them.


    The man was being extremely cautious. He had Ste continuously instruct


    Vermont to take winding routes to evade potential police surveince.


    Ste was anxious and worried about Keegan¡¯s injuries. ¡°Mr. Moore is on his


    way. Can you let him go now? He¡¯s injured. Put him aside, and hold me hostage


    instead.¡± She paused and gritted her teeth. ¡°Mr. Moore has feelings for me. You


    can use me to threaten him. The chances of sess will be higher.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°What the hell are you talking about?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Keegan snapped. ¡°We¡¯re divorced. Stop trying to save me. I won¡¯t be


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    moved by your actions!¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Ste wanted to retort, but she suddenly heard the sound of an engine.


    The kidnapper heard it too, but he found it weird since Vermont was still far


    away from the destination.

 Chapter 1623

    Chapter 1623


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1623 [Eleven Jewell]


    Before Ste could process the situation, the kidnapper angrily hurled the phone


    into the river. ¡°You lying bitch! How dare you trick me?!¡±


    Ste panicked. ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to you! I wouldn¡¯t dare to deceive you when you¡¯re


    holding him hostage!¡±


    Vermont was still on his way. The approaching vehicle was clearly not him.


    ¡®We¡¯re in the middle of nowhere. Who would venture here in the dead of night?


    Could it be that the police had tracked our location?¡¯


    onto Keegan tightly, and his hands were trembling. It was evident he was


    terrified that the approaching car might belong tow enforcement.


    Keegan had lost a lot of blood at that point. He was ghastly pale and barely able


    to stand on his own.


    Ste¡¯s heart ached for him. She feared that the kidnapper might impulsively


    push Keegan off the bridge. ¡°I swear I didn¡¯t lie to you! Please release him. He¡¯s


    too injured to escape. Use me as your hostage. Please¡­¡±


    Keegan could not bear to hear her pleas. Thest thing he wanted was to


    witness Ste bending over backward for him, and yet, it had happened twice


    on this very day.


    All of the kidnapper¡¯s attention was focused on the approaching vehicle. He


    stared intently at the illuminated area until the car reached the bridge, and its


    engine fell silent.


    Instinctively, he pressed down on Keegan¡¯s shoulder, preparing to act at any


    moment. At that critical moment, a woman¡¯s voice sounded from the car.


    ¡°Landon Havoc!¡±


    The kidnapper¡¯s body tensed up, and he was in disbelief.


    Shortly after, the door of the car swung open. A woman d in a down jacket


    and slippers stepped out of the vehicle. She was none other than the man¡¯s ex wife.


    By her side stood Marshall, donned in a ck windbreaker, nearly blending into


    the night.


    Hope ignited within Ste, and her eyes welled up with tears.


    Marshall¡¯s gaze darkened when he saw the blood on Ste, and he instinctively


    felt guilty.


    Landon grew increasingly agitated upon seeing Marshall and his ex-wife


    together. ¡°You wretched woman! I knew you were in a hurry to divorce me


    because you were cheating on me with another man!¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t cheating on you!¡± The woman appeared genuinely afraid of him and


    spoke in a fearful manner. ¡°I wasn¡¯t¡­ He¡¯s mywyer. I only asked him to help


    me with the divorce case. I¡¯ve told you many times that he¡¯s just mywyer, but


    you didn¡¯t believe me.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! You alwayse up with excuses to pacify me whenever you¡¯re


    with another man. Do you think I can¡¯t tell what¡¯s going on? You¡¯ve clearly been


    lying to me!¡±


    Landon grew more and more restless. ¡°Did I not treat you well? You¡¯ve cheated


    on me ever since I fell ill. People now think I¡¯m a loser who can¡¯t keep his


    woman in check!¡±


    ¡°Why do you always trust what others say and not me?¡± The woman was


    growing emotional. ¡°You believed them when they told you I was involved with


    other men. You wouldn¡¯t even listen to my exnation. Which one of those so called friends of yours


    actually treats you with sincerity? They¡¯re all just using


    you for favors. How many of them came to visit you when you fell ill and got


    demoted? They only think of you when alcohol is involved. They don¡¯t really


    care about you. You¡¯re just a form of entertainment to them! They¡¯d be thrilled to


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    see you miserable!


    ¡°Look at you now. What have you be? They reveled in your misfortune the


    moment your situation came to light on the news today. They even called my


    parents with feigned concern. They could not wait to learn how the once mighty


    man was reduced to a wretched state!¡± the woman continued.


    ¡°Bullshit! I saw youing out of a hotel with another man with my own eyes.


    Are you telling me that¡¯s fake?¡± Landon raged.


    His ex-wife exined, ¡°My friend came to Rivera for a business trip. He and his


    mentor are researching a topic rted to your condition. I was simply seeking


    his advice!¡±

 Chapter 1624

    Chapter 1624


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1624 [Eleven Jewell]


    Landon froze. He instinctively refused to ept the fact his ex-wife was only


    trying to help him. ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡±


    Tears welled up in the woman¡¯s eyes. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just ask me when you


    saw us together? Why would you rather believe those so-called friends of yours


    than your own wife?!


    I didn¡¯t divorce you because I was in love with someone else. I divorced you


    because you changed!¡±


    A hint of confusion shed across Landon¡¯s face. It took a while before he


    mumbled, ¡°Could it really be my fault?¡±


    Marshall gave the woman a subtle nod. She took a deep breath and softened


    her tone. ¡°Let¡¯s leave the past behind. Stop hurting innocent people. Let them


    go, and I¡¯ll go home with you.¡±


    Landon was taken aback. ¡°Are you really willing toe home with me?¡± he


    asked in a low voice.


    The woman concealed her fear and nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Landon stared at his ex-wife for a few seconds, as though he was evaluating the


    truth behind her words. Suspense was hanging in the air. After a moment, he


    spoke again. ¡°Then,e here and support me.¡±


    The woman¡¯s body stiffened. ¡°Go on, the police will be here soon,¡± Marshall


    murmured.


    The woman hesitated. She clenched her fingers and took slow steps toward the


    abusive man.


    Ste watched Keegan intently, as she was waiting for the right moment to act.


    The woman slowly approached the railing at the edge of the bridge and reached


    out her hand. Her voice was trembling. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Landon¡¯s expression softened slightly. Just as his hands touched her fingertips,


    sirens started ring. The police had arrived.


    The woman quickly withdrew her hand, and Landon¡¯s face contorted in a


    sudden realization. ¡°You witch! You betrayed me!¡±


    Feeling fearful, the woman retreated, and any trace of the tenderness she had


    earlier vanished from her face. At that moment, her expression held only fear


    and hatred.


    As police cars arrived one after another, Marshall spoke up.¡± You can¡¯t escape


    now. The cops are everywhere. They¡¯ll consider being lenient if you release the


    hostages now.¡±


    ¡°Hah. Is there a difference between being executed immediately and being on


    death row? I will never have a chance at life. I¡¯d rather die than surrender!¡±


    Landon sneered.


    He turned to his ex-wife and continued, ¡°You better watch out, bitch. I¡¯m going


    haunt you for the rest of your life when I die!¡± With that, he suddenly tightened


    his grip around Keegan¡¯s neck and murmured something in his ear. The next


    moment, he held Keegan in his arms and jumped into the icy water.


    Ste¡¯s heart stopped. Fear spread through her limbs, and she jumped in after


    them without a second thought.


    Marshall could not react in time to stop her. He stood at the railing with a pale


    face, staring at the river below. His lips trembled slightly. ¡°Help!¡± He abruptly


    turned around to the approaching police and shouted, ¡°Help! Somebody save


    them!!!¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    The water was not deep, but the current was strong. The biting cold of midwinter


    made the situation even more unbearable. Even basic tasks seemed to drag on


    in such frigid conditions.


    Fortunately, the moon was exceptionally bright that night. Ste quickly spotted


    the two struggling figures in the water. She took a deep breath and swam with


    all her strength.


    It seemed that Landon also did not know how to swim. Although he imed that


    he would rather die, he instinctively grasped onto life when death came


    knocking at his door.


    Ste reached out and grabbed his leg, pulling him underwater. Perhaps it was


    the sudden shock, as he subconsciously released his hold on Keegan. Ste


    immediately let go as well. Without anything to hold onto, Landon was swept


    away by the current.

 Chapter 1625

    Chapter 1625


    Keegan was also swept about six feet away by the current.


    With determined effort, Ste swam over and grabbed ahold of his cor.


    It was impossible forthem tomunicate in the water. Moreover, it was


    extremely difficult for Ste to support the weight of an adult male like Keegan


    alone. She strived to keep both their faces above water as they followed the


    current, trying to find a way to save themselves.


    Fortunately, luck seemed to be on her side. It was not long before she came


    across a branch floating in the river. With Keegan in her arms, Ste struggled


    toward the floating piece of wood. In the end, they managed to grab ahold of it


    and catch their breath.


    ¡°Keegan¡­¡± Ste¡¯s voice quivered. She held back her tears and called out


    urgently, ¡°Keegan, don¡¯t close your eyes! Stay awake! I can¡¯t do this alone. Hold


    onto the branch, and I¡¯ll support you. We¡¯ll climb up together.¡±


    Keegan coughed out some water. His body was weakened by his injuries and


    the cold. Nevertheless, Ste¡¯s tears prompted him to summon thest of his


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    strength, and he nodded.


    The couple clung tightly to the branch, slowly making their way upward.


    Suddenly, they heard a snap and felt the wood sinking. They froze, as they were


    afraid to make another move.


    The branch was thin, as though it was toppled by the wind, with one end


    submerged in the water and the other still connected to the bottom of a tree


    stump. It was unstable and simply could not bear the weight of two adults.


    Ste¡¯s face went pale. There was nothing more despairing than finding hope


    only to have it snatched away again. She suppressed her emotions and turned


    to Keegan.


    ¡°The police will be here soon. Let¡¯s hold on a little longer. They¡¯re going to save


    us,¡± she said.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Keegan managed to reply.


    Ste averted her gaze, and tears were streaming down her face. She


    swallowed her emotions and called out, ¡°Help! Somebody, please help!¡±


    The rushing water drowned out her cries long before they reached the


    riverbank.


    Keegan felt his body growing colder, and he was gradually losing his grip on the


    wood.


    ¡°Ste, stop shouting for help. Conserve your strength,¡± he murmured.


    Ste was in slightly better shape than Keegan, even though it was not by


    much. While she was not injured, the frigid water and her skinny frame meant


    that she would notst much longer. Her limbs were starting to grow numb, and


    the branch asionally emitted a creaking sound. It could break at any


    moment. At this rate, they were in their final stretch.


    After a while, Keegan spoke again. ¡°Ste, the branch might be able to support


    your weight if it¡¯s just you.¡±


    Ste froze. ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    Keegan exhaled a breath of cold air. He could feel a freezing sensation in his


    lungs with every breath he took. ¡°I can¡¯t hold on much longer. There¡¯s a chance


    that you can make it alone. I¡¯m just a burden to you right now. I¡¯ll let go and


    swim downstream. There might bend down there. Meanwhile, you can climb


    up the branch and be rescued¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you lying to me again?¡± Ste¡¯s eyes reddened, as she cut him off. ¡°You


    said you would hide in the woods earlier. But that didn¡¯t happen! You¡¯re just


    trying to get me to leave you. I bet you even don¡¯t have a n! Plus, you don¡¯t


    know how to swim. You¡¯ll die if you let go. Do you understand that?!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you teach me how to swimst time? I know howto do it. I just choked on


    the water earlier and didn¡¯t react in time. I didn¡¯t tell you because I wanted to


    surprise you the next time we went swimming,¡± Keegan tried to reach out and


    wipe her tears away, but his arm felt numb. ¡°I swear I¡¯ve learned how to swim.¡±


    Ste did not trust him. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I don¡¯t believe a word


    you¡¯re saying! If you let go, I¡¯ll go with you. We can die together!¡±

 Chapter 1626

    Chapter 1626


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1626 [Eleven Jewell]


    Keegan closed his mouth and remained silent. Both he and Ste were conserving what little strength


    they had left in the freezing night. Ste was drained of energy. Her lips were turning into a bluish hue


    from the cold. Her mind was starting to blur, but she clung to the branch with sheer determination.


    All of a sudden, a noise echoed from the shore. Ste snapped back to reality and said, ¡°Keegan, they¡¯re


    here! They¡¯re here!¡±


    She turned her head, but the person behind her had vanished without her noticing.


    The bitter cold seemed to intensify. Ste¡¯s face grew even paler, as she shouted Keegan¡¯s name into


    the empty stretch of water. Yet, all that met her


    cries was the relentless sound of the flowing river.


    Ste released her grip on the branch, intending to swim away. However, she discovered that she was


    tethered to the branch. Before letting go, Keegan had


    mustered thest ounces of his strength to secure her in ce with a belt.


    Even if she was weak, the belt would provide some support, allowing her to hold on a while longer.


    The river water was numbingly cold, causing Ste to be limp long ago. Hence,


    she waspletely unaware of Keegan¡¯s efforts. Her face turned ashen, and she frantically struggled to


    remove the belt.


    Not long after, the searchlights shone upon Ste. Someone shouted, and several people rushed over.


    They worked tirelessly to bring her onto the shore.


    Ste was crying, as she struggled to get out of the water. The bone-piercing cold,pounded by a day


    of anxiety and fear, along with the shock of learning


    that Keegan was missing, overwhelmed her. In the end, she lost all consciousness.


    Ste was unconscious for three days.


    Wenham and Trevor were in distress while they watched over her in the hospital. Both of them were in a


    bad state. They did not dare to inform Edith and Wilfred of the situation. They fear that it would cause


    them to worry.


    When Felicity and Vermont came to visit, they noticed that both men had dark circles under their eyes.


    Felicity was on the verge of tears at the sight of her best friend on the hospital bed.


    Meanwhile, Vermont exchanged a few words with the Sauns and said, ¡°Mr.


    Saun, Felicity and I will stay here to take care of things. You and Trevor should go home and freshen up.


    Get some rest ande backter.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not tired,¡± Wenham said in a low voice.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You need to rest. Ste hasn¡¯t woken up yet. You wouldn¡¯t want her to worry about


    your health, would you?¡± Vermont insisted.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Wenham remained silent for a moment before he said, ¡°Are there any updates?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s face darkened, and Wenham instantly knew the answer. Wenham clenched his fists and did


    not speak for a long time. After a while, he said, ¡°If


    Ste wakes up, don¡¯t tell her the truth. Just say that Keegan has been taken to Salcator for treatment.¡±


    Wenham knew that Ste was smart, and the excuse would not hold for long.


    But he could not bear the thought of his daughter going through another ordeal.


    She would be devastated to know that they had not found Keegan yet,


    especially since she was willing to jump off a bridge just to save him.


    Vermont nodded, and his eyes were red.


    Felicity turned away to wipe her tears. She could not believe that Keegan was really gone.


    The search and rescue team hadbed through nearly every inch of that river for three full days, but


    there was still no sign of Keegan. It was very likely that he had been swept into another river by the


    current. In that case, the chances of finding him were extremely slim.


    Even though the Kane family had kept this incident under wraps, the search and rescue efforts had not


    ceased. However, they were now looking for a dead body.

 Chapter 1627

    Chapter 1627


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1627 [Eleven Jewell]


    ¡¯Is there any chance he¡¯s still alive?¡± Felicity¡¯s voice trembled, as she asked.


    Vermont didn¡¯t know what to say. Although he was adept atforting others, he did not feel as


    optimistic as usual at that moment. The odds of Keegan surviving that night were slim. First, he did not


    know howto swim. And, secondly, the conditions of the water were nearly impossible to swim in,


    especially while injured.


    The body of the man who had plunged off the bridge with Keegan was recvered the next afternoon. Yet,


    there was still no news about Keegan. Vermont let out a sigh. ¡°No news might just be good news. Ste


    didn¡¯t suffer any severe injuries when she jumped into the water. But she¡¯s been unconscious for a long


    time.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Meanwhile, Marshall told us that Keegan was heavily injured. It¡¯s possible that someone saved him, but


    he¡¯s still out due to his injuries.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°What will Ste do when she wakes up?¡± she asked.


    For the past few days, Ste had been in and out of fever. Her family had been constantly taking care of


    her. Felicity could not bear to stay in the hospital room


    for too long, but she visited at least twice a day. She would witness Ste having nightmares and


    mumbling Keegan¡¯s name every time she came over. Felicity found it hard to ept the fact that Keegan


    was gone. She understood that it must be an even more painful experience for Ste, who had lost a


    lover. ¡°The perpetrator is dead, but what about the other two kidnappers? This happened right before the


    election for chairman at Vinci Rivera. There must be a mastermind behind this. Maybe Keegan¡¯s uncle is


    the one orchestrating all this!¡±


    Felicity said in frustration.


    Vermont¡¯s eyes grew colder. ¡°When the two men were found, they were both severely injured. With the


    main culprit dead, they naturally ce all the me on him. We currently have no evidence. There¡¯s


    nothing we can do, even if Chandler was the one behind the incident. Plus¡ª¡± Vermont did not finish his


    sentence.


    Felicity despised it when people left sentences hanging. So, she asked, ¡°Plus¡­?


    What? Why did you stop? Go on!¡±


    ¡°Plus, even if it really was him, it would be considered an internal family conflict. There¡¯s a chance that


    Mrs. Kane Sr. might not pursue the matter any further.¡± Felicity could not believe her ears. ¡°What do you


    mean she might not pursue the matter any further? He¡¯s her grandson!¡± No matter how close their bond


    is, once a person is gone, the focus shifts to the living,¡± Vermont exined. ¡°We haven¡¯t found Keegan¡¯s


    body yet. No one knows if he¡¯s alive or dead. If Mrs. Kane Sr. sends her son to prison, who would take


    charge of Vinci Rivera? The only people left to inherit the position are Jackson and Aurora, who, in my


    opinion, are useless pieces of shit. With no one to take over, Vinci Rivera will inevitably be handed to


    someone else. I¡¯m sure Mrs. Kane Sr. won¡¯t allow a situation like this to ur.¡±


    Moreover, it was very likely that Cordelia was feeling cornered right now. As soon as Keegan was in


    trouble, she shut herself in and refused to see anyone. This was most likely because of Quentin¡¯s death.


    Cordelia had seen all sorts of storms in her lifetime. She had lost her husband and her eldest son. Even


    though she was grieving, there was no reason she would close herself off at such a crucial time.


    Vermont could not help but feel sad, as he thought about the death of his best friend. ¡¯With that sharp


    tongue of his, why would God want to take him away this early?¡¯


    Felicity was deeply distressed. ¡°So, are they going to pretend that nothing happened? The cops have to


    investigate and close this case at some point, right? Are they going to stop all operations just because


    the Kane family doesn¡¯t want to pursue the matter?¡±


    Vermont fell silent for a moment before he said, ¡°Actually, the police have found something in their


    investigation.¡±


    Felicity perked up. ¡°What is it?¡±


    The perpetrator who died, also known as the man you and Ste fought off when rescuing Marshall,


    suffered from prosopagnosia.¡±

 Chapter 1628

    Chapter 1628


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1628 [Eleven Jewell]


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Felicity asked.


    ¡°It¡¯smonly known as facial blindness. It¡¯s a neurological disorder characterized by the inability to


    recognize faces. This means that the perpetratorcan¡¯t distinguish people, especially strangers. So, he


    would rely on people¡¯s clothing, body shape, and voice to identify them. His previous doctor said he


    developed this condition because of a tumor in his brain. This all started after he got surgery to remove


    the tumor,¡± exined Vermont. He continued, ¡°The police have checked with his family, friends, and


    colleagues.


    He indeed had this condition. And, because he couldn¡¯t recognize faces, hebecame paranoid and


    developed a peculiar personality. He even developed bipr disorder. Due to this, he wasn¡¯t prosecuted


    after the assault but was sent to a mental hospital instead.


    ¡°His ex-wife and friends mentioned that his temperament was unpredictable. He was intensely


    possessive, especially after falling ill. He would suspect that he was being cheated on whenever his wife


    spoke to another man. Since Marshall helped his ex-wife get a divorce from him, he held a grudge


    against Marshall. So, he looked for an opportunity to strike. The police specte that he mistook Keegan


    for Marshall.¡±


    Felicity found the situation to be absurd. ¡°How could he make a mistake like this? If he couldn¡¯t tell


    Keegan apart from Mr. Moore, how did he recognize Ste? This doesn¡¯t make sense!¡±


    ¡°Ste has a mole on her left ear. The kidnapper had seen her numerous times due to her role in The


    Pce. He remembered some of Ste¡¯s distinctive features and recognized her voice. The police found


    many videos of Ste on his phone. It¡¯s possible he targeted both of them for the sake of revenge.¡±


    Felicity could not wrap her head around it. ¡°If it was for revenge, wouldn¡¯t it have been more fitting for him


    to strike when Ste and Keegan were at Solstice Shore? Why choose to do it right at the entrance of


    Vinci Rivera right before the election?¡±


    As Felicity spoke, a sudden realization struck her. She furrowed her brows and said, ¡°I think the reason


    behind this attack may not entirely be as straightforward as we think.¡±


    Vermont had already noticed that something was amiss from the start. If the man wanted revenge, there


    was no need to specifically choose that day to do so. There was also no need to kidnap Ste and


    Keegan in front of Vinci Rivera since it would raise everybody¡¯s suspicion toward Chandler. Chandler


    was a clever and cunning man. It was not likely that he would make that mistake.


    The whole situation was full of peculiarities. However, with Keegan absent and Cordelia not epting


    visitors, Chandler was the only person in the Kane family who could call the shots. He was presumably


    pleased that Keegan had met such an unfortunate end. Hence,


    there was no way that the Kanes would want to pursue the case.


    After a moment of contemtion, Vermont took Felicity¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about this,


    Miss Bandit, at least not for now.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°You think something¡¯s off too, right?!¡±


    Vermont covered her mouth and gestured for her to be silent.


    Felicity blinked, looking around nervously. Seeing that no one was in the room with them, she thought


    that Vermont was overreacting.


    Just as she was about to say something, there was a light knock on the door. Felicity pushed Vermont


    aside and went to answer it.


    It was Marshall and Ka.This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicity immediately put on a stern expression and was about to close the door when Vermont quickly


    stopped her and said, ¡°You came.¡±


    Felicity often greeted Marshall warmly but not this time. She did not even acknowledge him and simply


    walked away. She knew she was being too emotional, but she could not resist holding Marshall


    ountable for what happened to her friends.


    ¡®If he had not taken on the divorcewsuit and angered that lunatic, Keegan and Ste wouldn¡¯t have to


    go through this horrible experience!¡¯ she thought.

 Chapter 1629

    Chapter 1629


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1629 [Eleven Jewell]


    Marshall picked up on Felicity¡¯s change in demeanor. He lowered his gaze and asked, ¡°How¡¯s Ste


    doing?¡±


    ¡°Her fever has subsided, but she hasn¡¯t regained consciousness yet,¡± Vermont replied, as he assessed


    Ka¡¯s presence.


    Marshall noticed his gaze and rified, ¡°Ms. Wilson got wind of Ste¡¯s situation and wanted to visit her.


    She got in touch with me, and I gave her a lift since I


    was on my way here.¡±


    Vermont nodded. ¡°Pleasee in, Ms. Wilson.¡±


    Ka stepped in while carrying a gift.


    Meanwhile, Felicity was meticulously tending to Ste¡¯s hands with a towel.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    When she saw Ka approaching, she nodded at her in acknowledgment before resuming her task.


    Ste was on the hospital bed, looking pale. Her cheeks seemed slightly sunken, and her features


    looked sharp. Her current appearance was quite different from the perpetually cheerful and eloquent


    young woman they knew.


    After hearing the entire story from her father, Ka could not fathom just how deeply Ste loved


    Keegan, as Ste was able to leap off a bridge without a moment of hesitation. To her, Keegan was just


    another man, while Ste was the heiress of the Saun family. ¡®What could he possibly offer that she


    couldn¡¯t find anywhere else?¡¯


    Ka had regarded Ste as a clever and independent woman. She never anticipated that Ste would


    be infatuated by a man. She wondered if Keegan was worth it.


    ¡°What did the doctor say?¡± Ka asked Felicity in a hushed tone.


    ¡°Her fever is mostly gone. She should be waking up soon. But her hands and feet are still suffering from


    frostbite, so she might need some time to


    recuperate,¡± Felicity exined.Ka sighed. ¡°Thank goodness the police found her in time. I can¡¯t bear


    to think what would happen if otherwise.¡±


    ¡°The area they were in isn¡¯t easy to navigate. The police spent quite some time before they located her.


    When they did, her hands were frozen stiff, and she couldn¡¯t even hold onto anything. If Keegan hadn¡¯t


    used a belt to secure Ste on that branch, she wouldn¡¯t have made it. But Keegan¡­¡± As Felicity spoke,


    her eyes were welled up with tears.


    Ka was momentarily taken aback. In that instant, she suddenly understood why Ste had jumped in


    without a second thought. A person who was willing to sacrifice himself for his beloved was certainly


    worth it.


    ¡°Has Mr. Saun and Trevor gone back?¡± Marshall asked in a low voice. Vermont nodded. ¡°Mr. Saun went


    back to rest, and Trevor said he¡¯lle back after taking a shower and changing into some new clothes.¡±


    ¡°Ste hasn¡¯t had any more nightmares, has she?¡±


    Vermont paused and gave Marshall a strange look. He felt that he was being overly concerned about


    Ste when Keegan was still missing. ¡°We¡¯re not sure. We just arrived,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Have you and Ms. Thompson eaten yet? If you haven¡¯t, I can stay here and look after things while the


    two of you get something to eat.¡±


    Felicity could not stop herself from making a sarcastic remark. ¡°There¡¯s no need forthat, Mr. Moore. You


    and Ste aren¡¯t that close. Why would we entrust her to you? You can uphold justice by helping the


    good and punishing the wicked all you want, but don¡¯t lead your enemies into Ste¡¯s life.¡±


    Afraid that Felicity might go overboard, Vermont cleared his throat and said,


    ¡°Hurry up and wipe Ste¡¯s hands.¡±

 Chapter 1630

    Chapter 1630


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1630 [Eleven Jewell]


    Marshall was taken aback by Felicity¡¯s remark. He felt guilty and murmured,¡±There¡¯s no doubt that my


    actions have led to what happened here, but I really didn¡¯t foresee that taking on this case would lead to


    such consequences¡­¡±


    Felicity felt even more frustrated upon hearing that. ¡°What do you mean you didn¡¯t foresee this? You


    literally took on a divorce case. Are you telling me you didn¡¯t know about the condition that your client¡¯s


    husband was suffering from?


    Did you not know what kind of person he was? How many years have you been in this profession? Do


    you just charge into cases with only passion? It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t fear for your life, but don¡¯t let your


    actions drag others into it! How dare you im you never saw thising when someone is


    unconscious while the other is nowhere to be found? You will have blood on your hands if Keegan is


    found dead!¡±


    Marshall¡¯s face darkened, as he listened to Felicity¡¯s harsh words.


    Vermont thought that Felicity had gone a bit too far and decided to interject. ¡°We haven¡¯t found him yet,


    so why are you talking about life or death? And it¡¯s been two or three months since the court case. No


    one could have guessed that the maniac was lurking around for so long.¡±


    He turned to his friend and continued, ¡°Marshall, don¡¯t let her words get to you.


    Ste hasn¡¯t woken up yet. She¡¯s just worried and saying things without thinking through. If you hadn¡¯t


    been there in time, maybe none of them would have made it. That man was a lunatic.¡±


    Marshall looked defeated. It was unclear if he had taken in Vermont¡¯sment. It took him a while to


    say, ¡°Ms.


    Thompson is right. I bear an inescapable responsibility for this incident. I didn¡¯t thoroughly look into the


    husband before taking on that case. My client concealed her husband¡¯s condition from me in order to


    gain more assets in the divorce case, leaving me unaware of the potential risks. I am deeply sorry that it


    led to all this.¡± Vermont remained silent. Unlike Felicity, who was not close with Marshall, he could not


    bring himself to take his anger out on him.


    Vermont and Keegan were childhood friends, and he had a solid rtionship with Marshall. He also


    recognized that the bond between Marshall and Keegan was far stronger. On the night of the search,


    Vermont had witnessed Marshall devote over ten hours to the search and rescue team in hopes of


    finding Keegan. Despite the many grievances, he could not find the words to express them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just stop talking about this. There¡¯s nothing else to be done here. You and Ms. Wilson should go


    back for now,¡± said Vermont. He paused before he continued, ¡°Mr. Saun is worried about Ste¡¯s well-


    being and asked us not to tell her about Keegan. So, don¡¯t let anything slip when she wakes up. IV


    Marshall fell silent for a moment. ¡°Ste is smart. I doubt we can keep her in the dark for long.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll


    keep this secret for as long as we can. We can¡¯t afford any more mishaps.¡±


    Marshall agreed with a nod and ced a bouquet of flowers by Ste¡¯s bedside.


    He gazed at her intensely and signaled Ka to leave.


    The two did not speak on their way out of the room.


    Ka thought that Keegan¡¯s disappearance was a perfect opportunity for Marshall to pursue Ste.


    However, he did not seem too pleased about the situation. After all, his love rival was also his best friend.


    It was only natural that he was stilling to terms with it.


    At the hospital entrance, Marshall turned to Ka and said,¡± Ms. Wilson, I¡¯ve called you a cab. It¡¯ll be


    here shortly. The license te is XXXX. I have something to attend to at thew firm, so I won¡¯t be able


    to send you home.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s fine. You can go.¡± Ka shrugged and was unfazed. Marshall gave her a


    nod before turning around and walking away.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Ka watched him leave and thought, ¡®He doesn¡¯t even look like Keegan from the back. How could the


    kidnappers mistake Keegan for him?¡¯


    Meanwhile, Ste was still having nightmares about the night she was kidnapped. The image of Keegan


    being beaten and pushed into the water was reying in her brain. She watched helplessly, as he


    drowned in the icy river. In her dreams, she was like a bystander. No matter how much she cried or tried


    to hold on to Keegan, he would slip through her fingers everytime and be a lifeless corpse.


    She cried and cried until she opened her eyes.


    Suddenly, her surroundings were no longer pitch ck.


    Above her was a white ceiling, and everything around her was bathed in light.


    For a moment, she felt as though she had just woken up from a very long dream and that she was still at


    Solstice Shore in the morning when Keegan proposed


    to her.

 Chapter 1631

    Chapter 1631


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1631 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ste¡¯s eyes were filled with tears, as she looked around in confusion. She saw Trevor sitting at the foot


    of the bed, gently applying ointment to her injured feet while Felicity was sleeping in a nearby chair.


    Ste then nced at the window and noticed that the room was brightly lit. It was a stark contrast to the


    pitch- ck darkness in her dreams. Her body ached all over, and she could still feel the lingering chill in


    her bones.


    Ste withdrew her gaze, looked at Trevor, and softly called out his name.


    Her voice caught her by surprise; it came out hoarse and strained. Trevor jolted at the sound and looked


    at her abruptly.


    ¡°Ste, you¡¯re awake. How are you feeling? Do you need anything? Are you in pain? Are you thirsty or


    hungry?¡± Trevor was emotional. His words were stumbling over each other.


    Felicity, who had been dozing off, was now wide awake. She jumped up from her chair and rushed over


    while being almost on the verge of tears. ¡°Ste!


    You¡¯re finally awake! I was so scared that you wouldn¡¯t wake up.¡±


    Ste¡¯s throat was dry, making it hard for her to speak.


    Felicity quickly handed her a cup of water, and Ste took a few sips before gently pushing it away.


    ¡°You should rest up while I get the doctor,¡± Trevor said in aforting tone.


    But Ste stopped him. ¡°Trevor, where¡¯s Keegan? How is he doing?¡± she asked with a concerned


    expression.


    Trevor lowered his eyes and tucked her in. ¡°His injuries are more serious than yours. They¡¯ve taken him


    to the Salcator.¡±


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Ste¡¯s lips turned pale. She looked frail, but her eyes were sharp. She stared at Trevor for a moment


    before ncing at Felicity.


    Felicity did not have the best acting skills, so she averted her gaze. She let out a cough and said,


    ¡°Trevor, why don¡¯t you stay with Ste while I get the doctor?¡±


    With that, she hurried away.


    That was when Ste¡¯s eyes returned to her brother. ¡°Trevor, can I have my phone? I need to call Aldor.¡±


    Trevor hesitated and said, ¡°Your phone was damaged during the incident. We haven¡¯t had a chance to


    rece it yet.¡±


    ¡°Then, may I borrow yours? I remember Aldor¡¯s number,¡± she insisted.


    Trevor fell silent. As each second passed, the weight of Ste¡¯s concern deepened. The chilling fear from


    her dream crept back in and gnawed at her heart in an instant.


    Suddenly, she sat up and pulled off the IV from the back of her hand. She then tossed back the covers


    and tried to get out of bed. Since her injuries had not healed yet, she almost fell to her knees as soon as


    her feet touched the ground.


    However, she ignored the pain and staggered forward. Her face grew paler, as she attempted to make


    her way out.


    Trevor was momentarily caught off guard by her actions. He quickly caught up to her and held her back.


    Ste struggled to break free, causing Trevor to wrap his arms around her.¡± You need to rest. Where do


    you think you¡¯re going?¡±


    Ste¡¯s voice tinged with urgency. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Keegan is in Salcator? I need to go there and see


    him.¡±


    Trevor¡¯s heart ached at the sound of that. He held Ste even closer and tried to talk to her, but Ste


    interrupted his words. ¡°Trevor, please let go of me. I must see him. He must hate me for not holding onto


    him when we were in the water. I need to exin myself. Please.¡±


    She continued to struggle and started to choke up. ¡°Trevor, please. I¡¯ll just observe him from afar if he


    doesn¡¯t want to see me. Just one look, and I¡¯lle back. Please let me do this. The water was so cold;


    he must have been terrified¡­¡±


    This shattered Trevor¡¯s heart. Ste was in a sensitive state, as she had witnessed Keegan¡¯s ordeal


    firsthand. Wenham¡¯s exnation for his absence simply would not suffice.

 Chapter 1632

    Chapter 1632


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1632 [Eleven Jewell]


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Trevor felt that being transparent at times like these was better than hiding the truth. Even if they


    managed to keep the reason behind Keegan¡¯s absence a secret, Ste would likely harbor resentment


    for being kept in the dark once she found out.


    Trevor closed his eyes and gently held Ste¡¯s shoulder,¡± Ste, try to stay calm and listen to me.


    Keegan¡­ hasn¡¯t been found yet.¡± Ste immediately stopped trying to break free. She turned her head


    to look at Trevor, her expression a mix of confusion and disbelief, ¡°What do you mean he hasn¡¯t been


    found?¡±


    Trevor¡¯s voice grew hoarser, ¡°The search and rescue team hasbed through the river twice, and


    there has been no sign of Keegan. Th-they say he might have been swept to a different part of the


    waters. The search area has been expanded, but it¡¯s been three days now¡­¡± It was improbable that


    Keegan was still alive, but Trevor did not voice that out.


    The color drained even further from Ste¡¯s already pale face.


    Trevor thought she might break down in tears. However, she did not. Instead, she asked softly, ¡°Has the


    perpetrator been found?¡±


    Trevor hesitated for a moment, then nodded. ¡°They found him the next day,¡± he paused. ¡°But he was


    already dead.¡±


    In other words, Keegan¡¯s chances of survival were slim, having not been found yet. It was unlikely that


    he made it out alive since he did not know how to swim.


    Ste fell into a long silence. She did not cry or oppose the idea that Keegan might be dead. This


    unnerving calmness left Trevor unsettled.


    After a while, Ste spoke again, ¡°Keegan and I were in the river for a long time.


    Even the perpetrator has been found. Why haven¡¯t they found him yet?¡±


    Trevor was momentarily at a loss for words. It was indeed strange, but experienced members of the


    search team said that when someone drowned, they usually surfaced within three to seven days. It might


    take even longer during winter. There was also a chance he might be trapped at the riverbed due to the


    thick mud downstream.


    Moreover, even if Keegan had not drowned initially, his limbs would have frozen in such cold waters,


    leading to the same oue.


    Although Ste was the one who asked the question, she did not seem eager to hear his answer.


    Instead, she quickly drew her own conclusion, ¡°It¡¯s been three days. Keegan must have made it to shore


    if they can¡¯t find his body.¡± Suddenly, she became emotional, ¡°Did you check the nearby hospitals?


    Maybe someone rescued him, and he¡¯s still unconscious. Trevor, please send someone to the nearby


    hospitals. Quick. Keegan must be in one of them.¡±


    Trevor opened his mouth to say something but opted not to. There were no in the early hours of the


    morning. No one would have been near the river to save Keegan then. Trevor assumed Ste must be in


    shock to say such things, but he did not dare to further upset her. So, he said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll send someone


    to search for Keegan at the hospitals. But you have to go back to your bed and rest.


    Your injuries aren¡¯t healed yet. It¡¯s best you don¡¯t strain yourself and make the others worried.¡±


    Ste was still concerned about Keegan, ¡°Please make sure they go to every medical center nearby,


    including public clinics, private clinics, and alternative medicine clinics. We have to check them all.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Trevor reassured. ¡°As long as you take care of yourself, I¡¯ll search through every hospital in


    Rivera to find him for you.¡±


    ¡°He proposed to me at Solstice Shore, Trevor. We were nning to get our marriage certificate on


    Valentine¡¯s Day,¡± Ste spoke hoarsely with teary eyes.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t startle him when you find him. He has been through a lot.¡±


    Trevor felt a bitter taste in his mouth as he gently carried her back to bed. He mustered a weak smile and


    whispered, ¡°I know. Why are you always standing up for him?¡±


    Soon, Felicity entered the room with a doctor. After they examined Ste¡¯s condition, they modified her


    prescription and advised her to stay in the hospital for a few more days. Trevor then escorted the doctor


    out and pulled them aside,¡± Doctor, my sister seems to be experiencing some mental distress.¡±

 Chapter 1633

    Chapter 1633


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1633 [Eleven Jewell]


    ¡°What makes you say that?¡± The doctor asked.


    Trevor briefly recounted the situation, and the doctor said, ¡°I see. People can respond differently to the


    loss of a loved one. Your sister might be disying unexpected strength, but she could also need time to


    come to terms with it. The only thing you and your family can do is just be there for her.¡± Trevor nodded


    as he took the doctor¡¯s advice.


    Ste seemed resolute in her belief that Keegan was still alive. She ate her meals on time and actively


    participated in rehabilitation. Before she knew it, a week had passed.


    When friends came to visit, Ste would behave just as she normally would.


    This facade carried an underlying unease. Yet, no one dared to touch the subject. Only Ste would ask


    Trevor about the progress in the hospital¡¯s search efforts with unwavering determination every single day.


    Each time Felicity overheard, it sent shivers down her spine. Just two days prior, they had recovered


    Keegan¡¯s watch and one of his shoes from the river. It was bing increasingly likely that he had met


    a tragic fate. The Kane family had scaled down the original team of 40 to 50 searchers. Now, only six to


    seven people remained.


    Despite Vermont, Marshall, and other close friends leading their own search efforts, the Kanes had made


    their stance clear; they had epted that Keegan was dead.


    Continuing the search served two purposes, which included retrieving Keegan¡¯s body for a proper burial


    and providing some form offort to his living rtives.


    However, Ste seemed to reject the oue of the search wholeheartedly.


    She clung to the belief that Keegan had been rescued and was recuperating in some hospital nearby.


    Felicity was distressed and worried about the situation. She feared that Ste might be suffering from a


    mental breakdown due to Keegan¡¯s absence.


    Meanwhile, Ste seemed oblivious to it all. She would read her movie scripts in her free time and even


    scroll through the news online.


    That was when she found out about Sophia¡¯s death.


    Sophia had a falling out with an inte personality named HungryBaby, who was working at her ex-


    boyfriend Ethan¡¯spany. Online reports suggested HungryBaby was the other woman in Sophia¡¯s


    rtionship with Ethan.


    Enraged, Sophia exposed her during a live stream for staging a viral video, creating a gender divide and


    staining the reputation of independent women in the eyes of the public.


    The incident received airtime on television, and the tform permanently banned HungryBaby¡¯s ount.


    Before that, HungryBaby gained online traction and received many sponsorship deals. However, she


    was unable to fulfill their requests due to her social media ount being taken down. Consequently,


    various brand partners contacted her and demandedpensation for breach of contract.


    HungryBaby was infuriated and confronted Sophia. Amidst their argument, she identally pushed


    Sophia off a building, which led to her death.


    This happened just a day before Ste and Keegan were abducted, and it had not made headlines yet at


    the time. Today, Ethan¡¯spany published a Facebook post addressing Ethan¡¯s ties with HungryBaby


    and officially terminating their contract. The news of HungryBaby identally taking someone¡¯s life only


    started trending after this.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Ste stared at the news for a prolonged moment before turning to Felicity, ¡°Sophia¡¯s dead.¡±


    Felicity was momentarily taken aback. After seeing the news herself, she remarked, ¡°Good riddance; she


    was a deceitful person. Even in her death, she was a menace.¡± She then paused and sighed, ¡°Life is so


    unpredictable. People can be here for one moment and be gone the next.¡±


    Feeling that her reaction might not be entirely appropriate, Felicity looked up and met Ste¡¯s gaze.


    Right at that moment, there was a knock on the ward door.1 What good timing,¡¯ thought Felicity, relieved


    she did not have to be stared down for long. However, any thoughts of relief vanished the moment the


    door swung open.


    Standing outside with a book in his arms was Marshall.


    Felicity¡¯s face dropped when she saw him, but she maintained herposure.


    Since Ste had awoken, her friends took turns visiting, and Marshall was no exception. In fact, he spent


    the most time with her.


    In the past, Felicity would have teased Keegan about his best friend liking Ste and told him she would


    be better off without him. Now, she found Marshall extremely annoying.


    However, Marshall did not do anything inappropriate during his visits. He would rmend Ste a lot


    of books and tell her stories from his court cases in hopes of making her feel better.

 Chapter 1634

    Chapter 1634


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1634 [Eleven Jewell]


    Marshall had a light-hearted way of speaking that never made anyone ufortable. However, Felicity


    could not stand him. She felt nothing but disdain for him every time she thought about how Keegan had


    been tragically killed and how Ste was refusing to ept his passing.


    Therefore, when Felicity saw that it was Marshall at the door, she promptly turned back into the room.


    Marshall hesitated for a moment before following her in and quietly shutting the door.


    ¡°Ste,¡± Marshall gently called her name.


    Ste looked up at him and paused.


    Marshall was wearing a light gray casual outfit today. She had bought a simr one for Keegan. The


    resemnce made Ste feel like she was in a trance and left a bitter taste in her mouth.


    ¡°Feeling better today?¡± Marshall¡¯s question brought Ste back to reality.


    She turned away, suppressing her emotions before looking up, ¡°Much better, Mr.


    Moore. You must be busy with work. You don¡¯t have toe and visit me. I¡¯ll be discharged in a couple


    of days.¡±


    ¡°Myw firm isn¡¯t far from here. I¡¯m here because the hospital is on the way,¡±


    Marshall said, handing two books to Ste. ¡°I brought you the books I mentionedst time.¡±


    Ste reached out to take them. Her knuckles were still a bit swollen from frostbite.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Marshall paused and decided to ce the books on the bedside table instead.


    ¡°Do your hands still hurt?¡± He asked.


    Ste looked at the injury on her hand, but what she was thinking about was how Keegan used hisst


    bit of strength to secure her onto the branch in an act of desperation to save her. ¡®He must have realized


    I was on the verge of giving up.¡¯ Ste curled her fingers and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    It was a quiet remark, not really directed at Marshall. It was more like something she would say to


    Keegan at that moment.


    ¡°The weather is nice today. Would you like to go out for a walk?¡± Marshall suggested.


    Before Ste could respond, Felicity chimed in, ¡°The exercise period for today has already ended. The


    doctor said you shouldn¡¯t walk too much in a day.¡±


    Ste, however, said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I feel suffocated in this room. Mr. Moore, can you push me to the terrace


    for some fresh air?¡±


    Marshall agreed. He grabbed a wheelchair and helped Ste onto it. He also fetched her a nket and a


    jacket. Under Felicity¡¯s watchful gaze, he pushed Ste to the terrace.


    Patients at the hospital were given time to be outdoors.


    There were quite a few people on the terrace. Ste sat there, gazing into the distance. The cold wind


    tousled her hair, revealing her elegantly refined features.


    Suddenly, Marshall recalled the first time he saw her when he returned to the country. It was also on a


    hospital terrace. Ste looked ethereal under the night sky at that time. She was full of life.


    She was just as beautiful now, but that spark of energy in her was gone and reced by a profound


    lifelessness.


    Marshall tried to engage Ste in conversations, but she seemed absentminded.


    She would asionally smile at him. But most of the time, she silently listened to him. As Marshall


    spoke, he gradually fell silent himself. After a while, he whispered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

 Chapter 1635

    Chapter 1635


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1635 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ste kept her gaze low, choosing not to respond to the topic. It was not something she wanted to


    discuss.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    After a while, she asked, ¡°How is Grandma? I¡¯ve been unable to reach her on the phone.¡±


    Marshall considered his words carefully, ¡°She¡¯s been rather shaken up. She¡¯s currently resting and not


    epting any visitors.¡±


    Following Keegan¡¯s incident, Marshall and Vermont had visited Cordelia¡¯s residence multiple times. Each


    time, they were greeted by Dahlia. She would always give them the same excuse as to why Cordelia


    was not there.


    Now was the time for the family toe together and search for Keegan, but instead, they were focused


    on staying with Cordelia. This indicated one thing there will be a massive change in the Kane family.


    Everyone was looking out for their future.


    The two of them spent quite a while on the terrace.


    Eventually, Ste spoke up. ¡°Mr. Moore, could you bring me my bottle? I¡¯m feeling a bit thirsty.¡±


    Marshall adjusted the jacket around her and said, ¡°Is it alright if it¡¯s warm?¡±


    Ste nodded.


    Marshall turned back and headed to Ste¡¯s hospital room.


    Meanwhile, Felicity was on the phone with Vermont, venting her frustrations about Marshall.


    ¡°He¡¯s being so inappropriate. Keegan had just left us not long ago, and here he is, showing concern for


    Ste. What¡¯s he ying at? Is he trying to take advantage of her?¡±


    Vermont did not join in on her usualints. Instead, he remained quiet.


    That night, he had overheard Ste saying that Marshall had feelings for her, but Keegan did not seem


    surprised.


    Vermont prided himself on his keen insight, yet somehow, he had not anticipated this.


    It was not that he had not noticed how Marshall acted around Ste. He simply did not think that he


    would have romantic feelings for her.


    If Keegan were still here, Vermont would have pointed out a few things. But now, with Keegan gone and


    Ste unmarried, he felt like it was not his ce to say anything.


    ¡°Hey, are you listening to me?¡± Felicityined in a hushed tone when she noticed Vermont¡¯s silence.


    Vermont returned to reality and said, ¡°Regardless of his intentions, it¡¯s good to have an extra person by


    your best friend¡¯s side. At least he could keep an eye on her. She¡¯s not in the right state of mind at the


    moment. Stop being mad at Marshall. If he hadn¡¯t been there, those bastards from the Kane family might


    have given up on the search and rescue.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Felicity said, somewhat unsatisfied.


    ¡°What do you want for dinner tonight? I¡¯ll bring it for youter.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. Mr. Saun said he¡¯ll bring us some food. You don¡¯t have toe.


    Keep on with the search efforts. The longer it takes, the worse Ste¡¯s mental state will be.¡±


    ¡°You got it,¡± Vermont replied.


    Shortly after Felicity hung up the phone, Marshall returned to the room.


    Taking Vermont¡¯s advice into consideration, Felicity managed to put on a moreposed expression


    and asked, ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    Marshall said, ¡°Which one is Ste¡¯s bottle? She said she wanted some water.¡±


    Felicity picked up a blue thermos and said, ¡°This one. Wait here while I get some water.¡±


    After filling the bottle with water, Felicity and Marshall went to the terrace together. However, Ste was


    nowhere to be seen.


    Felicity then started to panic, ¡°Where is she? You said she was here!¡±


    Marshall was equally in shock. He suddenly realized that Ste could have asked him to grab her bottle


    because she wanted to get rid of him.


    He remained calm and said, ¡°You check the restroom, and I¡¯ll go downstairs to look for her. She didn¡¯t


    take her phone with her, so she shouldn¡¯t have gone far.¡±


    Felicity was too concerned toin. She quickly went to find her best friend.


    Felicity searched every restroom on that floor, but there was no sign of Ste.


    After having no luck downstairs, Marshall quickly contacted the hospital to retrieve the surveince


    footage. Upon reviewing it, he saw that Ste had gotten up and walked away from the terrace after he


    left.

 Chapter 1636

    Chapter 1636


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1636 [Eleven Jewell]


    The surveince footage captured Ste leaving the hospital doors and blending into the bustling crowd.


    Ste was missing, and she had not taken her phone with her. She had not even changed out of her


    hospital gown before leaving.


    Trevor rushed over upon hearing the news. As soon as he saw Marshall, he grabbed him by the cor


    and threw him a punch. His breath seethed with anger as he said, ¡°What the hell did you say to Ste?!¡±


    Trevor¡¯s punch sent Marshall crashing into a nearby rack, leaving him seated on the floor.


    Felicity was startled and quickly stepped forward to intervene, ¡°Trevor, this has nothing to do with Mr.


    Moore. Ste probably left after receiving this message.


    As she said that, she handed Ste¡¯s phone to Trevor. There was a message from a notary officer


    requesting Ste¡¯s presence on the specified date to read Keegan¡¯s will. She was one of the heirs to


    Keegan¡¯s estate. The message had been sent the night before and had been opened all this while. Ste


    was tooposed, and Felicity had not detected anything unusual.


    Felicity felt a mix of self-me and anger, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that notary?


    Keegan hasn¡¯t even been found yet. Why would they send this to Ste?!¡±


    Marshall wiped a smear of blood from his mouth with the back of his hand and stood up to exin, ¡°The


    Kane family probably submitted a death certificate application for Keegan. When the notary office


    received the relevant information, they notified all the individuals mentioned in Keegan¡¯s will.¡±


    Felicity widened her eyes, ¡°Are the Kanes out of their minds? Why would they be in such a hurry to apply


    for a death certificate?¡±


    Trevor¡¯s expression darkened. He had not expected the Kane family to pull a move like this. Although


    Ste was immersed in the delusion that Keegan was still alive, it did not mean she would be unaffected


    by his death certificate. It made sense for her to be mentally unstable, with Keegan designating her as


    the primary beneficiary.


    ¡®That man can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but he¡¯s so damn good at this stuff.¡¯ Trevor ran his hand


    across his face and said in a low voice,¡± Get more people involved. We¡¯ll split up to look for her. Start


    with the ces she frequents. Call me if there are any updates.¡±


    Felicity searched the areas around their home and where their friends usually gathered. Meanwhile,


    Trevor followed along the path where Keegan had gone missing, fearing that Ste might do something


    drastic.


    After an unsessful search, Marshall called Aldor.


    The news of Keegan¡¯s disappearance had spread like wildfire, and Chandler was capitalizing on the


    situation. With their team leader missing, Keegan¡¯s team was without direction and faced with a


    challenge. Aldor was under immense pressure to stabilize the team¡¯s morale.


    Following Keegan¡¯s incident, Aldor had originally nned to visit Ste, but Vermont stopped him. He


    told him that Ste was not in the right state of mind.


    She firmly believed that Keegan was still alive and urged Trevor to search for him at every hospital in the


    area. Though she was not crying or causing a scene, her emotional state was fragile. Vermont advised


    Aldor not to visit her to avoid causing further distress.


    Now, upon hearing that Ste had received a message from the notary officer and gone missing, Aldor


    could not help but worry like everyone else.


    Marshall asked him where Ste might go. Aldor listed several ces, all of which weremonly


    visited by the couple. He was surprised to find out that Marshall had already investigated each one.


    Suppressing his doubts, Aldor thought for a moment and added, ¡°There¡¯s one more ce she might go,


    but I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    Aldor gave him the address.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Marshall froze for a moment upon hearing Aldor¡¯s answer.¡± Alright. Thank you,¡±


    he said.

 Chapter 1637

    Chapter 1637


    The minivan jolted along the road. The smell of gasoline and food made all the passengers inside


    ufortable, even those not prone to motion sickness.


    A woman was holding a six-month-old baby who was crying loudly, irritating the people around her.


    One of the passengersined, ¡°Please make the baby stop crying. It¡¯s so annoying!¡±


    The woman felt embarrassed and kept apologizing to the people around her. Then, she unbuttoned her


    shirt, intending to breastfeed the baby.


    Some passengers looked away ufortably, while others looked at her in disgust.


    The woman was rather young, and the baby in her arms was probably her first child. The passenger¡¯s


    reaction made her feel ashamed as her eyes turned slightly red.


    Suddenly, she felt someone draping a shirt over her shoulder, making her feel embarrassed for


    breastfeeding her baby in public.


    She paused and turned to the woman sitting next to her, who was wearing a mask and a cap.


    The woman dressed very casually, just like everyone else in the minivan. However, her eyes looked


    incredibly enchanting, though with a hint of tiredness.


    She simply draped the shirt over her shoulder without saying anything. Her tiny gesture warmed the


    mother¡¯s heart as she said softly, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Ste remained silent as she lowered her gaze to look at the diamond ring on her ring finger.


    The baby finally quieted down after being fed. Then, he snuggled in his mother¡¯s arms and curiously


    looked around the minivan.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    The woman brushed off the dust on the shirt before handing it back to Ste. She noticed Ste


    touching her diamond ring and decided to initiate a conversation, ¡°Are you married too?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ste responded, since she was nning to do that anyway.


    ¡°For how long?¡± The woman asked again.


    Ste kept quiet this time.


    The woman figured she came off too intrusively, so she introduced herself, ¡°I¡¯ve been married for two


    years. He¡¯s a carpenter in the city, and we just got this baby this year. He¡¯s worried that the traffic will


    be very bad during the new year, so he wanted me to bring the child back first. What about you? Are


    you going on a vacation?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Ste replied tly.


    People on vacation would typically choose a safer mode of transportation, not these shady minivans


    that did not even require any identity verification. The woman chose this


    option because it could drop her off very close to her home, making things much easier for her, who


    was traveling with a child.


    Ste did not say anything in response, so the woman stopped speaking to her, too.


    Suddenly, the baby grabbed Ste¡¯s shirt.


    The mother immediately tried to pull the baby¡¯s hand away, but his grip was tight. The baby was still so


    young, and the mother did not dare to be so rough on him, so she kept apologizing to Ste.


    Ste lowered her gaze to the baby and saw her reflection in the baby¡¯s bright eyes. Then, the baby


    smiled, revealing his toothless gums at her.


    Ste was taken aback. She reached out to touch the baby¡¯s chubby little hand, but the baby let go of


    her shirt and grabbed her finger instead.


    Just as the baby touched her hand, she felt her heart trembling slightly, followed by a surge of


    bittersweet emotions flooding from inside.


    It took the woman some time to coax the baby before he finally let go of Ste. ¡°My baby is afraid of


    strangers, and this is my first time seeing him doing something like this. I can tell that he likes you a


    lot.¡± The mother said to Ste.


    ¡°How old is he?¡± Ste asked.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be six-month-old after five days,¡± Then, the mother asked, ¡°How old is your child?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have one.¡± Ste shook her head.


    The woman smiled, ¡°You should start nning on having one with your husband. It¡¯s better to have a


    child when you¡¯re still young so you can spend more time with them.¡±

 Chapter 1638

    Chapter 1638


    Ste suddenly remembered what she had told Keegan at Solstice Shore previously.


    She said that she wanted him to be a father before he turned thirty-five, or he would have to use a


    cane to attend the parent-teacher conference.


    Although Keegan did not like her mocking him, he could not help but join her in fantasizing about their


    life in the future.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    However, their dreams of a wonderful future ended on New Year¡¯s Day. The person she had shared


    those dreams with had disappeared forever in that icy river.


    Ste kept quiet, but she was overwhelmed by emotions inside. She then shut her eyes for some time


    before saying in a low voice, ¡°My husband¡­ has gone missing.¡±


    The mother paused, not understanding what Ste meant by ¡°missing¡±.


    ¡¯Did he leave her after they fought, or did he run away with another woman?1 The mother wondered to


    herself.


    As she thought about how to respond, she heard Ste continuing, ¡°He fell into the water, and they


    couldn¡¯t find him even after twelve days. Everyone said that he¡¯s dead, and the will executor called me


    last night to read his will.¡±


    The mother did not expect Ste to say that and was suddenly at a loss for words.


    Then, she tried to make Ste feel better, ¡°I¡¯m sure that he cares a lot about you since he included you


    in his will.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Ste murmured, ¡°He does¡­¡±


    However, Keegan had never really expressed his true feelings to Ste.


    The atmosphere grew somewhat tense. The mother felt sorry for Ste and continued to console her,


    ¡°There¡¯s a wishing well up in the mountain of Jorgeville, and everyone says it¡¯s very efficacious. My


    father-inw was diagnosed with liver cancerst year, and I went there with my mother- inw to wish


    for his recovery. Just a few dayster, the hospital called to say they had made a mistake with a


    diagnosis and that he was actually perfectly healthy.¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s just a misdiagnosis. Does it really have anything to do with the wishing well?¡¯ Ste thought to


    herself.


    Also, my rtive has a son with very average grades.


    Before her son took the college entrance exam, she went to the wishing well, and her son scored with


    flying colors. I even heard that someone¡¯s missing dog miraculously returned a few days after its owner


    made a wish there.


    ¡±My mother-inw told me that as long as you¡¯re sincere, your wishes will definitelye true. I¡¯m sure


    that your husband will be back soon.¡±


    Ste kept quiet. She leaned her head against the car window, thinking about something.


    After a few hours, the minivan arrived at its destination.


    Ste helped the mother with her luggage as she got out of the minivan. The mother adjusted her baby


    carrier, and in the blink of an eye, Ste hadpletely disappeared from her sight.


    Jorgeville was where Arthur lived. A month ago, Arthur had asked a friend in the city to give them both


    a letter.


    The content of the letter was simple. Arthur simply told Keegan that time was running out and he


    should act as soon as possible.


    So, Keegan told Arthur he would visit him with Ste once he finished his work.


    However, now that Keegan was no longer around, the promise remained. Ste had probablye to


    Jorgeville to fulfill Keegan¡¯s promise.


    Marshall only arrived in Jorgeville around one in the morning.


    Although he was in a rush, he figured it would be inappropriate to go into town and look for Ste in the


    middle of the night. So, he decided to spend the night in a nearby motel and took a bus to where Arthur


    lived at six in the morning.


    But Ste was not there.


    The only clue they had led to nothing. Ste did not bring her phone, nor did she use a proper form of


    transportation. She had cut off all contact with everyone else, and nobody knew where she went.


    Trevor looked everywhere and could only see her getting into a dirty, ck minivan from the


    surveince footage. The car te was so muddy that Trevor could not even read it. So, he needed


    some time to identify the vehicle.


    Marshall had nned to return to Rivera and renned everything. However, he could not help but


    wonder whether he had arrived at Jorgeville too early and Ste might still be on her way there.

 Chapter 1639

    Chapter 1639


    Marshall came here by bus, but Ste did not even have her ID with her. She could onlye by a


    private car, where each passenger would get off at different ces. In that way, the car would have to


    make a few different stops, which would cause her to arrive slower than taking a direct bus.


    So, he decided to stay after thinking about that.


    Arthur did not know what had happened, but he was delighted to have a guest over. He had provided


    Marshall with a ce to stay and also cooked various delicacies for him.


    Marshall was still worried about Ste, so he did not really enjoy any of the food.


    He stayed at Arthur¡¯s ce for two days, yet Ste did not show up. On the third morning, he suddenly


    woke up from a nightmare.


    There was always an endless fire in his previous dreams. However, this time, he dreamed of Ste


    jumping off the bridge with Keegan.


    He was drenched in cold sweat as he abruptly opened his eyes. He stared at the old ceiling above him. It


    took him some time to finally get over the nightmare.


    It had been three days, and she should have arrived regardless of the type of transportation she took.


    Perhaps she had never intended toe here in the first ce.


    Marshall dared not to waste any more time, so he quickly packed up and wanted to bid Arthur farewell.


    Arthur had gone out for a walk very early in the morning because he could not sleep for long after getting


    older.


    Although Marshall was not very used to staying there, he was polite. Plus, his good looks made a


    favorable impression on the neighbors within just a few days.


    So, when they heard that he was looking for Arthur, they immediately told him where he was. Very soon,


    Marshall found Arthur exercising in the park.


    As he was approaching Arthur, he overheard some elderlydies who had just finished exercising having


    a chat.


    ¡°I went up the hill a few days ago and saw someone hiking up the rock again.


    Sigh, the path is so secluded and scary. How could anyone ever have the guts to go there?¡±


    ¡°That person is probably just another outsider who the phead had fooled. He hase up with so


    many different stories about the rock, yet I¡¯ve not heard of any of them even though I¡¯ve lived in this town


    all my life.¡±


    ¡°There are always a few people falling for it every year. I¡¯m so old, and even I don¡¯t believe in any of


    those things. I can¡¯t believe how superstitious the younger generation has be.¡±


    ¡°Sigh. People would believe in all sorts of things to seekfort for themselves.


    I heard that the woman who went there lost her husband. How pitiful. However, the phead is simply


    despicable. My son-inw said that when he wasing back from the town, he saw the phead


    hugging and messing around with another woman-¡°


    Someone pulled the elderly woman away before she could finish talking.


    ¡°Madam, where is the wishing well that you mentioned earlier?¡±


    The woman was startled. She turned around and saw a strange but gentle young man. She thought that


    Marshall hade to make a wish in the wishing well, too, so she told him where it was.


    Then, she added, ¡°Young man, just toss a coin in the wishing well if you¡¯re there to make a wish. If


    someone insists on telling your fortune, please don¡¯t believe them. It¡¯s nothing but a scam.¡±


    Marshall then thanked the woman, said goodbye to Arthur, and went right to the wishing well.


    He met a lot of other people on his way there. He asked for directions as he walked and quickly located


    where the wishing well was.


    The wishing well was not huge. There was a small hut next to it where the keeper would rest.


    There was a long line of people waiting to make a wish there, and it kept getting longer.


    As soon as Marshall arrived at the wishing well, he saw a bald man sitting next to the wishing well,


    offering spiritual guidance.


    Marshall approached him with a stern face. The bald man had noticed Marshall since he arrived and


    thought that Marshall would be his next money tree.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    However, Marshall approached him, grabbed his cor, and pulled him up from his seat. ¡°Where¡¯s the


    woman you tricked intoing up the mountain a few days ago?¡± he asked with a cold face.

 Chapter 1640

    Chapter 1640


    The bald man was startled and tried to deny it, ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about-Ah-¡°


    Before he could finish talking, Marshall twisted his wrist, causing a sharp pain that made him cry out.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to repeat myself!¡±


    His tone was icy and emotionless, sending a shiver down the bald man¡¯s spine.


    The bald man was nothing but a swindler and quickly confessed everything after Marshall threatened


    him.


    Indeed, a woman came to the wishing well three days ago.


    She was heavily dressed in casual clothes, but she was exceptionally generous with her money. She had


    donated several thousand dors to make a wish.


    People would usually leave after making a wish, but she knelt in front of the wishing for a long time. It


    was apparent that she was desperate, making her an easy target to be scammed.


    So, the bald man initiated a conversation with her, but she kept quiet until he mentioned a stone on the


    mountaintop called the ¡°Reincarnation Stone¡±. He told her that if she wrote her lover¡¯s name on it, her


    wishes woulde true.


    The woman suddenly became interested and asked him about the stone. He had encountered too many


    couples in love like her and did not hesitate to take advantage of her.


    Ste not only gave him all the cash she had but even her ne.


    He had originally wanted to take the diamond ring she had on her hand, but Ste just would not give it


    up.


    Marshall clenched his fists tight, and the man shivered upon staring at the intimidating look on his face.


    ¡°S-She gave it to me voluntarily. I didn¡¯t steal or rob anything from her. She was very stubborn and


    insisted I tell her how to get up there. I told her it was very dangerous, but she didn¡¯t listen¡­¡±


    ¡°Then what?¡±


    ¡°Huh? I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think¡­ she¡¯se back down¡­¡±


    ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    Marshall spoke coldly with a stern expression.


    ¡°What?¡± The bald man was taken aback. Marshall shot him a cold nce, and he immediately lowered


    his head, ¡°I¡ªI¡¯ll take you there.¡±


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    The path to the mountaintop was very steep, and no one would dare to go up other than the rangers.


    One would have to walk on a narrow path in the middle of a precipice and a steep cliff. It had a width of


    no more than two feet, just enough for one person to pass through.


    At the entrance of the narrow path, there was a fallen sign that read, ¡°Closed.


    No passing through¡±.


    Marshall bent down to pick it up. When he was not looking, the bald man ran away.


    Marshall ignored him, hung the sign back on the stone wall, and proceeded with his journey. After he


    walked past the narrow path and a short distance up the mountain, he reached the peak.


    He stood up there and, at a nce, saw a huge boulder perched on the cliffs edge. There was a familiar


    bag ced on the withered patch of yellow grass beside the stone, yet Ste was nowhere to be seen.


    Marshall¡¯s heart sank a little. Then, he held his breath and slowly approached the stone.


    That stone was about thirteen feet wide, a little over six feet high, and had a weird shape.


    The side of the stone exposed to the sun was covered with some scribbles.


    When Marshall walked closer to it, he realized they were all Keegan¡¯s name written all over the stone.


    Marshall felt a lump in his throat as he walked around the stone. He saw someone sitting behind it.


    Ste had her back against the stone. She was hugging her knees with one hand and buried her head


    within them. On the other hand, she held a pen. 4

 Chapter 1641

    Chapter 1641


    There was a bottle of water beside Ste¡¯s feet. It did not seem like she had the intention to end her


    life.


    Marshall heaved a sigh of relief upon thinking about that.


    There was a very steep drop just less than six feet away from Ste, and Marshall dared not to startle


    her. So, he sat down not far from her and apanied her in silence.


    It was past noon. Although the sun shone brightly, it felt chilly at the mountaintop.


    Ste wore a windbreaker. It did not look very thick, and her exposed earlobes turned bright red from


    the coldness.


    ¡°Ste¡­¡±


    Marshall called out to her softly.


    Ste remained still, and Marshall did not know if she had even heard him.


    Marshall gazed at the distant mountains surrounded by mist and spoke again after some time, ¡°I had a


    younger brother called Ryan who was two years younger than me. Not only that he was adorable and


    well-behaved, but he was also incredibly smart too. He could say plenty of simple words before he was


    even a year old. He always had a smile on his face, and almost everyone who met him liked him.


    ¡°I was never a talented person, and I was always slower to learnpared to other kids my age. I was


    also introverted, and not many people in my family liked me. My mom often took her anger out on me,


    but when Ryan came along, the family¡¯s attention shifted away from me to him. He was the reason why


    I could finally be myself, so I liked him a lot, too.


    ¡°The time when Ryan was born was one of the happiest times in my life, but it didn¡¯tst long. On the


    second Thanksgiving after his birth, our aunt returned from overseas to celebrate with the family.


    Everyone was busy weing her.


    ¡°She brought a beautiful toy car from abroad for us. We loved it and yed with it in our room.


    ¡°Many things were happening in the house, and all the adults were busy. The nanny who was


    supposed to take care of Ryan said she was going downstairs to prepare some fruits, but she didn¡¯t


    come back up for a long time. Ryan started groaning as if he was not feelingfortable. I thought he


    was thirsty, so I took his bottle and tried to feed him some water.


    ¡°However, he seemed to look even more ufortable after some time. His face turned red, and he


    was making some strange noises from his throat. I didn¡¯t think anything was wrong and kept feeding


    him water.


    ¡°He couldn¡¯t really swallow the water, and I ended up getting water all over his clothes. It was only then


    that I realized that he was crying but couldn¡¯t make any sound. I had no idea what was happening, so I


    immediately went downstairs to look for help. However, I wasn¡¯t very good at speaking then, so none of


    the adults had the patience to listen to me.


    All of them thought that I was just ying with them.


    ¡°I ran back to the room. This time, Ryan wasn¡¯t moving anymore¡­¡±


    Marshall continued in a low voice, ¡°I thought he was asleep. I was getting tired too, so I next to him and


    fell asleep too. Then, I was awakened by the screams of the adults.


    ¡°Ryan was dead. Some tiny parts from the toy car had lodged in his throat, and he died of suffocation.


    What was supposed to be a joyous celebration had ended in tragedy. My mother cried her heart out,


    and the way she looked at me was strange, filled with me and resentment. I remembered that look


    for a long time.


    ¡°I spent a long time thinking about this. What if Ryan was my older brother? What if I was the one who


    choked on the car parts? Ryan was so smart; I¡¯m sure he would¡¯ve called for help immediately.


    ¡°So, I started bing more diligent. I worked very hard to be like Ryan just so the adults could like


    me more. However, Grandpa still thought that I was dim-witted, and my mother just couldn¡¯t seem to


    forget about Ryan.


    ¡°Then, I thought about how much better things would be if it had been me who died. But do you know


    what Keegan said to me?¡±


    Ste, who had been sitting still, finally had some reaction upon hearing Keegan¡¯s name. She tilted her


    head slightly away from her knees. Her eyes were swollen and red behind


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    her disheveled hair.


    Marshall continued in a hoarse voice, ¡°He said I was just a child, so why would the adults expect a child


    to handle something that even they wouldn¡¯t be able to handle properly? The adults were only ming


    me because they couldn¡¯t own up to their own negligence. But Ryan wouldn¡¯t. He¡¯d always remember


    how much I loved him. Did you know that the first word that he learned to speak was ¡®brother¡¯?¡±


    Marshall turned his face away, trying to calm himself down. After some time, he spoke again, ¡°Ste,


    this world is full of uncertainties and hardships. You can grieve and feel sad, but life must go on. Uncle


    Wenham, Trevor, your grandparents, Felicity, and all your friends, we all want the best for you. I¡¯m sure


    that this is what Keegan wants, too. Although he had left us, he wouldn¡¯t want anything bad to happen


    to you.¡±

 Chapter 1642

    Chapter 1642


    ¡°Keegan once told me something, and I¡¯ll say the same to you now.


    ¡°He said: ¡®You can be weak with me around.''¡±


    Marshall¡¯s voice spoke in the wind, and Ste could feel like she heard Keegan whispering in her ear,


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to die with you, although I¡¯d always put myself first.¡±


    What a liar!


    Ste could not bear the overwhelming pain anymore and broke down crying.


    Her cries echoed in the wind, in the mountain, and in the cascading river. She wondered if they could


    reach Keegan and show him how much she missed him.


    She could not control her emotions any longer, and her heart was filled with resentment and hate.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why did you have to bring the police there?


    ¡°Why did you have to save me?¡±


    She cried as she asked, and Marshall was heartbroken listening to her questions. With a tearful eye, he


    repeatedly apologized.


    Ste vented without holding back. Her voice even turned hoarse from the crying.


    Her cries gradually subsided and eventually stopped. Then,


    Marshall spoke again, ¡°Let¡¯s go down the mountain. I¡¯lle here again with you tomorrow if you want


    to write more.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Ste packed her stuff as she said in a hoarse voice, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for him at home.¡±


    She stood up while holding her bag and started walking away. Marshall followed behind her silently.


    When they were on the narrow path, Ste¡¯s legs suddenly went weak, and Marshall was startled. He


    immediately grabbed her, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Ste brushed his hand off, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    She continued to move forward, and her vision became increasingly blurry. Marshall said something,


    but she could not hear it clearly. Then, she stumbled and passed out.


    Ste had a high fever aftering down from the mountain.


    Marshall brought her to a clinic, where the doctor on duty seemed to be very inexperienced. He


    suggested giving her an injection, but the doctor could not even hold the syringe steady. Although


    Ste was having a fever, she would not stop moving and kept bbering stuff.


    Marshall was worried that the doctor might hurt her when giving her the injection, so he told the doctor


    to just give Ste some medicine.


    So, the doctor did as Marshall said. However, Ste vomited it out right after taking it.


    After feeding her several times more, the doctor switched to liquid medicine. They finally managed to


    get the medicine into her.


    Her body temperature fluctuated throughout the night, and she finally began to recover at noon the next


    day.

 Chapter 1643

    Chapter 1643


    Ste was awakened by a dog¡¯s barking.


    She opened her eyes and found herself in a room with mud walls covered in newspaper. The tungsten


    lightbulb on the ceiling looked old, and the ss wall had ck mold all over it. The room was filled


    with various antique items, and she realized she was covered under arge floral-patterned nket


    that was very warm and soft, exuding a faint scent of the sun. Suddenly, Ste felt like she was in a


    movie where she had time-traveled to the 80s.


    ¡®Does that mean that Keegan had also time-traveled?¡¯ she wondered.


    However, the smartphone on the table shattered her fantasy. Shey in bed for a while but soon


    decided to get up-


    The fever had left her feeling weak and sweaty. After spending a few days in the mountains and


    sweating all night, her body had an unpleasant smell.


    She wanted to freshen up but realized there was nothing in the room. So, she adjusted her clothes and


    went outside.


    She only noticed that she was sleeping in the master bedroom of an ancient adobe house. There was


    another room with a separate entrance at the side. A ck dog was inside, and it would not stop


    barking at the passersby.


    The yard had no gate, and there was a hawthorn tree on the eastern side of the entrance. It was winter,


    and the tree had shed all its leaves, leaving only hawthorn berries hanging from the branches. It looked


    beautiful yet bleak.


    Suddenly, Ste remembered when she would pick hawthorn berries under a tree like that one during


    her childhood days.


    When she was still lost in her thoughts, she heard someone talking to her from behind, ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡±


    Ste turned around and saw Marshalling out from the west side of the house, wearing an old


    coat.


    Marshall saw Ste staring at the coat he was wearing and exined with a smile, Mr. Jewell said that


    my clothes were too thin, so he gave me this. It feels pretty warm.¡±


    Instead of responding to that, Ste asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Great Grandpa?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s castrating the piglets in the backyard. I¡¯ll show you the way,¡± Marshall said.


    The backyard wasrger than the front yard. There was a vegetable farm, a chicken coop, and even


    pigs and sheep pens.


    However, there were only pigs left on the farm. Arthur was getting older; although he was still very


    healthy, he could not manage to take care of so many animals.


    He was about to sell the mother pig but decided to keep it because it was pregnant.


    Arthur would castrate all the piglets himself when he was younger. However, his hands grew shaky as


    he grew older, so he had Marshall help him.


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    Marshall grew up in the city and had never even seen a pig up close, let alone castrating one. He held


    the tools in his hands but just could not bring himself to do it.


    Arthur was like a coach in a basketball game, frantically directing his inexperienced yer who could


    not even get a simple rebound.


    He looked at the bite marks on Marshall¡¯s hand from the little pig and could not help but say, ¡°I¡¯ve lived


    to be this old, but this is the first time seeing someone getting bitten by a pig-¡°


    Marshall felt very embarrassed.


    Ste thought about the time when Arthur visited Rivera, and she and Keegan took him out.


    At that time, Keegan was still a very insensitive person.


    After all, he came from a very wealthy family; he even needed someone to open the car door for him


    when getting out of the car.


    However, Arthur did not care about that at all. He sent him to fetch water, buy tickets, wait in line for


    food, and even had him carry his jacket when he went to the washroom.


    If Keegan showed the slightest dissatisfaction, he would sigh and say, ¡°It¡¯s important to find a husband


    with a good temper regardless of how rich he is. One can never marry a man who would be easily


    upset. If he can¡¯t even buy you a bottle of water without sulking, he¡¯s not the right one. When you¡¯re old


    and lying in a sickbed, I¡¯m sure that he¡¯d be the first one to pull your oxygen tube right out.¡±


    Keegan was infuriated. When Arthur went to the restroom one time, heined to Ste in a low


    voice, ¡°What does that have to do with pulling out an oxygen tube? He could¡¯ve told me to do


    everything at once, but he had to make me go back and forth several times. He¡¯s making me do extra


    work for no reason, yet I can¡¯t be mad?¡±

 Chapter 1644

    Chapter 1644


    Ste shot him a nce, ¡°Go back then. I didn¡¯t ask you toe anyway.¡±


    Keegan was taken aback. Then, he scoffed and retorted, ¡°Do you think I wanted toe here? I just


    didn¡¯t want people to gossip!¡±


    He just would not express his true feelings, which was probably why Arthur ¡°bullied¡± him.


    Marshall could not carry out the task at all, so Arthur had to call over some youngers from next door to


    help.


    With swift and precise movements, they soon castrated over a dozen of piglets. Marshall was stunned


    as he asked in a low voice, ¡°Doesn¡¯t this¡­ hurt?¡±


    Arthur paused for a moment before saying, ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask them?¡±


    Marshall was left speechless.


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    As Arthur spoke, he grabbed the fattest piglets and asked Ste excitedly, ¡°Ste, how¡¯s this one? Or


    you can pick which one you like, and I¡¯ll butcher it for youter.¡±


    The piglet squealed and struggled as its hind legs were being held up. Ste reached out to rescue it


    from Arthur¡¯s hand and said in a low voice, ¡°I don¡¯t feel like eating meat. I want to eat the sweet


    potatoes you used to roast when I was a child.¡±


    A bright smile suddenly appeared on Arthur¡¯s face. ¡°Okay then. I¡¯ll start a fire to roast them for you.¡±


    Then, he turned to Marshall and said, ¡°Young man, take Ste to freshen up and help me chop some


    firewood after youe back.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Marshall responded, stood up, and said to Ste,¡± Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The government had constructed some settlement housing in the town. However, the people in


    Jorgeville, including Arthur, were too used to living in their own homes, so none of them moved.


    The settlement houses had bathrooms with hot water and electricity. After Ste took a shower and


    came back out, she saw Marshall talking on the phone.


    He immediately covered the mic when he saw hering out, ¡°It¡¯s Trevor. Do you want to speak to


    him? I¡¯ll just tell him that you walked away if you don¡¯t.¡±


    Ste wiped away the water on her hair and said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him.¡±


    Then, Marshall said something to Trevor and passed his phone to Ste.


    ¡°Ste, how are you? Are you feeling better now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ste responded vaguely before saying, ¡°Trevor, I¡¯m sorry for making you all worry about me.¡±


    Trevor heaved a sigh of relief after hearing her speak normally, ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m d that


    you¡¯re fine now.¡± He paused before asking again, ¡°When are youing back? n


    ¡°After two more days, probably. I haven¡¯t seen Great Grandpa for a long time. I want to spend some


    time with him before I go back. Are there any¡­ updates on your end?¡±


    Trevor understood that she was asking about Keegan.


    He said after a long pause, ¡°Not for now.¡± He was worried that Ste would get sad, so he added,


    ¡°Perhaps he was rescued by someone else, as you said. He did not fall into the sea, and it was


    impossible for him to just disappear like that. I¡¯ve sent Xavier to the hospital to check. I¡¯ll let you know


    once there are any updates. Also, please apologize to Marshall for me. I need to thank him for finding


    you.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ste said before hanging up. Then, she turned to Marshall, and it was only then she realized


    that there was a faint bruise at the corner of his left lip.


    Ste immediately figured out what happened. She returned the phone to Marshall and said softly, ¡°Mr.


    Moore, please don¡¯t take what I said on the mountaintop yesterday personally. I wasn¡¯t in my right mind


    at that time. Also, my brother was just too worried about me, and I apologize for what he did to you.


    Also, thank you for everything that you¡¯ve done for me.¡±


    ¡°Ste,¡± Marshall lowered his gaze and spoke in a low voice, ¡°If you¡¯re thanking me on behalf of


    Keegan, it¡¯s totally unnecessary. He¡¯s my friend, and it¡¯s only right for me to help. However, if you¡¯re


    thanking me personally, it¡¯ll be even more unnecessary.¡± He spoke as he lifted his gaze, and his hidden


    emotions shone through, ¡°Because I¡¯m willing to do all those things for you.¡±

 Chapter 1645

    Chapter 1645


    Ste paused for a moment and then lowered her gaze. She remained silent for a while before saying,


    ¡°Mr. Moore, Keegan treats you as his best friend, and so do I.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Marshall smiled gently, though his face looked a little pale. ¡°I¡¯ve never dared to imagine


    recing him. I just want you to be happy.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± Ste replied softly, ¡°Because I know he¡¯ll want me to be happy too.¡±


    Marshall tightened his grip on his phone and stopped saying anything else.


    Jorgeville was a peaceful and tranquil town.


    Some years ago, there were some government projects in Jorgeville that took up quite a bit ofnd. So,


    many local residents received a substantial amount ofpensation for relocation, making their lives


    rtivelyfortable.


    However, the town did not have any major industries supporting its economy, and the quality of


    education was subpar. So, many of the younger generation chose to move out.


    So, when the two good-looking and graceful youngsters came to visit Arthur, everyone immediately


    knew about them.


    In a small town like that, everyone loved to know each other. So, in just one day, there were more than


    ten guests who came to visit Arthur, using various excuses to meet Ste and Marshall.


    Arthur was pretty famous in town. He was a chef when he was younger, and the residents always


    wanted him to cook forthem during all the important asions. The elderlydies in the neighborhood


    described his cooking as so delicious that the tes did not even need to be washed, as they were


    licked clean.


    As he got older and could no longer manage the kitchen, he began studying medical books. If


    someone¡¯s pigs were not gaining weight, if someone¡¯s dog was having stomach problems, or even


    when the cows had indigestion, he could urately diagnose them.


    However, Arthur was aware that his knowledge was limited, so he would never charge for his services.


    When things got tooplicated, he would suggest taking them to the hospital in the city.


    None of the people in town seemed to know about what happened to Albert, and nobody ever talked


    about it.


    Arthur loved having guests over. So, what was originally a simple meal for three turned into a grand


    feast.


    The neighbors chatted andughed while preparing the food, turning Arthur¡¯s house lively and joyous.


    When washing the dishes and utensils, an older woman quietly asked Ste, ¡°Ste, your husband


    looks so handsome, and he¡¯s so polite, too. What does he do?¡±


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    Ste replied, ¡°He¡¯s not my husband, but my friend. He¡¯s awyer.¡±


    The woman was shocked, ¡°But I heard Arthur saying that his great-grandson woulde to visit.¡±


    Ste lowered her gaze, ¡°He was supposed to, but¡­ something happened. He couldn¡¯te.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± The woman did not think too much of it and continued enthusiastically, ¡°Be sure to bring him over


    next time then. I¡¯ll cook some of my best dishes for you both.¡±


    Ste paused. It took her some time to smile, and she replied, ¡°Sure.¡±


    As the night approached, guests started leaving. Ste and Marshall were busy cleaning up.


    Arthur sat at the doorstep, watching the two of them.


    Although Marshall was not very good at doing chores, he was diligent and attentive. For example,


    when Ste struggled to move a chair, he would immediately offer to help. Also, when he handed over


    a clean fruit knife to Ste, he ensured the de was facing away from her to prevent hurting her.


    Small things like these could often reveal a person¡¯s character.


    ¡°Marshall,¡± Arthur called out to him, ¡°Do you have a cigarette?¡±


    Marshall shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ve quit smoking.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Arthur responded disappointedly.


    Then, Marshall rolled down his sleeve and said gently, ¡°What brand would you like? I¡¯ll go get it for


    you.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s eyes immediately lit up, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s too much trouble. If


    Marshall smiled, ¡°I¡¯ve eaten too much tonight and nned to take a walk anyway. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

 Chapter 1646

    Chapter 1646


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1646 [Eleven Jewell]


    So, Arthur said in a gentle tone, ¡°Would you buy a pack of Doral then?¡±


    Marshall had never heard of that cigarette brand, but he agreed anyway, ¡°Sure.¡±


    He grabbed his jacket, turned to Ste, and asked, ¡°Ste, do you want anything?¡±


    Ste shook her head, ¡°No, thank you.¡±


    Her tone sounded polite but somewhat distant. There was a clear hint of disappointment in Marshall¡¯s


    eyes as he spoke softly, ¡°All right. I¡¯ll be back in a minute.¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Ste responded.


    After Marshall left, Arthur said to Ste, ¡°Ste, stop working ande sit with me for a while.¡±


    Ste wiped her hands and walked over, feeling somewhat nervous. Arthur patted the doorstep and said,


    ¡°Come, sit here.¡±


    Then, Ste sat down next to Arthur.


    ¡°What happened to that kid from the Kane family? Did you guys get into a fight?¡±


    Ste initially thought Arthur would ask her about Albert. But to her surprise, he asked about Keegan


    instead.


    Aftering down from the mountain, Ste had been trying hard to hide her emotions. However,


    Arthur¡¯s question caught her off guard, and her tears began flowing.


    Arthur had lived so long and could easily see that something was wrong.


    When Marshall brought Ste, who was having a fever, over to his house, he had already guessed that


    something was not right. But he just did not expect things to be that way.


    He reached out and wiped away Ste¡¯s tears gently, ¡°It¡¯s okay, dear. Crying can make you feel better.¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    However, Ste did not cry for long. She wiped away her tears and spoke hoarsely, ¡°Great Grandpa, I¡¯m


    leaving tomorrow. Keegan hasn¡¯t returned, and I¡¯ve got to protect his hard work and his family. I can¡¯t


    stay here for too long.¡±


    Arthur nodded and patted the back of her hand, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the bus station tomorrow then.¡±


    Ste lowered her gaze and said after a long pause, ¡°Great Grandpa, I¡¯m not a descendant of the Jewell


    family. I¡¯m not biologically rted to Albert Jewell.¡±


    As Albert¡¯s grandfather, it was impossible for him not to know about what had happened to Albert. So,


    Ste guessed that he was probably unaware she was not Albert¡¯s daughterjudging from how well he


    treated her.


    Arthur was the only person who treated her genuinely in the Jewell family, so she did not want to hide the


    truth from him.


    Arthur kept quiet, and the atmosphere turned heavy. Ste had mentally prepared herself for what was


    about to happen.


    She figured that Arthur would not scold her, but he would be very disappointed.


    After a long pause, Arthur finally spoke, ¡°Are you saying that you won¡¯te here anymore? You won¡¯t


    visit this old man ever again since we¡¯re not biologically rted, is that right?¡±


    Ste was taken aback and immediately denied it, ¡°Of course not. I just think I¡¯m in no ce to make you


    treat me so well anymore.¡±


    She figured Arthur only treated her so well because they were biologically rted. Since it was proven


    that they were not rted at all, she dared not take advantage of Arthur¡¯s affection anymore.


    Then, Arthur said, ¡°Actually, whether you¡¯re Albert¡¯s daughter or not has nothing to do with me.¡± Ste


    was puzzled. ¡®What does he mean?¡¯ she wondered to herself.


    Then, Arthur started talking about the past.


    He was not originally from Jorgeville. He and Ste¡¯s greatgrandmother, Evelyn Thornfield, were from out


    of town.


    They had known each other since childhood. Arthur¡¯s family was very poor, so he joined the army just to


    feed himself, which took him away for three years.


    When he returned, he had saved some money. Although he could not be considered rich, it was enough


    for him to start a family in his hometown.

 Chapter 1647

    Chapter 1647


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1647 [Eleven Jewell]


    Arthur did not know how to write and could notpose a letter. Hence, he lost touch with Evelyn after


    three years.


    He had initially assumed that she would have already wed upon his return. To his surprise, the person he


    had longed for was still waiting for him at home.


    Although they hadn¡¯t seen each other in years, their reunion was natural, as if they had never been


    apart. They quickly confirmed their rtionship after that.


    Arthur hired a matchmaker to formalize their union, and they soon set a date for the wedding.


    The couple were engrossed in the preparations for their new life together, eagerly anticipating their


    future. Little did they know, tragedy was on the horizon.


    A series of gruesome murders began guing the town. The perpetrator targeted young women,


    committing heinous acts before taking their lives.


    In just six months, four lives were brutally taken, causing the people to panic.


    Women were afraid to venture out alone.


    At the time, Evelyn was employed at a textile factory. Arthur would see her off and pick her up daily.


    As their wedding approached, Evelyn¡¯s family suddenly changed their minds, demanding arger dowry.


    It turned out that Evelyn¡¯s younger brother had fancied a girl from a prominent family whose dowry


    demands were unreasonably high. The Thornfield family could not muster the required funds, so they


    came up with this n.


    Evelyn was deeply embarrassed and enraged by her family¡¯s actions. Despite her usual gentle


    demeanor, she had a massive fight with her family about it.


    However, in those days, women had little say in their own marriages.


    Should Arthur refuse, the Thornfields would swiftly arrange another marriage for their daughter. They


    were convinced that they would eventually find someone who would be willing to foot the bill.


    Arthur was equally upset but had no choice but to give in. He could not stand to see the Thornfield family


    forcing Evelyn into such an unwanted situation.


    But he had just set up a new home and had very little money left. Even with assistance from rtives


    and friends, he was stillcking financially.


    Back then, the county was home to a coal mine. The machinery in that era was not as advanced as what


    they had today. Miners had to manually extract the coal without proper protective gear, hauling it up sack


    by sack. It was a physically demanding and dangerous job.


    Nheless, the pay was significant. Arthur coulde up with the remaining funds for the dowry with


    only one month ofbor. Besides, he possessed great stamina at the tender age of twenty, Despite his


    demanding schedule, Arthur still waited for Evelyn at the entrance of the textile factory every time she


    got off work.


    Until one day, a heavy rain came. The downpour caused the mine entrance to copse. It took the


    miners a considerable amount of time to work together and dig their way out of the coal mine.


    When Arthur got out, he changed into dry clothes and hurried to pick up Evelyn.


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    The skies were dark. Upon his arrival, he found the factory gate securely locked, and Evelyn was


    nowhere in sight.


    Arthur was worried, so he went to Evelyn¡¯s house. However, she was not there.


    Her co-workers said she waited at the gate for half an hour and left, saying she would look for him at the


    mine.


    But the people at the mine hadn¡¯t seen Evelyn.


    Arthur had a bad feeling about this. He called a few of his formerrades from the military and set out


    along the road from the textile factory to the coal mine to search for Evelyn.


    One of hisrades heard some noise while passing through a farnd stretch. He called out, ¡°Who¡¯s


    there?¡± Suddenly, a figure jumped up and ran away in a panic.


    As the man approached the area where the figure jumped out, his face changed instantly.


    Something dreadful had happened to Evelyn.


    Arthur rushed over and saw that she was naked from the waist down, with a rope tightly wound around


    her neck.


    Fortunately, they discovered her in time, still clinging to life. The men quickly sent her to the hospital.


    Evelyn stood as the sole survivor of the string of horrifying assaults and murders. The police swiftly


    arrived to get a statement.


    After the doctors checked out Evelyn, she identified her assant.


    Read

 Chapter 1648

    Chapter 1648


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1648 [Eleven Jewell]


    Evelyn¡¯s story did not end there. Instead of earning respect for identifying the assant, she found herself


    subjected to further humiliation when details of the incident leaked among themunity.


    Many believed that she survived not due to luck but rather because she waspliant with the


    perpetrator¡¯s wishespared to the previous victims who met their end. Some of her co-workers even


    commented that her preference for stylish attire may have made her a target as it seemed too shy.


    In an era where a woman¡¯s chastity was valued above all else, people often resorted to victim ming.


    Even the Thornfields imed that she was an embarrassment to the family.


    Despite increasing the dowry in the beginning, they ultimately proposed lowering it, perhaps out of fear


    that Arthur might feel repulsed by Evelyn.


    Evelyn was filled with a strong sense of Injustice and could not endure any longer. In a fit of anger, she


    attempted to take her own life.


    Thankfully, someone noticed this and saved her. Not wanting Arthur to be the subject of mockery,


    Evelyn took the initiative to end their engagement.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Overwhelmed with sorrow, Arthur saw through the true nature of the people in theirmunity. Without


    telling anyone, he took Evelyn and left their hometown forever, settling hundreds of miles away in


    Jorgeville.


    The couple built a new life together there. Arthur found work, and everything seemed to be moving in a


    positive direction. However, Evelyn became pregnant two monthster.


    Upon checking the dates, it became evident that the child was not Arthur¡¯s.


    Evelyn considered getting an abortion as they struggled to even put food on the table, let alone afford


    medical expenses. Arthur suggested keeping the child, but Evelyn was reluctant and sought various


    means to try and terminate the pregnancy. She even resorted to misguided remedies like drinking water


    with crushed porcin shards.


    Fortunately, Arthur intervened and prevented a tragedy from urring.


    No matter how hard Evelyn tried, the child remained unharmed. Arthur believed it was due to fate and


    persuaded his partner to keep the child, wanting to raise it as his own.


    Evelyn cried for several days but ultimately epted the reality.


    Arthur¡¯s eldest son, Albert¡¯s father, had no biological rtion to Arthur. However, he upheld his promise


    to Evelyn and treated the child as his own. No one knew about this other than the two of them.


    Arthur had assumed this matter would go with him to the grave if Ste had not brought it up today.


    The character of his eldest son¡¯s family was distinctly different from that of his own two children. They


    were extremely selfish and self serving.


    Upon hearing the news of Albert¡¯s misfortune, Arthur was stunned for a long while. ¡®Like father, like son,¡¯


    he thought, He paused for a moment and said about Ste not being Albert¡¯s daughter, ¡°Actually, Keegan


    told me about your parentage a while ago.¡± Ste¡¯s heart skipped a beat, ¡°What? When?¡±


    Keegan never told her about this.


    ¡°It was a while back; I can¡¯t recall exactly,¡± Arthur said.


    ¡°He returned the money I left for you then and told me to pretend not to know.


    It¡¯s not like I treated you well just because you¡¯re a descendant of the Jewell family!¡± he added, slightly


    irritated.


    Arthur¡¯s fondness for Ste was initially rooted in his affection for Rainee; his impression of her was


    exceptionally favorable. He loved everything about her and naturally held high regard for her daughter.


    Arthur¡¯s indirect liking toward Ste evolved into a sincere adoration as time passed.


    The reason for this was simple-Ste was charming in appearance and sensible.


    Arthur still remembered vividly the time he gave her candy. She wrinkled her nose as if she might spit it


    out at any moment. Yet when he asked, she mustered a smile and said it was delicious.

 Chapter 1649

    Chapter 1649


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1649 [Eleven Jewell]


    Arthur grew fond of Ste because she had a knack for tending to people¡¯s emotions from a young age.


    His affection for her had nothing to do with her being his family. That was why he did not care if she was


    Albert¡¯s daughter or not. However, Arthur respected Keegan¡¯s decision to tell him about Ste¡¯s


    parentage.


    Ste¡¯s eyes welled up with emotion. She remained quiet, her gaze fixed downward for an extended


    period. Keegan had never shared any of this with her. She could not believe he had silently paved the


    way for her while she was worried about facing Arthur.


    After a while, Arthur looked up to the night sky above. He spoke in a low voice, ¡°Everything will turn out


    fine.¡±


    Marshall leaned against the wall as he eavesdropped on their conversation.


    Upon hearing Arthur¡¯s words, he, too, nced at the sky. It was enveloped in darkness, and no stars


    were visible.


    Marshall and Ste woke up early the following day to prepare for departure.


    There was not much to pack, as both had traveled light. Among the items they packed were local


    specialties Arthur had thoughtfully prepared for them. These included walnuts, dried persimmons, pears,


    homemade beef jerky, sun-dried wild mushrooms, and several dozen pounds of farm-fresh eggs. He


    even tied up two piglets for them to take home.


    As Ste gazed at the mountain of gifts from Arthur, she felt a mixture of gratitude and helplessness. It


    was clear they could not take the piglets with them. Ste chose a few items from the pile, as leaving


    everything behind would be a disservice to Arthur¡¯s heartfelt gesture.


    Ste did not speak much on the way back. Marshall offered her his coat, ¡°Take a nap. I¡¯ll wake you


    when we arrive.¡±


    Ste declined, stating, ¡°I¡¯m not tired.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. You stayed uptest night and woke up early this morning.


    There¡¯s still much to do when we get back. You should rest,¡± Marshall suggested in a hushed tone.


    Ste fell silent. She did not stay upte; she barely slept at all. She saw Keegan¡¯s face every time she


    closed her eyes. Even if she managed to drift off, she would wake up several times throughout the night.


    Their rooms were close enough that Marshall must have heard her moving about.


    Ste took the coat and thanked him. She wrapped it around herself but could not fall asleep. She


    nced at Marshall and posed a question, ¡°Mr. Moore, how did you manage to find us that night?¡±


    Marshall exined, ¡°When your location disappeared, I suspected someone might have found your


    phone. The police were at a loss for leads, so I reached out to Landon¡¯s ex-wife. I showed her thest


    location you were at and asked if there were any ces around there that Landon was familiar with. It


    was then that she recalled that ce.


    ¡°She mentioned that Landon often went fishing in the vicinity. She knew about an abandoned factory


    building where they had sought shelter from the rain before. So, I asked her to lead the way. I also


    contacted the police just to be cautious.¡±


    Marshall paused and continued, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. If I had taken more time to carefully weigh my options back


    then before taking on the case, perhaps things wouldn¡¯t have ended up this way.¡±


    Ste lowered her gaze and spoke softly, ¡°Mr. Moore, before you arrived that night, I already knew the


    perpetrator had mistaken Keegan for you. If I had remembered your phone number, I would have called


    you in exchange for Keegan¡¯s life.¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Ste was not saying this solely to discourage Marshall. She had genuinely considered it at the time. In


    that situation, Keegan¡¯s life held more value to her than anyone else¡¯s. As a result, she could not bring


    herself to ept Marshall¡¯s apology.


    Marshall was taken aback for a moment. He sighed and said, ¡°Perhaps that would have been for the


    best. At least I could have earned a ce in your heart rather than just being Mr. Moore to you.¡±


    Ste remained silent and did not speak again.

 Chapter 1650

    Chapter 1650


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1650 [Eleven Jewell]


    After several hours, Marshall and Ste finally arrived in Rivera. As they stepped out of the train station,


    Ste immediately spotted Trevor. He wore a ck overcoat, his brows furrowed with a cold expression.


    It only softened when he saw Ste.


    Striding over, Trevor reached out and pulled Ste into a tight embrace. He held her gaze for a long


    moment and said in a husky voice, ¡°It¡¯s good to have you back.¡±


    Ste reciprocated the embrace, her eyes reddening. She murmured softly, ¡°Trevor, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Trevor did not respond verbally. Instead, he gently caressed the back of her head. It took a while before


    he finally spoke,¡± Let¡¯s head home.¡±


    He turned to Marshall, his face serious, ¡°Thanks for everything, Marshall. I owe you one.¡±


    Marshall nodded, ¡°Ste hasn¡¯t had a good night¡¯s sleep these past few days.


    Take her home to rest as soon as possible.¡± He handed over the items Arthur had given them to Trevor


    and continued, ¡°Take good care of her, and don¡¯t hesitate to reach out if you need anything.¡±


    As Marshall turned to leave, Trevor called him back, ¡°Hold on. I can give you a ride.¡±


    Marshall hesitated and nced at Ste.


    ¡°We can drive you home, Mr. Moore,¡± she said after meeting his gaze.


    Marshall offered a low chuckle, ¡°That¡¯s alright. Someone from thepany will pick me up shortly. I have


    a client to meet. You two go ahead.¡±


    Ste breathed a sigh of relief.


    Trevor quickly sensed that something was amiss. He nced at his sister, then at Marshall, and said,


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll treat you to a meal someday.¡±


    After saying their goodbyes, Trevor walked Ste to the car. Marshall¡¯s figure slowly grew smaller in the


    rearview mirror until he was no longer in view.


    Trevor carefully considered what to say next. But Ste beat him to it, ¡°Is there still no news?¡±


    Trevor shook his head, ¡°We¡¯ve searched the river thoroughly. The recovery team said that thetest


    they¡¯ll give it is two weeks.¡±


    Ste was taken aback, ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    Trevor was silent for a few seconds before saying, ¡°It means that the body might surface after


    dposition in two weeks, so we should be able to retrieve it then.¡±


    Ste¡¯s face turned abruptly pale. She stayed quiet for a long time.


    ¡°I know you might not want to hear this, but it¡¯s better than finding no remains at all,¡± Trevor said softly.


    Ste clenched her clothes, releasing and tightening her grip over and over until she finally said, ¡°I won¡¯t


    ept that he¡¯s dead if there¡¯s no body.¡±


    Trevor did not say anything more. He believed that she would graduallye to ept it.


    Wenham had been worried about Ste for several days. Now that he finally saw her, a weight was lifted


    from his heart. He immediately began asking about her well-being.


    Wenham cherished his daughter dearly after previously reuniting with her. He was worried about her


    even when she had a minor cold. He was on the brink of insanity when he found out Ste was missing.


    Ste seemed to be in a much better state than when she had first awakened.


    She responded to everything Wenham asked, but she still appeared lifeless.


    ¡°Sorry for making you worry these past few days, Dad.¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Wenham knew the pain of losing a loved one too well. So he understood what Ste was feeling.


    Before he could say anything, Darcie brought over two sses of water and said, ¡°It¡¯s good to rx and


    let go a bit. It might make you feel a little better. It¡¯s just a pity; Keegan was so young.¡±


    Ste froze and pressed her lips together.


    Wenham frowned, wondering why Darcie would bring up such a painful topic.


    He changed the subject, ¡°Where¡¯s Jaylene? She¡¯s been leaving the house early and returningte these


    past few days. Is she seeing someone?¡±

 Chapter 1651

    Chapter 1651


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1651 [Eleven Jewell]


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°She would¡¯ve told us if she¡¯s seeing someone. One of her ssmates from when she studied abroad is


    in town for a visit. She met up with them to show them around,¡± said Darcie.


    Wenham furrowed his brows, ¡°Why don¡¯t I recall her mentioning it?¡±


    ¡°She brought it up a while ago. Ste was still unconscious then, so you might not have noticed.¡±


    Wenham sensed a hint of disapproval in Darcie¡¯s words.


    After Ste reunited with the Saun family, Wenham had been emotionally neglectful toward Jaylene.


    Even though he treated them equally on the surface by giving Jaylene whatever he gave Ste, aside


    from Caline¡¯s shares, he was evidently biased.


    Wenham knew he was in the wrong and suggested, ¡°How about we invite her ssmate over for dinner?


    It¡¯s not often they visit. Let¡¯s be hospitable and make them feel wee.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Just let them enjoy themselves. Besides, Ste hasn¡¯t been in a good mood


    lately. It¡¯s better not to put her in social situations she might not want to be in,¡± Darcie responded.


    Ste did not care for Darcie¡¯s indirectments, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m feeling a bit tired.¡±


    ¡°Dinner is almost ready. You should have something to eat before you rest,¡±


    Darcie said in a concerned tone.


    Ste did not look at her. Instead, she turned to Wenham and stated, ¡°Dad, I want to rest.¡±


    Wenham immediately felt a surge of sympathy, ¡°Then go upstairs and rest. I¡¯ll have Samantha make you


    something when you wake up,¡± he said and handed Ste her phone.


    ¡°Thanks, Dad.¡±


    Ste stood up and grabbed her things as she went upstairs.


    Once she had left, Wenham frowned and said, ¡°Hold off on talking about Keegan in front of Ste. Don¡¯t


    you see how devastated she looks? Why would you want to add to her pain?¡±


    Trevor raised an eyebrow when he heard this. It was rare for his father to suddenly see reason.


    Darcie seemed a bit aggrieved and whispered, ¡°I just feel sorry for Keegan. How did something like this


    happen?¡±


    Wenham felt uneasy upon hearing her words. Despite harboring resentment toward Keegan due to his


    divorce from Ste, Wenham had known him since he was a young boy. He was his best friend¡¯s son. It


    was only natural for Wenham to be anxious, not knowing Keegan¡¯s whereabouts or if he was still alive.


    ¡°Trevor, gather more manpower. We need to do whatever it takes to find him.


    We can¡¯t¡­ We can¡¯t leave him all alone¡­¡± Wenham¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, and he could not


    continue.


    Trevor responded, ¡°Got it, Dad.¡±


    Ste was charging her phone upstairs when the screen lit up, disying a photo of her and Keegan at


    Solstice Shore.


    Keegan was not fond of being photographed; he would tense up as soon as a camera was pointed at


    him. Just before the shutter clicked, Ste turned and kissed him on the cheek. Keegan was momentarily


    stunned, but his eyes instantly lit up. The camera captured him gazing down at her.


    Ste¡¯s eyes filled with tears. She sat on the edge of the bed, clutching her phone, motionless for a long


    while.


    Sometime after, her phone rang, and she snapped back to reality.


    It was Aldor calling. Ste picked up the phone and heard him ask, ¡°Mrs. Kane, are you back?¡±


    ¡°Mhm. How are things on your side?¡± she replied.


    Although things were far from good on Aldor¡¯s side, he knew Ste was in an even worse state. So he


    lied, ¡°Everything¡¯s fine. They¡¯ve found Mr. Kane¡¯s phone. Do you want it back?¡± The phone was to be


    imed by family members. Legally, Ste and Keegan were divorced, making Dahlia the one to im it.


    Aldor used the excuse of the phone containing sensitivepany documents to request it from the


    police. Once approved, he took possession of it.


    Since Keegan was a cautious person, he would not have stored important documents on his phone. The


    reason Aldor took it was to give Ste something to remember him by-

 Chapter 1652

    Chapter 1652


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1652 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ste hesitated momentarily, then asked in a low voice,¡± Where are you?¡±


    Aldor quickly arranged a meeting spot.


    After freshening up a bit, Ste headed out. Concerned for her well-being, Wenham insisted that their


    driver apany her.


    The ce Aldor had chosen for their meeting was a cafe. It was 3:00 p.m. on a weekday, so the ce


    was not crowded.


    Ste provided a room number to the owner, and they escorted her to the entrance of a private room


    where Aldor was waiting.


    Upon pushing the door open, she found Aldor sitting inside, apanied by Ted.


    Ste was momentarily stunned and closed the door behind her.


    ¡°Mrs. Kane.¡± Aldor sounded like he had a cold, his voice somewhat hoarse. He also looked a little tired.


    However, upon seeing Ste, he maintained his usual courtesy and warmth. He rose from his seat and


    pulled out the chair opposite him, ¡°Please, have a seat.¡±


    Ste set her bag down and sat across from him.


    Ste¡¯s condition was better than Aldor had imagined. If she had been in a worse state, today would not


    have been a good time to meet.


    Ste did not initiate the conversation. She saw that Aldor was not alone. He had brought Ted, Keegan¡¯s


    old ssmate and awyer, ¡®So handing me the phone was just an excuse. It seems like Aldor has


    something else to discuss with me.¡¯ As expected, Aldor spoke up, ¡°Mrs. Kane, you¡¯re already familiar


    with Mr.


    Eldrich, so there¡¯s no need for formal introductions. I¡¯ll leave it to him to provide the details.¡±


    Ste looked at Ted, who had a cold and distant expression. He opened the file in front of him and then


    passed it over to Ste, stating, ¡°Before the tragedy, Keegan had requested me to draft this document.


    Please take a look.¡±


    Ste took a breath, ¡°Is it a will?¡±


    ¡°No. He didn¡¯t ask me to draft a will,¡± Ted said lightly. ¡°It¡¯s an authorization agreement.¡±


    Ste did not quite understand what that meant.


    ¡°I can give you a summary if you don¡¯t want to read it. A month ago, Keegan designated me as a third


    party to draft this authorization agreement. It essentially states that in the event that he¡¯s unable to


    oversee significant decisions for thepany due to unforeseen circumstances, you will step in on his


    behalf until his return or¡­ until he is officially dered deceased. His assets will be distributed ording


    to his will.¡± Ted exined.


    This sudden news left Ste feeling a bit disoriented, ¡®Why would Keegan create such an agreement?


    Did he have a feeling that something would happen?¡¯ ¡°Did he say anything else?¡± Ste asked with a hint


    of urgency.


    Ted shook his head, ¡°No. But when we signed the agreement, the proceedings were recorded on video.


    Would you like to see it?¡±


    Ste nodded, her eyes slightly red.


    Ted took out his phone and yed the video of the signing.


    He had not lied to her; the video was an unedited recording of the signing, kept as evidence in case of


    any futureplications. Keegan did not even spare a nce at the camera. He had spoken candidly,


    with Aldor by his side the whole time, bearing witness to the entire process while Ted drafted the


    document.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    After the document was printed and signed, Keegan said, ¡± Don¡¯t force her if she doesn¡¯t want to take


    charge of thepany. Hopefully, it¡¯s just me being overly anxious.¡±


    Ste closed her eyes, reying the entire incident in her mind.


    ¡®Everyone keeps saying that it was all an ident. But if the attacker truly mistook Keegan for Marshall,


    how did Keegan have a premonition about it?¡¯ She thought, a chill running down her spine.


    Ste pressed her lips together, unable to speak for a long time.


    ¡°Mrs. Kane,¡± Aldor whispered, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be involved, you can choose not to sign the


    document.¡±


    Ste asked, ¡°What will happen if I refuse?¡±


    Aldor remained silent before saying, ¡°There¡¯ll be another meeting at thepany in three days. If Mr.


    Kane isn¡¯t there, they¡¯ll appoint someone to take over our team, and everyone¡¯s efforts will be in vain.


    Even if he were to return, he¡¯d need time to heal from his injuries. He won¡¯t have the capacity topete


    with his uncle in the immediate future.¡±

 Chapter 1653

    Chapter 1653


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1653 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ste did not say anything as she took the pen and signed the document. Aldor heaved a sigh of relief


    and said in a serious tone, ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Kane.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the phone?¡± Ste asked.


    Aldor then took Keegan¡¯s phone from his bag and handed it to Ste, ¡°The police checked it. Apart from


    the cracked screen, everything inside still works fine.¡±


    Ste thanked him and took the phone.


    ¡°Do you know how Mrs. Kane Sr. is doing now?¡±


    Aldor shook his head, ¡°I can¡¯t get in touch with Mrs. Kane Sr. after Mr. Kane got into the ident. Mr.


    Chandler Kane said that her old illness has recurred, and her condition isn¡¯t very good now. She had


    been lying in bed, and the doctor said she needed rest and should not be disturbed. So, no one is


    allowed to visit her.¡±


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®She¡¯s sick, yet she¡¯s at home instead of the hospital?¡¯ Ste thought that it sounded like an excuse.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Ste stood up. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now. I¡¯ll be in touch.¡±


    After Ste left, Ted said, ¡°Keegan is such a lucky man.


    Whether in choosing his employees or a wife, he managed to find someone devoted to him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because Mr. Kane treats people sincerely. It has nothing to do with his luck,¡± Aldor said.


    Ted nced at him, ¡°If Keegan is really noting back, would you be interested in working for a new


    boss?¡±


    Aldor waved his hand, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I have zero knowledge when ites tow.¡±


    Ted was speechless.


    After leaving the cafe, Ste had her driver head to Cordelia¡¯s home.


    In the car, she switched on Keegan¡¯s phone.


    There wasn¡¯t much happening on his phone. He was not as addicted to the inte as she was, so there


    were only a few applications on the home screen.


    Ste opened the photo album, and the first picture she saw was an erged image of a dog¡¯s face.


    Her heart was instantly filled with a warm feeling.


    They met this dog when they were going to Solstice Shore. It seemed like the hotel staff owned it; it was


    well-fed by tourists, making it very friendly.


    Her phone had run out of battery at that time, so she asked Keegan for his phone so she could take a


    picture of it. However, Keegan volunteered to do it himself.


    Ste was skeptical of his photography skills, but Keegan was very confident, iming he had improved


    greatly by watching tutorials online.


    She still had her doubts but let him do it anyway.


    So, he tried to recreate a viral picture of a dog he had seen online. He did everything quite professionally,


    but the result was less than ideal. Eventually, he ended up turning the dog¡¯s face into that of a horse.


    Ste continued to scroll through the album, finding plenty of pictures of herself on Keegan¡¯s phone.


    Those pictures were taken when she was not looking, including ones of her sleeping, using her phone,


    and squatting by the street to y with cats and dogs. There were even pictures taken during Julian¡¯s


    college entrance exam.


    She had no idea how he got those pictures on his phone.


    Ste¡¯s eyes turned blurry as she looked at more pictures.


    She turned to look out the window when Keegan¡¯s phone vibrated. She recollected herself and checked


    it.


    It was a private WhatsApp message. She was about to delete it but identally tapped it open instead.


    She did not think much about it, but the content of the message left her momentarily stunned.


    The message read: [Mr. Bachelor, when are you going toe online again? I miss seeing you sending


    out gifts.] ¡®Mr. Bachelor¡­


    ¡®It sounds so familiar.¡¯ Ste thought to herself.


    She exited WhatsApp and clicked on Keegan¡¯s Facebook application. Then, she saw Keegan¡¯s


    username for his ount, ¡°Married Bachelor¡±.


    Ste tended to forget things, but that username was so unique that she remembered it.


    That was one of the very few ounts that Keegan followed with his main ount. She had even


    looked at it once, but its feed had been set to be visible only for the past six months, so she could not


    see anything.

 Chapter 1654

    Chapter 1654


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1654 [Eleven Jewell]


    ¡®This ount can be logged into on Keegan¡¯s phone. Could it be his second ount?¡¯ Ste took a


    deep breath as she thought about that. Then, she started reading the posts under that ount.


    [She made shredded pork with green pepper. It was overcooked, but it didn¡¯t taste too bad. It was her


    first time making it, so it¡¯s fine. The seaweed soup tasted strange, a little sweet and salty. She imed to


    have mistakenly used sugar instead of salt. What a bad liar. She clearly put too much salt and thought


    adding sugar would fix it. Did she really think that it¡¯d work? I wonder what goes on in her head


    sometimes.] [Roasted pork ribs; it¡¯s difficult to rate it. I couldn¡¯t chew it at all. I wonder if she tried it before


    serving it. I feel like ab mouse.] [I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s mad again, but her mood turns better at night.


    Her temperes and goes really quickly.] [I¡¯ve already changed, but she¡¯s going to the ss reunion


    without me!] [She wants me to pick her up after dinner. Am I her driver?] [I¡¯ll let it slide for now since she


    bought me new clothes.] [We got into an argument because I didn¡¯t get her a birthday cake. She¡¯s been


    ignoring me for days. What should I do to make amends now?] [I forgot to bring her watch when I went


    on a business trip, and she¡¯s been giving me the cold shoulders for two weeks now. I¡¯ve never seen her


    so determined about anything.] [She¡¯s mad again because I identally got her lipstick on my shirt. Is


    this really a big deal?] [I¡¯m supposed to buy her a new lipstick because of that.


    What kind of logic is this? The inte is such a weird ce.] [It seems like she¡¯s not interested in


    making food anymore. It¡¯s been a while since she made something for me. Actually, she was just starting


    to get better at it. Perhaps I was too harsh in my reviews and hurt her confidence.] [If I identally said


    something hurtful, how do I take it back?] [She¡¯s a few years younger than me. Maybe I should give in


    sometimes.] Ste could not bear to read any further. Her eyes reddened as she sobbed silently.


    The car finally arrived at Cordelia¡¯s home, and Ste had calmed herself down.


    She got out of the car, fixed her appearance, and walked toward the entrance.


    Before she could step inside, the security guard stopped her and asked her questions.


    Ste had not seen this security guard before.


    ¡°I¡¯m Keegan Kane¡¯s fiancee. I¡¯m here to see Mrs. Kane Sr..¡± she said in a calm voice.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Fiancee?¡± The security guard looked at her from head to toe, ¡°Wait a moment.


    Let me check.¡±


    He walked aside and made a phone call. After a while, he came back and said, ¡°You should leave. Mrs.


    Kane Sr. is not seeing anyone right now.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Baldwin? Call him, and I¡¯ll talk to him.¡± Ste frowned.


    The security guard grew impatient, ¡°I told you that Mrs. Kane Sr. won¡¯t be seeing anyone now. Don¡¯t you


    understand English? Just leave.¡±


    He began to push Ste away.


    Ste remained calm as she thought, ¡®This is getting more and more suspicious.¡¯ At that time, a stable


    worker walked Juno in the front yard. Ste whistled, and Juno broke free from the leash, running


    excitedly toward the gate.


    Juno wasrge and robust. When he rushed over, the security guard panicked and quickly ran into the


    guardhouse.


    Ste grabbed the reins and mounted Juno. She stroked Juno¡¯s hair and whispered, ¡°Good boy. Now,


    take me to grandma.¡±


    Juno seemed to understand what Ste said and ran toward the house with a neigh.


    As she entered the front yard, she noticed that more people were working inside. Other than the


    gardeners and animal caretakers, there were also some muscr young men dressed in suits.


    A few of them tried to stop her, but Juno thought they were ying with him.


    Juno became even more excited; even the horse groom could not stop it.


    It was only then Dahlia¡¯s voice rang out, ¡°Ste Hall! Keegan is already missing because of you, yet


    you¡¯re still causing trouble here! Are you out of your mind?¡±

 Chapter 1655

    Chapter 1655


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1655 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ste pulled the reins, causing Juno to slow down ande to a stop.


    She led Juno until she was in front of Dahlia. Ste looked down at her condescendingly and said tly,


    ¡°Where¡¯s grandma? I want to see her.¡±


    Ste had be slightly skinnier, and her features appeared more defined.


    She lookedpletely different from her former submissive self in front of Dahlia in the past, exuding a


    natural sense of elegance.


    Dahlia used to look down on her due to her family background. Sheter envied her for bing Hall¡¯s


    family heiress and now resented her for being Keegan¡¯s primary heir in his will.


    Dahlia¡¯s expression immediately darkened upon hearing that, ¡°You¡¯re the reason Keegan is dead, yet


    you still have the audacity toe here? Who do you think you are toe here and see my mother?


    Get out of here now!¡±


    Ste did not want to argue with her. She pulled the reins and wanted to ride past her.


    Dahlia was enraged by Ste¡¯s reaction and angrily shouted at the security guards standing at the side,


    ¡°What are you all standing around for? Stop her!¡±


    The security guards then approached Ste to stop her. However, Juno was very agile, and they could


    not keep him under control despite their strenuous effort.


    Dahlia got even angrier, ¡°All of you are useless! None of you can even stop an animal!¡±


    It seemed like Juno understood what she said as he suddenly turned and charged toward Dahlia.


    Dahlia was startled andpletely forgotten about her dignified manner. She wanted to run away but


    stumbled over something and fell to the ground.


    Her face turned extremely pale as Juno got closer to her.


    Aurora saw what was happening and screamed in terror.


    Fortunately, Ste pulled the reins in time, causing Juno to rear up on his front legs and turn around.


    Dahlia sat on the ground, disheveled. She could not even stand up.


    Aurora immediately ran over and helped Dahlia to her feet. Then, she turned to Ste and scolded,


    ¡°Ste Hall, are you out of your mind? What are you doing here in our home?¡±


    ¡°Move aside! I want to see grandma.¡± Ste red at her,pletely ignoring how much Dahlia had


    been frightened.


    ¡°After Keegan went missing, Grandma got so worried that she had fallen into aa. Why are you here


    to see her now? Do you want to upset her even more?¡± Aurora could not help but tear up as she talked


    about Keegan.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    No matter how strict Keegan had been to her, he was still her brother. He was the person who had


    protected her from bullies when they were still children.


    When Aurora thought about Keegan¡¯s lifeless body at the bottom of that cold river, she wanted to cry.


    After a long pause, Ste¡¯s expression softened as she held the reins and said, ¡°I just want to see


    Grandma for a moment. I¡¯ll leave once I know that she¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°What can possibly happen to her here?¡± Dahlia had finally recollected herself as she said sternly,


    ¡°You¡¯re only here to collect your share of money after reading Keegan¡¯s will, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Aurora still did not know about the will and was confused by what Dahlia said.


    Then, she asked with a frown, ¡® Mom, what will?¡±


    Dahlia sneered, ¡°You don¡¯t know yet, huh? Your brother had already made a will long ago. Sixty percent


    of his assets will be given to Ste Hall, and one part of the rest will be donated directly to a charity


    foundation in the name of thepany. Another part of it will be put into a trust fund, and I can only


    withdraw the interest every year!¡±

 Chapter 1656

    Chapter 1656


    What was even more infuriating for Dahlia was the money in the fund would be inherited by Aurora


    after Dahlia¡¯s death. In other words, once the will took effect, Dahlia could only rely on the interest for


    her livelihood.


    Keegan left most of his money to Ste and only a pitiful amount of interest for his own mother. This


    made Dahlia absolutely furious.


    She believed that Ste was the one who persuaded Keegan to make such a will and sabotaged her


    rtionship with her son. Keegan used to be very respectful toward her, but everything changed ever


    since Ste came into their lives.


    Ste was the reason why Keegan kicked her out of the Kane residence. So, she figured that since


    Keegan did not give her anything ording to his will, it must be because of Ste.


    Dahlia¡¯s resentment toward Ste grew even stronger, and she hated her to the core, ¡°I was still


    wondering why Keegan would make such a will. I finally understand it now. You were the one who


    forced Keegan to do it, right?


    ¡°He was still so young; why would he suddenly make a will? And why would he allocate most of his


    assets to his ex- wife? He got into the ident shortly after he made the will, and he was with you


    when it happened, too! What are the odds? I know that you¡¯re the one who caused his death because


    you can¡¯t wait to inherit his money!¡±


    Ste had no intention of arguing with anyone beforeing here, but Dahlia¡¯s words struck a nerve in


    her. Her face immediately darkened.


    ¡°Since you brought up the will, let me ask you this. Just one week after Keegan¡¯s ident, the Kane


    family started reducing the manpower of the search and rescue team.


    Who was the one who made that decision? The police haven¡¯t even confirmed whether he is dead or


    alive, yet you¡¯re in such a hurry to apply for a death certificate. It¡¯s only been two weeks. Are you really


    so worried about him being alive?


    ¡°Do you even know what injuries he suffered before falling into the water? You know he doesn¡¯t know


    how to swim, but do you know why? You said that he treats you badly, but he did everything he could to


    seek your worthless motherly love, yet you¡¯re still not satisfied!


    ¡°Keegan is soft-hearted, afraid that you wouldn¡¯t be able to live if he was gone, so he left you a source


    of ie. What about you? Do you really hope he¡¯s alive, or do you hope he¡¯s dead?¡±


    Aurora looked at her mother in disbelief. She had no idea that Dahlia had gone to report Keegan¡¯s


    death.


    ¡®Even if the hope is faint, his body hasn¡¯t even been found yet. Isn¡¯t that a little hasty?¡¯ Aurora thought


    to herself.


    Dahlia was shocked by Ste¡¯s intimidating demeanor, and it took her some time to regain her


    composure. When she met Aurora¡¯s questioning gaze, she appeared somewhat flustered, ¡°Nonsense!


    Absolute nonsense! What are you all standing around for? Stop her!¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes turned cold. Just as she was about to ride past the security guards, Baldwin came out of


    the house and stopped themotion.


    Ste heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing Baldwin. She dismounted Juno and walked toward him,


    ¡°Baldwin, how¡¯s grandma?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine. Just feeling a little unwell,¡± Baldwin said tly.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to see her if it¡¯s possible.¡±


    Baldwin shook his head, ¡°Mrs. Kane Sr. doesn¡¯t want to see anyone now. You should head back.¡±


    Dahlia looked a little uneasy when Baldwin came out, but when she heard what Baldwin said, her


    arrogance red up again. ¡°Did you hear that? No one wants to see you here. Get lost!¡±


    Ste scrutinized Baldwin¡¯s expression and saw that it looked normal, showing no signs of being


    threatened.


    She pursed her lips before speaking, ¡°There¡¯s something about Keegan I hope to talk to her about.¡±


    Having signed the divorce papers, Ste considered the significance of the matter and felt it necessary


    to inform Cordelia about it.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, if it¡¯s about something Mr. Kane had already arranged, you can make the decisions


    independently.


    There¡¯s no need for you to inform her about anything.¡± 2Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

 Chapter 1657

    Chapter 1657


    Ste frowned. She was about to say something more, but Baldwin turned and walked away. She


    wanted to follow him but was blocked by the security guards.


    Dahlia said without holding back, ¡°Get lost now! Don¡¯t think you can do whatever you want here just


    because you¡¯re a part of the Hall family!¡±


    Ste stopped walking, turned around to nce at Dahlia, and left without saying anything.


    Dahlia glowered at her receding back and cursed under her breath.


    Aurora did not say anything. Instead, she looked at her own mother somewhat strangely and asked in a


    low voice,¡± Mom, did you really get a death certificate for Keegan?¡±


    Dahlia paused and immediately got angry again, ¡°Do you believe in her or me?¡± Aurora lowered her


    gaze and kept quiet.


    She did not know if she should believe in Dahlia anymore. When Dahlia reduced the manpower earlier,


    the reason she gave Aurora was that Cordelia did not want to escte the matter and affect the


    company.


    But there was no proof that Keegan was dead. Plus, considering how much Cordelia loved him, Aurora


    figured it seemed strange for Cordelia to make that decision.


    After not getting any response from Aurora, Dahlia softened her tone, ¡°Of course, I hope that Keegan is


    safe. He¡¯s my son, and I do care about him. But it¡¯s been so many days, and the rescue team has said


    there¡¯s no chance of him surviving. What else do you expect me to do? He¡¯s gone, and you¡¯re not


    married yet. I¡¯ve got to n for our future, after all.¡±


    Dahlia yed her trump card, worrying that Aurora would turn against her, ¡°Don¡¯t let Ste fool you.


    She doesn¡¯t care about your brother as much as you think. Your brother went missing, yet she¡¯s


    messing around with Marshall. How could we ever trust a fickle woman like her? She has bewitched


    both your brother and Marshall. You and Marshall would¡¯ve been together long ago if it weren¡¯t for her.¡±


    Aurora was taken aback as she stared at Dahlia for some time without speaking.


    Her feelings for Marshall had long faded. She did not know if Marshall was interested in Ste, but


    Ste was definitely not as Dahlia had described. She was sure Ste did not mess around with


    Marshall when Keegan was still missing.


    Aldor had told her that the kidnapper jumped into the river and pulled Keegan with him. Without


    hesitating, Ste jumped in, too.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Ste was willing to risk her life for Keegan, so why would she throw herself into Marshall¡¯s arms now?


    Aurora suddenly remembered that Cordelia had wanted to raise her personally after her father¡¯s death,


    but Dahlia opposed the idea. One day, Keegan brought her out to y. When they returned, Dahlia


    immediately gave her a cold shower.


    She was afraid of the cold water and insisted on not taking it. However, Dahlia told her that only by


    doing this could she keep her by her side and prevent Cordelia from taking her away.


    After taking the cold shower, she immediately got a fever. Cordelia asked her about what happened.


    Following Dahlia¡¯s instructions, Aurora told her she was caught in the rain after Keegan took her out to


    y.


    Back then, after Quentin died, Keegan had indeed treated her coldly for a while.


    It was something that everyone in the Kane family knew.


    After listening to what Aurora said, Cordelia mistakenly believed that Keegan had done that on purpose


    and was still harboring resentment toward Aurora because he had not recovered from Quentin¡¯s death.


    Cordelia was worried that her rtionship with Keegan would worsen if they lived together, so she


    agreed to let her live with Dahlia.


    Of course, Keegan did not let her get soaked in the rain. Instead, he had removed his jacket, draped it


    over her head, and carried her back.


    Aurora had always believed that Dahlia did everything because she loved her.


    But now, she suddenly felt that her mother was simply using her to achieve her own motives of staying


    in the Kane family.


    Just like what she was doing, stirring rumors about Ste and Marshall, provoking Aurora¡¯s anger for


    Ste so that she could inherit Keegan¡¯s wealth.


    Aldor told her that she was different from her brother as Keegan never received any motherly love from


    Dahlia, so everything he did was justifiable.


    Aurora did not believe it before.


    As the person who had been favored, she never felt like anything was unfair.


    But now, as she thought about everything that had happened in the past from her brother¡¯s


    perspective, she suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.


    While Dahlia was still talking to Aurora about the will, she had long lost interest in listening.

 Chapter 1658

    Chapter 1658


    When she got lost during a vacation once, Aurora remembered the relief on Keegan¡¯s face when he


    finally managed to find her under the scorching sun, drenched in sweat.


    She remembered when theboratory caught fire, Keegan had saved her and kept repeating, ¡°It¡¯s


    okay,¡± as they escaped from the mes.


    She remembered that no matter what she wished for on her birthday, Keegan would do everything in


    his power to make it happen.


    Then, she thought about Keegan, who might still be immersed in the icy river, yet their mother s only


    concern was the will. She could not bear it anymore and came up with an excuse to leave.


    Three days had passed, but it felt like an eternity for Ste. However, she felt somewhat relieved


    because there was still no news from the rescue team.


    For now, no news was the best news for her.


    Ste woke up very early in the morning. After she changed and went downstairs, she bumped into


    Jaylene, who had just returned home.


    Jaylene had note homest night. To be precise, she had rarely been at home for the past few


    days.


    Darcie said that Jaylene went to spend time with her friend who had just returned from overseas, but


    Ste remained skeptical about it.


    She guessed that Jaylene probably had a boyfriend. They were still in their honeymoon phase, so they


    wanted to spend as much time as possible with each other.


    ¡®Is it normal for her to forget about someone so easily?¡¯ Ste paused as she thought, ¡®The person she


    likes is still missing, yet she still has the mood to hang out with her friend. Is that normal?¡¯ As she


    thought about that, her gaze turned somewhat doubtful as she looked at Jaylene.


    Jaylene looked drained. After she greeted Ste, she headed straight to her room upstairs.


    ¡°Jaylene,¡± Ste called out to her, ¡°Is your ssmate still here?¡±


    Jaylene smiled, ¡°My ssmate ns to stay here for another two weeks. So, we want to make the


    most of our time left.¡±


    Do you want me to show your friend around? You¡¯ve spent so much time abroad, and you might not be


    very familiar with the city. I¡¯ve grown up here and know which streets have the best eateries. Since your


    ssmate will only return once in a long time, I¡¯d be happy to show him around.¡±


    Jaylene was taken aback. As she looked at the gentle expression on Ste¡¯s face, she said, ¡°It¡¯s fine.


    You¡¯re probably not in a good mood these days anyway. I¡¯ll just take them to wherever I¡¯m familiar


    with.¡±


    Ste smiled back, ¡°Are you sure? It had happened for so many days now. I¡¯m starting to ept it


    already.¡±


    Jaylene scrutinized Ste and could not figure out what she was thinking.


    ¡°Okay then. I¡¯ll let them know about it. If you¡¯re free tomorrow, we¡¯ll make ns.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Ste nodded.


    Once Jaylene went upstairs, Ste¡¯s expression turned cold. Then, she took out her phone and called


    Felicity, ¡°Felicity, I need your help¡­¡± 1 In Vinci Rivera, the executives were having a meeting.


    Compared to the evenly matchedpetition three weeks ago, the bnce had shifted along with


    Keegan¡¯s disappearance. Chandler and Jackson taking over Vinci Rivera was almost a done deal.


    Many people had decided to switch sides, offering them their full support.


    Meanwhile, on Keegan¡¯s side, they had lost their backbone. Though his team was still intact, their


    morale had taken a significant hit.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, it¡¯s about time. Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Just as Chandler was about to nod, Aldor said, ¡°Wait a moment. Our team¡¯s leader will arrive shortly.¡±


    Everyone was shocked upon hearing that.


    ¡®What does that mean? Is Keegan back?¡¯ They wondered to themselves

 Chapter 1659

    Chapter 1659


    The executive across from Aldor said, ¡°Surely, you must be joking. I haven¡¯t heard any updates from


    the search and rescue team.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not Mr. Kane, but someone he designated,¡± Aldor exined.


    The man chuckled lightly, ¡°To my knowledge, Mr. Kane has never officially appointed someone to lead


    in his absence. It¡¯s odd that this is only being brought up now, especially since he¡¯s been missing for


    quite a while. Are you sure he designated this individual, or was it your choice, Aldor?¡±


    Aldor nced at the man, his expressionposed, ¡°Mr. Kane is ustomed to being prepared for


    any situation. If he took the step to create a will, it¡¯s reasonable to assume he would also consider


    appointing a representative. He chose the current acting representative through a legally binding


    contract overseen by a trustedwyer. In his absence, they are authorized to attend crucialpany


    meetings on his behalf. Any decisions made by them directly represent Mr. Kane¡¯s intentions. Do you


    have a problem with that, Mr. Walker?¡±


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    The executive was momentarily taken aback, looking somewhat disgruntled.


    Jackson nced at Aldor and casually remarked, ¡®Without the board¡¯s approval, I think they can refuse


    to acknowledge the appointed representative.¡±


    Aldor nodded, ¡°For someone at your professional level, indeed they can.


    However, given Mr. Kane¡¯s position in thepany, he doesn¡¯t need to inform the board. He only


    needs to pledge certain assets to thepany to designate a representative.¡±


    He opened the folder before him and said, ¡°This is the asset pledge agreement Mr. Kane used. You


    may take a look.¡±


    Jackson remained unruffled. He could sense Aldor¡¯s disdain for him in the tone of his voice.


    As he was about to tell him off, Chandler spoke up, ¡°Being an acting representative doesn¡¯t exempt


    them from followingpany policies. Failure to arrive on time should be automatically deemed a


    forfeit.¡±


    Aldor furrowed his brows.


    As perpany guidelines, no one could enter the meeting room after fifteen minutes from the


    allocated time; tardiness resulted in automatic forfeiture. It was apparent that the board did not want the


    acting representative to attend this meeting.


    Aldor was about to speak when someone pushed the door open. A woman¡¯s voice echoed in the ears


    of everyone present, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for beingte. I was looking for something, and it took longer than


    expected. Hello everyone. I¡¯m Ste Hall, Alex¡¯s temporary leader.¡±


    Alex was the codename for Keegan¡¯s research and development team.


    The unexpected introduction left many people puzzled.


    They had assumed that the person Keegan designated would be a high-ranking executive of the


    company. Never in their wildest dreams did they expect that the person he appointed was a woman


    who had never worked in this field before.


    The executives immediately broke out into discussion.


    ¡°Who is this woman? Why did Mr. Kane appoint her to represent him?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s Mr. Kane¡¯s ex-wife and also Wenham¡¯s daughter. I heard she¡¯s an actress.¡±


    ¡°Actress? You must be kidding me.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Kane is missing because of her, they say. With his love- struck mindset, it¡¯s not surprising he would


    designate her as his acting representative.¡±


    ¡°This is a serious matter. He¡¯s ying with thepany¡¯s future.¡±


    Despite being surrounded by all the talk, Ste remainedposed as if she had not heard a thing.


    She walked straight in, followed by Ted and a middle aged man in his forties.


    Aldor stood up and pulled out Keegan¡¯s seat at the table. ¡¯ Please have a seat, Mrs. Kane,¡± he warmly


    said.


    Just as Ste was about to take her seat, Chandler suddenly spoke up, ¡°Hold on, Ms. Hall. If I


    remember correctly, your father¡¯spany is also involved in businesses simr to Vinci Rivera, right?


    Is it really appropriate for you to be the head of Alex?¡±


    Ste looked at him and said, ¡°Are you concerned that I would leak Vinci Rivera¡¯s secrets to my father,


    Mr. Kane?¡±


    Chandler met her gaze, ¡°My duty extends to the entirepany. I hope you understand, Ms. Hall

 Chapter 1660

    Chapter 1660


    Ste nodded, ¡°I understand. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve brought awyer. In the event that any Vinci Rivera


    secrets were to be leaked to my father, and he uses them for personal gain, I¡¯m prepared to


    compensate Vinci Rivera for triple the losses. I¡¯m also willing to bear all legal liabilities associated with


    such actions. Relevant authorities have frozen my properties and assets. Should the described


    scenario unfold, these frozen assets can be directly leveraged topensate yourpany through a


    mortgage arrangement with the bank.¡±


    ¡°The total value is approximately twelve billion dors,¡± Ted added.


    Everyone in the room was left speechless. While twelve billion dors might not be significant for a


    company like Vinci Rivera, Ste¡¯s firm stance was equivalent to her solemn pledge on behalf of the


    entire Saun family. This inherently diminished the questioning voices.


    Ste looked at Chandler, ¡°May I take my seat now, Mr. Kane?¡±


    Chandler was not happy. He let out a slight hum as a response.


    Ste took off her coat, draped it over the back of her chair, and settled into her seat.


    Ted and the middle-aged man apanying him sat down beside Aldor.


    With everyone in ce, the meeting officially began.


    The initial thirty minutes of the discussion consisted of reports from different departments detailing their


    weekly activities. Upon theirpletion, the meeting transitioned to the main agenda. Several


    executives outlined usations against Alex following Keegan¡¯s incident, including dyed research


    and development and ack of motivation.


    In the end, they concluded with the importance of leadership and order. They proposed appointing a


    new team leader for Alex, who would continue the research and development progress.


    After the executives had their say, Chandler turned to Ste and asked, ¡°What do you think, Ms. Hall?¡±


    ¡°I find it eptable,¡± Ste replied calmly.


    Chandler was momentarily taken aback by her straightforward response.


    ¡°However,¡± Ste paused for a moment, then continued,¡± there¡¯s something I need to inform everyone


    in advance to avoid future problems and shifting of responsibilities.¡±


    Chandler felt her words were ambiguous. He looked at her and inquired, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I think it would be best for Mr. Powell to address this with everyone,¡± stated Ste.


    With that said, she looked at the middle-aged man behind her. He nodded, and with Aldor¡¯s assistance,


    they began the presentation.


    Others gazed at the middle-aged man and whispered to each other in hushed tones.


    ¡°Is that Jasper Powell?¡±


    ¡°Jasper Powell? The founder of Semiconductor Technology?


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°It seems to be him. I saw him once before at a business reception. He had a good rtionship with Mr.


    Kane.¡±


    ¡°What is he doing here?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s probably here at Aldor¡¯s request for support.¡±


    ¡°With Keegan absent, I doubt anyone can cope with the overwhelming pressure imposed by Chandler.¡±


    The entire group was restless.


    After a moment, the projector lit up, and the screen disyed the presentation slides.


    Jasper humbly nodded to the crowd and said, ¡°Apologies for the dy.¡±


    With that, he began to showcase the contents of the documents.


    Most people initially paid little attention, thinking it was just Aldor¡¯s way of resisting thepany¡¯s


    decision to appoint a new team leader. However, as more content was revealed, everyone¡¯s


    expressions gradually changed.

 Chapter 1661

    Chapter 1661


    The executives realized that the presentation was not a stalling tactic; it revealed significant


    advancement in Alex¡¯s research and development. It sessfully addressed a fundamental aspect of


    photolithography technology.


    This achievement was nothing short of sensational for the entire industry.


    Upon approval of the experiments and the feasibility of mass production, it could shatter the foreign


    monopoly on this technology, presenting immeasurablemercial value.


    The executives whose views initially aligned with Chandler¡¯s were left momentarily speechless.


    After Jasper exined everything, he summarized, ¡°Our R&D has reached the final experimental


    stage. It¡¯s inadvisable to introduce new team members at this point. If the results of this stage¡¯s


    experiments are leaked, the repercussions will be beyond imagination.¡±


    Everyoneprehended the gravity of the situation, given their shared industry background.


    While Chandler might harbor intentions of gaining control over Vinci Rivera, the prospect of putting


    shareholder interests at risk for this purpose was not a proposal anyone was willing to entertain.


    The financial windfall and enhanced reputation from a breakthrough in this new technology were of


    substantial magnitude, causing everyone to have concerns.


    Someone voiced their opinion, ¡°Mr. Kane, Mr. Powell makes apelling case.


    Introducing someone new into the team could cause issues, and it would be a considerable challenge


    to handle them.¡± Hearing that, the others followed suit, ¡°I agree. Introducing anyone new at this critical


    stage is risky. Let¡¯s hold off from making any adjustments until the experimental stage ispleted.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Kane, our top priority should be the progress of the experiments.¡±


    Chandler¡¯s expression remained cold and stern as he kept his gaze fixed on Ste, his eyescking


    any semnce of friendliness.


    Keegan had never disclosed this breakthrough to thepany. If he had presented this trump card


    during the election meeting, it would undoubtedly have caused many people to switch sides.


    Chandler understood that profit is what binds the people together.


    With Keegan temporarily out of the equation, this research and development achievement safeguards


    his entire team. The forceful inclusion of a new member might allow Aldor and the team to exploit the


    situation. This, in turn, could jeopardize shareholder interests and contribute to a potential breakdown


    in trust,¡¯ he thought.


    ¡®It would be tough to influence Alex in light of this. Unless¡­


    Keegan doesn¡¯te back.¡¯ Ste met Chandler¡¯s eyes confidently and openly. Her gaze resembled


    the confrontational look Keegan had given him before, sending an inexplicable chill down his spine.


    Chandler quickly dismissed her and thought, ¡®She¡¯s just a girl relying on Keegan¡¯s reputation to try and


    make a difference. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s incapable of making a significant impact if Keegan never returns. I


    just have to wait.¡¯ ¡°Given the circumstances, waiting until the experiments conclude is reasonable.


    However, I propose sharing Alex¡¯s experimental data with the senior management work group. This


    way, everyone can be informed of the progress and prevent intentional dys,¡± he said.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste, notprehending these intricacies, looked at Aldor. He nodded, and Ste said, ¡°Alright. Aldor


    will be in charge of the reports.¡±


    The shareholders voiced no objections when faced with such assurance.


    After the meeting, Ste went to the restroom. On her way out, she bumped into Jackson, who blocked


    the restroom door.


    Now d in a suit, Jackson appeared somewhat more presentable than before, with a height not much


    different from Keegan¡¯s. However, his presence was far less powerful.


    ¡®Keegan emanated charm and authority, while Jackson¡­¡¯ Ste nced at his perpetually slouched


    back and somewhat emaciated face, ¡®He seems frail and weak in terms of physique and demeanor.¡¯

 Chapter 1662

    Chapter 1662


    Ste disregarded Jackson and attempted to walk around him. However, he promptly positioned


    himself in her path. ¡° Your loyalty to my cousin is truly admirable, Ms. Hall. Who knew you would put


    everything on the line just to shield his team? Let me remind you that he¡¯s already dead. All you¡¯re


    doing is only dying the inevitable. There¡¯s no point in doing this.¡±


    ¡°Are you done?¡± Ste coldly nced at him. ¡°If you are, step aside.¡±


    Jackson chuckled. ¡°Keegan is dead, Ste. Vinci Rivera will eventually be under my father¡¯s control. I¡¯m


    his only son. When he passes, Vinci Rivera will be mine.


    I¡¯m not that concerned about a woman¡¯s marital history, and our families arepatible. You should


    consider marrying me. You¡¯ll still get to be the woman of the house in the Kane family.¡±


    Jackson was attracted to Ste¡¯s looks. The memory of her being intoxicated on her wedding night


    lingered in his mind.


    Previously, he was afraid of Keegan and only dared to harass Ste discreetly.


    Now, with Keegan out of the picture, he had nothing to be afraid of. His lustful gaze held no pretense.


    Ste found the situation infuriating. But she remainedposed and stared at the man before her.


    Suddenly, she said, ¡°I doubt your father would agree to that.¡±


    Jackson then grabbed her hand. ¡°And, how would you know? Being inws with the Saun family would


    surely make him happy.¡±


    Ste pulled her hand from his grasp, raised an eyebrow, and said, ¡°Your father looks like he¡¯s in good


    health. You might have to wait until he¡¯s old and frail before inheriting thepany. Why not actively


    pursue the position now?


    Winning would grant you the freedom to marry without needing his approval.¡±


    Jackson was momentarily stunned. He had never considered this aspect before.


    He sized Ste up and suddenlyughed, Are you trying to create conflict between my father and me?¡±


    Ste chuckled. ¡°If you want to marry me, that¡¯s the precondition. Why do you think I chose Keegan?


    There¡¯s no reason for me to take a chance on a future with you if you¡¯re not willing to fight.¡±


    Jackson seemed unconvinced. Ste sidestepped him and walked away, showing no interest in


    continuing the conversation.


    Aldor and Ste had initially intended to invite Jasper for dinner, but he was busy with work at


    Semiconductor Technology following Keegan¡¯s ident. He politely declined the invitation and briefly


    asked about Keegan before leaving.


    Both Ste and Aldor were taken aback by his inquiry.


    Meanwhile, Jasper got his answer from their silence. He did not know how to offer any constion, so


    he exchanged brief pleasantries and left.


    Aldor looked at Ste and asked her the question that was lingering in his mind.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Mrs. Kane, how did you find Mr.


    Kane¡¯s experimental data?¡±


    Aldor was well aware of the progress made by the research and development team. The circle of


    people privy to this information was limited. Keegan held all the data, and these crucial details became


    untraceable with his disappearance.


    Aldor considered using the data against the board, but he did not know where Keegan had stored it. He


    then talked to Ste about it without expecting much oue. However, he could not believe that


    Ste had found it.


    Ste lowered her gaze and said, ¡°He put it in the box of our engagement ring.¡±


    She had only discovered it when she was putting the ring away.


    This left Aldor stunned. ¡®Only someone as love-struck as Mr. Kane would do something like this. But it


    was certainly a secure spot. No one would have thought that such crucial information would be stored


    in an engagement ring box.¡¯ Ste exited Vinci Rivera and stood by the roadside while she called


    Felicity.


    When a white sedan passed by, Ste met a pair of familiar eyes through the windows. Upon seeing


    that, her heart tightened abruptly. 3

 Chapter 1663

    Chapter 1663


    The car had already driven far away before Ste could react.


    Just as she was about to chase the vehicle, Aldor pulled up. He leaned out of the window and said,


    ¡°Get in, Mrs. Kane.¡±


    While trembling, Ste entered the car and stared ahead. In a hoarse voice, she said, ¡°Quick! Follow


    that car!¡±


    Aldor was puzzled. ¡°What car?¡±


    ¡°That white one! Hurry!¡± Ste urged in an agitated state. ¡°I-I saw Keegan!¡±


    Aldor was taken aback. He hastily started the car without asking for more details.


    Since some time had passed, Aldor failed to catch sight of the vehicle. He followed Ste¡¯s instructions


    and went down two streets only to encounter a red light. By the time the light turned green, the white


    sedan had disappeared without a trace. Aldor was unsure of where to go next.


    He looked at Ste and asked, ¡°Mrs. Kane, are you sure you saw Mr. Kane?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t make a mistake like this,¡± Ste insisted. ¡°It was him. I saw his eyes!


    Check the surveince and find the license te of that car. Once we identify the car, we can locate


    him!¡±


    Aldor promptly contacted Carter to use his connections for the investigation.


    However, the feedback was that no white car had been captured on surveince before Aldor¡¯s arrival.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible! I saw him! Tell Carter to send me the surveince footage!¡±


    ¡°Official footage is strictly limited to viewing, Mrs. Kane. We¡¯re not permitted to create copies of the


    footage. Mr.


    Lowe has no reason to lie to you. Perhaps you¡¯re exhausted. Why don¡¯t you rest for a bit?¡±


    ¡°I saw him,¡± Ste insisted.


    Aldor felt uneasy. It took a while before he said, ¡°Let¡¯s get you home.¡±


    ¡°No, thanks.¡± Ste unbuckled her seatbelt. ¡°I¡¯ll walk. You can go about your business.¡±


    Before Aldor could say anything, Ste had gotten out of the car.


    Once outside, she hailed a cab. The driver asked for her destination, and after a long pause, she said,


    ¡°Just drive around.¡±


    The cab driver started the car after confirming that she was not drunk or disoriented.


    Rivera was huge, and driving through every street and alley would likely take an entire day, but the


    driver was fine with doing so as long as Ste paid him.


    Ste sat in the car for over two hours, exploring the nearby scenery. The driver was driving around the


    old city area when Ste said, ¡°You can stop here.¡±


    The driver parked the car as instructed. Ste got out of the vehicle after she paid the fare.


    There was a small pub not far ahead.


    Ste had been there once during the time Be provoked her when she was selling a bag. In addition


    to dealing with the troublesome matters involving the Jewell family, she got thoroughly drunk. In the


    end, Keegan hade to pick her up Ste stood at the entrance of the pub and pushed the door


    open.


    Although she had not been there for a while, she noticed that the pub remained unchanged. Even the


    Christmas decorations from the previous year were still in ce, and they had the same bartender.


    Ste took her usual seat at the corner of the bar. The bartender politely asked, ¡°What would you like to


    drink, Miss? n ¡°Just make me something good,¡± Ste replied.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    The bartender made her their signature cocktail.


    Then, Ste took a sip. The alcohol was not strong. The drink had a faint sweetness to it and a hint of


    lychee.

 Chapter 1664

    Chapter 1664


    After taking merely a sip, Ste put the ss down and sank into contemtion.


    The bartender recognized her. There were a few reasons for this. First, she was easy on the eyes.


    Moreover, she had bragged about her husband being a top tier tycoon thest time she was there.


    Third, the bartender realized that Ste was telling the truth when he saw Keegan arriving in a Bugatti


    to pick her up.


    Such events call for an unforgettable night.


    With evening still a bit away, the pub wasn¡¯t overly crowded. The bartender was busy cleaning his


    barware and struck up a conversation with Ste. ¡°Would you like me to call your husband and ask him


    to pick you up?¡± Ste was taken aback. ¡°You know my husband?¡±


    ¡°You were herest time and were quite intoxicated. I called him toe here and get you.¡± Ste had


    given him Keegan¡¯s phone number that night.


    However, she did not recall that at all. All she remembered was being very drunk and engaging in some


    embarrassing antics.


    Keegan had taken photos of that incident to ckmail her. Even though he consistently asserted that


    she had taken those photos herself, Ste believed that he was lying.


    She always assumed that she had a high alcohol tolerance and that she had never gotten drunk


    before. However, she had little recollection of what happened that night.


    Ste suddenly became curious. ¡°When did hee to pick me up?¡± she asked in a low voice.


    ¡°I called him, and he arrived in a few minutes. You were really drunk. You kept talking nonsense and


    even wanted to trade your diamond ring for more alcohol.


    He seemed a bit unhappy, but he didn¡¯t scold you. He looked intimidating but seemed to have a good


    temper.¡±


    ¡®Did he just say that Keegan had a good temper? Now that¡¯s a first,¡¯ thought Ste.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    From the bartender¡¯s perspective, Keegan¡¯sck of anger and condemnation when dealing with Ste


    could be seen as him having a good temper. He even paid for the bill and took her home despite being


    in the midst of a divorce.


    Ste leaned on the bar, turned her head to look at the cocktail in front of her, and said, ¡°My husband


    can¡¯t handle alcohol. He doesn¡¯t like drinking; the smell makes him ufortable. He often cks out


    after two drinks. But our house has a huge wine cer.¡±


    The bartenderughed and said, ¡°Is it because you like drinking?¡±


    Ste was stunned for a moment, and it took her a while toe back to her senses. She lowered her


    eyes and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Yes, I do.¡±


    She had always wondered why Keegan, who did not like to drink, would build a wine cer to store


    alcohol.


    She thought that Keegan kept those well-known wines to give away as gifts. So, sometimes, when


    Keegan angered her, she would vent her frustrations by opening up his wine. She would taste test


    many bottles of wine while waiting for Keegan to get mad and confront her.


    However, Keegan never cared. He even asked her which one tasted better.


    She thought that Keegan was deliberately provoking her and adding fuel to the fire.


    Now that she thought about it, Keegan probably did not think that far, considering his emotional


    intelligence. The only person he gifted wine to was Wenham. Ste had been the one consuming the


    rest of his collection.


    ¡®So, it¡¯s true. Keegan didn¡¯t store the wine to give them away; he stored them because I like to drink.¡¯


    Ste closed her eyes and was afraid to think about Keegan¡¯s face. Every time she thought about him,


    her chest ached uncontrobly.


    As the sky gradually darkened, more people began to fill the pub.


    There were several empty sses in front of Ste. She was sitting in the corner and slouching on the


    table. She seemed to have closed off the noise in her surroundings.


    As the ce became crowded, Ste found it no longer suitable for her to stay.


    She sat up and asked the bartender,¡± How much do I owe you?

 Chapter 1665

    Chapter 1665


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1665 [Eleven Jewell]


    After settling the bill, Ste put on her mask and grabbed her coat before heading outside.


    Although the cocktails she had consumed did not have a strong alcoholic taste, their alcohol content


    was not to be underestimated. Having enjoyed a number of drinks, Ste felt fine while she was sitting


    down. However, when she stood up, she noticed a slight dizziness after taking a few steps.


    As she navigated her way out of the pub, she inadvertently bumped into a young man holding a drink.


    The man¡¯s beverage spilled all over him, and he grabbed Ste¡¯s arm, demanding an exnation.


    Ste retrieved a banknote from her wallet and handed it to the man. ¡°Is this enough for dry cleaning?¡±


    Ste¡¯s hands were shaking, and the note fell to the ground. The man misinterpreted her intentions and


    refused to take the money. Instead, he seized Ste¡¯s arm and ordered an apology.


    Ste struggled to free herself. ¡°Let go!¡± she yelled.


    However, the man persisted. ¡°How dare you throw money at me?! Apologize, bitch!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t throw the money at you. It slipped from my fingers and fell!¡±


    The man did not believe her. He attempted to pull off her mask and argued, ¡°Take off your mask when


    you¡¯re talking to me. Don¡¯t you know basic respect?¡±


    When his hand had almost reached Ste¡¯s mask, someone swiftly intervened.


    The person grabbed the man¡¯s wrist and twisted it.


    The man¡¯s face turned pale, as he cried out in pain. The person patted him on the shoulder and smiled.


    ¡°Why argue with a woman, man? She had too much to drink. She probably won¡¯t understand what you


    have to say.¡±


    While speaking, he stuffed the money into the man¡¯s pocket. ¡°Your shirt looks fine. A quick wash would


    do the trick. What do you say?¡±


    The man was hurting so much that he could not say a word. So, he reluctantly nodded in agreement.


    Only then did the person release him. ¡°Thanks, man.¡±


    The man cursed out in distress and left with an aggrieved expression.


    Spencer turned to look at Ste. She wore a frown while rubbing her wrist, which bore marks from the


    man who had seized her.


    Spencer reached out and took her hand. At the same, Ste furrowed her brows and lifted her gaze.


    Stunned, she softly called out, ¡°Keegan¡­¡±


    Spencer pinched the back of her hand and asked, ¡°What did you call me?¡±


    Ste winced before regaining her senses. ¡°Spencer? Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I be here?¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words. She did not have the energy to argue with him, so she grabbed her coat


    and left.


    Spencer caught up to her and said, ¡°What¡¯s with the attitude? I got you out of trouble and not even a


    thank you?¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Ste said.


    Her reaction left Spencer speechless. He red at her and said, ¡°That sounded insincere.¡±


    Ste ignored him and stood by the roadside while waiting for a cab.


    Spencer stopped beside her and asked, ¡°When is Keegan¡¯s funeral?¡±


    Ste froze upon hearing that. She threw her bag at him and said, ¡°You¡¯re the one who should be


    having a funeral!¡±


    Spencer tried to dodge her attack but was still hit twice. Seeing that she was about to hit him again, he


    quickly grabbed her hands to stop her. ¡°That¡¯s enough. I was just asking. Did my question warrant such


    a reaction? Everyone knows that Keegan went missing in the waters. It¡¯s been twenty days since then.


    Are you actually still expecting him toe back?¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Ste stepped on his foot, causing him to yelp. Ste grabbed her bag, red at him, and walked


    away.


    Spencer was hopping in ce out of pain. He quickly caught up to her and said, ¡°You weren¡¯t this upset


    when we broke up. Why does Keegan get this special treatment?¡±


    Ste ignored him. However, Spencer could not understand why Ste treated Keegan better than him


    when they were both her ex.


    Thinking of how his friends had teased him before, he gritted his teeth and asked, ¡°Did you get together


    with me back then because Keegan and I look alike? Did you ever have feelings for me?¡±

 Chapter 1666

    Chapter 1666


    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 1666 [Eleven Jewell]


    Ste, who was irritated by the questions, turned around and dismissively said, ¡°So what if I did? Why


    are you following me? Do you want to be Keegan¡¯s stand-in?¡±


    ¡°Why would I want that? I¡¯m not crazy,¡± Spencer instinctively retorted.


    ¡°Then, why are you following me?¡±


    Spencer did not know what to say.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m just enjoying the spectacle.¡± He came up with a usible excuse. ¡°You dumped me back then,


    and now you¡¯re the one getting dumped. I¡¯d say it¡¯s karma.¡±


    Ste¡¯s anger surged when she heard that. Spencer noticed the change in her facial expression, and


    he felt a sense of satisfaction.


    ¡°Hey, if you genuinely miss Keegan, you can beg me. I¡¯ll pretend to be him reluctantly.¡±


    Ste remained silent, and her face was tense.


    ¡°Alright, no need to beg. Just apologize to me and say you shouldn¡¯t have dumped me back then.¡±


    Ste stared at the puddle of water on the road in front of her. She gestured him over and said, ¡°Come


    here.¡±


    Thinking that she was giving in, Spencer adjusted his clothes and walked over.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have gotten mad at you if you had a better attitude earl-fuck!¡±


    Before Spencer could finish his sentence, Ste pushed him to the curb, and a passing car sshed


    water from the puddle directly onto his face.


    His once pristine white outfit now resembled a soaked rag.


    Spencer was about to yell at Ste when he turned around to see herughing.


    He was momentarily stunned, and the displeasure he felt had instantly faded away.


    He started to chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s been so many years, and yet you¡¯re still so childish.¡±


    Ste¡¯s smile dropped immediately.


    Spencer stood in front of her again and asked, ¡°Why did you break up with me back then?¡±


    Ste nced at him and said, ¡°Your father talked to me.¡±


    Spencer did not expect that.


    ¡°He had a lot to say. But long story short, he wanted me to leave you. He told me you were going


    abroad and that I wasn¡¯t good enough for you. It made sense, so I broke up with you.¡±


    Spencer was initially surprised to hear that, but he slowly epted it. It was something his authoritarian


    father would do. Penn would not have just talked to Ste; he might have even approached her family.


    Spencer wanted to ask why Ste did not tell him about this, but then he realized that it was a pointless


    question. At that time, he relied on his family¡¯s support for his livelihood. He had no choice but to follow


    his father¡¯s wishes.


    He understood that there were only two likely oues for a rtionship that was not viewed


    positively-either one of them breaks up with the other willingly, or they were forced to break up due to


    external factors. Ste had made the choice for him.


    Spencer fell silent for a moment. Then, he asked, ¡°What will you do now that Keegan is dead?¡±


    Ste felt ufortable when she heard that. ¡°He¡¯s not dead! He¡¯s just¡­


    missing.¡±


    Spencer did not argue with her about it. ¡°Alright, but what will you do if he never shows up again?¡±


    Ste remained quiet.


    Spencer looked at her lowered eyshes and acknowledged that his discontent with the situation was


    mixed with some self-interest.


    He cleared his throat and asked, ¡°Do you want to be in a rtionship with me?¡±


    Ste stared at him as if he was crazy.


    Spencer then said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say he¡¯s missing? Don¡¯t you want to force him toe out? He¡¯d


    probably get jealous if he knew that we were together. If he¡¯s hiding somewhere, maybe he¡¯lle out


    on his own.¡±

 Chapter 1667

    Chapter 1667


    Spencer¡¯s words were casual, but they triggered a moment of realization in Ste¡¯s mind. She had a


    perplexing expression on her face, which made Spencer feel uneasy. He assumed she might have


    seen through his thoughts, and he felt reluctant to meet her gaze.


    Spencer turned his face away and feigned indifference.¡± Take your time to consider. We can treat it as


    compensation for what happened back then.¡±


    After waiting for a response that never came, Spencer turned around only to find that Ste had


    already gotten into a cab.


    When he was about to rush over, Ste had already closed the door, and the car sped away.


    Spencer¡¯s mouth twitched, and he cursed, ¡°You heartless woman!¡±


    Ste arrived home around 9:00 p.m. Wenham and Trevor were about to go out and look for her if she


    were to return anyter than that.


    Ste returned with a scent of alcohol. This made her father and brother worried. However, she acted


    natural and asked,¡± Dad, is Jaylene back yet?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she finished dinner and went to her room. Is there a reason why you¡¯re looking for her?¡± Wenham


    replied.


    Ste nodded in response. ¡°I promised Jaylene that I¡¯d take her friends out for a good time. I want to


    ask her what time we should leave tomorrow.¡±


    Wenham and Trevor exchanged nces, as they could not figure out what state Ste was in. She did


    not make a fuss and was resting and eating on time.


    However, she was recovering too quickly, especially since the kidnapping had happened not too long


    ago.


    Although it was strange, there seemed to be an improvement.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Before they could say anything, Jaylene¡¯s voice came from upstairs. ¡°We can leave around nine in the


    morning. If you think it¡¯s too early, then ten is fine. I can inform my friends.¡±


    Ste smiled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s stick with nine.¡¯ ¡°Trevor can drive you two tomorrow,¡± Wenham suggested.


    Both Jaylene and Ste did not oppose the idea.


    After both of his daughters went upstairs, Wenham whispered to his son, ¡°Do you think Ste¡¯s acting a


    little strange? When Jaylene invited her out back then, she always found excuses to decline. But now,


    she¡¯s actively offering to take Jaylene¡¯s friends out. Has she gone mad from grief?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Trevor frowned. ¡°Why don¡¯t we take her to the hospital for a CT scan?¡±


    Wenham¡¯s mouth twitched, and he kicked Trevor¡¯s shin. ¡° How can you possibly be making jokes at a


    time like this?!¡± Trevor sighed and exined, ¡°Dad, Ste isn¡¯t as fragile as you think. If she had made


    a wrong move during her visit to Vinci Rivera today, the news headline would have highlighted the


    change in ownership of thepany.¡±


    Wenham was still not reassured. ¡°But she went out to drink as soon as she came out, and she¡¯s been


    drinking until now. Keep a close eye on her tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°What about Keegan? Do we still search for him?¡±


    ¡°Of course! We need to find him; dead or alive. I don¡¯t care if the Kane family has given up. We¡¯re


    finding him.¡±


    ¡°If Keegan is alive, would you immediately agree to their marriage?¡± Trevor asked.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to disagree with? As long as your sister wants to marry him, I¡¯d give her my blessing.¡±


    Wenham sighed,¡± Isn¡¯t it peculiar that the wives in the Kane family from three different generations all


    be widows?¡±


    Trevor did not reply.


    The following day, the three siblings went out to pick up Jaylene¡¯s ssmates early in the morning.


    Ste originally thought that Jaylene¡¯s friends might be foreigners, but they were all Hustuabourgians.


    The group consisted of five people, including both males and females. After Jaylene introduced each of


    them to Ste, the group set off.


    Ste guided them to various well-known locations in Rivera. She disyed an unexpected enthusiasm


    during the trip that surprised Trevor.


    In the blink of an eye, it was already afternoon. After a full day of exploring, everyone was tired.


    Following lunch, theycked the energy to do anything else and returned to the hotel to get some rest.


    They nned to visit the night marketter in the evenin

 Chapter 1668

    Chapter 1668


    ¡°Hey, guys, the hotel is not far from here. I¡¯ll take them there, let them rest, and then explore the night


    market nearbyter. You two have had a busy day. You should head home and get some rest,¡± Jaylene


    suggested.


    Ste considered for a moment and agreed. ¡°Sounds good. I actually have ns to meet a friend for a


    hair appointment.¡±


    After leaving the restaurant, Ste used the excuse of her friend picking her up to part ways with


    Trevor.


    Not long after Trevor had left, a white Audi pulled up. Ste opened the passenger door and got in. The


    driver was her best friend, Felicity.


    Felicity took Ste by surprise, as she was dressed in all ck, along with a ck mask.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the ninja outfit?¡± Ste asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that you¡¯ve got to dress the part to avoid drawing attention?


    Spies often wear ck in old movies.¡±


    Ste rubbed her temples and said, ¡°That¡¯s because there were no lights.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Wearing dark clothes made sense back then. But, nowadays, with everything brightly lit, you¡¯re like a


    walking beacon. How do you expect to stay hidden?¡±


    Felicity then thought about it. ¡°Fair point,¡± she said, reaching for a men¡¯s coat from the back seat. ¡°This


    should tone it down a bit.¡±


    Ste was speechless. She was about to say something when Felicity patted her arm. ¡°Look! Look!


    Look!¡±


    Ste immediately turned to see what her friend was referring to.


    She saw Jaylene and the others exit the restaurant and exchange a few words at the entrance before


    leaving. Jaylene waited for a while before getting into a cab.


    Felicity immediately started the car and followed the yellow vehicle.


    The cab navigated through a city district and finally stopped near a hospital.


    Jaylene got out of the car and went straight in.


    Felicity needed to find a parking space, but Ste could not wait. So, she went in herself.


    Jaylene seemed very familiar with the ce. As soon as she entered, she took the elevator directly to


    the top floor.


    Ste nced at the nearby sign. There were a total of neen floors in the building. The elevator that


    Jaylene took was going to even-numbered floors above the tenth floor, and the elevator next to it was


    for odd-numbered floors.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Coincidentally, at this moment, the elevator for odd- numbered floors arrived.


    Ste went in and pressed the button to the eleventh floor.


    Felicity had parked her car, and she texted Ste to ask where she was.


    [Go up to the 10th or 11 th floor. Tty I.] she replied.


    Ste was fortunate in her search for Jaylene, as she only had to check two floors.


    Jaylene was holding a men¡¯s coat while talking to the nurse on duty.


    Ste lurked in a corner and casually observed her every move.


    After a few minutes of conversing with the nurse, Jaylene handed the coat to her, and the nurse


    returned to the ward.


    Ste caught up to the nurse and pretended to identally bump into her, causing her to drop the coat.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Ste quickly bent down to pick up the garment.


    The garment was indeed a men¡¯s coat, and there were faint traces of blood on the back.


    Ste¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly thought of the scars on Keegan¡¯s back that night. 1


    ¡°What are the chances that it¡¯s all just a coincidence?¡±


    Rea

 Chapter 1669

    Chapter 1669


    Ste clutched the coat, and her breath was hitching with emotion. The nurse struggled to get the


    garment out of Ste¡¯s hand and called for her to let go.


    Snapping back to reality, Ste released her grip and apologized.


    The nurse found that Ste¡¯s behavior was odd, but she was in a rush to wash the coat. So, she did not


    dwell on it much and left.


    Suddenly, Ste¡¯s phone vibrated in her bag. She answered the call and whispered, ¡°Come up to the


    twelfth floor.¡±


    Felicity arrived promptly.


    Ste shared her discovery with Felicity, who was astonished. ¡°Did you get a clear look?¡±


    ¡°Felicity, that coat is the same size as the one Keegan wore, and it has bloodstains on the back. I don¡¯t


    believe this is just a coincidence. I feel like Keegan is here. I can feel it.¡± Ste responded in


    excitement.


    Felicity was always supportive of her best friend. Although she found that the situation was odd, she


    said, ¡°Then, let¡¯s go in and see what that wolf is up to!¡±


    Ste had considered the possibility of Keegan being held captive there before arriving at the hospital.


    Initially, she thought of waiting for Jaylene to leave before entering.


    However, now that she knew there was a good chance Keegan was here, she could not wait another


    second.


    With determination, Felicity pulled Ste and opened the door to the ward.


    The bed in the ward was empty. Jaylene, who was standing by the window, turned to the sound. She


    looked puzzled.¡± Ste, what are you doing here?¡±


    Before Ste could speak, Felicity got straight to the point.¡± Where¡¯s Keegan?


    Where are you hiding him?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡± Jaylene asked in a confused manner.


    ¡°Quit pretending! You¡¯re perfectly fine. Why would you sneak around in a hospital at this time of the


    night?¡± Felicity used.


    Jaylene frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I came to the hospital to visit my teacher.


    Please leave.¡±


    ¡°You must be feeling guilty, huh? Why are you trying to get us to leave? Where¡¯s your teacher if you


    came here to visit him? ¡± Felicity pressed.


    ¡°He¡¯s in the rehabilitation room. He¡¯s not back yet,¡± Jaylene replied.


    Felicity sarcastically remarked, ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me that he¡¯s injured and in rehab training? Who do


    you think you¡¯re trying to fool?¡±


    Jaylene was visibly irritated. She was about to say something when an elderly man in his sixties or


    seventies with grey hair entered the room in a wheelchair.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Jaylene¡¯s tense expression softened, and she went forward. She crouched down to cover the man¡¯s


    legs with a nket. Then, she gently said, ¡°Are you done with the training?¡±


    Felicity was momentarily stunned. ¡®Was she telling the truth?¡¯ The old man nodded before looking at


    Ste and Felicity curiously. ¡°Jaylene, are these your friends?¡±


    Jaylene forced a smile. ¡°That¡¯s my sister, and that¡¯s her friend. They came to talk to me. I¡¯ll send them


    away now.¡±


    She stood up, walked to Ste, and said, ¡°As you can see, Ste, I¡¯m not lying. I know that something


    bad happened to Keegan, and you¡¯re upset. But that¡¯s no reason for you to barge in here. My teacher


    is still recovering from a car ident. Please leave so that he can rest.¡±


    Ste¡¯s gaze shifted from the erasable whiteboard in the corner to Jaylene¡¯s face.


    She stared at Jaylene with an intense gaze and asked,¡± Where¡¯s Keegan?¡±


    Jaylene furrowed her brows. ¡°I told you I don¡¯t know. Stop causing a scene here.¡±


    Tears welled up in Ste¡¯s eyes, as she grabbed Jaylene by the cor. ¡°Where did you hide him? How


    is he? Tell me, where did you take him?!¡±


    Jaylene pushed Ste¡¯s hands away and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know! You¡¯re hurting me!¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you girls talk it out? There¡¯s no need to resort to violence.¡±

 Chapter 1670

    Chapter 1670


    The elderly man in a wheelchair watched the unfolding chaos and tried to defuse the situation.


    However, his wheelchair slid forward and bumped into Jaylene. Unable to maintain her bnce,


    Jaylene tumbled to the ground.


    Meanwhile, the wheelchair was about to tip over when Trevor entered the room.


    The girl apanying him was visibly startled and rushed over to support the wheelchair. Feeling


    annoyed, she turned to Ste and said, ¡°Why would you push Jaylene?¡¯ Felicity promptly defended


    Ste and said, ¡°When did she do that? The old man slid over in his wheelchair and bumped into


    Jaylene!¡±


    ¡°Who are you two? How dare you barge into my grandfather¡¯s hospital room and try to justify your


    actions?¡± the girl asked.


    Trevor stepped forward quickly to apologize. ¡°Sorry, Mr.


    Foster. This is my sister, Ste. She probably had something to discuss with Jaylene and followed her


    here.¡±


    While helping Jaylene up, Trevor pulled Ste aside and whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s talk outside.¡±


    However, Ste resisted and shook off his hand. ¡°Trevor, Keegan is here.¡±


    This statement left Trevor dumbfounded. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Keegan is here,¡± Ste repeated urgently. ¡°Keegan is alive, and he¡¯s in this hospital!¡±


    Trevor lowered his voice and asked, ¡°Ste, are you sure you¡¯re not just tired?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. Keegan is really here. I saw his handwriting!¡± Ste insisted.


    She led Trevor to the erasable whiteboard in the room and pointed to the bottom right corner. ¡°Look,


    Trevor. OverWait. Where is it?¡± Ste¡¯s expression changed abruptly. The vague writing in the bottom


    right corner of the canvas was now nowhere to be seen. Her emotions surged, and her eyes reddened.


    ¡°Did you erase the writing?¡± she questioned Jaylene.


    Meanwhile, Jaylene looked frightened. ¡°I¡­¡±


    Ste pulled Trevor¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Look, Trevor. There¡¯s a letter ¡®y¡¯ here. Look at how long the tail is.


    Keegan always wrote his ¡®y¡¯s like this. Only Keegan would do this, Trevor. He is still alive! He must be


    in this hospital!¡±


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Trevor looked at the empty bottom right corner of the whiteboard, then nced at the emotionally


    charged Ste, and pressed his lips together. ¡°Ste, you¡¯ve had a long day. Why don¡¯t I take you


    home?¡±


    Ste froze. ¡°You don¡¯t believe me¡­¡± She took a step back, and her tone gradually became calm. ¡°I¡¯m


    not leaving.


    Keegan is here, and I¡¯m not going anywhere!¡±


    Knowing that he needed a delicate approach, Trevor said, ¡°I believe you, Ste.


    I¡¯ll help you find Keegan.¡±


    Jaylene tightened her fists, as she observed her brother¡¯s caring attitude toward Ste.


    His love for both of them was clearly different. Trevor had only helped Jaylene briefly when she entered


    the family. He never inquired about her well-being after that. However, he searched every room in the


    hospital and even asked about the patients through his connections just to please Ste.


    Unfortunately, his efforts were wasted, as they found nothing rted to Keegan.


    Ste looked distraught. Trevor tried tofort her and said, ¡°You¡¯ve been exhaustedtely. Your


    emotions are all over the ce. Why don¡¯t we go home and have a good night¡¯s rest?¡±


    Ste closed her eyes and gradually calmed down. ¡°Trevor, how did you end up here?¡± she asked in a


    low voice.


    Trevor exined, ¡°After we went our separate ways, Jaylene called to tell me that Mr. Foster wanted to


    see me. So, here I am. Mr. Foster is our calligraphy teacher. We¡¯re close even though I didn¡¯t attend his


    sses much.¡±


    Trevor had guessed Matthew Foster¡¯s intentions upon seeing his granddaughter. He was probably


    trying to y matchmaker between them.


    Trevor contemted leaving, but with Matthew¡¯s granddaughter already waiting for him at the entrance,


    he realized that it would be inappropriate to note up and say hello. He did not expect to encounter


    a situation like this.


    He draped his coat over Ste¡¯s shoulders and warmly said,¡± Stop thinking about him. Go home, get a


    good night¡¯s sleep, and don¡¯t look for him for the next few days. Go out with your friends. Rx a bit.¡±


    Ste was ying with her phone absentmindedly. While she was distracted, she replied, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Then, Felicity¡¯s phone vibrated. It was a text from Ste asking her to find someone to keep an eye on


    Jaylene. i

 Chapter 1671

    Chapter 1671


    Felicity was taken aback. She thought that Ste would eventually give up after searching for so long,


    but it turned out that she did not give up at all.


    Felicity thought that what happened was somewhat miraculous, so she immediately told Vermont about


    it as soon as she arrived home. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about whether the handwriting and bloodstained clothes


    that Ste saw are real or not. But what are the odds that Trevor appeared at a time like this? It¡¯s just


    too coincidental, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Vermont took a bite of an apple and said, ¡°I think Ste has a ridiculously good imagination for


    thinking that Keegan was hidden away by Jaylene. Don¡¯t you think that Keegan would¡¯ve at least given


    us a call if he¡¯s fine? No matter how capable Jaylene is, she can¡¯t possibly stop a living man from


    leaving, right?¡±


    Felicity propped up her cheek and frowned. ¡°That¡¯s true, but I¡¯ve always felt that Jaylene isn¡¯t a good


    person. She said that she was going out with a friend, but how did she end up in the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Maybe she was called there for an emergency.¡±


    Felicity choked before she said in a dissatisfied tone, ¡°Why are you always defending that pretentious


    witch?¡±


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m not defending her. I just think that Ste is too sad and mentally strained, which leads her to


    imagine stuff like this.


    You¡¯ve got to make her face the truth and not go crazy with her.¡±


    He handed Felicity the apple, as he spoke. ¡°It¡¯s really sweet. Taste it.¡±


    Felicity pushed it away disdainfully. ¡°What do you mean by going crazy with her? I¡¯m just fulfilling my


    promise by supporting her unconditionally! Even if everything is just her imagination, I¡¯m still going to


    side with her.¡±


    ¡°A woman of integrity. This is exactly what I love about you!¡± He leaned closer to Felicity, as he spoke.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just think about your best friend all the time. What about me?¡±


    ¡°What do you need from me?¡± Felicity was annoyed.


    ¡°After what happened to Keegan, my parents suddenly started arranging a lot of blind dates for me. I


    told them that I already have a girlfriend, so they said they¡¯d like to meet you.¡± Vermont tapped her


    nose before he continued, ¡®After we¡¯re done with Keegan¡¯s matter, would youe home with me to


    meet my mom and dad?¡±


    ¡°M-M-Meet mom and dad?¡± Felicity stuttered.


    Vermont chuckled. ¡°We¡¯re not even married yet. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too soon to address them like that?¡±


    ¡°Damn you!¡± Felicity¡¯s face turned red. ¡°We¡¯ve only been dating for a short time.


    Is it really appropriate to meet them now?¡±


    ¡°I just want them to stop arranging blind dates for me. Otherwise, they¡¯ll always think that I¡¯m simply


    making excuses.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Felicity scratched her head. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡±


    Felicity had gained seven pounds ever since she started dating Vermont. Her face became quite round,


    and she just could not bring herself to meet his parents in her current state. Suddenly, she felt as


    though she had to start hitting the gym again¡­


    After Ste returned home, shey on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Her mind was filled with


    thoughts of the bloodstained coat and the handwriting on the sketchpad.


    Suddenly, she heard the sound of a notification on her phone, which snapped her out of her thoughts.


    She grabbed her phone and saw a message from an unknown number. [About what I said yesterday,


    have you made a decision yet?] Ste deleted that message nonchntly, thought for a moment, and


    dialed another number.


    In the Moore residence, Marshall had just finished his shower. He was going through his emails by his


    bed when he heard his phone ringing. He paused momentarily and saw that it was Ste calling.


    He answered the phone and said, ¡°Hello, Ste.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Moore, are you going to bed anytime soon?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m still working.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Ste remained silent after that as if she did not know how to ask her question.


    Instead, Marshall took the initiative and asked, ¡°Ste, is there something I can help you with?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ste replied softly.


    Marshall¡¯s gaze turned gentle. ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯m listening.¡±


    Ste lowered her gaze and asked, ¡°I want to learn skydiving. Can you teach me?¡±


    Marshall was taken aback. ¡°How do you know I can skydive?


    You wrote it in the personal profile of yourw firm.¡±

 Chapter 1672

    Chapter 1672


    Marshall chuckled softly upon hearing what Ste said. ¡°If you really want to learn, I¡¯ll teach you. But


    getting a skydiving license isn¡¯t that easy. I can take you to experience it first.¡±


    Ste immediately asked, ¡¯¡¯When?¡± Marshall asked her back, ¡°When do you want to do it?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Ste said.


    ¡°Tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Are you busy?¡±


    Marshall looked at the documents on his desk, pursed his lips, and said, ¡°No, I¡¯m free. I¡¯ll pick you up


    tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Ste then softly said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Rest early and wait for my call tomorrow,¡± Marshall said goodbye to her warmly.


    After ending the call, he went to his wardrobe and took out some clothes.


    When he was done and went downstairs, Ariel came up with a cup in her hand.


    When she saw her son dressing up and going outte at night, she immediately stopped Marshall.¡±


    Marshall, where are you going sote?¡±


    As Marshall put on his shoes, he said, ¡°I left something back at the office. I need to go get it.¡±


    ¡°What is so important that you have to get it sote at night? w ¡°Something that belongs to my client.¡±


    Marshall put on his jacket and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a while.¡± Before Ariel could suggest letting the driver


    take him, he had already disappeared into the dark night.


    Ariel was worried, but she felt as though Marshall was somewhat excited.


    Marshall did not return home until two a.m. and went out again very early in the morning.


    When he was about to reach the Saun residence, he called Ste. However, Ste¡¯s voice sounded a


    little husky as if she had just woken up, ¡°You cane now. I¡¯ll get ready.¡±


    ¡°Take your time. No rush,¡± Marshall said softly.


    After ending the call, he felt somewhat nervous. He pulled down the sun visor, tidied his hair in the


    mirror, made sure that he looked perfect, and then closed it.


    Ste only came out half an hourter. She was a little surprised when she saw Marshall¡¯s car outside.


    ¡°I thought you were on the way.¡±


    ¡°I just arrived not long ago,¡± Marshall said.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste got into the car and fastened her seatbelt. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Marshall replied and started the car.


    Ste was an unadventurous and fearful person who would not get on a roller coaster after watching


    the Final Destination series, let alone engaging in extreme sports like skydiving.


    When she saw the helicopter, she wanted to just turn around and leave.


    However, she thought about her purpose ofing here and held herself back from doing so.


    The two pilots flying the helicopters were foreigners, looking very experienced.


    They spoke in French, and she could not understand a thing when Marshall talked to them. They would


    look at her from time to time, and she would just smile.


    After the three were done chatting, they boarded the helicopter. As Marshall put on the equipment, he


    exined the essentials of skydiving to Ste. ¡°A lot of people may have a hard time getting used to


    this during their first time. Your ears might hurt during the free fall, but that¡¯s perfectly normal. Don¡¯t be


    too nervous.¡±


    Ste nodded.


    Very soon, the helicopter ascended over three thousand feet above ground, and they could barely see


    anything below them.


    Marshall put on his parachute and securely attached Ste in front of him with a harness.


    ¡°Are you scared?¡± Marshall asked her softly in her ear.


    Ste responded with a ¡°Mhmm.¡±


    Marshall chuckled, tightened the harness, and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m here.¡±


    Ste tilted her head ufortably and asked, ¡°Can I take a photo?¡±

 Chapter 1673

    Chapter 1673


    Marshall was taken aback. ¡°You want to take a photo?¡¯ ¡°Yeah. This is my first time skydiving, and I want


    to cherish this moment,¡± Ste said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have an action camera.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just take a few shots before we exit the cabin. Is that okay?¡±


    Marshall smiled. ¡°Of course. I just think that the photos may not look as good without an action


    camera.¡±


    Ste unlocked her phone and said, ¡°They will be.¡±


    She then turned on the camera, took a few selfies, and tossed her phone aside.


    After that, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s do it,¡± she said.


    Marshall chuckled and teased her. ¡°You look like a warrior on the guillotine.¡±


    Just as Ste was about to say something, Marshall jumped out of the helicopter with her.


    The cold wind instantly struck Ste¡¯s face like needles, and the ear pressure imbnce caused her


    intense pain. Apart from the deafening buzzing sound, she could not hear anything else. The fear of


    death left her voiceless.


    She only came back to her senses when Marshall tapped her shoulder and held her hand, signaling


    her to open her arms and bend her legs.


    After the parachute was deployed, their descending speed slowed down. The wind stopped hurting her


    face and the overwhelming fear that had choked her gradually faded as well. Ste looked at the vast


    land below through the goggles and truly experienced how insignificant humans were in the universe.


    There was a tiny ident when they werending. Ste¡¯s knees hit the ground which left her with a


    tiny bruise.


    Although she did not bleed, Marshall felt very guilty. One of the pilots had told him that Ste¡¯s bones


    were fine, but he still kept his brows furrowed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get it checked at the hospital,¡± Marshall suggested.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Ste lifted her head and said, ¡°Take me for another jump.¡±


    Marshall froze momentarily. He could feel that Ste did not particrly enjoy skydiving as her whole


    body had been tense throughout the entire jump. So, he did not expect that she would ask for another


    jump at all.


    Marshall kept quiet for a few seconds before he said, ¡°Let¡¯s do it another day.


    It¡¯s getting windier.¡±


    Ste felt a little disappointed, but she quickly said, ¡°You know how to ride a motorcycle too, right? Let¡¯s


    do that. I¡¯m guessing the wind isn¡¯t going to affect that.¡±


    Marshall found Ste¡¯s behavior somewhat strange. Apart from work, Ste had never asked him to do


    anything else together. Before he could figure out what was happening with her, Ste added, ¡°Do you


    have work in the afternoon? If you do, just forget about what I said.¡±


    Marshall recollected himself and said in a gentle tone, ¡°No, I¡¯m free for the whole day. But it¡¯s not fun to


    ride a heavy bike with all the traffic. Let¡¯s wait until nighttime to ride it in a circuit.¡±


    Ste smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch and rest for a while, then.¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Marshall was flustered by that smile and even his ears felt a little warm. He looked away and coughed


    lightly. ¡°Sure, let me make a call to have the bike ready.¡±

 Chapter 1674

    Chapter 1674


    Other than that, there had been no updates about her for a long time.


    After such a long disappearance, she suddenly reemerged because she got into a ¡°rtionship¡±, and


    the Facebook pages had evidence too. Based on the photos Ste posted on her ount, the man


    behind her, who showed only half of his chin, looked very simr to thewyer who defended her at the


    mall previously. The mole on his neck was identical, leaving no room for doubts.


    Her fans were driven crazy by the news. They had seen idols who were ¡°unambitious¡±, but none of


    them came close to her.


    Thements under Ste¡¯s Facebook post had reached tens of thousands within just a few hours.


    [Does she really have to date someone at this time?] [Ste, why don¡¯t you just focus on your career?


    What can a man offer?] [It¡¯s fine if you dated someone in the industry, but why did you choose to be


    with awyer? Aren¡¯t you afraid that he¡¯ll expose all your secrets when you break up, and he¡¯ll ruin your


    career?] [This is not something the Empress would do. How unprofessional.] [The Empress is just a


    character she ys, and it doesn¡¯t reveal her true self. I guess this is what she¡¯s really like behind the


    cameras.] [Guys, I think they look pretty good together. Aren¡¯t you being too nosy? She¡¯s in her


    twenties, so why can¡¯t she be in a rtionship? Just let her do whatever she wants.] [A few of the top


    comments were made by Be¡¯s fans. She¡¯s already in jail, yet her fans are still out here trying so hard


    to be relevant. How pathetic.] [I¡¯m sorry. Even though The Pce is Ste¡¯s debut show, it¡¯s on a level


    that someone can never attain.] After everyone was done bashing Ste¡¯s haters, they suddenly


    realized something.


    [Didn¡¯t Ste say that they were just friends? She didn¡¯t post anything to rify their rtionship this


    time and the trending search has been up for some time now. Are they really together?] [She¡¯s the one


    who posted the photos. Is she hinting at something?] [Oh, my god! Is my dream finallying true?] [I


    disagree! I want Ste to be with Mr. Kane, the most prominent figure in showbiz and the tech industry!


    Where are all the Kee fans? Show us your support!] [I¡¯m here! Mr. Kane, you¡¯re the best!] Everyone


    was still busy with what happened to Keegan, so when they finally found out about the photos, it was


    already nighttime.


    Trevor was fuming, as he tried to suppress the news while contacting Ste.


    When Ste received the call, she was riding on Marshall¡¯s bike.


    ¡°Trevor, what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Moore took me out on his bike.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Trevor thought he had misheard what Ste said.¡± Who did?¡±


    ¡°Marshall Moore.¡±


    Trevor was stunned. ¡°D-Did you look at the news online?¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°What news?¡±


    Trevor pinched his brows. ¡°The photos you posted while skydiving were spread everywhere. Now


    everyone thinks that you and Marshall are dating. You need toe back home, right now

 Chapter 1675

    Chapter 1675


    ¡°Just let them be. It¡¯s not true anyway.¡±


    Ste¡¯s indifferent attitude made Trevor frown. ¡°People might think that something is going on between


    you and Marshall if you don¡¯t clear things up.


    Keegan had just left us, and these rumors will not do you any good.¡±


    ¡°Do you think the people around us have found out about this?¡±


    It seemed that Ste was not bothered by how others would see her. Instead, she was more concerned


    about whether everyone had heard about it.


    ¡°That¡¯s not something you should be worrying about now. I need you toe home as soon as


    possible and stay away from Marshall!¡±


    Ste then tly said, ¡°Trevor, would you end your friendship with someone because of some baseless


    rumors?¡±


    ¡°This is different¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing different about this. I don¡¯t care, and neither does Mr. Moore.


    But it looks like people who have nothing to do with this are more concerned about us than we are.


    Let them say whatever they want. We¡¯re leaving. Goodbye.¡±


    With that, Ste ended the call abruptly.


    Trevor was frustrated. He thought about how he had apanied her to look for Keegan in the


    hospitalst night and then pulled such a stunt the next day.


    He finally realized how impressive Keegan was to be able to deal with a person like his sister.


    Suddenly, his phone rang. It was a call from Molly.


    Without even having to think, Trevor knew that she was sent by the Moore family to get some


    information out of him.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    So, he set his phone to silent, put it aside, and let it ring without answering it.


    He could not possibly control everything that Ste could or could not do, so he chose not to interfere.


    Meanwhile, after hanging up, Ste put on her helmet and wrapped her arms around Marshall¡¯s waist.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said softly.


    Marshall paused momentarily before gazing at her arms around his waist. At the same time, his heart


    raced.


    ¡°Why did Trevor call you?¡±


    ¡°Some Facebook pages are saying that we¡¯re dating, so he wanted me to stay away from you.¡±


    ¡°And you¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing going on between us, so why should I do that?¡± Ste paused and put her hands


    away. ¡°I don¡¯t see it as a problem, but if you do, I¡¯ll make a public statement to rify things.¡±


    Marshall kept quiet.


    Meanwhile, bikes roared past one after another, and their engines made a deafening noise. The wind


    that came from behind them cut across Ste¡¯s skin, causing her to shiver coldly.


    After about thirty seconds, Marshall lowered his gaze and asked, ¡°If Keegan doesn¡¯te back, will


    you let me take care of you? You can think of him and love him all you want, but I just want to be with


    you. Is that okay?¡±


    Ste¡¯s mind turned into a mess. After some time, she sighed and said, ¡°What¡¯s the purpose of this?¡±


    ¡°I just want to protect you,¡± Marshall said softly.


    Ste remained silent for a long time. It was not until the bike teampleted its firstp and returned


    to the starting point that she said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about itter.¡±


    She did not give Marshall a definite yes or no. That was an oue he had never anticipated.

 Chapter 1676

    Chapter 1676


    Chapter 1676


    Marshall¡¯s heart raced, as he said in a low voice, ¡°Hold on tight.¡± Then, he started the bike¡¯s engine.


    The news of Ste and Marshall ¡°dating¡± quickly spread among their friends and gained a lot of


    people¡¯s attention.


    As Ste¡¯s closest friend, Felicity could not believe that she actually heard that from someone else first.


    Although she had seen the news online, she did not take them seriously at all. She figured that Keegan


    would not have a chance to be with Ste again after the divorce if Ste was really interested in


    Marshall.


    So, she did not believe anything she read online.


    She only began to sense that something was not right when the rumors had spread around her.


    She figured that Ste would not let rumors run wild without rifying anything if it was not true.


    However, Felicity still chose to believe in her best friend.¡± New love? Wouldn¡¯t I have known about it if


    Ste was in a new rtionship? These people are just fabricating things!¡±


    Vermont nced at her. ¡°I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s in a new rtionship or not, but your best friend has been


    busytely. Not only did she go skydiving, but she also rode on


    Marshall¡¯s bike on the same day. The paparazzi has taken so many photos of her having close


    interactions with Marshall.


    Would you treat a normal friend like that?¡±


    Felicity immediately defended her best friend. ¡°Mr. Moore was teaching Ste the correct posture while


    skydiving, and he only held her hand because Ste tripped. It was just a coincidence!¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Really?¡± Vermont took out his phone, scrolled to a picture of Marshall giving a bouquet of flowers to


    Ste, and asked indifferently, ¡°What about this? Why is she smiling at the flowers Marshall gave her?


    Was it because the wrapper looked good?¡±


    Felicity was caught off guard by that photo, and she softly said, ¡°It could be.¡±


    Vermont continued without holding back. ¡°Out of so many people, she just had to be with Marshall. I


    can¡¯t imagine what Keegan would think if he found out.¡±


    ¡°Ste is not like that. I¡¯m sure she has her own reasons.¡±


    Vermont sneered. ¡°What reasons could she have to hook up with Keegan¡¯s childhood friend when he¡¯s


    still missing?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean hook up? Do you even hear yourself?¡± Felicity said angrily, ¡°The kidnappers were


    going after Keegan, but Ste jumped into the water with him without any hesitation. I¡¯m sure that she


    misses Keegan more than any of us.¡±


    Vermont replied, ¡°This is exactly why I don¡¯t understand how she can be with Marshall after such a


    short time. We wanted her toe out of the pain, butBooks Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay


    Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    instead, she started a new rtionship and turned her back on Keegan. If I were


    Keegan, I would jump out of the river to stop them from dating even though I¡¯m dead!¡±


    Felicity threw a pillow at him right after he said that. ¡°You¡¯re so heartless! Your values are all wrong!


    When you wanted to hire Leighton but didn¡¯t want to spend a lot of money, wasn¡¯t it Ste who


    convinced him to take the job for you? With how popr she is right now, she can easily partner up


    with any other jewelry store. She¡¯s only helping you because of me.¡±


    ¡°Those are two different things!¡±


    ¡°No, they¡¯re not! You¡¯re just biased. Do you think Ste is any less sad than you with what happened to


    Keegan? Have you thought about her feelings and not just your own? She


    watched Keegan get hurt, humiliated, and die with her own eyes. The only reason why she didn¡¯t go


    mad is because she¡¯s strong enough to hold herself up!¡±


    Vermont got a little angry. ¡°Is being strong an excuse to have a new boyfriend?¡±


    Felicity was exasperated. ¡°Would you prefer her to cry and mourn for Keegan every day, then? I¡¯ll tell


    you what. That¡¯s impossible! When Ms. Spade got into that ident, she managed to make sure that


    Ms. Spade got the proper treatment despite the pressure from Albert. Ste is someone who¡¯d never


    stop trying!


    ¡°She did not cheat on Keegan, and I¡¯m not going to believe in any of these rumors!¡±


    Felicity stood up and went back to the bedroom after she said that.


    Vermont was irritated. ¡®Ste, Ste, Ste! Is that all she ever thinks about? Ste could¡¯ve easily


    cleared up the rumors with a public statement, but she didn¡¯t. Am I wrong for standing up for my best


    friend?¡¯


    As he thought to himself, the master bedroom¡¯s door was opened. Then, he saw Felicitying out


    with a suitcase while wearing a jacket.


    Vermont paused. Then, he jumped up from the couch, stood in her way, and asked, ¡°Where are you


    going?¡±

 Chapter 1677

    Chapter 1677


    Chapter 1677


    Felicity red at Vermont. ¡°I¡¯m off to see my bestie!¡±


    Vermont dragged Felicity¡¯s suitcase and said, ¡°You¡¯re being a tad melodramatic. Ste hasn¡¯t rified


    anything about her rtionship with Marshall. Can¡¯t I be mad at her for Keegan?¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t just mad though. You were personally attacking her! How dare you tell me not to hang out


    with her


    anymore?! We wouldn¡¯t have even met if it wasn¡¯t for her!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright. So, she yed matchmaker. I¡¯m thankful that I got to meet you,¡± Vermont said while


    pulling Felicity toward the bedroom. ¡°But, what¡¯s with the whole storming out every time something


    happens?¡±


    Felicity huffed, ¡°This isn¡¯t my home; it¡¯s yours. And, this doesn¡¯t count as storming out. I didn¡¯t even put


    any clothes in there. I was just giving you a little scare.¡±


    Vermont lifted the suitcase and confirmed its feather-light weight. He sighed, ¡°Ever heard of the story of


    the boy who cried wolf?¡±


    Felicity gave him a side-eye. ¡°Yeah. People didn¡¯t believe him when the wolf finally came, and the boy


    lost his sheep. Simrly, you¡¯re going to lose me if you don¡¯t chase after me. Do you think that I


    wouldn¡¯t leave just because I didn¡¯t pack my bags?¡±


    ¡°Well, I did chase after you, didn¡¯t I?¡± Vermont put his arms around Felicity¡¯s waist and continued, ¡°Are


    you hungry,


    baby? What do you want for ate-night snack? Let¡¯s get you something to eat.¡±


    Felicity was excited about the idea of getting some food, but her mood turned sour when she saw her


    round face in the mirror. ¡°What¡¯s with you and food? All you do is eat! You don¡¯t even have abs


    anymore!¡±


    Her reaction confused Vermont. He nced at his chiseled abs and then at Felicity¡¯s chubby face. He


    pursed his lips and said, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll¡­ lose the weight?¡±


    ¡°About time! You should¡¯ve started way before this!¡±


    Suddenly, Vermont understood what Felicity was hinting at. He pretended to be sad and said, ¡°But, I


    can¡¯t do it alone.¡±


    Felicity eagerly took on the responsibility and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be your weight-loss partner. I¡¯ll motivate you until


    you look like Ryan Renolds!¡±


    Vermont was rendered speechless. ¡°But that wouldn¡¯t be fair. You¡¯re not even fat.¡±


    ¡°I still need to exercise and stay healthy,¡± Felicity dered with conviction.


    Vermont suppressed hisugh. ¡°Alright. Mutual monitoring it is.¡±


    He found Felicity cute with the extra weight. She looked charming with her big eyes and chubby


    cheeks. Additionally, he did not have to worry about others bullying her since she would be strong


    enough to handle herself. Instead, he was worried that she could not handle a fight if she was too thin.


    ¡®She wants to lose weight without mementing on her weight gain. Why is she so adorable?¡¯


    Vermont could not help but hug her and give her a kiss.¡± Starting today, no morete-night snacks.


    Let¡¯s go for a runter, okay?¡±


    ¡°I came out on top in the long-distance race during my school days. You¡¯ll have to run faster to catch up


    with me,¡± said Felicity proudly.


    Vermont examined her from top to bottom before he said, ¡°I bet you got into Trinity University because


    you wanted to join their athletic program, right?¡±


    ¡°I did consider joining, but my mom told me that PE teachers earn peanuts.¡±


    ¡®I doubt she would worry about your sry with the empire she built for you,¡¯ thought Vermont. ¡®But,


    considering how lowkey she is, I guess she would say that.¡¯


    He ruffled Felicity¡¯s hair and said, ¡°Wait here while I go change my clothes.¡±


    Felicity nodded and went to the entrance to put on her shoes.


    Just as she put on one shoe, Vermont¡¯s phone rang. She called out to him, but he did not respond. So,


    she slipped on the other shoe and went to answer the call on his behalf.


    The caller was a woman, and her voice was warm and friendly. ¡°Hello? Is this Mr. Snyder?¡±


    Chapter 1677


    Felicity red at Vermont. ¡°I¡¯m off to see my bestie!¡±


    Vermont dragged Felicity¡¯s suitcase and said, ¡°You¡¯re being a tad melodramatic. Ste hasn¡¯t rified


    anything about her rtionship with Marshall. Can¡¯t I be mad at her for Keegan?¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t just mad though. You were personally attacking her! How dare you tell me not to hang out


    with her


    anymore?! We wouldn¡¯t have even met if it wasn¡¯t for her!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright. So, she yed matchmaker. I¡¯m thankful that I got to meet you,¡± Vermont said while


    pulling Felicity toward the bedroom. ¡°But, what¡¯s with the whole storming out every time something


    happens?¡±


    Felicity huffed, ¡°This isn¡¯t my home; it¡¯s yours. And, this doesn¡¯t count as storming out. I didn¡¯t even put


    any clothes in there. I was just giving you a little scare.¡±


    Vermont lifted the suitcase and confirmed its feather-light weight. He sighed, ¡°Ever heard of the story of


    the boy who cried wolf?¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books


    Updates¡­


    Felicity gave him a side-eye. ¡°Yeah. People didn¡¯t believe him when the wolf finally came, and the boy


    lost his sheep. Simrly, you¡¯re going to lose me if you don¡¯t chase after me. Do you think that I


    wouldn¡¯t leave just because I didn¡¯t pack my bags?¡±


    ¡°Well, I did chase after you, didn¡¯t I?¡± Vermont put his arms around Felicity¡¯s waist and continued, ¡°Are


    you hungry,


    baby? What do you want for ate-night snack? Let¡¯s get you something to eat.¡±


    Felicity was excited about the idea of getting some food, but her mood turned sour when she saw her


    round face in the mirror. ¡°What¡¯s with you and food? All you do is eat! You don¡¯t even have abs


    anymore!¡±


    Her reaction confused Vermont. He nced at his chiseled abs and then at Felicity¡¯s chubby face. He


    pursed his lips and said, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll¡­ lose the weight?¡±


    ¡°About time! You should¡¯ve started way before this!¡±


    Suddenly, Vermont understood what Felicity was hinting at. He pretended to be sad and said, ¡°But, I


    can¡¯t do it alone.¡±


    Felicity eagerly took on the responsibility and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be your weight-loss partner. I¡¯ll motivate you until


    you look like Ryan Renolds!¡±


    Vermont was rendered speechless. ¡°But that wouldn¡¯t be fair. You¡¯re not even fat.¡±


    ¡°I still need to exercise and stay healthy,¡± Felicity dered with conviction.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Vermont suppressed hisugh. ¡°Alright. Mutual monitoring it is.¡±


    He found Felicity cute with the extra weight. She looked charming with her big eyes and chubby


    cheeks. Additionally, he did not have to worry about others bullying her since she would be strong


    enough to handle herself. Instead, he was worried that she could not handle a fight if she was too thin.


    ¡®She wants to lose weight without mementing on her weight gain. Why is she so adorable?¡¯


    Vermont could not help but hug her and give her a kiss.¡± Starting today, no morete-night snacks.


    Let¡¯s go for a runter, okay?¡±


    ¡°I came out on top in the long-distance race during my school days. You¡¯ll have to run faster to catch up


    with me,¡± said Felicity proudly.


    Vermont examined her from top to bottom before he said, ¡°I bet you got into Trinity University because


    you wanted to join their athletic program, right?¡±


    ¡°I did consider joining, but my mom told me that PE teachers earn peanuts.¡±


    ¡®I doubt she would worry about your sry with the empire she built for you,¡¯ thought Vermont. ¡®But,


    considering how lowkey she is, I guess she would say that.¡¯


    He ruffled Felicity¡¯s hair and said, ¡°Wait here while I go change my clothes.¡±


    Felicity nodded and went to the entrance to put on her shoes.


    Just as she put on one shoe, Vermont¡¯s phone rang. She called out to him, but he did not respond. So,


    she slipped on the other shoe and went to answer the call on his behalf.


    The caller was a woman, and her voice was warm and friendly. ¡°Hello? Is this Mr. Snyder?¡±

 Chapter 1678

    Chapter 1678


    Chapter 1678


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Felicity checked the caller ID and noticed that it was andline number. She became curious and


    asked, ¡°He¡¯s currently unavable. Would you like to leave a message?¡±


    ¡°Are you Mr. Snyder¡¯s spouse?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Felicity responded casually, considering her role as a girlfriend was equivalent to that of a


    spouse.


    The warm voice on the other end continued, ¡°Hello, Mrs. Snyder. We¡¯re from Sunfert Hospital. We¡¯re


    expanding our sperm bank, and as an incentive, we¡¯re reaching out to healthy men with high sperm


    quality. Mr. Snyder, being a regr client for annual check-ups, prompted us to contact him first. We¡¯re


    wondering if he¡¯d be interested in making a donation.¡±


    ¡°Does he even have the capability to donate sperm?¡± Felicity mumbled to herself.


    ¡°Sorry?¡±


    ¡°Ahem. Unfortunately, due to his health condition, it would be physically challenging for him to donate,¡±


    she exined.


    The woman on the other end inquired, ¡°Is Mr. Snyder not feeling well recently? This isn¡¯t urgent. He can


    come in when he¡¯s better. We can put his name down if he¡¯s interested.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ Hasn¡¯t he been getting annual check-ups at your hospital? So, aren¡¯t you aware of his


    condition?¡±


    ¡°What condition?¡± The woman was puzzled. ¡°Mr. Snyder is quite healthy. We confirmed his health


    report before making this call. I¡¯m not aware of any health issues. Can you provide more details?¡±


    Felicity tried toe up with a metaphor. ¡°I don¡¯t think a gun can shoot without any bullets.¡±Books


    Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    The woman was puzzled by her statement. It took her a moment to understand what Felicity meant.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The individuals we contact are confirmed to have very high sperm quality. The condition you


    just described is not possible.¡±


    Felicity was taken aback. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying he¡¯s recovered?¡±


    ¡°Recovered?¡± The woman was even more puzzled. ¡°Does Mr. Snyder have any illness? He has been


    undergoing


    regr check-ups at our hospital, and there¡¯s no record of any illnesses.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s mind stirred, and she asked, ¡°Are there no records of his burn injuries?¡±


    ¡°Burn injuries? Mr. Snyder has never had any burn injuries.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s expression changed instantly. While reflecting on various incidents, spection rose in her


    mind. In the end, she could not hold back any further. ¡°When was hisst check-up?¡± she asked.


    ¡°About four or five months ago.¡±


    ¡®He could barely have intercourse with me four or five months ago. How did he have time for a check-


    up? Did that scum freaking lie to me?!¡¯


    Felicity became furious at the thought of the guilt she had felt for months, as she was being used and


    fooled by Vermont without any remorse.


    ¡°Mrs. Snyder, the sperm donation is just a suggestion from the hospital. It would be best if you two


    could mutually


    discuss and decide whether to proceed with the donation. If you have any questions, feel free to call


    this number for consultation during our working hours.¡±


    Felicity gritted her teeth. ¡°Alright. Thanks.¡±


    Felicity was stretching her legs on the couch when Vermont came out of his room. He walked over and


    hugged Felicity from behind. ¡°Getting a pre-game warm-up, huh? Worried you won¡¯t live up to your


    usual performance in school?¡±


    Felicity grabbed his hand and ced it on her shoulder. Vermont wondered why his girlfriend was


    unusually assertive today. In an instant, he ascended into the air, and after a whirlwind spin, Felicity


    forcefully mmed him back onto the ground with a thud.


    Vermont could feel the pain in his back. He was grateful for the thick carpet that prevented his bones


    from breaking.


    Before he could recover, Felicity squatted down and grabbed his cor. ¡°Did I really burn you back


    then?¡±


    At that moment, Vermont knew he was done for. He ignored the pain and tried to sit up to exin.


    However, Felicity forcefully pushed him back down. ¡°DID I ACTUALLY BURN YOU OR NOT?!¡±

 Chapter 1679

    Chapter 1679


    Chapter 1679


    Vermont barely had a chance to ponder how Felicity had discovered his secret. His brain was already


    working at full speed, as he attempted to minimize his wrongdoing. He admitted, ¡°¡­Yes, but the burn


    was not as severe as I made it out to be.¡±


    Felicity red at him. ¡°Are you trying to deceive me again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± said Vermont, and histone softened. ¡°It did hurt at the time, and I didn¡¯t expect you to be so


    concerned. I was just trying to tease you.¡±


    ¡°Tease me?¡± Felicity¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Am I a fool to you? Do you find it amusing to string me along?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Vermont tried to get up.


    But Felicity promptly pushed him back down and warned,¡± Don¡¯t you dare get up, or I¡¯ll knock you out!¡±


    Vermontplied andid back down. ¡°Felicity, when did you start liking me?¡± he asked in a soft voice.


    Felicity¡¯s ears burned, as she angrily responded, ¡°I don¡¯t like you, you liar. If I had known that you were


    faking your illness to deceive me, I would¡¯ve never gotten involved with a deceitful scoundrel like you.¡±


    Vermontughed bitterly and said, ¡°But, I¡¯ve liked you for quite some time.¡±


    Felicity was not convinced. Every memory of Vermont¡¯s months-long deception, which disrupted her


    sleep, fueled her anger. ¡°Don¡¯t y the emotion card with me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Vermont looked at her and continued, ¡°At first, I was fond of your cooking. Over time, I took


    pleasure in our interactions. It was filled with teasing andughter. I didn¡¯t realize that I liked you back


    then because you didn¡¯t fit my type on paper. Your loud voice, strong personality, asional short


    temper, less-than-perfect appearance, and shorter legs were not in line with my ideal type.¡¯Books


    Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Felicity¡¯s face turned red, and she immediately wanted to smother Vermont with a cushion.


    ¡°Remember when you liked Corbin? I told myself that there was no way I would care about a girl who


    hadn¡¯t fully matured and carried feelings for another man when I was so young, good-looking, and


    sessful in my career. But then, reality hit me, and I learned that I did care. I cared when you always


    talked about Corbin when we were together. I cared when you asked about Corbin¡¯s preferences. I


    cared when you spoke sweetly to him in front of me. So, I kissed you under the influence of alcohol.¡±


    Felicity was momentarily stunned. She recalled Vermont kissing her in the private room while Corbin


    watched, and she had given him a shoulder throw.


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t like it. Even a slight touch from me irritated you,¡± said Vermont.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Well, duh!¡± Felicity red at him and said, ¡°You kissed me by force. That¡¯s harassment! I could have


    called the cops on you!¡±


    Vermont did not dare to argue. ¡°You didn¡¯t like me, so you thought that me kissing you was a prank.


    You never considered anything romantic between us when it happened. IV


    Felicity wanted to dispute his im, but upon careful consideration, she realized she had never thought


    that she would end up with Vermont before that incident.


    One reason for that was she assumed she could not handle an experienced lover like Vermont. She


    also found Vermont too talkative, gossipy, and immature, which were not traits she wanted in a partner.


    Hence, Felicity did not see Vermont as an option back then.


    ¡°I¡¯m someone who does what I can to the best of my ability to get something I want. Since you didn¡¯t


    like me, I created opportunities to make you like me. Even though pretending to be sick for sympathy is


    despicable, I don¡¯t regret it.¡± Vermont paused and looked Felicity in the eyes. ¡°Miss Bandit, I didn¡¯t trick


    you into liking me or falling for me. I just gave us more time together, so you could get to know me.¡±

 Chapter 1680

    Chapter 1680


    Chapter 1680


    Felicity had mixed feelings after hearing Vermont¡¯s words.¡± While it may not have been your intention to


    manipte my emotions, did it ever ur to you that using a fake illness to garner sympathy meant


    that my feelings for you were driven by pity and guilt? You say you were just giving me more time to get


    to know you. But, wasn¡¯t it an attempt to sever any potential connection between me and Dr. Steven?


    Doesn¡¯t that fall under the category of deception, Vermont?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Well, it¡¯s true I didn¡¯t want you to be with Corbin. He¡¯s not right for you.¡±


    ¡°And, you are? You went to great lengths just because you liked me. You allowed me to walk into your


    trap like a fool willingly. What happens when you stop liking me? Do you treat me the same as how you


    treated your ex-girlfriends? Are you going to give me a house or a car in hopes that it¡¯ll get rid of me?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s heart ached. He felt as though he had wasted the past half a year pouring his heart and soul


    into a lost cause.¡± Is that really how you see me?¡±


    Felicity looked bewildered. ¡°I can¡¯t figure out what qualities I have that would make you go through all


    this trouble. I¡¯m average in looks and physique, and I¡¯m barely scraping by financially. The only


    noteworthy thing I have is my mother who spent half her life umting a generous dowry for me.


    But, you¡¯re not short of money. The only thing I can think


    of is that I¡¯m simple-minded, clumsy, and amusing. I bet you found pleasure in fooling around with me.¡±


    When she finished speaking, her phone rang. She answered the call and a male voice on the other end


    said, ¡°I¡¯m downstairs. Do you need help with moving anything?¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll be down in a moment.¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books


    Updates¡­


    Felicity hung up the phone and was about to get up when Vermont suddenly grabbed her wrist. ¡°Are


    you leaving?¡± he asked.


    Felicity lowered her eyes. ¡°This is your home. I can¡¯t think clearly if I¡¯m¡ª¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, Vermont suddenly grabbed the back of her neck and kissed her.


    The kiss was more passionate than usual. It reminded


    Felicity of the night at the police station when Vermont was somewhat intoxicated. He had kissed her


    like this, using his skills to manipte her emotions and trying to please her.


    Felicity was a novice in the dating world. She quickly found herself defenseless against the kiss.


    However, in a whirlwind of sensation, their positions swapped.


    Felicity began kissing him gently and proceeded to deepen the kiss. She alternated between the two,


    and the kisses finally turned into a series of pecks. All of a sudden, her body stiffened from feeling


    Vermont¡¯s growing member against her.


    Sensing her tension, Vermont stopped kissing her lips. He


    then lowered his head and pecked her nose. In a husky voice, he said, ¡°You¡¯re not silly or clumsy.


    You¡¯ve just never touched my body, so you never caught me getting hard. No matter how much I try to


    hide it, my body has a mind of its own.


    ¡°You have many great qualities. You know how to cook and write scripts. You stand up for your friends,


    and you¡¯re easy to coax when you¡¯re angry. Not to mention, you have a big heart. Miss Bandit, your


    looks are the least important thing to me. Your personality is what makes you attractive.


    ¡°You can be mad at me for deceiving you, but don¡¯t question your self-worth. And, you don¡¯t have to


    leave. At least not tonight. It¡¯s not safe for a girl to go out at night. I¡¯ll stay somewhere else. We can


    have a proper chat tomorrow, or whenever you feel like it, okay?¡±


    Felicity kept her eyes down and remained silent.


    Vermont instinctively raised his hand to pat her head, but Felicity dodged his touch. This broke


    Vermont¡¯s heart. He withdrew his hand with a sense of destion, as he was shocked by her action.


    After some time, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll go grab some clothes and leave.¡±

 Chapter 1681

    Chapter 1681


    Shortly after Vermont¡¯s departure, Felicity found herself alone in the empty apartment. She felt an


    indescribable emptiness in her heart. Her emotions had shifted from anger upon learning the truth to a


    current state of bewilderment.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Seeking sce, she decided to call Ste.


    Ste had just finished attending a concert with Marshall featuring a well-known orchestra from abroad.


    Despite Marshall¡¯s enthusiastic introduction of the group, Ste could not recall their name.


    The music was beautiful, and the concert hall¡¯s acoustics were impressive.


    However, Ste struggled to discern anything special beyond that. Marshall noticed her constant nods


    to the music and realized that something was amiss.


    In a low voice, he asked, ¡°Do you not like the music?¡±


    Ste shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like it; I just don¡¯t know how to appreciate it like you do.¡±


    Marshall paused for a moment and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I thought you¡¯d like this since you y the


    piano.¡±


    ¡°I learned to y the piano because my family forced me to. I don¡¯t really like ying it. When I was


    younger, I pretended to be sick to skip sses. In order to make my mom give up on forcing me to


    learn the piano, I intentionally injured my hand, iming that it was a piano practice injury.


    ¡°But my mom thought that it was due to the quality of the piano at school. So, she used the money she


    saved for a car to buy me a piano. It cost over a hundred thousand dors. The salesperson told her


    that a famous pianist was using the same brand. They said that if I practiced for over ten hours a day, I


    would be better at it. My mom believed them and extended my daily piano lessons from two hours


    to four.¡±


    Marshall could not help but chuckle when he heard that.


    ¡°It¡¯s not funny. I¡¯m telling you the truth,¡± Ste said earnestly.


    Marshall responded warmly, ¡°I don¡¯t find it funny. I just feel sorry for you.


    However, it¡¯s impressive that you could y the piano so well despite disliking it.¡±


    ¡®That¡¯s because you¡¯ve only heard that one piece I¡¯m good at. Meanwhile, Keegan had to endure all the


    other torturous pieces I¡¯ve yed,¡¯thought Ste.


    When the concert hall emptied out, Marshall proposed Ste to go up on stage and y the piano.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Don¡¯t you want to experience how it feels to y in a venue that can fit thousands of people?¡±


    But, it¡¯s the orchestra¡¯s instrument. Wouldn¡¯t it be inappropriate for me to use it?¡±


    ¡°We just need to ask for their permission,¡± Marshall said, as he grabbed her hand before she could


    respond.


    Ste tried to pull away, but then she noticed a glint of light shing from somewhere in the venue. She


    froze and allowed Marshall to guide her onto the stage.


    Only one person remained on the stage, packing up the instruments. Marshall approached them and


    engaged in a brief conversation in Deutsianian. After getting the person¡¯s approval, he called out to


    Ste toe over.


    As Ste approached, Marshall exined, ¡°I told them it¡¯s your birthday today and asked if we could


    borrow the piano to y a piece as a celebration.¡±


    Ste was surprised. ¡°And, they agreed?¡±


    No. I told them I¡¯d pay, and they allowed it.¡±


    Marshall¡¯s reply left Ste speechless.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to spend your money like that,¡± she said

 Chapter 1682

    Chapter 1682


    Marshall let out a chuckle. ¡°If spending a little money can make you happy, then I think it¡¯s worth it.¡±


    Ste stayed silent. She avoided his gaze and focused on the piano. ¡°I don¡¯t really know much piano


    pieces.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how to y Lyphard Melody?¡±


    ¡°I guess so.¡±


    Marshall quickly searched for the sheet music on his phone and ced it on the stand. ¡°Why don¡¯t you


    give it a go?¡±


    ncing at the moving shadows in the audience, Ste walked around the piano and sat down. After


    studying the sheet music for a while, she slowly pressed the keys.


    The ethereal melody instantly filled the hall. Ste¡¯s fingers were slow, and the chords barely connected


    due to herck of practice. The world-famous piece sounded rather unpleasant when Ste yed it.


    She considered giving up, but before she could stop, a pair of well-defined handsnded on the piano


    keys next to hers.


    The person had fair, slender, and elegant-looking fingers. The veins on the back of their hand were


    subtly visible, exuding a sense of refined beauty, as their fingers danced across the piano.


    A melodious piano tune gradually filled the air, as those hands started moving.


    Marshall turned to Ste and said, ¡°Let¡¯s y together.¡±


    Ste had regained her focus. She slowly found the rhythm and followed along.


    However, she was not very proficient. After going through a few sections, she slowly reestablished her


    sense of the piece, resulting in a smoother performance.


    When the music concluded, Ste looked at Marshall and said, ¡°So, you know how to y the piano.¡±


    ¡°I really liked it for a while, so I took a few sses. I only know the basics. It¡¯s nothing impressive,¡±


    Marshall replied.


    There was a brief silence. Ste realized that people had different standards.


    The idea of taking pride in her piano skills seemed absurd when Marshall, who was considerably better,


    remained so nonchnt about it.


    She was about to get up when Marshall suddenly said,¡± Don¡¯t move. There¡¯s something on your head.¡±


    Ste instantly recalled thest time Marshall removed a locust from her head, and she froze on the


    spot.


    Marshall leaned in cautiously, extending his hand to grab something from the top of her head and


    ced it in front of her. When Ste lowered her head to see what it was, she was shocked.


    In Marshall¡¯s palmy a silver ne with a diamondshaped pendant that could be opened. Inside


    the pendant was a photo of Keegan.


    Ste gasped.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what they say. Do whatever you want. If it makes you uneasy that he¡¯s not here, then


    keep him close to you. I hope you can get what you wish for,¡± Marshall said softly.


    Ste looked at Marshall with disbelief. His brown eyes seemed gentle and deep.


    ¡®He must¡¯ve known why I¡¯m frequently meeting him. No one believes that Keegan is alive. They thought


    I was going mad. Since I couldn¡¯t find him, I tried to use my own methods to force him toe out.¡¯


    Despite Keegan¡¯s desire for Ste to stay away from Marshall, she insisted on being with him just to


    see if Keegan would appear.


    Tm a selfish person,¡¯ thought Ste.


    This was why she did not rify her rtionship with Marshall to the public. She wanted the media to


    spread this matter, and she hoped that Keegan would see it.


    Rumors about their fake romance had escted to the point where both the Saun and Moore families


    were probing each other to get some rification.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Yet, Marshall continued to meet up with Ste every day. He was not oblivious to what was going on;


    he just willingly let himself be used.


    Ste was overwhelmed with shame. Her eyes reddened, as she bit her lip.


    After a long pause, she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t me you,¡± Marshall said. His voice remained gentle. ¡®Tm d you thought of me.¡±


    He smiled and continued, ¡°Wanna know something? Every time you¡¯re with me, you subconsciously


    look around for cameras. Next time, you can just tell me what to do, and I¡¯ll cooperate with you.¡±

 Chapter 1683

    Chapter 1683


    Ste remained quiet. Exploiting Marshall for scandals was one thing, but shamelessly manipting his


    feelings to secure his cooperation was a moral boundary she refused to cross. She would rather have


    Marshall know the truth than burden him with this favor, even if it resulted in his hatred and resentment


    toward her.


    Marshall picked up the ne in his palm and said, ¡°Let me put it on for you.


    This ¡®token of love¡¯ is going to make headlines tomorrow.¡±


    Ste instinctively tried to back up, but Marshall did not move away. He gently pressed Ste¡¯s


    shoulder, and his deep voice echoed in her ear. ¡°The paparazzi are already taking pictures. If you reject


    the present, the groundwork weid won¡¯t be believable.¡±


    Ste immediately froze in ce.


    Holding the ne in both hands, Marshall put it around her neck and gently fastened it.


    From the audience¡¯s perspective, the two seemed to be intimately involved.


    Ste turned her face away, avoiding eye contact with Marshall. However, she could still feel his breath


    in such close proximity, which intensified her inner turmoil.


    It was not until Marshall had released his grip and slightly withdrew from her that her body gradually


    rxed.


    Ste reached up and touched the pendant containing Keegan¡¯s photo. ¡°How much is it? I¡¯ll transfer the


    payment to you,¡± she said.


    ¡°The ne was 88 dors, and the photo was ten. So, the total is 98 dors.


    But, that¡¯s alright. You don¡¯t have to transfer me the money. You can treat me to ate-night snack


    instead.¡±


    Ste did not respond.


    Marshall chuckled and added, ¡°I¡¯ll try not to order over 98 dors¡¯ worth of food.¡±


    Ste suddenly felt awkward. ¡°That¡¯s not what I was thinking. It¡¯s just¡­¡± She did not expect Marshall to


    buy such an inexpensive ne.


    Marshall had his reasons. He knew that Ste would not ept anything too expensive. And, even if


    she did, she would want to pay him back for it. She would dly embrace a more budget-friendly


    option, and the ne could serve as a chance for them to share a meal. Marshall thought that it


    was the perfect idea.


    Just as Ste was about to agree to supper, her phone rang. It was Felicity.


    Ste apologized to Marshall and answered the call.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°Ste, can you apany me to look at apartments tomorrow?¡± Felicity¡¯s voice sounded muffled.


    Ste hesitated for a moment before she asked, ¡°Why are you looking at apartments? Are you nning


    to buy one?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Felicity said softly. ¡°I want to move out.¡±


    Ste sensed that something was amiss and asked, ¡°Have you discussed this with Vermont?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll live wherever I want. Why do I need to discuss it with him? He¡¯s not the boss of me!¡±


    ¡°Did you two have a fight?¡±


    Felicity remained silent.


    Thinking that she might have been mistreated, Ste¡¯s tone grew serious. ¡°Did Vermont ask you to


    move out?¡±


    No, he wouldn¡¯t dare to kick me out.¡± Felicity was too embarrassed to tell Ste how Vermont had


    deceived her for so long. So, she made up an excuse. ¡°I¡¯m just tired of him. I don¡¯t want to live with him


    anymore.¡±


    Ste thought for a moment and said, ¡°How about moving back to apartment 901? Your room is


    untouched, and you know the password.¡±

 Chapter 1684

    Chapter 1684


    Felicity murmured, ¡°I don¡¯t want to live so close to him.


    Ste figured that something had probably happened between Felicity and Vermont. However, since


    Felicity refused to talk about it, Ste did not ask any further.


    ¡°Okay, then. I¡¯ll go look for a house with you tomorrow.¡±


    Felicity replied with a ¡°Mhmm¡± and then thought of the topic she had argued with Vermont earlier.


    ¡°Ste, what¡¯s happening between you and Marshall?


    Everyone is saying that you two are together. Is that true?¡± Felicity asked softly.


    Ste turned to look at Marshall, who was talking to the management staff not far away. Marshall


    seemed to sense her gaze, lifted his head, and met her eyes with a gentle look.


    Suddenly, Ste said out of the blue, ¡°Can dissociative disorder really harm people?¡± 1 ¡°What?¡±


    Nothing,¡± Ste looked away, as she continued tly, ¡°I just want Keegan toe back, no matter what


    it takes.¡±


    Before Felicity could figure out what Ste meant by that, she said goodbye and ended the call.


    The next day, the hashtag #ConcertHallKiss went on top of the trending searches.


    Unlike the previous pictures that were secretly photographed, the video posted this time was clearly


    captured.


    Ste not only yed the piano with the man, but she also had the man help her put on a ne.


    From the angle the video was taken, it seemed as though they were kissing.


    Nothing could be more convincing than that.


    Elegant Media began receiving endless phone calls from everyone, and Trevor¡¯s phone was flooded


    with messages too. Everybody was very curious if there would be a marriage between the Moore family


    and the Saun family.


    Even Wenham got worried and asked Trevor if Ste and Marshall were really dating.


    Trevor could not figure out what his little sister was trying to do, as she had been acting strange ever


    since Keegan¡¯s disappearance.


    So, he could only reassure Wenham. ¡°The media are just talking nonsense.


    There¡¯s nothing going on between them.¡±


    Wenham¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡°They kissed. How is that nothing?¡± ¡°The video was taken really far away


    from them. Don¡¯t believe everything you see online.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Moore Sr. called me and invited me over to have dinner. I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s because he has seen


    the news too. N Trevor frowned. ¡°What? He could¡¯ve just asked Marshall about it. Why ask us?¡±


    Wenham nced at him. ¡°Do you think all elders are as easygoing as me? As long as Mr. Moore Sr. is


    alive, Marshall can never decide who he wants to marry. Now that they bypassed Marshall and came


    directly to me, I guess they¡¯re really worried about the rtionship between Ste and Marshall.¡±


    He sighed before he continued, ¡°Things would¡¯ve been so much easier if Ste took a stance on


    whether she wants to be with Marshall or not. But she just won¡¯t talk to us about it.


    I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s thinking at all. What am I going to say if they ask me about it? If I say no, but


    Ste is really dating Marshall, the Moore family might think that I¡¯m being arrogant.¡±


    Trevor chuckled before he said in a low voice, ¡°Just y dumb, then. Isn¡¯t that what you do best?¡±


    Wenham red at him. ¡°You brat!¡±


    He became concerned again after saying that. ¡°I¡¯m really worried that Ste is so heartbroken that she


    lost her mind. She was so depressed back then, and now she¡¯s doing these things with Marshall. Do


    you think she¡¯s like the kidnappers now, mixing up Marshall and Keegan?¡±


    Trevor was speechless.


    However, Wenham still attended the meal. As Trevor suggested, he yed dumb throughout the whole


    meeting. When Frederick tried to probe him, he cleverly dodged all the questions.


    It was not until Frederick directly asked Wenham about his thoughts on the marriage between the two


    families that Wenham said, ¡°Mr. Moore Sr., I¡¯ve always let my children make their own decisions when


    ites to marriage.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    After all, they¡¯re the ones who have to live with their partners. It¡¯s best for them to choose someone


    they truly love. If Ste told me that she wanted to be with Marshall, I¡¯d never say no to it. However, she


    hasn¡¯t brought Marshall to meet me yet, so I can¡¯t make any decisions for her.¡±

 Chapter 1685

    Chapter 1685


    Frederick was sitting in a wheelchair. Although he had be very skinny, his eyes still radiated


    authority.


    He stirred his tea, as he said tly, ¡°Parents have always been the ones arranging marriages for their


    children since forever. When did they have the right to make their own decisions? Wenham, you spoil


    the children too much.¡±


    Wenham smiled and said, ¡°Ste is twenty-six this year, and she only returned to our family a few


    months ago. I haven¡¯t raised her at all, so how could I have the right to interfere with her marriage? If


    myte wife knew, she¡¯d probably prefer that Ste never return to us.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather she chose a son-inw I don¡¯t like than to have her hate me because I interfered with her


    decision.¡±


    Frederick¡¯s gaze darkened.


    Clearly, he did not appreciate what Wenham said at all.


    He was too used to controlling everything in the Moore family and being self centered. Especially with


    the Moore family¡¯s political background, he looked down on families like the Saun family and Kane


    family.


    If Marshall had not gone overseas to treat his illness back then and dyed his marriage, Frederick


    would have never allowed him to marry a businessman¡¯s daughter.


    Frederick had always been bothered by the fact that Marshall did not follow the path set by him.


    He did not invite Wenham over because he thought that Ste would be a good wife to Marshall.


    Instead, he just wanted to bring Marshall onto the ¡°right track¡±


    through marriage.


    So, the dinner was supposed to be an excuse for him to solidify an engagement between the two


    families. He did not expect to be rejected at all.


    To Frederick, the Saun family should be grateful that the Moore family was willing to ept a divorced


    woman into their family, but Wenham did not act like that at all!


    ¡°Wenham,¡± Frederick said, as he put down his cup. ¡°Your daughter is divorced.


    It won¡¯t be easy for her to find someone as outstanding as Marshall. She¡¯ll only meet men with lesser to


    offer as she ages.¡±


    Frederick was implying that Wenham should respect the Moore family and say yes to the marriage.


    The smile on Wenham¡¯s face faded a little, as he said, ¡°She can be single if she can¡¯t find someone


    she loves. I have enough money to support her for the rest of her life anyway. Otherwise, when she¡¯s


    as old as Irene, she can also find a younger man to take care of her. I¡¯m not worried at all.¡±


    Suddenly, Frederick¡¯s expression turned extremely unpleasant.


    If it were not for Frederick¡¯s old age, Wenham might have been even less polite.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®How dare this old man have such double standards with me?!¡¯ Wenham thought to himself.


    The conversation ended on a sour note.


    After Wenham got into the car, Darcie asked him about how it went.


    Wenham told her what happened and angrily said, ¡°Does he really think everyone wants to be a part of


    his family? How dare he act so arrogantly when Ste hasn¡¯t even said that she¡¯s dating Marshall? I¡¯ll


    never let my daughter suffer such humiliation in their family even if she can¡¯t find anyone else to marry!¡±


    Darcie handed him a thermos and said, ¡°Calm down. This is just how Mr. Moore Sr. is like. There¡¯s no


    need to get angry with him.¡±


    Wenham took a few sips from the thermos, and he felt better.


    When his expression softened, Darcie said, ¡°Wenham, although what Mr. Moore Sr. said might be


    harsh, there are some things that you have to consider.


    Everyone knows about what¡¯s happening between Ste and Marshall now, but she hasn¡¯t said


    anything to clear things up. Have you considered that she might genuinely have feelings for him? You


    should¡¯ve held yourself back from saying those things. If we really became inws in the future, can


    you imagine how awkward things would be?¡±


    Wenham choked. He did not believe that his daughter would fall in love with another man so soon.


    However, with Keegan gone and Marshall being so proactive, he was starting to worry that Ste really


    did develop feelings for him.


    In fact, Wenham liked Marshall for how modest and thoughtful he was.


    However, the Moore family was a difficult one to deal with. He really did not want his daughter to end


    up there.


    Thinking about it made him feel annoyed again. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this when it really happens. Nothing is


    certain for now. How could I just keep quiet when he said such things about my daughter?¡±

 Chapter 1686

    Chapter 1686


    Darcie whispered, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have gone so far anyway. I just received updates that the Kane family


    has dropped all the search and rescue teams. It won¡¯t be long before they publicly announce his


    death.¡±


    Wenham was taken aback. ¡°So soon?¡± he said.


    ¡°It¡¯s been almost a month. The entire Kane family has been through a lot, and it¡¯s time forthem to have


    closure.


    Wenham felt a pang of sorrow and remained silent for a longtime.


    Ste had waited for Keegan¡¯s return, but she received news of his tragic fate through an


    announcement from the Kane family instead.


    The Kane family had told the public about Keegan¡¯s ident, and his memorial service was scheduled


    for the day after tomorrow.


    Ste stared at the words on her phone and felt a sense of suffocation overwhelming her. It felt as if


    she was being choked, and her head became dizzy and heavy. Every word on the screen seemed as


    though it was spinning, and she could notprehend what the announcement was saying at all.


    A wave of nausea hit her. She rushed to the bathroom, bent over the sink, and dry-heaved.


    Felicity got worried and immediately followed her. She stroked Ste¡¯s back and concernedly asked,


    ¡°Ste, are you okay?¡±


    Ste rinsed her mouth, and she held herself up on the sink with both hands. At the same time, her


    eyes felt sore.This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    She did not say anything. Instead, she took her phone and dialed Cordelia¡¯s number. The call went


    through this time, but it was Baldwin¡¯s voice that she heard.


    ¡°Ms. Hall, how may I help you?¡±


    Baldwin¡¯s tone sounded distant and nonchnt. He had probably seen the recent news and lost the


    sense of familiarity he had for her.


    Ste replied in a hoarse voice, ¡°Baldwin, Keegan isn¡¯t dead. Please tell grandma that the funeral


    cannot be held.¡±


    Baldwin remained silent for a moment and then said in a t tone, ¡°Ms. Hall, this is the Kane family¡¯s


    matter. I¡¯m sure that Mrs. Kane Sr. has her own considerations.¡±


    Ste¡¯s face instantly turned pale.


    She knew that this would happen since the moment she used Marshall to create rumors, but she did


    not care.


    ¡°Baldwin, please beg grandma for me. Ask her to wait for another month. No, just half a month will do.


    We¡¯ll keep looking. The river is not that big, so how can we not find him? I know he¡¯s still alive. Baldwin,


    please¡­¡±


    Ste almost choked up at the end. Compared to Keegan¡¯s disappearance, the fact that everyone


    assumed that Keegan was dead was something that Ste found the most heartbreaking.


    Baldwin sighed and said after a long pause, ¡°Come over the day after tomorrow to say yourst


    goodbye to Mr. Kane. Regardless, I¡¯m sure that he would want you to be happy.¡±


    He ended the call after saying that.


    Ste listened nkly to the beeping tone on the other end, and her heart broke.


    Felicity looked at her ghostly white face and whispered,¡± Ste, let me take you to the hospital.¡± 3


    Ste¡¯s health had deteriorated over the past few days. Her appetite had been extremely poor, and she


    would vomit right after eating. Today was the most severe, and it made Felicity very worried.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s probably because I skipped breakfast,¡± Ste wiped her face and said softly. ¡°Felicity,


    come with me the day after tomorrow.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s corpse was not found, so the memorial service was held at the Kane residence instead of a


    funeral parlor.

 Chapter 1687

    Chapter 1687


    The main living room was transformed into a memorial hall. Dahlia wore a ck dress as she stood


    next to Aurora beside Keegan¡¯s photo. They were weing the guests who came to pay their


    respects to Keegan.


    Cordelia sat in the wheelchair, and Baldwin stood behind her.


    Her expression was solemn, and her hair seemed even whiter than before. Her once chubby face


    turned bony, making her wrinkles more obvious.


    Keegan was the eldest grandson of the Kane family, and he died before he could have any child.


    Despite the grand setup of the memorial hall, there was an indescribable sense of sorrow.


    As soon as Ste stepped inside, she saw Keegan¡¯s photo hanging on the wall.


    The image was cropped from their wedding photo, but it was now in ck and white.


    Dahlia, initially weing the guests, burst into anger as soon as she saw Ste. She approached


    Ste with a cold face and scolded, ¡°Get lost! Keegan doesn¡¯t want you here!¡±


    Cordelia held her cold ne in her hand as she watched everything with a cold and indifferent


    expression. When Ste met her eyes, Cordelia looked nonchnt. This caused Ste¡¯s heart to sink a


    little.


    Wenham and Trevor came with Ste, and their expressions immediately turned ugly. Wenham said,


    ¡°We¡¯re here to pay our respects to Keegan. Mind your words!¡±


    Dahlia despised Ste. Upon hearing Wenham¡¯s words, she sneered, ¡°Keegan hasn¡¯t been gone for a


    month, and she¡¯s already found a new lover! It¡¯s a shame that my dear son will never know what kind of


    person she truly is now that he¡¯s dead. He even made herthe primary heir in his will! How dare she still


    show up here?!¡± Marshall¡¯s face turned cold as he said, ¡°Ms. Crosby, what you say can harm Ste¡¯s


    reputation. Please be careful with your words.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Dahliaughed bitterly, ¡°You shameless people can do anything. Why be afraid of what I say? I¡¯m


    starting to think you two conspired to harm Keegan just to inherit his wealth!¡±


    ¡°Have Keegan given Ste his wealth?¡±


    Everyone there was shocked to hear that.


    ¡°How did he think of making a will at such a young age? I can¡¯t believe he named his ex-wife the


    primary heir instead of his family members.¡±


    ¡°I heard that she was there when he had the ident. She¡¯s perfectly fine here, yet Keegan is now


    dead. She¡¯s even inheriting most of his wealth. She got together with someone else a few days after


    Keegan was gone. It¡¯s terrifying if you think about it.¡±


    ¡°This sounds like a movie plot to me.¡±


    ¡°Damn. I can¡¯t believe she still has the audacity toe here.¡±


    Felicity listened to these baseless assumptions and was about to explode in anger. However, someone


    covered her mouth from behind as she was about to speak.


    She turned around and stomped on the person¡¯s foot.


    Vermont frowned in pain but did not let go. Instead, he whispered in her ear, ¡°Don¡¯t get involved in this.


    It¡¯s not the time for you to stand up for your best friend. Both her father and brother are here, and no


    one can bully her.¡±


    Felicity widened her eyes and red at him. After not seeing her for a few days, Vermont missed her


    like crazy. He wanted to let her go, but upon second thought, he knew he had lost credibility in her eyes


    after what happened. So, he chose to keep on covering her mouth while wrapping his other hand


    around her waist.


    Felicity would have given him a shoulder throw right there and then if they were somewhere else.


    Trevor looked coldly at Dahlia, ¡°Ms. Crosby, instead of fueling the fire and throwing all the me onto


    my sister, you should think about why Keegan named Ste the primary heir and not you. Do you think


    it¡¯s because he thinks an outsider actually deserves more than his own mother?¡±


    His words touched a sore spot in Dahlia, and her expression immediately turned unpleasant.


    Chandler, who had been silent all this while, spoke at this moment, ¡°Keegan is my family member. After


    the divorce, he had already given her what she deserved. As for this secondary will, no one here knows


    under what circumstances it was made and whether he was manipted by someone while making it.


    We¡¯ve hired awyer to look into this matter.


    ¡°If Keegan really made this will, it won¡¯t be valid because he still has blood rted kin who are not


    listed as heirs. We have the right to demand a redistribution of his wealth.¡±


    Ste paused as she lifted her gaze at Chandler. ¡°What did you say?¡± she asked.

 Chapter 1688

    Chapter 1688


    Ste was not worried about the wealth distribution but the blood-rted kin Chandler mentioned.


    Beside Dahlia, who could that person be?¡¯ Chandler smirked, ¡°You¡¯ve been married to Keegan for so


    long. Don¡¯t you know he has a daughter?¡± Ste instinctively denied it, ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡±


    Chandler replied indifferently, ¡°Do I have a reason to lie about such things?¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, Ste saw Auroraing inside with a little girl dressed in a full ck


    outfit.


    The little girl looked somewhat tanned and skinny but hadrge, lively eyes. Her facial features looked


    very prominent, too. Aurora was holding her hand while she looked at the unfamiliar faces around her


    curiously.


    When she saw Ste, her eyes instantly lit up. However, she quickly looked away, took small steps


    through the crowd, and walked to the center of the memorial hall. Then, she called out to Dahlia in an


    adorable voice, ¡°Hello, Grandma.¡±


    Dahlia¡¯s eyes turned red as she bent down to pick the little girl up, ¡°My dear child, I¡¯m so sorry that you


    have to go through this.¡±


    Everyone in the memorial hall watched the shocking scene unfold.


    Nobody could believe that Keegan actually had a daughter. He had hidden her away so well that even


    Vermont was extremely surprised. Felicity even kicked him again, thinking that he worked with Keegan


    to hide this little girl from everyone else.


    Only the members of the Kane family seemed to have known about this. None of them looked


    surprised, including Cordelia.


    Then, Chandler¡¯s voice rang out, ¡°Today is Keegan¡¯s memorial service and also the day his daughter


    officially returns to the Kane family.¡±


    Ste¡¯s mind immediately went nk as she murmured,¡± No¡­ this is impossible¡­¡±


    She rushed over as she spoke and grabbed the little girl¡¯s hand. ¡°Who are you?


    Who exactly are you? Who brought you here?¡± she asked, agitated.


    The little girl was startled and said softly, ¡°Ms. Jewell, it hurts.¡±


    ¡®Ms. Jewell¡­¡¯ Ste¡¯s emotions became even more uncontroble, ¡°How did you know myst name


    used to be Jewell? Who told you that?¡±


    The little girl got more scared as she replied timidly, ¡°Daddy said so. He also said he would bring me to


    see you when the right time came. He told me that you¡¯d like me. Ms. Jewell, do you not like me?¡±


    Ste¡¯s entire body turned chilly as she clutched the little girl¡¯s arm. ¡°You¡¯re lying! Tell me, who are


    you?!¡± she gritted her teeth and asked.


    Dahlia finally reacted as she stepped forward to push Ste away, ¡°How could you hurt a child just


    because of the inheritance? Are you crazy?¡±


    Ste lost her bnce and stumbled after Dahlia pushed her. Fortunately, Marshall, who stood behind


    her, held her back up.


    Trevor¡¯s expression immediately changed after seeing someone assaulting his sister in front of


    everyone. He stepped forward and pushed Dahlia away without holding back at all.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who brought a child here, iming that she¡¯s Keegan¡¯s daughter just for his wealth. It


    sounds like you¡¯re the crazy one here. Keegan has been missing for less than a month, yet you¡¯re in


    such a hurry to organize a funeral.


    To me, it¡¯s pretty obvious who¡¯s the one coveting his wealth!¡±


    He grabbed Ste¡¯s hand and spoke coldly, ¡°Let¡¯s go. From now on, we will have absolutely nothing to


    do with the Kane family!¡±


    A familiar, deep voice came from the door as Trevor was about to pull Ste away.


    ¡°Who¡¯s dead?¡± 5 Ste trembled all over and froze in ce.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1689

    Chapter 1689


    That voice was so familiar that Ste could instantly recognize it. However, she hesitated to turn


    around, fearing she would be disappointed.


    ¡°Keegan Kane!¡± Felicity eximed as she looked at the person who appeared at the door.


    Never before had Felicity found Keegan¡¯s face so endearing.


    Ste felt like she had lost all her strength as she turned around stiffly with reddened eyes.


    Keegan was seated in a wheelchair when he came in with someone pushing him from behind.


    It had been a month, and he had visibly lost weight. His hair was cut short, making his facial features


    look sharper. Hisplexion was extremely pale as if he had been seriously ill.


    Behind him was Jaylene pushing the wheelchair.


    A hostile aura surged within Ste almost instantly. She knew that she was right.


    After Keegan¡¯s disappearance, Jaylene acted strange, and it was not just her imagination. It was true


    that Jaylene had hidden Keegan.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She shook off Marshall¡¯s hand with reddened eyes, overwhelmed with a mix of grievances, anger, and


    longing. She strode toward Keegan. However, when their eyes met, he quickly looked away, turned his


    wheelchair around, and went right past her. 5 Ste was momentarily stunned as she stood there in


    disbelief.


    Keegan could only see his own photo in the memorial upon getting closer to it.


    Then, he chuckled and said, ¡°It seems like all of you havee here for nothing today.¡±


    Then, he looked at Cordelia, who was sitting not far away. His expression softened as he said,


    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m back.¡±


    Cordelia tightened her grip on her cross ne as her vision turned blurry.


    ¡°I¡¯m d. I¡¯m d you¡¯re back,¡± she said hoarsely.


    Aurora could not hold back any longer. She rushed forward and threw herself into Keegan¡¯s arms,


    crying, ¡°Keegan, you made me so scared! What took you so long toe back¡­¡±


    Keegan frowned as his face turned a little paler. Jaylene said softly, ¡°Aurora, be careful. Keegan is still


    not fully recovered.¡±


    Aurora got scared and immediately got off Keegan.


    However, he patted her shoulder and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Dahlia finally came to her senses as she hesitantly said,¡± Keegan¡­¡±


    Keegan turned around and said in a gentle tone, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sorry for worrying you.¡±


    Dahlia was taken aback as though she had misheard him.


    ¡®Is this the same person who refused to acknowledge me as his mother?¡¯ she wondered.


    Keegan looked at her with eyes no longer as cold as before; they were now filled with respect, just like


    many years ago. 2 Dahlia had mixed feelings. Her eyes turned red. After a long pause, she said, ¡°I¡¯m


    d you¡¯re fine.¡±


    Chandler¡¯s expression changed, but heter looked worried and asked, ¡°Keegan, where have you


    been all this while?


    We¡¯ve searched every river in Rivera. What happened to you? If Keegan replied tly, ¡°It¡¯s a long story.


    I¡¯ll tell you some other time.¡±


    After that, he looked at Cordelia again, ¡°Grandma, I brought some friends with me today. They want to


    ask Jackson some questions. Is that okay?¡±


    Everyone was puzzled. They could not figure out why Keegan would want Cordelia¡¯s permission to


    speak with Jackson.


    However, Cordelia showed no expression as she said, ¡°Tell your friends toe in.¡±


    Keegan nodded and raised his hand. Then, the police officers who had been waiting outside came in.


    The one leading them walked up to Jackson and asked with an air of authority, ¡°Are you Jackson


    Kane?¡±


    Jackson was taken aback. He had no idea what was happening at all.


    He subconsciously looked at Chandler. However, Chandler¡¯s face was tense, and he remained silent


    with his head down.

 Chapter 1690

    Chapter 1690


    Hushed conversations filled the air. Some in the room understood what was happening, while others


    did not.


    ¡°Are you Jackson Kane?¡± The police officer pressed.


    Jackson snapped back to reality. He suppressed his emotions and replied, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Do you know a Cody Hunter?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± Jackson stated.


    ¡°No?¡± The police officer scrutinized him, ¡°Cody Hunter was present at the club where you were


    drinking. Why was he at your gathering if you don¡¯t know him?¡±


    Jackson frowned, ¡°I attend gatherings organized by friends. I don¡¯t keep track of who¡¯s present. Who is


    Cody Hunter?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the brother of one of the kidnappers involved in Keegan¡¯s disappearance,¡±


    said the officer.


    He then shifted the focus and added, ¡°Jackson Kane, we suspect you¡¯re connected to Keegan¡¯s


    kidnapping. Pleasee with us to assist in the investigation.¡±


    These words unleashed a storm of emotions in everyone present.


    Chandler had been reorganizing thepany¡¯s structure since Keegan¡¯s ident. Positions once held


    by Keegan¡¯s associates were gradually reassigned. However, the research and development


    department resisted Chandler¡¯s control, supposedly protected by Keegan¡¯s unseen influence.


    The specifics remained undisclosed to the public, yet it was undeniable that Keegan¡¯s protection would


    cease shortly after his death. Chandler¡¯s authority over Vinci Rivera was an inevitable oue.


    Being Chandler¡¯s only son, Jackson inherently became the apparent sessor to Vinci Rivera.


    Throughout this period, he gained widespread poprity within the circle, receiving favorable treatment


    from many.


    With the news of Keegan¡¯s death, alliances turned toward those offering benefits realistically.


    However, no one foresaw his unexpected return during the memorial. Much less that the first thing he


    did was to point his finger at Jackson.


    Whispers began to fill the room, ¡°I knew the case wasn¡¯t that simple.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the kidnapper have a grudge against the young master of the Moore family and mistakenly


    identified Keegan as him?¡±


    ¡°The kidnapper is dead. These motives are just spections duringter investigations. Who knows


    what the real reason for the kidnapping is?¡±


    ¡°If Jackson knows the kidnapper¡¯s brother, that means¡­¡±


    Everyone had the same thoughts.


    Cyrene rushed forward, standing between her son and the police, ¡°Officer, this must be a mistake. How


    does drinking at a club make him a suspect in Keegan¡¯s case? Haven¡¯t the kidnappers been arrested


    already?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll know Jackson¡¯s connection to the incident after the investigation. Please step aside and don¡¯t


    hinder our work,¡± one of the police officers responded as he took Jackson away.


    Cyrene was desperate to protect her son. She pushed away the officer and said emotionally, ¡°Don¡¯t


    touch my son! I¡¯m not letting you take him away until you give us an exnation!¡±


    The police frowned, ¡°Ma¡¯am, we need you to cooperate with us.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    In a state of shock, Jackson subconsciously turned to Chandler, who was notablyposed, and


    moved forward to guide Cyrene back gently.


    ¡°The police have emphasized the need for an investigation. A proper inquiry will prove Jackson¡¯s


    innocence. Trying to obstruct the police might give the appearance that we¡¯re covering for him. Let him


    go. If he¡¯s innocent, there¡¯s nothing to worry about,¡± said Chandler.


    Though Cyrene favored his son, her loyalty was always to her husband. Despite her anger, she


    reluctantlyplied with Chandler¡¯s order.


    Chandler then looked at Jackson and said, ¡°Don¡¯t forget to cooperate fully with the police investigation.¡±


    With a pale face, Jackson nodded and turned away. As he left, his gaze lingered on Keegan, revealing


    a hint of hostility.


    Keegan remained expressionless, coldly watching as the police took Jackson away. *

 Chapter 1691

    Chapter 1691


    Keegan spun his wheelchair around to face the people in the room, ¡°Apologies for taking up everyone¡¯s


    time. We¡¯ve witnessed quite the spectacle today.


    Regardless, I want to thank each of you for supporting my family during my absence. Your support


    means a lot. I wasn¡¯t fully prepared for today¡¯s event.


    However, I n to express my gratitude once I recover.¡±


    His words clearly indicated that the guests were now free to leave. Being a group of wise individuals,


    they offered words offort and began to make their exit.


    At that moment, Chandler spoke up, ¡°Keegan, since we¡¯re all here today, why not take advantage of


    this opportunity to introduce Coco to everyone? This will help prevent any future misunderstandings or


    rumors that might harm the child.¡±


    Chandler¡¯s intentions were far from benevolent.


    Keegan, having brought the police to take Jackson away upon his return, was not one to tolerate this


    humiliation.


    Chandler intended to use Coco to overturn Keegan¡¯s previous will and create a rift between Keegan


    and the Saun family. He aimed for this approach because he recognized the heightened difficulty of


    dealing with Keegan when the Sauns supported him.


    Coco was being very cooperative by calling Keegan ¡°Daddy.¡±


    Keegan hesitated before extending his arms. Coco rushed over and hugged him, saying, ¡°Daddy,


    where did you go? They said you weren¡¯ting back, and I thought you didn¡¯t want me anymore.¡±


    The two of them disyed a close rtionship.


    Ste clenched her fists and stared at Keegan, wanting to teach him a lesson if he admitted that Coco


    was his daughter.


    Keegan ran his fingers through Coco¡¯s hair and asked, ¡°What should you call me?¡±


    Coco stuck her tongue out and replied, ¡°Uncle Keegan.¡±


    Keegan looked at his uncle and said, ¡°Uncle Chandler, it¡¯s surprising that you took the trouble to find


    her. I did intend to adopt Coco; however, I don¡¯t meet the qualifications. So now, I am currently acting


    as her temporary guardian. I am not her father.¡±


    He lifted Coco onto hisp, grabbed her chin, and faced the people, ¡°We don¡¯t even look alike. How did


    this misunderstandinge about?¡±


    Felicity felt that Keegan was doing this to establish to Ste that he did not have a child with another


    woman.


    Chandler didn¡¯t believe it, ¡°I understand you may be refraining from admitting it because of concerns for


    Ste¡¯s reaction, but the child is all grown up now. Plus, it¡¯s not like you betrayed your marriage. I¡¯m


    sure Ste would understand.¡±


    ¡°Ste?¡± Keegan paused and furrowed his brows, looking puzzled. ¡°Are you talking about my ex-wife?


    We¡¯re divorced, and my matters have nothing to do with her. I don¡¯t need her understanding.¡±


    Ste¡¯s expression stiffened as she gazed at Keegan in disbelief.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    He continued, ¡°Nevertheless, Coco isn¡¯t my daughter. She¡¯s an orphan. Her father was a ssmate of


    mine who tragically lost his life in a firefighting ident, and her mother passed away shortly after


    giving birth to her. The elderly person who raised her passed away a couple of years ago. They sought


    my assistance and entrusted Coco to me on their deathbed. Did you not investigate her background


    when you located her, Uncle Chandler?¡±


    ¡°Well, then why would she call you ¡®Dad¡¯?¡± Chandler asked with a cold expression.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    Just as Chandler thought Keegan had no response, Keegan sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s my fault for not


    educating her well. She¡¯s a bit unclear about the concept.


    She tends to call any attractive man ¡®daddy¡¯ when she sees them.¡±


    Following that, he pointed at Vermont and said, ¡°Coco, what do you call him?¡±


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Coco called out in a sweet tone.


    Vermont was taken aback.


    Keegan then randomly pointed to Trevor and asked, ¡°What about him?¡±


    Coco¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Daddy!¡±


    Her reaction rendered Trevor speechless.


    Vermont then decided to say, ¡°Coco, that¡¯s your uncle. You also have another uncle who is a big


    celebrity.¡±

 Chapter 1692

    Chapter 1692


    Felicity immediately elbowed Vermont and shot him a re, ¡°Oh, you and your big mouth!¡±


    ¡°Uncle Chandler, do we need to take a paternity test for you to believe me? We both know that our


    family tree is small. Grandma hopes I can contribute more to the family. Why would I let Coco stay


    outside if she were my daughter?¡± asked Keegan.


    Chandler was at a loss for words.


    Cordelia did not want her family to create any more headlines and be aughingstock. So, she


    spoke up,¡± Chandler, you and Baldwin should arrange to send everyone back.¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Chandler took a deep breath after hearing that. He suppressed his frustrations and agreed to arrange


    transportation for the guests.


    Cordelia turned to Keegan and said, ¡°Keegan,e to my roomter. I have something to discuss with


    you.¡±


    ¡°Sure, Grandma.¡± Keegan nodded.


    Cordelia felt a sense of relief upon the safe return of her eldest grandson.


    Feeling fatigued, she let Corrin help her upstairs to rest.


    Guests who had attended the memorial service began leaving one by one.


    Soon, only the Sauns and a few close friends of Keegan remained.


    Everyone was deeply concerned about what had happened during Keegan¡¯s disappearance. At the


    same time, the Saun family was particrly interested in knowing why Jaylene had appeared with


    Keegan, especially Trevor.


    Ste imed that Jaylene knew Keegan¡¯s whereabouts and insisted on going to the hospital to search


    for him at the time. Despite aiding her in the search, Trevor did not truly believe that Keegan was there.


    Both he and Wenham thought that she was being delusional due to her poor mental state at the time.


    Trevor had merely indulged in Ste¡¯s wishes and willingly apanied her in her madness. He felt


    particrly sorry for Jaylene because of the incident. After he informed Wenham about it, Wenham


    compensated Jaylene by increasing her authority at Caline.


    Little did they know that Ste was not acting crazy at all.


    Trevor¡¯s expression soured, and he gave Jaylene a cold look. She tightened her grip on the wheelchair


    handles, lowering her gaze.


    Vermont could not wait any longer and rushed forward. He patted Keegan on the shoulder and said, ¡°I


    knew you wouldn¡¯t have died so easily!¡±


    Keegan groaned in pain.


    Jaylene, visibly anxious, pushed away Vermont¡¯s hand, ¡°He has not fully recovered yet. Be gentle!¡±


    She tugged at Keegan¡¯s coat and asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Her reaction left Vermont taken aback.


    Surprisingly, Keegan did not reject Jaylene¡¯s touch. He nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Vermont suppressed his confusion and cleared his throat before saying, ¡°Sorry. I got a bit too excited


    seeing you alive and well.¡± He then turned to Ste and continued, ¡°Come over, Ste! After a month of


    searching, the person you¡¯ve been looking for is right here!¡±


    Keegan looked toward Ste in the direction Vermont was yelling at and locked eyes with her.


    One had bloodshot eyes, while the other had a calm, collected gaze.


    Ste had only taken a few steps forward when Marshall grabbed her wrist. She paused, turning to look


    at him. His expression wasplex. He returned the gloves she had dropped earlier and released her,


    whispering, ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Ste turned around and walked toward Keegan.


    She had so much to ask him and to share with him.


    However, before she could speak, Keegan asked with a distant tone, ¡°Are you my ex-wife, or are you


    Marshall¡¯s girlfriend?¡±

 Chapter 1693

    Chapter 1693


    Everyone fell silent when they heard Keegan¡¯s words.


    Ste wore a look of utter disbelief, ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    Keegan maintained his indifference, ¡°When I arrived, I saw news of you kissing Marshall in the concert


    hall. Did you divorce me because you got involved with him?¡±


    Trevor¡¯s face turned cold, ¡°Keegan, are you out of your mind? It¡¯s fine if others don¡¯t get it, but you


    should know what kind of person Ste is. What nonsense are you spouting?¡±


    Ste¡¯s expression turned unpleasant. She thought Keegan was jealous due to those rumors. However,


    he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t remember much. I was just making wild guesses without any offense


    intended.¡±


    After a pause, he continued, ¡°Trevor, are you close with my ex-wife? You seem to know her quite well.¡±


    2 Trevor was dumbfounded, ¡°She¡¯s my sister. What¡¯s wrong with you? Are you out of your mind?¡±


    ¡°Sister?¡± Keegan was puzzled. ¡°Isn¡¯t your sister Jaylene?¡±


    It was then that the group noticed that something was wrong with Keegan.


    His appearance, tone, and behavior were consistent with the past, but how he looked at Ste differed.


    His gazecked the previous tenderness and warmth he reserved only for his beloved. Instead, it


    carried a cold detachment and unfamiliarity he had for other people. ¡¯ ¡°Keegan,¡± Ste watched him


    closely with teary eyes as she noticed every subtle expression on his face. ¡°What happened to you?


    What are you saying? Don¡¯t you remember apanying me to the banquet where they announced


    my return to the Saun family?¡±


    Keegan furrowed his brows. ¡°Banquet?¡± He tried hard to recall, but his head started to hurt, turning his


    face pale.


    Jaylene hurriedly helped him press a certain acupoint on his head and anxiously said, ¡°Keegan, stop


    thinking about it. Have you forgotten what the doctor said?¡±


    1 She turned to Ste and said, ¡°Ste, don¡¯t force Keegan to remember. He suffered a head injury,


    and the doctor said it might have affected his brain, causing memory loss. There are many things he


    can¡¯t remember¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Ste yelled in anger and grabbed Jaylene by the cor. Her eyes were red, and her voice


    was hoarse, ¡°What have you done to him? Why did you lock him up and keep him away from us? What


    happened to him? Tell me!¡±


    Suddenly, someone grabbed her wrist.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re hurting her.¡± 3 Ste froze. She looked at Keegan in disbelief and asked,¡± What did you say?¡±


    Keegan would have never said such a thing to her back then. He would have supported her actions.


    But now, he wore a cold expression. He looked at Ste and calmly stated, ¡°I said you¡¯re hurting her.


    Jaylene didn¡¯t lock me up; I told her not to tell anyone that she found me. I was in critical condition at


    the time. Other than that, I wanted to find out who was behind my kidnapping.¡±


    After a pause, he continued, ¡°You seem very concerned about me. But where were you during my


    disappearance?¡± Keegan chuckled slightly, a hint of mockery on his face. ¡± Attending a concert with


    someone?¡±


    Ste turned pale as she clenched her fingers.

 Chapter 1694

    Chapter 1694


    ¡°Keegan, if you¡¯ve got a bone to pick, justy it out straight. There¡¯s no need for these cryptic jabs. If


    you¡¯re wondering where Ste was when you went missing, I can fill you in,¡± Marshall¡¯s voice cut


    through the tension.


    ¡°You got shoved into the river, and she jumped right in after you without hesitation. You were missing,


    and she wasn¡¯t doing any better either. She had a high fever for three consecutive days and was


    covered in frostbite!


    ¡°You were nowhere to be found, and she did not know what to do. She even turned to divine


    intervention, scaling a steep mountain just to carve your name on a stone, believing it would bring you


    back safely!¡± Marshall continued.


    ¡°Enough¡­¡± Ste¡¯s voice wavered as she spoke softly.


    Marshall¡¯s expression stayed stern, but his tone grew more emotional, ¡°The path to the summit is only


    about 12 inches wide. One wrong step, and she could¡¯ve died! You refused toe out of hiding for


    the sake of luring out the person behind your kidnapping. And now you¡¯re asking where she was during


    your disappearance? You should be grateful she¡¯s alive! How dare you me her?!¡±


    Seeing things unfold, Dahlia realized that Keegan genuinely did not remember Ste. Not just that, but


    he probably did not recall many other things, like when he kicked her out of the Kane residence and


    when she drugged Ste, causing her infertility.


    As soon as Marshall finished speaking, Dahlia spoke up,¡± Well, aren¡¯t you Mr.


    Know-It-All? I¡¯ve never heard nor seen anything you said. All I know is that she was eager to get


    involved with you after Keegan went missing. You two went parachuting and skiing and even attended


    a concert together. Why would she do that with another man if she truly cared about Keegan?¡±


    ¡°Shut your filthy mouth, Dahlia!¡± Trevor sternly interjected.¡± You tried to reduce the manpower in the


    search and rescue team two weeks after Keegan¡¯s ident. If we hadn¡¯t continued sending more


    people out there to look for him, I¡¯m sure you would¡¯ve arranged his funeral by now.¡±


    Wenham¡¯s demeanor became serious. This was the first time he did not step in as Trevor challenged


    an elder. It was clear that Dahlia had pushed him to his limits.


    Dahlia¡¯s expression changed when she heard that. Fearing that Keegan would hold a grudge against


    her, she hastily said, ¡°The rescue team suggested reducing manpower, emphasizing that the optimal


    rescue time had passed.


    They said that he would likely be dead even if we found him. I was simply following their advice. Do any


    of you know the pain I felt from having to think about my own son¡¯s funeral?¡±


    Tears welled in her eyes as she said, ¡°I would never give up on you, Keegan. I was losing sleep


    thinking about you. I thank God for hearing my prayers. Thank goodness you¡¯re safe. Otherwise, how


    would Aurora and I go on without you.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Felicity could not hold herself back. She bit the hand that was covering her mouth


    and said, ¡°Stop with the nonsense, you crazy old hag!


    How dare you try to shift the me onto others! You were in a rush to dere Keegan dead and im


    his inheritance two weeks into his disappearance. If Keegan hadn¡¯t written Ste down as his primary


    heir, he would havee back to nothing! How dare -Mm-¡°


    Before she could finish her words, Vermont covered her mouth again.


    Dahlia looked suspicious and angrily scolded, ¡°You despicable woman! You¡¯re the one who¡¯s spouting


    nonsense! n ¡°Fu- Off- You- Mm-¡°


    Vermont smiled apologetically and said, ¡°She¡¯s had a bit too much to drink. All of you may continue.¡±


    Felicity squirmed in his arms and almost slipped. That was when he decided to lift her and carry her out


    of the room.


    Keegan remained unfazed, seemingly unbothered by Felicity¡¯s disrespectful words toward Dahlia.


    Having detached herself from her perplexing emotions a while ago, Ste gazed at the man before her.


    He looked the same, yet his attitude was not. ¡°Keegan, I need to speak with you privately,¡± she said in


    a serious voice.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.

 Chapter 1695

    Chapter 1695


    Before Keegan could speak, Jaylene interjected, ¡°Ste, the doctor advised Keegan to rest more. He¡¯s


    already had a tiring day. If you have something to discuss, maybe you can wait until he¡¯s feeling-¡°


    Ste coldly cut her off, ¡°Can you shut up? I was talking to Keegan, not you.¡±


    As she finished, Keegan spoke sternly, ¡°Why are you constantly telling people to shut up? Don¡¯t you


    understand basic manners, Ste?¡±


    Ste could not believe that Keegan was standing up for Jaylene, ¡°She knew everyone was looking for


    you, knew where you were, yet pretended to act all innocent and pitiable! The fact that I haven¡¯tid a


    hand on her yet is my best disy of courtesy!¡±


    Keegan¡¯s gaze turned stern, ¡°I went into hiding of my own free will. Who do you think you are to


    interrogate her?¡±


    Those words were much more lethal than those defending Jaylene earlier. They stabbed through


    Ste¡¯s heart like a sharp knife. She turned pale immediately.


    ¡°Who do I think I am?¡± Ste bit her lips and lifted her right hand, revealing the diamond ring on her ring


    finger, ¡°I am your fiancee!¡±


    Keegan was momentarily stunned. He furrowed his brows and examined her.


    Dahlia, fearing that Keegan and Ste being together would remind him of past events and result in her


    eviction from the Kane residence, quickly said, ¡°What a joke. I am his mother; I would know if you were


    his fiancee.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know that your son can¡¯t swim. I find it reasonable that you don¡¯t know this. Keegan


    kicked you out of the Kane family; there¡¯s no need for him to inform you about his engagement,¡± said


    Trevor.


    Dahlia was taken aback. Annoyed, she said, ¡°None of this would have happened if it weren¡¯t for Ste


    stirring up trouble!¡±


    ¡°Stirring up trouble?¡± Ste looked at Dahlia with a cold gaze and continued, ¡°Ms. Crosby, your memory


    seems to be failing. Do you need me to remind you how Keegan disowned you?¡±


    Ste did not want to deal with Dahlia right now, but her constant yapping was bing unbearable.


    Ste had kept the information about Dahlia drugging her, causing her infertility, from Wenham and


    Trevor. If this matter came to light, even Wenham, who was open-minded, might find it difficult to


    ept her being with Keegan again.


    Ste naturally harbored resentment toward Dahlia. But as Olivia had said, if she wanted to be with


    Keegan, she could not be too extreme in her actions.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    So, when Keegan removed Dahlia from the Kane family and cut off most of her financial resources,


    Ste decided to forget about that chapter in her life.


    As long as Dahlia did not provoke her, she would not bring up the matter again.


    Unfortunately, Dahlia was getting on her nerves. Since she wanted to take advantage of Keegan¡¯s


    current confusion to cause problems, Ste did not mind giving her a piece of her mind.


    As expected, Dahlia¡¯splexion paled. She clearly feared the consequences that would follow once


    Wenham and Trevor learned about Ste¡¯s infertility. She knew they would not be lenient with her.


    ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t heard anything about the engagement,¡± she said.


    The unreadable expression on Keegan¡¯s face made Dahlia feel a bit uneasy.


    Her son had never been easy to fool. Even with his memory loss, he could sense that something was


    off. Dahlia immediately regretted her choice of words.


    Fortunately, Ste did not continue the conversation. She shifted her gaze back to Keegan and said,


    ¡°Keegan, I want to talk to you privately.¡±


    Keegan sized her up for a long time before finally speaking,¡± Let¡¯s go to the study.¡±


    Just as Jaylene was about to follow them, Marshall stopped her, ¡°Ms. Saun, I think it¡¯s best that you


    don¡¯t get involved in their business.¡±


    Jaylene balled her fists and said, ¡°I¡¯m worried that Ste might say something that would upset


    Keegan. His health is still very fragile.¡±


    Marshall remained unfriendly, ¡°Ste jumped into the river in midwinter to save Keegan. Do you really


    think she would harm him?¡±

 Chapter 1696

    Chapter 1696


    Jaylene¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± she said.


    ¡°Then just y the role of a bystander. Don¡¯t get involved in their affairs,¡±


    Marshall replied.


    Jaylene¡¯splexion did not look good. She walked over to her brother and called out, Trevor.¡±


    Trevor looked at her coldly, ¡°And you imed you didn¡¯t know where he was.


    Hah.¡±


    Jaylene turned pale, ¡°Trevor, I had no choice at the time. I wanted to say something, but Keegan¡¯s


    condition was so bad.I-¡± i ¡°Enough!¡± Darcie interrupted her. ¡°Save it for when we get back.¡±


    Wenham¡¯s expression was already grim. Even if Jaylene¡¯s intentions were unclear to him before, they


    were now unmistakable, i Darcie had to stop her from continuing to avoid an embarrassing situation,


    especially since they were at Cordelia¡¯s residence.


    Jaylene closed her mouth immediately. She bit her lips and stood beside Darcie with red eyes.


    Ste walked behind Keegan, intending to help him with the wheelchair.


    However, just as she touched the handles, he said, ¡°I can manage.¡±


    Ste hesitated momentarily but ignored his wishes and pushed the wheelchair forward, ¡°You used to


    say that the first thing a person should do is fulfill their duties. Your duty now is to be a paraplegic.


    Don¡¯t act strong in situations like these.¡±


    Keegan was shocked to hear that, ¡°What do you mean, paraplegic? You¡¯re being really harsh.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Ste said indifferently. ¡°You like it when I speak harshly; that¡¯s why you got together with


    me.


    Although, I find what I said kinda romantic.¡±


    Keegan did not know what to say.


    Ste skillfully pushed him into the study. Then she turned around and headed for the door.


    Keegan was puzzled, ¡°Aren¡¯t you here to talk? Where are you going?¡±


    Ste did not speak. After locking the study, she walked back to Keegan.


    ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡±


    Ste remained silent. She went up to Keegan, leaning over using the armrests on both sides of the


    wheelchair to push herself up. After that, she backed the wheelchair against the desk.


    Keegan found himself trapped between the wheelchairand Ste. They were in extremely close


    proximity; he could even smell the faint scent of her shampoo.


    Instinctively, he leaned back and opened his mouth to speak, but Ste suddenly reached out and lifted


    his shirt.


    Keegan was stunned. The next moment, he protested, ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Ste decisively pushed open his legs and pressed her knee in between his thighs. She ced one of


    her hands on his shoulder while unbuttoning his shirt with the other.


    Keegan was astonished by this bold move. His pale face instantly turned bright red-out of anger.


    Ste¡¯s movements were skillful. Keegan wanted to close his legs, but she would seamlessly nestle


    between them. At the same time, leaving them open rendered him powerless, allowing her to take


    control. 2 Flustered, he said, ¡°Let go! How could you strip someone the moment you see them?! Is this


    how Uncle Wenham taught you?


    ¡°I¡¯m calling for help!¡± He yelled.


    ¡°Do you think I wouldn¡¯t dare toy a hand on a woman?¡±

 Chapter 1697

    Chapter 1697


    However, Stepletely ignored what Keegan said.


    In just a few seconds, she unbuttoned his shirt. While gripping the cors on both sides, she


    disregarded Keegan¡¯s resistance and stripped his shirt off his shoulder. Then, she saw the various


    large and small scars covering his body.


    Keegan¡¯s body, especially his back, hardly had any smooth skin left.


    Some of the scars had partially healed, leaving only faint red or brown marks on his body. Meanwhile,


    the ones that had not healed still had stitches on them.


    The longest one extended from the back of his neck to the side of his waist.


    There were still traces of chilins on it, which made it look gruesome.


    Ste¡¯s heart dropped, as she took a deep breath.


    She reached out with her trembling hands to touch his scar- covered back, and her mind was filled with


    the images of Keegan covered in blood that night.


    Sadness and fear surged through her. She then felt a lump in her throat, finding it hard to utter a word.


    Keegan¡¯s body turned stiff, feeling both embarrassed and angry. He shoved her away with a pale face,


    as he said while suppressing his anger, ¡°Do you have no shame-¡°


    Before he could finish speaking, he was met with Ste¡¯s tearful eyes.


    Her tears streamed down her face, and she sobbed uncontrobly. ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    Her voice sounded extremely hoarse, but Keegan could hear every word she said clearly.


    He immediately gave up the idea of scolding her, as he put his shirt back on awkwardly. ¡°They¡¯ve all


    healed. Why would it hurt?¡±


    He thought for a moment and added, ¡°Jaylene said that we were kidnapped together. Although I don¡¯t


    remember anything about it, there¡¯s no need for you to feel guilty.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not guilty! I¡¯m feeling bad for you!¡± Ste got angry when she heard Jaylene¡¯s name and stopped


    crying. ¡°Keegan Kane, why did you let go of me when we were in the water? Did you lie to me when


    you said we would be together in life and death?¡±


    Keegan was taken aback. ¡°I don¡¯t remember anything about what you just said.


    Jaylene told me that we were divorced¡­¡±


    Ste gritted her teeth. ¡°Jaylene, Jaylene. Will you stop talking about her? I¡¯ll go out there and chop her


    into a million pieces if I hear her name from you again!¡±


    Keegan kept quiet for a while before he said in a confused tone, ¡°Why did I marry someone with such a


    bad temper like you?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re a masochist that enjoys it!¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡°Can you stand up?¡± Ste asked.


    ¡°No. Have you ever seen a paralyzed person that can stand up?¡±


    Ste was taken aback by his response, as she thought inwardly, ¡®Finally, he¡¯s starting to sound like the


    old him.¡¯ Ste did not speak. Instead, she crouched down and lifted his trousers from the bottom.


    Keegan¡¯s eyelid twitched, and he held himself back from kicking her away.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± he gritted his teeth and spoke.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you paralyzed? I want to see how your legs have atrophied.¡±


    Keegan choked and said after a long pause, ¡°I¡¯m not paralyzed! I just don¡¯t have the strength to walk


    after lying in bed for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Well, let me see you stand up then.¡±


    Keegan glowered at her. ¡°Don¡¯t you think your request is a little unreasonable?¡±


    Without saying a word, Ste continued to lift his trousers. Keegan got nervous and swatted her hand


    away. ¡°I¡¯ll stand up now, okay?¡± he said with his teeth clenched.

 Chapter 1698

    Chapter 1698


    Ste only let go after hearing Keegan¡¯s words.


    The expression on Keegan¡¯s face looked unpleasant.


    Perhaps in his entire life, no one had ever made him both angry and helpless like this.


    He supported himself on the armrest and slowly stood up from the wheelchair.


    Although his steps seemed a little unsteady, he did not appear to be injured.


    Keegan turned around and red at her. ¡°Are you happy now?¡±


    Ste kept quiet. Suddenly, she bent down and forcefully pulled down his pants, directly exposing him


    down to his calves.


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    Keegan was shocked!


    His face darkened with anger, as he pushed her away. He pulled his pants back up in a clumsy manner


    and muttered,¡± What a shameless and indecent woman!¡±


    Ste fell on her butt but felt a slight relief inside. Keegan did not lie to her.


    Indeed, there were no major wounds on his legs. It was true that he just could not walk because his


    muscles felt weak after lying down for a long time.


    Keegan was still very weak, and he was startled by Ste¡¯s inappropriate actions. He struggled for


    some time but still could not pull his pants back up.


    Ste stood up, walked over, and helped him with it. Keegan got even angrier, as he said with a gloomy


    face, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡±


    Ste replied, ¡°If you push me away again, I¡¯ll strip your pants off entirely, open the door, and show


    everyone what you look like right now.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    In the end, his self-esteem as a CEO prevailed. He just could not bear to let others see him in his


    current state. It left him with no choice but topromise.


    ¡°You¡¯re ady. How could you just undress a man as you wish? Don¡¯t you have any sense of shame?¡±


    Ste pulled his pants up and even considerately smoothed out the wrinkles on his clothes. She then


    lifted her head, looked into Keegan¡¯s eyes, and said, ¡°We were married once. It Keegan could not


    understand what she was trying to say.


    ¡®What does that have to do with anything?¡¯ Ste added, ¡°We had sex too.¡±


    Keegan was shocked!


    ¡°I even know where the birthmark is on your butt. If I had too much shame, you¡¯d still be a virgin after


    three years of marriage.¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    He felt both embarrassed and annoyed. There was a hint of redness on his pale face, making him


    appear a little angry.


    Ste¡¯s heart immediately softened. She then wrapped her arms around Keegan¡¯s waist and rested her


    head on his shoulder.


    However, Keegan was not having it at all, as he struggled and said, ¡°I don¡¯t care who we were to each


    other in the past. I don¡¯t remember anything now, and I have no feelings for you. Please behave


    yourself.¡±


    Ste did not let go. Instead, she closed her eyes and enjoyed Keegan¡¯s warmth in her embrace. ¡°I


    don¡¯t believe you at all. Keegan Kane, you can fool everyone else, but not me. How can you not


    remember me? I¡¯m someone you were willing to sacrifice your life for! How could you ever forget me?¡±


    she said in a hoarse voice.


    With a tense face, Keegan forcefully shoved her away.


    However, his action tugged at the wound in his abdomen, and the bandage was instantly stained with


    blood.


    Ste was shocked. She was about to check on him, but Keegan said in a stern voice, ¡°Don¡¯te any


    closer! Don¡¯t touch me!¡±


    Ste paused. Keegan then supported himself back in the wheelchair and looked at her as if she was


    just a stranger.¡± Ms. Hall, I¡¯ll say this again. I don¡¯t remember you or anything that happened between


    us. Perhaps you¡¯re very happy to see that I¡¯m alive after what happened to me, but I don¡¯t feel the


    same way. To me, you¡¯re just aplete stranger. Even if I had promised you something back then, I


    can¡¯t fulfill it anymore given the current situation. Do you understand?¡± i Ste stared nkly at him, as


    she tried her hardest to discern a different expression on Keegan¡¯s face. However, she just could not


    understand what he was truly feeling when he said those words.


    Her heart sank a little, as she asked, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips and said nonchntly, ¡°I want to break off our engagement.¡±

 Chapter 1699

    Chapter 1699


    ¡°What did you say?¡¯ For a moment, Ste thought that she had misheard Keegan¡¯s words.


    Keegan looked at her emotionlessly. ¡°I said, I want to break off the engagement.


    I don¡¯t remember anything about our past, and I have no feelings for you now.¡±


    Ste¡¯s breath hitched, and her firm belief that Keegan was pretending to have lost his memory began


    to waver.


    ¡°What did Jaylene feed you? Or, is she using something to threaten you? What kind of nonsense are


    you talking about?


    Keegan Kane, this isn¡¯t an idol drama. Stop fooling around!¡± i Keegan¡¯s face remained expressionless,


    despite what Ste said.


    ¡°If I remember our rtionship, why would I not want to marry you? Honestly, I can¡¯t remember who


    you are.¡±


    The calmer he appeared, the more anxious Ste got.


    ¡°You remember Vermont, my brother, and everyone else, yet I¡¯m the only person that you don¡¯t


    remember? Do you think I¡¯ll believe you? Are you mad at me because you saw the rumors online? Is


    that why you¡¯re pretending not to remember me? Who are you trying to scare?¡± Ste was on the verge


    of tears, and she could barely speak properly.¡± They all said that you were dead, but I don¡¯t believe it. I


    knew you must be alive, but I don¡¯t know why you just wouldn¡¯t show up. I got together with Mr. Moore,


    no, we didn¡¯t get together¡­ I mean, I intentionally let the media catch us together so that you¡¯ll see it


    and get worried. You always hated me getting close to him, right? I figured that you¡¯d surely show up


    when you saw the news, and look, you really did¡­¡± ¡¯ Keegan looked at her indifferently and said


    without holding back, ¡°I didn¡¯te back because I read the news. Jaylene told me about the funeral,


    so I thought it was finally time for me to show up. You and Marshall¡­ No, you and anyone else, it¡¯s all


    the same to me. Even if we were deeply in love, to me now, you¡¯re just a stranger. I don¡¯t reciprocate


    your feelings at all.¡±


    Ste¡¯s expression turned extremely unpleasant. She fought back the pain in her heart and said in a


    hoarse voice, ¡°But, I remember everything. How can you break off the engagement just because you


    don¡¯t? I don¡¯t agree with this! It¡¯s okay if you can¡¯t remember anything now. We have a lot of time, and


    I¡¯ll help you retrieve your memories bit by bit. You¡¯ll eventually remember me.¡±


    Keegan kept quiet for some time before he said in a low voice, ¡°The doctor said that the probability of


    me recovering my memories is very low. In other words, I may never remember anything from before.¡±


    1 Ste¡¯s body stiffened, and it took her some time before she replied, ¡°Let¡¯s consult more doctors,


    then. I¡¯m sure that we can work something out with how advanced the technology is now.¡±


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan said, ¡°That¡¯s a story for another time. Now, I just want to break off the engagement with you. I


    don¡¯t remember anything about us, but you remember everything very clearly. This unequal rtionship


    makes me ufortable, and I don¡¯t want to live with this guilty feeling.¡±


    Ste could not bear it anymore. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to feel guilty. I just want you to be cured. If you can¡¯t


    remember anything, we¡¯ll just find a way to jog your memory. Why are you so desperate to push me


    away? Did you lose your memory or your mind? How can an engagement hinder you in any way?¡±


    ¡°But, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Ste shouted with reddened eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear you speak!


    Your brain isn¡¯t working well, and you should just keep your mouth shut. Stop saying things to anger


    me!¡±


    Keegan remained silent.


    Then, he said, ¡°You were the one who wanted to speak to me privately.¡±


    ¡°Just shut up already!¡±


    Keegan stopped talking for a while before he asked, ¡°When are we going to break off the


    engagement?¡±


    Ste¡¯s anger surged again. ¡°Are you sure you want to do that?¡±


    Keegan nodded.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Ste chuckled, even though her heart was breaking.¡± We¡¯ll break off the engagement once


    your body fully recovers.¡±


    Keegan was about to breathe a sigh of relief when he heard Ste saying, ¡°But, you can¡¯t refuse to see


    me before your body recovers.¡±


    Keegan frowned. ¡°We¡¯re going to break up eventually. Is there still a reason for us to meet?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Ste continued in a hoarse voice, as her eyes reddened, ¡°Every scar on your body is a


    testament to your love for me when you protected me. I won¡¯t be able to rest easy until I see for myself


    that you¡¯repletely fine!¡±


    Keegan gulped, and it took him some time to say, ¡°Okay, then. I¡¯ll promise you that.¡±


    After a brief pause, he asked, ¡°Any other requests?¡± i

 Chapter 1700

    Chapter 1700


    With reddened eyes, Ste shook her head.


    Then, Keegan turned his wheelchair around and headed toward the door.


    Ste followed him from behind. When he opened the door, she said, ¡°I¡¯m d that you¡¯re alive.¡±


    Keegan paused for a moment, then twisted the doorknob and went out.


    When they went to the living room, everyone shifted their attention to them.


    Jaylene wanted to go and help Keegan, but Darcie grabbed her sleeve, indicating for her to stop.


    Marshall walked upto Ste and asked softly, ¡°Did you guys talk?¡±


    Ste nodded with a weary expression before turning to her father and brother.


    Then, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    The fact that Ste was not going to stay and take care of Keegan showed that their conversation did


    not end well.


    Although Wenham was not very happy with the fact that Keegan and Jaylene came back together, he


    was still very worried about Keegan¡¯s health. After exchanging a few words with Keegan, he then left


    with his family.


    In the yard, Felicity was having a y fight with Vermont.


    Vermont only defended himself and did not fight back.


    Felicity was exhausted and covered in sweat. She could notnd a punch on Vermont and that made


    her even angrier.


    At that time, Felicity saw Steing out with her family.¡± Ste!¡± she called out to her. And, when


    Vermont turned around instinctively, Felicity took the opportunity to stomp on his foot.


    Vermont immediately jumped in pain, hopping on one foot.


    Felicity then ran to Ste and asked concernedly, ¡°Ste, is Keegan okay? Have you two reconciled?¡±


    Before Ste could say anything, Aurora suddenly ran out and called, ¡°Jaylene, my brother asked you


    toe inside. He has something to tell you.¡±


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    Ste clenched her fists without saying anything.


    Felicity was confused. ¡°Aurora Kane, did you call the wrong person?¡±


    Aurora ignored her and said to Jaylene, ¡°My brother needs to change the bandages on his wounds,


    and he wants your help. He¡¯ll have the driver take you backter.¡±


    What Aurora said shocked Felicity.


    ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ she thought to herself.


    However, Ste remained silent with a stern face.


    Jaylene responded with a nod. Then, she turned to look at her family, as she awkwardly said, ¡°I¡¯ve


    been the one changing the dressings of Keegan¡¯s wounds for him during these times. It¡¯s a


    complicated process. Mom, dad, I¡¯ll go help him.¡±


    Wenham did not say anything, and Darcie waved her hand.¡± Go ahead.¡±


    After Jaylene had walked away, Ste said, ¡°Dad, I want to stay at Clouditude Valley tonight. You guys


    should go home now.¡±


    Wenham felt somewhat relieved after seeing the calm look on her face. ¡°Sure.


    Have Trevor take you there.¡±


    Ste shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll just follow Felicity¡¯s car. Trevor needs some rest too.


    He¡¯s been following me everywhere, and he hardly got any sleep. No matter what, Keegan is back now


    and that¡¯s the most important thing. We can figure out the restter. You guys should rest.¡±


    Wenham felt a lot better after seeing how sensible his daughter was. After exchanging a few words


    with her, he left.


    Once they were gone, Felicity immediately asked, ¡°Ste, what¡¯s going on with Keegan? Why did he


    ask that pretentious witch to take care of him?!¡±

 Chapter 1701

    Chapter 1701


    Chapter 1701


    Ste softly said, ¡°He doesn¡¯t remember me.¡± ¡°Huh? Is he serious? Even the scripts I write aren¡¯t this


    cliche. This can¡¯t be true.¡±


    Felicity was in disbelief.


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    Ste did not want to believe it either. However, Keegan did not look like he was pretending at all back


    in the study. Even if it was a part of Jaylene¡¯s scheme and he had no choice but to y along, he could


    have given her some hint when they were alone in the study earlier.


    But, he did not. Keegan seemed like he genuinely could not remember her, showing only indifference


    and coldness toward her.


    It was true that Keegan was back, but it was not the same Keegan she was expecting.


    Keegan¡¯s return added anotheryer of suspicion to the already unclear situation. She needed time to


    calmly think about it and sort things out.


    ¡°He¡¯d know that I hate Jaylene if he remembers me. Why would he still call her over in my face?¡±


    Felicity paused, as she thought to herself. ¡®It¡¯s true. Given how madly in love he was with Ste, he


    would never do something like that.¡¯


    ¡°Come on,¡± Ste said softly. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it when we¡¯re home.¡±


    So, Felicity had no choice but to stop asking her more questions.


    Vermont was very eager to prove himself to Felicity after lying to her back then, so he took the initiative


    and offered,¡± I¡¯ll take you guys back.¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All


    Books Updates¡­


    Felicity wanted to tell him to keep his fake kindness to himself, but on second thought, she realized that


    Vermont and Keegan were as close as brothers.


    If Keegan was really pretending, Felicity figured that Vermont would have definitely known something


    about it. So, she changed her mind and said, ¡°Well just take a cab ourselves. You should stay here and


    take care of Keegan. Aren¡¯t you good friends with him? Spend some time with him.¡± After a short


    pause, she continued, ¡°I¡¯m cooking tonight. Come to 901 if you cane back in time. If you can¡¯t,


    forget it.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s disappointed eyes, which thought he was getting rejected, immediately lit up. ¡°Do you want


    me to buy some ingredients?¡±


    Felicity scoffed. ¡°I¡¯d rather not. You always prioritize price over freshness when ites to buying


    ingredients. You¡¯re only going to make my food taste worse.¡±


    Vermont scratched his head in embarrassment, as he quickly tried to tter her. ¡°Won¡¯t that only show


    how your cooking skills canpensate for theck of freshness in the ingredients?¡±


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense! Go on, now. If youe backte, there won¡¯t be any food left for you!¡±


    Vermont chuckled and said in a low voice, ¡°You won¡¯t do that to me.¡±


    Felicity then kicked him away.


    Ste ordered a cab. When it was about to arrive, she touched her pocket and realized that her gloves


    were missing.


    She had probably left it in the study when she spoke to Keegan earlier.


    She turned to Felicity and said, ¡°Felicity, ask the driver to wait for a moment when the car is here. I left


    my gloves back there. I¡¯ll go get them.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Felicity nodded.


    Ste wrapped her coat tightly around her and quickly turned back.


    When Vermont went back to the house, there was only Marshall sitting on the couch. The decorations


    from the memorial service had been taken down, and there were only two wreaths that had not been


    removed. They had the words ¡°In Our Thoughts and Prayers¡± on them.


    Vermont did not like seeing them, so he tore them off. He then walked up to Marshall and asked,


    ¡°Where¡¯s Keegan?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s getting his dressing changed,¡± Marshall replied.

 Chapter 1702

    Chapter 1702


    Chapter 1702


    Vermont was surprised. ¡°Did he really get Jaylene to help him?¡±


    Marshall kept quiet, but the look on his face told Vermont the answer.


    Vermont did not believe that Keegan had lost his memories as well. Much like Ste, he believed that


    Keegan had probably read the rumors online about Ste and Marshall and got angry. Vermont figured


    that it was probably the reason why Keegan pretended to have lost his memories and that it allowed


    him to vent his anger.


    He turned to Marshall and thought that he should address the issue at its roots.


    He said, ¡°Marshall, I won¡¯t dwell on what happened before. When everyone thought that Keegan was


    gone, it was understandable that you couldn¡¯t control your emotions. But, now that he¡¯s back, you


    should really start restraining yourself. We¡¯re such good friends. It won¡¯t be worth it to ruin what we


    have because of a woman.¡±


    Marshall looked nonchnt, as he gazed at the steaming teacup in front of him for a long time before


    he said, ¡°I won¡¯t make any move unless there¡¯s absolutely no chance of them getting back together.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have feelings for Ste whether they¡¯re together or not. Even if they break up, and you


    get together


    with Ste, won¡¯t you find it awkward to face Keegan in the future?¡±


    Vermont gave Marshall his earnest advice. He really did not want their years of friendship to end


    because the two of them fell for the same woman.


    ¡°If you¡¯re into gorgeous women like Ste, I¡¯ll find one for you. With what you have to offer, there are


    many other women more beautiful and outstanding than Ste waiting for you. You won¡¯t be so


    obsessed with her anymore once you¡¯ve met them.¡±


    Marshall lowered his gaze. ¡°There are many women more beautiful and outstanding than Ms.


    Thompson too. So, why did you choose her?¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯s the one I like.¡± Vermont could not stop talking once Marshall brought up Felicity. ¡°Being


    with her makes me feel happy every day. I don¡¯t feel bored even if we do nothing all day. It feels like my


    life is suddenly filled with joy and anticipation. Except for money, she¡¯s the only thing in this world that


    can make me happy.¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    ¡°I feel the same way,¡± Marshall said softly. ¡°I feel sad when I can¡¯t see her, and I feel happy when I can.


    Just a simple greeting from her would add vibrant colors to my otherwise mundane world.¡±


    Vermont was about to say something when he lifted his head and saw Keeganing to the living


    room with Jaylene pushing him from behind.


    The entire living room was filled with a strange silence.


    Vermont suddenly wanted to rewind time a few minutes back and p himself. ¡®Why did I even say


    that?¡¯


    He immediately stood up and said, ¡°Have you changed your dressings?¡±


    Keegan did not respond to Vermont. Instead, he looked at Marshall and said, ¡°She also told me that


    she only created those rumors with you to force me toe back.¡± He continued with a faint smile,


    ¡°But, you had other intentions, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Marshall pursed his lips without saying anything.


    The atmosphere became strangely eerie. Then, Vermont cleared his throat and said, ¡°Marshall spent a


    lot of effort searching for you after you went missing. Just like everyone else, he hopes to find you as


    soon as possible.¡±


    Keegan did not seem to care about Marshall¡¯s answer, as he rolled his wheelchair forward. ¡°I¡¯ve told


    her everything. Once my body recovers, we¡¯ll break off the engagement. By then, you can do whatever


    you want with her.¡±


    Marshall paused, and his face darkened. ¡°Ste risked her life to save you, and you¡¯re going to break


    off the engagement with her aftering back? Have you considered her feelings? Keegan, are you


    out of your mind?¡±


    Keegan tly said, ¡°I don¡¯t remember her. I won¡¯t have any feelings for her no matter how good she is.


    I¡¯m not going to marry a woman I don¡¯t like.¡±


    Marshall was irritated. ¡°Just because you can¡¯t remember her, it doesn¡¯t mean that you can hurt her.¡±


    He pointed at Jaylene and continued, ¡°Are you in such a hurry to get rid of Ste because you want to


    marry her instead?¡±


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    ¡°Marshall, Keegan and I¡­¡±


    Jaylene was about to exin herself, but Keegan cut her off. ¡°So what if it is? Don¡¯t you like Ste?


    Shouldn¡¯t you be happy that I¡¯m breaking off the engagement with her? She could¡¯ve been with so


    many other people if she just wanted to force me to show up, but why you? I know that both of you


    have feelings for each other. And, it would be impolite of me if I don¡¯t take the initiative to step out now.¡±


    Marshall¡¯s expression turned ugly. ¡°You asshole. How could you say something like that?¡±


    Vermont was about to intervene and calm the two down. But, when he lifted his head, he saw Ste


    standing at the door.

 Chapter 1703

    Chapter 1703


    Chapter 1703


    ¡®Fuck!¡¯


    Suddenly, Vermont¡¯s mind was filled with just one phrase.1 Keegan Kane, you¡¯re in big *** trouble!¡¯


    Keegan paused. He turned around and met Ste¡¯s gaze.


    Her gaze did not look as passionate as it did in the study; it was now icy.


    Clearly, she had heard everything Keegan said just now.


    Vermont tried to cover up for Keegan. ¡°Ste, don¡¯t take those words seriously. He¡¯s just saying them


    because he¡¯s angry. You know how Keegan is. He¡¯s just being sarcastic and jealous-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m here to get my gloves.¡±


    Ste cut him off. Her voice sounded clear, leaving no hint of emotion.


    ¡°Gloves¡­¡± Vermont was taken aback. ¡°Where are they?¡±


    ¡°In the study room.¡± Keegan pursed his lips.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring Ste to them,¡± Jaylene said.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Ste looked at her coldly. ¡°I know this house better than you do.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Jaylene shut up awkwardly. This time, Keegan did not speak up for her.


    Ste went right to the study, took her gloves, and was about to leave directly. But, when she walked


    past the living room, she said, ¡°Marshall, are you going back to your office? It¡¯s hard to catch a cab


    here. Can I hitch a ride with you?¡±


    Her voice sounded extremely gentle. Vermont could swear that he had never heard her speak like this


    except in the dramas she acted in. She would not even speak to Keegan like this in the past.


    This¡­ is so fake!¡¯ Vermont thought to himself.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated


    For All Books Updates¡­


    To avoid the situation from getting out of control, Vermont decided to sacrifice himself for the greater


    good. ¡°Ste, it¡¯s more convenient for you to hitch a ride with me instead of Marshall. We live right next


    to each other, but Marshall will have to take a detour.¡±


    Ste swept her nce across her. ¡°Felicity said she doesn¡¯t want to ride in your car.¡±


    Vermont was taken aback.


    Marshall was sharp enough to understand what Ste was trying to do.


    She simply did not want to look embarrassed at the moment. Although Keegan had lost his memories,


    what he said was simply too hurtful. Since he would not stop being sarcastic, Ste was not going to


    hold herself back anymore.


    After all, Ste had never spoken to him in such a manner before.


    Marshall¡¯s expression softened, as he said softly, ¡°Let¡¯s go.


    I¡¯ll take you guys home.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Ste nodded.


    After saying that, she turned and left with Marshall without sparing a nce at Keegan.


    Vermont scrutinized Keegan¡¯s expression. However, he remained indifferent, as if he did not care at all.


    Then, Jaylene said softly to Keegan, ¡°Keegan, don¡¯t be angry with Ste. I¡¯m sure that she¡¯s just upset


    after hearing what you said just now. That¡¯s why she¡¯s deliberately acting close to Marshall.¡±


    ¡°Who said I¡¯m angry?¡± Keegan said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s the truth anyway.¡±


    He paused and added, ¡°She has a sharp tongue, and I¡¯ve experienced it in the study just now. You¡¯re


    too soft to deal with a person like her. You should avoid talking to her in the future. Don¡¯t let her bully


    you.¡±


    Jaylene was momentarily stunned, as her cheeks turned faintly red. Then, she looked at him


    affectionately and said,¡± Sure, Keegan.¡±


    Vermont was speechless.


    He lifted his teacup and took a sip before spitting out a few tea leaves, creating a pfft sound that


    managed to interrupt the ¡°loving¡± interaction between the two.


    Keegan nced at Vermont. ¡°Is there a reason why you¡¯re still here?¡±


    Vermont put down his cup, walked up to him, and asked,¡± You don¡¯t remember Ste, but what about


    me?¡¯


    Keegan looked at him for a moment and said, ¡°You borrowed two million from me to start your business


    back then. The interest has doubled over the years. When are you going to pay me back?¡±

 Chapter 1704

    Chapter 1704


    Chapter 1704


    The edge of Vermont¡¯s mouth twitched, as a big ¡°fuck¡± echoed in his mind. Then, he grumbled, ¡®Pay


    what back? The dividend you took from me is enough for you to buy a mansion!¡±


    He paused for a moment before he added, ¡°So, is Ste the only person that you can¡¯t remember? Did


    some witch cast a love-extinguishing spell on you when you fell in the water?¡± i


    Keegan remained expressionless. ¡°If you¡¯re only here to say this nonsense, please get lost.¡±


    Vermont gritted his teeth and muttered under his breath,¡± What a brainless and ungrateful asshole.¡±


    As he was about to walk away after speaking, Keegan suddenly called out to him. ¡°Wait.¡±


    Vermont stopped, and he wore an expression that screamed, ¡°You better apologize to me.¡±


    However, he heard Keegan saying, ¡°When you leave, take away those flower wreaths at the door.


    They¡¯re annoying me. r?


    At that moment, Vermont felt as though he should dunk him back into the water.


    He turned around, chuckled in a feminine way, and said,¡± Sure, Keegan.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    Then, Vermont took those flower wreaths with him and left.


    The living room was not empty, as there were a few cleaners tidying up the rooms. Keegan looked at


    the pot of Anthurium Arrow at the door, and he lowered his gaze. It was as though he was thinking


    about something.


    Jaylene bent down and ced a nket over Keegan¡¯s legs. ¡°Keegan,¡± she called out to him.


    Keegan snapped out of his thoughts and pulled up the nket, as he gently said, ¡°Jaylene, thank you


    for helping me today. I¡¯ll have the driver take you home now.¡±


    Jaylene lowered her gaze and whispered, ¡°I don¡¯t feel like going back tonight.¡±


    Keegan was taken aback. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Jaylene remained silent.


    It did not take very long for Keegan to realize what Jaylene was thinking about. ¡°Are you worried that


    Uncle Wenham would me you for what¡¯s happening?¡±


    Jaylene shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re safe now, and that¡¯s all that matters. I don¡¯t care if he scolds me again.


    I¡¯m just worried about you. If I knew that you would tear the wound again aftering back, I would¡¯ve


    never agreed to let you leave the hospital.¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For


    All Books Updates¡­


    Then, sheined, ¡°Ste should know her ce.¡± 1


    Keegan pursed his lips, and his eyes looked somewhat confused. After a long pause, he said, ¡°I just¡­


    don¡¯t know why. I feel a bit resistant to her touch.¡±


    Jaylene froze for a moment before she said gently, ¡°You don¡¯t remember her, and she¡¯s just a stranger


    to you now.


    It¡¯s perfectly normal that you feel that way.¡± 1


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±


    Keegan looked a little dazed, and his gaze turned somewhat vacant.


    Then, he heard the faint sound of a wind chime. Keegan snapped out of his thoughts when he heard


    Baldwin


    speaking to him. ¡°Mr. Kane, Mrs. Kane Sr. wants to see you upstairs.¡± i


    ¡°Sure. Baldwin, please arrange for someone to drive Jaylene home,¡± Keegan said.


    Baldwin nodded and then said to Jaylene, Ms. Saun, pleasee with me.¡±


    Jaylene was taken aback. She initially thought that Cordelia would want to speak to her as well, and


    that was also the reason why she did not want to leave.


    Although they were not dating, Jaylene figured that Cordelia would want to give her some credit for


    saving Keegan¡¯s life.


    However, Cordelia did not ask to see her at all. ¡®There are probably too many things going on today.


    That¡¯s why Mrs. Kane Sr. didn¡¯t think of me,¡¯ she said to herself. 2


    Jaylene could only suppress her doubts and said softly,¡± Keegan, don¡¯t forget to take your medicine. I¡¯ll


    drop by again tomorrow.¡±


    Ste and Marshall did not speak at all since they came out of the house.


    When they reached the yard outside, Felicity called out to Ste while standing by the cab. Ste


    stopped walking and apologized to Marshall. ¡°Mr. Moore, I¡¯m sorry, but I called a cab.¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Marshall smiled. ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t drive here either. Would it be possible for me to hitch a ride with you


    guys?¡±


    His response left Ste utterly speechless.

 Chapter 1705

    Chapter 1705


    Chapter 1705


    Felicity sat in the rear passenger seat and could not help but think to herself, ¡®Marshall really knows


    what he¡¯s doing.¡¯


    She was worried that Marshall and Ste would sit together, so she got into the car before them and


    took the back seat. Then, Ste took the seat next to her.


    Marshall, in turn, naturally took the front passenger seat.


    When the car was about to drive away, Marshall suddenly asked the driver, ¡°Excuse me, can I see your


    driving license?¡±


    The driver then handed his license to Marshall.


    Marshall frowned upon looking at it and said in a low voice,¡± The photo on your license doesn¡¯t seem to


    match the one on your work ID.¡±


    The driver hurriedly exined, ¡°It¡¯s the same. I took the photo on my work ID before my driving license.


    Maybe I was skinnier back then.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I still don¡¯t think they¡¯re the same person.¡± Marshall then turned to the two in the back.


    ¡°Ste,e and take a look.¡±


    Felicity was afraid that Ste would have too much contact with him, so she volunteered. ¡°I¡¯ll look at it.


    My eyes are very sharp. I can tell if it¡¯s fake or real even if a professional photoshopped it!¡±


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Marshall did not refuse. Instead, he warmly said, ¡°Sure.


    Come and take a look, then.¡±


    The driver¡¯s work ID was at the front. So, to see it clearly, one would have to sit in the front passenger


    seat.


    Felicity decisively got out of the car, and Marshall gave way to her for a better view of the work ID.


    She then held the driver¡¯s work ID next to his face andpared them carefully. After some time, she


    said, ¡°It¡¯s the same person. The work ID seems photoshopped because the mole on his chin is missing.


    But his hairline hasn¡¯t changed. It just moved back a little.¡±


    The driver was speechless.


    Then, Marshall¡¯s voice rang out from behind. ¡°I could never notice such tiny details. Your eyes are


    really sharp.¡±


    After that, he turned to the driver and said, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for the trouble. We just wanted to be safe. We


    can go now.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Safety is always the most important thing when traveling.¡±


    Then, he said to Felicity, ¡°Lady, please fasten your seatbelt.


    Felicity kept quiet.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    ¡®When did I be the one who¡¯s sitting in the front passenger seat?¡±


    Marshall was so cunning that Keegan could nevere close to him. Felicity found it impossible how


    she just walked into his trap.


    She turned around to look at Marshall and tilted her head to look at Ste.


    Marshall¡¯s eyes were undeniably beautiful, with his high brows and deep eye sockets. The shape of his


    eyes looked simr to Vermont¡¯s, but Vermont seemed wild and unrestrained. Meanwhile, Marshall¡¯s


    eyes revealed a hint of subtle affection.


    Although Felicity knew that he would look at everything with the same affectionate gaze, she could not


    help but think that anyone would inevitably fall for him if they were in his constant presence.


    Then, she wondered if she had been a bit too harsh on Marshall earlier. After all, he did help Ste a


    lot, even if he had ulterior motives.


    After that, she thought about why Keegan could be so close with Jaylene, yet Ste could not be


    with Marshall.


    In the end, she started pondering if thew was too conservative. With such a skewed gender ratio, the


    government should allow a wife to have multiple husbands. That way, people would have to spend less


    money on wedding gifts. How wonderful would that be?


    ¡®Ah! I¡¯m getting brainwashed by Stinky Cucumber! I need to stop thinking about money!¡¯


    ¡°Do you want some water?¡± Marshall handed Ste a bottle of water.


    Ste shook her head. ¡°You can have it. I¡¯m not thirsty.¡±


    Marshall did not drink it, as he held the bottle and said,¡±


    Today¡­ has been pretty hectic. I wanted to have a few words with Uncle Wenham but didn¡¯t get a


    chance at all. It looks like he¡¯s still upset.¡±

 Chapter 1706

    Chapter 1706


    Ste had her full attention on Keegan and did not notice anything else that was happening at all. Upon


    hearing what Marshall said, she asked, ¡°What about my dad?¡±


    Marshall paused. ¡°Didn¡¯t he tell you about it?¡±


    Ste shook her head.


    Marshall hesitated for a moment but decided to tell her about it anyway. ¡°My grandfather invited Uncle


    Wenham to our house and said some unpleasant things to him. I wasn¡¯t home at the time, and I only


    found out about itter from the maid. Uncle Wenham left without touching his food, and he did not look


    very happy when he left.¡±


    Ste knew nothing about this incident because Wenham had not told her about it at all.


    Felicity, who had been eavesdropping from the front, could not help but ask, ¡°Uncle Wenham has such


    a good temper. What can your grandfather possibly say to make him angry?¡±


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Marshall exined, ¡°He thought that Ste and I were together, so he wanted to take matters into his


    own hands and arrange our marriage. He¡¯s been arrogant all his life, thinking that everyone should


    follow everything he says.


    When Uncle Wenham turned him down, he felt like he was humiliated and spoke somewhat rudely.¡±


    Felicity was speechless.


    ¡®I knew I shouldn¡¯t have asked that question.¡¯ Ste had heard Keegan talking about Frederick before.


    He described Frederick as a traditional and arbitrary person.


    He knew that she was Keegan¡¯s ex-wife, yet he still wanted to arrange a marriage between her and


    Marshall. Ste found it bewildering.


    Keegan said that Marshall had a girlfriend before, but his family did not approve of their rtionship.


    So, Ste could not figure out what she had to offer.


    Although being the heiress of the Saun family could be a big title to some, it was not something that the


    Moore family chased after.


    Ste thought for a moment before she softly said, ¡°My dad didn¡¯t tell me about this, so he probably


    didn¡¯t take it seriously. Even if he¡¯s angry, it¡¯s not directed at you. Don¡¯t worry too much about it.¡±


    ¡°That might be the case, but everything started because of me, after all. I want to pay Uncle Wenham a


    visit to express my apology. Do you know what he likes? Give me some suggestions on what to buy.


    I¡¯m not too good with words, so it¡¯s important to pick the right gift.¡±


    ¡®Wow!¡¯ Felicity was impressed.


    ¡®He said he¡¯s not good with words?


    ¡®If he¡¯s not good with words, then Keegan must be dyslexic.¡¯ Perhaps she was feeling guilty for using


    Marshall during this time, and she could not bring herself to reject him. So, without thinking too much


    about it, she said, ¡°The only thing that my dad likes is alcohol. However, he has high blood pressure


    and fatty liver. The doctor always advises him to control himself. So, even if he likes it, he doesn¡¯t dare


    to drink too much. But he¡¯ll be happy all day as long as someone gives him alcohol.¡±


    Marshall chuckled. ¡°Now, this is going to be hard for me. I know nothing about alcohol. Could you


    apany me to choose some?¡±


    Felicity thought that Ste would refuse, but she heard Ste saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Vineyard Haven and


    have a look, then. They have a wide variety of choices.¡±


    Marshall nodded before he said to the driver, ¡°Take us to Vineyard Haven.¡±


    Felicity remained silent.


    ¡®Is no one going to ask for my opinion?¡¯ Their trip to the winery turned out to be a tasting session for


    Ste. When Ste had finally found the one she liked, Felicity thought that she had almost drank half a


    bottle of wine.


    Ste would not get flushed after drinking, so she looked normal.


    After paying, Marshall wanted to apany the two back to Clouditude International. However, he


    received a call from thew firm, so he had to leave.


    The winery was very close to Clouditude International, so Felicity and Ste decided to walk back.


    Felicity could not hold herself back anymore, as she finally got the opportunity and said, ¡°Ste, I still


    think that Keegan is pretending to have lost his memories.¡±


    Ste paused and asked her back, ¡°What makes you think that¡¯s the case?¡±

 Chapter 1707

    Chapter 1707


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s just my gut feeling,¡± Felicity said. ¡°He fell into the water but didn¡¯t hurt his head at all.


    How could he suddenly lose his memories? And, he remembers every other thing and people, except


    you. It¡¯s just too surreal.¡±


    Ste fell silent for a while and said, ¡°But, why would he do this? I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Felicity frowned, pondered to herself, and pped her forehead. ¡°I figured it out!¡±


    Ste looked at her.


    Felicity then continued, ¡°Think about it. Keegan was severely injured, and I¡¯m sure that he¡¯s unable to


    take care of himself. That way, that pretentious witch can easily control him. He must¡¯ve threatened


    Keegan and forced him to break up with you. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t save him. In order to survive,


    Keegan would have no choice but to y along with her and pretend not to remember you.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡°Keegan lost his memories; he didn¡¯t lose his mind. It won¡¯t be that easy for Jaylene to control him.¡±


    Felicity scratched her head. ¡°Then, what¡¯s the reason for him to pretend?¡±


    Ste fell silent for a while and suddenly said, ¡°I have a way to find out if he¡¯s really pretending or not.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Ste looked at the small bottle ofplimentary wine that the winery manager gave them when they


    made their purchase earlier, and she smirked. ¡°Let¡¯s wait until he¡¯s recovered first.¡± 1 Felicity did not


    know what she was nning, but she just somewhat trusted her.


    ¡°Ste, I admire you for having such a good mindset. If Stinky Cucumber disappeared for a month,


    came back with another woman, and kept ignoring me, I would do everything in my power to ruin their


    rtionship without a doubt.¡±


    ¡ö Ste replied softly, ¡°I¡¯d rather have him not remember me than nevere back. Jaylene may have


    other motives, but she brought him back alive, after all.¡±


    Felicity felt somewhat angry after hearing Jaylene¡¯s name.¡± Even though she saved Keegan, I just can¡¯t


    bring myself to like her. When we were in the memorial hall, she acted like she was Keegan¡¯s girlfriend,


    meddling in everything.¡±


    ¡°She started liking Keegan since she was a child, and she finally got the opportunity to get closer to


    him. It¡¯s perfectly normal for her to act this way.¡±


    In fact, Ste did not care about what Jaylene did at all. What hurt her was Keegan¡¯s reaction.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    When he came back this time, it seemed as though he had an indescribable sense of trust in Jaylene.


    Ste just could not figure out what exactly happened during the month that Keegan went missing.


    ¡°Ste, wait for me here.¡± Felicity said to her, ¡°HI buy some groceries and make something delicious for


    dinner. You look terribletely. I understand that you didn¡¯t have an appetite when Keegan was missing.


    But, now that he¡¯s back, it¡¯s time for you to get your health back on track. You need the strength to deal


    with that pretentious witch!¡± Ste recollected herself, as her eyes turned warm. She then grabbed


    Felicity¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡±


    Felicity was delighted and bought a lot of ingredients. It seemed as if she was going to show off her


    lifelong cooking skills that night.


    When Vermont came home and saw the table filled with dishes, he was shocked.


    The table was full of delicious food, and his loved one was still busy cooking in the kitchen. To him,


    there was nothing merrier than that in life.


    He could not stop himself from sneaking into the kitchen and hugging Felicity from behind. Then, he


    said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Miss Bandit, I know you¡¯re the best to me. I miss you so much.¡±


    These days, although he did not dare to stick close to Felicity openly, he would secretly visit her from


    time to time.


    Knowing that she had moved out of 902, he almost followed her. Fortunately, she moved to the unit


    next door. Although they did not live together, they were still close to each other.


    Vermont thought that he was clever for moving out of his house on his own initiative back then.

 Chapter 1708

    Chapter 1708


    Ed lived there, so if Felicity were to leave, she would definitely miss it.


    Sure enough, although she had moved to 901, she would still find the time to go to 902 to feed the cat


    and clean the litter. However, she would alwaysin about how smelly the poop was.


    ¡°Stinky Cucumber is such an irresponsible owner. How could he leave you alone at home? He¡¯s a bad


    person, right?


    ¡°Ed, if I were to break up with Stinky Cucumber, who would you be with?¡±


    When Vermont watched this scene from the surveince camera, heughed, and his heart melted.


    Vermont had installed the surveince cameras a few days before Keegan went missing because


    Felicity told him that she really wanted to see the cat while she was cking off at work.


    He was nning to give her a surprise, but before he could do that, Keegan had an ident. He spent


    the past month running around for this matter and did not have the time to tell her about it at all.


    Unexpectedly, the surveince cameras became a tool for him to spy on Felicity.


    Vermont felt both sad and lucky. When he saw the person he had been thinking about every day


    making so much delicious food for him, he was instantly moved and wished to marry her on the spot.


    He did not want anyone else to have her at all.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    When Vermont was still immersed in his fantasy, Felicity shoved the back of thedle in her hand


    against his stomach. It caused him to release his hands in pain.


    Felicity turned around, pointed thedle at him, and said,¡± Hey! Why are you being so touchy?¡±


    Vermont rubbed his stomach and whispered, ¡°I miss you so much and couldn¡¯t control myself.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s ears reddened, as she threw the dishwashing liquid at him. She scolded, ¡°You should stuff


    your mouth with this!¡±


    Vermont was not discouraged at all. He put the dishwashing liquid back in its ce and said in a gentle


    tone, ¡°There are a few more dishes. Let me help you with them, okay?¡±


    Felicity nced at him. ¡°Do you know how to?¡±


    ¡°Are you serious? I¡¯m not a spoiled kid like Keegan who doesn¡¯t know how to do any chores. Just


    because I¡¯mzy to do them doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t know how to.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s gaze turned angry. ¡°Why did you lie to me and make me cook for you, then?¡±


    Vermont immediately tried to defend himself. ¡°Cooking for yourself and cooking for two people are two


    completely different things. It¡¯s true that I enjoy your cooking, but I enjoy your presence even more.¡±


    Felicity looked at him from head to toe before handing him thedle. ¡°You do it, then.¡±


    She was about to leave after saying that.


    However, Vermont stopped her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to give me some instructions first?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not a spoiled kid like Keegan who doesn¡¯t know how to do any chores.


    Cooking is such a simple task. Why would you need any instructions for that?


    Besides, I¡¯m not good enough to do that anyway.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Vermont said, and he immediately softened his tone. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to cook at all. I lied


    because I wanted to spend more time with you. Felicity, would you stay?¡±


    Felicity scoffed and reluctantly stayed.


    Then, the kitchen was filled with the sound of chaos.


    Ste sat at the dining table, listening to the noise. It somehow reminded her of the time when she


    taught Keegan how to make fish stew. Keegan was also very confident at that time, but the pot of stew


    turned outpletely ck. In the end, they gave it to Leighton.


    Thinking of this, she could not help but smile. She lowered her gaze to her phone and sent a flirtatious


    WhatsApp sticker to Keegan.


    The next moment, she froze in ce.


    The message could not be sent because Keegan had blocked her. i

 Chapter 1709

    Chapter 1709


    Ste got so angry that sheughed.


    ¡®What a scumbag! He doesn¡¯t remember me, but he definitely remembers my WhatsApp ount!¡¯


    Ste immediately gave him a call, and as expected, it was blocked too.


    She pondered with a tensed face, and suddenly thought of a method that Keegan had used before.


    A few secondster, Keegan received a transfer often million dors on his phone without any remarks.


    Very soon, the ten million was returned to Ste with a question mark added in the remarks section.


    Ste did the same thing for another time with the remark, ¡± You wanted me to keep this money for you.


    You can have it back now.¡±


    As soon as the money was transferred, Ste¡¯s phone rang.


    It was a call from Keegan.


    Ste answered it and tly said, ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s tongue was tied. He thought that Ste would be very angry, but she sounded very calm.


    He pursed his lips and said in a low voice, ¡°What are you trying to do by transferring so much money to


    me?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to break off the engagement? I should return the money you wanted me to keep for


    you back then to avoid any unnecessary financial disputes in the future.¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan then said, ¡°Aldor didn¡¯t tell me anything about this.¡±


    Ste continued indifferently, ¡°He doesn¡¯t know about this because you gave me the money privately


    when you were pursuing me.¡±


    Keegan fell silent for a moment. ¡°Since it was given to you, you should ept it.


    How can I take it back just because we¡¯re breaking up? What would other people think of me if they


    knew about it?¡±


    ¡°And, what about me? If I still have your money after breaking up, wouldn¡¯t people think that I¡¯m a gold


    digger?¡±


    Her response left Keegan speechless. Then, she ended the call.


    A few minutester, Keegan called again.


    However, Ste did not answer it this time.


    After a few minutes, she received a WhatsApp notification on her phone.


    She nced at him, curled her lips, and replied, [Who are you?] After a few seconds, the person


    responded, [It¡¯s Keegan.] Then, Keegan called her through WhatsApp. Ste answered it slowly and


    nonchntly asked, ¡°Can I help you, Mr. Kane?¡±


    Keegan paused for a moment before he said, ¡°Don¡¯t transfer the money back to me. This is arge


    amount of money, and I can¡¯t listen to just your side of the story. I¡¯ll look into it and get back to you.¡± 1


    ¡°Sure,¡± Ste said decisively, and the indifference she showed Keegan was nowhere to be found.


    Suddenly, Keegan realized that she had other intentions by transferring the money to him. She was


    simply forcing him to text her back.


    Inparison, the act of him blocking her made him look childish.


    Keegan felt somewhat uneasy, and it took him a while to say, ¡°Remember what you said. When I


    recover, we¡¯ll break off the engagement.¡±


    Ste remained calm. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Now, Keegan felt even more like a child that was being coaxed by an adult.


    He cleared his throat and returned to his usual indifferent tone. ¡°After we break off the engagement, if


    possible, I hope we never meet again.¡±


    Ste did not respond to that. Instead, she asked, ¡°You still have a lot of things at my ce. When are


    youing to get them?¡±


    Keegan was puzzled. ¡°What things?¡±


    ¡°The stuff you put at my ce when we were living together, ¡± Ste said.


    ¡°Clothes, shoes, and a lot of daily necessities.


    And, the family nning supplies you hoarded during the festive sales.¡±


    Keegan fell silent for a moment before he said, ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to get them.¡±


    Ste felt somewhat disappointed, as she deliberately mentioned the family nning supplies to see


    Keegan¡¯s reaction.


    If he was truly pretending, he would realize that she was lying because they did not buy any of those


    things back then. i

 Chapter 1710

    Chapter 1710


    But Keegan did not seem to have any strange reaction at all. ¡®I should¡¯ve switched to video call just


    now. It¡¯s hard to tell anything from just hearing his voice,¡¯ Ste thought to herself.


    ¡°Come and get them yourself,¡± Ste said calmly. ¡°I¡¯m an actress, after all.


    What¡¯s going to happen to my career if others find out that I¡¯m living with a man?¡±


    Keegan retorted, ¡°You¡¯ve made numerous headlines with Marshall. Why do you care about this?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all made up by the media. I can clear things up any time I want. But, if my ce is discovered to


    have a man¡¯s clothes and family nning supplies, my pure and innocent image would be shattered.


    Do you know how much loss I¡¯d suffer? I¡¯m not trying to risk my career here.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyelid twitched, and he could not help but say, ¡¯ You were married previously, and you still


    expect others to see you as pure and innocent? Aren¡¯t you just deceiving your fans and audience?¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± Ste leanedzily on the couch. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what all the celebrities do nowadays? The fans


    and audience love it. It¡¯s called a white lie.¡± Of course, she simply said that to fool Keegan. She would


    rarely post anything on her Facebook page, apart from sharing some promotional posts from time to


    time.


    After The Pce became famous, all the actors were actively taking on new roles and participating in


    variety shows. Ste, however, had only attended a promotional event once and that was all.


    When she filmed with Leighton, the fans shipped them so much that even her manager could not resist


    leveraging her poprity. However, both Ste and Trevor rejected the idea simultaneously.


    Ste wanted to be sessful through her own capabilities. She did not want to end up like Be, who


    pleased her fans to maintain poprity and ultimately being devoured by her own made-up persona.


    However, to fool Keegan, she came up with a lie without any hesitation.


    Keegan remained silent for a long time with a tense face. After some time, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s your


    address?¡±


    Ste smiled. ¡°Clouditude Valley, Block 7, Unit 901.¡±


    Keegan then said, ¡°I¡¯ll find some time to pick them up.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Keegan was about to hang up after Ste said that. But he heard her asking, ¡°When are you going to


    the hospital for a follow-up?¡±


    ¡°The day after tomorrow. Jaylene will go with me.¡±


    Ste¡¯s smile instantly disappeared, and she immediately hung up the phone.


    That caught Keegan by surprise.


    Ste stared at her own reflection on the screen, and she suddenly realized how ugly a person could


    look when they felt jealous.


    It was not until Felicity called out to her toe eat that she rubbed her face and turned around.


    ¡®There¡¯s still a long way to go. A long way to go¡­


    ¡®Anything can happen as long as he¡¯s back.¡¯ Vermont was very attentive, as he took the initiative to


    serve soup to the twodies. ¡°Ste, you need to eat more now that Keegan is back. Even though his


    mind is still not straight right now, it¡¯s not something to be worried about. You should rx. This is


    something you should learn from my darling.


    ¡°We fought, and she was still angry with me. Yet, she still made so much delicious food for me. It¡¯s


    important to-¡°


    ¡°Who said I made this for you?¡± Felicity red at him. ¡°I made everything for Ste!¡±


    Then, she moved his bowl away. ¡°If we finish eating and there¡¯s some leftovers, you can have them.¡±


    Vermont was speechless.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Ste said softly, as she patted Felicity. ¡°Didn¡¯t you buy so many ingredients because you were


    nning to cook for three?¡±


    Felicity scoffed. ¡°I miscalcted because I haven¡¯t cooked in a long time.¡± She then red at Vermont.


    ¡°You got lucky!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Suddenly, Vermont thought that Ste was not only cute and beautiful, but she was also generous.


    However, his girlfriend was still a little better than her.


    ¡°Ste, have some of this chicken soup. It¡¯s really good for your health.¡±


    Ste thanked Felicity and stirred the soup. As soon as she had a spoonful of it, her stomach churned.


    She frowned. Then, she immediately jumped out of her seat and rushed to the washroom.

 Chapter 1711

    Chapter 1711


    Chapter 1711


    Felicity was shocked. She quickly put down her utensils and rushed after Ste.


    Ste had not eaten anything for the whole day and had only gone wine tasting with Marshall earlier.


    That was why she could taste some alcohol in her vomit.


    Felicity stroked her back, as she vomited. ¡°I told you not to drink so much because you haven¡¯t eaten


    anything. Do you think you¡¯re still young?¡±


    Ste vomited for a while before she finally took the water that Felicity handed to her.


    After rinsing her mouth, she frowned and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t drink much. Don¡¯t you know my alcohol


    tolerance? That was nothing to me.¡±


    ¡°You already threw up. Stop acting tough.¡±


    Ste put down the cup and asked while washing her hands, ¡°I suddenly felt nauseous after smelling


    the fishy odor of the chicken soup just now. Did you forget to wash it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Felicity was not going to let anyone question her cooking skills. ¡°The chicken was


    carefully prepared, and I even seasoned it before cooking.¡±


    Then, she shouted, ¡°Stinky Cucumber, does the chicken soup taste fishy to you?¡±


    Vermont quickly appeared in the bathroom. ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s


    very fresh. Much better than the one you cooked for me. Did you skimp on ingredients when you


    cooked for me?¡±


    Felicity ignored his words, as she turned to Ste and said,¡± Ste, is there something wrong with your


    stomach? I¡¯ve seen you vomit three times these days. Let me apany you to the hospital. Doctor


    Steven has a ssmate working in the gastroenterology department, and we should get you checked


    up.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡°Why him? My brother is a gastroenterologist working in the general


    hospital. I¡¯ll take you guys to him tomorrow.¡±


    Felicity paused, as she scrutinized him. ¡°Your brother is a doctor?¡±


    ¡°Ah, didn¡¯t I tell you?¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    ¡°Tell me my foot!¡± Felicity gritted her teeth. ¡°Every time we talk about your family, you¡¯d say, ¡®Ah, my


    family¡¯s situation is a bitplicated; it¡¯s a long story; I¡¯ll tell you about itter.¡¯ I guess that even when


    we break up, the ter¡¯ will nevere. Meanwhile, you¡¯ve managed to get all the information about


    my family out!¡±


    Vermont held back hisughter and patiently said, ¡°You didn¡¯t ask me about itter, right? I would¡¯ve


    told you if you asked. I thought you were just interested in my appearance and didn¡¯t care about my


    family background.¡±


    Felicity realized that she could not win the argument, as her face and ear turned red. She could only


    retort angrily, ¡°Go to hell.¡±


    That was the exact Felicity that Vermont had fallen in love with.


    Ste wiped her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s probably nothing. I¡¯m just bothered by the blood I saw when Keegan and I


    were kidnapped. Not only that I can¡¯t stand blood now, but I also became less interested in eating meat.


    Just the smell of it makes me want to vomit.¡±


    Vermont paused, as he shifted his gaze from Ste¡¯s face to her belly. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re not pregnant, are


    you?¡±


    ¡°No way,¡± Ste said without having to think. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Vermont spoke without restraint. ¡°Keegan never uses condoms, and you two had been


    sleeping together for so long. How useless would he have to be for you to not get pregnant?¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicity was about to ask Vermont how he knew that Keegan had never used condoms when she


    suddenly remembered the ¡°Who¡¯s The Imposter¡± game they yed at Duncan¡¯s wedding. Keegan was


    the one who revealed it.


    ¡®Damn, this is getting interesting,¡¯ Felicity thought to herself.


    Then, she stopped scolding Vermont. Her eyes began to shine, as she looked at Ste. ¡°Ste, would


    you like to go to the hospital for a check-up?¡¯


    ¡®Why bother? Keegan got a vasectomy. How could I possibly get pregnant?¡¯


    She had no idea how she could exin it to Vermont and Felicity, as she did not want to disclose such


    private information to others.

 Chapter 1712

    Chapter 1712


    Chapter 1712


    Those who understood it would know that Keegan did that because he cared for her. But those who did


    not might start assuming things, especially with what was happening between him and Chandler. She


    could not guarantee that other people would not make up stories about this. She did not want other


    people to gossip about Keegan because he decided to get a vasectomy.


    ¡°You two are overthinking it,¡± Ste came up with a story. ¡°I was very weak back then, and the doctor


    told me that I had to restore my health before nning for a pregnancy. So, we¡¯ve been extra careful.


    It¡¯s not possible for me to be pregnant.¡±


    Vermont said casually, ¡°Condoms are not 100% percent effective, even on your safe days.¡±


    Felicity thought about something and asked, ¡°Ste, have you gotten your period this month?¡±


    Ste paused and said, ¡°For now, it¡¯ste by five days.¡±


    Then, she added, ¡°I caught a cold earlier, so it¡¯s perfectly normal. Besides, a five-day dy isn¡¯t really


    anything.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s expression turned serious, ¡°What are the odds of so many coincidencesing


    simultaneously? Come on, let¡¯s go to the hospital.¡±


    Ste felt helpless, ¡°You¡¯re overreacting. Even if we¡¯re really going to the hospital, can¡¯t we wait until


    morning? Don¡¯t the


    doctors need to rest at this hour?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Felicity pped her forehead. ¡°We can use a pregnancy test.¡±


    Then, she ordered Vermont, ¡°Go downstairs and buy a few of them.¡±


    Vermont kept quiet before he said, ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a little inappropriate for a man to buy them?¡±


    Felicity finally found the opportunity to mock Vermont,¡± What¡¯s inappropriate about that? Is a child


    created by a woman alone? Howe you didn¡¯t say it¡¯s inappropriate when you were enjoying the


    process?¡±


    Vermont kept quiet.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Ste was speechless, too.


    ¡°Damn, I¡¯ll just go right now, okay?¡± Vermont mumbled under his breath, ¡°I haven¡¯t got to enjoy anything


    yet.¡±


    Felicity red at him as if she was going to murder him, and Vermont quickly took his jacket before


    leaving.


    Once he left, Felicity quickly threw Ste¡¯s phone to the side, ¡°There¡¯s radiation from phones. It¡¯s not


    good for my goddaughter.¡±


    Ste sighed, ¡°I¡¯m really not pregnant.¡±


    ¡°Shh-¡± Felicity looked very serious. Don¡¯t say that, or my goddaughter will think that you don¡¯t want to


    keep her.¡±


    She helped Ste back on foot and said, ¡°Your Majesty, please watch your steps. We¡¯re in your pce


    right now, and


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    I¡¯m here to take good care of you.¡±


    Ste just rolled her eyes and kept quiet.


    When she sat back on the sofa, Felicity immediately took out her phone to search for what pregnant


    women could eat during the early stage of pregnancy.


    She even screenshotted everything she read and sent them to Ste, muttering, ¡°Luckily, everything I


    made today is good for pregnant women. I¡¯ll swap the dish you can eat to your sideter. Don¡¯t touch


    any seafood or anything spicy. It¡¯s not good for the baby.¡±


    Ste felt both helpless and touched. The fact that Felicity had been through thick and thin with her


    made her feel very fortunate.


    The neighborhood had a pharmacy, and Vermont bought dozens of early pregnancy test strips. When


    Felicity saw what Vermont brought home, she immediately scolded him, ¡°Are you crazy? I told you to


    buy some, and you chose to empty the store?¡±


    Vermont said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. We can keep the extras for ourselves if she can¡¯t use them all. The pharmacy


    had a promotion-spend a hundred, get thirty percent off. These pregnancy tests here can probablyst


    us for this lifetime.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s face darkened as she kicked him onto the sofa.

 Chapter 1713

    Chapter 1713


    Chapter 1713


    ¡°Am I a baby machine to you? Dream on!


    Vermont rubbed his calf andughed quietly for a while before speaking in a gentle tone, ¡°Didn¡¯t you


    ask me to buy some? I did something wrong, and I will do everything I can to make up for it. I don¡¯t


    dare disobey your orders.¡±


    Felicity was almost fooled by his smooth talk again. She red at him and said, ¡°I told you to stay away


    from me too. Why did you disobey that?¡±


    Vermont paused andpletely ignored Felicity¡¯s words. Then, he turned to Ste and said, ¡°Ste,


    you should get tested now for your peace of mind.¡±


    Felicity immediately switched to Vermont¡¯s side and added, ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t be too sure. What if you¡¯re


    really pregnant and harm the baby because you¡¯re not careful? It¡¯s better to be safe than sorry.¡±


    Ste could not argue back, so she took a box of it and went to the washroom.


    Felicity sat upright on the sofa, her eyes fixed on the direction of the washroom.


    Vermont was amused by the way she looked as he leaned over and asked, ¡°Miss bandit, do you like


    children?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but only the well-behaved ones.¡±


    When she was little, she envied families with two or three children. Although they would often argue,


    they would still have someone to back them up if they were bullied and share the punishment for doing


    something wrong. More importantly, they could take care of each other when their parents were gone.


    They could also help make big decisions and would not be lonely.


    So, when she discovered something wrong with Vermont¡¯s manhood, she felt extremely conflicted


    inside.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    It was not entirely true when she said it was okay for her not to have children in the future. The fact was


    she loved children. However, the moment she epted Vermont, his ce in her heart had surpassed


    her anticipation for future life.


    So that was why she got so angry when she finally found out that Vermont was lying to her all along.


    Vermont said, ¡°With our good genes, our children would definitely be very well-behaved and sensible.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eyelid twitched, ¡°Stop ttering yourself. Even if I want to have a child, it won¡¯t be with you.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Who is it going to be then? Corbin Steven?¡±


    ¡°Let that be my concern! It¡¯s just not going to be you!¡±


    Vermont was not going to let the chance of shaming his rival go, ¡°His eyes look weird, he has a t


    nose, and he still looks ugly after getting stic surgery. If you have a child with him, can you imagine


    what the child will look like? But I¡¯m different. Everything about me is original and perfect. The child we


    have will be like a treasure.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s lips twitched again, ¡°Have you no shame? Praise yourself all you want, but why degrade


    others? Besides, how do you know that he had stic surgery? Maybe that¡¯s just how he looks like.¡±


    Vermont said, ¡°Is it possible for one to grow double eyelids after being an adult?¡±


    Felicity was speechless.


    She could not argue anymore, so she red at him and said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to you anymore!¡±


    Vermont sat closer to Felicity and gently tapped her shoulder. She then forcefully shrugged as if she


    were trying to shake a venomous snake off of her.


    Vermont felt likeughing. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, ¡°Miss bandit, I was wrong. I


    shouldn¡¯t have used those methods to win you over. Hit me, scold me, but please don¡¯t ignore me. My


    heart hurts when I can¡¯t see you these days. I wanted to see you, but I was afraid you¡¯d be angry. I


    could only secretly watch you in the car. You¡¯ve lost so much weight. Is it because you¡¯re upset with


    me?¡±


    Vermont was really good with his words. It had only been a few days, and Felicity had lost a pound or


    two at most. It was simply impossible for Vermont to notice it.


    Although that was the case, she was still a little moved by Vermont¡¯s words. She felt like she should not


    forgive him so easily, but he was simply too good at manipting people. He could urately find her


    soft spot and exploit her sympathy.

 Chapter 1714

    Chapter 1714


    Chapter 1714


    Felicity felt somewhat frustrated when she thought about all these experiencesing from flirting with


    other women.


    She used to think that people with no experience in dating should be with someone just like that. But as


    someone who had never dated, she had not expected to fall in love with someone as experienced as


    Vermont.


    Vermont was a smooth talker and a cunning person; she was an innocent, straightforward person. How


    could she possibly deal with someone like him?


    Rationally, she should carefully consider her rtionship with Vermont. But emotionally¡­ she did not


    want to be rational. With just a few words, Vermont could easily shake her principles.


    Felicity pushed Vermont¡¯s hand away and said ufortably, ¡°It has nothing to do with you. I¡¯m trying


    to lose weight.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re not fat at all. Being too skinny isn¡¯t healthy.¡±


    Suddenly, Felicity realized that after getting together with him, she had gained seven to eight pounds


    because he just would not stop praising her.


    Having a partner who consistently provided positivements, whether sincere or not, was pleasant.


    Her parents were the perfect example of the opposite of that.


    No matter how much sess her mother had achieved in her career, her father would never praise


    her. Instead, he would me her for not spending time to take care of the children at home and for


    having too much ambition.


    When something went wrong with her career, he would say,¡± See, I told you so. You can¡¯t do this. Why


    didn¡¯t you just listen to me? Look at you now.¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated


    For All Books Updates¡­


    She did not understand why her parents would not fight and argue like other parents and get a divorce.


    It was not until she dated someone that she finally understood that arguing was not the scary thing, but


    the significant other not giving positive feedback, encouragement, and affirmation was. It would


    gradually wear one person out. 1


    Vermont was apletely different person from her father.


    When her script was rejected, he would help her scold those people for not having good taste.


    Initially, she thought he was just trying to tter her and intentionally say nice things to make her happy.


    It was not until one day, when they were watching a show together, that Vermont suddenly blurted out a


    line from her script and said, ¡°The line you wrote is much more professional than this. If this script can


    make it on TV, I¡¯m sure that ours will too. It¡¯s just a matter of time.¡±


    It was then she realized that Vermont had been reading her work and even remembered the plots.


    Felicity suddenly paused upon thinking about that. She was


    mad that Vermont lied to her but did not regret falling for him. She turned to him, whose eyes were filled


    with tenderness, reflecting her own face.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Do you like me?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vermont replied earnestly.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Felicity lowered her gaze. After a few seconds, she added, ¡°Why don¡¯t you pursue me then?¡±


    Vermont was momentarily stunned, then smiled and said,¡± Sure.¡±


    Ste had been holding her pee since morning. When she was finally done taking the pregnancy test,


    thirty minutes had passed.


    When Felicity heard the sound of the bathroom door opening, she immediately got up and ran over,


    ¡°How is it?


    Are you pregnant?¡±


    Ste showed her the pregnancy test kit and asked, ¡°There¡¯s one line darker than the other. What does


    it mean?¡±

 Chapter 1715

    Chapter 1715


    Chapter 1715


    Felicity was in a state of confusion. She had no experience in using pregnancy sticks either. So she


    flipped through the manual while simultaneously looking it up on Google.


    ¡°It says here that a weak positive could be a sign of early pregnancy or biochemical pregnancy. As long


    as there are two lines, the probability of pregnancy is high. If you¡¯re skeptical, you can wait a couple of


    days and test again or just head to the hospital,¡± said Vermont.


    Felicity immediately hugged Ste in excitement, ¡°Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God! You¡¯re going


    to be a mom!


    And I¡¯m gonna be a godparent! Ahahaha¡­¡±


    Ste was still trying to wrap her head around the situation. She reached out to stop Felicity, who was


    bouncing around,¡± Can you check if these pregnancy tests are expired? There¡¯s no way I¡¯m pregnant.¡±


    Keegan had a vasectomy. It was unlikely that Ste could get pregnant.


    ¡°Why not? I bet your excitement is clouding your judgment,¡± Felicity said. Still, she pulled out the


    pregnancy test box from her pocket to check the expiry date, and her face turned red.


    ¡°You jerk! Did you go for the low-cost option again to save money? This has passed the expiration date


    by six months!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Vermont protested, looking innocent. ¡°I double-checked the date when I bought it.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Felicity red at him and threw him the box, ¡°Look for yourself!¡±


    Vermont looked and saw that it was indeed expired.


    He grabbed the handful of pregnancy test sticks, inspected them individually, and realized only two


    boxes had a decent shelf life; the rest were expired.


    ¡®No wonder they were promoting these! They even mixed up the good products with the ones that have


    gone bad!¡¯


    Vermont felt wronged. He saw how angry Felicity was and said, ¡°Baby, I swear I checked these. I-I


    looked at the first two kits they ced on the outside and put the others into the basket. Who would¡¯ve


    thought the vendor would do such an hical thing?¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay


    Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    ¡°Would you have fallen for this scam if you weren¡¯t so eager for a bargain?¡± Felicity snorted.


    Feeling utterly defeated, Vermont grabbed his things, gritted his teeth, and dered, ¡°I¡¯m going to have


    a word with them!


    IV


    Once he left, Felicity fumed, ¡°He¡¯s so unreliable!¡±


    ¡°He can be a bit careless, but I¡¯m sure he didn¡¯t do it intentionally. Let me wash my hands real quick,


    and we can eat.¡±


    After that, Ste turned and went to the bathroom. The pregnancy test box she had just used was near


    the sink. After washing up, she grabbed it, thinking of throwing it away. But she checked the production


    date almost absentmindedly and froze the next moment.


    The pregnancy kit she used was well within the expiration date.


    Ste pursed her lips. She held onto the box and stared at it for a long time. She finally snapped out of


    it when Felicity called her and quickly threw the box into the trash can.


    The next morning, Trevor called, ¡°How¡¯s everything going?¡±


    Still groggy, Ste mumbled, ¡°Huh?¡±


    Trevor was at a loss for words, ¡°Aren¡¯t you up yet?¡±


    Ste nced at her phone, ¡°It¡¯s just eight o¡¯clock, for Pete¡¯s sake.¡±


    Trevor sighed, ¡°I thought you¡¯d be tossing and turning all night.¡±


    Ste chuckled, ¡°Trevor, Keegan¡¯s back. Is there anything more reassuring than that? My sleep quality


    is through the roof.¡±


    ¡°Well, you won¡¯t be so reassured for long.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Jaylene is headed to Mrs. Kane Sr.¡¯s residence bright and early this morning.¡±


    Ste was stunned upon hearing this.

 Chapter 1716

    Chapter 1716


    Chapter 1716


    ¡°Keegan asked her to go,¡± Trevor stated, adding to Ste¡¯s pain.


    Ste turned over in bed and said, ¡°He¡¯s adamantly iming he doesn¡¯t know me now. He won¡¯t


    appreciate it if I show up.


    I don¡¯t want to be a spectacle for Jaylene.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid they might develop feelings for each other? Keegan doesn¡¯t remember you, after all.¡±


    Ste paused, looking up, ¡°Trevor, did Jaylene tell you how she found Keegan?¡±


    ¡°She said she found him on the shore three miles away from where you two had your ident. Keegan


    was out cold for half a month before waking up.¡± 3


    Ste bit her lips and asked, ¡°Do you believe her?¡±


    Trevor did not give her a direct response, ¡°It¡¯s been too long; any evidence by the shore would have


    disappeared by now.¡±


    As the truth could not be confirmed, they had no choice but to trust Jaylene¡¯s ount.


    Thinking about the pregnancy test she tookst night, Ste suddenly spoke in a low voice, ¡°Trevor,


    can you help me prepare a gift? I¡¯m going to visit a patient at Keegan¡¯s grandparents¡¯ residence.¡±


    Trevor chuckled, ¡°I already have it ready. I was just waiting for you to wake up.¡±


    Ste appeared at Cordelia¡¯s residence an hourter, all dressed up.


    Jaylene was having a stroll with Keegan in the courtyard. They asionally exchanged a few words,


    appearing remarkably in sync.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books


    Updates¡­


    Ste stood a short distance away, observing the two until Baldwin addressed her.


    Ste returned to reality and said, ¡°Baldwin, good morning.¡±


    Baldwin nodded and took what she had in her hands.¡± Follow me,¡± he said warmly.


    Ste thanked him and did as she was told.


    As they entered the courtyard, Jaylene,ughing and chatting with Keegan, suddenly let go of his hand,


    looking awkward, ¡°Ste, what brings you here?¡±


    Only then did Keegan turn his head and spot Ste in her beige coat.


    Herplexion had improved significantly from the previous day in just one night. Her face had a


    healthy flush, her eyes sparkled, and even her hair gleamed in the sunlight.


    The onlinemunity wasn¡¯t exaggerating about her looks. Ste was the center of attention just by


    existing.


    Keegan sized her up, walked over slowly, and stood in front of her before asking, ¡°Didn¡¯t wee to an


    understanding yesterday? Why are you here?¡±


    Ste pointed at the gift in Baldwin¡¯s hands, ¡°I¡¯m just here to visit.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, but it¡¯s unnecessary.¡±


    Ste looked at the stubborn man in front of her and calmly stated, ¡°I¡¯m not here for you. It¡¯s not for you


    to decide whether my presence is necessary or not.¡±


    Keegan was puzzled by her response.


    Ste nced at Jaylene and almostughed as she said,¡± Jaylene, you¡¯ve been taking care of


    Keegan all day. How much is he offering for your services?¡±


    Jaylene instantly seemed uneasy. She clutched her fists and muttered, ¡°There¡¯s no payment. I-I¡¯ve


    been taking care of Keegan for a while now. I was just worried that others wouldn¡¯t be up to the task, so


    I came to help.¡±


    Keegan furrowed his brows and shot Ste a look, ¡°I was the one who asked Jaylene toe over.


    She¡¯s just helping me out as a friend. What on earth are you suggesting?¡±


    ¡°Huh? I¡¯m not suggesting anything. I was just curious. Apart from financial gain, I can¡¯t fathom what


    would motivate Jaylene to set aside her noble status and serve my fiance.¡±


    ¡®We¡¯re about to annul our engagement!¡± Keegan reminded her.


    ¡°Until it¡¯s annulled, you¡¯re still my fiance and ex-husband. I¡¯ve gotten used to having new things and just


    can¡¯t understand the mentality of those who prefer second-hand goods. Do you understand them,


    Jaylene?¡±

 Chapter 1717

    Chapter 1717


    Ste''s words were veiled with sarcasm. Referring to someone as second-hand was undeniably offensive.


    It triggered a defensive response from Keegan, "Who do you think you are calling someone second-hand goods?"


    Ste paused and said, "Not you, obviously."


    As Keegan felt more at ease, Ste continued, "Second-hand goods are those that have been rejected once. Since you''ve been dumped twice, that categorizes you as third-hand goods."


    Her response left Keegan at a loss for words.


    "Ste, what''s going on between Keegan and me is not what you think¡ª"


    "What is it then? Tell me."


    Jaylene clenched her fingers and said, "I-I just want Keegan to recover quickly. That''s all."


    "Strange. Does he recover faster with you around? Are you a doctor? Do you have some miraculous potion that can help him?"


    Jaylene did not know what to say, her face turning red. Having a somewhat somber appearance, she became even more pitiable when aggrieved.


    Seeing this, Keegan frowned, "Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? Why are you here attacking her?"


    Ste turned to Keegan, "It''s because she saved you that I''ve been showing some mercy." She leaned into Keegan''s ear, lowering her voice to a volume only they could hear, and said slowly, "I don''t care whether you remember me or not, but every time you stand up for Jaylene, I''ll be there to push her down. If you dare be with her, I''ll make sure you can never have children."


    Her words were delivered gently, but the content sent a chill down Keegan''s spine.


    When Keegan returned to reality, he noticed that Ste and Baldwin had already walked far away.


    "Keegan, do you want some water?" Jaylene called out, and the sound of wind chimes echoed. Keegan shook off his thoughts, reaching out to take the water Jaylene handed to him.


    "What did Ste say to you just now?" She asked softly.


    "Just some foulnguage," Keegan replied indifferently.


    Jaylene observed his expression and said after a while, "Shall we take a stroll in the backyard?"


    Cordelia was in the backyard. Jaylene knew Ste hade to visit her and wanted to see what she was up to.


    Cordelia''splexion had improved since Keegan''s return. She was tidying up in a wheelchair, directing the gardener in tidying up the neglected garden.


    "Be careful! Don''t crush the seedlings! Oh dear, why are you so clumsy? Can''t you set up a simple vegetable patch? Youngsters these days are all so ipetent. Thankfully, my granddaughter-inw is more agile than you."


    Ste could not help but suppress augh and call out to Cordelia, "Grandma."


    Cordelia paused upon hearing that. She immediately reverted to a serious expression and said in disdain, "You''re here."


    Ste lifted the box in her hand and mouthed, "I brought duck."


    Cordelia quickly nced at Baldwin. Seeing that he wasn''t paying attention, she cleared her throat and said, "Baldwin, bring over a pot of tea and some pastries."Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Baldwin acknowledged her request and left.


    Cordelia waved her hand, and Ste immediately understood. She approached and started taking out the vacuum-sealed meat one by one.


    Cordelia''s eyes lit up, "Baldwin didn''t notice, did he?"


    "I added dried jasmine flowers on top. Unless Baldwin brings in a police dog, no one will know I brought you these," said Ste.


    Cordelia chuckled, "What a clever little thing."


    Ste handed her a pair of gloves and asked, "How''s your health, grandma?"

 Chapter 1718

    Chapter 1718


    Chapter 1718


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Cordelia responded.


    ¡°Are you sure? You didn¡¯t allow guests when Keegan was still missing. Baldwin mentioned you couldn¡¯t


    get out of bed. Is that true?¡±


    Cordelia chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m sure you know the truth behind that, Ste.¡±


    Ste¡¯s heart sank immediately. It seemed her suspicions were correct; Cordelia had been confined at


    that time.


    The question now was whether it was Chandler¡¯s decision or if Chandler and Dahlia had conspired


    together. >


    Before Ste could say anything, Cordelia made a hushing gesture and put on the gloves, saying,


    ¡¯Didn¡¯t you talk to Keegan when you arrived?¡±


    The mention of Keegan naturally evoked thoughts of his present connection with Jaylene, causing a


    twinge of difort in Ste¡¯s heart.


    ¡°He haspany. Why would I want to talk to him? He¡¯ll just say something hurtful, and I¡¯ll get mad.¡±


    Cordelia sighed, ¡®Not only does he not remember many things, but his temper has also changed a lot


    since he came back. It¡¯s hard to say whether this is a blessing or a curse.¡¯


    Ste hesitated for a moment. Cordelia had already raised the topic without her probing. It seemed


    there was little she could ask.


    After pondering for a while, she said, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Cordelia looked up at her.


    Ste continued, ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to apologize to you. It¡¯s my fault for not holding onto Keegan at


    that time. If I had been clear-headed enough, I wouldn¡¯t have let him let go. After the incident, I actually


    didn¡¯t dare face you. T-Thank God he¡¯s okay.¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated


    For All Books Updates¡­


    Cordelia fell silent for a moment before speaking, ¡°It would be a lie to say that I was not disappointed.


    However, you are not to me. You¡¯ve done everything you could. I can¡¯t ce the responsibility on


    you just because Keegan didn¡¯te back at that time. I might not have done any better if I were in


    your position.


    ¡°Keegan entrusted you with guarding his team. That proves that he had faith in you,¡± she added.


    Ste lowered her eyes, gently rubbing the ring on her finger. After a while, she said, ¡°Grandma, I want


    to move back to Royalpark Vi with Keegan.¡±


    Cordelia hesitated for a moment, ¡°Telling me won¡¯t help; Keegan has to be on board with the idea. He


    is very stubborn now. Only Jaylene can persuade him.¡± 3


    Ste sighed internally, ¡®I guess it¡¯s true. With agees wisdom. After all this time, Cordelia hadn¡¯t


    revealed any useful information.¡¯


    ¡°Ste, what¡¯s going on between you and Marshall?¡±


    Cordelia suddenly asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re just friends,¡± said Ste.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Cordelia replied and shifted to another topic before quickly circling back to Marshall, ¡¯If Keegan


    never regains his memory, do you think something could happen between you and Marshall?¡±


    Ste lowered her eyes, ¡°Grandma, are you personally curious about the situation, or are you asking


    on someone else¡¯s behalf?¡± 3


    Cordelia waved her hand dismissively and said, ¡°I¡¯m just making conversation. You can tell me if you


    want to or keep it to yourself.¡±


    Ste pondered for a moment and said, ¡°If Keegan wants me to stay by his side, I would do it without


    hesitation. But I can¡¯t wait for him forever if he doesn¡¯t want me. Marshall is a good person. I¡¯ll let fate


    decide what will happen between us.¡±


    Just as Keegan and Jaylene walked over, they heard Ste¡¯s words. Jaylene instinctively looked at


    Keegan. Thetter pursed his lips, and his expression remained stoic. His current emotions were


    iprehensible. 2


    ¡°Keegan,¡± Jaylene tentatively called out to him, but he did not respond.


    Ste turned her head and saw the two of them. Her gaze moved from Jaylene¡¯s supporting hand to


    Keegan¡¯s face. Her eyshes fluttered, and she remained silent, biting her lip.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan¡¯s gaze met hers for two seconds before looking away, ¡°Grandma, I want to go to the stable.¡±


    ¡°Your body hasn¡¯t fully recovered yet. You can¡¯t ride a horse,¡± Cordelia said.


    Keegan answered, ¡°I won¡¯t be riding. Jaylene is feeling bored. I want to take her there to have a look.¡±

 Chapter 1719

    Chapter 1719


    Chapter 1719


    Cordelia paused and looked at Ste, who had a strained face and a rigid expression.


    ¡°Alright, then. Take Ste along with you. She just mentioned that she hasn¡¯t seen Juno for a while.¡±


    Ste was confused; she had not said that. She stared at Cordelia in disbelief, ¡®She¡¯s so good at


    creating opportunities.¡¯


    Keegan hesitated for a moment and nced at her with impatience, ¡°Come along, then.¡±


    Ste could not believe the look on his face, ¡®What a scumbag. Does he really think I want to go?


    Forget it.


    There¡¯s no point in engaging with someone illogical.¡¯


    Imitating Jaylene¡¯s tone, Ste sarcastically said, ¡°Sorry for the trouble, Keegan.¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan and Jaylene did not say a word.


    The horse trainer was grooming Juno as the group approached the stable. Juno became restless when


    it saw them, pacing back and forth, almost impatient.


    Juno was taller and more robust than other horses. Those unfamiliar with horses would feel an


    overwhelming pressure just standing close to it.


    Jaylene was awed by Juno¡¯s strong appearance. After seeing the scar on one of its eyes, she said,


    ¡°Juno really is a


    good horse. It¡¯s a pity it lost an eye.¡±


    Keegan reached out to stroke Juno¡¯s mane and calmly said,¡± No one is perfect, horses included.


    Although Juno runs fast, it¡¯s challenging to tame. They often choose obedient horses in horse racing.


    Horses that are hard to train, such as Juno, may face elimination despite their speed. It suffered an


    injury to its eye during training, a consequence of being whipped.¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated


    Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    ¡°Poor thing. That must have hurt,¡± Jaylene said softly.


    Ste nced at Keegan. She assumed that in line with his straightforward thinking, he¡¯d likely say


    something like,¡±


    Well, duh.¡±


    But Keegan said, ¡°It was definitely painful, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s happy knowing that someone cares about


    it.¡±


    Ste was utterly confused by his response. She began to reassess Keegan, ¡®Could amnesia change a


    person¡¯s character and morality?¡¯


    Keegan was someone whocked an understanding of emotions. He was not good at consoling others.


    Not making matters worse was already a sign of elevated emotional intelligence for him.


    ncing at Jaylene, who was trying to caress Juno, Ste suddenly said, ¡°Jaylene, Juno recognizes its


    master. It has only let Grandma and Keegan touch it for so many years. It will get angry if a stranger


    touches it.¡±


    While speaking, she sneaked a nce at Keegan. Unfortunately, he remained expressionless.


    Jaylene hesitated for a moment before reaching out to touch Juno. She found that it behaved very


    docilely, showing no signs of resistance. ¡¯


    She smirked and said, ¡°It seems quite gentle. Having worked with many horses during my equestrian


    training, I¡¯ve found that if they willingly allow you to touch them, they approve of you.¡±


    This remark was clearly aimed at Ste. She was not happy,¡± You know how to ride horses?¡±


    ¡°I learned it with Trevor,¡± Jaylene said. Suddenly, she added, ¡°Keegan, can I take Juno for a couple of


    laps?¡±


    Keegan hadn¡¯t spoken yet when Ste said, ¡°Jaylene, Juno isn¡¯t easy to tame. What if it throws you


    off? This isn¡¯t a game.¡±


    ¡°Juno is a spirited stallion. You can have the trainer lead it around if you¡¯re up for a ride. Or, I can take


    you for a ride when I¡¯m in better shape,¡± said Keegan.


    Ste¡¯s eyelids twitched, ¡®What the hell?! He did not suggest this when I said I wanted to ride Juno with


    him back then.¡¯

 Chapter 1720

    Chapter 1720


    Chapter 1720


    Back then, Keegan joked, ¡°Can¡¯t you look in the mirror? The two of us weigh nearly 600 pounds


    combined. Juno is a horse, not a camel.¡±


    ¡®Jaylene and I weigh almost the same. Why would he suggest taking her on a ride but not me?¡¯ Ste


    thought.


    Jaylene seemed satisfied with Keegan¡¯s response, especially when she noticed Ste¡¯s displeased


    expression.


    Knowing that Ste had never ridden Juno, Jaylene strongly wanted to prove herself to Keegan by


    taming the horse.


    ¡°Keegan, could I have the opportunity to ride Juno by myself? The fact that it allowed me to touch it


    suggests a connection. I haven¡¯t encountered such a beautiful horse in a long time. Please let me do


    this.¡±


    Ste pursed her lips and warned, ¡°Jaylene, falling off a horse is no small matter. It¡¯s not the time to


    show off. What if you get hurt? How will I exin it to your mom when we get back?¡±


    Jaylene was convinced Ste did not want her to outshine her in front of Keegan, ¡°Ste, handling


    horses alwayses with risks. Just because you can¡¯t control Juno doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t.¡±


    Undeterred, Jaylene turned to Keegan once more and implored, Keegan, please let me try this once. I¡¯ll


    give up if Juno doesn¡¯t allow me to ride it.¡±


    Keegan hesitated and frowned. Finally, he said, ¡°Fine. Don¡¯t forget to put on the protective gear. Be


    careful, and get off if it doesn¡¯t work out.¡±Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Jaylene smiled and responded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    She then looked at Ste, ¡°Ste, do you want to pick a horse too? We can have a friendly


    competition.¡±


    Ste shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well. Next time, maybe.¡±


    Sensing Ste¡¯s reluctance, Jaylene smiled and said,¡± Alright, then.¡±


    After saying goodbye to Keegan, she followed the horse trainer to wear protective gear.Books Chapters


    Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Once she left, only Keegan and Ste remained.


    Keegan continued caring for Juno, feeding it carrots and stroking its fur. Meanwhile, Ste stood by,


    staring at him without blinking.


    Perhaps it was her audacious gaze that made Keegan somewhat displeased. He turned toward her


    and asked,¡± Aren¡¯t we here to see the horse? Why are you looking at me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Ste pursed her lips and said, ¡°I¡¯m just wondering if Juno was in pain when its eye was


    blinded.¡±


    Keegan paused, looking at her strangely, ¡°Well, duh.¡±


    Ste could not believe he responded with such an answer. It was just as she had expected.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯te here anymore,¡± Keegan continued, ¡°We are about to annul the engagement. It¡¯s


    better to maintain some distance.¡±


    Ste nced at him, ¡°I agreed to annul the engagement with you as apromise. If you keep


    pushing me around, I¡¯ll expose our marriage online. Not only did you abandon your wife and child, but


    you also got involved with my stepsister!¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? What does our annulment have to do


    with Jaylene?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say whatever I want to the media if you try to drive me away. Try me!¡±


    Keegan gritted his teeth, ¡°You¡¯re being unreasonable!¡±


    Ste snorted and walked over, lightly poking Keegan¡¯s shoulder with her finger. ¡°Does your injury still


    hurt?¡± she asked softly.


    Keegan scowled and said, ¡°Yes! It hurts even more when I see you!¡±


    ¡°Seeing me hurts your heart, huh?¡± Ste deliberately twisted his words. ¡°Do you want to return to the


    bedroom? You can take off your clothes, and I¡¯ll gently blow on your injury. Whenever you got hurt in


    the past, you used to ask me to blow on your injuries so that the pain would go away.¡±

 Chapter 1721

    Chapter 1721


    Keegan looked coldly at her and sneered, ¡°Why would your blows improve my injuries? Who do you


    think you are? A goddess?¡± ¡¯ ¡°Yeah,¡± Ste replied, poker-faced. ¡°You used to say that I¡¯m a goddess,


    so I guess that makes my blows extra special.¡±


    Keegan was stunned, ¡°That¡¯s absurd! I¡¯d never say something so cheesy!¡±


    ¡°Tsk. This is nothingpared to the cheesy things you used to say to me. For example, you¡¯ve told


    me you can¡¯t live without me. You also said I¡¯m the only one you love and want us to be together


    forever. You¡¯re especially cheesy during¡­¡±


    ¡°During what?¡±


    Ste wanted to lean in and whisper in his ear, but Keegan stopped her, ¡°Don¡¯te closer. You can


    say it right there.¡± i ¡°But it¡¯s inappropriate to say out loud.¡±


    Keegan unscrewed his water bottle and said, ¡°Just say it!¡±


    Ste smirked and said, ¡°You¡¯re especially cheesy during¡­ sex. You love calling me baby, saying that


    I¡¯m soft and sweet. You said you¡¯re willing to do anything for me.¡±


    ¡°Pfft- Cough, cough-¡± Upon sipping water, Keegan involuntarily sprayed out half of it and choked on the


    remaining portion. His face and neck turned red.


    Ste walked over, worriedly patting his back. ¡°I told you I couldn¡¯t say it out loud. I know you don¡¯t


    remember me. You probably still think you¡¯re a virgin. This topic is too much for you,¡± she said,


    somewhat aggrieved.


    Keegan¡¯s ears reddened as he coughed. He red at Ste, embarrassed and annoyed. ¡°You¡¯re so¡­


    vulgar!¡±


    Ste rolled her eyes, thinking Keegan¡¯s amnesia had turned him into an innocent college boy. The


    banter between them used to be much more efficient, i ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Ste epted thement.


    ¡°Stop coughing, or your wound might split open.¡±


    Keegan was not in a good mood. He red at her and said,¡± You¡¯re the one to me if that happens!¡±


    ¡°I am. I am.¡± Ste was extremely patient. She felt that arguing with Keegan, even if he did not


    recognize her, was a more favorable oue than him nevering back.


    ¡°Are you okay? Tell me if it hurts.¡± Keegan looked at her with a mixture of unease and annoyance. His


    lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but Jaylene showed up, ¡°Keegan, I¡¯m ready.¡±


    Keegan pushed away Ste¡¯s hand coldly, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t bother.¡±


    As Jaylene approached, she noticed the unusual atmosphere between the two.


    She asked softly, ¡°What happened, Keegan?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Keegan replied with a stiff expression.


    Ste¡¯s face did not look good either. It seemed like something unpleasant had happened between


    them.


    Seeing this, Jaylene did not ask further. She turned around, smiled, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take Juno for a ride.¡±


    Keegan nodded, ¡°Be careful.¡±


    Ste lowered her eyes. ¡®Either he forgot how challenging Juno could be, or he is overly confident of


    Jaylene¡¯s skills,¡¯ she thought. ¡®It was surprising to see Juno let her touch him, though.¡¯ 2 Jaylene


    mounted Juno, and it trotted into the racetrack. Its new horseshoes made a loud and rhythmic clinking


    sound.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Juno moved at a leisurely pace. It was more of a stroll than a run. Jaylene did not experience the thrill


    of riding a horse. She noticed Keegan seemed to be talking to Ste again and started to feel worried.


    She fiercely whipped Juno, hoping to speed up and divert Keegan¡¯s attention to her. i Juno winced in


    pain and, indeed, began to elerate. Seeing Juno running faster, Keegan turned his head to look.

 Chapter 1722

    Chapter 1722


    Jaylene¡¯s heart leaped with joy as she again urged Juno forward. However, Juno unexpectedly went


    berserk this time and darted around the racetrack. It leaped forward and backward in an attempt to


    throw Jaylene off its back.


    Jaylene was tossed so violently that she nearly fell off the horse. She clung desperately to the horse¡¯s


    neck and shouted Keegan¡¯s name loudly.


    Keegan¡¯s expression changed, and he was prepared to go forward when Ste grabbed his wrist.


    ¡°You¡¯re injured,¡± she said.


    Keegan¡¯s face tightened, ¡°Jaylene might die if she falls!¡±


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    A shiver passed through Ste¡¯s heart. She clenched her fist and choked, ¡°Do you care that much if


    something happens to her?¡±


    ¡°She saved my life,¡± Keegan said with a serious expression.


    Ste closed her eyes momentarily, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll repay this debt for you.¡±


    Saying that, she pushed Keegan out of the racetrack, determined to handle the situation herself.


    Through gritted teeth, she added, ¡°I¡¯m not going to help her if youe in here!¡±


    With that, she quickly mounted another horse.


    Keegan¡¯s heart tightened. ¡°Come back!¡± he angrily said.


    Ste ignored him and tightened her grip on the reins. She headed toward Jaylene with determination.


    Meanwhile, Jaylene was feeling dizzy due to Juno¡¯s erratic behavior. She clung desperately to the


    horse¡¯s neck, prioritizing her safety. ?


    There was a moment when Ste really wanted to turn and leave. She resented Jaylene for keeping


    Keegan hidden for so long, only for him to return with amnesia. Jaylene was a thief in Ste¡¯s eyes.


    She was trying to steal away her life and her lover.


    The darkness in Ste¡¯s heart surged, but in the end, reason prevailed. She whistled, and upon hearing


    the sound, Juno immediately stopped its erratic movements. Running toward Ste, the horse


    demonstrated a remarkable level of understanding.


    While riding the horse, Ste kept a pace that matched Juno¡¯s. She yelled to Jaylene, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand


    there! Grab the reins!¡±


    Still shocked by Ste¡¯s excellent riding skills, Jaylene only realized what she was shouting after some


    time. Clutching the horse¡¯s neck, she struggled to grasp the reins. Soon, Juno started leaping again as


    if deliberately defying her. ¡¯ This time, Jaylene was thrown to the side, and only one leg remained on


    the horse¡¯s back. Her other leg was almost close to the ground, and she could fall at any moment.


    ¡°Juno!¡± Ste shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t jump, okay, good boy?¡± i Jaylene had seized Juno by its neck hair,


    causing it to jump. It would not have leaped so vigorously if otherwise.


    However, upon hearing Ste¡¯smand, it seemingly understood her and stopped.


    Ste closed the gap between her and Juno, eventually securing its reins with its cooperation. Yet, as


    she tightened the harness, her mount became startled, resulting in her being thrown off its back, i


    Keegan swiftly approached on a horse. Seeing this scene, his throat tightened.


    The next moment, he witnessed Ste climbing back onto the horse.


    Keegan clenched his fists, raised his whip, and went forward. He then tightened Ste¡¯s reins from the


    side.


    Ste was stunned. She turned to look at him, and Keegan said sternly, ¡°Why are you just standing


    there? Save her!¡± 4 Ste tugged forcefully on Juno¡¯s reins, prompting the horse to slow down and


    transition into a gentle trot.


    At that point, Jaylene was exhausted. She finally let go and fell off from Juno. 4

 Chapter 1723

    Chapter 1723


    After Jaylenended, Keegan and Ste did not go far beforeing to a stop.


    Ste turned to say something to Keegan, but he ignored her and headed straight for Jaylene. She


    tightened the reins and dismounted the horse.


    Jaylene had a minor scrape on her hand, but there were no significant injuries apart from that. Juno¡¯s


    speed had decreased significantly when Jaylene fell off, preventing substantial consequences.


    However, Jaylene was still in shock. Ste had experienced the terror of being tossed around on


    horseback when she learned to ride, so she understood what Jaylene was feeling, Jaylene sat on the


    ground, red-eyed and on the verge of tears. Upon seeing Keegan, she felt even more distressed. At


    that moment, she could not help but call his name.


    Keegan did not answer her. He squatted down, grabbed her hand, and softly said, ¡°Try moving your


    limbs to see if they¡¯re alright.¡±


    Ste¡¯s face was tense, ¡°Juno had already slowed down when she fell off from him. She¡¯s fine.¡±


    Jaylene leaned against Keegan and followed his instructions by moving her arms and legs. After


    confirming that she had not broken anything, Keegan asked, ¡°Apart from your hand, do you feel pain in


    any other areas?¡±


    Jaylene shook her head with reddened eyes. ¡°Keegan, I was so scared,¡± she said hoarsely.


    ¡°Come here. You¡¯re fine now,¡± Keeganforted her in a low voice.


    Ste pursed her lips, suddenly feeling that her presence was unwanted.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    She was about to turn and leave when Jaylene suddenly stopped her, ¡°Ste, you clearly know how to


    tame Juno. Why did you lie? Were you deliberately deceiving me to get on the horse?¡±


    Ste looked coldly at her, ¡°When have I told you that I couldn¡¯t tame Juno?¡±


    Jaylene calmed down and recalled the conversation they had. Her tone became sharper, ¡°You said that


    Juno only allowed Keegan and Grandma to touch it.


    Doesn¡¯t that mean it won¡¯t let you touch it? Yet, it seems responsive to your voice. It¡¯s hard to believe it


    would deny your touch.¡±


    ¡°You misunderstood me. When I said that, I meant that they¡¯re the only two people from the Kane


    family that Juno¡¯s okay with. I¡¯m not a part of the Kane family.¡±


    Jaylene could not believe her ears. Her expression turned ugly. ¡°Are you ying games with me?¡±


    Ste chuckled, ¡°Jaylene, riding the horse was your own decision. I advised you many times,


    mentioning that Juno has a fierce personality and is not easy to control. Yet, you insisted on going


    against my advice. How could you say what happened to you is my fault? If I had known you would


    me me, I wouldn¡¯t have saved you. Instead, I would¡¯ve just let you fall to your death!¡±


    Keegan frowned upon hearing that, ¡°Enough! Stop being so harsh!¡±


    ¡°I will not stop!¡± Ste was furious. ¡°Are you blind, Keegan? Why aren¡¯t you able to distinguish right


    from wrong?!


    Jaylene wanted to show off in front of you, yet she ended up embarrassed, and now she wants to put


    the me on me. Why the hell did I even save her?!¡±


    Keegan¡¯s lips twitched, ¡®I didn¡¯t even use her for what happened just now.¡¯ Ste was too tired to


    deal with the two of them. The longer she looked at them, the more her anger grew. She left the stable


    without looking at Keegan¡¯s unpleasant expression.


    ¡°Keegan, it¡¯s all my fault. Ste is right. She advised me not to ride Juno, but I didn¡¯t listen to her. I


    didn¡¯t know what I was saying. Hurry up and go after Ste and apologize to her, ¡± said Jaylene.


    ¡°Why should I apologize to her?¡± Keegan said unkindly. ¡°She has such a bad temper. All I did was just


    tell her to stop being so harsh.¡±


    Jaylene lowered her gaze and said, ¡°I think what I said just now must have angered her too.¡±


    Expressionless, Keegan said, ¡°It has nothing to do with you. She always gets mad when she sees you.


    It¡¯s probably just her nature.¡±


    Jaylene did not say anything else.


    She and Keegan finally went back to the house after they treated her wound.

 Chapter 1724

    Chapter 1724


    Ste and Cordelia were engrossed in a conversation in the living room when footsteps interrupted


    them. Ste, who had been wearing a smile, swiftlyposed herself, her gaze turning chilly.


    She turned to Cordelia and said, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ve got some errands to runter. I better head off now.¡±


    ¡°Lunch is almost ready. I had them prepare some of your favorite dishes. You should grab a bite before


    you leave,¡± Cordelia tried to convince her to stay.


    Ste declined politely, ¡°Sorry, Grandma, but I have ns to meet some friends for lunch at half past


    twelve. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t make it on time if I stay any longer. It isn¡¯t ideal for me to bete since we¡¯re


    colleagues.¡±


    Not wanting to insist, Cordelia relented, ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll have Corrin pack your favorite dishes for you


    to take home.


    You can enjoy themter.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°You make it so hard to refuse, Grandma,¡± Ste sighed.


    Pleased with Ste¡¯s agreement, Cordelia grabbed her arm and said, ¡°Come, let¡¯s go to the kitchen.


    You can pick the dishes you want us to pack for you.¡±


    As they walked a few steps forward, Cordelia suddenly remembered something and turned to her


    grandson,¡± Keegan, take Jaylene to wash her hands. Lunch will be ready soon.¡±


    Jaylene felt somewhat ufortable as she noticed the obvious contrast in Cordelia¡¯s treatment


    toward her. She was warm and affectionate toward Ste, even more so than when she was with


    Aurora.


    Keegan nced briefly at the kitchen and said to Jaylene,¡± Come on. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Jaylene lowered her gaze and tagged along.


    In the bustling kitchen, Corrin and the household staff were busy preparing a variety of aromatic dishes.


    Corrin¡¯s culinary skills were on par with Felicity¡¯s, evidenced by Vermont¡¯s prolonged appreciation for


    her cooking.


    While Cordelia directed the other staff to pack the food, she asked Ste, ¡°Do you like fish porridge?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never tried it,¡± Ste admitted.


    Cordelia introduced the dish with a smile by lifting the lid of a ceramic pot, ¡°It¡¯s Corrin¡¯s recipe. She


    enhances it with seafood broth. I find it delicious. Give it a sniff.¡±


    Before Ste approached the pot, she smelled an overwhelming fishy odor, triggering an immediate


    wave of nausea. She quickly covered her mouth, retreated to the side, and took a moment to hold her


    queasiness.


    Her reaction left Cordelia taken aback, ¡°Are you okay, Ste? n Ste nodded, ¡°I¡¯m fine. My stomach


    isn¡¯t doing welltely. I became sensitive to meaty odors. I feel like vomiting as soon as I smell them.¡±


    Cordelia¡¯s face changed slightly. She covered the pot, looked at Ste seriously, and asked, ¡°How long


    has this been going on?¡±


    Ste furrowed her brows, ¡°About a week, I think. I haven¡¯t kept track.¡±


    Cordelia calcted the days in her mind, and her eyes assumed a more profound and unpredictable


    gaze.


    ¡°Have you taken any medicine?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a minor stomach issue. There¡¯s no need for medication,¡± Ste assured her.


    Cordelia did not continue the topic. Instead, she motioned for Ste to pick her favorite dishes and said,


    ¡°Take a look and see what other dishes you want. I¡¯ll have Corrin pack them for you.¡±


    Ste smiled while shaking her head, ¡°Grandma, this is enough for me to eat.¡±


    ¡°Alright. If you ever crave something specific, let me know. I¡¯ll have Corrin send it over.¡±


    Ste expressed her gratitude and left.


    After seeing Ste off, Cordelia chuckled unexpectedly.¡± What is it?¡± Baldwin asked.


    Cordelia shook her head and muttered after a while, ¡°She went around in circles¡­¡±

 Chapter 1725

    Chapter 1725


    As soon as Ste left Cordelia¡¯s residence, Aldor returned with Dahlia and Coco.


    Aldor and Coco appeared cheerful, especially thetter, who enthusiastically called Aldor ¡°Uncle Aldor¡±


    and bombarded him with questions.


    On the other hand, Dahlia seemed discontented. Her gaze held a mix of displeasure and a hint of


    anger, particrly when she looked at Aldor.


    Upon entering the house, Aldor handed Dahlia the household registration paperwork he had just


    arranged for Coco.


    Dahlia took the papers and stared at him with a cold gaze. After a while, she said, ¡°You sure know how


    to y games, Aldor! How dare you deceive us?!¡±


    Aldor feigned innocence, ¡°Madam, where is this usationing from? What did I do?¡±


    Dahlia clenched her teeth, ¡°You¡¯ve led us to believe Coco is Keegan¡¯s daughter!


    If not for that, I-¡°


    Dahlia did not finish her sentence.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Her initial n was to use Coco to nullify Keegan¡¯s previous will and exclude Ste from the


    inheritance. Unexpectedly, it turned out that Coco was not Keegan¡¯s daughter. Due to this revtion,


    Dahlia found herself used of coveting the inheritance.


    Although Keegan had lost his memory of past events, exposing Coco¡¯s adoption displeased him.


    Early this morning, Dahlia had taken Coco to apply for adoption at Keegan and Cordelia¡¯s unanimous


    request.


    Once the paperwork was done, Coco officially became Keegan¡¯s adopted daughter.


    In addition to not obtaining what she wanted, Dahlia found herself in this vexing situation, fueling her


    anger.


    ¡°I never imed that Coco is Mr. Kane¡¯s daughter. It¡¯s your assumption just because you heard Coco


    calling Mr. Kane ¡® Dad¡¯,¡± Aldor calmly stated.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you rify it?!¡±


    ¡°The child was joking. Why would I bother exining? Besides, you didn¡¯t tell me what you nned to


    do with Coco.


    ¡°Coco has been kept in the dark about Mr. Kane¡¯s disappearance. Without informing us, you brought


    her in front of everyone. You should be grateful she wasn¡¯t scared out of her wits. Otherwise, you would


    need to figure out how to exin the whole thing to Mr. Kane.¡±


    Dahlia¡¯s face turned pale with anger, ¡°H-How dare you talk to me like this! Don¡¯t forget who you¡¯re


    working for!¡±


    ¡°I signed a contract with Vinci Rivera. Are you also one of the shareholders in thepany, Madam?¡±


    This remark hurt Dahlia.


    Every descendant of the Kane family possessed shares in Vinci Rivera. This included Aurora and


    Jackson, who had not contributed to thepany.


    Everyone born into the Kane family received one percent of Vinci Rivera¡¯s shares.


    It did not matter who the head of the family was; that one percent of shares would guarantee a


    permanent stake in Vinci Rivera¡¯s profits. Nevertheless, in adherence to the family rules, any potential


    sale could only be negotiated with the head of the Kane family.


    If that were the entirety of the situation. Dahlia would not harbor such resentment. However, a few


    company members sought to sell their shares a few years ago during Vinci Rivera¡¯s restructuring.


    Dahlia had anticipated that Keegan would allocate funds to repurchase those shares and put them


    under her name, but he declined.


    Cyrene eventually bought back those shares. Although they did not add up to one percent, in a


    conglomerate like Vinci Rivera, even 0.1 percent tranted to millions in annual dividends.


    Dahlia had many arguments with Keegan because of this incident. The mention of it stabbed her in the


    heart.


    The fact that even Cyrene held shares in Vinci Rivera infuriated Dahlia.


    Unexpectedly, she pped Aldor with all her might, causing her hand to tingle.


    ¡°You¡¯re nothing but apdog to the Kane family. Have you lost sight of your own identity?¡± She gritted


    her teeth and said.


    Aldor turned his head slightly, his ear buzzing and his left cheek numb.


    Coco was startled. She pushed Dahlia¡¯s leg and shouted,¡± Don¡¯t hit Uncle Aldor!¡±

 Chapter 1726

    Chapter 1726


    Dahlia was irritated and pushed Coco away, ¡°Get off, you wild child!¡±


    The shove sent Coco tumbling to the ground, hitting her forehead on the corner of a flowerbed, leaving


    a bruise.


    The little girl, now in pain, immediately burst into tears.


    Cordelia was enjoying a stroll in the garden when she heard themotion.


    She instructed Baldwin to wheel her over. Upon arrival, they witnessed Aldorforting Coco, who


    was weeping. It was a sad sight.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Cordelia frowned and inquired.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Great grandma!¡± Coco called out, her eyes red. She then hugged Aldor¡¯s leg, sobbing quietly.


    Dahlia¡¯s expression changed when she saw Cordelia. She did not expect her to show up. However, she


    quicklyposed herself and said, ¡°Coco tripped and fell. So, she cried and wanted Aldor tofort


    her. Why are you out here, Mom?¡±


    Aldor did not expose Dahlia as he was stillforting Coco.


    Cordelia nced at her daughter-inw and uttered in disdain, ¡°I came out for some fresh air.¡± She


    then looked at Aldor and asked, ¡°Aldor, have you settled all the adoption procedures?¡±


    Aldor nodded, ¡°Once the documents are confirmed, we canplete the process.¡±


    As he raised his head, Cordelia noticed the handprint on Aldor¡¯s face. She furrowed her brows and


    asked, ¡°Aldor, what happened to your face?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I identally hit myself when I was getting out of the car,¡± Aldor replied.


    Just as he spoke, Coco eximed, ¡°No, Uncle Aldor was hit by the old witch!¡±


    Cordelia raised an eyebrow, ¡°Who¡¯s the old witch?¡±


    Coco pointed at Dahlia and said, ¡°Her! Great grandma, she hit Uncle Aldor and called him a dog!¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?!¡± Dahlia broke into a cold sweat and hastily exined, ¡°Don¡¯t


    listen to her nonsense, Mom. We just had a little argument, and she thought I was bullying Aldor.¡±


    Coco insisted, ¡°I¡¯m not lying, Great grandma. She called Uncle Aldor¡­¡±


    Coco had an excellent memory. She repeated what Dahlia had said earlier, mimicking Dahlia¡¯s tone


    and demeanor perfectly.


    Having shared a thirty-year connection with Dahlia, Cordelia was aware of Dahlia¡¯s true nature.


    After listening to Coco¡¯s retelling of the situation, Cordelia remained silent. She raised her hand and


    beckoned her over. Sniffling, she walked to Cordelia¡¯s wheelchair.


    Be good. Uncle Baldwin will take you to wash your face while I talk to Uncle Aldor.¡±


    Coco nodded and was led away by Baldwin.


    Dahlia felt uneasy, afraid that Cordelia might trust Coco over her. She hesitantly said, ¡°Mom¡­¡±


    Cordelia lifted her arm, ¡°Help me up.¡±


    Thinking that Cordelia would defend her, Dahlia hurried over to assist her.


    However, as soon as she reached out her hand, Cordelia pped her across the face. 1

 Chapter 1727

    Chapter 1727


    Cordelia was getting old. Even though she put all her strength into pping Dahlia, it didn¡¯t match the


    force Dahlia used on Aldor a moment before.


    Dahlia, who was in her fifties, felt really embarrassed about being pped. It didn¡¯t hurt too much, but


    she was still shocked by what happened.


    Covering her face in disbelief, Dahlia uttered, ¡°Cordelia?¡±


    With a stern look, Cordelia replied, ¡°If Aldor hadn¡¯t helped Keegan during his disappearance, he


    would¡¯ve lost his position in thepany. And you wouldn¡¯t be allowed in this house.¡±


    ¡°Aldor and all the Rivera employees earn their ces here because of what they can do. They¡¯re not


    your workers to scold and hit. You¡¯re ruining the Kane family¡¯s reputation!¡± she went on.


    Dahlia¡¯s face changed from red to pale. After a moment, she clenched her teeth and apologized,


    saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cordelia.¡±


    Keeping her cold expression, Cordelia told her, ¡°You should apologize to Aldor, not me.¡±


    Clenching her fists, Dahlia turned to Aldor and muttered an apology.


    Aldor didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he told Cordelia he was leaving.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Cordelia stopped him. ¡°Aldor,e with me. Let¡¯s attend to the injury on your face before you


    leave.¡±


    Aldor agreed and went with her.


    As Dahlia red at their retreating figures, Cordelia sighed.¡± Aldor, you¡¯ve been through a lot.¡±


    Aldor shook his head and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to stand up for me, Madam. Ms.


    Crosby is Mr. Kane¡¯s mother, after all.¡±


    Cordelia smiled. ¡°You¡¯re only two years younger than Keegan, yet you speak with such maturity. Even if


    Keegan doesn¡¯t recall kicking Dahlia out, I¡¯m certain he won¡¯t ignore it. You¡¯re looking out for his team,


    and it¡¯s my turn to look out for you in return.¡± Aldor¡¯s heart softened. He lowered his eyes, finding it hard


    to express himself.


    Finally, he said, ¡°I wonder when Mr. Kane will get better.¡±


    ¡°We can only let things happen as they will,¡± Cordelia suggested.


    After a brief silence, she suddenly asked, ¡°Aldor, do you have a girlfriend?¡±


    Aldor was a bit surprised by the sudden shift in conversation and answered truthfully, ¡°No.¡±


    With his demanding job, Aldor found little time for a social life. He spent half his month burning the


    midnight oil with Keegan and the other half helping him navigate his personal life.


    Six years after graduation, he had been in three rtionships, all of which ended for the same reason-


    his busy work schedule, leaving him with no time for them.


    After three unsessful attempts, Aldor stopped going on blind dates altogether, conveniently using


    his demanding work as an excuse.


    However, the pressure from his mother only increased each year. Aldor felt distressed whenever the


    topic is brought up.


    He enjoyed watching Keegan and Ste in love but could not picture himself in a rtionship.


    It was challenging to find a like-minded confidante in all aspects. Moreover, Aldor was not willing to


    spend time trying to win a girl over or put in effort in cultivating a rtionship, given his age. He would


    rather use the time and effort to double his bonus.


    ¡°Is your family pushing you to settle down?¡± Cordelia inquired.


    Aldor sighed, ¡°They do that every year when I return for the holidays.¡±


    Cordelia chuckled and asked, ¡°What do you think of Aurora?¡±


    Her question left Aldor taken aback.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

 Chapter 1728

    Chapter 1728


    ¡°She¡¯s¡­ pretty young. She¡¯s about the same age as my cousin, and they share simr personalities.


    She¡¯s rather likable when she¡¯s quiet,¡± said Aldor. i ¡®Aldor is really good with words!¡¯ thought Cordelia.


    ¡®When he said Aurora was pretty young, it meant that age might be a concern. He might see her more


    as a sister, given how he mentioned his cousin. And he might struggle if Aurora isn¡¯t quiet.¡¯ In essence,


    Aldor wanted Cordelia to cease ying matchmaker.


    Ignoring his hints, Cordelia casually said, ¡°Hey, I heard you¡¯ve been helping out Aurora at worktely.


    She¡¯s really improved. Remember when she wouldn¡¯t listen to anyone? Now she seems to value what


    you say.¡±


    Aldor responded, ¡°Aurora is smart and quick-witted. She used to be a bit yful.


    Her progress is impressive, not just because she listens to me, but Mr. Kane¡¯s also had an impact.¡±


    Aider¡¯s vague way of talking annoyed Cordelia a bit. Getting straight to it, she asked, ¡°So, Aldor, do you


    not really like Aurora?¡±


    Aldor dodged the question, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve got big hopes for her. If she keeps this up, she¡¯ll do amazing


    things in the future.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Cordelia red at him. ¡°Are you really that unwilling to be my grandson-inw?¡±


    Aldor was at a loss for words. After a moment, he sighed,¡± Madam, matters of the heart require mutual


    consent. I see Aurora as a younger sister, and nothing more. I believe she sees it the same way.¡±


    ¡°Feelings can be nurtured,¡± Cordelia pressed on. ¡°Are you hesitant because of Aurora¡¯s quirky ways?


    She¡¯s not a bad kid; she just got led off track. My health¡¯s not great, and I worry about my grandkids.


    Keegan¡¯s fine; he¡¯s responsible. But Aurora¡¯s what bothers me.¡± i ¡°I can¡¯t entrust her marriage to her


    unreliable mother. I genuinely like you, Aldor.


    You¡¯re hardworking, ambitious, good-natured, and reliable. It would be great of Aurora could marry


    you.¡±


    Aldor kept his eyes down, offering no response.


    Cordelia then waved her hand and said, ¡°Forget it, forget it. Just pretend I didn¡¯t say anything. I¡¯ll look


    elsewhere.¡±


    Aldor sighed to himself.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Aurora often used Cordelia of favoritism, yet in truth, Cordelia cherished all her grandchildren


    equally. Dahlia had exploited her kids for her own benefit, whereas Cordelia prioritized their well-being


    and future.


    Cordelia didn¡¯t prioritize Keegan and Ste¡¯s social status or wealthpatibility. The same applied to


    Aurora.


    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be discussing this with someone like Aldor from a different social background.


    Although Aurora¡¯s looks suited Aldor¡¯s taste, her personality didn¡¯t align with what he preferred.


    ¡®Whoever wants her can have her,¡¯ thought Aldor.


    After Jaylene finished her meal, Keegan had someone escort her back. He stood in the yard for a


    moment, then headed to the stables.


    The horse trainer had just fed the horses and greeted Keegan, ¡°Mr. Kane.¡±


    Keegan nodded and approached a chestnut-red colored horse. ¡°Ron, this horse got spooked while


    running just now. Can you check if it¡¯s injured?¡±


    The horse was the one Ste rode earlier.


    Ron led the horse out of the stable for a careful examination.


    Soon, he reached a conclusion, ¡°Mr. Kane, the horse isn¡¯t injured. It was probably a stress response.¡±


    ¡°A stress response?¡± Keegan frowned. ¡°These horses have gone through desensitization training. How


    could they be triggered?¡±


    ¡°It probably wasn¡¯t triggered by any sounds or such. More likely, the reins or something else might¡¯ve


    brushed against its old wound while you and thedies were riding, making it react instinctively.¡±

 Chapter 1729

    Chapter 1729


    Keegan froze upon hearing what the horse trainer had said.¡± This horse got injured?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Moore was riding this horse during your race with him. The horse went out of control because of


    the injury. Look, right here on its neck.¡±


    Ron lifted the horse¡¯s head, revealing a long gash beneath its mane. ¡°There¡¯s a big cut here. Not sure


    what caused it, maybe a nail. When the reins tightened, the wound got worse. That¡¯s why the horse got


    jumpy and hard to control.¡±


    He went on, ¡°The wound¡¯s taking ages to heal. It¡¯s been over a month, and some parts still don¡¯t have


    fur. Probably the reins touched it while the horse was running, causing such a reaction.¡±


    Ron cared deeply for the horses he worked with year-round. Worried Keegan might sell or put the


    horse down, he pleaded, ¡°This horse is usually really calm and even won awards. If it weren¡¯t for the


    injury, it wouldn¡¯t have acted up. Just give me some time, Mr. Kane. I¡¯ll train it well.¡±


    Lost in thought, Keegan snapped back, ¡°I don¡¯t recall any of that. Was Marshall hurt during that time?¡±


    ¡°No, Mr. Moore wasn¡¯t injured. But your arm dislocated from saving him.¡±


    Keegan fell silent for a moment and said, ¡°Thankfully, nothing major urred today. But if there¡¯s


    another incident, we¡¯ll have to get rid of this horse. We can¡¯t keep one that causes harm.¡±


    Ron immediately assured him, ¡°There won¡¯t be a next time, I promise.¡±


    Keegan stood there, looking at the horse¡¯s wound briefly, then turned and walked away.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Meanwhile, Ste called Luke on her way back.


    ¡°Dr. Quinn, are you currently in Rivera?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am. Can we meet? I have something to discuss with you.¡±


    ¡°Great, I¡¯ll send you my location when I arrive.¡±


    After hanging up, Ste drove to a Chinese restaurant not far from where Luke was giving a lecture.


    In a short while, Luke arrived.


    After cing their orders and waiting for the waiter to leave, Ste lowered her voice, ¡°Dr. Quinn, I


    might be pregnant.¡±


    Dr. Quinn was taken aback. ¡°Congrattions! Have you gone to the hospital for a check-up?¡±


    Shaking her head, Ste replied, ¡°I took a pregnancy test yesterday, and there was a faint line. I had


    ns today, so I haven¡¯t had a chance to go to the hospital.¡±


    Luke¡¯s expression turned serious, ¡°Pregnancy tests are quite urate. One dark line and one faint line


    usually indicate early pregnancy due to low hormone levels. You should head to the hospital.¡±


    Concerned, Ste bit her lip. ¡°But my husband had a vasectomy. How can I be pregnant?¡±


    Dr. Quinn looked puzzled. ¡°Has he had a reversal surgery?¡±


    Ste shook her head.


    Dr. Quinn furrowed his brows and thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Either the surgery failed, or he


    never had it done.¡±


    Ste pondered for a moment and felt the prior possibility was more likely.


    If Keegan had told her he had undergone the vasectomy while sober, she would have thought he was


    lying to her. However, he was clearly drunk when he informed her about the vasectomy.


    divorced at that time, so he had no reason to deceive her.


    ¡®Damn it. Which doctor did he go to for that vasectomy? The surgery failed, and I don¡¯t even know if it


    affected his health.¡¯ With these thoughts, Ste expressed her concerns to Luke.


    Luke waved his hand and said, ¡°If the surgery is unsessful, the worst oue would be that it


    doesn¡¯t effectively prevent contraception. If you¡¯re concerned, consider taking him to the hospital for an


    examination.¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°Got it. Thank you, Dr. Quinn.¡±

 Chapter 1730

    Chapter 1730


    ¡°What matters most right now is you. Hurry up and get yourself checked. Getting pregnant before fully


    recovering could pose issues. If there are any problems, ensure you take the necessary steps to


    protect the pregnancy promptly.¡±


    Ste wasn¡¯t very anxious initially, but Luke¡¯s words started to make her nervous. She hardly touched


    her meal before calling Felicity, requesting herpany for the examination.


    Unfortunately, Ste forgot to mention not to bring Vermont, and both Felicity and Vermont showed up


    together.


    As they got into the car, Ste whispered to Felicity, ¡°Why did you bring him?¡±


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Before Felicity could respond, Vermont jumped in, ¡°Ste, you¡¯ll end up on the news as an unwed


    mother before the results are out. With me around, I guarantee the news won¡¯t spread.¡±


    ¡°Since he bought expired pregnancy tests, he should be responsible for the aftermath,¡± Felicity added.


    ¡°Even if you stop the paparazzi from taking pictures of me, that mouth of yours might spread the news


    around,¡± said Ste.


    Vermont was at a loss for words. ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m good at keeping secrets!¡±


    Ste gave him a look that showed she did not trust him.


    ¡°What¡¯s your n, Ste? Are you going to tell Keegan if you¡¯re pregnant?¡±


    Felicity asked.


    ¡°I will, but I¡¯ll need some time. Before that, I don¡¯t want any news about this matter leaking out to


    anyone.¡± Looking at Vermont, she added, ¡°He¡¯ll be an issue.¡±


    Vermont could not believe what he was hearing.


    Felicity immediately red at Vermont and said, ¡°Swear that you won¡¯t talk about today¡¯s events!¡±


    In a scenario where Ste had a higher position in Felicity¡¯s heartpared to Vermont, his only option


    was to give in.


    ¡°I swear, I won¡¯t voluntarily speak a word about anything that happened today.


    Otherwise, I won¡¯t be able to make a single penny in the future.¡±


    ncing at Felicity in the rearview mirror, he added, ¡°Is that good enough, Baby?¡±


    ¡°You have to add that you¡¯d be cheated on forever if this ever goes out,¡± said Felicity.


    Vermont¡¯s eyelids twitched when he heard that. ¡°Finding a reasonable excuse to cheat on me, huh?¡±


    Felicity stared at him. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s more likely to have an affair anyway! Hurry up and say it!


    Otherwise, I¡¯ll take back the chance I gave you!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, I won¡¯t say anything, alright?¡± said Vermont.


    After he made the vow, the three of them went to the general hospital.


    Vermont did not lie when he told them that his older brother, Garrett, was a doctor. He was the chief


    physician in the Gastroenterology department of the general hospital and very well-liked there.


    Vermont made a call to Garrett on the way, requesting a quick appointment. He exined that a friend


    required a check-up but couldn¡¯t afford any media attention.


    Garrett agreed.


    When they arrived at the hospital, Garrett appeared.


    The moment he appeared. Felicity easily recognized him among the three doctors. It was because his


    eyes bore a striking resemnce to Vermont¡¯s.


    Garrett stood slightly shorter than Vermont, yet he was the tallest of the three doctors. His stature was


    slender,plemented by sses and a serious demeanor. He exuded an air akin to a headmaster,


    causing Felicity to feel a tad nervous in his presence. i As Garrett approached the group, he cast a


    nce at the twodies carrying your child?¡±

 Chapter 1731

    Chapter 1731


    Chapter 1731


    Felicity and Ste were left speechless by Garrett¡¯s assumption.


    Vermont felt embarrassed. ¡°Enough with the jokes. She¡¯s just a friend.¡±


    Drawing Felicity closer, he rified, ¡°And this is my girlfriend. The one here for a check-up is her best


    friend.¡±


    Felicity shoved him away, saying, ¡°I¡¯m not your girlfriend! Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡±


    Garrett felt surprised that Vermont had a girlfriend. But as a doctor, he focused on the main thing.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s ready. Dr. Lyle will guide you today.¡±


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste nodded thankfully and left the room with the doctor. Worried about Ste, Felicity went along.


    After they left, Garrett turned to Vermont and asked, ¡°When did you get a girlfriend? Why didn¡¯t Mom


    and Dad tell me? They even wanted me to introduce you to my colleague some time ago.¡±


    Vermont leaned against the windowsill, saying casually, ¡°If I told them, they¡¯d dig deep into her family¡¯s


    history. It¡¯d seem like a political background check.¡±


    Garrett chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re their top kid. They¡¯d want someone from a simr background for you.¡±Books


    Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Vermont scoffed, ¡°Why bother with kids when they don¡¯t


    care about their own? Funny.¡±


    Garrett didn¡¯t delve further into the topic. Despite not being particrly close, they had shared simr


    experiences.


    At least Vermont got to grow up in the countryside and was loved by their grandfather.


    The difference between having parents around during childhood and not was big. It was considered


    fortunate that those with absent parents still managed to develop into well- adjusted adults.


    ¡°Just a few days back, your sister-inw wondered why you haven¡¯t been visiting muchtely. She


    found out you¡¯re seeing someone,¡± Garrett said, smiling. ¡°This is the first time you¡¯ve introduced your


    girlfriend to me. I only read about it in the news before.¡±


    Vermont chuckled. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t want to marry the ones before.¡±


    Surprised, Garrett asked, ¡°Are you saying you want to marry her?¡±


    Vermont sighed. ¡°I do, but she might not be ready for that yet. But I¡¯m trying.¡±


    Garrett was surprised to hear that. ¡°Tsk. I knew this day woulde. Howe you look happy even


    though she isn¡¯t sure of you yet?¡±


    ¡°Well, seeing her makes me happy,¡± Vermont said with a smile.


    Garrett smiled back and did not say anything else.


    Meanwhile, Ste had done a urine test.


    ¡°When can we see the results?¡± Felicity asked the doctor.


    ¡°It will be out shortly,¡± the doctor assured.


    Then, Ste was asked to lie on the bed and lift her clothes while the doctor applied ultrasound gel to


    her stomach.


    ¡°The ultrasound might not show anything if you¡¯re still early into the pregnancy. But I¡¯ll take a look since


    you¡¯re friends with Dr. Snyder. If nothing shows, wait another two weeks ande back.¡±


    Ste nodded in acknowledgment.


    After applying the gel, the doctor took an instrument and slid it on Ste¡¯s lower abdomen, eyes


    focused on the screen.


    Felicity looked at the image on the screen but did not understand it. Concerned but not wanting to


    intrude, she asked in a soft tone, ¡°Dr. Lyle, can you see anything?¡±


    The doctor did not respond immediately. One minuteter, she pointed to the screen and exined,


    ¡°Here, can you both see it? This is the gestational sac. It¡¯s a sign of pregnancy.¡±


    Ste clenched her fists, her heartbeat momentarily unsteady. She stared at the tiny object on the


    screen, unable to speak for a while.

 Chapter 1732

    Chapter 1732


    Chapter 1732


    Felicity could not contain her excitement. ¡°Is this my goddaughter? Oh my goodness, she¡¯s so tiny. This


    is incredible!¡±


    She turned to Ste and eximed, ¡°Look at this! I told you there¡¯s a baby!¡±


    Ste felt a lump in her throat. It took her a while before saying, ¡°Why is it so small? Does this indicate


    it¡¯s unhealthy?¡±


    The doctor, amused by her concern, chuckled. ¡°They¡¯re usually the size of a mung bean in the first


    month. Why would you think it has health issues?¡±


    ¡°I had health issues before. I¡¯m worried it might affect the baby,¡± Ste said in a low voice.


    The doctor seemed briefly surprised. Sheforted her, saying, ¡°Well know for sure once we have all


    the test results. Try not to stress about it at the moment. Stay calm and think positive.¡±


    Ste nodded. After a pause, she inquired, ¡°Doctor, my husband had a vasectomy. Could that have


    influenced the baby?¡±


    ¡°Your husband had a vasectomy, and yet you¡¯re pregnant?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it didn¡¯t work?¡± Ste suggested.


    The doctor was left speechless by Ste¡¯s situation.¡± Generally, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem. If you¡¯re


    concerned, weBooks Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    can perform more precise tests once the fetus is a little bigger.¡±


    Ste nodded and then thought of another issue. Nervously, she asked, ¡°Could drinking alcohol affect


    the baby?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely! It¡¯s not safe to drink when you¡¯re pregnant,¡± the doctor said firmly. ¡°Have you consumed


    any alcohol in thest month?¡±


    Ste¡¯s heart sank. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize I was pregnant, so I had a few drinks.¡±


    ¡°How much are we talking about here?¡±


    Before Ste could say anything, Felicity intervened, ¡°She had about half a bottle yesterday. We didn¡¯t


    know about the pregnancy at that time.¡±


    The doctor¡¯s face changed, and she sternly educated Ste on the potential consequences.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste felt regretful. If only she had realized she was pregnant, she wouldn¡¯t have let Marshall persuade


    her to have a drink.


    Whether it was due to the doctor¡¯s words instilling psychological effects or other reasons, Ste, who


    had been rtively calm, suddenly felt difort in her lower abdomen.


    She furrowed her brow and said, ¡°Dr. Lyle, m-my stomach feels weird.¡±


    The doctor stopped scolding her and quickly inquired about her condition. Soon, she discovered that


    Ste was


    experiencing vaginal bleeding. Without dy, she called for assistance from her colleagues.


    In the midst of the chaos, the doctor administered a uterine rxant injection. An hourter, Ste¡¯s


    condition gradually stabilized.


    Vermont broke out in cold sweat. If the child didn¡¯t make it, Keegan would probably kill him once he


    regained his memory.


    Ste, on the other hand, was overwhelmed with regret. She should have been more cautious after


    using the pregnancy testst night. However, due to her unwavering belief in Keegan¡¯s vasectomy, she


    considered it unlikely that she was pregnant.


    If it weren¡¯t for her conversation with Luke, Ste would not have gone to the hospital to get checked


    up.


    With Garrett¡¯s assistance, Ste was quickly admitted and given a private room.


    Felicity chose to stay by her side, and Vermont joined them.


    At the moment, Ste didn¡¯t n to tell anyone about the pregnancy.


    She reached out to her family, exining that she and Felicity needed a few days together to clear their


    minds. Wenham and Trevor assumed her distress was rted to Keegan¡¯s memory loss. They didn¡¯t


    object and only asked her to keep in touch.


    Ste did not appear at the Kane residence for three consecutive days. Meanwhile, Jaylene visited


    Keegan daily to apany him during his exercises.

 Chapter 1733

    Chapter 1733


    Chapter 1733


    Keegan¡¯s leg wasn¡¯t seriously injured; it was just weakened from prolonged immobility. His recovery


    had been swift over the past few days with proper nutrition and rehabilitation training.


    Although his body had improved significantly, Jaylene noticed that Keegan had be less talkative.


    When she initiated conversations, he would respond with minimal enthusiasm, appearing disinterested.


    This change in demeanor left Jaylene somewhat uneasy. Seeking to lighten the mood, she decided to


    bring up Ste.


    ¡°Ste hasn¡¯t been home these past few days, and it feels quite empty. Despite her hating me for


    saving you, I actually like having a sister at home.¡± i


    Keegan did not react when he heard Ste¡¯s name.


    Jaylene continued, ¡°Dad mentioned that she went out with her friend to unwind. She has quite a


    number of friends. Last time, she went out with Marshall. This time, I¡¯m not sure.¡± i


    Keegan seemed unfazed and said, ¡°Jaylene, Grandma suggested I formally express my gratitude,


    considering my leg has recovered almost entirely. Could you check if your dad is avable this


    weekend? I want to visit your home to exin how you saved me, so Grandma won¡¯t trouble you


    anymore.¡±


    Jaylene was pleasantly surprised. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll ask Dad when I get home.¡±


    Keegan nodded and checked the time. ¡°You should go. I¡¯ll have the driver send you home. I need some


    rest.¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Although Jaylene felt reluctant to leave, she couldn¡¯t justify staying at the hospital indefinitely with


    Keegan¡¯s improving health. 2


    After Jaylene left, Keegan didn¡¯t immediately rest. Instead, he visited Coco¡¯s room. The little girl was


    busy drawing when she heard the door open. She nced over and returned to her creation when she


    saw it was Keegan.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to greet me?¡± Keegan casually remarked.


    ¡°Hello, Uncle Keegan,¡± Coco replied nonchntly.


    Keegan took a seat beside her. ¡°Every time Jaylenees, you hide in your room. Can¡¯t you at least


    say hi?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    Coco pouted. ¡°I don¡¯t like her.¡± 3


    Keegan chuckled and asked, ¡°Then who do you like?¡±


    ¡°I like Aunt Ste.¡± 2


    Keegan froze for a moment and said, ¡°You like her, but she might not like you back. Look, she doesn¡¯t


    evene to see you.¡±


    Coco stared at him. ¡°Isn¡¯t that because you¡¯re getting along with Jaylene?¡± 1


    Keegan was at a loss for words. ¡°I¡¯m not getting along with her.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you with her all the time?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t exactly send her away when shees, can I? It¡¯smon courtesy,¡± exined Keegan. 1


    Coco retorted, ¡°But you chased Aunt Ste away. I heard what Great-Grandma said to you!¡±


    Keegan paused and tapped Coco on the forehead. ¡°It¡¯s impolite to eavesdrop,¡± he said.


    ¡°I¡¯m just a kid. People will forgive me for eavesdropping,¡± Coco replied.


    Her response left Keegan speechless.


    ¡°I wont turn her away if she truly wishes toe.¡±

 Chapter 1734

    Chapter 1734


    Chapter 1734


    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t she visit anymore?¡± asked Coco.


    Keegan shrugged. ¡°How would I know? Ask her yourself if you want to find out.¡±


    Coco red at him. ¡°I don¡¯t have her number. How am I supposed to ask?¡±


    Keegan nced at her. ¡°You¡¯re quite resourceful; you should be able to find her number.¡±


    This remark left Coco fuming.


    Keegan stayed for a while, giving feedback on her artwork, which eventually irritated Coco to the extent


    that she didn¡¯t want to interact with him anymore. Eventually, he left the room.


    Perhaps influenced by Keegan¡¯sments or not. Coco felt unsatisfied with her drawing. Just as she


    contemted tearing it up to begin anew, she spotted Keegan¡¯s phone on the table, i


    Remembering Keegan¡¯s earlier teasing, she decided to search for Ste¡¯s contact in his phone.


    Keegan recently switched to a new phone and did not set up a passcode. Coco easily found Ste¡¯s


    number. Without much thought, she dialed it.


    Ste had just been discharged from the hospital and had arrived at Clouditude International. As she


    stepped out of


    the car, her phone vibrated. Surprised to see Keegan calling, she answered.


    Even though it seemed strange, Ste felt an impulse to share the news of her pregnancy with Keegan,


    whether he remembered her or not. Before she could say anything, a young girl¡¯s voice came through


    the line. ¡°Aunt Ste, it¡¯s me, Coco.¡±


    Ste was momentarily stunned. She remembered the child from the memorial service whom Chandler


    and the others pushed forward.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books


    Updates¡­


    Ste was in a state of confusion at that time and did not properly greet the child.


    Two days ago, Vermont mentioned Aldor telling him that Keegan had maintained a close rtionship


    with Be because her blood type waspatible with Coco¡¯s.


    Coco suffered from severe anemia, and Keegan had sought Be to prolong her life.


    However, Ste still didn¡¯t understand why Keegan had concealed this information. What should have


    been a straightforward matter turned into a mystery with Keegan¡¯s memory loss.


    ¡°Hi, Coco,¡± Ste replied.


    Coco was overjoyed upon hearing that and started to ramble.


    Listening to Coco¡¯s excited chatter, Ste sensed that the girl had known her for some time. ¡®Perhaps


    she¡¯s a fan.¡¯


    Considering this, Ste recalled Coco¡¯s performance at the memorial service a few days ago. ¡®She¡¯s


    undoubtedly talented in acting.¡¯ 1


    After Coco finished talking, Ste asked, ¡°Coco, how did you get your Uncle Keegan¡¯s phone? Did he


    ask you to call me?¡±


    Coco shook her head. ¡°No, he left his phone in my room. I secretly called you. Uncle Keegan has been


    with Jaylene these days.¡±


    Ste¡¯s smile faded. ¡°Does Jaylene visit Uncle Keegan every day?¡±


    Coco nodded. ¡°Shees every day. It¡¯s annoying! She even wanted Uncle Keegan to visit her home,


    and he agreed! It


    Ste gripped the phone tightly. ¡°You¡¯re saying Jaylene wants to take Uncle Keegan home with her?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I overheard them talking about it. He even had gifts prepared.¡± i


    Ste¡¯s expression turned sour. Apart from a marriage proposal, she couldn¡¯t fathom why Keegan


    would bring gifts and go to the Saun residence with Jaylene.


    ¡®That son of a-¡®


    While Ste was still processing the information, Coco continued, ¡°Aunt Ste, where are you? When


    are you gonna visit me? I want an autographed photo of you.¡±


    Ste rubbed her temples as she thought about what Coco had said earlier. Before she could respond,


    Marshall¡¯s voice came from behind her. ¡°Ste?¡±


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Then Coco heard a loud crash outside her room as if something had fallen

 Chapter 1735

    Chapter 1735


    Chapter 1735


    Startled, Coco quickly jumped off her chair and dashed to the door. She stuck her head out to see what


    was going on.


    There was no one in the hallway other than the cleaningdy polishing the handrail on the stairs.


    Spotting some scattered dirt near the entrance where a flowerpot was, Coco held the phone and called


    for Ste. After receiving no response, she lowered her head and realized the call had been


    unexpectedly disconnected.


    Coco was thinking of redialing the number when she heard Keegan¡¯s voice asking, ¡°Did I leave my


    phone in your room?¡±


    In response, Coco swiftly withdrew her finger, contemting a condition before returning the phone to


    him. ¡°Give me Aunt Ste¡¯s number, and I¡¯ll return your phone.¡±


    Keegan shot her a nce. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you, but she won¡¯t answer your call.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Ste isn¡¯t as petty as you,¡± Coco mumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t care if she doesn¡¯t answer. Just give me the


    number.¡±


    Keegan observed her briefly before stating, ¡°If you don¡¯t give me the phone, how can I tell you the


    number?¡±


    Coco wanted to say she could find it herself, but fearing Keegan would discover she had called Ste


    with his phone, she reluctantly returned the device to him.


    Unexpectedly, Keegan turned around and left after grabbing the phone. Coco hurriedly ran after him


    and said, ¡°You haven¡¯t given me Aunt Ste¡¯s number!¡±


    With his height advantage, Keegan dangled the phone above Coco. ¡°Lesson one in society: Never trust


    anyone, even those closest to you.¡± 2


    Coco¡¯s face turned red. She grabbed Keegan¡¯s other hand and bit it.


    In response, Keegan lifted her effortlessly.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    But Coco continued biting his hand. She looked at Keegan with hatred as if using him of being


    untrustworthy.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    ¡°Let go,¡± Keegan warned.


    Instead ofplying with his wishes, Coco bit down even harder.


    Keegan sighed and uttered a series of numbers.


    Coco paused and nkly stared at him.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you want her number?¡± Keegan said in disdain.


    Coco quickly released her bite and asked him to repeat it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say it one more time, and that¡¯s it. If you don¡¯t remember, then too bad.¡±


    ¡°Hurry up and tell me!¡± Coco urged.


    Keegan repeated the number, and Coco swiftly put it onto her phone.


    After saving it, she looked at him and said, ¡°Uncle Keegan.¡±


    Keegan nced at her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Coco leaned in. ¡°I thought you don¡¯t remember Aunt Ste. Howe you remember her phone


    number?¡±


    With both hands covering her mouth, she whispered, ¡°Are you pretending to have amnesia to deceive


    her? Did you get jealous seeing her with that handsome uncle?¡±


    Keegan paused. ¡°Handsome uncle? Is there someone more handsome than me?¡± 1


    Coco was speechless. ¡°So, was what I said true or not?¡±

 Chapter 1736

    Chapter 1736


    Chapter 1736


    Coco was anxious to know Keegan''s answer.


    Keegan nced toward her room and proceeded to recite a string of numbers.This left Coco utterly


    confused.


    "What are you saying now?"


    "The barcode for your sketchbook," Keegan responded.


    Coco was baffled.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Keegan lifted his index finger, gently tapped his temple, and said, "I thought you liked reading about


    people with superpowers.Do you know some people can remember things at a nce? I''m one of


    them."


    Coco did not respond.


    ¡®How did he go from having amnesia to being so annoying?¡¯ she thought.


    Keegan ruffled her hair and walked away, phone in hand.


    Meanwhile, Ste turned around to see Marshall in the driver''s seat of an MPV.


    Ste walked over.


    "Mr.Moore, what are you doing here?"


    Marshall smiled, saying, "I actually came here to see you.I was thinking of giving you a call, but then I


    unexpectedly saw you at the entrance."


    Ste was taken aback.


    "You''re here to meet me?"


    Marshall nodded.


    "Yeah.You mentioned earlier about apanying me to apologize to Mr.Saun."


    "Oh, right.Ipletely forgot about that."


    Marshall looked at her with a mild gaze and asked, "Is today okay for you?"


    "Ye¡ª"


    Ste paused, suddenly recalling what Coco had mentioned to her earlier.


    After a moment of consideration, she altered her response.


    "I''ve juste back from a trip with my friend and really need some rest.How about tomorrow? My dad


    should be free then; it''s the weekend."


    Marshall nodded.


    "Alright."


    Ste grinned.


    Marshall hesitated for a moment, then lowered his eyes.


    "It''s been long since I''ve seen you smile like this.Keegan''s return seems to have improved every aspect


    of your life."


    Ste''s smile faded a bit at the mention of that name.Her expression turned serious.


    "I''ve caused you a lot of trouble during this time.I appreciate your help and will forever remember your


    kindness.If there''s anything I can do for you, please don''t hesitate to let me know."


    "Anything?"


    "Yes.I''d do anything as long as it''s within my capacity," Ste replied.


    Marshall smiled.


    "I don''t need you to do anything for me.I just...If Keegan never regains his memory, could you give me


    achance?"


    Ste was taken aback.She said, "I''m sorry.I-"


    "Ste, don''t turn me down so quickly," he said, looking at her affectionately.


    "Did you know I was crazy about you after our first encounter at Rotona Pinnacle Hospital? I thought it


    was fate to encounter you three times in a week.I wondered if I could take our connection further during


    our fourth or fifth encounter."


    "However, I learned about you being Keegan''s wife during the charity banquet.I''ve been trying hard to


    keep my feelings in check since then.But now, with this chance ahead of me, I want to pursue it, even if


    the odds aren''t great."


    Ste couldn''t deny being touched by his words.She''d never heard such a tender and heartfelt


    confession before.


    In contrast, Keegan had always been awkwardly direct.He had kept his emotions hidden until after their


    divorce.


    Marshall had consistently been calm and kind.He would understand if she refused.He had been


    amodating and understanding, even when she used him to try and win Keegan back.


    Ste felt guilty for causing him pain each time she turned him down.


    Looking down, Ste took a moment before saying, "If things don''t work out between Keegan and me


    in the end, and you still feel the same way, we can give it a try."


    Ste was pregnant.She believed that no man would be okay with her being pregnant with another


    man¡¯s child.


    '' Marshall appears keen at the moment, but I''m sure his enthusiasm will fade once my pregnancy starts


    showing in a few months.He''ll probably turn down the idea of us by then"

 Chapter 1737

    Chapter 1737


    Chapter 1737


    Marshall paused, a moment of youthful charm flickering in his eyes.


    Feeling guilty for the lie she concocted, Ste dared not meet his eyes.


    "Well, if there''s nothing else, I''ll be going in now."


    "Wait," Marshall called after her.


    Ste stopped and turned to look at him.


    Marshall stepped out of the car, opened the back door, and pulled out a bouquet of flowers.


    "I passed by a flower shop on the way here and thought of bringing you some flowers.It''s been a while


    since you stayed here, and I thought your room could use a touch of freshness."


    The gesture left Ste stunned.


    Marshall certainly knew how to make amove.


    If this had taken ce before she got to know Keegan, Ste would have probably fallen for someone


    as outstanding as Marshall.


    It wasn''t about the romantic aspect of the flowers, but Marshall''s attentiveness that touched her heart.


    "Don''t you like it?"


    Marshall asked softly as Ste remained silent.


    Ste epted the flowers and smiled.


    "No, I love it.Thank you."


    Marshall smiled back, his gaze tender.


    "That''s good."


    Ste watched him leave.She adjusted the flowers in her hand and was about to enter the house when


    her phone rang.She grabbed the device from her bag and answered the call.


    "Hello, is this Ste Hall?"


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    "Yes.May I ask who''s calling?"


    "We''re police officers from the city bureau.The case of your kidnapping has been closed, and there are


    some personal items of yours here.Could youe by to pick them up when you''re free?"


    ncing at the time, Ste replied, "I''m avable right now.Can Ie over immediately?"


    "Of course.Please remember to bring your ID."


    After hanging up, Ste left the flowers in the guardhouse and took a cab to the police station.


    Upon arrival, a police officer immediately approached and assisted her with the paperwork.


    Once everything was settled, Ste sat outside and waited.


    In no time, the police appeared with a sealed bag.


    The police opened it and took out the items inside for Ste to confirm.


    They were belongings stolen by the kidnappers during the incident¡ªspecifically her purse and some


    jewelry.


    There were only a handful of things in the bag, and they were all ounted for.


    Ste closed the bag and suddenly realized that the pendant that used to hang on it was gone.She


    opened the bag again and checked, but it wasn''t there.


    Seeing her rummaging around, the officer asked, "What''s wrong? Is something missing?"


    Ste nodded and said, "There used to be a rabbit pendant on this bag.I thought it might be inside."


    "There was no rabbit pendant when we searched for evidence at the scene.Are you sure you''re not


    mistaken?"


    Ste was momentarily stunned.


    "I wouldn''t be mistaken.My best friend also has one like it, and it''s always been here.On the day of the


    incident, I saw it was still there when the kidnappers took my things.Maybe it got lost."

 Chapter 1738

    Chapter 1738


    Chapter 1738


    "That doesn''t seem likely.We''d surely have found it if it was anywhere near the scene.Maybe you


    remembered it wrongly," the police officer remarked.


    Ste decided not to argue further.She was certain she hadn''t been mistaken.


    However, no one knew where the pendant was.


    Following that, Ste recalled the day Jackson was taken away at the memorial service and asked,


    "Officer, is this kidnapping case rted to Jackson Kane, who was arrested a few days ago?"


    The cop replied, "Jackson Kane has been released.There''s no direct evidence linking him to the


    case.Moreover, the two suspects imed they didn''t know him.We also found that Cody Hunter


    happened to be at Jackson''s gathering purely by coincidence."


    Ste nodded and said, "I see.Thank you."


    Whether Jackson was involved with the kidnapping or not, Chandler was undoubtedly implicated.


    Keegan''s move was a clear warning to Chandler.


    The actual perpetrator was already deceased, and the remaining suspects admitted solely to the


    kidnapping.


    Theyimed the deceased had hired them for extra money but refused to reveal any further details.


    With that, the case was closed.


    Ste was genuinely unwilling to ept it, but there was nothing she could do for now.


    Early the next morning, she called Wenham.


    "Dad, are you home today?"


    Wenham had ns to go fishing with friends, but hearing his darling daughter''s voice, he replied, "Yes,


    I am.What''s up, sweetie?"


    "Nothing, I''m thinking ofing home for lunch.If you''re not at home, I won''t bother."


    Wenham was speechless.


    "How does my presence affect whether youe home for lunch?"


    Steughed."It''s mainly because I want to have lunch with you."


    Wenham was overjoyed to hear that.


    "You cane.I''ll be waiting for you.Tell me what you want to eat, and I''ll have Samantha prepare the


    dishes in advance."


    "What do you want to eat?" Ste asked him back.


    "I''m fine with anything, sweetie.If you''re noting back, I''ll manage with something simple.If you are,


    we can enjoy some delicious food together," Wenham said lightheartedly.


    This banter amused Ste.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "You''re making it sound so sad."


    Judging from Wenham''s words, Ste realized he was unaware of Jaylene inviting Keegan to the


    house.


    ¡®Was it that Jaylene didn''t mention it, or did Coco get the timing wrong?¡¯ After some thought, Ste felt


    that Jaylene probably hadn''t told Wenham about Keegan going over for lunch.


    Considering Wenham''s temper, he would have exploded and skipped lunch altogether had he known


    that Jaylene was bringing Keegan.


    Ste tapped her fingers on the table and chuckled, "Dad, have Samantha prepare something


    lavish.You can choose the dishes.I suspect there won''t be a shortage of guests."


    Wenham didn''t quite grasp the meaning of thest sentence at the time, not until Jaylene arrived with


    Keegan at the Saun residence.


    Keegan was dressed in a refined suit and brought a collection of gifts.


    Seeing him with Jaylene, Wenham thought he was there to propose.He almost considered grabbing a


    nearby flowerpot to knock some sense into him.


    "Nice to see you, Uncle Wenham,"


    Keegan greeted politely.


    * Grandma knew I was visiting you, so she carefully selected some gifts.I hope you like them."


    Wenham hadn''t spoken yet when Darcie stepped forward to receive the items.


    "Oh, you didn''t have to."


    She looked Keegan up and down before asking with concern, "How''s your health?"


    Keegan nodded.


    "I''m almost near full recovery.I have a check-up in a few days.If all goes well, I should be fine."


    Darcie sighed, "What doesn''t kill you makes you stronger.Rest well, and you''ll have a lot of good luck


    ahead of you."


    Wenham cleared his throat.


    With a stern expression, he said, "Don''t you think it''s impolite to visit someone''s home without giving


    them a heads-up? Where are your manners?"

 Chapter 1739

    Chapter 1739


    Chapter 1739


    Keegan looked puzzled, ncing at Jaylene for an exnation.She rified, "Dad, Keegan told me he


    wasing.It was my bad for not keeping you in the loop.I wanted to surprise you."


    Wenham did not understand her thought process.


    ''It sure is a surprise"


    ¡®Ste ising home for lunch.She wouldn''t be pleased if she found these two together.Why does


    Jaylene have a crush on Keegan of all people? This isn''t good, especially considering he''s dealing with


    amnesia and doesn''t even recognize Ste"


    The more Wenham thought about it, the less he liked Keegan.


    While Jaylene was preparing some fruit in the kitchen, Wenham turned to Keegan and asked, "Do you


    really not remember Ste?"


    Keegan lowered his gaze and replied, "Mhm."


    "What''s Jaylene to you then?"


    "She saved my life." Keegan exined.


    "That''s all?"


    Wenham doubted his response, his sharp gaze piercing through Keegan.


    "You were missing for a month, and you showed up with Jaylene after that.What happened between


    you two during that time? Why are you suddenly so close to her?"


    Keegan tightened his lips and took a moment before responding, "Uncle Wenham, what happened in


    the past month is a personal issue.I''m not prepared to discuss it at the moment."


    Wenham''s expression grew stern.


    "Keegan, I''m not concerned about your feelings for Jaylene.But if you choose to be with her and hurt


    Ste, I won''t be quick to forgive you!"


    Keegan looked at him and replied, "Jaylene has been your daughter for over twenty years.How can


    you be biased just because she''s not your flesh and blood?"


    Upon hearing that, Wenham became furious.He was about to speak when he noticed Ste in the living


    room, hand in hand with Marshall.


    "Ste?" he eximed.


    Keegan paused and nced over.


    Ste was in a red dress, her coat slung over one arm while the other held onto Marshall, who carried


    two bottles of wine.


    They appeared quite the striking couple.


    Ste didn''t spare a nce at Keegan.


    Instead, she smiled at Wenham and said, "Dad, I hope you don''t mind that I brought a friend over to


    join us for lunch."


    Stunned by the scene in front of him, Wenham finally understood why Ste had asked for a grand


    lunch.


    "I don''t mind at all.You rarely bring friends home.How would I mind?"


    Although he didn''t know why Ste brought Marshall, Wenham didn''t mind showing her support.


    Marshall was also very polite.


    "Mr.Saun, I''m sorry for any inconvenience caused by my grandfather''s actions before.Please ept


    these gifts as a token of apology."


    Though Wenham did not like Frederick, he didn''t extend that resentment to Marshall.It was unclear if


    Keegan''s memory loss had made him unpleasant, but Wenham found Marshall quite appealing.He


    immediately put on a smile and said, "You didn''t have to.What happened between me and your


    grandfather is in the past."


    Taking the gifts Marshall brought, Wenham opened them, and his eyes lit up.


    "How did you know I like this wine?" Marshall smiled modestly.


    "I wasn''t sure, so I asked Ste, and she helped me choose."


    Wenham felt even more pleased hearing that his daughter knew his preferences.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    "Even if you had some help, it shows you care.Unlike some people who bring me some ginseng and


    desserts."

 Chapter 1740

    Chapter 1740


    Chapter 1740


    Wenham''s remark rendered Keegan speechless.His attitude toward the two could not be any more


    different.He barely acknowledged the gift Keegan brought but praised Marshall, especially upon


    learning that Ste had assisted in choosing them.


    In the past, Keegan might not have endured this injustice and stormed off.


    However, possibly influenced by Jaylene, he remained surprisingly silent.He did not retort even as


    Wenham sarcastically teased him.


    Ste couldn''t bear to see Keegan being berated.


    She cleared her throat to interrupt Wenham.


    "Dad, put the wine away.Marshall has work this afternoon, so we won''t be drinking today."


    Wenham nodded, "Sure.Make sure Marshall feels weed.I''ll be there shortly."


    Ste agreed, and Wenham carried the two bottles of wine to the wine cer.


    "Marshall,e have a seat."


    Ste adjusted the backrest, gesturing for Marshall to sit.He took a seat beside her, directly across from


    Keegan.


    Ste ced her coat aside.She turned to Marshall and said in a hushed voice, "What would you like to


    drink?"


    "in water or tea will do," Marshall replied, brushing off a fallen leaf from Ste''s shoulder.


    In a low voice, he added, * You''re a bit underdressed.Are you cold?"


    Ste nced at Keegan from the corner of her eye before saying, "No, I''m not."


    "It''s the dead of winter, and you''re wearing a skirt.Are you sure you''re okay?"


    Ste lifted the hem of her skirt, revealing her legs.


    "I''m wearing tights."


    She lightly pulled on the tights and said, "They''re pretty thick.Marshall seemed genuinely surprised.


    "I didn''t know you were wearing tights." Ste chuckled.


    "Why would I go bare-legged during winter?"


    Before they could say anything else, they heard the loud sound of a coffee cup being ced on the


    table.


    Marshall paused and looked over to the source of the noise.


    "Keegan, sorry.I didn''t expect you to be here today.If I knew, I''de another day."


    Keegan replied indifferently, "Why? Am I getting in the way of something?"


    "Not at all.I''m just concerned that Ste might feel awkward."


    Keegan pursed his lips.


    "I thought you''d be the one feeling awkward.After all, she''s still my fianc¨¦e on paper.Ethically and


    logically speaking, shouldn''t you be keeping your distance?"


    Marshall raised an eyebrow.


    "You say that she''s still your fianc¨¦e.Yet, you''re here with another woman.Do you think that''s


    appropriate?"


    Keegan''s gaze darkened.


    "Nothing is going on between me and Jaylene! The fact that you know she has a fianc¨¦, yet you still go


    out with her doesn''t exactly make you innocent either."


    Marshall frowned.


    "Since when did I go out with Ste?"


    "Cut the act," Keegan sneered.


    Marshall was confused.


    Ste looked at Keegan and suddenly said, "So what if Marshall and I go out together? It has nothing


    to do with you.


    Keegan froze for a moment.


    "You''re still my fianc¨¦e! Does it not matter?"


    "Oh," Ste shrugged.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    "I thought you were fine with it.Weren''t you the one who urged me to follow my heart? "


    Yet now, when I''ve done just that, you''re trying to assert dominance and proim yourself as my


    fianc¨¦.


    "Keegan, did your memory loss affect your thinking? Have you forgotten what you said to me not too


    long ago?"

 Chapter 1741

    Chapter 1741


    Keegan felt a sting and retorted, ¡°When did I assert dominance? I¡¯m just thinking it would damage my


    reputation if this got out!¡±


    ¡°Oh, but it¡¯s fine when you and Jaylene unt your rtionship without caring about my reputation? If


    so, why should I care about yours?¡± Ste nonchntly replied.


    Keegan was displeased to hear that. ¡°I¡¯m not unting anything! I came here to express gratitude!¡±


    ¡°And Marshall came here to apologize. Is that not allowed?¡± Ste countered.


    Keegan was no match for Ste, even before his memory loss. Hence, he directed his dissatisfaction


    toward Marshall, ring at him.


    Ste covered Marshall¡¯s face with her hand to block Keegan¡¯s line of sight.


    With a stern look, she said, ¡°We¡¯re the ones arguing. Why the hell are you ring at Marshall?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still young, so it¡¯s understandable if youck selfrestraint. However, he¡¯s much older and should


    know better, ¡± said Keegan, furious at Ste for protecting Marshall.


    Ste¡¯s eyes twitched. Keegan never knew how to express his jealousy in a healthy way. He would


    never tell her that he was jealous. Instead, he¡¯d argue with her on moral grounds and put the me on


    a third party.


    If Keegan were to direct his grievances toward Ste, not only would she deny any wrongdoing but also


    retaliate and eventually disregard him entirely.


    However, he could simply vent his frustration when it came to a third party. He seemed to enjoy a


    momentary release as he aimed his criticism at Marshall.


    Hebeled Marshall as being much older as a personal attack, especially since they were the same


    age.


    Ste feltpassion for Keegan but did not back down.¡± Marshall is only a few months younger than


    you. If he¡¯s considered old, what does that make you? A grandpa?¡±


    Clearly provoked, Keegan pointed at her, only managing to say, ¡°You¡¯re being unreasonable!¡± Keegan


    and Jaylene¡¯s joint visit to the Saun residence left Ste angry, so she purposely addressed Marshall


    by name. Even though Marshall was aware of her intentional use of his name, he couldn¡¯t help but feel


    a certain emotion when he heard it.


    He gently lowered Ste¡¯s hand and jokingly said, ¡°Maybe Keegan thinks he¡¯s still young without his


    memory, andpared to him, I might seem older. Let¡¯s not argue with him.¡±


    Frustrated by the insinuations, Keegan was about to retort when Jaylene appeared with a fruit tter,


    prompting him to begrudgingly resume his seat.


    ¡°Ste, you came.¡±


    Ste nodded in acknowledgment, not particrly fond of Jaylene¡¯s host-likements whenever she


    saw her.


    Despite her dissatisfaction, she remainedmitted to avoiding needless conflicts.


    However, Marshall said, ¡°Ms. Saun, why would you say that she came when she¡¯s returning to her own


    home? Is she an outsider to you?¡±


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Jaylene was momentarily surprised and quickly expressed remorse. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean it like that.


    It¡¯s just that Ste hasn¡¯t been living here recently, and I got used to saying that.¡±


    ncing at Ste, Jaylene continued, ¡°Ste, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d mind.


    I truly didn¡¯t mean anything by it, and I won¡¯t say it in the future.¡±


    Marshall was asking for basic respect, but from Jaylene¡¯s point of view, it looked like Ste was making


    a big deal out of nothing

 Chapter 1742

    Chapter 1742


    Ste lifted her gaze, pursed her lips, and said, ¡°I see. I guess I misunderstood Jaylene. I¡¯ve always


    been a sensitive person. I thought Jaylene only said those things because she doesn¡¯t like me as her


    sister and doesn¡¯t want me to be a part of this family.¡±


    Jaylene was taken aback as she had not expected Ste to say things like that.


    Then, she immediately tried to deny it, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that at all. Ste, why would you think that way?¡±


    Marshall said to Ste, ¡°You¡¯re not sensitive. Anyone would think the same way.¡±


    Then, he shifted his gaze to Jaylene,¡± Ste has been separated from her family for over twenty years


    and has endured so many hardships. Now that she finally got the opportunity toe back, her father


    has formed a new family with someone else. She already doesn¡¯t have much sense of security in this


    family.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    And as her elder sister, you would greet her like a guest whenever she came home. How could you


    me her for being sensitive? You¡¯re being unreasonable.¡± i Ste was taken aback.


    She had always thought that Marshall was the kind of gentle and soft-spoken person who would not


    have the guts to say or do anything outside the courtroom. But at this moment, she realized that she


    had underestimated the eloquence of awyer.


    He never lost a battle in the courtroom, so there was no way that he would allow someone else to


    outargue him in daily life.


    He could easily win over anyone in an argument if he would just speak.


    Clearly, Jaylene was not his match at all.


    As expected, Jaylene¡¯s expression turned extremely ugly and fearful upon hearing what Marshall said.


    ¡°Marshall, how could you use me of such a thing? I really didn¡¯t mean it,¡± she nervously said as she


    looked at Keegan to seek his help. ¡® Keegan, trust me. I really treat Ste as my sister.¡±


    Ste looked at Keegan. She was really curious to see how he was going to defend Jaylene.


    But Keegan seemed very ufortable as he rubbed his temples and said, ¡°Sorry, I wasn¡¯t listening.


    What were you arguing about?¡±


    Ste was shocked.


    Jaylene immediately stopped arguing with them and sat beside Keegan, her face filled with concern as


    she asked,¡± Keegan, are you okay?¡±


    Keegan furrowed his brows and said in a low voice, ¡±1 don¡¯t know. I have been having terrible


    headaches recently.


    Sometimes, I find it hard to concentrate, like just now.¡±


    ¡°Did you bring the medicine that Dr. Stone gave you?¡±


    Keegan nodded, took out a small medicine bottle from his pocket, and shook out a pill from it.


    Jaylene quickly handed him a cup of water. After Keegan took the pill, he closed his eyes andy back


    on the sofa. Then, the look on his face eased up.


    As Ste saw what happened, she asked, ¡°What kind of medicine did you give him?¡±


    Ste had thought Keegan was pretending to have a headache because he was worried that helping


    her would anger Jaylene, so he deliberately avoided that question.


    However, she could not help but question her own spection upon looking at Keegan¡¯s pale


    complexion.


    She figured that Keegan could not possibly be acting, judging from the look on his face. He looked so


    pale and weak that even a professional actor might not be able to do that.


    So, she could not help but express her concern for Keegan.


    Jaylene answered, ¡°It was prescribed by Keegan¡¯s attending doctor, which can help him recover his


    memory. I don¡¯t know the name of this medicine, but it works well for Keegan. His headache will go


    away immediately after he takes it.¡±

 Chapter 1743

    Chapter 1743


    Ste frowned without saying anything.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡®What kind of medicine is that? How could it work instantly?¡¯ She held back her questions and walked


    over to Keegan. He was lying on the sofa with his eyes closed and looked much weaker than just now.


    Ste whispered to him, ¡°How are you feeling? Still ufortable?¡±


    Keegan opened his eyes slightly and looked at Ste standing in front of him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll feel better once you stay away from me,¡± he said.


    Ste paused, sat beside him, and got very close to him, ¡°I guess you have to keep feeling


    ufortable then.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    Then, Jaylene said in a low voice, ¡°Ste, please don¡¯t provoke Keegan. The doctor said to follow his


    wishes as much as possible.¡±


    Ste nced at her, ¡°Follow his wishes? Should we follow his wishes, too, if he requests to eat in the


    washroom?¡±


    Keegan continued to remain silent.


    ¡°See, he looks just fine now that I¡¯m not following his wishes. ¡± She smiled at Keegan and continued,


    ¡°Right, fiance?¡±


    ¡°Boorish!¡±


    That was the word Keegan described Ste with.


    ¡°Weak!¡± Ste retorted. Then she said, ¡°Let me see your medicine.¡±


    Keegan swept his gaze across her, asking, ¡°Are you nning to poison me?¡±


    Ste red at him, ¡°Yeah. I want to see if I can make you mute!¡±


    Before Keegan could react, Ste reached into his pants pocket to search for the medicine.


    Keegan¡¯s expression stiffened, and he immediately tried to push her away.


    However, Ste pped away his hand and glowered at him, ¡¯Don¡¯t move!¡±


    The next second, her hand felt something.


    She thought it was the medicine bottle, so she drilled deeper into the pocket and tried to take it out


    forcefully. But Keegan suddenly reacted as if he was being electrocuted when she did it. He then


    pushed her onto the sofa and stood up abruptly.


    His chest heaved violently, and his eyes looked somewhat embarrassed when he red at Ste. His


    lips moved, but he did not say anything to her. Instead, he shifted his gaze to Jaylene and asked,


    ¡°Jaylene, can youe to the washroom with me?¡±


    Jaylene thought that Ste¡¯s action annoyed him even more, seeing that Keegan still looked angry. She


    was secretly delighted as she stood up and said, ¡°Sure. I¡¯lle with you. If Ste sat on the sofa and


    looked nkly at Keegan¡¯s receding back. Her hand that had just grabbed the ¡± medicine bottle¡± could


    not help but curl up.


    Suddenly, she realized what she had just grabbed.


    ¡®No wonder Keegan reacted that way just now! Oh my god!¡¯ Ste covered her eyes with her hand.


    Even when they were doing the deed, she had never touched it so directly.


    After all, all she had to do was enjoy it while Keegan did all the work.


    It was simply outrageous!


    It seemed like Keegan would forever brand her as a pervert from now on.


    Tm so stupid. How could that be the medicine bottle? It wasn¡¯t even as hard¡­


    Hard?¡¯ Ste thought to herself.


    She abruptly stood up from the sofa.


    Marshall was startled by her sudden movement, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Ste tried her best to act calm and cleared her throat, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯ll go get some snacks from the


    kitchen.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sure,¡± Marshall did not ask any more questions and nodded.


    As soon as Ste turned around, her expression changed dramatically.

 Chapter 1744

    Chapter 1744


    ¡®Keegan ims that he doesn¡¯t remember me, so why would he have a reaction when I touched him?


    He¡¯s someone who¡¯d watch an adult film and criticize their acting skills with a straight face. Why would


    he possibly have a reaction when apletely strange woman touched him? i ¡®Impossible¡­ It¡¯s simply


    impossible!


    ¡®Let¡¯s see how long this scum is going to keep up the act!¡¯ Ste thought inwardly.


    After a while, Wenham also came downstairs.


    Although he was still very unhappy about the fact that Keegan had lost his memories, his daughter was


    still in love with him. So, he stopped saying anything unpleasant.


    Everyone took their seats at the dining table.


    Trevor did not join them as he had something to take care of. So, Marshall took his seat between Ste


    and Wenham.


    As for Keegan, he took the seat between Jaylene and Darcie.


    At first nce, it looked like the two daughters had brought their respective husbands back to their


    parents¡¯ home for a meal.


    Wenham had imagined this scene before; his children started their own families and gathered at home


    during special asions. However, it was nothing like how awkward things were now.


    Wenham served Marshall a piece of chicken and asked in a gentle tone, ¡°Marshall, how has work


    been?¡±


    Marshall thanked him and said, ¡°It¡¯s all right. It¡¯s the holiday season now that there are hardly any


    cases. I¡¯m mainly involved in voluntary legal assistance and educating the public aboutw.¡±


    Wenham nodded, ¡°Good, they¡¯re all very meaningful stuff. Ste mentioned that you were the one who


    helped her with her defamationwsuit. Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that was when we had just met.¡±


    Wenham suddenly asked Ste, ¡°Ste, why didn¡¯t you think of letting Marshall help you with your


    divorcewsuit back then? With his capabilities, I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t have let you leave with nothing,


    right?¡±


    Keegan remained silent.


    Ste said in a low voice, ¡°Dad, I did get something after the divorce. People were just spreading


    rumors.¡±


    Not only did Keegan transfer her a substantial amount of money after the divorce, but she also


    received two multimillion-dor luxury homes.


    Ste knew that Wenham deliberately said those things for Keegan to hear because he was unhappy


    with him.


    However, it was something that had happened a long time ago. She could joke with Keegan about it,


    but she did not want other people to make fun of him.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Wenham pursed his lips and stopped talking about it, knowing how soft-hearted his daughter was.


    Then, he served Keegan a piece offish fillet, ¡°Eat some. It¡¯s good for your brain.¡±


    Ste looked at Keegan¡¯s ¡°pitiful¡± face after being teased by Wenham, and her heart immediately


    softened. She lifted her fork, intending to serve him some food, but Jaylene had already ced a te


    of peeled shrimp in front of him.


    ¡°Keegan, the shrimp are delicious. Try them.¡±


    Ste paused and retracted her fork.


    The next moment, Marshall picked up a piece of spicy crab and ced it on Ste¡¯s te, ¡°I remember


    you like spicy food.¡±


    Ste kept quiet. She indeed liked spicy food.


    However, things were not the same anymore.


    She was pregnant, and the doctor advised her to cut down on spicy food.


    Besides, crabs could contain high levels of mercury, which can damage the baby¡¯s developing nervous


    system.


    However, Marshall had already ced it on her te, and she thought it would be impolite to refuse.


    So, she simply thanked him.


    She pretended to crack the piece of spicy crab on her te with her knife and fork but did not take a


    single bite of it.


    Wenham knew what she liked to eat, so most of the dishes were her favorites.


    Unfortunately, there were only a few she could eat now.


    She could only pick the lighter dishes to eat. However, whenever she tried to get the food she wanted,


    somebody else would beat her to it. She could only watch them eat as she thought asking them to


    serve her the food would be impolite.


    ¡°Keegan, what else do you feel like eating?¡± Jaylene asked.


    Keegan nced at the dining table and said, ¡°Teriyaki pork.¡±


    Jaylene stood up and ced a piece of teriyaki pork on Keegan¡¯s te. At that time, the te of boiled


    broli was finally ced in front of her.


    Her eyes lit up as she immediately put some of it on her te.


    Keegan nced at her subtly before pointing at another dish. ¡°What¡¯s that one?¡±


    he asked.

 Chapter 1745

    Chapter 1745


    Jaylene immediately said, ¡°It¡¯s orange chicken, one of my favorite dishes.


    Keegan, have you not tried it before?¡±


    Keegan said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound like something I¡¯d normally eat,¡± he paused before continuing, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t


    mind giving it a try.¡±


    Jaylene thought Keegan was trying it for her, so she was overjoyed and quickly served the dish to him.


    The maid who was supposed to serve the chickpea sd to Keegan moved the dish to Ste¡¯s side.


    Ste momentarily paused and immediately scooped some of that onto her te.


    Next, Keegan told Jaylene to get him all the heavy dishes and did not eat any of the vegetables at all.


    And the maid who was supposed to serve him the vegetables went to Ste¡¯s side.


    It did not seem like a coincidence.


    After a short while, Ste was already full.


    Wenham could not hold himself back anymore and said,¡± There are so many other dishes on the table.


    Why are you only eating the meat?¡±


    His precious daughter had not eaten a bite of her favorite dishes, yet Keegan was feasting like a king,


    choosing only the dishes he wanted to eat.


    Darcie noticed what was happening and chimed in, ¡°Jaylene, mind your manners.¡±


    Jaylene¡¯s face blushed with embarrassment. She simply wanted to please Keegan and did not think


    much about it.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    At this moment, Keegan finally spoke, as if defending Jaylene, ¡°Jaylene, you don¡¯t have to keep helping


    me. I can get the food I want myself. You should eat more. You¡¯ve lost so much weighttely.¡±


    Jaylene¡¯s heart melted, ¡°Thank you, Keegan.¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    Perhaps Keegan used to put all his attention on herself and did not really have any interactions with


    Jaylene, so she did not really notice anything.


    However, now that she looked at how Jaylene reacted to what Keegan said, she realized that Jaylene


    was truly obsessed with Keegan.


    Keegan did not even serve her any food, but she was already moved just because he told her she


    should eat more.


    Ste figured that if Keegan served her something, she would preserve it and put it in a box. She could


    feel that Jaylene¡¯s affection for Keegan was more than just admiration.


    And as for Keegan¡­


    Ste turned to him.


    ¡®Every time the maid was about to serve him something I wanted to eat, he would ask Jaylene to serve


    him some other dishes instead. What are the odds of that happening coincidentally?¡¯ As Ste thought


    about that, she suddenly stood up with a bowl in her hand, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m going to the kitchen to get some


    soup. Do you want some?¡±


    ¡°Just sit down. Sandra will get it for you.¡±


    Ste replied with a smile, ¡°Sandra¡¯s eating now, too. I¡¯ll just do it myself.


    There¡¯s no need to trouble her.¡±


    Marshall put down his utensils, ¡®Til get it for you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re our guest. How could we let you do that?¡±


    Seeing this, Wenham said, ¡°Be careful then. Don¡¯t hurt yourself.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ste responded and went to the kitchen.


    The soup was very hot, so Ste only filled half a bowl. Then, she opened the tap and added half a bowl


    of water to cool it down before going out with it.


    As she walked past Keegan, her hand suddenly slipped, spilling the bowl of soup directly onto his back.


    Before Keegan could even react, Jaylene was already screaming in fright.


    As she anxiously wiped the soup off Keegan¡¯s back, she could not help but me Ste, ¡°Why are you


    so careless? Keegan¡¯s wound hasn¡¯t fully recovered yet. Are you trying to kill him with this bowl of boiling


    hot soup?¡±


    Wenham instantly got upset, ¡°What are you saying? Ste couldn¡¯t have done it on purpose, right?


    There¡¯s some water on Ste¡¯s hand, too. It was clearly an ident!¡±


    Ste was taken aback.


    She was surprised that her father blindly believed her and even spontaneously came up with an excuse


    to defend her.


    So, she yed along with Wenham and said cluelessly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I wasn¡¯t paying attention¡­¡±


    Jaylene looked aggrieved after Wenham scolded her. Her gaze toward Ste was filled with


    dissatisfaction and resentment.


    Meanwhile, Darcie seemed slightly displeased with Wenham¡¯s reaction, too, but she kept it to herself.


    Instead, she told Jaylene, ¡°Jaylene, take Keegan to get changed.¡±


    ¡°Keegan is Ste¡¯s fiance. How can you ask an unmarried girl like Jaylene to get him changed?¡±


    Wenham¡¯s mind turned unusually sharp, and he said to Ste, ¡°Ste, take Keegan to Trevor¡¯s room and


    give him Trevor¡¯s clothes.¡±

 Chapter 1746

    Chapter 1746


    Jaylene¡¯s expression immediately turned ugly, ¡°Dad, Keegan doesn¡¯t remember Ste¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that going to change the fact that they¡¯re engaged?¡±


    Jaylene was about to say something more, but Wenham just waved his hand, ¡°Have Sandra bring the


    first aid box and see if Keegan needs it.¡±


    Jaylene clenched her fists tight and reluctantly swallowed her dissatisfaction and frustration.


    Marshall stood up and said, ¡°Ste, I¡¯lle with you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll be back in a second.¡±


    Ste then grabbed Keegan¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Let me take you to get changed.¡±


    Keegan pulled his arm back and adjusted his shirt, maintaining a bossy demeanor, ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    Ste gritted her teeth. Td add some boiling water into the soup if you weren¡¯t injured!¡¯ she thought.


    She red at Keegan and stomped on the floor as she walked away. After a few minutes, Keegan was


    brought to a room filled with pink. His eyebrows twitched, ¡°Is this Trevor¡¯s room?¡±


    As soon as he finished asking, he heard the locked door behind him. He felt a chill running down his


    spine, knowing something bad was going to happen. He immediately took a few steps back, creating


    distance between him and Ste.


    Ste turned around and saw Keegan hiding in the corner. Her eyelid twitched, ¡°Why did you get so far


    away from me?¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Why did you bring me to your room?¡± Keegan asked with a wary expression.


    Ste lied tantly, ¡°This is my brother¡¯s room.¡±


    The edge of Keegan¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°I lost my memory, not my IQ.¡±


    Ste pursed her lips, ¡°Trevor doesn¡¯t like other people entering his room. You can get changed here.¡±


    Keegan said, ¡°Forget about it then. I was about to go home anyway.¡±


    As he spoke, he was about to leave the room. But then, Ste stood in his way, ¡°Take off your clothes


    yourself, or I¡¯ll do it for you. Choose one.¡±


    She paused before adding, ¡°I¡¯m more than happy to help.¡±


    Keegan then gritted his teeth and said with a tense face,¡± Don¡¯t you feel shameful for saying such things


    to a man?¡±


    Ste sighed, ¡°It seems that you don¡¯t remember some things before and after the kidnapping.¡±


    Keegan was puzzled.


    Ste leaned closer to him and smirked, ¡°I¡¯m saying that we were once married and had se-ugh-¡°


    Before she could finish saying thest word, Keegan covered her mouth. His ears turned red, and he


    looked somewhat embarrassed, ¡°Did you intentionally spill the soup on me?¡±


    Ste did not deny it as she pushed his hand away and smiled, ¡°Did you just realize it?¡±


    Keegan red at her, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Ste said, ¡°I have a question.¡±


    ¡°What question?¡± Keegan frowned.


    ¡°I need to confirm.¡±


    ¡°Confirm what?¡± Keegan asked impatiently.


    Ste tiptoed and whispered to his ear, ¡°I want to confirm if, when I was reaching for the medicine bottle,


    did you get¡­¡±

 Chapter 1747

    Chapter 1747


    Chapter 1747


    As Ste spoke, her hand was already on Keegan¡¯s belt.


    Keegan abruptly grabbed her mischievous hand. Perhaps her overly shameless words had provoked


    him, causing his entire face, ear, and neck to turn red. His gaze fixed on her as if he wanted to tear her


    apart.


    His lips twitched before he said, while gritting his teeth, ¡°Do you even know what you¡¯re saying? You¡¯re


    simply¡­ You¡¯re simply outrageous!¡±


    Ste blinked her eyes, ¡°What? I just wanted to confirm if you hid something in your pocket.¡±


    Her words were starting to give Keegan a headache.¡± Weren¡¯t you just saying¡­¡±


    He abruptly stopped talking. However, Ste took advantage of the situation.


    ¡°What was I saying?¡±


    Keegan clenched his fists tight without saying a word, his eyes burning with anger.


    ¡°Tsk,¡± Ste clicked her tongue and thought, ¡®Can¡¯t he even say the word ¡°hard¡±? He lost his memories,


    yet he¡¯s acting like an innocent college boy.¡¯


    But on second thought, it seemed like Keegan had never been a person who would befortable


    saying things like this.


    After all, he came from a wealthy family and was well- educated.


    For some reason, Ste felt proud for being able to pull him down from his lofty position to experience


    the trials of love.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    She looked into his eyes and teased him with a smile, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking? What was I talking


    about?¡±


    Keegan shook off her hand, turned away, and said in a cold tone, ¡°You know it yourself!¡±


    Ste dared not to tease him further after seeing him get angry. Then, she tilted her head and brought


    her face close to him, ¡°Are you mad?¡±


    Keegan turned his back again, making it clear that he did not want to look at her.


    Ste moved, leaned into him again, and said with a pitiful look on her face, ¡°I just wanted to make you


    happy. Why do you have to put on a long face right after entering my room?¡±


    Keegan clenched his fists tightly, ¡°Is this the kind of joke you make when you want to make Marshall


    happy?¡±


    Ste paused and said softly, Keegan Kane, are you jealous? IV


    Keegan¡¯s body stiffened, and he said coldly, ¡°Jealous of what? I just think that your behavior is childish


    and foolish. You say all sorts of vulgar things without any manners of a youngdy!¡±


    Ste said to herself, ¡®He¡¯s a patient, and I¡¯ve got to treat him


    differently. I can¡¯t scold him.¡¯


    So, she took a deep breath, suppressed her anger, and forced a smile.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not jealous, why did you keep frowning when Marshall served me food? If you don¡¯t care


    about me, why did you make sure that I could eat the lighter dishes just now?¡±


    Keegan paused and exined, ¡°I just wanted to eat what I wanted, that¡¯s all. I had no idea what you


    wanted to eat.¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    As he spoke, he thought of their meal when Marshall served her dishes. She did not take a single bite


    of them. Instead, her eyes were fixated on the lighter dishes the maids served.


    Then, he added, ¡°I just wanted to try the orange chicken Jaylene mentioned.¡±


    Ste kicked him in the butt right after he said those words,¡± Shut up if you don¡¯t know how to speak!¡±


    Keegan fell onto the bed. He then turned over and looked at Ste in disbelief. It was as if he was


    shocked not only by her vulgarity but also by how violent she could be.


    Ste¡¯s expression darkened. She suddenly stepped forward and ced her foot between Keegan¡¯s


    legs, asking, ¡°Do you remember what I said to you at your grandparents¡¯ home?¡±

 Chapter 1748

    Chapter 1748


    Chapter 1748


    Keegan almost immediately recalled the day when she whispered in his ear, ¡°Everytime you stand up


    for Jaylene, I¡¯ll be there to push her down. If you dare to be with her, I¡¯ll make sure you can never have


    children.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s gaze fell on her foot between his legs. Indeed, if she were to step two inches above, he


    would not be able to have any children.


    He took a deep breath and said, ¡°What¡¯s the point of pestering me like this? You¡¯re the heiress of the


    Saun family and the precious daughter of Uncle Wenham. You can have any man you want. Why insist


    on being with someone who doesn¡¯t even remember you?¡±


    After what happened in the past few days, Ste was not as easily hurt by his words. However, she still


    felt a little sad. Then, she confronted Keegan, ¡°What about you? You lost your memories, but you don¡¯t


    seem to want to recoverthem. Instead, you just want to drive me away. Why?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Keegan pursed his lips, ¡°Even if our love was as deep as you imed it to be, it would only burden the


    person who doesn¡¯t remember anything about it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Ste¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°You remember me, don¡¯t you? Even if you don¡¯t, you have


    feelings for me, right?


    I can¡¯t understand why you keep trying to drive me away. Keegan Kane, what exactly happened? Tell


    me. Let¡¯s face it together, okay?¡±


    Keegan remained silent as his expression was a tapestry of emotions. After a long pause, he said,


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to use Marshall to provoke me. Don¡¯t hurt his feelings if you don¡¯t like him. Aldor told


    me that Spencer Graham is your first love. I¡¯ve seen his photos. He¡¯s about the same age as you; you


    two should have more inmon with each other.¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay


    Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Ste¡¯s heart chilled. She suddenly pushed his shoulder away and said, ¡°How kind of you, Mr. Kane.


    You¡¯re already finding me my next boyfriend when we¡¯re still engaged.¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips, ¡°Although I don¡¯t remember you, I don¡¯t want you to ruin your future out of


    anger.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want me anymore. What does it have to do with you regarding whom I want to be with?¡±


    Ste felt like her heart was being twisted with a knife, ¡®How dare this scumbag push me to someone


    else? Does he even still remember me? Why would he say things if he does?¡¯


    Keegan said, ¡°If you and Marshall are together, the rtionship between our three families will be very


    awkward. You know that.


    ¡°Aldor said you like acting. Have you considered going international? If you do, I still have some


    connections abroad and can help you expand yourwork.¡±


    ¡®Hmph. He doesn¡¯t even want me to stay in the same city with him now. He¡¯s literally trying to send me


    as far as possible.¡¯ Ste thought inwardly.


    ¡°I can get you fashion endorsements or movie contracts, as long as you¡¯re interested¡­¡±


    Before Keegan could finish his sentence, Ste¡¯s face turned pale. She copsed onto the bed while


    clutching her stomach.


    Keegan was shocked. Only then did he notice that she had cold sweat all over her face and looked


    extremely weak.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Keegan¡¯s voice sounded somewhat worried.


    Ste did not say anything. She gripped the bedsheet with one hand while the other tremblingly


    reached into her pocket for something.


    Keegan stepped forward, intending to pick her up, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the hospital!¡±


    Ste shook off his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡±


    Keegan clenched his fists and pressed his lips together tightly, ¡°Don¡¯t be so stubborn.¡±


    His simple words made Ste feel extremely bitter. That was something he would say when she threw


    tantrums.


    However, his eyes would be filled with indulgence when he said that back then.


    Now, Keegan was like a stranger. She felt like even if she was just another person on the street, he


    would still offer to send her to the hospital without any hesitation.


    After all, he was well-educated¡­


    Keegan tried to pick her up again, but Ste struggled even harder, throwing punches and kicks to


    prevent him from touching her. When she was moving around, a bottle of medicine fell out of her


    pocket.

 Chapter 1749

    Chapter 1749


    Chapter 1749


    As soon as Keegan picked it up, Ste snatched it from him and swallowed one.


    Keegan¡¯s lips twitched. Then, he got up and handed her a ss of water from the table.


    This time, Ste did not reject it. After taking the medicine, shey down on the bed.


    Keegan was about to go downstairs to call for help when Ste said with her eyes closed, ¡°I¡¯ll jump out


    of the window if you dare leave this room.¡±


    Keegan froze, ¡°I think you need to go to the hospital.¡±


    Ste ignored him. She stared at the ceiling and said, after a long pause, ¡°Keegan Kane, let me ask


    you again. Are you sure you want to cut ties with me?¡±


    Keegan curled his fingers slightly as he shifted his gaze away from her face. ¡°I don¡¯t remember who


    you are,¡± he said.


    Ste remained silent for a long time before she said coldly, ¡°Get lost then. You can do whatever you


    want now.¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Her voice carried no emotion at all. From the moment he regained consciousness, that was the first


    time Ste had spoken to him in such a tone.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan clenched his fists tight as his lips twitched. After a long silence, he said, ¡°Have a good rest.¡±


    After saying those words, he turned around, walked out of the room, and quietly closed the door.


    When Ste could no longer hear the footsteps from outside, she sat up from the bed. In an instant, her


    sickly appearance vanished.


    She walked to the French window, and in a short while, she saw Keegan walking out of the house.


    Jaylene followed closely behind him, seemingly telling him something.


    Keegan did not stop walking at all until he got into his car. She could vaguely feel someone staring in


    her direction, but the feeling quickly disappeared.


    Ste watched the Mercedes that Keegan often drove leaving. She stood by the window for a while,


    took out her phone, and dialed a number, ¡°Hello, I¡¯d like to make an appointment for an abortion¡­¡±


    Shortly after she ended the call, someone knocked on the door.


    Ste put her phone away and went to open the door.


    Jaylene stood outside with her brows furrowed. Then, she questioned her in a displeased tone, ¡°Ste,


    what exactly did you say to Keegan? Why did he leave right after he came downstairs without even


    changing his clothes?¡±


    Ste looked at her indifferently, ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask him if you want to know? He trusts you a lot now,


    doesn¡¯t he?¡±


    Her words caught Jaylene off guard. Her expression turned somewhat ugly.


    Ste thought, ¡®If Jaylene openly told me that she likes Keegan and wants topete with me fairly, I¡¯d


    still show her some respect.¡¯


    However, Jaylene did not dare to do that at all. Because of Keegan and Ste¡¯s engagement and her


    past, no matter how much she was in love with Keegan, she dared not express her true feelings.

 Chapter 1750

    Chapter 1750


    Chapter 1750


    She could not bear the title of a homewrecker and was even more reluctant to distance herself from the


    Saun family. Yet, she could not control her own heart, repeatedly making inappropriate moves on


    Keegan. Perhaps she wanted


    Keegan to actively express his love for her. That way, even if no one agreed to their rtionship,


    Keegan would suffer all the criticism.


    However, she did not know Keegan well enough. Even if he lost his memories and did actually develop


    feelings for her during their time together, he would never be with her once he found out about the


    rtionship between her and his ex- wife.


    Jaylene had no idea how fundamentally conservative Keegan truly was.


    If she could find out what Ste said to Keegan from the man himself, she would not need toe and


    ask Ste.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Considering both of their attitudes, it did not take Jaylene long to realize that something bad had


    probably happened between the two earlier.


    As Jaylene thought about that, she changed her tone,¡± Ste, I know that you really want Keegan to


    regain his memory, but we can¡¯t rush it. Dr. Stone said that his brain condition isn¡¯t very stable yet. If


    he¡¯s excessively stimted, there might be a side effect. I know you¡¯re doing this for Keegan¡¯s well-


    being, but could you please control yourself for now? Keegan only became like this because of you. He


    risked his life for you, yet you can¡¯t do something as simple as distancing yourself from him?¡± i


    Ste chuckled upon hearing that, ¡°You¡¯d love for him to forget me forever, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    Jaylene was about to deny it, but Ste said without holding back, ¡°Jaylene Saun, there¡¯s only the two


    of us here. Just stop finding excuses for your disgusting desires. Everyone knows what you¡¯re thinking.


    Did you really think that you¡¯re a saint just because you saved him? ?


    ¡°Enough of reminding me why Keegan got hurt. Are you trying to make me feel guilty or simply want


    me to back off? Dream on! Even if he can¡¯t recover his memory, he¡¯s not someone that you can ever be


    with. Believe it or not, I can make him fall in love with me again, no matter what you do.¡± iBooks


    Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Jaylene was shocked. She thought that Ste had noticed something, i


    However, Ste¡¯s expression was icy and disdainful. Jaylene figured that she was just feeling scornful


    instead of suspicious.


    She suppressed her emotions and finally looked Ste in the eye.


    ¡°When I was six, my mom married dad. When they first married, my brother, who had always treated


    me well, suddenly began to dislike me. I knew that he wasn¡¯t happy that I became his sister because


    he had another sister who passed away.¡±


    Ste was taken aback. She was not expecting Jaylene to bring up this past.


    She pursed her lips without saying anything. She looked at Jaylene calmly, trying to figure out what she


    would say next.


    ¡°My body has always been weak. I could never figure out why he stopped liking me. I followed him


    wherever he went every day, and he eventually epted me. Because of my poor health and shy


    personality, I was often bullied. I remember when I was eight, someone threatened me to give them


    money when I was walking to school. I told them I didn¡¯t have any, but I lied. I had saved some money


    because Trevor¡¯s birthday was around the corner, and I wanted to buy him a present. ¡¯


    ¡°Those people didn¡¯t believe me and started searching for money on me. I didn¡¯t hide my money well;


    they quickly found it. They took my money and got mad that I lied to them. Then, they took turns


    bullying me until a boy on a bicycle stopped by.


    ¡°The boy rescued me and helped me get my money back. After that, he even told me to get on his


    bicycle and took me to school before he left. I asked him his name, but he didn¡¯t tell me. However, I


    heard the people with him called him Keegan and asked him why he was so busybody.¡±


    ¡°Sometimeter, I met him again at his birthday party. He couldn¡¯t recognize me back then but still


    treated me


    extremely well because I was his little sister. I¡¯ve known him for so many years and know almost


    everything about him. If it weren¡¯t for my health issues and had to receive


    treatments overseas, Ste, you wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to even get close to him.¡± 2


    Ste scoffed, ¡°Treated you extremely well? Are you talking about when he bought your Red Agate


    bracelet just to give it to me or when he taught you how to cook tea eggs with Da Hong Pao Tea?¡±

 Chapter 1751

    Chapter 1751


    Chapter 1751


    ¡°Are you listening to what you¡¯re saying?¡± Ste said with a mocking face. ¡°Even if you want to throw


    yourself to him, you should consider if that person is interested in you.¡±


    Although Ste had also fallen for Keegan at first sight when he saved her, she did not think too much of


    it at the moment. If it were not for Albert forcing her into marrying someone else and meeting Keegan,


    she figured the car ident would probably have been their only encounter.


    Jaylene¡¯s expression did not look pleasant. After all, she had been loving Keegan for more than ten


    years, and it was just described as one-sided by another person.


    She then took a deep breath and said, ¡°Keegan is a person who will be very loyal once hemits to a


    rtionship. He used to be loyal to you, but now he doesn¡¯t even remember you. How can you be so


    sure he won¡¯t be attracted to me?


    ¡°On the day he woke up, he actually didn¡¯t remember a lot of things, but he recognized me at a nce.


    When people are at their most helpless and vulnerable times, they tend to rely on the first person they


    see after waking up.


    And it¡¯s perfectly normal for him to be attracted to me after relying on me for such a longtime.¡± 1 Ste


    scrutinized her expression as she asked, ¡°Are you suggesting he¡¯ll fall in love with you?¡±


    Jaylene stopped talking about it. Instead, she smiled and tly said, ¡°Marshall is still waiting for you


    downstairs. Won¡¯t you go down and walk him out?¡±


    With that, she turned around and left the room.


    Ste frowned while staring at her receding back. She could not help but feel puzzled by her unusual


    confidence while saying those words.


    After fixing her appearance, she decided to go downstairs to send off Marshall.


    Marshall was ying chess with Wenham downstairs. The game was so intense that neither of them


    noticed that Ste was there.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    She stood there and watched the game for a while. Then, she noticed that Marshall was genuinely good


    at dealing with people.


    Wenham loved ying chess, but his skills were not particrly good. However, he was just like Ste;


    he loved ying it despite not being very good at it. At the same time, he had a strong sense of self-


    esteem.


    In simpler words, he would be unhappy if he lost, thinking his skills were not good enough. However, if


    his opponent let him win, he would feel even more unhappy, thinking that his opponent looked down on


    him.


    Ste yed chess with him twice and then refused to y more. She would always find excuses to turn


    him down.


    On the other hand, Keegan would always let him win. However, his actions could never bring joy to


    Wenham.


    If Keegan deliberately let him win, it would only suggest that his skills were inferior, a notion that


    Wenham, who valued his reputation as highly as Ste, found intolerable.


    Therefore, he would often express his displeasure with Keegan¡¯s actions.


    However, Marshall did not deliberately let him win. More precisely, he did so subtly that no one could tell,


    i Ste had been observing Keegan¡¯s game for years now and noticed that Marshall could get a


    checkmate several times. However, he did not make the move, causing the game to end in a draw, i


    Wenham was delighted, Marshall, you¡¯re just a casual, huh?¡±


    Marshall smiled, ¡°I haven¡¯t yed for a long time, and I¡¯ve tried my best.¡±


    ¡°But being able to y me to a draw is already good enough. If Ste was speechless.


    ¡®Dad, please stop boasting. Even I¡¯m cringing for you.¡¯ She thought to herself.


    Marshall then said humbly, ¡°Uncle Wenham, you yed so well. Is there any tip you can give me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s all about practice. You¡¯ll eventually be better once you y more,¡±


    Wenham said enthusiastically. ¡°But I did study how to break certain formations.¡±


    Marshall replied earnestly, ¡°I¡¯d like to hear the details. I¡¯m very interested in this, too.¡±


    Wenham was about to share his knowledge with Marshall, but Ste cut him off, ¡°Dad, Marshall has work


    to do. Let¡¯s not waste any more of his time.¡±


    ¡°Do you have to leave now?¡± Wenham felt a little reluctant as it was rare for him to find such a worthy


    opponent. He even wanted to have another ¡°battle¡± with him.


    Marshall nodded, ¡°There¡¯s something I need to take care of in the office.

 Chapter 1752

    Chapter 1752


    Marshall paused before continuing, ¡°Uncle Wenham, I have a friend who owns a cafe, and a lot of people


    love ying chess there. If you¡¯re interested, I can take you there sometime.¡±


    Wenham was about to agree but hesitated, considering his doubtful chess skills.


    So, he cleared his throat and said,¡± Chess is meant to be yed in a quiet ce. I prefer ying it at


    home. Come and y a few rounds with me whenever you¡¯re free.¡±


    Marshall said, ¡°What about the day after tomorrow? I have nothing nned in the afternoon.¡±


    Wenham was overjoyed, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful! Remember to drop by then. Oh, by the way, Marshall, what


    kind of food do you like? Let Ste know so I can prepare something before youe.¡±


    Marshall nodded, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Hence, Marshall¡¯s next visit to the Saun residence was quickly scheduled.


    Ste had a vague feeling that Marshall was executing a strategic n-winning over her family before


    making his move on her. ?


    Ste had no idea what to do about the situation at all.


    Along the short distance that she walked to see Marshall off, she just could not stop sighing.


    Marshall asked her if she was okay. Ste hesitated but asked anyway, ¡® Marshall, what do you think of


    my dad?¡±


    Marshall was taken aback. He had not expected Ste to ask such a question.


    He thought for a while and said, ¡°Uncle Wenham is kind, easy -going, humorous, and caring. He¡¯s a very


    good man.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to be his godson?¡± Ste asked.


    Marshall kept quiet.


    Ste immediately regretted asking that question.


    Marshall was sharp enough to understand what Ste meant by asking that question right away.


    Just yesterday, she said that if Keegan really could not recover his memory, she was willing to try and


    see if things would work out between them. However, today, she wanted to turn him into his godbrother.


    It was simply too obvious what Ste¡¯s message was.


    apple slid slightly, and after a long pause, he asked, ¡°Ste, do you hate me?¡±


    ¡®I don¡¯t hate you. I¡¯m just bothered,¡¯ Ste said inwardly.


    However, faced with Marshall¡¯s affectionate gaze, Ste had only one thought ¡ª¡¯I should¡¯ve seen this


    coming.¡¯ She would have just kicked him in the face if it were Spencer. But Marshall¡­ he was sick.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    So, when she wanted to reject him, she had to minimize the damage as much as she could.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Ste opened her mouth, trying her best to find the best words to say. ¡°I just think you and my dad


    get along well, so I asked you that question. It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t like the idea of it.¡±


    Marshall lowered his eyes. Suddenly, Ste noticed how long his eyshes were; they cast a shadow


    beneath his eyes when he looked down.


    Ste could finally understand why she would always feel bad for Marshall. It was because no matter


    what happened, he would always be the first to take the me. ¡¯ To Ste, it was a very strange


    behavior.


    She waspletely different from him. For example, when she lost a card game, she would me the


    position she was sitting in, the weather was bad, her mood was not good, or she had no luck. She would


    never once put the doubt on her own skills.


    Perhaps that was not a very urate example. But in general, when people make mistakes, they tend to


    shift the me to someone else. Yet, Marshall would always be the first to take responsibility.

 Chapter 1753

    Chapter 1753


    Chapter 1753


    For some reason, Ste just could not bring herself to be harsh on him.


    Perhaps it was due to his upbringing in the Moore family. He would always be treated as the second


    option, making him feel like he was unimportant and always thinking he was at fault.


    When Marshall heard Ste say that, there was a glimmer of hope in Marshall¡¯s eyes. ¡°Really?¡± he asked


    softly.


    Ste did not look at him when she said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice that my father treats you better than my


    brother? It¡¯s because he likes you.¡±


    ¡°Ste¡­¡±


    Marshall wanted to say something, but Ste hastily interrupted, ¡°Hurry up and move your car. You¡¯re


    blocking the road.¡±


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Marshall had no choice but to stop talking and get into his car.


    After turning his car around, he rolled down the window,¡± Call me if there¡¯s anything. Take care of


    yourself.¡±


    Ste nodded and watched him leave.


    Meanwhile, Keegan sat in the car while Aldor drove. He clenched his jaw tight and barely said anything.


    When they almost arrived at Royalpark Vi, Keegan asked,¡± Aldor, what¡¯s a progesterone capsule?¡±


    While turning the steering wheel, Aldor answered, ¡°It¡¯s a hormone supplement, right?¡±


    Progesterone sounded familiar to Aldor, but he could not recall what hormone it was for.


    Keegan took out his phone and typed ¡°progesterone capsule ¡± into the search bar. His pupils immediately


    contracted.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, it¡¯s rare that you get to visit Mrs. Kane in her home. Why didn¡¯t you stay a little longer?¡±


    Aldor asked while waiting at the red light, failing to notice Keegan¡¯s expression at the back. After not


    getting any response, Aldor asked again, ¡°You still haven¡¯t remembered her at all?¡±


    Keegan rubbed his temples, looking a little frustrated. After a long pause, he muttered, ¡°Why is she


    taking tocolytic?¡±


    Aldor was caught off guard, ¡°Who? Mrs. Kane?¡±


    Keegan kept quiet for a while before responding with a soft¡± hmm.¡±


    Aldor was shocked. Then, he asked cautiously, ¡°Is Mrs. Kane pregnant with Mr.


    Moore¡¯s baby?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Can¡¯t it be mine?¡±


    Upon hearing Keegan¡¯s words, Aldor was so shocked that he instinctively said, ¡°How could it be yours?


    You had a vasectomy.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression turned puzzled, ¡°I did?¡±


    Aldor hadpletely forgotten about the fact that Keegan lost his memory. After realizing that he had


    revealed something he should not have, he decided to spill everything.


    ¡°Not only did you have a vasectomy, but you also did it for Mrs. Kane. She has health problems, and you


    were afraid that an unnned pregnancy might harm her, so you went and had the vasectomy.¡±


    Then, he continued rambling, ¡°How could Mrs. Kane be pregnant? Why would she be with Mr. Moore?


    Mrs. Kane was so crazy in love with you. She was even willing to risk her life by jumping into that


    freezing river¡­¡± Aldor paused momentarily before asking, ¡°Mr. Kane, could Mrs. Kane be vited?¡± 2 It


    seemed like Keegan had not yet epted the fact that he had undergone a vasectomy for Ste. His


    expression instantly darkened upon hearing what Aldor said.


    ¡°With her sharp tongue and how violent she is, who could¡¯ve vited her?¡±


    ¡°Whose child could she be carrying then?¡±


    Aldor was anxious because he only wanted Ste to be with his boss, Keegan.


    However, Keegan regained hisposure. Images of Ste¡¯s cunning eyes shed across his mind as


    he clenched his fists and said in a low voice, ¡°Perhaps I saw it wrongly. If she¡¯s pregnant, why wouldn¡¯t


    she tell me?¡±


    Aldor debunked his theory, ¡°That¡¯s because the child she¡¯s carrying isn¡¯t yours.


    You already had a vasectomy.¡±

 Chapter 1754

    Chapter 1754


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°Hm,¡± Aider responded. He thought, ¡®They were such a perfect couple. How did they end up


    like this? I don¡¯t think I can ever believe in love again.¡¯ Keegan felt restless and uneasy. Although he hid


    his emotions well, Aldor could tell what he felt by his frequent nces at his phone.


    After some thought, Aldor said, ¡°Mr. Kane, I¡¯ll have someone investigate if Mrs.


    Kane is pregnant or if you just saw it wrongly. If she really is pregnant, it¡¯s still early to get an¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up and drive!¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face turned red in anger, looking as unpleasant as possible.


    Aldor had no choice but to shut his mouth. ¡®Mrs. Kane is deeply in love with Mr.


    Kane. How could she ever get pregnant with someone else¡¯s child?¡¯ he thought to himself.


    After some time, Keegan suddenly asked, ¡°Aldor, are you sure the vasectomy was sessful?¡±


    His question left Aldor confused.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Well¡­ only you know that. You went into the operating theater alone, and I waited outside. You couldn¡¯t


    even stand up when it was done, and you had to stay in the hospital for a day. After two weeks, you even


    went back to the hospital to remove the stitches. Why would you need to remove the stitches if it wasn¡¯t


    sessful?¡±


    Aldor just could not wrap his mind around it.


    Aldor knew his boss well enough to know that he would not fake surgery just to please his wife. His dull


    brain could note up with such twisted schemes.


    Keegan¡¯s face looked unusually stern as he said after a few seconds, ¡°Turn around and go to the


    hospital.¡±


    Aldor wanted to ask if Keegan was feeling unwell, but his heart dropped upon looking at his eyes, ¡®Could


    it be that the surgery really wasn¡¯t sessful?¡¯ The checkup did not take very long. The nurse gave


    Keegan a brochure and ushered him into a room. Within fifteen minutes, he submitted the collected


    sample, and the results came out quickly.


    With the sample¡¯s viability, the doctor said that as long as the other party is healthy, it would not be a


    problem for Keegan to have two children in three years. >


    In other words, Keegan¡¯s vasectomy had failed.


    They could not find out what exactly went wrong, but Aldor noticed that Keegan¡¯s expression turned very


    unpleasant when he saw the results. 2 This unpleasant expressionsted for the entire day. The next


    day, when Aldor went to pick him up to go to the office, he felt like Keegan¡¯s face was just as gloomy as


    yesterday. Even worse, he had dark circles under his eyes today.


    Aldor suggested carefully, ¡°Mr. Kane, why don¡¯t you take a few days off? After youe back, Mr.


    Chandler Kane has been rather quiet. I¡¯m sure that he won¡¯t act recklessly before the new research


    result is published. You can focus on recovering before getting back to work.¡±


    Aldor received no response from Keegan after he finished speaking. He looked in the rearview mirror


    and saw Keegan in a daze.


    ¡°Mr. Kane? Mr. Kane!¡± Aldor called out to him a few times before finally snapping him out of his thoughts.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Aldor kept quiet, ¡®It seems like he didn¡¯t hear anything I just said.¡¯ ¡°I was saying¡­¡±


    Aldor repeated what he suggested earlier, but Keegan said,¡± No need. Let¡¯s head to the office now.¡±


    Aldor could onlyply.


    However, after a while, Keegan¡¯s phone rang. He nced down and saw it was a call from Vermont. He


    rejected it without any hesitation.


    Vermont had been talking about Ste in front of him a lottely. Normally, Keegan would just let him do


    it. But at this moment, he was too annoyed to even hear her name.


    But Vermont did not give up that easily. After being hung up on three times, he decided to call Aldor


    instead.


    When Keegan was about to tell him not to answer, Aldor had already put Vermont on speaker.


    ¡°Aldor, is that heartless scumbag Keegan Kane with you now?¡±


    Aldor kept quiet.

 Chapter 1755

    Chapter 1755


    Aldor cleared his throat, ¡°Mr. Kane is not here.


    Vermont got straight to the point upon hearing that, ¡°Then tell that heartless scumbag Keegan that his


    ex-wife is currently getting an abortion at the hospital.¡±


    Aider¡¯s expression changed as he quickly looked at Keegan.


    The look on Keegan¡¯s face turned even uglier as he said in a deep tone, ¡°What abortion? What are you


    talking about?¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Vermont said sarcastically. ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t around. Did you just teleport there?¡±


    Keegan gritted his teeth, ¡°Answer my question!¡±


    Vermont scoffed, ¡°Wasn¡¯t I clear enough? Your ex-wife, Ste Hall, is getting an abortion at the hospital.


    Can you hear me now?¡±


    ¡°Why would she do that?¡±


    ¡°You should be asking yourself that. I¡¯m very curious, too. What the fuck did you say to her? She was just


    getting a checkup at the hospital a few days ago, and within two days, she suddenly scheduled an


    appointment with the doctor to have an abortion. Didn¡¯t you go to the Saun residence yesterday? Did you


    set her off because you flirted with Jaylene in front of her?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± Keegan¡¯s face turned red. He clenched his fists tight, and his voice became hoarse, ¡°Which


    hospital is she in?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Vermont still spoke nonchntly. ¡°Are you going to stop her? Aren¡¯t you worried that the child


    she¡¯s carrying might not be yours?¡±


    Keegan gritted his teeth, ¡°Just fucking tell me!¡±


    Keegan cursed, and only then did Vermont provide him with the hospital¡¯s address.


    Then, Vermont added, ¡°If the child is really gone, it¡¯s your fault. You just don¡¯t have anything nice to say


    when she¡¯s around. She burst out crying right after she came backst night. She and my wife cried


    together, and they even scolded me. While I was still sleeping this morning, my brother suddenly called


    and said that Ste had gone to their hospital for an abortion. Thankfully, it¡¯s the weekend, so there¡¯s a


    long queue-¡°


    There was a pause on the other end, and then Vermont continued.


    ¡°You two have been trying too long to get a child. Now that she¡¯s finally pregnant, she wants to get rid of


    it. Keegan Kane, she must be extremely disappointed in you.¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips and remained silent while Vermont continued to scold him. However, his


    expression turned even more unpleasant.


    Aldor was worried that Vermont¡¯s words would anger Keegan further, so he quickly ended the call and


    sped toward the general hospital.


    ¡°Fuck! He hung up on me!¡±


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont lifted his gaze at Felicity, ¡°He¡¯s got to be guilty! Baby, give me some time. I¡¯ll call him again.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡±


    Felicity gazed at him, ¡°You¡¯re quite the actor.¡±


    Vermont clicked his tongue, ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m about to lose my goddaughter! I¡¯m very worried,


    too!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s going to be my goddaughter, not yours!¡± Felicity corrected him. ¡°Don¡¯t take her away from me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to do that.¡± Vermont blinked his eyes, ¡°You¡¯re going to be her godmother, and I¡¯m going to


    be her godmother¡¯s husband. Isn¡¯t that going to make her my goddaughter too?¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eyelid twitched as she scolded Vermont, ¡°How shameless of you!¡±


    Vermont lived by that description, and being called shameless was practically apliment to him. He


    leaned over to Felicity and said, ¡°By the way, why didn¡¯t you stop Ste from getting an abortion when


    you found out about it?¡±


    Felicity snorted, ¡°Keegan said he wants to break off the engagement, so what¡¯s the point of Ste


    keeping the child? She¡¯s still young and has a bright future ahead of her. Why should she give birth to a


    child whose father is an idiotic blockhead?¡±


    ¡°You just said that you would be the child¡¯s godmother!¡±


    Felicity paused momentarily before saying, ¡°If Ste wants to keep the baby, then I¡¯ll be her godmother. If


    she doesn¡¯t, I¡¯ll still support her decision.¡±


    Vermont sighed, ¡°If Ste were a man, would you have married her by now?¡±


    Felicity ignored that question, but Vermont understood her response: Just shut up with your nonsense.


    Compared to Corbin Steven, who had little to no interaction with Felicity, Ste was the most formidable


    ¡°rival¡± in his life.


    The two were still bickering when they heard the elevator door open. Then, they saw Keegan, dressed in


    a ck suit with a ck coat draped over it,ing out of the elevator.


    Felicity nced over, and she almost fell for his look.

 Chapter 1756

    Chapter 1756


    Chapter 1756


    Felicity finally understood why Ste would be so obsessed with Keegan. He just needed to wear some


    nicer clothes, and he would look incredibly handsome.


    His tall figure also made him stand out wherever he went.


    However, his expression did not look too good. His lips were tightly pressed together, his brows were


    furrowed, and his hawk-like eyes were fixed on the two of them. As soon as the elevator door opened,


    he strode over.


    His legs were long, and he walked briskly. It did not take him very long to stand before the two.


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    As soon as Keegan spoke. Felicity could feel the icy and aggressive aura emanating from him.


    Vermont pointed to the closed door of the operating theater, ¡°Inside.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s face turned pale as he gritted his teeth and said,¡± Why didn¡¯t you stop her?¡±


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He then walked directly over to the operation theater and pounded on the door.


    ¡°Ste Hall! Come out!


    ¡°When did you get pregnant? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?! Just because I want to break off the


    engagement, you¡¯re going to abort the child? How could you do this?


    ¡°The child is not yours alone! Have you talked to me about this? You can¡¯t be so selfish and decide its


    fate on your own!


    ¡°Ste Hall! Come out here and talk to me now!¡±


    Keegan was very loud, and his voice began to tremble as he shouted.


    ¡°What do you want me to say?¡±


    A familiar voice rang out from behind. Keegan¡¯s body stiffened, and he turned around, bewildered.


    Ste was wearing a patient gown and looking at him calmly with her arms crossed.


    Keegan¡¯s eyes were red as he stared nkly at her, stuttering, ¡°Didn¡¯t you¡­¡±


    Then, he suddenly looked at the culprit, Vermont, and said with his teeth clenched, ¡°Go inside?¡±


    Vermont blinked his eyes, ¡°She went inside the toilet.¡±


    Keegan stomped on the floor as his anger instantly surged. At that moment, he felt a strong urge to


    send Vermont into the operation theater to cut his tongue off.


    As they spoke, the nurse came over with a file, asking,¡± Which one of you is Ste?¡±


    Ste turned around and said, ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°Sign this for me and get ready for the procedure.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Ste did not even look at Keegan. She walked over to the nurse and took the pen, intending to sign


    the paper.


    However, Keegan grabbed her hand, ¡°We¡¯re not doing it.¡±


    He then said to the nurse, ¡°Cancel the surgery.¡±


    After that, he pulled Ste away and left.


    Ste struggled, ¡°Let me go! Who do you think you are? Why does it matter to you whether I¡¯m going to


    get an abortion or not?¡±


    ¡°Because half of the baby in you belongs to me too!¡± Keegan¡¯s grip on her arm tightened as he


    clenched his teeth, saying, ¡°I have every right to stop you!¡±


    Ste scoffed, ¡°How can you be so sure? It could be Marshall¡¯s or even my ex¡¯s. I have so many men


    around me.


    What makes you think that it¡¯s yours?¡±


    Keegan stared at her with his reddened eyes and said stubbornly, ¡°I just know.¡±


    Ste pursed her lips, ¡°So what if it is? Do you expect me to give birth to a child for a man who doesn¡¯t


    even want to marry me? Dream on! There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll keep this child.¡±

 Chapter 1757

    Chapter 1757


    Chapter 1757


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I said!¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression turned ugly, ¡°Can¡¯t you just give me some time to think about it?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to think about.¡± Ste¡¯s gaze was cold, ¡± There¡¯s no need for you toe up with


    another n. We¡¯ll break off the engagement, abort the child, and then both of us will have nothing to


    do with each other anymore. It¡¯s a simple thing; whyplicate it?¡±


    Keegan was probably angered by her attitude. His face turned even paler, ¡°Ste Hall, that¡¯s a life! How


    could you speak of it as if it¡¯s nothing?¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to do then? Give birth to the child for you, and you give me some money?¡±


    Ste continued mockingly, ¡°Actually, that¡¯ll work too. Give me your offer. Let¡¯s see if it¡¯s going to be


    worth the pain.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression turned even more unpleasant.


    Ste continued, ¡°You promised to give me ten billion if we divorced. Giving birth to a child is definitely


    going to hurt more than going through a divorce. So, it should be double, right? Otherwise, why should


    I do this? I-¡°


    ¡°We¡¯ll get married.¡±


    Keegan suddenly spoke.


    Ste paused and abruptly lifted her gaze, ¡°What did you say?¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan swallowed before saying in a low voice, ¡°I said we¡¯ll get married. Let¡¯s give birth to this child.


    And if you want to divorce afterward. I¡¯ll set you free. Also, I promise you¡¯ll get what you deserve in the


    divorce settlement.¡±


    Ste¡¯s mood, which was initially joyful, instantly turned gloomy.


    Keegan continued, ¡°If you agree, I¡¯ll have Aldor find awyer to draft the agreement-¡°


    ¡°Agree my ass!¡± Ste cursed and suddenly pulled her hand back. ¡°If you want to marry me, you¡¯ll need


    to get down on one knee!¡±


    After saying that, she walked away with an angry face.


    Felicity quickly caught up to her, ¡°Ste, are you still going to get the abortion?¡±


    Ste gritted her teeth, ¡°Yes, I am. I¡¯ll probably suffer a metrorrhagia with him around. Let¡¯s go to


    another hospital and get it done!¡±


    Keegan remained silent.


    He was about to go after Ste, but Vermont stopped him,¡± Stop provoking her. She¡¯ll probably have a


    miscarriage from anger before she can have the abortion.¡±


    Keegan shook off his hand, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear that she¡¯s going to do it in another hospital?¡±


    Vermont was speechless, ¡°Do you know nothing outside of work? Can¡¯t you understand that she only


    said that because


    she was angry? If she really wants to do it, it wouldn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re there or not.¡±


    Keegan finally calmed down as he turned his gaze to Vermont, asking, ¡°When did you find out that she


    was pregnant?¡±


    Vermont nced at him, ¡°Is that what you really care about now? Why don¡¯t you figure out how to


    persuade your ex-wife not to get an abortion instead? We¡¯re lucky my brother saw hering here


    while he was working. What if she goes to another hospital next time? Your daughter might have


    reincarnated by the time you get there.¡±


    ¡°Shut your stinky mouth up!¡± Keegan said.


    Vermont shrugged, ¡°The truth is often hard to handle.


    Physically stopping her isn¡¯t going to work forever. You¡¯ve got to make her give up on the idea


    completely.¡±


    Vermont thenughed at what Keegan said earlier, ¡°Did you hear what you said just now? You said you


    would get a divorce with her after the child is born! Do you think she needs your money? Don¡¯t forget


    that she¡¯s the heiress of the Saun family. If she wants it, the child inside of her can carry herst name


    and has absolutely nothing to do with you!¡±


    Keegan¡¯s body stiffened as he said nonchntly, ¡°I won¡¯t allow it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to matter.¡± Vermont shattered his delusional thoughts. ¡°Who do you think you are to her?


    You couldn¡¯t even control her when the two of you were still married.


    Now that you¡¯re divorced, what makes you think you can


    change her mind? Dream on!¡±


    Keegan kept quiet. After a long pause, he said, ¡°She¡¯s my fiancee.¡±


    Vermont replied sarcastically, ¡°Wow, you still remember that, huh? If I remember correctly, the first thing


    you said to her when you came back was to break off your engagement to her. Did you lose your


    memory as well as your mind? Did you forget what you just said a few minutes ago?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyelid twitched as he exploded in anger, ¡°Can you be serious for once? I¡¯m not talking to you


    just so you can ridicule me!¡±

 Chapter 1758

    Chapter 1758


    Chapter 1758


    Vermont snorted, ¡°If I¡¯m not on your side, I would have waited until she had the abortion before telling


    you!¡±


    Keegan kept a tense face, and his eyes were gloomy.


    Vermont spoke coldly, ¡°If the child is all you want, I advise you not to provoke her any further. If the


    child is gone, just ept it. You don¡¯t remember her anymore, after all. You can always find someone


    else to bear your child.¡±


    Keegan, still frowning, felt a sharp pain in his temples. He forcefully pressed his hands against them.


    After a long pause, he said, ¡°I¡­ My mind is a mess right now.¡±


    ¡°How do you really feel about this?¡± Vermont scrutinized him. ¡°Keegan, out of everyone, Ste is the


    only person you can¡¯t remember. Don¡¯t you find it strange?¡±


    Keegan kept quiet. It felt like there was a locked area in his brain; whenever he tried to ess it, he


    would experience a splitting headache.


    His brain was subconsciously resisting Ste, and he could not fully control it.


    He would instinctively observe Ste¡¯s actions. For example, when they were eating yesterday, he


    noticed that Ste did not take a single bite of the dishes that Marshall had served her.


    Instead, she stared at the light dishes the maids were serving. Her eyes would light up when they were


    about to serve her. However, when someone else told the maids to serve those dishes to them first,


    she would look somewhat disappointed.


    So, Keegan would deliberately tell Jaylene to serve him the heavy dishes, just so the maid would go to


    Ste¡¯s side more often.


    His mood would strangely turn better when he saw her eating happily.


    However, whenever Ste took the initiative to approach him, he would subconsciously put his guard


    up to keep her away.


    It was contradictory.


    Abnormally contradictory.


    Even without Vermont¡¯s reminder, he was sharp enough to notice something was not still wanted to


    keep Ste away before he could figure out exactly what went wrong.


    This was not because he hated her, but¡­ he felt that doing so was the right thing. He even hoped that


    Ste would go far away from not only him but Marshall as well.


    But why Marshall? 1


    Keegan¡¯s head throbbed again.


    Vermont saw his pale face and could not help but ask concernedly, ¡°Keegan, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°My head hurts.¡±


    With a painful look on his face, Keegan took out a bottle of medicine from his pocket and swallowed a


    pill.


    Soon, his headache subsided.


    Vermont was amazed, ¡°What kind of painkiller is this? How can it be so effective?¡±


    Keegan did not say anything but looked at the bottle for a while before asking, ¡°Where¡¯s your brother?¡±


    ¡°Working, why?¡±


    Keegan tightened his grip on the medicine bottle, ¡°Take me to see him.¡± i


    Vermont was confused but did as he said anyway.


    Ste went back to her ward to get changed.


    Felicity asked while standing next to her, ¡°Ste, are you really going to another hospital to get the


    abortion?


    ¡°Do you really have to give up on my goddaughter?


    ¡°I sent the baby¡¯s ultrasound to my mom yesterday. She could tell the baby will live a life with great


    wealth and sess.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ¡°She could tell all that just by looking at the ultrasound?¡±

 Chapter 1759

    Chapter 1759


    Chapter 1759


    Felicity said, ¡°My mom said the time you conceived was a very good day. She even told me to bring


    you and your child back to my hometown so that she can treat the fortune teller to a meal.¡±


    Then, she continued in a somewhat dejected tone, ¡°If you get an abortion, my mom is not going to have


    a chance to meet the child.¡±


    Ste rubbed her temples, ¡°Who said I¡¯m going to get an abortion?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just tell Keegan you¡¯re going to another hospital to get it done?¡±


    Ste sighed, ¡°I just wanted to make him angry.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Ste snorted, ¡°He wanted to marry me just to get a divorce after the child is born. Who does he think I


    am? Am I just a baby machine to him?¡±


    Felicity could not understand, ¡°Ste, isn¡¯t that what you wanted all along? Now that he¡¯s willing to


    marry you, shouldn¡¯t you be happy? Why would you say that to make him angry?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s only marrying me because of the child, not because he loves me!¡±


    Felicity was puzzled, ¡°Didn¡¯t you do everything today just to let him know you¡¯re pregnant so he¡¯d want


    you back?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Ste put on her cap. ¡°Even if that¡¯s what I wanted, I¡¯m not going to agree to what he


    suggested. I need to let him know that even if I have this child, I can still live without him. If he wants


    me to keep this child, he has to show me that he¡¯s sincere about it.¡±


    Felicity was about to say something, but the ward door was suddenly opened. She turned around and


    saw Keegan and Vermont standing there. Then, she immediately shut up and stepped aside.


    Ste nced at him and wore her socks without saying anything.


    Keegan stood there. His lips moved, but he remained silent.


    Vermont got nervous and almost kicked him, ¡°Say something. Did you forget your lines?¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips and asked, ¡°Are you nning to get it done at another hospital?¡±


    ¡®Fuck! What bullshit is he talking about?¡¯


    Ste gazed at him, ¡°Yeah. Mr. Kane, do you have any rmendations for a good hospital?


    Preferably one where they can get it done quickly and painlessly.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act impulsively. Y-You shoulde home with me first.¡±


    ¡°Home? Which home?¡± Ste¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°Are you talking about the Kane residence? I¡¯m sorry,


    but that¡¯s your home. As for the Saun residence, I¡¯m sorry too, but you¡¯re not wee there.¡±


    Keegan frowned, ¡°Do you have to talk to me like this?¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Why? You¡¯re not my fiance anymore. Am I obligated to speak to you in certain ways? You got me


    pregnant, and now


    I have to go through an abortion. I¡¯m the one suffering here. Are you suggesting that I should pamper


    you instead?¡±


    ¡°Pfft-¡°


    Vermont burst intoughter. However, Keegan shot him a vicious re, causing him to shut up


    instantly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to get an abortion.¡± Keegan frowned, not understanding why she would always twist


    his words. ¡°I want to marry you, but you said no. What exactly do you want, then? How am I supposed


    to know if you don¡¯t make yourself clear?¡±


    Ste lifted her gaze, ¡°Keegan Kane, you want me to marry you, give birth to the child, and then have a


    divorce. So, let me ask you this. Who will the child belong to?¡±


    Keegan answered, ¡°You can take it with you if you want to raise it. I¡¯ll pay you the expenses every


    month. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll still give you what you deserve.¡±


    Ste chuckled and pointed to the door, saying, ¡°Get out.¡±


    Keegan was taken aback.


    ¡®What did I say wrongly? Why is she mad again?¡¯ Keegan thought to himself.


    He looked at Vermont for help.


    Vermont cleared his throat and said, ¡°The purpose of getting married is to give the child aplete


    home. Why talk about divorcing? Both of you should be together till death do you apart.¡±


    His words left Keegan utterly speechless.

 Chapter 1760

    Chapter 1760


    Chapter 1760


    Felicity was impressed by how quick-witted and smooth Vermont was.


    Keegan licked his lips, ¡°Well¡­ if you don¡¯t want a divorce, we don¡¯t have to do it.¡±


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Ste said coldly, ¡°How generous of you.¡±


    Keegan kept quiet. He felt extremely puzzled about why he would marry someone with such a sharp


    tongue.


    The ward door swung open again when he was about to say something.


    ¡°Ste! Ste!¡±


    Cordelia walked in hurriedly, looking anxious. When she saw that Ste was still wearing her patient


    pants, she put her hand on her chest, ¡°Did Ie toote? Is my precious great -grandchild already


    gone?¡±


    She looked like she was about to faint as she spoke.


    Vermont, standing next to her, immediately supported her,¡± No, no. The baby is still here.¡±


    Cordelia immediately felt relieved, ¡°Really?¡±


    Vermont nodded, ¡°For now, yeah. The parents are still discussing its fate.¡±


    Cordelia felt like fainting again upon hearing that.


    Keegan then walked over, asking, ¡°Grandma, what brought you here?¡±


    Cordelia¡¯s hand was still across her chest when she said irritably, ¡°I should be the one asking you that


    question. Why did you bring Ste here?¡±


    Keegan was confused, ¡°I didn¡¯t. I came to find her.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Are you saying that Ste decided to abort my great-grandchild?¡±


    Cordelia was frustrated, ¡°She has been looking forward to having a child for so long. Now that she¡¯s


    finally pregnant, how could she abort it? You must¡¯ve been the one who brought her here. After you


    lose your memory and can¡¯t recognize her, you want to break off the engagement. Now, you don¡¯t even


    want your baby with her. How can you be so irresponsible?¡±


    Keegan felt extremely wronged. He hade to stop Ste, yet to his grandmother, he was the one


    who forced Ste to have an abortion.


    ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s not like that. I just found out about it and came to stop her. If you don¡¯t believe me, ask


    Ste.¡±


    After saying that, Keegan looked at Ste, hoping she would exin. However, Ste¡¯s eyes reddened,


    ¡°Grandma, you¡¯re finally here. If you were toeter, I¡­ I¡­¡±


    Then, she started crying.


    Keegan was puzzled, ¡®Tell her the truth. Why are you crying?¡¯


    Cordelia was furious. She lifted her cane and hit Keegan with it, ¡°You liar! What would you have done if


    I didn¡¯te


    today?¡±


    Although his injuries had recovered, being hit still hurt. He could only dodge while exining,


    ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t listen to her nonsense. She¡¯s the one lying-Ouch-¡°


    Cordelia chased Keegan around the hospital room to hit him. Felicity¡¯s jaw dropped in shock.


    ¡®Even someone as imposing as Keegan could look like a drowned rat.¡¯ Felicity thought to herself.


    Cordelia was getting older; she ran out of breath after a while. She leaned on her cane, panted, and


    pointed at Keegan, ¡°I¡¯ll deal with youter when we go home!¡±


    Then, she walked over to Ste and held her hand, ¡°Child, I¡¯m sorry for what you had to go through. I¡¯ll


    teach that hopeless thing a lesson for you.¡±


    Ste hugged Cordelia and thanked her. Then, she turned to Keegan and stuck her tongue out at him,


    making a funny face.


    Keegan rubbed his sore back from getting hit earlier and could not help butugh. Just when he was


    still feeling guilty, Ste turned the situation around. 1


    After beingbeled as violent, Ste further solidified her reputation as cunning and crafty in Keegan¡¯s


    eyes.

 Chapter 1761

    Chapter 1761


    Chapter 1761


    Cordelia held Ste andforted her for some time.


    Ste ¡°sobbed¡± for a long time. She never mentioned Keegan, yet every sentence she spoke was


    about him.


    For example, when Cordelia asked, ¡°Tell me. Did Keegan bring you here for the abortion?¡±


    Ste would cry and say, ¡°No, he did it for my sake. After all, we¡¯re no one to each other now¡­¡±


    Also, when Cordelia said, ¡°Ste, you finally having a baby is such a big matter. Why didn¡¯t you tell me


    about it earlier?¡±


    Ste would say, ¡°I wanted to tell you about it when I visited you the other day, but I bumped right into


    Keegan and Jaylene when I arrived¡­¡±


    She did not continue speaking after that, but anyone would think that those two either did or said


    something to upset her. So, Cordelia went after Keegan again.


    Keegan became numb to it all. Then, he wondered to himself, ¡®Why did I manage to get such a cunning


    and violent woman pregnant?


    ¡®Could it be true that I¡¯m a masochist?¡¯


    At that moment, he felt like giving himself a toast for taking one for the men.


    After Ste calmed down, Cordelia asked, ¡°Keegan, tell me. What are your ns now?¡±


    Keegan remained silent momentarily before saying, ¡°Grandma, pick a date.


    I¡¯ll get ready for the proposal.¡±


    Cordelia nced at him.


    Keegan understood the meaning of her gaze, acknowledging that he finally said something right.


    ¡°Grandma, I don¡¯t want to marry him.¡±


    Ste said that out of the blue, leaving Vermont utterly speechless.


    ¡®What? Isn¡¯t the whole purpose of this to get Keegan to marry her? Why would she turn it down now


    that heplies?¡¯ Vermont thought to himself.


    Keegan furrowed his brows and looked at Ste.


    Cordelia shifted her gaze to Ste, too. She then held Ste¡¯s hand and patted it gently, saying, ¡°Ste,


    you can tell me what¡¯s on your mind. Why don¡¯t you want to marry him?¡±


    Ste lowered her gaze, ¡°Grandma, if he were still the old Keegan, I¡¯d say yes without hesitation. But


    the current him doesn¡¯t even remember me. I¡¯d rather not marry him if he only wants to be with me


    because of the child. Plus, it won¡¯t be fair to the child either.¡± ¡°So, are you saying that¡­¡±


    Ste lifted her head, saying, ¡°I want him to marry me willingly.¡±


    Keegan met her gaze and curled his fingers without saying anything.


    Cordelia paused before she said, ¡°But the doctor said that his condition will take some time to improve.¡±


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Ste looked at Keegan and said, ¡°Then give US three months to live together. If he still feels nothing


    for me after spending the next three months together, it means that we¡¯re not meant to be, and there¡¯s


    no need for this marriage. I don¡¯t want to trap myself in a loveless marriage because of a child. It¡¯s still


    early, and we¡¯d still be able to get an abortion by then. After that, we can move on with our lives.¡± 1


    Cordelia looked at Ste¡¯s expression and realized that she was not joking. Her heart dropped as she


    thought, ¡®She¡¯s being serious!¡¯


    Then, she turned to Keegan and asked, ¡°Keegan, what do you think?¡±

 Chapter 1762

    Chapter 1762


    Chapter 1762


    Keegan pursed his lips and said after a long pause, ¡°Sure, well do that then.


    Cordelia held Ste¡¯s hand and whispered, ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried that he won¡¯t recover his memories?¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Steforted Cordelia, saying, ¡°Grandma, even if he can¡¯t remember, I¡¯ll make him fall in love with


    me again. You can rest assured and be prepared to be a great-grandmother.¡±


    Cordelia felt relieved upon hearing Ste¡¯s words.


    Ste had never had the thought of aborting the child. Everything that had happened today was simply


    a y staged by Vermont under Felicity¡¯s¡± coercion.¡±


    Going to Cordelia¡¯s home to hint at her pregnancy was Ste¡¯s first step in the n.


    She did not explicitly say it, but given how cautious Cordelia was, Ste was sure she would investigate


    and monitor her. Consequently, Cordelia would inevitably appear at the hospital during what was meant


    to be her¡± abortion.¡±


    Keegan still could not remember her and strongly resisted her. Although Cordelia loved him very much,


    Ste knew that she would never go along with Keegan¡¯s wishes and let the abortion happen.


    Therefore, she had to use the child and make Cordelia stand on her side.


    As for Keegan, Ste still did not believe he had lost his memory. Rather, she did not believe he did not


    have any feelings for her.


    The fact that Keegan remembered everyone else but her after losing his memory was simply too


    strange. Also, Keegan¡¯s inexplicable trust in Jaylene after returning did not seem normal at all either.


    Ste needed time to figure everything out, and the only chance to do that was to stay close to Keegan.


    Remarrying Keegan was the least important thing in her n. Though, there was something she had


    not lied about-lf Keegan were to marry her, she wanted him to do it with all his heart.


    As Ste thought about that, she looked up at Keegan, raising her eyebrow slightly. Her somewhat


    smug appearance unexpectedly made Keegan¡¯s heart pound.


    It was not anger but more like a sense of helplessness in dealing with her.


    Then, Vermont pulled Keegan out of the room to handle Ste¡¯s discharge procedures.


    Although the abortion was fake, they stillpleted the hospital admission process. After all, they had


    to make sure that their n was perfectly executed.


    Then, only Cordelia, Felicity, and Ste remained in the ward.


    Cordelia sat by the bed and took the water Ste handed her. ¡°Ste, have you told your parents about


    your pregnancy?¡± she asked.


    Cordelia was very considerate. She figured that the marriage could be postponed. However, if Ste


    were to go back and live in the Kane residence, they would eventually have toe up with an


    exnation to the Saun family.


    Ste responded, ¡°Grandma, I haven¡¯t told them yet. If I do, I don¡¯t n to make this public.¡±


    Cordelia put down her cup, ¡°What¡¯s your n?¡±


    Ste pursed her lips and said softly, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m still under six weeks pregnant; anything can


    happen now. We should at least wait until the first three months have passed before discussing this


    matter.


    ¡°Besides, there¡¯s another thing I¡¯m worried about. Keegan was kidnapped before the election, and the


    kidnapper died before he could confess anything. Everyone is saying that the kidnappers mistook


    Keegan for Marshall and that they only kidnapped US because of what happened between him, me,


    and Marshall. But they targeted Keegan as soon as they got out of the car. They only took me with


    them because they could not get rid of me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure what happened to Keegan is not as simple as being mistaken. I think it¡¯s very likely linked to


    the election.¡± 2


    Ste scrutinized Cordelia¡¯s expression as she spoke. Before proceeding with her n, she had to


    know what Cordelia thought about it.


    Cordelia remained silent for a while before she said while holding the cup,¡± Are you worried that if


    Chandler has something to do with this, he might harm your baby?¡±


    Ste lowered her gaze, ¡°Grandma, I just need to ensure the safety of this child. It¡¯s fine if the baby


    won¡¯t be the heir to the Kane family, but it must be safe and healthy.¡±


    Cordelia took a deep breath and said, ¡°Well just do as you said then.¡± ¡°Also, there¡¯s another thing,¡±


    Ste felt like she was being a little long- winded as she cleared her throat and said, ¡°Grandma, you


    need to find another doctor for Keegan toe up with an excuse for US to live together.¡±

 Chapter 1763

    Chapter 1763


    Chapter 1763


    Cordelia was so sharp that she instantly understood Ste¡¯s intention. She sighed, ¡°Howe I didn¡¯t


    realize you had so many clever ideas up your sleeve before?¡±


    Ste chuckled and said gently yet firmly, ¡°He used to be one who protected me before, and it¡¯s time for


    me to protect him now. Grandma, didn¡¯t you always used to say that spouses should always support


    each other?¡± 1


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    A hint of warmth shed across Cordelia¡¯s eyes. After a while, she said, ¡°It seems like choosing the


    right person to be with is the only thing Keegan¡¯s good at.¡±


    Ste could not agree more.


    When Keegan returned to the ward, Ste had already changed into her clothes.


    Cordelia exchanged a few words with Keegan and left with Baldwin. She was in a particrly good


    mood today and wanted to go to the church and pray for her family.


    Ste packed her bag slowly. Keegan checked the time and asked, ¡°Can you speed it up a little?¡±


    Ste did not listen to him, ¡°You can go first if you¡¯re in a hurry.¡±


    Keegan had no choice but to shut up and hand her the things still on the table. Ste thanked him. But


    after putting everything in her bag, she took them all out.


    Keegan was puzzled.


    She fumbled with her stuff as if she was looking for something.


    Keegan did not want to say anything at first because Ste did not ask for his help despite searching


    for so long. That made him feel ufortable.


    Ste wanted him to marry her willingly, but he would never expect that getting ignored would be the


    way of achieving it.


    He cleared his throat and asked, ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    Ste kept her head down, sounding a little nervous as she said, ¡°A ne?¡± ¡°A ne? What


    does it look like?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a silver ne with a rectangr pendant.¡±


    Keegan began looking around the room for her. After searching the entire room, he lifted the pillow and


    saw a shiny object. Keegan took it, and his gaze suddenly turned cold.


    Ste turned around and saw the ne in Keegan¡¯s hand. She immediately took it from his hand,


    relievedly saying, ¡°Oh, there you are.¡±


    Ste unfastened the sp and wore the ne around her neck.


    Keegan looked at the ne on her corbone and pursed his lips. His tone suddenly turned cold


    when he said, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you outside. Hurry up and pack your things. Aldor has been waiting


    downstairs for a long time.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Ste responded, looking at Keegan¡¯s receding back and smirking.


    Keegan felt a little bothered. He just could not get his mind off the ne Ste was looking for


    earlier. He had an excellent memory; he would not easily forget it once he had seen something.


    For example, when he saw the ne just now, he instantly recognized it. It was the ¡°love token¡± that


    Marshall had given her on the stage when they went to the concert together.


    That video was taken very clearly. Marshall not only gave her the ne but also ¡°kissed¡± her.


    ¡®Didn¡¯t she say she wanted to see if things could work out between US? Is she going to do that by


    wearing the ¡°love token¡± given by Marshall?


    ¡®Can I ever trust this woman and her sweet words?¡¯


    As he was sulking, the door behind him opened. Ste walked out from inside. She wore a mask, a


    cap, and a loose hoodie, exuding a youthful vibe.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Ste said softly before heading toward the elevator.


    Keegan stared at her attire and btedly followed suit.

 Chapter 1764

    Chapter 1764


    Chapter 1764


    The general hospital was owned by the local government, so it was always crowded. When the


    elevator doors opened, it was filled with people.


    There were patients, people who came to visit their friends and family, and even medical staff. One of


    the staff urged, ¡°Let them exit the elevator first before entering. Watch your step, and don¡¯t push onto


    other people.¡±


    After some people exited the elevator, Ste and Keegan were pushed into it by the people behind


    them.


    Someone bumped into Ste, causing her to stumble. But in the next second, Keegan wrapped his arm


    around her waist.


    His tall stature and stern expression made people instinctively keep their distance from him. So, by


    leveraging his body and the elevator wall, he created a small space for Ste.


    Ste stood in front of him, and when she lifted her head, she could see his sharp jawline. She got an


    idea and immediately wrapped her arms around his waist.


    Keegan¡¯s body stiffened, and he instinctively wanted to push her hands away.


    However, Ste held on to him even tighter as she threatened him softly,¡± I¡¯ll shout for help if you dare


    push me away.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    He nced at Ste and said tly, ¡°There¡¯s a surveince camera in here.


    You can¡¯t set me up just like that.¡±


    Then, Ste took his hand and ced it on her chest.


    Feeling the softness beneath his palm, Keegan was momentarily shocked. When he recollected


    himself, he saw Ste smiling with her eyes. ¡°Oops, there¡¯s a camera,¡± she said softly.


    Keegan gritted his teeth and took her hand back resentfully, muttering,¡± Could you ever act like ady?¡±


    Ste thought, ¡®How can I ever make you reveal your true self if I act like ady? Get off your high


    horse already!¡¯


    However, she said something different from what she was thinking, ¡°Why are you so bothered this?


    After all¡­¡± she lowered her voice, ¡°It¡¯s not like you haven¡¯t touched me before.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s ear instantly reddened as an image suddenly shed in his mind- ste, who was barely


    wearing anything, fighting with him on the bed for the phone. Then, he hesitated and reached out for a


    pinch¡­


    Suddenly, the staff ushering the people in and out of the elevator said something and snapped him out


    of his thoughts.


    Ste tugged at his sleeve and said in a low voice, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan¡¯s gaze fell on her red lips. Her lip color had always been vibrant, even without using lipstick.


    That color and¡­


    Keegan shifted his gaze from her lips to her chest.


    Ste continued to urge him, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Are you nning to stay in this elevator forever?¡±


    Keegan regained his senses and suddenly took a step back. Ste was perplexed by his unexpected


    movement. She frowned and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Keegan remained silent. After regaining hisposure, he said softly,¡± Nothing, let¡¯s go.¡±


    He quickly stepped out of the elevator without waiting for Ste, looking somewhat awkward.


    Ste found it strange. But upon second thought, Keegan had been acting strange since he lost his


    memory. So, she did not dwell on it and followed behind him.


    Keegan walked so fast that Ste had to jog a bit to catch up.


    ¡°Keegan Kane!¡± Ste called his name, but he did not hear her.


    Ste decided not to chase after him and stopped walking. Then, she threw all the things in her hands


    on the ground.


    The onlookers turned their heads, and Keegan also snapped out of his thoughts under the curious


    gazes of the people around him. He turned around and saw Ste¡¯s bag and jacket on the floor,


    standing there wiping her tears.


    ¡°Is this how you¡¯re going to treat me just because I didn¡¯t discuss my pregnancy with you?¡±

 Chapter 1765

    Chapter 1765


    Chapter 1765


    ¡°I¡¯m already over thirty years old. If I don¡¯t conceive now, I might never be able to. What¡¯s wrong with


    being a little selfish? Do you really have to treat me like this?


    ¡°You said you¡¯d only want a child with me after you¡¯ve seeded in your business. I¡¯ve been waiting


    since graduation, and it has already been ten years now. Yourpany has finally gotten on track, but


    why wouldn¡¯t you let me have a baby?


    ¡°Tell me honestly. Do you not want a baby, or do you not want me? Let¡¯s get a divorce if you don¡¯t want


    me anymore! I¡¯ll raise the baby myself!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    The people around them started gossiping.


    ¡°She¡¯s already thirty years old, yet the man is stopping her from having a baby. What a selfish man.¡±


    ¡°He must be seeing someone else now that he¡¯s be sessful.


    Otherwise, who would not want their wife to have a baby at this age?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why a woman should


    never waste her youth on a man. I¡¯ve seen this too many times. Despite all the efforts and sacrifices a


    wife makes for her husband, he often chooses another woman he genuinely likes.¡± ¡°She¡¯s too foolish.


    She should just get a divorce with him¡­¡± ¡°This kind of man doesn¡¯t deserve to have a wife.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s lips twitched upon hearing the whispers around him.


    He walked over to Ste with a stern face and grabbed her hands, saying, ¡ö¡¯ If you keep talking


    nonsense, I¡¯ll shut your mouth up!¡±


    Ste paused for a second and cried even louder, ¡°You¡¯re even scolding me now. Why is my life so


    miserable!¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡°This is outrageous. It¡¯s not easy to conceive in your thirties, yet this man is still treating her like this.¡±


    ¡°He looks like a gentleman but doesn¡¯t act like one at all.¡±


    Keegan gritted his teeth. He bent down to pick up the things she had thrown on the floor, grabbed her


    hand, and said, ¡°We¡¯re going home!¡±


    Ste did not move. Instead, she pouted with teary eyes and said pitifully, ¡± My feet hurt.¡±


    Keegan was burning with anger after Ste made him look bad in front of everyone. But he met those


    eyes, and he just could not bring himself to express the rage brewing inside him. With a stern face, he


    threw Ste¡¯s bag and jacket into her arms and picked her up horizontally.


    ¡°Now that¡¯s more like it. It¡¯s not easy for a woman to get pregnant. How dare he treat his wife like that?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s still some hope in him.¡± ¡°Maybe it was just a little spat.¡±


    Keegan lowered his head to look at the woman who had sessfully executed her n. He squinted


    his eyes and said coldly, ¡°Are you a big fan of acting?¡±


    Ste nodded, ¡°After all, I majored in performing arts. I¡¯d feel ufortable if I don¡¯t act for a day.¡±


    Keegan could not believe what he had just heard, ¡°So, that¡¯s why you threw me under the bus?¡±


    Ste blinked her eyes, ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡±


    Keegan was puzzled.


    Then, he heard Ste continuing slowly, ¡°Hormones easily influence a pregnant woman¡¯s emotions. If I


    keep all my emotions to myself, it won¡¯t be good for the baby. So, I¡¯ve got to find a way to vent my


    emotions.¡± ¡°Are you suggesting that I should be the one to bear your frustration?¡±


    Ste patted his shoulder, ¡°You won¡¯t be the one experiencing postpartum depression, so what¡¯s wrong


    with that?¡±


    Keegan stared at her cunning eyes and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll just drop you to the ground?¡±


    Ste glowered at him, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± ¡°Try me.¡± With that, Keegan pretended to let go of her,


    causing Ste to cling to his neck quickly like an octopus.


    She would not be scared if she were not pregnant. But she dared not take the risk with a baby on the


    way.

 Chapter 1766

    Chapter 1766


    Chapter 1766


    Of course, Keegan did not let go. Instead, he lifted her even higher. A smile shed on his face as he


    asked in a low voice, ¡°Why are you so scared? It¡¯s not like I¡¯d actually drop you.¡±


    Ste realized that he was just teasing her. She got angry and yfully pounded Keegan¡¯s chest.


    Felicity leaned out of the window upstairs and said, ¡°Damn. Ste¡¯s really something. She actually


    managed to make Keegan carry her out.¡±


    Vermont rested his chin on top of Felicity¡¯s head and watched the scene below with her, ¡°Why do you


    think


    Keegan was so obsessed with her before? Your best friend is more than just something.¡± i


    ¡°Hey, your brother is a doctor here, right? Why don¡¯t you ask him to find out if the child in Ste¡¯s belly


    is a boy or a girl?¡±


    Vermont said, ¡°I don¡¯t think we should do that. Why do you want to know? If it turns out to be a boy,


    would you not want to be his godmother?¡±


    Felicity pouted, ¡°Well, I do prefer to have a goddaughter. But if it¡¯s really a boy, I¡¯ll still love him the


    same. I¡¯m just curious.¡±


    ¡°You should be curious about something else, like how


    much money I have or how many properties and cars I own.¡± 1


    Felicity was puzzled, ¡°Why should I be curious about those things? They¡¯re not mine anyway.¡±


    Vermont smirked and leaned into her ear, whispering, ¡°They may not be yours now. But if you marry


    me, everything I own will be yours.¡±


    Felicity paused, turned around, and scrutinized him, ¡°Tell me how much you have then.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll take me a long time to tell you everything I own.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eyelid twitched, ¡®Same trick again, huh?¡¯


    She looked at Vermont¡¯s expression that screamed, ¡°keep asking,¡± and said, ¡°Oh, let¡¯s not bother then


    if that¡¯s the case.¡±


    Then, she turned and walked away.


    Vermont was stunned.


    He hurriedly caught up with her and said, ¡°Hey, ask me again, and I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    Felicity nced at him, ¡°No way. You can keep it to yourself.¡±


    Vermont chuckled as he hugged her shoulder and asked with a smile, ¡°There¡¯s a new murder mystery


    game around this area. Do you want to y it together?¡±


    Felicity brushed his hand off her shoulder, ¡°No, I need to work on my script.¡±


    ¡°I only want to take you there because I¡¯m trying to help you get inspiration for your script.¡±


    Felicity looked at him, ¡°It¡¯s more like you just want to waste my time and make me miss the deadline.¡±


    Vermont sighed, ¡°Why do you always think so poorly of me?¡±


    Felicity then reminded him of what he did, ¡°When I was about to finish my scriptst time, you told me


    there¡¯s a great Joplonese restaurant we should try. I told you we could go after I finish, but you said the


    promotion would be over by then, and I could work on the script in the


    restaurant. So, I went with you, and myptop got stolen.¡±


    Vermont kept quiet for a while and said, ¡°But we found it backter, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    Felicity glowered at him, ¡°The thief had already sold my script on the ck market and wiped all my


    data. What¡¯s the point of getting an emptyptop back?¡±


    Vermont said guiltily, ¡°But you came up with an even better script, right? It¡¯s just that no one has a good


    enough taste to buy it.¡±


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    Felicity gritted her teeth, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault!¡±


    Vermont was speechless.


    ¡°This time, nothing like that will happen again. The shop owner works in showbiz and hires


    professionals to design the plot. It¡¯s not something you can experience anywhere else. Once we y it,


    I¡¯ll introduce you to their scriptwriter, and you can have a chat with him. He used to write suspenseful


    detective scripts and is pretty experienced with it.¡±


    Felicity paused and said, ¡°How do you know that¡¯s the theme I¡¯ve been working on?¡±


    Vermont said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to borrow some books from the library before? When they updated


    their system, I linked my phone number with your library card so I can see every book you borrowed.


    ¡°I noticed that you¡¯ve been reading a book called ¡± Chronicles of Injustice,¡± and also books on anatomy


    and psychology. I figured you¡¯re probably working on a script for this theme, so I wanted to help you


    find some inspiration.¡± i


    Felicity felt strange inside as she tilted her head to look at Vermont, ¡°If you want to help me, why don¡¯t


    you just buy the rights to my script and turn it into a film?¡±

 Chapter 1767

    Chapter 1767


    Chapter 1767


    ¡°I can certainly do that, but¡­¡± Vermont paused as he looked at Felicity before continuing, ¡°Would you


    want that? Would you want me to make your work famous using money?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Felicity pouted and muttered, ¡°My mom is going to mock me for the rest of my life if


    you do that.¡±


    She had once proimed that she would be one of the most sessful screenwriters ever. If she


    were to resort to buying sess with money, it would not be any different from cheating.


    She wanted to earn her reputation and stand on that award podium based on her own capabilities.


    Vermont chuckled and ced his arm around her neck, ¡°I know you very well. If I were to buy your


    script and make it famous, you¡¯d probably break up with me straight away.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve already broken up a long time ago, okay?¡± Felicity retorted as she forcefully pped the back of


    Vermont¡¯s hand. ¡°Stop pressing down on me like this! You¡¯re the reason I got shorter!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Vermont leaned into her ear, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe as he whispered,


    ¡°I only pressed down with one arm. What if I press my whole body on you? Wouldn¡¯t you be even


    shorter?¡±


    Felicity could not understand what he was talking about,¡± Are you sick or dying? Why would you press


    your whole body


    on me? I know I¡¯m very strong, but do you think I¡¯m strong enough to carry you to the hospital?¡±


    Vermont paused and then chuckled softly. His gaze looked gentle as he murmured, ¡°Why would I want


    you to carry me to the hospital? Can¡¯t I press my body against yours face-to- face?¡±


    ¡®Face-to-face? How¡­¡¯


    Felicity froze and immediately realized what he meant. Then, her entire face turned extremely red.


    Vermont could not hold himself back from teasing her more. He continued suggestively, ¡°Back-to-back


    is fine too, but you don¡¯t have to carry me. I¡¯d be too heavy for you. You just need to lie down¡ªUgh¡ª¡±


    Before he could finish this sentence, Felicity stuffed his mouth with the apple Garrett had given her


    earlier.


    ¡°What a shameless man you are!¡± Felicity¡¯s cheeks were red as she bit her lips and said annoyedly,


    ¡°Can¡¯t you juste up with something decent for once?¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Felicity was just moved by what he said earlier, but then he turned around and acted flirtatiously toward


    her!


    Vermont took a bite of the apple before taking it out of his mouth, ¡°Baby, I just want you to understand


    what kind of creature men are. When a man faces a woman he likes, he will have desires for that


    woman. It¡¯s just that some men can restrain themselves, and some can¡¯t. Even if we can¡¯t be together


    in the end, you¡¯ve got to be very cautious when dealing with other men. Not everyone is as gentlemanly


    as me.¡±


    Vermont restrained himself when he was presented with the perfect opportunity.


    Felicity rubbed her flushed ears and said with her teeth clenched, ¡°Gentlemanly, my foot! You¡¯re the


    most shameless person I know!¡±


    Vermont sighed inwardly, ¡®If I¡¯m really shameless, I¡¯d tricked her into sleeping with me long ago.¡¯


    Felicity ignored him and walked away. She massaged her pounding heart, feeling embarrassed inside.


    ¡°Wait for me.¡±


    Vermont caught up to her and put the apple near her mouth,¡± Try it; it¡¯s very sweet. I¡¯ve peeled the skin


    for you.¡±


    Felicity paused, feeling like something was not right, ¡°How did you peel it?¡± she asked softly.


    Vermont smiled, revealing his white teeth, ¡°With my teeth.¡±


    Felicity punched him right on the head!


    ¡®Why is Ste attracted to a domineering CEO like Keegan while I fell for a stupid thing like this?! Ahh!


    ¡®I¡¯ve got to think about getting back together with him thoroughly. I¡¯ve got to at least be with someone


    with a functional brain, right?¡¯


    Meanwhile, Aldor looked in the rearview mirror, ncing at Keegan and then at Ste.


    Both of them were sitting in the back, one leaning against the left window and the other against the


    right, as if they wished they were ten thousand miles apart. It reminded Aldor of when they would argue


    before the divorce.


    ¡®Are they going to begin a new rtionship with each other? Mr. Kane spent half a year trying to win


    Mrs. Kane¡¯s heart previously. How long will it take this time?¡¯ Aldor wondered to himself.


    As he thought about why they came to the hospital in the first ce, he cleared his throat and asked,


    ¡°Mrs. Kane, are you pregnant?¡±


    Ste responded with a soft ¡°mhmm¡± as if she was uninterested in continuing the conversation.


    Keegan, who was scrolling through his phone, paused. Then, he lifted his gaze and said to Aldor,


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about her pregnancy.¡±

 Chapter 1768

    Chapter 1768


    Chapter 1768


    Aldor nodded before asking, ¡°Mr. Kane, are we still going to the office?¡±


    Keegan rubbed his temples, ¡°No. Drive her back to the Saun residence first.¡±


    After a short pause, he added, ¡°Call the maids at Royalpark Vi and tell them to clean the house. Well


    move back tomorrow.¡±


    ¡®We? He doesn¡¯t need to do anything to win her back just because they are having a child together?¡¯


    Aldor thought to himself.


    He looked at Ste and figured that she was not someone who would give in so easily. However, after


    hearing what Keegan said, she did not object.


    So, with a confused mind, he drove them to the Saun residence.


    When they arrived at their destination, Ste grabbed her stuff. Then, she nced at Keegan before


    getting out of the car and said, ¡°Come and pick me up personally tomorrow, or¡­¡±


    Keegan raised an eyebrow, ¡°Or what? Are you going to get an abortion again?¡±


    A captivating smile appeared on Ste¡¯s face as she said casually, ¡°A woman¡¯s emotions are


    unpredictable. Please bear with me.¡± i


    Then, she opened the door and got out of the car.


    Keegan stared at her receding back for a while before asking Aldor, ¡°Has she always been like this?¡±


    Aldor coughed and said, ¡°She has toned it down a lot now. If you made her unhappyst time, she


    would lock you out and not let you in. At least she doesn¡¯t physically punish you now. ¡ö


    Keegan kept quiet. He could not believe what he had just heard, ¡°And I¡¯d just let her do whatever she


    wants?¡±


    Aldor said, ¡°Nine out often men are attracted to looks. Look at how gorgeous Mrs. Kane is. Would you


    not let her do whatever she wants?¡±


    Aldor¡¯s response left Keegan utterly speechless.


    He could not help but think of when he had wild thoughts in the hospital elevator earlier and suddenly


    felt a little uneasy.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in appearances.¡±


    Aldor nodded, ¡°Of course. After all, it¡¯s normal not to be attracted to other women after marrying such a


    beauty.¡±


    Keegan did not say anything.


    Then, he corrected Aldor, ¡°I want a partner who shares a spiritual resonance with me.¡±


    Aldor nodded again, ¡°There¡¯s definitely a strong resonance between you and Mrs. Kane. She loves


    unting, and you¡¯d provide her with all the money you have. Even if she wants to murder someone,


    you¡¯d be the first one to hand her the knife. With just a nce, you two would know what each other


    wants to do without having to talk at all.¡±


    Keegan kept quiet again.


    ¡°I mean an intellectual resonance.¡± 2


    ¡°Both of you graduated from Trinity University. She got epted by achieving the highest grades in the


    performing arts department, and you were also the top student yourself. That¡¯s the intellectual


    resonance between you two.¡±


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    After a long pause, Keegan said, ¡°She speaks very vulgarly.¡±


    Aldor countered, ¡°You used to praise her for being genuine.¡±


    ¡°She loves to lie.¡±


    ¡°You said that she was being clever.¡±


    Keegan shut his eyes, ¡°What about her hitting me?¡±


    ¡°You said hitting someone is a sign of affection,¡± Aldor said.


    Keegan fell silent as he scrutinized Aldor. After some time, he said, ¡°Did she pay you extra to speak


    well of her?¡±


    Aldorughed, ¡°Mrs. Kane would never spend on something like that. However, you¡¯re different. If


    anyone praises her, you¡¯d be the first to reward them with a bonus.¡±


    Keegan closed his eyes again, rubbing his temples, ¡°Have we not argued with each other before?¡±

 Chapter 1769

    Chapter 1769


    Chapter 1769


    ¡°You two would argue, but you never won. In the end, you¡¯d always buy her gifts to make her happy,¡±


    Aldor said.


    Keegan kept quiet again. But after a while, he could not help but ask, ¡°Did she use some dirty tricks to


    make me marry her?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. You were the one who went to Mrs. Kane Sr. and said you wouldn¡¯t marry anyone else but


    her. Mrs. Kane had just graduated from university back then and was forced into a marriage by her


    stepfather. Actually, it¡¯s you who took advantage of her. After all, she¡¯s so much younger than you.


    Under normal circumstances, ady like her would never be with someone of your age.¡± 2


    Keegan was speechless.


    ¡°I¡¯m only five years older than her. You¡¯re exaggerating.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what Mrs. Kane said, not me.¡± Aldor could not help butugh.


    Keegan became even more unhappy, ¡±1 treated her so well back then, and she stillined about


    me being old.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Kane was just stating a fact and didn¡¯t mean that you¡¯re old. It¡¯s just that for someone her age


    getting together with someone your age seems a little¡ª¡±


    ¡°Okay, shut up.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression looked both stern and frustrated.


    Aldor turned the steering wheel andughed inwardly.


    When Keegan was recovering, it seemed like his rationality and emotions were gradually returning, too.


    Aldor noticed that Keegan was very resistant to knowing more about Ste when he first returned.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    He could not understand why, but in recent days, he had changed a lot.


    Aldor wondered if that was because Keegan had had more contact with people and things he was


    familiar with.


    Though, he was just d that things were moving positively.


    While waiting at the traffic light, Aldor noticed Keegan staring out the window. He followed his gaze and


    saw a baby and maternity store, ¡°Mr. Kane, would you like to go in and have a look?¡±


    Keegan looked away and said tly, ¡°It¡¯s okay. The baby is not necessarily staying.¡±


    He did not forget what Ste said-lf he still could not have any genuine feelings for her when he


    proposed three monthster, she would not keep the baby.


    As Keegan thought about that, he could not help but think of how cruel Ste was. He was even


    starting to feel ufortable looking at that store.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Keegan calmly said as he stopped looking out the window.


    Aldor thought to himself, ¡®Didn¡¯t he go to the hospital today to stop Mrs. Kane from getting the abortion?


    Why does he


    sound so unconfident now?¡¯


    Just as Keegan was lost in his thoughts, his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and answered the


    call.


    Jaylene¡¯s voice came from the other end of the phone,¡± Keegan, Dr. Stone ising over tomorrow. I¡¯ll


    apany you for the follow-up treatment.¡±


    Keegan paused, ¡°Can we reschedule it to the day after tomorrow? I¡¯m not free tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Dr. Stone will be going to Salcator to give a lecture on the day after tomorrow. He¡¯ll only be avable


    tomorrow,¡± Jaylene said gently, ¡°Keegan, do you have something urgent to attend to? Can¡¯t you


    postpone it? Although your physical injuries have recovered a lot, the issues with your head still require


    regr check-ups from experts like Dr. Stone,¡± she paused before continuing, ¡°My dad told me that


    things in Vinci Rivera haven¡¯t calmed down yet. I want you to recover fully as soon as possible.¡± 3


    Keegan kept quiet momentarily before asking, ¡°What time tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Ten in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Okay then. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± 2


    After Keegan ended the call, Aldor could not help but say,¡± Mr. Kane, you have to pick up Mrs. Kane


    and bring her back to Royalpark Vi tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°But-¡°


    Keegan lifted his gaze, ¡°You¡¯re crossing the line.¡± 1


    Aldor immediately stopped speaking.


    ¡®Well, I guess that¡¯s it. I hope he¡¯ll know what to do when Mrs. Kane unleashes her anger tomorrow.1


    Aldor thought to himself.


    After Ste went back home, she changed her clothes. When she went downstairs, she bumped into


    Jaylene.

 Chapter 1770

    Chapter 1770


    Chapter 1770


    Jaylene seemed to be in a good mood as she greeted Ste when she saw her.


    Ste greeted her back indifferently. When she was about to walk away, Jaylene called out to her,


    ¡°Ste.¡±


    Ste turned around. Jaylene smiled and said in a gentle tone, ¡°Ste, would you pick my outfit for


    me?¡± 1


    Ste was confused.


    Jaylene continued, ¡°You have a great sense of fashion, so I thought I¡¯d ask you for some advice on


    what to wear tomorrow.¡±


    Ste did not know what she was up to but agreed to help anyway. 1


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Wenham¡¯s rtionship with Darcie was not exactly bad, so she did not want to have bad blood with


    Jaylene and put her father in a difficult position.


    So, she did not turn her down, i


    Jaylene then led Ste to her dressing room.


    The dressing room that Jaylene had was the biggest one in the house.


    Before Ste returned to the Saun family, Jaylene was spoiled by everyone in the family and had the


    best of everything.


    For example, the room with the best lighting and thergest balcony belonged to her. She also got the


    biggest dressing room and the best study to herself.


    After Ste returned, Wenham initially wanted Jaylene to vacate the dressing room for Ste because it


    was closer to her room, making it more convenient for Ste to dress up. Jaylene had another


    wardrobe in her room, which was more than enough for her.


    Wenham suggested it out of goodwill. But he was just a man who did not think much about the minor


    things.


    He thought it would be the best for everyone, but Jaylene would not see it that way.


    If Wenham were to do that to Jaylene right after Ste came back, outsiders may see him as an unfair


    father, and his reputation would be ruined. So, when Wenham came up with that suggestion, Ste


    immediately rejected it.


    Of course, Wenham could not bear to see her precious daughter living ufortably in his home. So,


    to make up for it, he bought her a one thousand square feet house in the neighborhood where Leighton


    lived.


    It was within walking distance of where Leighton stayed. They could literally speak to each other from


    the windows if they wanted to. However, she had never stayed there once after getting the keys. 2


    Jaylene opened the door to the dressing room. It was neatly organized with clothes for every season,


    most of which were thetest styles from various luxury brands.


    Jaylene ran her fingers over a row of clothes and turned to ask Ste, ¡°Ste, do you have any


    suggestions?¡±


    Ste shifted her gaze to her and asked tly, ¡°What kind of asion are you attending tomorrow?¡±


    Jaylene smiled, ¡°I¡¯m just going out with a friend?¡±


    Ste paused, ¡°A male friend?¡±


    Jaylene nodded. Ste looked at her from head to toe.


    ¡®What kind of male friend would she value so much, to the extent that she had to ask me to help pick


    her outfit?


    ¡®Could it be a potential boyfriend?


    ¡®It can¡¯t be. Keegan still hasn¡¯t recovered his memory yet, and it¡¯s the perfect time for her to win his


    heart. Why would she go on a date with another man now?


    ¡®Could it be Keegan?


    ¡®No way. He¡¯s supposed to take me back to Royalpark Vi tomorrow. ?


    ¡®So, who could it be?¡¯


    Ste wondered for a long time but could not find an answer. After a brief pause, she said, ¡°Just stick to


    your usual style.¡±


    Jaylene shook her head, ¡°I want to change my style and make a fresh impression.¡± 5


    Ste thought, Well, changing your clothes will not be


    enough. You¡¯re going to need stic surgery.¡¯


    However, she was not mocking Jaylene¡¯s appearance. Jaylene had a naturally elegant look and would


    not be suitable for overly mboyant clothes that would make her look tacky.


    Jaylene seemed to know that, too, as most of the clothes in her dressing room were simple and in.


    With her great temperament and figure, she would exude a unique charm by dressing up slightly. After


    all, a woman¡¯s beauty extends beyond just her facial features.

 Chapter 1771

    Chapter 1771


    Chapter 1771


    However, Ste figured that she could not just brush Jaylene off after she asked for her help openly.


    So, she nced at Jaylene¡¯s clothes and picked a simple, light green dress.


    ¡°What about this? It¡¯s not too formal or too casual.¡±


    Jaylene took it and said, ¡°You have great taste. Trevor gave this to me for my birthdayst year


    because he knew I¡¯m a fan of this designer¡¯s clothes. He secretly noted my measurements and had it


    custom-made without me knowing. I haven¡¯t worn it much since I got it.¡±


    Ste pursed her lips. She did not like hearing about what happened between Jaylene and Trevor or


    Wenham back then.


    It would make her think that if she had not been taken away all those years ago, she would be the one


    spending the past twenty-plus years with her father and brother.


    Whenever Wenham looked at her childhood photos, he would sigh, wishing he could hug the young,


    adorable her.


    Ste knew that Wenham still loved her as much as he did now. He just regretted not being there


    during every moment of her growth.


    Ste also felt sad that Wenham was already so old when she finally returned to her family. He lived


    half of his life without her, and Ste did not know how many days he had


    left to spend with her.


    Whenever Ste thought about it, she would burn with hatred for the culprit who tore her family apart


    years ago. 2


    That was why she would feel so ufortable every time Jaylene talked about how Wenham or


    Trevor treated her back then.


    She could not care less about the materialistic things Jaylene received from her father and brother; she


    only thought about the time she could have spent with them.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join &


    Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Ste did not want to stay in the dressing room any longer, so she said tly, ¡°I¡¯m leaving if there¡¯s


    nothing else.¡±


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Jaylene put down the dress, saying, ¡°Ste, I¡¯ve always thought that if Keegan didn¡¯t exist, we would be


    very good friends.¡±


    Ste stopped walking, ¡°I¡¯d never be your friend whether Keegan exists or not.¡±


    Then, she smiled and shrugged, saying, ¡°After all, why would sisters want to be each other¡¯s friends?¡±


    Jaylene paused.


    At this time, Ste had already turned around and walked away.


    Just as she turned her back on Jaylene, thetter¡¯s smile disappeared.


    Ste knew that if she were not Wenham¡¯s daughter, Jaylene would never bother looking at her, let


    alone be her


    friend.


    Although Ste had saved her life, Jaylene would always look at her condescendingly, thinking she was


    superior because of her family background. 2


    Jaylene was the kind of person who would change her behavior depending on who she was with.


    Vermont did not lie to Felicity. After they were done with the game, he introduced her to the scriptwriter.


    The scriptwriter was even more impressive than Vermont described. Not only did his scripts win


    countless awards, but he was also highly sought after in the industry. He had earned so much money


    that he opened a shop dedicated to murder mystery games for fun.


    Vermont invited him to a meal, and Felicity had a great conversation with him. He gave her a lot of


    inspiration, and she was delighted to learn from him.


    She could not help but have a couple more drinks into the conversation. Then, she started feeling tipsy.


    ¡°Mr. Booker, why do award-winning arthouse films always add some sensual scenes? Can you tell me


    why? I really


    don¡¯t understand. The suspense film that came out earlier this year was so good, but why didn¡¯t it win


    any award?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s eyelid twitched. He quickly reced the alcohol in Felicity¡¯s hand with a cup of tea and


    exined, ¡°She¡¯s had too much to drink.¡±


    Felicity red at him, ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m perfectly sober!¡±


    Vermont was speechless.

 Chapter 1772

    Chapter 1772


    Chapter 1772


    Vermont turned to the scriptwriter, Devin Booker, and said,¡± She¡¯s just talking nonsense. Please don¡¯t


    mind her.¡±


    Devin knew that Vermont was trying to smooth things over for Felicity after her inappropriate question,


    so he smiled and said, ¡°Your girlfriend is pretty interesting.¡±


    Vermont patted Felicity¡¯s head and said lovingly, ¡°She¡¯s also really strong. She can fight three guys


    without any trouble.¡±


    This surprised Devin.


    Felicity didn¡¯t get the answer she wanted and pushed, ¡°Mr. Booker, do you really need to film those


    sensual scenes? Can a movie win awards without them?¡±


    Devin had no idea how to answer Felicity¡¯s question. After thinking for a bit, he said, ¡°Some stories


    need physical actions to show how feelings change.¡±


    Felicity, who had had a bit too much to drink, found that funny. ¡°Who watches those scenes for


    emotions? People just stare at the woman¡¯s breasts or the man¡¯s butt.¡±


    ¡°Pfft-¡°


    Devin spurted out the water he was drinking.


    Vermont was left utterly speechless.


    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have let her drink!¡¯ Vermont thought to himself.


    Felicity went on, ¡°They¡¯re just using these things to grab attention. They know why folks watch their


    movies. If that¡¯s all they want, they should just make adult films. Why use the name ¡®art film¡¯? Every


    time I hear ¡®art film¡¯ now, l-Ugh-¡°


    Vermont covered her mouth. ¡°Baby, drink some tea and have something to eat.¡±


    Felicity pushed his hand away. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ hungry¡­¡±


    Devin chuckled and gestured, ¡°Let her be. There¡¯s no one else around. She can say whatever she


    wants.¡±


    Vermont sighed. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have opened that wine bottle.¡±


    Devin remarked, ¡°She¡¯s really adorable. When you came with her, I thought you were introducing me to


    a new actress. I didn¡¯t expect her to be a fellow scriptwriter.¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join &


    Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Then he turned to Felicity, asking, ¡°Which show did you write the script for?¡±


    But Felicity, being drunk, couldn¡¯t recall any titles.


    So, Vermont added, ¡°She hasn¡¯t got any credited shows that aired. She used to ghostwrite at Royal


    Deluxe Entertainment without getting any credit.¡±


    Devin quickly grasped Felicity¡¯s situation.


    Establishing connections in the industry was crucial.


    Knowing the right people could make or break a scriptwriter¡¯s sess, even if their skills weren¡¯t top-


    notch. Without connections, even a brilliant writer might only end up ghostwriting.


    Vermont mentioned a few shows Felicity had written, surprising Devin. These shows had solid


    reputations.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Though their viewership might not have been as high as others during their release, they received


    excellent feedback on various online tforms.


    Achieving such results required a good script, coupled with the production team¡¯s expertise and the


    actors¡¯ skills.


    Felicity had been a ghostwriter for years and had a deep understanding of market trends. She knew


    audience preferences and how to write across different genres. That¡¯s why after she left Royal Deluxe


    Entertainment, finding someone suitable for her role became a tough challenge for thepany.


    A scriptwriter of her caliber wouldn¡¯t settle for the sry offered, and notably, she was an easy target


    for criticism. Despite years of being denied credit for her work, she didn¡¯t dare to speak up about it.


    Outside of work, Felicity was incredibly brave, always there for her friends. But professionally, she lived


    like many others her age ¨C toiling away as a struggling worker, i


    She avoided confrontation whenever possible and was often fed false promises by her bosses. After


    being deceived for so long, she started doubting her own abilities.


    As Devin heard Vermont recount Felicity¡¯s aplishments, he couldn¡¯t help butugh, suggesting,¡±


    Why not bring her on board officially? Buy her scripts and turn them into movies. I¡¯m certain you could


    turn them into blockbusters with your capabilities.¡±

 Chapter 1773

    Chapter 1773


    Chapter 1773


    Vermont let out a sigh. ¡°If I did that and they turned into hits, she wouldn¡¯t believe it¡¯s because of her


    great scripts. She¡¯d think it¡¯s just my connections. She might appear to be a tough person, but she


    actuallycks confidence in her work.¡±


    Devin quipped, ¡°Why do you treat your girlfriend like she¡¯s your daughter?¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Vermont couldn¡¯t help but boast, ¡°When you find someone aspliant and gentle as her, you


    can¡¯t help but spoil them.¡±


    Devin grinned and disyed a phone number on his phone.¡± Here¡¯s my associate¡¯s number. You can


    send her scripts to him. He¡¯s working on some light web dramas. It¡¯s a good chance to see how things


    go.¡±


    Vermont saved the number, cautioning, ¡°Make sure to give him a heads-up. We won¡¯t ept low


    offers.¡±


    Devinughed. ¡°What a money-minded guy you are!¡±


    After dinner, Vermont carried Felicity¡¯s small backpack and escorted her out of the restaurant. ¡°Time to


    head home, Your Highness.¡±


    As Felicity stumbled, she asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Devin? I need to ask him something.¡±


    ¡®She¡¯s using his first name now that she¡¯s a bit tipsy?¡¯


    Vermont felt a twinge of jealousy. ¡°He left. What did you want to ask him?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to ask him¡­¡± Felicity scrunched her face in thought. ¡°What was I going to ask¡­ hmm¡­¡±


    She tapped the back of her head and then looked up, saying, ¡°I remember now. I need to ask him


    about writing intimate scenes.¡±


    Vermont was surprised by Felicity¡¯s request.


    Suddenly on high alert, he asked, ¡°Why do you want to ask him about that?¡±


    ¡°I want him to teach me.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Vermont¡¯s voice rose involuntarily. Seeing others ncing their way, he gritted his


    teeth and spoke softly, ¡°Weren¡¯t you just criticizing those art films with sensual scenes? Why the


    sudden interest in writing them?¡±


    Felicity frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t want to, but that¡¯s how those films win awards. I want to achieve something


    too.¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Vermont wore an iprehensible expression. Her thought process, especially after getting drunk,


    was beyond him.


    Taking a deep breath, he said, ¡°Not all award-winning films have those scenes. You¡¯re not thinking


    clearly.¡±


    Felicity tilted her head, thinking. Just when Vermont thought she might abandon the idea, she said, ¡°I


    still want to learn, just in case. What if I need to write them in the future? I won¡¯t do it well without any


    experience.¡±


    Vermont was speechless.


    He then held Felicity close and whispered softly in her ear,¡± Experiencees with practice.¡±


    Felicity looked at him with a nk expression and nodded, saying, ¡°That makes sense.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡®Maybe now¡¯s my chance?¡¯


    But then, Felicity remarked, ¡°I need to go somewhere.¡±


    Vermont smiled. ¡°Are you feeling hungry?¡±


    Felicity pushed his hand away. ¡°I want to find some male escorts and observe them. What¡¯s the going


    rate these days? How much do you think it costs to hire them for a night?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s lips twitched.


    ¡®So that¡¯s her n, huh?


    My girlfriend has always been innocent and pure. She must have picked this up from Ste Hall!¡¯


    Vermont thought to himself.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± Felicity was excited as she dragged him along.


    Vermont gritted his teeth and pulled her back. ¡°Hiring one male escort could cost you around a hundred


    thousand for a night. How many are you thinking of hiring?¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°A hundred thousand? That¡¯s expensive!¡±


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont tried to mask his bitterness. ¡°It¡¯s a risky job, especially with the strictws now. I think a


    hundred thousand is reasonable.¡±


    Felicity started to feel uncertain.


    As a scriptwriter, she didn¡¯t earn a substantial amount, and a hundred thousand in Hustuabourgian


    currency was beyond her means.


    Then, Vermont leaned in and whispered, ¡°But there are also some avable for free. Interested?¡±


    Felicity frowned. ¡°Where can you find free ones?¡¯

 Chapter 1774

    Chapter 1774


    Chapter 1774


    Vermont took Felicity¡¯s hand and put it on his shoulder, grinning. ¡°Right here. I¡¯ll do it without asking for


    money. It¡¯s all about art.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eyes sparkled when she heard that Vermont would do it for free. She grabbed his hand and


    asked eagerly,¡± When can we start?¡±


    Vermont put his arm around her waist and whispered, ¡°Right now.¡±


    Saying that, he bent down and lifted her up.


    Felicity put her arm around his neck, her face red. She asked nervously, ¡°Are you really doing this for


    free?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Vermont said, rubbing his nose against hers. ¡°Just let me give you a kiss.¡±


    Felicity blushed even more, partly from shyness and partly from the alcohol. She stuttered, ¡°l-lf I let you


    kiss me more, can I keep studying you?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Vermont chuckled, feeling generous. He whispered in her ear, ¡°You can study me all


    night.¡±


    Felicity couldn¡¯t wait any longer. ¡°Let¡¯s head back now.¡±


    ¡°As youmand.¡± Vermont chuckled.


    Vermont had only teased her, but Felicity took his words seriously. Once they were back home, she


    wouldn¡¯t stop


    bothering him.


    While Vermont helped take off her shoes, sheined,¡± You liar. When can I start studying you?¡±


    Vermont removed her socks as he replied, ¡°We have to wait until you¡¯re sober.¡±


    Felicity red at him. ¡°I¡¯m totally sober right now!¡±


    Vermont raised an eyebrow. ¡°Then who am I?¡±


    ¡°Stinky Cucumber!¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Vermont was momentarily speechless.


    ¡°My name.¡±


    Felicity pouted and reluctantly said, ¡°Vermont Snyder.¡±


    ¡°Remember we broke up?¡±


    Felicity stared at him for a moment before nodding. ¡°Yeah, I do.¡±


    ¡°Hey, we¡¯ve broken up, so I can¡¯t let you study me. Plus, you¡¯re drunk right now. I can¡¯t take advantage


    of you,¡± Vermont exined, trying to reason with Felicity as he reached for her jacket.


    Annoyed by his exnations, Felicity suddenly twisted Vermont¡¯s arm behind his back and pinned him


    down on the couch.


    She used both hands to twist his arm further and knelt on his back,pletely immobilizing him.


    Vermont felt frustrated being pinned down again. With his face half-buried in the couch, he said


    helplessly, ¡°You¡¯re going to hurt my arm. Please let me go.¡±


    Ignoring his plea, Felicity grabbed a tie from a drawer and used it to bind his hands.


    Vermont was shocked. ¡°Miss Bandit? What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Felicity¡¯s face flushed crimson as she tied his hands. ¡°You deceived me! If you won¡¯t let me


    study you, I¡¯ll do it myself!¡±


    Vermont started to panic.


    ¡°Hey, let¡¯s talk this out calmly,¡± Vermont urged, but Felicity, fueled by alcohol, had an unusual strength.


    Vermont couldn¡¯t break free and began pleading, ¡°It¡¯ste, and I have work tomorr-Mmmph-¡°


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Before he could finish, Felicity stuffed a towel into his mouth, silencing him.


    The house became eerily quiet.


    Felicity got up, settled on the floor, and stared at him.


    Vermont red at her, motioning for her to release him.


    Propping her cheeks on her hands, Felicity frowned. Then, unexpectedly, she reached over and


    unbuttoned Vermont¡¯s shirt, leaving him utterly shocked.


    When she finished, Felicity felt a sense of aplishment, but it wasn¡¯t enough.


    So, she shifted her gaze from his toned abdomen to his belt.

 Chapter 1775

    Chapter 1775


    Chapter 1775


    Vermont tensed, shooting a stern re at Felicity, a clear warning for her to abandon her idea.


    However, Felicity, in her drunken state, couldn¡¯t grasp the significance of his expression. She gazed at


    Vermont¡¯s belt for a while before impulsively reaching out.


    In a rush of panic, Vermont leaped from the couch and dashed to the bedroom, hindered by his bound


    hands.


    Despite his efforts, Vermont couldn¡¯t move swiftly. Felicity caught up and once again toppled him to the


    ground.


    Vermont cursed inwardly.


    He had fantasized scenarios like this before, but this was nothing like what he had imagined!


    Felicity sat astride him, staring down at him, somewhat bewildered.


    Something new struck her as she observed Vermont tied up and unable to move beneath her. She felt


    a twinge of empathy, seeing Vermont¡¯s helpless gaze fixed upon her.


    Suddenly, she started grasping a bit about the dynamics of an intense scene.


    ¡°Rx,¡± Felicity reassured Vermont, her tone soothing. ¡°I¡¯m just looking, that¡¯s all. I¡¯ll untie you when


    I¡¯m done.¡±


    Tm all tied up. There¡¯s nothing for her to see here.¡¯ Vermont thought.


    But Felicity surprised him with her actions.


    She grabbed her phone, set it aside, and then moved to undo his pants.


    Vermont was shocked. Suddenly, a surge of strength rushed through him, and he managed to free


    himself from the tied- up wrist. He swiftly turned around and pinned Felicity beneath him.Books


    Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Felicity was initially intrigued when she saw Vermont removing his belt. Before she knew it, she was


    also tied up.


    Vermont was drenched in sweat. He took off his shirt and picked Felicity up from the ground. As he


    walked, he muttered, ¡°It looks like I¡¯ve got to buy a pair of handcuffs just in case.¡±


    Unbeknownst to him, the phone on the table recorded everything, something they couldn¡¯t exin.


    Meanwhile, in a family group chat, Ste sent a message.


    [After eight months, can I add a new member to this group?]


    Leighton: [Will Keegan take eight months to regain his memory? That¡¯s too long. Ste, maybe it¡¯s time


    for a new boyfriend.]


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Trevor: [I agree.]


    Daryl: [What¡¯s happening?)


    Wenham: [Sweetie, who are you adding?]


    Ste: [A little baby.]


    Leighton: [He¡¯s quite old already. Calling him an old baby would fit better.]


    Trevor: [Wait, is that what you call Keegan in private?]


    Ste was left without words.


    Noah: [Ste, are you expecting a baby?]


    Trevor: [You¡¯re the little baby.]


    Then, Leighton sent a sticker to tease Noah.


    Wenham asked again: [What baby are we talking about here exactly?]


    Ste: [@Noah, you¡¯re right.]


    The group chat went quiet for a moment.


    Suddenly, it erupted with messages in the next second.


    Trevor: [Keegan is outrageous.]


    Leighton: [Unbelievable!]


    Noah: [Finally, I won¡¯t be the youngest in the family anymore! Hahahaha!]


    Trevor: [That fool doesn¡¯t deserve this at all! I should¡¯ve prevented them from being together in the first


    ce!]


    Leighton: [Really? But it seems like you couldn¡¯t do anything about it.]


    Trevor: [It¡¯s all because of you, traitor!] Noah: [Will Ste¡¯s child call me uncle?]

 Chapter 1776

    Chapter 1776


    Chapter 1776


    Leighton: [Fool! Keegan is the one who should be calling you that!]


    Trevor: [I''m going to talk to that scum now. @Dad, say something!]


    Five minutes passed.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Wenham: [Could you all type a bit slower?]


    Another five minutester.


    Wenham: [When did you be pregnant?!]


    Trevor was speechless.


    Trevor: [How about we have a video call instead?]


    So, everyone initiated a group video call.


    The once agitated group turned concerned.


    Trevor was the first to speak. "Ste, when did you find out? Have you been to the hospital for a


    checkup? Is the baby okay?¡±


    Wenham followed, "Ste, having a baby is a big deal.


    Why are we only hearing about this now? You''ve seemed thinnertely. Is morning sickness affecting


    your appetite?"


    Trevor added, ¡°Maybe that scumbag upset her too much!


    The baby will have our family''sst name. Keegan won''t have a say!"


    Leighton chimed in, "Ste, you were in ice water for a while before. Will it affect the baby?¡±


    Katherine said, ¡°Ste,e back to Royalburgh. I have friends in maternal and child health care here.


    Your grandparents miss you a lot. Why note back to live here? You can return after you''ve


    recovered from giving birth.¡±


    Daryl chimed in, "I''ll adjust my schedule and fly a ne to you now. We''ll be back here before you


    know it."


    It was finally Noah''s turn to speak, ¡°Ste, I''m on winter break. I''ll fly to see you and the baby! I also


    n to visit Nicole.¡±


    Leighton scolded him, "Brat, when did you start contacting that woman again? She might try to sell you


    to a human trafficker!¡±


    Noah retorted, "Nicole said she''d only do that to you. She told me a kid like me won''t fetch much, but a


    good- looking and clueless guy like you will.¡±


    "Fuck!" Leighton cursed.


    "What did you just say?" His parents reacted


    "What did you just say?" His parents reacted immediately. Leighton then muted his microphone and


    exited the group video call.


    After that, everyone turned their attention back to Ste.


    Ste exined, "I just found out about this, and I hadn''t nned to share it yet. The doctor mentioned


    risks for the


    Ste exined, "I just found out about this, and I hadn''t nned to share it yet. The doctor mentioned


    risks for the baby, soI want to keep it quiet. But I felt I should let you guys know.¡±


    She then outlined her ns.


    When Wenham heard she nned to stay at Keegan''s house, he expressed concern, ¡°He can''t even


    walk properly. Who''ll take care of you there? Come home, let


    Sandra look after you. She''s got nursing experience and knows what to do in emergencies.¡±


    Initially siding with Wenham, Trevor changed his stance, "I think it¡¯s fine for you to stay with Keegan.¡±


    Wenham was irritated, "Whose side are you on, stupid kid?"


    Ste looked down, "Dad, Trevor''s right. I don''t want others in the house to know about my pregnancy.¡±


    Her intention was clear; she didn''t want Darcie and Jaylene to find out.


    Wenham hesitated, considering Jaylene''s recent Wenham hesitated, considering Jaylene¡¯s recent


    closeness to Keegan. He suspected that was why Ste made that decision.


    After a pause, he said, ¡°If Jaylene knows about your baby, she might react negatively.¡±


    Ste looked away, "And if she doesn''t?¡±


    Wenham was taken aback.


    This was something he hadn''t thought about before. ''Is it possible that Jaylene wouldn''t give up despite


    knowing about their child?¡¯ he pondered silently.


    In fact, Ste did not want to speak ill of Jaylene in front of Wenham because, up to now, Jaylene had


    not done anything out of line.


    Jaylene had saved Keegan. Although Keegan relied on her, it was his own choice. Besides, the news


    of her saving


    Keegan''s life had spread like wildfire among the people they knew.


    If Jaylene did not actively cause trouble, Ste would appear to be ungrateful for sabotaging her


    rtionship with Keegan. It would bring embarrassment to both the Saun and Kane families. ''


    Wenham had raised Jaylene for over two decades. Despite the recent unpleasantness, he couldn''t see


    her as inherently malicious due to their deep emotional bond.


    However, Ste''s perspective was different. After enduring the kidnapping, she wasmitted to


    considering worst- case scenarios to protect her family''s safety.


    After giving it some thought, she found a suitable excuse. ¡± Dad, maybe my abduction and Mom''s


    tragic death during childbirth weren''t just idents. The truth hasn''t surfaced until now. I''m really


    worried I might meet the same fate as Mom..."

 Chapter 1777

    Chapter 1777


    Wenham''s expression soured abruptly as he spoke with a trembling voice," Never. I won''t allow such a thing to


    happen again!"


    A heavy silence fell over everyone. Freesia''s death had left an indelible mark on both families, and it remained a


    haunting memory for everyone on the call.


    Daryl intervened, "Let''s respect Ste''s wishes. In any case, it doesn''t involve Darcie and Jaylene."


    Daryl''s words were direct. Wenham appeared to want to respond, but he remained silent.


    Then, Daryl asked Leighton, who had just rejoined the call, to support Ste whenever possible.


    Ste found it amusing.


    Then, she thought to herself. ''Leighton is a superstar now. I''m worried his fans might track me down and confront


    me if they find out he has run errands for me.''


    Later that day, Trevor hurried back home and stayed there.


    As bedtime approached, he knocked on Ste''s door.


    She was packing, though there wasn''t much to pack. Despite moving back to the Saun residence, most of her


    belongings remained at Clouditude International.


    Trevor handed her the neatly arranged clothes on the bed and asked,'' Have you decided?"


    Ste took them and replied, "Yeah."


    Trevor let out a sigh. "With Keegan''s current state and everything happening in his family, I''m really concerned


    that..." "Trevor," Ste interrupted, closing her bag and sitting beside him. "That''s precisely why I want to stay


    there. I can''t leave him alone. It''s the only way I can be with him now that he doesn''t remember me."


    Understanding how much Keegan meant to Ste, Trevor grumbled softly to himself before dropping the topic.


    Instead, he inquired about Ste''s work.


    The movie she''d signed for, The Enclosure, had its shooting schedule pushed to next year due to various issues. But


    with Ste being pregnant, her family worried about her health. Hence, Trevor suggested postponing filming until


    after she gave birth.


    Ste shook her head. "Trevor, we''ve already arranged venue rentals, and everyone adjusted their schedules. I


    wouldn''t feel right if everyone''s ns changed because of me." "But don''t you really like this script?" Trevor asked.


    Ste chuckled. "There will be other great scripts. It''s okay to pass on this one."


    Trevor then offered, ''TH talk to the director and production team to find a recement for you." "Tell the director to


    consider Nicole for the role." Ste believed that if anyone her age could portray the role effectively, it was Nicole.


    Even though Ste wouldn''t be involved in the production anymore, Trevor had invested significantly in the movie to


    potentially earn her an award. She still hoped for the movie¡¯s sess.


    Considering Nicole''s influence in the industry, it seemed like a worthwhile attempt.


    Trevor agreed and added, "I''m leaving the day after tomorrow. I''ll probably return on New Year''s Eve. When I''m


    away, call Leighton if you need anything. Despite his temper and straightforwardness, he''s quite capable."


    Ste recalled thest time Trevor nned to travel abroad when she and Keegan were kidnapped. He had stayed


    in Rivera to assist her in searching for Keegan and dealing with Chandler.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Reflecting on that, Ste asked softly, "Trevor, are you going to address the same matter as before?"


    Trevor nodded.


    With New Year''s Eve just a week away, Ste pondered what could be so urgent that it required immediate attention.


    Ste noticed Trevor''s furrowed brows and suddenly asked, "Any progress on the investigation into why I was abducted?"


    Trevor paused, meeting Ste''s gaze, and gave a slight nod.


    Understanding the urgency behind his departure, Ste thought, ''Seems like this lead is crucial.'' "Trevor, when''s


    your flight? I''ll see you off," Ste offered.


    Trevor declined, shaking his head. "It''s okay. I''ve told everyone it''s a business trip. It''ll draw unwanted attention if


    youe." ''Whose attention?'' Ste wondered, feeling perplexed.

 Chapter 1778

    Chapter 1778


    Ste pondered, ¡®Who could Trevor be referring to?¡¯ Although she had a vague idea of the person


    Trevor hinted at, as he hadn¡¯t specified, she refrained from probing further.


    After discussing work matters, Trevor nced at her belly and inquired with a smile, ¡°Have you chosen


    a name for the baby?¡±


    Returning the smile, Ste replied, ¡°Not yet. Any suggestions?¡± ¡°Let me think. It should be something


    meaningful.¡± An idea struck Trevor.¡± You¡¯re fond of mangoes, right? Let¡¯s nickname the baby ¡®Little


    Mango.''¡±


    Ste was left speechless.


    ¡®Hmm. So much of a meaningful one.¡¯ ¡°As for the full name, I¡¯ll debate it with Keegan once he regains


    his memory. Though I might have a slight edge in the debate,¡± Trevor joked.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Steughed. ¡°If he hears this, he¡¯ll want to challenge you as soon as he remembers everything.¡±


    Trevorughed too. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± After helping Ste pack, Trevor left her room. Walking with Ste


    to the door, they encountered Jaylene.


    Standing by her own door, Jaylene gazed in Ste¡¯s direction but seemed focused on Trevor. When


    Trevor turned to her, she greeted him with a smile,¡¯Hello, Trevor.¡±


    However, Trevor¡¯s smile faded, and he responded to Jaylene with a detached greeting before heading


    back inside his room.


    Jaylene¡¯s expression shifted to sadness. When she nced at Ste, her demeanor turned distant and


    cold. Without saying a word, she retreated into her room and closed the door.


    Ste noticed the change in Trevor¡¯s attitude toward Jaylene. His nce didn¡¯t seem as affectionate or


    protective as before, prompting her to ponder the situation.


    ¡öJaylene has lived with Trevor for twenty years, yet she doesn¡¯t understand him at all,¡¯ Ste pondered


    silently.


    Had it not been for Jaylene overstepping boundaries, Trevor might have been an affectionate and


    caring brother, but Ste had be that limit.


    The following morning, Ste resumed packing immediately after waking up.


    Upon descending the stairs, she encountered Jaylene. She wore the same dress Ste had selected


    for her the day before. With her long hair fashioned into a neat low ponytail secured by a hairpin, and a


    touch of makeup enhancing her features, Jaylene exuded elegance as she greeted Ste and swiftly


    departed.


    Having a light breakfast, Ste returned upstairs. Subsequently, she messaged Felicity on WhatsApp,


    [Hey, what are you up to?] Felicity: [Sharpening my knife.] Ste: [What? Are you cooking?] Felicity:


    [I¡¯m going to slice a cucumber.] Ste was left momentarily speechless.


    When she was about to reply, she received a message from Keegan, saying: [I¡¯lleter. Something


    came up.] Since Ste wasn¡¯t in a rush, she replied simply with an ¡°Okay¡±.


    She resumed chatting with Felicity, but during their conversation, Felicity inquired: [Ste, did Keegan


    come to pick you up?] Ste replied: [He mentioned something came up; he¡¯lleter.] Felicity


    prodded further: [Did you ask him what happened?] Ste was caught off guard. She responded: [What


    are you implying?] After a moment, Felicity sent Ste a picture.


    Felicity wrote: [I saw this on stinky Cucumber¡¯s ount.] Ste opened the image, and her expression


    immediately turned grim.

 Chapter 1779

    Chapter 1779


    Ste pondered, ¡®Who could Trevor be referring to?¡¯ Although she had a vague idea of the person


    Trevor hinted at, as he hadn¡¯t specified, she refrained from probing further.


    After discussing work matters, Trevor nced at her belly and inquired with a smile, ¡°Have you chosen


    a name for the baby?¡±


    Returning the smile, Ste replied, ¡°Not yet. Any suggestions?¡± ¡°Let me think. It should be something


    meaningful.¡± An idea struck Trevor.¡± You¡¯re fond of mangoes, right? Let¡¯s nickname the baby ¡®Little


    Mango.''¡±


    Ste was left speechless.


    ¡®Hmm. So much of a meaningful one.¡¯ ¡°As for the full name, I¡¯ll debate it with Keegan once he regains


    his memory. Though I might have a slight edge in the debate,¡± Trevor joked.


    Steughed. ¡°If he hears this, he¡¯ll want to challenge you as soon as he remembers everything.¡±


    Trevorughed too. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± After helping Ste pack, Trevor left her room. Walking with Ste


    to the door, they encountered Jaylene.


    Standing by her own door, Jaylene gazed in Ste¡¯s direction but seemed focused on Trevor. When


    Trevor turned to her, she greeted him with a smile,¡¯Hello, Trevor.¡±


    However, Trevor¡¯s smile faded, and he responded to Jaylene with a detached greeting before heading


    back inside his room.


    Jaylene¡¯s expression shifted to sadness. When she nced at Ste, her demeanor turned distant and


    cold. Without saying a word, she retreated into her room and closed the door.


    Ste noticed the change in Trevor¡¯s attitude toward Jaylene. His nce didn¡¯t seem as affectionate or


    protective as before, prompting her to ponder the situation.


    ¡öJaylene has lived with Trevor for twenty years, yet she doesn¡¯t understand him at all,¡¯ Ste pondered


    silently.


    Had it not been for Jaylene overstepping boundaries, Trevor might have been an affectionate and


    caring brother, but Ste had be that limit.


    The following morning, Ste resumed packing immediately after waking up.


    Upon descending the stairs, she encountered Jaylene. She wore the same dress Ste had selected


    for her the day before. With her long hair fashioned into a neat low ponytail secured by a hairpin, and a


    touch of makeup enhancing her features, Jaylene exuded elegance as she greeted Ste and swiftly


    departed.


    Having a light breakfast, Ste returned upstairs. Subsequently, she messaged Felicity on WhatsApp,


    [Hey, what are you up to?] Felicity: [Sharpening my knife.] Ste: [What? Are you cooking?] Felicity:


    [I¡¯m going to slice a cucumber.] Ste was left momentarily speechless.


    When she was about to reply, she received a message from Keegan, saying: [I¡¯lleter. Something


    came up.] Since Ste wasn¡¯t in a rush, she replied simply with an ¡°Okay¡±.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She resumed chatting with Felicity, but during their conversation, Felicity inquired: [Ste, did Keegan


    come to pick you up?] Ste replied: [He mentioned something came up; he¡¯lleter.] Felicity


    prodded further: [Did you ask him what happened?] Ste was caught off guard. She responded: [What


    are you implying?] After a moment, Felicity sent Ste a picture.


    Felicity wrote: [I saw this on stinky Cucumber¡¯s ount.] Ste opened the image, and her expression


    immediately turned grim.

 Chapter 1780

    Chapter 1780


    Keegan checked the time and replied, ¡°Perhaps another day.


    I have something to do today.¡¯ Instantly, Jaylene looked disappointed.


    While she was still feeling down, Keegan unexpectedly inquired, ¡°Do you¡­ like flowers?¡±


    Jaylene paused, and her eyes immediately lit up. ¡°I love them.¡±


    ¡°Would you like toe with me to see some?¡± Keegan asked once more.


    Looking into his eyes, Jaylene felt her heart racing.


    ¡°Y-Yes, of course¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Keegan said, leading the way toward the elevators.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Jaylene tightened her grip, trying to calm herself down, and followed him.


    Soon, Aldor drove them to the city¡¯srgest flower shop.


    Upon entering, the myriad scents of the flowers greeted them, prompting Jaylene to sneeze


    involuntarily.


    The truth was, she didn¡¯t actually like flowers.


    Having asthma, she often felt ufortable with the potent floral scents.


    Despite her job in the fragrance industry, she couldn¡¯t endure prolonged periods in theb due to her


    health condition.


    She regted her breathing, trying to limate to the overwhelming aroma.


    Approaching them, a shop assistant inquired about their preferences.


    Surveying the shop, Keegan queried, ¡°Which flowers are usually given to girls?¡±


    The shop assistant smiled, ¡°Roses are the most popr choice for girlfriends.¡±


    Keegan turned to Jaylene, ¡°What do you think about roses?¡±


    Jaylene¡¯s cheeks flushed slightly. ¡°Roses¡­ they¡¯re alright.¡±


    However, Keegan suddenly had a thought. ¡®Roses are so typical.¡¯ He pressed his lips together and


    remarked, ¡°Get me one stem of every flower here, except roses.¡±


    Jaylene was surprised. Then, she heard Keegan continue, ¡°I find roses a bit overdone.¡±


    Feeling somewhat uneasy, Jaylene murmured softly, ¡°But roses usually symbolize love.¡±


    Keegan paused, then added, ¡°I¡¯ll take two roses as well.¡±


    Jaylene¡¯s heart fluttered.


    She hadn¡¯t anticipated Keegan would heed herment and purchase two additional roses simply


    because she mentioned their association with love.


    ncing at Keegan, who appeared indifferent while observing the shop assistant wrap the flowers,


    Jaylene pondered, ¡®Is he¡­¡¯ After a while, the bouquet was finally prepared. The shop assistant asked


    Keegan, ¡°Would you like to include a card?¡±


    ¡°No, thank you,¡± Keegan declined with a wave of his hand.


    As the shop assistant handed over the bouquet, when Jaylene moved to take it, Keegan turned to


    Aldor and remarked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you just going to watch?¡±


    Aldor took the bouquet and ced it in the car.


    A sense of warmth enveloped Jaylene.


    Once they were in the car, Jaylene asked, ¡®Keegan, where are you headed next?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m taking you home,¡± Keegan responded.


    ¡®Didn¡¯t he mention having other ns? Yet he¡¯s still taking me back¡­¡¯ She cast her eyes downward


    and spoke softly,¡± Keegan, if you have something else to attend to, you don¡¯t have to take me back.


    You shouldn¡¯t waste your time.¡±


    Keegan responded casually, ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±


    Jaylene¡¯s heart fluttered once more.


    Shortly after, the car arrived at the Saun residence. Hearing the car¡¯s engine, Ste descended the


    stairs and reached the door, where she found Keegan standing with a bouquet of flowers, apanied


    by Jaylene.

 Chapter 1781

    Chapter 1781


    At that moment, Jaylene, Ste, and Keegan exchanged nces.


    Jaylene greeted Ste with a friendly smile, ¡°Hey Ste, I thought you''d gone out." Ste remained


    silent, her expression cold.


    ¡°The outfit you chose for me today is perfect.


    Even Keegan said it looks good," Jaylene continued.


    Keegan''s eyes flickered, but he stayed silent.


    ''Since when did I say that?" He recollected Jaylene talking about her dress when they got in the car.


    But Keegan hadn''t been paying much attention.


    She had asked him a question, and he had just responded with, ''"Mhm." ¡®Was that meant to be


    pliment?'' Keegan wondered.


    1 Ste nced at him, her look seemingly colder, yet she wore a warm smile.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°So, you had a date with my fianc¨¦.


    If I''d known earlier, I would''ve suggested the red dress.


    He''s not a fan of overly elegant attire on women; he finds it dull and uninteresting," Ste remarked.


    1 Jaylene''s expression stiffened.


    She had anticipated Ste to be upset and lose herposure.


    Aurora had previously mentioned that Keegan couldn''t handle Ste''s assertiveness and tendency


    toward jealousy.


    That''s why Jaylene made flirtatiousments when seeking Ste''s help with clothing choices


    yesterday.


    But Ste''s reaction surpassed her expectations.


    That was why Jaylene made flirtatiousments when she asked Ste for help picking clothes


    yesterday.


    However, Ste''s reaction was beyond her expectations.


    Ste even referenced what Jaylene had mentioned the previous night.


    Feeling exposed, Jaylene clenched her fists and responded, "Date? That''s ridiculous.


    I apanied Keegan for a routine health follow -up.


    He was concerned about me taking a cab alone, so he offered me a ride.


    Don''t overthink it." ¡°And how did you end up with a bouquet of flowers?" Jaylene blushed, stumbling


    over her words, ''We just happened to pass by a flower shop, and I suggested going inside." Ste


    nced at Keegan with a soft look, "You weren''t this considerate when we were together." ¡®Heck, you


    even abandoned me in the middle of an argument!'' she thought to herself.


    Keegan felt a sense of unease under her scrutinizing gaze and averted his eyes.


    Before he could speak, Jaylene swiftly stepped forward.


    "Ste, if you''re upset, direct it at me.


    Don''t put Keegan in an awkward position.


    He had good intentions." Worried that Ste might direct her anger toward Keegan, Jaylene turned to


    him.


    "Keegan, thank you for bringing me home.


    Drive safely on your way back.


    I really appreciate the flowers.


    Thank you." As she reached for the bouquet, Keegan deftly avoided her grasp.


    Jaylene stood there, taken aback, staring at him in disbelief.


    "Keegan?" "The flowers aren''t for you," Keegan said calmly.


    Then who..." Before she could finish her sentence, Jaylene halted.


    If the flowers weren''t intended for her, they must be for Ste.


    Keegan sidestepped her and approached Ste.


    "Come with me." Jaylene froze, gazing at Ste in disbelief.


    1 Casually touching the flower petals, Ste asked, "Where to?" Keegan locked eyes with her and


    replied slowly, "Back to Royalpark Vi."

 Chapter 1782

    Chapter 1782


    Ste stopped fiddling with the flower petals and questioned, " Why would I go back to Royalpark Vi


    with you?" Remembering the dismissive texts she had sent him on WhatsApp, Keegan exined, ''''The


    doctor rmended that I immerse myself in familiar surroundings and interactions to aid in


    recovering my memories.


    Given that we used to live together, being in that environment might help trigger my memories." Ste


    let out a derisive chuckle.


    "Why should I assist you? Remember, we''re on the verge of ending our engagement." Keegan''s eyes


    darkened, and after a prolonged gaze, he said, " What do you need me to do for you to help?" Ste


    smiled.


    "You''ll need topensate me." Keegan was left speechless.


    He hadn''t anticipated that response.


    Jaylene, seemingly grasping the essence of their conversation, interjected, "Keegan, there are


    numerous methods to trigger your memory.


    You don''t have to confine yourself to someone else''s terms just to speed up the process." ¡®Confine?


    That''s a more tactful way of putting it.


    Why not just say I''m taking advantage of the situation?¡¯ thought Ste.


    However, Keegan replied, "Given the current situation at thepany, time is of the essence.


    Seeking her help is the quickest option, especially since most of the missing memories involve her.


    ie Jaylene''s expression soured.


    "Keegan, have you forgotten what Dr.


    Stone mentioned today? Overstimtion of memories can have adverse effects.


    Are these memories more vital than your well- being?" Ste remained silent.


    She did not intervene in the conversation.


    Instead, she observed them quietly.


    The anger she had felt dissipated while waiting for Keegan.


    Now, looking at Jaylene, Ste was surprisingly calm.


    She could see the anxiety in Jaylene''s eyes.


    Jaylene was afraid of Keegan regaining his memory.


    If Keegan regained his memory, he would likely return to Ste, and Jaylene would have to keep her


    distance.


    ¡®Everything will return to how it was.


    What is she so scared of?" Ste pondered.


    Keegan spoke in a detached manner, "Vinci Rivera wasn''t solely built by me.


    Memories matter, no doubt." Jaylene couldn''t grasp how much Keegan valued the people who


    supported Vinci Rivera when he faced trouble.


    However, he wasn''t just staying with Ste because of that.


    Keegan''s answer left Jaylene feeling even more ufortable.


    She wanted to suggest they didn''t have to live together.


    But then she realized she didn''t have the right to say so.


    So, she clenched her fists and shot an angry look at Ste.


    Ste was confused by Jaylene''s re.


    ''Why is she ring at me when Keegan made the call?'' she wondered.


    Keegan turned his gaze to Ste once more and asked, "How much are you asking for?" Ste smiled


    again.


    ''"Not much.


    Just ten thousand upfront." Jaylene''s eyes darkened.


    "Ste, Keegan has been generous to you.


    You''re the reason this happened to him.


    He''s just asking for a favor.


    There''s no need to be so demanding when he''s already ina difficult situation." 1 Ste chuckled lightly.


    "Jaylene, the kidnappers are the reason for his current situation, not me.


    I''m asking for money from my fianc¨¦, and what does that have to do with you? He hasn''t even


    comined that I''m asking for too much." Jaylene''s face turned pale and then flushed when she heard


    that.


    Ste turned to Keegan and said, "Of course, you don''t have to pay this money if you don''t want to."


    Keegan paused.


    He saw her smiling, and a bad feeling crept into his heart.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    The next second, he heard Ste say, "I want you to make a post on your Twitter." "About?" Ste


    nced at Jaylene and slowly said, "I want you to make a post saying that you will never have any


    involvement with Jaylene, regardless of whether you can recover your memories.


    Otherwise, you will never get to have children."

 Chapter 1783

    Chapter 1783


    Ste''s words left Keegan speechless.


    ''How could she say that when she''s carrying my child?" Jaylene''s face went pale.


    "Ste, don''t you think asking for that much is too much?" 1 No matter how well Jaylene tried to


    conceal her feelings for Keegan, Ste''s request managed to break through her defenses.


    If Keegan publicly dered no connection with Jaylene, it would rify their rtionship and put an end


    to any hopes she might have.


    It was reasonable for her to feel anxious.


    Ste exined calmly, "Jaylene, why get so upset? You said you don''t have feelings for my fianc¨¦.


    But considering his amnesia, you two spend a lot of time together.


    What if he starts to develop feelings for you?" "Dad won''t let him pursue you when he''s already


    proposed to me.


    I asked Keegan to clear things up about our rtionship to avoid any conflict.


    I don''t want to upset my dad.


    He has high blood pressure; this situation would stress him out too much." Jaylene''s lips trembled.


    She was furious.


    "Are you really doing this for Dad? Or is it just for your own selfish reasons?" Ste smiled, her eyes


    giving off a cold stare at Jaylene.


    Her look seemed to say, "So what if it is?" Jaylene''s expression turned sour, but Ste didn''t bother to


    nce her way.


    Instead, she turned to Keegan and asked, "What''s your decision?" Keegan pressed his lips together


    and said, "What if I choose neither?" Jaylene''s heart skipped, assuming Keegan''s response was


    because of her.


    ¡°Sandra, can you make me acup of coffee?" said Ste.


    She locked eyes with Keegan and added, "Double espresso." Keegan''s eyelids twitched.


    "Hold on." He took a deep breath and asked, "If I make the announcement, will youe stay with


    me?" Jaylene was left speechless.


    Ste shrugged.


    "I might consider it." Keegan took out his phone, typed the text, and posted it on Twitter.


    Suddenly, Jaylene''s phone buzzed.


    Ste recognized that it was the ringtone from Twitter.


    She watched as Jaylene took out her phone and opened the app.


    The next moment, her eyes turned red.


    She bit her lip, holding back her voice.


    Ste nced at her phone.


    Keegan''s post read: (Jaylene sees me as a brother, and I treat her like a younger sister.


    This was the case in the past, remains true at present, and will continue to be so in the future] He had


    phrased it carefully, intending to clear up any rumors about two sisters sharing a husband.


    However, Jaylene seemed visibly upset.


    Her face turned pale, and she appeared to find the post disrespectful.


    "I don''t have many followers on Twitter," Keegan tried tofort her.


    Even though that was true, a few people still shared the post.


    Within a minute of Keegan''s tweet, Vermont had taken a screenshot and sent it to his group chats.


    In less than an hour, more than half of the people within their social circle knew that Keegan had


    indirectly turned down Jaylene on Twitter.


    "Can we leave now?" Keegan asked.


    ¡°I need to pack a few things," Ste replied and headed upstairs.


    Jaylene hesitated to speak, tears welling up in her eyes.


    After a moment, she lowered her gaze and in a hoarse voice said, "Keegan, what if...


    | don''t want us to be just like siblings?" Keegan replied, "We can be close friends if that''s what you


    want." Jaylene was taken aback.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She stared at Keegan in a daze, her face gradually turning ashen.

 Chapter 1784

    Chapter 1784


    Keegan understood that Jaylene wasn''t asking to be close friends; she wanted a romantic rtionship


    with him.


    From the moment he woke up and encountered Jaylene, Keegan realized her intentions.


    He didn''t have any romantic feelings for Jaylene, yet oddly, he found it difficult to outright reject her.


    Although he had indirectly rejected her, a nagging voice in his mind urged him to take back his words.


    ''That''s not what Jaylene wanted to hear.'' Suddenly, the sound of wind chimes interrupted Keegan''s


    thoughts.


    Then he heard Jaylene speak in a hoarse voice, "Keegan, you know that''s not what I meant.


    I like you..." Her eyes teared up as she spoke, and Keegan felt an instinct to reach out tofort her,


    but before he could, Ste arrived.


    ¡°We can leave now." Keegan''s mind cleared instantly, yet he didn''t retract his hand.


    Instead, he gently patted Jaylene''s shoulder and advised, "You should wear something warm.


    It''s chilly outside." Jaylene''s eyes grew even redder.


    With an expressionless face, Ste tossed her bag to Keegan and left the house.


    It wasn''t clear if Keegan was speaking to Jaylene, but it took him a full three minutes to emerge from


    the house.


    Ste was already seated in the car.


    Upon seeing Keegan approach, she turned her head away.


    Keegan got into the car and instructed Aldor to drive.


    Aldor acknowledged and started the car.


    Not long after, Keegan reached for a water bottle.


    Ste noticed and remarked, "Is the water cold?" Keegan nodded.


    ¡°Let me warm it for you.


    Drinking cold water isn''t good for your health," Ste suggested.


    Keegan raised an eyebrow.


    Even Aldor was stunned.


    Ste seemed to be adopting a new attitude by overly pampering Keegan.


    "It''s okay," Keegan responded dismissively.


    ''This water bottle is quite cold.


    How can I let her...'' ¡°T insist," Ste said with a smile.


    "I''m not bothered by the cold.


    Look at how manyyers I''m wearing.


    I''m quite warm right now.


    My body temperature could fry an egg.


    I can warm up a bottle of water." Her words rendered Keegan speechless.


    Aldor was still trying to figure out the situation.


    "Mrs.


    Kane, do you have a fever? Your attire doesn''t seem suitable for the weather.


    Ww "Huh?" Ste adjusted her clothes, looking surprised.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Isn''t this much thicker than what Jaylene was wearing? She dresses lightly and might catch a cold


    easily.


    But I''m healthy and strong, even being pregnant.


    I could run a triathlon." Aldor finally understood Ste''s intentions.


    She wasn''t asking about Keegan''s water for his benefit; she was being petty.


    ¡®If I had to guess, Mr.


    Kane must have mentioned something about Jaylene''s clothing.


    That''s why Ste is making these sarcasticments,'' thought Aldor.


    "Here," Ste reached for the water bottle in Keegan''s hand.


    "Let me warm it for you." Keegan gently held her wrist and after a moment, said, "I was just being


    courteous to her earlier.


    Don''t read too much into it." Ste''s expression changed.


    "Then, what about me? You''ve been holding my hand for a while.


    Can''t you tell if I''m cold?"

 Chapter 1785

    Chapter 1785


    Keegan was surprised by the ice-cold sensation in his palm.


    It felt colder than the bottled water he held.


    1 Ste withdrew her hand, saying, "At least pretend to care if you''re thinking about having a child."


    Keegan nced at his empty hand and gently clenched his fist.


    Then, he turned to Aldor, instructing, "Turn up the heater." Aldor nodded, and soon the car''s


    temperature increased.


    Ste wasn''t genuinely feeling cold; she was just annoyed by Keegan''s apparent consideration for


    Jaylene.


    Keegan might haveforted Jaylene if she hadn''t shown up earlier.


    Her once-confident understanding of Keegan now seemed uncertain.


    Ste closed her eyes without looking at him again, feeling somewhat drained.


    The physical changes from pregnancy quickly lulled her into sleep.


    In her dream, she was diving.


    It was strange; despite being underwater, she didn''t feel cold at all.


    On the contrary, it wasfortably warm.


    The underwater world was vibrant with colors, and schools of fish swam around.


    As she dove deeper, a round, transparent, bubble- like object suddenly appeared in front of her.


    With a thought, Ste gently poked it with her hand, and the bubble split into two.


    They drifted toward her, and she tried to grab them, but her hands couldn''t move.


    Suddenly, she felt breathless.


    Ste struggled in her dream.


    She slowly opened her eyes and found herself looking into Keegan''s eyes.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    It dawned on her that she was resting against his chest, her hands securely held by his.


    Keegan appeared momentarily surprised that she was awake, a flicker of difort passing through


    his eyes.


    However, he swiftly concealed it.


    Releasing her hands, he casually remarked, "You can get out of the car now.¡± Ste nced at her


    hands and then at him.


    Keegan paused and exined, "You were asleep and holding onto me, so I held you back." Ste


    remained silent, fixing her gaze on Keegan, which made him uneasy.


    "Don''t believe me? Ask Aldor." Upon being called, Aldor cleared his throat and spoke up.


    "Yes, indeed, Mr.


    Kane is correct.


    You were pulling on his arm, and the coldness of your hands made him hold onto you." Keegan''s brow


    twitched as he nced at Aldor, who maintained a smile and a professional demeanor.


    "Don''t think too much about it," Keegan said.


    "Okay¡ª" Ste drawled, then added, "Why bother exining so much? I didn''t even ask." Her


    response left Keegan momentarily speechless.


    Ste was in a cheerful mood.


    She pushed open the door and stepped out of the car.


    The neighbor''s dog had escaped and was nibbling at theirwn.


    Ste bent down, grabbed its fluffy front legs, twirled it around twice, and then sent it back through the


    neighbor''s door.


    Keegan watched the unfolding scene, hesitating for a moment before asking Aldor, "Has she always


    been like this?" Aldor did not answer.


    Cordelia had arranged for a clean-up yesterday, and as Ste pushed the door open, she noticed the


    house looked pristine.


    There was hardly any change from before their divorce.


    Many items that Ste had purchased together with Keegan¡ªlike slippers, cup sets, and tea mugs¡ª


    remained neatly ced as they used to be.


    Keegan probably hadn''t been back since his return.


    Given his current memory loss, encountering unfamiliar belongings in his home might prompt him to


    request their removal.


    When Ste turned to ask Keegan a question, she saw him standing in a daze before theirrge


    wedding photo.


    Approaching him, she stood by his side, ncing at him and then at the wedding picture.


    "I must admit, you''ve aged quite a bit over the years.


    Meanwhile, I seem to be getting more and more beautiful." Her words left Keegan speechless.

 Chapter 1786

    Chapter 1786


    Chapter 1786


    Ignoring Ste, Keegan strode past the wedding photos and ced her luggage on the table. The


    housekeeper, Maria, who had been upstairs tidying, came down upon hearing themotion. She


    greeted them with a smile, ¡°Sir, Madam, wee back.¡±


    Keegan nodded briefly and indicated the items on the table,¡± Maria, could you assist Ms. Hall in getting


    her luggage to the guest room?¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Maria looked surprised, ¡°Guest room?¡±


    Keegan affirmed, ¡°Ms. Hall is here to help me recover my memory. She¡¯ll be staying here for a while.


    Please help her settle in.¡±


    Maria was aware of Keegan¡¯s amnesia but didn¡¯t expect it to be this severe, with him not recognizing


    Ste.


    Recalling Cordelia¡¯s instructions, Maria hesitated, ¡°Sir, the guest rooms are currently unavable.¡±


    Keegan was taken aback. ¡°None of the guest rooms are usable?¡±


    Maria exined, ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    Keegan felt skeptical and decided to open each door, one by one. To his surprise, except for the master


    bedroom, none of the other rooms had beds.


    Maria stood there, wearing an awkward smile.


    It seemed Cordelia had ordered the beds in the other rooms to be dismantled overnight, perhaps


    intending to confine the two of them to one bed.


    Keegan pursed his lips, casting a nce at Ste.


    Raising an eyebrow, Ste remarked, ¡°You don¡¯t think I asked Grandma to do this, do you?¡±


    Keegan remained silent.


    Ste chuckled, ¡°What can I do to you? Can you even get the task done if you¡¯re unwilling to be with


    me?¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Keegan was stunned by her words. His ears turned red, a mix of embarrassment and irritation shing


    across his face. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I did it for the sake of your reputation!¡±


    ¡°What reputation do I have left if you¡¯re divorcing me?¡± Ste shot back, tossing her luggage into a


    room. She then


    retrieved her phone and dialed a number. ¡°Hello, I¡¯d like to order a bed. Yes, right now. I¡¯ll send you the


    address.¡±


    After ending the call, Ste turned to Keegan and remarked,¡± Alternatively, you could disassemble the


    cab in this room. I¡¯ll arrange to have a whole set of furniture delivered.¡±


    Keegan left the room, rubbing his temples in exasperation.


    Aldor had previously mentioned Ste had a good temper, but Keegan couldn¡¯t see that side of her. He


    felt he had no option but to endure it. He had a sense that he had brought this situation upon himself.


    And indeed, that was the case.


    Keegan didn¡¯t stay much longer after that. Instead, he headed to Vinci Rivera.


    It was his first visit to thepany since his return, and there were numerous misceneous matters to


    address, keeping him upied until after 7:00 p.m.


    The people on his team were thinking of a gathering to wee Keegan back and lift his spirits.


    Keegan agreed to the gathering, and while he was preparing, he came across a hand-drawn picture in


    a drawer of his office desk.


    The drawing depicted a woman in a gown, holding a dog.


    Suddenly, he remembered therge wedding photo at Royalpark Vi.


    In that photo, Ste was wearing a red gown, standing next to him. Her pose and demeanor in the


    photo were an exact match to the hand-drawn portrait, except in the drawing, she was holding a dog in


    his ce, with a leash.


    Keegan nced at the signature below the drawing-Ste Jewell.


    Beneath the signature was a date from April of the previous year.

 Chapter 1787

    Chapter 1787


    Chapter 1787


    Keegan nibbled his lip, feeling a weird sensation in his heart. His time with Ste before they got


    married didn¡¯t seem as rocky as his mom said. ¡®But then, why would I still have something she casually


    sketched in my desk drawer?¡¯


    After staring at the drawing for a prolonged moment, he ced it back into the drawer.


    ¡°Aldor, inform everyone I won¡¯t attend the gathering today. Charge tonight¡¯s expenses to my ount.


    We¡¯ll have


    another gathering once I settle the matters at hand.¡±


    Aldor nodded, then asked, Mr. Kane, there are new desserts at Memorie Baker. Should we get some


    for Mrs. Kane?¡±


    ¡°No need. Pregnant women should watch their sugar. It could make the baby too big for an easy birth,¡±


    Keegan said casually.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    This puzzled Aldor. ¡®When did he learn all this?¡¯


    Keegan was surprised himself. He hadn¡¯t tried to remember it. When he stopped Ste from having an


    abortion, he had skimmed a booklet about caring for moms and babies. The details stuck in his head


    without much thought.


    He hesitated before saying, ¡°Contact the owner of The Deli. Ask for pelmeni with shrimp filling. I¡¯ll pick


    them upter.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    As Aldor was about to leave, Keegan stopped him, ¡°About the items I asked you to collect at the


    hospital today¡­¡±


    Aldor nodded and whispered, ¡°We¡¯re already checking on it.¡±


    ¡°Good. Be careful. Keep it low-key.¡±


    As Keegan returned, Ste was chatting with Trevor on the phone.


    Hearing the door, she peeked from the balcony and said, ¡°I have to go. Keegan is back. Remember to


    text me before your flight tomorrow. Help me with what I asked, please.¡±


    Trevor grunted, ¡°Sure thing, you sneaky one.¡±


    Steughed, ¡°I¡¯ll cook something special for you when you¡¯re back. Even Keegan doesn¡¯t get this


    treatment.¡±


    Trevor was happy but teased, ¡°Your sweet talk won¡¯t work. I¡¯ll make a fuss if I don¡¯t get that promised


    feast.¡±


    Steughed and chatted a bit more with Trevor before ending the call.


    As she came inside from the balcony, she bumped into Keegan.


    He nced at her phone and calmly said, ¡°Cell phones emit radiation. Not good for expecting moms.¡±


    Ste rolled her eyes. ¡°WiFi does too. Are you nning to take down all the signal towers in the city?¡±


    Keegan nodded and went closer, saying, ¡°Head to the dining room. I brought pelmeni for you. Have


    something before resting.¡±


    Ste hesitated, a bit surprised.


    Keegan¡¯s sudden consideration made her feel a little uneasy. She¡¯d been discussing ways to win


    Keegan back with Felicity earlier. Although she didn¡¯t know when or how Keegan fell for her initially,


    she believed she had some knowhow now. ¡®I can be a caring wife, make him lunch daily, and entice


    him with alluring outfits, even if all he can do right now is look.¡¯


    Ste had many ns, but she didn¡¯t anticipate Keegan taking the lead.


    She stared at the hot pelmeni before her, softly stirring them with a spoon. ¡°Shrimp filling?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Ste felt moved, thinking he¡¯d remembered her preferences even without recalling her.


    Surprisingly, Keegan added, ¡°Shrimp is good for expecting moms.¡±


    Instantly, Ste lost her appetite.

 Chapter 1788

    Chapter 1788


    Chapter 1788


    Ste scoffed, ¡°I see.¡±


    She vigorously stirred the dumplings in her bowl, creating a crisp sound as the spoon repeatedly hit the


    dishware.


    Having dined together at the Saun residence before, Keegan knew Ste¡¯s table etiquette was far more


    refined than her current demeanor. It then dawned on him that something was wrong. ¡°Are you upset?¡±


    he asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Ste shed a fake smile. ¡°I¡¯m so thrilled that you remembered to bring me fooding home


    from work sote, Mr. Kane.¡±


    Keegan detected a pattern. Whenever Ste was angry, she would address him as ¡°Mr. Kane¡±.


    He vaguely recalled her raising her eyebrows andmenting, ¡°Nice watch, Mr. Kane.¡± Yet, she wasn¡¯t


    genuinely admiring his timepiece; she was being sarcastic.


    Keegan couldn¡¯t fathom what had triggered her irritation, so he asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you like shrimp filling?¡±


    Ste shook her head and said in a serious tone, ¡°No, I do. Like you said, shrimp is good for pregnant


    women. It¡¯s good for the baby too.¡±


    Hearing that, Keegan seemed to understand. After a brief pause, he admitted, ¡°The owner of The Deli


    mentioned that I always requested pelmeni with shrimp filling. I assumed you might enjoy it.¡±


    Ste paused. When she resumed eating, the spoon no longer clinked against the bowl.


    Keegan came to the conclusion that pregnant women indeed experience significant fluctuations in


    emotions under the influence of hormones.


    After finishing the pelmeni, Ste was about to head upstairs when Keegan stopped her. ¡°Let¡¯s go for a


    walk to aid digestion.¡±


    Ste was even more surprised now. ¡®Did Keegan feel pressured and surrender without a fight?Books


    Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    She nced around and nodded, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Ste grabbed her coat, and they left together.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Nestled between the mountains and waters, Royalpark Vi offered an exceptional view. The


    landscaping was meticulous, boasting a variety of trees and bushes. The area remained lush and


    green despite the winter season.


    Ste and Keegan had lived in Royalpark Vi for three years, yet they rarely strolled together as they


    were doing now. Keegan was upied with work and often got up early for a jog before heading to the


    office.


    On the other hand, Ste was not a morning person. She usually came out in the evening, but Keegan


    would be workingte. Even when they asionally walked together, there was ack of harmony


    between them. They would walk one after the other, resembling strangers.


    With this in mind, Ste quickly caught up, walking to Keegan¡¯s side and linking arms with him.


    Keegan instinctively wanted to pull away, but Ste calmly said, ¡°Don¡¯t forget why I¡¯m staying here.¡±


    Keegan paused, and he awkwardly withdrew his hand. ¡°Can you give me a heads-up next time


    physical contact is involved?¡±


    Ste replied indifferently, ¡°Sure.¡±


    As a gentle breeze blew, Ste adjusted her coat and asked, ¡°How was the check-up today? What did


    the doctor say?¡±


    ¡°Everything seems to be normal,¡± said Keegan.


    ¡®Normal? How could losing one¡¯s memory be considered normal?¡¯ Ste thought.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Ste gently tightened her grip and exhaled softly.¡± When treating those injuries on your body,


    did you suffer?¡±


    Keegan recalled Ste crying when she saw his injuries in the study at Cordelia¡¯s ce. He lowered his


    eyes and murmured, ¡°I took a lot of painkillers at that time. I was in a daze every day. Looking back


    now, I don¡¯t remember much pain. So I assume it was bearable.¡±

 Chapter 1789

    Chapter 1789


    Chapter 1789


    Ste was heartbroken to hear what Keegan had been through.


    ¡®He was in a daze. How much painkillers did he have to take to be in that state?¡¯ Ste couldn¡¯t shake


    off the overwhelming feeling. She contemted what could have been if she had just held onto him in


    the river. It might have prevented the subsequent events, sparing him from facing the most challenging


    moment of his life all alone.


    Sensing her distress, Keegan¡¯s mood seemed to darken. Without meeting her eyes or uttering a word,


    he matched her stride and silently apanied her.


    The streetlights extended their shadows as Keegan suddenly inquired, ¡°Did you use to take walks like


    this with him?¡±


    Ste was momentarily stunned but thenprehended that the ¡°him¡± Keegan referred to was the


    previous version of himself, the one she had married. This realization stemmed from her previous


    statement, ¡°I want to make sure the Keegan who deeply loved me is safe and sound.¡±


    Dropping her gaze, Ste responded slowly, ¡°No, we rarely walked together. Even when we did, he


    never held my hand.¡±


    Keegan was slightly taken aback. The situation was different from what he had in mind.


    Ste continued, ¡°He was petty and awkward. He clearly liked me, yet always refused to admit it


    because he wanted to save face. He carefully selected gifts for me but imed they were from clients.


    He obviously enjoyed the dishes I cooked but said they tasted mediocre. He was always sarcastic and


    knew how to provoke me.¡±


    ¡°It was the first time I encountered a thirty-year-old man who liked someone in such a childish and


    uneasy way. At that time, I couldn¡¯tprehend why other couples would hold hands or stroll side by


    side, while we walked in a singlefile line.¡±


    ¡°Later, I learned that he wasn¡¯t avoiding holding my hand; he was waiting for me to take the initiative.¡±


    As Ste spoke, her fingers intertwined with Keegan¡¯s.


    Keegan instinctively wanted to retract his hand, but Ste tightened her grip on his fingers. She put her


    arm around his waist and whispered, ¡°Please, just for a minute. I miss him.¡±Books Chapters Are Daily


    Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Keegan paused and did not resist further. The vulnerability and tenderness she revealed gradually


    broke down his defenses. Something within him wanted to break free.


    Keegan¡¯s figure swayed slightly. Ste noticed his pale face, and her expression changed.


    She started to panic. ¡°Keegan, what¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t scare me! ¡± She eximed with a trembling voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Keegan reached into his pocket, took out a bottle of pills, opened it, and took one out.


    Ste quickly unscrewed a water bottle and handed it to him. Keegan stared at the pill in his hand but


    hesitated to swallow it.


    He clutched the pill in his palm and took a few sips of water, but the pain only intensified. He


    uncontrobly tried to open the pill bottle again but tightly gripped it to suppress the urge.


    Ste didn¡¯t notice whether Keegan had taken the medicine or not. Seeing his condition worsen, she


    suggested anxiously, ¡°Let¡¯s take you to the hospital.¡±


    However, Keegan held her back, his face turning pale as he endured the intense pain. In a hoarse


    voice, he said, ¡°Call Grandma.¡±


    Worried, Ste didn¡¯t challenge him. She quickly contacted Cordelia.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    After hanging up, she helped Keegan back to the house. In just over ten minutes, Baldwin arrived at


    Royalpark Vi with two other people.


    Keegan¡¯splexion remained poor, and Ste stayed by his side, wiping the sweat from his face.


    Baldwin led the two people to Keegan. One of them was a man in his forties with a refined appearance,


    wearing a suit. He sat by the bed and checked Keegan¡¯s pulse. The other was a young man in his


    twenties. He respectfully stood beside them, holding a box.


    After examining Keegan¡¯s pulse and asking a few questions, the man turned to the young man and


    said something. The young man nodded and addressed Ste and Baldwin, ¡°My boss needs to carry


    out an acupuncture session. Please step aside for a moment.¡±

 Chapter 1790

    Chapter 1790


    Chapter 1790


    Ste felt anxious and reluctant to leave, but Baldwin insisted, ¡°Ms. Hall, please step outside. It¡¯s Dr.


    Morghen¡¯s protocol.¡±


    Ste tightly clutched her hands and eventually stepped back. The door closed firmly, muffling any


    sounds from within.


    Anxiously pacing outside the room, Ste couldn¡¯t shake off a growing sense of unease. Finally, she


    turned to Baldwin and said, ¡°Who is this doctor? Can we trust him?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve met him before,¡± Baldwin replied.


    Perplexed, Ste questioned, ¡°When did I meet him? I don¡¯t remember.¡±


    ¡°At the Temple of Abawo.¡±


    ¡°Temple of- Is he the Venerable Raphael Morghen? Isn¡¯t he a religious figure? Since when he knows


    medicine?¡± Ste did not recognize Raphael due to his loose hair.


    Baldwin exined, ¡°His belief and job are two different things.¡±


    ¡®It sounds like he has quite a flexible career,¡¯ thought Ste.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join &


    Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Raphael had a deep connection with Cordelia, and her trust in him prompted his invitation. Still, Ste


    wondered about his medical skills.


    After what felt like an hour, the door finally opened. The young man poked his head out, inviting them


    in.


    Ste hurried inside and saw Keegan seated on the bed, engaged in conversation with Raphael.


    Although he still appeared somewhat weak, it was an improvement from how he looked earlier.


    Upon her entrance, Keegan nced at her briefly before averting his gaze.


    Raphael concluded his discussion with Keegan, stood up, and said to Baldwin, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Ste had a lot of questions, but she didn¡¯t manage to voice any. Instead, she turned to Keegan, who


    said, ¡°I can¡¯t get up. Help me see our guest off.¡±


    Ste reluctantly stifled her thoughts and saw the guest out.


    By the time she returned, Keegan had already locked the door.


    Ste was surprised. Her lips twitched. She just wanted to ask how he was feeling. ¡®What a mutt! He¡¯s


    guarding against me like I¡¯m some sort of threat!¡¯


    Ste kicked the door a couple of times in frustration before angrily returning to the guest room.


    At the Saun residence, Darcie served Wenham a bowl of soup and asked, ¡°Will Trevor join us for


    dinner today? He usually makes it back for meals whenever Ste is around.¡±


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t call, so probably not. He¡¯s flying abroad tomorrow, ¡± Wenham replied.


    Darcie casually asked, ¡°Why so?¡±


    ¡°He has a business deal to discuss and clients to meet.¡± Wenham ate the soup and continued, ¡°He


    won¡¯t be back for the next few days. You can tell Sandra to skip making his portion.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Just as they spoke, a message shed on Darcie¡¯s phone. She quickly turned it off and said, ¡°The soup


    isn¡¯t very hot. I¡¯ll go warm it up.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Wenham replied.


    Darcie took her phone and left the room. Once in the kitchen, she replied to the message she received,


    [Don¡¯t contact me first. This is yourst warning!]

 Chapter 1791

    Chapter 1791


    Chapter 1791


    Wenham¡¯s voice echoed from the kitchen, asking if the soup was ready. ¡°Coming,¡± Darcie replied while


    swiftly deleting all the messages on her phone. She gracefully carried the hot soup to the dining area.


    ¡°Let Sandra handle these matters moving forward.¡±


    Wenham wiped his hands and continued, ¡°It¡¯s getting cold, and the food will cool down during all the


    back-and-forth.¡±


    ¡°Sandra has been busy all night. She¡¯s currently having dinner. We shouldn¡¯t trouble her with these


    minor tasks,¡± Darcie said as she filled another bowl of hot soup for Wenham. ¡°Plus, I¡¯m used to it. I took


    care of your mom, remember? It¡¯s not a big deal.¡±


    Wenham paused upon hearing that and refrained from saying anything more.


    Darcie had put a lot of effort into taking care of Eleanor over the years. With the wealth of the Saun


    family, finding help for such tiring work was easy as long as the pay was good. Eleanor, once a


    renowned debutante in Rivera, had be bedridden because of her illness. Her self-esteem suffered


    due to the inability to care for herself, and she became depressed.


    In her youth, Eleanor was gentle and elegant, but years of illness had transformed her. She often


    verbally abused her caregivers, and despite the high sry offered by the Saun family, no caregiver


    lasted more than two months.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books


    Updates¡­


    When Darcie initially started caring for Eleanor, she endured numerous insults. Even in the face of daily


    sarcastic remarks, she continued to provide meticulous care to her mother-inw.


    Wenham once saw Darcie reaching out to catch his mother¡¯s vomit during an episode, a gesture he, as


    her son, couldn¡¯t bring himself to do. Darcie¡¯s actions left asting impression on him.


    Eleanor wasn¡¯t difficult to get along with; she was just ill. Bedridden for years and fretting over her son¡¯s


    future, Eleanor grew tired, and her emotions became overwhelming.


    Due to the frequent change in caregivers, Darcie stepped in to look after Eleanor. Despite enduring


    daily verbal abuse, she remainedmitted to her duties.


    This led Eleanor to insist that Wenham marry Darcie during her final years. She imed that a virtuous


    woman such as Darcie would undoubtedly nurture her descendants after her death, securing the Saun


    family line for generations. i


    After Eleanor passed, Wenham once suggested a divorce, considering their marriage was a result of


    circumstances. He was willing to provide her with money, ensuring she and her daughter had a


    carefree life. However, Darcie refused, stating that Eleanor wished for them to build a family.


    Their marriage didn¡¯t end, and when an ident urred at the construction site, Darcie traveled a


    long distance to take care of him. Even with a heart of stone, Wenham couldn¡¯t bring himself to utter


    any harsh words.


    Despite the simplicity of their days, Darcie had always beenpliant in major matters. Though not


    extremely close with Trevor, she always had his best interest in mind. 3


    Their rtionship faced a crack only after Ste entered the family. Wenham had entrusted Darcie with


    the responsibility of organizing the banquet to announce Ste¡¯s return, but she chose a less


    prestigious venue. Later, although she gave Ste a jewelry store, it still caused trouble with Arnolds.


    Wenham had never imagined that thepassionate Darcie could adopt such an attitude as a


    stepmother.


    Therefore, he chose to express his defiance through silence throughout this period.


    Darcie¡¯s sudden mention of Eleanor touched his heart.


    Eleanor had suffered no injustice before her passing, thanks to Darcie¡¯s tireless care. Wenham felt


    indebted to her for this act of kindness.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1792

    Chapter 1792


    Chapter 1792


    With the thought of Darcie caring for herte mother, Wenham¡¯s expression softened. ¡°I¡¯ve bought two


    tickets for the theater. Are you free tomorrow afternoon?¡±


    Darcie couldn¡¯t help but feel surprised. Throughout their lengthy marriage, it had consistently been her


    responsibility to arrange their outings. Wenham rarely took the initiative, and when he did, it was


    usually in response to invitations from friends.


    Her raised eyebrows turned into a warm smile as she asked, ¡°Sure. What time is the show?¡±


    ¡°Three o¡¯clock. I¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow,¡± Wenham replied.


    Darcie nodded in agreement. As Wenham ate his soup, he addressed the unspoken tension between


    them. ¡°I¡¯ve raised Jaylene for twenty years, treating her as my own. Being separated from Ste for


    over two decades and only recently reconnecting, I might sometimes be a bit biased. Please don¡¯t read


    too much into it.¡±


    With a calm tone, Darcie responded, ¡°I understand. You don¡¯t need to exin. I know I was in the


    wrong before. It¡¯s only natural that you¡¯re upset. Trevor was only ten years old when I came into the


    picture. Kids are easy to get along with; you can tell what they like and dislike with a nce. Ste


    returned when she was already an adult, and young adults often conceal their feelings. I just don¡¯t


    know how to rte to her. Also, she harbors resentment with what


    happened between Jaylene and Keegan. I¡¯m afraid that saying too much might annoy her.¡±Books


    Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Wenham fell silent for a moment before saying, ¡°Ste is not an unreasonable child. Treat her with


    kindness, and she¡¯ll reciprocate even more. She understands the value of gratitude and is swift to


    disapprove of injustice, much like Freesia.¡± 1


    Darcie clutched her fingers, lowered her eyes, and said, ¡°I understand.¡±


    Then, she brought up the matter of Ste living in Royalpark Vi. Darcie thought it was inappropriate


    for them to live together without being married. Nevertheless, it wasmon knowledge that Keegan


    had no recollection of Ste, making marriage an impractical prospect.


    ¡°Keegan is indebted to Ste for life. She¡¯s there to assist him in recovering his memories. Mrs. Kane


    Sr. had exined it to me. Since Ste is willing, we should go along with it,¡¯ said Wenham.


    Darcie thought about it and said, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Suddenly, a loud crash echoed as valuable decorations on the table, worth tens of thousands, were


    thrown to the ground. When Darcie pushed the door open, she witnessed the scene.


    Jaylene had swept everything off her table with reddened eyes. Her face twisted in an ugly expression.


    Closing the door behind her, Darcie asked in disdain, ¡°Why are you acting like this?¡±


    Jaylene clenched her fists, lowered her gaze, and said,¡± Mom.¡±


    Darcie calmly picked up the scattered items and ced them back on the coffee table. ¡°They¡¯re just


    living together. Is it worth losing your temper over?¡±


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°Keegan is spending less and less time with me. I¡¯m afraid he might regain his memories,¡± Jaylene said


    in a hoarse voice. 1


    Darcie looked at her disappointedly. ¡°He has always liked Ste. Even if he doesn¡¯t remember now, it¡¯s


    just a matter of time before he does. Given Keegan¡¯s temperament, do you think he would like you?


    Would he truly marry you?¡±


    Jaylene bit her lip upon hearing that. She disagreed with Darcie¡¯s words.


    Since Keegan woke up, he strongly depended on her, even rebuking Ste to protect her. She believed


    that there was a possibility between them.


    To her, Ste was just good-looking. Meanwhile, she had over twenty years of knowledge, education,


    and vision.


    Jaylene considered herself superior in every aspect. She did not believe Keegan would be attracted to


    Ste if he did not remember her.

 Chapter 1793

    Chapter 1793


    Chapter 1793


    Jaylene had always believed that Keegan stood apart from other men. She trusted that he wasn¡¯t one


    to judge solely based on appearances but their personality as well. The only obstacle between her and


    Keegan was the time they spent together or theck thereof, i


    Unexpectedly, Ste shamelessly clung onto Keegan despite him dering the annulment of their


    engagement and her having heated moments with Marshall. From Jaylene¡¯s perspective, this conduct


    resembled that of a woman whocked decency. ¡¯


    Unsure of Jaylene¡¯s thoughts, Darcie softened her tone.¡± Plenty of good men exist in this world. The


    situation between Keegan and Ste isplicated. He isn¡¯t your perfect match. You should put a stop


    to your feelings sooner. Ste is entirely focused on Keegan now. This is your chance. Invest your


    energy in Caline. Establish a solid foundation quickly because, in the end, your customers are what


    matter most, not just shares.¡±


    Jaylene was not enthusiastic about the idea. With Keegan unable to recall anything, it was the


    opportune time for her to get close to him. She didn¡¯t want to divert her energy elsewhere. She believed


    that with her mother¡¯s influence, Ste couldn¡¯t threaten her position in Caline. 3


    However, in Darcie¡¯s presence, Jaylene dared not oppose her. She lowered her eyes and said, ¡°Got it,


    Mom.¡±


    She then changed the subject, ¡°Mom, whose message did you receive during dinner earlier?¡±


    Darcie hesitated for a moment and replied calmly, ¡°It was just a spam message.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± said Jaylene. However, she felt her mother was lying. Wenham hadn¡¯t noticed at dinner, but she


    did. Her usuallyposed mother showed a trace of panic upon reading that message. ¡®Why did she


    decide to keep it a secret?¡¯Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books


    Updates¡­


    Early the next morning, Trevor boarded a private ne bound for Mystonia. Before his departure, he


    called Ste to ask if she wanted anything.


    Keegan overheard Ste¡¯s detailed requests, and it sounded like a lot. Trevor, being good-natured,


    jotted down her preferences. Before ending the call, he casually asked, ¡°Is Keegan mistreating you?


    Why are all the items you requested daily necessities?¡±


    ¡°He isn¡¯t mistreating me. I¡¯m his guest, after all. I can¡¯t expect the host to prepare everything. I should


    have my own toothpaste, toothbrush, towel, and bedding. It¡¯s already good enough that he¡¯s providing


    me with meals,¡± Ste responded.


    Keegan could not believe his ears. ¡®Could you be any more obvious with your passive-


    aggressiveness?¡¯ He thought.


    Trevor understood and yed along. ¡°That isn¡¯t surprising. How generous can someone be when


    they¡¯re friends with Vermont? Be happy that he gives you food. Don¡¯t be too picky. You¡¯re your own


    person. You¡¯re just pregnant. I¡¯m sure you can carry two buckets of water without any help.¡±


    Ste agreed. ¡°You¡¯re right, Trevor. It¡¯s my fault for being so high maintenance.¡±


    Their conversation left Keegan speechless.


    Trevor chuckled when he heard that. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll hang up now. I¡¯ll contact you once I arrive.¡±


    Ste smiled and said, ¡°Take care, Trevor. I look forward to your early return.¡±


    ¡°Bye.¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Ste was about to go upstairs after hanging up, but Keegan stopped her. ¡°Wait.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Ste turned around and asked.


    Clearing his throat, Keegan said, ¡°I want to go to the mall. Apany me to buy some things.¡±


    Ste immediately turned away, ¡°No, I¡¯m only here to build a rtionship with you so that our child can


    have good parents. I¡¯m not here to go shopping with you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you one million dors.¡±

 Chapter 1794

    Chapter 1794


    Chapter 1794


    Ste halted and turned around with a smile. ¡°Where to? Gxy Avenue, Century Mall, or Briller


    za? Which mall would you like to go to, Mr. Kane? Are we driving there, or are we taking a cab? If


    you prefer a cab, I can arrange it right away.¡±


    The immediate switch in her demeanor left Keegan speechless.


    Her ttering tone was usually the type he detested. Yet, when Ste spoke like this, he not only didn¡¯t


    mind but even felt a peculiar sense of pleasure. He found it adorable.


    Keegan pressed his fist against his lips, coughed lightly, and averted his gaze. ¡°Let¡¯s drive. You choose


    the ce.¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go to Briller za. They offer goods with a better value for money there.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Ste made an inviting gesture. ¡°Mr. Kane,e upstairs. I¡¯ll help you change.¡±


    Keegan scowled and asked, ¡°Is one million dors not enough? Howe you want to take advantage


    of me?¡±


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste¡¯s remark was a yful tease, not meant to be taken seriously. However, Keegan¡¯s response


    caught Ste off guard. Suddenly, her words seemed incredibly suggestive. Her ears turned slightly


    red, but she remainedposed.


    Clearing her throat, she said, ¡°Mr. Kane, it would be my privilege to admire your divine appearance and


    extraordinary stature. We¡¯ve got to seize every opportunity we got.¡± 1Books Chapters Are Daily


    Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Keegan squinted his eyes and said, ¡°Is that what they teach in your prenatal sses?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bad idea to turn down a good deal,¡± said Ste.


    Keegan didn¡¯t know if he was irritated or amused by her words. He shot her a re and went upstairs


    to change.


    The news of Ste moving into Keegan¡¯s house quickly spread within their social circles. Despite the


    public im of helping Keegan recover his memory, others perceived it as preparation fortheir


    impending marriage.


    Wenham cherished his daughter dearly. If he hadn¡¯t been sure about Keegan as a son-inw, he


    wouldn¡¯t have allowed his daughter to move in. However, with Ste¡¯s previous association with


    Marshall creating a buzz, the Moores did not know what to think.


    Group chats started buzzing with messages.


    ¡°Mr. Moore, are you dating a celebrity?¡± A new assistant, curious while delivering documents, asked


    Marshall.


    He looked at them with a gentle gaze and said, ¡°We¡¯re just friends.¡±


    The assistant felt somewhat disappointed. ¡°I thought you were together. Don¡¯t you like her?¡±


    Marshall paused and lowered his eyes. ¡°I do,¡± he whispered.


    Suddenly, his phone rang. Marshall was annoyed to see Ariel telling him about another blind date she


    had set up for him.


    Just then, Ka texted him. [Mr. Moore, I have a question. What should my friend do if her book is


    giarized?]


    Marshall thought about it and replied, [Ms. Wilson, can we meet in person to discuss this matter? I


    have something else I¡¯d like your help with.]


    Ka was surprised but agreed. [Sure.]


    They arranged to meet at a nearby restaurant near Marshall¡¯sw firm.


    Ka arrived first but didn¡¯t order any food. She sat by the window and waited for him.


    It was midwinter and freezing cold. The snowfall wasn¡¯t heavy, and the snowkes melted upon


    landing, leaving muddy puddles on the ground.

 Chapter 1795

    Chapter 1795


    Chapter 1795


    Ka was busy cleaning mud stains from her pants, regretting her choice of white attire. Muttering


    comints to herself, she assumed the approaching footsteps were from the restaurant staff. Only


    when she finished did she look up and see Marshall standing by the table.


    Startled, Ka cleared her throat and said, ¡°You¡¯re here. Why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡±


    Marshall chuckled. ¡°I wanted to hear what you wereining about.¡±


    Ka felt embarrassed at the thought of her criticizing the person who giarized her friend¡¯s work and


    Marshall for choosing the restaurant. She was annoyed that she had to walk the stretch of road and


    dirtied her pants on the way.


    ¡°I was mainlyining because I dirtied my pants,¡± she exined.


    Marshall pulled out a chair and nced at her, amused.


    Ka licked her lips and lowered her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t usually act like this,¡± she said softly.Books Chapters


    Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    A lightughter came from across the table.


    Ka was taken aback. She looked up into Marshall¡¯s eyes, and her heart skipped a beat.


    She knew she was in trouble. Ka rubbed her chest, thinking, ¡®Even if I didn¡¯t like him, his looks would


    inevitably stir up some emotions. We¡¯re all visual creatures, after all.¡¯


    ¡°By the way, you mentioned on the phone that you needed my help with something. What is it?¡± They


    ordered their food, and Ka shifted the topic.


    ¡°It¡¯s no rush,¡± Marshall put down his phone. ¡°Let¡¯s first talk about your friend¡¯s situation.¡±


    Ka nodded.


    The case wasn¡¯tplicated. Ka¡¯s high school ssmate, now a web novelist, had her story


    giarized recently. The infringing party used her character settings and plot under the pretext of


    derivative work, publishing on a tform for illegal profit.


    Once readers discovered it, the giarizer adamantly denied the infringement, only acknowledging it


    after the tform verified the ims. Ka¡¯s friend contacted the tform immediately, and the


    giarized work was taken down. The giarizer felt cornered and made provocative statements


    under the ounts that were exposing her actions. She threatened and imed the protection of


    copyrightws for her future original works.


    It was an unusual case.


    Ka¡¯s friend wanted to settle things amicably, but the other party refused, so she decided to take legal


    action. Hearing that, Ka sought Marshall for advice.


    Marshall listened to the story and asked Ka to provide materials from both parties.


    ¡°Mr. Moore, why do you seem unsurprised by these bizarre cases?¡± Ka asked as Marshall saved the


    documents.


    ¡°There¡¯s a saying in the legal world. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve heard it,¡± he chuckled.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Ka assumed a listening pose, eager to hear what Marshall had to say.

 Chapter 1796

    Chapter 1796


    Chapter 1796


    Marshall spoke slowly, "Now, I''m no longer shocked at the cases I hear. The darkness in people has no


    limit. It''s all just human nature. What could be scarier or worse than humans? We often insult people by


    saying they''re vultures, snakes, pigs, or dogs, but if those animals could speak, they would say that


    being human makes us worse.¡±


    Ka was stunned. It was then that the anger she felt for her friend dissipated.


    Following that, Marshall asked more questions rted to the case. Ka was only inquiring on behalf


    of someone else, so she wasn''t clear about some details. With Marshall''s consent, she passed his


    number to her friend. Finally, she asked, ¡°Mr. Moore, do you think my friend could win this case?¡±


    ¡°This person has copied the book title, characters, and story structure from the original text and ims


    it''s only a rewrite. This goes beyond conventional giarism¡ªit''s a clear case of copyright


    infringement. The next steps depend on your friend''s goals. Does she want a simple apology or pursue


    compensation for the damages?¡±


    ¡°The profit she earned is dirty money. Since she''s so stubborn, arrogantly unting her actions online,


    it''s time to take legal action. Serve the subpoena directly to her residence and let all her family and


    friends see what kind of person she truly is! After a sessfulwsuit, the charitable causes.¡±


    Marshall nodded. "Got it.¡±


    Ka watched as Marshall lowered his eyes and used his phone. His facial features were handsome


    under the restaurant lights. He was her type. Unfortunately, his heart belonged to someone else.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    After the dishes had arrived, Ka asked again, "Mr. Moore, what was the thing you wanted my help


    with?¡±


    Marshall put some food on her te and said, ¡°Why don''t we eat and talk about thatter.¡±


    Feeling even more puzzled, Ka found his sudden friendliness strange and a little intimidating.


    However, she didn''t dwell on such things and soon focused on her meal.


    Marshall not only looked good but had good table manners.


    While Ka watched him eat, she suddenly thought of the Ragdoll she had at home. Basking in the


    sunlight on the balcony rocking chair each day, the cat would gracefully descend after a nap,


    approaching anyone in sight. Emitting a soft meow, it had a charming way of enticing anyone into


    preparing a meal.


    The feline would delicately nibble at its meal, its dainty pink tongue licking the food. Its behavior exuded


    an air of grace and refinement, ensuring its luscious fur remained clean.


    Even in thepany of Ka¡¯s energetic Husky, the cat retained its ability to savor its food with


    elegance.


    Mark often said that the cat was more precious than humans.


    As Ka observed Marshall, she felt he was more precious than her cat.


    Perhaps her gaze may have been too direct. Marshall finally looked at her and asked, ¡°Is something


    wrong, Ms. Wilson?


    Ka shifted her gaze away. "No. You just look a lot like my cat at home when you eat.¡±


    Marshall was taken aback. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and continued, "Ms. Wilson, do you have


    a boyfriend?


    "Pfft¡ª Cough, cough¡ª"


    Upon hearing that, Ka started to choke on her water. Marshall handed her a tissue, and it took Ka


    a while to suppress the urge to cough.


    Her throat felt dry, and her face was red from her coughing fit.

 Chapter 1797

    Chapter 1797


    Chapter 1797


    Ka took a breath before looking at Marshall. ¡°Mr. Moore, your question is quite intrusive.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± He apologized in a warm and clear voice. "But I can''t ask you for a favor if you have a


    boyfriend.


    Ka was puzzled, "How so?¡±


    ¡°I''m afraid my mom might catch on." This did not clear things up for Ka. "Can you be more explicit?¡±


    Marshall sighed. "My family is pressuring me to get married. My mom keeps introducing potential


    matches to me all the time. I can''t avoid it. I thought of finding someone to deal with the issue


    temporarily. If she sees me with someone, she might ease up on the pressure.¡±


    Ka blinked in disbelief. After a while, she said, "You want me to assist you in fending off blind


    dates?¡±


    Marshall looked at her and asked, "Is that okay?"


    Ka didn''t speak. She knew that Marshall liked Ste. '' Keegan has amnesia now. It''s the perfect


    opportunity to make a move, yet Marshall has done nothing to pursue her.¡¯


    After some contemtion, Ka thought of the message she saw in her group chat this morning about


    Ste moving back to Keegan''s ce to assist in recovering his memory.


    ¡®Keegan will definitely fall for Ste again. Love doesn''t simply vanish because of amnesia, especially if


    they''re now living under the same roof. But is this why Marshall gave up on courting Ste?¡¯


    Ka had heard from Mark that the Moore family was strict. She wondered if the Moores¡¯ discerning


    nature regarding daughters-inw affected Marshall''s rtionship status. ¡®Did they stop Marshall from


    pursuing Ste because she was a divorcee?¡¯


    It was then that Ka realized that her dad was still quite reasonable. "As long as you like him, I''m


    willing to ept him into the family no matter the circumstances."


    ¡®Does he not think I can find someone good?¡¯ Ka sighed. She looked at Marshall, "How do you want


    me to help? Do you want me to pretend to be your girlfriend or something?¡±


    Marshall shook his head. "We just have to be in touch and asionally have a meal together."


    Ka realized that Marshall wanted to create an illusion for his family that they might be a potential


    match. He wanted them to have an undefined romantic connection.


    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    After a moment of thought, she said, ¡°Mr. Moore, I want to get married someday. Being in an undefined


    rtionship with you would harm my reputation. What do I do if my potential suitors reject me because


    of this?¡±


    Marshall froze and lowered his eyes, "Sorry. I didn''t consider that.¡±


    "You really didn''t,¡± Ka said in disdain. "If you want to be in an undefined rtionship with me, you


    should be the one who takes initiative.¡±


    Marshall did notprehend what she meant. Ka exined slowly, "In other words, you''re the one


    who asked me out today. Does that make it clear?¡±


    Marshall then understood that Ka didn''t want to be known as the person who pursued him. He must


    be the one who courted her.


    Thinking about it, he nodded, "Yes. I''m the one who asked you out.¡± After a while, he asked, "So, Ms.


    Wilson, what do you want in return?"


    Evidently, Marshall saw this as a transaction. Ka didn''t put much thought into it. There are plenty of


    men in the world, and she wouldn''t be interested in a man who was in love with another woman.


    However, she was still a little hurt by his question.


    ¡°Assisting my friend in winning thiswsuit means a lot. I assure you, I''ll repay the favor by helping


    you.¡±


    Marshall nodded and said, "You''ve got a strong character, Ms. Wilson."


    Ka noticed how formal he was being and suddenly wanted to tease him.

 Chapter 1798

    Chapter 1798


    Chapter 1798


    "Don''t you think that calling me by myst name sounds a bit too formal?¡± Ka remarked.


    Marshall thought about it for a moment, appearing somewhat unsure.


    Ka smiled and added, "How about you start calling me by my first name?"


    After a brief hesitation, Marshall nodded and said, "Alright, Ka.¡±


    Ka was feeling butterflies in her stomach when she heard his deep and articte voice. ¡®I really


    need to find a boyfriend soon. Otherwise, I might fall for him with all this banter,¡¯ she thought.


    Following their meal, Marshall insisted on driving Ka home. Given their agreement, Ka didn''t


    object. They were currently in Rivera''s financial district, home to major corporations that attracted


    socialites and young elites.


    As they prepared to leave, Ka encountered a few familiar faces and exchanged brief greetings.


    Only when Ka got into the car did she realize Marshall''s strategic choice for their dinner location.


    Regardless of her response, dining in this area would undoubtedly spark rumors. Gossip enthusiasts


    cared little about the purpose of their meeting; they only cared about gossip.


    By the time the news spread, Ka and Marshall would be linked in the eyes of the public,


    whether or not there was any real connection between them.


    Ka observed Marshall and wondered if he was aware of the potential consequences. However, she


    adjusted her clothes and refrained from inquiring further.


    As the car passed Briller za, Ka spotted two familiar figures.


    A woman in a snug light blue down jacket was carrying a purse, urging someone behind her.


    Undoubtedly, the individual weighed down by numerous bags of items with a serious expression was


    Keegan.


    Though the woman''s face wasn''t entirely visible, Ka recognized her instantly.


    Ste took a few steps, exchanged words with Keegan, and resumed walking. The car waited at a


    traffic light, and Ka nced at Marshall.Focused on the road, Marshall seemed oblivious to the


    couple. His tightened grip on the steering wheel hinted at concealed emotions.


    Ka nced at him and chose to remain silent. They resumed their journey when the lights turned


    green.


    Mark''s eyes widened in surprise after seeing Marshall drop off his daughter.


    Marshall inquired about something, but not a word asked, ¡°Did Marshall take a liking to you?¡±


    Ka''s eyelid twitched.


    Mark was worried for his daughter. "The Moore family isn''t the best choice. I''ve encountered Frederick


    Moore twice. He''s arrogant, condescending, always looking down on people. If we weren''t living in


    modern times, I''d think he''d make me kneel before him, considering how he always talks about social


    sses.¡±


    ¡°But if you genuinely like that guy, I''ll do my best. I''ll prepare a decent dowry for you. We can''t let the


    Moore family look down on you.¡±


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Mark sighed and added, "At least he''s a decent guy.¡±


    Keegan frowned as Ste entered another store. "Do you really need more things?¡±


    He was carrying bags filled with daily necessities and various misceneous items.


    There was a small wholesale market outside the mall, which offered affordable goods. Ste could not


    help but want to buy everything.


    Apart from the bags Keegan was holding, there were tworge bags in the car. He couldn''t fathom why


    Ste insisted on buying more, especially after purchasing over twenty teacups at $3.90 each.

 Chapter 1799

    Chapter 1799


    Chapter 1799


    The teacups Ste had bought looked cute, but the craftsmanship was crude. Keegan wondered if they


    were even safe to use.


    "I can''t carry anything else. If you''re gonna buy more, you''ll have to carry it yourself,¡± he said as Ste


    went into another store.


    "Sure. I can do that,¡± Ste replied and pushed the door open.


    ¡®Isn''t she pregnant? Howe sheins about back pain after lying down for a while but is fine


    despite shopping for hours?'' Keegan took a deep breath and followed her inside.


    Upon entering, a salesperson warmly greeted them, "Hello, ma''am. Are you looking to buy some


    clothes for your husband?"


    Keegan paused, only now noticing that they had entered a men''s clothing store.


    ¡°We''re just browsing,¡± said Ste.


    The salesperson then suggested, "We have a new spring collection. You can have your husband try


    them on."


    Ste looked at the clothes and intended to consult Keegan.


    However, she noticed he had deliberately averted her gaze, seemingly uninterested in engaging with


    her.


    She nced at him with a sly smile and told the salesperson, "He''s my brother. I''m buying for my


    boyfriend.¡±


    After saying this, she witnessed Keegan''s body tense up.


    The salesperson was shocked and quickly apologized before asking, "Could you provide your


    boyfriend''s height and weight? I can rmend the appropriate size for him.¡±


    "His height is about the same as mine, and his weight is probably simr too. He prefers light-colored


    garments. Do you have any suggestions?¡±


    The salesperson immediately suggested several outfits. Ste paid little attention to the clothes,


    sneakily stealing nces at Keegan.


    Despite going stiff earlier, he soon acted as if nothing had happened. Ste gritted her teeth and said,


    ¡°These pieces are good. What about pants? What pants do you rmend?¡±


    The salesperson promptly presented several pairs of pants to Ste. Judging from Keegan''s expensive


    wristwatch, the salesperson assumed they were wealthy and exclusively rmended the new


    arrivals.


    While Ste looked at the pants, the salesperson thoughtfully inquired, "Ma''am, does your boyfriend


    prefer the left or right side?¡±


    Ste, preupied with her thoughts, didn''t quite catch the question.


    "While our trousers are not tailor-made, we''ve taken customer preferences into ount. We have two


    designs that differ in the crotch area. If your boyfriend prefers putting his member on the left side, then


    you can take a look at this pair. If he prefers the right side, the pair you''re holding would be perfect,¡± the


    salesperson exined.


    Suddenly, Ste understood what the salesperson was talking about. Feeling a wave of


    embarrassment, she forced augh and said, "I''m not sure about that.¡±


    "Maybe you could give him a call and ask.¡±


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Ste felt so awkward that she wanted to run out of there. It was then that she heard Keegan chuckle.


    Surprised, she turned to see him smirking.


    "You''re his girlfriend, yet you don''t know if he prefers the left or right side?¡± Keegan teased.


    Ste blushed and red at him. "Of course I know!¡±


    "Which side, then?¡± The salesperson asked.


    ¡°The left side.¡±


    Keegan paused, his expression deepening. Ste felt a sense of victory after witnessing the look on his


    face. She bought several sets of clothes in her moment of joy.


    During checkout, the salesperson was delighted that Ste signed up fora membership to earn points.


    They informed her she could exchange 99 points for a shirt originally priced at $799 and asked if she


    wanted to redeem it. Considering


    She turned to Keegan and was about to speak when he sternly dered, "I don''t want freebies!¡±


    Suddenly, Ste remembered the $99 socks she got for Keegan when she purchased a tie for


    Marshall. At that time, Keegan picked a fight with Ste before she could even give it to him.


    She stared at him nkly and asked, "Did you just remember something?¡±

 Chapter 1800

    Chapter 1800


    Chapter 1800


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    "Do I need to remember something to be mad? You didn''t call me to try on any of the clothes, yet you


    called me over for a freebie!¡± Keegan eximed.


    His reaction rendered Ste speechless.


    ¡°That shirt isn''t cheap, you know? It''s originally priced at 800 dors,¡± said Ste.


    ¡°I''m not short of 800 dors,¡± Keegan dered with a stern face. After that, he added, "Hurry up. I''ll


    wait for you outside.


    " With that, he left the store.


    ¡®Why is he upset for no reason?¡¯ Ste muttered to herself. The salesperson asked if she still wanted to


    redeem the shirt, and Ste replied, "Yes."


    As she walked out with her items, she saw Keegan talking on the phone.


    Before she walked up to him, she heard Keegan say, ¡°I''m free tomorrow night.¡±


    It was then that Ste''s ears perked up. Keegan happened to turn around and promptly moved aside


    upon seeing her.


    Ste was in disbelief. ¡®How dare he walk away to avoid me from hearing his conversation!¡¯


    With a stern face, she asked, "How much longer will you be on the phone? Are we leaving or not?"


    Keegan paused and spoke into the phone, "I''m outside, buying some things. Yeah, okay, see you


    tomorrow.¡±


    Ste no longer wanted to listen in on his conversation.


    Based on Keegan''s tone, she could guess who was on the other end of the line.


    Ste walked briskly when Keegan caught up and whispered, "Slow down. It''s crowded due to the


    holiday. Don''t bump into anyone.¡±


    Ste''s heart ached. Although his words were caring, they weren''t the same. The old Keegan would


    have held her hand and coaxed her. Perhaps it was the pregnancy hormones, but Ste couldn''t help


    feeling sad when she thought of how different Keegan was acting. Her once-loving partner had


    changed, and she wanted the old him back.


    Just thinking about it brought tears to her eyes.


    Initially, Keegan didn''t notice her crying, but while waiting for the elevator, he suddenly saw Ste''s


    shoulders quivering slightly. Her breathing was also heavier than before.


    He hesitated, and as Ste was about to enter the elevator, he abruptly let go of his things and held her


    hand.


    As Ste turned around to face Keegan, her tear-filled eyes immediately tugged at his heart.


    Keegan was suddenly at a loss. "Wh-Why are you crying?¡± he asked.


    Ste suppressed her heartache and said, "I''m not crying.¡± Tears streamed down her face despite her


    saying that.


    Keegan felt like his heart had shattered into pieces. There was a suffocating weight pressing down on


    him. He didn''t know what to say, his fingers trembling slightly.


    Ste wiped her eyes and said, ¡°Let''s go.¡± Keegan didn''t move. Instead, he reached out and embraced


    her.


    ¡°D-Don''t cry...¡± Heforted hoarsely.


    The wall Ste had put up crumbled instantly when she heard that.


    Her eyes welled with tears as she acknowledged what


    Keegan had been through and the possibility that she would never get him back.


    Keegan tried to console Ste by imitating Aldor''s way offorting Coco. He gently stroked her back


    and didn''t say anything.


    On the other side of the mall, Dahlia stared intently at the two, her expression gloomy.


    Beside her was ire Cahan, who cheerfullymented,


    "Oh, Dahlia, you mentioned that Keegan and Jaylene were getting along. Look, they''re hugging!¡±

 Chapter 1801

    Chapter 1801


    Chapter 1801


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°Oh my, young people these days are so bold and daring. I can¡¯t believe they¡¯re hugging in such a


    crowded public area. Wait- That doesn¡¯t look like Jaylene,¡± ire stated.


    ¡°S-Ste?¡± she uttered as the woman lifted her head.


    Didn¡¯t Dahlia say that Keegan and Ste have broken up? She told us that he and Jaylene were


    building a bond. What is going on???¡¯


    Since returning to Cordelia¡¯s residence, Dahlia had gradually be active in her previous social


    circle. Although she wasn¡¯t as warmly received as before due to her previous downfall, the affluent


    wives in Rivera couldn¡¯tpletely ignore her. After all, she was still the biological mother of the Kane


    family heir. The Kanes would notpletely abandon her due to her ties to the family.


    Indeed, shortly after Keegan¡¯s incident, Dahlia returned to the Kane family and regained her status.


    Dahlia had spread the news about Keegan wanting to annul his engagement with Ste. She also told


    people about how he was getting close to Jaylene and that they were going to get married. People


    were puzzled about why he would leave the Sauns¡¯ legitimate daughter for someone else, but they kept


    silent, thinking Dahlia would know the situation better.


    They were discussing when Keegan should propose to Jaylene when they saw Keegan intimately


    embracing his ex- wife in the bustling mall.


    ¡°Why does it seem like you have been misinformed, Dahlia? I heard Ste has moved back to


    Royalpark Vi,¡± Olivia chuckled and teased.


    She was not the only one who had heard the news.


    However, Dahlia had deliberately avoided the topic and kept praising Jaylene. So, thedies did not


    bring the matter up.


    Only ire was naive and trusting to believe Dahlia¡¯s words without question.


    ¡°She¡¯s shameless! Why would she insist on living with Keegan when he is about to annul their


    engagement?!¡± she eximed.


    Oliviaughed and said, ¡°ire, Mrs. Kane Sr. was the one who arranged for Ms. Hall to live with


    Keegan. Ms. Hall agreed out of duty to help Keegan recover his memory. As heiress of the Saun family,


    she has everything she needs. Why would she need totch onto another family? What could she


    possibly gain? Approval? Criticism?¡±


    These words hit a nerve for many of thedies present. Despite their morous appearance, only they


    knew what goes on behind closed doors.


    Even those who had once helped their husbands build sessful careers found themselves in a


    disadvantaged position once detached from the workce. Their economic status determined their


    family status. Living within their husbands¡¯ social circles meant being dependent on them.


    In case of any disputes, their husbands could argue that they¡¯re providing for their wives.


    Like the others, ire was among those affected, and thement left her uneasy.


    Dahlia nced at Olivia and calmly said, ¡°Your information is indeed urate. But as you said, she¡¯s


    there to help him with his memories, not to be in a rtionship with him.¡±


    ¡®They¡¯re literally hugging,¡¯ thought Olivia.


    She smirked, pretended to be shocked, and asked, ¡°Dahlia, haven¡¯t you seen Keegan¡¯s recent post on


    social media?¡±


    ¡°What post?¡±


    ¡°No wonder you don¡¯t know,¡± Olivia said, lowering her voice.¡± Keegan recently rified his rtionship


    with Jaylene. He stated that he considers her a sister-then, now, and forever.


    This revtion echoed in the ears of everyone present, eliciting various reactions. They were puzzled


    about Dahlia¡¯s thought process after knowing she had fabricated the rtionship between Jaylene and


    Keegan.

 Chapter 1802

    Chapter 1802


    Chapter 1802


    Dahlia¡¯s expression shifted as she swiftly pulled out her phone to see what Olivia was talking about.


    Keegan¡¯s social media appeared empty.


    Before Dahlia could grasp the situation, Olivia widened her eyes and said, ¡°That¡¯s odd. The post is here


    on my end. Did Keegan block you from his ount?¡±


    With that, the group of affluent wives had a different opinion of Dahlia. The reconciliation between


    mother and son seemed moreplex than Dahlia portrayed. The fact that Olivia could view Keegan¡¯s


    posts but not Dahlia raised suspicions.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Dahlia was embarrassed. Keegan rarely posted on social media, so she hadn¡¯t found it odd that she


    didn¡¯t see his posts. Now, she realized she might have been blocked.


    Thedies exchanged nces, silently acknowledging a newfound understanding.


    Clenching her fists, Dahlia remained silent and headed toward the exit. ire, somewhat slow to


    comprehend, thought about her husband¡¯s instructions and hurriedly followed, ¡°Dahlia, aren¡¯t we going


    for afternoon tea?¡±


    Olivia sighed softly as she observed ire and saw a reflection of her past self. However, ire was


    fortunate. Her husband, though not exceptionally bright, was a decent man. He did not mind bowing to


    wealthydies like Dahlia if it meant it would make their lives easier.


    ¡°Olivia, I heard your husband got promoted. Congrattions, ¡± said one of thedies in the group.


    The others followed suit. ¡°He truly owes his sess to you, Olivia. As they say, there¡¯s a woman


    behind every sessful man.¡±


    ¡°Your husband is a loyal and well-mannered man. He talks about you every time he us. A man who


    cares for his wife is destined for a smooth career,¡± another added.


    ¡°His promotion must be bringing in good fortune. You¡¯re glowing, Olivia. You even look younger than


    me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because her spirits are high in times of joy.¡±


    The tteringments echoed, and Olivia responded with a faint smile. Ste¡¯s words rang true; this


    circle was exceptionally hypocritical. They circled around whoever had higher wealth and status.


    Once, Olivia had envisioned how she would rise to prominence in this circle after her husband¡¯s


    sess. However, now that she was in that position, she felt surprisingly calm.


    She had the power to elevate her foolish husband, but she also had the means to bring him down. She


    would ultimately rely on her abilities to establish herself in this social circle.


    Thedies imed Ste was lucky to be born into the Saun family. However, they didn¡¯t realize she


    had put in a lot of work to build up The Velvet in a short time.


    ¡®If anything, Jaylene is the lucky one. She got to enjoy all the privileges of being the Sauns¡¯ daughter


    despite having no blood rtion to Wenham,¡¯ thought Olivia.


    Jaylene excelled in arts and culture but fell short in practical matters.


    On the other hand, Ste had learned valuable lessons during her twenty-five years with the Jewell


    family. She understood the importance of practical sess, so she ventured into untapped markets,


    expanding beyond the luxuries Jaylene was ustomed to.

 Chapter 1803

    Chapter 1803


    Ste¡¯s expansion into the lower-tier market had been sessful. Many jewelers from out of town now


    flocked to Rivera for supplies.


    Ste would arrange business discussions at Olivia¡¯s property, attracting several influencers with millions


    of followers. Some of them even documented their stays at the hotel.


    Olivia was adept at running a business and did not mind investing some money.


    She renovated the hotel and introduced several convenient services. With influencers endorsing the


    ce and Olivia¡¯s effective management, Regal Banquets increased its reputation in Rivera.


    ¡®Ste had done me a significant favor,¡¯ Olivia thought.


    She gracefully acknowledged thepliments andmented, ¡°Ste and Keegan share a deep bond.


    They won¡¯t break up that easily, even if he can¡¯t recall it right now. We, as outsiders, should watch as


    things unfold and avoid picking sides. Standing on the wrong side could very well bring trouble to us in


    the future.¡±


    The group of wealthydies resonated with Olivia¡¯s words. Ste possessed several businesses and


    shares.


    Regardless of her current rtionship with Keegan, her status remained intact.


    It would be a costly mistake to offend her because of Dahlia.


    ¡°Olivia, aren¡¯t you good friends with Dahlia?¡± Someone asked.


    ¡°I am. I¡¯m just kindly reminding everyone to be cautious. Whether you listen or not is up to you,¡± Olivia


    replied.


    With that, she turned and left. Thedies exchanged nces but refrained from further discussion.


    Meanwhile, Ste was crying uncontrobly. This left Keegan bewildered. He had never seen someone


    shed so many tears.


    Being inexperienced inforting people, Keegan struggled to console her. He vaguely understood why


    Ste was crying. He felt a warm, unknown sensation in his chest and had no idea how to express it.


    Such emotions were alien in his current memory.


    Keegan curled his fingers and said softly, ¡°Stop crying. A wet mask is a breeding ground for bacteria. You


    might get sick.¡±


    Ste abruptly stopped crying and began tough. It took a while before she murmured, ¡°Fool.¡±


    Realizing Keegan hadn¡¯tpletely changed, she wiped her tears and thought of how he had exined


    high-voltage electricity during a thunderstorm. He also educated her about thew when they were


    releasing skynterns and prepared a fire extinguisher when he confessed his love to her.


    ¡°Come on. What else do you want to buy? Let¡¯s continue shopping,¡± Keegan held her hand and said.


    Ste paused, her eyes red. ¡°I don¡¯t want to shop anymore. How am I supposed to shop when you can¡¯t


    even carry any more bags?¡±


    Keegan chuckled and said, ¡°You¡¯re such a child.¡±


    He loaded the purchases into the car and prepared to continue shopping with her. However, Ste was


    too tired to go on. In the end, they opted to go home.


    Cordelia was concerned that Maria might struggle with doing everything alone.


    So, she assigned someone named Lorraine to primarily attend to Ste¡¯s dietary needs.


    Although Cordelia didn¡¯t explicitly say anything, Ste deduced that Lorraine likely majored in nutrition


    based on the meals she prepared. The meals were not only healthy but also tailored to her taste.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Meanwhile, Maria wasn¡¯t pleased with the help. She assumed that the Kane family was considering


    letting her go. She remained gloomy for several days and bossed Lorraine around. Lorraine had a good


    temper andplied with her instructions.


    After finishing dinner, Keegan went to the study. Shortly after, there was a knock on the door.


    Ste entered, holding a ss of milk, saying she wanted to discuss something with him.


    Keegan assumed she wanted to talk about their past. He knew Ste had always wanted him to


    remember.


    Unexpectedly, Ste wanted to discuss Maria and Lorraine.


    Keegan was somewhat surprised.


    ¡°Equal pay means equal responsibilities. Maria shouldn¡¯t be bullying Lorraine.


    You need to address this, Keegan. Since they are both under your family¡¯s employment, I feel it¡¯s best for


    you to handle the situation.¡±


    ¡°So you came in here just to tell me this?¡±


    Confused, Ste replied, ¡°Yeah. Why else would Ie in here?¡±


    ¡®Aren¡¯t we supposed to be working our rtionship?¡¯ thought Keegan.

 Chapter 1804

    Chapter 1804


    Keegan paused for a moment before muttering, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to them.¡±


    As he reached for the cup of milk, Ste swiftly picked it up and downed its contents before he could


    touch it.


    Her action puzzled Keegan.


    After finishing, Ste looked at him and said, ¡°Lorraine prepared this for me. Do you want some?¡±


    Keegan stared at her without saying a word.


    Ste smirked and said, Beg me, and I¡¯ll pour some for you.¡±


    Keegan withdrew his gaze and stated, ¡°You can leave if you¡¯re done talking.


    Don¡¯t disturb my work.¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Ste pouted, took the cup, and walked out of the room.


    Not long after she left, Maria and Lorraine entered Keegan¡¯s study, respectively.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Maria¡¯s eyes were red when she emerged.


    Ste assumed Keegan must have spoken harshly due to his memory loss. She wanted to go in and talk


    to him about it but opted not to. She realized she did not know what he had told Maria, and meddling with


    how he does things might only make things worse.


    After Lorraine came out, Ste asked her to prepare a cup of milk for Keegan and went upstairs to tend


    to her flowers.


    Keegan stared at the milk before him, took out his phone, and sent a picture to Vermont out of habit.


    Vermont quickly responded with a question mark.


    Keegan was perplexed. He didn¡¯t even know why he was sending it to Vermont, and by the time he


    realized, he had already clicked the send button.


    His fingers paused on the screen before typing, [This brand of milk tastes good.] Vermont¡¯s eye twitched.


    [Am I supposed to tell which brand it is when it¡¯s in a ss?] [Did Ste heat it for you?] Keegan


    wondered how Vermont knew that.


    Vermont then called him andined, ¡°Why are you showing off a ss of milk? I put up with you


    before. Why are you still tormenting me when you¡¯ve lost your memories? Why do you love boasting so


    much? Do you think you¡¯re the only one with a loving partner? I¡­¡±


    Before Vermont could finish, Keegan hung up the phone.


    He sat for a while before turning on hisputer to finish some work. While he was sending an email,


    his browser automatically logged into Facebook.


    He initially intended to exit the website but was suddenly scrolling through the tform.


    It waste when Keegan came out of the study.


    The house was quiet. The housekeepers had gone to rest, and the lights on the terrace of the second


    floor were on.


    Ste was staying on that floor.


    As Keegan walked upstairs, he noticed the teacups they bought today neatly arranged in the corridor.


    Each of them contained some soil and a small sulent. Unexpectedly, they looked pretty.


    Suddenly, a loud noise came from the terrace as Keegan admired the nts. He hurriedly rushed up and


    saw Ste squatting next to a flowerpot. She held a cup in one hand and an electric drill in the other.


    ¡°Stop breaking, guys. I bought each of you for around four dors. I¡¯d be losing money if you guys keep


    breaking. I might as well buy flowerpots. Please stop breaking¡­¡± She mumbled to herself.


    Then, she used the electric drill to make a hole in the bottom of the cup. There was a loud ng as the


    bottom of the cup fell off.

 Chapter 1805

    Chapter 1805


    Chapter 1805


    Ste¡¯s expression immediately changed. ¡°You useless thing! My average cost has been raised to six


    dors now! How can I show off my thriftiness to Keegan?¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    He cleared his throat softly, and Ste stopped, quickly hiding the cup behind her back.


    Keegan looked at the broken pieces on the floor and suggested, ¡°Why not just sit on the floor? I can


    still see them. It


    Ste froze.


    She angrily brought her hand from behind her back, ring at Keegan. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I hear youing


    up? Are you trying to scare me?¡±


    Keegan nced at the door, which had finally stopped swinging after he had pushed it, and remarked,


    ¡°My bad, next time I¡¯ll just tear the door down.¡±


    Hisment left Stepletely speechless. She cursed in her mind, ¡®What an asshole!¡¯


    Ignoring him, Ste grabbed another cup, determined to give it another try.


    Keegan approached and crouched down. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? I¡¯m drilling the cup.¡±


    Ste marked the bottom of the cup with a pen and turned on the electric drill again.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to break,¡± Keegan warned.


    Ste clenched her teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t jinx it, okay?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    With determination, she drilled toward the marked spot again. As expected, it broke once more.


    ¡°See, I told you it¡¯d break,¡± Keegan remarked.


    Ste¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault!¡±


    Keegan appeared to smile, but the dim lighting made it hard for Ste to discern his expression.


    Instead, she heard Keegan exin, ¡°You¡¯re using the wrong drill bit and the wrong drilling mode.


    ¡°The cold weather is making the ceramic brittle. If you keep going like this, you¡¯ll probably break


    seventy percent of the cups here.¡±


    Upon hearing Keegan¡¯s advice, Ste didn¡¯t dare to continue drilling.


    ¡°I followed the tutorials. It works fine in the videos.¡±


    Looking at the floor covered in ceramic pieces, Keegan asked, ¡°Even after all these failed attempts, do


    you still trust that tutorial?¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    Keegan grabbed a drill bit from the toolbox nearby, took the electric drill from Ste, and swapped


    Then, he soaked the cup in water for a while before drilling it at the marked spot.


    Ste held her breath, fearing the same oue, but Keegan managed to drill a round, smooth hole


    without any visible cracks.


    Initially impressed, Ste met Keegan¡¯s teasing gaze and quickly looked away, clearing her throat. ¡°You


    got lucky. I¡¯ll be impressed if you can drill the rest without any mishaps.¡±


    For some reason, Keegan chuckled. Ste thought that Keegan would not help her with drilling the


    remaining cups. However, much to her surprise, Keegan proceeded to take a new cup and expertly


    drilled holes in each one, one after the other, without uttering a word.


    Each hole was drilled perfectly, much better than what she had done.


    Ste pursed her lips and said, ¡°I¡¯m impressed. Good job.¡±


    Keegan kept quiet as he thought to himself. ¡®Does she think I don¡¯t realize she¡¯s trying to provoke me?¡¯


    ¡°Did you buy these cups just for nting flowers?¡±


    ¡°Duh,¡± Ste added soil into the cups as she spoke, ¡°They¡¯re not for your use. How could a powerful


    CEO like yourself use such cheap cups?¡±


    She kept muttering, ¡°You¡¯ve been harping on about those ten- dor forks for two years.¡±


    Keegan was at loss for words.


    The weather was chilly, and Keegan noticed Ste¡¯s finger had turned red. He gently brushed them and


    offered, ¡°Show me how, I¡¯ll take care of it for you.¡±


    Somewhat surprised, Ste agreed to his offer.


    Ste showed Keegan how to nt the flowers. Surprisingly, despite his skill in drilling holes, Keegan


    proved to be clumsy while nting. He almost knocked off all the leaves before finally managing to


    nt the flower in the cup.


    Ste observed the remaining three leaves, her lips trembling, and asked, ¡°Does this look okay?¡±

 Chapter 1806

    Chapter 1806


    Chapter 1806


    Keegan stared at the leaves for a while before saying, ¡°It¡¯s not symmetrical.¡±


    Then, with a gentle flick of his finger, he made one leaf fall off. Satisfied, he remarked, ¡°There, that


    looks better.¡±


    Tm going to kill him!¡¯ Ste seethed inwardly.


    She gritted her teeth and swiftly reimed her cherished nt. ¡°You¡¯re such a troublemaker!¡± she


    snapped.


    Keegan grabbed her hand. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Maria can help you out tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Maria doesn¡¯t really know how. She just waters them, but some flowers don¡¯t need much water. I


    haven¡¯t been here for a while, and many of my flowers died. I cant just leave them alone.¡±


    Gently cradling the potted sulent, she turned to Keegan with a smile. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s beautiful?¡±


    Keegan found himself ensnared in her sparkling eyes.


    Ste did not have any makeup on, revealing smooth skin, and her disheveled hair cascaded gently


    around her ears.


    In the breeze, her hair danced, and her longshes fluttered slightly. Keegan couldn¡¯t help but feel his


    heart race at the sight.


    Feeling flustered, he awkwardly averted his gaze. ¡°Yeah,¡± he mumbled.


    ¡°Once its roots are in ce, you can ce it in your office desk. When you¡¯re mad, just look at it and


    see your angry face,¡± Ste teased with a smile. ¡°It looks so much like you.¡±


    Only then did Keegan realize that the nt in the cup was a gourd, the same one from nts vs.


    Zombies.


    His face immediately darkened.


    Just as he was about to leave, Ste stood up. Suddenly, her vision went ck, and she stumbled.


    Startled, Keegan swiftly grabbed her arm. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked.


    Ste stood still for a moment, regaining herposure. ¡°I probably stayed crouched for too long, and


    my vision went nk when I stood up suddenly,¡± she exined softly.


    With a tense expression, Keegan took the cup from her hand and led her back into the house. ¡°Forget


    about your nts. You should go to sleep.¡±


    Ste hesitated and questioned, ¡°Are you concerned about me?¡±


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Keegan tightened his lips, taking a moment before replying,¡± You¡¯re pregnant.¡±


    ¡°What if I¡¯m not?¡± Ste looked directly into his eyes, catching every nuance. ¡°Would you still be


    worried?¡± she asked softly.


    Keegan avoided showing his emotions, lowering his gaze.


    Ignoring her question, he urged, ¡°Let¡¯s head inside before you catch a cold.¡±


    A fleeting hint of disappointment crossed Ste¡¯s eyes, though she swiftlyposed herself.


    At least he¡¯s showing some concern now. It¡¯s progress,¡¯ she reflected silently.


    ***


    In Cordelia¡¯s mansion, Corrin was carrying a ss of cogen drink while heading upstairs when she


    collided with Aurora.


    ¡°Corrin, it¡¯s sote. Why aren¡¯t you in bed yet?¡± Aurora, who had been raised by Corrin during her


    younger years, had a good rtionship with her.


    Corrin responded gently, ¡°I¡¯ll turn in after I take this cogen drink to Mrs. Kane. What about you? Why


    are you still awake? If


    Aurora frowned. Keegan had sold the ce where Dahlia used to live. Even though she had returned


    to the Kane family, she had no ce to stay and was now residing in Cordelia¡¯s home.


    ¡®Grandma is making it obvious she doesn¡¯t want Mom here. How could Mom ask Corrin to make a


    cogen drink in the middle of the night? Isn¡¯t she worried Grandma will kick her out?¡¯


    Aurora said, ¡°Corrin, give it to me. I happen to be going to get something from my mom. I¡¯ll help you


    with it. You should get some rest now.¡±


    Corrin said gently, ¡°Thank you, Aurora. There are still some of this downstairs. I¡¯ll fetch you another


    ss if you feel like drinking.


    Aurora waved her hand. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can go to bed now.¡±


    Then, she took the ss from Corrin and went to Dahlia¡¯s room.


    Aurora knocked on the door. There was no response, but she could faintly hear someone speaking


    from inside.


    She twisted the doorknob.


    ¡°Are you sure that Ste is pregnant?¡±

 Chapter 1807

    Chapter 1807


    Chapter 1807


    As soon as Aurora entered the room, she overheard Dahlia speaking in a hushed tone, looking nervous


    as she held her phone, engaged in a conversation.


    What Dahlia had said left Aurora deeply shocked.


    ¡°Are you saying Cordelia knows about it too? No wonder she immediately agreed with Ste staying in


    the Royalpark Vi!


    ¡°Calm down? How can I calm down? It¡¯s easy for you to say! If Keegan remembers what happened, I¡¯ll


    be the first person he kicks out of this house!


    ¡°She¡¯s been taking that medicine for so long, why can she still get pregnant?


    ¡°Absolutely not!


    ¡°We can¡¯t let the baby stay. Keegan would never allow her to live in the Royalpark Vi without the


    baby. I¡¯ll have nothing to worry about as long as he can¡¯t remember what happened.


    Aurora¡¯s face turned pale. She tightly gripped the ss to prevent her hands from trembling.


    However, the sound of the door closing caught Dahlia¡¯s attention, causing her to abruptly end the call.


    Upon seeing Aurora, she breathed a sigh of relief.


    Collecting herself, Aurora spoke softly, ¡°I knocked for a while but didn¡¯t hear a response, so I came in.


    Mom, Corrin


    made you some cogen drink.¡±


    ¡°Why are you bringing it? Let the maids handle it. I didn¡¯t raise you to be a servant,¡± Dahlia remarked,


    echoing simr sentiments she had shared before. This time, though, Aurora felt differently about it.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡®Grandma once said nobody is born to serve. It¡¯s just a job, and one should never feel superior. Life can


    take


    unexpected turns. When the tables are turned, consider how others might treat you,¡¯ Aurora reflected


    silently.


    Aurora lowered her gaze. ¡°I need to talk to you about something, so I brought it over.¡±


    Dahlia did not take it. Instead, she checked outside the door, ensured no one was nearby, and closed it


    again.


    ¡°Put it on the table.¡±


    Dahlia motioned for Aurora to approach. As Aurora drew nearer, Dahlia asked, ¡°What did you want to


    talk to me about?¡±


    It dawned on Aurora why she hade. ¡°I don¡¯t want to meet Mrs. Wood¡¯s son. Can you decline on my


    behalf?¡±


    Dahlia paused, a frown appearing on her face. ¡°Why? You¡¯re not still thinking about Marshall, are you?


    ¡°Mrs. Wood¡¯s son is pursuing a Ph.D., he¡¯s exceptional in every aspect. Their family¡¯spany is going


    public soon.


    ¡°Many socialites are vying for his attention, but he¡¯s only interested in you. What¡¯s not to like about


    him?¡±


    Aurora clenched her fingers and bit her lip, remaining silent.


    ¡°Say something! Keegan is already giving me enough trouble, and now you¡¯re acting like this. Her son


    has good manners, a strong family background, and is even more knowledgeable than you.


    Moreover¡­¡± Dahlia paused before continuing, ¡°Don¡¯t be so selective. Consider what you bring to the


    table when choosing your partner.¡±


    Aurora¡¯s expression immediately turned somber.


    Sensing she might have been too harsh, Dahlia attempted to reassure Aurora, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that.


    I wouldn¡¯t consider him if he weren¡¯t a good match. But Mrs. Wood¡¯s son is genuinely an exceptional


    man. I¡¯ve met him a few times, and he¡¯s always so well-mannered. He asks about you often. He


    genuinely admires you.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to marry young either. But Keegan left most of his wealth to Ste. Can¡¯t you see


    what¡¯s happening? He doesn¡¯t care about us at all. I¡¯m just trying to find you a good husband so that


    you¡¯ll have someone to support you in the future.¡±

 Chapter 1808

    Chapter 1808


    Chapter 1808


    ¡°Okay,¡± Aurora murmured, lowering her head.


    Dahlia gestured dismissively. ¡°You should go back and get some sleep.¡±


    However, Aurora remained rooted to the spot. Instead, she asked Dahlia, ¡°Mom, is Ste pregnant?¡±


    The look on Dahlia¡¯s face changed as she spoke in a serious tone, ¡°What did you hear?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t catch everything. I just heard you mention her being pregnant,¡± Aurora inquired softly. ¡°Is it


    true?¡±


    Dahlia had raised Aurora from infancy, and Keegan had once locked her up for a few days because of


    Ste. Considering the deep-seated conflict between them, Dahlia seemed to believe there was


    nothing she couldn¡¯t share with Aurora.


    ¡°Your brother was previously nning a divorce,¡± Dahlia disclosed, ¡°but suddenly brought her back to


    the Royalpark Vi, iming he needed her assistance.


    ¡°Even Cordelia hired a nutritionist to take care of them. I suspected something was amiss and had your


    uncle investigate.


    ¡°Turns out, your brother lied about why he wanted her to stay. The truth is, she¡¯s pregnant!¡±


    Aurora lowered her gaze and asked, ¡°Keegan¡¯s going to be a father soon. Isn¡¯t that a good thing?


    Weren¡¯t you always hoping for Ste to get pregnant?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s good about that?¡± Dahlia looked annoyed. Seeing the confused expression on Aurora¡¯s face,


    she suddenly realized that Aurora was unaware of her drugging Ste. It was information known to only


    a few.


    Dahliaposed herself and spoke softly, ¡°He disowned me because of her. Do you understand how


    much Ste despises us? If she has his child, do you think there¡¯ll be any ce for us in this family?¡±


    Aurora pursed her lips and said, ¡°Mom, we¡¯re Keegan¡¯s family. He won¡¯t let Ste do whatever she


    wants.¡±


    Dahlia asserted vehemently, ¡°How naive of you! Don¡¯t you remember how he had you locked up


    because of Ste?


    ¡°He was so afraid that something might happen to him that he made a will in advance, giving most of


    his wealth to Ste. When has he ever cared about us?


    ¡°If her child is born, and he gains full control of Vinci Rivera after Cordelia passes away, Ste will


    make our lives miserable.


    ¡°I can¡¯t let the baby be born!¡±


    Aurora clenched her fists tighter, seemingly recalling her past ordeal when she was imprisoned,


    causing her face to pale.


    After a pause, she asked, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s your n?¡±


    With a stern face, Dahlia said, ¡°The maid from Royalpark


    Vi has beenining to me these days, saying that Ste will only listen to everything that the


    nutritionist says. I think we can use this person.¡±


    ¡°Outsiders can¡¯t be trusted,¡± Aurora said with a cold expression, ¡°Mom, let me do it. Ste caused my


    imprisonment. I want to personally take revenge on her and make her feel the pain.¡±


    Dahlia was taken aback. ¡°You? No way. What if Keegan finds


    Mom, do you think he won¡¯t find out if you made the maid do it?¡± Aurora interrupted, her tone firm. ¡°No


    matter who carries it out, he could still uncover the truth eventually.


    But if Ste were to lose her baby right under his nose, do you think she could ever forgive him? Even


    if he discovers I did it, what could he do?


    ¡°I¡¯m his sister, and for the sake of our family¡¯s reputation, he wouldn¡¯t dare to take action against me. I


    have to seek revenge for myself!¡±


    Aurora spoke with bitterness, her gaze turning icy. Her fingers trembled, revealing the deep-seated


    hatred she held.


    Dahlia harbored mistrust toward the maid as well.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Considering the gravity of the situation involving a human life, even a slight mistake could result in a


    tragedy.


    Having Aurora take charge was, in a way, more secure than relying on an outsider.


    Moreover, as Aurora pointed out, she was a part of the Kane family, and for the family¡¯s honor, Keegan


    and Cordelia would likely avoid drastic measures.


    Just like in the past when evidence linked Jackson to Keegan¡¯s abduction, everything had been


    brushed aside in the end, and Jackson was even released on bail.

 Chapter 1809

    Chapter 1809


    Chapter 1809


    After all, in high-society families, the collective interest of every member always came first.


    As Dahlia thought about that, her expression rxed.¡± Alright then. Find a reason to move into the


    Royalpark Vi and seek the right moment. Also¡­¡±


    Dahlia lowered her voice as she continued, ¡°Keep a close eye on Keegan and Ste. See if he really


    treats her coldly as rumored.¡±


    ¡°I got it,¡± Aurora affirmed.


    Dahlia picked up the ss of cogen drink from the table and handed it to Aurora, instructing, ¡°Drink


    it.


    ¡°Staying there longer will make Ste drop her guard. It¡¯s crucial that no one suspects your


    involvement.¡±


    Aurora took a sip of the cogen drink and asked, ¡°Mom, is it true that Jackson is unrted to


    Keegan¡¯s case?¡±


    Dahlia paused momentarily before saying with a cold expression, ¡°Would the police release him if he


    were involved? Ste is the sole reason Keegan was kidnapped. If she hadn¡¯t interfered with Marshall,


    the kidnappers wouldn¡¯t have mistaken Keegan for him. Ste is a troublemaker, and nothing good has


    come to Keegan since being with her.¡±


    Switching her tone, Dahlia continued, ¡°Chandler would never let Jackson off if he were involved. He


    cares for you the


    most. You know how he treats us.¡±


    Aurora did not ask any more questions and slowly finished the rest of the cogen drink.


    The next morning, Keegan went to the office. Ste received a call from Trevor, asking about how she


    had been.


    ¡°I¡¯m good. Keegan can¡¯t bully me at all. I¡¯m the one bullying him.¡± Steughed and told Trevor about


    what had happened in the past two days.


    Trevor patiently listened to Ste¡¯s chatter, sensing her contentment living with Keegan, which put him


    at ease.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°By the way, about the person you wanted me to look into, my friend is currently assisting me with the


    investigation. Once I¡¯m back, we should have some information about them.¡±Books Chapters Are Daily


    Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ste acknowledged before inquiring, ¡°Trevor, the person you nned to meet¡­ Have you met


    her yet?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s upied today and scheduled to see me tomorrow afternoon. Let¡¯s wait another day. It¡¯ll give us


    more time to prepare everything you need, and we can address everything at once.¡±


    Ste chuckled softly. ¡°Trevor, it doesn¡¯t matter if everything isn¡¯t perfectly prepared. Let¡¯s focus on


    what¡¯s more important. Remember to inform me when you return. I¡¯lle to pick you up.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    As Ste spoke, she heard some nging sound downstairs. Then, she hung up the phone and went


    to check it out.


    When she went downstairs, she saw Aurora standing in the living room, directing a few people to move


    things into the house.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Ste¡¯s voice startled Aurora, who turned to face her with a cold gaze. ¡°Are you blind?¡±


    Then, addressing the maid, she asked, ¡°Maria, which room upstairs is vacant?¡±


    Maria was confused. ¡°Mr. Kane did not say that you¡¯reing over to stay. There aren¡¯t any avable


    beds upstairs. IV


    ¡°Is there no bed, or is someone intentionally preventing me from staying here?¡± Aurora swept her gaze


    across Ste as she spoke.


    Ste furrowed her brow and questioned, ¡°Who gave you permission to stay here?¡±


    Auroraughed upon hearing that. ¡°Ste Hall, this is my brother¡¯s house. I can stay here whenever I


    want, for as long as I want. You¡¯re not my sister-inw. Who are you to stop me?¡±


    She then shifted her gaze away and went upstairs to look for a room.


    Of course, Maria did not lie to her. Except for the master bedroom, the rooms other than the one where


    Ste lived did not have beds.


    Aurora systematically opened each door until she reached the guest room where Ste stayed. With a


    chuckle, she remarked, ¡°I knew there would be a bed here.¡±


    Then, addressing the individuals handling the suitcases, she instructed, ¡°Bring my belongings inside.¡±


    Maria promptly intervened, saying, ¡°Ms. Kane, this is Ms. Hall¡¯s room.¡±

 Chapter 1810

    Chapter 1810


    Chapter 1810


    Aurora halted for a moment, then asserted, ¡°Maria, are you thinking straight? Every room in this house


    belongs to my brother. Who is she to have a room here?¡±


    She pointed at the room as she spoke, ¡°Throw her things out now.¡±


    ¡°Where will Ms. Hall stay if you stay here?¡±


    Aurora started to get impatient. ¡°What do I care? That¡¯s none of my business!¡±


    Maria looked at her before shifting her gaze to Ste. ¡°Ms. Hall¡­ I¡­¡±


    Ste was surprisingly calm as she said tly, ¡°Maria, help me pack my things up. I¡¯ll go out to make a


    call.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Maria responded. Then, Ste went outside with her phone to call Keegan.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Keegan was en route to the meeting room when he noticed Ste¡¯s call. He paused and informed


    Aldor, ¡°You head in first. I need to take this call.¡±


    Aldor acknowledged and proceeded ahead.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated


    For All Books Updates¡­


    Stepping aside to a quieter area, Keegan answered the call. Ste¡¯s voice emerged from the other end,


    ¡°Keegan, did you invite Aurora to stay in your house?¡±


    Keegan furrowed his brow. ¡°Is Aurora at the house now?¡± Ste sounded surprised. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t inform me. Why is she there?¡±


    Ste¡¯s tone hardened. ¡°How would I know? She took my room. Where am I supposed to stay now?¡±


    Keegan checked the time and replied, ¡°For now, stay in any room that¡¯s avable. I¡¯m about to start a


    meeting. We¡¯ll discuss itter.¡±


    ¡°Any room?¡± Ste asked calmly, ¡°Any room will do, right?¡±


    Aware that the meeting was imminent, Keegan agreed without much consideration, ¡°Yes, any room.


    We¡¯ll talk about this after the meeting.¡±


    ¡°Okay then,¡± Ste said.


    Ending the call, she instructed the maid, ¡°Move my belongings to the master bedroom.¡±


    The maid looked surprised. ¡°Did Mr. Kane approve of this?¡±


    ¡°You can call him to confirm.¡±


    The maid shut up and quickly helped Ste with her belongings.


    Aurora stood at the door with her arms crossed, looking at Ste coldly. When Ste looked over, she


    mmed the door shut with a loud bang.


    Ste looked away and wondered why Aurorae to stay there. ¡®Grandma hasn¡¯t told me about this


    at all. Could it be Dahlia¡¯s idea?


    ¡®What is she trying to do?¡¯ Ste was puzzled but became even more guarded against Aurora.


    Their history was marred by conflict; Aurora had even faced legal consequences for a previous incident


    involving scalding water thrown at Ste.


    Despite Aurora being aware of Ste¡¯s residence at the Royalpark Vi, her move to the house raised


    suspicions. Ste suspected Aurora had ulterior motives, likely connected to Dahlia¡¯s involvement.


    Throughout the entire day, Ste remained vignt, anticipating Aurora¡¯s next move. However, to her


    surprise, Aurora didn¡¯t make any overt attempts. She emerged only for meals when summoned by the


    maid, exchanged a few cutting remarks with Ste, then retreated to her room for the rest of the


    afternoon.


    Ste remained baffled by Aurora¡¯sck of further action, considering if she was merely biding her time


    for the right moment.


    This pattern persisted until evening, when Keegan arrived home.


    Upon entering, he spotted Ste seated on the couch, peeling an apple, while the TV aired thetest


    popr drama featuring Leighton.


    At the other end of the couch, Aurora sat, seemingly impassive, also engrossed in the TV. The


    ambiance seemed tranquil, yet an odd tension lingered in the air.

 Chapter 1811

    Chapter 1811


    Chapter 1811


    As Ste and Aurora heard the door open, both turned their heads toward the entrance.


    ¡°Hi, Keegan,¡± Aurora greeted.


    Ste couldn¡¯t help but notice a hint of relief in Aurora¡¯s tone.


    ¡®What¡¯s she so tense about? Is she worried I might confront her without Keegan around?*


    Keegan hung up his coat and asked, ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    ¡°Grandma said Ste came here to aid in your memory recovery. Why didn¡¯t you inform me? We¡¯ve


    grown up together, and shouldn¡¯t I be spending more time with you? That way, you might recover


    faster. That¡¯s why I came here,¡± Aurora exined.


    Keegan furrowed his brows. ¡°Did Grandma request you toe?¡±


    Aurora pouted. ¡°No, I came on my own.¡±


    ¡°Go back. There¡¯s nothing for you to do here,¡± Keegan insisted.


    Aurora grew upset. ¡°If Ste can be here, why can¡¯t I? I don¡¯t care; I¡¯m not leaving. I want to help you.¡±


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan countered, ¡°What can you help me with? This is not-


    ¡°Not what?¡± Aurora interjected.


    Keegan paused momentarily before continuing, ¡°This is not as straightforward as you think it is. Stop


    interfering.¡±


    ¡°How am I interfering? You¡¯d rather have an unrted outsider here than let your own sister help you?¡±


    Aurora retorted.


    Keegan furrowed his brow, about to voice his thoughts when Ste, who had been quiet until then,


    unexpectedly intervened, ¡°Just let her stay if she wants to. Maybe she can help speed up your


    recovery. Once you¡¯re better, I¡¯ll get to leave sooner too.¡±


    Keegan was surprised by Ste¡¯s response. ¡®She¡¯s ying a role here, isn¡¯t she? She¡¯s not here to


    assist me with my memory recovery,¡¯ Keegan thought to himself.


    However, Keegan was resolute. ¡°No, leave. Stop causing trouble here.¡±


    Aurora clenched her teeth. ¡°Keegan! You¡¯d never turn me away. What¡¯s going on? Is there something


    you¡¯re hiding from me?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression grew stern. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I said no! Leave now!¡±Books


    Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Aurora¡¯s face contorted with displeasure. She threw the remote control onto the floor, creating a loud


    noise before storming upstairs, visibly angry.


    Ste was puzzled.


    ¡®Has she gone crazy?¡¯


    Even though Keegan spoiled Aurora, she was still somewhat afraid of Keegan getting angry. Whenever


    there was no one to support her when Keegan got upset, she would immediately step back or


    withdraw.


    That was Ste¡¯s first time seeing Aurora standing up against Keegan like that.


    Before Ste could figure out what Aurora was trying to do, she heard the maid yelling, ¡°Ms. Kane!


    What are you doing? Come down now! It¡¯s dangerous!¡±


    Ste stopped in her tracks. She turned and spotted Aurora flipping over the railing on the second floor.


    Aurora gripped the railing with both hands behind her back, looking down at the high living room below.


    Keegan¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Aurora Kane! What in the world are you doing? Are you crazy? Step


    away from there!¡±


    He hurried upstairs while speaking. But Aurora released one hand and yelled, ¡°Don¡¯te closer! I¡¯ll


    jump if you do!¡±


    Keegan halted and gazed at her. ¡°What do you want?¡± he asked tightly, his jaw tense.


    Aurora said, ¡°I want to stay here. Keegan, I just want you to get better. Why can Ste stay, but I


    can¡¯t?¡±


    Her voice shook, probably because she was frightened standing on the edge of the railing.


    Ste had heard Keegan mention that Aurora was scared of heights. Even being on a skywalk could


    make her legs feel weak. ¡®Is she going this far just to make Keegan let her stay?


    Isn¡¯t she scared?¡¯


    Keegan clenched his fists and spoke with a grim expression, ¡°Come down first, then we¡¯ll talk.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯te down unless you let me stay!¡± Aurora¡¯s eyes welled up. ¡°Keegan, are you still ming me


    for what happened to Dad?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s lips quivered slightly as he softly replied, ¡°No.¡±

 Chapter 1812

    Chapter 1812


    Chapter 1812


    ¡°Let me stay and help you. I wont cause you any trouble,¡± Aurora said.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Keegan looked at her with his deep gaze. After a long pause, he said, ¡°I promise you. Can youe


    down now?¡±


    With shaking legs, Aurora sat on the railing. Keegan got worried again. ¡°I¡¯ve already promised you.


    What else do you want?¡±


    Aurora¡¯s face turned pale as she said in a hoarse voice, ¡°I can¡¯t climb back in¡­¡±


    Keegan and Ste were both left speechless.


    After getting Aurora down, Keegan scolded her for a long time.


    Ste stood on the side, silently observing everything.


    She figured that if Keegan had been stricter with Aurora when she was younger, maybe she wouldn¡¯t


    have acted this way.


    In the end, Aurora still stayed there.


    After she went back to her room, Keegan exined to Ste, ¡°It¡¯s toote today. I¡¯ll have someone


    send her back tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. She¡¯s just worried about you. Let her stay here if she wants.¡±


    Ste was unexpectedly understanding.


    Keegan was also a little confused because Aldor had told him that the rtionship between Ste and


    Aurora was not good.


    Ste, on the other hand, saw Aurora¡¯s stay as a chance to be nearer to Keegan and to uncover why


    Aurora was insistent on staying.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books


    Updates¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel bothered?¡± Keegan asked.


    ¡°Why should I?¡± Ste smiled, trying to be as understanding as possible. ¡°She¡¯s your sister. I wouldn¡¯t


    want to ¡®damage¡¯ the bond between you and her.¡±


    Keegan thought to himself, ¡®Well¡­ why does this sound so sarcastic?¡¯


    ¡°We¡¯ll let her stay here for a while then. If you don¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll tell her to leave,¡± Keegan said.


    Ste nced at him. ¡°Can I kick her out just because I don¡¯t like it?¡±


    ¡°The doctor said that it¡¯s important for a pregnant woman to have a good mood,¡± Keegan said.


    Ste shut her eyes. ¡°Just shut up.¡±


    Her response left Keegan utterly speechless.


    Keegan worked in the study until ten o¡¯clock before returning to his room.


    As he approached the door, he noticed the light was still on inside. He assumed it was because the


    maid might have forgotten to turn it off while tidying up.


    Upon opening the door, he found Ste lying on the bed, ying games.


    He paused abruptly and swiftly backed out of the room. He nced at the door and the floor he was


    on, thinking, ¡®This is my room.¡¯


    Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open again and asked, ¡°What are you doing in my room?¡±


    Before Ste could respond, Keegan overheard Felicity¡¯s voice emanating from Ste¡¯s phone, ¡°His


    voice sounds so youthful! How irresistible!¡±


    Unaware of Keegan¡¯s presence, Ste enthusiastically remarked, ¡°Where did this guye from? He¡¯s


    so good!¡±


    ¡°Your fan group,¡± Felicity exined, ¡°I¡¯m an active member in there. Many of your male fans are college


    and high school kids. Some of them praise you every day. I thought it¡¯d be fun to invite them to y


    games with us, so I added them as friends.¡±


    Ste was taken aback. ¡°High school kids? That¡¯s too much.¡±


    ¡°Tsk.¡± Felicity clicked her tongue. ¡°Younger men have faster reflexes. Look at Stinky Cucumber, he


    can¡¯tpete with them at all. They are way cuter and can help us win too.¡±


    Then, she said mockingly, ¡°Look at his game ID, HusbandOfSte. If he knows that the person he¡¯s


    ying with is his wife, would he regret cursing at you just now?¡±

 Chapter 1813

    Chapter 1813


    Chapter 1813


    Ste chuckled, ¡°He wasn¡¯t wrong. I did y terribly in thest round. I got carried.¡±


    Felicity chuckled, ¡°Why don¡¯t you turn on the team voice chat? His voice sounds so good. He even


    asked me about The Enclosure previously.


    ¡°He said that the production is starting soon yet he didn¡¯t hear anything about you. He wanted to visit


    you on the set.¡±


    ¡°Stop joking,¡± Ste said while ying, ¡°He¡¯s still in school. He should focus on studying instead.¡±


    ¡°Just listen to his voice. He won¡¯t know it¡¯s you anyway.


    Look at your game ID-HereToDie. Who would choose such a name? He would never guess it¡¯s you in a


    million years.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Ste was sessfully convinced by Felicity and decided to switch on the team voice chat.Books


    Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Very soon, the guy¡¯s voice came through, sounding innocent and sweet.


    He was full of praises for Ste. As soon as he realized that she was a girl, his attitude took a big turn,


    offering Ste all the help he could give.


    Ste was not very good at the game and would get killed a lot of times. Now that someone was trying


    so hard to get her attention, she felt both funny and awkward.


    After the guy secured a team kill, he asked, ¡°How did I do?¡±


    He sounded exactly like a cat that had just caught a mouse and showing off in front of his owner, proud


    and pleased.


    Ste chuckled softly. ¡°Fantastic.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s gaze darkened. Then, he knocked on the door.


    When Ste heard the sound, she immediately switched off the team chat.


    As she looked up and saw Keegan, she paused momentarily. ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    Keegan asked, ¡°Why are you in my room?¡±


    Ste said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that I can pick any room? Only the master bedroom has a bed.¡±


    Keegan was taken aback. ¡°Where am I supposed to sleep then?¡±


    Ste nced at the empty spot next to her. ¡°There¡¯s still half the bed here. We¡¯ve slept together


    before. What¡¯s the big deal?¡±


    Keegan chocked. ¡°Are you serious? Are you not worried?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not, so what are you worried about? Do you think I¡¯d force myself onto you?¡±


    Ste tossed her phone aside. ¡°Stop acting like a woman. Sleep wherever you want. I¡¯m not going


    anywhere.¡±


    Keegan was annoyed, thinking that he had brought home a nightmare.


    He took a few pieces of clean clothes, intending to freshen up in the guest room and spend the night in


    the study.


    However, as he stepped out, he saw two maids carrying the mattress from the study to the second


    floor.


    Keegan was taken aback and hurriedly walked up to them.¡± Maria, what are you doing?¡±


    Before Maria could respond, Aurora said, ¡°Keegan, there¡¯s no couch in my room. I can¡¯t get used to it,


    so I told them to move the mattress to my room. You don¡¯t use it anyway.¡±


    ¡°Who said I don¡¯t use it?¡±


    Aurora was puzzled. ¡°What would you use it for? You go back to your room and sleep on your bed


    anytime you want.


    There were so many junks on it when I saw it.¡±


    Keegan paused before he said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean that I won¡¯t use it in the future.¡±


    ¡°Then go buy yourself a new one. I¡¯m going to take this no matter what.¡±


    She pushed Keegan aside as she spoke, ¡°You¡¯re blocking the way.¡±

 Chapter 1814

    Chapter 1814


    Chapter 1814


    Keegan watched helplessly as the mattress was moved to Aurora¡¯s room.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    He roamed around the house with an angry face and found that the only ce he could sleep was the


    couch in the living room.


    That was his room, and two other maids were living there. How could a grown man like him sleep on


    the couch?


    He paced back-and-forth outside the master bedroom. He extended his arm to the doorknob several


    times but could not bring himself to twist it open.


    As he hesitated, the door suddenly swung open. Ste, dressed in her pajamas, leaned against the


    door frame, arms crossed. She nced at him and asked, ¡°You¡¯ve been standing there for over half an


    hour. Are you going to sleep with me or not?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to sleep with you,¡± Keegan corrected her.


    ¡°Ah, sleep in the same room as me,¡± Ste rified.


    Then, he exined, ¡°Aurora moved the mattress from the study to her room, and I have nowhere else


    to sleep.¡±


    Ste raised an eyebrow.


    Keegan pressed his lips together before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll grab some nkets and sleep on the floor.


    Tomorrow, I¡¯ll buy another bed.¡±


    Ste nced at him, stepped aside, and said evenly,¡± Come on in.¡±


    Keegan adjusted his cor and took a deep breath before entering.


    Ste opened the wardrobe, retrieved a nket, and ced it on the bed.


    Just as Keegan was about to pick it up, Ste grabbed his wrist. ¡°Sleep on the bed. Your injuries


    haven¡¯t fully healed yet. There¡¯s no need to act tough.¡±


    Keegan looked at her hands, feeling the resistance he had toward her was gradually fading. ¡®Well, at


    least my hand doesn¡¯t feel as cold now,¡¯ he thought to himself.


    He lowered his eyes and said after a long pause, ¡°Okay.¡±


    After that, Ste headed to the bathroom, leaving Keegan seated on the bed. He absentmindedly


    grabbed a book from the nightstand, but as he flipped through the pages, he couldn¡¯t focus on a single


    word.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    The scent from the nket filled the air, stronger than when he had firste in.


    Putting the book aside, he instinctively lifted the nket from Ste¡¯s side. That¡¯s when he noticed a


    bra tucked underneath it.


    Keegan was taken aback when he realized what he was seeing, his cheeks reddening.


    ¡°Keegan Kane, did you take my body lotion?¡±


    Keegan, feeling as if caught red-handed, hastily put the nket back down. Clearing his throat, he tried


    to appearposed. ¡°I didn¡¯t. Check if it¡¯s in the cab.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Ste responded without asking any further.


    However, Keegan¡¯s ears were still flushed. He felt the need to do something to calm himself down. He


    turned around and saw the book lying on Ste¡¯s book lying on the bedside table. He was curious


    about what she was reading, so he reached out to grab it.


    To his surprise, Ste was reading professional books on perfumery.


    She had made numerous notes with a pen, indicating her dedication to the subject.


    During the banquet the Saun family held to wee her back, Wenham had transferred his Caline


    shares to Ste, so Keegan figured that she was probably preparing forthat.


    Jaylene had previously expressed her frustration to Keegan regarding Wenham¡¯s favoritism, as he


    refused to allow her involvement with Caline. However, the moment Ste returned, Wenham promptly


    transferred the shares to her, even though she had no knowledge of perfumery.


    Caline held significant value, established through her mother¡¯s relentless efforts over the years.


    Jaylene couldn¡¯tprehend why Ste, who knew nothing about the business, could inherit it simply


    because she returned. Jaylene feared that Caline would suffer in Ste¡¯s inexperienced hands.


    At that time, Keegan didn¡¯t offer any response.


    He was still badly injured and could not even get out of bed. He took so many medicines that he could


    barely think straight, and he trusted in everything Jaylene said to him.


    However, reflecting now, he pondered, ¡®Wasn¡¯t Freesia Hall the one who founded Caline? Even if Ste


    lacks knowledge, what¡¯s wrong with Wenham passing the shares to the founder¡¯s biological daughter?¡¯

 Chapter 1815

    Chapter 1815


    Chapter 1815


    Jaylene frequently spoke negatively about Ste, citing instances like Trevor distancing himself from


    Jaylene after Ste¡¯s return, Wenham¡¯s inclination to give Ste her room, and an incident involving


    Ste recing expensive decorations with cheaper items.


    At that time, Keegan hadn¡¯t perceived Ste¡¯s actions as inherently wrong. Instead, he harbored a


    peculiar sensation- a strong urge to meet her face-to-face.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    One day, when Jaylene wasn¡¯t present, he ventured out in a car.


    Despite not knowing what Ste looked like, the instant heid eyes on her, he recognized her


    immediately.


    That day, Ste stood outside the Vinci Rivera office building, dressed in formal attire with her hair


    elegantly tied back. She hade out to bid farewell to Ted and the others.


    Her face boasted exquisite features. Despite the makeup, the weariness in her eyes was evident.


    She appearedpletely distinct from the person Jaylene had portrayed as frugal and grasping.


    She was like a blooming rose, shining among the crowd.


    He stared at her for a long time and felt something in his heart. It was not until Jaylene called him and


    asked him where he was before he hurriedly left.


    Jaylene kept a close eye on him. Even when she was not around, she would have at least two people


    in the ward to take care of him.


    It felt more like surveince than care.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All


    Books Updates¡­


    Everything he did and every person he talked to would be immediately reported back to Jaylene.


    Though he sensed something was off about Jaylene, he pretended ignorance and didn¡¯t inform her


    about secretly meeting Ste. His injuries hadn¡¯tpletely healed, and uncertainty loomed over many


    aspects, so he opted for inaction.


    However, despite his efforts, Jaylene became aware because Ste sought him out.


    That day, his wound reopened during themotion. Numerous medications were administered during


    the stitching process, leaving him in a daze for several days.


    When he regained consciousness, the memory of meeting Ste had faded. Strangely, he sensed a


    peculiar closeness to Jaylene, an inexplicable feeling shrouded in indescribable vagueness.


    So, before he could figure out what was happening, he did not want to get Ste involved, acting purely


    on instinct.


    But Ste did not seem to distance herself from him because of his harsh words.


    Instead, she continued to appear around him. Initially contemting divorcing her once he recovered to


    protect her from the chaos, he had a feeling that the situation was somehow linked to the kidnapping


    case.


    He felt the need to stay around Jaylene to uncover potential clues, and having Ste around would only


    complicate things.


    The news of Ste¡¯s pregnancy caught him entirely off guard.


    When Aldor discussed it with him, his thoughts swirled into chaos. He pondered when it happened, why


    Ste didn¡¯t inform him, whether she faced difficulties due to the pregnancy, or if she was feeling


    unwell¡­


    He never doubted for a moment that the baby wasn¡¯t his. He held an inexplicable trust in Ste.


    Despite Aldor¡¯s mention of his vasectomy, he chose to believe that the procedure had failed, refusing to


    entertain the notion of betrayal on Ste¡¯s part.


    He wasn¡¯t someone who easily ced trust in others.


    Simrly, with Jaylene, despite their month-longpanionship and her dedicated care, he maintained


    his guard around her.


    But it was not the same with Ste. Despite the initial resistance he felt toward Ste, he never


    harbored any doubts about her.


    Reflecting on his meeting with Ste while he was still recovering from his injuries, his suspicions


    regarding Jaylene intensified.


    Jaylene¡¯s assertions-that Ste was inexperienced in perfumery and had obtained what was rightfully


    Jaylene¡¯s due to Wenham¡¯s favoritism-now appeared more dubious to him.

 Chapter 1816

    Chapter 1816


    Chapter 1816


    Keegan wasn¡¯t certain if Ste possessed knowledge about perfumery, but he could sense her


    dedicated efforts topensate for any shorings.


    While flipping through the pages, he noticed a name in the notes. Pausing for a moment, he returned


    the book to the bedside table and sent a text to Aldor, ¡°Call someone for me¡­¡±


    As Keegan concluded his conversation with Aldor, Ste¡¯s phone began buzzing persistently.


    Her phone screen was still lit, showing the gaming interface with a private message from someone.


    Though Keegan had no intention to pry, his eyes inadvertently caught a message that appeared: [Hey


    pretty, can I have your number?]


    He paused and opened the chat window.


    The message was sent by someone with the game ID- HusbandOfSte.


    It instantly triggered Keegan¡¯s memory of the youthful voice he had heard when Ste was ying the


    game moments ago.


    He pursed his lips tightly together, struck by the realization.


    After not getting any reply, HusbandOfSte sent Ste his number: [Girl, save my number, and let¡¯s


    y together again.


    I¡¯ll carry you.]


    Keegan felt strangely angry. He took out his phone and saved that guy¡¯s number.


    Shortly after, HusbandOfSte messaged Keegan¡¯s phone: [ HereToDie, is this you?]Books Chapters


    Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Keegan coldly replied: [Yes.]


    HusbandOfSte sent a shy emoji and asked: [Are you a fan of Ste too?]


    He met Felicity through Ste¡¯s fan group. He knew that Felicity was a fan of Ste, so he automatically


    assumed that those she invited were also Ste¡¯s fans.


    Keegan responded coldly: [Yes.]


    HusbandOfSte sent him a WhatsApp sticker, which Keegan, as an older person, could not


    understand. So, Keegan replied only with a smiling emoji.


    The conversation continued: [Motives for Murder will be released on 30th January. The production


    team has been promoting it everywhere recently, yet Ste never showed up at all. I¡¯m so sad.


    [Are you in Rivera? I booked the entire cinema for Ste, ten shows in total. Do you want toe and


    watch it together?]


    Then, he forwarded the details of the booked sessions.


    Keegan felt puzzled. ¡®He sounds like he¡¯s just a teenager.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡®The expense of booking ten movie showings around this time in a major city like Rivera suggests he¡¯s


    from a well-off


    family.¡¯


    ¡®Booking sessions in a prime area cinema implies not just financial means but also connections.¡¯


    [Why aren¡¯t you replying? If you live far, I can pick you up. I just got my driver¡¯s license.]


    [When did you start being a fan of Ste? I was captivated by her short hair styling in Jurisdiction. She


    looked so confident in male attire.


    [I used to think that the girls in my school were pretty, but after encountering Ste, no one else


    catches my eye. I wonder if she¡¯s interested in younger men.


    [Actually, I¡¯m not that young. I¡¯m neen this year, just six to seven years younger than Ste. You


    know, older women are attracted to younger men now? I think we could get along well.]


    Keegan was speechless.


    [Why am I the only one speaking here? Will you say something?]


    HusbandOfSte was persistently talkative, continuously sending messages. With no response, he


    initiated a video call.

 Chapter 1817

    Chapter 1817


    Chapter 1817


    Keegan stared at his phone for a while before answering.


    On the other end, a head of blonde hair appeared. The teenager was still fixing his hair, attempting to


    create what he considered a cool look.


    However, when he looked up, he saw a mature and attractive man on his phone, leaving him


    dumbfounded.


    He opened his mouth, and his voice changed, ¡°Prettydy?¡±


    Keegan looked at him coldly, ¡°Is there something wrong with your eyes? Can¡¯t you tell a man and a


    woman apart?¡±


    The teenager was taken aback by Keegan¡¯sment.


    ¡°Mister, were you talking to me with a voice changer in the game just now?¡±


    The teenager looked frustrated, ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell at all! How could you have the heart to lie to an innocent


    teenage boy like me?¡±


    Keegan said with a stern face, ¡°Did you just call me old?¡±


    The teenager paused and immediately realized what he had just said, ¡°No, you¡¯re young and


    handsome!¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression eased slightly.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    The teenager seemed not to care whether he was lied to or not. Instead, he began chatting with


    Keegan happily.


    ¡°Are you a fan of Ste, too?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m her ex-husband,¡± Keegan said.


    The teenager was speechless for a moment and said, ¡°I¡¯m her current husband now. Mr. ex-husband,


    I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡±


    Keegan kept quiet. He had a strange look as he thought, ¡®Is something wrong with this guy¡¯s head?¡¯


    Meanwhile, the teenager thought, Wow, there¡¯s someone more obsessed with Ste than me! Ex-


    husband, huh?Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Dream on!¡¯


    ¡°Bro, your face doesn¡¯t match your gaming skills at all. Looking at your face, you look like you could at


    least be a master in the game, but you¡¯re nowhere near that. Is it because you¡¯re getting old and can¡¯t


    keep up with the game anymore?¡±


    Keegan paused before saying tly, ¡°I was just giving you a chance to show off.¡±


    The teenager immediately got mad, ¡°Wow, how confident of you. Come on, let¡¯s y a game with each


    other. Let¡¯s see if the ex-husband or the current husband is better.¡±


    ¡°Come online,¡± Keegan said indifferently.


    Keegan sent him a link to his game lobby through WhatsApp.


    The teenager asked, ¡¯¡¯Why don¡¯t you use the same ount from just now?¡±


    Keegan replied, ¡°That was my second ount. Just delete


    it. I¡¯ll use my main ount from now on.¡±


    ¡°Okay then.¡±


    The teenager promptly removed Ste from his friend list and added Keegan as a friend. Then, he


    entered the lobby Keegan had just created.


    ¡°Bro, what¡¯s the stake of this match? What will happen to the loser?¡±


    Keegan calmly replied, ¡°If I lose, I¡¯ll cover the cost of the cinema you booked. If you lose¡­¡±


    He paused before saying slowly, ¡°You need to change your game ID.¡±


    ¡°What? Just that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The teenager wasted no time, ¡°Sure, but I think there¡¯s a higher chance of you losing. You¡¯re too old.¡±


    Keegan then started the game without saying anything.


    The teenager was good, but Keegan was no slouch either.


    After all, he participated in the development of Honor of the Deities back then. He knew the advantages


    and disadvantages of each character very well. He and Vermont had tested the game out many times


    together. He even took part in adjusting the sensitivity of the buttons.


    Keegan¡¯s reaction time might be a bit slower, but his tactics and understanding of the character gained


    him the upper hand. As a result, the teenager could not fight him anymore and lost the game.


    ¡°Fuck! You¡¯re really good at pretending!¡± The teenager gritted his teeth.


    Keegan remained calm, ¡°Change your ID now.¡±


    The teenager grumbled, ¡°No way. We need to y another round. You counter-picked me.¡±


    Keegan paused, ¡°A sore loser, huh?¡±


    The teenager exploded with anger again, ¡°Of course not!

 Chapter 1818

    Chapter 1818


    Chapter 1818


    ¡°I¡¯ll just change it.


    The young man continued reluctantly, ¡°Fine, you win today. Well y again tomorrow. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll beat


    you.¡±


    ¡°Just change it already.¡±


    The teenager stopped responding for a while. Then, Keegan saw that ¡°HusbandOfSte¡± had changed


    its ID to ¡°


    CurrentHusbandOfSte¡±.


    Keegan¡¯s eyebrows twitched, ¡°Are you being serious right now?¡±


    The teenager said innocently, ¡°You told me to change my ID, but you didn¡¯t specify to what.¡±


    Keegan pulled a stern face and remained silent.


    The teenagerughed and said, Bro, you¡¯re already so old, yet you¡¯re still so obsessed with your idol.


    It¡¯s just my game ID. Are you really that jealous?¡±


    After hearing the word ¡°jealous,¡± Keegan suddenly realized the strange things he had been doing that


    night. Instead of answering his question, he asked, ¡°What do I have to do to make you change it?¡±


    The teenager smirked, ¡°y another round with me. If you win, you can decide on what my next game


    ID will be.¡±


    Coincidentally, Ste had juste out of the bathroom.


    Keegan hastily replied with a ¡°tomorrow¡± and then switched off his phone.


    After Ste dried her hair, she sat on the bed andbed it. Seeing her lit phone, she picked it up and


    intended to exit the game. Suddenly, she noticed that the yer¡± HusbandOfSte¡± had deleted her as


    a friend.


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®Didn¡¯t he say he would carry me in the game? Men are all the same. They¡¯re all liars!¡¯ She thought to


    herself.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    After exiting the game, Ste charged her phone and slept under the nket.


    The refreshing fragrance from her bath wafted in the air. Keegan sat next to her and felt a lump in his


    throat. He looked away, pretending to read.


    Stey down and turned to face him, ¡®Are you not going to sleep?¡±


    Her voice sounded soft and somewhat tired.


    Keegan did not look at her as he said, ¡°I¡¯ll sleep in a while.¡±


    Ste yawned and mumbled, ¡°Then remember to switch off the lights.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Keegan responded and soon heard the person beside him breathing steadily. He turned his


    head and saw that Ste had already fallen asleep.


    Half her face was buried in the pillow, her bright features radiating a soft glow under themplight. For


    some reason,


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Keegan¡¯s heart softened.


    He put down the book, his gaze slowly sweeping across her features. Finally, itnded on her hand,


    resting on her stomach through the nket.


    Keegan paused. Then, he gently picked up her hand and put it under the nket. After that, he


    dimmed the lights andy down as well.


    The room was very quiet. He could even hear the sound of his heart beating, which seemed particrly


    loud that night.


    ¡°Ste¡­¡±


    He suddenly called out and froze.


    However, Ste seemed to have heard it and responded softly. Then, she snuggled closer to him,


    muttering, ¡°Why did you work until sote again? Do you think you¡¯re still young¡­¡±


    Keegan felt a lump in his throat, and his eyes suddenly became warm.


    ***


    In Mystonia, Trevor waited in the cafe where he and the other party agreed to meet.


    Twenty minutes past the scheduled time, but he could not see the other person anywhere.


    He held his phone and was about to dial that number. Then, he saw someone entering the cafe.


    That woman looked like she was a Hustuabourgian. She was in her fifties, dressed in simple clothing,


    with a somewhat pallidplexion.


    Upon entering, she looked around and spoke to a waiter with her not-so-fluent Yostrainian.

 Chapter 1819

    Chapter 1819


    Chapter 1819


    The waiter spoke very impolitely but his tone sounded like he knew that woman. Trevor sat afar but


    could still hear a few derogatory words. The woman looked embarrassed, likely understanding what


    was said.


    Trevor watched their interaction for a while before walking over, ¡°Hello, are you Ms. Taylor?¡±


    Venice Taylor turned around, saw Trevor, and looked somewhat surprised and cautious, ¡°Who are


    you?¡±


    Trevor said calmly, ¡°The person who wanted to meet you.¡±


    Venice paused and scrutinized Trevor. Then, she widened her gaze, ¡°Are you the little boy from back


    then?¡±


    Trevor did not respond to that. Instead, he gestured for her to follow him and said, ¡°Let¡¯s sit and talk.¡±


    Venice felt uneasy. She then followed Trevor hesitantly to a private room.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Other than Trevor, there was a foreign man in the room. He looked expressionless, but his robust


    physique made him look scary.


    Venice could not help but put her guard up.


    ¡°Ms. Taylor, please have a seat,¡± Trevor said tly. Venice clutched the bag in her arm nervously and


    sat across him.


    When Trevor asked her what she wanted to drink, she said,¡±


    I¡¯m not going to drink anything. I just want to know if you¡¯ll keep your promise and pay me.¡±Books


    Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Trevor smiled faintly, ¡°That depends on the value of the information you provide.¡±


    Venice did not trust him. Even the bodyguard standing behind Trevor looked terrifying. She braced


    herself, saying,¡± Pay me the money first, or I won¡¯t tell you anything.¡±


    Trevor looked at her for a while and raised his hand. Then, the man behind him ced a duffle bag on


    the table, unzipped it, and took out ten stacks of cash.


    Trevor pushed half of it in front of Venice, ¡°This is what I promised you earlier.¡± Then, he pointed at the


    other five stacks, ¡°These will be yours too if you can tell me what I want to know.¡±


    Venice¡¯s eyes gleamed with greed. She quickly opened her own bag, stuffed the money in front of her


    inside, and held it tightly. However, her eyes were still fixed on the money in front of Trevor. ¡°What do


    you want to ask?¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Who ordered you to switch my sister back then?¡± Trevor cut to the chase.


    Venice was taken aback, ¡°You knew?¡±


    Trevor curled his fingers and lightly tapped the table,¡± Answer the question.¡±


    Venice took a deep breath, ¡°I didn¡¯t see that person. The anesthetist of the surgery, Dillon Brook, was


    the one who spoke to that person. I was only responsible for taking care of the newborns.


    ¡°After the baby was born, I wanted to show it to the family, but they weren¡¯t around. So, I brought it


    back inside. Then, Dillon came to me and handed me a dead infant, asking me to lie that this was the


    baby born from the mother.


    ¡°I asked her why, and she said someone paid her a considerable amount of money to buy that baby


    girl. I refused at first, but she threatened me by using my involvement in the reselling of prescription


    drugs. I was terrified at that time. Also, she told me that she¡¯d pay me one million after everything was


    done. Do you know how much money one million was back then? Who could ever refuse that? So, I


    agreed to help.¡±

 Chapter 1820

    Chapter 1820


    Chapter 1820


    Trevor clenched his fists, veins bulging on the back of his hand, but he did not get angry. He simply


    reached out and gave her a stack of cash, ¡°Who did you give the child to?¡±


    Under Trevor¡¯s cold gaze, Venice¡¯s voice trembled.


    ¡°After we handed the dead infant to the family of the woman inbor, Dillon left. I was afraid that the


    family would discover the matter, so I followed her to ask when she would give me the money. What if it


    was discovered? I needed to discuss what to do when that happens with her.


    ¡°She went to the rooftop alone, and I saw her talking to a man. I wanted to call out to her, but that man


    asked Dillon if the baby had died. I was startled and hid.


    ¡°Dillon said the child was dead before being born and then asked him when he would pay up. That¡¯s


    when I found out someone didn¡¯t want to buy the child; they wanted the child dead.¡±


    She shuddered as her hands trembled, seemingly still haunted by the past. She took a few sips of


    water before continuing, ¡°After Dillon gave me the money, she took the baby girl away. I didn¡¯t know


    where she took her. I was afraid to spend the money and lived in constant fear at work. One day, Dillon


    suddenly came up to me and the other two medical staff who were in the delivery room that day. As


    someone was investigating the matter, she told us to leave Rivera; the farther, the better.


    ¡°We were terrified, and we resigned from the hospital one after another. Both Dillon and I were born in


    Rivera. We didn¡¯t dare to go home because we didn¡¯t want to get our families involved. She suggested


    I go abroad, so I took the one million dors she gave me and came to Mystonia.¡±Books Chapters Are


    Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    However, life abroad was not as good as she thought.


    She had a tourist visa, so she could not stay there too long. However, she was afraid to go home


    because of the legal consequences. So, she married a Mystonian to obtain permanent residency.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    She thought of it as a fake marriage and nned to divorce after getting the green card.


    It was agreed before marriage, but she did not know the man had ulterior motives.


    It was easy to get married, but divorcing was not that simple.


    The man did not keep his promise. Hezed around all day and engaged in illicit activities.


    She was in a hurry to find someone to marry, so she did not see through his disguise, thinking he had a


    job and a good reputation.


    After getting married to him, he revealed his true colors. Not only did he refuse to divorce, but he also


    abused her. To avoid beatings, she had to give him money continuously.


    Within two years, the man squandered her savings. As she was then broke and desperate, the abuse


    intensified. She was also pregnant at the time and could not return to her home country, so she could


    only endure the pain over time.


    When that man finally died, her son fell into drug addiction. Everything in her house was sold to buy


    drugs. If it were not because she had no other options, she would bring her dark past to the grave with


    her.


    Looking back now, it all seemed like karma. If she had not been greedy for that one million dors,


    would her life have turned out like this?


    Venice wiped the tears on her face. She was not even fifty years old, but her hair was already graying,


    and there were wrinkles all over her face. Trevor had to exert great selfcontrol to avoidying hands on


    a woman of such age.


    He pursed his lips and asked, ¡°Are you sure the person talking to Dillon Brook was a man? Do you


    remember what he looked like?¡±


    Venice shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s been too long, and I can¡¯t remember clearly. He should have looked pretty


    ordinary, nothing memorable.¡±


    ¡°What about Dillon Brook? Did you have any contact with her after that?¡±


    She shook her head again, ¡°After we went abroad, we went our separate ways. We agreed to never


    contact each other again in this lifetime, so I don¡¯t know where she went.¡±


    Trevor pushed the remaining money toward her, ¡°Onest question: was the tragedy idental or


    intentional?¡±

 Chapter 1821

    Chapter 1821


    Venice was shocked, ¡°Wh-What do you mean?¡±


    Trevor¡¯s face darkened, ¡°I¡¯m asking the questions here!¡±


    Venice shook her head fearfully, ¡°I don¡¯t know. You should find Dillon. She knows more than I do. I only


    know about the infants switching. As for what really happened to the mother and whether she did


    anything, I honestly don¡¯t know.


    ¡°I just wanted the money. I never thought about harming someone¡¯s life. There were four people in the


    delivery room at that time. You can ask the other two.


    They were responsible for the delivery. They should know more than me¡­¡±


    ¡°They are all dead.¡± Trevor interrupted her. He coldly stared at her and continued, ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡±


    Venice muttered with a bewildered expression, ¡¯ Dead? How could they be dead?¡±


    Trevor observed her expression. The fear and confusion in her eyes seemed genuine.


    ¡°Think carefully about the appearance of that man. I¡¯ll pay you double if you¡¯re willing to return to


    Hustuabourg with me and make a statement.¡±


    Venice snapped back, her expression cold, ¡°I won¡¯t go back.¡±


    She had been living abroad for over twenty years; her parents had long passed away. Now that she was


    approaching fifty, she just had to endure a few more years to qualify for welfare assistance. Life would


    eventually get better for her.


    But returning to her home country might mean facing imprisonment and the disdain of her siblings. For


    that reason, she preferred not to go back even when her life abroad was tough. At least by staying away,


    her family would think she was flourishing abroad and had forgotten about them.


    She could never hold her head up in front of her rtives and friends if she returned.


    Trevor remained calm and said tly, ¡°Ms. Taylor, if you have time, please think carefully about my offer.¡±


    He pushed his business card across the table, ¡°If you¡¯ve made up your mind, you can contact me at this


    number.¡±


    Venice did not take the card but stuffed all the remaining money into her bag and stood up.


    Trevor did not stop her. He just watched her quietly.


    Venice took two steps before she turned around, clenching her fists, ¡°Did you find that girl?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Trevor muttered.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Venice sighed in relief and murmured, ¡°I¡¯m d.¡±


    Then, she opened the door and left with the money.


    Trevor did not go after her. Instead, he opened the blinds and looked at her receding figure through the


    window.


    Not long after Venice left the cafe, a scruffy-looking mixed- race young man rushed out and tried to grab


    the bag from her arms.


    Venice held onto it tightly, shouting, but no one intervened.


    Such scenes yed out here every day and were not considered unusual.


    She could have called the police and sought their protection, preventing her son from approaching her.


    However, she did not do it. Clearly, she still doted on her son.


    The mixed-race man snatched the bag of money and shoved Venice to the ground. Her shoes fell off,


    and she even bumped her head, causing it to bleed.


    She was kneeling on the ground, screaming about something, but the mixed race man did not even look


    back.


    Having seen enough, Trevor stood up and said calmly, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    In Vinci Rivera¡¯s office, Aldor ced a file on Keegan¡¯s desk. He flipped through a few pages and


    squinted.


    ¡°Psychology?¡±


    Aldor nodded, ¡°Not just any psychology. He specializes in hypnosis.¡±


    Aldor spected that a hypnotherapist caused Keegan¡¯s amnesia. Otherwise, how could he have lost his


    memory without any injuries to his head?


    Jaylene seemed interested in Keegan, so Aldor wondered if she got Dr. Stone to hypnotize him and


    make him forget his wife so she could take advantage of the situation.


    Keegan, however, seemed to know what he was thinking. He put down the file and said calmly,


    ¡°Hypnosis doesn¡¯t have the power to change a person¡¯s memory drastically. It can only lead people to


    forget certain things they don¡¯t want to recall, usually their darkest moments.¡±


    He would never be unwilling to think about the person he loved, but he was most probably


    psychologically manipted.


    He had not been able to move at all, lying on the hospital bed during those confused and hazy days.


    That was the most vulnerable time for him to be psychologically manipted.


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 Chapter 1822

    Chapter 1822


    And that medicine¡­¡¯ Keegan thought of the sound of wind chimes he heard every time he was in a daze.


    Lowering his gaze, he absentmindedly tapped the tabletop with his fingers.


    Aldor was very intrigued by Keegan¡¯s insights, so he asked,¡± How do you know?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Keegan paused and said lightly, ¡°Asked about it before.¡±


    ¡®Asked about it? Mr. Kane isn¡¯t mentally ill, so for whom did he consult?* Aldor thought to himself.


    Keegan stood up, took the documents to the shredder, and tossed them in. The documents were


    instantly shredded into bits.


    He threw those bits into the ashtray, took out a lighter, ignited the bits, and watched the mes flicker.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about this matter,¡± he said tly.


    Aldor asked in a low voice, ¡°Including Mrs. Kane?¡±


    Keegan nodded.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Aldor was about to say ¡°Okay¡± but suddenly froze. He just called Ste Mrs.


    Kane,¡± but Keegan said nothing!


    Aldor cautiously asked, ¡°Mr. Kane, have you remembered everything?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s gaze remained lowered as he asked, ¡°Is the revised proposal ready?¡±


    Aldor was speechless. He then whispered to himself, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say to check things first, and the


    proposal wasn¡¯t urgent? n Keegan looked up, ¡°Sorry?¡±


    Aldor immediately held his tongue. ¡°I¡¯ll work on it right away.¡±


    As he was about to leave the office, Keegan¡¯s phone rang. Aldor nced at it and saw that the call was


    from Jaylene. He halted his steps and slowly tidied up things on the desk.


    Keegan ignored him and answered the call anyway.


    ¡°Keegan, it¡¯s me.¡±


    Keegan responded tly, ¡°Jaylene, is there something you need?¡±


    He sounded very gentle. But to Aldor, he was simply indifferent.


    ¡°Keegan, I have a friend who is getting engaged and wants me to attend the engagement banquet. Can


    you go with me? IV Keegan chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s inappropriate for me to attend your friend¡¯s engagement


    banquet.¡±


    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t want to trouble you¡­ But when you were hospitalized, this friend of mine helped us a lot.


    Remember the medicine you were on? She brought it back from overseas. Besides attending her


    engagement banquet, I¡¯m also going there to get the medicine.¡±


    She continued, ¡°Keegan, if you don¡¯t want to go, just forget about it. I¡¯ll bring the medicine back for you


    when I return.¡±


    Keegan fell silent for a moment before saying, ¡°Send me the address.¡±


    Jaylene sounded delighted, ¡°Sure.¡±


    After hanging up, Keegan looked up and frowned when he saw Aldor still in the office, ¡°Is there anything


    else I can help you with?¡±


    Aldor pursed his lips and decided to remind him, ¡°Mr. Kane, do you remember the year you attended a


    client¡¯s birthday banquet? You danced with the client¡¯s daughter.


    ¡°It was around this season, so it was freezing cold. Mrs. Kane locked all the doors and windows when


    you went home and left you to freeze outside for the entire night. Do you remember?¡±


    Keegan stared coldly at him, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    Aldor spoke softly, ¡°Your body isn¡¯t as resilient as it was back then. Don¡¯t be so defiant.¡±


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 Chapter 1823

    Chapter 1823


    Keegan was at a loss for words. He wore a dark expression and gritted his teeth, saying, ¡°Do you think


    I¡¯ll be afraid of that?¡±


    Aldor replied, ¡°It¡¯s not about being afraid or not. It¡¯s about respect.¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips, ¡°I¡¯m just going to pick up some medicine.¡±


    Aldor nodded, ¡°I understand, but don¡¯t expect Mrs. Kane to do the same. As you said, don¡¯t try to reason


    with her because she¡¯s the least reasonable person.¡±


    Keegan remained silent. Then, he said, ¡°If you don¡¯t tell her, how would she know?¡±


    Aldor chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re overestimating me. Mrs. Kane can find out what color of underwear you¡¯re


    wearing if she wants to. Do you seriously think I can hide anything from her?¡±


    Keegan gritted his teeth, ¡°Just keep your mouth shut then!¡±


    Aldor stood still and made a zipping motion across his mouth. He then picked up his things and left.


    Suddenly, Keegan realized something and wondered, ¡®Could she really do that?¡¯ Meanwhile, at the


    Royalpark Vi, Ste sat in the living room. She was eating strawberries while reading a book. Aurora


    had been staying here for two days, though Ste had not noticed any unusual activity. ¡®What exactly is


    she up to?¡¯ she wondered.


    Despite this, Ste remained vignt, always on guard.


    Not only did Aurora upy her room, but the next day, she had someone deliver a lot of furniture and


    clothes.


    She stuffed the remaining rooms full. Although Keegan suggested buying a bed for her in the other guest


    room, Aurora had already taken over all three remaining rooms.


    Keegan initially suggested she move out, but Aurora bawled as soon as he brought it up. She was so


    loud that her voice could break sses.


    Though Ste did not like Aurora, she still thought Aurora did her a favor this time.


    With all the rooms stuffed, Keegan had no room to move into. Even though he said he would change


    rooms in the morning, he said otherwise at night. ¡°Just another night,¡± he stammered.


    Ste replied as if she was not bothered at all, ¡°This is your home. Sleep as long as you want.¡±


    The next day, she called in the plumbers and removed the showerheads in the other guest rooms,


    leaving Keegan no choice but to shower in the master bedroom.


    Her mood would instantly light up when she thought about Keegan¡¯s irritated expression.


    She sent a message to him: [What do you want for dinner tonight?] In no time, he replied: [I have ns


    tonight. I won¡¯t be home for dinner. Just ask the maid to make what you like.] Ste paused and scrolled


    up. This was the first time that Keegan had replied with so many words since his ident.


    She smiled and replied: [The strawberries I just bought tastes exceptionally good. I¡¯ll have the maid


    make strawberry pudding for you, okay?] Keegan replied with a simple: [Sure].


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 Chapter 1824

    Chapter 1824


    Ste then stood up and headed to the kitchen with the strawberries in her hand.


    Coincidentally, Aurora came down from upstairs. Ste paused, asking, ¡°Are you going out?¡±


    Aurora nced at her and ignored her.


    Ste asked again, ¡°I¡¯m making strawberry pudding for Keegan. Do you want some?¡±


    Aurora hesitated for a moment and casually replied, ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±


    Ste gritted her teeth, ¡®If it weren¡¯t for you doing me a favor these past two days, I wouldn¡¯t even talk to


    you!¡¯ She took a deep breath, telling herself not to argue with Aurora, Tm pregnant and have to keep


    myself happy, happy¡­ It Ste had not cooked anything in a long time, so she was afraid of messing it


    up. She called Felicity to get the recipe again and then started working.


    Meanwhile, Felicity had just hung up the phone and told Vermont, ¡°After Ste got pregnant, it seems like


    she¡¯s be more amiable. She used to hate Aurora, but just now, on the phone, she even said she


    would make strawberry pudding for her. Can pregnancy hormones have such a big impact?¡±


    While turning the steering wheel, Vermont smiled and said,¡± She¡¯s matured.


    Aurora is Keegan¡¯s sister, after all. They can¡¯t possibly avoid each other forever, can they? Aurora is just


    spoiled by her uncultured mother. She¡¯s not like Molly; her nature isn¡¯t that bad.


    ¡°When Keegan just graduated and started hispany, he was short on funds.


    His mother took away all his funds, iming she wanted to invest in a beauty salon. When Keegan went


    to ask her for it, not only did he not get it, but he was also scolded. I was with him then, and her words


    were pretty harsh.


    ¡°Keegan is a reserved person. Even if he¡¯s treated unfairly, he won¡¯t go to his grandmother toin.


    Once his grandmother learned about it, Dahlia would get in trouble. She dared not to cross Mrs. Kane


    Sr., but she sure had her ways to deal with Keegan. That was why the same thing kept happening.


    ¡°So, he approached us to borrow some money. We didn¡¯t have much savings at that time, and it was


    barely enough. Aurora came to me, took out all her savings from over the years, and asked me to give it


    to Keegan, which resolved his urgent situation at that time.


    ¡°Although she benefited from Dahlia¡¯s so-called investment, she wasn¡¯t the instigator. When their father


    was still okay, the siblings had a good rtionship.


    But when their father passed away and Dahlia took Aurora away, everything changed.


    ¡°Keegan despises Dahlia, but toward Aurora, it¡¯s more of disappointment than hatred. He simply


    expected more from her. When he sent her to be locked up, he did not feel good. He didn¡¯t express it in


    front of Ste, worried she¡¯d think he was biased. The truth is, he med himself for spoiling Aurora too


    much.


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    ¡°But I honestly don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad thing. She needs to know that not everything can be solved with her


    family¡¯s money. If she held onto such thoughts, something worse is bound to happen sooner orter.¡±


    Felicity sneered, ¡°You two grew up together; of course, you¡¯ll speak up for her.


    When Ste went to their house previously, Aurora would always cause her trouble. She was always


    speaking impolitely and being disrespectful. Although she¡¯s living in Keegan¡¯s house without causing any


    drama now, I still think she¡¯s up to something bad.¡±


    Vermont smiled, ¡® Your bestie isn¡¯t a pushover. She could always start a fight if she wants to. Though


    Aurora acted like she was all that in thest few years, how often did she put Ste in a disadvantageous


    position?¡±


    Felicity thought about it and realized it was true. Suddenly, she was not as worried anymore. Then, she


    looked at the increasingly unfamiliar road and frowned, ¡°Where are you taking me?¡±


    ¡°For a meal.¡± Vermont smiled. ¡°We¡¯re going to Xander Raynor¡¯s engagement banquet. At first, I didn¡¯t


    want to go. Then, I heard that their designated chef for the engagement banquet is a famous Luwanese


    chef. So, I thought of bringing you there to taste it and see if you can learn a few cooking tricks for me at


    home.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°Am I your nanny?¡±


    Vermont smirked, ¡°You¡¯re my everything.¡±


    Just as they were talking, they arrived at their destination. Vermont parked the car, opened the door, and


    extended his hand, ¡°My everything, please step out of the car.¡±


    Felicityughed as she kicked him. Then, she jumped out of the car.


    The Marriott was a top-notch five-star hotel in Rivera. Wedding banquets there had to be booked at least


    two months in advance.


    Felicity followed Vermont into the elevator, and they reached the banquet hall.


    Felicity pushed the door open, but before she could marvel at the luxurious decorations, she spotted


    Keegan, nicely dressed and walking hand-in-hand with Jaylene.


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 Chapter 1825

    Chapter 1825


    Felicity¡¯s eyes widened as she grabbed Vermont, who was about to make a beeline for the dining table,


    ¡°Tell me, Vermont. Who¡¯s the guy Jaylene is arm-in arm with?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Vermont was confused. He looked in the direction she was pointing and thought, ¡®Fuck.¡¯


    ¡°Jaylene? Where?¡± He asked.


    Felicity¡¯s lip twitched, ¡°You stinky cucumber! You¡¯re truly loyal to Keegan, huh?


    You¡¯re lying straight to my face, and you think you¡¯ve got a shot with me? Dream on!¡±


    As she spoke, she pushed him away and tried to storm off.


    ¡°I was just kidding, Felicity. Why take it so seriously? I¡¯m not blind. I see those two clearly,¡± Vermont said


    as he hurriedly followed her.


    He knew he could not stop Keegan from digging his own grave, ¡®It¡¯s better if I focus on my problems.¡¯


    Felicity scowled and gritted her teeth, ¡°Ste just called, asking for a strawberry pudding recipe. She said


    it¡¯s Keegan¡¯s favorite. But what¡¯s going on here? She¡¯s at home, ying the ideal wife while being


    pregnant, and Keegan is arm-in-arm with that pretentious witch at someone else¡¯s engagement party!


    ¡°Is he really suffering from amnesia, or is he possessed? Can¡¯t he see through Jaylene¡¯s tricks? Or do


    guys just have a soft spot for pretentious bitches?¡±


    Vermont clung to her, looking wronged, ¡°Baby, it¡¯s fine that you¡¯re mad at him, but leave the rest of us out


    of it. Just look at me. Do I seem like the type to fall for someone like her?¡±


    Felicity shot him a disdainful look, ¡°You¡¯re worse than Keegan! At least he¡¯s got taste and chose Ste.


    What about you? You can¡¯t resist a good figure. You¡¯ve dated all kinds of women. You don¡¯t even care


    about their personalities!¡±


    Vermont was taken aback, ¡°I¡¯m dating you, aren¡¯t I? Feel free to criticize me, but why put yourself down


    in the process?¡±


    Felicity¡¯s face turned red. She reached out to strangle him, but Vermont put his arm around her waist and


    whispered in her ear, ¡°How can you say I have a bad taste when the person I¡¯m attracted to is adorable,


    an excellent cook, and morally upright? She¡¯s highly skilled in various areas and can even handle me


    when I¡¯ve had few too many drinks. She makes me feelpletely secure.¡±


    Felicity blushed with anger as she recalled an unpleasant past. She elbowed Vermont and took out her


    phone, saying,¡± I¡¯ll send Ste a video of Keegan hanging out with that pretentious witch!¡±


    Vermont grabbed her mobile device and held it above her head, ¡® Keegan and Ste are making


    progress in their rtionship. You¡¯ll be causing them trouble if you tell her. What if they end up having an


    argument?¡±


    Felicity could not reach her phone. Frustrated, she poked Vermont¡¯s waist and said, ¡°You men sure know


    how to cover for each other! There¡¯s no need to be afraid of Ste finding out if Keegan is really in the


    right.¡±


    ¡°Even if he isn¡¯t, you shouldn¡¯t fan the mes.¡±


    Felicity was furious upon hearing that, ¡°How am I fanning the mes? I saw them together with my own


    two eyes.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. But didn¡¯t you see Keegan pushing Jaylene away? I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t act so indiscreetly, even


    with amnesia. We don¡¯t know the ins and outs of the situation, Felicity. What if it¡¯s all a


    misunderstanding? Ste is pregnant. If emotions run high, she¡¯ll end up in the hospital-¡°


    ¡°Shut it! You¡¯ll be the one ending up in the hospital!¡± Felicity exploded in anger.


    Vermont rubbed her back and said, ¡°Miss bandit, I know you¡¯re worried about them, but it¡¯s important to


    stay calm. Keegan has lost a crucial part of his memory; he¡¯s vulnerable right now. Ste must be aware


    of it, which is why she¡¯s not insisting on marriage despite being pregnant. That¡¯s why she only asked to


    stay at Royalpark Vi.


    ¡°Did you forget what we discussed when Keegan had his ident?¡± He continued.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicity¡¯s expression stiffened.


    ¡°Even though we may not be able to offer much help right now, we can coordinate our efforts. We


    shouldn¡¯t create chaos. Jaylene hid the fact that she knew where Keegan was, yet Ste didn¡¯t confront


    her about it. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s aware of the potential consequences of her actions.¡±


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 Chapter 1826

    Chapter 1826


    Felicity hesitated before finally voicing her concern, ¡°But what if Keegan falls for Jaylene during this


    time?¡±


    Her question amused Vermont. He answered, ¡°Baby, Jaylene and Keegan go way back. They¡¯re


    childhood friends. If Keegan had feelings for her, he wouldn¡¯t have gotten together with Ste. I will


    personally show Jaylene the way out if Keegan ever betrays your best friend.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s response left Felicity surprised. He certainly had a way with words.


    Despite Felicity¡¯s initial resentment, she somewhat agreed with Vermont after his persuasive spiel.


    Finally, she pressed her lips together and said after a while, ¡°If you don¡¯t follow through¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll never be able to have children,¡± Vermont interjected,pleting thetter half of her sentence.


    Felicity¡¯s anger toward him dissipated.


    Vermont took her hand and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s time to see why Keegan is hanging out with Jaylene.¡±


    Jaylene handed Keegan a ss of wine, ¡°Keegan, try this. It¡¯s a special selection from a winery abroad.


    It tastes exceptionally good.¡±


    Keegan took the ss and gently swirled it around. The sweet fragrance of the red wine wafted out


    gradually.¡±


    Smells good,¡± heplimented.


    Holding her wine ss, Jaylene smiled and clinked it against his, ¡°Give it a taste.¡±


    Keegan lowered his eyes, holding the ss as if he was about to take a sip.


    Just then, Vermont¡¯s voice came from nearby, ¡°Ms. Saun, Keegan, what a coincidence.¡±


    Jaylene turned around and saw Vermont with Felicity by his side. They were standing a short distance


    away, smiling.


    Vermont nced at the red wine next to Jaylene and said,¡± If I remember correctly, the aroma of this


    wine is one of Caline¡¯s blends. It was even showcased at a famous wine auction.¡±


    Jaylene smiled faintly, ¡°You¡¯re so well-informed, Mr. Snyder.¡±


    Vermont shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s all useless knowledge.¡± He paused momentarily and added, ¡°Could this be your


    creation, Ms. Saun?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that talented, just fortunate enough to be involved,¡± Jaylene appeared modest, but the slight


    raise of her chin and her hand resting together revealed a hint of superiority.


    Felicity felt a sense of disdain. She lifted her eyes only to catch Keegan discreetly pouring the red wine


    from his ss into the dark-colored napkin beside him. He then raised the ss and took a small sip,


    saying, ¡°The wine tastes excellent.¡±


    Felicity was puzzled. She had only seen Ste do this to avoid drinking back in the day.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡®What is Keegan up to? Why did he pretend that he drank it?¡¯ Her mind filled with questions. But she


    could only puff up her cheeks and observe the situation from the sidelines.


    Seeing Keegan finish, Jaylene was delighted and poured another ss of white wine for him, ¡°Keegan,


    this one is good too. Why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡±

 Chapter 1827

    Chapter 1827


    Keegan took the ss and sampled the wine before downing the rest. He casually picked up a tissue


    and wiped his lips. Felicity observed as the tissue slowly soaked wet before Keegan disposed of it.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± Keeganmented.


    Jaylene finished her drink with a bright smile on her face,¡± The groom really loves wine. He personally


    chose the drinks for this banquet. Each table has a different selection of wine, but they all taste


    exceptional.¡±


    She gestured for a waiter and ordered another drink,¡± Keegan, do you want to try this one? It¡¯s a fruit


    wine but packs more punch in terms of alcohol content. It also has a richer aroma.¡±


    Keegan epted it. He sniffed and said softly, ¡°It¡¯s very fragrant. I can smell the fruit.¡±


    Jaylene smiled, ¡°It¡¯s my favorite.¡±


    After a brief pause, Keegan raised the ss and finished it in one go. He sipped some water and


    remarked, ¡°The taste is a bit bitter. It¡¯s not as impressive as the previous two.¡±


    Jaylene chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s because you downed it too quickly. Fruit wine should be slowly savored,¡± she


    said and demonstrated to Keegan.


    Uninterested in Jaylene¡¯s theatrics, Felicity stood on her tiptoes and nced at Keegan¡¯s ss.


    As expected, it was half full just a moment ago, but the wine somehow increased despite him taking a sip


    earlier.


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    ¡®Did he spit the wine back into the ss?¡¯ thought Felicity. She was sure Ste must have taught Keegan


    how to avoid alcohol.


    ¡®He¡¯s using the same techniques she used back when we were in school. But doesn¡¯t he have amnesia?


    How did he remember these tricks? Moreover, why is he avoiding the drinks Jaylene is offering him?¡¯


    Felicity had aplex gaze at the thought of that.


    ¡°Ms. Saun, don¡¯t just cater to Keegan. I like drinking too. Why don¡¯t you give me some suggestions?¡±


    Vermont yfully said.


    Jaylene smiled faintly, ¡°Given your active presence in the business realm and your wide circle of


    acquaintances, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve tried a variety of wines. I wouldn¡¯t want to suggest something you¡¯re


    already familiar with, Mr. Snyder.¡±


    ¡°Well, I never get to savor the taste when drinking during business. Despite looking like I drink a lot, I


    don¡¯t know much about wine.¡±


    He then pulled Felicity over and continued, ¡°My girlfriend also doesn¡¯t know much about it either. You


    might as well rmend us a few drinks that couples normally choose.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eyebrows twitched. She red at him, her gaze saying, ¡°Who said I¡¯m your girlfriend?¡±


    Vermont held her waist tightly, signaling her to y along.


    Jaylene nced at Felicity and chuckled, ¡°Your taste is indeed¡­ unique, Mr.


    Snyder.¡±


    She had only seen Felicity a few times, mostly when Ste was present.


    She knew about her rtionship with Ste but did not understand why they were still friends after the


    Sauns announced Ste¡¯s return.


    From Jaylene¡¯s perspective, Felicitycked the standard feminine traits. She was impolite and spoke


    crudely. ¡®How does someone as ordinary as her have the confidence to mingle in our circle?¡¯ Naturally,


    Jaylene disliked Felicity, i

 Chapter 1828

    Chapter 1828


    Felicity was not naive. Usually, hearing such words would have triggered her anger. However, she


    managed to keep her cool due to Vermont¡¯s advice.


    If this had happened elsewhere, Felicity would have unleashed a verbal storm on Jaylene without a


    second thought. Yet, surrounded by Ste¡¯s acquaintances, Felicity exercised restraint to avoid


    embarrassing her friend.


    ¡°Ms. Saun, you, too, have a unique taste. Most of my friends prefer single and unmarried individuals.


    This is the first time I¡¯ve encountered someone who appreciates divorced men with girlfriends.¡± ¡¯


    Jaylene¡¯s expression stiffened.


    Felicity batted her eyshes and continued, ¡°Is this a particr preference of yours? I happen to know


    quite a few divorced men. Do you want me to introduce them to you? Though, my friends have higher


    standards. It might not work out between you two if they have girlfriends. Of course, some with


    questionable morals might be more to your liking.


    Jaylene¡¯s face darkened.


    Felicity expected Jaylene to make a scene and reveal her true colors to everyone. However, Jaylene


    only clenched her fists and tried to control her emotions. Red-eyed, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t understand why


    you harbor such strong ill will toward me, Ms. Thompson. Is it because of Ste? If she has any


    grievances against me, she can express them directly. There¡¯s no need to have her friend say these


    things to me. I¡¯ve always believed that Keegan¡¯s safety is more important than anything. I never


    expected Ste to make such a big deal out of this.¡±


    The buzzing crowd surrounding them began to murmur in response to Jaylene¡¯s words. The discussion


    centered on Ste being overly petty.


    To them, Jaylene had saved Keegan¡¯s life, yet Ste seemed unable to ept that. Not only was she


    jealous of Jaylene and Keegan, but she even had her friend criticize her.


    Felicity¡¯s lips twitched.


    Never in her life had she encountered a hypocrite like Jaylene, whose agenda went beyond bringing


    Ste down and extended to creating conflict in their rtionship.


    ¡°You pretentious bi-¡°


    Before Felicity couldplete her sentence, Vermont pinched her cheeks and said, ¡°Everything always


    comes out wrong when you say it. Ms. Saun doesn¡¯t need your help to find a partner. Keegan is right


    here, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    Felicity was about to protest, but Vermont continued, ¡°Did you forget what Keegan posted on his social


    media? He treats Ms. Saun like a sister. He¡¯d help her find a partner if she¡¯s looking. You don¡¯t need to


    do anything.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s gaze shifted, and she stopped resisting.


    However, Jaylene¡¯s expression was a vivid disy of mixed emotions.


    A few days ago, screenshots of Keegan¡¯s post had circted in their group. His message was clear-he


    and Jaylene stood no chance.


    When Jaylene saw the screenshot, she felt like she had been pped in the face. She felt worse now


    that Vermont was bringing it up in front of so many people.


    Jaylene¡¯s lips quivered, and herplexion turned unpleasant.


    She looked at Keegan, hoping for some reassurance, but he rubbed his temples, appearing rather


    ufortable. Seeing Jaylene looking over, he stood up and said, ¡°Jaylene, excuse me for a moment. I


    need to go to the restroom.¡±


    Jaylene had no choice but to swallow her grievances. ¡°Be careful, Keegan,¡± she said.


    Keegan responded and left.


    ¡°Mr. Snyder, have you had too much to drink? Shall I support you?¡± Felicity mimicked Jaylene¡¯s tone and


    asked Vermont.


    Vermont draped his arm over her shoulder, smiling, ¡°You¡¯re so strong. Why don¡¯t you just carry me?¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

 Chapter 1829

    Chapter 1829


    Seeing that Vermont was about to pounce on her, Felicity immediately dodged his yful advance.


    Jaylene watched the duo leave with a stern face, her fingers gradually clenching into a fist.


    Once they were out of earshot, Felicity nudged Vermont,¡± Hey, did you notice anything odd about


    Keegan?¡±


    Vermont pondered for a moment and nodded, ¡°Yeah, something does seem off.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°What¡¯s off?¡±


    ¡°His looks are off the charts.¡±


    Felicity gritted her teeth and poked Vermont¡¯s waist, ¡°You stinky cucumber! I¡¯m being serious. Can¡¯t you


    go a day without being so cheeky?¡±


    ¡°Ouch. That hurts,¡± Vermont grabbed her hand and rubbed his waist. ¡°I was just kidding around. There¡¯s


    no need for violence.¡±


    Felicity red at him.


    Vermont put up his hands in surrender and said, ¡°Whether or not he¡¯s acting strange, let¡¯s just pretend


    we didn¡¯t see anything.¡±


    Felicity widened her eyes, ¡°You¡ª¡±


    Vermont covered her mouth and grinned, ¡°Let¡¯s eat, baby.


    I¡¯m starving.¡±


    ¡°All you do is eat. Why aren¡¯t you gaining weight with all the food you consume?¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s a secret passed down in our family.¡±


    Felicity looked skeptical, ¡°A secret?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s rare toe across naturally slender individuals. Given my eating habits and limited physical


    activity, I have to implement certain tactics to sustain this incredible physique.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eyes sparkled, ¡°Tell me more. I want to get thinner, too!¡±


    ¡°Actually, everyone in my family has this bug in our bodies that makes us skinny.


    This bug usually spreads through bodily fluids. For example, if you kiss me, you can lose a pound or two


    in a week. If you go a bit further, you can lose at least four or five pounds a week. The deeper the


    interaction, the faster the weight loss,¡± Vermont teased.


    Felicity was speechless.


    ¡°What if I bite off a piece of your flesh? Then I will have the bug too and lose ten pounds in a week!¡± she


    sneered.


    Vermont hesitated, ¡® Baby, this is supposed to be romantic. Don¡¯t make it sound so terrifying.¡±


    Felicity pped away his hand, her face dark, ¡°How many girls have you fooled with those words?¡±


    Vermont sighed and chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re the first. I just want to make you happy.¡±


    It was the truth. Vermont did not talk much in his previous rtionships. His ex girlfriends were usually


    the ones who coaxed and spoiled him. He was attracted to their good looks and physique, while they


    were attracted to his money.


    If any wanted Vermont to coax them, he would break up with them.


    Looking back, he acknowledged that his behavior was a bit questionable. But, he was not fully invested


    in those rtionships then.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    But it was different with Felicity. Vermont was happy to indulge her, make her happy, and say things that


    amuse her.


    Felicity snorted. It was unclear if she believed him.


    Keegan returned not long after leaving, apanied by Aurora. His face was a bit flushed, probably


    from drinking too much. Aurora and Jaylene sat together with him in between them, chatting happily. This


    made Felicity increasingly uneasy.


    Jaylene was not a good person, and Aurora was not much better. The two seemed to get along well,


    chatting andughing.


    Felicity was even more ufortable witnessing this.


    After the engagement ceremony, the bride and groom had a toast with the guests.

 Chapter 1830

    Chapter 1830


    Felicity noticed that Vermont, who was usually talkative, appeared exceptionallyposed during the


    toasting session.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a sentimental man, Mr. Snyder? Bringing your current girlfriend to your ex-girlfriend¡¯s


    engagement banquet, ¡± Jaylene suddenly remarked.


    Felicity¡¯s body tensed, and she shot Vermont a sharp look.


    She had noticed the bride ncing her way continuously,¡¯ What an ass! I can¡¯t believe he chose to


    humiliate me like this!¡¯ With a cold expression, Vermont said, ¡°Ms. Saun, we¡¯re at Xander¡¯s engagement


    banquet. Please choose your words carefully.¡±


    Jaylene chuckled, ¡°I was just making conversation. Mr. Raynor wouldn¡¯t have invited you if he minded


    your presence.¡±


    Felicity looked at the tasty dishes before her, but her appetite waspletely gone.


    Vermont grabbed a piece of fish for Felicity and whispered,¡± It¡¯s boneless. Try it.¡±


    Felicity took a deep breath and thought, ¡®That pretentious witch is just trying to create conflict between


    us. There¡¯s no reason for me to get upset.1 She forced a smile, thanked him, and began eating.


    After some drinks, Vermont received a call and left the room.


    Seeing the couple across from her, Felicity lost her appetite. She decided to step out for some fresh air.


    As soon as she reached the corridor, Felicity saw a woman hugging Vermont from behind.


    She felt betrayed. She was ready to confront them, but a group of people beat her to it. With phones and


    cameras in hand, they rushed out and began filming the two.


    Felicity was pushed to the side, dumbfounded. A man came out, pointing at the woman hugging


    Vermont, and eximed, ¡°Elsa, how could you?! How could you fool around with another man at our


    engagement banquet?!¡± Felicity squinted to get a better look, ¡®Good Lord. Isn¡¯t that the groom-to-be?


    What is going on?¡¯ Elsa Frost clung to Vermont, her eyes red, ¡°I don¡¯t like you, Xander. The engagement


    was forced on me. Now that you¡¯ve found out, I have nothing to say. Let¡¯s call off the engagement.¡±


    The man sneered, ¡°In your dreams! I will only be widowed, not divorced!¡±


    Felicity was taken aback upon hearing that. The dialogue sounded oddly familiar.


    She surveyed the bizarre and melodramatic love triangle, finding it increasingly strange, ¡®How can the


    groom-to-be be so sure that his partner is cheating when I¡¯ve just seen her hug Vermont?¡¯ Reporters


    swarmed around the area, eagerly pushing their phones into Vermont¡¯s face.


    ¡°Mr. Snyder, is it true that you¡¯re the third person in Mr. Raynor and Ms. Frost¡¯s rtionship?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Snyder, why were you hugging the bride-to-be at her engagement party?


    What was going through your mind?¡±


    ¡°Rumor has it that Ms. Frost is your first love. Did you attend this banquet to win her back?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Snyder, we heard that the watch on your wrist is a token of love from Ms.


    Frost. Is it true that, after all these years, you still have lingering feelings for her?¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Felicity could not believe her ears. She was ready to catch them in the act, but with each progressively


    absurd question, she started to feel like it was a set-up.


    That watch was a gift Vermont bought for himself when he earned his first sry.


    Felicity remembered him proudly telling her about it, even showing her the receipt to boast.


    ¡°I spent one-third of the money in my bank ount that day. I regretted it overnight and went to return it.


    But they told me since it had been used, I¡¯d have to pay extra for a refund, which is absurd. In the end, I


    had to keep it.¡±


    ¡®Since when did that watch be a token of love from his first love?¡¯

 Chapter 1831

    Chapter 1831


    Having been in the circle for so many years, Vermont thought he had seen it all.


    When the woman embraced him, he sensed trouble brewing.


    Several usations were thrown at him without him being able to defend himself.


    His expression turned icy. Just as Vermont was about to address the situation, he noticed Felicity in the


    crowd, looking at the scene. He felt a tight knot in his chest.


    ¡®Oh dear. Is she going to overthink this?¡¯ Vermont was in a panic. He almost pushed through the people


    to provide an exnation when Felicity suddenly sank to the ground and burst into tears.


    ¡°Ah!¡± She clutched her stomach, appearing distressed.¡± Vermont, my belly hurts.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Is something wrong with the baby?¡±


    Her cry drew everyone¡¯s attention.


    The woman who had hugged Vermont turned pale and confronted Felicity, ¡°Who are you? What¡¯s your


    rtionship with Vermont?¡±


    Vermont¡¯s eyelid twitched, and he forcefully pushed Elsa away. He approached Felicity, crouched down,


    and helped her up.


    Before he could speak, Felicity asked, ¡°Vermont, who is that woman? Why is she saying that you¡¯re here


    to win her back?


    Didn¡¯t you bring me here to take notes for our engagement party? Are you actually here for her? Don¡¯t


    you want me and the baby anymore?¡±


    She then discreetly pinched her thigh to force out more tears.


    Vermont nearlyughed out loud at her amateur acting. Biting his tongue, he looked heartbroken and


    said, ¡°What are you thinking? Why would I bring you to this engagement banquet if something is going


    on between me and her?¡±


    ¡®But you¡¯re wearing your love token,¡± Felicity whined.


    ¡°Love token? I bought this watch myself. There¡¯s only one symbol of love in my life.¡± Vermont touched


    her small abdomen and continued, ¡®And it¡¯s this baby you¡¯re carrying. I won¡¯t let anyone here off the hook


    if something happens to you and the baby.¡±


    Felicity¡¯s eye twitched, and she threw herself into Vermont¡¯s arms. In a hoarse voice, she said, ¡°Vermont,


    I¡¯m scared.¡±


    Vermont lifted her, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Let¡¯s take you to the hospital.¡±


    As they moved to leave, Xander refused to back down, ¡°You ruined my engagement banquet and


    seduced my wife.


    Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±


    Vermont nced at him and kicked his knee hard.


    Xander¡¯s leg gave way, and he knelt on the ground.


    Vermont stepped on his shoulder, bent over, and coldly said, ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to.


    Look in the mirror before you try to y the hero.¡±


    He kicked the man once more and carried Felicity away without looking back.


    Felicity¡¯s heart pounded, ¡®Gosh. He¡¯s so handsome when he¡¯s being serious.¡¯ As they passed by Elsa,


    Felicity heard her calling Vermont¡¯s name, but the man did not stop. He went straight through the crowd


    and into the elevator.


    Once inside, Felicity wanted to get off, but Vermont did not put her down. He held her in his arms and


    whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t make a scene. Think about the baby.¡±

 Chapter 1832

    Chapter 1832


    ¡°You¡¯re really testing my patience,¡± Felicity grumbled, tugging at Vermont¡¯s hair.


    ¡°Why does drama always follow you in your love life?!¡±


    Vermont let out a sigh. ¡°Who could have guessed they¡¯d pull off such a stunt at their own engagement


    party? They¡¯re just crazy.¡±


    Giving him a sharp look, Felicity said, ¡°Would they have done it if you weren¡¯t involved with the bride-to-


    be?¡±


    Her question left Vermont speechless for a moment. Finally, he responded, ¡°Is it my fault for being too


    charming?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re shameless!¡±


    With a chuckle, Vermont bent his head and lightly nudged her face with his chin.


    ¡°Sweetheart, I didn¡¯t expect you to have so much trust in me. I was worried you¡¯d believe those


    troublemakers and leave me.¡±


    Felicity shot him a disdainful look. ¡°That was your first love. Do you think it¡¯s appropriate to call her a


    scoundrel?¡±


    ¡°First love my foot,¡± Vermont gritted his teeth at the memory. ¡°We dated for a semester in high school.


    She ran off with someone else when I interned at thepany during summer vacation. I didn¡¯t know


    she was the bride-to- be until I arrived at the party. Those two sure are something.¡±


    ¡°Why did she even do that?¡± Felicity asked.


    Vermont opened the car door for Felicity and went to the driver¡¯s seat.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    He picked up his phone and nced at what his assistant had sent. ¡°The groom-to-be must have yed


    a part in in. That scumbag hooked up with a model I used to date.¡±


    It turns out the one Xander in love with was actually another Vermont¡¯s exes.


    She used to be an artist in Felicity¡¯s formerpany.


    She took advantage of Vermont¡¯s support and terminated her contract with thepany, incurring a


    heavy breach-of- contract fee.


    Vermont broke up with her after that. Since then, her resources decreased, and her poprity declined.


    Hence, she harbored a deep resentment toward Vermont.


    Later, the model met Xander, and they fell madly in love.


    Unfortunately, due to her previous tumultuous rtionship with Vermont, Xander¡¯s family disapproved of


    her.


    So, Xander devised a n to make a scene on his engagement day. He had Vermont¡¯s first love to y


    the role as his bride-to-be and intended to catch her in the act of ¡± infidelity¡±, turning it into a massive


    scandal.


    The wedding would undoubtedly be called off, allowing him to present that his real lover as someone


    good and secure his parents¡¯ approval.


    At the same time, he would be helping his lover get back at Vermont.


    Vermont adjusted his tie and cursed, ¡°I wondered why he would bug me to attend his engagement


    banquet when we¡¯re not that close. I wouldn¡¯t have shown up if it weren¡¯t for the fact that he hired a good


    chef, and I wanted you to taste the food. His old man literally bows to me whenever he sees me. Who


    does he think he is?¡±


    Felicity watched as Vermontined and couldn¡¯t hold back herughter.


    ¡°All this happened because you¡¯re too popr among women. Both his lover and ex are your ex-


    girlfriends. Serves you right for being such a yer.¡±


    Vermontughed upon hearing that. ¡°I genuinely didn¡¯t know that the bride-to-be was someone I knew. If


    I had known, I wouldn¡¯t havee. Why would I bring you to my ex¡¯s engagement party? I¡¯m not crazy.¡±


    Felicity snorted, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my quick thinking, you¡¯d be in trouble.


    Tomorrow¡¯s headlines would read, ¡®CEO of Green Hill Media disrupts engagement: A Love Triangle¡¯.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡°Can we create a better learning environment for our baby?¡± ¡® Felicity red at


    him and said, ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Vermont chuckled as he started the car. Just as they were about to leave, Felicity suddenly asked, ¡°Will


    Jaylene snatch Keegan away in our absence?¡±

 Chapter 1833

    Chapter 1833


    Chapter 1833


    Vermont was unconcerned. ¡°Keegan is a grown man, not a fool. I''m sure Jaylene won''t be able to


    snatch him away.¡±


    "Did you not see what happened at the banquet? She kept filling Keegan''s ss. It''s clear she has ill


    intentions,¡± Felicity persisted.


    Vermont giggled, "What? Are you worried she''ll get him drunk and take advantage of him?"


    Felicity red at him and said, "Well, it''s not entirely impossible, is it? What if Keegan gets drunk, loses


    his judgment, and does something inexplicable? Ste will never forgive him.."


    Vermontughed heartily. He held Felicity''s hand and said, ¡± Miss bandit, you''re inexperienced in love.


    You don''tunderstand men well.¡±


    Felicity did not understand what he meant.


    "Using alcohol as an excuse for inappropriate behavior is just ame attempt by men with ulterior


    motives. If a man wants to misbehave, even a sip of vinegar can make him drunk. If he''s not interested,


    no amount of alcohol will work. Judging from Keegan''s character, he wouldn''t stoop to such actions.¡±


    Felicity felt somewhat reassured, but as she listened to Vermont''s knowledge of such tactics, she


    narrowed her eyes and questioned, "Do you often pretend to be drunk and engage in inappropriate


    activities?¡±


    Hearing that, Vermont chuckled. He kissed the back of Felicity''s hand and looked at her tenderly.


    "While I''m no saint, I''ll never stoop to such tasteless acts."


    After a pause, heined, "You, on the other hand, have such poor alcohol tolerance. I can''t


    believe you got drunk and discussed art films with strangers you''ve just met.¡±


    Annoyed and embarrassed, Felicity pped him on the head and said, ¡°Shut your mouth!¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Vermont saw her angry expression, and his heart softened.


    Just as he was about to say something, Keegan and Jaylene exited the elevator.


    Felicity patted his arm and said, "Here theye. Watch, Jaylene is definitely going to take Keegan


    away in her car.¡±


    Vermont rubbed his chin. "Didn''t he look fine when we left?How can he be drunk in just over ten


    minutes?¡±


    ¡°Did you forget how low Keegan''s alcohol tolerance is? Ste said he gets dizzy after just one ss of


    white wine.¡±


    Felicity shook him and said, "Quick, think of a solution. Keegan''s chastity is on the line!¡±


    Vermont''s eyelids twitched. "Why are you more concerned about his innocence than mine?¡±


    Felicity scowled. "I''m safeguarding Ste''s marriage.¡±


    ¡°And how are you doing that?¡±


    ¡°Haven''t you heard that celibacy is a man¡¯s best gift for his partner? With your track record, you should


    be grateful that I still care about you.¡±


    Her response left Vermont speechless.


    ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Vermont''s expression turned ugly. ¡®What has she been reading online these days?¡¯


    As expected, Jaylene did lead Keegan to her car.


    Felicity egged Vermont on, "Go over there and ram into the back of her car!"


    Vermont could not believe her. "Lady, that''s against thew!¡±


    ¡°We''re in an underground parking lot. There are no pedestrians around. What are you afraid of? Don''t


    tell me you''re worried about denting your car.¡±

 Chapter 1834

    Chapter 1834


    Chapter 1834


    Vermont defended his decision, ¡°I think there''s no need for unnecessary sacrifices. We should avoid


    whatever we can.¡±


    Frustrated, Felicity retorted, "You scum. Aren''t you Keegan''s best friend? Is your car worth more than


    his chastity?¡±


    Vermont responded calmly, ¡°My car cost over seven million dors. Keegan''s chastity isn''t worth that


    much.¡±


    Felicity was about to bite back. However, at that moment, a figure suddenly appeared in front of


    Jaylene''s car. It was Aurora.


    Vermont held Felicity''s hand down and said, ¡°Aurora is here. We might not need to sacrifice my car


    anymore.¡±


    Felicity maintained a defensive posture while keeping an eye on Aurora, who approached the car


    window and exchanged words with Jaylene. Subsequently, Aurora moved to the other side, opened the


    back door, and entered the vehicle.


    Soon after, she closed the door, and they drove off.


    Felicity frowned. ¡°Why did she join them?¡±


    Vermont started the car, "Jaylene won''t do anything to Keegan with Aurora there. Are you reassured


    now?"


    "How do you know she won''t do anything?¡¯ Felicity had zero trust in Jaylene¡¯s character.


    Vermont smiled faintly, "Jaylene has always presented herself as gentle, virtuous, and diplomatic. Even


    if she had ulterior motives, she wouldn''t dare to act upon them in front of Aurora. We all know Jaylene


    has feelings for Keegan, but why hasn''t she confessed?"


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    "Because she knows it would damage her reputation. That''s why she chooses to only engage in


    flirtatious behavior. If the situation blows up, she can make it seem like Keegan initiated it. Jaylene is a


    strategic person. I''m sure she wouldn''t dare to do anything in front of Aurora,¡± he continued.


    Felicity cursed, "That pretentious bitch!¡±


    ¡°Let''s tail them and see what''s going on.¡±


    Inside Jaylene''s car, Keegan found himself seated between


    Aurora and Jaylene. His face appeared flushed, and the scent of alcohol lingered around him. With


    half-closed eyes, he leaned against the seat in silence.


    Jaylene opened a bottle of water and handed it to him while saying, ¡°Are you still feeling ufortable,


    Keegan? Do you want some water?"


    Keegan took a sip, looking weary.


    ¡°Thank you for giving us a lift, Jaylene. I wouldn''t manage my brother in this condition alone otherwise,"


    Aurora expressed her gratitude.


    In a soothing tone, Jaylene replied, ¡°It''s no trouble. Since Keegan and I came together, I want to ensure


    he gets home safely.¡±


    She then took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the water droplets from Keegan''s lips.


    Aurora observed Jaylene''s actions and smiled, "Jaylene, you''re really thoughtful. If my brother marries


    you, the two of us will surely get along well.¡±


    Jaylene lowered her eyes and whispered, "Aurora, don''t say such things. Keegan''s heart belongs to


    Ste."


    Aurora dismissed it, "That was before. He doesn''t even remember her now. He gets annoyed every


    time he sees her face, and they''ve been quarreling a lot recently.¡±


    All of a sudden, Keegan coughed several times, his face flushing red, possibly due to water or


    something else.


    Jaylene hurriedly patted his back. After Keegan closed his eyes again, she said, "How could that be?


    Keegan survived a life-threatening situation. Ste should treat him well. Why would they be


    quarreling?"


    Aurora snorted, "If my brother were gone, most of his assets would have gone to her. Now that he''s


    back, the will is null and void. I''m sure she''s not happy about that.¡±

 Chapter 1835

    Chapter 1835


    Chapter 1835


    Jaylene dismissed Aurora¡¯s ims, finding them more reflective of Dahlia¡¯s opinions of Ste.


    She smiled andmented, ¡°You¡¯re reading too much into it. Ste genuinely cares about Keegan¡¯s


    well-being. Growing up in the Jewell family, surrounded by individuals like Albert, whose character is


    questionable, may have shaped her demeanor. And Keegan, well, he¡¯s quite straightforward.


    Disagreements are bound to happen.¡±


    Aurora scoffed at the mention of the Jewell family. ¡°She certainly learned a lot from Albert¡¯s never-


    ending greed.¡±


    Without delving deeper into the conversation, Jaylene asked, ¡°Aurora, I heard you¡¯re living in Keegan¡¯s


    house now. Is that true?¡±


    Aurora nodded. ¡°If Ste can help my brother regain his memory, then so can I. If she¡¯s living there, I¡¯ll


    be there too. I need to keep a close watch on her and prevent any chance of her trying to reignite old


    feelings with my brother.¡±


    Jaylene chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re such a child.¡±


    Aurora took her hand and said, ¡°Jaylene, while my brother is intoxicated, do you see an opportunity


    here to get close to him? Keegan is an honest man. If a rtionship develops between you two, he¡¯ll


    surely take responsibility. I bet Ste will have to keep her distance if anything happens.¡±


    A blush tinged Jaylene¡¯s cheeks as she gently patted


    Aurora¡¯s hand, chastising her in a hushed tone, ¡°Stop talking nonsense.¡±


    Aurora shrugged, ¡°I was just joking. If Keegan decides to investigate, he¡¯ll find out who did it, especially


    with surveince everywhere nowadays. I don¡¯t want to end up back in prison.¡±


    Jaylene¡¯s mind settled slightly. Aurora was right about the omnipresent surveince cameras. If


    someone probed the incident, the truth would surface.


    ¡®This approach is too risky.¡¯


    Jaylene was a little d that Aurora got into the car. It dispelled the unrealistic fantasies she had


    harbored earlier. Knowing that Keegan wasn¡¯tmitted to Ste, she felt no immediate sense of


    urgency to step in.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    However, the decrease in their interactions left her somewhat anxious. ¡°Aurora, has your brother


    remembered Ste at all?¡±


    Aurora coldly sneered, ¡°If he ever regains his memories, the first thing he would do is kick me out of


    Royalpark Vi. I hope he never remembers.¡±


    Jaylene breathed a sigh of relief and pulled out a bottle of medicine from her bag, ¡°Aurora, this is the


    medicine Dr.


    Stone prescribed for Keegan. I got it from abroad through a friend. You should hold onto it and have


    him take it ording to his previous dosage when he wakes up.¡±


    Aurora took the medication and said, ¡°Jaylene, you¡¯re so good to my brother. I truly don¡¯t know what he


    saw in Ste.¡±


    Jaylene lowered her eyes and smiled without saying anything. Though, her gaze looked somewhat


    disdainful.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Initially, Jaylene nned to send Keegan back to Royalpark Vi. However, Aurora said that she could


    drop them off at the intersection.


    ¡°The driver is on his way. Ste has been suspicious of my brother. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯llin to


    Grandma if you go in with us. Grandma is getting older and tends to believe whatever Ste tells her.¡±


    She continued, ¡°At the same time, your dad has been worried that Ste might not settle well into our


    family, so he frequently visits Grandma. I¡¯m concerned that he might misinterpret the situation if he


    overhears any of Ste¡¯s grievances.¡±


    Jaylene understood Aurora¡¯s opinion. Wenham had indeed been visiting the Kane family oftentely,


    causing her to be worried and eager to see Keegan.


    She felt considerably relieved, knowing that Keegan¡¯s attitude toward her remained unchanged and


    with Aurora confirming the poor rtionship between him and Ste.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she said, passing her coat to Aurora. ¡°Take this. It¡¯s cold outside.¡±


    Aurora was deeply touched, her eyes turning red. Gratefully, she took the coat, her voice hoarse,


    ¡°Jaylene, besides my mom, you¡¯ve been the kindest person to me.¡±


    Jaylene smiled andforted her with a couple of words.


    She then gave her a gift that was originally intended for Darcie.


    Soon, the Kane family¡¯s driver arrived. He stepped out and assisted Keegan into the car alongside


    Aurora.


    Jaylene bid them farewell through the lowered window as they drove away. Then, she averted her


    gaze, tossed out the water bottle Aurora had used, and remarked, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°How irresponsible!¡± Felicity cursed fiercely.


    Vermont patted her head and said, ¡°Are you reassured now?¡±


    Felicity got out, poured out the water bottle, and threw it in the trash bin. She then ran back to the car


    and said, ¡°Take me home.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Vermont chuckled softly.

 Chapter 1836

    Chapter 1836


    Chapter 1836


    Felicity couldn¡¯t help butugh at Vermont¡¯s exaggerated tone and murmured, ¡°Lackey!¡±


    Meanwhile, Ste was at Royalpark Vi, slicing meat while scrolling through Jaylene¡¯s social media


    photos. Her cuts were deliberate and precise.


    The rhythmic chopping sounds emanating from the kitchen disrupted Maria, who was ready to turn in.


    She got up and knocked on the door, ¡°Ma¡¯am, why are you in the kitchen at this hour?¡±


    Ste turned around with a knife in her hand and smiled,¡± Sorry, Maria. Keegan mentioned he wanted


    dumplings in the morning. Since I couldn¡¯t sleep, I thought I¡¯d prepare the filling. Did I disturb you?¡±


    Although Ste was smiling, there was no joy reflected in her eyes. Holding the knife, she appeared


    unsettling.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Maria stammered, ¡°N-Not at all. Uh- There¡¯s a meat grinder in the cab. Do you want me to get it for


    you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright. Thanks. Hand-chopped meat tastes better.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then. I¡¯ll be heading to bed now.¡±


    Ste nodded. ¡°Good night.¡±


    Maria put her hand over her heart and thought, ¡®It looked like she was dismembering a body rather than


    chopping up meat.


    Around 11:00 p.m., the sound of an engine came from outside. Shortly after, the driver and Aurora


    helped Keegan into the home.


    With an expressionless face, Ste walked out of the kitchen with a knife and observed the scene.


    Once Aurora had settled Keegan on the couch, she looked up, surprised.


    ¡°Y-You¡¯re still up.¡±


    Ste smiled, ¡°Well, I agreed to make strawberry pudding for you two, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    Aurora swallowed nervously. ¡°I¡¯ve already eaten. Let¡¯s talk tomorrow. I¡¯ll leave my brother to you.¡±


    She rushed upstairs after saying that,


    Seeing the situation, the driver decided against offering further assistance and turned to leave, too.


    Ste removed her apron and walked over to the couch, still holding the knife.


    ¡°Keegan.¡±


    Keegan, lying on the couch now, did not respond.


    Ste leaned into his ears, and called, ¡°Keegan?¡±


    There was still no movement.


    Ste took a sniff and noticed a strong odor of alcohol. The scent was notably intense on his clothes.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡¯Did he take a bath in alcohol?¡¯


    With the knife in hand, Ste unbuttoned Keegan¡¯s cor and said slowly, ¡°Where did you go tonight?¡±


    Drunk, Keegan did not answer her.


    Ste undid another button and asked, ¡°Did you drink with Jaylene tonight?¡±

 Chapter 1837

    Chapter 1837


    The figure on the couch remained unresponsive. Ste decided to undo the remaining buttons without


    hesitation.


    Keegan¡¯s chest was red; it seemed he was genuinely under the influence of alcohol.


    ¡°Keegan?¡± Ste called his name again, ¡°Do you remember what I told you the day you picked me up?¡±


    As she spoke, the knife had slid down to his belt. Keegan¡¯s body stiffened momentarily.


    The chilly de gently tapped his lower abdomen while Ste wiped the thin sweat from his forehead.


    She exhaled and said, ¡°With your excellent memory, you shouldn¡¯t have forgotten, right?¡±


    Keegan tensed all over, and a particr phrase crossed his mind, ¡°Regardless of whether you can


    recover your memory in the future if you have any involvement with Jaylene, I¡¯ll make sure you can never


    have children.¡±


    Feeling the de sliding downward, he tensed even more.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°Are you really drunk?¡± Ste frowned, reaching out to touch his face. ¡°How much did you drink?¡±


    She set the knife aside and sat next to Keegan. She then grabbed his face and said, ¡°Does Jaylene


    know you have low alcohol tolerance? Howe she got you this drunk? What was she up to?¡±


    She pinched Keegan¡¯s face and continued, ¡°Could it be she wanted to take advantage of you when


    you¡¯re defenseless?¡±


    She continued, muttering to herself, ¡°Jaylene still doesn¡¯t understand you. No matter how stunning she


    might be, it won¡¯t make a difference when faced with someone who is all show and no substance.¡±


    ¡°Who are you calling all show and no substance?¡± Keegan¡¯s voice slowly sounded from behind.


    Startled, Ste turned her head to see the person sleeping on the couch, now wide awake, staring at her


    with fiery eyes.


    She was slow to react. ¡°You¡¯re not drunk-Ah!¡±


    Before Ste could finish her sentence, Keegan grabbed her wrist and pulled her onto the couch.


    He rolled over, pinning her beneath him. Instinctively avoiding her stomach, he held one of her hands


    above her head. Leaning down, he looked into her eyes and asked in a deep voice, ¡°I said, who are you


    calling all show and no substance?¡±


    Ste was shocked. She suddenly realized, ¡°You¡¯re not drunk?¡±


    Keegan lowered his gaze. ¡°Answer the question.¡±


    Ste chuckled at the thought that he was fine with all the threats but was not okay with her saying that


    he was an empty suit.


    She tilted her neck in defiance, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m talking about you. Do you see anyone else in here?¡±


    Keegan gritted his teeth, ¡°Do you know what that phrase means?¡±


    Ste clicked her tongue and used her free hand to yfully touch his lower abdomen. ¡°Of course I do.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s whole body tensed, his ears turning red. He pinned both her hands above her head and said,


    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡±


    Ste hesitated for a moment and then started moving even more vigorously.


    Keegan didn¡¯t use much force to pin down her legs, afraid of putting pressure on her stomach.


    Ste took advantage of this and intentionally wriggled around. ¡°Why would I listen to you? Who do you


    think you are to control me?¡±


    Saying that, she deliberately kicked her legs. Keegan felt helpless and suddenly grabbed one of her


    ankles, cing it on his shoulder. A slight downward pressure made her unable to move.


    ¡°Are you still going to move?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s raspy voice prated Ste¡¯s heart. She btedly realized that this posture was too intimate.


    She blushed and gritted her teeth, ¡°Let me go!¡±


    Realizing he had found a way to restrain her, Keegan smirked, his eyes deep and alluring. ¡°No,¡± he said.


    Ste turned red with anger. ¡°You motherfu¡ª Mmph!¡±


    Keegan, who was prone to being unruly, had kissed her on the lips.


    ¡°No teaching our child curse words,¡± he murmured.


    Ste was stubborn and did not sumb. She opened her mouth and said, ¡°You son of a- Mm-¡°


    Before she could finish her words, Keegan gave her a deep kiss.

 Chapter 1838

    Chapter 1838


    Despite iming to have lost his memories, Keegan was still a good kisser.


    Within moments, he left Stepletely weak, her eyes filled with tears.


    ¡°Feeling like cursing, still?¡± Keegan¡¯s nose brushed against hers, their breaths merging.


    Although Ste felt powerless, she refused to concede defeat. ¡°You jerk!¡±


    Keegan chuckled, and his chest vibrated slightly, his eyes radiating an irresistible tenderness.


    Ste¡¯s heart raced as she clenched her fists. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± she asked in a stern voice,


    referring to the kiss.


    Keegan nced at her and replied, ¡°Didn¡¯t you mention wanting to build a connection with me?¡±


    Ste felt stunned. She clenched her jaw and persisted,¡± And you thought kissing me was the way to do


    that?¡±


    Keegan reached out and lightly rested his hand on her lower abdomen.


    ¡°Considering we already have a child together, I thought we could move forward a bit quicker.¡±


    Ste gritted her teeth, ¡°So, following your logic, should we jump straight into bed when the baby


    arrives?¡±


    Keegan shook his head.


    Just when Ste thought he had somemon sense, Keegan said, ¡°Unfortunately, having intercourse


    during pregnancy can lead to contractions.¡±


    Ste immediately kicked him upon hearing that, and Keegan ended up sitting on the couch.


    He unbuttoned his shirt, and with the light casting a glow on his well-defined skin, he created a strong


    sexual tension.


    Ste rubbed her chest and red at him, cursing, ¡¯¡¯Asshole!¡±


    Then, she got up and went to the kitchen. In no time, she came out with a bowl of soup and ced it on


    the table.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You stink. Eat this and take a shower. You should know that you can¡¯t handle alcohol well. I¡¯m always


    left dealing with the aftermath,¡± Steined while removing his shirt and tossing it into theundry


    basket.


    Keegan watched her go upstairs, lowered his eyes, and chuckled.


    Ste had just reached the second floor when she saw Aurora leaning on the railing, casually looking


    downstairs. The posture suggested she had been watching for quite a while.


    Before entering her room, Aurora nced at her and said, ¡°It seems like you two had quite an exciting


    time.¡±


    Ste was dumbfounded. She massaged her temples and also returned to her room.


    As shey on the bed, she realized she hade here to settle the score with Keegan. ¡®How did it end


    up with her making him soup? That jerk had me fooled.¡¯ Ste turned over, closed her eyes, and


    suddenly sat up again.


    ¡®Wait! Why didn¡¯t I think of it?¡¯ She immediately contacted Felicity through her phone, and after a


    secretive discussion, she finallyy down with peace of mind.


    The following day, Keegan awoke to find himself alone in bed.


    Ste, who had been here for days, was up earlier than usual.


    After freshening up, Keegan went downstairs.


    Just as he descended, a strong smell of vinegar reached his nose. Ste was eating in the dining room.


    Seeing himing down, she casually greeted him,¡± Morning.¡±


    Keegan frowned, walking over, ¡°What are you eating?¡±


    Ste looked at him and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you smell the vinegar?

 Chapter 1839

    Chapter 1839


    Chapter 1839


    Keegan was stunned to hear that Ste was drinking vinegar.


    Ste slid a cup toward him and said, "Try it. The vinegar arrivedst night. Go on and see if it has the


    right kick."


    Keegan waved it off. "You enjoy."


    Ste smirked and brought it to her lips, taking a sip.


    Since her pregnancy, her pte had evolved, steering away from the spiciness she once favored to a


    penchant for sweet and sour vors. However, her doctor rmended she cut back on sweet treats


    to ensure a healthy weight for the baby.


    Hence, Cordelia had a friend make some homemade fruit vinegar that carried a subtle sweetness and


    a strong fruity fragrance. Ste tried it for the first time today, and it suits her tastebuds perfectly.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    As Keegan finished putting on his shoes, Ste called out to him once more, "My brother is returning


    tomorrow."


    Keegan halted, asking, "What time is he arriving?"


    "He mentioned catching a flight tonight and reaching tomorrow morning. He said he''d get in touch with


    me before boarding."


    Nodding, Keegan responded, "I''lle with you to pick him up tomorrow."


    A smile spread across Ste''s face as she replied, "Okay."


    "Keegan, wait asec." Aurora descended the stairs, getting Keegan''s attention.


    She handed him a bottle of medication, exining that Jaylene had given it to her when dropping them


    off. "She wanted me to pass this on to you."


    Ste observed the medicine bottle, remembering Keegan using it for his headaches. ''What kind of


    medicine is this? It seems quite effective, and why is there nobel on it?!


    Keegan epted the pills and asked Aurora to thank Jaylene for him.


    Aurora acknowledged his request and retreated upstairs.


    Ste stood up with a tie in hand and walked over to Keegan.


    He was about to grab it when she said, "Let me help you with it."


    Keegan hesitated but consented.


    Ste tiptoed and looped the tie around his neck, expertly tying a Windsor knot.


    "Ease up on the meds," she murmured, "Using a fast-acting medicine with powerful ingredients too


    often might not be beneficial for your body."


    Truth be told, Ste did not entirely trust the medicine Jaylene provided. However, considering


    Jaylene''s decade-long affection for Keegan, she likely wouldn''t endanger his health. Moreover, Keegan


    did experience relief every time he took the medicine. Yet, Ste remained concerned about the rapid


    effectiveness of the medicine.


    "Let''s find another doctorter and get some milder medication."


    Keegan lowered his gaze to look at her. Her voice was soft and soothing, yet traces of indissoluble


    worry lingered between her brows.


    "Alright," Keegan responded in a low tone. "I''ll go with your judgment."


    Ste gently adjusted his tie and said, "Off you go. Be safe on the road."


    Keegan gazed deeply into her eyes before departing.


    Not long after he left, Ste intended to tidy up and visit Leighton''s ce.

 Chapter 1840

    Chapter 1840


    Chapter 1840


    Leighton had had another argument with his father, and what made matters worse was that it all


    happened on his birthday. They didn''t even enjoy the cake that day. Leighton just left.


    Following the disagreement, Leighton not only blocked Daryl on WhatsApp but also on his social


    media.


    Left with no choice, Daryl] sought information from Ste indirectly.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Concerned about the tension between the father and son, Ste reached out to Leighton.


    She learned he was attending a roadshow for Motives for Murder that day, conveniently near her.


    Seeing an opportunity to mediate and alleviate the father-son conflict, Ste decided to go there.


    As Ste headed upstairs, she overheard Aurora conversing on the terrace. She thought about the


    strawberry pudding fromst night that she hadn''t given to Aurora.


    nning to inform her about it, Ste approached and overheard Aurora saying, "I found an


    opportunity, too, but I can''t make it too obvious. You know how cunning Ste can be. If I''m too


    obvious, she''ll start getting suspicious."


    Ste felt puzzled upon hearing that.


    Auroraughed softly, Keegan''s had enough of her. They had an argument this morning before leaving


    the house. Ste tried to help him with his necktie, but he found her repulsive and pushed her away.


    She was on the verge of tears. I was keeping my distance at the time, afraid Keegan might notice me.


    Otherwise, I would''ve recorded the entire thing for you."


    This left Ste even more puzzled.


    "I wish you saw Ste''s expression when Keegan returned from his date with Jaylene. She was making


    a scene, but hepletely ignored her.


    "Yes, Jaylene drove us backst night. Keegan was drunk and kept calling Jaylene''s name. Ste was


    so mad. Yet, she still didn''t leave the room.


    "I''ve been putting a little safflower in her fruit vinegar. She''s been drinking it for a week, and she hasn''t


    noticed a thing. She''s so clueless."


    "Didn''t I just receive the vinegar yesterday? What is she talking about?'' thought Ste. Aurora


    continued on the phone, "No worries. Anyway, I''m living here now. I''ll find more ways to sabotage her."


    As the voices in Aurora''s room gradually faded, Ste pursed her lips and knocked on the door.


    Startled, Aurora quickly hid her phone and asked with a stern face,


    "What?"


    Ste''s expression was odd, and after a while, she said, "Nothing. If you don''t want the pudding, I''ll


    throw it awayter."


    Aurora shrugged, "Whatever."


    Ste fell silent, deep in thought, and then went upstairs. While changing, she heard someone leave


    the house. Ste paid no attention to them and finished freshening up before heading downstairs.


    She casually went to the fridge in the kitchen and saw that the strawberry pudding she had ced


    there earlier was gone.


    Ste then picked Felicity up and went to visit Leighton. After Felicity learned about their connection,


    she became an avid fan.


    On the way, Ste shared about the phone call she had overheard from Aurora in the morning.


    Felicity widened her eyes, "I knew that wicked girl had ill intentions! Why is she adding safflower to your


    drinks? Is she trying to induce a miscarriage?"


    Ste said, "The problem is, I haven''t drunk any vinegar before. I had it for the first time this morning,


    and it had a wax seal."


    Felicity was puzzled, "Then why did she say that?"


    Ste shrugged. She paused momentarily and added, "She told Dahlia that Keegan and I have been


    quarreling. But in reality, we haven''t had a single argument. Moreover, Keegan has been treating me


    quite welltely. So, she''s been conveying the wrong information to her mom."


    "I feel like Aurora has changed quite a bit since Keegan''s ident. Of course, it might be because I


    haven''t interacted with her much. She doesn''t seem as overbearing as before, although her way of


    speaking is still irritating," she continued.


    Felicity was skeptical. "You''re drawing conclusions too early. What was Aurora like before? I don''t


    believe she can change so quickly. I think we still need to be on guard."


    Ste nodded. Just as she was about to say something, her phone rang. It was Trevor.


    She answered the call. "Trevor, are youing back?"

 Chapter 1841

    Chapter 1841


    ¡°Ste, I¡¯m about to board the ne now. I should arrive around ten tomorrow morning. I¡¯ve checked in


    some luggage, and you¡¯ll see the rest when I get back,¡±


    Trevor¡¯s voice fought against the wind, clearly audible through the phone.


    ¡°Alright, have a safe flight. I¡¯ll be there to pick you up tomorrow,¡± Ste responded warmly.


    Trevor hesitated for a moment before calling her name,¡± Ste¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it, Trevor?¡± Ste sensed there was something he wanted to share.


    However, after a brief pause, he decided,¡± Let¡¯s talk about it when I¡¯m there. It¡¯s not the best moment for


    it over the phone.¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Ste ended the call and tightened her grip on the steering wheel. She anticipated that Trevor might


    have uncovered some details from the past, but the extent remained unknown.


    ¡°Oh my God!¡± Felicity suddenly eximed.


    Ste was startled. ¡°What?!¡±


    Felicity hit her forehead and said, ¡°I forgot to block my mom! She just liked mytest tweet.¡±


    ¡°What did you post that¡¯s so scandalous?¡±


    Felicity looked defeated. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to get Keegan drunk?


    Since you can¡¯t drink any alcohol right now, Vermont and I were the ones who had to do it. So, I posted


    on Twitter about our 100th-day anniversary. We¡¯re nning a banquet, and I asked if anyone wants to


    join.¡±


    Ste was left dumbfounded for a moment before saying,¡± Damn.¡±


    Felicity wore a miserable expression as she admitted, ¡°I was thinking of having more people attend so


    Keegan wouldn¡¯t get suspicious. I blocked my colleagues and rtives but forgot to block my mom.¡±


    Ste attempted to process the information, ¡°No, but who throws a party for a 100-day anniversary? Do


    you think Keegan is a fool?¡±


    ¡°Well, considering his amnesia, he might not be that sharp now,¡± Felicity whispered.


    Her response rendered Ste speechless.


    While discussing the situation, Felicity received a text from Florence: [Whose party are you helping


    organize?] Felicity¡¯s face turned dark. [It¡¯s my party!] She replied angrily.


    After a short while, Florence sent another message, [Who¡¯s the other party?] Felicity instantly lightened


    up and responded, [They¡¯re from the Snyder family.] [Hmm. The spirits tell me they¡¯re rather charming,


    but I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s a man or a woman.] It seemed like Florence had long figured out her daughter¡¯s


    involvement with Vermont.


    Felicity contemted and asked, [Mom, what do you think of him?] [He¡¯s a decent person. Ask him how


    much the dowry should be, and I¡¯ll prepare it for you.] Felicity was aware of her mother¡¯s keen interest in


    finding a son-inw.


    [Let me observe him a bit more. I might not necessarily engage him.] She replied.


    Florence wholeheartedly agreed with her daughter¡¯s decision and said, [Find someone extremely fertile.]


    How am I supposed to know if they¡¯re fertile?!¡¯ thought Felicity.

 Chapter 1842

    Chapter 1842


    Not long after, Ste finally arrived at the Motives for Murder roadshow. Felicity and Ste sat in the


    corner of the audience, watching as the host invited the creative team onto the stage one by one.


    Nicole, the other main actors, and the director came on stage first. After a brief introduction, Leighton


    made his entrance.


    Perhaps due to some prior engagement, he arrived looking slightly disheveled, but his poprity was


    undeniable. The moment he stepped on stage, a wave of excitement swept through the audience, mostly


    comprised of his fans.


    Ste and Felicity found themselves amidst the cheers, nearly deafened by the fans¡¯ screams.


    Leighton was dressed in a ck suit with a white undershirt. He had broad shoulders and long legs.


    Standing there, he looked unbelievably handsome.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    During promotional roadshows, interviews usually revolved around movie rted topics, followed by


    some fan interactive segments.


    Leighton¡¯s top-tier status as an idol wasn¡¯t just about his looks; it was equally earned through his


    demeanor and conduct at these events. Even when fans hugged him without permission, he never


    showed annoyance and remained cooperative throughout.


    Ste remembered what Leighton had said during their scene rehearsals.


    He mentioned how his fans had crossed thousands of miles just to see him. He felt it was only fair to


    greet them with a smile since they were willing toe for him.


    Leighton was undoubtedly an outstanding idol in how he treated his fans, and it wasn¡¯t surprising that


    each of them was devoted to him.


    Thinking about this, Leighton happened to nce in Ste¡¯s direction, and she quickly waved the sign in


    her hand to show her support. He spotted her immediately and gave her a smile.


    Seeing this, the fans in the audience erupted into cheers.


    Ste quietly recorded this moment with her phone and sent it to Daryl.


    [Uncle Daryl, everyone has their own path in life. Maybe Leighton¡¯s dream isn¡¯t what you expected, but


    he¡¯s doing very well. Look at how many people came for him. They all like him.] As Daryl watched the


    video, his expression showed some emotion. He mumbled, ¡°He reminds me of myself when I was


    younger.¡± Katherine looked disdainful. ¡® Don¡¯t tter yourself. You didn¡¯t look as handsome as Leighton


    back then.¡±


    Daryl was taken aback by her words.


    Katherine sighed, ¡°But you two do have the same temperament and stubbornness. After all these years


    of quarreling, you seem to be losing. He keeps proving that he didn¡¯t make the wrong choice.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because my rigorous teachings caused him to flourish.¡±


    Katherine couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with him and stayed quiet.


    Having gained no fun, Daryl couldn¡¯t resist clicking on the video Ste sent again and watching it


    repeatedly.


    After the roadshow ended, the main creative team left the stage. There was a private backstage


    interview scheduledter, which was more casual and less publicized.


    Ste contacted Estelle and sneaked into the backstage area with Felicity, posing as the cast¡¯s


    entourage.


    Dressed in casual clothes and bearing a mask, Ste went unnoticed by a few actors she had worked


    with before.


    Soon, they found Leighton being interviewed alongside Nicole.


    Nicole, the youngest recipient of the Best Actress award, always had her rtionship status under the


    media spotlight. Throughout the years, she hadn¡¯t openly confirmed any romantic involvements apart


    from a brief fling with Vermont that swiftly ended.


    Nheless, spections continued, particrly concerning her coborations with handsome actors.


    They were frequently entangled in dating rumors.


    Despite this, Nicole maintained her silence, intensifying public interest.


    The journalist conducting this exclusive interview was keen on extracting information. However, as a


    seasoned professional in the industry, Nicole maintained a smile and skillfully avoided giving direct


    answers.


    As the conversation shifted to her rtionship status, she yfully redirected the question toward


    Leighton. Jokingly, she said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s time we go public, Leighton.¡±

 Chapter 1843

    Chapter 1843


    Leighton¡¯s eyelid twitched as he ignored Nicole¡¯s absurd usations. The reporter attempted to extract


    more information from him. However, Leighton remained tight- lipped, only responding to questions


    rted to the movie. The journalist had no choice but to steer the conversation back to the film.


    After a while, the interview concluded. Leighton walked over to Ste, saying, ¡°Hey, let me head to the


    restroom, and we can grab a meal togetherter.¡±


    Felicity seized the opportunity to get an autograph and gave him a thumbs-up.


    ¡°You did great, Leighton!¡±


    Leighton chuckled and headed to the restroom. Ste and Felicity sat in the lounge, waiting for him.


    Shortly after, Nicole entered, handing them each an orange. She winked and said, ¡°We¡¯re at a movie


    press conference, yet the lead actor is sitting in the audience?¡±


    Ste chuckled and joked, ¡°That¡¯s because I don¡¯t want to be overshadowed by your radiance on stage.¡±


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Nicoleughed, ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you sweet? Why did you quit The Enclosure?¡±


    Ste smiled and replied, ¡°I decided to inherit the family business.¡±


    Nicole was stunned to hear that. ¡°I think you should reconsider; the script is really good,¡± she sincerely


    advised her.


    At this stage of her career, Nicole had countless opportunities at her fingertips.


    However, Ste required a standout film to elevate her visibility as a rising neer striving to make


    her mark in the industry.


    Ste shook her head and exined, ¡°I can¡¯t shoot for the time being due to my health. Besides, I¡¯ve


    invested money into this. It¡¯s only best that you y the role.¡±


    Surprised, Nicole chuckled, ¡°Ah! Forgive me, sponsor.¡±


    Steughed, thinking that Nicole was an interesting person.


    After Nicole left, amotion broke out outside. Felicity and Ste exchanged nces and got upto


    investigate.


    In the corridor, a well-dressed woman was pulling Nicole¡¯s hair, cursing, ¡°You shameless slut! How could


    you seduce your own brother?!¡±


    Nicole¡¯s face turned ugly as she grasped the woman¡¯s wrist, sternly saying, ¡°You lunatic, let go of me!¡±


    Instead of releasing her grip, the woman raised her handbag and swung it at Nicole¡¯s head.


    ¡°How dare you bask in glory on stage, pretending to be a decent person?! Do your fans know what kind


    of person you are in private?¡±


    As the woman spoke, she shouted to those around, ¡°Are you aware that this actress leads a more


    interesting life offstage than the roles she ys? She seduced her own brother and is also attracted to


    women! She even took indecent photos for fame. She acts all innocent on the surface, but in reality,


    she¡¯s just a slut!¡±


    People are drawn to drama, especially when it involves the humiliation of someone¡¯s dignity. The


    rtively narrow corridor soon became crowded with curious onlookers.


    They were there for the show. Not a single person stepped forward to intervene except for Nicole¡¯s


    assistant.


    The woman lost control, repeatedly striking Nicole¡¯s head. As the assistant tried to help, she was shoved


    to the ground, narrowly avoiding hitting her head on the steps.


    Ste frowned, ready to step forward and assist, but Felicity quickly stopped her and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be


    reckless. Keegan will kill me if something happens to you!¡±


    Rolling up her sleeves, she added, ¡°I¡¯m going to ensure justice is served.¡±


    Before Felicity could reach the scene, Leighton suddenly stepped forward and grabbed the woman¡¯s


    hand.

 Chapter 1844

    Chapter 1844


    ¡°If you¡¯re looking for trouble, do it elsewhere. Don¡¯t take up the corridor,¡±


    Leighton dered, releasing his grip.


    Following that, the woman found herself sitting on the ground. Looking up, she found Leighton¡¯s


    formidable presence and stern countenance daunting, but her words became even more malicious.


    ¡°Are you also this woman¡¯spdog?¡± she sneered. ¡°Do you genuinely believe she appreciates you just


    because you¡¯ve been intimate with her? Let me assure you, she¡¯s fixated on her brother.


    ¡°She avoids kissing men and despises their touch. She just finds you somewhat attractive and is fooling


    around with you. When she gets tired of you, you will be no different than her exes-¡°


    ¡°He¡¯s my boyfriend,¡± Nicole interrupted coldly.


    Her words left everyone shocked. Even the woman was taken aback. She forced augh and said, ¡°Do


    you think I¡¯d believe that?¡±


    Nicole remained silent. Suddenly, she put her arm around Leighton¡¯s neck and kissed him.


    Leighton stiffened, attempting to push her away. ¡°Please help me. I beg you,¡±


    Nicole pleaded in a hoarse voice, her eyes red.


    Leighton clenched his fists but didn¡¯t push Nicole away.


    The woman on the ground looked dumbfounded. She shook her head and muttered, ¡°l-lmpossible! If you


    weren¡¯t enticing him, why doesn¡¯t he love me?¡±


    At this point, no one cared about the woman¡¯s words. Everyone¡¯s attention was on Leighton and Nicole.


    They could not picture the cold, restrained actor and the passionate, flirtatious actress in a rtionship.


    ¡®What in the world is this?¡¯ Estelle was in disbelief. Nicole¡¯s manager wasn¡¯t faring any better either.


    Fortunately, her assistant quickly called security, and they escorted the crazed woman out.


    Several journalists were still at the scene. Their expressions suggested they had hit the jackpot and were


    keen on securing an exclusive interview.


    However, Leighton and Nicole¡¯s managers did not give the media the chance to do so. Instead, they led


    the actors away from the scene.


    Soon, Ste¡¯s phone vibrated. Leighton had sent a text asking her to leave through the back door.


    Ste pulled Felicity away amid the chaos, and the two reached the back door.


    Leighton¡¯s MPV was waiting there. When they got on, they realized it wasn¡¯t just Leighton and Estelle in


    the vehicle; Nicole and Lindy were also present.


    Ste and Felicity sat quietly in the back, listening intently to their conversation.


    After the car started, Lindy said, ¡°Let¡¯s release a joint statementter, saying it was a backstage interview


    game segment.¡±


    Irritated, Estelle said, ¡°Do you think the fans are blind?¡±


    Lindy frowned. ¡°Then what do you suggest we do in this situation?¡±


    Estelle¡¯s face darkened. She seemed unable toe up with a better strategy either.


    Leighton looked at Nicole, who lowered her eyes, her face somewhat pale. She had a cut on her


    forehead, and blood was seeping out.


    Leighton pursed his lips, reached for a band-aid from the nearby storage cab, and tossed it to Nicole.


    Finally regaining herposure, Nicole nced at the bandaid, then at Leighton. She hesitated and


    said, ¡°Leighton, let¡¯s sign an agreementThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

 Chapter 1845

    Chapter 1845


    The people present shifted their attention to Nicole. She reached for the band aid, her gaze lowered.


    ¡°We can be in a fake rtionship. You help me navigate this crisis, and I¡¯ll pave the way for you in the


    industry. Six months down the line, we can release a statement citing irreconcble differences and part


    ways amicably. What do you think?¡±


    Leighton¡¯s expression darkened momentarily. ¡°What makes you think I need your help to get into the


    industry?¡±


    Nicole responded calmly, ¡°Despite your soaring poprity, you¡¯ve only recently entered the


    entertainment scene. Those scripts won¡¯t fall into yourp without the right connections. Unless, of


    course, you¡¯re willing to seek assistance from your father or cousin.¡±


    Nicole knew exactly how to rile up Leighton. His family disapproved of his chosen career, and he was


    adamant about making a name for himself without their support.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Leighton gritted his teeth and retorted, ¡°I am where I am today through my own efforts!¡±


    Nicole raised her gaze. ¡°So, you should understand better than anyone how challenging it is to climb to


    the top without connections. How will youpete with other actors for roles without awork?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still young!¡± Leighton argued.


    ¡°When I won my first acting award, I was no older than you when you stepped into the industry,¡± Nicole


    nonchntly remarked.


    Leighton was at a loss for words.


    Nicole was a well-known acting queen in the industry, a typical actress who thrived on the attention of


    adoring fans.


    While other actors might take time to grasp the emotions and nuances of their roles, Nicole swiftly


    immersed herself in the character upon receiving a script.


    Her profound understanding of characters and adept portrayal of emotions always impressed the


    directors with whom she coborated.


    Leighton was talented but was nothingpared to top-tier actors like Nicole.


    Nicole had downyed her achievement. Leighton knew that her first acting award came even earlier.


    When she was fourteen, she starred in a film that shocked the industry, earning her a direct nomination


    for Best Supporting Actress that year.


    Due to her age, all she received was recognition after careful consideration from various parties. But


    everyone knew that Nicole was indeed the undisputed queen.


    Despite the award system being structured that way, it failed to mask her exceptional talent. Four years


    later, she got a Golden Film Award for a film she starred in that year.


    Leighton had some reservations about her personality but genuinely admired her professional abilities.


    So, hearing Nicole say this now made him feel a bit embarrassed.


    Estelle, on the other hand, remainedposed. ¡°Ms. Aspen, Leighton hasn¡¯tpletely shifted his


    focus to film and television yet. He¡¯s an idol. I¡¯m sure you know how a public romantic rtionship can


    jeopardize an idol¡¯s future in the early stages of their career. I¡¯m sorry, but we have to reject this


    proposal.¡±


    Estelle had been in the industry for years. Regardless of how grand Nicole painted the picture, it didn¡¯t


    sway her. Leighton had a natural talent for acting, but it was unclear how far he could go.


    He was currently securing endorsements and participating in various activities due to his status as a


    rising star. As long as Leighton didn¡¯t act carelessly, his poprity could be sustained for a few more


    years. However, once a romantic rtionship was made public, his fanbase, which majorly consisted of


    females, would drop him.


    Most of Leighton¡¯s fans supported him primarily because of his rtionship status, hoping he remained


    single or romantically avable.


    Meanwhile, there were also a number of fans who supported him mainly due to his professional


    achievements. They invested money to propel his career and disapproved of any romantic involvement


    that might distract him from work.


    There is little one can do when fans go wild. An idol¡¯s poprity is built on their fans¡¯ support, making it


    vulnerable to their unpredictable reactions.

 Chapter 1846

    Chapter 1846


    Nicole pressed on, ¡°Soon, the inte will catch wind of our rtionship during the roadshow. If you


    disagree, how do you n on setting the record straight?


    You didn¡¯t exactly push me away during that incident.¡±


    Estelle¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Are you trying to threaten us? Leighton didn¡¯t resist your advances


    because he wanted to help you.¡±


    Nicole nodded. ¡°And I appreciate that. I believe there¡¯s no better solution than I¡¯ve suggested for our


    current predicament.¡±


    She then turned her gaze toward Leighton and said, ¡°If your aim is merely to sustain your current level of


    poprity, I can release a statement saying that today¡¯s incident was a publicity stunt and that I was the


    one who put you up to it.


    You can continue being the idol adored by fans.¡± A moment of tension lingered. Estelle sensed the


    potential trouble. Nicole seemed to have a knack for subtly manipting situations.


    Leighton valued his fans but genuinely disliked the burden of beingbeled a top star. The concept of a


    top idol has evolved over the years.


    At first, it portrayed a male idol with refined features and mediocre acting skills, yet received acim


    regardless of the performance quality. In such a setting, individual improvement was nearly unattainable.


    Leighton had experienced a brief period of arrogance when he first gained fame, but a scolding from his


    father had quickly brought him back to reality.


    He vividly remembered his father¡¯s harsh words, ¡°You call that acting? Hah. Do you really think you¡¯re a


    big shot now just because a few people praised you?¡±


    Leighton¡¯s pride was wounded, and he argued with his father.


    To gauge the public¡¯s perception of his acting without the influence of fans, he purchased a movie ticket


    and joined the audience.


    Without his fans, he was perceived as an ordinary actor or even inferior to the standard. Upon leaving


    the theater, he overheard someone in the front row saying, ¡°The guy looks handsome, but his acting is


    terrible. Everytime I see him, I zone out.¡±


    The feedback was harsh and unpleasant to hear.


    He then checked online forums and saw that many low ratings were directed at him.


    Driven by strong self-esteem and pride, Leighton left his home after the conflict.


    He aimed to achieve recognition from everyone. Bing a top idol was not his ultimate goal.


    Nicole seemed to have perceived this aspect and used it as leverage.


    Estelle intervened, ¡°We need to take things slow. Leighton is an idol, and his primary focus is satisfying


    his fans. He would be deceiving his fans if he got into a contractual romance with you.¡±


    Nicole remained silent, gazing at Leighton.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Meanwhile, Ste and Felicity were enjoying the show.


    After a moment of silence, Leighton looked up and said,¡± Who¡¯s the pursuer in the rtionship?¡±

 Chapter 1847

    Chapter 1847


    Estelle¡¯s face turned an unsettling shade of white, ¡°Have you lost your mind?


    Aren¡¯t you worried the fans will tear you apart if you say you¡¯re in a rtionship?¡±


    Leighton maintained aposed demeanor and responded, ¡°Whether I agree or not, this matter will


    blow up. Even if she rifies the matter, people will still think it¡¯s a joint PR stunt.¡±


    Estelle grew increasingly anxious and protested, ¡°If we don¡¯t respond, the hype will die down. Besides,


    we¡¯re the victims of this incident. Why would you jeopardize your future for her?¡±


    Estelle had a positive impression of Nicole, particrly in a professional context.


    However, there was a limit to her admiration. She could not let Nicole manipte Leighton like this.


    Nicole did not rely on poprity for her livelihood. She had built a solid track record over the years and


    would receive job offers no matter what. Whether or not her romantic life was revealed, it had almost no


    bearing on her professional trajectory.


    On the other hand, Leighton¡¯s sess in the industry heavily relied on his poprity. Any provocation


    that angered his fans could lead to his downfall.


    Publicly disclosing a romantic rtionship posed issues for top idols. Once made public, an idol¡¯s


    poprity often plummeted, and their career would face obstacles.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Moreover, Leighton and Nicole were not a real couple. Estelle did not understand why he would agree to


    this.


    ¡°I¡¯ll forever be stuck in the same ce if I only care about being adored and praised by fans. What they


    like is my appearance. Someone better will rece me in five to ten years. How am I supposed to


    establish myself in the industry then?¡± Leighton said in disdain.


    He added, ¡°Estelle, you should understand this better than I do. I can¡¯t aspire for a transformation while


    clinging onto the adoration of fans.¡±


    Estelle was exasperated.


    Nicole observed Leighton, genuinely appraising him for the first time. She sensed a serious undertone


    beneath his usual yful demeanor.


    In his early twenties, he was youthful. He had a gaze that exuded the sharpness and arrogance of youth,


    untouched by worldly influences.


    Estelle¡¯s logic was reasonable. She emphasized the importance of a gradual transition and avoiding


    betraying the fans. Nicole understood that she could notpensate for the losses Leighton would


    experience no matter what she promised him.


    Realizing she should not have gotten involved with him, Nicole was about to suggest consulting the PR


    team for a solution. But before she could speak up, Leighton said, ¡°It¡¯s settled. I¡¯ll bear all the


    consequences.¡±


    Estelle was furious, ¡°Alright. Great. You¡¯re the boss. You can handle it on your own. I¡¯m definitely on


    board!¡± With that, she grimaced and remained silent.


    Leighton turned to Nicole and said, ¡°Since we¡¯re going public with this rtionship, I think we should get


    our stories straight.¡±


    Nicole pursed her lips, ¡°Have you thought this through?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get to the point.¡±


    His response rendered Nicole speechless.


    Lindy could not be happier. If they announced their rtionship, not only could they exin the incident,


    but rumors about Nicole¡¯s sexual orientation circting on the inte would also be dispelled. She was


    overjoyed.


    Ste and Felicity were also thrilled to be in the middle of all the drama.

 Chapter 1848

    Chapter 1848


    Estelle was the only one unhappy about Leighton¡¯s decision.


    The incident at the promotional event quickly unfolded online, sparking a fierce battle between the fans


    of both actors. Urgent meetings urred as the twopanies contacted their managers to strategize.


    Nicole¡¯spany found the situation entertaining, relishing in the chaos, while Leighton¡¯s side was


    thrown into turmoil. Estelle faced a barrage of scolding from the management, their harsh words audible


    to everyone in the car.


    Wearing a forced smile, Estelle yed the role of a dutiful subordinate. Even if she did not support


    Leighton¡¯s decision, she had no choice but to face thepany, given that he had agreed.


    However, the management was focused on their interests and berated Estelle mercilessly.


    They demanded a quick resolution to the unexpected rtionship revtion, as several brand partners


    had already called to confirm the news. The public opinion would determine whether they would renew


    their contract with Leighton.


    ¡°He¡¯s transitioning to acting? What kind of nonsense is this?! This is not how things work, Estelle! Does


    he think he¡¯s a big shot now? Does he think that fans adore him for his acting? He would be nothing


    without our support. We brought him to fame, and we can do it again with someone else! Tell him to


    issue a rification immediately, or he can fuck off!¡±


    Estelle¡¯s face turned unpleasant. She suppressed her emotions and spoke calmly, ¡°Mr. Powell, the


    cameras recorded everything. We can¡¯t rify it. The fans aren¡¯t idiots. A vague statement won¡¯t


    convince them. Besides, you and Mr.


    Wright mentioned Leighton¡¯s transition in our previous meeting. You even praised his talent.¡±


    ¡°Why in the world would you trust whatever I say?! He¡¯s nothing without his fans!¡±


    Estelle clenched her fists, her face turning pale. Leighton suddenly reached over and took her phone.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what method you use. Just handle this properly. Otherwise, both of you can get lost!¡± The


    man continued to rant.


    Leighton wore a cold expression. He ended the call with just one sentence, ¡°You¡¯re a fucking idiot, Ezra


    Powell!¡±


    His words shocked everyone.


    Leighton had always been rumored to have a bad temper, but no one had heard him use foulnguage


    or insult someone. He had been known for his reluctance and indifferent demeanor, dismissing foolish


    interview questions with a stoic expression.


    The open use of strongnguage, especially toward his superior, was unprecedented. Even his manager,


    who had worked with him for many years, was taken aback.


    Estelle felt somewhat numb. She understood Leighton had stood up for her, but Ezra was their superior.


    ¡°Let me call him back and tell him you¡¯re drunk.¡±


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Estelle was practical and adaptable. She reached for the phone, more concerned about her artist¡¯s future


    than the insults she had just endured.


    Leighton, however, avoided her grasp and switched off the phone.


    Expressionless, he said, ¡°Like he said, if he can bring me to fame, he can do it again. So let him do


    whatever he wants.¡±


    Estelle massaged her temples, ¡°Leighton, this is not the time to throw a tantrum.


    You know how Ezra can be. He wouldn¡¯t abandon you just because of dating rumors.¡±


    Given Leighton¡¯s poprity, it would be unwise for a managementpany to cut ties with him unless


    hemitted a severe offense. Even with a reduced fan base, the generated revenue would suffice to


    support a substantial portion of thepany.


    ¡°I¡¯m not throwing a tantrum,¡± Leighton remained indifferent.¡± Thepany never intended for me to


    transition. Estelle, you know that better than anyone.¡±


    Estelle¡¯splexion paled as she acknowledged the truth

 Chapter 1849

    Chapter 1849


    No superstars will stay young, but there will always be young superstars.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    At this age, Leighton was at the prime of his career, where he could make the most money.


    His fans would spend a fortune to see him sing and dance. Even if his acting skills were terrible, his


    devoted fans would still do everything possible to boost his show¡¯s viewership.


    Acting skills did not matter as long as he could be a valuable asset to thepany.


    Though they spoke about transformation, none of them was willing to let go of this opportunity to make


    money with minimal effort. When they got older and did not look as attractive as before, they would be


    reced by new superstars. By then, the money they had earned during their prime would be enough to


    last for generations.


    Even those who entered the entertainment industry with a pure heart would slowly lose themselves


    under the influence of money, bing tools to fulfill the profit- driven motives of the industry.


    Although Ezra¡¯s words were harsh, he was not wrong. If Leighton were gone, there would still be


    Peighton, Neighton, and Keighton; he could be easily reced.


    At that moment, Leighton would finally wake up from the fantasy created by his fans.


    Temporary fame was never what he wanted. Instead, he wanted to be like Nicole, someone who would


    be remembered forever in the film industry.


    Estelle continued to persuade, ¡°Leighton, you¡¯re still young and have a bright future ahead of you.


    Transformation is not something that happens overnight-¡°


    Leighton cut her off, ¡°Estelle, you always said that I would be more than what I am now. Did you lie to


    me?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Estelle frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve been in this industry for so long and have managed countless


    artists. I¡¯ve never made a wrong judgment.¡±


    Leighton smiled, ¡°Then why are you so worried? I¡¯m not afraid at all.¡±


    Estelle was taken aback. After a long pause, she sighed and said, ¡°You¡¯re one crazy young man, aren¡¯t


    you? Fine, I¡¯ll apany you in this madness. In the worst case-¡°


    She paused momentarily before continuing, ¡®Til just find your cousin and tell him you made me lose my


    job. I¡¯ll make himpensate me.¡±


    Leighton¡¯s eyelid twitched as he said with his jaw clenched,¡± That day will nevere!¡±


    Nicole looked at Leighton from head to toe and chuckled,¡± Silly Dog, you¡¯re very loyal.¡±


    Leighton swept his gaze across her, ¡°Call me that again, and I¡¯ll kick you out of the car right now!¡±


    Nicole kept quiet. Then, the rebellious spirit surged in her, and she said, ¡°What a Silly Dog.¡±


    Leighton reached out, pulled the door handle, and grabbed Nicole¡¯s wrist.


    Everyone was shocked, including Nicole. She held onto Leighton¡¯s neck tightly and said, while gritting


    her teeth,¡± What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡±


    Leighton lowered his gaze, ¡°I dare you to call me that again.¡±


    Nicole bit her lip and finally gave in, ¡°Leighton¡­¡±


    Leighton paused and let go of her.


    Nicole rubbed her wrist and red at Leighton, ¡°Silly Dog, you¡¯re pretty strong!¡±


    Leighton¡¯s eyelid twitched, and Lindy immediately spoke to defuse the tension, ¡°Stop messing around,


    you two. Let¡¯s think of how to make the announcement on Facebook. We need to exin how this


    ¡®rtionship¡¯ started to make sure nothing goes wrong. The reports will start probing you once the


    ¡®rtionship¡¯ goes public. If either of you slipped up and exposed yourselves, both of you will not be able


    to escape the consequences.¡±


    The two fell silent. They then looked at each other to express their dissatisfaction.


    If they were to announce their ¡°rtionship¡±, they would need to rify how it started, when it started,


    and who took the initiative to confess.


    Nicole said, ¡°Is there a need to ask? Of course, he should be the one who fell for me and threatened me


    that he would end his life if I didn¡¯t date him. I was unable to bear the thought of him dying so young, so I


    agreed.¡±


    Leighton¡¯s face turned red, ¡°You should take a look in the mirror before making such ims! I would


    rather date a dog than you!¡±

 Chapter 1850

    Chapter 1850


    Nicole clicked her tongue, ¡°This is why I call him Silly Dog. Who in their right mind would say they¡¯d date


    a dog? Only a dog would be attracted to another dog.¡±


    Leighton was about to throw his gentlemanly manners aside and raise his hand against her.


    However, Nicole said slowly, ¡°If you dare touch me, I¡¯ll use you of domestic violence once the contract


    is over.


    I wonder if there¡¯ll still be any girl who would want to be with you once your reputation is tarnished.¡±


    Leighton red at her, itching to pounce and bite her.


    Lindy knew Nicole was simply saying that to provoke Leighton, so she intervened, ¡°Enough. It¡¯s not the


    time for making jokes now.¡±


    Nicole pouted and finally stopped talking.


    ¡°Let¡¯s all calm down ande up with a perfect story. We can¡¯t afford to have any loopholes for people


    to pick on.¡±


    Felicity raised her hand, ¡°Can Ie up with one for you guys?¡±


    Everyone shifted their attention to her. Ste spoke up to support her best friend, ¡°Felicity is a


    scriptwriter. She was the one who wrote the popr dramas for Royal Deluxe Entertainment previously.


    However, she did not get any credit for her work because she wasn¡¯t qualified enough.¡±


    After all, writing a script is what a scriptwriter does best.


    Lindy had considered hiring a professional to help, but since it involved two popr actors, it would be


    best for fewer people to know about it. She was worried that an outsider would betray them for personal


    gain.


    However, Lindy still doubted Felicity¡¯s capabilities, ¡°Are you sure you can do this?¡±


    Felicity said, ¡°Let me start, and you guys listen. We can change it if something doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    Everyone else agreed.


    So, Felicity shared the story she had in mind.


    In short, she mentioned that Leighton met Nicole on set, and it was love at first sight. Nicole was already


    a very famous actress in the industry, but Leighton was still a rtively new actor. So, he could only


    admire her secretly.


    Leighton rose to stardom as time passed, and they could finally work together.


    Then, the two got closer to each other, and Leighton confessed his feelings.


    Nicole hesitated at first due to their age difference. Later, she fell ill with the flu and experienced a high


    fever. Her family and friends did not dare to take care of her for fear of contagion, but Leighton tirelessly


    stayed by her side to cook and care for her. His actions touched Nicole, leading her to ept his


    confession after recovering. After that, they officially became a couple on New Year¡¯s Eve.


    ¡°Hahahahahaha!¡±


    Nicole burst outughing as she said, ¡°Just because he cooked and cared for me, I agreed to date him?


    That makes me look too easy to pursue, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Leighton¡¯s expression looked unpleasant, too, ¡°If I really did stay with her when she was sick, it was


    because I wanted to make sure that she wouldn¡¯t recover!¡±


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    Felicity said, ¡°The more cliche the story is, the more people will believe in it.


    Moreover, I came up with this story based on what happened to you two recently. When this1


    rtionship¡¯ goes public, your fans will surely cross-check the timeline. It¡¯ll match perfectly!¡±


    Felicity was not wrong.


    When Nicole had the flu, no one took care of her except for her manager. The reporters were the ones


    who found out about it themselves.


    Leighton happened to be in Rivera during that time, and the reporters saw him appearing in the hospital


    where Nicole was staying. However, that was the only time the reporters saw him.


    And about their previous coborations, everything that Felicity said made sense.


    Lindy looked at Estelle. However, Estelle had already gone all out and could not care less about how


    they nned to fabricate the story.


    So, Lindy said, ¡°Let¡¯s go with this then.¡± Then, she turned to Felicity, ¡°Ms.


    Thompson, could you please write this downter so they can memorize it? Also, include some details of


    their ¡®dates¡¯ together, so they won¡¯t be caught off guard by the reporters¡¯ questions.¡±


    Felicity nodded, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Felicity was the best at writing love stories, especially when writing for couples she liked. Besides their


    daily interactions, she would not mind including details about their intimate moments.

 Chapter 1851

    Chapter 1851


    Chapter 1851 Then, Lindy asked Nicole and Leighton to share their respective preferences and


    interests so they could be thoroughly familiar with each other.


    Nicole took out her phone and said to Leighton, "Give me your number." Leighton ignored her.


    Nicole frowned, "How am I supposed to send you anything if you don''t give me your number?" When


    she finished speaking, Leighton had already sent his preferences and interests to her phone.


    Nicole paused, "Since when do you have my number?" She never realized that Leighton had her


    number.


    Leighton smirked, "Dumbass." Nicole kept quiet.


    After exchanging their interests, Nicole leaned over to Leighton, intending to ask him about his birthday.


    However, just as she got closer, she saw that Leighton had saved her name as "Crazy Woman " on his


    phone.


    Nicole''s lips twitched.


    She immediately set his name to "Crazy Man Ww After she was done, she looked up and saw Leighton


    staring at her phone screen with a dark expression.


    However, Nicole was delighted.


    She smiled, "Crazy Man and Crazy Woman, what a perfect match." Leighton gritted his teeth and said,


    "Childish!" Ten minutester, the two of them posted on Facebook.


    @LeightonHall: (Allow me to introduce, my Crazy Woman @ NicoleAspen] Nicole saw it and


    immediately shared the post with the caption: [ My Crazy Man @LeightonHall, I''ll be in charge of his


    money from now on.] After that, the entire Facebook went crazy.


    No one cared about what the crazy woman said at the promotional event.


    Their focus was all on the rtionship announcement of the youngest best actress and the superstar.


    So, Leighton''s fans, who were initially scolding Nicole, turned their fury toward him.


    [Are you out of your mind?) [We''re trying so hard to boost your poprity, yet you''re busy dating?)


    [Backstabbing your fans, huh? Leighton, well done! ] {I wouldn''t be this angry if you said that she''s just


    a friend with benefits! ] [Four years, it''s over now.] [It''s not like he did anything illegal.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    He''s just dating someone.


    Why are you guys so upset?] [I''d rather he breaks thew and gets banned! It''s better than ruining his


    future and disappointing us! ] [Why can''t we voice our opinion? Without us, he would never be as


    popr as he is now! He''s supposed to be focusing on his career at this age! How could he get into a


    rtionship?] (Who would notice him without us? With his acting skills, even if he works hard for a


    lifetime, he will never achieve anything! ] Leighton lowered his gaze, looking at those heatedments


    indifferently.


    Of course, he felt sad.


    But it was not because his fans used him ofcking ambition in his career, but because those fans


    who imed to love him denied his capabilities just like hispany did after the "rtionship" was


    announced.


    He finally understood what Estelle said: "If a star''s poprity relies solely on their fans'' support, their


    actions will ultimately be restricted by the fans." Estelle took Leighton''s phone and uninstalled


    Facebook for him, " Stop browsing it for now.


    Let the fans cool down." Leighton did not say anything.


    Nicole looked at him, pursed her lips, and said, "I owe you a favor for this.


    In the future, no matter what, as long as you ask and it''s within my power, I''ll promise you anything."


    Leighton nced at her and said coldly, "You already helped me with the makeup artist once before.


    We''re even now."

 Chapter 1852

    Chapter 1852


    Ste paused and immediately thought of what had happened in the banquet her family had organized


    to wee her back.


    Nicole smiled, "Are you sure? What you''re doing is much more than what I did." Leighton remained


    indifferent.


    Nicole continued, "What I said still stands.


    Whenever you figure out what you want, just let me know." Leighton just kept quiet, leaving Nicole


    unsure if he had heard her.


    They were supposed to have a meal together, but it seemed impossible with Leighton in his current


    state.


    Many reporters were looking for him to ask about his rtionship, and it was not the right time for him


    to show up in public now.


    So, he asked Ste and the others where they wanted to go and offered to take them there.


    Felicity suggested returning to Clouditude International because she wanted to discuss the strategy


    with Vermont in the evening.


    However, shortly after getting out of the car, Ste received a phone call.


    It was from Wenham, and he sounded anxious and breathless, as if he could not breathe, "Ste,e


    home now.


    Something''s happened to Trevor." Suddenly, Ste''s mind went nk.


    "Dad, wh-what did you say?" Her voice trembled as she tried her best to maintain herposure.


    Wenham wiped his face and said in a hoarse voice, "I received a call from the embassy in Mystonia,


    saying that the ne Trevor was on crashed into the sea.


    The rescue team has been deployed, but they haven''t located the specific crash site yet..." Ste''s


    eyes reddened, "Dad, are you sure Trevor was on that ne?" Wenham''s voice choked, "He gave me


    a call before boarding the ne and told me that he would be back the next morning." Ste''s face


    turned pale because she had also received a call from Trevor just before he boarded the ne.


    At that time, he mentioned that he had something to discuss with her aftering back.


    Ste just could not believe that he ended up in a ne crash.


    ¡®Could it be that he discovered something and was silenced?'' Ste thought to herself.


    The thought sent shivers down Ste''s spine.


    She felt chills all over her being.


    She struggled to suppress her surging emotions and softly said, " Dad, I''lle home right away.


    Let''s book the earliest flight to Mystonia.


    I''m sure that Trevor is fine." Felicity watched as tears welled up in Ste''s eyes and dared not say a


    word until she ended the call.


    "Ste, what happened?" she asked.


    Ste replied softly, "My brother might be in trouble." Felicity''s face turned pale.


    Ste could not afford to waste any more time being sad.


    She had to go to Mystonia as soon as possible to find out what exactly was happening.


    When she arrived back at the Saun residence, Wenham was on a call with the embassy.


    Ste dared not speak as she listened to their conversation from the side.


    The rescue team had found some wreckage, essentially confirming the crash site.


    However, they had not located anyone from the ne.


    With a pale face, Wenham thanked the person on the phone and pleaded for them to spare no effort in


    the search, regardless of the cost.


    Jaylene wiped her tears as she stood by the side, and Darcie''s eyes were also red.


    Ste did not dare cry as she feared that this towering pir in front of her would copse if she did.


    After hanging up, Wenham recollected himself and said, "I''ve booked a flight at 8 p.m.


    to Mystonia tonight.


    I''ll go check things out first.


    Wait for my updates at home." Jaylene said, "Dad, how can you go alone? I''lle with you.


    I have friends in Mystonia; they might be able to help." Darcie chimed in, "Let Jaylene apany you.


    I''m still feeling a little unwell and can''t get on a ne.


    If there''s anything you need to do, Jaylene can help you with it.


    It''s good to have someone to look after you too.


    She and Trevor grew up together.


    If you don''t let her go, she''ll be very worried here." Jaylene sobbed softly, "Trevor said he would be


    backst night but insisted on buying the Venus Pearl.


    If he hadn''t gone to buy that, he wouldn''t have boarded the ne a dayter and gotten caught in this


    ne crash." Ste clenched her fists.


    When they were eating together, Trevor asked Ste about her favorite jewelry, and she said Venus


    Pearl.


    A weekter, Trevor gifted her a box of top-grade Venus Pearl; the whole family knew about it.


    By bringing this up, it was obvious that Jaylene med Ste for making Trevor buy her the Venus


    Pearl, consequently leading to the tragedy.


    Ste looked at Jaylene coldly and said in a deep voice, "Jaylene, the ck box hasn''t even been


    found yet.


    No one knows where Trevor is now or what the cause of the ne crash is.


    How can you be so sure that it happened due to weather conditions? Do you have the ability to predict


    the future?" Jaylene was taken aback.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Then, she said with her eyes red, "That''s our family''s ne.


    It undergoes maintenance every time before flying and has never experienced a malfunction.


    It must be an external factor that caused the crash." Ste raised her cold gaze, "Can''t it be an


    intentional sabotage?"

 Chapter 1853

    Chapter 1853


    As soon as Ste said those words, the look on everyone''s faces changed.


    Darcie said in a low voice, "Ste, why would you say that? Didn''t Trevor travel abroad this time just to


    do business?" Ste replied nonchntly, "Just like how Jaylene thinks that weather conditions cause


    the ne crash, I''m simply guessing.


    The rescue team hasn''t found anything yet.


    It''s too hasty to say that the ne crash was due to weather conditions and start making baseless


    usations." Jaylene''s expression slightly changed as she quickly said, "I just thought of it and said it.


    I''m not using anyone here." Then, she choked up, "Whenever I think that Trevor is gone, I just


    can''t..." Ste''s tone turned even colder, "The embassy only said that the ne had crashed; it''s not


    confirmed if Trevor was on the ne or not.


    No one knows if there are any survivors, so how can you be so sure that Trevor is gone?¡± "I" Jaylene


    paused as her expression turned ugly.


    "The possibility of surviving a ne crash is extremely low.


    Don''t you know that? Is this pointless bickering really what''s important now? Ww ¡°Of course, Trevor is


    more important.


    I just can''t stand someone mourning before knowing what exactly happened." Ste sneered as she


    continued, "You''re so capable that you managed to save Keegan.


    Why don''t you think of a way to save my brother now?" Jaylene''s expression darkened, "Are you


    seriously going to bring up Keegan at a time like this¡ª" Smack! Upon noticing that Wenham''s


    expression gradually grew angrier, Darcie suddenly pped Jaylene across her face and said coldly, "


    Shut up now! Is this the time to argue? Your brother is missing.


    Won''t you get your priorities straight? Have I taught you nothing?" Jaylene held her cheeks, looking


    somewhat incredulous.


    Then, her eyes turned red as she bit her lip.


    Ste curled her fingers as she thought to herself, ''Darcie is indeed on another level.'' Wenham was


    extremely biased.


    Although Ste could be at fault in this, Wenham would definitely still be angry at Jaylene for arguing


    with her.


    Once they started arguing, all sorts of unpleasant things would be said.


    Even if Wenham could not speak up against Jaylene as her stepfather, he would surely harbor some


    dissatisfaction against her.


    Darcie knew very well how important Ste was to Wenham.


    There was nothing Jaylene could do topete with that.


    So, taking Ste on like that was never the best approach.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Darcie figured that she had to use their many years of father-daughter rtionship to hit the soft spot in


    Wenham''s heart.


    Sure enough, after Darcie pped Jaylene, Wenham frowned.


    He said in a deep voice, "Jaylene is an adult now; don''t p her like that.


    They were only bickering because both of them were worried about Trevor.


    What you did will only cause their rtionship to go bad." Darcie replied softly, "Even if she''s worried,


    she can''t say things like that.


    People will ridicule our family for being undisciplined if this gets out." Her statement was directed not


    just at Jaylene but at the other person, too.


    Ste could not be bothered by Darcie''s words as she turned to Wenham and said, "Dad, I''ll go with


    you." She paused fora moment before saying softly, "Whether Trevor is on the ne or not, we''ll bring


    him home together." Wenham''s eyes turned redder.


    He wanted Ste toe with him, but he was worried about her pregnancy.


    If something really happened to Trevor, he feared that Ste might be emotionally overwhelmed, which


    could affect her health.


    Ste sensed his concern and reached out to hold his hand, "Dad, let''s bring Trevor home." Wenham


    felt a pang in his heart and held her hand back, "Okay, I''ll buy another ticket." Private flights required


    advance reporting.


    However, it was the holidays, and many people were on leave.


    Getting a private flight approved would take longer than usual, so taking amercial flight was the


    fastest option.


    "Dad, I''lle too." Jaylene gritted her teeth and said reluctantly after receiving a nce from Darcie.


    "It''s okay.


    Ste and I will bring Trevor back.


    Just wait for us at home with your mom.


    If...If Trevor didn''t board the ne, he''ll definitely call us."

 Chapter 1854

    Chapter 1854


    Wenham said hisst sentence very softly.


    Ste knew that it was a kind of hope.


    They were all hoping that Trevor had not boarded the ne.


    With teary eyes, Darcie responded, "Be safe out there, and let us know when yound in Mystonia."


    Wenham nodded and left the house with Ste.


    On the way, Ste called Keegan.


    Keegan was wrapping up his work for the year when he saw Ste''s call.


    He went out of the room to answer it.


    As soon as it was connected, he heard Ste''s anxious voice, " Keegan, are you at home now? Could


    you bring my passport over?" Keegan was taken aback, "Where are you going?" "Mystonia.


    Trevor might be caught in a ne crash." Ste spoke calmly, but it stirred up a storm in Keegan''s


    heart.


    He asked in a deep voice, "Is there any confirmed information?" Ste felt like crying as soon as she


    heard Keegan''s voice.


    However, Wenham was in the car, and she dared not cry in front of him, fearing that he would worry


    even more.


    She forcefully sniffled and held back tears as she said softly, "The embassy has deployed a rescue


    team.


    They found some wreckage but didn''t find any person or the ck box.


    I''m flying there with my dad now to assist in the rescue or...


    im Trevor''s remains." Keegan tightened his grip on the phone, "Where are you now?" "On the way to


    the airport.


    It''s quite a distance from the Royalpark Vi.


    If you were at home, you could bring my passport to the airport to save us some time because the


    ne will take off in an hour and a half.


    Are you at home?" Keegan nced at the time and said, "Wait for me.


    I''ll get it to you right away." After hanging up, he did not even inform other people in the meeting room


    and hurriedly left.


    He called Aldor on the way home, saying that he had an emergency and would not being to the


    office for the next two days.


    He told Aldor to handle the holiday arrangements.


    Keegan rushed home as fast as he could, took both passports and left.


    When Aurora heard the noise and came out of her room to check things out, Keegan was already


    nowhere to be seen.


    About half an hour after Ste arrived at the airport, Keegan also rushed over.


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    While waiting in the hall with Wenham, she sensed someoneing from the back.


    Then, she turned her head and saw Keegan running toward them.


    Ste was stunned.


    When she realized what was happening, Keegan had already run up to them.


    He panted as he said while holding the passports, "I''ll go with you guys." Ste lowered her gaze at the


    passports, and the suspicion in her rose once again.


    She was too nervous when calling Keegan just now and did not tell him where her passport was.


    In fact, she did not know where it was either.


    She only knew that Keegan had been the one keeping them.


    She used to be the one keeping them, but due to her bad memory and tendency to misce things,


    Keegan became responsible for doing that.


    Once, he wanted to go on a business trip and asked her for his passport, but she could not find it.


    In the end, he had to reapply for a new one.

 Chapter 1855

    Chapter 1855


    And Keegan''s old passport remained unfound.


    One day, when the maid was cleaning the house, she saw it lying under the mattress.


    Since then, Keegan had never let her keep the passports again.


    After their divorce, she took away all her personal documents, except her passport, which she had


    forgotten since it was not frequently used.


    Ste pursed her lips, took the passport, and said softly, "We''re not husband and wife anymore.


    You don''t have to do this." Keegan''s gaze darkened, "I grew up with Trevor.


    When I went missing, he did everything in his power to find me.


    Now that he''s in trouble, how can I just sit back and do nothing about it?" Ste kept quiet as she


    stared into Keegan''s eyes, intending to discern something.


    However, his expression remained calm, just like before.


    Wenham called out to her, "Ste, we should get the visa done now.


    Ww Ste snapped out of her thoughts and nodded.


    Wenham''spany had always been a significant taxpayer of the country.


    Because his family member was caught in an ident abroad, the embassy spoke to the authorities of


    Mystonia and granted them an emergency visa.


    A few staff members came to the airport to process their visas on the spot.


    They acted efficiently and got the visas done in a very short time.


    After passing through the security, they were now waiting in the boarding area.


    Wenham felt tense all over and had no mood to talk.


    Ste was just the same.


    Although Keegan''s unusual behavior had raised a lot of questions, she did not feel like confronting him


    about it at all.


    ¡°The holidays areing.


    Have you arranged everything for thepany? Will there be any problems in your absence?" Ste


    asked softly.


    She knew that Chandler was still lurking, awaiting an opportunity to act against Keegan.


    Logically speaking, it was not sensible for him to leave thepany at this time.


    Keegan lowered his gaze and said, "Aldor will take care of everything.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Trevor is all that matters now." Ste stopped talking and waited quietly for the boarding


    announcement.


    However, the weather did not favor them.


    There had been a strong wind warning for the past two days.


    When they were driving to the airport, the wind intensified, apanied by heavy snow.


    In just an hour, the snowball became heavier, and the raging wind persisted.


    When they were half an hour away from boarding, an announcement came through from the


    loudspeaker.


    Due to weather conditions, the flight to Mystonia was dyed and expected to be rescheduled around


    noon tomorrow.


    The specific time would be notifiedter.


    Ste''s expression turned extremely unpleasant when she heard that.


    Wenham was just the same.


    However, the weather caused the flight to be dyed, so there was nothing they could do about it other


    than wait.


    Keegan said in a low voice, "Uncle Wenham, let''s go home now.


    We''lle again tomorrow morning." Wenham massaged his temples and said, "Take Ste home to


    rest.


    I''ll wait here.


    I won''t be able to fall asleep anyway if 1 go back" Ste said, "I''ll stay here and wait with you." Wenham


    frowned, "Listen to me.


    You''re not on your own now.


    You have my granddaughter in your belly.


    There''s no ce for you to restfortably here.


    What if something bad happens to you?" Ste asked in a hoarse voice, "What about you? You''re not


    young anymore.


    How can I ever leave you here alone to wait?" Wenham was taken aback and could not find a word to


    retort.


    Keegan pursed his lips and said, "Uncle Wenham, the ne will not take off until further notice.


    Waiting here or at home makes no difference.


    When the flight resumes tomorrow, it''ll be a journey of over ten hours.


    If you don''t rest well and fall sick on the way there, Ste will have to take care of the baby inside her


    and look after you." He paused before adding, "The doctor said that anything can happen to the fetus in


    the first three months of conceiving.


    Ste''s health has always been weak.


    If¡ª" "Shut your mouth!" Wenham said angrily.


    "Just keep quiet if you have nothing nice to say!" Despite scolding Keegan, Wenham did not insist on


    staying at the airport anymore.


    Keegan was right.


    Wenham would have a lot of things to take care of as soon as the ne took off.


    He needed to be both mentally and physically prepared.


    Keegan did not send Wenham home.


    Instead, he drove them back to Royalpark Vi.

 Chapter 1856

    Chapter 1856


    Ste wanted to remind Keegan that there was no extra bed at home.


    Plus, Wenham had a bad back; sleeping on the sofa would not be suitable for him.


    However, Keegan directly sent Aurora away.


    Well, to be precise, Aurora was deceived and forced to leave.


    At first, when Aurora saw Wenhaming, she asked, "There''s no more bed at home.


    Where is Uncle Wenham going to sleep?" Keegan threw her jacket at her and said, "Go out and get


    something to eat." Although Aurora was reluctant, she was still afraid of Keegan and dared not disobey


    him.


    She put on her jacket and asked him what they wanted to eat.


    Keegan gave her a bunch of instructions.


    He then sent her out, locked the door, and said tly, "After you buy everything, go back home and eat


    them yourself.


    Don''te back tonight." Only then did Aurora realize that Keegan had kicked her out of the house to


    make room for his father-inw.


    She was furious.


    She banged on the door, moring toe in.


    However, Keegan turned on the noise reduction system, and the house became quiet.


    They could see Aurora shouting through the window, but none of them could hear a word she was


    saying.


    After knocking on the door for a while and seeing that no one responded to her, she grumbled and left.


    Ste was very surprised.


    Aurora was never easy to deal with; it was unexpected that she would quiet down so quickly today.


    After she left, Keegan had the maid change the bedding in Aurora''s room to anew set for Wenham.


    Wenham was exhausted and went right to bed after taking a shower.


    After Ste finished washing up, shey in bed, holding the bracelet Trevor had given her earlier.


    She could not sleep at all.


    Keegan came out of the bathroom and saw Ste staring at her phone nkly.


    He tossed the towel aside, sat on the other side of the bed, and said softly, "Sleep early.


    We have to go to the airport tomorrow morning." Ste snapped out of her thoughts, nodded, and put


    her phone on the nightstand.


    Keegany down, too, and switched off the lights.


    Both of them remained silent, neither speaking a word.


    After a while, Ste asked, "Keegan, where did you find our passports?" Keegan replied tly, "I don''t


    know.


    Maria gave them to me.


    You can ask her." Ste did not say anything more and tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep.


    After a while, Keegan said, "If you don''t sleep now, you should stay home tomorrow and get some rest.


    I''ll go with Uncle Wenham.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste frowned, ''''Do you think I can sleep at a time like this?" ¡°Even if you can''t, you have to." Keegan


    shut his eyes and spoke softly, Take care of yourself first, and then you''ll have the energy to deal with


    other things." He paused before adding, "Or do you want me to tell Uncle Wenham that you haven''t


    slept all night?" Wenham was worried about his son and was equally concerned about his daughter,


    especially since she was pregnant.


    Ste''s expression turned ugly.


    She gritted her teeth, "How despicable of you!"

 Chapter 1857

    Chapter 1857


    Keegan held her tightly and said, "Believe me, I''ll do it." Ste closed her eyes and tried to calm herself


    down.


    After ignoring Keegan for some time, she finally fell asleep.


    However, she did not get a peaceful sleep.


    In her dreams, she saw Trevor boarding the ne.


    During his journey back, the ne lost control and disintegrated in the air.


    Trevor was crushed and could barely be recognized.


    Ste woke up in a cold sweat from the nightmare.


    She looked out the window and realized that it was just beginning to dawn, but Keegan was no longer


    by her side.


    She nced at her phone and found out that it was not even 7 a.m.


    yet.


    She then lifted the nket and got out of bed.


    After draping her jacket over her shoulders, she walked out of the room.


    The house was silent, with only Maria tidying up Aurora''s room.


    Suddenly, Ste had a bad feeling.


    She quickly dialed Keegan''s number, but there was no answer.


    She tried calling Wenham, but it was the same.


    With a pale face, Ste returned to the bedroom.


    She discovered that the passports and visa documents were missing from the nightstand.


    ¡®asshole! Not only did he leave without me, but he also hid my passport and my visa!¡¯ Ste cursed


    inwardly.


    She quickly got changed and left the house with a cold face.


    She could still reach Keegan''s phone, but he just would not pick up.


    So, she figured that they probably had not boarded the ne yet.


    Ste then randomly took a car from the garage and rushed to the airport.


    Along the way, she received a call from a salesperson who would not stop selling her house.


    She was already in a bad mood, and the calls only added to her irritation.


    She answered it and spoke sternly, "Which real estate agency are you from, and what''s your name?


    Where did you get my personal information? Who sold it to you? Are you aware that what you''re doing


    is harassment? I can sue you in court!" There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by a


    voice saying, "Why do you sound so upset early in the morning? Did Keegan make you angry?" Ste''s


    heart dropped, and she almost crashed into the car in front.


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    She quickly pulled over and said hoarsely, "Trevor, you''re still alive?" Trevor was speechless.


    Then, he asked, "Is there something wrong with that?" "No...


    Not at all." Ste could not help but burst out crying.


    She cried uncontrobly, leaving Trevor puzzled as he asked, " What''s wrong? Who made you sad? Is


    it Keegan the scumbag? I''ll beat him up when Ie back." Ste choked up, ''''No one made me sad.


    It''s you.


    Do you know how worried you made us?" Trevor had no idea what happened.


    He had justnded and waspletely unaware of the private ne''s crashing.


    "Trevor, what happened? Why weren''t you on that ne?" Trevor''s face darkened.


    He started telling her everything.


    After talking to Ste on the phone that day, he did board the ne.


    However, he received a phone call from a friend right before taking off.


    The friend had sessfully obtained information about Raynard''s past.


    The friend was going to send the details to Trevor''s phone, but given how cautious he was, he decided


    to meet this friend in person.


    The friend lived pretty far away from the airport, and the round trip would take nearly two hours.


    Meanwhile, the pilot was going to take a detour to pick up his daughter, who was studying abroad,


    making the schedule very tight.


    If Trevor were to meet his friend and came back, the pilot might only be able to pick his daughter up at


    midnight.

 Chapter 1858

    Chapter 1858


    Of course, it was not safe to keep a girl waiting alone for several hours.


    Besides, Trevor was unsure about the exact traveling time.


    So, he had the pilot take the ne to pick up his daughter first, and he would catch atermercial


    flight after obtaining the information.


    So, they parted ways at the airport.


    Trevor took a cab to meet his friend while the pilot and copilot flew the ne loaded with supplies back


    to Rivera.


    When Trevor got what he wanted and went back to the airport, it had already been three hours.


    Then, he booked the earliest flight back to Rivera.


    The private ne crashed into the sea five hours after taking off.


    At that time, Trevor was still on the othermercial flight without any phone signal, so he did not


    know about the ident.


    He slept for a few hours on the ne, which had justnded long ago.


    As soon as he disembarked, he called Ste.


    The flight arrived earlier than expected, so he wanted to tell her not toe and pick him up.


    However, he did not expect his family to think that he was on the crashed ne.


    Therefore, he had no idea why Ste broke down after hearing his voice.


    After the private nended in Mystonia, it was thoroughly inspected; there were no issues before


    taking off.


    He could not figure out why the ne ended in a crash.


    When Trevor thought of his purpose of going to Mystonia this time, his heart sank.


    It took Ste some time to finally recollect herself, ¡°Trevor, I''ll go to the airport to pick you up now.


    Look for Dad and Keegan at the airport; they were about to fly to Mystonia to find you." "Okay," Trevor


    said.


    Be careful while driving.


    We''ll talk again when we meet." "Sure,'''' Ste said.


    She called out to Trevor before hanging up, " Trevor." Trevor paused.


    Ste''s voice was still hoarse as she said softly, "Please let us know in advance if you''re changing your


    flight.


    Don''t make us worry." Trevor''s heart softened, "Got it.


    I will next time." Through the airport broadcast, Trevor quickly found Keegan and Wenham, who were


    about to board the ne.


    When Wenham heard his son''s voice through the loudspeaker, he thought he was imagining things.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    His anxious mood only subsided a little until he finally saw Trevor in person.


    As Trevor walked over, Wenham raised his suitcase and smacked him on the butt, scolding, "Stupid


    kid! Why didn''t you call us to let us know that you''re safe? You''re such an idiot! You made us so


    worried!" Trevor, a grown man, being scolded by his father at the airport with Keegan watching,


    instantly felt extremely embarrassed.


    He gritted his teeth and said, "You''re the one who thought I was on that ne.


    How is this my fault?" Keegan watched their interactions for a while before finally speaking up, "Uncle


    Wenham, you can beat him upter at home.


    There are so many people watching.


    Let''s not embarrass him." Trevor''s lip twitched, "Are you hearing yourself?" Keegan replied seriously,


    "Your father is only doing this because he loves you.


    Please be understanding." ¡®Easy for you to say because you''re not the one getting smack!¡¯ Trevor


    thought to himself.


    Of course, Wenham did not hit him hard.


    He was just too worried.


    Although he was usually strict with Trevor, he was his and his wife''s first child.


    How could he not be worried? So, after hitting him twice, he stopped.


    Then, he hugged Trevor so tightly that even his fingers were trembling.


    Trevor''s body stiffened.


    It took him a while to rx.


    After Freesia passed away, Wenham had been in a slump for along time.


    He had not hugged him like this for a long time, especially after he grew up.


    They would not even talk about personal matters with one another as they felt they had a tacit


    understanding.


    However, even fatherly love needed to be expressed.


    Trevor patted Wenham''s shoulder, sighed, and said in a low voice, ¡°Everything''s okay now.


    I''m back now, right?"

 Chapter 1859

    Chapter 1859


    Ste arrived at the airport shortly after, too.


    When she saw Trevor, she rushed into his arms and hugged him tightly.


    After returning to the Saun family, Ste had never expressed such intense emotions.


    Although the family showed great warmth toward her, spending more than twenty years apart still cast


    a subconscious sense of estrangement in their daily interactions.


    Trevor sometimes thought that it would be difficult for Ste to form a close bond with him after so


    many years of not being together.


    However, now that he was hugged tightly by Ste, he realized that he might have been overthinking.


    He figured that she had probably gotten the reserved trait from Wenham.


    Although they might not express their feelings openly, they care deeply about their family members.


    Thinking about her crying over the phone just now and looking at those puppy-like eyes, Trevor could


    not help but rub Ste''s hair.


    Then, he said warmly, smiling, "You''re about to be a mother.


    Don''t cry so easily; my nephews and nieces will make fun of you." Ste sniffled and said hoarsely, "I''m


    going to whoop whoever makes fun of me." Trevor clicked his tongue, "The father should be


    responsible for educating them.


    Whoop their father instead." Keegan was left utterly speechless by his response.


    Ste did not say anything in response to that or even spare Keegan a nce.


    She grabbed Trevor''s arm and said, "Dad, Trevor, let''s get in the car first and talk." She picked up the


    suitcase from the ground as she spoke.


    When Keegan was about to reach out to help, she moved away from him.


    Keegan paused.


    Trevor looked at them, took the suitcase from Ste''s hand, and threw it to Keegan, "How inconsiderate


    of you!" Keegan remained silent.


    After getting into the car, Wenham asked about what happened.


    Then, Trevor recounted everything he had shared with Ste earlier.


    Wenham broke out in a cold sweat on his back upon hearing that.


    After a long pause, he said, "Appreciate that friend of yours.


    He saved yout life." Trevor said deeply, "Yeah, sure." Although he had decided to collect the documents


    himself, he owed his friend a favor for his timely phone call.


    If his friend had called him an hourter, Wenham and Ste might have been on their way to Mystonia


    to retrieve his remains.


    Trevor quickly contacted the embassy in Mystonia and told them what happened.


    The embassy informed him of their search progress, stating that they had located the ck box and


    were currently salvaging it.


    However, the two pilots were still missing, but it was very likely that they died in the crash.


    After talking with the embassy, Trevor decided to fly to Mystonia again the day after New Year.


    He wanted to investigate the cause of the ident and handle the funeral affairs of the two pilots.


    One of the pilots was a foreigner, while the other was from Rivera.


    Both of them had extensive flying experience; one was even Trevor''s instructor when he was learning


    to fly.


    They were friends with each other.


    On that day before taking off, the pilot even mentioned that he was going to pick up his daughter, who


    was studying abroad, to celebrate New Year together.


    However, just a few hourster, everything changed.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Compensating the pilots'' families was thest thing Trevor worried about.


    He had to find out the true cause of the ne crash as he could not let them die in vain.


    Halfway through the journey back home, Wenham suddenly remembered to call Darcie.


    When the call was connected, Darcie asked concernedly, "Wenham, have you guysnded?"

 Chapter 1860

    Chapter 1860


    "Wenham said, "We''re not going to Mystonia anymore." "What?" Darcie was puzzled.


    Wenham continued happily, ¡°Trevor is back.


    He didn''t board the ne that crashed.


    For some reason, he took another flight.


    He was on that ne, so he couldn''t call us." Darcie''s expression changed slightly.


    She could not help but tighten her grip on the phone as she asked softly, "Are you saying that Trevor is


    safe? Is he with you now?" "Yeah, I''ll let him speak to you for a while," Wenham said before handing


    the phone to Trevor.


    Before Darcie could recollect herself, Trevor''s voice came through, "Darcie, it''s me." Darcie''s heart


    skipped a beat.


    After a long pause, she said, "I''m d you''re back You''ll never know how terrified we were when we


    received that phone call from the embassy yesterday.


    We thought that you were...


    It''s great that you''re safe now.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    I''ll have Sandra prepare some extra dishes when youe home with your dad.


    It''s New Year''s Eve today; let''s have dinner together.


    Forget about the bad things that had happened." Trevor smiled lightly, barely noticeable, "Thank you,


    Darcie.


    We''ll be home very soon." Darcie then told them to be careful on the road before hanging up.


    After that, she felt uneasy.


    She paced back and forth in the room.


    After thinking about it for a long time, she dialed a number on her phone.


    As soon as the call connected, a man''s voice came from the other end, "Darcie..." She immediately


    said with a stern face, "Trevor''s back." The man paused before eximing anxiously, "How is that


    possible? I saw him board that ne with my own eyes." "Just shut up already!" Darcie''s expression


    turned unpleasant, "I told you not to do these unnecessary things.


    Why didn''t you listen to me? Why did you have to act against Trevor?" The man spoke roughly, "He''s


    already onto the nurse.


    If I don''t do anything, he will trace it back to me sooner orter!" Darcie responded coldly, ¡°How could


    that happen? Even the police can''t do that! Are you forgetting who you are now? "That nurse doesn''t


    know anything.


    So what if Trevor met her? You''re the one who made things worse! If someone tampered with his


    ne, do you think that he wouldn''t connect it to the investigation he was conducting? You''re so


    stupid!" The man remained silent for some time, his heavy breathing expressing dissatisfaction.


    After a while, he asked, "Why are you so scared of me acting against Trevor? He''s Wenham''s son, not


    yours.


    Do you really think you''re his mother after raising him for so many years? Or are you toofortable


    with your current life and want to continue being Mrs.


    Saun?" Darcie''s expression darkened, "What nonsense are you talking about?" "You know very well


    what I''m talking about! If Trevor is gone, Ste will be the only one we have to deal with.


    She''s not going to pose any threat to us.


    That old thing is not even bothered to hide his favoritism, so why are you still so worried about his son?


    I think you''re living toofortably and have forgotten about the past." 1 Darcie clenched her fists tight,


    still feeling angry.


    Then, after a long pause, she said, "I know you''re doing this for Jaylene, but now is not the right time to


    act.


    What you did raised suspicion, and with how Trevor is, he will surely investigate this matter thoroughly.


    You might not care about what would happen to you, but have you thought about Jaylene?" The man


    was taken aback and remained silent.


    "Don''t forget what you said to me when you epted everything back then.


    You''d better not tell me that you regret it now!" The man kept quiet.


    After some time, he finally spoke, "I''m just worried.


    I don''t feel good when I see Jaylene getting mistreated like that.


    As long as you and Jaylene can have a good life, I don''t mind staying anonymous for the rest of my


    life..." 3

 Chapter 1861

    Chapter 1861


    Chapter 1861


    Darcie''s expression eased, ¡°Don''t say things like that. Just talk to me before making any decisions next


    time. Don''t take matters into your own hands. I know you have good intentions, but what you did might


    end up causing trouble for Jaylene.¡±


    The man responded, "I understand.¡±


    Darcie was about to say something more when the door suddenly pushed open, startling her. Jaylene


    rushed in and said, "Mom, Trevor is safe!"


    Darcie glowered at her, "Where are your manners? How could you barge in here without knocking?¡±


    Jaylene apologized but still felt very happy. She walked over to hold Darcie''s hand and said excitedly,


    "Trevor wasn''t in the private ne. He took amercial flight back instead. I knew that such bad


    things would never happen to him.¡±


    She paused momentarily before asking, "Mom, why are you not surprised?"


    Darcie said helplessly, "Your dad called and told me about it already.


    "Why didn''t you tell me? I''ve been crying for so long,¡±


    Jayleneined as she nced at Darcie¡¯s phone. *Mom, who are you talking to on the phone?¡¯


    she asked curiously.


    Darcie remained calm as she said tly, ¡°An old ssmate.¡±


    As soon as she said that, the person on the other end said,¡±Hey, Jaylene.¡±


    Jaylene was taken aback. That man''s voice carried an


    indescribable emotion, making her feel strangely uneasy.


    However, she politely responded anyway, ¡°Hello, mister."


    That man paused for a moment, and his breathing became heavier. He did not speak for some time.


    Jaylene asked after the silence, ¡®Mom, what is your ssmate''sst name? How should I address


    him?¡±


    Darcie did not answer that question but said, "Go downstairs and tell Sandra to prepare some dishes


    that Trevor likes. They''reing back in a while to have dinner with us.¡±


    Jaylene looked a little confused but did not ask any more questions. Then, she turned around and left.


    Darcie looked at her phone and found out that the call had not been disconnected yet. After a moment


    of silence, she said, "Just wait for a bit longer. When the time is right, I''ll tell her everything.¡±


    The man uttered a disappointed ¡°okay¡± and remained silent for a long time before saying, "I saw her at


    the ce you were living with herst time. She has grown so much."


    Darcie''s face darkened, "You came to our neighborhood?¡±


    "I-I was just passing by.¡±


    The Saun family lived in a guarded neighborhood, so it was impossible for him to just casually pass by


    their house.


    Darcie''s blood boiled with anger, but she managed to hold herself back, "Don''t do this anymore. What


    do you expect us to do if the security guard catches you?"


    The man said hoarsely, "I just miss my child so much.¡±


    "I''ll send you pictures of Jayler. We talked about this before. Whatever we do, we have to put our


    child first.¡±


    "I know,¡± the man responded.


    Darcie then said something to make the man feel better before ending the call.


    She contemted and decided to make a call to her friend in Mystonia, just in case...


    Ste was the one driving. Everyone thought she would head straight back to the Saun residence, but


    she detoured to Vinci Rivera.


    Once they arrived, she turned to Keegan, who was sitting in the front passenger seat. She said, "Mr.


    Kane, you can go now.¡±


    Keegan was at a loss for words. He then looked at the closed gates of the building and pursed his lips,


    "Today is a holiday.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Ste said tly. ¡°That''s great. It''s a good time for you to work peacefully. Don''t you love working


    overtime?¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Wenham and Trevor exchanged nces, each seeing the same thought in each other''s eyes¡ªKeegan


    was in trouble.


    Keegan kept quiet for a while before saying, "I want to celebrate New Year too.¡±


    Trevor and Wenham were both speechless.

 Chapter 1862

    Chapter 1862


    Chapter 1862


    ¡®He is bad with his words. I have no idea why Ste loves him so much,¡¯ Wenham and Trevor thought


    to themselves.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°Then you should go home and celebrate. The e-hailing drivers are probably still working. You can


    order one online,¡±


    Ste said, throwing his passport at him. "Goodbye."


    Holding his passport, Keegan finally realized Ste was angry at him for silently leaving her at home


    and going abroad with Wenham to find Trevor.


    Keegan, concerned for Ste''s pregnancy, didn''t want her traveling so far abroad. Anything could have


    happened to


    Trevor at that time, and Keegan was worried that Ste''s health would be affected by the uncertainties.


    However, he had no right to stop her as Trevor was her brother.


    Around five in the morning, Wenham sent Keegan a WhatsApp message, telling him that the flights had


    resumed, and they could leave the country around seven.


    Wenham, not wanting Ste toe along, asked Keegan to persuade her otherwise. Knowing it was


    impossible,


    Keegan chose to leave silently.


    To their surprise, the person who would always sleep in woke up unusually early that morning.


    Keegan looked at Wenham, who seemed a little guilty. Then,


    Wenham said, "Ste, it''d probably be difficult to get a cab. Why not ask Keegan to join us for the


    dinner tonight?¡±


    ¡°Dad, the dinner is meant for family only. What does Mr. Kane have to do with our family?¡±


    Wenham nced at Keegan. "She''s asking you. Answer her.¡± Keegan''s lips twitched slightly as he


    said, "We''re business partners."


    Ste paused and immediately understood what Keegan was implying. Her expression instantly


    darkened and kicked him out of the car.


    As the car sped away, Wenham watched Keegan''s receding figure and cleared his throat, saying, "My


    dear daughter, is what we''re doing a little ungrateful?¡±


    Ste replied with a stern expression, "He should be d that Trevor is fine. If anything happened to


    Keegan and he left me behind, I''d hate him for the rest of my life!¡±


    Wenham kept quiet and shrugged. Then, he said after a long pause, ¡°Actually, it was me who asked


    Keegan not to wake you up.¡±


    "Dad, why are you on his side? Have you forgotten about the time before I returned to our family, he


    tricked you into standing on a nt board for more than half an hour? Did you lose your memory as


    well?¡±


    Initially Keen to wee Keegan, Wenham suddenly changed his mind upon hearing Ste''s words.


    Although today''s incident was not Keegan''s fault, he was not entirely a good person. So, Wenham


    thought that it seemed justified to give him a punishment.


    Trevor, looking confused, said, "Keegan is such a dumb person. How could he possibly trick you into


    doing that?¡± Wenham did not want to bring up that unpleasant past. He scowled and said, "Just shut


    up.¡±


    Trevor insisted, "How did he do it?


    "Did you really fall for it?


    ¡°And you didn''t realize it for half an hour? You just kept standing on it?


    "Did your legs hurt after that?¡±


    As Trevor asked thest question, Wenham could not bear it any longer and said with his jaw clenched,


    ¡°Stop the car and kick this stupid brat out for me!¡±


    After driving for some distance, Ste called Aldor and asked him to pick Keegan up at Vinci Rivera.


    So, shortly after Ste dropped Keegan off, Aldor arrived at the office.


    When he saw Keegan''s defeated look, he could not help butugh. After Keegan got in the car, he


    teased him, "You hurriedly left to send Mrs. Kane her passport yesterday, yet she didn''t even let you


    join the New Year Eve''s dinner?"


    With a stern face, Keegan said, ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Aldor then started driving.


    Cordelia just would not stop calling Keegan, telling him to bring Ste back for dinner.


    Keegan massaged his temple and said, "She went back to the Saun residence."


    Cordelia''s enthusiasm vanished instantly, and she said in a cold tone, ¡°Oh, if that''s the case, don''t


    bothering back. I''ll tell Baldwin to prepare less food.¡±


    Keegan was left speechless.

 Chapter 1863

    Chapter 1863


    Aldor couldn''t help but burst intoughter this time.


    Keegan red at him.


    Aldor, smiling, said, "This kind of reminds me of when you and Mrs.


    Kane first got divorced." This implied that everyone had turned against Keegan.


    Keegan kept quiet.


    Ultimately, Aldor still ended up taking Keegan to Cordelia''s house.


    Of course, Cordelia had been joking earlier.


    How could she not wee her grandson home for dinner? Baldwin was waiting at the door for


    Keegan.


    As the car came toa stop, he walked over, opened the door, and said, "Aldor, wait a moment.


    Mrs.Kane Sr.wants to speak with you." Surprised, Aldor stayed nheless.


    Chandler had been on a business trip a few days ago where a severe flu outbreak urred.


    Unfortunately, he caught it and couldn''t make it back home.


    Cyrene, still holding a grudge against Keegan for calling the police on Jackson, didn''t make an effort to


    come over and pretend to please Cordelia, especially with her husband away.


    Fearing Cordelia, Dahlia chose to celebrate at ke''s ce instead.


    So, only Dahlia, Keegan, Aurora, Baldwin, and Corrin were there.


    Still upset with Keegan for kicking her out yesterday, Aurora deliberately ignored him.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    She immediately turned around to y with her phone as soon as she saw him.


    Cordelia, looking energetic in a new outfit, came downstairs.


    Upon seeing Aldor, she warmly greeted, "Aldor, you''re here." Aldor nodded politely.


    "Mrs.Kane Sr., is there something I can help you with?" ¡°Have a seat first," Cordelia said with a smile,


    "We''ll talk while eating." Aldor nced at Aurora and thought, ''She wouldn''t be setting up a blind date


    for me with Aurora, would she?'' Then, he said softly, ''Mrs.


    Kane Sr., my mom is still waiting for me at home for dinner.


    If it''s not an emergency, can we talk about it tomorrow¡ª" "Aldor." Before Aldor could finish speaking,


    he suddenly heard his mother''s voice.


    He was taken aback, thinking that he might have misheard.


    But when he turned around, he saw his mother wearing a beautiful dress appearing behind him.


    "Mom?" Aldor was shocked.


    "Why are you here?" Cordelia smiled and said, ''''I asked someone to bring Mrs.Hart over.


    It''s such a meaningful day today and I figured that we should celebrate it together.


    Mrs.Hart, I''m sorry for not telling you the purpose of inviting you over today.


    Please forgive me." Aldor''s mother, Sylvia Palmer, was initially a little worried, but when she heard that


    Cordelia had specifically invited them over for dinner, she instantly felt relieved.


    When she received the phone call, she thought her son had made some huge mistake at thepany.


    Sylvia quickly said, "It''s fine, it''s fine.


    Please don''t call me Mrs.


    Hart.


    Just call me by my name, Sylvia Palmer." "T''ll just call you Sylvia then, is that okay?" Cordelia said with


    a kind and gentle expression that would easily make people drop their guard.


    Sylvia nodded.


    "Of course." She quickly handed over the things she brought here, rubbed her hands, and awkwardly


    said, "It was too sudden, and I didn''t prepare any gifts.


    So, I brought some specialties of my hometown.


    I made all of these myself.


    The packaging doesn''t look nice, but it tastes delicious.


    P-Please ept them." Cordelia looked at Aldor.


    Aldor''s initial surprise at seeing his mother in Cordelia''s home quickly shifted to aposed


    expression.


    He did not show any expression when he saw the specialties packed in supermarket stic bags, but


    when he heard that his mother made them herself, a hint of heartache shed in his eyes.


    Cordelia looked away and smiled.


    "Please don''t say that.


    Nowadays, everything is mass-produced by factories.


    It''s difficult to find anything homemade now.


    I think it''s a very precious gift.


    Thank you so much." Sylvia, taken aback, thought, ''Despite her wealthy background, she''s so cultured


    and polite.'' With a flush, she said, ''''Y- You''re wee.


    Please try them.


    If you like them, I''ll make some more and ask Aldor to bring them over." Cordelia nodded and said


    gently, "Everyone, don''t just stand there.


    Come have a seat.


    We can continue to chat while eating."

 Chapter 1864

    Chapter 1864


    The dining table was filled withvish dishes, especially since Cordelia had nned to invite Sylvia


    over, the preparations were even more sumptuous.


    The five of them sat together at the table with about thirty different dishes served.


    It was Sylvia''s first time having dinner with Aldor''s boss, and she was very reserved.


    She was afraid to speak and even move, fearing that she might bring trouble to her son.


    Aldor gave Sylvia a set of utensils and said in a low voice, "Mom, rx yourself.


    Mrs.Kane Sr.is a very easy-going person." Sylvia nodded but only ate the few dishes ced right in


    front of her.


    Cordelia saw it and asked with a smile, "Sylvia, among all the dishes, do you only like the ones in front


    of you?" Sylvia was taken aback, and she shook her head.


    "N-No.


    They''re all delicious." "Have some of them then," Cordelia said warmly before turning to Aldor, "Aldor,


    please help your mother with it.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    We must eat well and be happy on this joyous day." Aldor nodded and ced some of Sylvia''s favorite


    dishes on her te.


    Aurora sat across them.


    She sipped her soup while curiously staring at them.


    Aldor had never mentioned anything about his family before, so she had always thought that he was an


    orphan.


    ¡®But his mother looks so old, at least ten years older than my mom.


    ¡®I wonder how old she was when she got pregnant.'' Aurora thought to herself.


    She nced at Keegan, intending to ask how old Sylvia was.


    However, Keegan was so focused on eating and did not even spare her a nce.


    Aurora pouted and took the initiative to chat with Sylvia.


    "Mrs.Hart, is Aldor your only child?" Sylvia nodded and remembered how Baldwin and Corrin had


    addressed her earlier, and added, "Yes, Ms.


    Kane." Aurora almost choked on her soup.


    She coughed for a long time and her face turned red.


    Then, she said, "Just call me by my name, Aurora." Sylvia had a slight ent and the way she called


    Aurora sounded funny.


    "Sure, Aurora," Sylvia said.


    Aurora continued to ask, "You came to Rivera to have dinner with Aldor, but what about his dad?" As


    soon as she finished speaking, she felt the atmosphere turning somewhat weird.


    Keegan frowned and said, "Can''t you just eat and stop asking so many questions?" Aurora was


    bewildered.


    Then, she heard Sylvia saying, "When Aldor was still in high school, his father passed away." Aurora


    finally understood why Keegan got angry, and immediately felt embarrassed.


    "I''m sorry..." "It''s fine." Sylvia was rathe optimistic about it.


    "You didn''t know.


    Aldor would only share the happy things about him.


    Also, I know that he doesn''t talk much about his personal matters.¡± Aurora, still curious, asked, "Mrs.


    Hart, were you close to forty when you had Aldor?" Sylvia was taken aback.


    "I-I was twenty-three." Aurora was shocked.


    "Are you only fifty years old? I thought you were in your sixties." Sylvia suddenly felt awkward and even


    more uneasy, ''P-Perhaps I just look old.¡± Keegan frowned, about to speak, but Cordelia kicked him


    under the table, silencing him.


    Handing Sylvia a cup of hot tea, Aldor exined, ''My mom used to work night shifts at a chemical


    factory, which paid double the day shift''s sry.


    After my dad passed away, she took these shifts every two weeks to support my education.


    All that hard work over the years, it''s no wonder she doesn''t look as youthful as your mother, who''s had


    a worry-free life."

 Chapter 1865

    Chapter 1865


    Chapter 1865


    Aldor spoke in a firm tone,ced with a hint of sarcasm, not too loud but clear enough.


    Aurora was taken aback. She had always seen Aldor as someone who rarely lost his cool.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    He had always been the epitome of politeness at work, even when Aurora, in a fit of anger, had once


    scornfully called him the Kane family''spdog. Aldor never snapped back.


    She had little regard for people like Aldor, who, in her eyes, would bend over backward to please their


    superiors.


    Not long ago, when she was relegated to a lower-tier department, her confrontations with Aldor, both


    overt and covert, had been frequent. Keegan, their boss, had tasked Aldor with supervising her.


    Aldor always seemed to assign her more challenging tasks than others. Whenever she submitted a


    report, he would scrutinize her work far more than anyone else''s. His criticisms were sharp. "How is


    this data analysis? Where''s your month-to-month, year-to-yearparison?¡±


    ¡°The title is catchy, but the content? It''s iprehensible.¡±


    "Did your university guarantee a pass to all its students? I can''t fathom how else you came up with


    such a report.¡±


    ¡°Don''t include my name as your auditor. I refuse to be associated with this.¡±


    Aurora, despite her privileged upbringing, had always been a decent student. Her grades were


    consistently above average, a fact she took pride in.


    Her peers, who barely scraped through their courses, eventually returned to their affluent lives,


    inheriting family businesses. Aurora, having never failed a subject and maintaining a respectable GPA,


    considered herself an excellent student.


    But to Aldor, her academic achievements meant little. Her initial days working with Aldor were filled with


    resentment.


    She had chosen to start from the bottom, as per Cordelia''s advice ¡ª endure all hardships, but never


    quit. Quitting meant she could never work at Vinci Rivera again.


    Despite being on Aldor¡¯s radar, she neverined to Cordelia.


    After being released from confinement, nightmares had haunted her - memories of being bullied. She


    resented Ste and Keegan deeply.


    Yet, these feelings paled inparison to the hurt caused by her friends¡¯ mocking and sarcastic


    remarks.


    ¡°Aurora is so naive. If I were her, I''d have befriended Ste long ago. It''s clear Keegan is still smitten


    with Ste. Win over Ste, and Keegan would shower her with even more wealth.¡±


    "She''s the most foolish person I know. Always antagonizing Ste, hoping for their divorce. And now?


    She never imagined that one impulsive act would lead to Keegan having her locked up.¡±


    "She''s lucky to be born into such a family. Despite her foolishness, we have to maintain a facade of


    respect.¡±


    Her friends¡¯ughter echoed in her ears, one adding, "She mightck brains, but she''s stunning. If


    Keegan wasn''t so protective, I''d have pursued her myself. She truly believes she''s a princess, all


    because of how we treat her. Without her brother''s influence, she''d be nothing.¡±


    ¡°That''s enough. Let''s not upset our princess. After all, she sees you as her hero.¡±

 Chapter 1866

    Chapter 1866


    Chapter 1866


    That person chuckled. "Just wait for my good news.¡±


    Word by word, the insults reached her ears. Aurora, who was always arrogant and domineering, fled


    upon hearing those gossip about her in the private room that day.


    She no longer attended those social gatherings or afternoon tears where socialites would unt their


    wealth. Instead, she spent time with Cordelia, listening every day to stories of Keegan''s childhood.


    People could be strange sometimes. They could hate each other to the bones when arguing, but once


    things calmed down, all the feelings would subside. When she heard about those stories about


    Keegan, she could not help but think to herself. ¡®How did I and Keegan end up like this?


    ¡®Is it purely because of Ste?¡¯


    She still remembered the day when Keegan got her locked up. She scolded Keegan for being blind and


    bewitched by Ste, who enticed him to turn his back on her.


    At that time, Keegan looked at her with an extremely disappointed look and asked her, "You used to


    feel sorry for even a beggar on the street. Why have you be like this? Aurora Kane, what


    happened to you?"


    His words felt like a dagger, stabbing right through her heart. However, she was too stubborn to admit


    her mistake. She believed that Keegan would one day see through Ste''s true colors. When that


    happened, Keegan would regret the decision to kick Dahlia out of the family.


    However, Keegan never regretted anything. When Ste jumped right into the river without any


    hesitation to save Keegan, she suddenly realized that she had been wrong all this while.


    That was also the day when she and Aldor stopped picking on each other.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    After what happened to Keegan, Aldor led the team and dealt with Chandler. She watched everyone


    bustling about and felt useless for not being able to do anything to help.


    Aurora''s arrogance had slowly diminished, reced by introspection and growth. She started taking


    her tasks seriously, realizing the value in Aldor¡¯s harsh feedback. It was only then she understood why


    Keegan had Aldor supervise her.


    As the heiress of the Kane family, she was always treated with deference, her mistakes often


    overlooked. But Aldor was different ¡ª he answered only to Keegan, and from him, she learned


    practical, valuable lessons.


    Her animosity toward Aldor had faded. Her question to Sylvia had been out of genuine curiosity, not


    malice.


    Growing up in affluent circles, she was used to seeing well-preserved, elegant women in their fifties


    and sixties. Sylvia, with her visible aging, seemed much older to Aurora. Her straightforward nature


    often led her to ask questions without much thought, unaware of their potential hurtfulness.


    Aldor''s pointed response took Aurora by surprise. Once she realized the sarcasm, her expression


    soured.


    Sylvia, worried about Aldor offending his boss, pped him, chastising, "Aurora was just curious. It''s


    normal to think I look older with so much gray hair at fifty.¡±

 Chapter 1867

    Chapter 1867


    Aldor, feeling a mix of sadness and understanding for Sylvia, had his suspicions about why Cordelia


    insisted on their dinner attendance.


    He deduced that his earlier rejection of Cordelia''s marriage proposal might have prompted her to


    arrange this impromptu " blind date" with Aurora.


    Cordelia had been vague, mentioning only that their presence would make the dinner more joyful.


    Sylvia, visibly worried about Aldor''s job security, masked her difort with a forced smile.


    This deepened Aldor''s sadness, and he couldn''t help but cast a colder gaze toward Aurora.


    Aurora shivered slightly, sensing the tension.


    She realized that her past arrogance might have led Aldor to believe she was deliberately trying to


    embarrass Sylvia.


    But that wasn''t her intention.


    Apologizing wasn''t Aurora''s strong suit.


    She nervously offered Sylvia some buffalo wings, her voice wavering, "Mrs.


    Hart, I...


    1 think your gray hair might be gic.


    My aunt, who''s only in her forties, has lots of gray hair too, and she dyes it." Keegan could only watch


    in silence.


    Far away, Cyrene sneezed at that very moment.


    Sylvia pondered, ¡®Aurora isn''t as bad as Aldor made her seem.'' As Sylvia was about to express her


    gratitude, Aldor interjected tly, "Mom, you don''t like chicken." Aurora''s irritation red.


    "If she doesn''t like it, just throw it away! The room filled with an awkward tension following her outburst.


    Sylvia, frustrated, confronted Aldor, "How would you know what I like? You''re hardly ever around."


    Sylvia''s primary concern was to defuse the situation, fearing any conflict might jeopardize Aldor''s hard-


    earned position at Vinci Rivera.


    Unbeknownst to her, Aldor''s skills and background would serve him well, regardless of his employment


    status.


    Aldor remained silent.


    Cordelia, trying to ease the situation, advised, "Sylvia, don''t eat it if you don''t like it.


    Aurora says things without thinking.


    She was spoiled as a child but means no harm.


    Please, forgive her." Then, addressing Aurora, "Apologize to Mrs.


    Hart, and be more considerate next time." Sylvia quickly interjected, "It''s alright, really.


    She didn''t mean anything by it." Cordelia''s gaze prompted Aurora to say, "I''m sorry, Mrs.


    Hart." Aldor observed in surprise.


    Aurora''s actions were uncharacteristically humble.


    But she apologized without causing a scene this time, leaving Aldor stunned.


    Aldor watched her closely, and she met his gaze defiantly.


    Sylvia, feeling uneasy, was about to reciprocate the apology, but Aldor stopped her.


    The meal concluded in an ufortable silence.


    After dinner, Corrin brewed some tea and prepared some homemade pastries.


    Then Cordelia dragged Sylvia out to see her vegetable garden.


    She heard that Sylvia used to run a vegetable field when she was young, so she wanted her to see


    why the leaves of her vegetables would turn yellow before they could be harvested.


    Keegan, Aurora, and Aldor remained in the living room.


    Keegan was locking at his phone absentmindedly while Aurora watched the TV.


    When she saw the familiar actors on the screen, she frowned.


    "Are they going to shout, ''New year, new me'' on stage again?" Her imitation caught Aldor off guard,


    making him choke on his water.


    It was so urate that it immediately reminded Aldor of the New Year''s Eve clich¨¦ every year.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    He was not expecting Aurora to say that at all.


    Aurora nced over but ignored him.


    Keegan excused himself to make a phone call.

 Chapter 1868

    Chapter 1868


    Chapter 1868 Keegan went upstairs with his phone.


    Left alone, Aldor asked Aurora, "Ms.Kane, what are your feelings toward me?" Aurora was confused.


    "What are you talking about?" His question caught her off guard.


    ¡°Feelings between a man and a woman," he rified.


    Aurora, her cheeks reddening, denied, "Are you out of your mind? I have no feelings for you!" Inwardly,


    she wondered, ''Does he think I''m interested in him just because I''m not fighting with him anymore?¡¯


    Aldor, appearing relieved, advised, ''''Good.


    If Mrs.Kane Sr.asks, tell her the same." Aurora, puzzled, questioned, "What''s this got to do with


    Grandma? Aldor exined, "Mrs.Kane Sr.is trying to set us up.


    Didn''t you notice?" Aurora, initially shocked, protested, "That''s impossible!" Aldor remained quiet and


    looked at her quietly.


    Aurora calmed down and thought about when Cordelia asked her about what happened at work, she


    would sound more enthusiastic when Aldor''s name was mentioned.


    Reflecting on Cordelia''s praise for Aldor, Aurora realized the implications Aurora did not think too much


    about it at first, but after hearing what Aldor said, she felt utterly shocked.


    ¡®Grandma would never praise anyone easily unless it''s someone she favored.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    She used to always say good things about Ste, who then became Keegan''s wife, and now that she''s


    doing the same to Aldor...¡¯ With newfound rity, she asserted, "We''ll never be together.


    Don''t overestimate yourself because Grandma likes you.


    You''re not in my league." Aldorughed inwardly, ''Does she see me as desperate?'' ¡°Rest assured, I


    have no such intentions," Aldor replied sarcastically.


    "Make sure to rify that with Mrs.


    Kane Sr." Aurora felt a mix of annoyance and indignation.


    ''How dare he reject me? He''s just a mere worker!'' ¡°I''ll make sure to turn her down.


    Just be careful what you say.


    I''d hate for anyone to know! was set up with someone like you," she retorted.


    Aldor''s inner defiance grew, amused by her pride.


    He couldn''t resist teasing, "Really? Maybe I should experience what it''s like to be with someone of your


    stature." Aurora was caught off guard by his response.


    ¡°What are you nning to do?" Aldor ignored her and walked right to the garden.


    Aurora frowned and followed behind him.


    Cordelia was chatting happily with Sylvia in the garden, where she took the opportunity to ask about


    Aldor''s life growing up.


    In fact, when Cordelia decided to match them up, she had already sent someone to conduct a thorough


    background check on Aldor.


    The drawer next to her bed was filled with Aldor''s information.


    Sylvia was an honest person without any ulterior motives.


    She answered every one of Cordelia''s questions truthfully.


    The things she told Cordelia were almost identical to what Cordelia found out about Aldor with even


    more details.


    When they talked about Aldor''s love life, Sylvia could not help but sigh.


    "I did talk to him about it, but he always says that he''s too busy.


    Two of his rtionships ended because he was too busy with work, But no matter how busy he is, he


    should still set his priorities straight.


    Isn''t starting a family the main purpose of making money? He just won''t listen to me on this." After


    Sylvia said those words, she suddenly realized that she was speaking to a family member of his son''s


    boss, which was the reason why he was always so busy.


    She figured that Cordelia probably would not want to hearints about being too upied at


    work.

 Chapter 1869

    Chapter 1869


    The room was filled with an air of tension.


    Thankfully, Cordelia eased the atmosphere, agreeing with Sylvia¡¯s views on work-life bnce. ¡°You¡¯re


    right. Work is important, but it¡¯s not everything. What¡¯s the point of earning so much if we can¡¯t enjoy


    life?¡±


    Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Then, Cordelia shifted the conversation toward Aurora.¡± Sylvia, what do you think about my


    granddaughter?¡±


    Sylvia, with genuine admiration, replied, ¡°Ms. Kane is absolutely stunning, like someone out of a TV


    show. And her personality is just as impressive. She¡¯s very respectful and obedient toward you.¡±


    Cordelia, with a hint of mischief, asked, ¡°And what about the idea of her and Aldor together?¡±


    Sylvia was taken aback. ¡°A-Aldor?¡±


    Cordelia rified, ¡°Yes, Aldor.¡±


    The idea of her son and the wealthy heiress bing a couple initially overwhelmed Sylvia. It took her


    a moment to process.


    Cordelia did not just invite her over for a chat, but to discuss a potential match between Aurora and her


    son.


    Sylvia cautiously responded, ¡°Marriage should be left to the young ones. I want Aldor to be happy. If he


    and Aurora genuinely care for each other, I¡¯m all for it.


    But if not, I don¡¯t believe in forcing things.¡±


    Sylvia braced herself, expecting Cordelia¡¯s displeasure.


    Tve just rejected a proposal from such a prestigious family. What have I done?¡¯ she worried.


    To her surprise, Cordelia appeared to agree, ¡°You have a point. But sometimes, feelings develop over


    time. In our days, many marriages were decided quickly and stillsted.¡±


    ¡°Times were indeed simpler,¡± Sylvia added, hoping she hadn¡¯t spoken out of turn.


    She began to rx as Aldor walked in.


    ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± he inquired.


    As Sylvia sighed in relief, Cordelia, with a twinkle in her eye, dropped a bombshell, ¡°We¡¯re discussing


    your marriage with Aurora. Your mom seems to like the idea.¡±


    Sylvia was shocked again.


    Aldor, with a light chuckle, responded, ¡°Even if I were open to the idea, I doubt Ms. Kane would be.¡±


    Cordelia seemed intrigued by his response.


    At that moment, Aurora walked in and overheard their conversation.


    Her eyes twitched. ¡®So, he wanted me to be the one to reject the idea. He¡¯s shifting the me onto me!¡¯


    she thought.


    Cordelia then asked Aurora directly, ¡°Do you fancy Aldor?¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Caught in a bind, Aurora couldn¡¯t simply reject the idea, not with Aldor putting her in this spot.


    She nced at Aldor and said nonchntly, ¡°He¡¯s not bad.¡±


    Aldor was visibly confused by her response.


    Cordelia, delighted, said, ¡°See, Sylvia? There might be something there.¡± Aldor and Aurora exchanged


    a speechless nce.


    It was clear Cordelia had misinterpreted their feelings.


    Cordelia, having observed Aldor for a while and now believing in a mutual interest, was ready to take


    matters into her own hands and advance their rtionship.

 Chapter 1870

    Chapter 1870


    Cordelia announced confidently, ¡°Sylvia, let¡¯s n a marriage for Aldor and Aurora two weekster.


    With Aldor as my official grandson-inw, there¡¯ll be no gossip about him being around.¡±


    Sylvia was a bit taken aback by how fast things were moving.


    Aldor and Aurora, meanwhile, werepletely bewildered by this turn of events.


    Aurora, in particr, was regretting not heeding Aldor¡¯s earlier advice.


    Despite her reservations, Cordelia was evidently thrilled. Aurora, not wanting to admit she was just


    reacting to Aldor¡¯s earlier trick, hesitantly said, ¡°Grandma, there¡¯s no need to rush things.


    I¡¯m still quite young.¡±


    ¡°You might be, but Aldor isn¡¯t. Besides, an engagement will put an end to any idle talk,¡± Cordelia


    insisted firmly, mindful of the societal implications of their ss differences.


    Aurora was dumbfounded, wishing she could rewind time and avoid this situation.


    She looked desperately at Aldor, silently urging him to object.


    Aldor met her gaze and spoke up, ¡°Mrs. Kane Sr., perhaps we should reconsider. Aurora has feelings


    for someone else.


    Aurora internally groaned, ¡®He¡¯s getting back at me for teasing him!¡¯ Cordelia, her brow furrowed in


    concern, turned to Aurora,¡± Aren¡¯t you over Marshall yet? We¡¯ve discussed this, haven¡¯t we?¡±


    Aurora, caught off guard by Cordelia¡¯s seriousness, quickly rified, ¡°No, I¡¯ve moved on. Marshall is


    like family to me now.¡±


    ¡°But then why would Aldor suggest otherwise?¡± Cordelia pressed.


    He¡¯s doing this to spite me!¡¯ Aurora realized, but instead of voicing this, she blushed and mumbled,


    ¡°He¡¯s just¡­ jealous.¡±


    Aldor¡¯s lips twitched when he heard that.


    Cordelia chuckled, ¡°Ah, young love.¡± She then sought Sylvia¡¯s opinion.


    Sylvia, seeing the unfolding events, knew she couldn¡¯t really object, despite her concerns about the


    social implications for Aurora.


    However, Sylvia decided to let it go after seeing how insistent Cordelia was.


    Since both parties agreed, she did not see the need to interfere.


    So, she suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s do it soon. I¡¯ll need to inform my family and friends.¡±


    Cordelia smiled and said, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Thus, the engagement was decided, though it was clear that Aldor and Aurora were far from thrilled.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Back in the living room, Aurora confronted Aldor, ¡°What were you thinking? Why did you say that?¡±


    Aldor replied calmly, ¡°Would Mrs. Kane Sr. have misunderstood if you hadn¡¯t imed I was jealous?¡±


    Aurora, frustrated, shot back, ¡°Why should I be the only one to refuse? You don¡¯t want this either!¡±


    Aldor exined, ¡°I can¡¯t risk upsetting Mrs. Kane Sr. If she fires me for refusing to marry you, it will


    complicate my life.¡±


    ¡°So you put me in a tough spot all for some money?¡± Aurora fumed.


    Aldor corrected nonchntly, ¡°My sry is ten times yours.¡± Just to rub it in, he emphasized, ¡°Ten


    times.¡±


    Aurora was furious upon hearing that. Suddenly, someone threw a pillow at them.


    It was Keegan. ¡°What are you two arguing about? Why don¡¯t you just fight it out?¡±

 Chapter 1871

    Chapter 1871


    Aldor and Aurora were equally perplexed, unable to understand Keegan¡¯s anger.


    Aurora, realizing the predicament Cordelia had put her in with Aldor, turned to her brother Keegan for


    support. She cautiously said, ¡°Keegan, Grandma wants me to get engaged to Aldor.¡±


    Keegan took a moment, nced at Aldor, and drylymented, ¡°Marrying my sister doesn¡¯t mean a


    pay raise.¡±


    Their speechlessness reflected their surprise at his response.


    Aurora couldn¡¯t believe it. She pressed, ¡°Is that all you¡¯re going to say?¡±


    Keegan pondered, then added, ¡°Once you make this choice, there¡¯s no going back.¡±


    Aurora¡¯s hopes sank. She had expected Keegan to be vehemently against the idea. ¡®How can he be


    okay with his subordinate marrying his sister? We¡¯re from different worlds, and I¡¯ve been nothing but


    harsh to Aldor! Has Keegan lost his mind?¡¯ Trying to reason with her brother, Aurora pointed out, ¡°Look


    at us, Keegan. Do you really think Aldor and I are a good match?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s indifferent reply caught them off guard, ¡°Aldor can handle being with someone below his


    standard. He¡¯s earned plenty of bonuses from me, after all.¡±


    Aldor was inwardly taken aback, thinking, ¡®I earned those bonuses on my own merit. Is Mr. Kane using


    them to justify this arrangement?¡¯ Aurora, feeling a mix of anger and disbelief, bit her tongue and


    retorted, ¡°I should¡¯ve just ignored this whole thing!¡± before storming off upstairs.


    Aldor, left behind with Keegan, wanted to speak but hesitated.


    Keegan, not even ncing at him, exined, ¡°An engagement doesn¡¯t guarantee marriage. Grandma


    is merely providing a chance for you both to explore this. The final decision is yours.¡±


    He continued, ¡°The Kane family doesn¡¯t force these matters. If it doesn¡¯t work out, I¡¯ll speak with


    Grandma.¡±


    Keegan understood Cordelia¡¯s intentions: she sought a dependable man for Aurora. That¡¯s why he


    considered Aldor -a man of ability, with a straightforward personal life and a record of staying out of


    conflicts.


    Alder¡¯sposed demeanor was necessary to manage Aurora¡¯s more challenging personality.


    Therefore, Keegan stayed out of it, knowing that whatever the oue, it should be based on genuine


    feelings and mutual understanding.


    Aldor was not inclined to advance in life through marriage.


    Despite being surrounded by many outstanding women during social events over the years, some of


    whom had extended olive branches to him, he never oncepromised his principles.


    He was a smart man and naturally understood Keegan¡¯s implication.


    He liked the idea of marriage but never thought he¡¯d be the one who would get married.


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel distressed when he thought about getting together with Aurora.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, would you reduce my pay if things don¡¯t work out? ¡± Aldor pondered for a moment before


    asking.


    Keegan¡¯s eyes twitched as he heard that. ¡°One more word, and I¡¯d cut your pay!¡± He sneered.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Aldor sealed his lips.


    As Keegan finished speaking, he received a notification on his phone and nearly choked.


    Ste had posted something on her social media.


    [Will mixing these two together make it taste like the viral alcohol-infusedtte?] Attached with the


    caption was an image of a cup of expresso, a bottle of high end liquor, and a te of crabs in the


    middle.


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened.


    Soon,ments started pouring in.

 Chapter 1872

    Chapter 1872


    [Happy New Year!] Lenamented on Ste¡¯s social media post.


    Carter yfully replied, [Honey, you haven¡¯t wished me a Happy New Year yet.] [$%&&] wrote Felicity.


    [Did her post shock you into typing gibberish?] Vermont responded to Felicity¡¯sment.


    [Your alcohol tolerance is impressive. When Leighton and I get married, I¡¯ll prepare a few bottles of


    strong liquor for you, ] said Nicole.


    [WTF?] Leighton added.


    Kamented, [It definitely tastes different. That bottle of yours could supply the nation¡¯s coffee


    shops for ten years. ] Keegan went to Ste¡¯s direct message on WhatsApp, his expression serious.


    Meanwhile, Ste loungedfortably on the sofa, looking at her chat box with My Amnesiac Hubby


    while he was typing.


    She was growing impatient. After five minutes, Keegan finally managed to send her a message. [What


    are you up to? ] Ste felt annoyed. An entire evening had passed, and she was still waiting for Keegan


    to pick her up. However, he has yet to return.


    Unable to endure it any longer, she made the post on her Twitter.


    She could not believe that Keegan saw it instantly, yet she took five minutes just to ask what she was


    up to.


    [Contemting whether I should find a new daddy for the baby.] Ste replied.


    Keegan called her the next second.


    Ste picked up and heard him say in a deep and threatening voice, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡±


    ¡®Whoa. Someone¡¯s feisty,¡¯ thought Ste.


    ¡°Watch me. I¡¯m the one carrying the baby. I can do whatever I want!¡± she snorted.


    Keegan, rubbing his temples, asked with concern, ¡°Are you still mad?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not mad. Why would I be? Everything you do is for my own good. You¡¯re great. You¡¯re sacrificing


    so much for our rtionship. I¡¯m super happy,¡± Ste said sarcastically.


    Keegan couldn¡¯t help butugh when he heard that.


    Ste¡¯s face darkened as she thought, ¡®Why the hell is heughing? Can¡¯t he show me a bit of


    respect?¡¯ ¡°What are youughing at? Am I that funny?¡± She said irritably.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m just thinking you must have pretended to be very well-behaved before I married you.


    Otherwise, why would I have done that?¡± said Keegan.


    Ste sneered in response, ¡°Really? You must be pretty clueless. Want to know why you married me?


    It¡¯s simple ¨C you were lustful and attracted to my looks.


    Not that hard to grasp, right?¡±


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Keegan was silent for a moment. ¡°Have you ever heard that beauty fades?¡±


    Ste paused momentarily before murmuring, ¡°No wonder my attraction to you isn¡¯t what it used to be. I


    thought it was because you lost your memory, and I was exhausted. But it turns out you¡¯re getting old


    and not as good-looking anymore.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡®She sure has a talent for infuriating people!¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ming to pick you up


    now.¡±


    ¡°What for?¡±


    Keegan chuckled, his voice carrying a hint of coldness, ¡°To show you what this old man can do.¡±


    Ste¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She thought about how Keegan used to tease her when she called him


    old, and the tips of her ears turned red.


    ¡®Keegan has been fluctuating between moments of amnesia and rity recently.¡¯ Thinking of this, Ste


    probed, ¡°Do you want me to put on something from the closet on the east side of the master bedroom


    while I wait?¡±


    Just then, she heard something drop on the other line.

 Chapter 1873

    Chapter 1873


    Aldor and Aurora were equally perplexed, unable to understand Keegan¡¯s anger.


    Aurora, realizing the predicament Cordelia had put her in with Aldor, turned to her brother Keegan for


    support. She cautiously said, ¡°Keegan, Grandma wants me to get engaged to Aldor.¡±


    Keegan took a moment, nced at Aldor, and drylymented, ¡°Marrying my sister doesn¡¯t mean a


    pay raise.¡±


    Their speechlessness reflected their surprise at his response.


    Aurora couldn¡¯t believe it. She pressed, ¡°Is that all you¡¯re going to say?¡±


    Keegan pondered, then added, ¡°Once you make this choice, there¡¯s no going back.¡±


    Aurora¡¯s hopes sank. She had expected Keegan to be vehemently against the idea. ¡®How can he be


    okay with his subordinate marrying his sister? We¡¯re from different worlds, and I¡¯ve been nothing but


    harsh to Aldor! Has Keegan lost his mind?¡¯ Trying to reason with her brother, Aurora pointed out, ¡°Look


    at us, Keegan. Do you really think Aldor and I are a good match?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s indifferent reply caught them off guard, ¡°Aldor can handle being with someone below his


    standard. He¡¯s earned plenty of bonuses from me, after all.¡±


    Aldor was inwardly taken aback, thinking, ¡®I earned those bonuses on my own merit. Is Mr. Kane using


    them to justify this arrangement?¡¯ Aurora, feeling a mix of anger and disbelief, bit her tongue and


    retorted, ¡°I should¡¯ve just ignored this whole thing!¡± before storming off upstairs.


    Aldor, left behind with Keegan, wanted to speak but hesitated.


    Keegan, not even ncing at him, exined, ¡°An engagement doesn¡¯t guarantee marriage. Grandma


    is merely providing a chance for you both to explore this. The final decision is yours.¡±


    He continued, ¡°The Kane family doesn¡¯t force these matters. If it doesn¡¯t work out, I¡¯ll speak with


    Grandma.¡±


    Keegan understood Cordelia¡¯s intentions: she sought a dependable man for Aurora. That¡¯s why he


    considered Aldor -a man of ability, with a straightforward personal life and a record of staying out of


    conflicts.


    Alder¡¯sposed demeanor was necessary to manage Aurora¡¯s more challenging personality.


    Therefore, Keegan stayed out of it, knowing that whatever the oue, it should be based on genuine


    feelings and mutual understanding.


    Aldor was not inclined to advance in life through marriage.


    Despite being surrounded by many outstanding women during social events over the years, some of


    whom had extended olive branches to him, he never oncepromised his principles.


    He was a smart man and naturally understood Keegan¡¯s implication.


    He liked the idea of marriage but never thought he¡¯d be the one who would get married.


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel distressed when he thought about getting together with Aurora.


    ¡°Mr. Kane, would you reduce my pay if things don¡¯t work out? ¡± Aldor pondered for a moment before


    asking.


    Keegan¡¯s eyes twitched as he heard that. ¡°One more word, and I¡¯d cut your pay!¡± He sneered.


    Aldor sealed his lips.


    As Keegan finished speaking, he received a notification on his phone and nearly choked.


    Ste had posted something on her social media.


    [Will mixing these two together make it taste like the viral alcohol-infusedtte?] Attached with the


    caption was an image of a cup of expresso, a bottle of high end liquor, and a te of crabs in the


    middle.


    Keegan¡¯s face darkened.


    Soon,ments started pouring in.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

 Chapter 1874

    Chapter 1874


    Darcie hesitated for a moment. She was sure Trevor had taken it before she let go. ¡®Did he do that on


    purpose?¡¯ she thought.


    Thoughts of the ne crash filled her mind, and she was about to speak when a voice from afar


    interrupted.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    Wenham had just finished paying his respects to histe wife. He was startled when he heard the


    commotion and walked over to see what was going on.


    ¡°I identally dropped the oats I made for Ste,¡± exined Darcie. She then turned to Trevor, saying,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Trevor. I thought you had it. Did you get burned?¡±


    Trevor nced at her inquisitively, withdrew his gaze, and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just a shame Ste can¡¯t


    taste your food now.¡±


    He looked at his sister affectionately and said, ¡°Sorry, sis.¡±


    Ste chuckled, ¡°I think I¡¯ve had my fill of Darcie¡¯s cooking for now. I couldn¡¯t have finished that bowl of


    oats anyway. Let¡¯s take the broken dish as a sign of good luck.¡±


    Wenham joined in, ¡°Agreed. I¡¯ll have Sandra clean it up while you get Jaylene toe down and


    receive her present.¡±


    The mention of gifts made Ste¡¯s ears perk up. She blinked at Trevor as if saying, ¡°We¡¯re getting


    presents?¡±


    Trevor was somewhat amused. He wondered if Rainee had spoiled her. ¡®How could she be so eager


    for mary gifts?¡¯ Sandra cleaned up the broken porcin pieces, and Jaylene came downstairs.


    She had changed into a light yellow dress, her hair loosely braided. Her light makeup gave her a


    somewhat elegant appearance.


    Jaylene greeted Trevor warmly, but her eyes were cold when theynded on Ste. She didn¡¯t ask her


    anything.


    Trevor was unaware of the argument between the two from the night before. He thought their discord


    was due to Keegan and couldn¡¯t help but feel some displeasure toward Jaylene.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    On the other hand, Wenham was happy that his son had returned safely, and they would soon have a


    new addition to the family.


    After receiving their gifts, Jaylene handed hers to Trevor and said, ¡°I¡¯m so d you¡¯re safe. Here, I


    want to give you my present. May you have a peaceful and joyful new year.¡±


    Trevor lowered his gaze, epted it, and said, ¡°Thank you, Jaylene.¡±


    Jaylene breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the rtionship between the two might have been repaired.


    But Trevor immediately turned and handed the present she gave him and his own to Ste.


    ¡°Hold onto these for me, sis.¡±


    In an instant, Jaylene¡¯s face turned unsightly.


    Witnessing how easily Trevor handed their gifts to Ste, Jaylene clenched her fists and remained


    silent.


    Ste raised her eyebrows, happily agreeing to hold onto the items for Trevor.


    Darcie stood nearby and watched the exchange with an inquisitive look, asionally ncing between


    the two.


    Ste pursed her lips and said, ¡°Trevor, can you help me move the pot of roses from the yard to my


    room. Spring ising, and the weather will be warmer. I want to try to keep the flowers alive. Dad


    seems to really like that pot of roses.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Jaylene objected, ¡°No, you


    can¡¯t bring it in.


    My mom is allergic to roses.¡±


    Ste was surprised, ¡°Darcie, you¡¯re allergic to roses?¡±


    Darcie nodded.


    Ste muttered in confusion, ¡°That¡¯s odd. I¡¯ve been using rose essential oil recently. If you¡¯re allergic to


    roses, wouldn¡¯t you react to rose-extracted essential oil too?¡±


    Stunned, Wenham looked at Darcie subconsciously.


    Darcie seemed calm, but Jaylene¡¯s face turned sour. ¡°What are you implying?


    Are you saying my mom¡¯s faking an allergy to roses just to keep Dad from bringing flowers home?¡±


    Ste, astonished, quickly rified, ¡°Why would you think that, Jaylene? I was just curious. Allergies


    aren¡¯t like asthma, right? They can¡¯t just be faked, can they?¡±

 Chapter 1875

    Chapter 1875


    Ste¡¯s words were a clear, undisguised jab at Jaylene¡¯s previously feigned illness during the family


    reunion.


    Jaylene¡¯s face turned pallid with anger. ¡°You-¡°


    Possibly anticipating another impulsive remark, Darcie finally intervened, ¡°Ste, the essential oil you


    have isn¡¯t made from roses. I detect scents of sandalwood, chamomile, and wild orchid, but not roses.¡±


    Ste hesitated, furrowing her brows. ¡°That¡¯s not right. They specifically told me it was infused with


    roses. I bought it because roses are my favorite.¡±


    Trevor¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡®Huh? Wasn¡¯t she obsessed with sunflowers?¡¯ ¡°Some sellers might


    intentionally im certain ingredients to boost sales, especially in the field of fragrances. Ordinary


    users find it difficult to discern the exact additives, making them vulnerable to deception. You cane


    to ourpany next time you want some essential oils. Tell me the fragrance you desire, and I can


    personally help you create a blend,¡± Darcie replied softly.


    Ste smiled. ¡°Oh, I see. Thanks for the exnation, Darcie.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    Darcie¡¯s eyes shed with a hint of contempt. It seemed that Freesia¡¯s daughter had not inherited her


    extraordinary sense of smell. She couldn¡¯t even tell the difference between the two.


    ¡°Since Darcie is allergic to roses, I¡¯ll take the flower with meter. I¡¯ll take good care of it for you, Dad.


    Maybe I can revive it. Is that okay?¡±


    Wenham was overjoyed. ¡°That¡¯s great! Be careful when moving it. I brought it back from abroad, and


    it¡¯s quite delicate.¡±


    Ste wasn¡¯t sure if it was just her imagination, but she thought she saw a trace of gloominess sh


    across Darcie¡¯s face after her father¡¯s reminder.


    Ste pretended not to see it and smiled. ¡°I¡¯d also keep your gift safe and sound.¡±


    As Ste went to her room to put away the presents, Trevor followed her.


    He closed the door and asked, ¡°Do you think her rose allergy is fake?¡±


    While opening the gift, Ste replied, ¡±1 don¡¯t know. I was just fooling around with her.¡±


    Trevor looked puzzled by her statement.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Ste looked up and asked, ¡°Trevor, did Mom like roses?¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    Ste grabbed the photo album from the table and said,¡± There are so many photos of Mom with roses


    in here.¡±


    Even though they couldn¡¯t bring that rose inside, Wenham insted it as soon as the weather turned


    cold. He treasured the nt dearly, checking on it several times a day and mourning over a fallen leaf


    for days. It was obvious why he adored that pot of roses so much.


    Trevor nodded. ¡°The nt in the pot is a dwarf variety Mom had cultivated. It¡¯s trickier to grow than


    regr roses because it¡¯s disease-prone.


    ¡°The flowers are sparse, but they¡¯re gorgeous when they bloom. After Mom passed, Dad¡¯s been taking


    care of it.


    ¡°He¡¯s actually very serious about it. From initially knowing nothing about flowers, he learned to fertilize,


    spray pesticides, prune, and graft the nt.


    ¡°Mom left seven or eight pots at the time. Once, Dad went on a business trip, and the weather suddenly


    turned cold. The housekeeper forgot to close the balcony window for several days.


    ¡°When Dad came back, the roses were all dead.¡±


    When Wenham returned, his eyes were red and swollen as he tried to salvage what was left. Despite


    his efforts, not a single pot could be saved.


    This incident had haunted Wenham for years. He searched for that variety of roses for a long time. Last


    year, while abroad, he finally found it and purchased it.


    But Darcie was allergic to roses, breaking out in hives, so the nt had to stay outside. That particr


    breed, however, was fragile and couldn¡¯t tolerate heat or cold. It always looked a bit sickly.


    Even so, Wenham went to great lengths to transport the roses to Rivera, hoping they¡¯d take root there.

 Chapter 1876

    Chapter 1876


    Chapter 1876


    Ste recalled the days spent at the Saun family home.


    Watching Wenham¡¯s tender care for the pot of roses, she noticed his demeanor softening. Was he


    seeing those roses as reminders of someone he lost long ago?¡¯


    ¡°Dad originally nned to build a greenhouse in the yard for them. He wanted to nt more roses, but


    then Darcie had an allergic reaction. So, he put that idea on hold,¡± Trevor shared.


    Ste gave a wry smile. ¡°That¡¯s quite the coincidence, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Her skepticism lingered. Rivera¡¯s temperature rarely dropped below minus four or five degrees. Roses


    aren¡¯t that fragile. They shouldn¡¯t have perished after just two days of frost, even if they were a


    cultivated breed.


    Of all the flowers, Darcie was allergic to the roses that Freesia loved so much. The issue did not seem


    entirely coincidental.


    ¡°Trevor, why did you deliberately knock over that bowl of oats when we were downstairs? Did you find


    out something? ¡± Ste asked in a low voice.


    Trevor shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. The nurse said the person who approached them was a man, but


    Darcie has never been with any man.¡±


    ¡°Could she have hired someone?¡±


    ¡°Why would you risk using someone who isn¡¯t a trusted confidant for something as serious as taking a


    life?¡±


    Ste fell silent. It was true; only those with amon interest were truly reliable.


    She felt a chill run down her spine. ¡®If it really was her, then what kind of mindset did Darcie live with all


    these years?¡¯ She shuddered at the thought.


    ¡°Stop thinking about it,¡± Trevor said, patting her headfortingly. ¡°Focus on taking care of the baby


    and yourself. I¡¯ll handle everything else.¡±


    Ste closed her eyes. If the ne crash resulted from foul y, it was likely that Darcie had taken


    precautions. Trevor¡¯s investigation might put her in danger.


    ¡°Should we tell Dad about this?¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books


    Updates¡­


    Trevor sighed. ¡°And what would we say? We have no evidence, Ste. Dad cares deeply for histe


    wife, but he and Darcie have been together for twenty years. He can¡¯t act on an unproven usation. It


    might even make him feel guilty for suspecting her.¡±


    After a while, Trevor added, ¡°I¡¯m not fond of Darcie, but I really don¡¯t want it to be her. I was actually


    relieved when I found out it was a man.¡±


    ¡®If it weren¡¯t for the ne crash¡­¡¯


    Ste regained her senses and understood. Should Darcie be responsible for the incident, her father


    would likely be the most devastated.


    Just as she was lost in thought, the sound of a car engine came from downstairs.


    Trevor got up and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Keegan is here to pick you up.¡±


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    However, when they got downstairs, it wasn¡¯t Keegan who arrived, but Marshall.


    He was wearing an all-white suit, standing in the living room talking to Wenham. Ste¡¯s first instinct


    was to turn around and go upstairs.


    But before she could move, she heard Marshall say, ¡°Happy New Year, Ste.¡±


    Ste gave an awkward smile and replied, ¡°Happy New Year.¡±


    Then she asked, ¡°Why are you here sote?¡±


    Marshall held up the bottle of wine. ¡°I saw your post and thought, why not celebrate New Year¡¯s Eve


    together with a few drinks?¡±

 Chapter 1877

    Chapter 1877


    Chapter 1877


    Ste recalled the post she made to scare Keegan.


    She was surprised to see Marshall at her house. ¡®Why isn¡¯t he celebrating New Year¡¯s with his family?¡¯


    she thought.


    However, she found it impolite to send him away, as he was already at the door.


    Ste took the wine, thanked him, and smiled. ¡°I just reposted someone else¡¯s picture for fun. I


    assumed that not many people would check their social media on New Year¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°I just finished work and saw your update, so I thought I¡¯d drop by and see you.¡±


    Ste was about to ask how he knew she was at the Saun residence, but then she thought about the


    previous post. She was afraid that Keegan would not be able to find her, so she shared her location. It


    was understandable that Marshall would know where she was.


    ¡°You¡¯re working on New Year¡¯s Eve?¡± Ste was surprised.¡± Is thew firm that busy nowadays?¡±


    Marshall chuckled and shook his head. ¡°Not really.


    Everyone¡¯s on vacation. I just didn¡¯t feel like going home. My aunt is there.¡±


    Ste was stunned for a moment. Then, she understood.


    Marshall¡¯s oppressive childhood was due to his younger brother¡¯s death, and Irene was the indirect


    culprit of all this.


    For him, enduring the pain and forcing a smile to celebrate family reunions was excruciating, especially


    during the holidays.


    Before Ste could speak, Darcie said, ¡°We have some pierogies. Let me have the kitchen prepare a


    few side dishes while you guys enjoy your drink.¡±


    Wenham suddenly became cheerful at the sound of alcohol. ¡°It¡¯s great that you came, Marshall.¡±


    ¡®Probably because he brought wine,¡¯ thought Ste.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Darcie¡¯s unusual behavior was not surprising. Darcie¡¯s mind worked much faster than Jaylene¡¯s.


    When Keegan tweeted the rification regarding his rtionship with Jaylene, Darcie knew that the


    two would not end up together. Since that was the case, focusing on thepany was better than


    wasting her efforts on Keegan.


    While Keegan was a good catch, there were other eligible bachelors in Rivera. And, Marshall was one


    of them.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Marshall did not decline Darcie¡¯s hospitality and politely thanked her.


    Trevor sat on the couch, secretly taking a picture of Marshall with his phone and sending it to his group


    chat.


    Boredom crept over Vermont, as he joined his family for the New Year¡¯s Eve celebration dinner. He


    immediately perked up when he saw the text.


    While the elders continued to boast about their children and grandchildren at the table, Vermont


    suddenly stood up.


    Vermont¡¯s father, Greg, frowned. ¡°You haven¡¯t spoken to your aunts and uncles all day. Where are you


    off to now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get my girlfriend. Didn¡¯t you say I can¡¯te home for New Year¡¯s if I don¡¯t get married


    this year?¡± Vermont replied.


    Greg was momentarily stunned and furrowed his brows. ¡°I won¡¯t acknowledge those unruly women


    even if you bring them home!¡±


    Vermont¡¯s sister-inwughed. ¡°Garrett mentioned that Vermont is dating a cute, decent girl.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s mom, Diane, became interested. ¡°Which heiress did you pursue this time? If you two are


    serious, I¡¯ll have someone go to her house and propose a union.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s from the vige.¡±


    The whole family was in shock.


    Vermont ignored them, grabbed his phone, and went upstairs.


    Once upstairs, he called Keegan.


    Keegan was almost at the Saun residence when he saw Vermont¡¯s name pop up. He answered the


    phone and heard him say, ¡°Got anything new on your te?¡±

 Chapter 1878

    Chapter 1878


    Chapter 1878


    Keegan was perplexed. ¡°Not really. Why?¡¯ ¡°Well, your ex-wife had prepared quite the surprise for you,¡±


    said Vermont.


    Keegan¡¯s eyelids twitched. ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    Vermont snorted. ¡°Trevor just posted a picture of Marshall at his house in the group chat. Don¡¯t you


    know what that means?¡±


    Keegan furrowed his brows, and his face darkened.


    ¡°If your ex-wife is with Marshall, will the child she gives birth to have yourst name or his? When the


    timees, should we congratte you or him?¡± Vermont added.


    Keegan gritted his teeth. ¡°Shut your mouth!¡±


    ¡°Tsk. This is serious. I don¡¯t earn money easily. Plus, my wife will likely control my spending in the


    future. I have to keep track of everything and reciprocate-¡°


    Keegan hung up the call before he could finish.


    Vermont smirked and texted Felicity. [Miss Bandit, wanna watch a show?]


    Felicity, who was also bored on New Year¡¯s Eve, quickly replied, [What show? Did you book the entire


    theater for Ste? How many movies are we watching?]


    Vermont was taken aback. ¡®Ah. I shouldn¡¯t have talked about watching a show. Miss Bandit would


    surely be mad at me if I told her that there was no show.¡¯


    So, he said, [Yeah. I booked the ce for next week. But, we¡¯re not watching a movie today. We¡¯re


    going to the Saun residence.]


    [Ste¡¯s ce? Let me go get ready,] Felicity responded.


    ¡°Send me your address, and I¡¯ll pick you up.¡±


    Felicity immediately sent her location. She was in a faculty apartment at Summit University.


    When she returned from the balcony, she bid farewell to the people at the dining table. ¡°Uh, dad, I¡¯m


    leaving. My friend invited me to spend New Year¡¯s Eve together.¡±


    A middle-aged man wearing a light gray woolen shirt and metal-framed sses frowned. ¡°You haven¡¯t


    eaten much.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been on a diet recently. It causes me to have a small appetite, so I¡¯m already full.¡±Books Chapters


    Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    A guy slightly younger than Felicity sneered. ¡°You should be losing weight. Look at how fat you are.¡±


    Felicity paused, and her gaze became cold.


    Her father frowned and did not speak, but her stepmother said, ¡°Felicity has lost a lot of weight. She


    just has a round face, as she takes after her mother.¡±


    After that, she asked, ¡°Felicity, is your mom still living in the vige? When you were in junior high, your


    dad wanted to


    bring you back here. The education quality in the vige is definitely not as good as the ones in the city.


    But, your mom was stubborn. She scolded us over the phone. I honestly don¡¯t understand why she


    would do that. What¡¯s more important than your child¡¯s education?¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Felicity chuckled. ¡°My mom rarely scolds people. She usually only reprimands bitches.¡±


    Her stepmother¡¯s facial expression changed, and her father mmed his hands on the table. ¡°How can


    you say such things? Is that how Florence taught you?¡±


    Felicity¡¯s already lukewarm heart turned cold at that moment. ¡°You think my mom didn¡¯t educate me


    well. But, what about you? You said nothing when your son ridiculed me. Your wife mocked my mom,


    so I refuted her. But, suddenly, I¡¯m in the wrong?¡±


    The man¡¯s face turned ugly. ¡°How dare you talk back to your elders?¡±


    Felicity¡¯s stepmother tried to manage the situation. ¡°Forget it, honey. It¡¯s New Year¡¯s. There¡¯s no need


    to argue with a child. She doesn¡¯t know any better. She¡¯s just repeating what she hears.¡±


    ¡°If you have something to say, just say it to my face, you bitch,¡± said Felicity.


    Her stepmother, who probably had never heard such vulgarnguage, was stunned.


    Felicity¡¯s dad paled. He gritted his teeth and yelled,¡± Apologize!¡±

 Chapter 1879

    Chapter 1879


    Chapter 1879


    ¡°What gives her the right to criticize my mom? Mom took care of you when you were in school, yet your


    wife is the one who gets all the benefits. How dare she judge my mom? What kind of a person is she?¡±


    said Felicity.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your incessant calls, annoying my mom, and forcing me toe over every New Year,


    do you think I¡¯d show up willingly?¡± she continued.


    ¡°I¡¯ve said what I needed to say and had my meal. Please don¡¯t contact my mom from now on. I can see


    that you¡¯re doing well, and my mom is doing well too. She hasn¡¯t remarried, not because she has no


    suitors, but because she doesn¡¯t want to encounter a jerk like you!¡±


    After venting, Felicity was ready to leave.


    ¡°Stop right there.¡±


    She turned around, intending to return the money her father had given her. However, a figure rushed


    toward her and gave her a strong shove. Felicity stumbled and awkwardly fell to the ground.


    She was in so much pain that her face turned pale.


    Her half-brother had pushed her. Shocked by the sudden turn of events, her father hurried forward to


    help her.


    Felicity dodged his touch and struggled to get up.


    The young man shouted, ¡°Who do you think you are? How dare you curse at my parents? I dare you to


    say it again!¡±


    Her father¡¯s expression was conflicted. He wanted to ask her if she was okay, but her harsh remarks


    from moments ago made it difficult for him to utter words of concern.


    Felicity put down her bag, suddenly moved forward, and gave the young man a shoulder throw.


    m!


    The room was then filled with screams.


    The couple panicked and rushed to check on their son. Chaos ensued, as the family cried and cursed


    at Felicity.


    Felicity ignored them, picked up her bag, and left.


    As soon as she stepped out the door, she could not help but bend over. ¡®Fuck. What a brat!¡¯


    It was then that Vermont called her. ¡°Miss Bandit, I¡¯m here.¡±


    Felicity hunched over and spoke with some difficulty. ¡°Hey, I can¡¯t walk very well right now.¡±Books


    Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Vermont was startled. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°My butt hurts,¡± Felicity said with a strained voice.


    ¡°Is it hemorrhoids?¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡± Felicity gritted her teeth. ¡°I fell.¡±


    Vermont immediately became nervous. ¡°Which building are you in and on which floor? I¡¯lle get


    you.¡±


    Following that, Felicity gave him the specific location, and


    Vermont was there in a few minutes.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicity was leaning against the wall in the stairwell. The green light of the escape sign made her face


    look a little pale.


    She burst into tears when she saw Vermont. ¡°I can¡¯t walk,¡± she said.


    Vermont hurriedly picked her up and rushed to the hospital on New Year¡¯s Eve.


    After a series of tests, it was found that her tailbone was fractured. She was told to undergo


    conservative treatment. The doctor on duty came over with a physiotherapymp to heat her backside.


    When it was time to take off her pants, Felicity tightly held on to her waistband and turned to Vermont


    while blushing.¡± Get out,¡± she said.


    Just as Vermont was about to leave, the doctor stopped him. ¡°You have to keep an eye on her. Today is


    New Year¡¯s Eve, and we don¡¯t have many staff on duty. If themp goes out, you two might need to


    shout for us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll shout by myself. I have a loud voice,¡± said Felicity.


    The doctor then nced at the bed next to hers. ¡°As long as the patient in the next bed doesn¡¯t scold


    you for it, sure.¡±


    Felicity was taken aback.


    Vermont cleared his throat and said, ¡¯Til keep an eye on themp.¡±


    Felicity clenched her fists and blushed. ¡°If you dare peek at my ass, I¡¯ll gouge your eyes out!¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to. There¡¯s no way I can beat you,¡± chuckled Vermont.


    Felicity turned away, took a deep breath, and said, ¡°Okay. Go ahead!¡±


    The doctor finished setting up the equipment and gave Vermont a few instructions before leaving for


    another ward.

 Chapter 1880

    Chapter 1880


    Chapter 1880


    Vermont chatted with Felicity for a while, gradually learning about what happened that night. He felt a


    sense of heaviness in his heart, and he reached out to pat her head.¡± You must take me with you next


    time. Your brother only bullies you because you¡¯re short. Let¡¯s see if he dares to do anything with me


    around.¡±


    Felicity snorted, ¡°Well, I did give him a shoulder throw. They should know that I¡¯m-ouch!


    ¡°¡­that I¡¯m a powerful woman.¡±


    Vermont held her up and whispered, ¡°Stop talking. Just rest and save your energy.¡±


    Felicity closed her eyes. ¡°Coming to the hospital to roast my butt on New Year¡¯s is truly embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°At least it¡¯s not hemorrhoid surgery,¡± Vermont chuckled.


    ¡°Get lost!¡±


    Vermont stood up and said, ¡®TH go get you some water.¡±


    ¡°Kay.¡±


    Once Vermont left, he knocked his head and thought,¡¯ Damn! She¡¯s so fair!¡¯


    Meanwhile, Darcie had just finished cooking the pierogies when Keegan arrived.


    Trevor opened the door, saw Keegan, and gave him a once


    over. ¡°Did the gas prices go up?¡±


    Keegan was taken aback. ¡°I didn¡¯t notice.¡±


    ¡°Oh. I thought the gas prices went up, and you were so stingy that you didn¡¯t want to refuel your car.


    So, you came here on foot.¡±


    Trevor¡¯s reply rendered Keegan speechless.


    He nced at him and hummed, ¡°Well,e on in. Or, do you want me to carry you?¡±


    Keegan walked in with a gift in his hand.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Several more dishes were added to the table. Marshall and Wenham were engaged in a lively


    conversation with Jaylene sitting across from them. Ste was nowhere to be seen.


    Keegan subconsciously nced around.


    Jaylene¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw him. ¡°Keegan!¡± she called out.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated


    Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    Keegan withdrew his gaze and responded indifferently.


    Marshall also turned around and acknowledged his friend with a slight nod.


    After Keegan greeted Wenham and Darcie, Jaylene asked,¡± Have you eaten? If you haven¡¯t, I can ask


    Sandra to cook some pierogies for you.¡±


    Keegan had intended to say that he had already eaten, but before he could speak, he saw out from the


    kitchen with a te of pierogies. He pursed his lips and said, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Jaylene immediately requested Sandra to cook the dish for Keegan.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to call her. I¡¯ve cooked all the pierogies,¡± said Ste.


    She then nced at Keegan and continued, ¡°Do you want some veggies instead? Marshall arrived


    first.¡±


    Marshall politely declined. ¡°Keegan can have the pierogies if he¡¯s hungry.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I am quite famished,¡± said Keegan.


    Marshall did not respond.


    Ste¡¯s gaze lingered on him for two seconds before she ced the te in front of Keegan. Then, she


    asked Marshall, ¡°What would you like to eat, Marshall? I¡¯ll ask Sandra to make something for you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can eat whatever is left. I¡¯ve spent my New Year¡¯s like this in the past.¡±


    Ste suddenly felt guilty for spoiling Keegan.


    Wenham had a few drinks and was feeling good. ¡°The past is in the past. This year, we are celebrating


    New Year¡¯s at my house. How can we let you go hungry? Just tell us what you want. If Sandra can¡¯t


    make it, we can go out to eat.¡±


    Marshall chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t have a specific dish in mind, but I saw Ste post a picture of strawberry


    pudding on her Twitter the other day. It looked delicious. Any hints on where she got it?¡±


    Trevor added wood to the firece and said, ¡°Ste made it herself.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jaylene chimed in. ¡°We still have some strawberries at home. Ste, you should fulfill


    Marshall¡¯s New Year¡¯s wish. If


    Keegan hesitated, and the pierogi on his te did not seem appetizing anymore.

 Chapter 1881

    Chapter 1881


    Ste chuckled, ¡°Maybe next time. It takes a few hours for the gtin to set.


    How about chicken noodle soup? We have some chicken soup left.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all the same if you¡¯re cooking. I look forward to tasting your creation,¡±


    Marshall replied warmly.


    Keegan snorted and muttered, ¡°He¡¯s both ignorant and fearless, hah.¡±


    No one else heard what he said, as his voice was soft and the TV was ring.


    However, Ste was standing behind him and vaguely caught something. So, she asked, ¡°What did you


    say?¡±


    Keegan paused momentarily and said, ¡°I said itcks vinegar, seasoning, and taste.¡±


    Was that really what he said?¡¯ Ste pursed her lips and observed him for a few seconds before she


    headed to the kitchen.


    Since Marshall had spoken, she did not want to ruin his mood on New Year¡¯s Eve.


    Once Ste left, Jaylene took the opportunity to sit next to Keegan and poured him some tea.


    Marshall nced at Keegan, who was eating with his head down. He did not disy any particr


    reaction to Jaylene sitting next to him. He was neither enthusiastic nor cold.


    ¡°Keegan, why aren¡¯t you spending New Year¡¯s Eve at your grandma¡¯s ce this year?¡± asked Marshall.


    ¡°Til head over there once I pick Ste up,¡± Keegan casually replied.


    Marshall smiled and asked Wenham, ¡°Uncle Wenham, Ste reunited with your familyst year. Don¡¯t


    you want her to spend the holiday at home with you?¡±


    ¡°Yea-¡± Wenham was about to speak when someone kicked him under the table.


    His hand shook, and the wine almost spilled. He hurriedly took a sip along the rim of the ss in


    heartache.


    He then red at his son sitting across from him and drank leisurely.


    Wenham cleared his throat and said, ¡°That entirely depends on Ste. After all, she lives nearby and


    cane back any time.¡±


    Meanwhile, Jaylene was rambling about various topics, but Keegan responded in disdain, showing no


    notable expression on his face.


    In the end, Jaylene shut her mouth and looked at Keegan closely.


    He seemed unaware of her scrutiny. He pulled out a bottle of medicine from his pocket and swallowed


    a pill.


    Jaylene¡¯s doubts faded, and she asked, ¡°Keegan, have you been taking the medicine I gave you on


    time?¡±


    Keegan nodded.


    ¡°Do you feel any different?¡±


    ¡°The pills seem a bitrger, but otherwise, I don¡¯t feel anything. Why do you ask?¡±


    Jaylene shook her head and smiled. ¡°Nothing. Just worried that you¡¯re not following the doctor¡¯s


    advice. I¡¯m supervising on behalf of Dr. Stone.¡±


    Keegan grinned. ¡°You went through so much trouble to get it for me. How could I let you down?¡±


    Keegan rarely smiled at her. Even during the initial period after waking up, when he only knew her, he


    never smiled at her.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    It made Jaylene¡¯s heart flutter, and her ears could not help but redden a bit.


    Then, Keegan got up and said, ¡°Excuse me while I go to the bathroom.¡±


    Jaylene also stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll take you there.¡±


    Keegan thanked her and did not refuse. The two left under Trevor¡¯s watchful gaze.


    Marshall withdrew his gaze and casually said, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Jaylene that Keegan could return safely


    this time. No wonder he treats her differently than others.¡±


    Wenham¡¯s face tightened.


    Trevor chuckled, ¡°Have you taken a fancy to my step-sister, Marshall? Is jealousy in the air?¡±


    Marshall choked on a mouthful of wine and coughed until his face turned red. It took a long time before


    he said, ¡°Quit joking around.¡±


    Trevor raised his eyebrows but did not say anything.


    ¡®What a coward,¡¯ he thought. ¡®He doesn¡¯t even dare to admit his feelings. All he does is y shady


    tricks. Keegan is much better inparison.¡¯ When Keegan came out of the bathroom, Jaylene was


    still there.

 Chapter 1882

    Chapter 1882


    Jaylene handed Keegan a towel and said, ¡°Here, wipe your hands.¡±


    Keegan took it and thanked her.


    Jaylene stood by his side and admired his features. The closer they became, the more she liked him.


    She tightened her grip on her hands and whispered,¡± Keegan, is your recovery almostplete?¡±


    Keegan nodded.


    Jaylene bit her lip. ¡® Are you¡­ going to divorce Ste?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s movements did not pause. While wiping his hands, he said, ¡°She¡¯s assisting me in recovering


    my memory. It¡¯s inappropriate to bring up the divorce now.¡±


    Jaylene was taken aback. ¡°I thought you¡­¡±


    She did not continue, but Keegan asked, ¡°Thought I what?¡±


    Jaylene quickly lowered her eyes and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Fortunately, Keegan did not press further. When he handed her the towel, he took something out of his


    pocket and gave it to her. Then, he said, ¡°Happy New Year.¡±


    Ste was on her way to the bathroom, and she overheard Keegan¡¯s words.


    She stopped in her tracks and observed the situation discreetly.


    Jaylene was momentarily stunned. A flush spread from her cheeks to her neck.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    While trembling, she asked, ¡°Is this for me?¡±


    Keegan did not look up. ¡°I saw it at the mall the other day. I thought it suited you.


    I didn¡¯t know if you¡¯d like it, but if you don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°I like it!¡± Jaylene eagerly responded.


    After saying that, she bit her lip, blushing even more.


    Keegan seemed to chuckle, and Jaylene felt shy.


    ¡°Keegan, c-can you help me put it on?¡±


    Ste tensed up and thought, Tm going to kill him if he agrees.¡¯ The next second, she heard Keegan


    say, ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡®He told me he was here to pick me up, yet he brought a gift for Jaylene and gave it to her in secret!¡¯


    Ste¡¯s face darkened, as she clenched her fists. She looked into the kitchen, thinking about what


    weapon she could use to harm the two.


    Ste really wanted to leave, but she was curious about what Keegan had gotten for Jaylene. Tm


    actually going to kill him if it¡¯s more expensive than the first gift he gave me.¡¯ Then, she saw Keegan


    putting a cherry hairpin in Jaylene¡¯s hair.


    Ste frowned. ¡®That hairpin looks familiar.¡¯ She racked her brains, and not long after, she finally


    remembered.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t that the hair essory he bought a few days ago when we were at Briller za? They were two


    for $9.90; he only gave one to her!¡¯ Ste¡¯s mind was in a mess.


    ¡®What a mutt! How dare he give away my things to other girls!


    ¡®Wait. It¡¯s $9.90. Who gives their mistress a hair essory that costs $9.90?


    And, he only gave one to her.¡¯ Jaylene was in a daze. Keegan touching her hair made her heart flutter.


    It was not until he removed his hands that Jaylene snapped back to reality. She reached up to touch


    the hairpin. ¡°Is it pretty?¡± she held her breath and asked.

 Chapter 1883

    Chapter 1883


    Keegan nodded. ¡°The hairpin does look good.¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    ¡®Jaylene was clearly asking if she looked good and not the hair essory.¡¯ Jaylene, however, did not


    mind at all. In fact, she seemed delighted.


    ¡°Jaylene, did the police contact you recently?¡± Keegan casually inquired.


    Still immersed in the joy of Keegan giving her a gift for the very first time, Jaylene instinctively replied,


    ¡°No. Why?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Keegan replied casually. ¡°A few days ago, they came to ask me about the day of the


    incident. They asked me how I was rescued. I still don¡¯t have any memories of it, so I can¡¯t provide the


    police with useful clues. You found me alone that day, right?¡±


    Jaylene¡¯s fingers suddenly tightened. Without lifting her head, she replied, ¡°I heard from the police that


    you were in the area, so I took a cab there. When I found you, you were already on the shore. So, I had


    the driver help me get you into the car.¡±


    ¡°You got the information from the police?¡± Keegan paused.¡¯ I thought you went with Marshall. The


    police came because they received a call from Marshall. I thought you were with him.¡±


    Jaylene was taken aback, and her expression was somewhat bewildered. Then, she shook her head.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Keegan remained silent, as he contemted something.


    Ste curled her fingers, and her chest was trembling slightly.


    ¡®Keegan is probing Jaylene. He doesn¡¯t trust her as much as he imed. But, why did he say those


    things to me?¡¯ Jaylene seemed unaware of Keegan¡¯s probing and thought that he med her for not


    informing the Kane family.


    With teary eyes, she spoke softly, ¡°Keegan, you were severely injured at the time. When I took you to


    the hospital, the doctor said it was very likely that you wouldn¡¯t survive. I was so scared. I didn¡¯t know


    how to tell everyone. By the time you were transferred out of the ICU, it was already two weekster,


    and you didn¡¯t remember anything. I didn¡¯t dare to say anything.¡±


    She paused for a while and said, ¡°Keegan, you won¡¯t me me, will you?¡±


    Keegan just looked at her and remained silent.


    Jaylene panicked and continued, ¡°Keegan, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    At the same time, Ste heard the sound of wind chimesing from Jaylene.


    Keegan¡¯s initially calm gaze suddenly seemed dazed, and then it softened.


    He reached out to wipe away Jaylene¡¯s tears, but Ste¡¯s cold voice came from behind before his hand


    made contact. ¡°What are you two doing?¡±


    Her voice startled Jaylene.


    Keegan¡¯s movements paused for a moment. He picked up a towel nearby and hastily wiped Jaylene¡¯s


    face. ¡°I don¡¯t me you,¡± he said softly.


    Initially frightened by Ste¡¯s sudden appearance, Jaylene felt a touch of pride when Keegan wiped


    away her tears.


    ¡°Ste, don¡¯t misunderstand. I just got some dust in my eyes, and Keegan was helping me get it out.¡±


    Keegan stood at the side with an expressionless face, and he did not offer any exnation.


    Ste let out a sarcastic chuckle. ¡°Hah. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone wipe away dust from


    their eyes with a towel.¡±


    Jaylene smirked and said, ¡°It was just a quick wipe. You¡¯re not petty, are you?¡±


    Ste looked at Jaylene¡¯s smudged makeup, gave her a cold nce, and said, ¡°You should take a


    good look at yourself in the mirror.¡± With that, she turned around and left. 3 Jaylene was somewhat


    surprised. She did not expect Ste to let it go so easily.


    She intended to say something to Keegan, but he had already walked away.


    Jaylene did not care about anything else and hurriedly followed behind.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Keegan arrived in the living room and saw that Ste had already sat down next to Marshall. She


    smiled at him and said, Don¡¯tin if the food isn¡¯t good.


    It¡¯s New Year¡¯s, and I want to hear something nice.¡±


    Marshall tasted the soup and chuckled, ¡°This is the most delicious chicken noodle soup I¡¯ve ever had.


    Thank you.¡±


    Ste smiled, and her eyes were shining. ¡°You¡¯re the first person to praise my cooking. When I first


    learned to cook, someone told me that even dogs wouldn¡¯t eat my food.¡±

 Chapter 1884

    Chapter 1884


    Keegan pulled out a chair and sat next to Ste.


    Marshall chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s just him being picky and not appreciating your cooking. It¡¯s clearly delicious.¡±


    Ste gave him a thumbs up. ¡°You got good taste!¡± Jaylene had initially nned to sit beside Keegan.


    But, before she could, Trevor cast a nce at her and asked,¡±


    Jaylene, what happened to your face?¡± Jaylene looked puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Others turned their attention to her.


    Her makeup had been smudged. The foundation and contour on her face were uneven. She looked as


    though she had been in a fight.


    Darcie frowned. ¡°Your makeup is ruined, and you didn¡¯t notice?¡±


    Trevor opened the camera app on his phone to show Jaylene her current appearance.


    Jaylene¡¯s expression turned ugly. She red at Ste, gritted her teeth, and said, ¡°Ste, my makeup


    is ruined. Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier? Are you deliberately trying to embarrass me?¡±


    Ste was taken aback.


    With Keegan as her backing, Jaylene now dared to confront Ste in front of their father.


    When Jaylene questioned her, Wenham, who was absorbed in drinking, snapped out of his trance.


    ¡°What do you mean deliberately trying to embarrass you? Why do you always think that Ste is


    targeting you? If she was, why would she save you in the first ce?¡±


    Jaylene was momentarily speechless.


    ¡°Hurry up and fix your makeup. It looks horrible,¡± Darcie added.


    Jaylene could not swallow the humiliation. She felt that Ste was deliberately trying to embarrass her


    in front of Keegan. She did not leave and red at her, demanding an exnation.


    Ste slowly looked up and said, ¡¯ Didn¡¯t I tell you?¡±


    ¡°When did you do that?¡±


    ¡°Think about it.¡±


    ¡°I-¡± Jaylene recalled Ste telling her to look in the mirror before she left.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Wasn¡¯t that an insult? How can she im that she told me?¡¯ Jaylene was furious.


    ¡°Remember now?¡± Ste asked.


    Jaylene clenched her teeth. Her face darkened, as she went to the bathroom to fix her makeup.


    Ste lowered her eyes and sipped on her juice.


    Jaylene was indeed a hopeless romantic.


    While Ste did not explicitly tell her about the smudged makeup, Keegan was the one who wiped her


    face with a towel. Nevertheless, Jaylene directed her me at Ste.


    ¡®Was she expecting Keegan to speak up for her? I¡¯d curse him out if he dared to say a word.¡¯ Marshall


    poured a ss of wine and handed it to Ste.¡± Happy New Year, Ste. I hope everything goes


    smoothly for you, and may all your wishese true.¡±


    Ste looked at the alcohol and was momentarily stunned.


    Before she could react, Keegan took the ss in front of her and said, ¡°She¡¯ll be drivingter. I¡¯ll drink it


    on her behalf.¡±

 Chapter 1885

    Chapter 1885


    When Keegan offered to take care of Ste¡¯s drink, she immediately sensed Wenham and Trevor


    exhale with relief.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Marshall chuckled, ¡°We can call an Uberter. Come on. It¡¯s New Year¡¯s Eve.¡±


    Keegan nced at him and said, ¡°Like you said, it¡¯s New Year¡¯s Eve. We should let the Uber drivers


    rest.¡±


    Initially, this statement appeared logical. However, it revealed several discrepancies upon closer


    examination. Individuals seeking rest would not actively take ride orders, while those who were


    motivated to earn more ie would likely wee the opportunity.


    However, Keegan did not give Marshall time to react. He directly lifted the ss and finished it in one


    gulp.


    Ste sat nearby and watched without intervening.


    Upon seeing this, Marshall chuckled again and downed his ss as well.


    Ste picked up the bottle and poured everyone another round. ¡°Make a toast to Marshall on my


    behalf. I wish him a sessful career and a wonderful love life in the new year.¡±


    Keegan looked at the wine in front of him and fell silent.


    Ste nced at him and said, ¡°If it¡¯s inconvenient, then I¡¯ll-¡°


    Keegan picked up the ss and red at her. He clinked the ss against Marshall¡¯s and down the


    drink once more.


    Marshall raised his ss to Ste and said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Ste poured another ss for Keegan. ¡°This one is for Trevor. I wish him peace and happiness with


    an abundance of wealth.¡±


    Keegan clenched his fists. ¡°Can¡¯t you just toast everyone at once?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. Everyone¡¯s blessings are different. Doing it one by one shows that I care.¡±


    After saying that, she looked at Keegan. ¡°If you can¡¯t handle your alcohol, I can raise the toasts myself.¡±


    ¡°Who said I can¡¯t handle it? Watch me!¡± Keegan gritted his teeth.


    Ste smirked and said, ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±


    Under Ste¡¯s encouragement, Keegan drank a toast for everyone at the table, including himself. His


    face was flushed by the time it ended.


    Ste saw that he had enough and paid no more attention to him.


    Instead, she turned to chat with everyone.


    Wenham had an excellent tolerance for alcohol and drank a lot that night. On the other hand, Darcie


    was worried and kept advising him not to drink more.


    In terms of drinking, Wenham was quite obedient to Darcie. Seeing that she seemed unhappy, he told


    her he would stop.


    ¡°By the way, a friend brought me a photo album from the Jewell residence when it was auctioned off a


    while ago,¡± he said.


    Taken aback, Ste asked, ¡°What photo album?¡±


    ¡°It contains some of your childhood photos. I think Ms. Spade kept them. When the people cleaned up


    the ce, they identally damaged the album. I had someone repair it, and I just got it back a few


    days ago.¡±


    Ste was shocked to know that Rainee had secretly kept some of her photos.


    ¡°What does it look like?¡± she asked.


    Ste had quite a few photos of herself as a child, all of which were at Keegan¡¯s ce. However, they


    were all photos taken after she was ten. There were very few from before she turned ten.


    Rainee was very busy with work and rarely took her to take pictures. After turning ten, Ste was old


    enough to take photos without Rainee apanying her.


    ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll go grab it for you,¡± said Wenham.


    He got up and went to the study room. After a short while, he came back holding a box.


    After that, he opened the box to reveal a thick photo album. The album looked vintage. It was slightly


    damaged at the corners but had already been patched up and looked fine.


    Wenham flipped to the first page, and Ste leaned in to look.


    It was a photo of her in a swaddle cloth. Ste had never seen the picture before.

 Chapter 1886

    Chapter 1886


    The baby in the photo was tiny and wrinkled. And, she was wrapped tightly in a nket. Her skin was


    red, but it was clear that she was well-nourished in the womb. Even though she was just born, her face


    looked plump. Her eyes were closed, and she was sleeping soundly.


    ¡°Is this me?¡± Ste was genuinely surprised. ¡°I can¡¯t recognize myself at all.¡±


    ¡°I can see it. Your mouth and brows resemble mine, and your eyes and hair resemble your mother¡¯s.


    Your nose is exactly the same as your mom¡¯s, too,¡±


    said Wenham.


    Ste listened quietly to Wenham¡¯s description. She was particrly curious about how her father


    could tell they had simr eyebrows when it was almost nonexistent in the pictures.


    ¡°I think her eyebrows look more like The Mystic Duo,¡± someone interjected.


    Everyone was taken aback.


    Ste¡¯s face darkened when she recalled that The Mystic Duo from a popr TV show had no


    eyebrows.


    Marshall and Trevor also caught on to the joke.


    However, Wenham did not understand. ¡°What do The Mystic Duo¡¯s eyebrows look like?¡± he asked.


    Marshall suppressed hisughter and refrained frommenting.


    Trevor snorted and teased his father. ¡°Dad, those bushy brows of yours are one of a kind. It¡¯s a bit of a


    stretch to say that Ste¡¯s are the same, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Keegan stayed silent during the discussion.


    Wenham was not disturbed by Trevor¡¯s remarks. He continued to flip through the album and praised


    his daughter. Ste felt embarrassed to say anything, but Marshall was very supportive.


    ¡°This is her at a hundred days old. Look at those big eyes. You can tell she¡¯s a smart baby.¡±


    Marshall added, ¡°She looks like Aunt Freesia with her eyes closed. But, she looks more like you with


    her eyes open.¡±


    Wenham continued, ¡°Rainee fed her well. Her face looked so round when she was a year old.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good for a child to have a little baby fat. I was very skinny when I was a child. My grandfather


    always said I looked like I survived a famine,¡± Marshallmented.


    Wenham could not contain his amusement when he came across another picture of Ste. Her face


    was full of mud, and she was having a good time with her friends by the muddy water. She was three


    years old in that picture.


    ¡°Rainee spoiled her too much. Look at this. She looks like a little y figure.¡±


    Ste nced at the image and felt that her face was burning. She did not remember when that photo


    was taken, but she appeared filthy.


    Suddenly, she recalled a viral video of two mud-covered children standing with hunched shoulders and


    found it funny.


    She looked up at Keegan, expecting some reaction, but he just nced at the photo and remained


    silent.


    Once Wenham was done flipping through the album, he set it aside and continued chatting with the


    young people.


    After spending over half an hour on her makeup, Jaylene finally exited the bathroom and tried to get


    close to Keegan.


    ¡°Keep your distance. Don¡¯t make me repeat myself,¡± Trevor said with a t tone.


    Jaylene was stunned to hear that. ¡°Huh?¡±


    Trevor¡¯s cold gaze pierced through Jaylene¡¯s heart. Why is it that even though we grew up together, he


    treats Ste better?¡¯ she thought.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Ste was unaware of this situation and wondered why Jaylene was so well behaved after touching


    up her makeup. But, at that moment, she had no intention of dealing with it. She noticed that Keegan


    seemed drunk.


    He discreetly pulled her and whispered, ¡°Honey, I want to go home.¡±

 Chapter 1887

    Chapter 1887


    Keegan had never called Ste ¡°Honey¡± let alone held her hand after his return.


    When he did so, Ste¡¯s heart pounded with a mix of emotions. ¡®It seems like he remembers me. But,


    why is he pretending like he doesn¡¯t?¡¯ Her mind was in turmoil.


    Keegan would not pretend not to remember her for no reason. There must be a reason behind his


    actions, but Ste could not discern what it might be.


    She realized if they stayed any longer, Keegan would undoubtedly reveal more than he intended in his


    intoxicated state.


    So, Ste imed to feel a bit unwell and informed Wenham that she wanted to leave.


    Thinking that it was due to the difort caused by her pregnancy, Wenham expressed his concern.


    ¡°You should rest upstairs for a while if you¡¯re not feeling well.¡±


    Ste shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s okay, dad. I just had too much to eat. Plus, Keegan¡¯s grandma called


    and urged us to go over there, so I can¡¯t stay.¡±


    Before Wenham could respond, Marshall said, ¡°How about we leave together?


    My colleague is currently in the vicinity attending a meeting. He hasn¡¯t been drinking. I asked him to


    pick me up once he¡¯s done. We can drive you two home first.


    Ste had not responded, but she could sense Keegan¡¯s grip tightening.


    She smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s okay. You rarelye over. You should stay and have some fun. I¡¯ll


    handle the driving. I feel like cruising along Lumi River.


    They¡¯re setting off fireworks tonight, and I¡¯d love to catch the show while taking a stroll.¡±


    Marshall wanted to say something more, but Darcie interrupted. ¡°Marshall, Wenham is in a good mood


    today. You should stay and chat with him for a while.


    It¡¯ll be too quiet if you all leave at once, and he¡¯ll probably have trouble sleeping again.¡±


    ¡°You mentioned you wanted to y chess with me a moment ago. It¡¯s the holidays, and you have


    nothing urgent to do. Stay a little longer. I¡¯ll arrange for someone to take you hometer,¡± Wenham


    said.


    Since things hade to this point, Marshall had no choice but to give in.


    When Keegan arrived, he brought half a carload of gifts. Before he left, Wenham filled his car with


    more. His fatherly love was overflowing.


    Ste went upstairs to get some clothes. Marshall originally wanted to help, but before he could walk


    over, Ste called out, ¡°Keegan, can you help me with this?¡±


    Keegan was standing by the table, and he was not sure what to do. When he heard Ste call him, he


    came to his senses and walked over.


    He walked rtively steadily, but his eyes were blurry. He had always been like this when he


    consumed alcohol. As long as he did not speak, it was hard for others to notice that he was drunk.


    Keegan took the box from Ste while she held onto the handrail. She then subconsciously ced a


    hand on her stomach and carefully walked downstairs.


    Marshall was stunned for a moment. He felt that Ste¡¯s movement was a little strange.


    He could not help but take a few more nces.


    It was not until Ste was off the stairs that she released her grip on her stomach.


    After seeing them off, Marshall stood there for a moment. Jaylene looked at him and saw that he had a


    regretful expression on his face. ¡°If I were you, I would never let this opportunity go,¡± she said.


    Marshall nced at her indifferently. ¡°Really? Then, why didn¡¯t you stop Ste from moving to


    Royalpark Vi?¡±


    His question left her taken aback. Before she could refute him, Marshall turned around and went into


    the house.


    Jaylene was annoyed, but then she thought of the hairpin on her head and felt happy again.


    Meanwhile, Ste was driving and closely monitoring Keegan¡¯s condition.


    Keegan had his eyes closed. It was most likely that he was asleep.


    ¡°Keegan,¡± Ste called his name.


    Keegan responded obediently.


    ¡°Tell me if you feel like throwing up. There¡¯s a bag in the glovepartment.¡±


    Keegan shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not going to throw up.¡±


    Ste did not say anything else. Instead of driving to Royalpark Vi, she headed to Lumi River.


    It was New Year¡¯s Eve, and the square across the river was packed with people.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

 Chapter 1888

    Chapter 1888


    Ste did not head toward the bridge at Lumi River. Instead, she drove straight to the riverside.


    After stopping the car, Ste unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to look at Keegan.


    Keegan felt that the car had stopped and opened his eyes.¡± Are we home?¡± he asked.


    Ste¡¯s eyes deepened. She shook her head and replied in a low voice, ¡°No.¡±


    Keegan furrowed his brows and whispered, ¡°Hurry up. I want to sleep.¡±


    Ste unfastened his seatbelt and said, ¡°Answer a few questions, and I¡¯ll take you home.¡±


    Keegan looked at her in confusion. ¡°What are the questions?¡±


    Ste stared into his eyes and asked, ¡°First of all, who am I?¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips and remained silent.


    Meanwhile, Ste narrowed her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to go home and sleep?¡±


    Keegan whispered, ¡°Ste.¡±


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Ste¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°That¡¯s not how you addressed me earlier at my house.¡±


    Keegan did not speak.


    Ste ground her teeth, as she was irritated that he was being difficult despite being intoxicated. ¡°Can¡¯t


    remember, huh?¡±


    She leaned back in her seat and said, ¡°Then, we¡¯ll wait here until you remember.¡±


    Keegan hesitated. He was surprised by her stubbornness.¡± You said you¡¯d take me home if I answered


    your question.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not someone who keeps my word,¡± Ste responded.


    Keegan frowned. ¡°Are you nning to sleep here?¡±


    Ste did not bat him an eye. ¡°Yup.¡±


    Keegan nced at the darkness outside and wrinkled his brow. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly.


    It¡¯s too cold out here. Dr. Quinn mentioned that you can¡¯t catch a cold if you want to conceive.¡±


    Ste paused and widened her eyes. ¡°Dr. Quinn? Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Your OB-GYN. What games are you ying here? Don¡¯t you want a baby?¡±


    Ste bit her lips.


    Perfect. He¡¯s drunk.¡¯ She turned her head to look at Keegan and whispered,¡± Have you forgotten?


    We already have a baby.¡±


    Keegan was momentarily stunned, and his brain seemed to recall the situation.


    Ste took his hand, ced it on her abdomen, and said,¡± Honey, the wish we made on the night of our


    proposal hase true.¡± Keegan stared at her nkly before finally leaning down to hug her.


    ¡°Ste,¡± he softly called her name.


    Ste responded and felt something soft touching her forehead.


    She froze and looked up to meet Keegan¡¯s starry eyes.


    She reached out to touch his cheek but hesitated before making contact. She remembered his


    resistance when she tried to touch him previously. Even though he was right in front of her in perfect


    condition, she felt as though it was an illusion.


    Keegan grabbed her hand and ced it on his cheek, as she was about to pull away. He lightly kissed


    her and said,¡± Ste, Ste¡­ Was it cold when you were in the water?¡±


    Ste¡¯s nose tingled, and her eyes turned red.


    Keegan panicked when he noticed her tears. He awkwardly wiped them away and said in a hoarse


    voice, ¡°Did they hurt you?¡±

 Chapter 1889

    Chapter 1889


    Ste did not head toward the bridge at Lumi River. Instead, she drove straight to the riverside.


    After stopping the car, Ste unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to look at Keegan.


    Keegan felt that the car had stopped and opened his eyes.¡± Are we home?¡± he asked.


    Ste¡¯s eyes deepened. She shook her head and replied in a low voice, ¡°No.¡±


    Keegan furrowed his brows and whispered, ¡°Hurry up. I want to sleep.¡±


    Ste unfastened his seatbelt and said, ¡°Answer a few questions, and I¡¯ll take you home.¡±


    Keegan looked at her in confusion. ¡°What are the questions?¡±


    Ste stared into his eyes and asked, ¡°First of all, who am I?¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips and remained silent.


    Meanwhile, Ste narrowed her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to go home and sleep?¡±


    Keegan whispered, ¡°Ste.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°That¡¯s not how you addressed me earlier at my house.¡±


    Keegan did not speak.


    Ste ground her teeth, as she was irritated that he was being difficult despite being intoxicated. ¡°Can¡¯t


    remember, huh?¡±


    She leaned back in her seat and said, ¡°Then, we¡¯ll wait here until you remember.¡±


    Keegan hesitated. He was surprised by her stubbornness.¡± You said you¡¯d take me home if I answered


    your question.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not someone who keeps my word,¡± Ste responded.


    Keegan frowned. ¡°Are you nning to sleep here?¡±


    Ste did not bat him an eye. ¡°Yup.¡±


    Keegan nced at the darkness outside and wrinkled his brow. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly.


    It¡¯s too cold out here. Dr. Quinn mentioned that you can¡¯t catch a cold if you want to conceive.¡±


    Ste paused and widened her eyes. ¡°Dr. Quinn? Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Your OB-GYN. What games are you ying here? Don¡¯t you want a baby?¡±


    Ste bit her lips.


    Perfect. He¡¯s drunk.¡¯ She turned her head to look at Keegan and whispered,¡± Have you forgotten?


    We already have a baby.¡±


    Keegan was momentarily stunned, and his brain seemed to recall the situation.


    Ste took his hand, ced it on her abdomen, and said,¡± Honey, the wish we made on the night of our


    proposal hase true.¡± Keegan stared at her nkly before finally leaning down to hug her.


    ¡°Ste,¡± he softly called her name.


    Ste responded and felt something soft touching her forehead.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    She froze and looked up to meet Keegan¡¯s starry eyes.


    She reached out to touch his cheek but hesitated before making contact. She remembered his


    resistance when she tried to touch him previously. Even though he was right in front of her in perfect


    condition, she felt as though it was an illusion.


    Keegan grabbed her hand and ced it on his cheek, as she was about to pull away. He lightly kissed


    her and said,¡± Ste, Ste¡­ Was it cold when you were in the water?¡±


    Ste¡¯s nose tingled, and her eyes turned red.


    Keegan panicked when he noticed her tears. He awkwardly wiped them away and said in a hoarse


    voice, ¡°Did they hurt you?¡±

 Chapter 1890

    Chapter 1890


    Ste was surprised.


    ¡°You sound like¡­ a pretty experienced dad.¡±


    Keegan said, ¡°I don¡¯t want our baby to be a troublemaker like Coco. Our child is going to be a very


    obedient one.¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    After a long pause, she said, ¡°You¡¯re very picky, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡®How can I possibly decide what the baby¡¯s personality will be like?¡¯ Ste thought to herself.


    ¡°I think Coco is very adorable,¡± Ste added.


    Keegan snorted, ¡°She¡¯s just pretending to be good in front of you. She always does that when she asks


    me to bring her to see you.¡±


    Ste was shocked. ¡°When did Coco know about me?¡±


    ¡°After we took our wedding photos, she kept pestering me to see them. So, I showed her.¡± Keegan got


    a little angry, as he continued, ¡°She said you look good, but I look like a zombie. Even if she was sick,


    she insisted on sneaking out of the hospital to see you. And then, she got hit by an electric bike.


    ¡°Even though she has anemia, she can be very naughty.¡±


    Ste paused upon hearing Keegan¡¯s words, as she slowly pieced together the truth of what happened


    during their wedding night.


    Coco sneaked out to the wedding venue, got hit by a bike, and needed a blood transfusion. However,


    Coco¡¯s caretaker could not reach Keegan, so that person contacted Be, who had donated blood to


    Coco before.


    Be, who had always been resentful of Keegan marrying a woman who came out of nowhere, saw it


    as a perfect opportunity to ruin the wedding. So, right before Keegan went on stage, she approached


    him and told him about it.


    That was the reason why Keegan left the wedding hastily with Be.


    After many years, although she and Keegan had deep feelings for each other, she could not help but


    be bothered by the fact that Keegan left her alone during their wedding night. After all, that was one of


    the most important days in her life.


    But now, knowing that it was because of Coco, that cute little girl, her lingering resentment slowly


    disappeared.


    With that in mind, Ste looked at Keegan and asked the question she had always wanted to ask.


    ¡°Who are Coco¡¯s parents?¡±


    Keegan paused and clenched his fists without saying anything in response.


    Ste asked again in a low voice, ¡°Even until now, are you still not willing to tell me?¡±


    Keegan shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not willing to. It¡¯s that I can¡¯t; at least not now.¡±


    Keegan embraced her. ¡°Ste, Coco did note from an ordinary family.


    Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have been hiding and raising her away from the public. I promised her family that


    I¡¯d make sure she grew up safe and healthy. This is a promise I cannot break, no matter what.¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s not that he doesn¡¯t want to tell me. It¡¯s because he can¡¯t¡­


    ¡®Who could Coco¡¯s parents be that Keegan has to be so secretive about it?¡¯ Ste wondered.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Keegan hugged her tighter. ¡°Ste, stop asking me about it because I don¡¯t want to lie to you. I can¡¯t


    break my promise. It was me who couldn¡¯t stop¡­¡± i ¡®Stop¡­ what?¡¯ Ste thought.


    She then tried to ask him about it, but he just would not say anything.


    ¡®He¡¯s just pretending to be drunk, isn¡¯t he?


    ¡®It seems like he knows just the right time to doze off,¡¯ Ste thought to herself.


    She closed her eyes and tried to chase away the frustration in her heart.


    Although she liked Coco, she felt somewhat ufortable living with an unidentified child.


    She saw the troubled look on Keegan¡¯s face and sighed. ¡°I won¡¯t ask you about this anymore, but I


    have onest question. Are Coco¡¯s family members people I know?¡±


    Keegan shook his head. ¡°No.¡±


    Ste stared at him for a while, trying to find traces of lies in his eyes. However, his gaze appeared


    clear, open, and honest.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll believe you this time. If you lied to me¡­¡± Ste paused before she continued, ¡°I¡¯ll punish you


    by¡­ leaving you forever.¡±


    Keegan grabbed her hand and gently kissed it. ¡°I¡¯ll never lie to you about things like this. Never,¡± he


    said in a hoarse voice.

 Chapter 1891

    Chapter 1891


    Ste did not say anything. Instead, she patted Keegan¡¯s back absentmindedly and said after a long


    silence, ¡°Since when did you remember?¡±


    Keegan looked puzzled and waspletely unaware of what she was asking about.


    ¡®I wonder what¡¯s going on in his head right now¡­¡¯ Ste thought to herself.


    Suddenly, Ste¡¯s phone vibrated. She grabbed it and nced at it.


    There was a text from Trevor. [Remember to look at what¡¯s in the firstyer of the gift box.] Ste was


    stunned, as she wondered what it could be that Trevor had to specifically text her to remind her about


    it.


    As she thought about it, she got out of the car to retrieve the gift box. It was a document packaged in a


    paper bag.


    She returned to the car, turned on the overhead light, and took out the contents.


    When she flipped through the first page, her expression subtly changed.


    It was information about Raynard that she had asked Trevor to investigate.


    She did not think much about it before the investigation. She just wanted to know if the doctor hired by


    Jaylene was really as good as she imed. After all, Raynard had a very limited track record in


    Hustuabourg, as he mainly practiced overseas.


    Unexpectedly, the investigation raised some suspicions about him.


    Hypnosis¡­


    Ste thought about the sound of a wind chime that came from Jaylene when she was eavesdropping


    on Jaylene and Keegan¡¯s conversation. After hearing that sound, Keegan immediately acted a little


    unusual.


    However, Ste still thought that Keegan was probably just pretending.


    She never had any encounters with hypnosis, so she wondered if that wind chime sound was an


    attempt by the hypnotist to manipte Keegan¡¯s mind.


    ¡®But, how could someone as mentally resilient as Keegan be easily hypnotized?¡¯ Ste wondered.


    She furrowed her brows, and a thought struck her mind. Suddenly, she remembered the medicine that


    Keegan had taken.


    ¡®The painkiller¡­ What exactly is it?¡¯ Ste¡¯s expression changed, as she immediately turned to search


    Keegan¡¯s body.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your medicine?¡± Ste¡¯s voice trembled slightly. Her hands moved from his chest to the


    pockets on both sides. As she searched for the medicine, she said, ¡°Keegan, where¡¯s your medicine?


    Give it to me.¡±


    Keegan paused. Then, he slowly took out a familiar medicine bottle from behind.


    ¡°This one?¡±


    Ste snatched it and opened it with her shaking hands. The bottle was more than half full just a few


    days ago. Now, it only had a few pills left.


    Her face turned pale. ¡°Why did you take so many of it?¡±


    Keegan then responded as though he was a child who had done something wrong. ¡°It tastes good.¡±


    ¡°This is medicine, not candy!¡± Ste was so angry that her voice trembled even harder.


    Feeling wronged, Keegan then replied in a low voice, ¡°It really does taste good.¡±


    As he spoke, he took one of the pills and ced it near Ste¡¯s mouth. Just as Ste was about to


    scold him for doing that, she suddenly smelled a faint milk fragrance.


    She paused and licked it. Then, Keegan took the opportunity and stuffed it in her mouth.


    Ste blinked her eyes continuously and said after a while,¡± Is this a milk tablet?¡±


    Keegan nodded and said with a bit of frustration, ¡°They just won¡¯t make me some strawberry-vored


    ones.¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    His response left Ste utterly speechless.


    ¡®Does he think he looks very cute by saying that?¡¯ Her tense heart rxed slightly. ¡®It turns out he knew


    that there was something wrong with the medicine a long time ago,¡¯ Ste thought to herself.


    As she thought about how Keegan probed Jaylene earlier, she could not help but wonder if Keegan


    only pretended to have lost his memories because he wanted to find out what Jaylene had been hiding


    from him.


    However, Ste still could not figure out when Keegan had recovered his memory. Ste continued to


    question Keegan for a long time, but Keegan rambled on without giving her any answer.


    Although Ste did not manage to get the information she wanted, Keegan¡¯s talkative nature after


    drinking took over.


    ¡°Ste, is the baby acting up?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    ¡°Ste, when should we get married?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to break off the engagement?¡±

 Chapter 1892

    Chapter 1892


    ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡±


    Ste red at him, ¡°You did! You even said that you want to be with Jaylene instead!¡±


    Ste told the lie so unwaveringly that she put Keegan in doubt.


    ¡°D-Did I really say that?¡±


    Ste continued, ¡°Yeah. You said that you couldn¡¯t remember me, so you didn¡¯t want to be with me or


    even see me.¡±


    Keegan looked somewhat pitiful, like an abandoned puppy. His lips trembled.


    After a long silence, he said, ¡°I must have been confused. Can I take back those words now?¡±


    ¡°Can words spoken be taken back? I¡¯ve heard them all.


    When you said those things to me, my heart broke.¡±


    Keegan frowned, racked his brain, and said pitifully, ¡°Can you forget them then?¡±


    Ste could not help but chuckle upon hearing that. She reached out to pinch his earlobe and gently


    rubbed his nose, ¡°Hug me, and I¡¯ll forget them.¡±


    Keegan immediately hugged her, ¡°Have you forgotten?¡±


    Ste closed her eyes, ¡°Not yet.¡±


    After a few seconds, Keegan asked again, ¡°Have you forgotten?¡±


    Ste replied slowly, ¡°A little bit.¡±


    After some time, Keegan spoke again, ¡°Have you-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to forget anything if you keep running your mouth.¡±


    Keegan instantly kept quiet.


    Ste leaned against him and asked softly, ¡°Do you remember what happened after you let go of me in


    the river that day?¡±


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Keegan thought for a moment and began to tell her everything that he could recall.


    The slender trunk could not bear their weight, and they could not climb up either.


    If they continued to struggle in the water and snapped the trunk, both of them might lose their lives.


    Ste was lighter and knew how to swim, so her possibility of surviving was higher. Meanwhile, he was


    badly injured and barely conscious. He was gradually bing a burden to her.


    If he let go, there was a high chance that Ste would be saved. He, going downstream, might also


    have a slim chance of survival.


    At the spot where they fell into the river, the water swiftly flowed because it was a very steep slope.


    Although Keegan had no idea what the downstream terrain was like, he figured he could take a


    chance.


    Fortunately, after releasing his grip on a floating garbage bag, he drifted for about a mile before the


    water gradually slowed down.


    After the water stopped pushing him around, he felt exhausted and depleted.


    His body began to sink. However, he heard Ste¡¯s cries every time he closed his eyes.


    He did not know if she had been saved.


    He did not know how severely she was injured.


    They had nned to register their marriage on Valentine¡¯s Day.


    ¡®Is she going to be sad now that I can¡¯t make it there?¡¯ At that time, he wondered to himself.


    When a person is on the brink of death, there is always an intense urge to survive.


    Suddenly, he remembered something Ste said when she taught him to swim.


    She said, ¡°Actually, swimming isn¡¯t scary at all. No matter how deep you sink, I¡¯ll be there to catch you.¡±


    She lived up to her words.


    Swimming was not that difficult, after all.


    She taught him so meticulously that he memorized all the movements.


    How could he drown just because he said hisst goodbye?


    He had to go up and see her alive¡­


    He recalled the techniques he learned and began to swim toward the shore with all his strength.


    Although his wounds were soaked in water and the pain had numbed him, he just kept swimming.


    He knew that he could nevere back if he sank again.


    However, not everything can be achieved solely through willpower. When he was about ten feet away


    from the shore, something sharp in the water cut across his lower back, disrupting his rhythm and


    causing him pain. Then, he choked on water.

 Chapter 1893

    Chapter 1893


    That was everything Keegan could remember about that night.


    Someone saved him.


    Ste thought about when Keegan probed Jaylene; she said she had found him on the shore.


    So, there were two possibilities: either Jaylene had lied, or she had been the one who had rescued


    Keegan from the water.


    However, Ste immediately dismissed this possibility.


    Jaylene never hid what she had done for Keegan.


    If she had jumped into the water to save him, why did she not let Keegan know and seek credit?


    Therefore, the second possibility was that someone else saved Keegan, and Jaylene took advantage


    of the situation.


    However, Ste could not figure out how Jaylene conveniently knew where to find Keegan.


    She then thought about Keegan¡¯s previous questions to Jaylene, ¡®Did Keegan suspect that Marshall


    told Jaylene where he was?¡¯ 2 Ste furrowed her brows and remained silent for a long time.


    Just as she was lost in thought, she felt an itch on her neck.


    She looked down and saw Keegan clumsily fastening a ne for her.


    She was taken aback, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Keegan whispered, ¡°It¡¯s my New Year¡¯s gift to you.¡±


    It took him some time to finally put it on for her. Then, he looked at Ste with his dazzling eyes and


    said in her ear,¡± The one I bought looks better.¡±


    Ste was puzzled. It did not click until she pulled down the mirror and saw the ne on her neck.


    The ne looked very simr to the one Marshall had given her before, but the craftsmanship on


    this one was more exquisite.


    Then, Ste suddenly understood the omitted part of Keegan¡¯s sentence: ¡°The one I bought looks


    better than the one he gave you.¡±


    Ste reached out to touch the ne on her neck. After a while, she said, ¡°I still think the hair clip


    you gave Jaylene looks better. I spent a long time choosing it.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    Ste squinted and looked at him from head to toe, ¡°How dare you steal my things and give them to


    another woman? Do you think our rtionship is too stable and want to spice things up?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s lips moved, but it took him some time to finally speak, ¡°I didn¡¯t steal it.


    You dropped it on the floor, and I picked it up.¡±


    ¡°And you gave it to someone else?¡±


    Keegan mumbled and exined for a long time before Ste finally understood his intention.


    He had brought many gifts to the Saun residence for everyone in the family, but he forgot about


    Jaylene.


    Jaylene was sensitive; such abnormal behavior would arouse suspicion once she noticed it. So,


    Keegan, being the clever man, took the hairpin from the floor and personally gave it to her as a gift.


    He figured that if he gave Jaylene her gift separately and even put it on for her, she would undoubtedly


    be charmed by him.


    Compared to the other ordinary presents, this special gift would make her feel that Keegan considered


    her different from everyone else.


    Jaylene was not as ¡°superficial¡± as Ste was. She would not fuss over a one dor hair clip as Ste


    did.


    For Jaylene, the value was not in the price of the hair clip but in the person who gave it.


    Ste imagined what would have happened if Keegan had not prepared a gift for herself and tried to


    fool her with a cheap hair clip.


    They would probably end up having a big fight.


    The cheers from the distant crowd apanied the countdown to zero, and the sky lit up with


    fireworks.


    The new year had arrived.


    Ste looked at the fireworks through the window, turned her head, and kissed Keegan. ¡°Keegan Kane,


    Happy New Year,¡± she whispered.


    Keegan remained quiet as he leaned against her in the car seat and intertwined his fingers with hers,


    gently resting them on her belly.


    After some time, Ste said, ¡°I suddenly thought of something else too. How did your vasectomy fail?¡±


    After waiting for a while without a response, she turned her head and saw that Keegan had fallen


    asleep.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Ste sighed and then got up, reaching over to fasten his seatbelt before driving away.


    In the Saun residence, as soon as the clock hit midnight, Wenham started yawning continuously. Both


    Trevor and Marshall had drunk quite a bit.


    Trevor never knew that Marshall had such a high alcohol tolerance before that day. He was already


    starting to feel tipsy, yet Marshall could still speak very coherently.

 Chapter 1894

    Chapter 1894


    It was gettingte, and Marshall had to take his leave.


    Wenham asked him to stay a while longer out of courtesy and then called for a driver to take him home.


    Marshall politely declined, saying a colleague wasing to pick him up.


    Shortly after, they heard a car engine outside the house. His colleague had arrived.


    After bidding goodbye, Marshall got into the car.


    The driver was his new apprentice, a graduate who had just finished his studies half a year ago. He


    appeared very young but somewhat reserved. After greeting Marshall, he remained silent as he did not


    know what else to say.


    Marshall undid the button on his cor, stretched his neck, and looked at his phone.


    There were numerous missed calls and voicemails, mainly from his mother. Two WhatsApp messages


    were from Irene, a few work-rted messages, and some New Year¡¯s greetings from various group


    chats.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    He opened the message from Irene. One read: [It¡¯s the New Year. Why can¡¯t you just enjoy it?] The


    other one said: [Your grandfather is upset.] Marshall cleared the chat history and said tly, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The young man asked softly, ¡°Mr. Moore, where should we go?¡±


    ¡°The office. I need to get something.¡±


    Then, his apprentice started driving.


    The car had not gone far when his phone buzzed again.


    Marshall was slightly annoyed, thinking it was another message from his mother. However, when he


    checked it, he saw a message from Ka: [Happy New Year. If you wish me the same, give me some


    money.] Marshall repeatedly looked at the message. ¡®She probably did not send this to everyone in her


    contact, right?¡¯ Marshall thought to himself.


    Then, he transferred two hundred dors to Ka¡¯s ount.


    After a few seconds, she sent him another text message: [ Thank you so much for the blessing.]


    Marshall chuckled before replying: [You¡¯re too polite.] Ka asked: [By the way, why did you take it so


    seriously?] Marshall thought for a moment before he replied: [Because only your New Year wish looks


    like you typed it yourself.] Ka said: [It was forwarded to me.] Marshall was speechless.


    After a while, Ka sent him another text: [Since you blessed me with your money, I¡¯ll help you fulfill


    your New Year¡¯s wish.] Marshallughed: [Any wish?] [As long as it¡¯s achievable within two hundred


    dors. If my dad found out that I did an unprofitable deal, he¡¯s going to be very disappointed in me.]


    Her response made Marshallugh for a while before he replied: [Hmm¡­ I wish to receive your New


    Year¡¯s wish every year from now on.] Ka was taken aback and replied after a long while: [Sure.)


    As the car passed by a pharmacy, Marshall asked his apprentice to stop and buy some hangover


    medicine for him.


    Although he was not drunk, he had consumed a fair amount of alcohol and was feeling a little


    ufortable.


    After his apprentice got out of the car, Marshall leaned back in his seat, lost in thought.


    Not far away, a young couple walked together. The woman was pregnant, and her belly had a visible


    bump. She was walking slowly, while the man seemed a little impatient, asionally turning around to


    mutter something.


    Marshall had no idea what the woman said in response, but the man looked somewhat angry and


    walked quite a distance without turning around anymore.


    The woman stood on the sidewalk, looking sad. Then, she gently ced her hand under her belly and


    slowly walked down the steps.


    The man then returned to support her, but Marshall¡¯s gaze remained fixed on that woman.


    He watched the woman, and for some reason, he thought of how Ste instinctively held her belly


    when walking down the stairs earlier that day. ¡¯

 Chapter 1895

    Chapter 1895


    At the Saun residence, after Wenham had a cup of ginger lemon tea to sober up, Darcie helped him


    upstairs to rest.


    The maids cleaned up the mess they had made.


    Trevor came out from the washroom and saw Jaylene holding the photo album from Ste¡¯s childhood.


    Her fingers clenched tightly on the album. However, her facial expression was concealed in the


    shadows, making it difficult to discern.


    Nevertheless, her protruding knuckles revealed her current unsettled emotions.


    Trevor did not say anything as he quietly watched her from afar.


    After staring at the album for a few seconds, Jaylene mmed it onto the table.


    Then, she turned around and went upstairs.


    Once she walked away, Trevor walked over and picked up the album.


    The leather cover still bore the imprints of Jaylene¡¯s forceful grip from earlier.


    Trevor silently smoothed out those marks and then opened the album.


    He intended to look at Ste¡¯s childhood photos. However, as he flipped through the pages, he noticed


    something.


    ¡®Where¡¯s the photo where Ste was covered in mud?¡¯ He frowned and flipped through the album from


    the first page again. ¡®It¡¯s not here,¡¯ Trevor thought to himself.


    He then turned to the maid, who was cleaning the table, and asked, ¡°Besides Jaylene, has anyone else


    touched this album?¡±


    The maid thought for a moment and answered, ¡°Mr. Kane flipped through it. At that time, you and Mr.


    Wenham Saun had gone out to move things into Ms.


    Saun¡¯s car. Mr. Kane looked through it for a while.


    Trevor¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡®Did he steal that photo? How civilized of him.¡¯ Trevor thought to himself.


    He pulled out several photos from the album, then closed it and put it back in the box. He told the maid,


    ¡°If my dad asks about the photos, tell him I took a few to put in my office.¡±


    ¡°Sure, Mr. Saun.¡±


    Having stayed upte and being drunk, Keegan slept exceptionally soundly that night. When he


    opened his eyes, it was already very bright outside.


    He tried to lift his arm to check the time on his phone, but his arm did not budge when he tried to move


    it.


    He paused, turned around, and saw Ste sleeping with her arm around him.


    His eyelids twitched. Then, he suddenly realized that both of them were barely wearing any clothes


    under the nket.


    His entire body went numb as he quickly pulled his arm back.


    Ste¡¯s head dropped onto the pillow, and she woke up. She frowned and said sleepily, ¡°What are you


    doing so early in the morning?¡±


    Keegan sat up and covered his lower body with the nket, looking somewhat upset, ¡°Why are you in


    my bed?¡±


    ¡®What?¡¯ Ste was shocked. She then opened her eyes, ¡°Are you still drunk?¡±


    She reached out to touch his face as she spoke, but he immediately ducked and rolled to the foot of the


    bed.


    Ste was speechless. The corner of her lips twitched, ¡°Is my hand poisonous or something?¡±


    Keegan remained silent.


    Ste was wearing a slip dress. As she sat up, one of the straps slipped off her shoulder, and Keegan


    instantly noticed the faint red marks on her neck.


    ¡®Damn it!¡¯ he cursed inwardly.


    His expression was tense with a hint of frustration. After clutching the nket while mumbling to


    himself for a while, he said, ¡°Get dressed. We¡¯re going to the hospital.¡±


    Ste was confused. She then asked, ¡°What for?¡±


    The prenatal check-up was scheduled for next week.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Keegan clenched his fists as his chest heaved violently. ¡± Why didn¡¯t you push me away?¡± he asked in


    a hoarse voice.


    Ste waspletely puzzled, ¡°Why would I do that? You already rolled so far away from me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking aboutst night!¡± Keegan¡¯s lips trembled. ¡°If you had just pushed me away, I wouldn¡¯t


    have¡­ I wouldn¡¯t have¡­


    ¡± He struggled to continue, his eyes filled with panic and selfdisgust.


    ¡°Hospital,¡± His voice sounded husky. ¡°We need to go to the hospital right now.¡±


    Ste looked at Keegan and her expression changed.

 Chapter 1896

    Chapter 1896


    Ste hesitated to speak. Finally, she could not resist herself anymore and asked, ¡°Did you think that


    we-¡°


    She pped her hands lightly as she spoke, ¡°ppedst night?¡±


    Keegan was taken aback.


    ¡°Did we?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! Do you think I¡¯m crazy?¡±


    Ste was speechless as she thought, ¡®Why does Keegan always think that he is very capable in bed


    after getting drunk? What is wrong with him?¡¯ Keegan paused, looking somewhat in doubt. His gaze fell


    on Ste¡¯s neck, ¡°Y Your neck¡­¡±


    ¡®Neck?¡¯ Ste went to the mirror and touched her neck, ¡°You mean this? I did some scraping after


    taking a showerst night.¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    Ste leaned over while blinking her eyes and teased him in a low voice, ¡°Did you think they came from


    you?¡±


    She brought her neck closer to Keegan as she spoke, ¡°Give me a hickey forparison. Let¡¯s see if


    they look alike.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s lips trembled. Then, he forcefully pulled the shirt she was sitting on and went to the bathroom


    with a stern face.


    ¡°Tsk,¡± Ste clicked her tongue. ¡®What a boring man!¡¯ Keegan stayed in the bathroom for some time.


    When he finally finished showering and opened the door, he saw Ste in her pajamas, standing in


    front of him.


    Keegan, drying his hair with a towel, paused and wanted to go around her.


    Ste took a step to the side and stood in his way again.


    Keegan lowered his gaze at her, ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    Ste looked back at him with shimmering eyes, ¡°Nope.¡±


    Keegan kept quiet. Then, he asked, ¡°Can you let me through then?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Ste replied with a smile.


    She moved aside as she spoke. However, she stepped on the water on the floor, slipped, and nearly


    did the splits.


    Fortunately, Keegan quickly reacted and caught her under the armpit.


    Ste¡¯s heart pounded as she clung tightly to Keegan¡¯s waist like an octopus, her back drenched in


    cold sweat.


    Keegan propped her back on her feet and threw the towel he held on the water puddle.


    ¡°Wait here for a second.¡±


    After saying that, Keegan put on a bathrobe and left.


    As Ste wondered what he was up to, he returned. He had a pair of non-slip sandals in his hand and


    ced them by her feet, ¡°Wear these.¡±


    Ste was taken aback.


    ¡®When did he buy this?¡¯ she wondered to herself.


    She lowered her gaze, slid her feet in, and wiggled her toes. Then, she turned to look at Keegan. Just


    as she was about to speak, she heard him say, ¡°In a few days, I¡¯ll have someone set up another bed in


    the guest room. I¡¯ll be staying there.¡±


    Ste paused and thought to herself, ¡®Is Keegan not nning to tell me that he had recovered his


    memory? Is he still going to pretend to be the way he used to be and maintain a distance from me?¡¯


    She remained silent, staring at Keegan with a gaze that made him ufortable.


    Just as Keegan was still hesitating to speak again, Ste said in a t tone, ¡°No.¡±


    He frowned, ¡°I still can¡¯t remember who you are. It¡¯s not appropriate for us to share the same bed.¡±


    Ste gave him a disdainful look, ¡°I don¡¯t really want to sleep with you either, but I¡¯m pregnant now. If I


    slipped and fell like I did just now, and there was no one to hold me, the baby wouldn¡¯t even make it to


    the hospital.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s lip twitched, ¡°Would you not say that about the baby?¡±


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡®I really can¡¯t stand the things she says!¡¯ Keegan said inwardly.


    Ste shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ve got to consider the worst.¡±


    Keegan thought about what had happened moments ago, and he got goosebumps. He immediately


    dismissed the idea.


    Ste nced at the conflicted look on his face, torn between his fear of her falling again and the


    worries of exposing himself if they spent more time together.


    Keegan was so drunk yesterday that he could not even remember what had happened. He still


    believed that his n was wless.


    However, Ste was not nning to expose him for now. Instead, she was trying to figure out why


    Keegan kept the fact that he had recovered his memory a secret from everyone, especially her

 Chapter 1897

    Chapter 1897


    Chapter 1897


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡®Does he have some n he doesn¡¯t want me to be involved in?¡¯ Ste thought for a moment and


    decided to trust Keegan.


    He did not talk about sleeping in another room anymore. After that, they visited Cordelia at her house


    and stayed there until nighttime.


    When they returned home, Ste found that the house had changed. The stairs and bedroom floors


    were all covered with thick wool carpets.


    Ste was taken aback as she turned to Keegan. He frowned, ¡°Grandma is being overly worried.¡±


    Ste did not say anything. She thought, ¡®How did Grandma know that I almost fell this morning?¡¯


    Ste pursed her lips, ¡°She¡¯s being thoughtful.¡±


    She stepped on the carpet and said, ¡°It¡¯s very soft.¡±


    Keegan smiled faintly, but it instantly disappeared when Ste turned around. Then, he said, ¡°I¡¯m going


    to the study.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ste said before lowering her head and chuckling softly. ¡®How childish of him,¡¯ she thought to


    herself.


    The next day, Trevor flew to Mystonia to investigate the cause of the ne crash.


    At the same time, Keegan had to visit some rtives from the extended family.


    Cordelia greatly valued these rtives and wanted him to visit them yearly.


    When Keegan and Ste were still married, they would visit these rtives together with Cordelia.


    However, now that they were divorced, it would not be appropriate for her to visit them anymore, so


    Keegan went alone.


    Ste asked Trevor to bring over some of the most ssic products from Caline to her. She had


    nothing else to do, so she started learning to distinguish the smell.


    She decided to learn something before starting work at Caline.


    While Ste was in her room, jotting down the scents she could identify, Felicity called and invited her


    to y Mahjongg. Despite having an oriental origin, it was a rather popr game in Hustuabourg.


    ¡°There are not enough yers. Keegan went to visit his rtives. We can¡¯t y with just the three of


    us.¡±


    Felicity continued to persuade her, ¡°Bring Leighton over.


    Then, the three of us can win some money from him. After all, he¡¯s a superstar and must be very rich.¡±


    Ste was taken aback.


    ¡®That doesn¡¯t sound like the right thing to do, does it?¡¯


    Then, she cleared her throat, ¡°Wait a moment. I¡¯ll ask him.¡±


    On the first day, the box office for Motives for Murder was neither good nor bad. It grossed over


    seventy million, ranking fifth on the list.


    Plenty ofedy and science fiction films premiered on the same day. In addition, domestic animated


    movies were pretty popr, too. As a suspense film, Motives for Murder was at a rather


    disadvantageous position on the joyous day.


    After all, people would prefer to watch family-friendly movies andedies during the holidays.


    Despite that, Motives for Murder still made it to the trending searches on various online tforms.


    Of course, it was all thanks to the ¡°rtionship¡± between Leighton and Nicole.


    It had been a few days, but their respective fans were still arguing with each other. Their quarrels filled


    the review section of Motives for Murder, giving other audiences a bad impression of the movie.


    However, the next day, it unexpectedly reached a score of 8.9.


    But that did not rule out some fans giving multiple ratings from different ounts to inte the score.


    However, it did not matter anymore.


    Since Nicole and Leighton¡¯s ¡°rtionship¡± wentBooks Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay


    Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    public, the production team hadpletely given up.


    They did not bother uploading any promotional materials on their ounts because thement


    section would just be flooded with scoldings.


    They did not have high expectations for the movie. They just hoped that they would not lose a lot of


    money.


    The fans had caused such a big scene that even Daryl had found out about this ¡°rtionship¡±.


    Ste still remembered when she video-called Cordelia and Daryl on New Year¡¯s Day. When she was


    about to hang up, Daryl asked, ¡°Ste, did they start dating when you were filming together?¡±


    Ste yed dumb, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Maybe.¡±


    Daryl¡¯s frown deepened. Ste was worried that he might ask more questions and inadvertently


    discovered something. Then, he asked her a very perplexing question,¡± Is it really possible that a girl


    would be interested in him?¡±

 Chapter 1898

    Chapter 1898


    Chapter 1898


    ¡®It seems like the Saun and Hall families don¡¯t value their sons at all,¡¯ Ste thought.


    As she thought about that, she called Leighton. It did not take him very long to answer.


    Leighton¡¯s voice sounded as cold as ever, ¡°Ste, is there something I can help you with?¡±


    Ste cleared her throat, ¡°We¡¯re going to y Mah-Jongg. Do you want to join us?¡±


    Leighton was surprised. He pursed his lips and said, ¡°I¡¯m not very good at it.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s great-no, I mean, that¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll teach you.¡±


    After the ¡°rtionship¡± went public, Leighton rejected all the other jobs besides the annual New Year


    G. So, he was very free at that time and agreed to y.


    Ste immediately sent the address to Leighton.


    Very soon, they met each other at Unit 902 of Clouditude International.


    Indeed, as he had said, Leighton was not good at ying at all. He lost a few hundred dors in just an


    hour.


    The three showed him their Venmo QR codes, saying,¡± Thank you, Leighton,¡± and waiting for him to


    transfer the money.


    Leighton nced at them and pursed his lips, ¡°Did you three team up against me?¡±


    Felicity immediately said, ¡°No, we did not. Don¡¯t make things up.¡±


    ¡°Tsk,¡± Vermont clicked his tongue. ¡°I understand if you don¡¯t believe me and Felicity, but what about


    your cousin? Would she ever cheat you?¡±


    Ste cleared her throat before she said, ¡°I¡¯ll pay for you first. It¡¯s your first time ying with us anyway.


    Consider it practicing.¡±


    Ste¡¯s psychological tactic immediately made Leighton feel ashamed for suspecting just now.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll pay.¡± As he spoke, he transferred them the money.


    Ste felt somewhat guilty as she thought, ¡®He¡¯s still too young.¡¯


    ¡°Oh my god!¡± Felicity suddenly shouted. ¡°Ste, you¡¯ve be a cheater!¡±


    Ste was puzzled.


    Felicity then read aloud while looking at her screen, ¡°After announcing his rtionship with Nicole


    publicly, Leighton is caught having an affair with anotherdy.¡±


    A photo of them meeting earlier at the entrance of Clouditude International was attached to the post.


    Ste took a cab there and waited for Leighton at the gate.


    After he arrived, she got into his car and went to the parking lot together.


    The reporter happened to take a picture of Leighton picking her up.


    Fortunately, she dressed heavily, and the reporter did not manage to capture her face. However, she


    felt yful and deliberately touched Leighton¡¯s face with her icy hand after getting into the car, causing


    him to shiver.


    The reporter happened to capture that moment, too.


    Leighton was fuming.


    Everyone scolded Leighton furiously.


    After publicly announcing his rtionship with Nicole, he was soon caught picking up another woman


    and having intimate interactions with her. Very soon, theizens began giving him new names like


    ¡°Scumbag¡± and ¡°yboy.¡±


    Felicity said angrily, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with these people? Is being in the same car considered cheating


    now?¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Meanwhile, Vermont seemed unsurprised, ¡°Anything can be a problem in the entertainment industry.


    They could evene up with a tragic love story if Leighton were to give Ste a handshake, let alone


    pick her up in his car.¡±


    After that, he nced at Ste and said, ¡°Ste, you¡¯re too careless. Leighton is a superstar now. How


    could you touch him in his car? There¡¯s no way that his fans wouldn¡¯t go crazy.¡±


    Ste felt guilty, too, ¡°I thought no one could see us because the doors were closed. I didn¡¯t think


    anyone would capture us.¡±


    Leighton spoke calmly, ¡°It¡¯s fine. They justBooks Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated


    For All Books Updates¡­


    want to ruin my reputation. If this didn¡¯t happen, they would still find other ways to fabricate things.¡±


    ¡°Who are they?¡± Vermont paused. ¡°Your boss?¡±


    Leighton nodded.


    Not only did Leighton scold his immediate superior, but he also publicly announced his rtionship with


    Nicole without discussing it with thepany. Thepany was furious about his actions.


    Leighton¡¯s contract would end in half a year, but he had not agreed to renew it. Instead, he came up


    with such a scandal. Thepany hated him for cutting off a potential revenue stream but feared him


    leaving thepany.


    After Leighton became famous, thepany recruited several new actors with a simr style.


    Now that thepany knew they could not depend on him anymore, his boss decided to bring him


    downpletely and rece him with another actor.

 Chapter 1899

    Chapter 1899


    Chapter 1899


    Since Leighton publicly announced his ¡°rtionship,¡± hispany wanted to end his career for the


    very same reason.


    That was how the industry worked; One could choose not to make money, but one could not hinder


    others from doing so.


    Vermont, who worked in this field, understood the ins and outs of it very well.


    Leighton¡¯s poprity in the industry was unmatched. Many eyes were eagerly preying on him, hoping


    for him to copse so they could take over his ce.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    However, before the media could expose any scandals about him, he announced the ¡°rtionship¡± that


    could ruin his career, which was why thepany got so angry.


    Leighton just had not expected that they would go to this extent.


    Felicity read the post and realized that it was posted by an ount with very few followers.


    He was a paparazzi who gained sudden fame by exposing a popr male star for cheating on his wife


    during her pregnancy, which got everyone talking online.


    He had exposed many things about many celebrities, but not everything he said about them was true.


    He was the person who exposed several major scandals recently. So, when he imed that a


    superstar with thest name ¡°Hall¡± had


    cheated on his new girlfriend, who worked with him and gained him a lot of new fans, theizens


    quickly guessed that it was Leighton.


    Felicity gritted her teeth and said, ¡°These mediapanies are so hical. How could they assume


    things based on just a photo? You¡¯re his cousin. Who would cheat with their cousin?¡±


    Ste pursed her lips and looked at Leighton, ¡°Let¡¯s make a public announcement together.¡±


    Before Leighton could say anything, Vermont chimed in, ¡°No way.¡±


    Everyone else looked at him.


    Vermont poured a ss of water and said slowly, ¡°They are simply making assumptions without any


    solid proof. Even if you guys rify your rtionship with each other, you¡¯re not going to shut them up.


    You might even attract more trouble. They could think that you only got those career opportunities


    because of your rtionship with Leighton.


    ¡°Besides, no one knows that the person in the photo is you. Why are you in such a rush to reveal


    yourself?¡±


    Ste frowned, ¡°What should we do then? We can¡¯t just let them tarnish Leighton¡¯s reputation without


    doing anything, right?¡±


    Vermont put down the cup and leaned forward, ¡°Of course. Someone needs to do something, but not


    you two.¡±


    ¡°Who should do it then?¡±


    Vermont lifted his chin at Leighton, ¡°Your girlfriend. It¡¯s time for her to show her worth now.¡±


    Leighton¡¯s face turned red in anger, ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask for her help!¡±


    ¡°Tsk,¡± Vermont clicked his tongue before saying, ¡°She kissed you, and you didn¡¯t push her away. She


    asked you to be her fake boyfriend, and you didn¡¯t refuse. Now that you¡¯re in trouble, you won¡¯t ask for


    her help. Who do you think you are? A saint?¡±


    Leighton¡¯s face turned even redder. He said while clenching his jaw, ¡°How do you know our rtionship


    is fake?¡±


    Felicity immediately felt guilty as she held her cup up to cover her face while pretending to take a sip of


    water.


    Vermont scoffed, ¡°There¡¯s nothing I don¡¯t know in this industry.¡±


    Being as naive as he was, Leighton did not suspect the two traitors in front of him. However, upon


    thinking that he had to ask for Nicole¡¯s help, he just would not give in.


    Just as he was still busy getting angry, Vermont received a phone call from Nicole.


    ¡°Is Leighton with you?¡±


    Vermont nced at Leighton, who was tense all over, and calmly responded with a ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ming over,¡± Nicole said before hanging up.


    Twenty minutester, Nicole arrived. As soon as she walked through the door, she shouted, ¡°Leighton,


    you idiot! Why is your car not tinted at all? Are you stupid?¡±


    Leighton¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°Get out of here!¡±


    ¡°Silly Dog, who do you think you¡¯re talking to?¡± Nicole nced at him. She continued, ¡°You¡¯re the one


    who cheated; don¡¯t get loud at me.¡±


    At that moment, Leighton had a strong urge to shut her mouth with a piece of duct tape.


    Ste noticed that Nicole dressed very casually, with a down jacket and a set of pajamas underneath.


    She was even wearing a pair of wool slippers.


    Her hair was tied up, and she had no makeup on, looking a bit less charming with a hint of vulnerability.


    Ste finally realized why directors like to cast her so much; Nicole¡¯s face could tell a million stories.


    ¡®Judging by her looks, she probably rushed here from her home right after seeing the trending searches


    online. She¡¯s¡­ quite a reliable friend.¡¯ Ste thought to herself.


    ¡°ying Mah-Jongg, huh?¡± Nicole looked at the table before shifting her gaze to Vermont, ¡°Why am I


    not invited?¡±


    Vermont wrapped his arm around Felicity and said, ¡°My girlfriend is here. It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for


    me to call my ex over, would it?¡±

 Chapter 1900

    Chapter 1900


    Chapter 1900


    Nicole grinned, ¡°You¡¯re just afraid of losing, skinflint.


    She looked around after saying that. ¡°Who lost the most money?¡± she asked.


    The other three people all unanimously turned to look at Leighton.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Nicole turned around and gently kicked Leighton, ¡°Stand up noob. Watch how I win everything back for


    you.¡±


    Leighton¡¯s eyelid twitched, ¡°You¡¯re a noob!¡±


    Nicole smirked, ¡°What if I can do it?¡±


    Leighton remained unbothered, ¡°It means that you have a gambling addiction.¡±


    Nicole chuckled lightly, ¡°If I win your money back, you have to kiss me when we go downstairster.¡±


    Leighton replied nonchntly, ¡°Dream on.¡±


    Nicole stopped teasing him. After chasing Leighton away, she took his spot.


    Ste was still concerned about how the rumors online would affect Leighton, ¡°Ms. Aspen, how about


    we handle Leighton¡¯s matter first before ying?¡±


    As Nicole looked at her tiles, she said, ¡°No rush. Let them go on for a while longer.¡±


    Ste looked at Vermont, and he gave her a reassuring look.


    The three of them took advantage of Leighton, and now they wanted to do the same with Nicole.


    After all, they were both superstars with a lot of money.


    However, Nicole was not that easy to deal with.


    Not only could she remember the tiles that had been dealt, but she could also adapt to every game and


    change her ying style ordingly to win.


    The three of them managed to trick Leighton, who did not understand the game very well. But when


    faced with an expert like Nicole, they had no chance at all.


    After just a few rounds, Nicole won back all the money Leighton had just lost and even made a bit


    extra.


    ¡°Nicole, you¡¯re like a cheat code.¡±


    Felicity, who kept losing, started to doubt her decision to y with Nicole.


    Nicole ate her lollipop with a smile as she took out her phone and showed them her Venmo QR code,


    ¡°Thanks for letting me win.¡±


    How the table had turned.


    The three of them ended up losing all the money they had dishonestly gotten from Leighton.


    Nicole took her share and wired the money Leighton had lost back to him.


    After that, she smiled at the three of them, ¡°It¡¯s too obvious that you three are ying as a team. Only


    my Silly Dog would be fooled.¡±


    They were speechless.


    Leighton was lost, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Nicole nced at Leighton, ¡°I wonder how a person of your IQ manages to survive in the entertainment


    industry. Your stupidity is out of this world. A handsome face is literally all you have to offer.¡±


    Leighton felt like chopping her into a million pieces.


    The three felt guilty, but Leighton maintained a magnanimous attitude. He said, ¡°It¡¯s just a game. Who


    cares about winning or losing? It¡¯s all about having fun.¡±


    Nicole looked at the silly man in front of her from head to toe and chuckled, ¡°Remember to kiss me


    downstairs.¡±


    Leighton kept quiet.


    Of course, he was not going to kiss Nicole.


    However, Nicole was shameless. As soon as they went downstairs, she hugged Leighton and started


    kissing him in front of Ste.


    The paparazzi waiting outside were all stunned as they were expecting to expose some scandals about


    Leighton cheating.


    ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ They wondered to themselves.


    Everyone was waiting for Leighton¡¯s downfall that day. But as the night approached, the video of Nicole


    and Leighton kissing topped the trending search list.

 Chapter 1901

    Chapter 1901


    Chapter 1901


    Ste stood at the side like a prop while they kissed.


    Some sharp-eyedizens noticed that the person standing next to the couple was the same girl who


    touched Leighton¡¯s face in the car earlier. They wore the same clothes!


    They could not figure out how Nicole could stand that.


    However, after some time, Nicole posted on Facebook, sharing a screenshot of a Venmo payment with


    the caption: [ I won some money from your cousin. She won¡¯t be angry at me, right? @LeightonHalI]


    She subtly told theizens about Ste¡¯s identity.


    Theizens were puzzled. ¡®Cousin?¡¯


    Then, Leighton replied under the post: [She will. She tends to hold grudges.]


    Theizens were shocked!


    ¡®That was Leighton¡¯s cousin?¡¯ They could not believe it.


    So, the hashtag #NicoleMeetingHisFamily quickly trended on hot searches.


    The entire Facebook was chaotic.


    [I started supporting you since your debut, yet you¡¯re acting like Nicole¡¯s pet now.]


    [Leighton didn¡¯t even hug her. She was the one who kissed him. Leighton, blink twice if you need help.]


    [Their rtionship just went public, and now he¡¯s bringing her to meet his family. Are they going to get


    married soon?)


    [Nicole is rifying things for Leighton. Whoever said he cheated, please shut up already.]


    [Please break up already. This is so disgusting.]


    [They look like a perfect couple. Who asked for your opinion? ]


    Thesements replying to Leighton were nothingpared to the ones directly under Nicole¡¯s post.


    Instead of just being sarcastic, they scolded her without holding back.


    They called her an old hag, cursing her to die early, and all sorts of nasty and disgusting words.


    Leighton secretly installed Facebook and furrowed his brows as he scrolled through thements.


    He turned to Nicole, who was busy applying lipstick.


    When she sensed his gaze, she said without even looking at him, ¡°Do you want more kisses? I¡¯ll leave


    a few marks on your face once I¡¯m done.¡±


    Leighton¡¯s guilt instantly vanished as he looked at her scornfully. ¡°How indecent!¡± he said while gritting


    his teeth.


    Nicole snorted. She gently wiped off the lipstick on the edge of her lips as she looked in the mirror. ¡°Ah,


    I can¡¯t believe how gorgeous I am,¡± she eximed.


    Ste was speechless.


    ¡®She¡¯s really confident,¡¯ she thought to herself.


    ¡°Ms. Aspen, are you going to turn off thements on Facebook?¡±


    Leighton¡¯s fans wereing at her like crazy. There would only be around a thousandments


    under her post before their ¡°rtionship¡± went public. However, there were ten thousandments on


    hertest post, with ny percent being negative.


    This surpassed the level of criticism she faced when Be¡¯s fans attacked her.


    Nicole remained unbothered, ¡°What for? I enjoy seeing them get angry and love how they hate me but


    can¡¯t do anything about it.¡±


    Ste was utterly speechless by her response as she thought, ¡®It seems like I¡¯m worrying for nothing.


    She doesn¡¯t seem to care about thosements at all.¡¯


    Ste had nned to meet Julian at an intersection. Upon arriving, she immediately spotted him


    standing on the roadside wearing thin clothes.


    She got out of the car after saying goodbye to Nicole and Leighton. Then, she called out, ¡°Julian!¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Julian turned around, raised his brows, and strode toward her.


    After not seeing him for one semester, Julian had grown taller and skinnier. He wore a baseball jersey


    but looked delicate enough to be blown away by the wind.


    ¡°Did you lose weight again?¡± Ste frowned. ¡®Do you not have enough money to eat?¡±

 Chapter 1902

    Chapter 1902


    Chapter 1902


    ¡°Are you sure? I¡¯ve actually gained a few pounds.¡± Julian helped Ste with the bag and said jokingly,


    ¡°But you certainly looked chubbier now. You must be eating well at Keegan¡¯s house.¡±


    Ste suddenly felt like smacking this kid. With a stern face, she said, ¡°Shut up if you don¡¯t have


    anything nice to say. I¡¯m curvy, unlike a skeleton like you. Your limbs are so thin that they make you


    look weak. I doubt any girl would be interested in you.¡±


    Julian snorted, ¡°I¡¯m still growing.¡±


    ¡°Cut the nonsense and help me buy things.¡±


    Every New Year, Ste would buy a lot of things to give to the children at the welfare center. The kids


    loved receiving gifts from her; it reminded them that someone still cared for them.


    When Ste was picking the gifts, Julian said, ¡°Ste, you don¡¯t have to pay for my tuition fees next


    year.¡±


    Without looking at him, Ste put some items into the shopping cart and said, ¡°Did you hit the lottery?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± Julian cleared his throat and said, ¡°I should be able to get a schrship next year.¡±


    Ste paused and teased him, ¡°You¡¯re only in your first semester now, and there¡¯s another semester


    left for this


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    year. How can you be so sure that you¡¯ll get it?¡±


    Julian said, ¡°I got a GPA of 4.0 in the first semester, and the second ce was 3.8. If they want to


    surpass me in the second semester, they have to get a perfect score.


    However, well be taking a philosophy course next semester, which no one has ever been able to score


    full marks.¡±


    Then, he added with a slightly proud tone, ¡°I¡¯m definitely getting the schrship next year.¡±


    Ste smiled, ¡°Save your prize money. You don¡¯t have to worry about tuition fees and living expenses;


    I¡¯ll take care of them for you. Enjoy your university life and focus on studying. You can pay me back


    when you have a job and an ie after graduating.¡±


    Julian kept quiet for a while before he said, ¡°You talk just like Keegan. No wonder you two are


    together.¡±


    Ste chuckled softly, ¡°Study when it¡¯s time to study and make money when it¡¯s time to make money. If


    you want to do everything at the same time, you¡¯ll end up losing everything.¡±


    She then grabbed a down jacket in front of her and said,¡± This doesn¡¯t look bad. Try it on.¡±


    Julian refused, ¡°I already have one.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to buy every clothes in this shop, then you¡¯d better put it on.¡±


    Julian pursed his lips and chose another slightly cheaper one, ¡°I¡¯ll try this then.¡±


    Ste nodded, ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    After they were done shopping, Ste told Julian to put on the down jacket she had just bought for him.


    Previously, the welfare center was always short of money. Julian, the sensible boy he was, never asked


    Shelley for anything. He would wear the same down jacket for several years. Even if he grew too tall to


    fit it anymore, he neverined.


    Shelley did give him some money to buy new clothes, but he was reluctant to spend it because he


    knew that the welfare center had other kids to take care of. So, he spent the money on other children


    instead.


    He always felt that after growing up, the welfare center had no reason to continue supporting him.


    Ste could always notice these small details that others may have overlooked.


    For example, when others saw him not wearing a jacket, they would say, ¡°He¡¯s young. I bet the cold


    weather has nothing on him.¡±


    But that was not true at all.


    Julian tucked his hands into the pockets of the down jacket, and the warmth would spread from his


    fingertips to all over his body.


    Across the street, Dahlia was staring at Ste from her car with her brows tightly furrowed.


    Half an hour before, she called Aurora to ask what Ste was doing. Aurora told her that Ste was


    sleeping at home.


    ¡®Why did Aurora lie to me?¡¯ Dahlia wondered to herself.


    With a stern face, she dialed Aurora¡¯s number.


    At that time, Aurora was having an awkward conversation with Aldor.


    Cordelia had forced her to go on a date with him. He brought her to a cafe where he worked, and


    Aurora sat there absentmindedly.


    ¡®Why can¡¯t he do this during working hours? What is he even thinking? Is he simply showing that he


    has no interest in me? Well, I don¡¯t want to be with him either!¡¯


    Just as Aurora was pondering on how to lead Aldor into making a big mistake so that Cordelia would


    take the initiative to cancel the engagement, Dahlia¡¯s call came through.


    She paused and turned to answer the call, ¡°Hello, Mom.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Ste now?¡± Dahlia asked in a displeased tone.

 Chapter 1903

    Chapter 1903


    Chapter 1903


    "She''s sleeping at home. Keegan went to visit the rtives this morning. Sheined that the gifts


    he bought were too expensive and got into a fight with him. So, Keegan left her at home. She''s


    probably still crying in her room.


    Aldor was puzzled.


    "Who does she think she is? Does she think everything has to go her way?"


    Dahlia clenched her fists as her expression turned extremely ugly, "Really? Have they been fighting


    frequently these days?"


    "Yeah, Ste still thinks that Keegan is the same as before. She still believes that he would always put


    her first. He doesn''t even remember her now. I bet even her presence annoys him."


    Dahlia closed her eyes, "Where are you now?"


    "Me?" Aurora paused. "I''m at home too, pouring some oil on the floor. She''s going to slip and fall when


    shees downstairster. Let''s see if the baby in her would survive this."


    Aldor got even more confused.


    Dahlia''s grip tightened, "Good, good job."


    Her tone sounded somewhat strange, and Aurora felt uneasy. She asked, "Mom, is everything okay?"


    Dahlia watched Ste get into the car and said in a deep voice, "It''s nothing. Don''t let anyone find out


    what you''re doing. Mrs. Chapman''s daughter¡¯s wedding ising up. Tell Ste toe along."


    Aurora paused, "Mom, Ste and Mrs. Chapman don''t get along. She probably won''t go, right?"


    "Find a way to make her go then," Dahlia said nonchntly." You''re a smart girl. This should be easy


    for you."


    Aurora frowned. After a long pause, she said, "Okay then."


    After hanging up, Dahlia violently threw her phone aside as her expression contorted frighteningly.


    Aurora put her phone down, turned around, and saw Aldor looking at her strangely.


    She looked at the time and said, "How about we all go home and mind our own business?"


    Aldor pushed the tablet in front of Aurora, "Make some changes here."


    "What?" Aurora leaned over to look and almost burst out in anger, "Are you out of your mind? Are you


    seriously asking me to work now?"


    Aldor took a cup of coffee and said, "You should be d that I didn''t submit it directly to


    Mr. Kane. If he sees that this is what you managed toe up with after working in thepany for


    months, he''d probably fire you."


    Aurora gritted her teeth, "You could''ve easily changed them when you were reading them just now."


    "If I did so, what''s the point of hiring you?"


    Aldor put his cup down and added, "I''m just a mere employee in thepany. Plus, I''m already very


    jealous of you being born with a silver spoon in your mouth. I''ll probably lose hope in life if a person so


    rich as you can still get paid without having to do anything."


    Aurora''s face turned red in anger, "I''m not going to do it! I''m on leave right now!"


    "Okay," Aldor took the tablet back. ''Til directly send this to Mr. Kane then."Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Aurora''s heart skipped a beat as he was about to do so. She quickly grabbed his hand.


    He looked at her, "Now what?"


    Aurora gritted her teeth so hard that they were about to shatter. "I''ll do it!" she said with a stern face.


    She had just been promoted as a team leader and could not afford any mistakes in her work.


    As Aurora was busy modifying the data, Aldor thought about what she had said during the phone call.


    Then, he pursed his lips and asked, "Why did you lie to Ms. Crosby?"


    Aurora replied without even looking at him, "It''s none of your damn business."


    He kept quiet for a while before suggesting, "Next time you lie, you should give Mrs. Kane a head up


    first so she can y along. Otherwise, you''ll only raise unnecessary suspicion."


    Aurora paused before saying, "I¡¯m not helping Ste."


    Aldor looked at her. Aurora raised her gaze, "I''m doing it for my brother.


    "You''d better not mention anything about this to Ste. I''m not doing it out of guilt."


    Aldor kept quiet.


    "Did you hear what I said?" Aurora frowned.


    He lifted his head, "Do you want to watch a movie?"


    "What?"


    Aldor continued tly, "Isn''t this a date? Let''s watch a movie after we finish our coffee."

 Chapter 1904

    Chapter 1904


    Chapter 1904


    "No, thanks." "Alright." Aldor took out his phone and said, ''Til just tell Mrs. Kane Sr. that you rejected


    me then."


    Aurora suddenly widened her gaze, "W-Wait a moment!"


    Aldor looked at her. She clenched her fists and stammered after a long pause, "Fine, let''s go."


    When they arrived at the cinema, and Aurora saw that Aldor had booked tickets for


    "Motives for Murder," she wanted to leave. However, he forcibly dragged her into the screening hall.


    "Are you out of your mind? Why are you forcing me to boost the box office for Ste?" Aldor said, "Put


    your grudges aside. This movie has a very high rating."


    Before Aurora could say anything, the person sitting beside them said, "How outrageous. I booked a


    ticket for aedy, and they''re ying a lousy suspense movie. Who wants to watch this crap that is


    full of low-level actors and actresses? They''re even trying to cheat their box office numbers."


    Aurora shook Aldor off, "What are you talking about? Your ticket says ''West Moon,'' but you watched


    ''Motives for Murder.'' Do you seriously not know who''s the one cheating the box office numbers here?"


    The person confronted by Aurora was shocked. Aldor quickly held her back, "I¡¯m sorry. She had too


    much to drink."


    The person called Aurora crazy and walked away. Then, Aurora glowered at Aldor, "Why did you hold


    me back?"


    Aldor replied, "He was talking about Mrs. Kane. Why are you so angry?"


    "I-" Aurora gritted her teeth. "I''m angry because she''s embarrassing my brother. Her movie''s box office


    numbers are going to look so bad!"


    She pushed Aldor away as she spoke and ran to the ticket counter, intending to book tickets for the


    entire hall.


    Aldor stood still, smiled, and then followed after her.


    Meanwhile, Ste had just arrived at the welfare center.


    Julian called over a few older children to help them with the things they bought.


    The kids called out to Ste with the sweetest tone possible.


    "Where''s Ms. Cooke?" Ste asked one of the teachers.


    "Ms. Cooke is inside. There''s a guest."


    "What guest?" Ste asked as she walked.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    "Someone who donated money to the welfare center. He came before a few months ago and is here


    again today. He brought a lot of things, too."


    Ste nodded, "I''ll go take a look and say hi."


    Upon reaching Shelley''s office, Ste knocked on the door.


    "Who is it?"


    "It''s me, Ste."


    Some noise came from inside. After a while, the office door was pulled open. Shelley looked at Ste


    with an amiable smile, saying, "Ste, what took you so long?"


    "I was busy," Ste said as she nced into the office. She saw a man in a ck cotton jacket sitting


    on the sofa.


    The man wore a hat and mask, only revealing his eyes. The wrinkles around his eyes were not very


    obvious, and his skin was even somewhat smooth. However, his eyes made him look very old.


    "Is there a guest inside?" Ste asked softly.


    Shelley nodded.


    "Can I say hi to him?"


    Shelley looked at the man, who then nodded. Then, Shelley let Ste in.


    After that, Shelley introduced him, "This is Mr. Paul Morant. He has donated to our welfare center


    before."


    Then, she turned to the man and added, "Mr. Morant, this is our welfare center''s main contributor, Ms.


    Ste Hall."


    Paul extended his hand and said, "Nice to meet you, Ms. Hall."


    Ste was taken aback. Paul''s voice was so hoarse that Ste would not be able to hear what he said


    if she had stood a little farther.


    Seeing her puzzled expression, Shelley exined, "Mr. Morant''s vocal cord was damaged by smoke


    before."

 Chapter 1905

    Chapter 1905


    Ste recollected herself and shook Paul¡¯s hand, saying,¡± Thank you very much for your support to the


    welfare center.¡±


    Paul not only covered his face, but Ste also realized he was wearing gloves when she shook his


    hand.


    She could feel that Paul¡¯s hand was not very big. She had not met a man with such small hands before.


    She wondered to herself, ¡®Could it be because he¡¯s short?¡¯ Paul said, Money is something you can¡¯t


    bring with you when you die. I¡¯m just trying to help as many people as I can before I end up on the


    sickbed.¡±


    Paul spoke as if he was going to die anytime and had epted his fate.


    Ste looked at him from head to toe. He was wrapped up so tightly that the only visible part about him


    was his eyes.


    ¡®But he doesn¡¯t look very old. What a strange man.¡¯ Ste thought to herself.


    ¡°H-Have you been well over these years?¡± Paul suddenly asked.


    Ste was taken aback as her gaze deepened, ¡°Do you know me?¡¯*


    Paul¡¯s expression remained the same as if that was just a casual question, ¡°I¡¯ve met with your mother,


    Rainee Spade, a few times.¡±


    Almost all of Rainee¡¯s friends had attended her funeral.


    Ste looked through Rainee¡¯s contacts on her phone and told each and every one of them about her


    death.


    However, Ste had never seen Paul.


    Over the years, when Rainee stayed in the hospital, Paul never once visited her either.


    ¡®Is it possible he could remember my mom just because he had seen her a few times?


    Besides, there are so many other welfare centers out there. Why choose to donate at the one my mom


    has supported before?¡¯ ¡¯ As Ste thought about that, she said, ¡°So, you¡¯re an old friend of my mom, I


    see. Mr. Morant, could you please give me your number? My mom used to say that her business would


    never seed without her friends, and I guess you¡¯re one of them. I¡¯d like to visit you sometime in the


    future on her behalf.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t live in Rivera,¡± Paul said tly. ¡°I only came here¡­ because there¡¯s something I need to take


    care of. I¡¯ll be leaving in two days.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± Ste paused before continuing, ¡°You sound exactly like a local.


    So, where do you live?¡±


    Paul stiffened as his tone turned somewhat cold, ¡°This is my private matter. I don¡¯t have to tell you


    everything about myself, do I?¡±


    Ste pursed her lips, ¡°I¡¯m sorry if that came out rude.¡± Paul had an indescribable look on his face.


    After a long pause, he told Shelley, ¡°I¡¯ll not take up any of your time now that you have another guest.¡±


    Although Shelley persuaded him to stay, he insisted on leaving. So, she stood up and walked him out.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Ste followed behind them and scrutinized Paul. Then, she secretly took a photo of him with her


    phone.


    Shelley was worried that Ste¡¯s words might have offended Paul. She kept exining on Ste¡¯s


    behalf.


    Paul waved his hand. When he was about to speak, a child ran toward him and identally bumped


    into him. His hat fell off, revealing a sparse scalp.


    Ste was stunned. Paul hastily picked up his hat and put it back on. He moved so nervously that his


    hands were trembling.


    Shelley was very embarrassed and scolded the child, who ran over before apologizing to Paul.


    Paul¡¯s face turned pale. Then, he got into his car and left without saying anything.


    After that, Shelley breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°How pitiful of him.¡±


    Ste hesitated and asked, ¡°Ms. Cooke, do you know Mr. Morant well?¡±

 Chapter 1906

    Chapter 1906


    Shelley shook her head, ¡°He had onlye here twice and brought cash on both visits. Thest time


    he came, I noticed him taking the medicine for curing cancer. He¡¯s probably very sick.¡±


    Ste thought about the sparse hair on his head when his hat fell off earlier. She figured that it was


    probably a side effect of chemotherapy.


    ¡®Could it be that he just wants to do some good deeds because he knows his time is running out?¡¯


    Ste thought to herself as she frowned, feeling that there was something fishy about Paul.


    Also, it was unusual for one to donate cash these days.


    He came with a hundred thousand on his first visit and two hundred thousand on the next. Carrying all


    that cash alone was difficult and not safe at all.


    She lowered her head to look at the photo, and all that was visible was the eyes.


    Her finger paused on the photo for a few seconds before she opened WhatsApp and sent Trevor a


    message.


    [Trevor, can you look this person up? His name is Paul MorantJ Trevor was still on the ne and would


    probably only see that message when hended.


    He would be away for three days. Darcie felt restless and anxious every day.


    Five days after the New Year, Trevor returned.


    Ste and Keegan went to pick him up at the airport and returned to the Saun residence together.


    Although Wenham did not say it out loud, he was extremely worried when Trevor was away. After all,


    the call from the embassy previously had somewhat traumatized him.


    Shortly after they arrived home, Wenham asked, ¡°How did it go? Have you found out the cause of the


    ne crash?¡±


    Trevor took a sip of tea and said, ¡°Yes, I have.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Wenham immediately asked.


    Darcie was peeling an orange with her head down, looking calm.


    Trevor swept his gaze across her and sighed, ¡°The windshield shattered after colliding with something,


    and the control panel was destroyed. It was an ident.¡±


    Jaylene chimed in, ¡°I knew it had to be an ident. Ste said it might be caused by someone else,


    but the ne was always checked every time before taking off. That¡¯s just not possible.¡±


    Ste ignored her and turned to Trevor, ¡°Is this the investigation result provided by the officials?¡±


    Trevor nodded, ¡°The bodies are still missing, and it¡¯s very unlikely that they¡¯ll be found. I¡¯ve asked


    Xavier to take care of the pilots¡¯ family members. We¡¯ll talk about thepensation once they are


    ready.¡±


    He paused before continuing in a hoarse voice, ¡°The pilot was only an hour away from picking his


    daughter up.¡±


    Darcie sighed, ¡°It¡¯s also fortunate that she wasn¡¯t picked up. Otherwise, their family would have to face


    the pain of losing two of them in one day. It would be even more unbearable.¡±


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Then she said to Wenham, ¡°Wenham, can we pay them more money? I¡¯ll contribute some. It¡¯s going to


    be hard for them to survive without a father. I¡¯ve been through it and know how difficult it is.¡±


    Wenham sighed, ¡°I¡¯ll do that anyway, even if you didn¡¯t mention it.¡±


    Keegan looked at Darcie for a while before he suddenly spoke, ¡°Uncle Wenham, I think instead of


    increasing thepensation, we can provide the deceased¡¯s family members jobs. Trevor told me that


    the captain¡¯s daughter is studying perfumery and will graduate in six months. She¡¯s currently looking for


    an internship.¡±


    Darcie paused. When she was about to say something, Keegan continued, ¡°Darcie has faced


    something like this before. She knows better than anyone that it¡¯s better to teach someone to fish than


    to give them a fish. I¡¯m sure that the captain¡¯s daughter will be able to learn a lot in yourpany.¡±


    Wenham immediately agreed, ¡°Of course.¡± Then, he said to Trevor, ¡°After everything is settled, prepare


    a big gift for his family. We¡¯ll visit them together and do as Keegan suggested.


    ¡°After all, they wouldn¡¯t have faced such a tragic fate if he didn¡¯t fly our ne.


    Now that he¡¯s gone, we must take care of his family so he can rest in peace.¡± Trevor nodded, ¡°Sure,


    Dad.¡±


    Darcie¡¯s lips trembled. Wenham made the decision so quickly that he did not even think of consulting


    her.


    What does he think Caline is? How can he allow a bunch of nobodies to work in thepany?¡¯ Darcie


    thought to herself.

 Chapter 1907

    Chapter 1907


    Darcie pursed her lips and said, ¡°Wenham, do you still remember when Caline was just set up, the


    perfume form created by Freesia was leaked?¡±


    Wenham paused and then frowned without saying anything.


    It was a long time ago. The younger generation, including Aurora, had no recollection of that event.


    Wenham, however, was aware of that.


    The form was leaked by an intern.


    Uponpleting the internship, the intern took the initial form and switched to anotherpany.


    Consequently, the form had to be discarded, and the manpower and resources invested went down


    the drain. It was not until a yearter that Caline¡¯s ssic fragrance, ¡°Secret Garden¡±, was introduced,


    and thepany was finally able to recover from that setback.


    Darcie continued softly, ¡°I¡¯m not being unreasonable, but it¡¯s a lesson from the past. Because of what


    happened, Freesia had established a rule in thepany, stating that Caline would never hire another


    intern. This rule has not been broken for many years, and if we were to make an exception now, it


    would be difficult to justify it to our employees.¡± Darcie was not lying. Because of that incident, Freesia


    was indeed frightened by the intern¡¯s betrayal and vowed never to offer internship positions anymore.


    However, Ste chuckled upon hearing that.


    Everyone else was very serious. It made herughter seem somewhat out of ce, and they all turned


    to her.


    Ste stirred her tea and tly said, Darcie, ourpany¡¯s policy also explicitly states that individuals


    with any respiratory diseases will not be eligible for employment. Yet, Jaylene still got in despite having


    asthma. Did the HR department overlook her medical history, or was there an exception made?¡±


    Darcie was taken aback.


    Jaylene saw that as a problem. So, she lifted her gaze and said, ¡°How is that the same? Caline is our


    family¡¯spany. Are you suggesting that an outsider should be treated the same as me?¡±


    ¡°Well said,¡± Ste agreed wholeheartedly. ¡°Caline was founded by my mother. If Darcie, as a partner,


    could ignore thepany¡¯s policy and get her daughter hired, it¡¯d only be right if I could do the same


    for the captain¡¯s daughter, right?¡±


    Jaylene¡¯s expression stiffened, as she frowned and said,¡± You¡¯re going offtrack here. She¡¯s not a family


    member no matter what. The ne crash was purely an ident, and the captain¡¯s family will be


    compensated by the insurancepany. We¡¯re already going to provide them with additional


    compensation.


    Are we supposed to take care of her for the rest of her life just because her father passed away?¡±


    Wenham paused and looked at her in disbelief. ¡°Do you hear yourself? Even if it was an ident, it


    happened because he was supposed to fly Trevor back home. How can we not be responsible for his


    death?¡±


    Perhaps Jaylene¡¯s indifference shocked Wenham, and for the first time ever, he confronted her with


    anger.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    However, Ste was not surprised at all.


    Jaylene only cared about her own interests. Any favor she received would merely be a means for


    others to covet her wealth.


    For example, after Ste saved her life, Trevor came to visit her alone. Jaylene did not even bother to


    show up.


    Asthma was not a chronic illness, and Trevor came to visit her a weekter.


    Ste refused to believe that Jaylene still could not get out of bed by then. She knew that Jaylene


    simply did not want toe.


    Of course, Ste knew that it was because the person who had saved her was the wife of the man she


    had loved since childhood. It was just impossible for Jaylene to express her gratitude.


    Jaylene¡¯s expression immediately shifted upon hearing what Wenham said.


    Then, she quickly exined, ¡°Dad, that¡¯s not what I meant. Mom said that it¡¯s thepany¡¯s rule¡­¡±

 Chapter 1908

    Chapter 1908


    ¡°Enough!¡± Wenham then shouted with a stern expression,¡± Rules are not meant to be blindly followed.


    When we went abroad previously, you were robbed in a supermarket parking lot. If Sonia hadn¡¯t seen it


    and shouted for help, you wouldn¡¯t even be here now.


    ¡°Now that her father has passed away, the least we can do is offer her an internship in Caline. Yet,


    you¡¯re bringing up the rules. If you want to follow the rules so much, you wouldn¡¯t even be qualified for


    an interview!¡±


    Jaylene¡¯s face turned pale. After Wenham married Darcie, he had been doting on her ever since. He


    had never uttered such harsh words toward her.


    ¡®If I¡¯m not qualified, then what about Ste?¡¯ Jaylene said inwardly.


    Keegan, who initiated this conversation, spoke tly, ¡°Uncle Wenham, calm down. Jaylene is just


    worried that history will repeat itself.¡±


    Ste lifted her brows, as she was impressed by how good Keegan was at ttering Jaylene.


    As expected, as soon as Keegan spoke, Jaylene¡¯s eyes turned red. She then looked at him with a


    pitiful expression.


    ¡°Tsk.¡± Ste clicked her tongue quietly.


    After contemting for a while, Ste felt that she should speak up to oppose what Keegan said to


    make his act more convincing.


    So, she ced the cup harshly on the table and said, ¡°Mr. Kane, if I remember correctly, yourpany


    also had an intern who caused you some problems before, right? But, that didn¡¯t stop yourpany


    from hiring interns at all. So, what¡¯s the reason for you advising us to do the opposite?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m in no ce to make any decisions for Caline. I just think that


    Jaylene has her reasons and concerns. After all, if the captain¡¯s daughter were to cause any trouble,


    who would bear the responsibility?¡±


    ¡°Me,¡± Ste said, as she looked at Darcie. ¡°Darcie, if you¡¯re worried about the past repeating itself, I¡¯ll


    make this promise to you. If Sonia really did anything that harmed Caline¡¯s interests, I¡¯ll voluntarily step


    down from my position. Is that okay with you?¡±


    Trevor had told her about Sonia earlier.


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Caline¡¯s recruitment had always been handled by the people around Darcie. It was safe to say that


    other than a few old- timers who started the business with Freesia, almost everyone else in the


    company was under Darcie¡¯s control.


    Caline¡¯sboratory, where all the forms were stored, was a crucial department that determined the


    quality of thepany¡¯s products. Even though Jaylene had asthma, Darcie made sure that she could


    work there because she wanted Jaylene to inherit the business.


    Although Ste held a considerable number of shares in Caline, Darcie still had significant influence


    within thepany.


    She had to do something and ce someone she could trust in theb to disrupt the bnce.


    Originally, Trevor wanted to wait until Sonia graduated before proceeding with the n. However, with


    the sudden demise of the captain, Ste decided to seize the opportunity after Keegan mentioned it.


    Darcie could have been generous and agreed to the suggestion, but she was doubtful.


    Although Trevor had said that the ne crash was an ident, she still would not let her guard down.


    She just could not ce someone uncontroble in such an important department.


    After all, the actual power of Caline¡¯s operation still rested with Darcie. Although Wenham had agreed


    to hire Sonia, he was only a shareholder who would not actively get involved in Caline¡¯s affairs.


    If Darcie disagreed, it would be impossible for Sonia to work in Caline.

 Chapter 1909

    Chapter 1909


    However, Ste figured that Darcie might consider giving in if she made that promise.


    Sure enough, Darcie¡¯s expression softened upon hearing what Ste said.


    Then, she pursed her lips and said, ¡°Ste, I don¡¯t have anything against Sonia joining ourpany,


    but we are a well-established organization. Your father and I can¡¯t just decide everything on our own


    without considering the feelings of our stakeholders. And, we have to coordinate with various


    departments. Back then, there was someone in ourpany who wanted his daughter to join us as an


    intern, but thepany rejected them. Now that we¡¯ve put it out there, we must face it ourselves.


    We¡¯re simply going to embarrass ourselves if we can¡¯t follow the rules we made.


    ¡°I feel really sad about what happened to Sonia¡¯s father too. Your father is a sentimental person, and so


    are you. At this point, I¡¯d seem like a heartless person if I were to refuse any further. However, let me


    be clear. You can bring her in, but if anything goes wrong, you have to bear the full responsibility. I¡¯m


    not going to allow any exceptions anymore.¡±


    Darcie sounded very generous as if she had no personal motives at all.


    Wenham frowned. He wanted to say something, but Trevor nudged him with a light kick.


    Ste smiled. ¡°Darcie, you¡¯re really cautious when ites to thepany. But, I understand it


    because you¡¯re just trying to protect my mother¡¯s hard work.¡±


    Darcie was taken aback, and she said after a brief pause,¡± That¡¯s good.¡±


    After Jaylene was scolded, she ran upstairs and refused toe down when the food was ready.


    Darcie had to go up and bring herdown personally.


    Darcie¡¯s expression was not pleasant, and Jaylene¡¯s eyes were red. It seemed she was scolded by


    Darcie upstairs.


    With her parents and brother always siding with her, she had always been doted on. That was probably


    the first time she got scolded like that.


    Ste thought about it and felt as though she had a really strong heart. Back in the Jewell family, no


    matter how many times Albert made things difficult for her because of Sophia, she never shed a tear in


    front of others.


    Yet, today, Jaylene felt so sad with just a couple of harsh words from Wenham.


    Ste might have felt a bit guilty for intruding into this family and taking away the affection Jaylene had


    found sce in.


    However, as soon as she remembered that Darcie might be the reason why she was separated from


    her birth family, her guilt immediately went away.


    Jaylene did not eat much, but Ste had a very good appetite.


    Trevor was very thoughtful and specifically instructed the maid to prepare dishes that were suitable for


    her during pregnancy.


    Ste used to experience severe pregnancy reactions such as vomiting whatever she ate, but they


    went away after New Year¡¯s. However, her preferences had changed slightly, and she started eating


    more things that she did not like.


    Of course, she would not admit that she wanted to eat them herself and shifted the me to the little


    one inside of her.


    After finishing the meal, Ste went outside, nning to take a walk in the yard for better digestion.


    Wenham called Keegan and Trevor to the study room because the twopanies were working on a


    project together, and there were work-rted matters to discuss.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Ste strolled through the yard, eventually settling down on a garden bench and casually plucking the


    weeds around her.


    She heard footsteps approaching from behind and then said in a t tone, ¡°Jaylene, you should be


    inside taking care of your beloved Keegan. Why are you here?¡±

 Chapter 1910

    Chapter 1910


    Jaylene was taken aback and quickly pulled her hand back.


    With a stern face, she said, ¡°You could¡¯ve just said that from the beginning. Why did you have to bring


    me into that? Were you deliberately trying to make dad dislike me?¡±


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Ste lifted her gaze at her, but she remained seated on the bench. Jaylene was standing, so


    theoretically, she should be looking down at Ste. However, the coldness in Ste¡¯s eyes made her


    feel as though she was the one being looked down upon.


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking. I can¡¯t predict what you¡¯re going to say. If dad really dislikes you, you should


    reflect on yourself. He loves and pampers you. He taught you social rtionships and understanding,


    yet you said that Mr. rkson¡¯s death has nothing to do with our family. How could he not be mad? n


    Jaylene clenched her fists. ¡°It was just an ident, and you were using it as an opportunity to make


    yourself look good in front of dad!¡±


    Ste chuckled. ¡°Isn¡¯t repaying kindness with kindness a basic virtue? I didn¡¯t know what I did would


    make you feel this way at all. Can I then assume that you saved Keegan just because you want to


    make yourself look good in front of him?¡±


    Jaylene stiffened up all over. ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense!


    Ste Hall, I can¡¯t believe how petty you are. You always find fault with me just because Keegan pays


    more attention to me after I saved him. There¡¯s nothing you can do about this. Keegan still doesn¡¯t


    remember you. You¡¯re not that important to him.¡±


    Ste calmly watched her losing control. Jaylene had never openly confronted her before.


    Ste figured that Jaylene probably felt too wronged after being scolded by both Wenham and Darcie.


    She must have found it difficult to swallow her pride, so she came to verbally attack her.


    Thus far, People regarded her as a refined youngdy because they had never threatened her


    interests.


    Suddenly, Ste saw a figure approaching from afar. Then, she stood up and pped Jaylene across


    the face. ¡°You¡¯re the reason why he doesn¡¯t remember me! He disappeared for just a month, so how


    could he be apletely different person when he came back? What did you do to him?¡±


    Before Jaylene could even react, Ste pped her again.


    Jaylene was stunned. She raised her hand and was about to hit Ste back.


    But, before she couldnd a p on Ste¡¯s face, she heard Keegan¡¯s gnashing voice from behind.¡±


    Ste Hall, what are you doing?¡±


    Jaylene hesitated and quickly put her hand down. Then, she turned around with a tearful look and said,


    ¡°Keegan¡­¡±


    Keegan quickly walked over and saw the fresh red handprint on Jaylene¡¯s face.


    He then turned to Ste coldly and asked, ¡°What did you do?¡±


    Ste sneered. ¡°Are you blind? I pped her.¡±


    Keegan was taken aback. ¡°What? Don¡¯t you think that what you did was wrong?¡±


    Ste red at him. ¡°I pped her because she deserves it. Keegan, have you never thought about


    why you would lose your memory even though your head wasn¡¯t injured? Have you not considered that


    this might be Jaylene¡¯s doing? So many people have tried searching for you for days and found


    nothing, yet she managed to locate you so quickly. Don¡¯t you think that she might be in it with the


    kidnappers? Don¡¯t you think she might have yed a role in what happened to you?¡±


    Jaylene was worried that Ste¡¯s words would make Keegan suspicious, so she quickly cut her off.


    ¡°Ste, I know that you¡¯re anxious because Keegan can¡¯t remember you, but you can¡¯t use me


    without any proof. What could I possibly do to make Keegan forget you? Have you ever considered that


    he might not want to remember you himself?¡±


    Ste retorted, ¡°Shut up!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who should shut up!¡±


    Keegan spoke coldly.


    Ste was taken aback, as she thought to herself, ¡®What a scumbag! Why did you have to shout at me


    so loudly? Your acting skills are terrible!¡¯ Despite what she was thinking, her eyes immediately


    reddened after Keegan shouted at her. With a hoarse voice, she spoke, ¡°Keegan, what did you just


    say?¡±

 Chapter 1911

    Chapter 1911


    Keegan bit his lip and forced out a harsh sentence while digging his fingernails into his palms.


    ¡°You must be crazy to say such outrageous things. Why would she bother saving me if she wanted to


    harm me?¡±


    Ste put on a disappointed look. ¡°You trust her but not me?¡±


    Keegan¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°I only trust what I see.¡±


    Tears welled up in Ste¡¯s eyes, as she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Keegan Kane, I really wish you


    hadn¡¯te back!¡±


    Keegan felt a pang in his chest, as his fingertips trembled slightly.


    Jaylene frowned. ¡°Ste, don¡¯t you think what you said is a little too mean?¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡±


    With a cold face, Ste pushed Keegan aside and directly walked away.


    The feeling of her push still lingered in Keegan¡¯s chest, as he clenched his fists.


    His expression was concealed under the shadow, and Jaylene could not tell what he was truly feeling.


    Then, she asked softly, ¡°Keegan, are you okay? I can¡¯t believe what Ste just said. She should¡¯ve


    never cursed you like that no matter what.¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips and did not respond to her question.


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    After some time, he said, How is it? Does your face still hurt?¡±


    Jaylene¡¯s eyes turned red. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Keegan, please don¡¯t me Ste. The fact that I saved you has


    always bothered her. I¡¯m sure that I¡¯m the one she¡¯s against, not you.¡±


    Keegan spoke in a cold voice, ¡°You don¡¯t have to speak up for her. I¡¯ve already learned what kind of


    person she is during this time.¡±


    Jaylene lowered her eyes and thought that the two ps she suffered had all be worth it.


    She thought about it for a moment but decided to ask anyway, ¡°Keegan, since Ste hasn¡¯t helped you


    in recovering your memories at all while she was staying at your ce, why don¡¯t you ask her to leave?


    She¡¯s too impulsive. I don¡¯t care how she treats me, but I¡¯m afraid that she might do something to hurt


    you.¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips and said, ¡°It¡¯s grandma¡¯s decision to have her here.


    There¡¯s nothing I can do if grandma insists.


    ¡°It¡¯s better for her to stay at my ce. You won¡¯t feel at peace with her around at home anyway.¡±


    Jaylene was taken aback.


    Didn¡¯t Keegan ask Ste to leave because he was worried that she might mistreat me at home?¡¯


    Jaylene found it somewhat unbelievable. However, when she looked into Keegan¡¯s eyes, his gaze was


    gentle and did not seem as if he was lying to her.


    Her heart pounded vigorously, and her ears turned red.


    ¡°Keegan, y-you¡­¡±


    Before she could ask her question, Trevor¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Jaylene, dad is calling for you.¡±


    Jaylene recollected herself and swallowed the question she was about to ask.


    Then, she cleared her throat and said, ¡°I¡¯ming.¡±


    As she spoke, she looked at Keegan with a gentle gaze that conveyed more than a thousand words.


    ¡°Keegan¡­¡±


    Keegan replied tly, ¡°Go on. And, take care.¡±


    Jaylene blushed and nodded. Then, she walked away with her fists clenched.


    Keegan took a deep breath, nced in the direction of Ste¡¯s room, and felt a lump in his throat.


    Then, he took out his phone and called Aldor.


    At that time, Aldor was apanying Aurora in ying a shooting game in a bustling carnival.


    Aurora was a typicalbination of being bad at the game but still loved to y it. She had already


    fired ten shots, but not a single balloon on the wall was popped.


    The stall owner was delighted, as he stuffed the bullets for her and said, ¡°You did so much better in this


    round than thest one. You¡¯re getting more and more urate. You can definitely hit them this time.¡±


    Unbelievably, Aurora believed him and bought another set of ten bullets.


    Just as Aldor was contemting how to pull her away, Keegan¡¯s call came through.


    He walked to the side to answer it.


    ¡°Let me ask you a question.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s voice sounded low and deep. ¡°If you identally said something really hurtful to your


    girlfriend, what would you do to make her feel better?¡±


    ¡°How hurtful?¡± Aldor asked.


    Keegan pursed his lips and said, ¡°Well¡­ scolding her on behalf of another woman.¡±


    Aldor was shocked.


    Then, he said, ¡°Mr. Kane, I think you should give up and start a new life in another country.¡±


    His response left Keegan utterly speechless. ¡°Did I call you to listen to a joke?¡±

 Chapter 1912

    Chapter 1912


    Aldor helplessly said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t joking. Don¡¯t you know how Mrs. Kane is? She would never allow


    anyone to mistreat her at anytime, let alone when she¡¯s pregnant now. Why would you even do that to


    her? Do you want something to happen to the baby?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    Keegan felt helpless too and took a while before he said,¡± Help me figure out how to cheer her up.¡±


    Aldor was straightforward with it. ¡°Just tell her that you¡¯ve recovered your memory. She¡¯ll be very happy


    and forget about what happened.¡±


    Aldor¡¯s response left him speechless.


    ¡°Apart from that.¡±


    Aldor thought for a moment and said, ¡°Fall into the river again. She¡¯ll then feel sorry for you and forgive


    you for what you did.¡±


    Keegan gritted his teeth. ¡°Can youe up with a proper suggestion?¡±


    Aldor sighed. ¡°Mr. Kane, I graduated with a degree in science and engineering, yet you¡¯re asking me for


    rtionship advice. Honestly, this is beyond my capabilities.¡±


    ¡®I wonder what wicked sins I havemitted in my past life that I have to appease the heiress of the


    Kane family and also help the heir. I¡¯m not paid enough for this!¡¯ Aldor thought to himself.


    ¡°Just pretend to be drunk.¡±


    Aldor softly continued, ¡°Mrs. Kane always treats you better when you¡¯re drunk.¡±


    Keegan paused and ended the call the next second.


    Aldor was shocked.


    ¡®Is he not even going to thank me?¡¯ After hanging up, he turned around and saw that Aurora had


    emptied the magazine again. However, she finally hit one balloon this time.


    The stall owner continued to butter her up. ¡°I told you that you can do this. You¡¯ll get better after ying


    for a few more rounds. As long as you can shoot twenty balloons consecutively, you can pick any prize


    from the top row.¡±


    Aurora took out her wallet and bought another magazine of bullets.


    Aldor looked at the time and thought to himself, ¡®With her skills, we¡¯ll probably leave this ce when the


    sunes up. n He then walked forward and took the airsoft gun from Aurora¡¯s hand.


    Aurora frowned. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Aldor held the gun up and said indifferently, ¡°Go pick your prize.¡±


    Aurora was in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re bragging too much. Can you really hit twenty balloons in a row?¡±


    Aldor chuckled. ¡°What if I can?¡±


    Aurora did not believe him at all, and she said, ¡°I¡¯ll take the me for calling off our engagement.¡±


    ¡°You said it yourself. Don¡¯t drag me into this.¡±


    Aurora red at him. ¡°Let¡¯s see if you can walk the talk.¡±


    Aldor chuckled again and stopped speaking.


    Then, Aurora witnessed how Aldor hit every balloon with every shot he fired.


    The entire wall of balloons was shot into the shape of a heart by Aldor.


    The stall owner eximed, ¡°Young man, you¡¯re unbelievably good. Why didn¡¯t you y earlier?¡±


    Aldor put down the gun and teased Aurora, ¡°I have to let thedy have fun first.¡±


    Aurora¡¯s heart pounded, as she clenched her fists and looked away.


    The stall owner had earned enough money from them, so he was still delighted although Aldor had won


    the prize. ¡°Go on, pick your prize. I¡¯ll get it for you,¡± he said.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Aurora¡¯s heart was still racing when she heard Aldor say by her ear, ¡°Lady, please pick one.¡±


    Aurora instinctively stepped back, covered her ears, and glowered at him. ¡°Don¡¯t get so close to me.¡±


    Aldor backed off but still spoke in a gentle tone. ¡°Hurry up and pick one. The people working for Mrs.


    Kane Sr. are still watching us.¡±


    Aurora pouted, looked at the top row, and finally picked a plush rabbit.


    When Ste came back down from upstairs, Keegan was nowhere to be found.


    ¡®This scumbag is not having a ¡°good time¡± with Jaylene, is he?¡¯ Ste thought to herself.


    She walked around the house and suddenly heard some noise in the kitchen.


    She paused for a moment and walked over.


    She saw the fridge wide open, and there was a figure sneakily standing in front of it. She tilted her head


    slightly and noticed Keegan looking at the bottle of wine she found with a deep and troubled


    expression. It was as if he was in some kind of dilemma.


    Just as Ste was about to speak, Keegan suddenly opened the bottle and began downing it.

 Chapter 1913

    Chapter 1913


    Ste was puzzled.


    ¡°Keegan Kane, what are you doing?¡±


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Her unexpected voice startled Keegan, causing his hand to slip. Then, the wine bottle fell to the


    ground. He coughed a few times, and a faint blush appeared on his fair face.


    He paused, bent down, and picked up the wine bottle while pretending to be calm. ¡°I¡¯m thirsty,¡± he said


    softly.


    Ste nced at the water purifier behind him and was speechless.


    ¡®It looks like he can¡¯t tell the difference between alcohol and water now, huh?¡¯ she thought to herself.


    ¡°Keegan, let¡¯s-¡°


    Before Ste could say that she wanted to go home with him, Keegan cut her off while rubbing his


    temples. My head hurts.¡±


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    ¡®Well, didn¡¯t he sound powerful when he told me to shut up just now? And now, he suddenly became so


    weak?¡¯ Ste thought to herself.


    Ste scrutinized Keegan, and a strange spection suddenly emerged in her mind-could it be that


    Keegan was pretending to be drunk to gloss over what happened?


    ¡®He sounded like he was all that earlier, and now he wants me back?¡¯ Ste thought inwardly.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Ste said. Then, she sarcastically added, ¡°Your head hurts, huh? I should call your beloved


    Jaylene over, so she can give you a massage.¡±


    Keegan frowned. ¡°Quit speaking nonsense.¡±


    Ste snorted, walked past him, and wanted to leave.


    However, Keegan stopped her. ¡°W-Where are you sleeping tonight?¡±


    Ste stopped walking and looked at him with a half-smile.¡± Why do you ask? Is your beloved Jaylene


    angry because I¡¯ve been sleeping at your ce? Do you not want me to stay with you anymore? I¡¯m


    sorry, but I won¡¯t let things go your way. I don¡¯t care how angry your beloved Jaylene is going to be.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s eyes lit up, and he could barely contain the joy in his eyes. Then, he immediately looked


    away and said in a cold tone, ¡°Whatever.¡±


    He would always look like this whenever he was nervous or excited.


    ¡®And, he dared to judge my acting skills? Hmph!¡¯ Ste said to herself.


    When they were leaving, the whole family came out to see them off.


    Ste had a cold expression, looking extremely displeased. However, Jaylene seemed very happy


    even though the handprint on her face from Ste¡¯s p had not faded. As they walked to the gate,


    Jaylene stayed close to Keegan and kept chatting with him.


    Trevor looked at his sister, and then at Jaylene and Keegan. Suddenly, he noticed that the left side of


    Jaylene¡¯s face lookedrger than the right as if it was swollen.


    Then, he immediately shifted his gaze back to Ste¡¯s face.¡¯ Hm. Both sides look the same,¡¯ he felt


    relieved, as he thought to himself.


    When they were getting into the car, Keegan took the initiative to open the rear passenger door for her.


    However, Ste ignored him and went to the other side of the car to open the door herself.


    Jaylene watched what happened and subtly smirked.


    On their way back home, Ste remained unusually silent, which seemed somewhat strange.


    Keegan thought that she would definitely make some sarcastic remarks after what had happened.


    Although she did do that when she saw him drinking the bottle of wine in the kitchen earlier, Keegan


    could tell that she ¡°took it easy¡± on him.


    Keegan coughed lightly.


    But, Ste did not react to that at all.


    Keegan coughed again.


    Yet, still no response from Ste.


    He continued to cough repeatedly.


    Ste then finally lifted her head and said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Do you have lung cancer?¡±


    Keegan choked, hesitated, and then said, ¡°Do you want to go for a walk to digest better? You ate quite


    a lot just now.¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    Then, she smiled and said, ¡°Say that again.¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips and spoke again after a brief pause.¡± I ate quite a lot just now.¡±


    Ste scoffed. ¡°Where are we going for a walk?¡±


    Keegan was taken aback.


    ¡®She agreed?


    ¡®Why isn¡¯t she angry at all?¡¯ Keegan wondered to himself.

 Chapter 1914

    Chapter 1914


    ¡®Well, I¡¯m not expecting her to be mad, but¡­ why is this so different from what I imagined?¡¯ Keegan


    thought to himself.


    Keegan had a thousand questions in his head, as he suggested, ¡°How about Vermont¡¯s ce? He said


    his cat can do backflips.¡±


    Ste did not speak for a while.


    ¡°Sure. I think the baby would want to see that too.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    The driver quickly turned the car around and headed to Clouditude International.


    Half an hourter, they arrived at their destination.


    Vermont opened the door and saw the two empty-handed visitors. ¡°Tsk,¡± he clicked his tongue.


    Felicity shouted from inside, ¡°Is our money tree here?¡±


    Vermont tilted his head and said, ¡°Yeah, but these two trees are withered. They came empty-handed.¡±


    His response left both Ste and Keegan utterly speechless.


    Felicity quickly ran to the door and asked, ¡°Ste?¡±


    She pushed Vermont away and said, ¡°Why are you still standing here? Go make some tea.¡±


    Vermont looked at Keegan angrily, as he thought to himself,1 Why do you have to disturb me and my


    girlfriend on this wonderful day?¡¯ ¡°What brought you two here at this hour?¡±


    After sitting down, Felicity asked them.


    Ste slowly said, ¡°Keegan said that your cat can do backflips, so I thought that the baby would want to


    see it.¡±


    Keegan choked on his saliva, and Felicity was taken aback.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask the cat to do it for the baby then, I guess.¡±


    Then, Felicity said to the cat, ¡°Sewyn,e on, do a flip!¡±


    Sewyn swept its gaze across these boring humans, rolled over, curled up, and continued sleeping.


    ¡°Ste,e with me. Let me show you my new script.¡±


    After chatting for a while, Felicity suddenly remembered the new script she was currently working on.


    She had shown it to Vermont before, but with his sweet tongue, she could never get an honest opinion


    from him. She just could not trust him.


    After Felicity dragged Ste into the study, Vermont said,¡± Why don¡¯t you follow them in? It seems like


    you can¡¯t stop staring at her.¡±


    Keegan paused and red at Vermont.


    Vermont then sized him up. After a while, he said out of the blue, ¡°If you have something to say, say it.¡±


    Keegan lowered his gaze and said after a long pause. ¡°She¡¯s acting a little strange.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Vermont did not catch it at first.


    Keegan pursed his lips. ¡°You see, if you said something hurtful to your girlfriend during a fight and she


    doesn¡¯t seem bothered, what does it mean?¡±


    Vermont replied, ¡°What else could it be? She is probably nning on a breakup.


    She doesn¡¯t care because you¡¯re a nobody to her.¡±


    Keegan¡¯s expression turned ugly, as he said with his jaws clenched, Nonsense!¡¯ ¡°Tsk. You don¡¯t believe


    me, huh? Hold on, let me prove it to you.¡± Then, Vermont cleared his throat and said, ¡°Miss Bandit, did


    you gain weight?¡±


    Bang! A loud sound came from the study, and Vermont quickly added, ¡°Did you gain weight? The gym


    is having a promotion right now. They¡¯re giving a buy- one-free-one package for whoever has a body


    fat of more than twenty- four percent. If you¡¯re a little fatter, we could¡¯ve signed up for it together.¡± The


    next second, Felicity¡¯s voice came fiercely from the study. ¡°You should eat more and gain thirty pounds


    to sign up for it yourself!¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Vermont turned to Keegan and said, ¡°Did you see that?


    That¡¯s because she cares.¡±


    Keegan was irritated. After some time, he said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t apply to everyone.


    Just like how only you will feel embarrassed when others mention the word ¡®twelve¡¯.¡±


    Vermont¡¯s expression immediately darkened.


    Perhaps Ste felt happier after seeing her friend, as Keegan could tell that her mood turned a lot


    better than when they were heading home.


    Ste said to him, ¡°Keegan, Felicity¡¯s mom said that her skin was very good when she was pregnant


    with Felicity. But, when her sister-inw was pregnant with a baby boy, she had erged pores all over,


    especially on her nose. When we were on a video call just now, she said I look more beautiful than


    before. I¡¯m sure that our baby is a girl. Keegan, do you prefer a son or a daughter?¡±

 Chapter 1915

    Chapter 1915


    Keegan was taken aback.


    That was something he had never thought of before.


    He had seen what Coco¡¯s mother looked like when she was pregnant with Coco. It was difficult. Other


    than the mother and the baby¡¯s safety, Keegan did not wish for anything more.


    In the twenty past years before marriage, he had not really thought about raising a child.


    Dahlia was not a responsible person, and Quentin passed away too soon. He had never experienced


    what it was like growing up in a normal family. He was quick to learn everything else, but when it came


    to being a parent, he had no one to refer to.


    So, raising a child was never a thing he had considered before.


    Even when he took Ste to see a doctor back then, he only did that to make her happy because he


    knew that she liked children.


    This baby came too suddenly and caught him off guard.


    Whenever he thought about how there was a life flowing with their blood in Ste¡¯s belly, he would have


    an indescribable feeling.


    Happy, excited, confused, afraid, and at the same time, grateful.


    The baby was more than just a biological link between them. It was also a symbol of love and


    commitment.


    Whether he liked a boy or a girl, he still did not have an answer.


    Ste was the only person he liked the most, and he looked forward to going through the process of


    raising their baby together.


    Ste had taught him the value of life and the sense of responsibility as parents.


    Keegan would have a strange but pleasant feeling in his heart just by thinking about that.


    ¡°Why does it take you so long to think about it?¡±


    Ste nced at him speechlessly. ¡®Is he frozen or what?¡¯ Keegan lowered his gaze and said, ¡°I like


    both.¡±


    Ste chuckled softly and muttered, ¡°How greedy of you. Anyway, regardless of what you like, I will


    only go through this pain once. I¡¯m not going to have any more babies after this.¡±


    Ste seemed to hear Keegan chuckle, but when she turned to look, there was no trace of any smile


    on his face.


    When they were sleeping at night, Ste felt an itch on her face when she was half awake. Then, a


    large hand slipped under the nket, lifted her nightgown, and gently touched her belly.


    The hand was very warm, and she could not help but snuggle closer to it.


    Keegan paused, pulled her close, and murmured, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if the baby is a boy or a girl. I just


    hope that the baby won¡¯t like to roll in the mud.¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    Six days after New Year¡¯s, Keegan started working again.


    The new manager of The Velvet had sent over a box of jewelry.


    Ste was in the bathroom, and Aurora took the package.


    After that, she put it on the coffee table. Ste went downstairs, opened it, and called Olivia.


    ¡°Olivia, where are you?


    ¡°The set of bridal jewelry you ordered for your daughter is here. I¡¯ll bring it over.¡±


    Aurora paused, and she immediately perked up her ear.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I happen to have some business there anyway. I¡¯lle over.


    ¡°Are you sure you want me to bring it over on the wedding day? Don¡¯t you want her to try them on first?


    I won¡¯t be able to refund them if you don¡¯t like them by then.


    ¡°Okay, then. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow night.¡±


    After hanging up, Ste turned around and saw Aurora standing behind her.


    Ste was startled. She frowned and said, ¡°Why are you just standing behind me without saying a


    word?¡±


    Aurora furrowed her brows. ¡°Are you going to the wedding of Mrs. Chapman¡¯s daughter tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, is there a problem?¡±

 Chapter 1916

    Chapter 1916


    Aurora¡¯s expression changed slightly. ¡°You¡¯re not even invited. Why would you go?¡±


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Ste was puzzled. ¡°To do business. She hasn¡¯t settled the final payment for the jewelry she ordered.¡±


    ¡°Are you seriously going to do business on someone else¡¯s wedding day? Are you out of your mind?¡±


    At that moment, Ste felt annoyed. ¡°Are you suggesting that I should wait until her ceremony ends and


    then collect the money? What if she changes her mind and doesn¡¯t pay me?¡±


    Aurora became nervous. ¡°Is money all you think about? Why don¡¯t you look at-¡°


    She paused and clenched her jaws before she continued,¡± You¡¯re already a part of the Saun family.


    Uncle Wenham is providing you with everything you need and want. Why are you still so obsessed with


    making money?¡±


    Ste looked at Aurora, who was behaving strangely. After a brief silence, she said, ¡°Who would


    comin about having too much money?¡±


    Aurora was taken aback by what she said. Then, she responded through gritted teeth, ¡°I¡¯ve said what I


    needed to say. Don¡¯t regret it if something goes wrong!¡±


    Ste¡¯s gaze darkened, as she asked, ¡°And, what would go wrong?¡±


    Aurora paused and pursed her lips. ¡°I was just making an example.¡±


    Then, she went upstairs.


    Ste watched her receding figure and thought about something.


    It was said that the groom was the only son of a deputy bureau chief, and he worked in the tobo


    industry. The family had worked for the government for three generations and was rather prestigious.


    Olivia¡¯s husband, Erick, was promoted to mayor¡¯s secretary at the end ofst year. It could be said that


    he had a bright future ahead. Strictly speaking, this wedding was a marriage of power.


    The wives in the social circle were all saying that Olivia had finally made it because her husband had


    seeded.


    finally enjoy afortable life in the future.


    However, since the engagement, Ste had never heard Olivia mention anything about her son-inw.


    That made Ste very curious because Olivia was never a low-profile person.


    She would want to brag just about anything that she thought was good. So, she found it very strange


    that Olivia never talked about him.


    Ste was actually looking forward to this wedding.


    Ste had nned to go with Vermont. She figured that Vermont, being a social butterfly, must have


    known a thing or two about the wedding.


    However, when Keegan returned from work, he said he wanted to go with her.


    After Vermont found out about it, he immediately told Keegan to pick up him and Felicity. He intended


    to save money on fuel for his car.


    While they were on their way to the wedding, Ste got curious again and asked Vermont about Olivia¡¯s


    son-inw.


    is really something.¡±


    Ste immediately became interested. ¡°Tell me about him.¡±


    Felicity leaned over too. After all, everyone loved to gossip.


    indulges in vice. He used to work in the national tax department, but he was caught soliciting


    prostitution. His parents went to great lengths to cover it up.


    take care of his health. About a year after things had quieted down, his parents got him a job in the


    tobo industry through their connections.¡±


    Felicity made a disgusted expression. ¡°Eww, a whoremonger.¡±


    Ste finally knew why Olivia would not talk about him.


    Vermont continued, ¡°He really has it easy. There¡¯s not much for him to do, yet he¡¯s paid very well. But,


    no matter how good the job is, it still doesn¡¯t change the fact that he¡¯s an irresponsible person.


    He kept cking off at work and missed out on two promotions because he wouldn¡¯t stop skipping


    work.


    ¡°While others had to work their asses off to get a promotion, all he needed to do was show up at work


    on time.


    Unfortunately, that was something that he found difficult to do. His family has held significant official


    positions for two generations. If he had put in a bit of effort, he would¡¯ve achieved great things. But, he


    got addicted to that kind of stuff.¡±


    Vermont gestured, and everyone understood what he meant.


    Ricky was a drug addict.


    ¡°His family got fed up and locked him at home for rehabilitation. But, it¡¯s not easy to quit that kind of


    stuff, especially for someone like him who has zero self control. So, after being locked up for a while,


    he was released. Then, something even more outrageous happened.


    ¡°His family purposely hired a doctor to administer daily injections for him to ensure that he wouldn¡¯t


    have an episode in public. He might look like a normal person, but he has ruined his own body. He


    can¡¯t even perform sexual intercourse. His parents knew that he was hopeless, so they wanted to have


    a ¡°A lot of people know about this in their social circle. I have no idea why Erick would agree to marry


    off his precious daughter to such a mess.¡±

 Chapter 1917

    Chapter 1917


    Of course, Vermont knew exactly what Erick was thinking. He did not actually mean what he said.


    Before Erick was promoted, he had dealings with a lot of businessmen. Vermont had eaten with him a


    few times and knew what kind of person he was.


    family, his career would only be better and better with how powerful the Vermont paused and


    silently nced at Keegan. Then, he cleared his throat and said, ¡°I also heard that ady in their social


    circle paired them up.¡±


    Ste noticed his subtle actions and was shocked.


    Felicity, being more straightforward, immediately said, ¡°Who is that heartless person?¡±


    Vermont responded, ¡°I don¡¯t know who exactly, but she has a pretty good rtionship with Mrs.


    Chapman.¡± ¡°This is clearly a trap. And, they call that a good rtionship? If someone were to introduce


    my daughter to a person like that, I¡¯d curse their entire family to death!¡±


    Vermont leaned over and said, ¡°Count me in. When do you want to get a daughter, then?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡±


    They continued to bicker in the car, and the atmosphere felt rxed.


    When they arrived at their destination and got off the car, Felicity suddenly grabbed Ste and


    whispered, ¡°Ste, when did your butt get so big? Have you been working out?¡±


    Ste was speechless.


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    She touched her butt and said, ¡°Is it that obvious?¡±


    Felicity widened her gaze. ¡°Damn it, Ste. You¡¯re pregnant. Why did you go for a workout? Are you


    crazy?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one that¡¯s crazy!¡± Ste pulled Felicity¡¯s hand and ced it on her butt.


    Felicity squeezed it and was very surprised. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Ste smiled. ¡°A fall protection device.¡±


    As she spoke, she let Felicity touch her elbows and knees, which were all covered with thick protective


    pads.


    She was wearing wide-leg pants, a casual white shirt, and a blue coat. She hid everything she wore


    underneath, and they were barely noticeable.


    Felicity was puzzled. ¡°Why are you wearing these things?¡¯ Ste replied, ¡°There are a lot of people


    here. I don¡¯t want any idents to happen.¡±


    Felicity could not figure out what could possibly happen to her when Keegan was already treating her


    like a treasure.


    However, Ste always had her reasons for doing things. So, even though she found it strange, she did


    not ask any further.


    Ste was still thinking about Aurora¡¯s strange behavior from yesterday.


    In fact, Ste had no intention of attending this wedding at first, but Olivia told her that something


    interesting was going to happen.


    Ste, being the nosy person she had always been, immediately agreed.


    As for what was going to happen, Ste could already guess it.


    Aurora¡¯s unusual behavior reminded her of Dahlia for some reason.


    Dahlia was undoubtedly going to attend such a big event in Olivia¡¯s life.


    So, Ste figured that she should take some precautions after hearing Aurora¡¯s ¡°advice¡±.


    The wedding was held in their own hotel, Regal Banquets. Thest time there was such a grand


    asion was when the Sauns weed Ste back into the family.


    After that banquet, Olivia invested heavily in renovating the hall. Now, it was almost twice asrge as


    before, and the decorations were even more luxurious.


    On that day, Olivia was busy getting her makeup done and coordinating the emcees. So, they were


    ushered in by Olivia¡¯s second daughter, Ruby Chapman.

 Chapter 1918

    Chapter 1918


    Ruby was in the final year of her university and would be graduating very soon.


    She was two years younger than Aurora yet appeared much more mature than her.


    The way she spoke and acted was very simr to Olivia, showing great courtesy.


    When they were walking over from the reception, Ruby called out to Ste.¡±


    Aunty Ste.¡±


    Ste choked. ¡°What did you just call me?¡±


    Ruby was taken aback. ¡°My mom told me to call you that and even specifically reminded me about it.¡±


    Ste did not say anything.


    ¡®It has been so many years, yet she¡¯s still holding a grudge about it!¡¯ Ste thought to herself.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Ruby then said in a warm voice, My mom is getting her makeup done.


    Would you please follow me to see her?¡±


    Keegan, who was holding her hand, did not let go.


    Ste patted the back of his hand and said, ¡°Mrs. Chapman ordered a set of jewelry for the bride. I


    haven¡¯t given it to her yet. Felicity wille with me. You should go ahead and find a seat.¡±


    Keegan pursed his lips, let her hand go, and whispered, ¡°Be quick about it.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    The makeup room was on the same floor and was pretty close to the reception.


    Ruby led Ste and Felicity there, and it did not take them very long to reach there.


    helping the bride with her makeup.


    Felicity nced at the logos on the makeup boxes. They were from a well known studio that was


    rumored to charge a six-figure sum for each makeup session.


    However, none of that was surprising. What shocked them more was that other than Olivia and her


    eldest daughter, Dahlia was also in the dressing room.


    She was sitting next to Olivia, and they were happily chatting together.


    When the door opened, everyone looked over. Dahlia initially showed a look of disgust upon seeing


    Ste, but she lifted her eyes soon after. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she asked in a cold voice.


    Ste nced at Olivia nonchntly and pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver something,¡± she said.


    Dahlia frowned. ¡°Deliver what exactly?¡±


    Ste ignored her and handed the box she was holding to Olivia. Then, she calmly said, ¡°Mrs.


    Chapman, your daughter can try them on now.¡±


    Olivia stood up, walked over, and said with a smile, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    She wore a dark red dress. She had maintained her figure well, and in recent months, perhaps due to a


    better mindset, she appeared radiant. Although her features might not be conventionally beautiful, her


    temperament was excellent, making her look almost as good as Dahlia.


    Olivia reached out to take the gift box, but the moment Ste let go of it, she did the same. The box fell


    straight to the ground, and the bracelet inside broke into two pieces.


    Olivia eximed and looked at the bracelet before she shifted her gaze to Ste with an unpleasant


    expression. ¡°Ms. Hall, why didn¡¯t you hold it properly?¡±


    Felicity could not help but say, ¡°It clearly fell from your hand. Don¡¯t me her.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s expression looked even uglier. ¡°Miss, watch your words. A lot of people here can be my


    witnesses. I hadn¡¯t even held it yet, and she let go. How is this my fault?¡± ¡°You-¡°


    Felicity¡¯s temper red up and was about to argue with Olivia right there and then.


    However, Ste stopped her. Then, she sized up Olivia and said after a brief pause, ¡°I only let go after I


    made sure that you held it. How about this? Since today is a joyous day for your daughter, HI give you


    a discount. Just pay me eighty percent of the final payment.¡±


    Olivia sneered. ¡°My daughter hasn¡¯t even tried them on yet, and you¡¯re asking me to pay you? Are you


    out of your mind?¡±


    Ste¡¯s gaze turned cold as well. ¡°Are you saying that you¡¯re not going to settle the payment, then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s broken. Would you pay a few hundred thousand on a broken bracelet?¡±

 Chapter 1919

    Chapter 1919


    Dahlia watched their interactions and spoke, ¡°Ste, today is a big day for Olivia¡¯s daughter. Don¡¯t


    cause any trouble here. Everyone saw that you didn¡¯t hold it properly. The goods are damaged before


    the customer can have them, so that¡¯s your problem. You better not affect someone else¡¯s wedding


    over such a small amount of money. The consequences are not something that you can bear.¡±


    Felicity got even more angry. ¡°Cut the crap. Ste had her back facing you when she handed the box to


    Olivia. How could you possibly see if Ste was the one who dropped it? Are you sure this is a small


    amount of money? Maybe this is a small amount for you because you¡¯ve taken a really big amount of


    money from Keegan.¡±


    Dahlia¡¯s expression turned ugly. ¡°Who do you think you are? You need to keep your mouth shut.¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡± Felicity was about to curse at her.


    However, before she could do that, Ste cut her off. ¡°Ms. Crosby, if you want to do Mrs. Chapman a


    favor, you¡¯re free to pay up on her behalf. Everyone on my team worked hard for this deal, so if the final


    payment isn¡¯t made by today, none of you can leave this room!¡±


    Then, she turned to Felicity and said, ¡°Call the cops. Tell them that someone bought something and


    refused to pay for it. Let theme and handle it.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s expression immediately changed. ¡°Ste Hall, are you crazy? Are you seriously going to call


    the cops at my daughter¡¯s wedding?¡±


    Ste sneered. ¡°It¡¯s none of my business. I¡¯m just here to collect my payment. Of course, I have to call


    the cops now that you¡¯re refusing to pay up.¡±


    Felicity took out her phone and dialed 911.


    Perhaps Olivia was worried that the policeing on the wedding day would embarrass both families,


    as she gritted her teeth and reluctantly said, ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll pay up! How much is it?¡±


    Ste calmly said, ¡°Four hundred and twenty thousand.¡±


    With a stern face, Olivia wired the money to Ste before she sarcastically said, ¡°What a lowlife.¡±


    Ste smirked. She was not angry at all, and she even said,¡± Wishing you all the best.¡±


    Then, she left the dressing room with Felicity.


    Olivia wore a gloomy expression, showing how upset she was.


    Dahlia said, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry over such a worthless person. Today is a joyous day, and you still need to


    get on stageter. Be happy.¡±


    Olivia took a deep breath and said softly, ¡°Dahlia, I¡¯m sorry for affecting your mood too.¡±


    Dahlia sighed. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve been her mother-inw for so many years. I understand her personality


    very well. Money is all she cares about.¡±


    Olivia did not respond to that, but when she heard Ste¡¯s name, her expression immediately turned


    ugly.


    After a brief silence, Dahlia said, ¡°Olivia, there¡¯s something I want to ask you¡­¡±


    Meanwhile, aftering out of the dressing room, Felicity could not help but scold, ¡°Mrs. Chapman is


    such a fencesitter! I thought she had turned over a new leaf after helping youst time. Instead, she


    showed her true colors after her daughter got married into a powerful family.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°After Dahlia returned to the Kane family, their rtionship immediately became better. It seems like


    Mrs. Chapman would only be friends with people because of their status. I wouldn¡¯t have brought such


    an expensive wedding gift if I knew that she was like this. Unbelievable!¡±


    After not getting any response from Ste, she called out to her. ¡°Ste, why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡±


    Ste snapped out of her thoughts and whispered, ¡°Mrs. Chapman was probably just putting on an act


    in front of Dahlia.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Felicity was confused. ¡°Are you two working together?¡±


    Ste shook her head.


    ¡°Then, how do you know she¡¯s just putting on a show?¡±


    Ste replied, ¡°Mrs. Chapman can befriend anyone but never Dahlia.¡±


    ¡°What makes you say that?¡±


    Then, Ste told Felicity about how Dahlia helped Erick hide the fact that he had a secret lover and


    even an illegitimate child.

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    Chapter 1920


    Felicity¡¯s gaze widened. ¡°Damn, this is outrageous. Mrs. Chapman used to treat her so well.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Chapman treats Mrs. Chapman very well too, but things just happen.


    ¡°Mrs. Chapman did everything she could for her husband and daughters, yet that was how Mr.


    Chapman repaid her. It¡¯s just impossible that she would swallow this humiliation and continue working


    together with Dahlia.¡±


    Ste paused and lowered her voice. Then, she added,¡± Besides, didn¡¯t you notice?¡±


    Felicity followed suit. ¡°Notice what?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Chapman¡¯s daughter had red eyes as if she had just cried. Mrs. Chapman¡¯s eyes looked the


    same too. She might not be happy with this Felicity did not understand what Ste was trying to say.


    ¡°To be fair, her daughter will not be living with her anymore. It¡¯s perfectly normal for them to cry, no?¡±


    Ste was taken aback and realized that what Felicity said somewhat made sense.


    ¡°I can¡¯t put everything into words, but I just feel that Mrs. Chapman has a purpose for doing what she


    did just now.¡±


    If Olivia did not like Ste, she did not have to do so many things.


    Not only did she tell her second daughter to politely bring Ste to the dressing room, but she even put


    on such a show in front of Dahlia. Ste felt as though Olivia was sending a message to Dahlia.


    ¡¯Did Mrs. Chapman notice that Dahlia was trying to do something?¡¯ Ste wondered.


    However, she could not figure it out and decided to stay put.


    The ceremony was scheduled for 7:15 in the evening. It was said that a fortune teller had chosen this


    time for them.


    It was only six by then, and there was still plenty of time.


    Ricky¡¯s mother was the chairwoman of apany, and many of his father¡¯s rtives worked for the


    government. With such a widework, the guest list for the banquet was prepared for eighty-eight


    tables.


    There were going to be around a thousand guests, making it a very grand asion.


    There was still some time before themencement, so people chatted and enjoyed the drinks,


    creating a lively atmosphere.


    asionally, someone would approach Ste and Keegan to offer them a toast, but they would return


    it with their tea instead of alcohol.


    Ste nced at Keegan. ¡°You were stealing my wine at home that day, yet you¡¯re rejecting drinks


    now? What happened?¡±


    The word ¡°steal¡± made Keegan choke. He red at her and said, ¡°What do you mean ¡®steal?¡¯ I was


    thirsty and thought it was water!


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Ste dragged on her voice. ¡°I thought you were feeling guilty and wanted to use alcohol to


    cover up your mistakes.¡±


    Keegan was taken aback.


    Just as he was about to speak, Marshall¡¯s voice came from the side. ¡°Ste, you¡¯re here too.¡±


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Ste paused, turned around, and greeted Marshall with a smile. ¡°Hello, Mr. Moore.¡±


    Then, she saw Ka standing next to Marshall. She was surprised. ¡°Ka? Did you guyse


    together?¡±


    Ka answered, ¡°We ran into each other downstairs and came up together.¡±


    The two of them sat across Ste. Awkwardly, Marshall sat down between Ka and Aurora.


    Aurora had her gaze lowered as if she was not bothered at all.


    Vermont looked at Marshall and Ka, smiled, and said to Keegan, ¡°Well, I have to say that Marshall


    and Ms. Wilson do look very good together. Mr. Wilson asks me about you all the time, and I thought


    that his daughter might have taken an interest in you and wanted to know you more.¡±


    Keegan responded calmly as if he was exining to Vermont, ¡°Mr. Wilson is simply trying to find his


    daughter a boyfriend. There¡¯s nothing more to it.¡±


    Marshall was taken aback. ¡°Keegan, you remember Ms. Wilson?¡±

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    Chapter 1921


    Chapter 1921


    Everyone at the table shifted their gaze to Keegan upon hearing that.


    Ka had only returned to Mark two years ago.


    Keegan could not remember anything after meeting Ste. Logically, he should not be able to know


    who Ka was.


    When Keegan said that, it did not raise any questions in anyone''s mind. However, with what Marshall


    said, everyone began to wonder how Keegan could remember who Ka was.


    Keegan kept his eyes down and remained silent. He looked very calm as if nothing was wrong.


    However, Ste, who was sitting beside him, put her cup down harshly on the table. Then, she looked


    at Keegan with a cold face. "It''s fine that you remember Felicity, but you remember Ms. Wilson, too?


    Have you just conveniently forgotten about me? Keegan Kane, is this a joke?"


    Keegan was taken aback.


    ''What...


    ''Based on how she would always act, shouldn''t she be asking if I have recovered my memory?


    ''Why is she getting angry instead?'' Keegan wondered to himself.


    Ste did not mention that she was not happy with him remembering Felicity, so Keegan could not


    figure out why she would suddenly get mad. It did not fit her character at all.


    However, with her outburst, everyone seemed to have forgotten about Marshall''s question.


    Keegan kept quiet for a moment before he pursed his lips and said, "I don''t remember Ms. Wilson, but


    I''ve worked with Mr. Wilson before. He often mentions her, and we''ve talked about Ms. Wilson for a bit.


    That''s why I remember her."


    Ste put on a look of disbelief. "Am I a fool to you? Do you want to break up with me? Is that why you


    came up with such a stupid excuse like losing your memory?"


    Keegan frowned, looking a little impatient. "Whatever you say."


    Ste''s expression turned unpleasant. "What''s with the attitude?"


    Keegan lifted his gaze. "What else can I do if you don''t believe me?"


    What an asshole. He''s beginning to sound more and more like a scum,'' Ste cursed inwardly.


    Tears welled up in Ste''s eyes, as she took her bag and was about to leave. However, Vermont


    quickly stopped her." Ste, why argue with someone with a half-working brain?


    You know what kind of person he is, and now that he¡¯s getting a factory reset, we should be d that


    he''s still able to speak. There''s no point in getting angry at him."


    Then, he kicked Keegan and scolded him. "Say something!"


    Keegan looked at her, gently hooked her fingers with his hand, and slowly held her hand.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    "I was wrong. Don''t be angry, okay?" he whispered.


    ''Okay.''


    Ste screamed in her heart but continued to showcase her acting skills to the fullest, as she sneered,


    "You''re such a perfect person. How could you ever be wrong? It''s all my fault, and I should be the one


    apologizing. I''m sorry, Perfect Kane."


    Her response left Keegan utterly speechless.


    Felicity and Vermont could not help but burst intoughter.


    Marshallughed as well and made fun of Keegan. "To be fair, Keegan did always get perfect scores in


    exams back in school."


    Vermont chimed in and added, "That''s a fitting name. It makes him sound like a top student. Ste,


    would you give me a new name too?"


    Felicity ate a piece of pastry and said, "You''re so easy to take care of and would eat whatever that is


    given to you without leaving a crumb. Let''s call you Doggy Snyder, then.


    "Pfft-"

 Chapter 1922

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    Chapter 1922


    Vermont could not help but spurt the tea in his mouth all over. He coughed for some time as his face


    turned extremely red. However, he still teased Felicity, "If my name is Doggy, does that make you


    Bitchy? It doesn''t sound too bad. We can call ourselves the Night


    Howlers, and our children can be called Cute Puppies. What do you think?"


    Felicity''s face turned red from anger, "Only your children will be called puppies!"


    "Yeah," Vermont smiled. "You''ll be the one giving birth to them for me."


    Felicity punched him. When the two started fooling around, the atmosphere at the table became much


    happier. Keegan took advantage of the situation and pulled Ste closer, whispering, "Please don''t be


    mad at me, okay?"


    Ste nced at him, pursed her lips, and sat back down. Then, she "reluctantly" said,


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    "I''m only staying because I don''t want to ruin someone else''s wedding."


    Keegan lowered his eyes, seeming to chuckle. He continued softly, "Thank you, Coach Hall."


    ''Coach Hall...''


    Ste suddenly remembered a time when Keegan used to call her "Coach Jewell" by her ear, asking


    for extra ss.


    She then immediately looked at Keegan, who seemed calm and perfectly normal.


    ''Scumbag! If you''re going to pretend, then do it properly. Stop teasing me like that!'' Ste thought to


    herself.


    "Oh, by the way..." Marshall took a sip of the wine and put the ss down. He continued, "Keegan, I


    bumped into someone familiar when I was at the office just now."


    Keegan shifted his gaze to Marshall nonchntly.


    Then, Marshall said, "It was your aunt, Scarlett Ford. She wants to hire awyer to handle her divorce.


    Do you know about that?"Keegan frowned, showing that he was unaware, "Since when?"


    "It seems to have been happening before the New Year. I heard from my colleagues that she had


    inquired about the divorce on the phone before, but she probably had not made up her mind yet at that


    time. However, she came over today, probably intending to consult with awyer."


    Marshall paused before continuing, "She imed that her husband hid his wealth from her and even


    had a secret lover behind her back. She wants to file a divorce and discuss the division of their property


    and the custody of their two children. I rmended one of mycolleagues who specializes in divorce


    cases to her. Your aunt has been married to your uncle for about twenty years now; I don''t think he''s


    someone who would do those things. Do you want to tell Ms. Crosby about it so she can talk to them?


    Although something unpleasant happened between you guys back then, you''re still family."


    Keegan was taken aback, "What unpleasant things?"


    Marshall paused and rubbed his temples, seemingly a little distressed, "Sorry. I forgot that you don''t


    remember anything. I*


    Keegan frowned, looking somewhat confused and bewildered.


    Ste lowered her gaze and sipped on her juice slowly.


    She felt like Marshall was probing whether Keegan had recovered his memory.


    Previously, Dahlia had brought ke to her to cause trouble, and they argued. This caused


    Keegan''s rtionship with the Crosby family to be very bad. If he still could not remember Ste,


    he would not know what had happened.


    He brought the matter up using the issue of ke and Scarlett getting a divorce.


    Initially, Ste focused entirely on the divorce, thinking it had nothing to do with Keegan.


    She knew that ke and Scarlett were not good people because they never offered


    Keegan any help when he was in trouble. Instead, they made things worse for him and even took


    advantage of his wealth using their rtionship with Dahlia.


    Now that they were getting a divorce, Ste felt like it was a godsend. If they were not out in public, she


    would probably say that she had been waiting for this moment.


    She had not realized the trap that Marshall set Keegan with.


    However, if Keegan had thought the same way as her, Marshall''s intention could have most probably


    been achieved.


    ''Is he doing this on purpose?'' Ste wondered to herself.


    Marshall continued, "Your aunt is well-prepared, and it seems like she''s determined to get a divorce.


    Although you had some unhappy encounters with ke, he''s still your uncle.


    You should at least tell him about it so he can be prepared in advance to avoid losing both his family


    and money."

 Chapter 1923

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    Chapter 1923


    Marshall phrased his words perfectly.


    For someone as meticulous as Marshall, how could he be so careless and say that he "forgot" Keegan


    had lost his memory?


    Ste put down her cup and looked at Marshall.


    He sensed her gaze and turned to meet her eyes.


    Ste smiled at him with a gentle expression.


    Marshall''s eyshes trembled slightly as his expression immediately softened.


    Keegan noticed their interactions, and his gaze darkened. Then, he subconsciously held


    Ste''s hand under the table tighter.


    Ste paused, lifted her other hand, and lighted scratched the back of his hand. He abruptly pulled his


    hand back, looking uneasy.


    "Tsk," Ste clicked her tongue.


    ''What a coward. He''s pretending to have lost his memories, yet he can''t contain his jealousy. I bet he''s


    very angry right now.''


    As she thought about it, she reached over again and pinched Keegan''s thigh.


    ''Wow. So muscr!''


    Keegan was startled and stood up abruptly, causing the table to shake.


    Everyone else looked at him unanimously.


    Ste looked up at him calmly, "What''s wrong with you?"


    Keegan pursed his lips. He looked like he was about to say something but ultimately remained silent.


    After a while, he spoke, "I need to use the restroom."


    ''Huh? He needs to use the restroom just because I pinched his thigh?


    ''Is he that sensitive?'' Ste thought to herself and felt very happy.


    Not long after Keegan left, a waiter approached Aurora and whispered a few words in her ears. Then,


    she stood up and walked way too.


    Ste felt very bored and turned to watch Vermont reading palm lines for Felicity.


    "Babe, look at your career line. It''s very faint, but I can see that it only deepens in the middle. Also, it


    looks more obvious after intersecting with the marriage line. It means that your career will only flourish


    after you get married."


    "What? After getting married? Does that mean that I have to wait another ten years before my script


    can be popr?" Felicity put on a distressed look.


    Vermont was stunned, "Ten years? Are you nning to get married when you''re thirty- five?"


    "I was nning to get married at fifty. You see, when I retire at fifty, not only will I not have to work, but I


    can also receive a pension. I''ll find myself another retired old man to marry. Neither of us will have to


    work. All we''ll be doing is eating, taking a stroll in the garden, and doing household chores together. We


    won''t have to argue about who should contribute more to the household since neither of us will be


    working.


    ''Til also experience menopause by fifty years old, which means I won''t have any children or


    grandchildren; I won''t have to tire myself out taking care of them. Besides, when I''m that old, I''ll


    probably have enough money to buy a house outright withoutmitting to any mortgage. The bank


    won''t have a chance to earn any interest from me. Can you imagine how much money I''m going to


    save?"


    Everyone at the table was speechless.


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Although it sounded a little oundish, upon second thought, it kind of made sense.

 Chapter 1924

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    Chapter 1924


    "Unfortunately, the retirement age has been changed now. When it''s our turn to retire, we''ll probably be


    sixty years old by then. I might not even receive my pension before I kick the bucket. I can only get a


    portion of what I contributed to the pension scheme all those years. It''s pretty sad to think that after


    working so hard for so many years, I''ll be gone before even I can enjoy them.


    "So, after thinking about it, I''ve decided to get married after thirty-five and preferably have a child after


    forty. By the time my child is twenty and heading to college, I''ll be officially retired and too old to be


    walking around, which means I won''t have to babysit my grandchildren and still get to enjoy my


    pension. It''s not that bad, right? Even if I don''t live to sixty, the money in my pension ount can be


    passed on to my child. They won''t go to waste," Felicity added.


    Vermont''s lip twitched, "Why do you care so much about your pension?"


    "What? Without it, how am I supposed to get money when I''m that old?"


    Vermont''s lip quivered this time, "Do you really want me to only be a dad at forty- five?"


    "Hmm, forty-five does sound a little too old now.¡± Felicity frowned, "Will you still be capable of having


    children at forty- five?"


    "Of course not. How about we move it earlier by fifteen years?"


    Felicity pretended to think seriously and said, "To be fair, it might be difficult for you to have a child at


    forty-five. Didn''t you say that my career would only flourish after I get married? So, let''s get married first


    when you turn forty-five. When I''m finally sessful, we can divorce, and I''ll find a young and healthy


    man to have a child with. After that, we can remarry. This way, you''ll have a wife, a child, and also


    money. What do you think?"


    Vermont was stunned by Felicity¡¯s idea.


    Suddenly, he wrapped his arm around Felicity and whispered, "Miss bandit, I don''t want money. I just


    want to marry you. Whether you''re thirty, forty, or fifty, I''ll still marry you."


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Felicity was just joking with him and did not expect him to confess his feelings so openly in front of so


    many people. She blushed, her face turning as red as an apple.


    Vermont kissed her on the cheek and said in a gentle tone," Marry me, and I''ll personally contribute to


    your pension fund. You''ll have double protection."


    Felicity paused and genuinely considered his suggestion.


    Ka could not help but chuckle. She said, "A thousand a month can get you a wife now, huh? Mr.


    Snyder, I''ve got to say that you made quite an appealing offer."


    Felicity gritted her teeth and shook Vermont off, "I knew you wouldn''t be so generous with me! Was that


    really your n? Hmph!"


    Vermont tried to defend himself, "Darling, I''m just ying along with you because you like the idea of


    pension."


    Felicity red at him, "I like Keegan''s Bugatti too. Why don''t you buy me one?"


    "Baby, Bugatti is for those shy rich kids like Keegan to show off. How many times have you seen him


    drive it? That car looks nice, but it''s not practical at all. Imagine when we have kids in the future; what


    can we do with a two-seater? We can''t even bring our kids anywhere. After we get married, I''m going to


    buy a Prius for us to take the kids around, and you can use the Bentley as your working car. How does


    that sound?"


    "Won''t your employeesugh at you if you drive a Prius?


    You''re still a boss, after all." Felicity believed in Vermont''s sweet words and even began to worry that


    driving a Prius might affect his image at thepany.


    Vermont hugged her closer, chuckled, and said, ¡®They''ll only envy and be jealous of me."


    Ste sighed and thought to herself, ''If Keegan could speak like this, our baby would be going to


    preschool by now.''


    After drinking too much of tea and juice, Ste needed to use the restroom. So, she excused herself


    and walked away from the table.


    However, when she arrived at the restroom, she noticed a sign indicating that it was being cleaned.


    Coincidentally, a waiter passed by. Ste stopped him and asked, "Excuse me, is there another


    restroom on this floor?"


    The waiter replied, "There''s one upstairs that''s avable now. I can show you the way."


    Ste thanked him and followed him.


    Shortly after she left, someone removed the "Cleaning in Progress" sign.

 Chapter 1925

    Chapter 1925


    Chapter 1925


    After going upstairs, Ste caught a glimpse of Aurora''s figure shing across the walkway.


    Ste needed to use the restroom badly, so she did not care much about it.


    Meanwhile, Aurora held something and waited for a long time, but Dahlia was nowhere to be seen. She


    kept ncing at the time, feeling a little uneasy.


    ''Is Mom simply drawing me away because she wants to do something bad to Ste?


    Mrs. Chapman and Mom have a good rtionship. If Mom were to do anything at the wedding, Mrs.


    Chapman could help cover it up,'' Aurora thought to herself.


    She became restless upon thinking about that. She turned around, intending to leave. Just as she


    pulled the door open, Dahlia stood at the entrance, about toe in.


    Seeing Aurora wanting to leave, Dahlia paused and stared at Aurora. "Where are you going?" she


    asked.


    "Nowhere." Aurora took a step back and said in a low voice," Mom, you told me to be here, but you


    haven''te yourself.


    I thought you had something else to do, so I wanted to leave. IV


    She paused before adding, "Mom, is there anything I can help you with?"


    Dahlia sat down and gestured for her to do the same, "It''s nothing. I just want to ask, is there any


    progress with the n after you have lived in Royalpark Vi for so long?


    You''ve been adding something to Ste''s fruit vinegar, right? Does she have any reactions?"


    Aurora''s back stiffened as she clenched her fists nervously." Ste is very cautious. After she tasted


    something off with it, she immediately stopped drinking it. I''m still thinking of other ways," she said in a


    low voice.


    From Dahlia''s perspective, Aurora appeared calm and did not look nervous at all, as she would when


    lying to her.


    Although Dahlia''s anger red up inside, her expression remained nonchnt.


    After a moment of contemtion, she said, "Forget it. I was blinded by hatred before. The Kane family


    bloodline needs to be extended. Although I still hate Ste, it doesn''t change the fact that the baby in


    her belongs to Keegan. After all, he''s not young anymore; it won''t be easy for him to have another


    child. He doesn''t remember her anymore and might not even marry her if she gives birth to the baby.


    So, why should I risk my grandchild''s life?"


    Aurora paused, not knowing how to react. Then, she said after a brief pause, "Mom, I¡ªI s that really


    what you think?"


    Dahlia sighed. She reached out to fix Aurora''s hair and said gently, "Actually, I''ve been thinking about


    this for a while now. I was afraid you wouldn''t like the idea, so I didn''t tell you. After all, Keegan has got


    you locked up because of


    Ste, and that''s something I can''t get over, too. I''m worried that you might think I don''t care about your


    feelings. Aurora, you won''t hate me for this, right?"


    Aurora lowered her gaze as her eyshes trembled slightly," Mom, it has been so long, and I have


    almost forgotten about it now. Besides, I admit I went too far that time. I''m d nothing serious


    happened. Keegan didn''t do it solely for Ste. He has always loved me, and I''m pretty sure he felt very


    bad for doing that to me, too."


    Dahlia said in a gentle tone, "It''s great that you feel this way. I was so worried that you might hold a


    grudge, so I never dared to talk to you about it."


    "Mom, I thought many things through after what happened to Keegan. No matter how good he is to


    Ste, we''re still family. He values his friends very much and would do anything for them; imagine how


    he''d help his family. I''m just grateful that he got to return home safely. I don''t care about what happened


    before; I just want him to be safe and happy.


    I don''t want him to end up like Dad, existing only in my memories."


    Aurora''s eyes turned red as she spoke.


    Dahlia gently wiped her tears away with a tissue, "You''re right. Hatred clouded my judgment back then


    and almost caused you to do something irreversible. Thank God..."


    After chatting for a while more, Aurora suddenly remembered the bag Dahlia had asked her to bring up


    earlier.


    She handed it to Dahlia and asked, Mom, why did you ask me to bring you food? Are you hungry?"


    Dahlia told Aurora to bring her dessert when they were talking on the phone. Initially, Aurora had


    thought of bringing it on a te, but Dahlia insisted she asked a waiter to pack it.


    Aurora felt strange, so she asked Dahlia about it.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

 Chapter 1926

    Chapter 1926


    Chapter 1926


    Dahlia said gently, ¡¯The ceremony hasn''t started yet, and we''ve been here for quite some time now.


    Mrs. Chapman is getting hungry, and the food will only be servedter. It''s not nice to carry a te of


    food around in front of so many people. It might seem a little inappropriate."


    Aurora was unsure why Dahlia could not just ask a kitchen staff to do the same, but she did not


    question further as she was lost in her fantasy of a happy family. Instead, she said softly, "I specifically


    picked the desserts you like. Try them."


    Dahlia gently touched her face, "I have raised you right.


    You''re always so thoughtful."


    Aurora heaved a sigh of relief inwardly, ''I''m d that Mom finally thought this through.''


    Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed at the door. Dahlia paused, raised her head, and said,


    "Aurora, you should go back to the banquet hall. The ceremony will begin soon. I''m going to go speak


    to Mrs. Chapman for a while."


    "Okay, sure."


    When Aurora was about to leave, Dahlia stopped her and handed her a neatly packed bag before


    saying warmly," Would you take this bag of garbage and throw it away for me? Use the staircase on the


    west side. The bride will being from the east sideter, and there''ll be a lot of people."


    Aurora smiled, "Got it, Mom."


    After saying that, she took the bag and did as Dahlia said. She headed straight to the west side


    staircase and threw the bag into the trash can before going downstairs.


    When Keegan came back, he could not see Ste and Aurora anywhere and felt a little uneasy.


    He turned to ask Vermont, "Where are they?"


    Vermont and Felicity were busy calcting how much they should contribute to each other''s pension


    fund for the best return.


    Upon hearing Keegan''s voice, he lifted his head and said," The restroom. Aurora left not long after you


    did. Then, Ste walked away, too. Didn''t you run into them when you came out of the restroom?"


    Keegan frowned. Obviously, he had not.


    With a stern face, he took out his phone and dialed Ste''s number. He heard her phone ringing in her


    bag on the seat next to his.


    Ste did not bring her phone with her.


    Keegan pursed his lips, then called Aurora. However, before it was connected, she came back.


    He put his phone away and asked her after she sat back down, "Where did you go?"


    Aurora thought about the conversation she just had with Dahlia and lied, "I went to the restroom."


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    As she said that, she did not look Keegan in the eyes, and her hand subconsciously grabbed the hem


    of her dress as her thumb lightly stroked her finger. It was a small gesture she would make when lying.


    Keegan''s gaze turned cold. He asked in a deep voice, "Did you see Ste? She went to the restroom,


    too."


    Aurora''s gaze shifted as she stammered, "Y-Yeah, I did. She''ll be out in a moment."


    She had not gone to the restroom, so she naturally did not see Ste. But having told one lie, she had


    to continue with another to cover it up.


    Keegan could clearly sense her lie, causing his expression to turn even more unpleasant. Just as he


    was about to speak, a suddenmotion came from the door as someone shouted, "Someone fell in


    the staircase, and there''s blood everywhere!"

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    Chapter 1927


    Chapter 1927


    When Ste came out of the restroom, she turned her head to the spot where she had seen Aurora


    earlier. However, she did not see anyone there and proceeded to go back downstairs.


    Then, a loud noise, apanied by a woman''s scream, echoed in the staircase. The hotel staff on the


    floor paused.


    Then, he hurriedly rushed over and saw Ste covered in blood.


    When that person came in to tell everyone that someone had fallen, nobody knew who it was.


    However, Keegan''s face turned pale when he heard that blood was mentioned. He abruptly stood up


    and ran outside.


    Aurora''s expression changed, and she followed him out.


    Marshall watched Keegan lose hisposure as he tapped on his wine ss without showing any


    reaction.


    Felicity became very worried as well upon hearing that there was blood everywhere. With a pale face,


    she stammered," Stinky Cucumber, c-could it be... Ste¡ª"


    Before she could finish speaking, Vermont cut her off with a teasing smile, "The stairs aren''t that high.


    Even if someone falls, how could there be blood everywhere? I''m pretty sure that person was just


    exaggerating."


    "But-"


    "Ste is not that fragile. How could she bleed from just a fall? Besides, nobody knew who that was.


    How can you be so sure that it''s her?"


    Vermont interrupted her again, and Felicity finally calmed down. She almost slipped about Ste being


    pregnant the moment she panicked earlier.


    "Let''s go and have a look first. It sounds pretty scary."


    "Sure,e on."


    Vermont stood up, and Felicity left with him. After that, Carter and Lena followed suit.


    Ka looked at Marshall, "Are you not going to check it out?"


    Marshall replied gently, "It''s going to be so crowded. I doubt I''ll be able to see anything."


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    She looked at him and asked, "What if it''s someone you know?"


    Marshall lowered his gaze and said tly, "I''m in no ce to even care if it is."


    Ka pursed her lips tightly.


    Marshall, in his gentle moment, would treat everyone with kindness. But when his harsher mood struck,


    he could turn a blind eye even to those he cared.


    Suddenly, Ka remembered what her mother had told her a few days ago, "Ka, why don¡¯t you


    consider someone else? Although Marshall Moore looks like a decent guy, I heard some things about


    the Moore family.


    "Marshall had a girlfriend before, but his family disapproved of the rtionship. So, they did something


    to force them to break up. Marshall caused a big scene and even fell ill.


    When he was sick, he did not even want to see his parents. There''s a scar on his mother''s arm, and


    thedies said that he was the one who caused it."


    Ka found it somewhat unbelievable. She had seen Marshall speaking to Ariel on the phone, and he


    always spoke very gently, never talking back at her.


    However, she had noticed a faint scar on Marshall''s left palm. It was very shallow, though she noticed it


    cut through his life and love lines.


    When Vermont was studying Felicity¡¯s palm for her, Ka saw it when Marshall was looking at his


    palm.


    ''His palm lines... are bad,'' Ka thought to herself.


    Compared to the romantic feelings she had for Marshall, Ka was more curious about the secret he


    was hiding.


    Curiosity about a person often marked the beginning of attraction.


    Ka felt somewhat irritable. She stopped speaking to Marshall and went out on her own.


    Keegan pushed through the crowd and saw Ste sitting on the stairs.


    She was half-lying there with an extremely paleplexion, her face and hands covered in blood. Next


    to her was a scattered trash can.


    Keegan froze all over. He walked forward with his stiffened limbs and pushed aside the people standing


    in front of him.


    Ste saw him through the crowd and weakly called out," Keegan."


    His face turned even paler as he squatted down and looked at her with a distressed expression. His


    hands were trembling; he had no idea where to ce them.


    "Keegan..." Ste called out softly, extending her bloodied hand to grab Keegan.


    Keegan''s heart trembled as his eyes turned red. He carefully supported her upper body up and said in


    an extremely hoarse voice, "I''ll take you to the hospital now."


    However, Ste grabbed his hand and whispered, "Keegan, someone spilled oil on the stairs. It wasn''t


    an ident..."


    Keegan paused and shifted his gaze to the steps in front of him. Indeed, each step was covered with a


    layer of oil.


    Olivia had been renovating the hotel and was nning only to carpet the stairs after her daughter''s


    wedding. So, the steps were exposed, and someone took advantage of it.


    Keegan sounded very worried as he spoke, ''TH get someone to call the police. Let''s go to the hospital


    first."


    Ste looked frightened, with blood on her hands, clothes, and face.


    The stairs were not high, so Keegan could not figure out why she would bleed so heavily.


    She stopped him from carrying her up and said, "Lena can take care of me. I want you to stay here and


    find out who did this."


    Keegan paused and looked at her in disbelief.


    Ste leaned on his shoulder and spoke very softly, "Keegan, trust me. The baby and I are fine, but


    you''ve got to find out who''s trying to harm me. I need to know that. If you can''t do this, I''ll make sure


    the baby has absolutely no connection with the Kane family. I mean what I say."


    Keegan looked at her with an ashen face.


    It was not because he heard Ste''s threat but because someone tried to harm her and his child right


    under his nose.


    How could she be fine when she was covered in blood?


    Keegan did not listen to her and was about to take her away.


    However, Ste pressed his arm down forcefully, raised her other hand, and touched his lips with her


    bloodied thumb." Keegan, trust me," she said word by word.


    Keegan was stunned and realized the liquid on his lips did not have the smell of blood at all. He


    thought he had lost his sense of smell, so he licked his lips to taste it.


    It tasted like a mixture of fruit and honey.


    Then, he looked at Ste, dumbfounded.


    Ste quickly pushed his face, fearing that the others would see his foolish expression.


    More and more people gathered around, including the guests from the wedding, the hotel staff, and her


    close friends.


    Felicity, who had hoped that it was someone else who fell, panicked right after seeing Ste covered in


    blood in Keegan''s arms.


    Ste! Are you okay? How did you fall?"

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    Chapter 1928


    Chapter 1928


    The manager was also shocked and quickly asked the on- duty staff about what had happened.


    However, none of them had a clue.


    Keegan told Olivia to prepare a room and had Lena take Ste inside to check on her.


    Dahlia was not surprised to see what happened at all.


    They had been hiding the news of Ste''s pregnancy from the public. It was very unlikely that they


    would disclose it at a time like this.


    However, Dahlia figured that the baby in Ste''s belly had no chance of making it, given how much


    blood she had lost.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Dahlia felt very happy upon thinking about that.


    Then, she stepped forward and spoke in a gentle tone," Keegan, it''s Mrs. Chapman''s daughter''s big


    day and the ceremony will begin soon. Ste looks fine. Someone probably identally dropped an oil


    bottle, covering the stairs with oil. We should put this aside and investigate itter. Let''s not dy the


    ceremony because of this."


    Felicity could not hold back her temper upon hearing that," Are you hearing yourself? Are you sure she


    looks fine? If someone did identally drop an oil bottle, the oil should be all over the ce. Look at


    this; this is clearly smeared on purpose, and it''s so even, too! Someone must''ve done this!"


    Dahlia nced at Felicity and said, "Who would deliberately smear oil on the stairs for no reason?


    There are so many people going up and down the stairs, but why is she the only one who fell? Today is


    a big day for the newlyweds. Who will take responsibility if the ceremony is dyed because of this?"


    Felicity stomped her foot in anger, "You''re the one who did this, aren''t you? This is why you don''t want


    Keegan to investigate it and keep trying to brush it off!"


    Dahlia''s expression darkened, "Watch your words! Get lost if you''re simply trying to stir things up!"


    Vermont grabbed the agitated Felicity and smiled, "Ms. Crosby, you went a little too far with your words.


    We were invited here to attend the wedding of Mrs. Chapman''s daughter. We brought wedding gifts,


    and we''re here to give the couple our blessings. What right do you have to tell us to get lost?"


    With a cold expression, Dahlia retorted, "Vermont, you used to be so polite when speaking to your


    elders. After getting together with such an uneducated woman, you became rude. Look at how you''ve


    degraded. If your parents saw you like this, they would be heartbroken!"


    Vermont chuckled, "Ms. Crosby, I was only polite to you because of Mrs. Kane Sr. and Keegan. You


    were a part of the Kane family back then, and I had to show some respect to you. Now that you''re no


    longer a part of them, why should


    I still treat you politely? I don''t know anyone from the Crosby family anyway, so you''d better not judge


    me as if you are


    someone to me. To be honest, although my elders could be unlikeable, they''re not shameless.¡±


    Dahlia paused as her expression turned extremely unpleasant, "Who are you calling shameless?"


    Vermont shrugged, looking innocent, "I don''t think I''m calling anyone shameless."


    "You-"


    "Enough!" Keegan interrupted them with a stern face.


    Even though Dahlia was still very angry, she quickly calmed down upon thinking that her n had


    seeded. After organizing the words in her head, Dahlia was about to say something, but Keegan


    beat her to it.


    "Mrs. Chapman, this incident happened in your hotel. I demand an exnation on whether it''s an


    ident or intentional. Otherwise, I''ll get the police involved."


    Although Dahlia was very confident in her n, she still could not help but feel a little nervous. She


    then looked at Olivia, who gave her a reassuring nce.


    "We take full responsibility for what happened. I''ve instructed the manager to retrieve the surveince


    footage. Everyone here can watch itter. If it turns out that the incident happened because of our


    negligence, I''ll be sure to apologize andpensate Ms. Hall ordingly."


    After a while, the manager came back with a copy of the footage.

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    Chapter 1929


    After that, Olivia brought everyone to a smaller banquet hall downstairs and used the projection


    equipment to show them the surveince footage.


    The cameras were installed near the staircase. At the beginning of the footage, it captured a few


    people walking by, but none approached that side of the staircase. It was not until over half an hour


    later that Aurora came out of the main banquet hall and entered the staircase carrying a bag.


    Then, the footage switched to the entrance of the staircase on the floor above, where Aurora came out


    from inside.


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    From the time mark, it was evident that Aurora stayed on the staircase for about ten minutes.


    It was simply too suspicious.


    Everyone began to shift their gaze to Aurora.


    Aurora''s face was pale, thinking about the identical bag Dahlia had given her before leaving. Then, she


    turned her head and stared at Dahlia.


    However, Dahlia did not look at her. Instead, she was just watching the footage with a frown, seemingly


    as nervous as everyone else watching the video.


    Aftering out of the staircase, Aurora went into a room. However, she came back out again after a


    while.


    She still held the same bag. However, instead of taking the same staircase down, she went down the


    other side.


    Right after that, Ste exited the restroom and took the stairs that Aurora used toe upstairs. A few


    momentster, a loud noise echoed from the surveince, apanied by a woman''s scream.


    After the footage ended, everyone''s gaze was fixated on Aurora.


    Her face turned even paler. When she met Keegan''s scrutinizing look, she said anxiously, "Keegan, it


    wasn''t me. I swear. I''d never do anything like this..."


    With a stern face, Keegan asked in a low voice, "Then what were you doing on the staircase for so


    long?"


    "I was waiting for someone," Aurora stammered. "Mom said that she had something to tell me and


    asked me to wait on the staircase, so I did. But she didn¡¯te for a long time, so I called her, and she


    told me to go into that room."


    "What about the bag you were holding? What was inside? Why did you throw it right after you came out


    of the room?"


    "That was the pastry Mom asked me to bring for her. She said that Mrs. Chapman was taking too long


    with her makeup, and she got hungry. So, I went up to give her some food. The bag I threw away was


    the garbage Mom asked me to take out from the room."


    "Garbage?" Olivia chuckled, took something handed over by the manager, and tossed it on the floor. "Is


    this the garbage?"


    A bottle of Tung Oil rolled out from the same bag Aurora had thrown in the bin earlier.


    Aurora was terrified, "This is not mine."


    Felicity eximed angrily, "Aurora Kane, you heartless creature! I knew you were up to no good! Ste


    has been so nice to you and even made delicious food for you, yet you still want to harm her! Do you


    even believe in the lies you''re spinning? Mrs. Chapman''s family owns this hotel. If she wanted


    something to eat, why wouldn''t she ask the kitchen staff to bring it? Why would she need you to bring it


    upstairs? And why use a bag? Is a te too heavy for you?"


    With red eyes, Aurora looked at Dahlia, "Mom, say something. You were the one who asked me to


    bring the pastries upstairs. You told me to use a bag..."


    Dahlia looked incredulous as she asked in a dejected tone," Aurora, how could you do such a thing?"

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    Chapter 1930


    Aurora froze in ce.


    She looked at Dahlia with both shocked and fearful eyes and stuttered, "M-Mom, wh-what are you


    saying?"


    Dahlia put on a heartbroken expression on her face, "I know that you don''t like Ste. You''d always tell


    me about it, but I thought you were just ranting. I never thought that you''d actually do something like


    this at Mrs. Chapman''s daughter''s wedding. I''ve spoiled you too much, and you have no sense of right


    or wrong! You''d better hope that nothing bad happened to Ste, or the entire Kane family will never


    forgive you for what you did!"


    With her still pale face, Aurora stared nkly at Dahlia. Every word she uttered felt like a cold knife


    stabbing her in her heart.


    Compared to the suspicious and disdainful look of the outsiders, Aurora was more troubled by Dahlia''s


    attitude.


    Just moments ago, she had said that she would not target Ste anymore for the sake of her


    grandchild and wanted them to live happily as a family. But now, she became the first to direct the


    me on Aurora without any clear evidence after Ste fell.


    It was only then that Aurora realized Dahlia had never given up on getting rid of Ste''s child. Dahlia


    had shifted the me for Ste''s "miscarriage" onto her.


    However, she could not understand why her mother would do something like this.


    It seemed like Dahlia was not just ruthless in getting rid of her grandchild without a second thought, but


    she could also heartlessly set her daughter up to serve her motives.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    "It seems like she hasn''t learned anything after being locked up."


    "The heiress of the Kane family has always been arrogant and a bully. She never cares about what''s


    right or wrong. She does whatever she pleases, and no matter what, the Kane family will always cover


    for her."


    "Things are different now. Ste was a part of the Jewell family that wasn''t respected by many, so


    Aurora could mistreat her however she wanted. However, Ste has returned to the Hall family and has


    no connection with the Kane family anymore. She''s even staying in the Kane residence to help Keegan


    recover his memory out of kindness. How could Aurora try to harm her at a time like this? She has no


    conscience at all. What she did waspletely ungrateful and heartless!"


    "Did she lock Ste in the restroom during the charity banquet? She nearly caused Jaylene''s death,


    too. It seems like she''ll never change."


    The onlookers criticized Aurora, suggesting that she had a malicious and arrogant nature.


    Aurora''s shoulders trembled slightly as she shouted at them with her eyes red, "It wasn¡¯t me who did


    it!"


    The crowd stopped talking for a moment but quickly resumed.


    Dahlia said disappointedly, "Aurora, if you made a mistake, you should admit it. If that bottle of Tung Oil


    hadn''t rolled out of the bag, I also wouldn''t have thought that you were the one who did it. When you


    told me about your n on the phone earlier, I didn''t know that you meant it. I can''t believe that you


    actually did it. How do you expect Keegan to face Uncle Wenham in the future after what you''ve


    done?"


    Felicity immediately chimed in upon hearing that, "What did she tell you on the phone? You knew about


    this, huh? Are you the mastermind behind this?"


    Dahlia ignored her, "I''ve been too lenient with you before, and that''s why you''ve be so


    uncontroble. Otherwise, nothing like this would''ve ever happened. This is all my fault. ¡ö


    With that, she took her phone and yed an audio recording.


    Soon, Aurora''s voice came through.


    "Who does she think she is? Does she think everything has to go her way?


    "Yeah, Ste still thinks that Keegan is the same man who would always put her first. He doesn''t even


    remember her, and I bet even her presence annoys him.


    "I''m at home too, pouring some oil on the floor. She''s going to slip and fall when shees downstairs


    later..."

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    Chapter 1931


    Aurora''s arrogant and domineering voice came through from Dahlia¡¯s phone. When everyone heard her


    mentioning the oil, the truth suddenly became clear.


    The crowd assumed Aurora did not like Ste and could not stand her presence at the Royalpark Vi.


    She had wanted to teach Ste a lesson for a long time but had been unable to do so at home, so she


    chose to do it during Ms.


    Chapman''s wedding.


    Everyone thought that Aurora''s intentions were malicious.


    After listening to the audio recording, Aurora''s face could not have been any paler.


    She looked at Dahlia, and her eyes turned from shock to indifference.


    Keegan''s expression was very gloomy as he stared at Aurora. He clenched his fists tightly, and his


    gaze looked somewhat indescribable.


    Aurora felt a pang in her heart as tears streamed down her face. "Keegan, do you also not believe


    me?" she asked in a hoarse voice.


    Keegan shifted his gaze to Olivia, "Mrs. Chapman, why don''t you show us the full footage? If Aurora


    was the one who did it, Ste should''ve noticed the oil on the steps when she went upstairs since


    Aurora went up before her. However, Ste fell when she was going down the same stairs. Were there


    any other people passing through the staircase during this time? The most crucial part of the evidence


    is missing from the surveince you provided."


    Dahlia began to look somewhat worried.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    There was a w in her n. She initially thought that Ste getting injured would throw Keegan off


    bnce and immediately hold Aurora ountable after watching a part of the surveince footage.


    She had not expected that Keegan would still be so calm to analyze the whole situation.


    Aurora was surprised, too. She could not believe that Keegan would still trust her as she stood there


    nkly.


    Olivia spoke calmly upon hearing that, "The staircase is currently under renovation and the surveince


    there isn''t connected to the power. So, we can only check the cameras in the hallway. I already showed


    everyone the crucial parts."


    As Dahlia heaved a sigh of relief, the screen automatically yed again.


    The footage, which was cut off before, continued with the part showing the moments before Ste went


    upstairs.


    She went to the restroom upstairs because the one she wanted to use was being cleaned.


    So, she had a waiter guide her upstairs. Shortly after she left, someone took away the cleaning sign in


    front of the restroom downstairs.


    That person was wearing a light blue dress identical to the one Dahlia was wearing.


    After taking the sign away, she also went to the staircase. She stayed there for a while and then came


    out from upstairs.


    The crowd looked at Dahlia, whose expression slightly changed.


    Vermont smirked, "Dahlia, since when are you responsible for cleaning the hotel restroom?"


    Dahlia''s face turned pale, embarrassed, "Don''t talk nonsense! I was just passing by!"


    "You were passing by, but you took away the cleaning sign?" Felicity suddenly came to a realization. "I


    get it now. You were the one who smeared the oil and med it on your daughter. Damn, I''ve never


    seen anything so shocking in my whole life! Aurora is your daughter, yet you have the heart to set her


    up like this. Everyone''s scolding her like this, yet you don''t seem to care at all!"


    "It wasn¡¯t me!" Dahlia retorted. "I was just passing by. Aurora said she needed to talk to me, so I went


    upstairs to find her."


    Vermont looked at Dahlia, then at Aurora, "Aurora also said that she went upstairs to find you. So,


    which one of you is lying?"

 Chapter 1932

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    Chapter 1932


    Aurora pursed her lips without saying anything. When Dahlia presented those framed pieces of


    evidence to set her up, she had already lost the ability to defend herself.


    Keegan stared at Dahlia for a moment and calmly said," Let''s just call the police."


    Dahlia''s expression changed as she grabbed his sleeve," Today is Mrs. Chapman''s daughter''s big day.


    Ste is fine anyway. Do you really have to spoil someone else''s celebration?"


    Keegan slowly pushed her hand away and said coldly, "What are you so afraid of?"


    Dahlia''s lips trembled. Then, she yelled, "I''m not afraid of anything! I didn''t do anything wrong at all! I


    just don''t want you to spoil Ms. Chapman''s wedding. I''m sure you''re aware of how influential the Adam


    family is. If you were to mess up the wedding tonight, they''d undoubtedly hold the Kane family


    ountable!"


    That was also the reason why Dahlia dared to take action at this wedding and act recklessly.


    She had it all nned out. Considering a family background like the Adams and how Vinci Rivera was


    nning tounch a new product soon, she figured Keegan would not be foolish enough to cross the


    Adam family for Ste.


    Bloodshot veins appeared in Keegan''s eyes as he clenched


    his jaw tightly. The muscles on his cheeks quivered slightly due to anger, and he spoke in an extremely


    cold tone, "Do you think I''m afraid of the Adam family?"


    Dahlia froze, and her face turned pale again.


    At this moment, Keegan made her feel somewhat uneasy. His eyes were filled with hatred, just like the


    time before he lost his memory and found out that she had drugged Ste to make her infertile.


    Suddenly, Dahlia''s throat felt dry.


    She started to lose confidence in her n.


    She was scared.


    Although Keegan valued his family very much, Dahlia had forgotten that the person she intended to


    harm was his baby, someone connected to him by flesh and blood.


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Considering how big of a family man he was, he would never let it slip if anything were to happen to his


    child.


    He did not hesitate to challenge the Crosby family when Dahlia drugged Ste. He was no longer the


    little boy who would do something against his own will just because of a few words from her.


    Overwhelmed by fear, Dahlia looked helplessly at Erick, who had juste over upon hearing the


    commotion.


    Erick cleared his throat and tried to mediate the situation, ¡± Mr. Kane, your mother was the person who


    matched the couple up. She''s our VIP tonight. She cares so much about her friends, and it''s just


    impossible that she would do


    something to harm her family. I''m sure that there''s some misunderstanding in this.


    "However, regardless of who did it, Ms. Hall was harmed on our property, so we''ll take full responsibility


    for the situation. How about this? Let me arrange for a few staff to apany you to the hospital, and


    well pay for all the expenses. As for the rest, would you do me a favor and put it aside for now until the


    ceremony is over?"


    Olivia scoffed, leaving Erick momentarily stunned. However, her expression remained indifferent when


    he looked over as if he had misheard the disdainful snort.


    Felicity widened her gaze, ''It turns out that Dahlia is the one who brought such a mess into the


    Chapman family!


    ''Damn. Dahlia introduced someone terrible to Mrs.


    Chapman''s daughter, yet she still defends her. Has Mrs.


    Chapman lost her mind?''


    Keegan swept his nce across Erick emotionlessly and said, "Mr. Chapman, you should keep


    yourself out of this and keep your own family in check first."


    Erick''s expression stiffened. Suddenly, he remembered his illegitimate son.


    ''Is Keegan warning me or something?


    ''But he had lost his memory of everything that had happened in the past few years, didn''t he?''


    Erick felt guilty and did not dare respond to what Keegan said. Instead, he turned to Olivia and


    suggested, "Why don''t you go and speak to Ms. Hall? Didn''t you help her when the Hall family


    organized the banquet to wee her back? Ask her to do us a favor, and let''s solve this after the


    wedding."


    Olivia replied tly, "Didn''t you see the state Ms. Hall was in earlier? She was covered in blood. How


    can I convince her not to pursue the matter? I''m not that shameless."

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    Chapter 1933


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Erick was taken aback, not knowing why his ever-obedient wife would speak against him today.


    He lowered his voice and said, "I understand, but it''s a big day for our family. We can''t afford to let


    anything go wrong. The Adam family takes this wedding very seriously. After today, our daughter will


    not only have us but also the Adam family as her support. You''ve always been good with words.


    I know you can do it."


    He paused before continuing, "I''ve worked hard all these years for you and our daughters. The Adam


    family can help me take my career to another level. We''re on the verge of turning our lives around.


    Let''s not mess things up at such a crucial time."


    Olivia scoffed inwardly, ''He''s been making empty promises for so many years. I feel like throwing up


    just by listening to his voice now.''


    She held back her surging anger, lowered her gaze, and said softly, ''Til give it a try then."


    However, before Olivia could go anywhere, Lena came out of the room. She said, "Ste is fine for


    now. She said today is a big day for the Chapman family, and she''s willing to wait until the ceremony is


    over before finding out the truth."


    Lena''s words took everyone by surprise.


    ''She bled so heavily, yet she''s okay with not finding out the culprit right away?''


    Dahlia found it unbelievable. But then she thought about how Ste would only pick on people weaker


    than her and figured that she probably backed down after learning about the Adam family''s


    background.


    Felicity was dumbfounded, "Did Ste damage her brain from the fall?"


    ''This is such a perfect opportunity to deal with Dahlia. Why would she let it slip away?'' Felicity thought


    to herself.


    She immediately caught up with Lena, "Ste has bled so much; is she really okay? Shouldn''t we take


    her to the hospital?"


    Lena replied tly, "She''s fine for now. I''ve contacted the hospital, and the ambnce will be here


    shortly."


    When Felicity was about to say something more, she heard Lena adding, "You cane inside to


    check on her if you''re worried."


    Felicity turned to Keegan, "Keegan Kane, didn''t you see how badly injured Ste was? Say


    something!"


    Keegan looked at the now calm Dahlia, clenched his fists, and said, "We''ll talk about it after the


    wedding."


    He had no idea why that vengeful woman would suddenly change her strategy, but since she had Lena


    deliver the message, she must have had her reason. Ste was the injured one, so Keegan figured that


    he should follow her n.


    Felicity got so angry that she stomped her foot on the floor," You''re not nning to stand on your


    mother''s side, are you? If you''re not going to do anything about this today, I''ll be sure to turn your


    mother and sister¡¯s life miserable!"


    Vermont wrapped his arm around her waist, "Okay, okay. Let''s go and check on your best friend first,"


    he said while ncing at Dahlia. "The surveince footage is right here. The culprit will eventually be


    revealed."


    Dahlia red at him with an unpleasant expression.


    The ceremony was about to start, so the crowd dispersed and returned to the main banquet hall one


    after another.


    Aurora stood in ce until everyone else left. When Dahlia was about to turn around, she called out,


    "Mom."


    Dahlia froze and then looked at her with cold eyes.


    Aurora''s lips trembled as she spoke in a hoarse voice," Mom, why?"


    Dahlia remained expressionless, "Why what?"


    Aurora''s eyes turned red, "Didn''t you say that you wouldn''t do anything to Ste anymore? Didn''t you


    want us to live like a happy family? Why did you lie to me?"

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    Chapter 1934


    "I lied to you?¡±


    Dahlia sneered and walked over to Aurora. When she stood in front of her, she suddenly raised her


    hand and pped Aurora across the face.


    She pped her so hard that it left her ear buzzing for a moment and made her face feel numb.


    Aurora lifted her head and looked at Dahlia in disbelief, ¡¯ Mom, why?¡±


    With a stern face, Dahlia spoke in a sharp voice, "Don''t call me Mom! Aurora Kane, who exactly are


    you trying to fool?!


    "Did Ste really argue with Keegan? Does Keegan really hate her? Did you really put something in the


    fruit vinegar she drank? I trusted you so much, but all you do is lie to me! Has that foxy woman


    enchanted you as well?"


    Aurora''s face turned pale, "Mom, that''s Keegan''s baby, your grandchild. Why do you want it to die so


    badly? Is it really this difficult for you to let go of your hatred for Ste?"


    "Is that why you chose to betray me?" Dahlia''s expression turned grim, "Do you think that Ste will let


    you go if you stop acting against her? Do you honestly think that they''ll forget about everything you did


    before just because you did something good for once? Open your eyes and take a look; I was just


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    pretending, yet your brother, Ste, and everyone else suspected you first without any evidence."


    Aurora looked at the person in front of her and suddenly felt like she had never really known her for the


    past twenty years.


    Although Cordelia told Aurora to stay with her after she was released from being locked up, her


    rtionship with Dahlia remained as good as ever. No matter what Dahlia was like to others, she


    showed Aurora unconditional love and gave the best of everything since she was young.


    After Quentin passed away, Aurora and Keegan were separated from each other. So, she would


    always put Dahlia first before Keegan.


    Dahlia has not liked Ste from the moment she entered the family. Aurora knew that Dahlia had


    always wanted Keegan to marry a socialite from an influential family to aid him in taking over Vinci


    Rivera.


    However, that was something Ste could not provide him with. Therefore, Dahlia hated Ste, and so


    did she. She could never figure out why Keegan, being as excellent as he was, would choose to be


    with someone like Ste.


    That was why she tricked Ste into entering Jackson''s room. She intended to y a y and scare


    her.


    However, she became frightened when she saw Jackson returning to his room. At that moment, she


    did not know whether she was afraid of Ste getting in trouble or if she was afraid of getting into


    trouble herself. So, she went and told Dahlia about it.


    But Dahlia said that everything was fine because Jackson would not cross the line.


    It was not until Ste hurt Jackson and ran out of the room that she realized it was not fine at all.


    Ste was furious and wanted to tell Cordelia about it.


    However, Dahlia used the reputation of the Kane family as a reason to stop her from exposing the


    incident.


    At that time, Aurora felt lucky that her mother helped her cover it up. Otherwise, if Keegan and Cordelia


    found out, she would have been in serious trouble.


    That was also probably the reason why she became even more reckless in her actions.


    Sometimes, Dahlia would sigh and say that if Keegan had followed her arrangements and married


    someone from another wealthy family, he would not have been suppressed by Chandler in the


    After Ste got married to Keegan, Aurora often bullied her behind his back. Although Ste would


    stand up for herself asionally, she would mostly keep quiet for Keegan''s sake. However, no matter


    right or wrong, Dahlia always sided with her, making her feel more and more that she was in the right.


    Indeed, if it were not for marrying Ste, Keegan would have long be the sessor of Vinci


    Rivera. Instead, he had to struggle so hard in thepany for so many years, constantly oppressed by


    Chandler.


    Aurora had always thought that Dahlia disliked Ste because she felt like Ste had been an obstacle


    to


    Keegan''s sess.

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    But now, Ste was already a part of the Saun family and even carried Keegan''s baby in her stomach.


    Yet, Dahlia still could not ept her.


    Suddenly, Aurora realized that it was not Ste that she could not ept, but anyone who threatened


    her from enjoying wealth and luxury.


    She should have known this when Dahlia was so eager to obtain Keegan''s wealth after he fell into the


    water.


    Blood and family ties apparently meant nothing to Dahliapared to a luxurious life in the future.


    Suddenly, she thought of when Dahlia insisted on raising her back then. Was that because she truly


    could not bear to part with her, or was it just a convenient way for her to extract money from the Kane


    family?


    If Dahlia genuinely loved her, why would she do such a heartless thing and falsely use her?


    Aurora could not figure it out and felt her heart being torn apart.


    Then, she said in a trembling voice, "Mom, we''re family. Is it necessary for you to go this far? You know


    that Keegan is not as heartless as he seems. He won''t abandon you¡ª"


    Dahlia cut her off harshly, "Keegan won''t, but Ste will! I''ve been drugging her for so long. How could


    she ever forgive


    me? My life will be over if she marries Keegan again!"


    Aurora was taken aback, "Drug? Wasn''t that prescribed to her by a medical practitioner to nourish¡ª"


    She widened her gaze as she spoke, "To nourish her health?"


    Dahlia stared at her coldly.


    Aurora finally understood why Keegan kicked Dahlia out of the Kane family without giving anyone an


    exnation. It was all because of this!


    Upon realizing that, Aurora also knew why Dahlia was so determined to get rid of Ste''s baby. How


    could Ste ever let her stay in the Kane family after what she had done to her? Now that Keegan had


    lost his memories and did not remember Ste anymore, it served as a perfect opportunity for Dahlia to


    act against her.


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    If the baby were to die because of someone from the Kane family, Ste would never want to marry


    Keegan ever again.


    That was why Dahlia framed Aurora. Firstly, it was to retaliate against her betrayal. Secondly, with Mrs.


    Chapman defending her, she would be able topletely keep herself out of it while continuing to


    enjoy the privileges as one of the Kanes.


    Aurora felt chill all over.


    She could not ept the fact that her mother was someone so selfish, ruthless, and despicable.


    Dahlia spoke indifferently, "Don''t me me for what I did. I''m doing all this for our future. You don''t


    know anything. If we don''t secure as much wealth as we can, how will your husband and his family


    treat you with respect after you get married? Because of my weak family background, your


    grandmother had never truly epted me.


    "After all the bad things you did to Ste, do you think she¡¯ll ever forgive you? If Keegan married her,


    would he still care about you after you married into your husband''s family?"


    Dahlia said those words as if she were right, but everything sounded absurd to Aurora.


    Especially the part where she said, "You don''t know anything, n


    It turned out that she was just someone who did not know anything. Dahliapletely ignored her


    progress at Vinci Rivera. To her, a woman''s value was defined by marrying a man with power and


    influence.


    When Aldor asked her why she wanted to work in Vinci Rivera, she imed it would make her look


    more presentable to her future husband. She finally understood why Aldor looked at her in disbelief and


    ridiculed her.

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    Chapter 1936


    However, Dahlia was the only reason why Aurora would have such a mindset.


    Dahlia imed that she did everything for her.


    However, Aurora knew that parents who loved their children would consider their future in whatever


    they did.


    Dahlia only thought about helping Keegan find an equally wealthy woman to help him in his career, but


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    she failed to consider that the benefits tied to marriage could easily be torn down with a divorce. If that


    happened, everything that Keegan had achieved because of the marriage would disappear overnight.


    Dahlia imed that she wanted to umte more wealth so that her future husband''s family would


    treat her with respect. But if someone married her for the sake of money, how could he truly love her?


    Dahlia had never seriously thought about the future of her children; she had only thought about her


    own.


    Aurora took a deep breath and asked in a hoarse voice, "Did you really do everything for me? Are you


    sure it''s not because you want to continue enjoying the privilege you get as a part of the Kane family, to


    indulge yourself in wealth and pride?"


    "How dare you!" Dahlia''s expression changed, and she pped Aurora again. "Aurora Kane, I''ve spent


    so much


    money raising you, but even a dog is more loyal than you! You''ve lost your money. How could you work


    with Ste to deceive me? I should''ve spent my effort and time raising a dog instead!


    "Do whatever you want. Let''s see if anyone would take you seriously without me," She paused


    momentarily and


    sneered, "Do you think they''ll appreciate what you''ve done? If they ever found out that you tricked


    Ste into entering Jackson''s room, even if Ste forgives you, the Saun family will never let it slide!"


    After saying those words, she turned around and walked away.


    Tears streamed down Aurora''s face. She reached out to wipe them, but they just would not stop


    flowing. Eventually, she could not help but squat down and sob.


    Keegan leaned against the door outside and felt bitter upon listening to the crying inside.


    Then, he took out his phone and sent a text message to Aldor: [Come pick up your girlfriend.]


    Aldor was confused. [Mr. Kane, may I know who you are referring to?]


    [My sister.]


    Aldor pursed his lips. [We''ve only gone out three times.


    We''re not dating yet.]


    [Are youing or not?]


    Aldor was speechless. [Mr. Kane, please send me the


    address.]


    Then, Keegan immediately forwarded him his location.


    Aldor stood up, went to his room, and got changed.


    After that, he bumped into Sylvia, who wasing out of the kitchen. When she saw him going to put


    on his shoes, she asked, "Aldor, are you working overtime?"


    "Nope," Aldor said while putting on his shoes. "I''m going to pick up Ms. Kane."


    Sylvia was surprised, "Did she ask you to go out with her?"


    "Not really." Aldor did not know how to exin the situation, so he said, ¡¯ Perhaps the driver had a day


    off."


    "Wait for a second," Sylvia said and hurriedly went back into the kitchen. After a short while, she came


    back out with some sandwiches. She packed them up while saying to Aldor, "Last time we ate together,


    I noticed that Aurora ate a lot of egg sandwiches. I happened to make some today. Take some for her


    and see if she likes them. If she does, I''ll make more for her."


    Aldor was taken aback. Looking at his busy mother, he said," Mom, it''s fine. I''m going to pick her up.


    It''s already sote; she must have already eaten."


    He intended to say that Aurora was born in the Kane family, where she enjoyed the best of everything.


    She probably would not appreciate some egg sandwiches. He did not want Sylvia''s effort to go to


    waste.


    "If she has eaten, just ask her to take it back home then. I''ve tried it, and it tastes almost the same as


    the ones we had at the Kane residence. It may not look as fancy, but I''ll get better. Our family isn''t as


    wealthy as hers. If you two get married, although we may not be able to offer her as much as her family


    can, we have to make sure that she eats well and doesn''t feel neglected."

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    Aldor did not say anything in response.


    Aurora was good-looking, had an outstanding family background, and was several years younger than


    Aldor. Sylvia felt both happy and worried that Cordelia tried to pair her up with his son, so she was very


    afraid of neglecting her.


    "Mom, do you like Aurora?" Aldor asked.


    Sylvia chuckled. "Why are you asking me? That''s a question you should ask yourself. I''ll like her as


    long as you do. After all, I''ve only met her once and barely know her as a person. However, I believe in


    your judgment and as long as you like her, I''ll treat her like my own daughter."


    Aldor smiled and hugged Sylvia. "I''ll try to get along with her but don''t set your hopes too high. After all,


    there''s a huge difference in our family background, and things might not work out between us."


    Sylvia patted his back and handed him the sandwiches. " Drive safely."


    "Sure."


    Felicity and Vermont went into the room together.


    After that, they saw Ste sitting on the couch eating fruits. Felicity immediately turned to leave and


    said, "I must be hallucinating. I saw Ste eating fruits with blood all over her."


    Vermont grabbed her and said, "You''re not. I''m seeing the same thing."


    Felicity turned around and widened her eyes. "Are you not worried about yourself? Why do you still


    have the mood to eat at a time like this?"


    Ste sighed. "I''m just really hungry. I can''t resist."


    Felicity asked, "Does a person get hungry from losing too much blood?"


    Ste was speechless.


    Vermont picked up a bloody bag from the trash can and said, "Ste, don''t you think you''ve filled too


    much blood in this bag? It looks like you had a major artery rupture."


    Felicity was confused.


    Ste felt slightly embarrassed. "I made it myself, and I didn''t know how it works. I only wanted to


    squeeze a little out of it, but the bag burst and all the blood gushed out.


    Fortunately, I was able to fool everyone else with my acting skills."


    "Tsk," Vermont clicked his tongue. Then, he said, "I didn''t pay much attention to your acting, but that


    pool of blood certainly frightened Aurora."


    Felicity finally realized what was happening. "The blood is fake?"


    Vermont wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Of course, it''s fake. Anyone would have fainted after


    losing so much blood. Besides, did you smell any blood out there just now?"


    Indeed, Felicity did not smell any blood. However, Ste knocked over a trash can nearby when she


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    fell, and the used toilet air freshener inside emitted a strong scent around the stairwell. So, she did not


    notice anything unusual.


    Just like her, everyone else at the scene was too shocked by the blood all over Ste, and none of


    them thought that it was fake.


    "So, did you fall or not, Ste?"


    Ste''s gaze turned cold. "If I did, I wouldn''t be here anymore."


    When Aurora acted strangely after knowing that she was going to attend this wedding, Ste sensed


    that something bad would happen, and Dahlia would undoubtedly be the reason why.


    Ste had overheard the conversation between Aurora and Dahlia on the phone previously. Dahlia


    wanted Aurora to stay in Royalpark Vi so that Aurora could get rid of Ste''s baby. However, Ste


    figured that Dahlia probably had not expected that Aurora would switch sides at thest minute. Or,


    perhaps Dahlia was getting impatient after not getting any updates from Aurora, which led her to make


    a move at Mrs. Chapman''s daughter''s wedding.

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    Chapter 1938


    Although Aurora might have switched sides, Dahlia was still her mother, and Ste figured that she


    would not expose Dahlia to her.


    Since Aurora would not tell her anything, Ste had to figure it out herself.


    If Dahlia wanted to get rid of her baby, there were only a few methods; through drugs or causing her to


    fall.


    She could defend herself against the first method as long as she kept an eye on everything she


    consumed.


    Besides, after how Dahlia so carelessly left evidence behind after drugging her previously, it was very


    unlikely that she would resort to the same method again.


    That was why beforeing to the wedding, Ste wore the anti-fall gear and even hid a blood bag


    inside.


    Ste nned to let Dahlia be if she did not do anything tonight. But, if she did try something, Ste


    would still expose her schemes even though Dahlia''s n did not work out sessfully.


    After what Olivia did in front of Dahlia back in the dressing room, she figured that Olivia had probably


    sensed something and pretended to not have a good rtionship with her. This was all to make Dahlia


    lower her guard.


    Sure enough, when Ste was in the restroom, Olivia called


    her. She told her to go down the stairs from the other side because Dahlia had tampered with the stairs


    she took.


    During the hotel renovation, Olivia had mentioned to a few of her friends that the surveince cameras


    at the staircase would be upgraded. This was due to the poor lighting in the area, and she even


    rmended that they use the elevator whenever possible.


    However, two days ago, Dahlia suddenly asked Olivia about the staircase surveince. Initially, Olivia


    did not pay much attention to it, thinking that Dahlia had probably forgotten what she said earlier.


    But today, in the dressing room, Dahlia brought up the surveince again. She asked if they had been


    upgraded or not, which raised Olivia''s suspicion.


    Given Dahlia''s scheming nature, Olivia could easily guess why she wanted to take advantage of the


    situation against whom.


    Sure enough, after seeing that Olivia and Ste had a bad rtionship with each other, she looked


    rxed. Olivia knew that if Dahlia were to harm Ste at this wedding, Dahlia would expect her to cover


    it up, especially since Dahlia was the matchmaker for the wedding. Dahlia believed that Olivia would


    defend her.


    After Olivia found out that Dahlia did something to the stairs, she immediately contacted Ste and


    reminded her to use the other route.


    However, being a rebellious person as always, she did not listen to Olivia.


    She came prepared and was even worried that Dahlia would not make a move. She was desperate to


    expose Dahlia.


    So, she decisively chose to take the path Dahlia had prepared for her. She was afraid that her "fall"


    would not be convincing enough, so she pushed the trash can next to her down the stairs. The only


    mistake she made was not handling the blood bag properly, which made her look like she had a


    massive hemorrhage. She was very worried that Keegan would lose himself.


    Indeed, Keegan almost exploded in anger. Fortunately, she was clever enough to smear some of the


    fake blood on Keegan''s face.


    Keegan only calmed down after realizing that it was not real blood.


    After learning the whole story, Felicity could not hold herself back anymore and scolded, "What a


    wicked old hag. How could she harm even her grandchild? She¡¯s a monster!"


    Vermont was bewildered too. "I can''t believe she resorted to such methods just to break up you and


    Keegan. Ste, what exactly did you do to upset her?"


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    After a long silence, Ste said, "Do you guys remember the alternative remedies she had been giving


    me when I was married to Keegan back then?


    "Taking them for a long time will weaken one''s health and make it difficult to conceive.


    "This was the reason why Keegan had kicked her out of the Kane family. I kept this matter from my


    family, and it has always been a concern to her. She stopped messing with me after I returned to the


    Saun family. She feared that my family would go after her if I were to tell them what she did. But, she


    returned to the Kane family after Keegan lost his memory, and there was just no way that she would


    allow me toe back. Because as long as I''m around, there would be a risk of her being kicked out


    again."


    Felicity then cursed, "Fuck! I''ve always wondered why you two didn''t have any children after being


    married for so many years. I thought something was wrong with Keegan, but I never thought that it


    would be the work of this old witch. I can''t believe she would harm her grandchild for her own sake.


    How can such a selfish person even exist?"

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    Chapter 1939


    Ste smiled coldly. "Just because she wanted to show off, she had Keeganpete with kids in


    swimming despite knowing that he couldn''t swim, causing him to drown.


    There''s nothing that she wouldn''t do."


    Vermont was puzzled. "Why did you stop Keegan from calling the police, then?"


    Ste said tly, "The main act for the night hasn''t started yet. Everything would be pointless without


    the protagonist."


    Her response caught Vermont by surprise. "What else do you n to do?" Vermont asked.


    Ste shrugged. "It''s not about what I n to do, but her unscrupulous deeds areing back to haunt


    her."


    She sighed before she continued, "Unfortunately, I still have to pretend to be injured. I''d love to see her


    reaction in real time."


    Felicity said, "That''s easy. I can just go there and livestream it for you."


    Ste was shocked.


    "Bestie, this is something I''ve never thought of!"


    Vermont was about to say something, but when he looked up, he saw Keeganing inside. So, he


    changed his mind and urged Felicity, "Come on, let''s go. The show''s about to begin.¡¯


    Felicity was then dragged to the door, and when she passed by Keegan, she shook off Vermont.


    "Keegan Kane, do you see your mother''s true colors now? If you can''t bear to do anything to her and


    still want to protect her, please leave Ste. No matter how much she likes you, I''m sure that she''d still


    want to live!"


    Vermont quickly pulled her away. "She had too much to drink. Don''t mind her."


    "Shut up!" Felicity shouted while being carried away by Vermont.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Ste raised her gaze at Keegan. When he hugged her at the staircase earlier, he also got some


    "blood" on him, and they looked contrastingly obvious on his white shirt. There were some faint marks


    around his eyes, giving his already captivating eyes a more alluring appearance.


    Ste found it somewhat attractive.


    Keegan walked over and sat on the couch beside her. With his eyes lowered, he kept quiet for a long


    time.


    Ste licked her lips and softly said, "Although I wasn''t hurt, I''m still going to call the police."


    Keegan remained silent.


    Ste added, "I have no proof of her drugging me back then, but I have both witnesses and physical


    evidence this time. I won''t back down. She may not put her child first, but I''ll do everything in my power


    to protect mine. If you-"


    "You really didn''t fall down the stairs?" Keegan spoke very softly.


    Ste was taken aback and replied with a soft "Mhmm."


    Keegan gently took her hand and lowered his head. Then, he pressed her palm against his forehead.


    He stayed in that position for a long time without saying anything.


    Ste had an indescribable feeling.


    She could sense Keegan''s sadness and anger. His mother was willing to harm his wife and child just


    because she wanted to live avish lifestyle. It was something difficult for anyone to ept.

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    Chapter 1940


    Ste was about to say something, but before she could speak, Keegan asked in a soft and hoarse


    voice, "You don''t believe me?"


    Ste was taken aback, and she lowered her gaze.


    Keegan knew her too well and could easily guess what was on her mind.


    If Aurora had not acted strangely in front of Ste due to nervousness, which led to Ste noticing


    Dahlia''s n, Ste would really be lying in a pool of blood right now.


    Ste had difficulty conceiving, and this might be their only chance to be parents. Yet, Dahlia


    wanted to strip them of this opportunity because of her own selfish motives.


    Keegan knew that if something happened and the baby was gone, Ste would never be able to get


    over it and continue her rtionship with Keegan.


    Even if she knew that he was equally innocent and heartbroken as she was.


    Ste did not reveal her n to Keegan because she wanted to make sure that Dahlia''s n could go


    "smoothly", allowing her to catch Dahlia red-handed.


    She was worried that telling Keegan about it in advance would make him soft-hearted, so she did not


    want to leave that choice in his hands.


    Ste felt a pang in her heart. Then, she lowered her gaze and said in a low voice, "Keegan, I don''t


    dare to take this gamble, nor can I afford to. I want our child to be born safely. I''ll get rid of anyone who


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    poses a threat to him. I won''t spare anyone who would harm us."


    Keegan tightened his grip on her hand and asked, "And, you think I will?"


    Ste curled her fingers and said after a long pause, "She¡¯s your mother, after all. I just didn''t expect


    you to do the same. n


    Keegan lowered his head and spoke in a hoarse voice," Ste, even if I''ll be soft-hearted, she''s still


    trying to harm you and our child. Do you really think that I''m someone who can''t distinguish right from


    wrong?"


    Ste felt a lump in her throat, finding it hard to utter a word.


    Keegan crouched down, wrapped his arms around her waist, and pressed his face against her


    stomach. "I''m sorry for not being good enough. It''s my fault for not being able to make you feel safe


    around me. I''ll change. Next time, please talk to me if something happens. I don''t want to be thest


    one to know. I''m afraid that..."


    Ste''s heart melted, as she reached out to stroke his hair at the back of his head. Then, she lowered


    her head and smiled. "What a scaredy cat."


    "Let''s go to the hospital for a checkup tomorrow, okay?" Keegan sounded gentle.


    Ste rubbed her chin on the top of his head and said," You''re the boss."


    Keegan paused, as he was taken aback by her response.


    He suddenly thought of how indifferent Ste was when he " defended" Jaylene previously.


    Did she guess it?


    But, how?¡¯


    Other than slightly losing hisposure just now, he still believed that his act was wless.


    Keegan pursed his lips and suddenly let go of her.


    Ste looked at him. ''What''s wrong?"


    Keegan stammered, "Well... it''s all for the baby. Don''t overthink it."


    Ste was shocked.


    ''Is he seriously still going to keep pretending?''


    After a moment of silence, Ste yed along. "Don¡¯t worry, I know my ce."


    She kept quiet after saying that.


    In the silence, there was a hint of awkwardness.


    Ste could not figure out why Keegan would note clean at a time like this.


    Keegan cleared his throat and broke the awkwardness."


    Rest here. I''ll ask Lena toe in and take care of you. I should go to the banquet hall and check


    things out."


    "Wait." Ste stopped him. ''If he''s going to keep pretending, I should do the same, right?''


    Keegan looked at her. "What''s wrong?"


    Ste pursed her lips. "Did you forget the reason I''m staying with you?"


    Keegan was taken aback.


    Ste reminded him. "To provide our child with a healthy family and work on our rtionship."

 Chapter 1941

    Chapter 1941


    Chapter 1941


    Keegan had no idea why Ste said that.


    "So, should we start working on our rtionship with each other now?" Ste said earnestly.


    Keegan licked his lips. "And, how do you want to do it?"


    Ste looked at his lips and murmured, "Let''s begin with a physical connection."


    "What?" Keegan did not hear her clearly.


    She then grabbed him by his tie, pulled him closer, tiptoed, and kissed him on the lips.


    Keegan paused and instinctively hugged her waist.


    Ste closed her eyes, threw her pride aside, and did everything she possibly could to "vite"


    Keegan.


    Ste had been wanting to do that since he came inside with the faint red marks on his face.


    She just could not resist the temptation of his alluring and seductive eyes.


    If Marshall''s eyes could talk, they would say, "I like you." But, Keegan''s screamed, "Let''s make love."


    Those traces of fake blood at the corner of his eyes added a touch of pity to his appearance, making


    himpletely irresistible to Ste.


    Keegan tried very hard not to break character. No matter how passionate Ste was kissing him, he


    stayed still.


    Ste suddenly bit his tongue, causing him to frown in pain.


    Then, she let go of him and said with unstable breath," You''re acting like a block of wood. How is our


    rtionship supposed to get better if you keep acting like this?"


    Keegan''s ears turned red, as he continued to pretend. "Sorry, I''m not good at this."


    Ste was speechless.


    Suddenly, she did not know if he was simply sticking to his character or deliberately teasing her.


    Then, she cleared her throat and said, "Let''s stop here for today, then. I''ll teach you more next time."


    Keegan subtly smiled and said in a low voice, "Well, thanks then, Coach Hall."


    Ste was taken aback.


    After admiring her embarrassed expression, Keegan quickly left.


    When Keegan returned to the wedding hall, the emcee was already giving a speech on stage, and the


    ceremony was about to begin.


    He went back to his seat, and Marshall looked at him and said, "I thought you went to take Ste to the


    hospital."


    Keegan replied tly, "Lena took care of her wound. She''s fine now."


    Marshall frowned. "She was bleeding profusely. Is she really okay?"


    Keegan looked at him and replied, "It''s none of your concern whether she''s okay or not. You should put


    your focus on the people around you. Settle down, so Mrs. Moore won''t have to worry about you


    anymore."


    Marshall stared at Keegan without saying anything more.


    Felicity struggled to set up her phone but finally managed to do so when the ceremony began.


    Ricky, who was dressed in a suit, stood before the stage, as he watched the bride approaching with


    Erick''s support.


    Ricky was of average height but was extremely skinny. The suit hung loosely on him, which reminded


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Felicity of the online term "walking stick" that was used to mock thin people.


    Apart from being skinny, he seemed unusually weak. He stood there with his back hunched, and there


    were dark circles around his eyes. When he looked at the bride, his expression revealed a subtle hint


    of impatience.


    "Tsk," Vermont clicked his tongue. Then, he said, "Getting addicted to those things is really harmful. He


    looked perfectly normal when I met him two years ago. But now, he looks like a skeleton. No wonder


    his parents are desperately looking for an heir."


    Felicity asked curiously, "Didn''t you say that he''s incapable of having sex? How will the bride


    conceive?"


    Vermont chuckled without saying anything in response.


    Felicity nudged him. "Why are youughing? Tell me."


    Vermont sighed, lowered his voice, and said, "Look at the table where the groom''s parents are sitting


    at."

 Chapter 1942

    Chapter 1942


    Chapter 1942


    Felicity looked in the direction that Vermont''s finger was pointing at.


    Erick and Olivia were sitting together. Next to Erick, there was a middle-aged man. And, on the right


    side of that man, there was a middle-aged woman that was dressed in a simr fashion as Olivia.


    The woman had an average physique and an ordinary appearance, but she exuded an excellent


    temperament. She looked exactly like someone with a high social status.


    Meanwhile, the man had a resemnce to the groom, but he looked very serious. His looks were akin


    to the corporate leaders and government officials in the photos disyed at Florence''s home. He


    exuded an air of elegance and authority.


    When Erick talked to that man, he would unknowingly hunch his back as though he was a ve.


    Felicity was confused. "What''s wrong with that table?"


    Vermont pinched her cheeks and softly said, "Babe, you''re too innocent. Would you look at the way


    Ricky''s father is looking at the bride?"


    Felicity was stunned, and she looked over again.


    She finally saw it this time. The middle-aged man''s gaze toward the bride was not how a father would


    look at his


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    daughter-inw. Instead, it was akin to scrutinizing a piece of merchandise. His eyes were tantly


    assessing every inch of the bride from head to toe.


    Suddenly, she thought of the farmers back in her hometown who were inspecting pregnant pigs in the


    shed with a simr expression. They were evaluating whether the pigs looked good, ate well, and


    whether the piglets they gave birth to would be healthy...


    Felicity suddenly felt ufortable, and she furrowed her brows.


    "What''s wrong?" Vermont asked.


    Felicity replied in a low voice, "The way he''s looking at the bride makes me ufortable."


    Vermont said tly, "That''s right. For someone who''s going to have a child with him, he has to see if


    she''s good enough."


    Felicity immediately widened her eyes. "Are you saying that- It


    However, Vermont quickly covered her mouth. "Babe, keep your voice down. Are you trying to get


    kicked out?"


    Felicity stayed still and tried her best to process the information. Then, she whispered, "So, this


    ceremony is not about his son''s marriage but getting a second wife for himself, huh?"


    "Not exactly a second wife. Strictly speaking, she''s just a baby machine."


    Vermont spoke indifferently. He was not surprised by these wealthy families'' secrets.


    Now that Ricky was ruined, the power and status umted by the Adam family for decades might


    be disrupted in this generation. So, Ricky''s father had yearned to have another child.


    The marriage between Ricky''s parents was a strategic alliance as both families worked for the


    government, and Ricky was their only child. Now that Mrs. Adam was incapable of conceiving


    anymore, Ricky''s father had to do it with another woman. However, with many people keeping a


    watchful eye on them and considering his significant influence in society, numerous individuals might


    attempt to exploit this situation to undermine him.


    And, since Ricky was unable to have children, they came up with this nasty idea. They would let Ricky


    get married and bring a woman back to bear the offspring of his father.


    It was so degrading that no one could ept it. Only Erick, who was eager to climb up the social


    By using his daughter-inw as a cover, he could raise his child as his grandchild without raising


    suspicion.


    "No wonder Mrs. Chapman looks so indifferent at the wedding. Does this mean she already knew


    about this?"


    Vermont yed with her hand and said, "The Adam family is very powerful. If it weren''t for Ricky being


    so useless, Mrs. Chapman''s daughter would never have the opportunity to be with him. Mrs. Chapman


    knows a lot of people in the social circle, so it''s impossible for her not to know about the current


    situation of the Adam family. However, being just a woman herself, there''s probably nothing she could


    do to stop it."


    "That''s not true. Don''t underestimate the power of a mother. " Felicity snorted and said, "If someone


    was plotting against my precious daughter like this, I''ll do everything in my power to stop this marriage."


    Vermont paused for a moment before he let out augh." You''re right. After all, not every parent is as


    sickening as Erick. I just can''t imagine someone giving away their child like this."

 Chapter 1943

    Chapter 1943


    Chapter 1943


    Felicity stared at Dahlia, who was sitting not far away, and thought to herself, ''It sounds exactly like


    what that old witch would do.''


    The groom led the bride on stage to exchange vows.


    However, based on their interactions, the couple looked as though they wereplete strangers to


    each other.


    After exchanging their vows, therge screen behind them began to y the couple''s wedding photos.


    However, most of the guests were not interested in that. After disying a few photos, the screen


    switched to an explicit video.


    The man''s groans and the woman''s moans echoed from all directions, surrounding the banquet hall.


    One of the protagonists on the screen was Erick, but the woman was not his wife.


    Everyone''s interests were ignited.


    Felicity immediately aimed her phone at therge screen.


    Ste sent Felicity a bunch of gifts and donations, pushing her live broadcast to the top of the trending


    list.


    Erick panicked, as he immediately stood up and shouted," Who did this? Turn it off! Turn it off now!"


    Olivia had full control of the entire hotel, including the person who yed that video. So, who would


    possibly listen to him?


    The wedding venue turned chaotic, as everyone took out their phones to record the video ying on


    the screen.


    The Adam family''s faces turned ugly. Erick grabbed them and tried to exin, but they shook him off.


    Then, Ricky''s parents left the scene with gloomy faces.


    Erick''s face turned pale, as he grabbed Olivia and anxiously said, "Olivia, you''ve got to help me. If this


    video gets out, I''m finished."


    "Oh," Olivia chuckled. "That would be great."


    Erick paused, and in the next moment, his gaze turned hostile. "It''s you! You''re the one who did this!"


    He reached out to choke Olivia, as he continued, "You bitch! Do you have any idea how hard it is for


    me to get here?


    You''ve ruined everything for me!"


    Erick did not hold back at all. It was as if he wanted to strangle her to death.


    Olivia could not believe that she had spent the past twenty years of marriage with such a worthless


    piece of trash.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    The bodyguards who had been waiting nearby immediately hurried over to pull Erick away and pin him


    against the table, twisting his arm behind his back.


    '' Bitch! You fucking bitch! Because of your jealousy, you''ve not only destroyed my life, but our


    daughters'' too! What a disgrace you are! Why did I ever marry a wretch like you?!"


    Erick shouted furiously.


    Olivia touched her neck, walked over, and grabbed a bottle of wine from the table. Then, she smashed


    it directly at Erick''s mouth.


    The ss shattered all over the table, and Erick was left with a bloody mouth, looking tragic.


    The blood on his mouth stopped him from talking.


    Olivia grabbed him by his hair and said with red eyes, "No, everything has been too easy for you. I


    begged my grandparents to invest and secure so many projects for you. You knew that you couldn''t


    drink a lot, so you forced me to attend those business dinners with you just so that I could drink on your


    behalf. Just after giving birth, I drank so much that my stomach bled internally, but all you did was thank


    me verbally and went on to enjoy your promotions.


    "Everything came far too easily for you. That is why you think that you earned all this through your own


    capabilities! I''ve always thought that even though you''re not someone particrly outstanding, you''re


    an honest man and know how to treat others well. I didn''t expect that you''d do such a despicable thing


    and cheat on me right under my nose. You even tried to use my daughter''s future to boost your political


    career! You''re an animal!

 Chapter 1944

    Chapter 1944


    Chapter 1944


    Erick''s mouth was full of blood as he babbled, but Olivia could not hear a word he was saying.


    After being married to him for so many years, Olivia naturally knew what he was thinking.


    Erick thought that his cheating would result in, at most, a demotion. After getting suspended for some


    time and things finally quieted down, he would still be able to resume his career. However, it would


    simply be difficult for him to get a promotion.


    Olivia sneered. She had waited for this moment for so long, so how could she only show the evidence


    of him cheating on her?


    While grabbing Erick''s hair, she turned his head toward the big screen. "Take a good look and enjoy.


    It''s time to say goodbye to whatever you have now."


    Erick looked at the big screen, and the video had stopped ying long ago. Instead, the screen was


    now disying the evidence Olivia had collected over the past few months, exposing Erick for taking


    bribes and covering up the death toll in project idents.


    These pieces of evidence could not only strip him of his position, but they could also send him to prison


    for the rest of his life.


    All the guests were shocked, and they kept filming with their phones.


    Erick was finally scared. His gaze turned fearful, as he trembled all over. He could barely stand


    properly, and if it were not for the bodyguards holding him, he would probably be kneeling on the


    ground right now.


    Now, Olivia finally realized how foolish, repulsive, cowardly, and pathetic Erick was.


    Dahlia had never expected that Olivia would be crazy enough to expose something like this right at her


    daughter''s wedding. ''What will she gain from ruining Erick''s life? She''s so stupid!'' Dahlia thought to


    herself.


    Then, she realized that Olivia did not want this marriage to happen at all. So, as the person who made


    the marriage happen, she wondered if Olivia would still defend her.


    Dahlia did not feel like staying there anymore and wanted to leave.


    Olivia had been watching her, and as soon as she saw her standing up, she took the microphone and


    loudly said," Dahlia, where are you going?"


    Felicity immediately shifted her phone toward Dahlia, fearing that her audience might miss it.


    With a stiffened expression, Dahlia held her bag tightly and forced a smile. "I have something to attend


    to at home. I''ll be taking my leave now," she said.


    Olivia smiled and replied, "Your children are all here. What could possibly happen at home?"


    She walked over and ced her hand on Dahlia''s arm." Dahlia, have a seat. You''re the main character


    today. If it weren''t for you, this wedding would''ve never happened."


    Dahlia felt tense all over. She felt as though each of Olivia¡¯s words were cutting through her like a knife.


    "I really need to..."


    Dahlia tried to get up, but the bodyguards came over and pressed her back down. Clearly, Olivia was


    not going to let her leave.


    Dahlia''s face turned pale, as she spoke in a deep voice," What exactly do you want?"


    Olivia ignored her, and said to everyone with the microphone, "Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to


    introduce thisdy next to me. Dahlia Crosby from the Kane family. Oh no, I mean, Dahlia Crosby who


    was once a part of the Kane family.


    "The first time I discovered that my husband was cheating on me was ten years ago. That woman


    imed that she was pregnant, and my husband knelt in front of me, saying that he was set up and


    regretted what he did. He told me that the woman got herself pregnant on purpose to ruin his career.


    An election wasing up, and he could not afford such a scandal. So, he begged me to resolve the


    situation for him. At that time, I hated him but was afraid that the woman might give birth to a baby boy,


    which threatened my status in the family because my mother-inw would always criticize me for not


    having a son. So, I consulted my good


    friend, Ms. Crosby.


    "Ms. Crosby advised me to negotiate with the woman, and the woman demanded ten million to abort


    the child. I didn''t have enough money back then, and my good friend, Ms.


    Crosby, lent me the money. I was so grateful to her. Since then, I''ve been willing to do anything for her


    whenever she needs my help. I owe her such a huge favor, after all."


    Dahlia struggled to stand up. "Are you done? Let go of me!"


    Olivia looked at her and smiled. "Calm down, Dahlia. Can''t I share the good things you have done for


    me in the past?"


    She looked at the guests, as she continued, "In Mayst year, I met my husband''s illegitimate son. Can


    you guess what happened? He was about to take his college entrance exam. When I found out about


    it, I felt like the sky was falling. When I discovered that my husband was cheating on me, Ms. Crosby


    told me that they had only known each other for six months. But, the illegitimate son was already


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    eighteen years old."

 Chapter 1945

    Chapter 1945


    Chapter 1945


    "That woman didn''t leave after receiving the money. She had been keeping in touch with my husband.


    The ten million I gave her became the funds for buying a house and raising their illegitimate son. To


    make it even more absurd, every year my husband and his lover would celebrate their son''s birthday.


    And, Ms. Crosby would send him a gift.


    "My husband is foolish and selfish. He''d never have the brains toe up with a n like this to scam


    me. It was all thanks to Ms. Crosby''s sharp mind that provided them with such a brilliant n. And, they


    used my money to raise their son.


    "I treated Ms. Crosby as my friend, and she felt bad for me. So, she wholeheartedly helped my


    husband cover up the evidence of his affair, making me look like aplete fool!


    "I can stand all this, but she should''ve never messed with my daughter''s future just because she


    wanted to expand her connections!" Olivia grabbed Dahlia by her hair and said," You have children too!


    How can you be so heartless!?"


    She continued with augh, "Oh, I forgot. Your children don''t seem to mean much to you. You made


    your daughter-inw fall, and you framed your daughter. Dahlia Crosby, do you really think that there


    are no cameras in the stairwell? You want to return to the Kane family and continue living like a wealthy


    woman? Dream on!"


    As soon as she said those words, the big screen switched to the surveince footage that was not


    shown earlier.


    It showed Dahlia holding a bottle of tung oil, and she smeared it on each step of the stairs.


    After that, the footage showed that Aurora did not lie about standing in the stairwell and waiting for


    someone. She only left after answering a phone call.


    Everyone in the hall was shocked.


    Felicity got extremely excited. "Mrs. Chapman is unbelievable! I told you, how could there be no


    surveince cameras in the stairwell of such a luxurious hotel?"


    Her hands trembled, and everyone in the chat went crazy too.


    [Hey, your hands are shaking too much. Hold still!]


    [What''s going on? This all sounds like a movie script! A friend helping the wife''s husband to hide his


    affair and even bing friends with the mistress? Unbelievable!]


    [I thought some inte celebrities got married because of how many people are watching the


    livestream. It turns out that I''m simply being ignorant. This is my first time seeing anything like this!]


    [The wife is so impressive for smashing the wine bottle on that scumbag''s face.]


    [Hey, don''t you guys think that the scumbag looks familiar?]


    [You came inte, huh? Did you miss the part where the screen showed evidence of the scumbag


    taking bribes


    earlier? He''s the newly appointed mayor''s secretary. He looks like an honest man, but who would''ve


    thought that he''d do something like this?]


    [Damn. Show me his face, and I''ll send you more gifts! We have to expose all corrupted officials!]


    Ste did not need to send any more gifts, as theizens took it upon themselves to boost the


    livestream¡¯s poprity.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Things were starting to get out of control.


    Very soon, the livestream topped the trending list but was shut down shortly after.


    Although Erick had done something dreadful, he still represented the government, and the livestream


    was not doing the government''s image any good.


    However, it had started spreading and gained a lot of attention. The public would eventually demand an


    exnation.


    While covering her face, Dahlia continued to struggle, creating an unpleasant scene.


    Her face was scratched, as she turned to Aurora and shouted, "Aurora, get me out of here."


    Aurora instinctively tried to get up, but Keegan held her hand down.

 Chapter 1946

    Chapter 1946


    Chapter 1946


    Aurora paused and turned to Keegan.


    Without looking at her, Keegan said nonchntly, "She brought this on herself. No one can save her


    now."


    Aurora had been raised by Dahlia and was once her precious daughter, after all. Although she had


    harmed Ste and framed her, Aurora could not bear to see Dahlia in such a miserable state.


    She wanted to plead with Keegan for help. She thought that even if he was going to settle the score


    with Dahlia, he should do it privately and not with so many people watching.


    However, before she could say anything, Vermont spoke up." Aurora, there''s a lot of people here. Think


    about it, if you stepped in to help, you''re getting the Kane family involved. Even if it was proven that the


    Kane family had nothing to do with this incident, the public''sment on the Kane family will inevitably


    take a toll on the Kane family''s reputation."


    Aurora turned hesitant.


    Felicity chimed in and said, "I don''t understand you at all. You act ruthlessly when you should be kind,


    and you try to act like a saint when you shouldn''t. I guess she didn''t p you hard enough earlier.


    Maybe she should get you locked up again before you can think clearly!"


    Her blunt words made Aurora''s face look even more unpleasant.


    Aurora looked around and realized that no one was willing to step forward and help.


    Although Dahlia had been the center of attention amongst the socialites, nobody truly respected her.


    They supported her not because of her character, but because of the Kane family. The "friends" she


    often had afternoon tea with had all been undermined by her just because they were better than her in


    some way.


    Having been so arrogant all the time, a lot of people enjoyed watching her downfall.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    "Aurora!" Dahlia was still calling out to her daughter. Olivia was thoroughly disgusted by her. After


    harboring


    resentment for so long, she was not going to let her go so easily. She forcefully held Dahlia''s face and


    showed it to everyone.


    "You love being in the limelight, don''t you? Come on, let everyone look at your selfish, nasty face!


    "Erick is disgusting for cheating on me and using my money to support his illegitimate son, but you


    pretended to be my friend and lied to me for so many years. You''re a thousand times more disgusting


    than him!


    "You invite your friends here to have afternoon tea and charge it to my hotel almost every time. Yet,


    have I ever said anything about it?


    "On your birthday, you wanted to give your friends cogen drinks as gifts, so I traveled abroad to buy


    the best ones for you.


    "When your ex-mother-inw celebrated her birthday, I even provided the venue and nned


    everything for you. Dahlia Crosby, what have I done to upset you all these years to deserve such


    humiliation?"


    Olivia exposed Dahlia''s ingratitude and betrayal, severing their once seemingly friendly ties.


    The crowd started gossiping, and Dahlia''s image as an aristocraticdy had crumbled. She could not


    break free, so she felt embarrassed and retorted, "I didn''t tell you about this for your own good. If you


    didn''t spend that ten million to shut that woman up, do you think that Erick would still want to be with


    you? She gave birth to a son, and what about you? You gave birth to three whores! He wanted to dump


    you a long time ago!"


    Olivia''s expression darkened, and she pped Dahlia. "You have a daughter too, and you''re a woman.


    How can you say such disgusting things?"


    "How dare you hit me!" Dahlia''s face turned pale. While struggling with Olivia, she shouted at Aurora,


    "Aurora Kane, are you dead? Are you just going to stay there and watch me get pped?"


    Aurora clenched her fists.


    Felicity then taunted her. "Okay, okay. Go ahead and be a good daughter. Let''s see if she''ll remember


    your kindness. Don''t ask us for help if she ever frames you again."


    Vermont said softly, "Actually, we haven''t done anything to help."


    Felicity elbowed him.


    Aurora bit her lip and slowly turned her face away from Dahlia.

 Chapter 1947

    Chapter 1947


    Chapter 1947


    Dahlia was about to scold Aurora for being ungrateful, but Olivia grabbed her by the hair again.


    "Erick is nothing but a piece of crap! Without me nning and strategizing for him, he would''ve


    achieved nothing with how stupid he is!


    "And you!" Olivia lowered her voice and continued, "Mrs. Kane Sr. takes Ste more seriously than you


    because she saw through you a long time ago. She knew that you''re a worthless, selfish trash with


    nothing to offer. You''re delusional if you think that you can ever be in charge of the Kane family!"


    Aurora could not stand it anymore. She stood up and said, ¡° Keegan, I need to use the restroom."


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Keegan nodded and nced at the time.


    ''Why aren''t they here yet?''


    Just as he wondered, the police arrived at the scene, putting an end to the absurd drama in the hall.


    The police separated the two women, and when Dahlia saw the police officers, she thought she was


    finally saved. As soon as she was pulled away, she angrily told the police to arrest Olivia. She used


    her of assault and even threatened to sue Olivia.


    "Assault?" Olivia chuckled. "That was clearly a mutual fight." She then rolled up her sleeves to show


    the scratches Dahlia left on her arms.


    "Officers, you''ve got to make the correct judgment here."


    Dahlia eximed frustratedly, "You wretch! You were the one who started it!"


    Olivia pretended to p her and caused Dahlia to immediately hide behind the police. She looked


    nothing like the wealthy woman she would always be.


    Then, the police stopped them. "Well, you two sure are brave. Are you going to continue fighting right in


    front of us?"


    The leading officer nced at the scene and thought to himself, ''No wonder the person who called


    asked for more police. This is such a huge mess, and it''s not something that two officers can handle.1


    The two younger police officers were assigned to maintain order at the scene and evacuate unrted


    bystanders while the other two officers questioned the two women. "Which one of you is Dahlia


    Crosby?"


    Dahlia was taken aback, feeling uneasy. She quickly took out her phone and was about to call for help.


    Olivia noticed it and immediately knocked her phone out of her hand. Then, she loudly said, "She''s the


    one, officers."


    Dahlia''s expression turned ugly. She immediately picked up her phone and attempted to make a phone


    call. However, the police stopped her and said, "Dahlia Crosby, we''ve received reports that you are


    endangering public safety.


    Please cooperate with our investigation."


    "Endangering public safety? You must be mistaken, officers. " Dahlia waved off the police and refused


    to cooperate.


    "We will investigate whether there''s a mistake or not. Now, pleasee with us."


    "Are you crazy? The person who physically assaulted me is right here, yet you''re going to arrest me?


    Talk to mywyer if there''s any issue. I''m not going anywhere with you!"


    When she saw the cold gaze from Keegan in the audience, Dahlia suddenly realized why the police


    were there. She panicked and shouted, '' Keegan Kane, are you out of your mind? Did you just call the


    cops on your own mother? You''re ridiculous!"


    The police officer was not having it at all, and he said in a serious tone, "You''re free to consult awyer


    after we''re done with the investigation. But, for now, please cooperate with our investigation!"


    Dahlia refused to do so and even swung her bag around, hitting the police officer standing close to her.


    She did not stop after three consecutive warnings from the police. In the end, they had no choice but to


    use force to arrest her on charges of assaulting a police officer.

 Chapter 1948

    Chapter 1948


    Chapter 1948


    Right after the police officer kept Dahlia under control, a few personnel from the Public Integrity Section


    showed up.


    The police were shocked. ''Are they here to take over this case?''


    After exchanging a few words, they realized that the Public Integrity Section was there for Erick.


    A few days ago, Olivia had submitted evidence of Erick''s crimes, including bribery and dereliction of


    duty. The Public Integrity Section had been verifying the authenticity of the evidence ever since. After


    confirming the authenticity, they came to invite Erick for a chat.


    Upon seeing the representatives from the Public Integrity Section, Erick got so scared that he slumped


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    to the ground, trembling like a frightened puppy.


    His legs were so weak that he could not stand, and the people from the Public Integrity Section had to


    lift him up from the ground.


    When he was walking past Olivia, he seemed to have suddenly regained his senses, and he shouted


    desperately," Olivia, my dear wife. Please save me! I can''t go to jail! My mother is so old, and Riley just


    entered university. What will they do if I''m locked up? That woman seduced me, and there was nothing


    I could do after she got pregnant. Olivia, please help me. I''ll listen to everything you say in the future.


    I''m begging you..."


    The man who was riding high on promotion now knelt in front of her, tearfully begging with absolutely


    no sense of dignity.


    Olivia remained calm, as she had woken up the moment she saw the true nature of this man.


    Erick refused to get a divorce after cheating on Olivia not because he loved her, but because she was


    his best choice. Not only that Olivia could take good care of the family, but she could also


    wholeheartedly pave the way for his career.


    Once he reached the pinnacle of his career and finally had more options, he would undoubtedly dump


    her with no hesitation.


    When the Adam family proposed the marriage to them, if Erick had rejected it for the sake of their


    daughter, Olivia would not have made such a resolute decision today.


    However, Erick had lost his conscience a long time ago. He was willing to sacrifice his daughter''s


    happiness for the sake of himself.


    Thinking of this, Olivia raised her hand and pped him.


    "How dare you mention my daughter? Why didn''t you think of them when you betrayed your family and


    your profession? Let me tell you something. I''ll make sure that not only you but your lover and the


    illegitimate child you had with her will live a miserable life!"


    Erick swayed, enraged, and was about to fight back. "You wretch, you nasty wretch!"


    The officer immediately held him back, and Olivia took the opportunity to give him two more ps.


    The officer from the Public Integrity Section weakly pulled Erick away and said, "Hey, don''t get physical


    now."


    Olivia tidied herself up and said in a gentle tone, "Sir, all of Erick Chapman''s embezzled money is with


    a woman named Linda Joanna. She lives in Astra Height, Block 3, Unit 1303. You need to hurry and go


    there. With how big of a scene that urred here, she might be alerted and try to move her assets


    elsewhere."


    Erick was still cursing at Olivia, but his words could no longer hurt her. She was going to take back


    everything that Erick had given to Linda and their son.


    She wanted them to lose everything they ever had and be looked down upon by everyone else!


    The wedding''s drama finally came to an end.


    Ste felt somewhat regretful for not being able to witness the scene where the police subdued Dahlia


    on the ground. Fortunately, Felicity recorded a full video for her withmentary included.


    "With a swift move from the handsome police officer, that old witch was pinned to the ground. She


    wouldn''t stop murmuring and cursing both Keegan and Aurora. She even called them useless. But,


    when Keegan asked the police about how many days she could be detained for insulting others, she


    immediately shut up.


    "Only the police can deal with such an evil person. I just can''t stand a word she says!"


    Vermont handed her a cup of tea. "Calm down, my dear.


    You''ve been talking non-stop since you came in."


    Felicity took a sip and suddenly said, "Where''s Keegan? He didn''t go plead for Dahlia, did he?"


    Vermont replied, "Why would he call the police if he wanted to do that? He''s probably speaking to Mrs.


    Chapman, I mean, Ms. Warren to find out what exactly happened. Dahlia has been so close with Erick


    that if there were really significant financial transactions between them, it could be a big deal."


    Suddenly, as they were chatting, there was a knock on the door.


    "It''s got to be Keegan. I''ll get it," Felicity said.


    However, when she opened the door, she did not see Keegan. Instead, it was Marshall standing


    outside.

 Chapter 1949

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    Chapter 1949


    Felicity paused and immediately eximed, "Mr. Moore, you''re here."


    Ste tossed a bitten apple to Vermont,id back on the bed, and instantly assumed a weak


    appearance.


    Vermont was speechless. ''What an actress,'' he thought.


    He casually ced the apple back in the fruit tray, stood up, and said, "Marshall, you haven''t left yet."


    Marshall walked in and frowned at the sight of Ste looking sickly in bed. "I''m here to visit Ste. Why


    didn''t you guys take her to the hospital?"


    "Lena insisted that it wasn''t a big deal. She just asked us to keep an eye on her," Vermont replied.


    Marshall stayed silent. He approached the bedside and asked, "How are you holding up, Ste? Let''s


    take you to the hospital."


    Ste shook her head. Mr. Moore, I''m fine. Lena said it was just a superficial injury. She told me to rest


    at home and keep the wound dry. If you''re that worried, I''ll get it checked tomorrow." She paused, trying


    to make her lie more convincing. Then, she added, "Plus, Keegan''s due for a hospital visit tomorrow, so


    I''ll tag along. It''ste now."


    Marshall furrowed his brows. He looked at the bandaged wounds on her head and legs and asked,


    "You sure you''re


    okay?"


    "You don''t trust Lena?" Ste joked.


    Marshall pursed his lips. With a concerned look on his face, he said, "I just can''t figure out why Ms.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Crosby would pull a stunt like that. Why would she hurt you and Aurora?"


    ''That''s because¡ª"


    Felicity was all fired up and ready to speak when Vermont grabbed her butt.


    While blushing, she kicked Vermont''s ass and said, "You sneak! How dare you take advantage of me!"


    Vermont casually dusted off his pants and said, "I don''t think I need to be sneaky to take advantage of


    you."


    Felicity was ready to retaliate, but Vermont hid behind Marshall and evaded her.


    Vexed by their antics, Marshall grabbed Felicity and inquired, "Ms. Thompson, what were you about to


    say earlier?"


    Felicity felt puzzled and asked, "What?"


    "Nevermind," said Marshall.


    "Stop hiding and face me, you sneak!" Felicity pressed on Marshall''s shoulder, as she attempted to


    jump over and catch Vermont.


    Seeing this, Vermont quickly lifted her and pulled her down.


    "You hooligan, why are you jumping into Marshall''s arms?"


    Felicity pulled his ear and said, "Where did you grab me earlier?"


    Vermont hesitated for a moment. He then patted her butt and asked in a low voice, "Does your tailbone


    still hurt?"


    Felicity''s expression changed, and she bit him on the shoulder.


    Ste smiled and looked at Marshall. "Mr. Moore, it''s gettingte. You should head back."


    For a while, Marshall was silent. He took out a talisman from his pocket, handed it to her, and said, "I


    got this for you back when we visited the wishing well. They said it''s effective for protection."


    Before Ste could respond, Keegan chimed in and said," What wishing well?"

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    Chapter 1950


    Ste was speechless. ''What a terrible timing!'' she thought.


    Keegan walked over and stood between Marshall and Ste. He nced at the talisman in Marshall''s


    hand before he grabbed and examined it.


    With a nonchnt tone, he said, "If it''s that effective, maybe you should snag one of these talismans


    for your love life, Marshall."


    Marshall paused, as he locked eyes with Keegan.


    Felicity, who was nestled in Vermont''s arms, widened her eyes. ''Is this about to turn into a showdown?


    Are they going to throw punches?''


    Clearly, Felicity did not understand Keegan.


    ''Only kids would get into fights. Keegan is definitely more immature than this,'' Ste said to herself.


    Just as that thought crossed her mind, Keegan dropped the talisman into a cup on the table, and it


    floated on the water.


    He hesitated for a moment before he swiftly reached out to retrieve it. However, in the rush, he pushed


    the talisman even deeper.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    When he finally pulled it out, the talisman had been soaked, and the symbols on it were now blurred.


    Keegan frowned and looked visibly troubled. "This thing is


    now wet. Can it still work?"


    Marshall''s finger curled slightly, as he stared at the talisman briefly. He then slowly looked up and


    offered a faint smile." We can only make a wish at the wishing well once a year. Overdoing it


    diminishes its power. Ste wished for your safe return, and it worked. As for me, I got her this


    talisman. We''ve exhausted our wishes for the year."


    Keegan''s face noticeably darkened.


    Felicity gripped Vermont''s cor in excitement and reveled in the idea of the drama unfolding. ''Oh, my.


    The adrenaline!''


    Ste took the talisman from Keegan and remarked, "Maybe the water will activate its powers. It''s like


    taking it to the next level. Nice touch, Keegan. Thank you."


    Marshall chuckled, "I''ll head out now. Take care of yourself and those injuries."


    "Drive safe," Ste replied.


    Marshall nodded and turned to Keegan. "Look after her," he said.


    Upon hearing that, Keegan felt annoyed and thought, ''Who does he think he''s talking to?''


    Ste was worried that his jealousy might re up, and he would say something that would give her


    away. But, Keegan bit back his words and simply said, "I think you should worry more about yourself."


    Following that, Marshall left without saying anything further.


    Felicity was eager to say something, but Vermont carried her out and said, "Come on. We should leave


    too. Let''s not disturb Ste while she recovers."


    Felicity tugged at his hair and gritted her teeth. "She''s not even injured for real," she said.


    Vermont kissed her cheek and whispered, "You clueless thing, do you want to be the third wheel? Be


    careful. Keegan has a temper. He might get mad at us."


    Felicity immediately closed her mouth.


    With the two gone, the room settled into silence. Keegan nced at the talisman in Ste''s hand,


    pursed his lips, and said, "Let''s go. I''ll take you home."


    Ste was about to get up.


    However, Keegan pressed her shoulder and bent down to carry her in his arms.


    Ste was taken aback, and Keegan exined, "You''re covered in blood. What would people say


    about me if I let you walk downstairs by yourself?"


    Taken aback, Ste thought, ''Fine, I''ll go along with your act.''


    She pursed her lips and said, "So what?" However, her hand did not loosen.


    Keegan looked down and chuckled. He lifted her a bit higher and carried her away.


    Once they were in the elevator, Ste leaned on his shoulder and asked, "Are you going to the police


    stationter?"


    "Yeah." Keegan thought for a moment before he exined," Not to bail someone, though. Just for


    some routine


    questioning."


    "Then, I''ll go with you."


    Keegan hesitated, looked at her blood-soaked condition, and asked, "How would you handle the police


    if they were to assess your injuries?"


    His question left Ste at a loss for words.

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    It seems like I overlooked this aspect,'' Ste thought. ''I guess I can''t rub salt in the wound for now.''


    Then, another concern came to mind. "Would your mom be released without charges if they found out


    that I''m not really injured?"


    Without looking at her, Keegan calmly replied, "Well, the hotel staff identally injured themselves


    while cleaning up the oil."


    Ste was taken aback. ¡¯The cleaning staff injured themselves?"


    "Yeah." Keegan nced at her and continued, "Should I take you to the surveince room and show


    you?"


    Ste shrugged. "No. It was just a casual question."


    Keegan observed the talisman she held tightly and felt a little irritated. "You''re getting water on my


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    neck,¡± he said.


    Upon hearing this, Ste immediately wanted to switch hands, but Keegan continued, "Are you trying to


    get my other side wet too?"


    Ste did not reply.


    "Put it in my pocket," Keegan said with indifference.


    "But, won''t that make your pocket wet?"


    "It''s fine. My clothes are thick," Keegan responded.


    He spoke nonchntly as if it was a minor inconvenience.


    He has already made his point clear earlier. So, he shouldn''t be jealous anymore, right?'' Ste


    considered for a moment and followed his instructions, cing the talisman in his pocket.


    Keegan told the driver to go, as they got into the car.


    "Are you going to pick up your sister?" Ste asked.


    Keegan replied, "Aldor is doing that."


    "Why not have Aldor pick us up? Why specifically call another driver?"


    "It''s just more convenient this way," Keegan exined.


    "What do you mean? Aldor picked us up before."


    Keegan nced at her and said, "Aldor probably wouldn''t enjoy having his boss around when he''s on a


    date."


    Ste was stunned. She opened her mouth in disbelief and only after a while did she say, "He''s your


    employee. When you went missing, he faced pressure, rallied the team, and helped you maintain the


    team''s spirit. How can you repay him by having him go on a date with your sister?"


    "Should I call and ask him toe back?" asked Keegan.


    "Well, there''s no need to be so direct."


    Ste had more to say, but Keegan suddenly asked, "Did you go to the wishing well with him?"


    What an abrupt change of topic,'' thought Ste.


    Keegan had regained his memory, and given her understanding of him, he must have thoroughly


    investigated what happened during that period. But, the specific details were probably not as clear to


    him as they were to her.


    It must have been difficult for him to hold back for so long, and he finally found a suitable opportunity to


    ask.


    "Sort of. We stayed on the hill for a few nights." She deliberately kept it vague.


    Keegan was not very happy to hear that. "Aren''t you being a bit too oblivious?"


    ''Doesn''t she see how Marshall looks at her?¡¯ he thought.


    "I didn¡¯t know you woulde back. Plus, you told me that if you were to die before me, and the days


    of missing you became too painful, I should find someone to be with and love him well. You gave me


    your blessing."


    Keegan felt upset.


    ''Since when did I say that? I recall telling her that she could find someone else, but she mustn''t love


    him more than me. I can''t believe she would take advantage of my amnesia and deceive me like this.


    Has she been wanting to break up with me? Does she not want me anymore?''

 Chapter 1952

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    Ste cast a nce at Keegan.


    He was visibly upset, torn between wanting to express his frustration and maintaining his fake memory


    loss.


    After a considerable pause, he blurted out, "If you thought I was dead back then, why did you go to the


    wishing well?"


    Ste had intended to tease him further, but Keegan appeared genuinely distressed. When he asked


    that question, his eyes even seemed to well up a bit.


    Ste relented. ''If he wants to continue feigning amnesia, I''ll go along with it.''


    To her, there was no harm in indulging in his act as long as he returned and still held her in his heart.


    She did not see the need to intentionally stir the pot and make him upset.


    Ste knew that Keegan would take her words seriously.


    Meeting his eyes, she softly exined, "Because I don''t want anyone else. Even in a sea of people, it''s


    lonely without you."


    Keegan stared at her for a moment, then shifted his gaze away.


    His fairplexion gradually tinged with a hint of crimson, spreading from his neck to the tips of his


    ears.


    Struggling to suppress a smile, he cleared his throat and said, "Smooth."


    Ste chuckled, ncing out the window.


    Keegan wasn''t hiding his emotions as wellpared to before, especially when it involved her. Being a


    perspective person, Marshall might have already pieced something together.


    Ste wondered if tonight''s events would impact Keegan''s ns.


    She realized there were indeed peculiar aspects about Marshall. For instance, the kidnapper who had


    abducted them turned out to be the ex-husband of one of his clients, someone they had fought with


    before.


    Moreover, the kidnapper conveniently suffered from face blindness, mistaking Keegan for Marshall.


    There were too many coincidences. It all seemed strange, even with reasonable exnations.


    If it was retaliation from Chandler, Ste could easily deduce the motive. But she could not figure out


    the justification as to why Marshall would be involved.


    ''Keegan had many photos of them in his photo album. He even noted Marshall''s birthday on his


    calendar. Marshall holds a significant ce in Keegan''s heart, so what reason could there be?''


    Ste doubted she possessed such charm to make Marshall target Keegan on her behalf. ''Regardless


    of Marshall''s feelings for me, he should recognize that I can never entertain any romantic involvement


    with him, even if something happen to Keegan.


    He should know that there are boundaries, just like Keegan and Jaylene.''


    After a moment of contemtion, Ste pulled out her phone and created a group chat with Vermont


    and Felicity.


    [I have a question for you. (?Vermont] texted Ste.


    Vermont responded, [???]


    [You could''ve just dm-ed me. Why make a group?]


    [I was afraid you wouldn''t tell the truth. Having Felicity here to supervise ensures you won''t lie to me.]


    Ste replied.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Vermont was at a loss for words.


    [Lie, and I''ll move out tonight] said Felicity.


    Vermont gritted his teeth.


    ''Why couldn''t Keegan have found someone easier to handle? Why did he have to choose such a


    troublesome partner? It''s fine if he''s the only one that has to deal with her, but now I have to deal with


    her too!'' he thought.

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    [Ste, how could you say that? I would never tell lies, even if Felicity isn''t here. Where''s the trust?]


    asked Vermont.


    [Sorry, but being pregnant is making me a bit sensitive since the child is pushing against my heart. My


    mind ys tricks on me, and I tend to overthink things. Please bear with me.] Ste replied.


    Vermont was at a loss for words upon seeing her response.1 Is she carrying the child in her heart


    instead of her belly?'' he thought.


    [What do you want to know, Ste?]


    [Tell me everything you know about Marshall. And I mean everything, including his childhood.]


    Confused, Vermont said, [???]


    Felicity also replied in the group chat, [!!!]


    [Ste, why do you want to know this?] Vermont questioned.


    [Some things are better left unasked.]


    Ste''s reply rendered Vermont speechless.


    [If you want to know about Marshall, why not ask Keegan? They grew up together and spent more time


    together than I did with him. Keegan knows everything about Marshall. Why not just ask him?] he


    replied.


    [Then he''d know that I''m inquiring about Marshall!] said


    Ste.


    Ste knew she couldn''t approach Keegan about Marshall since he was still faking his memory loss.


    Even if she were to ask, he might not disclose anything; she had attempted it before, after all."


    Vermont asked [??? So you''re doing this behind his back?]


    [Will you tell me or not?] Ste replied.


    Felicity then reminded him that she would move out tonight if he didn''t tell Ste what she wanted to


    know.


    [Fine, I''ll tell you. But I don''t know much, to be honest.] texted Vermont.


    ording to him, Marshall had the same life as them up till they were in high school. He studied and


    took tests like the others. The main distinction was that Marshall had stricter parental oversight.


    No matter where he went, he had to report to his family. If he didn''t call within the stipted time, his


    family would frantically contact everyone around him until they reached him.


    Later, he and Keegan both got into the same university. On the other hand, Vermont went to another


    university due to his lower grades, which reduced his chances to spend time with the two.


    Back then, Keegan and Marshall were inseparable. They attended the same college and even lived in


    the same dorm.


    When Keegan joined the youthmittee, Marshall went to the Student Union. When Keegan


    participated in Science and Innovationpetitions, Marshall took part in major intercollegiate debate


    To outsiders, it appeared as though they were in an ongoing rivalry, each unwilling to concede to the


    other.


    But Vermont knew that they had a very close rtionship in private.


    One time, Marshall developed a high fever before the final debatepetition. Despite feeling weak all


    over, he insisted on participating.


    So, Keegan rushed to their dorm and carried him to thepetition venue.


    He sat by Marshall''s side while he battled against his opponents.


    After thepetition, Keegan carried Marshall to the hospital without waiting for the results, foregoing


    the award ceremony for the science and technologypetition that took ce that day.


    When theboratory where Keegan often conducted experiments caught fire, everyone ran out, but


    Marshall rushed inside, thinking Keegan was still in there.


    However, it turned out that Keegan had gone to the office to submit some documents.


    Apparently, the fire was so intense that someone had to pull Marshall out. Assuming that Keegan was


    not saved, he cried at the doorway despite iming he didn''t. 1


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Vermont witnessed how close the two were and was even a bit jealous of their friendship.


    The turning point came when Marshall got a girlfriend.


    Upon knowing that, Felicity sent a message to the group. [ He has an ex-girlfriend? Ste, maybe you


    should stick with Keegan. You''re his first love. It''s so much better to be someone''s first. What if


    Marshall still has feelings for his ex? What will you do if his exes back?]


    Ste did not know what to say.

 Chapter 1954

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    Chapter 1954


    Ste replied, [What are you thinking? How does his first love concern me? It''s not like I''m nning a


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    life with him.]


    Felicity texted, [Then why are you secretly inquiring about Marshall behind Keegan¡¯s back?]


    Ste typed a response, paused, and then erased it. She retyped, [Keegan wants Marshall to be our


    child''s godfather in the future. I''m actually supporting you two, so I need to know what Marshall is like. I


    must find a solid reason to dismiss Keegan''s idea. My child''s godparents should only be you two!]


    Felicity replied, [What?! Marshall as a godfather to my goddaughter? Spill his secrets, Stinky


    Cucumber!]


    To Vermont, Ste was clever and always manipting people. In fact, he doubted Ste''s questions


    about Marshall were innocent because the choice of godparents would ultimately be hers. With Ste''s


    cunning, Keegan could not outsmart her, even with an extra lifetime. She could even convince Keegan


    to give their child herst name.


    Vermont did not understand how his innocent, kind-hearted " Miss Bandit" befriended someone like


    Ste. But recalling Ste''s past actions, he realized these friends, despite their differences, genuinely


    cared for each other.


    Felicity added, [Stinky Cucumber, your goddaughter might be imed by someone else. Do


    something!]


    Vermont promptly started a group voice call.


    Ste''s phone rang in the car. Without thinking, she hung up, catching Keegan''s attention. She


    awkwardly ced her phone face down on herp, visibly nervous.


    Keegan looked at her, then the phone, and pursed his lips before asking, "Not answering?"


    "It''s Felicity. She''s probably checking if I''m home. I''ve run out of data, and she can talk for hours. I can''t


    afford extra charges."


    After a pause, Keegan said, "You know our car has Wi-Fi, right?"


    Pretending to be surprised, Ste replied, "Really? Cars have Wi-Fi now?"


    Keegan offered to connect her phone, but she quickly grabbed it, saying, No, I''ll do it."


    He casually mentioned, "The password is ily3t."


    "Can you repeat that?" Ste asked. Keegan spoke too quickly, and she did not catch it.


    Keegan leaned in and whispered, "It stands for ''I love you three thousand''."


    Ste was taken aback. She felt a flutter in her heart with the driver present and Keegan being so close


    to her. She thought Keegan was definitely flirting with her.


    Pushing him away, her face red, Ste retorted, "More like ''I loathed you three thousand''!"


    Keegan raised an eyebrow. "You didn''t know about the Wi-Fi. How''d you guess the password?"


    Ste, caught off-guard, stammered. She knew the password because she had set it. But admitting that


    would expose her lie.


    Biting back her frustration, Ste said, "It was a guess. Who sets such an embarrassing password?"

 Chapter 1955

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    Chapter 1955


    "Oh, I see..." Keegan pondered, a realization dawning on him. "I always assumed the person who set


    the password was sending me a message."


    Ste kept quiet, her mind racing. She vividly remembered the curious nce Keegan had given her


    when she set the password. She thought, ''Did he always interpret it that way? No wonder he seemed


    restless that night, mumbling about being more straightforward in the future.''


    Understanding dawned on Ste, and her expression shifted through various emotions before settling


    into a stiff expression. She remarked, "You really do have a wild imagination."


    Keegan noticed her embarrassment, a flicker of pleasure in his eyes. But soon, reflecting on her


    evasive behavior, his smile waned. He wondered, ''One moment she''s


    affectionate, the next, she''s secretive with a phone call. Who was she talking to that made her feel so


    guilty?''


    As he nced at her phone, Ste quickly tucked it into her bag. Disappointed, Keegan thought, ''Fine.


    I''ll find out who''s trying to pull her away from me.''


    After dropping Ste off at Royalpark Vi, Keegan departed, suspecting Dahlia might not confess


    easily and her backup might already be on their way to meet her. He knew he had to look into it


    personally.


    As soon as Keegan left, Ste rushed to her bedroom and dialed into the group voice call. The trio


    connected promptly.


    "Why did you hang up on my calls?" Vermont asked, disbelief in his voice.


    Ste exined apologetically, "Sorry, sorry. Keegan was right there. I couldn''t risk it."


    Vermont sounded puzzled. "But we were just chatting. Why act like you''re in the midst of an affair?"


    Ste was uneasy. Even liking a video of a male inte celebrity would make Keegan paranoid. He


    could imagine her being unfaithful countless times and her guilty behavior would only fuel his


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    suspicions.


    "I''m sharing some insider information, don''t get me in trouble!" Vermont warned.


    "Don''t worry,¡± Ste assured. "What we discuss stays between us. My lips are sealed."


    Felicity chimed in urgently, "Hurry up and share. Keegan might return at any moment."


    Vermont felt awkward as if they were indeed embroiled in an affair, with his girlfriend keeping the


    lookout.


    Resigned, he began, "I know only a little about Marshall''s first love. They met during his senior year.


    "She wasn''t from the same university but worked part-time at a coffee shop near Trinity University.


    Marshall frequented that coffee shop for his writing, and that''s how they got


    acquainted.


    "After his graduate exams, he introduced her to us.


    "Her name''s Willow Jenning, a year older than Marshall. She wasn''t satisfied with her job after half a


    year, so she decided to try for a postgraduate degree at Trinity University.


    "She rented a ce nearby and worked part-time to support herself while preparing for the exams.


    "Willow wasn''t strikingly beautiful, but she was lively and had a great personality. Coming from an


    average family, her confidence and interesting conversation stood out.


    Marshall, when with her, only had eyes for her.


    "We were happy for him. Unlike Keegan, who pursued his interests and excelled, Marshall faced


    familial pressure, his achievements overshadowed by ack of personal happiness."

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    Vermont continued, "But with Willow, Marshall was genuinely happy.


    "Yet, the Moore family would never have approved. We all sensed this but remained silent, hoping


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Marshall would be strong enough to defy his family.


    "We kept his rtionship a secret among close friends. However, no secret remains hidden forever.


    The Moores found out and demanded Marshall end things with Willow.


    "When he refused, they targeted her directly. She faced constant harassment from them. During her


    preparations for postgraduate interviews, she abruptly sent Marshall a breakup message and then


    disappeared."


    Felicity, shocked, interjected, "Disappeared? But wasn''t she preparing for postgraduate studies at


    Trinity University? Did she abandon her ns?"


    Vermont murmured, "That''s what''s baffling. She left no trace behind.


    "Her exam results were excellent and she only needed toplete her interview to secure her spot.


    "But she never appeared for it. Marshall searched everywhere to no avail. She had cut off all her


    contacts as if she had vanished into thin air."


    Ste, concerned, suggested, "Could the Moore family have forced her to leave or sent her abroad?"


    Vermont shook his head. "After months of fruitless searching, Marshall stopped looking.


    "He returned to his former detached self, showing no interest in anything. About a yearter, he


    unexpectedly bumped into her again.


    "He thought about rekindling their rtionship, but she was already married.


    "You do know Marshall has dissociative identity disorder, right? The condition only manifested once


    during his childhood and hadn''t resurfaced for a long time.


    "When his condition red up, he was like having multiple personalities. He and Willow had an


    argument and whatever she said during that argument triggered him.


    "When that happened, he tried to hide Willow, leading to a car ident where she died."


    "Marshall was gravely injured, and his condition worsened. His aunt, Irene, arranged for treatment


    abroad, where specialists managed his symptoms effectively.


    "He hasn''t had an episode for many years. However, they used hypnosis to make him forget Willow.


    "It''s a selective amnesia of sorts. Maybe it''s for the best. Remembering he hurt his loved one might


    have been unbearable for him."


    After Vermont''s revtion, Ste stayed silent. The mention of hypnosis struck her as a peculiar


    parallel to Keegan being


    hypnotized by Jaylene to forget her, and Marshall had been hypnotized due to his illness to forget


    Willow.


    However, there were aspects of Vermont''s revtion that did not add up. Ste asked, "You mentioned


    Willow was married. When Marshall took control of her during his episode, didn''t her husband search


    for her?"


    Vermont cleared his throat and said, "I don''t have all the details. I was overseas with my friends for a


    month when Marshall encountered Willow again.


    "The entire incident and its aftermath were handled by Keegan. My ount is based on what Keegan


    shared with me."

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    Chapter 1957


    Ste, skeptical, rolled her eyes. "So, you improvised the second half of the story?"


    Vermont replied, "Not exactly. It''s a rough ount of the events. Willow had a small family so Keegan


    organized her funeral, which I attended.


    "The emptiness of the hall reminded me of my exam answer sheets. If her husband truly loved her,


    wouldn''t he have been there?"


    He continued thoughtfully, "Willow''s disappearance might be tied to the Moore family. The car ident


    was due to Marshall''s condition, but they likely covered it up. It''s aplex situation, and perhaps it''s


    better that Marshall doesn''t remember."


    Felicity, frowning, interjected, "He''s fortunate to have forgotten. Willow''s life was lost because of him.


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste, whatever happens with you and Keegan, avoid someone with baggage like Marshall. He and his


    family are a web of problems."


    Ste had been silent until Felicity mentioned her name.


    Suddenly, Ste asked, "Did Willow and Marshall have any children?"


    Vermont, taken aback, replied, "No, I don''t believe so.


    Keegan never said anything about it. Why do you ask?"


    Ste pursed her lips before saying, "I was just curious if Marshall left Rivera hastily because Willow


    might have been pregnant, fearing his family would harm her."


    Vermontughed. "Unlikely. If Willow was pregnant, the Moores might have epted her. Regardless


    of their feelings toward her, they value their bloodline."


    He lowered his voice, "Marshall''s father and uncle, both sons of Frederick with different women, were


    brought into the Moore family at birth.


    "Frederick''s concern is his lineage, not the mothers who bore his children. Besides, Willow couldn''t


    have had


    Marshall''s child. They were focused on their studies and had only briefly reunited before her death.


    "It''s impossible for her to have had a child at that time, especially Marshall¡¯s."


    ''So Coco isn''t Marshall and Willow''s child? ording to Vermont''s timeline, it doesn''t add up,'' Ste


    mused, ''Also, Keegan told me that Coco''s parents weren''t people I knew and it seems


    ''Vermont doesn''t know much either nor about Coco''s existence before.


    ''The key point is the Moore family''s stance. If Coco was a Moore, they wouldn''t just ignore her. So, who


    exactly is Coco, and why is Keegan so invested in her?''

 Chapter 1958

    Chapter 1958


    Chapter 1958


    Ste''s questions only deepened her confusion. She had hoped Vermont''s insider perspective would


    rify things, but crucial details remained murky.


    Vermont''s ount hinted that Keegan had been involved in handling the fallout from Marshall and


    Willow''s incident. Ste found it hard to believe Marshall would be ungrateful, yet if he was implicated


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    in the kidnapping case against Keegan, perhaps Willow''s ident was not as straightforward as it


    seemed.


    Ste, deep in thought, suddenly asked, "When did Willow''s car ident happen?"


    Vermont replied, "Seven years ago, in September. I remember it very clearly. I was doing a double


    degree and graduated a yearter than them. That summer, I went abroad with some friends and didn''t


    return until midSeptember."


    Ste froze. ''That was the same month me and my mother had a car ident. So why was Keegan at


    the ident scene?''


    She remembered Detective Karl''s findings about a cab involved in their collision. Two fatalities and a


    pregnant survivor. Afterpensation, the cab driver and the passenger''s family had left Rivera,


    leaving no traces behind.


    If the cab from her ident was the same vehicle from


    Marshall and Willow''s incident, Keegan''s presence at the scene made sense. And with the Moore


    family''s influence, erasing records would be feasible.


    Ste recalled Keegan''s warning about Marshall and thought, ''Did my mom''s car cause the ident


    that killed Willow?


    "Did he fear Marshall remembering and seeking revenge? If I''m right, what was Marshall''s original


    intention in approaching me?


    "Before my mom''s death, he had even apanied me to the hospital.''


    Shivering at the possibility of Marshall seeking retribution, Ste took a deep breath. She thought it


    might be her imagination running wild due to her pregnancy.


    If Marshall had any recollection and saw her as a threat, he had ample opportunity to harm her. Yet, he


    had not. Instead, he had been helpful, contradicting her suspicions. She resolved to contact the


    investigator again.


    Vermont''s voice broke her thoughts, "Ste, the Marshall- Willow incident is a closely guarded Moore


    family secret. After Marshall''s treatment abroad, he was hypnotized to forget.


    "His mother implored us never to mention Willow, fearing the impact on him. He''s living a normal life


    now, and she can''t risk losing her son again."


    Vermont scratched his head and added, "I wasn''t going to share this, but I couldn¡¯t mislead you. I''ve


    told you all I know. "Please, keep this to yourself. I''m sure you knew that the Moore family used some


    influence in dealing with Willow''s matter."

 Chapter 1959

    Chapter 1959


    Chapter 1959


    "Got it. I won''t spill the beans, and don''t let Keegan know I asked you about this," said Ste.


    "I would never. He''ll be the first toe knocking if he knows that I talked to you. Back then, he was


    the one helping Marshall''s mom silence people like us. I''m sticking my neck out here just telling you all


    this. So, don''t screw me over," Vermont replied.


    Felicity sneered, "Look at you, all weak-kneed. Is Keegan gonna eat you alive?"


    "You go up against him if you''re so brave," Vermont said.


    Felicity hesitated for a moment, suddenly recalling the time when Keegannded her in the mmer.


    She cleared her throat and said, "He hasn''t crossed me. Why the hell would I go up against him?"


    Vermontughed and taunted, "You''re just a little chicken. The only person you dare mess with is me."


    Ste left the group voice call and dropped a WhatsApp message to Detective Karl, whom she hadn''t


    contacted in a long time. [Can we meet up?]


    Detective Karl shot back instantly. [I don''t provide additional services after the deal is closed.]


    His response left Ste taken aback. [It''s not about the previous matter. It''s fresh business.]


    [What kind of business?] Detective Karl asked.


    Ste wanted him to find more information about the driver and passenger in the cab that collided with


    them previously.


    There was a long silence on Detective Karl''s end.


    Getting a bit antsy, Ste sent another message, [I''ll triple themission.]


    However, it did not go through.


    Ste''s expression soured. ''That jerk blocked me!''


    Frowning, she dialed his number. However, she became irritated after being abruptly hung up on four


    times in a row.


    Sheposed a stern text, [If you don''t answer my calls, I''ll post your information on my Twitter. You


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    helped women catch their cheating husbands and split their property. What do you think those men


    would do when they find out about you?"


    A few secondster, Detective Karl called back. "Give me your bank details so that I can transfer back


    what you paid me. I don''t want your money anymore."


    "I''m not hitting you up for money. I want you to dig into that cab-"


    "I can''t," Detective Karl cut her off. "You should find someone else."


    Ste frowned. "Why not?"


    "No reason," Detective Karl said indifferently. "I''m just hustling to make a living. Some things are


    beyond the scope of a small-time detective like me."


    He paused and added, "I advise you toy off the investigation. Don''t ask anything. Your mom''s case is


    done and dusted. There''s no need to dig into the small stuff. Don''t bother ringing me again. I won''t pick


    up even if you do."


    Detective Karl hung up after that.


    Ste furrowed her brow.


    Detective Karl had been active in the circle for so long because he was willing to look into what others


    wouldn''t. But this time, he rejected Ste.


    ''Is it just because of the Moore family''s connection to this case? Or is there something bigger in the


    shadows?''


    The unknown surrounded them. Whichever path they took, it felt like wandering through thick fog.


    Ste rubbed her temples and caught sight of an unread WhatsApp message from Coco on her phone.


    She hesitated and clicked on it.

 Chapter 1960

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    Chapter 1960


    "Ste, I''ve saved a lot of money. Can I take you out to y tomorrow? No Uncle Keegan this time,"


    Coco said via voice message.


    Ste paused for a moment, then grinned. "Sure, but I''ve got something going on during the day. Can


    we meet up in the evening?"


    Coco, who hadn''t slept yet, texted almost instantly, [Okay!]


    Perhaps feeling she was too forward, she took a while to type another message, [Ste, why are you


    not asleep yet?]


    [Just waiting for your Uncle Keegan,] Ste replied.


    [Is he working overtime again?] Coco questioned.


    [Sort of.]


    Coco then sent another voice message saying, "You''re a nice person, Ste."


    Ste was confused.


    "Uncle Keegan said you''re a good-looking, a good cook, and a good actor. Now that I''ve met you, I


    think you''re better than he described. Chatting with you is great. You''re good atforting me. And


    you''re nice because you wait for Uncle Keegan. Everything about you is nice. I really like you," Coco


    exined.


    Taken aback, Ste thought, ''Do kids these days throwpliments around like nothing?'' She blushed.


    But she had a question to ask Coco, so she just called Coco, "Coco, when''s your birthday?"


    "Tomorrow."


    Her response left Ste stunned. "Tomorrow?"


    "Uncle Keegan says I can pick any day for my birthday. If I wanna celebrate it tomorrow while hanging


    out with you, then tomorrow it is."


    Ste rubbed her temples and said, "Sweetie, I''m asking about the birthday on your records."


    "It''s the same as Uncle Keegan''s."


    "You share a birthday with Keegan?" Ste was caught off guard.


    ''Keegan''s birthday is at the end of this month, not in September. Was my guess wrong?'' she thought.


    "Coco, has Uncle Keegan ever told you about your mom and dad?"


    Coco replied, "Yeah. He told me my mom''s a housewife, and my dad''s the chief. He also said that I


    looked like a burnt matchstick."


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste thought that Coco was a bit on the lean and darker side, but calling her a burnt matchstick was a


    little harsh. ''I can''t believe he said that. Hahaha.''


    Ste bit her lip and stayed silent, her nose letting out sporadic bursts of heavy breathing.


    Coco gritted her teeth, "Laugh if you want. I feel more humiliated if you hold it in."


    As soon as she said that, Ste burst intoughter, "Hahaha."


    Coco was speechless. Her thoughts of Ste being kind shattered immediately.


    ''Ste sleeps in the same bed as Uncle Keegan, and the nurse who looked after her before said that


    those who sleep together are simr people.''


    ''She''s just as cheeky as Uncle Keegan. They both love messing with me!'' thought Coco.


    "Coco- Hahaha. Truth is- Haha. I think being tan is healthy. Hahaha..."


    Ste tried to cheer up the kid, but she couldn''t stopughing when she recalled what Keegan had


    said, and herforting words got lost in theughter.


    Coco remained poker-faced. "Thanks for mocking me."


    Ste didn''t mean tough. But she couldn''t resist it when Coco mimicked Keegan''s tone with a


    straight face.


    Even though Coco wasn''t pleased with the teasing, she didn''t hang up. Instead, she asked, "Ste, am


    I really that tan?"

 Chapter 1961

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    Chapter 1961


    Ste suppressedughter and spoke warmly, "It''s hard to tell with kids. I used to spend a lot of time


    outdoors as a child, and I didn''t get fair right away. As you grow up and take care of yourself, your skin


    will naturally lighten over time. But even if it doesn''t, that''s perfectly fine. What matters is that you''re


    healthy and confident. All skin tones are beautiful."


    Coco perked up when she heard that. She then set a time to meet up with Ste and turned off her


    phone.


    Ste looked at the photos Coco had sent her. She couldn''t quite pinpoint who Coco resembled, but it


    definitely wasn''t Marshall.


    ''Marshall must have seen Coco during Keegan''s "funeral". At that time, he didn''t seem to have any


    particr reaction,'' thought Ste.


    ''Am I overthinking things?'' she sighed.


    Meanwhile, Cyrene and her friends were ying poker.


    "Cyrene, your luck is really something today. How much did you win?¡± asked one of her friends.


    Cyrene grinned and replied, "What do you mean? I just managed to recover what I lost earlier. You all


    better not leave. We''re having supper after we''re done ying."


    "We''re fine with that, but we don''t want to disturb Chandler," another friend teased.


    Cyrene enjoyed the lively atmosphere, often inviting people over for card games.


    Chandler, on the other hand, preferred peace.


    Every time Cyrene''s friends came over, he didn''t bother with greetings and just went upstairs. So, the


    group of women rarely yed toote.


    "He can rest while we y. It won''t be a bother," said Cyrene.


    As soon as she finished speaking, the study door suddenly opened. Chandler grabbed his jacket and


    hurriedly walked out.


    Puzzled, Cyrene stood up and asked, "Honey, where are you going sote?"


    Chandler put on his shoes as he said, "Something urgent came up at thepany. I need to go handle


    it."


    "What could be so urgent at thepany thiste at night?"


    "You wouldn''t understand even if I told you." With that, Chandler opened the door and left.


    Cyrene mumbled a couple of words and continued the game.


    "Hey, did any of you check your phones just now?" one of the women said while ying. "Olivia''s


    husband got taken away by the Public Integrity Section."


    Dahlia and Cyrene didn''t get along, so those who were on good terms with Cyrene naturally didn''t


    support Olivia. At


    most, they''ll politely greet her, just to keep up appearances.


    "I saw the news. Her husband got promoted not long ago, and they had a grand banquet. I never


    thought he''d end up in custody so soon. I heard Olivia reported him herself," someone replied.


    "Erick had an affair, and Olivia has been holding onto this grudge for a while," another added.


    "Yeah. She even put Dahlia in jail."


    Cyrene paused and asked, "What? Who''s in jail?"


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    "Dahlia-your sister-inw. Everyone''s talking about it in the group chat. She put oil on the stairs,


    causing someone to fall and get injured. So the police arrested her."


    Cyrene tightened her grip on the cards. She then suddenly stood up and said, "Apologies,dies. Let''s


    call it a night. I just remembered I have something to attend to. We''ll reschedule another day."


    After seeing off the women, Cyrene took out her phone and called Jackson.


    When the call connected, she bluntly asked, "Jackson, are you at thepany?"


    "No, I''m having drinks with friends. What''s up, Mom?"


    There was a lot of background noise from Jackson''s end. He was probably at a bar.


    Cyrene whispered, "Your dad went to thepany to handle something. He''s dressed lightly. Come


    back and send him a


    coat."


    "Are you mistaken? Thepany is on holiday today. No one is there. Why would he go to the office?"


    Cyrene''s face darkened. "Is that so? Sorry, I must have remembered wrong. I''ll hang up now."


    As soon as she hung up, Keegan''s call came in.


    Cyrene frowned, paused for two seconds, then answered.


    "Cyrene, it''s me, Keegan." His tone was calm as he introduced himself.

 Chapter 1962

    Chapter 1962


    Chapter 1962


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    "Who do we have here? The heir of the Kane family. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Cyrene''s tone


    was casual, but upon closer inspection, it carried a hint of sarcasm.


    She still harbored resentment toward Keegan for reporting Jackson to the police earlier. Even though


    Jackson returned safely, Cyrene couldn''t swallow her pride as a mother.


    If it weren''t for Chandler consistently advising him not to act impulsively, she would have had her whole


    familye over and demand justice.


    Keegan remainedposed facing Cyrene''s cold remarks. His tone was mild, "My mom got arrested."


    Cyrene chuckled. "Well, what goes aroundes around."


    Keegan pressed on, "Chandler''s not home, is he?"


    Cyrene paused. "Why do you ask?"


    Keegan exined, ''My mom needs reinforcements. Who else can she turn to in the Kane family


    besides Chandler?"


    Cyrene''s expression darkened. "Are you calling to mock me?"


    "No, I''m here to pick you up."


    Cyrene was taken aback. "What did you say?"


    Keegan exined calmly, "My mom could''ve found anyone in the Kane family for help, but she chose


    Chandler. I don''t think it''s appropriate for him to go alone. What do you think?"


    Cyrene clenched her hands, her face revealing a hesitant expression. After a moment, she asked,


    "Where are you?"


    "At your doorstep."


    This left Cyrene speechless.


    "You cane out. Your friends are gone. No one will know about this," Keegan continued.


    ''He even considered my dignity.'' Taking a deep breath, Cyrene reluctantly admitted that Keegan, in


    many aspects, surpassed Jackson. Dahlia''s foolishness couldn''tpare to Keegan¡¯s sensibility.


    Not long after Keegan''s wait, Cyrene emerged. Donning a coat and vibrant outfit, she approached the


    car.


    Keegan stepped out, opening the rear door with a courteous gesture.


    As Cyrene settled into the car, she pursed her lips and asked, "Keegan, what exactly are you


    nning?"


    Keegan closed the door, sitting upright. Half of his face was bathed in light, while the other remained in


    the shadows.


    "I''m just upholding the Kane family''s reputation for Grandma. If Chandler bails my mother out tonight,


    who knows what rumors might circte tomorrow? Even if we decide to bail her out, it has to be in your


    presence. It would not look good if otherwise.¡±


    "Do you think I would help bail out Dahlia?" Cyrene sneered.


    Keegan replied in disdain, "Whether you bail her out or not is your business. I''m just responsible for


    bringing you there. I don''t want my father''s reputation to be tarnished by his brother and wife."


    Staring at Keegan, Cyrene tried to decipher his expression. Yet, Keegan remained indifferent, even


    when discussing Dahlia''s arrest.


    "Why don''t you go bail out your mom yourself?" asked Cyrene


    Keegan nonchntly said, "Shemitted such an act under surveince, and it was even broadcast


    live. No matter how capable I am, I can''t cover it up for her. I can''t let the Kane family and Vinci Rivera


    suffer because of her, can I?"


    Cyrene felt irritated. ''He doesn''t want to get involved in the mess, so he had my husband do it? Who


    would bear the me if Dahlia were to be released, and it generated attention online?''


    ''Considering Keegan''s previous incident, my family had finally regained some standing within the


    <ppany. We can''t afford to lose it again because of this,'' she thought.

 Chapter 1963

    Chapter 1963


    Chapter 1963


    Cyrene had firmly decided that under no circumstances would she allow Chandler to bail Dahlia out


    tonight. With that determination, she sent a message to her two brothers at home.


    Turning to Keegan, she remarked, "I didn''t know you were cold-blooded toward your mom."


    Keegan responded with calm indifference, "She''s not exactly a loving mother to me either, Cyrene.


    Have you ever seen a mother so eager to divide the family property when her son was missing?"


    Cyrene remained silent.


    To be honest, she didn''t dislike Keegan. If it weren''t for Dahlia unting Keegan''s achievements in front


    of Cordelia and belittling her son every time, she wouldn''t mind if Jackson spent more time learning


    from Keegan.


    Unfortunately, Dahlia didn''t know when to shut up.


    Jackson''s grades weren''t good, and every time they met, she would deliberately bring it up in front of


    many people.


    After asking about Jackson, she would immediately mention that Keegan scored several perfect grades


    again and that she was not worried about his studies. ording to Dahlia, Keegan''s sess was all


    thanks to her.


    A mother''s love for her child knows no boundaries. Cyrene did not enjoy listening to Dahliapare


    their sons like


    that. So, the conflict was deeply rooted.


    When Keegan went missing, Cyrene genuinely felt sad. She hadn''t expected Dahlia to be so eager to


    divide Keegan''s inheritance.


    Cyrene did not care about their family dispute, but Chandler getting involved left a sour taste in her


    mouth. She always thought Chandler was smart, but in this matter, he acted foolishly.


    Regardless of whether Keegan came back or not, having his uncle and mother team up to split his


    inheritance was embarrassing.


    Dahlia could be shameless, but dragging Chandler into the equation made Cyrene feel disgusted.


    ''Now, Dahlia expects my family to clean up the mess she made? No way!''thought Cyrene.


    Keegan took a shortcut, so they arrived earlier despite leavingter than Chandler.


    When the car stopped at the police station entrance, Keegan handed a bottle of water to Cyrene. "Don''t


    get thirsty," he said.


    Cyrene took the water but didn''t drink. She held the bottle and kept her eyes on the bustling street until


    she spotted a familiar Maybach stopping at the police station entrance.


    Soon, the car door opened, and Chandler hurriedly got out of the vehicle, heading toward the entrance.


    Following him was a man in a light-colored suit whom Cyrene recognized


    as Chandler''swyer.


    "Chandler!"


    Before he could step inside, a familiar female voice sounded from behind.


    Chandler paused, thinking he misheard. He lifted his foot to continue walking.


    The voice came again, "Chandler Kane, stop right there!"


    Cyrene rushed over, grabbed his coat, and said, "I told you to stop!"


    Chandler was astonished. "Cyrene, what are you doing here?"


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    With reddened eyes, Cyrene gritted her teeth. "Didn''t you say there was urgent work? Howe


    you''re at the police station?"


    A look of embarrassment crossed Chandler''s face, but it disappeared in an instant. He grabbed


    Cyrene''s hand and said in a low voice, "I didn''t tell you to avoid unnecessary worry."


    "You lied to me. That makes me worry even more!" Cyrene shook off his hand. "Tell me, what are you


    doing at the police station?"


    Cyrene''s voice was loud. The on-duty police officers at the entrance asionally nced in their


    direction, making Chandler feel uneasy.


    He whispered, "Get in the car first. I''ll tell you after I handle this. I''ll be back in a moment."


    "Don''t think about going anywhere! I want you to tell me right now!" Cyrene''s face was stern.


    Chandler checked the time, pursed his lips, and said, "Dahlia got arrested. I''m getting awyer to bail


    her out. Wait for me for a while. I''ll be right back."


    As he spoke, he tried to walk away, but Cyrene stopped him.


    "You''re not allowed to go!"

 Chapter 1964

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    Chapter 1964


    Chandler ignored Cyrene''s words and said in a low voice," Stop making a scene. Wait for me in the


    car."


    Cyrene grabbed his shirt and said sharply, "I said you''re not going! Does she not have children to help


    her? Why are you even here?"


    "Would she still need to call me if Keegan and Aurora are willing toe? I''m sure that she has no


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    other options."


    Cyrene was furious. "Why are you helping her if even her children don''t want to? Even if they don''t


    Chandler''s expression turned unpleasant momentarily, "Why are you saying things like this? Isn''t


    Dahlia a part of our family too? Do you think our family¡¯s reputation won''t be affected if something


    happened to her?"


    "So, you do care about the Kane family''s reputation, huh?" Cyrene sneered. "Do you know exactly


    what happened tonight and why she was arrested then?"


    Chandler frowned. "Regardless of what happened, we can''t just leave her alone, right?"


    Cyrene exined, "Erick Chapman was arrested. Dahlia yed matchmaker for Erick''s daughter and


    Ricky Adam.


    "The Public Integrity Section is investigating Erick now, and if she has something to do with him, the


    Kane family will be involved too!


    "Do you still want to bail her out? Aren''t you worried that the others would speak ill of us?"


    With a stern face, Chandler said, "Dahlia said that she has no financial dealings with Erick. You don''t


    have to worry about this."


    "And you trust her just because she said so? If she didn''t say that, would you still rush here to bail her


    out."


    Chandler pursed his lips and said, "After all, we''re family. We can''t just ignore her."


    Cyrene questioned Chandler, "Are you suggesting that we should put our entire family''s reputation at


    risk then?


    "Quentin has been dead for so many years, yet the Kane family treated her very well. What''s your


    rtionship with her?


    "Why are you so worried about her? I''m your wife and I''m the person who gave birth to your child.


    "Who is she to you? Why would you want to secretly bail her out without telling me? What do you take


    me for?"


    Chandler felt embarrassed for arguing with Cyrene at the police station, so he pulled her close and


    tried to calm her down.


    "I''m just going to pay the bail and get her out. What are you so worked up about?" he asked softly.


    Cyrene pped his hand away as her eyes turned red. She said, "Chandler Kane, I know that you


    secretly gave Dahlia money when she was kicked out of the Kane family.


    "Quentin treated us well, so I turned a blind eye when you helped her. However, you''re crossing the line


    today!


    "If you go into that door today, we''re over. Tomorrow, we''ll get the paperwork done, and you can boil out


    whoever you want. Don''t drag me and Jackson into this!"


    Chandler''s expression turned grave. "Are you threatening me with divorce?"


    "Yes! Try it if you don''t believe me!" Cyrene said through her gritted teeth, "Not only will I divorce you,


    but I''ll also make sure to get every share of Vinci Rivera I deserve. Let''s see what you''ll use topete


    with Keegan then!"


    Chandler was infuriated as he pointed at her angrily. "Fine, fine. Divorce it is. Just wait."


    He pushed her aside as he spoke and told thewyer to follow him. Cyrene''s expression was cold.


    The next moment, two sports cars sped out from the side, blocking the entrance of the police station.


    The cars'' doors opened, and a few young men came out. Then, one of them stepped forward and said


    with a smirk," Uncle, what are you doing here sote at night? Come on. I''ve booked a private room at


    The Deli tonight. Let us apany you for a few drinks."


    Saying this, the young man hooked his arm around Chandler''s and dragged him toward the car.


    These were all Cyrene''s nephews and two of them had served in the military. They were strong.


    Although Chandler was tall and brawny, he was getting old, and he was no match for these young men.


    Before he could resist much, he was held tightly, unable to move.


    He looked at Cyrene, embarrassed. "Why did you bring them here?"


    Cyrene''s face remained cold. "Didn''t you hear what they said? They want to have a few drinks with


    you."


    She signaled one of her nephews with a nce, and he immediately stuffed Chandler into the car.


    Chandler struggled in vain, feeling frustrated. "How dare you do this in front of the police station? Are


    you insane? Let go of me now!"


    Upon hearing themotion, the on-duty police at the entrance came over to check things out.


    "What''s going on?"


    Chandler poked his head out and shouted, "Sir, these brats are kidnapping me!"


    Cyrene smiled and said, "My dear husband, what nonsense are you talking about?"

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    Chapter 1965


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Cyrene took out a marriage certificate from her bag and said, "Sir, this is just a misunderstanding.


    "He''s my husband and those are all my nephews. They specially arranged this surprise party for him.


    "He''s just causing a scene because he''s afraid of getting drunk tonight."


    Chandler''s face turned red in anger. "She''s talking nonsense! " he said with his jaw clenched.


    The police officer nced at him, looked at the marriage certificate, and returned it to Cyrene. Then, he


    waved his hand and said, "Move the cars away. Don''t block the entrance."


    "Yes, sir. We¡¯ll leave right away." Cyrene apologized and turned around.


    The smile on her face disappeared as she opened the car door and got into the front passenger seat.


    "Let''s go," she said in a cold voice.


    In the back seat, Chandler was sandwiched between the two nephews who had served in the military.


    Whenever he tried to move a little, he would be pinned back down on his seat.


    Chandler had never felt so embarrassed in his life. He glowered at Cyrene and said, "I can''t believe


    you''re doing


    this to me! We''re getting a divorce tomorrow!"


    Cyrene nced back at him and said indifferently, "Nope."


    When the sports car passed by Keegan''s car, Keegan lowered the window and looked over with a calm


    expression.


    Chandler froze and finally realized how Cyrene knew to find him here. He was furious.


    After they drove away, Keegan got out of his car.


    Chandler was taken away, but thewyer who came with him was still there.


    Thewyer was trying to contact Chandler''s assistant to discuss how to handle the situation.


    Keegan walked over silently and took thewyer''s phone.


    Thewyer was shocked. "Mr. Kane?"


    Keegan gave him back his phone and said nonchntly, "Go home."


    "But-"


    ''Or resign tomorrow." Keegan cut him off before he could say anything more.


    Thewyer immediately held his tongue and said, "I''ll go now. Goodbye, Mr. Kane."


    After getting into his car, he quickly drove away.


    Keegan turned around and looked at the police station, where Dahlia was anxiously waiting for the bail.


    ''It''s been two hours since I called Chandler, and he said that he woulde right away. Where is he


    not here yet?'' Dahlia wondered.


    She asked one of the police officers about it, only to be told that no one hade to the police station.


    She applied to make another phone call, but Chandler''s phone was switched off and could not be


    reached at all.


    She panicked and immediately called Aurora instead.


    Aurora stayed in the hotel for a long time and had just gotten into Aldor''s car.


    When the call came in, it rang for a while. Aurora only picked it up after Aldor nudged her.


    As soon as the call connected, Dahlia''s voice came through, "Aurora, where are you? Can youe to


    the police station and bail me out?"

 Chapter 1966

    Chapter 1966


    Chapter 1966


    Aurora paused momentarily before calling out softly, "Mom...


    Dahlia choked up as she spoke, "Aurora, I didn''t mean to treat you like that just now. I was just too


    angry that you stood on Ste''s side and lied to me, so I did that.


    "You know I''ve always loved you and gave you the best of everything.


    "When you were locked up back then, I did everything I could to get you out. You can¡¯t leave me


    alone."


    Aurora lowered her gaze and said in a hoarse voice, "Mom, I can''t help you. Keegan won''t let me do


    that."


    Dahlia continued to plea, "Are you just going to watch me get locked up here without doing anything


    then? Do you know what it''s like in here?


    "There are seven to eight people here together, has no beds, smells terrible, and has no heater too.


    "I''m freezing cold now. Aurora, my body is weak, and I can''t stand this at all. Please help me."


    Aurora pursed her lips. "I know what it''s like in there. Mom, you''d better control your temper.


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    "The people inside are not to be messed with. Don''t provoke them or your time inside will be worse


    than it is now."


    Dahlia was taken aback and suddenly stopped crying. She had called Aurora for help, not to listen to


    her advice.


    When she realized that her n did not work, Dahlia stopped pretending and said with a harsh tone,


    "Aurora Kane! You ungrateful thing! I''ve doted on you all these years for nothing!


    "All you have to do is sign and pay some money, yet you''re not willing toe. I''m already so old and


    you want me to stay in a ce like this.


    "You''re a monster. If I knew I would raise such a thing, I should''ve strangled you to death the moment


    you were born!


    "I''m locked up now, and what good does it do to you? Do you think that no one will point fingers at you


    when something like this happens to your mother?


    None of those rich kids would want to be your friends anymore! No one with a decent family


    background would want to marry you! You-"


    Aurora abruptly ended the call.


    Aldor looked at her, who had a pale face and seemed to be in a very bad mood.


    He asked softly, "What''s wrong?"


    Aurora lifted her head and tears welled up in her extremely red eyes.


    With a hoarse voice, she asked, "Am I a pathetic person?"


    Aldor chuckled and said, "This doesn''t sound like something you''d ask."


    Aurora wiped away her tears and said while choking, "I know you''re just going on a date with me


    because you''re afraid that my grandmother will give you a hard time and Keegan will cut your sry.


    "You don''t really care about me, right? You think I''m annoying, don''t you?"


    Aldor responded honestly, "Well, you¡¯re not exactly wrong."


    Aurora was taken aback and cried even louder.


    Aldor handed her a tissue and said with a smile, "I prefer the arrogant expression on your face when


    you look at everyone else as if they''re all worth nothing to you. Crying is not your thing at all."


    Aurora did not stop crying while she said, "Are you making fun of me?"


    "I''m praising you."


    Aurora did not take the tissue, so Aldor wiped the tears away for her.


    Heughed while doing so.


    Aurora felt worse. "Are you sick? I''m crying, and you''re notforting me. Instead, you''reughing."


    Aldor replied in a low voice, "I didn''t mean to, I just... couldn''t help it."


    He switched on the front camera of his phone as he spoke and showed it to Aurora.


    Aurora found her mascara smeared all over her eyes, and the tears streaming down her face were


    ck, clinging under her eyes like worms. She looked horrifying.


    After Aldor wiped her face, the two steaks of tears became even longer, making her look funnier.


    Aurora immediately stopped crying.


    However, Aldor was stillughing.


    Now I know why you''ve been single despite earning so much! You''re so annoying!"


    Aurora grabbed the phone angrily, wiping her smeared makeup while sobbing.


    Aldor chuckled, but surprisingly, did not refute this time.

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    Chapter 1967


    Chapter 1967


    Aurora was a little scared that Aldor would ask about what happened, but he unexpectedly did not. This


    included the incident back at the hotel and what Dahlia had said to her on the phone.


    As Aurora was still cleaning her makeup, her stomach growled.


    Suddenly, the atmosphere became awkward.


    She had been worried all day about what Dahlia would do to Ste at the wedding, so she had not


    eaten much. She only realized that she was hungry when her stomach growled.


    However, at that moment, she felt embarrassed more than hungry.


    Aldor did not say anything. Instead, he took a lunch box from the side and handed it to her.


    A strong aroma of eggs filled the car, leaving Aurora stunned.


    Aldor said, "My mom made some egg sandwiches for you. They might be a bit cold, though. If you don''t


    want it, I can take you somewhere else for a meal."


    "It''s fine." Aurora took the lunch box, lowered her gaze, and softly said, "There''s no need for that. This


    is good enough."


    Aldor rolled down the window slightly and handed her a bottle of water. After that, he said, "Go ahead


    and eat, then.


    I''ll take you home after you finish them."


    Aurora nodded and started munching on the egg sandwiches.


    "Mrs. Hart is really good at making these. They''re delicious."


    Really? She just started learning how to make them not long ago. She said that she saw you eating a


    lot of egg sandwiches when we ate together, so she tried making them. So, when Mr. Kane wanted me


    to pick you up, she prepared some for you to try."


    Aurora was stunned. Then, she felt a lump in her throat and started crying again.


    She was not even Aldor''s girlfriend, yet Sylvia was already willing to learn and make something she


    liked to eat. In contrast, her own mother just heartlessly framed her for her personal motives.


    Aldor saw her crying again and asked with a frown, "Is it so bad that you''re crying?"


    Auroraughed upon hearing what Aldor said and continued crying again. "Shut up."


    Aldor chuckled. "That''s right. This is the disdainful look I was talking about."


    Aurora was speechless.


    She held the lukewarm sandwiches in her hands, but her heart was filled with warmth.


    In the end, no one came to bail out Dahlia. ke was in the midst of a divorce, and all his money had


    been frozen by his wife. Although he wanted to help, there was nothing he could do.


    As for others, Dahlia had already burned all her bridges, so no one was willing to help her.


    After leaving the police station, Keegan went to Cordelia''s home and stayed there until 1 a.m. before


    returning to his house.


    Ste could not stay awake and had fallen asleep long ago. However, she kept the bedroom light on for


    him.


    Keegan walked over to the bed and removed the book resting on her stomach. Then, he tucked her in


    and went to the bathroom.


    After taking a hot shower, he came back to the bed.


    Ever since he "lost" his memories, they had been using separate nkets on the same bed.


    As he got into bed, he deftly removed Ste''s nket and then covered them both with his own.


    When Ste felt a source of heat getting closer to her, she instinctively snuggled into Keegan''s


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    embrace and hugged his waist.


    Keegan stroked her disheveled hair, leaned down to kiss her gently, and slowly closed his eyes.


    The next morning, when Ste tried to move after waking up, she was startled by the person above her.


    She lifted her head, met Keegan''s gaze, and realized she was clinging to him like a ko.


    Keegan woke up from being half-asleep. He looked down at Ste''s hand touching his chest and said,


    "Are you enjoying it?"

 Chapter 1968

    Chapter 1968


    Chapter 1968


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Ste quickly moved her hand away and said with a frown," Why are you inside my nket?"


    Keegan sat up and was taken aback upon hearing what Ste said. "Take a good look at whose


    nket this is."


    Ste looked at the nket and fell silent.


    Then, she quietly rolled out of Keegan''s nket, grabbed her own, and covered herself again.


    "I don''t usually sleep like this." Ste tried to exin herself. "It''s probably because of the pregnancy.


    The little one inside is acting up."


    Keegan got out of bed and took off his pajamas. Then, he grabbed his shirt and said while buttoning


    up, "It''s okay.


    Didn''t you say that we should work on our physical connection? I understand."


    He raised his gaze, as he spoke. "You can just ask to sleep under the same nket next time. No need


    to beat around the bush."


    His response left Ste utterly speechless.


    ''He needs to stop using me!'' Ste said inwardly.


    The past few days had been strange for Ste. Even though she had been sleeping in her own nket


    every night, she would wake up in Keegan''s every morning. However, it was still fine for Ste, as


    Keegan would always wake up before her, making the situation less awkward.


    But, after waking up face-to-face with Keegan this morning, Ste figured that Keegan must have


    thought that she was trying to get closer to him in the middle of the night.


    However, that was not the case at all.


    Ever since she got pregnant, her sleep had improved significantly. Sometimes, she would feel like


    teasing Keegan in bed, but she would fall asleep before he even returned.


    ''Have I really been snuggling into him for the past few days?'' Ste wondered to herself.


    Keegan saw how confused Ste looked, and his mood lit up.


    "Come on, go get ready. We''re going to the hospital."


    Ste rubbed her hair and responded in a daze, "Okay."


    When she went downstairs, there was a fresh bouquet of flowers on the table with dewdrops glistening


    on the petals.


    As she approached it, she noticed a blue jewelry box next to the flowers.


    Ste paused and turned to Keegan.


    Keegan was tying his tie, and when he noticed her gaze, he exined, "Aldor prepared this for


    Valentine''s Day."


    "Oh."


    Ste did not touch the box. Then, she turned around and put on her jacket.


    Keegan was taken aback. "Are you not going to open it?"


    "Didn''t you say that Aldor prepared it for Aurora? Why would I open somebody else''s gift?"


    Keegan was speechless.


    His expression turned somewhat indescribable before he said in a low voice, "Aldor prepared it for me


    to give it to you. I didn''t give it to youst night because you fell asleep."


    "Oh..." Ste dragged her voice. After that, she said, "So, you bought me a Valentine''s Day gift?"


    Keegan paused for a moment before he said, "Aldor did."


    Ste replied, "I''m d that you told him to buy it. He knows exactly what I like."


    As she spoke, she opened the box and saw a tinum bracelet with intricate craftsmanship.


    Suddenly, a bright smile appeared on her face. "I told you so. Aldor knows me all too well."


    Keegan was speechless.


    ''I was the one who chose this!'' he eximed inwardly.


    Keegan watched, as Ste lovingly held the tinum bracelet. He felt happy and frustrated at the same


    time.

 Chapter 1969

    Chapter 1969


    Chapter 1969


    "Aldor picked this flower too, right?" Ste touched the petals and said, "Aldor is so good with flowers.


    Look at how fresh they are."


    Keegan could not hold back anymore, and he eximed, "I bought the flowers!"


    Ste looked at him. "Why did you buy them?"


    "I¡ª" Keegan looked away, as he said, "I saw a little girl selling flowers alone, so I bought all of her


    flowers out of pity."


    ''This scum! He just keeps on lying!'' Ste cursed inwardly.


    Then, she scoffed, "No wonder they''re not fresh at all. They''re all leftovers, huh?"


    Keegan was shocked.


    ''When Aldor is the one buying them, they''re fresh. But, when I buy them, they''re not?''


    Keegan red at the bouquet, plucked a flower petal out of frustration, and got into the car without


    speaking to Ste.


    Ste was amused. His acting skill could be considered convincing when he was around others, but


    when they were alone, he would disy his true emotions all over. To Ste, his acting skills were


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    simply terrible.


    The hospital they went to for the prenatal checkup was


    affiliated with Fober University. Most of the people who went there for medical treatment were retired


    cadres and show folk, as the hospital provided good confidentiality.


    Garett''s senior was in charge of Ste''s examination. Ste had been to this hospital before, so the


    doctor was very familiar with her condition.


    Keegan apanied her throughout the entire process. However, he was scrutinizing each of the test


    results.


    Steughed and said, "You''re not even a doctor. Can you understand them?"


    Keegan did not say anything in response. He was probably still angry with what happened in the


    morning.


    Ste pouted and secretly cursed him for being petty.


    During the ultrasound, the doctor looked at the screen and suddenly paused. Then, she frowned and


    carefully observed the baby with a somewhat serious expression.


    Ste felt nervous. She had always dreaded it whenever the doctor''s expression suddenly changed


    during examinations.


    She clutched her shirt tightly and asked in a low voice, "Is everything okay, doctor?"


    The doctor chuckled, "They''re twins."


    Keegan froze.


    Ste could not process what the doctor said at first. "What? ¡ö


    The doctor continued gently, "Your babies were only six


    weeks old during yourst visit, so I couldn¡¯t see them clearly. But, I am sure of it this time."


    She pointed to show Ste and added, "Look over here and here. There are two gestational sacs."


    Ste stared at the doctor''s fingers and carefully observed the screen. She could vaguely see two pea-


    sized things, and her heart pounded wildly.


    "D-D-Doctor, are you sure? Are you sure they''re twins?"


    Ste was so excited that she stuttered.


    The doctor responded with a smile. "Actually, during yourst visit, I wasn''t sure because it wasn''t very


    clear at that time. I was afraid of making the wrong judgment and causing unnecessary excitement for


    you, so I didn''t bring it up-


    "But, I am certain this time. They''re fraternal twins. It''d be wonderful if they were a boy and a girl."


    Ste grabbed Keegan and shook him excitedly. "Keegan Kane, did you hear that? Twins! They''re


    twins! I''m going to give birth to two babies, yet I only have to suffer through pregnancy once! How lucky


    is that?"


    Keegan snapped out of his daze and regained his senses after being shaken by Ste.


    He held Ste''s hand tightly and asked, "Doctor, can her body handle a twin pregnancy? I just looked


    at the test result, and a few indicators are showing more fluctuations than before. Is there any risk with


    a twin pregnancy? If there


    is, can we consider selective reduction?"


    Keegan''s words instantly brought Ste back from her excitement.


    "You''re pretty attentive for remembering the readings from previous reports. Also, you''re the first


    person I''ve met who''d ask about the wife''s condition upon hearing news like this," the doctor said.


    Then, she raised her head and added, "It''s still too soon to think about that. Currently, your wife''s


    condition looks fine, and there''s no need for a reduction.


    "As long as youe for checkups regrly, we''ll provide you with scientific advice based on the


    mother''s health condition during different stages of pregnancy.


    "Generally, nothing will go wrong. But, of course, if any problems ariseter on, we''ll certainly opt for a


    reduction to ensure the mother''s safety. You can rest assured about that."


    Ste heaved a sigh of relief and realized that her palm was wet. She looked down and saw Keegan''s


    hand covered in sweat.


    It turned out that he was more worried than her.

 Chapter 1970

    Chapter 1970


    Chapter 1970


    The doctor gave Ste a new diet n and reminded her to control her sugar intake.


    With the increased risk of carrying twins, it was important to strictly control the rate of fetal growth.


    Smaller and healthier fetuses would lead to a smoother delivery process, and a quicker recovery for the


    mother afterward.


    Keegan took out his phone and diligently noted down all the doctor¡¯s instructions.


    Ste was listening to the doctor carefully too. But, when she went to get some water, she saw


    Keegan''s serious demeanor while typing on his phone and found it somewhat amusing.


    His stern expression made him look exactly like a secretary jotting down meeting notes. No one would


    have thought that he was writing down notes of the doctor''s instructions.


    Keegan was still holding Ste''s hand when they came out of the doctor''s office.


    However, Ste just let him do it without mocking him for acting as if he had regained his memories.


    She could feel the mixed emotions of excitement and concern emanating from Keegan through their


    intertwined fingers.


    In fact, she was feeling the exact same way.


    Being pregnant was already a blessing to her, but having twins was beyond her wildest imagination.


    Now that she thought about it, it seemed like there were some signs.


    She recalled the jellyfish dream she had before, where the beautiful bubble split into two. ''Could that be


    one of the signs?'' she wondered to herself.


    And, her appetite had changed drastically. She could eat more than other pregnant women who were


    at the same stage, and she felt hungry very often. ''Well, I do have two babies inside of me. It''s only


    normal that I can eat more, right?'' Ste thought to herself.


    ''Twins... It would be great if they were a boy and a girl like the doctor imed.


    ''Of course, it would be great too if they''re both girls or both boys. I don''t really mind,'' Ste said


    inwardly.


    While she was lost in her thoughts, Ste did not pay attention to the path ahead and identally


    bumped into a man, knocking the medicine out of his hand.


    Ste was stunned. Then, she immediately bent down to pick up the medicine. However, the man was


    furious and angrily shoved Ste away. "Are you blind?" he shouted.


    Ste almost fell to the ground, but fortunately, Keegan reacted quick enough and caught her.


    After helping Ste regain her bnce, Keegan abruptly grabbed the man by his cor and said with a


    cold face,"


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    What department are you from?"


    The man was startled by Keegan''s demeanor. He stuttered, as he said, "H-Hey, wh-what are you


    doing?"


    Keegan tightened his grip and said, "I asked you a question. What department are you from!?"


    "Obstetrics and Gynecology."


    The man quickly realized his mistake and immediately apologized to Ste. "I''m sorry. Please, forgive


    me. I didn''t mean to do that. The medicine was very expensive, and I was in a hurry..."


    Ste pulled Keegan away and whispered, "Forget it. I wasn''t paying attention either, and I didn''t fall


    anyway."


    With a tense face, Keegan released the man and walked Ste to the elevator.


    However, he became more careful this time. He wrapped his arm around Ste''s shoulders, preventing


    others from touching her.


    Ste''s heart melted, as she reached out to encircle Keegan''s waist. Then, she whispered, "Keegan


    Kane, I''m happy. I''m so happy."


    Keegan remained silent. He raised his hand and tucked her head against his chest. In the crowded


    elevator, Ste could clearly hear his heartbeat.


    Aftering out of the building and walking to the parking lot side-by-side, Keegan suddenly halted his


    steps.


    Ste was taken aback and turned to him.


    Then, she heard Keegan say in a soft voice, "Why don''t we... get our marriage certificate first?"


    Ste''s heart skipped a beat.


    ''Is he finally going to stop pretending?'' she wondered to herself.


    Keegan exined, "Didn''t you say that we have to work on our physical connection? Once we get the


    certificate, we can do whatever a legitimate couple can do without worrying about others gossiping."


    Ste was left speechless.


    ''Only he coulde up with such a terrible excuse!


    ''Is he the kind of person who''d be afraid of gossip?


    ''I can''t believe that the proposal I''ve been dreaming about for so long turns out this way!'' Ste thought


    to herself.

 Chapter 1971

    Chapter 1971


    Chapter 1971


    With a tense expression, Ste hesitated for a while before she said, "Fine."


    Then, she clutched her chest and thought to herself, ''Damn it. I need to stop being so soft!''


    However, when she saw Keegan''s sparkling puppy eyes, she suddenly felt as though Keegan was


    more spineless than her.


    Keegan said in a low voice, "I''ll give Aldor a call, then."


    Ste cleared her throat and said, "I''ll call Trevor."


    Then, she walked to the side and dialed Trevor''s number.


    "Trevor, are you busy right now?"


    Trevor replied in a gentle tone, "Not at all. I''m just having drinks with my friends. What''s up?"


    He seemed to have stepped out of the private room, as the noise on the other end of the phone


    instantly went away.


    "It''s nothing." Ste then cautiously asked, "Trevor, are our family''s residency registration documents


    with you?"


    Trevor did not answer her question. Instead, he asked, "Why do you ask?"


    "Do you remember when Keegan transferred a property under my name back then? I want to get the


    paperwork done, " Ste lied.


    She had no other option because Trevor would be the first to hide the documents if she wanted to use


    them to get the marriage certificate.


    After all, to them, Keegan was still someone who had lost his memories and had yet to prove himself.


    Trevor remained silent for a moment before he said, "Dad hides everything. He was worried that you


    would be tricked by Keegan into getting a marriage certificate with him. So, he kept it away right after


    you officially changed your name."


    Ste was taken aback.


    Wenham, who had always been careless, showed an unprecedented level of diligence this time.


    "Did he really say that? Am I that foolish to him?" Steined under her breath.


    Trevor slowly replied, "Well, I think dad made a pretty smart move."


    Ste did not say anything in response.


    "My friends are calling for me. Bye, for now. As for the paperwork, I''ll get someone to help you handle


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    it. Don''t worry."


    Trevor ended the call upon saying that.


    Ste red at her phone and was speechless.


    Meanwhile, Keegan had also finished talking on the phone. He walked over and said, "I talked to Lena.


    She said that her colleagues could help us with getting the residency


    registration documents done."


    Ste was puzzled.


    Keegan then added softly, "With the residency registration documents, we can then get the marriage


    certificate."


    Ste kept quiet.


    Did he figure out that my family wouldn''t give me the residency registration documents? What a crafty


    man!'' Ste said inwardly.


    After not getting any response from Ste, Keegan lowered his voice and asked, "Or, do you need


    more time to think about it?"


    Ste slowly held his finger and whispered, "Do you really want me to do that?"


    Keegan paused upon hearing that. Then, he hugged her shoulder, pulled her closer, and whispered in


    her ear, "Not at all."


    Thanks to Lena''s connections, the residency registration documents were done swiftly. After that, they


    went straight to get their marriage certificate.


    Since yesterday was Valentine¡¯s Day, most of the couples had already registered their marriage on that


    day itself.


    Consequently, it left the office rather empty today.


    So, they did not have to wait long before it was their turn.


    The marriage certificate of Hustuabourg included a photo of the couple in it, so they had to take it.


    However, things got awkward. Keegan was wearing a ck shirt, while Ste wore a white dress. The


    extreme contrast made them look as though they were opposing sides on a chessboard.


    Ste was not having it at all. "No way. It looks really ugly. I need to go back and change my clothes."


    Keegan felt irritated, and he hurriedly tried to persuade Ste. "The staff will be getting off from work by


    the time youe back again. Let''s settle with this for now ande back some other day to change


    it."


    Ste then turned to the staff and asked, "Can we change the photo on the marriage certificate?"

 Chapter 1972

    Chapter 1972


    Chapter 1972


    "Of course not. It can¡¯t be changed once we stamp it," The staff returned their IDs to them and


    continued, "Well, why note back tomorrow? There''s no rush anyway. Change into some nice


    clothes ande back for another photo session tomorrow."


    Keegan did not respond to that. Instead, he asked, "Can we use the same photo from our old


    certificate?"


    Ste was puzzled.


    "Sure, but we don''t have a copy of that. We can use them if you have the copies."


    Keegan replied, "I have the copies."


    Ste''s initial confusion turned into surprise.


    Then, she coughed and reminded Keegan, "Didn''t you lose your memory?"


    Oops!


    Keegan froze and finally realized what he had just said.


    After a long pause, he said, "I saw the photos when I was transferring data to my new phone."


    Fortunately, Keegan was able to keep up with his lie.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    He then forwarded the photo to the staff. After that, the photo was printed on the marriage certificate


    and was stamped.


    Ste looked at it and could not help but say, "The photo is the same asst time. It''s like we''ve never


    gotten a divorce."


    Then, she lifted her gaze and asked the staff, "Madam, if I want to change the photos next time, do I


    have to get a divorce first?"


    Keegan frowned. Then, he abruptly snatched the marriage certificate from her hand and pulled her out


    of the office.


    "Hey, let go of me. I still have questions to ask!"


    Ste struggled lightly.


    With a dark expression, Keegan said, "Who would get a divorce just to change the photos on their


    marriage certificate? Is marriage a joke to you?"


    Ste red at him. "And, whose fault is that? You dragged me here to get registered without telling


    me in advance. I was so bloated, and I''ve never taken such an ugly photo in my life!"


    Keegan could not help but chuckle.


    Meanwhile, Ste got angrier. "Why are youughing? Your face looked so sour when we took the


    photost time. Now that we finally have a chance to change it, you chose to use the same photo! It


    annoys me every time I see that photo! Is marrying me so difficult for you?"


    "It''s my fault." Keegan held her hand and sat down before he said in a soft voice, "It''s my fault for not


    giving you a heads up and leaving you no time to prepare. Please don''t be angry, okay?"


    He rubbed Ste''s hand and asked, "Why is your hand so cold?"


    Ste snorted. "Because you made me angry."


    Keegan chuckled again. Then, he warmed up her hands and said, "If you really don''t like the photo,


    we''ll take another one after you give birth to the babies and recover.


    "Wouldn''t that make it my third marriage? And, you expect me to do that after having two babies?"


    Keegan was speechless.


    "What do you suggest, then?"


    Ste frowned and could not think of a better solution. After a while, she mumbled under her breath,


    "Fine, let''s just settle with this for now."


    Keegan replied softly, "Thank you, Coach Hall."


    Ste pinched the back of his hand and refuted, "Keegan Kane, you should be d that you don''t do


    acting jobs for a living. Otherwise, you''d be starved to death!"


    Keegan was taken aback.


    Then, he lifted his gaze and said, "What are you talking about?"


    Ste scoffed, " Figure it out yourself."


    After taking Ste home, Keegan felt indescribably excited.


    He kept zoning out at work, and during lunch break, he sent a message to Vermont.


    [When are you getting married with Ms. Thompson?]


    His message caught Vermontpletely off guard.


    ''What''s going on here? Why is he suddenly concerned about my love life?'' Vermont wondered to


    himself.

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    Chapter 1973


    Vermont replied, [I don''t mind getting married right now if she wants to. But, she''s a few years younger


    than me, so she¡¯s not in a hurry to get married. I''m the one who can''t wait. As someone with


    experience, do you have any advice for me?]


    Keegan responded, [Just go with the flow. It''s something that can''t be rushed.]


    Vermont rolled his eyes and typed, [Did you text me just to tell me this?]


    Keegan replied, [No. I just wanted to ask how many kids do you n to have?]


    Vermont rested his chin on his hand. [I haven''t really thought about that. It depends on Miss Bandit. If


    she wants one, then we¡¯ll have one. Of course, having a son and a daughter would be ideal for me, but


    I don¡¯t want her to suffer the process of pregnancy twice.]


    Keegan agreed. [It''d be great if they could give birth to two babies. Then, they''d only have to suffer it


    once.]


    Vermontughed, as he replied, [Hahaha. Do you have any idea how low the chances of having twins


    are?]


    [I looked it up. The probability of having twins is about 0.5%, and among that, the probability of having


    a boy and a girl is 25 percent.]


    Vermont was confused.


    [Why would you even look that up?] Vermont casually asked.


    Keegan replied, [I was lucky enough to hit that 0.5%. As for the 25%, do you think I can hit it too? But,


    the probability of having both daughters is 37%, which is a little higher.]


    The smile on Vermont''s face immediately disappeared.


    His expression darkened, as he replied with his jaws clenched, [I''m a firm believer of Murphy''s Law.


    Anything that can go wrong will go wrong, so I''m sure that you''ll have two sons instead!]


    Keegan slowly responded, [You know, jealousy can make a person ugly.]


    Vermont immediately blocked Keegan''s number.


    ''Twins! Damn! I can''t believe it!'' Vermont thought to himself.


    Then, he sent a text message to Felicity. [Miss Bandit, Ste''s having twins. We can''t lose to them.


    Let''s have triplets! We''ve got to beat them!]


    Felicity replied, [Are you out of your mind? Am I a baby factory to you?]


    [Let''s at least get married first, then. With this pace, we won''t be able to keep up with them. I was


    thinking of having a daughter to seduce Keegan''s son in the future and seize the Kane family''s wealth.


    But, they already have a pair of twins now, and I''m not even married yet.]


    Felicity was shocked.


    Then, she replied, [Say that in front of Keegan, and let''s see if you can live another day.]


    Her response left Vermont utterly speechless.


    ''My girlfriend is good in many ways, but she doesn''t understand humor at all!'' Vermontined to


    himself.


    Meanwhile, after putting down his phone, Keegan heard Aldor''s voiceing from the door. "Mr. Kane,


    my boss is busy right now. If there''s anything, we can discuss itter in the meeting. Mr. Kane-"


    Before he could finish speaking, Keegan heard a muffled groan from Aldor, and the office door was


    forcefully pushed open.


    With a stern face, Chandler came inside and said with gritted teeth, ''''Keegan Kane, she''s your mother.


    If you''re going to ignore her, fine. But, how could you stop me from helping her? You''re heartless!"


    Aldor squeezed through from behind and said in a low voice, "Mr. Kane, I''m sorry. I couldn''t stop him."


    There was a bit of blood at the corner of Aldor''s lips, and his shirt was slightly wrinkled.


    Keegan¡¯s expression darkened, as he stood up and said to Aldor, "Go take care of your wound first."


    "Yes, Mr. Kane," Aldor replied and left Keegan''s room.


    Keegan shifted his gaze to Chandler and said, "Help her? How exactly do you n to help her?"


    He turned theputer screen toward Chandler, as he spoke.


    The news ying on the screen disyed the video of Dahlia smearing Tung Oil on the stairsst


    night.


    "The two cleaners of Regal Banquets who were assigned to clean the stairs identally fell and got


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    injuredst night. People are already pointing fingers at Vinci Rivera because of that. How are we going


    to help her? Do you want us to risk the entirepany for her?"


    Chandler paused and his face turned stern. ¡°What have you been doing all day? Don''t you know how


    to suppress the news?"


    "Why would I do that?" Keegan raised his gaze, looking indescribably indifferent. ¡°Chandler, this is a


    good opportunity to establish a positive corporate image for Vinci Rivera. How could I let it slip?"

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    Chandler was shocked. After looking at how nonchnt and indifferent Keegan was, he fell into


    disbelief and said, " You''re nning to use this incident for publicity?"


    Keegan replied tly, "Chandler, have you already forgotten the time you ordered Jackson to donate


    expired bread after the earthquake happened in Langetown not long ago? Our reputation that was built


    over the decades and the countless donations we''ve made all went down the drain.


    "Our PR team is still trying to resolve the negative impact you have caused thepany. Now, I finally


    have a chance to turn things around. Chandler, as a businessman yourself, what do you think a


    businessman would do?"


    Chandler''s expression turned ugly. "Keegan Kane, have you lost your mind after falling into the water?


    Are you seriously going to use your biological mother for a publicity stunt? Are you crazy?"


    Keegan yed with the Newton''s cradle on his desk and smiled with his gaze lowered. Then, he calmly


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    said, "My mom has always wanted what''s best for me. Despite facing all the criticism from others, she


    insisted on organizing a funeral for me, hoping that I could rest in peace.


    "Now, if we could improve thepany''s image just by sacrificing her alone, I''m sure that she''d


    understand my decision."


    Chandler pointed at him and scolded, "Keegan Kane! You''re simply being selfish! This is outrageous!"


    Keegan slowly looked up. "Chandler, I''ve already discussed this PR n with the executives. In the


    meetingter, everyone is free to express their opinions.


    "Let''s see if they''ll agree with my proposal. You always like voting because it''s fair, right? Honestly, I


    couldn''t agree more."


    Chandler was so angry that his hand trembled.


    Usually, whenever the two had different opinions in thepany, Chandler would initiate a vote.


    After all, Keegan joined thepany after Chandler, and he did not have a deep foundation and


    extensive connections like him.


    In the earlier years, Keegan would lose almost every time. It was not untilter when Keegan''s team


    started achieving results that the tide began to turn. After all, the shareholders only cared about money


    and their personal interests.


    So, Keegan was simply saying that to mock Chandler.


    Dahlia was just someone who was not directly rted to the Kane family. Compared to thepany''s


    image and potential profit, it was obvious what the shareholders would choose.


    Chandler might have many connections in thepany, but no shareholders would be foolish enough


    to prioritize their rtionship with him over their personal interests.


    Besides, Keegan had already notified thepany''s executives about it beforehand, leaving Chandler


    with no time toe up with a decent excuse.


    Chandler was about to say something more, but his phone rang.


    Upon seeing Cyrene''s name, he declined the call without hesitation. Soon, Keegan''s phone started


    ringing, and he answered it. He even put the call on speaker mode.


    Cyrene''s voice came from the phone. "Keegan, where''s your uncle? I want to speak to him!"


    Keegan nced at Chandler''s stern face and said slowly," Go ahead, Cyrene. He''s right here with me."


    Cyrene immediately exploded in anger. "Chandler Kane!


    How dare you hang up on my call?"


    Chandler replied in an unhappy tone, "I''m discussing business here. How can I answer your call?"


    "What kind of business? A discussion about how to get Dahlia out? If you do that, I''ll go to the police


    station right away and report her for ying Mah-Jongg to bribe others!"


    Chandler''s expression darkened. "Are you crazy? Don''t you often invite your friends to y Mah-Jongg


    at home too?"


    Cyrene sneered. "I y Mah-Jongg for fun, but I can''t say the same for Dahlia. She lets whoever that''s


    beneficial to her win.


    "And, she and her friends y on such high stakes. Who knows if the game is just an excuse for her to


    bribe her friends?


    "If you don''t stop trying to get her out, then we might as well go down together!"


    Chandler was so angry that his heart ached. "You''re starting trouble out of nothing!" he scolded.


    "Go ahead! Try me!" Cyrene abruptly hung up the phone upon saying that.


    Keegan looked at the pale-faced Chandler and added, "A wise wife is the best thing a man could ever


    ask for. I have to say, Chandler. You''re really fortunate to have such a virtuous wife."


    Chandler was filled with anger, as his face turned even gloomier. When he was about to leave, Keegan


    said, "Wait."


    Then, Keegan nced at the assistant standing next to Chandler and said in an unfriendly tone,


    "Chandler, Aldor is a core member of ALEX, and even Grandma would show him some courtesy. Your


    assistant is really something. How dare he hurt Aldor!"

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    Chandler sneered, "Keegan Kane, don''t try to mess with me. It was your ve''s fault for standing in my


    way!"


    Keegan''s gaze darkened. "Well, it seems like you don''t want to settle this privately."


    He took out his phone and dialed 911, as he spoke. "Hello, my assistant was physically assaulted by


    someone, and I''d like to make a report about it. My name is Keegan Kane, and my ID number..."


    Chandler''s expression changed. While Keegan was still talking on the phone, Chandler said, "Keegan


    Kane, are you out of your mind? Did you seriously just call the police for that?"


    Keegan nced at him and proceeded to tell the operator his ID number.


    It did not seem as if he was pretending at all, and Chandler was afraid of escting the situation.


    Chandler had finally managed to gain some advantage before Keegan returned, making Keegan feel


    somewhat threatened.


    However, after Jackson donated those expired bread to Langetown, the incident pushed those


    advantages back down.


    He was in a crucial time to prove himself. If Keegan were to really report to the police and get his


    assistant arrested, others might start to lose their trust in him.


    Chandler took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "My assistant has made a mistake, and I


    could''ve handled it better. Send someone over to my officeter, and I''ll transfer some money to Aldor


    from my personal ount. Let''s put this behind us."


    Keegan covered his phone''s mic and asked, "How much money are we talking about exactly?"


    "A hundred thousand."


    Keegan held his phone back up and continued giving the operator his ID number.


    Chandler gritted his teeth before he eximed, "Two hundred thousand!"


    At that point, Keegan was already telling the operator his address.


    Chandler''s face turned red in anger. "Three hundred thousand should be enough! Don''t push your luck,


    Keegan!"


    It was only then Keegan ended the call and said with a smile, "Well, allow me to thank you on behalf of


    Aldor, then.


    Not only had Chandler failed to lecture Keegan into helping Dahlia, but his assistant''s blunder had just


    cost him three hundred thousand dors. When he left Keegan''s office, his expression could not be any


    darker.


    Keegan looked at his departing figure and said, "Chandler, I''ll have my secretary go upstairs to collect


    the check in a while."


    Chandler stumbled and almost fell. Fortunately, his assistant caught him. Then, he shook the assistant


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    off and walked faster, looking somewhat embarrassed.


    It did not take long for the secretary sent by Keegan to obtain the three hundred thousand dor check


    from Chandler.


    After that, Keegan went to Aldor''s room with the check in his hand.


    He opened the door and saw Aurora applying medicine to Aldor''s mouth. Upon seeing Keegan, Aurora


    panicked, and she identally pressed on Aldor''s wound.


    With a painful expression, Aldor said, "Ms. Kane, are you taking this as an opportunity to retaliate


    against me?"


    Aurora red at Aldor and said softly, "Hey, Keegan."


    Keegan responded tly, "Go on, don''t mind me."


    Aurora was taken aback.


    Suddenly, she felt as though Keegan was teasing her. Then, she gritted her teeth and said, "Go on with


    what? It''s nothing serious. It doesn''t even need to be disinfected."


    Aldor chuckled and turned to Keegan. Then, he asked, "How did it go, Mr. Kane?"


    Keegan ced the check on the desk. "This is thepensation from Chandler."


    Aldor looked at it and suddenly frowned. ''Mr. Kane, did I back off too soon just now? If I had known that


    taking a punch would get me three hundred thousand, I would''ve stood in his way a bit longer."

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    Aurora was dumbfounded. "Did you also hurt your head? Are you saying that you''d take another punch


    for just three hundred thousand?" "Tsk," Aldor clicked his tongue. "Ms. Kane, you don''t know how hard


    it is to survive these days. I would even do it for thirty thousand. This has got to be the easiest money


    I''ve ever earned in my life. Now I know why so many people love to stage idents. To reap without


    sowing is such a wonderful feeling."


    Aurora was left speechless by his response. "I can''t believe how money- minded you are! You''d let


    somebody hit you just because of money? Do you not have dignity?" "Dignity won''t put food on the


    table." Aldor chuckled and added, "If I were to punch him back, I''ll get myself arrested when the police


    arrive.


    "I might even end up offending his boss, which would make my life harder in thepany.


    "I''m just a mere employee here. How can I afford to do that? Three hundred thousand is worth a few


    months of my sry. So, what''s more important? Dignity or money?"


    Aldor was merely telling Aurora about the reality faced by working-ss people like him. Aurora used to


    think that just because her family paid their employees to get things done, they could treat them


    however they wanted.


    She was too used to being demanding and never thought much about her behavior back then.


    However, after being lectured by Cordelia, she finally realized how inappropriate she was acting.


    Now that she had witnessed Aldor being bullied by her family and there was nothing he could do to


    retaliate, she felt disgusted by her past actions.


    On one hand, she was ashamed of doing things that were simr to what Chandler just did. And, on the


    other hand, she felt that Aldor wastoo timid.


    "Next time, if you find yourself in a situation like this, just fight back. Keegan will back you up, so there''s


    nothing to be afraid of. Right now, you''re embarrassing me-my brother!"


    Aldor said in a gentle tone, "Throwing punches won''t solve everything in the business world." "Why


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    not?" Aurora glowered at him and said, "Everyone''s going to take advantage of you with how soft you


    are. People willugh at me if this gets out!"


    Aldor paused before he asked, "Why would they?"


    Aurora was taken aback. Then, she angrily threw the cotton swab at him and said through gritted teeth,


    "Do it yourself!"


    After that, she stormed off with a stern face.


    Aldor was puzzled.


    Keegan nced at him. "Your acting was a bit much."


    Aldor ufortably scratched his head. "Ms. Kane is unpredictable. She''s probably just thinking about


    the egg sandwiches my mom made her. She''ll need more time to figure this out."


    By saying that, Aldor was also giving himself more time to think about it.


    Keegan''s stance remained neutral. Aldor was a rational man, and given his character, he would never


    do anything to hurt Aurora. That was also the reason why Keegan did not object to the two of them


    going out.


    "Does it still hurt?" Keegan asked.


    "Not at all." Aldor smiled and continued, "It''s nothing serious."


    After a brief pause, Aldor added, "Mr. Kane, if you really can''t bear to do this, why don''t you talk to Mrs.


    Kane and see if she''s willing to give in a little?"


    Keegan shook his head. "My mom is different from yours. I''ve already given her too many chances.¡±


    Aldor did not say anything more.


    He was just saying it out of courtesy. After all, Dahlia had brought everything upon herself. If she had


    been honest and satisfied with what she had, despite her pursuit of a luxury lifestyle, Keegan''s ie


    could easily support that. Unfortunately, she was greedy and always coveted thepany''s shares.


    Keegan''s phone rang, as he spoke. He looked at it and immediately handed it to Aldor.


    Aldor''s gaze fell on the phone. ''Hmph. Jaylene Saun,'' he scoffed inwardly.


    When the phone was about to stop ringing, Aldor answered it.


    Jaylene''s excited voice came through. "Hey-ya, Keegan." "Hello, Ms. Saun. This is Aldor."


    Aldor''s serious tone immediately made Jaylene drop her flirtatious voice.


    Then, she frowned and asked, "What? Where''s Keegan?"


    Aldor thought to himself, ''Wow, she can speak like a normal person, after all. Why would she


    automatically turn coquettish whenever she talks to Mr. Kane?''

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    ''Does she think that all men find this attractive?'' Aldor wondered to himself.


    Other men might find it attractive, but Keegan was definitely not one of them. When Ste talked to him


    using the same voice, his immediate reaction was to ask if there was something wrong with her vocal


    cords.


    Keegan did not appreciate that kind of tone even when it was from someone he loved, let alone


    someone that he disliked.


    As Aldor thought about that, he was impressed by how Keegan could put up with Jaylene for so long.


    Aldor answered, "Mr. Kane is in a meeting right now and can''t answer his phone. If there''s anything,


    you can tell me, and I''ll forward your message to him." "How long will he be in the meeting?''


    "It''s hard to say. It depends on what will be discussed. Sometimes, it would take around half an hour,


    but it could alsost for three to four hours when If


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Of course, Jaylene did not call to hear Aldor tell her how long their usual meeting wouldst. So, she


    interrupted him and said, "If that''s the case, I''lle upstairs and wait. Aldor, pleasee down to


    pick me up."


    Aldor was at a loss for words upon hearing that.


    Then, he raised his gaze at Keegan, who had a stern face, as if he was saying, "What a waste of time."


    Aldor sighed. He had never expected that Jaylene would say that and regretted not telling her that


    Keegan had gone to the factory.


    "Sure, please give me a moment. I''lle down right away."


    After hanging up, Aldor handed the phone back to Keegan and assured him. "Don''t worry, Mr. Kane. I


    won''t say a word about this to Mrs. Kane."


    Keegan was frustrated.


    Jaylene brought a lot of things with her. As soon as she saw Aldor, she asked him to help carry them.


    She waspletely different from Ste. Ste hade to the office so many times, yet she never


    asked anyone to carry her stuff. On the other hand, Jaylene acted as if the employees of thepany


    were obligated to help her.


    In the elevator, Jaylene started asking about what Keegan had been doing in the past few days.


    Aldor brushed her off by not saying anything specific. After realizing that she would not be able to get


    much information, Jaylene stopped asking.


    Right after getting out of the elevator, they bumped into Aurora.


    Aurora was looking for Aldor, and when she saw the items in his hands, she frowned. "Where have you


    been? Why are you carrying so many things?" "Aurora!" Jaylene squeezed out from the side and said


    with a smile, "You''re here too."


    Aurora paused before she replied, "Jaylene? What brings you here?" "I came here to look for Keegan,


    and I brought some gifts for you."


    She looked around, as she spoke. "Where is Keegan''s room? He''s in a meeting now, right? I''ll wait for


    him in his room."


    Aurora understood what was going on and replied with a smile, "Let''s leave the things in my office,


    Jaylene. Keegan is very particr, and he doesn''t allow others to enter his office when he''s not around.


    He has a temper, and I¡¯m afraid that he might get angry at you if he saw you insideter."


    Jaylene wanted to take this opportunity to look at Keegan''s workce but gave up the idea after


    hearing what Aurora said.


    She knew Keegan disliked people who went against his principles and figured that there would be


    plenty of other times to visit his office.


    For the first time, Aldor was impressed by how quick-witted Aurora was. Then, he walked toward her


    office with the things he was carrying.


    However, Aurora stopped him. "Aldor, have you delivered the documents


    Keegan asked you to?"


    Aldor paused and immediately understood what Aurora was trying to do." Not yet. I went down to get


    Ms. Saun just now." "You haven''t evenpleted your own work, yet you''re busy ttering other


    people? Did Keegan pay you such a high sry to carry bags?"

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    Jaylene was taken aback, and she looked somewhat embarrassed. She quickly said, "Aurora, I was


    the one who asked him to help."


    Jaylene did not particrly like Aldor, but she knew that he was very important to Keegan. So, she


    could not offend him, at least for now.


    However, Aurora was not having it at all. "Jaylene, don''t bother helping him. He''s always trying to


    ingratiate himself. We have security guards working in the lobby. Why does an assistant like him need


    to carry bags? I''m sure that he''s just doing this to tter you."


    Jaylene would be more than happy to have Aldor tter her, but that was not the case. So, she


    immediately took the things from Aldor''s hands and said, "Aurora, it''s not that serious. Aldor was just


    being kind. I''ll carry them myself, then. Where''s your office?"


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    It was only then Aurora stopped messing with Jaylene. Then, she pointed at the end of the hallway and


    said, "Over there. Let me show you the way."


    After that, she headed toward the office.


    Jaylene was wearing a dress, and she found it awkward to carry so many things. She wanted to ask for


    Aurora''s help, but Aurora walked so fast that she reached the door of her office in just a split second.


    "Jaylene, do you want tea or coffee?" Aurora asked.


    Jaylene was speechless. ¡¯The heiress of the Kane family, huh? She''s so thoughtless!''


    Struggling to carry everything alone, Jaylene shouted, "Anything is fine."


    Aldor stood there and chuckled for a while before going back to Keegan''s office.


    Under Keegan''s disapproving gaze, Aldorthen kept everything rted to Ste and the babies in the


    office.


    After that, from a box, he took out the ecological microndscape ss ball that Jaylene had given to


    Keegan and ced it on the desk.


    Keegan rested his chin on his hand while looking at Aldor. "You should work as a set designer."


    Aldor replied, "I just want to prove that I¡¯m worth my sry.¡±


    Keegan then kicked his talkative assistant out of his room.


    Jaylene sat on the couch and looked around. When she saw Aurora handing her a cup of coffee, she


    thanked her and took it.


    "Aurora, is Ms. Crosby okay?"


    Aurora lowered her gaze without saying anything.


    The videos taken at the wedding ceremonyst night had spread like wildfire and Jaylene knew what


    had happened.


    "I heard that Ste was injuredst night. I wanted to visit her at Royalpark Vi, but my father said that


    she was resting and wanted to be alone. How is she?"


    Aurora''s gaze turned cold upon hearing Ste''s name. "Don''t talk about her.


    She disgusts me!"


    Jaylene sighed. "What exactly did Ste do to make Ms. Crosby so angry? I can''t believe that Ms.


    Crosby would do such a thing in public."


    Aurora¡¯s face darkened. "Jaylene, would you stop mentioning her name? I''m really fed up."


    Jaylene was shocked. She thought that Aurora would want toin about Ste to her.


    She wanted to know why Ste was fine after the fall, why Dahlia chose to harm Ste out in public,


    and what would Dahlia gain after making Ste fall. She simply had too many questions.


    Jaylene initially thought that she could find the answers to those questions from Aurora. But, everytime


    she mentioned Ste, Aurora became more impatient with her. She figured that Aurora was probably


    acting this way because she still could not get over how Dahlia framed her. So, Jaylene had no choice


    but to suppress her curiosity for now.


    Then, she shifted the topic and started chatting about other things with Aurora. Suddenly, she took out


    the gift she had prepared for Aurora and handed it to her. It was a VIP card from a studio that


    specialized in making schoolgirl outfits.


    Aurora had a passion for collecting them, and it had be her obsession. The designs from that


    studio were unique and very limited. The VIP card granted priority ess, but it would only be


    randomly given to about ten of their patrons every year.


    Aurora had never been lucky enough to get one, but Jaylene managed to get it.


    Aurora epted the gift with a bright smile. "Jaylene, how did you get this? I can''t believe it! I love


    you!"


    Jaylene smiled and said, "I''m d that you like it. All the trouble I went through to get this is worth it."


    Just as they were talking, Aldor walked in. Then, Jaylene took out an exquisitely packaged gift bag and


    handed it to Aldor. "Aldor, this is for you. Thank you for taking care of Keegan. It''s a little token of


    appreciation."

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    Aldor spoke gently. "Ms. Saun, you didn''t have to. It''s my duty to take care of Mr. Kane since I''m on his


    payroll. I''m afraid that I don''t deserve a gift for simply doing my job."


    Jaylene said, "Consider it a gift from me on behalf of Keegan. It''s just a small gift. Nothing too


    expensive."


    Aurora could tell that Jaylene was trying to build rapport with Aldor. After some thought, she said,


    "Jaylene already said that it''s for you, so just take it already. What? Your dignity is suddenly worth a


    fortune?"


    Aldor was speechless.


    ''She''s definitely just taking her anger out on me,'' he thought to himself.


    Aldor stopped refusing after what Aurora said, so he thanked Jaylene and took the gift bag.


    "Ms. Saun, Mr. Kane is done with his meeting. I''ll take you to him." "I''lle too," Aurora stood up and


    said. "I have something to discuss with him. Jaylene, let''s go."


    Jaylene''s expression turned somewhat unpleasant. ''Guess I wasn''t wrong about her being thoughtless,


    huh?''


    When they arrived at Keegan''s office, Jaylene spotted the ss ball on the desk and felt delighted.


    With Aurora around, there were plenty of things that she could not say to Keegan. So, she could only


    bring up some irrelevant topics.


    Aurora criticized Jaylene inwardly, ''What a coward. Even though I failed to win Marshall''s heart, I


    confessed my feelings openly. I honestly can''t stand how hesitant and awkward Jaylene is around


    Keegan.


    ''Well, if you''re not going to say anything, I will.''


    Aurora cleared her throat and said, "Keegan, do you have any ns after work? Do you want to watch


    a movie with me and Aldor?"


    Jaylene was puzzled.


    Keegan kept his head lowered, as he said nonchntly, "What movie?" "Anything. Grandma wants me


    to go out with Aldor, and I just find it so awkward. Would you please join US? If he bullies me, you can


    deduct his sry," Aurora said coquettishly.


    Keegan was annoyed by her whining. Then, he looked at Jaylene and said," Jaylene, why don''t you go


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    home if there''s nothing else."


    Jaylene snapped out of her thoughts and said, "Keegan, I want to watch a movie with you too. Why


    don''t we all go together?


    "After all, Aurora is going on a date with Aldor, and it wouldn''t be appropriate for you to sit right next to


    them.


    "They might feel ufortable. We can buy the seat behind them and pretend to watch a movie to see


    how Aldor treats her."


    Aurora felt frustrated. ''I shouldn''t have talked about watching a movie!''


    Meanwhile, Ste had just gone to Cordelia''s home to pick up Coco.


    Coco was very happy. She chattered away like a little bird and asked Ste all kinds of questions.


    Ste answered all her questions patiently and could not help but think to herself, ''So, this is what it


    feels like to have a child.


    Teaching them about the world, exining things to them, and watching them grow. How interesting.''


    She had asked Felicity toe with her. However, Felicity''s script was rejected, and she was asked to


    revise it immediately. Someone was interested in her script, but they were dissatisfied with certain parts


    of the plot, so her boss told her to change them.


    Felicity had no choice but to reject Ste and went home to revise her script.


    It was not a holiday, so there were not many people in the cinema. After buying the tickets, Ste led


    Coco into the screening hall with drinks and popcorn in her hands.


    They were a littlete, and the movie had already started in the darkened hall. So, they had to walk


    very carefully.


    When they were approaching their seats, Ste identally tripped over someone''s foot. She quickly


    grabbed the seat in front of her, but she still lost her bnce and sat down on thep of the person


    behind her.


    "Ouch," the person eximed and held onto her waist.

 Chapter 1980

    Chapter 1980


    Chapter 1980


    Fortunately, Ste did not fall.


    She heaved a sigh of relief. When she was about to stand up and apologize to the person, she heard a


    sardonic voice. "Are you trying to take advantage of me in this dark ce?"


    Ste got goosebumps all over and immediately jumped up.


    Spencer leaned back in his seat and looked at Ste with a smile. "Miss, you''re blocking my view," he


    said slowly.


    The audience in the back row shouted, "Don''t just stand there. Sit down.


    The movie has already started."


    With a tense face, Ste opened her phone to check her seat number, but unfortunately, her seat was


    right next to Spencer''s.


    Coco pulled Ste''s hand and looked at her with a widened gaze. It was as though she was asking her


    why she was not sitting.


    Ste took a deep breath and sat Coco down between her and Spencer.


    The opening credits were over, and the movie had started. Ste could feel Spencer''s piercing gaze on


    her without having to turn her head.


    Then, she calmly pulled her cap down.


    A softughter came from the side, but she pretended not to hear it and continued watching the movie.


    Ste could not stand how Spencer would keep appearing in her life like a ghost haunting her.


    She then thought about the time when Keegan was still missing, Spencer suggested pretending to date


    someone to lure Keegan out.


    Ste refused to believe that he would suggest something so outrageous without any ulterior motives.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Motives for Murder had been aired for nine days, earning a box office of five hundred and thirty million.


    It was only ranked fifth on the list, while the first ce had a box office of two point three billion by


    today, showing a considerable gap.


    The positive side was that after the New Year holiday, the box office of the other top-performing films


    had dropped significantly. But, it was not the same for Motives for Murder. The screening rate had


    increased over the past few days, which was a good sign.


    In the morning, Leighton even sent her a screenshot of the ratings of Motives for Murder on a movie


    review tform. It had a score of 7.9.


    As a locally made suspense film, it was already a very good rating. And, it was still rising. It only had a


    score of 6.9 when it first aired.


    But, in just three days, it increased by one point. Considering the chaos caused by Leighton''s fans,


    who were maliciously giving it a one-star rating, it was an impressive achievement.


    Ste intentionally avoided watching the movie, so she could watch it with Keegan. Coco insisted on


    watching it with her, so she gave in and nned to watch it with Keegan another time.


    Unfortunately, before she could watch it with Keegan, she bumped into her ex-boyfriend in the


    screening hall.


    Tm d that Keegan isn''t here, otherwise, I wouldn''t know how to exin this to him,'' she thought to


    herself.


    Coco''s eyes were wide open during the movie. Ste was amused and wondered if she could


    understand a suspense film at such a young age.


    Stuart''s visualnguage was excellent, and he used plenty of long shots throughout the film, especially


    in the scenes with Ste and Nicole.


    While filming, there were a few scenes where their lines deviated from the script due to heightened


    emotions. However, Stuart did not interrupt them and just had them reshoot the scenes with the original


    lines.


    Ste thought that Stuart would use thetest version, but unexpectedly, he did not.


    In the long shots without any effects, the excellent performance of both actresses was clearly captured.


    They were so natural that it looked as if they were not acting at all.


    Leighton''s performance wasmendable too. It significantly surpassed his previous works.


    In the acting scene, working with an experienced actor could make one get into character a lot easier.


    Along with some talent in acting, it might even help them make a breakthrough in their career.


    There was never a dull moment in the two-hour-long movie, and it ended with a press interview of the


    character Ste portrayed.


    "She" had finally be sessful. After performing on a world-ss stage, a crowd of reporters


    rushed over to interview "her". Then, one of them brought up the incident where "her" roommate was


    poisoned and asked if she was involved in it.


    At that time, "she" had already immigrated to another country. Upon hearing that question, "she" smiled


    and said, "There''s no point in getting the answer to this question now."

 Chapter 1981

    Chapter 1981


    Chapter 1981


    In the movie, the stage lights shone on her face, while her entire body remained in the shadows as if it


    was trying to tell the audience something.


    The scene then rewound to thirty years ago, and it focused on the hands that poison the roommate.


    The hands wererge with popping green veins, and there was a yellow female headband on the wrist.


    It was identical to the ones that the girls wore during their final dance on stage.


    Then, the movie ended abruptly.


    As for who the culprit was, the movie left it to the audience''s spection.


    The cliffhanger immediately made the audience discuss who the culprit was. Some said that it was


    Ralph, who was yed by Leighton because the hands looked like they belonged to a man.


    Others thought that it was Georgia, who was portrayed by Ste because Ste''s hands were not small


    in real life.


    Ste could not help but lower her head and nce at her hands.


    ''Are they really that big? They''re okay, I guess,'' she thought to herself.


    However, that pair of hands actually belonged to the director himself. Stuart was way too good at


    creating mystery. What he wanted was the feeling that no matter who the audience guessed, it would


    still make sense.


    The awards he had won from the suspense films he directed were well deserved. He had a thorough


    understanding of his audience.


    The audience started leaving the screening hall one after another, but Ste remained in her seat. She


    was waiting for everyone else to leave first so that nobody would identally bump into her.


    Unexpectedly, before she could leave, spencer sat down next to her and said, "Hey, we''re old


    ssmates, after all. Why didn''t you even say hello? I can''t believe you''re so heartless."


    Ste replied nonchntly, Don''t start anything."


    "Tsk," Spencer clicked his tongue. Then, he said, "I gave you a n, and you had someone else to do


    it with you. You''re such an ungrateful person. Are you avoiding me because you feel guilty?" "Yeah,


    yeah, you''re right. Now, please go away. You''re making me feel extremely guilty," Ste could not look


    any more annoyed, as she spoke.


    Spencer squinted and smiled. "Really? Then, I can''t let you off so easily.


    Come on, look at my face for a bit longer."


    After he said that, Spencer purposely leaned closer to Ste.


    Ste was speechless. "How childish can you be?¡±


    Spencer scoffed, "Is this your first day of knowing me?" "What do you want?" "I gave you a n when


    Keegan was still missing, after all. You should at least treat me to a meal, don''t you think?" "I don''t have


    any money on me." "What about your phone?¡± "I have no money in my phone either. My boyfriend is


    very strict with me.¡±


    Spencer''s expression changed, feeling somewhat upset after Ste mentioned Keegan.


    Then, he said through gritted teeth, "He doesn''t even give you pocket money. Why do you still love him


    so much?" "Because he has good looks."


    Spencer felt annoyed, as he stared intensely at Ste. It made her feel ufortable all over.


    "Ste Hall, let me ask you something. When we were dating, did you like me or did you see me as


    someone else?"


    Ste was confused by his question.


    "What do you mean?" she asked.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Spencer continued ring at her. "Quit pretending. You were just treating me as Keegan Kane''s


    substitute, weren''t you?"

 Chapter 1982

    Chapter 1982


    Chapter 1982


    Ste was dumbfounded.


    Seeing the puzzled look on her face, Spencer felt somewhat better. He was not a substitute as he had


    thought before.


    Before he could say anything more, Ste spoke, "No. Who gave you the confidence to think that you


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    can be as handsome as Keegan?"


    Spencer¡¯s face instantly turned red in anger.


    "Are you blind? How am I any less handsome than him? Not only that, but I''m also younger than him.


    The number of women swooning over me could popte a small country!"


    Ste could not help butugh, "If you''re so confident, why are you so desperate topare yourself to


    Keegan in front of me? To me, no one in this world can be better than him. You''re just embarrassing


    yourself here. Instead, you should just ask your girlfriend whether you or Keegan is more handsome.


    She''ll undoubtedly choose you without hesitation. It''s the same thing."


    Spencer snorted, "I just can''t stand the fact that you think an old man like him is better than me!"


    Ste''s eyelid twitched, "Are you not going to live past thirty?" "Fuck!" Spencer got even angrier. "Why


    didn''t you defend me like this when other people scolded me in school? You''ve never treated me as


    your boyfriend, have you?"


    Ste replied, "Nothing nice everes out of your mouth. You deserved to be scolded. Because of


    Sophia, I already didn''t have a lot of friends in school. Did you expect me to make more enemies? Do


    you really want me to bepletely isted by everyone else?" "I only dealt with those guys because


    of you!"


    Ste was bewildered, "What did that have to do with me?¡±


    Spencer scolded, "You ungrateful thing. What makes you think people who didn''t like you would want


    to group up with you? It''s all because I beat them up!"


    Ste''s lip twitched, "Hmph. I could¡¯ve easily done the group project alone, yet you made my life


    harder. After I did my part, I still had to finish theirs. Do you want me to thank you for what you did?"


    Spencer''s expression darkened, "I was just worried you''d cry because no one would want to be in a


    group with you. You''re heartless!"


    Ste chuckled upon seeing his annoyed expression. She said, "Sigh. It''s been so many years. Why


    cant you just forget it and move on?''


    With a tense face, Spencer said, "Could you let it go if you were the one who got dumped?"


    Ste scoffed, "You were the one who couldn''t stand your ground against your father. Don''t try to put


    the me on me."


    Spencer felt frustrated, knowing that what Ste said was true. However, he just could not ept it


    when she agreed to break up without opposing at all.


    But he had to admit that he was still attracted to her even after so many years.


    That was why he never had anything good to say whenever they met. He resented her for forgetting


    their rtionship so easily, but at the same time, he hated himself for ying hard to get back then. He


    figured it would have been better if he had nurtured their blossoming love, cultivating a bond so strong


    they felt inseparable, just like the one she and Keegan shared.


    However, he never would have thought that the cat-and-mouse game he yed would cost him the


    rtionship.


    He just could not forgive himself.


    Coco blinked her big eyes and stared at Spencer for some time before she said, "Mister, you''re more


    handsome than Uncle Keegan."


    Spencer was taken aback. Then, he burst intoughter and reached to pinch Coco''s cheeks, "You


    certainly know what you''re talking about."


    Then, he nced at Ste, "Unlike someone delusional." Ste was speechless at hisment.


    Coco leaned closer to Spencer, asking, "Mister, are you friends with Ste?"


    Ste corrected her, "Coco, his name is Spencer. You can call him Uncle Spencer." "But he''s younger


    than Uncle Keegan."


    Spencer was delighted, "Children never lie, right?"


    Ste said nonchntly, "Whatever. I don''t really care anyway."


    Spencer was speechless. Then, he looked back at Coco, "Little girl, you can just call me Spencer."


    Coco liked Spencer very much, and they immediately began chatting happily with each other.

 Chapter 1983

    Chapter 1983


    Chapter 1983


    Ste stroked her chin, realizing that Coco was actually very good at socializing.


    Spencer liked Coco very much. He took her hand and left the screening without saying anything to


    Ste. Ste could not stop them, so she got up and followed them.


    On the same floor of the cinema, there were many things for children to y with, such as w


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    machines and arcade games.


    Coco rarely came to a ce like this. She found everything amusing, making her want to try everything.


    Ste took out her phone, intending to buy some tokens for the arcade games. However, just as she


    was about to pay, Spencer stopped her and beckoned a staff. After hearing what Spencer said, the


    staff nodded and quickly retrieved a stack of tokens.


    Ste was puzzled, "Do you own this ce?"


    Spencer scoffed, "I paid for all your expenses even before I started making money; how could I let you


    spend on anything now?" "I have a husband," Ste said.


    "Just shut up," Spencer retorted.


    Ste kept quiet and started thinking about how to return the moneyter.


    Coco was very excited. She followed Spencer to the w machine and won five toys in just a couple of


    minutes.


    After that, she dragged him to y basketball and ride a motorcycle.


    Ste watched as Spencer yed with Coco and suddenly thought,'' Spencer is still young and has all


    the energy to entertain a child. When my babies are as old as Coco, Keegan would be in histe


    thirties. Would he still have energy like this?


    ''I should remind him to exercise more, otherwise, he''ll be too slow and clumsy to catch up with our


    babies.''


    Suddenly, her head was hit by a balloon. She frowned, rubbed her forehead, and red at Spencer,


    "What are you doing?¡± "What are you thinking about?" "My husband."


    Spencer snorted, "Stop it! Can you even get along with him with such an age gap?" "Of course; I have


    a mature mind. We''re a perfect match."


    Spencer put on a disgusted expression, "Why weren''t you this obsessed with me when we were


    dating?"


    Ste answered, "Your looks aren¡¯t enough to make me go crazy over you."


    Spencer flipped her off, and she returned the gesture with two fingers.


    Coco got tired and sat on a rocking chair to rest. Meanwhile, Ste and Spencer sat on a bench nearby


    and watched her y.


    Spencer handed her a bottle of water and asked, "Keegan told you that this child isn''t his, and you


    believed him?" "Of course. There''s no reason for him to lie to me. Times are different now;


    I can easily find out with a DNA test. Do you think I''m that foolish?"


    Spencer stared at her for some time before suddenly asking, "Have you ever liked me?"


    Ste did not say anything.


    Spencer chuckled, looked at Coco, and said tly, "You like Keegan; your eyes light up everytime you


    talk about him. I''ve never seen this when you look at me, even when we were dating.


    "I used to think you''re just a creature without emotional capacity. It turns out that I was wrong. Damn, I


    can''t believe that I lost to Keegan." "Quit pretending," Ste said in a resigned tone. "Stop acting like


    you were deeply in love with me. You''re just upset that I dumped you. Well, this time, it can be your


    turn. Say the word, and I''ll leave right now."


    Spencer continued staring at her for a moment before suddenly reaching out to hug her. "Let''s say


    goodbye to each other onest time," he whispered.


    While resisting, Ste looked up and suddenly met Keegan''s deep gaze.


    ''Fuck...'' she cursed inwardly.

 Chapter 1984

    Chapter 1984


    Chapter 1984


    Ste felt a surge of panic. ''I''m dead meat if Keegan catches me hugging Spencer, especially right after


    we got our marriage license. I''d rather face death than his wrath. Why does every encounter with


    Spencer lead to trouble? He''s like a bad omen!'' she thought, her mind racing.


    Ste awkwardly pushed Spencer away and was about to call out to Keegan. But then her attention


    was diverted as her gaze darted toward him and Jaylene, who offered him a water bottle.


    Speechless, Ste''s thoughts whirled, ''Great. We just got our marriage license, and here is Keegan,


    sneaking out to watch a movie with Jaylene. How''s he going to exin this one?''


    Catching Keegan''s intense stare, Jaylene turned and spotted Ste, who was inconspicuously close to


    a strikingly handsome man. "Ste?" she blurted out, turning to Keegan in disbelief. "That''s Ste over


    there!"


    After her outburst, Jaylene scrutinized Keegan''s expression closely. His face was a mask of cold


    indifference, his eyes gleaming with a hint of mockery.


    Jaylene smirked. She suggested shyly, "Let''s greet them, Keegan."


    Spencer, sensing Ste''s difort, reluctantly released her hand. He observed Keegan, noting a


    stark contrast from their previous encounters. Previously, Keegan would radiate jealousy. But now, he


    appeared utterly indifferent, as if Ste beside him meant nothing.


    ''Could his amnesia really be this strong?'' spencer pondered.


    "Ste,''¡¯ Jaylene called out with feigned cheerfulness. "What a coincidence!


    Are you here to catch a movie with a friend?"


    Ste, struggling to maintain herposure, met Keegan''s eyes with a silent question. He subtly


    averted her gaze, focusing instead on Spencer.


    Spencer''s warm smile did little to ease the tension. He asked, "Aren''t you going to introduce US,


    Ste?"


    Keegan bristled at the question, his annoyance palpable.


    Ste hesitated, her mind momentarily forgetting Jaylene''s penchant for stirring trouble. She finally


    spoke, "This is my stepsister, Jaylene Saun," her eyes flicking to Keegan, "And my ex-husband, whom


    you''ve met."


    Intrigued by the man beside Ste, Jaylene inquired eagerly, "And who might this gentleman be?"


    Before Ste could respond, Spencer extended his hand with a confident smile, "Hello. I''m Spencer


    Graham, Ste''s ex."


    Ste was dumbfounded, her thoughts in turmoil, ''Proud to be known as my ex? Really?''


    Jaylene''s surprise mirrored Ste''s. She had not expected such a forthright introduction, eliminating her


    chance for further spection. "Well, isn''t this a pleasant surprise," she remarked, shaking his hand. "I


    didn''t know Ste was still on amiable terms with her ex."


    Keegan''s expression darkened slightly. Before he could speak, Spencer chuckled and said, "Ste has


    always been exceptionally kind-hearted.


    Just consider how she moved in with her amnesiac ex-husband to help jog his memory, disregarding


    the whispers about her reputation. She''s well- known for her enduring affection toward her past loves.


    It''s surprising to hear you don''t know this, Jaylene. Seems like you''re not as close to Ste as one


    might think."


    He added yfully, ncing at Ste, "And no, I didn''te to watch a movie with her. She brought


    Coco here for a movie, and we just happened to bump into each other. Seems fate hasn''t finished with


    us yet."


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Keegan remained silent, his gaze thoughtful.


    ''If Spencer praises her character, it must hold some truth. Yet he¡¯s her ex...'' Jaylene thought, her


    expression briefly faltering before she forced a smile." You''re right. My rtionship with Ste has been


    rather brief. There''s much more for US to learn about each other."


    Turning to Keegan, Jaylene suggested, "Since we''re all here, why not have a meal together? It will be a


    wonderful opportunity to catch up."

 Chapter 1985

    Chapter 1985


    Chapter 1985


    Ste watched Jaylene, a mix of surprise and respect brewing inside her. Despite the harsh


    confrontation at the Saun residence, where Ste had pped Jaylene, she still conversed calmly with


    Ste in front of Keegan. This was an unexpected show of tolerance.


    Ste knew Keegan was charming, so she did not understand his slow progress in extracting vital


    information from Jaylene. Her concern for his wellbeing grew. So, when Jaylene proposed they all dine


    together, Ste readily agreed, "Sure. We were nning to grab a bite anyway."


    However, Keegan declined, "I have to pass. Work''s calling at thepany."


    Their exchanged nces spoke volumes, both puzzled by the other''s intentions.


    Ste offered a smile, "If you''re tied up, don''t let US hold you back, spencer and I will keep Jaylene


    Keegan remained stoic, his thoughts wandering, ''Spence... I recall Vermont using nicknames for his


    high school girlfriend. Such terms are vague, yet so personal from those bygone days.1


    Seizing the moment, Jaylene gently coaxed, "You''ve been buried in work all day, Keegan. Grab a bite


    with US. You''re still recovering, and nutrition is key for that."


    After a pause, Keegan''s gaze shifted from Ste to Jaylene, and he nodded in agreement. Jaylene


    mistook his acquiescence as his inability to deny her, and a faint blush colored her cheeks. Observing


    the duo, spencer whispered to Ste, "What''s brewing between Keegan and Jaylene?"


    Ste responded with a neutral expression, "Better not to delve into things that don''t concern you. The


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    more you know, the more dangerous it bes."


    Understanding her warning, he nodded and remained silent.


    Elsewhere, Aurora emerged from the restroom, finding Aldor alone. Her curiosity peaked when he


    recounted the unexpected gathering. She asked," Ste and her ex were at the movies, and now


    they''re dining with Keegan and Jaylene?"


    Aurora mused, her fingers running through her hair in contemtion," Maybe I''ve misjudged her. Could


    she be seeking to integrate into this family rather than disrupt it?"


    Aldor offered no response, his expression unreadable.


    Intrigued by the potential dynamics between Ste, the formidable woman, and Jaylene, the seemingly


    innocent one, Aurora convinced Aldor to discreetly follow them.


    Meanwhile, Jaylene suggested Joplonese cuisine, a choice met with mixed reactions. Keegan turned to


    Ste, "What would you like?"


    Hand in hand with Coco, Ste replied, "Well have whatever Coco fancies."


    Coco''s eyes sparkled with excitement. She eximed, "Barbecue!"


    Spencer chuckled, yfully ruffling Coco''s hair, "The kid''s got taste. The barbecue spot downstairs is


    top-notch."


    Keegan gave a nod of approval, "Barbecue it is, then."


    Jaylene, however, frowned. Pulling Keegan aside, she expressed her distaste for barbecue, citing the


    lingering scent on clothes and itsck of elegance. She preferred simple, fragrance-free meals.


    Keegan listened and then made a decision. He said, "Then well have Joplonese cuisine."


    Jaylene''s face lit up, but her joy was short-lived. They ended up at the barbecue restaurant, with


    Keegan arranging for a Joplonese meal from a nearby restaurant just for her. Jaylene found herself the


    lone diner with a te of Joplonese food, starkly contrasting the group''s cheerful barbecue feast.

 Chapter 1986

    Chapter 1986


    Chapter 1986


    Ste fought back herughter, carefully avoiding Jaylene''s gaze to maintain herposure. She


    found herself torn between amusement at Keegan''s straightforwardness and bemusement at Jaylene''s


    naivety.


    Having been a frequent visitor to the Kane residence, Ste was well aware of Keegan''s deep affection


    for Coco. A wiser approach for Jaylene would have been to endear herself to Coco, as winning the


    child''s heart was as crucial as winning over Keegan and his family. Competing with a child was, in


    Ste''s eyes, a futile effort.


    Ste eyed Jaylene''s carefully chosen attire, deducing her preference for Joplonese cuisine. Jaylene''s


    self-consciousness was apparent. She always strived to present her best self to Keegan. Yet, Ste


    knew that perfection was not the key to asting rtionship. It was about embracing each other¡¯s


    strengths and epting their weaknesses.


    Keegan, who is experienced in dealing with various personalities, would likely be unimpressed with


    insincerity.


    Meanwhile, Spencer was attentive, especially to Coco. He skillfully sliced the tender cuts of meat for


    her and Ste, serving himself and Keeganst. Keegan, usually reserved, was surprisingly engaged in


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    business discussions with Spencer, creating a congenial atmosphere, much to Jaylene''s chagrin.


    Jaylene had intended to stir jealousy in Keegan¡¯s heart by inviting Ste and Spencer, but Spencer''s


    wless manners thwarted her ns.


    After a moment, Jaylene put down her utensils and remarked, "Mr. Graham, your care for others is


    admirable, particrly in how you select the finest cuts for Ste."


    Continuing to slice the meat, Spencer replied casually, "I was taught to always prioritize women. Mr.


    Kane also seems to hold this value, as evident in his thoughtful order of Joplonese cuisine for you. It''s


    fundamental etiquette, isn''t it, Ms. Saun?" 1


    Jaylene, caught off guard, managed a strained smile, ''This man is quite blunt with his words.''


    Attempting to regain control, Jaylene said with a forced smile, "I was wondering if your attentiveness


    toward Ste stemmed from lingering feelings."


    Spencer nced at Ste, a yful glint in his eyes, "Oh, the feelings are there, but sadly


    unreciprocated. I''m always ready to whisk her away, but she''s fixated on her amnesiac ex. I''m just


    biding my time, waiting for her to grow tired of him or for him to let her go. So, I stay prepared."


    Keegan''s irritation was evident, faced with Spencer''s public flirtation with Ste. Bound by his amnesiac


    persona, he remained silent.


    Caught off guard, Ste nearly choked on her drink. She shot Spencer a sharp re, "If you can''t


    speak sensibly, you better stay quiet!"


    Spencer clicked his tongue in response, "Tough crowd. You should appreciate having a high-caliber


    backup like me."


    Jaylene observed with satisfaction. Keegan''s shifting focus seemed to confirm her belief that his


    feelings for Ste had faded.


    Noticing Ste''s sullen expression, she felt even more confident in her spection. She watched as


    Ste, in a bold move, called out to the waiter, ''Two bottles of white liquor, please!"


    Keegan''s frown deepened, his eyes filled with questions as he looked at Ste.


    Ignoring his gaze, Ste turned toward Jaylene, offering him a look that hinted at an unspoken strategy.


    Keegan, still silent, watched the unfolding scene, his thoughts unreadable.

 Chapter 1987

    Chapter 1987


    Chapter 1987


    Spencer, unfazed by Ste''s request for drinks, shed a smile and casually asked, "Enjoying the


    meal? How about we add a few drinks to the mix?"


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Ste shot back, "Ever the chatterbox, aren''t you?"


    Jaylene, disying genuine concern, frowned at Keegan, "You really shouldn''t drink, Keegan. You''re


    still recovering. Alcohol and cigarettes are thest things you need right now."


    Keegan responded calmly, "It''s fine. I''ll just have a few drinks with Spence."


    Spencer did a double-take. Surprised, he thought, ''Did he just call me " Spence"?'' "Please, Keegan.


    Think of your health," Jaylene implored, her worry evident.


    Keegan replied with warmth, "I''ll go easy then. Why don''t you drink a bit more on my behalf? I owe a lot


    to his family. They were there for me during tough times."


    Feeling a sense of inclusion in Keegan''s circle, Jaylene could not hide her satisfaction. She nced at


    Ste, whose mood seemed to sour further, and quickly agreed, "Since it''s your request, I can''t say


    no."


    Ste remained silent, internally acknowledging Keegan''s influential charm.


    Leaning closer, Spencer whispered to Ste, "Seems like your faithful act is going unnoticed. How


    about eloping with me instead?" "Go elope by yourself," Ste retorted dryly.


    "Ingrate," Spencer snorted in mock offense.


    Ste nned to get Jaylene tipsy. Trevor had mentioned her average tolerance, which was slightly


    better than Keegan''s. However, Jaylene was now nearing her limit, while Spencer, though slightly


    buzzed, was far from it.


    Slightly drunk, Spencer became more talkative, reminiscing about their school days. Initially


    maintaining hisposure in Jaylene''s presence, Keegan grew visibly more irritated as she became


    drunk when he heard


    Spencer recounting how he and Ste first met.


    "Bro, let me paint you a picture. When I first transferred to her ss, Ste sat alone in the back. I


    chose to sit with her because it was quieter and because she caught my eye. Yet, she never gave me a


    second nce. I thought she was ying hard to get.


    "A whole month passed, and she didn''t utter a word to me. One day, she tapped my shoulder and


    asked, ''Hi, what''s your name? The teacher needs it for the information sheet.'' "I was dumbfounded. A


    whole month, and she didn''t know my name? I was insulted, honestly. She wasn''t the typical high


    school beauty; she was more of a hidden gem with a unique aura, probably from her dancing. She


    stood out, but not knowing my name? That hit a nerve. I remembered her name from the first day we


    met, yet she was clueless about mine. It felt so unfair.

 Chapter 1988

    Chapter 1988


    Chapter 1988


    Lost in nostalgia, Spencer continued, "To pique her interest, I started asking her about ss lessons,


    feigning academic concern. At first, she was puzzled. Why would I, the perpetual sleeper, suddenly


    have an academic awakening? I yed it off, saying my dad promised me four dors for every point I


    scored. I''ve got my eyes on a figurine worth over six grand. I needed to score as high as I could.


    "Her reaction was immediate. She became my earnest tutor, lending me notes and patiently exining


    concepts. She stood out during our second year when the curriculum intensified, and everyone became


    protective of their study time. She sacrificed her time for me, meticulously breaking down each topic


    and asking if I understood.


    "I had heard numerous rumors about her from the boys'' dormitory. They said her family was well-off.


    Her parents did charity work and adopted a girl from an orphanage. But they were only using the girl for


    publicity, and they actually treated her poorly. She was said to mistreat the girl, feed her food she was


    allergic to, and make her wear her old, tattered clothes. So, many of our ssmates isted her,


    thinking she had a bad character.


    "I never bought it. She was a stranger to me, yet she was willing to sacrifice her own study time and


    share her hard work. How could someone so selflessly sharing her knowledge be that person in the


    rumors? Rumors start easily but are hard to dispel. People love to paint a picture that fits their


    narrative, often overlooking the truth.


    "Despite being an outsider, I found the rumors distasteful. She was strong, unaffected by the gossip.


    But she was always ready to confront anyone who dared bring it up to her face. This resilience made


    many wary of her, but I found it impressive. It added to her allure.


    "As the SAT approached, she confidently told me that if I mastered what she taught, I could easily top


    the ss. I wondered aloud if she would continue teaching me. She said I had caught up fast.


    "But here''s the twist: I could have easily scored high on my SAT but chose not to. When the results


    were out, her disappointment was palpable. She med herself, thinking she hadn''t taught me well


    enough. That''s when shemitted to improving my grades, saying, ''There are no bad students, only


    bad teachers.'' I couldn''t help but find her earnestness endearing."


    Ste listened, inwardly fuming, ''That rascal! I was so concerned, thinking he had test anxiety, but it


    turned out he was just ying me all along. And he had the audacity to brag about his "extraordinary


    performance" during the Teacher''s Appreciation Day!''


    Caught up in his story, Spencer, slightly tipsy, stood up and sauntered to Keegan. Raising his ss, he


    clinked it with Keegan''s, a mischievous glint in his eye. He continued, "Despite half a year of tutoring,


    she was still indifferent to me. But then, at a school event, I saw her gaze fixed on a handsome artist


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    performing on stage. That''s when it hit me; she has a thing for good looks."

 Chapter 1989

    Chapter 1989


    Chapter 1989


    Spencer continued with a hint of nostalgia in his voice, "I couldn''t help butugh at myself. All this time,


    I had never considered that she simply wasn''t drawn to my looks. It was a hard pill to swallow. I started


    paying more attention to my appearance, insisting on wearing a pristine white shirt, controlling my facial


    expressions, and even modting my voice when I spoke to her. Slowly, she began to notice, often


    getting lost in thought while discussing our studies."


    He chuckled, "She was terrible at concealing her feelings back then. While others sneaked nces,


    she would openly stare. Thank goodness for my resilience. Anyone else might have felt unnerved."


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Spencer''sugh was light, "One day, just before a mock exam, out of the blue, she asked if I had ever


    been in love. I was taken aback, my cheeks burning. I admitted I hadn''t felt that way about anyone


    before her.


    "She then suggested we date to explore what love felt like. I agreed, and though I kept a cool


    demeanor, I was ecstatic inside. That night, I couldn''t sleep. I ran all the way to her house. Her room


    light was on. I really wanted to call out to her, but I was afraid to scare her. So, I just stood there for


    hours until she turned off the light and left. I had never felt such crazy longing for someone; it was a


    whirlwind of emotions."


    Ste''s grip tightened on her utensils. She lowered her gaze, ''He''s right about one thing: the one who


    confesses love first does love less. I was so impulsive then, not thinking of the consequences.''


    Keegan, sensing her difort, subtly took her hand under the table. Ste paused, then offered him


    a reassuring smile. She harbored no regrets about their past breakup, nor did Spencer''s confession stir


    old feelings. She simply reflected that things might have been handled differently had she been more


    mature.


    Oblivious to their exchange, Spencer said, "Our rtionship was brief, just two weeks. She ended it


    abruptly, cutting off all contact. If we crossed paths, she¡¯d avoid me. I was too young and impulsive,


    first chasing her and then reacting with anger. Our silent standoffsted until the end of our SAT. On


    Teacher''s Appreciation Day, I finally confronted her, asking why she ended it. She told me she was


    upset I didn''t tell her about my ns to study abroad."

 Chapter 1990

    Chapter 1990


    Chapter 1990


    Spencer''s tone wavered with emotions as he continued, "When I realized she knew about my ns to


    study abroad, I was shocked. I hadn''t told anyone outside my family. It dawned on me that my father


    must have met with her, probably to discourage her from pursuing a romantic rtionship with me


    because of our family backgrounds.


    "I was kept at home until my departure, losing all contact with her. Abroad, I found myself isted,


    keeping a distant eye on our group chats. She soared during her university years, excelling in the


    performing arts at Trinity University. Her talent was unmistakable, even mentioned in the campus


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    forums. With makeup on, I couldn''t recognize her as the lead in King Lear. She had transformed,


    leaving her high school self far behind.


    "Rumors reached me about her being paraded by her father at banquets, seeking a marriage alliance


    for financial gains. I heard her mother had an ident, and her family''spany was in trouble. That


    idiot, using a marriage alliance for money, trapping her. He had no idea where her true valuey. I


    thought, if there must be a marriage alliance, why couldn''t it be with me? I broke free from the people


    my dad had set up around me and rushed back, but I was toote."


    Spencer turned to Keegan, his eyes red with unshed tears. He said, "You''re incredibly lucky, Keegan.


    The woman I''ve loved for years became your wife so effortlessly. I came back, hoping she might still


    have a ce for me. But one look at her with you, I knew I stood no chance. Her gaze toward you was


    filled with admiration, something I could never evoke. My dream of US running away together was just


    that- a dream. For the longest time, I couldn''t ept that she didn''t feel the same for me. How did you


    manage to win her heart?"


    Keegan, gently taking the wine ss from Spencer''s hand and recing it with water, replied calmly,


    "The only advantage I had was timing. I met her when I was in control of my own life."


    Spencer paused, reflecting on Keegan''s words. He managed a wry smile, "I guess that makes sense."


    Ste sat quietly, her thoughts a whirl of past and present. She felt a pang of sympathy for Spencer,


    realizing how his feelings had lingered through the years.


    Understanding the depth of Spencer''s unrequited love, Keegan contemted, ''He had believed our


    marriage was a casual affair, fueling his reluctance to let go. But his love was genuine, and his


    eptance, though painful, was sincere. His greatest misfortune was falling for her at the wrong time.


    Indeed, I am fortunate. But sometimes, luck is just another form of strength.''


    Keegan prepared to call Spencer''s father, but Spencer stopped him, "Don''t be ridiculous. I don¡¯t need


    my dad toe pick me up.''


    Keegan eyed Spencer''s drunken state, "After drinking with US, I can''t let you go alone. What if


    something happens? I don''t want Ste to feel guilty or worried about you."


    Spencer leaned back, a mixture of resignation and respect in his voice," After all that''s been said,


    you''re still concerned about getting me home safely. You always put personal safety above romantic


    notions. I have to admire that. She really didn''t choose wrong with you, Keegan."


    Keegan responded with a hint of dry humor, "Don''t make me sound too noble. I just don''t want any


    idents on your way home to weigh on Ste''s conscience. She doesn''t need more reasons to think


    about you."

 Chapter 1991

    Chapter 1991


    Chapter 1991


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Spencer turned toward Ste with a mock re, "Aren''t you tempted to ditch him and run into my


    arms?"


    She rolled her eyes in response, "You really should call someone to pick you up. You''repletely


    sloshed. How did I never realize you were such a master of nonsense?"


    Spencer snorted dismissively, "I''m nting a thorn in your heart on purpose, hoping to stir some guilt.


    Why should you find happiness before me?"


    Chuckling, Ste retorted, "You overestimate your influence. I''m heartless, remember? Any thorn you


    nt would just end up in my stomach."


    Undeterred, Spencer shot back, "Then I''ll make sure it pricks you there!"


    Ste dismissed his words with a scoff, "Grow up, Spencer."


    Spencer wobbly called his friends, who were nearby. Soon enough, his friends arrived to escort him


    home. Before leaving, he pulled Keegan aside, whispering something. His friends then hurriedly led


    him away.


    Curious, Ste inquired, "What did he say to you?"


    Keegan replied cryptically, "Just some guy stuff."


    Ste snorted, suspecting the nature of their conversation, ¡¯He must have been sharing one of those


    embarrassing stories from school. If Spencer ever marries, I have a few tales of my own to share with


    his bride.''


    Reflecting on Spencer''s parting words, Keegan felt amused yet challenged. Spencer had quipped,


    ''Marriage is love''s graveyard. Let''s see how long youst. If you ever grow tired of each other, I''ll be


    waiting. But try to keep her in your "graveyard" forever, if you can.'' ''As if I''d ever let her go,'' Keegan


    thought defiantly.


    Noticing that Jaylene had passed out, Ste turned to Keegan with a mischievous glint in her eyes,


    "Darling, I have an idea."


    At the term of endearment, Keegan''s attention sharpened, "What''s on your mind?" "Treat others as


    they treat US," Ste suggested slyly.


    Keegan cautioned, "Nothing illegal, though."


    Ste huffed, "I''m not bound by such high moral standards. Otherwise, we might as well involve the


    police."


    Keegan remained silent, his expression thoughtful.


    Impatient with his hesitation, Ste pondered, ''Sometimes, Keegan''s adherence to rules can be a little


    too rigid for my liking. Morality is subjective, after all.''


    She then dialed Aldor¡¯s number on her phone, "Stop spectating. We need your help."


    A few minutester, Aldor arrived with Aurora and helped the stillunconscious Jaylene into the car.

 Chapter 1992

    Chapter 1992


    Chapter 1992


    In the car, Aurora, who had abstained from alcohol, took the driver''s seat. Keegan settled into the


    passenger seat while Ste and Aldor upied the back, nking a thoroughly drunken Jaylene.


    Throughout Spencer''s ramblings, Ste had tested Jaylene''s level of intoxication, finding her slurring


    her words to the point of incoherence. Ste tapped her fingers against the car window, her face tight


    with thought. Abruptly, she turned to Keegan, "Did Jaylene ever give you that drug?"


    Keegan''s expression tightened, recognizing Ste''s line of thought. He said, "That substance is in a


    legal gray area here, but it''s banned abroad. It''s a psychoactive drug, far from harmless."


    Ste''s expression darkened further at the thought of Jaylene using such a dangerous drug on


    Keegan. She asked, "Where is it now?" "I disposed of it," Keegan responded, his voice firm.


    Unconvinced, Ste turned to Aldor, "Where did you put the drug?"


    Aldor hesitated before answering, "There are a few pills left in the storagepartment for analysis."


    Keegan''s face darkened, "Aldor, remember who pays your sry."


    Frowning from the driver''s seat, Aurora interjected, "Keegan, if your wife asks something, you should


    be upfront about it, not take it out on Aldor."


    Caught off guard, Keegan queried, "And which side are you on, Aurora?"


    Although slightly intimidated, Aurora firmly replied, "You''re the boss, but you can''t expect Aldor to defy


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    your wife. He''s in a tough spot."


    Keegan''s cheeks flushed with the realization that he was being ganged up on.


    Ste patted Keegan''s shoulder and said, "Get me one of those pills.¡±


    Keegan said firmly, "That''s out of the question."


    Jaylene might be unscrupulous and vicious, but he did not want Ste to stoop to her level.


    Ste''s frustration peaked, and she threatened, "If you don''t give me one, I''ll move back to the Saun


    residence!"


    Keegan, unyielding, replied, "Then I''ll move there with you."


    Ste, momentarily speechless, voiced her concerns hoarsely, "Keegan, I know you have principles,


    but this is not the time to apply them. She drugged you, erased your memory, and might potentially


    cause irreversible harm. The thought alone is infuriating!"


    As she spoke, her voice trembled.


    Keegan''s heart softened. He turned to look at her, his gaze tender yet firm," I''ve arranged for a


    hypnotist to deal with Jaylene. It''s safer and more ethical. We can''t stoop to her level, Ste. Do you


    understand?"


    Ste gradually calmed down after hearing what Keegan had said. He understood her too well. One


    look, and he knew she nned to use the same drug on Jaylene to expose her schemes against him.


    He knew everything but would not allow it, thinking moreprehensively. He was worried about


    possible repercussions and did not want her to get involved in dirty affairs.


    She took a deep breath, finally settling herself down, "Is the hypnotist you found reliable? Will he help


    with involuntary hypnosis?"


    Keegan hummed in affirmation, "He owes me a favor."


    Ste fell silent, contemting Keegan''s approach. Meanwhile, Aurora drove on, her mind swirling with


    thoughts, ''Keegan remembered everything.''

 Chapter 1993

    Chapter 1993


    Chapter 1993


    Aurora''s thoughts were swirling as she drove, ''Keegan''s amnesia was Jaylene''s doing, and she even


    fed him banned drugs. He had been pretending all along.'' She nced at Aldor in the rearview mirror,


    and her mind raced with questions, ''Had Aldor known about this? Were they underestimating her, or


    had they simply never taken her seriously?''


    As Aurora drove a bit too fast, Jaylene frowned ufortably. Worried she might vomit in the car,


    Aldor quickly grabbed a stic bag for her.


    In her drunken state, Jaylene leaned toward Aldor, whispering, "Keegan..."


    Aldor stiffened and corrected her gently, "Ms. Saun, you''re mistaken."


    But she persisted, her voice tinged with emotion, "Keegan, I''ve liked you since childhood. Do you feel


    the same?"


    Caught off guard, Aldor responded awkwardly, "I... suppose?"


    Jaylene''s smile brightened, "I knew it. We''ve known each other since we were kids. How could you not


    have feelings for me?"


    ying along, Aldor said, "Yes," to keep her calm.


    Gripping the steering wheel tighter, Aurora shot a quick nce at them through the rearview mirror.


    "Keegan... Keegan..." Jaylene murmured, suddenly embracing Aldor and nting a kiss on his cheek.


    Aurora''s frustration was palpable. Aldor, taken aback, recoiled, hitting his head on the window.


    Eventually, Jaylene drifted off to sleep.


    Ste asked with concern, "Aldor, are you alright?"


    Rubbing his head, Aldor reassured her, "I''m fine."


    Aurora braked sharply, unable to contain her irritation. This caused Jaylene''s head to bump against the


    seat.


    Keegan frowned and reprimanded, "Can you drive more carefully?"


    Aurora bit her lip, a storm of emotions churning within her before forcing herself to calm down.


    Soon, they arrived at another vi owned by Keegan. After they got Jaylene into the vi and into a


    room, another car arrived at the vi''s entrance. A mixed-race man, slightly older than Keegan, with a


    friendly and refined demeanor, got out. Keegan introduced him as York Cooper, a renowned hypnotist.


    Keegan spoke with York in a universally recognizednguage before sending the others out of the


    room.


    Ste protested, but Keegan exined, "Hypnosis requires a quiet environment, and you''re still dealing


    with morning sickness. What if you start vomiting at a critical moment?" 1


    Her objections were effectively silenced by his reasoning.


    York handed Keegan a ss of prepared water, instructing him to make Jaylene drink it. A skilled


    hypnotist did not necessarily need drugs. But with Jaylene''s involuntary hypnosis, mental resistance


    was likely, making the use of a mild drug advisable. 1


    While waiting for the drug to take effect, Keegan discussed with York about Raynard, who had


    previously hypnotized him. York was initially reluctant, agreeing toe only out of obligation.


    However, after learning that Jaylene''s machinations had hypnotized Keegan, York''s reluctance


    vanished.


    The strict standards of domestic medicine did not bind York. His approach was more flexible as long as


    he did not harm anyone.


    "It turns out Dr. Stone and you are from the same academic lineage. I checked his overseas credentials


    and found that he studied at the same university as you. You were even in the same cohort," Keegan


    remarked.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

 Chapter 1994

    Chapter 1994


    Chapter 1994


    York expressed his surprise, "There weren''t many PhD students specializing in hypnosis in our cohort; I


    should known them all. But I don''t recall any student from Hustuabourg with the surname Stone."


    Keegan showed York a photo on his phone, "This is the person."


    York paused, a flicker of recognition in his eyes, "That''s Yoel Stanley."


    "He''s Joplonese?" Keegan asked, taken aback.


    York nodded, " He wasn''t in our university or in my cohort, but he often attended our professor''s


    lectures. He was perceptive and a quick learner. The professor favored him. But Yoel''s reputation was


    tarnished. He was once embroiled in awsuit for illegally hypnotizing a girl, though the case was


    dropped due tock of evidence.


    "He then opened a studio, using skills gleaned from the lectures. He gained some fame but remained


    ethically questionable, spending much of his earnings in brothels and on alcohol.


    Academically, he stagnated. His skills waned, leading him to use banned substances on clients. Once


    exposed, he lost his license and was jailed. I hadn¡¯t heard of him since."


    Keegan pondered, then asked, "Did he keep in touch with your professor?"


    "I''m not certain," York mused. But then, he added, "Actually, he might have. I recall seeing him at my


    professor''s daughter''s wedding. I was preupied and didn''t pay much attention, but I''m fairly sure it


    was him."


    Keegan fell silent, thinking, ''York''s professor was the same therapist the Moore family sought for


    Marshall''s treatment abroad. Dr. stone, or Yoel, listed a different alma mater, but his biography


    mentioned York''s university. I didn''t expect a connection. If Yoel kept in touch with the professor, could


    he be involved? All clues seem to point to someone I''m reluctant to suspect. But what''s the motive?


    Even if Marshall regained his memory, why target me? Is it rted to Ste?''


    York''s voice gently broke his reverie, "Mr. Kane, we should begin."


    Keegan nodded and set an hourss on the table.


    The room''s soundproofing was so effective that Ste, Aurora, and Aldor could not hear a thing, even


    with their ears against the door.


    Steined, "You really sealed it tight. If only there were a gap, we might hear something."


    Aurora retorted, "Do you think Keegan wouldn''t notice a gap?"


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Ste argued, "He''s nearsighted. He might not see it."


    Aurora, feeling annoyed, suggested, "Nearsightedness doesn''t mean poor hearing. Just twist the door


    open; he might not notice."


    Ste, convinced, urged Aldor, "Open the door slightly."


    Aldor hesitated, "Are you thirsty? I''ll get some drinks."


    Ste insisted, "Open the door first, then drinks."


    Aldor finally acquiesced, "Alright, drinks it is."


    Ste was baffled as Aurora quickly added, "I''ll go with you."


    Left alone, Ste thought, ''Unreliable, both of them!''


    Outside, Aurora called Aldor over, "Come here."


    Puzzled, Aldor asked, "What''s wrong?"


    Aurora frowned, "Juste, why so many questions?"

 Chapter 1995

    Chapter 1995


    Chapter 1995


    Aldor, feeling like a pawn in a whimsical game, approached Aurora. She immediately grabbed his cor


    and began scrubbing his face fiercely with a wet wipe. The force reminded Aldor of a vigorous


    bathhouse scrub, making him wince and quickly pull away.


    "Why are you dodging? Proud of that lipstick mark on your face?" Aurora scolded, irritated.


    "Lipstickmark?" Aldor asked, bewildered.


    Aurora red at him, "Jaylene kissed you in the car. Did you enjoy it? Remember, she''s not Mr. Saun''s


    daughter. Forget about bing a wealthy son-inw!"


    Aldor, at a loss for words, asked, "So, we''re over?"


    "Over what?" Aurora was confused.


    "You told me to give up on my dreams of marrying into wealth," he said seriously.


    Aurora, momentarily speechless, retorted, "I meant her, not you!


    And how long have we been dating? Can you even tell if it''s serious? Or do you want to end it? If so,


    you tell Grandma. I won''t take the me!"


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Seeing her agitated state, he smiled softly, "So, I can still dream of marrying into wealth?"


    Feeling ufortable under Aider''s gaze, she reverted to her usual brash demeanor and tossed the


    wet wipe at him, "wipe it off yourself! Disgusting!"


    ''No wonder Ste insisted Keegan sit in the front seat earlier. She had been guarding him against


    Jaylene all along, using Aldor as a shield to protect her husband from romantic advances. Clever!''


    Aurora thought.


    Unable to hear anything from the room, Ste eventually went downstairs to wait in the living room. Her


    phone rang soon after; it was Cordelia.


    "Coco said you were drinking. You didn''t, did you?" Cordelia asked.


    "No, Grandma. How could I?" Ste replied.


    "Where are you? why send Baldwin for Coco? Couldn''t you go?"


    Ste thought, ''It wasn''t convenient, not during our scheming.'' 1


    "We couldn''t. Keegan got drunk, and Aldor couldn''t manage alone.


    " Ste exined.


    "Just Aldor?" Cordelia questioned slowly. "Coco mentioned


    Jaylene. who''s with her?"


    Ste was at a loss.


    Always astute, Cordelia probably suspected something. She knew Keegan was calm, but Ste was


    more vengeful and harder to control.


    " Jaylene is with US. We asked Baldwin for Coco since Aldor was busy with her," Ste said.


    "I see. Make sure she gets home safely," Cordelia advised.


    Ste agreed and hung up.


    Less than half an hourter, Jaylene''s phone rang. It was Darcie.


    ''Darcie is too clever. She won''t believe anything I say if I answer,'' Ste thought. After pondering, Ste


    deepened her voice and altered her tone before answering, "Darcie, it''s me."


    Darcie paused, surprised. The male voice on the other end was unmistakably Keegan''s.

 Chapter 1996

    Chapter 1996


    Chapter 1996


    "Keegan?" Darcie''s voice was tinged with uncertainty. She thought, ''It''s unusual for Keegan to be with


    Jaylene sote.''


    "Why do you have Jaylene¡¯s phone?" she inquired.


    Ste, mimicking Keegan''s voice, exined, "Jaylene had too much to drink. I brought her to my ce


    to help sober her up. She didn''t want to go home in this state, fearing you''d be angry."


    Darcie frowned, "Keegan, bringing Jaylene to your ce is inappropriate. You''re engaged to Ste,


    even if just in name. It looks bad. Send her home now."


    After a feigned pause, Ste replied, "I nned to, but Jaylene insisted on staying, not wanting to upset


    you while drunk. Don''t worry; Aldor''s here too. It won''t affect Jaylene''s reputation."


    Darcie was silent for a moment. Just as Ste thought she had been persuaded, Darcie said, "Turn on


    the video call. I want to see Jaylene."


    Ste, maintaining herposure, agreed, "okay."


    The call ended, and Darcie''s video call request soon came through on Jaylene''s phone.


    Ste, caught in a bind, neither answered nor disconnected.


    Holding Jaylene''s phone, she turned the shlight to its brightest and, with the persistent ringtone


    echoing, messaged Keegan on WhatsApp: [Darcie called Jaylene''s phone, she wants a video to see


    Jaylene''s condition. We need to wrap this up quickly.]


    Keegan swiftly replied: [OK.]


    The unanswered video call left Darcie hanging up and calling back. The once mundane ringtone now


    echoed ominously, heightening Ste''s anxiety.


    Shortly after, Keegan emerged from the room. Ste went upstairs with Jaylene''s phone to brief him on


    the situation.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Just then, Keegan''s phone rang with Darcie on the line. He gestured for Ste to stay quiet before


    answering.


    "Keegan, why didn''t you answer the video call earlier?" Darcie asked sternly.


    "I was about to, but Jaylene''s phone died," Keegan replied calmly.


    Darcie''s brows knitted together, "Your voice sounded different before."


    Ste''s heart pounded. Imitating a male voice as a woman was challenging, especially in maintaining


    the lower pitch and nuanced characteristics of Keegan''s voice. While she had captured Keegan''s vocal


    traits urately, the imitation was not wless, especially whenpared to the person being imitated.


    Anyone listening intently to the voice might notice the pitch discrepancy.


    Ste had hoped Darcie would not detect the difference over the phone, but the woman was


    exceptionally perceptive.


    Keegan, however, remainedposed, "Does it? I think it''s the same. Maybe it¡¯s the echo in the living


    room. The new house is quite spacious."


    Darcie paused, pondering his response. After a moment, she said, " I''ll add you on WhatsApp for a


    video call. I want to see Jaylene."


    "Alright," Keegan agreed.


    After hanging up, Ste exhaled in relief.


    Keegan epted Darcie''s WhatsApp request, and she initiated a video call immediately. He answered,


    greeting her calmly, "Hello, Darcie."

 Chapter 1997

    Chapter 1997


    Chapter 1997


    Darcie pondered before asking Keegan, "You went out for dinner with Jaylene. Did you have any


    alcohol?"


    Keegan answered, "I''m on medication, so I can''t drink."


    Darcie pressed, "Why didn''t you persuade Jaylene not to drink so much? It''s not good for a girl to get


    drunk in public."


    Ste felt a twinge of irritation when she listened to the conversation. She thought, ''Both mother and


    daughter never reflect on their actions. They''re always quick to me others.''


    Keegan said coolly, "Darcie, I did try to persuade her. But Jaylene is an adult now and can make her


    own choices. If you see a problem with it, please warn her to stay away from me next time. It''s also


    troubling forme."


    Darcie''s expression soured.


    Keegan was uninterested in prolonging the conversation, so he turned the phone''s camera to show


    Jaylene lying on the bed. she was neatly dressed but visibly sweating, with a cup of beverage for


    hangover relief beside her.


    Darcie attempted to call Jaylene through the phone, but she was too drowsy to respond.


    Suddenly, Jaylene''s phone rang. The caller was Wenham, her father.


    Ste was perplexed, ''Isn''t Darcie at home? Didn''t Wenham know she was calling Keegan?''


    Quickly, Ste grasped the situation; Darcie''s call was a ploy. She had hardly ended the call when she


    inquired about Jaylene''s phone.


    Ste thought while cursing inwardly, ''Damn, she''s crafty!


    Luckily, I set Jaylene''s phone to ''silent.'' If it had rung during the video call, Darcie would''ve known


    something was off.''


    Ste quietly left the room with Jaylene''s phone, not wanting to cause any more trouble.


    Keegan covered for her, saying, ¨¬ ''ve asked Aldor to go downstairs and find a charger.''


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Darcie requested, "No need to charge the phone. Just sent Jaylene home for me."


    Irked by her earlierments, Keegan bluntly refused, "I can''t right now. You should send someone for


    her, Darcie. Frankly, I wasn''t keen on having her here, so it''s better if youe get her."


    Darcie was not pleased, she thought, ''Ever since Keegan''s divorce, I had Dahlia trying to match them.


    But when the family acknowledged Ste again, I abandoned the idea. I''ve warned Jaylene about


    Keegan, but she''s infatuated, mistaking his indifference for affection. She''s delusional! If Keegan had


    any feelings for her, he wouldn''t be speaking so sharply now. Perhaps it''s time she faced reality.''


    Without further argument, Darcie coldly asked for the address, she said she would arrive soon and


    hung up.


    Holding Jaylene''s phone, Ste exhaled in relief. However, they were not out of the woods yet. she


    remarked, " Her phone still has 80% battery, what should we do?"

 Chapter 1998

    Chapter 1998


    Chapter 1998


    Ste, usually adept at handling precarious situations, now faced a new challenge. Jaylene''s phone


    was locked, and she did not know the password. Keegan then took the phone. He paused momentarily


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    before entering his own birthday as the passcode.


    "Quite the romantic, isn''t she?" Ste remarked sarcastically.


    He responded with a half-smile. Then, he ingeniously activated the reverse wireless charging feature


    on Jaylene¡¯s phone, attaching his own phone to its back to drain the battery.


    "Such a feature exists?" Ste eximed, astonished.


    Keegan answered dryly, "If you paid attention to more than just the camera pixels when buying a


    phone, you''d find it has other uses."


    Ste fell silent as he opened several battery-draining apps on Jaylene''s phone to elerate the


    battery depletion.


    Once the setup wasplete, Keegan excused himself to talk to York, leaving Ste alone with the


    phone. Curiosity got the better of her, and she opened Jaylene''s WhatsApp, finding Keegan''s contact.


    She paused.


    Jaylene had saved Keegan''s name as "Kee," with the chat background being his photo. In the picture,


    a thinner, somewhat unwell Keegan sat by a window, bathed in soft sunlight. The text below read:


    [Waiting for you for ten years is nothing.!


    In a typical romance novel, this would be a poignant moment. But to Ste, it seemed disgustingly


    over-sentimental, she managed to control her emotions and refrained from deleting Keegan''s contact


    and the photo. Calming herself, Ste browsed through Jaylene''s photo album, noting the conspicuous


    absence of pictures from when Keegan was missing.


    Digging deeper, she discovered a password-protected album. Tentatively, she used Keegan''s birthday


    as the password. It unlocked, revealing numerous photos and videos of him.


    With her emotions swirling, Ste began transferring the files to her phone. Time was against her, and


    she grew increasingly anxious. She thought, ''Darcie could arrive in any minute, and I''m only halfway


    through.''


    Suddenly, the door opened, startled, Ste turned to see Keegan. Sheined, "Don''t you make


    any noise when you walk? You scared me."


    Keegan approached her and asked, "How much battery had been drained?"


    He noticed the phone''s screen and asked, "what are you doing?"


    "Collecting evidence," Ste replied.


    Realizing her actions, Keegan remarked, "You''re invading her privacy, you know?"


    Ste shot back, "It''s not an invasion. She took photos of my husband without permission. If anything,


    she''s the one invading your privacy."


    Taken aback by her convoluted logic, Keegan responded, "I''m not a private property."


    Ste nodded confidently, "You''re my secretly married husband."


    He was left speechless once more by her boldeback.

 Chapter 1999

    Chapter 1999


    Chapter 1999


    Before Keegan could respond, Ste interjected firmly, "Agreeing not to use that medicine was my limit.


    If you keep pushing me not to share it, we''ll file for a divorce tomorrow. No need to continue this farce!"


    Keegan remained silent momentarily, then said, "what if you exceed her data limit? Connect both


    phones to the Wi-Fi. We have a gigabit connection here; it''ll be faster."


    Ste thought, ''At least he''s got that right.''


    A car engine echoed from downstairs as Ste connected the phones to the Wi-Fi. Peering through the


    curtains, Keegan saw the Saun family car pulling up. Darcie had arrived.


    Ste began to panic, "Why is she here already? The battery isn''t drained yet, and I haven''t finished


    sending the photos."


    "Stay calm," Keegan reassured her, handing her a coat. "Go to the next room and keep quiet. I''ll handle


    Darcie. Remember to delete her chat history and Wi-Fi from the phone after the upload. Don''t worry if


    the video isn''t fully sent. Just be silent."


    Ste nodded.


    Keegan gave her an encouraging smile, kissed her forehead gently, and whispered, "Go on."


    The doorbell rang insistently downstairs, still catching Ste''s scent in the air, Keegan opened


    Jaylene''s bag, took out her perfume, and sprayed it around. Then, he opened the windows to let the


    fragrance disperse. After messaging Aldor, he leisurely descended the stairs. Frowning, Darcie


    demanded, "Why did it take you so long to open the door? Where''s Jaylene?"


    "She''s upstairs, resting after some hangover beverage," Keegan replied nonchntly.


    "Which room? Take me there," She insisted.


    "Darcie, please wait," Keegan said. "Jaylene hasn''t woken up yet. She was dizzy, and the beverage


    didn''t help. Aldor''s getting hangover medicine. Once she takes it, you can take her home."


    Darcie coldly refused, "I''ll take her now. We have medicine at home."


    ''It''s better if she''s not awake. If she wakes up and sees Keegan, she''ll probably insist on staying.''


    Darcie thought, she looked up and said, "Please, show me the way."


    Keegan nced at his wristwatch and nodded, "Right this way."


    Keegan led Darcie to the room. Jaylene, flushed and restless in her sleep, seemed genuinely unwell.


    Darcie tried to rouse her but to no avail. She nced around and saw Jaylene''s bag on the table.


    There was a faint scent of perfume in the room, the kind Jaylene always used. Darcie flipped through


    Jaylene''s bag and asked, "Where is Jaylene''s phone?"


    Keegan calmly exined, "Aldor took it to charge. I''ll get it."


    He returned shortly with the phone. Darcie took it, noting the 20- something percent battery. She


    nced at Keegan but said nothing. Determined to separate Jaylene from Keegan, Darcie did not even


    ask for his help. Instead, she called the driver to carry Jaylene downstairs.


    After the car had left and Keegan was sure they were gone, he returned upstairs. Ste had note


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    out of the room, which he found peculiar. He wondered if she was too scared to move. He opened the


    door and found her squatting on the floor, she was slightly pale, fixated on her phone. On the screen


    was a video from when Keegan was gravely injured.

 Chapter 2000

    Chapter 2000


    Chapter 2000


    Keegan''s Adam''s apple bobbed as he approached Ste. He reached down to take her phone away


    gently, "Stop looking at this. Let''s go home."


    Ste looked up at him, her eyes red and swollen. She pleaded, " Give it to me."


    He pursed his lips before saying, "Let''s go home first."


    Her voice was hoarse with emotion, she said, "Give it to me."


    Instead of handing over the phone, Keegan pocketed it. As Ste stood up to retrieve it, he enveloped


    her in his arms, his voice soft yet firm, "Don''t look anymore. Whatever you want to know, I''ll tell you."


    Ste clung to his shirt, the image of his bloody figure in a hospital bed haunting her. "How much did


    you suffer?" she asked, her voice breaking. She trembled in his embrace, tears streaming down her


    cheeks, "You''re even scared of injections, yet you had to endure thirteen stitches without anesthesia.


    Didn''t it hurt?"


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    The videos on Jaylene''s phone had shaken Ste deeply as they revealed Keegan''s vulnerability and


    pain. She had documented those moments not out of concern but for her own gain. The videos also


    clearly recorded his injuries.


    When he was rescued, he was already delirious. The prolonged exposure to cold water had caused a


    severe upper respiratory infection. The doctors were worried that anesthesia might aggravate his


    airway reactions, which could lead to spasms. So, they decided not to use any.


    At that time, Keegan was so out of it that he did not remember whether it had hurt. After the surgery,


    they put him on a pain pump, which they instructed Jaylene to press when he was in pain. If not, they


    told her only to use it sparingly. He did cry out, but not from pain; he kept calling Ste''s name. Jaylene,


    who hated that he was calling for Ste, kept pressing the pump. So, for more than a week after the


    surgery, he was almost never lucid.


    When Ste pressed for the truth, Keegan reassured her, "It didn''t hurt, and I''m not afraid of injections."


    But Ste, inconsble, did not believe him. She said, "I''ve seen you with injections. You were


    terrified!! How could you bear it without anesthesia?"


    Keegan was silent for a moment and then patiently exined to the frightened Ste, "I''m not afraid of


    injections, and it really didn''t hurt."


    But Ste was convinced he was lying so she would not be worried. No matter how he exined, she


    did not believe him. She kept on asking if it had hurt.


    Keegan sighed, realizing her distress, "It hurt a lot. And now, standing here, the pain is returning. Let¡¯s


    go home and talk. My wound hurts."


    Once momentarily taken aback, Ste pushed him away, "The scab has fallen off, and your wound still


    hurts? Are you ying with me?


    It


    Keegan was left wondering, ''Where did herpassion go? Is her empathy fleeting?''


    Taking her phone back, Ste suggested they continue the conversation at home, "I also want to hear


    about how my husband, who supposedly lost his memory, suddenly regained it."


    Keegan stayed silent. He thought, ''Wasn''t she just feeling sorry for me a minute ago? why is she


    bringing up past issues now? Do pregnant women''s moods really flip this fast?''


    Ste returned home alongside Keegan with a heavy heart. As soon as they arrived, before she could


    speak, Keegan said, "Ste, let me take a shower first. I feel a bit cold."


    Ste, biting back her words, replied softly, "Hurry up, then."

 Chapter 2001

    Chapter 2001


    Chapter 2001


    "Sure." Keegan was surprisinglypliant.


    Then, he took some clean clothes and went to the bathroom while Stey on the bed and watched


    those videos and photos after she changed into her pajamas.


    It was like Jaylene had a pathological obsession with Keegan. She seemed to particrly enjoy the


    time when he lost his ability to walk, and she had to take care of him. She would appear in almost


    every video she took during that time. There was also a video that recorded the entire process of


    Keegan being hypnotized.


    During the process, he had not yet recovered, and his body was still very weak. That was the time


    when his mental state was the most fragile, and it was reflected as such. The hypnotist tried three


    times without sess until Keegan took the medication in the end.


    The attempt was not smooth as Keegan kept resisting mentally, so he looked painfully distressed in the


    video.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    His resistance became more apparent, especially when the hypnotist suggested that he and Jaylene


    were childhood sweethearts and loved each other. After all, hypnosis cannot alter memories.


    After the failed attempts, the hypnotist suggested erasing his memory first. Then, he would give


    Keegan a psychological suggestion, where upon hearing a certain sound, he would subconsciously rely


    on and trust Jaylene.


    Ste did not know whether to praise her for being somitted because she did such outrageous and


    insane things for love or to mock her for being foolish enough to keep the evidence of hypnotizing


    Keegan on her phone.


    As she was almost done going through the videos, Keegan came out of the bathroom.


    Ste wanted to ask if he had obtained any information from Jaylene during the hypnosis earlier. But


    the moment she looked up, she saw Keegan walking toward her in a towel, dripping wet.


    That was the first time he appeared in front of her like that since he returned from his disappearance.


    He had not dried the water from his body, and droplets from his hair were falling on his chest and


    corbone.


    His fair and smooth skin had many deep and shallow scars. The one on the side of his waist looked


    particrly obvious.


    Ste''s eyelid twitched abruptly. She asked, "What happened to your clean clothes?"


    Keegan answered, "I dropped them in the bathtub. They''re all wet now."


    As they spoke, the droplets on his body streamed into the towel tied around his waist.


    She could not help but look at that, too.


    Then, she immediately averted her gaze, "Can''t you just tell me that in the bathroom? I would''ve


    brought you a new set."


    Keegan replied softly, "I didn''t want you to wait too long. Besides, you''re pregnant now and need to


    have enough rest."


    He reached for her ankle as he spoke, "You walked so much today; are your legs sore? I learned some


    massaging techniques from the physician when I was in rehabilitation. Please allow me."


    Ste was speechless.


    "Keegan Kane, don''t try to distract me with this. It''s not going to work."


    Keegan smiled at her as he gently replied while massaging her calf, "I just want you to rx a bit."


    He then knelt on one knee and continued massaging her.


    Ste had to admit that it felt good. However, as she was about to say something, she saw the scar on


    the side of his waist when she lowered her head.


    Then, she saw more scars on his chest and back.


    Suddenly, interrogating him with the questions she had prepared became difficult, so she just kept


    quiet.


    As Keegan massaged her legs, he asked softly, "Why aren''t you speaking?"


    Ste snorted, "You''re trying so hard to make me shut up. What else can I say?"


    Keegan chuckled upon hearing that. Then, he raised his gaze and asked her with a smile, "Is it that


    obvious?"

 Chapter 2002

    Chapter 2002


    Chapter 2002


    Ste said sarcastically, "What do you think? You''re almost shoving all your scars in my face. How


    stupid do I have to be not to know what you''re trying to do?"


    Keegan lifted his gaze and looked at her gently, "Why aren''t you angry then?


    "Why should I? Am I a little kid to you who only knows how to throw a tantrum?" Ste red at him


    and continued, "I''m angry that you recovered your memory but hid it from me. I''m also very


    heartbroken for everything you went through.


    Why would I be angry just because you''re showing me your scars just so I won''t ask you about what


    happened? Should I be angry at you for getting yourself hurt from protecting me? Each of those scars


    is like a stab to my heart."


    Keegan paused and immediately exined, "That''s not what I was trying to do-" "Of course, I know you


    didn''t mean it that way. I wouldn''t be in love with you if you were such a cunning person. You pretended


    to have lost your memory, and I ended up having to cover for you. I know exactly what kind of person


    you are."


    Keegan kept quiet for a moment before he said, "It doesn''t sound like you''re praising me."


    Ste chuckled. Then, she suddenly leaned over and lifted his chin, "Why not? I''m very curious. You


    coulde up with an excuse to trick me into getting the marriage certificate with you. Yet when you


    saw Spencer, you couldn''t control yourself. Why did you give up pretending to lose your memory right


    away?"


    Keegan looked somewhat awkward. Under Ste''s teasing gaze, he said through gritted teeth, "He''ll


    take you away from me if I don''t stop pretending!"Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste could not stopughing as she mocked him, "Oh when you lost your memory, you were the one


    who insisted on breaking off our engagement and told me to get back together with him. You sounded


    selfless back then, but you''ve be so petty after recovering your memory."


    Keegan was taken aback. Every nonsensical thing he said when he lost his memory was backfiring at


    him.


    Then, he said in a low voice, "The medicine influenced me at that time, and my mind was not clear.


    Let''s forget about what I said back then, okay?" "Sure."


    Unexpectedly, Ste did not put up a fight, leaving Keegan somewhat surprised.


    However, he soon found out why she acted that way.


    She added, "So, why did you get so close to Jaylene after losing your memory? You even scolded me


    because of her and nned to take her to ride Juno. When I told you I wanted to do the same, you said


    that I was too fat and would squash Juno.


    "Also, you gave her the cherry hairpin I bought. I guess your lost memories came with real feelings,


    huh?"


    Keegan suddenly felt like he was struck by thunder, leaving him blinded for a moment.


    "How could I possibly have feelings for her? I was just ying along; I never intended to take her to


    Juno. And I didn''t say you were fat; I just wanted you to talk to me more, but you just ignored me


    afterward."


    His response left Ste utterly speechless.


    "Were you really expecting me to do that after you called me fat? Do I look insane to you?"


    Keegan replied weakly, "Vermont used to tell me not to ept a girl''s request too quickly. He said that


    girls would normally be extra charming when they wanted something. That would only be the time to


    say yes."


    Ste was puzzled. Then, she said, "Are you sure that you weren''t just mocking me?¡±


    Keegan slouched his shoulders, "I didn¡¯t think that much." After that, he added cautiously, "I''ll take you


    to ride Juno tomorrow, okay?"


    Ste replied, "Good idea. Maybe we''ll be able to meet our two babies ahead of schedule then."


    Keegan was taken aback.


    Then, he immediately came up with another suggestion, "Let''s wait until you''ve fully recovered after


    giving birth, and then I''ll take you."


    He massaged Ste''s leg with even more effort as he said that. While massaging, he suddenly said,


    "Actually, I know how to y the piano too."


    Ste was puzzled.


    "We haven''t yed a four-hand piece together yet."


    Ste got even more confused upon hearing that.


    "But you and Marshall yed Lyphard Melody at the concert."


    It was only then Ste realized that Keegan was being jealous.


    He continued, "I know how to y that piece. I can even y it better than him.¡± Then, he muttered


    softly, "Weren''t you only into jewelry? Since when you started liking music?"


    Ste held herughter back. She reached out to pinch Keegan''s face and squinted yfully, "Mr.


    Kane, was it tough to keep this to yourself for so long? It''s been so long since the concert, and you''re


    only feeling jealous now?"


    Keegan kissed her hand, "I wanted to bring it up long ago, but I was afraid that others might see


    through my act."


    Then, he asked a question that had been bothering him, "When did you realize that I had recovered my


    memory? I didn''t even dare to look at you too much just to make my act more convincing."


    Ste gazed at him with a half-smile and said, "Do you really want to know?

 Chapter 2003

    Chapter 2003


    Chapter 2003


    Keegan nodded, "Yes, of course."


    At least before the New Year, he thought that this act was wless.


    Ste leaned closer to his ear and said, "I can read minds. I not only know about when you recovered


    your memory, but I also know when you had the vasectomy and what the wounds look like."


    Keegan paused. He stared at Ste for a while and suddenly said, ''What am I thinking right now then?"


    Ste raised her leg and touched his abs. Then, she squinted, "You''re thinking I''m simply making things


    up."


    Keegan was speechless.


    He had no idea if she was lying about reading minds, but she got it right about this one. He grabbed


    her foot and tickled it, "Don''t lie. You''re setting a bad example for the kids."


    Ste snorted and raised an eyebrow, "Do you remember what happened on New Year''s Eve?" ''New


    Year''s Eve...¡¯ Keegan tried recalling that day.


    Suddenly, he remembered, "Was it because I took a picture?"


    Ste was confused.


    "What picture did you take?''


    Keegan kept quiet.


    ''Oh, it wasn''t.''


    However, Ste asked again, "What picture did you take?"


    Keegan stammered and looked away from her.


    "You''re not going to tell me, huh? I''ll ask Trevor then."


    Ste pretended to reach for her phone. However, Keegan stopped her, looking somewhat uneasy, "It''s


    just... a photo of you when you were a child.


    "Which one?"


    He reluctantly took a book from the nightstand, opened it, and handed her a photo tucked inside.


    Ste immediately fell silent upon seeing it.


    "What''s wrong with you? I have so many good-looking photos, yet you chose the one I had mud all


    over." "This is the only one I didn''t have.¡±


    His single sentence melted Ste''s heart.


    "You''re such a fool. What if Dad finds out that you stole a photo from our family album? Everyone''s


    going to know that you recovered your memory."


    Keegan looked somewhat embarrassed, "I was drunk and didn''t think that much. I did feel a little


    anxious for the next few days, but it seems like he didn''t notice." "Impossible. My dad is very


    meticulous when ites to everything from my childhood. He would look through them every few


    days; he couldn''t have missed it."


    Keegan asked, "Has he called you about the missing picture then?" "No."


    He frowned, "Could it be that he already saw through my act?"


    Ste replied, "I don''t think he''s that sharp."


    Keegan kept quiet as he thought, ''Although it might sound a little disrespectful, Ste is not exactly


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    wrong.'' "Perhaps you''re right. He has been very busy since New Year and hasn''t had a chance to look


    at the album." Ste thought for a moment before continuing, "I''ll call Trevor and tell him that this


    picture is with me now. If Dad notices that the picture is missing, Trevor can let him know about it."


    Keegan agreed with her suggestion. After all, it had been a while since he took the picture, so directly


    calling Wenham would make things look suspicious. Having Trevor convey the message is the best


    option.


    However, when Ste called Trevor and exined the situation, he remained silent for a long time.


    "Trevor?" Ste called him.


    Yeah," Trevor responded. He then continued in a low voice, "If you have time, take Keegan for a brain


    CT scan."

 Chapter 2004

    Chapter 2004


    Chapter 2004


    "What?" Ste was taken aback.


    Trevor could not help but mock Keegan, "It''s been almost two weeks, and he only remembers about it


    now? There''s probably something wrong with his brain after he fell into the water, or maybe he doesn''t


    even have one now. His dumbness is beyond myprehension."


    Ste and Keegan fell silent upon hearing what Trevor said.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Although he was not tantly vulgar, he made Keegan feel awfully humiliated.


    Ste asked softly, "Trevor, how did you know Keegan took it?"


    Trevor snorted, "I was the one who cleaned up his mess. How could I not know? He should be d


    that I looked through the album before Dad. Otherwise, he would''ve called the police and gotten this


    despicable picturestealing thief arrested!"


    Keegan was speechless.


    After listening to what Trevor said, Ste found out that he had already noticed that one of the pictures


    was missing from the album after they had left that day. At that time, he immediately took away a few


    more and instructed the maid to say that he had taken them to disy in his office if Wenham asked.


    This was also why Wenham, who treasured all things Ste-rted, had yet to notice the photo''s


    disappearance even after it had been gone for so long.


    It turned out that after she got Keegan drunk and made him reveal his secret, Trevor had already


    spected that he was pretending to have lost his memory because of that missing picture. Moreover,


    he had even helped cover up for Keegan without raising any suspicion.


    Ste was impressed by how sharp-minded Trevor was.


    However, she could not bear to hear Trevor ridiculing Keegan like that, so she defended him, "He was


    drunk that day and didn''t think of much of the consequences. Trevor, why didn''t you tell me earlier if


    you already discovered that Keegan was pretending?" "Oh." Trevor said slowly, "Didn''t you know? I


    thought it was some kind of role-y between you two-an ex-husband with a non-functional brain and a


    pregnant ex-wife who wouldn''t leave, an inseparable couple battling against the twists of fate."


    Ste was at a loss for words upon hearing what Trevor said.


    He could be very sarcastic at times. And unfortunately, Steded in his crosshair today, bing


    the recipient of his biting sarcasm.


    "Trevor, let me tell you some good news."


    Trevor then replied in a serious tone, "Is the baby going to have ourst name? Other than this, I can''t


    think of any other good newsing from you two."


    Trevor knew that Keegan was sitting beside her, so he purposely said that to provoke him.


    However, he was unaware that Keegan, who was going to be a father, had matured. Instead of


    getting angry, he replied calmly, "I don''t mind if Ste wants it."


    Trevor chuckled sarcastically and said, "Silly girl, don''t ever trust a man''s words. He would say all sorts


    of things to make you happy before the baby is born. I''m pretty sure he''s going to say otherwise after


    you give birth."


    Keegan was surprisingly patient, "I''m going to say the same thing even after Ste gives birth. You''re


    free to record what I said and see if I keep my word in the future. If I can''t do so, you can show


    everyone the recording and let them know how dishonorable I am."


    Trevor immediately fell silent. He sensed something amiss with Keegan.


    ''This is not how he''d normally react. He would usually be very mad after hearing what I said. Why is he


    so calm and patient this time?'' Trevor wondered to himself.


    After a moment of silence, Trevor spoke again, "So, what''s the good news?"

 Chapter 2005

    Chapter 2005


    Chapter 2005


    Ste cleared her throat and said, "Trevor, you might have to prepare two Christmas presents for my


    babies next year."


    The other end of the phone immediately fell silent. After a few seconds, Trevor said through gritted


    teeth, "What a scum! No wonder he was so patient with me! How could he make you go through the


    pain twice? He''s the worst!¡±


    Keegan replied sincerely, "If it''s possible, I''d rather be the one going through the pain." "Anyone can


    run their mouth. Go get it done if you''re so honorable!"


    Keegan was speechless.


    ''Well, it seems like this conversation isn''t going anywhere,'' Keegan thought to himself.


    Ste burst outughing and teased, "When the technology advances, I''ll let him bear our third child if


    he''s not too old yet."


    Keegan looked at her with a helpless expression. Ste was the only person who could make fun of


    him like that and not ignite his anger.


    "Twins, twins..." Trevor muttered under his breath and felt excited himself.


    After a while, he said, "Should I tell Dad, or should you two do it?" "Let''s wait until we can reveal that


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan has recovered his memory. It won''t take too long."


    Trevor immediately understood Ste''s intention. He asked, "Is there anything I can do to help?" "Not


    for now. Oh, and before I forget, have you learned anything about Paul Morant, the person I asked you


    to look into?"


    Keegan perked up his ears. That was a name he had never heard before.


    Trevor answered, "I have, but it seems he has very few connections with Ms. Spade."


    Ste continued asking, "What did you find out?" "Paul Morant is not from Hustuabourg; he was born


    and raised in Mystonia. His grandparents moved abroad very long ago. His name used to be Dion


    Griffin, and both of his parents are doctors. He also studied medicine.


    "About thirty years ago, his father came to Rivera for academic exchange and stayed here for more


    than three years. That was the time he changed his name to Paul Morant.


    "I looked up everything he has done during his stay here. However, it has been so many years, and I


    can barely verify anything. Furthermore, his registered address was not in the same district as Ms.


    Spade, so I''m pretty sure they didn''t know each other.


    "Actually, Paul Morant has quite a tragic fate. Twenty years ago, a gas leak in his house caused an


    explosion. His pregnant wife died in that fire, and he was so severely injured that he could not be


    a surgeon anymore.


    "He has been seeking medical help with the support of his parents all these years. But after recovering


    for some time, he was diagnosed with liver cancer. Perhaps he knows his life is ending and wants to do


    some good before passing away.


    "I guess that''s why he thought of the ce he lived in during his younger days and decided toe


    back to Rivera."


    Ste kept quiet for a long time.


    Trevor asked, "Ste, why exactly are you investigating this person?¡±


    Ste had only told him that Paul was rted to Rainee and the welfare center without revealing any


    other details.


    After a few moments, Ste said, "Trevor, this person donated to the welfare center and imed to


    know my mom. However, I''ve never seen him, and my mom has never mentioned anything about him.


    Now, ording to what you found, he has nothing to do with my mom at all. Why would he lie to me?"


    Trevor paused before he said, "Maybe it was just a random excuse he came up with. He''s terminally ill,


    after all. Perhaps he doesn''t want others to know about his past."


    After a short pause, Trevor added, "What do you think is suspicious?"


    With a frown, Ste said, "I don''t know. I just find it strange. That person gives me a very unsettling


    feeling. But he seems to genuinely know my mother because he knows who I am. However, when he


    left Rivera and returned to Mystonia, my mom hadn''t even married yet, let alone had me.


    How could he possibly know about my existence?"

 Chapter 2006

    Chapter 2006


    Chapter 2006


    Ste''s question left Trevor tongued-tied.


    "Is it possible that he knew Ms. Spade long ago and had been in contact through text messages?"


    Ste shook her head, "After my mom got into the ident, her phone had always been with me. If


    they were in contact regrly, there''s no way I wouldn''t know."


    She then scratched her head in frustration, "I initially thought that he might be one of the people


    involved in switching me back then, but the information you foundpletely contradicts my


    spection. He was already out of the country when that incident happened, so there''s no way he


    would know about it."


    Trevor had been investigating the truth behind Ste getting switched and even traveled to Mystonia


    just for it. After the "ident" happened to the ne, Ste got even more desperate to uncover the


    truth.


    ''Is Ste being too eager to find out the truth and have be overly sensitive?'' Trevor wondered to


    himself.


    In fact, he had not expected Ste to connect Paul with her being switched. The people who knew


    about that incident either died or disappeared. Besides the man that he found out about from Venice


    during his trip to Mystonia, he had information about all the other people involved.


    ''Could Paul be the man Venice mentioned?'' Trevor thought inwardly.


    But the timeline was not adding up. Besides, Paul was a foreigner who had absolutely no connection


    with any of them. He had no reason or motivation to be involved in switching Ste.


    Both Ste and Trevor wore serious expressions without speaking.


    Having listened to their conversation and roughly pieced together the situation, Keegan spoke gently,


    "Maybe we shouldn''t rush to conclusions so soon. He''s in Rivera now; we can just get someone to


    keep an eye on him. If he''s really involved in what happened back then, someone else will take action


    before we do."


    Keegan''s words immediately brought Ste and Trevor back to their senses. Thest time Paul came


    to Hustuabourg was thirty years ago.


    Nothing else about him besides his arrival and departure date could be verified. If he had anything to


    do with what happened, the person behind it all would definitely make a move.


    Then, Trevor said, "I''ll get someone to watch him and let you guys know if anythinges up."


    After discussing the serious matters, he suddenly asked, "Are you guys not going to get the marriage


    certificate?"


    Ste''s eyes lit up. But just as she was about to speak, Keegan pinched the bottom of her feet, causing


    her to let out a sharp groan.


    "Are you okay?" Trevor asked.


    Ste red at Keegan, warning him that he had better provide her with a reasonable exnation for


    pinching her.


    He moved his lips and silently mouthed, ''It''s a trap.''


    Ste suddenly realized what was happening. Trevor could easily see through Keegan''s act, and there


    was just no way that he would not suspect them of secretly getting the marriage certificate, considering


    that she called him to ask about their family''s residency registration documents.


    Ste would have excitedly told Trevor that they had remarried, undoubtedly leading to him questioning


    why Keegan did not inform the Saun family and putting all the me on him. After all, Trevor could


    never have the heart to be mad at his precious sister, leaving Keegan as the only one to bear his fury.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Ste?" Trevor called her again.


    She quickly responded, "Yeah, I¡¯m fine. Just the babies making a fuss." "They can do that at just a little


    over a month old?" Trevor continued asking, "Could it be two boys?"


    Keegan''s eyelid twitched, "Don''t jinx it."


    Trevor was not impressed, "What''s with the attitude? You should be d that Ste is willing to bear


    your children. How dare you tantly say that you prefer girls now?"


    Keegan''s rage sparked as he thought inwardly, ''I can''t believe someone from the Saun family dares to


    After that, Trevor began muttering again, "It mustn''t be. Look at our cousins. They are brothers, yet


    they can never be at peace with each other.


    With Keegan''s DNA, I''m afraid you''ll end up with two boneheads."


    Keegan''s expression darkened as he retorted, "Haven''t you heard that nephews are a reflection of their


    uncle? If they really turn out to be two boneheads, it will say a lot about you."

 Chapter 2007

    Chapter 2007


    Chapter 2007


    Trevor was taken aback. He replied sharply, "You haven''t even married my sister yet. Think before you


    talk."


    Keegan immediately kept quiet.


    After shutting Keegan up, Trevor felt refreshed and said to Ste, "Ste, when a woman is pregnant, it


    is the best time to test if a man is worth depending on. Don''t settle for less just because you''re


    pregnant with his baby.


    "If Keegan doesn''t put any effort into giving you the wedding you want, just dump him. I''ll raise the


    babies with you."


    Ste knew that Trevor was simply provoking Keegan, but she understood thetter very well. When


    she was still in the Jewell family, there was a huge gap in social status between her and Keegan, yet


    he still gave her the best of everything. So, Trevor''s concern was something Ste was not worried


    about at all.


    However, she could clearly feel a significant difference between this marriage and the previous one, as


    her family background gave her a strong sense of confidence.


    Keegan was unhappy but could not retort. Ste saw the stifled expression on his face and found it


    somewhat amusing.


    Then, she lowered her gaze and smiled, "Trevor, the babies should be raised by their father. What if


    you love my children so much that my future sister-inw doesn''t like it?" "Tsk," Trevor clicked his


    tongue. He said, "I''m not like Keegan, who''s so afraid of his wife."


    Keegan snorted lightly, "Don''t overestimate yourself. The fear of wives seems to run in the Saun


    family."


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Trevor was at a loss for words upon hearing what he said.


    Steughed for a while before saying, "Hey, Trevor, what kind of girls do you like? There are a few


    very talented, capable, beautiful, single girls with a high educational background working at Keegan''s


    Trevor hung up the phone before Ste could finish her sentence. She was shocked at his abruptness,


    "Did he just hang up on me?"


    Keegan was not surprised, "Well, he''s a little traumatized when ites to dating." "What? Is that even


    possible?"


    Then, Keegan told her about when he did not know about her real rtionship with Trevor. He had


    thought that Trevor was pursuing her, so to stop him, he arranged many blind dates for him.


    Ste was surprised.


    "No wonder Trevor is so unfriendly to you. I can''t believe you did that to him."


    Keegan cleared his throat, "I didn''t have a choice. He brought you to attend his family banquet; how


    could I not do something?"


    Ste stared at him, "You set up so many blind dates for him, yet none of them seeded. Did you


    intentionally introduce him to some weirddies?


    Keegan felt wronged, "I honestly didn¡¯t. All the candidates I selected were professional working women


    with plenty to offer. Even Uncle Wenham was very happy with them." "Why is Trevor not interested in


    any of them then?" "I guess... he already has someone in his heart."


    Ste''s gossiping nature was immediately ignited, "Who''s that person?


    How old is she? What''s her name? Where does she live?"


    Keegan paused, "Mrs. Kane, aren''t we supposed to get intimate on the first night of our marriage? I''m


    not interested in discussing my brother-inw''s love life at this precious moment."

 Chapter 2008

    Chapter 2008


    Chapter 2008


    Ste was shocked, "You are a sick man. Are you going to do those hical things to a pregnant


    woman?"


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan picked up their marriage certificate on the table and waved it. With a smirk, he said, "I have a


    valid license. I''m very ethical."


    She fell silent for a moment, looked up, and said, "Come on then. Let''s make it quick.¡±


    As she spoke, she pushed him onto the bed, got on top of him, and reached to start unbuttoning his


    pajamas.


    Keegan was not expecting that at all.


    He was concerned about the babies in her and dared not to make any big movements. So, he held her


    waist and stared at her, "What are you doing?"


    Ste activated her bossy yet seductive mode as she looked at him and said calmly, "You.¡±


    Keegan kept quiet.


    Then, he reached out and gave her butt a gentle pat, "Get down. Stop fooling around."


    Ste threw off her top, revealing a white camisole inside. She then leaned in, pinched his chin, and


    whispered, "Keegan Kane, have you watched a drama called The Great Man when you were a child?¡±


    Keegan was confused as he thought, ''Is she really going to talk about a drama with me in this


    position?''


    He was not a big fan of dramas, but he knew about that one because it was very popr back then. He


    answered truthfully, "I''ve heard about it. Why?"


    Ste told him, "In that drama, there were two characters named Flynn and Andre. When they were


    imprisoned in the cold water, Andre told Flynn to stand on his shoulders."


    Keegan was puzzled, "Flynn was the prince. What''s so special about what Andre did?"


    Ste continued, "After staying in the cold water for a long time, Andre sumbed." "Did he die?"


    Keegan asked.


    "He''s not dead, but he became incapable. The cold water had taken his manhood away from him.¡±


    Ste continued worriedly, "You were in the water for a long time back then, weren''t you? Have you


    tried doing anything with it after waking up?"


    Keegan remained silent.


    When listening to what Ste had told him, he was not expecting her to suspect that the cold water had


    damaged the lower part of his body.


    He found her question ridiculous but remained calm, "To be honest, I haven''t. I just didn''t have those


    thoughts after my body recovered."


    Ste was stunned as she thought, ''No wonder he hasn''t reacted after I sat on him for so long.''


    Keegan watched her changing expression, from "I knew it" to "This is so sad " to "I feel so bad for him,¡±


    and finally, to "I can change this!".


    "Don''t overthink it. Let''s go to the hospital for a checkupter. It might be caused by the medications


    you took." ''How considerate of her,'' Keegan sneered inwardly.


    "What if it''s not because of the medication? The water might have really messed me up."


    Ste touched his face, "It''s okay. We already have kids anyway. It had already served its purpose.


    Even if you can''t be cured, I won''t dump you."


    The veins on the edge of Keegan''s forehead twitched. He propped himself up on the bed, causing


    Ste to slide from his waist to hisp.


    He grabbed her hand, ced it on the edge of the towel, and whispered seductively, "I haven''t tried it,


    but you can try it now. Perhaps you can bring it back to life."


    With that, he used her hand to pull the towel.


    Ste was shocked.


    She grabbed tightly on the towel and covered him back.


    ''What the hell! Whoever calls him arrogant and aloof should see this perverted side of him! How could


    he seduce a pregnant woman like this?''


    Keegan squinted as he spoke regretfully, "Are you not going to try it out with me anymore?" "Isn''t that


    obvious enough already?" Ste shifted her hips as she felt a burning sensation on her cheeks. "Keep


    it away!" she red at him and spoke.


    Keegan asked pretentiously, "Keep what away?¡±


    Ste kept quiet.


    Keegan chuckled, lifted her, and ced her on the bed. Then, he sat beside her and gently stroked her


    hair as he spoke gently, "You need to stop teasing and provoking me because, in the end, you''ll be the


    one suffering. Or is this something you''re looking for?"

 Chapter 2009

    Chapter 2009


    Chapter 2009


    "I''m not looking for anything! You were the one who teased me, saying that we should get intimate!" "I


    wasn''t teasing you," Keegan sighed. "I''ve always regretted not doing anything with you on the night we


    got married for the first time." "Me too."


    Keegan looked at her.


    Ste said, ¡¯ My friend and her husband spent their entire first night of marriage unboxing marriage


    gifts. The entire night! Can you imagine how many gifts they received?


    "After I beat Jackson up and went back to my room after we got married, I was filled with anger and


    had nowhere to vent. I thought I could at least unbox my wedding gifts to make myself feel better, but


    your mom took everything, even the cash!"


    Keegan was speechless.


    "Should I ask Aldor to bring you a box of cash so you could count it now?" ''Why is she so obsessed


    with counting money?¡¯ Keegan thought to himself.


    "Do you think that''s what I really wanted to do?" Ste nced at him, "I was just bored because my


    husband ran away on our wedding night."


    Keegan quickly said, "It''s my fault." "I''m d that you know." Then, Ste suddenly shifted the topic,


    "So, whose child is Coco?"


    Keegan did not say anything. He did not see thating at all.


    Then, he nced at the time and said, "It''s gettingte. You should brush your teeth and go to bed


    now. The doctor said pregnant women should avoid staying upte and should get sufficient sleep."


    Ste kicked him and said through gritted teeth, "If she''s not your child, why can''t you just tell me?"


    Keegan felt a bit of a headache, "Can you ask me something I can actually answer? Coco... Her


    family''s case isn''t settled yet. Now is not the right time.


    ''Case?'' Ste thought to herself.


    Upon noticing that Keegan was finally willing to talk more about Coco, Ste wanted to ask more.


    However, someone knocked on the door.


    "Mr. and Mrs. Kane, the warm milk is ready."


    Keegan gave Ste a peck on the lips. Then, he made a hushing gesture, put on his robe, and went to


    open the door.


    After a short while, he came back with a ss of milk.


    Ste quickly moved aside to make room on the bed, "Come on. Let''s keep talking." "Talk about what?"


    Keegan handed her the milk and said, "I have a bit of a headache. Finish the milk before brushing your


    teeth. I''m going to sleep now."


    With that, hey down beside her, covered himself with the nket, and prepared to sleep.


    Ste was furious. After she ced the ss of milk on the table, she kicked him in the butt and said


    with her jaw clenched, "Go on and sleep. I''m going to divorce you tomorrow!"


    Keegan was speechless.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    He turned around and pulled her into his arms, "Ste, people can only live peacefully in a stable


    society because of the sacrifices of those who work in the shadows. However, these people are not


    recognized and may not even have a future."


    Ste paused, seemingly understanding why Keegan would not tell her the truth about Coco.


    "I won''t ask anymore." She caressed his cheek, "Do what you think is right and worthy."


    Keegan smiled, "With a wife like you, what more can a husband ask for?" "You used to say that I was


    troublesome," Ste said, ruining the mood.


    But Keegan was very gentle with her, "So divorcing me was right. Now that


    I''ve changed, it''s also right to remarry me."


    She muttered softly, "You''re so good at ttering yourself. By the way, will you still pretend you''ve lost


    your memory tomorrow?" "It¡¯s your call," Keegan answered.


    Ste then said, "Keep doing it. If I don''t do something to get her back, everything you have suffered


    before will be in vain!"


    He chuckled and kissed her cheek, "Mrs. Kane, thank you for having my back."


    Jaylene did not wake up until ten o''clock the next morning.


    She rubbed her throbbing temples, checked her phone, and abruptly sat up.


    There was a text from Keegan: [Jaylene, are you awake? Does your head hurt?]

 Chapter 2010

    Chapter 2010


    Chapter 2010


    Keegan''s caring words left Jaylene feeling flustered.


    With a blush, she replied: [I¡¯m fine. Keegan, did you take me homest night?]


    Keegan was still freshening up, and Ste was helping him iron his suit.


    It was his second time getting married, yet he was very particr as if it was his first. He rummaged


    through his wardrobe and found a set of red suits he insisted on wearing.


    Although he had said that he would only tell everyone about already getting the marriage certificate


    after some time, he chose the shiest suit in his closet as if he was celebrating something.


    When Ste was ironing the suit for the second time, Keegan''s phone rang. She picked it up and


    checked. Then, she put down the iron and sat on the bed to reply.


    Jaylene waited momentarily, and a text message came through. It said: [ No, Darcie did. Jaylene, I''m


    very sorry about what happenedst time. Darcie is right. I should''ve stopped you from drinking so


    much. I shouldn''t have let you get drunk outside.]


    Jaylene was taken aback as she replied with a frown: [Keegan, did my mom say something to you?]


    [It''s nothing. I''m almost fully recovered now. I''ll try not to trouble you anymore in the future.]


    Jaylene immediately became anxious, Tm sure that mom has said something to Keegan!''


    She quickly called him, but the call was not picked up.


    Of course, Ste would not answer the call, nor would she let Keegan.


    Making Jaylene feel worried was exactly what she wanted.


    Jaylene would always act like a fool when it came to dealing with Keegan, but Darcie was different.


    She was very calm and rational. Getting her daughter to marry a good husband was never her goal;


    Caline was.


    She was different from Hylda. Hylda had depended on a man in everything.


    So, once their rtionship fell apart, she was left with nothing.


    However, Darcie''s focus had always been on Caline. Even if she were to divorce Wenham in the future,


    with such a huge enterprise in hand, she could hold a prominent position for herself and her daughter


    in high society.


    The Kane family was undeniably a good option, but Keegan was not a man Jaylene could control. After


    Darcie found out what kind of person he was, she removed him from the list of potential sons-inw


    she had been considering.


    When Ste was in the Saun residence, she had seen the blind dates Darcie had set up for Jaylene.


    All the young men shared a prominent family background and, like Marshall, were the only children with


    significant maternal family influence.


    However, Marshall was too smart and would likely be excluded by Darcie as well.


    After paving the way for Jaylene for so many years, Darcie had never expected that the daughter of


    Caline''s founder would suddenly appear and mess up her n. So, there was no way that Darcie


    would allow her daughter to fall in love with Keegan without doing anything.


    So, Ste figured that her first step would be sowing discord between Jaylene and Darcie.


    Jaylene had always been very obedient to Darcie. Back in the Saun residence, when she said


    something inappropriate, Darcie would speak up and demand that she apologize. She would always


    listen, except regarding matters rted to Keegan.


    Now that he was finally showing interest in her, Ste led Jaylene to think Darcie said something to


    Keegan to destroy their rtionship. She was rather confident with this n she came up with.


    Keegan came out of the bathroom and saw Ste sitting on the bed, looking at the phone that had


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    been ringing persistently on the table, her gaze filled with deviousness.


    Upon hearing the footsteps, she turned around and immediately smiled," Are you done?" "Yeah,¡±


    Keegan responded. He looked at the iing call and turned to Ste, "What did you send her?" "A


    warm greeting to your precious Jaylene."


    He was speechless.

 Chapter 2011

    Chapter 2011


    Chapter 2011


    Keegan opened his WhatsApp, and his eyelid twitched. He said, "I''d never send such long texts to


    anyone. Isn''t this too fake?"


    Ste snorted, "If it was sent to Vermont, he might notice, but Jaylene definitely won''t. If you were to


    send her a love poem now, she¡¯d only think that you finally fell in love with her."


    Keegan had an incredulous expression on his face upon hearing that.


    Ste said, "Keegan Kane, let me ask you this. If I''m going to attend a film festival and ask you to drive


    me to the venue, what am I trying to do?"


    Keegan''s eyes flickered as he said slowly, "You want me to witness the glorious moment of your career,


    you want to share the joy with me, and you love me." "All wrong. I would do that because it''s free.¡±


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan''s heart shattered into pieces. 1


    Then, she told him, "People in love tend to focus on themselves more, and you''re the prime example of


    that."


    Keegan was speechless.


    Of course, he was not going to admit it. However, shortly after Ste finished speaking, Jaylene texted


    him again after her call was not answered. It said: [Keegan, don''t mind whatever my mom said. She


    loves to meddle in everything, but I''m already an adult. Whether I want to get drunk ore home


    Keegan did not say anything.


    Ste, propping her chin, imitated Jaylene¡¯s tone, "Keegan, say something."


    He tossed the phone onto the bed, bent down, and lifted her horizontally.


    She hugged his neck and said, "Keegan, why are you getting so rough?"


    Keegan''s eyelid twitched fiercely, "Speak normally!"


    Ste leaned close to his ear and exhaled gently, "Can you be more specific? I can speak in just every


    voice for you. Do you want to hear a mature voice, a cute voice, or the voice of your beloved?"


    Keegan looked at the seductive woman in his arms and said in a serious tone, "Well, will you imitate


    the voice of my mother-inw then?"


    His response left Ste utterly speechless.


    Keegan then carried her into the bathroom, put her down, and said while squeezing toothpaste for her,


    "Hurry up and get ready. Let''s go to the cemetery and share the good news with Mom."


    Ste paused, "Which Mom?"


    Keegan handed her the toothbrush, "Both."


    Keegan had already changed into his red suit when she finished brushing her teeth.


    Ste stared at him for a while, making Keegan somewhat ufortable," Is everything okay?"


    She pursed her lips and said, "Are you going to wear this to the cemetery?" "Why not? It''s a lively color,


    isn''t it? When we got marriedst time, I didn''t really visit her in the hospital with you. I always felt that it


    was pointless to talk to someone in aa.


    "At that time, I didn''t realize that some of Dahlia''s behavior was subtly influencing me. I''m not someone


    unrted to her; I''m the husband of her most beloved daughter," Keegan exined.


    Ste remained silent.


    He sounded very genuine. She did not want to say anything to dampen his spirit.


    ''Forget it. Let''s not ruin the mood since he''s so sincere. Besides, we won''t necessarily run into


    someone we know anyway, right?'' Ste thought to herself.


    However, not long after they visited both Rainee''s and Freesia''s graves, Vermont tagged Ste in the


    group chat.


    [Ste, did your mom have any deep-seated grudges with someone back then? A shameless guy in a


    red suit is dancing around her grave.]

 Chapter 2012

    Chapter 2012


    Chapter 2012


    Vermont shared a picture in the group chat-an open cemetery with a striking red spot in front of


    Rainee''s grave.


    The photo, taken from a distance, showed only Keegan''s back, making him unrecognizable to Vermont.


    However, having been to Rainee''s funeral, Vermont could pinpoint her gravesite urately.


    Ste fretted that someone they knew might see Keegan in his shy suit at the cemetery. She


    reassured herself, thinking it wasn''t a holiday, and no one would likely be around. But the unexpected


    urred.


    Someone at the cemetery noticed this unusual sight and posted it on Twitter.


    Vermont, being as nosy as ever, quickly recognized Rainee''s grave right after stumbling upon that


    picture while browsing Twitter. So, he immediately sent it into their group chat.


    [What''s happening? Why would someone dress like this to provoke Ms.


    Spade? Ste, do you want me to find this person and give him a beating?]


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicity chimed in: [Who''s that scumbag? I''m going kill him!]


    Ste discreetly aimed her phone''s camera at Keegan, who was engrossed in checking emails,


    snapped a picture, and sent it.


    Just as Vermont and Felicity were strategizing on how to handle the guy in the red suit, they suddenly


    went silent.


    Felicity texted: [He''s so damn hot.]


    Vermont, puzzled, replied: [???]


    Felicity wasn''t joking; she genuinely found Keegan good-looking.


    None of them had seen Keegan in red, a bold color to pull off.


    However, Keegan, with his fair skin and handsome features, didn''t look bad at all in the red suit; it even


    elevated his charm.


    The red suit, paired with a ck shirt sans tie, added a hint of daring elegance. Felicity finally


    understood why Ste was so smitten with him.


    Vermont, a bit annoyed, typed: [No matter how good he looks, it can''t cover up the fact that he has a


    non-functional brain. Who wears a red suit to visit their mother-inw''s grave?]


    Ste responded: [He normally wouldn''t do this. Perhaps he''s just too excited.]


    Vermont clenched his teeth as he typed: [Just a pair of twins, isn''t it? What a dork!]


    Ste paused, thinking to herself, ''Has Keegan, the show-off, already spilled the beans about our twins


    to provoke him?'' ''If that''s the case, I should y along.¡¯


    Then, she replied: [It''s not about the babies. It''s something else. Why don¡¯t you take a guess?]


    Felicity texted: [Keegan gave you money!]


    Vermont texted: [Money is thest thing Ste needs now. Did Keegan manage to find out the gender


    of the babies through some unconventional means? Are they a boy and a girl?]


    Felicity texted: [It''s impossible. Ste told me that she wanted to keep it as a surprise. He wouldn''t do


    that.]


    Vermont texted: [What else could it be then? Ste, just tell US. Share the joy]


    Ste replied: [Well, it''s not a big deal. We just got our marriage certificate.]


    In the next moment, Vermont exited the group chat, leaving only Ste and Felicity inside.


    Ste wasn''t expecting that.


    In less than a minute, Felicity added him back in.


    Felicity wrote: [I''m going to block you if you dare to leave the group again! If you ever want to talk to


    me, you''ll have to transfer me money like Keegan did to Ste back then. Trust me, you wouldn''t want


    to do that!]

 Chapter 2013

    Chapter 2013


    Chapter 2013


    Vermont was not having it. He retorted: [They teamed up to provoke me, yet you don''t allow me to get


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    angry? You''re my girlfriend, be on my side.]


    Felicity fired back: [What did they do to provoke you? Ste was just sharing the good news with you.


    Look at how petty you are!]


    Vermont stopped texting right away.


    ''Telling good news, my foot! Keegan was just being all fake and annoying. I''ve known him for ages, and


    I''m sure Ste was up to the same tricks!'' Vermont thought, feeling really angry.


    On the flip side, Felicity had a different take. ''Is Keegan okay now? I was thinking of throwing a brick at


    his head to help him remember faster.''


    Ste thought about it and decided not to tell them about Keegan regaining his memory for now


    because Felicity could never keep a secret, and she was worried that she would mess things up for


    them.


    So, she replied: [No, he still can''t remember anything now. He just doesn''t want anyone gossiping


    about my growing belly, so we decided to get a marriage certificate first.]


    Felicity''s happy face suddenly went away. [He''s just worried that you''ll run away with his babies, so


    he''s using the marriage certificate to tie you down! What a crafty scum!]


    Ste sighed and typed: [There''s nothing I can do since he lost his memory. Let''s just hope that he''ll


    start remembering things in the future, especially now that we have children.]


    Vermont read their chat and noticed how Ste fooled Felicity. Ste acted quite differently before and


    after learning that Keegan got his memory back.


    Vermont recalled her saying, before she knew about Keegan''s memory," Even if he can''t remember


    me, I''ll make him fall in love with me again. I''m not going to marry anyone else!" Now that she knew


    Keegan had recovered his memory, she said, "There''s nothing I can do since he lost his memory."


    Vermont considered exposing her lie, but he thought Keegan might get off too easily. So, he held back


    and silently schemed his "revenge." Soon, a n formed in his mind.


    Meanwhile, after Jaylene took a shower, she headed to Caline.


    Arriving at the office, she went straight to Darice''s office and pushed the door open without knocking.


    Darcie was in a meeting with several managers from different departments, and the sudden sound


    shocked all of them. Darcie raised her gaze and frowned. "Don''t you know how to knock before


    entering? Where are your manners?"


    One of the managers quickly tried to smooth things over, "Mrs. Saun, young people now have their


    ways of doing things. There''s no need to be so harsh on her. Jaylene, you''ve gotten so much prettier.


    You were still in high school when I first saw you. You grew so much!"


    Jaylene was in a bad mood and felt extremely repulsed by such ttery.


    So, she said coldly, "Don''t try to tter me. Do I even know you?"


    The manager''s expression stiffened, looking somewhat displeased.


    With a cold face, Darcie said, "What has gotten into you so early in the morning? Say sorry to Mr.


    Morgan now!"


    Jaylene showed no sign of wanting to apologize. Seeing that Darcie was going to explode in anger,


    Aubrey quickly stood up and said, "Jaylene, let me take you to the lounge first. Mrs. Saun still has


    some work to handle."


    Jaylene had purposelye here to confront Darcie, but when she was met with her icy gaze, she


    became somewhat timid. She nodded with her fists clenched and followed Aubrey to the lounge.


    Half an hourter, when Darice was done with her work, she went to the lounge.


    Jaylene was sitting on the sofa, obsessively scrolling through photos of Keegan. Upon hearing the door


    opening, she immediately kept her phone away and greeted, "Mom."


    Darcie replied calmly, ¡® Not only that you didn''t knock just now, but you also didn''t greet anyone in the


    room. When did you be so disrespectful?"


    Jaylene frowned. "They¡¯re all working under you. What''s the big deal?"


    Darcie''s expression turned displeased. "Jaylene Saun, those are the people I spent tremendous effort


    roping in for you. When Stees to Caline, they''ll be the ones supporting you. Yet, you just


    offended one of them for no reason!"


    Jaylene snorted. "Mom, it''s just Ste. Do you have to make such a big fuss over it? She has no


    experience in perfumery. If she wants to take over Caline, she''s got to earn the respect of everyone


    working in thepany first."

 Chapter 2014

    Chapter 2014


    Chapter 2014


    Darcie was very disappointed with Jaylene''s attitude of underestimating her rival.


    "Ste doesn''t know a thing about designing jewelry either, but she turned The Velvet into a weapon.


    Look at it now; everyone knew it was meant to be my wedding gift to you."


    Jaylene was surprised, replying quietly, "Selling jewelry and making perfumes are totally different. She


    just got lucky. In Caline, who would respect someone who knows nothing about perfumery?"


    Darcie said, "Even if she got lucky, you shouldn''t underestimate her. So what if you know more about


    perfumery?


    "There are many skilled perfumers in Caline. Do you think thepany can''t function if any of them


    leave?


    "The key is selling the products and rallying people in thepany. You need to focus on what really


    matters."


    Darcie was very worried, yet Jaylene seemedpletely unconcerned.


    She thought that Darcie was being overly anxious and that Ste could not pose a threat to her.


    Although Ste might have half of thepany''s shares from Wenham, Darcie was the person who


    brought Caline to its current ce. All the employees respected Darcie, and even if Ste was going to


    be a major shareholder in thepany, she could only get dividends because she knew nothing about


    thepany.


    As long as the core team stood on Darcie''s side, even if Caline were to split up, Ste would be the


    one at a loss.


    "Did you hear what I said?" Darcie sounded somewhat unhappy upon not getting any response from


    Jaylene.


    Darcie had spoiled her too much over the years, causing her to have no sense of crisis. Before Ste


    came into the picture, Jaylene could do whatever she wanted because Wenham and Trevor would not


    intervene much with Caline.


    Actually, Wenham gave Darcie all the power to operate Caline aspensation for taking care of his


    mother throughout those years.


    However, things became different now that Ste hade back. Wenham transferred every share he


    held in thepany without any hesitation.


    ''Ste''s eyes look so much like Freesia''s. However, unlike Freesia''s enamored gaze when blending


    fragrances, Ste''s eyes harbor intense ambitions.


    ''The Velvet is not her ultimate goal; what she really wants to seize is Caline. '' Darcie thought to herself.


    She was all set to take Ste on and stop that from happening, yet Jaylene was still so blinded by love,


    which made her very angry.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Although Dahlia was not capable of doing anything, she managed to give birth to such a disaster.


    "I heard you," Jaylene responded reluctantly.


    Darcie took off her coat, hanging it on the rack. While pouring herself a ss of water, she asked, "Why


    did youe to find me?"


    Jaylene quickly replied this time, "Mom, what did you say to Keeganst night? He suddenly told me


    that we should see each other less often."


    Darcie''s hand trembled, and she felt the urge to ssh water on Jaylene''s face to snap her out of it.


    But after reminding herself that Jaylene was her own daughter, the frustration eased away.

 Chapter 2015

    Chapter 2015


    Chapter 2015


    "What''s wrong with that? He''s Ste''s fiance. Why would you want to get so close to him?" said Darcie.


    Jaylene frowned. "This is not what you said back then. You even had Ms. Crosby try to match US up.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    You-" "Don''t talk about the past," Darice cut her off, '' Back then, Ste had not returned to the Hall


    family, and they were still divorced, so I supported you. But now Ste is your stepsister, and she''s


    engaged to Keegan.


    "What will others say about you if you keep seeing him? Are there no other men in Rivera? Why do you


    have to mess around with someone else''s fiance?"


    Darcie''s harsh words made Jaylene look somewhat embarrassed. Then, Jaylene bit her lip and said


    softly, "What if Keegan likes me?"


    Darcie replied coldly, "Do you think he''ll fall for you just because you took care of him for a few days


    after he lost his memory? If that''s the case, he''d also like every nurse and doctor who pulled him back


    from the brink of death.


    "Even if he does, you still have to get past Mrs. Kane Sr., who valued the family reputation the most.


    She would never allow Keegan to marry you, and Keegan listens to everything she says.


    "So, are you nning to be his secret lover? Also, have you thought about what would happen if he


    suddenly recovered his memory when you two overcame everything and eventually got together?


    "Jaylene Saun, you and Keegan were not even supposed to spend those days together. Once he


    remembers Ste and everything between them, do you think you''ll stand a chance against her?


    "All the scars and wounds on his body came from protecting Ste, and he even put Ste as the main


    beneficiary in his will. The weight Ste holds in his heart is not something you can surpass by just


    saving his life. What will you do then?"


    Jaylene had never thought so far ahead. She just wanted to be with


    Keegan as soon as possible; otherwise, she wouldn''t have hired a hypnotist to erase his memory.


    She was on the brink of achieving her goal when Darcie suddenly stood against her, causing great


    upset.


    Darcie understood how deeply Jaylene loved Keegan. When news of Keegan getting married spread,


    Jaylene fell ill. It was during a flu epidemic in the country they were in, affecting both Darcie and


    Wenham.


    So, they couldn''t go back to Hustuabourg for the wedding.


    The family doctor, who looked after Jaylene, took out a notebook from her room, and every page was


    filled with her admiration for Keegan.


    So, after Keegan and Darcie split up, Darcie thought it might be nice to set up Jaylene and Keegan.


    She wanted Jaylene to have a happy marriage. 1


    But here''s the thing: Keegan didn''t have any romantic feelings for Jaylene. So, Jaylene''s dream of a


    happy marriage with Keegan couldn''t happen.


    "I''m kinda feeling bad about telling you not to date before. If you met more people, you''d see that


    Keegan isn''t all that special.


    "Even though he''s super loyal, loving him when he''s into someone else is just gonna hurt you.


    "Instead of wasting time on a guy who''s got someone else in his heart, focus on your career.


    "Once you''re in charge of Caline, you can choose any guy you want. You''ll be the one doing the


    picking, not waiting around."


    Darcie''s words made a lot of sense and were pretty forward-thinking. But when you''re deep in love, it''s


    like talking to a wall.


    Jaylene asked, "What about you? You stayed with Dad even though he couldn''t get over his dead wife.


    In the end, you still got what you wanted, right? If you can do it, why can''t I?"


    Darcie''s expression darkened. "I can do it because my rival is a person who''s not alive anymore.


    ''However much your dad misses her, she''s noting back. Instead, he''ll always appreciate how


    devoted I was, taking care of his mom and risking my life to find him in that dangerous ce!


    "He saw all the effort, the blood, climbing those rocks to desperately search for him. He knows how


    important he is to me. That''s why, even if he doesn''t love me the same, he won''t easily leave me.


    " And you? Your rival is alive and well. She was married to Keegan for a few years and jumped in the


    water to save him without thinking. What can you do topete with that?


    " Sure, you saved Keegan, but can you openly say what you did to save him?

 Chapter 2016

    Chapter 2016


    Chapter 2016


    Jaylene was left without words after Darcie confronted her.


    Darcie''s face lost color as she sighed. "Jaylene, you''ve always been such a good listener and excelled


    at everything since you were a child. I worked hard to raise you to be someone independent, not just


    someone''s wife.


    "Even though Keegan did develop feelings for you, think about it. If he could leave Ste for you, what''s


    stopping him from leaving you for someone else?"


    Darcie clenched her teeth and added, "You have Saun as yourst name, but you''re not tied by blood


    to this family. No matter how much your dad and brother love you, their blood ties will always be


    stronger. You can''t rely on the Saun family forever.


    "You''ve got to be strong on your own. When you be a big deal in Caline, no one will dare to


    underestimate you.


    " Don''t get worked up every time I mention Ste. She''s back with the Saun family, living a good life


    with Keegan. But notice something? She hasn''t slowed down at all, managing The Velvet and her


    acting career. She''s keeping up the pace.


    "Even though her life wasn''t as good as yours in the beginning, she''s on track to surpass you if you


    don''t step up. Once she makes her mark in Caline, you might find yourself in her shadow forever."


    Jaylene stayed quiet, her eyes getting red.


    Darcie gave her a cup of water and went on, "The fact that Keegan is willing to see you less just


    because of something I said tells a lot. It shows you''re not that important to him.


    "This might not necessarily be a bad thing. You should start joining thepany officially after a few


    days. I''ll have Aubrey guide you by then."


    Jaylene lowered her gaze and nodded, seemingly taking in Darcie''s harsh advice.


    Darcie patted her shoulder and stopped speaking. She believed that


    Jaylene was already an adult and should know the right thing to do.


    Jaylene''s grip on the ss gradually tightened.


    She knew that although Darcie imed that she feared that Ste would take away Caline, deep down,


    she knew that Darcie was just afraid that Wenham would me her if she got together with Keegan.


    After Ste''s return, Darcie had been amodating her in every way possible. Everytime there was a


    conflict between Jaylene and Ste, Darcie would never be on her side.


    Darcie''s sole concern was ensuring Wenham¡¯s approval of Jaylene, leading her to neglect Jaylene''s


    feelings.


    Just as Jaylene was deciding whether to follow what Darcie said, her phone rang.


    It was a text from Keegan. [I guess this is it. Darcie doesn''t like me, and I don''t want your rtionship


    with her to be affected by me. I should''ve treated you like my little sister, and what I didst night was


    inappropriate. I''m sorry.]


    His message was too suggestive, and Jaylene instantly replied without thinking. [But I don''t want to be


    your little sister.]


    However, Keegan did not reply after she hit send.


    Jaylene gripped her phone, feeling uneasy.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    "I don''t want to be your little sister; I want to be your girlfriend!" Ste suddenly got into character as


    she looked at Keegan with sparkling eyes." Do I sound like Jolin Harder?"


    Keegan looked at her, confused. "John who?" "Tsk," Ste clicked her tongue. "You¡¯re so outdated.


    Please don¡¯t talk to me."


    However, Aldor praised. "Yeah, you do, especially the way that your voice is going to crack. It''s exactly


    the same."


    Knowing that someone would back him up, Aldor was fearless when he met this boss''s intimidating


    gaze.


    Ste smiled. "Fantastic! I''ll ask Keegan to... treat you to a meal!"


    Aldor was taken aback. ''Mrs. Kane is getting stingier now. My life is so difficult.''


    Keegan and Aldor were really into their work, and Ste couldn''t sit still after watching two online


    seminars on her phone.


    She paced around the room, stretching now and then. Staying in one spot for more than a few seconds


    just wasn''t her thing.

 Chapter 2017

    Chapter 2017


    Chapter 2017


    Keegan juggled work while keeping an eye on her. After observing her for a while, he could not hold


    back any longer but asked, "Why can''t you just sit still?"


    Ste sighed. "I have no one to talk to and I''m bored. Moving around makes me feel less dull."


    Keegan was speechless. "Do you want me to call Vermont over, so you two can talk?" "It''s okay. I can


    chat with Aldor too. Aldor, you''re not busy, are you?" Ste blinked her eyes as she asked, looking


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    hopeful.


    Aldor shook his head. "I''m almost done with my work, just waiting for Mr. Kane to look through."


    Ste immediately sat down. "Aldor, how are things between you and Aurora now?"


    Her question caught both Aldor and Keegan by surprise.


    She was not bored. Instead, her curiosity was driving her crazy and she finally decided to unleash it.


    Aldor chuckled awkwardly. "Mrs. Kane, can we talk about something else?"


    Ste said, "Did Keegan threaten you with something and force you to marry his sister? It''s okay, you


    can be honest with me. I have your back and won''t let him force you into a marriage against your will."


    Keegan paused. ''Does she really think I''d do such a thing?''


    Aldor said, "No, Mr. Kane will never do that." "So, you do like Aurora, huh?"


    Her question was too straightforward, and Aldor did not know how to answer as he looked for Keegan


    for help.


    Keegan nced at him as if saying, "Well, weren''t you very proud when siding with her to make fun of


    me earlier?''


    However, Keegan still decided to chime in, "Why are you so concerned about Aider''s love life?"


    Ste was immediately distracted by Keegan''s question. "I''m just worried that Aurora will bully Aldor.


    She used to do that a lot, didn''t she?" "Aldor is not that easy to bully. Aurora worked under him when


    she first joined thepany. Do you think that Aldor can''t handle her?" Keegan spoke as he signaled


    Aldor to leave first.


    Ste said, "You might not be necessarily right. Aurora is your sister, and if she mistreated Aldor, would


    he ever dare to tell you?" "He won''t, but Aurora will. She can''t keep things to herself," Keegan paused


    before he asked softly, "Do you still hate Aurora for what she did before?"


    Ste shook her head. "I don''t exactly hate her, but what she did still bothers me. However, when she


    went against what your mother told her to do, she kind of saved me."


    Then, she suddenly shifted the topic, "But that''s a story for another day. I''m pretty sure you know what


    Aurora''s temper is like. How can you do this to Aldor?"


    Keegan sighed. "You''re always so clever, but why do you sound so foolish now? Think about it, if Aldor


    had no feelings for Aurora, he would''ve straightforwardly rejected me."


    Ste paused as her expression became somewhat strange. "I really can''t imagine that Aldor would


    like someone like Aurora."


    Keegan said tly, "What can I say? Before I met you, I never thought that my other half would be


    someone so greedy and lustful either."

 Chapter 2018

    Chapter 2018


    Chapter 2018


    After a brief pause, Ste said angrily, "I dare you to say that again!"


    Keegan took her hand and gently pulled her into his embrace. Then he rested his chin on her shoulder


    and said in an affectionate tone, "I''m right in front of you, yet you just wouldn''t stop asking about


    another man''s love life. That doesn''t sound very appropriate, does it?" "Well, should we talk about our


    own love life then?"


    Keegan nodded, looking expectant.


    Ste stared at him for a long time but found it difficult to speak. After some time, she frowned and


    said, "I don''t feel like talking about it anymore.


    Keegan felt disappointed.


    Ste yfully covered his eyes. "Don''t give me that cheesy look. It''s weird how fast you remembered


    everything. Before, if I touched you, you''d back off like a super proper guy." She blushed, admitting, "I


    kinda liked that."


    Keegan was quiet.


    He let go of her hand, creating some space between them. His expression turned cold again.


    Ste felt her heart race, thinking, ''This is it.¡¯


    Then, she moved closer to Keegan.


    Keegan took a step back. "Ms. Hall, please behave yourself."


    Ste grinned and yfully grabbed his cor.


    Keegan held her hand, looking embarrassed. "You''re ady. How can you be so rough with a man?


    Have you no shame?"


    Ste teased, pretending to unbutton his shirt. "Shame? My husband lost his memories, and I never


    got to have any fun before. Let''s enjoy it while itsts!"


    Keegan was taken aback.


    His expression darkened as he said, "Aren''t you supposed to be an aloof? How could you change the


    script halfway through?" Keegan could not ept that Ste was pretending to cheat on him.


    St leaned on his shoulder andughed for some time before sitting up. She hooked her arm around


    his neck and rubbed her nose against his while caressing his ears. "You don''t have to y along with


    everything I say.


    Have some principles."


    Keegan''s ear were heated by her touch as he spoke slowly with his gaze lowered, "I''m not going to


    y along with just everything." "Hmm?"


    Keegan leaned close to her ear and said, "If you wanted something more violent, I''d never say yes."


    Ste was taken aback.


    "You seem to know a lot," she muttered softly.


    Keegan hugged her for a while before calling her softly, "Ste." "Yeah?" she responded gently.


    Keegan suddenly felt very at ease "I''m sorry for making you sad and worried."This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste stroked his back for a while before she said, "Keegan Kane, I won''t be afraid of anything as long


    as I''m by your side. The only thing I''m scared of is that you''d put me behind and bear everything on


    your own. If something really happened to you, how could I ever forgive myself?"


    Keegan suddenly let out a chuckle.


    Ste let go and red at him. "I''m being sentimental here. Why are youughing?"


    Keegan pulled her back into his arms and spoke with his eyes filled with affection, "You used to say


    that you''d let me die first whenever there''s a danger."


    Ste was stunned momentarily. "It was obviously a joke. Why would you take it literally?"

 Chapter 2019

    Chapter 2019


    Chapter 2019


    "But I don''t regret it." Keegan looked up at her with a loving gaze. "If I didn''t let go of myself that day,


    perhaps neither of US would be alive, let alone having them."


    He ced his hand gently on her belly. "One for three, it''s worth it."


    Ste was upset. "What''s worth it? Do you still expect me to give birth to your babies when you''re


    dead? Impossible! If you don''te back, I''ll find another man immediately and show him off to you on


    your grave. You may be a hero, but you''re still going to need someone else to take care of your wife."


    Keegan could not help but smile at herints. "I must have heard your ''ungrateful'' whines and


    couldn''t bring myself to leave, so I came back."


    Ste hugged him tightly and whispered, "I''ll pack a lunchbox for you tomorrow. You got so much


    thinner after the incident. You''re not as huggable anymore."


    Keegan frowned. "How can I let you cook for me while you''re pregnant? Do you think Trevor would let


    that slide if he knew? He''d probably kill me."


    Ste burst outughing and said, "Serves you right for what you did to himst time.


    "Oh, by the way, did you manage to get anything out of Jaylene after hypnotizing her?"


    Keegan nodded, "She wasn''t the one who pulled me out of the water, someone else did. They took me


    to a clinic and left her number." "So, Jaylene was lying when she said she rescued you from the


    shore?" "Yeah. I was about to drown when someone grabbed me. Although I couldn''t see clearly, I felt


    that person''s strength and it did not seem to be a woman."


    To single-handedly pull an unconscious adult male out of the water required extraordinary physical


    strength and excellent swimming skills.


    Whoever saved him did not want him to die but instead left Jaylene''s contact information. That person


    also wanted him to stay with Jaylene, giving her a chance to hypnotize him and erase his memory.


    Clearly, that person did not want Keegan to return so soon. 1 ''If I got hypnotized even more and


    believed in those illusions, would I still be with Ste?'' Keegan pondered to himself.


    Someone wanted him to live but drift away from the person he loved.


    A name kept circling in his mind.


    The ident back then happened because Albert messed with the car. Rainee and Ste were


    innocent. So, Keegan thought the person might not necessarily be after Ste.


    Now, seeing that Ste had been safe all along, Keegan wondered if that person was only targeting


    him.


    Ste asked softly, "What''s on your mind?"


    Keegan snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head. "Nothing. Why don''t you have Ms. Thompson


    apany you to see Ms. Warren? Discusspensation for the two injured cleaners and invite


    some reporters over to stir things up a little."


    Ste hesitated, "If this matter goes public, Dahlia''s reputation will be tarnished. Are you sure you want


    to do that?"


    Keegan replied nonchntly, "You don''t understand her. She can rise again anytime as long as she


    has the slightest chance. But it can undoubtedly make her stay put for a while now."


    Ste totally agreed with what Keegan mentioned. After a bit of thinking, she said, "Your mom always


    goes to Chandler when things happen, and he''s always ready to help. What''s his deal? At work, he''s


    against you, but then he helps your mom."


    Keegan paused without uttering a word.


    Ste was surprised. ''Keegan''s reaction is kind of weird.''


    She whispered, "Could it be that he likes your mom?"


    Keegan''s face tightened for a moment, and he stayed quiet.


    Ste sensed that something was off from Keegan''s reaction. Knowing he didn''t enjoy discussing his


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    elders, especially when it involved his mom, she chose not to press.


    Yet, after a brief silence, Keegan opened up, "Before she married my dad, she was in a rtionship


    with Chandler." 1

 Chapter 2020

    Chapter 2020


    Chapter 2020


    Ste''s eyes widened in surprise. "I can''t believe your family has such a secret. Please, tell me more."


    Keegan had kept this secret for so many years, so Ste figured that probably only a handful of people


    knew about it. Otherwise, she would have heard Olivia gossiping about it long ago.


    Keegan kept stuttering as he exined it and it took a long time for Ste to finally understand what


    happened.


    Keegan himself was not clear about the exact details of their past, but at his father''s funeral, he saw


    Chandler and Dahlia hugging each other.


    However, once he started having suspicions, he could not help but pay extra attention to them. After all,


    there were no secrets that could not be exposed.


    The Crosby family was quite well-off back in Rivera. Dahlia and her brother, ke, were prominent


    figures in Rivera''s social circles. The Crosby siblings were exceptionally good-looking and caught the


    attention of many.


    The Crosby family doted on the siblings, but the excessive affection backfired on them.


    ke developed a gambling addiction at a young age, and the Crosby family nearly went bankrupt


    before Dahlia got married. After Dahlia''s marriage, she often had to send ke money.


    Quentin despised gamblers, so Dahlia dared not tell him about it.


    Whenever ke got detained after losing all his money, she would call Chandler to bail him out.


    Keegan did not know anything about this until one day, ke got drunk and said to him, "Sigh. My


    sister has made the wrong bet. She thought she could have everything after marrying your father, but


    not only that your father didn''t appreciate her, but he also died at such a young age.


    "Can you imagine how much better her life would be if she married your uncle instead? She could still


    be Mrs. Kane after your father dies and nobody would dare to disrespect me."


    Keegan, who was just a teenager, felt a chill run down his spine. After that incident, he distanced


    himself from Chandler and told Aurora to also stay away from him.


    However, at that time, Aurora lived with Dahlia and trusted her more. So, she never took Keegan''s


    warnings seriously. To her, Chandler''s affection for her was purely because he was her uncle.


    Therefore, whenever she got into trouble, she would always hide at Chandler''s house.


    Although Dahlia maintained a distance from Chandler in public, whenever she faced a problem, she


    would immediately seek Chandler''s help, which Keegan did not like.


    But with Cyrene and Cordelia nearby, they couldn''t risk going too far.


    If this scandal got out, it would shame everyone. Cordelia would surely be furious. So, it was better to


    pretend they didn''t know.


    Thest time ke''spany faced problems, Dahlia had asked Chandler for help. Keegan had


    warned her not to do it again. He didn''t anticipate Dahlia turning to Chandler once more after getting


    herself arrested.


    The incident had already gotten a lot of attention. If Chandler were to bail Dahlia out at this time,


    everyone would immediately know about it. The Kane family might be aughingstock to


    everyone, but Keegan was more worried that Cordelia would be so angry and get her health affected.


    Ste kept quiet upon hearing what Keegan told her.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ''No wonder Keegan always treated Chandler so coldly. I used to think it was because of work, but I


    didn''t expect there to be such a hidden backstory.


    ''Dahlia is really something. Chandler doesn''t seem like a foolish person, but how did she manage to


    charm him for decades?


    ''They both have children now, why would he still be so devoted to her?'' Ste wondered.


    She believed that Dahlia probably had something Chandler craved to keep him by her side, causing


    him to grow so attached to her.


    ''Could it be that they...''


    She had a suspicion and she really wanted to ask Keegan about it. But when she saw the empty look


    on Keegan''s face, she could not bring herself to ask him, so she gave up the idea.


    She changed the subject and said, "Keegan, Murder for Motives is hitting a one billion box office soon.


    I''m going to be a billion-dor actress."


    Keegan was surprised and chuckled. "That''s impressive."


    Ste said, "You''re so different now. If I had said the same thing to you before, you would have said


    something like, ''Just one billion, what''s there to be proud of? You''re not even the lead actress. What''s


    there to boast about?¡±

 Chapter 2021

    Chapter 2021


    Chapter 2021


    Keegan was taken aback.


    ''This does indeed sound like something I would say. Or rather, more like the kind of thing mom would


    throw my way back when I was younger.''


    No matter how ster Keegan''s achievements were during his childhood, Dahlia always had a way of


    cutting him down. "Don''t be too proud.


    Someone might surpass you next time."


    "Your dad and I spent a fortune on your education, it''s the least you can do, ¡¯ she''d say.


    Keegan rarely received praise from Dahlia. Naturally, he struggled to share his achievements with his


    partner properly. What he intended as uplifting encouragement often sounded more like belittlement.


    Dahlia wasn''t the best role model for Keegan. Despite thinking he''d distanced himself from his mother,


    constant praise from those around him blinded him to how much he mirrored her in specific aspects.


    Looking at Ste with puppy eyes, Keegan asked softly, "So, do you prefer the old me or the current


    me?"


    Ste chuckled and whispered in his ear, "You''re the kind of guy who can learn from your mistakes. I¡¯d


    like you no matter what."


    Keegan grinned and said, "Actually, I''ve seen the movie. I went to the director''s ce to check the raw


    footage before it hit the screens. The acting is actually good."


    "Was it still a C-rating performance?"


    Keeganughed. "It''s a B-rating performance this time."


    Olivia reached out before Ste had the chance to contact her first.


    The Warrens'' affairs have been under discussion in their circle recently.


    Erick''s charges were practically set in stone. He was now in the hands of the authorities, awaiting due


    process.


    Olivia was an intelligent businesswoman, but she wasn''t all about the money. She consistently warned


    Erick to steer clear of the gray areas in politics.


    She had assets in her name, enough to keep the family afloat. She didn''t need the blood money from


    Erick''s questionable dealings.


    If something went down, the entire family would be in disarray.


    Erick verbally agreed to Olivia''s wishes but needed money to fuel his extramarital affair and support his


    illegitimate child.


    Olivia controlled the family finances and with such huge expenses for his infidelity, Erick had to find


    other means to get the money.


    He turned to illegal activities.


    Erick couldn''t confess to Olivia about the funds, as they were all dedicated to sustaining his mistress


    and child.


    When the illegitimate child needed schooling, the mistress insisted on a million-dor home in an


    upscale area. Otherwise, she threatened to bring the child to his workce and expose everything to


    Olivia.


    Erick was at a loss, so he confessed his actions to Dahlia.


    Dahlia came up with the idea for him to steal a million dors from Olivia.


    With the money for the house secured, there were still bills for renovation and a car.


    Living in an upscale neighborhood meant everyone had a luxury car worth a small fortune. Once the


    floodgates of desire opened, it became an insatiable pit.


    Erick had to keep resorting to illegal means to meet the demands of the mother and child.


    Olivia was in Astra Height when she called Ste. She mentioned a topnotch bakery nearby and asked


    her to meet up there, saying she''d swing by after finishing her work.


    Intrigued, Ste asked, "What''s keeping you so busy, Olivia?"


    "I''m cleaning out the ce for the mistress to settle in. Want to swing by and take a peek?" Olivia


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    replied in disdain.


    "You bet!"

 Chapter 2022

    Chapter 2022


    Chapter 2022


    Having bottled up her frustration for too long, Olivia seemed to have enough.


    After getting Erick behind bars, she swiftly got in touch with herwyer to reim every dime he spent


    on his mistress-Linda-and their child.


    Though, she didn''t stop there. Olivia used Linda, along with Erick and Dahlia, of orchestrating a


    scam against her.


    Despite the mountain of evidence she had gathered, Olivia knew that the legal process could be a


    tedious affair.


    Procedures were slow, and Olivia couldn''t wait. She had no intention of letting the mother and child live


    in a house she had bought with her own money any longer.


    So, she brought seven to eight burly security personnel from her hotel during New Year''s to evict the


    family.


    When Ste arrived at the scene, Olivia had already kicked the family to the courtyard of the residential


    Linda was crying and cursing out loud.


    "Olivia''s kinda tough for telling them to leave the house before going to court. What if they call the


    cops?" Felicity asked.


    Ste exined, "Erick didn¡¯t list the house under Linda''s name, but his mom''s. Since Olivia married


    into the family, she can kick them out. Why let someone live there for free?"


    Felicity was surprised. "Wow. Erick yed it smart. I thought he and his mistress were really in love.


    Can''t believe he didn''t put her name on the house."


    "Affairs are tricky. Married couples have legal stuff to protect their things, but mistresses don''t. If the


    mistress sells the house, where would Erick go? ¡¯ said Ste.


    ''With Olivia, Erick keeps the house and lives fancy. Plus, his son gets taken care of. Olivia thinks her


    hubby is simple and honest, but to me, he''s too clever," she added.


    Felicity said, "Thinking about it, Olivia''s not so lucky. Her husband going to jail could mess up their kid''s


    future."


    "Looking on the bright side, it''s good he didn''t tell Olivia about the illegal things he did. She also doesn''t


    know about all the dirty money. They''ll have to weigh all factors when ites to punishment and


    sentencing."


    As they spoke, Olivia emerged from the building. Freed from the shitty excuse of a husband, she


    seemed visibly better.


    She wore a light brown cashmere coat with a small scarf tied around her neck and a small leather bag


    dangling from her wrist. Her hairstyle and makeup also made her look refined.


    Linda, on the other hand, looked disheveled. She was still in her pajamas, and her hair was in disarray.


    Moreover, she wasn''t wearing any makeup. There was a stark contrast in her demeanorpared to


    when Ste met her at the school.


    Linda started hurling insults the moment she saw Olivia. "You dumb bitch! You got your husband


    caught because you were jealous of me and him. Do you think you can live a good life without him?¡±


    This amused Olivia. "Do you think I''m like you, relying on that scumbag for everything? Is that what


    he''s been telling you?"


    "Don''t be ridiculous. His measly sry isn''t even enough for my daughter''s monthly piano lessons.


    Why would I expect him to support me? I have yet to see any of the bribery money he supposedly took.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Didn''t he spend it all on you?"


    "Now the authorities are investigating him for the money he gave to you. Why don''t you just give it back


    so that his sentence could be lighter? That little family of yours might reunite sooner," Olivia continued.


    Linda immediately retorted upon hearing her suggestion. "He''s your husband. What''s this got to do with


    me?"


    Olivia sneered, "It has nothing to do with you. That''s why I''m kicking you out."


    Linda was annoyed. "Erick bought this house for me and our son. You don''t have the right to evict us.


    I''ve given birth to a son. He and his mom told me that everything in the Warren family belongs to my


    son in the future. Even if you earn the money, half of it belongs to him. My son has the right to live here!


    An illegitimate child also has inheritance rights!"


    "This woman is outrageous. How can she know that illegitimate children have inheritance rights but not


    know that the money Erick earned was


    dirty? Without any shame, she boldly proims her position. It''s as if she has no sense of decency. The


    legal system is really nurturing her arrogance! ¡¯ Felicity scornfully remarked.

 Chapter 2023

    Chapter 2023


    Chapter 2023


    Ste handed Felicity a ss of milk and said, "Having inheritance rights doesn''t mean she''ll get a


    share of the money. After all, Erick isn''t dead yet."


    This remark visibly riled up Olivia. Her husband''s family had kept her in the dark for two decades, and


    her mother-inw had consistently undermined her, ming her for not bearing Erick''s son.


    Despite her annually generous andvish gifts, she never received a kind word because she couldn''t


    produce a male heir.


    Just yesterday, her mother-inw had gathered a bunch of rtives to cause a scene at her doorstep.


    They urged her to use all her family''s assets to bail out Erick.


    They also funneled money to Linda and promised all family assets to her son.


    At the same time, the Warrens criticized Olivia for not having a son even though she took care of them.


    The audacity of her inws treating her daughters with such disdain infuriated Olivia.


    "Fine," she said with a cold tone. "You can wait till Erick dies and thene for your inheritance. As


    long as he''s alive and we''re not divorced, I call the shots on his property!"


    She turned to the security personnel behind her. "Get someone to change the lockster. Have


    someone on duty here every day. If those twoe within 10 feet of my house, you can say goodbye


    to your jobs."


    The robust young men responded in unison, "Yes, ma''am."


    Raymond had been simmering with anger. Seeing Olivia turn around, he somehow managed to pull out


    a utility knife and swung it toward her.


    Ste was startled. Just as she shouted a warning, one of the burly men standing next to Olivia swiftly


    caught the knife and kicked the young man''s knee. There was a muffled groan as Raymond knelt on


    the ground.


    Other security personnel rushed forward to subdue him and called the police.


    The man who had tried to shield Olivia from the attack had blood all over his hands. Shocked, Olivia


    turned to her assistant and said, "Take him to the hospital immediately. Thepany will cover the


    medical expenses.


    Shortly after, the police arrived and started questioning Olivia. Raymond, who was involved in the


    assault, was then taken away.


    Later, Olivia and Ste went to a nearby pastry shop.


    Olivia took a sip of her coffee, looked up, and asked, "What do you think? Quite a show, right?"


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicity nodded enthusiastically. "It was incredible! This is the first time I''ve seen the wife tearing into


    the mistress in real life. You''re amazing, Olivia. You''re a role model for all of us!"


    Olivia chuckled lightly and said, "I wouldn''t have done it if it weren''t for the fact that I''ve had enough.


    Though people areughing at Linda, they''re alsoughing at me."


    Ste said, "You didn''te here just to embarrass Linda. You also nned to record a video to show


    your husband and stir his conscience, right? I noticed your assistant was filming with her phone."


    "Tsk. Sharp eyes, you got there," said Olivia in disdain.


    Felicity admired her even more. "Olivia, when do you n to get a divorce?"


    Olivia set down her cup and calmly said, "Who said I''m getting a divorce?"

 Chapter 2024

    Chapter 2024


    Chapter 2024


    Felicity was surprised. "You''re not leaving him? You''re gonna stick with this bad guy?¡±


    Olivia answered calmly, "If this happened twenty years ago, I''d for sure divorce him. But what do I get


    from divorcing him now?"


    ¡¯If things go as expected, Erick might get ten or twenty years. If I divorce him, we have to split


    everything. The money he gets ends up wasted in prison. Who gains from that?" she went on.


    ¡¯He''s eager for a divorce now, wanting to get his hands on a lump sum of money to give his son and


    the mother a life. Why would I fulfill his wish?¡¯


    ¡¯As long as I don''t divorce him, I control how the money is distributed. I want him to see that his son is a


    failure without financial support."


    "But what about in ten or twenty years when hees out? If you divorce him, you could earn even


    more," Felicity continued to inquire.


    Olivia chuckled nonchntly. "After spending so many years behind bars, he''ll be out of touch with


    society. His mistress will be old, and his son will still be a criminal with no achievements. Meanwhile, I''ll


    have a sessful career, and my daughters will be happily married and thriving. What do you think


    he''ll choose?"


    She lowered her gaze and stirred her coffee. "By then, I''ll take him to dinner with my daughters and


    grandchildren every holiday. I''ll recount his ''glorious achievements'' back in the day, serving as a


    cautionary tale for everyone. With a living example like him, they''ll surely take it to heart."


    Felicity and Ste were at a loss for words.


    It turned out that Olivia''s retaliation had only just begun with Erick''s incarceration.


    An unfaithful husband, an arrogant mistress, and the illegitimate child they bore-Olivia wouldn''t let any


    of them off the hook.


    After Olivia finished speaking, she looked at Ste. "Is Keegan having second thoughts? Does he feel


    pity toward Dahlia? Did youe here to mediate on his behalf?"


    Ste replied calmly, "Don''t spread rumors. My husband is not that confused. He asked me toe."


    Olivia observed Ste. "It seems Dahlia has really picked on the wrong target this time. You didn''t get


    hurt either. How did Keegan handle it so skillfully? Has he regained his memory?"


    "He hasn''t regained his memory, but it doesn''t affect his judgment." Ste looked up. "Olivia, take me to


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    the hospitalter to visit the two injured janitors. I''ll offer condolences on behalf of the Kane family.


    "Also, about those public ounts you manage, let me use them for a while.


    "I''ll pay you for some sponsored articles. You may set the price."


    It was a business opportunity that Olivia naturally wouldn''t refuse.


    That night, the news of Ste personally visiting the two victims of the oil incident spread on social


    media.


    In interviews, the victims expressed that the Kane family had covered their medical expenses and


    provided substantialpensation. When asked if they were asked to withdraw theirints, both


    families stated they were not.


    Moreover, Ste was genuinely apologetic. She consistently apologized on behalf of Dahlia.


    It was revealed that Dahlia ended up causing harm to innocent people in an attempt to target Ste.


    In the end, it was Ste who helped clean up the mess. The stark contrast in character was evident.


    In the early morning, Vinci Rivera''s official Facebook ount issued an apology for an incident


    involving the donation of expired bread to disaster- stricken areas a month ago.


    Several employees involved were fired, and thepany donated 20 billion dors to establish a


    disaster relief foundation.


    This foundation aimed to address the basic needs of the disaster-stricken people during the post-


    disaster reconstruction period. They also set up a dedicated Facebook ount to disclose all


    expenditures transparently for public scrutiny.


    Keegan reposted this post on his main ount, which sparked a minor uproar online.

 Chapter 2025

    Chapter 2025


    Chapter 2025


    Comments flooded underneath Keegan''s Facebook post in an instant.


    [20 billion dors?! With a monthly ie of 5k, I''d need over 3000 years to earn that!]


    [Wealthy people do charity. If you know you know.]


    (What does that mean? I don''t get it.]


    [Tax evasion and publicity stunt, probably.]


    [Don''t act like you know something when you don''t. Donating money offsets the taxable amount, not


    the taxes you owe. And there''s a limit to it, okay? Do you think thewmakers are idiots? This isn''t


    foreign inheritance tax, so cut the crap!]


    [20 billion dors, and they don''t even use it for publicity? Some would brag on Facebook even if they


    only donated twenty bucks. Vinci Rivera is awesome!]


    [Mr. Kane, I saw someone online post a test video of Luna II. My wife is pestering me for one. Can you


    name a price and help me convince her to give up?]


    [Is this post a deliberate attempt to divert attention from the harm your mom caused? Dahlia poured oil


    on the stairs, causing two janitors to fall. Your family has money, so you think you can sweep it under


    the rug? Do you believe posting this online will makeizens forget what happened?]


    [They''re not trying to hush it up. His wife personally went to offer condolences and discussed


    [Offeringpensation is only a tactic to avoid ountability. Until now, we haven''t heard about the


    measures taken against the person who poured the oil. She probably used money to buy her way out.]


    [It''s easy to talk when you''re not the one experiencing the pain. Are you willing to shoulder the victims''


    medical and legal expenses? The two janitors weren''t evenbeled as slightly injured. They didn''t


    exploit the situation, nor did they shift me. The police investigation results aren''t out yet, and some


    people are already quick to judge. Did Mr. Kane personally disclose to you that he has bailed his mom


    out?]


    Netizens argued fervently in thements, with some believing that Vinci Rivera set up this fund as a


    distraction and an attempt to handle matters discreetly.


    In contrast, another group ofizens and Vinci Rivera''s loyal users, believed that Dahlia had acted


    independently. Given that she wasn''t an employee of Vinci Rivera, they argued that the incident


    shouldn''t be linked to thepany.


    The debate became so significant that it finally caught the attention of the authorities. The verified


    social media ount of the Rivera Police Department, @RiveraPD, shared an update on Facebook,


    notifying the public that the perpetrator had been captured. The ongoing investigation was set to reveal


    results shortly.


    This official statement debunked the rumors, confirming that the Kane family hadn''t spent money to


    secure Dahlia''s release.


    The Kanes had actively and positively handled the situation from start to finish.


    The families of the two janitorster shared pictures online with faces blurred, featuring them alongside


    Ste and the condolence gifts she brought. This gradually helped pacify the ongoing discussions.


    Darcie went downstairs to get a ss of water just as Jaylene scrolled through her tablet.


    Walking past her, Darcie caught a nce at the content on her tablet-it was rted to Dahlia''s incident.


    "See that? Keegan is willing to see his mother face legal consequences for Ste. And he''s doing this


    without recovering his memory; imagine what he''d do once he does," she remarked indifferently.


    Jaylene frowned and muttered softly, "This incident was live-streamed. Keegan had no choice but to


    prioritize the greater good. It has nothing to do with Ste."

 Chapter 2026

    Chapter 2026


    Chapter 2026


    Darcie was surprised. ¡¯What did you say?" she asked.


    Jaylene shut her mouth.


    Darcie had given up on the idea of her being with Keegan. She would give Jaylene an earful if she


    discovered she was secretly in touch with him.


    "Nothing, Mom. Why are you still up sote?"


    "I can''t seem to fall asleep. I''ve got a headache." Darcie sat beside her and continued, "Why haven''t


    you been hanging out with Trevortely? You used to follow him around all the time."


    A touch of indifference appeared on Jaylene''s face as she heard Trevor''s name.


    "He''s too busy being all nice to his biological sister. He has no time for me, " she answered.


    "What are you talking about? Trevor loved you most when you were younger. He hardly talked to me,


    but he always loved ying with you," said Darcie.


    "Since Ste and Trevor were separated since childhood, it''s understandable that they have a close


    bond now that she''s back. However, you and Trevor grew up together. He must be disappointed you''re


    not taking the initiative to talk to him."


    Jaylene bit her lips before saying, "He doesn''t treat me like he used to. All the kindness he showed me


    vanished after Ste''s return. I was just a recement for his lost sister. Now that she''s back, I no


    longer have any standing."


    Darcie exined, "That''s because you always have a hostile attitude


    toward Ste. Youpete with her for attention in front of her father and brother. How can you


    possibly win that way? Only by treating her well can your father treat you well and slowly understand


    your grievances. Do you get it?"


    Jaylene was taken aback and seemed to understand what Darcie was talking about.


    "Talk to your brother and keep an eye on the people he interacts with."


    "Why should I do that?" Jaylene replied.


    Darcie said in disdain, "Your brother isn''t young anymore. If something happens, your father and I can


    also be mentally prepared to learn more about the other party."


    "Alright, Mom."


    "I''ll be turning in now. You should go to bed too, hon." Darcie patted Jaylene on the shoulder and stood


    up to go upstairs.


    Darcie had been feeling uneasy recently, ever since Trevor safely returned from Mystonia. She couldn''t


    fall asleep at night, and even when she did, she had nightmares and felt tense.


    Although the investigation results of the ne crash showed it was an ident as nned, Darcie


    couldn''t feel at ease for some reason.


    Trevor had already found out about Venice. Even if he believed that the ne crash was an ident,


    his doubts would not be dispelled.


    Darcie wasn''t afraid of Trevor finding out anything, but she dreaded the possibility of him stubbornly


    clinging to the issue.


    On the fifth day of Dahlia''s detention, the police issued a notice stating that she was sentenced to


    twenty days of detention.


    When the news came, Ste was quite surprised. She thought Dahlia would


    be detained for ten days at most. Although someone was hurt due to the oil, they were not heavily


    injured.


    Ste assumed the sentence would be seven days of detention and a fine of 500 dors. She didn''t


    expect that Dahlia would be given 20 days.


    Keegan probably didn''t let Ted intervene,'' she thought.


    Twenty days of detention didn''t seem like a lot, but it would be unbearable for Dahlia, who was used to


    the pampered life. The people she was locked up with were all marginalized people from society. None


    of them would treat her as kindly as the people outside. 1


    Dahlia still had Olivia¡¯s case waiting for her when she came out. It seemed like she wouldn''t have the


    time and energy for a court battle anytime soon.


    Keegan''s memory recovery was kept quiet. Right now, the priority was dealing with the Jaylene


    situation.


    The person who kidnapped Jaylene was still unknown, making Ste and Keegan uneasy. Keegan


    pretending to have amnesia also let him investigate without drawing attention.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Ste knew who Keegan wanted to check but didn''t bring it up since he hadn''t mentioned it.


    It was the day before a public holiday. Aurora was in the office, griping to Aldor.


    "Keegan should''ve stayed home. Whenever he''s around, we all end up workingte. It''s a public


    holiday. If he doesn''t want a day off, at least let the rest of US take a break!"

 Chapter 2027

    Chapter 2027


    Chapter 2027


    As Aldor checked the reports Aurora had worked on, he chuckled. "Mr.


    Kane is very focused when he works, often losing track of time. He doesn¡¯t always mean to dy


    everyone''s time.


    "If you have something to attend to, you can go first. I''ll give Mr. Kane a heads upter," he continued.


    Aurora rolled her eyes. "Everyone else is still here. Wouldn''t it mean I''m getting special treatment if I


    leave early? Keegan would definitely scold me againter. Besides, have you forgotten that Grandma


    asked you to go to her ce for dinner tonight?"


    "Can I not go?" Aldor seemed conflicted. Cordelia was rather cunning; dinner at her ce meant he


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    had to be careful.


    "Sure. But you have to inform her yourself," said Aurora.


    Aldor remained silent. He nced at Aurora, who was sipping some water, and said, "Tell your


    grandma we''re going on a date tonight. Say you want some alone time with me."


    Aurora spat out a mouthful of water. Her face turned red as she said, "Who wants to spend time with


    you alone? If you have something to say, say it yourself. I''m not going to embarrass myself."


    "Fine, I''ll tell her." Aldor set aside his work and dialed Cordelia''s number.


    Aurora perked up, curious to see how Aldor would navigate this situation.


    Once the call connected, Aldor stated, "Mrs. Kane Sr., can we skip dinner tonight? It''s nothing major.


    It''s just that there''s a festival today, and Aurora wants to go with me..."


    Aurora''s face darkened, ''Why is he throwing me under the bus?!''


    She was about to erupt when Aldor fed her a piece of chocte, smiling as he spoke into the phone,


    "Of course. I''ll make sure Aurora takes tons of pictures for you to see."


    Aldorthen hung up.


    Aurora swallowed the chocte and clenched her teeth. "Shame on you, Aldor. How could you throw


    me under the bus just because you''re afraid of upsetting Grandma?" she asked.


    Aldor replied casually, "You''re her granddaughter. She''ll only scold you at most if she finds out you lied.


    Meanwhile, I''m an employee. If I lie, I might lose my job. So, please bear with me, Ms. Kane."


    "I can''t believe Grandma said you''re honest and sincere. She''spletely off the mark. You''re the


    most cunning person in the entirepany," said Aurora.


    Aldor chuckled. "The fireworks at the event this year will be spectacr. Are you sure you''re not


    interested?"


    Aurora''s eyes lit up for a moment, then dimmed. She said, "It''s toote now. We haven''t even finished


    work. Even if we go, we won''t get a good spot. There''s no use thinking about it."


    "I have a solution," Aldor suggested.


    He then messaged Ste: [Mrs. Kane, are you attending the event at the wishing well this year?]


    Ste promptly replied: [It''ll be super crowded. I''ll pass.]


    Aldor texted back: [Ah. I thought you might want to show your gratitude, so I got some candles for you.]


    Ste hesitated in replying to his text. Then, she quickly said: [Hold on.


    Keep those items for me. I need to make a call.]


    [Sure thing.]


    Ten minutester, Keegan got off work. The employees on the three floors cheered.


    Soon, Aurora witnessed Aldor''sputer lightened up with messages from a group chat, singing


    praises for his brilliance.

 Chapter 2028

    Chapter 2028


    Chapter 2028


    It was not without reason that Aldor could effortlessly navigate his position as the boss''s assistant.


    While others may butter up the boss ording to their preferences, he often ttered his boss''s partner


    instead.


    Keegan hurriedly rushed home, only to find Ste packing her bags. He paused and asked, "Heading


    out?¡±


    Ste continued organizing her suitcase, exining, "When you were missing, I went to the wishing


    well in Jorgeville to pray for you. Now that you''re back in good health, I thought it was time to show my


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    gratitude."


    Keegan was puzzled. "Why the sudden urge to do that now?"


    "I hadpletely forgotten about it until Aldor reminded me. You''ve been back for a while, and all my


    prayers have been answered. It''s time to light up some candles and offer a small donation."


    ''Aldor... So, that cunning fellow is behind this!''


    Keegan thought Ste''s urgent call meant something serious. Little did he know it was Alder¡¯s clever


    ploy to get him off work early for the festival.


    He pursed his lips and said slowly, "Is this wishing well the one where Marshall got you the talisman?"


    Ste raised an eyebrow. "Yup, that''s the one. By the way, where is the talisman anyway? You put it in


    your suit pocket but never returned it to me."


    ''God. I shouldn''t have said anything,''thought Keegan.


    Ste extended her hand and asked, "Where is it?"


    Keegan averted his eyes. "I don''t know. It''s probably still in my suit pocket. I didn''t touch it."


    Ste looked at him suspiciously and said, "I''ll go look for it."


    She stood up and headed for the closet. Keegan reluctantly followed.


    Ste quickly found the suit Keegan wore that day but found no talisman in the pocket. She turned to


    him, who suddenly said, "I remember now. I threw it into the washing machine when I came back that


    day. It might have been ruined when Lorraine did theundry."


    Lorraine, who happened to be bringing in the freshly dried clothes, overheard Keegan''s words. She


    said, "Sir, I air-dried the talisman for you and ced it in your watch drawer. I found it while doing the


    Keegan''s face instantly changed as he heard that. After a while, he said," You''re quite meticulous,


    Lorraine."


    Lorraine smiled and said, "I''m afraid you might identally leave valuables in theundry, so I always


    check all the pockets before putting the clothes in the washing machine."


    Keegan could not muster a smile.


    Ste, struggling to hold back herughter, thanked Lorraine and pulled Keegan away.


    He felt embarrassed having his little scheme exposed.


    After dragging him into the bedroom, Ste remained silent. She gave him a teasing smile, which made


    him extremely ufortable.


    Keegan licked his lips and exined, "I went to the police station that night. When I returned, I took off


    my jacket and forgot about the talisman."


    "I see," Ste responded with a mocking tone.


    Keegan exined, "I genuinely forgot. I wouldn''t have let you keep it in the first ce if I were narrow-


    minded."


    Ste looked at him with a smirk and said, ¡¯Since you''re so open-minded, you probably dropped the


    talisman into the water by ident, right?"

 Chapter 2029

    Chapter 2029


    Chapter 2029


    Keegan remained silent before asking, "Do you think I did it on purpose?"


    Ste sighed and said, "I was thinking of returning the talisman to Marshall if you minded. But now it


    seems like you don''t really-"


    "Okay, I did it on purpose!¡± Keegan immediately interjected, his face darkening. ¡¯How dare he give you


    a talisman in front of me?! He and Spencer are the same. They''re both no good!"


    Marshall gave Ste gifts in front of Keegan while Spencer poured his heart out in his presence. They


    had no shame.


    Ste chuckled. "Actually, I had no intention of epting it at first. But you were so careless, dropping


    the talisman into the water. It would be embarrassing for you if I rejected him."


    Keegan was taken aback. "Why didn''t you say it earlier?"


    "You didn''t give me a chance to say anything. You just recklessly dropped the talisman into the water. It


    wouldn''t have been appropriate for me to refuse at that moment."


    ''Does that mean I created an opportunity for her to ept the gift?¡¯ thought Keegan, feeling frustrated.


    "What about the ne he gave you before? I wasn¡¯t there. Why did you ept it? You even put it


    on! It looks like a dog chain. He has no eye for fashion."


    Annoyed, Ste said, "It is indeed a dog chain. There''s a very cool picture of him inside. Are you


    interested in seeing it?"


    Upon hearing that, Keegan felt a knot in his heart. "While I wasn¡¯t around, you started raising a dog


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    with Marshall? Is Pinchie not enough for you?"


    Ste opened a drawer, took out the ne, and said, "Pinchie is great, but I didn''t take care of it. I


    prefer the ones I raise myself. They snarl at others but are affectionate only to me."


    Keegan sneered, "I''ve only been away for a month, and you expect to have already raised a fully


    trained dog? I bet he''s just freeloading on meals. It doesn''t seem reliable."


    Ste looked up and said, "Who said I only raised him for a month? I''ve been taking care of him for


    several years."


    "Hah. You should at leaste up with a more reasonable lie. We''ve been married for four years. How


    would I not know if you have a dog?"


    "See for yourself if you don''t believe me." Ste tossed the ne to Keegan, pretending to be angry.


    He felt a bit at a loss as he held the ne. His lips moved, and he said softly, "I never said I don''t


    believe you. I''m just upset. Howe Marshall knows about your dog but not me?"


    "Who said you don''t know?" Ste nced at him.


    Keegan froze. "I do?"


    ''Why do I have no recollection of this?'' he thought.


    "Yeah. See for yourself," said Ste.


    Keegan thought Ste was trying to deceive him, ''With my excellent memory, I couldn''t have forgotten.


    Is it Pinchie? I haven''t even seen it before.1


    Thinking this, he pressed the button to open the locket, revealing the photo inside. When he saw the


    picture clearly, his expression changed immediately.


    It was not a photo of a dog in the locket; it was a picture of Keegan at the age of twenty.


    Ste leaned over and asked, "What do you think? Isn''t he handsome?"


    A smile crept onto Keegan''s face, but he tried to suppress it. He extended his arms and pulled Ste in.


    With his eyes narrowed and a dangerous expression on his face, he said, "Who are you calling a dog?"


    Ste chuckled. "I never said it was a picture of a dog, Mr. Kane. You''re the one who thought it was a


    dog all along."


    Keegan was stunned for a moment. He gritted his teeth and said, "You were clearly leading me on!"


    "Whatever do you mean? Clearly, yourprehension skills could be better. Besides, I ce it by the


    bedside every day. Why haven''t you opened it and took a look?"


    Keegan felt annoyed. "How would I have known that Marshall would put my picture in there? Be d


    that I didn''t flush it down the toilet."

 Chapter 2030

    Chapter 2030


    Chapter 2030


    Ste chuckled, "This ne is so heavy; I doubt flushing it down the toilet would work."


    Keegan gritted his teeth and said, "How could you say that? You deliberately put it on the bedside to


    make me ufortable, right?"


    Ste nodded unapologetically and replied with a smile, "I just wanted to see how long you could


    pretend."


    Keegan was at a loss for words.


    Feigning anger, he said, "You have no sense of boundaries! How many times have you received gifts


    from him?"


    "Not many. Just a ne and a talisman."


    Keegan''s fake irritation turned into genuine annoyance. "What about the phone he gave you?"


    Ste chuckled nervously upon hearing that. "It''s been too long; I forgot." Then she justified herself.


    "Besides, it''s not like I epted it for free. I gave him a tie in return. It cost me 6999 dors. When I


    think about it, it feels like a loss. That phone wasn''t worth that much either."


    Keegan had a deadpan face at that point. "It cost you 7098; you missed ny-nine dors."


    Ste was taken aback for a moment, then remembered the socks and burst intoughter. "How long


    are you going to remember those 99-dor socks?"


    "I''ll remember them for the rest of my life!" Keegan eximed.


    He turned to re at Ste and continued, "Have you secretly epted anything else from him?"


    "No, I haven-" Ste stopped mid-sentence and said, "Before Thanksgiving, Marshall sent some egg


    tarts to my ce."


    Keegan''s face turned green. "And you epted it?"


    "Before that, he sent me two boxes of egg tarts from Royle''s. Felicity liked them a lot, so I epted


    them," Steughed dryly.


    She suddenly remembered the two rabbit keychains that came with the pastry gift box. Felicity took


    one, and Ste hung the other on her bag.


    After the kidnapping case, the police asked her to retrieve personal items, but the rabbit keychain on


    her bag was gone. The police imed they did not see it, but she had securely fastened it herself.


    Ste was afraid of losing it, so she even added a sturdy iron ring.


    ''Where could it have gone?'' she thought.


    Originally, Ste did not give much thought to the keychain. However, amid the argument with Keegan,


    she recalled that not only was the charm a present from the egg tart gift box, but it was also a present


    from Marshall.


    Earlier, she suspected that the kidnapping might have been rted to Marshall. Now, the missing item


    happened to be something he gave her.


    ''Could there be a connection between them?''


    As Ste was in thought, someone lightly bit her earlobe.


    She turned her head back and said, "Are you a dog? Why are you biting me?"


    "You haven''t finished speaking yet." Keegan red at her and said, "What else did he give you besides


    the egg tarts?"


    "Nothing. Just those two boxes of egg tarts. You''re aware of everything else. Besides, am I the type to


    ept things from others without reason? I reciprocated all his gifts except for this talisman. I wouldn''t


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    have taken it if


    it weren''t for you getting it wet."


    Keegan pursed his lips, not wanting to admit that he had done something stupid.


    "Give it to me, and I''ll return it to him."


    Ste nced at him and said, "Even if you decide to destroy it, I''ll still have to repay the favor. So,


    when I present him with somethingter, don''t cry about it."


    Keegan closed his mouth, his face tense.


    "Alright, alright." Ste shook his arm and coaxed him gently, "I''ll return it to him and make it impossible


    for him to refuse."


    Keegan remained silent for a while. He held the ne in his fist and put it in his pocket. "I''m keeping


    this."


    Ste knew it was apromise. However, she clicked her tongue and said, ¡®At least return the photo


    to me. I haven''t had enough of twenty-year- old Keegan yet."

 Chapter 2031

    Chapter 2031


    Chapter 2031


    Keegan nced at Ste. "I''ll print and give you other photos of me. What''s so nice about this one? I


    look so innocent and ignorant." "No way. I think you look very handsome." Ste smiled and ttered


    him," Much more handsome than now. You were at your peak when you were twenty years old, don''t


    you think so?"


    Keegan''s mood brightened upon hearing that as a smile appeared on his face. "I still prefer how I look


    now," he said tly.


    Looking too handsome and attractive was not necessarily a good thing in the corporate world. Imagine


    someone with a charming and youthful aura; even with innovative and cutting-edge ideas, the


    appearance may make them sound less convincing.


    Over the years, Keegan had maintained the habit of exercising not because he particrly enjoyed it


    but because having a robust physique helped him look older and more mature.


    Although he still had a beautiful face, his bulky build and the aura umted from years of business


    experience left no one daring to underestimate him.


    The twenty-year-old Keegan was fresh-faced, while the thirty-year-old Keegan exuded the mature


    charm of a man.


    The former attracted young girls, but thetter was irresistible to a married woman like Ste.


    Ste could not help but kiss him on the cheek and said, "Hurry up and pack, or we might miss thest


    bus to Jorgeville. The road condition there is very poor; it''s more convenient for US to take a bus."


    She was about to let go as she spoke, but Keegan grabbed her hand. He said, "Let''s go back some


    other days. There''ll be a lot of people at the wishing well around this time. What if someone knocked


    you over?


    Besides, the scented candles they light up around the wishing well are not good for a pregnant woman,


    too."


    Ste became hesitant upon hearing that.


    "But my wish came true. If I don''t go back there, won''t the fairies think I''m ungrateful and hold it against


    me?"


    Keegan chuckled softly. "I thought you didn''t believe in these things."


    Ste leaned on his shoulder and spoke in a soft voice, "I believe in it wholeheartedly now. Look,


    they''ve brought you back, haven''t they?¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan tousled her hair. "Let me contact the person taking care of the wishing well first. We can


    donate some money to improve the condition of that ce. Once you''ve given birth and are feeling


    better, we can go back and thank the fairies, okay?"


    Ste thought that Keegan''s arrangement was good. After all, it was not suitable for her to go to


    crowded ces now.


    "But I already turned down Grandma and Dad, saying that we won''t join them for Thanksgiving. It''s a


    big holiday, and everyone''s busy with their own ns. Where should we go?"


    Keegan suggested, "Well, I''ve been wanting to try Great Grandpa''s suckling piglets."


    Steughed upon hearing that. "It''s already been a few months. I''m afraid that the piglets are all


    grown up now."


    Keegan then lowered his voice and spoke in a coquettish tone, "Mrs. Kane, I really want to try them."


    Ste''s heart instantly melted.


    So Keegan informed Aldor, and the two quietly went to Jorgeville to visit Arthur.


    Meanwhile, in sterling Legal Solutions, someone knocked on Marshall''s office door. The intern, carrying


    a bag, opened the door and ced the documents on the desk. He said, ¡¯ Mr. Moore, I''m leaving now.


    You should get some rest, too."


    Marshall nodded without looking at him.


    The intern silently closed the door and left.


    After a few minutes, Marshall''s phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and answered, "What''s the time


    now? Why aren''t you home yet?"


    It was Wace.


    Marshall responded tly, "I still have some work to do." "Can''t you do it tomorrow? You''re alwayste!"


    Wace paused, sighed, and continued in a low voice, "Come home now. Your mom is waiting for you."


    Marshall kept quiet for a moment before he replied softly, "Okay."

 Chapter 2032

    Chapter 2032


    Chapter 2032


    Irene was always the spotlight in every Moore family banquet.


    Whether it was the uncles who came from afar or the younger son''s family taking care of Frederick,


    none of them could ever gain Frederick''s favor.


    It was not about his bias toward daughters but rather because Irene resembled his past lover, whom he


    had abandoned back then.


    In every aristocratic family, one could date any woman but only marry someone from an equal


    background.


    J Yarrow, Frederick''s current wife, was a woman from an equal background. Rumor had it that his


    past love had jumped into the river on his wedding day. Some also imed she married a carpenter


    and moved to Lakerock. Regardless, no one had ever seen her again.


    The Moore family''s yboy became J''s devoted husband after tying the knot with her.


    However, J had poor health and suffered three miscarriages from four pregnancies. Their only son


    was intellectually disabled, and the Moore family was reluctant to acknowledge him as a part of them.


    When the child turned three, Frederick adopted a boy of the same age from a different ce, changed


    hisst name to Moore, and made him his son.


    Coincidentally, the Yarrow family was in a downfall and was incapable of standing up for J against


    Frederick''s actions, leaving her no choice but to endure the humiliation.


    After the first time, it happened again and again.


    Marshall''s second uncle, his father, and his aunt, Irene Moore, were then brought into the family one


    after another over the following years.


    Outsiders only knew that J had three sons and a daughter, but little did they know that none of


    them were her biological children. Her only son was never made known.


    The promiscuous Frederick was also cold-hearted and somewhat obsessed. Every woman he slept


    with resembled his past love. The one


    who looked most like her was Irene''s mother, an actress who performed stage shows.


    The young actress was beautiful and talented but had a fiery temper.


    Knowing Frederick''s obsession with her, she often came to J''s home to provoke her.


    J could not bear the insult. Burdened by constant sorrow, she fell into deep depression. Before her


    son grew up, she sumbed to her illness.


    After she passed away, her son left the house one day and never came back because of theck of


    supervision from the family.


    Strange enough, after Frederick''s legitimate wife passed away, Irene''s mother, who had been favored,


    also died three monthster during winter.


    It was just an ordinary day without heavy snow. While going up the stairs, she stepped on a patch of ice


    that had fallen from the roof. Her head hit the protruding nail on the uneven doorstep, leading to her


    instantaneous death.


    Some said that the funeral was even more grandiose than that of J. Rumor also had it that


    Frederick could not move on for several years until he noticed that Irene was bing more and more


    like the person he missed. So, he showered all his affection on her.


    Many yearster, Ariel found out about this from a maid who had served in the Moore family for a long


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    time. Sorrow washed her over. She felt like Frederick did not deserve everything he had after what he


    had done.


    At that time, Marshall thought, ''In this world, evil doings rarely rebound upon themselves. Instead, good


    people would usually live a short life. Otherwise, how could my grandfather live to such an old age?''


    Setting that aside, Frederick had undoubtedly done everything in his power to ensure his four children


    seeded. He wanted everyone to follow his n, whether in their careers or family lives.


    Wace was the first to ever disobey Frederick. He did not marry a woman from an equal background


    as Frederick had wanted. Instead, he married Ariel, who was his ssmate at university.


    Yet, Wace could not bear to give up the privilege of being a part of the


    Moore family. So, Ariel became the one to suffer the consequences of his defiance.


    The Moore family sank everyone like a decaying and rusting cruise ship. However, the people on the


    ship were either oblivious to their situation, immersed in their past glory, or aware but unwilling to part


    with everything on board.


    Marshall swept his gaze across everyone at the table.


    Their polite conversations, apanied by pretentious smiles, seemed meticulously calcted, as if


    saying or doing one thing wrong would tear away their masks.

 Chapter 2033

    Chapter 2033


    Chapter 2033


    ''How interesting,'' Marshall thought as he smiled to himself.


    As Irene lifted her gaze, she coincidentally caught sight of that smile. She asked, "Marshall, I heard that


    you''ve been getting close with Mark''s daughter. Are you guys dating?"


    Frederick furrowed his brows upon hearing that name. "That uncultured nouveau roturier?"


    The frown made his face, which was already full of wrinkles, appear even more stern.


    Marshall responded in a t tone, "Mr. Wilson may have limited education, but he has great vision and


    judgment. Otherwise, how could he be a leading figure in the energy industry?"


    Frederick scoffed. "Even a fool can be rich by catching the right trend."


    Marshall chuckled. "Irene should be one of the pioneers in the energy industry. Did she not catch the


    trend because she''s not interested?"


    The Moore family had extensive connections built over the decades. They would undoubtedly be


    among the first to know whenever there was a new business opportunity.


    When the energy industry was rising, Irene did not miss it. She simply looked down on it at the time.


    When she realized the industry was doing well, it was already toote for her to enter.


    She and her partner had lost a lot of money in their investments rted to the energy industry.


    Fortunately, another project came up and filled the financial gap, preventing things from looking too


    bad.


    Marshall was clearly mocking Irene as her expression immediately turned unpleasant.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    However, Frederick did not hold back. He grabbed a cup on the table and threw it directly at Marshall.


    Marshall did not dodge, and the cup hit right on his forehead, reddening the area as tea sshed all


    over him.


    "How rude of you!"


    Frederick looked furious as if Marshall hadmitted an unforgivable crime.


    Ariel''s face turned pale. She was about to reach out to check on Marshall''s injuries but was stopped by


    Wace.


    No one at the table spoke. It was not something shocking to them.


    Ever since Frederick had difficulty walking, his temper became increasingly strange. He would burst


    into anger at the slightest inconvenience. Marshall had brought that upon himself by saying something


    like that.


    However, Irene, who had just been mocked, patted Frederick''s back. "Dad, Marshall meant no harm by


    saying that. There''s no need to get so mad at him. The doctor told you to be calm and avoid getting


    angry. You just won''t listen, huh?"


    Frederick pounded the table, still feeling angry. "Did you hear how he spoke? He has no respect for his


    elders at all! His attitude has gotten worse after going abroad these few years!"


    Irene chuckled softly. "He''s still a young man. Don''t be so strict with him."


    Then, she lifted her gaze at Marshall. "Marshall, why don''t you go clean yourself up? You look like a


    mess."


    Frederick snorted. "You''re treating him very well, but he might not appreciate it."


    Marshall gently brushed away the droplets on his face, stood up, and left the table without saying


    anything.


    When he returned after changing his clothes, he saw Irene smoking on the stairs.


    She wore a red dress, her hair long and wavy. Her exquisite makeup highlighted her charm and


    delicate features, making her look nothing like someone in their fifties.


    Hearing the door open, Irene did not turn around. After exhaling a puff of smoke, she asked


    nonchntly, Marshall, what was that for?"

 Chapter 2034

    Chapter 2034


    Chapter 2034


    Marshall remained silent as he stood next to Irene, gazing downstairs. His lowered gaze concealed his


    expression; Irene could not tell what he was thinking about.


    After a while, he asked, "Do you have another one?"


    She tossed him a box of cigarettes and a lighter. Marshall swiftly took one out, flicked it a couple of


    times on his fingertips, and then lit it.


    Perhaps it had been too long since hest smoked. When he took the first drag, he could not help but


    cough a few times.


    Irene nced at him and said tly, "You used to listen to everything he says. You''ve changed a lot


    since you came back to Hustuabourg." "Really?" After a brief pause, Marshall took another drag and


    said, "I don''t remember what I used to be like, but I''m pretty happy with who I am now."


    Irene paused. Then, she silently scrutinized Marshall''s expression.


    The smoke surrounding him veiled his face, shrouding his emotions in mystery.


    She chuckled and said in a t tone, "It''s better that you don''t remember."


    After finishing his cigarette, Marshall was about to walk away, but Irene stopped him. "Marshall, you like


    Ste, don''t you?"


    Marshall paused and turned to look at her.


    Irene put out her cigarette and said, "If you do, I can help you."


    Marshall looked at her for a moment and asked, How can you help me?"


    Irene smiled. "A man''s love for a woman alwayses down to possessives. Find someone to drug


    her and sleep with her. I''m sure that Keegan won''t want her anymore after that."


    Marshall also smiled, but it was a cold one.


    Irene frowned. "What''s so funny?"


    With his body slightly tilted, Marshal looked at her in a condescending manner. "I just find it funny that


    you''ve lived to this age but can still say such things. I suppose you''ve never been loved by anyone."


    Irene''s face stiffened as her tone turned colder. "I''m trying to help you. What nonsense are you talking


    about?"


    Marshall replied coldly, "If I take advantage of someone''s vulnerability, I''ll never deserve to be with her


    in this lifetime. Besides, you''re underestimating Keegan''s feelings for her. She''s a person he''s willing to


    protect with his life. How could he ever abandon her just because I slept with her?"


    Irene smirked. "Keegan might not, but what about Ste herself? Would she still befortable staying


    by Keegan''s side after that?"


    Marshall froze and looked at her without saying anything.


    Then, Irene added tly, "Marshall, you''re too soft-hearted. Ste is not the same as... She''s just


    different. Your grandpa clearly doesn''t oppose the two of you being together. You missed the


    opportunity when Keegan went missing. How will you win her over without doing something?"


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Irene patted his shoulder. "Think it through and let me know. I can help you.


    After saying that, she turned and left.


    As soon as Irene went downstairs, Wace pulled her aside with a stern face. "What did you say to


    Marshall again?"


    Irene shook off his hand and said, "You might not care about your son, but I do care about my nephew.


    I''m just helping him get what he wants."


    Wace''s expression turned unpleasant. "Is that helping him? You''re going ruin his life!"


    Irene smiled. "I''m helping him get the person he likes; how is that not helping him? Wace, Marshall is


    too much like you. You couldn''t get what you wanted, and now I''m just helping him get what he wants. I


    can''t believe you''re ming me instead of thanking me."


    Something suddenly popped into Wace''s mind as his face turned extremely pale.


    He was exhausted and somewhat frustrated. "If you really want to help him, why didn''t you do it seven


    years ago? Marshall hase so far to finally get his life back on track. What exactly are you trying to


    do?" "On track?" Irene chuckled upon hearing that. Then, she slightly leaned forward and whispered in


    Wace''s ear, "Wace, the ''on track'' for the Moore family is to rot and die in this mansion. None of US


    can ever leave."


    Ariel appeared as soon as she finished speaking. She froze momentarily upon seeing them.


    Irene then said to Ariel with a smile, "Ariel, the fish today is excellent. I''ve tasted so many different


    types of fish, but yours is still the best."


    Ariel''s expression turned nonchnt. Instead of responding to what Irene said, she asked Wace,


    "Have you gone upstairs? How''s Marshall?"

 Chapter 2035

    Chapter 2035


    Wace said, "I was just about to go up."


    Ariel looked at him, feeling somewhat frustrated, "Forget about it; I''ll go. You should spend some time with them in the dining hall. Don''t drink so much."


    "Okay," Wace said.


    Then, Ariel went upstairs with a first aid kit.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Irene watched their interaction and suddenly said, "Ariel is still as virtuous as ever."


    Wace paused. When he looked up again, Irene was already going back to the dining hall.


    The polite and lively conversations continued, but he felt a chill spreading all over.


    He took a deep breath, adjusted his mood, and followed behind Irene.


    Keegan and Ste went to Jorgeville in the middle of the night. Then, she led him to Arthur''s house in the dark. Before they could even put down their luggage, a dog came out of nowhere and barked at Keegan, pouncing toward him.


    At that moment, he erupted with a sudden burst of strength. He quickly lifted Ste off the ground and ran into the courtyard before he could even see the dog clearly.


    Ste was shocked.


    The dog did not scare her, but Keegan''s reaction did.


    She held onto his neck tightly, fearing that he might not hold her properly and drop her.


    The loudmotion immediately attracted the neighbors toe and see what was happening.


    Arthur lived alone but had very good rtionships with the people living around him. When his neighbors heard the loud noise, they thought there was a thief and came with brooms and sticks to catch the thief.


    As soon as the light came on, they saw Keegan being chased around the yard by a little puppy. Everyone fell silent.


    They wondered if they should catch or save the thief from the dog first.


    When Arthur came out after putting on his clothes, he was shocked by what he saw in the yard, too.


    One of his neighbors, Bruce Leonard, asked, "Arthur, is that your rtive?"


    Arthur felt embarrassed and answered, "I don''t know him. I don''t have such cowardly rtives."


    Then, Ste shouted, "Great-grandpa, help!"


    In the end, Bruce''s nine-year-old grandson stepped in and caught the little puppy.


    Keegan was sweating all over when he finally put Ste down.


    When he saw what was chasing him, he looked somewhat embarrassed for a moment.


    Bruceughed and exined, "This little thing is just a puppy, but it sure barks loudly."


    Arthur said, "Not only that, but it''s as big as his foot. How intimidating. It''s almost taller than his ankle."


    Keegan remained silent.


    Everyone was amused, but it was more cheerful than mocking.


    After all, it waste at night, and all the lights were off. Having a doging out of nowhere and chasing you could be startling.


    Keegan was not afraid of being bitten himself; he was worried that Ste might. That was why when the dog came chasing him, his first reaction was to pick Ste up before running away, or more urately, pick her up so she would get embarrassed with him.


    Bruce''s wife, Beatrix Cassidy, stared at Keegan for a long time before she finally pulled Ste aside and asked softly, "Ste, is he your boyfriend?"


    With a smile, Ste answered, "Mrs. Leonard, he is my husband."


    Beatrix was very surprised. "He''s handsome but looks fiercer than the one who came with youst time. How''s his temper?"


    Keegan heard what Beatrix said from miles away. Before Ste could say anything, he came over with a smile, extended his hand, and said warmly, "Hello, my name is Keegan Kane."

 Chapter 2036

    Chapter 2036


    Chapter 2036


    Beatrix had lived in Jorgeville for decades, and the people she met were mostly down-to-earth locals,


    ustomed to boisterous greetings. She had not encountered many elites in suits and polished


    appearances.


    Although Marshall camest time and was considered one of them, he looked more approachable. On


    the other hand, Keegan exuded a refined and sophisticated air that added to his natural elegance.


    Beatrix felt somewhat out of her element upon feeling his imposing presence.


    Subconsciously, she wiped her hands on her clothes before shaking Keegan''s hand. "Kee-Keegan


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Kee?"


    Keegan repeated himself and spelled his name out patiently. ''''My name is Keegan Kane. K-E-E-G-A-N


    K-A-N-E."


    After Keegan introduced himself again, Beatrix was still confused. "I''ll just call you Kee.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    Ste burst intoughter. Keegan said his name two times, but Beatrix still could not remember it.


    Keegan''s smile stiffened a little. "You can call me Keegan."


    Beatrix nodded as she thought to herself, ''His temper is not bad. Although he looks a little stern when


    he''s not smiling, he looks very handsome when he does. Also, the fact that he''s afraid of dogs made


    his tall stature seem somewhat delicate.''


    In attempting to be more likable than Marshall in themunity, Keegan took the initiative to


    greet the other neighbors.


    However, although he could easily handle those businessmen he dealt with, he found his socializing


    skills failing him among the local folks, who were loud, extroverted, and loved to gossip.


    Bruce said, "This young man with long arms and legs must be great at carrying grain. Last time that


    Marshall guy could carry two bags alone.¡¯


    Keegan''s eyelid twitched as he thought to himself, ''Marshall is so scrawny and weak. How can he carry


    two bags of grain?''


    ¡¯Marshall''s calligraphy is so beautiful, and he can write better than all of US here. If he had stayed


    longer, I would''ve asked him to write my birthday invitations for me."


    ¡¯Keegan, you look so elegant. Your handwriting should be very nice, too, right?"


    Keegan was pretty good at calligraphy. But unlike Ste, he did not like showing off his skills and


    knowledge. So, he simply answered, "It''s alright."


    The neighbors automatically interpreted "It''s alright" as "It''s terrible."


    "Young man, you don''t look like you''re someone who studies much anyway. You''re more like a crook


    with a disarming and daring smile that can easily attract all the girls around you."


    Keegan was speechless upon hearing thatment about him.


    ''Marshall helped US a lot when he was here. He climbed up the trees alone and brought back so many


    fruits for us. Keegan, you probably don''t do these things back home, huh? Your skin is so fair and


    smooth."


    Keegan wanted to say something. But as they continued, he kept quiet.


    Both he and Marshall came with Ste. He knew that they would inevitably bepared.


    Of course, Keegan was rather confident before he came. However, he had not expected Marshall to be


    so popr and good at pleasing them. The


    local folks were straightforward with their thoughts about Marshall, making it hard for him to respond.


    He did feel like he needed to prove himself to the local folks, but he just could not stand keeping quiet.


    After all, he was Ste''s legitimate husband, who should be a part of thismunity.


    Ste held Keegan''s hand and was about to speak up for him, but Arthur suddenly said, "What''s in


    these bags over here? They''re so heavy!¡±


    Keegan turned around and saw Arthur trying to carry the bags he brought. He quickly stopped him,


    saying, "Those are gifts for you. Let me help you with them."


    Arthur paused and immediately opened one of the suitcases. In the next second, his gaze widened.


    "What is this thing?"

 Chapter 2037

    Chapter 2037


    Chapter 2037


    The neighbors looked over upon hearing Arthur¡¯s question. There was a metal lump that resembled a


    dog but was much uglier, something none of them had ever seen before. Everyone was surprised.


    One of the neighbors, Edgar Klopp, who had just teased Keegan,ughed loudly. "Arthur, did your


    great-grandson-inw bring you a toy? It looks like a real dog, but it''s just too ugly. Why didn''t he get


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    one with fur? If you put a speaker in front of your house and y dog barks on loop, it''d scare a lot of


    people off."


    Everyone joined in theughter. Then, Arthur looked at Edgar and said, "I''m fine with it. At least he


    thought of bringing something over for me. Your grandson has been working for so many years, yet he


    hasn''t brought you anything at all."


    Arthur''s words caught Edgar off guard as he immediately defended his grandson. "Young people in the


    city have a lot of stuff to deal with and are very stressed."


    Arthur replied, "Yeah. Well, the one in my family brought me a furless metal dog."


    Edgar''s eyelid twitched. Then, he said in a resolute tone, "We can''t expect the younger generation to


    do everything for US. It''s not like we''re useless."


    Arthur spoke again, "He just brought me a furless metal dog."


    Edgar stopped speaking.


    "A furless metal dog."


    Edgar¡¯s expression turned displeased. "Shut up already."


    These two old men had beenparing since they were young, firstparing wives and children,


    and now evenparing grandson and great-grandson. However, they were just quibbling. It was just


    a little amusement for the old men, never leading to any actual argument.


    Ste pulled Keegan lightly, signaling him to say something.


    Then, Keegan spoke, "Great-grandpa, this is not a furless metal dog. It''s an electronic dog."


    Arthur did not really understand. "So, is it a dog or not?"


    "Well, sort of."


    Keegan squatted down and took it out of the suitcase. After a brief setup, he exined what it was to


    everyone.


    It was a small prototype from hispany, capable of handling basicmands with patrol and rm


    functions. It could recharge itself and send distress signals in case of danger, like if an elderly person


    fell or became unconscious for a period of time. It was a very useful invention for elderly people who


    lived alone like Arthur.


    After all, with no one at home, in case he fell or became ill, things could get a lot worse. So, having this


    little device to monitor him could prevent that from happening.


    It was everyone''s first time seeing such a thing, and they found it incredibly fascinating. The children


    gathered around, excitedly giving itmands.


    On the other hand, the adults praised Keegan and envied Arthur. They were impressed by the high-


    tech invention and Keegan''s concern for his elder living alone at home.


    "Keegan, what do you do for a living? How can you create such an impressive thing?"


    When Keegan was about to modestly deny being the creator of it, Arthur chimed in, "You want to know,


    huh? He¡¯s working in some kind of scientific


    institute that only recruits geniuses to research on robots."


    Upon hearing what he said, Keegan and Ste were both at a loss for words.


    ''Wow, he can brag even more than me,'' Ste thought to herself.


    Arthur imed Keegan to be someone so remarkable. To deny would be disrespectful to Arthur; to


    admit would be humiliating himself. He looked extremely hesitant, but in the end, he could not bring


    himself to deny it.


    The neighbors were impressed and began calling him "Professor Kane" instead of "Keegan."

 Chapter 2038

    Chapter 2038


    Chapter 2038


    "Professor Kane, you¡¯ve achieved so much at such a young age!" "Professor Kane, you must have


    done exceptionally well at school, right?"


    Arthur was on a roll as he continued boasting, "Of course! Do you think it is easy to get into the


    scientific institute? Only the best of the best with IQ of 140 and above will have a chance to be


    interviewed."


    Keegan coughed as his face turned red.


    Ste reached out to stroke his back. She tried to hold back herughter as she whispered, "I didn''t


    know you were this smart."


    Keegan said, "Me neither."


    The neighbors believed everything Arthur said and rallied for Keegan to showcase his calligraphy skills.


    Suddenly, Arthur felt somewhat guilty.


    He was simply boasting about Keegan''s achievement for Ste''s sake, but he had no idea how capable


    Keegan really was.


    Keegan had no choice but to turn them down as he said gently, "Let''s do it tomorrow. If you guys are


    interested, I can write a few lines. It''s already sote, and the lighting isn''t very good here."


    The crowd stopped urging him to write upon hearing that. After chatting for a while more, the neighbors


    began to return home one after another.


    Beatrix brought out a pot of chicken stew she made during the day and told them to reheat and eat it.


    The people in Jorgeville had been neighbors for decades. They were very used to taking care of each


    other.


    Ste took the pot, thanked Beatrix, and gave some money to her grandson. Beatrix did not let the


    child take it, but Keegan said, "He caught the dog and got US out of the embarrassing situation earlier.


    He deserves it. ¡ö


    Beatrix stopped refusing upon hearing what he said and invited them to dinner at her home tomorrow.


    Once Beatrix left, Keegan whispered to Ste, "They like you very much."


    With a smile, Ste teased him, "Isn''t it because they like you, Professor Kane?"


    Keegan chuckled, "This is my first time boasting about my achievements like this."


    Ste said in a low voice, "Don''t me Great-grandpa for it. When Mr. Moore camest time, he really


    knew how to do everything and was excellent at talking. Great-grandpa would never let him be better


    than my husband to all of them. To him, it just has to be done."


    Steughed and added, "Genius, huh? Haha, he thinks very highly of you.¡±


    Keegan was a little unconvinced. "But even if he didn''t boast about me, I''m still better than Marshall in


    a lot of ways."


    "Of course." Ste''s eyes lit up as she looked at Keegan. She could not help but kiss his cheek.


    "Otherwise, how could I be interested in you?"


    Keegan felt both happy and somewhat upset upon hearing that. Then, he asked hesitantly, "Are you


    saying that if he''s better than me, you won''t want to be with me?"


    Ste looked at him and chuckled.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Keegan was weirded out by her stare. When he was about to ask her another question, he heard Ste


    saying, "Keegan, do you know what I like


    most about you right now?"


    As soon as Keegan heard the word "like" from her, a smile appeared on his face. Then, he said


    confidently, "Everything about me."


    Ste reached out to rub his earlobe and said with a smile, "I like how love- struck you are right now.


    Keep it that way, and I''ll love you forever."


    After saying that, she let go and went back into the house.


    Keegan stood there, his mind filled with "I''ll love you forever".


    ''I wasn''t expecting her to confess her love in such a public ce at all,'' Keegan thought to himself.

 Chapter 2039

    Chapter 2039


    Chapter 2039


    He rubbed his hot ears and followed her back into the house,pletely ignoring the first half of her


    sentence.


    As soon as he stepped inside, he saw Arthur and Ste setting up the bed. Keegan, who had be


    more mature, immediately stepped forward to help.


    Without hesitation, Arthur tossed him the sheets and nket before pulling Ste away, saying he


    would make some meatballs for her. Keegan had no choice but to make the bed himself.


    After he was done cooking the meatballs, Arthur asked, "Is he done yet?"


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste turned her head to nce at the room Keegan was in and nodded." Yeah, he is," she said in a


    low voice.


    "This punk made all of US so worried, didn''t he?" Arthur muttered to himself. Then, heughed. "He''s


    such a pain in the neck. I knew that the Grim Reaper wouldn''t want him.¡¯


    Ste chuckled. Only she and Keegan knew what they had to go through to bring him back. It was only


    through Heaven''s mercy that he survived.


    "Oh, yeah. Great-grandpa, Keegan also bought plenty of supplements for you. I¡¯ll go get them."


    Arthur was surprised. "Are you sure? When we were at Rivera, he even needed someone else to


    remind him to buy me a bottle of water. Were you the one who bought it and gave him the credit to


    make me happy?"


    Steughed. "It wasn''t me. I swear."


    She was not lying. When they came, they brought two suitcases and arge backpack. Other than a


    few sets of clothes, all of them were gifts Keegan


    bought on the way for Arthur.


    Although Keegan might not understand other customs well, he would always bring something when


    visiting someone¡¯s home.


    Even when he disliked Albert so much back then, he would never go to the Jewell residence empty-


    handed. He was always generous with his gifts, even if his rtionship with Ste was not that good at


    that time.


    He never let Ste feel embarrassed in front of her family in this regard. That was also why Albert could


    repeatedly "secure¡± so many projects from him.


    Due to how packed their schedule was, Keegan keptining when he bought all the gifts. He felt


    that Arthur had a bad impression of him, and what Aurora did hurt his feelings a lot, making him


    somewhat insecure. So, he wanted to buy more gifts to show his sincerity.


    He knew that he was not very good at saying ttering words, so he would often resort to buying


    expensive things to make up for it.


    When eating, Keegan noticed that the number of meatballs on his te was twice that of Ste''s. He


    instinctively wanted to swap tes with her, but she said, "Great-grandpa made them especially for


    you. Try them."


    Keegan was pleasantly surprised. Arthur, who had an unlit cigarette between his lips, nced at him


    and scoffed arrogantly. "Only because you gave me Pooch."


    Keegan was puzzled. "Pooch?"


    Ste pointed at the electronic dog next to Arthur''s leg. "Its new name."


    Keegan fell silent.


    He could not figure out how his advanced invention would be called a furless metal dog or even be


    given the name Pooch.


    Although Keegan might not be as good at talking as Marshall, he was handsome and knew how to fix


    many electrical appliances. In just two days, he repaired several home appliances for the neighbors,


    gaining him a group of little fans.


    Every day, a bunch of kids would gather in the yard to watch him fix things.


    Ste asked him, '' Don''t you find them noisy?"


    As Keegan assembled the parts, he said, "I''ll have to get used to it sooner orter. It''s better to start


    early."


    ''Very good. He''s starting to behave more like a father,'' Ste thought to herself.


    Just as she was about to tease him, her phone rang. She took it out and saw a WhatsApp message


    from Felicity: [Something''s happening. Come back now.]


    Ste was taken aback.

 Chapter 2040

    Chapter 2040


    Chapter 2040


    Ste replied: [What did Jaylene do again?]


    Felicity immediately texted back: [How did you know?]


    [So, what is it?]


    [Stinky Cucumber said that your stepmother took Jaylene to meet a very reputable perfumer who is a


    pioneer in the industry. Rumor has it that the perfumer has agreed to be the pretentious witch''s mentor.


    Several online news ounts are already reposting it.]


    Felicity then forwarded an article, and Ste tapped it open.


    "Perfume Master Jackie Rogan Secretly Recruited an Apprentice, Suspected to Be the Heiress of the


    Saun Family."


    There were hundreds ofments below. Although it was not a very hot topic, the searches of those


    keywords had been steadily rising. Someone was intentionally stirring things up.


    Ste scanned through thements. Other than those made by some fake ounts, there were also


    some interesting discussions.


    (The Saun family? Wings Group?]


    [The Saun family that held a grand banquet for the daughter¡¯s return? They''re so rich. I can''t believe


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    they just hired such a great teacher for her so soon after the banquet.]


    [The daughter who just returned is probably still having a culture shock after the sudden exposure to


    wealth and luxury. I''m pretty sure the heiress here is the one raised by the Saun family who behaves


    and acts like a true wealthy person. She can y various instruments, paint, and even has great


    calligraphy skills. She''s the best in everything she does.]


    [But she''s not the legitimate heiress, right?]


    [So what if she''s a stepdaughter? Her mother has married Mr. Saun for twenty years. What difference


    does it make?]


    [She has such a strong family background, yet she still works hard for her future. Meanwhile, other than


    being lucky, the newly returned daughter has nothing else to offer. The things they experienced in the


    past twenty years were different, making a huge gap in their knowledge and attitude.]


    Ste chuckled.


    She was more than certain that Jaylene had paid someone to write thestment.


    The banquet to wee Ste back was handled very discreetly, without publicizing her photos or


    identity, so only a handful of people knew who it was. Even if people knew about her identity, Ste


    figured that no one would have such free time toment on her family matters, let alone praise


    Jaylene while intentionally criticizing her.


    After some thought, Ste typed Jaylene''s name in Facebook''s search bar.


    Sure enough, Jaylene had created a new ount registered under an official perfumer of Caline.


    Perhaps it was because the article gained poprity; Jaylene''s ount had already umted over


    a hundred thousand followers.


    Ste scrolled through the page and realized the ount was probably registered long ago. However,


    it was not active untilst week when Jaylene started posting fragrance-rted knowledge and even


    held two perfume giveaway events.


    Ste had thought that she would continue pestering Keegan for a while, but suddenly, she was so


    focused on work. Ste figured that Darcie''s n might have worked.


    She nced at Keegan, who was repairing appliances while answering endless questions from the


    children.


    Ste chuckled, took his phone, and sat at the side. Then, she chose a few scenery photos from an


    album, made them visible only to Jaylene, and posted them.


    Less than three minutester, Jaylene''s message came through.


    [Keegan, where did you go? The photos you posted are so beautiful. Where is it?]


    Ste waited for a while before replying: [Jorgeville. There''s a project going on here, so I came to visit.]


    [It must be very fun.]


    (It''s pretty boring. I mainly came here to get some peace.]


    Jaylene paused: [Get some peace? Did something happen back home?]


    Ste smirked as she typed slowly: [Forget it. Let''s not talk about that.]


    Jaylene asked: [Is it because of Ste?]


    Ste then stopped texting back.

 Chapter 2041

    Chapter 2041


    Chapter 2041


    Jaylene was delighted, thinking she had guessed it right.


    [Ste usually doesn¡¯t talk much. Keegan, why would you want to catch a break from her? Did you two


    get into a fight?]


    Ste was getting better at imitating how Keegan texted as she replied: [ She and Aurora don''t get


    along. They''d start arguing as soon as they see each other. It''s just too noisy at home.]


    The exnation was perfect and conveniently matched what Aurora had previously fed to Jaylene.


    Jaylene consoled: [Ste does have a bit of a temper. Mom and Dad would always ask US to tolerate


    her whenever we can.]


    Then, Ste stopped texting back again.


    After not getting a reply for a long time, Jaylene felt anxious and decided to call.


    Ste did not answer the call. Instead, she hung up and messaged her: [ The line here is very bad. Text


    me if there''s anything.]


    Jaylene had no choice but to continue typing: [Keegan, how have you been recoveringtely? Ste


    has been staying with you for some time now.


    Have you remembered anything?]


    Ste replied: [Nothing''s changed.]


    Jaylene probed: [Keegan, since you still can''t remember anything after staying with Ste for so long,


    haven''t you considered asking her to move out? I mean, you two aren''t married yet. People might say


    things if she stays with you.


    [Besides, she can''t get along well with Aurora, too. Their constant quarreling might strain the


    rtionship between our families over time.]


    Ste smirked, thinking Jaylene''s n to drive her away from Keegan was good.


    Then, she texted: [Let''s talk about this some other time. Ste wouldin to Grandma whenever I


    suggested she leave. I can''t stand it at all. She does nothing all day and doesn''t find any work to do.


    She''s already an adult, yet she can''t think independently at all. It''s just irritating to see her.


    ]


    Jaylene was taken aback and did not respond for a while.


    Ste felt nervous, wondering if Jaylene had noticed anything amiss.


    ''Keegan would probably not say something like that, huh? It sounds too much like a gossip,'' Ste


    thought to herself.


    Jaylene''s text came through as she contemted how to make herself sound more convincing.


    [Keegan, do you like girls who have a career?]


    Ste was speechless. It turned out Jaylene was just taking her time toe up with a reply to praise


    herself.


    Ste did not answer the question directly: [I just think that a girl should at least have a job.]


    Jaylene suddenly realized that Keegan only started liking Ste after their divorce. That was when she


    started building her career.


    During that time, Ste spent a lot of time and effort in her acting career, and Keegan seemed to be


    very into her.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ''I see. Keegan likes this type of girl,'' Jaylene thought to herself.


    Jaylene texted again: [Keegan, I''m working at Caline now. You cane over if you have time. I''ll


    customize a rxing perfume for you to ease your stress.]


    Ste smiled mischievously, thinking that the fish had taken the bait.


    "Who are you texting?" After washing his hands, Keegan sat next to Ste and asked.


    "Jaylene Saun."


    Keegan took his phone, quickly scanned the messages, and looked at her." Are you flirting with her?¡±


    "Am I?" Ste blinked. "I''m just speaking normally. I can''t control how she interprets my messages."


    Then, she grabbed Keegan''s arm and added, "Let''s say goodbye to Greatgrandpa and head back to


    Rivera."

 Chapter 2042

    Chapter 2042


    Chapter 2042


    Ste and Keegan came quickly and left just as fast. Arthur didn''t want them to go, but he asked


    Keegan to write something nice on a few sheets of paper before they left, so he could show off


    Keegan''s fancy writing.


    Keegan didn''t mind and wrote on several papers that Arthur hung up around his yard.


    Ste heard Arthur mutter, "The guy down the road charges eighty bucks for a piece even though his


    handwriting isn''t as nice as Keegan''s. I could probably sell Keegan''s work for at least a hundred each,


    don''t you think?"


    Ste was speechless as she thought to herself, ''Well, I guess he''s pretty good at doing business.¡¯


    On their way back, Ste got a call from Trevor. He informed her that Sonia''s father''s funeral


    arrangements were sorted out, and he was heading to Hanowa to assist Sonia with school-rted


    matters. Trevor assured Ste that he would return within three days.


    "After I get back, I''ll take you to join Caline," he promised.


    Trevor was still worried that the employees at Caline might not respect Ste right away, so he wanted


    to support her.


    Ste chuckled when she heard this. "It''s okay, Trevor. You go ahead and do what you need to do.


    "I can only be a part of Caline because of who I am. I can''t expect everyone to respect me right away,


    whether you''re there or not.


    "If youe, it might seem like I''m using my position to intimidate them."This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    But Trevor remained concerned. "Even though Dad gave you a big share of Caline, he''s not really


    involved in managing the business.


    "Darcie has been in charge for years, and she has a lot of power in thepany.


    "Starting out might be tough for you, so be ready for that mentally."


    Ste nodded. I know. I never expected it to be easy anyway. But I''m pretty sure she''ll have to shift


    some attention to me when I arrive."


    That way, Darcie might rx her guard against Trevor, giving him a chance to quietly look into what


    happened before.


    Trevor got Ste''s point. "So, when do you n to start?"


    "Tomorrow."


    "Okay, I''ll have Xavier go with you. Watch out for yourself and call me immediately if there''s anything."


    "I got it. Take care ande back soon."


    After ending the call, Ste had a deep frown on her face.


    Keegan gently held her hand. "He''s just taking a regrmercial flight. There''s no need to be so


    anxious."


    Keegan knew her worries all too well. The previous ne crash was still bothering her, and she was


    deeply concerned about something simr happening again.


    The crash involving Trevor''s private ne wasn''t an ident, and the investigation report had been


    tampered with. Trevor''s friend had shared with him the likely cause of the crash, suggesting it was


    intentional.


    ut the report given by the authorities imed there was a glitch in the system and med the crash on


    the pilot''s error.


    Trevor wasn''t easily deceived. Even for Ste''s paternity test, he had sought confirmation from another


    However, the independent investigation team he hired had uncovered apletely different result from


    what the police had provided.


    If someone had intentionally concealed the true cause of the ident, then that person had to be the


    culprit.


    However, Ste already had a strong suspicion about who might be involved butcked concrete


    evidence.


    In a quiet voice, she said, "There''s something I can''t seem to figure out." "What is it?"

 Chapter 2043

    Chapter 2043


    Chapter 2043


    Ste exined, "Actually, the nurse Trevor met in Mystonia didn''t have any useful information. She


    was just a minor yer in the whole incident and didn''t know much.


    "If I were the mastermind, I would''ve known how much the nurse knew before Trevor did.


    "Knowing she couldn''t give Trevor valuable information, there''d be no reason for the mastermind to


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    harm him, right? It''s very suspicious."


    The ne crash made them both certain that the culprit was among them.


    To be honest, the person behind the crash was foolish, exposing themselvespletely.


    Keegan had pondered Ste''s points before. After thinking it over, he offered his own theory. "Could it


    be possible that there''s more than one person involved? Maybe one of them feared exposure and


    acted impulsively against Trevor."


    Darcie was known for being clever and cautious. If she had been involved, she wouldn''t have done


    something so foolish that would expose her.


    Ste was surprised. ''More than one person... I never considered that.''


    It would require an extremely high level of trust for someone to team up with another person tomit


    such a serious crime.


    "Let''s not dwell on it," Keegan said, ruffling her hair. "The culprit could be watching US, so it''s best to


    keep a low profile for now. Maybe there''s another person involved that we haven''t found yet. Finding


    her might answer all our questions."


    Ste sighed. "I just hope she''s still alive."


    Four hourster, they arrived at Rivera.


    To avoid raising suspicion, Keegan said goodbye to Ste and took a cab to thepany. Meanwhile,


    he arranged for Aldor to pick up Ste and drive her back to the Saun residence.


    Ste needed to let her family know in advance about her ns to go to Caline the next day and also


    gather some of her things.


    Wenham was still a bit miffed that Ste hadn''t spent the holiday with him. He grumbled about it for a


    bit before finally letting it go when Ste gave him some trail mix she''d brought back from Jorgeville.


    Darcie entered the living room with a te of fruit and set it on the table." Ste, where have you


    been?"


    "Nowhere special. I went back to a friend''s hometown with her," Ste exined, gesturing toward the


    apples on the table. "They''re from her family''s orchard. They''re delicious, and I brought some for both


    of you to try."


    Darcie responded warmly, "Thank you so much."


    Ste speared a strawberry with her fork and smiled. "Darcie, I''ll be heading to thepany tomorrow.


    Please let me know if there''s anything I should be aware of, so I can be prepared."


    Darcie hesitated briefly before asking, "Did you say tomorrow?"


    "Yeah, I''ve been on a break for a while now, and it''s time to get back to work. Jaylene has already


    started, and once I join her, we can assist you more, giving you more time to spend with Dad."


    Darcie''s smile froze.


    Wenham interjected awkwardly, "Hey, what does that have to do with me?"


    Ste chuckled. "Trevor mentioned that you and Darcie haven''t really traveled together much since


    getting married.


    "With White Daying up, I''ve booked a six-day trip to the Maldives for both of you.


    "You''ve worked hard all your life, Dad, it''s time to take a break."


    Silently, Ste apologized to Wenham. Tm sorry, Dad. If I don''t get Darcie out of thepany, it''ll be


    very difficult for me to establish myself there. I have no choice but to sacrifice you,''


    Wenham was surprised. "Ste, my dear daughter, this... is too sudden."


    "It''s not, Dad. I actually wanted to book it for Valentine¡¯s Day, but I thought it might be too crowded. I''m


    sure you two will have a better experience if you avoid the peak period and get to experience the local


    customs."


    Then, turning to Darcie, Ste spoke sincerely, "Darcie, I want to thank you for taking care of our family


    after Mom passed away.


    "Dad always tells me how much you''ve done for US over the years. You''ve given your best for not just


    Dad, Grandma, and even my brother.


    "You''ve faced so many challenges and difficulties, and Dad is truly grateful for you, even if he struggles


    to show it sometimes.


    "That''s why I wanted to help him express his gratitude and thank you for everything you''ve done for our


    family."

 Chapter 2044

    Chapter 2044


    Chapter 2044


    As Wenham contemted silently, he couldn''t help but wonder, ''Have I ever expressed any of those


    sentiments to her?''


    Since Ste had returned to the family, they hadn''t really discussed his rtionship with Darcie. He


    feared that Ste might distance herself from him because he had married another woman.


    Admittedly, Darcie had taken excellent care of the household since their marriage. However, hearing


    Ste express gratitude felt somewhat awkward to Wenham.


    He believed there were many other ways to thank Darcie. ''Why does it have to involve a trip?¡¯ he


    pondered.


    Subtly, Wenham tugged at Ste''s sleeve, but she simply moved away in silence, leaving him


    speechless.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    After the initial surprise, Darcie quickly regained herposure.


    She spoke gently, "We''re family, Ste. There''s no need for you to thank me. Taking care of this family


    is my responsibility as your dad''s wife.


    "As for you, you''ve spent so many years apart from US, and your dad feels deeply saddened whenever


    he talks about it.


    "You''re starting at Caline tomorrow, and there will be a lot for you to handle since you''re not familiar


    with each department. If I were to go on a trip now and leave you alone in thepany, you would


    struggle. I''m sure your dad wouldn''t want that."


    Darcie turned to Wenham. "Isn''t that right?" she asked.


    Just as Wenham was about to respond, Ste handed him a walnut. "Dad, have one more. It''s good for


    your digestion."


    Wenham held his tongue and epted the walnut from Ste.


    Ste wiped her finger with a tissue, slightly lifted her chin, and said to Wenham with a yful tone,


    "Dad, Darcie thinks I''m baby."


    Then, she looked at Darcie and continued with a smile, "Darcie, there are so many people working in


    thepany.


    "I can always ask if I have something I don''t understand. What are the employees going to think of me


    if I need your help on everything?"


    "I want to learn not only from you but also from everyone else in thepany. Jaylene is so capable,


    and I can''t be too far behind her. I won''t achieve anything if I keep relying on you."


    Darice wanted to say something, but Ste did not give her the chance to as she added, "I know that


    you want the best for me, but Dad is getting older now. I need to grow up and stop depending on you


    and him.


    "You''ve both done so much for US, and it''s time for you to enjoy your life. I need to grow up and


    be someone you can rely on instead."


    Then, she looked back at Wenham, saying, "Dad, I''ll help you pack more clothes. You and Darcie


    should experience all the activities there and take lots of photos. So, you can take me there and be my


    tour guide when I''m free."


    Wenham felt conflicted, knowing that Ste had matured so quickly because of her past hardships.


    He wanted to say, "You don''t have to grow up so fast with Dad around," but before he could, Ste


    handed him another walnut and said with a smile," Okay?"


    After munching on the walnut, Wenham reluctantly replied, "Sure."


    Ste handed him a ss of water and stroked his back while saying to


    Darcie, "Darcie, the flight is at ten tomorrow. Just bring some clean clothes and I''lle to take you to


    the airport tomorrow morning.


    "You should arrive in the afternoon. Once you get off the ne, there''ll be someone to pick you up. You


    don''t need to worry about anything. Just enjoy yourselves.


    "Oh, by the way, I''ve also arranged for a doctor toe with you. After all, you and Dad will be alone in


    another country without US. Having a doctor with you will make US feel more at ease."


    Darcie was at a loss for words.


    Ste had anticipated that she might use Wenham''s health as an excuse to decline the trip. It appeared


    that Ste had crafted a perfect strategy to push her away.


    Darcie didn''t really want to go on the trip, but she couldn''t refuse outright because of Wenham''s


    affection for Ste. Ste had put so much effort into nning this trip for them, and rejecting it outright


    would surely upset Wenham, potentially straining their rtionship.

 Chapter 2045

    Chapter 2045


    Chapter 2045


    Wenham didn''t particrly want to go either, but he couldn''t bear to disappoint Ste. "Darcie, ask your


    assistant to reschedule your work. Ste has put a lot of effort into this, so let''s take it as an opportunity


    to rx," he suggested.


    Darcie clenched her fist and nced at Ste before forcing a warm smile. "Since you put it that way,


    there''s no reason for me to refuse," she said.


    Ste inwardly clicked her tongue, thinking, ''Darcie is incredibly patient andposed. Apart from the


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    day we met, the only time she lost her cool was when Leighton exposed Jaylene''s fake illness by


    throwing Noah onto her.''


    Even then, Darcie regained herposure within minutes. However, it revealed a vulnerability that


    Ste could exploit.


    If Darcie didn''t have a clumsy daughter like Jaylene dragging her down, she would have been a much


    more formidable opponent to deal with.


    The impression Darcie had crafted in front of Wenham was impable- gentle, considerate, always


    siding with his biological children whenever they shed with her daughter, and even willing to risk her


    life to find him.


    Ste couldn''t help but ponder that if someone treated her the same way, she wouldn''t have the heart


    to hurt them, even if she didn''t particrly like them. That''s just how brilliant Darcie was.


    As she contemted this, Ste discreetly nced at Wenham.


    Her prating gaze sent shivers down Wenham''s spine.


    Even as Ste packed, Wenham could still feel her gaze on him.


    Unable to resist any longer, Wenham asked as Ste folded his clothes," You''ve been staring at me all


    day. Is there something you want to tell me?"


    Ste lowered her gaze, cleared her throat, and hesitantly asked, "Dad, you were quite young when


    you married Darcie, right? Did you ever consider having a child with her?"


    Wenham nearly choked on the nut he was eating, his face turning red as he coughed.


    Ste was shocked and nearly rushed over to perform the Heimlich maneuver on Wenham. Thankfully,


    he managed to swallow the nut and felt better after drinking some water.


    "What child? I already have two," Wenham replied.


    Ste leaned in closer to him. "A child that is born from both you and her."


    Wenham hesitated, taking a moment before responding, "The economy wasn''t favorable for US to


    have another child."


    Ste nced at him. "I was born around that time. Did you spend all your money on me?"


    Her tone wasced with sarcasm, suggesting that economic factors wouldn''t have influenced


    Wenham''s decision regarding having another child.


    After a lengthy silence, Wenham spoke up, ''I didn''t desire another child. Having you and Trevor is


    fulfilling enough for me.


    "In this world, there are some things beyond our control, and certain debts must be repaid, but there


    are still choices I can make for myself."


    Outside the door, the hand poised to knock hesitated, then clenched suddenly.

 Chapter 2046

    Chapter 2046


    Chapter 2046


    Ste was taken aback. She had always viewed this matter from her and Trevor''s perspective,


    neglecting to consider it from Wenham''s viewpoint.


    She had to acknowledge that Wenham marrying herte mother¡¯s best friend had stirred a sense of


    difort within her.


    However, Ste hadn''t been present to witness the events that unfolded back then, nor did she


    understand the circumstances surrounding Wenham''s marriage to Darcie.


    There were six years between Ste''s mom dying and Wenham getting married again. Only Wenham


    knew how hard those years were.


    Wenham had been a widower with a kid and a sick mom back then. Darcie helped them a lot.


    Wenham''s mom worried about him being alone after she died, so she wanted him to marry Darcie, who


    was nice and could help with the household.


    Ste thought maybe Wenham meant there were things he couldn''t change. Perhaps he didn''t want to


    upset his sick mom and couldn''t bring himself to leave a woman who had helped him so much, even


    risking her life.


    She wondered if Wenham let Darcie take charge to ease his guilt.


    Ste didn''t know how Darcie felt about Wenham, but she was sure Darcie understood him.


    She walked up to Wenham and hugged him. "Dad," she said softly.


    Wenham looked at her.


    Ste patted his back. "Dad, you''ve raised Trevor so well. And you found me, making our family whole


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    again. You''re the best."


    Tears filled Wenham''s eyes as he turned away, trying to hold back his feelings. After a long pause, he


    said, "Having a daughter is always better than having a son. Trevor just gets on my nerves."


    Ste chuckled. "I''ll find him a girlfriend to keep him in line.¡±


    "Make sure she''s tough," Wenham suggested.


    Ste joked, "Sure, well find someone who''s into mixed martial arts. If he ever annoys you again, she


    can give him a scare."


    But Wenham felt guilty. "She doesn''t have to be an expert. Just someone who can intimidate him a bit."


    Ste couldn''t stopughing at that.


    Wenham packed his clothes and asked quietly, "Are you purposely sending us out of the country?


    Every time I tried to talk just now, you stuffed a walnut in my mouth."


    It was only when Ste handed him the walnut for the second time that he realized she was trying to


    silence him.


    Ste replied softly, "Yeah. I was worried I wouldn''t do as well as Jaylene when I joined thepany


    and I''d embarrass myself in front of Darcie. I don''t want to make a fool of myself."


    Wenham was speechless.


    He started at Ste for a few seconds before saying, "You''ve got your mother''s genes of always


    brushing people off. The excuse you came up with is terrible."


    Ste didn''t say anything in response.


    After helping Wenham pack his luggage, Ste went back to her room and gathered some things.


    Then, she came downstairs to have a meal with Wenham before heading back to Royalpark Vi.


    When Aurora returned to Royalpark Vi, Ste was in the living room, counting her clothes, and


    Keegan was packing them into a dust bag.


    Aurora paused and walked over to check things out. She realized they were all high-end brand clothes


    from different collections, which must have cost a lot.


    Her eyes lit up as she looked at Keegan. "Keegan, can I have some?" she asked.


    Keegan nodded toward Ste. "I didn''t buy them. Ask her."


    Aurora was surprised. ''Ask her for clothes to wear? No way!''


    As she turned away from the clothes and started to head upstairs, Ste stopped her. "Help me iron


    those, and I''ll give you some of these clothes."

 Chapter 2047

    Chapter 2047


    Chapter 2047


    Aurora was not someone who would do someone''s chores for some new clothes. "I''ll pass," she


    snorted and spoke.


    Ste looked at Keegan. ''Did you give her a raise? She sounds cocky."


    Keegan said, Nope, her sry is still seventeen thousand."


    "This is not adding up. She lives in our house, which is a bungalow, and you''re not deducting the rent


    from her sry? Five thousand a month sounds fair, right?"


    Aurora''s eyelid twitched. She sensed that something bad wasing her way.


    After a brief thought, Keegan said, "It seems too cheap. Not only that her room have an independent


    bathroom, but the house also has a swimming pool, a sunroom, and a massage chair. Aldor used to


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    rent an apartment near the office for seven thousand a month, and we''re talking about a vi here."


    "She''s your sister, after all. It''s only right for US to give her a discount."


    Keegan nodded. "Fine. Let''s settle with five thousand then. I''ll have the finance department transfer it


    to your ount directly."


    Ste added, "She''s also eating here for free. We had lobsters, oysters, wagyu beef, and all sorts of


    luxury delicacies. It''s got to cost at least five thousand dors to dine like this every day for a month,


    right?"


    Keegan shook his head. "No way. I paid The Deli for a month''s worth of meals, and it cost me thirteen


    thousand, with way less variety than what we''re having now. Five thousand won''t even cover the cost


    of ingredients."


    Ste teased Keegan, "You''re her brother, and I''m her sister-inw. How can we not chip in a bit since


    we''re all living together? Five thousand it is.


    "Plus, the mattress in her room was pretty expensive. She sleeps on it every day, and we should think


    about the wear and tear on it. I think I spent about-"


    "Keegan, let me handle this. You should take a break. Ste, is this all you need?" Aurora interrupted,


    fearing Keegan might take all her sry if she voiced any discontent.


    To show her resolve for working in the Vinci Rivera Group, Aurora had told Cordelia to stop giving her


    allowance. She relied solely on her sry each month, and if it were all deducted, she''d have to


    swallow her pride and ask Cordelia for money.


    Aurora cursed inwardly, ''I despise Ste! She''s worse than a loan shark!''


    Keegan nced at her. "You just finished work. Aren''t you tired?"


    Aurora forced a smile. "No problem. Being stuck in the office all day is boring anyway. This could be a


    change for me."


    Keegan then handed her the clothes he was holding.


    Aurora took out the steamer and whispered, "Keegan, about the rent and food expenses..."


    Keegan took a sip of his tea and said, "Let''s see how good you are at this first."


    Aurora clenched her teeth, thinking, ''He''s just as bad!''


    Ste nced at Aurora and thought, ''She used to make fun of me for caring about money. Now she


    probably gets it, huh!''


    Girls are often more careful than boys. Aurora enjoyed dressing up and took great care of her fancy


    clothes, so she was really good at ironing them.


    They worked together, and Ste''s clothes were all ironed and put away in dust bags.


    After that, Aurora was about to leave, but Ste stopped her. "There are some clothes in the upstairs


    wardrobe that I haven''t worn. You can take them if you want. But they were gifts, so I can''t give them to


    you."


    Aurora looked at her. "Are you going to make me pay for them?"


    Ste answered slowly, "I''m not sure. I change my mind a lot. Maybe you should just forget what I


    said."


    Aurora clenched her teeth. "I''m going to grab the two most expensive ones now!"


    Once Aurora went upstairs, Keegan asked Ste, "I know you''re starting work tomorrow, but why do


    you need so many outfits? Plus, they¡¯re not even your size."

 Chapter 2048

    Chapter 2048


    Chapter 2048


    Ste piled the clothes up and looked up, asking, "Do you know who gave me these clothes?"


    Keegan shook his head, but as he saw Ste''s expression, he took a guess. "Jaylene?"


    "Good guess."


    Keegan frowned. "Even if you weren''t pregnant, these clothes wouldn''t fit you, right? Why would she


    give you clothes that don''t fit?"


    ''To mess with me, obviously. She''s mad because she had to apologize, so she''s giving me these,''


    Ste thought to herself.


    But she said something else, "To show off that she''s skinnier than me. Her legs are like twigs, so slim


    and straight. They''re much prettier than mine, don''t you think?"


    "I haven''t really noticed."


    Keegan wasn''t about to get caught in Ste''s trap. It wasn''t because he saw through it, but because he


    simply hadn''t paid attention to Jaylene''s legs. To Keegan, there were only two types of women: Ste


    and everyone else. 1


    He never really cared whether other women were conventionally attractive or had a great figure. The


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    only thing about Jaylene that ever caught Keegan''s attention was her overly prominent corbone.


    But it wasn''t because Keegan found it appealing. Subconsciously, he associated her with the images of


    emaciated refugees he''d seen on the news, thinking she might be suffering from malnutrition.


    As for Ste, while she didn''t have wless skin, she had a lively presence.


    She wasn''t too chubby or too skinny. Herplexion was always rosy, including her lips, as if she was


    constantly wearing lipstick. Plus, her hair was full and voluminous, thanks to her healthy eating habits.


    Keegan cared more about Ste''s overall health than her body size.


    However, he wouldn''t be able to handle it if she became as thin as Jaylene, who appeared unhealthy to


    him.


    tel looked him up and down and asked with a smile, "Don''t you prefer skinny, long legs?"


    Keegan felt a ttery feeling in his chest, as if he''d been tickled by her gaze. He nced up and


    couldn''t help but chuckle.


    Ste was puzzled by hisughter as she nudged him. "What''s funny?"


    Keegan grabbed her ankle and softly stroked her calf with his warm hands. Then, he looked at her and


    said slowly, "What''s great about skinny legs? They''re no fun."


    Ste paused, suddenly realizing that Keegan was teasing her. Then, she blushed and kicked her


    chest. "What a pervert!"


    Keegan pulled her into his arms and carried her back to the bedroom.


    After closing the door, Keegan opened the bedside table, retrieved a watch, and ced it on Ste''s


    wrist.


    Ste shook her wrist and looked at him. "What''s this? A gift for my new job?"


    The watch was adorned with diamonds and looked quite extravagant.


    Ste thought she was already good at unting, but the watch took it to another level.


    Keegan sat next to her, grabbed her hand, and looked at the watch. "The mastermind who kidnapped


    US hasn''t been found yet, and it''s bothering me. Ste, there''s a tracker in this watch, but don''t worry, I


    won''t check it unless I can''t contact you."


    Ste paused as she thought to herself, ''Well, at least he''s honest about it.''


    Keegan was afraid that Ste might feel ufortable, so he said softly," It''s fine if you don''t want it."


    Even though Trevor had arranged for his trusted assistant, Xavier, to look after Ste, Keegan still felt a


    bit anxious.


    Ste wasn''t bothered. As she examined the watch, she remarked, "With such a pricey watch, I''ll get


    robbed before anything else happens. How about putting the tracker in a cheaper one? That way, I''ll


    feel safer."

 Chapter 2049

    Chapter 2049


    Chapter 2049


    Keegan shook his head. "You always carry yourself in a sophisticated manner, and wearing a cheap


    watch might draw attention. Aldor said this piece suits you perfectly.


    Even if it''s stolen, it won''t be easy to sell because of its high value. I can definitely track it before the


    thief finds a buyer, but I hope that day neveres."


    Ste felt offended by the phrase "suits you perfectly." Then, she said through clenched teeth, "What


    do you mean by ''suits me perfectly¡¯? You think I have a shy attitude?"


    Keegan paused, hugged her with a smile, and kissed her hair. "Actually, I''m really attracted to your


    practical approach to money."


    Ste nced at him. "Well, your tastes are certainly unique."


    "That''s because I have a lot of money," he whispered.


    Ste was left speechless, realizing that Keegan had only said that to show off his wealth.


    Early the next day, Xavier arrived to pick up Ste. Before heading to Caline, they first dropped off


    Wenham and Darcie at the airport.


    Xavier observed as Ste said goodbye to Wenham and Darcie with teary eyes, urging them to stay


    safe. She even mentioned that she already missed them before they left and asked them to call her


    every day.


    However, once they passed through the boarding gate, Ste''s tears vanished instantly. She then


    lowered the sunshade and began to tidy up her appearance in the mirror.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Xavier stole a nce at Ste, and Ste said tly without looking at him,"


    What''s wrong?"


    Xavier looked away and shook his head. "Nothing."


    After Ste fixed her hair, she turned around. "Xavier, Trevor told me that you and Jaylene were


    ssmates, is that true?"


    Xavier nodded. "ssmates from elementary school."


    "You guys are close, right? Trevor said that he only hired you because Jaylene told him that she knows


    you, saying that you''re diligent and trustworthy."


    Xavier knew that Ste was trying to find out his rtionship with Jaylene, but after a moment of


    silence, he answered truthfully, "I don''t really talk to Ms. Saun, and she only put in the good words for


    me because I helped her during our school days."


    Ste smiled and spoke in a gentle tone, "I thought you guys were close."


    Xavier shook his head without saying anything else.


    Then, Ste thought to herself, ''Jaylene isn''t someone who''d be so grateful, not to mention it has


    already been so many years since they went to school together.''


    The car stopped in front of a building.


    Ste and Xavier got out of the car together, and a security guard quickly came over to take the keys


    for parking.


    Ste stood outside the building, looking up at the Caline logo for a long time before walking toward the


    lobby.


    Since Darcie had been sent away by Ste, it was Aubrey who greeted her at the entrance.


    The wee ceremony Aubrey had organized was quite borate. Not only was there a weing


    banner disyed in the lobby, but she had also gathered almost everyone in thepany on the


    ground floor. The spacious area was now bustling with employees, creating a lively atmosphere.


    Ste lightly frowned. ''Well done. She''s trying to turn everyone against me by making them stop their


    work just to wee me.¡¯


    Aubrey, dressed professionally with shoulder-length hair, looked verypetent. With a smile, she


    approached Ste and said warmly, "Ms. Hall, you''re finally here."


    Then, she turned to the crowd behind her and continued, "Everyone, this is our new General Manager,


    Ste Hall. She''s the daughter of Mr. Saun and thete founder of Caline, Freesia Hall.


    "As the saying goes, like mother, like daughter. I''m confident that she will continue her mother¡¯s legacy,


    and Caline will be stronger than ever under her leadership. Let''s give her a round of apuse to


    wee her!"

 Chapter 2050

    Chapter 2050


    Chapter 2050


    Aubrey took the lead in pping, and others followed suit. However, their apuse seemed somewhat


    insincere as they nced at Ste with disdain.


    Ste thought to herself, ''Well, I wouldn''t feel great either if someone who knows nothing about


    perfumery became my general manager.''


    She had seemingly appeared out of nowhere and assumed such a prominent role in thepany.


    Moreover, she was the reason everyone had to pause their work just to wee her, despite not


    having proven herself to thepany yet. It was understandable that people weren''t pleased with her.


    With Darcie absent, Aubrey didn''t make things any easier for Ste.


    Ste raised her hand, signaling for everyone to stop pping.


    When the apuse gradually subsided, she asked, "Aubrey, when Jaylene joined thepany, did you


    also organize such a grand wee for her?"


    Aubrey responded with a smile, "Jaylene is just a team leader in the fragrance department, like


    everyone else who joins US. But you''re different -you''re the general manager, and this is one of the


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    perks thate with your position."


    Jaylene added, "Ste, we''re not the same. I had visited Caline before officially joining the team, so


    everyone already knew me. This is your first time here, and it''s important to have a formal introduction


    for everyone to get acquainted with you."


    Ste chuckled. "Jaylene, both of US got our positions because of our family backgrounds. How are we


    any different? Those who don''t know might think I''m here to unt on my first day."


    Jaylene was surprised. She hadn''t anticipated Ste would criticize herself just to point out her


    privilege.


    Not only that she directly told everyone how she got into Caline, but she also dragged Jaylene into it.


    Aware that joining apany through connections wouldn''t earn respect from others, Darcie had


    smoothed the path for Jaylene. She took her to different departments to learn before officially starting,


    and then gave her a rtively low-key role to avoid unnecessary attention.


    However, with just a few words, Ste exposed Jaylene''s background, causing her expression to


    darken despite her peaceful tenure at thepany.


    Aubrey said gently, "I wasn''t being considerate enough. I thought since it''s your first timeing to the


    office, it''d be good for everyone to meet you. It turns out that I''m making you look bad."


    Ste smiled. "Aubrey, it was just a jest. No hard feelings. Since everyone''s already gathered here, I''ll


    share a few words."


    Then, she addressed the crowd, saying, "I apologize for taking up your time. My name is Ste Hall,


    and starting today, I''ll be serving as the general manager of Caline. I don''t have a professional


    background in fragrances and my knowledge in this field is limited.


    "However, my mother was the founder of Enchanted, and her dream was to make it an international


    brand. Since my father is too busy to pursue this, he''s entrusted me with the task.


    "I feel he may have overestimated my abilities. How can he expect someone like me, whocks


    experience, to achieve what Darcie couldn''t aplish over the years?"


    Ste''s yful tone drewughter from the crowd. None of them had anticipated their new boss to be


    so lighthearted.


    Ste added with a smile, "But you can never say no to your father, right? Even though I''ve been given


    such a prominent role in thepany, my knowledge is probably less than that of an intern here.


    "So, I hope that in the days ahead, everyone in thepany can guide me and teach me about what I


    don''t know. That way, when my dad asks, I can at least give him a usible ex- I mean response."


    The employees exchanged nces. ''Did she almost say "usible excuse"? I


    Before Ste joined thepany, there had been several notices warning employees to behave


    appropriately around her. So, everyone already had a negative impression of her before she even


    arrived.


    Some had even begun plotting how to assert their authority once she arrived.


    They already had a n for dealing with this new general manager, but they did not expect her to be so


    straightforward, bluntly stating her intentions here on the first day.


    All of them were confused and dared not to say anything.


    Then, Luis Sawn, the manager of the fragrance department, broke the silence, saying, "Ms. Hall, you


    have a knack for humor. None of US here knows everything. We''re all here to learn from each other."


    Damien chimed in jesting, "Ms. Hall, I heard you studied performing arts. If you had joined US earlier,


    I''m sure the performance at the year-end party wouldn''t have been so dreadful."


    After the managers'' lighthearted banter, others from different departments also spoke up, creating a


    lively and cheerful atmosphere.


    Aubrey then introduced Ste to the managers of each department.


    Although Ste had already familiarized herself with their information at home, she acted as if she was


    meeting them for the first time, exchanging greetings and shaking hands.

 Chapter 2051

    Chapter 2051


    Chapter 2051


    After the crowd dispersed, Aubrey led Ste upstairs to her office.


    Reflecting on her situation, Ste considered, ''Darcie is sneakier than Jaylene. Darcie would nt


    traps in unexpected ces but wouldn''t openly make things hard for her target. Like this office, it rivals


    Keegan''s office in quality. It''s spacious and brightly lit.1


    "Ms. Hall, this is your office. We¡¯ve prepared an office for your assistant and the secretarial team next


    door. If you need anything, they''re just a call away," Aubrey exined.


    Surveying the space, Ste inquired, "And where is Darcie''s office?"


    "It''s one floor up from here," Aubrey answered.


    Ste dismissed Aubrey with a wave. "Okay, you may leave now. I''ll explore the area myself.''


    After Aubrey had left, Ste turned to Xavier and requested, "Xavier, could you get me a boba tea?


    Choose any vor, just ask for less sugar."


    Xavier nodded and left the office.


    Once alone, Ste swiftly locked the door and retrieved a bug-detecting device from her bag, a gift from


    Keegan, to search the office for any hidden surveince.


    Keegan had informed her that the detector would buzz upon detecting any eavesdropping tools. She


    diligently examined the office but initially found nothing, leading her to wonder if they were being overly


    cautious.


    After wandering around without discovering anything, Ste ced the detector on the coffee table,


    whereupon the detector immediately buzzed. She paused, then traced the buzzing to a nt pot.


    Ste found a cling film-wrapped item under the moss in the pot. She smirked, re-covered it, and texted


    Keegan: [You were right. Found a bug in a nt pot.]


    Keegan responded promptly: [Leave it.]


    Ste replied: [I''ve not touched it. Is Darcie being too cautious? Did she feel threatened by a neer


    like me after decades in this field?]


    [It may not be her doing.] Keegan suggested.


    This made Ste pause, contemting, ''If not Darcie, could it be Jaylene? After all, Jaylene lives in


    Royalpark Vi and uses hypnosis to get Keegan''s attention. Even if Keegan says he can''t remember


    anything, wouldn''t Jaylene still worry a bit?''


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    With determination, Ste messaged: [Send Jaylene a coffee.]


    Keegan objected: (Absolutely not.]


    Ste responded with a yful gif. [Is that a request for a divorce?]


    Keegan, frustrated, thought, ''Ste knows how to push my buttons. If I ordered the coffee, it might help


    her now, but she''d surely hold it over me in any future disputes. She was utterly unreasonable!¡¯

 Chapter 2052

    Chapter 2052


    Chapter 2052


    Realizing that her threats had no effect, Ste shifted her strategy, employing charm. She messaged:


    [Honey, help me out, and I''ll do whatever you ask for the rest of this month.]


    Keegan, eyeing the calendar, responded: [There''s only 13 hours left in the month.]


    Ste quickly bargained. [Then I''ll extend it to next month. You can call the shots next month, your word


    isw.]


    Having been promised the moon too many times, Keegan did not buy it. He feigned reluctance, typing:


    [Nah, I don''t have the knack for being in charge. I''d rather not take on that responsibility. I think you''re


    doing a fine job and I''m happy to let you take the reins. The hard work of being Mrs. Kane suits you.]


    Ste was momentarily speechless, realizing that she had overyed her hand with promises. To


    make apelling offer, Ste decided to y her trump card.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    She suggested: [Honey, do you remember that queen''s costume from the drama? There were more


    gorgeous outfits. If you like, I could call Daniel, and we could buy them all. I could wear each one for


    you in the evening. How does that sound?]


    Keegan, startled by the proposition, coughed on his water, his ears turning red.


    Ste, growing impatient while watching the "typing'''' indicator sh on her phone, finally received a


    message from Keegan: [I''m not ordering it for her, but you can use my ount.]


    ted, Ste sent a sticker saying: [You''re the best.]


    Keegan amused yet stern, reminded Ste: [Don''t forget your promises. Or


    I won''t trust you again."


    To forge a mutually beneficial alliance of mischief, Ste swallowed her pride and contacted Daniel.


    Daniel, bypassing Ste''s lengthy exnation, suggested, "Next time you''re in a historical drama, have


    your guye pick. It''ll save me a fortune if he buys them after you''re done filming."


    Ste was speechless.


    After that, Daniel sold her the costumes, but the total cost was less than the queen''s costume alone.


    Confused, Ste confronted, "Did you overcharge me forthat costumest time?"


    Daniel shrugged off her concern. "Prices during a trend aren''t the same monthster."


    i''m at a loss because of you, Keegan!'' Ste thought to herself.


    When Keegan saw the payment screenshot Ste sent, confirming her purchase, he sent her the


    ount verification code.


    Ste, using Keegan''s ount, ordered a bouquet with a personalized note.


    Caline was surrounded by office buildings, making the boba tea shop below extremely popr. Xavier


    had to queue for almost half an hour.


    While on the elevator, Xavier encountered Jaylene, who was with a colleague. She nced at the boba


    tea in his hand, then greeted him with a smile. "Xavier, it''s been a while since I''ve seen you, and you


    haven''t been in touch."


    Trevor had been busy traveling the world with only one bodyguard, leaving Xavier behind to handle


    some affairs at thepany. It had indeed been almost a month since Jaylenest saw him.


    However, Xavier did contact her with a holiday message. He assumed Jaylene likely overlooked it amid


    the many greetings she received, making his attempt unremarkable.


    Xavier smiled and replied, "I''ve been busy."


    Jaylene teased, "So, Trevor turned you into Ste''s assistant, and now you''re even fetching boba tea?


    Arent your office duties enough?"


    At Caline, there was a well-stocked pantry with high-quality tea, coffee, and fruit tea, so employees


    rarely needed to leave for drinks. They usually opted for deliveries or relied on pantry staff, following a


    policy set by Darcie to maintain efficiency and minimize work disruptions.


    Xavier kindly responded, "Ms. Hall is still getting acquainted with everything here, so I''m not too


    swamped at the moment."


    He handed a boba tea to Jaylene. "Got one for you too."


    Jaylene smiled, thanked him, and casually pulled out a piece of chocte from her pocket to offer to


    Xavier. Then, shaking her boba tea, she said, ¡ö'' Let''s grab a meal together once things settle down. My


    treat."

 Chapter 2053

    Chapter 2053


    Chapter 2053


    Xavier nodded as he watched Jaylene and her colleague step out of the elevator.


    Her colleague, intrigued, remarked, "Jaylene, you seem to know Ms. Hall¡¯s assistant quite well?-


    Jaylene offered a polite smile but chose not to respond.


    Despite Xavier''sck of flexibility and adaptability in his work, qualities that Jaylene silently disapproved


    of, their acquaintance was reignited under unexpected circumstances.


    When Xavier came for his job interview, Jaylene happened to be on her way to see Trevor for


    something and ran into Xavier, who had just finished his interview. Jaylene had forgotten about him


    until he took the initiative to greet her, reminding her that they were ssmates.


    For Jaylene, memories from elementary school weren¡¯t particrly pleasant, so when Xavier brought it


    up, she responded with a lukewarm reception.


    To her surprise, Xavier proved to bepetent. Trevor, known for his exacting standards, had gone


    through numerous assistants without finding one to his liking, yet he selected Xavier to work for him.


    Jaylene was the type who didn''t bother maintaining rtionships with people she wasn''t close to, and


    Xavier fell into that category. However, Darcie always encouraged her to keep in touch with Xavier,


    citing their shared history as ssmates and suggesting they could support each other.


    This advice gained significance when Jaylene learned from Xavier about Ste''s paternity test.


    Initially, Jaylene couldn''t see how Xavier could be of any use to her, especially before Ste arrived at


    Caline. She viewed him as rather pointless. But now, Darcie''s caution didn''t seem entirely unfounded.


    Handing her boba tea to a colleague, Jaylene said, "Julia, you can have this. N


    Julia Harper was taken aback. "But he bought it for you, aren''t you going to drink it?"


    Jaylene replied with a smile, "I''ve been on a diet recently, and this is too high in calories for me."


    ''At five feet five tall and only ny pounds, it was hard to imagine why she thought of losing weight.''


    Julia internally criticized, but still thanked Jaylene and took the drink.


    "By the way, could you let our department colleagues know to return promptly after lunch? I have


    something to discuss," Jaylene added.


    Julia was surprised. ''Jaylene is just a team leader in one of the Perfume Blending Department''s teams.


    It seems odd for a team leader to summon everyone like this.''


    But Julia didn''t dare object, knowing Jaylene was Darcie''s daughter and too important to offend. So,


    she gently suggested, "Jaylene, if it''s work- rted, maybe Ms. Abbott could handle it. She''s been here


    longer and knows everyone well, so she''s better at scheduling."


    Jaylene replied, "It''s not work-rted. Just let them know as soon as you can."


    With that, Jaylene made her way back to her office.


    Julia was genuinely perplexed. ''Was it even her responsibility to notify people about personal matters?''


    After some consideration, Julia decided to inform Aubrey about the situation. Aubrey instructed Julia to


    keep a close watch on Jaylene, as any trouble was likely to involve her.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Meanwhile, Jaylene had just settled into her office when her phone rang." Is this Miss Jaylene Saun?"


    "Yes, speaking," Jaylene replied.


    "Your flowers have arrived. Pleasee downstairs to collect them," the caller informed her.

 Chapter 2054

    Chapter 2054


    Chapter 2054


    Jaylene frowned upon receiving the call about the flowers. She stated, "I didn''t order any flowers."


    "The flowers were ordered by a gentleman with thest four digits 8286 on his phone. He insisted that


    you collect them. Could youe down, please?" the caller replied.


    ''8286? Isn''t that Keegan''s number?'' Jaylene thought, a hint of surprise in her mind. She quickly stood


    and said, "Give me a minute. I''ll be right down."


    Downstairs, a delivery guy stood at the reception with arge bouquet of roses. Peopleing in and


    out could not help but nce at it, whispering and specting among themselves. Flowers delivered to


    the office weremon in dramas but rare in reality, sparking curiosity about the recipient.


    When the elevator doors opened, Jaylene approached gracefully. After confirming her identity, the


    delivery guy had her sign for the flowers before handing them over.


    Holding the bouquet and blushing, Jaylene asked, "Excuse me, did the gentleman who ordered these


    flowers say anything else?"


    The delivery guy shook his head, then added, "He asked the florist to include a card, it''s tucked inside


    the bouquet.¡¯


    Jaylene found a beautifully wrapped card inside the flowers.


    The receptionist, unable to contain her curiosity, asked, ¡¯Ms. Saun, are these from your boyfriend?"


    Flushing, Jaylene tucked the card back into the bouquet, murmuring, "No, just a friend."


    The receptionist understood and said, "Ah, so it''s from an admirer."


    Jaylene offered a small smile without denying it and went back upstairs with the flowers. She


    encountered many colleagues along the way. Soon, the news of her receiving flowers from an admirer


    spread like wildfire among her colleagues.


    Jaylene chose not to correct the growing rumors. Although the message on the card was


    congrattory on her new job and wished her well, it was from Keegan. Jaylene was eager to stir


    jealousy in Ste, hoping to provoke a reaction that would turn Keegan against Ste.


    Back in her office, Jaylene snapped a photo of the roses and texted Keegan: [Keegan, thank you for


    the flowers. I really like them.]


    Keegan had muted Jaylene''s messages, and it was not until lunch, as he was about to ask Ste if she


    had eaten well, that he saw Jaylene''s message.


    The photo of the flowers baffled Keegan, prompting him to contact Ste urgently: (Did you send her


    flowers in my name?]


    Ste, having just loaded her tray in the cafeteria and sat down, responded cheerfully upon seeing


    Keegan''s message: [I only used your phone number to order the flowers. I didn''t put your name on the


    card. How she interprets it is up to her.]


    Keegan, frustrated, replied: [Is it proper to use your husband as bait?]


    Ste reassured Keegan: [I''ll wear those costumes every night this week. Whatever you want, I''ll do it


    to make you happy, okay?]


    Keegan''s brief moment of happiness quickly faded, his expression darkening again. He typed: [With


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    the situation as it is, what can I do? Always with the promises!]


    Ste chuckled softly and typed: [I''m the one who ordered the flowers, why are you so upset?]


    Keegan asked: [She sent a message thanking me. How am I supposed to respond?]


    Ste replied: [You managed to bewitch her by pretending to have amnesia before. Why can''t you do


    that now?]


    Keegan felt cornered and typed: [That''s different. Pretending not to remember you was enough to lower


    her guard. But now, you''re enticing her. Have you considered that whatever you do in my name is


    attributed to me? If she gets clingy when we meet and I don''t y along, won''t she get suspicious?]


    Ste replied: [Bingo. Not ying along is the goal. Give her a sense of uncertainty, and she''ll be


    hooked. As long as you keep up your unattainable persona, I''ll handle your "other woman".]


    Keegan was exasperated, swallowing his frustration to calm down and sent: [Fine, I''ll do as you say.


    You''re handling my "other woman", then who will handle yours?]


    Ste frowned and typed: [What "other man" do I have?]

 Chapter 2055

    Chapter 2055


    Chapter 2055


    Keegan scoffed and typed: [Who sent you that holiday greeting on your phone that you stared at for so


    long during our stay at Great Grandpa''s house?]


    Ste paused, recalling the night she received a holiday greeting from Marshall before bed. She had


    spent a long time pondering over it, especially thinking about the rabbit charm, causing her to stare at


    the phone for a while.


    She texted: [Weren''t you asleep then?]


    Keegan sent: [It doesn''t matter whether I was asleep or not. I''m asking you, from now on, can I reply to


    his messages for you?]


    Ste was indifferent and replied: (Do as you wish. I have nothing to hide.]


    Satisfied with her response, Keegan did not mind being used by Ste anymore. He even asked for


    advice: [So, how should I respond to her?]


    Ste texted: [No need to reply. From now on, unless I''m with you, don''t respond to anything she


    sends. She''ll make her own assumptions.]


    Keegan was speechless and did not reply.


    As Ste was typing, Jaylene sat down across from her with her tray. Ste nced at her and


    discreetly closed the chat window.


    With a smile, Jaylene said, "Ste, how do you find the cafeteria food? If it doesn''t suit your taste, there


    are some decent restaurants downstairs. I can have someone get you something else."


    Ste paused for a moment, then smiled politely. "No, this is fine."


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    As Jaylene wiped her utensils, she mentioned casually, "Ste, I have some flowers in my office. You


    shoulde byter and take a few for your vase. It might cheer you up during work." ''There she


    goes.'' Ste thought. She smiled at Jaylene and asked, "Oh? What kind of flowers?"


    Before Jaylene could respond, a colleague from the next table chimed in, ¡ö'' Roses, red roses. A big


    bunch of them."


    Ste appeared intrigued and asked, "Roses? Jaylene, do you have an admirer?"


    Jaylene smiled and replied, "Just a friend."


    Ste pressed further, "Which friend?"


    The colleague quickly answered, "The delivery guy was quite loud. He said a man with thest four


    digits 8286 on his phone. I remember it clearly."


    As soon as Ste heard that, she pretended to stiffen, her smile gradually fading away.


    Pretending not to notice, Jaylene stopped the colleague. "Nonsense, it''s just a normal friend."


    Ste forced a smile and said, "You''ve quite a generous friend."


    After that, Ste seemed to lose her appetite, hastily eating a few bites before leaving.


    Seeing Ste in low spirits, Jaylene was very happy and continued her meal. While Jaylene was eating,


    her phone beeped.


    Jaylene nced at her phone and saw Ste''stest social media post-a wedding photo of Ste and


    Keegan. Ste had even gone as far as changing her profile background to that same picture.


    With a sneer, Jaylene hesitated before tapping the like'' button on the photo. She couldn''t help but think,


    ''Back when Ste and Keegan were madly in love, they kept their rtionship low-key on social media.''


    But now, all of a sudden, after those flowers supposedly from Keegan arrived, Ste couldn''t wait to


    unt their photo.'' ''It just shows she''s trying topensate for what she''s missing.''

 Chapter 2056

    Chapter 2056


    Chapter 2056


    Ste, fully immersed in her role, had neglected to eat properly. She sat at her desk snacking on treats


    Keegan had packed for her while going through documents Aubrey had given her on Caline''s different


    departments.


    Since rebranding from Enchanted to Caline, thepany had been growing steadily. Darcie had


    orchestrated a big reshuffle among the core team members, and those who remained were probably


    her closest allies. Ste understood that to infiltrate their circle, she and Trevor had to position their


    own people within thepany.


    "Is this new girl we''re bringing in gonna be reliable? She''s so young, born in 2002," Ste thought to


    herself.


    Her phone buzzed, pulling her out of her thoughts. It was Felicity, asking about Ste''s first day at work.


    Ste grabbed her phone, snapped a quick picture of her office, and sent it to Felicity, saying, "What do


    you think? Pretty big, huh?"


    Felicity replied in amazement, "Wow, that''s massive! Need any help? Hire me!"


    Ste chuckled and replied: [Vermont offered you five grand a month to be his assistant, and you


    refused. You think you''d like my sry?]


    Felicity typed: [It''s different. Earning his money is like moving it from one pocket to the other. Earning


    yours is real profit. The amount doesn''t matter. It''s about sharing the wealth and facing difficulties


    together.]


    Ste was lost for words. She responded: [You picked up bad habits fast. Look at you now, you


    sounded just like that miser Vermont.]


    Felicityughed heartily and asked: [So, first day in, did the motherdaughter duo give you a hard time?]


    Ste replied: [I sent Darcie away, and as for Jaylene, she poses no threat.]


    Felicity inquired: [Where did you send her?]


    Ste provided a brief exnation. Felicity was astounded and typed: [


    You''re really something, using your dad as a tool. Doesn''t his innocence matter?]


    Ste responded: [Actually, it''s good for my dad to go out with her. She definitely won''t be at ease with


    Caline''s daily operations in her absence. I don''t believe she can remain thatposed. We need her to


    slip up in front of my dad. Once his trust in her wavers, it''ll be easier to dismantle her defenses step by


    step.]


    Felicity pondered and asked: [Do you think she married your father for his personality or money?]


    Ste replied: [Hard to say. Definitely for the money, but as for liking him as a person, I''m not sure.]


    In Ste''s opinion, Darcie was really good at hiding how she felt. Ste couldn¡¯t figure out if Darcie


    genuinely cared about Wenham, but it seemed like she did, taking care of every little thing for him,


    even his blood pressure meds.


    The doctor overseeing Wenham''s health credited Darcie for maintaining his diet and routine, which,


    aside from hereditary hypertension, kept him healthier than his peers. This indicated Darcie''s


    dedication.


    Ste even believed that if it were not for her unexpected return, Darcie might have genuinely nned


    to spend her life with Wenham. But Ste''s return messed that up.


    Ste asked: [Let''s not dwell on that. How about you? Didn''t you say someone bought your script


    recently? How''s that going?]


    Felicity replied: [It''s okay, I guess. Whether it''ll be adapted, I don''t know, but I did make some money.]


    Ste asked: [How much?]


    Felicity sighed and replied: [Twenty grand before tax. I used to think selling a script for a hundred


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    thousand was the norm. Now I realize only your husband is that generous. He was willing to pay a


    hundred thousand for the scripts I wrote back then.]

 Chapter 2057

    Chapter 2057


    Chapter 2057


    Steughed and replied: [He felt guilty for roping you in, so he offered you a high price.]


    Felicity replied: (Back then, I thought I was too principled to bow for a good sum. But now, looking back,


    being locked up for two hours for a hundred thousand seems worth it. You have no idea how hard it is


    to earn money these days! Short dramas have be a big hit recently, and I''ve been working on


    those.]


    She continued: [We don¡¯t use famous actors and film within 3-5 days, using scripts from online


    crowdsourcing. With quick turnaround and low budgets, usually 20,000 to 30,000, we can make huge


    profits, even more, if a project goes viral. It''s a highly profitable model, so many in our industry are


    doing it. I''ve been assigned to oversee these projects, but sorting through the overly dramatic scripts


    every day is overwhelming.]


    Since her pregnancy, Ste had not been watching many short videos, so she was quite out of the loop


    about this trend. She asked Felicity what these short dramas were like.


    Felicity then sent her a link. After browsing for a while, Ste had an idea and quickly typed: [Can you


    help me write a script?]


    Felicity replied: [Huh?]


    Ste typed: [I''ll see you after work. We can talk about it then.]


    She thought exining over text was too slow as she could not convey her sudden thoughts properly.


    She wanted Felicity to turn the events surrounding the Saun family from years ago into a short drama.


    She would pay to promote it.


    Ste had also considered if Darcie had an aplice, a story close to the truth blowing up online


    could force them to slip up.


    Felicity responded: [Okay. Then, head straight to Clouditude International after work. We¡¯ll meet at the


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    stinky Cucumber''s office.]


    Shortly after Ste put down her phone, there was a knock on her office door. She said, ¡°Come in."


    Julia heard Ste''s response and gently pushed the door open. "Ms. Hall, do you have a minute?"


    To prevent the Perfume Blending Department staff from harboring any disloyal thoughts, as well as to


    safeguard the form from leaking and maintain the core team''spetitiveness, Darcie divided the


    department into units A and B, each further split into three teams. Both units were meant to work


    together yet alsopete against each other.


    The core form of Caline''s products was stored in aputer in a secure room on the top floor,


    protected by a dual password system.


    Besides Darcie, who knew the full password, each of the two managers only knew their part of the


    password, which was updated monthly.


    Stealing the form would require both managers to cooperate, an unlikely scenario given their


    Julia, from Unit A of the Perfume Blending Department, had been with thepany for three years.


    After the previous unit leader was transferred, she was the likely candidate for the position until Jaylene


    was parachuted in.


    As Ste pondered, she smiled and asked, "What''s up?"


    Julia replied, ¡°Ms. Abbott asked me to take you on a tour of the Perfume Blending Department. Are you


    avable now?¡±


    Ste nodded. "Sure, let''s go."


    Following Julia, they headed to the Perfume Blending Department. The department boasted arge


    office space where, aside from mixing products in the fragrance room, the staff typically worked. When


    Ste arrived, everyone was busy with their tasks.


    Although Julia imed it was a tour, it seemed more like she was just leading Ste around the


    workspace without much of an introduction. It was almost as if she had brought her there on purpose.


    Ste was wondering about this when amotion arose at the entrance.

 Chapter 2058

    Chapter 2058


    Chapter 2058


    Jaylene, dressed in a white silk blouse with her hair loosely tied back, exuded a refined elegance with


    her pearl earrings. She appeared with two people who were carrying bags of what seemed to be high-


    end cosmetics and perfumes, judging from the packaging.


    With a gentle voice, she addressed the gathered employees, "Sorry to interrupt, everyone. We''ve all


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    been busy since returning to work, and it''s rare for US all to be together like this. Today, with Ste


    joining US, I thought it''d be a good opportunity to give you all some small gifts.¡¯


    Ste internally mused, ''I bet those "small gifts" are likely an attempt to win over their hearts. Now I


    know that Julia had brought me here just for Jaylene to showcase this.''


    The announcement of gifts naturally excited everyone, leading to a round of apuse and a lively


    atmosphere.


    Ste nced at the gifts and thought, ''Those are indeed cosmetics and perfumes. They are not


    extravagantly expensive, but not cheap either. They are certainly within the affordable range for the


    rest.''


    Regardless of personal interest, everyone expressed gratitude and admiration for the gifts.


    This lipstick shade has been sold out at the counters. I thought I''d never get it. Thank you!"


    I just saw a review of this foundation the other day, and now I have it. You have great taste!"


    My mom always uses this perfume. She''ll love it."


    "Jaylene, you really went all out."


    Jaylene graciously epted the thanks. She said, "It wasn''t much. These are just trinkets to me,


    picked up while shopping for bags with a friend. I thought you''d all like them, so I bought some."


    The mood slightly shifted as people exchanged looks, their smiles dimming a bit. However, Jaylene


    seemed oblivious. Her gaze met Ste''s across the room, and she smiled knowingly.


    Ste, uninterested in watching the act any longer, turned to leave. Before she could, Julia jokingly


    said, "Is it a trend now to bring gifts on the first day? If so, I''m looking forward to what Ms. Hall has


    prepared for US."


    Julia''sment turned everyone''s attention to Ste.


    Gift-giving was not customary. But with both being daughters of the Saun family and vying for control of


    Caline, they were expected to build their ownworks of support. Gifts were a basic tactic to gauge


    who could be swayed and who could not, depending on how they were received.


    Ste had prepared gifts but had not nned to distribute them so soon. She wanted to get to know


    everyone better before offering anything to avoid seeming too ingratiating. But now she was forced to


    make a move.


    Withoutmenting, Ste''s smile faded slightly.


    Jaylene, still smiling, said to Ste, "Ste, don''t mind them. I just got these on a whim. Pick a couple


    for yourself to celebrate your first day."


    Ste politely declined. "No, thank you. My skin''s been sensitivetely, and I can''t use makeup. Better


    leave it for everyone else."


    She paused, then sheepishly said, "Actually, I''ve also prepared something for everyone. Unlike


    Jaylene, who meticulously found out everyone''s preferences for beauty products, I was a bit careless


    and didn''t ask as thoroughly. My gifts are more generic, so I am a bit hesitant to give them out."


    This sounded like an excuse to some as if Ste had made up a reason on the spot to avoid giving


    anything.


    At Jaylene''s subtle cue, someone chimed in, "Ms. Hall, it''d be rude of US to be picky about gifts from


    you. We''re all quite curious about what you''ve prepared."

 Chapter 2059

    Chapter 2059


    Chapter 2059


    Looking somewhat embarrassed, Ste exined, "It''s nothing much.


    Considering the cold weather, and since it hasn''t warmed up much even after the holiday, I thought


    about preparing some warm clothing items, something everyone could wear to keep out the cold."


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Hearing the term "warm clothing," most people thought of hats, scarves, gloves, or knee warmers,


    causing their interest to wane significantly. Those items were typically distributed by thepany at the


    start of winter, making them hardly something to look forward to.


    Considering Ste¡¯s initialments upon joining, some could not help but see her as a clueless rich


    heiress, now contending with Jaylene and Darcie for control.


    Observing the crowd''s reaction, Jaylene smirked as she suggested, "Ste, since you''ve already


    prepared them, why not distribute them now? If we wait any longer, they might not be of much use this


    year."


    Julia added, "Whatever Ms. Hall has chosen, even if it''s for warmth, it''s bound to be extraordinary."


    Then, the crowd started to specte what their gifts from Ste were.


    "Ms. Hall''s scarf is quite stylish. Could it be that she''s prepared something simr for us?"


    "If it''s Gi scarves, wow, I''d be ecstatic! Ms. Hall, don''t keep US in suspense. Please show US what


    you''ve got. We''re all so excited!"


    The crowd''sments pushed Ste into the spotlight.


    Jaylene was smiling but mocking Ste inwardly at the same time. ''If Ste''s gifts fell short of


    expectations, it would be a significant embarrassment for her.''


    She had to navigate considerable challenges to secure her position in the Perfume Blending


    Department, even with Darcie smoothing the way. The employees of Caline were sharp, and it was not


    easy to win them over without proving oneself.


    This was Jaylene''s chance to show Ste that status alone would not grant her favor at Caline.


    "So, Ste, just bring them out. Don''t keep everyone waiting." Jaylene urged.


    Ste bit her lip, hesitating before finally saying, "I''ll go down and get them. They''re all in my car. I


    haven''t had the chance to bring them up yet."


    Jaylene quickly suggested, "Take Xavier and the others with you. It must be a lot to carry. You can''t


    possibly manage it alone."


    ''I won''t allow you any chance to call for backup, Ste.'' Jaylene thought.


    "Alright, Jaylene. Just ask them to be careful not to damage anything." Ste conceded.


    Jaylene''s smile faltered, still ying the part. "Don''t worry. They won''t damage anything."


    Upon receiving the call, Xavier agreed and asked for a few people to fetch the gifts from Ste''s car.


    Jaylene was momentarily taken aback. ''Did Ste actually prepare the gifts? I


    However, she quickly dismissed her surprise. ''It doesn''t matter. Even if Ste had prepared something,


    it couldn''t be impressive. Otherwise, why would she hesitate to present it? She must have been unable


    topare her gifts to mine, so she''s reluctant to do so.''


    During the wait, Ste seemed restless, frequently checking her phone. Her nervousness was evident.


    When Xavier and a few others returned, carrying items covered with dust protectors, everyone stood


    up, curious about the contents.


    Once the items were unveiled, twenty to thirty sets of ready-to-wear fashion from top luxury brands, all


    in stylish designs, were revealed. Each set was exceptionally beautiful. Even at a nce, the quality of


    the materials was top-notch.


    Everyone was astonished by Ste''s choice of "warm clothing."

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    Chapter 2060


    Someone from the crowd could not contain her curiosity and asked, "Ms.


    Hall, what are these?"


    Ste approached, appearing slightly embarrassed. She said, "Didn''t I mention earlier? The weather is


    cold these days, so I thought of giving some clothing items to keep everyone warm.¡¯


    "But didn''t you say you had prepared something more uniform? These don''t look uniform at all. They''re


    all different." another from the crowd said.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Ste exined, "They are uniform in a way. I didn''t know everyone''s sizes, and since we''re not all


    acquainted yet, asking directly felt too presumptuous. So, I opted for a uniform approach and bought


    everything in size s.


    "Seeing that some of you have a simr build to mine today, I initially thought of exchanging a few for


    size M. But Jaylene insisted I give them out today, and seeing everyone so eager, I had no choice but


    to bring them over."


    Ste touched the fabric of the clothes and added, "These might not look very thick, but they''re actually


    quite warm andfortable. Jaylene often wears these brands herself. Considering we''re about the


    same age, I figured our tastes would be simr."


    Julia was annoyed by Ste''s words and thought, ''So, uniform meant the size was uniform? Is she


    genuinely this oblivious?''


    Then Julia turned to Jaylene and saw that her reaction was clearly far from pleased. However, she was


    unaware of why Jaylene was so infuriated.


    Jaylene was angry because every piece on the rack was part of the clothing she had used to mock


    Ste in the past. All were sizes that Ste could not fit in.


    ''In my wildest dreams, I had not anticipated that Ste would use these items as gifts at Caline to win


    favor. Despite her eloquent justification, how could she be so shameless!¡¯ Jaylene thought angrily.


    The crowds were not concerned with whether Ste was genuinely naive or ying dumb. Luxury


    brand apparel, each piece valued in the five figures, was universally appealing, regardless of its


    intended message. Yet, they thought epting such expensive gifts dide with a sense of


    obligation.


    "Ms. Hall, the clothes are beautiful, but they''re too valuable."


    "Yeah. Wearing something this expensive, I''d feel awkward even carrying my usual bag or taking the


    public transport."


    "And epting such costly gifts without earning them doesn''t sit right with me."


    "These clothes are so nice; I feel like I don''t deserve them."


    Steughed and said. "It''s just a piece of clothing for each of you, don''t overthink it. No matter how


    fine the clothes are, they''re meant to be worn. In the end, they''re just essories. There''s no such


    thing as not deserving them. Besides, if we all wear them, who''s there to judge? At our age, why


    burden ourselves with such heavy thoughts?"


    Ste''s words effortlessly dissolved the awkwardness surrounding the eptance of the gifts.


    Clothing is meant to adorn the wearer, without notions of deserving or not. Anyone would feel uplifted


    after hearing that. It is not just about whether a gift reaches the heart but also about touching the


    recipient with the right words.


    The value of a gift depends on how it is presented. Jaylene''s casual remark about her gifts being


    "inexpensive trinkets" inadvertently lowered their appeal, making it seem like a mere afterthought,


    potentially even a handout.


    In contrast, Ste''s approach not only involved valuable items but also conveyed a sense of worth and


    consideration, elevating the gesture far beyond the material value of the gifts.


    Team One''s leader from Unit B was the first to break the ice. "Since Ms. Hall has said so, I won¡¯t be


    holding back then. Can we choose freely?¡¯


    With a warm smile, Ste responded, "Whoeveres first gets to choose first. It''s time to make your


    move, or else you''ll have to pick from what''s left.¡¯


    Hearing that, those who had been hesitant promptly got up from their seats and lined up to choose their


    clothes.

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    Chapter 2061


    Ste smiled as she scanned the entire room.


    None of the members from Unit A hade forward.


    The other groups sent a few representatives each. About thirty percent of them took the clothes while


    seventy percent did not.


    Darcie had deep roots in Caline; most of the staff in the fragrance department were loyal to her.


    Just as Ste was mulling over this, she caught sight of a girl at the door delivering files, sneaking


    nces in their direction.


    She raised her hand in a friendly gesture and said, "Hey,e on over and pick something out."


    The girl hesitated for a moment before rushing over. She exined, "Ms. Hall, I''m not from the


    fragrance department."


    Ste nced at her work badge, which indicated she was from the finance department.


    The girl''s name was Wren Adkin. She looked young, likely fresh out of school.


    Ste shed her a grin. "It''s a gift. You should take it while you have the chance."


    Wren''s eyes lit up. She blushed as she thanked Ste and joined the queue to get the clothes.


    Jaylene stared at Wren in anger. She clenched her fists and made her way over to Ste.


    "Ste, those clothes you handpicked for everyone seem awfully simr to


    the ones I gifted you before. Did you not like them and decide to give them away?"


    Everyone was stunned, thinking if the clothes were Ste''s rejects.


    Ste maintained herposure and smiled. "Jaylene, I would never."


    "I picked out those clothes myself. I have a pretty good memory, Ste. I still have the receipts on my


    phone," Jaylene scoffed.


    Ste met her gaze. "Jaylene, all these clothes are size s. I can''t fit into them. How could they be mine?


    Plus, you know my size.''


    Jaylene was momentarily speechless.


    She had purposefully bought size s, knowing Ste could not wear them.


    But Ste preempted her, so she could not say that now. She could not let everyone know she


    intentionally gave Ste clothes she could not wear since it would be a p in the face.


    Jaylene held back her anger and swallowed her pride. "What if there are people who can''t fit into size


    s? Why not give everyone the purchase receipts? That way, they can exchange the clothes at the store


    if they can''t wear them."


    Ste paused, looking at Jaylene amidst the moving crowd.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Jaylene smirked. "Is it too much trouble?"


    Before Ste could respond, the leader of Unit B piped up, "Anyone need to change sizes? I''m good. I


    put on a good ten pounds over the holidays. I need a size s. I n to hang this piece of clothing by my


    bedside as my motivation to lose weight. I have to slim down enough to fit into it!¡± 1


    "Same here!"


    "I''m gonna give it to my sis. I''ve been racking my brain for her birthday, and she wears an S."


    Surprisingly, no one wanted to swap sizes.


    Jaylene looked defeated.


    "No worries. As long as you haven''t thrown the tags or worn the clothes, you cane to me within a


    month if you want to change the sizes. I''ll make it happen." said Ste.


    She nced at Jaylene and continued, "You''re always thinking ahead, Jaylene."


    Jaylene forced a smile in response. However, her expression soured after she turned around and left


    without looking back.


    Once the office door was shut, Jaylene swept everything off her desk onto the floor. Her face darkened


    as she confronted Julia. "What''s with your big mouth!"

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    Chapter 2062


    Julia''s face drained of color as she nervously fiddled her fingers. She bowed her head and was too


    scared to speak.


    She said what she said only after seeing Jaylene''s expression and receiving her silent signal. ''If


    Jaylene was against the idea, why didn''t she stop me during the event?'' she thought.


    Ste''s gifts outshone Jaylene''s, and her speech was also better. Jaylene felt publicly humiliated.


    Frustrated, she needed an outlet for her anger, and Julia became the scapegoat.


    Once Jaylene''s temper subsided, Julia tentatively said, '' Ms. Saun, perhaps this incident isn''t entirely


    negative. It helps US see who we can rely on in the future."


    Jaylene calmed down upon hearing that. She noticed Ste had not finished distributing her gifts and


    that most of the staff seemed hesitant to take sides. Caline was not The Velvet, and winning people


    over would not be easy for Ste, let alone with such simple tactics.


    Although Jaylene understood this, being publicly embarrassed without retaliation was something she


    could not stomach.


    "Ms. Saun, I have an idea. We can set an example to show everyone who''s in charge and what''s off-


    limits," Julia said in a low tone.


    Jaylene considered this. "How do you propose we do that?"


    "Through that girl from the finance department, Wren Adkin. That department is loyal to Mrs. Saun. If


    Wren epts gifts from Ste, reprimanding her would send a clear message."


    Jaylene hesitated. "My mom won''t agree to me firing someone so suddenly."Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    While Wren was not an important figure in the finance department, being recruited by Darcie implied


    she possessed somepetence.


    Darcie would not dismiss someone over such a trivial matter.


    Julia wanted to continue, but Jaylene waved her off. "You can leave now," she said in an icy tone.


    Julia picked up the scattered items and silently exited the office.


    In the hallway, she encountered na.


    Julia''s eyes welled up. "na."


    na signaled for her to keep quiet and motioned toward the stairwell.


    Once they were alone, Julia expressed her frustrations to na, exining how Jaylene had hinted her


    into speaking up yet med her for how things turned out.


    na, who had worked closely with Darcie for years, understood Jaylene''s personality well. Compared


    to Darcie''s assertiveness, Jaylene was fragile and would crumble under pressure.


    One positive aspect was herplete deference to Darcie. Under Darcie''s watchful eye, Jaylene


    ensured she did not stir up any major trouble.


    However, she would asionally disy some spoiled behavior.


    "Being Mrs. Saun''s favorite, she''s never faced any real adversity. Today, she lost face, and that must


    sting. Cut her some ck. Eventually, Caline will fall under Jaylene''s leadership, otherwise, I wouldn''t


    have suggested Mrs. Saun to have you work with her."


    Julia forced a smile, grasping na''s intentions. However, she found Jaylenecking as she was not


    cunning and was too timid.


    ¡öJaylene lets Ste step all over her. She only dares vent her anger on those beneath her. How will


    people respect her if she doesn''t toughen up?''


    thought Julia.


    na then said, "Mrs. Saun will be back soon. Keep an eye on Jaylene for now. Make sure she doesn''t


    provoke Ste, stay low-key until Mrs. Saun returns."


    Julia nodded, but her frustration lingered. After bidding farewell to na, she pondered for a moment


    before reaching out to some colleagues she trusted.


    Jaylene spent the afternoon arranging flowers in the office. After taking several photos, she posted


    them on Twitter with the caption: [Here''s to a year filled with blooming flowers and boundless love.]


    Ste screenshotted the post and sent it to Keegan.


    Before he could open the screenshot, he noticed Ste''s new profile picture -a wedding photo of them


    with his back turned.


    He remarked in a text: [You changed your profile picture]


    Ste messaged back: [Take a look at the screenshot. Jaylene just posted a thank-you message for


    your roses on her social media.]

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    Chapter 2063


    Keegan was uninterested in Jaylene''s post. He texted Ste: [Have you been keeping that wedding


    photo on your phone all this time?]


    ''That''s not the main point here,'' Ste thought.


    Despite that, he pressed on: [Didn''t you say you deleted all the photos when we divorced? Were you


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    lying to me?]


    Ste did not know how to respond.


    Keegan spected further: [Were you lying too when you imed you didn''t like me back then? Ste,


    did you... have feelings for me when we got married?]


    Ste replied: [No? I married you to avoid being forced into marrying an old man. I had plenty of suitors


    back then, you know. Just look at Spencer; that should give you an idea of the type of men pursuing


    me. With so many high- quality men after me, why would I like you?]


    Keegan continued to type out a message: [Ste, you married me because you had feelings for me,


    right?]


    [No, it was because I was interested in your money.]


    As soon as the message was sent, Keegan called. Ste remembered the listening device in the room


    and did not dare to answer, so she hung up immediately.


    But he called back almost immediately, leaving Ste with no choice but to answer.


    She lowered her voice and asked, "What''s up?"


    "Ste," Keegan softly called her name.


    "I''m listening," Ste said.


    Keegan kept calling her name, ''Ste, Ste..."


    His voice became increasingly clingy, making Ste''s ears turn red. "What do you want to say?" she


    asked.


    Keegan did not speak but chuckled lightly. It sounded oddly satisfying. "It had always been me, right?"


    Ste held her phone tightly. Keegan¡¯sughter pierced her heart, making her feel embarrassed and


    tingly.


    She was about to say no but eventually said, "Mm-hmm."


    Keegan smiled and did not say a word. Ste remained silent, too. Only the sound of their breathing


    came through the line, echoing in her ears.


    Ste flipped through the pages of the book at hand and cleared her throat softly. "If there''s nothing


    else, I''ll hang up now."


    "Okay. See you after work," said Keegan.


    Ste put down her phone, gently rubbed her face, and smiled again. She opened Facebook and


    reposted a question from aizen, which read: [ What kind of love do you think is the best, Ste?]


    She replied: [Mutual love.]


    Jaylene finished arranging the bouquet and personally brought it to Ste, offering her a few stems.


    Ste looked at the roses and said indifferently, ¡°I don''t like roses, Jaylene. You can put them in


    Darcie''s office if you don''t have anywhere else to put them."


    "I''ve already put a few in my mom''s office. These are specifically for you," said Jaylene.


    While fiddling with rose petals, Ste suddenly remarked, "Jaylene, roses belong to the Rosaceae


    family, right? Isn''t Darcie allergic to roses?"

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    Chapter 2064


    Jaylene hesitated for a moment, her expression subtly changing.


    "The Rosaceae family isn''t only roses. It''s simr to how peonies and herbaceous peonies are in the


    same family, Paeoniaceae. Having an allergy to peonies doesn''t mean being allergic to herbaceous


    peonies. They''re separate species," she hurriedly rified.


    "Ah," Ste nodded in understanding. Then, she inquired, "Jaylene, I''ve noticed you seem unaffected


    by these flowers now. Has your asthma improved?"


    After the incident earlier, Jaylene was cautious in her interactions with Ste.


    ¡®Why the sudden interest in my asthma? Is Ste trying to use it as an excuse to kick me out of the


    fragrance department?'' she thought.


    "I think it''s getting better. I''ve never been sensitive to pollen, which is essential for working in the


    fragrance department," Jaylene replied cautiously.


    "Is that so? We''ve known each other for less than a year, yet I''ve seen you have attacks twice, even


    with medication on hand. Is it really wise for you to continue in the fragrance department with this


    condition? While work is important, isn''t your health more significant? If you were to copse due to this


    illness, Dad would surely me himself for allowing you to join thepany," said Ste.


    Jaylene would not let Ste use her health as a reason to oust her from Caline. Quickly, she


    responded, "Ste, you''re overthinking it. I wouldn''t be here if I weren''t medically cleared. The doctor


    has provided me with reports confirming I''m fit to work in the fragrance industry."


    "Is that so?" Ste scrutinized her for a moment before asking, "So,Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    fragrant flower pollen doesn''t trigger your attacks?"


    Jaylene nodded. "That''s right."


    Flowers weren''t her allergens, so they don''t cause attacks.


    In fact, Jaylene had been seeking medical advice everywhere while the Saun family took care of her


    over the years. Her condition has improved greatly.


    Apart from a minor incident atst year''s charity banquet, where she identally came into contact


    with an allergen, she had not had an attack in two to three years.


    The most dreaded aspect of asthma is the allergen. Jaylene''s allergen was identified long ago. As long


    as she avoided contact, she would not experience any major symptoms. She had managed her


    condition very well.


    Ste looked at Jaylene. Her expression grew colder as she said, "That''s good to hear."


    Saying this, she quietly saved the recorded audio. Since Jaylene said she was fine, she would not give


    her the chance to use her illness as an excuse.


    Despite Ste''s repeated statements that she did not like roses, Jaylene still left a few stems here,


    iming it would improve her mood.


    Once Jaylene left, Ste picked up a small spray bottle and sprayed water on the roses.


    Then, she sent a private message to the flower shop owner: [Next time, please don''t send such fresh


    flowers.]


    The owner replied: [Why not?]


    Ste texted back: [Just send the flowers left over from the previous day at a discounted price.]


    The owner was speechless. She had not seen anyone pursue a girl while being so stingy.


    Once Jaylene left Ste''s office, Darcie called. She had just gotten off the ne and learned about


    today''s events from na, so she contacted Jaylene.


    Her advice was clear: maintain a low profile, let Ste do as she pleased, treat her well as instructed,


    and avoid open confrontation.


    The thought of being humiliated today made Jaylene extremely ufortable, and Darcie''s instruction


    to endure it only made her more upset.


    She could not fathom why her mother was so wary of Ste. ''Even though Ste''ste mother founded


    Caline, wasn''t it mom''s efforts that led it to its current state? Why should we tiptoe around Ste just


    because she joined Caline?''


    "Do you hear me?" Darcie asked over the phone.

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    Chapter 2065


    Hearing Jaylene''s silence, Darcie raised her voice.


    Jaylene pursed her lips and replied, "Got it."


    Darcie continued, "Ste likes mangoes and cherries. Have someone send some to her office. Also,


    inform HR to assign a driver for her. Look after her well, and your dad will see your efforts."


    "Alright," Jaylene replied in disdain.


    She tried to bring up the matter regarding Wren with Darcie as Julia''s words kept echoing in her ears.


    Jaylene could not swallow the humiliation. She wanted to take action and assert authority.


    Before she could say anything, Darcie cautioned her against stirring up trouble and quickly hung up.


    Jaylene bit her lip and reluctantly put away her phone, heading toward the restroom.


    As she approached the slightly ajar restroom door, she overheard voices inside.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Someone said, "Chanel perfume and Armani foundation. I thought she would give us something


    expensive, with how she talks down on us. I can''t believe she''s trying to buy our loyalty but unwilling to


    spend the money. She''s so full of pride. No wonder they say a doting mother makes a disobedient


    child. Mrs. Saun is something, but her daughter surely isn''t."


    "Exactly. They''re just makeup products that are worth a few bucks.


    Suppose we can use it, great. But if they don''t suit US and we resell them online, people will think it''s


    counterfeit goods. It would''ve been better if she


    gave US something practical," another person replied.


    "Ms. Hall''s gifts are so practical. The fabric of those clothes is top-notch. Zara tried hers on in the office


    earlier, and it looked amazing. I regret not grabbing one. Why should we care about the power struggle


    between the higher-ups? I don''t care who my boss is, but I sure want a generous boss. Even if Ms. Hall


    isn''t perfect, she''s wealthy and generous!"


    One of the voices said, "Stop talking about it. I regret it so much. Even if I don''t want to wear those


    clothes, they''ll sell online at thirty percent off with the tags still on. I''d rather have the money."


    "Did you guys see Ms. Saun''s face when the others went to queue for the clothes just now? Even those


    from the finance department went in line. She can''t even control her mom''s people, yet she wants to


    manage others."


    Jaylene''s face became distorted. She clenched her fists and left.


    Then, she called Julia, her face tense. "Besides firing them, do you have other methods to assert


    authority over those people?"


    Upon hearing this, Julia immediately offered her strategy.


    Jaylene fell silent for a moment after listening to the n.


    "Alright, I''ll leave it to you. Make sure to do it well. Let them know who Caline belongs to, and you''ll be


    Julia eagerly agreed.


    After hanging up the phone, she sent a message in the group chat: [Thanks, everyone. Dinner''s on me


    tonight.]


    Ste left at half past five. She swaggered out of the lobby, drawing many curious nces.


    She contacted Felicity and then hailed a cab straight to Clouditude International.


    Felicity had not finished work yet, and Vermont was alone at home. He greeted Ste with enthusiasm


    when he opened the door and saw her. He offered her a ss of water and sat beside her, stroking his


    cat.


    Ste took a sip of water and looked at Vermont. Suddenly, she asked, "Mr. Snyder, are you interested


    in investing in a short drama film?"

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    Chapter 2066


    Vermont did not answer Ste''s question but looked at her from head to toe. After a moment, he


    suddenly chuckled and asked, "Is that a new way to make money?"


    Ste nodded and exaggeratedly recounted the short drama market that Felicity had told her about


    earlier that day.


    "It may take long for regr dramas to break even, but not for short dramas. They don''t require much


    investment, and the return is high. There aren''t any strict regtions on short dramas yet, and the


    possibilities are endless.


    "If you don''t seize the opportunity now before it''s toote, you might never have a chance to get a


    piece of this big pie."


    While feeding Ed, Vermont smiled. "Ste, if it''s so profitable, why aren''t you venturing into it?"


    Ste sighed. "It''s not that I don''t want to, but look at my belly now."


    Vermont seemed to be convinced by Ste''s reason. He stroked the cat with his gaze lowered and


    asked, "It''s not a bad idea, but it''s difficult to find a good script nowadays."


    Ste said, "Have you forgotten about Felicity? She''s an excellent scriptwriter. If you were to hire her,


    not only would you get to spend more time with her, but you could also showcase your work abilities.


    "Felicity is different from me. She''s particrly fond of men who are capable in their work."


    Vermont chuckled and said, "That''s a pretty good suggestion."


    However, Ste did not know if Vermont really agreed with her. She asked,"


    So, what do you think?"


    Vermont answered, "Ste, you can film whatever short dramas you want. I''ll invest in it, but I have a


    condition."


    Ste paused for a moment before she chuckled and said, "It''s just a suggestion for you to make


    money. What does this have to do with me?"


    "Oh." Vermont nodded. "I see. Well, then, forget it. I''m not interested in making money now. I''m


    different from Keegan. He has a wife and children to support, so he has the motivation to earn more.


    Why would a single man like me want so much money? It''s just going to make me feel lonelier."


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Ste quickly tried to persuade him. She said, "Hey, hey, hey. Why feel lonely? You still have Felicity.


    How are you going to marry her if you don''t have a lot of money? How will you raise your children?


    "Do you know how expensive it is to raise a kid nowadays? Besides all the tuition fees, you still have to


    take them all over the world to broaden their horizons. What if your kid wants to be an entrepreneur?


    How are you going to support them if you don''t have enough money? It''s better to be prepared now,


    isn''t it?"


    Vermont sighed. "I do want to marry her, but fortunately, she doesn''t want to marry me. There''s no


    need to think so far ahead because she doesn''t even want me to meet her mother. She''d find all kinds


    of excuses whenever I brought this up. Do you think she''s just toying with me and never thought about


    marrying me?"


    "That''s impossible. Felicity isn''t that kind of person. If she were, she would''ve dated a lot of men before


    you. The more serious someone is, the more cautious they are about marriage. If she hasn''t taken you


    to meet her mother, it might just be because she isn''t ready for marriage yet.


    "After all, Felicity grew up in a single-parent household, and she was raised by her mother alone.


    Perhaps she doesn''t trust marriage, so she''s reluctant to introduce you to her mother."


    "Then help me,¡± Vermont immediately said. "Felicity listens to everything you say. If you give her some


    advice, maybe we can tie the knot. Forget about filming just one short drama; we can do ten.


    "You don''t have to spend a penny, and I''ll give you the title of producer.


    We''ll split the profit fifty-fifty. Consider it as pocket money for my two little nephews. How about that?"


    Ste''s eyes immediately lit up upon hearing Vermont''s proposal.


    Then, she spoke earnestly, "Why talk about money? My wish is for you two to settle down. I''m just


    doing what I can to make that happen."


    Vermont smiled. "I''ll take that as a yes then."


    Ste made an "OK" gesture with her hand.


    After a while, Felicity came back.


    Vermont stood up to grab her clothes and bag and handed her the slippers. He did everything


    automatically, and Felicity''s response was just as natural. It seemed like they had unconsciously


    formed this habit, coordinating seamlessly.


    Ste paused and thought, ''They look like a married couple living together. Do they really need my


    help?''


    Felicity was indeed very busy. She did not get a lot of sleep since New Year and had been going to the


    set every day. She had even lost a few pounds, making her chin look pointier.

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    Chapter 2067


    Upon seeing Ste, Felicity immediately sat next to her and talked about various things, from work to


    life. Ste could tell that Felicity was feeling very contented.


    After drinking a ss of water, Felicity suddenly remembered the important stuff. "By the way, you


    texted me saying you wanted me to write you a short drama. What kind of short drama is it?"


    Ste took out the rough plot she had drafted in the office that afternoon and handed it to Felicity. "It''s


    going to be about these character settings and storyline. Take a look and see if you can write it."


    Felicity read it briefly and smiled. "This is perfect, but we need toe up with another narrative style.


    This is too slow; audiences nowadays prefer revenge-themed stories. We just need to make some


    minor changes to it."


    She then discussed the storyline as she envisioned it with Ste. Ste nodded and said, "Okay. I feel


    like I''m watching it already, just listening to you."


    Felicity replied excitedly, "I¡¯ll stay up these days to rush it out for you. We can talk about it again when


    the script is ready."


    "Sure."


    Vermont came out of the kitchen and said, while grabbing his jacket, "Miss bandit, I''m going out to get


    some ginger. Can you watch the pot for me?"


    "Wait, I''ll go with Ste. You can continue with your cooking." Felicity stood up while holding Ste''s


    hand. "Is ginger all you need? Anything else?"


    Vermont put down his coat. "We''re running out of snacks. Buy some if you want. There''s some change


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    in the drawer."


    As the two of them left the house, Felicity pursed her lips, hesitating to speak.


    Ste gazed at her. "What do you want to say?"


    Felicity sighed. "On New Year, I told my mom that I have a boyfriend."


    Ste was shocked. ''She already told her mom, huh? Judging by the conflicted look on her face, I


    guess it didn''t go well.''


    Upon thinking about that, Ste asked softly, "What happened? Did she not agree?"


    Felicity said, "It''s not that she didn''t agree, but she brought up some really strange requirements."


    Ste was puzzled. "Is it about money?"


    "No, she doesn''t care about that at all."


    "Then does she want to live with you and Vermont after you two get married?"


    "Nope."


    "Then-"


    "It''s not about money, not about where she¡¯s going to stay, not about a house, and not about a car as


    well."


    Felicity bit her lip, seeming hesitant to speak. However, as she realized that there was no one else who


    could help her with this, she decided to confide in Ste and seek her advice. So, she gathered her


    courage and spoke out.


    "My mom wants me to live together with stinky Cucumber."


    Ste was confused. "Aren''t you two living together now?"


    Felicity blushed. "She doesn''t mean it that way. It''s what you did with Keegan. She said if I can get


    pregnant, then we''ll get married. If I can''t, then


    I should not waste my time with him."

 Chapter 2068

    Chapter 2068


    Chapter 2068


    Ste froze for a moment as if she understood. But she did not.


    Felicity spoke even more straightforwardly, "What my mom meant was that we must have a child. If


    Stinky Cucumber can''t give me a child, then my mom will never agree to our rtionship, no matter


    what.


    "She needs someone to inherit her ''throne''. I''m not up to the task, so she ns to have a little


    sessor."


    Ste was speechless.


    ''It seems like our roles are switched,'' she thought. Then, she asked bewilderedly, "What ''throne'' does


    your mom have?"


    Felicity hesitated for a moment before pointing at the Deron Supermart at the side. "Can you see that


    supermarket over there?"


    Ste nced over, looked at it, and thought, ''What does one of the top ten supermarket chains in the


    country have to do with her mom?''


    Then, she heard Felicity continuing, "She founded Deron Supermart. Also, she has a lot of vegetable


    and fruit ntations, livestock breeding bases, various beverage and meat processing factories..."


    Ste was so shocked that she could not utter a word.


    Felicity was always so low-key and even more financially savvy than her. Ste had always thought


    that she came from an average working-ss family and never considered that she might be a secret


    wealthy heiress.


    Looking back, Ste noticed some signs. For instance, Felicity always had a Deron shopping card, and


    the products there were not cheap. While she hesitated when shopping elsewhere, she hardly ever


    checked prices at Deron.


    Also, on one of Ste''s birthdays, she gifted her a shopping card from Deron Supermart worth five


    thousand dors. However, Ste did not dare to ept it as she thought Felicity was drunk and had


    mistakenly reloaded the wrong amount.


    Moreover, when Dahlia froze Ste''s card, and she urgently needed to pay Rainee''s medical fees,


    Felicity gave her a million dors in no time.


    Ste did not think much of it when Felicity said she got the money from her friend.


    Later, she realized that one million was not a small amount, and given how urgent it was, even a good


    friend would need to consider the other party''s ability to repay such arge sum.


    So, Ste figured Felicity most likely got the money from her family.


    Ste massaged her temples, still digesting the news of her best friend suddenly bing the heiress


    of Deron Supermart. ¡¯Hold up, why are you putting yourself through the hardships of a regr person


    when your family is so rich?"


    Felicity frowned. ''My mom is rich, not me. She never wanted me toe to Rivera. She wanted me to


    stay in our hometown after graduation to take over her business. But I know what I¡¯m capable of, and I


    simply can''t do business.


    "We had a huge fight because we had different opinions, so she stopped giving me allowance right


    after I graduated. You know very well I can never stand to be treated like this, so I told her that I won''t


    go back home until I be a sessful scriptwriter!"


    The period right after graduating was the toughest for Felicity. Ste had helped her a lot during this


    time. Back then, she had just married into the Kane family and was treading on thin ice in the house.


    However, when Felicity asked for her help, she did not hesitate to use her savings to help her out of her


    predicament.


    Over the years, although Felicity had not achieved anything remarkable, she got herself a stable job.


    She was already very happy that she got to work in the industry she loved and had a friend like Ste.


    Ste was speechless. "You could''ve lived like a princess, yet you chose to be a corporate ve?"


    Felicity said, "My mom was deeply hurt by her previous rtionship and felt that nothing in this world


    can be relied upon except money. This is why she works so hard to make money. But deep down, she


    knows that money alone can''t do everything.


    "Especially toward kids, money can breedziness and discourage ambition. So, she would always


    give me just enough for my living expenses. When I was in school, I boasted to my ssmates that I


    could get anything from Deron for free.


    "When I got home that day, my mom chased me with a broom for two miles and gave me a two-hour


    lecture I''d never forget. She''s afraid that having money will have a bad influence, so she''s been very


    strict with my finances.


    "As time passed and she realized I became independent, she became worried about other things.


    When Stinky Cucumber lied to me about being impotent back then, I tested my mom by asking if she


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    could ept it if I didn''t have any children. This is probably why she immediately connected the dots


    herself and made that request.


    "She wants a child to inherit our family business, but I know that is not her main concern. My cousins


    are doing very well in thepany, and my mom has also been gradually delegating authority. Since I


    don''t have any siblings, she''s just worried that I might be alone if something were to happen to her."


    Although Ste disagreed with using one''s perspective as a parent to force their children into marriage


    and having children, she could understand it from Florence''s point of view.


    It was impossible for a mother not to worry about her child as long as she was still breathing.

 Chapter 2069

    Chapter 2069


    Chapter 2069


    "What do you n to do now, then?" Ste asked.


    Felicity sighed upon hearing that. "Stinky Cucumber is such a fool. I went to his room wearing a


    nightdress one night, and he asked me to y games with him until he fell asleep!


    "He''s always so flirtatious with me, but he bes so clueless given the chance. I really don''t know


    what¡¯s going on in his empty brain!"


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Steughed as she thought to herself, ''This is so funny. Vermont is trying so hard to meet Florence


    and get her approval of their rtionship, yet all Felicity wants now is to sleep with him.''


    Felicity was feeling frustrated. When she saw Steughing, she suddenly asked, "Ste, how do you


    hint to Keegan that you''re in the mood?"


    Suddenly, Ste could notugh anymore.


    But Felicity got excited. "Come on, share your experience with me so I can take Stinky Cucumber


    down!"


    "... I don''t have any."


    Felicity red at her. How could you get pregnant then?"


    Ste did not feel like sharing this with Felicity. But as she was faced with such a thorough and humble


    learner, she changed her mind.


    ''How did I hint to Keegan? All I had to do was kiss his neck....''


    Ste coughed and said, "Well, it depends on the atmosphere. When the atmosphere is right, it''ll


    happen naturally."


    "How do you get the atmosphere right then?"


    Ste paused momentarily before saying, "Do you really want to know?" Felicity was puzzled.


    It was not until she saw the link Ste sent her for role-ying costumes that her face immediately


    turned red. Then, she red at her and said," You two are so inappropriate!"


    Ste said inwardly, ''The bunny costume I sent you is already one of the most appropriate ones.


    Otherwise, I''m afraid that you''ll end up like my first time.''


    Felicity asked hesitantly, "If I order it, will it show anything on the parcel?"


    "You can add a note for discreet shipping," Ste suggested.


    However, she actually wanted to tell Felicity that every package had to be checked upon arrival at the


    warehouse so the delivery person could easily see what was purchased. Choosing the discreet


    shipping option was pointless.


    Felicity''s ears turned red. "I''ll buy something else with this order to make it look less suspicious."


    Ste pursed her lips, thinking that Felicity was simply deceiving herself.


    Felicity chose a few pairs of men''s underwear, and Ste typed in her promo code before checking out.


    When they returned to 902, Felicity went to change in her room. Vermont went to Ste and asked in a


    low voice, "Ste, what did she say?"

 Chapter 2070

    Chapter 2070


    Chapter 2070


    Ste nced at the bedroom door and whispered to Vermont, "Exercise more and make sure to eat


    more folic acid. Soon, your wish wille true."


    Vermont was puzzled.


    Then, he handed the fork on the table to Ste and thoughtfully pushed the fruit te closer to her,


    humbly seeking her advice.


    "Exercise for what? I wanted to know when I can finally meet miss bandit''s parent."


    Ste speared a piece of apple with the fork. "And I am telling you how you can do that as soon as


    possible."


    Vermont paused before he suddenly said, "Are you suggesting that I should jump the gun so she''ll


    have no choice but to marry me?"


    ''Folic acid is for boosting fertility, isn''t it?¡¯ Vermont wondered to himself.


    After a moment of silence, Ste said, "You can think of it that way if you want."


    She figured that she could not possibly tell Vermont that his mother-inw was worried that he was


    incapable of having children, so she wanted to test him before meeting him. It would be too hurtful.


    Vermont''s gaze toward Ste instantly changed. "Felicity treats you as her best friend. How could you


    "Aren¡¯t you trying very hard to get her mother''s approval? This is the quickest way possible. With a


    child, her mother will have no choice but to ask Felicity to marry you."Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont''s expression darkened. "You''re her best friend, yet you''re encouraging me to do this. Aren''t


    you afraid that I''ll dump her after doing it? Let me get this straight: I do want to marry her, but never


    with such despicable means."


    He red at her when he snatched the fork from her hand. He said, "You''d better stop eating!"


    Ste was speechless.


    She was about to exin herself, but Felicity came out with a pot of soup and saw what was


    happening. "Stinky Cucumber! Why are you scolding Ste?" she yelled.


    Vermont did not want Felicity to know that he was asking for Ste''s help to probe her. Also, he was


    very angry that she treated Ste wholeheartedly, yet Ste came up with such an idea to betray her


    trust.


    Ste quickly said, "It''s nothing. Mr. Snyder is just reminding me that fruits have a high sugar content.


    But I didn''t listen to him, so he took my fork away."


    Felicity looked at Vermont suspiciously and asked, "Is that true?"


    Vermont, who would always keep calm in all kinds of situations, unexpectedly lost his temper. He


    turned around and went back into his room without saying anything.


    Felicity was puzzled. She asked, "Stinky Cucumber, what do you think you''re doing?"


    Ste grabbed her and said, "Felicity, it was just a joke. It''s all good."


    Although Vermont just scolded her, Ste was not upset at all. In fact, she was very happy that he


    stood up for Felicity because the idea she came up with could hurt Felicity''s feelings.


    While it was true that he had lied to Felicity before, he had his principles and knew not to step over the


    line. He had never mistreated Felicity throughout their rtionship.


    Felicity said, "He rarely acts like this and would never get angry for no reason. This is strange."


    Ste said softly, "Felicity, about... your mom wanting you two to have a baby before getting married,


    do you think you should tell Mr. Snyder about it?"


    Felicity paused, and her face immediately turned flushing red. "H-How can I bring that up to him? It''s so


    embarrassing," she stammered.


    "Why weren''t you embarrassed when you kept asking Dr. Corbin to help you check for breast


    nodules?"


    "That''s different! I was just saying that for fun, but this is what I have to physically do! Besides, if we fail


    to have a baby, what should I do? Do I just tell him directly, Tm sorry, we can''t get married.''?"

 Chapter 2071

    Chapter 2071


    Chapter 2071


    Ste sighed. "Do you have a better n?"


    Felicity scratched her head. After a long pause, she said, "I''ll sleep with him first, and if I get pregnant,


    well get married, otherwise, 111 think of another way. Regardless, I''m not going to marry anyone else


    other than him.


    "I don''t want to argue with my mom because I want to be with him. She''s raised me and suffered so


    much for me. Even if Vermont is incapable of having a baby with me, I''ll try my best to find a middle


    ground."


    Florence was very sessful in her career. That was why she had the confidence to tantly state her


    attitude toward choosing her son-inw.


    Ste even thought that Florence might not only want them to have a child just for the sake of it, but


    she might also want to test Vermont''s loyalty.


    Vermont''s anger went away just as quickly as it red up. After Keegan arrived, the four of them had


    dinner together.


    When Ste was going back home, she texted Vermont in the car, subtly hinting that he should


    Florence loved children, hoping he would catch on.


    Keegan nced at her phone and asked, "Why are you being so polite with him? Did you make him


    angry?"


    Ste said, "He lied to Felicity, saying that he was impotent. Now, Felicity''s mom really thinks that he''s


    incapable of having a child and insists that Felicity must get pregnant before getting married to him.


    "Felicity is too shy to tell him directly, and as an outsider, I''m in no ce to do it either. So, I told him to


    exercise regrly and take more folic acid.


    "He thinks that I''m betraying Felicity for money and was encouraging him to hurt her. He''s very upset


    with me now. If you hadn''te, he probably wouldn''t have spoken to me all night."


    Keegan was very surprised. "They''ve been living together for so long, yet they''ve done nothing?''


    Ste''s gossiping nature was awakened. "Yeah, I just found out today. We know that Felicity is all talk,


    but what''s the deal with Vermont? He looks like a yboy, and it doesn''t seem like he can control


    himself so well. Does he have a condition?"


    Keegan thought for a moment before saying, "I suddenly remembered something."


    "What is it?"


    "Vermont had a very clingy ex who would call him several times every day. Whenever we went out, his


    phone would ring all night long. Carter said that when they broke up, thedy posted something on her


    Twitter, saying that it''s better to find a boyfriend with good kidneys.


    "Coincidentally, Vermont was hospitalized that year due to acute pyelonephritis."


    Suddenly, Ste looked as if the "mystery" was solved.


    Aldor looked speechless in the driver''s seat.


    ''I guess it''s true that birds of a feather flock together. Ever since Mr. Kane got back together with Mrs.


    Kane, he started gossiping about other people''s private lives,'' Aldor thought inwardly.


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    However, Aldor was also very curious whether Vermont had anyplications from that illness.


    When they arrived at Royalpark Vi, Ste saw several sets of ancient clothing costumes hanging in


    the living room as soon as they entered the house. She felt a tingling sensation on her scalp when she


    looked at them.


    Keegan leaned into her ear, whispering, "Mrs. Kane, you still remember what you said, right?"


    Ste chuckled. "Can we talk about this some other time? I''m not breaking my promise, but it''s just not


    safe to do it now."


    Keegan held her hand, looking gentle. "Don''t worry. All you need to do is put them on. I won''t do


    anything. I just want to look."


    "Are you sure?¡¯ Ste was skeptical.


    Keegan said earnestly, "I swear."


    Ste pursed her lips, feeling somewhat shy. "Let me take a shower first, then. I''ll put them on for you


    after that."


    Keegan smiled. His eyes looked particrly seductive. He then kissed her forehead and said softly, "HI


    go get ready too, then."


    Ste was confused. ''Get ready? For what?"

 Chapter 2072

    Chapter 2072


    Chapter 2072


    It did not take Ste long to find out what Keegan was going to get ready for.


    He did not lie because apart from kissing her, he indeed did not do anything to her.


    However, Ste could not ept that he was doing it himself while staring at her!


    She had always thought that Keegan was a conservative person when it came to these things, other


    than his strange obsessions with certain costumes, he would act so gentlemanly most of the time. He


    would never do anything inappropriate to her.


    After all, he blushed and scolded Ste just because she mentioned the word ''''outercourse".


    But tonight, Keegan did the unexpected; he kissed her while attending to himself.


    His eyes were steamy, and his movement was sensual. Ste blushed and felt very shy, so she turned


    her head away and stared at the clock.


    Keegan chuckled and said in a hoarse voice, "Ste, do you know why I like to you see in ancient


    costumes?"


    Ste''s neck felt hot listening to his breath, and her head was spinning." Why?" she asked.


    Keegan leaned closer and kissed her earlobe. The kiss spread like ink dropped into water, instantly


    dyeing her earlobe crimson.


    He put his other hand on the back of her neck, gently caressing her. He then said, "When you get shy,


    your ears and the back of your neck will turnpletely red.


    "Although your acting skills are excellent, this area will never turn red whenever you''re filming intimate


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    scenes with other actors. But it does when you''re with me."


    He paused before he emphasized, "Only with me."


    He did not just like her in ancient costumes; he liked to repeatedly prove that she would only get


    aroused with him.


    ''Ah... what a pervert! At this point, he''s not even trying to hide it anymore!'' Ste thought to herself.


    Her mind was too upied to think about anything else. She just wanted the time to pass quickly.


    When everything ended, Keegan''s breath became quicker, then gradually returned to normal.


    Ste stayed still, her neckpletely immobile. She wanted to tease him and said, ''That was quick.''


    However, she just could not bring herself to utter a word; it was as if her mouth was sealed shut.


    Keegan sat up, took a tissue, and wiped both of their hands. After cleaning up, he kissed Ste''s cheek


    and said, "Go wash up and let''s go to sleep."


    "Okay," Ste said. Then, he led her to the bathroom.


    Her mind was still in a daze when theyy down on the bed. Keegan noticed how absent-minded she


    was and asked softly, "Ste, are you feeling unwell?"


    Ste snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head.


    When Keegan was about to say something else, she beat him to it and instead said, "Sixteen minutes


    and thirty-nine seconds. Did you secretly change the time on the form?"


    He kept quiet as his expression changed. Then, hey down on the bed with a tense face.


    Ste leaned over. "It''d be understandable if it''s a difference of three to five minutes, but ten minutes?


    Is this normal?"


    With a dark expression, Keegan said sharply, "Shut up!"

 Chapter 2073

    Chapter 2073


    Chapter 2073


    Ste continued to tease Keegan. She said, "Mr. Kane, as someone in R&D, you should know the


    importance of data, right? How could you ever manipte them?"


    His eyelid twitched as he sneered. "If you keep bbering, I''m going to conduct a control experiment


    on you and redo the data collection!"


    Ste kept her mouth shut but kept blinking her eyes at him.


    Keegan reached out to cover them and kissed her fiercely. Then, he said through gritted teeth, "Close


    your eyes! It''s time to sleep!"


    Ste chuckled, rested her head on his shoulder, and hugged him.


    Just as she was about to fall asleep, her phone rang.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Keegan tapped her. "Why didn''t you put it on silent?" "I forgot." Ste took her phone, intending to turn


    the silent mode on. Then, she suddenly saw a text from Marshall.


    [Ste, do you know Luanna Saab?]


    Marshall attached a photo with that message.


    When Ste read it, she sat up abruptly.


    Keegan was startled by her sudden movement and opened his eyes, asking, "What''s wrong?"


    Ste said, "Marshall is asking me about an old ssmate.''


    Keegan frowned. "What old ssmate? Why does he have to bother you in the middle of the night?"


    Ste shrugged. "Let me ask him."


    The girl in the photo sent by Marshall was Luanna Saab, Ste''s ssmate from university. They had a


    pretty good rtionship with each other during that time. Luanna had a very innocent look and was


    selected by a production crew to star in an idol drama, bing an overnight sensation.


    After that, she was offered countless other roles and turned herself into a rising star in the industry.


    Perhaps she got too busy, or her mindset changed after meeting more people, but Ste talked less


    with her than before.


    The trend of idol dramas died off very quickly-the agency she signed with wanted to make quick money


    and only offered her simr types of roles. The trend faded in just a few years, and the types of dramas


    she starred in had extremely poor ratings.


    Her poprity declined, but she managed to sustain her career due to her previous sess.


    However, at the beginning ofst year, Luanna was exposed for testing positive in a drug test.


    Consequently, an official announcement was made to confirm it. After that, all her dramas were taken


    down, and she disappeared from the entertainment industry.


    At that time, everyone in the group chat talked about it for some time.


    Since then, Ste had not heard any news about her. Luanna even deleted Ste''s number from her


    phone.


    Ste could not figure out why Marshall would ask her about Luanna. She texted back: (We were


    university ssmates and roommates, but we haven''t gotten in touch much. Why?]


    It did not take Marshall long to reply: (Luanna Saabmitted suicide by charcoal burning. She left a


    note stating how she was drugged and framed. Her sister brought the note to me, wanting to sue


    everyone involved.


    [However, the note can''t be used as direct evidence. Her sister also sent me her contact list, and I saw


    your name on it. I thought it might be someone else with the same name, so I decided to ask you.


    [I didn''t wake you up from your sleep, did I?]


    Keegan looked at Marshall''s text and spoke to Ste coldly, "You''re already awake. Why is he even


    asking that?"


    Ste ignored Keegan as she typed: [When did it happen? I haven''t seen any news about it.] (New


    Year¡¯s Eve. She was hospitalized for a day but couldn''t make it anyway. A lot of people knew that she


    had taken drugs before, and her family felt ashamed. So, they had a very low-profile funeral.


    (They also didn''t want to go after the people mentioned in her suicide note. However, her twin sister


    couldn''t ept it and came to me for legal advice. ]


    Ste could not ept that her once close friend was suddenly gone. She felt very ufortable.


    Marshall texted again: [Can I call you now? I have a few questions.]


    Before Ste could reply, Keegan snatched her phone and responded: (No. I''m going to sleep now.]

 Chapter 2074

    Chapter 2074


    Chapter 2074


    Ste was speechless. She then tugged at Keegan''s hair and gritted her teeth. "What are you doing?"


    He pressed her against his chest. "Have you forgotten what you promised me before?" "What?"


    Keegan swept his nce across her. "You promised to handle my other lover, and I''ll handle yours."


    Ste glowered at him. "Marshall Moore is not my secret lover!"


    Keegan sneered. "Then is Jaylene Saun mine?"


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    Ste was taken aback.


    Keegan gazed at her and gave her phone back. Then, he said with lowered eyes, "Forget about what I


    said. Reply to his message yourself. I''ve said so many hurtful things to you before I recover my


    memory.


    "I get it if you don''t trust me. I shouldn''t have demanded that you trust me like I trust you."


    After speaking, he turned over and had his back facing her. "Go answer his call," he said tly.


    Ste kept quiet.


    Although he did not say anything to me her, his words made her feel very ufortable. She patted


    his shoulder and said softly, "It''s not that I don''t trust you."


    Keegan remained silent.


    Ste spoke again, "The way you replied was just too rude. It doesn''t sound like me at all."


    Keegan still refused to turn back to her.


    Ste gritted her teeth and handed him her phone. "I didn''t say you couldn''t reply to his message.


    Come on, take it."


    Keegan finally reacted by turning his head around. He said, "I''m not forcing you to let me reply. It''s okay


    if you don''t want me to. I get it."


    Ste sighed. "That''s enough, darling. Please stop being so petty. Reply with whatever you want."


    Ste could not believe how Keegan fully embraced her knack for mocking others instead of adopting


    her good traits.


    He turned around, took her phone, and said in a pretentiously reluctant way, "I meant what I said."


    ''Hmph! What a scheming man!'' Ste snorted inwardly.


    Perhaps Keegan''s word of rejection was too straightforward, but it took Marshall a long time to reply:


    [I''m sorry for bothering you.]


    Keegan typed: [Instead of being sorry, don''t send messages in the middle of the night anymore.]


    Ste''s eyelid twitched. "How desperate do you want Marshall to know that I''m not the one he''s


    texting?"


    Keegan scoffed and deleted the text. Then, he asked Ste, "Who is this Luanna Saab he mentioned?"


    Ste briefly told him about Luanna. Then, Keegan said, "If he''s investigating Luanna''s rtionship


    with others before she died, how could he not know that you haven''t been in contact with her for a long


    time? I think he''s just using this as an excuse to talk to you."


    Ste said inwardly, ''Why would he want to talk with me? I''m afraid that he''s after you instead.'' "You


    might be right, but she was my ssmate. We were pretty close, and now she''s suddenly gone. If


    what''s written in the suicide note is true, I can''t just ignore him when he reached out to me to know


    more about her."


    Keegan stared at Luanna''s photo and suddenly said, "I feel like I''ve seen her somewhere before."


    Ste thought for a moment and said, "Maybe it was when we got married. She dropped by but did not


    stay for the dinner. She gave me a wedding gift and left."


    Keegan shook his head. "It was from some other time."


    But Ste did not find it strange. "She used to be very famous. Perhaps you''ve seen her in a drama or


    an advertisement."

 Chapter 2075

    Chapter 2075


    Chapter 2075


    Keegan did not say anything and erged the photo.


    The photo Marshall sent should be a recent picture of Luanna. She had waxen skin, dry hair, sunken


    eye sockets, and prominent cheekbones, giving her a very haggard appearance.


    The face in the photo looked very unfamiliar. But those eyes vaguely reminded Keegan of something,


    not from TV, but from real life.


    He stared at it for a while before suddenly saying, "Ste, if Marshall wants to know more about her


    from you, tell him to meet you at Caline. Don''t go out alone with him. Make sure you''re in a ce you''re


    familiar with whenever meeting him, or bring Xavier with you."


    Ste pouted. "I don''t think we can trust Xavier. He was Jaylene''s ssmate, and they are pretty close


    to each other."


    Keegan smiled. "But you can trust Trevor. He''d never ce someone he doesn''t know well enough to


    be around you."


    Ste pursed her lips and said reluctantly, "Fine."


    Then, Keegan replied to Marshall with Ste''s phone: [Let''s talk about it tomorrow. I''m very tired.]


    Marshall texted: [Sure.]


    Keegan ced the phone on the nightstand, pulled Ste closer, and put his hand on her head. "Time


    to sleep."


    Meanwhile, Marshall lowered his gaze to the text on his phone for a while before picking up a group


    photo on his desk.


    The photo was taken in a private room of a club, with dim light and many people in it, both men and


    women. Luanna''s face was closest to the camera, making a peace sign, while the people behind her


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    had different poses for the photo.


    Only one person was looking down at his phone, someone he was extremely familiar with: Keegan


    Kane.


    The photo was taken six years ago.


    Marshall put the photo in a document bag and ced it in his briefcase.


    The next day, the news of Luanna being hospitalized spread in the ss''s group chat.


    Ste was confused upon reading that message.


    ''Didn''t Marshall say that Luannamitted suicide? Why is she hospitalized?'' She wondered to


    herself.


    The ss representative texted: [I heard that she attempted suicide.


    Fortunately, she was found in time and rescued. She''s staying in Medicare Hospital now.] [Oh my god,


    is she okay?] [They say she''s fine now. I''m just wondering if we should visit her together in these few


    days. After that incident, she had to pay arge penalty for breaching her contract. Her life hasn''t been


    easy. As her ssmates, let''s pool some money together to help her get through this. What do you


    guys think?]


    Although Luanna rose to fame early and did not keep in touch with her ssmates much afterward, she


    still had good rtionships with them. When she got a role, she would often introduce her ssmates


    to be a part of the production crew.


    That was why, although she was exposed for taking drugs, none of her ssmates turned their backs


    on her. Instead, they just felt sorry for her.


    The other ssmates quickly replied upon seeing the ss representative''s suggestion.


    [Sure, let''s do it tomorrow. I''ll be busy in theing week.] [Agreed.] [For those who can make it


    tomorrow, please give your names.]


    There were twenty-one people in the group chat. Except for a few who were filming or in another city,


    twelve people in total gave their names.


    The ss representative tagged Ste: [@ste, you were closest to


    Luanna during our school days. Are you not going?]


    Ste was still pondering about Luanna''s "resurrection." Upon seeing that message, she thought for a


    moment and replied: [Sure. I''ll be driving there tomorrow and can take three people with me. Please @


    me if anyone needs a ride.]


    After sending the message, Ste subconsciously thought of texting Marshall to ask what exactly was


    going on. But halfway through typing, she deleted everything.


    Instead, she took screenshots of the group chat and sent them to Keegan with the text: [Have Aldor


    It did not take Keegan very long to text back: [Just keep yourself out of this. ] [I can''t just ignore them


    since everyone''s nning to visit her together.


    Everyone knows we were very close back then. Although I can''t offer much help, I can at least


    contribute some money. After all, she gave US a pretty expensive gift when we got married.]

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    Chapter 2076


    Keegan fell silent for a while before sending a message: [I''ll take you there tomorrow.]


    Steughed and replied: [You''re still pretending to have amnesia. Control yourself. I think Marshall


    will also be there tomorrow. You shouldn''t show up.] ''If it wasn''t because Marshall had tricked me the


    night before, then there must be another exnation Luanna hade back from the dead. Perhaps it


    is a trap meant to lure me there.'' Ste thought.


    Ste was not afraid of any idents since they were going as a group, and she firmly believed that


    Marshall''s target was not her. Even if it were a plot, he would not do anything to her under the current


    circumstances.


    However, the idea of Keegan going made Ste more worried. After all, he was still pretending to have


    amnesia. While his acting might fool the average person, Marshall would not be so easily deceived.


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    Unable to persuade Ste otherwise, Keegan eventually agreed.


    The office door was knocked on, and Jaylene entered with documents in her arms. She said warmly,


    "Ste, these documents need your signature."


    Ste put down her phone and said, "Bring them here."


    Jaylene ced the documents in front of Ste, her gaze swiftly scanning the surroundings. She


    thought, ''The desk is cleaner than her face; not a book in sight, just a notebook and a pen. The


    notebook seems to be filled with something as it looks densely packed.''


    She moved closer, tiptoeing to take a peek. She was shocked to discover that the notebook was not


    filled with writing but with doodles of little turtles.


    Then, Jaylene nced at Ste''sputer screen, which had a Minesweeper game open and still


    running. There were also several eaten fruits on the side table, with several pits on the tissue.


    Jaylene got annoyed and thought, ''Mom, why did you warn me to be wary of such a loser?1


    Ste did not rush to sign but flipped through the pages one by one. Impatient, Jaylene urged and said,


    "Ste, can you hurry up? I have other things to handle."


    Ste did not look up and answered, "Ms. Saun, I hope you can be professional in the office and call


    me Ms. Hall."


    Jaylene frowned. "Ste, there¡¯s no one else here. Do we really need to be so formal?¡±


    Ste looked up at Jaylene and said, "I prefer everything to be by the book. As long as we''re in this


    This way, if anything happens, our rtionship won''t make people think I''m being unfair.


    Ste added, "Darcie also asks you to call her Ms. Arnold in the office, right? It''s the same principle."


    Jaylene clenched her fists, clearly not convinced. It was simr to when Darcie had reprimanded her;


    she did not argue. Instead, she pressed her lips together reluctantly before saying, "I understand, Ms.


    Hall.¡¯


    Ste nodded. After she finished reviewing the documents, she returned them to Jaylene and said, "I


    can''t sign this."


    Jaylene frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"


    Ste exined, "Your product testing report hasn''te out yet. I can''t sign this."


    Jaylene argued, "The samples were sent for testing after the holiday, but this process usually takes


    about ten working days. Just sign it now, and we''ll start production. The testing report will be out by


    next Tuesday, and we can just stamp it then.¡¯


    Ste questioned, "What if the test results are not up to standard? Who will bear the loss for the


    unusable products produced?"


    Jaylene got a bit angry and said, "This form is based on customer requirements, with just two


    changes from the previous one, using very safe materials. How could it fail? We''re just following the


    procedure."


    She continued, "If you sign now, I can start production. By the time production is nearlyplete, the


    testing report will be out, and we can deliver on time to avoid the penalty for dy."


    Ste calmly replied, ¡¯Knowing the time constraints, why didn''t you inform the other party when signing


    the contract?"


    Jaylene spoke firmly, "This is how it''s always been done for bespoke perfumes. There has never been


    a problem."


    Ste leaned back and stated inly, "The past is the past, but now it''s my signature. If anything goes


    wrong, it''s on me. I like to y it safe and steer clear of trouble. Let''s just wait for the test results."

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    Feeling frustrated, Jaylene argued, "If you don''t sign, and we breach the contract, whose responsibility


    is that?"


    Ste responded, "Whoever took the order is responsible. After all these years, can''t we predict the


    shipping date urately?"


    Jaylene wanted to say more, but Ste waved her off and said, "Ms. Saun, if there''s nothing else,


    please leave. I''m tired and need to rest."


    Jaylene was so frustrated she could hardly breathe. She eventually left with the contract, her face dark


    with anger.


    Not long after Jaylene left, Darcie called Ste''s phone.


    However, she did not answer it. After the call ended, she dialed Wenham''s number.


    "Dad, how''s your trip going?" Ste asked.


    Wenham was excited, rambling on about the activities of the past two days. He ended by saying,


    "Ste, next time youe, I''ll take you diving to see the tropical fish."


    "But I don''t know how to dive," Ste said with augh.


    "I''ll teach you. It''s really simple," Wenham said. He paused before asking," How''s everything at Caline


    these past days? Is work going well?"


    "It''s great. On my first day, Darcie''s assistant gathered everyone in the lobby to introduce me to the


    Wenham was taken aback and asked, "You mean Aubrey had everyone wee you on your first


    day?"


    "Yes. Darcie didn''t even warn me in advance. It was quite awkward," said Ste.


    Wenham was silent for a while.


    Being business savvy, Ste did not need to spell it out for Wenham to understand the implications.


    Such tactics of overbearing hospitality weremon in the corporate world. Ste''s aim was to nt a


    seed of doubt in his mind.


    "That''s all for now, Dad. Enjoy yourself, and call me when you''reing back so I can pick you up,"


    said Ste.


    Wenham snapped back to reality and responded, "Alright. Tell me if you need anything. Don''t hesitate


    to act."


    Ste acknowledged and ended the call.


    The call seemed to have an effect as half an hourter, Jaylene posted a cryptic message on


    Facebook: [Too many cooks spoil the broth.]


    Though she quickly deleted the post, Ste, who had been following her blog with a burner ount,


    saw it immediately.


    Ste smirked coldly and switched to Keegan''s ount to send Jaylene another bouquet of flowers.


    Just before leaving work, Jaylene posted a picture of the flowers and a photo of herself working with


    the caption: [Just keep pushing forward, and all the good things wille in time.]


    At 5:30 p.m. sharp, Ste made a point to greet her floor''s employees before leaving work. She said,


    "From now on after everyone finishes their work, leave on time. Let''s be efficient during work hours so


    we don¡¯t need to work overtime unnecessarily."


    Winning over people''s hearts could be done in many ways. Giving gifts was the least of Ste''s


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    favorites, as it cost money. She preferred to appeal to human nature.


    After all, no one liked working overtime.


    The news of the entire 16th floor leaving at 5:30 p.m. soon reached the 15th floor. Everyone looked at


    each other before turning their eyes to Jaylene''s office.


    Jaylene could be seen with her head down through the transparent ss partition, with the blinds left


    open. She was reading seriously with a pen in hand, surrounded by a pile of folders, seemingly


    determined not to leave until she had gone through them all.

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    Chapter 2078


    Although Jaylene was not the manager of the Perfume Blending Department, being Darcie''s daughter


    meant her cement in such a crucial department was no ident. Everyone was well aware of the


    implications.


    To put it inly, Jaylene was practically the third manager of the Perfume Blending Department. Most


    people did not dare to leave if she did not leave.


    The workload of the Perfume Blending Department often meant working overtime until midnight during


    busy periods. But there were also times when taking a holiday would not affect the workflow.


    After the holiday, as the factory rushed to fulfill orders, the Perfume Blending Department was not as


    busy. However, in the office, leaving work often depended on one''s immediate superior. This was


    especially important for neers like Jaylene, whose temperament was unknown. No one could be


    sure that leaving before her would not be used against them in the future.


    Jaylene''s decision to work overtime until 8:00 p.m. meant that nearly everyone stayed except for a few


    members of Unit B.


    She did not seem to think anything was amiss and handed a document to her assistant, saying, Print


    this out and distribute it to everyone. Tell them to fill it out and hand it in by tomorrow morning."


    Upon receiving the document, everyone was taken aback and became even more silent. They had


    thought it was something rted to important work, but it was just personnel information registration


    forms. In simple terms, these were almost the same as the ones from the Human Resource


    Department, mainly focusing on their work experiences.


    While it was not unreasonable for Jaylene, being new, to want to familiarize herself with her


    subordinates, this information could easily be obtained from HR. The insistence on handwritten forms,


    especially as a reason for her extended overtime, seemed pointless.


    Everyone was aware that Jaylene had not disyed much skill upon joining thepany. However,


    her approach to rtionships and her attitude were notably different from Darcie''s.


    Darcie''s high reputation at Caline was closely tied to her emotional intelligence and management style.


    Thepany took on an urgent and valuable order involving mmable materials one winter. Darcie


    arranged for a 24-hour patrol team in the factory to prevent idents.


    During that period, while Darcie was taking inventory in the factory and chatting with the factory


    manager, she happened to see the patrol team passing by.


    In the dead of winter, everyone was wearing the factory''s uniform and singleyer shoes, with their


    hands and faces red from the cold. Darcie did not say anything at the time, but that very afternoon, she


    contacted the garment factory to get a new batch of cotton clothing and boots made for all the workers


    for outdoor work.


    Such attention to detail could profoundly impact morale, whether seen as a gesture or a genuine act of


    kindness. This nuanced approach to management was something Jaylene had yet to learn.


    After work, Jaylene posted a picture of the Caline building at night in her group chat with her close


    friends.


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    Soon, someone asked: [still not off work at this hour?]


    Another asked: [Working so hard just after joining?]


    Jaylene replied: [When I''m busy, time just flies by. Only when I get off work do I realize how dark it has


    gotten.]


    One of her friends replied: [I start feeling sleepy as soon as I get to the office, counting seconds to get


    through the day. How can anyone feel work time flies by? Isn''t that against the natural order?]


    Another friend of hers added: [Didn''t Ste also start working? I saw her going shopping at the mall


    after work today, around five or six in the afternoon. Howe she gets off work so early?]


    Jaylene exined: [We have different positions. Ste is young and learns quickly, while I''m just a slow


    starter.]


    Her friend responded: [And you call yourself a slow starter? What does that make the rest of US?]


    Another friend of Jaylene''s added: [Some may have a great start in life, but without effort, it''s all for


    nothing. Such a waste to have your dad''s shares given to her. If it were in your hands, wouldn''t Caline


    soar?]


    Aurora watched the continuous praise for Jaylene in the chat and then nced at Ste, who was


    ying cards with Keegan on the couch. She put down her phone and said, "Jaylene just got off work.


    Looks like she has been working overtime till now."


    Ste ignored Aurora and said to Keegan, "Hold on. Let me shuffle the deck, then you draw."


    Keegan smirked and said, "Shuffle all you want; I''ll definitely win."


    Ste challenged and asked, "What if you don''t?"


    Keegan replied, "I''ll transfer you ten thousand dors."


    Aurora was speechless at their conversation.

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    "Did you guys hear what I said?" asked Aurora.


    Ste shuffled the cards andid them out in front of Keegan for him to draw. Then, she replied to


    Aurora, "How hardworking of Jaylene to be working overtime."


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    Keegan nced at the cards in Ste''s hand before drawing one himself. As he turned it over, he


    realized it did not match with the cards he had.


    Ste immediately got excited. "Pay up, pay up!" she said.


    Holding the ace of spades, Keegan furrowed his brow. "Did you swap cards when I wasn''t looking?"


    Aurora interjected loudly, "I said Jaylene is working overtime. How are you two still in the mood to


    y?"


    Neither of them paid any attention to her this time.


    Ste stared at Keegan and said, "Can''t handle losing, huh?"


    "Hand over my phone. I''ll transfer the money to you," Keegan told her despite being skeptical.


    Ste immediately sat up and reached for the charging phone. When she did that, Keegan noticed that


    she was sitting on the three of hearts.


    He pulled out the card from under her, his expression darkening. "You cheated."


    Caught in the act, Ste chuckled awkwardly. "Well... How about you transfer me fifty thousand


    dors?"


    Keegan red at her. "I''m not giving you a cent!"


    "Honey," Ste called out.


    Keegan said, "Ten thousand."


    Ste called out again, "Darling."


    "100 thousand," Keegan responded.


    "My love, my dear. Oh, so fine. Hand me over those bills of mine. I''ll snuggle close, oh so tight. I''ll sleep


    with you all through the night!" Ste teased.


    Keegan could not help but chuckle upon hearing that. "Alright, alright. I''ll transfer you the money."


    Aurora had no expression on her face. However, she wanted to strangle the two for being so lovey-


    dovey.


    ''With Keegan''s limited brainpower, he could never outsmart Ste! She''s so cunning!'' thought Aurora.


    After fooling around with Ste, Keegan finally acknowledged Aurora." Don''t you have a date with


    Aldor? What are you still doing here?"


    "I already told you that his mom wanted to attend a rtive''s wedding, so he went with her to pick out


    an outfit!" Aurora grumbled.


    ''I knew it! He was so busy fooling around with Ste that not a single word I said registered in his brain!''


    she thought.


    Keegan remarked, "Aldor doesn''t know anything about styling someone. You, on the other hand, are


    very familiar with shopping for clothes. Why didn''t you go help out?"


    "Aldor didn''t ask me to go," Aurora replied.


    "Are you mute?" Keegan nced at her. "Couldn''t you have suggested it?"


    Aurora was annoyed. "I''m not the one courting him."


    Ste, who had been pretending to be oblivious, suddenly interjected. She asked, "So you don''t like


    Aldor?"


    Aurora was taken aback for a moment. "I-" She struggled toe up with a response.


    "I can''t be bothered to exin to you two!" With that, she stormed upstairs.


    Once Aurora left, Keeganmented, "Aren''t you worried? Your opponent has been working hard all


    night."


    Ste chuckled and asked, "Did I ever tell you about what happened during my SAT?"

 Chapter 2080

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    Chapter 2080


    Keegan nced at Ste and said, "No. What happened?"


    As Ste shuffled the ying cards, she recounted, "During my SAT, Sophia was gearing up for her


    high school entrance exam. Since we were both at boarding school, we only went home every two or


    three weeks. Most of our time on campus was spent studying. When holidays rolled around, I just


    wanted to kick back and rx, but not Sophia."


    Even during semester breaks, Sophia would return home with a stack of hefty reference books and


    practice exams. She would dive into her studies after meals and recite vocabry words every morning


    before dawn.


    Back then, Sophia told Albert that she wanted to get into Rivera High just like Ste.


    Albert was thrilled to hear that. He praised Sophia''s diligence to everyone he met, boasting about her


    academic achievements.


    But when it came to Ste, he always said, "All she does during school break is y. She never picked


    up a single book."


    Ste used to argue back, but eventually, she stopped caring.


    Sophia was diligent and studious, and Ste was only interested in fun. It was obvious who would have


    But when the results were released, Albert was dumbfounded. Ste, who goofed off, scored over


    1200, while Aurora did not make the cut for Rivera High. It was Albert''s connections that secured her a


    spot for a hefty fee.


    "Truly hardworking people don''t need to boast about their efforts. They keep it low-key because they''re


    afraid of failure and ridicule. Those who unt their efforts are often just putting on a show and trying to


    impress others," Ste continued.


    Jaylene''s social media posts were all targeted toward Keegan. Ste did not think Jaylene could


    aplish much. She leaned toward the idea that she was trying to portray herself as an independent


    woman.


    ''I guess the hints I dropped didn''t go in vain. Jaylene really doesn''t disappoint,'' thought Ste. ''After all,


    a fake persona is easy to build but also easy to dismantle.''


    To Ste, Jaylene was not even considered to be herpetition. But she was Darcie''s Achilles heel.


    Ste had to toy with her a while longer.


    The worse the situation Jaylene was in, the more flustered Darcie would be.


    Naturally, Keegan was not worried about Ste being bullied by Jaylene; she was resourceful and


    cunning. He was more concerned about her visiting Luanna in the hospital the next day.


    "If you bump into Marshall tomorrow, don''t easily agree to anything he says. Visit your friend ande


    back home. Don''t linger," Keegan said.


    Ste chuckled at his caution. "I know the drill," she replied.


    The next morning, Aldor swung by to pick up Ste bright and early.


    Aurora was also up, saying she needed to pick up her medical reports from the hospital, and insisted


    on going together. Ste agreed to take her along.


    They got caught in the morning rush hour traffic, so they were already running behind schedule by the


    time they arrived at the hospital.


    Ste checked the group chat and learned that everyone had already gone to the ward. The ss


    monitor sent her the room number, so Ste and Aldor headed upstairs while Aurora went to the first


    floor to pick up her medical reports.


    When Ste arrived at the ward, some of her ex-ssmates had already finished their visits, but others


    were still inside.


    Ste greeted everyone and asked about Luanna''s condition.


    One ssmate said, "It shouldn¡¯t be anything serious. She looks alright and can hold a conversation,


    but she seems a bit distant. She used to be so outgoing."


    "She seems different from before, probably because work hasn''t been going well these past few years,"


    another added.


    "I understand now. Whether it''s fame or fortune, nothing is as valuable as being safe and healthy.


    Money isn''t everything. Seeing someone who used to be fine end up like this is really heartbreaking."


    "Ste, that movie you shot was pretty impressive. Are you joining the crew this year?"


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    "I''m sitting this one out due to some personal reasons," Ste replied.

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    Chapter 2081


    One of Ste''s ssmates joked, "What? Did you have a baby? You were the first to get married in our


    ss. Your kid must be running around by now, right?"


    "Yeah. They stick to me like glue," Ste chuckled.


    "You''re not very thoughtful, you know. You got married without even telling us, sneaking off like that."


    "Oh,e on. We had just graduated back then, and none of US had much money. How could I have


    the heart to tell everyone? I couldn''t just let you guys spend on me," Ste replied.


    Everyoneughed upon hearing that. "After we''re done visiting Luanna, let''s all hang out. Bring your


    husband along, too. I want to see who managed to snag our ss''s beauty."


    Ste put her hands together and begged, "Please spare me, everyone. My husband isn''t anything


    special. He just runs a small business to make ends meet. He''s decent-looking, but he''s got a temper.


    If I bring him, and he says something unpleasant, all of you will think twice about inviting me out again.¡±


    "Stop pretending, Ste. We all know your standards."


    After a few more jokes, Ste said, "Let me go in and visit Luanna first, then we can chat."


    Aldor quietly followed behind with a fruit basket, thinking, ''And Mr. Kane was worried that Mrs. Kane


    wouldn''t be able to hold a conversation. Hah. He''s overthinking it. Mrs. Kane can charm anyone with


    just a few words.''


    The ss monitor and others were still in the ward. When Ste entered, two female ssmates were


    consoling the person lying in the bed.


    Ste did not say anything, quietly assessing the person.


    It did look like Luanna, but something seemed off.


    Ste''s gaze shifted from the person''s face to their wrist.


    Luanna had a faint birthmark on her wrist, shaped like a crescent moon. But the person lying in the bed


    had nothing.


    Ste pressed her lips together and said nothing.


    After everyone finished their visits and left, Ste approached and sat by the bedside. She took out an


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    envelope from her bag and ced it next to the person''s pillow.


    "My condolences," she said in a low voice.


    The person stiffened, suddenly looking up at her.


    Ste pulled down her sleeve and said, "She has a birthmark on her wrist. Anyone who knows her well


    would recognize it at a nce. You can''t keep up the act for long."


    The fake Luanna was speechless.


    "Mr. Moore gave you the heads up, didn''t he, Lina?"


    The person in the hospital bed was not Luanna. It was her twin sister Lina, whom Ste had heard


    Luanna mention but had yet to meet.


    Lina was the one who sought Marshall''s help to investigate the people mentioned in the will. Ste


    deduced that it was likely his idea for Lina to pose as Luanna to gather evidence.


    However, Ste found it to be too risky. ''Anyone involved with contrabands is an ouw. What exactly is


    Marshall up to?'' she thought.


    Lina looked at her, eyes filled with wariness. "How did you know?" she asked.


    Ste''s voice was grave. "It doesn''t matter how I know. Lina, if you really want to avenge Luanna, you


    should go to the police. Marshall is just awyer; he has no enforcement power. If anything happens to


    you during this process, think about what would happen to Luanna and your parents."


    "I agree," Marshall''s voice came from the doorway as Ste finished speaking.

 Chapter 2082

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    Chapter 2082


    Ste paused and turned around.


    Marshall had a coat on, carrying a briefcase. His hair was slightly tousled as if he had just rushed over.


    He nodded at Ste, walked to the bed, and said to Lina, "Ms. Saab, you shouldn''t act so rashly.


    Luanna is already dered dead. Once someone looks it up, you''ll be exposed. You might even be


    sued for fraud."


    Lina was somewhat agitated. "Then what should I do? You said the suicide note can''t be used as direct


    evidence and that we need something more. How am I supposed to do that?


    "I''m not familiar with anyone around her, so this is the only thing I can do! Do you expect me to just


    watch those who killed my sister walk free?"


    Marshall said, "You can call the police."


    Lina scoffed. "When Luanna was still alive, all the anonymous tip-offs she sent were ignored. After she


    was exposed online, her ounts were locked before she could rify anything.


    "If calling the police worked, would she be dead? Would she be dead?!"


    Ste lowered her gaze without saying anything.


    She felt sorry for Luanna''s death, and she sympathized with Lina''s family, too. However, she could not


    help in this matter and did not want to get involved. So, she could only show her support by offering


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    some money.


    If what Lina said about how all the tip-offs were disregarded, it could only mean that the people she


    was up against were extremely influential. What Lina was doing might put her in a very dangerous


    position, and there would be no resolution in the end either.


    However, Ste knew that she was in no ce to say the things in her head. Empathy, understanding


    someone else''s pain, and advising others to let go all sounded easy only because it was not their loved


    ones who had died.


    Marshall kept quiet for a while before saying, "Even if you want to use your methods, you should''ve


    kept it down. You might be in danger when you find something you wanted."


    Lina gritted her teeth. "I don''t care!"


    "What about your sister? Are you not going to avenge her?"


    Lina''s expression stiffened, and she remained silent for a long time.


    "Get discharged as soon as possible. Well talk when the time is right." Marshall paused momentarily


    before adding, "I¡¯ll help you."


    Ste nced at him without saying anything.


    After saying goodbyes to her ssmates, Marshall stopped her. He said," Ste, let''s grab a cup of


    coffee. There''s something I want to talk to you about."


    "I have other things..."


    "Just ten minutes." Marshall gazed at her; his eyes carried a hint of pleading. "It''s very important. I


    won''t take up too much of your time."


    After a brief pause, Marshall continued, "It''s about Keegan."


    Ste hesitated.


    A few minutester, in the caf¨¦ across the street, Aldor sat down somewhere. He took a picture of the


    two sitting by the window and sent it to Keegan.


    Keegan was puzzled.


    "Didn''t I ask you to keep a close eye on her?"


    Aldor said, "Mr. Moore said a few words to Mrs. Kane, and they immediately left without saying a word.


    I couldn''t stop her."


    "Sit close and listen to what they''re talking about."


    "I''m sitting at the table right next to them."

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    Chapter 2083


    Keegan suggested sarcastically, "I think you should just join them.


    Aldor was speechless.


    Then, he texted Aurora: [I bought you a cup of coffee. Come over now.]


    After that, he sent her the location of the caf¨¦.


    Marshall was about to order Ste a cup of coffee, but she waved her hand, saying, "It''s okay. Let''s get


    straight to the point. I have something to attend to shortly. I won''t stay for long."


    Marshall paused, ordered atte for himself, and lifted his gaze. "How has Keegan beentely? Is he


    starting to remember anything yet?"


    Ste shook her head. "Still the same. The doctor suggested trying hypnotherapy. Mr. Moore, do you


    happen to know any reputable hypnotherapists?"


    Marshall nodded. "I did meet one when I was undergoing treatment abroad. I''ll forward you his contact


    informationter."


    He looked indifferent as he spoke, showing no signs of anything unusual.


    Ste smiled. "Sure, thank you."


    The waiter brought over a ss of water. Ste took a sip of it and looked up, saying, "You didn''t ask


    me here just to talk about this, right?"


    Marshall did not say anything. Instead, he opened his briefcase, took out a document, and pushed it


    toward Ste.


    "This is a photocopy of the suicide note Luanna left, along with some other information. Take a look."


    Ste did not touch it. "Mr. Moore, I sympathize with what Luanna went through and her death, but I


    don''t want to get involved. So, I wont read them. It''s best for you to stay out of this, too.


    "This isn''t something that you or Lina can solve. You should advise her to contact the police."


    "I''ll do that, but I still think you should take a look at this," Marshal said as he opened the file, and the


    first photo stacked at the top was revealed to Ste.


    She lowered her gaze and suddenly froze as her expression became increasingly serious.


    She pursed her lips and looked through the other photos. Keegan only appeared in the first one; the


    remaining were group photos of Luanna with someone else. Other than Keegan, there was someone


    else Ste had seen before-Ricky Adam.


    The two of them looked very intimate as if they were more than just friends.


    Ste looked at Marshall with a serious expression and asked, "What do these photos mean?"


    "Lina gave them to me, saying that she got them from Luanna''s phone." Marshall paused before


    adding, "She also said that Luanna was drugged at a private party, and that was how she got addicted.


    The time of when the party was held matches the time this photo was taken."


    Ste''s expression immediately changed. "Are you saying that Keegan might have something to do


    with Luanna''s death?"


    Marshall looked at her. "If what Lina said was true, then to her, every person in this photo is a suspect."


    "Keegan would never!" Ste''s face turned cold. "He wouldn''t touch that kind of stuff or do such evil


    things to other people. His name isn''t mentioned in the suicide note either. You grew up with Keegan;


    don''t you


    know what kind of person he is?"


    Marshall looked somewhat hurt. "Ste, calm down. I wouldn''t havee to you first if I didn¡¯t trust


    him."


    Ste said coldly, "If you trust him, then you should be contacting him, not me. What are you trying to


    say by showing these photos to me? What do you expect me to think of him?


    "Do you want me to leave him, abandon him, or cut ties with him? You might as well be straightforward


    and tell me that!"


    With a stiff expression, Marshall said in a hoarse voice, "Do you really think of me this way?"


    Ste clenched her fists. Indeed, she did lose it a little when she saw that photo. She could not remain


    calm when she thought that the suffering Keegan endured might have something to do with the person


    in front of her.


    Everything he talked to her about today seemed to be intentionally targeting Keegan, so she could not


    help but think about his underlying motive.


    Marshall''s Adam''s apple rolled as his eyes reddened. He looked away, tried to keep his emotions in


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    check, and said, "Keegan lost his memories, and he doesn''t trust you as much as before.


    "If I only tell him and he hides it from you, wouldn''t you me me for not telling you beforehand if he''s


    proven to be involved in this?"

 Chapter 2084

    Chapter 2084


    Chapter 2084


    The pain and sadness in Marshall''s eyes felt too genuine. If the same thing happened in the past,


    Ste would have surely med herself for saying such things.


    He had helped her so much during her most difficult times, such as before and after her divorce from


    Keegan. She would still consider him a friend even if he were not Keegan''s childhood friend.


    However, when she realized that Marshall might have something to do with the kidnapping, she could


    not bring herself to trust a word he said anymore.


    Ste closed her eyes, trying to calm herself down. After a while, she said," I''m sorry. I was just too


    shocked.¡±


    Marshall lowered his gaze and asked hoarsely, ¡¯Ste, did you find the days I spent with you when


    Keegan went missing repulsive?"


    Ste pursed her lips. After a long pause, she said, ¡®I''m very grateful for your help during that time, and


    I feel ashamed for using you to force Keegan toe back. I onlyshed out at you because I was


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    worried that he might be involved in this. I shouldn''t have vented my anger on you. I''m sorry."


    Marshall smiled bitterly. "Ste, you don''t have to draw a clear line with me like this. I understand what


    you mean. Regardless of whether Keegan will regain his memory, you''ll still choose to be with him.


    "That is why I stepped back to my ce. I talked to you about this today because I consider you a


    friend and feel you have the right to know. You might think that I have other intentions, but I just want to


    see you, that''s all. If that also makes you ufortable, I''m sorry. I won¡¯t ever do this again."


    Marshall took the documents, put them back into this briefcase, and stood up. "Goodbye," he said.


    Ste stopped him. "Mr. Moore, I should be the one to apologize. I was too emotional. Thank you for


    telling me about this today, but I believe Keegan has nothing to do with this matter."


    Marshall stopped walking and said tly without looking back, ''I hope so, too."


    When Marshall stepped out the door, he bumped into Aurora, who was about toe in. Aurora


    paused for a moment before subconsciously calling out, "Hey, Marshall."


    Marshall replied with a soft hum and left without looking at her.


    Aurora entered the caf¨¦, puzzled. "What''s wrong with Marshall?"


    Ste did not say anything as she was still thinking about that photo.


    Aldor said, "The way you called him sounded pretty affectionate. You were just across the street. Were


    you waiting for a cab to get here?"


    Aurora kept quiet.


    "Are you crazy?"


    She red at him as she threw the bag in her hand at him. "I bought clothes for your mother!"


    Aldor was somewhat surprised. "Weren''t you going to pick up your medical report?"


    Aurora said in an irritated tone, "Take it or give it back to me!"


    Aldor dodged her hand and chuckled. "Ms. Kane, thank you for your generosity."


    When Aurora was about to say something, Ste suddenly stood up." Aldor, take me home."


    On that day, Keegan came back home around five in the evening.


    Aldor told him that Ste had been in a daze after meeting Marshall, so he got worried and came home


    early after finishing his work.


    As Keegan pushed open the door to the second-floor balcony, he saw Ste holding a watering can


    and flooding the little freesia nt.

 Chapter 2085

    Chapter 2085


    Chapter 2085


    It was not until Keegan took the watering can from Ste''s hand that she regained her senses.


    "I''m back," Keegan said.


    He sat down next to her and asked in a low voice, "Is everything okay?"


    Ste said, "Keegan, have you been to The Hox Club?"


    Keegan''s expression remained calm. "Do you want to know if I have anything to do with Luanna''s


    death?"


    Ste frowned. "Of course, I know it has nothing to do with you. I just want to know what you were


    doing there at that time. Be honest and tell me everything. We''ve got to n our next step very


    carefully."


    Ste finally figured everything out after listening to Keegan. He had mentioned before that Luanna


    looked familiar, probably because he had seen her once in the club.


    However, it was perfectly normal that he could not remember her immediately as it was just a passing


    encounter. What Ste was worried about now was that Luanna''s case might involve him.


    The photo was like a time bomb. Even if he had nothing to do with it, there would still be a chance of


    him being implicated.


    Keegan looked at her worried expression and chuckled. Then, he took her hand and asked softly, "Is


    this the only thing you''ve been worried about all afternoon?"


    Ste pulled her hand back and red at him. "Stop fooling around! This is very serious. If it is true that


    Luanna was lured into consuming drugs at that party, can you, as someone who attended the party,


    stay clear of it?


    "If this matter gets publicized, no one''s going to think that you''re innocent even if you had done nothing


    to her!"


    Keegan hade so far to finally be powerful enough in thepany to keep Chandler in check. If


    this matter got out, Chandler would surely use it against him. How could she not be worried?


    Keegan asked again, "What exactly did Marshall show you?"


    "A photo of you and Luanna in a private room at The Hox Club. Marshall told me that was when she


    got exposed to drugs. Do you understand how serious this can get now? What were you doing in that


    club?"


    Keegan gently patted her shoulder and reassured her, "It was a meeting with a client. I only found out


    that it was a shady gathering when I got there and left shortly after. But I can confirm that Luanna did


    not take any drugs there."


    Ste paused. "What?"


    Keegan recalled what happened that night and said slowly, "When you showed me Luanna''s photo, I


    felt she was familiar, not because I saw her at the party. The lights were dim in the private room. I


    wasn''t wearing sses, so I couldn''t really see anyone''s faces in there.


    "However, something happened that day. There was a person who fell off the building and died. I was


    summoned the next day to give a statement and underwent a urine test.


    "I met Luanna at the police station. She was terrified and crying the whole time, so she caught my


    attention. Everyone at the club that night was taken in for urine tests. I only found outter that the


    person who died had overdosed, hallucinated, and fell to their death. The police suspected someone


    was selling drugs in The Hox Club.


    "If your ssmate took drugs that time, she wouldn''t have passed that urine test."


    Ste frowned. "Did Marshall not know this?"


    "He couldn''t have found out," Keegan continued tly. "The Hox Club is only visited by wealthy


    individuals from influential families and celebrities. That was also the first time Ricky got exposed for


    taking drugs.


    "His family did everything in their power to keep it down. No one would want to go against the Adam


    family. It was not a noble thing to begin with, so nobody really talked about it."


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    He rubbed Ste''s hair as he added, "There''s no need to worry about me. If this really gets out, the


    police will still have my test records from back then. I''ll be fine."


    Ste finally felt relieved. After a while, she asked again, "Don¡¯t you find this whole thing strange? How


    did Lina coincidentally find Marshall for help, and she coincidentally happens to have a group photo


    with you in it?"


    Keegan lowered his gaze and said, "I''m more inclined to believe that someone intentionally showed


    Marshall that photo, which is why he took on this case."

 Chapter 2086

    Chapter 2086


    Chapter 2086


    Ste paused then said, "Are you saying that Lina has other intentions?"


    Keegan shook his head. "Not necessarily her, but it could be someone else who directed her to


    Marshall."


    Keegan figured that if Marshall wanted to use this matter against him, he would not have waited until


    now.


    Marshall had yet to find out what exactly happened back then, and he would not act so recklessly. That


    was just not his way of doing things.


    "Why would that person lead Lina to seek Marshall''s help for this case? Who could be behind it, and


    what''s their purpose?" After listening to Keegan''s spection, Ste felt even more confused.


    Keegan thought for a moment and lifted his gaze, saying, "Marshall is different from otherwyers. He


    has the Moore family behind him, so he dares to take on cases that others wouldn''t. Maybe that person


    saw this as an opportunity."


    ''That person was probably worried that Marshall wouldn''t agree to help, so they used this photo as bait


    to lure him in. It seems possible, right?'' Ste wondered to herself.


    "Oh, by the way, you mentioned earlier that the case of someone who died that night was suppressed


    because Ricky was involved. Among the photos Marshall showed me, I saw one with Luanna and him.


    Do you think her addiction could be rted to Ricky?"


    "Well, that won''t be our concern," Keegan said gently. "Or do you want me to help your ssmate and


    need me to do something?"N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Ste kept quiet for a moment, shook her head, and said softly, "I don''t want you to get into trouble."


    The Adam family was capable of suppressing the news of Ricky testing positive in the urine test,


    showing how influential they were. Ste did not want Keegan to cross those people; it was simply too


    risky to do that for just a ssmate.


    Keegan hugged her shoulder and kissed her hair. "You''re the boss."


    Ste nestled into his arms, thought for a moment, and said, "Do you think we should investigate what


    Ricky did at The Hox Club that day and get some information about the person whose death was


    suppressed by the Adam family?


    "Someone actually died, but literally no one talked about it at all. It shows how far the Adam family


    would go to protect Ricky.


    "I''m afraid that Lina would escte things, and the Adam family would shift the me onto you. We''ve


    got to have something against them in our hands, just in case."


    Although there were many other people in the photo with Luanna, only Keegan, the heir of the top ten


    national conglomerates, was recognized nationwide.


    He was the best candidate for news outlets to generate buzz.


    Keegan chuckled. "They say pregnancy makes one dumber, but why do I feel like you have gotten


    smarter since you got pregnant?"


    Ste glowered at him. "I''m just worried about you. Why did you have to go to such shady ces to


    meet your client? Couldn''t you have gone somewhere else? You can barely drink; if someone you don''t


    know tricked you into drinking a few drinks, you''d probably hand them the entire Vinci Rivera."


    Keegan responded, "I never touch alcohol when I''m doing business. The client changed the meeting


    ce at thest minute. The price he offered me was way too tempting, and it would be worth meeting


    him, whether true or not.


    "At that time, I desperately needed a client like him to strengthen my position in thepany. However,


    I couldn''t see him anywhere that day and didn''t close any deals. It was just a prank."


    Keegan abruptly paused as he spoke.


    ''Who would y such a boring prank?'' he thought to himself.


    "What''s wrong?" Ste asked after he suddenly stopped talking.


    Keegan shook his head. "Stay out of this. I''ll look into it. Like you said, we need to have some leverage


    on them and keep each other in check."


    Ste worriedly said, "Be careful then. Don''t attract any unwanted attention. II


    Keegan squeezed her waist. "Have you gotten chubbier?"


    Ste said, "The babies grew a little, and I gained three pounds."


    Keegan chuckled softly. "I''m so lucky to have you.¡±


    Ste clicked her tongue before saying, "Why weren''t you this good with words before I got pregnant?


    What makes your tongue so sweet now?"


    Keegan said, "I''m just telling you how I feel. When Vermont''s sister-inw was pregnant, she had


    severe morning sickness and would vomit everything she ate. But you''re doing great, eating more than


    ever before."


    Ste was speechless.


    She was not sure if he wasplimenting or mocking her.


    After Ste fell asleep that night, Keegan went to the study with his phone and called Carter.

 Chapter 2087

    Chapter 2087


    Chapter 2087


    Carter sounded a little irritated. "Can you check the time before you call? Just because you don''t have


    a wife, do you think others don''t as well?"


    Keegan said inwardly, ''I do, and even two kids!''


    He swallowed the urge to brag and cleared his throat before saying, "Hey, Carter. I''m sorry to disturb


    you at this hour, but I need a favor."


    Carter was puzzled at how polite Keegan was.


    Then, he pursed his lips and asked, "What is it?"


    "Can you hack into Lena''s office system and help me check-"


    Carter ended the call before Keegan could finish speaking. He called again, but it went straight to


    voicemail.


    Meanwhile, Carter shoved his phone into the drawer, not wanting to look at it at all.


    Upon hearing the footsteps from the bathroom, he immediately unbuttoned his shirt, pulled back the


    nket, and slipped inside. Then, he grabbed a book from the table and pretended to read it.


    After Lena dried her hair, she lifted the nket and sat on the bed. Then, she picked up her phone to


    check her messages.


    Carter had no idea who she was texting, but she looked verymitted when replying. She pondered


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    and smiled from time to time as her fingers rapidly tapped on the screen,pletely ignoring the


    person lying next to her.


    He could not help but ask, "Are you texting someone in your team?"


    Lena answered, "No, it''s Keegan. He''s been dealing with somethingtely and asked me for advice."


    Carter had a bad feeling and probed subtly, "What is it about?"


    She put down her phone. "One of his friend''s ssmatesmitted suicide after getting framed. This


    ssmate has a twin sister who wants to find the real culprit to avenge her death, but she doesn¡¯t have


    any idea how to.


    "So, she came up with a n to impersonate herte sister and get close to the people her sister had


    contact with before she died. She wants to find the truth this way, and Keegan asked me if it would


    work."


    Carter''s back stiffened as he asked, "Would it?"


    Lena shook her head. "Of course not. Even if they are twins and their DNA sequences are identical,


    their fingerprints and irises arepletely different. It''ll be exposed sooner orter, but I admire her


    courage for trying. II


    Carter remained silent for a while. Then, he opened the drawer, took out his phone, and got out of bed.


    Lena paused. "Where are you going?"


    He replied gently, "I''m feeling a bit hungry, so I''m going downstairs to get something to eat. Do you


    want some?"


    "It''s fine. Don''t eat too much. It''s bad for your stomach."


    "Got it."


    As soon as he got downstairs, he dialed Keegan''s number with a stern face. Once the line connected,


    he asked, "What nonsense did you tell my wife?"


    Keegan said, "One of my friend''s ssmates..."


    "Just shut up!" Carter cut him off. "Who do you want to investigate?"


    Keegan quickly answered, "A case from six years ago. About the person who died from falling at The


    Hox Club during the summer."

 Chapter 2088

    Chapter 2088


    Carter pressed his temple, saying, "Keegan Kane, are you ever going to ask me to help you with


    something legal? I''m going to end up in prison sooner orter because of you!" ''What an asshole! He


    can act like aw-abiding gentleman in public because he has me handling every illegal thing for him!''


    he cursed inwardly.


    Keegan said, "I''m sorry, but there''s no other way. You''re the only person who can help me with this."


    Then he added, "Only you can openly invade their system and help fix their bug. You hacked so many


    fraudulent websites and helped the police dismantle so many scam centers. If a person like you gets


    punished for doing something like this, that just shows that thew is not perfect enough."


    Carter was not fooled by this ttery as he angrily said, "Shut up! I don''t want to hear you talk right


    now!"


    Keegan needed a favor, so he immediately did as Carter said.


    Carter was still annoyed as he asked with a tense face, "Why did you say those things to Lena?"


    Keegan answered tly, "Just as a casual chat, but it''s real. My wife asked me about it, but I have no


    idea how to answer her. Doesn¡¯t Lena work in the forensic department? I thought she might know more


    than me, so I casually asked her."


    Carter sneered, "Casually asked? This asshole would even n when to take a dump. He would never


    just casually ask anything.¡¯


    Then, he asked, "Didn''t you lose your memory? You''re nning to divorce Ste, aren''t you? Why do


    you care about her business?"


    Keegan said, "Well, we''re still a couple. I''m just doing whatever I can to help." "Hmph." Carter scoffed


    as he switched on hisputer. "Still a couple, huh? Why did you want to divorce her right after


    coming back then?"


    Keegan pursed his lips and said, "Can we talk about something else?¡± "What''s wrong? Are you afraid


    to admit what you did?" Carter''s finger clicked on the keyboard like a machine gun as lines of code


    shed on the screen in front of him. After a while, he managed to break into the system.


    Keegan said, "I was in the water for too long.¡± "So, your brain has gone bad, huh?"


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Carter changed the time filter to six years ago, pressed the enter key, and frowned.


    "Can you stop-" "Shut up." With a frown, Carter scrolled down. After a long pause, he asked, "Are you


    sure that it happened during the summer?" "Yes, I am."


    Carter pursed his lips. "I can¡¯t see anything about it in here. There are no falling cases caused by drug


    use during this time at all."


    Keegan was stunned momentarily. "That''s impossible. All the guests that night were called in for


    questioning and testing because of this incident."


    Carter did not say anything. He removed the keywords rted to drugs and expanded the search


    scope. After a while, he came across an encrypted file.


    He was surprised. He attempted to decrypt it but suddenly realized something was wrong halfway


    through. The encryption method of this film was very unique. Once an attempt to decrypt it was


    detected, it would immediately trigger an rm and counter-tracking, exposing Carter''s IP address.


    Carter kept quiet for too long, making Keegan somewhat uneasy. Thetter asked, "Is everything


    okay?"


    As he continued typing on his keyboard, Carter said, "There''s a ssified document that can''t be


    essed."


    This meant that only a handful of people had the authority to ess this file, which contained


    information that could not be made public. It was strictly for the officials.


    Keegan''s expression suddenly turned solemn. "Then you should exit the system. Don''t expose


    yourself. I''ll think of another way."


    Carter scoffed disdainfully. "No one else can help you if even I can''t."


    After a brief pause, he said, "I can try extracting the photos. Give me a moment."


    In no time, Carter decrypted a photo. Just as he was about to take a picture of it with his phone, he


    suddenly heard the sound of the door handle turning.


    As soon as Lena came in, she saw Carter hastily shutting down hisputer.


    She was puzzled. "What are you doing?"


    Carter abruptly stood up and blocked theputer screen, looking somewhat flustered. "Nothing.


    Lena, why did youe down?"

 Chapter 2089

    Chapter 2089


    Lena scrutinized Carter''s expression and suddenly said, "Step aside."


    Carter refused to budge and replied, "It''s nothing. You go out first."


    Lena said in a stern tone, "Carter Lowe, I have to remind you that citizens must cooperate with police


    investigations. Refusing to do so could lead to your arrest, and you''ll not be granted any sentence


    reduction."


    Carter paused as his expression became worried. "Is it that serious?"


    Lena grabbed his clothes. "Move aside now!"


    She dragged Carter away as she spoke. Then, she saw what the people on the screen were doing and


    froze in ce.


    The sound of the woman''s moan filled the room, her body intertwined with another man.


    Lena was shocked as her face turned increasingly red.


    Carter leaned in from behind and kissed her flushed earlobe, whispering," Officer Gray, I''m not illegally


    spreading it. I just watched it myself. I can''t be arrested, right?"


    Lena gritted her teeth. "Didn¡¯t you say that you wanted to eat?" "Yeah, and I also want to watch some


    tutorials to enhance my skills."


    Lena swatted his hand away. "Delete it now!"


    Carter said softly, "I begged Keegan for so long before he finally sent it to me. Can I finish watching it


    before deleting it?"


    On the other end of the phone, Keegan fell silent as he listened to the couple''s intimate banter.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    It seemed like Lena felt embarrassed as it took her a while to say, "Delete it right away! Nothing good


    everes out of you men gathering together!"


    Carter sighed with regret. "Fine, I''ll delete it now."


    He then deleted the video before Lena, who double-checked everything.


    Then, she said, "Turn off theputer. I''ll make some noodles, so let''s eat together."


    Carter hugged her. "Thank you, my dear wife."


    After Lena went out, Carter picked up his phone and heard Keegan say," You disgust me."


    Carter sneered. "As if you''re so noble. You should stay away from Ste."


    After that, he sent the photo he captured on his phone to Keegan.


    "This is all I can help you with. I can''t ess the information of that deceased person. Typically,


    individuals like them have special identities. I advise you to be careful when investigating them. Don''t


    drag me into trouble if something ever goes wrong." "Thanks. I''ll treat you to a meal soon."


    Carter scoffed. "Hold on, let me show you something else."


    With that, he sent over a screenshot of the marriage registration form for Keegan and Ste''s


    remarriage.


    "Keegan Kane, if you dare to fucking speak nonsense to my wife again, I''ll send your marriage


    certificate to the city''s television stations and show this to everyone!"


    Keegan kept quiet.


    After hanging up, he opened the photo Carter sent him.


    His expression immediately changed as he took a closer look at that person''s features. ''How could it be


    him?'' He eximed inwardly.


    His chest slightly trembled as he stared at that photo for a long time, and his eyes reddened.


    When Ste woke up the next morning, the spot next to her was already cold, devoid of Keegan''s


    warmth. She frowned, put on her jacket, and got out of bed. Then, she opened the curtains and


    unexpectedly saw him sitting on the balcony''s swing, lost in thought.


    She called out to him through the ss, but he did not react at all. So she opened the door and walked


    over. "Keegan Kane."


    Keegan snapped out of his thought, turned his head over, and said hoarsely, "You''re awake."


    Ste could sense that something was wrong with him. His eyes were bloodshot, his voice hoarse, and


    even his expression seemed somewhat dejected.


    Ste squatted down and held his hand. "Are you okay?"

 Chapter 2090

    Keegan looked at her, his eyes nk and lost. After a long pause, he spoke hoarsely, ¡¯Ste, Coco¡¯s


    father is gone. I can''t fulfill the promise I made to her anymore."


    Ste was stunned. "What did you say?"


    With his eyes filled with sorrow, Keegan told her a secret, "Six years ago, the person who fell to his


    death at The Hox Club was Coco¡¯s father."


    Ste was struck by this news and could not process it. Then, she murmured, "So, Coco isn''t Mr.


    Moore''s child, huh?"


    Keegan was taken aback. "What wild ideas are youing up with?"


    Ste said, "I thought Mr. Moore and the undercover cop had a fight and got into a car ident


    together, and Willow asked you to take care of their child before she died."


    Keegan was at a loss for words.


    "When did I ever say that Coco is Marshall''s daughter?"


    Ste swallowed. "Isn''t Coco Mr. Moore''s child with his ex-girlfriend who got into the car ident with


    him?"


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Keegan massaged his temple and said, "They broke up for a year before the ident. Who would


    want to have a child with their ex?"


    He suddenly paused. Then, he asked her, "How did you know about Willow? H


    Ste blinked her eyes. "Did I say anything about Willow? I think you heard wrongly."


    Keegan remained calm. "You did! You said that Willow asked me to take care of her child! Who told you


    that?"


    "Haha, who told me what?" Ste chuckled awkwardly. "No one told me anything."


    Keegan scrutinized her and said, "It was Vermont, the bbermouth, isn''t it?"


    Ste looked away. "I didn''t say that."


    Keegan muttered under his breath and asked, "What else did he tell you?"


    "Nothing much. He just said that he wasn''t in Rivera when that ident happened and briefly told me


    about Willow and Mr. Moore breaking up, and then there was the car ident. I assumed the other


    things on my own."


    Ste then shifted the topic. "So, what''s the truth? Can you tell me about it now?"


    Keegan remained silent for a while before telling her apletely different story from what Vermont


    had told her.


    The Moore family did not approve of Willow being with Marshall, which decisively led her to break up


    with him. She was always an independent and strong-willeddy, so there was no way she could


    ept the disdain and prejudice from her boyfriend''s family regarding her background.


    Willow initiated the breakup, but Marshall could not ept it, which caused a strain on his rtionship


    with his family. Then, one day, Willow disappeared suddenly without saying anything.


    Marshall was deeply affected and fell ill, expecting bouts of illness. He was in a daze the whole period


    until he met her again over a yearter.


    Then, he suddenly called Keegan to say that Willow wanted to study abroad with him and asked for his


    help to renew her passport.

 Chapter 2091

    Keegan thought that everything was strange, so he contacted Willow. However, she felt ridiculous upon


    hearing that. She told Keegan that she was already married to another man and was about to give


    birth.


    She had already forgotten about Marshall. She loved her husband very much and would never go


    abroad with him.


    Ste heard what Keegan said and immediately knew that Marshall was having another episode. In the


    story he fabricated, he and Willow were still a loving couple, but the reality was that Willow had left him


    long ago, and Marshall was the one who could not move on.


    Just as Keegan was thinking about advising Marshall, Dahlia asked him to sign some documents and


    suddenly mentioned Marshall and Willow.


    She had always looked down on girls who tried to climb the socialdder by attaching themselves to


    wealthy families. In her eyes, Willow was exactly that kind of person.


    Dahliained about Willow to Keegan. Before she left, she said, "She should take a look at


    herself in the mirror. How could the Moore family ever ept someone like her? Irene is going to talk to


    her. With what she is capable of, I''m sure that Willow wont dare to pester Marshall ever again."


    Keegan paused and suddenly felt uneasy. If Frederick constrained the Moore family''s mindset, then


    Irene was the executor of his ideas. Her methods were not something a girl like Willow, with a simple


    background, could handle.


    So, he immediately called Marshall and told him about it, hoping that he could stop Irene from harming


    Willow.


    However, things spiraled out of control after that.


    For some reason, Marshall''s character suddenly changed. He grabbed Willow, hailed a cab with her,


    and wanted to leave Rivera immediately.


    Willow called Keegan for help. Her voice trembled on the phone, faintly tinged with fear. However,


    before she could tell him much, the ident happened.


    When Keegan arrived at the scene, it was horrific.


    The cab Marshall and Willow were in had been severely damaged, its front crushed and engulfed in


    me. The rescue team only managed to pry open Marshall''s side of the car door and pull him out. He


    was severely burned.


    Willow''s side of the car door was jammed against the bridge''s railing. Worse still, her leg was trapped


    between the seats, and her screams echoed from inside the car.


    Keegan wanted to help, but the police stopped him. The fire was too intense, and it was just impossible


    for him to even get close.


    Keegan was frantic. He turned around and saw another car that had flipped over about thirty feet away.


    That car was also badly damaged, leaving a clear skid mark on the ground from the rollover. The driver


    was thrown out of the car, lying unconscious on the road with their face covered in blood. Then, the


    driver was lifted onto a stretcher by the paramedics.


    The bystanders tried to open the other car''s door, and Keegan thought another person might be


    trapped inside.


    He hurried forward to help. With his strong legs, he kicked open the already cracked window and


    unlocked the car door from the inside.


    Lying unconscious inside that car was none other than Ste.


    Ste asked softly, "So you''ve been preventing me from talking to Mr.


    Moore because you think my mom and I are responsible for Willow''s death, and you''re afraid that he


    will seek revenge on me?"


    Keegan said, ¡°You and your mom are not the culprits; you''re victims. But I do worry about that. I''m also


    afraid that if you get too close to Marshall, he might remember the ident and the past.


    "He had those memories hidden through hypnosis and has finally managed to live a normal life. I don''t


    want him to go back to being controlled like a puppet by his mood disorders."


    "What aboutter? What happened? Why did you take Coco away?''1


    Marshall was badly injured at that time. As the most valued grandson of the Moore family, his family got


    very worried. Most medical staff who came to the scene were arranged to attend to him.


    Keegan then contacted a friend at the hospital and quickly arranged for Willow and Ste to be treated


    immediately.


    Willow''s injuries were worse than Marshall''s. Except for her stomach, she had extensive burns all over


    her body. She tightly guarded her stomach during the fire, but the lower part of her body was already


    soaked in blood.


    Before being taken to the operation theater, Keegan went to see her and told her to hang in there.


    Willow seemed to anticipate that she might not make it, so she left a phone number for him.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    If she could not make it out of the operation theater, she wanted Keegan to take her child and contact


    the person named Jayson Morrell.

 Chapter 2092

    Chapter 2092


    Willow underwent a C-section and gave birth to her daughter. After that, she underwent another


    surgery.


    After Keegan got that number, he kept trying to contact Jayson, but he was unreachable.


    Willow stayed in the hospital for six days but eventually passed away due to her injuries and wound


    infection.


    Keegan did not know Willow''s family as she was not from Rivera. The police contacted her hometown''s


    police station and were informed that her family had moved away long ago. They were also trying to


    reach them.


    The phone number Willow had given to Keegan was his only option.


    Three days after her death, Keegan got through to the phone.


    Jayson was very cautious at first, thinking Keegan was ying a prank. However, when he heard the


    crying of a child and how Keegan could urately recite Willow''s ID number, he immediately fell silent.


    That night, a dark-skinned, muscr man with a buzz cut and rugged features arrived at the hospital


    morgue. He appeared to be several years older than Keegan.


    Because Willow was burned, her body did not look particrly sightly.


    Jayson stood before her body with a lost expression. After a long time, he asked Keegan, "Is this her?"


    Keegan could not answer his question, and Jayson did not need a response from him either. He took


    her burned hand and recognized her by the ring on her slender and bony finger. After a long pause, he


    said, "It''s her..."


    He stayed there for a long time without crying, just silently wiping the stains on Willow''s body with his


    sleeve. He moved so gently because her skin was ulcerated and would bleed at the slightest touch.


    Keegan could not bear to watch it and went outside to wait for him.


    When Jayson finally came outside, he asked Keegan if he had any cigarettes.


    Keegan was not a smoker, so he took Jayson to a supermarket outside the hospital and bought two


    packs of cigarettes.


    Jayson was not particr about the brand. He opened the cigarette pack and sat on the roadside,


    smoking one after another.


    Keegan asked him, "Aren''t you going to see your daughter?"


    Jayson put out his cigarette and lifted his gaze at Keegan. "How did Willow die?"


    Keegan paused momentarily before saying, "It was a car ident."


    Jayson chuckled without showing any emotions. He then said, "I saw the Moore family. It was them,


    right?"


    Keegan had no idea why he had such spection or why he had such strong hostility toward the


    Moore family. However, he still exined, "No, it was really an ident. Marshall was in the car, too,


    and was also severely injured. His life is still in danger."


    The Moore family would not have disregarded Marshall''s safety if they wanted the ident to happen.


    Jayson''s eyes turned red as he questioned Keegan through gritted teeth," Then why didn''t he die? Why


    does it have to be my wife who passed away?"


    Keegan froze in ce, unable to find the right words to say.


    Then, he pursed his lips and shifted the topic. "Your daughter still needs to stay in the neonatal


    intensive care unit for some time. Let me take you to see her."


    But Jayson refused and said, "It''s okay. I wouldn''t have the heart to leave if I saw her. Can you take


    care of her for me first?"


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Keegan felt ridiculous. "Do you even know who I am? How could you entrust your child to me?" He


    could not figure out why he was so devoted to his wife yet did not seem to care about his daughter at


    all.ab

 Chapter 2093

    Chapter 2093


    Jayson said, ¨¬ know you. You''re Keegan Kane from the Kane family of Rivera, right? I know where to


    find you."


    Keegan wanted to refuse, but Jayson continued, "You''re Marshall''s best friend. Since he''s the reason


    why my wife is dead, it''s only right for you to make amends on his behalf."


    Keegan was speechless.


    Then, Jayson added, "I can''t take care of her right now. I still have unfinished business. She''ll be safest


    with you because no one would ever dare mess with your family.


    "Once everything settles down, I''lle back to get her. Please help hide her identity, and don''t let


    anyone know that she''s Willow''s daughter. I can''t drag her into this..."


    At that time, Keegan did not really understand what Jayson meant by "drag her into this," nor did he


    know what was so important that Jayson had to abandon his newborn daughter, who was still receiving


    intensive care.


    But Jayson did not exin much to Keegan. He took a call and hastily left before asking Keegan to


    convey his message for Marshall-"! won''t let this slide."


    However, Keegan did not ry the message because Marshall had been sent abroad by the Moore


    family. His dissociative disorder worsened, and they hired many doctors to treat him, erasing his


    memories.


    They all believed that Willow caused Marshall¡¯s dissociative disorder. Ariel even personally visited


    every one of Marshall''s friends who knew about what happened and begged them not to mention


    Willow''s name in front of him.


    They even used their connections to erase all traces of Marshall''s involvement in that car ident.


    Keegan did not agree with the Moore family''s actions, but he was more worried that Marshall would


    me himself for what happened to Willow and fall sick again.


    Jayson entrusted his daughter to Keegan, turning the twenty-something man into an involuntary foster


    father.


    He had no experience in taking care of a child, but because of Jayson''s instructions, he did not dare to


    tell anyone. The caregivers and nurses he hired also had to be changed regrly.


    Coco was weak and often fell ill. Although Keegan was always busy with work, he frequently visited the


    hospital once the nanny needed his presence.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Jayson''s phone was unreachable, and he would rarely reply to his messages. It was not until Coco was


    diagnosed with severe astic anemia at seven months old that he finally showed up again.


    He brought a bag of money, briefly checked on Coco, and wanted to leave again.


    Keegan stopped him this time. He figured that he needed an exnation from Jayson as he was not


    obligated to take care of this child. As the child grew older, how would he exin her parentage to her?


    Jayson could note up with an exnation, so when he saw Keegan''s unwillingness to help, he


    took Coco away.


    Humans are creatures of contradictions. When Keegan was fostering Coco, he hoped every day that


    Jayson woulde to take her back. But when he actually did it, Keegan felt that everything was off.


    He would worry about Coco''s illness, her growth, and whether she was eating well.


    Two months passed like that, and Jayson came to him again with Coco.


    Keegan had a meeting with a client that day. When he went to the parking lot to get his car, he saw


    Jayson with Coco in his arms.


    Keegan could not deny that the moment he saw Coco again, his heart melted. The little girl was


    seriously ill, looking frailpared to children her age. She did not even have the strength to cry; she


    just sobbed quietly in Jayson''s arms.


    But when she saw Keegan, she suddenly got excited as if she remembered him.


    Jayson was not in good shape himself, either. In just two months, he visibly aged, with gray hair


    growing on his head. He begged Keegan to save Coco''s life and take care of her.


    As much as Keegan wanted to help, he still needed an exnation. Why did it have to be him? And


    who exactly was Jayson Morrell?


    After a long silence, Jayson handed him an item.


    Keegan opened the envelope in his hand and handed it to Ste. "This is what he gave me."

 Chapter 2094

    Chapter 2094


    Ste took the envelope and took out what was inside.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    She initially thought that it might be some documents, but she was wrong. It was a police shoulder


    badge instead.


    She was taken aback and thought of what Keegan had said before about" sacrifices of those who work


    in the shadows, not recognized and may not even have a future."


    Suddenly, her expression turned solemn. She asked softly, "Was he a narcotics officer?"


    Keegan shook his head. ''"I don''t know. He didn''t directly tell me about it, but it''s likely. Before the


    incident at The Hox Club, he came to see Coco once and said that he was going on a business trip. He


    told me that he might be away for some time and woulde back to pick Coco up once she


    recovers."


    His voice turned hoarse as he spoke, "That was thest time I saw him. Every year after that, he would


    transfer some money into my ount, but he never showed up again.


    "I always thought he was still on a mission and could not return to see Coco. After all, he would still


    send money to me, proving that he still remembered his daughter.


    "I thought he woulde back with honors and finally take Coco home, but how could he have died six


    years ago? His death was also due to an overdose of drugs. He''d never touch those things...


    "The authorities didn''t report his death. It was as if he had never existed. Everything rted to him was


    wiped out just like that."


    Keegan''s faith, which had always stayed firm, suddenly began to waver because Jayson''s death was


    not ssified as a sacrifice. His records were erased as if he was a dishonor to his team.


    No one hade to see Coco, no one was going to take care of her, and no one even notified her


    about his death.


    Jayson was someone who still put his job first, even when his wife was dead, and his daughter was


    critically ill. How could he still end up like that?


    Keegan had no idea how to exin everything to Coco.


    He could never take her to meet her father now.


    Ste asked softly, "Is this the truth you''ve been unwilling to tell me?"


    It was because of Jayson''s special identity and the promise to take care of his child.


    Keegan said, "And also because of Willow. I always feel that if on that day I hadn''t told Marshall that


    Irene was going to talk to Willow just because of what Dahlia told me, he wouldn''t have gone there, and


    maybe the ident wouldn''t have happened."


    Willow was a very good girl. She was optimistic, resilient, and hardworking. She should not have met


    such a tragic fate. Keegan felt guilty about what had happened to her.


    He would still keep this a secret if he had not known that Jayson was dead. But now, his faith had


    copsed, and the person he had always seen as a hero was no longer one. He suddenly did not know


    the purpose of preserving this secret for so many years anymore.


    "Ste." Ste rarely saw Keegan in such a defeated state. He called her name, smiled bitterly, and


    said with a hoarse voice, "I feel like a fool."


    After all, the reason why his marriage failed was because of raising Coco. For the sake of her illness,


    Be appeared, as did everything that followed.


    He tried hard to keep his promise, but now he was told that the hero he knew was actually a drug


    addict who died of an overdose, making his persistence seem like a joke.


    Ste held his hand and said in a gentle tone, "You raised Coco. What makes you feel like a fool?


    "Whether Jayson is a hero or not, Coco is innocent. You''re doing something remarkable; it''s just that


    the purpose has changed. Are you going to stop loving Coco just because of this?"


    Keegan hugged her and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Of course not," he muttered.


    Ste chuckled. "Coco''s adoption procedures have been processed, right? Let''s just focus on raising


    her as our daughter. As for everything else, we shouldn''t dwell on it anymore. You have fulfilled your


    promise; we''ll have no regrets."


    Keegan only responded after a long pause. Perhaps he still could not ept Jayson''s sudden death.

 Chapter 2095

    Chapter 2095


    Keegan had intended to investigate what happened at The Hox Club, hoping to gather some evidence


    to use against the Adam family. That way, he could prevent them from using him as a scapegoat once


    Luanna''s case went public. He had not expected to uncover something like this at all.


    Ste absentmindedly patted the back of Keegan''s hand and asked softly," There''s one more thing I


    can''t figure out." "What is it?¡¯


    Ste asked, " Why does Marshall hate you?¡±


    Keegan was not the one who got him hypnotized and had his memories erased. On the contrary,


    Keegan did everything he could to help him when he got into trouble. Ste just could notprehend


    Marshall''s hostility toward Keegan.


    He frowned and shook his head. "This is what I''m trying to figure out, too."


    He repeatedly analyzed what had happened back then and could only recall the ident after he


    called Marshall, but nothing else.


    ''Could it be possible that they had a conflict with Irene after I called him? But what does that have to do


    with me?'' Keegan wondered to himself.


    Ste suggested, "Why don¡¯t you just ask Marshall about it?" "How? Should I ask him if he was


    involved in my kidnapping? Would you admit it if you were him?"


    Keegan sighed. "He doesn¡¯t even want to admit that he remembers Willow. Marshall has too much in


    his mind; he''d never tell me that. Confronting him like that might even backfire."


    He paused before he asked, "What did you say to him when you met him?¡¯ "Ah.¡¯ Ste looked away,


    cleared her throat, and said, "Nothing much. I scolded him a little bit, and things got pretty unpleasant


    between US."


    Keegan was surprised as he teased, "Aren''t you always very sympathetic toward him? You would


    soften up whenever you see his scars. What made you suddenly want to scold him?"


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste was taken aback and red at him. "This is all your fault. Didn''t you tell me that he has


    dissociative disorders and shouldn¡¯t be provoked?"


    Keegan kept quiet.


    Ste pouted and said in a soft voice, "The moment he showed me the photo of you and Luanna


    together, I lost control. I thought he was going to use it against you, so I blurted out some pretty harsh


    words at him.


    "But I regretted it as soon as he left. I shouldn''t have lost my temper and turned things ugly between


    US."


    Keegan patted her shoulder and reassured her, "It''s fine. That could be a good thing. At least for now,


    we don''t have to spend energy dealing with him." "What should we do next?"


    He lowered his gaze and pondered for a moment. Then, he suddenly chuckled and said, "Next, we''ll


    have to depend on you, Mrs. Kane.¡¯


    Ste was puzzled.


    Keegan exined, "Don''t you have a group chat to gossip with Vermont? Briefly tell him about what


    happened." Keegan paused before adding, "Even if I don''t ask you to do this, you''d still do it, right?¡¯


    Ste was speechless. Then, she said, "What nonsense are you talking about? I am very good at


    keeping a secret, okay? I told you to reply to my messages, and you invaded our chat group?!"


    She paused for a moment before realizing what Keegan was trying to do. ¡¯ Do you want me to leak the


    information about Coco being Willow''s child to Vermont and indirectly let Mr. Moore know through


    him?"

 Chapter 2096

    Chapter 2096


    Keegan nodded. "We can''t always be passive like this. I''ve got to eventually figure out why Marshall


    hates me. If we don''t solve the problem from the root, he''ll never stop."


    Paranoia was one of Marshall¡¯s major symptoms of his dissociative disorder.


    Ste dly took on this task.


    Then, a message popped up in the "Thick as Thieves¡± group chat.


    Vermont nced at it. When he realized that it was from Ste, he snorted, not bothering to read it.


    He had not forgotten how this woman had previously encouraged him to trick Felicity into marrying him.


    ''What a hypocrite!'' he thought to himself.


    However, he still saw the message despite not opening it.


    After a while, Felicity came out of her room and approached him with her phone. "Stinky Cucumber,


    Ste and Keegan are fighting!" "Oh," Vermont responded indifferently. "They do that very often, don''t


    they? It''s nothing surprising. You''ve been asking her to break up with him, yet they''re still inseparable.


    Just let them be." "It''s different this time!" Felicity sat next to Vermont and said to him, "Ste is


    pregnant, and her preference for food has changed. Last night, she wanted to eat some pelmeni. She


    asked Keegan to go out and buy her some, but he refused and lied to her, saying the shop was closed.


    "Then, this morning, Coco told Keegan that she wanted to eat some Boova Shenkel. So, he drove thirty


    miles just to buy them for her withoutining. After Ste found out, she started arguing with him.


    "Keegan said she was being unreasonable by being so calctive with a child. Ste got so angry that


    she''s been crying since."


    Vermont paused, "l-ls she that fragile?"


    Based on his understanding of Ste, if Keegan had not bought her the food she wanted, she would


    have beaten him up instead of sitting there crying.


    ''It''s impossible that Ste would anger herself for something like this. What evil n does she have in


    mind this time?'' Vermont wondered to himself.


    Then he said, "Why are you telling me this? I''m not the one who made her cry. Go talk to Keegan."


    Felicity yfully pped him. "Why are you so heartless? What I mean is, don''t you think Keegan is


    treating Coco a little too well? He gives her whatever she wants. Don''t you remember that Coco is why


    Keegan got tangled up with Be Young?


    "He even kept it from Ste for so many years. Coco isn''t even his child, so why would he keep her


    hidden for so long?"


    Vermont responded, "Didn''t Keegan say that Coco is histe ssmate''s child, and he didn''t want to


    talk too much about it?" "Nonsense! Are you getting senile? How can you be so naive? Doesn''t his


    ssmate have a family of his own? Why does Keegan need to take care of Coco?"


    Vermont was not interested to know whose daughter Coco was. If she was Keegan''s, he might have


    something to gossip about, but she was not.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Then, Vermont said, "Why do you care whose daughter she is? It''s not our business as long as she''s


    not Keegan''s." "We can''t be too sure, can we?" Felicity said mysteriously, "Ste told me something


    else too. She said when Marshall and Willow had their ident, they actually crashed into her and Ms.


    Spade''s car.


    "The birth date on Coco''s birth certificate is the day of that ident. Also, she mentioned that when


    she was rescued, she saw a pregnant woman being taken out of the taxi they collided with."


    Vermont paused. "How does she know it was Marshall''s car they crashed with?" "She hired a private


    detective. Ms. Spade''s car crashed into a taxi carrying a young couple. The man was seriously injured,


    but the woman died with a baby inside of her. However, the private detective refused to investigate any


    further, no matter how much she offered to pay him.


    "Isn''t it obvious? He must have found someone he couldn''t afford to cross. If Ms. Spade''s car really


    crashed into Marshall and Willow, wouldn''t it all make sense?"


    Vermont was not entirely convinced. "Do you have any evidence?"


    Felicity said, "Didn''t I tell you how Ste fell for Keegan?"


    Vermont replied in a serious tone, "Is it because of his body or his money?"

 Chapter 2097

    Chapter 2097


    Felicity red at Vermont and said, "Ste isn''t that shallow! She fell for Keegan because he was the


    one who pulled her out of the car that day. She said that only a very kind person would help a stranger


    in need. Why do you think Keegan would coincidentally be at the scene of the ident?" "Maybe he


    was curious?"


    Felicity kicked him in annoyance. "I''m being serious, stop fooling around!"


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Vermont chuckled and hugged her. "Fine, fine. I''ll stop now. Please tell me more."


    Felicity continued, "Keegan is Marshall''s childhood friend. Marshall got into an ident, so Keegan


    rushed to the scene to help and coincidentally saved Ste. Doesn''t everything seem to fit perfectly?"


    Although Vermont seemed like he was not serious about it, he listened to everything Felicity said.


    ''Everything seems to make sense, but...'' "Are you sure that Ste saw a pregnant woman?" "Not just


    pregnant, but about to give birth. Her tummy was huge." Felicity leaned closer to his ear and


    whispered, "Do you think Coco could be Willow''s child? Is it possible that the baby inside of her tummy


    lived, and Keegan hid her away?"


    Vermont frowned as his expression turned serious. "Are you saying that Coco might be Willow''s and


    Marshall''s daughter?"


    Felicity widened her gaze and said, "Why would it be Marshall''s? I think she is Willow''s and Keegan''s


    daughter. They hooked up and betrayed Marshall."


    Vermont was at a loss for words upon hearing Felicity¡¯s assumption.


    She continued, "If she''s not his daughter, why would he fight with Ste because of her? He''s not crazy,


    is he? I didn''t think so before, but now that we talk about it, I realize that Coco looks very much like


    Keegan. Her eyes, nose, and mouth, they''re almost identical."


    Vermont blurted out, "Coco''s skin is as dark as coal. It''s nothing like Keegan''s."


    Then, he recalled Coco''s features and said in a low voice, "But now that you mention it, Coco does


    resemble Willow a bit. But I never heard Keegan say that Willow was pregnant."


    Felicity pped her thigh. "That''s it! Coco must be his child with Willow.


    That''s why he didn¡¯t dare to bring it up to you."


    Vermont''s eyelid twitched, suddenly feeling that something was amiss. He thought, ''Why does it feel


    like Ste is deliberately leading me to believe that?''


    When Felicity was still excitedly sharing her spection, Vermont silently sent a "Am I stupid to you?"


    sticker to Ste.


    Ste was taken aback as she thought, ''I knew that this cunning man isn''t that easy to be fooled.''


    Then, she texted back: [Vermont, I need a favor! Please!]


    She transferred a hundred dors to Vermont''s ount after sending that message.


    Vermont replied: [Do you think I need your money? Also, I still remember how you wanted me to harm


    miss bandit!]


    Ste quickly exined: [Vermont, it was a misunderstanding. It wasn''t my idea, but your mother-in-


    law''s!]


    Vermont was puzzled as he texted: [What? What do you mean?]

 Chapter 2098

    Chapter 2098


    Ste could not help but wonder, ''Vermont is such a nosy person. How could he manage not to


    immediately spread out such earth-shattering gossip upon hearing it? He actually guessed right away


    that it was a set-up. How exactly does his mind work?''


    At this point, Ste had no other choice but to resort to her ultimate move!


    [Vermont, you know best about my rtionship with Felicity. Do you remember when you just got


    together with her, I was the first to oppose it?]


    Vermont replied: [You still have the nerve to bring it up now!]


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Ste texted: [You had so many ex-girlfriends, and none of your rtionships with themsted long. I


    only did that because I was afraid that you were only fooling around with Felicity. I didn''t want her to get


    hurt.]


    Vermont did not retort. Clearly, he thought what Ste said made sense.


    She continued: [After we got to know each other better, I realized that you genuinely liked her. I didn''t


    stop you two from dating, did I? When you were pretending to be impotent and lied to her, was it not


    me who got a doctor to help you?


    [I even had Keegan test the remedy for you. If I didn''t trust you this much, would I ever bother to help


    you?]


    Vermont sneered inwardly. He thought, ''You were just being a busybody and didn¡¯t want to miss out on


    the gossip, so you were being "kind-hearted. '' Besides, your remedy didn''t help me at all. I had a


    nosebleed for several days because of it!''


    However, when he realized that Ste got Keegan to try it out before rmending it to him, he felt a


    lot better.


    Then, he pursed his lips and replied: [Stop ying this mind game with me. What did you mean by my


    mother-inw?]


    [Florence knew about your "condition" and thought you were really impotent. So, she told Felicity that if


    she wanted to marry you, she must get pregnant with your baby first. If you can''t, then she won''t


    approve of the rtionship. She wants to find a man who can give Felicity a bunch of babies.]


    Vermont was caught off guard by Ste''s text.


    Suddenly, he felt like he was transported to a women-dominated world, where the standard of choosing


    a husband was based solely on his fertility.


    [Did you make something up just because you need my help with something?]


    Ste replied truthfully: [I swear, if I''m lying to you now, I''ll never be able to earn a penny from now on!]


    Vermont just kept quiet. That was undoubtedly a very malicious curse for money-minded people like


    them.


    Suddenly, he thought about Felicity''s recently strange behavior.


    For example, the weather was not even warm yet, but she would wear shorts and a low-cut tank top


    while they yed games in the living room. He did not even dare to look at her, afraid of getting


    distracted.


    However, when he told her to wear something thicker, she would say that the weather was hot. There


    was no way she could possibly feel hot in the house when the temperature was only seventy


    Fahrenheit.


    Also, after taking a shower, Felicity began wearing nightgowns when all she used to wear was a set of


    pajamas. They were made of silk, a material that did not match her usual style at all. Even her daily


    outfits changed from hoodies and sweatpants to all sorts of miniskirts. Some were so short they


    barely covered her thighs.


    Vermont wondered if she had recently watched some inappropriate fashion gurus'' videos and that was


    why she was dressed so strangely.


    Now that he read Ste''s text, he could not help but think, ''Could she be... seducing me?''


    Vermont''s eyelid twitched abruptly.


    He had gotten too used to this non-sexual rtionship and failed to notice all those obvious hints.


    He nced at Felicity, who was scrolling through her phone next to him. Then, he stood up and said, "I


    need to use the bathroom."


    "Okay," Felicity said. Then, she texted Ste: [Mission aplished.]


    Ste paused and thought, ''Oops, I guess I gave myself away.''


    Then, she replied: [Thanks, sweetheart.]


    Felicity texted back: [Ste, my clothes have arrived.]


    Ste was shocked as she said: [That''s quick!]

 Chapter 2099

    Chapter 2099


    Felicity got shy. She texted: [I opened the parcel and saw it. It''s a little too revealing. How can I wear


    it?]


    Ste replied: [Just do it. Tell Vermont that it''s a cosy outfit and ask if it looks good on you.]


    Felicity froze.


    Ste was about to type something more, but Vermont called her. She answered the phone and heard


    him asking, "Did miss bandit tell you that herself?"


    She replied, "Of course. Otherwise, how could I suggest you have a baby with her first? Didn''t you tell


    me that you wanted to meet her parent?


    Felicity had already mentioned it to Florence before, and that was when Florence came up with the


    condition.


    "Felicity was afraid that directly telling you would hurt your pride as a man, so she was still finding the


    best way to bring it up to you."


    Vermont rubbed his temples. "Is Mrs. Thompson not afraid of me taking advantage of Felicity?"


    Ste said, "She''s way richer than you. For her, a son-inw is nothing more than a toy to please her


    daughter. If the toy misbehaves, she can just rece it. How could a toy possibly take advantage of its


    owner? There''ll always be a better toy."


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Vermont gritted his teeth. "Shut up if you don''t know how to use analogies!"


    He paused momentarily before saying, "Do you have miss bandit''s mother''s number?"


    Ste quickly forwarded Florence''s number to Vermont upon hearing that.


    When she was still studying with Felicity, Florence had once visited their dorm and brought them a lot


    of fruit. Ste had a great chat with her at that time, so they exchanged numbers. However, Ste had


    never called her.


    Vermont saved the number and added the remark "mother-inw."


    Ste then said in a very gentle tone, "Mr. Snyder, I''ve told you everything I know. About the favor I


    mentioned, could you..."


    Vermont immediately turned against Ste. "I¡¯m sorry, can''t do it."


    After that, he instantly ended the call.


    Ste''s expression darkened. ''What a cunning fox he is!''


    Vermont spent a long time psyching himself up before finally dialing that number.


    The call was answered shortly after. Vermont nervously stood up and spoke in a very formal tone,


    "Hello, Mrs. Thompson. This is Vermont."


    The person on the other end of the phone asked, "Vermont?"


    Vermont paused. Before he could say anything else, the person added, ¡ö'' Hurry up and deliver the gas


    tank. Freddie needs it now."


    Vermont was speechless. ''Did she mistake me for someone else?''


    "Mrs. Thompson, I''m Felicity¡¯s boyfriend, Vermont Snyder."


    The person paused momentarily before asking, "Can I help you?"


    "I have something to tell you." Vermont took a deep breath and continued," Mrs. Thompson, I know you


    proposed a condition to Felicity, but I also want to express my stance. I want to marry her and be with


    her simply because I love her.


    "If you insist on US having a child before you can approve of our rtionship, I think it''s not only


    disrespectful to me but also to Felicity.


    "I understand that raising her hasn''t been easy, but you''ve got to give her the freedom of being herself


    and making her own decision. If you are unsatisfied with me, then you''re free to make any demands to


    test my worthiness.


    "But the condition you came up with is not it. Felicity is still a child herself and is not ready to be a


    mother at all. If you want her to get pregnant at this stage of her life, it won''t be fair to her and the


    baby."


    There was a long silence on the other end, then suddenly a loud shout," Florence, does Felicity have a


    boyfriend? They even have a child already! Why didn''t you tell any of US about it?"


    Vermont was shocked.


    Then, he heard a cold and sharp voice from the phone, "Who has a child?"


    "Beep-" Vermont immediately ended the call.

 Chapter 2100

    Chapter 2100


    Vermont stared at his phone nkly, btedly realizing that hanging up so abruptly might have been a


    little inappropriate.


    But he could not believe how the woman on the other end of the phone twisted his words and said that


    he had a baby with Felicity.


    Considering what she said and the fact that he ended the call so abruptly did make him look like a


    scumbag who did not want to take responsibility after getting someone pregnant.


    He paced back and forth anxiously, trying to organize his thoughts and figure out how to exin himself


    when he called backter.


    Suddenly, a brilliant idea popped into his head. ''Isn''t miss bandit the best witness to prove my


    innocence?''


    So, he immediately came out of the bathroom and walked to Felicity''s door, asking, "Miss bandit, are


    you in there?"


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    A bell rang from inside the room, and Felicity answered, "Yeah, why?"


    "Can you open the door? I need to talk to you," Vermont said as he initiated a video call with Florence.


    He thought to himself, Tm sure that Mrs. Thompson will forgive me if Felicity puts in some good words


    for me.''


    So, with his back to Felicity''s door, he raised his phone high and struck a selfie pose, intending to have


    both Felicity and him in the frame.


    With his pose ready, he continued calling out to Felicity from outside her room, Miss bandit,e out


    now."


    Felicity sounded a little impatient. "Stop rushing me. I''ll be right out!"


    Vermont could not wait any longer as he urged, "Juste out for a second. I just need to talk to you


    for a moment, then you can go back in."


    "Okay, okay."


    Felicity pulled up the neckline of her costume in front of the mirror and cursed inwardly, ''Damn, which


    genius designed this? Pulling it up exposes my waist, and pulling it down exposes my chest. The pants


    are so short, and there''s even a long tail hanging at the back.


    ¡®The more I look at this cat costume, the more indecent it gets. How did Stee up with such an


    inappropriate idea? This doesn''t look like a normal cosy outfit at all!''


    Vermont kept rushing her from outside, making her increasingly nervous. With one hard tug, she tore


    off one of the cat ears.


    "Felicity-"


    "Stop calling me!" Felicity gritted her teeth and said, "I''ming!"


    Speaking as if she had nothing to lose, she walked to the door and swung it open.


    At the same time, the other end answered the video call.


    Florence was surrounded by a group of rtives and friends, all eager to see what the potential son-in-


    law of the Thompson family looked like.


    As soon as the video call connected, they all saw Felicity with a pair of cat ears on her head, wearing


    shorts and a tank top. Then, she hugged the handsome young man in front of her, saying, "Vermont, do


    I look good?"


    Everyone fell silent.


    Vermont turned around, and his joyful expression turned into shock.


    His eyes shook, and he stood there dumbfounded,pletely stunned.


    Felicity continued asking with her flushed ears, "Dumbass! I''m asking you a question! Do I look good or


    not?"


    Vermont''s lips trembled, unable to say a word. He ran through all the excuses he could think of in his


    mind but could not figure out how to exin the situation.


    Felicity tiptoed and kissed him on the cheek, then noticed he was still holding his phone up. "Why are


    you holding your phone up so high?" she asked with a frown.


    She then looked at the camera and saw the incredulous faces of her mother and other rtives on the


    screen.


    "Ahh!" Felicity shouted and immediately ran back into her room.


    Vermont swallowed, forced a smile, and greeted everyone, "Hello, aunties."


    Florence snorted, displeased.

 Chapter 2101

    Chapter 2101


    But the aunties were very friendly.


    "Oh, Florence. Felicity''s boyfriend is so handsome! I like him!"


    "No wonder you said that you were not interested when I introduced my friend''s son to Felicity before. It


    turns out that she already has a boyfriend, and they''re even living together. They''re such a good


    match."


    "Young man, how old are you? Where are you from? What do you do for a living?"


    "Since you two already have a child together, when are you nning to have the wedding?"


    Vermont awkwardly said, "What child? We don''t have a child."


    "You just mentioned something about a child on the phone earlier. Didn''t you say that Felicity has a


    child already?"


    At this point, Vermont gave up.


    He was impressed by how that person heard just a word he said on the phone and came up with a


    whole different story on her own.


    Facing his future mother-inw, no matter how embarrassed he felt, he dared not to hang up abruptly


    again. After all, the happiness of his marriage would still depend on whether Florence approved of him.


    So, he cleared his throat and exined, "You heard it wrongly. I was saying that Felicity is still young,


    her career is on the rise, and there''s no rush to have a child now. I want her to live her life first and only


    have a child when she''s ready to do so.


    "When she''s with me, she can do whatever she wants and not be constrained by anyone."


    Felicity''s rtives did not understand a thing he said, but Florence did.


    She sized up the young man on the screen, whose gaze looked genuine as if he was showing her his


    determination and sincerity.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Florence smirked and thought, ''Felicity''s father looked just as sincere back then, but what happened?


    ''A man can sound as sincere as possible when making promises. Although they can be genuine, most


    of them can''t walk the talk.''


    Then, Florence said tly, "I''ll call you backter. Bye."


    Vermont felt uneasy as he could sense that Florence was not very satisfied with him, even though he


    had stayed in Felicity¡¯s hometown before and had brief interactions with her.


    Florence was not exactly cold, but she was not very friendly either. She was strong-willed and sharp-


    minded, able to see through people with just one nce.


    ''It seems like the mother-inw is going to be a lot harder to deal withpared to the daughter,''


    Vermont thought to himself.


    Vermont twisted the doorknob to Felicity''s room, intending to ask what Florence liked so he could cater


    to her preferences.


    But as soon as he opened the door, he saw Felicity hiding under the nket, covering herself tightly.


    He sat down on the edge of the bed and said, "Hey, miss bandit."


    Felicity pulled the nket down slightly and revealed her wide eyes. "Have you hung up?" she asked in


    a muffled voice.


    "Yeah," Vermont responded.


    Felicity immediately threw off the nket, grabbed his neck, and said through gritted teeth, "Are you


    crazy? How could you not tell me you were video-calling my mother? It was so embarrassing!"


    "I didn''t expect you to be dressing like that!"


    Then, he chuckled and flicked her cat ears. "Who are you supposed to be? The mouse from


    Ratatouille?"


    "Are you an idiot?" Felicity angrily grabbed her tail and swung it in front of Vermont''s face. "I''m a cat! A


    cat!"


    Vermont touched the tail; it felt surprisingly soft.


    Felicity noticed his lowered gaze and made a yful "meow."


    Just as Vermont was thinking about what to say to Felicity, he immediately paused when he heard that


    "meow." Then, he lifted his gaze at her.


    Felicity felt electrified by his eyes as if she hadpletely lost control of herself. She said intuitively,


    "Master, I want to be your wild little kitty."

 Chapter 2102

    Chapter 2102


    Vermont''s gaze darkened.


    Felicity noticed his reaction and meowed again.


    He gulped as he asked in a low voice, "Who told you to dress like this?"


    After all, Felicity was inexperienced in love and had never dated anyone else before Vermont.


    She awkwardly wrapped her arms around his shoulder and asked in a flirtatious, high-pitched voice,


    "Don''t you like it?"


    Vermont was amused by her strange tone. Then, he pinched her cat ears andughed as he asked, "Is


    something wrong with your vocal cords?"


    His words ruined the atmosphere that had just been built up.


    Felicity grabbed his hair as her face turned red. "Are you crazy? What are youughing at?" she said


    through gritted teeth.


    Vermont sat down next to her and hugged her while still chuckling. He asked, "Why can''t you talk


    properly? Doesn''t your throat hurt from speaking like that?"


    Felicity pushed the unromantic man away and stood up to leave, annoyed.


    But as soon as she got on her feet, she heard a tearing sound and felt her pants rip.


    As she wondered what had happened, Vermont said, "Your tail fell off."


    Felicity turned around and saw that he was sitting on her furry tail. She had identally torn it off while


    standing up abruptly just now. Now, it was lying on the bed, with a piece of cloth torn from the pants as


    Vermont leaned his head to look at her butt.


    She felt a gust of cold wind rush into her pants. Reaching over, she realized that there was a hole


    behind them.


    Vermont kindly reminded her. He said, "Your butt..."


    Felicity covered the hole in her pants with both hands and red at him." Shut up!" she shouted.


    Vermont was amused by how embarrassed she looked. Then, he said softly, "Just sit back down. That


    way, it''ll be covered."


    Felicity sat on the edge of the bed, dismayed by the poor quality of the outfit. The ear had ripped apart,


    and the tail fell off with just a tug. She couldn''t believe the five-star reviews, thinking they had to be


    fake.


    Inwardly, she cursed, ''This is nothing like what the buyers described! Those who imed their


    boyfriends were charmed by this outfit were lying, right? All my boyfriend does isugh at me!''


    Vermont touched the cat''s ear on her head and teased her by saying, "Now you''re looking like a cat."


    Felicity gazed at him. "Really?"


    Vermont nodded. "Like a stray cat."


    Her expression darkened, and she pounded on him, ready to fight.


    Vermont was initially leaning backward, and Felicity''s push sent him straight onto the bed.


    As he lifted his gaze, he was met with her cleavage, and he froze instantly.


    Felicity was unaware of that and just grabbed his cor. She said through gritted teeth, "You''re a stray


    dog! A stinky, stupid, and dumb dog!¡±


    Vermont''s ear flushed as he averted his gaze and said in a low voice, "Stop messing around. Get off


    me."


    "I spent so much money on this set of clothes, and not only did you ruin them, but you also made fun of


    me! How dare you, you blind fool!"


    Vermont was dazzled by the snowy skin in front of him and could not resist himself anymore. He flipped


    Felicity over and pinned her down against the bed.


    "Babe, I won''t be able to hold myself back anymore if you don''t stop moving."


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Felicity paused, finally sensing that something was not right. Her initial aggression disappeared, and


    she squirmed ufortably.


    Vermont held her legs down and warned, "Stay still."


    Felicity hesitated for a moment, then squirmed again.

 Chapter 2103

    Chapter 2103


    Vermont was surprised. "Do you have a death wish?" He asked.


    Felicity looked away and stammered, "You don''t have to hold yourself back. No one''s stopping you


    anyway."


    He reached out to pinch her cheek and said in a low voice, "It isn''t the right time yet."


    Felicity''s motivation for wanting to sleep with him was wrong; she was doing it to satisfy Florence''s


    pregnancy condition, which is why Vermont did not want to do it.


    He wanted it to be out of love and something they would enjoy.


    Felicity was speechless as she thought, ''We''re already in such a position. How can it still not be the


    right time?


    ''I spent so much effort finally getting things to this stage. What is he thinking?''


    She frowned and pushed him away. "If now isn''t the right time, then when is?"


    Vermont sat up. "After I deal with your mother."


    Felicity paused. "D-Did you find out about something?"


    Vermont hugged her and asked in a deep voice, "What something?"


    He figured that if Felicity did not want him to know about it, then he should pretend not to know. After


    all, he was somewhat amused by how she clumsily seduced him just now.


    He also realized that he should not have asked Felicity to appear on the call earlier. Florence was only


    targeting him, and getting Felicity involved would only create conflict between them, making the


    situation more difficult to deal with.


    Felicity''s suspicion disappeared as expected. She shook her head and said, "Nothing. What do you


    mean by dealing with my mother?"


    "If I want to marry you, don''t I have to get her approval first? I''ve been asking you to introduce me to


    her formally, but you never agreed. I figured she must not like me. Doesn''t that mean I have to make a


    good impression and prove myself to her?


    "Otherwise, how could she bear to allow her precious daughter to marry me?"


    Felicity was easy to appease; she immediately became happy upon hearing what Vermont said. Then,


    she hugged his arm and teased him, "Then you''re in for it. My mom is known for being difficult to deal


    with. Not only that she''s rich, but she''s also very strong-willed.


    "What if she doesn''t approve of our rtionship no matter what? What will you do?"


    Vermont chuckled. "Do you want to make a bet?"


    Felicity got excited. "About what?"


    "If your mom epts me, you''ll buy another costume like this one and wear it again for me. It has to be


    semi-transparent, too."


    Felicity''s ears flushed as she red at him. "And what if she doesn''t?"


    "If she doesn''t..." Vermont pondered for a moment, smirked, and yfully whispered in her ear, "Then


    I''ll just do whatever I want to you ande up with another nter."


    Felicity kicked him off the bed. "With what you''re capable of, it''s more like I''ll be the one doing whatever


    I want to you¡¯"


    Vermont sat on the carpet, pretending to be in pain. After noticing that Felicity did not fall for his act, he


    stood up and leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek. "That''ll work too. I''ll cooperate and be gentle."


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Felicity then kicked the flirtatious man out of her room.


    However, she forgot to ask him why he video-called Florence after getting distracted by their


    conversation earlier.


    As Vermont left the bedroom, he called Marshall.


    Things did not go well between Marshall and Ste, and it made him feel down. He could not focus at


    work and even overlooked several errors in the documents.


    The intern said in a low voice, "Mr. Moore, I think you should drop this case. The deceased didn''t even


    dare to specify any real name in the note and only used initials. Those people are definitely not


    ordinary people.


    "There''s no solid evidence, and they still want you to help them. You''ve been awyer for so many


    years; I''m sure you know how difficult a case like this can be. You might even damage your reputation if


    anything goes wrong."


    Marshall remained silent as he repeatedly read the limited information he had. Indeed, the fact that he


    could not find out the identity of the person who died of falling in The Hox Club that night made the


    investigation even harder for him.


    After thinking about it for a long time, he decided to call Carter.


    But before he could dial the number, Vermont''s call came through." Marshall, I''ve made ns with


    Carter for a drink. Do you want to join us?"

 Chapter 2104

    Chapter 2104


    Marshall! hesitated for a moment and asked, "Where?"


    Vermont then told him the address.


    Marshall asked again, "Is Keegan going?"


    Vermont responded in a somewhat unhappy tone, "Let''s not talk about that ungrateful scum. He''s been


    so entitled ever since he lost his memory.


    "And Ste, whenever I argued with Felicity, she''d ask her to break up with me.


    "Our rtionship has gotten so much worse because of her. Because of her, miss bandit and I had


    another argument today. It''s so annoying!"


    Marshall nced at the time and said, "Send me your location. I''ll take a cab over in a bit."


    When he arrived at the bar, Vermont and Carter were already drinking in the private room.


    Other than them, there were several other young people from wealthy families, both male and female,


    ying games together.


    With a cigarette in his mouth, Vermont chatted with the girls next to him while rolling the dice. He was


    humorous, embodying the image of a charming yboy. The girls around him could not stopughing.


    Meanwhile, Carter sat quietly on the other side. Compared to the lively atmosphere surrounding


    Vermont, his side felt somewhat dull.


    Carter was different from those yful rich kids. In the past, only Zane would asionally show up at


    such gatherings. However, he was wild and had caused serious injuries to others twice after getting


    drunk, so nobody wanted to hang out with him.


    Carter used to never attend such gatherings too. But after marrying Lena, he seemed to have be


    more outgoing and started joining these gatherings from time to time.


    Although he would not speak much, he would politely respond when greeted by others.


    It was inevitable that they would have some business dealings with rich kids like them in the business


    world. Being familiar with each other would make things easier.


    Although the old Carter was courteous, he was very straightforward, inflexible, and not good at reading


    the room. But now, he had be better.


    Marshall pushed open the door, and Carter noticed him immediately. He waved at him and patted


    Vermont, who was sitting next to him.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Vermont lifted his head, put out his cigarette, and said, "Marshall, sit over here."


    He turned to the several beautifuldies around him and added, "Pay up, pay up. Ten minutes. How


    about it? Didn''t I tell you so?"


    "Mr. Snyder, this is unbelievable. You talked to him before this, didn''t you?"


    Vermont responded with a serious face, "Absolutely not. Ask Marshall if you don''t believe me. Let''s see


    if I called him or not."


    With that, he nced at Marshall, who looked at Carter with a puzzled expression.


    Carter chuckled and said in a low voice, "Vermont bet that he had a feeling you''d arrive in ten minutes.


    If you didn''t, he''d give each of them ten thousand, but if you did, each of them would have to pay him


    ten thousand.


    Marshall said, "ording to Article 303 of the Criminal Law, those who organize gambling activities or


    engage in gambling as a profession without permit in Hustuabourg shall be sentenced to imprisonment


    for less than three years and fined."


    Vermont ignored him, took out his phone, and showed thedies his Venmo QR code. "Here. Who''s


    going to pay first?"


    Marshall added, "To be specific, gambling is illegal if it involves three or more people, with the total


    amount of bets reaching over fifty thousand."


    He paused and counted the number of people in the room. "There are seven people, which exceeded


    the limit."


    Vermont red at him. Just when everyone thought he was going to give up, he said, "Well, then


    transfer me seven thousand dors each. Keep the three thousand dors and spend it on the bill for


    tonight."


    Then, he turned to look at Marshall and said with a smile, "Mr. Lawyer, now this is legal, right?"


    Everyone else was caught off guard.


    Marshall remained silent and did not deny it.


    So, everyone epted their fate. They each transferred seven thousand dors in Hustuabourg


    currency to Vermont and thought to themselves, ''I know I shouldn''t have made this bet. The owner of


    Green Hill Media would never do something that is not profitable.''

 Chapter 2105

    Chapter 2105


    After collecting the money, Vermont tossed the dice to the person beside him and poured two sses


    of liquor. He handed one to Marshall and sat down next to him. "Did youe from the office?"


    "Yeah; Marshall responded and took a sip of the drink.


    "Why are you and Ms. Thompson fighting?"


    Vermont''s expression instantly turned sour upon hearing Marshall''s question. "We''re here to have fun.


    Why do you have to ask about such unhappy things?"


    Marshall said gently, "Ms. Thompson is a very genuine and nice person. She''s younger than you, and


    you should be more amodating to her."


    "Am I not being amodating enough to her?" Vermont put down his ss and spoke with a stern


    face. "I''ve had so many girlfriends; have I ever been as open and sincere with any of them as I am with


    her?


    "I know she''s a genuine person, but she spends all her effort on her friend. When does she ever care


    about me? She isn''t even willing to bring me to meet her mother. Am I such a bad boyfriend that she


    can''t bring me to her mother?"


    Marshall chuckled upon hearing that. "Girls are shy. Maybe she''s just not ready yet. After all, your


    rtionship with her is stable now. There''s no need to rush things."


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Vermont waved his hand. "I asked you here to drink with me, not to lecture me. I''m going to leave if you


    don''t stop talking about this."


    Marshall stopped speaking and clinked ss with Vermont.


    After a few drinks, he started chatting with Carter.


    "Lena is going to transfer to another department, right? Has she done so?"


    Carter shook his head. "She loves what she''s doing too much and doesn''t want to transfer. I''m just


    going to let her be. As long as she''s happy with what she''s doing, I''m happy too."


    Marshall nodded and casually asked, "How many years has Lena been in this position?"


    Carter thought for a moment before he said, "About six or seven years, I think."


    "Six or seven years..." Marshall pondered as he continued, "Around six or seven years ago, there were


    a few major cases in Rivera. When I was abroad, I heard from my family that the culprit of the serial


    killings in Sierra was caught six years ago.


    "It happened near The Hox Club area. Later, when the police found out where the killer buried the


    victims, they found the remains of eight bodies. Was Lena involved in that case?"


    Carter paused for a moment and poured himself another ss of liquor. He responded with a smile,


    "She was just an intern back then. How could she have had the opportunity to participate in such a


    major case? Even if she did, she would have just been assisting from the sidelines."


    Marshall sighed. "Time flies, huh? We used to always hang out at The Hox Club, but hardly anyone


    knows about that ce anymore now. It was such a famous ce, and now it''s gone without a trace."


    Carter did not say anything.


    He was thinking about the person Keegan asked him to investigate yesterday, the one who fell to his


    death at The Hox Club. ''Why is Marshall repeatedly mentioning this ce?'' he wondered.


    Vermont did not sense anything wrong. After all, he was also here for a purpose.


    After a few more drinks, Vermont seemed a little drunk as he asked softly," Marshall, how are things


    between you and Ms. Wilson?"


    Marshall replied tly, "She''s fine."


    "You don''t like her, huh?"


    Marshall remained silent.


    Vermont drank another ss of liquor and said, "Your mother wanted me to persuade you to spend


    more time with Ms. Wilson. How can I possibly do that? I''m sure she knows what you want better than I


    do."


    As he reached for the bottle again, Marshall stopped him. "Stop drinking. You''ve had enough."


    Vermont swayed his hand unsteadily. "I haven''t had too much. I''m very sober. Marshall, be honest with


    me. Are you still thinking about Willow?"

 Chapter 2106

    Chapter 2106


    Carter''s eyelid twitched, and he quickly interrupted Vermont. "Have some water. Do you want me to


    walk you to the washroom?"


    Vermont pushed him away and rested his hand on Marshall''s shoulder. "I really don''t understand.


    What''s so good about that woman? She got married to someone else right after breaking up with you.


    What exactly do you see in her?


    "Is it because she was pregnant with your child when that ident happened, so you''ve been feeling


    guilty and can''t forget about her?"


    Carter had a sudden urge to stuff the dice into his mouth to shut him up.1 Howe I didn''t realize this


    guy talks so much when he''s drunk? Does he even know what he''s talking about right now?''


    However, Marshall''s expression remained calm. He took a sip from his ss and calmly asked, "Who is


    Willow?"


    "Do you really not remember? Why aren''t you willing to get a new girlfriend and settle down if you


    don''t?" Vermont poked his chest as he added," When Felicity and I went shopping the other day, we


    bumped into your mom.


    "She knew I had a girlfriend and said to me with a sorrowful face, ''You''ve settled down too. I wonder,


    when is Marshall''s turn.'' You can never imagine how downhearted I felt when I heard that."


    Vermont downed another ss as his eyes turned ssy. He grabbed Marshall''s arm and continued in


    a hoarse voice, "Indeed, there are some things we can never say to our elders.


    "But none of these would''ve happenedter if your family were more lenient.


    "That child would be about seven years old now, huh? If I had stayed in Rivera back then, I''d do


    everything I can to save that child for you.¡±


    Although Marshall looked veryposed, Carter noticed a slight ripple in the ss he was holding,


    suggesting that he was not as calm as he appeared.


    Then, Carter reached out and took the ss from Vermont''s hand before offering him a cup of water.


    "Stop drinking, or you won''t be able to walkter. Everyone here has been drinking, and nobody can


    drive you home."


    "Tsk." Vermont clicked his tongue. "Are you saying that I can''t hold my liquor? I don''t need anyone to


    drive me back. Instead, you two can drink all you want tonight. I''ll get you both home safelyter. Also, I


    promise that Lena and Mrs. Moore won''t nag you about it."


    Carterughed. "What about you? Is Ms. Thompson not going to scold you? N


    Vermont frowned. "Let''s not talk about her. She¡¯s an ungrateful thing. At this point, I don''t even want to


    meet her mother anymore."


    He stood up unsteadily and said, "I need to use the restroom. Wait for me here. We¡¯ll continue drinking


    when Ie backter."


    As soon as he said that, he stumbled and almost fell. Fortunately, he managed to grab onto the edge of


    the couch in time.


    Marshall looked at the state he was in and suggested, "Let mee with you."


    "It''s fine." Vermont waved his hand. "I''m going now. Don''t drink without me. I''ll be back in a bit."


    Then, he wobbled out of the room.


    Carter swirled his ss and said in a gentle tone, "I''ve never seen him like this. It seems like he''s really


    into Ms. Thompson."


    Marshall took a sip of tea and said, "Carter, I need your help to look someone up."


    Carter smiled. "You should go to the police if you want to do that. I''m just a working man; how can I


    possibly help?"


    Marshall kept quiet for a moment before he said, "I''m only asking for your help because I have no other


    option."


    He then took out a photo from his pocket and handed it to Carter. "I know you have your method.


    Please look this person up for me. I''ll owe you one. If you need anything in the future, just ask."


    Carter lowered his gaze at the photo without saying anything.


    The person in the photo was the same man who fell to his death at The Hox Club, the one Keegan


    asked him to investigate.


    ''It''s true that Marshall is looking him up, too,'' Carter thought to himself.


    Carter looked away after a nce at the photo. "I can''t help you with this. You know what my wife does


    for a living. I don''t want to interfere with her work. Besides, I''m not capable of doing that anyway."


    After a brief pause, he added, "Marshall, there are plenty of other ways for you to investigate someone.


    Why ask me and take such a big risk?"


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Marshall replied tly, "I wouldn''t havee to you if I had other options."


    He ced the photo next to Carter''s hand and said, "Then show this photo to Lena. This person died


    from falling at The Hox Club about five years ago. Perhaps she was involved in the investigation of that


    case or had seen him. Please ask her for me."


    Carter could not say no to that, so he took the photo and said, "I''ll try to help, but don''t get your hopes


    up. She never liked me asking her about work.


    Marshall nodded. "I understand. Just try your best. I''ll try to find out more through other means."


    Carter then took the photo and put it away.

 Chapter 2107

    Chapter 2107


    After a while, Vermont came back.


    As the alcohol took its toll, Marshall leaned back on the couch. He loosened his tie with one hand and


    turned to Vermont, who was sprawled drunkenly on the couch with a ss of alcohol in his hand. He


    said," Cheers."


    Carter was just like Marshall. Although they had their fair share of drinks, they were still sober.


    He looked at his phone and propped himself up on the couch. "I''ll call a cab. Let''s send Vermont home


    first."


    Before Marshall could speak, Vermont instantly said upon hearing that, "I''m not going back. If you guys


    are leaving, I''ll just stay here tonight."


    Carter paused. "Stay here? Aren''t you afraid that Ms. Thompson will find out?"


    Vermont scoffed. "So what if she did? Do you think I''m scared of her? She doesn''t even want me to


    meet her parent. I''ll just break up with her if things don''t work out."


    His phone on the table rang as soon as he finished speaking.


    Carter nced at the caller ID "miss bandit." Then, he bent down, picked up the phone, and answered


    it.


    "Hello there."


    Felicity was taken aback. "Who are you?"


    "This is Carter Lowe," he paused before asking cautiously. "Are you Ms. Thompson?"


    Felicity said, "Where''s Vermont? Let me speak to him."


    "He''s had too much to drink." Carter then repeated what Vermont had said, word by word. ''He said he''s


    noting back tonight. He wants to stay at the bar."


    Felicity''s expression darkened. ¡¯Where are you guys?"


    Carter told her the address. She said through gritted teeth, ¡¯Mr. Lowe, would you look after him for a


    minute? I''ll be there right away to pick him up."


    "Sure."


    It did not take Felicity very long to drive to the bar. After she arrived, Carter and Marshall helped


    Vermont into the car.


    However, Vermont resisted. He gripped the car door tightly with both hands, saying he wanted to spend


    the night with thedies in the bar.


    Carter and Marshall felt extremely awkward. After all, Felicity was right there with them.


    Then, Carter smiled and tried to defend Vermont. He said, ¡¯He''s had too much to drink and is talking


    nonsense. Before he was drunk, he wouldn''t stop talking about you."


    With a tense face, Felicity opened the car door and got out. She walked around the car to the rear door


    and said to the two men, "Let go of him."


    Marshall was stunned.


    "Let go!" Felicity shouted.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The two of them instinctively released their grip. Then, Felicity kicked Vermont in the butt, pushing him


    into the car.


    The two men were astonished by the scene before them.


    After that, Felicity knelt on one knee in the back seat, fastened Vermont with the seatbelt, and turned to


    the two of them. "Come on. I''ll drive you two back home."


    Carter recollected himself and quickly said, "It''s okay, save the trouble. We''ve called a cab for


    ourselves."


    He closed the rear car door and smiled. "Ms. Thompson, have a safe journey back home."


    Felicity did not insist, said goodbye to the two of them, and drove away.


    After the car had driven for some distance, Vermont groaned as he rubbed his waist. "What a show you


    put on back there! You''ve been waiting to kick me your whole life, huh?!¡¯

 Chapter 2108

    Chapter 2108


    Felicity snorted. "Quit pretending. Do you think I can''t smell all the women''s perfume on you?"


    Vermont lifted his arm and took a sniff, is there any?"


    Then, heughed and added, "You didn''t even touch me. How could you smell anything on me? Are


    you a dog?"


    "Stop the nonsense. What''s up with you? You pretended to be drunk when drinking with them and


    wanted me to call first to pick you up?"


    Vermont leaned back on the seat, took a bottle of water from behind, and twisted the cap open. He


    said, "If I hadn''t been this drunk, do you think they''d let me leave?"


    Felicity rolled her eyes. "Why bother drinking with them then?"


    He thought inwardly, ''Do you think I want to? I''m only doing this for your scheming best friend.''


    However, he said somethingpletely different from what he thought." Well, I just wanted to show off


    that I have someone to pick me up now when I get drunk outside."


    Felicity shot him a disdainful look. "You''re out of your mind."


    Vermont took a sip of water, then texted Ste with a word: [Done.]


    Ste replied very quickly.


    She sent a dozen photos of Felicity when she was still in school.


    There were photos of her participating in activities, going out with friends, and even receiving awards.


    They were all of Felicity''s shining moments where she looked cute and lively.


    Vermont saw them and choked on the water.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Felicity handed him a tissue. "Drink slowly. No one''s taking away the water from you."


    Vermont grunted, coughing as he saved those photos to his phone.


    Then, he thought, ''Although Ste can be very scheming, she did the right thing this time.''


    Vermont could not directly tell Marshall that Coco was Willow''s daughter because Marshall was not


    easy to fool. If he did so, it would definitely make Marshall suspicious of him.


    He had to drop Marshall some subtle hints for him to figure it out himself.


    Vermont figured that Keegan and Ste must have noticed something strange about Marshall, which


    was why they needed his help. To be honest, both of them were his good friends, so he could not pick


    a side.


    That was why he did not insist on finding out Ste''s intention. Instead, he chose to ignore it and


    nned to act dumb when asked about it.


    Meanwhile, in Caline, Ste was reviewing documents in her office. Aubrey knocked on the door, came


    inside, and ced three sets of documents on her desk. "Ms. Hall, these are the three drivers who


    meet your requirements from the interviews. Please have a look."


    Ste took the documents and flipped through them. "Are they still here?"


    "Yes. They''re all still with the HR department."


    Ste grabbed the documents and stood up. "Take me to see them."


    Aubrey then led her to the HR department to interview the drivers.


    Actually, Darcie had arranged a driver for her, but Ste was afraid that Darcie would use this as an


    opportunity to nt a spy on her. So, Ste


    told Aubrey that she wanted to hire a driver who met her requirements, such as driving experience,


    age, and work history.


    The three selected drivers were all men, with the youngest being thirtyeight and the oldest forty-five.


    They all had over ten years of driving experience and had no history of causing traffic idents during


    their tenure.

 Chapter 2109

    Chapter 2109


    Ste swept her gaze across the three people before her andpared each of them to their


    submitted resumes.


    The youngest applicant seemed to have experience driving for corporate leaders, and he spoke


    somewhat arrogantly. Everytime Ste asked a question, he would habitually add a sentence like "My


    former boss would... ", which irritated her.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Then, she turned to the second applicant and asked him about his preferred working hours and if he


    had any sry requirements. He revealed that his daily wage was above average, he was only willing


    to work eight hours a day, and he also requested that thepany provide amodation.


    Ste was fine with his request, but there was one thing she was curious about. "With such a high daily


    wage, why did you quit yourst job?"


    The second applicant was taken aback as he stuttered and said that he got bored of working at the


    same ce and wanted to change jobs.


    Ste nced at thepany where the second applicant previously worked and signaled for Xavier


    toe over. She whispered a few words to him; he nodded and left the room with the documents. He


    returned shortly after and said a few words to her.


    She frowned, put his resume aside, and looked at thest applicant.


    ording to his resume, he was forty-five years old but appeared to be a bit older in person. He was


    skinny with a very ordinary face that would melt back into the crowd the moment one looked away.


    He wore an ill-fitted patched suit that he probably specially prepared for the interview. However, he did


    not have a matching dress shirt inside.


    Instead, he wore a dark gray round-neck sweater. The cor was slightly wrinkled as if it had been


    worn for a long time.


    His back and shoulders were hunched. While the two other applicants were trying to showcase their


    abilities, he just stood there quietly.


    Ste looked at his photo and then at the person before her and asked," Larry Bard, you''ve been a taxi


    driver for nine years. Why stop?"


    Larry lowered his chin and said in a low voice, "I''m getting older, and my family worries about me


    driving at night. They want me to find a more stable job."


    "Are you from Rivera?"


    "No, but I''ve been here for about thirty years now. I''m very familiar with the road here, Boss."


    Ste asked Xavier to contact the taxipany to confirm Larry''s information. This was to ensure that


    he had disclosed everything truthfully.


    She flipped through the resumes, unable to make a decision.


    She felt that Larry was too old, and he looked even older in person. Although he had decent driving


    experience and work history, Ste figured that she would have to get him reced in a few years.


    But she urgently needed a driver. She could not ask for Keegan''s driver to work for her, afraid that


    Jaylene would be suspicious.


    After all, Aubrey was not someone she could trust. Clearly, Aubrey did not put much effort into


    recruiting a driver for her. Otherwise, the second applicant would have never made it past the interview.


    If she were to depend on Aubrey to find another driver, the same thing would probably happen again.


    Although she held the title of vice president, she did not have much authority. That was why only a


    handful of people in the office took her seriously.


    After pondering for a while, Ste made a decision: "I''ll hire you. You''ll get eight thousand dors per


    month and a raise of eight hundred dors the following year, and so on. Yearly bonuses are calcted


    separately. When can you start?"


    Larry was surprised but quickly replied, "Boss, I can start anytime."


    Ste stood up and said, "Then let''s get your employment procedures done as soon as possible."


    The other applicants were unhappy with the decision, especially the second one. His expression was


    somewhat agitated as he said, "He''s so old, and he''s just a taxi driver. How is he any better than me?"


    At first, Ste patiently exined that Larry better suited her requirements. But when that person


    started making a fuss, her expression darkened." During your previous job, you used your boss''s car


    and pretended it was yours to go on dates with women.


    "I''m sure you know why you were fired, right? You should be grateful that you''re not sued for fraud. I


    can''t believe you still have the audacity to cause a scene here. Have you no shame?"


    That man''s expression froze, and then he became embarrassed and angry. He clenched his fists tight


    and rushed toward Ste. However, before he could get any closer, someone emerged from the side


    and kicked him in the groin, sending him right into the wall.abab

 Chapter 2110

    Chapter 2110


    The man was in so much pain that he could not even get up.


    Ste was stunned. Then, she turned around and saw the driver she had just hired, Larry Bard.


    He looked calm as he stood between Ste and the man who tried to attack her.


    Xavier quickly stepped forward and subdued the man on the ground with the help of others.


    "Ms. Hall, are you okay?" Aubrey hurriedly asked.


    Ste recollected herself and said, deeply and coldly, "Aubrey, is this the person you carefully


    screened? He has such unstable emotions and even a history of fraud. How could you not know about


    that?"


    Aubrey''s expression stiffened before turning somewhat unpleasant. "Ms. Hall, we only checked the


    driver''s driving experience and ident history during our previous screening. As for why they left their


    previouspany, we don''t usually delve into that." "I don''t care what your previous screening is like.


    You''re working for me now. Have I not exined myself clearly enough to you?¡±


    Aubrey paused for a long time before she said, "I''m sorry, Ms. Hall. It''s my mistake."


    Ste said coldly, "Write a thousand-word report reflecting on yourself and submit it to my office before


    the meeting tomorrow."


    Everyone in the room exchanged nces.


    Aubrey was Darcie''s trusted confidant, and everyone in thepany respected her. Even if she made


    a mistake, Darcie would not punish her. However, the new vice president did not hold back at all.


    Aubrey felt humiliated in front of her colleagues. She clenched her fists and said in a low voice, "Ms.


    Hall, my direct superior is Mrs. Saun, and I only take orders from her. Currently, I''m only temporarily


    assisting you.


    "The mistake in the background check is not entirely my fault. You have no right to demand me to do


    that."


    As Ste looked up, a mysterious smile appeared on her face. "Aubrey, how many years have you


    worked here?"


    Aubrey pursed her lips and said, "Seventeen years." "Seventeen years... As someone who worked


    here for seventeen years, don''t you know who owns Caline? You work here, yet you''re telling me that


    you only take orders from Mrs. Saun. So, may I ask if your sry is paid by her from her personal


    ount?


    "Does she contribute to your social security fund? Is your name not recorded in thepany''s system?


    Does that mean you''re not part of Caline?"


    Her continuous questions left Aubrey speechless.


    Ste was clearly trying to shift the focus. Aubrey pointed out that she was Darcie''s assistant, but Ste


    emphasized that she was on the same payroll as everyone else in thepany.


    Aubrey''s face turned pale, unable to argue.


    Then, Ste added coldly, "Since that''s not the case, as thepany''srgest shareholder, what is the


    issue with me demanding a self-reflection for a mistake you made? Or do I need to call Mrs. Saun and


    have her personally talk to you?"


    Aubrey''s lips trembled. If Ste were to do that because of such trivial matters, Darcie would definitely


    be on Ste''s side and even me her for being ipetent.


    Aubrey clenched her fists tight, swallowed her pride, and said in a low voice, "You''re right, Ms. Hall.


    This is all my fault."


    Ste nced at her. Then, with the imposing manner she adopted from Keegan, she said calmly, "So,


    can you submit the reflection report?" "...Yes."


    Ste calmed herself down and turned to Larry, who had just kicked the other person away. She


    nodded at him and said softly, "Mr. Bard, thank you for helping me."


    Larry quickly shook his head and said awkwardly, "M-Ms. Hall, you''re too polite. It was the least I could


    do."


    Ste stood upright. "If you have any other requirements for the job, let me know. If they''re reasonable,


    I''ll work with HR to get them done."


    Larry waved his hand. "I don''t have any requirements. I just want to start working as soon as possible.


    I''ve stayed at home for too long, and I feel restless."


    Ste smiled and turned to the HR manager. "How long will it take to get the employment procedures


    done?"


    The manager replied, "Once the medical examination is done and nothing is wrong with it, he can start


    working immediately. Everything can be done in one day."This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

 Chapter 2111

    Chapter 2111


    Ste nodded.


    She was about to say something else when Jaylene pushed the door open and said, "Ste-Ms. Hall, can


    youe out for a moment? I need to talk to you."


    So, Ste held her tongue and said to Larry, "The HR department will assist you with your onboarding.


    Just do whatever they ask."


    Then, she turned around and walked out.


    Larry nced around and heard the HR manager calling him, so he went to fill out his information.


    Jaylene waited for Ste in the walkway. Ste walked over and asked," What is it?"


    Jaylene said tly, "Trevor''s flight is arriving at eleven. Did you know?"


    Ste nodded.


    "Are you going to pick him up?" "Yeah," Ste responded.


    "Let''s go together then.¡±


    Ste was taken aback. "You''re going too?"


    Jaylene frowned. "What''s wrong with it? He''s not just your brother; he''s my brother too! We lived


    together for more than twenty years!"


    Ste shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever."


    She did not care if Jaylene went or not. She was just a little surprised that Jaylene had gotten smarter.


    If they went to the airport separately, Trevor might not necessarily ride in Jaylene''s car. Their


    rtionship had been tensetely, and she must have noticed it. She only offered to go with Ste


    because she was trying to ease the tension between her and Trevor.


    Although they were not biologically rted, their twenty years of rtionship was genuine. Jaylene


    probably realized that fighting with Trevor was irrational, or perhaps Darcie advised her to please him.


    If it was thetter, then her goal was not just to mend their rtionship-it would be something more


    complicated.


    Xavier drove the two of them to the airport. It was halfway through March, and the weather was


    gradually warming up, with temperatures reaching nearly twenty degrees at noontime.


    Jaylene was already wearing her spring clothes, but Ste had a coat that looked somewhat thick.


    When they got out of the car to wait for Trevor, Jaylene looked at Ste from head to toe and asked,


    "Don''t you feel hot?"


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Ste replied tly, "My mom said it''s good to keep warm during spring. I''m just used to it."


    Wearing a coat could cover her belly, although it was not very big yet.


    Jaylene adjusted her jacket and asked, "How''s Keegan?"


    Ste remained nonchnt. "Ask him yourself if you want to know."


    Jaylene chuckled, her voice soft, sounding somewhat disdainful. Ste could not help but nce at her.


    Then, Jaylene said, "Ste, you''ve been living in Royalpark Vi for so long now, and Keegan still


    hasn''t regained his memory at all. Wouldn''t it be inappropriate for you to continue staying there?"


    Ste looked at her. "What are you trying to say?"


    Jaylene replied tly, "There are some things that Keegan can''t say outright. After all, we came from


    such influential families. If he made things too explicit, it would be embarrassing for everyone. You


    understand, right?" "I don''t." Ste''s eyes were cold. "Jaylene, why don''t you make yourself clearer?"


    Jaylene pursed her lips and said, "Ste, I know it''s hard for you to ept that Keegan has lost his


    memory, but if he can''t remember, he can''t. You''re living in his house as a nobody.


    "If outsiders talk about it, not only will they mock the Saun family for being shameless, but Keegan''s


    reputation in the circle will also be affected. If you really love him, you shouldn''t put him in such an


    awkward position."

 Chapter 2112

    Chapter 2112


    Steughed. "Did Keegan tell you this?"


    Jaylene spoke gently, ¡¯Keegan cares a lot about the rtionship between the Kane and Saun families.


    He also doesn''t want to make things too embarrassing for you. Actually, our house isn''t very far away


    from Royalpark Vi.


    "If you really want to see him, it won''t take long to drive there. This way, you''ll get to maintain your


    image and not put Keegan in a tough position. What do you think?"


    It seemed that the flowers from the past few days had really made Jaylene feel ted, thinking that


    Keegan had developed feelings for her. She ordered Ste to leave the house as if she was Keegan''s


    wife.


    "I don''t really care where I live, but initially, Keegan was the one who asked me to stay there. If he


    doesn''t want me there anymore, let hime and tell me himself. I''ll move out of the house


    immediately as long as he''s the one that says it."


    Jaylene chuckled. "Ste, with how polite Keegan is, how could he possibly chase you out of his


    house? You know him." "This is exactly why I''m confused. Just a few days ago, he went out of his way


    and bought me a new bed just to make sure I could sleep better. Why would he suddenly tell you that


    he doesn''t want me to stay with him?


    "Jaylene, did Keegan really ask you to tell me this? Or is this just something you made up because you


    don''t want me to stay in Royalpark Vi?"


    Jaylene was taken aback as she looked somewhat embarrassed. "I''m just giving you advice from the


    perspective of the Saun family. If you don''t want to listen, forget it."


    Ste said nonchntly, "I can move out of Royalpark Vi, but I¡¯ve got to hear it from Keegan himself.


    If he doesn''t speak to me directly, I''ll think that whoever persuades me to leave has ulterior motives."


    Then, she looked at Jaylene, "Jaylene, I''ll find out the truth about Keegan''s disappearance sooner or


    later. When I do, I won''t spare anyone who harmed him. Whether he remembers me or not, he still


    belongs to me. Anyone who dares to covet him, I''ll tear them apart!"


    Jaylene felt tense all over as her breathing became heavy. Then, she said with a stern face, "Don''t you


    think you''re being too unreasonable? Keegan is not an object; he has the right to be with whoever he


    likes."


    Ste gazed at her. ¡¯If he dares like someone else, I''ll break his legs.''


    Jaylene paused, pursed her lips, and stopped speaking. Then, she secretly sent the saved recording to


    Keegan.


    The nended, and soon, Trevor appeared before them, apanied by a girl about half a head


    shorter than him.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    The girl wore a leather jacket and a short skirt, with a sports backpack on her back. In her right hand,


    she held a phone, while her left hand dragged a suitcase. Her long hair reached her waist, partly loose


    and partly dyed in a few grayish strands, tied into thin braids on one side of her shoulder.


    With almond-shaped eyes and an oval face, her high nose bridge gave her a slightly mixed-race


    appearance. She looked very presentable and not much older than Julian. She emitted a cool and


    stylish aura.


    While Ste was still observing the girl, Jaylene called out, "Trevor, Sonia, over here!¡¯


    Trevor looked over and said something to Sonia, and they walked toward them.


    Jaylene stepped forward and hugged Trevor. "Trevor, wee back."


    Trevor patted her shoulder and looked at Ste. "I told you not toe pick us up. It''s not that far


    anyway."


    Before Ste could speak, Jaylene said, "Trevor, thest ne crash traumatized all of US. How could


    we feel at ease if we didn''te?"


    Trevor paused and subconsciously looked at Sonia.


    She was none other than Sonia rkson, the daughter of the captain of the ne that crashed earlier.


    It was indeed inappropriate for Jaylene to bring up the ident in front of her.


    But Sonia remained nonchnt as if the ne crash had nothing to do with her.


    Trevor shifted the topic by saying, "Sonia, this is my other sister, who I talked to you about earlier. Her


    name is Ste Hall."


    Then, he said to Ste, "Ste, this is Captain rkson''s daughter, Sonia rkson. All of US call her


    Sonia. Her father was my instructor, and her mother is a nurse. When Jaylene was being treated


    abroad, they showed us great hospitality."


    Ste nodded and extended her hand. "Nice to meet you."


    Sonia shook her hand emotionlessly.


    Jaylene spoke warmly, "Sonia, it''s been a long time. You''ve gotten so much prettier now! I could hardly


    recognize you."

 Chapter 2113

    Chapter 2113


    Sonia nodded at Jaylene and greeted her, "Hello, Jaylene."


    Jaylene held her hand and took her suitcase. "Let''s get in the car first. I''ll take you to settle down, and


    then we can have a meal together."


    Sonia did not refuse and followed her to the car.


    Ste stood in ce and watched the two of them walk away. Then, Trevor grabbed her wrist. "Come


    on, stop looking. They''ve known each other for a long time. Also, Sonia doesn''t have many friends


    here, so it''s normal for her to be close to Jaylene."


    Ste shook her head. "I''m not concerned about that. I just feel like she''s too young. Is she really as


    capable as you say?"


    Trevor held her hand as they walked. "Don''t underestimate Gen z. She''s definitely more capable than


    you think she is." "No, I''m worried that a young girl like her will be corrupted by all the cunning people


    in the perfume blending department. Putting someone so innocent there seems a bit risky."


    Trevor chuckled.


    Ste looked at him and asked, "What''s so funny?" "If you think this way, others will, too. It''s all about


    catching them off guard and surprising them."


    Trevor ruffled her hair and asked softly, "How are my dear nephews and nieces?"


    Ste chuckled softly. "They''re doing great. I''ll show you the ultrasoundter."


    She paused for a moment before adding, "Trevor, you should hurry up too. You''d better not be single


    when my children are grown up. Can you imagine how many presents you''ll have to buy and receive


    none because you don''t have a child?" "Do you think I can''t afford to buy them presents?" "No, but then


    Keegan would be getting free stuff from you."


    Trevorughed. "You''re right. You should bring this up in front of him next time."


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste hugged his arm. "Hey, I met some of my old ssmates the other day, and there are two


    beautiful, singledies. Do you want me to introduce them to you?" "Are you crazy? Your ssmates?


    I''ve got to be at least five years older than them, right? I''m not like Keegan the pervert, who''s into


    someone much younger than him." "What''s wrong with being with someone five years younger?


    They''re not minors. You''re so close-minded!"


    Sonia was temporarily arranged to stay at the Saun residence. Her mother flew to another country for


    work right after the funeral. They did not settle in Hustuabourg, so they did not have a house in Rivera.


    Sonia was still young, so they did not want her to live alone.


    There was only one vacant room in the Saun residence. It was next to Trevor''s room, but it was not


    very spacious and did not have an attached bathroom, making it somewhat inconvenient for Sonia to


    live in.


    Jaylene generously offered, "Trevor, Sonia can stay with me in my room. My room is big enough for


    two people."


    Ste said, "I don''t think that''s a good idea. I''m sure that Sonia prefers to have a room of her own. We


    all have different sleep schedules, after all."


    After a brief pause, she added, "Trevor, Sonia can stay in my room for now. I haven''t been sleeping


    heretely anyway, and most of my belongings were moved out. It just needs a little bit of cleaning, and


    it''ll be ready for Sonia to move in."


    Jaylene chimed in, "Ste, Dad personally decorated that room for you. I don''t think he will be happy


    with you giving it to Sonia.¡±


    Ste nced at her. "Do you think Dad is that petty?"


    Sonia, who had been silent, suddenly asked Trevor, "Do you have a room?"

 Chapter 2114

    Chapter 2114


    Trevor was taken aback. Then, he said, "I do." "Which one?" Sonia asked.


    Trevor then pointed to his bedroom door.


    Sonia said, "I''ll stay in your room, and you can stay in your sister''s. How about that?"


    Trevor was somewhat surprised and said, "That''ll work. But I don''t stay here very often, so there isn''t


    much in there. It might be inconvenient for you."


    Ste said, "It''s okay. After Sonia settles down, well have a meal and see what the roomcks. Then,


    well head to the mall and buy whatever that''s missing."


    Jaylene spoke, "Actually, she should just stay with me. I have everything in my room."


    Sonia politely declined, "Jaylene, I sleepwalk sometimes. It''s more convenient for me to sleep alone."


    Jaylene stopped insisting upon hearing her words. "Okay. Since we''re living under the same roof, just


    let me know if you need anything."


    Ste raised an eyebrow as she thought, ''I thought Sonia was very close with Jaylene because of how


    friendly she was earlier. It seems like that might not be the case.


    ''Sonia speaks so politely with Jaylene but rather naturally with Trevor. After all, why would a girl


    suggest sleeping in another man''s room?''


    After unpacking, Trevor drove the girls out for a meal.


    Perhaps they still were not very familiar with each other, but Sonia did not speak much. Although she


    looked very cool, she was very well-behaved and had great table etiquette.


    Ste could not help but feel pity for her when she thought about her losing her father.


    Trevor had mentioned before that Sonia was a genius in blending fragrances but was somewhat slow


    in understanding interpersonal rtionships. Perhaps all geniuses would be different from ordinary


    people in certain aspects.


    Her mother was always busy with work, so they spent little time together, and their rtionship was


    average. However, her rtionship with her father was particrly good.


    Her father resigned from the airline industry to be an instructor just to care for her. When Trevor


    was getting his pilot''s license, he often saw Sonia following her father,ing in and out of the training


    ground. After work, he would often take her out to meet new people.


    Her father''s death was a heavy blow to her, almost severing her connection with the outside world.


    Ste could not help but think of the time when Rainee had just had her ident. She was only two


    years younger than Sonia is now. At that time, she felt utterly isted and helpless, thinking the whole


    world was nothing but darkness. She knew too well the feeling of losing the person she depended on


    the most.


    Ste kept putting food onto Sonia''s te, fearing that she might be too shy to get them herself since


    everything was still new to her.


    Sonia looked at the pile of food in front of her, hesitated, and pushed the te toward Trevor.


    Ste was taken aback as she did not understand what that meant.


    However, Trevor seemed used to it as he said, "Rest for a while if you''re full already."


    Sonia nodded and began ying with her phone.


    Then, Trevor picked up the food from her te with his fork and ate them.


    Ste was shocked. ''What is going on?''


    After they were done eating, Trevor went to pay the bill. Ste grabbed a bottle of water and wanted to


    give it to Sonia. When she called out to her, she did not respond.


    Then, Ste leaned closer to her, thinking that a genius like her must be busy researching. But then,


    she found out that Sonia was actually just ying games on her phone. She noticed that Sonia was


    worse than her at ying games and suddenly felt morefortable approaching her.


    Ste''s phone vibrated as she thought about that.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She looked at it and saw a text from Keegan: [I heard that you want to break my legs. Is that right?]


    Ste raised her brows and replied: [Did you hear it from your precious Jaylene?]


    Keegan replied: [I never knew Mrs. Kane can be so bold when I''m not around.]


    Ste humbly texted back: [I''m just putting on airs, knowing that Mr. Kane himself is backing me up.]


    Keegan asked: [Where are you now? I''lle pick you up.] [I''m eating with Trevor and Jaylene to


    wee Sonia. You don''t have toe over. Just call me and scold me over the phone.]


    Keegan was puzzled.


    Ste added: [Your precious Jaylene has forwarded my vicious remarks to you. Don''t you want to do


    something to reassure her?]

 Chapter 2115

    Chapter 2115


    Keegan texted: [You''re putting me in a tough position here. How could I ever have the heart to scold


    you?]


    Ste texted back: [Just say whatever you want and watch me handle it.]


    After a while, Keegan''s call came through.


    Ste deliberately walked closer to Jaylene before taking her phone out.


    Jaylene had already heard Ste''s phone ringing. When she saw her taking it out, she subconsciously


    nced at it and saw Keegan''s name.


    Ste noticed her gaze and arrogantly looked at her before answering the call in front of her.


    "I said I''ll be back in a while. Can''t you wait?" Ste pretended to be annoyed.


    "Let me tell you a joke," Keegan said.


    "Get to the point." "Why was the belt arrested?" Keegan asked.


    With a stern face, Ste said, "Did you call me just to tell me that?"


    Keegan continued, "For holding up a pair of pants."


    Ste sneered. "What if I did say that? Keegan Kane, are you here to ask for an apology?"


    Keegan added, "And for being a ''waist'' of time for the police."


    Ste almost burst intoughter, but she clenched her fist to immerse herself in the act. "Do you


    believe in everything he says? Are you brainless?"


    Although Jaylene was not very far away, she could not hear what was said on the other end of the


    phone. But upon seeing Ste''s frustrated expression, she figured that it was not a pleasant


    conversation. A smirk tugged at her lips.


    Keegan asked with a smile, "How was that? Much better than the one about the mother fly taking her


    baby fly out for dinner, right?"


    Ste''s expression turned cold. "So what if I said it? You''re an idiot! You were the one who asked me to


    move in, and now you want me to leave? Dream on!"


    She ended the call after saying those words.


    Jaylene asked pretentiously, "Ste, what did you and Keegan talk about?


    Why did you get so angry?"


    Ste replied with a tense face, "It''s none of your business."


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    But Jaylene persisted and kept on asking, "Does Keegan want you to move out?"


    Ste''s back stiffened. She shot Jaylene a fierce look and went to the washroom with a stern face.


    Jaylene was overjoyed. ''It looks like even though they''re living together, Ste can''t make Keegan


    remember her.¡¯


    As soon as Ste entered the washroom, she dialed Keegan''s number. When the call connected, she


    said through gritted teeth, "Keegan Kane! You asshole! You almost made meugh and ruined


    everything! You did it on purpose, didn''t you? Why did you have to tell a stupid joke?"


    Keegan chuckled happily. "Isn''t that the best way to test your acting skills, superstar?"


    Ste clenched her jaw. "Just because I said I''d break your legs? You''re overreacting!"


    Keegan spoke gently, "I didn''t know what to say on the phone. I heard Aldor telling this joke to Aurora


    the other day, so I thought I''d share it with you."


    Ste said, "Aldor knows how to make a girl happy a lot better than you do!"


    Keegan was speechless. ''Didn''t she just say that the joke was stupid?''


    As she stepped out of the cubicle, she bumped into Sonia, who was waiting outside.

 Chapter 2116

    Chapter 2116


    Ste and Sonia looked at each other as the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.


    Of course, the person who felt awkward was Ste. There was not any expression on Sonia''s face, but


    Ste figured that she must have heard the phone call. As for when she started listening, Ste had no


    idea.


    She greeted Sonia, who nodded and went into the cubicle.


    Ste came out of the washroom and saw Trevor waiting in the corridor.


    She walked over and asked, "Where''s Jaylene?" "She received a call, said that a friend wanted to see


    her, and left.¡±


    Ste then asked in a low voice, "Trevor, what''s your rtionship with


    Sonia?"


    Trevor was puzzled by that question. "What do you think? She''s my instructor¡¯s daughter." "Is that all? I


    saw her giving you the food she couldn¡¯t finish, and you ate them all without hesitation."


    Trevor exined, "If I didn''t do so, she''d keep eating them until she throws up. Her father said she


    would always finish everything on her te. The first time I had a meal with her, I didn''t know.


    "I kept giving her food just like you did, and she ate a lot. I thought she had a good appetite that day,


    but she ended up in the hospital that night because of indigestion.


    "Her dad said that she was a picky eater when she was young. The nanny he hired didn''t want to do


    extra work, so the nanny would often starve her, resulting in her only eating whatever was fed to her


    when she was hungry.


    "Her parents were both busy working and did not notice their daughter was being abused. They


    thought that she was just a big eater. But one time, the nanny took a two-week break, and her parents


    took care of her themselves. It was then that they noticed something was wrong.


    "She''d never refuse any food given to her, and she always finished everything. Later, her dad spent a


    lot of time and effort helping her correct this habit, and it worked. Like just now when we were eating,


    she couldn''t finish her food, so she shared it with me.


    "But the person she shares it with must finish it and not just throw it away."


    Ste could not help but feel sorry for the twist and turn of Sonia''s fate. She pondered, "Trevor, aren''t


    you a germaphobe? How can you bear to eat something on someone else''s te?"


    Trevor chuckled. "It''s not like I haven''t done it before. I''ve watched her grow up and often ate with her


    dad. She''s just a kid."


    When Trevor first met Sonia, she was only about thirteen years old.


    Although she had grown up now, she was still just a kid in Trevor¡¯s eyes.


    "Oh, by the way, my friend found an old photo of Paul Morant and his father when they gave a talk in


    Rivera."


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Trevor took out his phone, sent Ste a photo, and said, Take a look."


    Ste opened it and zoomed in.


    It was a group photo of more than thirty people. It was very old and low- resolution, and the faces were


    also somewhat blurry.


    Ste looked at everyone in the photo and asked with a frown, "Which one is him?"


    Trevor pointed to a man in a suit at the front with a distinguished air. "This one."


    Ste scrutinized the man with her brows furrowed. Although the eyes looked simr, they felt


    somewhat off. Also, the height of the man in the photo seemed to be different from that of the man she


    met the other day.


    "What''s wrong?" Trevor asked.


    Ste said, "Trevor, I feel like this person is a lot shorter than the one I met."


    Trevorughed. "You can tell his height just from the photo?" "When I saw him at the welfare center


    that day, he wasn''t very tall. He was about the same height as me, if not shorter. But look at this person


    in the photo; he''s a head taller than all the women next to him.


    "Suppose he''s about my height, then the women standing next to him are at most four feet five inches.


    It''s understandable that one of them is four feet five inches tall, but they can''t all be almost the same


    height, right? It just doesn''t make sense."

 Chapter 2117

    Chapter 2117


    Trevor''s expression turned stern upon at Ste''s words. After all, he had not met Paul in person before,


    so he found her spection more credible than his.


    "So, are you suggesting that the person isn''t Paul Morant?"


    Ste felt she was about to uncover the truth, but it seemed veiled by something elusive that clouded


    her judgment.


    She frowned as she repeatedly recalled the person she had seen that day: slim, short, and heavily


    dressed. However, their exposed skincked the roughness of a man and held an unexpected


    daintiness.


    "Trevor, what was the name of Paul''s fiancee who died in the fire? Do you have a photo of her?"


    Trevor shook his head. "I don''t. Paul''s father''s friend said that he met her when he was teaching in


    Rivera. She was also in the medical-"


    Trevor stopped speaking abruptly. He shifted his gaze to Ste and asked," Ste, could it be Dillon


    Brook?" "Dillon Brook?"


    Trevor made a shushing gesture. Ste was overwhelmed as she lowered her voice. Trembling, she


    said, "That anesthetist!"


    Trevor was shocked, too. He could not believe that the person they had been searching for was lurking


    around them with a different identity the whole time.


    If Ste had not be suspicious after coincidentally meeting her and told Trevor to look her up, they


    might never have found out!


    "Keep it down." Trevor suppressed his emotions and whispered, ''Til secretly find out where she lives


    first and try to get close to her. If she really is Dillon Brook, then... the fire back then might not be an


    ident. I need to know more about her first. Let''s not raise any unwanted attention for now."


    Ste nodded. "I understand. She''s a very cautious person. She got very upset the other day when I


    asked her a couple of questions and immediately left in a hurry. Be patient, and don''t rush into


    anything. After all, she''ll be here in Rivera. We can take things slow." "Sure." Trevor paused before


    adding, "Is anyone in Caline giving you problems these days?"


    Ste chuckled. "I just taught Darcie''s assistant a lesson today. Although I don''t have as much authority


    as her, I have morepany shares. No one in thepany dares to offend me, at least not openly."


    Trevor tapped her nose. "You came up with a very good n by sending Dad and Darcie away for a


    vacation so she can''t restrain you in the office."


    Ste rubbed her nose and said proudly, "I won''t be able to find out about anything with Darcie around.


    She''s too sharp and cautious. I have no choice but to sacrifice Dad and his charm."


    Trevor snorted. "You sacrificed your man and your dad to achieve your goals. I wonder if you''re going


    to sacrifice your brother next."


    Ste sighed. "I wish I could, but you''re not the person Jaylene''s into. Hey, why don''t you try seducing


    Molly, and maybe we could ''borrow'' a few bucks from the Moore family?"


    Trevor''s eyelid twitched as he lifted his hand and yfully smacked Ste.


    Sonia rested at home for two days, and Trevor took her around Rivera for some sightseeing. Jaylene


    continued diligently working overtime, portraying herself as a career-focused, independent woman.


    Meanwhile, Ste left work on time every day, with Larry officially bing her driver. When Larry


    went to the Royalpark Vi to pick Ste up for the first time, Keegan tagged along.


    Aldor injured his foot while he went out with Aurora yesterday, so he could not drive for a few days.


    Keegan knew Ste had a driver now, so he insisted on riding with her.


    Clearly, he was just being clingy, but he would not admit it. "Let me test his driving skills," he said.


    Ste hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly agreed.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

 Chapter 2118

    Chapter 2118


    ? I''m warning you, behave yourself when you''re in the car. I don''t know the new driver very well yet.


    Although he seems like an honest man, I can''t be sure if he''ll gossip about US to others. So, just act


    like we''re in public, understand?" Ste said to Keegan even before the car arrived.


    She had no choice but to do that. Ever since she exposed Keegan for regaining his memory, he had


    be worse at disguising himself.


    For example, when they saw someone they knew while eating, and she was maintaining the act of their


    strained rtionship, Keegan would have already wiped her utensils clean.


    When she red at him with a stern look to remind him, he would say, ¡¯ We''ve got to pay attention to


    hygiene. Don''t get sick and pass it on to me. It''s annoying."


    Then, Ste utilized her acting skills and had a "fight" with him. Then, they would finish their meal with


    a "cold face."


    After the same thing happened a few times, Ste dared not to go out with Keegan anymore. She


    feared that his n of faking his memory loss would be exposed sooner orter because of how


    lovesick he was.


    Keegan said seriously, "Even if you don''t believe in my acting skills, how can you lose faith in your


    teaching abilities?"


    Ste snorted. "Don''t try to tter me. The answer is no. If you ever do something that could expose


    yourself, we''ll sleep in separate rooms!"


    Her threat worked as Keegan reluctantly said, "Fine."


    Shortly after, Larry arrived with the car. He got out and greeted Ste.


    However, he did not show any sign of surprise upon seeing the two of them together. Instead, he


    opened the rear door so both of them could get in without asking any questions.


    Ste was not nning on introducing Keegan. When she got into the car, she said, "He needs a ride.


    Just drop him off at the Vinci Rivera building."


    Keegan heeded what Ste had said to him earlier and remained very aloof throughout the journey.


    Both of them turned their faces away from each other and yed with their phones.


    Keegan texted Ste: [Isn''t this driver a little too old?]


    Ste replied: [He''s forty-five. I know he might not be very young, but I couldn''t find someone suitable


    in such a short time. I''m nning to transfer him to another positionter when I find someone more


    suitable.]


    Keegan lifted his gaze and nced at Larry''s gray hair: [Forty-five? Have you done a background


    check on him?]


    Ste texted back: [Yeah. He used to work for a taxipany. He has a wife and a son. Also, his wife


    seems to have some intellectual disabilities and hasn''t worked for many years. Their son is deaf and


    mute and has been attending a special school.]


    Keegan asked: [Is everything okay with him?] [Pretty much. He speaks and acts logically. I didn''t notice


    anything wrong about him.]


    He continued: [If he''s a normal person, why would he marry a woman with intellectual disabilities?]


    Ste was taken aback: [Well... I can''t directly ask him about that, can I? Do you think something''s


    wrong?]


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    Keegan quietly scrutinized Larry. He was not skeptical for no reason; he just found it strange that a


    perfectly normal man with the capability to support a family would marry someone with intellectual


    disabilities.


    He texted Ste again: [It''s not that. I just feel sorry for his family. Besides, he doesn''t look forty-five at


    all. I would''ve thought he was at least fifty if you didn''t tell me.]


    Ste pondered for a moment and replied: [Some people just look older than they are. Just like you;


    you''re a year younger than Trevor, yet you look much older than him.]


    Keegan was taken aback: [Don¡¯t you think it''s because of his feminine appearance?]

 Chapter 2119

    Chapter 2119


    Ste paused, lifted her foot, and stomped on Keegan''s foot.


    Keegan''s eyelid twitched as he quickly moved his foot away in pain. He held the pain in and texted with


    his lips pursed tightly: [That''s because Trevor has good genes.]


    After Larry dropped off Keegan at Vinci Rivera, he drove Ste to Caline.


    As Larry was reversing into an empty spot upon reaching the underground parking lot, a Porsche


    suddenly zoomed in from the other side and upied the spot. Only one-third of Ste''s car was in the


    parking lot, and Larry could not move the car any further inside.


    The Porsche driver turned on their hazard lights and inched forward, forcing Larry to move away.


    He was about to drive away, but Ste said tly, "We were here first."


    Larry had no choice but to shift the car back into park mode.


    Since Larry had not moved the car, the Porsche could not fully upy the parking spot either. The two


    cars stayed like that for a few minutes before the other car''s door opened, and Jaylene stepped out.


    Then, she walked over and tapped on Ste''s car window.


    Larry slowly rolled the window down.


    Jaylene was dressed in a traditional light blue dress, her long hair tied in a bun at the back of her head,


    and her makeup was exquisitely done.


    She was aware of her small frame and how pulling off long dresses would be hard for her. However,


    the refined traditional clothes suited her slender figure well, adding a touch of elegance to her being.


    Though, her ssy appearance did not hide her impatience at the moment.


    "Sir, could you please move your car away? Can''t you see my car is already in the spot? Besides, this


    is ourpany''s parking spot. You should park somewhere else." Jaylene said.


    Larry seemed like he was not used tomunicating with people as he clenched tightly on the steering


    wheel, unable to find the words to respond.


    Ste unbuckled her seatbelt, leaned forward, and smiled at Jaylene. "I was just wondering who could


    be so rude, trying to steal our parking spot. Turns out it''s someone from ourpany." She then


    nced at the Porsche and asked, "Is that your new car? Looks nice."


    Jaylene was momentarily taken aback, then got angry over Ste''s remark about her being rude. "I


    came from the other side and didn¡¯t see you there. We came in at the same time; how could you say


    that I''m stealing the spot? " she said in a deep voice.


    "Is that so? But when we were pulling into the spot, my driver didn''t see you anywhere." Ste''s


    expression was calm as she added, "Besides, this row of parking spots near the elevator is reserved


    for thepany''s executives.


    "Even the assistant manager of the perfume blending department doesn''t have the right to park here.


    You''re just a team leader; it wouldn''t be appropriate for you to park here, would it?" Ste asked.


    Jaylene''s expression turned ugly for a moment. Before she could speak, two other people got out of


    the Porsche Cayenne. They looked familiar. Ste figured they were probably from the perfume


    blending department as well but could not recall their names.


    One of them called out, "Jaylene, is everything okay?"


    Jaylene leaned closer against the car window and said in a low voice," Ste, that''s just an unwritten


    rule. None of the parking spots here are reserved for anybody, as they all belong to Caline. There''s no


    need to be so particr about this."


    Ste said, "Even if we set that aside, we arrived here first."


    That person called out again, "Jaylene, should we park somewhere else?"


    Jaylene had a very high self-esteem. She came with her coworkers, so it was not just about a parking


    spot but about her reputation in front of them.


    She then tried a different approach to obtaining the spot. "Ste, there''s no point arguing over this. It''s


    just a parking spot. If you want it, I''ll give it to you. After all, you''re the true heiress of the Saun family.


    Everybody would just give you anything you want, right?"


    Ste looked at her and suddenly chuckled. "Jaylene, you got it wrong.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    How can anybody ever give me something that rightfully belongs to me? If I hadn''t been switched back


    then, I don''t think my dad would have married another woman.


    "Everything you have now is supposed to be mine. But it''s pointless to talk about this now because


    your mom has married my dad, and we''re family. I cant let you be embarrassed in front of your


    coworkers."


    Then, she shifted her gaze to Larry and said, "Let''s find another parking spot."

 Chapter 2120

    Chapter 2120


    Although Ste had given up the parking spot, her words pierced through Jaylene''s heart like daggers.


    They were not only a warning but also a humiliation.


    Ste was not just giving up her parking spot. Instead, she told Jaylene that the Saun family''s rightful


    heiress had returned and that everything that belonged to the Saun family was hers for the taking. She


    wanted Jaylene to know she could only get the parking spot because she pitied her.


    After Larry parked the car in a different spot, Ste said to him, "Go to thepany canteenter and


    ask the person in charge to give you an employee meal card. You can have breakfast and lunch here.


    "Two hundred will be deducted from your sry each month, and the rest will be subsidized by the


    company. I''ve already talked to the person in charge about it."


    Ste paused momentarily before adding, "You can bring your lunchbox too. Just take what you need,


    and don''t waste anything."


    Ste figured that Larry''s son lived at school, and he had a wife with intellectual disability at home who


    was likely unable to take care of herself. Otherwise, he would not have sought a more stable job to take


    care of his family.


    The canteen had a wide variety of food, so Ste thought Larry could bring some back for his wife and


    alleviate his worries about her meals.


    She was not exactly doing it out of kindness. She just felt that addressing employees'' concerns would


    make them more at ease and focused on their work. After all, life was not easy for anyone.


    Larry thanked her and suddenly apologized, "I''m sorry.¡±


    Ste was puzzled. "Sorry for what?"


    Larry said somewhat awkwardly, ¡¯Because... about what happened earlier. I rolled down the window


    without your permission."


    Ste chuckled. "It''s nothing. Don''t worry about it."


    Larry apologized again before asking, "If we happen to bump into thatdy again, should I let her in or


    not?" "You should." Ste smiled and said, "She''s my stepsister. Of course, we should let her in.


    Otherwise, others might think that we have a bad rtionship."


    Larry nodded. "Okay."


    After Ste got out of the car, she headed straight to the VIP elevator, swiped her card, and went


    upstairs.


    Meanwhile, Jaylene and her coworkers waited for the regr elevator.


    Her coworkers noticed her unpleasant expression, and Julia immediately signaled to one of them with


    her gaze.


    The person understood Julia''s intention and said, "Won''t you look at how proud she is just because she


    gets to take the private elevator? She''s just an actress who knows nothing about fragrances. Doesn''t


    she feel ashamed?" "Not only does she know nothing about fragrances, but her acting skills aren¡¯t


    particrly good either. Everyone praised her performance in the film, which was released around the


    new year, but I was not impressed at all.


    "I was only focused on Nicole the whole time. She''s just lucky that she has connections and was born


    into the right family. She got the opportunity to work with Leighton and Nicole to boost her career right


    after joining the industry. But in fact, her acting skills are as bad as dog shit." "She probably can''t


    survive in the entertainment industry anymore, and that''s why she came back with her tail between her


    legs. Mr. Saun probably has nowhere else to ce her, so he dumped her into ourpany."


    Jaylene still looked somewhat unpleasant. Although they might not like Ste, she was still the person


    with the most authority in thepany after Darcie. Because of the blood running through her veins,


    Ste did not have to do anything to get what others longed for.


    That was the difference between a true heiress and a stepdaughter.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    With a nonchnt face, Jaylene spoke tly as the elevator arrived, "Let''s go. We''re going to bete."


    So, the others stopped talking and entered the elevator.


    Just as the elevator doors were about to close, a hand appeared between them, causing the doors to


    reopen.


    Jaylene lifted her gaze and saw the driver who was driving Ste''s car standing outside the elevator.


    He was looking at them.


    "I''m sorry. Could you please tell me how to get to the canteen?" Larry asked softly.


    Everyone looked at him from head to toe unanimously. He was still wearing the ill-fitting suit from the


    interview, which looked a little out of style. He appeared somewhat unkempt, and the people in the


    elevator felt contempt when looking at him.


    One of them said, "The canteen is on the second floor. There are stairs over there. Just go straight up."


    Larry asked again, "Can I also collect my meal card at the same ce?" "Yes."

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    Chapter 2121


    "Can you give me a more specific direction?" Larry asked.


    "Are you mute? Just ask somebody else when you get up there. Please leave US alone now. We''re all


    going to bete for work."


    Larry felt a little embarrassed. Just as he was about to pull back his hand, Jaylene suddenly said, "Sir,


    come inside the elevator. I''ll bring you there."


    Larry quickly thanked her and got into the elevator.


    When they reached the second floor, Jaylene led Larry out of the elevator, took him to get his meal


    card, and taught him how to use it.


    Larry held the meal card tightly and thanked Jaylene.


    As she was about to leave, Larry stopped her. "Hey, Ms. Saun."


    Jaylene turned around. "Is there anything else?"


    Larry took out a stic bag from his pocket and handed it to her tremblingly. "My family cooked these


    eggs. Please take them as a token of my gratitude."


    Jaylene lowered her gaze and noticed that Larry''s hands were dirty, with traces of gray gunk under his


    fingernails. People who often performed heavy work developed marks and stains on their hands that


    became impossible to clean over time, just like Larry''s.


    She looked back up and smiled. "Your family made this for you, right? What are you going to eat if you


    gave them to me?"


    Larry said awkwardly, ¨¬-I already ate. I¡¯m not hungry."


    Then, he extended the bag toward her and said, "Please ept them.


    These eggs are from our own chickens at home. They¡¯re very nutritious."


    Jaylene fell silent for a moment, then reached out to take the bag. "Thank you."


    When she held the eggs, they were still warm. She figured Larry had probably kept them very close to


    his body.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Then, she waved her hand at Larry and got into the elevator.


    When the elevator stopped, she stepped out and casually threw the eggs into the trash can at the door.


    ''People who are overly grateful for even the smallest favors are the best to take advantage of. Ste


    had made a mistake by hiring this old man this time,'' Jaylene thought.


    Soon after Jaylene arrived at the office, Julia came knocking on her door.


    "Ms. Saun, are you free now?"


    Jaylene looked listless as she asked, "Is there anything I can help you with?


    Julia closed the door behind her and approached Jaylene. "Ms. Saun, are you still upset about what


    happened earlier?"


    Jaylene did not say anything, but the answer was obvious.


    Julia added in a low voice, "Jaylene, I have an idea to help you vent your frustrations."


    Jaylene frowned. "What is it?"


    Julia said softly, "Ourpany has several major clients who purchase customized perfumes from US,


    and one of the most difficult to deal with is Mrs. Grace Esper. Shees to Caline every three months


    to personalize her perfumes.


    "Mrs. Saun would always be the one to serve her, and she would keep changing the ingredients and


    form before Mrs. Esper could be barely satisfied. However, the Esper family is a very important


    client of Caline. We have worked on several projects with them, some of which are still ongoing.


    "So, Mrs. Saun would always try to satisfy her because she doesn''t want to lose such a big client.


    Although you might not be able to deal with Ms. Hall, Mrs. Saun definitely can.


    "If Ms. Hall messes up and loses Mrs. Esper as our client when Mrs. Saun is not around, not only will


    Mrs. Saun resent her for it, but everyone''s bonuses will be deducted too. I''m sure that no one will be on


    her side after


    that."


    Jaylene paused for a moment as a hint of excitement shed across her face. But soon after, she


    furrowed her brows. "But Mrs. Esper won''t being to get her personalized perfume anytime soon.


    How can we make Ste make a mistake?"


    Julia responded, "Mrs. Esper loves perfume. As long as there''s a new special fragrance on the market,


    she''ll definitelye to try it out. We can use this as an excuse to bring her here, and when she


    arrives..."

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    Chapter 2122


    Julia continued to whisper in Jaylene''s ear. After hearing everything, Jaylene frowned, if we really lost


    Mrs. Esper as a client because of Ste''s mistake, I''m afraid that my mother won''t let me off easily,


    too."


    Julia spoke softly, Ms. Saun, you''re mistaken. How could we possibly give up Mrs. Esper as our client?


    What I mean is to make Ste offend her, and you step in to salvage the situation. That way, you''ll be


    able to win Mrs. Esper over and make her your own client and contact."


    Jaylene''s expression changed. "Are you suggesting that I steal my mom''s client?"


    Julia said, "Ms. Saun, didn''t Mrs. Saun bring you to thepany to train you as Caline''s sessor? If


    you can pull this off, I''m sure Mrs. Saun will be impressed by your vision and abilities.


    "Also, you''re indirectly telling her that you''re capable of taking over Caline from her and that Ste Hall


    is no match for you."


    Julia''s words convinced Jaylene. Although she had joined Caline and became one of the group leaders


    in the fragrance blending department, she did not have any authority herself.


    Even when Darcie went on vacation, she ced Aubrey to supervise her, fearing that she might make


    a mistake.


    Jaylene had her temper and pride, too. She had excelled in everything Darcie had taught her. But when


    it came to working in Caline, Darcie was always overly cautious, showing no trust in her abilities. So,


    Jaylene needed an opportunity to prove herself in front of Darcie.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Jaylene figured that if she could win over Grace as a client through what Julia had suggested, and at


    the same time deal a blow to Ste, Darcie would definitely be impressed.


    And Keegan, who was into career-oriented women.


    With all that in mind, Jaylene asked, "Do you have any ideas on how to make Mrs. Espere here?"


    Julia immediately said, "Mrs. Barlow recently customized a perfume called '' Cloud Nine'' at our shop.


    After it was formted, she hasn''te to pick it up yet because she is busy. The bottle is still in our


    office.


    "The perfume uses a very rare nt extract, which has a dopamine-like charm. Sniffing the scent will


    make people feel cheerful. It is also unique and hard to replicate; it''s one of a kind.


    "Those who have smelled it will never forget its fragrance. I''m sure that a perfume enthusiast like Mrs.


    Esper will be attracted to it."


    If Grace, with her temperament, were to set her eyes on a perfume customized by someone else, she


    would surely want to get it. If Ste tried to please Grace by giving her this bottle of perfume, causing


    Mrs. Barlow to lose her customized perfume, she would definitely cause a scene.


    However, if Ste refused to give it to Grace, then Grace would be the one causing the scene. Either


    way, Ste would be in trouble.


    After learning the corporate history of Caline, Ste could not help but marvel at Freesia''s talent in


    perfumery.


    Although Enchanted had been renamed, Caline''s best-selling perfume was still "Secret Garden," which


    Freesia formted thirty years ago. Also, the essential oils used in their customized perfumes were


    mainly selected by Freesia, but none of this was mentioned in Caline''s official corporate records.


    To others, Darcie''s efforts alone brought Caline to its current state. Ste could not deny that Darcie


    was very good at business and marketing but not in the perfumery field. The reason Caline''s product


    sold well was due to the solid foundationid by Freesia.


    The significance of thepany was entirely different for Freesia and Darcie.


    Freesia was the precious daughter of the Hall family from Royalburgh.


    Even without founding Enchanted, she would still be a prominent figure.


    The sole reason she ventured into perfumery was out of interest.


    However, it was not the same for Darcie. She only ran Caline because it was her steppingstone into


    upper-ss society.

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    Chapter 2123


    When Freesia founded Enchanted, she did not need Darcie as a partner since she had the necessary


    expertise. Her parents also provided the startup capital.


    Despite her ordinary background andck of talent, Darcie was a very hardworking person who knew


    how to deal with people. People like her were the best in business negotiations. Also, Darcie was also


    once Freesia''s ssmate. Ste figured that Freesia chose Darcie as a business partner for those two


    reasons.


    But jealousy was a terrifying thing.


    Freesia had caring parents, a loving husband, and a bright son. Also, she was exceptionally talented in


    her professional field.


    Meanwhile, Darcie had to scrap together money to be a shareholder of Enchanted, faced financial


    difficulties during thepany''s initial stages, and even had to support herself and her child after her


    ex-husband''s early demise.


    With how life had treated Darcie, it was impossible for her not to be jealous.


    However, people dealt with jealousy differently-some suppressed it and turned it into motivation, while


    others plotted to seize what they envied.


    After Freesia''s death, although Wenham held the majority of Caline''s shares, he knew nothing about


    perfumery. Thepany was essentially under Darcie''s control. She leveraged the reputation of Caline


    and Mrs. Saun in the high society and rose to prominence.


    Ste thought that if Freesia had been alive, all of this would have been hers. Assuming Darcie was the


    one responsible for Freesia''s death, she and Jaylene would obviously benefit the most.


    Clearly, Darcie did not suppress this jealousy. She did not even mention Freesia''s name in the


    company''s history.


    But she was very good at disguising her ambition. She spoke highly of Freesia in front of Wenham and


    even opposed it more vehemently than Wenham when Jaylene wanted to join Caline at first.


    Of course, that was not her original intention. She just needed an opportunity for Jaylene to prove


    herself and join Caline legitimately.


    But the true heiress of the Saun family suddenly returned, and Wenham even gave Ste all of his


    shares without consulting Darcie. That was why she got anxious and hurriedly recruited Jaylene to the


    company.


    Caline was different from The Velvet as Darcie had been in control of Caline for over twenty years, and


    her influence in thepany ran deep. Removing her from Caline would be much more difficult.


    During her time here, Ste could feel the core team led by Darcie rejecting her. Whether it was the


    perfume blending department or the finance department, whenever she needed sensitive information


    from them, they would only show her the sanitized reports. The reports were so perfect that even


    Keegan could not detect anything fishy.


    Ste felt a headacheing on as she thought about that.


    She stood up with her phone and went to the restroom, intending to disturb Keegan and ask him for


    advice.


    However, when she arrived at the restroom, she heard the sound of sobbing from one of the cubicles.


    It was pretty awkward to bump into someone crying, so Ste wanted to leave. But before she could


    turn around, the door of that cubicle opened, and a girl with red eyes stared at her in shock.


    It was Wren from the finance department, who had gotten a dress from Ste when she joined the


    company.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

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    Chapter 2124


    Wren was not expecting to see Ste here at all as she hastily wiped away the tears on her face and


    called out in a hoarse voice, "Hello, Ms. Hall."


    She was only a few years older than Sonia. She was a youngdy with an oval-shaped face, looking


    very youthful. However, her skin seemed somewhat pale, giving her a fragile appearance that reminded


    Ste of Colin Craven. That left a deep impression on Ste.


    Ste handed her a tissue and said gently, "Here, wipe your tears."


    Wren took it and thanked her.


    Ste was not a nosy person, but when she came in earlier, she overheard Wren on the phone with the


    hospital mentioning payment and surgery.


    It reminded her of the helplessness she felt when she could not afford to pay for Rainee''s treatment in


    the hospital to keep her alive. So, she could not help but ask, "Are you facing any difficulties back


    home?"


    Wren had already stopped crying by then, but as soon as Ste asked that question, tears welled up in


    her eyes again. Wren fought them back, shook her head, and said, "Ms. Hall, everything''s fine. Thank


    you for asking. I''ll get back to work now.¡±


    She then left in a hurry after saying that.


    As soon as Wren left, the sound of flushing came from another cubicle, and the door opened. Kiara


    Lark, the leader of team B in the perfume blending department, poked her head out and said, "Ms. Hall,


    no matter how much you ask, she won''t tell you about it because it''s rted to you."


    Ste was taken aback. "Rted to me? What do you mean?"


    Kiara was not one to gossip, but Wren was probably one of the most helpful people from the finance


    department. When everyone went to reimburse work expenses, others would always make excuses


    and dy their payments.


    One would even have to treat the employee from the finance department to a meal if they wanted to


    get reimbursed as soon as possible. Otherwise, the whole process could take up to six months.


    However, nobody dared to offend anyone from the finance department, so most people could only y


    by their rules.


    But Wren was different from those seasoned employees in the department as she would not give


    anyone a hard time. Generally, when anyone went to her for reimbursement within thepany''s


    approved scope, she would process them promptly and efficiently.


    So, Kiara figured that she should step up for Wren after she got targeted this time. However, she was


    not in a position to make waves, fearing that she might offend someone and get herself into trouble.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    When she heard Ste''s conversation with Wren in the restroom, she hesitated but decided to tell


    Ste the whole story anyway.


    It turned out that a few days ago, when the sries were paid, Wren only received her basic sry;


    almost all her bonuses were deducted. She did note from a well-off family, and she lived with her


    grandmother, who suffered from uremia and needed regr dialysis, which could be very expensive.


    Most of her monthly sry would go toward that, leaving a small amount to cover their daily expenses.


    Her bonuses made up a big part of her monthly sry. Now that they have been deducted, the


    remaining money would not be enough to cover the next dialysis session.


    After all, hospitals were built to make profits. Without money, Wren''s grandmother would not be treated.


    That was what made her cry.


    Ste asked, "Why were all her bonuses deducted? What mistake did she make?" "It''s said that there


    was an ounting error in a business transaction, which caused a significant loss to thepany, so


    she was penalized for it. Also, not only were her bonuses for this month deducted but also for the entire


    quarter. How could she possibly ept this?" said Kiara.


    She then nced toward the door and lowered her voice as she continued, "Actually, it''s not as serious


    as they im. They just wanted to use her as a warning to others. After all, she received something


    from you."


    Ste finally realized that everything stemmed from the dress she gave to Wren. She could not believe


    how petty Jaylene could be.


    "Actually, Wren is a very thrifty person. Her clothes were all very cheap, and I guess she probably only


    took your dress because she was nning to rent or sell it. She needs the money for her


    grandmother''s treatment. Who would''ve thought she would lose her bonuses for a quarter for doing


    that?"

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    Chapter 2125


    "Other than that, the entire finance department is also ostracizing her. Even people from other


    departments who used to have good rtionships with her are now afraid to talk to her, fearing they


    might be associated with her.


    "If this continues, Wren will probably resign in less than two months. Even though she can find another


    suitable job quickly, she won''t be able to afford the medical expenses for the next few months."


    With a tense expression, Ste asked, "Kiara, are you close to Wren?"


    Kiara said, "We¡¯re okay. I''m responsible for iming reimbursement for my team, so I deal with her the


    most. We also often eat together."


    Ste whispered a few words to her, and Kiara was taken aback momentarily. Then, she nodded


    solemnly and softly said, "I''ll try."


    Aftering out of the restroom, Xavier came to Ste, saying that Grace Esper, a major client of


    Caline, had arrived and needed her reception.


    While heading to the reception area, Ste asked Xavier, "I haven''t heard about any clients visiting


    today. What''s going on?"


    Xavier shook his head. "The secretary just told me about it. I have no idea, too."


    Ste did not have information about Caline''s major clients. She did not even know who Grace Esper


    was, but she knew that Darcie usually personally attended to these high-profile clients who required


    customization.


    Since Darcie had posted photos of herself on vacation in Maldives on her social media, Ste figured


    that her major clients would not probably show up at this time.


    After all, Darcie would never allow her to approach these contacts.


    She suppressed her suspicion and pushed the door open to the reception room.


    The reception room was luxurious, and there was an elegant and noble woman sitting on a genuine


    leather couch. Although she was not very young, she still looked rather attractive.


    Although her clothes were loose, the embroidery on them looked exquisite. Ste could tell that they


    were handcrafted and very expensive. Grace''s hair was neatly tied, and her makeup was delicate.


    When Ste pushed open the door, Grace was sipping tea with her legs crossed. Her pinky raised


    slightly upon hearing the sound, but she remained unbothered, exuding an air of elegance.


    Ste walked forward slowly and greeted her, "Hello, you must be Mrs. Esper."


    Grace only put down her cup and looked at Ste from head to toe upon hearing her speak. "Who are


    you?" she asked.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Ste then briefly introduced herself. "My name is Ste Hall, the Vice President of Caline. I heard that


    you''re here today to try out some fragrances. May I ask if you have an appointment?"


    Grace chuckled in disdain. "You''re the Vice President of Caline, yet you don''t even know your clients?"


    She then looked at Aubrey, who was standing at the side, and said tly, "Ms. Abbott, do I have to


    make an appointment beforeing here?"


    Aubrey quickly responded, "You''re one of our most important clients, so of course, you don''t need to


    make an appointment. You''re free toe whenever you want, and we''ll always do our best to serve


    you. Ms. Hall just joined thepany not long ago, and she''s still not familiar with these matters yet.


    I''m so sorry."


    Grace clicked her tongue and said, "Have your boss gone crazy? How could she recruit just anyone


    into thepany? Is she not worried that people like this will ruin herpany?"


    Aubrey pretended to say awkwardly, "Mrs. Esper, Ms. Hall is actually Mr.


    Saun''s daughter."

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    Chapter 2126


    Grace paused for a moment before saying, "So, she''s the lost daughter that just returned to the Saun


    family, huh? No wonder she can be the Vice President here."


    Ste pursed her lips and smiled, not showing any anger. "I''m sorry, Mrs. Esper. I indeed don''t know


    too much about our major clients yet, and I apologize for any negligence. Which series of perfume


    would you like to try? I''ll arrange it for you."


    Grace''s tone softened a little upon seeing how good Ste''s attitude was." I''d like to try the new ''Cloud


    Nine'' perfume you''ve formted. If it''s as good as you described it, I''m going to order a batch as door


    gifts for my son''s wedding."


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste did not know about the ''Cloud Nine'' perfume. She nced at Audrey for rification.


    Aubrey then said in a low voice, "Ms. Hall, we can''t sell ''Cloud Nine.'' Mrs. Barlow customized it; she


    would not appreciate it if we sold it to others. We have an agreement not to sell it as ''Cloud Nine'' is


    formted exclusively for her.


    "Besides, the ingredients of ''Cloud Nine'' are very rare. The whole process of creating it is veryplex


    and will take at least three months. Even if Mrs. Esper likes it, we can''t guarantee it will be ready before


    the wedding."


    Ste frowned. "If it''s agreed not to be resold, how did Mrs. Esper know about it?"


    Aubrey did not know what to say because she did not even know who had leaked the information about


    ''Cloud Nine.''


    If Ste were to directly tell Grace that she could not try ''Cloud Nine'' after she specifically came for it,


    she would surely offend her. After all, someone must have told her that she could try it before she came


    here.


    Judging by Aubrey''s attitude toward Grace, Ste figured that this client must be extremely important to


    Darcie. It was impossible for Darcie to notify Grace toe try the perfume, knowing it could not be


    sold.


    Darcie was not foolish enough to offend two of her major clients at once.


    Ste spected that this was likely rted to Jaylene, who wanted this conflict to happen and bring


    her down.


    ''What an idiot! This is not going to be good for anybody. If we really lost Mrs. Esper as our major client,


    it would be a loss for the entirepany!'' Ste cursed inwardly.


    Grace noticed the two of them whispering and became somewhat displeased. "What are you two


    talking about?"


    Ste turned around and immediately figured out what to say to Grace." Mrs. Esper, if you''re nning


    to choose a door gift for your son''s wedding,'' Cloud Nine'' might not be the best choice."


    A puzzled expression grew on Grace''s face. "Why is that?"


    Ste said, "The scent of ''Cloud Nine'' is very unique, and it''s made for attending important events. It


    might lose its uniqueness if it is used as a door gift and given out to all the guests. Doing this will even


    make them feel like the gift isn''t thoughtful enough."


    Grace paused and figured that what Ste said was right.


    Seeing her expression softening, Ste added, "If you want to customize perfume as door gifts, you


    can choose from several other series we offer. For younger guests, you can use some with more lively


    top notes. For older guests, opt for ones with rtively mild and mature scents.


    "And as for those working individuals, you can select the ones with a calming effect. Choosing multiple


    series for guests will not only prevent them from using the same perfume but also reflect on your


    thoughtfulness.


    Before Ste could say anything more, someone else chimed in, "More importantly, these other series


    are all more affordable and not as expensive as ''Cloud Nine.'' They have better value for money."


    Jaylene smiled and looked at Ste after saying that. "Is that right, Ms. Hall?"


    Ste''s gaze darkened.


    Grace, who was about to change her mind, became upset when she heard words like "expensive" and


    "value for money." "What do you mean? Are you not letting me try it because you think I can''t afford it?"


    Ste then said in a low voice, "That''s not what I meant at all-"

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    Chapter 2127


    Grace refused to listen any further and said with a stern face, "I want to try1 Cloud Nine''. Let me tell


    you: as long as it''s good and can uphold the reputation of the Esper family, I can afford anything, no


    matter how expensive!"


    Ste tried to exin, "I didn''t mean it that way-"


    Grace cut her off and said impatiently, "I don''t have any more time to waste. Just tell me right now; can


    I try the perfume or not?"


    Ste clenched her hands and forced a polite smile. "Of course. I''ll go get it for you."


    With a slight nod, she turned around and left the reception room.


    As soon as she stepped out, her expression darkened. Tve never seen anyone dumber than Jaylene!


    Her brain must be rotten!''


    Then, she quickly called Keegan and exined the situation to him, hoping to get some advice.


    After listening, Keegan calmed her down and suggested that she see what was so special about ''Cloud


    Nine.''


    Ste went to the disy cab where the perfume bottles were stored and found the bottle named


    ''Cloud Nine.'' The moment she opened it, a refreshing fragrance filled the air.


    It was a very soothing scent, not overpowering at all. It smelled like a nt, very natural and organic. If


    someone walked past wearing this perfume, Ste figured that she would probably mistake it for their


    natural body scent.


    Those who were into fragrances all pursued an ultimate sense of naturalness. She was sure that Grace


    would love the perfume because she liked it too.


    "No wonder they used this perfume to make Mrs. Espere here. It''s nothing like what I''ve smelled


    before." Ste carefully closed the bottle and said agitatedly, "What should I do now? Should I tell her


    that this perfume takes a very long time to be produced and can''t be ready before her son''s wedding?"


    Keegan said, "If you told her this when she first said she wanted to try it, maybe you could''ve gotten


    away with it. But now, if you go back and say it can''t be produced in time, as a customer, I''d think that


    you''re unwilling to sell it to me. This is thest thing you want to happen when doing business.


    "Should I call Darcie then? She''d definitely be restless after knowing that her idiotic daughter is


    messing with her clients. I''m sure that she¡¯d personally persuade Mrs. Esper."


    Keegan shook his head. "Ste, this is a test and also an opportunity for you. If you can find a solution


    to this and win over Mrs. Esper as your client, it''ll be your first achievement in Caline. With this


    achievement, others will see your ability and reconsider your side.


    "People are selfish. None of them cares who the boss is. They care more about their sry and the


    prospects of their career. This is why you need to prove yourself to them, understand?"


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste felt helpless. "I do, but I just can''t think of anything right now."


    Keegan chuckled. "You''re always full of ideas when messing with me. But when ites to other stuff,


    your creativity takes a vacation."


    Ste retorted. "My ideas only work on you because you allow them to.


    Mrs. Esper is Caline''s client; I can''t possibly treat her like how I treat you."


    As Ste spoke, she caught a glimpse of other perfume bottles in the disy cab. She paused for a


    moment and suddenly said, "I think I have a solution."


    Keegan spoke gently, "Go ahead and do it. I''ll be here supporting you mentally." "Just shut up.¡±


    When Grace was starting to get impatient, Xavier returned to the reception room and invited her to the


    fragrance testing room.

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    Chapter 2128


    Jaylene followed along. She did not think that Ste had any way to deal with the situation. After all,


    Grace was not an easy person to persuade. If she had really tried ''Cloud Nine,'' she definitely would not


    be interested in anything else.


    When Grace arrived at the fragrance testing room, Ste was already waiting at the table full of


    perfume bottles. Grace frowned. "I only want to try ''Cloud Nine''; why did you bring so many other


    ones?"


    Ste smiled and pointed to an ordinary-looking bottle next to her and said gently, "This is ''Cloud Nine.''


    I was afraid that you might not like it, so I brought some others for you to try." "That''s pretty thoughtful


    of you." Grace crossed her legs and said calmly," Let''s begin." "Sure," Ste responded and picked up


    a test strip to sample the perfume.


    Julia saw what Ste was doing and suddenly said, "Ms. Hall, should we let Mrs. Esper try''Cloud Nine''


    first?"


    Grace paused and realized that the bottle in Ste''s hand was not ''Cloud Nine,'' and her expression


    darkened. "What are you doing?"


    Ste calmly exined, "We''ve got to keep the best forst. Only then can you appreciate its


    uniqueness whenpared to other scents."


    She then turned to Grace and added, "Mrs. Esper, this perfume is called '' Dream Weaver.'' It is


    formted by our chief perfumer. Just like ''Cloud Nine, '' it has not yet been released to the public.


    "These two perfumes belong to different fragrance families. So far, no customers have tried them. I


    know you''ve used countless perfumes and have your own insights into fragrances.


    "I''d like to invite you to help US test it. Feedback from esteemed clients like yourself is crucial for US to


    improve our products."


    Her words immediately softened Grace''s expression. After all, everyone liked to hear ttering words,


    and Grace was no exception.


    Especially the line "no customers have tried them," which highlighted how important she waspared


    to other clients.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    "Fine, I''ll give it a try and give you some feedback since you need my help so badly."


    Ste smiled. "Thank you."


    Then, she gently waved the fragrance strip in the air a few times in front of Grace. Grace sniffed lightly,


    and her eyes showed a hint of astonishment.


    The perfume was formted by the chief perfumer, ensuring its quality.


    The fragrance had a refreshing citrusy top note, floral middle notes including mandarin, and a base of


    musk and vetiver, giving it a dreamy feeling.


    Grace tried it and remained silent for some time.


    Ste asked softly, "Mrs. Esper, what do you think?"


    Grace nodded. "It''s not bad. The top notes smell good, but the middle and base notes are nothing too


    special." Then, she offered some more of her own insights.


    Ste had someone note down Grace''s experience with the perfume.


    Putting the first fragrance strip aside, she picked up the second bottle." This one is called ''Secret''. It


    uses the same base fragrance as ''Dream Weaver.'' Please try this one, too, and see the difference."


    Jaylene frowned, not knowing what Ste was up to. She was still confident that after Grace tried


    ''Cloud Nine,'' she would not be interested in any other perfumes.


    However, for some reason, Ste''s confidence made her feel uneasy. So, she spoke up, Ms. Hall, Mrs.


    Esper is very busy. You''re going to waste a lot of her time by testing each of the perfumes here.


    "It might be better to let her test ''Cloud Nine'' first and then the restter. If she''s not satisfied with it, we


    can schedule another time for her to try the other series."


    Ste shifted her gaze to Jaylene, Ms. Saun, I''ll definitely follow your suggestion if our visitor today is


    someone else. However, Mrs. Esper is different. She loves perfumes. She even took a shower before


    coming here to find the perfect scent.


    "Mrs. Esper came here without any perfume on her; clearly, she''s ready to spend some time here. How


    can I rush her through the testing? I''m sure that Mrs. Esper takes this testing session very seriously. I''m


    going to do my best to let her try the perfumes so she can decide on the one she likes best.


    Grace paused, looking very surprised. "How did you know I took a bath beforeing here?"

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    Ste said gently, "When I first met you in the reception room, I didn''t smell any scent on you. You have


    makeup on, but most makeup products have some scent to them. The ones you''re using are scent-


    free, yet you''re not someone who doesn''t like fragrances. So, I had a feeling that you came prepared."


    Grace was impressed by how observant Ste was. She then figured that a person like Ste would


    only promote products that suited the client from their perspective and would not fabricate things just to


    make them buy their products.


    Then, she said tly, ¡¯Let''s carry on."


    Jaylene''s expression darkened.


    Ste lowered her gaze, nodded, and continued letting Grace try the other perfumes.


    She let Grace test nine perfumes in a row and said great things about each one, continuously


    impressing Grace. However, smelling so many perfumes made Grace''s sense of smell numb,


    especially since each perfume required her to identify the top, middle, and base notes.


    The whole process took some time. After repeatedly doing the same thing, Grace was beginning to


    lose her sense of smell. Although Ste described each perfume''s uniqueness to her, she felt there


    was nothing special about them.


    Ste noticed Grace''s fatigue from her expression and spoke at the right moment, "Mrs. Esper, why


    don''t you take a break and have some water? Let the scents dissipate a bit, then I''ll let you try ''Cloud


    Nine''.¡¯


    Grace waved her hand, looking somewhat impatient. "Just bring it to me.


    It''s taking too long, and I''m getting tired.¡±


    Ste nodded. "Sure. I''ll get it ready for you now."


    The entire room was silent as she sprayed the perfume on the fragrance strip. Jaylene could already


    imagine Grace''s expression of astonishment when she finally smelled this perfume.


    But when she did, she did not say anything.


    She just furrowed her brows, lost in thought.


    That was not what Jaylene and Julia expected at all.


    Julia was afraid that things might go wrong, so she quickly asked, "Mrs. Esper, what do you think?¡±


    Grace pursed her lips. After a long pause, she said, "It''s indeed somewhat different from the other


    ones, but it feels a bit too nd."


    Julia added, "The essence of''Cloud Nine'' is subtle and natural. Being too strong would make it


    ostentatious." "Is that so?" Grace looked hesitant.


    ''Dream Weaver'' had greatly impressed her. The subsequent perfumes were not bad, too, so she had


    very high expectations for ''Cloud Nine.''


    But when she finally smelled it, she felt somewhat disappointed.


    It was not exactly bad, but it just did not live up to her expectations. It was not even as good as ''Dream


    Weaver,'' the one she first tested.


    However, the rare ingredients and hefty price tag of''Cloud Nine'' made her hesitant.


    Grace did not want to spend on something that disappointed her, but she would surely regret not


    having such a unique fragrance in her collection if she did not buy it. She was afraid of missing out on


    this opportunity.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Ste kept a calm expression, but she was extremely nervous inside.

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    Chapter 2130


    Ste had heard a few perfumers talking about olfactory fatigue in the pantry. She learned that when


    one smelled various fragrances for too long, the sense of smell would weaken, so they would not


    continuously smell fragrances for more than three hours a day.


    She then looked at the time and found out that it had been two and a half hours since they started.


    Grace was not a professional perfumer, so two and a half hours should make her sense of smell less


    sensitive.


    But seeing Grace''s hesitation, Ste became nervous, fearing that her n would fail.


    Grace nced at ''Dream Weaver,'' then at ''Cloud Nine.'' Finally, she settled her gaze on thetter.


    Ste''s heart sank. Just as Grace was about to speak, the phone in her bag rang.


    She opened her bag and took out her phone. When she saw who was calling her, her expression


    turned gentle.


    Upon answering the phone, she said, ¡¯Where are you? Don''t you have ss today? Oh, okay. Give me


    a little more time. I''m still testing the perfumes.


    "I''m starting to get tired of the ones I''ve been using. I want to try something new to make myself feel


    younger.


    "Cheeky boy, you have such a sweet tongue.


    "I have my eyes on two perfumes now, but I just can''t decide.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Buy both?" Grace chuckled. "It''s not your money; of course you''d say that.


    "It''s not that I can''t afford them, but I just don''t want to buy something I won''t use. Your grandmother will


    nag me about it, and your father will do the same thing when she''s done. I just can''t take it.


    "You want to help me choose? Do you know anything about perfumes? You couldn''t even tell when I


    wore a new perfumest time.


    "Stop lying to me. I know you better than anyone else.


    "Fine, fine. Come over then. I''ll buy the one you pick. Drive safe, and don''t make me worry."


    After hanging up, Grace lifted her head and said, "Let''s wait for a while. My son said he''sing to


    help me choose."


    Ste felt even more nervous now. Grace''s son might not have dulled senses of smell like hers. She


    would not know what to do if her son chose '' Cloud Nine,'' and she would insist on buying it.


    Also, she had no idea who her son was and whether he would be easy to fool or not.


    On the other hand, Jaylene was feeling very confident. ''Cloud Nine'' had been tested many times, and it


    was a scent that could be epted and liked universally. She believed that the young man from the


    Esper family would pick it.


    About ten minutester, there was amotion outside the door before it was pushed open. A young


    man in motorcycle gear walked in with a helmet in his hand.


    His golden hair caught the attention of everyone in the room. His features were attractive and


    somewhat resembled Grace''s. He was tall and slim, probably about six feet, with the frame of a young


    man.


    ''What... He''s probably about the same age as Julian, right? He''s getting married this young?'' Ste


    wondered.


    The young blond man eximed as soon as he entered the room, "Damn, I lost count of how many


    doors I went through. Am I in a maze or something


    He abruptly stopped speaking the moment he saw Ste.


    Ste froze, too. Then, she instinctively adjusted her clothes, thinking something might be wrong with


    them.


    Grace''s son stared at her for three seconds before he snapped out of it when Grace spoke.


    Grace red at him. ¡¯Why did you take the bike? Your father will break your legs if he finds out!"


    The young man looked away from Ste and chuckled. '' How would he know if you don''t tell him? This


    is my first time riding in two months. Am I not obedient enough?"


    Grace snorted. "If you were obedient, you would''ve gotten rid of your bike when someone in your group


    died in an ident. Do you know how terrified your father and I were when we saw the news?"

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    The young man hugged Grace''s arm. ''That was his fault. He rode against traffic in the tunnel and went


    up to a hundred and sixty miles. I''ve never rode faster than a hundred and twenty."


    Grace raised her voice. "Is one hundred and twenty not fast enough already?" "It is, it is. Mom, please


    forgive me. I just couldn''t resist myself. Please don''t tell Dad. I won''t ride ever again in the future."


    Before Grace could say anything, he added, "Mom, did you change skincare products recently? Your


    skin looks a little... strange."


    Grace became nervous upon hearing that, and she immediately touched her face. "I didn''t. I''m still


    using the same brands. What''s wrong with my face? What do you mean strange?"


    The man widened his gaze, looked carefully at Grace''s face, and said," Strangely beautiful."


    Grace could not help but smile as she pushed him away. "You cheeky boy.


    Stop teasing me!"


    He then hugged Grace''s arm. "I mean it. While other moms are getting older, my mom is actually


    looking younger. When you came to pass me something at schoolst time, my ssmates thought


    you were my sister.


    "My roommate even asked for your number, saying he wants to be my brother-inw. I thought about it


    and refused him because Dad would surely disallow it."


    Although Grace scolded him, there was no trace of anger on her face." Okay, stop messing around.


    You said you were going to choose the perfume for me, right? Hurry up, choose one, and let''s go


    home.


    "Your dad will be back from work soon. If we can''t be home before dinner, he''s going to be upset


    again."


    Her son nodded and turned to Ste. "Ste-"


    He then held his tongue and asked Grace, "Mom, how should I address thisdy?" "She''s the Vice


    President of Caline, Ste Hall." Grace then briefly introduced them to each other, "Ms. Hall, this is my


    youngest son, Joe Esper. Please let him try both ''Cloud Nine'' and ''Dream Weaver."


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste nodded. '' Nice to meet you, Mr. Esper. Pleasee with me."


    Joe felt somewhat ufortable as he cleared his throat and said, "Nice to meet you too, Ms. Hall."


    Then, he followed behind Ste.


    Ste grabbed two fragrance strips and let him try the two perfumes.


    Her brows were tightly furrowed as she held the fragrance strips in front of Joe. She was so nervous


    that she did not notice his flushed ears at all.


    "What do you think?" Ste asked.


    For the first time, this gentle voice was noting from the TV screen but right in front of him. This


    caused him to feel extremely nervous.


    He stuttered. "I-It''s okay."


    Ste was taken aback.


    She had him try ''Cloud Nine'' first. The fact that Joe only said that it was okay surprised her.


    Her eyes lit up immediately. However, she suppressed her emotions and spoke gently, "The top note of


    ''Cloud Nine'' is not very strong. Let''s wait for a while."


    Joe nodded.


    When Ste asked for his opinion again after the top and base notes had diffused, Joe said, "Just let


    me try the other one now.¡±


    So, she did as he said. This time, even before he could smell the base note, he said to Grace, ''Mom,


    choose this one. The first one is not nice at all."


    Jaylene''s expression changed slightly. "Mr. Esper, ''Cloud Nine'' is one of ourpany¡¯s best perfumes.


    How could it be not nice? Please don''t joke around!"


    Joe turned to her, no longer as bubbly as he had been when talking with Grace. "I don''t care if it''s your


    best perfume or not. It''s just not nice to me. What''s the matter? Does everyone have to love what your


    company makes and not criticize them?" he said coldly.

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    Chapter 2132


    Jaylene''s expression turned awkward. "I didn¡¯t mean it that way. We''ve tested ''Cloud Nine'' many times.


    Every person who has smelled it said it''s nice."


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Then, she looked at Ste and added, "Ms. Hall, ''Cloud Nine'' is a top-tier product of ourpany. Its


    ingredients are very rare, and it''s on a different level from other perfumes. You should exin it more to


    Mr. Esper."


    Ste said truthfully, "It¡¯s not that I don''t want to exin it, but I just don''t know much about it. I only


    found out about the existence of this perfume when Mrs. Esper wanted to try it.


    "All I know is that it uses a rare essential oil that can''t be easily found in the market. As for other details,


    you know I''m not a professional perfumer, so I have limited knowledge about it. I don''t want to give him


    any false information.


    "However, when ites to perfume, I believe personal preference is the only measure of its worth.


    Even if it''s expensive, it''s worthless if the person doesn''t like it."


    Joe eximed, "Well said! There is no price on what one truly desires.'' Dream Weaver'' is the one I


    want." Then, he shifted his gaze to Jaylene and said coldly, "Why do I feel like you''re just manipting


    my mom to buy'' Cloud Nine'' by bbering a bunch of nonsense?


    "What''s up with you? Are you simply looking for a stupid person to sell this to because no one wants to


    buy it? What do you take my mom for?"


    Ste was surprised by how assertive Joe sounded. Impressed by what Gen z could do, she realized


    that they were not afraid of anyone and would do anything they thought was right.


    Jaylene could not hold her anger back any longer and blurted out angrily,"


    Keep your mouth shut if you don''t know anything! If ''Cloud Nine'' is not good, how could we use it to


    sign an exclusive contract with someone? Only the best perfumes in Caline will be considered for such


    an important deal!"


    Joe paused and turned to Grace, asking, "Mom, what''s an exclusive contract?"


    Grace initially thought her son was speaking a little too bluntly, but upon hearing what Jaylene said, her


    expression immediately turned ugly.


    An exclusive contract referred to when a product could only be sold directly to specific people during


    the contract period. The contract would be breached if it was sold to others.


    Grace herself was an exclusive client for another top-tier perfume from Caline. One could imagine how


    furious she was upon hearing what Jaylene said.


    "Ms. Hall, if ''Cloud Nine'' is an exclusive product, why did you bring it for me to try? Did you also use the


    same method and secretly sell the perfume I customized here to others? You charge such high prices,


    yet you don''t take the exclusive agreement seriously at all! This is outrageous!"


    Jaylene recollected herself and suddenly realized that she had said the wrong things.


    If one had to tell Grace that ''Cloud Nine'' could not be sold to others, it should have been Ste, not her!


    ''Dumbass,'' Ste cursed inwardly as her face instantly turned pale. "Is'' Cloud Nine'' an exclusive


    product of ourpany? Ms. Saun, why didn''t you tell me about it earlier?"


    Jaylene immediately tried to shift the me back to Ste. "Ste Hall, you''re the Vice President of


    Caline. This is your responsibility. What does this have to do with me?"


    Ste''s expression turned ugly. "Ms. Saun, I''ve only been with thepany for a week. Although I''m


    not familiar with all of thepany''s products yet, I know that all exclusive products can''t be introduced


    to the public before the specific buyer receives them.


    "Mrs. Esper specifically asked for ''Cloud Nine¡¯ right when she arrived, so it means that she already


    knew about it before that. If it can''t be sold, how did she find out about ''Cloud Nine''?


    "Besides, your assistant has been persuading her to choose ''Cloud Nine,'' so I thought it was avable


    for sale. If you already knew that it is an exclusive product, why didn''t you stop her just now?"


    Jaylene did not see thising at all. She nervously tried to defend herself, "l-l didn''t realize it just now


    because I always get the perfume names mixed up. I only remember it when I smell it."

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    Chapter 2133


    "You didn''t remember it?" Ste looked displeased. "Mrs. Esper spent the whole afternoon testing


    perfumes, and she could urately identify all of them. As one of the group leaders in the Perfume


    Blending Department, identifying scents is one of your essential skills.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    "It seems youpletely forgot about the scent until Mr. Esper mentioned that it didn''t smell good. Is


    your ear responsible for discerning scents for you?" "I..." Jaylene anxiously clenched her hands as she


    looked at Aubrey for help. Aubrey realized that they had gotten into trouble and quietly went outside to


    call Darcie.


    By speaking slowly and calmly, Ste managed to make the whole situation clear for everyone in the


    room.


    Grace came from a wealthy family and had seen a lot of things in life; she was not that naive. She


    immediately understood that someone was using her to plot against Ste.


    She became even angrier uponing to that realization. She wanted no part in Caline''s internal


    conflicts, but she would never tolerate anyone trying to take advantage of her.


    She said in a deep voice, "What do you mean by that? Are you saying that I stole yourpany''s


    secrets? It was your people who called me, boasting about this perfume. That person said that it''s one


    of a kind and insisted I try it! That is why I came here!"


    Grace then took out her phone and showed Ste her call log. "It was this number that contacted me.


    They even knew what I had ordered from Caline before. It''s someone from yourpany!"


    Ste nced at the number and said, "Xavier, take note of this number on


    Mrs. Esper''s phone and report it to the police. Let''s find out who leaked thepany''s products. We''ve


    got to give Mrs. Esper an exnation for what happened today."


    With a tense face, Grace said, "I don''t need an exnation from you! You wasted my entire afternoon


    just because of yourpany''s mistake! I''ve been to so many fragrancepanies, but I''ve never


    seen such outrageous behavior like yours!


    "I want to cancel my membership now. I''ll never use anything from yourpany ever again!"


    Jaylene was still thinking of how to defend herself, but upon hearing what Grace said, she instantly


    panicked.


    Then, she quickly said, "Mrs. Esper, this is indeed our fault, and we''re willing topensate you for


    any losses. Can we offer you a lifetime fifteen percent discount on all of ourpany''s products?


    Would that work for you?"


    Ste lowered her gaze and thought to herself, ''You''re aware that money isn''t a problem for Mrs. Esper


    when you persuaded her to buy ''Cloud Nine''. Why did you suddenly forget about it when you''re trying


    to please her now?¡¯


    Sure enough, Grace exploded with rage, grabbed the cup on the table, and threw it on the floor.


    "A fifteen percent discount? Are you trying to humiliate me? Do you think this can be solved by


    money?" "Of course not..."


    Grace cut her off as she said sternly, "Well, shut up then! I want to cancel my membership now!¡±

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    Jaylene had been spoiled for over twenty years and had never been treated so poorly like this before.


    With just a few harsh words from Grace, tears welled up in her eyes as if she would burst out crying


    anytime.


    Herfortable bubble had finally burst, and she was forced to confront the real world.


    Ste had experienced worse when she worked part-time as a waitress during college. Grace was not


    even being unreasonable, yet Jaylene still could not take it.


    Aubrey came back soon after and said to Grace while holding her phone," Mrs. Esper, Mrs. Saun


    would like to speak to you."


    Grace was still angry and said coldly, "Who does she think she is? If she wants to speak to me, tell her


    toe here right now!"


    Of course, Darcie could note over at this moment because she was more than a thousand miles


    away.


    So, Aubrey quickly put the phone on speaker, and Darcie''s voice came through. "Mrs. Esper, it''s me.


    Aubrey has told me about the situation. I can''t believe the two girls made such a mistake. It''s


    outrageous."


    Ste''s eyelid abruptly twitched as she thought inwardly, ''Well, now I know where Jaylene''s character


    came from. Like mother like daughter.''


    Even though it was clearly Jaylene''s fault, Darcie made it sound like Ste also yed a part in it.


    However, Joe spoke loudly, "Mrs. Saun, your daughter is the only person to me here. Ms. Hall has


    spent the whole afternoon attending to my mom. You can''t possibly let her take the fall for what


    happened, right?"


    Ste looked at Joe in surprise.


    ''Wow, he''s just as good at picking up on bitchy vibes as Leighton is,'' Ste said to herself.


    The other end of the phone fell silent for a moment before Darcie spoke again, "It''s ourpany''s


    mistake no matter what. Mrs. Esper, you''ve been our client for so many years, and you know how I do


    things.


    "I can guarantee you that what happened was purely unintentional. She just started working and isn''t


    very good at expressing herself yet. Could you please tell me how you would like to resolve this


    matter? I''ll do my best to make it happen."


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Darcie sounded very polite and even somewhat humble. However, Grace was not buying it at all.


    As a wealthydy like herself, she did not care about the money at all.


    What irritated her was being used as a pawn in theirpany¡¯s internal conflicts.


    So, Grace''s expression remained displeased after hearing what Darcie said. "All I want is to cancel my


    membership now! Stop speaking nonsense with me! I don''t want to hear anything more from you!"


    Darcie spoke gently, "Mrs. Esper, please calm down first. I''m not in Rivera right now, so I can''t


    urately understand what happened. I¡¯m taking a flight back tomorrow morning and willnd in the


    afternoon.


    "When I return, I''ll personally visit you and understand the situation to help you resolve it. Would that be


    okay with you?"


    Grace sneered as she spoke, "Is it so difficult to just cancel my membership now? There weren''t so


    many steps when I paid to join, and you told me I could cancel my membership anytime I wanted. So,


    why do I have to wait for you toe back now? Doesn''t such a bigpany have someone who can


    process the canction?" "Of course not. You''re our VIP client, and you can cancel your membership


    anytime you want. But I just want to thoroughly understand the situation before processing your


    request, find out where you''re dissatisfied, and improve our business operation in the future..." "That''s


    your problem. Why should I waste my time on that?¡± Grace was starting to feel more annoyed after


    listening to so many pointless suggestions.


    "Let me ask you onest time: can I cancel my membership now or not?"

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    Chapter 2135


    This time, before Darcie could speak, Ste stepped forward and said gently, "Mrs. Esper, I apologize


    for your unpleasant perfume testing experience with US today. Not only did we take up your afternoon,


    but we also did not manage to get you a perfume you liked. I''m truly sorry for what happened."


    She took a deep bow and said, "Thank you for supporting Caline over the years. It''s our fault for not


    meeting your expectations today. Please take this bottle of ''Dream Weaver'' as our apology to you. I


    hope you can ept it.


    "I''ll help you process the canction right away. Of course, after this, any after-sales-rted issues


    with the products you purchase from US will still be entertained, and you''ll still be treated as our VIP


    client. This is the least we can do."


    Grace paused, and she looked at Ste from head to toe. She was somewhat surprised that Ste did


    not try to persuade her or even please her. Everyone in thepany, including Darcie, had been trying


    to subtly tter her in their conversations with her.


    Shopping was supposed to be happy, and all Grace wanted was a clear and firm apology.


    Clearly, neither Darcie nor Jaylene had given her that. Although they both talked aboutpensating


    her, neither of them directly admitted their mistake and even added "no matter what" while speaking to


    her, as if she was making a fuss for no reason.


    It was their fault. Grace just could not figure out why it was so difficult for them to admit it.


    However, the fact that Ste did not dodge responsibility made her feel a lot better about the situation.


    Ste also noticed that she had a keen eye for ''Dream Weaver.'' Although Grace could easily afford it,


    she was still impressed by Ste''s willingness to spend such a huge amount of money to uphold


    Caline''s reputation.


    Darcie''s heart skipped a beat. Although she was not there, she could sense Grace''s mood turning


    better from the rxed tension. She gripped her phone tightly, pursed her lips, and remained silent.


    Although she was angry at Ste for making that decision without consulting her, she was willing to


    suppress her anger if Ste''s n could retain Grace as a client.


    However, Jaylene could not hold herself back. "What? Do you know how much effort we put into


    developing ''Dream Weaver?'' Do you know how much it costs? You didn''t contribute anything to it; who


    are you to give it away just like that?"


    Grace was taken aback. ''Darcie is such a sharp-witted person, yet her daughter is nothing like her!


    Have she taught her nothing?''


    Ste lifted her cold gaze at Jaylene. "Regardless of its price, I''ll pay for it! Mrs. Esper had such a bad


    experience with US during my reception, so I''ll take full responsibility for it. I''m just doing whatever I can


    for her. Don''t worry; thepany will not spend a penny on this!"


    Then, she turned to Grace and said, "Mrs. Esper, pleasee with me."


    Darcie still wanted to defend Jaylene, but Grace had already stood up and said tly, "At least there''s


    still someone who can handle things in thepany. Let''s go."


    Ste then led Grace and Joe out of the perfume testing room. Jaylene was just about to stop them,


    but Aubrey called out to her, "Jaylene, Mrs. Saun wants to speak to you."


    Jaylene took the phone and said nervously, "Mom, why didn''t you say anything just now? Ste is


    already bringing them downstairs!"


    Darcie gritted her teeth and said, "Jaylene Saun! What did I tell you before I left? Have you forgotten


    everything I said? Who gave you the idea to sell1 Cloud Nine'' to Mrs. Esper? Do you think she''s as


    stupid as you? You''d better book a private room at The Deli for tomorrow right now!"


    Jaylene''s expression turned ugly after getting scolded by Darcie. When she heard thest thing Darcie


    said, she asked softly, "What for?"


    Darcie closed her eyes and said irritably, "To use their restroom!"


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Jaylene was speechless.

 Chapter 2136

    Chapter 2136


    In the elevator, Joe, who was standing next to Grace, stole a nce at Ste.


    Ste stood upright as she stared at the changing floor numbers on the disy screen.


    She looked even fairer than when she appeared on TV, as if she was glowing with whiteness. Her face


    without makeup looked more natural with a hint of vulnerability, making her even more striking.


    Joe secretly took out his phone, snapped a side profile of Ste, and sent it to someone with the


    nickname "Ste''s Ex-Husband." The text said: [Hey, I got a new girlfriend.]


    In the General Manager''s office at Vinci Rivera, Keegan rested his chin on his hand as he scanned


    through the data on theputer screen. However, his mind was elsewhere.


    He wondered if things went smoothly on Ste''s side. From what he knew about her, she could


    probably handle the situation well. With that young man''s help on her side and the fact that she was


    always able to put up a front, he figured that she would be fine.


    Humans are truly strange creatures. When they were married, and Ste was a devoted stay-at-home


    wife, Keegan thought it would be good for her to have a job so that she could interact more with the


    outside world, regardless of her ie.


    However, he always said the opposite of what he meant, and things between them always ended badly.


    Now that Ste had started working, Keegan started to worry about her, feeling like a father worried


    about sending his daughter to school and fearing that she would be bullied.


    As he was deep in his thoughts, his phone vibrated with a message from someone with the contact


    name "Ste''s Current Boyfriend."


    He tapped it open, and his expression immediately darkened.


    Joe texted him again: [When she talked to me just now, I already decided what to name our child.


    She''s gorgeous in person! Old man, how did you know she''s working at Caline?]


    The text continued: [She didn''t even show up at the premiere of "Motives for Murder," and the


    production crew didn''t reveal where she went at that time. I thought she retired and got married, but it


    turns out she''s running her billion-dor family business now!"]


    Keegan replied: [What did you just call me?]


    Joe texted again: [Bro! She and I are such a perfect match!]


    Keegan replied nonchntly: [Do you know what''s the scariest thing in the world?] [A dying phone?]


    Keegan was speechless.


    [Bro, can you just be more straightforward? What are you trying to tell me?]


    Keegan continued: [Someone who''s not aware of how they look.]


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Joe was taken aback. Then, he texted back: [Are you suggesting that she and you would be a better


    match then? Bro, do you realize how old you are?


    I [Hmph.]


    Joe texted: [Hmph. Hmph. By the way, how did you know my mom was trying out perfumes there? And


    how did you know I could help her just by not choosing ''Cloud Nine''?]


    Keegan replied: [Because I''m her husband.]


    Joe then sent a meme of an elderly person on the subway looking at a phone: [Bro, are you a stalker or


    something?]


    Keegan replied: [I''m her number one fan... A legally obligated one.]


    Joe inquired: [What''s that?]


    Keegan responded: [A fan who''s also her family. She''s my wife.]


    Joe replied: [Bro, you''re not bad looking for your age, but your fantasy for Ste is too wild. If you were


    more normal, I''d introduce my cousin to you. She''s just a little less pretty than Ste.


    [I happen to not like the guy she''s dating now. So if you give up on Ste, I''ll introduce you to her. By


    the way, her family is pretty wealthy, too.]


    Without saying anything else, Keegan took a screenshot of Ste''s contact on his phone, blurred out


    the number, and sent it to Joe.

 Chapter 2137

    Chapter 2137


    After a brief moment of silence, Joe spammed and replied to Keegan: [ Please forgive me.]


    Keegan asked: [Do you want it?]


    Joe replied: (Yes, please!]


    As they were texting each other, they arrived at Ste''s office.


    Keegan called Joe, causing Grace to turn to her son when she heard his phone ringing. Joe coughed


    and said, "Mom, I need to take this call."


    Then, he quickly walked away while holding his phone.


    "Brother, my dear brother. If you give me Ste''s number, I''ll treat you like my real brother from now on.


    I''ll do whatever you tell me to-"


    Keegan cut him off. "What''s going on over there now?" "My mom is going to cancel her membership,"


    Joe said.


    Then, he briefly exined what happened to Keegan, emphasizing the heroic scene of him rescuing


    Ste. He boasted, Bro, youthful and energetic young men like me are the hottest in the market right


    now. You''re too old topete with me."


    Keegan tly said, "Take a guess. Would Ste still talk to you after your mother canceled her


    membership in Caline?"


    Joe was left utterly speechless.


    He then turned his head and shouted, "Mommy!"


    Ste had already taken out the agreement for Grace to sign and cancel her membership. However,


    Joe suddenly pushed the door open and shouted, "Mom!"


    Grace was startled, and her hand trembled, making a squiggly mark on the document. She put her


    hand over her chest and red at him. "Stupid brat, what''s up with you?"


    Joe said, "Mom, are you really going to cancel your membership?" "I''m going to sign the document


    now. What do you think?" "Mom, are you sure this is what you want to do? You''ve used so many


    perfumes, and Caline has always been your favorite brand, no? With their cooperation in fragrance


    blending, we alsounched a series of perfumes, and they set record sales.


    "This proves how good your taste is. If you were to cancel your membership here, aren''t you afraid of


    not finding such a fitting partner again?"


    Grace looked at Joe, surprised. "When did you start caring about thepany?" "I¡¯ve always cared,


    okay?" He then pulled Grace aside and whispered a few words to her.


    Her expression turned somewhat strange. After a moment of silence, she said, "Fine. I¡¯ll listen to you


    this time and think about It before making the final decision."


    Then, Grace shifted her gaze to Ste and said tly, "Let''s put the canction on hold for now. In the


    future, when Ie to yourpany, I only want to see you. If you can meet my expectations, you''ll be


    the only person responsible for ourpany''s business with Caline."


    Ste clenched her fists and said seriously, ¡°I''ll do my best to serve you." "You''d better have the ability


    to do so. If something like today happens again, I''ll never set foot in yourpany again."


    Ste agreed solemnly, feeling as if she was dreaming. ''Did I just secure my first client in Caline?¡¯


    Then, she had someone help Grace draft a new contact, securing her as an exclusive client under


    Ste''s management.


    As Grace signed the agreement, she said, "I''ll pay for ''Dream Weaver''."


    Ste was taken aback. Then she shook her head and said, "Whether you cancel the membership or


    not, I''ll still gift you ''Dream Weaver'' as an apology from my side. You don''t need to pay for it."


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Grace chuckled and looked at her. "I didn''t cancel my membership today and even became your client.


    What would your colleagues say about you if you were to pay for this perfume? They''d probably think


    that you secured this deal through bribing."


    Ste said, "I''ve decided to do this, so I''m not afraid of what others might say about me. If someone


    thinks you changed your mind merely because of a bottle of perfume, then that person is not worthy


    enough to work with you."


    Grace''s impression of Ste changed upon hearing what she said. Then, she casually mentioned,


    "There''ll be a national fragrance blendingpetition next month. Darcie''s team has always achieved


    good rankings in previous years. I wonder if they''ll do well again this year."

 Chapter 2138

    Chapter 2138


    Ste secretly took note of what Grace said and promptly updated her customer file.


    Grace insisted on paying for ''Dream Weaver.'' Ste could not care less about what others might say


    about her, but Grace would never let anyone think she had changed her mind about canceling her


    membership because of a perfume bottle.


    As they walked out of the office, Joe looked back multiple times.


    Sensing his gaze, Ste followed it to a diffuser bottle on the desk behind her.


    She remembered the things Joe said that helped her, even though he might not have meant to.


    So, she grabbed that diffuser bottle, walked up to Joe, and said, "This diffuser helps one focus. Mr.


    Esper, if you don''t mind, you can put this in your study, and it''ll enhance your reading productivity."


    Grace chimed in, "My son doesn''t like diff-"


    Before she could finish speaking, Joe took the bottle from Ste and said with flushed ears, "Thank


    you, Ms. Hall."


    Grace was taken aback.


    Joe gripped his phone, wanting to ask for Ste''s number, but he felt shy every time he looked into her


    eyes.


    Tm her biggest fan! Why am I acting like a coward? I can''t even bring myself to ask for an autograph!''


    Joe scolded himself inwardly.


    After Ste sent them off, Joe still could not manage to start a proper conversation with her.


    He held the diffuser bottle and btedly remembered to take a photo of it. After that, he sent it to


    "Ste''s Ex-Husband" with a text that said: [Ste gave this to me!]


    After a few seconds, Keegan replied with his marriage photo with Ste: [ She came to my office and


    gave me this.]


    Joe tapped it open, and his gaze widened in shock. He replied: [Damn, you''re so good at


    photoshopping! This looks so real. I can''t even tell that it''s fake. Can you do a simr one for me?"]


    He then sent a few handsome photos of himself to Keegan and texted: [I''ll pay you a thousand for each


    edit. Do as many as you can!]


    Keegan''s eyelid twitched as he typed: [No.]


    No matter how many times Joe begged him, Keegan only replied with one word-No.


    Realizing that there was no way Keegan would help him with that, he went back to their first deal:


    [Then give me Ste''s phone number.]


    Keegan asked: [Why didn''t you ask her directly when you were at Caline just now?]


    Joe replied with a shy emoji: [I was shy.]


    Keegan was speechless.


    [How could someone so shameless like you ever be shy?]


    Keegan only knew Joe in an online game, yet Joe wanted to give him ingame skins, be sworn brothers


    with him, and even meet him in person. He just could not understand how a person like him would be


    shy.


    Joe replied: [That''s not the same. Can you stay calm when you finally get to meet your idol? It''s already


    good enough that I can speak aplete sentence. I went with my friend to his idol''s concertst time,


    and the idol randomly chose him to sing on stage.


    [My friend cried the whole time while singing and even got his snot on the idol''s shirt. He''s probably


    banned from the idol''s concerts now.]


    Keegan ignored him.


    After typing such a long reply and not getting any response from Keegan, Joe wanted to call him.


    However, he suddenly received Ste''s contact number from Keegan.


    Joe got excited and immediately saved the number to his phone, with a remark saying, "Ms. Hall, I''d


    like to discuss a filming opportunity with you. Please respond."


    Meanwhile, Keegan picked up another phone and saved Joe''s number.


    Joe did not trust Keegan entirely, fearing that he might fool him with a fake number. So, he initiated a


    large sum transfer to verify the recipient''s name. Sure enough, the result showed that the recipient''s


    last name was Kane.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He immediately took a screenshot of it and sent it to Keegan: [Do you think I''m stupid?]

 Chapter 2139

    Chapter 2139


    Keegan replied: [Do you think actors would use their ID to register a phone number for work?] ''Well...


    he''s not wrong,'' Joe thought to himself.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    With that phone number, he found "Ste''s" Twitter ount, where there were indeed photos of Ste


    that he had not seen online before, and he immediately believed it.


    After all, he was still an innocent kid.


    ''You want to be with Ste, huh? Dream on!'' Keegan mocked him inwardly.


    Suddenly, Keegan received a message from Ste. It was a screenshot of Grace''s profile on her


    computer along with the text: [Look at who I stole from Darcie! Impressive, right?"


    He chuckled and replied: [utterly impressive! How did you do it?]


    Ste smiled: [Let''s buy some ingredients tonight and go to Clouditude International to celebrate with


    Felicity and Vermont. I''ll tell you the detailster."


    Keegan texted back: (Looking forward to it.]


    Ste paused before she typed: [You sound too submissive. Be more arrogant.]


    Keegan replied: [Hmph, is this really something to boast about?]


    Ste responded: [I already took a screenshot of this. If you bully me again, I''ll post this online and


    show everyone how badly you treat me.]


    Her reply left Keegan utterly speechless.


    As Ste imagined his expression, she typed: [Why are you not replying?


    Are you giving me the silent treatment?]


    Keegan texted back: [I''m reflecting.] [On what?]


    Keegan replied: [During lunch just now, I overheard my colleagues discussing how much pocket money


    their wives give them every month. Some of them get two thousand, and some of them get three


    thousand. I got very confused and couldn¡¯t figure out why you gave me five thousand.


    [Do you think I am a big spender? Why do you give me so much money? There''s no way I can spend it


    all.]


    Ste could not help but spurt out the water in her mouth.


    [Have you been learning from Vermonttely? Your tongue is getting sweeter every day!]


    Keegan lowered his eyes, his expression soft: (The doctor said that pregnancy is not easy, and


    hormonal changes can affect your mood. I just want you to be happy.]


    Ste paused and suddenly remembered how she got mad at Keeganst night for miscing her


    things when she could not find her favorite hairband after showering.


    Keegan was not someone with a good temper either, but he did not talk back at allst night. He even


    apologized in a gentle tone, even though he did not touch her hairband at all. She had just forgotten


    that she left it in the bathroom downstairs.


    She felt inexplicably annoyed when she could not find her things. But when shey back on the bed


    and calmed herself down, she snuggled up to Keegan and apologized.


    Keegan had the contact information of Ste''s doctor, so he had probably sought advice from them.


    Ste had heard others say that one''s mood would change during pregnancy, but she did not really


    believe it until she experienced it herself. Hormones could be terrifying.


    She then sent Keegan a sticker of two kittens hugging each other to thank him.


    Keegan then replied with another sticker of three cats grooming each other with one cat looking from


    aside: [I always feel out of ce because I''m not crazy enough like you guys.]


    Ste could not help butugh: [Your stickers are so out-of-date. Let me send you some new ones


    later.]


    Keegan replied: [Sure.] "Bang-"


    Ste''s office door was pushed open, and Jaylene stood outside with an angry face. "Ste Hall,


    Aubrey clearly told you that ''Cloud Nine'' can''t be sold. Why did you pretend not to know and set me


    up?"


    Ste slowly lifted her gaze. "Ms. Saun, instead ofing here to use me without any evidence,


    wouldn''t it be better for you to find out who the real culprit is in the Fragrance Blending Department?"

 Chapter 2140

    Chapter 2140


    Jaylene felt guilty for a moment but regained confidence shortly after thinking that Ste must have felt


    the same. "Those are two different things! Of course, I''ll find out who leaked ''Cloud Nine.'' "What I''m


    asking now is why you let Mrs. Esper try it when you already knew it couldn''t be sold. Don''t you think


    you''re responsible for what happened earlier?"


    Ste chuckled. "What else could I do? Directly tell Mrs. Esper that she can''t try ''Cloud Nine'' and upset


    her? Should I just let Caline lose this client because of me? Are you mad because the story didn''t


    unfold as you expected?"


    Jaylene got exposed, and her expression turned extremely unpleasant." What are you trying to say?


    What does the leak have to do with me? You''d better not use me without any evidence!¡±


    Ste nced at her. "Did I say that you have anything to do with the leak?"


    Jaylene was taken aback as her expression turned even uglier. "You''re so sharp-tongued and


    unreasonable! I have no idea why Keegan would ever like someone like you!"


    Ste looked at her. "It seems like you don''t understand your dear Keegan at all. He likes someone like


    me who has beauty, talent, and character. Do you think he''s someone who won¡¯t be attracted by a


    woman''s appearance?


    "Even you like someone with good looks. What makes you think he''d choose to be with someone solely


    based on character?"


    Jaylene not only did not get anything she wanted from Ste but was also humiliated. Her face turned


    red in anger as she turned to leave.


    However, Ste stopped her. "Ms. Saun, remember to knock when youe to my office next time.


    There are rules to follow. You can do anything you want with Mrs. Saun because she''s your mother, but


    I''m not.


    "If this happens again, you''ll have to write a self-reflecting report like Aubrey and recite it during the


    meeting."


    Jaylene was humiliated by Ste right after getting scolded by Darcie. Her expression looked extremely


    displeased as she swung the door open and left.


    What happened to Jaylene in Ste''s office quickly spread through the entirepany.


    Although Jaylene and Ste joined Caline around the same time, the employees in Caline were very


    familiar with Jaylene because Darcie often brought her to meetings with Caline¡¯s senior executives.


    Everyone assumed that Darcie was training her to be Caline''s sessor, so they were somewhat


    amodating and ttering toward her.


    None of them had expected the newly appointed Vice President to be so feisty and immediately dete


    the aura of this little princess just a week after joining thepany. During lunchtime, everyone in the


    company began gossiping about these two potential heiresses.


    "Did you guys see it? Jaylene entered her office looking so fierce, but when she came out, her face


    was as pale as paper, and her eyes were red. She lookedpletely defeated. I wondered what Ms.


    Hall said to her to make her so upset." "She and Julia were plotting something to set Ms. Hall up.


    However, they found that not only did Ms. Hall not fall into their trap, but she also stole Mrs. Saun''s


    client for herself. How could the little princess not be upset?" "I''m very impressed by Ms. Hall. I thought


    she was just going to be another princess." "Mrs. Saun is so capable. How did she end up raising such


    a giant baby?"


    There was a sound outside the door, and everyone immediately shut up. When the door was pushed


    open, a middle-aged man with a worn-out look came in with a thermos to get water.


    One of the employees recognized him as Ste''s driver and immediately volunteered to help him with


    the water.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Larry thanked them and left after refilling his thermos.


    Everyone in the pantry felt relieved. Someone said, "Guys, lower your voice. The little princess can


    make our lives miserable. Have you guys forgotten about Wren?"


    Everyone fell silent upon hearing Wren¡¯s name. They were all aware of Wren''s financial difficulties back


    home. The fact that Jaylene could be so harsh on a vulnerabledy like that sent chills down their


    spines.


    Larry went upstairs to Ste''s office. After looking around, he knocked on the door.


    Soon, Ste''s voice came from inside. "Pleasee in."

 Chapter 2141

    Chapter 2141


    Larry walked in, closed the door behind him, and called out softly, "Hello,


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Ms. Hall."


    Ste was taken aback. Then, she asked, "Larry? Is there something you need?"


    Larry nodded. "Yes. Ms. Hall, today is my son''s birthday, and I''d like to give him something. Could you


    please approve my leave? I only need two hours.


    Ste smiled. "Of course, but ourpany has a dedicated person who handles leave requests for


    drivers. You can look for Mr. Payton on the second floor, but I''ll approve it for you this time. Next time,


    just go directly to him."


    She paused, then looked at his empty hands and asked, "Where is your leave request form?"


    Larry looked somewhat embarrassed as he said softly, "I was afraid that you wouldn''t approve it, so I


    haven''t filled it out yet." "You''re not taking leave without reason, and there''s not much for you to do now


    anyway. A kid only has one childhood, so spend as much time as you can with him."


    As she spoke, Ste printed out a leave request form from herputer and handed it to Larry along


    with a pen, saying, "Fill it out, and I''ll sign it for you. Take it to the HR department to file it, and then you


    can leave."


    Larry took it, ced his thermos on the office desk, and bent over slightly to fill out the leave request


    form.


    From where Ste was sitting, she could see the words he was writing. She was somewhat surprised


    as she said, "Larry, your handwriting is very nice."


    Larry''s handwriting looked nothing like his ragged appearance. Ste remembered that his highest


    educational level was only junior high school, but his handwriting was truly remarkable.


    Larry replied modestly, "It''s nothing. I watched my son write and learned it from him." "That''s pretty


    impressive too."


    Ste finished her water just as Larry had filled out the form. Then, he handed it to Ste for her to


    sign.


    Ste took the pen and read the details.


    As Larry grabbed his thermos on the table, he slowly twisted it open. The hot water emitted a faint


    steam, and through the mist, he watched Ste sign the form with her head lowered. His expression


    looked somewhat dark and inscrutable.


    Ste then signed it and said, "Larry, take the box of choctes from the coffee table when you leave.


    It''s a gift from a friend, and I haven''t opened it. Bring it back for your son. He might like it."


    Then, she looked up and smiled as she handed him the signed leave request form. "I''ve approved an


    extra two hours for you. Just make sure to be back before five in the afternoon."


    Larry clenched his hand around the thermos, tightened the lid, and reached out to take the form.


    "Thank you so much, Ms. Hall," he said.


    "Don''t mention it. You may leave now."


    Larry nodded, took the form, and started walking away. When he was about to leave the office, Ste


    called out to him, "Larry, wait a moment."


    She reached into a drawer, walked over, and handed Larry the box of choctes on the coffee table


    along with a voucher. "Take this voucher with you. There''s a bakery across the street from our


    company. You can get a free four-inch cake with it."


    Larry pursed his lips and looked at Ste with an indescribable look. After freezing for two seconds, he


    reached out to take them. But before he could do so, the lid of his thermos suddenly loosened, and it


    fell to the ground. The hot water sshed all over, and Ste instinctively took two steps back.

 Chapter 2142

    Chapter 2142


    Ste wore stockings, and some of the hot water sshed onto them, causing a sudden burning


    sensation followed by a pickling pain.


    She then quickly pulled the stockings away from her skin.


    Larry was shocked. He immediately bent down to pick up the broken pieces and apologized to Ste.


    Ste waved her hand. "It''s fine. Be careful not to cut your hand."


    Upon hearing the noise from the next room, Xavier rushed over, saw what happened, and checked on


    Ste. Ms. Hall, are you okay?'' he asked.


    Ste nodded, i''m fine. Please ask the janitor to clean this up."


    After making sure that Ste was okay, he went out to call for the janitor.


    Larry held the thermos cup lid in his hand, looking a bit pale as if he had been startled.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Ste rubbed the area where the hot water had sshed onto her and said to Larry, after seeing him


    still standing there, ''Go to the back office tomorrow and get a new thermos cup. These ss ones


    shatter easily and are not safe to use."


    Then, she remembered the choctes and the voucher in her hand and handed them to him. "You can


    go now, and don''t worry about this.


    Someone wille to clean it upter. Don''t bete and disappoint your son. His birthday onlyes


    once a year."


    Larry took them, thanked Ste, and turned around to leave.


    In Unit 902 of Clouditude International, Felicity pulled Ste aside, nced at Keegan in the kitchen,


    and asked softly, "Didn''t he lose his memory? Why did you bring him here?" ''Vermont hasn''t told her


    about it?¡¯ Ste could not believe it.


    She cleared her throat and said, "I brought him here to meet my friends, which could possibly help him


    regain his memory."


    "And with making Jaylene angry too." Felicity''s eyes lit up as she said, "Try to charm Keeganter. I''ll


    take a picture and upload it online to annoy her." "How should I do that?" "Pretend to trip and fall in his


    arms."


    Ste''s eyelid twitched. "I don''t know how. Demonstrate it to meter."


    Felicity said with confidence. "Just watch. I''ll use Stinky Cucumber as a prop to show you."


    Then, she walked over to Vermont and pretended to fall toward him.


    Vermont was speaking to Keegan at that time. When Felicity threw herself at him, he thought


    something was going to hit him and instinctively stepped back. She then fell onto the carpet with a thud


    and yelled in pain," Ouch!"


    All of them were shocked.


    Ste quickly went over to help her up. Vermont realized what happened and immediately crouched


    down to check on her.


    Fortunately, the carpet was thick enough, so Felicity was not really hurt. She just felt a bit sore as she


    rubbed her knees and said tearfully, "Stinky Cucumber, why did you dodge and not catch me? I''m


    going to break up with you!"


    Vermont chuckled as he massaged her knee. "I had a bone fracture because something fell on me


    when I was a child, so I instinctively stepped aside. Why don''t you fall on me again? I''ll be sure to catch


    you this time, even if it means a floor dive!"


    Felicity kicked him away angrily. "Get out of my face!"


    After eating and drinking, Ste brought up what happened earlier that day.


    After listening to her story, Felicity said, "That pretentious witch is so stupid and evil!


    "How does it benefit her if you offended the woman and caused Caline to lose a client? Will it not affect


    her if thepany''s profit decreases?"


    As Vermont poured the wine, he chimed in, "It won''t affect her too much.


    After all, the Saun family is supporting all her expenses as she''s still part of the family."


    Felicity became even angrier upon hearing that. "Why does she have Saun as herst name? Does


    she not have a father? Why does she have to take her stepfather''sst name?" Then, she turned to


    Ste and asked, "Was it your dad''s idea?"

 Chapter 2143

    Chapter 2143


    Ste shook her head.


    She had asked Trevor about this before.


    Jaylene¡¯s full name used to be Jaylene Arnold. When Darcie first married Wenham, she did not have


    Saun as herst name. Later, during a parentteacher meeting, Darcie fell ill and could not attend. So,


    Wenham went on her behalf.


    Wenham had never attended Jaylene''s parent-teacher meetings before. Her teachers did not know


    him, so they had to find out their rtionship first. That was when the teachers found out that the father


    and daughter had differentst names.


    They only realized that Darcie had remarried then. Being in elementary school, the most talkative and


    insensitive age, Jaylene''s identity as a stepdaughter quickly spread across the school.


    She got upset and refused to go to school. She cried and asked Wenham why Trevor had the same


    last name as him while hers was different. Everyone was saying that she was not Wenham¡¯s daughter.


    Wenham had always been a soft-hearted person. If Darcie had said it, he might not have agreed.


    However, Jaylene was only seven or eight years old at that time. He just could not bear to see a little


    child crying like that. So, he changed herst name.


    After Ste exined the whole story, Felicity said, Tve always wondered why your dad could raise


    Trevor as such a good person, yet Jaylene is nothing like him. It turns out she''s been like this since she


    was little!


    "How could she not know why she had a differentst name from them when she was already seven or


    eight years old? I''m pretty sure that your stepmother taught her to do so!


    "That is the only way she can enjoy the privilege of being the Saun family''s daughter and officially


    be a part of the family as time goes by!"


    Felicity was right. People who were not very close with the Saun family all thought that Jaylene was


    Wenham''s biological daughter.


    This misconception only ended when the Saun family held a party to wee Ste back.


    Of course, it also had to do with Wenham introducing her to everyone they met.


    Whenever they attended events together, he would introduce her to others, saying, "This is my


    daughter, Ste Hall. She wants to bear her mother''sst name because she likes it."


    And when someone mentioned Jaylene, he would say, "Jaylene is more like her mother, and Ste is


    more like me. I mean, like father like daughter,


    right?"


    At first, Ste thought Wenham had said them unintentionally, but she changed her mind as this


    happened more frequently.


    Vermont lifted his gaze at Ste. "You managed to steal that big client from Darcie just like that? Could


    it be that Keegan helped you?"


    Keegan said tly, "No, I didn''t know about it at all."


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Felicity thought to herself, ''What''s wrong with him? He didn''t do anything to help, yet he can speak so


    confidently.''


    Vermont did not believe it at all. Keegan was someone who would spend the whole day on set when


    Ste was filming, and with something as big as this, he refused to believe that Keegan would sit back


    and do nothing.


    However, before he could say anything, Felicity elbowed him. "Why are you doubting her? Ste is the


    best; she can do anything!"


    Vermont rubbed his stomach with a painful expression. "Why did you hit me right after I ate?"


    Felicity instantly felt a little bad. "I didn''t even hit you hard. Quit pretending." "It was hard enough to


    knock me out." Vermont sighed as he continued," Can you please stop getting so physical with me?


    Are we dating, or are we sparring partners?" "Fine, fine. I''ll stop it."


    Felicity reached out to massage his stomach. "You''re so fragile."


    Vermont was speechless.


    Keegan tapped Ste under the table. She looked at him and followed his gaze, noticing a red mark


    around Vermont''s neck.


    She widened her gaze in shock. ''Wow! I can''t believe it! I always struggle to give Keegan a hickey, yet


    Felicity just left a ring around Vermont''s neck! Her lung capacity is unbelievable!''


    Vermont met Ste''s gaze and suggested tly, "You two have eaten a lot.


    Why don''t you take a stroll downstairs to help with the digestion?"

 Chapter 2144

    Chapter 2144


    Vermont was technically chasing them out of the house.


    Unfortunately, Felicity did not catch on as she said, "Ste didn''t even eat much. What''s there to


    digest? What she ate could barely feed the two little ones in her belly, right Ste?"


    Ste blinked her eyes. "Not at all. I''m actually very full."


    She then turned to Keegan. "What about you, are you done?¡¯


    Keegan said, "I''m stuffed."


    So, they said goodbye and left. Once they got into the car, Ste beganining.


    "Vermont is such a fake gentleman! I told him to have a baby with Felicity first so his mother-inw


    would ept him, but he used me of betraying Felicity.


    "I thought he was a good man back then, thinking Felicity had finally found the one for herself. It turns


    out that everything is just a lie!"


    Keegan was not aware of the condition Florence came up with and was puzzled upon hearing what


    Ste said. After understanding the situation, he remained silent for some time.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Then, he said, "He''s fulfilled the wish he made when he was young."


    Ste got curious and asked, "What wish?'' "He wanted to marry a wealthy woman so he doesn''t have


    to work."


    Ste could not help but burst outughing.


    When Felicity came out of the bathroom and saw Vermont cleaning the table, she went over to help.


    As she cleared the table, she asked, '' Do you feel that Ste has be more beautiful since she got


    pregnant?" "Did she?" Vermont thought for a moment before saying, "She does seem less mean than


    before."


    Felicity''s eyelid twitched as she red at him. "You''re the mean one!"


    He chuckled. "Wasn''t she mean with me when I was pursuing you?" "You deserve it! Why did you lie to


    me? Besides, what have you done to pursue me? All you do is run your mouth! Who pursues someone


    by only taking them out to eat every day?"


    He then humbly asked, "What is the correct way then?"


    Felicity snorted. "At the very least, you should give me flowers, maybe a love letter or even a short note


    to express your feelings. Otherwise, how could I showcase my worth?"


    Vermont said, "I wrote one, but I was too embarrassed to show you."


    Felicity''s eyes lit up. "Where is it?"


    Vermont said softly, "It''s on the desk in my bedroom."


    Felicity immediately put down the tes in her hand. "I''ll go check it out."


    Before Vermont could say anything, she ran to his bedroom.


    On the bedside table was a bouquet of various kinds of flowers, beautifully arranged and vibrant. Next


    to it was a pink envelope under a decoration.


    Felicity used to think that pink was too girly for her. But looking at the envelope now, she found it oddly


    cute.


    She pushed the decoration aside, picked up the envelope, and took out a piece of paper from inside,


    feeling somewhat nervous as she did so.


    But when she finally unfolded it, she realized it was not a love letter. Instead, it had only four words


    written on it: Come to the study.

 Chapter 2145

    Chapter 2145


    Felicity frowned. ''Is Stinky Cucumber messing with me again?''


    She came out of Vermont''s bedroom and called out his name. However, there was no response, and


    he was nowhere to be seen in the house.


    She went to the study, pushed the door open, and heard the sound of something falling.


    She gazed downward and saw the study floor covered with dominoes. Her opening the door knocked


    down the first one, causing a chain effect that toppled the rest. When every domino fell, it revealed a


    huge portrait of herself on the floor.


    Felicity had never considered herself attractive, but her portrait on the floor had a bright smile, looking


    radiant and charming, with indescribably beautiful features.


    ''Is this how I look to him?'' she wondered.


    She blushed and thought of getting her phone out to take a picture of it. But before she could turn


    around, the lights in the study went out. Then, the area where her portrait was located was lit with


    fluorescent letters, forming two words that said Marry Me."


    Felicity was stunned. Her heart loudly pounded as if it were going to leave her body. Then, she felt a


    lump in her throat, and tears welled up in her eyes.


    She instinctively stepped back and bumped into a solid chest.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont wrapped his arms around her waist, leaned closer to her, and whispered in her ear, "Miss


    bandit, I had so much to say to you. It took me two days to set this up. It was supposed to be more


    romantic, but then those two nuisances showed up and ruined my n."


    Felicity got so nervous that she felt tense all over. "What n?" she asked softly.


    Vermont chuckled. "My proposal."


    He then switched on the lights, knelt on one knee in front of Felicity, and said softly with a gentle look,


    "Being in a rtionship with you has brought me so much joy. However, I''m not someone who''s easily


    satisfied; I want an official recognition of our rtionship.


    "So, Ms. Thompson. Will you marry me?"


    "I-I-" Felicity stuttered. "I need to ask my mom where she keeps our family''s residency registration


    documents."


    Vermont, who was already nervous enough, could not help butugh upon hearing what Felicity said.


    Then, he grabbed her hand and asked softly, "So, is that a yes?"


    Felicity blushed as she said awkwardly, "I''ll say yes no matter when you propose to me. The problem


    isn''t with me but with my mom. I entered this rtionship with marriage in mind. I just didn''t expect it to


    happen so quickly."


    Vermont chuckled as he slid the ring on her finger. "I actually thought of you rejecting me before. I didn''t


    expect it to go so smoothly and that you''d say yes right away. Have you been wanting me for a long


    time?"


    "Nonsense!" Blushing, Felicity glowered at him. "You''re the one who is desperate to have me! You


    pretended to be impotent to get me to cook for you and made me your fake girlfriend. There''s nothing


    worse in this world than you!


    "I don''t have much experience in dating, and that was why you could fool me with your tricks. And now


    that I''ve agreed to marry you, you have the nerve to say that I''ve been wanting you for a long time? I''ll


    tell you what, I-


    Ugh¡ª"


    Before she could finish speaking, Vermont suddenly stood up and pinned her against the wall, kissing


    her non-stop.


    Felicity froze for a moment. Then, she rxed her body, wrapped her arms around his neck, and


    reciprocated the kiss with her eyes closed.


    She then felt a slight chill on her ring finger and wanted to sneak a peek at her engagement ring.


    But when she opened her eyes, she did not see any diamond ring. Instead, it was an incredibly wide


    gold ring!


    She pushed Vermont away as fury exploded in her. She then raised her right hand and asked through


    gritted teeth, "What is this?"


    Vermont said, "Babe, are you okay? This is the engagement ring."


    As he tried to hug her again, Felicity''s expression turned dark. "Stay right there! Don''te near me!"


    Vermont had no choice but to stay put.


    She then said furiously, "Who proposes with a gold ring? Are you so stingy that you''re not even willing


    to buy me a diamond ring?"


    Vermont defended himself, "Darling, you don''t understand. Diamonds have depreciated significantly in


    recent years. People are stepping out of consumerism traps.


    "A diamond ring that was being sold for eighty thousand dors years ago is only worth a few thousand


    now. I can buy the stock with the highest risk in the market and still wouldn''t lose much money. But this


    gold ring will still be worth as much as it is now after decades, and-"

 Chapter 2146

    Chapter 2146


    Vermont took a box from the table and opened it in front of Felicity. "I bought you fifty-two of them. You


    can change one every day and won''t be wearing the same one for a month.


    "If you get tired of the design, well melt it and redesign it at a jewelry store for just a few bucks of


    craftsmanship fees."


    Felicity''s face turned red in anger. ¡® Do you think I''m a lion''s mane jellyfish with a lot of tentacles? Why


    would I need fifty-two rings?" ''This is outrageous! What''s going on in his head? What exactly do I see in


    this stupid thing?'' Felicity cursed inwardly.


    Vermont hugged her closely. "Aren''t you touched at all? You have fifty-two rings. All of your friends will


    be jealous of you once you post them online."


    Felicity struggled and said, "I''ll beughed at! Who gets proposed to with dozens of rings? Are you


    crazy? Which one am I going to wear at the wedding? Should I change one every minute? What were


    you even thinking?


    Vermont immediately came up with a silly idea. "You can string them into a ne and wear them


    around your neck during the wedding. That way, we don''t have to spend more money on a ne."


    Felicity got even angrier and bit his shoulder.


    Vermont bent over, lifted her by the buttocks with both hands and hung her around his waist. Then, he


    casually patted her butt and said, "How''s your tailbone now?"


    She released her bite and gritted her teeth. "I got so angry that it healed itself!"


    Then, she suddenly noticed the red mark around Vermont''s neck and frowned. "What''s this on your


    neck?"


    She reached out to rub it as she spoke, and the red smeared onto her finger. The red mark on


    Vermont''s neck faded.


    "What did you put on your neck?"


    "I used your lipstick to make fake hickeys. Do they look real?" Vermont said.


    Felicity was baffled. "Are you crazy? Why did you do that? To satisfy your own fantasy?" "Tsk," Vermont


    clicked his tongue. "Do you think the two nuisances would leave so soon if I didn''t do this? My proposal


    has already been ruined because of them. I just can''t bear to see them any longer!"


    Felicity then btedly thought of Ste''s strange gaze toward her as she left and wondered, ''Did she...''


    "She didn''t think I did this to you, did she?"


    Vermont looked at her with a smirk, seemingly saying, "What a smart girl."


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicity suddenly became extremely embarrassed.


    Vermont then went back to his bedroom with Felicity hung around his waist.


    When they reached the bedroom, he wanted to put her on the bed, but she held onto his waist tightly


    and refused to let go.


    He reached out to pat her shoulder and said, "Come on. I haven''t taken out the trash yet."


    Felicityy in his arms and said in a muffled voice, ¡¯Do it tomorrow." "Let me change my shirt then. I


    spilled some sauce on it when we were eating."


    Felicity said, "Do it tomorrow.¡±


    Vermont chuckled softly. "But you still have to let me go, right? I need to clean up the study."


    Felicity cupped his face with both hands and said, while blushing, "We''re now engaged, right?"


    Vermont nodded.


    Felicity licked her lips. After a long pause, she asked, "Can I not wait until marriage?"


    Vermont was taken aback and felt a tingling sensation all over. He lowered his gaze to the person in his


    arms.


    "Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked with a hoarse voice.


    Felicity looked away. "Well, I need to test in advance. If you really can''t-" "Okay, that''s enough,"


    Vermont cut her off with a stern face.


    Felicity could not help butugh. Her face blushed, looking somewhat charming. Then, she said, "You


    pretended to be impotent back then, but I didn''t mind, right?"


    Vermont bit her lip lightly and kissed her. "I did. I''ve been waiting for a chance to prove myself."


    Felicity breathed heavily as she gently grabbed his hair. "Prove what?"


    Vermont ced her on the bed, unbuckled his belt with one hand, and propped himself up on top of


    Felicity. "Prove that I''m capable... and that I''m more than just twelve."

 Chapter 2147

    Chapter 2147


    Felicity kept quiet.


    When they were taking off their clothes, she felt shy and asked Vermont to turn off the lights.


    Felicity was nervous, and so was Vermont.


    She was nervous because she did not know what would happen next, and Vermont was afraid of not


    performing well.


    Whenever Felicity got nervous, she would talk a lot. So, when Vermont was trying to make her feel


    more rxed, she began chatting with him.


    "Did you forget everything that had happened in the hotel room during your birthday?"


    Vermont gently caressed her body as he replied in a hoarse voice, "Pretty much."


    Felicity felt her body heating up and twisted her waist ufortably. She stammered, "Th-there was a


    lot of blood that night."


    Vermont remained quiet as he continued touching her.


    As his hand got closer to her thigh, Felicity almost shouted. However, she bit her lip to hold herself


    back. After taking a deep breath, she said, "I read online that the first time might not necessarily cause


    bleeding unless it''s too rough. Can you imagine how rough you were to make me bleed that much?"


    Vermont''s hand trembled slightly, almost losing it.


    He lifted his head and looked at her through the darkness. "Babe, why don''t you just keep your mouth


    shut?"


    Felicity replied pitifully, "I''ll only feel more nervous when listening to you breathing heavily."


    Vermont sighed. "Keep talking then."


    Felicity hesitated for a moment, not knowing what else to say. After a long pause, she asked, "When


    are youing in?"


    Vermont was caught off guard by her question.


    He lowered his head to kiss her lips, which stopped her from saying those shocking things.


    Ten minutester, Felicity''s angry shout could be heard from inside the bedroom. She said, "Damn it!


    Didn''t you say it wouldn''t hurt?" "Fuck! I knew nothing happened that night! Listen to me: just rx,"


    Vermont said.


    "Rx? You''re such an idiot! Aren''t you experienced in this? You''re so full of crap! All you can do is run


    your mouth! You liar!" Felicity cursed.


    "Stop moving around so much!" "Stinky Cucumber! You actually have the nerve to scold me?" Felicity


    refuted before asking, "Hey, why are you not moving anymore?"


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    There was a strange silence in the room before Vermont spoke, "Hold up."


    A few secondster, Felicity yelled, "Vermont Snyder, I can''t believe you''re a one-minute man! You lied


    to me! I want to break up with you!"


    Vermont covered her mouth and said through gritted teeth, "It''s because you kept moving! That was my


    first time doing it with someone I love, and you just wouldn''t stop twisting your hip. There''s no way a


    man can handle that!"


    Felicity was still struggling. But as she heard what he said, she suddenly widened her gaze and stayed


    still.


    Vermont kissed her cheek, chuckled, and said in a hoarse voice, "I''m not going to let you down this


    time."


    The room was then filled with the sound of pleasure, and Felicity finally stopped cursing.


    In Royalpark Vi, Keegan came out of the bathroom after showering and saw Ste sitting on the bed,


    applying ointment to her leg.


    He paused, walked over with a frown, and saw a small blister on her left shin.


    "How did this happen?" he asked.


    Keegan sat down beside her, wanting to help her with the ointment.


    Ste avoided his touch. "I''m done. Don''t touch it."


    Keegan asked again, "How did you get it?"


    Ste shut the ointment bottle and said, "The driver identally dropped his thermos on the floor, and


    the hot water sshed on me."

 Chapter 2148

    Chapter 2148


    Keegan frowned. "Didn''t you say that he''s very attentive? How could someone attentive ssh hot


    water on you?"


    Keegan''sining tone caught Ste off guard. She then smiled, hugged his arm, and leaned on


    his shoulder. "It''s not that serious. Why are you so angry? You''re always very forgiving when your


    subordinates make a mistake." "How is this not serious? Is that blister not bad enough? I knew that


    hiring someone younger would be better. He''s so clumsy!¡± Keegan said with a stem face.


    "Although Larry might be a little older, he reacted quickly and stepped in to help me when the other


    candidate wanted to hurt me during the interview. Besides, he''s been driving for a long time and stays


    by his family¡¯s side despite their conditions.


    "He seems like a very responsible person. We can''t always favor young people, can we? After all,


    didn''t yourpany start hiring older applicants too?"


    Keegan snorted. "Stop making so many excuses. You''re just overly sympathetic and don''t like owing


    anyone favors."


    Ste sighed. "Both his wife and son are disabled. I''m sure he''s living a difficult life. I don''t have high


    demands for a driver, so why not give him a chance? Besides, he has stayed in hisne and gotten his


    work done since I hired him.


    "I can''t possibly fire him just because he identally sshed hot water on me, right? How ungrateful


    and heartless would that make me look?"


    Keegan kept quiet for a moment as he gently caressed her hand. He then said in a low voice, "I just


    don''t feel safe without having someone I can trust around you. You have your principles, but I also want


    my peace of mind.


    "You can choose who you want to be your driver, but I''m going to get you a personal assistant."


    Ste was shocked. "Personal assistant? Even Darcie doesn''t have one. How could the Vice President


    have a personal assistant? Don''t you think it''s a little unnecessary?"


    Keegan said, "You''re not just Caline¡¯s Vice President; you''re also an actress. Motives for Murder


    achieved the highest box office in the suspense film category during the new year, and you''re a very


    popr celebrity now.


    "It''s very reasonable for your agency to assign a personal assistant to their well-known actress, isn''t it?"


    Ste was taken aback. "So, are you saying that you''re going to assign a personal assistant to me


    under the agency''s name?"


    Keegan nodded. "I''ve already found the person for you. You''ll meet him tomorrow, and you''ll spend a


    lot of time with him from tomorrow onwards."


    Ste was speechless.


    "It seems like you already made the decision before telling me, huh?"


    Keegan chuckled. "He was supposed to be your driver, but I didn''t expect you to find someone so


    quickly." "You said ''he'', right?" Ste asked.


    Keegan nced at her and said, "Yeah, I did." He did not mind hiring a woman, but in terms of physical


    strength, men would generally have an advantage in a conflict.


    Ste''s eyes lit up upon hearing what he said. She asked, "How old is he? Is he handsome?"


    Surprisingly, he did not get jealous this time. Instead, he nodded and said," He''s not bad; pretty


    attractive, I''d say. He''s a year younger than you." "Oh, I see," Ste said, barely concealing her smile.


    She imagined scenes from cliche dramas, where wealthy heiresses were apanied by handsome


    bodyguards. She slept very well that night.


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    However, when the new assistant arrived the next day, Ste stared at the ordinary-looking man for a


    long time. She could not understand why


    Keegan spoke so highly of his appearance.


    The man''s name was Samuel Herston. He was of average height, around five feet eleven, neither fat


    nor thin, and looked just like any other guy. His hair was neatlybed back, and he wore a suit that


    made him look more like an insurance agent than a personal assistant.


    He looked nothing like Keegan described him asst night.

 Chapter 2149

    Chapter 2149


    With a stern face, Ste red at Keegan as she thought, ''I knew he''d never hire a good-looking man


    to be my assistant. He was just messing with mest night!''


    Although Samuel had an average appearance, he was very eloquent. He answered fluently about the


    entertainment industry, the job responsibilities of a celebrity''s assistant, and Ste''s acting experiences.


    Clearly, Keegan had trained him before he took the job. He was a very smart and sharp young man.


    On the day Wenham and Darcie''s flight arrived, Ste and Trevor went to pick them up.


    The airport was crowded with people. Ste stood by the car and looked around with her eyes


    squinted. Soon, she saw Wenham, wearing sunsses, dragging tworge suitcases out from the


    airport while Darcie followed behind him with a tiny suitcase and an expensive handbag.


    Darcie dressed elegantly and exuded a refined air, lookingpletely different from the old photos, in


    which she stood next to Freesia in in attire that almost blended into the background.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Ste''s smile widened on her face as she waved and shouted, "Dad, over here!"


    Wenham looked over and urately spotted Ste in the crowd. Then, he smiled and strode toward


    her.


    Ste stepped forward and gave him a big hug. "Dad, wee home. How was your vacation?"


    Wenham patted her shoulder and said, "It was pretty fun. I went to almost every attraction there. I can


    be your tour guide the next time we go together."


    As Ste reached out to help with the suitcases, she smiled and said," That''s great! I was worried that


    you and Darcie would want to spend more time together, so I extended your stay for you."


    Darcie''s eyelid twitched abruptly.


    In fact, Ste did not extend their stay at all. She booked a nine-day trip for them but told them it was


    only a six-day trip. It was not until theynded and checked in that Darcie found out about it.


    Wenham then pushed the suitcases toward Trevor, nced around, and asked, "Where''s Jaylene?"


    Darcie furrowed her brows. ''I''ve specifically called her to remind her toe pick US up at the airport


    today. She agreed, but where is she now?''


    Ste looked puzzled. "I don¡¯t know. Trevor and I came together. Jaylene said she would drive herself


    here. She left the house earlier than US, so I thought she would''ve arrived already."


    Darcie remained silent and dialed Jaylene''s number on her phone with a tense expression.


    However, there was no answer on the other end, even though the call went through. So, Darcie figured


    that either her phone was not with her or she was deliberately not picking up.


    Ste hugged Wenham''s arm, smiling brightly. "Dad, Darcie, Trevor made a reservation at Cotton Rose


    Restaurant. Sonia is going to be there too. She''s starting work tomorrow, so I figured we should have a


    meal to celebrate her new job."


    However, Darcie was going to apologize to Grace with Jaylene, so she politely declined Ste''s


    invitation by saying that she was feeling unwell.


    As they parted ways, Ste noticed that Darcie was still trying to call Jaylene.


    She smirked and thought to herself, ''There¡¯s no way Jaylene would pick up.''


    Around six o''clock in the morning, Ste used Keegan''s phone and posted a tweet on Twitter that was


    only visible to Jaylene, saying "Hangover, headache."


    Without a doubt, Jaylene should be on the way to visit her dear Keegan who was weak and having a


    headache from a hangover.

 Chapter 2150

    Chapter 2150


    At first, Ste did not know that Darcie was going to meet Grace.


    However, before going to bedst night, Olivia called her and talked to her about this.


    Of course, Darcie was not going to give up on such a big client like Grace just like that.


    She had asked Jessie Keller, also known as Mrs. Depp, to persuade Grace to meet her. Jessie was


    Grace''s good friend; her eldest daughter''s wedding was also held at a venue owned by Olivia.


    Olivia was everyone''s friend and particrly good at business. She decorated the wedding venue


    exceptionally well, which gave her something to brag about among her friends.


    Later on, Jessie also organized her grandson''s birthday,pany teambuilding activities, and family


    reunions at Olivia''s properties. So, they became closer to each other over time.


    If Darcie were to call Jessie directly and ask for her help, Jessie would not necessarily be willing to


    intervene because she had proposed a marriage between her youngest son and Jaylene before, but


    Darcie rejected it.


    However, she did not outright refuse it. She politely said that times were changing and that they should


    respect the youngster''s opinions on who they wanted to be with.


    So, Jessie had no choice but to give up the idea. However, a few dayster, Darcie took Jaylene to


    meet Keegan for a blind date.


    Jessie held a grudge in her heart, always feeling that Darcie looked down on the Depp family''s status


    and felt that they were not good enough for the Saun family.


    However, Jessie''s son, Aaron, was very stubborn and only wanted to marry Jaylene, no matter how


    many blind dates Jessie had set him up with. They had known each other since they studied abroad.


    He had been pursuing Jaylene for several years without sess.


    Although Jaylene did not want to date him, she treated him as a good friend and always invited him to


    social gatherings and even balls.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    It was not until she returned to Hustuabourg that she started to distance herself from Aaron.


    Ste figured that Jaylene was probably just keeping her distance from her ything because she was


    now closer to her main target.


    However, Aaron was deeply in love with Jaylene and wanted to be with nobody else. Although he kept


    comining about it at home, Jessie still treated him like a treasure and spoiled him because he was


    her youngest son, whom she had when she was forty.


    Darcie was very smart. She was aware that Jessie might have held a grudge against her for turning her


    proposal down, so she called Aaron and asked him to pass the phone on to Jessie.


    She first mentioned Grace, telling Jessie she made a mistake and upset her. Then, she asked Jessie if


    she could talk to Grace and let them meet each other so she could apologize to her.


    She also mentioned that she wanted to use this opportunity to introduce their two children to each other


    formally. She said that Jaylene and Aaron had known each other for a long time. If they could hit it off,


    he would be the person she trusted most around Jaylene.


    Aaron could not resist such a tempting offer, so he immediately insisted that Jessie agree.


    Jessie could not bear to disappoint her precious child, so she did as Darcie asked.


    Although Jessie agreed to help, she still resented Darcie for her previous rejection and for stringing her


    son with Jaylene for so many years. She felt very irritated by it, so she expressed her frustration to


    Olivia.


    Olivia consoled Jessie for a long time. As soon as the call ended, she told Ste about it.


    She was unaware of what happened to Grace at Caline and simply wanted to vent to Ste about


    Darcie and Jaylene.


    She described Darcie as too materialistic and ssless. When Darcie needed something from


    someone, she would do her best to butter them up just to achieve her goal. However, once she no


    longer needed the person, she would be worried that they might turn against her in the future.


    So, she would use something to hold over them and use her status as Mrs. Saun to oppress them.


    Although she always managed to achieve her objectives, her methods were very repulsive to others. In


    short, she was simply too scheming.


    Olivia was just casually chatting with Ste about it, but Ste remembered every word she said.


    Jaylene always acted innocent and deeply in love with Keegan, making Ste think that she had no


    experience with love before.


    It turned out that she was a yer, always keeping someone on the hook.


    Darcie wanted to apologize to Grace, hoping to win her back as a client, but how could Ste let her


    have her way?


    Thinking about what would happen next, Ste could not help but smirk.


    When Wenham noticed that smile, he shivered and asked, "M-My dear daughter, would you not smile


    like that?"

 Chapter 2151

    Chapter 2151


    Ste snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Wenham with a puzzled expression. "What''s wrong,


    Dad?"


    Wenham said, "When you smile like that, it reminds me of your mother when she was pregnant with


    you. She would smile at me like that whenever she got mad. Then, she''d make me tie a watermelon


    around my belly and do house chores while joking that I looked like a frog. I''m traumatized."


    Ste was speechless.


    Trevorughed out loud. "It''s because you teased her about having spots on her face. She wanted you


    to experience the feeling of pregnancy and being called unattractive."


    Wenham got confused. "But I said that the spots were cute. I guess US men can never figure out what


    women think, huh?"


    Ste imagined the scene of Wenham getting tortured by Freesia and could not help butugh. ''It


    seems like I got my traits from my mom, huh?''


    In Vinci Rivera, Jaylene was speaking to the receptionist with a lot of things in her hands. She had not


    made an appointment, and the receptionist did not recognize her. So, they refused to let her in.


    Her expression was extremely unpleasant. She said in a low voice, "Are you serious? Do you not know


    who I am?"


    The receptionist handled it professionally. "Except for Mr. Kane''s wife, anyone who wants to see Mr.


    Kane needs to make an appointment."


    Then, the receptionist picked up a poster of Ste on the table andpared it to Jaylene. "You don''t


    look like her at all."


    Jaylene got so angry that her face turned red. "Have you lost your mind? Keegan divorced her a long


    time ago!" "Oh." The receptionist paused momentarily before asking again, "So, do you have an


    appointment?"


    The conversation circled back to the beginning. Jaylene''s expression darkened as she said, "Just wait!"


    With that, she dialed Keegan''s number again.


    Keegan was sitting in a restaurant, watching his constantly buzzing phone.


    He then nced at Aldor and said, "You answer it."


    Aldor joked, "I can''t do that. Ms. Saun knows that I''m on Mrs. Kane''s side.


    It''ll raise suspicion if I pick it up for you."


    Keegan nodded. "You have a pretty clear understanding of yourself."


    His response left Aldor utterly speechless.


    "How long has she been there?"


    Aldor looked at the time. "About forty minutes." "Let her wait a little longer," Keegan said as he tapped


    on the table lightly.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    After Jaylene stood in the lobby for an hour, her call finally went through.


    She spoke in a coquettish tone, "Keegan, why did you only answer my call now?"


    Aldor coughed. "Ms. Saun, it''s me. Mr. Kane is meeting with clients now and isn''t avable to talk. Is


    there anything I can help you with?"


    Jaylene frowned. "I came to the office to give him something, but some clueless receptionist is stopping


    me from entering."


    Then, she nced at the receptionist and said arrogantly, "Aldor,e down and take me upstairs."

 Chapter 2152

    Chapter 2152


    The receptionist rolled their eyes and looked at Jaylene.


    Jaylene''s eyes were filled with malice, as if saying, "Just wait. You''re finished."


    The receptionist kept a straight face.


    Aldor said, "Ms. Saun, please hand over what you brought to the receptionist. Mr. Kane is meeting


    clients, and neither of US is in the office."


    Jaylene paused, and then her expression turned ugly. "If Keegan is not in the office, why did the


    receptionist keep asking me if I made an appointment? What''s the point of having an appointment if


    he''s not even around? What kind of people did you hire?"


    Aldor said tly, "Many people need to see Mr. Kane every day. I can''t imagine what would happen if


    the receptionist just let everyone in."


    Jaylene''s face turned even redder in anger as she said to herself, ''Aldor, I''ll get you back when I finally


    get together with Keegan!''


    However, she needed a favor from him now, so she had no choice but to swallow her displeasure and


    say in a low voice, "Aldor, I apologize for what I said. I''ve been waiting for Keegan for too long and


    spoke out of turn. Please forgive me.


    "Could you tell me where Keegan is meeting with his clients? I have something very important to speak


    to him about. Could you help me, please?"


    Jaylene paused before adding, ¡¯ Aurora told me you recently considered buying a car, right? I have a


    friend who owns a car dealership, and they have a batch of cars to ''deal with.'' "They''re offering very


    good prices to friends and family only. I''ll give you their numberster, so you can contact them


    whenever you want to buy a car. Trust me, you''ll never get the same price anywhere else."


    Aldor kept quiet momentarily before speaking in a low voice, "Mr. Kane is in the Celestial private room


    at Cotton Rose Restaurant. Please don''t tell


    him that I told you."


    Although Jaylene agreed, her expression looked extremely disdainful.


    ''Hmph. No matter how hard he tries, he will never be on the same level as me,¡¯ Jaylene thought.


    Then, she nced at the receptionist, reached out to take the Ste poster, and said, "No wonder


    you''re only fit to be a receptionist. You don''t even know whose side to be on."


    With that, she tore Ste''s poster in front of the receptionist and threw it in the trash before arrogantly


    walking away with her things.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    The receptionist watched her leave the main door, then took out another stack of Ste''s posters from


    the drawer and ced them on the table.


    Aldor had specifically kept several boxes of them at the front desk just so Keegan could see them


    whenever he came to the office. Even clients visiting the building would be given one as a souvenir.


    Mr. Kane would''ve fired me a long time ago if I''m not doing my job right!'' The receptionist thought


    inwardly.


    When Jaylene was on her way to the Cotton Rose Restaurant, she checked her call logs.


    Darcie had called her over twenty times and sent her many voice messages on WhatsApp.


    Thest message said: [If I can''t reach you by noon, there''ll be consequences!]


    Jaylene felt guilty and scared. She knew Darcie''s temper very well. While she doted on her, she could


    still be very strict with her once she was angry.


    Just as her car passed by a hospital, she sent her current location to Darcie before calling her.


    Darcie picked up and immediately scolded her, "Why didn''t you answer your phone for the whole


    morning? You didn''t evene to pick US up from the airport! Jaylene Saun, what are you doing?"


    Jaylene coughed weakly and said, "Mom, I''m sorry. I''m not feeling very well, so I came to the hospital."

 Chapter 2153

    Chapter 2153


    Darcie did not believe Jaylene at first. "Ste said you met her in the morning and told her that you


    would drive to the airport alone. Why didn''t she mention that you were sick?"


    Jaylene cursed Ste for being nosy and continued with her lie, "Why would Ste be so kind as to tell


    you about me? She would be more than happy if I didn''t go pick Dad up, so he''d be upset with me.¡±


    Then, she coughed again before continuing, "Mom, I''m really at the hospital now. Check my location if


    you don''t believe me. I didn''t mean to ignore your calls. I''m just feeling too unwell. I put my phone on


    silent and forgot about it."


    Darcie looked at the location Jaylene had sent her and began believing her words. She then briefly


    asked about her condition. Jaylene said, "I''m still waiting for the doctor to see me."


    Darcie said in a deep voice, "Come over here immediately once you''re done. I''ll give you a maximum of


    forty minutes. I''m going to meet Mrs. Esper today because you messed up, so you''d better be here!


    "I''d expect you to show up if you can still walk! It''s even better if youe here sick so Mrs. Esper can


    see our sincerity. We can only keep working with her if we can get her to forgive us. Clients like her are


    very crucial for the sess of your career in the future."


    Jaylene frowned, feeling somewhat annoyed. However, she dared not disobey Darcie''s orders. So, she


    grunted in response, "I got it."


    Darcie''s tone softened a little. "Don''t me me for being so harsh on you, and don''t feel embarrassed


    for apologizing. When you have nothing, you''ll understand that money is more important than pride and


    everything else.


    "I''ll send you the address shortly. Let me know once you arrive."


    Jaylene said reluctantly, "Okay."


    After Darcie hung up and sent the address to Jaylene, she fixed her dress, put on a smile, and walked


    in.


    In the luxurious private room, there were Grace, Jessie, and Jessie''s youngest son, Aaron.


    Grace and Jessie were chatting while Aaron sat there absentmindedly.


    When he saw Darcie entering, he immediately stood up and asked, "Mrs.


    Saun, is Jaylene here?"


    Darcie said gently, "Jaylene went to the hospital to get some medicine.


    She''ll be here soon. Let''s order some food first so we can eat while talking."


    Upon hearing that Jaylene was sick, Aaron immediately became concerned. "What''s wrong with her? Is


    it anything serious? Do you need me to-"


    Before he could finish his sentence, Jessie pinched his thigh, causing him to yelp in pain.


    Jessie red at him, signaling him to keep hisposure and not make himself look so desperate.


    Aaron remembered the promise he made to Jessie earlier and held his tongue.


    Darice replied with a smile, "It''s nothing too bad. She''ll probably be here in half an hour. Aaron, you''re


    such a thoughtful child."


    Aaron''s face lit up with joy as his ears flushed slightly.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He knew that Jaylene was very obedient to Darcie. If he could get Darcie''s approval, it would mean that


    he had a good chance with Jaylene.


    When they first studied abroad, he was not very good with the localnguage. Jaylene took the


    initiative to approach him and help him. She was so nice to him that it made him think that she liked


    him.


    However, when he finally confessed his feelings to her, she said, "I think we should just stay as


    friends."


    So, they remained friends.


    Later, when Aaron became close to another girl, Jaylene suddenly distanced herself from him and


    blocked his number. He then spent the next few days outside her school before getting the chance to


    confront her about it.


    Jaylene then used a very conflicted expression to exin that perhaps she was too possessive; she


    felt ufortable when she saw her best friend get close to other girls.


    She also said that she was afraid that feeling this way would strain their rtionship, so she wanted to


    distance herself from him temporarily.

 Chapter 2154

    Chapter 2154


    One could imagine how happy Aaron was when he heard those words. He thought that Jaylene must


    have had feelings for him but had not realized it yet.


    He was not officially dating that girl yet, so he decisively rejected her and became Jaylene''s "best


    friend," hoping to win her over in the future.


    When Jaylene was abroad, she had many admirers, but Aaron always believed that he was different


    from them. Although she rejected him, she was still extremely nice to him.


    She gave him birthday gifts, took leave to take care of him when he was sick, and even shared intimate


    moments with him.


    He even had Jessie find out if the Saun family was interested in matching them up. However, once


    Jaylene found out about it, she ignored him for a month. After that, Aaron did not dare to bring it up


    again.


    He figured Jaylene might be concerned about the status difference between their families, which was


    why she hesitated to be his girlfriend.


    When Jaylene returned homest year, Aaron still had a year to study before graduating. He almost


    gave up his studies to follow her back then. However, he did not manage to do so because his family


    threatened to cut off his financial support.


    When he heard the Saun family had found their missing daughter after many years, Aaron wondered if


    he and Jaylene could finally be a good match since she was not biologically rted to the Saun family.


    After spending another year abroad alone, he quickly returned to Hustuabourg and contacted Jaylene.


    However, Jaylene only showed up during his wee home party and has not replied to his texts


    since, which made him somewhat worried.


    After all, they had not seen each other for a year. Aaron was afraid that someone else might pursue


    Jaylene, considering how outstanding and attractive she was.


    However, now that Darcie took the initiative to let them get to know each other better, Aaron could


    confirm that Jaylene was still single.


    Just the thought of seeing his crush soon made Aaron''s heart surge with excitement.


    After ordering food, Darcie politely asked the two, "Mrs. Esper, Mrs. Depp, would you like to have some


    wine?"


    Grace sounded indifferent. "I don''t mind." "Sure, why not?" Jessie said.


    So, Darcie had the waiter serve a bottle of wine and began chatting with the two.


    Grace initially did not want to attend this meal. But Jessie had been her good friend for decades, so


    she went against her will for the sake of her best friend. Although she did not have a good impression


    of Jaylene, who was scheming and spoke sarcastically, she figured that she should give Aaron a


    helping hand.


    She figured that if forgiving Darcie meant that Jessie¡¯s son could be with someone he loved so much,


    she would do it without hesitation.


    Half an hour passed, but Jaylene was nowhere to be seen.


    Although Grace and Jessie did not say anything about it, they had a clear look of displeasure.


    Darcie secretly texted Jaylene: [Where are you?]


    Jaylene did not reply.


    At that moment, she was pouring Keegan a cup of ginger lemon tea in the private room.


    "Keegan, you have just recovered. You had a hangoverst night, and now you''re drinking with clients


    again? Are you trying to kill yourself?"


    Keegany motionless on the table, reeking of alcohol.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    When Jaylene arrived, the clients had already left. Only Aldor and the heavily intoxicated Keegan were


    in the private room. One of the clients left something behind, so Aldor went out to send it back, leaving


    her alone in the room with Keegan.


    She reached out and shook Keegan. "Keegan, wake up. Have some tea first, or you''ll have a headache


    when you wake up."


    Keegan woke up after being shaken and then looked at Jaylene with a dazed expression. "Ste..." he


    muttered.


    Aldor, who was watching the surveince camera, frowned. ¡¯This wasn''t part of the n. What is Mr.


    Kane trying to do?¡¯ he wondered.

 Chapter 2155

    Chapter 2155


    Jaylene paused as her expression darkened momentarily, but she quickly put a smile back on and


    asked softly, "Keegan, did you remember something?"


    Keegan massaged his temples as he frowned and said in a hoarse voice," My head hurts..."


    Jaylene noticed that he was resisting something mentally and quickly grabbed his arms to stop him.


    "Keegan, don''t think about it if your head hurts. It''ll stop hurting once you stop thinking about it."


    Keegan pushed her away and said sternly, "Don''t touch me!"


    Jaylene was startled. At that moment, she thought that Keegan had regained his memory and started


    panicking. Suddenly, she remembered something and quickly took out a bottle of medicine from her


    bag, put two pills in the tea, and handed it to Keegan.


    "Keegan, drink this. It''ll relieve the pain," she said.


    Aldor''s expression changed, and he rushed toward the private room.


    Keegan, unable to bear the intense pain, drank it all in one gulp.


    Jaylene yed the tune used during the hypnosis in Keegan''s ear continuously and asked in a low


    voice, "Keegan, are you feeling any better? Does your head still hurt?"


    As the pain subsided, Keegan lifted his head. With a nk expression, he called out, "Jaylene?"


    Jaylene blushed and replied softly, "It''s me, Keegan."


    Perhaps due to the medicine''s effects, Keegan felt very weak. He leaned back and asked in a hoarse


    voice, "Why are you here?" "I-I saw your tweet about a hangover headache, and I got very worried."


    She then startedining, "Ste said that she would take care of you.


    Is this how she does it?"


    Keegan rubbed his temples and said in a low voice, "Uncle Wenham ising back today, right? Even


    Ste went to pick him up. Is it okay for you not to go?"


    Jaylene was taken aback, and then she felt delighted. "Keegan, are you worried about me?"


    Keegan shut his eyes and sat on the chair. Jaylene did not know if he had heard what she said, but he


    remained silent.


    When Jaylene was about to speak again, Aldor pushed the door open. He said, "Mr. Kane, I''ve


    returned the item to Mr. Cahan."


    Jaylene frowned and nced at Aldor with annoyance. However, Aldor seemed oblivious as he added,


    "Mr. Kane, we have another meeting this afternoon. Let me take you downstairs and get you to change


    in the hotel room."


    Keegan nodded. When he stood up, he staggered, which startled Jaylene. She then quickly stepped


    forward and supported him.


    He thanked her and was about to push her hand away, but she offered," Keegan, let me apany


    you downstairs. I''m worried about you like this."


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan hesitated and decided to let her hold him, saying, "Thank you."


    Aftering out of the private room, Keegan said to Aldor, "Aldor, you go settle the bill first."


    Aldor nodded and left.


    As Jaylene helped Keegan walk, she suddenly realized that he deliberately sent Aldor away. "Keegan,


    is there something you want to talk to me about?


    " she asked.


    Keegan kept quiet for a moment before saying in a low voice, "Jaylene, I''ve been experiencing more


    and more headaches recently. Could you schedule an appointment with Dr. stone? I want to consult


    him about something."


    Jaylene was surprised. ''Is that it?''


    She was somewhat disappointed but still said, "Dr. Stone isn''t in Hustuabourg right now, but I''ll try."


    "Thank you."


    This was the first time Jaylene had been this close to Keegan while he was conscious. Her ears were


    burning, but she continued to hold him up as her stomach fluttered. "Keegan, I received all the flowers


    you sent me. I really like them."


    Keegan did not say anything.


    Suddenly, a coldugh can be heard from behind. "Darcie, you''re unbelievable."

 Chapter 2156

    Chapter 2156


    Jaylene paused, lifted her gaze, and saw Grace and Darcie standing in front of her with a suspicious


    expression. She was bewildered, not knowing why they would be at Cotton Rose Restaurant. ''Aren''t


    they supposed to be at The Deli?'' she wondered.


    Grace wore a mocking expression as she nced at the stern-faced Darcie with a smirk. "Your


    daughter said she''s sick, but instead of going to the hospital, she looked for a man to take care of her.


    It seems like she can''t live without throwing herself at a man, huh? 1 "If she''s not interested in marrying


    into the Depp family, you can just say so. There''s no need to lie to Aaron and make him foolishly wait


    for nothing!"


    Grace''s demeaning words immediately made Darcie''s expression sour, but she suppressed her anger.


    Just as she was about to speak, Keegan, who was standing next to Jaylene, beat her to it.


    "Madam, please show some respect in your words. Jaylene only came here to bring me some tea.


    Please do not say such things about her," Keegan said.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Jaylene was taken aback as she felt a surge of sweetness in her heart.'' Keegan is speaking up for me.


    It means that he cares about me.'' 1


    However, Darcie''s heart skipped a beat upon hearing that.


    If she had spoken first, she could have found an excuse to cover for Jaylene. But Keegan''s words


    directly confirmed that Jaylene was pretending to be sick.


    Sure enough, when Grace heard what Keegan said, the mockery in her expression intensified. "Oh, so


    we''re just sitting here waiting while she pretends to be sick to take care of her boyfriend, huh? Mrs.


    Saun, is this how you define sincerity?" 1


    Darcie suppressed her anger and said in a low voice, ''Mrs. Esper, Jaylene did go to the hospital earlier


    for treatment. I''m sure it is because Keegan is not feeling well and asks her to bring some tea that she


    is here.


    "The Saun and Kane families have been close for a long time, and Jaylene and Keegan always treat


    each other like siblings. She could not possibly just ignore him, right?"


    Keegan did not expose Darcie''s lie by saying that Jaylene came on her own as he needed to maintain


    his persona in front of Jaylene. If he were to expose them outright, Darcie might see through his act.


    So, he simply frowned and massaged his temples, looking very ufortable.


    However, when Jaylene heard Darcie saying that she and Keegan treated each other like siblings, she


    felt upset. However, Darcie shot her a nce, so she bit her lip and kept quiet.


    When Grace heard Darcie''s exnation, she said sarcastically, "She¡¯s sick, yet she''s bringing him tea?


    Their sibling rtionship is unbelievably strong. If you didn''t tell me, I''d think she''s deliberately putting


    on a show for US because she doesn''t want to marry Aaron."


    However, Darcie acted as if she did not pick up on the sarcasm. "Keegan had an ident before and


    hasn''t fully recovered yet. Jaylene knows the doctor who''s treating him, so she sometimes helps to


    take care of him," Darcie said calmly.


    Jaylene was taken aback as she looked very confused upon hearing what Grace said.


    Darcie had only mentioned apologizing to Grace. There was no talk about marriage.


    When Grace saw the puzzled expression on Jaylene''s face, she immediately understood everything.


    It was all just an act, a guise Darcie had used to meet her. Darcie had never genuinely wanted Jaylene


    to marry into the Depp family!


    Grace chuckled. "Didn''t your mom tell you? She actually came here today to discuss your marriage


    with Aaron."


    Jaylene''s expression changed. She abruptly shifted her gaze to Darcie and asked, "Mom, is that true?"


    Darcie''s heart skipped a beat again. She feared that Jaylene would act foolishly again, so she signaled


    discreetly with her eyes while saying, "You had a good rtionship with him while studying abroad,


    right?


    "You always told me that he was a nice kid. He hadn''t graduatedst time, so I didn''t bring it up to you.


    Now that he has finished studying and you''re getting older, it may be a good chance for both of you to


    get to know each other better. Perhaps there is a chance for something to work out between you."


    If Keegan had not been there today, Jaylene might have picked up on Darcie''s hints. But with Keegan


    around and Darcie suggesting that she should be with someone else, she could not hold back. This


    was especially true when she lifted her head and saw Keegan frowning.


    "I never shared a good rtionship with him. Why would I want to be with him? He''s fat and ugly. I''ve


    got to be blind to be interested in someone like him!"

 Chapter 2157

    Chapter 2157


    When Jessie and Aaron heard themotion on the walkway, they thought something bad had


    happened. So, they stood up and walked outside. But as soon as they opened the door, they heard


    what Jaylene had just said, and Jessie''s expression immediately darkened.


    When Darcie saw Jessie and Aaron appearing at the walkway, she suddenly felt the urge to disown


    Jaylene right there and then.


    ''I can''t believe how stupid my daughter is!'' Darcie thought to herself.


    Then, Jaylene heard someone shouting angrily from behind. "You little wretch! Who are you calling fat


    and ugly?!"


    Jaylene paused, turned around, and saw Jessie with an angry expression and Aaron looking pale.


    Aaron was not really fat, but his face was somewhat round. His build was sturdy but did not look


    bloated. His features were very delicate; if Ste had been there, she would have immediately noticed


    that his eyes looked very much like Keegan''s.


    Keegan was a very attractive man. Jackson, who looked just a bit like him, attracted many women with


    just his looks. On the other hand, Aaron''s eyes were about seventy percent simr to Keegan''s. So, if


    he were a little skinnier, he would undoubtedly capture many women''s hearts with his appearance


    alone.


    Aaron had been spoiled since childhood, getting whatever he wanted at home. Because of that, he


    became a little chubby from a young age and had been made fun of by ssmates.


    He tried losing weight several times and seeded, too. However, whenever he got busy and stopped


    exercising, his body would return to its previous state.


    He felt insecure and did not dare to like anyone before going to university. Only when he went abroad


    to study and met Jaylene, who treated him extremely well, did he start feeling better about himself.


    Even though people showed interest in him when he was studying abroad, he never dated anyone


    because Jaylene did not like it.


    He thought that Jaylene liked him, especially because she treated him so well and even kissed him.


    So, he could not figure out why she would call him "fat" and "ugly."


    Aaron''s heart broke as he looked at Jaylene with reddened eyes. "Jaylene, do you not like me?"


    Jaylene felt a slight difort in her chest. Although Aaron treated her very well, he could never "him."


    Besides, Keegan was right beside her. She could not afford to let him misunderstand anything.


    So, she took a deep breath and said through gritted teeth, "Don''t you ever look in the mirror? I was just


    messing with you because I was bored. Did you really take it seriously? I''d never like someone who


    looks like a pig!"


    As soon as Jaylene finished speaking, Jessie stepped forward and pped her. "You bitch! Who do


    you think you are?"


    It happened so fast that even Darcie could not react in time. When she realized what just happened,


    she quickly stood in front of Jaylene to protect her.


    Jessie continued to shout and wanted to hit Jaylene again, but Aaron held her back. "Mom, Mom. Am I


    not embarrassed enough already?"


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Jessie''s fingers trembled, and her heart broke as she looked at her son, who was betrayed yet still had


    a soft spot for Jaylene.


    Darcie was so angry that her head started throbbing. However, she still managed to suppress her


    anger and said, '' Mrs. Depp, this is my fault for not educating my daughter well. I''ll make her visit you


    personally and apologize to you another day." "Forget it!" Jessie almost spat on Darcie''s face as she


    yelled, "We''re not worthy enough! Rivera is a big ce. Don''t let me see this little bitch again. If I do, I''ll


    p her again!"


    Then, she pulled Aaron''s arm and walked away. However, he still could not get over Jaylene. He kept


    looking back until Jessie dragged him into the elevator.


    Grace swept her nce across the hypocritical mother-and-daughter duo and said tly, ¡±Oh, by the


    way, I''ll only be dealing with Ms. Hall going forward; she presumably hasn''t told you about this. She will


    be the only person managing my coboration with Caline.


    "Also, you can delete my number now. I''ll only speak to Ms. Hall if there''s anything."

 Chapter 2158

    Chapter 2158


    After saying that, Grace went back to the private room, grabbed her handbag, and left.


    Jaylene held her face as her eyes turned red.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Keegan handed a tissue to her and whispered, "Are you okay?"


    She felt a lump in her throat, and tears welled up in her eyes.


    Darcie, who stood next to them, lost control of her emotions and pushed Keegan away.


    Keegan lost his bnce, stumbled, and hit himself against the wall. Then, his face turned pale as he


    winced in pain.


    Jaylene became anxious. "Mom! What are you doing?"


    Aldor, who had just "coincidentally" settled the bill, saw what happened and rushed over to help


    Keegan. '' Mrs. Saun, what is this all about?" he spoke in a slightly angry tone.


    Jaylene looked distressed and wanted to check on Keegan. However, before she could get any closer,


    Darcie pped her in the same spot where Jessie had just hit her. "If you dare to walk over there, I''ll


    disown you and never want to see your face ever again!"


    Darcie pped her hard. She had pped Jaylene before for not doing well in her academics or for


    saying the wrong things in public, but never as harshly as now.


    As the pnded, Jaylene''s ears buzzed. She looked at Darcie in disbelief as more tears welled up in


    her eyes.


    Keegan seemed like he could not bear seeing Jaylene being pped and softly exined while Aldor


    held him up, "Darcie, Jaylene is an adult now and has the right to be with whoever she wants. You


    shouldn''t force her like this."


    Darcie refuted with a cold face, "Mr. Kane, how I educate my daughter is none of your concern. Please


    stay away from my daughter from now on! Stop bothering her with everything. If you don¡¯t like her, don¡¯t


    give her hope!¡±


    Aldor frowned. "Mrs. Saun, please do not speak recklessly and twist the facts. Ms. Saun called Mr.


    Kane and offered to bring some tea over. Mr. Kane was drunk and unaware-"


    Keegan stopped Aldor from speaking any further, stood upright, and said," I''m sorry, Darcie. I didn''t


    mean to cause you any trouble. I''ll keep my distance from Jaylene from now on."


    Upon hearing that, Jaylene immediately forgot about the pain on her face and anxiously said, "Mom!


    Keegan didn''t bother me at all. It was me-" "Shut up!" Darcie felt like her head was pounding. "Get into


    the car right now! If you say another word, I''ll kick you out of Hustuabourg!"


    Jaylene fell silent and looked at Keegan with tearful eyes. He seemed like he wanted to say something


    but ultimately kept quiet.


    Jaylene''s heart sank. When she nced back at Darcie, her eyes carried a hint of resentment.


    Darcie did not bother looking at her and directly dragged her into the elevator. Before leaving, she


    gazed at Keegan with an extremely gloomy expression that would send shivers down one''s spine.


    However, Keegan was rubbing his temples with his head lowered, not meeting her gaze.


    When Darcie and Jaylene finally left, Aldor asked, "Mr. Kane, are you still feeling unwell?" "Yeah,"


    Keegan responded.


    Aldor said, "Then let me carry you downstairs."


    Keegan''s eyelid twitched. He said with a stern expression, "Get lost."


    Aldor chuckled. Suddenly, he remembered the medicine Jaylene had fed to Keegan just now. His


    expression immediately darkened as he said, "Mr. Kane, the med-"


    Keegan replied in a deep voice, "Let''s go downstairs. Take me to the hospital."


    After Ste had the meal with Wenham, she was still waiting for Keegan''s call.

 Chapter 2159

    Chapter 2159


    ''It''s about time, but Keegan still hasn''t called,'' Ste wondered to herself.


    She got a bit worried and could not help but think if their n had failed.


    So, she called Keegan. After a while, the call connected, but Aldor answered. "Mrs. Kane, it''s me."


    Ste was taken aback. "Where''s Keegan?" "Mr. Kane..." Aldor paused momentarily, then said under


    Keegan''s intimidating gaze, "To make the act more convincing, Mr. Kane drank a couple more drinks


    and got drunk."


    Ste got a little concerned. "Is he okay?"


    Aldor said, "He''s fine. He drank some tea and will probably sober up in two hours. The n worked


    very well. Mrs. Esper and Mrs. Depp left the restaurant angrily. When Mr. Kane wakes up, he''ll tell you


    all the details." "Okay," Ste said but was still somewhat worried about her husband, who had an


    extremely low alcohol tolerance. "Where is he now? I''ll go check on him." "That won''t be a good idea.


    Mrs. Saun looked at Mr. Kane strangely when she left just now. I''m worried that she might have noticed


    something and is having someone to spy on Mr. Kane. It''s better to wait until he wakes up and talk to


    him about it at home."


    Ste had no choice but to suppress her worries and said in a low voice," Then please take good care


    of him for me. Let him sleep on his side. He tends to vomit when he drinks too much. Put a ss of


    water next to him." "Sure, don''t worry," Aldor responded with a smile.


    After hanging up the phone, Aldor turned to the weak-looking man lying on the hospital bed. "If Mrs.


    Kane knew you risked yourself to get the evidence of Jaylene drugging you and that I helped you cover


    it up, she''d probably stop favoring me."


    Keegan snorted before he said, "Why don''t you focus on your work instead of always trying to please


    my wife? I can''t have someone like you be my brother-inw; I just can''t stand it."


    Aldorughed. "Well, before I can officially be your brother-inw, I''ve got to have a backup n,


    right?"


    Keegan just had his stomach pumped, and his throat felt very painful. He did not have the energy to


    argue with Aldor. He stayed quiet for a long time before asking, "You managed to capture everything as


    I told you to, right?"


    Aldor nodded.


    Keegan asked him to record the footage in the surveince room because Ste got jealous easily. He


    wanted to have some evidence to prove his innocence.


    Aldor believed him and went to the surveince room to "create an opportunity" for Jaylene and help


    Keegan gather evidence.


    However, halfway through, Aldor felt something was wrong when Keegan pretended to have a


    headache. Keegan had not talked to him or Ste about doing that.


    He did not know what Keegan was trying to do until Jaylene fed him the medicine. He immediately


    understood Keegan''s intention then.


    Keegan wanted to get solid evidence of Jaylene drugging him to hypnotize him. Although the medicine


    he took was found to be unsafe, it could not prove that Jaylene knew the purpose of it.


    But with the footage now, it was evident that Jaylene knew the medicine could assist in hypnosis, which


    was why she used it on Keegan.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Even though the use of this medicine in Hustuabourg was in a gray area, this evidence could easily


    tarnish Jaylene''s reputation and ruin her life.


    Jaylene was Darcie''s cherished treasure. Although Darcie did not get the majority shares of Caline, the


    wealth and connections she had umted over the years could not be easily wiped away.


    Besides, Darcie would do anything to achieve her goals. So Aldor figured that this evidence could


    someday give Ste an upper hand against Darcie when necessary.


    But the price to pay was too high. Although Keegan got to the hospital right away to cleanse his


    stomach, some of the medicine had already entered his system.


    Aldor sighed. "You always said to let Mrs. Kane handle her problems herself so she could grow and not


    see everyone as a good person. What about now?"


    Keegan pursed his lips and said, "With me here, she doesn''t need to handle this herself."


    Aldor was speechless.


    Meanwhile, Jaylene was in the car, holding her hand over her cheek. When she thought about thest


    look Keegan gave her, her heart etched, and she sobbed quietly.


    Darcie felt irritated by her crying and said with a cold face, "How could you still have the nerve to cry?


    Jaylene Saun, you''re all grown up now, huh? I can''t believe you dare to lie to me now!"

 Chapter 2160

    Chapter 2160


    With red eyes, Jaylene said, "What about you? You tried to arrange a marriage between me and Aaron


    without even telling me. Are you giving your daughter away for the sake of your career and client?"


    Darcie was furious. "Sometimes I really wonder if you have a brain or not. It was just a simple meal.


    How was I giving you away? Do you realize what year it is now? Could I possibly hold a knife to your


    back and force you to marry Aaron?


    "If I didn''t do this, do you think Mrs. Esper would agree to meet US? She and Mrs. Depp are good


    friends, and she treats Aaron like her own son. Aaron has feelings for you; if you''d just yed along


    with me, I could''ve definitely won Mrs. Esper back as my client!


    "But what did you do? You offended both of them at the same time! Do you know how many ongoing


    projects the Esper family has with ourpany? Mrs. Esper is only going to deal with Ste now. Do


    you realize how much money we¡¯re going to lose?"


    Jaylene muttered while still crying, "Even so, the projects are still under Caline''s name, and all the


    earnings will have to go through thepany''s ount first. You won''t lose a lot of money."


    Darcie paused, nced at Jaylene with a disdainful look, then sneered without saying anything.


    Jaylene knew she was in the wrong for lying anding to see Keegan while pretending to be sick, so


    she apologized softly, "Mom, I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have lied to you. But Keegan has just recovered, and


    he can''t drink much alcohol now.


    "I was just too worried about him. He didn''t call me to help him; I came on my own. You shouldn''t have


    said those things to him just now."


    Darcie scoffed. "He didn''t call you, but you still threw yourself at him? How shameless can you be? Are


    you still thinking that Keegan will someday marry you?"


    Jaylene clenched her fists, looking very angry. Darcie had never said such harsh words to her before,


    and she could not help but retort, "Why wouldn''t he? He and Ste are divorced now. He can''t even


    remember who she is. Why can''t I marry him?


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Just because your husband''s daughter was once married to him, you''re afraid that Dad will be angry


    with you after I marry him? Are you going to sacrifice my happiness just because you don''t want your


    marriage and your status as Mrs. Saun to be affected? How could you be so selfish?"


    Darcie was burning with anger. ¡¯Did you just call me selfish? Jaylene Saun, I¡¯ve spent so much effort


    raising you over the years, and now you say I''m selfish? Are you capable of thinking about anything


    else besides your romantic fantasies?


    "If Keegan really has feelings for you, why didn''t he stop Mrs. Depp from hitting you when he was right


    beside you? He was willing to risk his life to save Ste, but when it came to you, he didn''t even bother


    stepping in to stop you from getting pped.


    "Can''t you see it? Why are you still so obsessed with him? How could I have given birth to such an idiot


    like you?"


    After repeatedly getting humiliated by her mother, Jaylene''s self-esteem was in tatters. With red eyes,


    she said, ¡¯ What about you? You were also right next to me, but you didn''t stop her either!


    "If you can¡¯t do it yourself, why are you expecting someone else to do it? You told me to keep quiet


    when Ste bullies and insults me. Now that the person I like has nothing to do with her anymore, I still


    have to restrain myself because of your concerns.


    "All you care about is your self-interest; you want me to live like you. Do you know this is exactly why


    Dad doesn''t like you? In all the years of your marriage, you can only rely on the little things you did for


    him when you were young to bind him to you!


    "On your wedding anniversary, he chose to visit his ex-wife''s grave than be with you-"


    p!


    Darcie''s full-force p cut off the rest of Jaylene''s words.


    The p was so powerful that it left Darcie''s hand numb and trembling. Jaylene''s face had a clear p


    mark. Her gaze, now directed at Darcie, held hatred. Darcie''s heart felt like it was squeezed tightly. She


    was about to say something, but Jaylene justughed.


    "Yeah, I''m not going to stop liking Keegan no matter what. If you have to, just p me until you kill me."


    At that moment, Darcie''s expression turned indescribably ugly.


    Jaylene told the driver to stop the car. Before getting off, she looked at Darcie with red eyes. "I''ll never


    allow my marriage to end up as failed as yours," she uttered each word clearly.


    Then, she mmed the door shut and disappeared into the crowd.


    Darcie''s face turned pale. She was trembling as she took out a bottle of artery rxers from her bag.


    She then ced a few tablets under her tongue. It took a while for her chest pain to go away.


    Sins, the sins Darciemitted, were nowing back to haunt her.


    Her story with Freesia was going to repeat itself on their daughters. She could only win in the end


    because she did not like Wenham much, but it was different for Jaylene. She was deeply attached to


    Keegan; that was destined to be her weakness.


    Darcie just could not figure out why Jaylene was so blinded by love.

 Chapter 2161

    Chapter 2161


    ''Keegan Kane... Keegan Kane...'' As Darcie thought to herself, an idea suddenly popped into her head.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    As soon as Jaylene got out of the car, she started crying. She called Keegan, but Aldor picked up,


    saying that Keegan was drunk and resting at the office. After a brief pause, he added, "Ms. Saun, after


    you left today, Mr. Kane told me he won''t answer your calls anymore.


    "If there''s an emergency, you can contact me. After all, you have saved his life. He doesn''t want your


    rtionship with Mrs. Saun to be affected because of him."


    He ended the call after saying that.


    Jaylene called again, and sure enough, there was no answer.


    Her heart broke. Suddenly, an unsaved number called her. She answered it, and the person on the


    other end asked, "Is this Jaylene Saun, Ms. Saun?¡±


    Jaylene responded with a hoarse voice, "Who are you?"


    She had just cried, so her voice carried a heavy nasal tone. The person on the other end hesitated for


    a moment before asking softly, "...Ms. Saun, did you cry?"


    Jaylene frowned. "What does it have to do with you? Who are you? What do you want from me? If you


    don''t answer my question, I''m going to hang up now."


    The person quickly said, "It''s me, Larry Bard."


    Jaylene furrowed her brows as she could not recall who that was.


    Larry exined, "I''m Ms. Hall''s driver. You took me to get my meal card done the other day."


    Jaylene remembered the unkempt middle-aged man and said impatiently," How did you get my


    number? What do you want from me?"


    Larry replied softly, "I found a keychain in the parking lot, and the receptionist said it belongs to you.


    Since I have nothing to do today, I can bring it to you now. Where are you?"


    Jaylene paused and checked her bag. Indeed, her keychain was missing. It was the keychain Keegan


    had used for a long time. He lost it in a bet to Trevor, and Jayler got it from Trevor.


    She initially wanted Larry to just pass it to the receptionist but had second thoughts when she realized


    he was Ste''s driver. So, she had an idea and said coldly, "Come over then. I need a ride anyway."


    So, Larry waited for Jaylene to send her location and immediately drove over.


    When he arrived, he immediately spotted Jaylene in the crowd. She was wearing a mask while


    standing alone under a billboard. Her eyes were red and swollen, looking like she had just cried.


    Larry tightened his grip on the steering wheel and drove slowly toward her.

 Chapter 2162

    Chapter 2162


    He rolled down the window and called out, "Ms. Saun." Jaylene lifted her head and met his gaze.


    Then, she noticed the Toyota Coro he was driving, worth over a hundred thousand. She furrowed her


    brows slightly and asked, ¡®Why did youe in this car?"


    Larry Bard exined, "This is my own car. Ms. Hall is resting today, so I didn''t use her car."


    Jaylene felt somewhat disdainful, but in the end, she didn''t say anything. She put away her phone,


    opened the back door, and got in.


    The car was neatly organized inside. Though a bit cramped, thefort level was just eptable to


    her. There was also a car perfume inside. It was theirpany¡¯s product; one that was not considered


    cheap. Among this series of car perfumes, it was her favorite.


    She couldn''t help but size up Larry. Could this poor-looking guy afford it?


    It must have been a gift from Ste Hall, that hypocritical woman, trying to win people''s hearts. With


    this thought, shebeled Ste as "hypocritical" once again.


    Larry took out a delicate gift bag from thepartment in front and handed it to her. "Ms. Saun, here''s


    your stuff."


    As he was speaking, Jaylene took off her mask, and Larry finally saw the palm print on her face; her


    cheek was already swollen.


    Anger surged from his heart, and he asked in a low voice, "What happened to your face? Who hit


    you?"


    Jaylene frowned, coldly saying, "It''s none of your business!"


    She took the bag he handed over and found not only her keychain inside but also a pearl hairpin


    packaged in a box.


    She only took her keychain and handed the bag back to Larry, "You left your stuff inside."


    Larry forcibly moved his gaze away from the bruise on Jaylene''s face. He didn''t take it back but said


    softly, "That''s a gift for you."


    Jaylene frowned, looking at Larry with a scrutinizing gaze. "A gift for me? Why?"


    Why was this driver of Ste''s acting so inexplicably? Was he trying to set her up?


    Larry awkwardly exined, "My wife prepared the gift. She wanted me to get along well with the higher


    ups. I didn''t know what you liked, so I chose this."


    Jaylene liked pearls, and she had many precious and rare pearls. The pearl hairpin Larry gave her was


    inferior in both quality and color, the kind she wouldn''t spare a nce at even if it was thrown on the


    ground.


    But she didn''t refuse. Instead, she yed with the hairpin and said, ''I heard that your wife is


    intellectually impaired. I didn''t think she''d know much about the importance of building interpersonal


    rtionships."


    Larry said, "She''s just a little slow and can''t speak when she''s anxious, but she is aware of such


    principles and values."


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Jaylene had no interest in hearing about his family matters and said lightly, "You are Ste''s driver.


    You''ve been working with thepany for a few days now, don''t you know that I have a problem with


    her? By trying to please me with gifts, aren''t you afraid she''ll fire you?"


    Larry lowered his eyes and said, "I gave gifts to many people; it''s just a small gesture for my recent


    employment. Ms. Hall has no reason to fire me because of this."


    Jaylene sneered inwardly. Indeed, people who were of lower socioeconomic levels would never have a


    ce in the upper levels of society. They were everywhere, trying to curry favor, like using a cheap


    hairpin to please their boss.


    She put the hairpin into her bag, gave him an address, and told Larry to drive her there.


    On the way, Jaylene kept sending voice messages on her phone.


    "Keegan, are you awake? Are you feeling better?" "Keegan, Aaron is just my ssmate. He used to


    pursue me, but I don''t like him. Don''t misunderstand." "Keegan, don''t take my mom''s words to heart.


    She and I have different thoughts and ideas." "Keegan, thank you for speaking up for me today. I..."


    Perhaps realizing that Larry was still in the car, Jaylene stopped halfway through her sentence.


    Larry drove without looking sideways, seemingly not paying attention to whom she was talking to.

 Chapter 2163

    Chapter 2163


    The car arrived promptly at the club Jaylene had mentioned. As she stepped out of the car, Larry called


    out, Ms. Saun."


    Jaylene nced at him.


    Larry pressed his lips together before inquiring, "Do you need me to stick around?"


    Jaylene unfastened her seatbelt and responded calmly, "No, you can go." Then, after a brief pause,


    she retrieved her wallet, extracted some cash, and handed it to Larry, "For the ride."


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Larry was taken aback and promptly declined, "Ms. Saun, I didn''t drive you here for this-¡¯ "I know,"


    Jaylene cut in, her tone carrying malice, "but I don''t like being indebted to anyone. If you feel uneasy,"


    she continued with a sneer, "then help me give Ste a piece of my mind. I''ve had enough of her."


    With that, she let out a coldugh, tossed the money onto the seat, and exited the car.


    Larry watched her depart, his expression betraying a hint ofplexity, until his phone rang, snapping


    him back to reality. He answered the call, lowering his voice, "Hello."


    Joe Esper was in the middle of a gaming session with his friends when he heard the sound of the door


    downstairs opening. Startled, he assumed it was his dad, swiftly powered off his phone, and dashed


    downstairs, only to find it was his mom. He breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Mom, weren''t you supposed to be having dinner with Godmother? Why are you home so early?"


    Grace Allock changed her shoes with an air of annoyance, remarking, "Let''s not dwell on it; it''s just bad


    luck!"


    She proceeded to recount the events of the day at Cotton Rose Restaurant to her son.


    Joe was taken aback.


    Bright and early, "Ste¡¯s Ex-Husband" had messaged him, inquiring if his mom had any lunch ns for


    the day.


    Perplexed, he asked how he had known.


    The response was vague, merely urging him to persuade his mom to switch their lunch venue from The


    Deli to Cotton Rose Restaurant to aid his goddess in her career.


    Being a devoted fan, he didn''t hesitate to convince his mom to make the switch, warning her of dire


    consequences if she didn''tply. His mom, being superstitious, readily believed him.


    Now, reflecting on his mom''s story, he couldn''t shake the feeling that he had unwittingly aided the


    goddess in ensnaring his mom into an arrangement.


    Grace was still fuming, "The Saun family has definitely emboldened Darcie Arnold. She''spletely


    forgotten her roots! And the audacity to deceive me! Look at her daughter, as thin as a rake, yet she


    has the nerve to look down on Aaron? She''s not even fit to touch his shoes! A woman with loose


    morals, just like her mother! Always coveting what belongs to her sisters and other men!"


    After her tirade, she nced at her son, "You need to be careful when choosing a girlfriend in the


    future. We can rx our standards on social status a bit, but we must never choose someone with a


    tainted heart! Marrying into such a family would spell disaster!"


    Joe snapped back to reality, hugged his mom from behind, and yfully pleaded, "We can rx the


    standards on status, but how about age, Mom?"


    Grace, busying herself with brewing tea, inquired, "How many years difference are we talking?"


    Joe suggested, "Six or seven years?¡¯


    Grace paused for a moment, then regarded him with a bemused expression, "Are you eyeing a girl in


    middle school? How far gone are you?


    Aren¡¯t you afraid your dad will break your legs?"


    Joe''s expression darkened, "I meant someone who''s six or seven years older than me! How sick do


    you think I am? Do you think I would actually pursue a middle schooler?"


    Grace rxed upon realizing the girl was older than him. "I have no objections, but-"


    She shot a pointed look at her son, "Someone who''s six or seven years older than you has been


    around the block. What makes you think she''d be interested in you? Go y somewhere else."


    Joe, feeling frustrated, trudged upstairs and sent a message to "Ste¡¯s Ex- Husband", "Brother, are


    you secretly a fortune-teller? Damn, you''re too spot- on!"


    On the other end, Keegan Kane spat out his drink in surprise.

 Chapter 2164

    Chapter 2164


    Are kids these days all so clueless? How many times did he need to exin it for him to believe it?


    Joe kept on talking, spouting a load of nonsense, all rainbows and butterflies. Keegan couldn''t be


    bothered and just asked him what he wanted.


    Joe rang him up and started babbling on and on, "Bro, Ste''s fan club still hasn''t been set up. Hasn''t


    ''Motives for Murder'' been a bit low on popritytely? I want to get the fan club going now.


    Remember what happened at Sunlight Kindergarten? She got mmed all over the inte, but there


    wasn''t a proper fan club to have her back. She couldn''t even clear things up properly on her own. Once


    we''ve got the fan club going, anyone who dares to mess with her online, we''ll shut them down!¡±


    Keegan suddenly realized that his wife was pretty popr with the younger crowd. First, there was


    Leighton Hall, now Joe. Joe had brought him into the fan group, and there were quite a few young guys


    and girls, calling each other ''darling'' and ''honey'' all the time.


    Keegan asked, "What''s a fan club for?"


    Joe replied, "Bro, if you don''t even know what a fan club does, how are you even a fan?"


    Keegan said, "I¡¯m gonna hang up now."


    Joe immediately exined it like a pro, using lots of fan lingo that left Keegan puzzled. Finally, he cut


    in, "Just keep it simple."


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Joe said, "Ste''s fan club is a crew that''s got her back in online battles."


    Keegan kept silent.


    "Bro, how many followers do you have on Facebook? If you''ve got a bunch, help us spread the word.


    When Ste hits it big in the future, we''ll all be hardcore fans from the get-go."


    Keegan replied calmly, "She''s not into chasing fame, nor does she like getting wrapped up in fan


    circles, and..."


    Keegan paused, "She probably won''t be taking lead roles for a year or two. At most, she''ll do cameos


    or some theater gigs. Don''t waste your energy on this. Spend your time hitting the books. The courses


    at Calton University are a breeze; you flunked three out of nine. Are you even putting in any effort?"


    Joe, hearing this fatherly talk, felt his scalp prickle. His lips twitched involuntarily, "Bro, you''re just like


    my dad. I feel like you''re taking advantage of me calling you brother.¡±


    Keegan continued nagging, "Hasn''t the makeup exam started yet? How much have you studied? If you


    flunk the makeup, you''ll have to retake the course. If you flunk that, you''ll dy graduation. After a few


    years of floundering, you won''t even get your degree. Your family will be the butt of every joke.


    "With grades that bad, you''re still obsessed over stars? Do you know what grades Ste graduated


    with? Top of her ss, full marks in her majors, and an outstanding graduate of Trinity University. She


    was even offered a spot for grad school, but she didn''t take it. Even though someone else got the spot,


    her talent is undeniable. You flunked even in modern history.


    Aren''t you just ruining her good name by telling others you''re her fan?"


    Joe was proud and stubborn, especially unwilling to ept all that criticism. "Is someone''s education


    level even important when ites to being a fan? What''s your education level and grades, then?"


    Keegan chuckled lightly and then sent him a few pictures.


    Joe clicked to open them, and he eximed, "Damn!"


    Keegan had sent him pictures of all his awards, certificates, and trophies from childhood to adulthood.


    A pile of them, enough to show how insanely talented this person was. Joe was instantly struck with a


    sense of inferiority.


    "Doesn''t your obsession with stars affect your studies?"

 Chapter 2165

    Chapter 2165


    Keegan spoke in a rxed tone, "I prioritized my studies, gaining the ability to control my own life


    before delving into celebrity fandom.


    "What about you? At your age, you still rely on your parents for everything. Even if they can afford your


    star-craze pursuits, what will your position be when you finally share the stage with your idol?


    "Her starlight shouldn''t just dazzle your eyes; it should also illuminate your path forward. Do you intend


    to lose yourself in her glow, or do you aspire to shine together under the same sky?"


    Joe was taken aback. No one had ever spoken to him like this before. With an aplished elder


    brother at home, he had simply been expected to live happily on his own terms. His family didn''t mind


    hisvish spending on celebrity pursuits, and although they hadmented on his grades, the path


    laid out for him was to graduate, pursue a master''s degree abroad, and return to the family business


    with a prestigious education.


    But a degree obtained through wealth was ultimately hollow; deep down, he remained the ipetent


    second-generation rich kid. What identity would he have when he finally faced his idol? The status of


    being the second son of the Esper family was naturally prestigious enough, but beyond that, who was


    Joe?


    Keegan continued slowly, "Consider this: Does the brilliance of fans enhance the shine of the idol, or


    does the radiance of the idol elevate the fans?"


    Keegan¡¯s words were truly thought-provoking!


    If the fans were influential enough, few would question the talent of the idol; after all, exceptional


    individuals tend to attract each other. Conversely, if the fans were mediocre, no matter how talented the


    idol was, they might not appear impressive to others, as all those who admired her seemed mediocre.


    Joe''s expression turned serious. "Bro, are you sure you''re not a teacher? Your persuasiveness


    surpasses that of our teachers''. If I had encountered a teacher like you in school, how could I have


    scored so poorly on the college entrance exam? I want to be ssmates with Ste, regardless of


    rank!"


    As Keegan perused some documents, heforted Joe, "It''s never toote to study hard. Trinity


    University still offers master''s and doctoral programs. With dedication, bing ssmates is entirely


    feasible."


    During dinner that night, Grace noticed her youngest son''s absence and instructed the housekeeper to


    call him downstairs.


    In less than three minutes, the housekeeper returned with an astonished expression. ''"Mrs. Esper, the


    young master is studying!"


    Grace was taken aback. "What did you say?" "The young master is in the study, engrossed in his


    books. He''s really diligent. I called him multiple times before he heard me. He told me that he hasn''t


    solved a problem yet. He''lle down once he does. He insisted you start without him."


    Grace blinked, then frowned. "Is he up to something? Is this sudden studiousness a facade?" "I didn''t


    see the eldest young master scold him, so I suppose not," the housekeeper replied.


    Nevertheless, Grace couldn''t shake the feeling that her son might be scheming. How could he


    suddenly be studying? Whenever she urged him to, he''din of a headache.


    Upon inspecting the study herself, Grace confirmed her youngest son was indeed studying!


    With trembling hands, she snapped a photo and shared it on social media," After years of praying, he''s


    finally hit the books on his own!"


    Many yearster, Joe achieved immense sess. When reporters asked how he transformed from a


    struggling student to a top performer, Joe looked into the camera and said slowly, "While chasing stars,


    I encountered an old sage who advised me: To capture the starlight, one must shine brightly


    themselves."


    The reporter inquired, "Did you capture the starlight in the end?"


    Joe smiled without a word, gritting his teeth behind the scenes.


    After Darcie Arnold''s return, she wasted no time getting back to work at Caline the next day. Sonia


    rkson alsomenced her job, joining Group 2 in Zone A.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 2166

    Chapter 2165


    Keegan spoke in a rxed tone, "I prioritized my studies, gaining the ability to control my own life


    before delving into celebrity fandom.


    "What about you? At your age, you still rely on your parents for everything. Even if they can afford your


    star-craze pursuits, what will your position be when you finally share the stage with your idol?


    "Her starlight shouldn''t just dazzle your eyes; it should also illuminate your path forward. Do you intend


    to lose yourself in her glow, or do you aspire to shine together under the same sky?"


    Joe was taken aback. No one had ever spoken to him like this before. With an aplished elder


    brother at home, he had simply been expected to live happily on his own terms. His family didn''t mind


    hisvish spending on celebrity pursuits, and although they hadmented on his grades, the path


    laid out for him was to graduate, pursue a master''s degree abroad, and return to the family business


    with a prestigious education.


    But a degree obtained through wealth was ultimately hollow; deep down, he remained the ipetent


    second-generation rich kid. What identity would he have when he finally faced his idol? The status of


    being the second son of the Esper family was naturally prestigious enough, but beyond that, who was


    Joe?


    Keegan continued slowly, "Consider this: Does the brilliance of fans enhance the shine of the idol, or


    does the radiance of the idol elevate the fans?"


    Keegan¡¯s words were truly thought-provoking!


    If the fans were influential enough, few would question the talent of the idol; after all, exceptional


    individuals tend to attract each other. Conversely, if the fans were mediocre, no matter how talented the


    idol was, they might not appear impressive to others, as all those who admired her seemed mediocre.


    Joe''s expression turned serious. "Bro, are you sure you''re not a teacher? Your persuasiveness


    surpasses that of our teachers''. If I had encountered a teacher like you in school, how could I have


    scored so poorly on the college entrance exam? I want to be ssmates with Ste, regardless of


    rank!"


    As Keegan perused some documents, heforted Joe, "It''s never toote to study hard. Trinity


    University still offers master''s and doctoral programs. With dedication, bing ssmates is entirely


    feasible."


    During dinner that night, Grace noticed her youngest son''s absence and instructed the housekeeper to


    call him downstairs.


    In less than three minutes, the housekeeper returned with an astonished expression. ''"Mrs. Esper, the


    young master is studying!"


    Grace was taken aback. "What did you say?" "The young master is in the study, engrossed in his


    books. He''s really diligent. I called him multiple times before he heard me. He told me that he hasn''t


    solved a problem yet. He''lle down once he does. He insisted you start without him."


    Grace blinked, then frowned. "Is he up to something? Is this sudden studiousness a facade?" "I didn''t


    see the eldest young master scold him, so I suppose not," the housekeeper replied.


    Nevertheless, Grace couldn''t shake the feeling that her son might be scheming. How could he


    suddenly be studying? Whenever she urged him to, he''din of a headache.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Upon inspecting the study herself, Grace confirmed her youngest son was indeed studying!


    With trembling hands, she snapped a photo and shared it on social media," After years of praying, he''s


    finally hit the books on his own!"


    Many yearster, Joe achieved immense sess. When reporters asked how he transformed from a


    struggling student to a top performer, Joe looked into the camera and said slowly, "While chasing stars,


    I encountered an old sage who advised me: To capture the starlight, one must shine brightly


    themselves."


    The reporter inquired, "Did you capture the starlight in the end?"


    Joe smiled without a word, gritting his teeth behind the scenes.


    After Darcie Arnold''s return, she wasted no time getting back to work at Caline the next day. Sonia


    rkson alsomenced her job, joining Group 2 in Zone A.

 Chapter 2167

    Chapter 2167


    Refined hypocrite... Oh, no, Keegan called her name, asking why she didn''t talk to him at the table


    today.


    Ste thought to herself, ''I didn''t talk to you, and you didn''t talk to me either, did you?¡¯ She was the one


    who said that she was going to ignore him during the argument. If she were to break the silence first,


    how embarrassing would that be?


    She held her phone, opened the recording function, and said, ''Wait, let me take a video. The boss said


    that if I share a video of you wearing the sses on Twitter, it will get me an extra year of warranty and


    a free recement for a year."


    With sses costing tens of thousands, it would be a pain if they were to break.


    As she spoke, she began recording. Suddenly, Keegan got up from his chair and took steps forward,


    pressing her against the bookshelf. He gently took her phone and casually leaned it against the


    bookshelf.


    With his sses on, the light reflected off the lenses, giving him a somewhat cold demeanor. Ste felt


    inexplicably nervous.


    She moved her lips, wanting to say something, but Keegan ced one hand behind her on the


    bookshelf and kissed her on the lips.


    The sses remained on, the cool touch of the frames against her cheek, making Ste''s heart race.


    She thought it was just a kiss, but Keegan evidently wanted to do more. However, after pressing her


    onto the desk, Keegan didn''t make any further moves. It seemed that his body was not up to the task


    however much he tried.


    Luckily, the alcohol had taken its full effect. Keegan held her in his arms, kissing her before falling


    asleep on the couch.


    The phone leaning against the bookshelf recorded the entire process. At that moment, for reasons


    unknown to her, she didn''t delete it. Instead, she saved it to her cloud storage, then forgot about it,


    even forgetting the password.


    When she started working at Caline, when she needed to save some files, she managed to recover the


    password and found the two-year-old video inside.


    And now, she was showing it to Keegan.


    Keegan¡¯s expression changed from yful mockery of ''Why would you keep something like this?'' to


    shameful realization of ''How could this be me?''


    Before Keegan could finish watching the video, Ste shoved the phone down her neckline.


    Keegan gritted his teeth with a dark expression. "What can the pixted quality of the mosaic prove?"


    Ste replied, "It proves you can''t perform after drinking."


    Keegan adamantly denied, "That''s just fatigue."


    Ste insisted, "You can''t perform after drinking."


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan argued, "It''s normal to have asional performancepses."


    Ste reiterated, "You can''t perform after drinking."


    Keegan''s face turned green. "Are you a broken record?"


    Ste repeated, "You can''t perform after drinking."


    Keegan sat up and transferred ten thousand to her. "Delete it."


    ncing at it disdainfully, Ste remarked, "Is your integrity only worth this much?"


    Keegan transferred another hundred thousand. "Delete it."


    Ste asked, "As the victim, don¡¯t I deserve anypensation?"


    Keegan''s eyes widened. "What harm have you suffered?"


    With an impassive expression, Ste replied, "Emotional distress. You''ve got me all riled up, you should


    let me cool down."


    Gritting his teeth, Keegan transferred another two hundred thousand. Ste handed him the phone.


    "You delete it yourself."


    Just as Keegan was about to take it, a call came in on Ste''s phone.


    Seeing thebel ''Fifty Million'' on the screen, Keegan''s expression immediately soured.

 Chapter 2168

    Chapter 2168


    Ste was taken aback seeing that Marshall Moore was calling her.


    Since theirst disagreement, she hadn¡¯t been in touch with Marshall. Plus, the timing was odd-well


    past one in the morning, which didn''t fit Marshall''s usual habits.


    She furrowed her brow but didn''t reach for the phone.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Keegan nced at Ste. "Aren''t you going to pick up?"


    Ste tossed him the phone. "No."


    Keegan nodded approvingly, but still handed the phone back. "Calling at this hour must mean it''s


    urgent. You should take it."


    Ste remained silent. Keegan wasn''t being jealous or passive-aggressive; he genuinely believed it


    was important.


    He knew the kidnapping case might be connected to Marshall, but he couldn''t ignore Marshall''s


    situationpletely. Their childhood friendship meant a lot to him. While he had once advised Ste to


    steer clear of Marshall, now he couldn''t ignore him either.


    That''s why Ste couldn''t contain her emotions toward Marshall after learning the truth.


    Keegan covered her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Ste nced at him before finally answering


    the call.


    The other end of the line was noisy, but the voice wasn''t Marshall¡¯s; it belonged to a stranger. They


    informed her that Marshall had had too much to drink at the Sapphire Clubhouse and asked her to


    Ste wanted to ask for more details, but the caller seemed busy and hung up after a few words.


    Marshall had gotten drunk in a private room at the Sapphire Clubhouse. The server said he had been


    drinking heavily on behalf of a girl who had identally stained another guest''s clothes. The guest had


    deliberately caused trouble for the girl, and Marshall had ended up drinking so much that he passed


    out.


    Ste didn''t go herself, nor did she ask Keegan to go. Instead, she contacted Vermont.


    However, Vermont didn''t bring Marshall back because he had run into Ka Wilson. It turned out the


    server had contacted not only Ste but also several other people, fearing no one would respond. But


    only Ste and Ka had answered the call in the middle of the night.


    After understanding the situation, Vermont left Marshall with Ka.


    He returned Keegan''s call and said only one thing: "Ricky Adam is not within my control. The girl being


    harassed is Luanna Saab, someone Ricky used to support. Their family has some feud with the Adam


    family. Marshall has never been involved in this before. I don''t know what happened this time."


    Vermont was unaware of Luanna''s death.


    In an instant, they both understood-Marshall had indeed taken on Luanna''s case and, along with Lina


    Saab, was setting a trap for Ricky. Lina was assuming Luanna''s identity to investigate her cause of


    death.


    These two were nuts!

 Chapter 2169

    Chapter 2169


    Ste was feeling a bit on edge. On one hand, she was concerned that if Luanna''s death was indeed


    connected to Ricky, the Adam family might exploit that photo to thrust Keegan into the spotlight.


    Despite their preparations, causing more harm than good wasn''t the ideal solution.


    On the other hand, she couldn''t shake the subconscious hope that Marshall could genuinely assist Lina


    in uncovering the true culprit behind Luanna''s death. The once diligent and ambitious girl shouldn''t


    have vanished from this world in such a mysterious manner.


    Sensing her unease, Keegan gently rubbed her head, offering reassurance," When the enemyes


    knocking, we''ll confront them head-on. Your husband isn''t one to be underestimated."


    Ste sighed and rolled over to hug him.


    In a hushed tone, she asked, "Are you enduring all of this because you feel guilty about telling Marshall


    about his aunt looking for Willow Jenning, which led to their car ident?"


    Keegan fell silent for a moment before softly responding, "It''s not just guilt, Ste. Marshall and I share


    more than just a childhood friendship. He took a beating for me once, nearly losing his life."


    Vermont wasn''t privy to this. He only knew that when Marshall was neen, he got into a fight and


    ended up with a fractured skull from being hit with a baseball bat. He had intracranial bleeding and


    spent a week in the ICU before being transferred to a regr ward.


    The incident wasn''t overlyplex. When Keegan was in school, he focused solely on his studies and


    paid no attention to romantic matters. However, his charismatic demeanor still caught the eye of girls.


    There was a girl from the neighboring art college who fell head over heels for Keegan at a gathering


    and went to the school several times to find him.


    The entire department was aware of it. Everyone knew that the Belle from the neighboring art college


    had set her sights on Keegan. But Keegan was oblivious and even furrowed his brow, iming not to


    know her whenever ssmates mentioned her.


    Keegan was just stating the facts, but his less-than-tactful words bruised the girl''s pride. The whole


    school was discussing her rejection, with some spreading malicious gossip. Unable to bear the


    humiliation, the spirited girl ended up cutting her wrists. Thankfully, she was discovered in time, and a


    tragedy was averted.


    A few dayster, one of the girl''s admirers went to Trinity University to confront Keegan. That day,


    Marshall went to Keegan''s dormitory to look for him, but Keegan wasn''t there as he was at the library.


    The guy burst in aggressively, demanding to know which one was Keegan.


    Trinity University students were all top scorers from their respective provinces, excellent schrs who


    had just entered university and rarely encountered people from the outside world. They didn''t dare


    provoke trouble. Marshall stepped forward and imed to be Keegan, asking what the matter was.


    It wasn¡¯t known what the guy had said to Marshall, but Marshall went with him.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    When Keegan returned from the library, he learned about the incident from his roommate. By the time


    he got there, Marshall was already caught up in a scuffle with those people. Keegan didn''t know the


    whole story, but he immediately joined the fight.


    During the scuffle, someone tried to attack Keegan from behind, but Marshall pushed him away and


    took the blow himself.


    Marshall lost consciousness on the spot, and the assants, seeing this, got scared and fled.


    As Marshall was being taken to the hospital, his pupils began to dte. It was in the ICU when his life


    was hanging by a thread that Keegan learned the whole story from his ssmates.


    The Moore family was furious. None of the perpetrators got away. The Moore family used some means,


    and even the lightest sentence was three years. The girl who attempted suicide withdrew from school


    after the incident.


    Keegan wouldn''t believe that someone like Marshall, who had defended him against harm, would turn


    against him.


    "At first, I was afraid that he would me me for Willow''s death. Later, when I found out that he was


    targeting someone else, I felt relieved," Keegan said softly. "I''m not afraid of his hatred toward me, but I


    don''t know why he hates me. I''ve never wronged him. I''m just afraid that he''ll be blinded by his


    emotions and manipted by others, turning into someone he detests the most.


    "He saved me once, and during the river incident, I paid him back what I owed him. He wants revenge


    on me, and he''s starting with you. I still believe that this whole thing is rted to Willow, but besides


    me, the only ones who know all the details about Willow are the Moore family. Do you remember what I


    told you before? About what Jayson Morrell said when he went to the hospital to see Willow''s body."

 Chapter 2170

    Chapter 2170


    Ste vaguely remembered.


    At that moment, Jayson said something to Keegan about Willow''s death.


    He said, "Was it the doing of the Moore family?"


    And when Marshall was brought up, he spoke with a hint of resentment, asking Keegan, "Why wasn''t it


    him who died?"


    Jayson held resentment toward Marshall and even the entire Moore family, but Marshall didn''t even


    know Jayson, so his resentment could only be due to something rted to Willow.


    Keegan went over the events several times, but this was the one point he couldn''t figure out, so he felt


    that the crux of the mattery there.


    On the day of the ident, all the recordings in the car were destroyed, so no one knew what really


    happened in the car. But when Willow was critically ill, she didn''t say a single word to Marshall, except


    for asking Keegan to contact Jayson.


    What kind of situation would cause former lovers to not even exchange a word in a life-and-death


    farewell?


    When he and Ste faced a life-and-death separation, all he could think about was ensuring her


    survival, her safety. There was so much love to express; the only regret was that there was not enough


    time.


    Before Willow was taken into the operating room, she still had the strength to speak, but she didn''t


    mention Marshall at all.


    Keegan had a faint feeling that Willow seemed to harbor hatred toward Marshall, which might exin


    why she didn''t leave a word for him at the end of her life.


    Keegan said, "When they broke up, it was the peak of their rtionship. In the month before their


    breakup, Marshall even called to ask if the engagement ring he bought was too expensive for Willow to


    ept. Willow asked me about Marshall''s condition too. When she heard about it, she was


    heartbroken. Then she met the Moore family and was scorned, looked down upon, until she


    disappeared."


    Ste frowned. "Do you think it''s because of this? But you said before that Willow was a very open-


    minded and sensible girl. She might have disliked the Moore family for making things difficult, but it


    shouldn''t be enough for her to hate Marshall because of it, right?"


    Keegan replied cautiously, "I don¡¯t think Willow hated Marshall because of the Moore family''s


    interference. I''m just wondering, what role did the Moore family y in Willow''s disappearance? Was it


    really just verbal mockery?"


    Willow had prepared for the postgraduate entrance exam for so long. How could she give up her


    dreams because of what others said? She even got married and had a child within such a short period


    of time.


    The day of the ident was also the day Irene Moore went to find Willow.


    Irene refused to talk about what happened that day. Initially, the traffic ident was investigated, but it


    was closed shortly after. The reason was that the police found that the owner of the other car had


    depression and had an episode before the ident. Albert Jewell was eager to close the case, and the


    Moore family was also afraid that this matter would tarnish the family''s reputation. Under pressure from


    both sides, the case was closed without a conclusion.


    Irene was taken to the police station for questioning, but she only said that she had offered Willow a


    deal to stop her from bothering Marshall. That was it. It was just that the deal wasn''t agreed upon, and


    Marshall came, angrily taking Willow away.


    But Keegan knew she wasn''t beingpletely honest.


    Willow was insignificant to the Moore family. Willow, who was already pregnant and married to


    someone else, was even more insignificant. If they wanted to drive Willow away, they didn''t need Irene


    to personally intervene. Just by leaking some information, it would naturally destroy their rtionship.


    At that time, Marshall was seriously injured, and Willow died, leaving behind an orphan. Keegan was


    busy then, so he didn''t have time to think about the oddities of it all.


    Now, looking back, he felt that there were many uncertainties surrounding Willow''s situation.


    Perhaps only by figuring out what happened before the ident could the mystery be solved.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    When Vermont revealed Coco Morrell''s identity to Marshall, someone went and retrieved Coco''s hair


    from the kindergarten.


    Marshall had most probably done a paternity test on Coco and confirmed that she was Willow''s


    daughter.

 Chapter 2171

    Chapter 2171


    Based on what Keegan knew about Marshall, he wouldn''t rush into any decisions in the near future.


    Even though Willow was his only family, he''d carefully weigh the options and act with caution for her


    sake.


    Ste paused for a moment before suggesting, '' Maybe it''s best for Coco to stay at the Royalpark Vi.


    Firstly, Grandma is getting old and genuinely doesn''t have the energy to look after her. Secondly... from


    Marshall''s point of view, Coco is the reminder of Willow''s betrayal. I''m concerned he might take it out


    on Coco if he loses his temper."


    Initially, Keegan wanted to assure that Marshall wouldn¡¯t do such a thing; he knew him well. But the


    words got stuck in his throat. If he truly understood him, the kidnapping incident wouldn''t have


    urred.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    After a brief silence, he nodded. "I''ll go along with your suggestion.¡±


    In reality, when Vermont hinted to Marshall about Coco''s parentage, Keegan had another motive-to


    leverage the Moore family to investigate the true cause of Jayson''s death. He never wanted to believe


    that the young man, with such cold demeanor and righteousness, could be capable of such things,


    otherwise, he wouldn''t have been so careful in preserving that badge.


    The next day, Ste went to Cordelia''s home herself to pick up Coco.


    Unexpectedly, she ran into an acquaintance.


    Dahlia Crosby had been released from detention and came bearing gifts to visit the olddy, only to be


    turned away at the door. When Ste arrived, she witnessed Dahlia tearfully pleading with Baldwin


    Clint.


    "Baldwin, please speak to my mother-inw for me again. I have urgent matters to discuss. Can I


    please see her?"


    Baldwin shook his head. "Madam, please go back. Madam Kane is tired and doesn''t want visitors.


    Please don''t make this difficult for US."


    Despite her pleading, Baldwin remained firm.


    Seeing her pleas were futile, Dahlia''s expression turned to resentment as she finally dropped her


    facade.


    "I raised children for the Kane family. Even if I have no merit, I have worked hard. Quentin left a will; if I


    stayed with the Kane family, they would protect me and my son for life; if I left, I would be entitled to


    half of his assets! She doesn''t want me back, fine! I want the inheritance Quentin left behind, or else I''ll


    sue Keegan for abandoning his birth mother!"


    A chill ran down Ste''s spine.


    Dahlia was a lunatic! The ordeal of prison hadn''t brought her an ounce of remorse. How could such a


    person be considered a mother?


    Baldwin''s expression darkened, likely never expecting a woman to be so shameless toward her own


    children for money.


    Just as Baldwin was about to speak, Ste pushed open the car door and called out, "Baldwin."


    Baldwin paused, his expression softening slightly. "Madam Ste."


    Dahlia tensed up at the sight of Ste.


    Ste observed her; in just a month, Dahlia had aged significantly, her hairckluster, her wrinkles


    deepened. Though she dressed decently and wore makeup, the entitlement she once exuded had


    been eroded by prison, reced by a pervading aura of gloom and decay.


    Her gaze toward Ste held fear, disgust, and above all, resentment.

 Chapter 2172

    Chapter 2172


    Ste averted her gaze and addressed Baldwin, "Baldwin, I''m hereto pick up Coco."


    Baldwin replied, "Coco is practicing the piano. I''ll take you to her."


    Ste nodded and was about to follow him when Dahlia stopped her, resentfully saying, "Ste, you


    must be feeling so proud, kicking me out of the Kane family and separating me from my son."


    Ste paused, calmly looking at her. "I guess. Give it a little more time, and I might even be prouder."


    A hint of hatred flickered in Dahlia''s eyes, but she quickly suppressed it.


    She clenched her fists and whispered, "I want to talk to you."


    Ste smiled coldly, "Is there anything left to discuss between US?"


    She hadn''t forgotten why Dahlia ended up there. A woman who had tried to harm her baby wouldn''t get


    a second chance from her.


    She was puzzled, though. Why would Dahlia suddenly demand a share of herte father-inw¡¯s


    inheritance?


    Even though Dahlia had been kicked out of the Kane family and Keegan had cut her off, providing only


    a small amount of living expenses, barely enough to get by, Aurora Kane hadn''tpletely abandoned


    her.


    She still had feelings for Dahlia. Even though she had been so wronged by Dahlia, Dahlia had raised


    and loved her since she was a child. She couldn''t just turn a blind eye to her. On the day Dahlia was


    released, Aurora went to see her and gave her some money.


    When Keegan mentioned this to her, trying to gauge whether she would interfere with Aurora¡¯s


    decision, Ste nced at the cunning man.


    Did he really think he could hide his ulterior motives from her?


    Keegan wasn''t allowing Aurora to help Dahlia out of kindness; he was afraid that if he stopped her, and


    something happened to Dahlia in the future because of money, Aurora would me him and their


    sibling rtionship would be strained.


    But if he didn''t stop her, he feared she might misunderstand and think he was showing mercy to Dahlia.


    So he threw the problem to Ste, letting her decide.


    Initially, Ste hadn''t nned to stop Aurora. Aurora had a rebellious streak, and sometimes, it was


    better to let things flow rather than stop them from happening. Besides, Aurora had cut herself off from


    the family''s finances when she tried to get into thepany. She only had a meager sry every


    month, barely enough to support herself, let alone Dahlia.


    But, even though Ste understood, the man''s schemes still annoyed her a bit. He really thought she


    was that petty! So she sent him to the study for two nights in a row, until finally, he came crawling back


    in the middle of the night, massaging her legs, apologizing pitifully.


    It had been over a week since Dahlia was released. Aurora should have given her the majority of her


    savings by now. And with all the years Dahlia had spent using Keegan''s money to buy luxury bags and


    jewelry, she should still have some left. If she were to sell those things, she wouldn''t be broke. So why


    was she suddenly asking Cordelia to divide herte husband''s inheritance, asking for so much money?


    Dahlia lowered her voice, full of resentment, "Ste, you don''t want your pregnancy to go public, do


    you? Don''t think I don''t know that you''re keeping it a secret to scheme against Jaylene!"Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste remained silent, which, to Dahlia, meant she was scared.


    Baldwin didn''t hear Dahlia¡¯s words. He whispered, "Madam Ste."


    Ste pursed her lips, "Baldwin, wait for me for a moment."


    Then, she nced at Dahlia and said coolly, "Get in the car."


    Dahlia got in, nced at the driver in the front seat, and said coldly, "Tell him to leave, I want to talk to


    you alone."


    Ste smiled. "You¡¯re a woman with a criminal record. Why would you think I''d talk to you alone? Are


    you trying to scheme against your own grandson again? If you have something to say, say it. If not, get


    out of the car."


    Dahlia''s body stiffened for a moment. She gritted her teeth and finally said after a long pause, "Give me


    a billion, or I''ll sue Keegan for not supporting me."

 Chapter 2173

    Chapter 2173


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Ste nced at her. "Keegan deposits your living expenses into your ount every month. He also


    has evidence of the money you''ve been withdrawing from thepany''s ount over the years. Do


    you think you can win this case?"


    Dahlia sneered, "Even if I can''t win, do you think such a scandal wont affect The Vinci Rivera Group''s


    stocks or his election votes?"


    Ste''s smile faded gradually. She couldn''t fathom how there could be such a shameless and


    despicable mother, selfish enough to ruin her own son''s life.


    Darcie Arnold and Hylda White were so malicious, yet they stood by their children. What was Dahlia?


    Ste looked at her in silence for a moment, then spoke, "What do you need so much money for?"


    Dahlia impatiently replied, "That''s none of your business. Just transfer the money to me. I''ll give you


    three days. If you don''t, I''ll sue Keegan immediately!"


    Ste''s expression turned serious. "If it weren''t for a paternity test, I would seriously doubt if Keegan is


    your biological son! If you don''t love him, why did you have him? And since you had him, why neglect


    him? He has finally achieved everything today, and you still want to ruin him. Are you even worthy of


    being called a mother?"


    Gritting her teeth, Dahlia retorted, "The rtionship between my son and me was fine until you, the


    troublemaker, came along. How could Keegan treat me like this if it weren''t for you? He showed me no


    kindness first, so don''t me me for being heartless!" "Watching your own son drown for the sake of


    vanity andparison, is that what you call a fine rtionship?"


    Somehow, this struck a chord with Dahlia. She became agitated. "You know nothing! If it weren''t for my


    strictness, could he have achieved what he has today?"


    Ste chuckled at this twisted logic.


    Dahlia, tired of the talk, hardened her expression again. "Enough chatter.


    Are you giving me the one billion or not?"


    Ste stared at the face somewhat resembling Keegan''s for a while before saying, "I can give it to you,


    but I need you to sign an agreement."


    Frowning, Dahlia asked, "What agreement?"


    Ste looked up. "An agreement to sever the mother-son rtionship with Keegan."


    Samuel Herston felt a jolt in his heart.


    Dahlia was taken aback but remained silent for a few seconds, then pursed her lips. "If I sign, will you


    transfer the money immediately?"


    Ste''s heart sank. She thought that Dahlia was hesitating because she couldn''t bear to let go of


    Keegan, but it turned out she was worried about whether the money woulde through. She smirked


    coldly. "Of course."


    Dahlia immediately agreed. Tine."


    She and Keegan were mother and son by blood; such an agreement would be meaningless. What a


    fool!


    Ste quickly drafted the agreement, printed it out, and handed it to Dahlia. After Dahlia signed and


    stamped it, she couldn''t wait any longer. "Transfer the money."


    Ste double-checked the signature, carefully put the document away in her bag, then took her phone


    and transferred the money to Dahlia.


    Soon the money was transferred, and Dahlia''s face turned red. "I asked for one billion, but why is there


    only ten million? Ste, are you kidding me?"


    Ste replied nonchntly, "Ms. Dahlia, surely you''re aware of the limits on bank transfers? Also, you


    suddenly demanded one billion. I don''t have that much at the moment. You''ll have to give me some


    time to get the money from my family. Can I transfer the funds to you in installments within two weeks?"

 Chapter 2174

    Chapter 2174


    "No way!" Dahlia eximed anxiously. "Two weeks is just too long! I''ll give you a week at most!"


    Ste furrowed her brow. "Ten days. I really can''t gather it in a week."


    Dahlia didn''t buy it. "Do you think I''m clueless about how much money


    Keegan has?"


    Ste''s expression turned icy. "You expect me to ask Keegan for the money? Do you think he won''t


    question such arge sum? Or do you want me to personally inform him that his own mother is


    pressuring me for money?"


    Dahlia didn''t care about Keegan, let alone his feelings.


    She knew Keegan well enough to understand that if he found out about this, he wouldn''t give her a


    penny. He wouldn''t be swayed by her threats in the least.


    Initially, Dahlia had wanted to find Ste, but Keegan had shielded her too effectively, leaving Dahlia


    with no opportunity to get close. So, she shifted her focus to her deceased husband''s inheritance. Little


    did she know she would run into Ste herself.


    After Ste''s words, Dahlia calmed down slightly. She pondered for a moment before relenting, "Fine,


    I''ll give you ten days. If I don''t receive enough by then, all bets are off!¡±


    After Dahlia left, Ste calmly instructed Samuel, "Make a copy of the footage from the car for me."


    Samuel snapped out of it and quickly began copying the video.


    As he worked, Ste said, "Don''t breathe a word of today to Keegan. If you can''t handle it, you can


    leave now. I''ll pay you two months'' sry extra, and you can find another job."


    Samuel hastily replied, "Ste, Mr. Kane made it clear when he hired me. I''m on your team. Unless it''s


    about your safety, I don''t need to report your personal matters to him."


    Ste stared at him for a moment before saying, "Head to the primary residence."


    Samuel nodded, returned the phone with the copied video, turned the car around, and headed for the


    Kane family''s primary residence.


    Ste gently touched the agreement in her bag, her eyelids drooping slightly as she lost herself in her


    thoughts.


    After a moment, Samuel whispered, "Ste, I have something else to mention."


    Ste nodded, signaling for him to continue.


    Clearing his throat, Samuel said, "Ste, Mr. Kane and Ms. Crosby''s mother- son rtionship is based


    on blood ties. Such natural bonds cannot be dissolved legally, so the agreement you have is invalid.


    Mr. Kane still has the obligation to support her."


    Ste didn''t respond, merely offering a faint smile as she said, "I understand, just drive safely."


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Samuel was taken aback. Ste''s reaction was unexpected, but he didn''t press further.


    Of course, Ste knew the legal invalidity of the agreement, but in terms of public perception, it could


    hold weight.


    Dahlia was a thorn in Keegan''s side. Ste wanted to help Keegan remove this thorn herself, ensuring


    Dahlia would no longer have any leverage over Keegan.


    If you want something to perish, let it go mad first.


    Dahlia''s urgency for money likely had to do with trouble ke Crosby and the Crosby family were in.


    Thinking it over, Ste reached out to Trevor Saun to check on ke''s recent situation. Marshall had


    mentioned before that ke and his wife were getting a divorce, but Ste was unaware of the current


    situation.


    When she returned to the Kane family''s primary residence to pick up Coco, Cordelia was feeding Sevin


    by the pond with Coco.


    Cordelia had finally caught the thief who stole the fish and had retrieved Sevin.


    After a few months, Sevin seemed to have put on some weight,zily swimming in the water.


    Ste suddenly recalled that time Keegan had brought Sevin over. As Sevin swam in the pond, Keegan


    stood on the bank, holding a pebble, and teasingly asked if she wanted to watch the koi struggle.

 Chapter 2175

    Chapter 2175


    She recalled the amusing scene from earlier and, now, observing the sluggish fish, couldn''t resist


    kicking a pebble into the water. With a ssh, the plump fish jerked in rm, its tail nearly swatting the


    nearby small koi.


    Cordelia''s eyelid twitched. How much did this impulsive act resemble her mischievous grandson?


    Ste realized the effect of her action and quickly withdrew her foot guiltily, mustering a smile as she


    called out, "Grandma."


    Coco bounded over, clutching onto Ste''s leg and chirping, "Ste, why did you take so long toe?


    I missed you~"


    Ste tousled the little girl''s soft hair and said gently, "I bought you some little gifts, which took a bit of


    time."


    At the mention of gifts, Coco''s eyes sparkled. She tugged at Ste¡¯s sleeve, eager to leave with her.


    "Go with this big brother first. Great-Grandma and I need to talk for a bit."


    Coco obediently nodded and was led away by Samuel.


    Once the child was out of earshot, Cordelia inquired, "What did you two talk about?"


    Ste recounted every detail to Cordelia.


    The more Cordelia listened, the graver her expression became. After a long while, she asked, "What


    do you n to do?"


    Ste pursed her lips. "I won''t let her ruin Keegan." A billion wasn''t Dahlia''s price for threatening her; it


    was the cost Ste was willing to pay to sever the bond between Dahlia and Keegan.


    Of course, she wouldn''t simply let that money fall into Dahlia''s hands.


    Cordelia closed her eyes, then reopened them, determination glinting in her murky gaze. ¡¯ Let it go. It''s


    time to do some spring cleaning."


    She couldn''t help but cough after speaking.


    Ste hurried forward to pat Cordelia''s back, waiting for the fit to subside before pouring tea into a pot


    and offering it to her. "Grandma, take care of yourself."


    Cordelia took a sip of tea, herplexion improving slightly before she said, "I''m nearing the end of my


    days. Each day is worse than thest, and I don''t know if I''llst until your baby is born."


    When Keegan got into trouble, Cordelia had fallen ill as well, catching a cold on and off for a month, her


    spirits much diminished from before.


    Since bing pregnant, Ste had visited the primary residence infrequently, but every time they


    met, Cordelia would pull her aside for a long chat, mentioning her father-inw and Mr. Kane Sr.,


    expressing her longing for them yet always ending with concern for Keegan and his sister.


    The doctor said she didn''t have any fatal illnesses, just old age catching up with her, with declining


    bodily functions. If things went well, she might have another two or three years, but if not, maybe just


    one year.


    Thinking of this, Ste couldn''t help but feel upset.


    However, Cordelia was very philosophical about it all, chatting with her for a while before leaving her


    with a pile of precious treasures.


    Ste snapped a photo of the high-transparency ssy white moonlight jade bracelet on her wrist with


    her phone and sent it to Keegan. "A mother¡¯s love is priceless."


    Keegan quickly replied, sending several property agreements, all under her name.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Keegan: "A son''s duty is to honor his mother. These are all yours. From now on, anyone who


    disrespects you will receive nothing."


    Ste chuckled.


    Trevor was very efficient; that evening, he messaged Ste back: The Crosby family''spany is in


    trouble. ke''s wife ran off with the money, leaving thepany financially unstable, on the verge of


    bankruptcy at any moment, and ke might face imprisonment.


    Dahlia''s urgency for money was to bail out the Crosby family.

 Chapter 2176

    Chapter 2176


    The Crosby family had been declining ever since Dahlia tied the knot. The Crosby siblings, all looks


    and no brains, would have disappeared from high society long ago if not for the support of the Kane


    family in recent years.


    After Keegan cut ties with Dahlia, who was using Cordelia''s name to manipte and deceive for her


    brother''s business, the already strugglingpany took a further nosedive.


    But ke''s wife running off with the money? Ste wasn''t buying it.


    They hadn''t even gotten a divorce, so where could she possibly run off to with two children in tow? If


    she was going to leave, why not do it when ke had money? Without money, where could she


    possibly go?


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    And Keegan¡¯s aunt wasn''t that naive.


    ke was a gambler, blowing through half of the Crosby family''s fortune despite his good looks and


    respectable background. None of the well- mannered girls wanted to marry a gambler like him.


    ke''s wife, Kanrara Kent, was introduced to him by someone from the Crosby family. She came from


    an average family, looked in, and had a fiery temperament.


    ke didn''t tie the knot until he was well into his thirties. At the time, Keegan was almost done with


    middle school, so he remembered the events vividly.


    With Keegan''s maternal grandfather already gone and his maternal grandmother not in great health,


    the responsibility of arranging the marriage fell on Dahlia''s shoulders.


    Dahlia strongly disliked Kanrara, finding her crude, uncultured, unattractive, and from an average


    background. Despite her objections, her mother was determined to have Kanrara.


    Seeing that persuasion was futile, Dahlia decided to make a statement at the wedding by swapping


    Kanrara''s red envelope, traditionally given to the bride, with one containing only a coin.


    She thought this would put Kanrara in her ce, but during the toasting ceremony, when Kanrara was


    chatting with Cordelia and Keegan nearby, the coin rolled out of the open envelope.


    Everyone knew it was a red envelope from the Crosby family. Even if Dahlia wanted to assert authority


    over the new bride, humiliating her with a mere coin was too much.


    Despite the Crosby family¡¯s decline, they couldn''t afford such embarrassment. Mrs. Crosby, Keegan¡¯s


    maternal grandmother, immediately imed it was a mistake and gave Kanrara a substantial red


    envelope.


    Keegan said the Crosby grandparents had no boundaries when it came to spoiling their children. ke


    ended up a mess because of it. The only thing they got right was marrying ke to Kanrara; otherwise,


    the siblings would have squandered the Crosby family''s fortune.


    Not long after ke got married, Keegan''s maternal grandmother passed away. On the afternoon of


    her funeral, ke was still gambling with friends. Kanrara wasn''t like the girls in Rivera who were too


    proud to let go of their dignity. That day, she grabbed a kitchen knife and smashed the gambling table,


    dragging ke back to the funeral parlor.


    Dahlia thought Kanrara''s actions were an embarrassment to the Crosby family, so they argued in front


    of the funeral parlor. But Kanrara retorted, "A daughter who is married to another family should no


    longer meddle in their maiden family''s affairs. If you want to meddle in the Crosby family''s affairs, you


    might as well move back to the Crosby family."


    By then, Dahlia was already a widow and couldn''t bear to give up the prestige and wealth of the Kane


    family, so she had to relent.


    Kanrara was tough. Every time ke went gambling, she would drag him back home with a knife and


    lock him in his room without food. At first, ke would argue and threaten divorce, but after a few days


    without food, he becamepliant.


    After a few such incidents, several underground gambling dens in Rivera cklisted ke, and he


    finally straightened up.


    During those years, the Crosby family''s production lines started to pick up, gradually looking more


    respectable. But Dahlia always felt that Kanrara was driving a wedge between her and ke, trying to


    control the Crosby family and usurp their assets.

 Chapter 2177

    Chapter 2177


    Dahlia quietly slipped money to ke to get him on her side.


    Quitting gambling was just like quitting drugs. You might manage to stay clean for a while, but one slip


    and it was tough to regain control.


    ke found himself drawn back to the casino, while Kanrara, juggling the care of two kids, had little


    energy left to oversee him or thepany. Just as things were looking up for thepany, it teetered


    on the edge of copse. Coincidentally, Keegan had already taken charge at the Vinci Rivera Group,


    and Dahlia began leveraging the Kane family''s name to coborate with ke.


    Kanrara shifted her focus to the kids'' education, neglectingpany matters. ke gambled


    recklessly. Even though Kanrara held the purse strings, the money he squandered was all supplied by


    Dahlia.


    Recently, Marshall mentioned their impending divorce, apparently triggered by ke''s affair and asset


    transfers.


    Later, Ste discussed this with Keegan. He opined that since Kanrara managed the finances, ke


    wouldn''t dare to keep a mistress. Any cash he had would go straight to the casino. Why would any


    woman be foolish enough to be his mistress? Was she after his wealth or his gambling habit?


    The more Ste thought about it, the odder it seemed. So she told Trevor," Trevor, let''s track Kanrara''s


    movements and look into her financial dealings."


    The next day, Trevor brought news again: Kanrara had taken the kids to Bostown, with eight million


    deposited into her ount from ke.


    Meanwhile, ke received ten million from Dahlia, money she had gotten from Ste.


    After a spat between Dahlia and Kanrara months ago, Dahlia became thepany''s legal


    representative. While thepany was indeed in dire straits financially, ke''s supposed efforts to


    raise funds were a sham.


    The couple plotted to swindle Dahlia''s money. With Dahlia now thepany¡¯s legal rep, she couldn''t


    shirk responsibility. If thepany went under, she''d be left holding the bag.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    No wonder she demanded a billion from Ste.


    Ste curled her lips coldly. Dahlia too deserved to experience betrayal from her loved ones.


    During afternoon tea, when Dahlia called to pester her, Ste transferred another ten million.


    Then, she made a call to Vermont Snyder, saying with a smile, "Vermont, let''s hit up an underground


    casino."


    Frowning, he replied, "What underground casino? I have no idea what you''re talking about."


    Ste exined, "Keegan said part of your startup capital came from the casino. He ims you''ve


    never lost a roll of the dice."


    He scoffed, "Only a fool like Keegan would buy that."


    Raising an eyebrow, Ste said, "Mom was once cheated by her partner, who gambled away workers''


    wages. It led to Aunt Florence being injured by workers demanding their pay. Mom despises gamblers


    the most."


    He fell silent for a moment before gritting his teeth, "You''re conniving.


    Aren''t you afraid of reaping what you sow?"


    She retorted, "Thanks for the concern. Having a n is better than being naive."


    After they hung up, Felicity Thompson gave her a thumbs up. "You sure know how to spin a tale. You''re


    such a smooth talker. I can just imagine how badly Keegan has fallen for your deceptions."

 Chapter 2178

    Chapter 2178


    Ste grinned, took a sip from her thermos, and remarked, "This is thest time. Keegan''s got big


    dreams, and I won''t let Dahlia mess them up."


    After passing through ke''s hands, ten million came up two million short.


    There was only one exnation: this guy was still hitting the tables.


    Ste''s hunch was spot-on; ke had indeed returned to his old gambling habits.


    ke was already a regr at the casino, despite being banned before. But in this world, rules and


    boundaries hardly mattered. If you had the cash, doors swung wide open.


    Getting into an underground casino wasn''t easy; usually, you needed an introduction from someone in


    the know and had to go through a few hoops blindfolded. But with Vermont leading the way, Ste, a


    neer, got in without a hitch.


    Vermont was bold, ambitious, and loved a good gamble. In his younger days, he rubbed shoulders with


    all kinds of people and was introduced to the world of gambling by his pals.


    There were no guaranteed winners in the casino. At his lowest, he couldn''t even cover daily expenses


    and had to rely on Keegan for food and shelter.


    Over time, he picked up some tricks, learned to quit while ahead, and made some modest profits. But it


    didn''tst long before Keegan caught wind of it. Keegan, who had neverid a finger on him before,


    showed up one afternoon and gave him a proper thrashing.


    To this day, Vermont could still feel the tremble in his hand after Keegan''s beating.


    Vermont knew firsthand the toll gambling could take; his grandfather died enraged by ke''s addiction.


    He feared meeting the same fate. Once gripped by gambling, no amount of wealth could satisfy. He''d


    seen too many lives destroyed by it.


    Yet, he was always certain he wouldn''t fall into the same trap. Back then, he didn''t realize his apparent


    control over the winnings was just a facade. But his arrogance and disdain when boasting about his


    wins with Keegan hinted at his downfall.


    Thankfully, Keegan''s wake-up call snapped him out of it. Since then, he had steered clear of such


    ces, only asionally visiting with clients for leisure. He had connections and knew how to navigate


    both worlds.


    So, when he told the casino boss he was bringing a friend to teach someone a lesson, permission was


    quickly granted.


    As the blindfold came off, the bright light blinded them.


    Vermont handed Ste a mask and whispered, "Put this on. No one shows their true face here, and no


    electronics allowed. They''ll give you a bagter to seal your phone and hand it over."


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Ste nodded and donned the mask.


    Vermont cursed under his breath, "If Keegan finds out I brought you here, he''ll kill me!"


    Ste reassured him, "We won''t breathe a word. He''ll never know."


    Vermont shot her a stern look. "Then you better keep quiet and not b!


    Casino money isn''t easy toe by. Don''t be surprised if you walk out broke."


    Ste smirked. "You should worry about yourself. You tore your house apart searching for one hundred


    bucks that went missing."


    Vermont was speechless.


    What a chatterbox this girl was! Spilling all the deets!


    With their masks on, Ste linked arms with Vermont, and they made a grand entrance.


    The casino, tucked away in the basement,cked windows but was well-lit. The decor wasvish, yet


    the vast space only had eight tables, with just half of them upied.


    "Don''t gawk."


    Vermont warned, "Don''t let them see you''re new here; rookies like you are easy marks."


    Ste averted her gaze and quipped, "Can you guarantee a win rate?"


    Vermont gave her a look. "You think I''m a gambling pro? If I had that kind of luck, I''d be in Vegas."

 Chapter 2179

    Chapter 2179


    Ste furrowed her brow, "Weren''t you boasting about your dice-rolling skills?"


    Vermont replied, "Yeah, but they don''t let you roll your own dice at the casino."


    Ste was speechless.


    "It''s all mind games, plus..." Vermont lowered his voice, "a bit of cheating. You just have to y the


    part. Even a gambling pro would have problems if they depend on just gambling skills."


    He paused, then whispered, "Here hees."


    Following his gaze, Ste spotted a man of average build with his hands behind his back, surveying


    each gambling table.


    Vermont gestured for her to stay quiet and led her straight to the high- stakes game.


    To lure ke over, Vermont splurged. After losing three consecutive rounds, his one million chips


    quickly disappeared, drawing more onlookers. Eventually, ke approached.


    Ste felt a bit nervous, but Vermont remainedposed. He adjusted his cufflinks, chuckled, and


    said, "Luck''s not on my side today."


    One of the onlookers chuckled, "Is this your first time here? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you around."


    Vermont replied, "I used toe here before the renovations. Haven''t had the chance in the past few


    months. You all seem unfamiliar to me too.¡±


    With a sigh, he flipped over his cards, shook his head, and tossed them on the table. Luck was still not


    on his side.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Sure enough, he lost again.


    Vermont signaled, and soon two people arrived carrying two boxes, which they ced on the table.


    Opening them revealed stacks of cash.


    "Let''s keep going. I''m not giving up yet."


    With Vermont''s rotten luck and these two hefty boxes of cash, several gamblers quickly wavered, and


    one by one, they started following suit.


    After observing for a while, ke couldn¡¯t resist and took the bait.


    Then Vermont began the setup. ke kept winning hand after hand, and once Vermont figured he''d


    lost enough, his phone conveniently rang. With ast bit of trickery, he made his exit.


    Sitting in the car, Ste nced at the two empty boxes in the back, feeling her heart ache. "Is this n


    reliable?"


    Vermont chuckled as he drove, "You''re feeling sorry for losing this bit? If you don''t let him win more,


    how will he fall into the trap? Let him win first, only this much each time. Then,ter on, we''ll switch up


    the game, increase the stakes, and start making him lose. When he''s blinded by anger, that''s when


    we''ll close the."


    Ste calmed down. When it came to matters of expertise, it was best to leave them to the experts.


    Since she chose Vermont to help, she had to trust him.


    "I''ll go tomorrow; you stay back," Vermont said calmly. "It''s smoky inside; it¡¯s not good for the two


    babies in your belly. If Keegan finds out, he''lle after me with a vengeance.¡±


    There were risks involved in this n, and Vermont was helping her out. Ste couldn''t refuse outright,


    but since Vermont took the initiative, she didn''t need to put on a brave face. She simply said, "I won''t


    go in. I''ll wait for you in the lounge. Just in case something happens, it¡¯s good to have someone there,


    otherwise, I won''t be able to exin to Felicity."


    Despite winning money, ke didn''t use it to solve thepany crisis.


    Instead, he indulged himself outside, even tipping the servers with stacks of cash.


    The next day, he returned to the casino to gamble once more.


    After winning over two million for three consecutive days, ke was practically floating on air.


    Meanwhile, Dahlia was being hounded by creditors and bombarded with calls.


    Dahlia kept urging Ste for money, which she hesitated to provide until ke began losing again.


    Then, she transferred five million to Dahlia.


    However, after changing his strategy, ke lost three million in one night and didn''t transfer the money


    Dahlia had given him back to Kanrara. He intended to use that money to win big again.

 Chapter 2180

    Chapter 2180


    When you think you''re about to hit the jackpot at the casino, that''s when you''ve already lost.


    You might aim to profit, but there''s always someone else aiming to profit off you.


    ke, a fixture at the casino for decades, had long been seduced by the promises of wealth and


    luxury. Yet, anyone with a sense to call it quits wouldn''t still be gambling after so many years, ending up


    nothing but a gambler deep in debt.


    In the end, he squandered all the money he had, owing the house over ten million, even resorting to


    mortgaging his sole vi to them.


    With eyes burning red, ke lunged forward, demanding Vermont to be held ountable, saying that


    he had set him up and cheated him off his money.


    But iming that Vermont had cheated would raise doubts about the casino''s management, something


    they couldn''t allow. So, with a sack over his head, they knocked him out and dumped him onto the


    street.


    Ste and Vermont, an odd pair of unrted siblings, swiftly split the ill- gotten gains on the spot. Then,


    blindfolded, they were escorted out in the casino''s car.


    Once the blindfolds were removed, silence fell between them.


    Not far away, a Maybach awaited, with Keegan standing expressionless in front of them, dressed in a


    suit.


    Ste nudged Vermont, urging him to say something, anything.


    Vermont yed his part, widening his eyes. "Ste, did the babies kick you?


    "Huh?" Ste was taken aback, then instinctively covered her stomach, "Oh, yes, quite a kick.¡¯


    Vermont supported her, giving her a meaningful nce. "Doesn''t it hurt when the babies kick?" "It


    does," Ste pitifully nced at Keegan, "Honey, your daughter and son are giving me a hard time."


    Keegan didn''t move forward, coldly observing the two lousy actors. After a while, he finally said, "Get in


    the car."


    The two performers dropped their act, quietly opening the car door and slipping inside.


    Only then did they realize another aplice was seated in the back.


    Felicity forced a smile, waving at them. "I''m not one to spill secrets, I''m just too honest. Lying weighs


    heavy on me. When your husband gives me that look, I just want toe clean."


    Ste was speechless.


    Vermont gave her a thumbs up, grinning. "Sweetheart, this is your payback, right? In the game, I


    betrayed you, and in real life, you betrayed me. We make quite the pair."


    Felicity clenched her teeth, "Zip it!"


    Thirty minutester, at Suite 902 in Clouditude International.


    Keegan sat on the sofa, the three culprits standing before him in a line.


    He picked up his cup, taking a sip of tea, calmly saying, "Speak."


    The trio started talking all at once, making a cacophony that grated on Keegan''s ears.


    Keegan frowned. "One at a time."


    Ste raised her hand. "I''ll go first."


    Keegan nced at her, then at the empty space on the sofa beside him." Pregnant women should sit


    when speaking."


    Vermont''s eye twitched, thinking to himself, "Could you be any more biased?"


    Felicity hurriedly helped Ste sit, and she herself took the chance to sit next to Ste.


    Vermont was confused.


    "Are you pregnant too?"


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Felicity answered, "I''m getting ready for it."


    Vermont scooted over to sit down as well, shamelessly saying, "I''m preparing too."


    Everyone was speechless.


    As long as you were thick-skinned, the ones who would feel awkward were others.


    Keegan scanned the trio of crafty characters. "Who came up with this scheme?"


    Ste, who had been eager to speak, immediately withdrew her hand at the question.


    But Keegan''s gaze lingered on her, and when Ste turned to look, the two beside her simultaneously


    pointed their fingers at her.


    Ste gritted her teeth; these two traitors!

 Chapter 2181

    Chapter 2181


    Didn¡¯t they agree to have a little fun if they stumbled upon something interesting?


    The revolution hadn''t even seeded, and they were already turning traitors midway! She couldn''t


    count on these two!


    Ste whispered, "Would you believe me if I said I wanted to take your son and daughter out to see the


    world?"


    Keegan, his expression cold just responded with a grunt.


    Ste was speechless.


    Felicity chimed in, "Honesty is the best policy. Ste, just spill it."


    Vermont added, "Ste, remember our deal before we came here? We stick together through thick and


    thin. You can''t throw US under the bus now."


    Ste shot a re at the two traitors, then turned to meet Keegan''s intense gaze, immediately feeling


    flustered.


    "Well, actually, I was helping your uncle quit gambling."


    Keegan replied icily, ¡°How much money did you transfer to her?"


    Pretending to be confused, Ste asked, "Who? I transferred money to someone?"


    Keegan took out his phone without a word. "If you won''t tell me, I''ll ask her.¡±


    Ste confessed immediately, "Not much, just two hundred and fifty million."N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Keegan''s expression darkened. "Why did you give her money?"


    Vermont nced between them, then stood up, pulling Felicity with him."


    We''re heading out to get some groceries. You two can sort this out.¡±


    With that, he dragged Felicity away, leaving Ste and Keegan alone in the room.


    Ste moved closer to sit beside Keegan. "Honey..." "Stay there and talk, don''te over."


    Keegan interrupted her, wary of her coaxing him and making himself vulnerable.


    Ste remained seated. "Your uncle''spany ran into trouble, and your mom asked for my help. I


    transferred her some money. Who knew it would end up being used for gambling? I just wanted to


    teach him a lesson."


    Keegan looked at her, his gaze deep andplex.


    He understood the animosity between Dahlia and Ste. Dahlia''s bankruptcy was a joke to her; why


    would she help?


    Keegan stared at her for a long moment before asking, "Is she threatening you with something?"


    Ste shook her head instinctively. "No."


    Ignoring her denial, Keegan continued, "Is this rted to me?"


    Ste remained silent.


    Keegan spoke again, "I know what kind of person she is better than you. Is she threatening to use


    me of neglecting my duties? I''m not afraid. You shouldn''t have agreed to her; she''s insatiable, never


    satisfied."


    Seeing him like this, Ste felt uneasy.


    Dahlia could ask for money for ke''s sake, but she was harsh when it came to her own son.


    Dahlia knew how to love, but she never showed that love to Keegan.


    Ste moved closer, gently stroking his hand. "You''re not afraid, but I am.


    My husband, you''re generous and noble. I can''t let her tarnish you."


    Keegan pulled her into his arms, closing his eyes. "Then you should also tell me. In a ce like that,


    with all sorts of shady characters, what if something had happened? What would be of me?"


    Ste patted his shoulder lightly. "Actually, I only went in once on the first day. After that, I stayed in the


    lounge. It was all Vermont''s doing. After everything is settled, we must buy him a nice meal, to show


    our gratitude."


    Keegan''s face darkened. "He took you to a ce like that, and I should thank him? It¡¯s good enough


    that I don''t hold him ountable. Why should I thank him?"


    Ste lightly tapped his head. "Vermont is already looking out for me. Why would others help me if not


    for your sake? y nice."


    Keegan pursed his lips and remained silent.


    Not long after ke was thrown onto the street, he was caught by debt collectors.


    Dahlia couldn''t reach him, and it wasn''t until the next morning that ke called. When Dahlia picked


    up, she asked, "Where have you been? You''ve not been picking up my calls." "Are you Dahlia?"

 Chapter 2182

    Chapter 2182


    The voice on the other end of the line wasn''t ke''s; it belonged to a stranger.


    Dahlia furrowed her brow. "Who are you? Why do you have my brother''s phone? Where is he?" "Him?"


    the stranger chuckled. "He''s currently here learning how to swim."


    With that, the phone was passed to someone nearby, who called out, "Hey Crosby! Your sister wants to


    talk to you!"


    Sounds of sshing water filled the receiver, followed by ke''s panicked voice, "Dahlia! Please, you


    have to save me, they''re going to kill me, Dahlia -uh-"


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    Before he could finish his sentence, there was a sound of something being pushed into the water,


    apanied by gurgling noises.


    Dahlia''s face turned pale. "What are you doing? Are you trying to kill him?¡±


    The man took the phone back, smiling. "Kill him? Mam, we arew-abiding citizens, not involved in any


    illegal activities. But your brother owes our boss over ten million. If the boss doesn''t get his money


    back, he won''t pay us our wages. We''re all waiting on this bit of money to make ends meet. Since he


    refuses to pay, we''re just making things happen."


    After exining, he grabbed ke''s head and pulled him out of the water with a ssh. "Here, talk to


    your sister."


    ke was terrified, unable to stand steady. His face was pale, his lips trembling, tears streaming down


    his face as he cried, "Dahlia! Please, you have to hurry and give them the money, they''re going to kill


    me..."


    Dahlia''s face grew even paler. "Didn''t you say everything has been settled?


    How is there still an outstanding debt of over ten million? In the past few days alone, I¡¯ve wired you


    nearly thirty million. Where''s all the money gone?"


    ke stuttered, unable to answer.


    Dahlia''s heart sank further. After a few seconds, she gritted her teeth. "You damn fool! Did you go


    gambling again?"


    ke sobbed, "I thought I could double it at the casino. I had such good luck those few days. I made


    almost ten million in three days, but then I don''t know what happened, I just kept losing..."


    His voice trailed off as he continued, "Dahlia, I really didn''t mean it. I just wanted to win some money to


    make things easier for you..." "Easier my foot!" Dahlia cursed, her face pale with anger, her voice


    trembling. "You idiot! Thepany is in such a state, yet you still have the nerve to go gambling! Have


    you forgotten how Dad died? It¡¯s because of you gambling he had a brain hemorrhage and died! Have


    you no sense at all?"


    ke was no longer a child, and being scolded by Dahlia like this was somewhat embarrassing for


    him. He whispered, "Kanrara was very strict about my spending, and I was about to quit. But since you


    kept giving me money..."


    Dahlia''s face turned red with anger. "You bastard! I''m wrong for giving you money?!"


    With his life currently in the hands of debt collectors, ke dared not anger Dahlia, fearing she


    wouldn''te to his rescue if provoked. He cried, "Dahlia, I''m sorry, please save me. The kids are still


    young. What will happen to them if something happens to me?"


    Dahlia was exasperated. "When you were gambling, why didn¡¯t you think about your children?"


    Before ke could respond, the debt collector took the phone away. "You have twenty-four hours to


    prepare. Hand over the money, and I''ll release him. If you don''t pay up or if you call the police..."


    The man sneered, "I have plenty of ways to make his life hell."


    With that, he hung up the phone.


    When Dahlia tried calling again, the phone had already been switched off.


    She was frantic, feeling like a cat on hot bricks. The Crosby family only had this one hope. With ke


    around, they could still maintain some dignity, but if he was gone, she''d truly have nothing.


    Over ten million was no small sum. She began calling Ste to demand for money, knowing that aside


    from Ste, no one else could give her that much money. After all, they had agreed on a billion, and


    there were still so many millions Ste hadn''t given Dahlia.


    But Ste''s phone went unanswered.


    Ste had blocked her number.

 Chapter 2183

    Chapter 2183


    This woman was despicable!


    Dahlia went to Caline to find Ste, but Ste avoided her. Dahlia, despite her prestigious background,


    couldn''t bring herself to cause a scene in front of others, even though she''d fallen on hard times. Since


    Ste wouldn''t see her, she waited outside.


    Ste didn''t show up, but instead, Dahlia encountered Jaylene Saun and Darcie Arnold.


    Seeing Dahlia again, Darcie showed no warmth as before; she just greeted her casually.


    On the other hand, Jaylene warmly spoke to her, "Aunt Dahlia, what brings you here? Are you here to


    look at perfumes?"


    Dahlia forced a smile and said, "I need to talk to Ste about something.


    Jaylene, can you take me up to see her?"


    Just as Jaylene was about to speak, the receptionist nearby intervened," Ms. Saun, Ms. Hall said she


    won''t be receiving any visitors today."


    It was clear: Ste knew Dahlia was downstairs but deliberately chose not to see her.


    Dahlia¡¯s expression soured, but she swallowed her anger and appealed to Jaylene, "Jaylene, can you


    help me? I have something urgent to discuss with Ste."


    Jaylene intended to speak up for Dahlia, but Darcie reminded her, "Jaylene, let''s go."


    Jaylene didn''t want to miss the opportunity to please Keegan''s mother, so she whispered, "Mom, Aunt


    Dahlia is still here waiting."


    Darcie replied coolly, "If she wants to wait, that''s her business. It''s none of your concern. Don''t


    meddle." "But-"


    Darcie interrupted her, "If she needs something, she''ll find her son. If her own son doesn''t want to deal


    with it, you can imagine Keegan''s attitude toward her. Minding your own business won''t make Keegan


    appreciate you, but might even make him dislike you. Think about it."


    Jaylene pressed her lips together and ultimately remained silent.


    As the mother and daughter left, Dahlia was infuriated, cursing the maniptive mother and daughter


    duo in her heart.


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    She waited at thepany all day, even until closing time, but never saw Ste.


    After having apanied Darcie to meet clients, Jaylene returned to Caline and saw that Dahlia was


    still at thepany.


    Approaching her, she called out, "Aunt Dahlia, why haven''t you left yet?"


    Dahlia had been waiting here all day, and as the 24-hour limit set by the debt collectors approached,


    she became increasingly restless. Herplexion wasn''t good, and upon hearing Jaylene''s voice, she


    hurried over. "Jaylene, what time do you get off? Take me to find Ste. I really can¡¯t wait any longer;


    it''s urgent."


    Frowning, Jaylene replied, "Aunt Dahlia, Ste has already left. Didn''t you see her?"


    Dahlia turned pale and trembled as she cursed, "That wretched woman!"


    Jaylene invited Dahlia into the lounge, had someone bring her a ss of water, andforted her


    while asking, "Aunt Dahlia, can you tell me what you want to talk to Ste about?"


    Dahlia couldn''t hold back her tears anymore and choked up, "Jaylene, my dear child, it would''ve been


    so good if it had been you with Keegan from the beginning. How could he choose that venomous


    woman Ste!"


    After Jaylene consoled Dahlia for a while, Dahlia finally stopped crying. Jaylene then listened to her


    story.

 Chapter 2184

    Chapter 2184


    Dahlia didn''t bring up ke''s gambling issues at all. She simply mentioned problems with the


    company''s production line, orders on hold, and a cash flow problem.


    Keegan was swayed by Ste and wasn''t willing to lend a hand. With no other options left, she had to


    turn to Ste for help.


    Dahlia understood Jaylene''s deep affection for Keegan. Unable to reach Ste, Jaylene was herst


    hope. That was why she was adamant about not telling Jaylene about Ste''s pregnancy. If Jaylene


    found out, she''d likely lose hope in her rtionship with Keegan, so why would she want to offer


    assistance?


    She grabbed Jaylene, tears brimming in her eyes. "You''ve always been the daughter-inw I favored.


    You and Keegan grew up together. If it weren''t for you going abroad for treatment, Ste wouldn''t even


    be in the picture. I strongly opposed Keegan marrying her. She''s held a grudge against me for years,


    and now that she''s be the golden child, she''s constantly at odds with me. At my age, I couldn''t


    care less. All I want is for my children to be happy and stable." "But ke is Keegan''s uncle, his only


    one. If something really happens to him in the future, fingers will be pointed at Keegan; how could she


    be so heartless as to discourage him from helping? Isn''t she putting Keegan in an unfair position?"


    As she spoke, she choked up once more.


    Jaylene handed her a tissue. "Ste is too much! Aunt Dahlia, please don''t cry. I''ll call Keegan and help


    you exin the situation. Keegan values rtionships the most; he''ll definitely help his uncle."


    Dahlia''s eyes widened, looking at Jaylene strangely, momentarily forgetting to cry.


    Where did she get the confidence that Keegan would listen to her?


    Jaylene held her phone, about to dial Keegan''s number, when Dahlia suddenly stood up. "Jaylene,


    don¡¯t call. Just forget I came. I''ll think of another way."


    With that, she grabbed her bag and made to leave. Jaylene was taken aback, quickly catching up.


    "Aunt Dahlia, what''s wrong? Why are you suddenly leaving?" "Jaylene, you don''t understand Keegan''s


    temper. If he finds out I''ve brought this family disgrace to you over this little money, he''ll hate me."


    "What will you do then? If there''s any other way, why would youe to ask Ste for help?"


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    Dahlia clenched her fists, unable to speak.


    Jaylene remained silent for a moment before speaking again. "Aunt Dahlia, how much of a shortfall are


    you facing?"


    Dahlia, with red eyes, said, "Not much, just twenty million."


    Jaylene''s forehead twitched. Twenty million was still considered not much?


    Dahlia wiped her tears and continued, "In the past, this amount of money really wasn''t a big deal. But


    now, Keegan has amnesia, and he''s been enchanted by that wretched woman Ste, so he''s distant


    from me..."


    Jaylene wasn''t exactly a selfless Samaritan; her warmth toward Dahlia ultimately stemmed from being


    Keegan''s birth mother.


    Even if there were temporary conflicts due to certain reasons, they would eventually reconcile. She


    didn''t agree with Darcie''s words. In her view, the debt of raising a child was something that couldn''t be


    discarded, no matter what.


    After all, Keegan always sided with his mother; otherwise, he wouldn''t have divorced Ste because of


    Dahlia. After thinking for a moment, Jaylene spoke again. "Aunt Dahlia, let me lend you the twenty


    million first. You can use it to save Uncle. Saving a life is paramount; money is trivial."

 Chapter 2185

    Chapter 2185


    With teary eyes, Dahlia sped Jaylene''s hand. "Jaylene, you''re such a gem. I truly appreciate your


    help, thank you so much. I promise, once the funds from the orderse through, I''ll repay you the


    twenty million."


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    Jaylene waved it off, feeling a tad embarrassed. "Aunt Dahlia, please don''t mention it. I genuinely


    regard you and Keegan as family. How could I sit idle when you''re in trouble? I''ll contact the bank right


    away to transfer the money, and you can proceed to save Uncle."


    Dahlia poured out her gratitude,vishing Jaylene withpliments.


    However, Jaylene didn''t have that much liquid capital at hand. Normally, she would have turned to


    Trevor for a loan, but this situation involved Dahlia. Trevor still harbored resentment toward her for her


    treatment of Ste back in the Kane household. If he knew this money was for Dahlia, he definitely


    wouldn''t lend it.


    Asking Darcie was out of the question. Darcie wished for nothing more than to sever all ties between


    her and Keegan.


    After careful thought, Jaylene decided to mortgage her vi under her name. Once she secured the


    money, she promptly transferred it to Dahlia.


    Upon hearing the news, Ste was taken aback.


    She nudged Keegan, who was reading nearby. "Are you touched? Twenty million just like that, without


    a second thought. Jaylene''s affection for you runs deep."


    Keegan pulled her foot onto hisp, flipping through his book. "Didn''t you also take two hundred and


    fifty million? Your affection runs even deeper."


    Ste scoffed. "Don''t pat yourself on the back. I didn''t just receive it for free. I won it back from your


    uncle. What Jaylene gave was genuine money.


    She did it purely out of consideration for you. Aren''t you touched at all?¡±


    Keegan nced at her. "You want me to be touched?"


    Ste looked away. "Just curious."


    She wasn''t trying to test Keegan; she just felt unsettled inside.


    A man pursuing a woman was different from a woman pursuing a man.


    Even if Keegan didn''t fancy Jaylene''s type, consistently being put first in someone''s heart could


    eventually evoke feelings of tenderness and pity. Once a man began feeling pity for a woman, falling in


    love was only a matter of time.


    As the saying goes, men fearmitment while women fear abandonment. Moreover, Jaylene was


    quite adept at this. Suddenly, Ste worried that one day she might actually push Keegan away.


    Keegan suddenly chuckled, and Ste frowned. "What''s so funny?"


    Setting the book aside, Keegan drew closer to her. "When you used me as bait to lure her in, you were


    pretty confident, weren''t you? Why are you being so petty now?" As he spoke, he ced his hand on


    her stomach, his fingertips sliding from her abdomen to her chest. He raised his eyes, the corners of


    his mouth curling, his voice low and deep, "Is the weight of the baby pressing on your heart?"


    Ste''s ears flushed, and she pped his hand lightly, ring at him." You''re the petty one!"


    Keegan chuckled and pinched her earlobe, his gaze gentle. "It''s because of her that we broke up. How


    could I possibly like her? Besides, Jaylene doesn''t actually like me. She likes the Keegan she''s


    imagined."


    Jaylene thought that he didn''t like Chinese food, but in reality, he loved it; he just didn''t like spicy food.


    Jaylene thought that he liked medium-rare steak, but he actually hated it when there was blood oozing


    out; it was like eating raw meat to him and he despised it. Jaylene thought that he liked red wine, but in


    reality, despite his moderate tolerance for alcohol, he preferred aromatic white wine. Jaylene thought


    that he liked Americano coffee, but he actually preferred coffee; even though he asionally drank it to


    stay awake when working overtime, he liked it with milk and sugar. He didn''t like bitter things.

 Chapter 2186

    Chapter 2186


    During that month of injury, Keegan realized this, but he never corrected Jaylene.


    His preferences were crystal clear. If Jaylene had any sense at all, she would have noticed. Yet, she


    still clung to that idealized version of Keegan, simply because that was the Keegan she desired.


    Besides, who in their right mind would willingly give banned substances to someone they cared about?


    This shallow, self-serving infatuation couldn''t be considered love; it was nothing more than despicable


    possessiveness.


    Since regaining his memory, Keegan saw things with rity.


    He recalled the days when he was bedridden due to his severe injury. Each time the nurse tended to


    his wounds, Jaylene stood nearby, her brow furrowed not out of fear, but out of disgust.


    At that time, he couldn''t recall Ste. Jaylene had convinced him she was his lover, but deep down, he


    didn''t believe it.


    How could his supposed lover recoil at the sight of his injuries?


    Though this memory waster erased by the hypnotist, now that he thought about it again, it only


    reinforced his suspicions.


    Even during their fiercest arguments, Ste never abandoned him in sickness.


    The Keegan Jaylene adored was noble, proud, seemingly untouchable, adorned with a golden aura.


    But the Keegan Ste loved was just an ordinary man. She embraced his strengths and epted his


    ws.


    He had experienced Ste''s love firsthand, so how could he be blinded by Jaylene''s counterfeit


    affection?


    Keegan kissed Ste''s cheek and whispered softly, "Ste, I have only one heart, and it belongs solely


    to you. I love you." With that, Keegan''s ears reddened slightly. 1


    Expressing love wasn''t his forte. He used to believe actions spoke louder than words. Little did he


    know, men and women approached love differently. Especially when a woman was deeply in love, she


    was prone to worry and sensitivity.


    Encountering someone like him, who fell silent during arguments, attempting to cool things down


    before speaking, basically made things worse.


    If vocalizing his feelings could bring her joy, then he would do so. It might sound absurd, but it wasn''t as


    challenging as he''d imagined.


    Ste was taken aback, her gaze meeting his dark, ocean-like eyes. Her heart skipped a beat. She


    looked away, clutching the pillow, her words stumbling, "Who taught you to say that?"


    Keegan yfully rubbed her nose. "No one taught me. I just wanted to tell you. Do you like it?"


    Ste insincerely replied, "I don''t."


    Keegan, with his fiery temper, retorted, "Then what do you like? Just tell me, and I''ll make it happen."


    Ste said, "I want to watch wealthy women doing the happy dance."


    Keegan suppressed his reaction, replying lightly, "That''s not possible.


    Choose something else."


    Ste persisted, "I want to see chest muscles, back muscles, abs, biceps, triceps, and glutes..."


    Keegan furrowed his brows. "That''s also not possible."


    Impatiently, Ste said, "Nothing''s possible then. What exactly are you satisfying me with? By giving


    me a cookie? You installed the app on my phone!"


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    Keegan, ever the jealous one, had unfollowed and blocked all the men and women on her social media


    ount who danced suggestively. He had also installed something on her phone without her


    knowledge. Whenever she scrolled past an attractive person, her phone would automatically y a


    calming mantra.


    How ruthless was he?


    If Keegan ever lost his job, he could genuinely help people ovee inte addiction.


    Keegan said solemnly, "Experts warn that excessive use of social media can harm brain health and


    increase the risk of Alzheimer''s disease. I installed it for your well-being."


    Ste nced at him. "Experts also im that divorced women have a longer average lifespan than


    married women. If you''re so concerned about my health, why did you remarry me just to shorten my


    lifespan?"


    Keegan was left speechless.

 Chapter 2187

    Chapter 2187


    "Do you really have to watch those videos?" Keegan asked.


    "I don''t have to, but it makes me happier," Ste responded.


    Keegan remained silent for a moment before replying, "Okay, just wait a moment."


    He stood up and left the room.


    Ste was delighted. She knew Keegan well enough to know that he would never allow her to watch


    someone else; he would take care of it himself.


    Keegan was a guy with many tricks up his sleeve.


    When he was pursuing her, he stuck to her like glue when they moved to Clouditude International. He


    wore tank tops with plunging necklines and underwear as tight as possible. After work, he even went to


    the gym, disying all his charms, afraid of not being able to seduce her.


    But once she became pregnant, he immediately switched all his sleepwear to long sleeves and pants,


    dressing as modestly as possible, with everything tightly wrapped up. The buttons on his sleepwear


    were buttoned upto the topmost one.


    Several times she wanted to ask him, "Is it cold at home? Why are you all covered up?"


    Initially, she didn''t think much of it. Being pregnant, what else could she think about?


    But every day, as he bundled up, he managed to ignite a fire inside her, making her want to tear off his


    clothes and see whaty beneath.


    If she couldn''t watch those online, surely it was fine to sneak a peek at home. But this guy suddenly


    embraced modesty, and the less he let her see, the more she longed for it.


    As time passed, twenty minutes went by and Keegan still hadn''t returned.


    Ste was starting to get anxious. Was it really that difficult to take off a piece of clothing? Couldn''t he


    just rip it off?


    Just as she was thinking about that, the door handle turned and the door opened.


    Ste widened her eyes and then saw Keegan in a bathrobe.


    Her eyes lit up a few degrees, and she reached up and pulled the curtains closed.


    Keegan paused for a moment, then casually locked the door as he passed.


    He seemed to have just showered, with a faint scent of body wash wafting from him.


    Did he really need to go to such lengths just to show off some abs?


    With that thought in mind, she raised her hand and turned the study light to its brightest.


    "Should... I put on some music?" Ste cleared her throat and asked him.


    Keegan, with his hand on the bathrobe''s belt, pondered for a moment before replying, "Sure, whatever


    you like."


    Ste thought to herself, ¨¬ don''t like it. I''m here for the muscles."


    But she still yed a very suggestive song.


    Keegan nced at her with a smirk, casually putting his hand on his waist.


    Ste''s heart raced, and Keegan''s eyes seemed to have hooks in them, exuding an indescribable


    sensuality.


    His hand lingered at the knot of the bathrobe for a moment before letting it fall.


    Keegan then walked over to the bookshelf, clicked the remote control, and the curtain slowly


    descended. The projector lit up, and soon an anatomical chart of the human body¡¯s muscles were


    projected onto the screen.


    Ste was stunned.


    Keegan stood by the screen like a college lecturer, holding aser pointer, and pointed to her. "Rectus


    abdominis, pectoralis major, biceps brachii, gluteus maximus. Which one do you want to see? I''ll find it


    for you."Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.

 Chapter 2188

    Chapter 2188


    The music yed with ambiguity in her ears, while before her eyesy anatomical charts of human


    musclesmonly found in dissecting rooms and hospitals.


    Ste stared at these charts, almost envisioning the edge-dancing male streamers morphing into the


    red muscle lines depicted in the anatomy chart, each one captivating as they twisted their waists and


    hips.


    Her head spun as she pointed to the projection screen and asked Keegan," What''s this?"


    Keegan patiently exined, "It''s a muscle distribution chart. Everyone''s body develops the same way


    under the skin. By looking beyond appearances, you see the essence. Once you see the essence,


    appearances be insignificant to you."


    Seeing beyond appearances???


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    Ste''s face shifted from that of embarrassment to frustration, cycling through several changes before


    she abruptly stood up, her face tense, and headed outside.


    Keegan caught up to her. ''Where are you going?"


    Ste replied, "To find my brother."


    Keegan was confused.


    "My brother''spany just hired a group of male actors, all with handsome faces and solid abs," she


    said, gesturing to the muscle anatomy chart on the screen. "I''m going to see if I can see through


    appearances to the essence you mentioned."


    Keegan''s eyelid twitched, and he reached out to stop her hand from turning the doorknob, saying firmly,


    "No way!"


    Ste raised an eyebrow, ''Are you jealous?"


    Keegan scowled, "Shouldn''t I be?"


    Ste chuckled, "What''s there to be jealous of? Didn¡¯t you say it yourself? Everyone develops the same


    way under the skin. Appearances are nothing to me; I''m going to see the essence. Be reasonable."


    As she made to leave, Keegan blocked her path, gritting his teeth, "''You''re going to see other men, and


    you want me to be reasonable?"


    Ste narrowed her eyes. "Keegan, who''s ying whom here? Don¡¯t you know very well what I want to


    see?"


    Keegan choked on his words, his face turning awkward, "I... I was just joking with you."


    Ste tilted her head, looking at him with a half-smile, not saying anything.


    Keegan blushed, awkwardly saying, "I... I was just trying to lighten the mood. Otherwise, why would I


    dress like this?"


    As he handed the belt to Ste, he apologized in a low voice, "Ste, please don''t be angry. I¡¯m sorry."


    Ste''s heart softened at his conciliatory tone, and she pinched the belt, hesitantly pulling it lightly,


    causing Keegan''s bathrobe to fall open.


    The firm muscles came into view, fair and tender, stirring one''s blood.


    Ste had always been indifferent to wheat-colored muscles, but she couldn''t resist his cold white skin,


    and those lines seemed even clearer than before.


    She blinked and looked up at Keegan. "Have you been working out?"


    Keegan tilted his head, bringing his closed hand up to his lips, and coughed lightly. "You mentioned


    before that my muscles have thinned during my injury, so I hired a personal trainer."


    Ste was left speechless.


    "''So you''ve been covering up because it hasn''t shown results yet?" she asked.


    Keegan nodded, then lowered his voice, "And there''s also the hunger effect.


    Schemer!


    Ste''s gaze lingered on Keegan''s waist and abdomen for a moment, then she whispered, "Where else


    have you been working out?"

 Chapter 2189

    Chapter 2189


    Keegan raised his hand and gestured behind his shoulder. "Been focusing on my back, but it isn¡¯t as


    defined as it is on the abdomen."


    Ste''s eyes lit up. ¡¯Let me take a look."


    Keegan nodded, his gaze lowered, as he removed the bathrobe from his shoulders, preparing to turn


    around and reveal the results of his workouts to his wife, when suddenly the study door was twisted


    open from outside.


    Ste''s reflexes acted quicker than her thoughts. She immediately grabbed Keegan, using her body to


    shield his body.


    The door cracked open, and a little head peeked in. Coco, with two pigtails, blinked innocently, "Uncle


    Keegan, Aunt Ste, Grandma Whitney wants me to ask if you want to eat fish dumplings."


    Ste, still facing away from the door, couldn''t let go. She patted Keegan''s back, prompting him to


    respond.


    Keegan replied, "Well share one portion."


    Coco nodded, nced at Keegan, and whispered, "Uncle Keegan, are you courting someone?"


    Keegan paused. "What did you say?¡±


    Coco mysteriously continued, "Mr. Tobias from Sunshine ss always flexes his muscles when he


    sees Ms. Yvonne from our ss. Ms. Leona from Flower ss says Mr. Tobias is courting. Uncle


    Keegan, are you courting too?"


    Keegan blinked. "Do you know what courting means?"


    Coco raised her chin, "Of course, I do! Courting means wanting to be friends with someone, wanting to


    have offspring. Uncle Keegan, when are you and Aunt Ste going to have babies?"


    Keegan didn''t reply. Instead, he opened the door and ushered her out of the study.


    The next day, during lunchtime in thepany cafeteria, Ste sat next to Sonia rkson as usual.


    Sonia had been at thepany for a few days now, currently assigned to Group Three of Zone A in


    the Perfume Blending Department.


    Before joining, Trevor had called her specifically, reminding her to keep an eye on things on this side of


    the cafeteria, just to make sure she eats well. Sonia was introverted, not good at dealing with


    interpersonal rtionships, but she was obedient, wouldn''t cause trouble, could spend the whole day


    working in the Perfume Blending Room if nobody called her.


    Ste readily took on this task and, at meal times, would call Kiara Lark from Zone B to get Sonia


    downstairs to eat.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Sonia was indeed very obedient, spoke very little, wasn''t picky about food, and could eat anything with


    relish. Kiara joked that when the cafeteria chefs saw Sonia finishing her meal, they would feel a great


    sense of aplishment because she ate so well.


    Ste handed Sonia a bottle of water and asked, "Sonia, the registration for the National Perfume


    Blending Competition is about to start. Do you want to participate?"


    Sonia looked up. ¡¯You brought me to thepany just to help you win thispetition, right? Why are


    you asking me if I want to go?"


    Kiara raised an eyebrow. This neer had quite the attitude.


    Thepetition was held every three years. Only intermediate and above perfume blending


    technicians were eligible to register, but theirpany''s internal rule was to only allow senior perfume


    blending technicians to sign up. Other perfume blending technicians who wanted to participate in the


    competition had to apply for leave, and during the leave, they wouldn''t be paid.


    As for senior perfume blending technicians, there were only seven in the entire Perfume Blending


    Department. In other words, apart from Jaylene, the team leaders of each Perfume Blending


    Department group, and the managers of the two zones, were all senior perfume blending technicians.


    Caline had always sent people to participate in every perfume blendingpetition. Unfortunately,


    apart from the two seasons of thepetition when the founder, Wilfred Hall, was alive, thepany


    had never won apetition since then. It was said that the apprentice of the renowned perfume


    blending technician Jackie Rogan had been dominating the top spot for years.


    After the first time making it to the top, she had held onto the title for three seasons. If she seeded


    in defending the title this year, she would break the record.


    Really bold for a neer, to be so confident.


    Ste smiled. ¨¬ want you to go, but you have to be willing to go. If you want to go, I''ll sign you up. If you


    don''t want to, it''s okay too. Trevor said he just wants you to be happy."


    Sonia paused for a moment, then said, "I''ll participate," she thought for a moment, then added, "Trevor


    also hopes you''ll be happy."


    Ste was about to say something else when Jaylene came over with a tray, smiling and greeting them.


    Two words shed through Ste''s mind - bad luck.

 Chapter 2190

    Chapter 2190


    Ste nced over at her, gave a slight nod, and went back to eating with her head down.


    As Jaylene fetched utensils, she engaged Sonia in conversation, "Sonia, our team leader mentioned


    she assigned you some tasks yesterday, but you didn''tplete them. What happened?"


    Sonia responded, "I finished the tasks she assigned to me. That particr one wasn''t on my list."


    Jaylene sighed, "Sonia, I understand you''re new here and might not enjoy these mundane tasks. But


    you were exempted from the regr process to join, which was already a special treatment. With


    everyone watching, certain tasks still need to bepleted. If you find them too challenging, I can ask


    your team leader to assign simpler ones. However, leaving tasks undone without informing anyone isn''t


    eptable. How can your team leader manage others if this happens?"


    Sonia pursed her lips and reiterated, "She didn''t assign me to handle that form. Ipleted the tasks


    she gave me.¡±


    Jaylene frowned, lightly tapping her fingers on the table, and whispered," Sonia, you''ve never lied


    before."


    Sonia''s fork slipped from her hand and ttered to the floor, her face paling slightly.


    Bang!


    Ste mmed the napkin onto the table, startling Jaylene. She turned to face her, a hint of


    displeasure in her eyes.


    Ste remarked casually, "Do you have to talk nonsense even during break time? Are you getting paid


    extra for this?"


    Jaylene''s expression darkened. "I was just chatting with Sonia. Why are you making such insinuations?


    Just because she''s someone you support, does that mean others can''t voice their opinions?"


    Jaylene''s voice grew louder, drawing attention from other cafeteria patrons.


    Ste looked up at her. "Is that what you call chatting? You''re insinuating that Sonia didn''tplete the


    tasks assigned by her team leader, but she''s stated twice now that she wasn''t assigned that task. Yet


    you use her of lying. Do you have any evidence to support that im?" "But her team leader said-"


    "Does her team leader''s words always represent the truth? Have you investigated this yourself? Are


    you biased? If you believe in trusting whoever you want based on your feelings, then I choose to


    believe Sonia. Can I then suspect that her team leader didn''t finish her own tasks and, fearing me


    from management, pushed the tasks that should have been hers onto Sonia to take the fall?"


    Jaylene''s expression soured. "You''re distorting the facts. Do you have evidence?" "No," Ste calmly


    lifted her gaze and said, "but do you have evidence to prove that Sonia was indeed assigned that task


    by her team leader?"


    Jaylene couldn''t respond, and at that moment, she spotted Sonia''s team leader. She was about to call


    out when the person took advantage of themotion and slipped out of the cafeteria.


    In this situation, the truth couldn''t be clearer.


    With a stiff expression, Jaylene dropped her fork and muttered " unbelievable" before leaving.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    The onlookers dispersed as well.


    Ste stood up, picked up a fork, and handed them to Sonia, saying softly," Let''s eat."


    Sonia looked at the fork in her hand for a while before whispering softly," I''m not lying."


    Ste was taken aback, then nodded. ¨¬ believe you."


    After finishing their meal and going to the pantry to get water, Kiara waited until they were alone to


    speak, "Ms. Hall, actually, you don''t need to argue with Ms. Saun about this. By standing up for her like


    this, you might actually make Sonia''s situation in the Perfume Blending Department even more


    difficult."


    Ste was puzzled. "What do you mean?"

 Chapter 2191

    Chapter 2191


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Kiara sighed, "You know, the Perfume Blending Department isn''t as friendly as it appears on the


    surface."


    Kiara went on to exin that a significant portion of the Perfume Blending Department employees''


    ie came from bonuses, in addition to their base sry and skill-based pay. Ideally, bonuses


    should reflect the amount of work done by each team every month. However, in reality, there was a


    disparity in the capabilities of each team. Some teams were highly efficient andpleted a lot of


    work, yet their bonuses were almost the same as those of other teams'' members.


    Darcie, being so astute, wouldn¡¯t be unaware of the drawbacks of this equal distribution. The root


    cause was that there were several rtives of high-level executives on the board of directors in the


    Perfume Blending Department. These individuals were mostly just figureheads, as the Perfume


    Blending Department had the highest sries in thepany, so they were ced there.


    While some were receiving sries without contributing, others naturally had to work harder. However,


    working harder didn''t result in higher pay. Therefore, many in the Perfume Blending Department were


    dissatisfied with this distribution method. But their dissatisfaction couldn''t be shown in front of Jaylene


    and those high-level executives, so it fell onto Sonia, a neer without connections.


    The entire Perfume Blending Department knew that Sonia''s father died in a ne crash, and out of pity


    for her orphaned state, the Saun family arranged for Sonia, who had just graduated, to join Caline,


    solving her employment problem. With less experience than others but earning simr pay, and having


    entered "through connections," Sonia naturally became isted and marginalized.


    She wasn''t invited to team gatherings, assigned menial tasks or tasks that were on the fringe of


    importance, and was never allowed to participate in core tasks. Even if the tasks assigned to her were


    completed exceptionally well, they would still be criticized, and sometimes, in her presence, people


    would bring up her "connections" as a form of taunt. Darcie and Jaylene were certainly adding fuel to


    the fire.


    Ste didn''t visit the Perfume Blending Department frequently, and Sonia didn''t speak much. If Kiara


    hadn''t told her these things today, Ste would have thought Sonia was doing well in the Perfume


    Blending Department.


    "Ms. Saun is in the Perfume Blending Department, and she knows better than anyone else how Sonia


    is doing, you know?"


    In other words, whether Soniapleted her tasks or not didn''t matter; Jaylene just wanted a reason


    to exclude her.


    Ste was extremely frustrated.


    Kiara continued, "One good thing about Sonia is that she keeps to herself. No matter how others bully


    her, she never speaks up. After a while, those people get bored and stop. If you stand up for Sonia, the


    overt istion may stop, but there will be covert tactics."


    Kiara¡¯s reasoning was sound. Even if Ste stood up for Sonia now, what aboutter? Sonia would still


    have to work in the Perfume Blending Department, and they had plenty of ways to make it difficult for


    her there.


    Ste clenched her fists. It took her a while to say, "Ms. Lark, I don¡¯t know anyone in the Perfume


    Blending Department except you. Can I ask you to look after Sonia?"


    Kiara hurriedly said, "Ms. Hall, you don''t have to be so formal with me. I have limited influence. At most,


    I can make the tasks she¡¯s assigned a little easier. But I can''t control what others think."


    Ste replied warmly, "That''s enough. I appreciate your kindness. If there''s a need in the future, as long


    as it''s within my ability, I will do my best to help you."


    Kiara waved her hand. "Ms. Hall, actually, I think Sonia doesn''t care about these things. Even if she¡¯s


    isted, she doesn''t seem to feel it. Most of the time, she''s immersed in her own world, recording


    things."


    Ste simply said, "Let''s do as I said. Thank you."


    Trevor had said that Sonia was emotionally oblivious, and considering Kiara''s words, Ste thought


    Sonia might not even realize she was being isted.


    Her father had taught her how to interact with people, but now she was navigating this strange world


    alone, feeling lost and confused. Thinking of this, Ste couldn''t help but feel sorry for her.


    She knew Kiara''s advice was sound, but she couldn''t help but think: Sonia''s beloved father had passed


    away, and she was already pitiable enough.


    They brought her back, so they couldn¡¯t let people bully her in front of Ste.


    When Ste lost her mother, nobody protected her, but now that she had the capability, she could


    protect another child who had lost her parents.

 Chapter 2192

    Chapter 2192


    Exiting the pantry, Ste hadn''t gone far when she abruptly halted.


    Jaylene stood silently at the corridor''s bend, observing her.


    "Ste, there are some things I shouldn''t say, but I can''t hold back. Are you really encouraging


    someone to cut ties with their own mother?"


    Ste replied casually, "If you know it''s best not to say something, then just keep quiet! What do you


    really know? Who are you to judge me? Just because you chipped in some money for Dahlia''s debt?"


    Jaylene¡¯s expression hardened. "So you were aware Aunt Dahlia waited for you all day yesterday, and


    you intentionally avoided her."


    Ste nodded. "Yes, but I didn''t anticipate you''d be so generous as to lend her money."


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Jaylene shot her a disdainful look. "I''m not as cold-hearted as you, ignoring people in need! You im


    to love Keegan, yet you treat his mother so cruelly. Is that what you call love?"


    Ste chuckled, "I''m certainly not as noble as you. I care for Keegan, but not to the point of losing my


    sanity, using my family''s hard-earned money to settle his uncle''s gambling debts. Keegan doesn''t care,


    so why should I?"


    Jaylene was taken aback. "What gambling debts?"


    Ste pretended to be surprise. "Dahlia didn''t tell you?"


    "Tell me what?" Jaylene''stone grew anxious. "Quit beating around the bush! R


    Ste smiled faintly. "If you want to know, go find out for yourself. But since you adore Keegan so


    much, you shouldn''t mind."


    With that, she turned and left, leaving Jaylene stunned in ce.


    ke''s gambling issue wasn''t a secret among their circle.


    Jaylene could easily glean ke''s character by asking around.


    Darcie Arnold was affluent, but she always tightly controlled Jaylene''s spending because Wenham


    Saun wasn''t one to splurge.


    Her restrictions were ultimately to please Wenham.


    So the twenty million lent to Dahlia nearly depleted Jaylene''s funds. She lent it to ingratiate herself with


    Dahlia, hoping to improve her standing with Keegan. But if this money was for gambling debts with no


    intention of repayment, Ste doubted Jaylene wouldn''t feel anxious.


    Word of ke losing tens of millions in the underground gambling den quickly circted among their


    circle, almost coinciding with Dahlia''s borrowing. Jaylene finally panicked.


    But before she could call Dahlia, Dahlia called her first.


    After exchanging pleasantries, Dahlia exined the purpose of her call.


    She wanted to borrow another ten million. "Jaylene, I know this puts you in a difficult spot, but I didn''t


    expect those people to demand such high interest rates. I..."


    Jaylene cut in, "Aunt Dahlia, do you know your brother lost tens of millions in the casino?"


    "Millions?" Dahlia was furious. "Who fed you that lie? Is it Ste? Jaylene, don''t listen to Ste''s


    nonsense. She resents me, so she wants me to fail in borrowing money. She wants the Crosby family


    to go bankrupt!"


    Jaylene''s expression darkened. She hadn''t expected Dahlia to resort to lies at such a critical time.


    She said sternly, "Aunt Dahlia, with such a big problem in the Crosby family, why didn''t you go to


    Keegan instead of Ste?"


    Dahlia hesitated, "Keegan has been deceived by Ste and refuses to see me."

 Chapter 2193

    Chapter 2193


    "Why did youe to Caline to confront Ste instead of going to the Vinci Rivera Group to find him?¡¯¡¯


    Jaylene asked.


    Dahlia couldn''t respond.


    Naturally, she dared not stir up trouble at the Vinci Rivera Group. Threats of suing Keegan were


    ultimately just a ploy to extract money. She didn''t want to sever ties with the Kane family unless


    absolutely necessary. After all, who would support her in her old age?


    So she sought out Ste. Ste, pregnant and residing in Royalpark Vi, signaled that remarriage with


    Keegan was imminent, whether his memory had been recovered or not. As a married couple, she


    couldn¡¯t afford to disregard Keegan''s reputation. But Dahlia hadn''t anticipated that after getting so little


    money, Ste would simply ignore her!


    "Does Keegan also know that you need the money to settle your brother''s gambling debts?" Jaylene


    ground her teeth. "Aunt Dahlia, have you ever been honest with me?"


    Dahlia contemted arguing, but Jaylene''s icy stare silenced her. "I don''t care what you do, just give


    me my money back."


    At the mention of money, Dahlia''s demeanor shifted. "What money? Did I ask you for money? Didn''t


    you voluntarily give me money? Did I write an IOU for you? What money do I owe you?"


    Jaylene was stunned, her thoughts in disarray. Then, she cursed, "Dahlia, how shameless can you be?


    If you hadn''te to me pretending to be pitiful, would I have given you money? I offered you help out


    of kindness during a tough time, but you used it to pay off your brother''s gambling debt.


    I could have reported you for fraud!"


    Dahlia abandoned pretense. "Kindness? Was it really kindness? When I was detained, I called you so


    many times, asking you to bail me out, but why did you ignore me?


    "You want to report me? Go ahead! Let''s see if Keegan will marry someone who reported his own birth


    mother!"


    With that, Dahlia hung up the phone.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Jaylene''s face flushed with anger. She swept everything off the table with a furious gesture.


    After work, Ste encountered Jaylene in the elevator. She nced at Jaylene with mild surprise and


    remarked casually, "Aren¡¯t you working overtime today, Ms. Saun?"


    Clutching her fists, Jaylene red at her with hatred. "You knew ke Crosby had gambling debts, so


    when Dahlia came to you, you avoided her, letting me run into her, didn''t you?"


    Ste smiled faintly. "I didn''t urge you to help. Weren''t all your decisions your own? You were trying to


    impress Keegan, trying to get along with your1 future mother-inw,'' weren''t you?"


    Jaylene erupted in fury. She lunged forward to grab Ste''s clothes, but Samuel Herston beside Ste


    raised his hand to block her.


    "Ms. Saun, there are surveince cameras here," Samuel calmly reminded her. "Ms. Hall mentioned


    you have asthma. It''s best not to get too angry; it could trigger an attack."


    Jaylene''s face paled, and she clutched her chest, struggling to breathe.


    She quickly retrieved her inhaler from her bag and took two puffs, feeling some relief.


    Ste offered a suggestion, "I heard ke''s wife has a vi in Gxy Bay. It might still be unsold. If you


    act fast, you might recover your money. If you dy, once it''s sold, there might not be enough to cover


    payment for all the creditors."


    As the elevator doors opened, Ste and Samuel exited one after the other.


    Jaylene doubted Ste''s genuine intentions, but desperate to reim her money, she had someone


    investigate the assets under Kanrara Kent''s name.


    The findings were shocking. Kanrara owned not just one vi, but several properties valued at over a


    hundred million. Selling them could easily plug thepany''s financial gap. Yet, they were unwilling to


    sell and still swindled Jaylene out of her money.


    Jaylene erupted in rage. Armed with Kanrara''s location, she assembled a group and confronted them


    that very night.

 Chapter 2194

    Chapter 2194


    Gxy Bay Vi.


    Kanrara couldn''t help butugh at Jaylene''s arrival, "Ms. Saun, let''s be reasonable here. If someone


    owes you money, you should go after them. Whye to me? I haven''tid eyes on your money."


    Through clenched teeth, Jaylene retorted, "Dahlia took the money from me and used it to cover your


    husband''s gambling debts. If I don''te to you, then who should I go to?"


    "Then go find him. Why should I be responsible for his gambling losses?" Kanrara ced her cup


    down, "Besides, we signed an agreement ages ago. In case of divorce, his gambling debts are his


    burden. We''re already in the process of divorcing, so his affairs are none of my concern."


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    With a firm tone, she ushered Jaylene to leave, "Ms. Saun, it''s gettingte, and my children have


    school tomorrow. I won''t keep you for tea."


    Unwilling to ept defeat, Jaylene spoke sharply, "None of your concern? Then why does your


    ount still have the eight million ke transferred? The divorce must be a sham. It seems like you


    two swindling money together seems pretty real. If you don¡¯t return my twenty million today, don''t think


    I''ll leave on my own two feet!"


    Enraged, Kanrara mmed her hand on the table. "How dare you threaten me!"


    She wasn''t a delicatedy. Having dealt with someone like ke, she had both strength and means.


    She promptly rose from her seat and grabbed Jaylene, pushing her toward the door.


    "Who the hell are you? How dare youe to my house causing trouble! Do I owe you money like


    Dahlia does?


    "Dahlia''s reputation in the circle is well-known. If she could dupe you into giving her money, then you


    must be incredibly naive!


    "Get out of my house right now, along with your people! If you dare scare my son and daughter, I''ll


    scratch your face!"


    Jaylene, naturally slender and ustomed to a life of privilege, stood no chance against Kanrara''s


    height and strength. Soon, she found herself pushed to the entrance.


    The men Jaylene had brought along were mostly strong, but they hesitated to intervene in a fight


    between two women. They could only attempt to separate Kanrara from Jaylene to prevent any harm.


    Nevertheless, they couldn''t contain the towering Kanrara. Jaylene''s hair was disheveled, her clothes


    loose. Seeing her reflection in the hallway mirror, she suddenly grew furious at her appearance.


    Grabbing a nearby dust brush, she fiercely struck Kanrara''s shoulder.


    "Give me back my money!"


    Jaylene''s blowcked force due to her physical weakness. But it genuinely infuriated Kanrara, who


    lunged at Jaylene, pinning her to the ground and striking her wildly. "You wretch, how dare you hit me!


    How dare youy a hand on me! Coming to my house and causing trouble? Do you think I''m going


    easy on you?"


    Kanrara went berserk, raining down blows on Jaylene. Her sharp nails left marks, deep or shallow, on


    Jaylene''s face and body. The room echoed with Jaylene''s desperate cries.


    Kanrara acted like a madwoman, attacking without discrimination. Those nearby couldn''t stop her.


    At that moment, Jaylene, who had been crying, suddenly fell silent. Her face turned purple, veins


    bulging on her forehead. She curled up, gasping for air like a dying fish, mouth gaping, making a


    wheezing sound.


    Terrified, Kanrara backed away, pale-faced and stuttering, "You, you''re just pretending! I didn''t even


    use much force! You started it!"


    Jaylene couldn''t speak anymore, curled up on the ground, struggling to retrieve her fallen bag from a


    distance.


    But no one knew she had asthma, nor did they understand her actions. They were all frightened by her


    sudden attack. The people Jaylene had hired were service staff from the clubs she frequented, looking


    to make a quick buck. None of them had seen such a scene before, and they all panicked. Several of


    them ran away.


    This frightened Kanrara. She genuinely feared Jaylene dying in her house. After all, she was the


    daughter of the Saun family; if anything happened, she couldn''t afford to handle the consequences.


    Trembling, she took out her phone and called ke.

 Chapter 2195

    Chapter 2195


    Ste got a call from Trevor Saun in the wee hours.


    Jaylene had an asthma attack and was rushed to the hospital; ke and Kanrara took her there.


    Ste, originally feeling very sleepy, perked up upon hearing the news. She asked softly, "How is she


    doing now?"


    Trevor replied, "She''s still in the emergency room. We just got to the hospital and haven''t seen her yet.


    You don''t need toe over. Just send a fruit basket tomorrow."


    "How can I not go?" Ste narrowed her eyes. "After all, she''s my stepsister. If I don''t go to see her


    after such a big incident, people will talk. Trevor, send me the address, I''ll be there in a while.¡±


    Knowing his sister''s strong-minded nature, Trevor didn''t argue. He reminded her to drive carefully and


    sent her the address.


    Before ending the call, Ste added, "Trevor, ask ke to call Dahlia. How can she, as a party


    involved, be absent from such a big event?"


    Trevor hesitated for a moment. "Ste, do you want to discuss this with Keegan? After all, it''s his


    mother."


    Ste lowered her gaze. "Trevor, Keegan knows."


    Trevor didn''t say anything further.


    As Ste came out dressed, she bumped into Keegan, who had just left the study.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    He looked sleepy, and upon seeing her dressed neatly, he paused, "Ste, where are you going?"


    Ste exined briefly, "Jaylene went to your aunt''s ce, had a conflict with her, had an asthma


    attack, and was rushed to the hospital. I''m going to check on her."


    Keegan frowned, "Wait for me. I''ll change and take you there."


    "No need," Ste held him back, reaching out to touch the dark circles under his eyes, and whispered,


    "How can you drive in this state of exhaustion? Get some sleep; I''ll have Samuel drive me."


    Keegan wanted to say more, but Ste softly interjected, "Your mom will be there soon. Are you sure


    you want to go?"


    Keegan fell silent.


    He knew everything Dahlia had dely. She loved the Crosby family, ke, Aurora, power, and


    status. She would lower herself to beg for those she loved. It''s not that she didn''t have love; she just


    didn''t love him.


    Keegan closed his eyes, then opened them again, a sense of coldness creeping in. "I just want to


    ensure the safety of my wife and child. How can I sleep when you''re not home sote?"


    Ste hugged him, gently patting his back. "Go change, I''ll wait for you in the car."


    Dahlia was lured to the hospital by ke. He had someone call Dahlia, iming he had been in a car


    ident. Dahlia panicked and rushed over in a taxi. When she got out of the car, her hair wasn''t even


    combed. She looked nothing like her usual dignified self and was even wearing slippers.


    Keegan silently watched the panicked figure through the ss, his face devoid of any expression.


    Ste squeezed his hand and whispered, "Be good, wait for me in the car."


    Keegan smiled faintly, softly saying "Hmm," and squeezed her hand back.


    Darcie wanted to hit Kanrara, but ke took a p for her. Dahlia happened to witness this and got


    into a struggle with Darcie. As Ste stepped out of the elevator, she saw Trevor standing aside


    watching themotion, while Wenham was trying to intervene.

 Chapter 2196

    Chapter 2196


    ke was definitely Dahlia''s brother.


    Ste had been with her inws for three years. While she knew Dahlia was vain and not a good


    person, she had never seen Dahlia get into a fight like this,pletely disregarding her image and


    reputation.


    Dahlia was used to using harsh and cutting words to humiliate and ridicule others. Even when angry,


    she maintained the manners and etiquette expected of ady from a prestigious family. She would


    never engage in a brawl like a shrew. This was also why she disliked Kanrara so much.


    In Dahlia''s eyes, Kanrara was nothing but a shrew who loved to fight and curse.


    It turned out Dahlia was soposed because they hadn''t hurt anyone she cared about. Once that line


    had been crossed, it turned out she couldn''t stay calm either.


    Ste thought to herself, thankfully she didn''t bring Keegan up here. He was such a dignified person; if


    he saw this, he would probably be upset again.


    Trevor pulled Ste aside to prevent her from getting involved with the two.


    Darcie, unable to reach Dahlia due to Wenham''s intervention, started cursing directly.


    "Dahlia! You despicable creature with no conscience! My daughter lent you money to help you, and


    instead of being grateful, you turned around and stabbed her in the back. How can there be such a


    disgusting person in this world! It serves you right for being kicked out of the Kane family!"


    Wenham frowned. "Darcie, that''s enough."


    Dahlia, struck at her weak spot, retaliated, "And what kind of person is your daughter? She''s not


    helping me; she''s trying to seduce my son! Take a look at what she looks like! A mistress¡¯ daughter


    dreaming of bing my daughter-inw. Dream on!"


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Darcie exploded, "Watch your mouth! Who are you calling a mistress?!"


    Dahlia sneered, "What? After all these years, with no one bringing it up, have you forgotten what your


    background is? Who was the one following me around in school, calling me ''big sister¡¯ all the time? You


    tried to be part of our circle and hook a wealthy husband by taking over my cleaning duties for a


    semester. Freesia was foolish enough to stand up for you. But what did you do? You talked about


    repaying kindness, but you ended up taking another woman''s husband to your bed! You''ve been like a


    loyal dog by his bedside, cleaning up his mess for so many years. And now that you''ve finally made it,


    you think you''re a nobledy? You''re nothing!"


    Wenham looked grim.


    Through gritted teeth, he said, "Dahlia, Freesia has been gone for so many years. Don''t speak so


    harshly."


    Dahliaunched another indiscriminate attack. "Shut up! You slept with your ex-wife''s best friend;


    you''re no good either!"


    Wenham was rendered speechless.


    Suddenly, he didn''t want to intervene anymore.


    Darcie was so angry that her hands were shaking. It had been a long time since she had heard


    someone expose her weaknesses and disdainfully look down on her.


    "Dahlia, you stupid fool! Do you think no one knows about your affairs with Chandler? You thought he


    couldn''t inherit the Kane family, so you kicked him aside and climbed into Quentin''s bed! If it weren''t for


    your pregnancy, with your stupidity, Quentin would never have looked at you! You''ve been married into


    the Kane family for over thirty years. Why hasn''t Madam Kane handed over control of the family estate


    to you? Don''t you have any idea why? It''s because even she, in her confusion, wouldn''t hand over the


    Kane family to someone as stupid as you!"


    Ste had found out about this from Keegan, so she wasn''t surprised, but it was the first time Trevor


    had heard about it, and his face was full of shock.


    Dahlia''s face turned pale, cursing angrily, "You nderous wretch! I''ll tear your mouth apart!"


    The two were about to start fighting again when, at Wenham''s signal, Trevor stepped forward and


    stopped them.


    "Aunt Darcie, Aunt Dahlia, stop quarreling. I''ve called the police; they''ll be here soon to handle this.


    Jaylene was perfectly fine before she entered the hospital; we need an exnation."


    ke and Kanrara, upon hearing this, tried to run, but Trevor''s men had already blocked their way.


    There was no way for them to escape now.

 Chapter 2197

    Chapter 2197


    Dahlia felt a twinge of guilt and immediately lost the fiery momentum of her earlier shouting, but she still


    pushed herself to say, "She already has asthma, so who''s to me if she can''t control her emotions?"


    Trevor remarked casually, "The people Jaylene brought with her said you swindled her out of her


    money. This matter seems rted to her condition, right?"


    Dahlia''s heart skipped a beat, and then she spotted Ste. Her eyes instantly lit up. "Ste, you¡¯ve


    come at the perfect time."


    Ste hesitated.


    It was odd. It was the first time Dahlia had spoken to her with such enthusiasm.


    Dahlia attempted to approach, but Trevor calmly positioned himself in front of Ste, preventing Dahlia


    from getting too close.


    Dahlia halted in her tracks, eager. "Ste, you promised me before that you''d give me a billion to settle


    thepany¡¯s debts. You can''t just go back on your word."


    Her eyes suggested to Ste that if she didn''t hand over the money, she shouldn''t be surprised if


    Dahlia ignored their familial ties.


    Ste pursed her lips. "I agreed to give you a billion because you imed Kanrara ran off with the


    money, leaving thepany in debt. I gave you the money to clear that debt, but instead, you handed


    it over to your brother and sister-inw for their enjoyment. Your brother splurges at the casino, and


    your sister-inw stays in luxury hotels. Why should I foot the bill for them?"


    Dahlia was taken aback. After calming down, she finally realized what was amiss.


    ke had clearly stated that Kanrara had absconded with the money, so why was Kanrara at the


    hospital with him?


    Dahlia nced at ke, about to inquire, but ke nervously interjected," Dahlia, don''t listen to her


    nonsense. I just happened to bump into Rara."


    "Just happened to bump into her?" Ste smirked slightly. "At midnight, in the hospital? Why did my


    brother say it was you and your wife who took Jaylene to the hospital?"


    If it weren''t for the doctor warning that Jaylene''s condition was severe and fearing legal consequences,


    the two would have fled long ago.


    Jaylene wouldn''t have visited Kanrara''s ce without reason. Dahlia had clearly informed Jaylene


    earlier that Kanrara had run off with the money.


    Jaylene had gone to Kanrara to request for money back, and something had urred at Kanrara''s


    residence. Kanrara had then reached out to ke, and the two had escorted Jaylene to the hospital.


    With this matter cleared up, Dahlia''s heart sank. She looked at ke with a pale face. "What actually


    happened? ke, you¡¯d better exin! I transferred over two hundred million to you. Where did it go?


    Did you lose it gambling, or did you give it to this contemptible woman?"


    Kanrara''s expression also changed. "Two hundred million?"


    She pped ke hard across the face, gritting her teeth. "Wasn''t it eight million? Where did the rest


    of the money go?"


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Seeing her brother being pped, Dahlia instinctively struck Kanrara back.


    Kanrara, incensed, seized Dahlia by the cor and mmed her against the wall, delivering a p.


    "You wench! I''ve tolerated you for too long! Do you still think you''re thedy of this house, strutting


    around, giving orders?"


    Dahlia was no match for Kanrara at all. Her eyes zing with anger, she tried evading and cursed,


    "You despicable woman! I knew you were behind ke''s actions! If it weren''t for you, how could the


    Crosby family have ended up like this? You jinx-"


    p!


    Kanrara delivered a stinging p. "The Crosby family, ke, all of it¡ªit''s all because of you, you


    worthless piece of trash!"

 Chapter 2198

    Chapter 2198


    "ke was just about to quit gambling, and then youe along, giving him money, encouraging him


    to gamble. You¡¯re afraid he might walk a straight path, afraid our marriage might actually work out, and


    you won''t have control over him! You''re afraid you won''t be able to control the Crosby family! What


    exactly are you nning?


    "You took control of everything just because you brought in a few deals for thepany! You dictate


    what car ke buys, what clothes he wears, and when I visit my mom in the hospital, you use me


    of wasting family money. Do you not have a mother? When your daughter learns the piano, it''s


    considered character-building, but when mine learns the violin, suddenly it''s a waste of money! You act


    like we don''t deserve good things in life!


    "We''re all raised by our parents. How noble do you think you are? Huh?"


    Kanrara''s eyes were bloodshot as she grabbed and scratched at Dahlia, wanting to release years of


    resentment.


    Dahlia, battered, blocked Kanrara''s attacks while shouting at ke, "What are you waiting for?"


    Though ke didn''t dare provoke Kanrara, when he heard Dahlia calling, he attempted to intervene,


    only to receive w marks on his face.


    Dahlia yelled, "You ungrateful creature! If it weren¡¯t for me, you wouldn''t be living the high life in the


    Crosby family! I knew you were ungrateful from the start. I shouldn''t have allowed you into the Crosby


    family in the first ce!"


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Themotion attracted hospital staff, prompting Wenham to finally urge Trevor to step in and


    separate them.


    "I''ve been part of the Crosby family for over a decade. I visit home just once a year, and you constantly


    use me of squandering the family''s money. What about you? You''ve been with the Kane family for


    thirty years. What have you brought back to the Kane family? Is your heart ever with the Kane family?


    "You''re self-centered, only caring about yourself. You''re unhappy with your son''s wife, so you use my


    ID to get medication for someone else! You''re shallow, pushing people into divorce, lying about


    improving their health, when in reality, you''re trying to make her infertile! Who under the sun has a


    mother as malicious as you? You can''t stand to see others seed!"


    Trevor had already grabbed Kanrara''s hand, but upon hearing this, he suddenly let go, and Kanrara''s


    pnded on Dahlia''s face.


    Ste''s heart sank, and she discreetly nced at Wenham.


    The old man''s face had turned extremely grim, and Trevor looked equally perturbed.


    Darcie also gave Ste a surprised look, but Ste''s expression remained unchanged, as if Kanrara''s


    words didn''t concern her.


    With a stern expression, Trevor asked Kanrara, "What''s this about the medication? Who did she drug?


    And what''s this about causing infertility?"


    Dahlia paled, sharply retorting, "You''re lying!"


    Unwilling to be outdone, Kanrara attempted to grapple with her again but refrained from mentioning her


    previous usation.


    The police quickly arrived, putting an end to the altercation. Soon, they escorted everyone to the police


    station.


    As Jaylene hadn''t yet emerged from the emergency room, the Saun family hadn''t made a move.


    Ste hade to stoke the fire, but it had grown too intense, turning toward her instead. She made


    an excuse to leave, but Trevor stopped her, saying, ''TH walk you down."


    Ste declined, " No need, my car is downstairs."


    Ignoring her protest, Trevor grabbed her hand, saying, "Let''s go."


    Throughout the journey, Trevor remained silent, lips pursed. Sensing his unease, Ste whispered,


    "Trevor, is there... something you want to tell me? It


    Trevor shook his head. "No."


    Nothing?


    But his expression had been so grim when he heard Kanrara''s words just now.

 Chapter 2199

    Chapter 2199


    Ste was worried Trevor might redirect his anger toward Keegan, so she exined, "When I had the


    car ident years ago, I injured my uterus. Dahlia gave me those medicines, iming they were for


    my recovery.


    Neither Keegan nor I suspected she would tamper with them. They tasted awful, so when the nanny


    wasn''t looking, I discreetly got rid of them. I didn''t consume much of it..."


    "Mm," Trevor responded casually, "I know."


    Ste nced at Trevor''s face for a moment, feeling somewhat relieved.


    Maybe he wasn''t as angry now, especially since she was pregnant, indicating her body was still okay.


    However, this relief evaporated when Trevor caught sight of Keegan. Without a word, hended a


    punch on Keegan''s face, causing it to immediately swell.


    Ste was startled, quickly stepping forward to shield Keegan, anxiously asking, "Trevor! What are you


    doing?"


    "Ste, get out of the way!" Trevor clenched his fists, his expression grim, and gritted his teeth. "Since


    you married her, why haven''t you properly protected her? Don''t you realize what kind of person your


    mother is? You didn''t even bother to check the things she gave you before allowing Ste to ingest


    them! She didn''t want children, so you should have respected that! Can''t she live without having


    children? You''ve mistreated her so much!


    Ste held onto Trevor tightly, pleading, "He did check, Trevor! Dahlia switched the medicine midway.


    How could he have known? It''s been so long since it happened. Why are you doing this?"


    "He couldn''t have been so naive as to not know!"


    "Trevor!" Ste''s urgency was evident in her reddening eyes.


    Keegan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, gently grasping Ste''s


    hand, and said, "Darling, get in the car. I''ll talk to Trevor."


    Ste shook off his hand, demanding, "Why should I get in the car? Have you suddenly lost your ability


    to speak? You''re usually quite talkative.


    Exin yourself!"


    Trevor sneered, "Let''s hear your excuses! If I had known Ste was suffering like this in your house, I


    would never have allowed her to get involved with you again! Did you n the pregnancy before


    marriage too? Did you think she would marry you just because she was pregnant? Let me tell you, the


    Saun family doesn''tck money to raise children. A child can have a father, but it can also-"


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste couldn''t bear it anymore and cut him off loudly, "Trevor! You and Keegan grew up together. Is he


    really the person you think he is? Keegan has known for a long time that it''s not easy for me to get


    pregnant. If he only married me to have children, then why did he undergo a vasectomy?"


    Trevor was momentarily stunned, but quickly caught on. "Vasectomy? Then whose child are you


    carrying?"


    Ste didn''t respond.


    Keegan said, "Mine."


    "I know it''s yours! Did you get a vasectomy or not?"


    Keegan was quiet for a while.


    He then pursed his lips and exined, "There was aplication with the vasectomy. It didn''t work."


    "Heh." Trevor sneered, then turned to Ste. "You actually believe this nonsense? Hospitals perform


    vasectomies every day, and somehow his was the one that had aplication? Such a conniving man!


    If he truly cared about you, he wouldn''t have let you get pregnant before marriage!"


    Keegan had no defense; the wound was real, but the vasectomy was not. Suddenly, he wondered if


    Ste had ever doubted whether his vasectomy was genuine or fake. Did she trust him?


    He looked at Ste, but she didn''t return his gaze. Instead, she earnestly addressed Trevor, ¡®Trevor,


    when the doctor said I had a high risk of miscarriage even if I got pregnant, I don''t believe Keegan


    would lie to me about something like this. If he were that selfish, it should have been him pulled out of


    the river that day, not me."

 Chapter 2200

    Chapter 2200


    Keegan hesitated for a moment, feeling his heart soften, and gently reached out to her.


    Trevor quickly swatted his hand away, pulling Ste closer to him, his expression darkening. "Let''s talk


    without any physical contact!"


    Keegan bit his lip. "Trevor, I didn''t handle things well before. I promise I won''t let Ste suffer again in


    the future."


    "In the future?" Trevor sneered. "First, sort out the mess in your family before talking about the future."


    With that, he took hold of Ste''s arm. "Come with me."


    Ste resisted. "All my stuff is still at Royalpark Vi. It''s too much hassle to move back and forth."


    "Forget about it. We''ll buy new things! Do weck money at home?"


    Ste sighed. "Trevor, I''m an adult now. Please don''t treat me like a child. I can distinguish right from


    wrong. If Keegan treats me poorly, I can walk away on my own. I''m capable of supporting myself now; I


    don''t need to depend on him. And worst-case scenario, I still have you guys. I''m with him because he


    makes me happy. If I''m not happy someday, I can leave whenever I want, without someone else


    deciding for me."


    Trevor''s heart shattered. "Am I just someone else to you?"


    Ste sighed again. "Trevor, if you keep nitpicking like this, it''s pointless. You know I don''t mean it that


    way."


    Knowing and hearing were two different things. Did she really understand how much that "someone


    else" hurt him, this person who was extremely protective of his sister?


    Keegan tried to intervene. "Ste, why don''t you stay at the Saun''s tonight and have a good chat with


    Trevor."


    Trevor snapped at him, "There''s no need for your fake kindness here!"


    "Hiss-" Suddenly, Ste''s face turned pale, and she clutched her abdomen.


    Trevor''s anger dissipated instantly as he nervously supported her. "What''s wrong?"


    Keegan''s face also went white with concern. "Are you in pain?"


    Ste nodded, her voice hoarse. "It''s cramping a bit."


    Keegan bent down to pick her up and hurried to the hospital, with Trevor following closely.


    As they entered the elevator, Ste weakly said, "Trevor, could you get me two bottles of water? My


    mouth is so dry."


    Trevor agreed and stepped out of the elevator to buy water.


    As soon as the elevator doors closed, Ste patted Keegan''s neck, signaling him to put her down.


    Keegan was confused. "I thought you were in pain?"


    "If I didn''t fake the pain, would Trevor have let you off?"


    When they reached the second floor, Ste pulled Keegan out of the elevator and quietly slipped away


    through the stairwell.


    Once they were in the car and had driven a kilometer away, she sent Trevor a WhatsApp message.


    "Niece/nephew is fine. Don''t worry."


    Trevor didn''t reply, but after a while, he updated his social media.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He posted a photo of the water he bought, with the caption, "Do you know what this is?"


    Vermont Snyder, an avid surfer, quicklymented, "Water for your brain?"


    Trevor gave him the finger in the reply. "And water for my troubled stomach."


    Ste replied underneath with aforting hug emoji.

 Chapter 2201

    Chapter 2201


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    She asked Keegan to leave ament too, hoping to calm Trevor down a bit. But when Keegan


    couldn''t find Trevor¡¯s social media post, a red exmation mark popped up as he tried to message him,


    indicating that Trevor had blocked him.


    Ste reassured him, "It''s okay. Next time we argue, he''ll have to unblock you and scold you."


    Keegan was speechless.


    She was bad atforting people. It was better if she did not do it again.


    After themotion, Keegan became serious. "Don''t use that trick again to fool people. Did you see


    how pale Trevor''s face turned? He was genuinely scared."


    Ste chuckled, "Your face seemed even paler than his though?"


    Keegan replied softly, "I was scared too. Grandma said we should avoid taboo topics; some things


    shouldn''t be said casually."


    His expression was very serious. He used to not believe in these things, but it seemed that both of


    them had be superstitious and timid ever since Ste got pregnant.


    Ste held his hand, gently rubbing it against her cheek, and whispered," Okay, let''s not talk about it


    anymore."


    She then reached out to touch his mouth, frowning. "Trevor was really rough on you. Does it still hurt?"


    Keegan chuckled, "He actually held back. You haven''t seen him in a fight; one punch can break


    someone''s nose."


    He had even specifically trained in boxing for fighting. During his rebellious phase, he even went to


    underground fights. Keegan had seen him throw punches, so he knew how much strength Trevor had


    used on him.


    Though it still hurt quite a bit, being able to hear Ste''s insightful analysis made it a bit more bearable.


    Ste sighed, My dad said Trevor was quite obedient when he was young, but he became crooked as


    he grew up."


    Keegan''s eyelid twitched. Whether Trevor was obedient or not depends on whether he wanted to


    pretend. He used to y pranks on his ymates when he was young, not because he was wealthy


    and people were afraid to get close to him, but because he was mischievous!


    But he dared not say these words in front of Ste. Just now, she sided with him because he got


    beaten up. If he said something negative about Trevor now, she would definitely think he was using the


    opportunity to shift me.


    After thinking for a moment, Keegan asked her, "Ste, have you never suspected whether I lied to you


    about the vasectomy?"


    Ste shook her head.


    Keegan''s heart softened, and he squeezed her hand tightly. "Why didn''t you?"


    Ste said, "When you were drunk, you showed me the scar from the vasectomy. I figured you wouldn''t


    be so bored as to deliberately cut yourself just to deceive me. You could have drawn the scar; why put


    yourself through that?"


    The smile on Keegan''s face disappeared instantly. What nonsense trust was this! She didn''t trust him;


    she trusted his foolish behavior when he was drunk.


    Ste pondered, "Which hospital did you get the vasectomy from? Isn''t this a medical ident? We


    should find awyer to sue them and make thempensate! Does your ssmate Joseph Quin


    handle medical disputes?"


    Keegan''s expression was nk. "Even if he does, I won''t go to court."


    Ste frowned, "It''s a lot of money inpensation. Why not go to court?


    We''re the victims."


    Keegan gritted his teeth. "Let''s forget about the vasectomy, but going to court over a failed vasectomy?


    How embarrassing would that be for me? Besides..."


    He paused, thinking of Cordelia''s unsurprised reaction when Ste got pregnant. Lowering his voice,


    he said, "It probably wasn''t a medical ident." "Huh?" Ste''s eyebrows furrowed.


    Keegan pursed his lips, then told Ste the truth, "It was probably Grandma who tampered with it, so


    the vasectomy wasn''t sessful."


    Ste was stunned.


    Keegan continued softly, "Grandma didn''t know about your health condition. I told her I didn''t want


    children, so she probably thought I had the vasectomy to be chiIdfree, so she tampered with it."


    He had exined to his grandmother before going on the business trip for the surgery, but she still


    called several times during that time. He didn''t think much of it before, but now he realized she


    probably knew about the surgery then, was worried but didn''t dare to mention it, so she called to test


    the waters.


    Crafty old fox...

 Chapter 2202

    Chapter 2202


    Cordelia might have held traditional beliefs, thinking that having more children brought more blessings,


    instilled a sense of responsibility, and stabilized marital rtionships. Perhaps she was worried that her


    own body couldn''t withstand many more years, and since Dahlia was unreliable, choosing to conceive


    a child earlier could put an end to her unpredictable behavior.


    Whatever the reason, it left Keegan feeling somewhat resentful.


    Fortunately, because he and Ste didn''t share a room frequently before, it took a while for her to


    conceive. Ste''s body was also in good shape, and the fetus developed healthily. If she had


    conceived earlier but couldn''t carry it to term, he feared he would hurt her again.


    Keegan sighed and said softly, "Ste, I''m sorry."


    Ste understood he was speaking on behalf of Cordelia.


    She gently patted the back of his hand without saying a word.


    Now that the child was conceived, there was no point in questioning Cordelia''s motives anymore.


    Ste then remembered the main issue. "Your mom, your uncle, and aunt were taken away by the


    police."


    Keegan simply responded with a soft "Hmm" and added, "I saw."


    Ste hesitated.


    Keegan looked up at her and said gently, "Do what you think is right, don''t worry about me. I will always


    believe in you."


    Ste remained silent for a while and said only one thing, "If she doesn''t take action, I won''t either."


    This was her giving Dahlia onest chance on Keegan''s behalf. Whether it would be a quiet retreat or a


    complete downfall, it depended entirely on Dahlia''s choice.


    Keegan said, "Okay."


    An hourter, Jaylene was no longer in critical condition, but Trevor didn''t message Ste until the next


    morning.


    When Ste was nearly at the hospital, she called Trevor back.


    Trevor still had some temper, waiting until thest second before answering the call, and his tone was


    unusually cold. "Hello."


    Ste cautiously said, "Trevor, are you still upset with me?"


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Trevor chuckled, "Upset? Why would I be? They''re the ones picking on you.


    You''re not upset, so why should I be? I''m not upset; I''m quite happy, hahaha.


    "Trevor, I''m sorry, I was wrong. I shouldn''t have liedst night, or used the child to deceive you, making


    you worry. You stood up for me, and I ignored it. Why am I such a terrible person?"


    Trevor said, "Don''t y the emotional card with me. I dislike that the most."


    Ste shook her head. "I''m not. I''m just speaking from the heart. I''ve never had anyone care for me as


    much as you do, standing up for me against others. If I didn''t appreciate it, that would be one thing, but


    I also hurt you. I don''t deserve to have the best brother in the world..."


    Trevor was quiet for a moment.


    "Do you still want to cut ties with me?"


    Ste was speechless.


    Keegan fell for this, but it didn''t work on Trevor.


    She emphasized again, "I don''t deserve to have the very best brother in the world."


    Trevor snorted, "I''m not Keegan. I don''t buy into ttery."


    Ste was dejected. "You can be mad for a while more, but can you eat first?"


    As she spoke, she appeared behind Trevor, "Trevor, I brought you pancakes from your favorite ce."


    Trevor''s smile vanished immediately,pletely unaware of how much of his expression Ste had


    just seen. He coughed and red at her, "You didn''t even tell me you wereing!"

 Chapter 2203

    Chapter 2203


    Ste whispered, "I was worried you''re still upset with me."


    Handing Trevor the breakfast, she asked, "Where¡¯s Dad?" "Dad went to rest. He left around four. He


    should be here soon." "You''ve been here all night?"


    Trevor opened the bag, taking a bite, "Gotta keep up appearances."


    With over twenty years of being family, being too nonchnt could easily raise Darcie''s suspicions.


    Ste nced at the dark circles under his eyes, feeling a pang of sympathy, ''There''s a restaurant


    downstairs, grab a seat there and eat. I''ll get you a bowl of soup."


    Trevor waved it off. "I drank enough waterst night."


    Ste was speechless.


    That sarcastic streak seemed to be a family trait.


    Seeing it in Trevor made Ste realize how stubborn she used to be.


    She couldn''t help butugh, "Trevor, did you scare off all your ex-girlfriends with that sarcasm?"


    Trevor nodded. "Yep, those with thick skins like Keegan are rare."


    Ste was rendered speechless once more.


    In the end, Trevor did join Ste at the restaurant.


    ording to him, Jaylene was badly injured this time, scratches all over her neck and arms, and a


    bruise on her forehead.


    Getting her to the hospital took some time, and now that she had just regained consciousness, she was


    very weak.


    The police have taken statements, but Jaylene didn''t use Dahlia of fraud; she focused on using


    Kanrara and ke. She was not going to let them off.


    Ste quickly deduced Jaylene''s reasoning; she didn''t dare use Dahlia for fear she might seed,


    which wouldn''t bode well with Keegan.


    When Ste avoided Dahlia and indirectly led her to thepany, she had thoughts of using her as a


    scapegoat. Although she thought it might not work, she didn''t expect it to fail so spectacrly.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    "Darcie isn''t pursuing it? Jaylene looks terrible, yet she''s not angry?"


    Trevor finished his porridge and looked up. "Angry? Why wouldn''t she be? But in this world, when it


    comes to parents who care about their children, who can resist them? Darcie''s no exception, and fraud


    requires evidence; Dahlia''s at most borrowing money and not returning it."


    Ste stirred the porridge for a moment, then said, "She''s getting off easy."


    Trevor raised his gaze. "We could sue her for poisoning."


    Setting down the spoon, Ste replied, "Trevor, after I divorced Keegan, I consulted awyer. Dahlia''s


    prescription did contain some abortifacient drugs, but overall, it was a tonic. There''s no evidence to


    prove that taking this prescription would lead to infertility. Traditional Chinese medicine is different from


    Western medicine; its toxic effects aren''t easily detectable. Unless we conduct experiments ourselves


    to prove that this prescription does indeed cause infertility after consumption, we don¡¯t have a case. I


    mean who would want to be a test subject?


    "Plus, because of my previous injuries from the car ident, if the other party''swyer keeps harping


    on this point, I won''t win the case. And now that I''m pregnant, it''s even less convincing."


    Trevor fell silent for a moment and asked, "Is it because of Keegan that you don''t want to sue?"


    Ste smiled. "Trevor, why would you think that? It''s because I didn¡¯t sue that Keegan feels guilty


    toward me."


    Trevor was taken aback.


    Ste continued calmly, "Knowing that I wouldn''t win if I sued, the one who''d bear the bad reputation


    would be me. But by not suing, Keegan knows the injustice I''ve suffered. When he faces Dahlia, he


    won''t be so hesitant. The reason I¡¯m not suing her is because at Olivia''s daughter''s wedding, I have a


    n. If I don¡¯t let him know the malicious intentions of his mother toward his loved ones, he''ll always


    remember that tiny bit of favor for giving birth to him. Because of that, he won''t have the heart to hurt


    her, so I¡¯m giving him a little push."

 Chapter 2204

    Chapter 2204


    Trevor stayed silent for a moment.


    He had initially thought his sister was blinded by love, but it seemed that Keegan was the one with the


    love-struck brain from start to finish, like a silly dog. Quite pitiful, really.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    After a brief consideration, he asked, "What if Dahlia doesn''t do those thingster on? Wouldn''t your


    n fall through?"


    Ste responded gently, "The mom who raised me didn''t just teach me to seek revenge but also to


    forgive. If there are no further incidents, it means she still cares for Keegan to some extent, and she''s


    not inherently evil. As long as she doesn''t create trouble, I don''t mind Keegan taking care of her in her


    old age."


    Keegan had given Dahlia too many chances, and all she ever gave him in return was escting


    cruelty. It was actually good to finally make Keegan lose heart without disappointing herself.


    "What''s the n now?" Trevor inquired.


    Ste''s tone remained calm, "What I do depends on what Dahlia chooses to do."


    She skipped over that topic and asked Trevor, "Have you found Dillon Brook?"


    Trevor nodded. "She rented a small apartment near the city hospital and goes there regrly for


    treatment and medication adjustment. I asked around and found out her condition is not easy to treat;


    she''s in poor health, suffering from depression, and needs long-term medication.


    "She''s not very social,es out every two days to buy groceries and necessities, and doesn''t go out


    much otherwise. She''s very wary and resistant to contact with strangers. The surveince team said


    she walks around the neighborhood or park on weekend afternoons, often staring at a group of children


    for hours.


    "I even sent two people to try and approach her, but it was not sessful. She was very wary, and she


    didn''t want any sort of contact with strangers.


    It''s difficult to go anywhere near her."


    Ste didn''t respond.


    Previous investigations on Paul Morant revealed that the fire years ago imed his six-month pregnant


    fiance. However, it was actually Paul who died in the fire, whereas Dillon lived. There was no


    information about Paul having children. Presumably, the fetus she was carrying was also lost in the fire.


    She herself was so severely injured; it was likely that the child couldn''t be saved either.


    After some thought, Ste suggested, "Trevor, how about getting a single mother with a child to live


    next door to her? Someone with a gentler personality who likes children could use the child as a way to


    gradually make contact." "That''s one option," Trevor mused, then frowned. "It''s easy to find burly men,


    but it''s not easy to find single mothers with children who are willing to cooperate."


    Ste spoke warmly, "Shea can do it." "Who?" "My former assistant, Shea Cheel. I haven''t been filming


    for a few months, and Kai has arranged for her to help other artists. Shea got divorced, has a son in


    kindergarten. Her ex-husband remarriedst month, and the new wife isn''t keen on being a stepmom,


    so the husband sent the child to her. The child is now with her, but it is affecting her work. Kai has


    mentioned it a few times, wanting to transfer her to another position."

 Chapter 2205

    Chapter 2205


    "She''s rushing to earn money to regain custody of her son, so I''m still hesitant to transfer her. She''s


    quite capable at work, but I figured since it''s challenging for her to bnce work and taking care of her


    child, it might be better to have her get close to Dillon.


    "Dillon hasn''t been back long. Besides donating some money to the welfare home and asionally


    wandering around Rivera, she hasn''t done much else, suggesting she just wants to make amends for


    her past mistakes. However, she doesn''t intend to admit to what happened back then. I just had a


    thought."


    Ste raised her eyes, "Trevor, do you think the fire that Dillon and the others encountered back then


    was idental or deliberate?"


    Trevor countered, ''Do you think it was deliberate too?"


    Ste said, "It just strikes me as odd. Back then, there were four people, including the anesthetist. Two


    died, one fled abroad and can''t return, and one nearly died. In the end, she survived under her fiance''s


    name. Don''t you find this death rate a bit excessive? Among them, the oldest isn''t even sixty now. No


    matter how I look at it, it doesn''t seem like an ident."


    Trevor remained silent for a moment and then said slowly, "If they were killed to hide a secret, then that


    secret can only be..."


    Trevor lifted his gaze. "Murder."


    Ste''s expression darkened, and she remained silent for a long time.


    This seemed to be the most reasonable exnation.


    Continuing to ponder, Trevor asked, "Do you think Dillon knows that the two aplices died back


    then?"


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste shook her head. "I doubt she knows. When you went abroad to meet Venice Taylor, didn''t you


    say that after they got the money, they were afraid of getting caught, so they agreed not to contact


    each other anymore?


    Those who went abroad did so, those who changed jobs found new ones, and even their contact


    information changed. Venice doesn''t know where Dillon is or that the other two aplices died, so


    Dillon probably doesn¡¯t know either.


    "Dillon was an umon graduate of that era. She''s very clever. If she knew that the two aplices


    had died, I don''t believe she wouldn''t suspect foul y. Once she starts to suspect, she''ll inevitably


    question the mysterious fire at their house. If I were her, with my husband and unborn child leaving in


    such a tragic way, and ending up in such a miserable state myself, I would definitely seek revenge on


    that person. But she didn''t. She''s in a state now where she seems to be awaiting death. Donating


    money to the welfare home is likely just for psychological redemption."


    This notion aligned with Trevor¡¯s thoughts.


    That was why, even though he found Dillon, he didn''t dare to act rashly. Moreover, Dillon was now


    using Paul¡¯s identity. If the contact failed, she might seek embassy asylum, which would make it even


    more challenging.


    Trevor said, "You call first and see if your friend is willing to help. I can double themission on her


    original sry." "Okay."


    Ste quickly contacted Shea.


    Shea had been worried about her childtely. Her parents were old, and her younger sister had just


    given birth. Both her parents were taking care of her younger sister, so she had to hire a nanny. But no


    one was at home to monitor the nanny, which concerned her. Ste''s call came just in time. After


    understanding the situation, she readily agreed.


    Upon hearing about doubling her sry, Shea said, "Ste, tell your brother it''s unnecessary. Just stick


    to the previous arrangement. When I was initially employed, you helped me a lot. It''s always because


    of my child that I keep dying work. Finally, you are asking me to do something. If I take more of your


    money, how am I able to face you in the future?"


    Ste reassured her warmly, "Shea, what''s done is done. I needed to find an assistant back then, and


    Felicity introduced you. I hired you because you did a good job. Now, I''m hiring you to help with


    something else.


    Whatever my brother decides to pay you, he thinks you''re worth it.


    Otherwise, you can negotiate with my brother yourself; he''s right beside me.


    Shea felt a bit intimidated. Trevor''s influence at thepany was quite significant, and she felt


    ufortable about it. Therefore, she gave in.


    Just as Ste had finished contacting Shea, Trevor''s phone rang; Jaylene was calling.

 Chapter 2206

    Chapter 2206


    Ste apanied Trevor to Jaylene''s hospital room.


    She even picked up a fruit basket downstairs, splurging $99.


    When she pushed the door open andid eyes on Jaylene, Ste was taken aback.


    Jaylene looked dreadful, with numerous red scratch marks on her face and neck, and a bruise on her


    forehead. Without makeup, she appearedpletely washed out, particrly pale.


    As soon as Jaylene spotted Trevor, her expression twisted. "Trevor," she began, but seeing Ste


    trailing behind him, her words caught in her throat, morphing into sharp usations. "What are you


    doing here? To ridicule me?"


    Tsk, she was quite perceptive when she shouldn''t be, immediately seeing through Ste''s intentions.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Trevor furrowed his brow. "Jaylene, Ste camest night when she found out you were injured. When


    she heard you had woken up this morning, she came again with gifts to see you. Why are you saying


    such things?" "She''s here to ridicule me!" Jaylene¡¯s eyes reddened. "Trevor, it''s all because of her that I


    got tangled up with Dahlia!"


    Trevor said coldly, "Did Ste also ask you to lend money to Dahlia? What was your intention in lending


    money to Dahlia? Do I have to spell it out for you?"


    Jaylene''s face turned pale, and she hoarsely said, "Trevor, she''s divorced Keegan. Can''t I even like


    Keegan? Is she your biological sister? Is our sibling bond of over twenty years meaningless to you?


    How can you be so biased?"


    Trevor remained silent, his expression stern.


    In the past, Trevor might have been hesitant. Darcie was the one who swapped the children, and


    despite Jaylene''s arrogance, she was innocent.


    But now, in front of him stood the daughter of a potential murderer. He could barely contain his


    emotions in her presence. How could he still treat her like a sister?


    The sister he had cherished for over twenty years turned out to be the daughter of an enemy, benefiting


    from his mother''s misfortune. And now she was vying for his sister¡¯s lover. His hatred would only


    intensify.


    Ste feared Trevor couldn''t control his emotions. She reached out and took Trevor''s hand. "Trevor,


    Jaylene might have some misunderstandings about me. Could you step out for a moment? Can I have


    a private chat with Jaylene?"


    Trevor bit his lip and swallowed his anger. He whispered, "Have a good talk and clear up the


    misunderstanding.¡±


    Ste nodded in response.


    Jaylene didn''t want Trevor to leave. She called out "Trevor" several times, but Trevor still left the ward.


    Ste pulled up a chair and sat down, speaking gently. "Jaylene, let me peel you an orange."


    Jaylene looked wary. "What''s your game?"


    Ste picked out the freshest orange from the fruit basket and started peeling it herself. "Didn''t Trevor


    say we came to visit you? I''m genuinely happy you''re awake."


    Jaylene gritted her teeth with resentment. "You''re the reason I ended up like this! You gave me


    Kanrara''s address; you led me to her. What are you pretending for? You want me to remain


    unconscious, don''t you?"


    Ste''s hands paused in peeling the fruit, and she looked at Jaylene very seriously. "Jaylene, I want


    nothing more than for you to be okay."


    That was no lie. Without Jaylene, it would be extremely difficult to find ws in Darcie, that heartless


    person. She had to be okay.


    After saying that, Ste lowered her eyes again and handed the orange to Jaylene.

 Chapter 2207

    Chapter 2207


    "It''s not toote for you to go to the police and exin the situation. Even without an IOU, you''ve got


    transfer records. You and Dahlia aren''t family, so this money can''t be seen as a gift. If you sue Dahlia,


    and considering she has shares in the Crosby''spany, when they sort out the assets, you can


    definitely get back your twenty million."


    Jaylene pushed her hand away, her tone icy, "So this is your real motive for visiting me, right? You want


    me to sue Dahlia, make Keegan turn against me, so you can reconcile with him? Now I see why you


    steered me toward Dahlia; you had this n all along!"


    Ste was ready. When Jaylene pushed her, she tightened her grip on the orange to keep it from


    falling.


    She looked up at Jaylene with a smile, clicked her tongue, and said softly," So you''ve figured it out,


    huh? But it doesn''t matter. Even if you don''t sue, with you injured like this, your mom won¡¯t just let it


    slide, will she?"


    Jaylene''s expression shifted.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste arched her eyebrows, peeled a piece of orange, and popped it into her mouth. The juicy flesh


    burst, sweet to the core. "Darcie had a spat with Dahliast night. From the looks of it, she probably


    despises Dahlia now. Doubt she''d want to be Dahlia''s inw, right?"


    Stopping there, Ste finished the orange in her hand, stood up, and said," Take good care of yourself


    and get well soon."


    After that, she took two steps and paused.


    Jaylene watched her warily, unsure of her intentions.


    Ste simply went to the table, pulled out two more oranges, and shook them at Jaylene, "These taste


    great. I''ll take two."


    With that, she walked away.


    Jaylene was so furious that she threw the cup on the floor.


    As Ste left the ward, she saw Trevor talking to Darcie.


    Ste hid the two oranges behind her back, walked over, and greeted," Darcie, my brother said you


    didn''t rest all night. Do you want to take a break first? I''ll find a nurse to look after Jaylene here."


    Darcie nced at her, her eyes cold and deep.


    She was a smart woman. Ste never thought her little schemes could fool Darcie, but she was also


    confident that Darcie wouldn''t dare to ruin their rtionship.


    She withdrew her gaze and shook her head. "No need. The doctor said Jaylene needs observation for


    a day, she can be discharged this afternoon and rest at home. Trevor also stayed up all night. You take


    him back to rest. Remember to remind your dad to take his medicine."


    In the elevator, Ste handed the bigger orange to Trevor and whispered," Trevor, this one is delicious."


    Trevor''s eyelid twitched. "You came out of the patient''s room and still managed to snag two fruits?" "I


    brought them as gifts. Do you think Jaylene will eat them? I don''t want them to go to waste if she


    tosses them. I paid for them. It''s not easy for Keegan to earn money."


    Trevor snorted coldly, "Shameless!"


    Ste tried to cate him, "Trevor, I¡¯m giving you the bigger one. I¡¯m leaving the smaller one for


    Keegan. In my heart, you weigh more than him."


    This made Trevor feel better. He reached out and took it. "Don''t think sweet words will make me forget


    the harm you''ve done to me." "I wouldn''t dare..."


    Ste hadn''t finished speaking when the elevator door opened. She looked up and saw a familiar


    figure, somewhat surprised, "Larry?"

 Chapter 2208

    Chapter 2208


    Larry hesitated for a moment before quickly greeting, "Ms. Hall, what brings you to the hospital?"


    Ste and Trevor emerged from the elevator one after the other. "I''m here to visit a patient," Ste said,


    noticing the fruit basket and flowers in Larry''s hands. She asked, ''Are you here to visit a patient too?"


    Larry nodded, "Yes, a friend underwent surgery, so I came to visit."


    Trevor sized up the casually dressed middle-aged man in front of him and asked Ste, "Who''s this,


    Ste?" "Trevor, this is Larry Bard, the driver I mentioned," Ste replied, then introduced him to Larry,


    "Larry, this is my brother Trevor."


    Larry politely nodded to Trevor. "Mr. Saun, hello." He slightly hunched his back, making his slender


    frame appear even more stooped.


    Trevor''s gaze ran up and down Larry before he extended his hand. "Nice to meet you, Larry."


    Larry bent down to shake Trevor''s hand, then quickly let go. Trevor chuckled and teased Ste, "Do I


    look intimidating? Your chauffeur doesn''t even want to make eye contact with me.¡±


    Larry tensed up, quickly shaking his head. "I... I don''t..." "Larry is a bit shy. Trevor, don''t tease him,"


    Ste interjected.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Trevor tousled her hair. "Just joking. He''s quite protective."


    He then turned to Larry. "Larry, drive safely. She''s my only sister. Her safety is top priority. You will be


    rewarded ordingly."


    Ste nudged him, signaling him not to make such remarks.


    Changing the subject, she said to Larry, "Larry, aren''t you going up?"


    Larry snapped out of his thoughts. "I''m not sure which one to take. I¡¯m a bit confused."


    The main building of the Central Hospital had six elevators alone.


    Ste asked, "Which department? Let me help you."


    Larry said, "Orthopedics, section two. I forgot the room number."


    Ste nced at the floor indicator and pointed to the elevator beside them. "Larry, orthopedics section


    two is on the fourteenth floor. The elevator you''re queuing for serves floors below the eighth. You need


    to take that one; it serves even-numbered floors above the eighth."


    Larry was very grateful, repeatedly saying, "Thank you."


    Ste waved him off. "Go ahead, it''ll arrive soon, and it''ll be crowded if you wait for the next one."


    Larry nodded and went to join the queue with his belongings.


    As Ste and Trevor walked away, Trevor nced back several times.


    Ste tugged at his sleeve. "Trevor, why do you keep looking back?"


    Trevor pursed his lips. "I don''t know. I just feel uneasy with the way that guy looked at me. He must be


    over fifty. Why did you hire such an old driver?" "He''s only forty-five, okay? I was in a rush to find


    someone, and there weren''t many options at the time. But Keegan also arranged another driver for me.


    He''s my personal assistant and apanies me on trips, so don''t worry."


    Trevor snorted. "He''s got some sense."


    After a while, he asked again, "How''s Keegan''s face injury?"


    Ste replied, "It''s fine. Just a loose tooth. Anyway, teeth fall out as you get older; sooner orter, it''s all


    the same."


    Trevor was speechless.


    "Is he faking it? I didn''t even hit him that hard. How could I have possibly loosened his tooth?"


    Ste became intrigued. "You didn''t hit him that hard? Why didn''t you hit him hard?"


    Trevor paused, realizing he had been duped, he eximed, "You ungrateful brat, are you tricking me?"


    Ste chuckled, "Keegan knows you went easy on him, so he asked me to thank you."


    Trevor nced at her. "He''s passed my test, now let him figure out how to pass Dad''s test. Our little


    darling suffered so much injustice; Dad will break Keegan''s heart."

 Chapter 2209

    Chapter 2209


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Ste retorted, "Just cut Keegan some ck. You''re not just his uncle;


    you''re also his good friend. After you punched himst night, Keegan was upset all night and couldn''t


    sleep. The next day, he went to work with two ck eyes."


    As for dealing with Dad, she had other tricks up her sleeve.


    Trevor wasn''t entirely convinced. "Do I really have that much influence on him?" "Of course! You''ve


    grown up together. If you don''t trust him, imagine how he feels." Trevor fell silent for a moment. Just


    when Ste thought she had him, Trevor smirked and said, "Let him suffer then. If he thinks he can fool


    me, he needs a few more years of practice."


    Ste was rendered speechless.


    No wonder Keegan always called his brother a fox; his schemes were deep!


    With just one phone call from Darcie, Jaylene decided she didn''t want to pursue the issue with Dahlia


    any longer. It was easy to imagine how angry Darcie must be. The mother and daughter started


    arguing in the ward.


    Darcie''s face turned green. "Do you think Keegan will forgive you if you don''t pursue Dahlia? What kind


    of dream are you living in? He hasn''t shown up since you got into trouble. Do you still not understand


    where he stands?"


    Jaylene remained stubborn. "Keegan is in a difficult position, and all of this is Ste''s scheme. She''s


    the one pushing me to sue Dahlia. I won''t do as she wishes." "Even if it''s her scheme, Dahlia borrowed


    money from Ste. Why did you rush to give her money? Leave this matter to me; I''ll handle it myself."


    Before Jaylene could say anything else, there was a knock on the door.


    Darcieposed herself and walked over to open it. As soon as she saw who it was, her expression


    changed instantly.


    Jaylene tilted her head, only able to see a pair of dusty men''s shoes. She asked, "Mom, who''s there?"


    1 "No one. You rest, I''ll be back in a moment."


    With that, Darcie pushed the person at the door out and closed it.


    Felicity had finished the short y script she wrote for Ste and said she would send it over for her to


    review. Since there wasn''t much going on at noon, Ste booked a restaurant and arranged to meet


    Felicity and Vermont to discuss it in detail.


    The new productunch event for the Vinci Rivera Group was scheduled for next Monday. Keegan had


    been extremely busytely, so Ste thought she''d ask him what dishes he wanted to eat and help him


    order. But when Keegan heard they were going to discuss the script, he insisted oning. Ste went


    to pick him up.


    From afar, Ste saw Keeganing out of the building in a suit. He was apanied by several


    colleagues leaving work together. Although their suits were simr in style, Keegan had a way of


    standing out. As soon as he appeared, his superior facial features and tall figure made everyone else


    fade into the background.


    He was ridiculously handsome.


    Keegan was the kind of person who had hit the gic jackpot. He had inherited all the best traits from


    his parents. His father looked good in pictures, butpared to Keegan, there was still a big


    difference. It was hard to say who the twins would resemble more in the future. Keegan was


    handsome, but their family''s genes were unpredictable. Among their numerous descendants, Keegan


    was the only one with such extraordinary looks.


    Ste was lost in thought when the back door was opened. Keegan unbuttoned his suit and got in.


    Ste handed him some water. "Feeling tired?"


    Keegan shook his head, took a sip, and replied, "I''ve been checking the details of theunch event


    these days. It''s not too tiring, just a lot of small tasks. Will you being to the event?" "Of course,"


    Ste smiled and said, ''TH be there to cheer you on and bask in the glory of being your wife."


    Keegan was delighted, his eyes shining. "Then, I''ll save you a seat." "Great."


    Ste took out the orange and handed it to Keegan. "I brought this especially for you."


    Keegan was initially happy, but when he saw the orange, his smile faded. He calmly said, "I don''t want


    it."


    Ste was puzzled, "But don''t you love oranges?" Besides strawberries, Keegan''s favorite fruit was


    oranges. He particrly enjoyed sweet fruits, except for mangoes, as he was allergic to them.


    Keegan hesitated to say at first, but when pressed by Ste, he gritted his teeth and said, "You let your


    brother pick out the best one, and you leave me with the inferior one? Am I a garbage can? I don''t want


    leftovers from him!"

 Chapter 2210

    Chapter 2210


    Ste paused, taking in Keegan''s expression, a mix of upset and annoyance, and couldn''t help but let out augh.Contents belong to NovelDrama.Org


    Initially just angry, Keegan''s fury escted upon hearing herughter, sensing a hint of teasing behind it.


    Was his refusal really that amusing? Why was she finding it so funny?


    To Ste, Keegan''s outburst seemed utterly endearing.


    In the past, whenever he was displeased with something she did, he''d keep it to himself, leaving her to guess. But she wasn''t a mind reader; how was she supposed to know?


    Since she pointed out this w in Keegan, he had changed his approach.


    Now, when he was upset, he didn''t sulk in silence like before; instead, he waited for her response after expressing his feelings directly.


    Keegan''s expression tightened. ¡¯ What''s so funny? You gave the good one to your brother and kept the inferior one for me. I don''t minding after your dad, the twins and even money. But why should Ie after Trevor? He punched me, and you''re trying to appease him with the big one?"


    Ste finally grasped it. Keegan''s jealousy wasn''t the only issue; his desire for attention was evident too. He was calcting, striving to secure a top spot in her heart.


    If he wasn''t in the top three, he wouldn''t ept it, and being fourth was out of the question.


    Ste couldn''t contain herughter, then recalled something and asked," How did you know I gave the big one to Trevor?"


    This revtion hit Keegan even harder.


    Ten minutes ago, Trevor unblocked Keegan and sent him a photo.


    The photo depicted a clenched fist with an orange muchrger than the fist ced above it.


    Confused, Keegan texted Trevor to ask what it meant, but before the message could be sent, Trevor blocked him again.


    Why would he unblock him just to send a strange photo?


    It wasn''t until Keegan got into the car and saw the orange in Ste''s hands that he understood.


    Same color, different size; the one Ste held was only as big as her fist, clearly smaller than Trevor''s.


    It could only mean one thing: Trevor wouldn''t send him such a photo, so it must havee from Ste, who gave the big one to Trevor and the small one to him.


    Trevor had openly mocked him; how could he stand for that?


    At the very least, he deserved an average-sized one!


    After hearing the exnation, Ste couldn''t help butugh and shed a tear.


    She had thought her brother was dependable, but behind her back, he was treating Keegan like this.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    That was why whenever Keegan used to mention Trevor, he would always assume Trevor was up to no good.


    Ste whispered to him, "Bigger isn''t always better. When I bought them, the fruit vendor told me that this year''s smaller oranges from Preston are generally sweeter than the big ones. I deliberately saved the small one for you because I know you like sweet things."


    As she spoke, she peeled a piece for him, saying, "Try it; it''s soft, juicy, sweet, and delicious."


    She brought it to Keegan''s lips, watching him with soft, affectionate eyes.

 Chapter 2211

    Chapter 2211


    Keegan couldn''t stomach such sweet words, so he stood his ground. "Are you saying this just to calm


    me down?"


    A hint of hurt flickered in Ste''s eyes as she lowered her hand and said softly, "If you don''t believe me,


    I''ll take you to the fruit vendor, and let her tell you which one is sweeter. Let''s see if I''m lying to you."


    Immediately, Keegan grabbed her hand, feeding her a piece of the orange and murmuring, "I didn''t say


    I didn''t believe you."


    Ste hadn''t misled him; it was indeed very sweet, almost like honey, warming his heart.


    This knack for being easily appeased was one of Keegan''s major strengths.


    As for whether the big one tasted better or the small one, Ste actually didn''t know. Fruit vendors


    would surely im they were all delicious. But with her persuasive skills, no matter who got the big one


    or the small one today, she could smooth things over.


    As for Keegan calling her words sweet talk, she didn''t quite agree. She preferred to call it "the art of


    conversation."


    What Ste didn''t know was that after Keegan finished the orange, he started searching online on his


    phone. He searched and searched until he finally found a post by a marketing ount, which provided


    "scientific" evidence that smaller oranges were sweeter thanrger ones.


    He took a screenshot of the post and sent it to Trevor''s phone via multimedia message.


    Men from Rivera were always so determined.


    Felicity hadpleted writing the scriptmissioned by Ste, but she needed Ste to review it,


    add some details and polish it up.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicity had been busy for many years, andtely, there had been an overflow of short dramas about


    melodramatic family conflicts in the market. Due to the recent surge in such productions, production


    companies were rushing to make simr ones, causing the viewership to be divided, and the data for


    this type of drama had declined.


    Vermont''s point was that they shouldn''t just make a film for the sake of it; they needed to make it


    popr, get the money, and achieve the goal, killing two birds with one stone.


    So, after analyzing the recent trends in short videos, Felicity revised the script to be an unlimited rebirth


    genre.


    The story''s protagonist was a nurse who repeatedly encountered idents on her way to work. Each


    restart began on the day she assisted a pregnant woman in giving birth. She wanted to survive, so she


    repeatedly changed her action ns in an attempt to evade this disaster.


    The story unfolded gradually, with the nurse gaining clues with each rebirth, until she gradually


    discovered the connection between the ident and the pregnant woman who died during childbirth.


    Ste was impressed by Felicity¡¯s imagination. The suspenseful elements and the pursuit of the


    murderer, simr to "Happy Death Day," were gripping, far more captivating than straightforward


    melodramatic stories.


    Ste silently finished reading the script, leaving Felicity a bit nervous by her silence.


    Although Vermont said that it was good, he would not be entirely frank with her. Felicity still wanted to


    hear her good friend''s opinion.


    Ste nodded. "It''s excellent. I didn''t expect you to unfold the plot in this way. Can we change the


    ident to a fire?"


    Felicity nodded. "Sure, did youe up with something new?"


    Ste replied, sharing Dillon Brook''s situation, while Felicity, enraged by these people''s despicable


    actions, jotted down some key points to rece the plot.


    The two were engrossed in conversation,pletely ignoring Keegan and Vermont on the side.


    With his chin resting on his hand, Vermont leaned in and whispered to Keegan, "Are you really ignoring


    your mom? Arent you afraid Aurora will make a scene with you?"

 Chapter 2212

    Chapter 2212


    As Keegan picked at the fishbone, he remarked, "Didn''t we step in? Didn''t Ste give her money?"


    Vermont''s eyelid twitched. Wasn''t that money coughed up by ke Crosby because of the scheme he


    and Ste concocted? And they called that giving money?


    From the get-go, Ste never intended to simply hand over the money. He couldn''t believe Keegan


    couldn''t see that. They caught him red-handed, and he thought Keegan was going to argue with Ste,


    but unexpectedly, nothing happened.


    It seemed the incident at Mrs. Chapman''s daughter''s engagement banquet really stung Keegan. He


    really didn''t want to meddle in the Crosby family''s affairs anymore.


    "If you don''t care, can Aurora not care? What if she starts caring then? How will you deal with your


    wife?" Ste, who was originally talking to Felicity, suddenly chimed in, "Stop trying to sow discord over


    there."


    Weren''t they discussing the script? How could she hear him when his voice was so low?


    Vermont turned to Keegan, who smiled and said, "Did you hear that? Don''t stir the pot."


    Felicity also shot him a stern look. "Chatty, aren''t you?"


    Vermont was rendered speechless.


    Had he be an outsider now that she had taken charge?


    The mealsted almost two hours, and Felicity finally ironed out the entire plot.


    The whole script wasplete and logically coherent; even Keegan thought it was well-written.


    Felicity was praised by her friends and lover, and her confidence swelled. She thought that with a bit


    more effort, winning the Best Screenwriter Award wasn''t out of the question.


    Seeing her gleeful expression, Vermont''s heart melted.


    Actually, Felicity had a talent for writing scripts, but the industry was like this now. Young screenwriters


    didn''t get opportunities; they could only work for some talentless trash good at hyping up something


    subpar for some money.


    Writing countless industrial idol dramas had worn out the creativity of the screenwriters. When he


    initially introduced her to the big shots in the screenwriting circle, he didn''t think much of it. It was


    simply to get some guidance from those people, but unexpectedly, it struck a nerve.


    He just casually suggested changing the angle, but he didn''t expect her work to be so dazzling. He


    even thought that this script wouldn''t be bad as a drama.


    He nonchntly thought, maybe in the future, he could realize his dream of living off his wife. Life was


    bing more promising.


    With the script settled, it was up to Vermont to find the team and the actors.


    Keegan generously invested two million, making Vermont ecstatic. Each of them invested two million,


    and he didn''t have to spend money, but still could get thirty percent profit. Of course, he was happy.


    Felicity scorned him, "Useless!"


    Vermont squinted. "What''s the point of having money if you don''t use it? Darling,e with me to the


    companyter to sign the copyright contract."


    Felicity''s eyes lit up. "I won''t sign for anything less than a hundred thousand. ItMaterial ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont clicked his tongue, "Don''t worry, it''ll be even more than you expect.


    When they went to sign the contract and saw the figure on it, Felicity''s eyes nearly popped out. "One


    million? Are you crazy?"

 Chapter 2213

    Chapter 2213


    The copyright fee for short drama scripts wasn''t actually worth much; twenty to thirty thousand was the


    standard price. Unless it was the kind with a blockbuster record, which could fetch over a hundred


    thousand. If one encountered a somewhat conscientiouspany, they might even throw in a little


    extra if the drama made money, but the heartless ones would typically only cough up two or three


    thousand as a buyout price.


    Vermont chuckled, "Would you believe that with this copyright fee of yours, I can make a hundred times


    back?"


    "But it still has to follow the market rate," Felicity believed it, but she kept her public and private matters


    separate. "Ste and Keegan trust US so much, investing so much money at once. We can''t just


    pocket it. I want a hundred thousand. If I take more, I won¡¯t be able to face Ste. Hurry up and change


    the contract for me."


    Vermont found her upright stance adorable and teased, "That''s how I''ve been tricking Keegan."


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicity red at him. "So if he cuts ties with you one day, you aren''t innocent! I would never argue with


    my sister over money! If you keep this up, I''ll have Ste demand the money back and find someone


    else to shoot! If


    Vermont quickly grabbed her. "Come on, I was just teasing you. Can''t I make changes, madam?"


    With the contract amended and signed, Felicity''s phone first received a remittance of over eighty


    thousand, the copyright fee after tax, then immediately followed by a transfer of thirteen million four


    hundred thousand from Vermont.


    She hesitated for a moment, then nervously asked, "Are you going bankrupt, that''s why you''re


    transferring assets?"


    Vermont''s eye twitched. "Bankrupt my foot! This is my betrothal gift to you!"


    Felicity was stunned, then stood on tiptoe, holding Vermont''s face, scrutinizing it for a long time with a


    serious expression. "Are you really my fiance? Where''s my stingy fiance?"


    Vermont lightly tapped her forehead with his middle finger. "When have I ever been stingy with you!


    Heartless woman!"


    Rubbing her forehead, Felicity red at him. "You have never? You tricked me into cooking for you, not


    even giving me a penny."


    Vermont paused for a moment, then chuckled. "I gave you money, but you didn''t want it, yet I still


    craved your cooking. I had to resort to some unconventional means."


    He then hugged her. "Little bandit, let''s visit your hometown soon and discuss with your mom about


    setting a date."


    Felicity''s forehead tapping halted, her ears turning red as she whispered," You haven''t even taken me


    to meet your parents yet. Both families should be part of the discussion, we can''t only consider my


    side."


    Thinking of his messy family, Vermont felt a bit annoyed, but still replied," Alright, let''s go this


    weekend."


    Felicity nodded. "What do your parents like? I''ll prepare some gifts."


    Vermont thought for a moment, then unexpectedly said, "I''m not sure. I''ll ask my brotherter."


    Felicity was speechless.


    "What kind of daughter-inw do your parents like?" Felicity began to worry in advance. "Should I dress


    more dignified?"


    Vermont suddenlyughed and said, "No, you can''t pull off dignified."


    Felicity was annoyed. "Why not?"


    "Do you rememberst year on my birthday? You dressed like a little fairy, then as soon as we met, you


    hugged me like an octopus, calling my name with tears streaming down, who would think you were a


    poised youngdy? n


    Felicity punched him. "I was acting! I told Corbin you were my rtive, who knew you''d show up! What


    could I do but act crazy? Who knew you were so foolish to believe it!"


    Vermont nced at her. "Who said I believed it? I just didn''t expose you."


    Felicity didn''t believe him. "You didn''t? Then why did you drink with me? You''re the type who gets led


    by your desires. If someone wanted to deal with you at home, they could just send a beauty and you''d


    be done for."


    Vermont looked her up and down, his gaze settling on her chest. "Where''s the beauty?"

 Chapter 2214

    Chapter 2214


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicity blushed, her hand poised to strike, but Vermont grabbed it and pulled her into his embrace.


    "You know, when you dashed off after that fib the other day and Corbin Steven asked me about you, I


    instantly knew you were pulling a fast one. I didn¡¯t even recognize you. But back then, I just figured it


    was another ploy from some wannabe celebrity trying to grab my attention. With my looks and wealth, I


    attract quite the crowd."


    Felicity made a face of disgust. "Such a narcissist!"


    Vermont chuckled. "I''ve seen all sorts of tactics, but you''re the first to greet me with a hug as if we''ve


    known each other for ages. I thought maybe it was because you were not exactly a heartthrob, so you


    had to resort to some unique methods to catch my eye."


    Felicity bristled slightly at the "not exactly a heartthrob" remark but was intrigued by Vermont''s initial


    impression of her. Her curiosity piqued.


    "I was intrigued, though. I thought, ''Let''s see what else she''s got up her sleeve to win me over.'' So, I


    scanned the crowd and found you patiently waiting in line for foie gras."


    The foie gras, freshly seared by the chef, took time, especially with the bustling crowd. The head chef,


    somewhat renowned, was known for this delicacy, and Felicity had been craving it for ages. But she


    wasn''t alone; there were seven or eight others ahead of her.


    She waited patiently until she was almost next in line. Just as it was about to be her turn, the chef


    announced there was only enough for three more servings, and the rest should stop queuing.


    Felicity happened to be the third person.


    As she watched the chef prepare the foie gras, she struck up a conversation, asking for hers to be


    cooked a bit tender. But just before it


    was ready, a child behind her expressed his desire for foie gras, prompting his mother to join the


    queue. The chef regretfully informed them it was sold out, and the mother pointed out that thest one


    was reserved for her.


    The child remainedposed, but when Felicity finally received her foie gras, he looked at her eagerly


    and asked, "Sister, can you tell me what it tastes like?"


    Who could refuse under such circumstances?


    Felicity handed the foie gras to the child and watched him devour it eagerly.


    The child, showing remarkable consideration, shared half with her.


    Felicity''s eyes lit up, and they sat together in a corner, relishing the foie gras.


    Moved by the scene, Vermont approached and tapped her on the shoulder. Felicity looked up, tears


    glistening in her eyes.


    "Back then, I was thinking..."


    Vermont didn''t finish his sentence; he burst intoughter suddenly.


    Felicity felt a pang of embarrassment at hisughter, unsure why. She red at him. "What''s so


    funny?"


    Vermont yed with her hand, gazing into her eyes gently. "I was just thinking, what kind of ill


    intentions could a food lover like you have?"


    Felicity was stunned, feeling a warmth envelop her heart.


    Suddenly, a childhood memory flooded back.


    Back then, she lived in her father''s hometown while her father prepared for exams in the capital, her


    mother worked out of town, and her grandparents cared for her.


    Her grandparents didn''t favor her, partly because they disapproved of their university-educated son


    marrying a high school dropout, but also because she was a girl, chubby, and greedy.


    But she was too young then to grasp why the adults treated her differently.


    Once, when her mother returned with some delicious snacks, her grandparents hid them away to give


    to her cousin''s son after she left.


    Felicity couldn''t understand why; clearly, they were meant for her, so why did her grandmother favor


    her cousin?


    She attempted to grab them from her cousin. If her cousin couldn''t outwit her, he would go to her


    grandparents. She would then be scolded for her greed.

 Chapter 2215

    Chapter 2215


    She was livid, so in the dead of night, she fed all those delicious treats to the family dog, Cooper. Her


    grandma, angry, pointed at her and used her of being malicious, saying she wasn''t acting like a


    proper girl and would struggle to find a husband when she grew up.


    During every meal, her cousin would dig through the dishes with his chopsticks before the adults


    arrived. Her grandparents never uttered a word. But one time, she reached for a chicken leg from the


    te and got caught by her grandma, who promptly dragged her in front of her father, using her of


    being a "starving ghost reincarnate."


    Her father nced at her, frowned, and said, "Where are your manners? Who told you to touch the


    dishes before the elders? Why can''t you wait? Always thinking about food, what kind of future will you


    have? I shouldn''t have allowed your mother to raise you!"


    That was the first time she found her father so distasteful.


    She had intended to offer him that chicken leg. If she hadn''t taken it, her grandma would have given


    both to her cousin. Her mother always said her father was studying so hard, he needed to eat well.


    She didn''t know what was nutritious, so she asked her cousin, who snapped off a chicken leg and


    handed it to her, saying, "Chicken legs are nutritious; eating them will make you tall and smart like me."


    She wasn''t greedy, but everyone said she was. Gluttony seemed like a cardinal sin.


    But when Vermont saw her sharing a piece of foie gras with a child, all he could think was, what evil


    intentions could a glutton have? People were truly different from one another.


    "Hey, what''s bothering you?" Vermont called out to her, noticing her reddened eyes and sounding


    concerned.


    Felicity snapped out of her reverie and grabbed his hand, asking, "So were you deliberately trying to


    get me drunk that night?"


    Vermont chuckled again. "At first, I just wanted to tease you, get you to join in the fun with everyone.


    Who knew you''d be so honest about drinking? If someone toasted you, you''d drink."


    As the birthday boy, he had his fair share of drinks too. They both ended up quite tipsy, linking arms to


    watch the little inte sensation dance.


    She grabbed something from the prop box, stuck her tongue out, and said she was going to perform as


    a dead body for him.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    She mentioned she worked on set, and whenever there was a shortage of extras, the director would


    ask her to fill in. She had the most experience ying a dead body.


    He was half-asleep, wondering what was so special about ying a corpse. Then, inexplicably, they


    ended up booking a room.


    In the room, she undressed, saying she was going to act as someone caught in an affair, then


    murdered by the wealthy man''s mistress. She reached for her neck and chest, creating numerous red


    marks, then grabbed a blood pack she''d taken from the prop box and tried to stick it on herself. After a


    few failed attempts, she called him over to help. When he squeezed it, the blood pack burst, "blood¡±


    flowing down her leg. He was speechless.


    The day after they shared a room, Vermont suddenly remembered everything that happened on his


    birthday night.


    Nothing had happened between them; it was all a big misunderstanding.


    Recalling it, he couldn''t help butugh at the absurdity of it all, yet he also felt incredibly relieved. If not


    forthat misunderstanding, Felicity might have


    thought they slept together, and she would have had to silence him. They wouldn''t have had so many


    interactions afterward. Fate was truly mysterious.


    Because Jaylene didn''t press charges, Dahlia was released in less than twenty-four hours. However,


    after her release, she started getting hounded by creditors, demanding repayment. That was when she


    learned that ke and Kanrara had already made arrangements, making her the sole debtor of the


    company.


    Dering bankruptcy and liquidating thepany¡¯s assets could settle most of the debts, but Dahlia


    refused. She couldn''t ept the Crosby family going bankrupt; there would be no ce for her in the


    Kane family anymore. If the Crosby family fell apart, what status would she have in their circle?


    After scheming and scraping by all her life, how could she ept ending up with nothing?


    She refused to ept it.


    So, on the eve of the Vinci Rivera Group''s new productunch, the hashtag


    #theVinciRiveraGroupCEOabandonsbiologicalmother# surged to the top of the trending topics.

 Chapter 2216

    Chapter 2216


    The whole thing started when a tech blogger, @RisingHustuabourg, with millions of followers, replied to


    ament on a certain tform.


    Thement was about the Vinci Rivera Group¡¯s uing productunch. They heard there was a


    tech breakthrough. The person asked when they would release the new product review video.


    @RisingHustuabourg¡¯s reply? "Not happening."


    Thementer pressed for an exnation.


    RisingHustuabourg was known for reviewing Vinci Rivera Group''s products. Whenever they dropped


    something new, he''d make videos, write lengthy blog posts, and often tag Keegan, who was into it,


    even giving it a thumbs up.


    He even joked online that he was Vinci Rivera Group''s unofficial promoter.


    So when he said, "Not happening,¡± naturally, people were curious.


    His next reply? "I won''t use products from someone who abandoned their biological mother, no matter


    how good they are. Tech might not have morals, but users do."


    That reply blew up. Marketing ounts started reposting it everywhere, and insiders began sharing


    stories. Some said Keegan ditched his mom for a woman, kicking her out without a word.


    Then, a medical staff imed Keegan''s mom had surgery at their hospital, stayed for weeks, and never


    saw Keegan.


    A supposed ex-employee of Vinci Rivera Group even said they saw Keegan personally toss his mom


    out of thepany.


    Cordelia¡¯s "friend" made an ount, too, recounting how hard Keegan''s mom worked, raising him solo


    in the wolfs den of the Kane family, only for him to turn out ungrateful.


    Dahlia was even shadier than Ste thought.


    She stirred up this mess right before the productunch, not caring about the fallout for Keegan.


    Ste dashed barefoot to the bathroom, finding Keegan shaving at the sink.


    Seeing her, he said with a razor in hand, "It doesn''t start till ten. You can sleep more."


    Ste hugged him from behind.


    Keegan paused, then rxed, stroking her hand.


    Ste whispered, "Can I shave for you?"


    Keegan handed her the razor, turned her, and sat her on the sink, so she could reach his chin.


    Ste shaved him carefully.


    Keegan''s eyes were bloodshot, and the dark circles heavier. Ste knew he hadn''t slept since the


    company calledst night.


    He was worried about waking her up with his tossing in bed, so he hid in the study, onlying back to


    her at dawn.


    He never saw Dahlia''s betrayaling, even if he was ready for it.


    Chandler Kane used the chaos for publicity since they couldn''t suppress it.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Before theunch even began, hashtags like #BoycottVinciRiveraGroup# and


    #CharacterBeforeProduct# were trending.


    Keegan likely saw it all. There were thousands of insults about him on Facebook. How could he not


    have seen them?

 Chapter 2217

    Chapter 2217


    Ste took a face towel and gently wiped away the foam from Keegan''s face, whispering, ¡¯Don''t worry


    about a thing. Just concentrate on your new productunch. I''ve got everything under control."


    Keegan grinned, leaned in to rub his nose against hers, and rested his hand on her slightly swollen


    belly, murmuring, "With you three here, I''m fearless."


    Ste pecked his cheek, "You''re amazing, honey."


    Keegan chuckled, his eyes brimming with tenderness.


    Ste personally selected a suit for him, opting for a tie that matched the color of her own jacket.


    As they descended for breakfast, Aurora Kane kept stealing nces at Keegan, as if wanting to speak


    up several times, but Keegan remainedposed, and she didn¡¯t dare to voice her thoughts.


    When Aldor Hart arrived with a few others at the venue, they were greeted by a swarm of reporters


    outside, causing quite a stir. Some were there to verify the trending news themselves.


    Keegan nced briefly before averting his gaze, then turned to Aldor. "We need to beef up security to


    maintain order. With this many people here today, we can''t risk any safety issues."


    Aldor nodded. "I''ll take care of it right away."


    Aurora whispered, "Keegan, perhaps we should postpone theunch. These people are clearly here for


    those ridiculous news stories."


    Keegan didn''t look at her, responding calmly, "Theunch was scheduled way before this. Many people


    specifically traveled to Rivera for this. It wouldn''t be fair to postpone just because of some family


    drama. Thisunch isn''t about me showcasing myself; it''s the culmination of thepany''s three-year


    effort. No one has the authority to cancel it."


    Aurora fell silent, stealing a nce at Ste. She thought Ste might interject to persuade Keegan, but


    Ste just kept her head down, engrossed in her phone.


    Aurora felt irritated.


    After seeing the newsst night, she was worried all night, contacting Dahlia and friends to remove the


    trending topic. Yet, these two, acting as if nothing had happened, were still sound asleep upstairs. The


    next day, they dressed up nicely to attend theunch, seeming oddly unconcerned.


    At the venue, Aurora escorted Ste to the waiting room, while Keegan went with Aldor to meet with


    the shareholders.


    Upon Keegan''s arrival, several shareholders were frowning, engaged in conversation with Chandler.


    Upon seeing Keegan, they fell silent, their expressions less than pleasant.


    Keegan greeted everyone and then stood to the side. There would be a premeeting interview shortly,


    and he would have to say a few words.


    Chandler exchanged a nce with someone nearby, then Mr. Johnstone cleared his throat and said,


    "Mr. Kane, the board just discussed it, given the serious public opinion at the moment. We believe Mr.


    Chandler would be more suitable to present the product today. What do you think?"


    Keegan looked at them for a moment before replying, "Sure, no problem."


    Mr. Johnstone was taken aback, his prepared speech suddenly stuck in his throat. Did Keegan just


    agree like that?


    "Then, could you provide the speech notes to Mr. Chandler? We still have over an hour before the


    event starts, so he can familiarize himself with them."


    Since there would be a teleprompter anyway, all he had to do was read from it.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan said, "There''s no need for notes. I''ve got it all in my head," then nced at Chandler, "Uncle,


    why don''t I speak, and you can take notes?"


    Chandler''s expression darkened, "Keegan, this isn''t the time to cause problems. The online scandals


    right now are severely damaging to thepany. Theunch is live-streamed. Just think, if you were to


    suddenly appear in the public eye now, what would the consequences be?¡±


    Keegan replied calmly, "The viewer count definitely won''t be low, and we''ll save on advertising costs."


    Chandler''s face turned ashen, "Is abandoning your birth mother something to be proud of?"


    Keegan smirked, lifting his gaze to Chandler, "Uncle, do you really not know whether I abandoned her


    or not?"

 Chapter 2218

    Chapter 2218


    Chandler''s expression shifted subtly, his voice taking on a deeper tone. "It''s not just about the facts


    anymore; it''s about public perception! If you step onto that stage now, how many of those reporters


    outside are here for the productunch, and how many are here for your personal scandals? Are we


    hosting a productunch or a press conference for your personal affairs?" "Uncle, the tickets for the


    launch were sold out over half a month ago. Are you suggesting that all these guests have irvoyant


    abilities and bought tickets just to interrogate me?"


    Keegan chuckled, "Uncle, people aren''t that bored, and l¡®m not that important. Anyone can give this


    presentation, but I indeed don''t have a script. The performance metrics, research process, technical


    breakthroughs," he extended his slender hand, lightly tapping his temple with his index finger, "are all


    here. I can recount them all for you. I''m just afraid that, being older, you might forget on stage and end


    up making a fool of yourself." "You-you''re utterly disrespectful!" Chandler''s voice dripped with raw


    disdain, his face turning purple with anger.


    Keegan stood up and approached Chandler step by step. The image of the teenager he once was,


    always overshadowed by his aplished elder brother, slowly ovepped with the Keegan standing


    before him. With sharper features and a taller stature, Keegan exuded dominance.


    Stopping thirty centimeters away from Chandler, Keegan looked up at him." Uncle, I don''t need to


    emphasize the importance of thisunch, do I?


    Manage your people well." After a pause, he added, "Uncle, just because someone dies doesn''t mean


    there isn''t evidence."


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Chandler''s pupils contracted as he clenched his trembling hand, staring coldly at Keegan. "I don''t know


    what you''re talking about."


    Keegan smirked and chuckled lightly. "That''s why I said you''re not suitable for the stage. You should


    acknowledge the fact that you are old and have poor memory."


    Before Chandler could reply, someone called him for the pre-meeting interview. Keegan responded


    with a grunt and turned to leave, leaving Chandler visibly enraged.


    A director who was friendly with Chandler chimed in, "Keegan''s behavior is outrageous. Isn''t he


    tarnishing thepany''s reputation?"


    Mr. Jacobson, siding with Keegan, interjected, "Mr. Johnstone, your PR department hasn''t addressed


    Mr. Kane''s character. You seemed confident in Mr. Kane''s character, but now that the situation has


    come to light, are you afraid these news stories will affect thepany?"


    Mr. Johnstone replied, "Our PR department handles crises rted to brand image. This is a private


    matter for the Kane family. We can¡¯t handle that, can we?"


    Mr. Jacobson nced at him. "So you think the Kane family''s private matters won''t affect the brand


    image?"


    Mr. Johnstone frowned. "It will definitely have an impact." "Then why aren''t you implementing crisis


    PR?"


    Mr. Johnstone was caught off guard and felt embarrassed. "At a time like this, Mr. Jacobson, why are


    you still ying guessing games with me?"


    Mr. Jacobson replied casually, "Just stating the facts. Let me remind everyone, the Vinci Rivera Group


    is no longer a family business. When one thrives, all thrive; when one falls, all fall. Think carefully about


    it." With that, he turned to ept the interview.


    The directors on the scene exchanged nces but remained silent.


    During Quentin Kane''s tenure, the Vinci Rivera Group underwent its first reform. At that time, they


    needed talent and research and development, but funds were insufficient. Quentin distributed some of


    his shares, using some as coteral for loans and the rest to retain high-end talent. Each cutting-edge


    R&D expert received a small share of the Vinci Rivera Group''s stocks, along with regr sries and


    year-end bonuses.

 Chapter 2219

    Chapter 2219


    Thepany''s performance was directly tied to employee ie, so everyone was highly motivated.


    By using shares to retain talent and investing in technology, the Vinci Rivera Group reached its first


    peak under Quentin''s leadership for over a decade.


    However, after Quentin passed away and Chandler took over, he gradually altered this policy.


    Coborating with major shareholders, he reimed many employees'' shares. When the majority of a


    company''s wealth was controlled by a select few at the top, development was inevitably hindered.


    Thankfully, Quentinid a solid foundation, and despite her illness, Cordelia''s presence helped bnce


    Chandler within thepany. Thus, the Vinci Rivera Group prospered for many years until Keegan


    emerged a decade ago.


    Initially, nobody took the Kane family''s eldest grandson seriously. He was young and hadn''t even


    graduated yet. What could he possibly achieve? But Keegan took a decade to prove them wrong.


    Chandler feared Keegan''s potential election as a director because Keegan was continuing his father''s


    unfinished reform agenda. Once the shares were redistributed and ie sharply declined, Chandler


    wouldn''t be able to retain people''s loyalty. Not everypany leader had the courage and foresight to


    offer shares to all employees.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    While the Vinci Rivera Group consistently ranked in the top three in nationalpany standings,


    neither Keegan nor the Chandler of the past had made it onto the world''s wealth rankings.


    Nevertheless, the Vinci Rivera Group unquestionably leads among national enterprises.


    Keegan''s aim was to drive development and innovation. He not only distributed shares but also


    allocated the majority of funds to research and development. Wealth wasn''t his top priority; he wanted


    to propel the Vinci Rivera Group onto the global stage.


    When the board recognized this drive, some dismissed it as wishful thinking. After all, the Vinci Rivera


    Group was already a national leader, and as long as things remained status quo, there wouldn''t be any


    competitors for decades. However, some younger members began to feel a surge of enthusiasm.


    Keegan was no longer fighting alone.


    In the corridor, Aldor walked beside Keegan and whispered, "Mr. Kane, didn''t we prepare the script


    earlier?" "We did," Keegan replied casually, "But why should we let him take credit for our hard work?"


    Aldor''s eyes sparkled. "Mr. Kane, you should have realized this sooner. We shouldn''t have allowed him


    to take credit for it thest two times. We worked hard, yet he reaped all the glory and fame. Why


    should he?"


    Chandler, with just a few speeches at a couple of conferences, became a sensation among


    contemporary youth, despite his inability to grasp a simple smartphone. If Keegan had been in his


    ce from the start, wouldn''t the impact have been even greater? Just Keegan''s presence alone could


    attract countless fans.


    Keegan paused for a moment, suddenly remembering something, and asked Aldor, "Where are my


    sses?"


    As Aldor retrieved them from his bag, he asked, "Mr. Kane, aren''t you wearing contact lenses?"


    Keegan took the sses and said, "Ste mentioned that wearing sses makes me appear more


    dignified."


    After putting on the sses, he nced at Aldor. "How do they look?¡±


    Aldor fell silent. He was certain Ste wasn''t thinking about Keegan appearing dignified with sses. If


    he recalled correctly, Ste had recently liked a video where the male host, wearing a suit, adjusted his


    sses while kneeling.


    He hesitated for a moment before replying, "They look dignified. Your wife will definitely approve."

 Chapter 2220

    Chapter 2220


    The pre-meeting interview was brief, and all the journalists were professionals; none of them


    mentioned the online news. It was Keegan''s debut in the public eye, and for many journalists, it was


    their first encounter with him.


    It was astonishing to see the person leading the formidable team at the Vinci Rivera Group not only


    young and talented but also remarkably handsome. He outshone many celebrities in the entertainment


    industry, yet his demeanor was entirely different from that of a star. He exudedposure, reserve,


    and even a hint of subtle dry humor in his speech, which contradicted the rumors.


    When faced with professional inquiries, he responded fluently. Unlike previous asions where


    questions were coordinated with the Vinci Rivera Group beforehand, this year''s questions were


    collected online by journalists. They ranged from inquiries from professionals to the expectations of


    ordinary product enthusiasts. Keegan earnestly and substantively addressed each one.


    During the interview, the hostess identally stumbled while fetching water, falling into Keegan''s arms.


    Keegan swiftly raised his hand to assist her, and as their eyes briefly met, he paused before releasing


    her and continuing to field questions. The embarrassed hostess was then escorted away, her face


    flushed red.


    Meanwhile, in the lounge on the other side, Ste observed this scene on the live broadcast, calmly


    sipping her cup of herbal tea without a trace of concern on her face.


    Aurora felt incredulous and bluntly asked, "Are you blind?"


    Ste shot her a nce and retorted, "Got a loose tongue?"


    After a momentary re from Aurora, she finally stated, "That woman clearly deliberately bumped into


    my brother. Who falls for no reason?"


    Ste responded calmly, "Her heels were high, so it''s normal to stumble. Every aspect of the Vinci


    Rivera Group''s press conference is crucial. Trying to y tricks in such a situation is like gambling with


    one''s own future."


    Aurora stared at her in disbelief. "I can''t believe you''re being so magnanimous."


    Ste remained silent and instead sent a message to Aldor, "Look into the hostess who stumbled into


    Keegan''s arms just now."


    She didn''t believe the girl was that clumsy, but that didn''t mean she didn''t suspect someone was trying


    to cause trouble. It was better to investigate and eliminate any potential risks.


    As the clock neared ten o''clock, the opening ceremony was about tomence, and Ste had


    everything arranged on her end.


    Just before entering, she received an audio clip from Keegan. Putting on her earphones, she listened


    as she made her way in.


    The press conference was more grandiose than ever, with thousands of people gathered at the


    entrance. Keegan had ensured that she had a frontrow seat.


    As Ste settled into her seat, she noticed that many of Keegan''s friends had also arrived. Marshall


    Moore was among them, seated in the row behind her.


    It had been a while since theyst met, and he seemed slightly thinner. d in a white suit, he


    maintained his gentle and courteous demeanor.


    However, when their eyes met, his eyshes trembled slightly before he greeted her, "Ste, long time


    no see."


    Ste couldn''t quite describe her emotions and simply nodded in response before taking her seat.


    Vermont leaned in and asked her in a hushed tone, "Why aren''t you addressing the online news? The


    comments under Keegan''s Facebook posts are vile."


    Last night, the little scoundrel had dragged him into a few arguments with fake ounts. The dogs


    didn''t get banned, but they did. They were in for it!


    Ste whispered back, "The Luna II pre-sale is about to begin. Would you like to ce an order?"


    Vermont was speechless.


    Vermont''s ears had perked up, awaiting her response, but she ended up pitching business for her


    husband?


    A slight twitch appeared at the corner of Vermont''s mouth. "Can''t afford it."


    Ste offered, "I''ll ask Keegan to give you a 10% discount, three years of free upgrades, eight years of


    free maintenance, and a lifetime warranty. If you bring in clients, you''ll receive amission."


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont inquired, "How much of amission?"

 Chapter 2221

    Chapter 2221


    Ste mentioned a number, and after mulling it over, Vermont narrowed his eyes and replied, "Okay, I''ll


    order twoter."


    Ste''s face lit up. "Great. We''ll finalize the deal after the conference."


    With that settled, she turned to Lena Gray and asked, "Lena, do you like smart robots..."


    Vermont''s eyelid twitched. Ste was really a perfect match for Keegan. The conference hadn''t even


    started yet, and she was already rallying her friends to make reservations.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Suddenly, the venue lights dimmed, and therge screen on the stage illuminated, disying the


    exclusive Vinci Rivera Group logo. Speakers from all directions emitted a clear and authentic broadcast


    ent, signaling the start of the conference.


    The Vinci Rivera Group had brought in the National Symphony Orchestra to perform the theme song


    "Dream Chaser" live, setting the stage for the highly anticipated conference with a majestic chorus.


    The live broadcast ount, previously inundated withments about Keegan''s alleged


    abandonment of his mother and calls to boycott the Vinci Rivera Group, gradually filled with praise for


    the "Rivera Feast" as the familiar melody yed.


    As a leadingpany in domestic smart product development, the Vinci Rivera Group catered to


    millions of users, with its products integrated into every aspect of national life, from small electronic


    appliances to automobiles and smart home assistants. With continuous innovation, the Vinci Rivera


    Group had amassed arge base of loyal users.


    These users eagerly awaited each advancement from the Vinci Rivera Group, anticipating the results


    of three years of dedication.


    As Keegan had stated, those genuinely looking forward to the conference weren''t the ones flooding the


    comments section with boycott remarks.


    The passionate chorus from the orchestra ignited the audience''s emotions, filling the air with


    excitement.


    As the final note echoed, met with thunderous apuse, Keegan strode confidently onto the stage in a


    ck suit.


    Tall andposed, he captivated the audience as he made his way to the center of the stage amidst


    their cheers.


    The shing lights around prompted Ste to overhear the surrounding conversations.


    "So this is Keegan? I always thought he was a traditional figure based on his Facebook posts. I never


    expected to be stunned by the boss''s appearance before the new product reveal."


    "I came for the new product, but the boss''s presence has me intrigued."


    "Don¡¯t they say good looks and intelligence are inversely proportional? Now I¡¯m a bit worried about the


    uing products."


    "Is the Vinci Rivera Group trying to capitalize on the online scandal by intentionally having Keegan


    make an appearance to stir up buzz?"


    "The conference was nned months ago. Who could have predicted what would unfold? He looks


    handsome, and he doesn''t strike me as someone who would abandon his mother. Even if he did, there


    must be a reason."


    "Shut it, fans of appearances."


    Amidst the ongoing discussions, Keegan addressed the crowd withposure.


    His articte words, delivered in a deep and maic voice, were a delight to listen to, although


    slightly hurried, hinting at some nervousness.


    However, as the opening speech concluded and the product introduction segmentmenced, he


    appeared much more rxed.


    To everyone''s surprise, the Vinci Rivera Group had achieved a milestone upgrade in the new


    generation of products, establishing a closed-loop ecosystem. This achievement marked the Vinci


    Rivera Group''s independent and controble production of all systemponents, a first among


    simrpanies in the country, with significant implications.


    The Vinci Rivera Group''s unveiling of this trump card caught everyone off guard. The atmosphere in


    the venue buzzed with excitement, and the Vinci Rivera Group''s new products swiftly climbed to the top


    of trending lists on various tforms. The fervor surrounding the "abandonment" topic began to fade.


    Ste messaged a number, "Let''s get started.

 Chapter 2222

    Chapter 2222


    The event kicked off with a bang, and the excitement for what followed was through the roof. The Vinci


    Rivera Group even brought in a Hollywood heavyweight-a recipient of the prestigious Oscar Lifetime


    Achievement Award-as their ambassador, engaging directly with the audience.


    As the electronic gadgets and drones wrapped up their showcase, despite more than half the time


    having psed, the crowd''s enthusiasm showed no signs of waning.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Someone even started chanting, "Smart butler! Smart butler!"


    Keegan shed a grin; already handsome, his smile seemed to soften the stage lighting.


    In the audience, Ste watched the charming and sharp-witted figure on stage. Her heart raced with


    each beat, her mind consumed with one thought: "That remarkable man up there is my husband."


    A wave of pride washed over her, suddenly understanding why some people chose to propose on


    stage-it was like staking a im to sovereignty.


    Suppressing her lovesick thoughts, Ste refocused on the presentation.


    Keegan exined, "To be honest, we hadn''t nned on showcasing it today. But we made a promise


    long ago, and it''s also the most anticipated product in this lineup, based on the highest online votes for


    ''Most Anticipated New Product.'' So, we''re making an exception."


    With a gesture, he beckoned, "Come up."


    All eyes focused on the exit, holding their breath. Suddenly, a robot, reminiscent of Baymax but with


    oversized eyes, glided onto the stage from backstage. Initially disappointed by its glide, the audience''s


    mood shifted as Luna approached the stage edge, extending a mechanical leg and walking up on its


    own.


    Keegan called out, "Come here."


    In a pitifully small voice, Luna said, "Dad, walking uses power."


    The audience erupted inughter; her humor seemed rather sharp.


    Step by step, Luna approached Keegan, its gait eerily human-like, deftly avoiding obstacles and even


    water. Standing beside Keegan, it appeared as obedient as a toy.


    Yet, it could do more-serving tea, pouring water, cleaning with tools, aiding children with homework,


    issuing intruder warnings, switching to defense mode, and even learning, analyzing, and mimicking


    human behavior.


    Keegan randomly selected audience members for live testing, issuingmands. Luna''s sess rate


    surpassed ny-five percent, impressivelymunicating almost seamlessly with humans. Even


    when faced with the unknown, it quickly adapted and optimized.


    As the products continued to showcase, voices from below reached Ste''s ears, "If it can help with my


    kid''s homework, I''ll sell everything to get one!"


    "Help with homework? Helping with homework is tough. It might even fry itself."


    "But these features are practical. Honestly, I''m tempted."


    "They poured over two hundred billion into R&Dst year. The price won''t be low. There are only thirty


    thousand avable in the first batch; doubt anyone can get their hands on one."


    It seemed like Ste''s worries about sales were for naught. Keegan mentioned a seven-figure price.


    Were customers truly that optimistic?


    Vermont tapped her arm, passing her the phone. "Someone forged a severance letter between Keegan


    and his mom. Looks real."


    Ste nced at it, unfazed. "Then it must be."


    Vermont''s jaw dropped. "Is... is Keegan''s mom really signing this? Is she crazy?" "I promised her a


    billion to sign it. She didn''t hesitate," Ste replied nonchntly.

 Chapter 2223

    Chapter 2223


    Vermont took a moment to mull it over, "So, were you intending to kick her out of Keegan''s life from the


    start?"


    Ste replied nonchntly, "I wont stop Keegan from providing for her retirement, but I won''t let her


    drag Keegan into the mud with this distant rtion."


    She narrowed her eyes, adding, "The Crosby family''s bankruptcy is quite convenient. With everyone


    turning against her, having lost everything, and her reputation in ruins, let''s see what waves she can


    still make."


    Just as she pondered, she suddenly noticed Chandler Kane in the front row.


    She fell silent. Did Cyrene Saun have no inkling about the issues between these two inws?


    The press conference came to a close with the spectacr unveiling of an intelligent all-electric car,


    apanied by symphonic music and the venue bathed in light.


    Top executives from the Vinci Rivera Group took turns on stage, fielding a barrage of inquiries from


    numerous journalists. Following the interviews, a reception was held to express gratitude.


    Initially intended as a professional Q&A session, there were inevitably those pesky journalists eager to


    uncover scandal.


    While questions for others remained fairly standard, those directed at Keegan took a different tone.


    "Mr. Kane, are the recent rumors about you abandoning your birth mother true or false?"


    "Mr. Kane, do you believe the online rumors about you will impact the sales of this new product?"


    "Mr. Kane, news about you abandoning your birth mother is spreading online, withizens calling for a


    boycott of The Vinci Rivera Group''s products. What''s your response to this?"


    These relentless journalists swarmed around Keegan, practically thrusting their microphones in his


    face. It was truly distasteful!


    Unexpectedlyposed, Keegan took the microphone from the most aggressive male journalist and


    calmly asked him, ''"Does your mother love you?"


    The male journalist was momentarily taken aback, unsure of the q uestion''s implication, but he nodded


    nheless, "Yes."


    Keegan remarked, "So you only see the word ''abandonment''."


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Before the male journalist could grasp Keegan''s meaning, he continued," Today is the Vinci Rivera


    Group''s new productunch event. I''ll only address questions rted to the products. As for personal


    matters, noment."


    Though the press conference had ended, those remaining continued to livestream. The exchange


    between Keegan and the male journalist was captured.


    In the barrage, someone inquired, "What''s he getting at?"


    "Deflecting the topic."


    "He may look polished, but he''s not messing around."


    "You know, I sense there might be more to this story. RisingHustuabourg mentioned that Keegan''s


    mother treated him very well. If that''s true, why expose this before the conference?"


    "You never know with wealthy families. I heard a rumor that Keegan was kidnapped and lost at sea


    once. He was missing for days, but his mother rushed to get a death certificate to im the


    inheritance."


    "Regardless of the truth, the Vinci Rivera Group¡¯s new products are impressive. I''m eager to try one


    out."


    "What a twist! Quick, check Facebook! His mother''s being portrayed as a gold-digger! Keegan''s in hot


    water!"


    This news spread like wildfire, prompting the curious to flock to Facebook.


    Keegan''s appearance today had stirred up quite a storm online. The Vinci Rivera Group''s product


    launch had generated unprecedented excitement, with the two-hour event trending on over a dozen


    topics.


    In addition to the top three topics about the ecosystem and smart butlers, discussions such as #


    Keegan''sMotherSeekingMoneyToCoverHerBrother''sGamblingDebts#, #


    UnsessfulAttemptsToSeekMoneyResultlnRtionshipTermination#, # Rivera''sTopGold-Digger#,


    tfWealthyFamilyVampire#, and #lsTheMother- SonSeveranceLetterLegallyBinding?# were also


    trending simultaneously. 1

 Chapter 2224

    Chapter 2224


    These topics kept resurfacing, and unlike the casual remarks from @ RisingHustuabourg alleging


    Keegan''s abandonment without solid evidence, these topics were backed by concrete proof. For


    example, there was a severance letter signed and fingerprinted by Dahlia herself, along with remittance


    records, evidence of ke''s gambling, and her repayment of his debts.


    The online discussions immediately red up.


    "Not buying a house but spending two billion in just over a year? Poverty sure puts a damper on my


    imagination."


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    "Over ten million a month... I hope my mom never sees this; she might feel insulted by my mere


    thousand."


    "Adopted son, biological brother, case closed."


    "Isn''t it remarkable how quickly the narrative changes? The Vinci Rivera Group''s PR is truly something.


    Within a few hours, not only did they gain momentum for their products, but they also effortlessly


    cleared Keegan''s name. But seriously, what mother would air her family''s dirtyundry online? And she


    even financially supported her brother. So why would she treat her own son this way? Let''s put aside


    the facts, is Keegan entirely meless?"


    "If we set facts aside, what are we supposed to talk about?"


    "Oh my God, it''s true what they say about everything under the sun. His mom used his money to cover


    his uncle''s gambling debts, and when he cut her off, she disowned him and spread rumors online about


    being abandoned. And now he''s expected to reflect on his wrongdoings?"


    "No matter what, airing your dirtyundry online with your mom is just wrong. It makes me question his


    character. Anyway, I won''t be buying


    anything from the Vinci Rivera Group. That Luna robot looks like a copycat of foreign products."


    "So basically, if your mom ps your left cheek, you should offer the right one too? How generous of


    you."


    "Hrious, you''re not buying Luna because you don''t want to? It costs over 1.5 million for the top


    model. If you''re that wealthy, why are you scrambling for red packets and lottery draws? Is this how the


    rich live?"


    "I can''t shake the feeling that this whole thing is a carefully orchestrated marketing scheme. It


    conveniently surfaces right before the conference. They could save billions in advertising costs."


    "Enough with the marketing talk. Any mother who truly cares for her son wouldn''t betray him on such


    an important day. Wouldn''t highlighting the fact that he donated 20 billion be a better marketing


    strategy? Who in their right mind would use scandal for marketing?"


    "Don''t you think giving money is considered filial piety? Haven''t you seen the news reports? When his


    mom had surgery and was hospitalized for half a month, he didn''t visit her. If the son can''t be relied


    upon, is it wrong of her to rely on money instead?"


    "What could he possibly do if he visited? Is he a surgeon? Isn''t it better to hire a caregiver with money


    than to care for her himself?"


    In the midst of the intense online debate, Dahlia unexpectedly created an ount and posted a lengthy


    article.


    With over three thousand words, she detailed Keegan''s life from birth to work, and her sacrifices.


    She depicted how much she cherished her son. When Keegan was one year old and had a fever, she


    braved the rain to take him to the hospital,


    even tripping and fracturing her rib in the process, which still ached on rainy days.


    When Keegan contracted chickenpox at three, others were afraid to approach, but she personally


    cared for him day and night, with Keegan nestling in her arms, saying he liked mommy the most.


    Aside from caring for Keegan during his illnesses, she also emphasized the difficulties she faced in


    managing the household after her husband''s death, but for the sake of Keegan and his siblings, she


    remained unmarried for over a decade.


    She extensively detailed her own hardships.

 Chapter 2225

    Chapter 2225


    She thought that once her children grew up, her days of hardship would be over, but she didn¡¯t expect


    that after he got married, he gradually drifted away from her.


    Dahlia probably feared offending the Saun family, so she brushed over her daughter-inw''s issue.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    She described a lot about her rtionship with ke, mentioning that he had saved Keegan''s life when


    he was young, so she couldn''t forget his kindness.


    She also admitted that she knew this was wrong, and she no longer cared about the Crosby family''s


    affairs, just wanting to be on good terms with her son.


    Dahlia must have sought advice from someone knowledgeable. After causing such a fuss for so long,


    she finally realized that there was no benefit to causing a rift. Instead, her goal was to use this incident


    to morally manipte Keegan, allowing her to continue enjoying the treatment of being Mrs. Kane.


    After all, ke had already betrayed her, and there was no way Chandler''s family would ignore


    everything for her. She could only rely on Keegan.


    But how could Ste allow someone like Dahlia, who could betray them at any moment, stay by


    Keegan''s side?


    Dahlia''s lengthy Facebook post also divided theizens into two factions. One side understood


    Dahlia''s actions, acknowledging the difficulties of raising a child as a single mother and the fact that


    helping her gambling brother wasn''t without reason; after all, he saved her son''s life, so repaying the


    favor was only natural.


    The other side found it ridiculous. Taking a child to see a doctor and taking care of them was what any


    mother should do, so how did it be a reason for morally ckmailing her son?


    Keegan didn''t refuse to help his uncle repay his gambling debts; he even tacitly approved of Dahlia''s


    behavior for ten years. It was only after


    enduring for ten years that he stopped giving her money, and Dahlia aired this matter online.


    What kind of gratitude was that, still not repaid after ten years?


    Whatpletely turned the tide was a Facebook post from someone iming to be Keegan''s high


    school teacher.


    "As Keegan''s high school teacher, I have something to say. Keegan was one of the top students I''ve


    ever taught. He acted modestly and everyone was unaware of his family background when he enrolled;


    like most children, he was a boarding student.


    "He excelled academically, but he was reserved and didn''t talk much. Initially, when I first taught him, I


    thought I''d found a treasure, but on the first monthly exam, he handed in a nk paper for English.


    "Yes, while his uracy rate in other subjects was between ny and ny-five percent, he handed


    me a nk paper. I was angry, thinking that despite his good grades, he was too arrogant. I went to talk


    to him and asked him what handing in a nk paper meant? Disrespect for thenguage and its


    people?


    "He told me that he waste for the exam by over half an hour, and the invigtor didn''t let him enter


    the exam hall. I asked him why he waste, and he said there was a minor car ident on his way. I


    asked him why he didn''t contact his parents for such a big matter, and he said it wasn''t serious.


    Worried, I called the contact number his parents left when he enrolled, and reached his mother.


    "But his mother waspletely unaware of this incident. When I mentioned taking him to the hospital


    for a check-up, she said he had a mouth and could speak; if he didn''t say anything, then there was


    nothing wrong. It was the first time I had encountered such an irresponsible parent!


    "Then there was the time when Keegan got injured while ying basketball and had a minor surgery


    on his lumbar vertebrae. At the time, it was quite serious, and he couldn''t get out of bed or turn over. I


    went to the hospital to visit him, and it was the first time I met his mother.


    "Keegan was being treated by a nurse at the time, so I went outside and waited. Then I overheard his


    mother on the phone with someone, saying that at such a young age, he had injured his back, and now


    he was useless; she regretted not having more children when she was young.


    "I ask you all, would a mother who truly loves her child say such things when her son is injured?


    "I taught Keegan for three years, and during those three years, his mother never attended a single


    parent-teacher conference. Every time someone came, it was either his grandmother or the


    housekeeper from his home. I always thought she had remarried, so it was inconvenient for her to


    attend, but this Ms. Crosby said she hadn''t remarried in over a decade and had been carefully taking


    care of him. Then let me ask her this, how many points did Keegan score in the college entrance


    examination?"

 Chapter 2226

    Chapter 2226


    "We¡¯ve always celebrated maternal love, and rightly so, as it¡¯s truly remarkable. However, not every


    mother embodies this virtue. Those who exploit maternal love to control their children and selfishly


    demand from them-can we really fault the child for rebelling?


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    "For years since Keegan graduated, he''s been consistently donating money for books and schrships


    to our alma mater. Last year, when the school requested him to write messages for the children, we all


    expected words of encouragement for their studies and future endeavors. Instead, he wrote, "May you


    grow up free of worries and full of happiness/ It''s evident he''s still in touch with his inner child.


    "It''s been over a decade since his graduation, and ourmunication hasn''t been frequent. However,


    two years ago, when my husband required surgery, my child was studying abroad, and my own health


    had deteriorated over the years, Keegan somehow got wind of it. He arranged for my husband''s


    hospitalization and personally handled all the procedures with me.


    "Keegan was an exceptional student among many, and as a teacher, I couldn''t provide individual


    attention to everyone. I was just an ordinary educator who spent three years teaching him, now retired


    and unable to offer career assistance. Yet, despite this, he hasn''t forgotten the kindness extended to


    him. How could someone like him abandon his birth mother?


    "As I pen these words, my son advised against posting them due to the uncertain public sentiment,


    fearing bacsh. But I''m undeterred. I know the kind of person he is, yet I stay silent, allowing him to


    be unfairly criticized. As his teacher, it weighs heavily on my conscience.


    "He''s honorable and upright, and I''m proud to have had him as a student."


    Ste''s eyes welled up as she read the post.


    This teacher wasn''t someone she had reached out to. They provided their teaching credentials and a


    graduation photo with Keegan on Facebook to verify their identity.


    They truly were Keegan''s teacher.


    The teacher''s extensive post stripped away Dahlia''s facade of hypocrisy, and it also brought forward


    Keegan''s ssmates, teachers, and even schrship recipients.


    Some corroborated the teacher''s ount, while others described Keegan''s character. Messages of


    support came pouring in from around the world.


    The kindness Keegan had shown the world was now being reciprocated in his time of need.


    Ste felt a sudden wave of gratitude. It was heartening to see so many people caring for Keegan.


    While he yearned for Dahlia''s affection, there were others silently supporting him.


    Ste took a deep breath and instructed someone to delete the unsent audio.


    It was a recording of a conversation between Keegan and Dahlia.


    Before the uproar, Dahlia had called Keegan, but the negotiation didn''t go her way, leading to a torrent


    of foulnguage.


    Releasing the audio could dismantle Dahlia''s image as a "loving mother," but Ste chose not to share


    it at this time.


    With numerous witnesses, Dahlia''s lies crumbled one by one. Initially denying everything, she faced


    mounting evidence, prompting creditors for the Crosby family to converge and herment section to


    copse.


    A Facebook ount created that morning was deleted by evening.


    Dahlia, who had given birth but failed to nurture, draining her son''s resources to support her family,


    even plotting against her own son-her reputation was irreparably damaged.

 Chapter 2227

    Chapter 2227


    Once the woman who held the top position in the wives¡¯ social circle, Dahlia had now be


    universally scorned and despised. There was no longer any hope for her to thrive in this circle.


    Under Keegan''s Facebook post, newments began to surface gradually, overshadowing the


    previous insults. The trending topics also started to shift.


    One of the most talked-about topics was # Keegan''sCollegeEntranceExamScore#.


    Before the press conference, many people saw Keegan as no different from other wealthy heirs. If


    there was any difference, it was that he had fewer scandals and maintained a lower profile.


    However, in the eyes ofizens, there wasn''t much disparity between a low-key wealthy heir and a


    high-profile one: both relied on their family background to effortlessly ess top resources. Even if


    theycked personal capability, they could still achieve levels of wealth and sess that ordinary


    people could only dream of.


    So, when aizen posted Keegan''s college entrance exam score, everyone was astonished.


    724 points???


    What kind of extraordinary academic prodigy was this?


    Some spected there must have been some sort of bonus policy, but it turned out his scores were


    genuine-except for English, where he scored 136, the rest were either perfect or close to it.


    Subsequently, Keegan''s academic records from his school days were unearthed. Not only that, but


    people also discovered that he was currently leading the core team at the Vinci Rivera Group, and they


    had won numerous awards.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    His graduate thesis was also brought to light, and many graduate students realized they hade


    across Keegan''s work in professional journals or even cited it in their own papers. Some experts even


    asserted that Keegan''s thesis was at a doctoral level or higher...


    Suddenly, people came to realize that the young managing director of the Vinci Rivera Group was a


    genuine academic genius. Keegan himself had never disclosed any of this in interviews or on social


    media.


    If it hadn''t been for his high school teacher mentioning it in a lengthy post, outsiders would still be


    unaware.


    "I''ve been wandering aimlessly in this world all these years..."


    "I don''t envy his wealth, but him being a genius is what guts me."


    "He''s like a masterpiece crafted by the gods, while I''m just a lump of y they discarded without a


    second thought. Not only that, they didn''t even give me a brain!"


    "If I had such an outstanding son, I''d carry him on my back everywhere. What is his mother thinking?"


    "Since his mom doesn''t want him, I do! I''ve been single since I was young."


    "Stop dreaming, he''s married."


    "Suddenly, Keegan Kane''s academic background makes me look forward to Luna''s tutoring model.


    Can we pay for it in installments? I want to get one for my daughter. Tutoring her has turned me into a


    shrew."


    Sales of the new product soared higher and higher. By the end of the appreciation banquet, thirteen


    thousand units of Luna models had been ordered.


    Keegan raised his ss, exchanging pleasantries with everyone. There was no pride on his face, only


    composure and tranquility. Through the crowd, his eyes briefly met Ste''s, then quickly averted. The


    next moment, a waiter handed her a ss of freshly squeezed juice, saying it was ordered by a


    gentleman.


    Ste was about to take it when a child ran past, colliding with the waiter, who staggered and almost


    fell onto Ste. Her face paled, and she hurriedly dodged, but someone nearby reached out and pulled


    her to safety.

 Chapter 2228

    Chapter 2228


    The waiter crashed right where Ste had been standing, sending the table and its contents crashing to


    the ground, shards of ss flying in every direction. Ste, still shaken, felt her heart pounding in her


    chest as she turned even paler.


    A voice beside her said, "Don''t worry, everything''s fine." Ste snapped out of it, looking at Marshall


    Moore who was holding her. She took a deep breath, pulling her wrist away and whispered softly,


    "Thank you."


    Marshall''s eyes showed concern, but he held back from moving closer. He tightened his grip on Ste''s


    hand, murmuring, "As long as you''re okay."


    Keegan, wearing a stern expression, approached. Before he could react, Ste stepped forward,


    grabbing his hand. "Get someone to clean up. Don''t rm the guests."


    Keegan''s hand trembled slightly in hers. Ste squeezed it firmly, her eyes assuring him that she was


    fine, urging him to stayposed.


    She noticed a few kids chasing each other, identally tripping the waiter. It was just an ident, but if


    Keegan lost his temper, it would ruin the image he had just projected to Marshall.


    Gradually, Keegan calmed down under her reassurance. He suppressed his emotions,forting the


    crowd while instructing Aldor Hart to send people to clean up.


    Vermont, who had been chatting with friends nearby, was startled by themotion. He quickly asked


    what happened.


    Marshall exined, "A few kids were chasing each other, they tripped the waiter, and almost knocked


    Ste over."


    Vermont took a sharp breath, subconsciously ncing at Ste''s belly. He was about to speak but was


    silenced by Keegan''s sharp look.


    Vermont suddenly felt guilty.


    Before the appreciation banquet, Keegan had specifically told him to stay with Ste. But he had just


    returned from the restroom and got caught up in conversation with friends. He didn''t expect things to go


    south so quickly.


    Luckily, nobody was hurt. Otherwise, Keegan would have been furious.


    "These kids... I''ll talk to their parentster."


    Keegan red at Vermont, his face tense. "Let''s clear the area first. There''s ss everywhere, we


    don''t want anyone to get hurt."


    To Vermont, it sounded like: "Get my wife to safety first. If she''s harmed, you''ll answer to me."


    Vermont felt uneasy.


    All those people online only knew Keegan as a genius. Why hadn''t anyone exposed his phndering


    and bad temper?


    Despite his emotions, Vermont moved Ste and the others to a table farther away.


    Marshall handed Ste a ss of water. Ste looked at his hand holding the ss, remembering what


    had happened at Vermont''s birthday party a year ago.


    She had left the table early to unlock a safe, andter received a call from Marshall, saying Keegan


    was drunk and needed her to pick him up.


    When she arrived, he was waiting downstairs, saying Keegan was resting in his room upstairs and


    wanted to take her there. But after taking a few steps, he turned pale, saying he was feeling dizzy.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    She had asked for water then, and after Marshall drank it and rested for a while, he escorted her


    upstairs. That''s when she saw Sophia Jewell trying


    to climb onto Keegan''s bed.


    Previously consumed by anger, her thoughts had been clouded with Keegan''s behavior. Who gave


    Sophia the audacity to try to take her man? She failed to realize how opportune her timing was when


    she went upstairs.

 Chapter 2229

    Chapter 2229


    Why did Marshall bother dragging Keegan upstairs when he was already drunk?


    Couldn''t he just ce Keegan downstairs?


    Even if it was for Keegan''sfort, why did Marshall wait downstairs for her?


    There were only two elevators going up; could she really have missed them?


    Keegan always had a disdain for the Jewell family. He wouldn''t give Sophia a chance to get close to


    him while sober. And Sophia wasn''t the sharpest tool in the shed. If she had the capability, she would


    have seeded long ago.


    So when Marshall drank water, it wasn''t because of a headache, but to stall for time, making sure she


    could catch them in the act.


    The more Ste thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. What was Marshall feeling when he came


    to aid the person responsible for his first love''s death?


    "Ste?"


    Seeing her silence, her face still somewhat pale, Marshall gently called her.


    Ste''s fingers trembled slightly, then she clenched them, steadying her emotions. She reached out


    and took it, "Thank you."


    She seemed okay, but herplexion wasn''t great at the moment, with ayer of cold sweat on her


    forehead, possibly from being frightened.


    Marshall had a lot on his mind, but when he spoke, it came out as a simple greeting, "How have you


    beentely?"


    Ste nodded. "Pretty good."


    She paused and added, "A while ago, someone contacted me from your phone, saying you were


    drunk. I wasn''t feeling well at the time, so I didn''t go. Did you return after?"


    She brought up the topic almost as if she feared he would question her absence. This distance


    between them left a bitter taste in his mouth.


    He smiled. "Yes, I did. Ka was kind enough to escort me back."


    Ste nodded. "That''s good."


    She fiddled with her cup, choosing her words carefully, "Mr. Moore, when we parted that day, I said


    some things that were a bit harsh. You''ve helped me a lot, and I was too suspicious of you. I''m sorry."


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Marshall shook his head. "It''s because I didn''t rify things before sharing ambiguous information with


    you. It''s natural for you to me me."


    Ste lowered her eyes. "You and Keegan have been friends since childhood. I should trust that you


    have his best interests at heart, just as he has yours. Before his ident, he spoke to me about you


    and always mentioned your childhood together. That model cruise ship he ced on the bookshelf, he


    said it was handmade by you and given to him. The housekeeper identally broke the sails while


    cleaning before, and he was really upset. I even felt a pang of jealousy at the time, thinking it was a gift


    from his ex-girlfriend, but it turned out to be from you."


    Ste chuckled, "He didn''t cherish anything I gave him as much."


    Marshall''s expression wasplicated. He tightened his grip on the water ss and took a moment


    before smiling. "High school creations, I''d almost forgotten about it if you hadn¡¯t mentioned it. Keegan is


    quite sentimental."


    "Yeah, he''s always been sentimental," Ste said softly, "Do you know why he created Luna?"


    Marshall paused for a moment and remained silent.


    Ste continued, "He said he hurt his back ying basketball in school. He was bedridden the whole


    time. Every day, he felt like a piece of dead meat being moved around by others. He felt he had no


    dignity, was very ashamed, and had a friend who encouraged him, saying that in the future, he should


    create a robot butler to take care of patients instead of humans, to preserve their dignity when they''re


    sick. He turned their jokes into reality, but I don''t know if his friend ever saw it."

 Chapter 2230

    Chapter 2230


    Marshall idly spun the ss around before finally offering a light smile." Maybe he''s seen it, or perhaps


    it was all just a joke."


    Ste lowered her gaze and remained silent.


    ncing at a group of children nearby, Marshall suddenly inquired, "Is the little girl from the memorial


    service still with the Kane family?¡±


    Ste nodded. "Keegan brought her to the mansion."


    Marshall appeared somewhat surprised. "Weren¡¯t they supposed to hand her over to her rtives?¡±


    Ste exined, "Aldor mentioned that the child lost all her immediate family, and no other rtives


    were willing to take her. Keegan was worried about sending her to an orphanage, so he decided to


    keep her by his side for the time being."


    Taking a sip of tea, Marshall asked, "Have you all not considered putting her up for adoption?"


    Ste chuckled softly. "I did bring it up once with Keegan, and we ended up arguing. He used me of


    not being able to ept a child. If it weren''t for the paternity test I arranged between him and the child,


    I might have believed she was his biological daughter. He treasures her immensely.


    Well, she''s a sweet and sensible girl; well just continue to care for her."


    Marshall smiled faintly. "You''re quite open-minded about it."


    Squinting as she nced at someone in the distance engaged in conversation but asionally casting


    nces her way, Ste remarked lightly, Actually, Keegan mentioned this child to me before his


    ident. But at that time, I hadn''t met her. The name Keegan told me wasn''t Coco; it was Heather


    Morrell. He said this name was given to her by Coco''s mother, and she and Coco''s father met when


    scotch heather was in full bloom."


    Sighing, Ste continued, "It was supposed to be quite the romantic story, but unfortunately, the ending


    wasn¡¯t a good one."


    Marshall didn''t say anything, but ripples spread across the ss in his hand, revealing his inner turmoil.


    After a while, he set down the ss and said softly, "Excuse me, I need to use the restroom."


    Ste nodded absentmindedly, sipping her juice.


    Without the name Heather, Coco was just Coco, but Marshall first met Willow Jenning under the


    heather tree.


    Marshall must know that Coco wasn''t his child, but upon hearing the name Heather, he must have


    thought that Willow still had feelings for him back then. Then he would surely investigate the matter


    between Willow and Jayson Morrell, unraveling the mysteries surrounding Jayson. Then, the truth


    might not be far off.


    She rubbed her forehead; regardless of whether Marshall''s actions were genuine or not, he had


    genuinely saved her. If she had really fallen, she didn''t dare think about the consequences.


    Marshall was a cunning and contradictory person; he wished Keegan dead yet still saved him. He knew


    she was Keegan''s weakness, yet he showed leniency toward her time and again.


    If only he were more ruthless, she wouldn''t have to worry about Keegan.


    "Why are you still staring when the person is already gone!¡±


    She heard someone gnashing their teeth beside her. Ste paused, meeting Keegan''s irritated gaze,


    then couldn''t help but chuckle, "You''re so close to me; be careful not to get caught feigning amnesia."


    Keegan gritted his teeth, annoyed. "I no longer want to pretend. It''s all because you wanted me to


    ''seduce'' Jaylene!"


    Steughed and subtly hooked her fingers around his under the sleeve, ¡ö'' Okay, okay, it''s my fault. I


    made you feel wronged. I apologize. Don''t be angry. Do you know that you''re a godly figure in the eyes


    ofizens now? If they knew you threw tantrums like a child in private, they''d mock you."


    "As if I would care."


    "Then shall I post about how you fought for a $99 gift sock, or got jealous and had a tiff with your wife


    online? Or maybe share the story of how you treated your uncle as an imaginary enemy and put your


    father-inw''s leg on a stretcher for exercise?"


    Keegan red at her. "You wouldn''t dare!"


    Ste raised an eyebrow. "You said you wouldn''t care."


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    Keegan''s lips twitched slightly. He didn''t want his wife to bring up his past embarrassing deeds. He


    quickly changed the subject, "What did you talk to him about?"

 Chapter 2231

    Chapter 2231


    Ste quickly filled Keegan in on the conversation.


    Keegan was taken aback. "Heather? You have quite the imagination."


    Even though these stories were fabricated, they were told so convincingly that they seemed real.


    Ste added, "Willow didn''t say anything before she died. We don''t know why, but maybe he can find


    out."


    Pausing, Ste leaned in to whisper, "Actually, I''ve always suspected the Moore family''s involvement-"


    Keegan squeezed her hand, signaling her to keep quiet.


    Ste hesitated, following Keegan''s gaze to Luanna Saab-no, Lina Saab- walking hand in hand with


    Ricky Adam at the appreciation banquet.


    Lina''s makeup mirrored Luanna''s, her eyes alluring and her features radiant. Dressed elegantly, she


    looked almost identical to when Ste saw her at the hospital.


    They appeared together, their mannerisms intimate and familiar.


    "Mr. Kane, congrats on the sessful press conference," Ricky said, raising a cup to Keegan.


    Ste suddenly noticed that Ricky, the addict, looked much better than he did at the wedding. His


    cheekbones were less sunken, his eyes were sparkling a bit more, and though still thin, the suit made


    him presentable. No one would guess he was an addict.


    Keegan raised his ss and clinked it with Ricky''s. "Thank you."


    Ricky nced at Ste. Turning to Lina, he asked, "Aren''t you two ssmates? Why does Ms. Hall


    seem so distant? Are you not on good terms?"


    Lina smiled. "We haven''t kept in touch for years. I just didn''t recognize her at first nce."


    She then raised her ss to Ste. "Ste, it''s been a while."


    Ste raised her ss in return. "Long time no see. Could I have tea instead of water? I''m not feeling


    well today."


    Lina nodded. "Of course.''"


    Ricky''s gaze lingered on Lina''s face before he turned to chat with Keegan.


    Keegan responded, neither too friendly nor distant. He probably didn''t like addicts like Ricky, but he had


    to maintain the Adam family''s image.


    After a short conversation, Ricky put his arm around Lina. "Do you like the Luna? If you do, I''ll get you


    one."


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Lina took out a cigarette, tapping it lightly on the box. She replied casually," You know what I want."


    Before Ricky could reply, Keegan interjected, "Smoking isn''t allowed here. Please go to the smoking


    area."


    Ste was speechless.


    Was this the main point? This guy! She was eagerly anticipating some juicy gossip from the two.


    Lina paused, then put the cigarette back. "Then I''ll go outside. You two talk."


    With that, she turned to leave. Ricky''s gaze was mncholic as he followed her out.


    "Why does this guy suddenly look so energetic? Could the rumors be true?"

 Chapter 2232

    Chapter 2232


    Ste and Keegan exchanged nces before turning abruptly to look at Vermont, who was muttering to


    himself behind them.


    Startled by their stares, Vermont eximed, "Why are you ring at me?"


    Ste hurriedly asked, "What rumor? What do you know?"


    Vermont blinked. "The rumor is that Ricky fell in love with his stand-in.


    When she disappeared for a year, he waspletely devastated. But when she came back, he was


    suddenly full of life again. So, the other girl got upset and started causing trouble for the stand-in every


    day."


    Ste and Keegan were both speechless.


    Ste frowned. "Didn''t you say he indulged in all sorts of vices-drinking, gambling, and so on? How


    could someone like that have a good woman by his side?" "Even pigs eat rotten cabbage. Besides,


    given Ricky''s background, if someone from a good family isn¡¯t interested, it doesn¡¯t mean someone


    from a poor family background won¡¯t be."


    Next, Vermont told them an extremely melodramatic story.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    He said Ricky had a childhood sweetheart who was the daughter of their family''s nanny. They grew up


    together and developed feelings for each other.


    Initially, Ricky''s family didn''t mind, thinking it was just a fling. But this girl turned out to be quite capable,


    driving Ricky mad about her.


    Having her around as ymate was fine for a bit of fun, but if she wanted to be part of the family,


    the Adam family wouldn''t allow it.


    So, they spent some money and used some means to drive the girl away. When she left, Ricky went


    crazy because she left him a letter saying they were not destined to be together in this life, but maybe


    in the next.


    Everyone who saw the letter thought she was contemting suicide. Since Ricky couldn''t find her, he


    med her death on the Adam family.


    Vermont said casually, "Everyone in the Adam family is sharp, but unfortunately, they had Ricky, who


    was foolish. Mrs. Adam never took that woman seriously; how could she dirty the Adam family''s hands


    for someone like her? But Ricky, that fool, didn''t believe it. He went against his family at every turn.


    When the family set him up on blind dates, he would bring his little lover to meet the potential matches.


    He intentionally provoked his family, and the women he found all had some resemnce to that girl."


    "It''s said that he started taking drugs because he couldn''t sleep thinking about that girl, and drugs


    helped ease that state."


    Ste furrowed her brow. "Do scumbags always find excuses like this?"


    Vermont continued, "Later, he met a mini star at the club who looked a lot like the girl. He spoiled her


    rotten, and just when they were as close as could be, guess what happened?"


    Keegan raised an eyebrow. Did the dead girle back?"


    Water sprayed out of Vermont''s mouth. "Damn, how did you guess that?"


    Keegan gave him a look as if he were mentally impaired. "Didn''t you say from the beginning that the


    girl was causing trouble for the stand-in?"


    Vermont was rendered speechless.


    "Did I say that?"


    Ste confirmed, "You did."


    Vermont rubbed his temples. "I must be getting old; my gossip skills are declining."

 Chapter 2233

    Chapter 2233


    "Keep going, what happened next?" Ste urged.


    "It gets even crazier," Vermont continued. "He couldn''t decide between that girl and the stand-in. Both


    women fought fiercely for him, and in the end, the girl used the stand-in of drug use. After her


    reputation was destroyed, the stand-in disappeared.


    "When the stand-in left, everyone assumed Ricky would reconcile with that girl, especially since their


    previous conflicts revolved around her. But Ricky remained passive, and the Adam family hinted that


    that girl would never be epted. Within a few months, they even arranged for Ricky to meet Mrs.


    Chapman''s eldest daughter.


    "Over the years, Ricky''s been causing trouble, disappointing the Adam family. They had hoped he''d


    continue the family line, but his drug abuse left him sterile. They nned for his father to carry on with


    the arrangement, but after the Chapman family incident, the marriage arrangement fell apart.


    "But then the stand-in returned, and seeing how Ricky¡¯s mood changed drastically, it seems the rumors


    about him favoring the stand-in were true. If I were that girl, I''d be furious. After all that nning, only to


    lose control in the end and be someone else''s pawn."


    Ste and Keegan were both puzzled.


    Ste couldn''t resist asking, "How do you know all this?"


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Even though she imed not to care, she still wanted to know about Ricky.


    But she hadn¡¯t heard about this dramatic story.


    Vermont sighed and seemed evasive. "Just overheard some gossip while out drinking."


    Keegan guessed it probably came from his ex-girlfriends who enjoyed gossiping.


    The Adam family always kept Ricky''s scandals secret, known only to those close to them. Vermont''s


    exes, some of whom were minor celebrities, likely knew Luanna or Ricky. The rumor spread until it


    reached Vermont''s ears.


    Vermont wouldn''t rest until he found out what happened. If he couldn''t get the whole story, he''d lose


    sleep over it until he did.


    Thankfully, Ste didn''t dwell on it, just furrowing her brow and saying," Then why didn''t you tell US


    earlier?"


    Now Vermont was confused. "You never asked." He then eyed them suspiciously. ¡®Why so curious


    about Ricky?"


    Ste paused, then nced at Keegan.


    He replied casually, "Can''t we be curious? Since you know so much, just tell us."


    Ste got the hint. Keegan didn''t want Vermont involved, so she yed along, saying, "You''re keeping


    all this juicy gossip to yourself, how selfish!"


    Vermont was speechless. "It''s an old story..."


    Then he remembered something and whispered, "But it seems Ricky got someone pregnant. Every


    time he''s high, he insists it wasn''t him, and no one dares to ask. The Adam family has kept it quiet. I


    haven''t seen it myself, but a friend mentioned it."


    Keegan clenched his fists, his eyshes trembling. He must be thinking of Jayson''s death.


    Ste feared Vermont might pick up on something, so she changed the subject. "Wasn''t Felicity


    supposed toe from the banquet? Where is she?"


    Vermont pursed his lips. "Her grandmother fell and needs surgery. Calls kepting, urging her to go,


    so she went to visit."


    He looked frustrated. "I offered to go with her, but she said I haven''t met the criteria. It''s entirely up to


    her, right? She thinks the press conference is crucial for Keegan, so she thinks it''s essential for me to


    attend. She''s so considerate. How did I get so lucky?"

 Chapter 2234

    Chapter 2234


    Ste''s eye twitched.


    Did he have to show off like that?


    She was about to speak when Keegan chimed in, "Luck''s on your side, but hitting that 0.5% chance for


    twins, like US, would be even better."


    Ste was rendered speechless.


    The snide remark on her mind suddenly felt out of ce.


    Vermont''s mouth twitched. "Keegan, can''t you go one day without bragging?"


    Keegan earnestly replied, ''I can¡¯t."


    Vermont audibly ground his teeth, seething internally. When the time came, he¡¯d make sure to have a


    daughter and snatch Keegan''s son away, then repeat it again and again, relentlessly! He¡¯d ensure that


    Keegan would not be able to have grandchildren! Let''s see how smug he''d be then!


    Marshall didn''t return after leaving his seat.


    Jaylene''s injuries hadn''t healed, so she didn''t show up today. Trevor left after the press conference,


    and her dad was a no-show all day. Without a second thought, she knew he was furious.


    Ste sent her dad a few photos of good wine. "Dad, these are from Keegan, especially for you."


    Wenham Saun didn''t reply, but the message box kept showing "typing."


    It wasn''t until Vermont and Aldor helped the tipsy Keegan into the car that the message finally came


    through. Wenham sent her a fist-bumping emoji.


    Ste was confused.


    Before she could grasp the meaning of that emoji, Wenham sent another message, "Recall."


    Ste was even more confused.


    Thirty secondster.


    Wenham, "Recall."


    One minuteter.


    Wenham, "Recall."


    Two minutester.


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    Wenham, "Recall."


    Ste sensed something was amiss. She typed, "Dad, what did you send? I didn''t see it."


    On the other end, Wenham breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Trevor," Thank goodness it wasn¡¯t


    longer than two minutes. Ste didn''t see it."


    Then he sounded somewhat frustrated, "But why can I still see it here?"


    Trevor had just finished washing his hands and walked over. "Let me see."


    Wenham handed his phone to Trevor.


    Trevor nced at the screen, his eye twitching slightly. "You recalled it?"


    "Oh," Wenham said, "I thought if I recalled it, it wouldn''t be visible on my end either. It didn''t disappear,


    so I kept recalling it four times in a row. I didn''t know that only the other person couldn¡¯t see it anymore.


    This is not user-friendly at all. I feel so awkward just staring at it."


    Trevor was speechless.


    Looking at the four recalls in the chat box and Ste''s seemingly oblivious responses, Trevor suddenly


    realized that there was a reason he hadn''t been as favored by his dad all these yearspared to his


    newly arrived daughter.


    With her knack for charming their father, he feared he would spend a lifetime practicing and still fall


    short.


    "Give me the phone; I haven''t replied to Ste yet."

 Chapter 2235

    Chapter 2235


    Wenham was getting impatient.


    Trevor nonchntly removed the previous emoji and handed the phone back to Wenham. When


    Wenham noticed the emoji was gone, he eximed, "How did it disappear?"


    Trevor replied, "Probably just awork dy."


    Wenham grumbled, "This app keeps getting worse with each update!"


    Trevor fell silent.


    Wenham held the phone, typing a response to his daughter while scolding Trevor, "From now on, don¡¯t


    send me so many weird emojis. One slip of the finger, and I end up clicking the wrong thing. If your


    sister sees them, it ruins my image in her eyes, you know?"


    Trevor pondered to himself; he wasn''t sure if it affected his image, but surely she recognized his


    intelligence.


    Wenham hesitated, unsure of how to respond. He¡¯d have to ask his son, whom he had to bribe with


    prepaid phone credit. "Trevor, how can I reply without upsetting Ste but still expressing my frustration


    with Keegan?"


    Trevor suggested, "Tell her that his mom sent medicine, and he sent wine. One could harm the


    grandkids, the other could harm the dad. So, basically, they''re both in trouble."


    Wenham kicked Trevor away, saying, "You''re hopeless!"


    Trevor leaned back on the couch,ughing, "Do you even want this son-in-w? If you don''t, why


    bother? Just bring Ste back, cut off all contact, problem solved."


    Wenham red at him, "Whether I want him or not doesn''t matter. Your sister does, and her baby on


    the way will need a father."


    "Never mind. If you''re not fond of him, reluctantly epting him will only cause tension. In my opinion,


    it''s better to call it off. Let''s find someone else for her. Ste was just attracted to his looks; we have


    plenty of handsome guys in ourpany, younger and healthier than him. Let Ste choose from


    them. After seeing more, Keegan won''t seem so special."


    Wenham threw a cushion at Trevor, "Ourpany? Seriously? They¡¯re all a bunch of effeminate pretty


    boys. Ste wants him, whether I like it or not!"


    Trevor responded, "Well, stop throwing tantrums and intimidating them."


    Wenham nced at him suspiciously, "Are you here to advocate for Keegan? Did he promise you


    something?"


    Trevor stood up. "Look at him; does he have the power to persuade me? Dad, even if Ste doesn¡¯t


    want to leave him, if Keegan and his mom¡¯s problems don¡¯t end, I''ll intervene. But he''s already made it


    this far.


    Shouldn''t wepromise a bit too? She''s my only sister, and I''ve missed her for so many years. All I


    want now is for her to be happy. She tells me she''s happy with Keegan."


    Wenham took a while to respond, "So I shouldn''t have forgiven him so easily, huh?"


    Trevor chuckled, "Then take your time to consider."


    With that, he grabbed a bottle of water and reminded Wenham, "Don''t forget to lock my door when you


    leave."


    Wenham stared at the chat box, uncertain of what to say.


    To forgive or not felt like holding back a breath. Forgiving felt too easy, yet not forgiving seemed


    troublesome for his daughter. Being a dad was tough. If only Freesia were here.


    His phone buzzed, and he saw a message from an old ssmate in the alumni group, tagging him.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "Wenham, can you ask your son-inw if that robot can be customized? My grandson wants a different


    color skin."


    "What? That little thing was made by Wenham''s son-inw?"


    "Wow, impressive. Young people these days are really something."


    "Wenham, you''re so modest. With such a talented son-inw, why keep it a secret from US? Not fair!"


    "Did you guys watch the live broadcast today? That kid''s smart, and he''s got energy. Wenham''s


    daughter sure has good taste."


    The praise from his old ssmates made Wenham feel light-hearted. He didn''t send the "that''s not my


    son-inw" reply for quite some time. Finally, he sent, "I''ll ask him."


    When he came back to his senses, his old ssmates had already thanked him in the group, and two


    minutes had passed, so he couldn''t retract his message.


    What a dilemma...


    So, his reply to Ste became, "Um... ask Keegan if Shiny Egg can be customized, but don''t mention it


    was me who asked."

 Chapter 2236

    Chapter 2236


    Ste didn''t see Wenham''s reply until she got home, and it brought a mix ofughter and tears.


    With that response, Ste felt relieved. It meant her dad, though upset, was open to reconciliation.


    Regarding the customization, she figured it was all about pleasing the father-inw; Keegan would


    make it happen.


    After replying to Wenham, she turned to Keegan lying on the bed.


    With Aldor and the others'' help, his suit was off. His tie hung loosely around his chest, and the top two


    buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing a flush.


    His sses still perched on his nose, his sharp features softened.


    Ste leaned over and whispered, "Keegan, honey..."


    Keegan, a bit annoyed, buried his head deeper into the pillow. His Adam''s apple protruded,


    inadvertently enticing.


    Ste reached for his sses, gently stroking his forehead. "Honey, get up, shower, then sleep. I can''t


    move you."


    Keegan groggily opened his eyes, gazing at the blurry figure. Suddenly, he hugged her, nting a kiss


    on her cheek. "Ste..."


    He murmured her name, and Ste, unbuttoning his shirt, replied, "I''m here."


    After calling her name, Keegan began tough, shedding his seriousness. He seemed more childish,


    saying softly, "Ste, I did it, I did it, Ste..."


    Ten years...


    Keegan had provided a satisfactory answer to his father, his followers, and every customer of the Vinci


    Rivera Group.


    The hardships he faced were known only to him. Keegan neverined, not even to her.


    She used to not understand his seemingly mechanical life, always busy. She thought his goal was to


    fight for the inheritance of the Vinci Rivera Group, underestimating his ideals.


    In her previous marriage, she said he didn''t understand her, but in fact, she didn''t understand him. In


    the year since their divorce, her experiences made her gradually understand his hardships.


    Because he bore not only his own and his team''s future but also his father''s unfinished mission and his


    vision for the entire industry.


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    Her husband was ambitious...


    Ste thought to herself as she embraced him, "Yes, you did it."


    "Am I your pride?"


    Keegan asked softly.


    "Of course."


    But Keegan seemed not to hear, pulling her close like a child, repeatedly asking, "Am I your pride?" No


    matter her answer, he kept asking.


    His eyes became moist. Ste realized he wasn''t talking to her; he was asking his father.


    He no longer needed Dahlia''s approval; he no longer hoped for the maternal love he never received.


    But his father, the one who left the world too early, was forever a regret in his heart.


    Ste hugged him tightly, stroking his hair, and said hoarsely, "You always have been.¡¯

 Chapter 2237

    Chapter 2237


    Keegan settled into silence, gently reaching out to touch his face, her palm moist with tears.


    That evening, after the sessful conclusion of the press conference, they huddled together, crying for


    a long while.


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    Aurora Kane crouched outside the master bedroom, ultimatelycking the courage to knock on the


    door.


    Her phone buzzed incessantly, Dahlia''s messages flooding in one after the other, ¡¯Aurora, have you


    spoken to your brother?"


    "I was deceived by your uncle. Family ties run deep. Of course, I can tell the difference. I can''t bear to


    see your grandfather''s legacy being tarnished like this.


    "I never intended to cut ties with Keegan. He''s my son. How could I abandon him? Ste tricked me


    into writing that severance letter. I knew it held no legal weight when I signed it. Who knew she''d pull a


    stunt like this!


    "Aurora, ignore the online chatter. Keegan is my flesh and blood. How could I not care for him? It''s just


    that he''s been under your grandmother''s influence for too long. Your grandmother doesn''t approve of


    me, so I always feel like Keegan doesn''t either. Sometimes, distance is inevitable. But he''s my son, my


    heart. He loves me, and I love him more."


    Aurora pursed her lips, rising from the ground. As she descended the stairs, she dialed Dahlia''s


    number.


    Dahlia must have been waiting by the phone, promptly answering when it rang.


    "Aurora, my dear, how did it go? Have you told your brother everything as I instructed?"


    Suddenly, Aurora asked, "Mom, do you know what day next Wednesday is?¡±


    Dahlia hesitated, "Why this sudden question? My memory isn''t what it used to be. Just remind me."


    Aurora stated, "Next Wednesday is Keegan''s birthday, Mom. You remember your close friends''


    preferences, but do you remember Keegan''s?"


    Dahlia was speechless for a moment, then erupted, "Are you ming me too? Haven''t I been good to


    Keegan? Haven''t I been good to you? What gives you the right to say such things to me!"


    A pang struck Aurora''s heart. "I have no right, because I''m the one who benefits. Simrly, you have no


    right to seek forgiveness from Keegan. If he forgives you, then the harm you''ve caused him is what he


    deserves.


    Keegan is a good person, he deserves better. If you couldn''t love him before, then don''t disrupt his path


    in the future."


    Dahlia paled, angrily retorting, "Aurora! You ungrateful child. I''d rather raise a dog than you!"


    Aurora interjected softly, "I''ll take care of you in your old age, but don¡¯t bother Keegan anymore."


    With that, she hung up, ignoring Dahlia''s hysteria on the other end.


    Understanding someone else''s feelingspletely was impossible. Hearing about Keegan''s past from


    others made her heart ache, but he had lived through it firsthand.


    What right did she have to advise Keegan to forgive their mother? She wasplicit in it all.


    It was always Keegan who protected her. Now, all she could do was this small gesture.


    Her phone buzzed again. Thinking it was Dahlia, she was about to silence it when she saw a message


    from Aldor Hart.


    "Miss, are you asleep?"


    Aurora replied, "Yes."


    Aldor called, and as Aurora answered, amidst the sound of wind, Aldor''s gentleughter came, "Let''s


    meet up, I want to see you."


    Aurora was taken aback, her heart racing.

 Chapter 2238

    Chapter 2238


    The new productunch event by the Vinci Rivera Group was a massive sess, with products selling


    out during pre-orders and Luna''s test videos racking up over a billion views overnight across various


    tforms.


    Following the event, Keegan gained widespread recognition.


    In just three days, his Facebook fanbase soared past twenty million, and thements section was


    flooded with fans addressing him as "husband, " regardless of gender.


    Whether it was fans urging for pre-order times or asking him to post on Facebook, the demand was


    constant.


    When Keegan didn¡¯t post on Facebook as expected, someizens started digging and stumbled upon


    the daily activities of Married Bachelor.


    Long-time followers of Married Bachelor and neers drawn to Keegan suddenly noticed that their


    Facebook posts had identical writing styles and punctuation usage. They also discovered that Married


    Bachelor and Keegan used the same model of phone for posting on Facebook, and even their IP


    addresses for posts on the same day were identical.


    Wasn''t this just Keegan''s alternate ount?


    Despite Married Bachelor''s Facebook being set to be visible only after six months, loyal fans still


    managed to screenshot his previous affectionate posts.


    Then everyone realized that the way these top schrs showed affection was quite unique.


    When his wife went on a trip and didn''t return for a while, he missed her a lot, but he didn''t express it


    directly.


    He would say: "On the seventh day of watering the nts, my patience has reached its limit. If she


    doesn''te back tomorrow, I won''t take care of her nts anymore, and I mean it.¡±


    On the tenth day of her absence, he would say: "nts are innocent, aren''t they? It''s the person who


    has them but doesn''t take good care of them who''s at fault."


    On the twelfth day: "She sent me photos, but I didn''t want to look. I just don''t want to deal with those


    nts."


    On the eighteenth day: "She''s back. She said the nts have withered because I watered them too


    much and they grew too tall. Can she only see the nts withering? I watered the nts, and I''ve lost


    weight too!"


    And so on. There were many more examples.


    For instance, when he had an argument with his wife, he''d use emojis on Facebook.


    Or when it was his wife''s birthday and he gave her a gift, and she kissed him, he''d spend the rest of the


    night on Facebook pondering what that kiss meant...


    So, everyone realized, this wasn''t a married couple''s daily life; it was clearly a secret crush''s daily life.


    Who would''ve thought that the paragon of the sky would be troubled by love like this? So after


    Keegan''s Facebook was exposed, Married Bachelor couldn''t escape either.


    Netizens began digging into Keegan and his wife''s love story, but this time, it wasn''t as easy to find


    information as before.


    Mrs. Kane''s identity seemed to be shrouded in mystery, and suddenly, those promotional ounts


    started to m up. It was as if those in the know had been silenced, and no one online revealed a


    single word about


    Mrs. Kane''s identity.


    Simrly, it was also revealed by those in the know that Keegan and Mrs. Kane were very affectionate.


    They had known each other since childhood and fell in love at first sight. When Keegan fell into the


    water before, Mrs. Kane jumped in to save him, which moved the heavens and the earth, so Keegan


    came out unscathed.


    So everyone was stunned.


    They had known each other since childhood and still fell in love at first sight?


    The storytelling reallycked quality.


    Ste, upon seeing this "rumor", sprayed water directly out of her mouth.


    She gritted her teeth and messaged Keegan, "In the know? Is this how you fabricate stories?"


    Keegan yed dumb, "What ''in the know''?"


    "Stop pretending! Besides you leaking the news yourself, who else would dare to go against the Saun


    family?"


    As long as they didn''t n to go public, Trevor would never let her information be exposed online. They


    were all people within the circle, each one as sharp as a tack, and no one would want to provoke the


    Saun family.


    Moreover, many people thought Keegan had amnesia and was going to sever ties with the Saun family,


    so they were even less likely to speak out and cause trouble for themselves.


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    The only one who dared to act as an informant and leak information at this time was Keegan himself!


    Seeing through Keegan''s deception, he simply looked aggrieved. "Let''s get a marriage certificate.


    You''re afraid it''ll affect your work, but aside from the people at the marriage registration office, only the


    two of US will know. I know it''s somewhat shameful to reconcile with your ex-husband, so I''ve always


    listened to you on when we should go public. Now I''m just quietly seeking somefort for myself. Is


    that not allowed?"

 Chapter 2239

    Chapter 2239


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Ste felt a pang of guilt and replied, "I didn¡¯t mean to me you. I was just asking."


    Keegan responded, "The tone of your question was really hurtful. Even now, I still feel ufortable


    reading those words."


    Ste was rendered speechless.


    Keegan wasn''t just sharp in learning, but also good with words. However, he seemed to have forgotten


    who his opponent was.


    Feeling deeply sorry, Ste said, "What should we do? It''s been over two minutes, so I can''t take it


    back. Why don''t you just delete me? Then, you won''t have to see those words and feel bad."


    There was silence from Keegan for a while, perhaps taken aback by her suggestion.


    Ste asked, "Are you going to delete me?"


    Keegan was quiet.


    Ste pleaded, "Please, delete me. I don''t want you to be upset!"


    They exchanged several messages until Keegan finally couldn''t bear it and said, "Honey, I was wrong."


    Ste replied, "You were just trying to show affection. What''s wrong with that? It''s me who''s wrong,


    making a fuss over nothing."


    Keegan fell silent. After a while, he sent a bunch of pictures of bags, saying, "Honey, pick one."


    Ste was "indignant" and asked, "What do you mean? Do you think I want a bag?"


    Keegan replied, "Buy them all."


    Ste couldn''t help but burst intoughter.


    "Alright, I''m just teasing you. Why buy anything? When youplete the restructuring of thepany,


    your ie won''t be as high as it is now. We still have to raise children, so save some money and


    don''t spend recklessly."


    Keegan had more than just the Vinci Rivera Group''s business. Even if the ie from the Vinci Rivera


    Group decreased in the future, he wouldn''t earn less money, but he still admired Ste''s nning for


    their little family.


    "They are what they are, and you are you. I haven¡¯t reached the point where I need to sacrifice my


    wife, and besides, I''ve seen you browsing these bags for a long time when you''re in bed at night. I


    know you really like them, so I want to give them to you."


    Ste smiled as she read the message and said, "Then I''ll take the third one, I don''t like the others."


    She wasn''t particrly enthusiastic about bags. Before, there were asions when she needed these


    luxury items to show her status, and of course, there were also reasons why she wanted to use these


    things to silence those who talked too much. Now, she wanted to buy them because there were many


    people in the fashion circle dealing with the fragrance industry, and if they didn''t know each other well,


    they would definitely judge each other based on appearance. If the appearance matched, many things


    would naturally fall into ce, so the money had to be spent where it was needed.


    As soon as she finished replying, there was a knock on the office door.


    She turned off her phone and said, "Come in."


    The door opened, and Wren Adkin stood there with a file, looking nervous.¡° Ms. Hall, there¡¯s a


    document that needs your signature."


    Ste nodded. "Come in."


    Wren walked over and handed the file to Ste, who took it and began to look through it.


    The office was quiet, with only the sound of paper rustling.


    Wren sneakily nced at Ste, and when she saw her about to look up, she quickly lowered her head.


    There were several ces to sign, and as Ste wrote, she asked, "Isn''t it usually your manager who


    brings it over? Why is it you today?"


    In a low voice, Wren said, "The manager¡¯s daughter had some trouble at school, so he went to deal


    with it. He asked me to bring it over for him."


    Ste didn¡¯t say anything more.


    Wren felt for the card in her pocket, gathered her courage, and took it out, cing it on Ste''s desk.


    Ste was stunned and looked up at her. "What is this?''

 Chapter 2240

    Chapter 2240


    Wren seemed a bit bashful, sping her hands as she spoke in a subdued tone, "This is the medical


    bill for my grandmother''s treatment at the hospital. Ms. Lark arranged to cover it for me earlier. It''s a


    hundred thousand, and the password is six zeros."


    Ste didn''t reply immediately. Instead, she set down her pen and inquired, "Where did you get the


    money from?"


    Wren remained silent.


    Ste calmly stated, "If this money wasn''t obtained through legal means, even if I ept it, it would still


    need to be returned."


    Wren hurriedly responded, "It''s nothing illegal. I applied for a consumer loan from thepany."


    One of the perks at Caline was a consumer loan with a very low interest rate, approximately around


    three percent for three years.


    However low the interest rate might be, it still needed to be repaid, and Wren was already under


    significant financial pressure, making it worse.


    Ste lightly ran her fingers over the mouse on the desk and suddenly asked, "Are you afraid that I


    might use this incident to pull you into my circle? To expect favors in return and make you do things


    that would put you in a difficult position?"


    Wren was taken aback by Ste''s straightforwardness. She pursed her lips and remained silent,


    implying her acknowledgement.


    Everyone had been specting the purpose of Ste''s arrival at thepany. However, with Darcie


    Arnold having been at Caline for so long, controlling the core departments, Ste''s attempts to take


    away her authority weren''t optimistic. Even those who didn''t side with Darcie were reluctant to offend


    her.


    Wren had the same idea; she didn''t want to side with any group; she just wanted to quietly work, earn


    her sry, and provide medical care for her grandmother.


    Ste understood this. She said, "I did indeed have that thought, but I won''t go about it that way. The


    money Kiara gave you isn''t mine; it''s an advance on your sry that I applied for on your behalf from


    thepany. I just paid it in advance because she told me you needed money urgently, and your


    wages were being deducted. Ultimately, it''s because of me that you''re in this situation, so you''re


    indirectly affected. Since I know about it, I can''t just stand by. The advance procedures are already in


    progress. You can ask your manager about it."


    As she spoke, she handed the card over. "I didn''t think this matter throughpletely. Since you''ve


    already taken out a loan, I''ll ept it. Once the formalities arepleted in a few days, as soon as the


    money is deposited, you should quickly repay the loan."


    Ste epted it readily and didn''t get angry at Wren''sck of gratitude. Wren was very surprised.


    She had prepared so many ways to refuse Ste, yet she didn''t even get a chance to say a single one.


    After Ste finished speaking, she ced the bank card in the drawer and continued to review the


    documents for signing.


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    Wren quietly watched her, her eyes filled with curiosity, but more so withplexity.


    Before she finished signing, there was another knock on the office door.


    Wren quickly averted her gaze and stood obediently to the side.


    Ste called out, "Come in," and the office door opened, revealing a middle- aged man holding a


    document bag.


    Wren nced over; she had seen this person before; he was Ste''s driver.


    Larry Bard walked over and handed the document bag to Ste. "Ms. Hall, here it is."


    Ste took it and said warmly, "Thank you, you''ve worked hard."


    The moment the documents were released, Wren noticed a mung beansized birthmark on the side of


    the middle joint of the man''s right thumb. It was shaped somewhat like a gourd.


    Wren was startled for a moment, then suddenly looked up at Larry''s face.


    As if sensing her gaze, Larry turned his head, and their eyes met.

 Chapter 2241

    Chapter 2241


    The face was unremarkable, easily forgotten, but the eyes beneath the surface sent chills down her


    spine.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Instinctively, she took a step back, identally bumping into a vase on the ground, making the vase


    emit a light sound, pulling her back to reality.


    Ste also heard the noise and instinctively looked at her. Wren quickly lowered her head and said, "I''m


    sorry, Ms. Hall."


    Her voice trembled slightly, but it wasn''t noticeable, and Ste didn''t pick up on it.


    "It''s okay.¡± Ste handed the signed documents to Wren. "Go ahead, it''s signed."


    Wren took them, hugged them tightly, gave a slight bow to Ste, and turned to leave.


    As she closed the door, she nced at the driver again. Sensing something, he also looked toward the


    door. She quickly lowered her eyes, pulled the door shut, and walked away.


    Wren held the documents, her mind nk, feeling somewhat lost. She clenched her hands tightly,


    leaving uneven creases on the papers. In a daze, she collided with someone, and the documents flew


    out of her arms, scattering all over the floor.


    The person she bumped into was an acquaintance, and their rtionship was okay. As they bent down


    to help her pick up the scattered items, they scolded her, "Luckily, you''re short. Otherwise, you


    would''ve hit my face. My nose, which I just had fixed, would''ve been crooked again because of you!"


    Wren paused. "Fixed nose? Did you get stic surgery?"


    "You have a terrible memory. I''ve had it done for half a year now. This time was a repair," they said,


    poking her forehead. "You should fix your garlic nose too. Your face is ruined by your nose. My doctor


    is pretty good. Do you want me to introduce you?"


    Wren didn''t know what to think. Her face turned somewhat strange, and in the end, she didn''t say


    anything, just hugged the documents and left.


    Failing to persuade Wren, Ste felt a bit disappointed. Jaylene Saun hadn¡¯te to work for days due


    to her injury, making Ste feel somewhat bored.


    Not seeing each other for so many days, she was afraid that Darcie would cure her lovesickness.


    She thought for a moment and posted screenshots of Married Bachelor''s Facebook on her Twitter,


    captioning it: "Someone refuses to admit but dares not show me his alternate ount. I don''t care. You


    started liking me first."


    Thest picture was of Keegan sitting on the sofa reading, taken from a very close angle. Only Jaylene


    could see it.


    On the other side, Jaylene saw the post and angrily threw her phone aside.


    Darcie happened toe in, bent down to pick up the phone from the floor, and walked to the bed,


    handing it to her. "I told you to rest, yet here you are ying with your phone. When will you ever


    listen?"


    With reddened eyes, Jaylene said, "Do you actually want me to rest? You just don''t want me to attend


    the press conference, deliberately keeping me here!"


    Darcie didn''t deny it but sat on the edge of the bed, asking her, "You can''t live without Keegan, no


    matter what I say, right?"


    Jaylene clenched the sheets tightly. "Mom, I know I''m worthless in your eyes. I don''t have your


    ambition to achieve great things in my career. Since I fell in love with Keegan, my dream has always


    been to marry him."


    "Before, he was married, and I couldn''te back, so I had to bury this desire deep in my heart. But


    later, he got divorced. Mom, I finally have a chance to realize my dream. I don''t want to give up.


    Haven''t you always said you hope I''m happy? Marrying Keegan would make me very happy. I''m not


    asking you for help. I just hope you won''t stand in my way, okay?"


    Darcie remained silent for a moment and said, "I can help you."


    Jaylene was stunned. "Mom, what are you saying?"


    Darcie looked at her. "I won''t stand in your way, and I can help you. The condition is, you have to have


    the ability to kick Ste out of Caline. If you can do that, no matter what method we use, I will make


    sure you marry Keegan."

 Chapter 2242

    Chapter 2242


    Jaylene felt a bit perplexed. Darcie had been adamantly against it before, and the two had argued over


    it countless times. Suddenly, a sense of relief washed over her, and Jaylene even wondered if she had


    misheard.


    After a while, she realized what had happened and eximed joyfully," Mom, are you really okay with


    this?"


    Darcie replied impatiently, "What''s the point in me opposing? Have you ever listened to me once? You


    practically treat me like an enemy!"


    "Mom, are you really not tricking me?" Jaylene asked again to confirm.


    Darcie sighed, "What parent can outsmart their child in this world? Look at how tangled up you''ve


    gotten over Keegan and still refuse to stop. What else can I do?"


    Jaylene hugged Darcie, brimming with joy. "Mom, it was all my fault before. I just love Keegan too


    much. You can rest assured that as long as you don''t oppose me loving Keegan, I''ll listen to you from


    now on.''


    Darcie gently patted her back, her eyes clear. "Don''t get too excited yet. Remember the conditions I


    mentioned. Caline has consumed half of my lifetime efforts, something I''ve left for you. You need to


    prove to me that you can maintain it. With this asset in your hands, no one will dare to underestimate


    you in the future, no matter how your marriage turns out."


    "I understand, Mom. I know you''re looking out for me. I won''t let you down," Jaylene replied.


    She had disregarded her mother''s words so many times before, but now, using Keegan as bait, she


    was willing to consider anything.


    Darcie suppressed the frustration in her heart and said softly, "Do you remember the promises Ste


    made when Sonia first joined thepany?"


    Jaylene immediately recalled. At that time, her mother had opposed Sonia rkson joining the


    company, and Ste had made promises on her behalf. If Sonia caused any trouble, Ste would


    resign.


    They were unable to openly confront her, but hadn''t she herself once said that if things went awry, she


    would bear the responsibility?


    Jaylene understood and nodded. "Mom, I know what to do."


    Darcie patted her shoulder, her eyes full of determination. "The first stage of the National Perfume


    Blending Competition selection is about to begin. A new recruit will be joining your team in a few days.


    With her on board, this year''s championship is practically guaranteed. For thispetition, they will


    invite several top figures in the industry as judges. Many people wille seeking opportunities, and


    with a champion title, many business deals will naturally fall into ce. Seize this opportunity well and


    don''t disappoint me."


    Jaylene nodded, feeling more determined than ever before.


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    After Darcie finished persuading Jaylene, during a meal, Ste immediately posted another Twitter


    update. It was two pictures of Patek Philippe watches, with the caption asking everyone, "Which one


    should I choose?"


    Carter Lowe asked below, "For Keegan''s birthday gift?"


    Ste replied, "Help me pick."


    Vermont Snydermented, "Buy a signature pen for five bucks at the supermarket and draw on his


    hand. He doesn''t even remember you. What''s the point in wasting money?"


    Carter replied, "The one on the right. When I went out with Keegan to discuss business before, he


    mentioned this model. I think he likes it."


    After a few minutes, Ste responded, "I asked, but this one''s out of stock. It''ll take seven days to


    order. We don¡¯t have the time. Do any of you have any connections?"


    Vermont said, "Why didn''t you say so earlier? Where can I get it for you at this critical moment? Forget


    it, I''ll ask around, but don''t get your hopes up too much."


    Jaylene''s birthday gift for Keegan was also a watch, but it was far less luxurious than the one Ste


    had chosen. They would definitely bepared when the same type of gift was presented. A watch


    worth tens of thousands would certainly pale inparison to one worth millions.


    Suddenly, she felt uneasy and immediately reached out to find out about the watch Ste had chosen.

 Chapter 2243

    Chapter 2243


    After reaching out to several sources, Jaylene finally received an update: the watch wasn''t avable in


    stock, but if she didn''t mind waiting, it could be obtained in seven days. However, there was a chance


    to acquire one sooner; a customer in Bostown wanted to return a watch today, so if she needed it


    urgently, she could opt for that one.


    Bostown was just a short distance from Rivera and could be reached by tonight.


    The manager on the phone informed her, "You''re the second customer today inquiring about this


    watch. Lacey mentioned that you''re her good friend, so I''m prioritizing your request. If you''re ready to


    make the purchase, I''ll arrange to obtain the watch for you immediately."


    Curious, Jaylene asked, "Who was the other person inquiring about this watch?"


    "Sorry, Ms. Saun, we respect the customer''s privacy and can''t disclose that information," the manager


    replied.


    Without much thought, she knew it must have been Ste.


    Feeling a sense of satisfaction, Jaylene thought to herself that she had inquired about it first.


    In a rxed tone, she instructed, "Go ahead and arrange to get it. Once it arrives, have it delivered


    directly to me."


    "Okay, I''ll send you the deposit link shortly. Once your payment goes through, just let me know, and


    we''ll proceed with the arrangements right away."


    Most of Jaylene''s money had been swindled by Dahlia, and purchasing this watch would leave her with


    almost nothing. But the idea of causing Ste a


    setback and potentially gaining Keegan''s favor made her grit her teeth and move forward.


    As soon as Jaylene paid the deposit, Vermont called her. "Wow, amazing news! It''s been sold! Ste,


    come work in ourpany in sales. I''ll split my monthly earnings with you."


    Ste retorted, "Stop dreaming. Where do you think you''ll find so many fools to be fooled by you?"


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    This watch was purchased by Carter''s cousin. It had been lying at home for a month, untouched since


    the purchase. Suddenly, they didn''t like it and wanted to return it.


    Luxury items like this didn''t sell much, and when trying to return them after a month, sellers naturally


    hesitated to offer a full refund. After some back and forth, Carter reached out to Vermont, asking for


    help in selling it.


    Vermont encouraged Keegan to buy it.


    Though Keegan didn''t fancy this style, he couldn''t refuse when his friend asked. He mentioned it to


    Ste, seeking advice. That''s how they ended up with that Twitter post, visible only to them and


    Jaylene.


    Upon hearing that Keegan liked it, Jaylene nearly jumped at the chance to secure it before Ste could,


    thus making the sale of this hard-to-sell watch a breeze.


    Vermont remarked, "It''s a good thing we''re not love rivals; otherwise, you''d have swindled me to death!


    While others stab their love rivals in the heart, you, on the other hand, rob their wallets."


    Ste retorted, "It''s mutually beneficial. How can you call it swindling? You sold the watch, we got a


    watch, and Jaylene sends out a ''satisfactory'' gift to Keegan. Isn''t this a win-win-win situation?"


    Vermont proposed, "And it''s all thanks to you. You''ve broadened the horizons in one fell swoop. How


    about starting a ss?"


    Ste agreed, "Sure, you recruit the students; get ten, and your tuition is waived."


    Keegan had been holding back for a while, but couldn''t resist eventually and joked, "When you two join


    forces, even thieves woulde home empty-handed."


    Vermont tranted, "Ste, he¡¯s saying you love to take advantage of others."


    Keegan''s lips twitched, and he suddenly felt the urge to reach through the phone and strangle him.


    Before he could act, his phone buzzed. Someone sent him a message, Keegan, how are you nning


    to spend your birthday?"

 Chapter 2244

    Chapter 2244


    Ste''s interest was piqued. "Who?''


    Keegan handed her the phone. "My ''mistress''."


    That single sentence nearly caused Vermont''s brain to overheat on the other end of the line.


    "What in the world are you talking about?" Ste nced at Keegan, and from his expression, she


    could sense his "appreciation", instantly feeling relieved.


    Excitedly, Vermont burst out, "What''s going on with you two? How can you acknowledge your mistress


    so boldly in front of your wife?"


    Ignoring Vermont''s outburst, Ste decided to investigate the situation a bit. Instead of replying to


    Jaylene''s message, she asked, "Jaylene, is your injury better now? Are you still in pain?"


    Keegan''s eyelid twitched. "That¡¯s too much! Am I the kind to be so cheesy?"


    Reflecting on it, Ste deleted the "are you still in pain" part.


    Still unsatisfied, Keegan said, '' Don''t make it sound so intimate. When I met Mrs. Esperst time, I


    made it clear I wouldn''t contact her again. If she sees this, she''ll think I''ve loosened my boundaries and


    start clinging to me."


    So, Ste deleted "Are you still in pain?" and changed it to "I haven''t made any ns yet. Do you have


    any suggestions?"


    Shaking his head, Keegan said, "Discussing how to spend a birthday is something only close people


    would talk about. By asking her like this, what do you think she''ll imagine?"


    Ste''s temples throbbed. "Shut up and stop talking! We agreed that I would handle your mistress.


    Why are you dissatisfied now?"


    "I agreed to let you handle it, but you can''t reply recklessly. You need to be practical," Keegan retorted.


    Vermont was on the verge of despair. "What mistress? Since when did Keegan have a mistress? Is it a


    man or a woman? How old are they? Do I know them? How did this happen?"


    Then he started scolding Keegan. "Keegan, your wife is pregnant, and you''re looking for a mistress,


    even keeping it from me! Where''s your integrity as a man?"


    Keegan''s lips twitched. "Shut up! It''s none of your business!"


    Feeling righteous, Vermont dered, "Ste¡¯s business is my business.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Just because you''re my brother, don''t think I''ll side with you. This is a matter of principle! Come on,


    Ste, tell me about the mistress. I''ll help you sort her out! What''s the point of getting involved with


    someone so young? Being a mistress and ruining someone else''s family is immoral!"


    Eager to dive into the gossip, Vermont was ready to take action. Whether or not he actually did


    anything was secondary; the main thing was that Keegan having a mistress was truly explosive gossip,


    and he was ready to feast on it.


    With a dark expression, Keegan and Ste couldn''t help but suppress a chuckle.


    "Do you really want to know?" Ste teased.


    "I''ve only just managed to reconcile you two, and I haven''t even had the chance to drink the wedding


    toast. Whoever tries to break you up will be my sworn enemy!" Vermont eximed.


    Unable to hold back, Keegan retorted, "You numbskull! What reconciliation did you manage? You''re


    just causing trouble for me!"


    Trying to justify himself, Vermont said, "I willingly sacrificed myself to be the touchstone of your


    rtionship. You used to get things too easily, so you always made Ste angry. But look at you now,


    are you still as daring?"


    Keegan was too angry to speak. How did he end up being friends with this guy!


    Teasing Keegan, Ste said, "See, if you flirt around, I don¡¯t even need to move a finger. Your brother


    can even deliver you to me. That''s charisma."


    Vermont, getting increasingly anxious, pressed, "Will you two just answer me? Who is this mistress?"


    Just because Keegan didn''t dare provoke Ste didn''t mean he wouldn''t dare provoke Vermont, the


    fence-sitter. With a sneer, he said, "I''m not telling you. Enjoy guessing!"


    And then he hung up.


    Gossip enthusiast! Good luck sleeping tonight!


    After deliberating for a while, Ste finally replied with just one sentence, "I don''t know."


    But what she didn''t know was that on the other end, Jaylene had been staring at the "typing" indicator


    for a long time.

 Chapter 2245

    Chapter 2245


    Jaylene figured Keegan must still be grappling with what went down at Cotton Rose Restaurant earlier,


    uncertain howto face her. And after she got hurt by his auntter, he must be feeling particrly guilty,


    hence his careful consideration of his replies.


    ncing at the message box, Keegan asked, "What did you reply?"


    With irritation, Ste responded, ¡¯Nothing seems to satisfy you. How am I supposed to know what to


    say? I''m clueless."


    Before the words could settle, Jaylene¡¯s message popped up. "Keegan, about what happened at the


    restaurant that day, my mom was being pushy.


    I understand why you replied like that; you had no choice. I don''t me you. N


    Ste and Keegan exchanged looks, both falling silent.


    The other party had maneuvered themselves sessfully; there was no need for further debate.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Ste replied, "How''s your health? I''m sorry about the Crosby family matter.¡±


    Jaylene became more certain that Keegan''sck of recent contact was due to this, and quickly replied,


    "I¡¯m okay, Keegan. As long as you don''t hold it against me for taking matters into my own hands."


    Ste said, "Take care of yourself."


    Jaylene sent a cute emoji.


    "Keegan, aren''t you having a birthday party?"


    Ste replied, "No, not in the mood."


    Jaylene felt a bit disappointed; she actually wanted to see him.


    After typing her confession, and recalling Darcie''s advice, she deleted it letter by letter, waiting for


    Ste to be kicked out of thepany.


    Jaylene was still typing when a message popped up on the other end.


    "I heard from Ste that yourpany has apetition recently. Are you very busy?"


    Jaylene replied, "Yes, there''s a National Perfume Blending Competition, and registration has already


    started."


    Ste said, "All the best.¡±


    Jaylene replied with twoughing emojis. "Keegan, I''m not participating. Only senior perfume blending


    technicians can enter. I haven''t gotten my certification yet, so I can only participate as an assistant. A


    technician can bring one assistant to participate, so I guess we can consider it a team championship.


    But I''ll be eligible to participate independently in the next round, so it won''t be necessary then."


    Stemented, "It seems your teammate is strong, with such confidence in winning the


    championship."


    She had checked the backgrounds of those senior technicians in thepany, and the most


    aplished one had only won third ce. How was Jaylene so confident she could win the


    championship this time?


    Jaylene replied, ''My mom said she will arrange for someone to join thepany in a few days. With


    her help, the championship will be secured."


    If she remembered correctly, this championship not only had a prize of five million, but also qualified for


    membership in the International Perfume


    Association. This qualification was rare nationwide, but those who were involved in fragrance and those


    business partners still valued it, such as Mrs. Esper and others.


    Darcie had stacked all the buffs on Jaylene; she was determined to win this championship to support


    her.


    Ste was worried, even when Keegan took off his shirt and walked back and forth in front of her, she


    wasn''t interested in looking.


    Keegan, upset that the muscles he had been training for so long were being ignored, walked over and


    knelt beside the bed, calling her, "Ste."


    Ste responded with a grunt, without even lifting her eyes.


    Keegan reached out and took her phone away. "Ste, look at me."


    Ste finally looked up but grabbed her phone back. "Stop messing around, go y somewhere else."


    Keegan gritted his teeth, took her hand, and ced it on his abdomen.


    Ste was stunned, only then noticing that Keegan was actually kneeling on the bed in his suit pants.


    His waist was slim and sturdy, and his muscles were perfectly defined. The faintly protruding veins on


    his arms were so sexy, and the shallow scars on his waist and abdomen made Ste feel tempted.


    The worries she had just now were instantly pushed aside. She looked at Keegan with burning eyes


    and whispered, "Where''s your belt?¡¯

 Chapter 2246

    Chapter 2246


    Keegan was puzzled, but he got up and handed it to her anyway.


    Ste took it and whispered, "Turn around, face away from me, and put your hands behind your back."


    Keegan instantly realized what she had in mind.


    After giving Ste a deep look, he obediently turned around, sping his hands behind his back.


    Excitedly, Ste securely tied Keegan''s hands with the belt.


    After practicing how to tie belts for so long, it finally came in handy today.


    Once she finished tying, Ste told him to turn back around.


    Following the same posture as before, Keegan knelt in front of her with his hands behind his back.


    Having just showered, his hair was still damp, casually swept back with his hand. He slightly bowed his


    head, with a few strands falling over his face, partially obscuring his expression, revealing only his


    deeply submissive eyes. Ste felt her heart skip a beat.


    No wonder everyone enjoys seeing a man in a suit kneeling; it''s just too tempting!


    "Do you like it?" Keegan asked, his voice low and maic, as if he was about to undress her.


    Blushing, Ste nodded. ¨¬ do."


    Keegan chuckled softly, his voice light but sending shivers down Ste¡¯s spine. "I never knew Mrs.


    Kane liked this. Have you wanted to do this to me for a long time?"


    Ste cleared her throat softly, "Not really, I¡¯d prefer it if you do it to me instead."


    Keegan was speechless.


    The perks of being an old married couple were that you could say shameless things without feeling


    embarrassed for more than a moment.


    Hearing his wife whisper to him, "I like it when I don''t want to, but you insist on forcing me, and then


    after bullying me, you kneel by the bedside and beg for my forgiveness, I particrly enjoy that,"


    Keegan was even more speechless.


    He felt like his brain wasn''t quite processing things. He opened his mouth, but it took him a while to say,


    "So if we have a disagreement and I forcefully kiss you in the heat of the moment, and you p me,


    we''ll still be on good terms? If I then use my physical advantage to forcefully do something like that to


    you, you''ll kill me? If you like it, why would you kill me?"


    Ste red at him. "Can the real and the fake be the same? If you really bully me, should I just allow


    you to do so? I don''t actually want you to force me; it''s just... it''s just pretending," she blushed a bit


    toward the end, then angrily said, "You blockhead!"


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan seemed to understand and asked softly, "Do you like me to be a bit rough with you?"


    Blushing, Ste nodded.


    Keegan''s eyes deepened slightly. "Then I''m afraid I can''t fulfill Mrs. Kane''s wish."


    Ste was stunned.


    Keegan smirked, with a hint of mockery in his expression. "The doctor said that during pregnancy,


    intimacy should be gentle, for the sake of the child, so I have to properly suppress my desires."


    Ste was speechless.


    She hadn''t nned on doing it now! This dog of a man! He was ying with her!


    Ste kicked him, grabbed her phone to charge it, preparing to go to bed.


    Keegan leaned in. "You haven''t untied me yet."


    Ste said irritably, "Untie what? Let''s just sleep like this."


    Keegan looked pitiful. "I was just joking. Why are you so angry?"


    Ste nced at him. "Who''s joking with you? For the sake of the child, it''s better to properly suppress


    one''s desires. Tying you up makes me feel more at ease.¡±


    Keegan was rendered speechless.


    "Ste."


    Keegan called her with a pitiful tone.


    Ste turned her back, ignoring him.


    Keegan approached again. "Ste, I have a question for you."


    Ste thought to herself, i''m still mad at you, and you''re asking me a question? Am I such a patient


    person?"

 Chapter 2247

    Chapter 2247


    She cleared her throat, her tone firm. "What''s the question? Hurry up and say it; I want to sleep after


    you''re done."


    Keegan whispered, "You said you like it when you don''t want to, but I insist. What if halfway through,


    you get angry and no longer want to? I can''t tell if you really don''t want to or if you''re pretending, and


    then if I do something wrong, what do I do?"


    Ste asked, "Why would I suddenly get angry?"


    Keegan said. "Look, you''re angry right now, even though we were just flirting. You always get angry


    without warning."


    Ste was speechless.


    She rolled over, ring at Keegan as she began to argue with him. "Are you saying I get angry easily?"


    Keegan shook his head. "I''m afraid of doing something wrong and mistaking your unwillingness for


    willingness. What if I really hurt you?"


    Ste snorted. "If I really didn''t want it, I¡¯d bite you!¡±


    Keegan seemed to understand. The next second, his hands, which had already been untied, pressed


    down on her wrists, and he lowered his head to kiss her lips.


    Ste was stunned. When did this rascal untie himself?


    She stared, starting to struggle, but Keegan went straight in, quickly stirring up her emotions, and in no


    time, she was melting into his kisses.


    When he let go, Ste''s eyes were tinged with red, her lips flushed, gently panting. Her gaze at him


    lacked the strength to re.


    Supporting himself up, Keegan smiled down at her, his eyes showing a hint of pride as he whispered,


    "No biting."


    Before Ste could even understand what he meant by that, Keegan kissed her again.


    It had been over three months; intimacy should be fine now.


    Ste loosened her grip on his hair, rxing her body.


    Keegan kissed her for a while before letting her go and pulling up the nket to wrap them both in it.


    "Let''s sleep."


    He kissed her forehead.


    Ste''s gaze drifted, looking at the ceiling above. Suddenly, she remembered a popr phrase on the


    inte: "I''ve already taken my pants off, and you''re still like this?"


    She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then suddenly grabbed Keegan''s arm and bit him hard.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan grunted, pressing down on her waist,ining, "Why did you bite me?"


    Ste let go of his arm. "Why would you kiss me like that if we weren¡¯t gonna do it!"


    Keegan was puzzled, then chuckled softly. "When did I say we were going to do it?"


    Ste pointed at his bare upper body. "Then why are you undressed?"


    Keegan hugged her, lightly biting her earlobe. ''Didn''t you want to see my body? I saw the video you


    were watching on your tablet."


    Ste was speechless.


    Blushing, she felt a sense of shame as if her underwear had been stripped off.


    She cleared her throat, summoning up courage. "Actually, we can do it, you know. The early dangerous


    period has passed, so... be gentle. It''s fine."


    Keegan replied calmly, "I know."


    Ste was confused.


    He knew yet he could control himself? Did something happen to his head when he was submerged in


    water?


    Keegan tapped her head. "Stop overthinking!" After a moment, he added," Twins are already tough


    enough; I don''t want any idents. We still have a long way to go."


    He wasn''t naturally lustful; dressing like this was just to tease her. After conveying his feelings, it was


    the love shown in the details that moved him more.


    Keegan kissed her, then suddenlyughed.


    Ste didn''t understand.


    Keegan rubbed his cheek against hers and whispered, "I didn''t expect you to like that. How


    disappointed were you with me before?"


    Ste''s face instantly turned red.

 Chapter 2248

    Chapter 2248


    Keegan had always been considerate in bed, rarely causing her any difort. It wasn''t exactly


    disappointment; it was just that sometimes she had some curious thoughts.


    But with Keegan pressing her at this moment, Ste felt embarrassed. She pulled the nket over her


    head and muttered, "Let''s just sleep!"


    Keegan chuckled softly, pulling her into his arms along with the nket. Teasing her in a low voice, he


    said, "Let''s hold off on sleeping; we need to have a chat about this. How else will I know how to keep


    you happy in the future?"


    Drawing closer to her ear, he deliberately called out, "Ste, Ste? Exin it to me clearly."


    Exin what? Was she out of her mind, teaching him how to please her?


    Keegan teased her for a while before turning over to lie on his back, slowly beginning to talk to her.


    "Today, I scrolled through the Facebook posts on my alternate ount. I never realized how immature I


    used to be."


    Ste snorted, "You''ve always been a big kid, even your online alias is childish."


    Keegan smiled. "I didn''t choose that name."


    Actually, initially, that ount wasn''t created for daily updates. Back then, the Vinci Rivera Group had a


    product that hadn''t beenunched yet, but it was being criticized by a few influencers, who repeatedly


    imed that with the current technology in Hustuabourg, it couldn''t be achieved. They used the


    Vinci Rivera Group of false advertising and presented a lot of data to support their ims.


    Keegan and his team knew better than anyone else whether what they were doing was true or false.


    Full of youthful energy at the time, he was very dissatisfied and wanted to argue with them.


    Vermont stopped him at the time, saying that if he used his main ount, even if everything he said


    was true, he would be used of sophistry. It would be better to open a new ount, cite references,


    present evidence, and argue so convincingly that they had nothing to say.


    So, he created a daily ount called Married Bachelor. Because of his easy-to-understand rebuttal


    articles, this ount gained some attention.


    Keegan found that he didn''t need to postplex articles or boast about his status to gain followers.


    There weren''t as many nitpickers, and people were more willing to read through.


    Fans would ask some professional questions in thements, and if he knew the answers, he would


    respond. The number of fans slowly grew.


    One popr science article per month, consistently for many years, until one time, there was no update


    for three months in a row. When he finally updated again, someone asked him why he had stopped


    updating.


    He said, "Got married."


    That''s when everyone found out that this knowledgeable Married Bachelor was actually only in his


    early twenties. Many people left messages below, some wanting to see his wife, some confessing


    directly, although Keegan couldn''t understand why some people would confess to an author after


    reading just one or two articles online...


    He found it somewhat troublesome, so he added "married" in front of his username to indicate his


    marital status, hoping to deterthose messyments... Although it had little effect.


    Actually, when he married Ste, he felt quite calm.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Ste always thought he had casually picked her during a blind date, after all, she was quite pretty, and


    men were mostly visual creatures.


    But her photo wasn''t even among the photos of the socialites Dahlia gave him for the blind dates.


    The Kanes were socialites with high levels of fame, so the person Dahlia wanted for Keegan would


    surely not be someone from the Jewell family.


    The first time they met again was at a business banquet, where she was pushed by Albert Jewell to


    serve alcohol to a balding old man about the same age as Albert.


    She was clearly very scared; her hand holding the ss was trembling lightly. Her facial features were


    charming, and her eyes were red, almost to the point of tears. Yet, she still forced a smile. She served


    the old man a drink, but when he touched her hand, she trembled, spilling half a cup of wine.


    At that time, he was thinking how could a brave girl who dared to stand up for others, even if she was


    scared, be bullied like this?


    He subconsciously wanted to go over but was pulled back by a friend.


    The other person said, Albert is anxious to sell his daughter for money. Don''t stick your neck out; be


    careful not to be taken advantage of by him."


    He thought at the time, oh, it''s just money, he had plenty of it.

 Chapter 2249

    Chapter 2249


    Dahlia was really pushing for marriage, but Cordelia wasn''t in a rush. She urged him to take his time,


    emphasizing that it''s a lifetimemitment and he should choose someone he genuinely liked and got


    along with.


    As forthat...


    He didn''t really feel like he was head over heels for her. Even including the car ident, he''d only seen


    her four times, and they hadn''t even exchanged a word. He just found her easy on the eyes.


    He didn''t want to tie the knot with a stranger.


    He didn''t have time to spare for mingling with strangers; his experiments alone kept him busy enough.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    She probably wasn''t thrilled about marrying that old geezer who could practically be her dad, right?


    And speaking of the ident, even though it was unintentional, it was her mother who caused Willow


    Jenning''s death. If Marshall were to remember and go off the rails, could she end up getting hurt?


    He figured it was safer to stick with someone close to him. After all, he was the one who told Marshall


    that his aunt had found Willow, and it was right after that when the ident happened.


    He felt responsible.


    He pretty much talked himself into it without much resistance and reached out to her for a blind date


    the next day.


    The blind date went smoothly; when sheid eyes on him, her expression seemed to show a flicker of


    recognition.


    But she didn''t say anything, so he left it at that.


    She probably thought Albert had pulled some strings to set up the blind date, so she was a bit


    reserved, likely worried he''d see through it.


    Albert did want to meddle, but he wasn''t that savvy.


    After the blind date, he swung by her ce and passed on her info; he was ready to tie the knot.


    Cordelia did a background check on the Jewell family and declined.


    It wasn''t that she thought the Jewell family wasn''t up to snuff; she just had doubts about Albert''s


    character. Hisatose wife remained unattended, and he came and went with a young secretary by


    his side every day. Could a person like that raise a decent daughter?


    Keegan wasn''t much of a talker, but that day he opened up to Cordelia about Ste standing up for a


    friend and her current situation, it finally made it clear that she was the one for him.


    Cordelia fretted over it, arranged for someone to keep an eye on Ste for two weeks, and eventually


    relented.


    Proposal, marriage certificate, wedding-all in one fell swoop.


    For a while, Keegan kinda felt like he was Ste''s knight in shining armor; he didn''t even realize then


    that Ste might not have had the option to turn him down.


    His reasons for tying the knot, whether for convenience or out of a sense of duty, were really just a


    facade for hisck of genuine affection.


    There were plenty of ways he could''ve helped and protected her, but he just had to marry her.


    Truth be told, ever since Ste started appearing more and more on his popr science ount, he


    was already hooked.


    All those convoluted reasons were just his way of staking his im on her. Ste had already drifted off


    to sleep; Keegan wrapped his arm around her waist, gently stroking her abdomen.


    The phone on the table buzzed, furrowing Ste''s brows, but she remained asleep.


    Keegan ran his fingers through her hair, nced at the phone, and saw a text that read, "Keegan,


    happy birthday."

 Chapter 2250

    Chapter 2250


    Keegan sat up and replied, "Thanks, how have you beentely?"


    The other person responded, "Pretty good, I''ll bending tomorrow. Do you have time? Let''s meet up


    and grab a meal together."


    Keegan replied, "Sure."


    After a while, the other person asked again, "I heard your wife is the runaway heiress of the Saun


    family, and you and Trevor are now in a brother -inw rtionship. How''s that going?¡±


    She must be aiming to inquire about Trevor.


    Keegan responded, "It''s alright, he''s always been a bit of a mama''s boy, never really looked kindly on


    me. It''s been a while since you''ve seen him, right? Tomorrow, I''ll bring him along."


    The other side said, "Sounds good. If he''s not busy, he can bring his girlfriend along too."


    Keegan pretended not to know that the other person was probing and replied, "He''s single, no


    girlfriend."


    The other person was somewhat surprised, even their words seemed to convey a hint of exaggeration,


    "Really?"


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Keegan said, "Maya, you know him, he''s an old yer, always talking big. Being single is the norm for


    him; getting into a rtionship would be odd."


    The other person sent a wry smile emoji.


    Then she added, "Bring your wife along too, I''ve prepared a gift for her."


    Keegan replied, "Alright."


    The next morning, as Ste wasbing her hair, Keegan told her he''d pick her up in the evening to


    take her to meet an old friend.


    Ste asked while tidying up, "Do I know this person?"


    Keegan shook his head.


    Ste asked, "Male or female?"


    Keegan replied, "Female."


    Ste paused, and Keegan added, "A woman who almost became your sister-inw."


    Ste was shocked.


    "Trevor''s old crush?"


    Keegan chuckled, "Sort of, but they never officially dated. Trevor had a thing for her; everyone in our


    group of friends knew back then. But..."


    He paused, and Ste urged, "Is this where you''re pausing? But what?"


    Keegan rubbed her cheek and smirked, "But he''s not as slick as I am. He couldn''t seal the deal."


    Ste was speechless.


    "Now I get why my brother finds you so irritating, Keegan, sometimes you''re really something!"


    Keegan leaned in, "I''m the first one among our little gang to be a dad. Isn''t that impressive?"


    Ste gave him a side-eye, " Why don''t you mention you''re also the only one in your little gang who''s


    been divorced?"


    Keegan was taken aback for a moment, then tried to y it off, "That wasn''t a divorce, it was just


    spicing up the marriage."


    "Says you!"


    As Ste braided her hair, she asked, "So, ording to you, this woman who almost became my


    sister-inw is also part of your childhood gang?"


    Keegan shook his head, "Not exactly, because she''s two years older than us. Her father used to be our


    junior high school principal, her mother was our music teacher, and she went to the neighboring high


    school. She often came over here to practice the piano, and over time, she became closer to us. Trevor


    used to love standing outside the window listening to her y the piano."


    Ste found it hard to imagine Trevor having such innocent feelings for someone; she always thought


    he was the type who had others chasing after him.

 Chapter 2251

    Chapter 2251


    Ste adjusted her clothes in front of the mirror. "What''s her name?" "Maya Cadman."


    "I like her name," Ste paused. "Did you mention before that Trevor wasn''t into blind dates because


    he couldn¡¯t forget about her?"


    Keegan said, "I think so."


    "Why didn''t they end up together then?"


    Keegan said, "Only Trevor knows the specifics. All I know is, back in high school, Maya''s aunt reported


    her father for corruption, bribery, and affairs. It involved many people, and her father got a lengthy


    sentence. Her mother couldn''t cope, went mad, and the Cadman family fell apart. At that time, Maya


    hadn''t even graduated from college.


    "After our college entrance exams, she went abroad with her mother. Two yearster, she got married


    to a wealthy man. They had a wedding in Hustuabourg, and Trevor flew back from Mystonia just for it.


    After the wedding, they went abroad, and our contact decreased until her divorce two years ago, and


    then we started talking more."


    Ste asked, "Are you trying to set her up with Trevor?"


    Keegan shook his head. "She wants to see him, and I''m just the middleman. As for what happens


    between them, that''s up to them."


    Keegan paused. "The bonds of youth, who knows how much is left. It''s been two years since her


    divorce. If it were me and I still loved the person, I''d fly overseas, fireworks and all, celebrate at her ex-


    husband''s door, then chase her. But Trevor hasn''t made a move; I don''t believe he doesn''t know."


    Ste sighed softly, "If it were you, you''d probably get stopped before leaving the country. And besides,


    Trevor isn''t as foolish as you; how could he do something so embarrassing?"


    Keegan shrugged. "That''s because you don''t know him well enough. He''s older now, more mature.


    When Maya got married on New Year''s Day, he even crashed the wedding."


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Ste was shocked.


    "He went that far? Tell me more."


    Keegan said, "We''ll talk about itter; we''re going to bete."


    Ste had to set aside her curiosity and started looking forward to the dinner party in the evening.


    As they descended the stairs, Coco was trying on hats, spinning in front of the mirror while praising,


    "Grandma Maria, you''re so talented! This is the most beautiful hat I''ve ever received!"


    Maria''s face was full of kindness as she helped Coco adjust the brim of the hat. "As long as you like it,


    Grandma will make more for youter."


    "Thank you, Grandma Maria!" Coco twirled around and suddenly saw them, bouncing over excitedly.


    "Uncle Keegan, Aunt Ste, look at my new hat!"


    Keegan nced at her. "Nice, like something out of Little Red Riding Hood? n


    Ste was speechless.


    Coco red at him in annoyance. "Meanie!"


    Ste smiled and praised, "It looks great, like a little princess. Maria, you''re so talented."


    Coco blushed at the praise.


    Maria chuckled, "It''s nothing much; if Coco likes it, I will make more for her.


    Coco said, "Grandma Maria even made clothes for my teddy bear and big white goose. She even said


    she''ll knit a backpack for me. Grandma Maria is amazing."


    Ste was somewhat surprised.


    Coco had only been here for a few days, yet Maria had made so many things for her. Even biological


    granddaughters might not get the same treatment, right?


    "Maria, you''ve been working hard. Let me know if you need any materials in the future; I''ll put it on the


    ount."


    Maria waved her hand. "Yarn isn''t expensive; I''m just practicing."


    Ste nced at her unexpectedly. During the big cleanup, when Keegan''s old clothes were going to


    be thrown away, Maria asked if she could take them to alter for her son. Such a thrifty person, yet so


    generous to children.

 Chapter 2252

    Chapter 2252


    Ste remained silent. Once outside, she conferred with Keegan about giving Maria a raise.


    Not long after Keegan and Aurora departed, Larry arrived to pick her up. Shortly after leaving the vi


    area, Ste suddenly spotted a familiar figure swaying by the roadside. As the car drew closer, she


    realized it was Wren Adkin.


    She promptly asked Larry to stop the car, rolled down the window, and called out, "Wren!"


    The person turned around, looking surprised. "Ms. Hall, what brings you here?"


    "I live nearby," Ste replied. "But what about you? What brings you here?"


    Apart from the vi area, there were hardly any houses nearby, just cars on the road, with few people in


    sight.


    "My house is close by," Wren said.


    Ste was surprised. "You live around here?"


    Wren nervously responded, "Yes, I overslept today and couldn''t catch a cab. N


    Ste didn''t say anything, she nced at Wren for a moment before saying, "Get in the car, we''ll talk


    inside."


    Wren breathed a sigh of relief, thanked her, and hurriedly ran to the other side to open the car door and


    get in.


    Once inside the car, she noticed there was not only Ste and the driver but also an ordinary-looking


    young man.


    Ste introduced, "This is Samuel Herston, my personal assistant."


    Wren greeted him, fastened her seatbelt, and sat nervously next to Ste with her backpack.


    As the car began moving, Ste continued questioning Wren, "You live nearby, but it''s quite a distance


    from thepany. Isn''t themute timeconsuming?"


    Wren awkwardly replied, "My grandma was sick, so we sold our house, and the rent near thepany


    is too high. So, I rented a ce farther away. Usually, I can catch the bus, butst night... something


    unexpected happened, and I overslept. Fortunately, I ran into you."


    Ste didn''t press further.


    Rent around here was cheap because the buildings were scheduled for demolition, with hardly any


    facilities nearby. In fact, it wasn''t suitable for living.


    She felt Wren wasn''t telling the whole truth, but she didn''t push further.


    Wren was quiet, seldom initiating conversation. When they arrived at thepany, she thanked them


    and left.


    Ste thought it was just a coincidence, but at lunchtime, Wren sat across from her with a te,


    casually greeting her, "Ms. Hall, may I sit here?"


    Ste nced at her and nodded.


    Wren sat down, and the group at the adjacent table, including Jaylene, turned their heads toward them,


    their expressions somewhat puzzled.


    Ever since Ste secured Grace Allock, a major client, from Darcie, Darcie had shown public affection


    toward her but tried to undermine her behind the scenes.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Despite having fewer shares, Darcie still wielded significant power in thepany. Even those inclined


    to take sides wouldn''t dare at this time.


    Wren was timid and didn''t want to offend anyone. Returning the money before was a clear stance. So,


    why was she getting close to her now?

 Chapter 2253

    Chapter 2253


    She knew Jaylene''s ways. Wasn''t Wren afraid Jaylene would undermine her again for getting so close


    to Ste?


    Ste really couldn''t figure this girl out.


    On the other hand, Kiara seemed pleased, warmly greeting Wren.


    "Wren, isn''t your grandmother still in the hospital? Why are you having lunch at the office today?"


    Before Wren could respond, someone nearby teased, "She should havee to the office earlier. The


    lunchbox she brings every day looks like slop. Can you even eat that? I''m telling you, Wren, the


    canteen has subsidies, it''s only three hundred a month. You can''t be that short on money, with the way


    you bring your lunch, I''ve seen enough even if you haven''t eaten enough."


    Wren''s face immediately flushed red, clutching her chopsticks in embarrassment.


    Kiara frowned, "Quiana, how can you say such things? Whether to eat at the canteen or bring a


    lunchbox is everyone''s choice. Spending three hundred at the canteen is considered ss?"


    The person called Quiana sat beside Jaylene, whom Ste had met before, also from the finance


    department.


    Quiana raised an eyebrow, "I didn''t say eating at the canteen was ss, but she brings a lunchbox


    every day that looks like mush, to reheat in the canteen. Honestly, it affects everyone¡¯s appetite. We''re


    all tired from work, yet we have to lose our appetite during lunch, how''s that fair?"


    Julia Harper chimed in, "Wren shouldn''t be short of money, right?Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Remember when Ms. Hall gave clothes that time? She picked the most expensive one, didn''t she? You


    can tell she''s materialistic, she picked the best one right away."


    "Wearing clothes worth tens of thousands, but unwilling to spend three hundred on meals?"


    "Can youpare the two? Clothes worth tens of thousands can be seen and touched when worn,


    they show status. Three hundred is money directly taken out of your pocket."


    Jaylene also generously offered, "Wren, if your family is really struggling, you can mention it to the


    company. We can waive the three hundred meal fee for you."


    Wren turned as pale as a sheet, her eyes reddening.


    The three hundred meal fee wasn''t much indeed, and Wren''s sry certainly didn''t suffer from it. But


    she had an elderly person at home, whose teeth were not in good condition due to old age, and


    needed food to be soft and mushy. For the sake of convenience in taking care of her grandmother, she


    didn''t eat at thepany canteen, but brought pre-made lunch boxes. She would leave one for her


    grandmother and bring one for herself to be reheated by the canteendy at noon.


    The already mushy food looked even worse after being reheated, and since she wasn''t allowed to eat


    in the office, Wren could only eat at the canteen. Many people had seen her lunch box, and there were


    plenty like Quiana who were disdainful. Wren noticed, and would alwayse to the canteen only after


    everyone had finished eating.


    But the fact was that her family was not well-off. End-Stage renal disease was a bottomless pit, no


    matter how much money you threw in, it wouldn''t be enough. Her grandmother always said to give up,


    but people had their spirits, how could they give up easily on treatment?


    Until the end, she still wanted to hold on, even if it meant wearing shabby clothes and eating poor food.


    Every time she finished a dialysis session, she felt it was worth it.


    She never thought poverty was a joke. She didn''t steal or rob, she lived on her own, why should it be a


    joke? But when colleagues turned these things into jokes to please everyone, she suddenly felt


    ashamed.


    The teasing around her seemed to be amplified infinitely, and for a moment, she felt like fleeing.


    Just then, Ste, who was dining across from her, nced at those people and smiled. "If wearing


    expensive clothes is considered vanity, does that mean you can''t even earn ten thousand a month?"


    Quiana''s face darkened a bit, but with Jaylene there, she had a lot of confidence. "If a person can''t


    even afford a meal, but still wants to wear such expensive clothes, isn''t that vanity?"


    "Do you know if she can''t afford it? Did she tell you herself?"


    Quiana was choked for a moment and couldn''t speak.


    Ste asked again, "Is the canteen run by your family?"


    Quiana kept a straight face, whispering, "No."


    "If it''s not your business, why are you so concerned? From what you were saying, others would think


    she wasing to your house to cook with your pots."

 Chapter 2254

    Chapter 2254


    Some couldn''t help but chuckle, followed by a few more mocking remarks, which caused Quiana to


    blush with embarrassment.


    Jaylene frowned, "Ste-"


    Ste cut her off, "Ms. Saun, this is thepany, please watch how you address me!"


    Jaylene choked, gritting her teeth to swallow her anger, and said in a low voice, "Ms. Hall, everyone


    was just joking, but your words are a bit too harsh, aren''t they?"


    "Harsh?" Ste looked at her coldly, "When she wasughing at someone else''s embarrassment, why


    didn''t you find her words harsh? Are yournguage skillscking? Can''t you understand the


    implications in her words?"


    Jaylene''s expression turned unpleasant. "I already said, if Wren''s family is in trouble, can''t she apply


    forpany assistance?"


    Ste scoffed. "Looks like Ms. Saun not onlycksnguage skills but also has a bad memory. Wasn''t it


    Ms. Saun who deducted two months'' sry from Wren? What''s with the act of being a good person


    now?"


    Jaylene''s face darkened, gritting her teeth. "Her bonus being deducted was the decision of the HR


    department, what''s that got to do with me? Stop making baseless usations here."


    Ste said coldly, "Did I say her bonus was what was deducted? You, a team leader in the Perfume


    Blending Department, how do you know about the sry changes of finance department employees so


    clearly? Did the HR manager tell you in your dreams?"


    Jaylene finally realized she had fallen into Ste''s verbal trap, feeling


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    instant embarrassment. "I was just guessing. Usually, when someone is punished, it''s a deduction from


    the bonus, right?"


    "Well, I¡¯ve never heard of someone''s entire bonus being deducted," Ste said lightly, "Thepany


    has an assessment system. Even if Wren vited all the rules, her bonus wouldn''t bepletely


    deducted. She achieved perfect attendance, fulfilled her job duties, so why was her entire bonus


    withheld? Is it really her problem, or is someone arbitrarily punishing employees to vent their personal


    grievances above the system?"


    The cafeteria suddenly quieted down.


    Jaylene appeared to treat everyone equally on the surface, but everyone knew not to easily offend her.


    Before Jaylene joined thepany, there was a time she visited and an employee identally spilled


    coffee on her. It was originally a trivial matter, but the next day, the intern was transferred to the sales


    department.


    There was a male supervisor in the sales department who was particrly lecherous, often making


    advances on female employees under him. But because of his strong work ability, as long as he didn''t


    go too far, the leaders turned a blind eye. However, it was the girls working under him who suffered.


    That female employee transferred there resigned less than a monthter. What exactly happened,


    everyone knew but kept silent about.


    Spilling coffee wasn''t a big deal, but not apologizing to Jaylene solemnly was something she cared


    about deeply.


    What Jaylene said and did were two different things.


    Everyone knew what was going on with Wren''s bonus deduction, but no one expected Ste to publicly


    expose Jaylene''s cover-up in the cafeteria.


    Jaylene''s face became extremely ugly. "Ste! It wasn''t me who deducted her bonus. If she has a


    problem, she can appeal to HR! You have no evidence, so stop ndering me!"


    "I''m ndering? Do you have evidence to prove it wasn''t you?" Ste retorted.


    Jaylene was enraged. "If it wasn''t me, why do I need to prove anything?"


    "If it wasn''t you, why can''t you prove it? All you have to do is to list out why Wren''s bonus was


    deducted within reasonable bounds, is it that difficult?" Ste asked.


    Jaylene''s lips trembled with anger. Of course, she couldn''t prove it. Wren''s bonus deduction was her


    way of teaching Wren a lesson!


    The finance department was under her control. Wren took advantage of them to get the clothes Ste


    gave her. If she didn''t teach Wren a lesson, how could she


    discipline others?


    Jaylene couldn''te up with a rebuttal, so she finally questioned her," Then what evidence do you


    have to prove it was me?"

 Chapter 2255

    Chapter 2255


    Ste smirked as she approached, leaning in close to Jaylene''s ear." Remember the tree in my office?"


    Jaylene was caught off guard, her eyes widening in shock.


    Ste narrowed her eyes, her words deliberate. "You know about it, and so do I. Are you going to own


    up to it, or should I share it for everyone to hear? It


    Jaylene''s horror was evident in her expression, shocked that Ste had found the bug, especially since


    she had nted one in her office as well.


    She and Julia often spoke freely in the office, oblivious to potential eavesdroppers. The realization of


    how much Ste might have heard sent a chill down her spine, her face growing paler.


    Just as her resolve was about to crumble, Darcie''s voice cut through the tension. "Ste, Jaylene,


    what''s going on?"


    Jaylene was on the verge of confessing, but upon hearing Darcie¡¯s voice, she hesitated. Seeing a way


    out, she called out, "Mom!"


    Ste clicked her tongue, the timing couldn''t have been more perfect.


    Turning around, she shed a polite smile and greeted Darcie warmly." Hello, Ms. Arnold."


    Darcie approached, pausing to look around before smiling. "You two are here chatting away without


    even having eaten?"


    Ste chimed in, "We weren''t chatting about anything much. Just discussing how Jaylene unexpectedly


    deducted an employee''s bonus, so I was curious."


    Jaylene wanted to protest, but seeing Ste gesturing with her phone, she held her tongue. If her


    mother found out that Ste had caught her red- handed, she''d surely scold her again.


    "Is that true?" Darcie turned to Jaylene. "Did you do that?"


    Jaylene downyed it. "I did mention it to HR once, but I didn''t request a bonus deduction. I don''t know


    how they misunderstood. Ms. Hall thought I was deliberately targeting Wren."


    Ste chuckled. "Did I misinterpret something?"


    Jaylene shrunk back.


    Darcie nced at her, her lips pursed. "Do you have any evidence that Jaylene did this? I''ve always


    warned her against favoritism in thepany. If she targeted a staff member today, I won''t tolerate it."


    Ste remained silent, gripping her phone tightly.


    Jaylene looked nervous, while Darcie repeated, "Do you have any evidence? It


    Ste pursed her lips. "HR hasn''t provided any valid evidence for deducting Wren''s bonus."


    Darcie raised an eyebrow. "So, you alsock evidence to prove Jaylene is targeting her, right?"


    Jaylene was taken aback, realizing she was being yed. She didn''t have any recording at all. This


    was a setup!


    Ste remarked casually, "And she has no evidence to prove her innocence. n


    Before Darcie could respond, her phone rang. Aubrey Abbott¡¯s voice came through. "Mrs. Sage, the S-


    type essential oil has been broken, and Mrs.


    White''s custom perfume cannot be made."


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Darcie''s expression darkened. "Who''s responsible?"


    Ste heard Aubrey say, "Sonia rkson."

 Chapter 2256

    Chapter 2256


    The cafeteria hushed, and everyone nearby could pick up on the conversation.


    While Ste wasn''t familiar with the S-type essential oil, every seasoned Caline employee knew its


    significance.


    This particr blend was a key ingredient in high-end perfumes like "Dream Weaver". There was only


    a hundred milliliters of the essential oil in stock. It was rumored to have been identally created by


    Darcie. However, due to theck of recorded ingredients and proportions, this bottle became a unique


    treasure, reserved for special asions when someone of importance needed a custom perfume.


    With Caline possessing only this sole bottle, the news of its shattering left everyone stunned.


    Darcie''s expression darkened as she turned away and left.


    Ste intended to follow, but Wren halted her. "Ms. Hall, let''s forget about my issue. It''ll blow over soon.


    You don''t have to..."


    Ste met her gaze. "It won''t just blow over. Your tolerance will only embolden them. You need to show


    them you''re not someone to be trifled with, so they''ll think twice before crossing you."


    Wren hesitated.


    Without waiting for a response, Ste departed.


    Sonia wasn''t one to be careless. Such a valuable item would have surely been kept secure from


    ordinary hands. How could it have been broken?


    Rushing to the elevator, Ste arrived at the scene where a gathering had formed around the essential


    oil storage area.


    Sonia found herself encircled, everyone''s eyes on her as if she were a criminal. She appeared visibly


    shaken.


    Darcie stood nearby, brown ss shards littering the table. Though nothing remained on them, the air


    was thick with the scent of essential oils. Ste caught a hint of vetiver amidst the unfamiliar


    fragrances, each exuding a distinct aroma.


    Carefully, Darcie touched the broken pieces and instructed Aubrey to arrange for cleanup.


    Aubrey hesitated, murmuring, "Ms. Arnold, it''s toote. Water has been mixed with the essential oil,


    contaminating the oil."


    Darcie''s frustration red, and she let the ss pieces fall back onto the table, her expression cold and


    firm. "How many times must I stress the importance of this bottle? How could such a mistake ur?"


    Defeated, Aubrey responded, "There is a perfume consultation this afternoon. I asked Sonia to fetch


    some oils for the fragrance room. I never anticipated she would touch the S-type essential oil, let alone


    break it."


    Observing Sonia''s reaction, Ste noticed her tremblingshes.


    Darcie''s tone remained icy. "Is this your first day? How could you entrust such a crucial task to an


    intern?"


    Aubrey confided, "Sonia came with Ms. Hall''s rmendation, and you instructed US to look out for


    her. Thinking to give her more exposure and experience, I trusted her with the task. She''s usually so


    reliable; I never expected this oue..."


    Upon hearing "Sonia came with Ms. Hall''s rmendation", Ste realized the implications.


    This was aimed directly at her.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    In the past, to secure Sonia¡¯s position, she had casually remarked that if Sonia caused trouble, she


    would resign. It had been a casual statement, with no intention of following through. But clearly,


    someone took it seriously and used Aubrey to remind her.

 Chapter 2257

    Chapter 2257


    As soon as Aubrey finished speaking, whispers began to circte among the crowd.


    "What do you mean came with Ms. Hall¡¯s rmendation?"


    "I heard that too. Sonia wasn''t qualified for ourpany, but her father owed Ms. Hall a favor. So, Ms.


    Hall wanted to return the favor by giving her a job. But Ms. Arnold didn''t agree. Ms. Hall even went as


    far as to say that if Sonia messed up, she''d resign."


    "Wow, she''s really made a mess of things."


    "We went through four rounds of interviews to get hired. I was thinking she must be something special


    if she got in without that. But here she is, causing such a huge mess right away."


    "So far, I haven''t seen her put her skills to work."


    "There''s only one bottle of S-type essential oil, and she''s caused such a big mess. How is Ms. Hall


    going to handle this?"


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    "Why protect her? Ms. Hall can''t even protect herself. She brought in Sonia through the back door.


    Shouldn''t she take responsibility for the mess Sonia caused?"


    Jaylene nced at Ste, a smirk ying on her lips.


    Ste didn''t even bother looking at her, her gaze fixed on Aubrey. "Aubrey, I''m a bit confused. If you


    wanted to give her more exposure, shouldn''t you have personally shown her what to do? Why send


    Sonia alone to a ce she''s not familiar with?"


    Aubrey defended himself. "At that time, everyone was downstairs eating, and we were short-staffed. I


    had no choice but to send her. I have taken her there before, so she knows her way around."


    Ste questioned, "If everyone was eating, it means the task wasn''t urgent. Why did you choose a time


    when no one was around to send Sonia to fetch the items?"


    Aubrey struggled to respond. Eventually, he frowned and said, "Ms. Hall, Sonia is the one who broke


    the item. Why are you interrogating me like this? Are you trying to protect her?"


    Ste replied calmly, "I just want to understand the situation. I can''t just take your word for it, can I?"


    Aubrey grew irritated. "What do you mean, Ms. Hall? Are you using me of framing Sonia?"


    "I didn''t say that." Ste nced at Darcie. "Aubrey has been talking all this time. Sonia hasn''t had a


    chance to speak yet. Even in court, after a verdict, the defendant gets a chance to appeal. Why not let


    Sonia speak?"


    Darcie looked at her. "No one''s stopping her from speaking. Of course, she can speak. Has anyone


    stopped her from speaking?"


    Ignoring Darcie''s passive-aggressive tone, Ste turned to Sonia. "Sonia, did you break this bottle of


    essential oil?"


    Sonia shook her head. Though her face was pale, she remained rtivelyposed. "I didn''t touch it.


    By the time I saw it, it was already broken. I just crouched down to check, and someone else came in


    and started shouting."


    Aubrey interjected, "At that time, you were the only one in the room, and the S-type essential oil was in


    the innermostpartment. If it wasn''t you, who else could it have been? And when you found it


    broken, why didn''t youe out and report it? Instead, you stayed there, moving the ss shards. Isn''t


    that to cover up the evidence?"


    Ste seized on the loophole in his words. "So, no one actually saw Sonia break the S-type essential


    oil?"


    Aubrey hesitated, then quickly responded, "She was the only one in the whole room. If not her, then


    who?"


    Ste pointed upward. "But aren''t there security cameras? Are they broken?

 Chapter 2258

    Chapter 2258


    Aubrey found herself momentarily speechless, her lips trembling.


    Darcie fixed her gaze on Ste. "Ste, are you sure about checking the surveince? If Sonia''s the


    one responsible for the damage, how do you intend to handle it?"


    "We should get the police involved," Ste retorted. "If Sonia''s behind the breakage of this expensive


    item, shouldn''t we let the authorities assess the situation?"


    Darcie''s expression darkened.


    Jaylene couldn''t contain herself. "Ste, you were the one who insisted on bringing Sonia in, and it was


    only because of that my mom agreed. Now that she''s caused trouble, are you just going to shift all the


    me onto her without taking any responsibility yourself?"


    Ste fell silent for a moment. "Jaylene, some matters are better dealt with behind closed doors among


    family members. Why air it out here?"


    Thinking Ste was backing down, Jaylene persisted, growing bolder. "The S-type essential oil was


    destroyed; it affects the entirepany¡¯s interests. Shouldn''t we be transparent about it? Why keep it


    under wraps?"


    Ste lifted her gaze. "If you want to discuss it here, that''s fine. You keep insisting I take responsibility


    because I brought Sonia in. She made a mistake, so I should bear some responsibility. But let me ask


    you, when your past mistakes nearly cost US Grace''s ount, where was the ountability from Ms.


    Arnold, who vouched for you to join thepany? You, the one who made the mistake, are still here;


    aren''t you vouched in by her? Why don''t you mention a word about that?"


    Jaylene looked ashamed. "I''m not like Sonia. Caline is our family''spany; what''s wrong with me


    working here? Aren''t you working here too?


    Ste appeared indifferent. "That''s where you''re wrong. I''m not like you. My mother is the founder of


    Caline, and I hold 53% of Caline''s shares. I''m thergest shareholder of Caline, so working in my own


    company is reasonable."


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Darcie hadn''t intended to intervene initially, silently acknowledging Jaylene''s point. But she didn''t


    expect Ste to bring this up. After feigning silence for a while, she finally spoke up. "Ste, let''s just


    check the surveince. There''s no need to create a scene in front of outsiders."


    Ste refused. "Ms. Arnold, earlier when I suggested discussing this privately, Ms. Saun objected, and


    you didn''t oppose. Now, I want to make things clear, so I hope you won''t interfere."


    Darcie''s face turned slightly red, about to say something, but Ste cut her off.


    Ste thought to herself, "You wanted to y dumb, didn''t you? Then keep pretending!"


    "When thispany was founded, my mother invested nearly 90% of the startup capital, and you


    contributed 10% as a partner. In just a few years, we made Caline a sess. After my mother passed


    away, to bnce the rtionship between partners, she sold some shares to you, and she also


    developed the perfume ''Secret Garden,'' which is still selling well today. Unfortunately, she died during


    childbirth, and I was mistakenly separated from my family for over twenty years.


    "The shares my mother held were managed by my uncle for two years after her death, then returned to


    my father. My father knew nothing about this industry, so he asked you to manage it, whichsted for


    twenty years.


    When I was recognized as a member of the Saun family, he transferred the Caline shares to me."


    Ste surveyed the room before speaking calmly again. "I admire your courage back then, investing


    your entire fortune to start Caline with my mother, and managing Caline so well after my mother''s


    death. Although my father used to give you 20% of the annual profits as a token of appreciation for


    your contributions to Caline, and it was a couple helping each other, which is understandable, but now I


    am thergest shareholder of thepany. I feel ufortable just being a figurehead, so I wanted to


    come and share some of the pressure with Ms. Arnold."

 Chapter 2259

    Chapter 2259


    Speaking, Ste nced at Jaylene. "I''m working at Caline as a shareholder. Just like Ms. Saun and


    Sonia, we all got in through connections with a certain shareholder. Since you want to use this method


    to hold me and Sonia ountable, should I then also hold Ms. Saun and Ms. Arnold ountable?¡±


    Jaylene was left pale and angry by her logically sound yet cryptic words. And Ste''s words dealt a


    heavy blow to everyone present.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    The founder of Caline was someone who hadn''t been mentioned for many years, so subsequent hires


    only knew Darcie. On theirpany website, they praised Darcie as the founder, briefly mentioning the


    previous partners.


    Except for those employees who had worked for decades, everyone thought that Caline''s sess


    today was all thanks to Darcie. Even when Ste joined thepany, they only thought it was Darcie


    looking after the daughter of her former partner out of sentimentality. After all, whether it was Aubrey or


    Jaylene, the implication in their words when mentioning this was clear.


    But it turns out that the rarely mentioned founder, Ms. Hall, Ste¡¯s mother, was actually thergest


    shareholder, initially holding 90% of the shares. Did she really invest so much money to start Caline,


    just leaving a 10% investment for Darcie?


    In other words, Darcie actually only contributed a small amount of money to be a partner in


    Caline, profiting from the foundationid by her predecessor.


    All those ims of being self-made, an independent businesswoman, a genius in perfumery... They


    were just reaping the benefits of Ms. Hall''s early demise.


    Hearing what Ste said, the idea that "If Sonia causes trouble, Ste should resign" made everyone


    have second thoughts.


    Ste held more shares than Darcie, and no one had the authority to dismiss her. It was clearly a


    message directed at the employees, making it clear that if the essential oil was indeed broken by


    Sonia, Ste would have to answer to the public for her own words.


    Perhaps the only thing that caught Darcie off guard was Ste directly stripping away the persona


    Darcie had built in thepany.


    Darcie''s face darkened. She suppressed her anger and said, "I will be ountable for the Grace


    incident. Now, if Sonia did break the S-type essential oil, how do you propose to exin it to


    everyone?"


    Ste didn''t take the bait. "If Sonia did break it, she shouldpensate. As for exining to everyone,


    I will humbly learn from Ms. Arnold''s approach."


    The implication was clear: however you handle Jaylene, I''ll handle Sonia.


    Darcie''s face turned slightly green. "Compensate? With what? Do you know the value of this oil?


    Without it, how many high-end clients will I lose?"


    Ste hadn''t spoken yet when Sonia, who had been silent all along, said, "I can try. I should be able to


    recreate it."

 Chapter 2260

    Chapter 2260


    As soon as those words were spoken, the entire room fell silent. Ste was taken aback as well.


    This girl really had no filter, huh?


    If replicating this thing were so easy, Darcie wouldn''t just have one bottle; she¡¯d treasure it like gold.


    Unless this thing wasn''t difficult at all, and Darcie made up the story for marketing purposes. But with


    so many perfume blending technicians in thepany having seen the S-type essential oil, if it was


    just marketing by Darcie, it would have been exposed ages ago.


    After all, there are no secrets in this world. With so manypetitors, how could they not uncover such


    information? So, it was most likely really difficult to replicate.


    Originally, they were just consideringpensation issues, but now that she had boasted like this, if


    Darcie really asked her to replicate it and she couldn''t, she''d lose her job. Why were Gen Zers so bold


    these days? Ste thought her response was somewhat diplomatic, but the onlookers were more


    straightforward.


    "Is she treating it like a dipping sauce? If it were so easy to replicate, could Caline have remained at


    the top of the custom perfume industry for so many years? Competitors would have snatched it away


    long ago."


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    "Even Ms. Arnold cant replicate what she personally blends. And she''s just a fresh graduate, talking


    nonsense?"


    "A newbie isn''t afraid of challenges."


    "If she really can replicate it, I''ll bow down to her when I see her in thepany!"


    Jaylene looked quite disdainful, probably not expecting Sonia to be so ¡ö'' naive" and walk right into the


    trap.


    Ste felt like a parent of a misbehaving child being called to school. She was trying to cover for her,


    but if the child smashed a window in front of the teacher, there was nothing she could do.


    She cleared her throat and avoided the topic. "Let''s check the surveince first. We still don''t know who


    broke it. Whoever did should be the one topensate."


    Julia, who had been standing next to Jaylene the whole time, immediately chimed in, "Ms. Arnold, Ms.


    Hall, since Sonia says she can replicate it, why not let her try? If she seeds, it will help thepany


    recover its losses and make amends. If not, it will teach the neers a lesson, showing them the


    perfumery threshold, and they''ll learn to keep their heads down in the future."


    Jaylene also said, "Mom, why not let her try? Whether she broke it or not, if she can replicate it, it''s


    beneficial for thepany. When Ms. Hall insisted on hiring her, didn''t she mention she was an


    outstanding graduate from an internationally certified perfumery school? Since she''s capable, it''s a


    good opportunity to showcase her skills. Then no one will gossip about her being hired based on


    connections in the future."


    Ste''s heart sank a bit at this. She sarcastically remarked, "Ms. Saun isn''t even a perfumery graduate.


    Should you also try to replicate one to prove your own ability?"


    Jaylene''s triumphant expression hadn''t fully formed before Ste''s retort made her flush red.


    Darcie spoke up at the opportune moment, addressing Sonia, "Sonia, I know about your father''s


    rtionship with the Saun family, and bringing you into thepany was partly due to these


    connections. But now that you''ve caused such trouble, everyone in thepany is watching, and I


    can''t show favoritism. You say you can replicate the S-type essential oil. I can give you the chance to


    try. If you seed, today''s matter will be considered settled, and we''ll move on. But if you fail, let me


    be clear: you''ll resign voluntarily, and I''ll have to exin to the clients and everyone in thepany."


    This old witch! She was pinning the me on someone without even investigating. Ste was about to


    speak, but Sonia held her back, looking fearlessly at Darcie. "I can start with the oil."


    Ste frowned. Was this kid oblivious? Whether she could replicate it or not, this me was not


    something they could bear.


    But she underestimated Sonia''s determination. She was eager to prove herself.

 Chapter 2261

    Chapter 2261


    Darcie naturally doubted that a young woman in her twenties could replicate this oil. The S-type


    essential oil was created before Freesia Hall''s death, but it wasn''t public knowledge until Darcie


    discovered it while sorting through her belongings after Freesia passed away.


    Over the years, Darcie and the perfume blending technicians she hired had tried thousands of methods


    to replicate it, even resorting to chemical analysis. However, they could never get the proportions right.


    Even their closest attempts fell short, with a slight difference making the scent of the recreated perfume


    miles away from the original.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    So, Darcie had to find ways to preserve the oil and minimize its evaporation. Nobody had been able to


    replicate it for years, so for Sonia, who had only smelled it, to im she could make it was outrageous.


    Since Darcie couldn''t believe it herself, she decided to give Sonia a chance. She hadn''t even wanted


    Sonia at Caline in the first ce; her resemnce to her father irritated Darcie. If she could use this


    opportunity to remove her, all the better. With that in mind, Darcie said, "Then I''ll give you a day." "No


    need,¡¯ Sonia replied. ¡¯If I start now, two hours at most will be enough.¡±


    When she said this, everyone''s opinion of Sonia shifted from seeing her as a braggart to seeing her as


    a fool. If she could do it in two hours, it would be like rubbing it in the faces of all thepany''s


    perfume blending technicians.


    Ste felt her knees weaken. She squeezed Sonia''s hand and whispered," Why don''t we go downstairs


    and have a meal to calm down?"


    If Sonia couldn''t replicate it and Darcie fired her, how would Ste exin it to her older brother? This


    child usually seemed so calm; why was she causing such concern now?


    However, Sonia was determined. She looked at Darcie and asked, "Ms.


    Arnold, can we start now?"


    Darcie chuckled, seeming amused by Sonia''s boldness. "''Alright, let''s begin.


    All thepany''s oils are here; help yourself to what you need."¡¯


    Sonia nodded and went to fetch the oils she needed. Darcie nced at Ste. "Ste, if she really can


    do it, it will reflect well on you."


    Ignoring the vague remark, Ste immediately asked Samuel to call the police.


    Darcie stood by, calmly sipping her tea, looking rxed and confident, seemingly convinced that Sonia


    couldn''t replicate it. But as Sonia brought out bottle after bottle of oil, Darcie''s expression gradually


    became more serious. Sonia was taking out all theponents she had previously identified. Was it


    just a coincidence? There were only a few perfume blending technicians Darcie knew who could


    identify oilponents by smell alone. Sonia took out a total of seven, and not one was wrong.


    Darcie set down her cup, her palms slightly sweaty, but she quickly regained herposure. The most


    difficult part of blending this oil wasn''t theponents; it was the proportions.

 Chapter 2262

    Chapter 2262


    Jaylene was convinced Sonia wouldn''t pull it off and started throwing shade early. "Quite the


    professional approach. Ste, how long do you think she''ll take to pull it off?"


    Ste shot her a nce and responded casually, "At most, two hours.


    Didn''t she say so? Are you deaf?"


    Jaylene scoffed, "If she actually manages to do it within two hours, that''ll be something. Thepany


    wouldn''t be harboring a cker."


    Ste snapped back icily, "Hasn''t thepany always had a cker around?"


    Jaylene paused for a moment, then realized Ste was talking about her. She frowned immediately and


    was about to snap back when Darcie cut in," If you want to watch, keep it down. Speak, and you''re


    out."


    Some people never change! Why bother arguing with her here?


    Jaylene mped her mouth shut in frustration, waiting for Sonia to fall t.


    Ste furrowed her brow, anxiously observing Sonia at work. She worried Sonia wouldn''t pull it off,


    bing the butt of jokes. But she also feared Sonia might seed, prematurely revealing her talents


    and drawing Darcie''s suspicion.


    Most of the spectators were just there for the show, not believing a girl who got in through connections


    could replicate the S-type essential oil.


    "It''d be better to just own up to the mistake. Making a fuss and failing would be embarrassing." "I think


    she''s pretending about the oil but genuinely seeking attention.


    Otherwise, I wouldn''t even know she existed in thepany." "Young people these days are so flighty;


    they''re not grounded enough."


    The on-site discussions stayed rtively subdued, but in the work group, betting was already in full


    swing.


    Only two people bet on Sonia''s sess, and Ste didn''t recognize the username. Meanwhile, dozens


    bet against her, ranging from a few hundred to a couple thousand, with the group moderator collecting


    it all.


    Some of those betting against her were goading others in the group, "Why not bet on ''sess''? Only


    two are betting that way. If they win, the winnings won''t stretch. Trust in the younger generation!


    Everyone, bet on 1 sess''!" "Lead by example and bet on ''sess.'' If you win, you''ll be a step closer


    to getting a Luna." "I''m curious about those betting on ''sess.'' What are they thinking?" "I''ve only got


    three hundred left from my spouse''s pocket money. A gamble: either I get a motorcycle or lose this


    three hundred. If she seeds, it''s pocket money for the year. If she fails, I only lose three hundred."


    "This bettingcks imagination. It''s like an open-book exam; even a fool knows how to choose." "Do


    you choose to believe she can pull it off, or do you choose to believe I¡¯m Keegan''s wife?" "I choose to


    believe you''re Keegan''s wife, so when do I get gifted a Luna?"


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Watching the chat box fill up, Ste typed with her eyes downcast. In less than two minutes, the group


    exploded.


    "Another ''sess'' vote. It''s now 3 to 78. @Group Moderator, how much did this person bet?"


    Group Moderator: "You won''t believe it... one hundred thousand."


    Everyone: "OMG" "OMG+1!" "OMG+10086" "Who''s the big spender?"

 Chapter 2263

    Chapter 2263


    The group moderator hesitated before calling out, "Ms. Hall..."


    For a brief moment, the group fell into silence.


    Someone piped up, "Ms. Hall, aren''t you worried about losing with such a big bet?"


    Ste''s response came calmly, "Taking a risk; maybe it''ll pay off."


    With that, the chat erupted with praise for Ms. Hall¡¯s audacity.


    Soon after, several more bets against Sonia flooded in, with some even upping the ante.


    After a pause, the group moderator spoke up again, "Ms. Saun has bet against Sonia, wagering one


    hundred thousand."


    Ste paused, ncing up at Jaylene nearby.


    Meeting Ste''s gaze, Jaylene smirked and tilted her head slightly, saying," Just a bit of fun."


    Ste smiled back, mouthing slowly, Have you recovered the twenty million you were swindled off?"


    Jaylene''s expression stiffened momentarily, but she remained silent, catching Darcie''s eye and


    eventually clenching her fists in frustration.


    As Sonia worked on her concoctions, adjusting proportions based on scent, an hour passed, resulting


    in over a dozen samples, none of which met the mark.


    Darcie''s tense expression gradually eased as she observed Sonia''s method. The proportions Sonia


    used differed significantly from what Darcie had deemed the closest match, and the adjustment


    direction was entirely different. How could Sonia possibly get it right?


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    Among the spectators, boredom began to set in, with remarks about watching a poor student trying to


    mimic a top schr.


    One person who had been involved in separating the S-type oilponents remarked, "The oils she


    selected are all correct. I thought I''d stumbled upon a genius, but it seems it was just luck."


    "Ms. Hall wagered one hundred thousand against her sess. Looks like she might be losing that bet."


    "She''s the one who brought her in. If it were me, I might reluctantly bet on her sess too. You win


    some, you lose some, right?"


    "Ms. Saun also bet one hundred thousand against her. Whether she seeds or not, it won''t affect me


    because I won''t be getting a penny either way..."


    Despite the ss barrier separating the testing area from the observers, Sonia''s actions were clearly


    audible. Fortunately, she seemed unfazed by the chatter. After several adjustments, shebined two


    samples, shook the bottle, and let it sit for a while before unscrewing the cap.


    A powerful fragrance filled the room as soon as she opened the bottle, astonishing Ste. It was


    exactly like the scent from the smashed S-type oil bottle, if not stronger.


    "This scent... it''s identical!"


    "Are we losing our minds? Did she really do it?"


    "Yes, bow down in awe!"


    "No way, they''ve been trying for years and couldn''t do it, and she did it in just over an hour?"


    "What kind of prodigy is she, born after 2000..."


    "It feels like the suspense is finally over; I might be getting closer to beingid off again..."


    Darcie''s expression soured when she caught a whiff of the scent, her gaze flickering with resentment


    before she regained herposure.


    Jaylene, less adept at hiding her emotions, questioned incredulously, "How is this possible? We''ve


    been trying for years and couldn''t do it. How did she manage?"


    Ste, feeling a sense of pride, raised her eyebrows at Jaylene, "Why wouldn''t it be possible? Haven''t


    you heard the saying? Genius is 99% effort and 1 % talent, but that 1 % talent is the most crucial, even


    more so than the 99% effort; that''s the power of innate talent."

 Chapter 2264

    Chapter 2264


    Jaylene found herself irritated by Ste''s smug tone and shot back, "What''s with the attitude? You


    weren''t the one who made it!"


    Ste blinked innocently and replied, "I brought in the genius talent through the back door for the


    company. Why wouldn''t I be proud?"


    Then, ncing at Darcie, she continued, "Ms. Arnold, now that Sonia has sessfully replicated it,


    should we address the unjust usation of her smashing the oil, and whether withholding Wren''s


    bonus is justified? Has someone exploited this to settle personal scores? Shouldn''t thepany''s


    board of supervisors look into it?"


    Darcie gave her a calm nce and responded, "The scent is quite simr, but we still need to test its


    usability.¡±


    Ste chuckled, "Then let''s start by investigating the incident of the smashed oil."


    Just as she finished speaking, Darcie''s phone rang. "Ms. Arnold, the police are here. Someone


    reported damage to thepany¡¯s finances, and no one is owning up to it, so they''re here to


    investigate."


    Darcie shot Ste a sharp look.


    Ste raised her eyebrows innocently, "Ms. Arnold, I think involving the police might be more efficient.


    After all, if the culprit isn''t found, we''ll have to bear the loss ourselves. With my significant stake, I''d


    suffer the most. I''m doing this for our benefit, you understand, right?"


    Darcie clenched her fists, and it seemed as if Darcie wanted to ssh the water next to her onto Stell''s


    face.


    Standing next to Aubrey, Ste was ready to use her as a shield if Darcie made a move.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    But Darcie restrained herself. Jaylene kept grumbling about the unnecessary police involvement, and


    when Darcie finally stood up to leave without a word, she shot Jaylene a nce.


    Jaylene continued toin, "Calling the police over such a trivial matter. Have you thought about


    the impact this will have on thepany''s image?''


    Ste silenced her with a single sentence, "It''s mypany, and I''ll do as I please."


    With a dark expression, Jaylene left.


    The onlookers dispersed after the incident, but many now looked at Sonia with newfound respect. After


    all, strength was admirable.


    Once everyone had left, Ste turned to Sonia. Since starting work, Sonia had tied her hair into a


    ponytail. With her small round face, she looked


    even more like a middle schooler. Despite being nearly the same height, she always seemed like a


    child to Ste.


    Finally understanding why her brother loved ruffling the girl''s hair so much, Ste spoke gently to


    Sonia, "Let''s go downstairs. As your elder sister, I will help you sort things out."


    Sonia was taken aback. "Elder sister?"


    Ste raised her eyebrows, "Trevor is a brother to you, so I should be your sister too. You''re four years


    younger than me, after all."


    Sonia shook her head. "No."


    Ste chuckled, "You don''t have to refuse so directly, do you?" she feigned sadness, "What about when


    you call my brother ''brother''?''


    Sonia was serious as she said, "He won me over. I call him ''brother'' because he won."


    Ste paused, very curious. "How did he win you over?"


    Then Sonia exined the reason.


    Sonia had mild autism and congenital emotional detachment syndrome. Apart from her deep bond with


    her father, she didn''t have such strong dependence on others, not even her mother.


    She didn''t like contact with people much and preferred to immerse herself in things that interested her.


    The first time Trevor saw Sonia, his father called her over to meet him. She just nced at him and


    continued reading her book.


    And that book happened to be a eulogy. Sonia was only about twelve or thirteen at the time. Trevor


    was quite curious and asked if she could understand it.


    The girl ignored him, and Trevor didn''t get annoyed. He sat beside her and asionally spoke to her.


    He asked her age, what grade she was in, and how her brain could be so good that she could get a


    perfect score.


    He was really chatty.


    Her reading speed slowed down.

 Chapter 2265

    Chapter 2265


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    Trevor would show up three or four times a week, always chatty but kind of dim, with a knack for


    uttering the most mundane things. Every now and then, in the middle of conversation, he''d casually


    mention that if his sister were the same age, she¡¯d probably be just as cute.


    Then, when his sister fell ill, he vanished for two whole months. Her dad took her to visit, and she met


    his sister, Jaylene. But she didn''t find her cute at all; she seemed rather silly, nothing like him.


    As they were leaving, he tousled her hair and teased her, "You little heartbreaker. You call the doctor


    ''brother,'' but I''ve known you for almost a year. Why don''t you call me ''brother''?¡¯


    She replied, "Because you''re silly."


    Trevor was taken aback, as if he''d just heard something monumental.


    Sonia didn''t see what was wrong with what she''d said. He was indeed a bit silly; it had been six


    months, and he still hadn''t passed his pilot''s license test. She wasn''t even sure what he''d been


    learning.


    But thisment really got to Trevor. He got serious and said, "If I can prove I''m smarter than you, will


    you start calling me ''brother''?''


    Sonia nodded, thinking, how could he possibly be smarter than her? She could recite backward


    everything her dad had taught her; he hadn''t even memorized it yet.


    Trevor said, "Then I''ll ask you a question. If you can answer it, I''ll admit you''re smarter than me. If you


    can''t, you''ll call me ''brother'' from now on."


    Sonia agreed.


    Trevor asked, "How much hair do I have?¡±


    Sonia was rendered speechless.


    "Can''t answer?" Trevor teased.


    Sonia blushed, hesitated, then asked, "How much hair do you have?"


    Trevor raised his eyebrows, "Just one head of hair."


    Sonia was struck speechless once more.


    Seeing the little girl blush from his teasing, Trevor took pity on her. "This question might be a bit too


    tough. Let me ask you an easier one. If you can answer it, I''ll admit you''re smarter than me."


    Sonia regained her confidence and listened attentively.


    Trevor said, "What is the total amount of hair in the world?"


    Sonia''s confidence instantly faltered. She looked at Trevor, lips moving silently for a moment, unable to


    say anything.


    "Can''t figure it out? It''s so simple," Trevor said with a grin, teasing her.


    Sonia bit her lip, feeling a bit annoyed. "So what''s the answer?"


    Trevor smiled and said slowly, "It''s zero."


    Sonia was even more confused, ¡¯How can it be zero?"


    Trevor pinched her braid, his eyes narrowing, and casually said, "Because some people are bald,


    kiddo."


    Sonia was even more speechless at this point.


    Steughed the whole time. She hadn''t expected it to be so amusing.


    At first, Sonia remained impassive. But after Steughed for a few minutes, Sonia suddenly felt that


    Ste didn''t seem very smart either.


    Ste wasughing even louder now, making Sonia''s ears burn.


    Ste said, "If I ask you a question and you can''t answer it, will you call me'' sister'' too?"


    Sonia said, "No."


    "Why?"


    Sonia didn''t answer. The elevator had reached the ground floor, and Ste didn''t ask again.


    The police checked the surveince footage, which was intact. But by chance, the spot where the item


    was dropped was a blind spot. Many people wereing and going there, and it couldn''t be


    determined who had broken it.


    The police suggested extracting fingerprints from the oil bottle andparing them to those of the


    people who had been there today. Before the police could finish, someone in the crowd suddenly spoke


    up, "No need to check. I broke it."

 Chapter 2266

    Chapter 2266


    Ste was caught off guard, quickly turning her head.


    It wasn¡¯t anyone else speaking; it was her driver, Larry Bard.


    Her expression shifted slightly as she asked in a low voice, "Larry, what are you saying?"


    Larry''s face paled, his slender frame slightly hunched, giving off an air of not quite fitting in with


    everyone else.


    His lips moved, and he spoke hoarsely, Ms. Hall, I broke it. While I was cleaning in there today, I


    identally dropped it. I know the stuff in there is valuable, and I... I got scared, so I didn''t dare to say


    anything.¡±


    Bowing toward Ste and the others, he whispered, "I''m sorry."


    Ste frowned, her tone stern. "Thepany has cleaners, so why would you be cleaning?"


    Larry hung his head, afraid to meet her eyes. "I applied for the job with thepany. I could earn thirty


    an hour. I wanted to make some extra money to get my son a cochlear imnt..."


    Ste''s expression darkened.


    The reason Larry gave left her unable to even get angry.


    This turn of events pleased Jaylene, who sneered at Ste. "Ms. Hall, you''ve got an eye for talent, don''t


    you? How could S-type essential oil, ced in such a secure location, be identally broken? I bet he


    wasn''t clumsy, maybe he had sticky fingers, wanting to swipe something while cleaning, but got too


    nervous and ended up breaking the oil."


    Larry hesitated, looking shocked and conflicted as he nced at Jaylene. When Ste looked his way,


    he quickly lowered his head, gripping his sleeves tightly.


    In a hoarse voice, he said, "I didn''t steal anything. I wanted to wipe off some dust, so I took it out. My


    hands were wet, and the bottle was slippery.


    I couldn''t hold onto it..."


    Looking at Ste, he said, "Ms. Hall, I''m sorry for causing you such trouble. I¡¯m willing topensate.


    Please let me finish this month''s work. I promised my son I''d bring him to see my new workce at the


    end of the month after his exams. If he doesn''t see it, he''ll think I lied to him..."


    Ste pressed her lips together tightly. She couldn''t believe such a convenient thing could happen. She


    felt like either Larry didn''t do it, or Darcie threatened him with something, or he got some benefit from


    Darcie and did it.


    Whichever it was, it left her extremely disappointed.


    Jaylene nced at Larry disdainfully. "Do you know how much that bottle of essential oil is worth? Even


    if you emptied out your entire savings, it wouldn''t be enough to buy it. What are you going to use to


    compensate?"


    So many eyes were watching, and the police were informed by her own people, yet now they found out


    it was her own people who broke it. There was no way she could protect him.


    Ste simply turned to Darcie and said, "Ms. Arnold, what do you think we should do?"


    Darcie replied calmly, "The item was broken by one of your employees, and it was also your employees


    who were responsible for its allocation. It wouldn''t be fair to only penalize him at this point... But if


    there''s no punishment, thepany''s reputation won''t stand. It''s better to let him go, as a warning to


    others. Thepany will arrange a new driver for you."


    Larry¡¯s face turned even paler.


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    Ste remained silent.


    Larry''s actions disappointed her greatly. Although his intention was to get a cochlear imnt for his


    son, he hadpletely lost sight of what was important. But now, with all the eyes in thepany on


    them, and Darcie wanting to dismiss Larry, and Larry being her employee, if she didn''t stand up for her


    own people, such leadership would undoubtedly leave the subordinates feeling disappointed.


    "Ste, what do you think?" Darcie called her.


    Ste raised her gaze and said, "The incident of the broken essential oil is a mistake made during


    Larry''s work process, which almost caused significant losses to thepany. Technically, he should be


    heavily penalized. However, this incident shouldn''t be solely his responsibility.


    There are also ws in the work of the management personnel of the oil storage room."

 Chapter 2267

    Chapter 2267


    "I find it strange. The ce where the S-type essential oil was stored was supposed to be locked. If


    there was a lock, Larry shouldn''t have been able to ess it. The fact that he could easily take it out


    suggests that it wasn''t locked at the time. Larry probably doesn¡¯t know these things, and there was no


    manager around to remind him. He identally broke the essential oil during his work, without any


    intention to cause harm. If we talk about responsibility, both parties should share it.


    "But because Sonia made the S-type essential oil, this incident didn''t actually cause US much damage.


    It''s more like a stroke of luck. I think if we just fire him outright, the punishment would be too severe.


    With this precedent set, if another employee makes a mistake in the future, they might hide it


    intentionally out of fear of being fired, which could lead to bigger problems. Punishment should be a


    means of correction, not an end in itself. What do you think?"


    Before Darcie could respond, Jaylene scoffed, "It just sounds like you''re just trying to protect your own."


    Ste admitted openly, "You do protect your own. You crossed Grace and only got a small pay


    deduction, right?"


    This remark was aimed at Jaylene but also indirectly referenced Darcie.


    Even if Larry was indeed dismissed, she would still show a protective stance.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Darcie remained silent for a while before finally saying, "Half pay for three months, with bonus


    deducted. Is that eptable?"


    Ste thought there might be some negotiation, but she didn''t expect Darcie to be so direct.


    After assessing the situation for a moment, she nodded. "Let''s go with Ms.


    Arnold''s suggestion."


    Jaylene wasn''t satisfied, "Isn''t this punishment too lenient? Such a big mistake was made, yet you''re


    just brushing it off so lightly. Won¡¯t others follow suit in the future?"


    Ste nced at her. "When management speaks, you don''t get to weigh in. N


    Jaylene choked up, frustrated but unable to respond. The higher-ups always had the final say.


    "Ms. Arnold, since we''re already on this topic, let''s have thepany''s board of supervisors also look


    into Wren''s bonus deduction."


    Wren, who had been observing quietly, suddenly felt singled out.


    Darcie nced at Wren. "Let''s go. Ms. Hall wants to support you. Naturally, we need to investigate this


    matter thoroughly."


    Wren snapped back to reality, her face slightly pale, and she quickly shook her head. "Ms. Arnold, it''s


    my fault. I have noints about my bonus being deducted. Please don''t listen to Ms. Hall."


    Ste paused, suppressing a smirk as she looked at Wren.


    Thetter kept her head down, not meeting Ste''s gaze. Although her voice trembled, it was firm,


    "When mistakes are made, one must ept the consequences. Thepany''s decision is correct."


    Darcie''s expression softened. "Thatplicates things," she said, then turned to Ste, "Ste, what''s


    your take on this?"


    Ste withdrew her gaze, her tone chilly, "Ms. Arnold, please handle it as you see fit."


    With that, she turned and left, with Larry quickly following behind.


    Wren clenched her fists, keeping her head down.


    Darcie looked at the cowering Wren, exchanged a nce with Aubrey, then left.


    After the crowd dispersed, Aubrey approached Wren and took her to a secluded area before speaking,


    "Ms. Arnold wasn''t aware of the bonus issue, and Ms. Saun has a short temper; she can''t handle being


    wronged. There''s no malicious intent here. The HR department will reimburse you forst month''s


    bonus, and your bonus for next month will be paid as usual."


    With that, she took out a stack of cash from her bag and handed it to Wren. "This is a gesture of


    compensation from Ms. Arnold."

 Chapter 2268

    Chapter 2268


    Wren felt a wave of panic. "I really don''t need..." "Just take it!" Aubrey insisted coldly. "It''s a gesture


    from Ms. Arnold. Don''t let her down."


    Wren¡¯s eyshes trembled as she reluctantly epted the money, bowing deeply. "Please thank Ms.


    Arnold for me."


    Aubrey''s eyes shed with a hint of disdain, which quickly disappeared." Ms. Hall speaking up for you


    means she values you. You should appreciate her kindness and not take it lightly."


    They didn''t want her to sour her rtionship with Ste...


    Wren kept her head low, speaking softly. "When I was in need, it was Ms. Arnold who offered me a job.


    A helping hand in times of need is more valuable than in times of abundance. I''ll always remember


    that."


    Aubrey looked at her unexpectedly for a moment, then said, "That''s good to know. Keep the money


    safe and hidden."


    Wren took off her coat and tucked the money into her clothes.


    Aubrey seemed satisfied as she patted Wren''s shoulder and left.


    Wren felt her tense nerves rx slightly. She hugged her clothes tightly, remembering Ste''s


    expression as she left, feeling a pang in her heart.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    She had no choice. She needed this job. Even with Ste''s support, she couldn''t afford to offend


    Darcie. There were still things she needed to figure out...


    Ste had just stepped into the office when Larry knocked on the door.


    Ste didn''t invite him in. She was seething with anger, and she knew if


    Larry came in, she wouldn''t be able to control her tone. Larry was almost twenty years her senior, and


    she couldn''t bring herself to reprimand someone so much older.


    Why hadn''t he told her he needed money and wanted to work for thepany? If it weren''t for today''s


    incident, who knows how long he would have kept it hidden.


    She hired him because she thought he had extensive driving experience, lived nearby, was responsible


    for his disabled wife and child, and had a strong sense of duty. She didn¡¯t expect him to be so


    confused!


    Ste was annoyed, but then she received a transfer from the betting group''s moderator, with her bet


    amount and winnings.


    Suddenly, she had over a hundred thousand more. Ste''s mood eased a bit.


    She transferred eighty thousand to Keegan.


    Keegan replied after a few minutes, "Did you hit the jackpot?"


    Ste got up and went to the tree vase, dug out the bugs inside, broke them open, and threw them into


    the water. Then she called Keegan.


    Keegan thought she was having an affair and asked quietly, "Why are you calling me? Aren''t you in the


    office?"


    Ste said, "I broke the bugs and threw them away. I want to hear your voice."


    Keegan was silent for a moment. "Although I''m ttered by your romantic gesture, those bugs could


    have been used to report eavesdroppers."


    Ste was stunned. "Why didn''t you remind me earlier?"


    Keegan said, "I didn''t expect you to just throw them away."


    Suddenly, Ste felt even more despondent. "If I report it, how long will she be sentenced for?"


    Keegan said, "Maybe a fine of five hundred."


    Ste was rendered speechless.


    She had no expression. "Are you kidding me?"


    Keegan chuckled softly. "You''re not in a good mood. What''s wrong?"


    Ste sighed and confided in him about thepany''s affairs. "You know, when Sonia concocted the


    oil, I was as excited as a kid in a candy store. I just wanted to wipe the smirks off the mother and


    daughter''s faces, but it turns out my driver betrayed me. He was the one who broke it, and I''m the one


    who got pped in the face. I''m furious."


    Keegan teased, "You''re angry but still sent me a money pouch. You¡¯re getting more and more gutsy,


    huh?"

 Chapter 2269

    Chapter 2269


    Bringing it up, Ste suddenly perked up. "This money is from my betting winnings. Jaylene put in


    nearly a hundred thousand, so of course, I''m happy to make some profit off her. I''m not keeping it all to


    myself; I''ll transfer half to you."


    "Mrs. Kane is quite generous," Keegan chuckled, sending a screenshot of the transfer and then


    refunding the money. "Hold onto it for me for now. I''ll ask for it when I need it."


    "Then I''ll just spend it all for you."


    Keegan smirked. "Then you''re now ''pawned'' to me."


    Ste paused. "Keegan, cut the cheesy lines."


    Keegan was struck speechless.


    Aldor Hart was driving and couldnt help but chuckle at Ste''s remark.


    Keegan shot him a re.


    Ste said, "See, even Aldor finds those lines cheesy."


    Aldor quickly rified, "No, I think it''s nice. Mr. Kane speaks from the heart. n


    Ste said, "I know. He says it to my face, and I can see from his expression that he means it. But


    when I don''t see his face, I can''t help but feel harassed and want to call the police."


    Aldor couldn''t hold back this time and burst outughing.


    Keegan frowned. "Find something funny? If you likeughing so much, thenugh while you drive!"


    "Don''t bully Aldor," Ste defended firmly.


    Aldor was just thinking of "clinging to Mrs. Kane; she knows how to protect her own," when Ste said,


    "They''re going on a date tonight, and he''llin to Aurora, then your troubles will begin."


    Aldor''s smile froze on his face. He had indeed clung to the wrong thigh.


    Keegan nced suspiciously at Aldor, asking Ste, "How do you know they¡¯re going on a date?"


    Ste hesitated for a moment. "Last night, when you went to shower, Aldor came to pick up Aurora. He


    came over the day before yesterday too, and this week, he''s been here three times! Keegan, you never


    noticed?"


    Keegan was bewildered; he had no idea. Every day, when he passed by Aurora''s room upstairs, he


    heard musicing from inside, and he assumed she was already in bed.


    He didn¡¯t object to Aurora interacting with Aldor, but in the dead of night? What kind of meeting was


    that?


    Keegan nced at Aldor, who felt like Keegan''s gaze was sharper than when he interviewed him years


    ago, sending chills down his spine.


    Ste was exasperated. "Keegan, if you can''t even watch over your own family, what about your own


    daughter? When you have a daughter, you won''t even know when she''s been kidnapped."


    Keegan was speechless.


    He couldn''t argue with Ste, so he red at Aldor. "What are you doing with her sote at night?"


    Aldor was sweating. "Nothing, just... night fishing."Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Keegan nodded, then remembered something and said to Ste, "Maybe take this opportunity to


    change that driver, put him in a different department."


    Ste said, "I''d like to, but this incident just happened, and now he''s in a hurry to earn money to get his


    son a cochlear imnt. At his age, in thepany, he either does janitorial work or security, neither of


    which pays as much as being a driver," she sighed. "I can''t help but feel it''s a bit heartless to rece


    him now."


    Keegan said, "You can''t just consider his hardships. Even if he''s facing difficulties, making a mistake is


    a fact. You''ve managed to prevent him from being fired, but a mistake is still a mistake. When you


    discipline your subordinates, you can''t be too harsh, but you also can''t be too lenient. If you just let it


    go, others will think you''re easy to talk to, and then think you''re easy to push around. Without fear, can


    you still manage people?"


    Ste found his reasoning sound, just as she was about to speak, she suddenly heard amotion at


    the door.


    She hung up the phone first, got up, and went to the door, pulling it open.


    Outside, Larry was kneeling stiffly in the corridor, surrounded by a group of people who had gathered at


    some point, gossiping and whispering. When they saw her open the door, their voices abruptly


    stopped.

 Chapter 2270

    Chapter 2270


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Larry knelt there, his shoulders drooping, making his already gaunt body look even thinner. He heard


    the door open and lifted his head, his eyes brightening slightly. He shuffled over to Ste and said in a


    hoarse voice," Ms. Hall, please punish me."


    Ste clenched her hands, her expression somewhat grim. She didn''t immediately help Larry up but


    said sternly, "Larry, stand up."


    Larry didn''t move, his shoulders trembling slightly, his voice hoarse, "Ms. Hall, I¡¯ve caused you so much


    trouble, and yet you still protect me. I feel so ashamed. Please punish me; HI ept anything."


    Ste closed her eyes briefly and raised her voice, "I said, stand up! Are you kneeling outside my office


    to make a spectacle of US?"


    Larry''s face turned paler. "I didn''t mean to..."


    "Then stand up!"


    Ste had always spoken to Larry gently, considering his age, even defending him downstairs just


    moments ago. He had never seen her so angry.


    Larry rubbed his fingers together, suddenly feeling uncertain.


    Ste nced around and said tly, "Is everyone not busy?"


    Her tone,manding without being angry, was as intimidating as Darcie''s. The crowd that had


    gathered to watch immediately dispersed and went back to their tasks.


    Ste gave Larry a cold look. "Come in with me."


    Larry took a deep breath and followed her, pressing his lips together.


    Ste quietly walked behind her desk and sat down. Larry noticed her slightly protruding belly and was


    startled. He wanted to take another look, but Ste had already slid her chair closer to the desk,


    blocking his view.


    She pointed to the chair opposite. "Sit."


    Larry said nervously, "No need, I can stand."


    Ste didn''t insist, she merely said, "You can start with either security or cleaning duties at the


    company. I''ll inform HR to assign you as a driver to whichever department needs one."


    Larry was stunned, his face turning ashen. "Ms. Hall, are you letting me go...?¡±


    Ste looked up. "Didn''t you say you''d ept any punishment?"


    Larry''s lips trembled, unable to speak.


    Ste said calmly, "Larry, do you know that before I left my office, I hadn''t decided to reassign you? But


    when I saw you kneeling outside, I made up my mind immediately. Do you know why?"


    Larry, pale-faced, whispered, "Because I embarrassed you."


    Ste shook her head. "No, because you don''t trust me and even tried to use this to pressure me."


    Larry was about to deny it but was cut off by Ste''s raised hand. "Wait until I''m finished."


    Larry closed his mouth again.


    Ste continued slowly, "You wanted to get a cochlear imnt for your son, and you needed to take on


    extra work to earn money. You could have told me, and I would have done my best to help. But you


    didn''t. You took on the work secretly without telling me, and that''s the first issue."

 Chapter 2271

    Chapter 2271


    "Secondly, you caused trouble during your side job. Instead of telling me right away, you let others find


    out and point fingers at you. If Sonia hadn''t managed to concoct that bottle of essential oil today, do


    you realize how much responsibility you would have to bear?


    "Lastly, you shouldn¡¯t have knelt at my office door to beg for leniency. I really dislike people kneeling,


    whether it''s to apologize, show remorse, or for any other reason. It''s undignified and inappropriate! A


    person can kneel to the heavens, to their parents, or to benefactors, but we have an employer -


    employee rtionship, and you''re much older than I am. I can''t ept your kneeling. To me, it feels


    like you''re trying to force my hand.¡±


    Larry couldn''t speak. His face turned paler with each point Ste made, each one well-founded, leaving


    him no room for rebuttal. After a long pause, he finally muttered weakly, "I''m sorry."


    Ste pressed her lips together and after a moment said, "Choose one. I''ll try to negotiate with HR


    about your sry."


    Larry was silent for a long time before softly asking, "Ms. Hall, is there any chance I could return to


    working for you?"


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    This time, Ste didn''t answer immediately. She waited a moment before saying, "We''ll see."


    Once trust is broken, it''s not easy to rebuild. Ste sympathized with Larry''s family situation and


    understood why he sought a side job, but she didn''t want someone prone to trouble around her. She


    couldn''t risk being


    betrayed unexpectedly. She didn''t have enoughpassion to spare for everyone. She would find


    another way to repay him for saving her during the interview.


    Kneeling wouldn''t solve any problems. She wouldn''t rx her standards just because of this, allowing


    others to follow suit and use it as leverage in the future.


    Seeing that Ste had made up her mind, Larry took his car keys from his pocket, ced them on her


    desk, bowed deeply, and said, "I''m sorry."


    Ste lowered her eyes without saying a word.


    Larry said, "You arrange it. I''ll do whatever I can. Ms. Hall, even if I can''t drive for you anymore, if you


    need help with anything, just let me know. I know you''ve been good to me. I know what''s what."


    His words made Ste feel uneasy. As a child, she used to feel sad seeing elderly scavengers on her


    way to school. She couldn''t stand human suffering, but as she grew older, her heart hardened. She


    needed to establish authority and consider many factors. Even if she felt sympathy, she couldn''t relent


    in her actions.


    The child who couldn''t bear to see suffering had eventually be a pragmatic adult.


    After Larry finished speaking, he turned and walked out.


    Ste looked up at his thin back and called out softly, "Wait a moment."


    She wrote down an address and handed it to him. "Your son needs a cochlear imnt, right? Go to this


    ce and find the director. Tell them I referred you; they won''t overcharge you."


    Larry went over, took the note with both hands, and thanked Ste sincerely.


    After Larry left, Ste made a phone call. "Aunt Sage, it''s Ste. How have you beentely? Are you


    feeling well?"


    After some small talk, Ste got to the point. "I have a favor to ask. A friend''s son needs a cochlear


    imnt. I gave him your contact information. Hisst name is Bard. If hees to you, please help him


    get a suitable


    imnt and give him a discount. I''ll cover the rest. It''s a favor for me, and it will put my mind at ease.


    "Yes, thank you very much. Yes, I''m at Caline now. If you have time,e visit. Why buy anything? I''ll


    make a custom bottle for you. It''s really no trouble. If anything, I owe you. Okay, just let me know when


    you''reing. Alright, goodbye.¡¯


    As Larry left Ste''s office, his phone rang. He nced at it and replied," I''ve been reassigned."


    The response was, "Useless!¡±


    Larry deleted the message expressionlessly and stood at the elevator for a moment before turning to


    take the stairs.

 Chapter 2272

    Chapter 2272


    Darcie''s office.


    "What am I going to do with you? With so many eyes watching, you docked Wren''s bonus just because


    she epted a set of clothes from Ste?"


    Darcie, who had been holding in her anger outside, couldn¡¯t contain it once they reached the office.


    Jaylene was indifferent. "Mom, she''s in the finance department. She epted something from Ste


    right in front of me. Doesn''t that make US look bad? If I don''t do anything, won''t others follow suit? I


    was just giving them a little reminder for your sake."


    "A reminder?" Darcie snapped. "Over a set of clothes? Is that all the tolerance you have? When you


    saw Wren take something from Ste, why didn''t you find out why? She''s struggling to pay for a family


    member''s medical treatment. If you had helped her out, not only would she have remembered your


    kindness forever, but others would have seen your generosity.


    "Instead, you docked her bonus, adding insult to injury. Now, when she eats in the cafeteria, she has to


    endure snide remarks from your associates. Do you think humiliating Wren establishes your authority?


    Ridiculous! People will just see you as petty and vindictive, with no magnanimity. Who would want to


    work under someone like that?"


    Jaylene was stunned and started to panic but still retorted, "I... I didn¡¯t think that far. How was I


    supposed to know she wouldn''te to HR even once? I didn''t know about her family situation..."


    As she spoke, she suddenly remembered that Wren hadn''t stood up for Ste downstairs and became


    resolute again. "Mom, look at Ste helping her. She still didn''t show gratitude. How can you be sure


    that if I help her, she won''t turn out to be ungrateful?"


    Darcie gave her a cold look. "Just because she didn''t stand up for Ste today doesn¡¯t mean she never


    will. Ste holds more shares than I do. I''ve been managing Caline for a long time, so it''s hard for her


    to make inroads, but nothing stays the same forever. Once Ste finds an opportunity, do you think


    people like Wren will choose to support US?


    "Winning hearts isn''t just about money. Those who can earn high sries at Caline won''t do badly


    anywhere. If you can grasp human nature, anyone can be of use to you."


    This time, Jaylene was obedient and earnestly sought her mother''s advice. "Mom, what should I do


    now? I''ve already done it. Do I need to apologize to her?"


    Darcie was a bit surprised. She hadn''t expected that using "Keegan''s marriage" to motivate her would


    work so well. She should have done it sooner.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Darcie''s expression softened. "Thankfully, Aubrey had the foresight to handle things. You don''t need to


    worry about this anymore. Let Aubrey take care of it. For now, just focus on studying the materials I


    gave you earlier. Don¡¯t mess up when the timees."


    Jaylene nodded and then asked, "Mom, was the essential oil Sonia prepared really not the S-type oil?


    It smelled so simr."


    Darcie replied calmly, "It just smells simr. How could it be the real thing? If a freshly graduated girl


    could create it, my team would be out of a job. Her father did die because of Trevor, so giving her a


    break keeps things smooth for everyone. Otherwise, it would be difficult for your father."


    Jaylene thought about it and agreed. She didn''t ask further, but she felt a pang of bitterness. "Dad and


    Trevor are too soft-hearted. The ne crash was an ident; no one wanted it to happen. The pilot


    died, but now we¡¯re left with this burden. Dad¡¯s getting older, and he treats Ste, Sonia, and many


    other juniors well, but he hasn''t paid much attention to me in a long time."

 Chapter 2273

    Chapter 2273


    Her voice trembled with sorrow as she spoke. Mom, is Dad still mad at me?"


    When she was hospitalized after being injured by Keegan''s aunt, Wenham Saun visited her every day.


    But he no longer treated her with the same warmth and intimacy he had when she was a child. There


    was a newfound distance and coldness.


    She had been deceived by Dahlia because she couldn''t let go of Keegan. Wenham had already


    warned her once when he noticed her feelings, but she had knowingly ignored his warning. He was


    utterly disappointed in her.


    Jaylene didn''t think it was wrong to love Keegan. She believed the faulty with Ste. If she had been


    lost for over twenty years, why did she have toe back and disrupt everything? Why did she have to


    come back and steal her father and brother?


    Their family of four had been so happy. Ste''s return had caused her parents to fall out of love, her


    brother to shift his affection toward his biological sister, and her father to no longer dote on her as he


    once did. Even her mother had be calcting, obsessed with shares and wealth.


    The blood rtionship felt like a sharp knife, slicing their family apart the moment Ste appeared.


    She rebelliously loved Keegan, yet she also yearned for her father and brother to love her as they used


    to.


    Darcie looked up at her. "When you decided topete with Ste for Keegan, you should have


    prepared yourself for this. Your dad raised you for twenty years and truly loved you, but Ste is his


    biological daughter, the child he once longed for and lost. After discovering the hardships she endured


    with the Jewell family, how could he not desperately try to make it up to her?


    "When I merely tested the waters at the reunion, your dad was furious. Without consulting me, he


    transferred all of Caline''s shares to Ste. We¡¯ve been married for twenty years, and no matter how


    well I managed Caline or how outstanding my achievements were, he preferred to give me more


    dividends rather than shares. That''s the difference."


    She chuckled, but the smile seemed odd to Jaylene. "I should thank Freesia Hall for being generous.


    After Caline started making money, she sold her 25% stake to me at a low price based on the original


    capital ratio. Otherwise, how could I be sitting here now?"


    Darcie looked at her daughter. "Jaylene, don¡¯t always seek pity from others. Mountains crumble, and


    people leave. The only one you can truly rely on is yourself."


    Jaylene felt a deep sadness. "Why isn''t he my biological father? Mom, if my dad were still alive, would


    someone care for me? He wouldn''t want me to be sad."


    Darcie''s eyes turned colder as she seemed to recall something. "If someone can¡¯t give you anything


    but love, then it''s better to be without them."


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Jaylene was about to say more when the office lights went out, and theputer screen went dark.


    Someone in the hallway shouted, "Did the power go out?"


    Darcie paused for a moment, then got up and walked out.


    Several people had already emerged from other offices, looking confused. Darcie noticed a shadow


    flickering at the end of the hallway.

 Chapter 2274

    Chapter 2274


    Darcie looked away and asked, "Is there power downstairs?"


    Someone replied, "Yes, it seems only our floor is affected."


    Darcie nced at the surveince camera above and said calmly, "Call someone to check it out.


    Everyone else, go back to your workstations."


    She then looked at Jaylene. "You should go too. Don''t forget to review the materials I gave you. I''ll be


    testing you."


    Jaylene pouted and said softly, "I know, Mom."


    After everyone left, Darcie nced around and pursed her lips before heading to the stairwell.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    The stairwell had no windows, and there was a faint smell of smoke. The sensor light didn¡¯t turn on,


    leaving the area dimly lit. As soon as Darcie entered, she saw someone standing against the wall on


    the stairs, holding a cigarette.


    She closed the stairwell door and hissed, "This is thepany. Are you out of your mind?"


    "If I didn''t, the cameras would have caught me. How would you exin that?" The man''s voice was


    deep and raspy, tinged with sarcasm.


    Darcie''s face darkened. "You came here on your own. Did you think to inform me?"


    The man¡¯s voice was hoarse. "I just wanted to see my daughter."


    Darcie was furious, her voice low but filled with anger. "Didn¡¯t I send you videos of her? Didn''t I give


    you photos? Do you realize your current situation?"


    "Photos and videos aren''t the same as seeing her in person. I want to hear her voice, see her face. Is


    that too much to ask?"


    "Yes, it is! Do you understand your current situation?"


    In the dim light, the man''s expression was unclear, but his body trembled at her words. "Darcie, now


    that you''ve got what you wanted, do you find my presence unnecessary? If it wasn¡¯t for you and our


    child, do you think I''d be in this situation? Have I everined? I''ve sacrificed everything, and now I


    just want to be close to my daughter. Is that too much to ask?"


    Darcie''s expression wavered, and as she looked at the man¡¯s gloomy face, she gradually calmed


    down, her tone softening.


    ''That''s not what I meant. I''m afraid of you being discovered, afraid that all our years of nning will be


    ruined and that Jaylene will be destroyed. I know you love her and miss her. Your eyes show it


    whenever you see her. I''m just worried you might slip and say something that would reveal the truth to


    her."


    Seeing the man remain silent, Darcie''s tone softened further. "Jaylene is like you when you were


    young, pure-hearted and unguarded. She¡¯s been raised by Wenham, believing he''s her father. If she


    finds out her real father is someone who came back from the dead, she won''t be able to handle it."


    The man didn''t respond for a long time. Finally, he said, "You never intended for her to know me, did


    you?"


    Darcie pressed her lips together. "I did, but can you? The money you exchanged your life for was only


    enough for me to buy the shares Freesia Hall sold to me. When I was pregnant, I couldn''t afford proper


    nutrition, and after she was born, I couldn¡¯t even produce milk. Poor Jaylene was weak and sickly from


    birth. Where were you then? Don''t think your sacrifice entitles you to drag US down. I didn''t force you; it


    was your inability to provide for us!


    "Look at Jaylene''s life now. She''s a Saun family heiress, treated with the utmost respect. Wenham


    loves her like his own daughter. She''s well- educated, aplished in every way, andmands


    respect just by standing there. You im to want to recognize her, but can you give her this life? You


    would only be a stain on her existence!"


    The man¡¯s face turned pale. He took a long drag from his cigarette, coughing violently from inhaling too


    quickly. The sound echoed in the empty stairwell.


    Darcie handed him a tissue and waited for him to calm down. "You can watch her and stay close, but


    that¡¯s it. Don''t ruin her life."

 Chapter 2275

    Chapter 2275


    The man stayed quiet until he finished his cigarette. Then Darcie spoke up again, if you hadn¡¯t let such


    a big threat hang over US, Jaylene and I wouldn¡¯t be in this tough spot."


    Of course, by "threat," she meant Ste.


    Bringing this up made the man''s face darken subtly.


    He only found out about the fact that the baby girl hadn''t died shortly before Ste was recognized by


    the Saun family.


    Back then, the woman had shown him a dead baby, iming it was Freesia''s. It turned out the baby


    wasn''t the Saun family heiress; she had taken a dead infant from elsewhere and falsely imed it was


    Freesia''s.


    He hadn''t seen his own daughter being born, but he had seen the baby who would soon rece his


    daughter in life. He had felt deeply guilty at the time, so much so that he didn''t dare to look too much,


    thinking that once death was confirmed, his purpose was achieved. But he never expected that one of


    the people he bribed would have a soft heart.


    If Ste hadn''t died, the Saun and the Hall families would have definitely investigated what had


    happened in the delivery room back then. Luckily, Darcie left no traces. Those involved either died or


    escaped, and no matter how thorough their investigation, they wouldn''t uncover the truth of what


    happened back then.


    "What do you want me to do?" he asked softly.


    "Nothing," Darcie said casually, "Ste isn''t that naive. Don''t do anything to make her suspicious. Just


    like her mother, her fatal w is ''justice.'' Keep a low profile for now."


    After pausing for a moment, she added, "If you don¡¯t hear from me in the future, don''t show up on your


    own. There are eyes everywhere in thepany. Any mistake will affect our whole family!"


    At the mention of "our whole family," the man was startled, a glimmer of hope flickering in his eyes. He


    said softly, "How does Wenham treat you? Is he good to you?"


    Darcie paused at his words, then pursed her lips and looked at him. "You know why I married him.


    Whether he treats me well or not has never influenced my decisions. Neither have you."


    Even if it did once, it was erased by Wenham''s unwavering affection for Freesia over the years.


    She even felt somewhat grateful now for Wenham''s deep affection for Freesia, as it always made him


    feel indebted to Darcie, prompting him topensate her. Otherwise, if she had been deeply in love,


    she wouldn''t have known how things would have turned out.


    After watching him leave, Darcie picked up the cigarette butt from the ground with a tissue and then


    returned to the office, burning everything in the trash can.


    Ste and Keegan bumped into each other near the botanical garden.


    When Aldor got out of the car to open the door for her, she noticed that he was sweating profusely.


    Getting into the car, she couldn''t help but ask, ¡ö'' Aldor, are you hot?"


    Aldor shook his head. "No, not hot."


    "You''re sweating a lot."


    Aldor chuckled dryly, nced at Keegan in the rearview mirror, and coughed lightly, "Maybe it''s stuffy in


    the car."


    "Is it?" Ste looked at Keegan, "Are you feeling stuffy?"


    Keegan remained calm. "No, not stuffy. Maybe he''s feeling weak."


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Aldor was speechless.

 Chapter 2276

    Chapter 2276


    Ste nced at Aider. "You don''t seem well. Have you been overworkingtely? Work has calmed


    down, so you should take a break. If Aldor gets burned out, you''ll be the one dealing with the


    consequences down the line."


    Keegan handed her the thermos. "Do I seem like the type of boss who doesn''t care about my


    employees'' well-being? If Aldor needs time off, I can grant it anytime."


    Aldor quickly responded, "That won''t be necessary, ma''am. I''m perfectly fine and don''t need time off."


    Normally, Keegan would have approved Aldor''s leave request without hesitation, but after what had just


    urred, Aldor didn''t dare to ask.


    Keegan didn''t react much when he found out about Alder''s night fishing ns with Aurora during his


    call with Ste.


    After they hung up, just a few hundred meterster, Keegan asked, "About your night fishing... How


    many people are there?"


    Aldor replied, "There''s a night fishing group, about twenty-something people. Depending on everyone''s


    schedule, there could be ten or eight people, sometimes as few as four or five."


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    "Got it," Keegan said, and after driving a few hundred more meters, he asked, "Fishing all night, isn''t


    that exhausting?¡±


    Aldor responded, "We have tents. If we get tired, we can rest in them."


    Keegan nodded and after a few dozen meters, he spoke again, "You two... sharing a tent?"


    Aldor was speechless.


    Feeling like each answer was a potentialndmine, he tensed up. "There are four or five of US and two


    tents. Whoever needs rest can use them, and we take turns."


    Keegan didn''t say anything further.


    Five minutester.


    "Did you both take turns resting together?"


    Aldor was even more speechless.


    He was practically asking if they slept together. Aldor broke out in a sweat. "We justy down and


    talked for a bit."


    "Oh."


    Ten minutester.


    "Was it just talking?"


    Aldor didn''t know how to lie, but this question was tricky.


    He and Aurora had been getting acquainted on what seemed like a blind date. It was a process of


    mutual understanding, and with frequent interaction, their rtionship was naturally evolving. It would


    be untrue to say there wasn''t any intimacy, but discussing the details of his rtionship with his sister in


    front of his boss was something Aldor couldn''t bring himself to do.


    Previously, he had thought Keegan was fortunate not to be like Trevor, fixated on his sister. He didn''t


    have the guts to pursue his sister.


    But now, Keegan''s brotherly concern was making him more nervous. It felt like if he even held Aurora''s


    hand for a moment, Keegan would have him recite the Code of Manhood a hundred times.


    That''s why he awaited Ste with such trepidation. After his cold sweat had subsided, did he even dare


    to consider taking time off? Was he tempting fate?


    "What happened to that driver of yours?" Keegan asked as the car started.


    Ste gripped the cup tighter before replying, "I reassigned him."


    Keegan was somewhat surprised. When he mentioned it over the phone, she seemed hesitant, and he


    thought she would take some time to think about it. He didn''t expect her to reassign him right away.


    Why are you staring at me like that?''

 Chapter 2277

    Chapter 2277


    Ste quipped.


    Keegan chuckled, "Worried you''ll go soft, huh? Seems I was overthinking."


    Ste said, "I was indeed feeling a bit soft, but something just happened that made me very


    ufortable."


    She briefly mentioned Larry kneeling down, "I wasn''t that angry before. But when I saw him kneeling


    outside, my temper red up instantly. With so many people watching, I felt like he was pressuring me,


    so I took the opportunity to reassign him."


    Sighing, she continued, "Actually, on the way here, I felt a bit guilty. I wondered if I was being too harsh.


    He''s currently short of money to get a cochlear imnt for his son. His new position will surely pay less


    than before."


    Keegan patted her hand. "A cochlear imnt is just an assistive device; it''s not a matter of life and


    death. If he wants to get one for his son, there''s no rush for it. But going behind your back to take on a


    side job, I find that hard to justify."


    Ste blinked, asking softly, "Do you think he''s lying?"


    Keegan shook his head. "I''m not sure. But someone who readily kneels down, easily sacrificing dignity,


    must value something more than dignity. Reassigning him is the best option. Having him close to you


    makes me uneasy,¡± he said, holding her hand, whispering, "Don''t be soft-hearted.


    When you are, I get anxious."


    "Sigh, I just feel like I owe him a favor. There are two disabled people in his family, and I can''t help but


    feel sorry for them. Who else have I been softhearted toward? I''m as tough as nails!"


    Keegan immediately pointed out, "You''re quite soft-hearted toward Marshall."


    Realizing Keegan was bringing up old matters, Ste quickly added," Wasn''t I deceived by his gentle


    appearance? Who would''ve thought he was so calcting? If it weren''t for him provoking you, why


    would you have foolishly gone horse riding with him and ended up dislocating your arm? You don¡¯t


    know how upset I was for days after you told me about it."


    Keegan was speechless.


    He was about to say something when Ste continued, "He''s really calcting. He even deliberately


    showed me the burn on his arm. You know how I can''t help but donate when I see someone injured


    online. When it''s someone close to me like this, I''m bound to feel sympathetic."


    Keegan was even more speechless.


    How did she manage to say all of his lines? What was he supposed to say?


    "Alright," Ste hugged his arm while saying, "Enough with the jealousy. Can''t you, a legitimate


    husband, show some dignity? Why do you act like a manstress, full of anxiety and insecurity?"


    Keegan''s eyelid twitched, asking nonchntly, ¡°What''s the demeanor of a legitimate husband?"


    "Like this," Ste cleared her throat, imitating the queen in pce dramas," As long as I am alive, you


    are all just concubines!


    "So, stay alive and let the rivals die from jealousy!"


    Keegan''s lips twitched, and Aldor couldn''t help but burst intoughter.


    Keegan, annoyed, said, "What are you always reading? Can''t you focus on prenatal education?"


    "What can such a small one understand?" Ste said, then suddenly eximed, "Ah!"


    Keegan was startled. "What''s wrong?"


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Ste sat frozen, wide-eyed, looking at her belly. "I... I think they moved."


    Keegan was taken aback. "They are only fifteen weeks old, are you sure?"


    Ste shook her head. "I''m not sure either. It was just that one movement, and I didn''t really feel it


    properly. Call them, and I''ll try to feel it again."


    Keegan was puzzled. "How do I call them?"


    "Use your mouth."


    Keegan ced his hand on her belly. "Little ones, move a bit, it''s daddy."


    But the babies didn''t move. Ste''s phone vibrated; Trevor was calling.


    Ste answered.


    "How much longer are you two going to flirt in the car?"

 Chapter 2278

    Chapter 2278


    Ste nced up and saw Trevor sitting in the Bentley next to them, ncing their way.


    Their car windows were closed, so Trevor couldn''t see much, but he recognized Keegan''s car. Since


    they hadn''t gotten out of the car for a while, Trevor figured Keegan was up to no good.


    Hearing Trevor''s voice, Keegan let go of Ste''s hand, straightened up, and tidied her clothes, sitting


    upright.


    Aldor had a vague feeling like he was seeing his own future mistakes.


    Trevor got out of the car, wearing a khaki casual jacket and ck pants, his hairstyle and demeanor


    reminiscent of Leighton Hall''s. With sunsses hanging from his nose, lips slightly pursed, broad


    shoulders and long legs, he looked both suave andmanding.


    Previously, they didn''t think he looked much like Leighton, but now, dressed like this, wearing


    sunsses, if someone unfamiliar saw him, they''d probably mistake him for Leighton. They were too


    alike.


    Ste got out of the car, carrying her bag, and walked toward Trevor, "Bro, looking so dashing today?"


    Trevor raised the corner of his lips. "When is your bro not dashing?"


    Ste squinted her eyes. "Always dashing, so when''s your debut?"


    Trevor took her bag, teasing, "rm encroaching on Leighton''s territory. If I debut, will he still have a


    market?"


    Ste chuckled.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Trevor raised his hand, ran his index finger over the bridge of his nose, hooked the frame of his


    sses, and pushed them down, frowning at


    Keegan''s side. "What''s he dawdling in the car for?"


    "A call from a business partner."


    Trevor slung her bag over his shoulder, took her hand, and said, Let''s go, we''ll head up first, let him


    dawdle by himself."


    In the private room, Trevor asked, "Do you two have something important to tell me, or did you book a


    restaurant just to chat?"


    Ste was taken aback. "Didn''t Keegan tell you?"


    Trevor frowned, "Tell me what?"


    Ste fell silent.


    It seemed Trevor didn''t know that his first love was going to join them for dinner.


    The jerk! He actually tricked Trevor intoing!


    Ste pondered, "Trevor, today isn''t just about inviting you for dinner. Keegan''s old friend is back, and


    you know her too. Keegan wants to wee her, so she asked him to invite you. He probably thought


    you''d refuse, that''s why he told you like that."


    Trevor paused, then suddenly set down his cup, "That dog wasn''t frank with me. The personing


    definitely isn''t someone I want to see. I''m leaving!"


    With that, he stood up with his phone, but before he could push back his chair, the door opened.


    Keegan appeared at the doorway with a woman wearing an oatmealcolored trench coat, and Trevor


    froze in ce.


    The woman wasn''t stunning at first nce, but she had a great temperament, delicate features, soft


    eyes, and naturally wavy hair. It wasn''t meticulously styled, but had a natural charm.


    She looked at Trevor with gentle eyes and softly said, "Trevor, long time no see."


    Trevor clenched his hand, lips tightly pursed, and after a while, said, "When did youe back?"


    Maya Cadman spoke warmly, "Just got off the ne."


    The two of them chatted awkwardly, Ste cleared her throat. "Keegan, why are you standing there?


    Invite her to sit!"


    Only then did Keegan, the blockhead, react. He took Maya¡¯s suitcase and said softly, Maya, let''s order


    first, and we can talk while we eat."


    Ste tugged on Trevor¡¯s sleeve, and he snapped out of his daze and took his seat.


    Keegan was a clingy one. With an eight-person table, it would have been perfect to sit one person


    apart, but Keegan insisted on sitting next to Ste, so the four of them formed an isosceles trapezoid.


    There was an empty seat between Trevor and Ste, and another empty seat between Maya and


    Keegan, with two empty seats separating them from each other. Quite a distance apart.


    Trevor wasn''t usually a man of few words, but at the moment, he seemed to have been gagged, silent.


    Maya, on the other hand, was very generous, smiling as she greeted Ste," You must be Ste.


    Finally, we meet. Hello."

 Chapter 2279

    Chapter 2279


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Ste nodded, "Hi, Maya."


    Maya retrieved a neatly wrapped gift box from her bag and handed it over," I wasn''t sure what to bring


    for our first meeting, so I made these sachets myself. Give them a try."


    Ste was a bit surprised. '' Maya, you''re into scents too?"


    Maya smiled, ''1 got into scents because of Trevor. He used to love ying around with them."


    Ste was surprised once again.


    She hadn''t seen Trevor indulge in scents much, so she assumed he wasn''t interested in them.


    However, Trevor seemed hesitant to broach the topic further, simply saying, "Let''s order first, I''m


    hungry."


    Maya hesitated for a moment, lowering her eyes to conceal her disappointment.


    Ste quickly interjected, "Maya, it''s been a while since you''ve been back, right? How about trying


    some hometown dishes today?"


    Maya put on a smile. "Sure, you decide."


    As the waiter was about to leave after taking their dinner orders, Trevor suddenly piped up, "Add a


    roast."


    Maya shot a quick nce at Trevor, who exined, "It''s a wee dinner, and roasts are a must."


    Upon noticing Maya''s reaction to the roast, was it a significant dish for the two of them?


    Ste''s curiosity was piqued. She discreetly squeezed Keegan''s hand under the table, and Keegan


    peeled a shrimp for her.


    Ste was speechless.


    Maya and Keegan seemed to have a close bond. As they chatted, Ste learned that Maya''s


    grandmother and Keegan''s grandmother were distantly rted, though it was almost insignificant. They


    only discovered this familial connection after meeting, and Keegan had always treated Maya like an


    older sister. Their conversation made that evident.


    Luckily, Maya had been abroad for a long time and didn''t keep in touch with Keegan much. Otherwise,


    it might have been difficult for her not to overthink things, especially with such a graceful and beautiful


    woman beside Keegan.


    But judging from Maya''s demeanor, it seemed she wasn''t interested in Keegan.


    "This is delicious," Keegan picked up a piece of fish for her, his eyes sparkling. He whispered to her,


    "It''s sweet and sour, you should try some."


    Ste squeezed his hand, "I need to use the restroom."


    Keegan set down his chopsticks, got up, and said to the others, "We''ll go freshen up. You two go ahead


    and eat."


    Trevor nced up. "Why are you going too? Is there a double toilet in there? Are you nning to have


    a heart-to-heart?"


    "Cough-cough-" Maya choked a bit, covering her mouth and coughing, her fair ears turning slightly red.


    Trevor suddenly realized his tendency to swear and promptly shut his mouth.


    Keegan remarked, "That''s not a bad idea. I''ll suggest it to the managerter.


    Trevor shot him a re. "Get out!"


    As they exited the private room and closed the door, Ste pressed her ear against it, listening intently


    to the sounds inside.


    Keegan was confused.


    "Weren''t they going to the restroom?"


    Ste signaled for him to be quiet.


    Keegan pursed his lips, "I suggest you leave now. If Trevor finds outter, I''ll be in trouble too."


    "Don''t tempt fate. Trevor isn''t that easy to-"


    Before she could finish her sentence, the door swung open, Trevor stood holding the handle with one


    hand and his phone with the other, looking at the two of them.


    Ste was taken aback.

 Chapter 2280

    Chapter 2280


    "Haha," Ste chuckled awkwardly, "Trevor, how did you know I didn¡¯t bring tissue?"


    Keegan''s eyelid twitched. That was indeed a seamless excuse. His lips moved slightly, unabashedly


    following his wife''s lead, "I didn''t bring any either."


    Trevor tossed Ste''s bag and tissues to them, then shot Keegan a re before mming the door


    shut.


    Ste was speechless.


    "Is he mad at me?"


    Keegan looked worried. "I think, instead of worrying about yourself, you should worry about me first.


    Even if Trevor is mad at you, his target will only be me."


    Ste breathed a sigh of relief, "That''s a relief then."


    Keegan was speechless.


    Ste grabbed his hand, speaking earnestly, "Anyway, he''s never liked you for a long time, so this one


    thing won''t make a difference."


    Keegan was even more speechless.


    Blessed is she while he carries the me. Truly, she''s a good wife to him!


    Keegan took Ste to the hotel''s entertainment area. Ever since her morning sickness had passed,


    Ste''s appetite had been stable. She didn''t eat much per meal, but she could quickly get hungry,


    eating several times a day and growing as solid as a young calf.


    Keegan had prepared extensively, but none of it seemed to apply to his wife. He had encountered few


    pregnant women, and each one seemed to be particrly troublesome during pregnancy. However,


    with Ste, her pregnancy symptoms seemed fake.


    The doctor said everyone''s body reacts differently to pregnancy, and some people have very mild


    symptoms, able to eat and sleep well. He advised Keegan not to worry too much and to apany


    her for walks to keep her mood pleasant, and to attend regr check-ups.


    Ste didn''t seem to have any emotional issues, and was even a bit childish.


    Like now, she grabbed his arm, insisting on taking her to ride the coinoperated children''s rocking horse.


    There weren''t many people in the entertainment area, and there were only two rocking horses side by


    side. They werebeled for children, but they were actually quite big, and it was no problem for an adult


    to sit on one.


    Keegan said, "That''s for kids."


    Ste justified, "I''m bringing our two kids to experience it. Paying for one person, but three of US can


    ride. We''re saving money!"


    Keegan was struck speechless.


    She really knew how to save money.


    Keegan scanned the QR code, got some game tokens, and inserted them. The rocking horse started


    moving with music.


    Ste held onto the horse''s neck, taking selfies with her phone. After taking a few unsatisfactory ones,


    she called Keegan over to sit on the one beside her to take a family photo.


    Keegan sternly refused!


    How could he possibly sit on a toy meant for children? Impossible, not in this lifetime.


    Five minutester, Keegan was sitting on the red rocking horse beside her, looking utterly despondent


    as Ste called for him to look at the camera.


    His legs were too long, and he couldn''t bend them properly, so he could only droop forward, yet he


    managed to put on a cool and stoic face, which looked particrlyical.


    "Keegan, smile; it doesn''t look good."


    Keegan, usually fine with videos and such, stiffened up when it came to taking proper photos, smiling


    very unnaturally.


    Ste wasn''t satisfied with the photos she took, so she turned to Keegan and called, "Hubby."


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan turned back to her with a response.


    Ste''s eyes softened. "I love you."


    Keegan was taken aback, a hint of joy spreading in his eyes, mixed with surprise, delight, and


    embarrassment. The corners of his lips also involuntarily lifted into a slight curve, his eyshes


    fluttering like raven feathers. At that moment, Ste pressed the shutter button.

 Chapter 2281

    Chapter 2281


    "That photo turned out really nice," Ste said happily as she turned to share it with Keegan.


    But Keegan wasn''t pleased, feeling she made him look silly. He insisted she give him the phone so he


    could take the photo.


    Ste''s eyelid twitched. "You want to take it? You''ll reduce my height from 1.68 meters to 1.38 meters.


    Mr. Kane, don''t you know your own photography skills?"


    Keegan retorted, "Are my photography skills really that bad?"


    Ste replied, "Let me put it this way, if you sprinkle some rice on a phone, even chickens can take


    better photos than you."


    Feeling somewhat humiliated, Keegan gritted his teeth. "Then let''s go out and y. If I take pictures for


    you, will you stare at them for half the night?"


    He shouldn''t have brought it up. As soon as he did, Ste''s suppressed memories suddenly


    resurfaced.


    "If I don''t stare at them, trying to convince myself that your skills are just bad, I''m afraid I''ll end up


    fighting with you directly at the hotel. Look at this face of mine, even the director says I''m photogenic


    from every angle. How did you manage to make me cross-eyed?"


    Keegan was speechless.


    "Cross-eyed...?"


    Ste ground her teeth. "I asked you to take a picture of me running, and you made me look like I was


    having an out-of-body experience! When I shared the photo, I identally posted it in the album.


    Several of my friends below asked me where I went to take a picture of a ghost."


    Keegan was speechless once more.


    His bravado weakened in an instant. "Well, maybe just... a few dozen shots, n


    Ste chuckled.


    Keegan was about to say something when he noticed a kid squatting next to him, barely as tall as his


    knees, looking up at him pitifully. "Uncle, are you done ying? Can we have a turn?"


    Keegan turned his head, and there were five or six kids waiting in line behind him.


    Ste was speechless.


    Both of them, embarrassed, gave some game tokens to a few kids and left with red faces.


    Trevor and Maya''s conversation status was unknown to them. Ste wanted to check, but Keegan said,


    "Trevor threw your bag out, he didn''t intend for US toe back."


    Ste was surprised. "How do you know?"


    Keegan snorted. When they were kids, he used to throw his bag to Keegan when he went to see Maya


    y the piano, giving him a look that said, "Be responsible."


    That same look just now.


    Ste tentatively sent Trevor a message. "Trevor, I''m a bit tired. I''m going back with Keegan first."


    Not long after, Trevor replied, "Safe travels home."


    Ste was dumbfounded, while Keegan had a knowing expression.


    "It seems Trevor still has unfinished business."


    Later that night, as theyy in bed, Ste shared her spection.


    Keegan, drying his hair beside her, wasn''t particrly interested. He had helped set up this dinner


    between friends out of camaraderie, but as for their rtionship development, it was up to them.


    Keegan asked her to send the photos they had just taken to him. Ste, while sending them, said, "By


    the way, prepare more gift boxes for Labor Day this year. Those teachers and ssmates who spoke


    up for you online before, it''s good to visit them during the holidays. They were willing to speak up for


    you even when public opinion was against you. We can''t forget that favor."


    Keegan smiled. "Alright."


    Ste was about to say something when both their phones rang simultaneously.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    They subconsciously grabbed the wrong phones and answered at the same time.


    In Ste''s phone, there was the impatient voice of a young man. "Bro! Your ex-wife''s current


    rtionship has been exposed. Damn, how did he end up with that pit bull!"

 Chapter 2282

    Chapter 2282


    Ste was puzzled.


    Felicity''s voice came through Keegan''s phone, "Ste! You''ve be the other woman! And with your cousin at that!"


    Keegan was confused, and Ste was even more confused. What was this about exes and current partners? And why did the voice sound so familiar?


    "Did you... did you call the wrong number?" Ste asked quietly.


    There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by a hesitant voice, "Ste... Ste?"


    Ste was taken aback. Did she know her?


    "It''s me. May I ask who this is?"


    The person on the other end didn''t respond immediately, but Ste could hear her breathing getting erratic.


    Keegan took the phone back from Ste and put it on speaker. "Do you need something?"


    Joe Esper gritted his teeth. "Who just answered the phone?"


    Keegan said, "My wife."


    "Impossible!" Joe ground his teeth. "You obsessed fan! Did you find a voice double to mess with me on purpose?"


    Keegan replied calmly, "I''m not that childish, and no one can rece her."


    Joe didn''t believe it at all. "Stop lying to me. Ste is currently on a date with that bull. If she were your wife, could you calmly watch her date another man?"


    Keegan didn''t bother to argue; he just switched to a video call.


    A few minutester, Joe looked at his idol sitting close to her ex-husband on the phone and suddenly couldn''t hold back his tears.


    Ste stared at Joe on the other end, utterly bewildered. How did he know Keegan?


    Joe cried uncontrobly, "Liar! Shameless! I treated you like a brother, and you treated me like a cousin. How could you actually marry her..."


    Keegan sighed, "I told you from the beginning she was my wife, but you didn''t believe me."


    "You said she was your ex-wife!" Joe red at him with tearful eyes, not forgetting the detail.


    Keegan said, "An ex-wife is also a current wife. I''ve told you many times she''s my wife. I even showed you our wedding photos."


    Joe, sobbing, said, "When people idolize celebrities, they call them husband or wife. Who would have thought I''d be so unlucky to meet the real one?"This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    As he cried, a thought suddenly struck him, "Was the person you previously asked me to add Ste?"


    Ste curiously interrupted, "Add for what?"


    Keegan''s expression showed a hint of unease, which Joe immediately picked up on, crying even harder, "You liar, I trusted you so much! You''re so despicable!"

 Chapter 2283

    Chapter 2283


    It took Ste a while to figure out what was going on. She finally understood why Joe suddenly showed


    up during the incident with Grace Allock and turned the situation around. It turned out to be this all


    along.


    She felt incredibly awkward. If she had known it was a wrong number earlier, she wouldn''t have spoken


    up. It was indeed a bit mean, something only someone as childish as Keegan would do.


    Keegan also realized he hadn''t handled the situation well. Trying to make amends, he said, "I didn''t


    exin clearly. How about I give you a set of the exclusive skins from the ''Honor of the Deities'' beta?"


    Joe sniffled softly, "Three sets of beta skins.¡±


    Keegan couldn''t help butugh at his bargaining. It seemed Joe wasn''t too hurt after all. "Alright, I''ll


    give you three sets."


    Joe immediately stopped crying. A limited-edition skin set that money couldn''t buy versus an idol


    already married to someone else-any fool would know which to choose.


    "Alright, I guess I misunderstood."


    Then, looking at Ste, he couldn''t help but feel regretful. "Ste, why did you get married so early?


    Men just slow down your chances of winning awards."


    Keegan''s eyelid twitched. "Marriage and career don''t conflict, stop trying to sow discord."


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    "Of course, it doesn''t conflict for you as a man," Joe, having been deceived, now "turned dark¡± upon


    discovering his idol was taken by an older man." Once you''re married, you have to have kids. Do you


    see any major directors casting pregnant women? The best years of your life are spent on marriage


    and childbirth. By the time you raise your kids, your golden years are over. I feel so sorry for Ste. It''s


    just not fair."


    Joe¡¯sments, while provocative, did touch on a real issue. Pregnancy and childbirth could indeed


    be a hurdle in a woman¡¯s career, as the best age for having children often ovepped with the peak of


    one''s career.


    Before Ste got pregnant, herst two films were highly acimed. If she had continued on that path,


    she wouldn''t have won fewer awards than Nicole Aspen.


    But once she became pregnant, she turned down all the good scripts that came her way. She didn''t


    mention it, and Keegan didn''t press the issue. Now that Joe brought it up, Keegan was also curious


    about Ste''s thoughts.


    Ste smiled. "It''s not so bad. Having children is a responsibility women take on because of their


    biological structure. There''s no issue of fairness here. After all, whether or not to have children is a


    personal choice. If there''s any regret, it''s usually because the partner didn''t do their part. It does affect


    one''s career, but it''s all about personal choice. Everyone has different priorities in life.


    "I never aimed for a grand m of awards. When I am young, I can y young girls; when I''m older, I


    can y wives and mothers. As long as I have roles to y, I¡¯m happy whether they are lead roles or


    not. This is just a job


    I love. But I also have my own life. I want to build a good family with the person I love, take care of my


    familu, and see the world. Life is short, and the journey is more important than the destination."


    She was different from Nicole. Nicole had ambitions in acting, whereas Ste enjoyed experiencing


    different lives through various roles. But for Ste, work was just work. She wouldn''t let it consume her


    life, which was why she didn''t try to gather fans on social media. As an idol with "no ambition," she


    knew she would disappoint fans, so it was better to let things happen naturally.


    Keegan was deeply moved after hearing her words,pletely enchanted by her.


    Joe let out a reluctant grunt, then suddenly pped his forehead. "Wait, I called for something else.


    Ste, why were you photographed with that pit bull?"


    "Pit bull?¡± Ste was confused. "You mean Leighton?"


    "Yes! I called about this. Now Facebook is buzzing with rumors that you knowingly got involved with my


    cousin and that pit bull. You two were photographed getting cozy. Your Facebook is about to explode!"


    After the Dahlia Crosby incident, both of them had uninstalled Facebook. Keegan had joined Ste in


    quitting social media because she spent too much time on her phone, and he was worried about her


    eyesight.


    So, they had no idea what Joe was talking about.


    Ste frowned, "When did I ever get cozy with Leighton?"


    Joe said, "I sent the pictures to Keegan''s Whatsapp."


    Ste opened the message and her mouth twitched.


    Keegan leaned over, and his face darkened when he saw the photos.


    The pictures weren''t of Ste and Leighton Hall but of Ste and Trevor from tonight''s dinner, snapped


    in the parking lot by someone. Trevor, wearing sunsses, was carrying Ste''s bag, and they were


    holding hands as they entered the elevator. From the angle of the photos, Trevor looked just like


    Leighton.

 Chapter 2284

    Chapter 2284


    Ste was speechless.


    "Are the standards for hiring entertainment reporters this low now? Can even the blind get the job?"


    Joe was speechless.


    Was his idol really this sarcastic in private?


    Felicity, who had been listening on the phone for a while, finally couldn''t help but speak up, "Aren''t


    those pictures of you and Leighton?"


    Ste replied, exasperated, "That''s me and my brother."


    "But these photos really do look like Leighton, and isn''t your brother driving Leighton''s car?"


    Ste hadn''t noticed what car Trevor was driving. If it was indeed Leighton''s car. It was no wonder the


    paparazzi got it wrong.


    She reinstalled Facebook and checked the trending topics, feeling numb.


    The top entertainment headlines were all about Leighton''s "affair."


    Things like #NewStarlnvolvedlnLeightonHallLoveLife#, #


    LeightonHallLoveLifelnCrisisOnAndOffScreenLoveTriangle#, # LeightonlsEatingWell#,


    #LoveAndlndifferenceAreSoObvious#...


    All sorts of absurd tags.


    Ste opened her Facebook, seeing 99+ private messages and tens of thousands ofments.


    Without even looking, she knew it was fans from both sides arguing or random people gossiping.


    She knew how toxic the inte could be, so she didn''t bother reading thements and went straight


    to the trending page.


    The news had broken two hours ago, and the marketing ounts had already pieced together a


    timeline.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Ste skimmed through it. It said Leighton and Nicole had been together before filming "Motives for


    Murder," and after Be Young was reced, Leighton rmended his girlfriend Nicole for the lead


    role. They were caught being affectionate during the movie''s promotion, leading to their public


    rtionship.


    It imed that Nicole sensed Leighton was losing interest and deliberately kissed him during the


    promotion to force him to acknowledge their rtionship, and the person Leighton was interested in


    was Ste.


    Evidence one: When Leighton was burned, someone saw Ste visiting his hospital room.


    Evidence two: During the New Year, someone spotted Leighton and Ste at the same hotel, staying


    for two hours before leaving.


    Evidence three: Recently, after the release of Luna''s second generation, Leighton posted a photo of his


    robot on Facebook, identally showing posters of projects Ste had voiced in the background.


    Evidence four: Leighton and Nicole were previously photographed at the airport, with Nicole carrying


    luggage while Leighton walked ahead empty- handed,pletely ignoring his burdened girlfriend.


    However, when dating Ste, he insisted on carrying even her smallest bag. The difference in love was


    obvious.


    There were over a dozen more points.


    Ste was dumbfounded.


    If she weren''t the person involved, she''d almost believe it herself, given how detailed and convincing it


    sounded.


    It was clear that manyizens believed it too, and thements section was boiling over.


    "Finally, the truthes out! Honestly, with his looks, I''d be surprised if he wasn''t a scumbag. He''s


    definitely a jerk!"

 Chapter 2285

    Chapter 2285


    "Both actresses are so talented, how could they be blind enough to fall for him?" "That¡¯s not fair.


    Leighton is quite handsome. It''s just shocking he''s this kind of person."


    "Aren''t they all in the same production? Didn''t Ste know Leighton and Nicole were dating? This


    makes her the third wheel, right?"


    "Oh no! I really liked her, especially after the Sunlight Kindergarten incident. Her performance as the


    queen in "The Pce¡¯ was outstanding. How could she be the other woman? Is there any


    celebrity left who isn¡¯t a disappointment?"


    "Two gorgeous people; Leighton is living the dream. What did he do to deserve this?¡±


    "Leighton only got close to Nicole for her resources. He''s trying to break his contract with his agency,


    which has abandoned him. Without Nicole, how could hend roles with big directors? He''s really just


    living off her."


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Thements only got worse, with most of them being outright insults.


    When Leighton and Nicole made their rtionship public, fans on both sides were unhappy. Each side


    thought the other was beneath them, and the bickering had been ongoing since the announcement.


    Their couple hashtag #LeightonNicole# became a battleground for venting, filled with unspeakable


    things.


    After going public, Leighton''s rtionship with his agency soured as he sought to terminate his


    contract. The agency didn''t want him leaving with such arge following, so they spread numerous


    unfounded rumors about him. Without concrete evidence, the rumors eventually died down.


    Leighton''s poprity had dipped after the rtionship drama but was slowly recovering. However, the


    neers the agency tried to promote couldn''t capture his fanbase, which frustrated the agency.


    When news of Leighton''s "affair" broke, the media asked his immediate superior, Ezra Powell, who


    hinted, "We¡¯re not sure, but Leighton is very popr with thedies. He has a good rtionship with his


    female colleagues at thepany. He¡¯s attractive, and female executives liked drinking with him at


    company dinners."


    This interview pushed Leighton further into the spotlight, suggesting inappropriate rtionships with


    female colleagues and even with female executives.


    Soon, an ount iming to be Leighton''s backup dancer, alleging inappropriate behavior and


    attempts to lure her to a hotel under false pretenses, followed by threats when she refused, surfaced.


    Other ounts followed with simr stories.


    Despite theck of concrete evidence beyond some Whatsapp screenshots, Leighton faced


    widespread condemnation. Netizens frequently tagged the Rivera Police, demanding action against


    him.


    Typically, in celebrity affair scandals, the third party gets the most bacsh. However, in this case, the


    focus was almost entirely on Leighton himself.


    Joe remarked, "My cousin has terrible taste in men. Even though it''s not him in the photos, that guy just


    seems unreliable. Ste, you should stay away from him."


    Ste pursed her lips. "He''s my cousin."


    "Cousin or not, you should-what!?" Joe squawked, "That white-haired guy is your cousin?!"


    Having first discovered that his idol was actually his online brother''s wife, and now learning that his


    cousin''s boyfriend was his idol¡¯s cousin, Joe was overwhelmed and took a while to process it all.


    Keegan ended the call with Joe and Felicity, then said to Ste, "Call Leighton and find out what''s


    going on."


    Ste nodded, frowning as she dialed Leighton''s number.


    Estelle, his agent, answered, exining that Leighton was drunk at a gathering and couldn''t speak.


    Estelle mentioned seeing the online news and, knowing Ste was Leighton''s cousin, hesitated to


    make any decisions without Leighton. Estelle then tentatively asked if Ste could help clear things up,


    acknowledging that the Saun family had kept her background well-protected and private.


    Ste replied, "Clearing things up is easy. But has Leighton offended someone?"

 Chapter 2286

    Chapter 2286


    Estelle paused before speaking, then finally said, "There''s been some unpleasantness regarding the


    contract termination, and thepany doesn''t want Leighton to leave without consequences."


    It was evident that Estelle wasn''t being entirely truthful with her. Estelle was smart and cautious. The


    chances of him confiding in Ste were slim as Leighton was still drunk.


    Ste pondered for a moment before saying, "I''ll post a rification on Facebookter. You can reach


    out to Nicole and have her exin the messy news online too. I''ll handle thewyer coordination from


    my end. The sooner we address this, the easier it will be to clear things up."


    The "affair" scandal surrounding Leighton was fabricated. However, what was true was dragging


    Leighton into the mud with allegations of "sexual harassment.¡±


    Ste felt it wasn''t solely the work of Leighton''s agency.


    If she were Leighton''s boss, a top-tier talent she had nurtured, she believed that even if he terminated


    his contract, his poprity wouldn''t vanish overnight. Moreover, Leighton had gotten involved with


    someone like Nicole, a movie star. No one could predict how far his career might go in the future. There


    was no need to escte things to the point of cutting ties forever. In the entertainment industry, there


    were only permanent interests, no permanent enemies.


    This seemed more like someone manipting things against Leighton.


    After ending the call, Ste posted a photo of the three siblings online, blurring out Trevor''s eyes.


    Caption: "My brother and my cousin don''t really look alike, do they? @ Nicole"


    In the photo, Ste stood in the middle, with Trevor on the left and Leighton on the right; Noah Hall,


    Leighton''s younger brother, had been cropped out.


    Although Trevor''s eyes were blurred, the lower half of his face still bore a striking resemnce to


    Leighton. However, in terms of stature and build, Leighton was taller and more muscr. After all, as


    an idol, body management was very strict, so Trevor appeared more refined.


    As soon as the Facebook post was published, Nicole promptly reposted it, saying, "Not alike at all.


    Clearly, your cousin is more handsome."


    These two Facebook posts quickly gained traction.


    Someonemented below, "What''s the point of blurring the eyes? The mistress and the legitimate


    girlfriend are doing a good job coborating on their public rtions."


    "The entertainment industry''s top opportunist. When something happens, he lets thedies respond. Is


    the man himself dead?"


    "In the paparazzi''s photos, doesn''t that guy also wear sunsses? How can you all identify him as


    Leighton at a nce?"


    "Isn''t the main point here that Ste calls Leighton her cousin? If this were a PR stunt, wouldn''t it be


    more appropriate to call him a friend? Why tell such a lie? If it''s false, won''t it be exposed with a simple


    check?"


    "Have you ever noticed that Leighton and Ste actually look quite alike? They even share the same


    last name, Hall."


    "Seriously, looking at the three people in the photo, when you cover their eyes, they all seem like the


    same person. The lower half of their faces look too simr."


    As the debate continued, someone released another set of photos online, this time showing Ste and


    Trevor''s faces clearly captured in the lobby of a hotel. This time, there were no blurred faces, and it


    was immediately obvious that it wasn''t Leighton.


    Ste thought the hotel might have leaked customer information and quickly contacted Trevor.


    Trevor said, "I know, I had someone release it. How dare they mess with me and bully that stinky brat


    on my behalf. I¡¯m being kind to them already!¡±


    Ste had initially blurred Trevor''s face to avoid exposing his information unnecessarily and causing


    any trouble, but since Trevor didn''t mind himself, it didn''t matter anymore.


    She chuckled and said, "Leighton once told me you used to beat him up a lot when you were young. I


    guess you do care for Leighton after all, huh?"


    Trevor snorted, "Care my foot! The brat only remembers me beating him up. How about all the game


    consoles and cars I bought him? Ungrateful little rascal!"


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    After a momentary pause, he continued, "I''ve already contacted his agent. You don''t need to worry. Get


    some rest and take care of yourself."

 Chapter 2287

    Chapter 2287


    Ste replied with a quick "yeah," then just before ending the call, she couldn''t help but ask, "Hey, how


    did your chat with Ms. Cadman go?"


    Trevor hesitated for a moment, narrowing his eyes, "Is Keegan there with you?"


    Ste paused, ncing over at Keegan who was listening intently beside her, then cleared her throat


    lightly, "Nah, he''s in the shower."


    Trevor, seeming unfazed, remarked, "Well, if he keeps running his mouth like that, tell him I might have


    to sew it shut for him next time.¡±


    Keegan was speechless.


    Ste chuckled awkwardly, "He didn''t have much to say, really..."


    Trevor didn''t add anything more, simply advising her to get some rest before hanging up.


    After Trevor''s unblurred photo surfaced, the rumors about Leighton''s "affair " naturally fizzled out,


    leading people to believe that Ste and Leighton were indeed cousins. However, the "sexual


    harassment" allegations were still brewing.


    The girl using Leighton of harassment on Facebook went by the handle ¡± Little Sweet Potato."


    Everytime she posted, she''d announce when her next post wasing, hinting at more evidence.


    The anticipation kept growing, but each time, all she released were vague rumors that didn''t prove


    Leighton harassed any female artists. Yet, the buzz remained high.


    Over the course of one night, Leighton lost tens of thousands of fans. It wasn''t until the next morning


    that Leighton''s studio sent out a legal letter, announcing they were taking action against the rumor


    spreaders.


    Shortly after the legal letter, @Little Sweet Potato announced a noon livestream, promising to confront


    Leighton online with solid evidence.


    Fans were eager, hoping to see these wealthy yet morally questionable celebrities taken down. The


    reservations for the livestream quickly exceeded a million.


    At noon the next day, @Little Sweet Potato started her livestream right on time. She was a pretty girl,


    crying on camera as she recounted in detail how Leighton harassed and threatened her. The topics


    putting Leighton in a bad light dominated the hot search list. The girl on the livestream challenged


    Leighton to join the video call, daring him to face her.


    In this scenario, whether Leighton responded or not, it was damaging.


    If he stayed silent, it would imply guilt, but if he responded, it might trap him further. Gifts poured in, and


    comments flooded the livestream.


    "If he''s hiding, it seems the affair is fake, but the harassment is real!"


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "He''s so good-looking, even if he harassed me, I''d feel like he''s doing charity."


    "What kind of backward thinking is that? Just because you¡¯d tolerate harassment from a handsome guy


    doesn''t mean others would."


    "To be honest, nothing surprises me in this industry. It fits the stereotype perfectly."


    "Looks like ''Prison storm'' needs another lead actor. They already have a vocal."


    "I''m curious, if there''s evidence, why not go to the police instead of livestreaming?"


    "I''ve been meaning to say, if he''s breaking thew, why not involve the authorities? Livestreaming and


    epting tips, it feels like a money-making scheme..."


    "Don''t idolize men too much, what girl would joke about her innocence?"


    Just when everyone thought Leighton was about to fall, Nicole requested to join the stream.

 Chapter 2288

    Chapter 2288


    When Nicole''s request to join the stream came through, "Little Sweet Potato" hesitated for a moment,


    ncing instinctively to the side before quickly averting her gaze.


    Most people didn''t pick up on this detail, but Ste did.


    It appeared that "Little Sweet Potato" wasn''t alone in the livestream; someone seemed to be coaching


    her from the sidelines.


    Onlookers and fans eager to uncover the truth flooded the chat with messages.


    "What a coward! Who hides behind their girlfriend when things get tough? I regret ever being his fan!"


    "A person who can''t handle a little heat-Leighton Hall is trash. What does Nicole see in him? ept the


    request, let''s hear her side of the story."


    "Sis, bring out the evidence and expose him! This guy doesn''t deserve to be called an idol!"


    "As long as we don''t see that official statement in ck and white, I''ll always stand by him!"


    "Being a fan haspletely eroded any sense of morality."


    Encouraged by the crowd, @Little Sweet Potato finally connected with Nicole on the stream.


    When Nicole''s screen appeared, the camera zoomed in on her face. Nicole was wearing a hoodie, no


    makeup, staring directly into the camera. "I went to the police station to file a report for you. Hurry up


    ande over," she said, before turning the camera to show the gate of the Lenera District


    Police Station in Rivera.


    The crowd was stunned.


    Had Nicole lost her mind? Wasn''t she defending Leighton justst night?


    @Little Sweet Potato was equally shocked. "I... I never said I wanted to file a report."


    Nicole tilted her head. "He harassed you, and you''re not filing a report? Are you some kind of saint?


    You''re crying for justice online, but when the police can actually help, you refuse?"


    The barrage ofments continued.


    "Yeah, file a police report straight away, let him face the consequences!"


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "After watching all night, is this girl just leading US on?"


    "In the future, any entertainment industry scandal should follow her lead- go to the police and catch


    them red-handed! Every day, we see these negative influences at y. I don''t want to see you guys


    arguing. If there''s evidence, just go for it!"


    "They''re waiting for you at the police station, go file that report and take down that scumbag!"


    While thements urged her to go to the police station, @Little Sweet Potato hesitated, unable to


    make up her mind.


    "I... it was attempted harassment. I consulted awyer before. It''s hard to prove it as harassment in this


    situation. I¡¯m just an ordinary contracted actor; I really don''t have the money or time to drag this out


    with him. But I can''t bear to see other girls being deceived by him, so I shared my experience online.


    Don''t put these handsome male artists on a pedestal," she exined.


    Nicole chuckled, turning her head to the side. "You''re quite experienced. Remember when you bit my


    lip the first time we kissed? You yed innocent quite convincingly."


    As everyone was puzzled, Nicole''s camera shifted slightly, revealing a bashful, red-eared Leighton


    beside her. He gritted his teeth. "I wasn''t ying innocent!"


    "You never kissed her?" Nicole teased.


    Leighton''s ears turned crimson, his expression fierce. "No! I don''t even know her! Stop the livestream


    already! You''ve exposed our location, you meddler!"


    "I won''t," Nicole insisted, "Today, either she files the report, or we do it ourselves."


    With a sharp gaze toward "Little Sweet Potato," she addressed Leighton, "If you''ve done those things,


    I''ll personally hand you over. If you haven''t, and someone tries to smear your name, I''ll do the same to


    her with a bucket of sulfuric acid."

 Chapter 2289

    Chapter 2289


    With a narrowed gaze, Nicole uttered, "None of you know about my mental illness, do you?"


    At those words, a collective shiver ran down everyone''s spine.


    There had been rumors circting before about Nicole. During the filming of a particr drama, she


    supposedly leaped from a six or seven-meter- high tform without any safety measures, resulting in


    multiple fractures, as if she were possessed.


    When questioned about why she jumped, she imed to have heard someone calling her from below.


    While there was no video evidence to support these ims, they lingered as hearsay, easily dismissed.


    However, now that Nicole herself mentioned her mental illness, everyone immediately recalled this


    incident, sending chills down their spines.


    It was a clear warning, almost as if she were saying, "I have a mental illness, and even if I were to


    ssh sulfuric acid on you, I''d walk away unscathed. Don''t think I''m joking."


    Nicole''s entrance into the call elevated the livestream to a whole new level, prompting a variety of


    voices to surface in the flood ofments.


    "If you''re overly focused on rtionships and gossip in the entertainment industry, you''ll end up


    nowhere."


    "Is she out of her mind? Threatening someone so publicly?"


    "When someone confronts you like this, and you still don''t go to the police, is it because the person


    lacks evidence, or are they just making baseless usations?"


    "People who harass others are being reported to the police, so why wouldn''t someone who''s been


    harassed go to the authorities?"


    "Thest person who went to the police ended up in hot water."


    "If she goes to the police now, I''ll believe her. She''s constantly pulling these stunts online. It seems


    she¡¯s just cashing in on Leighton''s poprity."


    "The bar for exposing scandals nowadays is so low, a few screenshots are enough to spin a tale."


    The conversation was gradually veering from "Little Sweet Potato" initial expectations. She appeared


    pale, panicked, clenching her fists, and grinding her teeth. "Are you trying to scare me? I''m just a


    nobody. If I hadn''t been pushed to my limit, would I have dared to cross paths with someone like him?"


    "Forget about followers," Nicole cut in, "If today''s harasser wasn''t someone like him, would you have let


    it slide? Do we really need to consider the perpetrator''s status when seeking justice?"


    "You mentioned Leighton didn''t just harass you. If he dared to harass you and then had the nerve to


    contact you on WhatsApp, leaving behind evidence, I refuse to believe that no one captured evidence


    of him harassing women! If you can''t find it, I''ll offer a million to anyone who can provide concrete


    evidence of Leighton''s sexual harassment. Contact my studio for the reward."


    Listening from the sidelines, Leighton couldn''t help but interject, "You''re so naive! I didn''t send that! I


    don''t even know her!"


    "You moron! Don''t interrupt me!" Nicole snapped at him before turning to the camera, her gaze cold


    and piercing, as if she were peering through the lens into someone''s soul. She spoke slowly and


    deliberately, "I''m making it clear today. If Leighton has indeedmitted a crime, I''ll not only hand him


    over, but I''ll also apologize and retire from the industry for misjudging someone."


    Leighton paused for a moment, then looked sharply at her.


    Nicole abruptly ended the livestream.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Leighton gazed at the disheveled woman beside him, devoid of any leadingdy persona, his


    expressionplex.


    "Do you... do you really trust me that much?" he inquired.


    Nicole yawnedzily, casting him a sidelong nce. "Do you want to hear the truth or lies?"


    Rebellious, Leighton replied, "Lies."


    Nicole smirked. "You''re my boyfriend. If I don''t trust you, should I trust a stranger?"


    Leighton hesitated for a moment, but realizing it was a lie, his expression darkened again, his face stiff.


    "Then what''s the truth?"


    "The truth is," Nicole said casually, "Would a dirty old man get so angry at being nced at and curse


    me? He should turn around and give me a good look, right?¡±


    Leighton was speechless.

 Chapter 2290

    Chapter 2290


    Leighton''s brief feeling of gratitude disappeared in an instant.


    After finishing the police report and stepping outside, they were greeted by a throng of reporters and


    fans. The police presence at the station helped keep things orderly, maintaining a rtively stable


    situation.


    As Leighton guided Nicole to the car, someone suddenly called out his name, "Leighton!"


    Leighton nced up.


    An egg-sized stone came hurtling toward him, catching him off guard. But before he could react, a


    figure leapt in front of him, shielding him from the blow-it was Nicole.


    The stone struck the back of her head, causing her to wince in pain as she stumbled forward.


    Instinctively, Leighton reached out to steady her.


    Nicole furrowed her brow, reaching up to touch the spot where she''d been hit. Her hand came away


    warm and wet, stained with blood.


    Leighton''s hand trembled as he held hers, his face drained of color, looking ghastly.


    The assant shouted angrily, "You mongrel! We worked hard to make you a star, yet you''re either


    dating or harassing people. Do you have any respect for US?"


    The situation escted rapidly, catching even the nearby police officers off guard. As the attacker


    moved closer, the officers rushed in to restrain him.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Even as he was pinned to the ground, the assant continued to hurl insults, "If I knew you were this


    kind of scum, I wouldn''t have supported you! Do you think you''re talented? Do you think we''re drawn to


    your skills? If it weren''t for your looks, who the hell would''ve supported you! You''re nothing without our


    adoration, just trash!"


    Onlookers and media personnel eagerly filmed and photographed the scene. Leighton supported


    Nicole''s waist, bearing some of her weight, as he red at the extremist fan pinned to the ground, his


    chest heaving with anger.


    Leighton was never one to have a calm demeanor; otherwise, he wouldn''t have earned the nickname


    "pit bull." His current mood clearly signaled his rising temper.


    The paparazzi''s hands shook with excitement, anticipating the headlines they were about to capture.


    Just as Leighton was about to lose his cool, Nicole suddenly went limp, copsing into his arms.


    Instinctively, Leighton held her close, his emotions strained as he called out to her, "Are you okay?"


    Pale-faced, Nicole weakly clung to his clothes, murmuring, "I feel a bit dizzy."


    Before anyone could react, she seemed to slip from his grasp, almost limp. Leighton quickly scooped


    her up, cradling her in his arms.


    The paparazzi swarmed around, blocking his path, eager to get their questions in.


    "Leighton, what''s your response to the usations made by theizen Little Sweet Potato regarding


    harassment?"


    "Leighton, the person who attacked you appears to be one of your fans. Do you n to press


    charges?"


    "Leighton, having seen Nicole take a hit for you, how are you feeling right now?"


    Leighton found himself trapped in the crowd with no way out. His expression darkened, on the verge of


    losing his temper, but a sudden pain in his lower back made him flinch, almost dropping the woman in


    his arms.


    Yet, the unconscious woman held onto his clothes tightly, as if she could sense his thoughts.


    mping his teeth together, Leighton adjusted his hold on her, addressing the camera with a serious


    tone, "If you have any questions,e to my studio tomorrow morning at ten, and I''ll answer each of


    you. For now, please step aside. I need to take my girlfriend to the hospital."


    With an injury already sustained and considering Leighton''s prominent status in the entertainment


    industry, the police were worried about the growing crowd. They quickly dispatched additional


    personnel to disperse the crowd.


    With the help of the police, Leighton managed to carry Nicole into the car, joining Estelle who had


    arrived shortly after.

 Chapter 2291

    Chapter 2291


    Estelle was teetering on the edge; here he was, already swamped with online rumors, and now these


    two troublemakers hadnded them in the police station!


    Dealing with Leighton¡¯s rebellious dog-like temper alone was challenging enough, and now there''s


    another one. Damn it, making money had be increasingly tough!


    Despite his frustration, seeing Nicole and Leighton unconscious and covered in blood filled Estelle with


    immense worry.


    "How is she?"


    "She''s not dead."


    Leighton rubbed the sore spot on his lower back and shot a re at the woman pretending to be


    unconscious. "Haven''t you had enough of acting?!"


    Nicole leisurely opened her eyes and chuckled, "So, how was my performance? Realistic enough?"


    Leighton snorted and couldn''t resist ncing at the back of her head. Her thick hair provided excellent


    coverage, making it difficult to assess the extent of her injury. When that stone came flying at them


    earlier, it packed quite a punch; he could even hear the dull thud as it hit her head.


    Besides appearing slightly pale, Nicole seemedpletely unfazed, even using a tissue to dab at the


    blood on the back of her head.


    Leighton couldn''t help butment, "You shouldn''t use tissue on wounds; it''s unhygienic."


    "Why is it called tissue if it''s unhygienic?" Nicole retorted with a twisted logic. "When you use tissue to


    wipe your butt, do you suddenly find it unhygienic?"


    Leighton''s expression darkened. "Am I wiping hemorrhoids when I wipe my butt?"


    Nicole was momentarily taken aback, then burst intoughter, teasing, ¡± Where''s your idol image? How


    could an idol talk about butts and hemorrhoids?"


    Unamused, Leighton grumbled, "You''re bleeding quite a bit from the wound on your head. If you use


    tissue and the bits stick, it could get infected.


    Then you''ll end up with a scar there, and don''t me me if your hair doesn''t grow back."


    The mention of scarring didn''t faze Nicole much, but thement about her hair made her pause.


    "Why didn''t you say that earlier? Quickly check if there are any bits stuck there."


    Turning her back to him, she asked Leighton to inspect the wound.


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    Her jet-ck hair, neatly arranged on her back moments ago, now cascaded down like a dark waterfall,


    soft and glossy, with a faint scent of shampoo lingering in the air, giving Leighton an odd feeling.


    "How is it? Any bits?"


    Nicole urged him on.


    Leighton snapped back to attention and murmured, "I didn''t see clearly. Let me take another look."


    He gently pushed aside her hair and finally spotted the wound on her scalp, blood oozing out.


    The wound wasn''t deep but quite long; it seemed like the sharp edge of the stone had scraped it.


    Leighton had been a delicate-looking child; his father had been convinced, inexplicably, that his wife


    was carrying a daughter during her pregnancy. They had prepared everything and bought clothes for a


    girl. However, when Leighton was born a boy, his parents, in order to save money, decided to make do


    with what they had.


    Being mistaken for a girl when he was young was bad enough, but being dressed up as one by his


    parents led to Leighton being teased a lot. With a quick temper and stubborn personality, he often got


    into trouble and ended up getting hurt.


    He had taken quite a few beatings for others, but Nicole was the only one who had taken a hit for him.


    Leighton''s emotions were somewhatplicated for a moment. He whispered, "Why did you just...


    take that hit for me?"


    With her eyes closed, Nicole replied softly, "If I hadn''t blocked it, that stone would have smashed your


    face. If your face had been ruined, your career would have been pretty much over. You helped me out


    at the press conference before, and then because of our ''rtionship,'' your poprity plummeted. I


    owe you a favor; consider this my way of repaying you."

 Chapter 2292

    Chapter 2292


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Leighton pursed his lips. "I''m ''dating'' you because I wanted you to introduce me to directors. We have


    a contract, each taking what we need. It''s not like I helped you, but you genuinely took a hit for me this


    time.


    Consider this a favor I owe you. If you need help in the future, just ask, and if I can do it, I''ll definitely


    help you."


    Nicole paused, suddenly looking at the serious A-lister in front of her.


    She wondered, how could there still be such a simple-minded guy in this circle?


    Even though she hadid out many superior conditions at the time, being in a contract rtionship with


    him was actually more of a disadvantage than an advantage for him. He wanted to film, wanted to meet


    big directors, and his cousin could help him with that. There was no need to get involved with her.


    After they "officially announced" their rtionship, thement section of Leighton¡¯s social media


    ounts visibly intensified with hostility.


    Just her being his "girlfriend" had received countless abusive messages after the announcement.


    There were even extreme fans sending her edited photos, along with threats of death and des. It


    was worse for Leighton.


    Just now, besides fearing that he might injure his face and affect his career, the main reason for


    blocking that hit for him was a bit of guilt, with thoughts of making it up to him.


    But this guy seemed genuinely clueless, even solemnly saying that he owed her a favor and would


    repay it. With this kind of naivety, how did he be famous?


    The Hall family of Salcator, a prestigious family, had raised such a fool? His cousins, even his twelve-


    year-old brother, were smarter than him.


    This fool, who would help count the money even after being sold out, somehow made her feel a bit


    soft-hearted. A hint of a smile appeared in her eyes as shezily said, "When in Rome, do as the


    Romans do. Since I''m with you, I''ll follow your lead. Anyway, I''m not losing out."


    Leighton was stunned for a moment, suddenly feeling a bit annoyed. Through gritted teeth, he said,


    "I''m serious! Can''t you be serious for once?!"


    His voice raised a few decibels, his ears turning slightly red.


    Nicole inexplicably thought of the little German Shepherd they had at home when she was a child. It


    looked majestic and intimidating, but when it was angry, it only dared to bark loudly to scare people


    away.


    Just like Leighton at the moment.


    Nicole felt like teasing him. Leaning closer, her eyes half serious and half teasing, she said, "How am I


    not being serious? You''re my boyfriend, shouldn''t I listen to you?"


    Seeing her approach, Leighton retreated to the car door like he was avoiding a flood or a fierce beast,


    his ears turning even redder, embarrassed. "We''re just in a contract rtionship. Just putting on a


    show in front of the camera is enough. Don''t think you can take advantage of me. You''re older than me,


    have a bad personality, and I''m not interested in your type!"


    Nicole''s expression showed a hint of being hurt. She pursed her lips, sat up straight, and turned her


    head to look out the window, not saying anything more.


    The atmosphere in the car became unusually quiet. With Nicole''s head tilted, Leighton could still see


    the wound on the back of her head.


    Her shoulders were trembling slightly, as if... she were crying.


    Leighton suddenly felt ufortable. The words he had just said did seem a bit too much.


    Women probably didn''t like it when others said they were old. He had just casually said it.


    Leighton scratched his hair, agonizing for a long time before speaking again, "You may be older, but


    your acting skills are pretty good. Among actors your age, regardless of gender, no one has achieved


    what you have."


    Nicole didn¡¯t respond.


    Seeing her shoulders still trembling, Leighton racked his brains, using his meager vocabry to make


    up for the hurtful words he had said, "Having a bad personality isn''t necessarily a w; with a bad


    personality, no one dares to bully you."


    Nicole still didn''t say anything.


    Leighton said stiffly, "Plus, you''re decent-looking. Although I''m not interested in you, there will always


    be someone who likes your type."


    Nicole''s shoulders shook even harder, making Leighton feel even more guilty. "I said those things


    recklessly. If you really like me, then... then I won''t date anyone else until the contract ends."

 Chapter 2293

    Chapter 2293


    He figured that Nicole must like him, which was why she got upset and cried when he said those hurtful


    things. If she didn''t like him, why would she block that stone for him? If she didn''t like him, why would


    she always tease him to get his attention? His words must have really hurt her.


    Leighton was feeling regretful when suddenly he heard a low chuckle beside him, which quickly turned


    into heartyughter. Leighton turned to look and saw Nicole clutching her stomach,ughing so hard


    she was doubled over, tears streaming down her face, nearly out of breath.


    "Be honest, have you never been in a rtionship before?" Nicole asked, stillughing, her face


    showing no signs of sadness, only teasing.


    Leighton realized he had been tricked by this crazy woman, and his face darkened. Estelle, in the front


    seat, was alsoughing. He had thought this ferocious pit bull only acted tame in front of his cousin, but


    it seemed there was someone else who could tame him this way. Everyone had their match.


    Leighton, embarrassed and angry, ground his teeth, i¡¯ve had more rtionships than you can count on


    ten fingers!"


    "Like childhood pretend rtionships?" Nicole mocked. "Was I your first kiss?"


    Leighton froze. Nicole had been teasing him, but seeing his reaction, she was stunned, her eyes


    widening. "It really was me?!"


    Leighton, flustered and furious, shouted, "No!"


    He was a terrible liar, which was why Nicole had immediately guessed he had never been in a


    rtionship. Now, feeling trapped, he decided toe clean. ''That wasn''t a real first kiss. I did it on


    purpose to disgust you. It doesn''t count!"


    Nicole chuckled. "Good, I was worried you''d try to hold it over my head.''


    Leighton wanted to bite her! Before he could act, Nicole''s phone rang. It was her agent, Lindy Jacob.


    She answered, but the voice on the other end wasn''t Lindy''s. It was a deep, heavy male voice. "Where


    are you?"


    Nicole''s smile faded, and she didn¡¯t answer, instead asking, "What do you want?"


    The man''s tone grew heavier, repeating his question, ''Tell me where you are!"


    Nicole replied calmly, "I just left the police station. I''m in my boyfriend''s car."


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    The man didn''t respond immediately, but the atmosphere turned cold.


    Then he chuckled lightly. "Nicole, don''t joke around. I know Leva came to find you at your movie


    launch. You had no choice but to find someone to act as your boyfriend."


    Nicole pressed her lips together. "No, I''m serious."


    The man, not taking her seriously, tried to soothe her. "Leva was out of line that day. I was abroad and


    didn''t know until I got back. I''ve talked to her; she understands she was wrong. Don¡¯t be mad, okay?"


    Nicole''s tone remained calm. "I''m not mad. I really am in a rtionship. Initially, we didn¡¯t n to go


    public because he hadn¡¯t transitioned.


    Suddenly announcing it might hurt his career. I wasn''t upset about what Leva did at theunch. If it


    hadn''t been for her, I wouldn''t have known how much Leighton loves me, willing to go public for my


    sake. I should thank her."


    Leighton had been eavesdropping on the gossip, but hearing his name mentioned, his face turned a


    mix of colors.

 Chapter 2294

    Chapter 2294


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    Was her skin always this thick? Love? Yeah, right. If she hadn¡¯te running over with that pale face


    begging him like her life depended on it, he wouldn''t have been bothered! He didn''t believe this


    shameless talk, and neither did the person on the other end of the phone, who even chuckled." Stop


    being stubborn. Everyone in the family knows your type."


    Nicole''s expression darkened as if she had thought of something unpleasant. She gripped her phone


    tightly, her knuckles turning white. She lowered her eyes and gave a lightugh. "It''s been so long,


    maybe you''ve forgotten."


    "What?''


    Nicole said calmly, "My first love was a man. I initially liked men."


    Leighton, sitting next to Nicole, could hear everything clearly because she had the speaker on. He


    nced at Nicole, thinking, what kind of nonsense is this? If not a man, then what, a woman?


    Estelle was shocked, his mind reeling. Could the rumors about Nicole''s past rtionships actually be


    true?


    The man on the phone scoffed. "Don''t kid yourself. You haven¡¯t even done a kissing scene all these


    years. People in your circle say you''re high and mighty, that you keep yourself pure. But I know you


    can¡¯t stand intimate contact with a man. Even the thought of sharing breath makes you physically sick.


    How could you possibly have a boyfriend?¡±


    Nicole''s knuckles stood out as she sighed lightly. "Didn''t Leva tell you?"


    "Tell me what?"


    "That at theunch event, I kissed my boyfriend right in front of her."


    There was silence on the other end. Nicole continued, "I did it because I knew she wouldn''t believe it


    otherwise. Just like you said, if I didn''t like him, even touching him would make me ufortable.


    Leva, like you, knows this best. It was with Leighton that I realized I don''t reject all men. I really like


    him, and he loves me very much."


    Leighton felt extremely annoyed. He was young and handsome; she should be the one pining for him.


    For the second time being dragged into her narrative, he opened his mouth to retort, "Like hell I-" love


    you. But as soon as he started, Nicole twisted his thigh with such force it felt like she might tear a piece


    off. The "heir he started to say came out in a series of odd sounds.


    The man on the phone, sounding colder now, asked, "Who''s with you?"


    Nicole didn''t answer but instead spoke to Leighton, "No need to practice singing in the car, right? Wait


    until we¡¯re home. I''m on the phone. Be good, and I''ll take you for something nice to eat after."


    Leighton''s curses were cut off by Nicole''s words. Her tone waszy and indulgent, almost affectionate.


    If he hadn''t seen her expressionless face while she said those words, he would''ve thought he was


    seeing things.


    Was she crazy or what?


    "That Hall family boy is with you?" The voice on the other end was full of menace.


    Nicole responded with a casual "Hmm."


    "Didn''t I just tell you? I apanied him to the police station. Someone tried to frame him, and I have


    to show where I stand. He''s my man. Anyone who messes with him will get it back tenfold from me."


    The man on the other end was silent for a long time. Nicole waited for a moment before speaking


    again. "If there¡¯s nothing else, I''ll-"


    "If you''re together, when will you bring him home to meet US?¡±

 Chapter 2295

    Chapter 2295


    Nicole said, "We haven''t been together long, so it''s a bit too soon to talk about this."


    The man replied, "You''re not that young anymore. Dad and Aunt Helen are quite worried about your


    future, especially Aunt Helen. She''s worried so much her hair has turned gray. Since you have a


    boyfriend now, bring him over to meet her so she can be at ease."


    Nicole pressed her lips together. "We haven''t been together for long, and Leighton is a few years


    younger than me. His career is on the rise. We''re not ready to talk about marriage yet. When his career


    is stable and our rtionship is still strong, and if he wants to marry me, I''ll bring him to meet our


    parents without you telling me to."


    The man wanted to say more, but Nicole didn''t give him a chance. She continued, "If there''s nothing


    else, I''m going to hang up now. Leighton is busy preparing for his new album and is under a lot of


    pressure. With all the recent strange happenings, I want to spend more time with him. I won''t be able to


    attend the family dinner this week. Please let Dad and Mom know."


    She hung up the phone, and just before it disconnected, she heard a loud thud, like something heavy


    had been thrown to the ground.


    Nicole wasn''t hearing this for the first time and had seen it happen countless times. What once made


    her heart tremble now hardly fazed her.


    Over more than a decade, what was past was past.


    She snapped back to reality and looked over at Leighton, who was eyeing her strangely.


    Nicole patted the spot where she had pinched him earlier. "Does it still hurt?"


    Leighton had almost forgotten until she brought it up again. He pped her hand away, scowling. "Of


    course it hurts. Don¡¯t you know how hard you pinched?"


    Nicole chuckled. "I was just afraid you¡¯d spill the beans. Alright, it was my fault. I pinched you once, so


    you can pinch me once to make it even. Deal?"


    Leighton grumbled, ¡¯What about the pinch outside the police station? Did you forget about that?"


    Nicole paused, then burst outughing. "Holding a grudge, huh? Fine, you can pinch me twice."


    She extended her leg toward Leighton, looking as if she was ready for the worst. "Go ahead!"


    Leighton looked down and saw her pale leg. She hade looking for him early in the morning,


    wearing a T-shirt and shorts under her trench coat. The morning was chilly, and her legs were turning


    purple from the cold. They had been covered by her coat until now, so he hadn''t noticed. He looked


    away, annoyed.


    "Crazy! Who wants to pinch your leg?"


    Nicole was unfazed. "Then where do you want to pinch? My waist or my arm? Your choice."


    Leighton thought, is this about pinching? Doesn''t she have any sense of propriety?


    Nicole seemed oblivious and kept urging, "Just say where."


    Leighton, fed up, shook off her hand and red at her. "Nowhere! Do you think I''m petty like you?


    Forget it!"


    Nicole probed, "Really not going to pinch? If you regret itter, don''t me me."


    "Shut up!"


    "Okay!"


    Nicole quickly pulled her leg back.


    Estelle nced in the rearview mirror, catching the mischievous look on Nicole''s face.


    Estelle realized Nicole knew exactly what she was doing. Leighton might look fierce on the outside, but


    he was soft-hearted and innocent. Nicole was ying on this, showing him her leg to make him feel


    sorry for her.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Nicole covered her legs with her coat, then suddenly remembered something and said softly, "By the


    way, it''s ''petty,'' not ''pitty.'' You dimwit!"

 Chapter 2296

    Chapter 2296


    Leighton was taken aback, his ears turning red as he met Nicole''s teasing gaze.


    "You''re the one who''s dumb! I know it¡¯s pronounced petty!1"


    Nicole blinked and helpfully pointed out, "But you just said ''pi'' not ''pe''.¡±


    Leighton stiffened. "No, I didn''t."


    "Yes, you did."


    "I didn''t!"


    "You did! Estelle heard it too." Nicole nodded toward Estelle. "Right, Estelle?"


    Not wanting to get involved in their childish argument, Estelle cleared his throat and said, "I didn''t catch


    what you were saying."


    Nicole clicked her tongue. "No wonder so many young idols are clueless these days. It''s because


    managers like you spoil them."


    Leighton suddenly wanted to kick her out of the car!


    Estelle chuckled. "Leighton just isn''t great at thenguage. He''s fine in other subjects."


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    This wasn''t just to cover for Leighton. The Hall family had good genes for academics. Leighton''s


    grandmother had been an educator before she retired, and his siblings excelled in school. Leighton¡¯s


    younger brother even won a world championship at the age of ten.


    Leighton might not have been as brilliant as his cousins or his younger brother, but his grades were


    respectable. He secretly applied to a regr program at a film academy, intending to switch majors


    once there.


    However, his father found out and made him switch to Salcator Medical University. Despite the high


    admission requirements, Leighton got in.


    With hisnguage scores just barely passing, he still ranked in the top ten of his program, indicating his


    strength in other subjects. After being scouted in his third year, he signed with an entertainment


    company. Due to missing too many sses in his fourth and fifth years, he couldn''t graduate, but the


    university allowed him to keep his student status and take a leave of absence. He could stillplete


    his degree within two years if he returned.


    In the entertainment industry, image was everything. From foodie personas to straightced types,


    having a persona was crucial, whether it was genuine or not, as long as the fans bought it. Estelle,


    upon learning about Leighton''s academic history, initially considered marketing him as a top student.


    However, Leighton refused, feeling that not graduating was too embarrassing.


    Estelle, having seen many shameless individuals in his career, thought that boasting about Leighton''s


    high scores was hardly shamefulpared to others who unted average grades. But after hearing


    Leighton mispronounce words, Estelle was relieved that Leighton had insisted against it. otherwise,


    they might have faced a major bacsh.


    Leighton didn''t seek the spotlight. Aside from being stubborn and showy, he didn''t pretend to know


    things he didn¡¯t. This helped him maintain a solid reputation in an industry where scandals often


    erupted.


    However, publicly "dating" was another matter. In the idol industry, dating was taboo. Leighton''s desire


    to transition away from his idol image was evident in his coboration with Nicole, a move against the


    Nicole, skeptical of Estelle''s defense, smiled and said, "Excelling in other subjects doesn''t really help in


    this industry. Poor reading skills lead to poorprehension, making it hard to understand scripts, let


    alone portray


    roles convincingly. Academic achievements are often mocked by audiences when actors perform


    poorly yet make a lot of money. Last year¡¯s grassroots Best Actor only had a middle school education,


    and no one mocked his education after he won all those awards."

 Chapter 2297

    Chapter 2297


    "Ultimately, what everyone detests are actors whose virtue doesn''t match their position. If you can''t see


    this and only think about using your education to silence the audience, even with a high degree, you''ll


    just be seen as a highly educated waste in their eyes.


    "Being an actor is different from being an idol. Fans'' affection for you is eighty percent based on your


    looks. They need to see your face first to have the desire to know you as a person. Idol dramas choose


    you because you look good, fulfilling fans'' fantasies. However, an actor doesn¡¯t have to be handsome


    or beautiful. They serve the role, and sometimes you might not even show your face in a whole scene,


    but your acting can still leave a mark on the audience. That''s the charm of an actor.


    "I can introduce you to big directors, but if you still cling to an idol''s mindset, caring about your image in


    fans'' eyes and heavily focusing on your external persona, then even if I help you, it will do you no good.


    Do you understand?"


    Nicole had worked with many young actors, both male and female. Poor acting skills weren''t really a


    big deal. When she first started, she couldn''t even find the camera and was once scolded to tears by


    the director.


    Everyone had gone through this step by step. Behind the spotlight and attention, the hardships


    endured were no less for anyone.


    But now, many of these young actors shared amon trait: they had the idea that acting was


    extremely easy. They didn''t want to spend much effort on acting and lines, caring more about how good


    they look on camera.


    Those without fans would think this way, and those with fans were even more burdened.


    Idol dramas made for fans could still be somewhat passable, but if they were to act in serious dramas,


    they would appear out of ce.


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    At first, when young actors came to ask her for advice, she would carefully share her experiences. But


    she gradually realized that they didn''t take her words about the hardships seriously. They asked just to


    make connections, shoot a short video, and give something to their fans.


    Later, when someone asked for advice, Nicole couldn''t be bothered. Her reputation for being difficult,


    having a bad temper, and being arrogant spread from there.


    But Nicole''s audience has never been those idol-chasers, so those baseless rumors couldn¡¯t shake her


    position.


    She wasn''t sure how determined Leighton was to transition, so she had to make her stance clear from


    the beginning.


    Leighton frowned. "If I really cared about that, would I be ''dating'' you?"


    Nicole asked, "What about looking ugly? When we were filming Motives for Murder'', wasn''t it you who


    thought the floral shirt the costume team gave you was tacky and secretly unbuttoned an extra button?"


    Leighton was struck speechless.


    The director didn''t notice, so how did she?


    Leighton couldn''t deny it. He really thought it looked bad back then.


    He pressed his lips together and after a moment said, "It won''t happen again."


    Nicole smiled, "Then make an ugly face for me to see."


    Leighton frowned. "How?"


    "Just the ugliest expression you can think of. Freestyle it, let me see how ugly you can get."


    Leighton really had an idol burden. At his age, a guy who was slightly goodlooking would be smug


    enough, let alone Leighton, who was excessively handsome. Having this burden was normal.


    But he was also stubborn, especially unwilling to be looked down upon by Nicole, so he gave it his all


    and made a goofy, not-so-smart looking face.


    While he was wondering if it was ugly enough, he heard the sound of a camera shutter. Leighton was


    stunned and looked at Nicole.


    She smiled with her eyes and waved her phone. "Next time, think twice before speaking to me, or I''ll


    post your ugly photo in your fan group."

 Chapter 2298

    Chapter 2298


    Leighton suddenly realized what was happening. All this talk about making ugly faces and shedding his


    idol image-this crazy woman was just messing with him!


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Embarrassed and angry, he lunged for her phone. Nicole dodged left and right, but in the process, she


    identally hit the back of her head on the ss, her face turning pale with pain. At the same moment,


    Leighton managed to grab her phone but was startled by her cry of pain.


    Holding her phone, he looked at Nicole''s ashen face. He instinctively wanted to ask if she was okay but


    remembered her recent antics and hardened his heart. "Stop messing with me. Don''t think I''ll fall for it


    again."


    Nicole didn''t say anything, pressing a tissue to her wound. When she pulled it away, it was nearly


    soaked with blood.


    Leighton was at a loss. "Why is there so much blood?"


    Nicole nced at him, pressing the tissue back to her wound. "You were so rough, and now you''re


    scared?"


    Leighton was speechless once more.


    He ground his teeth. "No one''s going to think you''re mute if you don''t talk!"


    This crazy woman, did she even feel pain?


    Leighton urged Estelle to drive faster. Nicole, seeing his serious and tense expression, couldn''t help


    but tease him. "Worried about me?"


    Leighton red at her. "Only a fool would worry about you! I''m just afraid you''ll die in my car!"


    Nicole chuckled, closing her eyes and murmuring, "Don''t worry. Bad people live long lives. I''ve got


    another nine hundred years to go."


    Seeing her so weak, Leighton''s lips twitched. For once, he didn''t argue back. Instead, he kept ncing


    at her head, unable to hide the worry in his eyes.


    "Are you going to delete it or not?" Nicole asked quietly. "If not, give me back my phone."


    Leighton snapped out of it, annoyed. "How am I supposed to delete it without the password?"


    Nicole said, "The password is your birthday."


    Leighton was stunned. "What did you say?"


    Nicole repeated, "The password is your birthday."


    Leighton felt puzzled, wondering if she''d hit her head too hard. But when he entered his birthday, the


    phone actually unlocked! Her wallpaper was even a photo of him. His hands shook as he looked at her


    in disbelief.


    Nicole, frowning, urged him, "Hurry up and delete it. Then give it back. I need to reply to some


    messages."


    Feelingplicated emotions, Leighton opened the photo album. It was filled with pictures of him-


    some from when they met, some from his magazine shoots.


    His throat tightened, and just then, the phone vibrated with a message from her manager, asking about


    the live stream incident. Nicole kept urging him, so he quickly deleted the ugly photo and handed the


    phone back to her.


    Nicole began typing a quick response to her manager, while Leighton sat beside her, his heart in


    turmoil.


    Would someone who didn''t like you use your birthday as their phone password?


    Would someone who didn''t like you use your photo as their wallpaper?


    Would someone who didn''t like you have so many pictures of you on their phone?

 Chapter 2299

    Chapter 2299


    Ah...


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Leighton was so frustrated he wanted to pull his hair out. Why would this crazy woman like him? He


    nced at Nicole, who was replying to a message, and quickly turned his head to the side when he


    saw her about to look up. His overly handsome face was reflected in the car window.


    Leighton paused for a moment, suddenly thinking it was quite normal for her to like him. After all, the


    Hall family genes were indeed excellent.


    With this thought, he unconsciously straightened up, raising his chin slightly. From Nicole''s angle, his


    profile was absolutely perfect. After all, he had been in numerous magazines and on many stages; he


    knew exactly which angles and poses made him look the most handsome.


    Nicole finished her message, put her phone aside, and turned to look at Leighton. Seeing him sitting so


    stiffly, she paused and asked, "Did you stick a ruler in your back? You can''t bend at all?¡±


    Estelle chuckled.


    Leighton was more than ten years younger than her, and to Estelle, he was just a cocky kid who loved


    to act cool. This kind of behavior was toomon for boys his age, especially for someone as


    strikingly handsome as Leighton. A bit of narcissism was nothing unusual.


    Although Estelle often felt like making the same remark, she never expected anyone to actually say it


    to Leighton''s face. Nicole was indeed bold.


    Leighton stiffened, ring at her angrily. "You''ve been in the entertainment industry for so many years,


    hasn''t anyone ever hit you?"


    Nicole smiled nonchntly. ¡°I¡¯m just taking the hits for you, aren''t I?" With one sentence, she pulled


    Leighton''s guilt back up, and he closed his mouth, not saying another word.


    Leighton took Nicole to see his private doctor. Dr. Sanders was surprised to see Leighton bring Nicole


    but didn¡¯t ask any questions and efficiently treated her wound.


    Nicole remarked, "It''s good to be a top star; thepany even provides a private doctor."


    Leighton didn''t respond. Dr. Sanders wasn''t provided by thepany; his mother had arranged it.


    When he had a fallout with his family and entered the entertainment industry, he endured a lot of


    hardships. Thepany nned for him to debut as part of a boy group from a talent show.


    He startedte, had a decent voice, could sing well, and yed seven or eight instruments, but he


    couldn¡¯t dance at all.


    Despite being the least talented in his family, Leighton''s tenacity was unmatched. Once he set his mind


    on something, he had to excel at it. His father thought entering the entertainment industry was just


    idling away, so Leighton was determined to prove him wrong.


    He ingrained hard work into his bones when it came to dance practice.


    Even after thepany''s scheduled practice hours, he would continue practicing on his own. He had


    left home for a year, holding in his breath and refusing to return until he had made progress.


    While his father could harden his heart andpete with his son, his mother was more tenderhearted.


    The night before his first stage performance, she made a special trip to see him.


    Leighton''s performance on his debut stage was stunning. His dance skills ranked him among the top


    ten in a group of talent show contestants. No one believed it was the result of just one year of practice,


    except for his mother, who knew he had no dance background before that.


    When they reunited offstage, his mother hugged him and cried as soon as she saw him. Leighton


    wanted tofort her, but the pain in his waist was too much, and he couldn''t hold back a hiss.


    His mother sensed something was wrong and lifted his shirt despite his protests.


    The eldest son, who had been pampered all his life, hade back after a year covered in injuries. His


    extreme practice methods, while yielding rapid progress, also inflicted significant harm on his body.


    His mother was heartbroken, shedding tears as she insisted on taking him home. By that point,


    Leighton hade too far to give up.


    Unable to persuade her son, she scolded her husband and then forcibly arranged a private doctor for


    Leighton. She threatened to cry if he didn''t ept.


    Leighton had the best rtionship with his mother. The harshest words she''d ever said to him were,


    "I¡¯m really going to be upset," and as unruly as he was, he couldn''t stand to see that gentle woman cry.


    So, he epted her arrangement.


    However, Leighton didn¡¯t want special treatment at thepany or to be seen through a biased lens.


    Therefore, he never allowed the private doctor to follow him during dance practice. He only went for


    therapy after practice to reassure his mother.

 Chapter 2300

    Chapter 2300


    Leighton hesitated to share these thoughts with Nicole. It was mainly because during their previous "rtionship" publicity stunt, Nicole unintentionally bumped into his family while they were together. Except for his cousins, no one else in his family knew that their rtionship was a charade. They were ecstatic to see Nicole and insisted on treating her to meals.


    Despite Nicole''s tough demeanor around him, she knew exactly how to act around elders. She addressed them as grandpa, grandma, uncle, and aunt, melting everyone''s hearts. Even his father, who typically disapproved of entertainment industry stars, seemed to approve of her, silently expressing, "You''ve done well, kid, finding such a beautiful and remarkable partner."


    Nicole''s behavior made Leighton question if his previous perceptions of her were biased or exaggerated. But after they finished eating, she surprised him in the car, saying, "Didn''t realize you''re such a mommy''s boy, needing your mom to clean your fish for you."


    "Mommy''s boy" were the two words Leighton despised the most. It all began when he was in middle school. One morning, his mother showed up at school with milk for him.


    He had overslept and rushed to school without eating breakfast. His mother was worried he''d be hungry, so she brought him food.


    His mother wasn''t tall, only about 1.6 meters. Though her husband wasn''t short, she believed a child''s height was determined by the mother''s genes. She feared Leighton wouldn''t grow tall enough, so she always included milk in his meals. However, Leighton disliked drinking milk, and she was afraid he''d waste it, so she made sure he finished it.


    That day was no different. After he finished his meal, she hugged him as usual. Unfortunately, some gossiping ssmates witnessed this scene.


    Rumors escted from "Leighton still needs his mommy to hug him" to " Leighton still sleeps with his mommy," spinning out of control.


    Leighton, being hot-headed, ended up hitting the gossiping ssmates,nding him in trouble.


    On the way home, she lectured him, insisting violence wasn''t bing of a gentleman; only barbarians resorted to it.


    Leighton didn''t listen; he med her entirely. If she hadn''t hugged him at school, the rumors wouldn''t have spread.


    No longer a child, he disliked being hugged. Despite numerous rejections, she persisted. So, for the first time, he vented his anger at his mother, ming her for everything.


    His mother remained silent, tearing up. His father, upon learning of the incident, pursued him with a belt.


    He scolded Leighton for his poor academics and inability to discern right from wrong. If not for his mother''s intervention, he would''ve been severely beaten.


    Afterward, his mother refrained from hugging him before school. She interacted with him cautiously, sometimes making him feel unworthy.


    Though he knew he was wrong, he couldn''t bring himself to address it. Reconciliation bedame awkward after growing distant from his parents.


    Later, after a falling out with his father, he saw his mother even less. During meals, she''d subconsciously try to feed him like when he was young, then realize and discreetly observe his reaction.


    Leighton was heartbroken. He no longer rejected his mother''s nother''som affection, but he never expected Niedle to misinterpret it as being a


    "mommy''s boy" again.


    Annoyed, he retorted, "Don''t you have a mom? Just because I ask for a fish, I''m a mommy''s boy? Hasn''t your mom ever fed you?"


    Nicole was taken aback, then smiled softly. "I have a mom, but she never fed me. She regrets bringing me into this world."All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Leighton was stunned. His words had unintentionally touched a raw nerve. His upbringing stopped him from making any more sarcastic remarks.

 Chapter 2301

    Chapter 2301


    So, when Nicole mistakenly assumed that Dr. Sanders was arranged by thepany, he didn''t bother to correct her. He just had this inexplicable feeling that if Nicole knew it was his mother''s arrangement, she would probably feel upset. It was like... not talking about light in front of a blind person. It just felt hical.


    While the wound was being treated, Ste called to check on him. She had been watching the live stream and was very worried when she saw Nicole get injured. She sent several WhatsApp messages to Leighton, but when he didn''t respond, she called.


    "It''s no big deal," Leighton said softly. ''Tm with her at the doctor''s, getting her wound treated."Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    "You''re not hurt, are you?"


    "No."


    Ste said, "Aunt called me. She''s very worried about you. She''s afraid of bothering you, so she asked me to check on you. Where are you now?


    Keegan and I cane over."


    "No need, Ste, really. I''m fine." Leighton quickly declined. Ste was heavily pregnant, and he couldn''t risk having her rush around. If anything happened, both her husband and his cousin woulde after him.


    "My mom is just worrying for no reason. Don''t mind her. I''ll call herter to let her know I''m safe."


    Ste still wasn''t reassured. "I saw that the media have surrounded the ce where you and Estelle are staying. Do you have somewhere to stay tonight? If not, I can arrange for someone to pick you up, and you can stay at my ce for a few days."


    Leighton felt a warmth in his heart and said gently, "There are so many hotels in Rivera. I won''t be short of a ce to stay. Don''t worry, I have more than one ce to go."


    Ste sighed. "This mess is my fault. I never thought someone would follow me."


    Leighton smiled. "Ste, do you think those paparazzi can''t tell if the person dining with you is me or not? Our rtionship is clear with just a look at the household registry. They just wanted to use this as a trigger. The real aim is the subsequent nder and defamation."


    First, they threw out the hint of his infidelity, and before he could clear it m


    up, a "victim" appeared. Ste rified their rtionship; but then the victim produced a series of screenshots, vividly describing how she was wronged, confidently going live to share her story. Mixing truth and lies, even the fake parts were believed by some.


    After sobering up, he had been thinking about how to clear things up, and then Nicole directly took him to report to the police. He had seen all kinds of PR tactics in the industry, but taking the involved party to the police and confronting the user live was unprecedented. However, the effect was immediate.


    "Little Sweet Potato" had already paused the live stream, and the so-called solid evidence hadn''t been ¦¶¦¯


    released yet. She hadn''t responded to theizens'' doubts or the media inquiries. Estelle said that Nicole''s move had actually turned things around.


    Ste was still very worried about Leighton''s situation. After thinking for a moment, she decided to share her suspicions. "Leighton, besides thepany wanting to terminate your contract, have you made any enemies in the industry?"

 Chapter 2302

    Chapter 2302


    Leighton fell silent.


    "Can''t think of anyone?" Ste asked.


    "It''s not that," Leighton coughed. "There are too many."


    Ste was rendered speechless.


    Previously, Leighton had shed with a somewhat influential host on a variety show. Although the host was being offensive and Leighton''s retort was praised byizens, he was still new to the industry. The host, with his connections, caused Leighton to lose some job opportunities and subjected him to plenty of difficulties.


    Leighton''s rebellious and righteous nature made him intolerant of some people''s vile behavior, leading to many conflicts in the entertainment industry over the years. It wasn''t impossible that someone might want to take this opportunity to drag him down.


    The entertainment industry was already a ce with too many peoplepeting for too few resources. The top artists monopolize over ny percent of the resources. Taking him down could free up opportunities to benefit dozens of other artists.


    After listening to several examples he provided, Ste interrupted him." Those minor conflicts wouldn''t lead to something this serious. Is there anyone who holds a deep grudge against you, someone who might want to see you utterly ruined or driven out of the industry?"


    Leighton shook his head. "No."


    Most of his conflicts stemmed from his temper. There was no one with a deep- seated hatred wanting him dead.


    Could he be overthinking it?


    Ste sighed. "If you can''t think of anyone, just stay low for a few days. Trevor is working with thewyer now. It should be sorted out soon. Just keep yourself safe and find a ce to stay out of sight. Don''t worry Uncle and Aunt."


    Leighton agreed, awkwardly adding in a low voice, "Thank my cousin for me. I owe him one."This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Steughed and called him a "silly boy" before ending the call.


    Leighton put away his phone and, when he looked up, saw Nicole leaning against the door frame watching him. Her eyes carried a hint ofplexity, and her lips moved as if she wanted to say something but held back.


    Leighton, oblivious to these nuances, felt a bit awkward when he remembered the photos of him on her phone. He averted his eyes and, maintaining his usual tone, asked coolly, "All bandaged up?"


    Nicole hummed in response, resuming her usualzy demeanor.


    "Okay, let''s go. I''ll take you home first."


    Nicole didn''t refuse and grabbed her coat to follow him.


    On the way, Leighton kept mulling over Ste''s words, trying to think of anyone who could harbor such deep resentment against him, but nothing came to mind.


    "Hey," Nicole tapped him, "set your phone password to my birthday."


    Leighton''s eyelid twitched. "In your dreams!"


    Nicole said, "I already set my password to your birthday."


    Her words reminded Leighton of her "fanatic" behavior, making his ears turn a bit red. He retorted stiffly, "What''s that got to do with me? I didn''t ask you to do that!"


    "How can it not matter? We''re a couple now. We should at least act like one Change your wallpaper to my photo."


    Leighton refused. "No way. You''re so ugly-"


    Before he could finish, Nicole at hot stomped on his foot hard. He winded in pain, ring at her. "What''s wrong with you?"


    Nicole squinted. "I''m ugly?"


    Leighton, not one to back down under pressure, stubbornly said, "Not ugly, but not pretty either!"

 Chapter 2303

    Chapter 2303


    Nicole was annoyed. "What does a little brat like you know about aesthetics? If I''m not good-looking, then who is?"


    Leighton replied, "Ste."Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Nicole was stumped. Well... she couldn''t reallypete with that. Ste was indeed stunning. Nicole had seen many beautiful women, and Ste could easily be in the top three. She was the type who looked great on camera but even better in person. Many beauties looked good on screen but appeared too thin in reality, losing some of their charm. Ste, with her soft and elegant features, was a pleasure to look at. Nicole had to admit defeat, but seeing Leighton''s "aren''t you convinced?" expression made her itch with irritation.


    "No matter how beautiful your cousin is, I''m your girlfriend. If someone asks you who''s good-looking, you should say I am."


    Leighton nced at her. "I''m just dating, not blind."


    "That response makes it obvious you''ve never been in love. Haven''t you heard of the saying ''love makes everything beautiful''?"


    Leighton paused, seemingly considering her words. He stared at Nicole for a while, and under her expectant gaze, he slowly said, "Still ugly."


    Nicole''s expression froze, and she lifted her foot to stomp on him again. This time, Leighton was quick to dodge, but she grabbed his cor instead.


    She had a strong grip, tightening the cor and making it hard for Leighton to breathe. Just as he was about to push her away, Nicole gently brushed his cheek with the back of her hand. Her movements were slow, barely touching him, and a faint fragrance-perhaps from essential oils or shampoo-wafted over. Leighton felt a strange sensation spread from his tailbone to his scalp, his body hairs standing on end. He involuntarily tilted his head back, suddenly nervous, and his Adam''s apple bobbed.


    Nicole was very close. She wasn''t wearing makeup, her skin so fine that no pores were visible. Her eyebrows were untrimmed, giving her a natural and spirited look. Her amber eyes reflected his image. Leighton, who should have been angry, found himself thinking: Her eyes were actually amber.


    "Do I look good?" Nicole''s soft voice reached his ears. Leighton nodded instinctively.


    Nicole smiled, let go, and patted his cheek. "Good boy."


    Leighton snapped out of it, feeling a bit frustrated. He clenched his fist and rubbed his neck, unusually silent.


    The car was quiet for a while. Nicole wondered if she had gone too far earlier, so she broke the silence. "Does it hurt? I didn''t use that much force."


    Leighton turned his head away, ignoring her.


    Nicole, likeforting a child, ruffled his hair. ''Alright, alright, I apologize. Forgive me, okay?"


    Leighton swatted her hand away, gritting his teeth. "Talk without touching!"


    Nicole was momentarily stunned, thenughed softly. "I don''t mean to; I just can''t help it w when I see you."


    Leighton looked at her.


    Nicole continued, "You remind me of the German Shepherd I had as an child, especially when you''re angry. Whenever I petted its head, it would stop being mad at me."


    Leighton suddenly wanted to sew her mouth shut.


    Nicole added, "But when it died, I didn''t even get to see it onest time, just its skin."


    Leighton no longer wanted to sew her mouth shut.


    He changed the subject. "Who was that on the phone with you in the car earlier?"


    Nicole pursed her lips. "He''s like my brother, but we''re not rted bym blood. His dad and my mom formed a new family. We also have a younger sister about the same age as Noah."

 Chapter 2304

    Chapter 2304


    Leighton suddenly remembered what the woman who caused a scene at the previous press conference had said. That woman imed Nicole was " seducing her own brother."


    Was she talking about this guy?


    Nicole seemed to read his mind andughed. ''I don''t like him, and I never will. He''s not good enough for me.''


    Leighton''s eyelid twitched. He muttered, ''Thick-skinned."


    He was used to hearing people say they weren''t good enough for someone else. This was the first time he''d heard someone boldly dere that the other person wasn''t good enough for them. How could Estelle call him narcissistic? This crazy girl was way more self-absorbed than he was!


    Before long, they arrived at Nicole''s ce, only to find a crowd already gathered, waiting to corner her.


    Estelle didn''t even stop the car, simply detouring around the crowd.


    Leighton frowned. "How did your address get exposed?"


    "No idea." Nicole was puzzled too. When she and Leighton had gone public with their rtionship, the reporters hadn''t been able to find out where she lived. How did they manage it this time?


    "Where are you staying then?" Leighton asked.


    Nicole replied, "Aren''t I your girlfriend? I''ll stay at your ce."


    Leighton firmly refused, "In your dreams!"


    Nicole clicked her tongue. "I''ll crash at your ce for now. There are cameras everywhere, and it''s inconvenient for me to go anywhere else. I''ll leave when it gets dark."


    Leighton was reluctant, thinking of dumping her at a hotel.


    Nicole saw through his intentions and warned, "If you dare leave me, I''ll post on Facebook that you used me and dumped me."


    Leighton''s face darkened, but he begrudgingly agreed because he genuinely believed she would do it.


    Estelle drove toward Leighton''s ce, but they didn''t even get through the gate before being scared off. The reporters outside Leighton''s home were even more numerous than those at Nicole''s.


    Now, neither of them could go home.


    Leighton was extremely frustrated. He didn''t want to bother Ste or Trevor -one was pregnant, and the other had a fake sick sister at home.


    He didn''t want to inconvenience them or risk stressing out the fake sick sister and getting scolded by his family. Though his family didn''t like Darcie Arnold and Jaylene Saun, they had to maintain decorum because his uncle had remarried. It wouldn''t be appropriate or dignified for his side of the family to cause trouble in their household.


    If not for his grandparents'' insistence on propriety, he could have driven Jaylene out long ago!


    But now, aside from Ste and Trevor, there was no one he could trust for help. His group of friends were all in the capital and couldn''t help him here.


    After thinking it over, Leighton looked at Estelle. "Estelle, don''t you have a spare room? I remember you renting a two-bedroom ce."


    Estelle looked slightly guilty. "If this I


    had happened a week ago, I would''ve taken you there without you asking. But now, it''s not possible. My girlfriend and her mom are staying with me, so it''s really inconvenient."


    Leighton was surprised. "When did you get a girlfriend? How did I not know?"


    Estelle coughed. ''We met while gaming before the New Year. We hit it off and started dating She''s about to-graduate and her mom wanted to attend her graduation and tour the area. She hasn''t found a job yet, and staying at a hotel is expensive, so I invited them to stay with me."


    Leightonined, "You got a girlfriend and didn''t even tell me!"Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Nicole was more interested in the girlfriend''s age, so she asked, "Estelle, how old is your girlfriend?"


    A master''s or doctoral graduate would be an eptable age difference.


    Estelle''s eyes shifted evasively. After a moment, he hesitantly said, "She''ll be twenty-two this summer."

 Chapter 2305

    Chapter 2305


    Leighton eximed, ''Monster!"


    Nicole echoed, "Monster!"


    For once, they were inplete agreement about something.


    Estelle was thirty-four, while his girlfriend was twenty-one. Saying that he was robbing the cradle was an understatement.


    Estelle''s face turned red with embarrassment as he exined through gritted teeth, "When we were ying games, she told me she was twentyseven. She didn''t show me any pictures, and I thought, who lies about being older?"


    It turned out, some people did.


    Leighton scoffed, "And after meeting her and knowing her real age, you didn''t cut ties?"


    Estelle red at him. "I did! I even deleted her from my WhatsApp!"


    Nicole was curious. "So how did you reconnect?"


    Estelle''s voice lowered, "I stayed off the game for a while, but one day I logged back in, and she immediately reached out, crying and asking why I blocked her. I told her she was too young, like my sister, and if she wanted, she could see me as a brother.


    "She agreed, but then a few dayster, she said she was in a car ident. The driver fled, and she didn''t know what to do, being new in town, so I went to help..."


    Nicole watched Estelle''s ufortable expression and slowly said, "So, the car ident was a lie to meet you. Turns out the saying is true: a persistent girl wears down a man. Under her intense pursuit, this old guy blossomed."


    Estelle silently conceded that it was more or less true. However, he insisted, "It''s not because she''s young. If I''d known her real age from the start, I wouldn''t have added her as a game friend."


    Leighton was skeptical, "I don''t believe you."


    Estelle was persistent, "Age doesn''t matter. It''s about a spiritual connection."


    Nicole quipped, "Mainly because older women are harder to fool. Fresh graduates are full of dreams and easy to deceive."


    Estelle suddenly wanted to throw both of them out of the car!


    He decided to throw the problem back at them. "So where are you two going to stay?"


    Nicole was silent for a moment before saying, "I have another ce. Let''s go there."


    Leighton pouted, "Why didn''t you say so earlier? We''ve wasted so much time."


    Nicole gave him a look. "Someone died in that house."All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Leighton hesitated.


    Nicole smiled sweetly, "If you''re scared, you can stay with Estelle. You two can share a room."


    Leighton couldn''t help but swallow hard but forced himself to say,


    "Estelle has blossomed I''m not going e to be a third wheel. Besides... So what if someone died there? I used to sleep in a graveyard when I was a kid!"


    Nicole noticed his tightly clenched hands and chuckled softly. "Alright, but just so you know, the person who died was hanged. Their eyes bulged, and their tongue stuck out. It wasn''t a pretty sight. I hope that doesn''t scare you."


    Leighton''s expression faltered. He cursed silently but had toain his bravado. "So what Ive bodies that have been in the water for three days. Are you sure it''s not you who''s scared?"


    Nicole just smiled at him without responding and then gave Estelle the address.


    The further they drove, the more remote it became. Even though there were cars passing by, it felt deserted to Leighton.


    Seeing some lights ahead, Leighton asked, "Are we there?"


    Nicole replied, "No, that''s the crematorium.

 Chapter 2306

    Chapter 2306


    Leighton was speechless.


    After ten minutes, the car finally came to a stop.


    The house was a vi, but the entire vi area had been abandoned previously. The developer went bankrupt, and the assets were liquidated. A few years ago, a new developer took over andpleted the final touches, finally making it avable for use. However, this ce was quite remote, and being close to the crematorium, property prices had sharply declined. There were listings everywhere online, offering low prices. Those purchasing vis here were generally not short of money. Due to the unfavorable location of this house, not many people chose to live here.


    The house was far from the city center, and with the overcast sky, darkness had already descended by the time they arrived. There were scarcely any lights on the road. Leighton nced out the window, observing the willows casting eerie shadows under the dim streetlights. The more he stared, the more unsettled he felt. Quickly averting his gaze, he sat up straight.


    The car halted in front of a pitch-ck vi. Nicole turned to him and said," Get out, we''re here."


    Leighton grunted in response and opened the door, stepping out of the car. He took two steps and suddenly remembered he hadn''t brought any spare clothes. He intended to ask Estelle for help in bringing a set, but as he turned around, he saw Estelle driving off as if he were being pursued by wolves, without a word.


    Leighton was left dumbfounded.


    As he followed Nicole into the house, Leighton continued to mutter to himself. "That coward, just fled! At his age, he''s still a chicken! He needs to muster some courage and face his girlfriend!"


    Nicole entered the password, and the lock clicked open. Before pushing the door open, she turned to Leighton and said, "Let me record your fingerprint. If you ever encounter trouble and have nowhere to go,e here. There aren''t many people around. The residents are mostly retired, leading peaceful lives. They don''t know any celebrities, so you won''t have to worry about being recognized."


    Initially, Leighton wanted to decline, saying, "No need, I have my own ce. " However, realizing that his residence had been exposed, he probably couldn''t stay there anymore. Buying a new one would entail paying a hefty penalty fee, which he couldn''t afford. After some consideration, he reluctantly said, "I won''t stay for free. I''ll pay you rent for however long I stay."


    Nicole nced at him as if he were foolish and said indifferently, "As you wish."


    After recording his fingerprint, Nicole finally turned the doorknob.


    Inside the house, there was a musty smell, and barely any light filtered through.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Nicole fumbled around for a while but couldn''t find the switch. Realizing that she didn''t frequent this ce, she took out her phone and turned on the shlight, intending to locate the switch. However, as soon as the shlight illuminated the room, Leighton vaguely saw a figure rushing toward them. His hair stood on end, and in a daze, he seemed to envision a ghastly hanged ghost, its tongue protruding and its foot-long nails reaching out to strangle him. Almost instinctively, he pulled Nicole toward him and kicked out at the dark figure.


    There was a thud as something heavy fell to the ground, followed by Sman a muffled groan from a man. Leighton shifted his foot and widened his eyes.


    How could a ghost have a physical form?


    Leighton had acted too swiftly for Nicole to discern anything clearly. She only heard the noise and then directed the shlight toward it, revealing a man in a suit and leather.


    shoes, half kneeling on the ground, groaning in pain and clutching his abdomen.


    She blinked, quickly aimed the light at the location of the switch, and turned on the foyer light.

 Chapter 2307

    Chapter 2307


    Leighton was still trying to wrap his head around how he could have kicked a ghost when the lights flickered on, revealing whaty on the ground. It wasn''t some ghastly hanged specter; it was unmistakably a man.


    His kick had been forceful; the many there clutching his stomach, unable to get up right away. Upon seeing the light, he didn''t bother lifting his head, but clenched his teeth and said coldly, "Nicole, you''ve really outdone yourself this time!"


    Leighton was speechless.


    What was this thing? Why did it speak so disgustingly? It was even more repulsive than the lines he delivered as a boss character.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Nicole furrowed her brow. "What are you doing here?"


    "How did I end up here? Who else has the power to make mee to this dump- "The man paused, then nced toward the foyer. When his eyes met Leighton''s, his voice abruptly trailed off, and he frowned. "You brought someone else?"


    Nicole replied calmly, "He''s not someone else; he''s my boyfriend." Then she introduced Leighton, "This is Kaden Brooks."


    She leaned close to Leighton''s ear and whispered, "He''s the son of my stepfather I mentioned earlier."


    Kaden propped himself up and stood, staring at Leighton with a stern expression.


    The other man''s face was somewhat pale; Leighton knew he had hit him hard. After all, he genuinely thought it was some hanged ghost and had used almost all his strength to kick the person away. It was probably going to hurt for a few days.


    Feeling somewhat apologetic about his kick, Leighton reached out his hand to greet the man.


    Kaden averted his gaze and didn''t respond. With a cold face, he said to Nicole, "This is the Brook family''s house. Why did you bring a wild man here?"


    Leighton''s eyelid twitched. He should have kicked him harder! What kind of nonsense was this? He had been formally introduced! Kaden was the wild one! Their whole family was a bunch of wild ones!


    Nicole gave him a nce. "This house was given to me by my father. It''s in my name, and I have the freedom to bring whoever I want here. You''re the one trespassing."


    Kaden sneered, "Just because it''s in your name doesn''t mean it''s yours. My dad didn''t sign any transfer documents. As long as the Brook family wants it back, we can reim it anytime!"


    Nicole pursed her lips. "As long as Uncle doesn''t ask for it back, it''s mine."


    Kaden mocked, "You''re as insatiable as your shameless mother!"


    This seemed to hit a nerve with Nicole; her face suddenly turned somewhat pale.


    Leighton couldn''t stand seeing her like this, being so weak in front of this disgusting man. How could she be so cowardly infront of M someone who spoke so disgustingly? He could tolerate being ridiculed by Nicole, but he couldn''t tolerate Nicole being bullied into silence by a man who spoke so disgustingly! It made him lose face, worse than this disgusting creature!


    "Is this house worth five million? With renovations, over six hundred thousand?" Leighton suddenly spoke, "She attends events where the sponsored jewelry alone costs more than this. How can you use her of being insatiable for epting this rundown house from your stingy family?


    How did you decide she''s insatiable? Isn''t it because she''s being considerate to you that she epted it? otherwise, who would want this rundown house?"


    Kaden''s face suddenly darkened. "What are you, and what does it have to do with me talking to her?"


    Leighton was the type who only respected strength and was uncouth. Upon hearing this, he sneered m directly, "I''m her boyfriend, so her business is my business! If you can''t stand your stepmother, make your dad divorce her! You can''t win against your dad, so you''re picking on a woman-what kind of skill is that?"

 Chapter 2308

    Chapter 2308


    Kaden visibly bristled at Leighton''s words, taking a full two seconds topose himself before responding, his face contorted with anger. "Who do you think you are? What do you know about her and me?"


    Leighton silently mused, "I couldn''t care less about their dynamic, but if a woman who can handle me is getting bullied by someone else, how embarrassing would that be if it got out? I need to assert myself in front of this domineering guy so she knows I''ve got her back-it''s not that I can''t hold my own against her, but I''m cutting her some ck because she''s a woman."


    Leighton impatiently retorted, "You talk too much! Wrap it up and get lost already. A non-blood-rted big brother hanging around his stepsister''s ce in the dead of night- even if she''s okay with it, I''m not!"


    Since Leighton joined the conversation, Nicole remained silent. She stood there, observing Leighton with a peculiar expression, and even at thest sentence, a hint of amusement flickered in her eyes, tinged with a hint of indulgence.


    Already seething with anger, Kaden''s fury intensified at the sight of Nicole''s expression toward Leighton. His tone turned even colder and harsher." Idiot! You''re just some amusement for her, and yet you think highly of yourself! Surrounded by scandal, everyone else avoids you, but she brings you here to hide out. Do you really think she cares for you? It''s just guilt for causing all this. She knows that this is my way of forcing her toe home. She''s that kind of woman, heartless to the core!"


    Leighton''s expression darkened immediately. He flung his coat to the ground and seized the man''s cor, delivering a solid punch. "So, you''re the troublemaker here! Do I even know you? You piece of crap!"


    He was about tond another blow.


    Leighton, tall and muscr from regr workouts, possessed strength to spare,pletely overpowering Kaden''s frail physique. Nicole promptly intervened, grabbing Leighton''s hand. "That''s enough, stop it!"


    Still simmering with rage, Leighton red at Nicole, growing even angrier." Did you hear what this guy said? Right now, thanks to him, I''m getting hounded by the paparazzi and cursed by the entire inte! Didn''t you hear? n


    "I heard, and..." Nicole paused, her lips pursed. "I also know it was him."


    "Then why are you stopping me?!"


    Nicole hesitated before replying, "I''ll apologize on his behalf andpensate you, but you can''ty a hand on him anymore."


    Leighton looked at her incredulously, his expression briefly turning sour. He stepped back, shooting Nicole a cold look. "Just take it as me meddling then!"


    With that, he turned on his heel and stormed away in anger.


    Nicole averted her gaze, assessing Kaden. "You should get yourself checked at the hospital. He''s young, and he didn''t hold back."Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Kaden had a fresh injury on his face, with a hint of blood at the corner of his mouth. He brushed Nicole''s hand away. "This is all your fault!" Then, adopting a haughty stance, he nced at her. "Let''s go. You drive."


    Nicole remained calm. "You can go by yourself or have your assistant apany you. Send me the medical billter, and I''ll reimburse you. My boyfriend has a short temper; I apologize on his behalf."


    Kaden was momentarily taken aback by the mention of "my boyfend." His expression gradually darkened.


    "Nicole! You''re something else!"


    With that, Kaden stormed out, mming the door behind him.


    Nicole stood still for a moment, stooping to retrieve Leighton''s Com discarded coat. She dialed Leighton''s number on her phone, only to hear vibrations emanating from the coat pocket in her hand.


    Setting down her phone, she reached into Leighton''s pocket and retrieved his vibrating phone.


    Nicole exited the room.


    The residential area boasted lush greenery even before the onset of om summer, with dim streetlights making it hard to discern humans from animals from a distance often meters.

 Chapter 2309

    Chapter 2309


    She had nearlypleted a loop around the entire vi area when she finally spotted Leighton, sitting all alone in the children''s y area, his gaze fixed on the rocking horse that had been the center of kids'' attention.


    With hardly any children in the neighborhood, the y area stood deserted, devoid of any activity.


    Leighton''s long legs made him appear rather awkward sitting there. Half of his face was obscured by shadows, lending him a deste air, like a forsaken puppy, pitiful and alone.


    Having discarded his outerwear, he sported only a thin white short-sleeved T- shirt. As the night''s chill set in, Nicole felt a shiver despite her coat, imagining how ufortable Leighton must be in just a T-shirt.


    He rubbed his arms, seemingly annoyed, and kicked away pebbles at his feet.


    Sensing a presence at his shoulder, Leighton jolted for a moment, then nced up to find Nicole standing beside him with a warm smile, whispering, "Let''s go inside; it''s getting cold out here."


    Suddenly, Leighton felt a surge of injustice.


    Even when Noah Hall had wet his bed and he took the me, leading everyone to think he was still wetting himself in his teens, it didn''t feel as unjust as it did now.


    Why was it such a big deal that he punched that obnoxious, bossy guy who had made the first move on him? Who asked her to apologize for him?


    Who asked her to make up for it? It made it seem like he was the one at fault, when it was clearly the bossy guy''s fault!


    Leighton was livid. He turned his head stubbornly. "I don''t need you to meddle!"


    Nicole whispered, "I''m not stopping you from defending yourself. He''s had heart surgery and is still on medication. If yound a punch now and seriously injure him, what then? Are you willing to jeopardize your career and future for him?"


    Leighton hesitated, his words faltering before he murmured softly, "You didn''t tell me."


    Nicole chuckled softly. He had acted so swiftly she hadn''t had the chance to exin. This argument probably didn''t make much sense to him either, judging by how subdued his voice had be.


    Nicole, unusually patient, said gently, "It''s my fault. I didn''t exin it clearly."Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Taking the opportunity, the top-tier male god cleared his throat lightly and chimed in, "It''s not entirely your fault. me it on that bossy guy with a big mouth!"


    "Bossy guy?"


    Nicole looked puzzled.


    Leighton rified, "Your cheap brother. Don''t you find his way of speaking disgusting? He''s just like those bosses in those dramas."


    Always acting superior, speaking in a domineering manner, constantly spouting bossy lines, oily and disgusting.


    Nicole found it amusing. "I hadn''t noticed until you pointed it out, but tout, but now that you mention it, I guess he is a bit like that. Maybe he''s been like that since he was young, and I''ve just grown ustomed to it."


    Leighton sneered, "No wonder he bullies you, jerk!"


    Feeling a twinge of irritation, Nicole resisted the urge to snap back m Seeing Leighton shivering like this, she decided to be forgiving today and let it


    slide. She simply reached out and patted Leighton''s shoulder. "Let''s go."


    Leighton donned his coat and rose to his feet, buttoning it up as he om sneezed. Then he grumbled he discontentedly, "Why did it take you so long to find me? I''m almost freezing to death!"

 Chapter 2310

    Chapter 2310


    Nicole remarked, "You ran quite a distance, and I had to wander around searching for you for what felt like ages."


    Leighton, with a hint of discontent, retorted, "I was just behind your house. Who do you think you''re kidding?"


    Nicole was surprised, "I thought you headed toward the main gate, so I searched for you along the main road. I never imagined you could circle around the back. I ended up walking in the wrong direction and making a full circle before I finally found you."


    Leighton felt a bit relieved and quipped, "Who would''ve guessed you''d be this clueless? Why didn''t you check the ces with seating first?"


    As for Nicole... She did indeed check ces with chairs. Who would''ve thought he''d end up in the children''s area with his long limbs?


    "Wait, if I hadn''t found you, were you nning on spending the whole night there?"


    Leighton shot her a re. "If you had made me wait all night, I would''ve tweeted tomorrow using you of cheating with a college student! Trying to frame me for infidelity, setting a trap for me to fall into!"


    Nicole chuckled softly, "Your brain certainly has its moments. It grows back when you least expect it."


    After a brief pause, she inquired, "You seemed really angry just now. I thought you had left."


    Leighton nced at her sideways, My clothes were at your ce, my phone was in my clothes. Where else could I have gone?"


    Furthermore, hearing her mention that the bossy guy had a heart condition, his anger subsided. If Nicole hadn''t intervened just now and he had seriously hurt the guy, he wouldn''t have been able to handle the consequences.


    Feeling somewhat relieved after venting, Leighton asked, "Did the bossy guy leave?"


    "He''s gone."N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    "Good riddance!"


    Leighton snorted and queried again, "You''re notcking in funds to buy a house, so why bother with their house and endure their attitude?"


    Nicole calmly responded, "It was a gift from the elders, not something easy to turn down."


    She didn''t want to dwell on it further, but Leighton could sense from her tone that this matter might not be so straightforward.


    Changing the subject swiftly, Nicole asked, "How did the contract termination negotiations go?"


    At the mention of this, Leighton''s expression turned cold. "Either I continue with the contract, doing mew shows or variety program''s to En promote new talents for thepany, or I suspend all my work until the contract expires.


    Alternatively, I pay a penalty of 230 million for my freedom."


    Nicole''s eyelid twitched. "230 million? Do you even earn 200 million?"


    She had never heard of such a hefty penalty since entering the industry.


    Leighton remained silent, evidently not.


    Most of the money he earned was invested in his small gamingove mention 230 million, he couldn''t evene up with 23 million at once without asking his family for help.


    "Did you inform your family about it?"


    "Why should I?" Leighton frowned, "This is my own business."


    His father had always hoped he would fail in the entertainment industry, return home with his tail between his legs, and resume m


    studying to be a doctor. If he softened now and sought help from his family, wouldn''t he have to abide by their decisions in the future? Choosing a girlfriend, having children, deciding their education-all dictated by the family. He had finally gained the right to make his own choices, and until the very end, he wouldn''t seek his family''s advice on anything.

 Chapter 2311

    Chapter 2311


    Nicole inquired, "So, which option are you leaning toward?"


    Leighton hesitated, weighing his choices.


    Opting for the first one would entail assisting thepany in promoting new talents. While he didn''t mind mentoring neers, he found thepany''s various publicity tactics distasteful.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Previously, they had gone to great lengths to pair him with an actor two years his junior, arranging for the actor to join the same cast and assigning her the role of an assistant, always at his side. The actor obediently followed thepany''s instructions, behaving particrly intimately with him on set, fetching drinks or snacks. Even after shooting a rain scene, the actor brought him a towel and a hand warmer.


    Leighton remained oblivious, sensing nothing awry throughout the filming process.


    It wasn''t until the drama aired, and the ''rtionship'' between him and the new actor began trending, that things became clear. During public events, friends teased, "Are you two an item? Your eye contact in the video makes it seem so." Leighton waspletely baffled, notprehending their implications.


    His friends assumed he was pretending and showed him screenshots of fan edits, where fans interpreted every tweet timing and every coincidental schedule ovep as evidence of a romantic rtionship. For instance, in one video, they shared a sip from the same coffee cup, leading fans to specte about indirect kissing.


    There were numerous other "sweet moments," such as using the same towel or wearing the same jacket. Particrly noteworthy was when the new actor identally liked a fan''sment under Leighton''s post, insinuating a romantic connection.


    The new actor had posted a birthday tweet, showcasing one of the gifts-a scarf. It happened to resemble the one Leighton had been spotted wearing a couple of days earlier.


    This prompted ament from a follower, "Is that a couples'' scarf from so -and- so?" The new actor mistakenly liked thement before retracting it.


    Some "fans" were quick to screenshot the incident, sparking a frenzy among couple enthusiasts, leading many in the industry to believe Leighton was genuinely attracted to men.


    Estelle caught wind of it before Leighton did and immediately approached thepany. However, they dismissed his concerns and instructed him to keep an eye on Leighton without intervening.


    Estelle realized it was a publicity stunt orchestrated by thepany, leveraging Leighton''s "bromance" to boost their poprity.


    Estelle was furious. While such tactics weren''t umon, they usually involved mutual agreements between both parties'' teams and were used by actors trying to break into the mainstream with unconventional roles. Leighton didn''t need this- he was already a sensation from a talent show, with a fan base built on authenticity. Such publicity would only alienate his fans.


    They were essentially trying to bleed Leighton dry, using star-making tactics to create another A-lister.


    Estelle couldn''t afford to offend his superiors and didn''t want to keep tq Leighton in the dark. He was struggling to find the right words when Leighton found out on his own.


    He didn''t even acknowledge Estelle, simply unfollowed the new actor and posted a tweet, showcasing his own scarf with the caption, My mom knitted this."


    Couple enthusiasts felt duped and expressed disappointment and m


    usations of heartlessness toward himon twitter, even though he hadn''t done anything, inexplicably bing the viin.


    Leighton, resolute, retweeted a post about Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that, in one case om mentioned in the tweet, infected a man who had secretly used utensils previously used by a woman he admired.


    Underneath the educational tweet, the top-likedment read, "This bacteria is impressive. It truly knows how to get things moving."

 Chapter 2312

    Chapter 2312


    Leighton posted two Facebook updates, directly shattering the fans'' faith.


    He openly rejected the CP (Couple Pairing) on the entire inte, he faced a barrage of disappointed fans calling him a scumbag, while his solo fans fought back fiercely, causing a huge online sh.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    At this moment, the new actor did something bold-he deleted the Facebook post where he showed off a scarf and posted a new one: "If I stand high enough, does that mean I have the right to stand beside you?"


    Posting such an ambiguous Facebook at this time ledizens to naturally interpret it as Leighton being afraid to admit his love, fearing it would affect his career, so he dumped the other person and even used his fame to attack him.


    Half of the CP fans unfollowed, while the other half became solo fans of the new actor, furiously insulting Leighton online.


    Leighton''s solo fans didn''t take it lying down; they dug up and posted the actor''s history of bullying ssmates before his debut. However, because the victims feared it would affect their lives, many photos couldn''t be posted, so the actor kept denying it.


    Taking advantage of the heated discussions involving Leighton, the actor''s poprity soared,nding him numerous variety show appearances and movie deals. His agency considered him a rising superstar and wanted to use this momentum to grab resources from Estelle.


    The most infuriating part was that this bully even shot a public service advertisement against school bullying.


    Just when everything seemed to be going well, a video from a film set leaked. The video showed the follow-up to when he "unintentionally" shared a coffee cup with Leighton on the same set.


    After finishing his makeup, he took a wet wipe from his assistant and wiped his mouth with a frown, asking the assistant, "Did you get the shot? Don''t make me drink from that again, it''s disgusting."


    The video was so clear that even their conversation was audible,pletely shattering the CP fans'' illusions.


    All the supposed romantic nces and scumbag usations were exposed as premeditated publicity stunts. And the other party refused to cooperate with the scheme, instead trying to smear Leighton in return.


    Once the truth came out, the actor was bombarded with so much criticism that he had to close his Facebookments.


    Then, the bullying victim from back then opened an ount and detailed their horrific experiences with this "new superstar," describing the cruel and vicious bullying that left him unable to hold a pen with his right hand, which was a big deal since he was an artist.


    More victims and witnesses came forward to speak out.


    Coincidentally, just as this bullying incident topped the trending searches, a teen murder case caused by school bullying emerged. Since the perpetrators were minors, their identities were not disclosed, but public outrage was intense and unrelenting.


    The new actor with a history of bullying became the outlet for this anger, and the whole inte called for a ban on entertainers with bullying backgrounds.


    Ultimately, the actor''s ount was suspended, and all his works were removed from the inte, ending his career.


    When mentioning this incident, Leighton had no interest in mentoring neers.


    It wasn''t that he hated neers, but he was disgusted by thepany''s tactics.


    Having suffered once, he was naturally unwilling to cooperate. If he paid the penalty for breach of contract, thepany wouldn''t let him off easily, which was why they demanded an exorbitant 230 million.


    If he went to court, it would be a never-ending hassle, If he paused his work, his contraet still had nearly a year left.


    A year without exposure would essentially limit his reach, as the m entertainment industry changes rapidly. Not appearing for a year could leave him irrelevant by the time he returned.


    Most importantly, how would he endure this year?


    Nicole asked again, "Which option do you want to choose?"


    Leighton didn''t answer but asked her, "If it were you, what would you choose?"


    Nicole smiled, "I would choose to mentor neers. I wouldn''t turn down money, and no one cares about my scandals. But you''re different. Without solid footing in the industry, your scandals are what keep the paparazzi fed. Any bit of dirt can destroy you."


    Leighton was stunned, "So you want me to take a year off?"


    "Don''t you want to?"


    Leighton didn''t respond.

 Chapter 2313

    Chapter 2313


    Nicole changed her approach, ¡°Are you avoiding this option because you¡¯re afraid your poprity will drop while you¡¯re on break?¡±


    Leighton nodded, then shook his head, finally saying after a while, ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do if I wasn¡¯t working.¡±


    Since his debut, he hadn¡¯t had much of a break. Suddenly being without work made him feel lost, and he feared his dad might mock him.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Nicole suggested, ¡°Go back to school. You¡¯re still so young; it¡¯s never toote to do anything. If you want to have a longsting career in this industry, you need the confidence to stand on stage. No one is born an actor. Most of the best acting teachers in the country are at Rivera Drama Academy. You need to study acting systematically and see firsthand the skills of the older generation of actors. That¡¯s something you rarely get to experience outside.¡±


    Nicole¡¯s words cut through the fog in Leighton¡¯s mind, making him realize that going back to school was an option.


    His dream had been to get into Rivera Drama Academy, which was one reason he had taken a break from school.


    He was discovered by a talent scout and stumbled into the entertainment industry in a different role.


    But acting was something that, unless you had extraordinary talent, was hard to master without proper training.


    Even he could feel his acting bing formic.


    The audience could tell if the acting was good or not, but a good acting teacher could precisely point out the ws and guide improvement.


    A spark of excitement appeared in Leighton¡¯s eyes, though he was a bit hesitant. ¡°Can I get in?¡±


    Nicole replied, ¡°Did you cheat to get over 600 points in the college entrance exam?¡±


    Leighton was speechless.


    He gritted his teeth, ¡°I earned those scores fair and square!¡±


    Nicole said, ¡°If you¡¯re not afraid of the academic exams, why worry about the art exams?¡±


    ¡°But the art exams for this year ended a few days ago. I¡¯d have to wait until next year.¡±


    He didn¡¯t need that much time to prepare.


    ¡°I have some connections that can help you get an additional exam. But the additional exam has very few candidates, uses backup exam questions, and the grading is much stricter.¡±


    Leighton snorted, ¡°The strong never fear the environment.¡±


    Nicole teased, ¡°The strong also ride kiddie rides?¡±


    Leighton red at her.


    Nicole bent down and handed him a


    pair of slippers. ¡°Since you can¡¯t go


    out these days, I¡¯ll help you prepare. I guarantee you¡¯ll pass the art exam.¡±


    The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there!


    Leighton said, ¡°Your acting is so bad, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t pass. Better find me an acting teacher.¡±


    Nicole picked up a nearly dead cactus and poked Leighton¡¯s foot with it.


    Leighton jumped back in pain, clutching his foot, grimacing,


    ¡°You¡¯re so petty! Can¡¯t even take a joke!¡±


    Nicole put down the cactus, pped


    her hands, and nced at him. ¡°You¡¯re staying in my house now. Think before you speak. If you make me mad, I have plenty of ways to deal with you.¡± The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there!


    Leighton gritted his teeth. ¡°Viper!¡±


    Nicole raised an eyebrow, and


    Leighton instantly shut up, changed his shoes, and followed Nicole, grumbling, ¡°Your family caused all this trouble for me. Don¡¯t your feel any guilt?¡± The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there!


    Nicole replied nonchntly as she walked up the stairs, ¡°I do.¡±

 Chapter 2314

    Chapter 2314


    Leighton grumbled, ¡°Then why did you hit me? Do you have any conscience?¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Nicole said, ¡°The cactus is dried up; the spines fall off with a touch. It didn¡¯t even prick you, so stop whining.¡±


    ¡°It still hurts! You poked the sole of my foot, and the skin there is so tender! N


    Leighton followed her, mumbling, ¡°My foot hurts every time I go up the stairs now.¡±


    Nicole stopped and turned her head. ¡°Want me to carry you up?¡±


    Leighton was taken aback. ¡°What?¡±


    Nicole pretended to move toward him as if to carry him.


    Leighton jumped away in a hurry. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Nicole clicked her tongue, ¡°See, you can still run and jump.¡±


    Leighton was speechless once more.


    His expression shifted several times before he finally yelled, ¡°Cunning!¡±


    Nicole¡¯s head injury was still hurting, and she didn¡¯t want to tease him anymore.


    She went upstairs, opened a guest room for him,id out a new nket, and said with a yawn, ¡°You¡¯ll have to make do here for tonight. I¡¯ll arrange for someone to clean tomorrow. The bathroom is over there, and my room is next door. I¡¯m going to sleep now.¡±


    Before Leighton could say anything, she was already leaving.


    Leighton called after her, ¡°Where¡¯s the washing machine?¡±


    ¡°On the first-floor balcony.¡± Nicole replied and then left.


    Leighton looked around the room.


    Besides a bed and a cab, there was almost nothing else.


    It seemed like no one had ever stayed there.


    Before showering, he called his mom to let her know he was safe, then went to wash up.


    After drying off, he wrapped a towel around his waist and peeked out of his room.


    The door to the adjacent room was closed with no lighting through; Nicole seemed to be asleep.


    He grabbed his clothes and, despite being nearly six foot three, tiptoed downstairs.


    His clothes had been dirtied earlier, and they smelled bad.


    He needed to wash and dry them so he¡¯d have something to wear the next day.


    Setting the washer to wash and dry, he sat on the sofa, ying on his phone while waiting.


    Before he knew it, it waste at night. Leighton was so sleepy that his phone fell on his face three times before he finally dozed off.


    Nicole woke up in the middle of the night from the pain of her wound. She felt hot, her head and body ached, and she suspected she had a fever.


    After lying there for a while to gather her strength, she got up to boil some water.


    Downstairs, she heard a faint noise in the pitch-dark living room. Following the sound, she saw a faint lighting from the sofa. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there!


    Frowning, she turned on the living room light and saw Leighton, wrapped in a towel, fast asleep on the sofa.


    His phone was still ying short videos about the art exams. Dedicated kid.


    Nicole put the water on to boil, then dragged herself upstairs to get a nket.


    Leighton, normally so stern and aloof, always acting cool with his idol image, actually slept quite peacefully. The sofa was small, and he nearly filled it, one leg stretched out, the other bent, his left arm resting on his abdomen, and his right arm hanging off the side. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there!


    The towel was loosely draped around his waist, exposing his well-toned muscles.


    Drowsily, Nicole remembered how two years ago, when they had worked together, he was still anky teenager. Tall, but skinny.


    The director had bluntly said that his height made it hard to pair him with actresses, and he looked like a scrawny chick, not the type anyone would like. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there!


    Leighton had turned pale at that.


    Looking at his clearly defined muscles now, Nicole thought he must have shown some real determination and perseverance.

 Chapter 2315

    Chapter 2315


    One had to admit, his figure was incredibly photogenic; no wonder his fans were so devoted. As Nicole thought this, she unfolded the nket to cover Leighton. When she pulled it over his shoulder, Leighton suddenly opened his eyes.


    He looked at Nicole in confusion, then abruptly woke up and instinctively pushed her away, angrily saying, "Why are you scaring people in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?!"


    Leighton clumsily grabbed the nket and wrapped it around himself, irritated by Nicole''sck of boundaries. After a moment of silence from her, he looked up to see Nicole lying unconscious on the floor, her face pale. His expression changed.


    Keegan Kane received Leighton¡¯s call in the middle of the night.


    He carefully moved Ste Hall¡¯s hand off his chest, tucked her in, and quietly left the bed with his phone.


    By the time they had settled Nicole into Rotona Pinnacle Hospital, it was already past five in the morning.


    She had fallen ill from abination of her injury, catching a cold, and being overworked from her busy shooting schedule without proper rest.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    It was the first time Leighton had seen someone faint from a fever, and it had scared him quite a bit.


    The doctor exined that her fainting wasn¡¯t due to the fever but exhaustion. She was sleeping now and would wake up naturally once she had rested enough. The fever-reducing shot had already been administered, so her fever would subside when she woke up.


    Leighton breathed a sigh of relief. As he left the room, he saw Keegan, who had been helping with all the hospital admission procedures. Sincerely, he said, "Thanks, brother-inw."


    This "brother-inw" made Keegan feel very pleased. He thought, "Younger brothers-inw are indeed more lovable; the older brother-inw¡¯s approval is much harder to earn."


    He patted Leighton on the shoulder and said warmly, ¡°We''re family, no need to be so formal."


    Keegan casually asked, "Did you only contact me? You didn¡¯t tell Trevor?"


    Mentioning Trevor Saun, Leighton snorted, ¡°If I told him, he¡¯d spend half an hour lecturing me before doing anything. He¡¯s more like my dad than my actual dad.¡±


    Keegan nodded. "He''s older; it¡¯s hard for him to rte to US.¡±


    Leighton was speechless.


    The two weren¡¯t that far apart in age, were they?


    Leighton added, "Brother-inw, you could have just sent someone to help me bring her to the hospital."


    He felt a bit guilty about Keegan running around with him, considering Keegan was his cousin¡¯s ex-husband.


    Keegan thought, "No way, this is a rare chance to show my worth to my wife¡¯s family; I have to be hands-on!"


    But Keegan said, "It¡¯s the middle of the night; I didn¡¯t want to disturb anyone else. Besides, I wouldn¡¯t feelfortable leaving your issue to someone else." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there!


    Leighton was very touched and said earnestly, "Brother-inw, no matter who my cousin chooses as her husband in the future, you¡¯ll always be the only brother-inw in my heart." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there!


    Keegan¡¯s eyelid twitched.


    This younger brother-inw had been very clear-headed; he had even deleted and blocked Keegan when he found out he had forgotten Ste due to amnesia. Later, Keegan had managed to reconnect by using work as an excuse and some subtle maneuvering. Recently, he¡¯d been diligently sending daily greetings and coffee to Leighton on set, which finally paid off when Leighton called him for help. The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there!


    It was just a pity that Leighton¡¯s nutrition seemed to all go to his physique, leaving his brain a bit undernourished.


    Although Keegan hadn¡¯t explicitly stated it, his hints had been obvious. Yet Leighton still believed Keegan was suffering from amnesia.


    But did he say "chooses"?


    Keegan suddenly felt uneasy and casually asked, "So, it sounds like Ste is already considering marriage candidates?"

 Chapter 2316

    Chapter 2316


    Leighton now saw Keegan through the lens of a brother.


    Keegan had helped him fix bugs in his gamepany, taken him to the hospital in the middle of the night, and even arranged for fish soup to be deliveredte at night. Compared to Trevor, who was always causing trouble, Keegan was a thousand times better! So, when Keegan asked, Leighton spilled everything.


    "It''s not Ste, it''s those aunts and uncles. After you had your ident, a lot of people started approaching my parents to introduce suitors for her, all from the capital."


    Leighton''s mom was famous in the capital years ago, and people still remembered her beauty. With such good genes, many wanted to marry into the Hall family.


    When Keegan''s fate was uncertain, matchmakers started to get restless. After Keegan returned with amnesia, people openly sent profiles of eligible young men to Leighton''s parents.


    At first, his parents didn''t dare mention it to Ste. But after three months with no sign of Keegan''s memory returning, and given how impressive some of the suitors were, they started secretly pushing people to Ste.


    As Keegan listened, his face darkened. Justst week, he had sent a Luna to Leighton''s grandparents through Leighton''s father, who had thanked him kindly while secretly ying matchmaker behind his back.


    Keegan kept his emotions in check and asked calmly, "When did your parents start introducing suitors to your cousin?"


    Leighton thought for a moment and said, "At least half a month ago. My mom mentioned it to me over a week ago. She''s been giving Ste their WhatsApp contacts so that they can chat directly."


    Keegan''s face turned even greener.


    Half a month... and they added each other on WhatsApp!


    Great! She hadn''t mentioned a word about this to him, despite sleeping next to him every night! Her lips were sealed tighter than a spy¡¯s!


    He was fed up with pretending to have amnesia. It was bad enough that her family thought he was a jerk, but now his wife was secretly "dating" behind his back!


    Looking at his clear-eyed brother-inw, Keegan took a deep breath and asked, "Do you know the matchmaker your parents used?"


    Leighton replied honestly, "Yes, it''s my childhood friend''s mom."


    Keegan, with a friendly tone, said, "I have a good friend, about my age, divorced, no kids. Ask the matchmaker to introduce him to her."


    Leighton looked at him in shock, finally saying, "Brother-inw, aren''t you afraid you''ll regret this once you get your memory back?"


    Keegan, looking at him like a child, said earnestly, "It''s fine. My friend is a good person. If ites to that, I''ll be at peace knowing she''s with someone decent." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there!Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Leighton, conflicted, said, "But Ste is pregnant with your child. Won''t your friend mind?"


    Keegan replied, "He won''t mind. He doesn¡¯t n on having kids himself. If raising a child is too much for them, I can help out." The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there!


    Leighton thought Keegan was truly a stable and understanding man, even in the midst of amnesia.


    He rxed, "Alright, then send me your friend''s WhatsApp and details, and I''ll let the matchmaker know."


    Keegan sincerely said, "Thanks."


    As soon as Keegan left the hospital, he received a friend request on one of Leighton''s secondary WhatsApp ounts from someone named "Prosperous Blossoms," with a note saying, "Are you the one Leighton introduced?" The content is on NovelDrama.Org Read thetest chapter there!

 Chapter 2317

    Chapter 2317


    Keegan epted the friend request from the other party, and "Prosperous Blossoms''1 wasted no time in messaging him, saying, "Young man, send Auntie your photo and personal resume. Miss Hall has high standards, and when ites to marriage, backgroundpatibility has always been crucial. If your qualifications are too different, Auntie might hesitate to rmend you. Even if she does, others might not find you appealing, which could hurt your pride."


    "Alright," Keegan replied promptly.


    Then he inquired, "Auntie, how many potential matches have you introduced to Miss Hall?"


    "About six or seven, I believe," came Prosperous Blossoms'' response.


    Remainingposed, Keegan questioned, "So, none of those six or seven have caught Miss Hall''s interest?"


    "She''s still considering," Prosperous Blossoms rified. "But those young men all have a favorable impression of Miss Hall. They found her quite likable."


    Keegan clicked his tongue thoughtfully, feeling a sense of pride. After all, could anyone he admired not be likable?


    "Hurry and send the information," urged Prosperous Blossoms. "I have ns this afternoon, and I might forget if it takes too long."


    "Alright, Auntie," Keegan assured her.


    Keegan opened the software previously developed by Carter Lowe, selected a style that would appeal to potential wives, and generated an Al photo with a single click. Then, he casually drafted a resume and forwarded it to Prosperous Blossoms.


    Naturally, he didn''t believe Ste would entertain a blind date behind his back. Perhaps she didn''t reject her uncle and aunt''s suggestions because exining his memory recovery wasplicated. Nheless, he was curious about her intentions in entertaining so many suitors. If she hadn''t met any of them yet but still garnered praise, it begged the question: what kind of charm did she possess? He was eager to find out, so he decided to y along.


    "Little Sweet Potato'' leaked the news of Leighton''s sexual harassment, only to face a dramatic turn of events the next day.


    Someizens uncovered "Little Sweet Potato''s" past. She had worked at a club before undergoing stic surgery and was fired due to a drug-rted incident. Later, she was caught selling weight-loss pills with illegal additives online, leading to an 18-month sentence. Post-surgery, she worked as an extra in Hatun and once sneaked into a famous director''s room at midnight...


    Her past was tainted, to say the least.


    Initially defiant, she argued that past mistakes didn''t justify sexual harassment.


    However, she soon deleted her Facebook ount. People then discovered she had been banned from themunity, and by afternoon, her ount was gone, reced only by a police announcement.


    "Little Sweet Potato" was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping.


    It turned out that after Nicole reported her, the police interrogated "Little Sweet Potato." After confessing and providing fingerprints, the police unexpectedly found her fingerprints matched those found at a kidnapping scene eight years ago.


    The kidnapped child had been abused during captivity, resulting in a respiratory infection due to dyed medical treatment, leading to permanent deafness. With this revtion, public anger shifted toward demanding severe punishment for the kidnapper.


    Anyone capable of harming a child had no moralpass. Naturally, her words held no credibility. Com Nevertheless, Nicole had already reported her to the police, and an official investigation would confirm the truth.


    When Ste saw all this at thepany, she felt relieved.


    She anticipated the matter would m drag on for days, but she didn''t expect the whistleblower herself to be a fugitive. She was bold. Wasn''t this the so-called hiding in in sight? N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    As she pondered, her phone rang. "Prosperous Blossoms" sent a photo with an attached resume.


    Ste casually clicked on the photo, then widened her eyes.


    Damn, did her aunt really have such influential connections?


    Prosperous Blossoms: Ste, what do you think of him? If you''re interested, Auntie will give you his number."

 Chapter 2318

    Chapter 2318


    Ste marveled to herself, "Wow, he''s quite something! That nose, those eyes, and that mouth seem tailor-made for me! With looks like his, he could easily rival Keegan when he was in his twenties. If there''s any w, it''s probably that he''s too perfect, which gives off a slightly artificial vibe, like his eyesck sincerity."


    Keegan had the kind of looks that made her fall for him at first sight, especially those expressive eyes; this one was almost there.


    Skimming through the resume briefly, she noted: "Skr Sadler, 28 years old, local to Rivera, master''s graduate, works at Semiconductor Technology in chip design. Isn''t that Keegan''spany?"


    Ste replied, "Auntie, please give me his WhatsApp. I''d like to chat with him."


    Immediately, Prosperous Blossoms sent Skr''s WhatsApp to her.


    A few minutester, Keegan received a friend request, and the profile picture was all too familiar-it was his wife, who was pregnant but not entirely honest.


    He epted her friend request and became part of her contacts list.


    Ste messaged, "Hello, Mr. Sadler, I''m Aunt Jacobsen''s introduction."


    Without missing a beat, Keegan replied to his wife, "Hello, Miss Hall."


    Ste continued, "Aunt Jacobsen said you work at Semiconductor Technology?"


    "Yep," Keegan replied simply.


    Ste asked again, "I heard that thepany has high hiring standards. Mr. Sadler must be quite impressive."


    "It''s alright, nothing too challenging," Keegan replied nonchntly.


    Ste thought to herself, "This guy talks big, but he''s typing away so fast," before replying, "You''re too modest. I have a friend working there too. I heard they''re hiring this year, and the minimum requirement is a master''s from a prestigious university."


    Seemingly unaware of her probing, he asked, "Oh, really? Is your friend also in chip design?"


    Ste, cautious, responded, "I''m not sure, I didn''t ask."


    Keegan, now curious, asked, "What''s your friend''sst name? I have a goodwork at thepany; maybe I know them."


    Ste thought, "He''s so good-looking, but why is he so talkative?" She replied, "We''ll talk about it if we meet."


    Perhaps fearing further questions, Ste quickly redirected, "Mr. Sadler, what are your criteria for a partner?"


    "No specific criteria, as long as she''s pleasant to look at," Keegan replied.


    Ste found his response oddly familiar but didn''t dwell on it. Instead, she continued, "Are there any requirements regarding education, job, or personality?"


    Keegan said, "Education doesn''t have to be too high, just an undergraduate from Trinity University. Regarding work, it''s best if she''s in Rivera, asional business trips are fine, but she can''t be too far from me. I like someone clingy when in a rtionship, I want to see her all the time. As for personality, I prefer someone who acts one way but thinks another, who can surprise me every day. Even if she''s infuriating, she should also know how to coax me, so she has to be especially good at sweet-talking."


    Ste thought, "Is this guy okay? Trinity University undergraduate isn''t high enough? And she asked about E job type, sry, and benefits, what''s he


    talking about? And as for personality, he wants someone who is double-faced?N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    What kind of weird preference is that?"


    "Aunt Jacobsen really misjudged this time. He looks good on the outside, but he''s he''s not very eloquent. I''m starting to lose interest in chatting with him."


    However, he seemed excited, asking, "Miss Hall, what are your criteria for a partner?"


    Ste summed it up sinctly in six words, "Rich enough to spend as desired."


    Keegan was speechless as he gritted his teeth and typed, "What are your X requirements for education, job, and personality?"


    Ste replied, "Master''s from Trinity University job: CEO of a listedpany, personality: loyal and sincere."


    Keegan was speechless once more.


    It seemed like apliment, yet not quite, leaving him unable to feel entirely happy.

 Chapter 2319

    Chapter 2319


    Ste asked, "Mr. Sadler, would you be interested in joining a singles group I''m part of? It''s amunity of young people, where everyone''s profiles are transparent, and we can chat openly. Later, when we arrange social events, you cane along and see if you''re interested."


    Keegan was confused.


    With a "nothing ventured, nothing gained" mentality, Keegan replied, "Sure."


    So Ste added him to a WhatsApp group named "Socializing Group Seven. It


    Upon entering, the group flooded the chat with "Wee, neer," giving him a warm reception.


    Keegan was pleasantly surprised and responded with an emoji. Then, the group leader-his restless wife-@mentioned everyone with an announcement.


    The announcement contained personal introductions of every group member, except him.


    As Keegan scrolled through, he noticed he was the only male among nine members, with all the others being girls, and everyone worked at Caline.


    While Keegan was still processing this, girls in the group had already started conversing with him.


    A: Mr. Sadler, are you from Rivera? Out of politeness, Keegan replied, "Yes."


    A: How tall are you, if I may ask? Keegan: 187 cm


    B: Wow, quite tall!


    C: Would you be okay with a partner who''s 160 cm tall?


    D: Is it alright if she''s older than you by a year?


    E: I''ve never seen D take the lead in asking a male guest before.


    C: The quality of the male guest this time is exceptional, who wouldn''t want something good?


    D: I''ve been virtuous all my life, I deserve something good!


    A: Ladies, give way for the neer, I''m still single, let me try it out first!


    For a moment, Keegan felt as if he was being pursued and flirted with by a group of girls, trembling with fear.


    What kind of group was this?!


    Terrified, Keegan immediately left the group.


    Thedies were speechless.


    Ste was speechless too.


    B: Ms. Hall, are you messing with US? Ste: This male guest seems a bit shy, let''s not be too forward.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    D: Ms. Hall, how many of these high-quality resources do you have left? Let them all out, we''re eager to find a partner!


    F: Juliette sure acted fast. If I hadn''t been so reserved before, maybe everyone would be toasting at my wedding next year.


    A: I should have dated someone from school. It''s tough finding a partner after graduation, especially with more women than men in ourpany. It''s rare to meet someone with good qualities, like me, who''s looking for the same. None of the introductions from my family have been normal people. Ms. Hall, release all your high-quality resources!


    B:+1


    E:+1


    Ste: Ladies, let''s not get ahead of ourselves, I''ll bring him back!


    The sisters: Our lifelong happiness is in your hands!


    Ste tried to add Keegan back into the group again, but he left instantly, joining and leaving repeatedly. Finally, unable to bear it, Keegan made a phone call.


    Ste answered immediately, not


    wanting to lose this high-quality resourcel Read thetest


    chapter there!


    But as soon as the other person spoke, Ste froze.


    "Ste, it''s me, stop pulling me into the group, I''m scared."


    Ste was speechless.


    She clenched her teeth, "What are you up to?!"

 Chapter 2320

    Chapter 2320


    Feeling overwhelmed by the female spirits of the group and unwilling to lie or provoke his wife''s ire, Keegan opted for honesty and spilled the beans about the entire situation.


    Ste''s expression turned stern. "So you believe I''m secretly going on blind dates behind your back? That''s why you added me on a fake ount, trying to catch me cheating?"


    Keegan promptly refuted, "Absolutely not! How could you ever doubt me?"


    "Then why did you use a fake ount to deceive me?"


    Keegan whispered, "Aunt Jacobsen mentioned you added seven or eight blind date candidates, and I was just curious why."


    Impatiently, Ste retorted, "What else could I do? Didn''t you see? I''m contemting recing you!"


    Keegan, acknowledging his fault, softly apologized, "Ste, I genuinely didn''t doubt you. I was just envious. Your uncle and aunt suggested so many blind date candidates for you, and I realized they don''t favor me much. It hurt my feelings."


    Ste''s anger was calmed by his admission, especially upon hearing "they don''t favor me much," which surprisingly evoked sympathy.


    Sighing, Ste exined, "My uncle and aunt don''t know your memory has returned; they assumed we were done. They don''t dislike you, and those people weren''t introduced by them. I asked them to keep an eye out."


    Puzzled, Keegan asked, "You asked them for help?"


    Ste replied, "Let me show you something."


    Quickly, Ste sent him a recording.


    In the recording, Keegan saw Ste''s WhatsApp with seven "socializing groups," each featuring a "male guest," and the other members were identical to the one he left.


    Ste borated, "Recently, at our department gathering, I met a high school ssmate. After chatting for a while, one of the girls discreetly asked about that male ssmate. So, I gave his WhatsApp to her. They hit it off quickly and are deeply in love. That girl ims I introduced them. Since then, people have been asking me privately for decent men."


    She continued, "Among them are colleagues with high positions, often confined to small circles, making it hard to meet new people. I was concerned about them not getting a chance to interact with men, so I tried introducing men. Money or men, one would surely tempt them, right?"


    "Icked enough eligible men, so I asked my uncle and aunt to help. I''ve connected some decent people, and now some are couples, while others are in the ambiguous stage."


    Ste concluded, "Ever since these


    with


    groups formed, my rtionships w


    ¦Ò¦Ó them have improved Reople would NON?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    even discreetly inform me of any


    movements Darcie has. It proves my n is effective."


    Keegan was momentarily speechless.


    She had mastered the art of


    persuasion, utilizing all means to


    influence people. He recalled ce


    om


    recruiting attractive assistants when starting hispany to lure talent from universities.


    Engineering schools provided an


    abundance of single male students, and hispany thrived. Capitalist O'' persuasion proved useful, but he hadn''t anticipated Ste''s quick and ingenious adaptation.


    Keegan said, "Why didn''t you tell me you were looking for male guests? I could''ve introduced some."


    Ste scoffed, "Aside from work, you avoid acquaintances. Do you, with your social anxiety, have resources?"


    Keegan was struck speechless.

 Chapter 2321

    Chapter 2321


    ¨¬ don''t, but Aldor does. Initially, he found all the blind date candidates for your brother. Whether they were teachers, doctors, or civil servants, he had them, all the types that are popr in the blind date market."


    Ste''s eyes lit up. "Then ask Aldor to find some for me. Between the ages of 25 and 35, no history of marriage, stable job, decent appearance, just send them all my way! Once it''s done,'' I''ll give Aldor a big red packet!"


    Keegan, with a smirk in his eyes, replied, "I''ll talk to himter."


    Aldor Hart, who inexplicably kept sneezing while making amendments on a document for Aurora Kane, suddenly felt a foreboding sensation creeping up his spine. He suddenly felt the urge to take a vacation.


    ncing at the time, Ste whispered, "Wait for me after work today. I''ll take you somewhere."Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan asked, "Is it for my birthday?"


    Ste eximed, feigning annoyance, "Oh,e on! You''re unbelievable! Even if you know, at least pretend you don''t! There''s no sense of anticipation or mystery at all!"


    Keegan chuckled softly, "My bad. Say it again, and I''ll respond properly this time."


    Ste said, "Wait for me after work, I''ll take you somewhere."


    Keegan grinned. "Where? I''m so excited. I can''t wait."


    Ste was speechless.


    "You better be quiet."


    Keegan, still smiling, said, "Even if I can guess, I''m still looking forward to it," then paused for a moment before adding softly, "This is thest birthday we''ll celebrate together, next year it''ll be the four of US, I want to cherish it."


    Ste raised her eyebrows, "No worries, next year we can leave the kids at home and celebrate just the two of us."


    Keegan chuckled, reluctant to hang up. "Okay, get back to work. See youter, Mrs. Kane."


    After hanging up, Ste got busy finishing up her work before leaving for the day.


    On her way downstairs, she bumped into Wren Adkin, who was holding documents justing out of Aubrey Abbott''s office. Seeing Ste, Wren hesitated for a moment, clutching the files tightly, then awkwardly greeted her, "Ms. Hall, hello."


    Ste replied faintly and, as the


    elevator doors opened walked in ve


    without further interaction. The


    content is on !


    Wren stood at the elevator door, hesitating to enter.


    Ste looked up at her. "Which floor are you going to?"


    Wren paused for a moment before subconsciously replying, "Seventh floor."


    Ste pressed the floor button for her, and only then did Wren snap out of it and step inside.


    As the elevator descended, Ste


    didn''t look at her, seeming &


    resent Wren''s prening neither to


    "betrayal" nor


    to care for her as she did before. The


    content is on ! Read


    thetest chapter there!


    Fidgeting with the files in her arms,


    Wren suddenly asked softly, "Ms.n and your driver Hall, isn''t Mr. Bard your driver


    anymore?" The content is on


    !

 Chapter 2322

    Chapter 2322


    This question was indeed quite bold, especially after Wren had "betrayed" her.


    Ste understood why Wren didn''t pursue the issue when she stood up for her. For a girl with no background and a seriously ill family member, this job was crucial. If she didn''t ept the olive branch offered by Darcie Arnold, she would be seen as ungrateful, and her future in thepany would be increasingly difficult.


    Ste knew Wren had her reasons, but she couldn''t help feeling hurt. She wanted to say, "What does that have to do with you?" but seeing the cautious look in Wren''s eyes, she couldn''t help but remember the time she found Wren crying in the bathroom because she couldn''t afford her grandmother''s medical bills.


    Having experienced such helpless moments herself, Ste couldn''t bring herself to say anything too harsh. However, she wasn''t ready to forgive Wren easily either, so she responded with a cold "Hmm."


    Wren''s eyes dimmed. She seemed to want to say something else, but the elevator doors opened and Julia Harper walked in with several colleagues, silencing Wren.


    Julia greeted Ste, then turned to Wren with a teasing tone, "Wren, I heard from your manager that your sry was reissued, and Ms. Arnold even gave you a constion bonus. Isn''t this a blessing in disguise?"


    Ste paused and nced at Wren, who was pale and biting her lip without speaking.


    Julia continued to stir the pot, "Ms. Saun was just joking with you. Who would''ve thought Ms. Hall would take it so seriously? But thanks to Ms. Hall''s seriousness, you got that extra bonus. You really should thank Ms.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Hall."


    Wren''s eyshes fluttered.


    The news of the money Aubrey gave her had already spread throughout thepany. Everyone knew Ste had stood up for her, only to be betrayed. The reason for the money was crystal clear.


    Shame kept Wren from meeting Ste''s eyes.


    Julia smirked and flicked her curls over her shoulder, adopting a tone of earnest advice as she spoke to Ste, ''Ms. Hall, you should be more careful in the future. Being kind to ungrateful people is like feeding a dog for nothing."


    Wren''s face turned ghostly white as she squirmed in difort, while the other colleagues gave her strange looks, their silence speaking volumes.


    Ste looked up at Julia.


    "Are you teaching me how to do my job?"


    Julia''s smile faltered a bit. "No, I was just giving you a heads-up, Ms. Hall."


    Ste''s face remained cold as she


    retorted, "One moment you tell her to


    can''t


    thank me, the next you say I ca §á§â§Ö


    judge people. Is it your brain that''s


    the problem or my ears?"


    Julia''s expression stiffened, and she stammered, "Ms. Hall... that''s not what I meant."


    Julia had assumed Ste would


    despise Wren, and that mockingm Wren in front of Ste would leave a good impression, helping her stay in everyone''s good graces.


    Unlike her aunt Aubrey, who was loyal to Darcie, Julia felt that Darcie was getting old and that Caline would soon be taken over by younger people. Jaylene Saun was timid and not very smart, obedient to Darcie. If something happened to Darcie, Jaylene might not be able to hold onto Caline. The content is on


    ! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    Therefore, Julia wanted to keep a potential ally in Ste. If Jaylene failed to control Caline, Julia would have a backup n.


    However, Ste didn''t y along, leaving Julia no face at all.

 Chapter 2323

    Chapter 2323


    Ste said coldly, "I''m not Jaylene. Don''t try your ttery on me, and don''t me me if my words get harsh."


    Julia''s face turned a mix of green and white. Her lips trembled, but she couldn''t get a word out.


    The elevator arrived at the seventh floor, and Wren, Julia, and the others stepped out. Ste, expressionless, closed the elevator doors.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Once the doors were fully shut, Julia looked up, her face openly showing her resentment. "She just got lucky being born into the right family. People call her Ms. Hall and she really thinks she''s something!''


    A colleague quietly cautioned, "Stop it, someone might hear you."


    Julia dismissed the warning, "Let them hear! Everyone in thepany knows Caline belongs to Ms. Arnold. We''re just humoring Ste by calling her Ms. Hall. Even Wren knows who to listen to. Doesn''t she get it?"


    The colleagues exchanged nces but said nothing.


    Last month''s paychecks showed that employees in Ste''s department received a bit more money. The surprising part was that her department often finished work earlier than others. Rumor had it that Ste changed the bonus distribution. Previously, the supervisor''s bonus was calcted separately, with the rest divided equally among the staff based on attendance. Now, Ste included her bonus in the pool, resulting in her taking less but raising the overall wages for her team.


    In the end, everyone works for their paycheck. Who cares if Ste knows anything about perfumery? What mattered was that she genuinely improved their ie, and this was evident to everyone.


    Especially with the buzz around the "blind date group" she started. She really used her connections to introduce people! Thetest sensation was the photo of a guy named Skr Sadler.


    What bad intentions could Ms. Hall have? She just wanted to help every sister find a home!


    Julia nced at Wren with a sneer. "You have quite the skills. Even after all that, she didn''t take it out on you."


    Wren kept her eyes down, silent and unresponsive.


    A colleague tried to defend her, "Come on, Julia, you know what Wren''s like," which only irritated Julia more.


    A pathetic pauper acting all high and mighty!


    Julia suddenly smiled, finding a target for her frustration.


    "You think she''s so noble now, but she''s just an ungrateful wretch. When her sry wasn''t paid, and her grandmother needed hospital care, it was Ms. Hall who asked Kiara to transfer a hundred thousand to her ount, saving her from


    desperation. Such a lifesaving favor deserves more than just thanks, but what did she do? When Ms. Hall stood up for her, she stabbed Ms. Hall in the back. I was just standing up for Ms. Hall earlier." Read thetest


    chapter there!


    Ste had kept this quiet, respecting Wren''s dignity, so this revtion changed how everyone looked at Wren.


    Ingratitude is always despised, and even those who had defended Wren fell silent.


    Moments ago, Wren was too


    ashamed to look up, but now she stared directly at Julia Goldly saying, "I''ve already repaid the hundred thousand. I never asked her to help me, and I don''t owe her anything. If you want to curry favor with Ms. Hall, don''t use me as your stepping stone!"


    Julia was taken aback, her intentions


    embarrassingly exposed, and sheshed out "Ungrateful wretch! Shut your filthy mouth! Who''s currying favor?''


    "Whoever responds to me is the one."


    Julia, enraged, was about to hit Wren when someone stepped in, stopping her. "What are you two doing?"

 Chapter 2324

    Chapter 2324


    Kiara Lark was the one who stepped in, having just finished her business and witnessing the scene.


    "What are you doing? Fighting in thepany?"


    Julia, still fuming, pushed Kiara away. "Stay out of this. I''m teaching this ungrateful wretch a lesson for Ms. Hall!"


    Wren refused to back down. "Stop using Ms. Hall as a shield! You just want to y both sides, and now that Ms. Hall isn''t buying it, you''re taking it out on me!"


    Julia, fearing that Jaylene might hear this, retorted angrily, "Who''s ying both sides? You ungrateful wretch! You''re the one taking money from Ms. Hall while benefiting from Ms. Arnold! Isn''t that true?"


    Wren responded coldly, "I''ll say it again, I didn''t take Ms. Hall''s money.


    Keep ndering me, and I''ll call the police."


    Kiara tried to mediate, "Alright, both of you, calm down. We''re all colleagues here. Is this really necessary?"


    Julia, emboldened by her aunt Aubrey''s position as Darcie''s confidant, was used to bullying weaker colleagues like Wren. Wren standing up to her in public felt like a personal insult.


    Julia sneered, "Kiara, let her call the police! Do you think I care? Who would want to be friends with a backstabber like her? You wouldn''t even know it if she sold you out someday!"


    Wren''s face turned red with anger, but she didn''t waste words and immediately took out her phone to call the police.


    Kiara quickly intervened, "Enough! This is a workce, not a battleground.


    If you want a judgment, Ms. Arnold is upstairs. Take it to her!"


    This finally calmed them down. Darcie detested internal conflicts, and if this reached her, neither of them would benefit.


    Julia red at Wren, spat out "Just you wait," and left with her files and a few colleagues.


    Kiara turned to Wren, speaking softly, "Wren, what''s going on with you today? You usually ignore people like her."


    Wren pursed her lips. "She''s trying to curry favor with both Ms. Saun and Ms. Hall, using me as a pawn to please Ms. Hall. I won''t y along."


    Kiara hesitated, then said, "Ms. Hall was genuinely kind. When we found you crying in the bathroom, I mentioned it to her. Without hesitation, she asked me to advance you the ten thousand. When I asked why she didn''t approach you herself, she said it would only make things harder for you since you''re already isted because of her."


    Wren, expressionless, replied, "But I ended up being ostracized anyway. If I''d known that money came from her, I would never have taken it. I don''t want to take sides. I just want to earn my sry to pay for my


    grandmother''s treatment. I took that dress to sell it for money. Knowing what I know now, I would never have epted anything from her. Read


    thetest chapter there!


    "People can call me ungrateful or foolish. As long as I keep my job, I don''t care."


    Kiara''s gaze wasplicated. "Wren, you didn''t use to be like this."


    Wren forced a smile. "Kiara, you''ve never been as desperate as I am. You still have a basic sense of morality.


    When you''re so broke that you eat ve expired bread and get dehydrated from diarrhea but can''t afford to see a doctor, you''ll realize that kindness and gratitude mean nothing in the face of poverty. We have to survive before we can think about anything else." The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org!


    Kiara sighed. "Ms. Hall has been really good to you. I''ve never seen her let another employee ride in her car."


    Wren replied coolly, "If I weren''t in the


    finance department she int she wouldn''t


    ever!


    even look at me. I won''t lose sight of who I am over a few small favors."


    Kiara said nothing more, but her disapproving gaze showed she was deeply disappointed in Wren.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

 Chapter 2325

    Chapter 2325


    Wren didn''t say anything more and turned to leave, carrying her files.


    As Ste left thepany, she ran into Larry Bard. He had be a security guard, responsible forpany security and asionally helping park cars. When Ste saw him, he was frowning at his phone. He looked up alertly as someone approached, meeting Ste''s indifferent gaze.


    Larry was taken aback and awkwardly greeted her, "Ms. Hall."


    Ste responded, "They transferred you here?"


    Larry nodded.


    Ste said nothing more. She didn''t ask if he was adapting well or if he was doing a good job. As Keegan had advised, she had to let go of the urge to help others; everyone has their own fate, and she had done all she could.


    She waited with her hands in her coat pockets for Samuel Herston to bring the car from the underground parking lot. Larry stood nearby, fidgeting with his fingers. After a while, he mustered the courage to approach her. "Ms. Hall, this is a drawing my son made. He asked me to give it to you."


    Ste hesitated, then turned to see Larry holding a clean envelope with both hands, offering it to her. She pursed her lips and didn''t move.


    Samuel pulled up in the car. Larry, afraid she wouldn''t take it, hastily said," Ms. Hall, I made a mistake, and I ept my punishment. But this is from my child. He really liked the box of choctes you gave him for his birthday. It was his first birthday present, and he cherished it for a long time. So he drew this picture to express his gratitude. He''s very good at drawing; he''s even won awards. Ms. Hall..."


    Samuel opened the car door and gently called, ''Ms. Hall, let''s go."N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Ste nced at Larry''s pale face, reached out, and took the envelope." Thank him for me," she said softly.


    Without waiting for Larry''s response, she turned and got into the car.


    As the car drove away, Ste picked up the envelope. It was a clean, elegant light green envelope with "To Sister Ste written in pen. The handwriting was still immature, but it showed potential for improvement with time.


    She opened the envelope and found a folded piece of drawing paper, am


    inside. When she unfolded it, she was momentarily stunned. It was a


    painting of a river at night, grand and imposing. The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org!


    Ste had studied painting that featured nature. After a few months of practice, she could easily paint shrimp or orchids. But a night scene like this, without any instruction, would be difficult for a teenager to achieve such a level unless they were exceptionally talented.


    Moreover, the paper and paint used weren''t cheap. Larry, who was urgently saving for his son''s cochlear imnt, must have been cutting back on other expenses.


    A child who could paint nature art so well likely didn''te from an ordinary family.

 Chapter 2326

    Chapter 2326


    Ste suddenly got a strange feeling about Larry.


    Here was a guy with just a middle school education, yet he had impable handwriting. He had a wife with mental health issues and a son with hearing impairment, and he was the sole provider for the family. And yet, he somehow managed to afford his son''s lessons in painting and calligraphy. Instead of cutting back on his son''s expenses to save for a cochlear imnt, he took on extra jobs on the side, even if it meant risking his main job.


    Ste had seen parents sacrifice and scrimp to give their kids the best education, but something about Larry''s situation didn''t sit right with her. She couldn''t quite put her finger on it.


    Even as she met up with Keegan, her brow stayed furrowed. When Samuel finished his shift and went home, Aldor took over driving duties. Keegan tossed his jacket onto the front seat and joined Ste in the back.


    "What''s up? You look troubled," Keegan asked, buckling his seatbelt.


    Ste shook her head. "It''s nothing."


    "What''s that you''ve got there?" Keegan asked, nodding toward her hand.


    Ste unfolded the drawing for him. "It''s a drawing from Larry''s son, thanking me for the box of choctes I gave him."


    Keegan frowned. "You''re mingling with the youngsters again?"


    Ste''s mouth twitched. "Larry''s son is only fourteen! I''m not mingling with anyone! I haven''t even met him! I just gave him a box of choctes for his birthday, and the kid was thoughtful enough to send a thank-you gift."


    Keegan cleared his throat. "Ah, I see."


    Ste huffed.


    Keegan scrutinized the drawing. "This is pretty good. Especially for a fourteen-year-old."


    Ste brushed off the jealousy in his tone.


    Keegan went on, "I remember you''re handy with nature painting too. That tiger you did in the study was impressive."


    Then he added, "Better than this, even."


    Ste''s face darkened. "I painted a British Shorthair. It''s a cat! A cat!"


    Keegan was speechless.


    Aldor stifled augh and stepped in, "Tigers are tougher to paint than cats. If Madam can make a cat look like a tiger, she must be a pro at painting tigers."


    With that one sentence, Aldor had Ste feeling praised, and even if her tiger paintings were rubbish, she''d still have to modestly say, "Not bad, just passable."


    Keegan shot Aldor a jealous nce, wondering why he hadn''t thought to say that.


    Keegan looked back at the drawing. "This style seems familiar."


    Ste nced at him. "You can''t even draw an egg, and you''re recognizing painting styles?"


    Keegan clicked his tongue. "Just


    because I can''t draw doesn''t mean IExclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    can''t appreciate art. I''ve been to plenty of exhibitions."


    "Then where have you seen this style before?"


    Keegan hesitated. "Can''t remember right now."


    Ste didn''t take him seriously. Beginners often mimicked others, and their early work often showed traces of those influences. Even if Keegan had seen this style before, it wouldn''t be surprising.


    She carefully folded the drawing and put it back in the envelope.


    Keegan suddenly asked, "Didn''t you say the driver was saving up forthis son''s cochlear imnt? How can he afford painting lessons?" Read thetest


    chapter there!


    Ste shook her head. "That''s what I can''t figure out. Maybe he''s just really invested in his kid''s education."

 Chapter 2327

    Chapter 2327


    Keegan always felt that Larry was a bit too concerned about Ste. Getting reassigned and having a pay cut when you''re already strapped for cash would make most people resentful. But not only did Larry notin, he even gave Ste a drawing by his own son, which was quite unusual.


    However, the background check Keegan did on Larry showed nothing suspicious. In fact, Larry''s life could be described as quite unfortunate. Larry''s son wasn''t born deaf. He lost his hearing due to a kidnapping incident. Mistaken for a wealthy family''s child, the kidnappers demanded a ransom, but the wealthy family refused to pay. The police, fearing the kidnappers might harm the child, didn''t inform them they had the wrong kid. When the kidnappers realized the ransom wasn''ting, they abandoned the child and fled.


    After Larry''s son was rescued, doctors dered he had permanently lost his hearing. Larry''s wife, who had a family history of mental illness, couldn''t cope with the trauma and had a mental breakdown. Another reason Keegan didn''t want Larry around Ste was that Larry had a gambling history before his son''s incident.


    Every time he got his paycheck, Larry would disappear for days, spending all his money in casinos. He hardly cared for his wife and child, leaving his wife to earn whatever she could from odd jobs to support their minimal needs. Larry''s transformation happened after his family''s misfortune. The once idle man suddenly turned over a new leaf, finding a stable job and taking care of his wife and child.


    Those who knew Larry couldn''t help but sigh, "A prodigal son who returns is worth more than gold." Larry not only quit gambling, but also stopped drinking, and took care of his deaf son and often-ill wife withoutint. But Keegan didn''t believe a gambler could truly change. Like his uncle, ke Crosby, who would kneel and swear off gambling every time he lost,


    only to rpse when tempted.


    If someone could quit gambling, they wouldn''t have fallen so deep in the first ce. Keegan believed people could improve, but he did not believe that gamblers could reform. He had long wanted to persuade Ste to rece Larry, and now it seemed the right time.


    Keegan said, "Since he''s no longer working with you, keep your distance from him."


    "Oh, if he hadn''t said it was from his son, I wouldn''t have taken it. It would hurt the kid''s feelings to refuse."


    As soon as Ste finished speaking, her phone buzzed. She picked it up and opened the message. Keegan nced at it, and his eyelid twitched.


    Messages were flying in the "Socializing Group Seven."


    B: Ms. Hall, where is Mr. Sadler? Weren''t you going to bring him back into the group?


    C: I added him on WhatsApp but he didn''t ept.


    A: He didn''t ept mine either! Does he think he''s too good for US?


    F: @ste


    A: @ste


    Ste felt a headacheing on. She looked at the troublemaker beside her, "Where did you steal the photo you gave me? Is it a friend of yours?"


    Keegan whispered, "No, it''s Al-generated."


    s photo


    He added, "Using someone''s photo without permissionys llegat." llegat."


    Ste ground her teeth, "Using a fake


    photo is even more shamefullf


    hadn''t found out, were you really going to hook up with my colleagues using that?"


    Keegan murmured, "You didn''t find out, I confessed."


    "And you''re proud of that?"


    Ste red at him and started


    typing on her phone, "Sorry, everyone. I didn''t check properly. This Mr.


    NO


    Sadler has a partner. He tried toExclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    cheat on his wife and got caught. His


    wife is the one who left the group."


    Keegan was speechless.

 Chapter 2328

    Chapter 2328


    C: Damn, I knew someone this handsome couldn''t be single! Turns out he''s a cheating scumbag!


    D: Wasting my feelings. Scumbags must die!


    F: As expected, the handsome ones are never faithful. Those who look too good are hard to handle. Ste, I don''t have high standards for looks. As long as he''s reliable, motivated, doesn''t smoke or drink, that''s enough for me. Do you know any guys like that?


    A: Boo-hoo, I still like handsome ones. If he''s too ugly, I can''t kiss him-


    B: Ladies, I have a friend whose ssmate works at Semiconductor Technology. Theirpany has aint email. Should we expose this scumbag for going on dates behind his girlfriend''s back and make him "famous"?


    B: Seconded.


    C: Seconded.


    F: Seconded.


    This was the first time Keegan understood the meaning of "bringing trouble upon oneself."


    Ste didn''t hide her phone from him at all, even looking at Keegan with a half-smile. "I think this idea is great. A man who goes on dates while having a wife should be exposed to the world."


    Keegan was struck speechless.


    Aldor Hart, not knowing the whole story, was puzzled but felt he should keep the conversation going.


    After Ste spoke, he nodded in agreement, "People like that should be disgraced."


    Right after Aldor said that, he felt a piercing re at his back, making him shiver. Did he say something wrong?


    With Aldor present, Keegan couldn''t say anything too soft, so he sent Ste a kneeling emoji on his phone.


    Ste heard the notification, checked it, and smirked, then sent him an "at ease" emoji.


    She then (@everyone in the group, "Everyone, that guy''s info is fake too. I have a friend at Semiconductor Technology, and there''s no one named Sadler working there. I didn''t check thoroughly, so I''m partly responsible. From now on, I''ll verify the information before bringing anyone into the group."


    E: Got it.


    B: Got it.


    D: Ms. Hall, we can lower the ie requirement a bit. As long as he''s family-oriented, I''m okay with the man managing the house while I work.


    A: I still want a handsome one. Ladies, don''t take them all for yourselves!


    Keegan breathed a sigh of relief,


    feeling like he had finally been m


    rescued from a spider''s web. It was E.


    terrifying! The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org!


    As the car drove toward the outer ring, Keegan looked out the window and asked quietly, "Where are we going?"


    Ste didn''t reply. She took an eye mask from her bag and handed it to him. "Put this on, quickly."


    Keegan chuckled softly and took the mask, putting it on.


    "Is this good?" Keegan asked quietly.


    Ste waved her hand in front of his


    eyes to make sure he couldn''t see then said, "Hold my hand when we get out of the car."


    Keegan obediently agreed. About ten


    minutester, Keegan felt the cam Stop Ste got got out, and


    come to a


    to aExclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    shortly after, the door beside him


    opened. The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    A soft hand took his and whispered, "Get out slowly, don''t bump your head."

 Chapter 2329

    Chapter 2329


    Keegan slowly got out of the car with Ste''s guidance.


    The air was cool, carrying the subtle fragrance of jasmine. Keegan felt as if he could see countless small white flowers trembling in the breeze, the scent he loved wafting through the air.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "There are steps, lift your legs a bit higher, don''t trip," Ste''s soft voice reminded him. Keegan held her hand firmly, taking each step carefully.


    The path beneath his feet was paved with gravel, which crunched softly as they walked. After a short distance, Ste said, "Alright, we''re here."


    Keegan stopped and asked gently, "Can I take off the eye mask?"


    Steughed, i''ll help you with that."


    Keegan lowered his head to let her remove the mask. As it came off, he squinted instinctively. Light seeped in through the slits of his eyes, and when he opened them fully, he saw white jasmine flowers surrounding them, just as he had imagined-each tiny bloom gently trembling in the wind.


    String lights circled the small courtyard, converging at a projection screen. The next moment, the projector lit up, showing Carter Lowe''s image on the screen. He was dressed casually, seemingly recording from home.


    "Keegan, happy birthday. Get well soon and remember US. Let''s catch up for drinks when you can."


    The screen went ck for a few seconds before showing Trevor Saun," Happy birthday. Just for today, I won''t scold you. And by the way, the orange treats are delicious; Ste lied to you."


    He finished with a mischievous grin.


    Keegan chuckled, thinking, "Childish."


    Next up was his grandmother. It was her first time recording a video, and she kept asking Baldwin Clint if it was recording. After the third confirmation, she adjusted her white curls and sat up straight.


    "Keegan, it''s Grandma. I''m so d to see you''ve grown another year. It feels like a dream watching you grow from a tiny baby to such a fine young man."


    She coughed a few times. Baldwin handed her some water, but she waved it away, continuing to look warmly into the camera. "The new productunch was very sessful. I''m so proud of you. You''ve grown into a man like your father, even better. From now on, you can walk far on your own without me holding your hand."


    Keegan''s eyes reddened. Ste squeezed his hand, giving him strength.


    "For the new year, I wish you a bright future and a happy life."


    Grandma coughed again. "Bring Ste over for meals often. Let me spend time with my great-grandchildren. I don''t know how much longer I''ll be around, so each visit counts."


    Ste turned away, afraid she might cry before Keegan did.


    "Your birthday money is under your pillow as usual. Don''t forget to take it next time you''re home."


    After Grandma''s message, there


    were birthday wishes from Leighton, Noah, Keegan''s teachers, and some e close ssmates. Each person on the screen sent heartfelt and


    touching birthday greetings to


    Keegan. The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org! Read thetest


    chapter there!


    By the end, this tough guy''s eyes were as red as a rabbit''s.


    Ste handed him a tissue, but Keegan stubbornly refused, "I''m not crying. It''s just the wind; it blew sand into my eyes."


    Ste couldn''t help butugh.


    Then, Vermont Snyder appeared on the screen.


    He still had that carefree, yful look,


    smiling at the camera, "Congrats on


    getting another year older. I


    om


    remember when we first met, you were just this tall. Now you''re taller, better looking, and richer than me. I''m proud but also jealous. So, no birthday gift from me. I''ll save it for your wedding gift, for your kids'' diapers and form."


    The video went ck for a few


    seconds, seemingly ending. Just as Keegan was about to speak, om ve


    Vermont''s voice sounded from


    behind him, "Seriously? You believed


    that? I must have spoiled you too


    much!"

 Chapter 2330

    Chapter 2330


    Felicity Thompson chimed in, "With how stingy you are, if you didn''t steal something on his birthday, he''d think you had changed."


    Vermont ground his teeth. "You''re heartless! I might be stingy with others, but when have I ever been stingy with you or my bros?"


    Felicity gave an example, "Did you forget how you tricked both me and your bros, getting me to cook for you for a month without spending a penny?"


    Vermont defended himself, "As a middleman, can''t I make a bit of a margin? I just got a few meals out of it, is that so bad?"


    "Shameless!"


    As they bickered, they reached Keegan. Vermont handed Keegan a gift box, "Happy birthday, bro. When you fell into the water, I thought I''d be visiting your grave for your birthdays. Luckily, the heavens didn''t want you yet. So today, I solemnly promise that as long as I outlive you, I''ll celebrate your birthday every year."


    Felicity elbowed him. ''Watch your mouth! It''s his birthday, no talk of death!"


    Vermont slung an arm around her shoulders, looking at Keegan with a serious gaze. ''What I mean is, I want to be your best friend for life."


    Keegan felt a warm surge in his chest. He took the gift calmly, ''We''ll see how you behave."


    "Tsk-if you''re touched, just cry. Stop acting tough!" Vermont scoffed." Open my giftst. If you open it too soon, everything else will seem dull."


    Felicity asked curiously, ''What did you get him?"


    Vermont waggled his finger. "Secret."


    Felicity rolled her eyes and handed over her gift, "Well, you have everything, so I didn''t know what to get. My mom''s shops are upgrading, and I rmended Luna to her. She wants fifty units to attract customers. I''ve scheduled a meeting, so just sign the contract when you can. That''s my gift. I only ask that you treat Ste well. If you mistreat her, I''ll... ril tell everyone your robots hit people!"


    Ste and Vermont were both struck speechless.


    "Babe, sweetheart, money maker, did our mom mistake Keegan for her son-inw?" Vermont asked, clutching his chest dramatically.


    Felicity gave him a disdainful look. "Mom knows Keegan is Ste''s husband. She agreed because she likes the product; a friend gifted her one, and she loves it. That''s why she''s ordering fifty units."


    "Didn''t you tell her your boyfriend sells houses? Get her to buy a few dozen?"


    Felicity scoffed, "Mom values rtionships, not foolishness."


    Vermont clutched his chest, looking heartbroken.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    The gift was substantial, and Ste felt its weight. She pulled Felicity aside, whispering, "Felicity, this is too much. You don''t need to use favors with US. We appreciate the gesture, but let''s not have your mom sign the order."


    A near-billion deal was no small


    matter. Florence Klein


    on hard-earned Felicity


    epting


    this felt wrong.


    Felicity replied, "The fifty units were Mom''s idea. She insisted on meeting Keegan personally to sign the contract."


    Ste wanted to say more, but


    Keegan gently stopped her "Thank you, and thank your mom for me. I really appreciate this gift." The


    content is on NovelDrama.Org!

 Chapter 2331

    Chapter 2331


    Ste hesitated briefly, then Keegan whispered something in her ear, and she didn''t object anymore.


    When Felicity faced difficulties in Rivera, Ste provided considerable help. Florence, Felicity''s mother, always remembered this act of kindness. So, when Felicity requested funds to assist with Rainee Spade''s medical expenses, Florence promptly transferred a million without hesitation.


    Keegan had overheard Vermont mention this and kept it in mind. Without fanfare, he redirected all procurement for the Vinci Rivera Group''s subsidiaries, holiday gifts, and partnerships with supermarkets to Florence''spany, Deron Holdings.


    Florence was loyal and principled, but she was also a savvy businesswoman. She would quickly deduce the origin of these orders and understand that her daughter''s friend, from a prominent family in Rivera, was quietly supporting her business. She wouldn''t hesitate to return the favor, nurturing a mutually beneficial rtionship. It also boosted her daughter''s reputation, which was an added bonus.


    Keegan understood this well, so he didn''t allow Ste to refuse. He knew that their future coborations wouldn''t stop there. Vermont quipped jealously, "Ah, making money is nothingpared to marrying into wealth. Why don''t I have such luck?" Felicity nced at him, saying, "Should I leave then?"


    Vermont hugged her, grinning. "Marrying into wealth isn''t a bad idea."Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicity poked his chest, teasing, "Have some ambition! Always thinking about marrying up, are you spineless?"


    "I don''t have Keegan''s grand ambitions. All I want is a warm family in this life. If you want to marry, I''m in. If your mom wants me to marry into wealth, I''ll do it. I''m sticking with you for life. When we have kids, you can earn the money, and I''ll stay home with them, supporting you."


    In the summer heat, Felicity yfully pushed him away. "Were you always this clingy with your past girlfriends?"


    "You trust me that much?" Felicity teased, "I work with actors all the time, many of them quite handsome. Aren''t you worried I might be tempted and keep someone on the side?"


    Vermont smiled confidently. "Sweetheart, if you misbehave, I can make sure you''re surrounded by many other beautiful, talented actresses. It''s all part of my job."


    Felicity''s smile tightened, and she ground her teeth. "You win!"


    "Now that everyone''s given their gifts, what about yours, Ste?" Vermont smoothly redirected the conversation.


    Keegan also looked at Ste, his eyes filled with anticipation.


    Ste smiled softly and said, "I


    originally ordered you a pair of om cufflinks, but I figured you wouldn''t wear them much since you''re not fond of suits. So, I prepared something else." Read thetest


    chapter there!


    She pointed to a red cloth-covered item and whispered to Keegan, "Lift the cover and see. I hope you like it."


    Encouraged by Ste''s expression, Keegan approached and unveiled the red cloth.


    Beneath ity a mech model that Keegan had long desired.


    Keegan was a passionate enthusiast for mechanical models and had an collection at home. Whenever he


    wasn''t working, he would take them out to y.


    Back during their standoff, both too proud to make the first move, Keegan used his remote-controlled model cars to deliver a cup of water to her and then "identally" bump into her foot. The content is on


    NovelDrama.Org!

 Chapter 2332

    Chapter 2332


    Initially, Ste thought it was idental, so she stepped aside on her own. After the model car circled around her once, it "identally" bumped into her foot again.


    She frowned and nced upstairs. The second floor was empty, with no sign of Keegan.


    When she was angry, Keegan really got on her nerves. She thought, "You''re not content with teasing me yourself; now your darn machine has to join in too?" Deciding she''d had enough, she stood up, grabbed her jacket, and went out for a walk. To her surprise, that oddly shaped model car tagged along.


    Wherever she went, it followed like a little puppy, and Ste was thoroughly annoyed. She wanted to kick it away, but then she remembered it cost more than her handbag, so she forced herself to endure.


    Finding a seat, she sat down. The contraption then used its mechanical arm to ce a bottle of water at her feet.


    Ste red at the ugly contraption, lifted her hand, and tossed the bottle away. The "ugly thing" turned around, acting like a puppy, and scampered over to retrieve the bottle.


    The residential density at Royalpark Vi was rtively high, with neighbors all belonging to the same social circle. However, young couples like Ste and Keegan, without children yet, were fewer. Most residents were either families with kids or multigenerational households.


    It was just after dinner, the time when everyone went out for a stroll.


    Several kids ying with remote-controlled cars witnessed the scene and surrounded Ste, full of admiration and curiosity.


    "Sister, where did you get this remote-controlled car? It''s so cool, and it even picks things up!"


    "It drives so smoothly, it can even climb steep slopes. Awesome!"


    "Is it fuel-powered? Is that the fuel tank?"


    "The tires are so thick, can it carry heavy things too?"


    The "ugly thing" seemed to intentionally show off, extending its mechanical arm and pulling a chubby boy toward itself, as if inviting him to climb aboard.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Is it inviting you to get on?" one of the kids asked.


    The mechanical arm nodded up and down, shaking slightly.


    The chubby boy shook his head, his face turning red. "No, I''m too heavy. It might break."


    The "ugly thing" persisted, chasing after him. The boy was boy was curious concerned finally asking Ste,


    "Sister, can I try getting on?"


    Ste said, "Go ahead."


    She thought to herself, it would be perfect if he broke this "ugly thing"!"


    With the owner''s permission, the chubby boy cautiously lifted his foot and stepped onto it Contrary cy to!


    m expectations, there was no sound of breaking.


    Ste was somewhat disappointed.


    The "ugly thing" yed with the chubby boy and the group of children for quite a while, then "presented" the bottle of water to her again.


    The kids gathered around, and not wanting to ruin their fun, Ste reluctantly epted it.

 Chapter 2333

    Chapter 2333


    The bottle was adorned with a circle of dots and dashes. Ste wondered where he had found such an ugly bottle.


    She drank the water, tossed the bottle away, and after her temper had cooled a bit, she bid farewell to the kids and headed home.


    Upon her return, she noticed Keegan sitting upright on the sofa but didn''t acknowledge him. She went straight for a shower and then to bed.


    In the dead of night, someone suddenly reached out and touched her waist. Ste jumped, raised her hand, and pped out.


    Her handnded on Keegan''s head, prompting him to cry out in pain, "What are you doing!"


    Ste shouted even louder, "That''s what I should be asking you! What are you doing? Acting like a hooligan in the middle of the night?"


    Keegan''s expression shifted unpredictably. After a while, he gritted his teeth and said,'' Didn''t you drink that bottle of water?"


    Ste was taken aback. "Did you drug me?" So he came in the middle of the night to be her antidote?


    Keegan''s expression turned strange. After a moment, he grabbed the quilt and stormed out with a grim face. He spent that night in the study.


    Ste didn''t understand what Keegan was up to until she fell asleep.


    Not long after this incident, Keegan did something he had been looking forward to for a long time-giving his cake to Aurora Kane. The initially improving rtionship became tense again.


    Shortly after, on New Year''s Day, Keegan went out of town on a business trip. Dahlia Crosby brought ke''s family and some rtives of unknown origin over for the festival.


    When Keegan was around, Dahlia rarely visited because she liked to interfere in Keegan''s life, which Keegan disliked the most. They never got along.


    Dahlia also expected her son to earn money for her every month, but Keegan wasn''t under her control like Aurora, so as soon as Keegan showed impatience, she stopped, knowing just how far to push.


    But with Ste, Dahlia wasn''t so polite. When Keegan was present, Ste at least appeared eptable on the surface, and their conversations mainly revolved around childbirth. But in Keegan''s absence, Dahlia showed a different face.


    She brought ke''s family to celebrate at Ste''s home without giving any advance notice. The car was nearly there when Dahlia called Ste, catching her offguard.


    Dahlia suggested going out for dinner, and gave Ste a look. "Ste, rtives rarely visit, especially during the festival. They mainly want to see you. If it''s only about dinner, we can eat anywhere. Is cooking noodles too much trouble?"N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Ste couldn''t just cook noodles. She barely ate herself, and the guests were so unenthusiastic that they not only lost their manners but also damaged Keegan''s reputation.


    She called two experts and helped the nanny prepare the meal.


    Seven adults and six children enjoyed a total of twenty-four dishes of cold and hot food. Ste washed them vegetables until her hands swelled, and during the meal, she had no appetite, but she still had to smile and toast the elders cup by cup.


    After dinner and drinks, the rtives chatted in the living room with Dahlia, and the children ran around as if th they were at home, which annoyed Ste. Dahlia seemed to think she was in the way, so she called Ste to the kitchen to prepare a fruit tter.


    Ste reluctantly went to the kitchen. When she returned, she saw the troublemakers had brought out Keegan''s "ugly thing" and were taking turns jumping on it.


    Before she could even ce the fruit tter down, she rushed over to intervene. To others the "ugly thing" was just a toy car, and they thought, what was wrong with letting kids y with it? Was there really a need to be so stingy?


    Dahlia seemed to agree. She said, "It''s just a toy. If it breaks, we''ll buy another one. Don''t ruin everyone''s mood on such a big holiday."


    Ste pressed her lips together. "I can find them another toy, but not this one. Some parts are already discontinued, and even with money, we might not be able to buy them. If it breaks, there''s no way to fix it."

 Chapter 2334

    Chapter 2334


    The "ugly thing" was a creation personally modified by Keegan. Ste remembered when he firstpleted it; Keegan used it to fetch a package for her via remote control. As he handed it to her, he carefully watched her" surprised" expression, finally curling his lips with a proud look.


    It was something Keegan loved, treasuring it so much that he would personally wipe off any dust that settled on it. If he had been there, he certainly wouldn''t have wanted the "ugly thing" handled by these rowdy children.


    Perhaps her words were too direct, as the rtives all wore somewhat displeased expressions.


    Dahlia felt even more offended by her words, instantly changing her expression, "Even if it''s repaired, it''s still spending the Kane family''s money.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    There''s no reason for you to get involved!"


    This was quite an insulting remark,pletely not treating her like family. Ste''s expression turned sour, but she stood her ground.


    The rtives probably thought things had gotten ugly and soon began to leave one by one.


    Dahlia gave Ste a sharp look and asked her to make a cup of tea.


    Knowing Dahlia wouldn''t easily let go with that tone, Ste obediently went to brew the tea. However, when she came out. Dahlia had already left, leaving the "ugly thing" shattered on the ground, thrown down from upstairs.


    It wasn''t until Keegan returned from his business trip that Ste told him about this incident.


    Before this, she had already contacted more than ten repairmen in an attempt to fix it. However, because Keegan had modified the machine, the damage to the parts was too severe, and there were no recements avable. Everyone said they were unable to help.


    Keegan looked at the broken machine and said nothing, carrying it into the storage room.


    Keegan tried many ways, but ultimately couldn''tpletely repair it. The " ugly thing" was tossed into a box in the warehouse and never brought out again.


    Until one day, when she was dragged by her grandmother to look through Keegan''s childhood photos at the old house, Ste discovered the original prototype of the "ugly thing". It was originally a birthday gift customized by Keegan''s father from the famous mechanical craftsman, DC. At that time, it was just an ordinary and beautiful mecha model.


    Keegan dismantled many machines, continuously learning and improving, eventually transforming it into itster appearance.


    She gradually understood the significance of the "ugly thing" to Keegan.


    More than two years ago, she tried to contact DC, but such a prominent figure had long since retired. With wealth, fame, and status, it wasn''t easy to meet him.


    But Ste was persistent. She had developed this perseverance when she initially persuaded Lancelot Lewie, following him to the bird and flower market every day, which had trained her.


    DC didn''t want toe out of retirement, so he made it difficult for her, asking if she could y chess. If she could win, he would do it.


    Ste knew nothing about chess, but in order to get him to help, she spent six months training to an Elo rating of 2200-2400.


    She didn''t win that match, but she won DCs favor. In DC''s words, she was too persistent because after losing the game, she didn''t think about giving up but about scheduling the next game. After all, he didn''t say that one round determined victory or defeat.


    To stop her from being so persistent, DC finally agreed to give it a try. But now his vision and physical strength couldn''t keep up, so it might take a long time. Ste didn''t mind; she could wait as long as necessary.


    That waitsted two years.


    Not long after Keegan returned from his disappearance, she received a call from DC. He had finished it.


    The new model was very simr to the one Keegan''s father had given him, Em but it was more refined and perfect, taking two years toplete.


    Keegan had seen the prototype of this model more than a year ago at DCs ce. He was enamored and offered a high price to buy it, but was high tly refused, as it was customized for someone else.


    Keegan then tried to buy it from the person whomissioned it, but DC refused to disclose their information.


    At that time, Keegan had never imagined that this model had been customized for him from the beginning.


    He looked at the mecha model in front of him with fiery eyes, gently stroking the metal shell, filled with amazement and disbelief.

 Chapter 2335

    Chapter 2335


    "Ste."


    Keegan turned to look at her, his throat tightening as he struggled for words. "When did you order it?"


    "Probably when you stayed up half the night, sneaking into the storage room to check on the ''ugly thing''," Ste smirked. "I thought to myself, poor thing, like a little puppy. So, I thought I''d pamper you."


    Keegan chuckled, but tears welled up in his eyes.


    He reached out and hugged Ste tightly, remaining silent for a long time, though Ste could feel him trembling slightly.


    She gently patted his back, lightening the mood. "You don''t have to be so touched. I used your money, remember? DC is such an old fox; he asked for an exorbitant price."


    Keegan was speechless.


    After the emotional moment, Ste spoke softly, "Back then, when your mom said the thing was broken by me, did you ever doubt me?"Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    In reality, it was Dahlia who first told Keegan about the "ugly thing" being smashed, but ording to Dahlia, Ste was the culprit.


    Keegan didn''t pursue the matter then, but Ste always had a nagging feeling that Keegan believed Dahlia.


    Keegan shook his head.


    Ste was moved. "You believed me then?"


    Keegan said, "There''s surveince on the machine."


    Ste''s smile froze slightly at the corners of her mouth, the emotion dissipating.


    Keegan held her tighter. "How could I not trust you? Even when you''re angry, you pick the cheapest cup at home to smash. How could you bring yourself to break it?"


    Ste felt a mix of pleasure and difort.


    So, it wasn''t that he trusted her words, but her thorough way of handling things.


    "Keegan."


    Ste called softly.


    Keegan grunted in response.


    Ste closed her eyes and after a while said, "I don''t understand Morse code."


    Keegan was puzzled.


    Ste continued, "So, could you please just apologize directly in the future? You even wrote a code for me to decipher I took me three years to realize that the dots and dashes on that bottle spelled out ''sorry'' in Morse code! Were you worried I''d actually decode it?"


    Keegan was rendered speechless.


    If it hadn''t been for her previous exposure to Morse code during filming and recognizing those familiar dots and dashes, she wouldn''t have known Keegan had apologized in this way.


    No wonder he came to her in the middle of the night; when she took the bottle of water, he probably thought she had epted his apology.


    Keegan hadn''t said anything yet, and Vermont was already joking, "Ste, he turned writing Morse code into an into exam for you. Do you youre know when we were in school how he said ''Happy Birthday'' to me? He wrote me a bunch of advanced differential equations to plot Y, and I didn''t even know how to solve them. Where was I supposed to get help?"


    "In the end, Marshall helped me figure it out. Only then did I realize that after solving those Y''s, the ovepping parts of the graphs formed an image of a cake with twenty candles! Who evenes up with stuff like that? I feel like he wasn''t wishing me well; he was dissing my intelligence."

 Chapter 2336

    Chapter 2336


    Ste waspletely taken aback. She smiled at Keegan and asked, "How did you evene up with such a method?"


    Keegan appeared slightly uneasy and took his time before responding," Wasn''t there a trend online about romantic gestures from science students? I thought I''d give it a shot."


    Vermont chuckled, "Haha, trying out your science-student romance in front of us liberal arts folks? Good thing you didn''t use this to confess your love, or else you''d be stuck with me for life!"


    Felicity remarked, "You''re a bit of a cker academically, so of course, you wouldn''t get it. Ste''s a top student; this is top-student romance."


    Ste quickly waved her hands. "No, no, I won''t get it either."


    Afterward, she worried about when Keegan might pull another "romantic gesture of a science student" on her and cautioned him, "I don''t like these science student romantic gestures. I prefer the tycoon-style romance."


    Keegan paused for a moment, still not reacting. Vermont jumped in," Instead of small talk, why not just give a grand gift? Ste and I have simr tastes. Now you know what to give US in the future, right?"


    Keegan was speechless.


    Felicity pinched him. "You''re incorrigible!"


    Just then, Aldor wheeled in a cake with Aurora helping him carry two bottles of wine. The birthday song started softly, and Ste sang along quietly, with everyone joining in humming.


    The candle mes on the cake flickered, casting light and shadow on each familiar face. Keegan''s throat tightened, and his eyes began to water slightly.


    Birthdays were always about fearing people remembered and fearing they didn''t.


    He wasn''t like Vermont, with arge social circle that organized big birthday parties with lots of people. He preferred inviting a few close friends to a bar for a drink or two, reminiscing about the past and chatting about the present. Ste understood him.


    As the birthday song ended, Ste whispered, "Husband, make a wish."


    Keegan nodded, closed his eyes before the candles, and sincerely made his birthday wish for the year.


    A few secondster, he opened his eyes, blew out the candles, and everyone apuded and congratted him.


    After cutting the cake, Ste handed Keegan a te of strawberries and quietly asked him, "What did you wish for?"


    Keegan nced at her and said seriously, "Wishes don''te true if you say them out loud."


    Ste said, "Even if you don''t say it, I know it''s definitely rted to our babies."


    Keegan smiled briefly, not fooled.


    Children had their own lives. Growing up, they would eventually leave their parents. As long as they grew up healthy, everything else would follow naturally.


    What he wished for was that year after year, the people by his side would remain the same.


    Before finishing the te of strawberries, Jaylene Saun''s call came in.


    Ste hadn''t spoken yet when Keegan hung up the phone and turned it off.


    He said, "Today, I just want to be with you all. I don''t want to pretend with her."


    Ste smiled, "I didn''t intend for you to answer anyway."


    Keegan grunted in response and suddenly kissed her on the lips.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste was taken aback and quickly looked around.


    Keegan whispered softly, "No one saw that."


    Ste''s ears grew warm, and she whispered back, "Don''t do this in public. I have a reputation to maintain!"


    Keegan chuckled and pulled the nearby flower basket closer to them, effectively the group. Wicking them from the group. With one arm around Ste''s waist, they snuggled together on the courtyard swing, gently swaying.


    The fragrance of jasmine wafted over them, and Keegan suddenly felt a movement under his palm.


    He froze for a moment, then looked at Ste abruptly. Ste wore the same stunned and shocked expression.


    "They moved," she whispered softly.


    Keegan swallowed nervously, not quite believing it, and ced his hand over again Sure enough, they moved again, a bit more pronounced than thest time.

 Chapter 2337

    Chapter 2337


    Keegan suddenly felt nervous and uncertain.


    When he first learned Ste was pregnant, he simply thought their family would wee two children who shared his blood. He felt a responsibility to love them and guide them into adulthood, but the connection felt abstract,cking the natural bond mothers have from carrying a child for nine months.


    It wasn''t until this moment, feeling the movements under his palm, that he truly sensed these two lives. They were his flesh and blood, intertwined with his beloved''s, carrying their hopes, destined to enter the world and grow up in his care, calling him "dad.1''


    In an instant, Keegan''s heart softened. He leaned closer to Ste''s abdomen and whispered softly, "Hey, Daddy''s here."


    As if in response to his touch, the little ones inside her settled down.


    Keegan looked up at her and asked, "Do you think they heard me?"


    Ste was about to say, "At this stage, what could they hear?" but seeing Keegan''s gleaming eyes, she softened as well and said, "They probably did. You should talk to them more."


    Suddenly serious, Keegan said, "I need to get ready."


    "Ready for what?" Ste asked.


    Keegan replied, "I''ll buy some prenatal books, sign US up for prenatal sses. Early education is crucial; we can''t afford to overlook it."


    Watching his earnestness, Ste couldn''t help but smile and said, "Alright, I''ll leave the prenatal education to you. I''m not the most patient teacher."


    Keegan solemnly epted the task.


    Then, he stood up abruptly and said, "I''ll bring over some TV fruit."


    Ste nced at the fruit on the nearby table, just a few meters away from the others. Did he really need to "bring" it?


    But Keegan was already carrying the fruit tter over.


    Felicity and the others were gathered around a table, deeply engrossed in their game when Keegan approached with the fruit.


    "What are you all ying?" he asked.


    Aurora looked at her brother strangely. "Cards, what else?"


    Vermont had a bad feeling about this, licked his lips, and chose not to respond to Keegan''s question.


    Felicity didn''t know Keegan well and, seeing him start a conversation, replied, "Cards. Do you and Ste want to join?"


    Keegan shook his head. "She''s pregnant, can''t y."


    Felicity suggested, "You can still y."


    Keegan said, "I can''t either."


    Felicity was puzzled. "Are you pregnant too?"


    "Pffft-" Vermont burst outughing, spraying water everywhere,ughing so hard he practically doubled over. Keegan shot him a re. N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Vermont chuckled, "Ha! Gotcha! I''ll let you off the hook!"


    But there were still people trying to tease Keegan, like Aurora, who was a bit concerned. "Bro, are you feeling okay?"


    Keegan looked away and calmly said, "I''m fine."


    "Then why can''t you y? Don''t like it?"


    "Not that," Keegan exined calmly,


    "Competitive games like cards involve gambling, not conducive to prenatal education. I''m different from you all; you don''t have children, no constraints, no need to set an example. Go ahead and y."


    Everyone was speechless.


    So he rushed over just to show off his kids? Is this what a grown man does?


    While Keegan was still boasting about his sessful career and happy family, Ste hurried over, "Shea called. Dillon copsed in the apartment. I''m going over."

 Chapter 2338

    Chapter 2338


    Keegan grew serious, "Isn''t it too risky for you to go there?"


    Ste replied, "Shea is smart. She used Dillon''s phone to contact the former dean. I can visit her on behalf of the dean."


    "I''lle with you then."


    "It''s your birthday. Stay here and enjoy yourself. I''ll go alone."


    Keegan sighed, "I can''t rx here without you. Come on, I''ll drive."


    When they reached the hospital, Dillon Brook had already been taken to the emergency room. Shea Cheel was outside with her son, visibly relieved to see them.


    "Shea, how is she?" Ste asked as she approached.


    "She hasn''t regained consciousness yet. The doctor said she passed out from the pain. When she copsed, water was still boiling in the kitchen, and she suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning. I didn''t know initially. Bo won an award at school today and wanted to show it to Grandpa. When we knocked on her door and got no response, I felt something was wrong. I asked the management to open the door, and we found her unconscious on the floor. I immediately called 120 and then contacted you."


    Ste patted Shea''s back. "You''ve been through a lot."


    "Don''t mention it," Shea sighed softly, "She''s really pitiful, sick and alone without any family or friends around. When I took her phone, I didn''t even need to search for contacts. There wasn''t a single emergency contact. I found the former dean''s number in the call log."


    Ste remained silent.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Dillon was one of the suspects involved in the child swapping case years ago. Perhaps her current situation was karma at y, but even facing death, she had some good intentions left, wanting to make amends for her past crimes. As one of the victims, Ste felt her dignity was in not kicking someone when they were down.


    "How have things been between you these past few weeks?" Ste asked.


    "At first, just like I told you, she was very guarded. When I first moved in, she barely responded to my greetings. I didn''t dare to be too friendly. Every Friday and Saturday after dinner, I''d take Bo for a walk around the neighborhood. Bo is talkative and not shy. I remember she lives next door, so I often went to talk to her.


    "She''d listen everytime Bo spoke. She hardly said a word herself.


    Whenever I got close, she''d be distant until a few days ago when my ex- husband''s family came over, trying to take Bo away. Bo refused to go with them, and we ended up struggling in the stairwell. My ex-mother-inw hit me, and Bo bit her leg. She pushed Bo away, and the child''s head hit the floor. Dillon heard themotion and came out. She threatened to call the police, and my ex- husband''s family reluctantly left.


    "We were both injured then, and she helped treat our wounds. Later, as a thank you, I made dumplings especially for her and brought them over.


    "She initially didn''t want to ept, but maybe because Bo was there, she took them. After that, our rtionship improved slightly. She''d greet me when we met, but it was still limited. She''s very guarded and doesn''t talk much to me, but she gets along well with Bo. During our walks, she''d bring snacks for him, and Bo enjoys sharing things about his kindergarten with her. Today, he insisted on showing her his award. I can''t imagine what would''ve happened otherwise."


    Ste listened intently, deeply moved. "Why didn''t you tell me about your ex -husbanding byer Didn''t my brother have someone keeping an eye on them in the neighborhood? Why didn''t they stop them?"


    "No, I deliberately had Mr. Saun let them in. Our rtionship hadn''t progressed, and I was getting anxious. I wanted to use this to pressure her a bit. It turned out to be effective."


    "That was too risky," Ste frowned, "You''re still in the middle of a custody battle. What if they had resorted to violence and you had no one by your side? It could''ve been dangerous!"


    "It''s okay. If things got out of hand, Mr. Saun''s people would''ve called the police. At worst, it would''ve been minor injuries/ No pain, no gain. If it weren''t for this incident, I probably wouldn''t have been able to get close to her. You gave me this job, and Mr. Saun arranged for the top custody


    I really appreciate it."


    Ste didn''t say anything, just hugged her briefly and whispered softly," Shea, you''ve done me a huge favor. I''m really grateful."


    Shea hugged her back, "If she wakes upter, you have to act like you don''t know me. She''s very guarded. If she finds out we''


    lout we''re acquainted, you probably won''t get any useful information out of her."

 Chapter 2339

    Chapter 2339


    Ste agreed.


    Before long, the doors of the operating room swung open, and the patient was wheeled out. Ste and Shea approached.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Doctor, how is she?" Shea asked.


    ncing at them both, the doctor inquired, "Who is the patient''s family?"


    Shea replied, "I''m her neighbor, and this gentleman is a foreigner. I don''t know her family."


    Ste stated, "I''m representing the welfare home where she made donations."


    The doctor exined, "The cancer has spread extensively. She has at most three months. Please contact her family as soon as possible. Although surgery is no longer beneficial, she requires regr medication adjustments. Without intervention, her pain will be severe, and her final days will be agonizing. Please reach out to her family promptly."


    Handing them a form, the doctor added, "Please sign this first."


    ncing at the form, Ste suddenly noticed the word "male" under gender. She paused, "Doctor, she''s a man?"


    Giving her a strange look, the doctor cautioned, "Don''t perceive transgender people with bias."


    Ste was stunned. Urged by the doctor, Shea took the form, signed it, and handed it over. Ste stood there, dazed, struggling to process it.


    She had believed Dillon was living under the name Paul Morant. Transgender? Why would she undergo such a transformation? There were too many mysteries surrounding this person.


    Approaching Keegan, who was ying rock-paper-scissors with Shea''s son, she quietly asked, "What happened?"


    Ste shared her discovery with him, but Keegan showed no surprise.


    "You''re not shocked?" she asked.


    Keegan replied, "If she was concealing herself as a man, how could she maintain the tain the charade? Her passport and visas were all genuine, even from Mystonia. She had to visit hospitals frequently, and her true identity couldn''t remain hidden. She must have been a man all along.


    "When I first saw her at the welfare home, her mannerisms, habits, and speech were so feminine that m started to suspect something. I never expected she would actually be a man. It was like stumbling upon the truth.


    "If Dillon had acted more like a man, more confidently, I might not have paid much attention to her."


    Keegan fell silent for a moment before saying, "Do you think there''s a m possibility she didn''t choose to Ve transition? So in her mind, she still sees herself as a woman and unconsciously retains some female habits?"


    Ste was taken aback. "An involuntary transition? Wouldn''t that... be illegal?"


    Before Keegan could respond, Shea approached them, "Ste, she''s awake.

 Chapter 2340

    Chapter 2340


    When Ste followed Shea into the hospital room, Paul was in the middle of removing a catheter. Shea''s face went pale, and she quickly intervened.


    "Mr. Morant, you can''t take that out yet; the medication hasn''t finished,'' she cautioned.


    Paul nced at her, then noticed Ste standing beside Shea. After a brief hesitation, he swiftly pushed Shea''s hand away, eyeing both of them warily. "What are you doing here?" he directed his question at Ste.


    Shea interjected with surprise, "Mr. Morant, you copsed at home. The doctor told US to contact your family. Not knowing who to call, I used your phone and dialed a number from the welfare home. Thisdy here came to help me get you to the hospital. Without her, I wouldn''t have known what to do."


    Some of the suspicion in Paul''s eyes faded, though notpletely.


    Ste exined, "The director received the call and was very concerned. He asked me toe and check on the situation."


    "I''m fine. Tell the director not to worry. Besides, I''m just a donor to the welfare home and don''t want any contact with you in real life because of this. Today''s call was an ident. You can leave now."


    He finished his statement coldly and moved to get off the bed.


    Ste grabbed his clothes and said firmly, "Mr. Morant, whether you want to interact with the organization you donated to is not my concern. I''ve been entrusted to help, and since the doctor says your condition is serious and you need hospitalization, I can''t ignore it. If you want to leave, we can discuss it when the doctor says it''s okay."


    She then pressed the call button by the bed. "Hello, the catheter on bed 68


    hase out. Could someone pleasee and fix it? Thank you."


    Paul was annoyed at being forced back into bed. Pushing her away impatiently, he muttered, "How is any of this your business? stop meddling! n As Ste helped fix his bedding, she was unexpectedly pushed and stumbled against the corner of the bed, causing a sharp pain in her lower back.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Keegan, outside the room watching Shea''s son, observed the situation through the ss. When he saw Ste being pushed, his heart leaped into his throat. Without a second thought, he rushed in and supported her with a concerned look.


    "What happened? Where did you hurt yourself?" he asked urgently.


    With a cold sweat on her forehead, Ste shook her head lightly. Before she could say "I''m fine," Shea suddenly eximed, "You''re bleeding."


    Keegan looked down and saw tiny bloodstains spreading on Ste''s white pants. His face turned pale, and he gently picked up Ste and hurriedly called for a doctor.


    Shea wanted to follow, but considering their unfamiliar rtionship, she forcefully held back.


    Meanwhile, on the hospital bed, Paul also had a moment of distraction. After a while, he asked in a hoarse voice, "What happened to her?"


    Shea clenched her hands, looking worried. "I don''t know. Judging by her husband''s reaction, maybe she''s pregnant."


    Paul''s face paled at the mention of "pregnant." After a long pause, he said hoarsely, "I didn''t know. It wasn''t intentional."


    Shea remained silent as the nurse arrived and reinserted the catheter.


    Perhaps due to the recent events, Paul didn''t insist on leaving this time. He settled down quietly.


    In the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department.


    Stey on the examination table, with Keegan tightly holding her hand. His face was pale as heforted her in a hoarse voice, it''s okay, don''t be afraid. It''s fortunate if we can keep them. If not, it means we weren''t meant to be with them. Don''t be sad.


    I me myself for not going in with you just now."


    Ste opened her mouth, suddenly unsure of what to say.


    She wasn''t sad at all; she hadn''t bumped her stomach just now, and she hadn''t felt any pain ker m stomach before. So, this inexplicable e


    stain made her a little worried about whether there was something that hadn''t been detected before.


    But this worry didn''t include the feeling that the children couldn''t be saved.


    However, Keegan didn''t think so. He was scared, holding her hand tightly.

 Chapter 2341

    Chapter 2341


    "Does it hurt?" Keegan asked again.


    Ste shook her head and then hesitated before saying, "My lower back hurts a bit. I bumped into something just now."


    Keegan gently massaged her back, his voice hoarse. "I haven''t even thought about their names yet."


    Ste didn''t know what to say.


    "I haven''t decided either."


    Keegan''s eyes welled up. "Let''s decide on one now, just in case..."


    Before he could finish, Ste covered his mouth with her hand. "I know you''re worried, but don''t jinx it."


    By now, the doctor had finished the examination and was writing out a prescription. "Marginal centa previa, not a major issue, but we need to monitor closely. It''s best to rest in bed for a day."Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan blinked, pulling Ste''s hand away from her mouth, uncertain." Doctor, are both she and the baby okay?"


    The doctor replied, "They''re fine."


    Keegan pressed on, "But she''s bleeding."


    "Marginal centa previa can cause bleeding. As long as it''s not excessive, reduced activity and bed rest should suffice."


    "But she was pushed just now and hit her back."


    "Oh," the doctor said, "we''ll apply ice and then heat to reduce swelling. It should go down in a couple of days."


    Keegan was speechless.


    "I mean, she was pushed on her back. Is her stomach okay?"


    The doctor countered, "What does her back being hit have to do with her stomach?"


    Keegan fell silent.


    Seeing his tense expression, the doctor added, "The bleeding she''s experiencing isn''t from the bump on her back. It must have been going on for a while unnoticed. You happened to see it after the bump, so you think they''re rted. They''re not. The baby and your wife are fine. As for naming, it''s better to do it at home after calming down. It''s not auspicious to name someone in tears."


    Keegan was silent once more.


    Lost in thought, Keegan met Ste''s reassuring eyes, feeling a bit embarrassed. He sighed with relief, then whispered, "Thank goodness you''re okay."


    Ste held his hand. "Honey, I''m sorry for making you worry."


    Keegan brushed her forehead. "Ste, let me handle this. Someone burdened with guilt cannot face the victim properly. It''s better if I handle it."


    Ste hesitated. "The Vinci Rivera Group just released a new product. You''re so busy with work, and I don''t want-"


    "Work isn''t my whole life; you and our family are. Since I found out about everything since learned you were pregnant, I''ve been anxious every day.


    I was afraid I couldn''t hide my worry about the pregnancy, afraid my memory loss wouldn''t fool Jaylene, afraid she''d notice your investigation into Darcie, afraid they''d target you first. I wanted you to stay at home every day, right under my nose, safe and sound, but I know you wouldn''t and shouldn''t.


    "You have your work, your dreams, and the truth you''re seeking. That''s why I''ve never dared to interfere. But not everything requires your personal touch. You clearly have people who can assist you. Are you reluctant to rely on them because of disappointment from your previous marriage?


    Even if we''re back together, are you unwilling to fully depend on me?"

 Chapter 2342

    Chapter 2342


    Ste was taken aback for a moment. "I didn''t-"


    Keegan interrupted her, eyes red. "You don''t have to say it, I can feel it."


    "Feel what, exactly?" Ste pped him in exasperation. "You think I don''t want to boss you around? I''m worried about you being so overwhelmed fighting with your second uncle! Have you slept more than six hours a day recently, except for the night of the press conference? Look at your dark circles. Last time we had dinner, my brother secretly asked me if you were sick because you looked like you''d been drained of all your energy. You''re more exhausted than me, and I''m the one who''s pregnant! Don''t you feel it, Keegan?"


    Keegan remained silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "You care about me?"


    Ste rolled her eyes at him. "No, I don''t! I''d love for you to be welded to your work 24/7, earning money for the three of us!"


    Keegan was happy but also a bit confused and said softly,'' Don''t you like money? I thought if I earned more, you''d feel more secure."


    Ste pped him away. "If you work yourself sick, what''s the use of all that money to me? Don''t think you can dump all the child-rearing responsibilities on me! If you burn out, I''ll abandon you and take your fortune to remarry!"


    Keegan was stunned, suddenly feeling an unreal sense of "after all these years, I''m finally worth more than money."


    He reached out to hug Ste and said softly, "I know my limits, Ste. I can''t help you with the physical hardships of pregnancy, but you can leave everything else to me."


    Ste leaned on his shoulder, patted his arm, and said softly, "Got it, I''ll leave it to you."


    Just then, there was a knock on the door.


    Keegan let go of her and said softly, "I''ll go check."


    Shea had arrived, along with Paul.


    "Mr. Kane, is your wife alright?" Shea asked proactively. "Mr. Morant is very worried and asked me to bring him over to check."


    Keegan nced at them coldly and said harshly, "No need for your concern, you can leave now."Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Paul''s face was somewhat pale. Shea said, "Mr. Kane, Mr. Morant didn''t mean it. He didn''t know your wife was pregnant."


    "It''s not about whether he knew or not. My wife came herete at night at the dean''s request to check on a stranger. She had good intentions, why should she suffer for it?"


    Paul curled his fingers, and after a long pause, said, "I''m sorry, I shouldn''t haveshed out. Can you tell me how she''s doing now?"


    Keegan nced at her, seeing the deep guilt and fear in her eyes. She was genuinely terrified something had happened to Ste.


    Keegan withdrew his gaze and said coldly, "Bed rest for observation."


    Paul said, "I''ll cover all the costs for her stay and care. I''m really sorry."


    "Do you think we care about the medical bills?" Keegan said sternly. "If you really feel sorry then stay in the hospital, get well, so she can report back to the dean."


    Paul was silent for a moment but still said, "I''m sorry."


    Keegan''s response was the sound of the door mming shut.


    Inside the ward, Ste, who had been eavesdropping, whispered as Keegan came back in "You overdid it. It seemed a bit personal."


    Keegan snorted, ''I''m not a professional actor. My actingcks skill, it''s all emotion, all anger!"


    Ste was speechless.


    Paul stood at the door for a long while before turning to leave, his back looking more hunched. Shea stepped forward to support him, and this time, Paul did not resist as he had before.


    Back in his ward, he tossed and turned in bed.


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 Chapter 2343

    Chapter 2343


    Shea cradled Bo and dozed off in the recliner. When Paul turned over, the movement startled Shea awake. She whispered, "Mr. Morant, what''s wrong? Do you need some water?"


    Paul shook his head and said, "You should go home."


    Shea replied, "Let''s wait until morning. Someone needs to monitor the IV overnight; otherwise, we won''t know when it''s finished."


    Paul nced at the child in her arms and, after a moment of silence, said," Then put the child on my bed. If you can''t rest, at least he should."


    Paul''s room was a single, and the bed, at 1.2 meters wide, was big enough for both a grown-up and a child.


    Shea didn''t hesitate much before cing the child on the bed. She then got up to pour Paul a ss of water.


    A nurse came in to deliver her medication and reminded her to take it.


    Suddenly, Paul said, "That''s wrong."


    The nurse was startled. "What?"This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Paul said calmly, "You have the wrong medication."


    The nurse frowned and looked down, breaking out in a cold sweat upon realizing she had mixed up the medication for two patients.


    After hurriedly correcting her mistake, the young nurse sighed with relief and quietly thanked Paul.


    Paul said calmly, "If you''ve chosen this profession, you must have respect for the job and take responsibility for every life. We won''t always be this lucky."


    The young nurse blushed and quickly left after leaving the medication.


    Shea asked curiously, "Mr. Morant, how did you know the medication was wrong?"


    Paul turned his head away without speaking. Just when Shea thought he wouldn''t respond, she heard him say softly, "I used to be a doctor. I''m very familiar with those medications."


    "No wonder you were so skilled when treating Bo''s wound earlier," Shea smiled. "You must have been an excellent doctor."


    Paul''s fingers trembled slightly, and his lips moved soundlessly: No.


    Hearing no response, Shea didn''t press further. She unfolded the recliner, intending to take a short nap.


    She had justin down when Paul said, "Shea, could you deliver something for me?"


    Shea immediately perked up. "Sure, where to?"


    Paul took a pen and paper from the table, slowly wrote down an address, and handed it to Shea. "Go to this ce and find someone named Kaia to Lockwood. Give her this."


    He then removed an old-fashioned watch from his wrist and handed it to Shea. "Bring her to see me."


    In no time, the watch ended up with Ste, who, after examining it for a long time without finding anything significant, handed it to Keegan.


    Keegan inspected it closely and, pointing to a small, worn mark, said quietly, "This is a hospital logo.


    Ste immediately perked up. Finally, a lead!


    However, the address and name given to Shea were unfamiliar to Ste.


    She had reviewed the files of the four medical staff from back then, and none were named Kaia. Could there be a fifth insider? If so, might there be a new witness?


    Keegan, not wasting any time, immediately began investigating the person named Kaia.


    The address Paul provided no longer existed; after all, so many years had passed, and everything had changed. However, the surname Lockwood was quite rare, so it took only two days for Keegan to find Kaia.


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 Chapter 2344

    Chapter 2344


    The result, however, was disappointing.


    Kaia had also passed away, and it had been eight years since her death.


    Aldor Hart said, "This woman named Kaia and Dillon both worked at the same hospital back then. They were college friends and started working together. Colleagues from that time recalled that they had a particrly close rtionship, always helping each other out. After Dillon resigned, Kaia continued working at the hospital until she passed away.


    "The cause of death was a myocardial infarction. It was quite sudden. She had a heart attack at home, and by the time her daughter was discharged from the hospital, Kaia''s body had already stiffened."


    Aldor paused and then added, "One more thing, Kaia was once a donor to the Eastern Alley Welfare Center."


    Ste and Keegan exchanged nces, and Keegan asked, "Are you sure?"


    Aldor nodded. "Kaia wasn''t originally from Rivera and didn''t have many rtives there. Her daughter had congenital heart disease, which put a lot of financial pressure on her. Her husband couldn''t cope and divorced her before their daughter even started elementary school. She raised her daughter alone. When she died, her daughter had just undergone a heart transnt surgery and was about to be discharged. They waited all day for her, but she never came. Friends who went to take her daughter home found out she had passed away.


    "Her hometown was far away, and she had no rtives left. Her friends and colleagues took care of her funeral. They found the donation records while sorting through her belongings after her death. She had been donating since 1999, with a total of three donations amounting to 300,000, thest one being eighteen years ago."


    Ste pursed her lips, "With her daughter being sick and her financial pressure so high, did she really have spare money to donate to the welfare center?"


    It was clear that the money wasn''t hers. It was likely donated on behalf of someone else, most likely Dillon, who was far away abroad.


    Keegan asked, "When Aunt Freesia was giving birth, was Kaia in the hospital?"


    Aldor shook his head, having investigated this point thoroughly. "When Mrs. Saun was giving birth, Kaia had been sent to work in a rural area. She had just passed her primary doctor''s exam, and the hospital had a rule requiring a year of rural service. She wasn''t in Rivera at that time."


    No wonder Kaia didn''t appear in her brother''s initial investigation. She wasn''t a participant, but she was likely an insider. However, with her now gone, it''s impossible to know how much she knew.


    Dillon never sought out Kaia after returning to the country, likely because of her current identity. She was no longer Dillon but Paul, a man. Ste imagined herself in a simr situation and thought she probably wouldn''t want to meet old acquaintances either. So why did she now want to find Dillon?


    Unable to understand, she turned and saw Keegan frowning, deep in thought.


    Ste patted his arm and asked softly, "What''s wrong?"


    Keegan was silent for a while before saying, "Ste, if Kaia was an insider, then up to now, isn''t it true that except for your brother finding Venice Taylor, all the others are dead?"


    Ste was taken aback.


    Indeed, although Dillon was alive, her original identity had been erased in the fire eighteen years ago.


    And Venice, although the only living participant from back then, knew very little useful information and would never return to the country. Perhaps that''s why she survived?


    If that''s the case, was Kaia''s death really an ident?This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The more she thought about it, the more Ste felt a chill run down her spine.


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 Chapter 2345

    Chapter 2345


    Aldor suddenly spoke up, "Mr. Kane, there''s one more thing I discovered while investigating this matter."


    Keegan looked up, "What is it?"


    Aldor pulled a photo from a pile of documents. It was taken at a funeral home, showing a wreath with a tribute to Kaia. Beside it stood a young girl, clenching her fists, staring intensely at the portrait of the deceased.


    Keegan''s pupils contracted, "Willow?"


    Ste was taken aback and examined the girl in the photo closely. She had never met Willow, but the girl''s face was strikingly familiar. It resembled the makeup she had worn when Marshall Moore had her pose as his girlfriend.


    No wonder Keegan had been so upset that day. It wasn''t just because she had helped Marshall; it was also because Marshall had made her look like someone who had passed away, pretending not to know the significance.


    Ste clenched her hand, thinking about Marshall. What kind of hearty beneath his gentle exterior?


    Seeing Ste''s distressed expression, Keegan knew she was recalling that incident. He said nothing, just tightened his grip on her hand. He had never shown Ste a photo of Willow for this very reason. No matter Marshall''s intent, making a living person look like a deceased one was disturbing.


    Suppressing her difort, Ste asked Aldor, "Did Willow know Kaia? Why was she at the funeral?"


    Aldor replied, "On the contrary, they didn''t know each other. This photo was given to me by a colleague of Kaia''s. There was an incident at the funeral where someone caused a scene. That person was Willow."


    "I was initially looking for information about Kaia''s daughter. After her mother passed away, she returned to her hometown. But in recent years, geological disasters had destroyed many viges there, scattering the residents. I couldn''t find anything. I hoped Kaia''s friends might have a photo of her daughter. While searching, her friend showed me this photo."


    "Her friend remembered it well because Willow had smashed the portrait at the funeral, using Kaia of being morally corrupt and unfit to be a doctor. The police were called, and Willow was taken away before the funeral could continue."


    Kaia had a ster reputation at the hospital. Both patients and colleagues frequently mentioned her diligence and responsibility. In her nearly twenty years of service, she had never had a conflict with anyone. This incident was a surprise to everyone, but they didn''t dwell on it, assuming it was an extreme reaction from a patient. However, causing a scene at a funeral was unprecedented.


    Keegan looked at the timeline of Kaia''s death and calcted that Willow''s disruption at the funeral happened shortly after her breakup with Marshall.


    At that time, their rtionship had been good, and Keegan had never heard Mingxuan mention any conflicts between Willow and the hospital.


    "Have you found anything about Kaia''s daughter?" Keegan asked.


    Aldor shook his head. "Still investigating."


    Keegan handed the photo back to Aldor, "Make a copy and anonymously send it to Marshall, including the incident of Willow smashing the portrait." This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste was surprised, "I thought you would investigate it."


    Keegan replied calmly, "Marshall is inherently suspicious. If I give him the information he might not believe it. He needs to investigate it himself."


    "


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 Chapter 2346

    Chapter 2346


    For Marshall, Keegan felt he had done more than enough. Whether it was helping with his mother''s treatment, hiding the truth about Willow, orter taking care of Willow''s affairs, he did everything he could. In the end, he only received inexplicable resentment in return.


    Marshall still refused to admit he remembered Willow. The trust between them had long vanished. Since that was the case, let Marshall investigate Willow''s matter himself. Only by uncovering the truth on his own might he resolve his inner conflict.


    Ste asked, "Don''t you want to know who you took the me for, causing him to hate you?"


    Keegan looked down. At first, I did. Butter, I didn''t. Regardless of the reason, there''s no going back for US."


    After more than twenty years of friendship, reaching this point, even if misunderstandings were cleared, the hurt caused along the way made it difficult to go back. Keegan was somewhat avoiding the situation.


    He didn''t know how to handle the rtionship, so the simplest way was to push it away and not deal with it.


    "Alright then," Ste turned to Aldor. "Aldor, have someone send the items. Also, investigate why Willow caused a scene at Kaia''s funeral. Since Willow is a well- mannered girl with strong principles, she wouldn''t have cursed the deceased at a funeral without reason, start by checking the patients Kaia treated in the year before her death. See if Willow or someone rted to her was among them. Once you find out, report directly to me, no need to tell your boss."


    Keegan protested, "Why not tell me?"


    Ste nced at him. "Didn''t you say you didn''t want to know the reason?"


    Keegan was momentarily at a loss for words. "Well... since Aldor is investigating, I might as well hear it."


    Ste narrowed her eyes. "That sounds very reluctant."


    Keegan pretended not to hear her sarcastic tone and turned to Aldor." When you send it to Marshall, don''t leave any traces. He''s very suspicious. If he knows it''s from me, he''ll overanalyze my motives."This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Aldor gave a gesture of understanding.


    Shea soon ryed Ste''s exnation to Paul.


    After hearing it, he was stunned for a long while and murmured, "Dead?"


    Shea nodded. "The address you gave me led nowhere. After asking around for a long time, I found out she died eight years ago from a heart attack. Her family moved away, and I couldn''t get any contact information."


    "She was a doctor herself. How could she not have prevented a heart attack?" Paul asked.


    Shea replied, "Maybe the stress was too much. The doctor I spoke with, Dr. Larkin, said several people from their cohort have passed away, including two nurses in their thirties and another doctor who copsed in the elevator after a night shift and hasn''t woken up since."


    "Dr. Joshua Larkin?" Paul suddenly asked.


    Shea was surprised. "You know him?"


    Paul didn''t respond. He was thinking about the two nurses in their thirties who had passed away. He closed his eyes and after a while, said, "Thank you for taking care of me these past few days. I need some rest."


    Shea nodded. "I''ll head back now. Call me if you need anything; I''ll be next door."


    Returning home, Shea updated Ste on the situation.


    Among the four people in the delivery room back then, three had incidents. Now even the person who helped Paul embezzle the money had trouble. This couldn''t be a coincidence. Paul was smart and would surely be suspicious.


    Once he started suspecting, he would be the most crucial witness to expose Darcie Arnold''s misdeeds.


    Just then, her phone rang.


    Speak of the devil-Darcie was calling.


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 Chapter 2347

    Chapter 2347


    Ste answered the phone, hearing Darcie''s gentle voice, "Ste, it''s me. How are you feeling? Have you been resting well?"


    "I''m good," Ste lied, as usual. "I haven''t been to the office these past few days, so I''m behind on work. Sorry for the trouble, Darcie."


    "You always speak so politely," Darcie paused for a moment. "A friend gave me some top-quality bird''s nest. I asked Jaylene to bring some to you. It''s very good for your health if you drink it regrly." "Thank you, Darcie, but it''s not necessary. I already have some at home.


    You should keep it for yourself."


    "This bird''s nest is of excellent quality, not something you can easily buy. Even your father loves it. He always tells me to save some for you if I get more. If you don''t take it, he might think I''m being unfair," Darcie paused again, then continued, "Jaylene is already on her way and should be there soon. Just try it, and if you like it, I can send moreter."


    Ste cursed silently but replied politely, "Alright, thank you, Darcie."


    "By the way, the preliminary round of the fragrancepetition is about to start. I''ll have someone send you the list of participants. Look it over and submit it if there are no issues."


    "Okay."


    After hanging up, Ste jumped up and ran downstairs, shouting for Keegan.


    Keegan was in his study, printing documents. Hearing her shouts, he thought something was wrong and came out to see her rushing around. He asked, a bit exasperated, "What''s going on?" "Hurry, Jaylene ising. We need to tidy up the house!"


    "Tidy up what?" Keegan asked.


    "Photos, couple stuff. If Jaylene sees these, she''ll think we''re up to something!"


    Keegan''s eye twitched. "We''re married!"


    "Just clean up!" She started stuffing the couch cushions, cups on the table, and slippers from the shoe cab into Keegan''s arms.


    Keegan frowned, holding the pile of items. "Where should I put these?"


    "On your head!" Ste red at him. "Just stash them somewhere, anywhere!"


    The doorbell rang.


    "So fast!"


    Ste frantically grabbed her hair while Keegan put the items back on the couch.


    Ste was stunned and grabbed his arm, her eyes questioning him, "What are you doing?"


    Keegan calmly replied, "Just act like you''re infatuated with me."


    Ste was baffled.


    Before she could respond, Keegan was already heading to the door.


    Ste cursed under her breath and rushed upstairs to change.


    Keegan opened the door. Jaylene was fixing her hair and looked m surprised to see him. She quickly straightened up, beaming. "Keegan, you''re home."


    Keegan nodded. "What brings you here?"


    "Didn''t Ste tell you? My mom asked me to bring her some bird''s nest," she said softly, showing him the bag. "Where is Ste?"From N?velDrama.Org.


    "Upstairs. Come in, I''ll go get her."


    Keegan stepped aside to let her in.


    Jaylene lifted her skirt gracefully and walked in. Keegan handed hena pair of disposable shoe covers, "Aunt just En mopped the floor. Please wear these.


    Jaylene nced at her high heels,


    then at the shoe cab with its pairs of matching slippers, frowning slightly. Pretending not to notice, she asked softly, "Keegan, these shoe covers aren''t convenient with my heels. Can I wear slippers instead?"


    Keegan replied, "It''s better not to. She has an athlete''s foot."

 Chapter 2348

    Chapter 2348


    Ste had just descended the stairs when she heard that remark, causing her eyelids to twitch as she thought to herself, "Damn it! He really knows how toe up with excuses!"N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Upon hearing this, Jaylene''s eyes briefly shed with disdain, but she ultimately epted the shoe covers Keegan handed her. As Keegan led Jaylene into the house, her eyes continued to scrutinize every corner.


    There were a couple of pillows on the sofa, couple mugs on the table, wedding photos of Keegan and Ste on the walls, and even headbands and hair ties scattered on the table. The house exuded an unmistakable feminine touch.


    Jaylene''s expression darkened, but when Keegan turned to ask if she preferred tea or coffee, she adopted a gentle, harmless demeanor. "Tea would be perfect." Keegan invited her to take a seat and called for Maria to prepare tea.


    Jaylene spoke softly, "Keegan, I heard from Ste that you brew Dragon Well tea better than anyone else. Is there a special technique?"


    Ste paused, certain she had never mentioned that to Jaylene. Was Jaylene testing Keegan to see if he had regained his memory? She worried Keegan might identally reveal something.


    Keegan remainedposed, responding calmly, "She''s mistaken. I don''t brew tea, and I''m not particrly fond of Dragon Well."


    Jaylene pressed further, "Then what kind of tea do you like, Keegan?"


    After a moment''s thought, Keegan replied, "Probably the Imperial Eighteen Trees."


    Jaylene fixed her gaze on his eyes, observing his every expression. "Why is that?"


    Keegan shook his head. "I''m not sure. I just have a feeling it would make excellent tea eggs." Then, as if remembering something, he murmured, "I''ll have Maria give it a try sometime."


    Jaylene''s heart tightened. Keegan''s demeanor didn''t suggest he remembered Ste, but his answers hinted that his body hadn''t entirely forgotten her.


    A few days ago, when Ste and Trevor had dinner together, they were mistaken for Ste and Leighton. Media attention was focused on Leighton''s cheating scandal,pletely overlooking Keegan in the background of the photos.


    It was Ste''s mother who first noticed and quickly found Jaylene, suspecting Keegan might have regained his memory.


    5m they exmo. How else could they exin him dining with Ste and Trevon? When Keegan had amnesia, he had resisted Ste''s presence so vehemently. How could he now willingly share a meal with her?


    Jaylene didn''t want to believe the hypnosis had failed. She had and administered so many drugs, and the hypnotist had experimented on O numerous people without any waking up fully in such a short time. Keegan had been severely injured, at his most mentally vulnerable, which should have made the hypnosis more effective.


    But that photo made it hard for her not to overthink things. Jaylene had been happy when Keegan answered the door, but Darcie''s words quickly soured her mood.


    She remarked, "Ste is very ambitious. If she''s taking time off work, she must be unwell. Trust me, UnesI if you go to the Rahe family home, Keegan will definitely be there. If he''s regained his memory and Ste isn''t feeling well, he wouldn''t befortable going to work."


    Seeing Keegan at home now seemed to confirm her mother''s suspicions, leaving Jaylene unable to muster a smile. Upstairs, behind a pir, Ste observed Jaylene''s expressions closely.


    It was evident Jaylene hade to test them.


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 Chapter 2349

    Chapter 2349


    Leighton''s incident did indeed revive their suspicions.


    Jaylene was gullible, but Darcie might see through this scheme. "Keegan, why didn''t you go to work today?" Jaylene chose to ask directly at first.


    Keegan remainedposed. "I''ve been busy with the press conferencetely and haven''t had much rest. Now that things have slowed down, I thought I''d take a break and rx."


    Jaylene spoke gently, "You should rest well. Since you came back, you''ve been busy, and you''ve been postponing Dr. Stone''s follow-up appointments. Keegan, I''m really worried about your health. Since you''re resting these days, I''ll arrange for Dr. Stone to give you another check-up. Ste has been living here to assist your recovery for so long. We need the doctor to give a clear assessment of whether there''s been any improvement, otherwise, it''s not good for Ste''s reputation to stay here so long, unmarried and under one roof."From N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan nodded. "Okay, please arrange it. Thank you."


    His response was decisive, causing Jaylene to wonder if she had overthought things.


    Perhaps Keegan hadn''t necessarily regained his memory, but living under the same roof, close to Ste, Keegan couldn''t help but develop feelings for her again. Dr. Stone had earlier informed her that someone as mentally strong and resilient as Keegan wouldn''t sustain the psychological suggestions for very long.


    Jaylene wanted to say more, but Coco Morrell suddenly returned from outside, shouting loudly before even entering, "Uncle Keegan, guess what I caught!"


    Upon entering, Coco saw Jaylene sitting in the living room and immediately toned down her smile.


    She didn''t particrly like Jaylene. When Keegan had just returned, Jaylene had been visiting the Kane family estate quite frequently. At that time, Coco had no one to y with, and she often stuck to Keegan. When Jaylene praised Coco''s beauty and cuteness in front of Keegan, trying to strike up conversations with her, Coco wouldn''t even acknowledge her when Keegan wasn''t around.


    Children were the most sensitive to adult emotions, especially Coco, who had spent years in hospitals and had seen all kinds of people. She could easily tell whether someone''s frown was due to concern or disdain.


    Jaylene knew that Coco didn''t like her from the start.


    But when she saw Coco, Jaylene greeted her warmly nheless. "Coco, long time no see! Looks like you''ve grown taller since thest time."


    Coco pursed her lips and didn''t say anything, her enthusiasm greatly diminished.


    Keegan said calmly, "Aunt Jaylene is saying hi to you. Where are your manners, Coco?"


    Coco nced at Keegan and took a long time before reluctantly replying," Hello, Aunt Jaylene."


    Jaylene said, "It''s okay, Keegan. Kids are like that. It''s been so long since west met; she must be shy."


    Saying this, she took out a box from her bag and handed it to Coco. "Coco, I brought you a gift. Hope you like it."


    As she spoke, she opened the box.


    Inside was a beautiful butterfly hairpin, sparkling with exquisite gemstones, obviously quite valuable.


    However, Coco didn''t show much interest in the beautiful hair om essory like other girls her age would. She just nced at it and looked away, showing little enthusiasm.


    "So ugly," she muttered softly, causing Jaylene''s smile to freeze on her face.


    Keegan mmed his hand on the table. "When someone gives you a gift, what do you say? Have you forgotten everything I taught you?"


    Coco clenched her fists and didn''t speak, looking stubborn.


    Keegan''s gaze darkened, his anger growing. "Cat got your tongue? Speak!"


    Jaylene hurriedly intervened, "Forget it, Keegan. Kids say the darndest things, but Coco''s temperament is really bing more like Ste''s- straightforward and outspoken."


    Ste was struck speechless.


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 Chapter 2350

    Chapter 2350


    Could she figure all this out?


    Keegan frowned, casting a disappointed look at Coco. ''Are you not listening to me now?-


    Coco raised her gaze defiantly and stated, "Aunt Ste taught me that if I don''t want something someone gives me, I can say no. I don''t want this hairpin."


    "Didn''t she teach you that even if you don''t like something, you should still say thank you?"


    Coco fell silent for a moment, then reluctantly said to Jaylene, "Thank you, Aunt Jaylene, but I don''t want it."


    Jaylene hesitated with her hand extended, unsure whether to retract it or leave it there, managing a strained smile. "Then what do you like? Next time, I will get you something you do like."


    Coco asked, "Do you want me to do something for you?"


    Jaylene was taken aback. "What?"


    Coco replied seriously, "Aunt Ste says offering help without reason is either deceitful or thieving. Since you don''t like me, why else would you give me something? You want me to do something for you, right?"


    Jaylene forced a smile. "Coco, you''re so cute. I like you; Aunt Ste was just teasing."


    Ste was already a handful, and now this little troublemaker. Jaylene couldn''t help but inwardlyin about Keegan''s habit of keeping all sorts of people around. She resolved that once she was in charge, she would definitely send this little nuisance away!


    Coco shook her head. No, you still don''t like me. During the New Years, Uncle Vermont, Uncle Carter, Aunt Felicity, and many other uncles and aunties all gave me red envelopes. Aunt Ste said adults only give red envelopes to children they like. You didn''t give me one, so you must not like me."


    This little money-minded girl! If Ste hadn''t influenced her, she wouldn''t have noticed!


    Jaylene took a deep breath, maintaining her smile warmly. "I''m sorry; it was my mistake. It''s my first time as an adult, so I forgot to give red envelopes to children. Here."


    She took out a leather pouch from her bag, withdrew a few bills, hesitated for a moment, then neatly folded all the cash and wrapped it in a handkerchief before handing it over to Coco with solemnity. "Coco, for the new year, Auntie wishes you health and happiness."This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Coco said, "Aunt Jaylene, I don''t want your red envelope."


    Jaylene replied, "I know. This is my blessing for you. Only people who like you would give you blessings. I hope you''ll ept it."


    Reluctantly, Coco took it. "Okay, thank you, Aunt Jaylene."


    She suddenly hugged Jaylene and said sweetly, "I like Aunt Jaylene too."


    Jaylene looked at the little dirty hand grabbing her clean dress, endured it, and gently stroked Coco''s soft hair with a smile that didn''t quite reach her eyes. "I like you too."


    Coco happily took the red envelope and bounced upstairs.


    With Keegan present, Jaylene didn''t dare to straighten her clothes, just saying, "Keegan, doco is still young. some ideas need to be corrected early, not always focused on money."


    Keegan paused, looked up at her, and said, "Children just want red envelopes during New Year''s. It''s only Yearschre once a year. If it weren''t close a


    rtives, she wouldn''t ask. This isn''t just about money. If you don''t like it, you can refuse directly."


    Though his tone was calm, there was a hint of anger in his words. Jaylene hesitated and hurriedly said, "No, Keegan, that''s not what I meant..."


    Before she could finish, Keegan stood up. "I''ll call her down."


    With that, he went straight upstairs.


    Jaylene watched his departing figure, feeling somewhat annoyed. She


    didn''t realize Coco meant so much to Keegan. If she had known earlier, she would rlier, st have spent more time with her.


    Keegan went upstairs and saw Ste hiding behind a pir, observing the whole scene.


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 Chapter 2351

    Chapter 2351


    Seeing him, Ste even lowered her eyes and softly praised, "Mr. Kane, you acted very well."


    Keegan red at her, his voice low and intense. "If you keep watching like this, Coco will cut ties with me tomorrow."


    Ste replied confidently, "No, she won''t. After epting the red envelope, she can tolerate you a little longer."


    Keegan asked sharply, "Did you teach her to ask for red envelopes like this? n


    "Don''t falsely use me; I didn''t teach her."


    "You may not have taught her directly, but you set an example. Have you forgotten how you always make me buy things for you?"


    Ste was speechless. Whenever she wanted Keegan to buy her something, she would often say, "Gifts are only surprises when given voluntarily. If reminded, it shows they don''t like me that much."


    It had to be said, Coco had learned the essence of it.From N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste also felt a bit awkward, thinking that in the future, she needed to avoid such flirtatious conversations between spouses in front of the children. They might see it as flirting, but the child would take it seriously, which could affect their moral development.


    Keegan hadn''t been upstairs long when Ste came down.


    She was dressed in loose tracksuits, her hair cut shorter and tied back in a ponytail, revealing a smooth forehead. With her rosy lips and white teeth, she looked exceptionally healthy.


    Her robust health was something Jaylene envied.


    With Keegan gone, Jaylene wasn''t in the mood for sisterly affection. "You look healthy; doesn''t seem like you''re suffering from any major illness."


    Ste smiled. "Since witnessing Jaylene''s habit of fainting easily, I''ve been exercising regrly. It seems to have some effect; illnessese and go quickly."


    Jaylene understood her implication and shot her a sharp nce.


    "Ste, you''ve been living here for so long without helping Keegan regain his memory. You''ve been a burden. Have you ever considered what outsiders might say about this?" Jaylene snapped.


    Ste responded calmly, "I haven''t heard anything. What would they say?"


    "They''d say the Sauns are desperate, eager to give their daughter away to anyone who''ll take her for a spin! Even if you don''t care what others say about you, you should at least care about your father and brother. They are respectable figures in Rivera. Living namelessly under the Kane family''s roof is a disgrace to them! They are too polite to say it, but you should know better!"


    Ste remained unmoved, giving Jaylene a cold look. "Is it embarrassing for my father and brother, or are you just worried that Keegan might really remember what you did to him?"


    Jaylene''s eyes flickered with panic for a moment, then she regained her omposure. "What did do to Keegan? If it weren''t for me, you wouldn''t have had a chance to see him again in your lifetime."


    Ste''s eyes turned cold. "If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t have been separated from him for so long!"


    Remembering the doctor''s advice to maintain a cheerful mood, Ste gradually calmed her emotions. She turned away and walked to the the nearby coffee machine, preparing a cup of coffee. "Whether he is an enemy or a friend, when Keegan nearby remembers, everything will be clear."


    Jaylene stared at her back, seething with jealousy.


    Footsteps sounded upstairs; Keegan wasing down.


    Suddenly, Jaylene remembered Darcie''s words: If you want to know if Keegan is pretending to have amnesia, just see how he reacts when Ste is in danger.


    She nced at the steaming hot teapot nearby, her fingertips trembling slightly, then reached out and picked it up.


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 Chapter 2352

    Chapter 2352


    Her fingertips trembled with a mix of horror and excitement. Just as the teapot was about to slip from her grasp, Keegan suddenly said, "Jaylene, don''t move."This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Jaylene froze, instinctively thinking Keegan had regained his memory. She had barely twitched when Keegan loudly stopped her again, "Don''t move, absolutely don''t move."


    Jaylene wanted to say something, but then felt an itching sensation on her neck, as if something was crawling slowly. Goosebumps erupted all over her body.


    By now, Ste had turned around and saw Jaylene standing stiffly with the teapot in hand. Her eyes quickly assessed the situation and then she noticed the beetle crawling on Jaylene''s neck.


    It was an unknown species, not overly tentacled but as long as a little finger, its mouthparts slightly twitching, genuinely rming in appearance.


    Ste murmured, "It''s so big."


    Jaylene couldn''t see what was on her neck, unsure if it would bite or if it was venomous. She stood frozen in ce, her voice trembling, "Keegan, what exactly is it? Please get it away, don''t scare me."


    Keegan reassured her, "Don''t speak, don''t startle it. I''lle over slowly and help you get rid of it."


    Jaylene muttered an "Okay" and dared not make a sound.


    Keegan moved slowly, incredibly slowly-step by step, shuffling as if he had a leg problem.


    Ste nearly burst outughing; his acting was too fake. Thankfully, Jaylene had her head covered, or she would have definitely seen through it.


    After a distance of seven to eight meters, Keegan took two minutes to walk over.


    Though not long, every second was agonizing for someone facing an unknown fear.


    Finally behind Jaylene, Keegan hesitated, not making a move.


    Unable to wait any longer, Jaylene choked up, urging, "Keegan, please get rid of it quickly, I''m scared."


    Keegan looked uneasy, "I''ve never seen such a big bug before, I''m scared too. Let me think of a way."


    Jaylene was speechless.


    Jaylene was close to tears. It was the first time she felt the man she admired was so spineless, afraid even of a bug.


    "Keegan, don''t tease me. I''m really scared of bugs. Please get rid of it quickly."


    Keegan said, "Jaylene, don''t move. It might crawl into your clothes."


    Jaylene''s back stiffened, the hand holding the teapot trembling uncontrobly. Drops of water sshed on the back of her hand, stinging painfully, her eyes turning red.


    Sipping her coffee casually, Ste remarked, "Is it a locust? Or a dung beetle? I''ve never seen such a big bug in all my life."


    The more she spoke, the more Jaylene shivered. Ste knew Jaylene was as afraid of bugs as she was, even more so. Once, while living at the Saun''s house, a moth flew into Jaylene''s room, and she screamed so loudly it almost attracted wolves.


    Now faced with an unknown bug that might or might not bite, Jaylene had every reason to be terrified.


    Ste couldn''t help but wonder, though-Jaylene had driven all the way here, where did she pick up such a huge bug?


    Suddenly, she recalled how Coco had affectionately hugged Jaylene earlier. Did she...?


    She looked up towards the second-floor railing, where a piece of cloth quickly disappeared.


    Ste was struck speechless.


    There was no escaping it now; it had to be her.


    A little girl as small as a matchstick, actually had the courage to catch catch such a big bug. Stely would definitely have to educate her not to catch bugs outside; what if she caught a poisonous one?


    It was fine on Jaylene, but she couldn''t take it to scare other kids.


    Keegan wasn''t one to y tricks, but today he seemed unusually human, consoling Jaylene there for over ten minutes without making a move to help her.


    From Jaylene''s angle, Keegan''s eyes were ice-cold.


    Ste probably guessed why.


    With the teapot so tantly pointed, she couldn''t pretend she was oblivious.


    The content is on noveldrama.org! Read thetest chapter there!

 Chapter 2353

    Chapter 2353


    The standoffsted for over twenty minutes before Keegan grabbed a book and knocked the beetle off Jaylene''s neck. The beetle fluttered twice and suddenly flew up,nding on Jaylene''s face. Jaylene screamed, rolled her eyes, and fainted.


    As she copsed, the bug flew off again.


    "Jaylene?"


    Keegan called out to her.


    He looked up at Ste and said, "You go start the car, I''ll carry her to the hospital."


    As he spoke, he signaled to Ste.


    She understood and coldly grunted, "So troublesome."


    Walking over to Jaylene, she squatted down beside her and pped her face twice.


    Jaylene immediately opened her eyes and reached out to push her away." What are you doing!"


    Ste was prepared and had already moved back before she could be pushed.


    She shook her tingling hand and innocently said, "Jaylene, you fainted because of the bug. I was just saving you. Don''t believe me? Ask Keegan."


    Jaylene nearly ground her teeth. Did she think she hadn''t heard? She was intentionally exposing her private revenge!


    Keegan frowned disapprovingly. "Just press her acupoint; why hit her?"


    It sounded like he was defending Jaylene. Jaylene felt a hint of triumph, cleverly saying, "I misunderstood Ste. I thought she was still ming me for saving you back then." With one sentence, she pointed out Ste''s "immaturity" and reminded Keegan of her debt of gratitude.


    Keegan nced at Ste with a hint of me in his eyes.


    Ste''s face darkened, perhaps afraid that her actions would further alienate Keegan. She gritted her teeth and held back from saying anything, only grunting. Keegan ignored her, bowing his head to ask Jaylene,'' How are you? Do you need to go to the hospital?"


    "I''m fine, just a scare." Thinking of the huge bug just now, Jaylene still felt a lingering fear.


    Keegan reached out. "Get up."


    Jaylene was stunned, joyfully extending her hand and then looking at Ste, a hint of triumph in her eyes.


    Ste''s face turned cold, mming the coffee cup heavily onto the table.


    Jaylene sat on the sofa, took a moment topose herself, and casually remarked, "Keegan, why don''t you use those cups on the table? They look quite nice." It had begun.


    Keegan nced up briefly, saying lightly, "They''re not mine, I don''t like them. It


    Jaylene responded with an "Oh," her lips curled. It seemed she had misunderstood.


    Maybe anticipating her arrival, those cups were deliberately ced there to maintain the illusion that Keegan still liked her.


    Jaylene noticed a disy case with models inside and turned to askm Keegan Keegan, can I take a look at that?"From N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan nodded, "Of course."


    Jaylene got up and walked over to the disy case, which contained some of Keegan''s mechanical models. Each one was covered with a ss dome, obviously meticulously cared for by the owner.


    "So impressive," Jaylene eximed as she looked around, "It''s my first time seeing such beautiful models. Keegan, where did you buy them?" Keegan replied, "I made them myself."


    "Wow, you''re so talented to make them so exquisitely."


    Keegan smiled, seeming pleased. "If you like them, pick one as a gift."


    Ste suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with disbelief.

 Chapter 2354

    Chapter 2354This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Jaylene understood the situation perfectly. Even though she didn''t particrly like these cold, mechanical devices, she put on a pretense of surprise, saying,


    "Really, Keegan?"


    Keegan nodded. "Choose one you like."


    "Keegan!" Before Ste could finish her sentence, she couldn''t hold back her sharp voice, "With your pile of junk that I can''t even touch normally, she takes a look and now you want to give it to her? What''s the meaning of this?!"


    Keegan frowned, apparently notprehending her current anger at all." Jaylene gave me a gift, and I''m giving her one in return. What''s the problem?"


    "What problem?" Ste''s eyes started to redden. "I can''t touch them, so why should she be able to? Have you forgotten, or do you have inappropriate feelings for her?"


    Keegan''s expression darkened. "This makes no sense!"


    Jaylene secretly delighted in this, hypocritically trying to calm things down, "Forget it, Keegan. Since Ste minds so much, I don''t want it anymore. You''ve strained your rtionship with her because of me."


    Keegan replied coldly, "These things are mine. I can give them to whoever I want. What right does she have to interfere? Pick whichever one you like."


    "Keegan, let it go. Ste seems quite upset."


    Ste red angrily at Jaylene. "If you know that I''m unhappy, then just leave!"


    Jaylene''s eyes immediately reddened. "Keegan..."


    Keegan''s face darkened, "Ste! This is my home, and you are a guest here. It''s not your ce to dismiss people!"


    Ste stiffened all over, looking incredulously at Keegan. Her eyes were red, tears pooling but not falling as she clenched her fists stubbornly.


    "Keegan, say that again."


    Her voice was hoarse, with a hint of trembling if one listened closely.


    Keegan''s breath caught, jaw tightening. He avoided looking at her and turned to Jaylene. "Ignore her, Jaylene, pick one."


    Jaylene felt ted inside but appeared very hesitant, "Keegan, don''t argue with Ste because of me. I don''t want it anymore."


    "I''m not arguing with her," Keegan said, eyes lowered. "I promised your mother not to contact you anymore, but because of my uncle and my mother''s situation, it indirectly involves you. You still sent me a birthday gift, and I actually feel quite guilty about it. These things bring you joy, and I''m happy about that."


    He lifted his eyes to meet Jaylene''s, "No matter how valuable these things are, they''re just objects for admiration. It''s a good thing for them to be taken by someone who appreciates them."


    Jaylene''s heart soared. Somewhat shyly, she said, "Keegan, I don''t really understand, but I just think they''re beautiful. Why don''t you help me pick one?"


    Keegan nced at the disy case, pointing to the third slot in the om second row on the left How about this one? I got it during my college years; it''s probably discontinued now."


    Ste nced over, her eyelids twitching. That... if she remembered correctly, it should be a gift model worth hundreds of thousands.


    She had thought he was willing to let go, but unexpectedly, he chose a gift model. Though Jaylene was infatuated, she wasn''t ignorant; once she investigated, everything would be exposed.


    Jaylene''s eyes lit up as she reached out to pick it up and examine it, "This one looks really nice, Keegan. Can it be remote-controlled?"


    Before Keegan could respond, a cup flew over with a "smack" andnded near Jaylene''s feet, startling her. She screamed, the item in her hand. slipped and shattered on the ground, pieces scattering everywhere.


    Keegan reacted first, raising his head angrily, "Ste!"


    Unafraid, Ste sneered, "If I can''t touch them, then no one else can either. She picks one, I smash one. Try me if you don''t believe it!"


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 Chapter 2355

    Chapter 2355


    Keegan''s expression darkened with anger.


    "You''re beingpletely unreasonable!"


    Ste crossed her arms, wearing an expression that seemed challenging.


    ''You let her take it. Let''s see if I dare."


    Jaylene hadn''t actually wanted those junk items in the first ce; she was deliberately trying to stir up discord between them.


    Now that her goal was achieved, she put on a sympathetic look.


    "Keegan, I don''t want it anymore. Don''t be angry. Your health is more important. Didn''t the doctor say to keep your emotions stable?"


    Turning her head, she reproached Ste.


    "Ste, are you here to help Keegan recover his memory or just to provoke him?"


    "Shut up, you brat! Do you even have a say here?"


    Acting under the guise of a drama, ying the role of someonecking in manners, was incredibly satisfying.


    She''d wanted to curse this brat for a long time! Jaylene''s lips twitched, but she held back, tearfully saying, "Ste, if you don''t like me, I''ll leave. There''s no need to humiliate me like this."This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste pointed to the door.


    "Get lost, or I swear you''ll regret it!"


    Jaylene was rendered speechless.


    Keegan coldly nced at Ste and muttered "crazy" before turning to Jaylene.


    "Jaylene, I''m sorry. Let''s leave it at this today.ru escort you out, and another day I''ll prepare a gift to thank you."


    Watching Ste''s eyes ze with fury, Jaylene signaled to her provocatively out of Keegan''s sight and replied softly, "I''ll do as you say, Keegan."


    As Jaylene left, she seemed reluctant, hinting with her words for him to ask Ste to move out.


    Keegan closed the car door considerately for Jaylene and said warmly, "Be careful on the road. Drive safely."


    Jaylene smiled.


    "Got it. Go back now, Keegan."


    Keegan "Hmm "ed but didn''t leave.


    As the car gradually disappeared, Jaylene nced in the rearview mirror.


    Even when she had driven quite far, Keegan was still standing there, unmoved.


    Jaylene''s lips curled.


    She thought, "That''s all she''s got."


    Only when the car waspletely out of sight did keegan finally move his neck looking back at Ste on the balcony with a hint of sorrow.


    "Can you pick something less dramatic for me to read next time? What''s all this nonsense?"


    Ste smiled yfully, resting her chin on her hand.


    "I think you''re getting pretty good at it. You could just go straight into acting in short dramas."


    Keegan, being a straightforward guy without the aglility of someone like vermont was easily flustered by Ste''s provocations.


    She was worried he might mess up, so she''d been making him read m plenty of trashy novels featuring trashy scumbag boyfriends.


    If Keegan didn''t read them, she''d y them as audiobooks while he showered or put them by his bed at night.


    She even yed them while he ate, always ready to y a scene where a trashy guy defended an innocent woman.ab


    The content is on noveldrama.org! Read thetest chapter there!

 Chapter 2356

    ?Chapter 2356


    Keegan moved from initial resistance to reluctantly listening, and eventually to questioning.


    "Why do these novels portray men as so stupid and brainless, yelling at the female lead as if they have intermittent explosive disorder?"


    "Is the male lead sick? Forcing the female lead to donate a kidney, is he out of his mind?"


    "How many years would they get for calling the police in their world?"


    "Why is he so dumb? The supporting actress ims the female lead pushed her into the water and he believes it? Is checking surveince footage illegal?"


    "Ste, are you making fun of me?"


    "I can''t learn this. It all feels so neurotic. What does the female lead see in him?"


    Ste retorted, "Who cares if it''s neurotic? Just mimic that stupidity, that''s how these innocent women like men who protect them like that."


    Keegan was very reluctant, but his brain was morepliant than his body. Without needing to study deliberately, everything he heard stuck in his mind.


    So when Keegan mentioned giving a model to Jaylene, Ste immediately understood he was applying what he learned.From N?velDrama.Org.


    Whether to say it or not, he mastered the lines of a scumbag boyfriend perfectly, though his expressions weren''t quite on point. Fortunately, Jaylene didn''t scrutinize him closely; otherwise, she would have noticed Keegan''s involuntary look of pity when it seemed she was about to cry.


    Ste grinned. "All that time listening to novels wasn''t in vain. You''re making rapid progress. Any acting tips, Professor Kane?''


    Keegan replied, "Just yell."


    Ste burst intoughter, leaning on the railing of the first-floor balcony. She beckoned to Keegan with a crooked finger. "Come here."


    ''I told you not to use that gesture to call me."


    Keegan was somewhat displeased but still walked over. Jasmine nts flourished around the balcony''s


    perimeter. Ste hugged his neck across the railing and nted a kiss on his cheek.

 Chapter 2357

    Keegan quickly turned his head, gesturing for Ste to kiss him elsewhere.


    Ste hugged Keegan and kissed him a few more times. With a mischievous glint in her eye, she said, "When you mentioned giving her the model, I thought you were serious. But you ended up gifting her something else. Aren''t you worried she''ll check the price?"


    Keegan responded coolly, "Let her check. I didn''t lie. It is indeed out of print. She tried to pour boiling water on you to test me. If one n fails, she''ll try another. I won''t leave until I find a reason to argue with you." The first time, Jaylene had her back to the stairs and couldn''t see his expression, so she missed his pale face. Because of the bug on her body, he quickly found an excuse to divert her suspicion. If it happens again, how could he be so lucky?


    Thinking about Jaylene''s actions, Ste''s smile faded. "Since Darcie is suspicious, she won''t easily believe the news Jaylene brings back. This drama won''tst long. Let''s see her next move. If I provoke her, I''ll start with Jaylene and let her taste the pain."


    After a pause, she added, "You really need to see the doctor who hypnotized you with Jaylene again."


    Keegan smiled, "She has to be able to bring him to me."


    Ste''s eyes sparkled, "What did you do to him?"


    Keegan said slowly, "Nothing. I just reported that someone on a certain flight had smuggled banned drugs. Jaylene will probably receive the news tonight. This person knows what drugs can''t pass customs, so how could he bring them in? The drugs he gave Jaylene were clearly banned. How could he smuggle them?"


    Keegan continued, "If he doesn''t bring them, someone will help him."


    Like RICH WOMEN?


    These women desperately want a mature men!


    JOIN NOW


    *Waming* these rich women will persue you.


    Someone without medical ethics won''t treat subordinates well. For the right price, someone will bring the "evidence" on the ne.


    Dr. Stone isn''t a citizen of this country. Even if he vites the rules, he''ll be repatriated to face legal sanctions. If he can''t enter the country, Jaylene will find another way to get the medicine. Then it will be time to close the.


    Ste realized, "So it''s about money and influence."


    Keegan paused and suddenly asked, "Did you curse during the argument?"


    Ste blinked, "No."


    "Yes!" Keegan red at her, "Did you forget what the prenatal teacher said?"


    What did the prenatal teacher say?


    Listening to music, telling stories, and anything else? Ste couldn''t remember.


    She slept through half of the prenatal ss yesterday.


    Keegan hired a professional prenatal teacher for home sses. The teacher spoke softly and gently, clearly experienced with pregnant women and children. It was ufortable and made Ste sleepy.


    She was sometimes confused and sometimes dazed during the ss. She had never been so sleepy, even in her worst math ss in school.


    Keegan was energetic, taking notes while listening.


    Ste asked Keegan, yawning, "You have a good memory, but you still take notes."


    What did Keegan say?This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He said, "A good memory is not as reliable as a bad pen."


    This was Ste''s only impression of the ss. As for what the teacher said, it went in one ear and out the other.


    Keegan knew from Ste''s expression that she hadn''t absorbed much from the ss.


    "Don''t curse," Keegan said unhappily, "especially not in front of the children. Look at Coco. She''s only been with us a short time and already knows how to ask for red envelopes. This stage is crucial for forming a child''s worldview, values, and outlook on life. As parents, we must set a good example."


    Ste disagreed, "Does Coco care


    about the red envelope? She''s


    venting her anger for us. Children know who genuinely cares for them. N


    Forming a worldview, values, and


    outlook on life is important, but we


    can''t teach children to be saints. We need different standards for good and bad people. Coco is much smarter than I was as a child."


    Keegan disagreed. "What''s good


    about it? She''s tasted the sweetness


    of getting something for nothing! e How can you guarantee she''ll target bad guys next time? When driven by interests, will she care if the person she deceives is good or bad?"


    Ste wanted to refute but felt Keegan made sense.


    "Then what should we do? We can''t punish her."


    If it was her own child, she would have punished them. But Coco wasn''t hers, and the child knew she wasn''t part of the family. Light scolding might not be effective; harsh wo


    Keegan was also in a dilemma. They leaned on the balcony railing, thinking hard.


    Keegan suggested, "How about one of us ys the good cop and the other the bad cop,bining rewards and punishments?"


    Ste agreed, "Okay, you be the good cop, and I''ll be the bad cop."


    Keegan protested, "I scolded Jaylene just now, and now you want me to be the good cop? What if she hates me?"

 Chapter 2358

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2358-Keegan added, "You are always very serious in front of Jaylene. ying the good guy role fits your character. I am usually so gentle with her that she definitely wouldn''t believe me in that role. You should y the good guy role, whether it''s once or a hundred times."


    Keegan was about to say something when Coco''s voice suddenly came from behind, "Aunt Ste."


    "Hey." Ste hurriedly responded and turned around to see Coco looking at them with her big ck eyes.


    Coco asked, "Did I disturb your love?"


    Ste replied, "Not really..."


    Coco then asked, "Then what are you doing?"


    Ste looked at Keegan and signaled him to start talking.


    Keegan did not change his expression and replied on the spot, "Your Aunt Ste told me that she has something to tell you."


    Coco looked at Ste, as if asking her what she wanted to say.


    Ste cursed Keegan in her heart for not being supportive, but when she looked into Coco''s innocent and bright eyes, she couldn''t say anything harsh.


    Keegan was still gently patting her waist from behind, signaling her to be calm.


    Ste opened her mouth but all she said was, "Well, it''s nothing. I just wanted to ask you what you want to eat tonight."


    Coco''s eyes curved with a smile, "Wonderful! Grandma Whitney said she would teach me how to make itter. She said you like wontons with shrimp filling the most. When I learn how, I''ll make them for you guys!" Ste''s heart softened, and she couldn''t say anything more.


    "By the way, wait for me a moment," Coco said and ran out.


    Ste was confused. Within two minutes, Coco came back with her piggy bank jar.


    She held her piggy bank jar in front of Ste and said sincerely, "Aunt Ste, can you help me with this money?" She took out a wad of money from her pocket and handed it to Ste, "Aunt Ste, can you help me donate this money?"


    Ste was stunned for a moment. She had heard Coco say before that this money jar was a gift from Keegan when she was six years old.


    When she came to live in Royalpark Vi, she brought her money jar with her. Keegan had joked before that she would forget everything when she moved, but she would never forget her money jar. It was obvious that she would grow up to be a money-grubber like her.


    She thought that Coco was just like her when she was a child, wanting to save enough money to buy the things she liked, but she didn''t expect that she would want to donate it.


    Ste squatted down, took Coco''s hand, and asked softly, "Coco, why do you want to donate the pocket money you have saved for so long? What''s wrong?"


    She wondered if Coco had heard their discussion.


    Coco lowered her eyes and said, "Aunt Ste, if Uncle Keegan hadn''t adopted me, would I still be alive?"


    Ste was stunned, not knowing what made a seven-year-old girl ask such a question.


    Ste didn''t know how to answer, but


    Coco didn''t seem to need her


    answer. She said to herself, "I probably wouldn''t survive. Unglen Keegan is rich, so he found a suitable bone marrow for you and Coco. You don''t have to wait in line like Lele. Even if you can wait, you have to stay in the hospital all year round and spend all your money on blood transfusions. When it''s your turn to get a bone marrow transnt, will you still have money?"


    Coco said, "I want to donate the money in the jar to children like Lele. I


    oply as


    don''t want them to die when they are aspidas/Lele Lele said that the clouds in the sky are very white and the flowers on the ground are very


    fragrant. You have to live to see them once."


    Ste didn''t know who Lele was, but Keegan knew.


    Lele was one of Coco''s few friends, a friend she met in the hospital. He was five years older than her, had the same disease, and the same rare blood type, but he didn''t get a bone marrow transnt and survive.


    It''s not that he didn''t wait for the


    bone marrow. He had two chances to


    have a bone marrow transnt. The first time was the best time, but his family was heavily in debt for his medical treatment. They borrowed all the money they could but still couldn''t get enough for the surgery. His parents could only grit their teeth. and give up, trying to save money for the next time.


    But no one expected that the second time would take so long, so long that Lele''s body had deteriorated and he could no longer undergo surgery.From N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 2359

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2359-Lele was like a withered flower, getting weaker day by day. Coco yed with him during the day and cried in her bed at night. The night before Lele died, Cocoy in Keegan''s arms with tears falling down.


    She said, "Uncle Keegan, will I die too?


    Uncle Keegan, why do we get this disease?


    Uncle Keegan, don''t you have money? Lend me money for Lele''s surgery, and I will pay you back when I grow up and make money. I don''t want Lele to die." Keegan stroked her hair without saying a word.


    Coco was too young. She didn''t understand that sometimes life is so wrong and helpless. It''s easy to exchange life for money, but it''s hard to exchange money for life.


    But Keegan didn''t expect Coco to remember it for so many years. She was only five years old at that time.


    Ste''s eyes were red, and she didn''t know what to say for a while. There are so many poor people in this world. How much can one person do?


    But she didn''t have the heart to shatter the child''s expectation that the world would be better, so she asked very seriously, "Are you sure you want to donate it all? If you donate it, you won''t have it."


    Coco nodded, then raised a bright smile, "I will make a lot of money like Uncle Keegan in the future."


    Ste smiled, took the money jar and put it aside, reached out and hugged Coco, "I will take you there tomorrow, and you can donate it yourself."


    Coco said happily, "Okay."


    Educating Coco was much easier than Ste thought. Having been ill since childhood, Coco had matured and be unreasonably sensible. Many principles didn''t need to be taught. She had done much better than they imagined.


    The next morning, Keegan went to work, and Samuel drove Ste and Coco to the local charity association.


    Apanied by their guardians, the donation went smoothly. The person on duty also issued a certificate to Coco and said many praises, which made Coco blush.


    Ste took a photo of Coco holding the certificate with the staff and sent it to Keegan, "Glorious donation."


    Keegan gave a "like."


    Ste was about to send a message when Trevor called, "Ste, is Keegan with you?"


    Ste said, "He went to work. What''s wrong, brother?"


    Trevor said, "I called him but couldn''t get through. I''m at the airport now. I found out some information about


    Kaia''s daughter that you mentioned, for that and I n to go over to confirm it. There has been some progress in Leighton''s case recently, and he is not in Rivera. He asked me to go to the police station to verify information or something. I can''t go there now, so you can ask Keegan to go and help him."


    Ste looked up and saw that the


    police station was two or three


    hundred mete


    m


    meters across the street, so


    she said, "I go. I happen to be doing


    "THThis text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    business nearby. Is it too much


    trouble?"


    Trevor said, "It shouldn''t be too much trouble. It''s just a signature or something. If it''s troublesome, don


    worry about it. At most, you can postpone it for a few days and wait for him toe back."


    "Okay, then I''ll go over and take a look."


    After hanging up the phone, Ste took Coco to the police station and unexpectedly met Larry who was also at the police station.

 Chapter 2360

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2360-Larry arrived earlier than her. When she got there, he was at the door making a phone call. He didn''t look very well, but he spoke in a low voice.


    Ste saw Larry first, and as she took a few steps closer, Larry turned his head alertly.


    Seeing it was Ste, Larry was stunned for a moment, then hung up the phone and walked over. "Miss Jewell? Why are you here?"


    Ste replied, "I came here to do something. Are you here for something as well?"


    Larry hesitated before responding, "Thest suspect who kidnapped my son eight years ago was arrested, and the police called me to cooperate with the investigation." Ste was a little surprised. "Your son was kidnapped?"


    Larry nodded and said, "It happened eight or nine years ago. His ear was injured by the kidnappers during the kidnapping, and the treatment was dyed. The police officer in charge of the case told me that after the case is sentenced, we may be able to get morepensation."


    While Larry spoke, he felt that someone was staring at his hand. He pursed his lips and calmly sped his palms against the side of his legs. "I should be able to install a cochlear imnt for him soon."


    Ste was actually a little curious, but out of politeness, she didn''t ask more about it. Instead, she asked, "Have you taken your child to see the doctor I rmended to you before?" Larry paused and said, "No."


    Ste was a little surprised. She thought Larry would take the child to get a checkup and a custom cochlear imnt right away. After all, he was so eager to have this surgery for his son that he even took a part-time job for it.


    But now, the doctor she rmended offered a lower price, yet Larry still hadn''t taken the child to get a checkup until now. It was really unbelievable.


    Larry exined, "My wife hasn''t been feeling welltely. The new position she was transferred to is not as flexible as before, and I''m also quite busy, so I haven''t had time to take him to see a doctor yet. But I''ve made an appointment with the doctor. I''ll take the child there this weekend for a preliminary checkup."


    As he was talking, the police called Larry''s name. He responded and turned to Ste, "Miss Jewell, I''ll go in first."


    Ste nodded.


    herFrom N?velDrama.Org.


    After Larry left, Coco gently pull sleeve. The content is on ¡¤ The contents on. C


    En !


    "Aunt Ste." The content is NovelDrama.Org


    m


    Ste lowered her head and asked in a gentle voice, "What''s wrong?" The content content is on NovelDrama.Org!

 Chapter 2361

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2361-Coco whispered, "The uncle''s hands are different from mine."


    "What?"


    Ste didn''t understand.


    Coco said, "It''s just that his palms are ck."


    Ste: "ck? Are they dirty?"


    "It''s not dirty," Coco didn''t know how to describe what she saw, racking her brains to sum up, "It''s just ck, ugly, and scary."


    Ste didn''t pay attention, thinking it was a birthmark or a mole, so she said, "Coco, we can discuss a person''s qualities and advantages, but we can''t discuss other people''s appearance and defects. That''s impolite." Coco slumped her shoulders and whispered, "I''m sorry."


    Ste rubbed her hair, "Let''s go,e outter, and I will treat you to ice cream."


    Coco responded and held Ste''s hand again, but she was still thinking about what she had just seen.


    Ste was tall and had been talking to Larry, so she didn''t see it, but Coco was short, so she could just see the other person''s palm.From N?velDrama.Org.


    It was ck, burnt, and some ces were broken, which looked a bit scary.


    But Ste said that it was impolite to discuss other people''s defects, so she swallowed her curiosity.


    Little Sweet Potato, who had previously spread rumors about Leighton''s sexual harassment, was arrested. Because she was involved in a kidnapping case many years ago, the police came to Leighton mainly to talk about the joint trial of the case.


    After exining the basic information, Ste thought of Larry, whom she met at the door, and whispered to the policeman beside her, "Officer, I want to ask, in the kidnapping case involving ''Little Sweet Potato'', is the father of the victim boy named Larry?"


    The policeman paused when typing, "Do you know him?"


    Ste nodded, "He works in ourpany."


    As she was talking, the door was pushed open, and a tall police officer entered with a cup in his hand ¡°Then the you have to pay attention to the safety issues at yourpany. You can''t use such a high concentration of acid for cleaning; it will burn


    people''s hands like that."


    Ste looked confused and didn''t understand what he was talking about.


    The policeman sitting opposite Ste was also curious, "What''s going on? He''s Larry. I just came over from his ce. When he was trying to make fingerprints, he couldn''t press them. I m


    looked at his hands. Both of his


    e


    hands, the entire palms and fingers, were all burnt and injured. I asked him how it happened. He said that when he was cleaning the restroom at thepany, he identally got acid on his hands. I don''t know how concentrated the acid theirpany bought was, but his hands were carbonized. He didn''t say a word and was still applying ink on the table. There were blood stains everywhere. If you didn''t know, you would think we were torturing him."


    Another policeman asked, "Can he still make fingerprints?"


    "Then how did he do it? He didn''t


    press it. I think even if his hands are


    healed, it would be difficult to restor I asked my


    the fingerprint?


    colleagues to take him to record his


    iris and voiceprints."

 Chapter 2362

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2362-Another policeman asked, "Can we still take fingerprints?"


    "How can we do that? We didn''t do that. Even if his hand is healed, it would be hard to recover the fingerprints. I asked my colleagues to take him to record his iris and voiceprints."


    After the tall policeman finished speaking, he turned to Ste and said, "Go back and tell yourpany to rece the high-concentration acid as soon as possible. If someone with bad intentions uses this stuff to hurt someone, yourpany will be responsible."


    Ste came back to her senses and responded, "Okay, thank you for reminding me."


    After leaving the police station, Ste frowned and remained silent.


    It seemed that what Coco saw just now was not a birthmark or mole on Larry''s hand, but a wound corroded by concentrated acid.


    The suspect had been arrested, so there was no rush. Why didn''t he treat the wound first?


    Ste couldn''t figure this out. Another thing she couldn''t understand was why thepany''s cleaning department would purchase such concentrated acid. The safety hazard was too great.


    She found Kiara''s phone number and dialed it. The phone rang for a long time, but no one answered. Ste hung up and called Keegan instead.


    The call was connected in a few seconds, but the person who answered was Aldor. Keegan had an important meeting today and couldn''t answer the phone. Aldor was holding his phone.


    Aldor said, "Madam, it''s me. Mr. Kane has an important meeting and can''t answer the phone right now. If you have something urgent, you can tell me. If it''s not urgent, I''ll ask Mr. Kane to call you after the meeting."


    Ste said, "It''s not urgent. I just have to go to thepany for something important. Coco is still with me. I''ll take her to Vermont''s ce to yter. Just ask Keegan to remember to pick up Coco when he returns home. I may be homete today."


    Aldor replied, "Okay, I''ll tell Mr. Ker."


    Ste said, "Okay, bye."


    After hanging up the phone, Ste took Coco to buy her favorite ice cream, sent her to Vermont, exchanged a few words, and left in a hurry, leaving Vermont and Coco holding their ice cream, staring at each other. "Is this a nursery?" Vermont muttered.


    Coco looked up at him.


    Vermont felt a little guilty. Did the kid hear him?


    Coco tilted her head and suddenly smiled, "Uncle Vermont, you are so handsome, even more handsome than Uncle Keegan."


    Vermont smiled immediately and propped his chin up. "tter ml little more, and fill take you to the amusement park."


    Coco shook her head, "I''m telling the truth, Uncle Vermont, you''re just very e handsome.


    Vermont "tsk?ed and bent down to pick her up, "Let''s go, little trickster. Let''s go with your Aunt Thompson."


    When Ste was about to arrive at thepany, Kiara called back.


    She raised her hand and pressed the answer button.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Boss Jewell, did you need something?"


    There was a lot of noise in the background, so Ste asked, "Are you at thepany?"

 Chapter 2363

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2363-Kiara said, "No, I''m at the event center, submitting some information. What''s up?"


    Ste remembered the uing perfumepetition, and Kiara was one of the registrants. It was a busy time for preparations, so she didn''t want to bother her and just said, "Nothing, is Sonia''s information also included?"


    Kiara nodded, "Yes, before Boss Saun gave it to me, he asked Ms. Abbott to confirm it with the contestants one by one. I was overseeing it."


    "Okay, go ahead with your work, and we''ll talk when youe back."


    After hanging up the phone, the car arrived at thepany. After getting out, Ste went straight to the lobby.


    Thepany''s front desk greeted her politely. Ste responded and entered the elevator, but she chose the second floor. There was no restroom on the first floor of thepany building.


    Restrooms were on the second floor and above.


    Ste started checking directly from the second floor.


    Coincidentally, when Ste arrived at the second floor, a cleaner was cleaning.


    It was working hours, so there was no one in the restroom.


    The cleaningdy was mopping the floor. Near the sink was a cleaning cart, full of cleaning supplies.


    Ste looked down and saw many stic barrels and bottles on the cleaning cart, all filled with liquid. You could smell the disinfectant without opening them, but there were nobels on these bottles and barrels. But concentrated acid wouldn''t be put in stic bottles, right?


    "What are you doing?"


    Ste was observing, and a female voice with an ent came from behind her.


    She turned around and asked the cleaningdy.


    The cleaningdy worked on the lower floor and had never seen Ste before. She thought she was going to the restroom, so she said, "I haven''t started pouring acid into the toilet yet. You should go quickly." Ste didn''t respond. Instead, she looked at the items on the cleaning cart and asked, "Auntie, may I ask what brand and concentration of acid you use to clean the restroom?"


    The cleaningdy said, "It''s the one in the gray cans from the wholesale market, big barrels, very cheap. I don''t know what it''s called. Do you want to buy some?"


    Ste nodded, "I see that our restroom is quite clean with a brush, so I want to buy some and try it at home."


    The cleaningdy quickly advised her, "Don''t buy it. We scrubbed the scales off the toilet little by little with a brush. The acid can''tpletely clean it. The one the foreman bought is not easy to use and tooborious. You should buy a slightly better one for yourself. Pour it in and wait a few minutes. You don''t even have to scrub it. It''s clean when you flush it with water. It saves a lot of effort."


    Ste pursed her lips. If it wasn''t easy


    to use, it meant that the


    concentration of the acid was


    m


    definitely not high. Then why did Larry say that he was burned by acid while cleaning in thepany? The


    To prevent herself from overthinking, Ste asked more carefully, "Have we always used this brand, or have we changed it recently?"From N?velDrama.Org.


    "It''s always been this!" The cleaning


    not knowing what she was thinking, "It would be great if it was changed. Since I started working here, we''ve always used this toilet cleaner. It would be great if it was changed! It would be less difficult to clean if it was a better one, but the foreman wouldn''t be willing. He buys it for $30 and reports seventy or eighty dors to the higher-ups. If he changes to a better one, the price will be higher, and the profit will be less. I wouldn''t change it either, anyway, it''s not the leader who gets tired..."


    is on NovelDrama.Org!


    Ste was silent for a while, then asked onest question. "Do all the restrooms upstairs use this acid, or is it better on the floor where the leaders are?"


    "It''s the same. The restrooms in the whole building are shared by several of us, and we use the same supplies."


    Ste pressed her lips together, and a question kept popping up in her mind: why did he lie?


    At the same time, Darcie received a call. She interrupted reading them report and waved her hand. The other party closed the file and quietly left, closing the office door behind them.


    Darcie walked to the window, opened the ss, and whispered, "Come out? No doubt?"

 Chapter 2364

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2364- The voice on the other end said, "No."


    Darcie frowned, feeling uneasy. "What did you tell the police?"


    The voice on the other end replied calmly, "I told them the truth."


    "Alijah!" Darcie couldn''t suppress her anger. "Is this a time to joke?"


    "I''m not joking," the voice lowered a bit. "What else could I say? You gave me this identity, so I have to follow the script. Can I say I''m Alijah, a man who has been dead for nearly 27 years? Tell me how he came back to life?"


    Her voice was filled with suppressed pain and resentment, and in an instant, Darcie''s face twisted in anger. "Are you ming me?"


    Alijah remained silent for a moment before saying calmly, "No, I''m not."


    "Alijah, you do me me!" Darcie''s words were usatory. "You were the one who owed the debt back then. You proposed this idea. You couldn''t raise Jaylene, and you wanted her to have a better life, so you begged me to help!"


    "I''ve given you money, haven''t I? Over the years, I''ve transferred so much to you. You could have gone abroad for a better life, but you insisted on staying in Rivera. Without a legitimate identity, how can you face Jaylene openly?"


    Alijah choked up, closing his eyes for a moment before speaking in a hoarse voice, "I''m not ming you. I''m just tired of living in fear. I can''t even take off my clothes at home or sleep deeply. When I see ''acquaintances'' on the street, I have to pretend to know them well and call them brothers. Even when I''m sick, I''m afraid of doing a blood test or going to the hospital!"


    He took a deep breath and continued, "I chose this life; I admit it. But now, I just want to stay by Jaylene''s side and protect her. Why can''t you grant me this one wish? Why did you persuade Jaylene to stay away from me? Would I harm my own daughter?"


    Darcie''s face turned pale with anger. "It''s not about harm. You''re a time bomb near Jaylene! Wenham and Jaylene have a good rtionship. He likes your calligraphy and paintings. How can you ensure he won''t recognize you?"


    Alijah clenched his fists and said hoarsely, "You can rest assured. I can''t paint or write anymore. Just based on my face, they won''t recognize me." Darcie was stunned. "What do you mean?"


    "I destroyed my fingerprints, soaked them in acid, and damaged them permanently. I can''t hold a pen anymore. Is that enough?"


    Darcie was shocked. She hadn''t expected him to go to such lengths.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Without fingerprints, as long as he didn''t break thew, the police wouldn''t collect blood samples casually, and no one would suspect his identity.


    Darcie calmed herself, softened her tone, and said, "Why did you do that? There''s no need for such extremes... I was just worried you might lose control in front of Jaylene. That''s why I didn''t want you too close to her. I''ll discuss it with Jaylene. She needs a driver. I''ll try to persuade her to let you take the job."


    Darcie did not let down her guard, but she suddenly felt that having him close to Jaylene might not be a bad thing. A person who valued Jaylene''s life more than his own would protect her at all costs and take responsibility for her withoutint.


    Moreover, it would be easier to monitor such a time bomb if he was nearby.


    Alijah was stunned and asked anxiously, "Are you serious? Are you lying to me?"


    His voice trembled with excitement.


    Darcie replied, "But you must promise me that you won''t mention anything about Jaylene''s father in front of her. If you can''t do that, forget I said anything."


    "I can do it!" Alijah said urgently. "I can definitely do it. You talkto m Jaylene


    ve


    "Got it," Darcie paused and added, "Until the extortion case is closed, you still need to be careful, especially around that father and daughter." Read


    "I understand."


    Before hanging up, Alijah stopped her again, "By the way, there''s something else."


    Darcie asked, "What?"


    Alijah replied, "I met Ste at the police station today."

 Chapter 2365

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2365-Darcie''s face changed suddenly. "What was she doing at the police station?"


    "I don''t know. I couldn''t ask in detail. But she had a little girl with her, around six or seven years old."


    Darcie frowned, thinking for a moment. "Did you talk to her? What did you say?"


    Alijah said, "I was afraid she''d be suspicious, so I told her why I was at the police station. She didn''t ask much." Being open and honest would arouse less suspicion than hiding something.


    Darcie asked, "Is that all?"


    Alijah confirmed, "Yes."


    Darcie pondered over it and said in a deep voice, "Why did you tell the police your hands were burned by acid?"


    Alijah exined, "I said I was injured by acid while cleaning at thepany."


    Darcieined, "Why say it happened at thepany? How could there be such high-concentration acid there?"


    Alijah retorted, "I couldn''t say it happened at home. The police are questioning more than just me. If the couple being questioned can''t lie, it would be exposed."


    Darcie frowned, "That couple is crazy and deaf. You can''t handle two cripples?"


    Alijah''s face turned ugly. "Don''t be so harsh. They''re just unfortunate people."


    "What are they unfortunate about? A gambler and a domestic violence offender reced by a hardworking, knowledgeable husband. They should be grateful." Alijah felt ufortable.


    Darcie, too tired to argue further, said, "I''ll talk to Jaylene about you being her driver. Wait for my news."


    Alijah swallowed his retort and whispered, "Okay."


    After hanging up, Darcie, feeling uneasy, called Aubrey in to handle the details.


    Ste climbed five floors, noting that the situation on each floor matched what the cleaningdy described. The acid used was amon low-concentration cleaning agent.


    Why did Larry lie?


    Ste pondered this question all day, until the next afternoon, when shel overheard colleagues in the tea


    room.


    "With such a severe arm injury, she may not work for months. Will thepany fire her?"This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Probably not. The President sent her


    to the hospital. And it''s not her fault. The cleaning agent thepany bought is too A few days


    ago, a security guard was injured worse. All ten fingers were damaged, but thepany granted him paid leave and arranged lighter work." Read


    Ste paused, forwarding baby clothes and shoes to Keegan. Her heart was in turmoil.

 Chapter 2366

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2366-The discussion was heated. Some praised thepany''s humane approach, while others believed there were potential safety risks in thepany''s management. Such concentrated acid should not be used to clean the bathrooms.


    The cleaner was identally burned. If someone wanted tomit a crime, wouldn''t this be a convenient weapon?


    When the questioner said this, he subconsciously looked at Ste, realizing toote that he had spoken out of turn. He quickly said, "Boss Jewell, I''m not saying thepany didn''t handle it well. It''s just that the hidden danger is too significant, and I can''t help but think of the worst."


    Ste looked up. "What hidden danger are you talking about?"


    The man was surprised. "You...you didn''t listen?"


    "Sorry," Ste said softly. "I was just replying to a friend''s message and didn''t pay attention."


    The man opened his mouth, unsure of what to say.


    Another person nearby picked up the conversation. "It''s because of the two consecutive injuries to cleaning staff in thepany these past few days. It''s making everyone anxious."


    After exining the situation, he added, "Boss Jewell, you also know the person who was injured before, Larry, who drove for you. His injury is more severe."


    Ste frowned. "Larry? Are you sure? I met him yesterday while running errands, and he seemed fine. When did he get injured?"


    The colleague was stunned. "No way. He was injured a few days ago and asked for leave around the same time as you."


    Ste thought carefully. "I was in a hurry that day and didn''t speak much with him. I didn''t see his hand bandaged, and Larry didn''t mention it. Is he seriously injured?"


    "I haven''t seen it myself. I heard from others that all ten of his fingers are damaged. It will take about a month to recover."


    Ste''s brows furrowed with worry. "How was this handled? Did thepany send someone to express condolences? How were his medical expenses covered?"This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "If it happened while working in thepany, it should be considered a work-rted injury. Thepany has likely givenpensation, but I don''t know the details. But with such severe injuries, it will impact his ability to do physical work in the future. I''m not sure how thepany will handle it."


    Ste pursed her lips. "Did thepany send a representative to visit him?"


    "Probably not yet."


    Ste said, "If thepany organizes a visit, let me know. I''ll send a gift on e


    my behalf.


    "Did she say that?" Darcie asked.


    Aubrey nodded. "Yes, I heard it with my own ears. At first, she wasn''t


    paying attention and was on her


    om


    phone. Later, when the person


    ¦¯¦©


    arranged called her, she asked about


    it, but she didn''t say much. She just


    mentioned that if thepany organized a condolence visit, she would send a gift. She didn''t say anything else."


    Darcie pursed her lips and murmured, "It''s not like her to be soindifferent."

 Chapter 2367

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2367-Aubrey said, "Actually, I think it''s normal for her to be so cold. After all, Larry broke the essential oil before. He took the job privately and embarrassed Ste. She must have someints."


    Darcie didn''t respond immediately. After a while, she said, "Go to HR and transfer Larry to be Jaylene''s driver for now."


    Aubrey was a bit surprised. "Mrs. Saun, if you want to arrange a driver for Miss Jaylene, I can find someone else. Thepany just hired a young man who is strong and has over five years of driving experience. Larry worked for Ste for a while; he might not be suitable."


    Darcie said, "Just do as I say. I have my reasons. Don''t question it."


    Aubrey quickly lowered her head. "Yes, ma''am."


    After she left, Julia hurried up to her. "Cousin, did you mention it to Mrs. Saun?"


    Aubrey shook her head. "Mrs. Saun has already arranged another driver for Jaylene. It''s decided."


    Julia immediately became anxious. "How can it be decided already? Hasn''t thepany recruited new people recently?"


    Aubrey said, "Mrs. Saun transferred Larry over, and I''m heading to HR to arrange it now."


    Juliained, "He caused trouble for Ste. How can Mrs. Saun trust him to drive for her daughter?"


    Aubrey''s face changed. She pulled Julia to a secluded spot and said coldly, "Are you crazy? This is apany! Do you think you can talk loudly about your boss here? I think you don''t want to work here anymore!" Julia whispered, "I''m just shocked. Even if Mrs. Saun wants to show her tolerance, there''s no need for this."This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Aubrey was puzzled by Darcie''s decision but knew better than to question it. "If your boyfriend still wants to stay in thepany, let him work as a security guard for now. When there''s a suitable position, I''ll try to transfer him."


    Julia raised her voice. "How can he be a security guard? He definitely doesn''t want to. Besides, I promised him the driver''s job. How can I exin this now? His mother is expecting good news."


    Aubrey frowned. "If he doesn''t want to, he can find another job. You''re an outstanding graduate. Look at your boyfriend-no proper job, ying games and hanging out in bars. You pay for his rent and living expenses, and now he needs your help to find a job. What do you see in him?"


    Julia said ufortably, "Cousin, my boyfriend doesn''t have manyo m advantages) but his father''s surname is Lowe."


    Aubrey frowned. "I don''t care what his father''s surname is!"


    Julia lowered her voice. "It''s the Lowe family on the wealth list."


    Aubrey was stunned, her expression suddenly serious. "Are you sure?"


    "Absolutely. I''ve seen a photo of his mother and that man at their house. How else could his mother support him without a decent job? Kve seen her get out of a Cullinan more than once. I''ve been by his side during his toughest times, waiting for him to be recognized by the Lowe family. How could he not appreciate my loyalty? Compared to that, what I''m giving now is nothing."


    Aubrey pursed her lips. "If they wanted to recognize an illegitimate child, why wait until now? The Lowe family isn''t short of sons. Why would they need someone who doesn''t have a decent job? You''re putting all your hopes on him. If you bet on the wrong horse, there''s no turning back. Focus on the perfumepetition this year. Stay close to Jaylene. If there''s an opportunity, Mrs. Saun and I will push you forward. Your stage shouldn''t be limited to what''s in front of you."

 Chapter 2368

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2368-Julia didn''t think Jaylene was a hopeless romantic seeking a man''s love. That wasn''t her style. From the beginning, her aim was clear: she wanted the identity and status the other party could offer her.


    She might not achieve it even with twenty or thirty years of hard work. Now, a shortcut was in front of her, so why wouldn''t she seize it?


    But she also understood Aubrey''s temperament. Aubrey had spent half her life following Darcie, an ambitious woman, and had been trained by her to be a loyal follower. To Aubrey, social ss was insurmountable, and the future had to be earned through one''s efforts.


    But did Darcie achieve her status on her own? If she hadn''t married Wenham, she would have been a single mother from an ordinary family.


    That''sughable.


    However, Julia didn''t dare to voice this in front of Aubrey, so she could only act coquettishly, "Cousin, please help me. Regardless of whether he can be acknowledged or not, I want to give it a try. Could you arrange a job for him closer to Jaylene? Maybe he could attend events with her and gain favor with the Lowe family."


    When Aubrey was studying, her family was so poor they couldn''t make ends meet. Julia''s parents lent them money to solve urgent needs. Aubrey still felt grateful to their family and couldn''t resist Julia''s pleas, so she sighed and said, "I''ll try to transfer him to Jaylene as an assistant. Help him improve his basic knowledge so he isn''t clueless when asked."


    Julia immediately smiled, taking Aubrey''s arm and saying sweetly, "Thank you, cousin! I knew you loved me the most! Come to my house for dinner this weekend. You haven''t been over in a long time..."


    On the other side, Ste was upset when she returned to the office. If she hadn''t checked the detergent yesterday, she might have believed today''s rumors.


    Larry''s hand wasn''t injured at thepany, yet he insisted it was. She didn''t confirm the detergent''s concentration wasn''t that high, but the next day, it became "the high concentration always used." Clearly, someone was helping Larry cover up this lie.


    People with such influence must be at least middle-level leaders.


    Who was helping Larry and why?


    Why did Larry injure his hand? It couldn''t be to defraud thepany ofpensation, could it? The


    The doctor she found for Larry gave a price that wouldn''t make him take ¦¯¦° such a risk. Moreover, if the hand was injured but not disabled, thepensation wouldn''t be significant, making it a lossThis material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Insurance fraud seemed even less


    likely. Insurancepanies arem


    thorough. Whether an


    cident or


    intentional, they can uncover the


    truth.


    Larry was injured before going to the police station. He could sign but not press fingerprints...

 Chapter 2369

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2369-Ste suddenly raised her eyes.


    Was it to destroy fingerprints?


    Was he afraid of leaving fingerprints?This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    But why? Wasn''t his son a victim? Why fear leaving fingerprints?


    Moreover, he had only been at thepany briefly, yet he could find mid-level and above leaders to assist him. Who was this person?


    To figure this out, she first needed to know who was helping him.


    When she heard colleagues discussing it earlier, she stayed calm to avoid alerting the enemy.


    The other party must believe their actions were perfect. She had to investigate secretly.


    Where to start?


    Ste thought of the painting and what she said to the cleaningdy.


    She called Keegan.


    "Did you send the painting I took apart in your carst time to be framed?" she asked.


    Keegan nodded, "It was delivered today. Why?"


    Ste: "You shoulde back quickly. I need it urgently."


    Keegan: "What''s wrong?"


    Ste said, "It''s hard to exin over the phone. Call someone quickly. If you haven''t touched it, don''t. If you have, pack it up. I''ll get it right away and exin when we meet." Keegan agreed, "Okay, I''ll have someone intercept it now."


    Ste went home early after work. Since she sounded anxious on the phone, Keegan finished his work early and came home on time.


    As soon as they met, Ste asked, "The framer didn''t touch the painting, right?"


    Keegan shook his head, "It was urgent; they didn''t have time. After the painting was in your hands, no one touched it except us." Ste nodded, took disposable gloves from the drawer, removed the painting and the envelope, and put the painting in a food bag. Keegan watched her actions, his eyelids twitching, "Are you collecting evidence?"


    Ste sealed the bag, "It might be evidence. Let''s keep it safe."


    Keegan: "What happened?"


    Ste took off her gloves and told Keegan what had happened in the past two days, including her doubts and confusion.


    "Larry must havemitted a crime, hence his fear of the police collecting his fingerprints. He has aplices in thepany. I wondered if this person could be nted by Jaylene or Darcie to cause trouble for me. But if there really is someone with a criminal record in thepany, it affects more than just me, and this theory seems shaky.


    I thought about checking his fingerprints first and asking Lena to see if he hasmitted any crimes, so we can be prepared."


    Keegan raised a question.


    "Larry''s fingerprints are already in the


    database. We can find gut his crimes by checking the files. Why destroy his fingerprints?"


    Ste was stunned. "Not necessarily. Collecting fingerprints for ID cards has only been popr for about ten years. What if he got an ID card before that? There would be no fingerprint information."


    Keegan said, "There must be. Larry was once detained for gambling. The police must have his information, including fingerprints."


    Ste opened her mouth and, after a long pause, said, "Then what is he afraid of?"


    Keegan lifted the painting Ste had bagged and said, "We''ll know afterparing the fingerprints." Keegan asked Carter to contact a biometricb and sent the collected items over.


    Ste suddenly realized, "How can we get Larry''s fingerprint information from the police system?" Keegan nced at his phone and asked, "My wife wants to know when you can get it." Carter''s irritable voice came from the other end, "Keegan, I must have owed you in a past life, you...!" Keegan covered the receiver and said to Ste, "Cover your stomach; don''t let the child learn bad words."

 Chapter 2370

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2370-After Carter finished scolding, he still managed to help them get the job done.


    Upon obtaining the fingerprint information that Larry left at the police station over ten years ago, Keegan immediately handed it over to the biometricboratory forparison.


    In less than two hours, the results came back: Larry''s fingerprint information was not found on the drawing paper or the envelope.


    Ste was shocked by the result. "That''s impossible! Could there be a mistake? He handed it to me personally without wearing gloves. How could there be no fingerprints?"This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Carter said, "This is aboratory founded by Lena''s mentor and some friends. They often cooperate with the police. Their fingerprint matching system is very advanced and has never made a mistake."


    The implication was clear: theparison result was urate. As he spoke, Carter took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. Just as he was about to light one, Keegan took it away and threw it into the trash can. Carter''s annoyance was evident. Ste, preupied with her thoughts, didn''t notice their interaction. She frowned, saying, "Then why is there nothing?"


    Keegan had a theory. "Unless... this person isn''t the real Larry at all. He''s afraid of leaving fingerprints with the police, so he destroyed all his fingerprints to prevent anyone from discovering his true identity." Keegan''s guess made Ste shudder.


    "How could it not be the same person? That''s unbelievable. He has a family and children. If he were reced, how could they not notice? People don''t look exactly the same. Even twins have subtle differences that their family members can recognize."


    Keegan pursed his lips. "Maybe the family doesn''t want the original person back?"


    Ste felt her brain burning. She asked Keegan hurriedly, "Do you know something?"


    Keegan sighed. "I don''t know much more than you. When you used him as a driver before, I was worried, so I had someone check his background. This person has a history of gambling and domestic violence. His rtives and friends said he turned over a new leaf around the time his son was kidnapped. I thought he might have changed because he almost lost his family. But now, I feel he might be a different person altogether.


    A man with a history of gambling and domestic violence suddenly bes a good husband and father. If you were his family, would you want the original person back?"


    Ste''s worldview was shattered and reorganized. After a long pause, she asked softly, "Then... who is this ''Larry'' now?"


    Keegan looked at Carter, who was holding a lollipop after having his cigarette taken away.


    Carter, twirling the lollipop in his mouth, said expressionlessly, "Why are you looking at me? Do yout think I


    run the police station? How can I put fingerprints into the national


    database forparison?" The


    Keegan said, "Most people with


    different fingerprints but simr looks are twins. Can you make an


    appointment with Lena? We need to check if this Larry has a twin brother."


    Carter, annoyed, said, "Shut up before I p you!"


    Ste was speechless. This didn''t sound like the gentle Carter shem knew. How had Reegan annoyed him?


    Keegan said, "Then I''ll contact them myself."

 Chapter 2371

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2371-Carter, exasperated, reached out and took theparison file from Keegan''s hand, saying coldly, "Wait!"


    Keegan, with a smug look, said, "It''s too much trouble for you. I''ll treat you to a meal with Officer Grayter."


    Carter turned away, raising his middle finger behind his back.


    Ste whispered to Keegan, "Carter seems annoyed with you. I remember Lena said he never swears."This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    "No," Keegan lied, "I think we have a good rtionship. Look how actively he''s helping me."


    Ste looked at him suspiciously.


    Was that so? Why did Carter seem so reluctant?


    Ste thought for a moment and said, "In the future, let''s trouble Carter less. We should find other ways. It''s not good to rely on him all the time." Keegan nodded.


    In fact, he didn''t just rely on Carter. The main reason was that Carter had great abilities and was discreet.


    But Ste was right. Keegan couldn''t trouble Carter constantly. With old Mr. Lowe critically ill and internal family conflicts, Carter''s situation was tense. Any mistake could be costly. The Lowe family had recently secured a major order, and Keegan nned to help Carter increase his leverage.


    That afternoon, theparison results came out. Besides Ste and Keegan''s fingerprints, there were three others: Larry''s wife, his son Yuha Bard, and an unidentified individual.


    This wasn''t unusual. People without criminal records or without their fingerprints entered in the public security system wouldn''t have a match.


    Ste felt disappointed. She thought they could uncover something significant, but their efforts led to a dead end.


    Keeganforted her, "Don''t worry. Larry is right under our noses; we''ll figure it out eventually."


    He thought for a moment and asked, "When is yourpany''s next physical examination?"


    Ste''s eyes lit up. "I received a notice a few days ago. It''s next Friday."


    Keegan said, "Find a chance to collect his blood. I''ll think of other ways to check his identity."


    Ste: "But he recently injured his hand and took leave. He might use that as an excuse not toe."


    Keegan smiled. "He''s usually smart. Why is he confused now?"


    Ste nudged him. "Don''t keep me in suspense. What''s your n?"


    Keegan took her hand and pulled her to sit beside him. "A person may have an excuse not to attend a physical examination, but what if it benefits ¦¯¦° their family? Doesn''Xyourpany provide extramercial insurance for employees? You can ask employees to bring their rtives for the physical exam under the pretense of expanding family benefits. The exam is free, family members get insurance, and thepany reimburses half. Most people would be willing to bring their families."


    Caline treated its employees well, especially in terms of insurance. The coverage was extensive, reimbursing many types of medical expenses. Ordinary outpatient visits could be reimbursed by medical insurance and then bymercial insurance, allowing employees to see doctors without spending their own money.

 Chapter 2372

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2372-However, thepany''s insurance only covered individual employees, and their families couldn''t purchase this insurance. Keegan''s current intention was to extend this benefit to employees'' families.


    Larry had two patients at home who needed frequent medication. If he refused thepany''s kindness, it wouldn''t align with his character. After all, he had previously taken a risky job to afford a cochlear imnt for his son, so he would definitely not refuse this opportunity.


    Additionally, Keegan had another motive. This kind ofprehensive benefit would gradually improve the employees'' views on Ste.From N?velDrama.Org.


    Top management might not care about small profits, but for ordinary employees, every bit of financial help mattered. Most of theirpany''s employees were between 30 and 45 years old, typically with elderly parents and young children. Compared tomissions, this type of easily reimbursablemercial insurance brought tangible benefits to employees, winning their loyalty.


    Ste suddenly had an epiphany and patted Keegan on the shoulder. "So that''s how you win people over."


    Keegan smiled. "Actually, I didn''t think of this initially. Baldwin apanied my grandma to the doctor, so we rarely had to go ourselves. One time, Aldor and I were on a business trip to his hometown. His mother came to pick us up in the rain, slipped on the road, and had a serious fall requiring surgery.


    I asked Aldor to stay with his mother while I met the client. After finishing my business in a few days, I went to the hospital. Aldor''s mother''s surgery was sessful, but the total cost was nearly $100,000. When Aldor tried to get reimbursement, he found that his mother''s medical insurance covered only a small part, and most of it had to be paid out of pocket.


    Sylvia was worried about the expense. She med herself for being a burden. When Aldor returned from settling the bill, she kept asking how much it cost. Aldor couldn''t lie to his mother, so he told her thepany''smercial insurance covered it, and it cost less than $10,000."


    With Keegan''s endorsement, Sylvia believed it and praised him as a good boss.


    Keegan felt ufortable with the


    praise, but this incident inspired him


    to upgrade the employees


    Comm


    Although he fought Chandler''s


    faction for a long time, he eventually implemented this benefit. Now he was replicating his sess with Ste.

 Chapter 2373

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2373-Keegan might not be as popr among employees as Chandler, but his proposed benefits and reforms had genuinely improved their ie and treatment. This was why he could quickly stand against Chandler after his long absence.


    Everyone has their own opinion on who to follow to prosper.


    Ste rubbed the back of Keegan''s head, smiling with twinkling eyes. "I take back what I said about you only scaring employees. From now on, you are my hero!"


    Keegan pulled her hand off his head, hooked her chin with his finger, and saidzily, "Hero, can I break a rule now?"


    Ste leaned in and kissed him on the lips, murmuring, "Let me break it. Heroes don''t punish pregnant women."


    Keegan smiled and deepened the kiss.


    The moment didn''tst long. Keegan''s phone rang. It was Jaylene.


    Ste, slightly out of breath, sat next to Keegan and motioned for him to answer the call.


    Keegan was a bit annoyed at the interruption. He took a moment to calm down before answering.


    Before Jaylene could speak, Keegan asked, "Jaylene, what did Dr. Stone say? When can we schedule a follow-up examination?"


    Jaylene hesitated and whispered, "Dr. Stone has urgent matters and cannot return to the country soon."


    "Is that so," Keegan seemed distressed, "When can hee?"


    Jaylene, more anxious than Keegan, knew Dr. Stone was deported for carrying contraband and couldn''t return soon. Without him, she couldn''t control Keegan. She was extremely anxious. "Do you want to go abroad with me to see Dr. Stone?" she suggested.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan was silent for a while. "Jaylene, under normal circumstances, I''d agree, but not now. Rivera''s situation is critical, and I can''t leave. If necessary, I''ll find a local doctor."


    "That''s impossible!" Jaylene raised her voice.


    Keegan paused, "Why not?"


    Jaylene, realizing her abnormal behavior, hesitated. "Dr. Stone is one of the best neurosurgeons in the world. How can domestic doctorspare?"


    Changing doctors would mean Keegan asking about his previous medications, risking exposure. Jaylene couldn''t let that happen.


    Keegan pretended to be embarrassed. "Then there''s no other way. Actually, the medicine was quite effective. Every time I took it, I felt clear-headed. But now that it''s finished, my headaches are recurring. If I had that medicine, I could hold on until Dr. Stone returns."


    Jaylene''s eyes lit up.


    Yes, there was still the medicine.


    Suppressing her excitement, she whispered, "Don''t worry, I''ll find a way to get the medicine."


    Keegan sighed, "This is too much trouble for you."


    Jaylene was embarrassed. "No trouble at all."


    Ste nced at Keegan, who held her hand, signaling his desire to survive.


    Keegan continued, "I heard you have


    con


    apetition soon. Focus on that, and I won''t bother you for now. I


    hope you achieve a good ranking."


    Jaylene, wanting to linger, agreed reluctantly. Keegan then said, I have apother dall. I hang up now.¡± The


    He hung up quickly, not giving Jaylene a chance to respond.


    Ste teased, "Not bad, Mr. Kane. You''re getting more and more proficient."


    Keegan was modest. "Professor Jewell taught well."


    Ste nodded. "Find someone to


    keep an eye on her. Dr. Stone can''t enter the country, so she''ll get the drugs from other channels. We need


    to catch her red-handed."

 Chapter 2374

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2374-Two dayster, at the Caline regr meeting, Darcie brought up the uing physical examinations, instructing all departments to coordinate the employees'' schedules and organize them to go in batches.


    After speaking, she looked at the time, "Alright, if there''s nothing else, we''ll end the meeting here-"


    "Wait a minute."


    Ste interrupted Darcie.


    Everyone turned their attention to Ste.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Darcie also raised her eyes, looking at Ste leisurely, "Ste, do you have anything else to add?"


    Ste smiled, "I wouldn''t presume to instruct. Everyone here is my senior, and I still need your guidance on work matters. I heard you mention the employee physical examinations. Since thepany''s senior management is present, I have a suggestion. Mrs. Saun, may I?"


    Everyone exchanged nces, sensing that Ste was about to address thepany''s management.


    Despite having gained several clients, including Mrs. Clint, in the past few months, Darcie''s position remained solid. The difference in their standings was significant, and Ste''sck of progress might be causing her anxiety.


    Darcie, folding her hands and cing them on the table, responded with a rxed smile, "Regr meetings are for management to voice their opinions. Feel free to share your suggestions. If they are good, we will certainly consider them."


    Her demeanor appeared generous and democratic, which contributed to her stable position. Darcie never outright rejected opinions and suggestions during meetings but wouldter use other means to maintain control. She had a firm grasp on managing perceptions.


    Ste said, "Since you''ve given me the floor, I''ll speak directly. I want to propose some additional ns for thepany''s employeemercial insurance."


    Darcie paused, tapped her pen lightly, and remained silent.


    Ste continued, "In the months I''ve been here, I conducted a preliminary survey of our employees. Among the hundreds of staff, thergest age group, excluding management, is between 30 and 45 years old. This demographic..."


    Recalling what Keegan had taught her, Ste''s speech became smoother.


    "I''ve had many conversations with employees in the cafeteria. Many of them have significant medical expenses for their elderly and m children, spending thousands or even tens of thousands of dors annually. Themercial insurance ourpany provides does not cover these costs effectively, as most employees are in their prime and rarely use it.


    Thepany''s intent behind this benefit is good, but if it''s not widely beneficial, it bes like a ''chicken rib-nice to have but not essential.


    I thought long and hard about this and consulted friends who run their ownpanies and leaders in the insurance industry. I believe it''s m necessary to improve and upgrade our Commercial insurance n. For instance, allowing employees to purchase insurance for their family members with thepany covering 50% of the cost, leaving the rest to be paid by the employees. This way, everyone can benefit from this


    provision. What do you think,


    President Saun?"

 Chapter 2375

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2375-After Ste finished, the room fell silent as everyone exchanged nces.


    Darcie remained silent, and no one dared to speak without her lead.


    Although the cost of insurance is not substantial, even with Ste''s proposed addition, the expense would be minimalpared to thepany''s revenue, and the suggestion was beneficial to employees. However, if implemented, Ste would gain significant credit, which Darcie might not endorse.


    Darcie appeared to contemte before saying, "The suggestion is good, butmercial insurance is meant to be a benefit thepany provides. Charging employees could make them feel like it''s a wage cut. Additionally, some employees might not need this, making the expense unnecessary for them. If fully funded by thepany, there''s a risk of false ims for family members."


    Ste had anticipated this and responded calmly.


    "Participation would be entirely voluntary. Thepany wouldn''t force anyone, but the option should be avable. This way, those who wish to purchase can do so, and those who don''t won''t incur any extra cost. What do you think?"


    Darcie pursed her lips and, after a moment of silence, said, "Ste, opening up such purchases isn''t simple. It requires negotiation with the insurancepany. No insurancepany will easily agree to pay suchpensations."This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Ste smiled, "I will handle the negotiations. Right now, I''m asking for your personal opinion. Do you agree?"


    Darcie wouldn''t directly say "no" in front of so many people. If she vetoed the proposal, it would tarnish her image as a considerate boss.


    She said, "Ste, you''ve missed the point. Since it''s an employee benefit, we should put it to a vote. Your initial survey doesn''t reflect everyone''s opinions or willingness."


    Ste replied, "I''ve already taken care of that. Before today''s meeting, I had Samuel distribute opinion forms to each department. We''ve been meeting for over an hour, so everyone has had time to respond. We can see the results now."


    As Ste finished, there was a knock on the conference room door.


    Samuel entered, "Mrs. Jewell, the opinion forms have been collected."


    Ste motioned for Samuel to bring them in. The thick stack of forms had been sorted.


    She had outlined three options-support, oppose, and abstain.


    Out of over 200 votes, more than 190 were in favor, with a dozen opposed and about 20 abstaining.


    Ste ced the forms in front of Darcie, "Mrs. Saun, the majority support this. What''s your decision?"


    She was forcing Darcie to make a choice. If Darcie refused, Ste would seek another way to obtain Larry''s sample which would be moreplicated. Ste would still gain a good reputation for advocating employee benefits, despite Darcie''s rejection.


    Darcie pressed her pen tip on the paper and smiled, ¡°Since the majority O are in favor, I have no objections. You can proceed with the negotiations with the insurancepany. Please implement it as soon as possible."


    Ste smiled, "Thank you, Mrs. Saun."


    Turning to the attendees, she said, "Each department shouldpile a list of family members who wish to insurance. They


    participate in thei


    should bring these family members for the physical examination this


    Friday. After the insurancepany receives the health reports, they will arrange for the coverage. The meeting is adjourned."

 Chapter 2376

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2376-The crowd in the office gradually dispersed. Ste packed up her things, nced at Darcie who was still seated, and walked over with the documents. Ste said, "Aunt Saun, thank you for your support earlier."This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Darcie smiled, "You were thinking about the employees, so of course, I supported you. We''re all part of the samepany; we''re a team."


    Ste also smiled, "Aunt Saun, don''t hold it against me for taking the initiative with the research. By the way, I received what you asked Jaylene to send. Thank you for your concern." Darcie replied, "We''re all family; you''re too polite."


    In a gentle voice, Ste said, "Aunt Saun, I''ve caused you a lot of trouble since I joined thepany. I''m straightforward and stubborn. Sometimes I speak too bluntly. Thank you for your tolerance. My father said you always praised my work in front of him, which makes me feel even more grateful. I hope you don''t mind."


    Darcie said, "What are you saying? How could an elder hold a grudge against you? Ste, although I''m not your biological mother, your mother and I were like sisters back then. I''m happier than anyone else that you can return to the Saun family. When I see you and Jaylene, it reminds me of the bond your mother and I shared. We were sisters for half our lives, and you two have be real sisters. It''s fate." Ste almost felt nauseous. Darcie could certainly put on a show!


    If there wasn''t ample evidence linking the child swap and even her mother''s death in childbirth to this seemingly kind woman before her, who would doubt her sincerity? Ste was moved to tears, "Aunt Saun, thank you."


    Darcie wanted to reach out and touch her head but seemed ufortable, so she settled for smoothing the wrinkles on Ste''s clothes. "Go on, do a good job."


    Ste nodded and left with the documents.


    As soon as she left, Darcie wiped the hand that had touched Ste with a wet towel.


    Aubrey asked quietly, "Boss Saun, what does she mean by this? Is she trying to make peace with you?"


    "Make peace?" Darcie sneered. "If she were truly that naive, I wouldn''t have to worry. She''s trying to make me lower my guard."


    Aubrey said, "Her strategy seems overly simplistic. Does she really think that offering such a benefit will win people over? Does she think thepany''s employees are that easily swayed?" Darcie discarded the wet wipe and said lightly, "Inform the insurancepany to dy her cooperation application."


    "Understood."


    If the insurancepany can''t be negotiated with, what can she use to win people over the rtionships Darcie had cultivated over the years were not to be underestimated. Read


    The approval of themercial insurance upgrade at the meeting delighted the entirepany. Ste specifically asked Samuel to visit various departments to notify them.


    In truth, her primary aim was to inform the security department. After Samuel notified them, he asked the security captain, "Captain Liu, have you notified everyone?"


    The captain replied, "Everyone has been notified. Several people have signed up, while a few have yet to respond."


    Samuel handed him a cigarette, "Mr. Bard has taken leave. Remember to


    notify him. His wife and children are


    wash


    not in good health. When he was driving for Mrs. Jewell Doffen heard calls from his family about buying medicine. Thepany''s current benefits are excellent. For just a few hundred dors a year, all medicine and medical expenses can be reimbursed, which can save him a lot. It''s not easy for Mr. Bard either. This could relieve some of his stress.


    Make sure to remind him." The


    The captain nodded repeatedly, "Of course, I called Larry first, and he said he would discuss it with his family and get back to me soon. Given his family''s situation, this is a huge benefit. How could he not take


    advantage of it?"

 Chapter 2377

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2377-Samuel chatted with Captain Liu for a while and then put out his cigarette, ¡°Okay, I''ll notify the other departments. You carry on."


    After seeing Samuel off, the captain called Larry again, "Larry, your family of three will only need to pay an extra thousand dors a year, which averages out to less than a hundred dors a month. Your whole family won''t have to spend money on medical treatment. Don''t miss out on this benefit."


    Larry wasn''t short on money, but he couldn''t spend it openly. Mainly, he didn''t want to undergo a physical examination. If he signed up his family, he would definitely have to apany them on Friday. Despite the hospital being arranged by Darcie, he still felt uneasy.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    The captain kept urging him, highlighting the benefits, until Larry finally agreed, "Please register my wife and son. I''ll send you their ID photoster."


    "Okay, take care of your injuries ande back soon. I heard you''ll be transferred to drive for the leader. That''s great news. Remember to treat us to a meal once it''s settled."


    Thinking about his transfer to work for Jaylene, Larry''s expression softened, and he whispered, "Alright, I''ll treat everyone once it''s confirmed."


    It wasn''t until Ste saw Larry''s family on the final list that she felt relieved.


    The physical examination was scheduled over two days, Friday and Saturday, with employees going in batches.


    Ste specifically checked and saw that Larry was scheduled for Saturday, so she also nned to go to the hospital on the same day.


    Larry arrived with his wife and son. His wife was a kind, ordinary woman, gently brushing dust off Larry''s shoulders. She had a gentle demeanor and seemed very virtuous.


    Larry''s son, Yuha, was about fourteen or fifteen, taller than his mother. He wore a white T-shirt and light grey sweatpants. His features bore some resemnce to Larry''s, and though not striking, he had a bright presence. He wore a hearing aid andmunicated using signnguage.


    Larry responded to him with signnguage. The family appeared harmonious.


    Ste must have stared too long, as Larry noticed her, turned, and looked surprised. He said something to his wife and son and approached Ste with them.


    "Miss Jewell, are you here for a physical examination too?" Larry asked politely.


    Ste nodded and looked at the two people beside him, "Is this your wife and son?"


    Larry nodded and, while signing to his son, introduced them to his wife, "This is Miss Jewelly told you about. e She gavel Yuha choctes on his


    birthday and approved my leave.


    She''s very kind and takes good care of me."


    His wife understood and said politely to Ste, "Miss Jewell, thank you for your care for Larry. I''m sorry for any trouble we''ve caused recently."


    Her words were clear and she didn''t


    seem confused or ill. Ste om responded politely, You''re wee. Mr. Bard has been a great help to me too."


    Yuha looked at Ste curiously but lowered his head when she noticed him. He pulled Larry''s sleeve and gestured.


    Ste didn''t understand signnguage and had no idea what Yuha was saying.

 Chapter 2378

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2378-Larry exined, "Yuha asked if you received the painting he sent and if you liked it?"


    Ste understood and asked Larry in a low voice, "How do I sign that I like it?"From N?velDrama.Org.


    Larry smiled and said, "Just say it directly. He can hear, but he doesn''t speak very well."


    In reality, it wasn''t that Yuha couldn''t speak. After being kidnapped and rescued, he lost his hearing. For a long time, he lived as a hearing-impaired person. Because he couldn''t hear sounds for an extended period, coupled with the trauma of the kidnapping, he became afraid of interacting with people, and hisnguage ability gradually declined, making him unwilling to speak. Later, after getting a hearing aid, his hearing gradually recovered, but hisnguage ability did not. He was more ustomed tomunicating using signnguage.


    Ste smiled at Yuha and said softly, "Thank you, I like it very much."


    Yuha''s eyes sparkled. He wanted to sign but paused. Then he took out his mobile phone, typed a paragraph on it, and handed it to Ste.


    "Show me?" Ste asked in a low voice.


    Yuha nodded.


    Ste looked at the phone, "Sister Jewell, thank you for giving my dad a holiday so that he could spend my birthday with me. Dad said he did something wrong and can''t work with you now. Can you please not me him? My dad is actually a very good person. He has suffered a lot for me and my mom. We''ve dragged him down. I want to say sorry to you on behalf of my dad. Can you forgive him?"


    Ste pursed her lips.


    Yuha''s words were sincere and filled with love, but he didn''t know that the "dad" he spoke of might not be his real dad.


    Ste didn''t say anything but took out her phone and typed a response, "It''s all over, I don''t me him."


    Larry no longer worked with her, and their past rtionship had been settled. There was no question of loyalty now, and this person''s identity was still uncertain. She didn''t know his purpose for appearing in Caline, nor his true identity. All she could do was wait and maintain a superficial peace.


    After reading it, Yuha solemnly gestured to Ste, and she recognized the signnguage for "thank you."


    Larry whispered to Yuha, "What did you say to Miss Jewell?"


    Yuha used signnguage - secret.


    Larry smiled and rubbed the back of his head, his eyes full of kindness. Anyone who saw them would say that the father was kind and the son was filial.


    "Mr. Bard." Ste called Larry.


    Larry raised his head.


    Ste took out a red envelope from her bag and handed it to Larry, "I


    heard from people in thepany that your hand was injured.


    e


    Didn''t mention it when we met at the police station that day, and I didn''t notice. I originally nned to have someone bring this gift to you when thepany organized a visit. Since we met here today, I''ll give it to you directly. I hope you recover soon."


    Larry quickly refused, "Miss Jewell, I can''t ept this. It''s just a minom injury. I did it identally: It will heal soon. You are too kind; there''s no need for a visit."


    Ste opened his hand and stuffed the red envelope into it. "Mr. Bard, although we may not have the m opportunity to work together again, I still hope everything goes well for you. This is just a small token of my appreciation. Please don''t refuse it. Consider it a little help for getting your child a cochlear imnt."

 Chapter 2379

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2379-Larry couldn''t refuse any longer. He took it with both hands, took Yuha''s hand, and bowed deeply to Ste. "Miss Jewell, I will remember your kindness. If you need any help in the future, just let me know. I''ll do my best."


    Before Ste could respond, someone called her from behind, "Boss Jewell."


    She turned around and saw Kiara and Wren approaching with the list.


    Kiara pulled Wren over, "Boss Jewell, are you here for a physical examination as well?"


    Ste nodded, nced at Wren, and then focused on Kiara, "Are you two here today too?"


    Kiara smiled, "I was supposed toe yesterday, but no one I knew well wasing, so I switched with someone and came with Wren."


    Ste inquired, "Didn''t you bring your family with you?"


    Kiara said, "My parents'' employer pays for supplementary medical insurance, so I don''t have to worry about it. Wren''s grandmother''s illness can''t be covered."From N?velDrama.Org.


    Wren remained silent. While Kiara spoke, her eyes asionally nced at Larry.


    Larry noticed and looked at Wren. She clenched her hands and nodded calmly at him. He nodded back, and both looked away.


    When the physical examination numbers began to be called, Larry said to Ste, "Miss Jewell, you guys chat first. I''ll take them for their examinations."


    As soon as they left, Kiara said, "Boss Jewell, do you want to go together? We can get your blood drawn first and then do the ultrasound. It will be faster, and you can eat sooner." "I''ve already drawn the blood. You two go ahead; I''ll get a number for you in the ultrasound room."


    Ste didn''te for the physical examination today. After realizing that "Larry" might not be Larry, she wanted to see him.


    During their conversation, she had been observing Larry carefully.


    Larry''s facial features were very ordinary, the kind that wouldn''t attract attention in a crowd, so she had never scrutinized him closely.


    Just now, she carefully observed his nose and eyebrows and noticed traces of surgery.


    No matter how advanced stic surgery is, it''s impossible topletely replicate someone''s appearance. Otherwise, there would be many identical faces among celebrities.


    This person changed his face to resemble Larry''s, but few recognized it. A significant reason might be that the face was too ordinary, so ordinary that few people paid attention. When the person was swapped and deliberately imitated, few noticed the difference.


    Additionally, due to natural aging and changes in facial features over time, she might not have suspected it.


    She recalled that when she and Keegan first met Larry, they both thought he looked too old for 45.


    Now, she realized this person might be older than 45. He had stic surgery to look like Kakry but did not maintain his skin ordingly. His skin condition matched his actual age, making him appear old.


    If this is the case, this person''s age should be between 50 and 55.


    If he reced Larry, where is the real Larry?


    Is he still alive?


    Ste was deep in thought when a passing doctor suddenly addressed her, "Pregnant women, please queue


    over there."


    Ste replied, "I''m queuing for someone else."


    As soon as she finished speaking, she felt someone''s eyes on her. She paused turned, and saw Wren holding the medical examination form, looking at her in surprise.


    Ste looked at her calmly and said, "Aren''t you going to queue?"

 Chapter 2380

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2380-Wren quickly retracted her gaze, clutching the medical examination form, and walked over to stand behind Ste. Her eyes involuntarily nced at Ste''s belly.


    Ste had always worn loose clothes since joining thepany, and her waistline was not visible at all. From the back, she appeared very slender, with nothing unusual. However, when she moved in certain ways, a slight bulge in her belly was noticeable. Wren had noticed it before when riding in Ste''s car but had dismissed it as a bit of fat. Now, she realized it was a pregnancy.


    This realization made Wren''s heart pound. Why hadn''t Ste informed thepany about her pregnancy? Was it because of Darcie?


    Wren''s thoughts were in turmoil. Ste didn''t seem to care about Wren''s discovery. After fiddling with her mobile phone for a while, Ste answered a call, exchanged a few words, and hung up before leaving the queue.


    Wren was stunned. "Miss Jewell, aren''t you getting checked?"


    Ste turned and said lightly, "No, I have something to do. I''lle back another day."


    Then she left.


    Ste had just exited when Kiara arrived.


    "Where''s Boss Jewell?" Kiara looked around.


    ?


    Wren replied, "Boss Jewell received a call, said she had something to do, and left. She''ll have her physical another day."


    "Oh." Kiara responded, then asked, "Did you talk to her? She knew you were excluded and had your sry deducted because you epted her clothes. She felt very sorry and wanted to help. But things turned out differently... She''s a kind-hearted person. You should apologize to her; she''ll understand."


    Wren lowered her eyes. "Boss Jewell doesn''t mind, and I don''t have the face to say anything. Besides, I''m just a small employee. I don''t want to get involved in the struggles between the leaders. I just want to collect my sry quietly. Don''t mention this anymore. If Boss Jewell finds out, she''ll think I''m on her side. I really need this job now."


    "That''s not what I meant..." Kiara sighed. "Okay, I won''t say anything more. Is your grandma feeling better recently?"


    Wren paused and whispered, "It''s my grandma."


    "Oh, yes, your grandma. Look at my brain. I''ve been thinking about my grandma and calling yours that. Maybe I''ve been close to my grandma since I was a child, so I''m used to it." Wren smiled and said nothing.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Kiara''s exnation was natural but unnecessary.


    Suddenly, Wren covered her stomach, her expression pained.


    Kiara was startled and hurriedly pulled her. "Wren, what''s wrong?"


    Wren grimaced. "I think I have a stomachache. I need to go to the toilet."


    She handed Kiara her medical


    examination number. "Blease help me lineup first. Freed to go to the


    toilet."


    Without waiting for Kiara''s response, Wren rushed off.


    Kiara called out twice but couldn''t stop her, so she lined up. It was m almost her turn.


    Downstairs, in the car.


    Ste held her phone. "If I lose the bet, the worst that can happen is that Darcie will know I''m pregnantol can''t hide my belly anymore. I was going to tell her anyway. It would be even better if I could get her to reveal her identity if she is the one behind all this."


    Felicity was shocked. "You still have hope for Wren?"

 Chapter 2381

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2381-Ste rubbed her temple. "I know she has her own difficulties and fears. She''s afraid of losing her job, but I still want to give her a chance. Anyone who stays with a grandmother with uremia can''t be that despicable. That disease is a bottomless pit without a kidney. She persisted for four years, which is worth another try. She got a sry increase, a promotion, and is now a team leader in the Finance Department. Darcie has extended an olive branch to her. As long as she wants to climb up, she knows what to choose. This is the best time to test her true intentions.


    "Darcie sees me as a threat and tries every means to get me out of thepany. If you were Wren and discovered that I was pregnant, and this could be used by Darcie to temporarily kick me out, and you could get a promotion and a raise with this information, could you resist telling?"


    Felicity sighed. "You''re so cunning even when pregnant. I''m afraid you''ll give birth to two little schemers."


    Ste was silent.


    "That shouldn''t happen. Keegan lies next to me every day and recites to the babies. He should have some morals."


    Felicity: "Oh my god, Keegan is something. Can you listen to him?"


    "I''m not listening," Ste said. "I''m watching TV shows with headphones on while he reads to the babies."


    Felicity said, "In that case, I think his efforts are in vain."


    Ste: "Why?"


    "My mom says having children depends mainly on gics. What''s the saying? A dragon begets a dragon, a phoenix begets a phoenix, and a mouse''s son knows how to dig holes. You, as a mother, have no morals. Even if Keegan recites to them until he drops, it won''t help."


    "Go to h-e-l-l!" Ste gritted her teeth. "You haven''t learned anything else from Vermont, but you''ve sharpened your tongue!"


    Felicity: "Hehe, I''ve been learning for so long; you have to give me a chance to practice."


    Ste snorted. "What''s the point of practicing on me? If you have the guts, practice on your boss."


    "I dare not. I''m counting on him to pay me."


    Felicity paused and whispered, "Ste, Vermont wants to take me to his house for dinner. What should I wear and bring as a gift for the first time?"


    Ste said, "Do I look like someone with experience?"


    Felicity: "You''ve been married twice. Don''t you have any experience?"


    Ste: "Both times, I got the marriage certificate first and then met the parents. Even if the dressing and gift-giving failed, they had no choice but to ept it." Felicity was silent.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Then think carefully. I''m afraid it won''t go well and make a bad first impression."


    Ste thought for a while. "I''ll go to your house and look at your clothes first. If they don''t work, we''ll buy more."


    "Okay, when will youe over?"


    "-"


    Ste was interrupted by a knock on the car window.


    She looked up and saw Wren standing outside, tapping gently.


    Ste said, "I have something to do.


    I''ll talk to youter, Manging up now


    After ending the call, Ste slowly lowered the car window.


    Wren, panting with one hand on the window frame, said anxiously, Boss Jewell, can talk to you alone?"


    Ste looked at her quietly. Beads of sweat oozed from Wren''s nose and forehead and her hair was a bit messy as if she had hurried over.


    After a few seconds, Ste said lightly, "Get in the car."


    Wren walked to the other side, opened the door, and got in.


    Samuel pulled down the baffle at the front and put on headphones to block the sound.


    Ste clutched her thermos cup and asked, "What do you want to say?"


    Wren looked at her seriously and whispered, "Be careful of Larry."

 Chapter 2382

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2382-Ste paused, slowly raised her eyes, and smiled, "I didn''t expect that after just a few days with Darcie, she has already learned to sow discord." Wren''s face turned pale momentarily, but she quickly regained herposure. "Boss Jewell, you can me me or hate me, but you must be cautious with Larry. He... he''s not what he seems."


    Ste questioned, "How is he not what he seems? Isn''t he just a driver? From what you''re saying, it sounds like he has another identity. If you don''t exin clearly, how can I know if you''re genuinely trying to warn me or deliberately causing trouble?"


    Wren grew anxious. "I''m not causing trouble. He... Anyway, you should stay away from him, Boss Jewell. You''ve helped me, and even if I were ungrateful, I wouldn''t harm you."


    Compared to Wren''s anxiety, Ste remained calm. "When I stood up for you, didn''t you quickly switch sides? Wren, do you think I can trust you?"


    Wren''s body trembled, and her eyes reddened. "Boss Jewell, I may be timid and cowardly, but I know right from wrong."


    She appeared so sincere that Ste seemed genuinely moved. After a moment of silence, she asked, "Why do you want me to stay away from Larry? At least give me a convincing reason."This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Wren clenched her hands and remained silent.


    Growing impatient, Ste''s tone turned cold. "If you can''t provide a reason, don''t im you''re acting in my best interest. Leave."


    Wren panicked. "No, it''s not that I don''t want to say it, but I don''t know... I have seen him before, but he didn''t look like this."


    Ste''s heart trembled, though her expression remained steady. "What do you mean he didn''t look like this before?"


    Wren exined, "It''s like he changed his appearance; he lookspletely different."


    Ste smiled, as if dismissing Wren''s words as nonsense. "Completely different? Then how can you be sure he''s the same person?"


    Wren responded seriously, "I saw a birthmark on his wrist; it''s exactly the same. I couldn''t mistake it."


    Ste''s smile faded as she scrutinized Wren thoughtfully.


    After a long pause, Ste asked, "Then tell me, what did he look like before?"


    Wren stammered through a vague and general description, which didn''t satisfy Ste. Ordinary people often struggle to describe someone they met long ago urately. It seemed like they would need professionals to handle this.


    Ste remained silent for a while.


    Wren, thinking she didn''t believe her, said anxiously, "Boss Jewett, please believe me this time. Anyway, Larry is Me no longer driving for you. Just avoid contact with him."


    Ste seemed lost in thought, weighing the credibility of Wren''s words.


    After a long silence, Ste spoke again, "Let me scan your WhatsApp."


    "Ah?" Wren was momentarily stunned.


    Ste raised her eyes. "I need to verify your ims, Wait forme ton contact you."


    Wren handed over her phone.

 Chapter 2383

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2383-After adding Wren as a contact, Wren bowed slightly. "Boss Jewell, I''m sorry."


    She had apologized many times before, but this time felt different.


    Without giving Ste time to ponder, Wren opened the car door and left.


    Ste watched her retreating figure for a while, then retrieved Wren''s information from thepany system and reviewed it carefully.


    When she saw Wren''s registered ce of residence, she was stunned.


    Kiara waited a long time, and after four people cut in front of her, Wren finally returned, sweating profusely and looking unwell.


    Seeing this, Kiara asked with concern, "Are you still not feeling well? Should I take you to a doctor?"


    Wren shook her head. "It''s okay, I feel much better after going to the restroom. I''m sorry for keeping you waiting."


    Kiara handed her the physical examination form with a smile. "If you want to thank me, support me more when you get promoted."


    Wren smiled. "It''s good enough to keep this job. I dare not even think about getting promoted." She paused. "How are your preparations for thepetition going?"


    "Not great. Darcie has hired a killer this time, and we''re just going to serve as a backdrop," Kiara said,ughing at herself. "It''s just a friendly performance."


    Wren, unfamiliar with making perfume, thought for a moment. "We still have to try our best. Otherwise, it would be a pity."


    Kiara didn''t respond as it was her turn.


    Clouditude International, 902.


    "Ste, what about this outfit?"


    Felicity, wearing a white T-shirt and denim overalls, turned around to face Ste. "How is it?"


    Ste rested her chin on her hand. "Not bad."


    "What about the floral dress from earlier?"


    "That''s okay too."


    Felicity''s eyelids twitched. "What about the yellow tracksuit?"


    "It''s fine."


    Felicity gritted her teeth. "Why do you keep giving me such vague answers? Okay, fine, almost okay. Which one should I wear?"


    Ste coaxed her with a smile. "I''m not being vague. I was thinking on the way here about whether you should wear something formal or something that suits your personality. You said you''re used to casual clothes. If you suddenly wear something like Chanel, you''ll feel awkward and ufortable. It will be even worse when you meet his parents."


    Felicity deted. "My style is too


    casual. I can go out in a T-shirt and


    shorts, but I can''t meet his parents I like this, right? But when I wear luxury dresses, I look decent until I start


    talking. Then it''s clear I''m not used to it."


    "It''s not that exaggerated," Ste smiled, taking her hand. "Sit down; let''s chat for a while."


    "What about?" Felicity asked, sitting next to her.


    "Has Vermont told you about his family situation?"


    Felicity nodded. "Hees from a blended family with five siblings. He''s the youngest. Two are from his father''s previous marriage and two are from his mother''s previous marriage. All four are married, and the eldest nephew is about to start high school. His parents are a bit snobbish and want him to marry a wealthy daughter, but he makes more than they do, so they can''t control him."


    Ste remained silent.


    Felicity continued, "Vermont said he


    didn''t want to introduce me to them,This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    but he also said we need to be


    be open


    about our rtionship. Whether they agree or not is their business. Taking me there is just to inform them.


    Despite his stubbornness, I overheard him asking his second brother what gifts to prepare for the


    first meeting with his parents."


    "I realized then that he does care, so I need to be prepared and not embarrass him."


    Ste caught the words "talk about marriage" and asked, "Have you set a date?"

 Chapter 2384

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2384-Felicity blushed a little. "Not yet. We n to get the certificate on his birthday. My mother said that if both parents are satisfied after meeting, she''ll find someone to choose an auspicious date based on our horoscopes."


    Ste was stunned. "When did things progress so quickly between you two?"


    Felicity said, "When he proposed, I agreed without hesitation. Later, heughed at me for being too unreserved, saying I should y hard to get. But at that moment, I couldn''t think about anything else. All I could think was that someone wanted to marry me. Hahaha!"


    Ste was speechless and didn''t know whether tough or cry. "What got into you?"


    "It''s not that..." Felicity pursed her lips and began slowly. "Do you remember the aunt I told you about? She had two sons. The eldest is two years older than me, and the youngest is still in high school. My grandmother always favored their family. My cousin has a sharp tongue, so we always fought. When he couldn''t win, he''din."


    "Every time my aunt saw me, she''d say, ''Someone like you, big and strong with a bad personality, who would marry you? You''ll end up an old maid.'' Even though Iter realized she was just being mean, I was still worried I wouldn''t get married. Otherwise, why hasn''t anyone pursued me in over 20 years despite how beautiful I am?"


    Ste couldn''t stopughing. "Maybe it''s not that no one pursued you, but that the ones who did became your buddies."


    She knew that two boys had shown interest in Felicity during college. She wasn''t sure what happened with the first one, but with the second, he invited her to watch a basketball game. There, she saw a Taekwondo demonstration and got excited, pulling him in to practice.


    The boy, thinking it was a chance for physical contact, was quickly disillusioned when Felicity threw him on the mat during a demonstration. His enthusiasm disappeared instantly.


    Before Ste could intervene, they kept "throwing" each other, and Felicity, lost in the cheers of the freshmen, excitedly pulled the boy to watch the game afterward. He, however, imed he had homework and ran off, never to appear before Felicity again.


    Felicity was puzzled, wondering, "We had ns to watch the game. Why is he avoiding me? Could he be in love and trying to distance himself?"


    Ste remained silent.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Some people are single for a reason.


    Felicity sighed. "You can''t me me


    m


    for that. You said they should be direct when pursuing someone, but they use so many twists and turns. How was I supposed to know what they meant?"


    Ste leaned over. "Didn''t Vermont use these twists and turns with you?"


    Felicity blushed. "He''s shameless. He


    seduces people! I''ve been.


    opleve been single for


    so long how could I resist?" The


    While others might take a


    roundabout approach Vermont''sn directness made it clear what he


    wanted.

 Chapter 2385

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2385-Steughed for a long time before saying, "In fact, no matter whether Vermont''s parents agree or not, no one can stop you two from getting married. It''s like taking you out for a meal and informing your family. If that''s the case, you can wear somethingfortable and natural.¡±


    Felicity''s wardrobe was mostly sportswear, with few skirts. Ste decided to take her shopping.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    After trying on more than a dozen outfits, they finally settled on a white V-neck dress with gold floral ents-both fresh and pretty.


    After choosing the clothes, Ste apanied her to get her hair, face, and nails done.


    When they got home, Ste applied simple makeup for her. Felicity looked in the mirror, unable to believe the sweet girl she saw was herself.


    She pinched her face. "Ouch!"


    "What are you doing?" Ste pped her hand away and adjusted her dress.


    Felicity sighed. "Now I understand what they mean by ''clothes make the man.'' Dressed like this, my self-confidence is boosted. I feel like I could star in an idol drama."


    Ste styled her hair, creating a nice curve. "You''re very good-looking. Clothes and makeup just enhance that."


    "You have such a sweet mouth. No wonder Keegan is so crazy about you."


    Ste smiled. "I''m telling the truth."


    Felicity touched Ste''s delicate face. "I''ve reserved your face for my next life."


    Ste patted her hand. "Don''t be silly. Stand still so I can get a good look at you."


    Felicity straightened up immediately.


    Ste circled her, then said, "Something''s missing."


    Felicity looked puzzled. "What''s missing?"


    Ste smiled mysteriously. "Wait a minute."


    Less than half an hourter, the doorbell rang. Felicity opened the door to find Keegan, carrying a box and looking exhausted.


    Felicity was stunned. "Why are you here?"


    Keegan replied indifferently, "Will you get in trouble for letting me in?"


    Felicity stepped aside awkwardly, letting him in.


    Keegan set the box on the coffee table at Ste''s signal.


    Ste sat down, opened the box, and Felicity curiously peeked in. Her eyes widened at the sight of a jade bracelet.


    Felicity didn''t know much about jade, but her mother had a collection of green pieces she found old-fashioned. However, the bracelet in the box was almost transparent, with a hint of osmanthus color on the edge. It was shiny and fresh-looking, and she liked it immediately.


    "Felicity,e here," Ste called.


    Felicity snapped out of her daze and walked over.


    Ste took her hand, picked up the bracelet, and tried to put it on Felicity''s wrist.


    Once.


    It didn''t fit.


    The second time.


    It still didn''t fit.


    Three times, four times, five times...


    Felicity''s hand was red, and the bracelet was stuck.


    Ste frowned and looked at Keegan, who was watching amusedly Did you report the wrong wrist


    circumference?"


    Keegan felt wronged. "I just reported the circumference you measured for her during the New Year."


    He turned to Felicity. "Have you


    gained weight-" He quickly caught vie himself as Ste stepped back


    Felicity''s face turned red. She knew what Keegan had left unsaid.


    She had been losing weight recently, but every time she was about tom seed, Vermont would take her out to eat. Her weak willpower couldn''t


    resist.


    Ste coughed. "He must have measured it wrong."

 Chapter 2386

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2386-As she said that, Ste pulled Felicity to the bathroom, put some hand sanitizer on her hands, and used all her strength to put the bracelet on.


    Felicity turned her wrist, admiring how the bracelet perfectly matched her clothes. She admitted to herself that she had been wrong about jade before¡ªit was simply beautiful!


    As she admired it, a question popped into her mind. "Keegan just said to measure my wrist circumference. This bracelet is..."


    Ste curved her eyes and smiled. "This is the wedding gift I prepared for you. Although the wedding is not yet over, enjoy it in advance. Keep it for a few more days. I''m afraid I can''t help wearing it myself."


    Felicity wanted to take it off when she heard that. "Are you crazy? It''s so expensive! When you got married, I only gave you $8,800! Aren''t you hurting my heart?"


    It had been difficult to put on, and now it was even harder to take off.


    Ste stopped her. "Felicity, that''s different. You can''tpare it that way. When I got married, your monthly sry was less than $8,000, but you gave me $8,800. That gesture of love is much more valuable than any gift. Now I have the means to give you a better wedding gift. This is also my love. It''s not about the value."


    She whispered, "Although Keegan chose the material for this bracelet, the first time I saw it, I inexplicably felt that you would like it. Do you?"


    Felicity said, "I like it, but..."


    "That''s right! We can make more money in the future. When the timees, I''ll give you a courtyard house without batting an eye."


    Felicityughed. "Don''t do that. Courtyard houses are so expensive. What if you and Keegan get divorced again and he asks me to return your marital property?"


    Ste gritted her teeth and said, "Can''t you hope for the best for us!"


    Felicity immediately gave her a back massage. "Don''t get divorced! Whether I can rely on my bestie to live afortable life in my old age depends on whether Keegan can be the richest man. You two, lock me up!"


    The two came out of the bathroom noisily, only to find that Vermont had returned without them knowing.


    He was sitting on the sofa talking to Keegan. When he heard the noise, he looked up and his eyes froze when he saw Felicity.


    Felicity was carefree at first, but when she met his gaze, she felt a little unnatural. She subconsciously reached out to Ste and stood there, coughed, and pretended to be calm. "Are you back?"


    Vermontughed. "Yes, I''m back."


    "Well, I ordered takeout. Listen for the phone; I''ll go out to pick it upter. I''ll change my clothes first."


    Without waiting for Vermont to respond, she shed back to the room.


    When she came out again, the


    ed and F


    takeout had arrived, and Felicity had changed into her usual cotton T-shirt


    and shorts.


    After dinner, once Ste and Keegan had left, Vermont closed the door, leaned against the kitchen door, and watched Felicity wash the cups. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 2387

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2387-Vermont thought about how amazing she looked in the skirt she had worn earlier. Despite his reassurances that meeting his parents wasn''t important, she had taken it very seriously, wanting to make a good impression.


    His house was a mess, and he didn''t really want to take her to see it.


    In his reconstituted family, both parents had their own children, each with their own preferences. His mother favored her own children, and his father favored his children from a previous marriage. Vermont had always felt redundant in that family.


    He had lived with his grandfather in the countryside for more than ten years before being brought back, not out of a change of heart but because his grandfather had fallen seriously ill and could no longer care for him. Back in the Snyder family, he was still not taken seriously as the youngest child. Anything rted to him, even a parent-teacher meeting, was seen as a hassle. Both parents med each other for his mistakes, attributing them to poor genes.


    Heter learned from his eldest brother that his parents had decided to have a child in an attempt to mend their rtionship. The family remained intact, but their hearts never united.


    Vermont never yearned for marriage, having seen his parents'' selfishness in their rtionship. If he hadn''t met Felicity, he probably wouldn''t have considered getting married.


    In fact, he had already made it clear to his family before telling Felicity about meeting his parents. He had said: "I have a girlfriend, someone I''m talking about marriage with, but she''s not a richdy, just an ordinary girl If you want to see her, I''ll bring her, but only to see her, not to get your opinions. If you give opinions, I won''t bring her."


    He left before they could start arguing.


    He thought his parents would never agree, but two days ago, they called, asking when he would bring her over for dinner.


    Vermont told Felicity in a daze.


    Afterward, he began to regret it, feeling anxious. He worried that Felicity would be put off by his family''s situation and that his parents might say something inappropriate.


    But seeing Felicity''s careful preparations calmed his heart.


    He was going to marry her, no matter what his parents said. He just had to stick with her!


    Felicity was washing her hands when Vermont suddenly hugged her waist from behind. His deep voice whispered in her ear, "Are you done washing?"


    Felicity shrank her neck. "Don''t talk close to my ear, it''s ticklish."


    Vermont paused, then deliberately moved closer and whispered, "Wife."


    Felicity was stunned, her ears turning red. "What are you shouting for!"


    Vermont chuckled. "You promised to marry me, so what else should I call you? Baby? Or dear?"


    Felicity blushed. "It''s up to you. Don''t ask me."


    "Then wife." Vermont took her phone with a smile. "Change my contact name to husband."


    Felicity was about to respond but suddenly thought of something. She wiped her hands on her clothes and tried to grab the phone. "Don''t mess with my phone!"


    Vermont wasn''t usually stubborn, but her sudden refusal made him m suspicious. He raised the phone. "Is there something embarrassing on your phone?"


    Felicity''s face turned red. "No! Give it to me!"


    Vermont didn''t believe her but said, "Okay."


    Then he quickly lowered his hand, using her face to unlock the phone.


    Felicity''s face turned green. "Stinky cucumber, you want to die!"


    Vermont ran out with the phone, quickly flipping through it. "If there''s nothing embarrassing, why are you in a hurry?"


    He checked the photo album and found nothing. But when he opened WhatsApp he was stunned and then his eyes widened. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Felicity had pinned his chat to the top, and the contact name was "cream sprayer."

 Chapter 2388

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2388-Vermont was stunned, and before he coulde to his senses, Felicity grabbed him and pinned him to the ground. "F*ck, it hurts!"


    Vermont didn''t have time to ponder what this "cream sprayer" meant, as his arm was on the verge of being torn off by the little bandit.


    For the first time, he considered not urging her to eat more in the future. When she was full, she channeled all her energy into him. Sooner orter, she''d break his skeleton!This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Felicity gritted her teeth, "Give me the phone!"


    "Here, take it! Let go."


    Vermont couldn''t learn to be tough like Keegan; his bones were too soft.


    Felicity loosened one hand but didn''t let gopletely. She waited until Vermont returned the phone fully, then released him.


    Vermont turned over and sat on the ground, rubbing his aching shoulder des,ining softly, "Felicity, I''m already in my early thirties, and various parts of my body start to decline every year. Do you think I''m a punching bag? Am I supposed to have boundless energy while you toss me around every day?"


    Felicity stuffed her phone into her pocket guiltily, coughed, and said, "I''m used to catching thieves, and I can''t control myself. I asked you to give me the phone, but you ran with it. As soon as you ran, my blood stirred, and I wanted to enforce justice."


    Vermontughed angrily, "Are you seeking justice or feeling guilty?"


    Felicity''s ears turned red, and she refused to admit it. "Why should I feel guilty? Stop talking nonsense."


    Vermont rubbed his shoulders and snorted, "If you''re not guilty, why are you afraid I''ll look at your phone? Are you still in love with that Corbin? Don''t deny it! I heard you call him yesterday to schedule a follow-up exam!"


    "Bullsh*t!" Felicity cursed. "He asked when I''d be free, and I said next Thursday. He said that wasn''t his shift, and I told him I knew and deliberately chose that time to avoid him! I''m just afraid you''d overthink it! Not only did you eavesdrop on my call, but you also misinterpreted what you heard. Do you have a cuckold fetish?"


    Vermont was immediately amused and teased, "Did you change doctors?"


    Felicity gritted her teeth, "I''ll switch back tomorrow!"


    Vermont hugged her and apologized in an exaggeratedly remorseful way, "Wife, I was wrong. I didn''t mean to eavesdrop; I overheard when I went to the room to get something, and by then, you''d finished the call. I only heard you say you''d go on Thursday."


    Felicity retorted, "Then why are you still doubting me?"


    "I''m not doubting you; I was just teasing. You get so excited when ¡ü look at younphone, it makes me jealous."


    Felicity countered, "When have I casually looked at your phone? You liar!"


    Vermont blinked, "I mean I let you look at it as you like."


    Felicity snorted, "I don''t pry into others'' privacy! Besides, if you wanted to lie to me wouldn''t you have two phones? What''s the point of checking one? When ites to scheming, how can I be better than you?"


    "How dare I scheme against you-" Vermont started but then felt


    m


    embarrassed, recalling how he''d recalling faked an injury to get her care. He coughed, "Even if I did, it''s only to be with you. Even if you don''t trust me, trust your best friend."

 Chapter 2389

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2389-Felicity nced at him, "Are you nning to hook up with Ste?"


    Vermont''s mouth twitched, "Do I have a death wish? I mean, if you don''t trust me, trust your best friend''s determination to help you deal with a scumbag. If I messed around, she''d get Keegan to set me straight." Felicity felt relieved and said kindly, "You''re sensible."


    Vermont seized the moment, "So what does the cream sprayer mean? Why did you give me that nickname?"T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicity''s smile froze, and she pushed him away, pretending to be calm. "It doesn''t mean anything; I just made it up."


    "Really?" Vermont looked suspicious, clearly not believing her.


    "What else?"


    Felicity took a sip of water to cover up her guilty conscience, her eyes drifting away.


    Vermont stared at her for a few seconds, then suddenly said, "Then what should I call you? Puff?¡±


    "Puff"


    Felicity sprayed a mouthful of water on Vermont''s face.


    He wiped the water off, the moisture on his face adding a touch of allure. He approached, and the water dripping from his chinnded on her palm, making her fingers curl instinctively. Vermont chuckled, his chest vibrating with amusement, but Felicity was embarrassed and angry.


    She tried to push him away, but Vermont, anticipating this, caught her hand.


    "Cream sprayer, so that''s what it means? What kind of dirty thoughts do you have?"


    Felicity''s face turned red, and she stammered, "No, I don''t know what you''re talking about. Stop being a scoundrel!"


    Vermont raised an eyebrow, his eyes sparkling mischievously. "Do you want to try it?"


    "What?" Felicity, lost in her thoughts, didn''t react.


    Vermont lowered his voice, bit her ear, and whispered, "The power of the cream sprayer?"


    Felicity was taken aback.


    She tried to run, but Vermont quickly threw her on the sofa.


    Blushing and struggling, Felicity protested, "Don''t be so shameless!"


    Vermont kissed her face happily, "Baby, you were the first to be shameless. I''m dirty, but not in the way you think."


    Felicity retorted, "Bullsh*t! I didn''t think anything like that, so stop fantasizing."


    "Oh, yes, it''s all my thoughts." Vermont sat up, removed his T-shirt, and leaned over to silence her protests with a kiss.


    Felicity still wanted to defend herself,


    but Vermont didn''t give her a chance. The tussle moved from the sofa to the bed. In the end, Felicity was too exhausted to even vent her anger.


    Vermont contentedly hugged her waist, pressed against her, and m stroked her arm, finally touching the bracelet Ste had given her.


    He lifted her wrist to examine it under the ceiling light.


    Feeling ufortable, Felicity pulled her hand back, eyes closed. "Don''t move, you''ll break it."


    Vermont chuckled, "When Keegan starts ying romantic, I really can''t keep up."


    Felicity opened her eyes, "What?"


    Vermont sat up, rummaged through the bedside table, and finally found what he was looking for a<pndscape que. He pulled Felicity''s wrist and ced it next to the que.

 Chapter 2390

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2390-Felicity looked down and found that the color of thendscape que was almost identical to the bracelet on her wrist, with the gold flecks nearly in the same positions.


    Vermont smiled and said, "I picked this piece of material, and Keegan paid for it. Ten thousand dors was worth dozens of times the material. The boss almost detained us, and it was Marshall who took it. I made thendscape que from a piece of it, and Keegan took the rest. The price of jade has risen sharply in recent years. I thought he sold it long ago, but he kept it. He even bought you a bracelet based on the que I made."


    He couldn''t helpughing as he said this and lowered his head to kiss Felicity''s shoulder. "He resisted the urge to give gifts to my ex-girlfriends but gave one to you, you little bandit. Even Keegan thinks we''re a perfect match."


    Felicity poured cold water on him, "Don''t tter yourself. Keegan obviously gave me such an expensive gift because Ste and I have a good rtionship. If I didn''t seed with you, would he have asked me to take it back? As for your ex-girlfriends, Keegan must have seen through you as a yboy a long time ago. He was afraid the gifts would be wasted, so he didn''t give them. Now I''m your girlfriend, protected by Keegan''s wife. can''t be your wife, but I can be the godmother of his baby. How can he not give you anything?"


    Vermont''s mouth twitched, "Okay, shut up."


    "I won''t," Felicity turned her wrist, admiring the bracelet more and more. She whispered to Vermont, "Stinky cucumber, how much do you think this bracelet is worth?"


    Vermont said, "Six figures, starting with three or four."


    Felicity was shocked, "So expensive."


    Vermont: "What did you expect? Gold has a price, but jade is priceless. Otherwise, do you think rich people are fools, ying with some broken stones?"


    Felicity: "Then why is Ste so obsessed with gold?"


    Vermont said, "She hoards gold, but have you seen her wearing it? Wearing jade and jadeite casually, she can wear tens of millions worth of gold to elevate her status. If you see anyone wearing tens of millions worth of gold, they must be a fool."


    Felicity was speechless.


    "Then did Ste make a fortune buying gold? It has risen so high now!"


    Speaking of this, Vermont felt a pang of regret.


    When Ste bought it, she called and asked if he wanted to join. He thought it wouldn''t rise much, so he only bought two million. Now, he regrets it.


    Ste, on the other hand, bought


    three or four hundred million at once.


    Now she has made a profit of


    Q.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    nearly ten million. A few days ago, she showed off her earnings to him, making him jealous.


    Felicity was delighted, "She is indeed my sister. She really shares the joy."


    Vermont''s eyes softened. He rubbed her hair and whispered, "Go to bed early, you have to get up early tomorrow morning."


    Felicity responded, yawned, and asked, "Have you prepared the gifts?"


    Vermont said, "Hmm."

 Chapter 2391

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2391-Felicity closed her eyes and leaned into his arms, "If your parents don''t agree, you cane over. My mother will definitely agree." Vermont didn''t know whether tough or cry. He pinched her face and whispered, "Okay, then I will rely on Mrs. Snyder''s protection in the future."


    "No problem."


    Felicityughed and fell asleep in a daze.


    At the Imperial Garden, Keegan came out of the shower to find Ste still awake, leaning on the bed and looking at her phone.


    Keegan wiped the water off his body, walked over, and sat beside the bed. He asked in a low voice, "Aren''t you tired? Aren''t you going to sleep?" Ste put down her phone and pinched her brows, "I can''t sleep; I''m a little excited."


    "Then... listen to my prenatal education for a while?"Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    Ste was speechless.


    "Not really."


    Ste suddenly felt like she was back in high school, dominated by the fear of the college entrance exam, bing more energetic.


    Keegany down, "What do you think about Larry''s matter?"


    Ste sighed, "I don''t know either. It''s so confusing. How can someone with an unknown identity and origin suddenly appear? Initially, I just suspected he wasn''t Larry, and now someone tells me he isn''t, but no one knows who he is. I can''t find a reason to call the police; his family doesn''t suspect him.¡±


    Keegan didn''t say anything.


    Ste''s words made sense. "Why call the police? You can''t call and say he isn''t Larry. His fingerprints are destroyed, and the police don''t have his biological samples. They can only check his DNA against his rtives to determine his identity. The problem is, his family seems to love him or prefer the current Larry. If they don''t cooperate, calling the police rashly will only alert the enemy."


    Keegan said, "I''ve asked a friend to find a portrait artist. Let''s see if we can restore his original appearance from Wren''s description. With photos, we might get more clues."


    "This is the only way," Ste was silent for a while and whispered, "I still can''t believe he is so vicious. Someone who can draw and write so well must have been carefully nurtured. How could he take such a path?" Keegan said lightly, "It''s all personal choice. He dare not show his true face, so what he pursues must be more important than his life and reputation. It''s not worth it." He paused and said, "Try not to contact him at thepany if you can, and always bring Samuel with you."


    "I know."


    As he spoke, Keegan''s phone rang.


    Aldor sent a bunch of things. Keegan nced at them, his expression bing serious. His face tensed as he scrolled through the screen. The more he read, the uglier his expression became.


    Ste noticed and asked in a low voice, "What''s wrong? What happened?"


    Keegan clenched his phone and looked up at her, his pupils trembling. After a long pause, he said, "Aldor found out why Willow went to see Kaia."


    Ste was stunned, "What''s the reason?"


    Keegan''s Adam''s apple moved, and his voice was hoarse, "Kaia once examined her and collected evidence."


    Ste was confused, "What kind of examination and evidence? Isn''t Kaia a gynecologist? She-"


    Ste''s voice suddenly stopped. She


    looked up into Keegan''s eyes and asked softly, "Was she vited?"


    Keegan didn''t speak and handed the phone to Ste.


    Aldor had collected all the information, big or small.


    Before Kaia died, Willow had gone to the hospital to register. She looked scary at the time, and several people on duty remembered her


    1


    Her clothes were stained with blood, and her face was bruised. Afterm registering, she asked the doctor to examine her and extract biological samples from her body.


    She was calm, but her voice trembled.

 Chapter 2392

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2392-As soon as the words were spoken, everyone understood what had happened to this girl. During the examination, only Kaia and Willow were present, and the colleagues on duty did not enter to avoid disturbing them. Despite the girl''s outward strength, the examination process would inevitably remind her of the humiliation she endured, and more people would only exacerbate her pain.


    Kaia conducted the examination, collected biological evidence from her body, and assisted her in contacting the police.


    What transpired afterward was uncertain, but Kaia''s colleagues mentioned that before Kaia''s death, Willow had visited her at the hospital twice. The first visit ended on a sour note, and the second time, Kaia outright refused to see her.


    Some curious individuals overheard their argument that day. It seemed Willow''s case wasn''t filed due to insufficient evidence or some other issue. She believed there was something wrong with Kaia''s examination.


    But the truth remained unknown.


    Kaia refused to meet with Willow ormunicate with her. At that time, she was preupied with her daughter''s surgery and perhaps weary of the situation. Willow''s relentless pursuit infuriated her, leading her to call the police.


    Willow was detained for seven days for causing trouble. By the time she was released, Kaia had already passed away.


    This exins the scene Willow made at the funeral home.


    Ste meticulously reviewed the documents repeatedly, missing nothing. After a long while, she asked, "Did she break up with Marshall after being assaulted?" Keegan nodded; the timeline matched.


    "Such a significant event, and you didn''t know about it back then?" Ste was incredulous.


    Keegan remained silent.


    He didn''t know, and Marshall likely didn''t either. It would be understandable if Marshall went mad after learning his beloved was assaulted in such a manner. "Why didn''t Willow tell Marshall?"


    Willow had no rtives in Rivera, and Marshall was her boyfriend at the time. When faced with such an ordeal, shouldn''t she have informed Marshall first so they could work together to bring the perpetrator to justice? Keegan pressed his lips together. "Ste, on our wedding night, Chandler almost vited you. Why didn''t you tell me then?"


    Ste was momentarily stunned, then


    replied, "My situation was different from Willow''s. First, Chandler didn''t actually harm me. Second, our marriage wasn''t based on love. I wasn''t sure if you''d believe me. Third, your mother said such an incident would disgrace the Kane family. Because of all this, I chose to keep silent."


    She paused and added, "In fact, I''ve regretted it for many years. What''s the point of saving face? I wasn''t the one at fault. Why


    ashamed it


    should be


    ashamed? If you didn''t believe me, it would mean you weren''t worthy of me. Why should I be upset about that? I was just too young and scared at the time,cking the perspective and courage I have now." The


    Keegan hugged her, saying, "I don''t


    know why Willow didn''t tell Marshall, but before Willow''s mysterious m disappearance, there were already problems in their rtionship. I witnessed them arguing. Marshall usually has a good temper, but that argument was more about his stubbornness than an actual quarrel." T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 2393

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2393-Marshall''s love affair eventually came to the attention of the Moore family. They didn''t ept a woman without a background as their daughter-inw but had their own subtle ways of expressing it. They didn''t openly object but sent an invitation letter, sincerely inviting Willow to attend the old man Moore''s birthday party.


    They sent clothes and jewelry, appearing to value Willow greatly. Even Marshall was surprised. They were too young to realize that this was a trap. They believed the elders of the Moore family genuinely epted their rtionship.


    Willow wore the clothes and jewelry provided by the Moore family and attended the banquet with Marshall.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    However, thevish banquet wasn''t something one could blend into just by wearing expensive clothes. It was a spiritual humiliation, without overt conflict, but with subtle crushing and contempt from all aspects of origin, vision, and knowledge.


    Willow, proud of her achievements, had worked her way up from a small town to the bustling metropolis of Rivera. She always believed in her potential for limitless future sess.


    But she could never have imagined that her hard-won achievements were insignificant to these people. She was even a joke and a topic of gossip.


    She could ept material differences because she was young and willing to work hard, with a promising future ahead. But the spiritual and worldview differences were something she couldn''t reconcile. After the banquet, Willow calmly reevaluated her rtionship with Marshall.


    She was actually more rational than Marshall. If she saw it wasn''t suitable, she would end the rtionship in time. No matter how much she loved him, she wouldn''t lose her self-respect.


    But Marshall couldn''t do that. He had been obedient to his family for years, never experiencing a rebellious phase. When he finally fell in love, he was stubborn and persistent, unwilling to let go. At that time, Keegan already felt the two weren''tpatible.


    Willow wasn''t a girl who indulged in love. Compared to Marshall, she had a clear n for her future. Marshall didn''t have the ability to defy his family then, but he still tried to keep her by his side, which was bound to fail.


    Keegan predicted they would eventually break up but didn''t expect Willow to disappear first. Then, someone with a clear n for the future abandoned her imminent degree.


    He had never understood why, but learning about this now rified some doubts.


    Willow was assaulted but didn''t tell Marshall. Her reasons were unknown to outsiders, but she must have had her reasons.


    She was polite to everyone but smashed her portrait at Kaia''s funeral. Perhaps her spiritual world was on the brink of copse at that time. When someone is easily broken, no matter what they do, it''s beyond reproach.


    Ste felt deeply ufortable. She hadn''t expected such a tragic story.


    "Back then, Willow collected evidence and immediately called the police. Why wasn''t a case filed? Why was it suppressed so effectively? You didn''t know about this?"


    Ste couldn''t believe no one was involved.


    Keegan couldn''t believe it either. He pondered and finally thought of the Moore family.


    If it was the Moore family, they likely didn''t want the matter to escte


    Were they afraid of damaging the family''s reputation, or were they


    somehow involved in the matter? The


    Keegan dared not think too much. He never expected Willow''s situation to involve so many people.


    He took a deep breath, calmed his


    mind, and whispered, "Don''t think about it, Go to sleep. Someone wants to uncover the truth even more than we do."


    Ste responded, and after a while, she asked again, "Did you get Larry''s blood sample?" Keegan nodded.


    Ste said, "Keep it safe. It might be useful someday."


    After Larry returned to thepany post-sick leave, he became Jaylene''s driver. When Ste heard about this, she was taken aback.


    Kiara remarked, "I used to feel sorry for Larry, but he really abandoned his principles when he saw the benefits!"

 Chapter 2394

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2394-Ste collected herself and said calmly, "People always strive for higher positions. There''s nothing surprising about that." Handing the signed document to Kiara, she added, "Good luck in the preliminarypetition tomorrow."Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Kiara smiled, "Thank you, Boss Jewell, for your kind wishes."


    After Kiara left, Ste sat at her desk, marking and highlighting Larry and Jaylene''s names with a pen, finally drawing an arrow and a question mark next to them.


    Not long after, there was a knock on her office door. Samuel called, "Boss Jewell, Mrs. Saun has requested us to gather in the Perfumery Department. She has something to announce."


    Ste snapped back to reality and responded, "I know, I''ll be there right away."


    She crossed out the page with her notes, tore it off, and fed it into the shredder. Then she put on her coat and headed out.


    When she arrived, the Perfumery Department was already bustling with people. Besides the department''s employees, many supervisors from other departments and senior executives had gathered. Everyone stood in the hall, waiting.


    This seemed quite significant, and Ste felt a bit puzzled.


    Colleagues were already discussing the matter nearby, with Sonia among them. Ste felt reassured.


    Ever since Sonia had sessfully identified the S-number essential oil, a form even Darcie didn''t know, just by its scent, her colleagues in the perfume department had begun to view her differently.


    Initially, everyone excluded her. Aside from following Darcie and her daughter''s instructions, they believed she was an ipetent person who had gotten the job through connections, just like Jaylene. Jaylene acted superior every day, arriving before nine in the morning and leaving after eight in the evening. However, she couldn''t perform any actual work, leaving her tasks to others.


    She took the money while others did the work, and the credit still went to her. Such nepotism is despised in any workce.


    If they couldn''t exclude Jaylene, they could at least exclude Sonia.


    But after the S perfume incident, everyone realized that Sonia wash different from Jaylene. Sonia En


    genuinely had talent.


    Although a bit reserved, Sonia never procrastinated when given a task. Even when colleagues tried to make things difficult for her by dumping their work on her, she neverined. After finishing the tasks, she would proactively exin to the others how to do it, genuinely believing they needed help


    Initially, everyone thought she was


    being sarcastic, but theyter m realized she was sincere. She even chose times when she wasn''t busy to teach others.


    She generously shared the fragrance recipes she had tried with everyone.


    Gradually, they saw Sonia as a bit naive but also incredibly diligent. Her work ethic influenced the entire team.

 Chapter 2395

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2395-Previously, during peak season, the end of the month was the busiest time, as everyone procrastinated early in the month, only to scramble toplete taskster. But with Sonia''s enthusiasm, efficiency, and willingness to help, the group''s overall efficiency improved. This month, not only did no one work overtime, but their performance also surpassed other groups, leading to higher sries for everyone.


    To her colleagues, Sonia had be a driving force, helping everyone meet their KPI standards.


    "What''s the discussion about?" Ste asked Sonia quietly.


    Sonia shook her head and pointed to the chatting colleagues nearby, whispering, "I''m just listening."


    So Ste stood by, listening to the gossip.


    "What does Mrs. Saun want to announce? Why are so many leaders here?"


    "ording to the grapevine, Mrs. Saun has just hired a top-tier perfumer. Herpetition qualifications are registered under thepany''s name, and she''s aiming for this year''s championship. With all this fanfare, it seems the perfumer is about to join us."


    Ste asked, "Who is this perfumer? Why is there such a grand wee for her?"


    Sonia replied, "Have you heard of Siren?"


    "Siren! The once wildly popr perfume was designed and formted by the perfumering today."


    "Siren? The first time I smelled it, I was amazed. Although the series has been overused, its initial impact was remarkable. It''s enough to boast about."


    "Wow, thepany hired her? She won the national championship two years in a row."


    "Didn''t she join a majorpany overseas? Why would she return? Ourpany''s offer can''tpare to what she had there."


    "Maybe she couldn''t adapt to living abroad? My friend returned to Rivera because she couldn''t stand the food in the UK. With her resume, she won''t have sry issues anywhere."


    "You''ve been talking for so long, what''s her name?"


    Ste was also curious about the identity of the perfumer Darcie recruited.


    A colleague whispered, "Her name is Mallory. The name Siren probablyes from her own name."


    As the colleague spoke, the hall doors opened. Darcie walked in with Jaylene and her entourage. Following Darcie was a tall woman in a white shirt and ck skirt, dressed simply. Before Ste could see her face, she noticed a high-grade icy purple jade bracelet on the woman''s wrist. Read


    Ste found the bracelet familiar, and when the woman turned around, she was startled.


    Simultaneously, the colleague continued, "Her name is Mallory, and the name Siren likely derives from her name."


    Darcie''s new hire was her?


    Ste absorbed the shock. She hadn''t


    heard anything from her brother. Did Mallorynottell her brother she was joining Caline?


    She wondered if Darcie knew about Mallory and Trevor''s rtionship. Was hiring Mallory a coincidence or intentional?


    Darcie raised her hand and spoke


    gently, "Everyone, please be quiet. I called you here to introduce a new colleague. This is Mallory Craig. Many of you have likely heard of her. She''s a two-time national perfumepetition champion and the chief perfumer of arge internationalpany, with numerous des. She just returned from abroad and will temporarily serve as the deputy manager of the perfume department, assisting the managers and handling matters rted to the perfumepetition. Please give her a warm wee." This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

 Chapter 2396

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2396-After the speech ended, thunderous apuse erupted.


    Darcie smiled and said, "Mallory, why don''t you say a few words?"


    Mallory nodded, nced at the crowd, and briefly made eye contact with Ste before looking away.


    "Hello, everyone. I''m Mallory. I''m delighted to be working with you all. Thanks to Mrs. Saun''s persistent invitations, I have finally returned to Hustuabourg after dealing with some personal matters. I feel quite embarrassed for the dy. As for the title Mrs. Saun mentioned, I feel even more humbled. I''m just an ordinary perfumer like you, with a bit more luck and experience.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    I don''t consider myself qualified to be a teacher, as talent and creativity are more crucial in perfumery than experience. However, if my experience can help you avoid pitfalls and enhance your skills, I would be honored."


    After speaking, Mallory put her hands together and waved to the crowd. "Please guide me and let''s progress together."


    Her modesty and sincerity were particrly impressive.


    Ste overheard someone nearby say, "The Goddess is not what I imagined. She''s very approachable."


    "Yeah, I thought with such a high title, she''d be difficult to deal with. Turns out I was wrong."


    "Is Boss Saun hoping she''ll help the youngdy reach the finals? The youngdy can''t even distinguish spices. Isn''t it like a master carrying a novice through a championship game?" "Shh, keep your voice down. Are you asking for trouble?" Ste frowned, worried.


    Two consecutive championships... Is there still a chance for Sonia?


    She turned tofort Sonia but found her engrossed in her phone.


    Ste looked down, noticing Sonia was ying Candy Crush, sliding her fingers roughly across the screen, seemingly agitated.


    "Sonia," Ste called gently.


    Sonia looked up.


    "Don''t stress so much," Ste said softly. "Just do your best. Winning the championship is up to fate. Whether you win or not, you''re still the best."


    She remembered her brother''s advice on how to encourage the little girl.


    Sonia didn''t respond immediately, and it was unclear if she listened. After a long pause, she suddenly said, "I''ve seen her before."


    Ste was surprised and was about to ask where, but Sonia continued.


    "In his wallet."


    Ste understood immediately.


    She must be talking about her brother Trevor.


    Keegan had mentioned that Trevor and Mallory were childhood sweethearts. The girl''s family faced a crisis, leading her to move away and marry someone else. Trevor even tried to stop the wedding, showing how much he cared. It wasn''t surprising he kept Mallory''s photo in his wallet for years.


    But Ste remembered he had


    changed it recently. Last time he left his wallet in her car she saw a family photo inside and a picture of Sonia on top.


    She had joked, saying he might have a crush on the kid she''d watched grow up.

 Chapter 2397

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2397-Trevor had tapped her forehead, saying, "What nonsense are you talking about? This is to make her happy. She once asked why I didn''t keep her photos in my phone like her father. I said I wasn''t her father, and she ignored me for a week."


    "Sonia is so well-behaved; why would she make a scene?" Trevor had sighed. "She just ignores you and treats you like air. I talk a lot, but I''m most afraid of being treated like air. It''s just a photo, so I kept it. It''s pretty cute."


    Ste snapped back to the present and nced at Sonia. Why did it seem like she cared about that photo?


    "Sonia," Ste called.


    "What''s wrong?" Sonia replied, frowning.


    "Why did he put her photo in his wallet? He''s not her father," Sonia asked.


    Ste was speechless.


    She coughed lightly, "You don''t have to be a father to keep a photo."


    "Then why did he keep it?" Sonia persisted.


    "Can''t you sense it?" Ste asked.


    Sonia''s emotional perception was usually dull, but her sense of smell was extremely sharp. Once, she had caught Keegan kissing Ste andmented on it in a matter-of-fact way.


    "He likes you. He secretes pheromones to court you. But why is he so cold to you when facing Jaylene?" she had asked, leaving Ste almost spitting out water in surprise.


    Despite her emotional dullness, Sonia could judge someone''s mood by their pheromones.


    Ste exined, "She is my brother''s first love, someone who almost became our sister-inw. I don''t know how she got involved with Darcie. Anyway, try to avoid contact with her if you can." Sonia stayed silent, lost in thought.


    When the event ended, Darcie called Ste over.


    "Ste, let me introduce Miss Craig to you."Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    Mallory smiled, "Mr. Saun, there''s no need. I''ve met Miss Jewell before."


    Darcie was surprised. "You have?"


    Mallory nodded. "When I first came back, Trevor and Keegan helped pick me up. Miss Jewell was there too."


    "Oh, that''s great," Darcie said happily. "Assistant, please reserve a table at Cotton Rose Restaurant. Ste, call Trevor. Let''s have a gathering at noon as a wee party for Mallory."


    Before Ste could speak, Mallory


    said, "Mr. Saun, there''s no need for


    m


    such trouble. Everyone is busy. Besides, just moved and still have many things to settle. Once I''m more organized, I''ll invite everyone over for a small gathering."


    Darcie didn''t push the matter. "Alright, if you need any help, just let me know."


    "Thank you, Mr. Saun," Mallory replied gently.


    Darcie left someone to help Mallory settle in and familiarize herself with thepany, then departed with Jaylene.


    Ste also wanted to leave, but Mallory called her, "Miss Jewell, can I invite you to lunch?"


    Ste paused and nodded. "Sure, the western restaurant across the street. See you there at noon."


    She needed to meet Mallory to understand her intentions.


    In Darcie''s office, after closing the


    door, Jaylene asked, "Mom, how did


    you find her? I.


    m


    her? I thought you arranged


    someone powerful, but it''s Mallory. Have you forgotten her history with my brother?"

 Chapter 2398

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2398-Darcie put her coat on the hanger and said calmly, "I know."


    "You still reached out to her knowing that?"


    Jaylene was puzzled. "Given her history with my brother, will she really work sincerely for you?"


    "Why not?" Darcie picked up a cup, unscrewed it, and poured out the tea. "If she were doing well abroad, do you think she would have epted my offer?"


    Jaylene was momentarily stunned. "Are her credentials fake?"


    "No, the resumes are real," Darcie replied, pouring spring water into a pot filled with American ginseng and angelica. "But it''s also true that she struggled abroad. It''s tough to establish yourself in that industry without connections. She got divorced, her ex-husband''s family distanced themselves from her, and she didn''t get much money. She stayed abroad and lived a tough life. When people mention her, they can only sigh and call her a siren.


    Mallory has strong self-esteem and ambition. When she became an adult, her family was in ruins. Trevor saw her struggles. What could he do then? Offerfort? A hug? She didn''t need those.


    She''s not someone content with just love. She knows what she wants. That''s why she refused Trevor and married a man ten years older with a sessful career. How could a young man without the ability to secure her future offer more than a mature, established man?


    She''s not a teenager anymore. If I could invite her back, she knows what I want. By agreeing, she''s already made her choice. Don''t employ someone if you doubt them, and don''t doubt someone if you employ them. Put away your prejudices when you meet her. With her around, she''ll definitely help you reach the finals."


    Jaylene asked quietly, "Mom, you didn''t invite her just to help me reach the finals, did you? Do you want to use her to restrain my brother?"


    Darcie didn''t raise her eyes, just rinsed the cup with water.


    Jaylene curled her fingers. "Mom, just deal with Ste. My brother is very good to me. I... I don''t want our rtionship to be irreparable."


    Darcie paused and looked up. "He''s not your brother; he''s Ste''s. They share the same mother and blood. Believe it or not, in times of danger, he''ll protect Ste first, not you, his non-blood sister." This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Jaylene pursed her lips and whispered, "My brother wouldn''t do that We we grew up together." At the end, she herself felt unsure.


    Darcieughed and said nothing more. After a while, she asked) "Has the driver you arranged reported to you?"

 Chapter 2399

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2399-Jaylene snapped out of her thoughts and frowned. "Mom, I wanted to talk to you about that. Why did you assign Ste''s former driver to me? A person who betrays their boss once can do it again. I don''t want him driving for me."


    Darcie replied calmly, "He has extensive driving experience and stable skills. Plus, when he betrayed Ste, he was also covering for your people. If you don''t clean up the mess for your team, who will dare to help you in the future?"


    Jaylene was stunned and widened her eyes. "Mom, is he your man?"


    "Not exactly, but he won''t harm you. I trust him to be by your side."


    Although reluctant, Jaylene agreed. "Has Keegan contacted you in the past two days?"


    Keegan almost never initiated contact with Jaylene. She was the one who usually reached out to him. But she didn''t dare tell Darcie that. Darcie always advised her to be dominant in rtionships, not led by the nose. She was quite dominant with Aaron, who listened to her in everything. But if she didn''t contact Keegan, he would never call. asionally, he would send WhatsApp greetings and flowers as a friend. She took a step forward, and he took a step back, always maintaining a subtle distance that made her anxious and more obsessed.


    If she told the truth to Darcie, she would be lectured and possibly asked to stay away from Keegan. So she immediately shook her head. "No."


    Darcie said, "Tell me in detail how you tested him that day."


    Jaylene was embarrassed to talk about being scared by a bug, so she lied. "I wanted to pour hot water on Ste to see Keegan''s reaction, but their nanny was in the living room, and I couldn''t find a chance. Besides, Ste was always on guard and didn''t expose her back to me."


    "Mom, I think you''re overthinking it. Keegan looks at Ste with cold eyes, and they argue after a few words. I don''t believe he''s that good at acting. Don''t you remember when we were young, my brother broke the head teacher''s office window ying basketball? Everyone helped cover it up, but he confessed immediately. He doesn''t lie well."


    "Can he be the same now as when he was a child?" Darcie said angrily. "I asked you to test him, but the more you look at him, the more you like him."


    Jaylene blushed. "I was just giving an example. Keegan won''t lie."


    "Fine, get out," Darcie rubbed her temple. "I have a headache."


    "Oh." Jaylene took a few steps, then remembered what Julia had asked her to do. She turned and said softly, "Mom, I want to hire an assistant."


    Darcie raised an eyebrow. "Don''t you have an assistant?"


    Jaylene exined, "The one you assigned is like a mute all day. She doesn''t know the answers to most questions. I can''t work with her. I want to find someone myself."


    Darcie frowned. "You''re here to work, not for a talent show. The people around you have


    based on their assed examsm


    on their abilities. Don''t always try to be special. How can others respect you if you do that? How much of the work you do is done by you, and how much is done by others while you just sign off?" Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Jaylene felt guilty and tried to deflect. "I''ve only been in thepany for a few months and am still learning."


    Darcie said earnestly, "Since you can''t


    do it, don''t pretend. You''re not


    working overtime alone. If you work overtimento do real work, others


    won''t say anything. But if you push all the work onto others, who do you think will respect such a leader?"


    "Then I can''t just leave after work like Ste, right? Wouldn''t that make people gossip about me?"

 Chapter 2400

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2400 - "You might as well learn from her. If you don''t create a persona, there''s nothing for others to criticize. If you do, they''ll judge you based on it. If you ck off while others are working, do you think they won''tin about you?" Darcie always got a headache when she had to lecture.


    She couldn''t understand why Jaylene, who had an elite education, struggled so much at work.


    Darcie had repeatedly told Jaylene to be humble at thepany, not arrogant, to treat subordinates with both kindness and strictness, to work together as a team, and even if she had to makepromises, to show she had no choice and handle it gracefully.


    Despite this, Jaylene hadn''t taken it seriously. Darcie had paved the way for her for so long, but Jaylene was about to ruin it shortly after joining thepany.


    On the other hand, Ste hade in with the attitude of "I don''t know much, I don''t really want to do it, but I''m here because of my dad," clearly telling everyone not to expect too much from her. So, every time she achieved something, people were impressed.


    No matter how strong a foundation Darcieid for Jaylene, if Jaylene couldn''t win over people, she wouldn''t be able to handle Caline even if she was given the chance. Jaylene clenched her hands and said angrily, "She''s good at manipting people! She''s just pretending!"Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    "Don''t worry about whether she''s real or pretending. Just focus on your own work. You can change your assistant if you want. From now on, don''t delegate your work to others. If you need to work overtime, do it honestly. If you can''t handle it, let everyone go home. And when you work overtime, order food and drinks. What about others? Should they starve with you? I shouldn''t have to teach you these small things.


    You know you can win people''s hearts with small gifts when you join thepany. Don''t you understand this? Even if it''s an act, you have to do itpletely. Fake it until you make it. No matter how much I favor you, have to appear fair. You need to fight for it yourself!"


    Jaylene blushed. She knew Darcie was angry and disappointed, so she didn''t argue back. She whispered, "I understand, Mom."


    Darcie waved her hand, "Go, I have a headache."


    Jaylene asked, "What about the assistant?"


    Darcie replied, "Choose one yourself and report to HR."


    Jaylene said, "Thank you, Mom," and left happily.


    Darcie pressed her temples, feeling exhausted.


    It was bad enough that Jessica had suppressed her, but now her daughter wasn''t as good as Jessica''s daughter. She was really angry.


    Her daughter had received a better education and more resources, so why wasn''t she as good as those two nouveau riche''s kids?


    The phone rang, and Darcie calmed down to answer it.


    "Hello."


    No one spoke on the other end.


    Darcie looked at the caller ID and saw it was a cityndline. She spoke again, "Hello, what''s up?"


    Still no response. The silencested, and Darcie''s eyes changed. She could hear slightly heavy breathing on the other end, unable to tell if it was a man or a woman.


    Just when she was about to speak again, the other party hung up.


    Darcie immediately called back, but no one answered.


    She hung up, feeling uneasy.


    She scribbled the iing call number and called Aubrey "Check where this number is from and who En


    owns it."


    Aubrey didn''t understand but agreed.


    "Wait," Darcie stopped her, "Do it quietly, and tell me directly once you find out."


    "Sure."


    After Aubrey left, Darcie became anxious, pacing back and forth in the office.


    Although no one spoke on this call, it reminded her of a ckmail calleight years ago, bringing back long-lost panic.


    She pursed her lips, picked up the


    phone, and dialed a ny


    ed a number, "Alijah,


    have you dealt with the situation ?En.


    from eight years ago?"


    The other party didn''t answer but asked, "What''s wrong?"


    e phone fell into the nearby pool.

 Chapter 2401

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2401 - Darcie pressed her brows, "I received another silent call."


    Alijah was stunned, "Did you dial the wrong number?"


    "No way! I called back, no one answered. It felt just like eight years ago. Alijah, did you really handle it? Are you trying to fool me like you did with Ste before? You could get us killed!" Alijah said, "No! I handled it! Calm down."


    "How can I stay calm? Your impatience and indecision have left me with a huge hidden danger. How can I stay calm?"


    Alijah pursed his lips, "It''s just a phone call. Maybe it was a mistake. It doesn''t mean anything. If someone was still around, why wait until now? Don''t be paranoid."


    He paused, "Have someone check the number, and I''lle over."


    Darcie calmed down and whispered, "If it''s true...what do we do?"


    Alijah was silent for a moment, "I''ll protect you, even if it costs my life. Don''t worry, nothing will happen."


    Darcie''s voice softened, "Alijah, just wait a little longer. It will be over soon, and we can reunite."


    Alijah seemed to smile, "Darcie, I believe you."


    After hanging up, Darcie''s tenderness disappeared. Thest resort was to use him as a scapegoat, but she might not escape cleanly. She hoped she was worrying too much.


    At the same time, Trevor received a message on his phone, "Mr. Saun, he called. I noted the number and sent it to you."


    Trevor nced at the number and replied, "Thank you, great job."


    Then he called Xavier, "Xavier, can you go somewhere for me?"


    Meanwhile, Ste went to the western restaurant opposite the office after work and called Keegan, "Do you know who Darcie found to help her? You won''t believe it!" Keegan, flipping through documents, replied, "Mallory?"This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Ste stared, "How did you know?"


    Keegan''s eyelids twitched, "Can''t you


    guess? Knowing that, you still went


    to meet her? She''d X with


    Darcie: Aren''t you afraid she''ll ruin your n?"


    Ste: "We grew up together. We haven''t been in touch for years, and she wanted to meet up when che returned to Hustuabourg. It would be rude not to agree. Besides, Maya isn''t the type to do things without a reason. I believe she has her


    reasons."


    "Haha, helping your first love''s stepmother seize power makes sense? I had a good impression of her. She''s great actress! Do you "EN". think my brother will side with his first love if we have a conflict? D*mn! Darcie''s strategy to create discord is vicious!"


    Keegan: "Watch yournguage."


    "D*mn, is my brother a love-struck fool?"


    "Probably not," a female voice said from behind. Ste''s hand shook, and the phone fell into the nearby pool.

 Chapter 2402

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2402-"Probably not," a female voice said from behind. Ste''s hand shook, and the phone fell into the nearby pool.


    Keegan clearly heard the sound of the phone falling into the water, and then the line was disconnected.


    Seeing Keegan put the phone aside, Aldor was a little surprised. "Why did Madam hang up the phone suddenly?"


    Keegan said calmly, "Maybe she was caught saying bad things about someone."


    Aldor pursed his lips and whispered, "Mr. Kane, a person who can take into ount all the details of the kidnapping case has a mind so meticulous that it is intimidating. Do you really think your judgment of him is urate?"


    Keegan was stunned for a moment and remained silent.


    He knew what Aldor meant. He had never understood why the kidnapper, who was face-blind, would mistake Keegan for Marshall. It wasn''t until Keegan regained his memory that he recalled what the kidnapper said in his ear before pushing him into the river. The other party had said, "Don''t me me, who asked you to wear this suit?"Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Keegan couldn''t figure out what the suit had to do with it at first, and the white suit he wore that day had been sent by Ste.


    Unable to figure it out, he asked Ste directly why he had to wear a white suit on the day of the election.


    Ste was very puzzled at the time. "When did I ask you to wear a white suit?"


    Keegan wanted to say, "Didn''t you ask someone to send it to me?" but before he said it, he understood everything.


    The suit had not been sent by Ste; someone had deliberately asked him to wear that white suit that day.


    And Marshall''s favorite thing to wear was white clothes. They had simr body shapes. If they wore the same clothes, many people would mistake one for the other just by looking at their body shapes. Ste herself mistook Marshall for him in the dark.


    For a person with face blindness, it was impossible to distinguish facial features, so he would find memory points from body shape and clothes. Therefore, the kidnapper was convinced that he was Marshall at the beginning and attacked him like a mad dog.


    "Mr. Kane," Aldor hesitated for a moment and said solemnly, "We should not investigate Willow''s matter anymore. The reason stated in the police report was that the reporter was drunk and made a false report."


    It was clear who had such a long reach.


    The case had been dismissed back then, and it was even more impossible to overturn it and find out the truth now, Keegan had nothing to do with this matter, so there was no need to wade into this muddy water. He only needed to watch from the sidelines, and someone would dig out the truth of that year.


    The situation of the Moore family was tooplicated. If they investigated like this, they would


    m


    rm them sooner orter. He had a family to support now, so safety had


    to be the first priority.


    Keegan pinched his brows, then raised his eyes, his expression m relieved. "I know, you''ve worked hard these days."

 Chapter 2403

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2403-Aldor shook his head. Fortunately, he had these things to do; otherwise, when thepany was not busy, he always felt that the six-figure monthly sry was not justified. As he was talking, Keegan''s phone rang. It was the olddy calling.


    The olddy first asked about Ste''s recent situation, whether she was tired, and whether she was ufortable. When she heard that the babies were growing well and even had fetal movements, she was so happy that she couldn''t stop smiling.


    When Aurora came in to deliver the documents, Aldor made a silent gesture to her. She shut up, put the documents on Keegan''s desk, pointed to the end, and asked Keegan to sign itter. Keegan nodded.


    After caring about her granddaughter-inw, the olddy talked about business. "Keegan, I asked the Taoist priest to match Aldor and Aurora''s horoscopes. The best time for them to get married is in the second half of the year. This time is too long. I''m panicking."


    Aurora''s eyelids twitched, and she subconsciously looked at Aldor, who smiled at her. Aurora''s ears felt hot for some reason, and she quickly looked away.


    Keegan asked with a smile, "Why are you so nervous?"


    The olddy said, "Aldor is such an excellent child, I''m afraid he will be scared away by Aurora''s temper. I originally wanted to take advantage of the fact that they had just met and Aurora was still pretending to be good and hadn''t revealed her true nature, so I got them married. When her true nature was exposed, it would be toote for Aldor to regret. As a result, it was sote on this auspicious day, so I thought, why not get married first and make a sign to upy the person first."


    Keegan was speechless.


    Aurora''s face darkened. "Grandma! How much do I bother you?"Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    There was silence on the other end of the phone, and then the olddy''s dryughter rang out. "Aurora, are you with your brother? Didn''t you go on a date with Aldor?"


    Aldor held back hisughter and said, "No, I haven''t gotten off work yet."


    The olddy: "...¡±


    "Haha, they''re all here, it''s so lively, haha."


    The olddy gritted her teeth. This eldest grandson was a real troublemaker! Such a trick on the olddy!


    Since she was heard, the olddy simply opened up and said, "Aldor, what do you think about the engagement? Are you willing?"


    Aurora clenched her hands and breathed lightly.


    Aldor was silent for a moment and said, "It depends on what Aurora thinks. I''m fine with it."


    Aurora''s heart began to beat violently, one after another, and it seemed that only her abrupt heartbeat could be heard around her, so she didn''t notice Keegan''s slightly frowned brows. The olddy smiled happily. "Aurora, what do you say?"


    Aurora lowered her eyes and squeezed out a few words from her throat. "I''ll listen to you."


    "Okay, okay, then I''ll contact my mother-inw. The two of you don''t go out these days. When the timees, the two families will have a meal together and discuss the engagement." After hanging up the phone, Aurora looked up at Aldor, feeling a little more embarrassed for some reason.


    Aldor habitually took the document


    and


    she had prepared and looked through it "Here, and here, check again, some of the data don''t match."


    Aurora''s mouth twitched. "Is this what you want to tell me?"


    "Ah," Aldor paused, and then said, "Although there are still some m shorings; other ces are already very standardized and well


    done."


    Aurora took the document from him and said with a cold face, "Do you need me to say it?"


    Aldor remained silent.


    Had she ever pretended to be obedient in front of him? The olddy really thought too much.


    "Aldor, don''t leave yet, close the door."


    Aldor didn''t understand but still


    m


    walked over and closed the door. Keegan pursed his lips and asked him seriously, "What do you think about the engagement? What do you mean by ''anything''?"


    Aldor said, "It must depend on Aurora''s opinion. If she disagrees, it''s useless for me to agree."


    Keegan frowned. "Don''t think about what Aurora thinks, just say what you think?"

 Chapter 2404

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2404-Aldor was stunned, and after a moment of silence, he said, "I don''t know either."


    Keegan''s eyelids twitched. "What do you mean you don''t know? You''re so clear-headed when you work, but you don''t know about the important things in life?"


    Aldor stretched out his index finger and tapped his forehead. This was his habitual action when he was stumped.


    Keegan didn''t rush him and waited quietly for his answer.


    After a long while, Aldor finally said, "As Aurora''s brother, you may be unhappy to hear this, but I really don''t know how to say it. I just think that getting engaged is fine, or not. I get along well with Aurora, but if I say I am attracted to her, I don''t feel that strongly. I don''t reject being with her, but I don''t feel the same way about her as you do about your wife, where you must have her."


    Keegan said unhappily, "Why didn''t you refuse when Grandma asked you just now?"


    Aldor whispered, "I just thought that the chairman''s health is not as good as before, and Old Madam is unreliable. She wants to find a reliable person to apany Aurora while she can still move. Since she chose me I am willing to take on this trust and take good care of Aurora so that she can be at peace."


    "Peace of mind!" Keegan couldn''t help but swear. "If you don''t love her, then don''t be with her. Can''t our Kane family afford to support her? If you don''t like her, are you nning to divorce her after you get married?" Aldorcked confidence. "It''s not that I don''t like her, but I don''t like her that much. And I won''t file for divorce unless she insists."


    Aldor was not a young man in his early twenties. He would soon be thirty. It was natural that he couldn''t be as passionate as young people when talking about love. When dating for the purpose of getting married, he would think about many things other than feelings first. Reason takes the upper hand, and it is difficult to be as devoted as when he was a teenager.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan said unhappily, "What if you meet someone who you must be with after you get married? Will you still be so sure?"


    Aldor thought Keegan was worried that he would betray Aurora in the future, so he said, "I can sign a prenuptial agreement. If I have second thoughts, I will leave the house with nothing."


    Keegan sarcastically said, "Who would care about your wealth?"


    Aldor was speechless.


    "Don''t be so humiliating. After all, I worked hard for so many years to earn it."


    Keegan still felt it was not enough. "Besides, why should my sister make do with you? She''s so young!"


    "Not too much. Aren''t you five years older than your wife?"


    Ever since Keegan''s marriage had be sweet, his sharp tongue and potential for sarcasm had all been exerted on the people around him.


    He nced at Aldor. "Compare with me? Do you have an advantage in appearance or in making money?? Your only advantage is that you have a good temper and can coax people, but with the support of the Kane family, do you think it''s difficult for Aurora to find such a partner?"


    Aldor was stabbed in the heart, but there was no need to say it so bluntly.


    Keegan continued, "Aurora''s temper, you have been with me for so many years. I don''t believe you don''t m understand it. If she doesn''t have any feelings for you, she won''t agree even if a knife is on her neck. You usually im to be sober. Can''t you really not understand?"


    Aldor lowered his head and said nothing.

 Chapter 2405

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2405-Keegan sighed. "I told you from the beginning that this is just a blind date. If you think it''s suitable, then go with it. If not, then forget it. Aldor, you don''t owe the Kane family any favors, and the Kane family doesn''t need you topromise."


    Aldor hesitantly said, "I don''t think so."This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    After saying that, he fell silent. He really didn''t think so, but that didn''t mean he wouldn''t do it subconsciously.


    If the girl that Keegan introduced to him for a blind date matched his own conditions, he probably wouldn''t be so cautious and hesitant, but the girl he introduced was Aurora, the daughter of the Kane family, who was the apple of their eye. Even if he tried to get along with her as normally as possible, he would always subconsciously take care of her feelings first.


    This mode of getting along with each other might be more like a job arranged by the leader for him, so he could say that it was okay to get married or not.


    Keegan''s words aboutpromise were implicit, and he regarded this matter as a kind of sacrifice in his heart.


    No one needed him to sacrifice, but it was his own subconscious concern about his unequal background, and that bit of self-esteem that made him unable to get along with Aurora openly.


    Now that Keegan had awakened him, he was shocked and ashamed. This idea was not only irresponsible to himself but also disrespectful to Aurora.


    "What should I do? I''m afraid the old madam has already contacted my mother." Aldor asked Keegan for help in a low voice.


    "You ask me, who should I ask?" Keegan was annoyed, and after a while, he said, "You go and tell Aurora clearly that you have no feelings for her and don''t want to get engaged. Cut off her thoughts first, and then go to Grandma to make things clear."


    Aldor hesitated. "So direct?"


    Keegan sneered, "Why, do you still want to keep her hanging?"


    Aldor was speechless.


    Then Keegan drove out of the office. Aldor hesitated for a long time and finally walked towards Aurora''s office.


    The office door was not closed tightly, and Aurora was talking on the phone. The voice came into Aldor''s ears word for word through the crack in the door.


    "We should get engaged this month. It depends on which date Grandma chooses. Of course, I will let you know as soon as the date is confirmed."


    "He''s just so-so in appearance. Not as handsome as my brother, but he''s okay. He doesn''t talk much, but he works a lot, like an old mother. He wants to control everything. It was annoying at first, but as we got along better, he became... pretty good. He drives well, shoots well, is good at fishing, and can coax people."


    "Go to h-e-l-l! I''m talking about driving!" Aurora was a little angry for some reason. After a while, she whispered, "We just held hands."


    "My grandma likes him very much."


    "I... I''m okay," she said softly with her eyes downcast. "I like him."


    Aldor tightened his grip on the door handle and identally turned it, startling Aurora who was on the phone.


    She turned her head, first relieved, then a little annoyed, ring at him. "Why didn''t you knock on the door!"


    Aldor said, "The door is not closed."


    Aurora hung up the phone and whispered, "Do you have something to talk to me about?"


    Aldor''s mind kept thinking about the word "like" and when he blurted it out


    after a long time of preparatio out


    it


    became, "Do you want to have dinner together tonight?"


    Aurora''s ears blushed. "I... I may have to work overtime, and the work is not finished yet."


    Aldor said, "Then, I will help you?"


    Aurora lowered her head and bit her lower lip lightly. "If you are not busy, it''s all right."


    Keegan waited for Aldor toe


    back to the office for a long time and thought that he might have been beaten by Aurora. Thinking of this, he


    couldn''t sit still and stood up to persuade him to stop fighting.


    As a result, when he went to Aurora''s office, he saw Aldor standing behind Aurora, holding a mouse and


    operating theputer while exining to her.


    Keegan was taken aback.

 Chapter 2406

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2406-Aldor was concentrating on exining and didn''t notice Keegan pushing the door open. However, Aurora saw it clearly. She stood up suddenly but forgot that Aldor was standing behind her. She was distracted and hit Aldor''s chin with her head. Aldor bit his tongue hard and groaned in pain.


    Keegan was in a hurry. Aurora was embarrassed and questioned Keegan while trying to check Aldor''s injuries.


    Aurora said, "Brother, why didn''t you knock on the door!"


    Keegan still didn''t understand the situation.


    "I knocked, but you didn''t hear it," Keegan replied lightly, looking at Aldor and asking him with his eyes: How is it going? Aldor covered his chin and looked away guiltily.


    After making sure that Aldor was fine, Aurora asked Keegan, "Brother, do you have something to talk to me about?"


    If Keegan didn''t quite understand the situation just now, he understood it now. He''s afraid that Aldor, who is as good as central air conditioning, has never mentioned the rejection of marriage to Aurora. Keegan said with a stern face, "I''m not looking for you, I''m looking for Aldor."


    He red at Aldor and said, "You''re noting out yet? Are you leaving your post during working hours?"


    Aldor covered his chin and hurried over.


    Aurora frowned, "You asked Aldor to take care of me. How can it be considered as leaving his post when he teaches me things? Brother, don''t be so overbearing."


    He is overbearing?


    Keegan felt powerless as if he couldn''t p her brain. Sure enough, love brain will not disappear, it will only transfer!


    He snorted, "Aldor has been teaching you for such a long time, but he still hasn''t trained you. It seems that he is not a good teacher. If not, I will find someone else to teach you."


    "How can he not teach me well!" Aurora was afraid that Keegan would really me Aldor, so she told the truth, "We are going to have dinner together tonight. I have a lot of work today, and I am afraid that I can''t get of work on time. He came to help me."


    Keegan''s eyelids twitched.


    Dinner?


    Keegan red at Aldor, and finally couldn''t suppress his anger. He said with a sullen face, "Come out with me."


    Aldor knew he was in the wrong and hurried to catch up.


    Aurora also wanted to catch up but was annoyed by Keegan''s words, "Do your own work, why arrange dinner if you can''t finish it?" and stayed where she was.


    Keegan didn''t say a word all the way. When he arrived at the office and closed the door, he exploded. "Aldor, didn''t you go and confess to her? Make a dinner date? What dinner date? What did you tell her?"


    Aldor stood in the corner pitifully,


    whispering, "I haven''t found a chance to tell her yet. When I went to her, she


    was very happy, so I couldn''t say it."


    Inexplicably, Aldor didn''t want to ruin her good mood.


    "Then when is the chance?" Keegan said unhappily, "Wait until she is happy to marry you, and you go and give her a fatal blow. Is this the chance?"


    Aldor shut up.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Keegan didn''t indulge him this time.


    He snorted coldly, "You only have this


    don''t say it today, don''t


    chance. If you don''t


    say it in the future. If you have grievances and dissatisfaction, just hold it in and be a good son-inw of a wealthy family!"


    As soon as he finished speaking, his cell phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number Keegan picked up the phone and asked in a bad tone, ¡°Who are you looking for?"


    There was a pause, and Ste''s voice came, "What''s wrong? Are you angry? Why are you so angry?"

 Chapter 2407

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2407-Keegan was stunned and changed his tone in an instant, "Ste, why is it you? Whose phone are you using?" Ste said, "I bought a new mobile phone. I''m worried that you can''t contact me, so I''m replying to you. But you, why are you so angry? What happened?" "No," Keegan nced at his careless assistant Aldor and waved him to go out.


    Aldor was as if pardoned and hurried out to close the door for him.


    Keegan sat on the sofa, stretched out his hand to tug at his tie, sighed, and said, "It''s all because of Aldor and Aurora."


    Ste: "What happened to the two of them?"


    "Grandma asked them to get engaged, but Aldor doesn''t like Aurora. It would have been fine if he didn''t like her, but he actually agreed. I asked him to talk to Aurora about it, but not only did he not say it, he even went on a date with Aurora. How could I not be angry if he was so indecisive?"


    Steughed after hearing this, "Keegan, you really don''t have much experience in love. Aldor has never been an indecisive person. The fact that he can make him hesitate shows that he is notpletely without feelings for your sister."


    Keegan was dissatisfied with Ste for not joining forces with him and frowned, "Why are you still speaking for her?"


    Ste sighed, "You are her brother, not her father. You can''t control everything. If you control too much, it''s fine if she is sensible and epts your kindness. But if she is not sensible and doesn''t understand your painstaking efforts, she will bear a grudge against you. Moreover, as outsiders, how can we judge others when ites to rtionships? Aldor is a good person. If your sister can get along with him, it''s a good thing. If not, she has dated someone like Aldor before. If she dates again in the future, people with poor character would not be in her eyes. You don''t have to worry about her bringing the wrong kind of person to you. She can tell the good from the bad, so it''s not a bad thing."


    "Do you think Aurora is as clear-headed as you? She is just like me. Once she sets her mind on someone, it is very difficult for her to extricate herself from the rtionship. If they had never dated before, she could still tolerate it, just like she did with Marshall. Because she had never gotten him, she could convince herself to let go. But once she gets involved, if she can''t get what she wants in the future, I am worried that she will get stuck in a dead end and can''t get out. Are you suffering from a hereditary love brain?"


    Keegan was speechless. After a while, he said, "Can you be serious? I''m talking to you about serious matters!"


    Ste smiled and apologized gently, "Okay, I was wrong, but Keegan, you can''t stop her from taking her own ''detour.'' You helped her avoid it, but the next time she meets someone she likes, she will have to take the same old path again. Can you stop her every time? If Aldor is a very bad person, you would have reason to stop him, but he is not. Your sister is dating him, and everyone is happy if it seeds. If it doesn''t work out, it is also a kind of growth. You can''t stop her from growing, because you can''t control her for the rest of her life, and she won''t let you control her for the rest of her life."


    Keegan sighed and pressed his brows, "It''s a headache."


    Ste said, "You are so worried about your sister''s marriage. If we have a daughter in the future, when ites to marriage, you will be worried and unable to sleep all night."


    Keegan thought about it. If his


    daughter is like his sister, she


    sito she will not


    only make him unable to sleep, but


    his hair will probably fall out in clumps.


    Thinking of this, he said very


    seriously, "Prenatal education stilh needs to be done. Don''t fa asleep in ss. Learn with me. We want to give birth to two sensible children."


    Ste suddenly regretted her rude words.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    She didn''t know if the fetus would be taught, but the old mother couldn''t sleep anyway.


    Keegan inquired, "How was your chat with Maya?"


    Ste said, "It was average. They


    were basically talking about mym brother the whole time. They are not N really going to rekindle their old love, are they?"

 Chapter 2408

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2408-Keegan corrected, "They have never been together. It''s your brother''s unrequited love."


    Ste said, "If I hadn''t had this meal with her today, I would have believed it. Mallory doesn''t look like she has no feelings for my brother."


    Because Mallory was poached by Darcie, she had some guesses when she went to the appointment, wondering if the other party was there to test her or build a good rtionship.


    But Mallory never mentioned anything rted to work. Instead, she talked about things she and Trevor did when they were young, most of which were rted to his "prematurely deceased" sister.


    Seeing his sister crying when she was taken out of the delivery room and finally turned into a cold corpse is something he has never been able to let go of.


    He always felt that his sister was still alive and that the one who died was not his sister. However, he was too young at the time, and his father and rtives were immersed in the grief of losing their daughter, so no one was willing to believe the words of a five or six-year-old child.


    After being denied so many times, even he himself gradually began to waver. Could the birthmark on his back be what he imagined in his dream?


    But even if he thought so, when he mentioned his sister, he would always say, "If this is not a dream, if she is still here, then when we meet one day, I will definitely recognize her at a nce."


    Mallory looked at Ste and sighed softly, "He is right, he really recognized you."


    Ste certainly knew how much her brother loved her and how much he wanted to make up for her, but when these words came out of Mallory''s mouth, there was a very subtle feeling.


    She seemed to be exining for her brother why he found her after so many years, as if he was afraid that she would have a grudge against him.


    Keegan said that it was her brother''s one-sided crush, but in her opinion, it must not be. If you like someone very much, you will be afraid that the people he cares about will misunderstand him and rush to rify for him to others.


    This does not seem to be a one-sided crush.


    "You said that since she is interested in my brother, why did she agree to help Darcie?" Keegan pretended to think seriously and concluded, "Maybe she likes the drama of love and hate like you?"This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    "Go to h-e-l-l!" Ste gritted her teeth.


    Keegan smiled and whispered, "How do you know she is a knife in Darcie''s hand, or her death warrant?"


    Ste asked, "Do you know something?"


    Keegan shook his head, "It''s just my intuition. I don''t think she will hurt Trevor."


    Ste: "You still have a feeling that


    Marshall will not hurt you, but what''s the truth? After solmany years of not seeing each other, people will change."


    This touched Keegan''s sore spot, and he couldn''t refute it. After a long time, he said, "How about I arrange two more people to be by your side?"


    "No, I was wrong before. I always thought Darcie didn''t want me to go to Caline because she wanted to


    pass it on to Jaylene. Byt recently, I saw the direction of her actions. She ¦¥¦Ð actually intended to send Jaylene abroad for development. Caline is just a springboard to help Jaylene. She cares most about Jaylene. If she doesn''t n to let Jaylene return to Hustuabourg, do you think she will expand her assets there?" The


    Keegan immediately understood what she meant, "Do you think she is transferring assets?"

 Chapter 2409

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2409-Wenham recognized his biological daughter, and Caline was the property left by his deceased wife. Darcie was so smart that she would not be unaware of the importance of Ste and her in Wenham''s heart. No matter how tightly she held Caline, she could not have absolute control. Fighting to the end would only result in both sides suffering losses, and she would also lose Wenham''s guilt, which would not be worth it for her.


    But what if the fight with Ste was just a facade, meant to distract her from transferring assets?


    Keegan asked, "Can you contact the finance department of yourpany?"


    Ste''s face fell when she heard it, "Don''t say it, the finance department is impregnable, it''s all her people. When I first joined thepany, no one in the finance department came to pick up the gift I brought with me except Wren."


    Keegan: "Then what about the Wren you mentioned? Didn''t she remind you to be careful of Larry?"


    Ste said, "To be honest, I don''t trust Wren very much. She took Darcie''s money, and her grandmother needs medical treatment at home. People with weaknesses are too easy to control. They will turn against you if you put a little pressure on them. I''m worried that if I use her, she will reveal all my cards to Darcie before I can catch her."


    At this point, Ste paused, "By the way, how is the portrait of Larry that you asked someone to draw going?"


    Keegan said: "The drawing is done, but there is no such person."


    Ste was a little disappointed for a moment, but soon thought of something, "Keegan, check the people who are rted to Darcie!"


    Keegan was stunned, "What did you find?"


    "Actually, I didn''t find anything. After his hand was injured, he was transferred to be Jaylene''s driver. I suddenly remembered that I transferred him because Jaylene wanted to trip me up. In the end, he came out to say that he broke the bottle of essential oil. I felt it was a bit too coincidental. Let''s check it out. If it''s not, it will eliminate one of my doubts."


    Keegan nodded, "I''ll check along this direction. I''ll also check Darcie''s overseas assets. What do you n to do about thepany?"


    Ste smiled, but her eyes were cold. "She wants to use her status as the champion of thepetition to push Jaylene out, but I don''t want to do what she wants." However, Mallory''s appearance was indeed unexpected. With the halo of two consecutive championships, it was somewhat tricky to have her protect her all the way.


    The silent call made Darcie uneasy for two days. Even if Alijah checked it himself and told her that it was just a mistake by a child, she couldn''tpletely rest assured. Seeing her exhausted face, Aubrey brought a cup of tea over and whispered, "Boss Saun, do you want to take a rest? You haven''t been in good face these days." "Really?" Darcie touched her face and sighed, "If Jaylene was half as sensible as you, I wouldn''t be so tired."


    Aubrey naturally couldn''tment on Jaylene, so she just said, "Jaylene is still young."


    "She''s been ying for a few months longer than Ste. Look at her, her ambition is almost written on her face, but she''s a mess."


    Jaylene was not bad. She had been


    e


    educated by elites since she was a child, so she was naturally?o? bad. What shecked was determination. If she had Darcie''s ambition, it''s really uncertain what Caline''sst name would be in the future.


    Darcie: "Has Ste made any moves these two days?"


    Aubrey said, "It seems that she has been sending spices to Sonia. She seems to be very optimistic about Sonia in thispetition. Mrs. Clint has recently ordered a batch of goods from her, and she is also contacting her to find someone to mix the fragrance for the new


    product."


    Darcie''s face darkened. Thinking of Mrs. Chapman, the big customer, she gnashed her teeth at Ste.


    "By the way, this morning a Mr.


    Morant called to make an appointment. He said he wanted to customize a batch of perfumes to


    e


    send to his friends abroad. He asked for a very high price and specifically wanted to talk to you." Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

 Chapter 2410

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2410 - Darcie paused. "Mr. Morant? Is there someone by that name in the Rivera circle?" Aubrey replied, "Mr. Morant''s family is originally from Rivera. He retired and moved back to Hustuabourg a while ago."


    Darcie asked, "Let me see the customer registration form."


    Aubrey immediately opened the form left by Mr. Morant and handed it to Darcie.


    Darcie quickly scanned it and noticed that he listed his upation as a doctor. She paused and then asked, "When is heing?"


    Aubrey answered, "At 3 o''clock this afternoon."


    Darcie closed the file. "Prepare some good tea and snacks, and make sure he''s well taken care of. Also, inform Ste to meet with me at 3:30 to wee the VIP."


    Aubrey was a bit surprised. "Mrs. Saun, haven''t you always wanted to expand the market in M country? Mr. Morant is a famous doctor. He probably knows a lot of influential people. Are you sure you want to involve Ste with such an important client?"


    Darcie responded calmly, "We work in the samepany. Do you think I can keep this from Ste? It''s better to be transparent, so no one has a reason to talk."


    Aubrey wanted to say more, but Darcie waved her hand dismissively. "No need to say anything else. Go ahead."


    Aubrey had to swallow her confusion and left.


    Ste was surprised when she was informed that she and Darcie would be meeting the VIP together.


    She didn''t believe that Darcie was being generous by sharing the client with her. Something was definitely up if Darcie suddenly became so considerate.


    Ste pretended to be very surprised. "Okay, I''ll get ready. Does Aunt Darcie have any other instructions?"


    Aubrey replied calmly, "No, just be on time at 3:30."


    When Paul Morant was introduced by Aubrey, Darcie was at the table, preparing tea. She delicately poured the tea from a purple y teapot onto a toad-shaped ornament on the tea table. Her fingers were pale, adorned with an expensive white moonstone bracelet and a in emerald jade ring on her middle finger, both worth over seven figures. Paul''s eyes moved from her modest outfit to her face. Her hair was neatly tied up, her makeup was perfectly done, and her expression showed kindness. She appeared to be a very gentledy.


    Hearing the introduction, Darcie looked up at Paul, put down the teapot, stood up, and smiled. "Is this Mr. Morant?"


    Paul stared at her, seeming a bit puzzled.


    Aubrey introduced them. "Mr. Morant, this is our general manager, Darcie."


    As she spoke, Darcie walked around the coffee table and extended her hand to Paul. "Hello, Mr. Morant. It''s a pleasure to meet you."


    Paul pulled his gaze away and extended his hand. Darcie paused when she noticed he was wearing gloves.


    Paul took off his gloves under her curious gaze, revealing that he was missing the ring finger on his right hand.


    After showing his hands, Paul put the gloves back on and said lightly, "I injured myself a bit, so I didn''t want to disturb you."


    Darcie quickly hid the doubt in her eyes. "No, I''m the one who was being presumptuous. Please forgive me, Mr. Morant," she said with some regret. "I heard you''re a doctor. What a pity."


    Paul smiled lightly. "Not really. Even


    though I couldn''t continue


    performing surgeries, avoided a medical dispute and was lucky enough to save my life. Who knows, maybe it was a blessing in disguise?"


    Darcie smiled. "Yes, everything in life is arranged for a reason. We just need to go with the flow."


    She then invited Paul to sit down. Instead of diving straight into the perfume order, she chatted with him first.


    While pouring tea for Paul, she said,


    "My assistant Aubrey mentioned that and you''re of Chinese descent, born and


    raised in country M. But I hear you


    speak Chinese fluently and know a lot about Chinese culture. That''s quite impressive."


    Paul took the cup, sipped the tea, and replied slowly, "When I was young, I came to Hustuabourg with my father for academic exchanges and stayed for almost five years After returning to Hustuabourg, I worked as a school doctor at a university for several years. There''s a Chinesemunity there, and I met many Chinese


    students. Plus, my wife was also


    Chinese. Maybe it''s because of thatCopyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    environment, but I gradually becamefortablemunicating this way."

 Chapter 2411

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2411 - Darcie nodded. "I see. When you moved back to Hustuabourg, didn''t Mrs. Morante with you?"


    Paul''s eyes grew sad, and after a moment, he said, "She passed away."


    Darcie was taken aback and quickly said, "I''m sorry for bringing up a painful memory."


    Paul shook his head, took another sip of tea, and seemed lost in thoughts of histe wife.


    Darcie refilled his cup and asked, "Mr. Morant, what made you decide to order perfume from ourpany? Have you used our products before?"


    Paul exined, "My wife and I met in Hustuabourg, and the first gift I gave her was a perfume from yourpany." He paused and then smiled. "I''m quite familiar with it." Darcie smiled. "So, we share a connection?"


    Paul nodded. "It''s the perfume [MiZon], which yourpany still sells well. Back then, the streets were full of advertisements for it. My wife loved that perfume. She even attended theunch event and listened to a speech by yourpany''s founder, Mrs. Hall. But she wasn''t able to buy it when it first went on sale and was sad for a long time. I asked around and eventually bought a bottle at a high price."


    Paul''s eyes showed nostalgia as he remembered those days. "I was so worried that I wouldn''t be able to buy it for her. She loved it so much. Every time I saw a [MiZon] billboard, I thought about how disappointed she''d be if I couldn''t get it. Luckily, I did. [MiZon] means a lot to both of us."


    He then came back to the present and said, "Caline was my wife''s favorite brand. She had great taste, so I know I can''t go wrong by choosing her favorite brand as a gift. Mrs. Saun, is Mrs. Hall still with thepany? It would be wonderful if she could make it herself."


    Darcie''s expression soured. She hadn''t expected this overseas client to be drawn to thepany because of a product Jessica had developed years ago. It frustrated her.


    Aubrey quickly interjected. "Mrs. Hall passed away many years ago. Thepany has been managed by Mrs. Saun ever since. She''s also one of the designers of [MiZon]."


    Paul''s face showed regret upon hearing of Jessica''s passing. I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to be insensitive."


    Darcie smiled graciously. "You''re notText property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    from around here, so it''s


    understandable you didn''t known Then, she smoothly changed the subject. "Mr. Morant, could you tell us more about the type of perfume you''d like to customize? Can you describe the user''s age and style?"


    Paul nodded and began discussing his rtives and friends, while Aubrey took detailed notes.


    After a while, there was a knock at the door of the reception room. Darcie said calmly, "Come in."


    Ste entered the room, and in the


    next moment, she was shocked to see Paul, who was supposed to be undergoing chemotherapy, sitting across from Darcie in a suit.

 Chapter 2412

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2412 - Darcie closed her eyes, her mind racing despite her attempt to remainposed. When she finally spoke, her voice was a mere whisper, "Where are we going?" Alijah''s tone was filled with urgency as he replied, "Anywhere but here. Wenham''s biological daughter has been recognized, and you know they won''t rest until they uncover the truth. We can''t stay in the country; we need to start over somewhere new. The money we have is more than enough for Jaylene to livefortably for the rest of her life. We don''t need to live in constant fear anymore."


    Darcie pulled her hand away from his, a bitter smile forming on her lips. "You''re still so naive, Alijah. Money can only take us so far. What about status and connections? We didn''t go through all this just for a bit of money. That money will run out eventually. And when it does, we''ll be gone, leaving Jaylene to fend for herself."Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Alijah took her hand again, gently but firmly. "We can set up a trust for her, limit her spending. Even if something happens to us, we can ensure she''ll be taken care of."


    Darcie withdrew her hand once more, her voice icy. "I will not use a trust to turn my daughter into a useless dependent. I''ve spent years building Caline into what it is today. Why should I walk away now and hand over everything I''ve worked for to Ste?"


    Alijah''s eyes clouded with disappointment as he looked at her. "Jaylene only wants to marry into the Kane family. She has no interest in running the business. Are you clinging to Caline for her sake, or is it for yourself? Darcie''s voice shook with anger. "For myself? If I were truly selfish, would I have followed you in the first ce?"


    Silence fell between them, thick with unspoken words. Darcie regretted her harsh tone almost immediately. She softened her voice. "Alijah, I didn''t mean that. I don''t regret being with you."


    Alijah''s gaze remained distant. "I know you have your ambitions, and you''ve never been one to back down from a fight. If Wenham hadn''t recognized his daughter, I wouldn''t question your decisions. But now, things are different. His daughter is back, and people will start asking questions. The truth about the baby swap mighte out. What then? If they find out you were involved, it''ll be more than just losing Caline. We could lose everything."


    Darcie pressed her lips together, her mind racing. "Didn''t you take care of everyone who knew about it? Without evidence, what can they do? Wenham wants a divorce, but unless he''s willing to give up half of his fortune, I''m still in a strong position."


    Alijah looked at her, his voice cutting through her bravado. "If you''re so confident, why did a simple phone call with no one on the other end keep you up all night? You''re scared, Darcie. You know there''s still a risk."


    Darcie said nothing, the memories of that terrifying night flooding back. After dealing with the anesthesiologist who knew too much, she''d thought she was safe. But then the ckmail call came, demanding money in exchange for keeping quiet about Wenham''s daughter. She''d panicked, but Alijah had managed to handle it. Yet the fear had never left her. Ste''s return only amplified it.


    The odds of a baby missing for over twenty years returning were slim But somehow, Stelle had grown up right under her nose and now was poised to marry into the Kane family.


    Darcie couldn''t shake the feeling that her world was crumbling around her. "If someone really knew theyo M would''velckmailed us long ago. Maybe no one knows the full story," she said, more to convince herself than Alijah.


    Alijah remained silent, knowing that Darcie wouldn''t back down until the very end. He sighed. "So, what do you


    want me to do?"

 Chapter 2413

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2413 - Darcie, seeing through his understanding, didn''t bother with pretense. She handed him a file. "I need you to find out everything about this man-where he goes, who he meets. I want every detail."


    Alijah opened the file, skimming through it. Something about the man''s face seemed familiar, though he couldn''t ce where he''d seen him before. "Who is he?"


    "He''s a new client, supposedly of Chinese descent from Country M. I''m verifying his background, but I need to know who he''s in contact with here. If he''s clean, he could help me expand ourwork in Country M." Doctors from Country M held significant status, their medical expertise highly regarded. Darcie saw potential in leveraging this connection to broaden her influence.


    Meanwhile, across town, Paul Morant was lost in his thoughts as his taxi passed by Central Hospital. The city had changed so much, but the Caline billboard opposite the hospital remained, a stark reminder of the past. He gently touched his mutted ring finger, the phantom sensation of a ring he no longer wore haunting him.


    The taxi''s sudden brake jolted him back to reality. As the driver argued with a young man who had caused the stop, Paul recognized Aldor, who politely apologized for his mistake. Aldor then approached the taxi window, addressing Paul directly. "Mr. Morant, our boss would like to speak with you. Is it convenient for you now?"


    Back at thepany, Ste''s heart skipped a beat when she recognized Paul. She quickly masked her surprise, turning away topose herself before entering the room. Why was Paul here? Was he the important client Aubrey had mentioned? Did he seek out Darcie, or was this another of Darcie''s tests?


    Countless questions raced through Ste''s mind, but she forced a smile as she greeted them. "Sorry, I''mte."This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Darcie, ever the observant one, smiled and invited Ste to sit, watching her closely. Ste, unsure of Paul''s intentions, remained quiet, wary of giving anything away.


    Darcie introduced Paul as a new client, a Chinese descendant from Country M, looking tomission custom perfumes. Paul, pretending not to know Ste, greeted her formally.


    Ste yed along, shaking his hand and denying any involvement in perfume creation. Paulplimented Ste''s mother, Jessica Hall, a legendary figure in the perfume industry, subtly hinting at Ste''s potential. Darcie, however, felt a pang of irritation at the mention, though she hid it well.


    As the conversation continued, Paul skillfully answered Darcie''s probing questions about his background, demonstrating his knowledge of Country M''s medical system. Ste quietly observed, her mind working furiously to understand Paul''s motives.


    When Paul invited Darcie to dinner,


    she declined due to a prior


    engagement, promising to meet him the next day. After he left, Darcie couldn''t shake the feeling that something was off. She questioned Ste, who feigned surprise and ignorance, skillfully deflecting


    Darcie''s suspicions.


    on NovelDrama.Org!


    Once alone, Ste felt the tension in her body release. Darcie was too sharp, too suspicious. Ste knew she had to be careful, or she''d be exposed.


    In her office, Darcie was restless, her


    mind filled with doubt. She left the


    building and met with She


    aman in her


    car, Confiding in him her growing anxiety.


    The man, Alijah, tried tofort her, but Darcie was exhausted, bothm physically and mentally. "Alijah, I''m so tiked," she whispered, leaning into his touch.


    Alijah, feeling her weariness, whispered back, "Let''s leave, Darcie. Before it''s toote."

 Chapter 2414

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2414 - Darcie closed her eyes and did not move. She simply asked, "Where are we going?"


    Alijah replied, "Anywhere. Wenham''s biological daughter has been recognized, so it''s only a matter of time before they investigate what happened back then. We need to leave the country and find a ce to start over. The money we have now is enough for Jaylene to livefortably for the rest of her life. We don''t need to live on the edge anymore."


    Darcie withdrew her hand, "After all these years, you''re still so naive. You have money, but what about status and connections? Are we going through all this trouble just for a small amount of money? The money will eventually run out. When that happens, what will Jaylene have to rely on?"


    Alijah took her hand again, "We can set up a trust for her and limit her spending. Even if we''re gone, we won''t have to worry about her future."


    Darcie pulled her hand away and said coldly, "I will never use a trust to turn my daughter into a dependent. I''ve spent years building Caline to what it is today. Why should I leave it all behind now? Why should I hand over my hard work to Ste?"


    Alijah''s eyes were full of disappointment. "Jaylene only wants to marry into the Kane family. Her heart isn''t in her work at all. You''re unwilling to let go of Caline, but is it for Jaylene or for yourself?"Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    "For myself?" Darcie gritted her teeth. "If I were only thinking of myself, I wouldn''t have followed you in the first ce!"


    Alijah fell silent, calming himself. Darcie realized she had gone too far and softened her tone, "Alijah, I didn''t mean that. I''ve never regretted being with you."


    Alijah''s expression was somber. After a long pause, he said, "I know you have great ambitions and never admit defeat. If Wenham hadn''t found his daughter, I wouldn''t object to anything you wanted to do. But now that she''s back, don''t you think they''ll start questioning why the child was swapped? Trevor even went abroad to find Venice. They''re just missing someone who knows the inside story. Once they find out you were involved it won''t just be about leaving something for Jaylene-getting away unscathed will be the real challenge."


    Darcie pursed her lips, "Didn''t you deal with everyone who knew about what happened back then? Even if they suspect, what can they do without evidence? Wenham wants to divorce me, but unless he''s willing to give up half his property, I''m still in a favorable position."


    "If you really believe that, then why did a single anonymous phone call make you so nervous that you couldn''t sleep all night?" Alijah exposed her fa?ade mercilessly. Darcie bit her lip and remained silent for a long time.


    After handling the anesthesiologist, she thought she could finally rx. But less than two monthster, she received a ckmail call.


    The ckmail was originally directed at Wenham. The caller imed to know that his biological daughter was still alive and demanded a million dors for her location.


    She panicked and contacted Alijah while preparing the money.


    Although Alijah ultimately handled the situation, the knowledge that Ste was alive left Darcie feeling constantly on edge. Afterward, she used the excuse of visiting Jaylene for medical treatment to convince Wenham to live overseas most of the year.


    She wasn''t sure if there were any remaining insiders about what happened back then, and this uncertainty was the root of her anxiety.


    The world is so big, what are the chances that a baby who has been missing for over 20 years would resurface?


    She considered herself lucky, but she never expected Ste to grow up right under her nose and be the daughter-inw of the Kane family.


    Now she was dealing with both internal and external troubles. Not


    only did she have to contend with Ste and her sister, but she also had to worry about whether someone who knew the truth from back then would suddenly appear. If that dayes, she would be doomed.


    But she thought again-Ste had been publicly acknowledged as a member of the Saun family in such a grand manner. If anyone really knew the truth, wouldn''t they have already used it for ckmail? There had been no such movement for years, so perhaps no one knows?


    is on NovelDrama.Org!


    Alijah said nothing. He knew Darcie too well-she was ambitious andpetitive, and she wouldn''t withdraw easily until the veryst moment. He sighed, "So, you called me here today. What do you want me to do?"


    Darcie, seeing that Alijah had seen through her intentions, dropped the pretense. She took out a file and handed it to him, "I need you to help me find this person''s whereabouts and who they''ve been in contact with. I need as much detail as possible."

 Chapter 2415

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2415 - Alijah took the file. It was about a man who had filed for a single marriage. As he flipped through it, he felt the man''s face looked familiar, but he couldn''t recall where he had


    seen him before.


    "Who is this?" he asked.


    "A new client of thepany. He''s said to be of Chinese descent from Country M. I''ll verify his identity in Country M, but I also need to find out who he''s been in contact with in Hustuabourg. If everything checks out, he could be a valuable connection to help me expand mywork in Country M."


    Doctors in Country M held high status, and their medical technology was far superior to that in Hustuabourg. The more prominent the doctor, the more upper-ss connections they had. This was one of the reasons Darcie agreed to meet him in person-she valued the resources behind his medical connections.


    Paul leaned against the taxi and removed his gloves, exposing his mutted fingers to the air. He reached out and gently touched his ring finger, as though he were touching a ring. But the spot was empty, with only a mutted limb remaining.


    The car passed Central Hospital. Tall buildings, bustling crowds, and fast-moving traffic-it was no longer the ce he remembered. The only simrity was the Caline billboard opposite the hospital, unchanged from back then.


    He averted his gaze, closed his eyes, and leaned back in his seat. After an unknown amount of time, the car suddenly braked, and he lurched forward, only to be pulled back by his seatbelt. The driver lowered the window and shouted, "Do you think you own the road? Watch where you''re going!"


    Paul looked out the window and saw that the taxi had been stopped by a Mercedes-Benz. As the driver continued to curse, a gentle-looking young man got out of the Mercedes. He walked to the front of the taxi, bent down slightly, and said to the driver, "I''m really sorry, sir. I just got my driver''s license and I''m not very experienced."


    Seeing the young man''s good attitude, the driver calmed down a little. "You just got your license? Then why don''t you have a learner''s sign on? There are so many cars here. Without the sign, who''s going to give you the right of way?"


    Aldor apologized again, "I was in a hurry to do something for my boss. This car belongs to him, and I didn''t pay attention."


    When the driver heard that the car


    belonged to his boss, his anger faded. They were al just people m


    e.


    trying to make a living. Who wanted to make things difficult for others? Besides, nothing serious had


    happened.


    "Forget it, just be more careful next time."


    Aldor nodded but held down the


    window before it couldText property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    smiled,


    ould glose Hen could glosedHen


    Sipcould you do me a favor?


    It''s a task assigned by my boss." The


    The driver was taken aback. "What is it?"


    Aldor looked past the driver at Paul in the back seat, "Mr.


    would like to spears Morant our boss


    with you. Would


    that be convenient?"

 Chapter 2416

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2416 - The driver was surprised. "Do you know each other?" he asked.


    Aldor didn''t say anything, just smiled at the other man.


    Paul replied lightly, "No, drive."


    Aldor didn''t get angry and continued, "Our boss wants to ask you about someone-Dr. Dillon, who worked at City Center Hospital 26 years ago. Do you know him?" Paul''s fingers suddenly tightened, and he looked at Aldor fiercely. Thetter still appeared gentle and polite, without any aggression.


    Paul tightened his jaw and spoke after a few seconds, "Who is your boss?"


    Aldor simply said, "You''ll know when you meet him."


    Paul didn''t respond, and there was a long standoff, with him not moving. The cars behind them honked one after another, causing his heart to race.


    The driver, who had a time limit for epting orders, frowned and said, "Are you going or not? You''re dying my work."


    Paul took a deep breath and reached out to unbuckle his seatbelt.


    While apologizing to the driver, Aldor took some cash from his wallet and handed it to the driver.


    The driver said, "Be careful when you drive next time. You''re too arrogant just after getting your license. Luckily, it was me you met today. If it had been someone else, they might have taken advantage of you. Remember that."


    Aldor smiled and thanked him again. Before leaving, he nced at the license te number and went around to the other side to open the door for Paul.


    After getting into the car, Paul asked him again, "Who is your boss?"


    Aldor repeated, "You''ll know when you get there."


    Paul didn''t ask any more questions. Half an hourter, the car stopped near the old city, and Aldor led him to a private kitchen in an alley.


    Pavilions, waterside pavilions, garden corridors-everything he saw along the way was pleasing to the eye. When they arrived at the door of a room, Aldor reached out and pushed it open.


    Paul saw Keegan. His expression changed slightly, and his lips tightened.


    Aldor reminded him, "Mr. Morant, please."Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Paul straightened his clothes and walked in.


    Keegan stood up and gestured for him to enter.


    Paul said nothing and sat down calmly. He had seen Keegan before when he fainted and was sent to the hospital. He had identally pushed Ste at that time, and the young man had been so nervous that Paul had been impressed.


    He had just met Ste when her lover blocked his car. He didn''t need to guess why.


    Paul didn''t like beating around the bush and said directly, "Mr. Kane, just tell me what you want to talk about."


    Keegan raised his eyes and said, "We''ve never formally met, Mr. Morant. How do you know myst name?"


    Paul replied lightly, "Rivera''s press


    e


    conference was so grand, and Mr. Kane, you''ve be a celebrity oh the interdeprecently. I know that. Are you surprised? But you, what do you mean by having someone stop my car and inviting me here?" Read


    Keegan nced at him, "Mr. Morant, I invited you here because I want to ask you about someone."


    Paul maintained a nk expression. "I''m not from Rivera, Mr. Kane. If you want to ask about someone, I''m afraid you''ve got the wrong person."


    Keegan countered, "Mr. Morant, you didn''t even ask me who I was looking for, so how can you be sure you don''t know? Do you not know, or do you not want to say?"


    Paul felt that he was being yed by Keegan and became immediately annoyed. He said with a gloomy face, "No matter who you ask about, I don''t know!"


    "It''s okay if you don''t know," Keegan


    NO


    said, keeping Ste''s words in mind. He knew Paul was in poor health at the time, so he tried not to upset him. "Mr. Morant, I invited you here mainly to express my wife''s gratitude."


    Paul frowned and looked at him in confusion.

 Chapter 2417

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2417 - Keegan exined, "When my mother-inw, Jessica, was alive, she sponsored an orphanage. Fromst year until now, the orphanage has received several donations from you, and the amounts were not small. She always said she wanted to treat you to a meal and thank you in person."Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    Paul regretted going to the orphanage in person. He just wanted to know how the child was doing, but he didn''t expect to run into her by chance, leaving him with such a big burden. He said with a stern face, "The money was donated by me on behalf of a friend. Don''t be so polite."


    He stood up and said, "I''ll leave if there''s nothing else."


    He had followed Aldor because he wanted to see if the people were from Darcie, but he didn''t expect them to be Ste''s. He couldn''t face the Saun family so openly. It was his habit to avoid confrontation. Keegan didn''t stand up to stop Paul, but as Paul opened the door, someone was about to knock and enter.


    The neer was a man wearing a ck satin short shirt, of medium height, slightly thin, with neatlybed hair but some gray at the temples. When he saw Paul, he was stunned for a moment, then put on a smile "Sir, sorry for the wait. Let me introduce today''s dishes to you two."


    Paul looked at the man in front of him in astonishment, his body stiff, unable to speak for a long time.


    Keegan said behind him, "Mr. Morant, his cooking skills are good; you''ll regret it if you don''t try it." Then he looked at the man. "Chef, please."


    The chef nodded, made way, and called the waiter to start serving the dishes.


    This private kitchen was very famous in the old city. There were six chefs, and they only served twelve tables a day. They rested on the fifth and tenth of each month, and they did not ept reservations. The menu was issued a week in advance. Even though the restaurant was tucked away in a corner, gourmets in Rivera would follow the scent of the food to find it.


    Despite such exclusivity, this restaurant had been operating here for more than ten years, which was enough to show that its taste and service were highly regarded by most people.


    Keegan had purchased the dining qualification from other customers at five times the price in a very short time, and he was determined to make the most of it.


    Paul hesitated as expected. He stood there with his fists clenched, looking at the chef withplicated eyes. After a while, he stepped back and walked over to sit back in his seat.


    The chef bent over and carefully instructed the waiter to serve the


    dishes. He introduced the origins of the dishes, the ingredients used, and their sources to Keegan and Paul one by one.


    Paul stared at the chef as he spoke, his eyes filled with emotion, but when the chef looked at him, he quickly avoided eye contact and hurriedly took a sip of his drink.


    While introducing the soup, the chef


    said, "This isn''t a famous dish. It''s the egg drop sweet wine soup that my mother often made for me when I


    was a child. The method is very m simple. First, beat the eggs, add a few drops of white vinegar, then pour boiling water directly into the bowl to make egg drops. Next, use a spoon to scoop a few spoonfuls of fermented glutinous rice into it and stir it in, then sprinkle some sugar and wolfberry wine. Although it''s not an authentic recipe, it''s the best I''ve ever tasted."


    Paul seemed a little dazed. He looked at the chef in front of him, and though there were a thousand things he wanted to say, in the end, he said nothing.


    After the sixteen dishes were served,


    the chef stepped back and said politely, "I wish you both a pleasant meal. If you need anything, please let us know. I''ll leave you to enjoy your dining experience."

 Chapter 2418

    Keegan nodded, and the other person quietly left, closing the door behind them.


    Paul''s gaze lingered on the departing figure for a long time.


    Keegan filled a bowl with eggnog and ced it on a tray, then gently slid it towards Paul. "Mr. Morant, try it."


    Paul stared at the bowl of eggnog in front of him. Memories began to surface-perhaps it was his rundown childhood home, his parents who called him a burden and refused to support his education, even resenting him for eating an extra piece of meat at dinner. Or maybe it was the little boy who once snuck into his room with a bowl of eggnog, telling him not to cry and promising to always share his sweet soup...


    These memories had long been buried, almost forgotten like they belonged to another life. But now, they came rushing back, pulling him under.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    And then, just as quickly, he remembered the fire-a ze that consumed everything. When he woke up, his body was scarred, his soul twisted by inhuman experiences that clung to him like a parasite. The pain from his mutted ring finger seemed to re up again, spreading through his entire body, making him feel as though his insides were being ripped apart.


    He hunched over, gripping the table, his body trembling with the intensity of the pain.


    Keegan noticed his distress and whispered, "Mr. Morant? Are you okay?"


    Paul lifted his head, his eyes bloodshot, face pale, and sweat beading on his forehead. After what felt like an eternity, he rasped, "What... what do you want?"


    Keegan remained calm. "Mr. Morant, I only wanted to share a meal with you. It''s been over 20 years. Surely, you''ve forgotten what the food from home tastes like."


    Paul''s lips tightened. He knew Keegan was ying mind games. If Keegan had found Dillon, what else might he know?


    Steadying himself, Paul took a spoonful of the eggnog. The taste was just as he remembered.


    His eyes stung, and he looked down,


    continuing to eat in silence om determined not to let Keegan see his


    n.


    emotions.


    Paul''s health was poor, so his appetite wasn''t great. Still, he tasted every dish only stopping when he could eat no more.


    Keegan barely ate, using the serving chopsticks to asionally ce food op Raul''s te.

 Chapter 2419

    After the meal, Keegan spoke softly. "Master Brook''s mother passed away five years ago. On her deathbed, she kept calling for Dillon-her daughter. Dillon left home after college because her parents almost tore up her admission letter in exchange for a $20,000 dowry. She cut ties with them after that."


    "Master Brook has been searching for Dillon ever since. When he started working here, he showed everyone her picture. Dillon went to college in Rivera and ended up staying at Central Hospital. He always believed she was still there. Over the years, he''s taken on all kinds of jobs, from fixing appliances to driving a taxi, just to keep looking for her. He only started working at the hotel after his mother fell ill, and he needed a steady job to care for her. He''s been here for over a decade now."


    "He''s a good man. He didn''t marry until he was 40, afraid that if he settled down, he wouldn''t be able to continue his search. Even now, whenever there''s a lead on Dillon, he goes to check it out, just in case. Twenty years have passed-who knows if he''d even recognize her now?"


    Outside the door, Aldor listened to Keegan''s heart-wrenching story, deeply moved.


    Paul''s throat tightened. After a long silence, he said, "Why are you telling me this? I don''t know Dillon."


    Keegan looked at him calmly. "Mr. Morant, or should I call you Dr. Brook?"


    Paul met Keegan''s gaze, unflinching. "You''ve got the wrong person. My name is Paul Morant, and I''m a citizen of Country M."


    Keegan''s voice remained steady. "Mr. Morant, you''re a smart man. Do you really think I would bring you here without knowing the truth?"


    Paul remainedposed. "It''s a touching story, but what does it have to do with me?"


    He stood up, ready to leave. "Thank you for the meal. Goodbye."


    Keegan''s expression darkened. "Mr. Morant, have you really buried your past so deeply?"


    Paul froze, took a deep breath, and responded coldly, "I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    "You might disown your family, and perhaps they deserved it. But what about the the unborn children who died


    in that fire? Can you forget them too?"


    ??.


    Paul saw the fire again-the figure that used all their strength to push him out of the window, sacrificing themselves. The red in his vision turned ck, and he felt his consciousness slipping.


    Keegan stood up. "How many lives were lost for that one million? Is this the oue you wanted? If your conscience is clear, why do you keep donating to that orphanage? Even the friends who donated on your behalf-do you think they''d forgive you if they knew you were still alive?"


    Paul swayed, gripping the door for support. It took him several seconds to steady himself.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 2420

    Paul''s face went pale. He bit his lip so hard he tasted blood before speaking in a hoarse voice, "I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    Keegan remained unfazed. He replied calmly, "ying dumb won''t get you out of this."


    Paul said nothing more. He hurriedly opened the door and left.


    A few minutester, Aldor walked in. "Mr. Kane, they''re in the car."


    Keegan nodded and sat back in his chair, silent.


    Aldor sighed, "We found Dillon toote. She was already dying from a terminal illness. If it were me, I''d want to spend myst days in peace. Bringing up that old case now would only destroy what''s left of her life." Keegan responded, "Dillon isn''t Dillon anymore. Imagine how devastating it is for someone who has no problem with their gender identity to be forced into a different one."


    Aldor paused, realizing Keegan had a point but still couldn''t fully grasp it. "But if she doesn''t care anymore, cooperating with us would be the best choice. If she gives up the person who contacted her, we could track down Darcie and bring her to justice. Wouldn''t that be the best way to avenge what happened?"


    Keegan was quiet for a moment before replying, "Her lover was burned to death."


    Aldor was puzzled.


    Keegan then asked, "Why did Paul''s parents deny his death and im it was his wife who died in the fire?"


    This was something Aldor couldn''t understand either. Why would they say their daughter-inw had died and not their son? And how did the daughter-inw end up looking like theirte son after stic surgery? It didn''t add up.


    Confused, Aldor asked, "Mr. Kane, what do you think happened?"


    Keegan thought over the details in the report Aldor had given him and pieced together a theory. "Paul''s parents were well-known in the local Chinesemunity and livedfortably. Paul was hardworking and had a bright future. Do you think they would have epted a foreign woman with no background as their daughter-inw?"


    Aldor hesitated. "It depends on the person. For instance, your mother wouldn''t have been happy about that, given her attitude towards your wife over the years. But if it were the chairman, they might not care as much.


    Keegan shot Aldor a re, making him clear his throat awkwardly. "Mr. Kane, please continue."Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    "If they could ept it, they wouldn''t


    have waited until she got pregnant. evenpleted the


    The two never even


    marriage paperwork. They didn''t think highly of the rtionship and were likely waiting for it to end naturally, but..."


    But before that could happen, Paul''s son died in the fire, and Paul''s wife survived.


    An eight-month-pregnant woman


    survived, but her healthy son died in the fire. How could anyone not


    harbor resentment?


    Some people''s anger fades with time, but for others, it festers and grows, feeding on their pain until it bes E something monstrous.

 Chapter 2421

    Paul''s mother was a director at a private hospital, specializing in stic surgery, and his father was a renowned surgeon. With their wealth and status, it wouldn''t have been difficult for them to control a woman like Dillon, who had no support or connections.


    Keegan couldn''t even bear to think about what this couple might have done to Dillon after she lost her husband and son.


    Aldor was stunned. The thought of it was horrifying. Could people really be that cruel? But he felt that Keegan''s theory might be close to the truth.


    In order to avenge their son and keep his memory alive, they might have transformed Dillon into their "son" and kept her close.


    Why didn''t she resist? Perhaps she tried, but failed. Or maybe she gave up, allowing herself to be controlled, believing it was some sort of atonement.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    One of Paul''s parents had passed away, and the other had been sent to a nursing home recently due to worsening dementia.


    After two years of freedom from their control, Dillon was diagnosed with a serious illness.


    Since returning to Hustuabourg, aside from donating to the welfare home and regrly visiting the hospital, Paul often visited temples. Every time, she knelt down devoutly and made a donation, as if seeking sce in her final days. Perhaps she believed that her past actions had brought about the suffering that followed, and now she sought forgiveness.


    Aldor felt that Keegan''s story fit with the details they had uncovered.


    "But after all she''s been through, wouldn''t she want revenge? She must hate them, especially knowing her colleagues died. How could she not wonder if the fire was an ident or something worse? Then why won''t she admit her identity? If she came forward and exposed the person who bribed them, they could finally bring the murderer to justice."


    Keegan repeated his earlier thought, "Because her beloved, Paul, was burned to death."


    Aldor was taken aback, and Keegan exined further, "Paul is now a foreign national. Even if there''s evidence that Darcie instigated the fire, do you think she''ll be brought to justice? Thews over there might not even ssify it as first-degree murder. The murderer could end up with just a few years in prison, maybe none if they find a goodwyer. Do you think Dillon would ept that? She doesn''t have time for a long legal battle. Even if she did, how could a few years in prison make up for being burned alive?"


    Aldor finally understood and whispered, "She wants to take revenge herself, doesn''t she?" Keegan didn''t answer. This was the only exnation that made sense for Paul''s actions.


    If her lover had suffered and died in such agony, even a death sentence for the murderer wouldn''t be enough. Paul would want to end it on her terms. From this perspective, Keegan understood why Paul wouldn''t admit her identity or cooperate with them.


    If Darcie and the others were brought to justice first, Paul would never have the chance to kill them herself.


    Keegan had assumed Paul would


    cooperate with them, that regret over


    her past actions would drive her to jqin their cause. But they had


    underestimated theplexity of the


    human heart and overlooked the


    trauma Paul had endured


    Keegan recorded the conversation


    sent it


    from dinner and sent it to Trevor with the message: "Receive the betrothal gift."


    A few minutester, Trevor


    responded with a dynamic sticker of a ben running around the yard, ruvining/afound


    "clucking" afterying an egg

 Chapter 2422

    Keegan''s eyelids twitched. Where did these siblings get all these strange emojis?


    Keegan called Trevor, who answered quickly.


    "Where are you?" Keegan asked.


    Actually, it wasn''t Ste who contacted Aldor to stop Paul; it was Trevor. Trevor had been keeping tabs on Paul, and Ste informed him as soon as she found out Paul had located Darcie. Trevor, as the oldest brother, was left with the responsibility.


    Trevor replied, "Grandpa''s in the hospital. I''m heading back to Salcator."


    Keegan''s expression tightened. "When did this happen? Is it serious?"


    Trevor spoke softly, "It happenedst night. He called me this morning. He''s awake now, but it''s probably because of the situation with Mom."


    Keegan asked, "Did you tell Grandpa?"


    Trevor sighed, "I didn''t. I still don''t know how to exin it. But when I looked into Dillon''s overseas activities, I used some of the Hall family connections. Somehow, Grandpa found out. After Ste was recognized, they began wondering how the child was switched. They knew I was investigating the midwives, so they started putting the pieces together."


    Trevor continued, "When Mom gave birth to Ste, it was over ten days before her due date. Grandpa and Grandma were giving lectures out of town. As soon as they got the call, they booked tickets toe home. That winter, it snowed heavily, causing flight dys and road closures. By the time they arrived, they couldn''t see Mom onest time. She''d gone through all that pain only to give birth to a stillborn. My grandparents struggled to ept it for a long time."


    His grandparents had always resented the Saun family over this. They questioned why, during such a critical time as childbirth, her husband and mother-inw weren''t by her side, and why a colleague had to take her to the hospital. Even after they understood the reasons, they couldn''t fully forgive.


    Wenham has spent years trying to win over the two elders, treating them like his own parents. The initial resentment had faded a lot over time. But now, with the possibility that their daughter''s death wasn''t an ident and that the culprit might be their ex-son-inw''s ex-wife, Grandpa couldn''t hold back his emotions. He wanted to call Wenham immediately, but Grandma and Uncle stopped him, and then he fainted from anger. Uncle kept it a secret and didn''t inform Trevor until Grandpa was out of danger. They actually didn''t want Trevor to go, fearing it might disrupt their ns.


    The Hall family has four grandchildren-one is filming, one is pregnant, and one is still in elementary school. None of them can go back right now. As the oldest, Trevor had to go personally to make sure everything was okay.


    "How''s Grandma? Is she okay?" Keegan asked with concern.


    "Grandma is handling it better than Grandpa. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have been able to convince him not to contact my dad, even knowing that Mom''s death might have been deliberate. She''s worried that Dad might protect Darcie after all these years of marriage."


    Keegan asked, "Are you worried too?" The content is an En!


    Trevor said, "Do you know what crossed my mind when we first m suspected Darcie was behind the baby switch?"


    Keegan stayed silent.


    Trevor whispered, "I wondered who


    gave her the coll tod


    something like


    mCopyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    that."


    on NovelDrama.Org!

 Chapter 2423

    Back then, Wenham and Darcie barely knew each other and had little interaction, but Trevor had seen Darcie many times. As a child, Trevor was very attached to his mother, especially after she became pregnant. He would often insist on apanying her, even though his father worried it might tire her out.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Trevor frequently visited his mother at work. The people at thepany were kind to him, especially Darcie. When his mother was busy, Darcie would help take care of him. Trevor was a shy child and didn''t initially notice Darcie''s kindness. She would often give him treats and toys, some familiar and others new, but he didn''t grow closer to her because of these things.


    Their rtionship remained distant until one day Darcie disappeared for several weeks. When she returned, she was much thinner and cried upon seeing his mother. Later, he learned that her husband had died unexpectedly, leaving the baby she was carrying without a father.


    His mother told him not to be so distant with Darcie, saying, "She''s pregnant, just like me, and you''re such a sweet child. Aunt Darcie loves kids and wants to be close to you." Trevor listened to his mother and felt sorry for Darcie, so he wasn''t as resistant when she offered him things again.


    One day, after eating something, Trevor started vomiting and had severe diarrhea. He passed out on the way to the hospital. In his dazed state, he overheard his grandmother arguing with his mother, ming her for prioritizing work over her children, and questioning why she couldn''t stay home like other women to take care of her family.


    Trevor also heard Darcie''s voice, trying to calm his grandmother, saying that his mother wasn''t neglecting him on purpose. But the more Darcie tried to calm her, the angrier his grandmother became until Wenham arrived.


    Wenham defended his wife, saying coldly, "Trevor is her own son. How could she neglect him on purpose? She''s more heartbroken than anyone that he''s sick! I married her because of her strength. If you force her to stay home, will she be happy?


    We have help at home. Trevor has someone to take care of him, someone to cook for him. Why should she sacrifice her career? If someone has to manage the home, then she can work outside, and I''ll stay home! I don''t even like working at thepany."


    There was the sound of a p, followed by amotion. Grandma seemed to have fallen ill from the argument.


    The rtionship between Trevor''s mother and grandmother had always been tense. After this incident, it became even more strained because of his father''s defiance.


    Darcie continued to urge Trevor''s mother to spend more time with Grandma, saying she couldn''t let Dad be estranged from Grandma because of her. She emphasized that the bond between mother and son should remain strong, even if tensions were high.


    At that time, Trevor''s mother and


    grandmother had frequent interactions, but they always ended in arguments, with Darcie often ying the role of peacemaker.


    Despite her efforts, the rtionship didn''t improve-it phly got worse.


    Trevor''s mother rarely mentioned these things to Wenham. She used to talk about them, but after bing


    perhaps after


    pregnant or perhaps for other reasons, she stopped. She would asionally sigh and ask Trevor if she was failing by not being able to handle such a simple rtionship.

 Chapter 2424

    Trevor''s mother was not just a good mother; she was the best in the world. Wenham noticed her depression and became even more devoted to her. He eventually put his work aside to stay at home and wait for the baby''s birth with her.


    Wenham was never very ambitious in his career. If his family didn''t have high expectations, he would have preferred to focus on his family. A loving wife, children, and a warm home were all he truly wanted. But Trevor''s grandmother couldn''t ept that Wenhamcked ambition. She believed that too much affection between a couple could make them lose their drive and that they should treat each other with respect, like guests.


    In reality, Trevor''s grandmother didn''t approve of how much Wenham loved his wife. She was furious when Wenham decided to leave work to stay with his wife for the baby''s birth.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Despite the arguments, Wenham refused to back down until a problem arose with a business project. The situation escted when a call was made to Trevor''s grandmother, urging Wenham to take care of it.


    At that time, there were only three weeks left before Trevor''s mother was due. Wenham didn''t want to leave, leading to another argument. Trevor even called his uncles to help convince Wenham that the family''s reputation shouldn''t be ruined over a minor project. Wenham didn''t care about thepany at that moment and was willing to face criticism for prioritizing his wife. He used his grandmother of many things but still didn''t give in-until she knelt before Trevor''s mother.


    Even though Trevor''s grandmother was kneeling, she was more forceful than Trevor''s mother, who was standing. She even used the word "beg" to convince his mother.


    Eventually, Trevor''s mother persuaded Wenham to go, reassuring him that the baby wasn''t due yet and that he could return soon. Tragically, she was right-she never saw him again.


    Trevor still remembered the day his father rushed back, only to find his mother kneeling under a white cloth. She was just 30 years old, crying uncontrobly.


    Wenham kept rubbing her cold, stiff hands, trying to warm her, and called her name over and over, his voice breaking. But no one in the world could answer.


    After his mother''s death, the Hall family cut ties with Wenham and took Trevor away. Caline was handed over to his uncle.


    Wenham didn''t care about the


    property. He frequently visited m Salcator partly to see Trevor and partly to show respect to his inws on behalf of histe wife.


    Though Trevor''s grandparents resented Wenham, they didn''t hate him. Childbirth is a life-or-death m struggle and Wenham was wrong not to stay with his wife. She might have felt less afraid if he had been there, but how could he control the oue of her life?

 Chapter 2425

    Later, Trevor''s grandparents allowed Wenham to take him back, but he still maintained close ties with Salcator. Meanwhile, he didn''t visit his own mother for two years.


    Trevor knew Wenham was angry at his grandmother. If she hadn''t pressured his mother to deal with that business issue, Wenham might have stayed with her, and she might not have died from a premature birth. This stalemate continued until his grandmother became seriously ill.


    Darcie had said much about how a mother-child rtionship couldn''t be easily severed, and how long could resentmentst when facing a dying person?


    Trevor hired caregivers for his grandmother, but her illness made her irritable, and she went through several caregivers. His uncle had moved to Salcator, and Trevor''s father had to manage his own business, Enchanted, and care for his mother. Trevor had no siblings to share the burden.


    During those months, Trevor was exhausted. His grandmother was paralyzed on one side, couldn''t walk properly, and was difficult to deal with. Despite the high pay, fewer people were willing to work for her. Sometimes she would even look at Wenham and ask, "Do you wish I would die?"


    Trevor knew Wenham was on the verge of breaking down. It was at this point that Darcie appeared like a savior.


    When no one else would care for his grandmother, Darcie took over and did a great job. Though his grandmother cursed and said horrible things, Darcie patiently listened and coaxed her. Under Darcie''s care, his grandmother''s health slowly improved, and she became increasingly dependent on Darcie.


    Later, his grandmother even tried to set up Wenham with Darcie. When Wenham refused, she threatened to die.


    Trevor thought about these events repeatedly. He had been young and didn''t remember much, but now he could only analyze what had happened based on Darcie''s actions.


    For instance, Trevor used to think Darcie was kind when she tried to mediate between his mother and grandmother, but now he suspected she had hidden motives.


    Even though his grandmother disliked his mother, his parents had been married for six years, and their rtionship hadn''t reached such a low point. But after following Darcie''s advice, his grandmother grew even more resentful.


    Trevor also remembered that he never had stomach issues, unlike Keegan, who would get diarrhea from spicy food. Trevor ate snacks prepared by his mother at herpany, andter, he ate snacks made by Darcie too. He never felt sick after eating his mother''s snacks, so was his illness that day just an ident, or did someone cause it?


    After all, that day, Darcie had the chance to meet his grandmother and Wenham.


    Thinking back, some things were terrifying.


    No one knew when Darcie started nning to rece his mother, but her thorough n couldn''t have been a spur-of-the-moment idea.


    Trevor quietly asked, "Do you know why my dad and Darcie have been married for so long without children? It''s because when my grandmother was attacked by a mentally ill patient in the nursing home Darcie om


    e


    intervened and was seriously injured, leaving her unable to have children. That was one reason why my grandmother forced my father to marry her. But they didn''t know that a few months after my mother passed away, my father got a vasectomy. He promised my grandparents he


    wouldn''t have more children and


    would focus on raising me. So,


    whether Darcie''s infertility was real or


    not, she wouldn''t be able to have


    children.


    Without a child, she can''t im mostExclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    of the Saun family''s assets.


    Eventually, she''ll get desperate and


    might do something drastic. I never


    ¦¯¦°¦©


    my


    doubted my father''s love for mother. But I''m worried that if my grandmother had a role in this, how would he handle it? My father loved my mother most, yet in the end, he married her killer, and the person he respected was an aplice. I''m afraid she''ll do something extreme, and before justice is served, she''ll push him away."


    If she had been nning this since my mother was pregnant, how could a woman who spent seven years turning herself into Mrs. Saun be ordinary?


    The fact that she hired someone to


    investigate after just one phone call shows how sharp she is. It''s all too easy for those around her to reveal the truth.

 Chapter 2426

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2426 - Keegan didn''t say much. He figured that with all the chaos, Wenham must have known something. Trevor''s silence wasn''t just about the reasons he gave he probably had some resentment about Wenham marrying Darcie, who was a murderer.


    Wenham called Keegan, but he didn''t say much. He just asked if everyone was busy since they hadn''t eaten together in a while. Ste was busy, and so was Trevor.


    Keegan exined that Ste was tied up with apetition, and Trevor was dealing with Leighton''s contract termination.


    Wenham was quiet for a while, and just as Keegan was about to hang up, Wenham asked, "Are you still in touch with your mother?"


    Keegan knew about Wenham''s past from Trevor. He thought Wenham might be worried about him not being able to let go of Dahlia and giving her a chance to hurt Ste again.


    Keegan replied, "She''s living in my father''s old house. I send her alimony every month, which is enough for her to live on. We don''t have any other contact."


    Their rtionship was pretty much over. Dahlia had betrayed him, and he wasn''t going to dwell on it. He''d focus on being a better parent to his own children. His only obligation to Dahlia was legal, nothing more. Wenham then asked, "What if she were terminally ill? Would you forgive her?"Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan thought for a moment and said, "Apart from covering medical costs, I can''t give her more than she gave me."


    Dahlia kept trying to reach out to Keegan, but he ignored her calls. If something needed handling, he sent someone else. He wouldn''t let her get close to him or the people he loved.


    Wenham was silent for a bit before hanging up.


    Keegan thought their situations were different. While both lost their fathers young, Wenham''s mother wasn''t as selfish as Dahlia. She raised Wenham alone and protected the family business, though she was tough and controlling. She loved Wenham deeply.


    Before she died, she forced Wenham to marry Darcie because she worried no one would care for him after she was gone. Darcie exploited this, presenting herself as the perfect wife and achieving her goal. Keegan felt lucky he ended his unhealthy family ties in time. He couldn''t imagine what might have happened to him and Ste otherwise.


    When Ste came home that night, she told Keegan about her day''s events. She made it sound thrilling, and even though Keegan already knew from Trevor, he listened closely.


    "Darcie''s scary. She''s already testing


    whether I know Paul, even though


    if


    she''s never met him. If Phadn''t


    reacted quickly, I would''ve been caught!"


    Ste''s mouth was dry from talking so much, so Keegan handed her a ss of water, smiling. "You handled it well."


    Ste downyed her actions, saying, "No, it''s all because of Professor Kane''s good guidance."


    She took a couple of sips and then asked, "Have they finished the sketch of the guy Wren mentioned?"


    Keegan nodded, grabbed his tablet,


    and showed her a picture. "They sent it to me at noonel''ve asked a friend topare it with the database, but no


    matches yet."


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 Chapter 2427

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2427 - Ste leaned in to look. The sketch showed a man in his early forties with a beard covering most of his face. His eyes suggested he was refined. He had a mole near his eyebrow, single eyelids, clear facial bones, and was very thin.


    He didn''t resemble Larry at all, and if you saw him on the street, you wouldn''t connect them.


    Ste asked, "Can the database find this scruffy-looking guy?"


    Since the DNA wasn''t in the database, Ste doubted a photo would help much.


    Keegan ruffled her hair and said, "Technology''s advancing. As long as he''s on this earth, we can trace him."


    Ste''s eyes brightened. "Do you have a n?"


    Keegan teased her, "What''s in it for me?"


    Ste yfully offered, "I''ll give you my body."


    Then she tackled Keegan onto the bed.


    Keegan was caught off guard by her boldness, barely managing to protect her waist. Just as he was about to scold her, Ste kissed him.


    She lifted his chin with one hand, pressed his shoulder with the other, and kissed him passionately, though she wasn''t great at it. Still, the long-missed intimacy heated Keegan up quickly.


    His ears turned red, his Adam''s apple bobbed, and his neck flushed lightly. His enthusiastic response made Ste''s legs go weak, and she soon copsed on top of him.


    Breathing heavily, Keegan flipped her onto her back and kissed her deeply. Ste, eyes closed, started unbuttoning his shirt. When she reached for his belt, he caught her hand.


    He chuckled, breath uneven, and nuzzled her nose, whispering, "I see how eager you are to offer yourself."


    Blushing, Ste coughed lightly and gave him a doe-eyed look. "Do you want to keep going?"


    Keegan didn''t reply, but he covered her eyes with his hand, saying, "Don''t look at me like that. I can''t handle it."


    Ste blushed, remembering thest time, and yfully suggested, "How about I lend you a hand?"


    Keegan was momentarily speechless.


    Just when Ste thought he was too shy to respond, she heard him say, "My legs work too."


    Ste paused, then kicked him off the bed.


    Keegan sat on the floor, one leg bent, resting his head on his hand, and sighed, "My legs are still strong."


    Ste gritted her teeth, "Even if we''re broke, we''re sleeping in separate rooms!"


    Keegan climbed back onto the bed, wrapping his arms around her as she struggled, andughed, "Okay, okay, let''s get serious."


    Ste calmed down. "So, what''s your n?"


    Keegan exined, "Technology''s improving all the time. Do you know about Y-STR testing?"


    Ste shook her head.


    Keegan said, "Y-STR is inherited


    through the paternal line. It can be used to find males from the same


    paternal line as the DNA sample. This method helped solve a murder case over 20 years ago.


    I gave Larry''s DNA sample to a friend. He''ll use this method to find males from the same paternaDline. Once we he same n NO find that person, we can trace Larry''s real identity. But the process takes


    time, so we need to be patient." Read


    Ste red at him, "You had a n all along, and you kept me on edge!"


    Keegan kissed her forehead and softly said, "My bad."


    Ste yawned, closed her eyes, and whispered, "I''ve been so tiredtely, I can''t seem to wake up."


    Keegan said, "You''re overworked."


    Ste replied, "I just want this all to be over."This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    "Almost," Keegan reassured her, patting her back gently. Just then, his phone lit up. Jaylene had sent him a selfie on WhatsApp. In the photo, she was wearing a white dress with a deep V-neck, and a ne with a diamond pendant hanging just above her cleavage.


    She also sent a message, "Keegan, does my ne look good?"


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 Chapter 2428

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2428 - Keegan noticed Ste was about to fall asleep and gently patted her. "Ste, don''t fall asleep yet."


    Ste, exhausted, barely opened her eyes and asked, "What''s going on?"


    Keegan whispered, "Jaylene sent me a message asking if her ne looks good. What should I say?"


    Ste immediately opened her eyes. "Let me see."


    Keegan handed his phone to Ste. She clicked on the photo and her expression changed.


    Seeing her silence, Keegan asked, "What''s wrong?"


    Ste''s expression was odd. "Do you think it looks good?"


    Keegan shrugged. "It''s okay, I guess. It looks a lot like the one you bought a while ago. I can''t say it''s great, but I can''t say it''s bad either." Then he added, "But it looks good on you."


    He seemed frustrated, continuing, "I can''t just say it looks bad, right? That wouldn''t fit how I usually act around her."


    Ste''s face was hard to read, and after a moment, she said, "I''m asking about the cleavage."


    Keegan was caught off guard. "What cleavage?"


    Ste lifted her chest with her hands, creating a noticeable cleavage under her camisole. Keegan''s ears turned red as he looked. Then, Ste showed him Jaylene''s selfie again, and he suddenly understood, quickly denying, "I wasn''t looking at that! I didn''t even notice! I only saw the ne. Don''t use me!"


    Ste gave him a slow look. "Jaylene took that photo for you, and you only noticed the ne. You really let her down."


    Keegan frowned, confused. "Didn''t she ask me to look at the ne?"


    Ste smirked, cropped Jaylene''s photo, and sent it to Vermont with the same question: "Is the ne beautiful?"


    After a while, Vermont replied, "My


    friend is your hu and your best


    my wife What kind of


    friend is my wife


    twisted love triangle are you aiming for?"


    Keegan''s eyes widened. "What is he thinking?"


    Steughed. "This is how most men react to a photo like that. A normal woman wouldn''t send such a revealing picturet


    picture to a guy she''s not


    romantically involved with just to ask


    about a ne. If she does, she''sContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    hinting at something more." The


    Keegan thought about it. "So when you sent me pictures asking about jewelry or clothes, were you hinting at me?"


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 Chapter 2429

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2429 - Ste was speechless. Theparison was spot-on but not something she wanted to entertain. "We''re talking about Jaylene now."


    But Keegan wasn''t interested in Jaylene. With bright eyes, he pressed, "Ste, you''ve liked me for a long time, haven''t you?"


    "No, I just sent them casually."


    "Do you send them to other men too?"


    "Am I crazy?"


    "Then why did you send them to me?"


    Ste remained silent.


    Keegan concluded, "Because you wanted to hint that we could take our rtionship further."This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Ste cleared her throat. "Let''s focus on the issue at hand-"


    Keegan was still lost in his own thoughts. "Ste, when you agreed to marry me, did you already like me?"


    Ste tried to steer the conversation back. "Let''s discuss the real issue="


    Keegan, ignoring her, continued, "Did it start on the blind date? Or after the car ident when you called me brother? Was it¡ª" "Keegan!"


    Ste pped him with a pillow, gritting her teeth. "If you don''t stop obsessing over this, I''ll knock some sense into you!" Keegan fell silent.


    "Has Jaylene sent you these kinds of photos before?" Ste asked, ignoring his sulking.


    Keegan hesitated. "I think so." He hadn''t paid much attention to them.


    Ste took his phone and checked the chat history under "Red Agate Seller." She found that Jaylene had been sending simr photos since shortly after their divorce, when Keegan was still pursuing her. Sometimes Jaylene would show off a skirt, other times a ne or bracelet, always asking for Keegan''s opinion on her outfit for an event.


    The mostmon angles in her selfies were either showing her deep V-neck when disying a ne or a high-slit skirt when showing off a bracelet. Even for bracelet photos, she''d pose with her hand resting on her smooth thigh.


    Since Keegan had Jaylene''s WhatsApp on "Do Not Disturb," he was surprised by the number of photos Ste found. "There are so many?"


    In reality, it wasn''t a lot, maybe once or twice a month. Jaylene might have toned it down because of Keegan''s cold responses.


    Ste noticed that Keegan had only replied to one message. In that instance, Jaylene had sent a photo of herself in a cheongsam on a snowy balcony, asking if it was too old-fashioned for a ss reunion.


    Keegan''s response? "It''s warm enough. You can wear it."


    Ste was speechless after reading that. She realized that after all these


    years in business, no woman had managed to get close to Keegan-not because he was intimidating, but because he waspletely clueless about romance.


    He couldn''t recognize Jaylene''s flirty


    ¦¯¦°


    tactics. When she showed cleavage, he saw only the ne. When she unted her legs, he wondered why she wasn''t wearing long johns in winter.


    Jaylene''s efforts were wasted, yet she kept trying for so long.


    Ste took screenshots of all the


    selfies Jaylene had sent Keegan, In


    Keegan in the process, she noticed that Jaylene not only sent him these photos, but also frequently chatted with him about everyday life and work


    For example, she often asked Keegan on WhatsApp about issues with Luna and how to fix them.


    When it came to work-rted topics, Keegan would chat a bit more, and Jaylene would always end the conversation with praise:


    "Keegan, you''re amazing-"


    "How do you know everything, Keegan?"


    "Wow, you''re so smart, Keegan. You make me feel so dumb."


    Keegan''s reply was always the same: "Everyone has their strengths."


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 Chapter 2430

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2430 - Ste read thepliments and admiration Jaylene sent to Keegan, which triggered a memory from her college days.


    Back then, Ste had a roommate who had been in a rtionship with her childhood sweetheart since junior high. They had been together for seven or eight years, but after the summer of their sophomore year, he cheated on her.


    All the girls in the dormitory supported her, cursing the guy who cheated, but she insisted on seeing the girl he left her for. When she finally met her, she was even more devastated. The other girl wasn''t as pretty, her figure wasn''t as good, and she wasn''t as educated. She couldn''t understand how her boyfriend could fall for someone who seemed inferior in every way.


    The roommate was from a well-mannered family and didn''t want to cause a scene. She just wanted to understand why her boyfriend of eight years had chosen someone else over her. She arranged to meet the other girl, but when they met, her cheating boyfriend showed up, immediately ming her for bothering the other girl without even hearing her out.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Love can turn to hate quickly after a breakup. The other girl cried and clung to the boy, saying it was her fault for not respecting the boundaries of his rtionship. She even deleted his contact information in front of him, swearing not to see him again.


    Ste was with her roommate that day. The boy hugged the other girl right in front of his girlfriend and said he liked her and that the breakup was his fault. He acted like the hero in a drama, holding the other girl''s hand while ending his eight-year rtionship.


    Though her roommate had tears in her eyes, she didn''t lose her dignity. She simply grabbed her coffee, threw it in his face, and told him to leave in a trembling voice.


    Her roommate was gentle, but her other friends weren''t. The three of them each threw their coffee at the guy and the girl he cheated with. Ste, being a bit more mischievous, had even mixed onion juice into her coffee, making it sting when it hit their faces.


    The coffee shop was near the university, and the customers were all college students. The cheating boyfriend knew his actions weren''t exactly honorable, so he said something harsh to his ex and left with the other girl.


    Even though the rtionship ended, Ste''s roommate was deeply hurt for a few days. However, with then support of her ssmates and family, she eventually recovered. But just before graduation, her ex suddenly messaged her, asking if she nned to stay in Rivera after graduation.


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 Chapter 2431

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2431 - At first, she didn''t recognize the number because she had blocked all his contacts after the breakup. It wasn''t until he sent another message saying, "I''ve never forgotten you. I know we haven''t spoken, but could you give me a chance?" that she realized it was him.


    Almost two years after the breakup, he suddenly reappeared. The girls in the dormitory gathered to figure out what was wrong with this guy.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Eventually, they managed to get information from one of his roommates by bribing him with a ticket to a ball game. It turned out that the guy had broken up with the other girl, but not on his terms. She had dumped him for a senior. When she had been with the senior, she had praised and admired him in the same way she had done with the roommate''s boyfriend.


    Enraged, the guy got hold of her chat records with other boys and posted them on the school forum. It turned out that the girl had a habit of ttering guys, sharing photos, and asking them simple questions under the guise of studying or club activities.


    She would act amazed by their answers, saying things like, "I''ve been thinking about this all afternoon, and you solved it so easily. You''re amazing!" These fakepliments made the guys feel good, and many, even those with girlfriends, maintained an ambiguous rtionship with her.


    She was also good at creating physical contact with guys, like asking for help with trivial things such as twisting bottle caps, carrying heavy items, or sharing an umbre on a rainy day.


    Once her chat records were exposed, her reputation among her ssmates was ruined. Eventually, she had to take a leave of absence from school.


    It turned out that the roommate''s ex was dumped by the other girl, and that''s when he started missing his old rtionship. He refused to admit his fault and med the breakup on his ex for being too rational and independent, iming she never praised him in the way the other girl did. This almost made the roommate feel guilty, but she realized that the real issue was with guys like him who allowed such behavior to cross the line.


    They expect women to be virtuous, independent, and supportive of their careers, but they also want to be admired and worshipped by other women to boost their self-esteem.


    The roommate reported his cheating and his involvement in exposing the other girl''s privacy on the forum to thepany he was about to join. As a result, they rejected his job application. In the end, he didn''t get into the bigpany he wanted and had to settle for a small, unknown one.


    He had nned to work there for a year or two and then reapply to a bigpany, but the girl got involved with him again, causing him to make a big mistake at work, which led to heavy losses for the smallpany. He was cklisted by localpanies, and no goodpany wanted him anymore, so he had to return home in disgrace.


    Jaylene''s behavior reminded Ste of that girl. If she hadn''t looked through Keegan''s chat records, she wouldn''t have known when Jaylene was trying to win him over.


    Ste felt inadequate when it came to keeping a man''s heart.


    Ste asked quietly, "She praised you. Are you unhappy?"


    Keegan replied, "Her praise felt fake. I just read the manual, and she said I was great. How am I great for doing that? Can she even read? I felt insulted."


    Then, smiling as if recalling something from his youth, he added, "My graduate supervisor saw Luna''s test. He wants to rmend me for his teacher''s Ph.D. program."


    He paused, then coughed lightly, "He hasn''t rmended anyone to his supervisor in seven years. He told me not to be ungrateful."


    Ste asked, puzzled, "Why wouldn''t you want that opportunity?"


    Keegan calmly replied, "Seven years ago, he wanted to push me into a Ph.D. program, and I turned him down."


    Ste stayed silent, realizing that Keegan''s excellence made him m immune to ttery. He didn''t need validation from others, especially not from women''s praise and admiration.


    Keegan ignored the question about Jaylene''s ne and instead fold Ste''s baby some idioms and stories, helping Ste fall asleep.


    Meanwhile, Vermonty in bed,


    restless. He couldn''t sleep and after tossing and turning until 3 AM, finally decided to message Keegan,


    "Brother, I have a friend."


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 Chapter 2432

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2432 - Keegan woke up around six in the morning. When he checked his phone for the time, he saw over 99 messages on WhatsApp.


    Most of the messages were from Vermont, except for a few work-rted ones.


    Curious, Keegan opened the chat. Thest message was sent about half an hour ago.


    "It''s six o''clock, and you''re still not up? Are you sleeping forever?"


    Keegan scrolled up.


    "It''s 5:40, and I''m still waiting."


    "Please reply! How can I sleep if you don''t answer me?"


    "Please, please, please..."Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Keegan was confused. He kept scrolling and found a message from 3 AM.


    Vermont: "Hey, I''ve got a friend-someone you don''t know. His wife hinted that she likes me. I want to make it clear that I''m not interested. I love the little bandit to death and would never think of anyone else, especially not my friend''s wife. But now I''m stuck on how to gently let my friend know that his wife has a thing for me."


    Keegan scrolled down further.


    "Please get back to me when you wake up. This is really important to me."


    "Aren''t you usually workingte? Why did you go to bed early tonight?"


    "You said I didn''t do anything special for her, so why would she like me?"


    "I know I''m attractive, but my friend isn''t bad looking either, just a little less than me."


    "Do you think they had a fight, and she''s using me to make him jealous? With how close they are, it seems unlikely they''d break up so quickly, right?"


    "But what if she really means it? Even though she''s pretty, she''s definitely not my type. I''m so confused. What should I do? Wake up and help me out!" Keegan, still groggy, replied, "Just tell your friend directly."


    Vermont responded immediately, as if he''d been staring at his phone, "That''s not a good idea. What if she was just having a moment, and I end up breaking them up?"


    Keegan rubbed his eyes and replied, "Are you nning to cover for her? This situation won''t end well. If you tell your friend now, he can handle it. But if you don''t, and he finds outter that you knew and didn''t say anything, you''ll lose your friendship."


    Vermont was conflicted, "I know, but... she''s pregnant. If I tell him now and they fight, and something happens to the baby, would it be my fault? I still want to be the baby''s godfather, you know." Keegan paused and slowly typed, "How do you know your friend''s wife likes you?"


    Vermont answered, "She sent me a photo, very revealing. I''ve seen this kind of thing before at parties. She''s definitely interested. If I hadn''t been clear-headed and told her to stop, she would''ve kept messaging me."


    Keegan asked, "Is her husband not as good as you?"


    Vermont replied confidently, "We''re about the same."


    Keegan was both amused and


    annoyed. He took a screenshot of the


    conversation, edited it, and sent it to


    Felicity.


    "Ms. Thompson, even though Vermont and I are close friends,M believe you have the right to know about this."


    After sending the message, he put his phone down, feeling relieved.


    Ste opened her eyes groggily and saw Keegan lying next to her, smiling.


    She frowned, still half-asleep, "Why are you so happy this early?"


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 Chapter 2433

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2433 - Keegan told her that Vermont had been up all night because of her message.


    Ste was amused and said, "That''s my fault. I forgot to exin things to him when I was chatting with youst night. I''ll call him."


    Keegan said, "I''ll call himter. Let him experience a bit of the struggle of pursuing his wife."


    Steughed, "You''re so petty! Fine, call meter. I also want to ask Felicity how meeting her parents went. She didn''t give me many details."


    Meanwhile, Vermont had finally fallen asleep after waiting for Keegan''s reply. But he was abruptly woken up by Felicity shaking him and yelling, "Get up and exin yourself, you jerk!" Vermont, groggy fromck of sleep, grabbed her hand and frowned, "Don''t bother me, dear. I haven''t slept all night. Let me rest a bit."


    As he tried to pull her into bed with him, Felicity pped his hand away, yanked him out of bed, and angrily said, "No way! If you don''t exin yourself today, you''ll never sleep again!" Vermont sighed, "What''s wrong?"


    "What''s wrong?!" Felicity snapped. "You and your friend''s wife? When did this happen?!"


    Vermont was stunned.


    "What?" He thought he had misheard.


    Felicity red at him, "Don''t y dumb! Keegan sent me everything. You were up all night because you were flirting with someone else''s wife."


    Vermont felt a chill, "What did Keegan send you?"


    "You should ask him what shameless thing you did that made your childhood sweetheart have to tell me!"


    Felicity got angrier as she spoke, "If it weren''t for Keegan''s morals, I''d bepletely clueless!"


    "Morals?!" Vermont gritted his teeth. "Keegan must''ve blown things out of proportion! Baby, you can''t believe everything he says."


    "You''re the one talking nonsense! He sent me the screenshots!" Felicity snapped.


    "If you''ve seen the screenshots, why are you still angry?" Vermont was confused.


    Felicity''s anger only grew.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    "Why would Iugh at that garbage?" she fumed.


    Vermont felt something was off, "What exactly did Keegan show you?"


    "You want to know? Fine, I''ll show you!" Felicity pulled up the screenshot and handed it to Vermont.


    Vermont reached out to take it, but Felicity pped his hand away, "Don''t you dare try to delete it!"


    Vermont''s mouth twitched, so he leaned over to look, and his face contorted.


    The screenshot showed this conversation:


    Vermont: [I have a friend whose wife hinted she likes me a little.]


    Vermont: [Why would she like me? I know I''m attractive.]


    Vermont: [She''s pretty. What should I do?


    Help me figure){ out.] The


    Keegan: [Tell your friend directly.]


    Vermont: [Not a good idea.]


    Keegan: [You want to hide it? What if he finds outter? You two won''t be friends anymore.


    Vermont: [But she''s pregnant.]


    Vermont gritted his teeth and cursed,


    "Keegan, why didn''t you drown e


    when


    you fell in that river?!"


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 Chapter 2434

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2434 - Felicity red at him. "I can''t stand seeing a fickle yboy like you trying to fool me. And now you have the nerve to insult Keegan? Are you upset because your cover''s blown?"


    "Keegan''s not nice at all! He never is! These aren''t my words! He photoshopped my picture and spread lies!" Vermont pulled out his phone and opened the chat history. "Look here! These are my original words. Damn, Keegan cut out the start and end to twist my meaning!"


    Vermont''s voice shook with frustration, and his eyes reddened. Felicity had never seen him this upset, and she believed him. When she checked the chat, it was different from the screenshot. Erging the details, she noticed some signs of editing, and her anger softened. Confused, she asked, "Why would he do this to you?"


    Vermont, now clear-headed, cursed, "Why else? He''s jealous! He''s been chasing someone for half a year, and he can''t stand seeing us talk about marriage. He''s bitter, like a rotten rat!"


    Felicity flinched at his crude words.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    "Whose wife is hitting on you?" she asked.


    Vermont''s expression turned awkward, and he coughed. "Just a friend."


    Felicity''s anger red again. "Tell me the truth, or we''re done!"


    Vermont hesitated, then mumbled, "Your best friend."


    "What?" Felicity didn''t catch it.


    Vermont took a deep breath. "Your best friend, Keegan''s wife."


    "Stop lying!" Felicity snapped. "Ste would never go for you. Don''t drag her into this!"


    Vermont, stunned, almost choked in anger. He picked up his phone again. "Fine, let me show you."


    He showed Felicity a photo Ste had sent him the night before. "She sent this in the middle of the night. Isn''t that a hint? Have I misjudged her? If I wasn''t worried about you and Keegan, would I be this cautious?" Felicity took one look and said, "This isn''t Ste. She''s way too thin. Ste''s not like that."


    Vermont was shocked. He zoomed in on the photo.


    Felicity pushed his face away. "Are you seriously checking her out?"


    Vermont quickly replied, "No! I wouldn''t have noticed if you hadn''t pointed it out. It''s definitely not Ste."


    "Exactly! Women aren''t fools; we


    know better. Ste''s obsessed with


    looks. There''s no way she''d ignore Keegan for you. You''re not even as good-looking as Keegan," Felicity said, teasing.


    om


    Vermont frowned. "Keegan''s better-looking?" The content is on En !


    "Isn''t that obvious?"


    Vermont groaned. "Whose girlfriend are you?"


    OmAre


    Felicity yfully rubbed his face. "Are you mad?" The content is on ad?"


    &


    En !


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 Chapter 2435

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2435 - Vermont pushed her hand away, pretending to be annoyed. "No! I''m thrilled! It''s a fact, isn''t it?"


    Felicity leaned in close and whispered, "I wasn''t finished. Yes, Keegan might be better-looking, but in my eyes, you''re the most handsome."


    Vermont tried to hide his smile, coughed, and said, "You''ve got great taste, especially in picking me."


    Felicity hugged him. "You silly cucumber, I woke up and saw those screenshots, didn''t check them carefully, and got so mad. I''m sorry for saying rude things."


    She apologized softly, thinking of a way to make it up to him. "If you''re still upset, let''s fight it out. I promise not to fight back."


    Vermont chuckled, rubbing her hair. "Are you trying to make me call off the wedding?"


    Felicity quickly denied it, "No..."


    Vermont gently patted her shoulder. "This isn''t your fault. me Keegan for stirring up trouble. I''ll deal with himter!"


    Felicity looked at him and asked, "How? You can''t just beat him up."


    Vermont grinned, "We''ll get married before him, make them give us a big gift. Then, when they get married, we''ll show up empty-handed and eat all we can without giving them anything back. That''ll drive him crazy!" Felicityughed, "You think that''ll work? Keegan''s rich; how much can we eat?"


    Vermont smiled, hugging her. "It''s not about the food. I just want to make sure I''m officially listed as your husband. Will you give me that?"


    Felicity blushed. She coughed and looked up at him with bright eyes. "Let''s wait until my mom visits Rivera. They''ll meet and then discuss it."


    Vermont hugged her tighter, sighing, "It''s so hard to get that title."


    After lying in his arms for a while, Felicity suddenly asked, "Why would Ste send you someone else''s picture?"


    Vermont scowled. "Who knows? Keegan''s crazy, and she''s just as bad. They''re perfect for each other."


    "Ste doesn''t mess with people for no reason," Felicity said as she zoomed in on the photo. Her eyes caught a bracelet she recognized on the wrist in the picture. "It''s Jaylene''s bracelet." "Damn," she muttered, sitting up. "That''s Jaylene hitting on Keegan!"


    Vermont quickly sat up too. "Are you sure?"


    "Definitely her! No one else is that shameless. She''s still after Keegan after hiding him from Ste for so long? She''s obsessed! Can''t she go after someone else? What kind of person did Ste''s father raise? It''s disgusting! Why doesn''t he kick her out of the Saun family?"


    "How?" Vermont asked.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Felicity gritted her teeth. "Divorce her mother!"


    "Can he just divorce her like that? They''ve been married for years, with too many ties. A divorce without al reason would give Darcie a lot of En


    property, and Jaylene would still be


    well-off. She might even be harder to


    control. That would be too easy for them."


    "She won''t get off that easy! If she likes to flirt so much, I''ll expose her!" Felicity was about to post the photo online, but Vermont stopped her. "If you want to do that, don''t use your ount. Ste''s not done with her yet. If you post it, you''ll be the target."


    "So, we just let her mess with Keegan? Ste''s pregnant now. What if Jaylene does something to upset her?"


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 Chapter 2436

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2436 - Vermont considered mentioning that Jaylene''s calmness in sending the photos to Keegan showed she was not to be underestimated. However, he refrained, knowing suchments would not help his rtionship with Felicity, especially since he understood who held more importance in her heart-him or Ste.


    Having encountered numerous maniptive women in business and the entertainment industry, Vermont recognized Jaylene''s tactics. Sending suggestive photos was a basic, almost primitive, method to catch a man''s interest. However, Jaylene''s approach was clearly wed. Keegan, who only lost his virginity after marriage, had little interest in such things. His strong moral code made it impossible for him to have feelings for another woman, especially one who had hurt his wife.


    Jaylene''s shallow understanding of Keegan puzzled Vermont. He wasn''t sure if she genuinely liked Keegan or just wanted the satisfaction of winning him away from Ste. If her feelings were real, why did she remain inactive during Keegan''s marriage? Instead, her interest grew as Ste''s identity became more public. Perhaps she was attracted to Keegan''s looks, which might exin why she got involved with Aaron, the only son of the Keller family, while abroad. When she couldn''t have the real thing, she settled for a knock-off.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Vermont despised the idea of substitutes. Whether male or female, projecting feelings for one person onto another was repulsive to him. Recently, he learned that Aaron had been resisting his family''s arranged blind dates. Curious, Vermont had asked friends abroad to dig into Jaylene and Aaron''s rtionship. What he found was intriguing: Aaron wasn''t even Jaylene''s first stand-in for Keegan. Before him, another man had been close to her, someone who resembled a younger Keegan. When Jaylene hooked Aaron, she promptly dumped the first guy.


    Given Jaylene''s persistence, Vermont doubted she would sever ties with Aaron. Aaron''s refusal to cooperate with his parents'' matchmaking likely stemmed from promises Jaylene made. Just a few days ago, Vermont saw Aaron, who had lost over 20 pounds from heartbreak. The weight loss had sharpened his features, making him resemble Keegan even more.


    Vermont discussed the situation with Felicity and suggested they could leverage Aaron to deal with Jaylene. He exined his n and asked, "What do you think?" Felicitymented, "Losing over 20 pounds in a month just from a breakup? I can barely lose five pounds after a month of effort, and ites back after one meal."


    Vermont hesitated, which annoyed Felicity. "What''s with that look? Don''t you support his weight loss?"


    "No," Vermont replied, his expression conflicted. "Sweetheart, you''re not quite self-aware."


    Felicity was confused.


    In an effort to avoid trouble, Vermont


    bluntly said, "Other people lose weight when they''re sad becausen they can''t eat or sleep. But you? When you''re upset, youfort yourself with food. Normally, you''d eat half a roast, but when you''re sad, you can eat a whole one. How can you lose weight that way?"


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 Chapter 2437

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2437 - Felicity''s face turned red with anger. She pinched Vermont, gritting her teeth. "You''re just trying to make fun of me!"Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont, looking hurt, patted her hand and said, "I swear, I''m not. I just love how you''re willing to indulge yourself when no one''s watching. Besides, if losing weight means breaking up with you, I want no part of it." Felicity red at him. "Then stop taking me out to eat all the time! It''s hard enough losing two pounds, and you''re sabotaging me!"


    "I was wrong. I won''t suggest eating out again. If I do, I''ll lose all my earnings this year."


    This promise was serious, especially for someone like Vermont, who valued money above all.


    Felicity cleared her throat and said, "Fine, I''ll believe you this once. Now, back to your n. Is it really doable?"


    Vermont smiled. "We''ll see once we try."


    With that, Vermont called Mr. Keller. They chatted about work before Vermont shifted the conversation to Aaron. "How are Aaron''s blind dates going?"


    Mr. Keller sighed. "Aaron''s met plenty of girls, but nothing''s worked out. It''s just a meal, and then it''s over."


    Vermont chuckled. "That''s to be expected. Aaron spent time abroad and met many impressive women. With his looks and good nature, he''s bound to have high standards."


    The mention of "abroad" and "impressive women" seemed to irritate Mr. Keller. "Studying abroad doesn''t make someone impressive. Who knows what kinds of people they really are? It''s better to stay local where you know who you''re dealing with."


    Vermont said, "Aaron''s still young. I was like him once, chasing what I wanted without considering the consequences. It wasn''t until I got hurt that I woke up. My fianc¨¦e was introduced by a friend. We have simr jobs interests, andpatible personalities."


    "When ites to finding a partner, friends and family usually know best. When you meet the right one, everything else fades away. I ran into my first love recently. We had a nasty breakup back then, but now I felt nothing because the person next to me is the best. No one else matters."


    Felicity marveled at Vermont''s ability to charm people. He really had a gift for it.


    Mr. Keller responded, "Aaron''s always been gentle, but he grew up insecure because of his weight. My wife and I focused too much on his education on and neglected his self-esteem. Now, he''s hesitant to express his feelings. Today''s women are ambitious and expect their partners to be proactive and humorous. They value emotional intelligence. But Aaron moves slowly, and without initiative, he can''t hold onto anyone, no matter how great they are."


    Vermont said, "Aaron''s a bit like me. People see me as talkativenow, but I ove


    used to be shy and reserved..." The


    "Pfft-" Felicity, drinking water, sprayed it all over Vermont''s fade when she heard that.


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 Chapter 2438

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2438 - Mr. Keller heard themotion and asked, "What''s going on?"


    Vermont calmly handed a tissue to Felicity and casually said, "Oh, nothing. The cat at home caught a cold and is in a bad mood." Felicity took the tissue with a guilty expression, helped wipe the water from Vermont''s face, and listened carefully to his exnation.


    "You know, I have a lot of siblings. When my parents were younger, they were busy making money, so they left me in the countryside with my grandfather. He was just an ordinary farmer who couldn''t read or write. As long as I stayed healthy, he thought I was doing fine. There were no extracurricr activities or tutoring-just ytime after school until I was about eleven or twelve. Then my grandfather''s health declined, and my parents brought me back to Rivera.


    When I got to the city, I didn''t fit in. At a school event, the teacher asked everyone to showcase a talent, but I had none. I couldn''t follow the English lessons, couldn''t tell the difference between real and fake designer clothes, and even struggled with using a knife and fork at banquets. People saw me as a country bumpkin. I felt inferior back then. During New Year''s, when my siblings received gifts, my parents told me to pick first, but I didn''t dare choose what I really wanted. I always felt unworthy. Don''t be fooled by my current status; I was just pretending because I''d been through a lot. What really changed me was my fianc¨¦e." Felicity paused and looked up at him. She thought he was making things up, but his words made her ufortable.


    When she visited the Snyder family for dinner, she talked to Vermont''s older brother and sister-inw. The rtionships among the Snyder siblings were distant, likely due to their blended family. Vermont was closest to his eldest brother, Corbin.


    Corbin and his wife shared stories about Vermont''s tough childhood in Rivera. His time there was much harder than he let on.


    To make up for it, his parents sent him to an elite school in Rivera. The kids there came from wealthy families with established social circles. Vermont didn''t fit in and wasn''t weed.


    Corbin said Vermont never talked about his struggles at school. Even if he had, their parents would have med him, thinking any problems were his fault. His siblings would have thought he was being ungrateful. At the time, Corbin was in college in another province and wasn''t close to Vermont, but witnessing him being bullied was different.


    The cruelty of young people is often innocent yet terrifying. There was a deep pond, and the son of a powerful man threw his watch into it, demanding Vermont retrieve it or he''d expose an embarrassing secret. Corbin exined that Grandpa Snyder had lived a rough life and didn''t care about certain things. He didn''t wear underwear, so he didn''t think his grandson needed to either. Vermont''s parents didn''t notice, so when Vermont took a shower at school, his roommate discovered this "secret," giving others something to tease him about.


    Because of this, Vermont had to obey whenever they used this against him for chores, homework, or errands.


    Teenagers are very sensitive about their self-esteem, and Vermont was repeatedly humiliated by his peers because of this.


    One day, after retrieving the watch from the pond, the boy mocked Vermont again. But this time, Vermont snapped. He rushed at the boy, pinning him down and repeatedly punching him. Even as the boy''s friends kicked and hit Vermont, he wouldn''t let go, like a wolf sinking its teeth into prey.


    Despite his anger, fear gripped Vermont. The boy went from cursing to crying and begging for mercy. When Corbin finally pulled Vermont away, his eyes were filled with fury and hate, burning red.


    The boy''s family had influence, and Vermont''s parents were afraid of offending them. They forced Vermont to apologize, putting all the me on him.


    After that day, Vermont stopped fighting. He learned topromise and be diplomatic. To fit in, he started getting close to those people and ignored their mockery.


    When Vermont first befriended Keegan, it was mostly because the Kane family was powerful in Rivera, and Keegan was their eldest grandson. Whether for protection or connections, Keegan was a strategic choice. Butter, while drunk, Vermont confessed to Corbin-


    "Keegan was too na?ve. I told him I''d never had a model airne, so he gave me the one his father gave him, pretending he didn''t like it. Nonsense, that thing was spotless¡ªhe obviously treasured it. He''s stubborn and easy to fool. If I told him I wasn''t sincere about our friendship, would he cry? Forget it, I''ll keep lying to him forever."


    Felicity used to worry about Vermont''s colorful dating history. She feared some old me might reappear. But after hearing Corbin, she realized Keegan was the person Vermont cherished most, and she felt relieved.


    Corbin only shared a small story, but it left her uneasy. Vermont had endured far more than he let on.


    He told the story casually, half-jokingly, but it made Felicity''s heart ache for him.


    Suddenly, Felicity hugged Vermont''s


    waist. He gently returned the


    embrace, stroked her back, and,


    om


    cheerfully told Mr. Keller on the phone, "My fianc¨¦e is straightforward. When we started dating, she always made the first move. She''s bold, proactive, and full of optimism. She chased me for two months until I finally gave in."


    Felicity stayed silent.


    Her sadness faded, reced by the urge to twist Vermont''s ear. She chased him? What a joke!


    Their rtionship only happened because of his cunning and trickery! How dare he twist the truth!This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Mr. Keller said, "When choosing a


    partner, it''s important to find.


    someone with aplementary


    personality. Most girls like funny


    ?''m


    guys, but some prefer gentle, introverted ones. In any rtionship, someone has to take the lead


    girls you''ve shown him might be shy, which is why nothing progressed. You should find someone more outgoing, confident, and energetic. They say it''s easier for girls to pursue boys. If a girl takes the initiative, few men can resist."


    Mr. Keller believed Vermont''s story and thought it made perfect sense, but then he added, "That''s all well and do do you find a girl


    ?pod bot warded ''The''s ave n


    who''s enthusiastic and proactive? And even if you did, Aaron might not fall for her."


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 Chapter 2439

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2439 - Vermont said, "Mr. Keller, I have a cousin who fits the description perfectly. I brought her to a banquet once, and she met Aaron. She asked me about him, but I didn''t mention it before because Aaron had a girlfriend. Recently, I heard you were setting up a blind date for him, so I''m here on behalf of my cousin."


    Mr. Keller was surprised. "I haven''t heard about this before."


    Vermont exined, "Well, Mr. Keller, I didn''t want to be presumptuous, so I asked around quietly. Someone told me Aaron had a girlfriend abroad, so I dropped the matter. But now that I hear you''re looking for a girlfriend for Aaron, I thought I''d bring up my cousin."


    When Mr. Keller heard "has a girlfriend," he assumed the rumors about Aaron and Jaylene had spread, making him even more annoyed with Jaylene. He quickly corrected, "That''s just gossip. Aaron doesn''t have a girlfriend." Then, curious, he asked, "Vermont, what does your cousin do? Do you have a photo of her?"


    "My cousin is a doctor, still in training at the municipal hospital. She''s a pediatrician, loves children, and is very patient. Her parents are teachers-one in junior high and the other in high school. Their family background isn''t shy, but it''s respectable. I had to ask for her, though if you think it''s inappropriate, I''ll let her know."


    Vermont then sent Mr. Keller a photo of a girl in a graduation gown, shing a V sign with a bright, cheerful smile. She looked a lot like Vermont.


    The Keller family, in the pharmaceutical business, only had one son, Aaron, who was soft-hearted. Mr. and Mrs. Keller wanted to find a smart, capable wife for him who would support him and keep the family business stable after they were gone. They preferred someone from an ordinary family who wouldn''t be difficult to manage.


    Vermont''s cousin fit the bill perfectly-she was studying medicine, which aligned with the family business, and she liked Aaron. If the match seeded, she could help support the business when the time came. Mr. Keller said eagerly, "In this day and age, who still cares about equal social status? As long as the children get along and the family background is clean, my wife and I won''t object."


    Vermont smiled and replied, "Mr. Keller, discuss it with Mrs. Keller. If you both think it''s a good match, we can arrange dinner so the two can meet."


    Mr. Keller agreed, "I''ll talk it over with my wife and get back to you."


    After hanging up, Felicity took Vermont''s phone and looked at the photo of the girl. "Is this really your cousin?"


    Vermont nodded, "She looks just like me, doesn''t she?"


    Felicity asked, "What''s her name?"


    "Her name is Tatiana," Vermont replied.


    "That''s a sweet name," Felicity said, studying the photo again. "She looks smart. Do you think she could really fall for Aaron?"


    Vermont shrugged, "Not every woman wants a man stronger than herself. My cousin is clear-headed and knows what she wants."


    Felicity was puzzled. Could a girl really like a man who wasn''t stronger than her in any way?


    When Vermont arranged the blind date and took her to pick up Tatiana, Felicity finally understood what he meant.


    As soon as they got in the car, Tatiana greeted Felicity enthusiastically. She was just as warm and cheerful as she looked in the photo. On the way to the restaurant, Tatiana and Felicity sat in the back, chatting non-


    stop. They hit it off immediately, talking about everything from their studies to their hobbies. They even nned to introduce each other to powerful ticket scalpers for their favorite idol''s concert.


    After taking a sip of water, Tatiana yfully nudged Felicity with her elbow and asked, "Felicity, why do you like my cousin''s type?"


    Felicity blushed, "I was confused and


    tricked by him. But as we got to know


    But as


    each other, we fell in love." The


    Tatiana shook her head, "I thought


    so. You don''t seem like the


    tygem who''d fall for someone like my cousin. So, he pulled a fast one on you?"


    Vermont''s eyes twitched. "Don''t stirOwned by N?velDrama.Org.


    up trouble. We were childhood


    m


    sweethearts, separated for a while, NO then fate brought us back together. I always knew I''d marry her someday, and now, here we are."


    Tatiana snorted, "Look how smug you are! You totally tricked Felicity into marrying you, didn''t you?"


    Vermont warned, "Don''t make me kick you out of the car."


    Felicity asked softly, "Tatiana, what kind of boys do you like?"


    Tatiana grinned, "Definitely not an old fox like Vermont."


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 Chapter 2440

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2440 - Vermont quickly responded, "I''m an old fox and won''t be attracted to a young fox like you." Tatiana grinned at him and then said to Felicity, "I like people who are rich but simple-minded. If they''re not too smart, even better." Felicity was stunned.


    Tatiana, aren''t you being a bit too blunt?


    Tatiana smiled. With her ponytail and in face, she looked innocent, but her words were direct. "Do you think I''m materialistic?"


    Felicity quickly shook her head. "No." Worried Tatiana wouldn''t believe her, Felicity added, "Only truly materialistic people call themselves that. Besides, when looking for a partner, who doesn''t want someone with good qualities? Otherwise, we might end up digging wild vegetables to survive."


    Tatiana smiled brightly. "Vermont, you''re the first to say this and make me feel better. Others either avoid the topic or look at me strangely."


    Felicity felt embarrassed. "Everyone has their own standards when choosing a partner. I used to think I''d end up with a calm, knowledgeable doctor or teacher. Instead, I found a chatterbox who talks more than I do." Vermont was caught off guard.


    "I talk too much?" Vermont said, dissatisfied. "Then go find someone quiet who never says anything. With how much you love to gossip, you''d get sick holding it all in! I talk a lot, but have you ever seen me talk this much to anyone else? I do it because I want to share everything with you. Should I stay silent instead? You should worry if I stop talking to you. And what''s wrong with talking? A couple shouldmunicate more, not less. Do you want us to act out silent films at home?"


    Felicity''s mouth twitched. "You feel wronged when I say you talk too much. Look how many times you respond to my one sentence."


    Vermont coughed and whispered, "I have to defend myself. Have you ever seen a debater say just one sentence in an argument?¡±


    Felicity red at him, making Tatianaugh.


    Felicity sighed, "This is what happens when you marry a chatterbox. You can''t even win an argument!¡±


    Tatiana stoppedughing and said, "You two love each other, so you''re willing topromise on your preferences. But for me, mutual affection isn''t that important. I just want a financially stable man who''s easy to manage, with a decent appearance and height. You can''t have it all."


    Felicity finally understood why Vermont called Tatiana practical.


    Tatiana weighed both parties'' conditions carefully when choosing a partner.


    What does she have? Youth, beauty, a good education, a respected job, and parents with social status.


    What does she want? A wealthy man without much wit.


    If she asked for too much, it might not work out. But because she asks for so little, Felicity felt sure Tatiana would catch Aaron''s interest at today''s blind date and secure him.


    No wonder "Stinky Cucumber" asked Tatiana for help. It gave her a suitable match andplicated things for Jaylene-a two-birds-one-stone scenario.


    As they looked for a parking spot at the restaurant, Tatiana asked, "What''s Aaron''s type?"


    Before Vermont could answer, Felicity said, "Dead green tea."


    Tatiana blinked in confusion.


    Felicity rified, "The kind who pretends to be weak, asks men for help, sends private photos, and calls them ''giegie"!"


    Tatiana stayed silent. Noticing this, Felicity asked, "Is that a problem?"


    Tatiana replied, "No, I just didn''t expect the bar to be set so high."


    Felicity was surprised.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Vermont grinned and whispered to Felicity, "I''ll show you the real pros in top-tier green tea."


    He led Felicity out of the car, still puzzled.


    When they arrived at the restaurant''s private room, the entire Keller family was there. Mr. and Mrs. Keller were well-dressed, clearly taking this meeting seriously. Aaron sat next to Mrs. Keller in a in white T-shirt, looking disinterested.


    The moment they entered, Mrs. Keller noticed Tatiana following Vermont. Her eyes lit up, and she subtly nudged Mr. Keller under the table.


    Vermont smiled and apologized, "I''m sorry for the dy, Mr. and Mrs. Keller. There was an emergency at the hospital when I was picking them up. I tried to hurry, but we were stillte."


    Mrs. Keller quickly responded, "No worries. We arrived early, and hospitals always have emergencies. It''s out of your control."


    Mr. Keller added, "No need to stand; sit down, and let''s eat and chat."


    Tatiana nodded politely, greeted the elders, and then pulled out the chair next to Aaron.


    Aaron hesitated for a moment and subtly tried to shift the chair closer to Mrs. Keller, but she kicked it back.


    Aaron was speechless.


    Once seated, Vermont introduced Felicity and Tatiana to the Keller elders, focusing on Tatiana.


    Tatiana was polite and confident, answering questions without any sign of shyness or nerves.


    Mrs. Keller introduced Aaron to Tatiana, "This is my son, Aaron. He''s two years older than you, studied business management, and has lived abroad."


    She subtly urged Aaron to speak, but he stayed silent. Mrs. Keller looked a bit embarrassed. "He''s a bit introverted, doesn''t talk much..."


    Tatiana smiled. "That''s fine. Quiet boys are usually more stable emotionally. Sometimes, people who talk too much aren''t as smart." Vermont''s eye twitched. Was she indirectly talking about him?


    Aaron nced at Tatiana.


    Tatiana lowered her eyes and smiled, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. Felicity''s heart skipped a beat.


    Why did Tatiana suddenly seem


    more beautiful than she did in the car? Her clothes, hairstyle, and makeup hadn''t changed, but that smile was captivating.


    Aaron looked away, still saying nothing.


    Mrs. Keller was thrilled and kept nudging Aaron to speak, but hem remained quiet. Tatiana smoothly took over the conversation whenever the room fell silent.


    After a few rounds of drinks, Tatiana stood up. "Uncle, Aunt, I''m going to step out for some fresh air. Excuse me."


    Mrs. Keller saw her chance and


    quickly said, "Aaron, why don''t you join her? The restaurant''syout can be confusing, but Aaron knows it well and can show you around." Read


    As she spoke, Mrs. Keller nudged Aaron, who nearly fell onto the table before reluctantly standing up.


    Tatiana softly asked, "Is that okay with you?"


    Under his mother''s stern gaze, Aaron swallowed his refusal and mumbled, "Sure, I could use some air too."


    Tatiana thanked him and followed him out like a shadow.


    Mrs. Keller wanted to check on them, but Vermont gently stopped her. "Mrs. Keller, Mr. Keller, what do you think of Tatiana?"


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 Chapter 2441

    Mr. Kane Got cklisted Chapter 2441 - Mrs. Keller said, "Tatiana has a good personality. I like her very much."


    Vermont smiled and asked, "So, would you consider her as a potential daughter-inw for the Keller family? Do you think she''s suitable?"


    The Keller couple exchanged nces. Mrs. Keller gave Mr. Keller a nod. Mr. Keller spoke up, "We have a good impression of Tatiana. She''s polite, tactful, and well-mannered. You''ve already provided us with her personal information and family background, which we''ve verified ourselves. We have a clear idea of her situation. If the two of them can get along, and if her family''s expectations aren''t too high, the betrothal gift and wedding ceremony can be easily arranged. We''re flexible with the dowry and have no specific demands.


    Since Aaron is our only son, we won''t be stingy or make things difficult for the girl when ites to the marriage. You don''t need to worry about that. Our main concern is Aaron''s willingness. You saw his attitude at dinner; I''m afraid he might find an excuse to send Tatiana away now that they''ve stepped out."


    Vermont reassured him, "Mr. Keller, as long as you and Mrs. Keller are happy with Tatiana, I''ll make sure they get along well. Let them take their time, without any pressure. Just wait for good news."


    Mr. and Mrs. Keller looked at each other again. Mrs. Keller sighed and said seriously, "Vermont, we trust you. But our Keller family values integrity. We expect a proper and respectable marriage." Vermont raised his wine ss and promised, "Don''t worry, Mrs. Keller. Tatiana''s family also values integrity. They wouldn''t resort to underhanded tactics. If she ever did, her own family would disown her before you even had to."


    After sending the Kellers off, Vermont exined that the young couple should have some time alone. He and Felicity would stay nearby and handle the ride home.


    As Felicity emerged from the restroom, drying her hands, she asked, "What did Mrs. Keller mean by an ''open and aboveboard'' marriage?"


    Vermont replied, "She meant they won''t ept a woman who tries to marry their son by getting pregnant before marriage. Wealthy families often deal with unmarried pregnancies. Even if they don''t care about family background, they won''t let a woman with a child control them. Take Keegan''s father, for example. Dahlia was lucky he took responsibility. But in most wealthy families, having a few illegitimate children outside doesn''t matter. They''ll pay child support, but there''s no chance at the family inheritance."


    Vermont tossed the tissue Felicity had used into a nearby trash can and held her hand, saying, "Unmarried pregnancy, whether for money or love, is a gamble on a man''s conscience. And men have very little conscience."


    Felicity gave him a sharp look. "Aren''t you a man?"


    Vermont chuckled, "I am, and I admit I don''t have much conscience either. That''s why you should always keep a backup n. Even if love fades, you should still have your own money."


    Felicity frowned, "Are you warning me in advance? If you n to change your mind, we might as well not be together!"


    She pulled her hand away, refusing to let him touch her.


    Vermont sighed and gently apologized, "Don''t be mad. I was just speaking my mind. If it upset you, I won''t say it again."


    Felicity kept a stern face. "I may not be as clever as you, but I''m not dumb. If you do change your mind, I''ll make sure you leave with nothing!"


    Vermont grinned and teased, "You''re so ruthless, baby."


    Felicity snorted, "There''s more. When you die, I''ll dig up your ashes and hide them where no one can find them. No one will burn offerings for you during the Qingming Festival, and you''ll be a poor ghost in the afterlife!"


    Vermontughed harder. "You''d keep my ashes just for yourself? That''s pretty disgusting!"


    Felicity didn''t respond.


    "You really know how to find sweetness in the bitterest ces."Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    A few dayster, the preliminary results of the perfumepetition were announced. Seventeen perfumers entered thepetition at Caline, but two withdrew, leaving fifteen who advanced. Darcie praised everyone at the meeting and generously contributed six million to the prize pool. The champion would receive five million, and the remaining top ten finalists would each get 200,000. This news excited everyone. After all, cash rewards are more motivating than just praise.


    Noticing Ste''s silence, Darcie called on her to say a few encouraging words.


    Ste raised her eyes and smiled. "Mrs. Saun, since you''ve added six million to the prize pool, I''ll add four million to make it an even ten million. The champion will now get eight million, and those in the top ten will still receive 200,000 each. The 11th to 20th ce winners will get 100,000 each. However, if the champion is not from ourpany, the eight million prize pool will roll over to the nextpetition, and we''ll set new rules."


    With the increased prize pool and easier conditions, everyone was thrilled. The atmosphere buzzed with excitement. Ste continued, "But I have one suggestion."


    Everyone quieted down, eager to hear her out. Ste smiled and said, "I suggest that, regardless of Team Leader Jaylene''s results, he should be excluded from the prize pool."


    Jaylene''s expression darkened. "Why should I be excluded? Ste, are you holding a grudge?"


    Ste replied calmly, "Team Leader


    Jaylene, you''re mistaken. We''re all part of the samepany, and there''s no personal grudged simply believe that Mrs. Saun''s prize is meant to encourage everyone to strive for top rankings. If you win the championship and take the eight million, people might think thepetition was rigged. That''s why I propose excluding you from the prize. to avoid any suspicion."


    Jaylene was furious. "Avoid suspicion? You''re clearly targeting me!"


    Ste sighed, "I''m only making this suggestion for the sake of fairness. How about this? Since this prize is for thepetition participants, let the fifteen who advanced to the preliminaries vote. If more than half agree with my proposal, we''ll go with it. Mrs. Saun, what do you think?"


    Ste left the decision to Darcie.


    Jaylene, still angry, protested, "You''re trying to stir up trouble!"


    Ste smiled. "The group will decide what''s fair."


    Jaylene, who had lost significant


    money to Dahlia, was not in a good


    financial situation and desperately


    ve


    wanted the eight million. She


    probably thought Darcie would give it to her under the guise of the


    Darcie had always treated Jaylene fairly in front of Wenham, giving her as much as she gave Ste. If people thought the eight million was meant for Jaylene, it would damage Darcie''s reputation. Ste set down her teacup and looked at Darcie. "Mrs. Saun, should we vote?"


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 Chapter 2442

    Everyone could see what was happening. At the crucial moment of thepetition, Darcie teamed up with Mallory and Jaylene. The reason was obvious. The prize pool was 10 million, with 80% going to the winner. To get a reward, you had to make it to the top ten, which was no easy feat. In reality, it was more about appearances than a fairpetition.


    Ste suggested expanding the prize to the top 20 and excluding Jaylene, making it easier for everyone to win something.


    The 8 million championship prize was still up for grabs, and with Jaylene out of the picture, who wouldn''t want to give it a shot?


    People in the room exchanged looks, each considering their chances.


    Darcie didn''t need a vote to know the oue. She looked at Ste and smiled. "No need to vote. I think your idea is good. Let''s go with it. I hope everyone does their best. I''ll personally host a banquet to celebrate." Ste met her gaze and smiled back. "Then I wish you all sess in advance."


    She started pping, and everyone followed. As their eyes met, they silently acknowledged the tension between them.


    Jaylene was furious. She stormed out as soon as the meeting ended and collided with a secretary carrying documents. Papers scattered everywhere. "Are you blind?" Jaylene snapped, her anger ring. The secretary turned pale and quickly apologized.


    Darcie frowned and called Jaylene''s name, but Jaylene ignored her, shoved the secretary aside, and mmed the door on her way out, making a loud noise.


    Everyone in the room felt awkward, especially Ste. She looked at Darcie with a helpless expression and quietly asked, "Aunt, is Jaylene upset? I didn''t mean to target her. My suggestion was for thepany''s benefit. If she''s really upset about the bonus, we can forget I ever mentioned it."


    Thisment made Darcie''s blood pressure rise.


    She forced a smile, holding back her anger. "Jaylene is just a kid. She wouldn''t care about such a small bonus. She suggested the prize pool to me in the first ce. She probably feels embarrassed that it seems like this award was set up for her. Please be patient with her."Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Ste replied gently, "Jaylene has a big heart; it''s me who was thoughtless. Aunt, please tell her that after thepetition, I''ll treat her to a meal and apologize."


    Darcie nodded, said nothing more, and quickly left with her things.


    Ste watched her go, then stood up to return to her office.


    She reviewed thepetition results. The perfumepetition used a points system, with both individual and group rounds. Points umted with each round, and the lowest scores were eliminated. The highest score at the end would win.


    This meant every round was critical. A mistake could take several rounds to recover from, making aeback in the final round almost impossible. It tested not only a perfumer''s talent but also their consistency and professionalism.


    Among the 15 people who advanced, Mallory and Sonia ranked in the top ten overall. Mallory even took third ce, Sonia was sixth, followed by Kiara at thirteenth, and Jaylene at neenth. Additionally, six others made it into the top fifty, so the results were quite impressive.


    Because the preliminary round was the first to umte points, the rankings were somewhat random. Otherwise, how could someone like Jaylene make it into the top 20?


    The next two rounds were group matches, testing teamwork skills. Teams could either be formed freely or assigned randomly by the system. Jaylene would definitely team up with Mallory, securing her spot in the next round without much effort. Ste was more concerned about Sonia.


    Before the meeting, Ste had asked Sonia about her ns for choosing teammates. Sonia had said that random pairing would be fine. Ste, however, felt that random pairings were too risky. If paired with someone ipatible, it could drag them down, leading to possible elimination.


    Ste scanned the list and thought that only Kiara might be a good partner for Sonia. But Kiara was on good terms with several otherpetitors from thepany. Asking her directly might be awkward-if she already had a partner, refusing her would be ufortable, and agreeing would risk offending others.


    She considered a few more people and marked two with calm personalities. She nned to ask themter. Just then, there was a knock on her office door. Kiara came in, holding two grapefruits. "Boss Jewell, are you busy?"


    Ste closed the file. "No, what''s up?"


    Kiara stepped in, closed the door, and ced the grapefruits on her desk. "Boss Jewell, I''d like you to talk to Sonia for me and see if she''d be willing to team up."


    Ste was surprised. "No one asked you to team up?"


    Kiara looked a bit embarrassed. "They did, but I didn''t agree. I want to team up with Sonia. When she created that S essential oil, it really impressed me. She made it into the top ten in the preliminary round too. We both did well. I want to team up and go for the win."


    Ste asked, "Going for the championship?"


    Kiara nodded. "You made the prize


    pool so big-8 million! Who


    Who wouldn''t


    e


    be tempted? If we team up, even


    splitting it equally, 4 million each is


    worth fighting for."


    Steughed. "Is the prize pool really that tempting?"


    Kiaraughed too, joking, "Isn''t that why we work so hard? We finally have a chance to earn some real money, so we''ve got to go for it."


    Ste had originally wanted Sonia to partner with Kiara but didn''t want to ask first. Now that Kiara had brought it up, she felt relieved and agreed.


    Kiara left just as Wren came in with the expense report.


    While Ste reviewed the documents, Wren noticed the grapefruits on her desk.


    Ste signed the report and handed it to Wren, who didn''t take it right away, lost in thought until Ste called her name.


    Wren took the report, nced at it, then asked, "Boss Jewell, did you buy this grapefruit?"


    Ste said, "Kiara gave it to me. If you like it, feel free to take one."


    Wren thanked her, picked up one, looked at thebel, and suddenly said, "This brand of grapefruit is only avable at the fruit supermarket e across from ourpany. Their fruit is very expensive-all imported and very fresh. The grapefruit costs 68 each, with a minimum purchase of six. Boss Darcie loves grapefruit and often orders from that supermarket. I''ve seen a lot of invoices from them."


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 Chapter 2443

    Ste paused, looked at Wren, and asked, "Is there anything else?"


    Wren shook her head and left with the documents.


    Ste stared at the grapefruit on her desk for a while, then called Sonia.


    Julia entered Jaylene''s office, carefully avoiding the scattered papers on the floor. She handed Jaylene a cup of coffee. "Ms. Saun, here''s your coffee." Jaylene didn''t respond, focused on her phone with a cold expression.


    Her friends were buzzing about one thing-Aaron had a girlfriend. He had always kept a low profile, but now he''d posted a picture of them together.


    In the group chat, they were discussing the news:


    "Who is she? She doesn''t look familiar. Is she from our circle?"


    "I don''t think so. But she''s pretty."


    "She must be from a lower-status family. I heard the Kellers are avoiding a powerful marriage to keep control."


    "That makes sense. Jaylene, you were ssmates with Aaron, right? Do you know who she is?"


    Jaylene checked Aaron''s social media and found the picture. It showed a girl holding milk tea, smiling, with a hand (presumably Aaron''s) holding hers from the side. The caption was intentionally vague. Anger shed across Jaylene''s face, and she called Aaron immediately.


    The first call went unanswered, which was unusual. Even after she distanced herself from Aaron, he''d always answer her calls.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    She called again, and this time a woman''s voice answered, "Hello."


    Jaylene''s grip tightened on her phone. "Who are you? Where''s Aaron?"


    "He''s in the bathroom. I''m his girlfriend, Tatiana. Who''s calling? I''ll let him know you called."


    The polite response only fueled Jaylene''s anger. She snapped, "I didn''t know Aaron had a girlfriend. He''s been keeping it quiet."


    Tatiana didn''t seem to catch the sarcasm and cheerfully replied, "We only just started dating. Aaron''s shy and doesn''t talk much about personal things. You must be close to him, though I haven''t heard him mention you. Are you his ssmate?"


    Jaylene was speechless for a moment, then finally said, "Ask Aaron yourself what our rtionship is!"


    Tatiana responded sweetly, "You must be close to Aaron. Can I add you on WhatsApp? Aaron''s birthday ising up, and I want to surprise him with a gift. Could you help me with ideas?"


    Jaylene seethed inside but agreed, thinking she couldn''t let this new girl think she''d won so easily. "Fine, add me."


    Tatiana was delighted. "Thank you, sister!"


    Jaylene''s eye twitched at being called "sister," and she ended the call angrily.


    Soon, Tatiana''s friend request appeared, using the same picture Jaylene had seen earlier. Jaylene epted and immediately checked Tatiana''s profile. Thetest post was a close-up of the couple, captioned, "Finally, my turn for a sweet love."


    Fury boiled over in Jaylene. When Julia brought the coffee again, Jaylene knocked it over, spilling it on Julia.


    Julia cried out, "Ms. Saun?"


    Jaylene, enraged, threw everything on her desk and shouted, "Get out! Now!"


    Darcie walked in just then and frowned, "Why are you angry again?"


    Jaylene''s anger cooled slightly, but she still looked away, saying nothing.


    Darcie told Julia, "Go take care of yourself."


    Julia quickly left, and Darcie gathered


    the scattered documents. "How many times have told youto watch your behavior? People are always watching. You''re not powerful enough to treat others this way. Be more careful."


    Jaylene muttered, "Ste''s targeting me, and you want me to just take it? She''s constantlying for me. Should I keep enduring it?"


    Darcie replied, "It''s only eight million. If you can''t win, no one else will. The money isn''t going anywhere, so why are you upset?"


    Jaylene clenched her fists. "I''m tired of being targeted by her in everything! I''ve put up with so much since she came back. When will it end? I''ve had enough!"


    Darcie smirked. "Then stop enduring


    it. Face her directly. Remember,


    you''re a Saun, and she''s a Jewell!


    and


    You''ve been raised by the Saun


    family for twenty years. What are you


    afraid of? Let''s see who gets kicked out first."


    Jaylene paused and then said, "I''m sorry, Mom. I was wrong."


    Darcie looked at her for a moment


    before saying, ¡°Focus on winning the Perfume Competition. you win, your ce in thepany will be


    secure. Ste will think twice before trying to push you out."


    is on NovelDrama.Org!


    Jaylene nodded, "But Sonia''s doing well too. She managed to mix that S-grade essential oil so quickly. I''m a bit worried."


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 Chapter 2444

    Everyone could see what was happening. At the crucial moment of thepetition, Darcie teamed up with Mallory and Jaylene. The reason was obvious. The prize pool was 10 million, with 80% going to the winner. To get a reward, you had to make it to the top ten, which was no easy feat. In reality, it was more about appearances than a fairpetition.


    Ste suggested expanding the prize to the top 20 and excluding Jaylene, making it easier for everyone to win something.


    The 8 million championship prize was still up for grabs, and with Jaylene out of the picture, who wouldn''t want to give it a shot?


    People in the room exchanged looks, each considering their chances.


    Darcie didn''t need a vote to know the oue. She looked at Ste and smiled. "No need to vote. I think your idea is good. Let''s go with it. I hope everyone does their best. I''ll personally host a banquet to celebrate." Ste met her gaze and smiled back. "Then I wish you all sess in advance."


    She started pping, and everyone followed. As their eyes met, they silently acknowledged the tension between them.


    Jaylene was furious. She stormed out as soon as the meeting ended and collided with a secretary carrying documents. Papers scattered everywhere. "Are you blind?" Jaylene snapped, her anger ring. The secretary turned pale and quickly apologized.


    Darcie frowned and called Jaylene''s name, but Jaylene ignored her, shoved the secretary aside, and mmed the door on her way out, making a loud noise.


    Everyone in the room felt awkward, especially Ste. She looked at Darcie with a helpless expression and quietly asked, "Aunt, is Jaylene upset? I didn''t mean to target her. My suggestion was for thepany''s benefit. If she''s really upset about the bonus, we can forget I ever mentioned it."


    Thisment made Darcie''s blood pressure rise.


    She forced a smile, holding back her anger. "Jaylene is just a kid. She wouldn''t care about such a small bonus. She suggested the prize pool to me in the first ce. She probably feels embarrassed that it seems like this award was set up for her. Please be patient with her."


    Ste replied gently, "Jaylene has a big heart; it''s me who was thoughtless. Aunt, please tell her that after thepetition, I''ll treat her to a meal and apologize."


    Darcie nodded, said nothing more, and quickly left with her things.


    Ste watched her go, then stood up to return to her office.


    She reviewed thepetition results. The perfumepetition used a points system, with both individual and group rounds. Points umted with each round, and the lowest scores were eliminated. The highest score at the end would win.


    This meant every round was critical. A mistake could take several rounds to recover from, making aeback in the final round almost impossible. It tested not only a perfumer''s talent but also their consistency and professionalism.


    Among the 15 people who advanced, Mallory and Sonia ranked in the top ten overall. Mallory even took third ce, Sonia was sixth, followed by Kiara at thirteenth, and Jaylene at neenth. Additionally, six others made it into the top fifty, so the results were quite impressive.


    Because the preliminary round was the first to umte points, the rankings were somewhat random. Otherwise, how could someone like Jaylene make it into the top 20?


    The next two rounds were group matches, testing teamwork skills. Teams could either be formed freely or assigned randomly by the system. Jaylene would definitely team up with Mallory, securing her spot in the next round without much effort. Ste was more concerned about Sonia.


    Before the meeting, Ste had asked Sonia about her ns for choosing teammates. Sonia had said that random pairing would be fine. Ste, however, felt that random pairings were too risky. If paired with someone ipatible, it could drag them down, leading to possible elimination.


    Ste scanned the list and thought that only Kiara might be a good partner for Sonia. But Kiara was on good terms with several otherpetitors from thepany. Asking her directly might be awkward-if she already had a partner, refusing her would be ufortable, and agreeing would risk offending others.


    She considered a few more people and marked two with calm personalities. She nned to ask themter. Just then, there was a knock on her office door. Kiara came in, holding two grapefruits. "Boss Jewell, are you busy?"


    Ste closed the file. "No, what''s up?"


    Kiara stepped in, closed the door, and ced the grapefruits on her desk. "Boss Jewell, I''d like you to talk to Sonia for me and see if she''d be willing to team up."


    Ste was surprised. "No one asked you to team up?"


    Kiara looked a bit embarrassed. "They did, but I didn''t agree. I want to team up with Sonia. When she created that S essential oil, it really impressed me. She made it into the top ten in the preliminary round too. We both did well. I want to team up and go for the win."


    Ste asked, "Going for the championship?"


    Kiara nodded. "You made the prize


    pool so big-8 million! Who


    Who wouldn''t


    e


    be tempted? If we team up, even


    splitting it equally, 4 million each is


    worth fighting for."


    Steughed. "Is the prize pool really that tempting?"Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Kiaraughed too, joking, "Isn''t that why we work so hard? We finally have a chance to earn some real money, so we''ve got to go for it."


    Ste had originally wanted Sonia to partner with Kiara but didn''t want to ask first. Now that Kiara had brought it up, she felt relieved and agreed.


    Kiara left just as Wren came in with the expense report.


    While Ste reviewed the documents, Wren noticed the grapefruits on her desk.


    Ste signed the report and handed it to Wren, who didn''t take it right away, lost in thought until Ste called her name.


    Wren took the report, nced at it, then asked, "Boss Jewell, did you buy this grapefruit?"


    Ste said, "Kiara gave it to me. If you like it, feel free to take one."


    Wren thanked her, picked up one, looked at thebel, and suddenly said, "This brand of grapefruit is only avable at the fruit supermarket e across from ourpany. Their fruit is very expensive-all imported and very fresh. The grapefruit costs 68 each, with a minimum purchase of six. Boss Darcie loves grapefruit and often orders from that supermarket. I''ve seen a lot of invoices from them."


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 Chapter 2445

    "Did you hear me?" Darcie asked firmly when Jaylene didn''t respond.


    Jaylene quickly replied, "Yes, I heard and remember."


    As she looked at Darcie''s pale face, a thought crossed her mind. Before she could stop herself, she softly asked, "Mom, was Ste taken away by mistake, or was it on purpose?"


    Darcie paused and looked at her. "Do you think there are so many idents in this world?"


    Jaylene''s eyes widened in shock, and she was speechless for a long time.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Darcie ced the documents neatly on her desk, stood up, and walked over to Jaylene, gently straightening her dress. "Some people are born into their fate, while others have to fight for it. I work hard so that you won''t have to struggle like I did, but you can''t be too satisfied with things as they are. Do you understand?"


    Jaylene''s fingers trembled, and after a long pause, she whispered hoarsely, "I understand."


    She had always thought Ste''s arrival took away everything that should have been hers, but now she realized the love and resources she enjoyed were actually taken from Ste.


    If Ste hadn''t been taken away by mistake, would her mother have married her father? Would she have grown up in the Saun family?


    The answers to these questions were the ones Jaylene feared the most.


    Meanwhile, Tatiana hung up the phone. Aaron, unable to hold back, said, "Give me the phone. I want to call her back."


    Tatiana moved the phone out of his reach. "No, you can''t call her back now."


    Aaron grew anxious. "But didn''t you say to call herter? Why not now?"


    "Of course you need to call her back, but not right away. She just called you. If you call her back now, what do you think she''ll assume?"


    Aaron was confused. "What would she think?"


    Tatiana exined, "She didn''t contact you before, but now that you posted my picture on WhatsApp Moments, she called immediately and even asked who I was, sounding a bit hostile. This shows she cares about you, but she doesn''t realize how important you are to her. If you rush to call her back, she''ll figure out your rtionship with me is fake and that you''re still waiting for her. She''ll feel safe to go back to treating you the same way as before. Do you really want to stay stuck, waiting for her mixed signals?"


    Aaron paused, thinking it over. No, he didn''t want that.


    Despite what others said about Jaylene, she had treated him well when he was studying abroad. They were close-they kissed, hugged, and did almost everything lovers do except take the final step. He had even persuaded his mother and godmother to ask the Saun family for her hand. He still didn''t understand why Jaylene had rejected him so harshly that day.


    He had been heartbroken, but when his family arranged a blind date, Jaylene suddenly said that if he had a girlfriend, he shouldn''t contact her anymore. That had reignited his hope.


    She didn''t want him to go on a blind date. Did that mean she still cared?


    But Jaylene didn''t reply to his calls or texts. He was the only one stuck in this, with no way out.


    He had no real interest in Tatiana. He only went on the blind date to appease his parents. After meeting Tatiana, he told her straight up that he liked someone else but had to go on this date because of his parents. He even nned to tell his parentster that their personalities didn''t match, and he wanted Tatiana to do the same.


    Tatiana didn''t agree right away. Instead, she asked, "What if I can help you be with the one you really love?"


    Aaron thought she was joking, but she seemed serious. She asked him to tell her everything that had happened, promising to help him find a solution.


    He wasn''t one to open up to strangers, but Tatiana was easy to talk to. She was friendly and understanding, and before he knew it, he had shared his whole story with her.


    For several days, Tatiana invited Aaron out-sometimes to the park, sometimes to a coffee shop-and the topic was always Jaylene.


    He told her everything about his rtionship with Jaylene, and Tatiana was there for him, whether he was happy, sad, or trying to figure things out.


    Pretending to be his girlfriend was Tatiana''s idea to push Jaylene into making a move, and now Jaylene had actually contacted him, just as Tatiana predicted. It showed that her n was working.


    "Should I call her back? Or should I post more pictures of us on WhatsApp Moments to make her jealous?"


    Tatiana shook her head. "Aaron, she just called, and you didn''t answer. If you keep posting pictures, she''ll know you''re doing it on purpose and won''t believe it."


    Aaron asked, "If I shouldn''t call back or post pictures, what should I do?"


    Tatiana smiled. "It''s not about not replying; it''s about not replying too quickly. Think about it-when you messaged her before, did she take a long time to reply? Did you get worried while waiting for her?"


    Aaron was surprised. "How do you know?"


    Tatiana continued, "Of course I know.


    That''s a little trick some girls use. If


    om


    we reply right away, it shows we care allot. But when we''re unsure of the other person''s feelings, we hold back our true emotions."


    Aaron was silent for a moment, then asked quietly, "If you really like someone, would you still not reply, even knowing they''re waiting?"


    Tatiana thought to herself that if a


    girl really likes you, she wouldn''t


    make you wait. But instead, she said, "Love is sometimes like a game to ometimes like


    see who will break first. You can use


    this trick on her now. When she calls or texts, don''t respond as quickly as before. Wait a few hours, or even a day. Don''t always do what she wants.


    Make her realize if she cares about


    you, she needs to show it." The


    Aaron nodded. "I get it."


    Tatiana smiled, her dimples showing. "Now, can we go eat? I haven''t eaten since my night shift yesterday. I''m starving."


    Aaron suddenly realized he had been.


    dragging her around to solve his problems since she got off work. Not oply had she not eaten, but she also hadn''t rested. He noticed the faint dark circles under her eyes and felt guilty.


    "What do you want to eat? I''ll take you," Aaron asked softly.


    Tatiana thought for a moment. "I haven''t had noodles in a while. I really want some."


    Aaron was surprised. "You like noodles too?"


    Tatiana blinked. "You like them too?"


    Aaronughed. "I''ve loved them since I was a kid. When I was studying abroad, it''s what I missed the most."


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 Chapter 2446

    Tatiana smiled and said, "Then let''s go eat noodles together."


    Aaron drove off with Tatiana. Maybe because things were going well, Aaron talked more with her. He was surprised to find how much they had inmon-simr tastes and interests. She could discuss anything with him without just agreeing for the sake of it.


    As they chatted more, they both felt like they had met toote. Aaron remarked, "If we''d met a few years earlier, we could have been great friends."


    Tatiana smiled, "It''s not toote now."


    Aaron wanted to continue, but seeing her yawn, he said, "You should rest. It''ll be a while before we get there. I''ll wake you up when we arrive."


    Tatiana murmured "Okay" and closed her eyes.


    When they reached their destination, Tatiana was still asleep. Aaron noticed how peacefully she was sleeping and hesitated before deciding not to wake her. He quietly got out of the car, leaving the engine and air conditioner running, and went to order food.


    As soon as he left, Tatiana''s eyes snapped open, clear and alert. She grabbed her phone and messaged Vermont, "Everything''s going well. We''re ready for the next step."


    Vermont quickly replied, "So soon?"


    Tatiana responded, "I thought it would be more challenging, but he caved as soon as he saw my photo."


    Vermont sent an "awesome" emoji and asked, "Where are you now?"


    Tatiana: "Having dinner with my future husband, bonding."


    Vermont: "Confident, huh?"


    Tatiana: "Honestly, aside from his poor taste in women, he meets all my standards. He''s rich, kind, looks good, and while he''s a bit chubby, he''s not off-putting. It''s like he''s made for me."


    Vermont: "If this works out, I expect a seat at the head table at your wedding."


    Tatiana: "You can have my parents'' seats-as long as your gift is generous."


    Vermont was momentarily stunned.


    Tatiana: "Now, tell me more about Jaylene. I need to be prepared."


    Vermont called her, saying, "Jaylene''s talented-she writes well, ys the piano, draws, she''s pretty much good at everything. But she''s also spoiled, dependent on her mom, and has never faced any real hardships." Tatiana sighed, "So,pared to her, my strengths aren''t as obvious."


    Vermont replied, "They are. You''re tougher, sharper, and more determined than she is. She can''tpete with you in those areas."


    Tatiana''s eyes narrowed as she smirked, "Vermont, my marriage hasn''t even started yet. I have my sister-inw''s WhatsApp. You might want to think before you speak."


    Vermont coughed and reassured her, "Anyway, if ites down to it, you can definitely outmaneuver her. Go all in, and our cousin will back you up to win over Aaron."


    Tatiana smiled as she noticed Aaron returning to the car. "I could use a chance to meet her now."Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Vermont said, "There''s an opportunity soon. My friend Keegan''s sister is getting engaged, and Jaylene is likely to be there since she likes Keegan. Aaron will want to see her, so she''ll find a way to attend. I''ll set it up so you both can go."


    "Perfect," Tatiana agreed just as Aaron opened the car door. Seeing she was on the phone, he asked softly, "Are you awake?"


    Tatiana ended the call, rubbed her eyes, and said, "The call woke me up. Sorry to keep you waiting, Aaron. Why didn''t you wake me?"


    Aaron replied, "I didn''t wait long. I was about to call you when you woke up."


    He turned off the engine and gently said, "Let''s go, it''s time to eat."


    Tatiana unbuckled her seatbelt and followed him out of the car.


    It was drizzling outside, and the air was foggy. Just as Tatiana was about to use her bag to shield herself, Aaron came over with an umbre and held it over her head.


    Aaron was truly a gentleman. Even though they didn''t know each other well, he made sure the umbre covered her more, letting his shoulders get wet. "Stay close and watch out for puddles," he said. Tatiana looked up at him and asked softly, "Aaron, are you always this kind to girls?"


    Aaron was taken aback and instinctively stepped back. When he realized she got wet because of it, he quickly moved the umbre back over her. He fumbled to apologize, "I''m sorry..."


    Tatiana took hold of the umbre and moved closer to him. Aaron stepped back again but was stopped by a car behind him. Tatiana cornered him between her and the car, raising the umbre to cover them both. She looked up at him and said softly, "Aaron, you should hold the umbre. I can''t reach, and it''s hurting my hand."


    Aaron snapped out of his daze, took the umbre, and said, "Oh, right."


    Tatiana smiled and moved even closer, "Aaron, I''ll do my best to help you. I don''t know if it will work, but even if it doesn''t, I hope you won''t doubt yourself. You''re a good guy-smart, caring, and talented. If she doesn''t see that, it''s her loss, not yours."


    Aaron was stunned. He wasn''t used to receivingpliments, especially from someone other than family. Even Jaylene never praised him like this.


    He gripped the umbre tightly, suddenly feeling shy, and said awkwardly, "Let''s go eat first."


    Tatiana noticed his red ears and smiled, "Okay."


    Meanwhile, Keegan was reading a story to Ste''s belly.


    Ste picked off the stem of a strawberry, took a bite, and found it too sweet. She handed the rest to Keegan.


    After he ate it, he said, "You eat yours, don''t worry about me. I''m not done yet."


    Ste rested her cheek on her hand. "Are you sure they can understand?"


    Keegan replied, "I don''t know if they understand, but they''re definitely listening." "How do you know?"


    Keegan pulled her closer, ced her hands on her belly, and whispered, "Baby, do you want to hear Daddy tell you a story?"


    It was quiet for about a minute. Just as Ste was about tough, there was a sudden movement under her hand.


    Her eyes widened in surprise, "It moved?!"


    Keegan looked proud, "I told you they could hear it."


    Ste quickly said, "Baby, baby, Mommy will tell you a story too."


    But three minutester, there was no movement at all.


    Keegan grinned, "See? My storytelling


    is paying off. Even


    en though they''re in


    your belly, they''re more familiar with me."


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 Chapter 2447

    Ste gritted her teeth and said, "It doesn''t count! That must have been a fluke. Let''s do it again-whoever gets the babies to move first this time won''t have to pay for Aurora''s engagement party." Keegan smirked confidently, "Alright, who''s going first?"


    "Me!" Ste set down the te of strawberries, sat up straight, cleared her throat, and began, "My babies, I''m your mother. Do you want to hear a story?"


    As soon as she spoke, her belly moved, though not as strongly as when Keegan had spoken earlier. It was a hesitant, light movement, but enough to make Ste excited. "Look! See that?" Keegan''s confidence wavered, and with a frown, he said, "Are you mimicking my voice? Isn''t that cheating?"


    Indeed, after clearing her throat, Ste had spoken in a voice that sounded just like Keegan''s.


    Ste blinked innocently, "How is that cheating? You never said I had to use my own voice. I''m just using my strengths."


    Keegan frowned, "You''re taking shortcuts!"


    Ste simply replied, "I won."


    Keegan protested, "You''re stealing the fruits of mybor."


    Ste repeated, "I won."


    Keegan gritted his teeth, "You also tricked them and made them experience the deceitfulness of human nature before they''re even born!"


    Ste only smiled, "I won."


    Keegan was still resisting, "But I haven''t had my turn yet! I haven''t lost!"


    Ste smirked, "Sweetheart, didn''t you listen to the rules? I said the first one to speak wins. It''s not about who shouts first. Since I''ve already spoken, it doesn''t matter if you shout now-you''ll never be first." Keegan was silent, his mouth twitching. "Are you ying word games with me?"


    Ste smiled, "The rules were clear before we started. You just didn''t pay attention."


    Keegan, determined to win as a parent, said, "We can''t settle this in one round. Let''s do best two out of three. Just now was a draw, so for the next round, you have to use your own voice. Whoever shouts first wins!" Ste''s eyes glinted as she suddenly said, "If you don''t want to pay for your sister''s engagement party, I''ll do it. Why are you getting so worked up?"


    "This isn''t about paying-" Keegan began, but before he could finish, he noticed Aurora.


    Aurora was wearing a dress, and Keegan''s smile vanished. She scoffed, "Grandma''s paying for the party, not you!"


    Keegan paused, realizing he had fallen for Ste''s yful trap. Aurora shrugged innocently, "Are you stillpeting?" Keeganughed in disbelief.


    Two nights ago, Ste had a nightmare and woke up crying. When she didn''t find Keegan in bed, she tearfully used him of avoiding her because he no longer found her attractive during her pregnancy. Keegan had to reassure her that he had only slept in the study because he was workingte and didn''t want to disturb her.


    After muchforting, she finally calmed down and became clingy, hugging him tightly for the rest of the night.


    Despite Ste''s emotional swings during pregnancy, Keegan secretly enjoyed her clinginess. The prenatal education expert had said that pregnant women could feel insecure due to hormonal changes, causing mood swings that were often directed at the people they cared about most.


    Keegan was less concerned with her temper and more focused on how much she cared about him. This realization made him happy, but he also understood that Ste would cry for him when upset and tease him when in a good mood.


    Now, he was less worried about her emotional ups and downs, knowing she found ways to stay entertained without overexerting herself.


    Aurora approached, holding the hem of her skirt. "How about this dress?" she asked.


    Keegan nced at the long hem and remarked, "It''s very eco-friendly."


    Aurora was puzzled.


    Keegan added, "The skirt will clean the floor as you walk."


    Aurora was speechless.


    "You know nothing!" Ste lightly pped Keegan and said kindly to Aurora, "It''s beautiful, but not ideal for an engagement party. You''ll be moving around a lot, greeting guests, and a shorter dress would be more practical."


    Aurora suddenly realized how wrong she had been to think Ste was unworthy of her brother. She should be thankful that Ste was willing to put up with him-otherwise, with his sharp tongue, it would be impossible for him to find a wife!


    "Should I go for something shorter?" Aurora asked, ignoring Keegan and seeking Ste''s advice.


    "It doesn''t need to be too short, just above the knee. Keep the style simple and elegant, and choose colors like white, beige, or red."


    Aurora tried on a few dresses from the collection the olddy had sent over, and finally, both Ste and Keegan agreed on a beige one.


    As Keegan put it, "As long as you don''t talk, you still look like ady from a noble family."


    Aurora wasn''t too thrilled with hisment.


    A bitter, Aldor arrived.


    Hearing the engine, Aurora rushed to open the door without waiting for Keegan''s instruction.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Keegan grumbled to Ste, "She never opens the door so eagerly when Ie home!"


    Ste nced at him, "You''re proud of forgetting your keys and having to ask someone to let you in?" Keegan had no response.


    Aldor, always considerate, had brought skewers and even thought about everyone''s preferences.


    Ste noticed that while Aldor and Keegan were deep in conversation, the skewers Aldor casually handed to Aurora had their sharp ends cut off.


    Traditionally, engagement parties are hosted by the bride''s family. The Hart family matriarch had already coordinated with Aldor''s mother regarding the guest list. Keegan was focused on Aldor''s friends.


    Aldor was quite popr, and many


    friends wanted to attend the


    engagement party..


    party. Additionally, news


    of his engagement to a Kane family member had prompted long-lost acquaintances to reach out, eager to attend. Keegan reserved eight tables, anticipating arger turnout


    As they discussed the details of the engagement, Aurora suddenly asked, "Should Mome to the party?"


    The room fell silent.


    It wouldn''t be right for Dahlia to miss such an important event in Aurora''s life, but her presence could cause


    engagement was announced, everyone had avoided mentioning Dahlia, but that didn''t mean she was out of the picture. In fact, Dahlia had been reaching out ever since Aurora''s engagement was publicized.


    When Aurora answered, Dahliaunched into a tirade, using Ste of plotting to marry Auroral off so she could take over the Kane family''s wealth. She belittled Aldor and even suggested a more "suitable" match for Aurora from a wealthier


    family.


    Aurora had hung up halfway through.


    She couldn''t stand hearing Dahlia insult Aldor. She had once looked down on Aldor herself, but after experiencing life from the ground up, she truly appreciated how hard it was for someone like him to reach his current position.


    Aurora believed that Aldor was just as good as anyone from a prominent family. Starting from a low point and climbing high is a real achievement.


    She didn''t want Dahlia at her engagement party, fearing she might humiliate Aldor in front of everyone.


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 Chapter 2448

    Keegan paused his writing and asked in a calm voice, "Do you want her toe?"


    Aurora hesitated before softly replying, "I don''t want her to, but if she insists, we can''t really stop her."


    Keegan looked up, "If you don''t want her there, she won''t be. Just focus on your engagement with Aldor. I''ll handle her calls and anything else."


    Aurora wanted to ask how he nned to handle it but decided to stay quiet and just nodded in agreement.


    After Aldor left, Ste washed up,y on the bed, and browsed her phone. Bored, she moved over to Keegan''s side to look at the books he had been readingtely.


    Since Ste got pregnant, Keegan''s bedside reading had shifted from his usual professional materials to popr science books about motherhood and babies.


    Keegan was the type who, when hemitted to something, did it thoroughly. He read books, researched online, and even took notes. He often shared what he learned with Ste, who appreciated his dedication. She knew the bond between a mother and child is natural, but a father''s connection takes time to develop. Keegan, however, was already proving to be more involved than she had expected, which made her happy. She reached into the drawer to grab a pen to correct a note Keegan had made.


    Inside, she found a notepad with a pen clipped to it. As she took the pen, she nced at the notebook and paused when she read the entries.


    [131 days: Same as yesterday. No vomiting. Morning sickness has eased, but she cried after dreaming the baby was ugly. Luckily, it wasn''t a nightmare about me being unfaithful or violent, or I''d be kicked out of the bedroom again. Frequent bathroom trips; blood sugar normal. The doctor said it''s likely due to the uterus pressing on the dder, and it''ll get worseter.]


    Thema was dark, as if Keegan had paused there before writing the next sentence: [It''s tough-need to get her more exercise.]


    Ste bit her lip and turned back a few pages.


    [126 days: Waist has increased by two centimeters. She spent a long time in front of the mirror with her favorite clothes. I told her she still looks good even if she''s gained weight. She ignored me all night and spent hours watching videos of pregnancy transformations. She''s anxious, and that makes me anxious too-I don''t want her to worry.]


    [117 days: First fetal movement-note it down.]


    [109 days: She had a fever but refused to take medicine, worried about the baby. The doctor advised cooling down physically first. She sweated through the night and muttered in her sleep. The fever broke at dawn. She was weak and pale but proudly said she''s tough. If it were me, I''d be sick for days. Idiot... I wish I could take her ce.]


    [100 days: Good appetite but still vomiting.]


    [97 days: Still vomiting heavily.]


    [94 days: After the prenatal checkup, she secretly asked if I wanted a boy or a girl. How could I choose? I just want her to suffer less. Her belly''s growing, but her face looks thinner.]


    [87 days: Big changes in appetite; still dizzy and vomiting.]


    [81 days: Vomiting heavily.]


    [78 days: Baby''s the size of a soybean and growing well.]


    [77 days: Hahahahahaha, twins!]


    Ste couldn''t help butugh. It was rare for Keegan to express his emotions so openly, and his joy was clear in the way he wrote it down.


    She read on, noticing that some lines were written in different ink, likely addedter: [What happiness? It''s so tough!]


    It seemed Keegan had intended to document the baby''s progress during each prenatal checkup but ended up recording more about Ste''s experiences. As her pregnancy symptoms worsened, his concern deepened Ste''s earlier worries now seemed unnecessary-Keegan was far more attentive and involved than she had realized.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    The bathroom door handle turned, and Ste quickly closed the notebook and put it back in the drawer.


    Keegan came out, drying his hair. Seeing her leaning against the headboard, he walked over and sat beside her. "Aren''t you going to sleep?"


    "I was waiting for you," Ste smiled.


    Keegan patted her hand, "I''ll be right back after drying my hair."


    "Okay."


    A few minutester, Keegan returned to bed. Ste leaned into his arms, "Are you really not going to let your mothere to Aurora''s engagement?"


    "If shees, it''ll only cause trouble," Keegan said, gently stroking her shoulder. "She''s always tried to control Aurora. Even though Aurora seems spoiled, she''s actually quite timid and indecisive. If my mother shows up, she might say something that could push Aurora to do something she''d regret."


    Ste asked, "But what if Aurora says she wants her there?"


    Keegan replied, "Then I''ll find a way to keep her away. I don''t want to see her."


    e


    The incidents at Wendy''s daughter''s wedding and Dahlia''s online behavior at Rivera''s productunch had deeply hurt Keegan. He didn''t want Dahlia anywhere near him or Ste, so he was determined to keep her away from the engagement party.


    Ste didn''t say anything more and just hugged Keegan tightly.


    Keegan''s engagement party was nned to be held at Wendy''s hotel, and Ste had gone to finalize the arrangements with her.


    After going over all the details, Wendy poured Ste a cup of tea, "Try this-it''s the first crop of Longjing tea my friend grew."


    Ste took a sip. It was light, sweet, fresh, and elegant. "It''s good. Are you nning to sell it?"


    Wendy asked, "Do you want to buy some?"


    Ste put down her cup. "With the holidaysing up, I''m thinking of getting some small gifts for friends."


    Wendy smiled, "So it''s for Keegan to


    give to his friends? Don''t you usually give out VIR cards for your jewelry store as gifts? Never miss a chance to promote your business, do you?"


    Ste smiled too, "It''s just a bit of advertising on the side."


    Wendy suddenly said, "I''ve been


    friends with Dahlia for years. She''s taken a lot of tea from me, but she''s


    never used my connections for her


    En


    husband or son. I think she wasn''t just upset about your background when she thought you weren''t good enough for Keegan. She also wasn''t happy that you were so good to him."


    Ste was puzzled, "Why would it be wrong to be good to him?"


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 Chapter 2449

    Wendy didn''t answer directly but instead shared a story about Keegan''s childhood. "When Keegan was about eleven or twelve, she signed him up for a wilderness survival course. The ss wasn''t well-organized, and the staff was unprofessional. They only realized some students had fallen behind when they wereing down the mountain.


    The Kane family was very worried when they got the call. I hadn''t known him for long, but I wanted to get closer to him, so I joined the search. The mountain wasn''t tall, but it was dense with vegetation, and it was getting dark, which made the search difficult. But we were lucky. We found Keegan soon after we started. His foot was injured, so he couldn''t walk. Can you believe it? The first thing Dahlia did when she found him wasn''t tofort him but to pull me aside and tell me not to approach him so she could teach him a lesson.


    We were so close to him, watching him scared and helpless. It wasn''t until more than half an hourter that someone arrived, and Dahlia finally went to Keegan. At the time, I didn''t understand why she treated him that way. Later, I realized she was training him. She appeared when he was most vulnerable to reinforce his dependence on her. I don''t know if Mrs. Kane noticed this, but after Quentin passed away, she took Keegan to raise herself. Otherwise, with all of Dahlia''s scheming, how could she raise such an outstanding son?"


    She then looked at Ste and said, "If you show Keegan what it''s like to be truly cared for, he''ll eventually wake up from Dahlia''s influence. Don''t you think Dahlia fears losing control over him?


    Dahlia is insincere to everyone. She only cares about herself, whether it''s her son or daughter. If Mrs. Kane hadn''t lived so long, the Kane family would have been in chaos. You know, ever since Dahlia stopped attending the family gatherings, everyone''s been getting along better. I wonder how she feels when she sees everyone''s photos without her. It must be frustrating."


    The more you learn about Dahlia, the more you realize she didn''t get off easy.


    "Has she been in touch with anyone recently?" Ste asked.


    "The top-tier families have distanced themselves from her. I heard she''s getting close to some people in the second and third tiers now. After all, she''s the biological mother of the head of the Kane family. If people don'' know the truth, they might still fall for her act."


    Wendy categorized their social circles herself. The first tier includes aristocratic families like the Kane, Saun, Moore, and Graham families. The second tier includes rising neers like Ka''s father''s family. The third tier includes families like the former Jewell family.


    Dahlia used to dominate the first tier, but now she''s dealing with people she once looked down on. It shows how adaptable she is.


    "How much tea do you want? I can have my friends help pack it for you."


    Ste came back to the conversation. "Please calcte the total, and I''ll transfer the money to you."


    "Don''t worry about it. We can settle it at the engagement party, and I''ll give you a discount."


    Ste smiled. "Thank you, Mrs. Musk."


    Wendy replied, "Mrs. Musk sounds so much nicer than Mrs. Chapman. Why didn''t I notice it before?"


    As they were talking, a young man walked in and served some desserts. Ste noticed that after serving the food, he also poured tea for Wendy. His eyes lingered on Wendy until she waved him away. After he left, Ste teased, "Your new assistant is very handsome."


    Wendy gave her a look. "After over 20 years of settling, don''t I deserve something nice?"


    Ste gave a thumbs up. "How are things with you and Erick?"


    "He did something behind my back and now he''s in jail. There are people who can deal with him without my involvement. He and his mother still want to divide the family property with me. It''s absurd. He''s not dead, and we''re not divorced, yet they want to use the illegitimate child''s inheritance rights to pressure me. What are they thinking?"


    She sneered. "Luckily, that bastard is an adult now. Otherwise, I''d have to pay child support. When I can visit him, I''ll share this good news with him right away."


    "That''s harsh," Ste said, then added, "If Erick gets the maximum sentence, he won''t be out before he''s 70. The Chapman family line can''t be cut off. Who will inherit his parents'' property?"


    Wendy instantly understood what Ste was suggesting.


    Erick''s parents and rtives all knew about his illegitimate son but hid it from Wendy. They even used her inability to have a son against her. Now that Erick''s in prison, they''re desperate, trying to get her to pay for his release.


    Since they like their grandson so much, it''s only fair they raise him, right?


    Wendy immediately called someone. "Rent them a better ce, assign a driver, and give them whatever they need."


    The woman had been in contact with Erick''s parents, urging them to ask Wendy for money. Ste''s words made Wendy realize-why not let them deal with it themselves? Let them fight among themselves without getting her hands dirty.


    After hanging up, Wendy looked at Ste. "Jaylene got scammed when she lent money to Dahlia. That was your idea, wasn''t it?"


    Ste replied seriously, "I felt bad for her too. After all, it was our Saun family''s money."


    Wendy showed a hint of approval. "They''re no match for you, but your stepmother isn''t easy to deal with either."


    Ste raised her eyes. "How much do you know about her?"


    Wendy poured tea and said, "Not


    much. I just know that to marry your


    father, she took care of your


    m


    om


    grandmother for years, even when she was sick and difficult to deal


    with. It takes a lot of patience to stick


    it out with someone so hard to


    please and make them like you more over time. But..." Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Wendy paused. "There''s someone who might know more about her."


    Ste asked quickly, "Who?"


    Wendy replied, "Romina Aspen."


    "Romina Aspen?" Ste looked puzzled.


    "You know Nicole Aspen, the popr actress? Romina is er aunt."


    Ste was surprised. "Mrs. Clint?"


    Wendy was also surprised. "You know Mrs. Clint?"


    Although the Clint family is also a noble family, Mrs. Clint runs a section in thepany so she doesn''t often attend social gatherings. Wendy thought Ste didn''t know her.


    "We''ve crossed paths before. Is she familiar with Darcie?"


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 Chapter 2450

    "They didn''t know each other well, but they had some interactions in their early years. Romina, now Mrs. Clint, was an illustrator before she got married. She had an older brother who was somewhat famous in the calligraphy and painting circles back then. His name was Alijah, and he was Darcie''s ex-husband. Mrs. Clint and Darcie''s ex-husband knew each other, so she might know something about Darcie''s past." "Alijah..." Ste repeated the name and then asked, "Jaylene is her ex-husband''s child, right? Hasn''t her ex-husband''s family ever taken care of him?"


    Wendy replied, "Even if someone wanted to take care of him, they''d need someone capable to do it. I heard her ex-husband drowned not long after they got married. His parents died early, leaving behind a younger brother and sister. The brother wasn''t very bright, and after his brother died, he ran away and never came back. The sister got married, but I only know bits and pieces. You should ask Mrs. Clint for the full story." Ste said, "I didn''t expect her ex-husband to be an artist."


    Wendy sipped her tea and said, "Artists usually have money. Who would send their kids to study art if they didn''t? Maybe Darcie was drawn to his talent? Don''t be ridiculous."


    If he was wealthy, why did Darcie invest so little in Caline? And why did she serve Mrs. Saun for so many years? Maybe she was attracted to his talent and looks?


    But Darcie wasn''t like Jaylene. Everything she did had a purpose. While all clues point to Darcie, there''s no direct evidence. Darcie is careful and hasn''t revealed herself openly. The identity of her aplice is still a mystery.


    Whoever helped Darcie with such serious crimes must be someone she trusts and shares amon goal with.


    What was Darcie''s goal?


    Was it to be Mrs. Saun or control Caline?


    Maybe, but there''s more to it.


    It likely involves securing Jaylene''s future.


    If that''s the case, this person must be close to Jaylene, possibly even rted by blood.


    Darcie''s parents died a long time ago, and she has only one sister, who is married and lives far away. They aren''t close. There are some distant cousins who get along with her, but that''s it. Would someone take such a big risk for a distant rtive? What if this person is from Darcie''s ex-husband''s family?


    Ste''s thoughts suddenly became clear.


    If this person shares Darcie''s goals and wants Jaylene to rece her and be part of the Saun family, then it''s likely someone from Jaylene''s biological father''s side.


    Could it be her missing uncle?


    Wendy''s voice interrupted Ste''s thoughts. "You''re almost pregnant, and you''re still not nning the wedding?"


    Ste snapped back to reality and smiled, teasing, "Why, are you so eager to earn my money when business is already good?"


    Wendy replied, "We''re friends; I wouldn''t make money off you. I can even give you the venue for free if you like it here. I''ve noticed you''re getting bigger this month, and it''s getting hard to hide. Before Keegan lost his memory, people thought the marriage between the Saun and Kane families was a failure, but now that you''re pregnant, things have changed. Even if you don''t get married, having a child ties the Saun family to Keegan. He''speting with Chandler for power, and they might target you to weaken the Saun family. It''s better to be open about it. If they have bad intentions, it''ll be harder for them to act openly."


    Ste asked carefully, "Mrs. Musk, have you heard something?"


    Wendy said, "Recently, Cyrene has been mingling with the wives'' circle, trying to find a match for her son. She''s targeting daughters from aristocratic families. But Chandler has a bad reputation, and everyone knows he''s a loser. Plus, with a cousin like Keegan topete with, anyone who marries him will likely just end up as a minor branch of the Kane family. Without strong allies, Chandler will eventually lose power. He''s been in Rivera for over 30 years. Do you think he''s willing to hand it over to someone else? If it were me, I wouldn''t make strong friends and wouldn''t let others use allies to push me out."


    The child is at the center of everything. Losing the child under Keegan''s watch has strained the alliance, perhaps even turning them into enemies.


    Ste pressed her lips together. Even without the Saun family''s support, Keegan might not lose this power struggle. However, Wendy''s warning made sense. The other side might act out of desperation. Rivera is valuable, and Chandler might not give it up easily. He could resort to kidnapping.


    Ste took Wendy''s advice to heart, discussed some details about the engagement party, and then left.


    After getting in the car, she called Mrs. Clint to see if she was free. Recently, Caline had released some new products, and Ste wanted her to try them out.


    Mrs. Clint had enjoyed working with Stetely. Although Ste was young, she was just as thoughtful as Darcie. They got along well, so Mrs. Clint epted her invitation.


    Mrs. Clint came the next day. As Ste was greeting her, Darcie happened to be passing by.


    Darcie seemed to have forgotten their past disagreements and warmly greeted Mrs. Clint. Knowing she was there to try out the new products, Darcie even arranged for Aubrey to assist.


    "Mrs. Clint, if you have any feedback or suggestions, please share them with Aubrey. We''ll make improvements promptly."


    Mrs. Clint gave her a brief nce and replied lightly, "I''ll tell Miss Jewell."


    Darcie smiled as she watched Mrs. Clint get on the elevator.


    Mrs. Clint tried out the new products


    one by one and had a pleasant experience. The new line wasom e


    focused on fragrances, which Mrs. Clint liked. She gave a lot of feedback, and Ste made sure her team took note of everything.


    When Aubrey went to fetch the trial package gift box, Ste asked, "Mrs. Clint, do you have timeter? I''d like to treat you to a meal.¡±


    Mrs. Clint sipped her tea and replied casually, "If it''s just a meal, that''s fine."


    Her response left Ste at a loss.


    Wendy had mentioned that Mrs. Clint


    ¦¯¦¬


    co-ran thepany with her husband and had a sharp mind.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste realized it was better to be direct with her.


    She set aside her prepared excuses and spoke frankly, "I wanted to ask you about something."


    Mrs. Clint lowered her eyes and continued sipping her tea, her tone still indifferent, "What is it?"


    Ste leaned in and whispered, "A painter named Alijah."


    Mrs. Clint paused, her hand still as she stirred her tea, then looked up at Ste.


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 Chapter 2451

    Mrs. Clint averted her gaze, set down her cup, and said, "I don''t know any painter named Alijah. Miss Jewell, you may have asked the wrong person."


    She then stood up and added, "I won''t be taking the trial package. I don''t ept gifts without earning them. Thank you for the invitation, but I have other matters to attend to. Goodbye." With that, she grabbed her bag and turned to leave.


    Ste followed to see her off, but Mrs. Clint stopped her by the elevator. "Miss Jewell, don''t waste your time on me. I don''t know the person you''re asking about, and I have nothing more to say. Please stay here." Mrs. Clint''s tone was icy, so Ste didn''t push further. When Aubrey returned, she saw Mrs. Clint leaving.


    In Darcie''s office, Aubrey reported, "It seemed like there was some tension between them, but since Ste sent Mrs. Clint out, I don''t know what they discussed. Mrs. Clint looked upset-she even refused to take the trial items. Ste didn''t let me catch up to give them to her; she sent them to the Clint familypany instead."


    Darcie watched the tea leaves swirl in the boiling water and said calmly, "Romina is proud and difficult to please. Even her own sister struggles to get along with her. Despite working with her for so long, our rtionship remains distant. Ste thinks what she took from me is valuable, but it''s not easy to deal with Romina."


    "Mrs. Saun, since their rtionship is still shaky, should we try to win back Mrs. Clint as a client?"T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Darcie set down the teapot and looked up. "Romina''s precious son is studying electronic information at A University, right? I recall you have a cousin who works in the School of Information there."


    Aubrey understood and said, "I''ll arrange a meeting."


    Darcie nodded, "Go ahead."


    Ste felt frustrated that she couldn''t get any information out of Romina, and it spoiled her appetite.


    She usually approached Darcie with confidence, but today she seemed deted, which caught Keegan''s attention.


    "Have you given up already?" he asked.


    "Who said I gave up? I just haven''t figured out a solution yet!" Ste snapped, "Do you think dealing with Mrs. Clint is easy?" Keegan, as he put some food on her te, said, "Everyone has weaknesses, and that''s where you find your opening." Ste paused and looked at him suspiciously, "Do you have a n?"


    Keegan sighed, "No one''s asked for my help."


    Ste immediately perked up, eager to learn. "What''s your idea? Tell me."


    Keegan looked at her, "Call me ''hubby.""


    Ste, trying to be charming, said, "Husband, hubby, hubby~"


    Keegan was taken aback. "Can''t you y along a bit, so I can feel like I''ve conquered something?"


    Ste yed along, "Okay, let''s do it again."


    Keegan cleared his throat, "Call me hubby."


    Ste pretended to hesitate, "Isn''t that a bit much? Honey, you''d be mad if you knew I was calling someone else ''hubby."" Keegan was startled.


    Ste blinked, "Do you feel like you''ve conquered something now?"


    "What?" Keegan asked.


    "The thrill of winning someone else''s wife," Ste teased.


    Keegan''s eyes twitched as he gritted his teeth, "It''s definitely a different experience!"


    Steughed and joked with him for a bit before getting back to business. "So, what''s your n?¡±


    Keegan replied, "The solution involves your boyfriend outside the circle."


    "What boyfriend outside the circle?" Ste was confused.


    Keegan smiled and said, "Let''s eat first. You''ll find out tomorrow."


    Joe was ying video games with his friends when he got a call from Keegan.


    It was a crucial moment in the game, and the phone kept buzzing. Annoyed, Joe asked his friend to check who was calling. His friend looked at the phone and saw the name "Big Liar." He asked, "It''s ''Big Liar'' calling-do you want to answer?"


    Joe was so startled he messed up in the game and got killed by the opponent.


    Frustrated, he grabbed the phone and stepped out to answer it. "What do you want? It''s the middle of the night, and you''re bothering me!"


    Keegan calmly replied, "Didn''t you say you don''t stay upte, so you''re not young anymore? I''m guessing you can''t sleep at this hour, right? Already out of your prime?"


    Joe snorted, "I''m still younger than you, big liar!"


    Keegan didn''t get mad but asked, "Have you finished your makeup exams? Did the resultse out?"


    Joe''s mood lightened, and he sounded proud. "Yeah, they''re over. Results aren''t out yet, but I feel good about them. I should score around eighty or ny."


    Keegan said, "I heard you''ve been racing again recently?"


    Joe responded, "The exams are over-don''t I deserve some fun? This race has high stakes, and I''m aiming for the championship!"


    Keegan pressed his lips together. "You wasted time on racing and failed courses you should''ve passed. Even if you ace the makeup exams, your GPA will only reflect the passing score of 60. Doesn''t that put you at a disadvantage?"


    Joe was silent for a moment before replying, "What''s the point of saying that now? I already failed the courses."


    Keegan shot back, "What about the


    courses for the new semester? Are m


    you nning to keep failing and retaking exams? If you fail too many, you won''t graduate. When everyone else is going home with diplomas, will you still be stuck with nothing?"


    Joe''s face darkened. "Why are you nagging like my parents? I didn''t do wellst semester, but that doesn''t mean I can''t improve. College isn''t high school-I can get a 60 easily." Keegan replied coolly, "If 60 is so easy, why did you fail?"


    Joe gritted his teeth. "I waspeting! Otherwise, I wouldn''t have failed!"


    Keegan asked, "Did you win thepetition?"


    Joe was speechless.


    Keegan continued, "No, right?"


    Joe insisted, "I''ll win this time!"


    Keegan asked, "And then what? Will you be a professional racer?"


    Joe, feeling provoked, replied, "Can''t I just race because I enjoy it? What''s wrong with that?"


    Keegan was silent for a moment, then said, "I remember you said you liked running."


    Joe frowned, "Yeah, so?"


    "Let''s make a bet," Keegan


    suggested. "We''ll run a half marathon


    tomorrow. If you win, I''ll help you join


    the


    Xp


    Xingang Racing Team and


    convince your parents not to stop


    you from racing. But if you lose,


    promise me you''ll focus on your studies and stay away from street racing until you graduate. Deal?" The


    Joe''s eyes lit up. Joining the Xingang Racing Team had always been his dream, but his applications to the youth training team had been rejected. Keegan''s offer reignited his hope.


    "The Xingang Racing Team has strict standards. Can you really get me in?" Joe asked.


    Keegan didn''t respond immediately.


    A few secondster, Joe''s phone buzzed. Someone had added himmon WhatsApp When Joe checked, he saw it was Alexis, the chairman of Anxing Automobile Trading Group and the founder of the Xingang Racing Team-someone with absolute authority over the team.


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 Chapter 2452

    Keegan said, "I already told Alexis that if you can beat me tomorrow, he''ll let you join the team."


    Joe got Alexis''s WhatsApp number, and the "Come on" message he received confirmed Keegan''s words.


    Excited, Joe immediately asked, "What time and where tomorrow?"


    Keegan gave him the time and address, adding, "Make sure to load up on carbs. Twenty kilometers isn''t a joke."


    Joe, full of confidence, replied, "You should exercise more, old man. I''m ten years younger, so I''ll definitely win this half marathon. Get ready to introduce me to the team!" Keegan chuckled, "Alright, I''ll wait."


    After hanging up, Joe quickly packed his things. "I''m leaving now. I''ve got something important tomorrow. We''ll hang out another day!"


    His friend''s voice trailed off behind him, "Seriously? We were supposed to stay out all night, and you''re ditching me?"


    The next morning, Keegan got up early, took Ste to breakfast, and drove to the race location.


    He wore a sporty outfit, his hair loose and casual instead of his usual slicked-back work style. Ste, initially drowsy, was struck by how handsome he looked. "Handsome, how old are you?" she teased.


    Keegan smirked as he turned the steering wheel, "Sorry, I''m married with kids."


    Ste smiled, "Clothes really do make the man. You change outfits, and suddenly it feels like I have a new husband."


    Keegan asked, "Do you like the old one or the new one?"


    Ste sweetly replied, "I like both, as long as it''s you."


    Looking out the window, she asked, "Where are we going, honey?"


    Keegan said, "We''re going to show off to your boyfriend outside the circle."


    Ste was puzzled, "What boyfriend outside the circle?"


    Just then, Keegan''s phone rang, and Ste saw the caller ID: "Ste''s boyfriend outside the circle."


    Keegan calmly answered, "I''m heading out. Don''t bete, Joe. Don''t chicken out if you''re afraid of losing."


    Ste''s eyes widened-Joe was the one calling?


    Keegan remained unfazed, "Just don''t cry if you lose."


    "Tsk, wait till I''m on the team!" Joe replied.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    After hanging up, Ste asked Keegan what was going on.


    "Mrs. Clint''s biggest headache is that her youngest son is obsessed with racing and neglects his responsibilities. If we can help him get back on track, she''ll definitely be grateful."


    Ste frowned, "Why race? A half marathon? He''s so young, and you''re... not. Are you trying to kill yourself running 20 kilometers?"


    Keegan was calm, "Ste, long-distance running isn''t about how fast you start. It''s about consistent and steady persistence. It''s not just a physical challenge, but also a test of mental strength and willpower. I might not lose."


    Ste bit her lip, "You''ve only recovered for a few months. I''m really worried about such intense exercise."


    Keegan smiled, "It''s okay. I have a strong foundation. If I reach my limit, I''ll stop. Don''t worry."


    Ste felt a little better.


    Thergestkeside park in Rivera is six kilometers around, and a half marathon is three and a halfps.


    Keegan had the park cleared in advance, and when Ste arrived, she saw supply stations set up every kilometer.


    A casually dressed man wearing sunsses was lounging in the sun at one of the stations. When he saw Keegan, he waved.


    Keegan took Ste over and introduced her, "This is Alexis Currie, President of Anxing Automobile Trading Group and founder of the Xingang Racing Team," then added, "This is my wife, Ste."


    Alexis took off his sunsses, revealing a shrewd face, and smiled, "You used to call me brother in school, and now I''m Mr. Currie?"


    Keegan replied, "I had to grow up."


    Ste greeted, "Hello, Brother Currie."


    Alexis grinned, "My sister-inw is sweet," then turned to Keegan, "Why are you racing young guys?"


    Keegan said, "Not as old as you. My wife thinks I look like a college student."


    Alexis studied him for a moment and finally said, "Your wife sure knows how to tter."


    Ste was speechless.


    Joe soon arrived with two friends. He brought them to ensure Keegan wouldn''t back out if he won.


    Though Joe came in with high energy, he got nervous seeing Ste, and then even more so when he spotted Alexis, stumbling over his words.


    Finally, Joe was convinced Keegan wasn''t joking-he really had a shot at joining the Xingang Racing Team!


    Alexis joked, "Kid, if you can beat him, I''ll make you captain."


    Ste added, "Good luck! I''ll be waiting for you at the finish line!"


    Joe was pumped up and ready to go.


    With two idols cheering him on, how could he not give it his all? He had to win or risk losing face in front of them!


    After warming up, when the starting gun went off, Joe shot out like an arrow. Being young and strong, he quickly left Keegan behind.


    But Keegan kept his pace steady. He didn''t speed up just because Joe did; he followed his own rhythm.


    Ste watched closely with binocrs.


    Alexis patted the seat next to him, "Have a seat, sister-inw. They''ll be running for at least two hours. No need to stand."


    Ste sat down but kept her binocrs up.


    "How far along are you?" Alexis suddenly asked, surprising Ste.


    Alexis said, "Keegan already bragged about having twins."


    He clicked his tongue, a bit envious, "Keegan was top of our ss, and now he''s top of the world for fathering twins. He''s really something."


    Ste stayed quiet.


    Was that how you use the word "excellent"?


    Ste said, "The due date is mid tote September."


    Alexis sighed, "Time flies. Keegan''s going to be a father, and we''re getting old."


    He looked at Ste again, "Why do you look so familiar?"


    Ste was good at chatting with people she knew but felt awkward with strangers, especially with someone as talkative as Alexis. She


    became even more socially anxious.


    "I saw you at the wedding," she said, though she didn''t really remember Alexis.


    "No, I missed his wedding. We


    haven''t had many reunionstely. I


    shouldn''t have seen you with him. Tisk where have I seen you before?" Alexis frowned, then suddenly asked, "Were you ever a hostess at a car show?"


    Ste was taken aback, "How did you know?"


    Alexis pped his thigh, "I knew it! I knew Keegan had a thing for you!"


    Alexisughed and then told Ste about an incident at an auto show.


    Turns out, Keegan had spoken to the event organizer to help Ste recover most of the money she was supposed to lose. It wasn''t anyone else''s kindness.


    Alexis said, "I remember you crying


    on those steps. I was justing down from upstairs, and Keegan was standing nearby watching you for a long time.


    Later, when we went inside, he mentioned it. On the way back, I asked him if he liked you, and he said no. But now look-he helped you get your wages and ended up marrying you!"


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 Chapter 2453

    Ste was shocked. She had talked to Keegan about this before, but he never mentioned his role in helping her. She always thought her sry was recovered because the organizers were reasonable and knew it wasn''t her fault. Now, looking back, she realized how naive that was.


    For such a big event, why would the organizers care about a small etiquette girl like her? They wouldn''t care about right or wrong; they''d just choose the easiest way to handle the situation.


    It turned out Keegan had helped her... It was him all along...


    "Keegan is really smart. He had his eye on you even back then," Alexis said with a sigh, but Ste smiled, "Brother, I''m sure Keegan had no selfish motives when he helped me. He would''ve helped anyone in that situation."


    Keegan never called her or mentioned it, and even yearster, when she brought it up, he didn''t take credit for it. She was confident his help was purely out of kindness.


    Alexisughed, "Selfish or not, it doesn''t matter. The red string of fate between you two is as strong as steel. You''re destined to be together."


    Ste couldn''t agree more.


    If they hadn''t been separated by mistake, they would''ve been childhood sweethearts. But even after all the twists and turns, fate still brought them together.


    Meanwhile, Joe started his run strong, with Keegan nearly two kilometers behind. But in the secondp, Joe slowed down while Keegan kept a steady pace. By the end of the secondp, the gap had shrunk to less than a kilometer.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    As Ste handed Keegan an energy bar, she felt a pang of concern seeing his sweaty face.


    Keegan took the bar, tapped it on his palm, and bit into it as he continued running.


    It wasn''t even 10 a.m., but the sun was already scorching. Alexis, always one to enjoy life, had someone set up a sunshade over their heads and was lounging under it, sipping watermelon juice.


    By the thirdp, the distance between Joe and Keegan was just a few hundred meters.


    Alexis suddenly sat up, removing his sunsses, "Keegan is going to overtake him."


    With two kilometers left, Joe''s energy was almost gone. Though he loved running, he had never run 20 kilometers before, usually stopping at 10.


    After passing 10 kilometers, he could barely maintain his pace. At 15 kilometers, his lungs burned with every breath, and his legs felt like they were weighed down with lead, too heavy to lift. But with Keegan still close behind, Joe pushed himself to keep going. He thought if he just kept this pace, he could win.


    But he never imagined Keegan could speed up in thest two kilometers.


    When Joe saw Keegan pass him, he was stunned.


    He wanted to speed up too, but at this point, he could barely move forward, and he felt like giving up.


    Sweat dripped from his hair, stinging his eyes, and he felt on the verge of tears.


    Just then, he heard Ste''s voice.


    She called his name, encouraging him. He turned his head and saw Alexis driving her in a trolley, keeping pace with him. Alexis also cheered him on, "It''s just thest stretch, keep going!"


    Joe was surprised, and his mindset shifted. Instead of feeling like he''d already lost and should give up, he didn''t want to embarrass himself in front of his idols. At the very least, he had to finish the race.


    He gritted his teeth and kept running, even though his legs felt like lead.


    Joe lost to Keegan by six minutes.


    When he crossed the finish line, Keegan had already recovered a bit.


    As Joe stumbled to the finish, his legs gave out, and he wanted to copse on the ground. But Keegan helped him up, "Stand and rest. Sit down after a while."


    He handed Joe a bottle of room temperature water, "Drink it slowly, in small sips."


    Joe felt embarrassed. He had been upset about losing and underestimating Keegan, but now, with Keegan showing concern, he felt foolish.


    He took the water from Keegan, panting, and drank quietly.


    Ste handed Keegan another bottle of water and asked softly, "How are you?"


    Keegan shook his head, "I''m fine."


    He was tired, for sure. He hadn''t run a half marathon in a long time.


    He nced at Joe, who looked defeated, like he was about to cry.


    Joe had been so excited to meet his idol before, but now he was too downcast to even talk to Alexis.


    "Let''s go take a break and then have dinner togetherter."


    Joe looked up, "Are you going to humiliate me just because you won?"


    Keegan smiled, "I''ll introduce you to Alexis."


    Joe was surprised, "But I lost."


    Keegan nodded, "So you can''t join the team, but you can still meet him." He paused, "Or do you not want to?"


    "Of course I do!" Joe quickly agreed, then, feeling a bit embarrassed, added, "I didn''t expect you to be so strong at your age. I admit, you''re amazing." Keegan paused, "What age?"


    Joe was about to say Keegan was in


    his 40s, but when he saw Ste behind Keegan frantically signaling him, he quickly changed his tune, "Brother, you look as young as me today. My friend even thought you were born in the 2000s like us."


    Keegan looked pleased, "Let''s go."


    Even though he didn''t get into the team, Joe was thrilled to meet Alexis. After dinner, they took@graup photo together on the way back to school, Keegan noticed Joe smiling at the photo and asked, "Do you remember what you promised me?"


    "Yes, I remember. No more of thesepetitions, study hard, and make progress every day." Joe hesitated, "My mom didn''t ask you to talk to me like this, did she?" Keegan didn''t answer but asked, "How did it feel to run a half marathon?"


    Joe said, "It was tough. The further I went, the more it felt like I was dying. I wanted to give up every second, but finishing felt like an aplishment."


    Keegan smiled, "It''s easy to enjoy


    something, but what matters is


    sticking with it for the long term!!!


    e


    Think about whether you just like the excitement of racing, or if you truly want to seed in it and make it a lifelong career."


    Joe was taken aback. A lifelong career... He had never thought about it that way. The excitement was one thing, but it wasn''t just that. He genuinely loved cars and the roar of the engines. Joe sighed, "Honestly, my parents chose my major for me. I don''t like it; it''s boring."


    Because he didn''t like it, he didn''t care.


    Keegan was silent for a moment, then delivered the blow, "How long does it take to change majors at your school? Or how long to get a double degree?"


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 Chapter 2454

    Joe was at a loss for words.


    Keegan looked at him, "So you don''t like it, but you don''t want to change it?"


    Joe remained silent.


    Why did it feel like he was getting a lecture from the top student back in high school? Serious, but to the point.


    He opened his mouth, wanting to argue, but no words came out. After a while, he finally said, "I didn''t think that far." He had only been focused on defying his family.


    Keegan said, "Your life is your own. Whether you take it seriously or just go through the motions, it''s still your life. Ignoring what you don''t like won''t make it go away. Just getting by won''t solve the problem; it''ll still be there."


    "You go through school half-heartedly, graduate half-heartedly, then maybe you get a job or stay at home. And then what? Is that the life you want?"


    Joe stared at Keegan for a long time before admitting, "No."


    He didn''t enjoy his major, so he didn''t put in much effort, just wanting to graduate quickly. But as Keegan pointed out, what happens after graduation? Should he find a job in his field or just work at his family''spany? Neither option appealed to him. He''d spent four years just getting by and gained nothing.


    "I''m almost a junior now, and it feels toote to change my major," Joe said, feeling a bit defeated.


    Ste chimed in, "You''re only 20, you''re still young. It''s not toote to do anything. Don''t limit yourself. Remember that student who retook the college entrance exams this year and scored high enough to pick a new school? He''s two years older than you, and he wasn''t afraid to start over. So why should you be?"


    "I..." Joe hesitated, then sighed, "Why don''t you two start a ss for lost causes? The way you talk makes me feel like if I don''t study hard, there''s no hope in life."


    Keegan smiled, "Some people can seed without a great education, but that''s rare. Most sessful people didn''t do poorly in school. Even ordinary people can secure a stable job through hard work in their studies. But what''s really important is something you might not have heard before."


    "What?" Joe and Ste were both curious.


    Keegan exined, "The effort you put into your education affects the level of school you attend and the social circles you''ll enterter. Once you''re in society, yourwork is your social circle. When you need help or information, people will respond based on the value you bring, not just how well you get along with them. After all, no one does favors for free."


    Joe was taken aback by Keegan''s bluntness. "Do you have to be useful to make friends? Isn''t that kind of rtionship not genuine from the start? How can you have a real connection or shared understanding?" Keegan replied, "Life is a marathon. At each stage, you''ll have different people running alongside you. Whether you keep going, stop, or change direction, you''re choosing yourpanions. If your goals align, you''ll have shared experiences, and that''s where the connectiones from."Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    "I''m not telling you to pick friends based on their usefulness. I''m saying it''s like running a marathon. It doesn''t matter how fast or slow you go, the goal is the same. People with the same goals will reach the destination, even if they take different paths."


    Joe was silent, impressed by how sharp Keegan''s reasoning was. His family always told him to study hard and not waste time, but Keegan broke it down and exined why it was important. His major might have been chosen by others, but his life was his own. As long as he wasn''t at the finish line, he could still make changes.


    Keegan had a knack for dealing with young people. First Julian, now Joe Keegan easily earned their respect.


    The boy who had angrily called Keegan "Uncle" before, now called him "my brother and sister-inw" when he was dropped off at school.


    He said to Keegan, "Even though I know you must have a reason for convincing me to study, I agree with what you said, so I''ll follow your advice. Do you need me to help with anything?"


    Keegan smiled, "Let''s talk after you pass your exams this week."


    Joe waved and ran into the crowd.


    On the way back, Ste kept ncing at Keegan. He noticed and asked, "Is there something you want to say?"


    Ste nodded and whispered, "You won''t use this approach when teaching your own kids, will you?"


    Keegan asked, "You don''t think it''s good?"


    Ste said, "I know you''re right, but teaching kids like this seems a bit too focused on personal gain." The


    Keegan smiled, "I won''t teach kids like that. Their worldview, values, and outlook on life develop as they grow. I''ll have time to guide them and let them make mistakes. But Joe is already an adult. Instead of


    persuading him gently, it''s better to


    be direct and motivate him. His


    values and way of thinking are already formed. If he wants to improve, my words will help. If he doesn''t want to change, then nothing


    I say will make a difference." The


    Ste said, "Joe was right about one thing."


    Keegan: "What?"


    Ste smiled, "You really should start a ss for lost causes. You have a way of getting through to people."


    Keegan smiled. Back in high school, the leaders often asked him to give motivational speeches. He did it a few times butter got too busy.


    He enjoyed those intense days of studying and hoped every student could make the most of their youth.


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 Chapter 2455

    Joe''s transformation was so evident that even Grace found it unbelievable.


    He attended a college nearby, so he didn''t live on campus. However, he rarely stayed at home either, as his parents constantly nagged him whenever they saw him ying games or driving around. Instead, he often hid out at his eldest brother''s apartment.


    His eldest brother, being nine years older and busy with work, spoiled him even more than their parents did, often covering for him. Grace had repeatedly urged Joe to move back to the family home, reasoning that his brother had a fianc¨¦e and that Joe, as an obvious third wheel, should show some consideration. But in truth, she wanted him close so she could keep an eye on him.


    Joe was well aware of this, so whenever Grace brought it up, he pretended not to hear. But this time, without any prompting, Joe voluntarily moved back home.


    Grace initially thought he must have quarreled with his brother, but a quick phone call dispelled that notion. Suspicious, she wondered if Joe had done something wrong-maybe he had damaged someone''s car, or perhaps wrecked his own racing car and needed money to rece it. Could it be that he had injured someone?


    The more Joe buried himself in his studies at home, the more convinced Grace became that something was amiss. Each night, she would find some excuse to walk past his room, hoping he woulde clean so she wouldn''t have to be too harsh on him. But three days passed, and Joe still hadn''t confessed anything.


    How strange! Was this about something even more serious than a car ident? How much would it cost them?


    After a week, Grace couldn''t take it any longer and barged into Joe''s room. She found him staring at his college''s academic system with a bittersweet expression on his face.


    Joe had just received the results of his make-up exams. He had scored 89 in linear algebra and 83 in college physics. Although both were high marks, because they were make-up exams, his GPA would only reflect a pass. For the first time, Joe regretted not having studied harder-he could have aced those exams.


    When Grace entered, she saw her son''s conflicted expression. Steeling herself, she knocked on the door, though she was already inside. Joe snapped out of his thoughts, greeted her, and then dejectedly moved his


    mouse.


    Grace sat down on the bed, folded her hands, and asked cautiously, "Son, is there something you need to tell me?"


    Joe, still downcast, replied, "Mom, my make-up exam results are out."


    Grace acknowledged this absentmindedly. "How did you do?"


    "Eighty-nine and eighty-three. Both passed," Joe said.


    Grace nodded but couldn''t shake the feeling that something was seriously wrong. Could it be that he had caused some disaster? Was he preparing to confess to a financial burden so great that it would drain their savings?


    "Anything else?" Grace asked, bracing herself. "Just tell me. I can handle it, even if it means spending all our savings! If it''s just money, we can earn it back. If your father objects, I''ll make him leave with nothing!" For the first time, Joe felt guilty looking at his mother. Despite Grace''s well-maintained appearance, her graying temples betrayed her age. Unlike his well-behaved elder brother, Joe had always been the troublemaker, the one who worried Grace from the moment he could walk.


    His college entrance exam scores hadn''t been great, and his parents had spent a lot of money to get him into a good school with a suitable major. But because he hadn''t chosen his preferred field of study, he cked off as a form of rebellion.


    He often felt that his parents were too controlling. Butpared to his friends, who had to report every detail of their lives to their families, Joe realized how indulgent his parents actually were. They disapproved of his racing but never went so far as to destroy his equipment. Even when they threatened to stop funding his hobby, a few well-ced "Mom"s and some yful begging always softened their stance.


    He couldn''t keep disappointing her, could he? Could he finally make her proud?


    "Mom," Joe began, "I want to pursue a double degree. I still love racing, and I know I''m not that great at it, but I want to study something rted to cars. I promise I won''t fail in my current major anymore. Can you let me pursue it?"


    Grace was taken aback. "That''s it? Nothing more?"


    Joe blinked. "Uh, yes? What did you think it was?"


    "Didn''t hit anyone? Or crash a car?" Grace asked, still skeptical.


    Joe shook his head, bewildered.


    After confirming that Joe hadn''t caused any trouble, Grace felt relieved but then studied him closely. "Son, are you feeling okay?"


    Why was he suddenly so serious about studying? This waspletely out of character. She reached out to feel his forehead.


    Joe, clearly annoyed, pushed her


    hand away and said earnestly, "Mom, I''m serious. I know you and Dad


    chose this major for me because it''s good for my future. future. Xwas immature


    before and always rebelled against you. But someone recently told me that the skills I learn are for myself, not just to please you. If I don''t like something, I can change it or add to it. No one''s stopping me. I was being childish, but now I realize how foolish I was."


    For the first time, Grace seriously reconsidered Joe. Although the family had indulged him, Joe was not a bad person. Apart from his love for ehad


    cars, he had never been a source of major concern. At most, he spent a little too much money, but the family could afford it. Her real worry was that Joe would never grow up, that he would remain a child forever.


    Now, Joe was speaking about his future with a maturity she hadn''t expected. Grace''s eyes filled withThis content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ve


    tears. After years of praying to the gods for Joe to find his way, it


    seemed her prayers had finally been answered.


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 Chapter 2456

    Grace said, "Son, as long as you want to study, I will support you, whether it''s for a double degree or even ten degrees! I''m so happy right now. If you''re joking, please tell me, or else I''ll take you seriously!" Joe smiled and hugged Grace''s arm. "Mom, can''t I truly want to be like my brother and make you proud?"


    Grace rubbed his yellow hair affectionately. "I used to be proud of you, but after you dyed your hair yellow, not so much."


    Joe was speechless. "Then I''ll dye it back."


    Grace immediately handed him a card from the hair salon. "Go quickly. It closes at midnight, so there''s still time today."


    Joe was delighted, realizing his mother had been unhappy with his yellow hair for a long time. "Alright, alright, I''ll go now."This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    As she handed him his coat and sent him out, Grace asked, "Sweetheart, earlier you mentioned that someone talked to you, and that''s what made you change your mind. Was it your teacher?"


    "Not my teacher, but he does like to teach others," Joe replied. Though, in reality, he was just a crafty liar-an extremely capable one.


    Grace was curious. "He just said a few words, and you suddenly saw the light? I''ve talked to you countless times, and nothing changed."


    Joe exined, "He challenged me to run 20 kilometers, saying if I won, he''d let me join his team. He''s ten years older than me, and at that moment, I thought, ''How could I lose to an old-timer?'' But I did lose."


    Joe scratched his head, embarrassed. "He wasn''t much faster than me, but I underestimated him. He''s incredibly strong-no, terrifyingly strong! I feel like there''s nothing he can''t do. He wasn''t really trying to recruit me; he just wanted to preach to me, to get me to focus on my studies. At first, I thought you''d hired him to talk to me, but then I realized he''s wealthier than our family, so that couldn''t be it."


    Grace was silent. Joe''s words unintentionally hurt her, but she had to admit, there weren''t many people in Rivera who could out-earn the Esper family. She thought hard and suddenly remembered Trevor. Ste had just visited, and right afterward, Joe was persuaded to return to school. Connecting the dots, Grace felt it was likely Trevor who''d intervened.


    Grace adjusted her coat and didn''t respond directly. She only told Joe toe home quickly and not stay out toote.


    Joe, young and carefree, didn''t notice Grace''s shift in mood. He cheerfully agreed and drove off.


    Not long after, his racing friend called. "Where are you? It''ste, and the race starts in a few hours. Why aren''t you here for a final test run?"


    Joe felt a pang of nostalgia, but when he remembered his promise to Keegan and the hope he''d given his mother, he resisted. "I''m not going tonight. You guys have fun."


    His friend was shocked. "Are you serious? We''ve been nning this for ages, and now you''re backing out? What''s going on? Did your family shut you down? Where are you? I can get you out if needed." "No," Joe replied softly, "I just don''t see the point anymore. I''ve wasted a lot of time and want to catch up on my studies."


    His friendughed. "You? Studying hard? You failed three coursesst semester, and now you want to buckle down? Your family''s loaded-what''s the point? Quit joking and get over here. There''s a million-dor prize. We''ve got it all nned out. Don''t let me down now."


    Joe frowned, feeling uneasy. This race wasn''t an official event-it was a high-stakes, illegal race designed for adrenaline junkies. The prize money was tempting, but it was never about the money for Joe. His family had plenty. He joined the race for the thrill, hoping to meet a former F1 driver rumored to be the organizer.


    But his friend''s dismissive words struck a nerve. Joe had thought they shared a passion for racing, but now he saw some of them were in it solely for the money.


    Joe realized their motivations differed from his own. For some, racing was a dangerous shortcut to wealth. He''d heard stories about illegal races where drivers risked their lives, betting everything for a big payout. He was shocked at first, but his teammates spoke of it casually, as if it were normal.


    Suddenly, Joe understood what Keegan meant about goals and motivations. He''d chosen the wrong path and the wrong friends. Their dreams weren''t the same.


    With newfound rity, Joe said, "I''m serious. I won''t be participating in these races anymore. You should avoid them too-one wrong move, and it''s all over."


    His friend was stunned. "What? Who got into your head?"


    Joe calmly replied, "I''ve made up my mind."


    His friend cursed under his breath. "You''re unbelievable. Who brainwashed you to pull this at thest minute?"


    Joe cut him off. "If there''s nothing else, I''m hanging up."


    "Hang up? Hell no! If you don''t race, at leaste to cheer ys on. After all the practice we''ve done together, don''t just ditch us now."


    Joe hesitated. The race started at 2 AM, and he had promised his mom he''de home after dyeing his hair.


    "Fine," his friend snapped. "If you don''t show up tonight, don''t expect me to know you anymore. What a waste of time it was knowing you!"


    The harsh words stung Joe, and he sighed, reluctantly giving in "Alright, I''lle overVater, but only to celebrate if we win."


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 Chapter 2457

    It took Joe over an hour to dye his hair. After finishing, he snapped a few selfies in front of the mirror and sent one to Keegan with the caption, "Starting fresh."


    Keegan looked at the photo of Joe with his new ck hair, who looked both obedient and adorable, and couldn''t help butugh.


    Ste heard himugh, put down her book, and asked, "What''s so funny?"


    Keegan showed her Joe''s selfie.


    Steughed, "I always wondered why he dyed his hair yellow, shaved his eyebrows, and wore an eyebrow stud. Turns out, he has a baby face! He looks even younger than Julian.¡±


    Keegan chuckled, "His father looks just like this. He''s in his fifties but looks like he''s in his thirties. When Vermont first met him, he called him ''brother'' and got scolded for being disrespectful. Then, a hotel supervisor- only in her early twenties-also called him ''brother,'' and he stayed silent."


    Ste couldn''t stopughing as she imagined the scene. She concluded, "People with baby faces are really lucky. Even in their fifties, they can still charm the young. Why didn''t I get a face like that?"


    Keegan paused and looked at her, "Whose heart are you nning to steal?"


    Ste smiled mischievously, "Mr. Kane, will you still get jealous after all these years?"


    Keegan calmly replied, "Not at all."


    Ste was curious, "Really? Not even a little?"


    Keegan confidently answered, "No."


    Ste pressed on, "Is that because love turns into family affection over time, so you don''t care anymore?"


    Keegan responded, "I''m not sure about that, but I know one thing for certain."


    Ste asked, "What''s that?"


    Keegan said seriously, "As long as this kingdom stands, you will always be my concubine."


    Ste was momentarily stunned but burst outughing the next second. She hugged Keegan and kissed him repeatedly, "You''re so adorable when you''re serious but a little bit cheeky." Keegan gave her a calm look, "That''s the confidence of a main wife."


    Ste gave him a thumbs up, "Exactly, how else could I be the main wife?"


    She then nestled in his arms and whispered, "I''vee up with a nickname for our kids."


    Keegan was curious, "What is it?"


    Ste''s eyes lit up as she whispered, "Bring in wealth and treasure."


    Keegan was speechless. He covered her eyes with his hand, "Be good and go to sleep. Naming is tooplicated for you."


    Ste yfully kicked him.


    The next morning, Ste woke up to find Keegan already gone.


    She yawned and asked Maria, their housekeeper, "Maria, when did Keegan leave?"


    Maria replied while serving soup, "Around six in the morning. Sir woke up shortly after you did. He didn''t go for his usual run, just changed quickly and left. It seemed urgent."


    Ste paused, then quickly took out her phone to call Keegan, but his line was busy. She tried calling Aldor next.


    Aldor was preparing for his engagement, and Keegan had given him some time off, so he didn''t know where Keegan had gone.


    "Maria said he left in a hurry at six in the morning. I''m worried something happened," Ste sighed. "I''ll ask someone else."


    "Wait a minute, ma''am," Aldor suddenly stopped her and asked in a low voice, "Did you watch the news this morning?"


    Ste replied, "Not yet. What happened?"


    Aldor exined, "Last night, a group of young people were racing on City New Road, and it resulted in a major traffic ident-three dead, fifteen injured. There''s a construction project from our branchpany on that road. The news broke early this morning, around five or six. I wonder if Mr. Kane left in a hurry because of this?"


    "City New Road?" Ste was initially stunned, then suddenly rmed. Wasn''t that the race Joe had mentioned wanting to join? Could he have participated after all?


    Ste immediately tried to contact Joe, but he didn''t answer.


    Though Ste wasn''t close to the Esper family and had only contacted Joe to ask about Grace, she felt genuinely upset at the possibility of something bad happening to him. That reckless kid! He had promised Keegan he wouldn''t participate in dangerous races, so why didn''t he listen?


    With no answer from Joe, Ste decided to call Leighton to ask Nicole, since she was Leighton''s cousin and might know more than they did.


    Leighton informed her, "Joe was injured and is still unconscious. Nicole just boarded a ne to rush back, so she hasn''t seen him yet and probably doesn''t know much either."


    The worst-case scenario hade true-Joe was really involved.


    Keegan likely left in such a rush because of this incident.


    Just as Ste left a message for Keegan asking him to call back when he could, a hot topic exploded on social media.


    A marketing ount posted that


    among the injured was Joe Esper, the


    second son of a local entrepreneur.


    The ount detailed how Joe''s


    family had started in the printing


    business,ter transitioned to


    toiletries, and became quite wealthy.


    Rather than focusing on the ident itself, the ount highlighted Joe''s identity, essentially naming the Esper family.


    If Joe were just an ordinary person, this wouldn''t have caused much of a stir. But he was a wealthy second-generation heir.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Words like "rich," "racing," and "ident"bined to paint a picture of spoiled rich kids recklessly racing at night, hitting innocent passersby, and causing a devastating ident.


    In these tough economic times, with hostility running high online, the marketing ount''s exposure of Joe''s identity quickly pushed him into the public spotlight.


    "He had money to burn, so he deserves it!"


    "Why wasn''t he one of the three who died?"


    "Investigate this thoroughly! If he''s into illegal racing, he''s probably into gambling and drugs too!"


    "Joe was a ssmate of my friend. I


    heard he was a cker who often


    m


    skipped sses. He only got into


    university because of his family''s money and connections, and he failed three courses in one semester."


    "True, I can confirm that. He was in


    my department. He failed three


    courses but somehow passed the


    make-up


    -up exams with top scores! It''s known that the make-up exams at S University are tougher than the originals. If he had the ability to score


    so well, why did he fail in the first


    ce? We all think his grades were bought."


    "It''s good to be rich. While we''re struggling to make it, these rich kids are cruising down easy street, using money to clear their path and shoving us off the bridge."


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 Chapter 2458

    "I think the priority should be finding out what caused the ident, not digging up people''s information. Are the marketing ounts just following a trend?"


    "I agree. Such a major ident can''t be the fault of just one person. Shouldn''t we focus on the event organizers?"


    "Illegal racing on a road where speeding is banned caused this ident. What more is there to say? Those in charge aren''t just the water army hired by Esper''s family, right?"


    "Didn''t Joe participate? Is he innocent? The real victim here is the passerby who was killed. It''s ridiculous that some people are feeling sorry for these scumbags instead of seeking justice for the innocent victim." Joe''s personal information was exposed and widely shared online. Some even dug up his college entrance exam scores, questioning how he got into S University when his scores didn''t meet the admission requirements.


    This major traffic ident has turned into an attack on one person, with public opinion being manipted. Something feels off here. The focus shouldn''t be on Joe. Either someone is trying to shift the me onto him, or they''re using this to go after the Esper family.


    Ste contacted Vermont to investigate. He responded, "This ident isn''t as simple as it seems. Illegal racing is just part of it. The real issue is that someone was driving under the influence of drugs, causing the tragedy. The inte is ming Joe to cover for that person. You and Aurora should stay out of it."


    Ste was shocked, "Who is that person?"


    Vermont replied, "Don''t ask."


    Ste thought for a moment and guessed, "Ricky?"


    Vermont was speechless, thinking, "You really can''t hide anything from someone this sharp."


    Ste was outraged, "People died in this ident! And now they''re trying to frame Joe to divert attention? Is there no justice?"


    Vermont sighed, "When the ident happened, Ricky was taken away immediately. His name isn''t even on the list of those involved. What''s worse, Joe is unconscious, and his teammates told the police he was the one driving. They also found alcohol in Joe''s blood, so now the police think he caused the ident by drunk driving."


    If the drunk driving im sticks, Joe is doomed, no matter the real cause of the ident.


    Ste then asked, "Have you contacted Marshall recently?"


    Vermont''s guard went up, "What are you nning?"


    "Nothing serious," Ste replied casually. "But the Graham and Esper families don''t get along, right? With this dirt on Ricky, I''m sure attorney Moore would be interested."


    Vermont sighed, "Why do you always make me do the dirty work?"


    Ste teased, "I could do it, but Keegan would get jealous. He still minds that I went skydiving with Marshall when he disappeared. How about this: I''ll tell him, and when Keegan finds out, you can say it was your idea, and that I, being pregnant and all, was just looking for help."


    Vermont rolled his eyes, "He gets jealous, and I take the me. You''re the queen of me-shifting."


    Steughed, "It''s for family harmony. You don''t want your parents fighting before their grandchild is born, do you?"


    Vermont grumbled, "You''re heartless. Don''t you feel guilty using Marshall like this, even if he does have feelings for you?"


    Ste''s tone turned cold, "He manipted me to look like Willow just to annoy Keegan. That''s not love. At most, we''re even now. Are you going to do it or not?"


    Vermont realized he had struck a nerve and quickly agreed, "Fine, I''ll do it. But I can''t guarantee Marshall will take action."


    Ste replied confidently, "He will."


    Marshall, who had taken on the investigation into Luanna''s case, would not let an opportunity like this slip by.


    Vermont called Marshall, starting with small talk before bringing up the drag racing ident. "It''s tragic. Three dead, fifteen injured-all young people in their twenties. Joe could''ve done anything else at his age, but he chose racing."


    Marshall, busy flipping through documents, replied, "Since when do you care so much about social news?"T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "I just saw it on the news. It hit close to home since Joe was involved."


    Marshall brushed it off, "I skimmed the news but didn''t look closely."


    Vermont pressed on, "Well, there''s more to the story than meets the''¨¨ye. Let me tell you the content is on


    Marshall cut him off, "I''m busy right now. We''ll talkter."


    Vermont insisted, "But it''s really urgent, just give me two minutes."


    Marshall was about to refuse when Vermont added, "Ste told me about this, I was shocked and thought you''d want to know."


    Marshall paused, "Ste told you?"


    "Yes, she said Joe is being framed to cover for Ricky, who''s a drug addict. The Graham family putted Ricky out, and now they want Joe to take the me."


    Marshall was silent for a long time before finally replying, "I know."


    "Well, it''s good you''re aware. Pretty shady, right?"


    Marshall responded faintly, with a hint of sadness, "Tell Ste I said hi."


    Vermont was taken aback, but before he could reply, Marshall had already hung up.


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